no wyse escape the death nor ye maye not thereby vnderstande that after thys sacrament of extreme vnction no other Sacrament at any tyme els can be ministered vnto the person so anoyled For in dede this sacrainente maye be minystred in the entrye of the syckenes and also manye tymes ells whensoeuer anye greate maladye or peryllous syckenes shall come to anye man in soo muche that he who is daungerously sycke and there fore anoylynge and anoynted receyuing and vsynge this sacramente may yf he escape the daunger and after fall into it agayne or into any other suche lyke haue ministred vnto him agayne thys laudable and notable sacrament of extreme vnction whiche of it selfe is both iterable as Penaunce Euchariste and Matrymonye is and not alwayes mynystred in the catholyke churche that the sicke person so sone as he hath receyued it shoulde incontinentlye departe oute of thys worlde and want his lyfe But contrary wise that the sayde person both in soule and also in bodye maye yf it so be sene good vnto 〈◊〉 God recouer and gette healthe agayue And thys to be soo those notable prayers full of all godlynes and sauourynge antiquitie vsed nowe in the catholyke churche agreinge with the counsell and commaundemente of S. James in the last chapiter of his epystle do euidently and playnelye declare and shewe vnto vs. And although in oure wycked tyme smale is the nōber of them that do escape death hauynge receyued this sacrament of extreme vnction yet that is not to be ascrybed vnto the lacke or faulte of thys sacrament but rather vnto the wante and lacke of stedfast and constant fayth which oughte to be in those that shall haue this sacrament mynystred vnto them by which stronge fayth the power of almyghty God in the prymitiue churche did worke myghtely and effectuallye in the 〈◊〉 persones enoynted receyuynge thys holy and comfortable sacramente and nowe for the lacke of lyke fayth in our tyme dothe not worke after lyke sorte Accordyng where vnto we reade in the. vi chapiter of S. Marke after thys sorte Et non poterat ibi uirtutem 〈◊〉 nisiquod 〈◊〉 impositis manibus curauit 〈◊〉 propter incredulitatem 〈◊〉 That is to saye And he that is to saye Chryste could not do any miracle there sauing that he did cure a fewe sicke persones 〈◊〉 his handes vpon them and he dyd meruaile or wonder for the 〈◊〉 or vnbeleife of them This sacrament 〈◊〉 is not called the sacrament of extreme or last vnction for that that deathe alwayes dothe followe it or for that that no sacrament can be minystcred after to the person enoynted but for that speciallye that all other vnctions beinge vsed in the admynystratyon of the sacramentes do go before this vnction doth folowe them And here by the waye forasmuche as we doo speake of extreme vnction ye shall vnderstande that there are as the maister of the sentence in hys fourth boke and. xxiii distinctiou doth testifye three kindes or sortes of vnctions accustomed and vsed in the churche the first vnctiō in tyme is that where with yonglynges comming newly to be instructed and taught in the fayth and religion of Chryste called in Latyne Cathecumini are by the preiste to be anoynted wyth all vpon the breast and betwene the shoulders and this vnction is made onely with oyle olyue beynge fyrste sanctified or consecrated by the byshoppe and afterwardes vsed by the preist in mynystration The seconde vnction is that whiche is made or done notwith oyle alone as the former is nor wyth balme alone but it is made and done wyth Chrysme whych is made of oyle olyue and of balme and soo of two lyquors myngled and myxte together the oyle to signifye the clensinge purging of the conscience and the balme to sygnifye the swete sauor of good name same required to be in the partie that is there with to be anoynted And this vnction so made with chrysine is a principall and a cheyfe vnction and the holye ghoste pryncipally or chiefely is geuen in or by it And with thys 〈◊〉 the heades of kynges and bysshoppes are to be anoynted yea and the heades of the chyldrenne baptyzed are here wyth aboue they re foreheades by the preiste to be anoynted 〈◊〉 and finallye the chyldren whiche by laynge on of the byshoppes handes are by the sayde by shoppe to be confyrmed muste also by the sayde bishoppe be signed with the crosse and with the sayde Chrysme in theyr forehead be also by him anointed And the thyrde vnction of whyche we nowe haue to speake and to intreate vppon is that wherewith sycke personnes in the places accustomed are to be anoynted withall And thys vnction is made also of oyle olyue onelye beynge sanctyfied or consecrated by the by shoppe whiche commonly and customablye the sayde by shoppe accordyng to the olde tradition of the churche doth in dic coenae domini As Saynct Cypryan in hys sermen de unctione doeth testifye And Sayncte Dyonyse also in hys booke de 〈◊〉 hierarchia in the fourthe chapiter And nowe concernynge the institution of thys sacrament we doe reade Marci vi how Chryste callynge vnto hym hys xii apostles and sendynge them forthe by two and two dydde prescrybe vnto them a certayne forme of embassadge or message and dyd also geue vnto them a certayn power which they shoulde occupye and vse And we doe reade also there that the Apostles so goinge forthe dy preach vnto the people penaunce and that they dydde caste forth deuyles and also that they dyd anoynte 〈◊〉 oyle manye that were sycke who there by were healed and cured And we maye not here thynke as manye vayne folyshe persones folowinge theyr owne fansyes and dreames haue reported and sayde that these apostles of Chryst were in thys behalfe as commone chyrurgions and that by 〈◊〉 they dyd heale and cure the sycke for as ye shall perceyue anone by the testimonye of S. James thys healynge and curyng was many times bothe concernyng the soule and also the bodye wherefore the oyle where wyth the Apostles dyd anoynte the sycke per sons was sacramentall and mystycall sanctifyed oyle and therefore dyd so worke bothe in the body and also in the soule o the sycke personne And after thys sorte the catholyke churche euen from the begynnyng hath accepted and taken thys to be a sacramente of Chrystes institution and ordinaunce and so alwayes continuallye hathe reteyned and kepte it takynge for a testimonye of the foundation and grounde thetof the sayde vi chapter of Sayncte Marke so by the auncient fathers of the churche most learnedly and godlye expounded and interpretated where vnto is adioyned the testimonye of Saynct James in the last chapiter of hys canonicall epistle wher he being a blessed apostle clearely expressynge and vtterynge the maner and fourme of the administration of this Sacrament whiche he had receaued of Chryst and delyuered vnto the people to be of them obserued and kepte doth say thus Infirmatur quis
Epystle to the Corinthians be spiri tual yet it 〈◊〉 then the same in substaunce that it is nowe Agayne Manna a meate which God 〈◊〉 to the children of Israel in the wyldernes is both in Scripture and of the catholyke churche also called a spiritual meat and the water lykewyse which god gaue them out of a rocke is called a spiritual drynke and yet as well Manna as the water were of a bodily substaunce In the. vi to the Galathians sainct Paule calleth mortall men liuing then on the earth spiritual Wherefore spirituall is not so to be taken alwayes as to exclude corporall but that thynge whatsoeuer it be may be called spirituall wherein is a worke wrought by god aboue nature For as god is a spirite so are his supernatural workes called spi rituall and the thinges also on and in whome such workes are wrought are named spiritual thynges and therefore Manna though it were of a bodelye substaunce yet for that it came myraculously from aboue by the onelye power of God and not of nature is and may wel be called a spiritual meate And the dryncke whyche issued oute of the rocke albeit it was in substaunce very water yet for that God by hys omnypotency made it sodenlye to issue out of a rocke it is armed a spirytuall drynke 〈◊〉 bydyes lykewyse after the resurrection shal haue in them immediatly of God aboue that power of nature immortalitie incorruptibilitie 〈◊〉 other lyke supernaturall qualities and for that cause they shall after the resurrectyon be spyrytuall bodyes Nowe then what necessity is there that because the body of our 〈◊〉 Chryst in the Sacrament of the Aultar is a spirituall meate therefore it shoulde not be also the corporall substaunce of his body When the catholyke churche dothe saye that the bodye of Chryste in the Sacramente is a spirytaull bodye it meaneth that it is there onelye thoroughe the almyghtye powere of God and not by the power or manoure of nature Lykewyse when the catholyke churche sayeth that the bodye of Chryste is to be receyued there spirituallye it meaneth not that therefore the verye body of Chryst is not there to be receaued really in very dede For this worde spiritually dothe signifye onely the maner of the receauyng and dothe not importe the substaunce of the thyng so receyued Besides this the catholyke churche beleuynge that in the Sacrament of the aultare is alwayes reallye the body and bloude of our sauiour Chryst doth yet put a difference in the maner of receauynge thereof and vseth to saye that when good men receaue the sacramente that they receaue the bodye and bloude of Chryst both sacramentally and spiritually to but when euyll men receaue that they receaue the body of Chryst sacramentally only not spiritually because they come vnto it vnworthely and therefore do they procure thereby to theim selues dampnation But nowe to open fardar the very meaning of those worses of Chryst. It is the spirit that ge ueth lyfe the fleshe profiteth nothing you shal vnderstande that these wordes are taken of the catholyke church in two most godly senses the one is to meane by the spirite the godhed and by the fleshe the nature of man as yf he had sayde it is the godhed that causeth my fleshe to be able to gyue lyfe ne ther is my fleshe the fleshe of a bare man for then it beyng eaten coulde not profyte you but my fleshe is vnited in vnitie of persone to the godhed so that it is thereby able to brynge lyfe to the worthy eater therof Thus doeth Cyryil vpon the. vi of Saynte John expounde these wordes And to lyke purpose sainct Augustyne sayethe vppon the. vi of John that as knowledge beyng seperated from charitie maketh men proude but beynge ioyned wyth charytye dothe edyfye euen so mans fleshe not vnyted to the Godhed and byng eaten dothe not profytte but the fleshe of Christ whych is in hym in vnitie of person inseperably vnited to the godhed beyng worthelye receaued muste nedes hyghly profyt The other sēse of those wordes to meane by the spirite a spirituall vnderstandyng of Christes promyse made in Caper naum when he sayde the foode that I wyl giue vnto you is my fleshe whych wordes be then vn derstanded spiritually whē they be taken to meane that thing which passeth the power of nature to doo and manes wyt by naturall reason to comprehende lykewyse by the fleshe is to be ment a fleshely vnder standynge of the sayde promysse as to vnderstande wythout faythe in Christes deitie as the Capernaites dyd whyche toke Chryst but for a bare man so conceaued no otherwyse of the eatynge of his fleshe then of commen meate bought in the shambles Thys sense that S. Chrysostome wrytynge vpon the. v. of John and S. Augustyne wrytynge vpon the same Chapter ¶ An other obiection is there by occasyon that thys truth is not expressed in the commē crede ¶ Whych obiection doth procede of an ignoraūce lacke of knowledge of the fyrst institution of that crede For in the primatyue churche when men of all ages dyd sodenly turne from gentility to the christian religion and yet then were not by and by vpon suche there turne admitted to anye sacrament but fyrste were instructed in artycles necessary for them to beleue before they were baptised thys common cread was taughte them and they were for that tyme called Catechumni that is younglynges in Chrystes religion and begynners admytted but to the fyrste principles of the chrystyan faythe durynge whyche tyme they were not suffered so muche as to be present at the masse but after the gospel were quyte excluded from the same as by the vndouted wrytynges of the auncient fathers in chrystes church maye most euidently appeare So that thys reason is fōd and to no purpose to say that because it is not in the 〈◊〉 crede expresly set fourth that in the sacrament of the aultare is the very 〈◊〉 and bloude of our sauiour christ therfore no christian man is boūd to beleue it so to be S. Chrysostome and S. Augustyne hauyng occasion many tymes in 〈◊〉 sermones made by them to speake of this Sacrament for asmuch as amōg theire audience were as wel youg lynges not yet baptysed as other fathfull alreadye christened did vse oft tosay Quod 〈◊〉 norāt that is which that faithful or they that be alredy baptised know or such lyke thing and would not then expreslye declare the trueth touchyng the sacramente of the aultare for that it was not the maner to reueyle suche misteries to those yonglinges but to them was in general as sufficient for saluation prescribed in that common crede that they should beleue the catholike churche which not onely was sufficient thā for thē beleuynge the othere artycles of there crede but is sufficient at thys present also for vs cōfirminge oure selues in all poyntes to the common belefe of the catholke church whyche is
that case is amonges the Chrysten people called in Latyn Infidelis That is to saye Unfaythfull or Heathen And because God as before is declared hath made promyse and conuenaunt wyth man and is euer in hys wordes pro myses moost true moost iust moost constante and wyll as we must moost assuredly beleue and thynke performe and accomplyshe the same soo farre forthe as he hath promysed in any wise therefore God is cal led as he is in very dede Fidelis et verax that is to say Faythful and true obseruyng and kepyng his fayth that is to saye hys promyse to man requyryng that man shoulde lyke wyse kepe hys faythe and promyse towardes hym Nowe of these thynges that are before spoken it is manyfest that fayth as it is taken in the seconde accep is the perfecte faythe of a true chrystian man conteynynge the obedience to the hole doctryne and religion of Chryste And after thys sorte is faythe taken of S. Paule in his epystle to the Romaynes and in other places of Scrypture where it is sayde that we be iustifyed by fayth In whych places man may not thinke that we be iustifyed by fayth as fayth is a seuerall vertue seperated from hope and charytie from feare of God from repentaunce but by fayth there is ment not the late inuented and deuised faith that is to say onely faythe or fayth alone but faythe with the foresayde vertues coupled and ioyned to gether conteinyng as is aforesaide the obedience to the hole doctryne and religion of Chryst. And here by the way is to be noted that euerye man that doth offend God doth not vtterlye lose his fayth therby for both they that do synne by frailtie soden motions from which euen the iust men ar not holly free and be taught therefore of Chryste to saye with other Forgyue vs our trespaces c And the other also whych aduysedly fall into deadely synne as they that do committe murder adulterye and other abhominations albeit they be fallen from the liuelye and perfecte fayth for that they are disobediente to the doctrine and religion of Chryste whyche they dyd knowe yet there doth remayne in them so offēdyng the certeine and assured knowledge of God and his doctrine whiche is the faythe after the fyrste sorte and acception of fayth And that these ii thynges it is to wytte knowlege and obedience are sometime seperated and a 〈◊〉 Chryste in the. xii chapiter of Saint Lukes Gospell doth playnely declare it speakyng of a seruaunt that knoweth the wyl of his maister and doth it not And lykewyse S. James in his epystle sayeth that fayth may remayne wythout charitie Wherefore the truth being thus a transgressoure of the lawe of Almyghty God after baptysme dothe kepe a remorse of conscience the light of knowledg by fayth whereby he seeth the remedyes howe to at tayne the remyssion of synne and by a speciall gyfte of further grace is moued to vse the same remedyes and soo by faythe walketh the wayes ordeyned to at tayne remyssion of synne as in the Sacramēte of pe naunce shal be more perfytlye hereafter declared Thus haue you harde the. ii acceptions or takynges of fayth that the fayth of knowledge may remayne in hym that hath fallen frō the perfect faith of a Chrystian man But whether there be any specyall particuler knowledge whych man by fayth hath certaynely of hymselfe whereby he maye testyfye to hymselfe that he is of the predestynates whiche shall perseuer to the ende in their callyng there is not spoken as yet of nor 〈◊〉 can by the Scryptures or Dectoures be proued that any such fayth can or ought to be preached 〈◊〉 taught Truthe it is that in the Sacramentes 〈◊〉 by Chryste and vsed in his Catholique Churche here in earth we may constantly and assuredlye beleue the workes of god in them and the applycation of his grace and fauour therein to oure presente comforte with assuraunce also that he wyll not faile vs yf we fall not from hym And therfore we so contynewyng in the state of grace wyth hym haue warrante and may beleue vndoutedly that we shal be saued BVT FORASMVCH as our frayltye noughtines ought euer to be feared in vs it is therfore expedient for vs to lyue in contyuuall watche and in contynuall fight with our enemyes the deuyll the fleshe and the worlde and not to 〈◊〉 to muche of our perseueraunce and contynuaunce in the state of grace whych on our behalfe is vncertayne vnstable but dilygently and ofte to remembre the godly and wyse lesson of S. Paule in the. x. chapiter of his first epistle to the Corinthyans where he sayeth Qui se existimat 〈◊〉 Videat ne 〈◊〉 that is to saye he that thynketh or iudgeth him selfe to stande let him take hede that he fall not For all thoughe GODDES promysses made in CHRIST be immutable yet as it hath bene sayde afore he doth not make them to vs but with conditiō So that hys promyse standyng we maye yet fayle of the effect of the promyse hicause we kepe not our promis And therfore yf we assuredly do recken vpō the state of our 〈◊〉 as grounded vpon Goddes promisses and do not remember therwyth that no man shal be 〈◊〉 onlesse he lawfully fighte we shal tri umphe before the victori and so loke in vaine for that whych is not other wyse promysed but vnder a 〈◊〉 and after this sorte euery chrysten man muste and ought assuredly beleue ¶ Here foloweth the crede or the. xii Articles of the Christian fayth i. I beleue in God the father Almyghty maker of heauen and earth ii And in 〈◊〉 Christ his onely sonne oure Lorde iii. Which was conceyued by the holy gost borne of the 〈◊〉 Mary iiii Suffred vnder Ponce Pilate was crucifted dead and buryed descended into hel v. And the third day he rose agayne from death vi He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the father almighty vii From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade viii I beleue in the holy Ghost ix The holy Catholike churche x. The 〈◊〉 of saintes The forgiuenes of sinnes xi The resurrection of the body xii And the life euerlastinge Amen Here foloweth thexposition and declaratiō of this crede AS concernyng this crede there are v. points generally to be marked and obserued first that al chrysten people ought and must constantly beleue mayntayne and defende al those thinges to be true whych be comprehended in this crede in the other two credes whereo◠the one is vsed to be sayde at Masse beyng approued and establyshed by auncient generall counsayles and the other was made by the greate clerke holy man Athanasius And likewise we must also constantly beleue mainteyne and defende al other thynges whych are comprehended in the whole body and canon of the Byble Secondely that all thinges conteyned in thys crede or in any of the other ii credes or
¶ A profitable and necessarye doctrine with certayne homelyes adioyned thervnto set forth by the reuerend father in God Edmunde Byshop of London for the instruction and enformation of the people being within his diocesse of London of hys cure and charge Declina a malo fac bonum Presis vt profis The Preface of the Bishop of London to the reader WHere as in the time of the late outragious and pestiferous 〈◊〉 being here in thys Churche and realme of England al godlines good nes was dispised in maner banished and the catholyque trade doctrine of the church wyth a newe enuyouse and odyous terme called named papystry like also as deuout religion and honest be hauiour of men was accounted and taken for super stition and hipocrisye And therevpon by sundrye wayes and wiles pernicious and euyll doctryne was sowen planted and set forth sometimes by the procedyng preachers sermons sometymes by theyr prynted treatyse sugred all ouer with lose lybertye a thing in dede most delectable and pleasaunt vnto the fleshe and vnto al vnruly persones somtimes by readyng playing singynge and other lyke meanes and new deuises by reason wherof great insolency disordre contention and much inconuenience daily more and more did ensue to the greate dyshonor of God the lamentable hurte and destructyon of the subiectes and the notable reproch rebuke and slaunder of the hole realme The people wherof by sondri wycked persones were borne in hand that they had gotten God by the fote and that they were brought out of tiraÌ„ny darckenes and ignoraunce into liberti lyght and perfytte knowledge where in very dede they were broughte from the good to the bad And froÌ„ goddes blessyng as the prouerbe is in to a warme sonne infected with all errour noughtynes drouned in sensualytie and malyce and armed wyth vnshamfast boldnes presumption and arrogantye takyng vpon them to be guydes instructours and tea chers of other where they themselues were in very dede vtterly blind ignoraunt void of knowledge only bent to destroye al good rule and order I haue for these causes and other honeste consyderatyons thought consyderyng the cure and charge I haâ—e of all suche as are of my Dyocesse of London it to be mete conuenyent and necessary for my part earnestly to trauayle and laboure wyth my chapleines and frendes bothe that errours heresyes and noughtye opinions may cleane be weeded pourged and expelled out of my dyocese a greate helpe whervnto is geuen by dyuerse prouysions made by the Kynges and Queenes mooste excellence Maiestyes and especyallye by that godlye proclamatyon whyche of late was sente forthe by theyr graces concernynge the bryngynge in of certayne heretycall and noughtye bokes and also that a verye pure syncere and true doctryne of the fayth and relygion of Chryst in al necessarye poyntes of the same faythfullye playnelye and profytable be set furth wythin my sayd dyocesse to the good erudition and instructyon of all the people wythin the same And therefore haue at thys present for mine owne diocesse caused this present boke with homelies there vnto adioyned to be set furthe that the sayde people accordyng to the wyl and commaundement of the great king and prophet Dauid may declyne from euyl and do that thyng whych is good And the order of thys booke is thys Fyrste because wythoute fayth it is impossyble to please God there shal be in the begynning some thyng spoken of fayth to knowe what it is and how it is to be taken here in thys boke Secondly because the somme and pithe of our chrysten fayth is brefely collected and coÌ„prysed in effect in our commen Crede therefore the sayde Crede to teach vs what and howe to beleue shal be playnely and truly set forth and also declared Thyrdely because there are vii Sacramentes of Chrystes catholyque churche wherein God doeth ordynarily worke and participate vnto vs hys speciall gyftes and graces here in thys lyfe therefore in the thyrde place the sayd vii Sacramentes shal be set forthe and expounded Fourthlye because the. x. commaundementes are the hygh way ordeyned by God in whyche euery one in this life must walke yf he wyll come vnto the blysse of heauen therfore the sayd .x. commaundementes shal orderly be set furth and haue also their declaratyon Fyftely because we ourselues as of our selues are vnhable to doo good and therefore nede alwayes the assistance grace aid and helpe of almyghty God without whych we ne 〈◊〉 can continue in this life nether yet do any thing acceptable in the syght of God whereby to attayne the lyfe to come therefore in the 〈◊〉 place ther is a rowine for prayer as wherby to obtayne grace and helpe at Gods handes And that prayer is there set forth whiche Chryste hym selfe beynge here in this worlde did make and geue to his disciples that is to saye the Pater noster whiche conteyneth in it al thinges necessary for a christen man here in this life and thys Pater noster hath also his exposition Sixtelye because the Aue Maria is a prayer taken out of Scripture and conteineth in it a blessed mat ter and a ioyfull rehersall and magnifienge of God in the worke of Christes incarnation wroughte in the wombe of the blessed virgin Mary and she therby worthelye to be honoured and worshipped therfore the sayd Aue Maria with the declaration ther of is in ordre folowyng the sayd Pater noster Seuenthly because personnes vicars and curates are commaunded by the lawe to reade and declare vnto theyr paryshyoners the. vij deadely synnes the viij beatytudes and certayne other thinges therefore in the. vij and viij places there are set forth at length the sayd thynges with exposition and declaration of the same And albeit these thynges so sette forth beyng red and declared 〈◊〉 the people delyberately and playnely may seme sufficient and the people thereby bound of reason to be content therewithall as hauing all those thynges whych in 〈◊〉 wise are requisite and necessary for theyr soule helth yet to thintent they shall haue no cause to murmure or grudge for lacke of certayne bokes in the englishe tongue for theyr instruction or yet for lacke of preachynge vnto them they shall in the. ix place of thys boke thoughe they cannot rede haue certayne homelyes to be on the Sondayes aud holye dayes by theyr personnes vicars or curates redde vnto them in the Englyshe 〈◊〉 trustynge that the people thus ordered and taught wyll take thys my doyng in good parte and studye as well to profyt them selues therby as I and my chapleynes haue ben studious and carefull herein to doo them good And the Kyng of Kynges and Lord of Lordes geue vs also plentyfully of his grace that euerye one of vs in all partes maye do oure dueties and that we all maye lyue in rest and quietnes and specially in the vnytye of Christes catholique churche and his religion louynge and seruyng God with all our harte in holynes
aske howe Chryst was able to giue thē his fleshe to eate The wordes of saincte Cyryll be these They aske not without great impietie how canne thys man geue vs hys fleshe and they remember not that nothing is impossible to God but let vs sayeth 〈◊〉 haue firme faith in the misteries and let vs neuer in so high mat ters eyther thincke or aske this how When God is the worker let vs not aske how but let vs leaue the knowledge of his worke to hym selfe S. Chrisostome lykewyse vppon the sayde v. Chapiter sayeth that when this questyon howe anyethyng is done commeth into oure myndes then wyth all there commeth vnbelyfe also But bycause in scrypture the thyng that we receaue when we come to the sacramente is called bread therefore men haue fansied wyth thē selues that there must be the substaunce of materyal breade deceauing them selues by mystakyng the signification of thys worde breade For thoughe in oure common speach we vse to signify by thys word bread that one kinde of materiall substaunce which is made of corne or grayne yet in scrpture it signifieth all kynde of fode whether it be the fode of the body or the foode of the soule and so dothe also the latyne worde Panis elles when we desyre god in oure Pater noster to geue vs our dayly bread we shold make an vnperfytte petition whiche yet is a mooste perfyt petition wherby we aske of our heauenly father all necessary fode In the. vi of Ihon Manna is called breade and yet was it made of no kynde of corne or grayne and in the same chapyter Chryste is called breade because he is the foode of the soule and ther lykewyse the fleshe of Chryst in the sacrament is called breade and not there onely but in S. Pau les Epystle also to the Corinthians for that it is the fode whereon we fede when we receaue the sacra ment Agayne it is a commen trade in scrypture to cal thinges by the name of that thinge whyche they once were as Adam is called earth because he was made of Earth and Chryst sayeth the blinde see the lame walke that deafe heare the dumme speake meanyng by the blynde lame deafe and dumme suche as before had bene soo but then were otherwyse Thyrdelye for that the fourme of breade doeth remayne it is in that respecte too called breade For these causes good faythfull hartes are nothing gre ued wyth the callyng of it breade in the scrypture but groundynge them selfes vpon the woordes of our sauioure Chryste when he sayde thys is my bodye and knowynge that it to be bothe breade and hys bodye also at once is impossible they vndoutedlye beleue that by the power of GOD the substaunce of bred is turned into the substaunce of Chrystes bodye and soo mnste al men beleue that wyll be lyuely members of the catholyke churche and in that there belefe they muste honoure the bodye and bloude of oure sauioure Chryst in the sacramente of the Aultare as alwayes chrysten people haue vsed to doo Saint Austen in his exposition made vpon the. 99. Psalmesayth that it is synne not to ho noure the bodye of Chryste meanynge in the Sacramente of the Aultare And as it is before in thys Homily 〈◊〉 he also sayeth in the name of all men We doo honoure vnder the fourmes of breade and wyne whych we se the bodye and bloude of Chryst whych we doo not see Wherfore good chrysten people knowing nowe what is the ryght belefe touchynge the Sacramente of the aultare embrace and folowe the same and cleaue faste to the catholyke churche the spouse of Chryste that you maye be true 〈◊〉 of Chryst to whome wyth the father and the holye Ghoste be al honoure and glory world wythoute ende Amen Io. Harpesfelde sacrae theologiae professor Arch London ¶ An Homely wherin is aunswere made to certayne common obiections agaynst the presence of Chrystes bodye and bloude in the sacrament of the Aultare MEte it were dearly beloued in our sauiour Christ that we all should so fully wholy cleaue to the faith of Christes catholike church that no appearaūce of reasō to the cōtrari therof shoulde cause vs once to doute or stagger in anye part of the same For such a kynd of faith doth god requyre of vs and for suche kynde of faythe good christen people are in scripture called Abrahās children which Abraham as it is writtē in the fourth to the Romaynes cōtrary to hope beleued in hope that he should be the father of many nations accordyng to that which was spokē So shal thy sede be And he fainted not in the faith nor yet cō sidered his own bodi which was now dead euen when he was almost an hundred yere olde nether yet that Sara was past childe bearyng he staggered not at the promyse of god through vnbelefe but was strōg in the faith gaue honor to god fully certified that what he had promysed the same he was able to make good Yf we then wil be the childrē of Abraham we muste not faynt in faith nor consyder gods wordes after the course of nature Saint Paule in the. x. chapiter of his second epistle to the Corinthians geueth vs an example in hym selfe howe we should alwayes brynge reason in subiection to fayth saying The wepons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty in God to ouerthrowe stronge holdes to destroy counseles and euery hyghe thynge that exalteth it selfe agaynste the knowledge of God to brynge in captiuitie vnto the seruyce of Chryste all vnderstanding What think you is the cause why the Iewes beleue not in Chryste Uerelye fyrste because he was borue of a Uyrgyn which is contrary to the course of nature Secondly lykewyse he was in vnitie of person God man whych howe it maye be no mans wit is able by natural power to conceaue thyrdly because he being God and man suffered the deth of the crosse which for God to be content to do semeth to natural reason a thyng moost absurde but good chrysten folke geuyng place to faith do most vndoutedly beleue in Chryst God mā crucified according to that s. Paule writeth in his first Chapter of his fyrste Epistle to the Corinthians saying We preach Christe crucified to the Iewes a stumblyng blhcke to the gentels a folishnes but to so many of that ie wes gētels as ar called Christ the power wysedome of God And agreably here vnto he sayeth also in the nexte Chapiter folowynge My talke my preachyng was not in that per suasible wordes of mans wysedome but in shewynge of power and of the spyryte that your faythe should not rest in the wisedome of man but in the power of God This general aduise and counsel of S. Paule may and ought so to staye vs in the faythe of the catholyke churche that nether carnall reasons grounded vpon the feble intelligence of mans natural wyt nether the de ceatfull
as the excel lent prelate and notable great clerke the Lord byshop of winchester nowe most worthy Lord chauÌ„celet of England in hys learned boke of confutacioÌ„ of heresies against the sacrament of the aulter doth prudeÌ„tly aduertise vs clerly affirme in the doctrine preceptes of the now militaÌ„t church al thinges of our religion fayth ought to be taken simply plainely And in very dede if in the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter were not the true bodi of Christ but a figure a significatioÌ„ onely of it thaÌ„ the sacrameÌ„ts of the new testameÌ„t shold haue nothing more but rather lesse theÌ„ the sacra meÌ„ts of the old testameÌ„t had which is against the catholyke doctrine of the churche against al good reasoÌ„ ¶ An other obiection is this Christ at hys last supper takyng the chalice or cup into hys handes dyd after that he had blessed it saye Thys cuppe is the newe testament in my bloud And seing these woordes must nedes as they say be taken fyguratiuely inasmuch as the very material cup it selfe was neyther the newe testamente ne yet the bloude of Christ therefore lykewyse these wordes also whych Christ takiÌ„g bread into his haÌ„des blessiÌ„g it saying This is my body must nedes be takeÌ„ figuratiue ly ¶ For answer whervnto we may say as we did say before to the same obiection that this argument is noughte very euyl framed for though we dyd admit a figure to be herein the cuppe yet it foloweth not therby that we must nedes take the other speche touchiÌ„g the body to be fyguratyue also especially for that in the one spache it is to wit touchyng the body al the circuÌ„st aÌ„ces of the texte course of scripture do enforce vs to take the speache properlye wherein the other speache touching the cup al the circumstances of the texte and course of scripture doth importe the contrarye ¶ An other obiection is that Chryste hath but one true natural body nowe say they one true natural body can not truely be but in one place therefore say they seyng Christes body is truely in heauen it can not be truely also in the sacrament of the aulter ¶ For aunswere whereunto maye be sayde that in dede it is true that Christ hathe but one true naturall body and where they saye that one true naturall body can not be but in one place it is also true after one the selfe same maner of beyng but after diuerse maners of being one body maye be sondrye wher yea and at one tyme to it is to wyt in heaueÌ„ in the visible fourme and maner of man and in the sacrament of the aulter vnder the forme and maner of breade and wyne and in eueryche of them really and truely to in those respectes God beyng therein the doer who is omnipotent ¶ Ther is also another obiection and that is thys GOD can make man but man cannot make God now say they if the true bodye of Christe were really and in dede in the sacrament of the aulter then the priest which is a man should therby make God but maÌ„ cannot make God therefore in the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter ther is not the very true body of Christ ¶ For aunswere whervnto is to be sayd that this obiectioÌ„ procedeth of a great ignoraunce for he that maketh this obiection taketh that the priest saying masse and pronouncing the woordes of coÌ„secracion doeth make God where in very dede the priest goeth aboute no suche thinges and yf he dyd nether be ne yet god himselfe câ—n make God but the truth is that the preist being the minister of God and god beyng ther the worker with hys worde by the preist pronounced there is caused the very body of Chryst to be ther present wher it was not ther before yet no new body ther made but that bodye ther presente which loÌ„g ago was borne of the Uyrgyn Mary the same I say in substaunce is there present onely vnder the formes of breade and wyne ¶ An other obiection there is and that is thys S. Luke in the. xvii chapiter of the actes doeth testifye that S. Paule beyng at athens and in mars strete before the councell there dyd saye amongest other wordes that God doeth not dwell in temples made with handes where vpon the 〈◊〉 vnlernedly doth gather that seyng the material temple is made with handes and the sacrament of the aultar is in the sayd materiall temple it foloweth say they that the body and bloude of Chryste can not be in it because God doth not dwell in temples made with handes And thys obiection hath bene soo muche iiked and commended amongest the procedyng prechers abusing the ignoraunt that they thought it ineuitable therfore abusyng the sayd people they caused it to be sette vp and paynted for a gaye shew in the temples ¶ For aunswere whervnto this is to be tolde you that ther is a great dyfference betwene beyng dwellyng in a place for a greate manye of you I 〈◊〉 not haue bene both in the 〈◊〉 syde in Paules churche yarde yea and Paules churche to wher ye haue not with moost due reuerence vsed and behaued your selues and yet I am sure that ye dwell not there In dede God is properlye sayde to dwell in heauen because he ther doth shew and manifest his great glorye and in the hartcs of iust and good peo ple he is also sayd to dwell by grace but as for other places he is in them beyng but not dwelling And as concernyng the beyng of God in the sacrament of the aultare forasinuch as there is the very substaunce of chrystes naturall and true body and bloude taken of the Uyrgyn Mary and that the di uinitie is in vnitie of persoÌ„ inseperably vnited and ioyned to the sayd bodye and bloude therefore we must saye and beleue that the godhed of Christ is in the sacrameÌ„t of the aultar with his humanitie in a very specyall sorte and dothe not thereby dwell in the sayde sacramente and soo this obiection is not worth a 〈◊〉 butten for all the bragges that hath bene made of it Other fond and folishe obiections ther are which are not worthy to be answered vnto and therfore are not nedefull to be touched exhortyng you therfore in Chryst 〈◊〉 and stedfastly to beleue the doctrine of the 〈◊〉 church herein and so shal you auoyde daunger please God profyt your selfe and lyuyng wel come at the last to ioy euerlastyng which graunt vnto vs the father the sonne and the holy ghost to whome be honoure and glory for euer AMEN Tetrastichon in immodicam praesentis temporis plâ—uiam Obsecro quid sibi â—â—lt ingensque ab aethere nymbus Noctes atque dies sic sine fine ruit Mortales quoniam â—olunt sua criminia flerâ— Coelum pro nobis soluitur in lacrimas A Dialoge betwene man and the Ayre of like effecte Man These 〈◊〉 showres and ragyng 〈◊〉 that
iudgement of our senses shoulde make vs once to doute of any one trueth in Chrystes religiō were it neuer so contrarye to the course of nature neuer so farre aboue our capacities and neuer so absurde to the appearaunce of our outwarde senses But forasmuch as through the iniquitie of these later euyll yeares diuers haue hadde sondrye fonde dowtes and scruples put into theyr heades especyally agaynst the presence of Chrystes body bloud in the Sacrament of the aultare and through such dowtes haue swarued from the true belefe therein therefore here shall folowe aunsweres and solutyons to such dowtes as haue ben most commen that from hence for the no man shal nede to be seduced by them or other lyke ¶ Fyrst it hath bene obiected that our sauiour Christ immediatlye after that he had instituted and delyuered to his Apostles the sacramente dyd say vnto them Do this in remembraunce of me Upon which wordes some haue concluded that the bodye of our sauiour Christ cannot be in the sacrament ¶ But let vs duely waye that words and meaning of the same and we shall moost plainly perceaue theyr erroure and mysvnderstandyng Sainct Paule in hys fyrst Epystle to the Corinthians and in the. xi chapter of the same Epistle intreating of the institu tion of the Sacrament of the aultar and there ope nyng the true sense of that commaundemente of Chryst sayth in this maner As oft as you eate of that breade and drinke of that cup you shall shew forthe the Lordes death vntil he come So then the remembraunce whych oure sauyoure there requirethe of vs is the remembraunce of hys death which is past and not presente and therefore after most proper maner of speache may well be remembred Now this remembraunce can in no wise possibly be so lyuely and so effectually worke in our hartes as when we most certenly beleue that in that sacrament of the aultare is verely the selfe same bo dy in substaunce which died for vs and therefore that Prophet Dauid foreseyng in spirit this so excellēt a memory sayeth in his 〈◊〉 Psalme Oure mercyfull gratious Lord hath made a memori of all his marueylous workes and by by decla 〈◊〉 in what maner he maketh that memori he addeth those wordes he hathe geuen a foode to suche as feare hym This fode which 〈◊〉 Prophet sayeth that Christ should leaue in remembraunce of al his maruelous workes that is of his incarnatiō his passion his ascension and glorye in heauen and other lyke workes most chiefely is to be verefied of the body and bloud of our sauyour Christe in the sacrament of the aultare Besydes thys the body and bloude of our sauiour Christ as it is in the sacramēt vnder the fourmes of breade and wine may in that respecte also very weli be a remembraunce of it selfe as it honge on the crosse in the vysyble fourme of a mortal man and as it is nowe in heauen in the forme of an immortall man Farthermore when our sauiour sayd Do this in the remembraūce of me he ment they should do the whol ministratiō which he then dyd in remembraunce of hym which whole ministration cannot be accordynglye doone otherwyse but that there must nedes be present the very body and bloude of our sauyoure Christe ¶ Another common obiection there is gathered of the wordes of Christ. Mathew xxvi when he sayd Poore men ye shal haue alwayes with you but me shal ye not alwayes haue with you Some haue vpon these wordes concluded that the body and bloude of our sauiour Christ cannot be in the sacrament of the aulter for then say they Christ should be alway with vs whereof hymselfe saythe the cōtrary ¶ But yf those mē so concludyng wold no more but confer sainct Marke and sayncte Ma thew together tonchynge the foresayde wordes of Christ and by that the one Euāgelist sayeth would sincerely iudge what the other ment they should sone perceue this ther obiectiō to be of no force or strēgth at al to proue that they thereby goo about to proue For sainct Marke iu his xiiii Chapiter fyrst telleth the story of the woman whych cam to Chryste and brought with her an Alablaster boxe of moost precious oyntment and poured the ointmēnt on his head next he telleth how certene of the disciples did murmure and grudge at that facte of the woman and sayd What meaneth this losse and waste of oyntment Might it not haue bene sold for more then three C. pence geuē to the pore Thyrdely he telleth howe oure sauioure beynge offended wyth the dysciples for theyr murmurynge agaynst the woman and how withall he allowing and commendynge her facte dyd say iu this maner Let her alone Why are ye greuouse vnto her she hath done a good dede for alwayes shal you haue poore men amongest you and when ye shal please you may bestowe your charitie on them but me shal ye not haue alwayes amongest you This woman hath bestowed on me that she had and she hathe preuented to anoint my bodi against it shal be 〈◊〉 By this processe of S. Marke it is euydent that our sauiour in al that his talke had a respecte to the charitie whiche that womau then shewed vpon hym when she poured the precious oyntmente on hys heade the lyke whereof he sayethe no man should be able to shew on him in tyme to come meaning that when he should once ryse from death to lyfe and haue an immortall bodye that then he woulde not looke to 〈◊〉 the lyke at anye mannes handes but that then men myght at their pleasure bestowe on the poore who alwayes are in the worlde in the mortall estate and maye by charity of good folke be releued and comforted In such sorte in dede oure sauiour is not nowe amongest vs but the beynge of his body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aulter is atter another sorte For in the Sacrament he is to fede vs with his body and bloude and not vysyble to shewe him selfe vnto vs as he thē did to his apostles nor to haue ointment poured on hym as he then had ¶ Another obiection is there gathered partely of S. Paule in the. x. of hys firste Epystle to the Corinthians where he speakethe of a spirituall meate and spyrytuall drynke partelye of Christes wordes in the. vi of Ihon where he sayeth that It is the spirite whych geueth lyfe and that the fleshe 〈◊〉 nothing partely vpon the common maner of speakyng vsed of the Catholyke churche which calleth the Bodye and bloude of our Sauiour Chryste in the sacrament of the aul tar a spirituall meate and a spirituall drynke ¶ For aunswere to which obiection it is syrste to be vnderstanded that one selfe thing may be bothe spirituall and yet neuerthelesse of a corporall substuunce to As for example the bodye of man after the 〈◊〉 shall as S. Paule wytnessheth in the. xv chapeter of hys fyrst