that were deade But forsomuche as he sawe that they whiche dye in the fauour and beleife in God are in good rest and ioye he thought it to be good and honorable for a reconsilynge to do the same for these that were slayne that the offence mighte be forgeuen .ii. Machab. xii Viset the sicke bury the deade and diligentlye do their exequis and diriges and praye and also geue almose for them Saynt Clement in his compendiolo We do scelebrate the daye of the departinge for those that seme to dye do not dye Therfore we remēber the sainctes our parents oure frendes And we make a solempne memorye for them that dye in the faithe And we reioyse as well at their relefe as also they desyeringe our Godly consummation and ende in the faithe And so we do not after that sorte celebrate the daye of the natiuitie for they that dye in the Lorde shall lyue allwayes Origen in Iob. And whan thou haste asked before God for whose sprit thou makest mention of for whom thou geuest yearely oblations c. Tertulian de exortacione castitatis pagi ccccc lxxxi Geue rest O Lorde to thy wel-beloued seruaunt Theodosius euen that same rest that thou hast prepared for thy saynctes that his soule turne thither from whense it descendyd Ambrosius super obitu Thedosii imperatoris Some vse to obserue the daye of the buryall some the thyrde daye some the .vii. day some the .xxx. day and some the mon the daye and euery obseruinge hath auctorite by the whiche obseruinge the necessarye offyce of godlynes is fulfilled Amb. in oratione super obitu Theodosii imperatoris I commende vnto the O Lorde God allmighty the innocent soule of my brother now deade And I offer vnto the my Sacrifice take mercifully and gladely the present or gyfte of a brother the sacrifice of a preist Amb. in oratione de obitu fratris sui satiri It is not to be denyed that sowles of men departed are releued through the godlynes of their frendes alyue when the sacrifyce of our mediator Christ is offered for them or else almose be geuen for them in the Churche Aug. in his enchiridion ca. ex ad dulcimum When the people shall stande holding vp their handes with the preist and the dreadfull sacrifice is set forth shal we not optayne goddes fauour praying for the deade Aug. vpon the first chapter vnto the Hebrues We muste trauell as muche as maye be that the deade may be holpen not with wepinge but with prayer supplications almose and sacrifice Aug. in his .xli. Homilie i. Cor. xv I Augustyne beseche the O Lord for the sinnes of my mother Here me by the medisine of oure woundes which hange on the crosse and sitting on thy right hand and prayeth for vs c. August lib. confess ix cap. xiii Thorough the prayers verely of holy churche and thoroughe the holsome sacrifice and almes which is geuen for the spirites of them it is not to be douted the deade to be holpen that it may with them be done more mercifull of the Lorde then their trespasses deserued This geuen of the fathers the vniuersall churche obserueth that they that dye in the communion of the body and bloude of Christe when they be remembred to that sacrament it is prayed for them that is offered for them Aug. sermo xxxii oratio sacrificium altaris eleemosina prosint defunctis The soules of good men departed are not seperated from the churche or else a remembraunce of them shoulde not be made at gods Alter in the communion of Christes Alter for them Aug. de ciuitate dei lib. xx cap. ix I did not wepe in those prayers whiche we made to the O Lorde when the sacrifice of oure price or redemption was offered for my mother Monica Aug. lib. ix confessionu cap. xii My mother Monica commaunded vs not to do these thinges for her but onely she desired a remembraunce of her to be made at thy aulter O Lorde whiche she hadde dayly serued from whiche aulter she knew that the holy goost or sacrifice to be distributed by whiche the writing of our own hand sinne that was cōtrary vnto vs is done away by whiche hooste or sacrifice thy enemy the deuill is vainquisshed or ouercome Aug. in Lib. ix confessionum Cap. xiii When sacrifice either of the aulter or els of any manner of almose are offered for the dead which were baptised They ar thankesgeuing for them that be very good people and for them whiche are not verye badde they are propiciations for purchasinges of the mercy and fauour of God Eyther they do profit vnto this thinge that it maye be full remission or else at the least that the payne be made more tollerable Aug. in his prima precatione ad missa O holy father receaue thou this offeringe for thy seruaunt whiche Moyses receaued when he dyd se in sprite Receaue the gifte for thy seruaunt that he feruentlye desired that gifte and offering whiche the holy man the stronge man and the lustye man doth requyre Receaue the oblation of thy grace for thy seruaunt Valyntinian nowe departed the whiche grace he dyd neuer refuse Amb. in oratio funcb super obitu Valent. Imperat. And thou shalte performe vnto me the mercy of the Lorde not only while I lyue but euen when I am deade and plucke not thy mercy a waye from my howse for euer i. Reg. i. xx.c ¶ Of penaunce confession and satisfaction YF it chaunce at any tyme that any mans hart enuye infidelitie or any euell of these whiche we haue spoken of before hathe preuilye crepte in Let hym not be ashamed to confesse these thinges to hym whiche ruleth and taketh care and charge of the soule of man that of hym and by the worde of our Lorde and the holsome councell maye be comforte whereby he maye auoyde with safe faithe and good workes the paynes of eternall fyer and come to the rewarde of euerlastynge lyfe D. Petrus in Epistola Clementis ad Iacobum fratrem domini We comynge by and by vnto Christ are commaunded of Saynte Clement to cast all our euill thoughtes out of oure hartes and to open them and shew them to the preistes of our Lorde Ad Clementem in compendiolo suo If we reuele open and shew forth our synnes not onely before God but also before them whiche can heale or cure oure woundes and synnes thē our synnes shal be cleane blotted oute of hym with faith Beholde I will put a waye your synnes and iniquites euen as the cloudes whiche vanyshe and go theyr wayes Origen in Luke .ii. the .viii. Homil. Ther be some whiche do saye it is sufficient for them to their helth and saluatiō if they confesse their fawtes onelye to GOD to whome nothinge is hyd who knoweth the conscience of menne But they wyll not or else they be ashamed or els disdayne to shewe them selues to the preiste whome oure Lorde hath ordayned the geuer of the law
if one dyed for all that they euen whiche lyue nowe lyue not to them selues but to hym that dyed for them and rose agayne Souche affecte and faith therfore shoulde he prepare in his mynde whiche dothe participate of the breade and cup. If there be greate threatenynges put for them in the olde lawe that rashely go to those holy thinges whiche be of men sanctifyed What is to be sayde on hym whiche vnto souche so greate a misterye that is to saye of the body bloude of our Lorde is folyshly rashe For the greater that any thinge is then they in the temple after the Lordes voyce so moche the more greuouse and terrible it is to hym that is constitute in the vnclennes of the soule rashely to touch the body of Christ the Apostle sayinge he that eateth and drinketh vnwoorthely shal be gyltye of the body bloude of our Lorde yea a more vehement and more terrible iudgement expressynge by repeticion Let man proue hym selfe If a man onely beinge constitute in vnclennes haue so terrible iudgement how moche more he whiche when he is in synne presumeth to attayne to our Lordes bodye dothe get to hym selfe iudgement Therfore let vs make cleane our selues frome all filthynes and so let vs come to the holy thinges that we escape the iudgemente of them that put our Lord to death Gycrilius super Ioh. lib. iiii cap. xiii WHen the Capharnytes whiche perceaued the power of godly vertues of our Sauiour by miracle of tokens shoulde gladely receaue his sermon and yf any thinge semyd harde they humblye shoulde haue desyered the solucion of them To ask this questioÌ„ how is a Iues word but they allway do contrary sayinge how can he geue vs his fleshe they cryed together of God with greate wyckednesse nor it came to their myndes that nothinge is impossible with God For when they were carnall as Paule saithe they coulde not vnderstaÌ„d spirituall thinges But let vs I beseche you take a ensample at the synnes of others and puttinge sure faith to mysteryes euer in so high thinges this worde how Let vs eyther thinke or pronounce for this is a Iewes worde and the cause of extreme torment Therfore Nicodemus when he sayde how can this thinge be done he harde worthely Arte thou a master in Israel and knowest not these thinges Therfore we being taught by the faute of other when God worketh let vs not aske how But let vs graunte to hym onely the waye of knoweleage of his owne worke For as thoughe none knew what god is after nature yet by faith he iustified when he beleueth hym to geue rewardes to them that seke hym So though he knew not the maner of his workes when yet by fayth he doubteth not hym to be able to do all thinges he getteth rewardes of this goodnes not to be contempned For our Lorde by Esaye represseth vs sayinge My counsayles be not as yours nor my wayes as yours As the heauens be exalted from the earth so be my wayes exalted from youre wayes and my thoughtes from your thoughtes Be not they worthy greate tormentes which do so contempne God the maker of all thinges that they dare in his workes saye howe whom Scripture hath taught that he is able to do all thinges O thou Iewe howe cryest thou also now this is folishnesse I also gladly folowyng wyll aske the how dyddest thou go out of Egypt How was Moses rodde turned into a serpent How dydde waters goo into the nature of bloude Howe dyd oure fathers escape through the myddes of the seas as by dry lande Howe dydde welles of water fly out of a stone Howe stode Iordane How by onely crye dyd stronge Hierico fall There be innumerable thinges Quomodo euertiâ— totam dei scripturaÌ„ eius opera deâ— struit in the whiche yf they aske howe thou must nedes turne all scripture wherfore it dyd rather behoue you to beleue Christ and yf any harde thinge be sene vnto you to aske of hym mekely then lyke dronkards to crye out how can he geue vs his fleshe In the same boke Cap. xiiii It behoueth fyrst to stablysh the rootes of fayth in thy mynde and then to enquire these thinges that be for man to be enquired for to teacheth Esayas Except ye beleue ye shall not vnderstand But they afore they dyd beleue dyd importunately aske and for that cause our Lorde howe it myghte be done dyd not disclose But vnto his disciples beleuinge he gaue the fragmentes of breade sayinge Take and eate this is my bodye and of the cuppe Drinke ye of this all this is the cup of my bloude Thou doest perceaue that vnto them enquyringe withoute fayth he dyd not shewe the maner of the mistery Christus misterium exposuâ—t credentibus non infidelibus But to them that beleued and not askinge howe he dydde expounde Lette them here this whiche wyll not yet by reason of pryde receaue Christes fayth Excepte ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye shall not haue lyfe in you For thei cannot with sanctifienge of a blessed lyfe be parteners of fayth whiche by mysticall blessynge hathe not receaued Iesu Christe For he is lyfe after nature whiche is gotten afore of maÌ„ But no lesse doth his bodye quicken For it is ioyned vnspeakeably to the sonne of GOD of whome all thinges be quickened Therefore it is called his bodye and is one with him For after the incarnation it is one and abydeth one without deuision at all But onelye that the worde of the father The word of the father and the teÌ„ple taken of the virgin be not in natur one thiÌ„g and the temple taken of the vyrgin be not in nature one thynge For man taken is not of the same substaunce with the worde of GOD yet one with it in a communication ineffable Howe than the flesshe of oure Sauioure to the worde of God whiche is naturallye lyfe beinge ioyned is made lyuely when we eate it then haue we lyfe Not onely to the worde alway but also touchinge often tymes Our Lord Iesus dyd rayse deade men as we reade Luke .vii. that he myghte shewe his bodye also to be able to geue lyfe that if by his onely touchinge corrupt thinges were made hoole agayne how shal not we liue whiche both taste and eate that fleshe for he wyll alwaye reforme to his immortalitie the parteners of hym Desyre not thou Iewe to ask how Nor desyre not thou Iew to aske howe but remember though water be naturally colde yet by the comminge to of fyre forgettynge his coldenes it doth scalde This same way also we thoughe our nature be corruptible yet by partakinge of lyfe beinge called from our wyckednes to the proper tye of it we be fashyoned agayne to lyfe He that eateth Christes fleshe hath lyfe euerlastynge For the fleshe hath the worde of God that is lyfe eternall naturallye Therefore he sayth I wyll rayse hym
the bloude of Christ Euen to this I aunswere the The holy gooste shadoweth euen these workes aboue speache and vnderstandinge For the bread and wyne be chaunged for GOD knowynge mans infirmitie doth tourne awaye Transmutatio and not beare many thinges that be not commen in vse Therfore he doth by his acustomed coÌ„desceÌ„ding vse those thinges whiche be aboue nature Aquaeo unctio gratiae â—ritus seâ—ctis regeneratio by thinges accustomed to nature And as in baptisme because it is a custome to men to be wasshed and anoynted with oyle be ioyned to the oyle and water the grace of the holy goste and made it a lauer of regeneration after the same maner because it is the maner to men Fâ—cit â— neÌ„ corpi suum to eate bread and drink wine he ioyned to these same his godhead and made them his body and his bloud that be accustomed thinges and whiche are aboue nature That we maye be placed in those thinges that be aboue nature For the bodye after the trueth is coyioyned to the godheade that of the holy virgin is the bodye not that the bodye ye takinge came downe from heauen but that the breade and wyne is chaunged into the bodye and bloude of God And if thou doste require the maner how it is done Let it be ynowgh for the to hear that it is done by the holy goste Euen as of the holy virgin mother of God with hym selfe and in hym selfe the Lord susteyned fleshe and nothing else knowe we but that the worde is trew pytthy and allmighty But the maner is vnspeakeable and vnserchable nor it is not redy that to be tolde how naturally by eatinge of breade and wyne and water by drynkinge into the bloude of the eater and drinker shoulde be chaunged and made a nother body besydes that that it was of hym Euen so the breade of settinge forthe and wyne and water by inuocation and commynge of the holy gost supernaturally is chauÌ„ged into the bodye and bloude of Christ they be not two but one Therfore it is done to them that take it in faith worthely in remission of synnes and eternall lyfe and for the kepynge of the soule and the bodye But to them that in mysbeleue vnworthely do take they take it to ponyshment and payne Morcebristi Euen as Christes deathe to the beleuers is made lyfe and incorruptibilite into the fruction of eternall blessednes But to the infideles and murderars of Christ to torment an euerlastyng payne The breade and wyne is not a figure of the bodye and bloude of Christ God forbyd Non est fygura but it is the body of our Lorde deifyed The same Lorde saying this is my bodye not a figure of my bodye but my bodye and not a figure of my bloude but my bloude And therefore this be saide to the Iewes Excepte ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye shall not haue lyfe eternall My fleshe verely is meate and my bloude verely is drynke and afterwarde he saithe he that eateth me shall lyue for me Therfore with all fear pure conscience and vndoutynge fayth let vs come and let it allwaye be to vs as we beleue not doutyng and let vs worshyppe hym with all clennes of mynde and bodye Let vs come to hym with brynnynge desyre Manus in moduÌ„ crucis formaÌ„tes formyng our haÌ„des after the fashion of the crosse and let vs take the bodye of Christ crucified Melchisedech toke bread and wyne to Abraham commyng frome the killinge of straungers whiche was the preist of the highest God Figur christi Melchisedech That table prefigured this misticall table as that preist of Christ the true preist afore hym hath prefigured the figure and image Panis propitiationis Hostia in cruenta This breade did the shew breades figure this is a pure host bloudeles whiche frome the sonne rysynge to the sittinge whiche the Lorde speaketh by the prophet to be offered vnto hym That is the bodye and bloude of Christ for a stablishment of our soule and bodye vnconsumed vncorrupt Non in secessum iens not goynge frome the bodye as other meate God forbyd that but into your substaunce and conseruation Let vs with all vertu awayte that we take not parte in the participacion of heretikes nor geue Heretici obstinatiam fugiamus For do ye geue holy thinges to dogges that we be not made parteners of their error and euyll faith and condemnation For we be all one bodye bycause we participate of one breade They be called also exemplaries of thinges to come Not as not trwely beynge the bodye and bloude of Christ but by cause now by them we participate the diuinitie of Christ and then intellectually by onely vision Eusebius Emissenus Anno. ccxciiii In as moche as he was aboute to take awaye his assumptid bodye from their eyes and to brynge it in emonge the sterres It was necessary that in the day of his supper he shoulde coÌ„secrate to vs a sacrameÌ„t of his bodye bloude that he myght be contynually worshypped by mistery whithe was once offered for a pryce and that the daiely neuer ceassynge redemption whiche dyd ronne for the helth of all shoulde be a perpetuall oblation of redempcion And that that euerlastynge oblation myght lyue in memorye â–ª alwaye present in grace one true and perfight hooste to be estemyd in faith not in forme not to be iudged by exterior loue Wherfore the heauenly auctorite confyrmeth for my flesh is veray meate and my bloude is veray drynke Awaye therfore with all doute of infidelitie For he that is the auctor of the gyfte is also the wytnesse of the truthe For he conuerteth the visible creatures by his secrete power into the substaunce of his bodye bloude in his wordes saying thus Take ye eate ye this is my bodye the sanctifyenge repetyd Take drinke this is my bloud Therfore as at the appoyntemeÌ„t of our Lorde commauÌ„ding sodenly of nawght stode vp the highthes of heaueÌ„ the depenesse of the flouds the largenes of th earth So by lyke power in spirituall sacramentes where power coÌ„mauÌ„deth the effect seruith How greate howe muche honorable benefites doth the strength of the deuine blessinge worke How shuld it not be vnto you a newe thinge and impossible that earthly and mortall thinges maye be turned into the substaunce of Christ Aske thyne owne selfe whiche arte regenerate in Christ lately thou was a straunger from lyfe a straunger from mercy and from the way of helth Inwardelye thou beynge deade was outlawed sodenly beynge entered within the lawes of Christe and made newe throughe holsome misteries into the body of the churche Not by seing but by beleuing thou haste ouerpassed And of the sonne of perdition haste deserued by pryuy clemency to be made the elected sonne of God abydinge in a visible measure arte made greater than thy selfe
any farther circumstaunce of wordes commende and leaue this small worke to the diligent reading and folowinge of all true Christen people And with moost harty prayer beseche almightye God longe yeares to prosper and continewe the prosperouse estate of youre hyghnesse to th ende that by youre good helpe and meanes the deuoute people of this youre realme maye receaue this whiche is Gods procedynges and your graces gentle embracinges to theyr continuall helth and comforte both of body and soule to the wyll of GOD thorowe Iesus Christ oure Lorde To whom with the father and the sonne and the holye goost be all laude honor and glory both in heauen and earth for euer and euer Amen ¶ Anacletus byshop and Martyr in his firste Epistle written to all congregations GOd sacrificers his diuine mynisters ought not in any wise to be troubled but to be mayntayned vpholden and supported of euery mā Goddes sacrificers trewly while they execute that office ought not alone to be withoute wytnes of trew and iust performance of their deutie But being occupyed in this holy action to haue assistens coadiutors and hearers To the intent they maye be proued and tryed to haue perfectly sacrificed for the auctorite of the deuyne lawes approueth this Deut. xii in these words Se thou offer not thy sacrifice to thy lorde god promyscually in euerye place but in that place whiche the Lorde hathe chosen A Byshoppe sacrynge at the aulter let hym haue witnesse with hym as I haue sayde before yea and more then any other preist For as he sitteth on the higher pynacle of honor so it is behouable at his mynistrynge that there be present greater nombre of recordes vpon more solempne dayes A Bishop shoulde haue seuen fyue or thre Deacons at the least whiche be called his eyes with subdeacons and other ministers who clothed in holy apparelmentes before and behynde with preistes on euerye syde dyrectly of the right agaynst the lefte Contrite in harte and humble in spryt Standing also with vpright faces to the heauenwardes shall kepe hym frome all violence and vylanye And be prest with consent and saruice to further the sacrifice The sacringe fynysshed let them all communicate whiche be entred within the bondes of the churche degrees For such was bothe the Apostells origynall ordinaunce as is the Churche custome And in his seconde Epystle of ordinacyon of Archebyshoppes The accusacion of byshoppes and prests agaynst the which matter you haue consulted with vs ought not to be effecteous but at their handes who be fytte good and vertuous men voyde frome affections crymes and suspicyons For the lord will not the holy handelers of hys bodye to be dyffamed of vnworthy persones nor he hath geuen leue to bakbyte any of them For he him selfe with his owne bodely handes whipped the vnpreistly preists out of the churche Saynte Clement martyr the thirde from Peter CLement byshoppe in his fyrst booke of reknowlegementes to Iames the Lordes brother bryngeth in S. Peter thus speakinge In conclusiō I warned them that before we went forwardes to preache among al people the trew knowlege of god the Father that they shoulde be reconcylyd frome synne to God receauinge his sonne For other wayes is ther none to saluacyon or of declaringe oure good estate but by the grace graunted and inspyred by the holy goste They dyd hast to be washed in the baptisme of the thre folde inuocation but they dyd take the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ who onely ought to be beleued enest the things he hath taught And in his second Epystle to Iames the Lordes brother entyteled de sacris uasis uestibus Byshop Clement to his derely beloued Iames Byshop of Ierusalem Forasmoche as we haue so receaued and be so taught by saynt Peter the Father of all Apostels who toke the keyes of heauen how we shoulde vse the sacraments and what we sholde iudge and defende of them which are executed in the holy places it is semyng that I instructe you of the ordre of the same The sacraments of the diuine secrets are commytted to thre degrees that is to saye a prest a deacon and a subdeacon who with feare and trymblyng of god ought to gather or kepe together the fragments of the Lordes bodye Least any corrupcion be founde or stycke in the place wher the hoosts ought to be kept leste when it is negligently layde vp the body of oure Lorde shoulde be moche indamaged For the cōmunion of the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ yf it be neglygently delte and the preast do not regarde the admonyshments of lower offycers let hym be stryken with some greuous sequestracion and humbled or ponyshed with a plage Certes let so greate and large sacrifice be offered in the alter in quantytie as be suffycient for the rated nombre of people yf there be any surpluse remayninge after the dystrybucyon let thē not be reserued vntyll the next mornyng But lowly and dreadefully let the clerkes receaue them And they which do consume the residue of the Lordes bodye being lefte in the place of reseruacion let them not by and by go to gether to assaye or fyl them selues with commō meates lest they entermyngle other victuall to the holy porcyon which ought fyrst by degestyon to be conuayde into the innermost and entier parts Therfore if they take repast of the Lordes bodye let the ministers which haue so done in the morowe earely fast vntyl the syxe houre And yf they haue eaten the Lordes porcyon at the thyrde or fourth houre let them abstayne frō meate tyll nyght thus by secrete sanctyfycation the euerlastynge sacramentes are to be kept And it to loweth for the busines of the Lord ought not to be slackly accomplysshed Agayne and agayne we demaunde and commaunde of the fragmentes remanents of the body of our Lord the Chalice ordeyned for the vessel of our Lordes bloud let it be warely and dilygētly prepared by the mynister lest it scars clene washed by the deacon maye turne hym to trespas in offeringe Thus with al honestye such thinges as we haue before spoken of must be fulfilled And in the thyrd Epistle to the same entent of the office of preistes and clerks Therfore it is behouable to vs here ronnnig the rayce of this shorte lyfe in this vayle of mysery to perceaue acknowlege and wholy to confyrme vs to the will of almighty God where we ought what place is appoynted for the celebraciō of his sacrifices For it is not lawfull to do masse or any sacrifyce in any place but in ordynary places commaunded and alowed by youre owne byshoppe And consecrated by the cheif ecclesiasticall power in our dyoces For otherwise these holy things or deuties be not to be admynistred in the holy scripture both the new tholde testamente instructynge vs. This assertyon the Apostles haue receaued and lerned of our Lorde And this haue they delyuered taught vs. And these thinges we teache I ioyne
as the breade made of grayne taken frome the grounde called by consecration is no more nowe commentable breade but the bodye and bloude of Christe stonding vpon .ii. thinges an earthly and an heauenlye euen so oure bodyes perceauing the sacrament be no more now corruptible hauīg hope of resurrection And ī his fyft boke agaynst heresyes By what meanes therfore both the myxed cup and the frute of breade perceaueth the worde of God is made the Eucharist of the body and bloude of Christ For God in that he is God hathe nether breth bones ne fleshe But speakynge as cōcernynge that disposition and proportion whiche is like vnto man whiche standeth compacte of flesh synowes and bones whiche is norished with the cuppe whiche is the bloode and is enoreasyd with the breade whiche is his body Tertulyane in his boke of resurrection of the flesh OVre fleshe eateth the bodye bloode of Christ that the soule also may be replenyshed and fully fed with God And in his boke of prayer he saith bread is the worde of the lyuinge God which came doune īto his fote stole of the earth from his throne of heauen Then his veraye bodye is demyd and thought to be in the similitude of breade Saynge This is my body Therfore we clamynge requirynge our dayelye bread do aske a perpetuite cōtynuaunce in Christ and an vnseperable vnite with his body Agaynst Marcyon he saith we do knowe receaue and beleue all the gospelles of Christ by the churche and not otherwyse S. Cypryan martyr ccxlix Cypryan Martyr in the fyrste boke of his Epistelles in the seconde epistle NOw not onely to the weake or sycke but to the valyant peace is necessarye Not only to persones departyng but to the liuinge communion shoulde be minystred to the intent we maye not leaue thē naked and weaponles whome we exhort to battayle But that we maye defend them with the shelde of the bodye and bloude of Christ And whē the body bloud of Christ is ministred that it maye be a sauegarde to the receauers and that we Arme them with the armour of the Lordes health whō we wolde saue agaynst our gostely enemy For why should we teache or moue them to spende their bloud in confessinge Christes name yf in this chiuallry we deny them the bloude of Christe Or by what meanes do we make them fyt for the cup of martirdome if we do not admyt them fyrste to drynke of the chalice of the righteous cōmunicatynge of the Lorde in the churche De cena domini Our Lorde maketh euen cōtinually vntill this daye in the sacramēt this his moste trew holy body maketh it holy blesseth it and deuideth it to them which deuoutely receaueth it In the same THe breade which the Lorde gaue to his disciples chaūged not in forme but in nature and by the omnipotente power of the worde is made fleshe And as in the personne of Christ the manhod was sene and the Godhed hydde so in the visible sacramente the diuine nature inuisible infundeth hym selfe to the entent that aboute the sacrament shoulde be deuotion And in the same This common bread chaūged into fleshe and bloude procureth to bodyes lyfe and increase Idem The high prest bryngeth forth bread wyne this is saith he my body they eate and drynke of the same bread after a visible forme but afore these words that meat was common only it was profitable for the body to be norished gaue help of a corporall lyfe But from what tyme it was of the Lorde spoken this do in remembraunce of me it is fleshe bloud As often as with these wordes and this faithe it is done that supersubstancial bread and cup of benediction solemplye consecrate it doth profight to life and health of the hole Man Also being a medecyn brent offeringe to heale infirmyties and pourge iniquities That it was an other thinge that fyrst was sette forth consumed and an other that was geuen of the master and destributed whan the false mynde of Iudas touched the holy meate The holy sanctifyed breade enteryd into the cursed mouthe the murdering mynde not beynge able to susteyne the myght of so greate a sacrament was blowen away lyke chaffe frome the floure and ran hedlynge to perdition to desperation and to the rope The sacrament Christe sōtyme calleth it hys bodye sometyme his fleshe and bloud sometime bread Origen in his .v. Homilye Domine non sum dignus WHan ye receaue the holy meat and vncorrupted dishe thou dost vse the breade and the cup of lyfe thou eatest and drinkest the body and bloud of our Lorde ther the Lorde enterest into thy house Dist Viii The sacramēt the Lord dyd institute when after the figuratyue lambe he dyd reache his body to his disciples at supper When these wordes be spokē saith Origen This is my body and this is my bloud ther is a certayne conuersion made of breade and wyne into the substaunce of the bodye and bloude of Christ Therfore the Lord Iesus goynge to the inuisible thinges of his Fathers magestie the figuratyue paschall beinge scelebrate with the disciples wyllynge to commende vnto them a certayne memoryall vnder forme of breade and wyne he dyd so geue his bodye and bloude to them that he myght shew the sacramentes of the olde law amonge which the sacrifice of the paschal lambe was chefe to be ended in his death the sacraments of the new law to be institute in whiche the mistery of Eucharistia excelleth Chrisostem in his .lxxxiii. Homili Vpon Saynt Math. LEt vs beleue God in euery thinge and not saye agaynst hym Verba dei defraudari non pūt yea although the thing that he sayth doth appere an inconuenience both to our sences thought vnderstandinge and dothe also exceade our sences capacite and reasone Let vs I beseche you beleue his wordes in al thinges but chefly in the sacrament not onely vpō those thinges which lye before vs His wordes can no the deceaued our sences ma◠easely be deceiued but considerynge also his wordes For by his wordes we can not be deceaued His wordes can not be false oursences are most easy to be dyssayued Wherfore seyng Christe hathe sayde This is my bodye let vs nothinge doute therof but beleue and perceaue it with the eyes of our vnderstanding In his .iii. boke Dialogorum Cap. iiii Beholde the dignite of the preisthode whervpon we speake for it is done in earth but his office is cōtayned in heuenly busynesses For consequently neither man nor Angell Non homo non Angelus nec Archangelus hoc sacramentū instituit nor archangell nor vertu nor any other creature but the holy gost hath institute this office and yet remayning in fleshe hath geuen to peruse the minystery of angelles For the which thing the byshop must as he that were in heuen and wer mixed to the vertues do this thing so it is lightenyd with the brightnes of lyfe For when
thou seest oure Lord offered and the preist staÌ„ding at the aulter with insence praing for hym selfe and for the people thou thinkest thou arte with men and not strayght way translatyd into the heuenes excludinge al sence of the fleshe oute of thy mynde thou doest with naked soul with most clere remeÌ„brance behold those thinges that be in heauenly places O myracle oh beneuolence of God in vs that Christe sytteth aboue at the righte hande of the father and yet at the time of sacrifice he is contayned in the handes of men and is geuen vnto them that desyer to taste of hym and to be enbrased with worshyppynge In his sermon of Iudas the traiter Where wilte thou that we prepare the passeouer Not that that is ours Sermons de Iude proditione but in the meane season he vnderstode the Iews passeouer And the disciples dyd prepare but this that is ours he hym selfe dyd ordayne and not only ordayne but he is it that made it Why dyd Christe eate it yea for he dyd fulfill al thinges thar were of the lawe And bycause the Iewes passed away by forgettiÌ„g the benefyttes of God he with the scelebracion of the festiuitie dyd strenketh memory vnto them of his benefittes and therfore dyd he commaunde the passeouer to be saÌ„ctified And by that also was another greatter benefyt shewed that that lambe was a figure of a lambe to come Agnus paschalis umbra Christus veritas Super Epistolam ad Hebreos Cap. 17. And that bloude shewed the coÌ„myng of the Lordes bloud That lambe was a shadow this a verite And therfore in it both the passouer of the fygure verite is celebrat Now therfore their swete breades be vnclene their festiual dayes vnlauful Quotidie offerenduÌ„ What do we do not we offer euery day we offer truly but makinge remembrance of his deathe And this sacrifice is one Vna est hostia not many For that was offered into the holy of the holynes this sacrifice is an ensample of that the very same do we offer and not now one lamb to morowe an other but alway one Therfore this sacrifice is one Vbique Deus offertur else by the reason bycause it is offered in many places ther be many Christes No Commemoratio but the Lord is euery where one and here beinge ful and ther ful one body for as he that is offered euery where is one bodye and not many bodys eueÌ„ so also is the sacrifice one He is our byshop which offered the hoost makynge vs clean and that same do we now offer Idem sacri sicium which then offered can not be consumed and that we do is done in remembraunce of hym None other sacryfyce do we but alway the same Super Math. Let all men beleue that euen now also is celebrate the supper in which Christe hym selfe dyd sit For ther is no dyfference betwene that and this For that is not made of man this of hym Therfore when thou seist the prest geue that the body thinke not that it is reached to the by the handes of the prest but by christes For as in baptisme thou art not baptised of the prest but of God So hath not God to Aungelles commytted this office But he being present byddeth and saieth let vs here therfore as wel the prestes as other How greate how meruelous a thynge is graunted to vs. Let vs here I praye you be afrayde of his flesh geuen to vs his owne fleshe offered hath he sette forth to the Iewes euery year in remembrance of his benefyttes Christus quotidie nobis proponitur God hathe set forth holy dayes to the daylye that thou shouldest not forget is he set forthe For this is a sacrament of peace Let no Iudas no Simon come to this thy table The Iewes passouer was an example but that is voyd and past but now is com vnto vs the spiritual passeouer whiche Christ hym selfe made For when they dyd eate and drinke he toke breade and brake it and sayde this is my body which shal be geuen for you They knowe what I speake which be consecrate to deuine misteris And afterward he toke the cup and sayde this is my bloud which shal be shed for you in remission of synnes And Iudas was ê‘sent Christ saying these wordes this is my bloud Say Iudas whom hast thou sold for .xxx. pense This is the same bloud of which thou madest a bargayne afore with the Pharyseys Oh mercy of Christ Dementia Iude Oh madnes of Iudas He made a bargyn to sel Christ for .xxx. pense And Christ of his clemency offered to hym the same bloude that he had sold that he myght haue had remissioÌ„ of his sinnes if he had not ben vnfaithful Remissio peccatoruÌ„ sanguine Christi For he was present at the communicacion of that Sacrifice And his fete also Christ dyd washe as of the others that he shold haue had none excuse of his malice But he being detestable thought the lyinges in waight of his mynde But now a conuenient tyme doth inuite vs to the terrible table and with a congruent watching Let no Iudas be founde ther Let no wycked person come therto nor none priked with poyson nor no dissayteful wordes be pronounced with the tonge nor that the lyinge in wayt be not hyd in the mynd but that that the will possesseth yea let the speche declare the same For now is Christ hym self redy which adornyd that table and he dothe also consecrate this whiche we now haue For it is not man which consecracion of the table being set forthe doth make the body and bloud of Christ but it is Christ whiche is crucifyed for vs. The wordes be spoken by the prestes mouth but they be consecrated by the power of God De sacrorum perttcipacione misterioruÌ„ quod communicare noleÌ„s nec oracioneÌ„ dignus est interesse to iiii fo ccxi Hom. lx Ioh. Euang. Parentes do often put their childern to other to be norsyd but I saye saithe christ do not so But with my fleshe I do norishe I put my self vnto you willyng you al to be gentelmen pretending good expectatioÌ„ of you of thinges to come Which do here geue my self to you moch more in the world to come I haue willed to be your brother I haue taken fleshe bloud for you vnto you agayn I geue that same flesh bloud by which I am made your cosyn This bloud maketh to vs a floryshing ymage of a kinge This bloud is an honor the can not be done awaye This bloude doth not suffer the gentelnes of the soule to consume euer freshinge it norishing it For of meats blod springinge in vs is not strayghtwaye made that but some other thinge But this is not so but by and by it wateryth the mynde and bringeth in a certayn grace vertue or strengthe This mistical bloud putteth away deuelles and causeth them