the breade that he wolde gyue shulde be he hys fleshe For playnlye in these wordes Christe made a promyse of hys blessed bodye to be eaten as breade in the holye sacrament The whyche promyse the Euangelistes S. Mathew S. Marke s Luke sheweth how it was ê‘formed at the latter supper of Christ And thus doth the one place of scripture open thother Vnto thys sence vnderstanding of this place of S. Ioh. all the auÌ„cient wryters subscribeth coÌ„cordaÌ„tly as I haue sayd vnderstaÌ„dyng it of the corporal eatynge of the body of Christ in the holy sacrament For yf we shuld vnderstaÌ„d it We must not vnderstande the promyse of Christ to be meÌ„t only of i. Cor. x. the spirituall eatynge of hys fleshe in the sacrament only of the spiritual eatyng of the body of Christ by faythe then had Christe made vnto vs christanes no greater ê“myse theÌ„ Moyses made vnto the Iewes wheÌ„ he ê“mysed theÌ„ Manna For they dyde eate in MaÌ„na the body of christ spiritually by fayth as saynt Paule recordeth ✿ All they did eate sayth he the same meat c. To what purpose shuld theÌ„ christ pÌ„ferre the bread that he ê“mised to geue aboue the bread that Moises gaue vnto theÌ„ syth the Iewes in Manna dyd eate the bodye of Christ as wel as we and we no more theÌ„ they as coÌ„cerning the spiritual eatyng It aperith theÌ„ by these pÌ„misses the christ speaketh in this chapiter of the eating of his fleshe body corporally in the sacrament WhoÌ„ they shuld eat not only spiritually in fayth but verely really euen as his fleshe is there that very same that shuld be geueÌ„ for the life of the world For so he ê“mised to geue it vnto vs to be eaten The which ê“mise he hath ê‘formed as thre of the EuaÌ„gelistes with S. Paule recordeth And that the thing maye apere clerely I wyl recyte the narrations of the EuaÌ„gelistê therby we shall ê‘ceyue how plaiÌ„ly opeÌ„ly they affirme this ê“mis of christ to be accoÌ„plished Thus the euaÌ„gelist S. Math. declareth the mater ✿ As they were saith he at supê‘ Iesê° toke the bread wheÌ„ he had geueÌ„ thaÌ„kes he brake it gaue it vnto his disciples and sayd Math. 26. This is my body And taking the cuppe he gaue thaÌ„kes and gaue it vnto them sayde Drynke you all therof This is my blood of the new testameÌ„t that shal be shede for the remyssion of synnes What more plaine more euident wordes can there be spoken to signifye and declare the presens of his blessed bodye and blood in the holy sacrament He could not spake more playnly in so fewe wordes Saynt Marke also with as playne wordes concordantly settith forth the same verytie Mar. 14. Reade good crystiane and marke howe agreably and concordantly the narracions and histories of these euangelistes agreyth are corespoÌ„dent vnto the promises that Christe made in the syxte of saynt Iohn Where he ê“mysed as thou hast harde that the bread that he wolde geue was his fleshe or bodye And here he sayth vnto his dysciples when he had taken breade and blessed it Take and eate this is my bodye As who wolde say This is the bread that I promysed when I sayde The breade that I wyl geue it is my fleshe for the lyfe of the worlde And agayne My fleshe verely is meate and my bloode verely is drynke This he promysed before And nowe in fact and dede takynge breade geuing thaÌ„kê he geueth it to his discyples sayth This is my body Here he geuith theÌ„ his fleshe as meate And takyng the cuppe he geuyth it theÌ„ sayng This is my bloode here he gaue also his blod as drinke Doth not this facte dede of Christ Luce. 21. playnly accomplishe the promise of Christ And on the other syde doth not the ê“mysse of Christ when he sayd The bread that I wyll geue it is my fleshe ratifye these wordes of Christe Take eate this is my body Yes plaiÌ„ly What neade we then to seke any other sence or vnderstaÌ„ding of these places of scripture sith that the one so plainly openyth declareth thother The euaÌ„gelist saint Luke coÌ„firmeth the testimonyes of saynt Mathew Marke in this wise And he toke the bread gaue thaÌ„kê brake it and gaue it them sayde Luce. 22. This is my body which shal be geuen for you This perticle whiche shal be geuen for you was added for none other cause then to signyfie shew that the same body that he gaue vnto them shulde the same nyght be geuen for them into the handes of the Iewes vnto death And after he had supped he toke the cuppe in like maner and sayde This cuppe is the testament in my bloode whiche shal be shed for you Here we haue other wordes theÌ„ saint Mathwe or saint Marke had Yet certaiÌ„ly all is but one meaniÌ„g and vnderstadyng For where they said This is my bloode of the new testameÌ„t and saynt luke saythe This cuppe is the newe testament in my blood Both he they sayth singnifieth That the same cuppe contaynith the very same bloode wherewith the newe testameÌ„t shuld be was the next day ratifyed and coÌ„firmid And this was none other bloode but the moste pÌ„cious blood Exo. 24. Hebre. 9. of the innocent and immaculate lambe Christ For lyke as Moyses when he had read the commaundemeÌ„tes of the law vnto the people he toke the blode of calffes and gotes with water purpull wol ysope and sprynkled the boke and all the people sayng This is the blod of the testament whche God hath a poynted vnto you Athanasius in primaÌ„ ad Corinthios 10. Sanguis enun iste qui calice coÌ„tinetur ille est qui Christi latere ê“â—lux it c. And so confirmed he the olde testament Euen so hath oure sauiour christ ratifyed and confirmed this the newe testament wyth his blood and the same blood that was shede vpon the aulter of the crosse and sprenkeled vpon vs to ratyfy the new testament that very same he gaue vnto his appostles at the supper Therfore the euangelystes saynt Mathewe and saynt Marke calleth it the bloode of the newe testamente And saynt Luke calleth it the new testameÌ„t Saynt Iohan the euangelyste Similia habet et Crisostomus who wrote last of the foure doth passe ouer and speaketh nothynge of thys oure lordes supper No meruel hereof For so doth he the moste thynges that any of the other euangelistes dothe speake of as thynges sufficientlye declared by them Therfore this thynge he touched not For it was sufficientlye declared before by the other thre euangelystes Now thynke I longe or I here the testimony of the appostle Paule in whoÌ„e christ spake And therfore in this mater he spake none other theÌ„ he receaued of our lorde This same holy apostle wrytyng vnto the Corinthians after that he had rebuked theyr vncharitable mysuse of oure Lordes supper declareth thys
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
agaynst the Arrians agreyth fully with this catholike veritie Hyllarius in lib. 8. de Trinitate and sayth in the eyght boke of the Trinitie We maye not speake or coÌ„mon in the matters of God after the manlyke or worldly maner Neather ought there peruersitie eather vnhoneste preachyng to be extorted by violence vnto a wycked and vngodly intelligence or vnderstandynge out of the helthesome celestiall saynges let vs reade the scriptures but let vs vnderstande those that we reade Then shal we do the offyce of a perfect christiane For as concernynge the naturall veritie of Christe in vs the thing that we hereof do lerne excepte we learne of hym we both folyshely and wyckedly do learne For he hym selfe saythe My fleshe verely is meat and my blood is verely drinke he that eateth my flesh drynkyth my blood dwelleth in me and I in hym As coÌ„cernyng then the verite of the fleshe and bloode of Christe there is no place lefte to doubte at For nowe bothe by the wordes of oure lord hym selfe and also by oure faythe it is very fleshe and bloode And these receaued and dronken dothe cause that we be in Christ and that Christe is in vs. ✿ What can be more euidently and manyfestly spoken then these wordes ✿ Saynt Basyll who not onelye Basilius in regulis monachotum lede hym selfe a monastical and Godly lyfe but also he taught a certayne trade of suche sorte of lyfe in that boke where he entreateth of the â—â—ules of monastycall lyfe he is demaunded of hys brethreÌ„ Wyth what maner of feare fayth affectyon the grace of the body and bloode of Christe ought to be receaued Verey sayth he the apostle saynt Paule teacheth vs wyth what feare saynge He that eateth and drynketh vnworthely he eatheth and drynketh his owne iudgement or condempnacyon not puttyng dyfferens betwene the body of oure lorde and other coÌ„mon meates But the wordes of our sauiour Christ teacheth vs fayth whyche sayth Thys is my bodye the whych is geuen for many do thys in the remembrans of me ✿ Thys is the fayth that faynt Basyll wolde that hys brethren shulde retayne as concernyng the blessed sacrament ✿ Gregory Nysene the brother of saynt Basyll who for his excellente learnynge and Godlynes was called the deuine Intreatynge the lyfe moysaycall mystically or spiritually he geueth consel that we shuld receaue with a pure and cleane mynde the celestyall breade whome sayth he no sowynge nor tyllage hath brought forthe but it is breade whych is prepared for vs wtoute tyllage and wythout any helpe of man Thys is founde flowynge froÌ„ aboue vpoÌ„ the earth For the bread that came from heuen the which is very meate whyche is fygured also by thys hystore of Manna is no spirituall or vncorporall thyng For how can an vncorporall thynge be come meate and the thynge whyche is not vncorporall muste nedes he a very body And surely the breade of hys bodye neyther plowynge neyther tyllyng nether housbandmanes worke hath brought this forth But an earthe remainyng vndefyled yet was the earthful of this bread with the which the huÌ„gry that knoweth the misteriê° birth of a dgin maye sone be satysfyed ✿ These wordes of thys dyuine doctor were playnly ment of the sacrameÌ„t as it may appere in the ê“cesse of the same that he ther entreated Ambrosiê° in primam Pauli Ep stola ad Corinthios ✿ Saynt Ambrose wrytynge vpoÌ„ the fyrst epystle of saint Paul vnto the Corinthyans the .xi. chapitre saythe For bycause that we are redemed with the death of our lorde wee beare in remeÌ„brans the same thyng in eatyng drynkinge the fleshe blood the whych he offered vp for vs And we do singnifie the death of oure lord Christ in these thynges obtayning now the new testameÌ„t the which is the new law that briÌ„geth vnto heueÌ„ euery one that cruely is obedient to it Here apertely saynt Ambrose affirmyth the verytie of the body blood of Christ in the blessed sacrameÌ„t sayth that we do eate drynke the fleshe blood of christ And in many other places he writeth as openly as he doth here Ieronimê° in epistolaÌ„ Pauli ad Titum specially in his boke of the sacrameÌ„tes ✿ Also S. Ierom in his coÌ„meÌ„tareis vpoÌ„ the epistle at TituÌ„ shewiÌ„g the vertues that beloÌ„geth vnto a byshoppe sayth in this maner Yf it be coÌ„mauÌ„ded vnto the laymen that they abstaine froÌ„ theyr wylies for praiers sake what shuld we suppose of the byshop which for his own synnes for the synnes of the people must offer vnto God vndefyled hoostes let vs reade the bokes of the kyngê we shall fynde the abymelech ther wold not geue vnto Dauid hys seruauÌ„tes that shewe breade before that he had knoweÌ„ whether they were cleane froÌ„ womeÌ„s coÌ„pany or no. Not of harlotes but of their one wiues And vntyl that he had knoweÌ„ certainly that they had abstayned froÌ„ the marytall copulation he wolde not grauÌ„t theÌ„ the bread which he denied theÌ„ before Ther is as moch dyfferens betwene the shew bread of the teÌ„ple the body of christe as is betwene the shadow the bodye the ymage the veritie the exaÌ„ples or figures of the thingê to come the thingê whiche by these exaÌ„ples were prefigured And as for mekenes pacieÌ„s sobryetie softenes abstynens frome monye hospitalitie also benignitie shulde chefely be in a byshop and shulde excell in hym aboue all the laytie Euen so pure chastitie as I myght saye a preestly shamefastnes shuld be in hiÌ„ That he shuld not only abstaine hiÌ„ self froÌ„ the vncleane dede but also his miÌ„de which shal coÌ„secrat the body of christ shuld be fre froÌ„ the casting of his eye error of euyl cogitacion This testimonye of saynt Ierome is so playne that it neadeth no monytyon Crisostomus in homilia de Iude tradiâ—ione ✿ Crysostome wryteth in thys sort in the homelie of the treason of Iudas Speake Iudas sayth he whome dyddest thou sel for thyrty pences Thys is the bloode of whome thou dyddest bargayne euen nowe wyth the pharisees O the mercye of Christe O the madnes of Iudas He was at a poynt to sel him for thyrty pences and Christ offered vnto him the bodye whych he had solde that he moght haue remission of synnes And after a fewe wordes Crisostome sayth agayne And nowe is he here present that adorned that table and the same dothe also consecrate this table For it is not man that of the thynges set before the on the consecrate table of God maketh the bodye and the bloode of Christe but he whych was crucifyed for vs Christe The wordes are spoken by the mouthe of the preest and the thinges set forth before vs are consecrated by the grace of the power of God This is sayeth he my bodye And lyke as the voyce the whyche sayde encrease and multiplye spoken ones yet it taketh effecte at al tymes in generation