where nature is workyng Euen so thys voice Thys is my bodye was ones spoken yet at al tables or aulters of the churche of Christ vnto thys daye and shal vnto Christes commynge geue vnto thys sacrifice strength ✿ These wordes of Crisostome are to playne to be detorted or wreasted froÌ„ theyr true meaniÌ„g which is that when the wordes of Christe are duelye spoken by the preest at masse theÌ„ are the breade and wyne consecrated made the very bodye blood of Christe by the secret myght power of god so is Christes body blood really in the sacrament ✿ Saynt Augustine Augustinê° ad CresconicuÌ„ gramancum thought that he hath innumerable playne euident testimonies for this veritie yet amonge many I wyll recyte one or two Fyrst he sayth in his fyrst boke ad cresconicuÌ„ gramaticuÌ„ what shall we saye of the very bodye bloode of our lorde the onely sacrifice for oure helth For though that he hym selfe sayth Except that a man eate my fleshe drynke my bloode he shall haue no lyfe in him Yet dothe not the apostle Paule also teach that the same is pernitious and dedly vnto suche as misuseth it For the apostle Paule sayth Whosoeuer eateth the breade and drynketh of that cuppe of our lorde vnworthely he shal be gyltye of the bodye and bloode of our Lorde Agayne saynt Augustine ad Iulianum comiteÌ„ wryteth these wordes The mercye of our lord Iesu Christe delyuer vs from these thynges And he graunte or gyue vnto vs him selfe to be eateÌ„ which sayde I am the lyuely breade whych came from heauen And he that eatythe my fleshe and drynketh my blood hath eternall lyfe in him selfe But let euerye man examyne hym selfe accordyng vnto the precept of the apostle before that he receaue the bodye and bloode of our lorde Iesus Christe so let hym eate of that bread drinke of the cuppe For he that eatith the body blood of our lord vnworthelye he eateth and drynketh it vnto his owne iudgement makynge no differens of the bodye of our lorde For when we shall receaue hym we ought to haue recourse vnto confession and penans and to dyscusse curiously all oure actes and yf we perceaue mortall synnes in vs we ought speadely to make haste to washe them a waye by coÌ„fession and penans lest we lyke Iudas that traytor hyding the deuyll with in vs do perishe ✿ These are the wordê of S. Augustyne The which shewith verye playnely Cyrillus in IoheÌ„z what beleue he had as coÌ„cernyng the blessed sacrameÌ„t ✿ Cyrill the patriarche of Alexandria vpoÌ„ the syxt of IohnÌ„ wryteth very playnly for this veritie Whose wordê are these They can not be ê‘takers in holynes of the lyfe etÌ„nal which hath not receyued Iesus by the mistical benediction And againe he sayth Christ is not with his worde onely but also with his touching he araiseth vp the deade that he myght shew declare that his body coulde also rayse vp the deade Yf then by onely towchynge the corrupte are restored the dead araysed How shuld not we lyue or receaue lyfe which doth taste eate his fleshe For playnly he wyll reforme vnto hys immortalytie suche as be the ê‘takers of hym and after a few wordes he sayth For it must nedes come to passe that not onely the soule of man by the holy goost shuld assend vnto blessed lyfe but also that this rude terrenal body by lyke tast touchiÌ„g of lyke meate as it is it self sholde be brought vnto immortalytie Damascene in hys .iiii. boke of the catholike fayth in the .xiiii. Damascenus lib. 4. cap. 14. chapter sayth these wordes As coÌ„cernyng the veritye of the body bloode of Christe in the sacrament That body verely is ioyned vnto the diuinitie the which body he toke of the immaculate virgine And not that the body assumpted shold come downe from heauen But that the breade and wyne are traÌ„smuted and changed into the body blod of god Thou wylt aske the maner howe that maye be let it suffyce the to heare how that by the holy ghoste in a mooste Godlye vyrgyne he by hym selfe and in hym selfe receaued fleshe and wee can saye no more but that the worde of God is trew effectuous and omnipotent but the maner howe it is That is intractable or vnsearcheable Neyther can thys be redely tolde how breade by eatyng and wyne and water by drinking are chauÌ„ged naturally into the natural body of the eater and drynker and not into a nother body but into the very same bodye that the eater or drynker had before Euen so the purposed breade wyne and water by inuocation and commyng of the holy goost are chaunged supernaturally into the body and blood of Christ and there are not two bodyes but onely one and the very same IoheÌ„s Cassianê° collatione â—2 capi 12 ✿ IohnÌ„ Casiane hath these wordes in the .xxii. collation the .xii. chapiter Wyth so greate dilygens of humylytie we ought to kepe our hart that we kepe al waie this one thing stable coÌ„stantly in oure remembrans That we cannot attayne to so greate puritie and cleanes al though that by the great gyft of God we do al these thynges that I haue spoken of before Yet let vs Iudge our selues moche vnworthy to coÌ„municate or receaue that holye sacrate bodye For fyrst the maiestye of that heueÌ„ly Manna is so great that no man compassed abought with this claye and fleshe can worthely and condyngly receaue that meat but onely of the mere and benefycyall gyft of Godes grace Here in these wordes Cassian confesseth the maiestie of the celestiall Manna and the veryte of the bodye of Christe whome no man can receyue worthely Athanasi ad primaÌ„ Pauli ad Corin. but onely he that thynketh hym selfe vnworthy ✿ Athanasius vpoÌ„ the fyrst epistle vnto the Corinthians confyrmeth the veritye of the reall presens of Christes bodie and bloode in the sacrament For we sayth he hauyng that cuppe in our handes we geue thankes without doubte vnto hym that shed his bloode for vs and haue uoutchsaf to indew vs wyth ineffable gyftes He sayd not onelye that it is the partakyng but rather the communion bycause he wolde expresse some greater thyng That is the wonderful very nye coniuÌ„ction And this is the sence of that whych he spake Thys same blood whyche is contayned in the cuppe is the same that floued oute of the syde of Christ and when we receaue it we do partake it that is to say we be coÌ„nexed and knyt vnto Christ And the breade that we breake is it not the communion of the bodye of Christe That bodye whych our lorde dyd not suffer to be broken vpon the crosse for there was no bone broken of him that same for oure sake he suffereth nowe to be brokeÌ„ Athanasius in these wordes manyfestly sheweth that the blessed sacrameÌ„t brokeÌ„ for vs is the same bodye that honge on the crosse had
as the soule of maÌ„ which is spiritual is neyther burnt slayne neither corrupt wheÌ„ the body wherin the soule is is burnt slayne or corrupted euen so all these accions and passions are in the accidentarye properties of breade onely and the body of Christe whych is verely vnder those properties suffereth none of all those corruptible accions or passions Yet to conuince the heresies and blasphemes about thys blessed sacrament there hath bene sene verye bloode to issue out of an hoost consecrate when it hath ben violently strykeÌ„ cutte or broken and that by myracle Yet that blood hath not issued out of that iÌ„passible bodye but god almighty hath declared by that myracle the presens of hys blood It is a very facile an easy thynge vnto the infinite power diuine to gyue vnto the accidentall properties of breade might and power to do al naturall operations and accioÌ„s and to sustayne all the passions that very bread shulde For the same Lorde God gaue power vnto the drye waÌ„ or rode of Aaron wythout sappe or iuyse in one nyght Nume 17. to budde to sprynge to brynge forth leues flowers and almondes Therfore lyke as god gaue the natural accions of sappe or iuyse vnto a drye staffe or rodde euen so he gyueth by myracle to the properties of bread the accions of very bread Furthermore why shulde we maruayll to se the accidentall properties of breade eaten broken cutte burnt or corrupted yet the bodye of Christ vnder these qualyties vnharmed for nature teachethe almooste as much in the soule of man for when the bodye of man is eaten cut broken or brunt yet is the soule voyed and free from all those passions by cause it is impassible So is also the iÌ„passible body of Christ in thys sacrameÌ„t free and voyde of all these passions that are suffred in the sacrament Exodi 3. Lyke as the busshe oute of whom God spake to Moyses was not perisshed though the fyer were in it and rounde a boute it yet the bushe remayned both grene and freshe the beutye therof vnpayred euen so the bodye of Christ in the sacrament sustayneth no passions that are wrought in the properties of bread thoughe that the body be really and verelly there That omnipotent Lorde God gaue power Sara Anna Elizabeth Maria mater xpÌ„t vnto the barreÌ„ aboue the course of nature to be with chylde and vnto a virgin hys mother whych is much more myraculous to bringe forth a childe she remaynynge mayden immaculate and mooste pure virgin What is more vnnatural theÌ„ out of the harde stony rock the water to gushe and flowe in wonderful ê‘leÌ„ tye Exo. 17. Yet at the touche of Moyses rod this was wrought by God that oute of a rocke issued an exceding streame of water Ys yt not monstruous to see the great loÌ„pyshe grauitie of yroÌ„ Reg. 2. to swymme And yet so dyd the Axe at Helyseus commaundement as we reade in the boke of Kynges And lyke as these are vnto nature monstruus and impossible yet very easy and facile vnto the infinite power of the lorde of nature euen so it is incredible and impossible vnto nature that the properties accidentall shulde stande be subsistent without any substaunce yet to be subiecte vnto all passyons and to execute all natural actions of theyr naturall substaunce Yet vnto goddes omnipotent myght it is very possible and easye We must not then seke the institutioÌ„ and order of nature where the auctour of nature lysteth myraculously to make transposition alteration And in suche alteration supernaturall diuine workes the blynd reason and fond fantysie of man shulde leue hys presumptuous serche and scrutacion of the cause of goddes archaue workes and suffer fayth to take place subduynge all wytte and reason vnto goddes myghtye wyll and pleasure And not to be so curious inquisitiue howe or what wayes God maye do thys or that Neyther in suche myraculous workes to counsell nature no more then the moste blessed and faythfull fathers Patriarkes and prophetes Whose mooste excellent fayth and credulitie in all thynges that God spake vnto them maye be a moost perfect president and example vnto vs. The which faythfull fathers in the myraculous workes and promises of god consellyd not wyth nature neyther serched neyther skanned them wyth blynde reason But with mooste humble obedient fayth they receyued them constantlye beleuynge that he that hadde spoken the worde was able also to performe the same vnto whome ther is nothynge impossible For that thynge whyche nature can not that can the omnipotent power diuine Yea nature muste gyue place vnto godes power Dyd Abram counsell wyth nature howe it myghte come to passe that which God dyd ê“myse No truely For scripture sayth that he reasoned not wyth nature consyderynge that he was aged and Sara baren But was stronge in faythe Rom. 4. and gaue glorye vnto God beleuynge that he was able to performe it that hadde made the promyse Dyd Moyses reason wyth God in the innumerable wonders and monstruous plages that God wroughte by hys hande No. But when he was commaunded he deuyde the redde wylde Sea wyth one stroke of hys rodde How redely beleued this holy prophet the promise of God wheÌ„ yt rayned Manna and quayles from heauen to satisfye the glottonous and murmuryng Iewes The valyant captayne Iosua set a part al naturall power and reason and by stronge fayth deuyded the ruffe and stormious floode of Iordan and by fayth he dyd se the sturdye and strong walles of Ieryco with the only blaste of the trompets ouer throwen he see also the stones raine from heaueÌ„ vpon his enemyes and in hys tyme he vanquyshed .xxxi. kynges What shulde I or nede I reporte any moo of the innumerable woÌ„ders that almightie god hath wrought by the haÌ„des of the moost faythfull fathers the prophetes sythe that the breuenes of a sermon can not containe so great a number of thinges Excepte that I wolde of a quere make a iust volume Yet may I not passe ouer wyth sylens all the infinite number of myracles that our maister Christ wrought here The whyche were a playne euydence and an euydent tryal of the possibylitie of the myracles that the christiaÌ„e fayth beleueth God to worke in the moost holy sacrament of the aulter Howe possyble is it to hym of bread to make his body syth that he with fyue loues and .ii. fyshes fedde .v. thousande Why caÌ„ not he of wyne Ioh â— make his blood which of water made wyne Why shulde not he be hable to sette the very presens of hys owne naturall bodye vnder the shape of breade and yet not sene of vs syth he made the same bodye inuysyble vnto the Iewes IohnÌ„ 8. that wold haue stoned hym passynge throughe the thyckest of them vnsene and also shewed vpon the mounte of Thabor Mat. 17. the same passyble bodye vnto Peter Iames and Iohan in an heauenly shape and in a
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
kynge of hys very bloode in the blessed sacrament wherewyth he feadeth and norysheth vs. ✿ Yreneus that holy and auncient wryter recordeth also wyth vs in thys matter in hys fyft boke aduersus hereses where he speaketh very manifestly of thys oure incorporacyon vnto Christ by receuyng the sacrameÌ„t sayth The mengled cuppe the bread brokeÌ„ when they haue receyued the worde of God then be they made the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ Of the which body and bloode the substaunce of oure fleshe is augmented subsistent How can they deny that our fleshe is not partaker of the gyft of God which is eternall lyfe for as moche as oure fleshe is fedde wyth the bodye and bloode of Chryste and made the membre of hym euen as the appostle sayth in the epistle vnto the Ephesians We are the meÌ„bres of his bodye of hys fleshe of hys bones Se now good cristiane how this holy catholyke and verye auncient wryter playnly affirmeth wyth apostle Paule that our fleshe is fedde wyth the bodye and bloode of our sauiour Christe by that we are made the meÌ„bres of his bodye not spirituall membres onely but of hys fleshe and of hys bones Cyrel also shall recorde wyth vs whyche affirmeth the same wrytynge agaynst a certayne heretyke Cyrillus in Ioh. 15 vppon the .xv. of saynt Ioh. ✿ We do not denie saith he that we by trewe fayth syncere charitie are vnyted and knytte to Christ But that we haue no maner of coniunction wyth hym corporally that we vtterly denye and that sayinge is besydes and contrarye to all scripture For who euer doubted Christ to be in suche sorte the vyne tre that we be brauÌ„ches which receiue lyfe thereby Herke euen the same of Paule We are all one bodye sayth he in Christe and though we be many yet in hym we are but one for we do ê‘take all one breade Dothe he thynke that we knowe not the power of the mysticall blessynge the whyche is done or receyued amonge vs Dothe it not cause Christe corporally to dwel in vs by the coÌ„munion or coÌ„men receauynge of Christes fleshe Wherfore els be the meÌ„bres of christen men the membres of Christe Knowe you not fayth he that out meÌ„bres be the membres of Christ shall I make then the membres of Christ the membres of an harlot God for byd Oure sauiour also sayth Ioh. 6. He that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloode dwelleth in me in I him In eodem ✿ Thys is the wytnes of Cyril Wherein you here playnely how that he sydes the spirituall coniunction of vs vnto Christ as his membres by fayth and by charyte there is a another vnyon by the whych Christ is ioyned and vnytyd vnto vs corporally and we are made here by the membres of hym corporally A similitude of ware where by Cyrill proueth the corporall coniunction of vs vnto the naturall bodye of Christe Crysosto in IoheÌ„n Home 46 And yet Cyrill sayth moreouer ✿ Wherfore we must consyder that Christ is not in vs spiritually onelye by charite But also he is in vs by a certayne naturall and corporall particypatyon For lyke as yf a man shulde take waxe and melt it and myngle the same wyth other waxe melted ther shulde be made but one ware of them bothe euen so by receauynge of the body and blod of christ he is in vs and we in him Vnto the same subscrybeth Crysostome vpoÌ„ IohnÌ„ ✿ After that he had sayd that we are one bodye wyth hym and the membres of hys bodye and of hys fleshe and of hys bones he layde the reason thereof by and by sayng By cause that we myght be conuerted and tourned not onely by loue into his flesh but in very dede that same is done brought to effecte by the meate whiche he hath geuen vnto vs. And by cause he wolde set forthe or declare vnto vs his iÌ„tyre loue He by his own body hath miÌ„gled him selfe with vs. ✿ How playne a thinge is thys to confyrme our sentence or sayng For he sayth that the meate that Chryst gaue vnto vs that is the body of Christe in the blessed sacrameÌ„t is that same where by he hath mengled hym selfe with vs And that same maketh vs one body corporally wyth hym Not onelye spiritually for that doth faythe and charitye cause but by this we are made membres of hys body and of hys bones Hereby this we are may perceiue that be sydes the spirituall coniuncyon whyche faythe and charytie causeth and therby maketh vs spirituall membres of hys mysticall body howe necessary it is to be knyt also vnto christ corperally by the eatyng of his body in the blessed sacrament Whereby we do not only participall Christ spiritually for so do we partake Christ as ofte as we with perfect faythe and charitie remembre the deathe of Christe But also we do partake Christes fleshe corporally and verely we be come the membres of hys bodye and be of hys fleshe and of hys bones And in thys poynte we are in better state and in more blessed coÌ„dytyon then were the people vnder the former lawes eather of nature eyther of Moyses Thoughe the fayth full and holy amonge them were in graffed and knyt vnto Christes mystycall bodye as all other are that retayneth perfect faythe and charytye wythout receyuyng of the sacrament yet none of them dyd partake the very fleshe and bloode of Christe For as yet the eternall and omnipotent worde was not in fleshe But bycause these faythefull people beleued that thys fleshe shulde come and be theyr redemptyon by there faythe they receaued and dyd spiritually eate thys fleshe and where thereby partakers of the merytes thereof and so counyted and knyt vnto Christes mysticall bodye as membres spirituall thereof Christ had a mysticall bodye before that he toke vpon hym oure nature and he hathe now also by hys incarnatyon a naturall bodye And nowe he hathe two bodyes a spirituall body or a mystycall body also a natural body It was sufficieÌ„t to saluacioÌ„ befor his death passioÌ„ by fayth charite to apê‘taine to be knyt vnto his mystycal body so to partake hys merytes But nowe out sauiour Christe sayth vnto all of sufficient age and discretion hauynge no impediment Ioh. 6. ✿ Except that you eate my fleshe drynke my bloode you can haue no lyfe in you So that nowe we muste be connexed and ioyned not onely vnto hys spirituall mysticall bodye but also vnto hys naturall body by the corporall receyuynge and eatynge of the same fleshe and bloode There in as I haue sayde standeth the great worthynes preferment and dygnitie of the table of Christe aboue the table of Moyses For Moyses set on his table onely the myraculous breade Manna the fygure of Christes bodye But Christ setteth before vs vpon hys table the reall and verye presens of hys natural bodye and bloode Theophi in IoheÌ„z Quomodo inquit noÌ„
tedyous to the reader in recytynge onelye theyr names Ireneus ✿ Ireneus in hys fyrst boke that he wryteth agaynst heresies sayeth When the chalice wyth water wyne myngled and the breade broken receaueth the worde of God it is made the blessed sacrament of the bodye blood of Christe Of the whych the substance of our fleshe encreaseth and consisteth Howe can they then denye that the fleshe is partaker of the gyfte of God which is euerlastinge lyfe syth that it is noryshed wyth the blood and body of Christ and is made the member of the same as the apostle sayth in the epistle vnto the Ephesians For we be members of hys body and of hys fleshe and bones Not speakynge these thinges of the spiritu all and inuisible man For the spirite hath neather fleshe neather bones but speakynge of the connection and disposition of the naturall bodye the whiche consysteth of fleshe bones the whiche naturall disposition of the body is fedde and encreased with the cuppe whiche is his blood and with the bread whych is his body ✿ There can be no playned wordes spoken for the veritie of the reall presens of Christe in the blessed sacrament ✿ Ignatius Ignatius In episto ad Roma that glorious martir the disciple of saynt IohnÌ„ Euangelist and the thyrd byshop of Antioche after saynt Peter In episto ad Ephe. in hys epistle that he wryteth vnto the Romaynes hath these moste deuoute wordes I wyll not eate sayth he corruptible meate I desyre not the voluptuousnes of thys worlde But I desyre the breade of God the breade celestiall the bread of lyfe whiche is the fleshe of Iesu Christ the sonne of the lyuyng God the which was borne of the seede of Dauid and Abraham in the latter tyme I desyre the drynke which is his blood Therfore he exhorteth the EphesiaÌ„s in thys wyse Make you hast sayeth he to approche oft tyme vnto the sacrament of the Aulter the glorye of God For when that is ofte frequented then are the powers of sathan expelled And in the ende of the same epistle Breakynge the breade the which is the medicine of immortalitie the tryacle not of dyenge but of the lyuynge in god by Iesu Christ These are wordes plain ynough to perceaue what beleue he had of the blessed sacrament ✿ Tertullian in hys boke intituled de Resurrectione carnis wryteth in thys maner Tertullianus Nowe let vs see and beholde the forme and bewtie of a christeÌ„ man what and how great prerogatiue hath this our frayle and fylthye fleshe wyth God Although that thys were dignitie ynoughe there can no soule at all attayne helth or saluation excepte that whyles that it is in fleshe it beleue or receaue the fayth The fleshe is so necessarye thynge of our saluation When the soule of the fleshe is knyt to God it is the fleshe that maketh that the soule maye be so knytte For the fleshe is washed that the soule maye be purifyed The fleshe is anoynted that the soule myght be consecrated The fleshe is signed that the soule might be strengthed The fleshe is shadowed with laing on of handes that the soule myght be illumined with the holy goost The fleshe eareth the bodye and bloode of Christ that the soule myght be fedde with god ✿ Here we may ryght wel perceaue the belefe of Tertullian of thys sacrament whych confesseth opeÌ„ly here that the fleshe doth eate the bodye and blood of Christe and not the fygure of the bodye and bloode And bycause that saint Cyprian was so diligeÌ„t a reader of TertuliaÌ„ I shall place hym Ciprianê° lib 2. epistola 3. next vnto Tertullian ✿ That blessed martyr saint Ciprian wrytyng vnto Cecilium in hys seconde boke the thyrde epystle sayeth That the blessyng of AbrahaÌ„ by Melchisedech the preest might by dewly celebrated the fygure of the sacrifice went before in breade and wyne The which thynge our lorde accomplyshynge and fulfyllynge offered breade the cuppe myxt with wyne and he that was the fulnes hath fulfylled the fygure prefygured Behold there went afore in Melchesedech the fygure of the sacryfice of breade and wyne but Christe whych is the plenitude it selfe fulfylled the veritie of the fygure prefigured namelye in the supper And after he sayth also De cena domini vpoÌ„ the lordes supper ✿ Our lord Christ whose bodye we do touche is breade That thys breade myght be gyuen vnto vs we praye daylye lest we that are in christe and receaue the sacrament of the aulter dayly as the meat of our saluation by meane of any great offence abstaynynge beynge forbydden from the hauenly breade we shulde be separated in dede from the body of Christe he preachynge and mouyshynge vs. I am the breade of lyfe that cam froÌ„ heauen yf any eate of thys bread the same shal lyue euer The breade that I wyl gyue it is my fleshe for the lyfe of the world Therfore when he sayeth that he shall lyue for euer yf he eate of hys breade it is manyfest and playne that they shall lyue whyche toucheth hys bodye and receaueth the sacrameÌ„t of the Aulter after the maner of coÌ„munion Origenes comes â—elsum ✿ Origene wytnesseth wrytynge against Celsus saith Let Celsus ignoraunt of God gyue thaÌ„kes vnto beuels But we thaÌ„ke the creator of al thinges for the benefites that he hath gyuen to vs. When we geuynge thankes do eate the breade the which bread by oration supplication and prayers is made a more holyer bodye the whyche body also verely maketh vs more holy the receaueth the same with a whole pure herte Origenes suê‘ Numeros vt supra ✿ And in the seuenth homilie vpon the boke of Numbres he more playnly wryteth and sayeth Those thynges which before tyme were done in figure nowe are they accomplyshed in the veritie and in dede Before baptisme was in the see and in the cloude but now the generation is in very dede in water and in the holy goost Then was Manna the meate as in the fygure but nowe the fleshe of the worde of God is in dede is very meate as he hym selfe sayeth My fleshe is very meate and my blood is very drinke By these his wordes we may perceaue that the Iewes had the fygure but we christiaÌ„s haue now the thynge it selfe that is the very bodye and blood in very dede ✿ IuueÌ„cus also in hys verses sayeth As sone as he had spoken Inuencus in carminibus he wyth hys owne handes brake the bread and geuynge thankes he taught and tolde his disciples that he gaue his owne proper bodye And then he toke the cuppe replete wyth wyne he sanctifyed it geuynge thankes and gaue it and taught them also that he had deuided vnto them hys precious bloode and sayd Thys bloode shall remytte the synne of the people Drynke it and beleue nowe these trewe and vnfayned wordes ✿ Hyllary whome saynt Ierome calleth the trompe of the latyn tonge
no bone brokeÌ„ therof ✿ Cassiodorus sayth vpoÌ„ this text Cassiodorus iÌ„ psalmum 110. of the psalme Thou art a preest for euer accordyng to the order of melchisedech Thys thyng sayth he doth the ê“phete tell that the father hath ê“mised to his soÌ„ne For vnto whom can this be truely plainly applyed sauyng only vnto our Lorde sauiour The whych moste helthsomly hath coÌ„secrated hys bodye bloode in the gyfte or erogation of breade wyne Euen as he in the gospel sayth Except that you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drynke his blood ye can haue no lyfe in you But in thys fleshe and in thys bloode lette not mannes mynde ymagyne any thynge crewell or corruptible Leste as the apostle saythe he that eateth the body of our Lorde vnworthely he eateth drinketh it to his iudgement But let the mynde of man thynke ymagyne vnderstaÌ„d the same substance that gyueth lyfe and helthe That same I saye whych is made the verye body ê“pre substaÌ„ce of the word eternall by the whyche both remission of synne and the gyfte of eternall lyfe are gyueÌ„ ✿ Thys blessed father Cassiodor sayth that we shuld not thynke or ymagyne in the sacrament to beholde see the cruel or mortall bloode or bodye in theyr owne shape fashion but we must vnderstaÌ„de sayth he the helthsome substance that gyueth lyfe the substance whych is Christes substaÌ„ce the whyche gyueth lyfe remission of synnes eternal lyfe ✿ It can not be the substaÌ„ce of bread that can gyue remission of synnes But the substaÌ„ce of Christe Fulgentiê° ad Monimum that dyed for the synnes of the world ✿ FulgeÌ„tius answeryng vnto a question as concernyng the sacrifice of the bodye bloode of Christe that one Monimus a frende of his demauÌ„ded whether it were offered onely to the father or no. Vnto hym thus he sayd amonge muche more matter Thys same I saye spiritual edification can not be asked better or more oportunely theÌ„ wheÌ„ in the sacrament of the breade cuppe the very body blood of Christ is offered vp of his bodye the churche For the cuppe that we drynke of it is the coÌ„munion of Christes bloode the breade that we breake it is the coÌ„munion of Christes bodye ✿ Here expressely sayth Fulgentius that the body blood of Christe is offered in the sacrameÌ„t ✿ S. Gregory Gregoriê° primo dea logoruÌ„ lib capi 58. in hys fyrst boke of hys dialoges the .lviii. chap. wryteth in this sort We ought with al our hert to coÌ„teÌ„pne this pÌ„sent world for bycause we may ê‘ceaue that it wasteth and to offer dayly vnto God sacrifices of teares and to offer dayly hoostes of hys fleshe and blood For thys is the sin guler and speciall oblation that saueth the soule froÌ„ death eternal The which oblatioÌ„ representeth vnto vs in a mysterye the death of the onely begotten sonne of God For though he rysynge from death dyeth nomore and death hath no more dominion ouer hym is immortaly and vncorruptibly lyuynge in hym selfe Yet in the mystery of that holy sacrifice he is offred vp for vs for there is hys body receaued there is his fleshe diuided for the helth of the people there hys bloode is distributed powred not into the handes of infydells but into the mouthe of the faythefull ✿ Se deuout reader howe expressly he sheweth that Christe remaynynge immortall and impassible in him selfe yet he is in the blessed sacrament really receaued of the faythful Cedulius presbiter in carmini bus ✿ Sedulyus the preeste in hys verses of the deuyne maruayles saith Our lorde sayth he geuynge bread vnto Iudas dyd knowe afore hande hys dysceatful mynd bewrayed his treason by geuynge hym bread which lorde was the breade hym selfe after that he had stablyshed that two gyftes of his body blod he gaue there vnto his dyscyples the meat and drynke whereby the faythful and cleane soules Beda in Lucam lib. 6. shuld neuer thurst ether hunger hereafter ✿ Beda in his syxt boke vpoÌ„ S. Luke writeth thus where it shuld moue any wyth doubth for asmoche as Christe gaue hys body and blood vnto his discyples when they had supped why we shulde be taught by the costome of the vniuersall churche to receaue the same sacrament fastynge Let the same perceaue in few wordes The appostles therfore dyd receaue it wheÌ„ they had supped for it was necessary the figuratyue passeouer to take an ende to be consumed so to approche vnto the sacrament of the veritie of the trew passeouer It hathe pleased the maysters of the churche in the honour of so great terrible a sacrameÌ„t that we shuld fyrst be strengthed with the partitipacion of oure lordes passion bothe inwardely and outwardely to be saÌ„ctified with the goostly spirituall meates and theÌ„ the hungrie body to be refreshed with the vyle earthely meates ✿ Haymo also vpoÌ„ the epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s wryteth in this sort Hâ—ymo in Paulum Hic virit ciriter annum dnÌ„i 832. As the fleshe of Christe the which he receaued in the wombe virginyall is his very body slayne for our saluacyon euenso the breade whych Christ gaue vnto his disciples to al that be elected to the euerlasting lyfe the which also the preestes dayly do coÌ„secrate in the church by the mighte power of the diuinitie the which diuinitie repleteth the same breade is the very body of Christ Neither are the body that he toke in the woÌ„be virginial and this bread two bodyes but they make but one very body of Christ In so much that when it is broken and eaten theÌ„ is Christ offered a sacrifice eateÌ„ yet he remayneth whole alyue And lyke as the bodye put vpon the crosse was offered vp for our redeÌ„ption euen so dayly for our helth is offered vp thys breade the which though it seme bread yet is it not bread but the body of Christ For our lorde redemer helpinge our frayltie bycause he knewe how frayle we are toward synne he hath gyueÌ„ vnto vs thys sacrameÌ„t that where he can not suffer death dayly we dayly do offende we myght haue a very true sacrifice wherby we might haue expiacioÌ„ be purged And therfore bycause the same whyche was offered on the crosse thys in the sacrameÌ„t make but one body are offered vp for our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ he sayd This is my body that shal be gyuen for you These wordes of Haymo are so plaine that anye maÌ„ may right sone perceaue what thys blessed father beleued of this blessed sacrameÌ„t whose auctoritie is not to be suspected syth it is .vii huÌ„dreth yere agone syth he wryte And yet syth his tyme there hath also many both godly excelleÌ„t learned meÌ„ writen As Theodore the gretian the scole maister of bede Alcuinus scole maister to Charles the great S. Bernard Rupert Hugh desctoÌ„ Victore with a great nuÌ„bre mo whoÌ„ to
lyfe whyche is the proper operatiō of the body blood of Christ but worketh dampnable death Therfore the blessed fathers sayde that they receyued not the bodye of Christe For thoughe it verelye be the verye bodye and bloode of Christe yet vnto them in suche state it semeth not to be so bycause that it worketh not in them lyfe but death For lyke as of a moost excellent medicine receaued of the pacient out of dewe tyme and order and therby diminisheth not the dysease but encreaseth it we maye saye that vnto hym thys was no medicyne but a presēt poyson Euen so maye we saye of all suche christians and heretikes that lyke Iudas vnworthely receaueth the sacrament that they receaue not the bodye bloode of Christe whyche as a mooste helthsome medicine worketh lyfe in the good and in the bad it worketh present death In the tyme of these blessed fathers there were certayne ouerthwart people as we also haue some nowe a dayes that hearynge the great and wonderfull operation of thys blessed sacrament howe it wrought lyfe in the receyuers had fallen into a wonderfull presumption and had persuaded to them selues that though they were neuer so farre gone in heresies and lyued neuer so dyssolutely and wyckedly yf they receaued thys sacrament whyche was taught them to be the verye bodye and bloode of Christe that they shulde eskape perpetuall dampnatyon Wherefore the fathers to brynge them out of thys blynd and dampnable presumptyon vsed thys maner of speache to saye that they dyd not receaue the bodye of Christ neather drinke his blod though they dyd receaue the sacrament to the dampnation ✿ Tertulliane in his in hys forth boke agaynste Marcyon Tertulianus aduersus Martionem li. 4. sayeh Christe professynge that he had a great desyre to eate hys Passeouer wyth them and the breade that he toke and gaue to hys discyples he made it hys bodye saynge This is my body that is to saye sayth Tertulliane the fygure of my bodye Thys place is recyted of Ecolāpadius wyth no smale commendacyon and tryumphe In lyke sorte saynt Augustine in the prologe of the thyrde Psalme sayeth speakynge of Iudas Christe thoughe he were not ignorant of hys vnhappe thoughtes yet he made hym one of his geastes of that bāket where he exhybyted and gaue vnto hys dysciples the fygure of hys body and bloode Fyrst dylygent reader I praye the expende wel the wordes of Tertulliane and thou shalt sone perceaue that Tertulliane cōfyrmeth our fayth maketh nothynge with the sacramentaryes For he saith Christe had a greate desyre to eate hys Passeouer not sayth he the Passeouer that was the slaughter of shepe for that was Moyses passeouer but thys he called hys by cause that in thys was hys owne naturall fleshe and bloode and in the other the fleshe and blood of a shepe Yf ther had ben nothynge els in thys then breade the fygure of his fleshe why shulde he call this more his then the other whiche was also a more expresse fygure of his death then the bread and wyne were Furthermore Tertulliane sayth that Christ made the bread that he toke and dystrybuted to hys dyscyples hys bodye saynge Thys is my bodye In these wordes he moste apertely sheweth that Christe made the bread hys bodye Yf ther be none other thyng there then breade neyther no alteracyon ther in the sacramēt then ther was before I maruayll what thyng Christ dyd make But Tertullianes wordes be to playne to be deludyd or doubted of for he confesseth that Christe made the breade his bodye saynge This is my bodye But that wordes that foloiuith semeth to haue all the dyfycultye bycause Tertulliane added that is to say the fygure of hys bodye And in lyke sorte also saynt Augustine Tertullyanes contre man callyth it a fygure ✿ No dougth but it is very trew that the sacramēt is a fygure an example a sygne and token of the bodye of Christe For euery sacramēt is a fygure or example and sacrate token of an holy thynge Euen so is the blessed sacramēt called a sygne or a fygure of the bodye of Christ in the wrytynges of these ancient fathers The cause why they so named it I haue declared before amōg the names of the sacrament And yet I wyll touch breuely the same agayne For as moche as in the blessed sacrament which is the very sacrifice of the churche catholyke is cōtayned in two dystinct formes that is of bread wyne the same blessed bodye blood that was offered vpō the crosse in ther own lyknes that is in lykenes of fleshe blood the same bodye and blod vnder the forme of bread at the masse lyfted vp in to the ayer ouer the prestes hed it is a token or a remēbranc how that the same body in the tyme of Christes passion dyd hang vpon the crosse in the ayer and was so offered vp by death for our redēption the same body blood contained reali also vnder the shape or forme of wyne lyffted vp at the sacrynge of the masse it is a token callyng vs to remēbrans how the blessed blood was shed on hye vpō the crosse for the remissiō of our synnes And thus the blessed body blode of christ vnder these two formes of bred wyne in the blessed sacramēt signifieth vnto vs how that in the passiō and death of christ the body of christ hong pale wan vpō the crosse frō whō al the blessed bloode was dyuyded by crewel payne passyō is thus a very lyuely memorie remēbrans of hys death for thys cause also S. Basyl calleth it The exemplar bycause it is so lyuely and so expresse an example memorie of the death of Christ Thus is the blessed sacrament where in is contayned verely the bodye and blood of Christ a sygne a fygure a tokē or example of the death of Christ And in this consideration the fathers some tyme and that very seldome dyd cal it a sygne or fygure And in thys sort we graunt no lesse But that it is but a fygure onlye a fygure or nothynge els thē a figure That we vtterly deny For neither in the scripture neyther in any catholyke wryter can they fynde that the sacramēt is called only a fygure or but a fygure or any lyke saynge The fathers though they named it a figure or a token yet they playnlye declare and shew that they beleued that very real presens of the bodye and blood of Christ in the sacramēt as I haue shewed bi their owne wrytinges So I conclude and answere that though the sacrament be a sygne or a fygure yet neuerthelesse it is verely really the verye bodye and bloode of Christ therfore is it not only a fygure or onely and nothinge els then a fygure or a sygne Thys answere in my iudgemēt is sufficient for all suche places that they can brynge in of anye of the auncyent wrytters It is a lacrymable case and
stormes and tempestes of heresyes that the dyuell hath araysed specially agaynst the blessed sacrament of th aulter as well by the vehemeÌ„t stormes of pestilent bokes as also by the venemous wyndes and blastes of secrete deuelyshe doctrines Wher â—â—e I shall mooste hartely desyre the christian reader yf he be lerned of hys moost gentle charitable censure iudgement And yf eather letter eather worde hath escaped me or the printer as there hath some let the same with his penne gentlye correct it Yf he be vnlerned let hym take the frutes and commodities there of gyuyng the prayse and thankes ther of to God bycause I haue laboured it cheftly for him And yf the same shal fynd any worde or sentence here that semeth vnto hym obscure or darke let the same iuge that eather suche wordes hath escaped me vnwarelye eather that I could not openlye and conueniently set suche matter so breuely in playner sentence And for as muche as an order in thinges not onelye delyghteth the beholder as the bewty therof but also makyng the matter more sensible and playne it causeth the reader to beare awaye and retayne the better that whyche he hathe redde therfore haue I here set forth breuely the order that I haue taken in the proces of thys rude thynge Where the cristiane reader shall vnderstande that the former part of the fyrst Sermon she wyth that the admyrable workes of god were wrought of God to manyfest the glorye of hys synguler power and to buylde faythe in vs. And vppon thys grounde I haue proued the possibilitie of the myracles wrought by God in the blessed sacrament of the Aulter by the other myraculous workes that the scripture telleth vs to haue ben wrought by the power of God And bycause we beleue suche myracles and yet se theÌ„ not we ought also of lyke reason to beleue the myracles in the holy sacrameÌ„t thoughe we se them not bycause that the scripture affyrmeth them to be trewe and sayth in the voyce of Christ Thys is my bodye For vppon the veritie of these wordes dependeth the veritie of all the other myracles wroughte in the blessed sacrament And fynally I do applye the myracles of the blessed sacrament vnto the other myracles of God to shewe them to be of equal possibilitie and impossibilitie ✿ In the seconde Sermon I haue fyrste declared certayne fygures of the olde lawe to appertayne vnto the sacrament And then I haue brought in dyuers places of scripture to proue that thynge to be so in dede which I shewed in the fyrste sermon possible For lyke as I shewed in the former sermon the reall presens of Christes bodye in the sacrament wyth al the myracles possible by the other myraculous workes of God so do I in this sermon proue it by the scriptures to be sâ— of a treuth ✿ In the thyrd I haue set in place fyrste the promyses that Christe made vnto the Churche Wherof I haue iustlye collected that standynge the veritie of those promyses that thyng muste nedes be of infallible truthe the whych the churche hath beleued and taught so many hundred yeres In the seconde place I haue brought in the conselles after them the testimonies of the auncient wryters to proue that the churche hath alwaye retayned this same fayth of the sacrament that we now do hold syth the apostles tyme. Yet here I haue not recyted al the wryters of al tymes for who can so do but I haue selected chosen onely such as I haue thought of moost antiquitie and auctoritie and that from .vii. or .viii. hundred yeares vpwarde and haue not mencioned neather alleged any that writ within these vii huÌ„dred yeres bycause that they are in maner innumerable and moost of theÌ„ so familiar that theyr faythe in thys matter is very manyfest vnto the meane learned Thyrdlye I haue answered to the moost comeÌ„ reasons that semed vnto me mooste strongest that are made for the contrarie And where I haue not handeled thys moost excellent mystery of our faâ—th wyth so exquisite lerning and exacte iugement as a man of greate lytterature and learnynge wolde haue done I shall moost humblye and hertelye desyre the christian reader to esteme and waye not howe homelye base and rude thynge is here coÌ„pyled but rather to iuge from howe syncere mynde and good wyl it hath proceded and to what ende and intent I thus enterprysed to dyuulgate and set it forth where in I haue sought chefly the settyng forth of the syncere and catholyke faythe of the churche of Christe and the spirituall lucre and gayne of my christiane brother to the honour of almyghty god Vnto whome be immortall glorye laude and prayse worlde with out ende Amen ij Petri vltimo ¶ VOS fratres prescientes custodite ne insipientium errore traducti exidatis a propria firmitate ¶ A Prayer vnto the Sacrament in the Masse tyme. O Moost myghtyfull Lorde and moost mercyfull redemer and sauiour Iesu sonne of the eternall lyuing god which of thyne own nature beyng most inuisible and immortall hast of thyne ineffable mercy and incomparable beninguitie vouchsafe in the ende of the worlde to appere visibly vnder the garment of our frayle temporal nature amoÌ„gest mortall men by moost mortall passion paynfull death hast redemed vs mortal synners froÌ„ the perpetuall death mortal dampnation of hell For the merytes of thy paynfull death preserue vs by thy special grace thys day euermore froÌ„ the daunger of al mortall offence And moost blessed byshop our hyghe preest which hast moost deuoutly offered visibly vpoÌ„ the crosse by death thys thy moost blessed bodye moost pretious bloode for our redemption hast also most gratiously ordayned the very same reall and naturall bodye and blood to be offered of thy catholyke churche inuisibly in the blessed sacrameÌ„t as a memorye of the crewell oblation made vpon the crosse vntyll that thou shalt come to iugemeÌ„t Vouchsafe most gratious God that thys blessed sacrifice of thy bodye blood nowe offered vnto the in the blessed sacrament maye be in the vertue merites of thy blessed death increase of grace vertue in the good and strength vnto the frayle purchase of repentauÌ„ce vnto synners helpe and comfort both to quycke and deade And mooste louynge sheparde of oure soules which of thy moost intyre loue haste bestowed thy precyous lyfe for vs thy wreched waÌ„dering shepe vouchsafe gracious good keper of our soules to colect to gather to gether in to one syncere fayth catholyke all christiane people colected together good lorde rayle inclose them stroÌ„gly within thy churche catholyke wyth the rayle of louelye godly feare that they straye not neyther in belefe neyther in lyfe good Lorde oute of thy swete pastures of syncere fayth and Godlynes And suche as are astraye deuyded froÌ„ thy flocke by error or herysye moost petyful pastor drawe and force them out of the blynde hedges of herysye and forth of
conuinceth maÌ„nes reason and sheweth suche thinges in the worde of God that semys impossible vnto mannes wytte reason to be very easye and possible vnto god as is thys wonderfull mysterye of the blessed sacrament Also buyldeth and confirmeth the fayth and treuth of goddes worde and promyse For where anye thynge in the word or promyse of god semyth vnto our weake wytte blynde reason impossible bycause that reason can not reache wysedoÌ„e or wytte attayneth not the senses lacketh experiens and the carnall or natural maÌ„ beleueth not there myracle shewyth it possible easye to God and fayth teacheth vs to lede captiue to subdue al wytte reason vnto the worde and power of God vnto whome there is nothynge impossible For we muste vnderstande that the miraculus workes of god were not wrought before the former people and lefte truely faythfully reported vnto vs in the holy scriptures to teache persuade only the possibilite of theÌ„ selfes for they were to euideÌ„t to be dowbted of But they were wrought writteÌ„ to declare set forth the possibilitie verite of al thiÌ„ges that the word of god teacheth vs to beleue As for exaÌ„ple Exodi 4. Ait MoydnÌ„o Non credent mihi neque audieÌ„t vocem meaz sed dicent non appa ruit tibi dnÌ„o Dixit ergo ad â—nÌ„ Quid est ê™ tenes in manu tua Respondit Virga Dixit dnÌ„s Proiâ—ce iÌ„ terraÌ„ Pro iecit c. Vt credaÌ„t ê™ apparu it tibi dnÌ„s deus tuus c. Ioh. 10. Et si mihi non vultis credere operibê° credite vt cognoscatis c. The woÌ„derful workes that God almyghty wroughte by Moyses hys deare and faythfull seruaunt before the chyldren of Israell and before the Egiptians dyd not onely declare that God almyghty was hable to shewe suche wonders sygnes and myracles But they manyfestly declared bothe the myghte and power of the Lorde God that sent vnto them Moses hys seruaunt and also confirmed ratifyed the veryte of all suche promyses and commaundementes that Moyses brought vnto them from the mouth of God For thys cause had Moyses power of myracles that these wonders whyche they se hym do before theyr eyes myght teache perswade theÌ„ the veryte and possibilite of hys tydynges and message whych semed both vntrew and impossible Not that they shuld beleue only the myraculous workes that they dyd see but that they by the euydens of these workes shulde beleue the word of God the Moyses ministred brought vnto theÌ„ The holy fathers ê“phetes ratifyed persuaded the verite of goddes message sent by them vnto the people with lyke testimonye of miracles Our sauioure Christe and after hym hys disciples confyrmed and dyd corroborate the verite and possibilitie of hys holye gospell wyth the wytnes of hys wonderfull workes Wherfore I thynke it an argument of no small efficatie and strengthe to perswade and proue by the experiens of gods power in the former myracles the possibilitie of the excedynge great myracles in the moste blessed sacrameÌ„t of the Aulter the whych goddes worde teacheth vs to beleue seme they vnto mans reason neuer so vntrewe and vnpossible For these myraculus workes left vnto vs in the sacrat scripture are none other then the very playne experimentes and euident tryal of goddes myghtye power and registred in the byble to corroborate stablyshe as I haue sayd oure faythe and the doctrine of goddes holy word to conuynce and reprehende all vnbelefe and heresye But specially suche grosse and stubburne blyndnesse that wolde not haue reason subiugate and obedieÌ„t vnto goddes myghtie worde power but wolde that the omnipotent worde and power of God shulde take suche auctoritie place as theyr blynd carnall wytte wyll gyue leue as oure grosse frowarde and obstinate caphernaites doth nowe a dayes aboute the mooste sacrate and blessed Sacrament of the Aulter the blessed monument and memoriall both of the death and also of the might and power of our sauiour and Lorde God Christe The sacrament besydes that it contayneth that vyry bodye bloode of Christ is also a memorial of Christes death and therfore stereth vp our charitie towardes hym And in that that it is inuisibly myraculus it excercyseth our fayth For whyles they denye the reall and verye presens of Christes bodye and bloode in the sacramente contendynge agaynste the scripture by reason to be impossible that it shulde be so they extenuate and imbecyl the power of God also they here in denye and subuerte the verite of Goddes worde ratifyed and confirmed by Christ and his disciples with innumerable sygnes wonders and miracles And why semeth thys incredible Playnly for thys cause onely that in thys moste holy sacrament nature is altered and loseth her coÌ„men course order reason can shewe no persuasion The senses hathe contrarie experiens Therfore these carnall infideles voyde of the spirite of God for wante of faith sayeth and thynke it impossible For manyfest scriptures truely taken and vnderstaÌ„de to proue theyr heresy they haue none Saue that where the scripture in hys natiue sence wyll not sustayne eyther helpe theyr horrible heresie and detestable blasphemye they vyolently wrynge it wreste it they toose it and rugge it wyth tropes and fygures catacreses alligories and metaphers to force it to bowe vnto theyr phanaticall frensye and frantyke heresye And althoughe that the blynde obstinacie of these blasphemous heretykes be suche that there semeth lytle remedye to recouer them TituÌ„ 5. sythe they subuerted are as saynt Paule sayeth condeÌ„pned in theyr owne iudgement Yet for the confirmation and comforte of the faythfull I shall set forth and proue by goddes adiutorie the possibilitie of suche myracles as the faith catholique doth teach and sheweth vs to be wrought by the infinite power of goddes myghtye worde in the holy sacrament of the Aulter Thys shal I do by the testimony of these myraculus workes that the scripture reporteth vnto vs. That whyles we perceyue the scripture to set forth before vs so euident open plaine demonstratioÌ„s and experimeÌ„tes of the oiÌ„potent power deuine that they can not be denyed saue onely of an infidele it maye euidentlye apere vnto euery faythfull christiane howe lykely and possible it is that almyghtie God can and doth by the power of hys myghtye worde these wonderful myracles in the holy sacrament And thys maner of argument maye not seme straunge vnto anye man in that that the veritie and possibilitie of thys mysterye and archane of oure faythe by proued and declared by other myracles wrytten whome we beleue in the holye scripture for there in I haue myne example of saynte Paule 1. Cor. 15. who wrytyng vnto the Corinthians and dysputynge the artycle of the generall resurrection proueth by the myraculous resurrection of Christe the whyche they had receyued and beleuyd by the preachynge of saynt Paule the verytie and possibilitie of the generall resurrection Oure sauioure Christe also
perswaded and prouyd vnto the Iewes the presens of hys godhead and that he by auctoritie of hys godhead dyd and myghte forgyue and remytte synnes the whyche godhead inuisible they coulde not see neyther the remyssyon of synnes by the euidens of the helth that he gaue vnto the man dyseased wyth the palsye That where the forgeuenesse of synnes and the gyfte of helth vnto that man so vncurably dyseased were both of equall dyfficultie and the one they myghte see the other they coulde not see whyles they se hym do the one they myghte beleue the other Wherfore then shoulde not the testymonye of the former myracles moste faythfullye set forth vnto vs in the holy worde of God whome oure predecessours also dyd see before theyr eyes perpetrate and wroughte of God by the handes as wel of the fathers ê“phetes as by our mayster Christ and hys Apostles gyue euideÌ„ce profe of the myracles of thys sacrament sith both these and the other be of equal facilitie vnto God and of equall dyfficultie vnto nature Yf we beleue the one why shulde not we beleue the other syth that God is auctour of al. Yet perhaps thou wilt say the other myracles were euidently sene and so were these in the sacrament neuer Here vnto I answere Fyrste that thoughe our fathers dyd se the other done before theyr eyes yet dyd not we se them but we beleue them bycause that the holy scripture reporteth them to vs as of a trueth to haue bene suche done in dede EueÌ„ so the holy gospel of Christ reporteth to vs the wordes of Christe who can not lye whych sayeth Math. 26. Thys is my bodye Wherfore we ought to beleue these wordes thoughe we se not the dede Moreouer I answer that the other myracles were wrought to persuade fayth credyte vnto suche as lacketh fayth therfore were they manyfest and euident that the vnfaithfull myght be edifyed by the myracles openly sene vnto such mysteries of our fayth that can not be sene or apprehended by reason 1. Cor. 11. As saynt Paule sayth of the myracles of tonges wrytyng to the Corinthians The gyfte or myracle of tonges was gyuen to edifye the vnbeleuer but the gyfte of vnderstandynge or interpretacion was giuen to edifye the congregacion of the faythfull Euen so I saye that the other were gyueÌ„ to edifye the vnfaythfull Augustinê° de vera innocentia capi 134. Visibile miraculuÌ„ ad illuminationem vocat inuisibile autem cum qui vocatus venit illuminat But thys Sacrament is not ordayned to edifye the vnbeleuers but is ordeyned and instituted to encrease exercyse and to certifie the true and faythfull beleuers of their vnfayned fayth and also for the comforte of the faythfull christen people Wherfore it is not necessary that it shulde be myraculus openly Thys myracle in thys Sacrament is not wrought as I haue sayd to perswade fayth as the other were but this doth presuppose requyre a coÌ„stant fayth And as S. Paul sayeth vnto the Hebrewes Hebre. 11. Faythe is of thynges that appere not and can not be sene therfore are these myracles wrought of God inuisiblye that fayth myght here in haue place and that all the wyttes and sences of maÌ„ myght be tried subiugate obedient vnto fayth Playnly yf the faith of the thefe on the ryght syde of Christe were acceptable as in dede iâ— was that he seyng Christ as a thefe in lyke tormeÌ„t and payne with hym and yet beleued that he was most myghtest kynge of heauen and earthe bothe God and man Ioh. 2â— Christus dixit Thome Beati qui noÌ„ viderunt et crediderfit I saye that the fayth of them is very acceptable that constantly agaynst the course guyse of nature do beleue in thys holy sacramente the worde and wytnesse of Christ whyche sayeth Thys is my bodye For from the thefe vpon the crosse was hyd onely the Godhead or diuinitie of Christe but in thys sacrament vnto vs is hydden from oure syghte our sensible felynge tastynge and touchynge bothe the dyuinitie and also the humanitie that our fayth myghte be so much the more acceptable as it lacketh experience and tryall of that thynge that we obedientlye beleue For in thys sacrament naturall experience coÌ„tendith openlye agaynste fayth and not onely reason but also all oure senses are lede captyue agaynst al naturall experience vnto the sole and onely worde of God And that not in one myracle but in manye whyche are deprehended onely by constant fayth Wherfore no wonder thoughe the naturall man that waÌ„teth fayth and beleueth nomore then fleshe and bloode that is to saye natural reason or sense reuelyth to hym be offendyd as the Caphernaites were at this moost myraculous and holy sacrament where in are wroughte so manye wonderous workes of God For fyrste in thys holy sacramente the substaunce of breade wyne Ciprianê° de cena dâ—mini Panis iste coiÌ„s in carnem et sanguinem mutatus procurat vitam et incrementum corporibê° by the admyrable power of goddes myghtye worde are conuerted by transubstantiacion into the verye bodye and bloode of Christe so that after the consecration there remaineth not the substance of breade or wyne nether any other substaunce saue only the substaunce of the reall and verye bodye and bloode of Christe God and man Secondly the whole and perfect bodye wyth all the lymmes and membres are in both the kyndes IteÌ„ Thomas aquinas citat hec Eusebii Niseni verba No 〈◊〉 tibi impossibile esse non debet ê™ xpÌ„i substaÌ„tiam terre na et mortalia conuertuÌ„tur hec ille in tertia summe q. 75. articulo 4 and in euery porcion of eyther of them as well a parte as togyther and consequently in euerye sensyble porcion of eyther of the kyndes is the parfecte bodye and whole bloode of Christe and is in so many places as any kynde or porcion of thys sacrament is Thyrdlye Christe is immediatlye present reallye in the sacrament as sone as the wordes of consecration are duelye spoken of the preest at masse and that wythout anye bodelye passage throughe the clowdes from heauen and so to descende vppon the aulter Fourthlye the qualities and the other accidenttall properties of breade remayne in this sacrament and yet there is not the substaunce of bread neyther anye other saue onelye the substaunce of Christe IteÌ„ Augustinus in libro sententiarum Prosperi dicit Nos in speciebê° panis vini quas videmus res in visibiles .i. carnem et sanguineÌ„ honeramê° Fyfthly the qualities of bread are subsystant by them selfe myraculouslye with out any staye or ayde of any substaunce where in naturally they shulde be and that by the synguler power of God Syxtly God almyghtye gyueth myraculously vnto these qualities and accidentall properties power in al natural operations and passions as wel as thoughe the substaunce of bread were there And therfore doth the consecrate hoost norysshe augmente when it is
receyued as wel as though the substaūce of breade or wyne were there Idē Thomas in .4.5 6 7. articulis Yea also the consecrate hoost maye be broken it maye be burnte it maye be moulded as the verye breade maye And yet is not there the substaunce of bread nether is the fraccion the mouldnes nother the burnynge executed or done in the body of Christe for that is impassyble can suffer no suche passyons But it is onely the properties of breade that is broken moulded or burnt These myraculus secretes secreat myracles be as I haue sayd deprehēded only by fayth not onlye bycause they surmounte and excede the altitude and compasse of mannes wytte and reason as the other visible myracles do But also they are directlye contrarye vnto our sensible experiens Wherfore they brynge no small doubte vnto vs and specially vnto all suche that leaneth more vnto theyr naturall experiens then they do vnto the infallible verite of goddes word which affirmeth nothynge to be impossible with God Namely Luce. 1. whē they presume to be curious serchers of the archane secret workes of goddes singuler power with the blynde lanterne and lyght of naturall reason and calleth impotent and blynde nature to coūsel in the peculiar workes of God appropriated onely to hys diuine power and excedyngly passynge the prospecte and power both of nature and mannes naturall wyttes For what can only nature shewe or barren reason of man see or vnderstande in that thynge that is out of the lymyttes and order of all nature surmountynge incomperably all wytte and reason of man Saue onely of a doubte to collecte an errour and out af an errour to fall into an heresye blasphemous For the presumpcion of the carnall mā that preaseth and contendeth by naturall reason to compryse the inuestigable and incomprehensible wysedome of god in hys myraculus workes he wrappyth and intricateth hym selfe in more error then other For the more that he by reason ransacketh and sercheth for reason in those thinges that passeth reason the lesse reason he fyndeth into the further doubte he falleth and asketh with the murmeryng Caphernaites Howe Vnto the whych question for as muche as nature can make no answere reason can not perceiue neither vnderstāde suche as are voyde of fayth as our Iewyshe and grosse sacramentaries haue well declared them selfe of late answereth and concludeth openly suche thynges to be impossible therfore vnworthy to be beleued But yf that such slender faythed christians wold in such inscrutable questiōs leue fleshly iugemēt vnto the carnall Caphernaites for the fleshe Ioh. 6. here in as Christ sayth auaileth nothynge and wolde counsel wyth the spirite of God whyche gyueth the lyuely and playne vnderstandynge of all verytie wythout doubte they shulde be induced thorow out fayth into the clere and syncere verite of these myraculous workes in thys moost sacrate sacramēt that according to the holy scriptures the whych in mooste manyfest playne sentence approueth not onely the verite of the reall presence of the bodye and bloode of Christe in the sacramēt of the aulter as it shal be largely declared in the next sermon but also wyth a great number of myracles the monumentes of the power of God declareth and setteth forth moste sufficiently vnto a dilygent and a faythfull reader the possibilite of all suche wonderfull myracles that the Churche catholyke beleueth and teacheth to be wrought in this holy sacrament as I shall breuelye make manyfest declaration in thys sermon And fyrste as concernynge the transubstanciation Cipriande cena domini Panis iste quē dn̄s discipulis porrigebat nō effigie sed natura mutatus oīpotentia vervi factus est raro wherein the myghtye worde of God doth of breade make the very substaunce of the bodye of Christe as euery true christian is wholy persuaded and beleueth For al suche beleueth it to be lytell dyfficultie vnto almyghtye God vnto whome ther is nothyng impossible to create to brynge to nought to make to destroye to continue to mayntayne to alter to chaunge howe and when and what he lyst Wherfore they beleue that it is not onely possible but very facile and easye vnto God omnipotent of bread to make hys very bodye 〈◊〉 of wyne to make hys very blood The whych thynge maye apere very apertlye by the workes of nature who by her natyue power altereth breade by masticatiōs decoction Saynt Ambrose also in the 5. boke of his exameron the .23 chapiter and digestions into bloode and consequently into fleshe muche more able is almyghtye God which gaue thys power vnto nature by the infinite myghte of hys power of breade to make hys very bodye and that wythout intermeane alterations The wonderfull chaūge of the Phenix of whome when she is deade there succedeth another in thys maner Afterter that she hath made her neest of Gen. xix Myrre Franke insense wyth o-Ex iiii ther swete spices she therin dy-Exo vii eth and of the moystnes of her fleshe there commeth a worme that whych in cōtinuāce groweth vnto the nature of a very Phenyx as mastication and digestion the whych nature muste nedes haue ear she can alter conuert one substaunce into an other And like as nature doth with her powers chaunge the substaunce of bread and wyne vnto blood and fleshe wyth muche more facilitie dothe God by the power of hys myghtye worde of bread by trāsubstanciation maketh hys uery naturall fleshe of wyne hys uery and natural blood Thys is made very credyble yf we remember wyth what facilitie God almyghtye altered and chaūged the fleshe of Lothis wyfe into the nature of salte there of fleshe made a salte stone Yf we also consyder how wonderfully the rodde of Aaron was chaunged into a very serpent and agayne that serpente into the naturall rod. Howe meruelously the waters of Egypte were turned into very blood the water in Cana of Galile turned into very wyne And thoughe al thynges be of equall facilite vnto God yet the thinges in them selfe consydered one is of more facilitie then thother Bycause that ther is more or lesse dystans betwyxte theyr natures therfore requyre they the more or lesse alteration Wherfore sythe that we beleue that God did chaūge fleshe into salte and woode into a serpence we shall a great deale the rather beleue that he can of breade make hys fleshe for there is lesse distance betwene the nature of breade and fleshe then betwene the natures of fleshe and salte or of fleshe and woode For nature can not alter fleshe into salte or woode into fleshe wythout almoste innumerable meane alterations yet with very fewe she altereth breade into the nature of fleshe Wherfore then shuld it not seme credible and possible that the myghtye worde of God maketh by transubstanciation of breade hys body of wyne hys verye bloode sythe he worketh so wonderfully in nature by many meane alterations and hathe
that same blessed babe was borne of hys immaculate mother Marye into thys worlde not vnloosinge the virgineal gyrdel or clausure of her pure maidenhed Secondlye howe soone and sodenlye was the shyppe at the shoore when the disciples Ioh. 6. wold haue receiued christ walkynge on the sea as saint IohnÌ„ reporteth in hys syxte chapiter there we maye perceaue howe spedye and myraculous mocyon the shyppe and also the bodye of Christe hadde yet beynge passible and mortall Howe maye we doubte then Mathei Marci â—ltimo that thys bodye maye be here sodenlye wythout any meane passage or corporally penetratyng the cloudes or other meane places sythe that also the same bodye slayne Angelus auÌ„t dnÌ„i descendit de celo accedens reuoluit lapideÌ„ and deade dyd aryse the thyrde day from deathe and passed out from the graue of stone couered sealed and watched wyth soldyers and that not breaking the stone neyther vnsealyng neyther vncouering the graue For we may not thynke that the angell that descended froÌ„ heaueÌ„ rolled the stone dyd let out Christe For certainly he was myraculusly rysen ear the angel apered And the same day the same bodye entred in amonge the dysciples where all the dores were shutte Why shulde we thinke it vnbeleueable or impossible then Ioh. 20. that the same glorifyed bodye shoulde so sodeynlye be reallye and verallye present in the holy sacrament sythe that we rede and beleue by the holye scripture these myraculous mocions of the verye same bodye Furthermore the faythfull and catholyke cristiane oughte to retayne as an artycle catholyke as an ineffallible veritie as the church of Christe teacheth that in thys mooste holye blessed sacramente are the naturall quantitie qualities and the other accydentary properties of bread subsystant or alone by theÌ„ selues myraculouslye wythout any staye or ayde of the substauÌ„ce of breade where in they were before the consecration For that substaunce is not there as we haue sayde neyther any other substance is there where in these accydentall propertes shulde be saue only the substauÌ„ce of the body of Christ the whyche bodye is not subiect vnto them but they are subsistente wyth out the staye of any substance by the myght and omnipotent power of God Not wythstandynge that the faythfull are fully perswaded in this verite wyth constant fayth ledeth captyue all theyr senses vnto the seruice of Christ in this myracle sayth wyth Dauid agaynst all reason made to the contrarye All thynges what euer he wold God hath wrought Psal 134 bothe in heauen and in erthe Yet for lake of fayth and trewe beleue of this one article many of weak fayth do oft staggar And many of late dayes are prostrate fallen flat downe whiche is to be lamented in to detestable duÌ„geon of herises for whiles they grossely stycke vnto the principles of nature consyderynge that nature hathe gyuen vnto bread and fleshe and vnto euerye substaunce his dystincte and peculyar quaÌ„tite qualytes as color fygure tast wyth other accydentall properties and where euer are founde all such naturall properties together is naturally found the substaunce whose properties these are suche grosse reasonars finding also in thys blessed sacrament al the ê“perties of bread as coler quantite figure taste wyth all other on the other syde fyndynge in the sacrament no maner of propertie of fleshe they collecte and coÌ„clude that there is only the substauÌ„ce of bread not the bodye of Christ of the whyche number Frythe was one as it aperethe in hys boke This is the chefe and only cause of theyr errour But vnto thys argumente and vnto al suche carnall and blasphemous dyscussers and dysputers of the myraculous workes of God I shall make answere in the ende of my thyrde sermon And though that thys artycle semeth and is impossible and incredible by nature yet shall I shewe it very credible and possible vnto the power of God and that by these examples whyche al readye are credyble It is as an vnnatural a thinge that the Sonne whose chiefe moost natural propertie is to gyue lyghte beynge created for that purpose shulde at the myddaye hauynge no interposition or lette gyue no maner of lyghte but rather horrible and palpable darkenes Yet the scripture teacheth that when God plaged Egypte the space of thre dayes the Sonne and the Moone gaue no lyght vnto the Egyptians but there remayned Huge and horrible darkenes for by the myghtye power of God the propertye of illuminacyon was wyth holden and suspended not onely in the Sonne Moone Starres but also in all other thynges that naturally shulde haue shewed lyghte for neyther candel neyther fyer gaue them lyghte no more then the fyer of hell gyueth lyght vnto the dampned spirites there Forthermore is it not the naturall propertye of fyer to bourne to incynerate and brynge to asshes Dani. 3. all thynge combustyble sparynge none And yet we reade in Danyell that when the .iii. yonge men faste bounde were cast in to the whote burnyng furnesse of fyer there the fyer burnt a sonder theyr bondes and burned not theyr bodyes nether dyd it any molestacyon vnto them but they walked vp downe in the myddest of the flammynge furnesse as it had byn in a fresshe colde dewe Beholde then In Egypte the sonne geueth no lyght In Caldey the fyer an element of moste actiuitie yet it burneth not Lyke as in these myraculus workes of god the natural ê“pertes of thynges were suspended agaynst nature euen so in the holy sacrament are the naturall propertyes of breade and wyne myraculously sustayned wyth out any sustentacyon of any substaunce eyther of bread or wyne eyther of anye other for there is not the substaunce of bread neyther any other but onely the substaunce of the naturall bodye and bloode of Christ whyche is vnder and with these properties of bread wyne and yet these propretyes are not in that moost impassible substaunce and precious bodye Moreouer the faythe catholyke affyrmeth that these accideÌ„tarie ê“perties of breade and wyne though there be not the substaunce of bread or wyne yet haue they by the power of God al the natural operacyons of breade and sustayneth all the naturall passyons of bread and therfore these propertes Thomas AqÌ„nas Citas her gregorii verba Species sacramentales sunt â—â—aruÌ„ rerum vocabula qÌ„ antea fue ruÌ„â— sz panis et vini In suÌ„ma q. 77. â—â—i primo do norysshe they do replete satisfye they are brokeÌ„ eaten they are dygestyd they maye be mouldye burnt and generally sustayne al the other corruptioÌ„s as thoughe the very substaÌ„ce of bread were there Therfore it is not bread that is so brokeÌ„ eateÌ„ digested norisheth satisfyeth repleieth is burnt mouldy or suffreth any other corruptions for there is no substaunce of breade as I haue sayd neither in the bodye of Christe are any of these accioÌ„s or passions For that body is impassible and can suffre none suche but lyke
saiÌ„t Ioh. sayth The law was geuen by Moyses the which lawe had only the shadowe of the good thynges that shulde folow but grace verite by Iesus Christ The which was aminister and the intercessor of the new testament as Moyses was of the olde lawe Wherfore the sacrameÌ„tes whych were instituted by Christe are so moche more worthye excelleÌ„t as the ministerie of Christ excelleth the mynisterie of Moyses and as the gospell whych is the cleare lyght open verite doth excel the mosaycall lawe which was but in maner of a shadow prefiguratyue of the verities to come Vnder the typical or fyguratyue lawe the carnall grosse Iewes were taught led by shadows fygures towardê christ but in the spiritual law of the holi gospel the vayle is takeÌ„ a way the shadows figurê are al passed the verities are set in place Such is the ê‘fectioÌ„ of christis church aboue the sinagoge of moises That the excelleÌ„ce veritie of this blessed sacrament might somewhat be more manyfest and credible I purpose amonge manye fygures that prefigured thys excellent sacrameÌ„t longe tyme before the institution hereof to recite .iii. or foure of them that these fygures myght shewe them selues to argue and proue some veritie to be correspondent vnto theyr signification And whyles I shewe theyr significatioÌ„ to be fulfillyd accoÌ„plished in thys mooste venerable sacrament as in theyr veritie it maye soone apere moost euidently that thys holy sacrament is not onely a fygure but rather contayneth the verytie it selfe Genes 14 signifyed by these fygures The fyrst is which we read in Genesis the oblation of Melchisedech vnder the law of nature This Melchisedech the prest of the Hyghest offered breade wyne as the scripture sayeth Thys oblation of breade and wyne was an euident a manifest figure of the oblatioÌ„ that our sauiour Christ made vpoÌ„ mauÌ„dy thursdaye amoÌ„ge hys apostles wheÌ„ he gaue vnto them hys very bodye and bloode in the blessed sacrameÌ„t vnder the kyndes of bread and wyne For we reade not that he made any other offerynge in breade and wyne where in he shulde answer so expressely vnto the oblation of Melchisedech as he dyd in that The holy prophete Dauid sygnified no lesse vnto vs. And in manyfest wordes declared that the preesthode of Melchisedech prefigured the perpetuall presthode of Christ saying in the person of God the father vnto Christ his eternal sonne Psal 109. Thou art a prest for euer after the order of Melchisedech And the very same sayeng of Dauid for the same purpose is alleged also of the holy apostle s Paule in the epystle vnto the Hebrewes Hebre. 7. Where he dysputynge wyth the Iewes for the excellent perfectioÌ„ and dignitie of Christes Presthode aboue the Aaronical and Leuitical presthode sayeth in this maner This preest meanyng Christ after the order of Melchisedech remayneth a preest for euer Sygnifying that the preesthode of Christe was perpetuall whych was so prefygured by the presthode of Melchisedech By these wordes of the prophet Dauid of saint Paule it is manyfest that the preesthode of Melchisedech prefygured the preesthode of Christe And for as muche as the offyce of preesthode consysteth in offeryng vnto God oblations sacrifices as saint Paule is wytnes Euery byshoppe Hebre. 8. taken from amonge men is ordined to offer giftes and sacrifices it is necessarie that Christ haue some oblation or sacrifyce to offer the whyche oblation or sacrifice was prefigured also by the oblation of Melchisedech syth he is a preest after that order And for as muche as ther is none other oblacyon where in he answereth vnto the sacrifice of Melchisedech saue only the sacrifice of his bodye blood in the forme of bread wyne the which is the venerable sacrameÌ„t TheÌ„ it foloweth ryght wel that the offryng of Melchisedech was a very euident fygure of the holy sacrament And where a subtyl a craftie Caphernaite myght iudge thys argumeÌ„t to be of no force or strength bycause he wyl thinke that I haue reasoned vpon a false grounde For where I sayde that ther was none other sacrifyce that answered to the fyguratyue sacryfice of Melchisedech Leui. 16. Hebre. 10. saue only the sacrifice of Christes body and blood in the formes of breade and wyne This wyl he say is very false For the bodie blood of Christ whych was the ende of al figuratyue sacryfyces offered vpon the crosse by death passioÌ„ were prefygured were the veritie of the tipical oblacioÌ„ of Melchisedech But to this I answere playnly saye the Christ in the oblatioÌ„ made vpoÌ„ the crosse by the effusion of his precious blood fulfylled rather the bloodie sacryfices of the olde law whyche were the effusyoÌ„ of beastes blood in the crewel slaughter of calues gootes offered vp yerely in the feast of expiacyon was very euidently pÌ„fygured Christes sacrifice vpoÌ„ the crosse and that moche more playnly then cold the offrynge of bread wyne by Melchisedech And thus there is no more reasoÌ„ why Christ by thys sacryfice shuld be called a preest accordyng to the order of Melchisedech then after the order of Aaron Yeas certaynly wyll he saye for saiÌ„t Paule sheweth reasoÌ„ why For in that he was kynge of saleÌ„ that is to say of peace he figured Christ Hebre. 8. our onely peace maker Again like as melchisedech had neyther father neyther mother begynnyng neither endyng expressed in scripture is likened as saint Paule sayth vnto the sone of god which remayneth for euer EueÌ„ so Christ as concernyng his godhed hath no begynnyng neither endyng but remayneth for euer For these causes sayth he he was called a preest after the order of melchisedech But I beseche the diligeÌ„t reader expeÌ„d way wel the wordes of Dauid whervpoÌ„ the dysputacioÌ„ of saynt Paule is grouÌ„ded ther by thou shalt ê‘ceaue that the simylitude comparisioÌ„ betwene Melchisedech and Christ as betwene the fygure the veritie lyeth not onelye in these poyntes that Melchisedech was kynge of Salem and had no begynnyng neyther endynge and so semeth to be euerlastynge for Melchisedech fygured Chryste not only in that he was kynge of salem that is to say of peace and in that he was eternall but he fygured also the preesthode of Christe And this maye playnly apere by the wordes of Dauid For he sayde not onely Thou art euerlastynge or eternal accordyng vnto the order of Melchisedech but he sayde Thou art a Preeste for euer accordyng vnto the order of melchisedech The appostle Paule in that place in tendeth to proue the cessacion and necessarye translation bothe of the lawe of the leuity call presthod in to the newe euaÌ„gelycal perpetual preesthod accordyng to the order of melchistedech Certaynly it appertayneth nothing vnto the presthode of Melchisedech to be kinge of Salem ether to haue neither father or mother neyther begynnynge neyther endyng For it folowyth not By cause the Melchisedech was king
of Salem and had neyther father or mother neyther begynnyg neyther endynge therfore he was a preste Wherfore in these thingê Melchisedech fygured the perpetuite and eternite of Christes persone who hath neyther begynnynge neyther endynge as concernynge hys diuynitie rather then the preisthode of Christe and therfore saynt Paule sayth these expresse wordes He is compared vnto the sonne of God Hebre. 7. sygnifying the diuinitie of Christ whyche is eternall And thus saynt Paule proueth Christe to be eternally a preest accordyng to the order of Melchisedech that thys preesthod shuld not be for a tyme as the other leuiticall preesthod was but shulde remayne for euer But here saynt Paule left out the declaracioÌ„ how the sacrifice of Melchisedech prefigured the sacrifice of christ whych cheflye appertayneth vnto the preesthod of Christ The cause hereof he sheweth in the fyft chaptur of thys epistle where he declareth Hebre 5. how Chryst was ê“mysed of god to be a preest according to the order of Melchisedech of whoÌ„ sayth he we haue many thynges to saye whyche are hard to be vttered by cause ye are dull of hearyng For where as concernynge the tyme ye oughte to be teachers yet haue you nede agayn that we teache you the first preceptes of the word of God and are become suche as haue neade of mylke not strong meate for euery one that is fed yet with milke is vnperfect in the word of ryghtwysnes for he is but a babe But strong meate beloÌ„geth vnto them that are perfect which through custome haue theyr wyttes excercysed to iudge bothe good and euyll By cause therefore that the hebrues were weake in fayth and lacked excercised wittes the apostle Paule let passe wolde not entreate so hyghe and harde a mystery amonge suche baby she people And for this cause the holy apostle thought it sufficieÌ„t for the purpose in that place to proue the preesthode of Christe ê‘petual by the prophecie of Dauid and though it also conuenient amonge suche lewd ignoraunt people to leaue the declaration of so hyghe a matter For vndoubtedly lyke as Melchisedech hauyng no begynnynge neyther endynge fygured Christes eternitie wherof thappostle intreated euen so dyd he also prefigure Chrestes preesthode in his figuratiue sacrifice of bread wyne of the which thapostle spake no thinge bycause of the weaknes of their capacitie and the hardnes of so hyghe matter And yet certaynly Christe fulfylled the fyguratiue sacrifice of Melchisedech vpoÌ„ mauÌ„dye thursday when he eatynge the paschall laÌ„be with hys disciples made an ende both of the passe ouer preesthode set in place the ê‘fect sacrifice of his bodie blood in the formes of bread wyne and the perpetual preesthode accordynge to the order of Melchisedech And as Christe in thys vncrewell sacrifice fulfylled the figuratiue sacrifice of Melchisedech euen so in the sacrifice that he made by the crewell effusion of hys blood vpon the crosse he fulfylled al the bloody sacrifices of the Mosaical lawe thus was one Christ the ende of all fygures and hys sacrifice the ende and veritie of all fyguratiue sacrifices Wherfore I conclude that Melchisedech offered bread and wyne the fygure of Christes bodye blood Christ in his supper instituted offred his very body blood in forme of bread wyne the sacrifice that the church of christ retayneth offereth for euer accordyng to the order of Melchisedech The secoÌ„de figure is Exodi 12. that which we reade of in Exodo the Paschal lambe whom god dyd gyue in coÌ„maundement vnto Moises to be offered of al the people that yerely in memorie remembrauÌ„ce of the moost happye myraculous deliuerye froÌ„ the fearful plage of god wheÌ„ the aÌ„gel of god went thorow al. Egypte by nyght sleyng the fyrst begotteÌ„ both of maÌ„ beast where god mercyfully delyuered the people of Israel froÌ„ that horible plage And as the eskape fygured our moste blessed delyuery by the death of Christ froÌ„ the spiritual Pharao the deuel synne death hel In lyke sort also the paschal laÌ„be offred yerely dyd fygure sygnifie the verye trewe innoceÌ„t lambe Christ Ioh. 2. the taketh away the synnes of the world who was ones offred by death and passion and there by delyuered he vs christianes from the tyraÌ„ny of the dyuell synne death and hell And in memorie of thys our moost blessed delyuery the same Christ is offered vncrewelly in the blessed sacrament yerely dayly for the trewe and faythfull christiane people as theyr Paschal lambe as saiÌ„t Paule wytnesseth vnto the CorinthiaÌ„s 1. Cor. 5. ✿ Christe is offered vp for our passeouer or paschall Lambe Ieronimê° suê‘ Mat. 26 ait FineÌ„ carnali ceâ—â—nitati volens impouere vmbraqueâ—raÌ„scunie pascâ—â—e redde re veritatem dixit Desiderio desideraâ—â— hoc pascha maÌ„â—ucare vovis cuÌ„ anteque patiar etenâ—m pascha nâ—Ì„um immolaâ—us est xpÌ„s si tamen coÌ„medimus illud in azi mis sinceritatis et veritatis ✿ Wherfore oure sauioure Christe who came to fulfyll and make perfecte the lawe after that he had eaten wyth hys disciples the figuratiue lambe accordyng to the pÌ„script of Moyses law eft soone after the wasshynge of theyr feete at the same supper he instituted this holy sacrameÌ„t And ther in he signifyed that the Paschal lambe of Moyses there toke an ende the more ê‘fect sacrament was set in place the fygure was abolyshed for the veritie was come And therfore saynt Paule remembrynge the excellent dignitie and worthynes of this blessed sacrameÌ„t exhorteth diligently the Corinthians to the condigne and worthye eatynge receyuynge of the same And sayeth That it shulde not be eaten eyther receyued with the olde leauen neither with the leauen of malyce neyther wyth the leauen of wycke ones That is to say in obstinate Iewyshnes or froward heresie neither wyth wycked mynde or vnpure lyfe But wyth swete flower of synceritie veritie That is wyth syncere fayth catholyke veritie wyth godly lyfe and pure mynde The thyrde fygure Exo. 16. is Manna of whome we reade in Exodo that God therwith fed the people in desert fortye yeres Thys Manna resembled the blessed sacrament and that Sapt 16. Panem de celo prestitâ—sti eis sine labore oeÌ„ delectamentuÌ„ in se habentem c. Iero. suê‘ Malachi Num. 21. Locutê° est populê° coÌ„tra dnÌ„m aiÌ„a ntÌ„a c Exod. 16. Nec amplius qÌ„ aÌ„plius parauerat nec minus qÌ„ minus in many thynges Fyrst thys manna contained and had the delitiusnes and taist of al maner of delicate meate sauerered vnto the good people most pleasaÌ„tlye according vnto theyr desyre and appetyte Euen so thys blessed sacrament contayneth as saynt Ierome sayth the vertue and power of al other sacrifices and the abundaunt plentie of all grace and vertue SecoÌ„dly this which was swete and delicate meate vnto the good was also lothsome and vnsauery vnto the bad wycked people In
most louely desire toward vs he hath suffered him selfe not only to be sen of such that longeth after him but also to be towched to be eateÌ„ and also there teth to be set in to his fleshe that they al might be satisfyed wyth the desyre or loue of hym ✿ By these wordes of Crisostome we may redely perceaue that these wordes of Iob were a very prophicie of the blessed sacrameÌ„t The which prophicye Christ hath fullfyllyd in that he hath fulfylled this request of Iobes seruantes sufferyng and permyttyng vs hys seruantes to be satisfyed of hys fleshe not by fayth onlye but as Crysostome sayth in that we eate and set oure teath in to hys fleshe ✿ Next vnto Iob I place the prophet Malachie who after that he had rebuked in the voyce of God the olde ieweshe sacrafyces and auaricie as well of the prestes as of the people shewynge them howe they had poluted the name of God in that they had offered poluted breade vpon the aulter of God sayd Mala. 1. ✿ I haue no mynd or wyll toward you neather wyl I receaue any offeryng at your handes from the east vnto the weast my name is great among the heatheÌ„ And in euery place a clene pure sacrifi ce or oblatioÌ„ is sacrificed and offered vnto my name for my name is great amoÌ„g the heatheÌ„ sayth our lorde of hoostes ✿ This sacryfice that the prophete speaketh of in this place can be none other then the blessed sacrifice of the aulter For there is no man beynge of meane lernynge iudgement that wyll vnderstande it of any of the sacryfices of the old lawe of Moyses But rather wyl vnderstaÌ„de it thus That the holy ê“phete ê“phicied the ende of al the imperfect carnall sacrifices of the leuiticall lawe and the institucyon of one moost perfect and holy sacrifice of the bodye and bloode of Christ But here a subtyl sacrameÌ„tarie wyll saye that this prophecie ought to be vnderstand of the oblacyon only that was made vpon the crosse But this maner of vnderstandynge wyll not stande with the veritie of the letter For that oblacyoÌ„ made on the crosse was offered but in one place only and that was vpon the mounte of caluarie But the sacrifice that the prophete speaketh of here as he sayth shulde be offered and sacrificed in euery place sygnifyenge with out doubt the sacrifice of the aulter sacrificed euery where in the churche of Christe whyche is the very bodye and bloode of Christ Now by cause that Christ shulde seclude and abrogate the olde and imperfect sacrifyces of the leuitical lawe and shulde set one mooste purest ê‘fect and sempiternall sacrifice of his bodye blood in place as the end and perfectioÌ„ of the former sacrifices therfore the ê“phet called the blessed sacrament a pure and a cleane sacrifyce offered in euery place vnto his name Certaynly thys could not be so pure clene a sacrifice that it shuld be preferred and set in place of al the other mosaicall sacrifices yf it were nothynge els then bare bread For the deuout fatheres of the olde testament dyd offer vp as pure as cleane bread and as deuoutly as we do And then also shulde the bread of proposition in the mosaycall temple haue ben as cleane and as pure a sacrifice as is the sacrament Yf it were so theÌ„ what neadeth the exchang and permutacyon Wherefore we must nedes vnderstande in this sacrifice the presens of the blessed mooste pure and immaculate bodye and blood of Christ sacryfised and offered vp in the blessed sacrament vnto the name of god euery where But yet a craftye herytike wyll vnderstande or rather wreast this ê“phecye vnto the oblacyon or sacrifice of faith of prayer and of al other godli dedes That can not be so after Luthers opinioÌ„ for al our good dedes with him are synfull whyche is a detestable heresye wherfore diligent reader remeÌ„ber wel that the ê“phete in these his wordes doth ê“myse here that a sacrifice shulde come that shulde succede in the place of the olde mosaical sacrifices whom he rebuked as vncleane but the sacrifice caÌ„not be fayth prayer eather such other good dedes For these were not ordeyned to take the place of the old sacrifices for these were vnder the old law sacrifices who doubteth but that the old faithful fathers offered vp busilie mooste perfect faith most deuote prayers godly dedes innumerable wherfore it is manyfest that this prophecie was spoken ment of the blessed sacrament whiche yf it were but onely bread as I haue sayde it cold not be the pure cleane sacrifice that the ê“phete promyseth here Bycause therfore that it coÌ„tayneth the very immaculate pure bodye blood of Christ therfore it is the pure cleane sacrifice which is offered iÌ„ euery place bycause the name of Christ is great amoÌ„ge the heatheÌ„ Yet least our obstinate aduersaries myght say that these auctorites of scripture be to farre fet to geue any euident profe of the real presens of the body of Christ in the holy sacrameÌ„t â–ª we wyll therfore bring in to coÌ„firme ratifie this verytie more euydeÌ„t more playner testymonies of the scripture And we call fyrst to record with vs the wordes of the ê“mise that our sauyour Christ had vnto his disciples writteÌ„ in the sixt of saynt Iohan wher christ most playnly made this ê“mise Ioh. 6. And the breade sayth he that I wyl geue it is my fleshe for the life of the world And in the same chap My fleshe sayth he is verely meate my blod is verely driÌ„ke But the iÌ„uincible streÌ„gth of this place of scripture the gret craftie subtil wyt of herytikes wold fayne escape by a false glose rather by an opeÌ„ly and manifest lye sayng that our maister christ meÌ„t nothiÌ„g in these wordê of the blessed sacrameÌ„t Where I wold the christane reader shuld wel way coÌ„sider diligeÌ„tly for the true intellection of this place howe this place of the scripture hath ben vnderstaÌ„ded of the churche of Christ who is only the true interpreter of the scryptures and not to geue credens to rashely vnto the erronyus expositours very corruptures of the scriptures as are al suche Iewyshe Caphernaites and obstinate sacramentaries whiche are voyd of the trueth lackyng the spirite of Christe by cause that they are seperated frome the churche by theyr detestable herysies But rather leaue vnto the exposition vnderstaÌ„ding of the catholike church of the lyuiÌ„g god which is as saiÌ„t Paul sayth 1. Tim. 3. the pyller grouÌ„d of veritie trueth How the church hath vnderstande it froÌ„ the begynnyng we shal soue gather perceaue by the auÌ„cieÌ„t catholyke wryters interpÌ„tours Who wryt in theyr tyme not contrarye vnto the churche but as the holy goost instructed them speciallye Clemens in libro 10. recognÌ„ Ad Iaco. fratreÌ„ dnÌ„i Oportet ab eo intelligentiam discere scriptutaruÌ„ qui eam a maioribê° secundum veritatem sibi
that christ him selfe sayd Ioh. 6. Theophilactê° supê‘ IoheÌ„z ✿ The bread that I wil geue it is my fleshe ✿ And as Theophilact sayth He sayth not that it is a fygure of my fleshe but it is my fleshe for the life of the worlde More ouer let the indyfferent reader examine well and consider diligently the processe of the text circumstans of the matter ther by shal he euideÌ„tly ê‘ceaue that this place of saynt IohnÌ„ is not wreasted or detorted vnto the sacrameÌ„t as the heretykes doth falsly charge vs with al but is mooste iustely applyed vnto the same thyng whereof it was both ment spokeÌ„ In the ê“cesse of this chapiter we haue first declared vnto vs the greate meracle of the .v. loffes of bread And sone after foloweth as great a meracle how the Christ by might walked vpon the vnstable water of the see of Tyber and that in a storme tyde Thyrdlye howe sodenlye by myracle the shyppe and they all wyth Christe were at the shore when they were .xxv. or thyrtye furlonge of from the shore wolde haue receyued hym into theyr shyppe And the nexte daye after these wonderfull factes when the people that had fedde and eaten of hys myraculus breade were come into CaphernauÌ„ vnto hym then beganne he hys disputation of thys blessed sacrament And he hym selfe offered Ioh. 6. the fyrst occasion of the same and sayd You folowe me by cause you haue eaten of my bread He mynistred not thys coÌ„munication vnto the people by chauÌ„ce or fortune but of certeyn sciens foreknowledge and purpose And therfore he wrought these myracles before to gyue eÌ„tre by one myracle and wonder vnto a more myracle and a greater wonder Therfore also he wrought thys myracle purposely in breade hereby to make preparation and introduccion towardes the fayth and credulitie of the wonderful and moost necessarye doctrine that he entended to open to declare vnto theÌ„ of the bread of his body that shulde be eaten in the holy sacrameÌ„t That they seyng so late with theyr eyes suche experimeÌ„tes of his diuine power they might that rather giue credite vnto his doctrine beleue the miraculê° bread of his body For he that could fede suche a great multitude with so smale a noÌ„bre of loffes with his blessed word cause the few lofes to encrease to be multiplied vnto such great habuÌ„daÌ„s the .v. thousand meÌ„ besydes womeÌ„ childreÌ„ were fully satisfyed yet to remaine .xii. baskets ful of the fragmentes How much more was is he able to make of bread his fleshe to gyue it to be eaten wtout any diminutioÌ„ of it The miracle of the multiplied bread they se wrought before theyr eyes bycause they shuld beleue the other which they shuld not se Wherfore Cyril rebuketh the Caphernaites in this maner 1. Cor. 10. Cyrillus in IoheÌ„z ✿ Where as those that had sene euideÌ„tlye the deuine power of our sauiour that might of his signes miracles ought to haue receyued redely wyllingly haue beleued his word yf there had apered there in any difficile or hard thyng they shuld haue enquyred of hym the resolution therof Nowe all in the contrarie they all together crye out vpoÌ„ god that not wtout great wickednes Howe can thys felowe gyue vs hys fleshe to eate Neather remeÌ„bred they that there is nothyng impossible to God Luce. 1. But bycause they were beastly or carnall as Paule sayth they could not vnderstand the spirituall thynge but so great a mysterie semed vnto them a very folyshnes But let us I pray you collecte take no smale profite by the example of theyr offences retaynynge a firme and stable faith And in these so hygh sublimius mysteries let vs neuer eather thinke eather speake that worde Howe For it is a Iewyshe worde ✿ Crysostome also gyueth lyke reproche vnto those people that had sene Christes former miracle in the multiplication of the breade and asked no question there in and yet wolde be so inquisitiue in thys myracle of hys body in the blessed sacrament saying vnto them ✿ Yf thou sayeth he doiste inquire and aske thys question in thys thynge Why dydest not thou aske the same in the former myracle of the fyue lofes Howe coulde he encrease the lofes to so great a quaÌ„titie perhaps the people had more mynde of theyr bellyes then of the myracle But yet was the thynge it selfe very playne dyd teache you euideÌ„tly TheÌ„ by that myracle thou shuldest haue beleued these thinges to be very facile and easy for hym to do And thefore dyd he these myracles bicause that the people shulde not be vnfaythfull in suche thynges that he enteÌ„ded to preach and teache vnto them afterwarde ✿ It is then very euident and playne by the order of the facte done of Christ that in thys dysputation wyth the Caphernaites he mente of the hye misterie of the myraculous bread of hys bodye blood in the sacrament and with the other myracle of the fyue lofes of bread he made as it had beÌ„ a preaÌ„ble or a pÌ„paratioÌ„ vnto the belefe of the doctrine that he enteÌ„ded to gyue vnto them as concernyng the very heuenly breade of hys bodye myraculously in the holy sacrament Yet the sentence that cheffely maketh for the veritie of the sacrament amonge manye other is thys Ioh. 6. The breade that I wyll gyue it is my fleshe the whyche I wyll gyue for the lyfe of the worlde Thus hath the greke texte Wherfore yf we diligentlye do marke well and iustelye waye these wordes we shall perceyue verye redely and playnly that they were and muste nedes be spokeÌ„ and ment of the sacrament In thys texte we haue these wordes twyse spoken ✿ I wyll gyue ✿ And for as muche as Christe spake no worde vaynly nether any tytle in the scripture can be frustrate Then was there some cause why Christ shulde saye twyse ✿ I wyll gyue ✿ And plainlye so was there For Christ in these wordes made ê“mise to gyue twyse his fleshe for vs. Fyrst he ê“mysed that he wolde gyue it as breade vnto vs. Therfore he sayd The bread that I wyll gyue it is my fleshe SecoÌ„dly he promysed to gyue his fleshe for the lyfe of the worlde vpon the crosse to death And therfore he added sayde The whych fleshe I wyl gyue for the lyfe of the worlde Christe can not be false in hys promyse therfore hath he wythout doubte geuen vs hys fleshe twyse Ones on the crosse vnto death for our lyfe And the other as our cotidiane supê‘ substanciall breade in the sacrament of the Aulter For we haue not reade that he gaue hys fleshe for vs any were els as bread sauynge onely vpon MauÌ„dy thursdaye when he gaue hys fleshe for vs in the sacrament where he gaue to hys apostles not bread onely as the sacramentaries do say but as he made promyse the same tyme twelue moneth before that
matter in this wyse 1. Cor. 11. That which I receaued sayth he of oure Lorde I delyuered vnto you For oure lorde Iesus the same nyght that he was betrayed toke breade and gaue thankes and brake it and said This is my body whych is broken for you this same do you in the remembraunce of me In like maner when he had supped he toke the cuppe and sayd Thys cuppe is the newe testament in my bloode The same do you as often as you shall drynke here of in the remeÌ„braunce of me Here saint Paule that was instructed receyued hys doctrine learnynge of no man â—ala 1. Augustinê° ad IanuariuÌ„ epist 117. CoÌ„tinuo quippe cuÌ„ dixisâ— et Iudicium sibi maÌ„ducat et vibit addidit vt diceret NoÌ„ dâ—iudicaÌ„s corpus domini quod satis toto ipso loco in epistola ad Cor. 1. si diligenter atienbatur apparet but by the reuelacion of our lord Iesu Christe therfore taught he no other in thys matter then he had receyued of Christ affirmeth plainly in these wordes the very reall presens of Christes body and bloode to be in the sacrament And nameth it at no tyme eather fygure mystery or sacrameÌ„t but twyse in the same chapiter he calleth it the bodye of our Lorde And yf our Lorde mayster Christ wolde haue had any fyguratiue speache to be vnderstanded in these hys wordes had not ment that hys bodye shulde be in the sacrament but as in the fygure certaynly he wolde haue sygnifyed by some other wordes that he spake fyguratiuelye as he dyd in al suche lyke fyguratiue and parabolycall speches or els certaynly he wold haue instructed Paule the apostle more largely and clerely herof Or els at the least Paule who was so ware and circumspecte that he wolde not leue any ambiguous sentens in hys wrytynges rawlye wolde not haue lefte so necessary a lesson vntouched but wolde haue rather opened the playne and clere vnderstandynge and sence herof least any thynge shulde haue escaped hym wherby any occasion of erroure myght haue beÌ„ takeÌ„ of hys wordes Neyther is it to be thought that so necessarye and also so dauÌ„gerous a lesson in so weyghty a matter of our saluacion shuld be lefte vntaught bothe of Christe of the appostles and also hetherto of the holie goost who cam to teache the appostles and the church all verytie vndoughtedly so he dyd styl doth shal vntyl the worldes ende For what offeÌ„ce were it vnto god horrible error in the church of Christ and hath ben syth the appostles tyme hetherto that the churche of christ shuld worship the creature of bread instead of god there creator for so doth the churche now hath done this fyftyne hundreth yere and aboue yf the vnder the shape and fourme of breade and wyne be not verely and ryally the bodye of Christ God man There was no suche fearfull threatenynge for the vnworthye receauyng or of MaÌ„na eather of the paschal laÌ„be rather of of any of the Mosaical sacrifices For they were but onely bare figures Forthermore where Paule in the same place thretneth dampnatioÌ„ vnto the vnworthy receauers of this sacrameÌ„t Yf there be nothiÌ„g els ther in but bare bread it were to seuere rygorus sentens and harde IugemeÌ„t to thretten or execute dampnacion for eating of a peace of bread But verely the holye appostle Paule maketh a more worthyer thynge of thys then breade For he sayth that he that eatith of this breade and drynketh of thys cuppe vnworthely eatyth and drynketh hys one Iudgemente or dampnacion Not Not by cause that he doth mysuse a peace of breade or a cuppe of wyne But bycause he putteth no differens betwene bread and the body of christ Therfore sayth saynt Paule he eateth and drynketh his owne dampnacyon bycause he putteth no dyfferens he sayth not betwene bread and breade but betwene the breade that is but onely and very breade and the breade that is the very body of our lorde By these it may manyfestly appere howe playnly the holy apostle Paule affirmeth with the euangelystes the very and reall presens of Christes body in holy sacrament 1. Cor. 10. Moreouer in the same epistle in the x. chapter the appostle Paule after the he had set forth the terryble plages of God executed vpoÌ„ the mysusers of the mosaycall figures he sayth That all those thynges happened vnto them for an example are left wryten in the scriptures to be a warnyng for vs. In this wyse the apostle Paule exhorteth the corynthians and in them al faythfull chrystians by these terryble and seuere punyshmentes to be warned and ware that we mysusynge the greater benefites of God shewe not oure selues vnthankful vnto so liberal a lord leste we prouokynge hym vnto wrathe sustayne at hys hande more worser and more greuous plages then dyd the Iewes whose feareful examples we may cede of in scrypture By causse that we haue receaued the more excellent and greater benefytes And in this parte of this chapter he doth specially auocate and call the Corynthes frome the partycypacion of the table of ydols Whiche was none other then to eate ydoll offerynges meate or flesshe offered vp vnto ydolles and that for relygion or deuocyon and in honor of the ydoll hopyng thereby to attayne holynes Frome this enormyte the appostle feareth them by the examples of the plages of God executed vpon his elect people the Israellites and sayth that ✿ These ware wrytten to warne vs ✿ And at the lengthe he shewed a iuste cause why they shulde leaue false religion of ydolles in partakynge of the table of the deuylles saynge ✿ Is not the cuppe of thankes geuynge 1. Cor. 10. wherewyth we geue thankes the partakynge of the bloode Christe Is not the breade that wee do breake the partakynge of the boodye of Chryste In these cleare and mooste in manyfeste wordes saynte Paule speaketh nothynge of anye fygure or sygnyfycacyon onelye that shulde be in thys breade or cuppe For he saythe not that the breade or cuppe signifyeth or is onlye a fygure of the partakynge of Christes bodye and bloode But in mooste playne and manyfeste wordes he sayth that it is the partakyng of Christes bodye and bloode As who wolde saye why seke you to coÌ„municate to eate of the sacrifices offered vp vnto ydols and to partake the table of deuelles for religion and sanctimonie Haue ye not the table of Christ which is not the partakinge of the fleshe and bloode of beastes But the partakinge of the fleshe the innocent bloode of Christe offered vppon the aulter vnto the liuinge God the father And in the partakyng of this table is the true religion and possession of sanctimonie That this is the trew sense of the Appostles wordes in this place Chrisostome shall wytnes wyth me Crisosto in PauluÌ„ Who wrytyng vpon the same place hath these wordes ✿ That which is in the cuppe is the same which
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
many as doth partake of that one bread so many are one body in Christe Yf the apostle shulde vnderstaÌ„de by thys one bread material bread it had neade to be an exceadynge greate loffe that shulde fede corporally all the whole bodye of Christe spred and sparkeled abrode in so many and sondry places of the worlde It can not therfore be anye one materiall breade whereof all the lymmes and membres of Christ do partake and are thereby made one bodye But it is one celestiall breade the verye bodye and bloode of Christe whome all the whole congregacion of Christ doth partake in euery place and thys is but one breade but one the very same body of Christe partaken of so many in so many places is whole is receyued of euery man euery where And thys bread whorthely eaten maketh them all by that partakynge but one where euer they eate it And it incorporateth theÌ„ vnto Christ and maketh them the membres of hys bodye to be of his fleshe and of hys bones And that I saye by thys corporall eatynge and receyuynge of hys bodye and bloode in the holye sacrament ¶ And certaynly mooste christen reader it maketh not a lytell for the veritie of the reall presence of Christes bodye in the sacrameÌ„t that it is not sufficient for vs to beleue that we receyuing this sacrameÌ„t are fedde wyth the bodye and blood of Christe onely by fayth spiritually partakynge it But we muste beleue also that we receyuynge it worthelye are fedde and are partakers corporally of the body bloode of Christ For ther by are we incorporated vnto the very natural body of Christ as we are by fayth spiritually incorporated vnto his misticall bodye But yf there be none other thynge in the blessed sacramente then onelye bare breade then coulde not we be thus incorporated vnto the naturall bodye of Christe For there is no material meate that caÌ„ geue vnto vs that in corporation but onely the very bodye bloode of oure sauiour Christe The whyche beynge eaten is not coÌ„uerted into our fleshe and bloode as other oure materiall meates are but by hys suê‘-excellent power he altereth conuerteth our fleshe blod iÌ„to his And yet neuerthelesse the natural ê“perties of bread and wyne norysheth vs also as wel as though the very substauÌ„ce of breade wyne were there Thus by the worthy receyuyng of thys blessed sacrament the body and bloode of Criste our sauiour conuerteth oure fleshe into hys fleshe and the qualities of breade in the sacrament myraculouslye neuerthelesse norysheth oure bodyes ¶ Thys corporall eatyng and incorporacyon of vs vnto Christes very naturall body is not newly fantysed of late yeres but it hath ben taught wryten and beleued syth the time of S. Paule whome I call fyrst vnto wyttnes wyth me in this matter For he wrytyng vnto the EphesiaÌ„s sayth these playn wordes ✿ No man euer yet hated his owne fleshe but chereshith noryshyth it euen as our Lorde doth the church For we are membres of hys bodye of fleshe and of hys bones ✿ By these wordes saynt Paule teachith vs that Christe dothe feade and cherysheth hys church not onely spiritually but also corporally that may wel appere by the wordes of S. Paule For he norysheth his church sayth he as euery maÌ„ cherisheth naturally his owne fleshe But euery man doth not cheryshe naturally his owne fleshe with spirituall foode for the fleshe is not fedde wyth ymaginations beleue of good meate but rather with the corporall receate eatynge of very and naturall meate Then doth not Christe fead hys church onelye wyth spirituall foode but also he feadeth corporally hys church with the very meate of hys fleshe and blode Furthermore the ê“cesse of the letre ledeth vs directly thus to vnderstaÌ„d this text For S. Paule in this place exhortith the men to loue theyr wyfes as Christe loueth hys church and to noryshe and cheryshe them as there one fleshe and as Christ doth also his spouse the church But it is oute of doubte that saynte Paule dyd not intende here to exhorte the men to cheryshe and noryshe theyr wyffes onely in soule instructyng them the faythe and dewty vnto God and man as they are also bounde other that they shulde cheryshe theyr bodys wyth imagynacyons or thoughtes of necessary foode But rather he exhorted the men to cherishe corporally theyr wyffes provydyng for them not onely spirituall but also corporal meate necessaryes euen so as Christ doth also for the congregacyon Not onelye feadynge the churche wyth spiritual foode of fayth charytie suche other graces vertues but he also feadeth cherysheth it with the very meate of his natural body and bloode in the blessed sacrament For as it foloweth there in the letter we are sayth saynt Paule the meÌ„bres of hys bodye not of hys mysticall body onely but of hys naturall body of that bodye that hath fleshe and bones And that coÌ„meth to passe without doubt by the eatynge of that meate the Christ doth noryshe vs with al for that is the effecte of that myghty meate and moste delectable foode to transforme the eater into his mooste blessed fleshe and bones And certaynely it is not breade as I haue sayd eather any other meat wherwith Christ fedeth and cherisheth vs corporally and that can by eatynge therof incorporate vs vnto the naturall body of Chryst and make vs of his bones sauynge onely the natural body and blod of our sauyour Christ And thys we receaue not corporally in any other thing saue onely in the blessed sacrameÌ„t TheÌ„ must we nedes graunte that the naturall body of Christe is in the sacrameÌ„t wherewyth that moste louyng lorde deare husbaÌ„de of the church norysheth cherysheth his iÌ„terely beloued spouse the church wyth this moste precious and moost delycious meate of hys very and natural body bloode incorporateth her vnto hys very natural bodye And thus is made of the blessed man Christ and his holy wyffe the churche one body And be made as saynt Paule sayth two in one fleshe For this is the great mystery Ephesi 5. that Paule speaketh of in that place of Christ and the church Lyke as Christ of his infinite goodnes and inestimable charitie ChrisostoÌ„e in Iohannem became a meÌ„bre of our corupt nature receauing our fleshe which was a greate knot of loue Yet in tokeÌ„ of a greater vnion Vester ego frater esse volul coiÌ„caui carne propter vos et sanguineÌ„ Hoc est vestraÌ„ carnem et sauguineÌ„ curaui mi hi vobiscuÌ„ fieri coÌ„munem Et ê‘ qÌ„vobis coÌ„iunctê° suÌ„ ea russus vobiserhi hui. Yreneus lib. 5. aduersus hereses knot of his loue he wolde that we shulde be also of hys fleshe and bones as saynt Paule sayeth we are membres of hys bodye and of hys fleshe and bones And thys mooste blessed vnion and incorporation we do attayne onely as I said by eatyng of his very body dryn
apparet nobis cato sed panis Vt noÌ„ abhorreamê° ab eius esu Nam si qÌ„ dem caro apparuisset insuauiter affecti essemus erga coÌ„â—onem NuÌ„c autem condescendeÌ„te dnÌ„o nrÌ„e in firmitati Talis apparet nobis mistiens tibus quali alioqui assue ti sumus in the shape and forme of breade and wyne condesceÌ„dyng herein as Theophilact sayeth vnto our infirmitie and the custome of our nature the whych delyteth in breade as in the conuenient and customed foode abhorreth rawe fleshe and bloode as a token of no table cruelnes vncustomed vnto oure maner of fedynge Therfore this necessarye foode to our soule of his blessed fleshe and bloode Christe hath vouchesafe to gyue vnto vs not in theyr owne lykenesse and forme but in the forme lykenes of our cotidyane fode of bread and wyne And here by he moste gracyously mynystreth vnto vs the lyfe eternall of the whyche he sayde Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drynke his blood you can haue no lyfe in you For lyke as the earthely Adam our carnal parent in that we partake his synnefull and corrupte fleshe is cause and occasyon of death vnto vs. Euen so is the celestiall Adam Christe causse of lyfe in vs by that that we partake hys blessed bodye and fleshe For loke as Eue was formed of the fleshe of Adam euen so are wee that are the uery church of Christ by eatyng of his fleshe in the blessed sacrament made of his fleshe and membres of hys bodye And thus of two of the church christe is made one body and fleshe as I haue sayde Ephese 5. The whiche wordes though they be wryten of the fyrst Adam and Eue. Yet in thys place of thys hys epistle saynte Paule allegeth and applyethe them vnto Christ and the churche for as sone as he had spoken these wordes vnto the Ephesians And thus of two persons is made but one fleshe he putteth therto these wordes Thys is saythe he a greate mysterye I speake or meane it in Christe and the churche Howe the Churche and Christe be come one fleshe Ephe. 5. is not to be vnderstanded by the incarnatyon For Christe by his incarnatyon receaued fleshe of vs and not we of hym as Eue dyd of adam For we must vnderstande that he is the heuenly Adam and we his church are the spirituall Eue. As Adam and Eue were of one fleshe bycause that Eue was formed oute of the body of Adam and not Adam formed of the fleshe of Eue Euen so Christ and the church be come one fleshe by cause that Eue that is the church taketh fleshe of Christ that heuenly Adame And therfore S. Paule referreth thys mystery of the coniuntion of Adam and Eue not vnto the incarnatyon of Christe whereby he toke fleshe of vs. But referreth it vnto the eatynge and communion of the blessed sacrament wherein Christ geueth his fleshe and he norysheth vs and feadeth vs with it and so we take fleshe of hym Suche is the most gracyous and mercyfull restitutyon that God hathe made for vs vnto lyfe thorowe oure Lorde Iesus Christe that where as Adam by eatynge of the forbedden frute of the tree hathe procured and mynystred deathe vnto all hys posterytie Euen so as Ruperte saythe it was verye congruente Rupertus that by the eatynge of the frute of another tree lyfe myghte be procured and mynistred agayne vnto the posteritie of AdaÌ„ Certaynly there is none other frute that mynystreth restoreth lyfe agayne vnto the posteritie of Adam but onely the frute that hoÌ„ge on the tree of the crosse which is Iesus Christe the blessed frute of the immaculate wombe of Marye This frute muste be eaten corporallye for Adam dyd eate corporally of the frute that brought death vnto vs so of coÌ„grueÌ„ce we must eat corporally this frute that rendereth and restoreth agayne lyfe Not onelye the lyfe of grace whereby the soule of man lyueth and is strengthed to godwardes in this present mortalitie and moste myserable lyfe But also it mynistreth vnto vs Cyrillus in IoheÌ„z Dedit vobis Moyses maÌ„na sed qui comederunt russum esu riâ—tuÌ„t produrit copiosa de lapide flumina sed qui bibebant russus sitlebant the lyfe eternall bothe of body and soule as Christ saythe He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloode hathe eternal lyfe and I wyll rayse hym vppe at the latter day By eating and dryngking this bodye and bloode the celestyall Adam Iesus worketh in vs eternall lyfe vnto oure soules and at the latter daye he wyll worke and brynge euerlastyng lyfe vnto the bodyes also That as we haue eaten that blessed frute in soule by syncere faythe perfecte hope and charite and in body by the corporal receite of that blessed fleshe Quid ergo rpÌ„s policetur Quid credentibus adferi Corruptibile certe nihil sed benedictionem quaÌ„ coÌ„municatione corporis et saÌ„guinie assequimur vnde ad cam incorruptioneÌ„ integre reducemur vt cibo et potu corporali noÌ„ indigeamê° Viuificat enim corpus Christi et ad in corruptionem sua participatione reducit c. Euen so shal it worke lyffe perpetuall as wel in the body as Cyrill sayth as in the soule That by thys Adame celestiall myght be no lesse restored then by the other Adam was loste The earthely Adam lost for vs lyfe both of body and soule And so hath the heuenly Adam rendered vnto vs lyfe of grace in thys present worlde And in the worlde to come the lyfe of perpetual glorye both of the body and soule The whyche he graunt vs that therein reygueth wyth the father and the holy gooste one God mooste gloryous now and for euer Amen ¶ Sit deo gratia ⧠HOC EST COR PVS MEVM Vbi supra ¶ Thys is my bodye THe catholyke veritie of the real presens of Christes body in the holy sacrameÌ„t taketh no lytle corroboratioÌ„ strengthe of the promisses that our sauiour Christe made vnto hys deare beloued spouse the churche which is as saynt Paule sayth ✿ The pyller and grounde of trenth 1. Tim. 3. ✿ The whyche promyses yf theybe infallible and trewe as vndoubtydly they be theÌ„ maye we iustelye collect thys for a moste assured veritie That oure Lorde and mayster Christe hath not suffered hys churche so many hundred yeres to erre so blyndlye in so weyghtye a matter of the fayth and to remayne so longe in so detestable blasphemy as to worship the creature in the steade of the maker and creator Yf the church of Christe hath not erred in that she beleueth the reall and verye presens of Christe in the sacrameÌ„t and therin worshyppeth verely Christ as the infallible promyses of Christe shall declare then are they abhominable and in tollerable that beleueth the contrarye The constant beleue infallible fayth of the churche is ratifyed by these promyses of Christe Fyrst Christe promysed that he wolde not leaue the
fell efte sone not to that heresye but vnto the heresye that Luther doth holde affirmyng that in the sacrament of the Aulter with the real presens of Christes body there is also The counsell of Rome vnder Gregorie the .vii. the substaunce of breade styl remaynynge ✿ Then was there a consell called vnto the citie of Rome by Gregory the .vii. whereunto also came BereÌ„garius opeÌ„ly reuoked thys hys heresye as Sabellicus wytnesseth in hys thyrde boke the .ix. Eneades Pretereo concilium sub innocentio tertio celebratum Fynallye the counsell of Basyll and also the counsell of Constaunce whome I do passe ouer dyd most openlye condempne this heresye Thus many counsels haue we that ratifieth the veritie of Christes bodye in the sacrament and condemneth the contrarye as an horryble heresye where the sacramentaries for theyr syde can not shew one that eather ratifyed theyr opinion eather condemned oure fayth as an errour or heresye Wherfore it is mooste manyfeste that they haue framed and fashioned this new faith of theyr owne blynde and fonde fantasye or rather they haue newe furbushed olde heresies and thus deluded and deceaued by the spirite of pryde and errour are nowe brought cleane from the trewe catholyke fayth of the churche of Christe downe into the darke dongion and hel of errour and heresye Yet I haue thought it somwhat necessarie for the more credite to be gyuen vnto the auctorities and sayinges of these moste holy and catholyke wryters whome we shall cyte and allege in thys present sermon to preuent the christiaÌ„ reader wyth these thre verities folowynge The fyrst veritie The fyrst is that none of all these auncient fathers whome I shal name here for testimony of this blessed sacrameÌ„t with innumerable moo catholyke wryters but that constantly beleued that the blessed body blood of christ was really in the blessed sacrament The seconde veritie The seconde is that none of all these neyther anye other catholyke wryter eather taught eather wryt the contrary of thys beleue and veritie of the holy sacramet The thyrde whiche I collecte of both these is that whatsoeuer he be The thyrde veritie that receyuith not or beleueth not this article of thou blessed sacrament that same is none of the churche of Christe and therfore is the same in ieoberdy of daÌ„pnacioÌ„ The certaynte of these verities is very manyfest vnto such as hath diligentlye sene red theyr lucubratioÌ„s workes where is to be gathered the faith that they were of for it were more theÌ„ sacrilege to thynke that so faythful fathers void of al flattery of maÌ„ shold wright coÌ„trary to theyr owne coÌ„scieÌ„ce belefe Forthermore who caÌ„ iustly thinke that these so gelous fauorers ernest frendes of the trewe honour of God wolde haue suffered and not resysted rather wyth worde penne and bloode suche an heynous horrible heresie as thys were yf Christes bodye were not really in the sacrament whereby men shulde be led not onely into an open heresy but also iÌ„to the detestable enormitie of ydolatry the whyche had ben impossyble to haue ben wynked at or borne wyth all amonge so many and so dylygent vehement and moste circumspecte defenders of the Christen fayth Who wolde iudge that so great and pernytious an error shulde haue byn noryshed and escaped the taxation and controlement of so eloqueÌ„t and catholyke wryters and namely forasmoche as certayne of them layde and employed ther chefest labore and industrie to coÌ„uince hereses as it may appere by they re workes wherein is litle matter els then the confutatyon of hereses of theyr tyme. For there coulde no man ons stere vp an heresy but as sone as he was perceaued to put forth hys hed the same was dysputed with all conuinced and confuted and his heresy abolyshed Example of these same we haue of Theodoritus in the tripertitie historie who wryteth that there a rose certayne heretikes in valentiniane the Emperours tyme called The Massians the whiche erred in the blessed sacrameÌ„t affyrmed sayth he that the deuyne meate of whome Christ sayde He that eatyth my fleshe and drynketh my blod shal lyue euer dothe neyther ê“fect neyther harme at all the same denied that the sacrameÌ„t of baptysme was ê“fitable for christeÌ„ people the prayer onely was sufficeÌ„t The which hereses were immediatly of the excelleÌ„t learned meÌ„ byshopes at the time coÌ„uinced coÌ„deÌ„ped After this Nestor stered vp an error agaynst the verytie of Christes fleshe in the sacrameÌ„t in the consel of Ephe. of whoÌ„ we spoke before he was charged by CC. fathers to leue his abhominable heresye or els he shulde be accursed out of the church of Christ Then came Berengarius This BereÌ„garius as platina wryteth as I sayd afore was coÌ„dempned by Leo the .ix. bys of Rome After whose death Berengarius coÌ„tinued obstinate in hys heresy vntyl that at the synode of Turone one Lanfranke bysh of Cantorbury coÌ„uinced hym Yet ê‘uersly continued he in that opinion And at the length Berengariê° abiured opeÌ„ly his heresye After this Berengariê° folowed Petrus Halebardus a maÌ„ of an halt mynde luciferyne pryde whoÌ„ S. Barnard accused coÌ„futed of the heresie about this sacrameÌ„t TheÌ„ succeded wycked wycclyf that taught opeÌ„ly thys heresie abominable of the sacrameÌ„t he was coÌ„deÌ„pned by two general counsels as the cronicles of that tyme reporteth Thus these apostolyke fathers most ernestly mooste assiduously wresteled against the hateful enemyes of the euangelical and catholyke faythe Wherfore yf they hadde beleued that the bodye and blode of Christe had not byn really in the blessed sacrament they wold not haue coÌ„tended and labored so vehemeÌ„tly to conuicte and to confute the contrarye opynion Neather wolde they in open synode and generall consell haue condempned it for an horible heresye Wherefore it is then very manifest that they beleued the very reall presens of Christes body and bloode in the sacrament The second veritie is the none of these fathers neather any of the other catholyke wryters eyther taught eyther wryt that the body and blode of Christ was not really in the sacrament and that we ought not so to beleue but paynly they wryte the contrarye as shall appere here after ✿ Yf we well ponder way and consider what carefull feare and what assyduous dilygens they had towardes the pure readynge and trew teachyng of the flocke of Christ commended vnto theyr charge by the holy goost we shal soone perceaue that they wold not eather teache eather wryhgt that thynge whereby the flocke of Christe shulde be led frome the pure and synceare faythe of Christes churche For I suppose that there is no honest cristiane harte that can Iustely iudge theÌ„ eyther necligeÌ„t wtout regarde eyther remysse and voyde of care but rather mindeful of the great charge very vigilant and circumspect what they taught and howe they led the christiane flocke whome Christe bought wyth his most precyous blod Specially for as moche as
churche hath and doth retayne as concernynge thys article let this same vnderstande that the fayth of the auncient church is to be collected of the most auncient writers of eche tyme from the apostles vnto our tyme who wryt in maters of fayth vndoubtedlye accordynge vnto the catholyke fayth of the churche at theyr tyme. And all they wryt moost apertly and mooste playnlye with and for this article as it may appere here after TheÌ„ hath the church beleued and receyued thys article syth Christes tyme. TheÌ„ who that receyueth not thys article is separated and diuided from the church consequently as I haue sayd he is in ieoberdye of perpetuall perdition and dampnation Yet good christiane here thou arte to be admonysshed instructed where by thou mayste wyth more facilitie and ease and wythout perplexitie and doubte perceaue and more redely vnderstande these auctorities and saynges of these auncient wryters that thou shalte fynde and reade sondrye and dyuerse names geuen vnto the blessed sacrament yet shall thou not suspecte the vnifourme faythe and opynyoÌ„ of these cathholyke fathers to swerue eyther frome them selfes either from the church For thoughe they name it dyuersly yet they meane al one thynge The cause of so many and sondrye names and dystincte appellacyons of thys blessed sacrament is That lyke as saynt Dyonyse saythe God hath many names yet the great varyete of so manye names can not suffycyentlye expresse vnto vs the infynyte profundite of so greate a maiestye power wysdome goodnes beningnite and marcye in lyke maner the infynyte and ineffable ryches of the deuyne goodnes and the mooste precyous treasure of the innumerable graces contayned and hydden in thys blessed sacrament can not be sufficyentlye explycate and layde forthe vnto vs by one name therfore these holy and blessed fathers hauynge respect and consideratyon vnto dyuerse and sondrye thynges in this sacrameÌ„t they gaue it sondrye names And not bycause that they had dyuers beleffes or any other then the churche hath now as EcolaÌ„padius falsly ascrybeth vnto them and more falslye vnderstandynge them he mooste falslye allegeth them to mayntayne and ratifye hys detestable blasphemous heresye The sacrameÌ„t is called aÌ„d coÌ„tayneth in verye dede the body and bloode of oure lorde ✿ Thys blessed sacrament is verye oftymes of the fathers called the bodye and bloode of our Lorde and thys haue not they inueÌ„ted them selues but bycause that it verelye and really contayneth the bodye and blood of Christ And thys they haue receyued at the mouthe of Christe whyche sayd of the sacrament Thys is my bodye and this is my bloode and of saynt Paule who sayeth Who that eateth and drynketh of that breade and cuppe vnworthelye shal be gyltye of the bodye and blood of our Lorde And agayne He that eateth and drynketh vnworthelye eateth and drynketh hys owne iugement not puttynge difference or not decernynge the lordes bodye Thys sacrament is named breade 1. Cor. 10. et 11. The blessed sacrament is named also breade Saynt Paule in the fyrst epistle to the Corinthians so nameth it Not bycause that it is anye materiall or corporall breade For so doth not he name it Yf that he had named it bread wyth thys addition corporal or material or any suche lyke theÌ„ had he made somewhat for the sacrameÌ„taries But saint Paule called it bread as our sauiour Christ dyd cal hym self whych sayd I am the bread of lyfe Ioh. 6. Also saynt Augustin and the fathers also do sometyme cal it bread not that whych passeth thorowe the belye as saynt Augustyne sayth but the super substaÌ„cyal Ciprianê° In sermone de cena Et sicut panis comunio queÌ„ quottidie edimus vita est corporis ita panis iste supersubstaÌ„tialis vita est aiÌ„e et sanitas mentis Cyprianê° in eodme the mysticall or celestiall breade suche additions the auncient wryters do ofteÌ„ tymes vse And saynt CipriaÌ„ sayth that Christe doth call the sacrament somtyme hys bodye sometyme hys fleshe and somtyme breade Therfore dothe saynt Cyprian hym selfe name it breade And in so namynge it both he and S. Paul wyth the other do obserue the maner of the scripture whych in suche mutations and chauÌ„ges of thynges vseth to gyue vnto the thynge so changed the former name As for example The rod of Aaron wheÌ„ it was cast on the grouÌ„d chaunged in to a serpent the scripture calleth it a rod styl as it was called Exodi 4. by fore the miraculous mutacyon For the scripture sayth The rod of Aaron deuowted the roddes of Pharoes inchaÌ„uters In lyke phrase the wyne the Christ made of water is called water after that it was made wyne as we reade in the gospell of saynt IohnÌ„ After that Ioh. 2. the master of the feaste had tasted the water made or turned in to wyne Lyke as the rodd whyche was changed in to a serpent yet was called a rod styll And lyke as the water beyng changed by miracle in to wyne was called water Euen so the blessed sacrament where in of breade is made the blessed bodye of oure sauyour Christ is called styl bread though it be not now breade but the very reall body of Christ The blessed sacrameÌ„t is called also a sygne or a sacrameÌ„t of the body blood of Christ Not as the sacrameÌ„taries sayth only or but a sygne of the body of Christ For the only a signe or but a sygne they can neuer reade neyther in the scripture neyther in any of the catholike wryters Therfore this only is a lye of theyr owne the calleth the holy sacrameÌ„t only a sygne Saynt AugusteÌ„ wyth many other doth frequent vse oft tyme to name the sacrameÌ„t a sygne or sacrament Yet they neuer name it only a sygne And vndoubtedly it is a moost sacrate blessed sacrament that is to say A sygne or a token of an holy thynge Thys blessed sacrameÌ„t godly reader hath too significations or it signifieth vnto vs too thingê The one is the verye body blod of our sauiour Christ which verely really is coÌ„tained iÌ„ the sacrameÌ„t For the blessed dody blood vnderneath the kyndes of bread wyne sinigfyeth and representyth vnto vs by those two dystynct kyndes of breade wyne the death passioÌ„ of Christ wher in the body hong vpon the crosse wan pale wtout blood the blood was by crewell effusion dyuided from the bodye of oure sauiour The body and blood of Christ vnder the shape or kynde of bread represeÌ„teth vnto vs the self same body as it hong dead vpoÌ„ the crosse froÌ„ whoÌ„ al yepÌ„cius blood was seuered diuided by mortal payne passion And the same body blood vnder the kynd or shape of wyne represeÌ„teth vnto vs the same very bloode as it was diuyded parted out of the blessed bodye in the tyme of his passioÌ„ Thus this blessed body and bloode of Christ vnder the kynde shape of breade lyfted vp ouer
the prestes hed at the masse into the ayre calleth vs vnto remembrans how Christ was lyfted vpon the crosse and hong in the ayer vntyll all hys bloode was spente And the bloode bodye of Christe vnder the forme of wyne lyfted vp also at the masse admonyssheth vs to remember the effusyon of the same bloode vpon the crosse And thus verye lyuelye it sygnyfyeth and representeth vnto vs in the sacryfyce of the masse the holy memoriall of the precious death passioÌ„ of Christ The other significacyon of the sacrament is the mystical bodye of Chryste that is to say the whole church of Christ For in the forme or shape of breade is represented vnto vs the vnion and coniunction of al the menbres of Christ vnto theyr hed Christ and the vnyon and conexion of eche membre vnto other in that mysticall bodye For lyke as of many granes of where ariseth one lofe and of many grapes ysseweth one lyquore of wyne so of many distynct persons of Christen men and women resulteth and cometh but one mystical body of Christe as saynt Paule saythe we many are but one bread and one bodye 1. Cori. 10. in that we al be partakers of one breade This mystical bodye of Christe is not onelye signified and represented vnto vs in the blessed sacrament for so myght any other prophane breade be a sacrament or signe and such a sacrameÌ„t was the shew bread of the temple but also this blessed sacrameÌ„t worthely receaued doth effectually cause the vnion kepeth that body for it knytteth and kepeth to gether the lyuely membrers of Christe and knytteth theÌ„ also vnto the hed christ and combynyng the members together with the hed it maketh but one body of christ his church Not only spiritually for that dothe also fayth and charitie wythout the receauynge of this sacrament but also by the admirable power of God it coÌ„uerteth oute nature in to the naturall bodye of Christe and so maketh vs Ephe. 5. the meÌ„bres of hys body as saint Paule sayth and of hys fleshe and of hys bones These are the two sygnifycatyons of the blessed sacrament The one that is the reall body of Christ is not onely signyfyed but is also contayned in the sacrament The other that is the mystycall bodye of Christe is not onely sygnified but is also in maner caused and continuyd by the worthye receauynge of this holy sacrament Thus is the blessed sacrament a sygne or a sacrament but yet a great deale more worthier and a more excellent sacrament then were any of the olde sacramentes of the olde lawe for they neyther contayned neyther wrought that thinge that they signyfied August de 17. ciuitate dei cap. 20. ✿ The fathers also hauinge respect vnto the thyng that is chestye sygnifyed in the sacrament whyche is the naturall bodye and bloode of Christe they named the sacrameÌ„t as they myght ryght well a sacrafice This sacrameÌ„t is named is a sacrifice ✿ By cause it is the onely sacryfice that succeded in place of al the figuratiue sacrifes whiche were offered vp in figure significacioÌ„ of this most ê‘fect sacrifice that was offered vpon the crosse and redemed the worlde And the very same now also is the busie contynual and dailye sacrifice of the church Ciprianê° 2. lib. epist epistola 3. ad CeciliuÌ„ ✿ Saynt Cipriane in many places but specially in hys second boke of epistles callyth it a sacrifice whose wordes are those in the second epistle ad Cecilium ✿ The sacrament of the sacrifyce of oure lord was prefigured in Melchisedech the preest accordynge vnto the scripture whyche sayth Gene. 14. And Melchisedech brought forth bread and wyne for he was the preiste of the hyest and he blessed Abraham And that he beareth the figure of Christe the holy goost declareth in the Psalmes by the persone of the father vnto the son sayng Be for lucifer I haue begotten the. Oure Lorde dyd swere and he repenteth not Thou art a prest for euer accordynge vnto the order of Melchisedech The whyche order commyth by the same offeryng For hereof it procedeth and comyth By cause that Melchisedech beyng the preeist of the hyest offered bread wyne bycause that he blessed Abraham For who is more rather or more aptly the preeist of the hyest then our lord Iesus Christ The whych offered sacrifice vnto his father he offered the same that Meschisedech dyd offer that is bread wyne that is to say his body bloode I do omyt of purpose Crisostome diuerse other by cause I wold be breue Collect now diligeÌ„t reader of these former thingê what we do honor what we do offer in this blessed sacrameÌ„t Note what thynge we do honour and what it is that we do offer in the blessed sacrament We do not ê“perly honour the outewarde aparens of the sacrameÌ„t which is the forme shape of bread wine but we do honour the thing couered verely contained vnder the formes shapes of bread wyne which is none other theÌ„ the very real body blod of our sauiour christ We do not offer at the masse proprely those formes or shapes of bread wyne as a sacrifice for they are no sacrfyce neyther do we cal or name theÌ„ a sacryfice but we offer vp vnto God the father at the masse the very blessed bodie blod of our sauior christ not crewelly sleyng him for so he was offered but ones but with a lyuely louely memorie of chirstes death passioÌ„ we pÌ„sent in maner of an oblatyon the same very bodye bloode now impassible geuynge thankes vnto hym for that inestymable and ineffable mercye that he hathe shewed vnto vs mysers and synners in reconsylynge vs hys ennymyes vnto hym selfe by the deathe and passyon of hys onelye sone Iesus Christe oure Lorde And with this bodie blood of our sauior Christ our hed we offer vp also vnto our father celestiall the whoole bodye mystycall of Christes churche geuynge vnto hym thankes also for the creatyoÌ„ redemptyon and iustificatyon hereof Commyttynge it vnto hys mooste godly and mercyful tuition besekynge him that he vouchsafe to pacifie to kepe to knyt to gether and to gouerne rule it thoroughout al the hoole world The sacrament is named Dynaxis Saynt dyonyse the grecyan namyth thys sacrament synaxis that is communyon or coÌ„men pertakyng by cause there is sygnifyed effectuously wroughte by this blessed sacrameÌ„t not onlye the vnyon and knot of Christes meÌ„bres vnto the hed Christ but also there is sygnyfyed and in verye dede there is by it a coÌ„men partakynge of al gostly goodnes whyche is in eche of the membres or in the hoole For as much as by the condigne and worthye receauynge of thys blessed sacrament we are made one with Christe and incorporated vnto hym therfore by this coniunctioÌ„ and incorporatyon we are made commen partakers wyth the other membres of the grace and
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
very profitable vnto the symple and rude people for whome onely I haue prepared thys homlye thyng to shewe what scriptures auctorities of auÌ„cient wryters and what reasons that they allege for the mayntenaunce of theyr heresyes in answerynge vnto them to shewe breuely howe they disceaue and are disceaued Yet I wyll not brynge in all suche auctorities and places that they allege For I truste in God so to answere and declare suche as I shall reherse here that it shal be easye for a diligent reader to perceaue the craft and disceat of them in all other For certaynly suche scriptures as they brynge in eather they serue nothynge vnto the purpose eather they be glosed wyth theyr owne faÌ„tysed and false expositioÌ„s And as for the testimonies of the auÌ„cient wryters they bryng in very few But they are alleged as sincearely as faithfully as they allege the scriptures For eather they be truncate and be but lompes of the wrytters sayngê lackynge the parte that shulde make the reste playne open eather they be infarced and patched wyth theyr additions and lyes so that they brynge not them whole faithfully and sincerelye ¶ Yet for the more easyer and facyle vnderstandyng both of theyr argumeÌ„tes and also of myne answers I shall gyue vnto the reader certayne necessarie instructions and documentes Where by he shall more perfectly perceaue the falseyt of theyr reasons hereby also be more redyer to make answere to other lyke reasons The fyrst documeÌ„t is that we ought not to seke to proue wyth reason The fyrst document the matters of our faith For yf we shulde be so grosse and carnall that we wolde beleue no more then we can proue by naturall reason we shulde sone dyscharge our selfes of all the artycles of oure fayth and consequently we shuld haue no fayth for it is agaynste the nature of faythe which is of thynges that appeare not vnto reasoÌ„ or sense to be proued by reasoÌ„ But in such matters a trew christiane hart ought obediently to receaue the verytie of Goddes worde 1. Cor. 2. Non in ê‘suasibilibus humane sapientie verbis sed in operation espiritus virtutis vt fides vrÌ„a noÌ„ sit in sapientia hoiÌ„m sed in virtute dei sekyng no persuasible reasons but only to persuade to hym selfe that al that Goddes word affirmeth vndoubtedly to be trew by cause that God who can not lye hathe spoken it be it neuer so impossible vnto natural sense reason A faythful christyane man ought to truste more vnto the infallible veritie of goddes worde then he wolde do vnto hys syght hys felyng tastynge eather any of hys senses or reasoÌ„ for al those may dysceaue be disceaued But the word of god is more stable theÌ„ is eather heaueÌ„ eather earth And for as moche as the myraculous workes of God excedyth incoÌ„parably the wyt and reason of man and be therfore ineffable therfore we ought not to be to inquisityue to knowe howe and why God hath done this or that For there can no man tell neather geue reason of Goddes vnserchable and inuestigable workes Therfore no man can tel howe Christes bodye and bloode can be and is verylye and really in the sacrameÌ„t and in euery part therof and also in so many places were this blessed sacrament is No more then he can tell how that bodi was borne of an immaculate virgyn yet her virgyniall clausures kept inuiolably shut Or how the bodye dead could come alyue out of the graue the stone vnsealed vnmoued Or how the bodye cold come in through the stone walles among the apostles And yet the holy word of God teacheth these thinges to be true but the worde of God sheweth no reason howe For God wolde haue his wonderfull workes hydden from our wyttes reason that our fayth myght haue place the greatter meryte ¶ The second is that the glorifyed bodye of Christ is in moch more noble state The .ii. document coÌ„dition then oure corruptible bodyes are Therfore we must not esteme iudge a lyke of that spiritual heaueÌ„ly body of our grosse mortal corruptible bodies for though such grosse corruptible bodies caÌ„not be inuisible vntoucheable vntastable so that they be suche that where euer they be really present they maye be seen felte touched and tasted yet the glorious bodye of Christ can not be seen felt or tasted but onely when and where it shall please hym and maye be when and where him pleaseth inuysbly and vnpalpablye The bodye of oure sauyoure Christe in the fortye dayes after hys blessed resurrectyon was not sene at al tymes neyther of all men sauyng only suche tymes and of those to whome he wold apere visible Wherfore thoughe we do neyther see feale neather taste the boodye and bloode of Christe in the sacrament yet vndoubtedlye bothe the bodye and bloode of Christe are verely and really in the blessed sacrament For that bodye and blode may be and is there verely inuisible vnpalpable vntouchable for so it hath pleased Christe The .iii. document The thyrde is that thoughe it be repuÌ„gnant vnto nature that one bodye shuld be in many places at on s by cause that the lorde of nature dyd a poynt vnto nature that euery natural body wher it is present it shuld repleate the place and that one body shuld fulfyl but one place at ones therfore the order of nature is broken where there is present any naturall bodye and yet doth not occupie that place or where there is anye one bodye whooly in sondrye places Yet is not this repuÌ„gnaÌ„t neither aboue the power of God that the bodye and bloode of Christe sholde be whooly and reallye present in the sacrament and yet not occupie or fulfyl that place for the quantite of the breade and wyne miraculously do repleate that place being subsisteÌ„t alone wtout the substaÌ„s of bread euen as well as thoughe the substance of breade were there Therfore it is not repuÌ„gnant vnto the power of God that the body of Christe may be verely and realy in innumerable places after this myraculous maner of beynge whiche maner of beynge is apropriat vnto the mooste precious bodye and bloode of our sauiour christ is aboue the course and order of nature Wherefore though Christ be in heauen yet neuerthelesse he is also in the holy sacrament for the holy scripture affirmeth bothe And therfore we are bounde to beleue bothe ✿ The fourth is that we muste not The .iiii. document so carnally and so grossely take the scriptures that teacheth vs that Christ sytteth on the ryght haÌ„d of the father as thoughe we wolde imagyne that God the father had a ryght hande and a left suche other corporall membres as it hath pleased the paynters to setforth so Christ materially to syt on the ryght hande of the father Thus to ymagyne of God who is mooste spirituall it is more then very barbarous and heatheÌ„
remayninge there is also in the blessed sacrament In the .xvi. Ioh. 16. of saynt IohnÌ„ Christe sayeth ✿ I leaue the worlde and I go to my father In another place I ascende vnto my father and your father my god and your God Agayne I go to hym that sent me none of you asketh me whether goest thou Agayne It is expedient for you that I go For yf I go not the conforter wyl not come vnto you Yf I go I wyll sende hym to you Agayne My lytle ones Yet I am a whyle wyth you Agayne Now a lytle you shall not se me and agayne a lytle you shall se me for I go to the father Ye shal vnderstande that Christ in these wordes meÌ„t nothyng lesse The answere theÌ„ so to take away his bodely pÌ„sens froÌ„ the world or froÌ„ his apostles that it shuld not be with theÌ„ after no maner a sort neither visibly neither inuisibly But he ment that he wolde chauÌ„ge the maner of his bodely pÌ„sens conuersation whiche then was temporall visible and mortall And after his death and resurrection it shulde be heauenly inuisible and immortal ✿ Yf Christe faye they haue left the worlde then is not he in the world and coÌ„sequently he is not in the sacrament of th aulter The trew meaning of these wordes of christe I leaue the worlde wyth such other and how Christe hath lefte the worlde we may redely collect and gather of the other wordes that he spake vnto his appostles after hys resurrectioÌ„ saynge vnto them These be the wordes whyche I spake vnto you when I was yet wyth you In these wordes our sauyour Christe sygnyfyed vnto his appostles that he had then left theyr companye and the wordlye conuersation and was gone from them as he sayd before his death I wyl depart from you and I wyll leaue the worlde And after hys death beynge present speakeynge with them he sayth These be the wordes that I sayd vnto you before my death and passion when I was wyth you vysible mortall and passyble Then did I tel you that I wolde forsake that corruptyble state but now I am not wyth you for now accordynge vnto my promyse I am gone frome you and frome the worlde Wherefore you shall vnderstand that our sauiour Christe before his death and resurrection was mortall and had a natural a mortall lyfe a lyfe as other mortall men had that shal haue an ende by death so in hys lyuynge and conuersacion he was lyke other naturall and mortall men as saynt Paule sayeth habitu inuentus est vt homo hauynge and susteynynge all naturall calamities paynes except synne for he thursted hungered he eate he dronke he slept he waked he rested and was wery he walked and traueled c. Thus was he conuersant wyth the apostles in all thynges lyke an other naturall man and had a bodye of lyke condition as the apostles had excepte synne but after hys resurrection hys lyfe and coÌ„uersation was chaunged and hys bodye altered clene and deputed from the erthly and mortall state vnto a spirituall and an heauenlye state He was chaunged froÌ„ mortalitie to immortalitie and can not dye froÌ„ passibilitie to impassibilitie he can not suffer hoÌ„ger thurst colde heate neather any suche naturall penalties Neather neadeth he meate drynke slepe neather any suche lyke erthlye and naturall necessities He was conuersant wyth the apostles before visiblye but nowe they can not se hym neather fele hym but when and where he wyll Wherfore all thys inculcation and the oft rehersall and repetition of hys goynge awaye from the worlde and from the apostles is no more theÌ„ the chauÌ„ge of his lyfe and conuersation and of the state of hys body that where that they had the visible and mortal conuersation of hys bodye that bodye beynge onely in earthe here after the same shulde be in heauen visiblye yet in earth also in the sacrameÌ„t inuisibly Wherefore when he sayeth I leue the worlde that is to saye I wyll leue thys wordlye lyfe and alter this natural and mortal lyfe and take on an heauenly lyfe And when he saythe I wyll leue you or you shall not haue me alway wyth yow He signified this You shall not haue me in this maner of conuersorion and in this mortall and transytarye and indigent lyfe This bodye that is now mortall visible subiect to al naturall penalties it shal not be so alwaye but it shal be altered and chaunged vnto an heauenly lyfe Now thou mayst ê‘ceaue good christiaÌ„e reader how Christe hath left the world yet he is in the blessed sacrament Euen as he leuynge the world and went froÌ„ hys appostles yet was presente wyth them and spake vnto them Euen so thoughe that Christes body be altered and chauÌ„ged in to an immortal and an heauenly maner of life froÌ„ this corruptyble mortal and visible lyfe and hath left so the world takynge from vs hys mortall and vysible conuersatyon yet it folowyth not that he is not in the sacrament For we saye not that he is in the sacrament after that sorte that he was before hys passyon amonge hys disciples mortall corruptyble passyble and vysible But we beleue and say that the naturall bodye and blood of Christe is in the sacrament verelye and yet invisibly immortally impassybly For the bodye of Christe nowe can not be sene or fealte but when and where it please hym ✿ And where they allege thys texte of saynt Mathew Pore men you shall haue wyth you but you shall not haue me allwaye wyth you ✿ Yet marke gentle reader that Christe sayde not The answere you shall neuer haue me no more wyth you for he sayde in saynt IohnÌ„ I go and I come vnto you And agayne ✿ I wyll see you and youre hartes shall reioyce And after hys resurrection he sayde Beholde I am wyth you vntyll the worldes end now by cause that Christ sayd that they shulde not haue hym alwaye wyth them therefore saye they he is not in the sacrament Here they vnderstand not the wordes of christ for Christe sayde that he shulde not be wyth them in that maner of lyfe as he was then mortall passible and indigeÌ„t and nedye of bodelye refreshynge and confortes And after suche a sorte he wold not be wyth them alwaye for as that tyme it was a good and a charytable dede vpon Christe to exhibite an office of charite toward hym as to geue him or his meat drynke to washe or anoynt his feete For he had then nede as other men had hungeryng and thurstynge and trauelynge in this necessite He sayd that he wolde not be wyth theÌ„ alway in the nedie and corruptible sort but he sayd that they shuld haue poore men wyth them alwaye And as saynt Marke sayth and you maye do almys alwayes vpon them when you wyll And therfore Christe a lowed greatly the facte of Mary Magdelen that she dyd exhibite to hym so precious oyle before
hys deathe and resurreccion but vpon easter daye when she offered to hym dewty and office agayne he refused it and wolde not let her anoynte hym for he was not then in suche state and indigencie as he was afore Therfore it folowyth not that though that Christ be not alway with vs a mortal passible man as he was before his passion therfore he is not with vs inuisybly immortally impassibly in the blessed sacrament For bothe these be trew That he is not wyth vs nowe uisible passible and mortall as he was before his death and resurrection and yet he is with vs inuisible impassible immortal The argument ✿ Lyke argumēt they gather of the wordes of saynt Paule in the seconde epistle to the Corynthyans the fyft chapiter And though we haue knowen Christe affter the fleshe yet now we know hym no more so By cause that saynt Paule sayth that he dothe not knowe Christ after the fleshe therfore Christe say they is not in the sacrament The answere after the fleshe Yf thys reason were good then dyd Paule knowe no man neyther the Corynthyans vnto whom he wryt that epystle neyther hym selfe for paule sayde that he knewe no man after the fleshe Then bylyke he knewe not hym selfe for he was then in fleshe and a man for he knewe no man But they are dysceaued in mystakynge and mysunderstandynge thys worde After the fleshe _____ Whyche is nat as moche to saye as in the fleshe But it is as moche to saye as fleshely or carnally for fleshely affection or after any carnall sort ✿ Here good christen reader What Crisostome saythe vpon the same place of saynt paule What then sayth he Tell me Hath he cleue lefte the fleshe And is he not nowe in the bodye God forbyd For this same Iesus whyche is taken from you euen so he shall come agayne How wyth a body How sayth Paule then Thoughe we haue knowē Christ after the fleshe yet so do we not nowe For oure beynge after the fleshe is to be in synne and not to be after the fleshe is not to be in synne But Christ to be after the fleshe is to be in or to suffer the passions penalites of nature as hunger thurst labor or slepe and suche other But he commytted no syn at all neyther was ther founde disceat in his mouth Therefore sayde he whyche of you can rebuke or argew me of synne Then Christ not to be after the fleshe is to be deliuered from these penalties of nature and passyons of mortalytye and corruption Not that he is nowe wythout fleshe For wyth that fleshe he cometh to iudge the world hauynge the same fleshe now impassible and immortall and incorruptyble ✿ Then thus wyth Crisostome we may answere That thoughe that Paule knoweth not christ now after the fleshe that is to say passible corruptible mortall and visible yet he knoweth hym now to be incorruptyble immortal and impassible and euen so do we with Paul knowe Christe in the sacrament not after the fleshe carnally as the Carpharnaites thought that is to se and to eate that fleshe of hym hewen and cut in gobbettes and peaces as fleshe is in the shambles but we knowe hym verely ther inuisibly impassibly immortally and eaten of vs is neyther harmed neyther consumed ✿ Bycause that saynt Paule saith vnto the Corythyans The argument in the tenth chapter Is not the bread that we breake the perticipatyon of the body of Christe And agayne he saith in the eleuenth chapter As oft as ye shal eate of this bread and drynke of thys cuppe you shall declare or shewe hys deathe vntyll he come Of these they collecte and gather that the sacrament is nothyng but breade and wyne Thys maner of reasonynge is nothynge worthe For in thys sort of arguyng we myght conclude and proue that there were neather bloode nether wyne but onelye a cuppe As for example Saynt Paul in the same tenth chapter to the Corinthians sayth Is not the cuppe whom we do blysse the participatiō of the blood of Christe And agayne in the eleuenth he sayeth As oft as ye shal eat of thys bread and drinke of this cuppe ye shall remember the lordes death vntyll he come And in the same chapiter who so euer eate of thys breade drynketh of the cuppe or oure lorde vnworthely he shal be gyltye of the body and bloode of our lorde Here saynt Paule calleth the blessed sacrament a cuppe ergo there is nothynge but a cuppe You shall vnderstande therfore that in the blessed sacrament there is not the substance of breade though saint Paule do name it bread For saynt Paule do call the same the body of our Lorde twyse in the same chapter And in namynge it breade he doth folowe the maner of the scripture the whyche in suche maner of transmutations alterations of thynges doth vse oft tyme to gyue vnto the thynge that is altered and chaunged the name that it had before that alteration and chaunge as I haue declared before by these examples Fyrst of the admirable transmutation and chaunge of the rod of Aaron into a serpent The scripture calleth it a rod styll thoughe it was turned into a serpent Lykewyse of the myraculous chaunge of the water into wyne There the scripture namyth that wyne water and gyueth the very same name vnto the thynges that were clene chaūged that suche thinges had before they were chaunged and altered from theyr former natures Euen so the holy apostle and the fathers ofte tyme do call thys blessed sacrament breade bycause that it was breade before the wonderful transmutation and chaunge by the power of goddes myghtye worde into the verye substaunce of Christes blessed bodye and bloode ¶ They haue also collected out of the auncient doctours lompes and fragmētes of theyr sayinges as wel vnderstāded and taken as they vnderstode the scriptures haue lefte out the chefest thynges that shulde declare the verye true sense of the wrytter and there by they go about to proue that these auncient wrytters shulde muster wyth them and be on theyr syde and that those fathers shulde beleue that in the sacramēt were not the verye bodye and bloode of Christe but to be but only a fygure or a signification therof Wherfore al such places of the auncient wryters that semeth to cal it a misterie a sacramēt a fygure or signification of Christes bodye ▪ At suche places they clappe theyr handes and triumphe as though they had wonne the feld and that the game were theyrs These places they brynge in and that wyth theyr gaye paynted prayses and flatterynge commendations of the doctoure or wrytter whose auctoritie they allege as of saint Augustine they wyll saye That mooste excellent and wyttye clerke saynt Augustine That mooste golden mouthe Crysostome the flower of the Greke eloquens c. But when these same be alleged and proued manyfestly to be theyr aduersaries and contrarye to theyr heresye then are they whome they
praysed so hyghly before but men and lyears and suche as were blynded and had not the spirite of God therfore saye they they are not worthye of credite in all thynges We wyl haue no mennes auctoritie but onely the scriptures Yet these wycked wretches they can be content to take Luther Ecolampadius Coralstadius and Melanthon and Buzere wyth all the rabylment of suche deuylyshe lyars and leude lyuers the whyche hath no more of a christian maÌ„ saue onely the name to be theyr auctours and that of no lesse auctoritie theÌ„ the scriptures These I saye whose learnynge lyffes are as much vnlyke vnto the fathers as were the lyffes of Socrates Sardanapalus or the lyfe of Diogenes and the lyfe of Epicure Here shall you heare some of the auctorities that they haue torne out by peace meale froÌ„ the monumentes and wrytynges of the auncient and mooste catholyke doctours Augusti contra AdamantuÌ„ Fyrste of saynt Augustyne contra Adamantum Manicheum the .xii. chapiter Oure Lorde doughted not sayth he to saye Thys is my bodye when he gaue vnto them the signe of hys bodye Saynt Augustyne calleth the sacrameÌ„t a signe Thys is theyr reason ergo it is but onelye a signe and not the bodye of Christe Euen so myght I argue for Nestorius and saye Christe is called in the scriptures the sonne of man ergo he is onely the sonne of man and not the sonne of God Where you shall vnderstande that saynct Augustyne dysputeth in thys place agaynst one of the Manichees secte whych sayd that the bloode in man was the soule of man bycause that he dyd read in the .xii. chapiter of Exodus that they shoulde not eate any bloode for the bloode sayeth the letter is the lyfe or soule of the fleshe To thys saynt Augustyne sayeth that thys precepte oughte to be vnderstanded that the bloode was the token or sygne of the lyfe or soule For our lorde sayth he doubted not to saye Thys is my bodye when he gaue the token of hys hodye Now let Fryth answere me vnto thys Hathe not the bloode of a best lyfe in it thoughe it be the token of lyfe He muste nedes saye yea Euen so the sacrament is a token of Christes bodye and yet neuerthelesse it contayneth the same very body ✿ Also saynt Ierome vpon .xxvi. Ieronimê° super Matheum chapter of saynt Mathew sayth After that the fyguratyue Passeouer was coÌ„plete and fullfylled and he had eaten the fleshe of the lambe wyth hys apposteles he taketh the breade that comforteth the harte of man and passeth ouer towarde the sacrament of the verye trew Passeouer and lyke as Melchy sedech dyd the preest of the hyest in the fygure here of offerynge breade and wyne he in lyke sorte dothe represent the verite of hys bodye and blood All theyr game lyeth in thys word He representyth Yf he do represent saye they the verytie of hys bodye then the very body is not there This argumeÌ„t is of no force neather streÌ„gth For though that by the sacrament is represented the bodye of Christe yet neuerthelesse the same verye bodye is there also present whych is represeÌ„ted But I wold fayne learne of them why saint Ierome calleth thys the verye sacrament or the sacrament of the veryte Was not the paschall lame a verye sacrament of the Passiouer yeas treuly But this he calleth the verye sacrament by cause that bysydes that it doth sygnyfye the bodye and bloode of Christe it contayneth also no lesse Or whye dothe saynt Ierome saye The verytie of Christes bodye and bloode Dyd not the paschall lambe represent the same bodye and bloode Yes trewly But saynt Ierome here in sygnified the dyfference bytwyxte Moyses lambe and Christes mandye By cause the one was but a bare fygure and nothyng els but a fygure and the other though it were also a fygure yet it contayned the veryte of the thynge that is sygnified by that fygure ✿ Therefore saynt Ierom sayde the Christe represented the veryte of his bodye and bloode You wyll aske me how that the bodye of Christe can represent it selfe or be a signe or figure of it selfe To this I answere that the bodye of Christe vnder the two formes of breade and wyne representeth vnto vs nowe the same bodye as it honge vpon the crosse when the blood was dyuyded frome it for the remyssion of synnes Ambrosiê° âœ¿ S. Ambrose also they allege in hys boke of the sacramentes Where he sayeth in thys wyse He that dyscordyth frome Christe that same eateth not hys fleshe neather drynketh he hys bloode all though that he taketh the sacrament of so worthye a thinge vnto the iugement of hys perdition Also Prosper hath the same wordes in hys boke of sentences Prosper Saynt Augustyne in hys boke intytuled de Ciuitate dei Augustinê° de ciuitate dei lib .xxi. capi xv He that remayneth not in me and in whom I remayne not let not the same say eather thinke that he eateth my bodye For they remayne not in Christe that be not his meÌ„bres ✿ These fathers in the same places where we fynde these wordes thoughe that they saye that the vnworthye receyuers do not receyue the bodye and blood of Christe Yet they saye not that it is not the bodye and blood of Christe But certaynlye they haue playnlye expressed what they mente by these theyr sayenges For as we maye ryghte well collect of them there are thre maner of receyuynges of the blessed sacrament The fyrst is onely sacramentally this terme saynt Augustine vseth The seconde is onely spiritually The thyrde is both spiritually and sacramentally The onely sacramentall receyuynge is when we vnworthelye do receyue the blessed sacrament And by thys receyuynge we are neather incorporated vnto Christe spiritually partakynge the merytes of Christes blessed passion neather incorporated vnto hys naturall bodye as the worthye receauers are but we eate it to the greate dampnation of our soules By the onelye spirituall receauynge whych is by fayth as in hearynge godlye and deuoutlye the masse or els hauynge a godlye and a deuoute memorie of Christes death we are partakers of Christes merytes passion made the membres of hys spirituall or mysticall bodye yet are we not by thys maner of eatynge incorporated vnto the naturall bodye of Christe as we are by the worthye receyuyng of the sacrameÌ„t The thyrde maner of receauyng of this blessed sacrament whych is when we worthely do receaue it doth incorporat vs vnto Christes naturall bodye maketh vs the membres of hys moost blessed bodye of hys fleshe and of hys bones and worketh in vs eternall lyfe of bodye and soule For thys is the propertie of that fleshe and bloode worthelye receyued to worke euerlastynge lyfe as Christ sayeth He that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloode hath euerlastynge lyfe Nowe for as muche as in all suche as are diuided from Christe by heresye or froÌ„ god by mortall synne the blessed sacrameÌ„t receiued worketh not in them
petyous thyng that we be brought now in matters of oure sayth frome all faythe belefe and goo a bought to skanne and to reason suche thynges as shulde be receaued before and aboue all reason wyth mooste humbly fayth for fayth hath no place neyther meryte as S. Gregore sayth where reason sheweth experyens and tryal of the matter for fayth is a free and obedyent persuasyon of maÌ„nes mynd in the veryte of suche thynges that are not manyfest or proued by naturall reason or experiens leauynge onely to the infallyble veryte of Goddes treuth For what so euer thynge that a man beleueth only bycause that he seyth the naturall experyens or natural reasoÌ„ therof this belefe is no fayth neyther shall suche belefe be regarded eather rewarded before God Wherfore to skanne and serche the misteryes of our faith with reason it is none other then a playne subversion of the christiane faith and such curious serchers and reasoners of oure fayth are lyke vnto the heathen grecyans in Paules tyme of whome paule spake The Iewes require tokeÌ„s wonders or myracles and the heathen grecyans worldely wysedome so oure Ieweshe Capharnaytes require to see this myracle in the sacrament or els to haue it manifest by reasoÌ„ or els they wyl not beleue And by cause they see not the fleshe and bloode in the natural shape of fleshe and blood therfore they wyll not beleue suche the seketh a syght by reason and wyll not beleue excepte they see be voyd of the benediction of Chryst And the faythfull people that obediently leaueth more vnto the infallyble word of god theÌ„ they do to reason eather sense requyre nether fealynge neather syghte these I saye hereth hathe the benediction of Christe that sayd Blessyd be they that hathe not sene yet do beleaue Not wtstandynge that I haue thought it almoost a wast worke and lost labour to answere to any such folysh fond and vnreasonable reasons as thynges vnworthye of reasonable answer bycause that they so vnreasonably do reason vppon that thynge the excedyth all wyt and reason Yet one for an example I wyll recyte here the best amonge them all that euer I herd that you may sone ê‘ceaue how folysh they be the frameth suche faÌ„tisies how mad they are the forsakinge the faith catholik the truth of gods word wyl be ouerthrowen wyth so vnreasonable reasons The argument Thys is theyr reason We reade in the scripture that God created made maÌ„ but we neuer reade the man coulde make god yf theÌ„ in the sacrameÌ„t be very Christ then the preest consecratyng the sacrameÌ„t makyth Christ whych is god But it is impossible that the preest shulde make god Therfore it is not possible the Christ shulde be in the sacrameÌ„t that the preest coÌ„secrateth ✿ Thys reason is grounded vpon a false presupposition The answere it presupposeth that the preest or mynister shulde worke all that is done in the consecration and that is very false for gentyl reader thou shalte vnderstande that the preest dothe no more here then he dothe in the sacrament of baptisme And therfore I myght make a lyke reason or argument and proue that the preest were Christe thus He that baptysed as saiÌ„t Iohan sayeth in the water and gyueth the holye goost that same is Christe but the preest baptiseth in water and gyueth the holy goost For there is none verelye and truelye cristined but the same receyueth the holye goost then is the preest Christe then was Peter Christe For he dyd not onely gyue the holy goost but he gaue power to other mynisters to gyue the holye gooste as Paule dyd also to Tymothe and Tyte. Wherfore we muste consyder what and howe muche the preest dothe For the CorynthyaÌ„s were dysceaued moche a lyke about the sacrament of baptysme as these are in thys theyr argument agaynste the sacramente for as these ygnorant people froward herytykes falsly supposeth nothynge to be wrought in the blessed sacrameÌ„t aboue the power and the facte or dede of the mynister so dyd these Corinthians ascribe all the vertue and power of baptysme vnto theyr baptistes or ministers and suche as were baptised of the more worthier ministers there in they reioysed as thoughe they had optayned and receaued the better baptisme Wherfore saynt Paule wyllynge to reforme thys errour he reuoketh them vnto the consyderation of the mynisters and what they dyd in that mynisterie and what and how muche god wrought And sayeth vnto theÌ„ What is Appollo or what make you of Paule They are but the mynisters of hym in whome you haue receaued your fayth And then by a similitude of husbandry he declareth vnto them what they do in theyr ministration and what almyghtye God dothe and sayeth I haue plaÌ„ted and Apollo hath watered but God gaue the increase Neather is he that planteth neather he that watereth any thynge of him selfe and in coÌ„parison of God neather theyr mynistration is any thynge effectuous without god that gyueth the increase do worke with them washyng the soule by the spirite whyles they wasshe the bodyes Euen so I answere vnto these what is the preest saue onely the minister of him that sayd vnto hys apostles Do thys That is to saye That thynge that you haue sene me do nowe Take the breade geue thankes and saye these wordes vpoÌ„ the bread that I haue sayd receaue or eate it in the remembraunce of me The preest onely speaketh the wordes as the minister in the persone of Christe and he that fyrst of bread made hys owne bodye that same now at the wordes and mynisterie of the preest maketh his bodye and blood So that the preest maketh not God which can not be made other then he is all redye neyther the bodye of Christe thoughe it be ther in the sacrament No more then he doth remyt syn and geue the holy goost by cause that God workyth the forgeuenes of synnes and geueth the holy goost in the mynystery of the preest But it is god that worketh these thynges in this mynysterye and makyth of bread in the sacrament the bodye of Christe by hys secrete and omnipotent power euen as he by the same power made that same bodye in the whom of a virgine and as he doth inuisibly washe the soule of him whome the preeste baptyzyth Whye then you wyll saye the mynisterie of the preest is not necessarie sythe God doth al. Yet remember that S. Paule sheweth howe we are goddes helpers and yet no doubt but that god can do dothe all the whole yet not wythout our mynisterie not of necessitie but that there might be an order in thinges Wherfore breuely we answere that the preest maketh not God but god almightie in the mynisterie of the preest by the myghtyfull power of hys worde spoken by the preest maketh of bread the body blood of Christ And thus ought we to beleue be it neuer so muche against nature and neuer so farre aboue reason For vnto
hym that is omnipotent and Lorde of nature it is possible For he can alter nature when hym pleaseth and do wonderfull thynges innumerable that infynytely transendeth the blynd reason of man of the which thynges this is one Where in God hath altered and changed the course of nature and that in such sorte that it passeth the compasse of mannes reason to knowe or tell howe Yet is it is very trew and possible vnto him that sayd these wordes when he ministered the sacrament This is my body as I haue declared in the former two sermones In the fyrst by the lyke myraculous workes of God lefte vnto vs reported in the scripture And it is not onely possyble but also it is in verye dede as I haue declared in the second sermon bothe by the fygures of the old testament and also by the plaine scriptures of the new testament And in the thyrd sermon I haue confyrmed the same fyrste by promyse of Christ made vnto the churche secondly by the faythe of the churche contynued from the apposteles tyme. And for the confyrmacyon of the same I haue brought in the conselles and also the testymonyes of the mooste classical and auntient wryters froÌ„ .vii. C. yeres vpwarde vnto the appostles tyme lastly I haue thus as thou haste redde answered vnto suche of the argumentes and reasons that are made to the contrarye as semed mooste craftye and lykely ConteÌ„ted to make answere but to these few For yf that I shulde haue answered to all theyr folyshe reasons the folly of them wolde haue yrked the reader and I shulde haue exceded in prolixite the length of a sermoÌ„ Yet by these the diligent reader maye wel perceaue the great blyndnes of theÌ„ that setteth forth so boldly suche fonde folyshe reasons as though they were as strong as Achylles And yet are they verey naked of no force or strenghe Here maye you also perceaue and lament howe lytle stabylyte and slender fayth is in them that wyth suche slender reasons and fond persuacyons wyll be broughte frome the catholyke fayth of the vnniuersall churche vnto so horrible and detestable herises vnto the vtter extreme perditioÌ„ of ther soules Excepte they forsake theyr herises and returne by penauÌ„ce vnto the churche catholyke confessynge one faythe one veryte one truth The whyche that they may do I beseke the father omniotent graunte vnto theÌ„ the grace of the holy goost for the merites of his sonne Iesus vnto whom be al honor glory worlde euerlastynge I had not thought to haue answered to any mo of theyr vnresonable reasons then to thys one that I haue answered euen nowe but so to haue lefte those bablynge brawlers wyth theyr fonde and foolyshe brablymentes But bycause that the Prynter shewed me that he lacked matter to furnyshe fullye the laste leffe Therfore I thought to fyll that which wanted with this reason the answere The reason ✿ Howe can that be the bodye of Christe God and man sythe that a mouse or ratte wyll eate it the fyer doth burne it Al these thinges happeneth vnto the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter therfore it can not be the very bodye of Christe ¶ I answere That thoughe the mouse The answere or any other beast do eate the sacrament yet neuerthelesse the same is the very reall bodye of Christe Why then wyll you saye the mowse eateth the bodye of Christe whyche semeth inconuenient we graunt that the sacrament wherin is the very bodye of Christe is eaten of the mowse yet that blessed body is not digested and consumed in the mawe or stomacke neather is it altered after suche maner in the bodye of the eater whether it be mowse or man as other oure corruptible meates are For so longe remayneth the presens of the blessed bodye as the qualities of breade remayne where euer those qualities be Whether they be in the mouthe or stomake and when nature altereth the qualities of the sacrameÌ„t then leaueth the presens of the bodie of Christ those qualities so altered from theyr nature But what though the bodye of Christe eaten in the sacrameÌ„t lye in the mawe of a beast Playnlye it is no derogatioÌ„ to the verye presens of the bodie of Christ no more then yf that same blessed bodie shulde be trodden vnder the feete in the vyle dyrte For that mercyfull Lorde Christ suffered that blessed bodye to be torne and crucyfied of the crewell soldiers for our sake and yet that blessed passyon dyd not dyrogate the veritie of that blessed bodye And loke as that blessed bodye receaued of anherityke or of an vnpenitent synner is nothyng the lesse the very bodye of Christe Though it be receaued of such ê‘sons vnto theyr dampnation Euen so I say thoughe a mouse or any beast do eate it yet is it neuerthelesse the very bodye of Christe Though it neyther profyth neather disê“fyteth the vnreasonable beast which is not apt to dampnation or saluation by cause they lackynge reason wyll can not do good nother euyl Then you wyl replie and saye that the mouse may lyue by eatynge the sacrament I graunt she may Not by cause that bodye is digested and conuerted in to her fleshe but as I shewed in my fyrste sermon by cause that the qualities of bread and wyne in the blessed sacrament miraculously do norishe the eater as well as though the substance of bread were there Where ye say of the burnynge therof and mouldynes or any suche corruptyons To this I say that suche actions are executed and wrought in the sacramentall qualites of bread and wyne yet remayneth the very bodye blood of Christe vnderneath those accidental qualytes so longe as the qualytes remayne and yet that bodye of Christe is vnharmed vnburnt vncorrupte for that blessed bodye is now glorified is in corruptyble and impassible ¶ HEC est fides catholica quam nisi quisque fideliter firmiterque seruauerit absque dubio ineternum peribit ¶ Imprynted at London in S. IohnÌ„s strete by Nycolas Hyll at the costes and charges of Robert Toye dwellynge in Paules churche yarde at the signe of the Bell.