as the breade made of grayne taken frome the grounde called by consecration is no more nowe commentable breade but the bodye and bloude of Christe stonding vpon .ii. thinges an earthly and an heauenlye euen so oure bodyes perceauing the sacrament be no more now corruptible hauīg hope of resurrection And ī his fyft boke agaynst heresyes By what meanes therfore both the myxed cup and the frute of breade perceaueth the worde of God is made the Eucharist of the body and bloude of Christ For God in that he is God hathe nether breth bones ne fleshe But speakynge as cōcernynge that disposition and proportion whiche is like vnto man whiche standeth compacte of flesh synowes and bones whiche is norished with the cuppe whiche is the bloode and is enoreasyd with the breade whiche is his body Tertulyane in his boke of resurrection of the flesh OVre fleshe eateth the bodye bloode of Christ that the soule also may be replenyshed and fully fed with God And in his boke of prayer he saith bread is the worde of the lyuinge God which came doune īto his fote stole of the earth from his throne of heauen Then his veraye bodye is demyd and thought to be in the similitude of breade Saynge This is my body Therfore we clamynge requirynge our dayelye bread do aske a perpetuite cōtynuaunce in Christ and an vnseperable vnite with his body Agaynst Marcyon he saith we do knowe receaue and beleue all the gospelles of Christ by the churche and not otherwyse S. Cypryan martyr ccxlix Cypryan Martyr in the fyrste boke of his Epistelles in the seconde epistle NOw not onely to the weake or sycke but to the valyant peace is necessarye Not only to persones departyng but to the liuinge communion shoulde be minystred to the intent we maye not leaue thē naked and weaponles whome we exhort to battayle But that we maye defend them with the shelde of the bodye and bloude of Christ And whē the body bloud of Christ is ministred that it maye be a sauegarde to the receauers and that we Arme them with the armour of the Lordes health whō we wolde saue agaynst our gostely enemy For why should we teache or moue them to spende their bloud in confessinge Christes name yf in this chiuallry we deny them the bloude of Christe Or by what meanes do we make them fyt for the cup of martirdome if we do not admyt them fyrste to drynke of the chalice of the righteous cōmunicatynge of the Lorde in the churche De cena domini Our Lorde maketh euen cōtinually vntill this daye in the sacramēt this his moste trew holy body maketh it holy blesseth it and deuideth it to them which deuoutely receaueth it In the same THe breade which the Lorde gaue to his disciples chaūged not in forme but in nature and by the omnipotente power of the worde is made fleshe And as in the personne of Christ the manhod was sene and the Godhed hydde so in the visible sacramente the diuine nature inuisible infundeth hym selfe to the entent that aboute the sacrament shoulde be deuotion And in the same This common bread chaūged into fleshe and bloude procureth to bodyes lyfe and increase Idem The high prest bryngeth forth bread wyne this is saith he my body they eate and drynke of the same bread after a visible forme but afore these words that meat was common only it was profitable for the body to be norished gaue help of a corporall lyfe But from what tyme it was of the Lorde spoken this do in remembraunce of me it is fleshe bloud As often as with these wordes and this faithe it is done that supersubstancial bread and cup of benediction solemplye consecrate it doth profight to life and health of the hole Man Also being a medecyn brent offeringe to heale infirmyties and pourge iniquities That it was an other thinge that fyrst was sette forth consumed and an other that was geuen of the master and destributed whan the false mynde of Iudas touched the holy meate The holy sanctifyed breade enteryd into the cursed mouthe the murdering mynde not beynge able to susteyne the myght of so greate a sacrament was blowen away lyke chaffe frome the floure and ran hedlynge to perdition to desperation and to the rope The sacrament Christe sōtyme calleth it hys bodye sometyme his fleshe and bloud sometime bread Origen in his .v. Homilye Domine non sum dignus WHan ye receaue the holy meat and vncorrupted dishe thou dost vse the breade and the cup of lyfe thou eatest and drinkest the body and bloud of our Lorde ther the Lorde enterest into thy house Dist Viii The sacramēt the Lord dyd institute when after the figuratyue lambe he dyd reache his body to his disciples at supper When these wordes be spokē saith Origen This is my body and this is my bloud ther is a certayne conuersion made of breade and wyne into the substaunce of the bodye and bloude of Christ Therfore the Lord Iesus goynge to the inuisible thinges of his Fathers magestie the figuratyue paschall beinge scelebrate with the disciples wyllynge to commende vnto them a certayne memoryall vnder forme of breade and wyne he dyd so geue his bodye and bloude to them that he myght shew the sacramentes of the olde law amonge which the sacrifice of the paschal lambe was chefe to be ended in his death the sacraments of the new law to be institute in whiche the mistery of Eucharistia excelleth Chrisostem in his .lxxxiii. Homili Vpon Saynt Math. LEt vs beleue God in euery thinge and not saye agaynst hym Verba dei defraudari non pūt yea although the thing that he sayth doth appere an inconuenience both to our sences thought vnderstandinge and dothe also exceade our sences capacite and reasone Let vs I beseche you beleue his wordes in al thinges but chefly in the sacrament not onely vpō those thinges which lye before vs His wordes can no the deceaued our sences ma◠easely be deceiued but considerynge also his wordes For by his wordes we can not be deceaued His wordes can not be false oursences are most easy to be dyssayued Wherfore seyng Christe hathe sayde This is my bodye let vs nothinge doute therof but beleue and perceaue it with the eyes of our vnderstanding In his .iii. boke Dialogorum Cap. iiii Beholde the dignite of the preisthode whervpon we speake for it is done in earth but his office is cōtayned in heuenly busynesses For consequently neither man nor Angell Non homo non Angelus nec Archangelus hoc sacramentū instituit nor archangell nor vertu nor any other creature but the holy gost hath institute this office and yet remayning in fleshe hath geuen to peruse the minystery of angelles For the which thing the byshop must as he that were in heuen and wer mixed to the vertues do this thing so it is lightenyd with the brightnes of lyfe For when
inuisible ▪ without augmentinge when thou was the selfe same thinge Muche other wayes was thou in the procedinge of fayth nothinge is added to in the outwarde parte and all is chaūged in the inward part And yf manne beynge made the sonne of Christ and Christ beynge formed in the mynde of manne as therefore withoute corporall sence the olde wylynes put down thou haste sodenlye put on a newe dignitie And as in that that GOD hath cured in the thinges hurte He hath wasshed thynges infected he hathe wyped awaye thinges defiled They be not commytte to thyne eyes but to thy wittes And when thou goeste vp to the alter to be filled with spiritual meats behold yea with thy faith a sacramente the body and bloude of God honoure meruell towche with thy minde take it with thy hande of thy harte and most of all take a hole drawght of the inward man S. Hierom in his .iii. boke against the Pellagians sayth Christ taught his apostels that they beleuinge should be bolde to saye daylye in the sacrifice of his body the Pater noster S. Barnard in festo Martini Anno dom M.xiii The very substaunce of Christes flesh is now also present with vs no doute truelye but in the sacrament of the alter Rupert in the vi chapt of Ihon. Anno domini M.xiii This is our Lordes body which dyd hange vpon the crosse this is his bloude that was shedde out for all the worlde Hugo in annotationibus in i. corinth xi quest xcix Anno. M ccc xxxiiii It is knowen vnto the faythfull person that the substaunce of bread passeth into the bodye and wyne into the bloude As Christ saying Take this is my body dydde then chaunge by his worde that breade and wyne into his very bodye and bloude Euen so do we vndoubtedly beleue that the wordes sayde of a preist by that order and with the same intent that Christ sayd thē do chaunge the breade and wyne into Christes very bodye and his very bloude Bruno Anno dom M.C lii This thinge whiche was a lyttell before breade is now verely my bodye whiche bodye shal be geuen to death for you althoughe I nowe wyll geue to you immortall and not apte to suffer He speaketh in the person of Christ Ioannes Gerson Anno. M. cccc.xxix We must say that albeit Christe is vnderneth the kinde of bread wyne but yet the bread passeth into christes body wine into his blod Oecumenius whiche was a greke in his .x. Epist vnto the Heb. The Apostell Paule would not haue sayde thou arte a preist for euer of that oblation and host or sacrifice which is once made but he sayd it hauing a respect to the preistes which be now a daies by whome as meanes Christ maketh sacrifice and is offered in sacrifice whiche taught them also in the misticall supper the maner of such a sacrifice And further we make a memory of one and the same Christes death and we eate at al tymes one body of Christ Sedulius whiche was M.c.xix past writeth thus Beware that ye eate not the body vnworthely whiles it is christes body Gregory Emissene which was aboue M.c. yeares past The inuisible preist Christ turneth the visible creatures of bread and wine by his worde and secrete power into the substaunce of his body and blud thus saying Take and eate this is my body And farther he saith it is Christes fleshe which we do receaue in the sacramēt couered with the forme of bread his bloud which we drink vnder the kind of apearāce sauor of wyne Rabanus Lib. i. in Exodum What auayleth it to receaue with thy mouth Christes body bloud And to do againste hym with all euell maners Nicolaus de Lyra which was about vc.xxxiii yeres past These wordes that I spake sayth Christ Iohn .vi. are sprite lyfe But yet this spiritually is not so vnderstande sayth Lyre or so to be taken that Christes flesh shuld be in the sacrament of the aulter onely as a signe lyke as certayne heretikes haue sayd for it is there really But because Christes fleshe is eaten in this sacrament after a certayne spirituall manner in as muche as the visible kyndes are rent with the teeth and eaten and mannes spirite the soule is refresshed therby through the power of God knit vnto the fleshe Damasus Epistola ad Stephanum Anno dom viii c.lxx Let not any man lightly agre in backbytinge or accusyng or condempning of their brethren Christians and whiche also do make Christes bodye with their owne mouthe Athanasius Lib. de passione imaginis Christi cap. vii Anno dom ccclxxix It is not otherwyse to be iudged of euery catholyke person besides that whiche is written of vs as thoughe some thinges mighte be found in the world of Christes flesh but that whiche is dayly made vpon the aulter spirituallye by the priestes handes Felix martyr almoost a. M.ccc yeares past It was not semely that they whiche do dayly make Christes bodye with their owne proper mouthe shuld suffer so great persecution The counsell of Laterane in the whiche were assembled M.ccc.xv learned men which determined the presence of Christ to be in the sacrament of the aulter There is one vniuersall church of the faithfull without which no mā vtterly is saued in whiche the same preist him selfe Iesus Christ is the sacrifice whose body and bloude is truely contained in the sacrament of the aulter vnderneth the kyndes of bread wyne and the substaunce of breade and wyne is turned into the bodye and bloude of Christ through goddes power The determination of the hole vniuersitie of Paris in the time and raygne of kynge Frauncis Euery Christen man is bounde to beleue stedfastly that in the consecration of the Sacramente the breade and wyne are turned into the very body and bloud of Christ the kyndes and formes of the breade and wyne onely remayninge Vnderneth the which the very bodye of Christ is really or in very dede contayned which was borne of the vyrgin and hath suffered vppon the crosse ¶ The sayinges of Martyn Luther in his boke intituled the chief articles of the christian fayth Of the sacrament of the alter hold we that breade and wyne at the supper is the very body bloude of Christ And is not onelye ministred and receiued of the rightous but also of wicked christians In the same Except that they before dyd alter and falsely interpretate gods wordes and ordinaunce as the present enemies of the sacrament do whiche would in very dede haue nothinge but breade and wyne because they haue not also the wordes and ordinaunce instituted of god but haue peruerted and altered the same after their fantasy In the same For euen ther is in this Christianitie and where as she is remission of synnes that is a kingedome of grace and of right pardon For ther is the gospell baptisme and the sacrament of the Alter wherin remission of synnes is offered gyuen and receaued and euen
thou maiste dailye deserue to take it Dailye holy Iob dyd offer for his children sacrifice lest any thinge either in heart or worde they shold offend Therfore thou hearest that as often soeuer the sacrifyce is offered the death of the lorde the resurrection of the lord the ascention of the lord is signified remission of sinnes and the daily bread of euerlasting lyfe thou doest not take He that hathe a wounde desireth a medison it is a wounde that we be vnder synne The heauenly honorable sacrament is a medison The fyrst sacramentes which were obserued by the law Contra Faustū lib 19. ca 13 were for messyngers of Christe to come whiche when Christe dyd fullfill with his commynge were taken awaye And therefore were they taken awaye because they were fulfilled For Christ came not to breake the law but to fulfill it And there be other institucions greater in vertu better in profyte easyar to be done fewer in nombre as by the Iustice of God shewed into the libertie to them that be called the childern of God If in the olde tyme righteouse men for this foreshowinge sacramentes figures of thinges not yet fulfilled Dani 13 2 Mac 7 were redy to suffer harde horrible thinges as of the thre children whiche in Danyell is manifest and of the Machabes how moche the more now for the baptysme of Christ for the bodye or Eucharist of Christ euery Christian ought to be more redy to suffer all maner of thinges We worshyppe the fote stole of his fete for it is holy What is the fotestole of his fete The earth is the fotestole of his fete Here I am in a doubte I am afrayde to worshippe the earth lest he should condempne me that made heauen and earth Agayne I am afrayde not to worshippe the stoole of my LORDES feete because the Psalme nynetye and eyghte sayinge vnto me Thou shalte worshippe the stole of his fete I aske what is the stole of his fete Beynge thus tossed to and fro I turne me to Christ for hym I seke here and fynde how that without violence of Goddes honor the earth maye be worshypped and so withoute violation of GODDES honoure the stole of his fete may be worshypped For christ toke of the earthe earthe for the fleshe is of the earthe and he toke flesh of the flesh of Mary and because in that fleshe he walked here We eate the same flesh that was borne of the vyrgin Mary and gaue the same fleshe to be eaten of vs for our saluation no man eateth that fleshe except he fyrst haue worshipped it It is so founde oute how souche a fotestole of the Lorde maye be worshipped And not onely that we synne not in worshippinge of it but that we synne in not worshippynge of it And though it be necessary that it be visible celebrate I wolde not that ye toke my wordes so grossely as they which beleuinge me to cutte forth certayne peces of my body and to geue them in meate But I haue commended vnto you a certayne sacrament vnder these wordes my fleshe shal be geuē you vnder sacramentes that it may be eaten not accordinge to this grosnes that ye se but spiritually it must be vnderstande and spiritually vnderstanded it wyll geue life vnto you for visibly must this Sacrament be celebrate but my fleshe shal be vnder the same inuisible and inuisible there beynge present it must be vnderstand Visibiliter celebretur sed inuisibiliter intelligitur And though it be necessary it to be celebrate visible it must nedes be vnderstande inuisible Conciōe .ii. Psal 33 DAuid fled to Achimalech and before him he chaunged his countenaunce Fugit Dauid ad Achimelech eoram to mutauit multū suū 1 reg 21 and lefte hym and went his wayes for there was a sacrifice after the order of Aaron afterwarde he of his body bloud institute a Sacrifice after the order of Melchisedech He chaunged his countenaunce in the preisthod he lefte the people of the Iewes and came to the Gentyles He was borne in his owne handes when he gaue his bodye and his bloude He toke into his own handes that the faithfull knoweth and he dyd beare hym selfe after a manner when he sayde This is my body Eodē psal contione primo The Sacrifice of Aaron is take away and the Sacrifice is begonne after the order of Melchisedech Therfore hathe he chaunged his countenaunce I can not tell how ▪ who is this I can not tell who I knowe who for our Lorde Iesus Christe is knowen in bodye and bloude He woulde be oure health wherfore he hath geuē vs his body bloude of his owne humilite for except he had ben meke he wolde neither haue ben eaten nor drōken Sermo 4. Our daily bread whether we aske exhibition necessarye to the bodye of the father signifienge in bread what soeuer is necessarye to vs or we do vnderstande that daiely bread which we are wōt to receaue of the alter We aske wel that he may geue it vs. For what is that we aske or praye for but that we commyt none euell wherby we be seperate from souche breade and the worde of God that is daiely preached is breade for because that it is breade of the soule For when this lyfe shall passe away Sacramen altaris we do not seke for that breade whiche honger seketh for nor we ought not to take the sacramēt of the alter that we shal be ther with Christe whose bodye we take nor the wordes ought not to be sayde to vs whiche we say vnto you nor the boke is not to be redde that we shal se hym which is Gods worde Serm. 46 by whiche all thinges be made The Lorde Iesus hathe exhorted by promyse of eternal lyfe to eate his fleshe and drinke his bloude as it is manifest in the gospell in these wordes He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud Therfore they that now do eat and drink let them think what they eat what they drinke least as the Apostle saith they eate and drinke their owne iudgemente not iudginge the Lordes body They that eat not and drinke not let them make haste to suche dayntyes beinge hidden Christ doth daiely feed his table is that whiche is set in the myddes What cause is it Christus quotidis pascit Oh herears that ye see the table and cōmeth not to the daynties perauenture ye thinke Fideles norunt quo modo caro manducatur Infideles nesciunt how is the Lordes fleshe eaten and his bloude dronken with infideles it is not knowen but the faithful know Come to the profession and thou hast assoyled the question Let the faithefull lyue well that they eate not into iudgement and drinke Thinkinge vpon your degrees and kepinge your profession come to the fleshe of our Lorde vntill the worlde be ended Oure Lorde is aboue but yet for all that the truthe of the
that is outewardly felte Agayne dayely this oblation though Christ once offeryd be cause we synne dayely in synnes withoute whiche mortall infirmitie cannot lyue And therfore be cause we dayely do fall christ dayly misticallye for vs is offered within the Catholike church in mystery of christes body Nothinge more is done of a good prest nothinge lesse of an euell preist Nothīg more is done of a good Preists then of an euyll for he is not consecrated in the merite of the consecratour But in the worde of the creatour and in the vertue of the holy sprite For if it were in the merite of the preist it should not pertayne to Christ But now as he is which baptiseth so is he whiche by his holy sprite dothe make this creature of breade his fleshe and wyne his bloude In Glo. ord superi Cor. ca. xi Ther be two maners of eatynge of our Lorde one is sacramentall by whiche Ther be two maner of eatings of Christe do eate as well the good as the euell An other is spirituall wherby the good onely dothe eate And this is not only to eat Christ and in his sacrament to take his boodye but to dwell in Christ and haue Christ dwellinge in hym For they do eate hym spiritually whiche in the vnitie of the Churche whiche that sacrament dothe signifye doth abide For he that discordeth frome Christ nor eateth Christes flesh though he do dayly to his Iudgement take a sacrament so greate a thinge Contra. Epist fundament ca. v. I wolde not beleue the gospell except the auctorite of the churche had moued me In his .iii. boke .xxii. cha xxviii sermon agaynst Maximinum The Sacrament of the alter is a figure of Christes death and passion of the misticall body of the Churche and of his naturall bodye ther in present Augustin de uerbis diu Ser. xi That same that he also saithe Who eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in hym how shall we vnderstāde it Maye we vnderstande also thē of whom the Apostle spake that they did eate to them selfe drinke iudgement when they did eate the same fleshe and drinke the same bloude the fleshe it selfe the bloude it selfe Dyd not Iudas the wicked sellar and betrayer of his master when he dyd eate and drinke as Luke the Euangelist declareth the Fyrst Sacrament of the fleshe bloude of Christ made his owne handes dwell in Christ or Christ in hym Finally many that with fayned herte eate that fleshe drinke the bloude or when they haue eaten and dronken be come apostatase do they dwell in Christ or Christian in them But withoute doute ther is a certayne maner of eatinge that fleshe drinkinge that bloude after whiche maner whosoeuer eateth and drinketh dwelleth in Christ and Christ in hym Therfore not in what soeuer maner any man eateth the fleshe of christ and drinketh the bloude of christ he dwelleth in Christ and christ in hym but after a certayne maner whiche maner he saw where he sayde these wordes Ang. de bap li. v. ca. viii It was neuerthelesse the bodye of our Lorde also vnto them to whom the Apostle sayde he that eateth vnworthely eateth and drinketh iudgement to hym selfe ¶ Here foloweth the worde of Saynt Ierome vpon the .xxi. cha of Ose I Haue geuen to the Iewes the eatinge of my bodye I beinge both the meate the gest so dyd he vnderstande christes wordes Also vpon these wordes of Malachye the fyrst chap. ye offered vpon myne alter poluted breade saithe Ierome we poluted breade that is the bodye of Christ when we vnworthelye come to the alter and being foule do drinke clene bloud for when sacramentes be defiled he whose they be is defyled super Math. ca. xxvi They supping Iesus toke bread whan the figuratyue passeouer was fulfilled and he had eaten the fleshe of the lambe with his disciples he toke breade whiche dothe comfort mans harte and he went ouer to the sacrament of the trew passeouer that as in prefiguringe of hym Melchisedech the preist of the highe god did offeringe breade and wyne he dothe also represent the truthe of his owne bodye God forbyd that I speake any wronge thinge of them whiche succedyd the apostolyke degre do with their holy mouthe make the bodye of Christ Ad Litū Cap i. by whom euē we be christians If lay men be commaunded that for prayer they abstayne frome the company of theyr wyues what is to be done of the byshope or preist whiche is dailye aboute to offer cleane sacrifice for his owne synnes and the peoples Let vs rede the bokes of the kinges and we shall fynde that the preist Abimalech wolde not fyrst gyue vnto Dauid and his seruauntes of the shewbreades But that he dyd aske hym whether that his seruantes were clene frō theyr wyues not frō straungers but frō their owne wiues and but that he hard that they abstayned yesterday the daye before frome worke of wedloke he wolde not haue graunted them the breades whiche he had afore denyed So moche is betwene the shewbredes and the body of Christ as is betwene a shadowe a bodye betwyxte an ymage and the truthe betwene exemplaries of thinges to come and those thinges whiche were prefigured by the exemplaries Vpon the fyrst chapter of Tyte Preistes do offer dailye for their synnes and the peoples also pure sacrifices and the preist maketh christes bodye at masse Saynt Barnard sayth as Christ gaue his fleshe for vs so he gaue his fleshe to vs in that mistery to redeme vs in this to fede vs. ¶ Petrus Lumbardus in his .iiii. boke Chap. xii PEtrus Lumbardus sayth in his .iiii. boke and the .xii. chap. After this it is asked whether that that the preist doth maye be sayde properly a sacrifice or immolation and whether Christ be dayly immolate and offered or onely once Whervnto it may be shortly aunswered that whiche is offered and consecrated of the preist is called a sacrifice and oblation because it is a memorye and representation of the true sacrifice and holy immolation done in the aulter of the crosse And Christ was once deade on the crosse and ther was offered in hym selfe but he is dayly immolate or offered in the Sacrament because in the sacrament there is made a memorye of that is once done Whervpon saynt Augusten in his .xxiii. Epistle written vpon the .vi. chap. vnto the Romaynes sayth We are assured that Christe rysing from death dyeth not now c. yet least we shoulde forget that is once done in oure memorye euery yeare is done that is to saye as often as the Pascha is celebrate is Christ as often kylled No onely a yearely remembraunce representeth that was once done and causeth vs to be moued as though we sawe oure LORDE on the crosse Also Christe was once offered in hym selfe and yet is dayly offered in the sacramente whiche is thus to be vnderstande that in the open shewynge of his bodye
fleshe Super Marc. cap. xiiii Whan Chrâ—st had blessed he brake the breade and that do we also puttinge therto prayers saynge This is my body This that I do geue and you now take For the breade is not only a figure of our Lordes bodye but it is turned into our Lordes body For he sayth the bread that I wyll geue is my fleshe He sayd not it is a figure of my flesh but it is my fleshe And howe saith he Cur earo non uidetur is not fleshe sene Oh man for oure infirmitie this is done For breade and wyne be of those thinges wherewith we be accustomed withall Them we do not abhorre but bloude and fleshe set forth we beholdynge coulde not beare but shoulde abhorre Therfore the mercifull God condescending to oure infirmitie Transelementatio doth kepe the forme or kynde of breade and wyne and into the vertu of fleshe and bloude he chaungeth them Super Iohannem Cap. vi Take that the breade that is eaten of vs in misteries is not onely a certayne figuringe of our lordes fleshe but the very flesh For it is transformed by secrete wordes That breade by a misticall blessing and comming of the holy goste Transformatio is chaunged into the body and bloud of Christ And how sayest thou the fleshe appeareth not to vs but breade that we shulde not abborre the eatinge of it For if flesh shuld haue appeared we shoulde haue ben vnsemelye mynded agaynste the communion but now our lord condescendinge to our infirmitie appeareth to vs in suche misticall meat as we haue ben accustomed to The Iewes when they harde of the eatinge of his fleshe dydde misbeleue and therfore they spake a word of infidelitie that is How For when the thoughtes of mysbeleiffe entered into the harte then entered also how Wherefore he wyllynge to shew that it is not impossible but very necessary and that lyfe can none otherwyse be had except ye eate my fleshe ¶ Leo in his .xl. Epistle LEt those phantastical Christians tell me what body Iesus brought into the sight of his disciples the gates beynge shut ¶ Anselmne Byshoppe of Canterbury almost fyue hundred yeares paste sayeth vppon these wordes This is my body It appeareth vnto the vtter senses of man to be but breade But know ye by the sences of the mynde bycause saith Christ this is my body none other but that same in substaunce which shal be geuen to death vpon the crosse and crucified for you Oure Lordes body is consecrated with the signe of the Crosse the fount of baptisme is hallowed and also preistes are made by the same signe Aug. in psal xxxiii Haymo Homil passione Christi Math. li. The breade is chaunged into our Lordes fleshe and the wyne into his bloude not by a fygure nor by a shadowe but by the veritie ¶ Damascen in his .iiii. boke of the ryght catholyke faith The .iiii. Chapter Doest thou aske of me howe breade is made Christes body and wine and water his bloud I aunswer vnto the that the holy goost worketh these things aboue mans vnderstandynge but the breade and wyne are turned The bodye is ioyned vnto the deitye whiche body is of the virgin not that the bodye taken of the virgin commyth downe frome heauen but that the breade it selfe and wyne are chaunged into the bodye and bloude of God The bread wyne water through inuocation and the coÌ„mynge of the holy goste vnto them are aboue nature chaunged into Christes bodye and bloude and they are not two bodyes but one and the same bodye The breade and wyne be not a figure onely of Christes bodye and bloude God forbyd but the bodye and Bloude of Christ Dost thou se breade dost thou se wyne do they auoyde beneth as other meates do God forbyd Thinke not so for as wax if it be put once into the fyer no substaunce remayneth nothinge is lefte so here also thinke thou that the misteryes be consumed by the substaunce of the bodye Damasen lib. iiii ca. xiiii For as moch as our Lord is the spirituall Adam it hath be semed mannes natiuite to be spirituall And also his meate natiuite is geuen to vs by water and the sprite through holy baptizme I saye and the meate breade of lyfe Our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche came doune from heauen For he was aboute to suffer for vs voluntarye deathe in the nyght whiche he offred his owne selfe He dyd dispose a new testament to his disciples and Apostelles by theÌ„ to all others beleuing in hym In the parlor of the holy and gloriouse Syon eatinge the olde passouer with his disciples fulfillinge the olde testament He washed his Disciples fete gyuinge them a token of holy baptisme Afterwarde breakinge breade he gaue to them saying Take eate this is my bodye whiche for you shal be broken in remâ—ssion of synnes In like maner takyng the cupe of wyne and water gaue to them sayeng Drynke of this all This is my bloude of the newe Testament whiche shal be shed for you in remission of synnes Do ye this â—n remembraunce of me For how often so euer ye shall eate this breade and drinke this cuppe ye shall shewe the death of our Lord and confesse his resurrection vntil he come If the worde of God be a lyuynge thinge and of efficacite And all thinges that our Lorde woulde he dyd If he sayde let the lyght be made and it was made Be the fyrmamente made and it was made If by the worde of God the heauens were made and with the sprite of his mouth euery vertue of them If heauen and earth water fyer and ayer and al the ornament of them by the worde of our lorde be made perfight man him self an expressed beast Vis uerbi dei continuo manet If god hym selfe a wylling worde be made man and of the most pure and vndefiled bloude of the holy vyrgyn and in him selfe without seed haue susteyned fleshe Can not he make breade his bodye and wyne and water his bloude Argumentum a minori He sayde in the begynninge let the earth brynge forth grene grasse and euen vntyll nowe after rayne it bringeth forth fruites beinge helped and strengthed with Goddes worde For god sayde This is my body and this is my bloude Hoc SacramentuÌ„ tuÌ„ continuo fiet denec ueniat and this do in remembraunce of me And by the almyghty precepte of God vntyll he shall come it is done for as all thinges that God dyd the holy goost workinge he dydde And so nowe by the operation of the holy gooste these he doth aboue nature whiche nothinge but onely fayth can take Howe shall this be done to me saith the holy vyrgin for I knowe not manne The Aungell aunswered The holye gooste shall come vpon the and the vertue of the highest shall ouershadowe the. And nowe asketh thou Quomodo howe is breade made the body of Christ wyne and water
The agrement of the holye Fathers and Doctors of the churche vpon the cheifest articles of Christian religion as appeareth on the nexte syde folowinge very necessary for all curates Gathered together by Iohn Aungell preist one of the Quenes maiesties Chapleyns Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ The contentes of the boke i. Of the holy and blessed Sacramente of the body and bloud of Christ ii Of the signe of the crosse iii. Of prayinge for the deade iiii Of penaunce confession and satisfaction v. Of praying to saints vi Of the counsels and auctorities of the fathers vii Against the mariage of preistes ¶ To the moost excellente and vertuous Princesses Quene Marye wyfe to oure mooste soueraynge Lorde Philip by the grace of God c. Iohn Aungell one of youre graces chaplyns of youre honourable Chappel wissheth perpetuall felicitie not only in this worlde but also in the worlde to come AMonge the innumerable benefites whiche we haue receaued of almightye God moost worthy and excellente Princesse there is none in mine opinion for the whiche we are more bounde vnto his mercifull goodnes then for that it hath moued hym of his gentle benignite to call vnto vs agayne his trewe religion whiche our forefathers hath kept from the beginninge For who knoweth not that this noble realme of England hath ben seduced euen now of late dayes thorough ignoraunce naye naye rather thorough stubbernes and for lacke of grace For they knowinge him as God honoured hym not as God but thinking thēselues wise became fooles Who euē among the symple people perceaueth not what intollerable abuses haue ben vnder pretence of true relygion and godlynes vsed and maynteyned in this churche of Englande As false interpretinge of Scriptures vtterly denying of the holy doctours and fathers of Christes churche but only such as made for their purpose Tyll suche tyme that it pleased hym of his infinite mercy to sende vs a newe Iudith by whose godlines the trewe light and knowledge of Goddes worde is nowe by her broughte agayne whiche frome the death of that noble prince her father Henry ye. viii was here in this realme extuncte and vtterly abolished to the vtter vndoyng of mens conscience but now thankes be to God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe it beginneth to springe and shyne agayne This noble Iudith is oure moost soueraygne Ladye Quene Mary a Princesse garnished with so many excellent giftes of grace vertue nature and fortune that she is in verye dede and therefore most worthely called the perfecte mirroure and pearle of al Christen Princesse To wade her in the prayse of her Princely qualities and noble actes it is not my purpose for that I know it to be an enterprise farre excedinge the compasse of my symple wyt and vnderstandynge But onely to declare howe muche we are bounde cheifly vnto God and next vnto her moost excellente highnes that we haue nowe oure olde and true religion broughte home agayne and are cured again through God by her of oure olde blyndenes that we were in by the medecyne of veritie For we nowe hauynge agayne the true knoweledge of God whiche oure forefathers hath lefte behynde them by wrytinge we begynne agayne to se and perfectly to knowe Christe to be in the Sacrament of the aulter whome to knowe perfectly is euer lastynge lyfe and saluation But so longe as the sayde Scriptures were falsely interpreted by Sedicious and false preachers and the true knowledge of Scripture kept frō the people fewe or none knewe Christ aryght and none lesse then they who toke vpon them to be the cheif professours and setters forth of Christes religion For what els is it knowe Christ but to beleue his worde Who sheweth me which is his word but the catholike churche For S. Augustyne sayeth I wold neuer haue beleued the Gospel but by the churche So that it appeareth therby howe greatly they are deceaued that wyll take vpon them to denye the olde fathers of Christes churche to maynetayne their vnthrifty purposes yea and not onely those but also certayne places of the Bible that maketh not for them For surely it is the holye fathers that sheweth and expoundeth vnto vs playnely the Scriptures which nowe of late hath ben in controuersy not with good men but with those that be of the euyl sort as hereafter shal folow whose iudgementes be verye godlye Teachinge vs truely to knowe by fayth howe that the body of Christ is in the Sacrament of the aulter because his wordes doth so euidently declare the same sayinge This is my body And forasmuche as these holye fathers hereafter folowynge hath left theyr myndes in wryting as concernyng the presence of Christes reall body to be in the Sacrament of the aulter and not only of this but of certaine other matters whiche hath ben in question vnto all people that wyll be saued none excepte For nowe thankes be to God I trust that Idolatry hypocrisye and all vngodlynes is cleane plucked vp by the rootes and that the trewe religion of God hath taken his place agayne Now is false doctrine exiled and Gods worde truely preached set forth Nowe is that abhomination and desolation pluckte downe and the true worshyppyng of Christ in the Sacrament set vp agayne Nowe I trust in almighty God that Englande hath forsaken all theyr abhominable preachers and teachers agaynst the presence of Christ to be in the Sacramente of the aulter with al theyr vngodly deuises and deuelysh inuencions For if that thou O Englande had that grace geuē vnto the of God that thou woldest call vnto thy remembraunce howe that this Iudith at the risynge of our Holifernus had the hartes of men and not the bodyes And that at the risynge and proceding forth of that pestiferous traytor Wyat had the bodyes and not the hartes and yet ouercame her enemies by the power of God it were suche a miracle vnto the whereby to cause the to forsake all thy noughty opinions and errours But yet this thou must thinke that it cōmeth by the mere mercy goodnes of almighty God towardes vs and not of our deseruinges who hath raised vp vnto vs now in these our latter dayes this noble Iudith a Lady of moost excellente giftes and singuler qualities whollye geuen to the study of vertue godlines Wherfore all Englande hath iuste occasion to reioyce at this youre graces doinges in that ye be so studious to call vs home agayne like lost shepe that hath runne astray to our olde and true religion whiche our olde fathers hath left behynde them from tyme to tyme besechinge almightye God therin to be your strength shielde and buckler Most humbly beseching youre grace most gratious Lady in good past to take this my good zele and diligence And in case any thinge shall not sufficiently aunswer your graces mynde or desire the same to impute rather to the lacke of facultie and knowledge then to any defaute of good wyll in me I shall here without
any farther circumstaunce of wordes commende and leaue this small worke to the diligent reading and folowinge of all true Christen people And with moost harty prayer beseche almightye God longe yeares to prosper and continewe the prosperouse estate of youre hyghnesse to th ende that by youre good helpe and meanes the deuoute people of this youre realme maye receaue this whiche is Gods procedynges and your graces gentle embracinges to theyr continuall helth and comforte both of body and soule to the wyll of GOD thorowe Iesus Christ oure Lorde To whom with the father and the sonne and the holye goost be all laude honor and glory both in heauen and earth for euer and euer Amen ¶ Anacletus byshop and Martyr in his firste Epistle written to all congregations GOd sacrificers his diuine mynisters ought not in any wise to be troubled but to be mayntayned vpholden and supported of euery mā Goddes sacrificers trewly while they execute that office ought not alone to be withoute wytnes of trew and iust performance of their deutie But being occupyed in this holy action to haue assistens coadiutors and hearers To the intent they maye be proued and tryed to haue perfectly sacrificed for the auctorite of the deuyne lawes approueth this Deut. xii in these words Se thou offer not thy sacrifice to thy lorde god promyscually in euerye place but in that place whiche the Lorde hathe chosen A Byshoppe sacrynge at the aulter let hym haue witnesse with hym as I haue sayde before yea and more then any other preist For as he sitteth on the higher pynacle of honor so it is behouable at his mynistrynge that there be present greater nombre of recordes vpon more solempne dayes A Bishop shoulde haue seuen fyue or thre Deacons at the least whiche be called his eyes with subdeacons and other ministers who clothed in holy apparelmentes before and behynde with preistes on euerye syde dyrectly of the right agaynst the lefte Contrite in harte and humble in spryt Standing also with vpright faces to the heauenwardes shall kepe hym frome all violence and vylanye And be prest with consent and saruice to further the sacrifice The sacringe fynysshed let them all communicate whiche be entred within the bondes of the churche degrees For such was bothe the Apostells origynall ordinaunce as is the Churche custome And in his seconde Epystle of ordinacyon of Archebyshoppes The accusacion of byshoppes and prests agaynst the which matter you haue consulted with vs ought not to be effecteous but at their handes who be fytte good and vertuous men voyde frome affections crymes and suspicyons For the lord will not the holy handelers of hys bodye to be dyffamed of vnworthy persones nor he hath geuen leue to bakbyte any of them For he him selfe with his owne bodely handes whipped the vnpreistly preists out of the churche Saynte Clement martyr the thirde from Peter CLement byshoppe in his fyrst booke of reknowlegementes to Iames the Lordes brother bryngeth in S. Peter thus speakinge In conclusiō I warned them that before we went forwardes to preache among al people the trew knowlege of god the Father that they shoulde be reconcylyd frome synne to God receauinge his sonne For other wayes is ther none to saluacyon or of declaringe oure good estate but by the grace graunted and inspyred by the holy goste They dyd hast to be washed in the baptisme of the thre folde inuocation but they dyd take the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ who onely ought to be beleued enest the things he hath taught And in his second Epystle to Iames the Lordes brother entyteled de sacris uasis uestibus Byshop Clement to his derely beloued Iames Byshop of Ierusalem Forasmoche as we haue so receaued and be so taught by saynt Peter the Father of all Apostels who toke the keyes of heauen how we shoulde vse the sacraments and what we sholde iudge and defende of them which are executed in the holy places it is semyng that I instructe you of the ordre of the same The sacraments of the diuine secrets are commytted to thre degrees that is to saye a prest a deacon and a subdeacon who with feare and trymblyng of god ought to gather or kepe together the fragments of the Lordes bodye Least any corrupcion be founde or stycke in the place wher the hoosts ought to be kept leste when it is negligently layde vp the body of oure Lorde shoulde be moche indamaged For the cōmunion of the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ yf it be neglygently delte and the preast do not regarde the admonyshments of lower offycers let hym be stryken with some greuous sequestracion and humbled or ponyshed with a plage Certes let so greate and large sacrifice be offered in the alter in quantytie as be suffycient for the rated nombre of people yf there be any surpluse remayninge after the dystrybucyon let thē not be reserued vntyll the next mornyng But lowly and dreadefully let the clerkes receaue them And they which do consume the residue of the Lordes bodye being lefte in the place of reseruacion let them not by and by go to gether to assaye or fyl them selues with commō meates lest they entermyngle other victuall to the holy porcyon which ought fyrst by degestyon to be conuayde into the innermost and entier parts Therfore if they take repast of the Lordes bodye let the ministers which haue so done in the morowe earely fast vntyl the syxe houre And yf they haue eaten the Lordes porcyon at the thyrde or fourth houre let them abstayne frō meate tyll nyght thus by secrete sanctyfycation the euerlastynge sacramentes are to be kept And it to loweth for the busines of the Lord ought not to be slackly accomplysshed Agayne and agayne we demaunde and commaunde of the fragmentes remanents of the body of our Lord the Chalice ordeyned for the vessel of our Lordes bloud let it be warely and dilygētly prepared by the mynister lest it scars clene washed by the deacon maye turne hym to trespas in offeringe Thus with al honestye such thinges as we haue before spoken of must be fulfilled And in the thyrd Epistle to the same entent of the office of preistes and clerks Therfore it is behouable to vs here ronnnig the rayce of this shorte lyfe in this vayle of mysery to perceaue acknowlege and wholy to confyrme vs to the will of almighty God where we ought what place is appoynted for the celebraciō of his sacrifices For it is not lawfull to do masse or any sacrifyce in any place but in ordynary places commaunded and alowed by youre owne byshoppe And consecrated by the cheif ecclesiasticall power in our dyoces For otherwise these holy things or deuties be not to be admynistred in the holy scripture both the new tholde testamente instructynge vs. This assertyon the Apostles haue receaued and lerned of our Lorde And this haue they delyuered taught vs. And these thinges we teache I ioyne
you all which haue in hand any spiritual charge to holde vse kepe and execute the same with oute any repyne or reprehension Here after foloweth the order of the wordes which Saynt Clement vsed in saying masse after this maner We desyre the O Lorde that thou wilte send thy holy sprite vpon this sacrifyce whiche maye make this breade the body of thy Christ and that which is in the cuppe the blode of thy Christ ¶ S. Denyse the Arapagyte whom Paule makyth mencion of in the Actes of thappostelles .xvii. Chapter and was his disciple SAynte Denyse one of the nomber of the seuere Iudges of Athens conuerted by Saynt Paule And by Saynte Clement with these holy men Rusticus and Elutherius sent into Fraunce In the thyrde parte of the seconde Chapter entreatynge of Ecclesiasticall gouernaunce In the last ende of al thinges dew to be done in perfight baptysinge The bishop calleth the baptyzed to the most holy Eucharist and geueth vnto them the Godly communion of the chefe and moste souerayne sacrament of the body blode of our Lorde Iesus Christ And in the fyrst part of the .iii. chap. Nor it is almoste Godly or right any deutye belongynge a preistes office to be executed oneles he accōplishe this diuine and moste riall sacrament of Euchariste And in the seconde parte of the sayde chapter And the principalles of the same order together with the preistes do put vppon the aulter the holye bread the chalyce of benedictiō when there hathe gone before an vniuersall prayse and confession of the hole quere That done the reuerente prelate makinge an holy prayer doth shew holy peace to all the congregacyon And when they haue one another saluted the mysticall reheresall of holye thinges is made And when the prelate and other preistes haue washed their handes the Byshoppe standeth at the myddes of the aulter All the onelye electe and chosen preistes that shall receaue taken oute of the nombre of the mynisters do stande aboute But the byshoppe as sone as he hath praysed and extolled the Godly gyftes maketh the holy and high misteries and sheweth openly those thinges whiche he hath extolled before hyd and couered with reuerent tokens And holdinge in sight reuerently the Godly rewardes he hym selfe is turned to the holy cōmunion of the Lordes maundeth and dothe exhort the people to take parte At the last communion receaued and geuen to all that come to receaue it he geueth thankes and fynyssheth the mysterys And in the third parte of the same Chapiter in this maner trulye whan that the last moste excellent bounty of God is praysed magnified the diuine drink and cuppe of blessynge is handled propoūded And it foloweth but marke this also that the reuerent tokens being set vpon the aulter by the which Christ is betokened taken and by by without delay the description of sayntes is there present declaringe their inseperable coniunctions and moste holye and high vnyon with Christe And it foloweth wherefore reuerently of his Byshoply office after his holy prayse of the diuine workes he humbly excusethe hym selfe for that he offeryth and sacrifyseth the helthfull hoost whiche is ouer hym cryinge vnto hym comely at fyrste sayinge Thou hast sayd do this in remembraunce of me Then thus great a mysterye being of God inymytation of hym selfe he doth require and praye to be made a semblable to Christ as frayle mā may that he maye bothe make the sacrament worthely and purely distribute it And that they who be aboute to receaue the holy communion may worthely take parte with hym And so he mynistreth the moste reuerente mystery and setteth them in sight propounded holilye vnder signes Either else he openeth and discouereth the couert and vndeuyded breade brekynge it in peces partynge one chalyce amonge thē all he dothe multyply shaply distribute the vnite of our Lordes blood contayned within the sayde chalyce Thus consumyth the holy mysterye For that wyne symply and secretly the bloud of our Lorde by his dyuyne worde in his assumption of our humayne nature hathe gone before and occupied place or he was entered that compound and visible signe of his incomparable bownty power wherein it is mercyfully made euident with how suer a knot of socyetye he hath fastened vs to hym ioyninge his diuine excellent existence to our earthy matters Surely let vs agre with hym euen as members with the body let vs be glued vnto hym by semblablenes of clene godly lyuing Lest murdered with vglye vyce we may be made vnmete for the dyuine and moste delicate members being not able to styck with him but slydynge into cōtynuance of naughty lyfe The wordes of the holy man Marcial which was sent of saynt Peter to preache the gospell A Sacrifice is offered vpon an alter vnto God not to man nor Angell Nor that is not onely done vpon an alter halowed but a clene sacrifyce is offered vnto God in euery place as he dothe testifye whose boody and blood we offer to optayne euerlastynge lyfe Truely euen the same offerynge which the Iewes made in despyte wenynge to haue abolished his name oute of the earthe whiche we make in the consecrate alter for our saluation knowyng beleuing onely by this remedy to attayne lyfe and escape death For this the Lorde commaunded vs to do in remembrance of hym ¶ Ignatius the disciple of Saint Iohn the Euangelist LEt the stable Eucharist be demed affirmydly the bodye and bloode of Christ And in his epistle that he writeth vnto the Romayns I desyre saith he the fode of God the heauenly fode of lyfe which is the fleshe of Iesu Christ the sonne of the lyuinge God who was borne in the last tyme of the fead of Dauid Abraham I desyre for to drynk the bloode of hym who is loue with out corruption and lyfe euerlastyng They do not admyt the Eucharist and oblations bycause thei do not confesse the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Sauiour Iesu christ which flesh suffred for our synnes whiche fleshe the father by his benignitye hathe steryd vp Saynt Alexander byshop the Fyrst martyr C.xx ¶ Alexanderin his Epistle to all churches IN the oblation of Sacramentes whiche be made solemply at masses the passion of our Lorde is to be mengled to the intente that his passion may be celebrate whose body and bloud is made so that all wicked and supersticious opynions abolyshed breade only and wyne myxte with water maye be offered in the sacrifyce for synnes and crymes therby are done awaye with the whiche oblations the Lorde is contented and pleased and will forgeue high and gretious offēces for what more myghty and suffering sacrifice maye be then of the body and bloud of Christ ¶ Saint Ireneus Polycarpus disciple in his .iiii. boke AGaynst the heresyes of Valentius and suche other We offer those thinges vnto hym whiche belongeth vnto hym preachinge accordinglye the communion and vnitie of fleshe and sprite for lyke
to be farre away and calleth Angelles to vs And the Lorde of Angels for where they se the Lordes bloud deuils fly away and angelles come to this bloudeshed wassheth all the worlde More saynges of Chrisostom in his Homily .xxiiii. 1. Cor. x. The thinge that is in the chalice is that which ranne oute of Christes syde we are partakers of it Liber iiii cap. iii. de dignitate sacerdotali O Greate good will of God towardes vs O myracle he that syttethe vpon the right hande of his father in heauen aboue is contayned in mennes handes in the tyme of sacrifice Homili XVii Episcopi ad heb ix ca. There is one bodye of Christ dayly offered in sacrifice and one Christ in euerye place where the Sacrament is which is here in this place full and there in that place also full or hole Homil. ad Antiochenum populum Helias the Prophete ascending vp left his mantell vnto his disciples but the sonne of God ascendynge vp into heauen lefte vnto vs his owne fleshe As for Helyas leauinge his mantell vnto his disciple left it from him selfe but our sauioure Christ hath both left his fleshe with vs and also taken it with hym selfe in his Ascencion Homil xlv super Iohannem It is not man that maketh our Lordes bodye and bloude of those thinges set forth vpon the table to be consecrated but it is Christe that was crucified for vs The wordes are pronounced of the preist and these thynges breade and wyne are consecrated by Goddes power and grace for he sayde This is my body By these wordes the breade and wyne are consecrated If a man loke in howe muche he is bounde to flesh and bloud To. li 6 〈◊〉 alogoruâ— Cap. 5. to be able to be made nigh to the blessed simple nature then diligentlye should he vnderstand that it were mete to honor preists by the grace of the holy gost Sacerdotes honorandi for by them these misteries be fulfilled other no lesse then these beinge so greate either because of our helth or els because of dignitie For they the inhabit erth and be conuersauÌ„t in it hath deserued to dispence heuenly thinges Potestatem ligandi et soluendi dedit hâ—meÌ„nibus non Angelis nec archâ— angelis they haue receaued power whiche god nether gaue to Aungels nor Archaungels nor it was not sayde to theÌ„ what things soeuer ye bind on earth they shal be houÌ„de also in heuen and what thinges so euer ye loose they shal be loosed The prynces of the world hath also a certayn power of byndinge but which is only laufull in bodyes Que sacer dotes aguÌ„t in terris Christus confirmat in celis but this boÌ„de which is commyt to preistes it goyth to the soule passeth to heuen That those thinges that preistes do beneth God dothe also confirme in heauen and corroborateth the sentence for it is no other thinge to be called but woodnes to contempne that misterye Sine sacramento Eucharistie nulla salus nec promissa red duntur with oute which neither is helthe geueÌ„ vs nor those good things that be promysed shoulde be geuen for none shal be able to go into the kingdome of heauen but those that be borne agayne of water and of the spirite And he that eateth not the fleshe of oure LORDE and drynketh not his bloude shall not haue lyfe euerlastynge which be made with no other handes then with the holy handes of the prest Solue sacerdos coÌ„secrat nor can haue the rewarde of promyses nor escape the fyer of hell but by the office of these things These be they that bring vs forth in a spirituall generation and execute them by the generation of baptim by them we be clothed with Christ and by them we be ioyned to the sonne of God by them we be also made members of that blessed head ¶ Saynt Ambrose was within .cclxxx. after Christ in his .iiii. boke of sacramentes the .xiiii. cap. WHo is the author of the sacramentes but our Lorde Iesus these sacrameÌ„tes came froÌ„ heauen for all counsell is frome heauen but verely greate Godly is the myracle that God rayned from heauen to the people Angelles foode Exod. 16. And the people labored not and yet did eate Thou perauenture sayest my bread is had coÌ„meÌ„ly in vse but this bread is bread before the sacramentall wordes but after consecration hathe approched of bread is made the flesh of Christ Let vs therfore fortefye and approue this how it which is breade can be the body of Christ by consecration Of what wordes than and of whose sayinges consisteth the consecration euen of our Lord Iesu for by al other thinges which are spoken prayse is offered to God and prayer supplication is made for the people for the kynge for other thinges But whaÌ„ it is come to passe that the sacrameÌ„t worthy to be honoured must be coÌ„secrated now the preist vseth not his owne worde but the wordes of Christe Therfore the worde of Christ doth make or consecrate this sacrameÌ„t Whiche word of Christ it truly by the whiche al thinges are made The Lorde commaunded and heauen was made The Lord commauÌ„ded and the earth was made The lord commaunded the seas was made The Lord coÌ„maunded euery creature was begotten borne Seest thou than how mighty in working the word of God is therfore if so great power strength vertu be in the word of our lorde Iesu the thinges whiche were not began to be howe muche more is it able to worke that the things were might be chaunged into another thing heaueÌ„ was not the sea was not Psa 14 â–ª the earthe was not But here the prophet Dauid speaking of god he spake the word the thinges were made he commaunded and the thinges was created Than let me answer it was not the body of christ before the consecration but after the consecration I say vnto the that now it is the body of Christe He spake the word and it was done he commaunded and it was created Thou thy selfe was but thou was an olde creature After that thou was dedicated to God baptisyd thou began to be a new creature Wylt thou knowe how new a creature thou arte Euery man saith Saynt Paule is by Christ anew creature here therfore 2. Cor. 5. lo the worde of Christe hathe bene wonte to chaunge euery creature and chaungeth whan it will the customes and ordinauÌ„ces of nature Thou requirest how Harken And fyrst of all let vs take example of Christes generation The custome is that man can not be generate but of man and woman and wedlocke company but bycause it was our Lordes pleasure who choose this Sacrament Christ was borne of the holy ghost and of a vyrgyn that is to saye the mediatoure of God and men Christe Iesus verye man Than thou seest that against the custome and order of nature a man was borne of a
Of the excellencie gretnes of this Sacrament se what he saith As ofte as ye shall do this so ofte shal ye make a remembrance of me vntil I come Therfore we hauing in mind his most glorious passion resurrection from hel his ascentioÌ„ to heaueÌ„ we do offer vnto this spotles sacrifice reasonable host bloudlesse offering this holy bread and Cuppe of lyfe euerlastyng We bothe aske and pray the that thou woldest take this oblation into thy high alter by the handes of thy holy Angelles as thou haste vouchesafe to receaue the rewardes of thy Iust seruante Abell and the sacrifice of our patriarke Abraham and that which the high preist Melchisedech hathe offered vnto the. Therfore how oft soeuer thou dost receaue what saith the Apostel to ye. Howe ofte so euer we do take we do show the Lordes death If we showe deathe we showe remission of synnes Remission of synnes howe ofter so euer bloude is shed it is shed in remission of synnes I muste alwaye take it that my synnes maye be remytted I that alwaye do synne muste alwaye haue a medison De Sacramentis li. 6. Cap. 1 For as our Lorde Iesu Christ is the true sonne of God not as men by grace but as a sonne of the substaunce of his father So is it the veray fleshe as he sayde and the veray bloude whiche we drinke But perauenture ye may saye how veray fleshe I that se the similitude se not the truthe of the bloude Fyrst I tolde you of the worde of Christ which worketh that it is able to chaunge and conuert kyndes of nature institute Farthermore whan his disciples dyd not take the worde of Christ but hearinge that he wolde gyue them his fleshe to eate and his bloude to drynke they went backe yet Peter onely sayde thou hast the wordes of lyfe and shal I go from the Therfore least that mo shoulde saye so as ther were a certayne fear of bloud but that the grace of the redemer might abyde styll therfore in a similitude thou takest the sacrameÌ„t but yet thou gettest the grace and vertue of the true nature In his firste prayer at masse I O Lorde remeÌ„bringe thy passion do come vnto thyne alter all though I be a synner that I may offer to the that sacrifice which thou dydest ordayne and commaunde to be offered for our saluation in remembraunce of the. Aduersus uigilantium I reproue all opinions agaynste the churche openly condempne theÌ„ Amb. de fide ab Garcianum Away with Argumentes where fayth is sought Thomas had a greate cause to maruel when he saw Christes body brought into the house with oute hurte through the gates closed whiche coulde not be passed through with mennes bodyes Saynt Ambrose in his boke De spiritu sancto lib iii. Cap. xii It is therfore no meane question and therfore we should the more diligently consyder what is the fotestole For we reade in a nother place heauen is my throne and the earthe the fotestole of my fete But yet the earth is not to be worshipped of vs because it is a creatur of God And yet let vs se though lest the Prophete name the earth to be worshypped which our Lord Iesus toke in the takinge of fleshe So theÌ„ by the fotestole let the earth be vnderstand then by the earth the flesh of Christ which we do now worship also in the misteries and which the Apostelles as we haue before sayd worshiped in our lord Iesu for christ is not deuided but one S. Augustyne Fo. xxxviii Here begynneth the sayinge of Saynt Augustyne priore contione Psal 33. Cum fugerit Dauid Saul persecutorem iniquiens ait Christ was borne in his own haÌ„des CHrist was borne in his owne handes Howe can that be in man Who can vnderstand for who is borne in his owne handes A man may be borne in other mens handes no manne is borne in his owne handes Howe it may be vnderstande in Dauid after the letter I fynde not in Chryste we fynde Christ truely was borne in his owne handes when he geuing his bodye sayth This is my body That body verely was borne in his owne handes Contra literas Petiliani Lib. ii It is another passeouer that the Iewes do celebrate with a shepe an other that we celebrate in the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Christe in Sacramentes fewe in nombre moost excellent in signification hath bounde together a felowshyppe of newe people As baptysme is consecrate in the name of the Trinitie Ad Ianuarium Epi. 118. and the communicatynge of the bodye and bloude of hym And if anye other thynge be commended therin Scriptures canonicall it doth playnely appeare what tyme the Apostels toke fyrst the bodye and bloude of oure lorde that they dyd not take it fastynge is it therfore to accuse maliciously the vniuersall churche that it is alway receaued of the fastynge For that cause it pleased the holye gost that in the honour of so great a sacrament that the bodye of our Lorde shoulde firste enter into the Christian mouth before other meates Therfore thoroughout all the worlde this maner is obserued Let vs heare oure Lorde not speaking of the sacrament of baptysme De peccatorum merites et remissionem but of the sacrament of his holy table Except ye eate my fleshe drynke my bloude ye shall not haue lyfe in you What do we seke more What can they aunswer to this excepte with stubbornes they do bend their brawling synowes contrary to the cleare trueth Was not the Lorde ones offered in hym selfe and yet in the Sacrament not onely by al the solempnities of Easter but euery daye to the people is offered Nor he doth not lye Omni die populus immolatur which beynge demaunded dyd aunswer him to be offered For if the Sacrament had not a certaine similitude of those thynges whereof they be Sacramentes they shulde not be Sacramentes at all Therfore they be called sacramentes because one thing is seene in them another thinge vnderstanded That which is sene hath a bodelye forme Epistola ad bonifacium that whiche is vnderstande hath a spirituall frute He that taketh the mysterye of an vnitie and kepeth not the bonde of peace he taketh not the bonde of mistery for hym selfe but a wytnesse agaynst hym self I remember my sayinge when I dydde treat of Sacramentes I told you that after the words of Christ that whiche is offered is called breade but when the wordes of Christe is spoken then it is not called bread Ante consecrationeÌ„ pa. drÌ„ post consecrationem corpus appellatur but it is called the bodye Therefore in the Lordes prayer we pray Oure breade but as it is sayde in greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supersubstancial not that whiche goeth into the bodye but that of eternall lyfe which vpholdeth the substaunce of our soule Quâ—tidie Take dailye that maye dailye profite the. So lyue that
whether the body of a perfight man maye be vnder so litle a broken peace of breade And many such other folysh questions which behoueth with sobernesse to be entretyd of amongest suche persons as haue theyr wyttes exercysed in disputynge reasonyng vpon souche high matters But as vnto the laye people it dothe suffise that they do beleue that after the wordes of consecration be once by the minister spoken ouer the creatures of bread and wyne that ther is incontinent the very body bloud of our sauiour christ which nether can be deuided nor yet receaue any hurt nor is not mete to receue any maner of iniury whatsoeuer chauÌ„ces do become of the outward formes of bread and wyne For if the sacred body of our lorde should be throwne into the myre or into any vyle gonge or any otherwise vnto any irreuerent parsonnes thinkinge should be iniured or soylde in dede the mooste iniury that can be done vnto it is whan it is receued into the mouth of a wicked synfull parson whiche is sore soyled spotted with greuouse and odible sinne Now surely it is therfore sittinge for our christian religion to entreat and order the outwarde formes of breade and wyne of the holy sacrament with all due reuerence But as concerning the very body of our Sauiour it self lyke as God after his nature is no lesse glorious in a vyle synke than he is in heauen and canne by no malyce of man or chaunce by man or otherwyse happeninge receaue any hurt or iniurye no more can the glorified body of our sauiour Christe what iniurye soeuer be doone vnto the outewarde tokens of breade and wyne And to be breife agaynste all doubtes and seruples of mannes weake knowledge Lette vs fyrst call to oure myndes the immesurable power of God vnto whome nothinge is impossible yea vnto whoÌ„ ther is nothing but it is light to be done so it be his pleasure that it should so be whiche saide Take eate This is my bodye And in a nother place of the same Epistle he saithe At the masse tyme the Angelicall sprites do with moste humble reuerence staÌ„de a boute the Alter ther to do there worshippe and lowly reuerence he also is there present whome all the heauenly hoostes of blessed sprites do desire to behold and loke vpoÌ„ And a litle after Let all preistes therefore consider the highnes of their profession whan they do staÌ„d at the aulter they haue aungels to minister vnto them These be the wordes of the famous clerke Erasmus Rothorodame whereby all Christian people maye knowe what was his opinion in the Sacrament not disagreing from the olde fathers here before written ¶ Thomas Cramner in his Cathechisme in the .cc.xxxv. lefe of the fyrst syde CHrist sayth of the breade this is my bodye and of the cuppe this is my bloude Wherefore we ought to beleue that in the sacrament we receaue truely the bodye and bloud of Christ For God is almighty and he is able therfore to do all thinges what he wyl Wherfore when Christ taketh bread and saith Take eate this is my body we oughte not to doubte but we eate his very body And whan he taketh the cuppe and saith Take drinke this is my bloude we ought to thinke assuredly that we drinke his very blode And this we muste beleue yf we will be counted christiâ—n men And where as in this pâ—â—illous tyme certayne dysceytfull persons be founde in many places who of very frowardnes will not graunte that there is the body and bloude of Christe but deny the same for none other cause but that they can not compasse by mannes blynde reasone howe this thinge shoulde be brought to passe ye good children shall with all diligence beware of suche persons that ye suffer not youre selues to be deceaued by them For suche men surely are not true Christians neyther as yet haue they learned the firste Article of the Crede whiche teacheth that God is almyghtye whiche ye good children haue already perfectlye learned wherfore eschew suche erronious opinions and beleue the wordes of oure Lorde Iesus that you eate and drinke his verye boâ—â—e and bloude in the Sacrament aâ—thoughe mannes reason cannot comprehende howe and after what maner the same is there present Wherfore doubte not good chyldren but there is the bodye and bloude of our Lorde whiche we receaue in the lordes supper For he hath sayde so and by the power of his worde hath caused it so to be Wherefore seynge Christ sayth do this as often as ye do it in remembraunce of me it is euident thereby that Christe causeth euen at this tyme his bodye and bloude to be in the Sacrament after the maner and fasshion as it was at that tyme when he made his mauÌ„dye with his disciples For else we coulde not do it in the remembraunce of hym that is to saye to receaue his bodye and bloud euen so as he hym selfe dydde geue it to hâ—s disciples And let not the folysshe talke of vnbeleuers moue you who are wonte to aske this question How can the preiste or minister make the bodye and bloude of Christ To this I answere that the mynister dothe not this of hym selfe But Christ hym selfe dothe gyue vnto vs his fleshe and bloude as his wordes dothe euideÌ„tly declare In the .cc.xxxiiii. And this is the meanynge and playne vnderstandyng of the wordes of the Lordes supper Wherfor learne them diligently I praye you that when ye be asked what is the coÌ„munio or the Lordes supper ye maye answer it is the true bodye true bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ hymselfe to be eaten and dronken of vs Christen people vnder the forme of breaâ—e and wyne ¶ In the fyrste booke of common prayer set forth by kynge Edwarde the syxt fol. c.xvi HEre vs O mercifull father we beseche the and with thy holy sprite and worde vouchsafe to blesse and sanctifye these thy gyftes of breade and wyne that they maye be vnto vs the bodye and bloude of thy moste dearly belouyd sonne Iesus Christ And in the .cxxi. lefe And ye muste not thinke lesse to be receaued in parte then in the hoole But in euery of them the hole bodye of our sauiour Iesu Christ ¶ Of prayinge for the deade BE liberal vnto al men liuinge yet let not to do good euen vnto them that are dead Ecclesiasticus .vii. Set thy bread and wyne vpon the burieng of the iust and eate and drinke not therof with synners Tob. iiii So he gathered of euery one a certayn insomuch that he brought together two M. Dragmes of siluer whiche he sente vnto Ierusalem that there might a sacrifice be offered for the misdeede In the whiche place he dyd wel and right for he had some consideration and ponderinge of the lyfe that is alter this tyme. For if he hadde not thoughte that they whiche were slayne dyd yet lyue it had ben superfluouse and vayn to make any vowe or sacrifice for them