hereticke was accused before the Archbishoppe who theÌ„ was Thomas Arundell of Canterbury for that he made not reuerence vnto the B. Sacrament the Archbishop most louingly exhorted him to honor so worthie a SacrameÌ„t and the hereticke answered him most impudentlie that the spider was more worthy to be honored theÌ„ the Eucharist which wordes he had scarcely ended before that an horrible spider of vnmeasurable greatnes miraculously fell downe froÌ„ the roof of the church by his thred which he weaued and went towards the sacrilegious mouth of the hereticke for to enter therein to do reueng for such wicked blasphemie Tom. 2 cap. 63 contra VViclesum Thomas waldensis who with diuerse other Prelats was theÌ„ ther present writeth this miracle 26 In Constantinople it was vsed that when as any consecrated particles did remaine to call froÌ„ the schoole pure and innocent childreÌ„ to whom they gaue the particles which were left It hapâ—ed vpon a time that emongest these childreÌ„ was also the sonne of a iewe a glassmaker a cheefe enimie vnto Christians This Iew vnderstaÌ„ding that his sonne had receaued the most B. Sacrament came to be so furious that being blinded with passion he cast his owne sonne into the furnace of glasse which burned extremely the mother not knowing of this wicked facte of her husband went vp and downe the Cittie searchinge for her sonne with sheding many teares and making much lamentation the third day standinge at the dore of her shop neare vnto the fornace shee be wailed her lâ—st sonne and with sorowfull sithes she often named him at length the sonne hearing the voice of his mother answered her out of the slaming fornace This Miracle is written of Euagrius l. 4. c. 36. of G. egorius Turonensis of Nâ—â—ephâ—rus Calistus li. 17. c. 25. wherefore the mother ranne presently vnto him and seeing her sonne in the midest of the flame miraculously kept and preserued was much moued with this miracle and knowing the cause thereof she left her Iudayisme and became a Christian and this matter being related vnto Iustinian the Emperor be caused the father being a Iewe to be punnished as a killer of his owne sone 27 In Bauaria neare vnto Inâ—olstade was a certaine simple contrie man but deuout who by meanes of keeping of his cattell could not go euerie feast to â—dore the Blessed Sacrament in â—he Masse wherfore he secretly â—rocured a consecrated particle â—nd put the same into a hole in â—is staffe which he had made â—or this end and purpose and on â—he feasts when as he could not go vnto the Church he sticked â—is staffe into the grounde he â—neeled downe vpon the earth with his knees he adored the B. â—acrament he said the Rosary of our Lady and did other his â—euotions he had also an other â—affe which serued him to guid â—nd direct his cattell It happeâ—ed vpon a time that the beasts â—hich he kept being moued either with the change of the wether or els by some other accident did runne vp and downe hether and thether he for to gather them togither first cast after theÌ„ his ordinary staffe after that hastely the other wherin was the Blessed Sacrament but presently perceiuing of it he became very sorowfull for this fact and kneeling downe to take vp the staffe the earth where the staffe lay suncke lower lower the more that he bended him selfe to it the more it still did sincke at length sorowfully raising vp him selfe he saw all his cattel kneeling round about the ditch adoring our Lorde with which Miracle this good man was much amazed with great lameÌ„tation went to declare this wholle matter vnto his Parish Preist who related it vnto the Bishoppe which presently came with solemne Procession vnto the place and with great reuetence and humility tooke vp the staffe wherin was the blessed Sacrament and in this place for memory of this Miracle builded a goodly Church which was called the Church of our Sauiour hether came greate concourse of people who tooke for deuotion some small quantitie of the earth of the ditch I knowe not what Author hath written this history in Italie But I haue ben in this place I haue sene the ditch I haue visited this Church In the which I thinke that as yet is painted this miracle 28 In the Citie of Nouiamage in Gelderland In the way as the Parish Preist carried the blessed Sacrament vnto a sicke woman were two yong heretickes playing with egges of Easter which should more speedely swallowe vp their egges And the blessed Sacrament being past by one of these two yong men said I will sooner swallow vp this egge theÌ„ that wench will that Diastro God for so in dispite he called the B. Sacrament and presently therewith put the egge into his mouth which miracuously did sticke fast in his throate and this miserable wretch fearing least that he should be choaked therwith tooke a tallowe candell put the same into his throat for to make the egge go downe a maruailous thing all the tallow of the candel went froÌ„ the weke and was setled round about the egge and moued it nothing at all This miracle hapned Anno Domini 1561. 8. die Aprilis et scribitur a Tillma no BredeÌ„hachio lib. 7. Sacrarum collet c. 60. and ass he drew forth againe the weeke this miserable hereticke fell down dead became so blacke and so brutish that he seemed to be rather a diuel then a man Afterwardes his throate was opened and they found the egge towards the rout of his tongue with which chastisment Christ shewed him self to be the trew God and not a Diastro as that wicked heretike called him 29 It is written in the booke called Promptuarium Exemplorum and Cesarius rehearseth it also how that a certain woman perceauinge that her Bees did yeeld her litle fruite but died pitifully through the counsaile of an other she put the Blessed SacrameÌ„t into one of her Bee hiues and coming afterward to see if her Bees had gathered any more store of honie then before they did she found in that hiue a little Chappel of most white waxe which the Bees had made with marueilous arte in the middest wherof was an Altar with a Piâ—e wherein was the Blessed Sacrament The Bishoppe being aduertised heâ—e of came in Procession to take forth the Blessed Sacrament and caried the same in to the Church with coÌ„mon ioy reioicing of the whole people 30 Vnto that which now lastly I meane to speake of I my selfe haue bene an eie witnesse In Rome Anno Domine 1563. In the Hospitall of S. Iohn Lateran A young Turke about twentie yeares oulde hauing remained some yeares in Ancona with his father a marchant of Turkie in the end fled from his father vnto Rome where finding no other refuge he put him selfe to serue a GentlemaÌ„ with whom he went to Church heard Masse and because he had perfectlye gotten the Italian tongue he was
this is meere madnes for if the world bee one of thy three deadly enimies how wouldest thou with out thy owne manifest ruine accommodate thy selfe vnto the world and follow his liking Doest thou knowe what a thing it is to with drawe thy selfe from frequenting the Blesled Sacrament for the vaine pratling of the world It is no other then to be ashamed and to account it dishonour vnto thee for to be a good and vertuous Christian Luc. 19 wherefore with good reason Christ will be ashamed to receaue then in to heauen W. If I should often communicate I must necessarily giue good example vnto others I must be watchfull ouer my selfe I must depriue my selfe of recreation and sports and this would make me loose my libertie and consequently it would bring me into a consumption or to bee old before my time S. Albeit you do receaue but once a yeare yet not withstandinge you are bound to giue good example vnto others and you know how great offence it is to giue scandall vnto any one Moreouer often receuing taketh not away recreations and sports but rather it doth blesse alow them so that they by lawfull honest and where as you say that thereby we loose our libertie it is false for that if you thinke by not communicating you may lawfully do what you list you deceaue your selfe for whether you receaue often or seldome you are bounde to shunne and auoide sinne yea rather whosoeuer for recreation sporting doth offend his creator looseth trew libertie by making of him selfe a shame vnto sinne and he looseth trew mirth which proceedeth from a good conscience which this foolish world vnderstandeth not W. To receaue this holy Sacramēt it is necessary that the partie which receueth should haue a quiet and contented minde but this can not be often had for the greate aduersities and manifold troubles of this life wherfore it is not conuenient to receaue so often S. The troubles and aduersities of this life miserable banishment ought rather to pricke vs farward to frequent this Blessed Sacrament which emongest many other effectes giueth vs force and strength to resist all aduersitie as the Kingly Prophet well signifieth saying Parasti in conspectu meo mensam aduersus eos qui tribulant me Psal 22. Thou hast prepared in my sight a table against those which trouble me for which cause in auncient time the holy Eucharist was giuen vnto such as were to suffer Martir dome that they might be valiant in their torments W. If I should once perceaue that God did cal me to communicate often I would do it very willingly S. But tell me I pray you when you say the Rosarie of our Blessed Ladie Visite the Churches or els do other your deuotions do you perceue your selfe to be called of God to do those deuotiōs W. Noe. S. Whie therefore doe you them W. Because these things seeme good vnto me the Preachers do often commend and praise them S. But receauing the Blessed Sacrament without all comparison is farre better and more profitable then all these and it is so greately praised of all Saints and holy writers and so greatly healpeth vs to the obtaining of eternall glorie that most worthely the holy Church calleth it Pignus futurae gloriae the pledge of future glorie Antiph what calling wold you haue more then this W. Yet notwithstāding I dare not go often vnto this sacred table because I haue so many wicked habites that they make me often to commit a thousand imperfections S. This I haue alreadie answered in my former words either thou doest trewly desire to haue those wicked habits taken from the or not If thou earnestly desirest it the most holy Sacramēt being receaued with dew preparation will giue thee such force and vertew that thou maist easilie plucke vp by the rootes all euell and wicked habits as it is very plainly to be seene in many who by frequenting this beauenly meat of sensuall are become most spirituall persons W. Your reasons do plainely conuince me and very willingly I would communicate but I feele inmy selfe no deuotion S. You would with tendernes of hart sigh weepe and lament but this is not altogither necessarie neither in this consisteth trew deuotion which maketh any one to receaue worthelye teares of hart are sufficiēt which are sorow for our offences passed and a firme purpose of abstaining from them from hence forward And he is trewly deuout who in all thinges conformeth him selfe to the will of Almightie God wherfore I would not haue you to abstaine from receauing because you feele neither sithes nor teares for these as before I haue saide are not necessarie and God giueth thē to whom it pleaseth him W. To tell you the truth I rest wholie persuaded that it is much better to receaue often then seldome but to speke sincerely that which I thinke it is tedious vnto me to go so often vnto confessiō to make other preparations to receaue worthelie the most sacred body of our Lord moreouer my busines are many and some hinder me to performe this worke S. This is a manifest temptatiō of the deuill who to depriue you of the fruit of this diuine Sacrament maketh both Confession and other preparations for the blessed Sacrament to seeme tedious vnto you furthermore busines doe not hinder our good workes but when we will our selues for when we resolue to frequent this sacred table we shall easely find time enough to do our affaires with out abstaining frō this blessed Sacrament And when as we should find any difficultie wisdome willeth vs that matters of greate importance should alwaies be preferred before things of lesse moment now then I leaue you to consider with your selfe of what importance it is to receaue our Sauiour into our soule Finallie remember how that the Kingdome of heauen as our Sauiour him selfe sayeth suffereth violence and therefore to obtaine the same Mat. 11 we must needes take labour and paines W. It is trew as you say and therefore I yeeld my selfe ouer come and resolue to frequent this most wholsome Sacrament but yet I would gladly knowe your opinion how often Ishould communicate S. In this you shall doe much better to take counsaile and aduise of your spirituall father and to be obedient vnto that which he shall aduise you and so doing you shall accompanie the receiuing of this Blessed Sacrament with the vertue of obedience which is very gratefull and pleasing vnto Almightie God W. But I pray you faile not to tell me your opinion therof s. My opinion is all one with that which is extāt in the booke de Ecclesiasticis dogmatibus the author wherof was Alcumus an ancient writer and not S. Augustine as it is commonly cited where it is writtē in the 53 chapter after that he had said to receaue euery day I neither praise nor blame he presently adioined these wordes Omnibus tamen diebus Dominicis Communicandum suadeo
hortor si tamē mens sine affectu peccādi sit I perswade exhort men to receaue euery Sonday so that their mind be without affection purpose of sinning And thus it seemeth vnto me that it should be sufficient for thee to receaue euery 8. day and in the more principall feasts which happen within the weeke If at other times thou findest deuotion and desire of communicating thou maiest demaund leaue of thy Confessor and if he shall denie thee thou must not be so importunate as to enforce him thereby to geue thee leaue but it shall be much better by obeying of him prōptly to mortifie thy selfe Other daies and lesse principall feastes thou maist communicate spiritually for that therby thou wilt feele great help for thy soule Of spirituall receauing the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar CHAP. XXII FOR that spirituall receauing is very fruitfull and profitable for soules I will here breefly intreat therof that deuout persons knowing what it is how it ought to be donne may likewise comfort and profite them selues therby I will speake therfore offower thinges First wher in cōsisteth spirituall receauing Secondly what fruit it bringeth vnto the soule Thirdlye what preparatiō it requireth and the maner how to practise it Fourthly how gratefull it is vnto Almightie God 1 Concerning the first it is to be noted that as well spirituall receauing as Sacramentall communicating are gronnded vpon faith because that a partie beleeuing that in the Blessed Sacrament remaineth our Lorde author of all our good he is moued to receaue him seeing that for this end he hath lefte him selfe vnder the forme of bread that we therby shold feed our soules wherfore when as really we receaue the cōsecrated Hoast it is called Sacramentall receauing but when we receaue it onely with affection desire it is called Spirituall receauing To receaue therfore Spiritually is no other then to desire with affection of hart the Blessed Sacrament that by meanes therof we might be vnited and incorporated with Christ our Lord. And after this maner are to be vnderstood these words of S. Ambrose Non manducans māducat Some which eate not the body of our Lord Sacramentally do eat the same Spiritually 2 Concerning the second it is to be noted that the fruit which Spirituall receauing bringeth vnto our soule is the grace of the felfe same Sacrament with some other effectes for as he which being moued by the holy Ghost beleeueth repenteth him of his sinnes and louin gof God desireth to be baptised receaueth the grace of Baptisme and this desire to be baptised is called of diuines Baptismus flaminis euen so the like is also in this Sacrament It is very trew as the holy Councell of Trent noteth Ses 13. cap. 8. that he which communicateth spiritually receiueth not all the effectes of the blessed Sacrament as he doth which being worthely disposed and prepared receaueth also Sacramentally wherof I haue spoken before in the Annotation of the fourth Meditation S. Thom. Opusculo 58. cap. 19. towards the end maketh mention of three effectes of spirituall receauing The first is remission of sinnes The second is deliuerie from eternall death The third is trew participation of the sacred body of our Lord to eternall saluation 3 Concerning the third it is to be noted that the preparation and manner of spirituall receauing cōsisteth in these 5. points First when as the partie is readie to heare Masse let him purpose in minde to communicate spiritually praying vnto our Lord to vouchsafe to make him partaker of the fruit of this venerable Sacrament Secondly brefly let him examine his conscience repenting him of his defectes and demaunding pardon of Almightie God with purpose of amending of confessing of them at dew time and of him selfe he may do some little pennance Thirdly when the Preist is at the Offertorie he shall also offer vp him self vnto our Lord praying him againe to make him partaker of the vertue of the most holy Sacrament and for this end he shal pray vnto the most B. Virgin or some other of his deuoted Saints to be his intercessors Fourthly when as the Priest is ready to cōmunicate let him recollect him selfe as if he would communicat Sacramentally and afterwarde with deuout affection let him receaue the holy Eucharist mentally into his soule Fiftly finally let him giue thankes vnto Almightie God That which is here spoken of the holy Masse is not said for that it is necessarie for the partie which would communicate spirituallye to heare Masse or to do these thinges in the time of Masse because that he may do thē in his chāber out of Masse diuerse times in the day But I haue spoken this for that spirituall receauing is more easelie donne and with greater deuotion in the time of the holy sacrifice of the Masse 4 Concerning the fourth thing which is how gratfull vnro Almightie God is spirituall communicating or desire of Receauing the holy Eucharist this I say may easely be vnderstood by these miracles 1 S. Ambrose drawing neere vnto death was much afflicted for that he carnestly desired to communicate and could not expresse the same by wordes because he had lost his speach But Almightie God three times in the night called vnto Honoratus the Bishop of Vexcells and willed him to go and giue the blessed Sacrament vnto Ambrose his seruant who seeing the sacred body of our Lord exulted in spirite and receaued the same deuoutly 2 Marullus writeth in his 4. booke and 12 chapter that whē as S. Onufrius liued in the wildernes of Egipt and was most desirouse to communicate Almightie God euery eight day sen tone of his Angells to bring him the B. Sacrament and so he communicated at the hand of the Angell with his greate contentment and comfort 3 A Souldier called Segundo being conuerted and baptized of the holy Martirs SS Faustinus and Iouita desired most earnestly for to be cōmunicated these two Saintes praied vnto God for him and behold there came a faire Doue which brought in her mouth a consecrated Hoast which Faustinus because he was a Priest tooke with great reuerence and therwith communicated Segundo the Souldier Ita Vigl de fruct sanct discor 27. 4 Iacobus de Voragine in a Sermon of the holy Sacramēt writeth rhat a certaine woman hauing demaunded the blessed Sacrament of her parish Preist and not obteining it at his handes remained much discomforted and retired her selfe into a corner of the Church where shee wept and lamented bitterly but behold a venerable Prelate entered into the Church accompaned with diuers Clearkes who demanded of this woman wherfore she wepte and vnderstanding the cause he willed her to come vnto the place where as the blessed Sacrament remained where taking forth a consecrated Hoast he cōmunicated her saying Let this my body giue thee true saluatiō By which wordes the woman vnderstood that this Prelate was Christ our Sauiour the Curate comming afterward vnto the Altar finding
Hierome a litle before his death demaunded the most holy SACRAMENT which being brought vnto him he caused him selfe to be placed on the grounde vpon a sacke where kneeling hee communicated with many teares Eusebius iâ— eius vita S. Iohn Crysostome in his sixt booke of Preisthood writeth that in his time a venerable and deuout oulde man sawe a great multitude of Angells with great brightnes to stand about the most holy Sacrament and bowing downe them selues they did reuerence thereunto in maner of souldiars when as their Captaine is present with them or else passeth by them The same S. Crisostome Homelia 60. ad populuÌ„ AntiochenuÌ„ speaketh vnto vs after this manner Thinke O man how much thou art honoured of God and what table thou enioiest when as thou doest communicate for that the Angells seeing it doe tremble and by reason of the greate brightnes which commeth froÌ„ thence they dare not freely to behold it he saith yet farther Vnus sit nobis dolor hac mensa priuari For no one thing we ought to be so much greued as when we are depriued of this table And the same Saint Homelia 61. calleth this Blessed Sacrament the Miracle of misteries of the lawe of CHRIST in the which our Sauionr hath giuen vnto vs his body to shew vnto vs the desire which he hath towards vs for to make vs the selfe same thing with him selfe which is only proper vnto those which loue most intierly And in Homelia 45. in Ioannem he saieth that by receauing of this blessed Sacrament we become terrible vnto very deuills and that we ought to rise vp from this table in maner of Lions which breatheth forth fire S. Cirill Bishoppe of Alexandria In Ioannem lib. 4. cap. 17. exhorting vnto deuotioÌ„ to wardâ— this B. Sacrament saieth that it doth not only driue away death but also deliuereth vs from sicknes quieteth the crewell disordinate lawes of our members strengtheneth our deuotion and pacifieth the perturbatioÌ„s of our soule And Christ being receaued of vs as a good Pastor which yeel deth his life for the safegard of his sheepe deliuereth vs from the perilles of this trouble some life S. Thomas of Aquâ—ne Opusâ— 57. after that he had called the B. Sacrament a pretiouse banquet marueilous wholsome full of all sweetnes to induce vs â—o deuotion towardes the same â—e adioineth these wordes sayâ—ngâ— that no one Sacramente is â—â—ore holesome theÌ„ this for that â—â—ereby sinnes are purged verâ—ues do increase and the soule is â—atted with the aboundance of â—â—ll spirituall goodnes the sweerâ—es wherof no one is able worâ—â—ely to expresse for that in it â—â—irituall sweetnesse is tasted in is owne proper fountaine He â—aieth moreouer that CHRIST â—nowing that his disciples wold â—e sad and sorowfull for his deâ—arture from them he left vnto â—hem this Sacrament as an only â—olace consolation vnto them â—nd also to the wholle militant Church Againe he affirmeth â—hat this SacrameÌ„t doth not onâ—y helpe the liuing but also the â—â—ead S. Ignatius in Epist 10. ad Ephes saieth that by this blessed Sacrament is expelled and driuen away the power of Sathan who directeth his actions like so many fierie dartes to induce vs vnto sinne Cap. 25. OF the fruites of this marueilous Sacrament many haue written as Richardus in 4. sent dist 11. S. Thomas Opuse 98. from the 21. chapter vntill the 25. But yet all may be reduced vnto these twelue pointes 1. it reuiueth 2. it releaseth 3. it inflameth 4. it giueth patience 5. it nourisheth 6. it restoreth 7. it vniteth 8. it Communicateh 9. it healeth 10. it conscrueth 11. it streng theneth 12. it conducteth S. Bernard saieth that it is the proprietie of the holy Eucharist to make man meet to receaue correction patient in traiuells ardent in loue prompt to obey and douout in thankes giuing S. Vincentius addeth an other which is that this diuine Sacrament is the best remedie of all others to escape the paines of Purgatorie for that by frequenting of this blessed Sacrament it diminisheth the paines dew vnto sinnes that are past S. Laurentius Iustinianus here noteth that as corporall meate doth nourish vs and causeth vs to increase albeit that we doe not perceaue it Euen so this diuine Sacrament comforteth and strengthneth oursoule with increase of grace although we per ceaue it not Cap. 26. Now concerning the reuerentiall feare which ought to be had of this so greate so dreadfull a Sacrament I haue haue noted some things First S. Luke in the Actes of the Apostles cap. 1. Math. cap. 27. do write that sacrilegious Iudas hauing alrea die suiour and now going about to deliuer him into the Iewes handes and did not withstanding communicate with his peruerse intention at the end seeing that Chirst our Sauiour was condemned Laqueo se suspendet crepuit medius essusa sunt viscera eius He hanged him selfe with a halter burst in the middest and all his bowels gushed forth which were so crewell against his bening Maister and benefactor S. Paule likewise 1. Cor. 11. writeth of the CorinthiaÌ„s that many of them were sicke and diseased and many died not only spiritually but also corporally because they vnworthely receaued the body of our Lord. S. Iohn Crisostome Homeli 6. Adpopulum Antiochenum saith If thou art offended against Iudas because he betraied Christ our Sauiour likewise against the Iewes because they crucified him what wilbecome of thee if after so many benefites which Christ our Lord hath bestowed vpon thee by being made man by suffering and by dying for thy loue thou neucrthe lesie receauest him with a soule defiled with sinne Et Homelia 83. in Mat. he saith that God will vse great reuenge not only against those which vnworthely do coÌ„municate but also against them which knowing such to be wicked and vnworthy do communicate vnto them the blessed Sacrament furthermore he saith Eucn as corporall meat finding the stomacke full of bad humors doth hurt and greately offend him which receaueth it Euca so the most holy Sacrament being spirituall meate finding malignitie and wickednes in the soule doth ruine and destroy the same which proceedeth by the fault of him which receiueth the same with an ill dispositioÌ„ S. Augustine affirmeth the like in the place before cired saying that they sinne no lesse who receaue Christ with a hart defiled with sinne then they did who deliuered Christ vnto me Iewes that they should crucifie him S. Hierome in a certaine Epistle vnto Preists hath these words Tell me wicked catiue saith he who receauest the B. SacrameÌ„t how darest thou with those lips tokisse the sone of God with the which thou hast kissed a struÌ„pet O Iudas with a kisse betraiest thou the sonne of man S. Bernard tractatu de modo viuendi ad sororem sermone de communione Saith The body of our Lord is life vnto them in whome Christ doth liue and it is death vnto them who by their owne faulte are members
Germanie three miles distant froÌ„ Oenipont But some yeares past the sacred Hoast and the Altar stone were transported to Isprug for feare of heretickes who being enemies vnto this most venerable Sacrament seeke by all meanes they can to hide suppres the worthie miracles therof Tilmannus Bredenbachius lib. 1. SacraruÌ„ collationum cap. 35. 5 When as s. Iohn Chrisostome did conuert by his learned Sermons and preachinge a cheefe and principall Hereticke who had so wonderfull desire to reduce his wife also vnto the trew faith that for seeing her obstinatly to resist it he told her plainly that vnles she would become a Catholicke he would be separated from her The wife fearing to be diuorced from her husband feigned her selfe to be coÌ„uerted and to shew her selfe a Catholicke went to communicate with other Catholickes But because she was afraide to receue the sacred Eucharist she procured that a faithfull handmaide of hers should secretlie bring from her house a particle of bread verie like vnto that which was giuen vnto the communicantes and when it was time she couertlye tooke that bread of her seruant and feigning that it was consecrated she put the same into her mouth which miraculously was turned into a stone This woman being affrighted and terrified with this Maracle went presently vnto the holy Bishoppe S. Chrysostome made manifest this fact vnto him and shewed him the stone in the which was to be seene the biting of her teeth the substance of which stone was no common matter but altogither vnknowne and the color thereof was maruailous faire this woman therefore casting her selfe downe at the feete of this holy Bishoppe with teares demaunded pardon and being repentant for her obstinacie and wicked dissimulation was trewly conuerted wherefore she was reconciled vnto the Church liued Catholickely with her husband This miracle is writen by Nicephorus Calistus lib. 13. cap. 7. and by Sozomene lib. 8. cap. 5. 6 Rodolph Conte of Aspurge being one day a huntinge there came a great tempest of raine and meeting by chaunce with a Preist that went alone he asked of him whether he went in that greate raine The Preist answered that he went to carrie the Blessed Sacrament vnto one of his parishioners lying sicke in the country Rodolphe presently dismounted from his horse knee ling downe vpon the ground he humbly adored the most holy Sacrament Afterwardes he tooke of his owne cloacke and put it vpon the Preist to whom also hee gaue his horse and he him selfe went by a foote to accompany the blessed Sacrament vnto the poore sicke countrie mans house The good Preist admiring the piety and courtesie of the Countie gaue him very harrie thanks humbly beseeched the diuine goodnes of Almighty God to rewarde him for it amaruailous thing within a smal time after Radolphe the County was chosen Emperor his Successors Arch-Dukes of Austria Princes and Kings of innumerable Countries Wherefore it may trewly be saide that the greatnes of the house of Austria sprang forth from deuotion and pietie towardes the most holie Sacrament Theatr. vitaehum vo lum 27. lib. 3. titulo Sacrorum 7 Pascasius libro de corpore Dominicap 14. writeth how that a Preist very godly and holy did pray instantlye ynto Almightie God that for his owne comfort he might see our Lord in the coÌ„secrated HOast he obteined this fauour and sawe our Sauiourin the forme of a most faire young child with which sight he receiued incredible consolation The same Paschasius saieth that God is wont to do the like miracles either for the confirmation of simple persons as was the aboue saide miracle of S. Gregory the Pope or els for the consolation of those which loue him most ardently as was the example of this good Preist 8 S. Ambrose in the funerall Oration of Satyrus his brother saith that as Satyrus sailed the shippe being broken he made shipwracke fell into the sea and was accounted for dead but because he had communicated before he was imbarked by the vertue of the most blessed Sacrament he was saued otherwise he would haue bene drowned as were the rest of his company 9 A Iewe being desirous to see the misteries of Christians went into their Church and heard deuoutly the Masse of S. Basill at the EleuatioÌ„ of the sacred Hoast he saw therin the litle child Iesus very gratious and amiable to behold with which vision he was incrediblie comforted and when as the people did communicate he also did the like and reserued a peice of the coÌ„munichine for to shew vnto his wife and telling her also the vision which he had sene of the childe Iesus and praising the misteries of the Christians he endeuoured to cause her to beare good affection vnto them The day folowing without any longer delay he went forth to seeke out Saint Basill and rehearsing vnto him the wholle successe of this matter woulde be baptised of him Amphilochius in vita Basilis Cirus Prodroma in his Epigrames 10 In the time of S. Bernard there was a poore man but a good ChristiaÌ„ who by the witch crafte of his aduoutrouse wife was greatly tormeÌ„ted both day and night by means wherofnis flesh was wholly coÌ„sumed This poore man was brought vnto S. Barnard who vnderstaÌ„ding the paine which he suffered tooke compassion vpon him making his brethren to bring him into the Church and taking in his hand the Pixe wherin was reserued the B. SacrameÌ„t he put the same vpon his head presently the poore man was deliuered from all witchcraft made altogither whole that by himselfe hee went well home vnto his house Gulielmus in vita Sancti Bernardi lib. 1. cap. 10. 11 In the booke called Pratune Spirituale cap. 30. It is written how that in Dade a citie of Ciprus was an hereticlâ—e called Isidorus who would by no means that his wife who was a Catholicke should communicate for which cause he sett spies ouer her vpon a time hee knowing that his wife was gone into the house of one of his neighbours to communicate the hereticall husband ranne forth and came vnto her when as she had euen then communicated wherfore being altogither furiouse hee tooke his wife by the throate did so gird the same that by tousing and tossinge of her to and fro hee enforced her to cast vp the blessed Sacrament and not contented here withall for greater contempt dispite be trod traÌ„pled vpon the B. SacrameÌ„n but presently he saw a flame of fier which carried one high the sacred Hoast where-with the Hereticke remained somewhat a mazed Two daies after this fact was done appeared vnto him a very blacke terrible man saying vnto him Isidoro I and thou are condemned vnto the one selfe same punishmeÌ„t But who art thou said Isidorus he answered and said I am he which buffeted Christ in the pre sence of Anna wherwith Isiderus being afraid he gaue himselfe to do very hard and sharpe penance 12 It is written in