traditam etnat in so weyghtye a matter And we maye be sure that the churche hath alwaye the true vnderstaÌ„dyng of the scripture for as muche it is alwaye gouerned by the spirite of veritie Wherfore the expositions of suche catholyke and auncient wryters are to be thought of muche more trueth then are the false newe fangled expositions of those that wyth theyr gaye gloses confoundeth the text and swarueth from the whole churche of Christ The auncient wryters vniformely doth vnderstande this place of saynt IohnÌ„ to be ment of the blessed sacrament as you shall see that lysteth to reade and can iudge in theyr workes And for the trial hereof I shal recyte here some of the mooste auncient of them Origenes super numeruÌ„ Homilia 7. Origene wrytyng vpon the nuÌ„bers allegeth the same texte of S Ioh. vnderstandyng it of the holy sacrameÌ„t whose wordê be these ✿ Those thyngê that were done before were done obscurelye but nowe are they in theyr owne nature and veritie accomplished before baptisme was obscurely in the cloude and in the sea but nowe the generation is in the own nature in water the holy goost Then was the meate obscurely iÌ„ maÌ„na but now it is in the owne nature and the fleshe of the sempiternall worde of God is very meate accordyng as Christ said My flesh is verely meate and my bloode is verely drinke Crisostome also sayth vpoÌ„ the .vi. of s IohnÌ„ in this wyse Ioh. 6. Crisostâ—Ì„e in IoheÌ„z ✿ Christe sayth he in these wordes I am the bread of lyfe spake of the breade of hys diuinite or Godhed but by and by he wyl entreate of the mysteries sygnifinge the sacrameÌ„t for so doth Criosostome cal it Yet First he here disputith of his diuinitie sayng I am the breade of lyfe For this was not spoken of that body of whom about the ende of this chapter he speaketh of sayng And the bread that I wyl geue it is my fleshe For the diuiniâ—ie of him was bread bycause it was god the worde or the second person in trinitye euen as this bread is made by coÌ„myng therunto of the holy ghost the celestiall bread Now be holde good reader how diligently apertly Criosostome maketh distinctioÌ„ and puttyth differeÌ„s betwene the wordes that were spoken of the diuinitie of Christ and the wordes that Christe spake appertayning-vnto his bodye vnder the mysterie of the holy sacrament And sayth that from these wordes in the syxt of saint IohnÌ„ And the bread that I wyl geue it is c. and so vnto the ende of the chaptre Christ speaketh of the blessed sacrament Nowe where our peruerse herytikes denyeth that anye worde in this chapter apperteynyth or was ment of the sacrament they haue here Crisostome an auncient wryter ther aduersarie who expoÌ„dith the latter part of thys chapter vnderstandyng it of the blessed sacrament Cyrillus in IoheÌ„z Cyrill vpon saynt IohnÌ„ declaryng the vi chap. vnderstandyth it also of the blessed sacrament whom he nameth the misticall benedictyon and saythe vpon thse wordes of Christ Except you eate the fleshe of the son of man and drynke his blood you shall haue no lyfe in you ✿ And how he wyll geue sayth Cyrill hys fleshe to be eaten he teachith them not for thei cold not perceaue yet how greate benefites they sholde obtayne yf they eate it in faythe He declareth ones or twyse that by the loue and desyre of eternall lyfe they myght be forced vnto faythe whereby they myghte be the easelyer and soner taught For thus sayth Esaie the prophete Yf you wil not beleue you shal not vnderstaÌ„d Wherfore it was neccesarye firste to radicate faith in the mynde and theÌ„ to aske the thynges that a man ought to seke and enquyre But they before they beleued inquired and asked importunely For thys cause oure Lorde howe it shulde come to passe dyd not declare but exhorted theÌ„ to enquire it by fayth But wheÌ„ his disciples had firme fayth then he brake breade and gaue them saynge Take eate this is my body the cuppe also he gaue aboute saynge Drynke of thys al this is the cuppe of my blood that shal be shede in remission of synnes Nowe thou ê‘ceauist that he declared not the difficultie of the misterie vnto them askyng without faythe But when they had faythe he declared vnto them without askyng These are Civil wordes ✿ Saynt Cipriane Ciprianê° suê‘ orationem dominicam the martir expouÌ„ding the pater noster vpoÌ„ this peticioÌ„ Gyue vs this day our dayly bread saythe Christ whose body we do touche is our cottidiane bread this bread we do desire to be geuen to vs euery day lest we that are in the church do receyue oft times the holy sacrameÌ„t of the aulter for the bread of our helth by anye great or notorius cryme abstainiÌ„g seperated froÌ„ the celestial bread shuld be seperated froÌ„ the bodi of christ he pÌ„achiÌ„ge warning vs him selfe I am the bread of lyfe that came frome heauen yf anye eate of this he shal liue euer The bread that I wyll geue it is my fleshe for the lyfe of the world Then where he sayth that he shall lyue euer that eateth that bread it is manyfest that he speaketh of them that toucheth Hyllarii de trinita te lib. 8. his body And after the maner of coÌ„munion receyuith the blessed sacrament ✿ Hillarie in his eight boke De trinitate vnderstandith this sixt chapter of IohnÌ„ to be spoken of the sacrament and so doth he allege it I wold haue brought in saint Augustine with manye moo holy wryters but the breuenes of a sermon wyll not suffer so longe matter Wherefore I refer the reader vnto saynt Augustines fyrst boke against Cresconium the .xxv chapter also to the fyrst boke De precatoruÌ„ meritis et Remissione the .xxx. and .xxiiij. chapters and vnto many other of his workes wherin he playnly declareth him selfe to vnderstand this syxt chapter of IohnÌ„ of the blessed sacrament And so doth all the catholyke wryters vpon the scriptures take and vnderstande vniformely thys place of scrrpture For they expound interpret the same of the blessed sacrament Vnto whose expositioÌ„s any cristyane man yf he be not besydes hym selfe wyll geue more credite then vnto the erronyous and false gloses of blasphemus apostataes frome Christes fayth For in such serious matters of the fayth Augustinê° post Yre Eligo in bis verbis hoc intelligere quod oiÌ„s vel pe ne oiÌ„s frequeÌ„tat ecclesia the fathers wold neither flater neither faine but in the feare of God speake the verite of scrypture accordyng as they beleued to be the truthe theyr conscience berynge wytnesse Whose fayth vnderstaÌ„ding was none other but the fayth and the vnderstanyng of the churche of Christ which cold not erre Wherefore firmely staÌ„deth the veritie of thys text maketh most euidently for the real presens of the body and blod of Christ in the sacrameÌ„t by cause
glorifyed forme How can it be impossyble vnto Christ to geue agaynst all natural phylosphye vnto accydental qualytes perfect subsystens sythe he agaynst al natural power gaue lyfe to the dead syght to the blynd borne heryng to the deaffe and health vnto all vncurable deseases This lytle nuÌ„bre of myracles most deare reader that I haue collected out of the moost sacrate byble are suffcyent to induce and lede a christiane harte in whome is anye sparke of faythe remaynynge vnto a beleue and faythe of the myracles and supernaturall workes of God the whych the catholyke fayth hathe euer beleued to be wroughte in this moost sacrate sacrament and to coÌ„fesse faythfully that the vnmesurable myghte of Goddes power infynytlye can do more then the in fyrme and weake inbecilitie of nature can do And the wysedome of God infinitly excedeth the small and narrowe compasse and capacitie of mans wytte or reason Wherfore fayth is it that maketh these thynges credyble Esaye the prophete sayth Nisi credideritis non intelligetis Esay 7. Except you beleue you can not vnderstaÌ„d Let vs then beleue them not onely possible lest we shulde derogate the infinite power of God but also to be of a very truethe so wrought of God For thys fayth hath the catholyke churche of Christe retayned continually from the apostles tyme hetherto Also here vnto both the scriptures gyueth testymonye and wytnes and also the moost auncient wryters mooste apertlye and euidently testifyeth the same as shall be manyfestlye declared in the nexte two sermons by Goddes adiutorye and assystans To whome be immortall glorye power raygne and impyre worlde with out ende Amen ⧠HOC EST COR PVS MEVM Math. 36 Marc. 14 Luce. 22. 1. Cor. 11. ¶ Thys is my bodye AMonge many thinges appertaynynge concernyng the sublimitie and dignite of this mooste venerable and holy sacrament thys maketh not a lytle for the worthynes and the catholyke veritie hereof That ther are more fygures lefte vnto vs wrytten vnder the lawe naturall and the lawe Moysaical the which prefigured thys blessyd sacrameÌ„t theÌ„ are of ani of the other sacramentes The which figures by the synguler wysedoÌ„ of god were preordeyned set in vse loÌ„ge before the institutioÌ„ of this holy sacrameÌ„t as a preaÌ„ble an introductioÌ„ towardes the coÌ„myng of the more holy more ê‘fect sacrameÌ„t Thre causes why ther were so many figures of the blessed sacrameÌ„t that for .iij. causes The fyrst is that where the woÌ„derful excelleÌ„cie manifold vertues of this blessyd sacrameÌ„t could not be sufficiently expressed by one fygure it was therfore necessary that in many soÌ„dry figures they shuld be signified The second is by cause that there be in this holy sacrament many moo harder thynges to be beleued then are in anye of the other sacrameÌ„tes Therfore the hyghe wysedome of god of his mercyfull clemencye hath sent before very many fygures to in structe the stubburne and rude hart of man towardes the faith and beleue of thys mooste wonderfull and sacrate sacrameÌ„t The thyrd cause is that where almyghtye God by hys fore knowlege seyng a farre of the great and manyfolde assautes that the deuyl by his false preachers and lewd ê“phetes shuld make agaynst the treuth and veritie of thys holy sacrament he preparyd therfore that by these as by very propheties the people myght be stablyshed agaynste the greate number of those detestable heresyes that shulde be styrted vp by indurate Iewes and obstynate herytykes agaynst the true and catholyke fayth of this moost sacrate venerable sacrament For whiles we se and reade in the holy scryptures so many fygures of this holy sacramente we are led and trayned to the beleue of the very thynge it selfe whiche must nedes excel these figures as the body doth the shadow the verytie the fygure Wherfore this is as manifest as the sonne that they swerue cleane oute of the way of the fayth of Christ that say or beleaue that in thys sacrament is not that veray bodye of Christ but as it were in a fygure For so shulde not the verytie excell the fygure and Manna shuld be as good as the sacrament of thaluter The redde sea as good as baptysme Thus shulde we equall the synagoge wyth the church of Christ For the bodye of Christe was in Manna as in the figure and baptisme in the red sea as in the fygure But certaynly the fygures are passyd abolyshed and theyr verites are substituted and set in theyr place Except that we wyll I saye make equal not rather preferre the sacramentes of Christes church aboue the fyguratyue sacrifices of Moyses sinagoge as the erronious germanians doth But agaynst the error I wyll sette saynt Paule who wrytyng vnto the Hebrews putteth an euydent discriminacyon differens in fewe wordes betwene the olde figuratiue sacrifices of the sinagoge the effectual sacramentes of Christes church sayng Heb. 10. The lawe hauyng the shadow of the good thynges to come not the veray image or fashyoÌ„ of the thynges theÌ„ selfe Here saiÌ„t Paule sayth that the sinagoge had nothiÌ„g but the only shadow not the very image of the good thiÌ„gê But the church of christ hath the good thyngê in their owne fasshyon By the which good thynges paule ment not only the effusioÌ„ of Christes bloode that one moost perfect sacrifice but also al the other holye sacramentes the which in the vertue of that sacryfice worketh the remissioÌ„ of sinnes or conferryth grace and the benyfyttes of god vnto vs. These saynt Paule calleth the good thynges to come Also vppon this texte of saynt Paule vnto the corinthiaÌ„s 1. Cor. 10. Al these thinges hapened vnto them in a fygure The golden eloquent mouth Crysostome Crisostomus in primam Pauli epiâ—tolaÌ„ ad Cyrinthi sayth that ✿ we readinge how seuerly regorously god hath punyshed the abusers of the fygures shulde stand in feare of a greatter plage punyshmeÌ„t yf we mysuse the verities as those that haue receaued the greatter more excelleÌ„t giftê benifities ✿ It appereth mooste clearelye by these wordes of Crisostome that the sinagoge had onely the barren figures which are now abolyshed the spouse of Christ the catholyke churche possesseth the verities In this matter Origenes 7. homilia super numeros also with vs Origene recordeth vpoÌ„ the booke of numbers sayng ✿ Moyses his were baptized in the red sea the figure of baptysme but we chrystyaÌ„s are baptised in the water spirite the verite of the figure The israellites dronk of the water that the rocke stone did minister myraculously vnto theÌ„ but we receaue the water of eternall lyfe whiche gusshed out of the syde of Christ as out of the meritorious welhead the very true chosen corner stone The Iewes were fedde with angelical MaÌ„na Ioh. 1. the fygure of Chrstes bodye but the church of Christ hath his very body in the sacrament of the aulter ✿ For as
the prestes hed at the masse into the ayre calleth vs vnto remembrans how Christ was lyfted vpon the crosse and hong in the ayer vntyll all hys bloode was spente And the bloode bodye of Christe vnder the forme of wyne lyfted vp also at the masse admonyssheth vs to remember the effusyon of the same bloode vpon the crosse And thus verye lyuelye it sygnyfyeth and representeth vnto vs in the sacryfyce of the masse the holy memoriall of the precious death passioÌ„ of Christ The other significacyon of the sacrament is the mystical bodye of Chryste that is to say the whole church of Christ For in the forme or shape of breade is represented vnto vs the vnion and coniunction of al the menbres of Christ vnto theyr hed Christ and the vnyon and conexion of eche membre vnto other in that mysticall bodye For lyke as of many granes of where ariseth one lofe and of many grapes ysseweth one lyquore of wyne so of many distynct persons of Christen men and women resulteth and cometh but one mystical body of Christe as saynt Paule saythe we many are but one bread and one bodye 1. Cori. 10. in that we al be partakers of one breade This mystical bodye of Christe is not onelye signified and represented vnto vs in the blessed sacrament for so myght any other prophane breade be a sacrament or signe and such a sacrameÌ„t was the shew bread of the temple but also this blessed sacrameÌ„t worthely receaued doth effectually cause the vnion kepeth that body for it knytteth and kepeth to gether the lyuely membrers of Christe and knytteth theÌ„ also vnto the hed christ and combynyng the members together with the hed it maketh but one body of christ his church Not only spiritually for that dothe also fayth and charitie wythout the receauynge of this sacrament but also by the admirable power of God it coÌ„uerteth oute nature in to the naturall bodye of Christe and so maketh vs Ephe. 5. the meÌ„bres of hys body as saint Paule sayth and of hys fleshe and of hys bones These are the two sygnifycatyons of the blessed sacrament The one that is the reall body of Christ is not onely signyfyed but is also contayned in the sacrament The other that is the mystycall bodye of Christe is not onely sygnified but is also in maner caused and continuyd by the worthye receauynge of this holy sacrament Thus is the blessed sacrament a sygne or a sacrament but yet a great deale more worthier and a more excellent sacrament then were any of the olde sacramentes of the olde lawe for they neyther contayned neyther wrought that thinge that they signyfied August de 17. ciuitate dei cap. 20. ✿ The fathers also hauinge respect vnto the thyng that is chestye sygnifyed in the sacrament whyche is the naturall bodye and bloode of Christe they named the sacrameÌ„t as they myght ryght well a sacrafice This sacrameÌ„t is named is a sacrifice ✿ By cause it is the onely sacryfice that succeded in place of al the figuratiue sacrifes whiche were offered vp in figure significacioÌ„ of this most ê‘fect sacrifice that was offered vpon the crosse and redemed the worlde And the very same now also is the busie contynual and dailye sacrifice of the church Ciprianê° 2. lib. epist epistola 3. ad CeciliuÌ„ ✿ Saynt Cipriane in many places but specially in hys second boke of epistles callyth it a sacrifice whose wordes are those in the second epistle ad Cecilium ✿ The sacrament of the sacrifyce of oure lord was prefigured in Melchisedech the preest accordynge vnto the scripture whyche sayth Gene. 14. And Melchisedech brought forth bread and wyne for he was the preiste of the hyest and he blessed Abraham And that he beareth the figure of Christe the holy goost declareth in the Psalmes by the persone of the father vnto the son sayng Be for lucifer I haue begotten the. Oure Lorde dyd swere and he repenteth not Thou art a prest for euer accordynge vnto the order of Melchisedech The whyche order commyth by the same offeryng For hereof it procedeth and comyth By cause that Melchisedech beyng the preeist of the hyest offered bread wyne bycause that he blessed Abraham For who is more rather or more aptly the preeist of the hyest then our lord Iesus Christ The whych offered sacrifice vnto his father he offered the same that Meschisedech dyd offer that is bread wyne that is to say his body bloode I do omyt of purpose Crisostome diuerse other by cause I wold be breue Collect now diligeÌ„t reader of these former thingê what we do honor what we do offer in this blessed sacrameÌ„t Note what thynge we do honour and what it is that we do offer in the blessed sacrament We do not ê“perly honour the outewarde aparens of the sacrameÌ„t which is the forme shape of bread wine but we do honour the thing couered verely contained vnder the formes shapes of bread wyne which is none other theÌ„ the very real body blod of our sauiour christ We do not offer at the masse proprely those formes or shapes of bread wyne as a sacrifice for they are no sacrfyce neyther do we cal or name theÌ„ a sacryfice but we offer vp vnto God the father at the masse the very blessed bodie blod of our sauior christ not crewelly sleyng him for so he was offered but ones but with a lyuely louely memorie of chirstes death passioÌ„ we pÌ„sent in maner of an oblatyon the same very bodye bloode now impassible geuynge thankes vnto hym for that inestymable and ineffable mercye that he hathe shewed vnto vs mysers and synners in reconsylynge vs hys ennymyes vnto hym selfe by the deathe and passyon of hys onelye sone Iesus Christe oure Lorde And with this bodie blood of our sauior Christ our hed we offer vp also vnto our father celestiall the whoole bodye mystycall of Christes churche geuynge vnto hym thankes also for the creatyoÌ„ redemptyon and iustificatyon hereof Commyttynge it vnto hys mooste godly and mercyful tuition besekynge him that he vouchsafe to pacifie to kepe to knyt to gether and to gouerne rule it thoroughout al the hoole world The sacrament is named Dynaxis Saynt dyonyse the grecyan namyth thys sacrament synaxis that is communyon or coÌ„men pertakyng by cause there is sygnifyed effectuously wroughte by this blessed sacrameÌ„t not onlye the vnyon and knot of Christes meÌ„bres vnto the hed Christ but also there is sygnyfyed and in verye dede there is by it a coÌ„men partakynge of al gostly goodnes whyche is in eche of the membres or in the hoole For as much as by the condigne and worthye receauynge of thys blessed sacrament we are made one with Christe and incorporated vnto hym therfore by this coniunctioÌ„ and incorporatyon we are made commen partakers wyth the other membres of the grace and
goodnes as well of the whole body as of the hed Christe And heare vnto agreyth the artycle of oure fayth where in we saye and beleue the communion of sayntes Trewly thys commen partakynhe of the graces gyftes of God can not be better or more effectuously exibyted or geuen to vs then by the receauynge of thys blessed sacrament for by it we be incorporated vnto Christe from whom descendeth and commeth as from the welhed all grace and goodnes in to euery membre and that whyche is geuen vnto the membre dothe not a vayle and profyt onelye that member but it is for the profyt helpe of al the other meÌ„bres Therfore is this sacrament iustly called the commen partycipatyon for as moch as by it the members are knit to the hed eche vnto other wher by they all partake of the hed and eche of other ✿ Of some of the fathers this sacramente is named Eucharistia The sacrament is called Eusharistia whome Orygene agaynst Celsus dothe expond The good grace and playnly it may be called the good grace and that congruently for as moche as it dothe contayne in it selfe the plenitude and well of all grace that is Christe of whome IohnÌ„ wyttneshethe ✿ Full of grace and veritie and of hys plentyfullnes we all haue receyued ✿ Where deuout Bernard sayth we do receaue not one grace but we receaue all grace And some do interprete Eucharstia Thankefulnes or geuynge thankes and thys is not ilicoÌ„gruent For ther is no thynge that we haue a greater cause to geue thankes to God then for thys oure daylye and mooste necessarye celestiall foode Neather can we geue vnto God more acceptable thankes then by the frequent and of receyuynge of thys mooste blessed sacrament the blessed memoryall of Christes deathe and passyon The sacrament is called our Lordes foode or meate But amonge al other saynt Hyllary callyth it the meate of oure lorde or oure lordes foode and playnly he affyrmeth that we eate and receaue in this our Lordes fode the fleshe that is the sempiternall worde of God by the whyche meate he collecte the that we are made one wyth God the father for by eatynge of this meate we are sayth he incorporated and made one wyth Christe and Christe and the father be one therfore we beynge by this meat made one The sacrament is called our vytayll or waifaring meate wyth Chryste we must nedes be made one wyth the father Saynt augustyne in his second loke intituled of the uisitacyon of the sicke nameth it oure vitayll or wayfarynge meate bycause that this blessed vytayll geueth incomparable strenghe vnto vs trauelynge in the tedious iornaye of thys myserable lyfe and helpeth vs vnto a mooste perfeete and fortunable consummatyon and end of so werye a iornye Wherefore this is the consell of saynt Augustine O my sone refuse not to receaue that heuenly supplement of oure Lordes bodye but rather mooste gredely and mooste ernestly speake for it and eate it mooste faythfully for it is meate incomparable meate inestable and it shal be to the thy vyatycall or wayfarynge vytall a meate mooste helthsome the pryce of thy redemptyon the monument or memorye of thy redemer Hetherto appertayneth The sacrament is called the banket or feast that Ierome calleth the blessed sacrameÌ„t the banket or feaste for thus wryttynge to Hedibian he sayeth Moyses gaue you not the verye or trewe breade from heauen but our lorde Iesus He is both the geaste and the feast he eateth and is eateÌ„ Thus saynt Ierome nameth thys mooste sacrate mysterye in the whyche he playnly sheweth that we do eate the heaueÌ„ly delicates that is our very lord Iesus and there can be no meate more delitious more pleasant or more plentyful of suauitie and swetnes theÌ„ this is For yf Manna the shadowe of this heaueÌ„ly meate had in it al delitiousnes and comprised in it selfe all maner of suauitie swetnes howe muche more hath the veritie it selfe whych is the well â—â—grace and all goodnes suê‘ aboundantlye all maner of delectable swetnes The sacrament is named the mysticall benedictioÌ„ ✿ Cyrill amonge the rest of the names peculiarly nameth it the mystical benediction or the spiritual blessynge bycause that Christe wyth his diuine benediction at hys supper iustituted the blessed sacrament And therfore also Paule doth call it the cuppe of benediction Vpon the whych place of Paul Crysostome wryting sayth It is no lytle or smale thing the Paul nameth it the benediction for when I name BenedictioÌ„ I name the good grace which is the sacrament and in namynge that I open all the treasure of the benignitie and goodnes of God And I also do remembre wyth the cuppe the great innumerable gyftes and benefites and what so euer that we haue receyued at the hande of God ✿ It may ryght wel be called the spirituall blessynge For vndoughtedlye God almyghtye dothe blesse the worthy receyuers hereof wyth all spirituall blessynge that is he replenysheth them wyth inestimable gyftes of hys grace and augmeÌ„teth the former vertues and graces wyl bringe them at the length vnto the blessynge of eternal lyfe For thys is the blessynge that Christe promysed the whyche Manna could not bring neather gyue the eaters therof For they that dyd eate thereof dyed in deserte but yf any eate of thys breade he shall not dye for euer Nowe gentle reader thou haste herde a parte of the inestimable treasure of grace that lyeth hydden in thys blessed sacrameÌ„t sygnifyed by these dyuers and sondrye names that these auncient and holy fathers gaue vnto this ineffable sacrament Yet of the varietie and dyuersitie of the names thou muste not iudge diuersitie of opinion as concerninge this sacrament amonge them but as I haue sayd they hauynge dyuers respectes considerations gaue accordynge to theyr considerations to thys blessed sacrament dyuers names And thus they meanynyge one thynge and beleuyng vnyformely one thynge in expressynge theyr fayth in that one thynge vsed dyuerse names And certaynly that one thynge that they beleued of this sacrament was none other then that the catholyke fayth of the churche whyche in theyr tyme and sythe hathe and dothe yet beleue that is the reall presens of the naturall boodye and bloode of Christe in the blessed sacrament as shall apere mooste euydently by the testymonyes of the sayd auctient and holy wryters that I shall recyte here foloynge to the numbre of .xxiiij. he the wryt lateast of them lyued not this .vi. C. yeare These haue I broughte in for wytnes wyth me not by cause that theyr were no me wryters in all the other tyme of these .vi. hundered yeare syth but by cause that I haue not seen theyr workes and they are not so commenly had as these are whose workes I haue named I lefte oute also all the wrytters that hathe bene in the church this .vi. hundred yere bycause that they be so well knowen and be so many of them that I myghte be
very profitable vnto the symple and rude people for whome onely I haue prepared thys homlye thyng to shewe what scriptures auctorities of auÌ„cient wryters and what reasons that they allege for the mayntenaunce of theyr heresyes in answerynge vnto them to shewe breuely howe they disceaue and are disceaued Yet I wyll not brynge in all suche auctorities and places that they allege For I truste in God so to answere and declare suche as I shall reherse here that it shal be easye for a diligent reader to perceaue the craft and disceat of them in all other For certaynly suche scriptures as they brynge in eather they serue nothynge vnto the purpose eather they be glosed wyth theyr owne faÌ„tysed and false expositioÌ„s And as for the testimonies of the auÌ„cient wryters they bryng in very few But they are alleged as sincearely as faithfully as they allege the scriptures For eather they be truncate and be but lompes of the wrytters sayngê lackynge the parte that shulde make the reste playne open eather they be infarced and patched wyth theyr additions and lyes so that they brynge not them whole faithfully and sincerelye ¶ Yet for the more easyer and facyle vnderstandyng both of theyr argumeÌ„tes and also of myne answers I shall gyue vnto the reader certayne necessarie instructions and documentes Where by he shall more perfectly perceaue the falseyt of theyr reasons hereby also be more redyer to make answere to other lyke reasons The fyrst documeÌ„t is that we ought not to seke to proue wyth reason The fyrst document the matters of our faith For yf we shulde be so grosse and carnall that we wolde beleue no more then we can proue by naturall reason we shulde sone dyscharge our selfes of all the artycles of oure fayth and consequently we shuld haue no fayth for it is agaynste the nature of faythe which is of thynges that appeare not vnto reasoÌ„ or sense to be proued by reasoÌ„ But in such matters a trew christiane hart ought obediently to receaue the verytie of Goddes worde 1. Cor. 2. Non in ê‘suasibilibus humane sapientie verbis sed in operation espiritus virtutis vt fides vrÌ„a noÌ„ sit in sapientia hoiÌ„m sed in virtute dei sekyng no persuasible reasons but only to persuade to hym selfe that al that Goddes word affirmeth vndoubtedly to be trew by cause that God who can not lye hathe spoken it be it neuer so impossible vnto natural sense reason A faythful christyane man ought to truste more vnto the infallible veritie of goddes worde then he wolde do vnto hys syght hys felyng tastynge eather any of hys senses or reasoÌ„ for al those may dysceaue be disceaued But the word of god is more stable theÌ„ is eather heaueÌ„ eather earth And for as moche as the myraculous workes of God excedyth incoÌ„parably the wyt and reason of man and be therfore ineffable therfore we ought not to be to inquisityue to knowe howe and why God hath done this or that For there can no man tell neather geue reason of Goddes vnserchable and inuestigable workes Therfore no man can tel howe Christes bodye and bloode can be and is verylye and really in the sacrameÌ„t and in euery part therof and also in so many places were this blessed sacrament is No more then he can tell how that bodi was borne of an immaculate virgyn yet her virgyniall clausures kept inuiolably shut Or how the bodye dead could come alyue out of the graue the stone vnsealed vnmoued Or how the bodye cold come in through the stone walles among the apostles And yet the holy word of God teacheth these thinges to be true but the worde of God sheweth no reason howe For God wolde haue his wonderfull workes hydden from our wyttes reason that our fayth myght haue place the greatter meryte ¶ The second is that the glorifyed bodye of Christ is in moch more noble state The .ii. document coÌ„dition then oure corruptible bodyes are Therfore we must not esteme iudge a lyke of that spiritual heaueÌ„ly body of our grosse mortal corruptible bodies for though such grosse corruptible bodies caÌ„not be inuisible vntoucheable vntastable so that they be suche that where euer they be really present they maye be seen felte touched and tasted yet the glorious bodye of Christ can not be seen felt or tasted but onely when and where it shall please hym and maye be when and where him pleaseth inuysbly and vnpalpablye The bodye of oure sauyoure Christe in the fortye dayes after hys blessed resurrectyon was not sene at al tymes neyther of all men sauyng only suche tymes and of those to whome he wold apere visible Wherfore thoughe we do neyther see feale neather taste the boodye and bloode of Christe in the sacrament yet vndoubtedlye bothe the bodye and bloode of Christe are verely and really in the blessed sacrament For that bodye and blode may be and is there verely inuisible vnpalpable vntouchable for so it hath pleased Christe The .iii. document The thyrde is that thoughe it be repuÌ„gnant vnto nature that one bodye shuld be in many places at on s by cause that the lorde of nature dyd a poynt vnto nature that euery natural body wher it is present it shuld repleate the place and that one body shuld fulfyl but one place at ones therfore the order of nature is broken where there is present any naturall bodye and yet doth not occupie that place or where there is anye one bodye whooly in sondrye places Yet is not this repuÌ„gnaÌ„t neither aboue the power of God that the bodye and bloode of Christe sholde be whooly and reallye present in the sacrament and yet not occupie or fulfyl that place for the quantite of the breade and wyne miraculously do repleate that place being subsisteÌ„t alone wtout the substaÌ„s of bread euen as well as thoughe the substance of breade were there Therfore it is not repuÌ„gnant vnto the power of God that the body of Christe may be verely and realy in innumerable places after this myraculous maner of beynge whiche maner of beynge is apropriat vnto the mooste precious bodye and bloode of our sauiour christ is aboue the course and order of nature Wherefore though Christ be in heauen yet neuerthelesse he is also in the holy sacrament for the holy scripture affirmeth bothe And therfore we are bounde to beleue bothe ✿ The fourth is that we muste not The .iiii. document so carnally and so grossely take the scriptures that teacheth vs that Christ sytteth on the ryght haÌ„d of the father as thoughe we wolde imagyne that God the father had a ryght hande and a left suche other corporall membres as it hath pleased the paynters to setforth so Christ materially to syt on the ryght hande of the father Thus to ymagyne of God who is mooste spirituall it is more then very barbarous and heatheÌ„
petyous thyng that we be brought now in matters of oure sayth frome all faythe belefe and goo a bought to skanne and to reason suche thynges as shulde be receaued before and aboue all reason wyth mooste humbly fayth for fayth hath no place neyther meryte as S. Gregore sayth where reason sheweth experyens and tryal of the matter for fayth is a free and obedyent persuasyon of maÌ„nes mynd in the veryte of suche thynges that are not manyfest or proued by naturall reason or experiens leauynge onely to the infallyble veryte of Goddes treuth For what so euer thynge that a man beleueth only bycause that he seyth the naturall experyens or natural reasoÌ„ therof this belefe is no fayth neyther shall suche belefe be regarded eather rewarded before God Wherfore to skanne and serche the misteryes of our faith with reason it is none other then a playne subversion of the christiane faith and such curious serchers and reasoners of oure fayth are lyke vnto the heathen grecyans in Paules tyme of whome paule spake The Iewes require tokeÌ„s wonders or myracles and the heathen grecyans worldely wysedome so oure Ieweshe Capharnaytes require to see this myracle in the sacrament or els to haue it manifest by reasoÌ„ or els they wyl not beleue And by cause they see not the fleshe and bloode in the natural shape of fleshe and blood therfore they wyll not beleue suche the seketh a syght by reason and wyll not beleue excepte they see be voyd of the benediction of Chryst And the faythfull people that obediently leaueth more vnto the infallyble word of god theÌ„ they do to reason eather sense requyre nether fealynge neather syghte these I saye hereth hathe the benediction of Christe that sayd Blessyd be they that hathe not sene yet do beleaue Not wtstandynge that I haue thought it almoost a wast worke and lost labour to answere to any such folysh fond and vnreasonable reasons as thynges vnworthye of reasonable answer bycause that they so vnreasonably do reason vppon that thynge the excedyth all wyt and reason Yet one for an example I wyll recyte here the best amonge them all that euer I herd that you may sone ê‘ceaue how folysh they be the frameth suche faÌ„tisies how mad they are the forsakinge the faith catholik the truth of gods word wyl be ouerthrowen wyth so vnreasonable reasons The argument Thys is theyr reason We reade in the scripture that God created made maÌ„ but we neuer reade the man coulde make god yf theÌ„ in the sacrameÌ„t be very Christ then the preest consecratyng the sacrameÌ„t makyth Christ whych is god But it is impossible that the preest shulde make god Therfore it is not possible the Christ shulde be in the sacrameÌ„t that the preest coÌ„secrateth ✿ Thys reason is grounded vpon a false presupposition The answere it presupposeth that the preest or mynister shulde worke all that is done in the consecration and that is very false for gentyl reader thou shalte vnderstande that the preest dothe no more here then he dothe in the sacrament of baptisme And therfore I myght make a lyke reason or argument and proue that the preest were Christe thus He that baptysed as saiÌ„t Iohan sayeth in the water and gyueth the holye goost that same is Christe but the preest baptiseth in water and gyueth the holy goost For there is none verelye and truelye cristined but the same receyueth the holye goost then is the preest Christe then was Peter Christe For he dyd not onely gyue the holy goost but he gaue power to other mynisters to gyue the holye gooste as Paule dyd also to Tymothe and Tyte. Wherfore we muste consyder what and howe muche the preest dothe For the CorynthyaÌ„s were dysceaued moche a lyke about the sacrament of baptysme as these are in thys theyr argument agaynste the sacramente for as these ygnorant people froward herytykes falsly supposeth nothynge to be wrought in the blessed sacrameÌ„t aboue the power and the facte or dede of the mynister so dyd these Corinthians ascribe all the vertue and power of baptysme vnto theyr baptistes or ministers and suche as were baptised of the more worthier ministers there in they reioysed as thoughe they had optayned and receaued the better baptisme Wherfore saynt Paule wyllynge to reforme thys errour he reuoketh them vnto the consyderation of the mynisters and what they dyd in that mynisterie and what and how muche god wrought And sayeth vnto theÌ„ What is Appollo or what make you of Paule They are but the mynisters of hym in whome you haue receaued your fayth And then by a similitude of husbandry he declareth vnto them what they do in theyr ministration and what almyghtye God dothe and sayeth I haue plaÌ„ted and Apollo hath watered but God gaue the increase Neather is he that planteth neather he that watereth any thynge of him selfe and in coÌ„parison of God neather theyr mynistration is any thynge effectuous without god that gyueth the increase do worke with them washyng the soule by the spirite whyles they wasshe the bodyes Euen so I answere vnto these what is the preest saue onely the minister of him that sayd vnto hys apostles Do thys That is to saye That thynge that you haue sene me do nowe Take the breade geue thankes and saye these wordes vpoÌ„ the bread that I haue sayd receaue or eate it in the remembraunce of me The preest onely speaketh the wordes as the minister in the persone of Christe and he that fyrst of bread made hys owne bodye that same now at the wordes and mynisterie of the preest maketh his bodye and blood So that the preest maketh not God which can not be made other then he is all redye neyther the bodye of Christe thoughe it be ther in the sacrament No more then he doth remyt syn and geue the holy goost by cause that God workyth the forgeuenes of synnes and geueth the holy goost in the mynystery of the preest But it is god that worketh these thynges in this mynysterye and makyth of bread in the sacrament the bodye of Christe by hys secrete and omnipotent power euen as he by the same power made that same bodye in the whom of a virgine and as he doth inuisibly washe the soule of him whome the preeste baptyzyth Whye then you wyll saye the mynisterie of the preest is not necessarie sythe God doth al. Yet remember that S. Paule sheweth howe we are goddes helpers and yet no doubt but that god can do dothe all the whole yet not wythout our mynisterie not of necessitie but that there might be an order in thinges Wherfore breuely we answere that the preest maketh not God but god almightie in the mynisterie of the preest by the myghtyfull power of hys worde spoken by the preest maketh of bread the body blood of Christ And thus ought we to beleue be it neuer so muche against nature and neuer so farre aboue reason For vnto