Christ dydde eate his body drynke his bloude in the mysticall supper neyther figuratiuely as he did in the paschall lambe nor yet spirituallye as we do by fayth then it is certayn that he eate it only sacramentally whyche is not only in signe as the sacramentaryes expounde the worde but in truth vnder a sacramēt wherof the substaunce is the reall and natural bodye and bloude of Christ our lord After thys sorte wryteth Chrysostome of Dauid sayinge thus Non contigit Dauid gustare talem hostiam neque particeps fuerat sanguinis dominici sed legibus imperfectioribus educatus neque tale quicquam exigentibus tamen ad euangelicae philosophiae fastigium peruenit animi moderatione It neuer chaunced to Dauid to tast of suche a sacrifice nor he was not receauer and pertaker of our Lordes bloude but being broughte vp vnder lawes not so perfecte and requiringe no suche thyng yet by the moderation and tēperaunce of his owne mynde he came to the hyght of all euangelicall diuinitye Here is playne that Dauid didde neuer taste and receaue Christes bloude as we do in the gospell and yet Dauid did receaue Christes bloude figuratiuely being partaker of the sacrifices of the old law which were figures of christes bloud and also he dyd drynke of the same bloud spirituallye as we do whose fayth was as good or rather greater then ours Therefore there remayneth one other way that we drinke of it which was not graunted vnto him that is to say verely and really in the sacramēt To auoyde this place well they must haue moo solutions then they haue inuented yet for neyther figuratiuelye nor spirituallye will serue it were beste for them to yelde to the trueth and confesse that it is there really the very same substaunce of his bloude y t was shedde vpō the crosse thoughe not in that forme for the relief of our weake nature whyche els could not susteyne it And further then this S. Augustyne sayeth Si dixerimus Catechumeno credis in Christo respondit credo et signat se cruce Christi portat in fronte non erubescit de cruce domini sui ecce credit in nomine eius Interrogemus eum manducas carnem filij hominis bibis sanguinem filij hominis nescit quid dicimus quia lesus non se credidit ei Yf we shall saye to one y e learneth professeth our fayth being yet not baptized doeste thou beleue in Christe he aunswereth I beleue and he dothe signe him selfe with the crosse of Christ he beareth it in his forheade and is not ashamed of the crosse of hys Lord Loo be beleueth in hys name But lette vs aske hym doeste thou eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke the bloud of the sonne of man he can not tell what we saye for Iesus hathe not beleued committed him selfe to hym Besyde other thynges that may be fruytfully gathered of thys place for oure erudition I note but this one that a mā beleuyng in Christ professing the fayth of Christe wyth hys word and worke and for that cause eateth Christes fleshe drinketh his bloude spirituallye yet he wote not what the eatyng of Christes fleshe meaneth whereof Christ spake in the .6 of saynt Iohn But we that be baptized are admitted to oure Lordes table we know by our experiēce what it is to eate Christes flesh and to drinke his bloude for to vs Christ doth truste gyue him selfe to the other that beleue as wel as we he doth not committe him selfe Wherby I conclude beside the spirituall eating of Christ by faith there is also a real eating of him in y e sacrament by the seruyce of oure bodies to the confirmation in grace and sanctification both of oure bodies and soules And concernyng the drinkyng of Christes bloude reallye ▪ S. Cyprian writeth an other argument whyche I thynke can not be auoyded by anye figuratiue speaches he sayeth thus Noua est huius Sacramenti doctrina scholae euangelicae hoc primum magisterium protulerunt doctore christo primum haec mundo innotuit disciplina ut biberent sanguinem Christiani cuius esum legis antiquae authoritas districtissimè interdicit Lex quippe esum sanguinis prohibet Euangelium praecipit ut bibatur c. Origen also wryteth thys same thyng very playnly vpō Numeri hom 16. The Englyshe is this of Cyprian The doctrine of this Sacramente is newe and the euangelicall schoole taught this lessō first of all this discipline was neuer knowē to the worlde before oure mayster Christ who was the firste teacher of it that Christen menne shuld drynke bloude the eating of which bloude the aucthority of the olde lawe dothe mooste strayghtly forbidde for the law forbiddeth the eating of bloud the gospell cōmaundeth bloude to be dronken c. Now this is most certeyne that the lawe dyd neuer forbyd the drinking of Christes bloud figuratiuely but dyd cōmaund drinke offeringes whych were figures of this bloude and the Iewes drank of the water that came forth of the stone whyche was a figure of the bloude that came foorthe of Christes syde which bloud as Chrysostome sayth is in our chalyce Id est in calice quod fluxit è latere illius no◠sumus participes y e same thinge is in the chalyce that slowed oute of Christes syde and we are partakers of the same Nor the law dyd neuer forbyd the drynking of christes bloude spyrytuallye by fayth but sette forth the fayth of Christ beyng a scholemayster to Christ poyntynge to hym in whome they shoulde beleue and receaue all grace But to make short the lawe forbadde the externall and real drynkyng of bloude whych the gospell commaundeth sayinge excepte ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drynke hys bloude ye shall not haue lyfe in you and drynke ye all of thys Thys is my bloude of the new Testament Therfore it foloweth necessarelye that the drynkyng of thys bloude is not figuratiuely nor yet only spirituallye but reallye by the seruyce of our bodyes ▪ as Chrysostome sayeth Si uiderit inimicus non postibus impositum sanguinem typi sed fidelium ore lucentem sanguinem ueritatis Christi templi postibus dedicatum multo magis se subtra hit Yf oure enemye the deuyll shall see not the bloude of the figuratiue lambe sprynkled vpon the postes but the bloude of Christe the trueth shynynge in the mouth of the faythful much more he wyll runne away There is a place of the prouerbes whych as diuerse authors do expounde maketh much for the real presence of Christes bodye and bloude in the Sacrament the place is this after the greke whych these authors folowed Cùm sederis ad mensam potentis sapienter intellige quae apponuntur mitte manum tuam sciens quia talia te oportet praeparare When thou sytteste at the table of a great man vnderstand wysely what thinges are set before thee and
to do and therefore some of them blynded by their owne foolyshe suspicion conceaued and publyshed amonges other as it was most likely vnto them that we in oure secrete misteries did kil yonge chyldren eatyng their fleshe and drynkyng their bloude therevpon accused certayn before the magistrates of thys haynouse crime whiche they coulde neuer trye oute to be true as they dyd accuse But for oure purpose it appeareth plainly that we wold neuer haue kept our mysteries so secrete yf they had bene but ceremonies of eatynge of bread wine nor they would neuer haue accused vs of such beastly and vnnatural crimes beyng men of such reason learnynge and equitie as they were yf there hadde not bene some trueth in theyr accusation whyche in dede was true for the substaunce of that they alledged but not for the maner of the thinge for it was is true that we in oure mysteries eate fleshe drynk bloud but yet we do not kyl and murdre younge children and eate theyr fleshe and drynke theyr bloude And therfore I alledge the sayinges of Tertullian and Eusebius the whych is also in Origen the .6 booke contra Celsum to declare the accusation of the gentiles agaynste vs concernyng the eatyng of fleshe and drynkynge of bloud whyche could neuer haue commed into theyr heades so too haue done yf there had not bene a trueth in that matter whych they by theyr reason could neuer see otherwise then they alledged which we by our fayth do playnly see and know as it was ordeyned by Christ oure Lorde And for that cause Tertulliane dyd cast in a vayn word sayinge that we were accused of the sacrament of kyllyng of children whych word Sacramente standeth there for no purpose but to declare vnto vs that this their accusation dyd rise for lacke of the true precyse knowledge of our Sacrament whyche is true concerning the eatyng of fleshe drynkynge of bloude but not true concernyng the kyllynge and murderyng of chyldren And yet afterward our mysteries as they came in more knowledge amonges the gentiles so they came into more contempt for when the multitude of Christen men were so increased that they cared not who did looke vpon them in the time of theyr mysteries beinge out of feare of any externall violence and persecution then the gentyles seyng them knocke and knele make adoration to the Sacramentes not knowyng them to be anye thinge els but as their eyes senses and reason dyd iudge that is to saye breade wine as oure Sacramentaries do nowe beynge blynded nowe with heresye as they before were with infidelitye then I saye they sayde that we dyd not worshyppe and adore one God as we pretended but many gods as they were accustomed for they sayde as saynte Augustyne wryteth that we dyd worshippe Ceres and Bacchus the goddes of corne and wyne takyng our Sacramentes to be nothyng els but bare bread wine as the Sacramentaries do and not to be Christe oure Lord God his flesh and his bloude as al true faythful men do whyche appeareth by the adoration of them the whych adoration we learne y t it was done to the Sacramentes froÌ„ the begynnynge as is proued by the testimonies of our enemies the gentiles as S. Aâ—gustyne reporteth And also by their adoration we learne y â— the thynges whyeh they dyd adore were not simple creatures but Christes body and his bloude vnited to the seconde person in Trinitie S. Basyll beyng asked wyth what feare persuasion fayth and affection we shuld come communicate the bodye and bloude of Christ aunswereth thus Concernyng the feare we haue the saying of the Apostel He that eateth and drynketh vnworthelye eateth and drynketh his iudgemente and damnation What fayth we shuld haue the wordes of oure Lorde do teache who sayd This is my boâ—y whych is gyuen for you do this in my remembraunce And Hesichius sayeth likewyse Sermo qui prolatus est in dominicum mysterium ipse liberat nos ab ignoraÌ„tia The wordes of Christ whych were spoken vpon oure Lordes mysterye they deliuer vs froÌ„ ignorauÌ„ce that is to say they teache vs what fayth what estimation we shuld haue of them Nowe excepte they be taken as they sound to euery man although he be vnlearned and not instructed in oure fayth before thei could not teache vs what fayth we shoulde haue concernynge the Sacramentes and therfore in that they be wordes whervpoÌ„ we must learne our fayth whyche deliueâ— vs from ignoraunce what y e thinges be that be deliuered for that cause they must be taken as they sounde that is to say that the sacramentes deliuered be the very body bloude of Christ that gaue them Chrysostome sayth Quod sacerdos de manu sua dat non solum sanctificatum est sed etiam sanctificatio est That thyng that the priest doth gyue out of his hand is not only a thyng sanctified but it is sanctification it selfe Therfore our Sacrament must not only be an holy thing as they sayd holy breade and holy wyne but it muste be the substaunce of holines making all other thynges holy And here I thinke it worthy to be noted and to be opened somwhat vnto you wyth what sophistrye and vnlearned folye they deluded the saÌ„ctification and consecration of this Sacrament Children at the vniuersitie can tell that it is a deceytfull waye of reasoning by a generall description to exclude and dryue awaye a speciall and singulare definition as they dyd in this case For they sayd that the consecration of the sacrament was no more but an appoyntynge of bread wine to an holy vse which vse they sayd was to signifye vnto vs Christes body that is in heauen and therefore some sayd that the bread was consecrate when the paryshe clerke did bring it to the churche and set it vpon the table and these were no small men but our greatest bishops God forgiue it them other sayd it was not consecrate tyl the wordes of Christ were spoken but yet they noted that the Priest should not looke at the breade in the tyme of the pronouncyng for this ende be lyke that they shuld not be deceaued and that God shoulde worke no more then it pleased theÌ„ that their doctrine might some waye be true And therefore they sayde euery man and woman might consecrate speake the woordes as wel as a priest but thei neuer redde what Arnobius sayeth Quid tam magnificuÌ„ quam Sacramenta diuina conficere et quid tam perniciosum quam si ea is conficiat qui nullum sacerdotij gradum accepit what is so excellent then to consecrate the sacramentes of God and what is so pernicio use then yf he do consecrate that hath receaued no ordre and degree of priesthode And as they erred in the time and person so they erred in the nature of the consecration making thys of the same sort that al other coÌ„secrations be receauynge the general description and denyinge
bloud testified by the bloude of martyrs and hathe preuayled from the begynnyng agaynst the whych hell gates can not preuayle Nowe there remayneth some thyng to be sayd concernyng the thirde parte whyche is the consent of y e catholyke church in this poynte but I am sory the tyme is so past that I can not nowe say any thinge of it in my nexte day god willinge I shal touche it also procede in the matter of the sacrifice whych I hope to god to make so playne y t it shall appeare to theÌ„ y t will see be not blinded forsaken of god to be a thinge most euideÌ„t most profitable to be vsed frequeÌ„ted in christes churche and that such sclaunders and blasphemies as be shotte agaynst it shal rebound I hope vpon their onwe heades that shotte them to the glorye of almightye GOD who by hys heauenlye prouidence can so dyspose the malice of a fewe that it turne to the staye and commoditye of the whole that the electe by suche conflictes maye be awaked from their slepe maye be more confirmed in all trueth and may be more vigilant and ware in learnynge and obseruynge the lawe of God to whome be all glory and prayse world without ende Amen ¶ The seconde Sermon Roma 12. ¶ Obsecro uos fratres per misericordiam Dei ut exhibeatis corpora uestra hostiam sanctam c. AMonges other thynges y e laste time I was admitted to speake in this place I brought forthe this sentence of S. Bernarde wrytten in a sermon de Epiphania Pauperes sumus paruÌ„ dare possumus c. The Englyshe is thys We be poore lytle maye we gyue yet for that lytle we maye be reconciled yf we wyll Al that euer I am able to giue is this wretched body of mine yf I gyue that it is sufficient yf not then I adde his bodye for that is myne and of myne owne for a lytle one is borne vnto vs â–ª and the sonne is giueÌ„ to vs. O Lord that lacketh in me I supplye in thee O moste swetest reconciliation Here I noted a great benefite of the oblation of Christes body to consiste in supplyinge that lacketh in the oblation of our bodyes that whereas we be exhorted of saynt Paule to offre vp our bodyes a sacrifice to almightye God and also do vnderstand by other scriptures that it is our dueties so to do whych maye be done three wayes By voluntarye sufferynge the deathe for Christes fayth yf case so require by paynefull and penall workes as by abstinence and other corporall exercises for the castigation and mortifyinge of the outward manne or else by the seruice of righteousnes in that we vse the membres partes of our bodye as instrumentes of all vertue and godlinesse coÌ„siderynge agayne howe there is great imperfection in al our workes and that the beste of vs all cometh shorte of that marke whych is prefixed of God to serue hym wyth al our heart wyth all our strength that eyther in the worke it self or in thintente or in the cause or tyme or in some other degree circumstaunce for thys cause and consideration saynte Bernarde doth hym selfe and moueth vs to ioyne the oblation of Christes bodye wyth ours wherewithal we are sure god is well pleased sayinge This is my sonne in whome I am wel pleased by whose merites our oblation and other workes do please God and not otherwyse And therfore I purposed to make one sermon of the sacrifice of Christ not of y â— which he hym selfe made vpon the crosse for our redemption but of that which the churche hys spouse maketh vpon the aultare whych purpose beinge also before promised remayneth now to be fulfylled And entering the last time to speake of it I â—ayde thys foundation that is to saye the veritye of the blessed Sacrament the body bloude of our sauiour Christ to be verelye really present in it by the omnipotent power of almightye God and the operation of his holy spirite assistynge the due administration of the priest so to be there not only as oure meate whych God giueth vnto vs to nouryshe vs in spiritual lyfe but also as oure sacrifice whych we gyue and offre vnto God to please hym and purge vs from suche thinges as maye destroye or hynder that spirituall lyfe seyng that Christe hym selfe is the substaunce of the sacrifice of the newe Testamente as I haue partly shewed before and besyde hym we haue none that is only propre to vs Christen men This foundation of the reall presence I presupposed to haue bene beleued of vs all yet I dyd not so rawlye leaue it but declared vnto you suche reasons as moued me to continue styll in that fayth I was borne in whych were the euident and playne scriptures of God opened wyth the circumstaunces of the places in suche wyse as the vayne cauillations of the Sacramentaries can not delude them and also the effectes of this Sacrament whych be so greate and so wonderful that they can be asscribed to no other cause but only to almightie God and to suche creatures as gods sonne hath ioyned vnto hym in vnitie of person as be the body bloude of our sauioure Christ. I alledged also the sayinges of the holy fathers not in such numbre as I wold haue done but choosed out a fewe whych not only declared the authors fayth but conteyned a necessary argument to proue our conmon fayth in this matter Concernynge the third poynt whych is the consent of the catholike church neyther the tyme then suffered to speake as behoued nor yet suffereth nowe yf I shuld performe my promise as I intende GOD wylling And for that cause I shall but moue you to consydre certeyne thinges wherby the consent may appeare Fyrst the possession of the churche in this doctrine so many yeares in suche quietnesse wythoute contradiction that no reason nor yet iniunction nor no newe deuice that the deuyll or hys dearlynges can inuent to the contrary eyther can or oughte to remoue vs oute of possession excepte we wyll wylfullye loose oure owne ryght and clayme seing that we that lyue nowe vniuersally throughout all Christendome haue receaued thys fayth of our fathers and they of theirs and so forthe euen to the Apostels and oure sauiour Christe hym selfe by whose mouthe thys doctryne as S. Cyprian sayeth was first taught to the worlde that Christen men in the newe law be commaunded to dryncke bloude whych the Iewes in the olde lawe were forbidde to do And so from hym and hys Apostels it hathe bene by succession deduced and broughte throughout all ages euen to this our tyme and beleued as Gods worde whyche can not be chaunged not as mans worde subiecte to alteration as probabilitye can persuade Secondlye thys consente in thys matter maye aypeare by that the holye fathers and pastors of Christes Churche haue wrytten of it whome God hath placed and planted in his church
that lacketh in me I supplye of thee O moost sweateste reconciliation See howe Saynte Bernarde ioyneth the offeryng of oure bodyes and of Christes bodye together that yf the oblation of our bodyes be imperfecte suffise not the oblation of christes body may fulfyll and supplye that lacketh in vs And to what ende that we might be reconciled that the body of synne myghte be destroyed that it reygne not in oure bodyes ¶ Here the Prayer was made NOw entryng to speake of y e sacrifice of the churche I pre suppose one thyng whych is the foundation of the same to be most certaynlye and constantly beloued of all vs that be here present which is that in the most blessed SacrameÌ„t of the aultare is presente the true bodye and bloude of oure Sauiour Christe the price of our redemption not in figure only but in trueth and verye dede whiche the learned men call really and essentially that is to saye that thynge that substaunce that was vpon the crosse is nowe verely presente in the blessed Sacrament before we receaue it the cause of whych real presence is the omnipotente power and wyll of God assistyng the due administration of the Priest the whiche body and bloude we christen men receaue by the seruice of our bodyes and senses though not by the iudgement of our senses but onely by the iudgement of fayth because it is gyuen not in the outwarde fourme of the selfe same bodye and bloude as it was slayne shedde vpon the crosse but in the fourmes of our dayly and speciall nutrimentes of breade and wyne and that for sondry weyghtye and necessary causes foresene by our Sauioure Christ. For â–ª seyng the substaunce of our sacrifice of the newe Testament is the verye reall and naturall bodye of Christe as may be proued by many auctorities Saynte Cypriane sayeth In sacrificio quòd Christus est non nisi Christus sequendus est In that sacrifice that is Christ no manne is to be folowed but Christe Here he sayeth that Christ is that sacrifice that we offer to almyghtye God Also Saynte Basyl wryteth in hys forme of Masse Tu es qui offers offerris qui suscipis et impartis Christe Deus noster O Christ our God thou art he that both doest offer is offered that bothe giuest the offeryng and receaueth Saynt Basyl by this meaneth that the sacrifice whyche the churche offered to GOD is Christ hym selfe who in that he is the heade of hys body the churche is one offerer with y e churche and so is bothe offerer and offered as Basyl sayeth Lykewyse Saynte Ambrose wrytynge of the inuention of the bodyes of two gloriouse martyrs Geruasius and Prothasius and of the burying of them vnder the aultare sayeth thus Succedant uictimae triumphales in locum ubi Christus hostia est sed ille super altare qui pro omnibus passus est â—sti sub altari qui illius redempti sunt passione Let these triumphynge sacrifices meanynge the bodyes of the martyrs go into y t place where Christe is a sacrifice But Christe is a sacrifyce aboue the aultare who suffred for all men these two vnder y e aultare that were redemed by his passion Of this place I note my purpose whiche is that the sacrifice of the Churche and newe Testament is the verye reall bodye and bloude of our Sauiour Christ which is also testified by Chrysostome in his homelye he wryteth of the praise of GOD in these woordes Vereamini mensam quaue desuper uictima illa iacet Christus scilicet qui nostri causa occisus est feare and reuerence that table aboue y t which lieth that sacrifice that is to saye Christ whyche for oure cause was slayne By which wordes Chrysostome declareth his faythe that the sacrifice of y e churche is Christ and also that christ is not onely in heauen as some men damnably beareth you in hand but is placed lyinge aboue y e table of the aultare as y e substaunce of our sacrifice And in an other homely he writeth Mensa mysterijs instructa est et agnus dei pro te immolatur The table is furnished with mysteries and the lambe of god for the is offered teachinge vs that the holye mysteryes wherewith the table of our aultare is furnyshed be the body bloude of Christ that is to saye the lambe of god which is also then offered for vs. Saint Augustyne is full of such saynges as writinge of his mothers deathe howe that he wepte nothinge for her all the tyme the Masse was sayde for her soule which he expresseth by these wordes Cum offerrâ—tur pro ea sacrificium praecij nostri When the sacrifice of our pryce was offered for hyr I leaue out all the rest of the sentence contented to alledge onely this that proueth the sacryfice whiche is offered by the priest for the deade to be our pryce which is and can be nothinge else but the bodye bloude of Christ which he gaue vpon the crosse as the pryce of our redemption But playnest of al he writeth in a booke intituled Liber Sententiarum Prosperi which booke is alledged of Gratian in the decrees in these wordes Hoc est quod dicimus quòd modis omnibus approbare contendimus sacrificiuÌ„ Ecclesiae duobus confici duobus constare uisibili elementorum specie inuisibili Domini nostri Iesu Christi corpore sanguine Sacramento re Sacramenti id est corpore Christi This is that we saye that we labour to proue by al meanes that the sacrifice of the church is made and consisteth of two thinges of the visible fourme of the elementes and of the invisible bodye bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ bothe the outwarde Sacrament and y e thinge or substaunce of y e Sacrament that is the bodye of Christ. These wordes nede no declaringe but poyntinge and for that cause why shoulde I tarye in this point any longer seing that our bokes be full of suche like aucthorities Therfore as I began seinge the substaunce of our Sacryfyce of the new Testament is the very reall and naturall bodye of Christe if this bodye be not present in the SacrameÌ„t as the enemyes of Christes crosse the destroyers of our faythe falsely pretend then be we christen men lefte all together desolate without any sacrifyce priuaâ—e vnto vs for bothe the sacrifice of Christe vpon the crosse and also the inwarde sacrifice of mans hearte be not priuate but common to vs to all faythfull men from the beginning of the worlde to the last end And furthermore seinge a sacrifice is an outwarde protestation of our inward faithe deuotion if we christen men now haue no sacrifice priuate vnto vs then be we the moost miserable men that euer were beinge without any kynde of religion For take awaye our sacrifice and take awaye our religion as S. Cyprian confutinge the carnall
beastlye lyuing adultery disobedience sacrilege and open conspiracye to the subuersion of them selfes of that state vnder whiche they lyue The scripture cryeth Nolite omni spiritui credere beleue not euery spirite but trye and proue the spirites yf they be of God or no for many false Prophetes are abroade in the world One waye to trye thē is to marke the ende of their conuersation ▪ and the example and fruyte of their liues as S. Paule sayeth Quorum exitum conuersationis intuentes eorum imitamini fidem folowe their fayth the ende of whose conuersation ye haue sene We haue seene what is the ende of this newe teachynge carnall and detestable liuyng conspiracye and treason The other fathers of whom we learned oure fayth were men whom the corrupt world was not worthy to haue these authors of this newe opinion were menne that were not worthy to haue and enioy the world of whome saynt Peter wryteth Magistri mendaces and so forth Lying maysters that bryng in sectes of perdicion and denye that Lord that bought thē as they do in this matter of the sacrament bringyng vpon them a spedy perdition and manye shal folowe theyr wayes through whome the way of truth shal be sclaundered and blasphemed and in couetousnes by feyned woordes they shal make marchaundise of you to whome iudgemēt ceasseth not and their destruction slepeth not We be also warned by S. Iohn of this matter sayinge he that remayneth and abydeth in the doctrine that the Apostles taught he hath the father and the sonne Yf anye come to you not bringing this doctrine do not receaue hym into your houses Here he dothe teache vs to auoyd them that professe any other doctrine then such as al faythfull men vniuersally thoroughout the worlde haue receaued and professe whych is not the doctrine that the Sacramentaries preache Finally consideryng the promisses of Christ to his church that he will be with them too the worldes end and that the holy ghost shall leade them into all truth then may we iustlye saye that yf this our fayth be an errour it hath preuayled vniuersallye not one hundreth yeare but two thre foure yea a thousand yeare more then that euen to the ascensiō of Christ as appeareth by the testimonies of all holye writers and then may we say Lord yf we be deceaued thou hast deceaued vs we haue beleued thy word we haue folowed the tradition of the vniuersal churche we haue obeyed the determinations teachynges of those bishops and pastors whome thou hast placed in the Churche to staye vs in vnitye of fayth that we be not caried away with euerye winde of false doctrine Therfore yf we be deceaued it commeth of thee O Lorde our error is inuincible But good people we are sure God deceaueth no man let vs al beware we do not deceaue our selfes as S. Iames sayeth Thus hauing spoken somthinge of y e scriptures as this short time wold permit there remayneth also the seconde thing whiche I sayde moued me to continue in this fayth whiche is the aucthorities of auncient fathers that haue flourished in the preachyng of Gods trueth in all ages with aucthorities I thinke verelye in no age haue bene so curiously sought so diligently found out so substantially wayed as in this our time And all this is because the oppugnation of the trueth in this matter hathe extend it selfe not only to the scriptures but also to the doctours and to euerye particle and title of the doctours whose writynges haue bene so scanned and tryed that yf any thyng could haue bene gathered and piked out of their bookes eyther by liberall writing before this misterye came in contention or by misconstructiō of their wordes or by deprauation of their meaning that could seme too make agaynst our faith herin it was not omitted of some but stoutly alledged amplified inforced and sette forth to the vtter most that their wyttes could conceaue whyche yf god hath not infatuat leauing them to speake so as neyther fayth nor reason could allowe lyke as they haue with theyr vanities seduced a great sorte the more pitye so they shoulde haue vndermined and subuerted the fayth of a great manye mo y t were doubting falling but not cleane ouetrhrowen thankes be to almightie god Of these aucthorities although with a litle study and lesse laboure I coulde at thys tyme alledge a great numbre yet consideryng the shortnes of the tyme whiche is almoste spent I shal be cōtent to picke out a fewe ▪ whych do not only declare the minde of the aucthor but also conteyne an argument to proue conuince y e truth of our fayth suche an argument as neyther figuratiue speache nor deprauation of the wordes or meaning can delude And first I shal begyn with the weakest that is with the suspicion of the gentyles Tertullian in his apologye teacheth how the gentiles didde accuse the Christen men for killyng of younge chyldren eatyng of theyr fleshe he sayeth thus Dicimur sceleratissimi de Sacramento infanticidij pabulo inde We are reported accused as moste mischeuouse and wycked men for the sacrament of killinge of children eatyng theyr fleshe and drynkyng their bloude Eusebius also in his story of the churche wryteth of one Attalus a martyr who beynge roasted in an yron cradell wyth fyre put vnderneath when the sauour of hys burnte flesh came to the smellynge of the people that looked on he cryed wyth a loude voyce to the people Lo this is to eate men which you do whyche fault ye make inquisition of as secretly done of vs whych you cōmit openly in the midde daye By this accusation we may vnderstand that our Sacramentes and mysteries in the beginning of the church were kept very secrete bothe from the syghte and knowledge of the paganes that mocked and skorned them and also of those that were Catechumeni learners of our fayth and not yet baptized for manye greate causes whyche I shal not nede to rehearse nowe And yet for all the secrete kepyng of them being so manye Christen men women as there was they could not be kept so secret but that some ynkelynge of them came to y e eares of those that were infidels vnchristened insomuche that where as in dede and verye trueth by the rules of oure religion we dydde eate the fleshe of Iesus Christ our Lorde and drynke his bloude ministred vnto vs in the sacrament the gentiles as thei were curiouse to know new thynges so they came to knowledge of the rumoure of our doynges and eyther by the bewrayinge of some false brethrē or els by y e simplicitye of other that of zeale without knowledge wold haue conuerted the vnfaythfull too oure fayth heard secretlye that we Christen men in our misteries dyd eate mans fleshe drynke mans bloude whyche they for lacke of fayth and further instruction beganne to compasse in their wyttes howe it was possible so
the degrees and specialties of sanctification whyche be many for some thinges be holy not for any holines that is in them but for that they be brought to the churche and dedicate to some holy vse as is the temple of God the vestures about the aultare and other thinges vsed in Gods seruice whyche thynges too steale and conuey is sacrilege and amonges those thynges there be degrees of holynes as saynt Augustyne sayeth Quod accipiunt Catechumeni quamuis non sit corpus Christi sanctum est tamen sanctius quà m cibi quibus alimur Holye breade whyche those that be learners receaue although it be not the body of Christe yet it is holy and more holye then the meate with which we are fedde dayly which also is sanctified by the word prayer There is also holines a qualitie a vertue and gift of God makynge him in whome it is acceptable in the sight of god The soule of man is likewyse sanctified and holye because it is that substaunce and subiect wherin holines consisteth and dwelleth beyng a vessell created to gods ymage and prepared to receaue gods gift of saÌ„ctification and holines And the bodye of a godlye man is also sanctified and holy because it is the membre of Christ the temple of the holye ghost and the house and tabernacle of the soule replenyshed with gods grace and sanctification and for this reason we haue in reuerence and estimation the reliques and bodyes of holy martyrs and coÌ„fessors whyche beynge members of Christ were also pleasinge sacrifices to almightie god eyther for austeritie of lyfe or for sufferynge of vndeserued deathe for the fayth or in the quarell of Iesus Christe oure Lord. The sacramentes of Gods churche be iustly called holye because they be the instrumentes wherby God doth worke holines in the soule of manne and be as causes of the same by Christes owne ordinaunce and institution But aboue all other this Sacrament of the aultare is holy beyng as Chrysostome sayde not only a thyng sanctified but the very sanctification it selfe for in that it is the body of Christ by consecration wherevnto is annexed y e godheade by vnitie of person it must nedes be holines it self not in qualitie but in substance seing whatsoeuer thinge is in God is also God who for hys simplicitie receaueth no qualitye into him selfe but is the author and principal cause of all good qualities and graces giuen to manne Wherfore thys place of Chrysostome that calleth it sanctification it selfe â–ª can not be auoyded by no figuratyue speaches nor suche lyke cauillations The same Chrysostome in hys epystle to Innocentius Bysshoppe of Rome wryteth of the maner of the persecution in hys time not vnlyke to thys of ours Nam sanctuarium ingressi sunt milites quorum aliquos scimus nullis initiatos mysterijs uiderunt omnia quae intus erant quin sanctissimus Christi saâ—guis sicut in tali tumultu contingit in praedictorum militum uestes eflusus est The souldiers came violentlye into the holye place of whome we knowe that some were not baptized and there they sawe all thynges that were within and the most holy bloude of Christ as chauncheth often in suche a tumult was shedde vpon the garmentes of those souldiers Here I marke that he sayth not the figure or signe of christes bloude but the most holy bloude an other inferiour creature can not be moste holye Also I marke that thys most holye bloude was reserued there in the holye temple and was not onlye in heauen to be receaued by fayth of the faythful but also was in the temple and violently handeled of the vnfaythfull beinge there contemned abused and spilt vpon their garmentes Doeth not this barbaricall violence and externall situation of the most holy bloude of Christ proue a reall presence of the same in the Sacrament Gregorye Nazianzene speaketh after the like maner howe that the Arianes would not suffre the Catholikes to praye in theyr temples but troubled them and killed theÌ„ and mingled Christes mystical bloude wyth the bloude of the catholike priestes whych they slew and so forth whereby we vnderstande a reall presence of Christes bloude by that violence that was shewed vnto it of the heretikes part though Christe were there after that sort that he could suffre no violence of his part We reade in saynte Hyerome and in diuerse other Ipse conuiua conuiuium comedens et qui comeditur that Christe is both the eater of the feast and the feast it selfe both the eater and the meate that is eaten Wherby we vnderstand that Christ gyuyng hys bodye and hys bloude to hys discyples dyd receaue the same him selfe before And as Chrysostome wryteth that lest hys disciples shoulde haue bene troubled and offended hearyng hym saye This is my bloude dryncke ye all of thys as y e Caparnaites were before â–ª and so shuld abhorre to haue droncke of the same Christ dyd fyrst drynke of the same cuppe before them that he myght by hys example induce hys disciples to drynke lykewyse And Hesichius sayeth Ipse dominus primus in coena mystica intelligibilem accepit sanguineÌ„ atque deinde calicem Apostolis dedit Our Lorde hym selfe in the mistical supper first drank hys owne bloude that was not sene but vnderstanded then gaue the cuppe to hys Apostels By thys facte of Christ we maye learne that in the cuppe was verely and reallye Christes owne bloude for yf christ did eate hys body drank his bloude but in figure then he dyd eate and drynke it before after that maner in the typical and legall supper then how can thys mysticall supper be the trueth and the other the fygure yf thys be but a figure likewise And then why shuld the Apostle be affrayed to do that nowe they were wont to do alwayes before It was no newe thing worthy the newe Testamente to eate drynke Christe in a fygure and therfore it is certayne that Christ in hys mysticall supper dydde not eate and drynke his body and bloude onlye fyguratiuely And yf ye wyll saye that he eate it and dranke it spiritually onlye then ye must say that Chryst dyd eate it by fayth for spirituall eatyng is beleuyng And yf ye saye Christ dyd beleue then it foloweth y t Christ was not God Who hath perfyte knowledge of all thinges by syghte and not vnperfecte knowledge by fayth as we haue seing as through a glasse in a darke rydle And surelye they harpe muche vpon thys string for this heresy agaynst the presence of Christ in the sacrament is an hygh way leadyng to the other heresy that Christ is not God as is proued by diuerse wayes and argumentes into which pitte diuerse be fallyng by thys meanes yf God do not put vnder hys hande to staye them betimes for yf they continue long in this they wyll fall into the other no remedye whereof we haue already seene experience Then yf
for the buylding and vpholdyng of it in truth that hys flocke be not seduced and caried about wyth euery blaste of newe doctrine by the craftines of men to the destruction of their soules Of thys I haue spoken somethyng alreadye Thirdly we may know the consent of the churche by the determination of the general councels where the presidentes of Gods churches the rulers and learned priestes of christendome assembled in the name of our lord Iesus christ representyng the holy church of God militaunt being ledde not with priuate affection but by Gods holye spirite to hys glorye instant in prayer feruent in deuotion purely diligently and freely haue intreated determined those thynges that perteyne to y e fayth of Christ and the purgyng of hys churche to whose determination as to Goddes ordinaunces we are bounde to obeye Wherein appeareth manifestlye the consente of the churche The fyrst general councell both for the callyng and also for the cause was holden at Nice in Bithinia by .318 bisshops in the tyme of Constantinus Magnus twelue hundreth and thirtye yeares agoo where it was determined and publyshed to y ◠worlde in these wordes Exal altata mente fide consideremus situm esse in sancta illa mensa agnum Dei qui tollit peccatum mundi qui à sacerdotibus sacrificatur sine cruoris effusione et nos uerè preciosum illius corpus sanguinem sumentes credere haec esse resurrectionis nostrae symbola c ▪ Let vs lyfte vp our myndes vnderstandynge and considering by fayth that the lambe of God whyche taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde is situate and lyeth vpon that holy table whych is offered of the priestes wythoute the sheddyng of bloude that we receauynge verelye hys preciouse bodye bloude do beleue them to be the pledges or causes of our resurrection Thys aucthoritye serueth me very wel to declare the cōsent of the churche both in the matter of the reall presence also of the sacrifice whych we haue in hande For the wordes be couched meruelouslye euery one seruyng to expresse the trueth and to auoyde all doubtes For fyrst he byddeth vs lift vp our myndes and considre by faythe wyllynge vs not to stycke only to our senses thinkyng nothyng els to be there but that we see outwardlye teachynge vs that the iudgemente of thys matter perteyneth not to oure senses but to our fayth only as Eusebius Emesenus sayeth Verè unica perfecta hostia fide aestimanda nō specie nec exterioris cēsenda est uisu hominis sed interioris affectu Thys hoste and sacrifice is verely one and perfect to be estemed by fayth and not by forme and apperaunce to be iudged not by the syghte of the outward man but wyth y e affection and persuasion of the inward man for to fayth only and not to senses perteyneth the knowledge and iudgemēt of Gods mysteries and sacramentes Then the councell declareth what fayth teacheth that is to saye that the lambe of GOD not materiall breade wyne nor the figure of the lābe but the lambe that taketh awaye the synne of the worlde is placed lying vpon the holye table of the aulter whych externall situation proueth a reall presence of Christe to be there before we receaue it and not a phantasticall or an intellectual receauyng of Christe by fayth in the tyme of the receauinge only as these men contende Further it teacheth that this lambe of God is offered to almightye God by the priestes whiche is a distincte offeryng from that Christe made vpon the crosse for there he offered hym selfe by sheddyng hys bloude whiche he did but ones and neuer shall do it agayne any more Here is he offered of the priestes not by sheddynge of bloude but as the councell sayeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not after a bloudy maner whych is not a new kyllynge of Christe but a solempne representation of hys deathe as hym selfe hathe ordeyned After this it declareth the receauing of it saying that we verelye receaue his preciouse body and bloude which word verelye is as muche as that we call reallye and declareth the vse of the sacrament in the receypte of it wyth the seruice of our mouth as Christe commaunded sayinge Take eate whyche is a corporall eatinge not a spirituall beleuyng And last of al it sheweth the effect of the sacrament whych is the resurrection of oure bodyes to eternal life for because Christes body being the body of very life is ioyned to our bodies as our foode it bryngeth oure bodies that be deade by sentence of deathe to hys propertye which is life wherof in my laste sermon I spake more at large O Lord what hard hartes haue these men to doubte thē selfes or to denye or to bryng in question that manifest open trueth in so highe and necessarye a matter whiche in moost playne woordes hathe bene taught of our sauiour Christe his Apostels and euangelistes declared so to be vnderstand by the holye ghoste oute of the mouthes of all these holye fathers whome the holy ghoste dyd assemble and inspire wyth the spirite of truth to the confusion of the greate heretyke Arius that troubled the worlde then and also did inspire their hartes to declare so playnlye the mystery of thys blessed sacramente whyche then was wythout al contention beleued of all Christen men onlye to preuente these heretikes y e aryse and sprynge vp nowe in these latter dayes that the worlde maye see howe they stryue agaynste the knowen trueth their owne conscience and the determination of the whole churche being enemies of God breakyng hys peace diuiding them selfes from the churche whose ende is eternal confusion Lykewise the next general councell holden at Ephesus in the tyme of Theodosius the Emperor eleuen hundreth and twentye yeares agoo dothe determine this trueth lykewyse in these wordes Necessario igitur hoc adijcimus Annunciantes enim sicut secundum carnē mortem unigeniti filij Dei id est Iesu Christi resurrrectionem cius in coelis ascensionem pariter confitentes incruentum ce lebramus in Ecclesijs sacrificij cultum sic etiam ad mysticas benedictiones accedimus sanctificamur participes sancti corporis et preciosi sanguinis Christi omnium nostrum redemptoris effecti non ut communē carnem percipientes quod absit nec ut uiri sanctificati uerbo coniuncti secundum dignitatis unitatem aut sicut diuinam possidentis habitationem sed uerè uiuificatricem ipsius uerbi propriam factā We adde this also necessarely We shewynge and declarynge the corporall death of Gods only begotten sonne Iesus Christ and lykewise confessing his resurrection and ascension vnto heauen do celebrate the vnbloudy oblatiō and sacrifice in our churches for so we come to the mysticall benedictions are sanctified being made partakers of the holy body and preciouse bloude of Christ all our redemer not receauyng it as common fleshe God forbidde nor as
deuyllishe and perniciouse sophistrie Furthermore yf any man as yet doeth stande in doubt whether men lawfully offer Christ to the father or no let hym call to remembraunce what I haue sayd before out of Dionisius Areopagita where the byshoppe as he saieth doeth excuse hym selfe that he offereth the hoste of our saluacioÌ„ alledgyng that Christ dyd so commaunde to be done sayinge doe this in my remembraunce Let hym also remember the sayinge of the counsell at Nice That the lambe of god that taketh away the synnes of the world is offered of the priestes not after a bloudye maner Saynct Augustine saieth Per hoc sacrificium in forma serui et sacerilos est ipse offerens ipse et oblatio cuius rei sacramentum quotidianum esse uoluit ecclesiae sacrificium cum ipsius coporis ipse sit caput et ipsius capitis ipsa sit corpus taÌ„ ipsa per ipsum quam ipse per ipsam suetus offerri By thys sacrifice in the forme of a seruaunt Christ is a priest beinge hym selfe bothe the offerer and the oblation of whiche oblation he woulde the dayly sacrifice of the churche shoulde be a sacrament and seynge he is the head of that body and the churche is the bodye of that head aswel the churche by Christ as Christ by the churche is accustomed to be offered A notable place resoluyng diners doubtes declarynge that the dayly sacrifice of the churche whiche is the masse is a sacrament of Christes passion represeÌ„ting the same and further that Christ offerynge hym selfe vppon the crosse dyd also in him selfe offer hys misticall bodye the churche and thirdelye that the churche Christes bodye not onely once or twise but is accustomed to offer Christ her head to god in her dayly sacrifice Heare yet a place of S. Augustine as playne as this Hebrâ—i in uictimis pecoruÌ„ prophetiaÌ„ celebrabant futurae uictimae quam Christus obtuliâ— unde iam Christiani peracti eiusdem sacrificij memoriam celebrant sacro sancta oblatione perticipatione corporis sanguinis Christi The Iewes in their sacrifices of beastes did celebrate the prophecye of the sacrifice to come whiche Christ offered The christen men nowe doe celebrate the memorie of y e same sacrifice of Christ that is past by the moste holye oblation and perticipation of Christes bodye and bloude Marke how that he sayeth christen men celebrate the memorye of Christes passion wherwithal euen by the offeryng of the same body that suffered passion I nede saye no more for this poynte that men do and dyd vse from the beninninge to offer Christe to the father They saye the sacrifice of the masse diminisheth and taketh awaye the glorye of Christ they saye so but proue it not But in very dede nothyng doth more set furth the glory of Christ his true honour the honour of god is considered two wayes inwardlye by fayth outwardly by external adoration â–ª Latria whiche in English signifieth the honor that is due onely to God and to no creature is the worke of faith and sacrifice is a kind Latriae of godlye honoure as Sainct Augustine sayeth Ad hunc cultum latriae pertinet oblatio sacrificij c. To this godlye honoure called Latria the oblation of sacrifice doeth pertayne and for that cause it is called Idolatrye if any sacrifice be done to Idoles therfore we do sacrifice neither to martir nor yet to an angel but onelye to god Fayth ought to be vnfayned and lyuely and then it is true honour For he that erreth in fayth or fayneth to haue fayth doeth not exhibit honour and reuerence due to God Agayne he that hath true fayth but yet dead for lacke of charitie he geueth reuerence to god but not perfite and therfore not pleasaunte to god because he honoureth god with his vnderstandyng but not with hys affection He that hath true and liuely fayth honoureth worshyppeth god in spirite and trueth The external and outward honour procedeth from the inwarde honour and is the protestation practise and vse of it the worke of fayth outwardly declared And wheras sacrifice is the speciall and chiefest adoration that canne be therefore this sacrifice of Christes owne body bloud in the masse beynge institute of Christ by his own expresse commaundement as I haue shewed alreadye doeth not only not diminishe y e glory of God but is the very highest honour of God that manne canne geue They saye it is a derogation to the passion of Christe but it is not so good people for the sacrifice of the masse â–ª doeth ascribe altogether to Christ for it is the passion of Christ. Understande well what I say iudge not tyll ye heare what I meane Saynct Cypriane sayeth Passio domini sacrificium est quod offerimus That sacrifice which we offer is the passion of Christ. A straunge saying but yet S. Augustine declareth more playnelye what is ment by it in these wordes Vocatur ipsa immolatio carnis quae sacerdotis manibus fit Christi passio mors crucifixio noÌ„rei ueritate sed significante mysterio The oblation of Christes flesh which is made in the handes of the priest is called Christes passion death and crucifienge not by the trueth of the thynge but by the misterye signifiynge As though he shoulde saye it is called Christes passioÌ„ not for that Christ in verye dede suffereth passion agayne but for that in misterye it renueth representeth and signifieth his passion agayne For while that we haue no worthye thynge of oure selues nor in our selues to render to god for all hys benefites as the Psalme sayeth Quid retribuam domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi What shall I geue to God agayne for al y t he haue geueÌ„ to me we maid o eueÌ„ as y e psalm doth answere CaliceÌ„ salutaris accipiam nomen domini inuocabo I shall take the cuppe of our sauiour and call vpon the name of our Lord. I shal take his passion representing to God the father the worke of our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ y t we therby beyng partakers of his bloudy sacrifice ones made vpon the crosse now by thys our coÌ„memoration renued again may be replenished with the fruite of hys passion death For S. Augustine sayeth Ex ipsis reliquijs cogitationis id est ex ipsa memoria quotidie sic nobis immolatur quasi quotidie nos mouet qui prima sua gratia nos innouauit Of the leauynges of our cogitation that is to saye of this verye memorie and commemoration Christ is so dayly offered of vs as he doeth make vs newe menne daily which by his first grace in baptisme dyd ones make vs newe See how we offer Christ daily in commemoration and what benefite of innouation we receyue therby Chrisostome also sayeth Non aquam de hoc nobis fonte largitur sed sanguinum uiuuÌ„ qui quamque ad mortis dominicae testimonium sumitur nobis tamen