no bone brokeÌ„ therof ✿ Cassiodorus sayth vpoÌ„ this text Cassiodorus iÌ„ psalmum 110. of the psalme Thou art a preest for euer accordyng to the order of melchisedech Thys thyng sayth he doth the ê“phete tell that the father hath ê“mised to his soÌ„ne For vnto whom can this be truely plainly applyed sauyng only vnto our Lorde sauiour The whych moste helthsomly hath coÌ„secrated hys bodye bloode in the gyfte or erogation of breade wyne Euen as he in the gospel sayth Except that you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drynke his blood ye can haue no lyfe in you But in thys fleshe and in thys bloode lette not mannes mynde ymagyne any thynge crewell or corruptible Leste as the apostle saythe he that eateth the body of our Lorde vnworthely he eateth drinketh it to his iudgement But let the mynde of man thynke ymagyne vnderstaÌ„d the same substance that gyueth lyfe and helthe That same I saye whych is made the verye body ê“pre substaÌ„ce of the word eternall by the whyche both remission of synne and the gyfte of eternall lyfe are gyueÌ„ ✿ Thys blessed father Cassiodor sayth that we shuld not thynke or ymagyne in the sacrament to beholde see the cruel or mortall bloode or bodye in theyr owne shape fashion but we must vnderstaÌ„de sayth he the helthsome substance that gyueth lyfe the substance whych is Christes substaÌ„ce the whyche gyueth lyfe remission of synnes eternal lyfe ✿ It can not be the substaÌ„ce of bread that can gyue remission of synnes But the substaÌ„ce of Christe Fulgentiê° ad Monimum that dyed for the synnes of the world ✿ FulgeÌ„tius answeryng vnto a question as concernyng the sacrifice of the bodye bloode of Christe that one Monimus a frende of his demauÌ„ded whether it were offered onely to the father or no. Vnto hym thus he sayd amonge muche more matter Thys same I saye spiritual edification can not be asked better or more oportunely theÌ„ wheÌ„ in the sacrament of the breade cuppe the very body blood of Christ is offered vp of his bodye the churche For the cuppe that we drynke of it is the coÌ„munion of Christes bloode the breade that we breake it is the coÌ„munion of Christes bodye ✿ Here expressely sayth Fulgentius that the body blood of Christe is offered in the sacrameÌ„t ✿ S. Gregory Gregoriê° primo dea logoruÌ„ lib capi 58. in hys fyrst boke of hys dialoges the .lviii. chap. wryteth in this sort We ought with al our hert to coÌ„teÌ„pne this pÌ„sent world for bycause we may ê‘ceaue that it wasteth and to offer dayly vnto God sacrifices of teares and to offer dayly hoostes of hys fleshe and blood For thys is the sin guler and speciall oblation that saueth the soule froÌ„ death eternal The which oblatioÌ„ representeth vnto vs in a mysterye the death of the onely begotten sonne of God For though he rysynge from death dyeth nomore and death hath no more dominion ouer hym is immortaly and vncorruptibly lyuynge in hym selfe Yet in the mystery of that holy sacrifice he is offred vp for vs for there is hys body receaued there is his fleshe diuided for the helth of the people there hys bloode is distributed powred not into the handes of infydells but into the mouthe of the faythefull ✿ Se deuout reader howe expressly he sheweth that Christe remaynynge immortall and impassible in him selfe yet he is in the blessed sacrament really receaued of the faythful Cedulius presbiter in carmini bus ✿ Sedulyus the preeste in hys verses of the deuyne maruayles saith Our lorde sayth he geuynge bread vnto Iudas dyd knowe afore hande hys dysceatful mynd bewrayed his treason by geuynge hym bread which lorde was the breade hym selfe after that he had stablyshed that two gyftes of his body blod he gaue there vnto his dyscyples the meat and drynke whereby the faythful and cleane soules Beda in Lucam lib. 6. shuld neuer thurst ether hunger hereafter ✿ Beda in his syxt boke vpoÌ„ S. Luke writeth thus where it shuld moue any wyth doubth for asmoche as Christe gaue hys body and blood vnto his discyples when they had supped why we shulde be taught by the costome of the vniuersall churche to receaue the same sacrament fastynge Let the same perceaue in few wordes The appostles therfore dyd receaue it wheÌ„ they had supped for it was necessary the figuratyue passeouer to take an ende to be consumed so to approche vnto the sacrament of the veritie of the trew passeouer It hathe pleased the maysters of the churche in the honour of so great terrible a sacrameÌ„t that we shuld fyrst be strengthed with the partitipacion of oure lordes passion bothe inwardely and outwardely to be saÌ„ctified with the goostly spirituall meates and theÌ„ the hungrie body to be refreshed with the vyle earthely meates ✿ Haymo also vpoÌ„ the epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s wryteth in this sort Hâ—ymo in Paulum Hic virit ciriter annum dnÌ„i 832. As the fleshe of Christe the which he receaued in the wombe virginyall is his very body slayne for our saluacyon euenso the breade whych Christ gaue vnto his disciples to al that be elected to the euerlasting lyfe the which also the preestes dayly do coÌ„secrate in the church by the mighte power of the diuinitie the which diuinitie repleteth the same breade is the very body of Christ Neither are the body that he toke in the woÌ„be virginial and this bread two bodyes but they make but one very body of Christ In so much that when it is broken and eaten theÌ„ is Christ offered a sacrifice eateÌ„ yet he remayneth whole alyue And lyke as the bodye put vpon the crosse was offered vp for our redeÌ„ption euen so dayly for our helth is offered vp thys breade the which though it seme bread yet is it not bread but the body of Christ For our lorde redemer helpinge our frayltie bycause he knewe how frayle we are toward synne he hath gyueÌ„ vnto vs thys sacrameÌ„t that where he can not suffer death dayly we dayly do offende we myght haue a very true sacrifice wherby we might haue expiacioÌ„ be purged And therfore bycause the same whyche was offered on the crosse thys in the sacrameÌ„t make but one body are offered vp for our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ he sayd This is my body that shal be gyuen for you These wordes of Haymo are so plaine that anye maÌ„ may right sone perceaue what thys blessed father beleued of this blessed sacrameÌ„t whose auctoritie is not to be suspected syth it is .vii huÌ„dreth yere agone syth he wryte And yet syth his tyme there hath also many both godly excelleÌ„t learned meÌ„ writen As Theodore the gretian the scole maister of bede Alcuinus scole maister to Charles the great S. Bernard Rupert Hugh desctoÌ„ Victore with a great nuÌ„bre mo whoÌ„ to
of Salem and had neyther father or mother neyther begynnyg neyther endynge therfore he was a preste Wherfore in these thingê Melchisedech fygured the perpetuite and eternite of Christes persone who hath neyther begynnynge neyther endynge as concernynge hys diuynitie rather then the preisthode of Christe and therfore saynt Paule sayth these expresse wordes He is compared vnto the sonne of God Hebre. 7. sygnifying the diuinitie of Christ whyche is eternall And thus saynt Paule proueth Christe to be eternally a preest accordyng to the order of Melchisedech that thys preesthod shuld not be for a tyme as the other leuiticall preesthod was but shulde remayne for euer But here saynt Paule left out the declaracioÌ„ how the sacrifice of Melchisedech prefigured the sacrifice of christ whych cheflye appertayneth vnto the preesthod of Christ The cause hereof he sheweth in the fyft chaptur of thys epistle where he declareth Hebre 5. how Chryst was ê“mysed of god to be a preest according to the order of Melchisedech of whoÌ„ sayth he we haue many thynges to saye whyche are hard to be vttered by cause ye are dull of hearyng For where as concernynge the tyme ye oughte to be teachers yet haue you nede agayn that we teache you the first preceptes of the word of God and are become suche as haue neade of mylke not strong meate for euery one that is fed yet with milke is vnperfect in the word of ryghtwysnes for he is but a babe But strong meate beloÌ„geth vnto them that are perfect which through custome haue theyr wyttes excercysed to iudge bothe good and euyll By cause therefore that the hebrues were weake in fayth and lacked excercised wittes the apostle Paule let passe wolde not entreate so hyghe and harde a mystery amonge suche baby she people And for this cause the holy apostle thought it sufficieÌ„t for the purpose in that place to proue the preesthode of Christe ê‘petual by the prophecie of Dauid and though it also conuenient amonge suche lewd ignoraunt people to leaue the declaration of so hyghe a matter For vndoubtedly lyke as Melchisedech hauyng no begynnynge neyther endynge fygured Christes eternitie wherof thappostle intreated euen so dyd he also prefigure Chrestes preesthode in his figuratiue sacrifice of bread wyne of the which thapostle spake no thinge bycause of the weaknes of their capacitie and the hardnes of so hyghe matter And yet certaynly Christe fulfylled the fyguratiue sacrifice of Melchisedech vpoÌ„ mauÌ„dye thursday when he eatynge the paschall laÌ„be with hys disciples made an ende both of the passe ouer preesthode set in place the ê‘fect sacrifice of his bodie blood in the formes of bread wyne and the perpetual preesthode accordynge to the order of Melchisedech And as Christe in thys vncrewell sacrifice fulfylled the figuratiue sacrifice of Melchisedech euen so in the sacrifice that he made by the crewell effusion of hys blood vpon the crosse he fulfylled al the bloody sacrifices of the Mosaical lawe thus was one Christ the ende of all fygures and hys sacrifice the ende and veritie of all fyguratiue sacrifices Wherfore I conclude that Melchisedech offered bread and wyne the fygure of Christes bodye blood Christ in his supper instituted offred his very body blood in forme of bread wyne the sacrifice that the church of christ retayneth offereth for euer accordyng to the order of Melchisedech The secoÌ„de figure is Exodi 12. that which we reade of in Exodo the Paschal lambe whom god dyd gyue in coÌ„maundement vnto Moises to be offered of al the people that yerely in memorie remembrauÌ„ce of the moost happye myraculous deliuerye froÌ„ the fearful plage of god wheÌ„ the aÌ„gel of god went thorow al. Egypte by nyght sleyng the fyrst begotteÌ„ both of maÌ„ beast where god mercyfully delyuered the people of Israel froÌ„ that horible plage And as the eskape fygured our moste blessed delyuery by the death of Christ froÌ„ the spiritual Pharao the deuel synne death hel In lyke sort also the paschal laÌ„be offred yerely dyd fygure sygnifie the verye trewe innoceÌ„t lambe Christ Ioh. 2. the taketh away the synnes of the world who was ones offred by death and passion and there by delyuered he vs christianes from the tyraÌ„ny of the dyuell synne death and hell And in memorie of thys our moost blessed delyuery the same Christ is offered vncrewelly in the blessed sacrament yerely dayly for the trewe and faythfull christiane people as theyr Paschal lambe as saiÌ„t Paule wytnesseth vnto the CorinthiaÌ„s 1. Cor. 5. ✿ Christe is offered vp for our passeouer or paschall Lambe Ieronimê° suê‘ Mat. 26 ait FineÌ„ carnali ceâ—â—nitati volens impouere vmbraqueâ—raÌ„scunie pascâ—â—e redde re veritatem dixit Desiderio desideraâ—â— hoc pascha maÌ„â—ucare vovis cuÌ„ anteque patiar etenâ—m pascha nâ—Ì„um immolaâ—us est xpÌ„s si tamen coÌ„medimus illud in azi mis sinceritatis et veritatis ✿ Wherfore oure sauioure Christe who came to fulfyll and make perfecte the lawe after that he had eaten wyth hys disciples the figuratiue lambe accordyng to the pÌ„script of Moyses law eft soone after the wasshynge of theyr feete at the same supper he instituted this holy sacrameÌ„t And ther in he signifyed that the Paschal lambe of Moyses there toke an ende the more ê‘fect sacrament was set in place the fygure was abolyshed for the veritie was come And therfore saynt Paule remembrynge the excellent dignitie and worthynes of this blessed sacrameÌ„t exhorteth diligently the Corinthians to the condigne and worthye eatynge receyuynge of the same And sayeth That it shulde not be eaten eyther receyued with the olde leauen neither with the leauen of malyce neyther wyth the leauen of wycke ones That is to say in obstinate Iewyshnes or froward heresie neither wyth wycked mynde or vnpure lyfe But wyth swete flower of synceritie veritie That is wyth syncere fayth catholyke veritie wyth godly lyfe and pure mynde The thyrde fygure Exo. 16. is Manna of whome we reade in Exodo that God therwith fed the people in desert fortye yeres Thys Manna resembled the blessed sacrament and that Sapt 16. Panem de celo prestitâ—sti eis sine labore oeÌ„ delectamentuÌ„ in se habentem c. Iero. suê‘ Malachi Num. 21. Locutê° est populê° coÌ„tra dnÌ„m aiÌ„a ntÌ„a c Exod. 16. Nec amplius qÌ„ aÌ„plius parauerat nec minus qÌ„ minus in many thynges Fyrst thys manna contained and had the delitiusnes and taist of al maner of delicate meate sauerered vnto the good people most pleasaÌ„tlye according vnto theyr desyre and appetyte Euen so thys blessed sacrament contayneth as saynt Ierome sayth the vertue and power of al other sacrifices and the abundaunt plentie of all grace and vertue SecoÌ„dly this which was swete and delicate meate vnto the good was also lothsome and vnsauery vnto the bad wycked people In
remayninge there is also in the blessed sacrament In the .xvi. Ioh. 16. of saynt IohnÌ„ Christe sayeth ✿ I leaue the worlde and I go to my father In another place I ascende vnto my father and your father my god and your God Agayne I go to hym that sent me none of you asketh me whether goest thou Agayne It is expedient for you that I go For yf I go not the conforter wyl not come vnto you Yf I go I wyll sende hym to you Agayne My lytle ones Yet I am a whyle wyth you Agayne Now a lytle you shall not se me and agayne a lytle you shall se me for I go to the father Ye shal vnderstande that Christ in these wordes meÌ„t nothyng lesse The answere theÌ„ so to take away his bodely pÌ„sens froÌ„ the world or froÌ„ his apostles that it shuld not be with theÌ„ after no maner a sort neither visibly neither inuisibly But he ment that he wolde chauÌ„ge the maner of his bodely pÌ„sens conuersation whiche then was temporall visible and mortall And after his death and resurrection it shulde be heauenly inuisible and immortal ✿ Yf Christe faye they haue left the worlde then is not he in the world and coÌ„sequently he is not in the sacrament of th aulter The trew meaning of these wordes of christe I leaue the worlde wyth such other and how Christe hath lefte the worlde we may redely collect and gather of the other wordes that he spake vnto his appostles after hys resurrectioÌ„ saynge vnto them These be the wordes whyche I spake vnto you when I was yet wyth you In these wordes our sauyour Christe sygnyfyed vnto his appostles that he had then left theyr companye and the wordlye conuersation and was gone from them as he sayd before his death I wyl depart from you and I wyll leaue the worlde And after hys death beynge present speakeynge with them he sayth These be the wordes that I sayd vnto you before my death and passion when I was wyth you vysible mortall and passyble Then did I tel you that I wolde forsake that corruptyble state but now I am not wyth you for now accordynge vnto my promyse I am gone frome you and frome the worlde Wherefore you shall vnderstand that our sauiour Christe before his death and resurrection was mortall and had a natural a mortall lyfe a lyfe as other mortall men had that shal haue an ende by death so in hys lyuynge and conuersacion he was lyke other naturall and mortall men as saynt Paule sayeth habitu inuentus est vt homo hauynge and susteynynge all naturall calamities paynes except synne for he thursted hungered he eate he dronke he slept he waked he rested and was wery he walked and traueled c. Thus was he conuersant wyth the apostles in all thynges lyke an other naturall man and had a bodye of lyke condition as the apostles had excepte synne but after hys resurrection hys lyfe and coÌ„uersation was chaunged and hys bodye altered clene and deputed from the erthly and mortall state vnto a spirituall and an heauenlye state He was chaunged froÌ„ mortalitie to immortalitie and can not dye froÌ„ passibilitie to impassibilitie he can not suffer hoÌ„ger thurst colde heate neather any suche naturall penalties Neather neadeth he meate drynke slepe neather any suche lyke erthlye and naturall necessities He was conuersant wyth the apostles before visiblye but nowe they can not se hym neather fele hym but when and where he wyll Wherfore all thys inculcation and the oft rehersall and repetition of hys goynge awaye from the worlde and from the apostles is no more theÌ„ the chauÌ„ge of his lyfe and conuersation and of the state of hys body that where that they had the visible and mortal conuersation of hys bodye that bodye beynge onely in earthe here after the same shulde be in heauen visiblye yet in earth also in the sacrameÌ„t inuisibly Wherefore when he sayeth I leue the worlde that is to saye I wyll leue thys wordlye lyfe and alter this natural and mortal lyfe and take on an heauenly lyfe And when he saythe I wyll leue you or you shall not haue me alway wyth yow He signified this You shall not haue me in this maner of conuersorion and in this mortall and transytarye and indigent lyfe This bodye that is now mortall visible subiect to al naturall penalties it shal not be so alwaye but it shal be altered and chaunged vnto an heauenly lyfe Now thou mayst ê‘ceaue good christiaÌ„e reader how Christe hath left the world yet he is in the blessed sacrament Euen as he leuynge the world and went froÌ„ hys appostles yet was presente wyth them and spake vnto them Euen so thoughe that Christes body be altered and chauÌ„ged in to an immortal and an heauenly maner of life froÌ„ this corruptyble mortal and visible lyfe and hath left so the world takynge from vs hys mortall and vysible conuersatyon yet it folowyth not that he is not in the sacrament For we saye not that he is in the sacrament after that sorte that he was before hys passyon amonge hys disciples mortall corruptyble passyble and vysible But we beleue and say that the naturall bodye and blood of Christe is in the sacrament verelye and yet invisibly immortally impassybly For the bodye of Christe nowe can not be sene or fealte but when and where it please hym ✿ And where they allege thys texte of saynt Mathew Pore men you shall haue wyth you but you shall not haue me allwaye wyth you ✿ Yet marke gentle reader that Christe sayde not The answere you shall neuer haue me no more wyth you for he sayde in saynt IohnÌ„ I go and I come vnto you And agayne ✿ I wyll see you and youre hartes shall reioyce And after hys resurrection he sayde Beholde I am wyth you vntyll the worldes end now by cause that Christ sayd that they shulde not haue hym alwaye wyth them therefore saye they he is not in the sacrament Here they vnderstand not the wordes of christ for Christe sayde that he shulde not be wyth them in that maner of lyfe as he was then mortall passible and indigeÌ„t and nedye of bodelye refreshynge and confortes And after suche a sorte he wold not be wyth them alwaye for as that tyme it was a good and a charytable dede vpon Christe to exhibite an office of charite toward hym as to geue him or his meat drynke to washe or anoynt his feete For he had then nede as other men had hungeryng and thurstynge and trauelynge in this necessite He sayd that he wolde not be wyth theÌ„ alway in the nedie and corruptible sort but he sayd that they shuld haue poore men wyth them alwaye And as saynt Marke sayth and you maye do almys alwayes vpon them when you wyll And therfore Christe a lowed greatly the facte of Mary Magdelen that she dyd exhibite to hym so precious oyle before