Of the excellencie gretnes of this Sacrament se what he saith As ofte as ye shall do this so ofte shal ye make a remembrance of me vntil I come Therfore we hauing in mind his most glorious passion resurrection from hel his ascentioÌ„ to heaueÌ„ we do offer vnto this spotles sacrifice reasonable host bloudlesse offering this holy bread and Cuppe of lyfe euerlastyng We bothe aske and pray the that thou woldest take this oblation into thy high alter by the handes of thy holy Angelles as thou haste vouchesafe to receaue the rewardes of thy Iust seruante Abell and the sacrifice of our patriarke Abraham and that which the high preist Melchisedech hathe offered vnto the. Therfore how oft soeuer thou dost receaue what saith the Apostel to ye. Howe ofte so euer we do take we do show the Lordes death If we showe deathe we showe remission of synnes Remission of synnes howe ofter so euer bloude is shed it is shed in remission of synnes I muste alwaye take it that my synnes maye be remytted I that alwaye do synne muste alwaye haue a medison De Sacramentis li. 6. Cap. 1 For as our Lorde Iesu Christ is the true sonne of God not as men by grace but as a sonne of the substaunce of his father So is it the veray fleshe as he sayde and the veray bloude whiche we drinke But perauenture ye may saye how veray fleshe I that se the similitude se not the truthe of the bloude Fyrst I tolde you of the worde of Christ which worketh that it is able to chaunge and conuert kyndes of nature institute Farthermore whan his disciples dyd not take the worde of Christ but hearinge that he wolde gyue them his fleshe to eate and his bloude to drynke they went backe yet Peter onely sayde thou hast the wordes of lyfe and shal I go from the Therfore least that mo shoulde saye so as ther were a certayne fear of bloud but that the grace of the redemer might abyde styll therfore in a similitude thou takest the sacrameÌ„t but yet thou gettest the grace and vertue of the true nature In his firste prayer at masse I O Lorde remeÌ„bringe thy passion do come vnto thyne alter all though I be a synner that I may offer to the that sacrifice which thou dydest ordayne and commaunde to be offered for our saluation in remembraunce of the. Aduersus uigilantium I reproue all opinions agaynste the churche openly condempne theÌ„ Amb. de fide ab Garcianum Away with Argumentes where fayth is sought Thomas had a greate cause to maruel when he saw Christes body brought into the house with oute hurte through the gates closed whiche coulde not be passed through with mennes bodyes Saynt Ambrose in his boke De spiritu sancto lib iii. Cap. xii It is therfore no meane question and therfore we should the more diligently consyder what is the fotestole For we reade in a nother place heauen is my throne and the earthe the fotestole of my fete But yet the earth is not to be worshipped of vs because it is a creatur of God And yet let vs se though lest the Prophete name the earth to be worshypped which our Lord Iesus toke in the takinge of fleshe So theÌ„ by the fotestole let the earth be vnderstand then by the earth the flesh of Christ which we do now worship also in the misteries and which the Apostelles as we haue before sayd worshiped in our lord Iesu for christ is not deuided but one S. Augustyne Fo. xxxviii Here begynneth the sayinge of Saynt Augustyne priore contione Psal 33. Cum fugerit Dauid Saul persecutorem iniquiens ait Christ was borne in his own haÌ„des CHrist was borne in his owne handes Howe can that be in man Who can vnderstand for who is borne in his owne handes A man may be borne in other mens handes no manne is borne in his owne handes Howe it may be vnderstande in Dauid after the letter I fynde not in Chryste we fynde Christ truely was borne in his owne handes when he geuing his bodye sayth This is my body That body verely was borne in his owne handes Contra literas Petiliani Lib. ii It is another passeouer that the Iewes do celebrate with a shepe an other that we celebrate in the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Christe in Sacramentes fewe in nombre moost excellent in signification hath bounde together a felowshyppe of newe people As baptysme is consecrate in the name of the Trinitie Ad Ianuarium Epi. 118. and the communicatynge of the bodye and bloude of hym And if anye other thynge be commended therin Scriptures canonicall it doth playnely appeare what tyme the Apostels toke fyrst the bodye and bloude of oure lorde that they dyd not take it fastynge is it therfore to accuse maliciously the vniuersall churche that it is alway receaued of the fastynge For that cause it pleased the holye gost that in the honour of so great a sacrament that the bodye of our Lorde shoulde firste enter into the Christian mouth before other meates Therfore thoroughout all the worlde this maner is obserued Let vs heare oure Lorde not speaking of the sacrament of baptysme De peccatorum merites et remissionem but of the sacrament of his holy table Except ye eate my fleshe drynke my bloude ye shall not haue lyfe in you What do we seke more What can they aunswer to this excepte with stubbornes they do bend their brawling synowes contrary to the cleare trueth Was not the Lorde ones offered in hym selfe and yet in the Sacrament not onely by al the solempnities of Easter but euery daye to the people is offered Nor he doth not lye Omni die populus immolatur which beynge demaunded dyd aunswer him to be offered For if the Sacrament had not a certaine similitude of those thynges whereof they be Sacramentes they shulde not be Sacramentes at all Therfore they be called sacramentes because one thing is seene in them another thinge vnderstanded That which is sene hath a bodelye forme Epistola ad bonifacium that whiche is vnderstande hath a spirituall frute He that taketh the mysterye of an vnitie and kepeth not the bonde of peace he taketh not the bonde of mistery for hym selfe but a wytnesse agaynst hym self I remember my sayinge when I dydde treat of Sacramentes I told you that after the words of Christ that whiche is offered is called breade but when the wordes of Christe is spoken then it is not called bread Ante consecrationeÌ„ pa. drÌ„ post consecrationem corpus appellatur but it is called the bodye Therefore in the Lordes prayer we pray Oure breade but as it is sayde in greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supersubstancial not that whiche goeth into the bodye but that of eternall lyfe which vpholdeth the substaunce of our soule Quâ—tidie Take dailye that maye dailye profite the. So lyue that thou maiste dailye deserue to take it Dailye holy Iob dyd offer for his children sacrifice lest any thinge either in heart or worde they shold offend Therfore thou hearest that as often soeuer the sacrifyce is offered the death of the lorde the resurrection of the lord the ascention of the lord is signified remission of sinnes and the daily bread of euerlasting lyfe thou
and distinction of his members he dyd hange onely once vpon the crosse offerynge hym selfe to God the father an hoost of redemption effectuall for them whom he hathe predestinate Also Saynte Ambrose In Christ the host was once offered beinge of power to helth what do we then Do we not offer euery daye and if we offer euery daye it is done in the remembraunce of the death of hym And the host is one and not many How one and not manye because Christ is once offered This is the example of that and the same and alwayes the same is offered Therfore this is the same sacrifice or else it maye be sayde because it is offered in many places there be many Christes whiche is not so But one Christ euery where and here full and there full so as that whiche is offered euery where is one bodye and so also one sacrifice Christ hath offered the host we do offer the same also now but that we do is a remembraunce of the sacrifice Nor ther is no cause found of the one inualidite or weaknes because it perfiteth the man Here is gathered that to be a sacrifice and to be so called that is done in the alter and Christ to be onse offered and daily offered But other wyse then and other wyse now and also it is shewed what is the vertu of this sacrament that is to saye remission of veniall synne and perfection of vertu Hillarye in his boke of the Trinite lib. viii OVr Lorde leauinge nothinge to the conscieÌ„ce of the faithful he taughte the effecte of naturall efficacye sayinge that they may be one euen as we be one I in them and they in me that they be perfect in one Them I do nowe sake that do put an vnitie of wyll betwene the father the sonne Whether or no by the truth of nature Christ be to day in vs or by concorde of wyll For yf we take truelye the worde beinge fleshe in our Lordes meate Howe is it not to be estemed hym to abyde in vs naturallye whiche toke the nature of oure fleshe then inseperable to hym beinge borne man And the nature of his fleshe to the nature of eternitie vnder a Sacrament of his fleshe to vs to be geuen hathe myngled for so we be al one For euen in Christe is the father and Christe in vs. Therefore whosoeuer doth generally deny the father in Christe let hym deny fyrste not naturally ether hym in christ or Christ to be in hym For the father in Christ and Christ in vs maketh vs to be one in them If therfore Christ haue truely taken flesh of the bodye of the vyrgyn and that that verye man whiche was borne of Marye be Christ and we truely vnder a mysterye take the fleshe of his bodye and shal be one therby because the father is in him and he in vs. Howe is the wyll of vnite affyrmed whan a propertye naturall by sacramentes is perfyghtlye a Sacrament of vnitie It is not for the wytte of man or the wytte of the worlde to speake in Goddes wordes nor by violent and shamefull preachynge of heauenlye wordes with straunge health the frowardenes of a wycked vnderstandinge to be gotten oute Let vs reade those thinges that be written and then we shall vse the offyce of perfight saith For those thinges that we speake of the naturall veritie of Christ except we learne them of Christ whiche we speake of hym we saye and learne folyshly and wyckedly For he saith my fleshe verely is meate and my bloud verely is drinke He that eateth my fleshe drinketh my bloud he abideth in me I in him There is no place left of doutinge of the verite of fleshe and bloud For now by our Lordes profession and our faith he is verely fleshe and verely bloude And these taken and dronken do that thinge that bothe we be in Christ and Christ in vs is not this a truthe let it happen playnely to them not to be trewe whiche deny that Christe is veray trew God And therfore is he in vs by fleshe and we in hym when he with hym selfe that that we be he is in God And for asmoche as by sacrament of flesh bloud coÌ„municate we be in hym he beareth witnesse saying and this worlde doth not nowe se me but you shall se me For I am in my father and you in me and I in you If he wolde onely the vnite of will to be vnderstande why dyd he expounde a certayne degre and order of vnite to be consummate but that when he shulde be in the father by nature of diuinite we agayne shoulde be in hym by his corporall natiuite And he afterwarde in vs myght be beleued to be by a mystery of sacramentes And that this naturall vnite is in vs he doth thus witnes He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in hym For none shal be in hym but in whome he will be Thou hast onely his fleshe taken into hym selfe whiche toke his owne ¶ Basell the greate fo i. v c.lxi Anno do ccc.lxxx BAsill in the rule that he gaue to his brethreÌ„ taught the same of the Sacrament of the whiche by them there is a question put forth after this maner With what maner of feare Timer dei fides or faith or affect we owght to take the grace of the bodye and bloude of Christ is opeÌ„ vnto that whiche question thus he answereth The Apstle teacheth vs feare saying He that eateth drinketh vnworthely he eateth drinketh his iudgemente not iudgeginge the body of our Lorde The worde of our Lorde teacheth vs faith sayinge This is my bodye whiche shal be geuen for you Fides doâ—cetur desacramento this do ye in remembraunce of me Agayne the sayinge of Iohn that the worde is made flesshe and hath dwelt in vs and we haue sene his glory as of the onely begotten sonne of the father full of grace and truth Also the Apostle saithe whiche when he was in the forme of God thought it no robery to be equall with god But he dyd make hym selfe of no reputacion takynge on hym the shape of a seruaunte and became lyke vnto men and was founde in his apparell as a man he humbled hym self and becam obediente vnto the deathe euen the deathe of the crosse he therfore that beleuith these wordes and considereth the greatenesse of his glory and doth meruell at the greatenesse of his humilite howe suche and so so greate a one was obedient to the father vnto death for our lyfe I thinke that the soule maye be prouoked to affection of God the father whiche spared not his owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all and vnto the loue of his onely begotten sonne he shall the more be prouoked that he feith hym suffer most shamefull deathe for our redemption 2. Cor. 5. Euen as the Apostle dyd saye of hym For the loue of God dothe constrayne vs iudgyng that that
the bloude of Christ Euen to this I aunswere the The holy gooste shadoweth euen these workes aboue speache and vnderstandinge For the bread and wyne be chaunged for GOD knowynge mans infirmitie doth tourne awaye Transmutatio and not beare many thinges that be not commen in vse Therfore he doth by his acustomed coÌ„desceÌ„ding vse those thinges whiche be aboue nature Aquaeo unctio gratiae â—ritus seâ—ctis regeneratio by thinges accustomed to nature And as in baptisme because it is a custome to men to be wasshed and anoynted with oyle be ioyned to the oyle and water the grace of the holy goste and made it a lauer of regeneration after the same maner because it is the maner to men Fâ—cit â— neÌ„ corpi suum to eate bread and drink wine he ioyned to these same his godhead and made them his body and his bloud that be accustomed thinges and whiche are aboue nature That we maye be placed in those thinges that be aboue nature For the bodye after the trueth is coyioyned to the godheade that of the holy virgin is the bodye not that the bodye ye takinge came downe from heauen but that the breade and wyne is chaunged into the bodye and bloude of God And if thou doste require the maner how it is done Let it be ynowgh for the to hear that it is done by the holy goste Euen as of the holy virgin mother of God with hym selfe and in hym selfe the Lord susteyned fleshe and nothing else knowe we but that the worde is trew pytthy and allmighty But the maner is vnspeakeable and vnserchable nor it is not redy that to be tolde how naturally by eatinge of breade and wyne and water by drynkinge into the bloude of the eater and drinker shoulde be chaunged and made a nother body besydes that that it was of hym Euen so the breade of settinge forthe and wyne and water by inuocation and commynge of the holy gost supernaturally is chauÌ„ged into the bodye and bloude of Christ they be not two but one Therfore it is done to them that take it in faith worthely in remission of synnes and eternall lyfe and for the kepynge of the soule and the bodye But to them that in mysbeleue vnworthely do take they take it to ponyshment and payne Morcebristi Euen as Christes deathe to the beleuers is made lyfe and incorruptibilite into the fruction of eternall blessednes But to the infideles and murderars of Christ to torment an euerlastyng payne The breade and wyne is not a figure of the bodye and bloude of Christ God forbyd Non est fygura but it is the body of our Lorde deifyed The same Lorde saying this is my bodye not a figure of my bodye but my bodye and not a figure of my bloude but my bloude And therefore this be saide to the Iewes Excepte ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye shall not haue lyfe eternall My fleshe verely is meate and my bloude verely is drynke and afterwarde he saithe he that eateth me shall lyue for me Therfore with all fear pure conscience and vndoutynge fayth let vs come and let it allwaye be to vs as we beleue not doutyng and let vs worshyppe hym with all clennes of mynde and bodye Let vs come to hym with brynnynge desyre Manus in moduÌ„ crucis formaÌ„tes formyng our haÌ„des after the fashion of the crosse and let vs take the bodye of Christ crucified Melchisedech toke bread and wyne to Abraham commyng frome the killinge of straungers whiche was the preist of the highest God Figur christi Melchisedech That table prefigured this misticall table as that preist of Christ the true preist afore hym hath prefigured the figure and image Panis propitiationis Hostia in cruenta This breade did the shew breades figure this is a pure host bloudeles whiche frome the sonne rysynge to the sittinge whiche the Lorde speaketh by the prophet to be offered vnto hym That is the bodye and bloude of Christ for a stablishment of our soule and bodye vnconsumed vncorrupt Non in secessum iens not goynge frome the bodye as other meate God forbyd that but into your substaunce and conseruation Let vs with all vertu awayte that we take not parte in the participacion of heretikes nor geue Heretici obstinatiam fugiamus For do ye geue holy thinges to dogges that we be not made parteners of their error and euyll faith and condemnation For we be all one bodye bycause we participate of one breade They be called also exemplaries of thinges to come Not as not trwely beynge the bodye and bloude of Christ but by cause now by them we participate the diuinitie of Christ and then intellectually by onely vision Eusebius Emissenus Anno. ccxciiii In as moche as he was aboute to take awaye his assumptid bodye from their eyes and to brynge it in emonge the sterres It was necessary that in the day of his supper he shoulde coÌ„secrate to vs a sacrameÌ„t of his bodye bloude that he myght be contynually worshypped by mistery whithe was once offered for a pryce and that the daiely neuer ceassynge redemption whiche dyd ronne for the helth of all shoulde be a perpetuall oblation of redempcion And that that euerlastynge oblation myght lyue in memorye â–ª alwaye present in grace one true and perfight hooste to be estemyd in faith not in forme not to be iudged by exterior loue Wherfore the heauenly auctorite confyrmeth for my flesh is veray meate and my bloude is veray drynke Awaye therfore with all doute of infidelitie For he that is the auctor of the gyfte is also the wytnesse of the truthe For he conuerteth the visible creatures by his secrete power into the substaunce of his bodye bloude in his wordes saying thus Take ye eate ye this is my bodye the sanctifyenge repetyd Take drinke this is my bloud Therfore as at the appoyntemeÌ„t of our Lorde commauÌ„ding sodenly of nawght stode vp the highthes of heaueÌ„ the depenesse of the flouds the largenes of th earth So by lyke power in spirituall sacramentes where power coÌ„mauÌ„deth the effect seruith How greate howe muche honorable benefites doth the strength of the deuine blessinge worke How shuld it not be vnto you a newe thinge and impossible that earthly and mortall thinges maye be turned into the substaunce of Christ Aske thyne owne selfe whiche arte regenerate in Christ lately thou was a straunger from lyfe a straunger from mercy and from the way of helth Inwardelye thou beynge deade was outlawed sodenly beynge entered within the lawes of Christe and made newe throughe holsome misteries into the body of the churche Not by seing but by beleuing thou haste ouerpassed And of the sonne of perdition haste deserued by pryuy clemency to be made the elected sonne of God abydinge in a visible measure arte made greater than thy selfe
Lorde is here with vs The bodye wherin he arose in that kind it becommeth to be in one place but the very body in forme of breade is euery where Corpus Christi in omni altari that is to say in euery aulter where it is consecrate Sermo ii de uerbis Apostoli We haue hard the true master theÌ„ godly redemer mans sauiour commeÌ„ding to vs our praise his blud For he hath spoken to vs of his body bloud that he called his body meat his bloud drink A sacrameÌ„t of the faithfull the faithfull knowe for hearyng what other thinge do they heare but lyfe coÌ„mending suche meate souche drinke ye shall haue saithe he lyfe in you Qui integer ascendere potuit consumi noÌ„ potuit if you eate when some wer offended that this saying was herd He aunswereth dothe this offende you ye wene that of this bodye that ye se I am about to make partes to cut a sonder my meÌ„bers to geue to you what and yf ye se the sonne of man ascendynge where he was before Surelye he that coulde go vp hole coulde not be consumed Therfore of his body his bloude hathe he geuen to vs a holsome refection and so greate a question of his holenes doth he assoyle For so arte thou refreshed that it can not fayle wherevpon thou shalte be refreshed Eate lyfe drinke lyfe thou shalte haue lyfe and the lyfe is hole and that shall be that is to say the bodye bloude of Christe shal be lyfe to euery one yf that whiche in the sacrament is taken visiblye be eaten spiritually in very truth be dronken spiritually Caro nihil prodest Spiritus est qui uiui ficat Super Ioh Cap. 6. We haue harde him selfe saying It is the spirite that quickeneth fleshe profiteth not at all your fathers haue eaten Manna and be deade Whye be they deade For that they dyd se they beleued That that they dydde not se they vnderstode not Moyses dyd eate Aaron did eate Phinees dyd eate and manye other dyd eate whiche pleased the Lorde and were not deade for they vnderstode a visible meate spiritually spirituallye they dyd hunger and spirituallye they tasted that spirituallye they myghte be fylled For to daye we take a visible meate but the sacrament is one thynge and the vertu of the sacrament is another Verye manye do take of the aulter and dye Altare and in takynge they dye Wherfore the Apostle sayth he eateth and drinketh his iudgement Was not the Lordes morsell poyson to Iudas and yet he receiued De Iuda and when he receiued the enemye entred into hym Not that he receaued an euell thynge but that he beyng euyl receaued that which was good Se therfore brethern receaue the heauenly breade spiritually bringe innocency vnto the alter Synnes though they be dayely yet they be not deadly Afore ye come to the aulter take hede what ye saye forgeue vs our trespaces He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude Ioh ca. 6 hath lyfe euerlastynge That is not geuen in the meate whiche we take to sustayne the fleshe but it is in this meate and drynke that is in the body and bloude of our lorde For he that taketh not it hath not lyfe and he that taketh it hath lyfe and that euerlastinge The sacrament of this thynge that is of the vnite of the bodye and bloude of Christ In some place it is done daily In some by certayne space of dayes betwene In the Lordes table let it be prepared and of the Lordes table it is taken of some to lyfe of some to deathe of this matter se more in the sixte of Iohn Here is the sayinge of the Lordes body whiche he sayde he woulde geue to be eaten for eternall lyfe He dyd expounde the maner of thattribution and of his gyfte He that abydeth in me and I in hym Tractus super Iohan nom 27. hath eaten a token hath dronken that we might be in his bodye vnder that heade in his meÌ„bers eatinge his flesh not leuinge his vnitie many hearinge these thinges not vnderstanding were offeÌ„ded for they thought not heainge these thinges but flesh that they were to ê‘ceiue after the flesh is deth And yet so it behoueth to be spoken that it shoulde not be vnderstande of all the secrete thinges of God it must make theÌ„ attempt not coÌ„trary for these dyd some shrynke from God speaking suche thinges And in those wordes they dyd not beleue our Lord Iesu Christ speaking a greate thing couering a certayne grace eueÌ„ as they wolde so they vnderstaÌ„de after the maner of men For Iesus might that or Iesus dyd dyspose that the fleshe wherewith the worde was clothed as cut in peces destribute to the beleuers in hym Quomodo caro non prodest quicquam the fleshe auayleth no thinge O Lorde good master how doth not the flesh auayle any thinge seynge that thou saide Except one eate my fleshe and drynke my bloud he shal not haue lyfe in him Doth not the lyfe profit any thinge And wherefore be we that we be but that we maye haue euerlastynge lyfe which thou promyseste by thy flesshe What is it therfore It profiteth nothinge the fleshe profiteth nothinge But how dydde they vnderstande truely thus They vnderstand the fleshe as it is rent in the deade bodye or solde in the shambles not as it is quickned with the sprite Let the spirite come to the flesh and it profteth much Ibidem Let the sprite come to the fleshe and it profiteth moch or else the worde shoulde not haue ben made fleshe that it might abyde in vs. Thou hast the wordes of lyfe sayde Peter one for all why sayde he that but that he beleued Thou hast euerlastinge lyfe in the ministracion of thy bodye bloud and we beleue and knowe For yf we shoulde knowe before and then wolde beleue we shoulde neyther be able to knowe nor vnderstande What beleue we and what know we That thou arte Christe the sonne of the lyuinge God For thou arte eternall lyfe and thou geuest not in thy flesh but that that thou arte All that the Lorde spake of his fleshe and bloude and that in the grace of his distribution he promysed to vs euerlastynge lyfe and therby he woulde to be vnderstanded the eaters and drinkers of his flesh bloud that they mighte abyde in him and he in them And that they vnderstandinge carnallye thinges spirituall were offended And that they beyng offended perishinge comforte of the Lorde might be to the disciples which remayning whom to proue he asked And wyll you also go away that the aunswer of the abyding of theÌ„ mighte be knowen to vs for he knewe who wolde abyde Therfore all this is auayleable to vs most dearely beloued that we eate not the fleshe and bloude of Christe in Sacrament whiche manye euyll doth but that we eate it vnto the participation of the spirite and drinke it
if one dyed for all that they euen whiche lyue nowe lyue not to them selues but to hym that dyed for them and rose agayne Souche affecte and faith therfore shoulde he prepare in his mynde whiche dothe participate of the breade and cup. If there be greate threatenynges put for them in the olde lawe that rashely go to those holy thinges whiche be of men sanctifyed What is to be sayde on hym whiche vnto souche so greate a misterye that is to saye of the body bloude of our Lorde is folyshly rashe For the greater that any thinge is then they in the temple after the Lordes voyce so moche the more greuouse and terrible it is to hym that is constitute in the vnclennes of the soule rashely to touch the body of Christ the Apostle sayinge he that eateth and drinketh vnwoorthely shal be gyltye of the body bloude of our Lorde yea a more vehement and more terrible iudgement expressynge by repeticion Let man proue hym selfe If a man onely beinge constitute in vnclennes haue so terrible iudgement how moche more he whiche when he is in synne presumeth to attayne to our Lordes bodye dothe get to hym selfe iudgement Therfore let vs make cleane our selues frome all filthynes and so let vs come to the holy thinges that we escape the iudgemente of them that put our Lord to death Gycrilius super Ioh. lib. iiii cap. xiii WHen the Capharnytes whiche perceaued the power of godly vertues of our Sauiour by miracle of tokens shoulde gladely receaue his sermon and yf any thinge semyd harde they humblye shoulde haue desyered the solucion of them To ask this questioÌ„ how is a Iues word but they allway do contrary sayinge how can he geue vs his fleshe they cryed together of God with greate wyckednesse nor it came to their myndes that nothinge is impossible with God For when they were carnall as Paule saithe they coulde not vnderstaÌ„d spirituall thinges But let vs I beseche you take a ensample at the synnes of others and puttinge sure faith to mysteryes euer in so high thinges this worde how Let vs eyther thinke or pronounce for this is a Iewes worde and the cause of extreme torment Therfore Nicodemus when he sayde how can this thinge be done he harde worthely Arte thou a master in Israel and knowest not these thinges Therfore we being taught by the faute of other when God worketh let vs not aske how But let vs graunte to hym onely the waye of knoweleage of his owne worke For as thoughe none knew what god is after nature yet by faith he iustified when he beleueth hym to geue rewardes to them that seke hym So though he knew not the maner of his workes when yet by fayth he doubteth not hym to be able to do all thinges he getteth rewardes of this goodnes not to be contempned For our Lorde by Esaye represseth vs sayinge My counsayles be not as yours nor my wayes as yours As the heauens be exalted from the earth so be my wayes exalted from youre wayes and my thoughtes from your thoughtes Be not they worthy greate tormentes which do so contempne God the maker of all thinges that they dare in his workes saye howe whom Scripture hath taught that he is able to do all thinges O thou Iewe howe cryest thou also now this is folishnesse I also gladly folowyng wyll aske the how dyddest thou go out of Egypt How was Moses rodde turned into a serpent How dydde waters goo into the nature of bloude Howe dyd oure fathers escape through the myddes of the seas as by dry lande Howe dydde welles of water fly out of a stone Howe stode Iordane How by onely crye dyd stronge Hierico fall There be innumerable thinges Quomodo euertiâ— totam dei scripturaÌ„ eius opera deâ— struit in the whiche yf they aske howe thou must nedes turne all scripture wherfore it dyd rather behoue you to beleue Christ and yf any harde thinge be sene vnto you to aske of hym mekely then lyke dronkards to crye out how can he geue vs his fleshe In the same boke Cap. xiiii It behoueth fyrst to stablysh the rootes of fayth in thy mynde and then to enquire these thinges that be for man to be enquired for to teacheth Esayas Except ye beleue ye shall not vnderstand But they afore they dyd beleue dyd importunately aske and for that cause our Lorde howe it myghte be done dyd not disclose But vnto his disciples beleuinge he gaue the fragmentes of breade sayinge Take and eate this is my bodye and of the cuppe Drinke ye of this all this is the cup of my bloude Thou doest perceaue that vnto them enquyringe withoute fayth he dyd not shewe the maner of the mistery Christus misterium exposuâ—t credentibus non infidelibus But to them that beleued and not askinge howe he dydde expounde Lette them here this whiche wyll not yet by reason of pryde receaue Christes fayth Excepte ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye shall not haue lyfe in you For thei cannot with sanctifienge of a blessed lyfe be parteners of fayth whiche by mysticall blessynge hathe not receaued Iesu Christe For he is lyfe after nature whiche is gotten afore of maÌ„ But no lesse doth his bodye quicken For it is ioyned vnspeakeably to the sonne of GOD of whome all thinges be quickened Therefore it is called his bodye and is one with him For after the incarnation it is one and abydeth one without deuision at all But onelye that the worde of the father The word of the father and the teÌ„ple taken of the virgin be not in natur one thiÌ„g and the temple taken of the vyrgin be not in nature one thynge For man taken is not of the same substaunce with the worde of GOD yet one with it in a communication ineffable Howe than the flesshe of oure Sauioure to the worde of God whiche is naturallye lyfe beinge ioyned is made lyuely when we eate it then haue we lyfe Not onely to the worde alway but also touchinge often tymes Our Lord Iesus dyd rayse deade men as we reade Luke .vii. that he myghte shewe his bodye also to be able to geue lyfe that if by his onely touchinge corrupt thinges were made hoole agayne how shal not we liue whiche both taste and eate that fleshe for he wyll alwaye reforme to his immortalitie the parteners of hym Desyre not thou Iewe to ask how Nor desyre not thou Iew to aske howe but remember though water be naturally colde yet by the comminge to of fyre forgettynge his coldenes it doth scalde This same way also we thoughe our nature be corruptible yet by partakinge of lyfe beinge called from our wyckednes to the proper tye of it we be fashyoned agayne to lyfe He that eateth Christes fleshe hath lyfe euerlastynge For the fleshe hath the worde of God that is lyfe eternall naturallye Therefore he sayth I wyll rayse hym
fleshe Super Marc. cap. xiiii Whan Chrâ—st had blessed he brake the breade and that do we also puttinge therto prayers saynge This is my body This that I do geue and you now take For the breade is not only a figure of our Lordes bodye but it is turned into our Lordes body For he sayth the bread that I wyll geue is my fleshe He sayd not it is a figure of my flesh but it is my fleshe And howe saith he Cur earo non uidetur is not fleshe sene Oh man for oure infirmitie this is done For breade and wyne be of those thinges wherewith we be accustomed withall Them we do not abhorre but bloude and fleshe set forth we beholdynge coulde not beare but shoulde abhorre Therfore the mercifull God condescending to oure infirmitie Transelementatio doth kepe the forme or kynde of breade and wyne and into the vertu of fleshe and bloude he chaungeth them Super Iohannem Cap. vi Take that the breade that is eaten of vs in misteries is not onely a certayne figuringe of our lordes fleshe but the very flesh For it is transformed by secrete wordes That breade by a misticall blessing and comming of the holy goste Transformatio is chaunged into the body and bloud of Christ And how sayest thou the fleshe appeareth not to vs but breade that we shulde not abborre the eatinge of it For if flesh shuld haue appeared we shoulde haue ben vnsemelye mynded agaynste the communion but now our lord condescendinge to our infirmitie appeareth to vs in suche misticall meat as we haue ben accustomed to The Iewes when they harde of the eatinge of his fleshe dydde misbeleue and therfore they spake a word of infidelitie that is How For when the thoughtes of mysbeleiffe entered into the harte then entered also how Wherefore he wyllynge to shew that it is not impossible but very necessary and that lyfe can none otherwyse be had except ye eate my fleshe ¶ Leo in his .xl. Epistle LEt those phantastical Christians tell me what body Iesus brought into the sight of his disciples the gates beynge shut ¶ Anselmne Byshoppe of Canterbury almost fyue hundred yeares paste sayeth vppon these wordes This is my body It appeareth vnto the vtter senses of man to be but breade But know ye by the sences of the mynde bycause saith Christ this is my body none other but that same in substaunce which shal be geuen to death vpon the crosse and crucified for you Oure Lordes body is consecrated with the signe of the Crosse the fount of baptisme is hallowed and also preistes are made by the same signe Aug. in psal xxxiii Haymo Homil passione Christi Math. li. The breade is chaunged into our Lordes fleshe and the wyne into his bloude not by a fygure nor by a shadowe but by the veritie ¶ Damascen in his .iiii. boke of the ryght catholyke faith The .iiii. Chapter Doest thou aske of me howe breade is made Christes body and wine and water his bloud I aunswer vnto the that the holy goost worketh these things aboue mans vnderstandynge but the breade and wyne are turned The bodye is ioyned vnto the deitye whiche body is of the virgin not that the bodye taken of the virgin commyth downe frome heauen but that the breade it selfe and wyne are chaunged into the bodye and bloude of God The bread wyne water through inuocation and the coÌ„mynge of the holy goste vnto them are aboue nature chaunged into Christes bodye and bloude and they are not two bodyes but one and the same bodye The breade and wyne be not a figure onely of Christes bodye and bloude God forbyd but the bodye and Bloude of Christ Dost thou se breade dost thou se wyne do they auoyde beneth as other meates do God forbyd Thinke not so for as wax if it be put once into the fyer no substaunce remayneth nothinge is lefte so here also thinke thou that the misteryes be consumed by the substaunce of the bodye Damasen lib. iiii ca. xiiii For as moch as our Lord is the spirituall Adam it hath be semed mannes natiuite to be spirituall And also his meate natiuite is geuen to vs by water and the sprite through holy baptizme I saye and the meate breade of lyfe Our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche came doune from heauen For he was aboute to suffer for vs voluntarye deathe in the nyght whiche he offred his owne selfe He dyd dispose a new testament to his disciples and Apostelles by theÌ„ to all others beleuing in hym In the parlor of the holy and gloriouse Syon eatinge the olde passouer with his disciples fulfillinge the olde testament He washed his Disciples fete gyuinge them a token of holy baptisme Afterwarde breakinge breade he gaue to them saying Take eate this is my bodye whiche for you shal be broken in remâ—ssion of synnes In like maner takyng the cupe of wyne and water gaue to them sayeng Drynke of this all This is my bloude of the newe Testament whiche shal be shed for you in remission of synnes Do ye this â—n remembraunce of me For how often so euer ye shall eate this breade and drinke this cuppe ye shall shewe the death of our Lord and confesse his resurrection vntil he come If the worde of God be a lyuynge thinge and of efficacite And all thinges that our Lorde woulde he dyd If he sayde let the lyght be made and it was made Be the fyrmamente made and it was made If by the worde of God the heauens were made and with the sprite of his mouth euery vertue of them If heauen and earth water fyer and ayer and al the ornament of them by the worde of our lorde be made perfight man him self an expressed beast Vis uerbi dei continuo manet If god hym selfe a wylling worde be made man and of the most pure and vndefiled bloude of the holy vyrgyn and in him selfe without seed haue susteyned fleshe Can not he make breade his bodye and wyne and water his bloude Argumentum a minori He sayde in the begynninge let the earth brynge forth grene grasse and euen vntyll nowe after rayne it bringeth forth fruites beinge helped and strengthed with Goddes worde For god sayde This is my body and this is my bloude Hoc SacramentuÌ„ tuÌ„ continuo fiet denec ueniat and this do in remembraunce of me And by the almyghty precepte of God vntyll he shall come it is done for as all thinges that God dyd the holy goost workinge he dydde And so nowe by the operation of the holy gooste these he doth aboue nature whiche nothinge but onely fayth can take Howe shall this be done to me saith the holy vyrgin for I knowe not manne The Aungell aunswered The holye gooste shall come vpon the and the vertue of the highest shall ouershadowe the. And nowe asketh thou Quomodo howe is breade made the body of Christ wyne and water