whether the body of a perfight man maye be vnder so litle a broken peace of breade And many such other folysh questions which behoueth with sobernesse to be entretyd of amongest suche persons as haue theyr wyttes exercysed in disputynge reasonyng vpon souche high matters But as vnto the laye people it dothe suffise that they do beleue that after the wordes of consecration be once by the minister spoken ouer the creatures of bread and wyne that ther is incontinent the very body bloud of our sauiour christ which nether can be deuided nor yet receaue any hurt nor is not mete to receue any maner of iniury whatsoeuer chauÌ„ces do become of the outward formes of bread and wyne For if the sacred body of our lorde should be throwne into the myre or into any vyle gonge or any otherwise vnto any irreuerent parsonnes thinkinge should be iniured or soylde in dede the mooste iniury that can be done vnto it is whan it is receued into the mouth of a wicked synfull parson whiche is sore soyled spotted with greuouse and odible sinne Now surely it is therfore sittinge for our christian religion to entreat and order the outwarde formes of breade and wyne of the holy sacrament with all due reuerence But as concerning the very body of our Sauiour it self lyke as God after his nature is no lesse glorious in a vyle synke than he is in heauen and canne by no malyce of man or chaunce by man or otherwyse happeninge receaue any hurt or iniurye no more can the glorified body of our sauiour Christe what iniurye soeuer be doone vnto the outewarde tokens of breade and wyne And to be breife agaynste all doubtes and seruples of mannes weake knowledge Lette vs fyrst call to oure myndes the immesurable power of God vnto whome nothinge is impossible yea vnto whoÌ„ ther is nothing but it is light to be done so it be his pleasure that it should so be whiche saide Take eate This is my bodye And in a nother place of the same Epistle he saithe At the masse tyme the Angelicall sprites do with moste humble reuerence staÌ„de a boute the Alter ther to do there worshippe and lowly reuerence he also is there present whome all the heauenly hoostes of blessed sprites do desire to behold and loke vpoÌ„ And a litle after Let all preistes therefore consider the highnes of their profession whan they do staÌ„d at the aulter they haue aungels to minister vnto them These be the wordes of the famous clerke Erasmus Rothorodame whereby all Christian people maye knowe what was his opinion in the Sacrament not disagreing from the olde fathers here before written ¶ Thomas Cramner in his Cathechisme in the .cc.xxxv. lefe of the fyrst syde CHrist sayth of the breade this is my bodye and of the cuppe this is my bloude Wherefore we ought to beleue that in the sacrament we receaue truely the bodye and bloud of Christ For God is almighty and he is able therfore to do all thinges what he wyl Wherfore when Christ taketh bread and saith Take eate this is my body we oughte not to doubte but we eate his very body And whan he taketh the cuppe and saith Take drinke this is my bloude we ought to thinke assuredly that we drinke his very blode And this we muste beleue yf we will be counted christiâ—n men And where as in this pâ—â—illous tyme certayne dysceytfull persons be founde in many places who of very frowardnes will not graunte that there is the body and bloude of Christe but deny the same for none other cause but that they can not compasse by mannes blynde reasone howe this thinge shoulde be brought to passe ye good children shall with all diligence beware of suche persons that ye suffer not youre selues to be deceaued by them For suche men surely are not true Christians neyther as yet haue they learned the firste Article of the Crede whiche teacheth that God is almyghtye whiche ye good children haue already perfectlye learned wherfore eschew suche erronious opinions and beleue the wordes of oure Lorde Iesus that you eate and drinke his verye boâ—â—e and bloude in the Sacrament aâ—thoughe mannes reason cannot comprehende howe and after what maner the same is there present Wherfore doubte not good chyldren but there is the bodye and bloude of our Lorde whiche we receaue in the lordes supper For he hath sayde so and by the power of his worde hath caused it so to be Wherefore seynge Christ sayth do this as often as ye do it in remembraunce of me it is euident thereby that Christe causeth euen at this tyme his bodye and bloude to be in the Sacrament after the maner and fasshion as it was at that tyme when he made his mauÌ„dye with his disciples For else we coulde not do it in the remembraunce of hym that is to saye to receaue his bodye and bloud euen so as he hym selfe dydde geue it to hâ—s disciples And let not the folysshe talke of vnbeleuers moue you who are wonte to aske this question How can the preiste or minister make the bodye and bloude of Christ To this I answere that the mynister dothe not this of hym selfe But Christ hym selfe dothe gyue vnto vs his fleshe and bloude as his wordes dothe euideÌ„tly declare In the .cc.xxxiiii. And this is the meanynge and playne vnderstandyng of the wordes of the Lordes supper Wherfor learne them diligently I praye you that when ye be asked what is the coÌ„munio or the Lordes supper ye maye answer it is the true bodye true bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ hymselfe to be eaten and dronken of vs Christen people vnder the forme of breaâ—e and wyne ¶ In the fyrste booke of common prayer set forth by kynge Edwarde the syxt fol. c.xvi HEre vs O mercifull father we beseche the and with thy holy sprite and worde vouchsafe to blesse and sanctifye these thy gyftes of breade and wyne that they maye be vnto vs the bodye and bloude of thy moste dearly belouyd sonne Iesus Christ And in the .cxxi. lefe And ye muste not thinke lesse to be receaued in parte then in the hoole But in euery of them the hole bodye of our sauiour Iesu Christ ¶ Of prayinge for the deade BE liberal vnto al men liuinge yet let not to do good euen vnto them that are dead Ecclesiasticus .vii. Set thy bread and wyne vpon the burieng of the iust and eate and drinke not therof with synners Tob. iiii So he gathered of euery one a certayn insomuch that he brought together two M. Dragmes of siluer whiche he sente vnto Ierusalem that there might a sacrifice be offered for the misdeede In the whiche place he dyd wel and right for he had some consideration and ponderinge of the lyfe that is alter this tyme. For if he hadde not thoughte that they whiche were slayne dyd yet lyue it had ben superfluouse and vayn to make any vowe or sacrifice for them
any farther circumstaunce of wordes commende and leaue this small worke to the diligent reading and folowinge of all true Christen people And with moost harty prayer beseche almightye God longe yeares to prosper and continewe the prosperouse estate of youre hyghnesse to th ende that by youre good helpe and meanes the deuoute people of this youre realme maye receaue this whiche is Gods procedynges and your graces gentle embracinges to theyr continuall helth and comforte both of body and soule to the wyll of GOD thorowe Iesus Christ oure Lorde To whom with the father and the sonne and the holye goost be all laude honor and glory both in heauen and earth for euer and euer Amen ¶ Anacletus byshop and Martyr in his firste Epistle written to all congregations GOd sacrificers his diuine mynisters ought not in any wise to be troubled but to be mayntayned vpholden and supported of euery mā Goddes sacrificers trewly while they execute that office ought not alone to be withoute wytnes of trew and iust performance of their deutie But being occupyed in this holy action to haue assistens coadiutors and hearers To the intent they maye be proued and tryed to haue perfectly sacrificed for the auctorite of the deuyne lawes approueth this Deut. xii in these words Se thou offer not thy sacrifice to thy lorde god promyscually in euerye place but in that place whiche the Lorde hathe chosen A Byshoppe sacrynge at the aulter let hym haue witnesse with hym as I haue sayde before yea and more then any other preist For as he sitteth on the higher pynacle of honor so it is behouable at his mynistrynge that there be present greater nombre of recordes vpon more solempne dayes A Bishop shoulde haue seuen fyue or thre Deacons at the least whiche be called his eyes with subdeacons and other ministers who clothed in holy apparelmentes before and behynde with preistes on euerye syde dyrectly of the right agaynst the lefte Contrite in harte and humble in spryt Standing also with vpright faces to the heauenwardes shall kepe hym frome all violence and vylanye And be prest with consent and saruice to further the sacrifice The sacringe fynysshed let them all communicate whiche be entred within the bondes of the churche degrees For such was bothe the Apostells origynall ordinaunce as is the Churche custome And in his seconde Epystle of ordinacyon of Archebyshoppes The accusacion of byshoppes and prests agaynst the which matter you haue consulted with vs ought not to be effecteous but at their handes who be fytte good and vertuous men voyde frome affections crymes and suspicyons For the lord will not the holy handelers of hys bodye to be dyffamed of vnworthy persones nor he hath geuen leue to bakbyte any of them For he him selfe with his owne bodely handes whipped the vnpreistly preists out of the churche Saynte Clement martyr the thirde from Peter CLement byshoppe in his fyrst booke of reknowlegementes to Iames the Lordes brother bryngeth in S. Peter thus speakinge In conclusiō I warned them that before we went forwardes to preache among al people the trew knowlege of god the Father that they shoulde be reconcylyd frome synne to God receauinge his sonne For other wayes is ther none to saluacyon or of declaringe oure good estate but by the grace graunted and inspyred by the holy goste They dyd hast to be washed in the baptisme of the thre folde inuocation but they dyd take the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ who onely ought to be beleued enest the things he hath taught And in his second Epystle to Iames the Lordes brother entyteled de sacris uasis uestibus Byshop Clement to his derely beloued Iames Byshop of Ierusalem Forasmoche as we haue so receaued and be so taught by saynt Peter the Father of all Apostels who toke the keyes of heauen how we shoulde vse the sacraments and what we sholde iudge and defende of them which are executed in the holy places it is semyng that I instructe you of the ordre of the same The sacraments of the diuine secrets are commytted to thre degrees that is to saye a prest a deacon and a subdeacon who with feare and trymblyng of god ought to gather or kepe together the fragments of the Lordes bodye Least any corrupcion be founde or stycke in the place wher the hoosts ought to be kept leste when it is negligently layde vp the body of oure Lorde shoulde be moche indamaged For the cōmunion of the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ yf it be neglygently delte and the preast do not regarde the admonyshments of lower offycers let hym be stryken with some greuous sequestracion and humbled or ponyshed with a plage Certes let so greate and large sacrifice be offered in the alter in quantytie as be suffycient for the rated nombre of people yf there be any surpluse remayninge after the dystrybucyon let thē not be reserued vntyll the next mornyng But lowly and dreadefully let the clerkes receaue them And they which do consume the residue of the Lordes bodye being lefte in the place of reseruacion let them not by and by go to gether to assaye or fyl them selues with commō meates lest they entermyngle other victuall to the holy porcyon which ought fyrst by degestyon to be conuayde into the innermost and entier parts Therfore if they take repast of the Lordes bodye let the ministers which haue so done in the morowe earely fast vntyl the syxe houre And yf they haue eaten the Lordes porcyon at the thyrde or fourth houre let them abstayne frō meate tyll nyght thus by secrete sanctyfycation the euerlastynge sacramentes are to be kept And it to loweth for the busines of the Lord ought not to be slackly accomplysshed Agayne and agayne we demaunde and commaunde of the fragmentes remanents of the body of our Lord the Chalice ordeyned for the vessel of our Lordes bloud let it be warely and dilygētly prepared by the mynister lest it scars clene washed by the deacon maye turne hym to trespas in offeringe Thus with al honestye such thinges as we haue before spoken of must be fulfilled And in the thyrd Epistle to the same entent of the office of preistes and clerks Therfore it is behouable to vs here ronnnig the rayce of this shorte lyfe in this vayle of mysery to perceaue acknowlege and wholy to confyrme vs to the will of almighty God where we ought what place is appoynted for the celebraciō of his sacrifices For it is not lawfull to do masse or any sacrifyce in any place but in ordynary places commaunded and alowed by youre owne byshoppe And consecrated by the cheif ecclesiasticall power in our dyoces For otherwise these holy things or deuties be not to be admynistred in the holy scripture both the new tholde testamente instructynge vs. This assertyon the Apostles haue receaued and lerned of our Lorde And this haue they delyuered taught vs. And these thinges we teache I ioyne
as the breade made of grayne taken frome the grounde called by consecration is no more nowe commentable breade but the bodye and bloude of Christe stonding vpon .ii. thinges an earthly and an heauenlye euen so oure bodyes perceauing the sacrament be no more now corruptible hauīg hope of resurrection And ī his fyft boke agaynst heresyes By what meanes therfore both the myxed cup and the frute of breade perceaueth the worde of God is made the Eucharist of the body and bloude of Christ For God in that he is God hathe nether breth bones ne fleshe But speakynge as cōcernynge that disposition and proportion whiche is like vnto man whiche standeth compacte of flesh synowes and bones whiche is norished with the cuppe whiche is the bloode and is enoreasyd with the breade whiche is his body Tertulyane in his boke of resurrection of the flesh OVre fleshe eateth the bodye bloode of Christ that the soule also may be replenyshed and fully fed with God And in his boke of prayer he saith bread is the worde of the lyuinge God which came doune īto his fote stole of the earth from his throne of heauen Then his veraye bodye is demyd and thought to be in the similitude of breade Saynge This is my body Therfore we clamynge requirynge our dayelye bread do aske a perpetuite cōtynuaunce in Christ and an vnseperable vnite with his body Agaynst Marcyon he saith we do knowe receaue and beleue all the gospelles of Christ by the churche and not otherwyse S. Cypryan martyr ccxlix Cypryan Martyr in the fyrste boke of his Epistelles in the seconde epistle NOw not onely to the weake or sycke but to the valyant peace is necessarye Not only to persones departyng but to the liuinge communion shoulde be minystred to the intent we maye not leaue thē naked and weaponles whome we exhort to battayle But that we maye defend them with the shelde of the bodye and bloude of Christ And whē the body bloud of Christ is ministred that it maye be a sauegarde to the receauers and that we Arme them with the armour of the Lordes health whō we wolde saue agaynst our gostely enemy For why should we teache or moue them to spende their bloud in confessinge Christes name yf in this chiuallry we deny them the bloude of Christe Or by what meanes do we make them fyt for the cup of martirdome if we do not admyt them fyrste to drynke of the chalice of the righteous cōmunicatynge of the Lorde in the churche De cena domini Our Lorde maketh euen cōtinually vntill this daye in the sacramēt this his moste trew holy body maketh it holy blesseth it and deuideth it to them which deuoutely receaueth it In the same THe breade which the Lorde gaue to his disciples chaūged not in forme but in nature and by the omnipotente power of the worde is made fleshe And as in the personne of Christ the manhod was sene and the Godhed hydde so in the visible sacramente the diuine nature inuisible infundeth hym selfe to the entent that aboute the sacrament shoulde be deuotion And in the same This common bread chaūged into fleshe and bloude procureth to bodyes lyfe and increase Idem The high prest bryngeth forth bread wyne this is saith he my body they eate and drynke of the same bread after a visible forme but afore these words that meat was common only it was profitable for the body to be norished gaue help of a corporall lyfe But from what tyme it was of the Lorde spoken this do in remembraunce of me it is fleshe bloud As often as with these wordes and this faithe it is done that supersubstancial bread and cup of benediction solemplye consecrate it doth profight to life and health of the hole Man Also being a medecyn brent offeringe to heale infirmyties and pourge iniquities That it was an other thinge that fyrst was sette forth consumed and an other that was geuen of the master and destributed whan the false mynde of Iudas touched the holy meate The holy sanctifyed breade enteryd into the cursed mouthe the murdering mynde not beynge able to susteyne the myght of so greate a sacrament was blowen away lyke chaffe frome the floure and ran hedlynge to perdition to desperation and to the rope The sacrament Christe sōtyme calleth it hys bodye sometyme his fleshe and bloud sometime bread Origen in his .v. Homilye Domine non sum dignus WHan ye receaue the holy meat and vncorrupted dishe thou dost vse the breade and the cup of lyfe thou eatest and drinkest the body and bloud of our Lorde ther the Lorde enterest into thy house Dist Viii The sacramēt the Lord dyd institute when after the figuratyue lambe he dyd reache his body to his disciples at supper When these wordes be spokē saith Origen This is my body and this is my bloud ther is a certayne conuersion made of breade and wyne into the substaunce of the bodye and bloude of Christ Therfore the Lord Iesus goynge to the inuisible thinges of his Fathers magestie the figuratyue paschall beinge scelebrate with the disciples wyllynge to commende vnto them a certayne memoryall vnder forme of breade and wyne he dyd so geue his bodye and bloude to them that he myght shew the sacramentes of the olde law amonge which the sacrifice of the paschal lambe was chefe to be ended in his death the sacraments of the new law to be institute in whiche the mistery of Eucharistia excelleth Chrisostem in his .lxxxiii. Homili Vpon Saynt Math. LEt vs beleue God in euery thinge and not saye agaynst hym Verba dei defraudari non pūt yea although the thing that he sayth doth appere an inconuenience both to our sences thought vnderstandinge and dothe also exceade our sences capacite and reasone Let vs I beseche you beleue his wordes in al thinges but chefly in the sacrament not onely vpō those thinges which lye before vs His wordes can no the deceaued our sences ma◠easely be deceiued but considerynge also his wordes For by his wordes we can not be deceaued His wordes can not be false oursences are most easy to be dyssayued Wherfore seyng Christe hathe sayde This is my bodye let vs nothinge doute therof but beleue and perceaue it with the eyes of our vnderstanding In his .iii. boke Dialogorum Cap. iiii Beholde the dignite of the preisthode whervpon we speake for it is done in earth but his office is cōtayned in heuenly busynesses For consequently neither man nor Angell Non homo non Angelus nec Archangelus hoc sacramentū instituit nor archangell nor vertu nor any other creature but the holy gost hath institute this office and yet remayning in fleshe hath geuen to peruse the minystery of angelles For the which thing the byshop must as he that were in heuen and wer mixed to the vertues do this thing so it is lightenyd with the brightnes of lyfe For when
to be farre away and calleth Angelles to vs And the Lorde of Angels for where they se the Lordes bloud deuils fly away and angelles come to this bloudeshed wassheth all the worlde More saynges of Chrisostom in his Homily .xxiiii. 1. Cor. x. The thinge that is in the chalice is that which ranne oute of Christes syde we are partakers of it Liber iiii cap. iii. de dignitate sacerdotali O Greate good will of God towardes vs O myracle he that syttethe vpon the right hande of his father in heauen aboue is contayned in mennes handes in the tyme of sacrifice Homili XVii Episcopi ad heb ix ca. There is one bodye of Christ dayly offered in sacrifice and one Christ in euerye place where the Sacrament is which is here in this place full and there in that place also full or hole Homil. ad Antiochenum populum Helias the Prophete ascending vp left his mantell vnto his disciples but the sonne of God ascendynge vp into heauen lefte vnto vs his owne fleshe As for Helyas leauinge his mantell vnto his disciple left it from him selfe but our sauioure Christ hath both left his fleshe with vs and also taken it with hym selfe in his Ascencion Homil xlv super Iohannem It is not man that maketh our Lordes bodye and bloude of those thinges set forth vpon the table to be consecrated but it is Christe that was crucified for vs The wordes are pronounced of the preist and these thynges breade and wyne are consecrated by Goddes power and grace for he sayde This is my body By these wordes the breade and wyne are consecrated If a man loke in howe muche he is bounde to flesh and bloud To. li 6 〈◊〉 alogoruâ— Cap. 5. to be able to be made nigh to the blessed simple nature then diligentlye should he vnderstand that it were mete to honor preists by the grace of the holy gost Sacerdotes honorandi for by them these misteries be fulfilled other no lesse then these beinge so greate either because of our helth or els because of dignitie For they the inhabit erth and be conuersauÌ„t in it hath deserued to dispence heuenly thinges Potestatem ligandi et soluendi dedit hâ—meÌ„nibus non Angelis nec archâ— angelis they haue receaued power whiche god nether gaue to Aungels nor Archaungels nor it was not sayde to theÌ„ what things soeuer ye bind on earth they shal be houÌ„de also in heuen and what thinges so euer ye loose they shal be loosed The prynces of the world hath also a certayn power of byndinge but which is only laufull in bodyes Que sacer dotes aguÌ„t in terris Christus confirmat in celis but this boÌ„de which is commyt to preistes it goyth to the soule passeth to heuen That those thinges that preistes do beneth God dothe also confirme in heauen and corroborateth the sentence for it is no other thinge to be called but woodnes to contempne that misterye Sine sacramento Eucharistie nulla salus nec promissa red duntur with oute which neither is helthe geueÌ„ vs nor those good things that be promysed shoulde be geuen for none shal be able to go into the kingdome of heauen but those that be borne agayne of water and of the spirite And he that eateth not the fleshe of oure LORDE and drynketh not his bloude shall not haue lyfe euerlastynge which be made with no other handes then with the holy handes of the prest Solue sacerdos coÌ„secrat nor can haue the rewarde of promyses nor escape the fyer of hell but by the office of these things These be they that bring vs forth in a spirituall generation and execute them by the generation of baptim by them we be clothed with Christ and by them we be ioyned to the sonne of God by them we be also made members of that blessed head ¶ Saynt Ambrose was within .cclxxx. after Christ in his .iiii. boke of sacramentes the .xiiii. cap. WHo is the author of the sacramentes but our Lorde Iesus these sacrameÌ„tes came froÌ„ heauen for all counsell is frome heauen but verely greate Godly is the myracle that God rayned from heauen to the people Angelles foode Exod. 16. And the people labored not and yet did eate Thou perauenture sayest my bread is had coÌ„meÌ„ly in vse but this bread is bread before the sacramentall wordes but after consecration hathe approched of bread is made the flesh of Christ Let vs therfore fortefye and approue this how it which is breade can be the body of Christ by consecration Of what wordes than and of whose sayinges consisteth the consecration euen of our Lord Iesu for by al other thinges which are spoken prayse is offered to God and prayer supplication is made for the people for the kynge for other thinges But whaÌ„ it is come to passe that the sacrameÌ„t worthy to be honoured must be coÌ„secrated now the preist vseth not his owne worde but the wordes of Christe Therfore the worde of Christ doth make or consecrate this sacrameÌ„t Whiche word of Christ it truly by the whiche al thinges are made The Lorde commaunded and heauen was made The Lord commauÌ„ded and the earth was made The lord commaunded the seas was made The Lord coÌ„maunded euery creature was begotten borne Seest thou than how mighty in working the word of God is therfore if so great power strength vertu be in the word of our lorde Iesu the thinges whiche were not began to be howe muche more is it able to worke that the things were might be chaunged into another thing heaueÌ„ was not the sea was not Psa 14 â–ª the earthe was not But here the prophet Dauid speaking of god he spake the word the thinges were made he commaunded and the thinges was created Than let me answer it was not the body of christ before the consecration but after the consecration I say vnto the that now it is the body of Christe He spake the word and it was done he commaunded and it was created Thou thy selfe was but thou was an olde creature After that thou was dedicated to God baptisyd thou began to be a new creature Wylt thou knowe how new a creature thou arte Euery man saith Saynt Paule is by Christ anew creature here therfore 2. Cor. 5. lo the worde of Christe hathe bene wonte to chaunge euery creature and chaungeth whan it will the customes and ordinauÌ„ces of nature Thou requirest how Harken And fyrst of all let vs take example of Christes generation The custome is that man can not be generate but of man and woman and wedlocke company but bycause it was our Lordes pleasure who choose this Sacrament Christ was borne of the holy ghost and of a vyrgyn that is to saye the mediatoure of God and men Christe Iesus verye man Than thou seest that against the custome and order of nature a man was borne of a
vyrgin Take an other example Exod. 14 The children of Israell was oppressed of the Egiptians closed in with the sea on euery syde by the commaundement of God Moyses touched the water with his rodde and the water deuided her selfe a sonder which verely was not after the custome of her nature but according to the grace of the heauenly commaundement Take an other example Exod 15. The children of Israell was thurstye and came to a fountayne of water the whiche was bytter not able to be dronke Holy Moyses dyd cast a tre into the water and it was made swete which before was bitter that is to saye it chaunged the custome of nature and toke the swetnes of grace Take also the fourth example It fortuned as a man was felling doune a tre besides the floude Iordayne 4 Reg. 6. the axe hed full into the water and sonke to the botome as the custome of Iron is to do the prophet Heleseus dyd cast a sticke of woode into the water and immediately the Iron came vp swymmed aboue the water the whiche verely is against the nature of yron For the stuffe substaunce of Iron is moch heuyer than is the element of water Dost thou theÌ„ by these examples vnderstande how mightily the heauenly worde worketh yf the heaueÌ„ly worde hath wrought in an earthy foÌ„tayne yf it hath wrought in other thinges doth not it also worke in the heauenly sacramentes Pauis fâ—eory 9 christi than thou hast learned that of bread may be made the body of Christ And the wine and water is put into the chalice but it is made bloude by the consecration of the heauenly word But perauenture thou wilt saye I se not the forme of bloude Euen as thou hast taken the similitude of death in baptyme Respoâ— so dost thou drinke the similitude of the preciouse bloude that there be no feare of bloude and yet that it maye worke the price of redemption Thou hast therfore learned that the thing which thou takest is the bodye of Christ and the bloude of our Lorde Wilt thou know that it is consecrate with heauenly wordes Here what the words be The prest sayth Make sayth he this oblation enrolled reasonable whiche is a fygure of the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Iesu Christ Qui pridie whiche the daye afore that he suffered he toke breade in his holy handes loked to heauen to his holy father almighty God geuynge thankes blessed brake and beinge broken gaue it to his Apostels and Disciples sayinge Take and eate of this all for this is my body that shall be broken for many And in lyke maner he toke the cuppe after he had supped the daye before that he shoulde suffer and loked to heauen to the holy father almyghtye euerlastynge God geuynge thankes blessed gaue it to his Apostels and Disciples sayinge Take and drynke of this all for this is my bloude Se al these be the wordes of the Euangelyst vnto Take ye whether it be the body or bloude then be the wordes of Christe Take and drynke of it all Afore it is consecrate it is breade â— Corpus christi est but when the wordes of Christe come it is the bodye of Christ Furthermore heare hym sayinge Take and eate of it all this is my body And afore the wordes of Christe the cuppe is full of wyne and water When the wordes of Christe haue wroughte there is the bloude made whiche hath redemed the people Then se in howe greate kyndes is the word of Christ myghty and able to conuert all maner of thinges Further more the Lorde Iesus hym selfe doth testifie vnto vs that we may take his bodye and bloude should we then doubte of his fayth and wytnessynge Lib. 4. de Sacramentis Nowe come with me to my proposition It is surelye a greate and worshypfull thynge that he dyd raygne Manna from heauen to the Iewes But vnderstand what is more the Manna from heauen or the body of Christ Surelye the bodye of Christe whiche is maker of heauen Farthermore he that did eate Manna is deade But he that hath eaten this bodye it shal be to hym forgeuenes of synnes and he shall neuer dye Therfore thou sayst not in vayne Amen So be it Now thou confessinge in sprite that thou takest the bodye of Christe the preist saith to the The body of Christ And thou faiste Amen That is true that which he confesseth hath the desyre It is to be knowen that in pronounsing of these wordes Bread is turned into the body of Christe This is my bodye a misterye is done And breade is turned into Christes bodye If thou aske how we leauinge these thynges not certayne do affirme that which is of auctorities that is to say that the substaunce of bread and wine is conuerted into the substaunce of the bodye and bloude of our lorde And we be not ashamed to confesse that we knowe not the maner of turnynge For the thynges that remayne of the former substaunce accidentia manent be accidentes that is the coloure sauour fourme and weyghte Nor yet they do make the bodye of Christ nor can be grounded therin But if it be asked where they be founded we saye Hic deo ideÌ„s manet sine subiectodo uirtute diuina that by diuyne miracle they be sustayned without substaunce This is truely a greate misterye and vnsearcheable We be commaunded to beleue we be not permitted to discusse We be commauÌ„ded to beleue but not to discusse all thinges that the Lorde wolde he dyd in hea-and in earth And because so he wolde so it was So thoughe the figure of breade and wyne be seene yet after the consecration we muste beleue nothinge els but the fleshe and bloude of Christe Wherefore the truth doth saye to his Disciples This is my fleshe for the lyfe of the worlde and that I might speake more maruelously it is playnely none other but that which was borne of the virgin Marye and suffered on the crosse and rose out of the graue This I saye is it And therfore is it the fleshe of Christ which for the lyfe of the worlde yet to daye is offered the breade of angelles is made the meate of men wherfore he sayth I am the lyuely bread which cam doune from heauen Also the breade which I will gyue is my fleshe for the lyfe of the world By these two sentences it is geuen openly to be vnderstanded that this breade and that be not two but one breade and one fleshe and withoute doute is made one bodye That verely that surely which was taken of the virgyn that suffered that was buryed that arose agayne and ascended into heauen sitteth on the right hande of God the father and which is to come to Iudge the quicke the dead And that thou mayste knowe this to be a sacrameÌ„t the figure of this went before afterwarde know how gret a SacrameÌ„t it is
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
vp in the laste day I he sayd that is my body that shal be eatē I wyll rayse vp hym For he is not another thinge but his owne flesh I saye not that that by nature he is another thinge but that after his incarnation he doth not suffer him selfe to be deliuered into two sonnes I therfore sayth he whiche am made man by fleshe wyll in the last daye rayse them vp that eate me My flesshe is very meate and my bloude is very drinke Christe maketh a difference here betwene the misticall benediction and Māna and the riuers of waters oute of the stone and the commynge of the holy cuppe Thei did not bring eternall lyfe but a shorte remedye of hunger But the holy bodye of Christ is noryshynge meate to immortalitie and lyfe eternall Therfore we be the body and members of Christ because by this blessinge of the mistery we do take the veraye sonne of God He that eateth my fleshe c. For as muche as it is an harde thynge and by faith rather then otherwayes He is receaued manye and dyuerse wayes he expoundeth the maruelouse profight of it consernynge the foundation ground to be faith Exemplū de cord Vnum corpus Christosumus Eodem lib cap. 19 as yf one dyd put to molted wax other wax he muste nedes mengle the one with the other Euen so if one receaue the flesh and bloud of our Lord he must be ioyned with him that Christe be founde in hym and he in Christ This is the bread that came doun from heauen surely they be great thinges whiche be done of greate men Therfore those thinges that be geuen of Christ is breade frome heauen for it geueth to the eaters euerlastynge lyfe A greate signe of the Godhead in his bodye surelye nature to inhabite For these thinges be therfore geuen whiche passe al other nature And therfore they of the rude sorte be lesse beleued but the most riche nature geueth greatest riches whiche Paul also merueilinge cryeth The eye hath not sene nor the eare hath not hard nor into many hath not come those thinges whiche God hath or deined to them that loue him Let vs not therfore misse here only the wordes of Christ but let vs geue credit to him the teacheth vs faith for els we shal be vexed with the mysbeleuers Iesus knowinge that they murmered by experiēce that many whiche folowed Christ not perceyuinge his wordes were trobled they thought thei were called of Christ to the cruell maners of wilde beastes and to be styred that they shoulde eate the rawe fleshe of mā and drinke the bloude whiche to heare is horrible For as yet they dyd not know of this mistery the forme and moste Godly dispensacion They thought how the flesh of this man coulde gyue eternall lyfe but he vnto whose eyes all thinges were naked and opē dothe by another marueylouse thinge bringe them to faith you be saith he troubled in vayne for my wordes What and if ye do not beleue lyfe to be geuen to you in my bodye what will ye do when ye shall se me ascende vp to heauen what will ye saye then seyng that will not that be a greate argument of youre madnesse If ye do thinke that my fleshe is not able to geue you lyfe howe shall it ascende into heauen as a byrde howe shall it fly through the ayer This in like maner is vnpossible to mankinde If so be that my fleshe agaynst nature shall ascende to heauen what letteth that also agaynste nature it maye quicken For he the made this earthely body heauenly he also made it quicknynge thoughe by the nature of it selfe it be corruptible But remember agayne Christ to be one and not two as many do folishly affyrme Consyder I say that euery where after incarnacion he sheweth hym selfe to be inuisible Super Iohannem The sprite it is that quickenyth the fleshe dothe nothing profight at all though the nature of flesh as it is fleshe cannot quicken yet it maye do this be cause it hathe taken so greate operation of the worde for it is a bodye not of euery man whose fleshe can any thinge prosight For not of Paul or Peter or of others But of the veray lyfe and the bodye of our Sauiour Iesu Christ into whiche the fulnes of the Godhead dothe inhabite maye do it For seynge that hony is naturally swete it maketh them swete with whome it is myngled Wolde it not be a folyshe thinge to beleue the lyuely nature of the worde not to geue to man in whome it dwellith a vertu of quickenynge For the fleshe of Christ because in it the onely sonne of God dwelleth maye alone quickē For he calleth hym selfe a sprite For God is a sprite And how the sprite quickenyth we can neither vnderstande nor with tonge expresse But by scilence and sure faithe we do take that What doth Christ promyse what dothe he bringe to beleuers Surely no corruptible thinge but a besechinge whiche we get by cōmunicating of Christes bodye and bloude wherby we maye be brought hole to the incorrupcion For it is a bodye of veray lyfe retayninge in it the vertue of the worde incarnate And full in power of hym wherby all thinges do lyue and be whiche thinges seynge they be so let men baptysed and beinge made partenars of the godly grace Though they go to the Churche more seldome and by longe space of tymes for a cloked religion refuse to communicate mistically Christ they do expulse them selues farre frome eternall lyfe for souche refusynge though it seme to come of religion it both causeth offence and layeth snares wherfore it behoueth with all strengthes to be clensyd from synne and foundacions of good lyuing sette with great confidence to ronne to take lyfe and pleasure of the fleshe by continencye ouercome that we go to the heauenly grace that we be made partenars of the body of Christ For so shall we chase awaye the deuill and beinge partenars of the godly nature maye ascende vnto lyfe and incorruptible ¶ Certayne sayinges of Theophilactus viii.c.lxiii vpon the xxvi of Math. THey eatinge Iesus tokē breade and set it to the eaters that he might shew the cruelty of Iudas For at the table communion of the meates of it whē he if he had not ben a wilde beast shoulde haue shewed hym selfe more tame then he neither whan he was reproued vnderstode But tastinge his bodye he dyd not repent for saying this is my body he sheweth that the bodye of our Lorde is breade whiche is sanctifyed in the alter and not an answeringe figure Non est figura sed corpus For he sayde not this is a figure But this is my bodie For it is transformed by an vnspeakeable operaciō yea though it seme to vs breade for we be weake Panis uidetur in specie sed caro est and feare to eate rawe fleshe chefely the fleshe of a man Therfore dothe breade appere But it is
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
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