Twoo notable Sermons made the thirde and fyfte Fridayes in Lent last past before the Quenes highnes concernynge the reall presence of Christes body and bloude in the blessed Sacrament also the Masse which is the sacrifice of the newe Testament By Thomas Watson Doctor of Diuinitie Roma 12. ¶ Obsecro uos fratres per misericordiam Dei ut exhibeatis corpora uestra hostiam uiuam sanctam Deo placentem c. YF S. Paule writing to the Phylyppians the third chapiter was not asshamed too saye To write one thinge diuerse tymes to you is not payne or slouthe to me but profitable and necessarye for you muche lesse oughte Ito be asshamed for that I propounde to you at thys tyme that lesson agayne which before I haue twyce intreated seinge I intende by Goddes grace to speake nothing but that I haue learned eyther of Saynt Paule him selfe or of such I thinke was indued with the same spirite Saynt Paule was this I do not for lacke of good matter but for lacke of better matter in my iudgement and more necessary to be learned of vs all at this presente For what is better worthier and more neadefull to be taughte and learned of all sortes of men in these euil dayes and corrupt time then howe to offre vppe our selues to God a liuynge holye and pleasinge sacrifice to ouercome and represse our naughtie wyl and affections to mortifie our earthly membres and conuersation and so to banish sinne that it reygne not in oure mortall bodyes the largenes of whiche matter is so greate and doth extende it selfe in so many partes causes and circumstancies that althoughe the whole matter doth perteyne hath respect to one ende yet the intreating of it being long must nedes be variouse for that reason can not be tediouse to him that loueth to learne to liue well and please almightye God The ende of this my matter is to destroye the kyngedome of sinne for which purpose Gods sonne was incarnate to bring whiche thinge to passe in vs was al the lyfe the example the passion the resurrection of Christ and al the doctrine Sacramentes of Christ. Like as contrarye to erecte and establyshe thys kingdome of sinne is all the trauayle and temptation of the deuill nowe fawning like a serpent transformyng hym selfe into an aungell of lyght to intrappe seduce the simple and vnware now raging like a lion to ouerthrowe the feble and fearful and not onlye is it his trauayle but also it is the whole labour practise of all his children by imitation as Infideles Iewes heretikes scismatikes false brethren counterseyte christians both in liuinge and learnyng labouryng nyghte and daye with all witte and will to destroy the fayth of Christ the Sacramentes of Christe the sacrifice of Christ asmuch as in them lyeth â–ª whiche thre be speciall meanes to destroy the kingdome of sinne which they with all their power set vp and maynteyne The practise of the deuil his ministers in this poynt I haue partlye touched and by Gods grace and youre patience shall nowe procede further I haue opened the decaye of fayth good workes penaunce which be remedies agaynst sinne One other remedye there is that lyeth in much decaye which wyll lye still excepte good men accorcording to their bounden dueties put to their help 〈◊〉 â—andes I meane the sacrifice of the churche the sacrifice of y e newe testament the sacrifice of oure reconciliation in the body and bloude of our Lord Iesus Christ which he hathe instituted in his laste supper and so as Ireneus sayeth Noui testamenti nouam docuit oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in uniuerso muÌ„do offert Deo Christe confessyng the cup to be his bloude hath taught the new sacrifice of the newe testament which sacrifice the church receauing of the Apostels doeth offer to God throughoute the whole world There is nothing so auncient so profitable necessarye so holsome as this sacrifice is that hath bene of some men that of late so assaulted reuiled reiected blasphemed oppressed persecuted and wyth suche reproche and indignation banyshed and exiled without cause or any good ground why they shuld so haue done but y t they knewe synne shuld decay yf that were vsed And therefore intendynge to establyshe the kyngdome of synne laboured wyth all violence to subuerte thys enemye and remedye agaynst synne â–ª whyche as Saynt Cypriane doth saye ad totius hominis uitam salutemque proficit simul medicamen tum holocaustum ad sanandas infirmitates purgandas iniquitates existens whyche doth profyte to the lyfe saluation of the whole man beinge both a medicine to heale infirmities and a sacrifice to purge iniquities Thys lytle tyme that I haue nowe I intende God wyllynge to bestowe in thys matter to reduce into youre remembraunce the foundation and commoditye of thys sacrifice of the churche and to repell suche boltes as the folishnes of some and the malice of other haue shotte agaynste it that knowing the necessity and goodnes of it we may folowe the counsell of Saynte Barnarde whych sayd Discamus eius humilitatem imitemur mansuetudinem amplectamuâ— dilectionem coÌ„municemus passionibus lauemur in sanguine eius ipsum offeramus propitiationem pro peccatis nostris quo niam ad hoc ipse natus datus est nobis Ipsum oculis patris ipsum offeramus suis quia pater proprio filio suo non pepercit sed pro nobis tradidit illum c. Let vs learne his humilitye lette vs folowe his meakenes and gentlenes let vs imbrace his loue let vs communicate in hys passions by suffryng wyth hym lette vs be washed in hys bloude let vs offre hym the propitiation or a sacrifice propitiatory for our sinnes for to this ende was he borne and gyuen to vs let vs offer him to hys fathers eyes let vs offer hym to his owne eyes for y e father hathe not spared hys owne sonne but hath gyuen him for vs and so forth And also as the same Bernarde more playnly writeth in an other place saying thus Pauperes sumus parum dare possumus attamen reconciliari possumus pro paruo illo si uolumus totum quod dare possum miserum corpus istud est illud si dedero satis est si quo minus addo corpus ipsius nam illud de meo est meum est paruulus enim natus est nobis filius datus est nobis De te Domine suppleo quod minus habeo in me O dulcissima reconciliatio We are poore and litle can we gyue yet for that litle we may be reconcyled to GOD yf we wyl Al that I am able to giue is this wretched body of mine yf I gyue that it is sufficient yf it be not I adde also Christes body for that is mine and of myne for a litle one is borne to vs and the sonne is gyuen vnto vs. O Lorde
that lacketh in me I supplye of thee O moost sweateste reconciliation See howe Saynte Bernarde ioyneth the offeryng of oure bodyes and of Christes bodye together that yf the oblation of our bodyes be imperfecte suffise not the oblation of christes body may fulfyll and supplye that lacketh in vs And to what ende that we might be reconciled that the body of synne myghte be destroyed that it reygne not in oure bodyes ¶ Here the Prayer was made NOw entryng to speake of y e sacrifice of the churche I pre suppose one thyng whych is the foundation of the same to be most certaynlye and constantly beloued of all vs that be here present which is that in the most blessed SacrameÌ„t of the aultare is presente the true bodye and bloude of oure Sauiour Christe the price of our redemption not in figure only but in trueth and verye dede whiche the learned men call really and essentially that is to saye that thynge that substaunce that was vpon the crosse is nowe verely presente in the blessed Sacrament before we receaue it the cause of whych real presence is the omnipotente power and wyll of God assistyng the due administration of the Priest the whiche body and bloude we christen men receaue by the seruice of our bodyes and senses though not by the iudgement of our senses but onely by the iudgement of fayth because it is gyuen not in the outwarde fourme of the selfe same bodye and bloude as it was slayne shedde vpon the crosse but in the fourmes of our dayly and speciall nutrimentes of breade and wyne and that for sondry weyghtye and necessary causes foresene by our Sauioure Christ. For â–ª seyng the substaunce of our sacrifice of the newe Testament is the verye reall and naturall bodye of Christe as may be proued by many auctorities Saynte Cypriane sayeth In sacrificio quòd Christus est non nisi Christus sequendus est In that sacrifice that is Christ no manne is to be folowed but Christe Here he sayeth that Christ is that sacrifice that we offer to almyghtye God Also Saynte Basyl wryteth in hys forme of Masse Tu es qui offers offerris qui suscipis et impartis Christe Deus noster O Christ our God thou art he that both doest offer is offered that bothe giuest the offeryng and receaueth Saynt Basyl by this meaneth that the sacrifice whyche the churche offered to GOD is Christ hym selfe who in that he is the heade of hys body the churche is one offerer with y e churche and so is bothe offerer and offered as Basyl sayeth Lykewyse Saynte Ambrose wrytynge of the inuention of the bodyes of two gloriouse martyrs Geruasius and Prothasius and of the burying of them vnder the aultare sayeth thus Succedant uictimae triumphales in locum ubi Christus hostia est sed ille super altare qui pro omnibus passus est â—sti sub altari qui illius redempti sunt passione Let these triumphynge sacrifices meanynge the bodyes of the martyrs go into y t place where Christe is a sacrifice But Christe is a sacrifyce aboue the aultare who suffred for all men these two vnder y e aultare that were redemed by his passion Of this place I note my purpose whiche is that the sacrifice of the Churche and newe Testament is the verye reall bodye and bloude of our Sauiour Christ which is also testified by Chrysostome in his homelye he wryteth of the praise of GOD in these woordes Vereamini mensam quaue desuper uictima illa iacet Christus scilicet qui nostri causa occisus est feare and reuerence that table aboue y t which lieth that sacrifice that is to saye Christ whyche for oure cause was slayne By which wordes Chrysostome declareth his faythe that the sacrifice of y e churche is Christ and also that christ is not onely in heauen as some men damnably beareth you in hand but is placed lyinge aboue y e table of the aultare as y e substaunce of our sacrifice And in an other homely he writeth Mensa mysterijs instructa est et agnus dei pro te immolatur The table is furnished with mysteries and the lambe of god for the is offered teachinge vs that the holye mysteryes wherewith the table of our aultare is furnyshed be the body bloude of Christ that is to saye the lambe of god which is also then offered for vs. Saint Augustyne is full of such saynges as writinge of his mothers deathe howe that he wepte nothinge for her all the tyme the Masse was sayde for her soule which he expresseth by these wordes Cum offerrâ—tur pro ea sacrificium praecij nostri When the sacrifice of our pryce was offered for hyr I leaue out all the rest of the sentence contented to alledge onely this that proueth the sacryfice whiche is offered by the priest for the deade to be our pryce which is and can be nothinge else but the bodye bloude of Christ which he gaue vpon the crosse as the pryce of our redemption But playnest of al he writeth in a booke intituled Liber Sententiarum Prosperi which booke is alledged of Gratian in the decrees in these wordes Hoc est quod dicimus quòd modis omnibus approbare contendimus sacrificiuÌ„ Ecclesiae duobus confici duobus constare uisibili elementorum specie inuisibili Domini nostri Iesu Christi corpore sanguine Sacramento re Sacramenti id est corpore Christi This is that we saye that we labour to proue by al meanes that the sacrifice of the church is made and consisteth of two thinges of the visible fourme of the elementes and of the invisible bodye bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ bothe the outwarde Sacrament and y e thinge or substaunce of y e Sacrament that is the bodye of Christ. These wordes nede no declaringe but poyntinge and for that cause why shoulde I tarye in this point any longer seing that our bokes be full of suche like aucthorities Therfore as I began seinge the substaunce of our Sacryfyce of the new Testament is the very reall and naturall bodye of Christe if this bodye be not present in the SacrameÌ„t as the enemyes of Christes crosse the destroyers of our faythe falsely pretend then be we christen men lefte all together desolate without any sacrifyce priuaâ—e vnto vs for bothe the sacrifice of Christe vpon the crosse and also the inwarde sacrifice of mans hearte be not priuate but common to vs to all faythfull men from the beginning of the worlde to the last end And furthermore seinge a sacrifice is an outwarde protestation of our inward faithe deuotion if we christen men now haue no sacrifice priuate vnto vs then be we the moost miserable men that euer were beinge without any kynde of religion For take awaye our sacrifice and take awaye our religion as S. Cyprian confutinge the carnall
wordes and reasons without probabilitye agaynste all rule and forme of true reasonyng Moreouer the nature of a sacrament dothe moue me very muche to beleue styll as I do For whereas euery sacrament of the newe Testament is a visible forme of an inuisible grace as S. Augustyne sayth it can not be a sacramente of y â— newe Testamente excepte it haue a promise of some suche grace to be gyuen to the worthye receauer as is signifyed by the outwarde forme of the sacrament As in baptisme the water which is the outwarde forme signifieth the grace of saluation and remission of synnes whych grace is bothe gyuen to the worthy receauer is also promised in scripture to be giueÌ„ by the mouth of christ saying Qui crediderit baptizatus fuerit saluus erit He that beleueth and is baptized shalbe saued Euen so the outwarde element of this sacrament which is bread and wine doâ—h signifye the grace of the vnitye of Christes misticall bodye that lyke as one breade is made of manye graynes one wyne is pressed out of many grapes so one mysticall body of Christ is compact vnited of the multitude of all Christen people as S. Cypriane sayeth Nowe yf our sacrament be breade and wine as they saye then shal they find the promise of this grace or of some other in the scriptures made to the receauer of breade and wine And yf there be no promise in all the scriptures made to the receauing of bread and wine then be they no sacramentes But yf they wyll loke in the sixt chapiter of S â–ª Iohn they shal find thys grace of the mysticall vnitye promised not to the receauynge of breade and wine but to the worthye receauyng of Christes body and bloude where Christ sayeth he that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude he abydeth in me and I in hym and so is ioyned and incorporate into one mysticall bodye wyth him Oure sacramente therfore that hath the promise annexed vnto it is not breade wyne be they neuer so muche appoynted to signifye heauenly thynges as they saye but the very body and bloude of oure Lord Iesus Christ the bread that came from heauen Luther and suche as be of hys sect as take hys dreames for the ground of their fayth were muche pressed with this argument deduced of the propertye of the sacramente and sawe playnly that it could not be a sacrament of the newe testameÌ„t except it had a promise annexed to the worthy vsyng of it And yet for al that he would not condescende to say as the Churche sayeth that res SacrameÌ„ti the thing of the sacrament signified and not conteyned whych is the vnitye of the mystical body were that grace whych by Christ in S. Iohn was promised to the worthye receauer of it but went and sought about for an other promise and after much pooringe at laste he broughte forth a promyse as he thoughte mete and conueniente which is the wordes of christ Quod pro uobis tradetur which shalbe gyuen for you And in this poynt he shewed w t what violence he handled other matters of our fayth that in thys greate matter so muche ouershotte himselfe Fyrst wyth what face could he call that a promise whyche hathe no apparaunce of anye promise but that the wordes in Latyne be spoken in the future tense whych in Greke be wrytten in the present tense both in Saynt Paule and in S. Luke Quod pro uobis datur whyche is gyuen for you And yf they were spoken in y e future tense as they were not yet they be wordes not promising a thyng to be done but declaryng what shalbe done And further yf we shoulde graunt them to be wordes of a promise yet they promyse not the grace of the sacrameÌ„t whyche is to be gyuen to the worthy receauer â–ª For the passion of Christe or the giuinge of Christes body vpon the crosse is not a grace giuen by the sacramente to the receauer but it is that worke that hath deserued grace to be gyuen by the sacrament for al our sacramentes take their vertue of y e passion of Christe and do not promise the passion of Christe This may suffise for thys shorte time to shewe vnto you the folye of these men that neyther wote nor care what they affyrme in these weyghty matters I coulde saye more in it but that I haue more necessary matter behynde to be sayd S. Augustyne in diuerse places other auncieÌ„t aucthors haue this doctrine in their bokes E latere Christi fluxerunt duo Sacramenta Two Sacramentes dyd yssue forth of christes syde and in those places he teacheth vs by comparyng the creation of Eue the wyfe of Adam the firste man and of the churche y â— spouse of christe the second man Lyke as god castyng AdaÌ„ into a slepe toke forth a bone oute of hys syde and therof buylded and created hym a wyfe euen so when Christ dyd slepe by death vpoÌ„ the crosse vpon water and bloude that came forth of hys side when it was opened with a speare God dyd forme and buylde the churche the spouse of Christ in that by water we be regenerate by bloude we be redemed and nourished Now concernyng our purpose yf two sacrameÌ„tes came oute of Christes syde we are sure there came out no wyne excepte ye wyll saye the wyne of the true vyne whych christ shall neuer drynke wyth vs any more but after anewe sort in the glory and kyngdome of hys father Therfore it muste nedes be that our sacrament is Christes bloude and not wyne Besyde these circumstancies and argumentes deduced vpoÌ„ the scrypture there be also other of no lesse strength then these able to coÌ„firme any true Christen man in the fayth of the reall presence of Christes body and bloude in the blessed sacrament And these be the effectes of the sacrament expressed in the scripture whych be so great so gloriouse so excellent and heauenly that it were great blasphemy to ascribe the same to breade and wyne whyche be only the workes and effectes of almighty GOD and of suche creatures only as gods sonne hath taken and vnited to him selfe in vnitie of person whych be the body and bloude of our Sauiour Christ. The fyrst effect is that our Sacrament is the confirmation of the newe Testament as S. Mathewe and S. Mark also do wryte Hic est sanguis meus noui Testamenti Thys is my bloude of the newe Testament that is to saye which confirmeth the newe Testament as all holye wryters do expounde Like as the bloude of calues did confirme the old Testament as the booke of Exodus doth declare so the bloude of Christ our prieste sacrifice doth coÌ„firme the new Testament which Testament because it is eternall and shall neuer haue ende is confirmed by the eternall bloude of the lambe of God that euer is receaued and neuer consumed and not by anye corruptible bloude or any other creature
of heauen as S. Ihon writeth Yet we reade that the theâ—e on the ryght hand of Christe was saued and neuer baptyzed and many conuerted sodenly to our fayth were made martyrs before they coulde come to baptisme in water And saynt Ambrose thynketh Vâ—lentinian the Emperoure to be saued whych dyed in his iourneye before saynt Ambrose which he sent for could come vnto hym And therfore though baptisme be necessary and the ordinary doore to saluation yet the propre grace of baptisme is sometimes gyuen by Gods extraordinarye and absolute power to suche as wythoute contempt of the sacrament by theyr wyll and earneste desire receaue the sacrament of baptisme though not in dede eueÌ„ so they that be baptized and haue an earnest desyre and longyng to receaue Christes body and bloude in the sacrameÌ„t and by some violence or impediment are letted to receaue it in dede or suche children as by baptisme haue fayth infused into theyr heartes and are preueÌ„ted by death before they can proue and trye theÌ„ selfes whych probation saynt Paule semeth too require before the receypte oâ— Christes body hauyng no contempt nor refusal of the same but departe in the fayth of christ These I say receaue the grace of the sacrament whych is the immortality of theyr bodyes and lyfe eternall by Gods extraordinary workyng wythout the receypte of the sacramente in dede By this litle ye may perceaue what maye be further sayd to thys obiection yf the tyme and my principal matter wold suffre me Thys effect is commonlye taught of many auncient aucthors with one consent For Ignatius one of the oldest calleth this sacrament medicamentum immortalitatis antidotum non moriendi a medicine of immortalitye a preseruatiue agaynst death And the great general counsel at Nice wryteth that they beleued these sacramentes of the body and bloude of Christ to be Symbola resurrectionis nostrae the pledges or causes of our resurrection And Athanasius who was one of the chiefe men in that counsell calleth it Conseruatorium ad immortalitatem uitae aeternae A conserue or a thing that preserueth our bodyes to the immortalitie of eternall lyfe Ireneus that was a great deale older writyng agaynst the heretikes that denyed the resurrection of the fleshe proueth it and confuteth them by the effect of this sacrament sayinge thus Quomodò dicunt carnem in corruptionem deuenire quae à corpore sanguine Domini alitur By what reason do thei saye that our flesh goeth wholy to corruption seyng that it is nouryshed wyth the bodye and bloude of our Lord and in hys fyfte booke he sayeth Quomodò carnem negant capacem esse donationis Dei quae est uita aeterna quae sanguine corpore Christi nutritur Howe do they denye our fleshe to be able to receaue the gyft of god which is eternal lyfe whych is nouryshed wyth the body and bloude of Christ The greateste argumente that Ireneus could bring to proue the resurrection of our flesh to lyfe eternall was to alledge the cause of that resurrection whych was the nouryshynge of our fleshe wyth the lyueâ—ye fleshe of Christ in the sacrameÌ„t not to this temperal lyfe as other earthly meates do but to eternal lyfe as onely Christes flesh doth and this cause was beleued and coÌ„fessed of al men at that tyme both catholykes heretikes Insomuche that these heretikes of oure tyme that denye this cause that is to saye Christes fleshe to be really gyuen in the sacrament eaten of our flesh do giue occasioÌ„ yea I am affrayed do gyue more then occasion for vs to thynke of them that they denye also the resurrectioÌ„ of our fleshe whych is the propre effect of it although as yet they dare not impudentlye burste out wyth it in playne wordes though they expresse the same euidently to all mens eyes in their carnall beastly lyues To proue this effect further I could bring in many mo aucthorities as the saying of Hilalarius Haec uero uitae nostrae causa est quòd in nobis carnalibus manenteÌ„ per carneÌ„ Christum habemus Thys is the very cause of our life y â— we haue Christ by his fleshe dwellynge in oure fleshe But I wyl not in so playne a matter through my curiosity seme to mistrust the credite of you that be faythfull men Therfore to conclude knowing the greatnes and thexcellencye of thys effecte shall we ascribe it to so basse creatures as be bread wyne whiche be not able to worke suche an effect God forbidde The principal effect of all is to make vs one bodye wyth Christ whyche is declared in saynt Paule in these wordes Panis quem frangimus nonne communicatio corporis Christi est The breade whyche we breake is it not the communion of Christes body that is to say doth it not ioyne knitte vs in the vnitye of one body of Christ Upon the whyche place of saynt Paule Chrysostome noteth that he sayd not it is the participation but it is the coÌ„munion of one bodye Declarynge therby the higheste and greatest coniunction that can be sauyng the vnitye of person for the breade whych we breake that is to saye the natural body of Christe vnder the forme of breade whyche we breake and diuide amonges vs not takyng euerye man a sondrye part but euerye man takynge the whole and the same And as Cyrill sayth Gods sonne going into euery man as it were by diuision of hym selfe yet remayneth whole wythout any diuision in euery manne thys breade I saye is the communion of Christes body that is to saye maketh vs that be diuerse in our owne substaunce to be all one misticall bodye in Christ indued all wyth one holye spirite wherby y e influence of Christes grace that is oure head is deriued and deduced vnto vs that be membres of his body fleshe of his fleshe bones of his bones Thus doeth Chrysostome expounde y e wordes of S. Paul Quid enim appello inquit communicationem idem ipsum corpus sumus quidnam est panis corpus Christi quid auteÌ„ fiunt qui accipiunt corpus Christi noÌ„ multa sed unum corpus What meaneth S. Paule when he sayeth the coÌ„munion he meaneth that we be all one bodye What meaneth he by thys word bread the body of christ What are they made that receaue the body of Christ they are made not manye bodyes but one bodye And therefore S. Paul sayeth by by after unus panis unum corpus multi sumus omnes enim de uno pane participamus We that be many are made one bread one bodye forbecause all we do receaue and eate of one bread Here he telleth playne why we that be manye in numbre are all made one breade one misticall body because sayeth he all we eate of one breade whych is one naturall bodye And this worde breade here must nedes be taken for Christes naturall body and not for materiall bread
and as he writeth in an other place howe can we shedde oure bloude for Christe that be ashamed to drynke Christes bloude Thys bloude beyng receaued of vs as Chrysostome sayeth driueth the deuyls away and doth allure the aungels the Lord of aungels vnto vs for after the meat of our Lord receaued he forsaketh vs and flieth awaye swifter then anye winde and dare not approche neare because all entraunce for hys temptations is shutte vppe As S. Ambrose wryteth Cùm hospitium tuum aduersarius uiderit occupatum coelestis fulgore praesentiae intelligens locum tentamentis suis interclusum esse per Christum fugiet acrecedet c. When thy aduersary shall see thy house and lodgyng of body and soule occupyed wyth the bryghtnesse of Christes heauenlye presence perceauyng euery place to be shutte vp from hys temptations he wylll flye and runne awaye Wherfore as Gregorye Nazianzene wryteth Mensa haec praeparatur contra tribulantes me qua omnem passionum rebellionem sedo Thys table is prapared of God agaynst them that vexe and trouble me by the whych I quenche and pacifye all rebellion of my naughtye affections And as Cyrill sayeth Non mortem solum sed etiam morbos omnes depellit sed at saeuientē membrorum legem pietatem corroborat perturbationes animi extinguit nec in quibus sumus peccatis considerat aegrotos curat collisos redintegrat abomni nos casu erigit It dryueth away not only death but also al sycknes it stylleth and pacifyeth the ragynge lawe of oure membres it strengthneth deuotion it quencheth the frowarde affections of the mind and those small synnes we be in it regardeth not it healeth the sycke it restoreth the brussed and from al fallynge it lyfteth vs vp O what wonderfull effectes be these which by this blessed Sacrament be wroughte in y e worthy receauer agaynst the deuyll and his temptations agaynst the fleshe and hir illusions agaynst the viciouse affections of oure corrupte mynde What conscience had these men our late teachers pastors destroyers of Christes flocke to robbe vs of thys treasure whych is the cause of so great benefytes and in the place of that to plante amonges vs a bare ceremonye of breade and wyne to put vs in remembraunce of Christe in heauen as they sayd whyche neyther by their own nature nor yet by anye institution eyther of God or man be able to bryng to passe in vs these effectes I haue spoken of What meante they that toke awaye this armoure of Christes flesh and bloude from vs but to leaue vs naked and vnarmed agaynste the deuyll that he shuld preuayle agaynste vs in all temptations and that the kingdome of synne shulde be erected and the kyngdome of grace destroyed to teache that this blessed Sacrament is nothynge els but breade and wine what is it els but to take away thys armoure and harnesse of Christes fleshe and bloude from vs For bread be it neuer so muche appoynted to signifie thinges absente is not able to defende vs frō the deuyll Well one other effecte I shal note vnto you make an ende of that matter Thys effect is wrytten in the nexte verse of the same Psalme Et calix tuus inebrians quà m praeclarus est thy chalice or cuppe that maketh vs dronke how goodly and excellēt is it There be two cuppes one worldly of wyne the other heauenlye of Christes bloude both make men dronken but after diuerse sortes the one is sometimes the instrument of sinne the other at all tymes the instrumente of grace forasmuche as perteyneth to his owne nature Of thys wryteth Saynte Cyprian Sed quia ebrietas dominici calicis sanguinis non est talis qualis est ebrietas uini secularis cùm diceret spiritus sanctus in Psalmo Calix tuus inebrians addidit perquà m optimus quòd scilicet calix dominicus sic bibentes inebriat ut sobrios faciat ut mentes ad spiritalem sapientiā redigat ut à sopore isto seculari ad intellectū Dei unus quisque resipiscat But because the dronkenes of our lordes cuppe and bloude is not suche as is the dronkenes of worldlye wine when the holy ghoste in the Psalme sayd Thy cuppe that maketh men dronke he added is very godly and excellent because the cuppe of our Lord doth so make the drinkers dronke y t it maketh them sobre that it bryngeth their mindes to spirituall wisedome that euerye man may bring him selfe from thys drowsines of the worlde to the vnderstandyng knowledge of God To this intent saynt Ambrose wryteth in diuerse places as vpon the firste Psalme At uerò Dominus Iesus aquam de petra effudit omnes biberunt and so forth The place is long for auoydinge of tediousnes I shall faythfullye rehearse it in Englyshe But oure Lorde Iesus brought water oute of the stone and all dranke of it They that dranke in figure were satiate they that dronke in trueth were made dronke y e dronkennes is good whiche bringeth in mirth and no confusion that dronkennesse is good that stayeth in sobrenes the motions of the mind And he speaketh more play ner in these wordes Eate the meate of the Apostles preaching before that thou mayste afterward come to the meate of Christ to the meate of oure Lordes body to the deynties of the sacramēt to that cuppe wherwithall the affection of the faythfull is made dronke that it mighte conceaue gladnes for remission of synne and putte awaye the thoughtes of this world the feare of death and all troublesome carefulnes for by this dronkennes y e body doth not stumble and fal but riseth to grace and glory the soule is not confounded but is consecrate and made holye These scriptures and these effectes broughte oute of the scriptures and confirmed by many manifest aucthorities of the holye fathers doo proue euidently to any man that hath but common witte and anye sparkle of grace and is not forsaken of almighty god that y e substaunce of this sacramente is neyther breade nor wyne but only the body and bloude of our Lord Iesus Christ vnited to gods sonne in vnitye of person whiche is a sufficiente cause able to worke in the worthy receauer these heauenlye and gloriouse effectes whych I haue spoken of already Wherby appeareth what moueth me to continue styll in that fayth whych is so expresly taughte in holye scripture whiche scripture also draweth and pulleth me from the contrary false opinion In diuerse places it moueth me and all christen men to beware take hede of false prophetes ▪ that come in the apparel of shepe but within they be rauenouse wolfes that in their mouthes haue the word of god the trueth the gospell and suche gaye woordes but the pitte and effect of their teaching is olde rotten heresyes confuted and condemned of al Christendome before and not Gods word the name wherof they abuse to y e mayntenaunce of all vice errour
to do and therefore some of them blynded by their owne foolyshe suspicion conceaued and publyshed amonges other as it was most likely vnto them that we in oure secrete misteries did kil yonge chyldren eatyng their fleshe and drynkyng their bloude therevpon accused certayn before the magistrates of thys haynouse crime whiche they coulde neuer trye oute to be true as they dyd accuse But for oure purpose it appeareth plainly that we wold neuer haue kept our mysteries so secrete yf they had bene but ceremonies of eatynge of bread wine nor they would neuer haue accused vs of such beastly and vnnatural crimes beyng men of such reason learnynge and equitie as they were yf there hadde not bene some trueth in theyr accusation whyche in dede was true for the substaunce of that they alledged but not for the maner of the thinge for it was is true that we in oure mysteries eate fleshe drynk bloud but yet we do not kyl and murdre younge children and eate theyr fleshe and drynke theyr bloude And therfore I alledge the sayinges of Tertullian and Eusebius the whych is also in Origen the .6 booke contra Celsum to declare the accusation of the gentiles agaynste vs concernyng the eatyng of fleshe and drynkynge of bloud whyche could neuer haue commed into theyr heades so too haue done yf there had not bene a trueth in that matter whych they by theyr reason could neuer see otherwise then they alledged which we by our fayth do playnly see and know as it was ordeyned by Christ oure Lorde And for that cause Tertulliane dyd cast in a vayn word sayinge that we were accused of the sacrament of kyllyng of children whych word Sacramente standeth there for no purpose but to declare vnto vs that this their accusation dyd rise for lacke of the true precyse knowledge of our Sacrament whyche is true concerning the eatyng of fleshe drynkynge of bloude but not true concernyng the kyllynge and murderyng of chyldren And yet afterward our mysteries as they came in more knowledge amonges the gentiles so they came into more contempt for when the multitude of Christen men were so increased that they cared not who did looke vpon them in the time of theyr mysteries beinge out of feare of any externall violence and persecution then the gentyles seyng them knocke and knele make adoration to the Sacramentes not knowyng them to be anye thinge els but as their eyes senses and reason dyd iudge that is to saye breade wine as oure Sacramentaries do nowe beynge blynded nowe with heresye as they before were with infidelitye then I saye they sayde that we dyd not worshyppe and adore one God as we pretended but many gods as they were accustomed for they sayde as saynte Augustyne wryteth that we dyd worshippe Ceres and Bacchus the goddes of corne and wyne takyng our Sacramentes to be nothyng els but bare bread wine as the Sacramentaries do and not to be Christe oure Lord God his flesh and his bloude as al true faythful men do whyche appeareth by the adoration of them the whych adoration we learne y t it was done to the Sacramentes froÌ„ the begynnynge as is proued by the testimonies of our enemies the gentiles as S. Aâ—gustyne reporteth And also by their adoration we learne y â— the thynges whyeh they dyd adore were not simple creatures but Christes body and his bloude vnited to the seconde person in Trinitie S. Basyll beyng asked wyth what feare persuasion fayth and affection we shuld come communicate the bodye and bloude of Christ aunswereth thus Concernyng the feare we haue the saying of the Apostel He that eateth and drynketh vnworthelye eateth and drynketh his iudgemente and damnation What fayth we shuld haue the wordes of oure Lorde do teache who sayd This is my boâ—y whych is gyuen for you do this in my remembraunce And Hesichius sayeth likewyse Sermo qui prolatus est in dominicum mysterium ipse liberat nos ab ignoraÌ„tia The wordes of Christ whych were spoken vpon oure Lordes mysterye they deliuer vs froÌ„ ignorauÌ„ce that is to say they teache vs what fayth what estimation we shuld haue of them Nowe excepte they be taken as they sound to euery man although he be vnlearned and not instructed in oure fayth before thei could not teache vs what fayth we shoulde haue concernynge the Sacramentes and therfore in that they be wordes whervpoÌ„ we must learne our fayth whyche deliueâ— vs from ignoraunce what y e thinges be that be deliuered for that cause they must be taken as they sounde that is to say that the sacramentes deliuered be the very body bloude of Christ that gaue them Chrysostome sayth Quod sacerdos de manu sua dat non solum sanctificatum est sed etiam sanctificatio est That thyng that the priest doth gyue out of his hand is not only a thyng sanctified but it is sanctification it selfe Therfore our Sacrament must not only be an holy thing as they sayd holy breade and holy wyne but it muste be the substaunce of holines making all other thynges holy And here I thinke it worthy to be noted and to be opened somwhat vnto you wyth what sophistrye and vnlearned folye they deluded the saÌ„ctification and consecration of this Sacrament Children at the vniuersitie can tell that it is a deceytfull waye of reasoning by a generall description to exclude and dryue awaye a speciall and singulare definition as they dyd in this case For they sayd that the consecration of the sacrament was no more but an appoyntynge of bread wine to an holy vse which vse they sayd was to signifye vnto vs Christes body that is in heauen and therefore some sayd that the bread was consecrate when the paryshe clerke did bring it to the churche and set it vpon the table and these were no small men but our greatest bishops God forgiue it them other sayd it was not consecrate tyl the wordes of Christ were spoken but yet they noted that the Priest should not looke at the breade in the tyme of the pronouncyng for this ende be lyke that they shuld not be deceaued and that God shoulde worke no more then it pleased theÌ„ that their doctrine might some waye be true And therefore they sayde euery man and woman might consecrate speake the woordes as wel as a priest but thei neuer redde what Arnobius sayeth Quid tam magnificuÌ„ quam Sacramenta diuina conficere et quid tam perniciosum quam si ea is conficiat qui nullum sacerdotij gradum accepit what is so excellent then to consecrate the sacramentes of God and what is so pernicio use then yf he do consecrate that hath receaued no ordre and degree of priesthode And as they erred in the time and person so they erred in the nature of the consecration making thys of the same sort that al other coÌ„secrations be receauynge the general description and denyinge
Christ dydde eate his body drynke his bloude in the mysticall supper neyther figuratiuely as he did in the paschall lambe nor yet spirituallye as we do by fayth then it is certayn that he eate it only sacramentally whyche is not only in signe as the sacramentaryes expounde the worde but in truth vnder a sacramēt wherof the substaunce is the reall and natural bodye and bloude of Christ our lord After thys sorte wryteth Chrysostome of Dauid sayinge thus Non contigit Dauid gustare talem hostiam neque particeps fuerat sanguinis dominici sed legibus imperfectioribus educatus neque tale quicquam exigentibus tamen ad euangelicae philosophiae fastigium peruenit animi moderatione It neuer chaunced to Dauid to tast of suche a sacrifice nor he was not receauer and pertaker of our Lordes bloude but being broughte vp vnder lawes not so perfecte and requiringe no suche thyng yet by the moderation and tēperaunce of his owne mynde he came to the hyght of all euangelicall diuinitye Here is playne that Dauid didde neuer taste and receaue Christes bloude as we do in the gospell and yet Dauid did receaue Christes bloude figuratiuely being partaker of the sacrifices of the old law which were figures of christes bloud and also he dyd drynke of the same bloud spirituallye as we do whose fayth was as good or rather greater then ours Therefore there remayneth one other way that we drinke of it which was not graunted vnto him that is to say verely and really in the sacramēt To auoyde this place well they must haue moo solutions then they haue inuented yet for neyther figuratiuelye nor spirituallye will serue it were beste for them to yelde to the trueth and confesse that it is there really the very same substaunce of his bloude y t was shedde vpō the crosse thoughe not in that forme for the relief of our weake nature whyche els could not susteyne it And further then this S. Augustyne sayeth Si dixerimus Catechumeno credis in Christo respondit credo et signat se cruce Christi portat in fronte non erubescit de cruce domini sui ecce credit in nomine eius Interrogemus eum manducas carnem filij hominis bibis sanguinem filij hominis nescit quid dicimus quia lesus non se credidit ei Yf we shall saye to one y e learneth professeth our fayth being yet not baptized doeste thou beleue in Christe he aunswereth I beleue and he dothe signe him selfe with the crosse of Christ he beareth it in his forheade and is not ashamed of the crosse of hys Lord Loo be beleueth in hys name But lette vs aske hym doeste thou eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke the bloud of the sonne of man he can not tell what we saye for Iesus hathe not beleued committed him selfe to hym Besyde other thynges that may be fruytfully gathered of thys place for oure erudition I note but this one that a mā beleuyng in Christ professing the fayth of Christe wyth hys word and worke and for that cause eateth Christes fleshe drinketh his bloude spirituallye yet he wote not what the eatyng of Christes fleshe meaneth whereof Christ spake in the .6 of saynt Iohn But we that be baptized are admitted to oure Lordes table we know by our experiēce what it is to eate Christes flesh and to drinke his bloude for to vs Christ doth truste gyue him selfe to the other that beleue as wel as we he doth not committe him selfe Wherby I conclude beside the spirituall eating of Christ by faith there is also a real eating of him in y e sacrament by the seruyce of oure bodies to the confirmation in grace and sanctification both of oure bodies and soules And concernyng the drinkyng of Christes bloude reallye ▪ S. Cyprian writeth an other argument whyche I thynke can not be auoyded by anye figuratiue speaches he sayeth thus Noua est huius Sacramenti doctrina scholae euangelicae hoc primum magisterium protulerunt doctore christo primum haec mundo innotuit disciplina ut biberent sanguinem Christiani cuius esum legis antiquae authoritas districtissimè interdicit Lex quippe esum sanguinis prohibet Euangelium praecipit ut bibatur c. Origen also wryteth thys same thyng very playnly vpō Numeri hom 16. The Englyshe is this of Cyprian The doctrine of this Sacramente is newe and the euangelicall schoole taught this lessō first of all this discipline was neuer knowē to the worlde before oure mayster Christ who was the firste teacher of it that Christen menne shuld drynke bloude the eating of which bloude the aucthority of the olde lawe dothe mooste strayghtly forbidde for the law forbiddeth the eating of bloud the gospell cōmaundeth bloude to be dronken c. Now this is most certeyne that the lawe dyd neuer forbyd the drinking of Christes bloud figuratiuely but dyd cōmaund drinke offeringes whych were figures of this bloude and the Iewes drank of the water that came forth of the stone whyche was a figure of the bloude that came foorthe of Christes syde which bloud as Chrysostome sayth is in our chalyce Id est in calice quod fluxit è latere illius no◠sumus participes y e same thinge is in the chalyce that slowed oute of Christes syde and we are partakers of the same Nor the law dyd neuer forbyd the drynking of christes bloude spyrytuallye by fayth but sette forth the fayth of Christ beyng a scholemayster to Christ poyntynge to hym in whome they shoulde beleue and receaue all grace But to make short the lawe forbadde the externall and real drynkyng of bloude whych the gospell commaundeth sayinge excepte ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drynke hys bloude ye shall not haue lyfe in you and drynke ye all of thys Thys is my bloude of the new Testament Therfore it foloweth necessarelye that the drynkyng of thys bloude is not figuratiuely nor yet only spirituallye but reallye by the seruyce of our bodyes ▪ as Chrysostome sayeth Si uiderit inimicus non postibus impositum sanguinem typi sed fidelium ore lucentem sanguinem ueritatis Christi templi postibus dedicatum multo magis se subtra hit Yf oure enemye the deuyll shall see not the bloude of the figuratiue lambe sprynkled vpon the postes but the bloude of Christe the trueth shynynge in the mouth of the faythful much more he wyll runne away There is a place of the prouerbes whych as diuerse authors do expounde maketh much for the real presence of Christes bodye and bloude in the Sacrament the place is this after the greke whych these authors folowed Cùm sederis ad mensam potentis sapienter intellige quae apponuntur mitte manum tuam sciens quia talia te oportet praeparare When thou sytteste at the table of a great man vnderstand wysely what thinges are set before thee and
Israell The lyke sayinges he hath wrytynge vpon the .106 Psalme and in hys booke contra aduersarium legis lib. 1. ca. 20. which I omit lest I shuld be tedious to you and to curiouse in so playne a matter Ye haue heard the thynge proued by the Gospell by the Prophet now heare the profe of the figure taken oute of the lawe The Psalme sayeth Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech Thou art meanyng Christ a prieste after the ordre of Melchisedech Melchisedech was a priest of the moste hygheste God as appeareth bothe by hys wordes and factes in that he blessed Abraham and also receaued tythes of hym whose oblation was breade and wyne whych he offered to God meeting with Abraham comming from the spoyle of the kinges As for suche fonde cauillations as some make for that the booke sayeth non obtulit â—ed protulit I let passe as thinges nothyng furthering their purpose nor yet hynderynge ours Thys is playne by Saynt Paule that euery Bysshoppe and priest is ordeyned to offre sacrifice If Christe our sauioure be a priest and that after the ordre of Melchisedech as the Psalme and S. Paule do witnes then it must nedes folowe that Christ hadde some thynge to offre whyche is nothynge but hym selfe and to no creature but to god whith he was hym selfe seynge euerye sacrifice is that honoure that is due only to God And that he offered him selfe after the ordre of Melchisedech whych must be vndre the formes of breade and wyne For that was the ordre and maner of Melchisedech Whyche kynde of offerynge he neuer made excepte it were in his last supper and for that cause and reason we may conclude that Christ in hys supper dyd offre hym selfe to hys father for vs not by sheddyng of hys bloude by death whyche was the ordre maner of Aarons offerynge but wythout sheddyng of hys bloude vndre the fourmes of breade and wyne whyche was the ordre of Melchisedech And that thys is not my priuate collectioÌ„ but the mind of all the aunciente fathers I shall wyth youre patience recite their sentences Saynte Cyprian sayeth Qui magis Sacerdos Dei summi quaÌ„ Dominus noster Iesus Christus qui sacrificium Deo patri obtulit obtulit hoc idem quod Melchisedech id est panem uinum suum scilicet corpus sanguinem Who is more the Prieste of the hyghest GOD then our Lord Iesus Christ who offered a Sacryfyce to GOD the father and offered the same that Melchisedech dyd that is to saye bread and wyne that is to saye his body and bloude And a lyâ—le after he sayeth qui est plenitudo ueritatem prae figuratae imaginis adimpleuit Christ whych is the fulnes fulfilled the truth of thys ymage that was figurate before By these places of Cyprian we learne â–ª that Melchisedech hys offeryng were figures of Christ and hys offering in his supper and lyke as Melchisedech offered bread and wine so Christ being the truth offered hys bodye and bloude vnder the formes of breade and wyne And lest any man shuld be offended wyth that Cyprian sayeth hoc idem quod Melchisedech the same that Melchisedech Heare what S. Hierome sayeth more playnly Quomodo Melchisedech obtulit panem uinum sic tu offeres corpus tuum sanguinem uerum panem uerum uinum Lyke as Melchisedech offered breade and wyne so thou shalt offre thy body bloude y e true bread the true wine The other was the figuratiue breade and wyne thys is the true breade and wyne the trueth of that figure not the same in substaunce but y e same in mysterye The same S. Hierome among hys epistles hathe an epistle of the godly matrone Paula ad Marcellam wherin be these wordes Recurre ad Genesim Melchisedech regem Salem Huius principeÌ„ inuenies ciuitatis qui iam tunc in typo Christi panem uinum obtulit et mysterium Christianum in saluatoris sanguine corpore dedicauit Returne sayeth Paula to the booke of Genesis to Melchisedech the kynge of Salem thou shalte finde the prince of that citie whych euen then in the figure of Christe offered bread and wine and did dedicate the mistery or sacrament of the Christians in the bloud and body of our sauiour Marke in thys most manifest place the oblation of the figure â–ª whyche is breade and wyne and the oblation of the trueth whyche is the mystery of vs Christen men the bodye and bloude of oure Sauioure Christ. And it is to be noted what is meant by this word ordre whych S. Hierome expoundeth thus Mysterium nostrum in uerbo ordinis significauit nequaquam per Aaron irrationabilibus uictimis immolandis sed oblato pane uino .i. corpore et sanguine Domini Iesu. By thys worde ordre he did signifye and expresse oure mysterye not by offerynge of vnreasonable and brute beastes as Aaron did but by the oblation of breade and wyne that is to saye the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus After this fathers mynde order is taken for the maner of offeryng not by sheddynge of bloude but vnbloudelye as we offre Christes bodye and bloude in oure misterye For Christes offering concerning the substaunce of it was but one but concernyng the ordre and maner it was diuerse vpon the crosse after the ordre Aaron in the supper after the ordre of Melchisedech For so S. Augustyne sayeth Coram regno patris sui id est Iudaeorum mutauit uultum suum quia erat ibi sacrificium secundum ordinem Aaron postea ipse de corpore sanguine suo institu it sacrificium secundum ordineÌ„ Melchisedech â–ª Before y e kingdome of hys father that is to saye the Iewes he chaunged hys countenaunce for there he was a sacrifice after the ordre of Aaron and afterwarde he dyd institute a sacrifice of hys bodye and bloude after the ordre of Melchisedech Marke the diuersitye and distinction of these two offerynges of Christe not in substaunce but in ordre that is to saye the maner and that christ dyd institute the sacryfyce of hys bodye and bloude to be offered of vs after y e ordre of Melchisedech whych thynge he expresseth more playnly in an other booke expoundynge a place of Ecclesiastes Non est bonuÌ„ homini nisi quod manducabit bibet sayinge thus Quid credibilius dicere intelligitur quà m quodad parti cipationem mensae huius pertinet quaÌ„ sacerdos ipse media tor noui Testamenti exhibet secundum ordinem Melchisedech de corpore sanguine suo Id enim sacrificium successit omni bus illis sacrificijs ueteris testamenti quae immolabaÌ„tur in umbra futuri What is more credible we shuld thinke he ment by those woordes then that perteyneth to the participation of this table whych Christ him selfe a prieste and mediatour of the newe Testamente
maiestate By the fleshe and bloude of oure Lorde Iesus Christ both beynge in the sacrament inuisible spirituall intelligible is signified the visible body of Christ and palpable full of the grace of all vertues and of the godlye maiestye And euen so likewise very Christ is offered in the mysterye in signe and commemoration of him selfe offered vpoÌ„ the crosse as S. Augustyne sayth Christiani iam peracti sacrificij memoriam celebrant sacrosancta oblatione perticipatione corporis sanguinis Christi Christen menne nowe do celebrate a memorye of Christes sacrifice alreadye paste by the most holy oblation and partitipation of Christes body and bloude The lyke saying hath S. Gregorye diuerse aucthors whyche I omitte to rehearse because the tyme is paste They say that neyther the Apostles nor none in theyr tyme dyd offre Christes body in sacrifice And yet I haue shewed you before that Dionisius Areopagita S. Paules disciple of whome mention is made in the .17 chapiter of the Actes of the Apostles dyd offre the sacrifice of Christes bodye alledgyng Christes commaundement for his warraunt Ireneus that lyued wythin fiftye yeare of saynte Iohn the Euangelist and Polycarpus scholer doth make mention of this offerynge sayinge Ecclesiae oblatio quam Dominus docuit offerri in uniuerso mundo purum sacrifiâ—ium reputatum est apud Deum acceptum est eâ— The oblation of the Churche whych our Lord taught to be offered in the whole world is reputed of God a pure sacrifice and acceptable to hym And in the same chapiter confutynge them that denied the immortalitye of the fleshe by this reason that oure fleshe was nourished with Christes fleshe to eternall lyfe concludeth thus Aut sententiam mutent aut abstine ant offerendo quae praedicta sunt Eyther let them chaunge their opinion or elles absteyn from offering the same bodye and bloude of Christ we spake of Also the generall councell of Constantinople sayth that saynt Iames dydde write the forme of a Masse I omytte the Latyne the woordes in Englyshe be thus faythfullye translate Saynt Iames brother to Christ our God accordynge to the fleshe to whome the churche of HierusaleÌ„ was first committed Basilius which was Bysshop of Caesarea whose fame is knowen throughoute the worlde â–ª whiche deliuered in wrytynge the mysticall celebration of y e sacrifices haue declared that the cuppe in our holye ministerye oughte to be of water and wyne mengled And the holye fathers that were assembled at Carthage haue thus lefte in wrytynge that in the sacrifices nothinge els be offered but the bodye bloude of oure Lorde as oure Lord him selfe hath ordeyned so forthe I neuer redde S. Iames his booke my self nor I thinke it be not nowe to be had but I tel you so much as I knowe that S. Iames dyd write the forme of a Masse as S. Basill did which we haue in greke now If this greate and learned generall councell doth truelye reporte as I beleue doth Let no man therefore beleue them that saye the Apostles did not sacrifice theÌ„ selues nor none in their time except they can proue the negatiue which they shall neuer do There be other some that wyll graunte the sacrifice but denye that it is propitiatorye for the synnes of the quycke and the deade And therefore they disalowe the last senteÌ„ce of the Masse Where the priest sayeth graunt good lord that this sacrifice whyche I haue offered to thy diuine maiestie be propitiable or a meane to obteyne mercye to me to al for whome I haue offered it And surely these be most foolishe of al for yf it be a sacrifice it must nedes be a propitiatory sacrifice taking propitiatory as it ought to be taken not coÌ„foundyng the meanynge of it by sophistrye but vnderstanding the diuerse acception of y e word but these men dally seduce the people with amphibologies and doubtful sayinges Distinctions they admit none nor can not abyde to haue the matter opened and wyth a confuse general saying sclaunder the churche Thys is their priuate sophistrye and yet they call other men sophisters that detecte open their collusions that diuyde the sentence that men might see howe it is true and howe it is false For example They crye out of this that we saye the Masse is a sacrifyce propitiatorye By the worde Masse maye be vnderstanded two thynges the thynge it selfe that is offered and the acte of the priest in offeryng of it If ye take it for the thynge offered whych is the bodye of Christ who can iustly denye but that the body of Christe is a sacrifice propitiatory seyng saynt Iohn sayeth he is the propitiation for our synnes euer was and euer shall be and neuer cease so to be tyll oure synnes be ended and deathe the last enemye be ouercomed in vs hys mysticall body and as Oecumenius sayeth Caro Christi est propitiatorium nostrarâ—Ì„ iniquitatum The flesh of christ is the propitiation for our iniquities But yf by the word Masse be vnderstaÌ„ded the acte of the priest and the vse of the sacrament as they would haue it then it is not propitiatorye in that degree of propitiation as Christes body is but after an other sorte And therefore I must diuide the word propitiatory whyche is taken two wayes also First for that that worthely deserueth mercy at Gods hand and so the acte of the prieste in offerynge is not propitiatorye of it selfe deseruyng mercy as Christe doth Nexte for that prouoketh God to gyue mercye and remission alreadye deserued by Christ. And so the oblation of the priest is propitiatory mouyng and prouokinge God to applye hys mercye vnto vs. So Prayer is a sacryfyce for synnes as Saynte Iames sayeth Oratio fidei saluabit infirmum fi in peccatis sit remittentur ei The Prayer of fayth shall saue the sycke and yf he be in synne they shalbe remitted vnto him And christ taught vs to praye thus forgyue vs oure trespases as we forgyue them that trepase agaynste vs. And also promised to gyue vs that we aske in CHRISTES name Then ye see that prayer beynge a sacrifyce is a prouocation of GOD and a meane to atteyne remyssion of oure synnes and therefore maye be well called propitiatorye So is a contryte hearte a Sacryfyce propitiatorye and almose as appeared by the story of the Niniuites of Daniell For all good workes y t we do both fastynge prayer almose forgyuyng of my neygâ—bourâ— is done for thys ende to mitigate Gods angre agaynst our synnes and to prouoke hym to haue mercye of vs for christes merites Euen so the Mosse taking it for the acte of the priest is a sacrifice propitiatori for sinne Whych I shal proue vnto you by the holy fathers Origen writeth thus Si referantur haec ad mysterij magnitudinem inueni es commemorationem istam habere ingentem repropitiationis effectum Si redeas ad illum panem propitiationis quem propo
wordes of oure sauiour Christ saying Thys is my bodye Thys is my bloud duelye perfectly pronunced vpon y e bread wine Our newe maysters y t styl crye vpon the institution of Christe some sayde it was a sacrament or euer the wordes were spoken assoone as it was brought to y â— churche for y e vse of the communion some woulde haue the wordes sayde but as one shoulde reade a Lesson or tell a tale not directed to the breade and wyne but that the Minister shoulde looke awaye frome the breade and wyne in the tyme of the pronuncynge Fearynge belyke the wordes shoulde haue moore strengthe than they woulde they shoulde haue And thus howsoeuer nowe they pretend a zeale to maintayne the institutioÌ„ of Christ then they vtterly destroyed the institution of Christ eyther deniyng or defraudinge the necessary consecration of the sacrament The minister ought only to be a priest duelye consecrated and ordereed after the rite of the Catholike church whose ministration god only doeth assiste These men dyd not only maintayne y t it was lawfull but also did appoynte and permitte mere laye men to minister yea and laye women somtymes as some said without anye lawfull vocation or orderynge at al not regarding what Arnobius writeth Quid tam magnificum quà m sacramenta dei coÌ„ficere et quid tam perniciosum quà m si is ea conficiat quâ— nulum sacerdotij gradum accipit What is so excellent than to consecrate y e sacramentes of god what is so perniciouse than yf he consecrate them that hath receyued no degre of priesthode The intent also to doe that the churche doeth withoute mockynge dissimulation or contrary purpose is required For although the priest in the consecration may haue hys thoughtes distracte to some other thynge so lacke attention whiche is a greate negligence in the worke of God deadly synne to y e minister yet yf he lacke intention not intendyng to doe that God commaundeth and the churche doeth there is no coÌ„secration nor no sacrameÌ„t at all And for this point what intentioÌ„ shall we thinke these men had of late that vtterlye dinied to consecrate or receiue Christes bodie and bloud vnder the formes of breade and wyne but onelye to receyue the creatures of bread and wyne therby to be pertakers of Christes body and bloude For in the boke of their laste communion these were the wordes of the inuocation Good lord graunt vs that we receyuing these thy creatures of bread and wine according to thy sonnes institution maye be partakers of hys bodye and bloude â–ª Was there euer hearde of anye suche institution Loke throughout all the scripture and shewe me where euer Christe did institute that by eatinge of bread wine men shoulde be partakers of hys body and bloud And if it can not be shewed as I am sure it can not than it was a playne forged lye bearing meÌ„ in haÌ„d that Christ instituted that he neuer thought whereby appeareth y t thei had not this intentioÌ„ which is required to y e due coÌ„secratioÌ„ also y t they in wordes preteÌ„dinge to haue a zeale to maintain Christes institutioÌ„ iÌ„ their dedes shewed theÌ„selfes enemies aduersaries to y e same â–ª And as thei vsed themselues in consecration so they dyd in the oblation whiche they dyd not corrupt as the other but vtterly toke awaye deniynge anye suche thynge to be as I haue proued it is in so muche that in all their newe communion they could not scarcely abide the name or worde of oblation but pulled it oute of the boke so muche dyd they fauour the instituton of Christ whiche they nowe pretende Now when they haue taken awaye the due matter as swete vnleuened bread y e meixture of the chalice peruerted the forme by leauyng oute the principall verbe est in the wordes of Christ as it was in y e last boke in the firste pryntyng howe it came in agayne I can not tell and neglected the due orderynge of the minister sufferyng them to vsurpe the office of a priest that neuer receyued that authoritie neyther of God nor man in that they dyd whiche was verye bad neuer intended to doe as the churche doeth and whollye dyd abrogate as muche as laied in theÌ„ the oblation of Christes bodye in remembraunce of hys passion and at lengthe would haue nothynge to remayne but a bare communion what face haue they to crye vpon Christes institution institution whiche they haue in so many pointes broken and violated as I haue shewed and yet y t they wold haue is no part of Christes instituâ—ion For the vse of the sacrameÌ„t is y t it should be receyued and eaten therefore in diuerse counsels it was decreed that whoso euer tooke the sacrament at the priestes hand dyd not eate it for the which ende Christe dyd ordayne it was holden accursed and excommunicate Thus farre exteÌ„deth y â— institution of Christ concernynge thys poynt because he sayde Accipite manducate et bibite Take eate drynke and also that all shoulde eate and drynke of it that coulde proue themselues after S. Paules admonition But suche thynges as pertayne to the Ceremonye of the eatynge as howe manye in one place together what tyme place maner order and suche lyke be thynges pertaynynge to the ordinaunce and direction of the churche and not to the institution of Christe as necessarye vpon payne of damnation to be obserued of euery christen man For els yf al the rytes that Christe vsed at hys supper were of necessitie and pertaynyng to hys institution then there muste nedes be thyrtene together at the communion and neyther moo nor fewer And it must be celebrate after supper and in the night after the washynge of the fete and in a parler or chamber and al that receyue must be priestes and no women For all these thynges were obserued of Christ hys apostles at hys last supper But for our instruction to declare that they be not fixed by the institution of Christe but left to the disposition of y e church y e churche hath taken an other order in these thinges wyllynge that all shall communicate that be worthy and disposed So that the numbre whether ther be manye or fewe or but one in one place that receyue maketh not the ministration of the prieste for that thynge vnlawefull And it hath ordered that it shalbe celebrate in the mornynge receyued fasting before all other meates in the church except necessite other wise require And therefore S. Augustine taught Ianuarius after thys sorte Ideo saluator non praecepit quo deinceps ordine sumeretur ut apostolis per quos dispositurus erat ecclesiaÌ„ seruaret hunc locuÌ„ Therefore our Saluiour dyd not commauÌ„de by what order it shuld be receyued after hym but reserued that matter to the apostles by whome he woulde order and dispose his church â–ª By this we may conceyue that the receyuynge of the sacrament is
the degrees and specialties of sanctification whyche be many for some thinges be holy not for any holines that is in them but for that they be brought to the churche and dedicate to some holy vse as is the temple of God the vestures about the aultare and other thinges vsed in Gods seruice whyche thynges too steale and conuey is sacrilege and amonges those thynges there be degrees of holynes as saynt Augustyne sayeth Quod accipiunt Catechumeni quamuis non sit corpus Christi sanctum est tamen sanctius quà m cibi quibus alimur Holye breade whyche those that be learners receaue although it be not the body of Christe yet it is holy and more holye then the meate with which we are fedde dayly which also is sanctified by the word prayer There is also holines a qualitie a vertue and gift of God makynge him in whome it is acceptable in the sight of god The soule of man is likewyse sanctified and holye because it is that substaunce and subiect wherin holines consisteth and dwelleth beyng a vessell created to gods ymage and prepared to receaue gods gift of saÌ„ctification and holines And the bodye of a godlye man is also sanctified and holy because it is the membre of Christ the temple of the holye ghost and the house and tabernacle of the soule replenyshed with gods grace and sanctification and for this reason we haue in reuerence and estimation the reliques and bodyes of holy martyrs and coÌ„fessors whyche beynge members of Christ were also pleasinge sacrifices to almightie god eyther for austeritie of lyfe or for sufferynge of vndeserued deathe for the fayth or in the quarell of Iesus Christe oure Lord. The sacramentes of Gods churche be iustly called holye because they be the instrumentes wherby God doth worke holines in the soule of manne and be as causes of the same by Christes owne ordinaunce and institution But aboue all other this Sacrament of the aultare is holy beyng as Chrysostome sayde not only a thyng sanctified but the very sanctification it selfe for in that it is the body of Christ by consecration wherevnto is annexed y e godheade by vnitie of person it must nedes be holines it self not in qualitie but in substance seing whatsoeuer thinge is in God is also God who for hys simplicitie receaueth no qualitye into him selfe but is the author and principal cause of all good qualities and graces giuen to manne Wherfore thys place of Chrysostome that calleth it sanctification it selfe â–ª can not be auoyded by no figuratyue speaches nor suche lyke cauillations The same Chrysostome in hys epystle to Innocentius Bysshoppe of Rome wryteth of the maner of the persecution in hys time not vnlyke to thys of ours Nam sanctuarium ingressi sunt milites quorum aliquos scimus nullis initiatos mysterijs uiderunt omnia quae intus erant quin sanctissimus Christi saâ—guis sicut in tali tumultu contingit in praedictorum militum uestes eflusus est The souldiers came violentlye into the holye place of whome we knowe that some were not baptized and there they sawe all thynges that were within and the most holy bloude of Christ as chauncheth often in suche a tumult was shedde vpon the garmentes of those souldiers Here I marke that he sayth not the figure or signe of christes bloude but the most holy bloude an other inferiour creature can not be moste holye Also I marke that thys most holye bloude was reserued there in the holye temple and was not onlye in heauen to be receaued by fayth of the faythful but also was in the temple and violently handeled of the vnfaythfull beinge there contemned abused and spilt vpon their garmentes Doeth not this barbaricall violence and externall situation of the most holy bloude of Christ proue a reall presence of the same in the Sacrament Gregorye Nazianzene speaketh after the like maner howe that the Arianes would not suffre the Catholikes to praye in theyr temples but troubled them and killed theÌ„ and mingled Christes mystical bloude wyth the bloude of the catholike priestes whych they slew and so forth whereby we vnderstande a reall presence of Christes bloude by that violence that was shewed vnto it of the heretikes part though Christe were there after that sort that he could suffre no violence of his part We reade in saynte Hyerome and in diuerse other Ipse conuiua conuiuium comedens et qui comeditur that Christe is both the eater of the feast and the feast it selfe both the eater and the meate that is eaten Wherby we vnderstand that Christ gyuyng hys bodye and hys bloude to hys discyples dyd receaue the same him selfe before And as Chrysostome wryteth that lest hys disciples shoulde haue bene troubled and offended hearyng hym saye This is my bloude dryncke ye all of thys as y e Caparnaites were before â–ª and so shuld abhorre to haue droncke of the same Christ dyd fyrst drynke of the same cuppe before them that he myght by hys example induce hys disciples to drynke lykewyse And Hesichius sayeth Ipse dominus primus in coena mystica intelligibilem accepit sanguineÌ„ atque deinde calicem Apostolis dedit Our Lorde hym selfe in the mistical supper first drank hys owne bloude that was not sene but vnderstanded then gaue the cuppe to hys Apostels By thys facte of Christ we maye learne that in the cuppe was verely and reallye Christes owne bloude for yf christ did eate hys body drank his bloude but in figure then he dyd eate and drynke it before after that maner in the typical and legall supper then how can thys mysticall supper be the trueth and the other the fygure yf thys be but a figure likewise And then why shuld the Apostle be affrayed to do that nowe they were wont to do alwayes before It was no newe thing worthy the newe Testamente to eate drynke Christe in a fygure and therfore it is certayne that Christ in hys mysticall supper dydde not eate and drynke his body and bloude onlye fyguratiuely And yf ye wyll saye that he eate it and dranke it spiritually onlye then ye must say that Chryst dyd eate it by fayth for spirituall eatyng is beleuyng And yf ye saye Christ dyd beleue then it foloweth y t Christ was not God Who hath perfyte knowledge of all thinges by syghte and not vnperfecte knowledge by fayth as we haue seing as through a glasse in a darke rydle And surelye they harpe muche vpon thys string for this heresy agaynst the presence of Christ in the sacrament is an hygh way leadyng to the other heresy that Christ is not God as is proued by diuerse wayes and argumentes into which pitte diuerse be fallyng by thys meanes yf God do not put vnder hys hande to staye them betimes for yf they continue long in this they wyll fall into the other no remedye whereof we haue already seene experience Then yf
putte to thy hand knowynge that thou must prepare such lyke thinges agayne S. Augustyne vpon saynt Iohn and Chrysostome vpon the Psalme and Hesichius and other moo whose wordes it were to longe to reherse in Latyne do expounde this place of the prouerbes thus Who is this great man but Iesus Christ our lord gods sonne and what is the table of this great maÌ„ but where is receaued his bodye and his bloude that hath giuen hys life for vs And what is to sytte at that table but to come to it humbly and deuoutly what is to considre and vnderstande wisely what thinges be sette before thee but to discerne the body bloude of Christe to be set there verelye in trueth and to knowe the grace vertue and dignitie of theÌ„ and the daunger for the misusyng of them and what is to put to thy hande knowynge that thou muste prepare suche like agayne but to eate of them knowynge that christen men in the cause of Christ and defence of the trueth are bounden to shedde theyr bloude and spend their lyues for their brethren as christ hath done the same for vs before that lyke as we haue receaued at Christes table hys bodye and his bloude so oughte we to giue for our brethren our bodyes and bloude Thys comparyson of taking giuing the like agayne auoydeth all the triflynge cauillations of these figuratiue speaches that the simple peoples heades be combred wythal Here is no place for eatyng only by fayth for the martyrs dyd not only beleue in Christe but also in very dede gaue theyr bodyes and shedde their bloude really for Christ. I nede not stande longer in so playne a matter although I could alledge muche more oute of al the auncient fathers yea more playner then these I haue touched yf any can be playner If I did but tel the bare names of the Sacrament whyche the authors gyue it I shuld proue manifestlye that it were the very body and bloude of Christ not breade and wyne Ignatius calleth it Medicamentum immortacitatis antidotum non moriendi a medicine of immortalitye a preseruatiue agaynste deathe Dionisius Ariopagita S. Paules scholer calleth it hostia salutaris the sacrifice of our saluation Iustinus martyr sayeth it is caro sanguis incarnati Iesu the fleshe bloud of Iesus incarnate whyche names be gyuen to it of the scripture and all other wryters Origen calleth it Panis uitae dapes saluatoris epulum incorruptum Dominus the breade of lyfe the deynties of oure sauioure the meate that is neuer corrupted yea our Lorde hym selfe Cyprian calleth it SanctuÌ„ domini the holy one of God gratia salutaris the sauyng grace Cibus inconsumptibilis the meate that can neuer be coÌ„sumed Alimonia immortalitatis the foode of immortalitye Portio uitae aeternae the portion of eternal lyfe Sacrificium perpes holocaustum permanens a coÌ„tinual sacrifice an offerynge alwayes remaynynge Christus yea he calleth it Christ The greate general counsell at Nice calleth it Agnus Dei qui tollit â—eccatum mundi the lambe of God that taketh awaye the synnes of the world Optatus an olde author gyueth it diuerse names as in this sentence Quid tam sacrileguÌ„ quà m altaria Dei frangere radere remouere in quibus uota populi membra Christi portata sunt unde à multis pignus salutis aeternae tutela fidei spes resurrectionis accepta est What is more sacrilege then to breake the aultares of God as the Donatiâ—tes dyd or to scrape them or to remoue them vpon the whych aultares the vowes of the people y t is to saye the members of Christ are borne from whych aultares also the pledge of eternall saluation the defence and buckeler of fayth and the hope of resurrection be receaued Hilarius calleth it cibus dominicus our Lordes meate uerbum caro the worde made fleshe S. Basyll in hys Masse calleth them sancta diuina impolluta immortalia supercelestia uiuifica sacramenta Holy Sacramentes godly pure vndefyled immortall heauenly and gyuyng lyfe What wyttelesse and vngodlye man woulde gyue these names to breade and wyne S. Ambrose calleth it gratia dei the grace of God not an accidental grace receaued of God into mans soule but the very reall Sacrament he calleth the grace of God the whych hys brother Satyrus being vpon the sea and hys shippe broken sekyng for none other ayde but onelye the remedy of fayth and the defence of that Sacrament toke thys grace of God of the priestes and caused it to be bounde in a stole whych he tied about his necke and so trusting in that committed hym selfe to the waters by vertue whereof he escaped drownyng and afterward of a catholike Bysshop he receaued that same grace of God wyth hys mouth Chrysostome O wyth what eloquence doth he vtter thys matter heare but thys one place Ipsa namque mensa animae nostrae uis est nerui mentis fiduciae uinculum fundamentum spes salus lux uita nostra The very table sayeth he meanynge the meate of the table is the strengthe of our soule the synewes of oure mynde the knotte of our trust the foundation oure hope oure health oure lyght and our life What names what effectes be these and in an other Homelye he calleth it Rex coeli Deus Christus The kyng of heauen God hym selfe Christ which he sayth goeth into vs by these gates dores of our mouthes Cyrillus calleth it sanctificatio uiuifica The very sanctification that gyueth lyfe And S. Augustyne calleth it Praetium nostrum The pryce of our redemption whych Iudas receaued What shuld I trouble you any longer in so playn a matter Why shoulde these holye fathers deceaue vs by callinge this Sacramente w t so gloriouse and highe names yf they meante not so but that it was but breade and wyne they lacked no grace that had so muche grace as to shedde their bloud for christes fayth they lacked no wytte nor eloquence to expresse what they meant Thus dyd they wiâ—h one consent after one maner alwayes speake and wryte by whose playne preachynge and wrytinge the whole worlde of Christendome hathe bene perswaded and establyshed in this fayth of the real presence these fiftene hundreth yeres If they haue seduced vs meaning otherwise then they wrote then may we iustly say that they were not martirs confessors in dede but very deuyls errynge them selues and bringynge other also in erroure But good people the truth is they erred not but taught vs as they beleued the very truthe confirmyng and testifyinge that faythe whyche their bloud y t they had taught with their mouthe And yf there be anye errour it is in vs that for the vnlearned talkinge and wytlesse sophistical reasonyng of a fewe men will headlinges destroye our soules forsaking not coÌ„tinuing in that faythe whyche was taught by the mouth of christ â–ª sealed with his
suit Deus propitiationem per fi dem in sanguine eius si respi câ—as ad illam commemorationeÌ„ de qua dicit Dominus hoc facitâ— in meam commemorationem inuenies quod ista est commemoratio sola quae propitium faci at Deum If these be referred to the greatnes of our mysterye thou shalt fynde that thys coÌ„memoration hath a greate effect of propitiation If ye returne to that breade of propitiation whych God hath sette for a propitiation by faythe in hys bloude and yf ye looke to that commemoration of whych our Lorde sayd Doo thys in commemoratioÌ„ of me thou shalte fynde that this is the only commemoration that maketh God mercifull Doth not saynte Cyprian cal the sacramente holocaustuÌ„ ad purgandas iniquitates A sacrifice to purge iniquitie in what respect is it called so but for that it is offered to that ende And so is it called a medicine to heale infirmities for thys respecte that it is receaued to thys ende Saynt Augustyne sayeth lykewyse Nemo melius praeter martyres meruit ibi requiescere ubi hostia Christus est sacerdos scilicet ut propitiationeÌ„ de oblatioue hostiae consequantur No manne hath deserued better then the martyrs too rest be buried there where Christe is bothe the hoste and the prieste that is to saye vnder the aultare for this ende that they myght atteyne propitiation by the oblation of y e hoste Marke the purpose I bringe in this for which is to atteine propitiation by y e oblation of y e sacrifice and as he sayth in an other booke Sacrificium illud mirabile coeleste quod tu instituisti offerri praecepistiin coÌ„memorationem tuae charitatis mortis scilicet passionis pro salute nostra pro quotidiana fragilitatis nostrae reparatione That meruelouse and heauenly sacrifice whyche thou haste instituted and commaunded to be offered in remeÌ„braunce of thy charitye that is to saye of thy deathe and passion for oure healthe and saluation for the daylye reparation of our frayle weakenes Dothe he not here shewe the ende of the oblation to saue vs and to repayre our frayltye Saynt Hierome wryteth Si laicis imperatur ut propter orationem abstineant ab uxori bus quid de Episcopo sentiendum est qui quotidie pro suis po pulique peccatis illibatas deo oblaturus est uictimas If it be commaunded to the laye menne that for prayers cause they shuld absteyne from their wiues what shuld we thynke of a Bysshoppe that muste offre daylye pure sacrifices for hys owne synnes â–ª the peoples Of thys place thoughe I myght proue you the chast life of a Bysshoppe yet I bringe it in nowe only to show that the office of a Bisshoppe is to offre daylye pure sacrifices for hys owne synnes and the peoples synnes as saynt Basyll sayth in the booke of hys Masse Da Domine ut pro nostris peccatis populi ignorantijs acceptum sit sacrificium nostrum Graunt o Lord that for oure synne and the ignoraunce of the people oure sacrifice maye be accepted of thee Thus ye perceaue that I haue shewed you and proued that the oblation of the priest in the Masse is a sacrifice propitiatory for the synnes of theÌ„ that be alyue that is to saye mouyng and prouokyng god to pardonne the synnes of the prieste and of the people A lytle is to be sayde concernynge them that be departed and then an ende of that matter Tertullian sayeth Oblationes pro defunctis pro natalitijs annua die facimus â–ª We make euerye yeare oblations for the deade and for the birth dayes of martirs which be the dayes they suffered their martyrdome Athanasius sayeth Intelligimus animas peccatorum participare aliqua beneficentia ab exangui immolatione We vnderstande that the soules of synners doo receaue some benefyte of the vnbloudye oblation and of almose done for them as he onelye hathe ordeyned and commaunded that hathe power bothe of quycke and deade Our god And Saynt Ambrose exhorteth the people to praye for the soule of Ualentiniane the emperour for whome he dyd offre the sacrifice of christes body Chrisostom saith â–ª Non frustra sancitum est ab apostolis ut in celebratione uenerandorum mysterioruÌ„ memoria fiat eorum qui hinc discesseruut nouerunt illis mul tum hinc emolumeÌ„ ti fieri c. It was not in vayne ordeyned of the Apostles that in the celebration of the honorable misteries there shuld memorye be made of them that were departed hence For they knewe much profite muche commoditie to come to them therby And in an other homely he sayeth in this maner in Englishe A sinner is departed surely it becometh vs to be glad that hys synnes be stopped not increased and to laboure as muche as we can to release hym not wyth wepynge but with prayer supplications almose and sacrifices For that was not ordeyned in vayne nor we doo not in vayne in oure holye misteries celebrate the memory of the deade and make intercession for them to the lambe that lyeth there which taketh away the sinnes of the world but y â— some comfort may therby come to theÌ„ Is not this very playne and that it is not a thyng newe inuented but a doctrine taught and vsed in the churche euer sence Christ and ordeyned so to be done by the Apostles theÌ„ selfes S. Augustyne sayth in his booke of confessions that the sacrifice of oure pryce whyche is Christes owne naturall bodye was offered for his mothers soule after she was dead And he sayeth also In Machabeorum libris legimus oblatum pro mortuis sacrificiuÌ„ Sed si nunquam in scripturis ueteribus omnino legeretur non parua hac consuetudine claret authoritas ubi in praecibus Sacerdotis quae Domino Deo aâ— eius altare funduntur locum su um habet etiam commendatio mortuorum In the bookes of the Machabees we read that there was sacrifiâ—e offered for the deade But althoughe in the old scriptures there were no such thing redde yet there appeareth no small authoritie in this custome that amonges y e prayers of the priest whiche are made to oure Lorde God at hys aultare the commendation prayer for the deade hath also hys place Marke well that he sayth it was an olde custome in the Churche for Priestes in their Masse to praye for the deade in hys tyme whyche is aboue eleuen hundreth and thyrtye yeare agoo And that the custome of the Churche in thys poynte is of sufficiente aucthorytye too proue thys matter thoughe there were no scripture for it at all and yet he him selfe alledgeth the boke of machabees for it the place is knowen well ynough He teachethe vs the same thynge wrytinge vpon saynte Iohn Ideo ad ipsam mensam noÌ„ sic eos commemoramus quemadmodum alios qui in pace requiescunt ut etiam
as the heretikes saye for it can not be conceaued neyther by reason nor by fayth howe that al we christen folkes that liue nowe and haue liued since Christes time and shall lyue tyll domesdaye can eate all of one the same breade and eate also at sondry times al of the same one bread beyng one bread in numbre not one bread in kind as some would make cauillation seing we be not fedde cum generibus speciebus wyth kyndes of breade as the Logityanes say but with singulare bread except we vnderstand by this one breade the breade of lyfe that came from heauen the breade of Christes natural body in the sacrament whych he promised to giue vnto vs all wherof as S. Cypriane sayeth Aequa omnibus portio datur in teger erogatur distributus non dimembratur incorporatur non iniuâ—iatur and so forth â–ª wherof equal portion is giuen to al this deliuered whole and beyng distributed is not dismeÌ„bred and being incorporate in to vs is not iniuryed and beyng receaued is not included and dwellyng with those that be weake is not made weake And the reason why all we shuld be made one bodye that receaue one body is declared in Cyrill the Latine is long â–ª but the Englyshe is this We men beyng all diuerse in our owne propre substaunce accordynge to y â— which one man is Peter an other is Thomas an other Mathewe yet are we al made one body in Christ because we be fedde with one fleshe are sealed in vnitye with one holy spirite and because Christes body is not able to be diuided therfore beyng of infinite power and receaued of al our diuerse bodyes maketh all vs one body wyth hym selfe Whych vnitye of bodye S. Chrysostome expressth by a similitude of dough and leuine that we are made one bodye as mele of many granes and water when it is knedde are made one doughe or leuyne his wordes be these Veniat tibi in mentem quo sis honore honoratus qua mensa fruaris ea namque re nos alimur quam angeli uidentes tremunt nec absque pauore propter fulgorem qui in de resilit aspicere possunt et nos in unam cum illo massam reducimur â–ª Christi corpus unum caro una c. Remembre with what honour thou art honoured of what table thou eatest for we are fedde with y t thing at whych the aungels lokyng vpon do tremble and quake without great feare be not able to behold it for the brightnes that cometh from it and we are brought into one heape of leuine with him beyng one body of Christ and one fleshe for by this mistery he ioyneth hymselfe to all the faythfull those children whome he hath brought forth he doth not coÌ„mitte them to be nourished of an other but he him selfe most diligently and louingly doeth fede them with him selfe Let my maysters of the new learninge tell me howe that these woordes canne be anye wayes applyed and verifyed of breade and wyne wyth all theyr figuratiue speaches and hyperbolyes Thys coniunction also of vs wyth CHRIST Cyrill expresseth by a similitude of two waxes melted and mengled together QuemadmoduÌ„ si quis igne liquefactam ceram aliae cerae similiter liquefactae ita miscuerit ut unum quid ex utrisque factum uideatur sic coÌ„municatione corporis sanguinis Christi ipse in nobis est nos in ipso c. Lyke as yf a man mingle one waxe melted wyth an other waxe melted so that one whole thynge of them both be sene to be made euen so by the communion receauynge of Christes bodye and bloude he is in vs and we in hym for otherwyse the corruptible nature of our bodies could not be brought to incorruption except the body of naturall lyfe were ioyned to it Hilarius also the greate learned and godly byshop sayeth per communionem sancti corporis in communioneÌ„ deinceps sancti corporis collocamur By the communion of hys holy body we are afterward placed and brought into the communion of his holy body In such a playne matter as this is what nede I to heape places one aboue another all the fathers be ful of it Wherfore seing the effect of this sacrament is to be made one misticall body wyth Christ fleshe of his fleshe and boones of hys boones as saynt Paule sayth whych vnion as Cyrill sayeth is not onlye by will affection fayth and charitie but also carnall natural as Hilarye sayth by Christes fleshe mingled w t our fleshe by the way of meat I canne not see but that it is greate wickednes and playne blasphemy to ascribe thys gloriouse effecte to the nedye elementes of this worlde as to bread and wyne but onlye to the body and bloude of our sauiour Christe as to the onlye substaunce of the blessed sacrament of the aultare Beside these effectes gathered out of the new TestameÌ„t there be also other mentioned in the Psalmes Whereof one is that this sacrament is an armoure and defence agaynste the temptations of our ghostlye enemye the deuyll as it is written in the .22 Psalme Parasti in conspectu meo mensam aduersus eos qui tribulant me Thou haste prepared in my syght a table agaynst theÌ„ that trouble me By this table sayeth Chrysostome vpon this place is vnderstanded that thyng that is coÌ„secrated vpon the aultare of our Lorde Euthymius a greke author sayeth so also Per hanc mensam intelligit altaris mensam in qua coena mystica illa iacet by this table he vnderstandeth the table of the aultare vpon whych lyeth the misticall supper of Christ whych doeth arme and defende vs agaynst the deuyll which some times craftly layeth in wayte for vs sometimes fyersly and cruelly assaulteth vs that be fedde at Christes table S. Cypriane teacheth vs the same lesson saying Quos excitamus exhortamur ad praelium non inermes nudos relinquamus sed protectionâ— sanguinis corporis Christi muniamus Those persons whome we prouoke exhort to fyght agaynst theyr enemies be it eyther the deuils our ghostly enemies or y â— deuyls limmes the persecutours of Christes Churche let vs not leaue theÌ„ naked and vnarmed but lette vs harnesse and defende them wyth the protection of Christes body and bloude And a lytle after he sayth Cùm ad hoc fiat Eucharistia ut possit accipientibus esse tutela quos tutos esse contra aduersarium uolumus munimento dominicae saturitatis armemus Seyng thys Sacramente is ordeyned for this purpose y t it shuld be a defence to the receyuers let vs arme theÌ„ with the shielde and harnesse of our lordes meat whome we wold shuld be saffe agaynst their aduersary Thys is that foode that maketh a man mete and prepareth him too martirdome This bloude of Christ is dronken dayly of vs y t we mighte in hys quarell shedde oure bloude agayne