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
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
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
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
bloud testified by the bloude of martyrs and hathe preuayled from the begynnyng agaynst the whych hell gates can not preuayle Nowe there remayneth some thyng to be sayd concernyng the thirde parte whyche is the consent of y e catholyke church in this poynte but I am sory the tyme is so past that I can not nowe say any thinge of it in my nexte day god willinge I shal touche it also procede in the matter of the sacrifice whych I hope to god to make so playne y t it shall appeare to theÌ„ y t will see be not blinded forsaken of god to be a thinge most euideÌ„t most profitable to be vsed frequeÌ„ted in christes churche and that such sclaunders and blasphemies as be shotte agaynst it shal rebound I hope vpon their onwe heades that shotte them to the glorye of almightye GOD who by hys heauenlye prouidence can so dyspose the malice of a fewe that it turne to the staye and commoditye of the whole that the electe by suche conflictes maye be awaked from their slepe maye be more confirmed in all trueth and may be more vigilant and ware in learnynge and obseruynge the lawe of God to whome be all glory and prayse world without ende Amen ¶ The seconde Sermon Roma 12. ¶ Obsecro uos fratres per misericordiam Dei ut exhibeatis corpora uestra hostiam sanctam c. AMonges other thynges y e laste time I was admitted to speake in this place I brought forthe this sentence of S. Bernarde wrytten in a sermon de Epiphania Pauperes sumus paruÌ„ dare possumus c. The Englyshe is thys We be poore lytle maye we gyue yet for that lytle we maye be reconciled yf we wyll Al that euer I am able to giue is this wretched body of mine yf I gyue that it is sufficient yf not then I adde his bodye for that is myne and of myne owne for a lytle one is borne vnto vs â–ª and the sonne is giueÌ„ to vs. O Lord that lacketh in me I supplye in thee O moste swetest reconciliation Here I noted a great benefite of the oblation of Christes body to consiste in supplyinge that lacketh in the oblation of our bodyes that whereas we be exhorted of saynt Paule to offre vp our bodyes a sacrifice to almightye God and also do vnderstand by other scriptures that it is our dueties so to do whych maye be done three wayes By voluntarye sufferynge the deathe for Christes fayth yf case so require by paynefull and penall workes as by abstinence and other corporall exercises for the castigation and mortifyinge of the outward manne or else by the seruice of righteousnes in that we vse the membres partes of our bodye as instrumentes of all vertue and godlinesse coÌ„siderynge agayne howe there is great imperfection in al our workes and that the beste of vs all cometh shorte of that marke whych is prefixed of God to serue hym wyth al our heart wyth all our strength that eyther in the worke it self or in thintente or in the cause or tyme or in some other degree circumstaunce for thys cause and consideration saynte Bernarde doth hym selfe and moueth vs to ioyne the oblation of Christes bodye wyth ours wherewithal we are sure god is well pleased sayinge This is my sonne in whome I am wel pleased by whose merites our oblation and other workes do please God and not otherwyse And therfore I purposed to make one sermon of the sacrifice of Christ not of y â— which he hym selfe made vpon the crosse for our redemption but of that which the churche hys spouse maketh vpon the aultare whych purpose beinge also before promised remayneth now to be fulfylled And entering the last time to speake of it I â—ayde thys foundation that is to saye the veritye of the blessed Sacrament the body bloude of our sauiour Christ to be verelye really present in it by the omnipotent power of almightye God and the operation of his holy spirite assistynge the due administration of the priest so to be there not only as oure meate whych God giueth vnto vs to nouryshe vs in spiritual lyfe but also as oure sacrifice whych we gyue and offre vnto God to please hym and purge vs from suche thinges as maye destroye or hynder that spirituall lyfe seyng that Christe hym selfe is the substaunce of the sacrifice of the newe Testamente as I haue partly shewed before and besyde hym we haue none that is only propre to vs Christen men This foundation of the reall presence I presupposed to haue bene beleued of vs all yet I dyd not so rawlye leaue it but declared vnto you suche reasons as moued me to continue styll in that fayth I was borne in whych were the euident and playne scriptures of God opened wyth the circumstaunces of the places in suche wyse as the vayne cauillations of the Sacramentaries can not delude them and also the effectes of this Sacrament whych be so greate and so wonderful that they can be asscribed to no other cause but only to almightie God and to suche creatures as gods sonne hath ioyned vnto hym in vnitie of person as be the body bloude of our sauioure Christ. I alledged also the sayinges of the holy fathers not in such numbre as I wold haue done but choosed out a fewe whych not only declared the authors fayth but conteyned a necessary argument to proue our conmon fayth in this matter Concernynge the third poynt whych is the consent of the catholike church neyther the tyme then suffered to speake as behoued nor yet suffereth nowe yf I shuld performe my promise as I intende GOD wylling And for that cause I shall but moue you to consydre certeyne thinges wherby the consent may appeare Fyrst the possession of the churche in this doctrine so many yeares in suche quietnesse wythoute contradiction that no reason nor yet iniunction nor no newe deuice that the deuyll or hys dearlynges can inuent to the contrary eyther can or oughte to remoue vs oute of possession excepte we wyll wylfullye loose oure owne ryght and clayme seing that we that lyue nowe vniuersally throughout all Christendome haue receaued thys fayth of our fathers and they of theirs and so forthe euen to the Apostels and oure sauiour Christe hym selfe by whose mouthe thys doctryne as S. Cyprian sayeth was first taught to the worlde that Christen men in the newe law be commaunded to dryncke bloude whych the Iewes in the olde lawe were forbidde to do And so from hym and hys Apostels it hathe bene by succession deduced and broughte throughout all ages euen to this our tyme and beleued as Gods worde whyche can not be chaunged not as mans worde subiecte to alteration as probabilitye can persuade Secondlye thys consente in thys matter maye aypeare by that the holye fathers and pastors of Christes Churche haue wrytten of it whome God hath placed and planted in his church
pro eis oremus sed magis ut orent ipsi pro nobis ut eorum uestigijs inhaereamus c. talia enim suis fratribus exhibuerunt qualia de Domini mensa acceperunt Therfore at the verye table of the aultare we do not so remembre the martyrs as we do other other that reste in peace that we praye for them But rather that they shoulde praye for vs that we myghte folowe their fotesteppes For they haue gyuen suche thinges for their brethren as they haue receaued from our Lordes table Here is bothe prayer to sayntes and for the dead in the Masse Thus ye see howe Christes bodye is offered for the deade after what maner it auayleth them Saynt Augustyne also teacheth sayinge thus When the sacrifices eyther of the aultare or of anye almose be offered for the deade that were baptyzed for the verye good men they be gyuynge of thankes for not very euyll men they be propitiations for verye euyll menne although they be no reliefe of the deade yet they be certeyne comfortes of them that be alyue And to them they profyte they profite to this ende eyther that they should haue full remission or at leaste that they shoulde haue more tolerable damnation In thys authoritie is expressed the playne word of propitiatorye howe that the sacrifice of the aultare is a propitiation for suche soules as be not verye euyll or very good toward thatteynynge of full remission or of more tolerable damnation ▪ If I should recyte as muche as I could bryng in for this poynt at large it is not one or two houres that wold suffyse to the rehearsall of the places By thys lytle I haue sayde ye may perceaue after what sorte it is true that the Masse is a sacrifice propitiatorye for synne both for the quicke for the deade Some thynke it a great blasphemye that we shuld saye the prieste applyeth the effecte of Christes passion to whome he lysteth or for whome he maketh hys oblation Good people beleue them not they sclaunder vs in thys for we saye not so nor do not applye the merytes and effecte of Christes passion to whome we lyste ▪ we doo but applye our prayer and oure intente of oblation besechynge almyghtye GOD to applye the effecte of hys sonnes passion whych is hys grace and remission of synne to them for whome we praye Onelye God applyeth to vs remissiō of sinne we but praye for it and by the commemoration of hys sonnes passion prouoke hym to applye so that all that we do is but by petition and intercession not by authoritye as God doth They saye we make oblation for messeled swyne for sycke horses for murren of cattell and thus wyth these vyle and odiouse woordes they go about to brynge the Masse in hatred wyth the symple people that canne not tell nor iudge what it is sayinge we haue certeyne peculiar Masses for all those thynges in our Masse booke The matter of thys accusation is true but not the maner For there be not in oure bookes peculiare Masses for these thynges but in certeyne Masses there be some peculiar prayers for these and such lyke thinges and that by good reason For in the presence of Christes bodye when oure prayers be mooste effectuall then we praye for the atteynynge of all goodnesse of soule and bodye and the outwarde felycytye of this worlde is as expedient for vs accordynge to the wyll of GOD and also we praye for the tournynge awaye of all euylles of bodye and soule and wordlye goodes alwayes referrynge our selfes to hys wyl as he our father thinketh mete for vs. Chrysostome telleth howe the prieste in hys Masse prayeth for the whole worlde for the whole citye for the synnes of all menne bothe quycke and deade for the ceassing of warre for the pacifyinge of sedition for peace and the prosperouse estate of thynges for the auoydynge ofall euylles that hange ouer vs. For the frutes of the earth and of the sea and suche other Saynte Augustyne in hys booke De ciuitate Dei telleth a storye of a gentlemanne called Hesperius who hauynge an house and groundes aboute it in the countreye where hys seruauntes and beastes were muche vexed wyth euyll spyrytes for remedye thereof came to saynt Augustynes house and he beynge absente desyred hys priestes that one of them woulde go to the place and praye that thys calamitye myghte cease One of them wente and offered there the sacrifyce of Christes bodye praynge as muche as he coulde that the vexation by the euyll spyrytes myghte cease and by and by throughe the mercye of GOD it ceassed Is not thys as muche yea and more too then we doo nowe Lette not vs therefore feare their vyle and sclaunderouse woordes nor lette not vs cease to do wel because they speake euyll We maye not cease to do as the holye Sayntes haue doone because the membres of the deuyll rayle agaynste vs as thoughe we dyd nought Nowe a lytle of pryuate Masse and then make an ende Manye there be that can well awaye with the Masse but not wyth priuate Masses These menne be deceaued in their owne ymagination for there is no Masse pryuate but euery Masse is publyke It is called in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a publike ministerye Saynte Thomas calleth it sometymes a pryuate Masse but not in that respecte ▪ as it is contrarye to publike but as it is contrarye too solempne Euery Masse is publike concernynge the matter and ministerye but not solempne concernyng the place and other rytes and circumstancies Therefore these men speake agaynste that they knowe not what They haue a new vnderstandynge of priuate They call it a priuate Masse when the prieste receaueth the Sacramente alone And thys they saye is agaynste the institution of Christ. They saye so sine fine and neuer make an ende but they neuer proue it I shall shew you that it is not agaynste the institution of Christe The institution of Christ concernynge this sacrament contayneth three thynges whiche he hym selfe did by hys commaundement gaue authoritie to the churche to do the same The consecration the oblation and the participation To the due consecration foure thynges be required ▪ the matter forme minister intent The necessarye matter is breade of wheate whiche is due as it ought to be yf it be pure swete and vnleuened But our new maysters that crye oute so faste of Christes institution dyd ordayne it shuld not be ministred in vnleuened bread but in common bread and the worse the better with them some sayde horsbread was to good Wel there was more vilanye shewed herein than I wyll expresse at this tyme. And for y e other kind wheras the due matter is wyne mixed with water they notwithstandyng the institution and example of our sauioure Christ commaunded no water to be put in raysynge vp agayne the pernicious rottē and extincted heresies which Fermentarii and Armeni◠dyd mayntayne The forme of the sacrament is y e