Certeyn Meditations and thinges to be had in remebraunce and well considered by euery ChristiaÌ„ before he receiue y e Sacrament of the body and bloude of Christ ¶ Compiled by T. Broke ☞ Anno. M. D.xl.viii The .xvii. of August â–ª FIrst it is to be noted that all Sacramentes aswell of the olde lawe as also of the newe lawe were instituted and ordeyned of God to put vs in remembraunce of his most louing benefites and most mercifull kyndnes shewed and done vnto vs. Which benefites these sacramentes thorough gods worde doe offer vnto our mindes and not to our senses and we receyue the said benefites by faythe into oure soules and not wyth our senses into our bodyes SacrameÌ„tes be of such coÌ„ditions and nature that they haue in them two thinges to be considered the one is an outward visible thinge which perteyneth vnto the bodyly senses and is also-receiued therby The other thing is not perceyued nor receyued w t any bodily senses but as a pure and mere spiritual thing a benefite done by God vnto maÌ„ perteinyng only vnto the soule whyche spiritual benefite is geuen done by god vnto man because it shold be had reteyned in coÌ„tinual memorye of the christiaÌ„ man These outward sensible thynges were instituted and ordeined to sygnifie represent the same hauing in nature a propertie and condicion somewhat coÌ„firmable lyke to expres and represent the thing which thei declare and singnifie As bread hath a natural properti to fede coÌ„fort and sustain the natural bodi so Christes bodi betraied and his bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes feadeth coÌ„forteth and susteyneth the soule of the christian man borught into greate feare and sorowe with the syght of the multitude and greuosnes of his sinnes Which hungreth and ernestlie thristeth for the iustice of God and remission of hys sayed synnes And if these thynges be well noted and pondered it wyll cause to cease contencion moued about the maner of receyuyng of the sacrameÌ„t for all christean meÌ„ muste condescend and agre that euery faythfull Christian thorough Gods word in y e sacrameÌ„t dulie to him exhibited and ministred doth eat and receyue bi faith in Gods promyse Christes fleshe and dryncketh his bloude So that y e thing is not in contencion Whether we eate Christes flesh or dryncke hys bloude or no in y e SacrameÌ„t but the forme maner of eatyng Christes fleshe and drynkyng his bloude is in coÌ„teÌ„cioÌ„ For some of the clergie striue stowtly and teache vngodlie that we should eate and receyue Christes naturalle-bodye wyth our teth drynke and swallowe hys bloude wyth oure mouth and throte affirming veri grossely Christes natural bodie so to be naturally reallye and bodeli present in the sacrament therof and that euerie man whych receyueth the sacrament receyueth also the natural bodie of Christ be he neuer so wicked vnfaythful An other sort of teachers preach y e receiuing of the sacrament with our mouth and chewing it wyth our teth we eate not nor receyue Christes natural bodi and drinking and receiuing the wine with our lippes throt we drink not Christes bloude except we faithfully and constantlie beleue Christes bodie to be betrayed for vs and his bloud to be shed for y e remission of oure sinnes For the mouth saye they receyueth not nor tasteth anie other thing then breade and wyne But Christes body slaine his bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes which is the spirituall gyfe and grace of God geuen to vs in the sacrameÌ„t the soule eateth and receyueth by fayth to his great spiritual comfort coÌ„moditie and profit and the mouth cannot receiue nor tast it For coÌ„firmacion wherof thei say that man consisteth and is made of a bodie and of a soule the bodi is a natural and a materiall substance which is fed with natural and corporal sustenaunce noryshement And the soule of man which we cal the spirit mynde is a spiritual substauÌ„ce which caÌ„not eate nor receiue anye bodelie meat sustinauÌ„ce For the soule being a spiritual substauÌ„ce hath no teth mouth nor stomacke to receyue or degest anie suche bodelie sustinauÌ„ce for that which entreth into the mouthe defileth not the soule which is in the inward maÌ„ saith Christ So in lykewise that whiche entreth into the mouthe profiteth not the soule beyng the inward man which caÌ„not receiue it So that the sacrament which y e vngodlie sai bi vertue of gods word spoken by the priest is turned into the natural reall and corporal bodie of Christes natural substaunce leauyng y e nature of bread is yet such a natural substaunce that caÌ„not enter into the spiritual soule by bodelie eatyng and receyuynge therefore with y e mouth For our soule is norished fed liueth bi the spirit of Christ and not by the bodeli eatyng of his body with our teeth For in y e maner of eatinge with the teeth Christes flesh profiteth not saith Christ It is his holy spirit that quickeneth and maketh vs aliue for spirit liueth not but bi the spirit of Christ For whosoeuer hath the spirit of Christ y e same is Christes saith Paul And as touching this bodeli eating of Christes bodie with the teeth of men it differeth not from the fond vngodli opinion of the Capernaâ—â—es rehersed in the .vi. of Ihon. Which hearyng Christ say I am y e bread of lyfe and the bread which I wil geue you is my fleshe And further he sayd excepte you eate my slesh drink my bloud you shal not haue life in you They sayde this word and sayng is veri hard Who can heare hym how can he geue vs his flesh to eate For thei thought that he woulde haue geuen vnto theÌ„ perceles and gobbettes of hys tural and bodily flesh to eate with their teeth and to haue let out part of hys natural bloud for them to drink EueÌ„ lyke as some of our clergie groselie and no lesse fondlie imagyne and without any feare of God or worldlie shame preache the same And althoughe Christ louyngly myndyng and wyllyng to teache them the profitable and spiritual eatyng and drinkyng of his flesh and bloude sayde doo these my wordes offende you what and yf you shall see the sonne of manne asceÌ„de where he was before The spirit quickneth the fleshe profiteth not Yet this his answer did nothyng teach theym the godlye and spiritual eatyng drinking of his naturall fleshe and bloude because as Christ sayd there were som of them which did not beleue So that without true belefe no man can eate Christes fleshe and drinke his bloud and then he eateth and drynketh it spirituallie to his godli profite Also if the sacrameÌ„t be turned into Christes tural and real bodie as the most part of oure cleargie vntrulie do preache teache then it weare also reason that the same natural-and reall bodie should also be receiued and perceiued with our seÌ„ses For Christes natural bodie al though it be
nowe glrified and immortal yet it is not so spirituall that it is inuisible and that proued Christ when after his resurrectiō he appered vnto his disciples saiyng Fele and se a spirit hath not fleshe bones as you seme haue Wherfor doubtles if his real and natural bodie were corporally present in the sacramente it sholde be both felt and sene Because selynge and feinge be two naturall properties declared by-Christ whereby a naturall bodie is perceiued and knowne to be visible and to occupie place For as saint Augustine sayth to Dardanum That doubtles Christes natural bodie is in heauē For saith he take from bodies the roume space of places and they shalbe no where and if thei be no where thē thei shall not be Wherfore if his naturall bodie were in the sacrament it must nedes occupie roume and place in the sacramēt euen aswell as it doth in heauen or aswell as anye other naturall substaunce occupieth place And thē Christes bodie beyng and occupiyng place in heauen cannot also in one tyme occupie place in the sacrament For hys naturall bodie cannot occupie two places bothe at one tyme. For Christ is like vnto vs his reasonable creaturs in all thyngs except onlie in syne But our bodies after our resurrection shalbe visible wherefore doubtles Christes bodie shal also be visible whersoeuer it be presēt Or elese he hath no natural bodie But a shadow or fantasticall bodi which is Marcians-heresye Christ also saith you shal haue pore folkes alweis with you but me you shal not haue alwais wyth you Also Iesus knowynge that his howre was come that he should go to his father How shal he go to hys father excepte in his humanitie which euer was present with his father in hys Godhead Also S. Peter in the Actes sayth repent and turne you that your synnes may be done awaye That when the tyme of rest shall come from the syght of the lorde he shal send him which is preached vnto you Iesus Christ whō the heauens must receyue vntyl all thynges whiche were spoken bi the mouth of the prophetes be fulfylled Also Paul sayth as often as we shall eate of the breade and drynke of the cuppe we shall shewe the death of the Lorde vntyll he come whiche wordes vntyl he come declare to be spoken of one that is absente and not of one that is presente Wherefore doubtles Christes naturall body is absente in heauen and not present in a corporall presence in the Sacramēt of the aultare which is no dyscomeforte nor hurie to vs that hys naturalle bodie is presēt in heauen For as the sone in sommer whē he is most highest and distant from vs workethe in the earthe most effectuousli and yeldeth hys vertue most feruentlye and aboundantlye vpon all earthelie thynges so in likewise Christes natural bodie although he be in heauen most distaunt frō vs yet not with standing he workethe in hys people most effectuouslie geuethe hys grace most abundauntli to vs as he himselfe wyttenesseth to hys apostles saiyng it is expedient and necessarie that I go from you to my father For yf I shoulde not goo to my father the hollye ghoste shoulde not be sent to you Therfore seing that so many holi scriptures wytnes that Christes naturall bodye is in heauen and also that it is no dyscōmodie nor hurt to vs y t it so be I trust euerie good christian man wyll holde hym content and satisfied And on y e other partie yf we shoulde graunt christes naturall bodie weare so presente in the sacrament that the breade were chaunged into hys natural bodie and the wyne into hys naturall bloude leauynge y e nature of bread then bothe the godlie wycked the faythful and also the vnfaythfull should eate Christes naturall bodie drynke hys naturall bloude which is agaynste all the aunciente wryters that make a diuersitie betwyxt the eatyng of the sacramēt the receyuing of the thynge represēted by the sacrament The godlie and y e vngodlie receyuethe sacramente saye they but the thynge represented in and bi the sacramēt which is Christes bodie broken and his bloude shed out for the remission of our synnes no man cā eate excepte the faytheful by fayth Also Christ saythe that he is the bread of lyfe whych came from heauen yf a mā eate of that bread he shall lyue euerlastynglie And he that eatethe my fleshe and drynkethe my bloude hathe eternalle lyfe Whych wordes cannot be verified nor trulie spoken of the eating of the sacramente For many eate that to their eternal dānacion by Christes wordes of his promises made vnto vs they could not do if the breade were chaūged into Christes naturall bodye Also if the bread wyne be not chaunged into Christes naturall body and bloud bi the word as in ded they be not but the substaunces remayne in their nature yet yf we hearing y e promes of GOD declared vnto vs that his bodye was betrayed for vs hys bloud shed for the remission of our synnes beleue the same and receiue y e sacramēt we then eate Christes naturall body and bloude in spirit and fayth to our euerlastinge lyfe although we beleue not any maner of transubstancion of the bread into Christes natural bodi and the wine into Christes natural bloude But by such transubstancion the receyuer of the sacrament should also receiue Christes body and bloud If the bread and wyne were chaūged into Christes natural bodi bloud And thē as I haue sayd the most wicked Infidels myght eating the Sacrament eat also Christes fleshe and drink his bloud which is not onli against the saiynge of the blessed martyrs Ciprian Hillarius and saint Augustine but also against the saieynge of Christe whyche sayth he that eatethe my fleshe and drinketh my bloude he dwelleth in me and I in hym whyche no vnfaythfull can dooe For as Christ sayth the seruaunt dwelleth not in the house for euer ¶ Therfore the faithful beleuer in Christ is sure to eate Christes fleshe and dryncke hys bloude to hys eternall health although he neuer beleue any such grosse trāsubstanciacion And the vnfaythful can neuer eate hys flesh as Saynt Augustine saieth he whyche eateth my fleshe and drinkeeth my bloude he dwelleth in me and I in hym Thys is therefore to eate that breade and dryncke y t dryncke to dwell in Christ and to haue Christ dwelling in him And therfore he which dwelleth not in Christe in whom Christ dwelleth not doubtles eateth not Christes fleshe nor drinketh his bloud although to his iudgmēt he eate the sacramēt of so great a thing Also y e same doctour saint Augusttine again saith truly this bread requireth the hongre of y e inward man For blessed be they whych hungr and thyrste for rightuousnes verily to beleue in hym that is to eate the liuing bread he whiche beleueth in hym eateth inuisibli and is filled because he is inuisibly borne againe ¶
Wherfore doubtles the spirituall eatynge of Christes bodye which is to beleue in him is only y e godli eating of Christes flesh and drinkyng hys bloud and not thys outwarde bodilye eatynge wyth theyr teeth fayne they neuer so craftelie This false transubstantiacion which repugneth agaynst all the auncient writers and also agaynst the holie scriptures whyche be declared by the mouthe of Paule saiyng I wyll not brethren y t ye bee ignoraunt that all our fathers were vnder a cloude and all passed the sea and all were baptised in Moses and in the cloude and in the sea and all dyd eate one spirituall-meate and all dranke one spirituall drynke they drancke of the spirituall rocke whiche folowede them the rocke trulie was Christ And if our fathers before Chri stes incarnacion and we that be leue nowe do eate one spiritual meate drink one spiritual drink but oure Fathers dyd not eate Chrystes naturall and reall bodie nor dryncke hys reall bloude whych two thousande yeares after was not incarnated nor had any naturall bodie therefore we do not nowe eate hys reall bodie in hys bodelie presence in the sacrament as these by ther traÌ„substantiacion pretende For we eate the same that our fathers did eate which eating was by faith Ergo euen so muste we eate by faythe Christes fleashe and drynke hys bloude in the sacrament and not wyth our teeth reallie if we wylbee saued by the eatynge of Christes fleshe drynkyng his bloud as they were ¶ All the auncient writers writ and teach that we eate Christes bodie and drinke his bloud in the sacrament in a mysterie that is in a similitude whych cannot be estemed reallye for they be contraies For to eate a reall thing is with the mouth to eate naturallie the substaunce but al misteries be receyued eaten wyth the mynde and not bi anye bodelie meanes And therfore the sacrament is called of most auncient writers Panis misticus A mysticall breade which was ordeyned to feade and comforte the soules and not for y e bodie ¶ Chrisostome sayth that Christ gaue vs no sensible thynges but rather insensible thynges those thynges which were insensible or spirituall thynges ¶ Seynt Ambros vpon the .xi. chapiter of the fyrst to the Corinthians speakyng to them whych shoulde receyue the sacramente saith that thei should iudge with them selues that it is the Lorde whose bloude they drynk in a misterie whych bloud is a witnes of the benefites of god Also in his boke of the sacramentes he sayeth because we bee deliuered by y e death of the lord we remembring the same in eatyng drynkynge do syngnyfie the deathe of y e lorde ¶ Also Eusebius saythe because he would take away his bodi out of our syghte and cary it aboue the starres it was necessary that in this tune he should consecrate for vs the sacrament of hys bodie and bloude that it might be worshipped in a misteri which was offered for our price ¶ Also Chrissostome saythe yf it be so perelous to occupie the halowed vessels vnto a priuate vse in whome christes verie true bodi is not but the mystery of his bodie is conteynede howe muche more ought we not to geue the vessels of our bodies to the Deuyll that he maye do in theÌ„ what he wyll ¶ Also Seynt augustine saithe you shall not eate this bodie whiche you see nor drynke y e bloud y t they shal shede whiche wil crucifi me I haue comended vnto you a sacramente spirituallye vnderstanded which shall quicken you and althoughe it be necessarie to be celebrated and done visiblye yet it muste be spirituallie vnderstanded wherfore doubtles there is no suche fonde transubstanciacion as our clergie whyche can not vnderstaÌ„d perceiue y e godly spiritual eateing of christs flesh haue grosli imagined But y e godly profitable eating is by faithe as I haue declared wherin there is not required any transubstanciacion But in thys transubstanciacion Sathan hathe broughte hys wycked wyll and purposse to passe whyche is that ther was neuer so godli a thing bi god ordeined for maÌ„ whiche y e Deuyl hath not other obscured or made darck the same by chaunging the ryght vse thereof into an abuse or Takyng awey the vertue comoditie and profet of y e thing leauing the name inestemation or els peruertyng the thynge whyche was ordeyned of God to be most godly and profytable to manne that through the abuse therof it is be come most wicked and damnable to man As for a lamentable example in this beggery and Anti christian transubstantiation it is to manifest wherein some of our Cleargie haue most wickedli blindly taught the people of this realme that they shoulde beleue that in that they receiued the sacrament that they wythout any doubte dyd eate Christes fleshe dryncke hys bloude because by vertue of the worde spoken bi the priest the bread is chaunged into Christes naturall flesh and bloud wherefore receiuinge and earyng the breade they shoulde eate Christes fleshe and bloud whiche they dyd nothynge lesse And so were ledde w t a false and fayned fayth to truste to haue by eatynge the sacramente eternall lyfe euen for y e worâ—ks sake or because they eat it w t theyr teeth whiche onely dyd not profit them but also was their vtter daÌ„nation because they receyued it wythout fayth NOw Christen reader I trust thou perceiuest that in euery sacrament Ther be two thinges to be considered the one is the visyble substance whych is offered to the senses by and wyth the senses we maye receyue and vse the coÌ„moditie of it The other is the Inuisible grace and liberall gifte of God whych by the visible substance the promyse of god vnto y e same Ioyntely pronounced is represeÌ„ted and geuen to al them y t faithfully and constantely beleue the same promesse This spirituall gifte of god is Christes body broken and his bloude shede for the remyssion of our synnes whyche spirituall gifte bycause it is geuen to vs by godes liberal promes It can not be otherwise receyued but of a spirituall herte and that thorow and by faythe onely in y e same promesse Suche faythefull beleuers doubtles do eate Christes fleshe and dryncke his bloude in spirite and truthe That is to saye receyue all the coÌ„moditie and profet of all Christes passion death resurrection â–ª and ascention whych is remission of synnes and eternall lyfe In the receyuyng of this sacrament we professe not onely to be faythfull warriars agaynst the deuel the worlde and the fleshe but also to be lyuely membres of Christes mysticall body wherof Christe is â—â—ade wherfore aboue all thinge we must be circumspecte welware y t we defile not oure selues wyth any fylthy lustes synnes wherby we shoulde be become aâ—ylthy croked and roten member wherof our head Iesu Christ shoulde not reioyce but rather be a shamed and so worthi to be cut of from the body And then euen as
y e brauÌ„ch of y e tree wheÌ„ it is cut of from the tre receyueth nor taketh any more sappe iuyse or naturall moyestnes of the tree and therfore widdereth dryeth and becometh deade apte only for the fyer In like maner if we thorow oure obstynate perseueraunce in synne be deuided from god as y e prophets Esai Hieremy saith be no mysticall meÌ„bre of Christes church his mysticall body then can we receiue no more fauoure grace nor lyfe from Christe but shal widder die and be apte only for the Hell fier vntyll it pleaseth god of mere mercy and grace Euen as it were by his grace and infinyte power no lesse by hys myracles contrary to our nature to graffe vs newly into Christes mysticall body endeue vs with his new and heauenly spirite Of the other parte if we be faythfull warriars of Christ and striue coÌ„stantly against the deuel y e world and the fleshe and beleue faythefully that by and thorow Christe we shall ouercome the same we shall doubteles be accepted and reputed and taken before god as his naturall meÌ„bres euen fleshe of his fleshe bones of his bones Such as he caÌ„ not but loue cherishe and fauoure for who dyde euer hate his owne fleshe but did norishe cherishe it saith Paule Seing than that we be his naturall membres euen fleshe of hys fleshe and bones of his bones as Sinne hell and death could not preuaile agaynst Christ So caÌ„ they not preuaile agaynst vs no wythholde vs from Christe fowe be one wyth Christ we must nedes be where he is accordynge to the prayer of Christ in the xvii of Iohn saying Holy father kepe theÌ„ in thy name whome thou hast geuen me that they maye be one as we be father whom thou hast geuen to me I will where I am that they be with me that is to be in heauen to haue eternall lyfe as Christ there saythe father the houre cometh claryfy thy sonne that thy sonne may claryfi the as thou hast geuen to hym power ouer all fleshe that all that thou hast geue to him he may gyue to them eternall lyfe If we be one wyth our head Christ and in heauen wyth hym to whome also he hath geuen eternall lyfe Howe can synne hell or deathe preuayle agaynst vs his liuely membres Doubtles it is Impossible wherfore let oure earnest study prayer laboure be aboue all thynges to kepe vs in his mysticall body that we may be lyuely members of the same according as we professe vs to be by this holy coÌ„munyon in this blessed sacrament of his bodye and bloude Yea moste diligently and circumspectly beware what thou doest loke that thou dissemble not nor lye to the holy gost ther can be no greatter shame nor offence for the than to professe before thy friendes the hole coÌ„gregatioÌ„ wyth thy mouth countenaÌ„ce and behauiour to be a faithfull Christian And vtterly to deny the same in thy herte wordes deades And although thou canste thus colourably dissemble and falselye disceyue the Christen congregation yet canst y u neuer deceyue Christe whyche knoeth y e inward secret thoughtes fayned imagynacioÌ„s of thy hert Therfore I couÌ„sel y e ChristeÌ„ reader that thou Iustely truely and diligently examen thy lyfe and consider well wyth thy selfe whether thou be a constant warry it agaynst synne Proue whether thou purpose ernestli and coÌ„stantlie so to continew vnto the death also whether thou haue vnite peace and herty vnfayued loue towardes al y e congregacioÌ„ whych is most manyfestly expressed signyfied by this sacrameÌ„t of Christes body and bloud And theÌ„ last try thy selfe whether thou beleue fayethfully to haue remission of thy synnes and eternall lyfe thorow Christes passion and death onely and not by any other merits of sayntes prayers or holy workes of thy owne or of any other creature lyueyng or deade If thou be fullye perswaded and determyned in all these thinges before wrytten then mayest thou boldely come to this holy table to confirm thy fayth receiue this holy sacrament of Christes body bloud for a erneste pledge of eternall lyfe Whych graunte the that derely bought the to reigne wyth hym in eternall glory â–ª FINIS ⧠Imprinted â–ª at London by Iohn Day and Wyllyam Setâ—s dwellynge in Sepulchres Parish at the signe of the Resurrection a litle aboue Holbourne Conduite ☞ M.D. xlviii the .v. of August ⧠Cum gratia priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Math. xv Iohn vi Luke xxiiii Hebru iiii Iohn xvi Act. iii. â— Cor .xi. â— Cor. xi Ihon. xvi Augustin vpoÌ„ the .xx â–ª vi treatise of Iohn Iohn vi Augustin xxv â–ª treatese vpon Iohn â–ª Augustine xx â–ª vi treatise vpon Iohn â–ª â— Cor. â— Vpon the .vi â–ª Iohn the xlvi homelie â–ª The xi 〈◊〉 vpon the .v. Mathew Psalm lxxxx â–ª iii. Hieremy v. Ephes vi Iohn xvii