Lorde is here with vs The bodye wherin he arose in that kind it becommeth to be in one place but the very body in forme of breade is euery where Corpus Christi in omni altari that is to say in euery aulter where it is consecrate Sermo ii de uerbis Apostoli We haue hard the true master theÌ„ godly redemer mans sauiour commeÌ„ding to vs our praise his blud For he hath spoken to vs of his body bloud that he called his body meat his bloud drink A sacrameÌ„t of the faithfull the faithfull knowe for hearyng what other thinge do they heare but lyfe coÌ„mending suche meate souche drinke ye shall haue saithe he lyfe in you Qui integer ascendere potuit consumi noÌ„ potuit if you eate when some wer offended that this saying was herd He aunswereth dothe this offende you ye wene that of this bodye that ye se I am about to make partes to cut a sonder my meÌ„bers to geue to you what and yf ye se the sonne of man ascendynge where he was before Surelye he that coulde go vp hole coulde not be consumed Therfore of his body his bloude hathe he geuen to vs a holsome refection and so greate a question of his holenes doth he assoyle For so arte thou refreshed that it can not fayle wherevpon thou shalte be refreshed Eate lyfe drinke lyfe thou shalte haue lyfe and the lyfe is hole and that shall be that is to say the bodye bloude of Christe shal be lyfe to euery one yf that whiche in the sacrament is taken visiblye be eaten spiritually in very truth be dronken spiritually Caro nihil prodest Spiritus est qui uiui ficat Super Ioh Cap. 6. We haue harde him selfe saying It is the spirite that quickeneth fleshe profiteth not at all your fathers haue eaten Manna and be deade Whye be they deade For that they dyd se they beleued That that they dydde not se they vnderstode not Moyses dyd eate Aaron did eate Phinees dyd eate and manye other dyd eate whiche pleased the Lorde and were not deade for they vnderstode a visible meate spiritually spirituallye they dyd hunger and spirituallye they tasted that spirituallye they myghte be fylled For to daye we take a visible meate but the sacrament is one thynge and the vertu of the sacrament is another Verye manye do take of the aulter and dye Altare and in takynge they dye Wherfore the Apostle sayth he eateth and drinketh his iudgement Was not the Lordes morsell poyson to Iudas and yet he receiued De Iuda and when he receiued the enemye entred into hym Not that he receaued an euell thynge but that he beyng euyl receaued that which was good Se therfore brethern receaue the heauenly breade spiritually bringe innocency vnto the alter Synnes though they be dayely yet they be not deadly Afore ye come to the aulter take hede what ye saye forgeue vs our trespaces He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude Ioh ca. 6 hath lyfe euerlastynge That is not geuen in the meate whiche we take to sustayne the fleshe but it is in this meate and drynke that is in the body and bloude of our lorde For he that taketh not it hath not lyfe and he that taketh it hath lyfe and that euerlastinge The sacrament of this thynge that is of the vnite of the bodye and bloude of Christ In some place it is done daily In some by certayne space of dayes betwene In the Lordes table let it be prepared and of the Lordes table it is taken of some to lyfe of some to deathe of this matter se more in the sixte of Iohn Here is the sayinge of the Lordes body whiche he sayde he woulde geue to be eaten for eternall lyfe He dyd expounde the maner of thattribution and of his gyfte He that abydeth in me and I in hym Tractus super Iohan nom 27. hath eaten a token hath dronken that we might be in his bodye vnder that heade in his meÌ„bers eatinge his flesh not leuinge his vnitie many hearinge these thinges not vnderstanding were offeÌ„ded for they thought not heainge these thinges but flesh that they were to ê‘ceiue after the flesh is deth And yet so it behoueth to be spoken that it shoulde not be vnderstande of all the secrete thinges of God it must make theÌ„ attempt not coÌ„trary for these dyd some shrynke from God speaking suche thinges And in those wordes they dyd not beleue our Lord Iesu Christ speaking a greate thing couering a certayne grace eueÌ„ as they wolde so they vnderstaÌ„de after the maner of men For Iesus might that or Iesus dyd dyspose that the fleshe wherewith the worde was clothed as cut in peces destribute to the beleuers in hym Quomodo caro non prodest quicquam the fleshe auayleth no thinge O Lorde good master how doth not the flesh auayle any thinge seynge that thou saide Except one eate my fleshe and drynke my bloud he shal not haue lyfe in him Doth not the lyfe profit any thinge And wherefore be we that we be but that we maye haue euerlastynge lyfe which thou promyseste by thy flesshe What is it therfore It profiteth nothinge the fleshe profiteth nothinge But how dydde they vnderstande truely thus They vnderstand the fleshe as it is rent in the deade bodye or solde in the shambles not as it is quickned with the sprite Let the spirite come to the flesh and it profteth much Ibidem Let the sprite come to the fleshe and it profiteth moch or else the worde shoulde not haue ben made fleshe that it might abyde in vs. Thou hast the wordes of lyfe sayde Peter one for all why sayde he that but that he beleued Thou hast euerlastinge lyfe in the ministracion of thy bodye bloud and we beleue and knowe For yf we shoulde knowe before and then wolde beleue we shoulde neyther be able to knowe nor vnderstande What beleue we and what know we That thou arte Christe the sonne of the lyuinge God For thou arte eternall lyfe and thou geuest not in thy flesh but that that thou arte All that the Lorde spake of his fleshe and bloude and that in the grace of his distribution he promysed to vs euerlastynge lyfe and therby he woulde to be vnderstanded the eaters and drinkers of his flesh bloud that they mighte abyde in him and he in them And that they vnderstandinge carnallye thinges spirituall were offended And that they beyng offended perishinge comforte of the Lorde might be to the disciples which remayning whom to proue he asked And wyll you also go away that the aunswer of the abyding of theÌ„ mighte be knowen to vs for he knewe who wolde abyde Therfore all this is auayleable to vs most dearely beloued that we eate not the fleshe and bloude of Christe in Sacrament whiche manye euyll doth but that we eate it vnto the participation of the spirite and drinke it
vyrgin Take an other example Exod. 14 The children of Israell was oppressed of the Egiptians closed in with the sea on euery syde by the commaundement of God Moyses touched the water with his rodde and the water deuided her selfe a sonder which verely was not after the custome of her nature but according to the grace of the heauenly commaundement Take an other example Exod 15. The children of Israell was thurstye and came to a fountayne of water the whiche was bytter not able to be dronke Holy Moyses dyd cast a tre into the water and it was made swete which before was bitter that is to saye it chaunged the custome of nature and toke the swetnes of grace Take also the fourth example It fortuned as a man was felling doune a tre besides the floude Iordayne 4 Reg. 6. the axe hed full into the water and sonke to the botome as the custome of Iron is to do the prophet Heleseus dyd cast a sticke of woode into the water and immediately the Iron came vp swymmed aboue the water the whiche verely is against the nature of yron For the stuffe substaunce of Iron is moch heuyer than is the element of water Dost thou theÌ„ by these examples vnderstande how mightily the heauenly worde worketh yf the heaueÌ„ly worde hath wrought in an earthy foÌ„tayne yf it hath wrought in other thinges doth not it also worke in the heauenly sacramentes Pauis fâ—eory 9 christi than thou hast learned that of bread may be made the body of Christ And the wine and water is put into the chalice but it is made bloude by the consecration of the heauenly word But perauenture thou wilt saye I se not the forme of bloude Euen as thou hast taken the similitude of death in baptyme Respoâ— so dost thou drinke the similitude of the preciouse bloude that there be no feare of bloude and yet that it maye worke the price of redemption Thou hast therfore learned that the thing which thou takest is the bodye of Christ and the bloude of our Lorde Wilt thou know that it is consecrate with heauenly wordes Here what the words be The prest sayth Make sayth he this oblation enrolled reasonable whiche is a fygure of the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Iesu Christ Qui pridie whiche the daye afore that he suffered he toke breade in his holy handes loked to heauen to his holy father almighty God geuynge thankes blessed brake and beinge broken gaue it to his Apostels and Disciples sayinge Take and eate of this all for this is my body that shall be broken for many And in lyke maner he toke the cuppe after he had supped the daye before that he shoulde suffer and loked to heauen to the holy father almyghtye euerlastynge God geuynge thankes blessed gaue it to his Apostels and Disciples sayinge Take and drynke of this all for this is my bloude Se al these be the wordes of the Euangelyst vnto Take ye whether it be the body or bloude then be the wordes of Christe Take and drynke of it all Afore it is consecrate it is breade â— Corpus christi est but when the wordes of Christe come it is the bodye of Christ Furthermore heare hym sayinge Take and eate of it all this is my body And afore the wordes of Christe the cuppe is full of wyne and water When the wordes of Christe haue wroughte there is the bloude made whiche hath redemed the people Then se in howe greate kyndes is the word of Christ myghty and able to conuert all maner of thinges Further more the Lorde Iesus hym selfe doth testifie vnto vs that we may take his bodye and bloude should we then doubte of his fayth and wytnessynge Lib. 4. de Sacramentis Nowe come with me to my proposition It is surelye a greate and worshypfull thynge that he dyd raygne Manna from heauen to the Iewes But vnderstand what is more the Manna from heauen or the body of Christ Surelye the bodye of Christe whiche is maker of heauen Farthermore he that did eate Manna is deade But he that hath eaten this bodye it shal be to hym forgeuenes of synnes and he shall neuer dye Therfore thou sayst not in vayne Amen So be it Now thou confessinge in sprite that thou takest the bodye of Christe the preist saith to the The body of Christ And thou faiste Amen That is true that which he confesseth hath the desyre It is to be knowen that in pronounsing of these wordes Bread is turned into the body of Christe This is my bodye a misterye is done And breade is turned into Christes bodye If thou aske how we leauinge these thynges not certayne do affirme that which is of auctorities that is to say that the substaunce of bread and wine is conuerted into the substaunce of the bodye and bloude of our lorde And we be not ashamed to confesse that we knowe not the maner of turnynge For the thynges that remayne of the former substaunce accidentia manent be accidentes that is the coloure sauour fourme and weyghte Nor yet they do make the bodye of Christ nor can be grounded therin But if it be asked where they be founded we saye Hic deo ideÌ„s manet sine subiectodo uirtute diuina that by diuyne miracle they be sustayned without substaunce This is truely a greate misterye and vnsearcheable We be commaunded to beleue we be not permitted to discusse We be commauÌ„ded to beleue but not to discusse all thinges that the Lorde wolde he dyd in hea-and in earth And because so he wolde so it was So thoughe the figure of breade and wyne be seene yet after the consecration we muste beleue nothinge els but the fleshe and bloude of Christe Wherefore the truth doth saye to his Disciples This is my fleshe for the lyfe of the worlde and that I might speake more maruelously it is playnely none other but that which was borne of the virgin Marye and suffered on the crosse and rose out of the graue This I saye is it And therfore is it the fleshe of Christ which for the lyfe of the worlde yet to daye is offered the breade of angelles is made the meate of men wherfore he sayth I am the lyuely bread which cam doune from heauen Also the breade which I will gyue is my fleshe for the lyfe of the world By these two sentences it is geuen openly to be vnderstanded that this breade and that be not two but one breade and one fleshe and withoute doute is made one bodye That verely that surely which was taken of the virgyn that suffered that was buryed that arose agayne and ascended into heauen sitteth on the right hande of God the father and which is to come to Iudge the quicke the dead And that thou mayste knowe this to be a sacrameÌ„t the figure of this went before afterwarde know how gret a SacrameÌ„t it is
fleshe Super Marc. cap. xiiii Whan Chrâ—st had blessed he brake the breade and that do we also puttinge therto prayers saynge This is my body This that I do geue and you now take For the breade is not only a figure of our Lordes bodye but it is turned into our Lordes body For he sayth the bread that I wyll geue is my fleshe He sayd not it is a figure of my flesh but it is my fleshe And howe saith he Cur earo non uidetur is not fleshe sene Oh man for oure infirmitie this is done For breade and wyne be of those thinges wherewith we be accustomed withall Them we do not abhorre but bloude and fleshe set forth we beholdynge coulde not beare but shoulde abhorre Therfore the mercifull God condescending to oure infirmitie Transelementatio doth kepe the forme or kynde of breade and wyne and into the vertu of fleshe and bloude he chaungeth them Super Iohannem Cap. vi Take that the breade that is eaten of vs in misteries is not onely a certayne figuringe of our lordes fleshe but the very flesh For it is transformed by secrete wordes That breade by a misticall blessing and comming of the holy goste Transformatio is chaunged into the body and bloud of Christ And how sayest thou the fleshe appeareth not to vs but breade that we shulde not abborre the eatinge of it For if flesh shuld haue appeared we shoulde haue ben vnsemelye mynded agaynste the communion but now our lord condescendinge to our infirmitie appeareth to vs in suche misticall meat as we haue ben accustomed to The Iewes when they harde of the eatinge of his fleshe dydde misbeleue and therfore they spake a word of infidelitie that is How For when the thoughtes of mysbeleiffe entered into the harte then entered also how Wherefore he wyllynge to shew that it is not impossible but very necessary and that lyfe can none otherwyse be had except ye eate my fleshe ¶ Leo in his .xl. Epistle LEt those phantastical Christians tell me what body Iesus brought into the sight of his disciples the gates beynge shut ¶ Anselmne Byshoppe of Canterbury almost fyue hundred yeares paste sayeth vppon these wordes This is my body It appeareth vnto the vtter senses of man to be but breade But know ye by the sences of the mynde bycause saith Christ this is my body none other but that same in substaunce which shal be geuen to death vpon the crosse and crucified for you Oure Lordes body is consecrated with the signe of the Crosse the fount of baptisme is hallowed and also preistes are made by the same signe Aug. in psal xxxiii Haymo Homil passione Christi Math. li. The breade is chaunged into our Lordes fleshe and the wyne into his bloude not by a fygure nor by a shadowe but by the veritie ¶ Damascen in his .iiii. boke of the ryght catholyke faith The .iiii. Chapter Doest thou aske of me howe breade is made Christes body and wine and water his bloud I aunswer vnto the that the holy goost worketh these things aboue mans vnderstandynge but the breade and wyne are turned The bodye is ioyned vnto the deitye whiche body is of the virgin not that the bodye taken of the virgin commyth downe frome heauen but that the breade it selfe and wyne are chaunged into the bodye and bloude of God The bread wyne water through inuocation and the coÌ„mynge of the holy goste vnto them are aboue nature chaunged into Christes bodye and bloude and they are not two bodyes but one and the same bodye The breade and wyne be not a figure onely of Christes bodye and bloude God forbyd but the bodye and Bloude of Christ Dost thou se breade dost thou se wyne do they auoyde beneth as other meates do God forbyd Thinke not so for as wax if it be put once into the fyer no substaunce remayneth nothinge is lefte so here also thinke thou that the misteryes be consumed by the substaunce of the bodye Damasen lib. iiii ca. xiiii For as moch as our Lord is the spirituall Adam it hath be semed mannes natiuite to be spirituall And also his meate natiuite is geuen to vs by water and the sprite through holy baptizme I saye and the meate breade of lyfe Our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche came doune from heauen For he was aboute to suffer for vs voluntarye deathe in the nyght whiche he offred his owne selfe He dyd dispose a new testament to his disciples and Apostelles by theÌ„ to all others beleuing in hym In the parlor of the holy and gloriouse Syon eatinge the olde passouer with his disciples fulfillinge the olde testament He washed his Disciples fete gyuinge them a token of holy baptisme Afterwarde breakinge breade he gaue to them saying Take eate this is my bodye whiche for you shal be broken in remâ—ssion of synnes In like maner takyng the cupe of wyne and water gaue to them sayeng Drynke of this all This is my bloude of the newe Testament whiche shal be shed for you in remission of synnes Do ye this â—n remembraunce of me For how often so euer ye shall eate this breade and drinke this cuppe ye shall shewe the death of our Lord and confesse his resurrection vntil he come If the worde of God be a lyuynge thinge and of efficacite And all thinges that our Lorde woulde he dyd If he sayde let the lyght be made and it was made Be the fyrmamente made and it was made If by the worde of God the heauens were made and with the sprite of his mouth euery vertue of them If heauen and earth water fyer and ayer and al the ornament of them by the worde of our lorde be made perfight man him self an expressed beast Vis uerbi dei continuo manet If god hym selfe a wylling worde be made man and of the most pure and vndefiled bloude of the holy vyrgyn and in him selfe without seed haue susteyned fleshe Can not he make breade his bodye and wyne and water his bloude Argumentum a minori He sayde in the begynninge let the earth brynge forth grene grasse and euen vntyll nowe after rayne it bringeth forth fruites beinge helped and strengthed with Goddes worde For god sayde This is my body and this is my bloude Hoc SacramentuÌ„ tuÌ„ continuo fiet denec ueniat and this do in remembraunce of me And by the almyghty precepte of God vntyll he shall come it is done for as all thinges that God dyd the holy goost workinge he dydde And so nowe by the operation of the holy gooste these he doth aboue nature whiche nothinge but onely fayth can take Howe shall this be done to me saith the holy vyrgin for I knowe not manne The Aungell aunswered The holye gooste shall come vpon the and the vertue of the highest shall ouershadowe the. And nowe asketh thou Quomodo howe is breade made the body of Christ wyne and water
whether the body of a perfight man maye be vnder so litle a broken peace of breade And many such other folysh questions which behoueth with sobernesse to be entretyd of amongest suche persons as haue theyr wyttes exercysed in disputynge reasonyng vpon souche high matters But as vnto the laye people it dothe suffise that they do beleue that after the wordes of consecration be once by the minister spoken ouer the creatures of bread and wyne that ther is incontinent the very body bloud of our sauiour christ which nether can be deuided nor yet receaue any hurt nor is not mete to receue any maner of iniury whatsoeuer chauÌ„ces do become of the outward formes of bread and wyne For if the sacred body of our lorde should be throwne into the myre or into any vyle gonge or any otherwise vnto any irreuerent parsonnes thinkinge should be iniured or soylde in dede the mooste iniury that can be done vnto it is whan it is receued into the mouth of a wicked synfull parson whiche is sore soyled spotted with greuouse and odible sinne Now surely it is therfore sittinge for our christian religion to entreat and order the outwarde formes of breade and wyne of the holy sacrament with all due reuerence But as concerning the very body of our Sauiour it self lyke as God after his nature is no lesse glorious in a vyle synke than he is in heauen and canne by no malyce of man or chaunce by man or otherwyse happeninge receaue any hurt or iniurye no more can the glorified body of our sauiour Christe what iniurye soeuer be doone vnto the outewarde tokens of breade and wyne And to be breife agaynste all doubtes and seruples of mannes weake knowledge Lette vs fyrst call to oure myndes the immesurable power of God vnto whome nothinge is impossible yea vnto whoÌ„ ther is nothing but it is light to be done so it be his pleasure that it should so be whiche saide Take eate This is my bodye And in a nother place of the same Epistle he saithe At the masse tyme the Angelicall sprites do with moste humble reuerence staÌ„de a boute the Alter ther to do there worshippe and lowly reuerence he also is there present whome all the heauenly hoostes of blessed sprites do desire to behold and loke vpoÌ„ And a litle after Let all preistes therefore consider the highnes of their profession whan they do staÌ„d at the aulter they haue aungels to minister vnto them These be the wordes of the famous clerke Erasmus Rothorodame whereby all Christian people maye knowe what was his opinion in the Sacrament not disagreing from the olde fathers here before written ¶ Thomas Cramner in his Cathechisme in the .cc.xxxv. lefe of the fyrst syde CHrist sayth of the breade this is my bodye and of the cuppe this is my bloude Wherefore we ought to beleue that in the sacrament we receaue truely the bodye and bloud of Christ For God is almighty and he is able therfore to do all thinges what he wyl Wherfore when Christ taketh bread and saith Take eate this is my body we oughte not to doubte but we eate his very body And whan he taketh the cuppe and saith Take drinke this is my bloude we ought to thinke assuredly that we drinke his very blode And this we muste beleue yf we will be counted christiâ—n men And where as in this pâ—â—illous tyme certayne dysceytfull persons be founde in many places who of very frowardnes will not graunte that there is the body and bloude of Christe but deny the same for none other cause but that they can not compasse by mannes blynde reasone howe this thinge shoulde be brought to passe ye good children shall with all diligence beware of suche persons that ye suffer not youre selues to be deceaued by them For suche men surely are not true Christians neyther as yet haue they learned the firste Article of the Crede whiche teacheth that God is almyghtye whiche ye good children haue already perfectlye learned wherfore eschew suche erronious opinions and beleue the wordes of oure Lorde Iesus that you eate and drinke his verye boâ—â—e and bloude in the Sacrament aâ—thoughe mannes reason cannot comprehende howe and after what maner the same is there present Wherfore doubte not good chyldren but there is the bodye and bloude of our Lorde whiche we receaue in the lordes supper For he hath sayde so and by the power of his worde hath caused it so to be Wherefore seynge Christ sayth do this as often as ye do it in remembraunce of me it is euident thereby that Christe causeth euen at this tyme his bodye and bloude to be in the Sacrament after the maner and fasshion as it was at that tyme when he made his mauÌ„dye with his disciples For else we coulde not do it in the remembraunce of hym that is to saye to receaue his bodye and bloud euen so as he hym selfe dydde geue it to hâ—s disciples And let not the folysshe talke of vnbeleuers moue you who are wonte to aske this question How can the preiste or minister make the bodye and bloude of Christ To this I answere that the mynister dothe not this of hym selfe But Christ hym selfe dothe gyue vnto vs his fleshe and bloude as his wordes dothe euideÌ„tly declare In the .cc.xxxiiii. And this is the meanynge and playne vnderstandyng of the wordes of the Lordes supper Wherfor learne them diligently I praye you that when ye be asked what is the coÌ„munio or the Lordes supper ye maye answer it is the true bodye true bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ hymselfe to be eaten and dronken of vs Christen people vnder the forme of breaâ—e and wyne ¶ In the fyrste booke of common prayer set forth by kynge Edwarde the syxt fol. c.xvi HEre vs O mercifull father we beseche the and with thy holy sprite and worde vouchsafe to blesse and sanctifye these thy gyftes of breade and wyne that they maye be vnto vs the bodye and bloude of thy moste dearly belouyd sonne Iesus Christ And in the .cxxi. lefe And ye muste not thinke lesse to be receaued in parte then in the hoole But in euery of them the hole bodye of our sauiour Iesu Christ ¶ Of prayinge for the deade BE liberal vnto al men liuinge yet let not to do good euen vnto them that are dead Ecclesiasticus .vii. Set thy bread and wyne vpon the burieng of the iust and eate and drinke not therof with synners Tob. iiii So he gathered of euery one a certayn insomuch that he brought together two M. Dragmes of siluer whiche he sente vnto Ierusalem that there might a sacrifice be offered for the misdeede In the whiche place he dyd wel and right for he had some consideration and ponderinge of the lyfe that is alter this tyme. For if he hadde not thoughte that they whiche were slayne dyd yet lyue it had ben superfluouse and vayn to make any vowe or sacrifice for them
you all which haue in hand any spiritual charge to holde vse kepe and execute the same with oute any repyne or reprehension Here after foloweth the order of the wordes which Saynt Clement vsed in saying masse after this maner We desyre the O Lorde that thou wilte send thy holy sprite vpon this sacrifyce whiche maye make this breade the body of thy Christ and that which is in the cuppe the blode of thy Christ ¶ S. Denyse the Arapagyte whom Paule makyth mencion of in the Actes of thappostelles .xvii. Chapter and was his disciple SAynte Denyse one of the nomber of the seuere Iudges of Athens conuerted by Saynt Paule And by Saynte Clement with these holy men Rusticus and Elutherius sent into Fraunce In the thyrde parte of the seconde Chapter entreatynge of Ecclesiasticall gouernaunce In the last ende of al thinges dew to be done in perfight baptysinge The bishop calleth the baptyzed to the most holy Eucharist and geueth vnto them the Godly communion of the chefe and moste souerayne sacrament of the body blode of our Lorde Iesus Christ And in the fyrst part of the .iii. chap. Nor it is almoste Godly or right any deutye belongynge a preistes office to be executed oneles he accōplishe this diuine and moste riall sacrament of Euchariste And in the seconde parte of the sayde chapter And the principalles of the same order together with the preistes do put vppon the aulter the holye bread the chalyce of benedictiō when there hathe gone before an vniuersall prayse and confession of the hole quere That done the reuerente prelate makinge an holy prayer doth shew holy peace to all the congregacyon And when they haue one another saluted the mysticall reheresall of holye thinges is made And when the prelate and other preistes haue washed their handes the Byshoppe standeth at the myddes of the aulter All the onelye electe and chosen preistes that shall receaue taken oute of the nombre of the mynisters do stande aboute But the byshoppe as sone as he hath praysed and extolled the Godly gyftes maketh the holy and high misteries and sheweth openly those thinges whiche he hath extolled before hyd and couered with reuerent tokens And holdinge in sight reuerently the Godly rewardes he hym selfe is turned to the holy cōmunion of the Lordes maundeth and dothe exhort the people to take parte At the last communion receaued and geuen to all that come to receaue it he geueth thankes and fynyssheth the mysterys And in the third parte of the same Chapiter in this maner trulye whan that the last moste excellent bounty of God is praysed magnified the diuine drink and cuppe of blessynge is handled propoūded And it foloweth but marke this also that the reuerent tokens being set vpon the aulter by the which Christ is betokened taken and by by without delay the description of sayntes is there present declaringe their inseperable coniunctions and moste holye and high vnyon with Christe And it foloweth wherefore reuerently of his Byshoply office after his holy prayse of the diuine workes he humbly excusethe hym selfe for that he offeryth and sacrifyseth the helthfull hoost whiche is ouer hym cryinge vnto hym comely at fyrste sayinge Thou hast sayd do this in remembraunce of me Then thus great a mysterye being of God inymytation of hym selfe he doth require and praye to be made a semblable to Christ as frayle mā may that he maye bothe make the sacrament worthely and purely distribute it And that they who be aboute to receaue the holy communion may worthely take parte with hym And so he mynistreth the moste reuerente mystery and setteth them in sight propounded holilye vnder signes Either else he openeth and discouereth the couert and vndeuyded breade brekynge it in peces partynge one chalyce amonge thē all he dothe multyply shaply distribute the vnite of our Lordes blood contayned within the sayde chalyce Thus consumyth the holy mysterye For that wyne symply and secretly the bloud of our Lorde by his dyuyne worde in his assumption of our humayne nature hathe gone before and occupied place or he was entered that compound and visible signe of his incomparable bownty power wherein it is mercyfully made euident with how suer a knot of socyetye he hath fastened vs to hym ioyninge his diuine excellent existence to our earthy matters Surely let vs agre with hym euen as members with the body let vs be glued vnto hym by semblablenes of clene godly lyuing Lest murdered with vglye vyce we may be made vnmete for the dyuine and moste delicate members being not able to styck with him but slydynge into cōtynuance of naughty lyfe The wordes of the holy man Marcial which was sent of saynt Peter to preache the gospell A Sacrifice is offered vpon an alter vnto God not to man nor Angell Nor that is not onely done vpon an alter halowed but a clene sacrifyce is offered vnto God in euery place as he dothe testifye whose boody and blood we offer to optayne euerlastynge lyfe Truely euen the same offerynge which the Iewes made in despyte wenynge to haue abolished his name oute of the earthe whiche we make in the consecrate alter for our saluation knowyng beleuing onely by this remedy to attayne lyfe and escape death For this the Lorde commaunded vs to do in remembrance of hym ¶ Ignatius the disciple of Saint Iohn the Euangelist LEt the stable Eucharist be demed affirmydly the bodye and bloode of Christ And in his epistle that he writeth vnto the Romayns I desyre saith he the fode of God the heauenly fode of lyfe which is the fleshe of Iesu Christ the sonne of the lyuinge God who was borne in the last tyme of the fead of Dauid Abraham I desyre for to drynk the bloode of hym who is loue with out corruption and lyfe euerlastyng They do not admyt the Eucharist and oblations bycause thei do not confesse the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Sauiour Iesu christ which flesh suffred for our synnes whiche fleshe the father by his benignitye hathe steryd vp Saynt Alexander byshop the Fyrst martyr C.xx ¶ Alexanderin his Epistle to all churches IN the oblation of Sacramentes whiche be made solemply at masses the passion of our Lorde is to be mengled to the intente that his passion may be celebrate whose body and bloud is made so that all wicked and supersticious opynions abolyshed breade only and wyne myxte with water maye be offered in the sacrifyce for synnes and crymes therby are done awaye with the whiche oblations the Lorde is contented and pleased and will forgeue high and gretious offēces for what more myghty and suffering sacrifice maye be then of the body and bloud of Christ ¶ Saint Ireneus Polycarpus disciple in his .iiii. boke AGaynst the heresyes of Valentius and suche other We offer those thinges vnto hym whiche belongeth vnto hym preachinge accordinglye the communion and vnitie of fleshe and sprite for lyke
that we abide in the Lordes bodye as members that we maye be quickened with his sprite and be not offended yea yf manye eate with vs and drinke temporallye this Sacramentes whiche shall haue in the ende eternall tormentes For nowe the bodye is mixt as vpon the flore but the lorde knoweth who is his We be sure brethren that all we that be in the lordes bodye abyde in hym that he maye abyde in vs. In this worlde we muste neades vnto the ende lyue amonge the euyll Not amonge these euyll I saye that blaspheme Christ For they be seldome founde whiche with tounge do blaspheme but many with life We must nedes therfore lyue with them vnto the ende Lib. 21. e◠25. De ci Dei He that is in the vnitie of hys bodye that is in the ioyninge of Christian members of whose body the faythfull communicatinge of the alter are acustomed to take it is true to be sayde that he receaueth Christes body drinketh Christes bloude And by this heretikes and scismatikes beyng seperated from this vnitie of body they may ther vpon perceaue a sacramente but not to them profitable yea rather noysome wherby they maye be the more greuouselye iudged or more slowly deliuered for that they be not in that bond of peace which is expressed in the sacrament Christe eaten by partes and abydeth hole hole in heauen He is eaten by partes in sacrament and abydeth hole in thy harte He was hole with the father Christus cōmestus intigre manet when he came into the vyrgyn and fylled her and he wente not from hym He came in flesshe that men myght eate hym and he abode hole with the father Sermo Io De uerbis domini that he might fede Aungels He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude abydeth in me and I in hym Howe must we vnderstande Maye we not here vnderstande them of whome the Apostle speaketh on that they eate and drinke theyr iudgement when they eate that flesh and drinke that bloude Dyd not Iudas seller and betrayer of his master De Iude touch hym fyrst in his handes beinge made a sacrament of his fleshe and bloude vnworthely with other Disciples as more playnely Luke declareth eate and drinke dyd he abyde in Christ and Christ in hym Many also that with fayned harte eate that fleshe and drink that bloude or when they haue eaten and dronken be made Apostelles Do they abyde in Christ or Christ in them But ther is a certayn maner of eatinge that fleshe and drinkynge that bloude as he that eateth drinketh in Christ abydeth in Christ and Christ in hym That is a cercertayne waye which waye Christ sawe whan he sayde these wordes my fleshe is very meate Sermo xxxii Let vs Ioye moste derely belouyd and be glad in the Lorde whiche in this daye hathe consecrated to vs misteryes of holsome comforte Howe hathe the Lorde commended to vs his bodye and his bloude How but of his humilitie for yf he were not meke he wolde nether be eaten nor dronkē Beholde the highnes of hym The worde was in the begynninge Se what meate is euerlastinge Aungels eate highe vertues eate heauenly spirites eate they eate and be full and he abideth hole that he filleth them and gladdeth them For who can ascende to that meat Because man can not ascende to that meate Quia homo ad hūc nequibat ascendere Christus descende bat ut panis fieret this breade vouchesafe to descende to man and that with vnspeakable pitie was done for it was necessarye that that table of Aungels should geue mylk come to littell ones Therfore ye beinge about to come to the aulter of the Lorde loke out all the priuie places of your hart lest peraduenture there be any synnes whiche be not yet healed with almose and fastinge And feare this he that eateth the Lordes bodye and bloude vnworthely he shal be gylty of the bodye and bloude of oure Lorde Therfore let a man proue him self and so let hym eate and drinke of that cuppe Howe the bodye of Christe that honge on the Crosse is receaued and howe not in his Epistle ad Hyreneumin expositi Psal liiii NOt this body that ye se ye be about to eate and drink that bloude whiche they be aboute to shed whiche wyl crucifie me that and not that that inuisible and not that visible Wherfore it foloweth yf it be necessarye that to be celebrate visible it is necessary it to be vnderstande inuisible Ad Iulianum comitem in the decres .ii. Dist Frome these thinges the pitie of our Lorde Iesu Christ delyuer vs and geue vs him selfe to be eaten which sayde I am the lyuely breade whiche came downe from heauen he that eateth my fleshe and so forthe But euery one afore he receaue the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Iesu Christe let hym proue him selfe and after the commaundemente of the Apostle so let hym eate of that breade and drinke of that cuppe For whan we must receaue hym we muste fyrst go to confession and do penaunce and discusse diligently all our actes noysome synnes yf we do perceue them We must strayght way make haste by confession true penaunce to wasshe them awaye leaste with Iudas the traytor hydynge within vs the deuell we perishe deferryng and concelynge or kepynge our synnes frome daye to daye Austen in libro Sent. prosperi Therfore we in forme of breade and wyne which we se we do honor thinges inuisible that is the fleshe and bloude of Christ Nor in lyke maner we comprehende not those formes as before consecration we dyd comprehend them when we do faithfully confesse afore consecration to be bread and wyne whiche nature hathe formed But after the consecration the flesh and bloude of Christ whiche the blessinge hath consecrated whether vnder a fygure or vnder a trewthe this misticall sacrament of the cuppe be done the truth saythe My fleshe verely is meate and my bloud verely is drynke or else how shal it be great The bread that I will geue is my fleshe for the lyfe of the worlde Except it be verye fleshe it cannot geue lyfe It is not lawful to tear christ with teath But bycause it is not leful to deuour christ with teath our Lord wold this bread and wyne in mystery truly his fleshe and his bloude by the consecration of the holy goste potencially to be create and dayely mistically to be offered As the virgin by the holy gost true fleshe with oute generation is create so by the same of the substaunce of breade and wyne the same bodye of Christ and his bloude by vertu of the holy gost mystically is consecrated The bodye of christ is both the veritie the figure The bodye of Christ is a veritie and a fygure It is a verite when the bodye of Christe and bloude throughe vertue of the holy goost is made of the substaunce of breade and wyne And a figure is that
vp in the laste day I he sayd that is my body that shal be eatē I wyll rayse vp hym For he is not another thinge but his owne flesh I saye not that that by nature he is another thinge but that after his incarnation he doth not suffer him selfe to be deliuered into two sonnes I therfore sayth he whiche am made man by fleshe wyll in the last daye rayse them vp that eate me My flesshe is very meate and my bloude is very drinke Christe maketh a difference here betwene the misticall benediction and Māna and the riuers of waters oute of the stone and the commynge of the holy cuppe Thei did not bring eternall lyfe but a shorte remedye of hunger But the holy bodye of Christ is noryshynge meate to immortalitie and lyfe eternall Therfore we be the body and members of Christ because by this blessinge of the mistery we do take the veraye sonne of God He that eateth my fleshe c. For as muche as it is an harde thynge and by faith rather then otherwayes He is receaued manye and dyuerse wayes he expoundeth the maruelouse profight of it consernynge the foundation ground to be faith Exemplū de cord Vnum corpus Christosumus Eodem lib cap. 19 as yf one dyd put to molted wax other wax he muste nedes mengle the one with the other Euen so if one receaue the flesh and bloud of our Lord he must be ioyned with him that Christe be founde in hym and he in Christ This is the bread that came doun from heauen surely they be great thinges whiche be done of greate men Therfore those thinges that be geuen of Christ is breade frome heauen for it geueth to the eaters euerlastynge lyfe A greate signe of the Godhead in his bodye surelye nature to inhabite For these thinges be therfore geuen whiche passe al other nature And therfore they of the rude sorte be lesse beleued but the most riche nature geueth greatest riches whiche Paul also merueilinge cryeth The eye hath not sene nor the eare hath not hard nor into many hath not come those thinges whiche God hath or deined to them that loue him Let vs not therfore misse here only the wordes of Christ but let vs geue credit to him the teacheth vs faith for els we shal be vexed with the mysbeleuers Iesus knowinge that they murmered by experiēce that many whiche folowed Christ not perceyuinge his wordes were trobled they thought thei were called of Christ to the cruell maners of wilde beastes and to be styred that they shoulde eate the rawe fleshe of mā and drinke the bloude whiche to heare is horrible For as yet they dyd not know of this mistery the forme and moste Godly dispensacion They thought how the flesh of this man coulde gyue eternall lyfe but he vnto whose eyes all thinges were naked and opē dothe by another marueylouse thinge bringe them to faith you be saith he troubled in vayne for my wordes What and if ye do not beleue lyfe to be geuen to you in my bodye what will ye do when ye shall se me ascende vp to heauen what will ye saye then seyng that will not that be a greate argument of youre madnesse If ye do thinke that my fleshe is not able to geue you lyfe howe shall it ascende into heauen as a byrde howe shall it fly through the ayer This in like maner is vnpossible to mankinde If so be that my fleshe agaynst nature shall ascende to heauen what letteth that also agaynste nature it maye quicken For he the made this earthely body heauenly he also made it quicknynge thoughe by the nature of it selfe it be corruptible But remember agayne Christ to be one and not two as many do folishly affyrme Consyder I say that euery where after incarnacion he sheweth hym selfe to be inuisible Super Iohannem The sprite it is that quickenyth the fleshe dothe nothing profight at all though the nature of flesh as it is fleshe cannot quicken yet it maye do this be cause it hathe taken so greate operation of the worde for it is a bodye not of euery man whose fleshe can any thinge prosight For not of Paul or Peter or of others But of the veray lyfe and the bodye of our Sauiour Iesu Christ into whiche the fulnes of the Godhead dothe inhabite maye do it For seynge that hony is naturally swete it maketh them swete with whome it is myngled Wolde it not be a folyshe thinge to beleue the lyuely nature of the worde not to geue to man in whome it dwellith a vertu of quickenynge For the fleshe of Christ because in it the onely sonne of God dwelleth maye alone quickē For he calleth hym selfe a sprite For God is a sprite And how the sprite quickenyth we can neither vnderstande nor with tonge expresse But by scilence and sure faithe we do take that What doth Christ promyse what dothe he bringe to beleuers Surely no corruptible thinge but a besechinge whiche we get by cōmunicating of Christes bodye and bloude wherby we maye be brought hole to the incorrupcion For it is a bodye of veray lyfe retayninge in it the vertue of the worde incarnate And full in power of hym wherby all thinges do lyue and be whiche thinges seynge they be so let men baptysed and beinge made partenars of the godly grace Though they go to the Churche more seldome and by longe space of tymes for a cloked religion refuse to communicate mistically Christ they do expulse them selues farre frome eternall lyfe for souche refusynge though it seme to come of religion it both causeth offence and layeth snares wherfore it behoueth with all strengthes to be clensyd from synne and foundacions of good lyuing sette with great confidence to ronne to take lyfe and pleasure of the fleshe by continencye ouercome that we go to the heauenly grace that we be made partenars of the body of Christ For so shall we chase awaye the deuill and beinge partenars of the godly nature maye ascende vnto lyfe and incorruptible ¶ Certayne sayinges of Theophilactus viii.c.lxiii vpon the xxvi of Math. THey eatinge Iesus tokē breade and set it to the eaters that he might shew the cruelty of Iudas For at the table communion of the meates of it whē he if he had not ben a wilde beast shoulde haue shewed hym selfe more tame then he neither whan he was reproued vnderstode But tastinge his bodye he dyd not repent for saying this is my body he sheweth that the bodye of our Lorde is breade whiche is sanctifyed in the alter and not an answeringe figure Non est figura sed corpus For he sayde not this is a figure But this is my bodie For it is transformed by an vnspeakeable operaciō yea though it seme to vs breade for we be weake Panis uidetur in specie sed caro est and feare to eate rawe fleshe chefely the fleshe of a man Therfore dothe breade appere But it is
inuisible ▪ without augmentinge when thou was the selfe same thinge Muche other wayes was thou in the procedinge of fayth nothinge is added to in the outwarde parte and all is chaūged in the inward part And yf manne beynge made the sonne of Christ and Christ beynge formed in the mynde of manne as therefore withoute corporall sence the olde wylynes put down thou haste sodenlye put on a newe dignitie And as in that that GOD hath cured in the thinges hurte He hath wasshed thynges infected he hathe wyped awaye thinges defiled They be not commytte to thyne eyes but to thy wittes And when thou goeste vp to the alter to be filled with spiritual meats behold yea with thy faith a sacramente the body and bloude of God honoure meruell towche with thy minde take it with thy hande of thy harte and most of all take a hole drawght of the inward man S. Hierom in his .iii. boke against the Pellagians sayth Christ taught his apostels that they beleuinge should be bolde to saye daylye in the sacrifice of his body the Pater noster S. Barnard in festo Martini Anno dom M.xiii The very substaunce of Christes flesh is now also present with vs no doute truelye but in the sacrament of the alter Rupert in the vi chapt of Ihon. Anno domini M.xiii This is our Lordes body which dyd hange vpon the crosse this is his bloude that was shedde out for all the worlde Hugo in annotationibus in i. corinth xi quest xcix Anno. M ccc xxxiiii It is knowen vnto the faythfull person that the substaunce of bread passeth into the bodye and wyne into the bloude As Christ saying Take this is my body dydde then chaunge by his worde that breade and wyne into his very bodye and bloude Euen so do we vndoubtedly beleue that the wordes sayde of a preist by that order and with the same intent that Christ sayd thē do chaunge the breade and wyne into Christes very bodye and his very bloude Bruno Anno dom M.C lii This thinge whiche was a lyttell before breade is now verely my bodye whiche bodye shal be geuen to death for you althoughe I nowe wyll geue to you immortall and not apte to suffer He speaketh in the person of Christ Ioannes Gerson Anno. M. cccc.xxix We must say that albeit Christe is vnderneth the kinde of bread wyne but yet the bread passeth into christes body wine into his blod Oecumenius whiche was a greke in his .x. Epist vnto the Heb. The Apostell Paule would not haue sayde thou arte a preist for euer of that oblation and host or sacrifice which is once made but he sayd it hauing a respect to the preistes which be now a daies by whome as meanes Christ maketh sacrifice and is offered in sacrifice whiche taught them also in the misticall supper the maner of such a sacrifice And further we make a memory of one and the same Christes death and we eate at al tymes one body of Christ Sedulius whiche was M.c.xix past writeth thus Beware that ye eate not the body vnworthely whiles it is christes body Gregory Emissene which was aboue M.c. yeares past The inuisible preist Christ turneth the visible creatures of bread and wine by his worde and secrete power into the substaunce of his body and blud thus saying Take and eate this is my body And farther he saith it is Christes fleshe which we do receaue in the sacramēt couered with the forme of bread his bloud which we drink vnder the kind of apearāce sauor of wyne Rabanus Lib. i. in Exodum What auayleth it to receaue with thy mouth Christes body bloud And to do againste hym with all euell maners Nicolaus de Lyra which was about vc.xxxiii yeres past These wordes that I spake sayth Christ Iohn .vi. are sprite lyfe But yet this spiritually is not so vnderstande sayth Lyre or so to be taken that Christes flesh shuld be in the sacrament of the aulter onely as a signe lyke as certayne heretikes haue sayd for it is there really But because Christes fleshe is eaten in this sacrament after a certayne spirituall manner in as muche as the visible kyndes are rent with the teeth and eaten and mannes spirite the soule is refresshed therby through the power of God knit vnto the fleshe Damasus Epistola ad Stephanum Anno dom viii c.lxx Let not any man lightly agre in backbytinge or accusyng or condempning of their brethren Christians and whiche also do make Christes bodye with their owne mouthe Athanasius Lib. de passione imaginis Christi cap. vii Anno dom ccclxxix It is not otherwyse to be iudged of euery catholyke person besides that whiche is written of vs as thoughe some thinges mighte be found in the world of Christes flesh but that whiche is dayly made vpon the aulter spirituallye by the priestes handes Felix martyr almoost a. M.ccc yeares past It was not semely that they whiche do dayly make Christes bodye with their owne proper mouthe shuld suffer so great persecution The counsell of Laterane in the whiche were assembled M.ccc.xv learned men which determined the presence of Christ to be in the sacrament of the aulter There is one vniuersall church of the faithfull without which no mā vtterly is saued in whiche the same preist him selfe Iesus Christ is the sacrifice whose body and bloude is truely contained in the sacrament of the aulter vnderneth the kyndes of bread wyne and the substaunce of breade and wyne is turned into the bodye and bloude of Christ through goddes power The determination of the hole vniuersitie of Paris in the time and raygne of kynge Frauncis Euery Christen man is bounde to beleue stedfastly that in the consecration of the Sacramente the breade and wyne are turned into the very body and bloud of Christ the kyndes and formes of the breade and wyne onely remayninge Vnderneth the which the very bodye of Christ is really or in very dede contayned which was borne of the vyrgin and hath suffered vppon the crosse ¶ The sayinges of Martyn Luther in his boke intituled the chief articles of the christian fayth Of the sacrament of the alter hold we that breade and wyne at the supper is the very body bloude of Christ And is not onelye ministred and receiued of the rightous but also of wicked christians In the same Except that they before dyd alter and falsely interpretate gods wordes and ordinaunce as the present enemies of the sacrament do whiche would in very dede haue nothinge but breade and wyne because they haue not also the wordes and ordinaunce instituted of god but haue peruerted and altered the same after their fantasy In the same For euen ther is in this Christianitie and where as she is remission of synnes that is a kingedome of grace and of right pardon For ther is the gospell baptisme and the sacrament of the Alter wherin remission of synnes is offered gyuen and receaued and euen
ther is also Christ and his sprite and God And yet Luther is condempned as an erityke because he wolde haue bread to be Ioyned with the body whiche is contrary to the catholyk churche Melancton Saynt Ambros wold neuer haue traueled sayth Melancton vnto Oecolampadius so many miracles as he doth speake of this matter to the declarynge of goddes omnipotencye and he had not thought the nature of breade to be chaunged in this mystery ¶ Erasmus Rothorodamus vnto Coradus Pellicanus in his Epist vi c.lxxvi pag. WHat maddnes were it for me yf I shoulde pronounce that there is nothinge else in the sacrament of the Alter but onely breade wyne I do acknowelege my selfe that I were worthy of death if euer eny man harde this of me either in earnest or in boorde that there is nothinge else in the blessed sacrament but onely breade and wyne or that ther is not really there present the very bodye bloud of our sauiour Iesu Christ And farther he saithe saynte Paule dothe thinke that an Angell is not to be harde if he do preathe an other gospell than the catholyke churche dothe approue and alowe â–ª yea the same churche hathe perswaded vnto me to beleue and to geue credence to the gospell by hyr instruction haue I euer learned how I ought to expouÌ„de the wordes of the gospell hitherto haue I euer worshypped in the sacrameÌ„t Christ which suffered death passion for me as all other trwe christenyd men hath done Nor yet hitherto dyd I neuer se any thing wherefor I ought to go from this mynde and stedfast opynion Nor no mans reasonynge shal be able to cary me awaye frome the holy senteÌ„ce and agrement of the fathers of Christes church For those eight wordes of Moyses in the begynnynge god made heaueÌ„ earth be of more strengthe with me theÌ„ al the argumentes reasons of Aristotle and all other philosophers True it is that the verye bodye of our Lorde and Sauiour Christ is there in the sacrament thoughe it be not to mans sences or reason perceptible But yet is that sacrament a pleage and wonderful memory of his inestimable loue towardes vs and a stedfost comfort wherby to stablysh oure hope towarde God The scripture doth make for vs. We haue these playne wordes in holy scripture This is my body whiche is geuen for you And this is my bloud which shal be shed for you Where do they fynd in holy scripture This is not my body or this is but a figure or signe and token of my bodye They shall neuer be able to bringe forth any place of the auncient doctors which shal by playne and expresse wordes contayne that there is not in the blessed Sacramente of the aulter the very body bloude of our sauiour Christ I pray you what thinge is in this matter whiche moueth you thus highly to extoll this spiritual receauing of the body bloud of our lorde in the sacrament Wolde you therby perswade vnto me that I should not holde with the corporal eatinge and drinkinge of the same body and bloude of our Lord also And wold you by that menes that I should now forsake the true doctrine whiche the catholike church hath euer still taught so manye ages together one folowinge and succedinge after another to harkeÌ„ vnto your newly inuented onelye spirituall eating and drinking of those high misteries therby vtterly secludinge the corporall eatinge and drinkinge of the same self blessed Sacrament Erasmus in his epistle to Balthasar byshop of Heldesyn pag. M. ccccc.lxxvii And suerly there is nothing more effectuall to norish in oure mother holy churche a perfight and an indissoluble concorde than that the same oure mother the Catholyke churche eatinge of one bodye and drinkinge of one bloude by one spirite is made and compacte into one bodye by whom she also receauinge life is knit vnto our lyuing head Christ And yet do we nowe se that all these great benefittes and high promocions notwithstandinge how that through the flighty craftes of oure desaytefull and stronge aduersarye Sathan it is brought to passe that the same most beneficial gifte of the sacramente of the body and bloud of our most mercyfull moste teÌ„derly louynge Sauiour geueÌ„ vnto vs to bringe all ê‘sons into vnite coÌ„cord hath ben the matter where vpoÌ„ in olde tyme so many discencions haue rysyn and of late yeares are now agayne renewed while the some ther be whiche do deny that ther is any thinge else in the blessed sacrament but onely the outwarde tokyns of the body bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Some others do knowlege christ in the sacrameÌ„t but yet vnder the substance of bread and wine And again some ther were that sayde how that through the wordes of consecration the substaunce of breade and wyne do fyrst perishe and so succedeth after the bodye and the bloude of our Sauiour Christ Some others do holde that our Sauiour by the wordes of the consecration dothe become breade and wyne by their fantastical mindes making it but a light matter that was once incarnate and dyd for our sakes become man There haue also ben some that were called Starcoraniste whiche irreuerent parsons deserued well so vile a name because they both ymagin and speake so vylye and withoute all reuerence of so highe a Sacramente The countreye of Grece also to disquiet the vnitie of the Catholyke Churche hathe sente forth amongeste vs theyr leuayners so called because they dare presume contrarye to holy Scripture to leue the vse of pure bread vnlayuened and do consecrate in breade whiche is leuayned And after he sayth woulde to GOD that such persons as haue folowed Berengarius in his maner of erryng concerning the veritie of the body and bloude of our Sauiour Christ to be in the blessed sacrament of the Alter whiche thinge he denyed so to be woulde in lyke wyse folow hym in repentynge of theyr selues as he dyd and that whiche now in our dayes be infected with the same erroure wolde so vnyte them selues vnto the catholyke Churche as he dyd whiche dyed for his offence full sore repentauÌ„t Farthermore ther hath rysen aboute this blessed sacrameÌ„t innumerable questions As how is the transubstaÌ„tiacioÌ„ brought to passe that is to saye how dothe the substaunce of breade geue place vnto the very substaunce of the bodye of our Sauioure Christ Also how the accident of breade and wyne be preserued and do remayne after theyr former substauces be gone And howe is it that these accidentes do kepe styll theyr color theyr smel their sauor and also haue power to fyll lyke other fode All whiche qualytyes the breade and wyne had in them selues afore that they were consecrate Also at what moment the body bloude of Christ doth seace to be in the sacrament Also whether that after the formes be corrupted any other fubstaunce do succede Also how that one selfe same body maye be at once in places innumerable Also