petyous thyng that we be brought now in matters of oure sayth frome all faythe belefe and goo a bought to skanne and to reason suche thynges as shulde be receaued before and aboue all reason wyth mooste humbly fayth for fayth hath no place neyther meryte as S. Gregore sayth where reason sheweth experyens and tryal of the matter for fayth is a free and obedyent persuasyon of maÌ„nes mynd in the veryte of suche thynges that are not manyfest or proued by naturall reason or experiens leauynge onely to the infallyble veryte of Goddes treuth For what so euer thynge that a man beleueth only bycause that he seyth the naturall experyens or natural reasoÌ„ therof this belefe is no fayth neyther shall suche belefe be regarded eather rewarded before God Wherfore to skanne and serche the misteryes of our faith with reason it is none other then a playne subversion of the christiane faith and such curious serchers and reasoners of oure fayth are lyke vnto the heathen grecyans in Paules tyme of whome paule spake The Iewes require tokeÌ„s wonders or myracles and the heathen grecyans worldely wysedome so oure Ieweshe Capharnaytes require to see this myracle in the sacrament or els to haue it manifest by reasoÌ„ or els they wyl not beleue And by cause they see not the fleshe and bloode in the natural shape of fleshe and blood therfore they wyll not beleue suche the seketh a syght by reason and wyll not beleue excepte they see be voyd of the benediction of Chryst And the faythfull people that obediently leaueth more vnto the infallyble word of god theÌ„ they do to reason eather sense requyre nether fealynge neather syghte these I saye hereth hathe the benediction of Christe that sayd Blessyd be they that hathe not sene yet do beleaue Not wtstandynge that I haue thought it almoost a wast worke and lost labour to answere to any such folysh fond and vnreasonable reasons as thynges vnworthye of reasonable answer bycause that they so vnreasonably do reason vppon that thynge the excedyth all wyt and reason Yet one for an example I wyll recyte here the best amonge them all that euer I herd that you may sone ê‘ceaue how folysh they be the frameth suche faÌ„tisies how mad they are the forsakinge the faith catholik the truth of gods word wyl be ouerthrowen wyth so vnreasonable reasons The argument Thys is theyr reason We reade in the scripture that God created made maÌ„ but we neuer reade the man coulde make god yf theÌ„ in the sacrameÌ„t be very Christ then the preest consecratyng the sacrameÌ„t makyth Christ whych is god But it is impossible that the preest shulde make god Therfore it is not possible the Christ shulde be in the sacrameÌ„t that the preest coÌ„secrateth ✿ Thys reason is grounded vpon a false presupposition The answere it presupposeth that the preest or mynister shulde worke all that is done in the consecration and that is very false for gentyl reader thou shalte vnderstande that the preest dothe no more here then he dothe in the sacrament of baptisme And therfore I myght make a lyke reason or argument and proue that the preest were Christe thus He that baptysed as saiÌ„t Iohan sayeth in the water and gyueth the holye goost that same is Christe but the preest baptiseth in water and gyueth the holy goost For there is none verelye and truelye cristined but the same receyueth the holye goost then is the preest Christe then was Peter Christe For he dyd not onely gyue the holy goost but he gaue power to other mynisters to gyue the holye gooste as Paule dyd also to Tymothe and Tyte. Wherfore we muste consyder what and howe muche the preest dothe For the CorynthyaÌ„s were dysceaued moche a lyke about the sacrament of baptysme as these are in thys theyr argument agaynste the sacramente for as these ygnorant people froward herytykes falsly supposeth nothynge to be wrought in the blessed sacrameÌ„t aboue the power and the facte or dede of the mynister so dyd these Corinthians ascribe all the vertue and power of baptysme vnto theyr baptistes or ministers and suche as were baptised of the more worthier ministers there in they reioysed as thoughe they had optayned and receaued the better baptisme Wherfore saynt Paule wyllynge to reforme thys errour he reuoketh them vnto the consyderation of the mynisters and what they dyd in that mynisterie and what and how muche god wrought And sayeth vnto theÌ„ What is Appollo or what make you of Paule They are but the mynisters of hym in whome you haue receaued your fayth And then by a similitude of husbandry he declareth vnto them what they do in theyr ministration and what almyghtye God dothe and sayeth I haue plaÌ„ted and Apollo hath watered but God gaue the increase Neather is he that planteth neather he that watereth any thynge of him selfe and in coÌ„parison of God neather theyr mynistration is any thynge effectuous without god that gyueth the increase do worke with them washyng the soule by the spirite whyles they wasshe the bodyes Euen so I answere vnto these what is the preest saue onely the minister of him that sayd vnto hys apostles Do thys That is to saye That thynge that you haue sene me do nowe Take the breade geue thankes and saye these wordes vpoÌ„ the bread that I haue sayd receaue or eate it in the remembraunce of me The preest onely speaketh the wordes as the minister in the persone of Christe and he that fyrst of bread made hys owne bodye that same now at the wordes and mynisterie of the preest maketh his bodye and blood So that the preest maketh not God which can not be made other then he is all redye neyther the bodye of Christe thoughe it be ther in the sacrament No more then he doth remyt syn and geue the holy goost by cause that God workyth the forgeuenes of synnes and geueth the holy goost in the mynystery of the preest But it is god that worketh these thynges in this mynysterye and makyth of bread in the sacrament the bodye of Christe by hys secrete and omnipotent power euen as he by the same power made that same bodye in the whom of a virgine and as he doth inuisibly washe the soule of him whome the preeste baptyzyth Whye then you wyll saye the mynisterie of the preest is not necessarie sythe God doth al. Yet remember that S. Paule sheweth howe we are goddes helpers and yet no doubt but that god can do dothe all the whole yet not wythout our mynisterie not of necessitie but that there might be an order in thinges Wherfore breuely we answere that the preest maketh not God but god almightie in the mynisterie of the preest by the myghtyfull power of hys worde spoken by the preest maketh of bread the body blood of Christ And thus ought we to beleue be it neuer so muche against nature and neuer so farre aboue reason For vnto
¶ Thre Godly and notable Sermons of the moost honorable and blessed sacrament of the Aulter ¶ Preached in the Hospitall of S. Antony in London by WyllyaÌ„ Peryn preest bachelar of diuinite now set forth for the auauncemeÌ„t of goddes honor the truthe of his worde and edification of good christen people ¶ Vos fratres prescieÌ„tes custodite ne insipientiuÌ„ errore traducti cÌ„ 2. Pe. vlti 1546. ¶ Vnto the ryght reuerend father in god and his special good lorde and mayster Edmund by the grace of God bysshope of London Wyllyam Peryn preest wysheth grace peace helth in God AL thoughe that the corrupt state malingnytie of thys present tyme ryght honorable Lorde be a spurre sharpe quicke ynough to sturre vp to prouoke a christane hart in whome is any sparke of loue and zeale eather toward the syncere christiane faythe eyther towarde the spirituall or goostly weale of this our naturall contraye to bende and force hym selfe in the defence of the fayth catholycke wyth aâ—â—wyt and studye agaynst the vyolent and manyfold pestyferous stormes of heresie Yet I hauynge also in consideracyoÌ„ the great accompt that I haue to render vnto my lorde Christe for the lytle talent deliuered vnto me to employ no doubte to the edyfyenge of his mysticall bodye the churche here vnto added also the importune postulacyon and request of certayne catholyque parsons my frendes I am in maner forced to dyuulgate set forth a part of my smal and slender studye taken here before abought certayne sermons that I made of the most blessed and venerable sacrament of the aulter Where vnto I was moued by a certayn rumor delated and brought very oft tyme vnto my eares whyche at the length I fered and founde it to be to trewe that the horryble heresie of Berrengary and Wykclyfe sacramentaryes abhomynable was raysed agayne of late and by meanes of euell pestyferous bokes crepte secretly in to the hartes of manye of the yonger and carnall sort The which heryse I had well hoped to haue bynne to deapelye buryed wyth the ashes of Frythe and Nicolson to haue ben reuyued and raysed vp agayne in this realme Wherefore I fearyng the encresse of that mischeuous 〈◊〉 lady amonge the vnstable vulgare people thought some what to breke the great vyolens of suche pestilent blastes amonge the vnlerned sort as moche as lay in the weake power tenuyte of my simple smal talent vntyll more better reskew and resystens by great lerned men shulde come And thus I preched in foure dayes foure seuerall sermons onely and specially of the mooste venerable and blessed sacrament Intendyng here by amonge many either to reclaime and recouer such as were not to farre gone or irreuocable yf ther were any suche in myne auditory eather to corroborate streÌ„gth the weaker and suche as semed to staggar wyth the huge stormes of these craftye persuasyons in the synceryte of the catholyke faythe Remembrynge wyth what sedulyte and indeuore they that are presently poysioned all redye go a bought craftely to breath and to blow theyr venomus contagion where they may and dare in to the bosome of such that wyll secreatly receaue and abyde their smoky communycacyon to the infection I feare of a great number And for as moche as I stode in feare that this dangerous contagyon drewe toward none ende but rather semed to take secretly force and strengtâ—â— was lykely to fasteÌ„ dayly vpoÌ„ moo and moo as thys tyme dothe declare to euydently I was the sonner and the rather entreated to communicate this my smale industrye and slender labor vnto al such that wold vouchsafe to reade this my rude yet syncere and catholyke doctrines and lessons The whiche I haue compyled in homely and playne sentens by cause that I haue cheflye prepared them all onely for the vnlearned And the veryte beyng delectable and bewtifull of herselfe nedeth not the gorgius ornamentes of eloquens Also the matters of our fayth hath moche lesse nede of rethoricall perswacyons hauynge theyr grond and fundacyon vpon the infallyble verite of goddes holy worde Thus I haue now enterprysed my speciall good lorde to set forthe thre sermons the which I preched Not by cause that I wold thinke so basse and weake a thynge to be a sufficient defence and a very present remedye agaynst the great vyolens of so pestylent a poysone mynistred of so craftye wyttes or that I wolde hope here by to recouer euerye man that is or hathe ben infected for there be some so obstinate that they seme and be irrecouerable But that I truste by this symple yet catholyke thyngâ—â— ther to comfort and stablyshe eather to recouer or staye some among so many Or els it myght stande in vse in steade amonge the busy readers of the venomous boke of Fryeth or the blasphemus boke of frear Bale vpon the reuelacions of IohnÌ„ And of al such other pestilent bokes whych were dayly and very oft had in hande secreatly where they durst that delyghted in suche swete poyson Wherfore my speciall good lorde I haue dedicate thys simple and rude thyng vnto your good lordeshype That suche rude thynge of it selfe vere base myght take by the tytle of youre good lordeshypes fauore and auctoryte not onely acceptacyon and place wyth the catholyke people but also no smal ornament and dignite of so godly and catholyke a patrone whome they maye and do ryght well perceaue to fauour tenderly the syncere catholyke faythe pure worde of God detestinge heresyes And also with that a mooste charitable exhorter reformer recouerer wher is any hope of reformacyon of suche as are infected wyth these euyl errors and horryble heresyes Mooste humbly besckynge your bounteful goodnes to take in god part this my slender and smal industry that hath procedeth vndoubtedly of a single and a sincere mynd And yf that I shal perceaue that this my talent in this maner put forth vnto spiritual vse tye do growe to any aduantage of my lordes goodnes glorye in wynnynge lucre of mine eueÌ„ cristiane I shal most louly geue thankes vnto god the auctor of all goodnes and take the more audacyte and corrage to employe my industrye and labor to set forth here after hauynge lyke occasyon some other thynge to the glorye of almyghtie God who haue you nowe and for euer in hys mooste gracyous tuition ¶ Vnto the Christian reader I Haue enterprysed mooste deare reader amoÌ„ge the great riche meÌ„ I meane of lernynge eloqueÌ„s of this our tyme to offer wyth the poore wydow thys my symple and rude myte into goddes cheste towardes the repayrynge reedifyinge of Christes churche Sygnifying and declarynge herein howe hartely I wyshe desyre to haue the church of Christe that is to saye the christen people repayred and reedifyed in the catholyke and syncere fayth Namelye suche as of late are fallen into ruyne great decaye in matters of oure faythe with the huge
perswaded and prouyd vnto the Iewes the presens of hys godhead and that he by auctoritie of hys godhead dyd and myghte forgyue and remytte synnes the whyche godhead inuisible they coulde not see neyther the remyssyon of synnes by the euidens of the helth that he gaue vnto the man dyseased wyth the palsye That where the forgeuenesse of synnes and the gyfte of helth vnto that man so vncurably dyseased were both of equall dyfficultie and the one they myghte see the other they coulde not see whyles they se hym do the one they myghte beleue the other Wherfore then shoulde not the testymonye of the former myracles moste faythfullye set forth vnto vs in the holy worde of God whome oure predecessours also dyd see before theyr eyes perpetrate and wroughte of God by the handes as wel of the fathers ê“phetes as by our mayster Christ and hys Apostles gyue euideÌ„ce profe of the myracles of thys sacrament sith both these and the other be of equal facilitie vnto God and of equall dyfficultie vnto nature Yf we beleue the one why shulde not we beleue the other syth that God is auctour of al. Yet perhaps thou wilt say the other myracles were euidently sene and so were these in the sacrament neuer Here vnto I answere Fyrste that thoughe our fathers dyd se the other done before theyr eyes yet dyd not we se them but we beleue them bycause that the holy scripture reporteth them to vs as of a trueth to haue bene suche done in dede EueÌ„ so the holy gospel of Christ reporteth to vs the wordes of Christe who can not lye whych sayeth Math. 26. Thys is my bodye Wherfore we ought to beleue these wordes thoughe we se not the dede Moreouer I answer that the other myracles were wrought to persuade fayth credyte vnto suche as lacketh fayth therfore were they manyfest and euident that the vnfaithfull myght be edifyed by the myracles openly sene vnto such mysteries of our fayth that can not be sene or apprehended by reason 1. Cor. 11. As saynt Paule sayth of the myracles of tonges wrytyng to the Corinthians The gyfte or myracle of tonges was gyuen to edifye the vnbeleuer but the gyfte of vnderstandynge or interpretacion was giuen to edifye the congregacion of the faythfull Euen so I saye that the other were gyueÌ„ to edifye the vnfaythfull Augustinê° de vera innocentia capi 134. Visibile miraculuÌ„ ad illuminationem vocat inuisibile autem cum qui vocatus venit illuminat But thys Sacrament is not ordayned to edifye the vnbeleuers but is ordeyned and instituted to encrease exercyse and to certifie the true and faythfull beleuers of their vnfayned fayth and also for the comforte of the faythfull christen people Wherfore it is not necessary that it shulde be myraculus openly Thys myracle in thys Sacrament is not wrought as I haue sayd to perswade fayth as the other were but this doth presuppose requyre a coÌ„stant fayth And as S. Paul sayeth vnto the Hebrewes Hebre. 11. Faythe is of thynges that appere not and can not be sene therfore are these myracles wrought of God inuisiblye that fayth myght here in haue place and that all the wyttes and sences of maÌ„ myght be tried subiugate obedient vnto fayth Playnly yf the faith of the thefe on the ryght syde of Christe were acceptable as in dede iâ— was that he seyng Christ as a thefe in lyke tormeÌ„t and payne with hym and yet beleued that he was most myghtest kynge of heauen and earthe bothe God and man Ioh. 2â— Christus dixit Thome Beati qui noÌ„ viderunt et crediderfit I saye that the fayth of them is very acceptable that constantly agaynst the course guyse of nature do beleue in thys holy sacramente the worde and wytnesse of Christ whyche sayeth Thys is my bodye For from the thefe vpon the crosse was hyd onely the Godhead or diuinitie of Christe but in thys sacrament vnto vs is hydden from oure syghte our sensible felynge tastynge and touchynge bothe the dyuinitie and also the humanitie that our fayth myghte be so much the more acceptable as it lacketh experience and tryall of that thynge that we obedientlye beleue For in thys sacrament naturall experience coÌ„tendith openlye agaynste fayth and not onely reason but also all oure senses are lede captyue agaynst al naturall experience vnto the sole and onely worde of God And that not in one myracle but in manye whyche are deprehended onely by constant fayth Wherfore no wonder thoughe the naturall man that waÌ„teth fayth and beleueth nomore then fleshe and bloode that is to saye natural reason or sense reuelyth to hym be offendyd as the Caphernaites were at this moost myraculous and holy sacrament where in are wroughte so manye wonderous workes of God For fyrste in thys holy sacramente the substaunce of breade wyne Ciprianê° de cena dâ—mini Panis iste coiÌ„s in carnem et sanguinem mutatus procurat vitam et incrementum corporibê° by the admyrable power of goddes myghtye worde are conuerted by transubstantiacion into the verye bodye and bloode of Christe so that after the consecration there remaineth not the substance of breade or wyne nether any other substaunce saue only the substaunce of the reall and verye bodye and bloode of Christe God and man Secondly the whole and perfect bodye wyth all the lymmes and membres are in both the kyndes IteÌ„ Thomas aquinas citat hec Eusebii Niseni verba No 〈◊〉 tibi impossibile esse non debet ê™ xpÌ„i substaÌ„tiam terre na et mortalia conuertuÌ„tur hec ille in tertia summe q. 75. articulo 4 and in euery porcion of eyther of them as well a parte as togyther and consequently in euerye sensyble porcion of eyther of the kyndes is the parfecte bodye and whole bloode of Christe and is in so many places as any kynde or porcion of thys sacrament is Thyrdlye Christe is immediatlye present reallye in the sacrament as sone as the wordes of consecration are duelye spoken of the preest at masse and that wythout anye bodelye passage throughe the clowdes from heauen and so to descende vppon the aulter Fourthlye the qualities and the other accidenttall properties of breade remayne in this sacrament and yet there is not the substaunce of bread neyther anye other saue onelye the substaunce of Christe IteÌ„ Augustinus in libro sententiarum Prosperi dicit Nos in speciebê° panis vini quas videmus res in visibiles .i. carnem et sanguineÌ„ honeramê° Fyfthly the qualities of bread are subsystant by them selfe myraculouslye with out any staye or ayde of any substaunce where in naturally they shulde be and that by the synguler power of God Syxtly God almyghtye gyueth myraculously vnto these qualities and accidentall properties power in al natural operations and passions as wel as thoughe the substaunce of bread were there And therfore doth the consecrate hoost norysshe augmente when it is
ActuuÌ„ 20. they were not ygnorant of the greate and mooste streyght accompte that they shall geue and rendre for them at the day of iudgement Wherefore withoute doubte they ryght prudently pondred and considered what great danger and ieoberdy it shuld be chefely vnto theyr owne soules and also vnto the christian flocke yf by theyr peruerse preachynge or teachynge or by theyr wycked wrytyng the christen people shuld be broughte into so great an error as to beleaue that thyng whiche is very false and to fall thereby into so detestable blasphemy that they shulde worshype and honor bread in the steade of christe But certaynly we maye be well asswered that they wolde not preache teache neither wryte anye other thynge then they thought moost assuredly trew For vndoubtydly these wise and moost circuÌ„spect fathers had incoÌ„sideracyoÌ„ that yf they shuld haue taught the people that they ought not to beleue the real very pÌ„seÌ„s of the body blood of christ in the sacrament syth that it is there in dede Augustinê° in psal 88 Suscepit enim de ter â—a terram quia caro de terra est de carne marie car nem accepit et quia in ipsa car ne hic ambulauit et ipsam car nem nobis maÌ„ducandaÌ„ dedit Nemo auÌ„t illam carnem manducat nisi prius ado cauerit inuentum est queÌ„admodum adore tur tale scabellum pedum dnÌ„i et noÌ„ 〈…〉 verely and really theÌ„ by thys theyr doctrine they shuld haue led the people not onely into an heresye but also into the syn of coÌ„teÌ„pt of goddes gyfte worke into the synne of excedyng great vnthankfulnes in that they so lytle regarded so noble a gyft the specially geuen of so magnificent in coÌ„parable lord god wolde not rather receiue the same with al honor worship admiration thankes geuyng vnto God And on the other side they consydered that yf they taught the people to beleue that the bodye blood of Christ were in the sacrameÌ„t verely really yf it were vntrew not so then shulde the people haue benled by them into the detestable cryme abhominable enormitie of ydolatrie in worshippynge the creature of bread in steade of Christ Wherfore it is vnmete truely farre from christian charitie to thinke these most reuereÌ„de godly fathers to be so rude dul vncircuÌ„spect that they coulde not se perceyue these great peryls to aryse amonge the christian flocke And wold not eyther with all cautele wysedoÌ„e deuyte exchewe them eyther wyth al policie industrie celeritie withstande theÌ„ Lest that these heresies blasphemies shuld or myght be imputed vnto theyr ouersyght or necgligens But wtout doubt they were ful wel ware what they eather taught or wryt lest any word eather in theyr preachynges or teachinges shuld escape theÌ„ wherby the rude people prone redy to suê‘stition ydolatry shuld take any notable occasioÌ„ vnto so great an heresye Moreouer where the historie of our lordes supê‘ was ofteÌ„ tyme red in the church opeÌ„ly that which historie is set forth by the euaÌ„gelistes by S. Paule in woÌ„derfull playn wordes of the real presens of Christes body blood in the sacrameÌ„t It had ben very necessarye for these lerned meÌ„ to haue expouÌ„ded these wordes in theyr trew sence yf they were not to be vnder staÌ„ded as they souÌ„ded were spokeÌ„ lest the vnlerned people by occasioÌ„ of so plaiÌ„ wordes myght haue fallen into mysbeleue of this blessed sacrameÌ„t coÌ„sequeÌ„tly into abhominable ydolatrye But certaynly they neuer gaue other expositioÌ„ vnto the text Thys is my body as the sacrameÌ„taries doth but as a senteÌ„s moost plain of it selfe they vnderstode it as it lay was spokeÌ„ These fathers also in theyr tyme oftimes opeÌ„ly celebrated sacrificed adored worshipping the very pÌ„sens of Christes body blood in the sacrameÌ„t And in this theyr facte and example they taught the people to honoure Christ in the sacrament Euen as saynt Augustine teacheth vppon thys verse of the .lxxxviii. psalme Adore and worshyp his foote stole for it is holy This I haue noted before in the margyn ✿ Wauerynge or doubtful sayth saint Augustyne I conuert and turne vnto Christe for hym I do seke And here I fynde howe wythout impietie or wyckydnes hys foote stole is worshypped wyth godly honoure For he toke earth of earth for fleshe is but earth and of the fleshe of Marye he toke fleshe And in the same fleshe he was here coÌ„uersaÌ„t and gaue vs the same fleshe to eate for our health There is no maÌ„ that eateth that fleshe but wyll fyrste worshyppe it wyth godlye honoure And thus is it founde and perceaued howe the footestole of our Lord is honoured with godlye honoure And not onlye we do not offende in so honourynge it but we do offende yf we do not so honour it Thus dyd these mooste godly and deuout fathers teache the people where in they playnly signified and shewed that they beleued the reall presens of the blessed bodye and bloode of Christ in the sacrament And it is not to be thought that they taught colorablye one thynge and wryt another neither can any maÌ„ read in any of theyr monumentes or wrytinges that they eyther taught or wryt the contrarye of the catholike fayth of the very reall presens of Christe in the sacrament But that they wryt moste manyfestlye for the same veritie as shall appere here folowynge Then standeth this veritie as an vnfained trueth that none of al these auÌ„cient wryters eyther wryt or taught the contrarie of our catholyke fayth The thyrde veritie is that what so euer he be that beleueth not the reall verye presens of Christes body blood in the sacrament that same pertayneth not vnto the trewe church of Christ but is rather of the synagoge of sathaÌ„ and therfore in the state and peryll of dampnation for he that retayneth not the whole faythe catholyke of Christe the same is none of the trew membres of Christes churche And he that beleueth not thys artycle retayneth not the whole faythe of Christe for he fayleth in this and consequentlye he beleueth none of the other how can suche a one be the meÌ„bre of Christes church Whereof yf he be not vndoubtedlye the same is in the peryll of daÌ„pnation Furthermore who that beleueth not this artycle beleueth not as the churche hath and doth beleue syth the Apostles tyme but he that beleuyth not as the churche doth and hath belyued alwayes in thys artycle that same pertayneth not to the churthe of Christ and therfore can he not hope of any saluation for wythout the church there is no saluation but hys parte is to be loked for amonge infideles and ypocrites excepte that he be reconcyled vnto the churche vnfaynedlye do constantlye receaue and retayne the catholyke fayth Yf any man wyll desyre to knowe howe that the church doth and hath beleued or what is the fayth that the
hym that is omnipotent and Lorde of nature it is possible For he can alter nature when hym pleaseth and do wonderfull thynges innumerable that infynytely transendeth the blynd reason of man of the which thynges this is one Where in God hath altered and changed the course of nature and that in such sorte that it passeth the compasse of mannes reason to knowe or tell howe Yet is it is very trew and possible vnto him that sayd these wordes when he ministered the sacrament This is my body as I haue declared in the former two sermones In the fyrst by the lyke myraculous workes of God lefte vnto vs reported in the scripture And it is not onely possyble but also it is in verye dede as I haue declared in the second sermon bothe by the fygures of the old testament and also by the plaine scriptures of the new testament And in the thyrd sermon I haue confyrmed the same fyrste by promyse of Christ made vnto the churche secondly by the faythe of the churche contynued from the apposteles tyme. And for the confyrmacyon of the same I haue brought in the conselles and also the testymonyes of the mooste classical and auntient wryters froÌ„ .vii. C. yeres vpwarde vnto the appostles tyme lastly I haue thus as thou haste redde answered vnto suche of the argumentes and reasons that are made to the contrarye as semed mooste craftye and lykely ConteÌ„ted to make answere but to these few For yf that I shulde haue answered to all theyr folyshe reasons the folly of them wolde haue yrked the reader and I shulde haue exceded in prolixite the length of a sermoÌ„ Yet by these the diligent reader maye wel perceaue the great blyndnes of theÌ„ that setteth forth so boldly suche fonde folyshe reasons as though they were as strong as Achylles And yet are they verey naked of no force or strenghe Here maye you also perceaue and lament howe lytle stabylyte and slender fayth is in them that wyth suche slender reasons and fond persuacyons wyll be broughte frome the catholyke fayth of the vnniuersall churche vnto so horrible and detestable herises vnto the vtter extreme perditioÌ„ of ther soules Excepte they forsake theyr herises and returne by penauÌ„ce vnto the churche catholyke confessynge one faythe one veryte one truth The whyche that they may do I beseke the father omniotent graunte vnto theÌ„ the grace of the holy goost for the merites of his sonne Iesus vnto whom be al honor glory worlde euerlastynge I had not thought to haue answered to any mo of theyr vnresonable reasons then to thys one that I haue answered euen nowe but so to haue lefte those bablynge brawlers wyth theyr fonde and foolyshe brablymentes But bycause that the Prynter shewed me that he lacked matter to furnyshe fullye the laste leffe Therfore I thought to fyll that which wanted with this reason the answere The reason ✿ Howe can that be the bodye of Christe God and man sythe that a mouse or ratte wyll eate it the fyer doth burne it Al these thinges happeneth vnto the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter therfore it can not be the very bodye of Christe ¶ I answere That thoughe the mouse The answere or any other beast do eate the sacrament yet neuerthelesse the same is the very reall bodye of Christe Why then wyll you saye the mowse eateth the bodye of Christe whyche semeth inconuenient we graunt that the sacrament wherin is the very bodye of Christe is eaten of the mowse yet that blessed body is not digested and consumed in the mawe or stomacke neather is it altered after suche maner in the bodye of the eater whether it be mowse or man as other oure corruptible meates are For so longe remayneth the presens of the blessed bodye as the qualities of breade remayne where euer those qualities be Whether they be in the mouthe or stomake and when nature altereth the qualities of the sacrameÌ„t then leaueth the presens of the bodie of Christ those qualities so altered from theyr nature But what though the bodye of Christe eaten in the sacrameÌ„t lye in the mawe of a beast Playnlye it is no derogatioÌ„ to the verye presens of the bodie of Christ no more then yf that same blessed bodie shulde be trodden vnder the feete in the vyle dyrte For that mercyfull Lorde Christ suffered that blessed bodye to be torne and crucyfied of the crewell soldiers for our sake and yet that blessed passyon dyd not dyrogate the veritie of that blessed bodye And loke as that blessed bodye receaued of anherityke or of an vnpenitent synner is nothyng the lesse the very bodye of Christe Though it be receaued of such ê‘sons vnto theyr dampnation Euen so I say thoughe a mouse or any beast do eate it yet is it neuerthelesse the very bodye of Christe Though it neyther profyth neather disê“fyteth the vnreasonable beast which is not apt to dampnation or saluation by cause they lackynge reason wyll can not do good nother euyl Then you wyl replie and saye that the mouse may lyue by eatynge the sacrament I graunt she may Not by cause that bodye is digested and conuerted in to her fleshe but as I shewed in my fyrste sermon by cause that the qualities of bread and wyne in the blessed sacrament miraculously do norishe the eater as well as though the substance of bread were there Where ye say of the burnynge therof and mouldynes or any suche corruptyons To this I say that suche actions are executed and wrought in the sacramentall qualites of bread and wyne yet remayneth the very bodye blood of Christe vnderneath those accidental qualytes so longe as the qualytes remayne and yet that bodye of Christe is vnharmed vnburnt vncorrupte for that blessed bodye is now glorified is in corruptyble and impassible ¶ HEC est fides catholica quam nisi quisque fideliter firmiterque seruauerit absque dubio ineternum peribit ¶ Imprynted at London in S. IohnÌ„s strete by Nycolas Hyll at the costes and charges of Robert Toye dwellynge in Paules churche yarde at the signe of the Bell.