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
most louely desire toward vs he hath suffered him selfe not only to be sen of such that longeth after him but also to be towched to be eateÌ„ and also there teth to be set in to his fleshe that they al might be satisfyed wyth the desyre or loue of hym ✿ By these wordes of Crisostome we may redely perceaue that these wordes of Iob were a very prophicie of the blessed sacrameÌ„t The which prophicye Christ hath fullfyllyd in that he hath fulfylled this request of Iobes seruantes sufferyng and permyttyng vs hys seruantes to be satisfyed of hys fleshe not by fayth onlye but as Crysostome sayth in that we eate and set oure teath in to hys fleshe ✿ Next vnto Iob I place the prophet Malachie who after that he had rebuked in the voyce of God the olde ieweshe sacrafyces and auaricie as well of the prestes as of the people shewynge them howe they had poluted the name of God in that they had offered poluted breade vpon the aulter of God sayd Mala. 1. ✿ I haue no mynd or wyll toward you neather wyl I receaue any offeryng at your handes from the east vnto the weast my name is great among the heatheÌ„ And in euery place a clene pure sacrifi ce or oblatioÌ„ is sacrificed and offered vnto my name for my name is great amoÌ„g the heatheÌ„ sayth our lorde of hoostes ✿ This sacryfice that the prophete speaketh of in this place can be none other then the blessed sacrifice of the aulter For there is no man beynge of meane lernynge iudgement that wyll vnderstande it of any of the sacryfices of the old lawe of Moyses But rather wyl vnderstaÌ„de it thus That the holy ê“phete ê“phicied the ende of al the imperfect carnall sacrifices of the leuiticall lawe and the institucyon of one moost perfect and holy sacrifice of the bodye and bloode of Christ But here a subtyl sacrameÌ„tarie wyll saye that this prophecie ought to be vnderstand of the oblacyon only that was made vpon the crosse But this maner of vnderstandynge wyll not stande with the veritie of the letter For that oblacyoÌ„ made on the crosse was offered but in one place only and that was vpon the mounte of caluarie But the sacrifice that the prophete speaketh of here as he sayth shulde be offered and sacrificed in euery place sygnifyenge with out doubt the sacrifice of the aulter sacrificed euery where in the churche of Christe whyche is the very bodye and bloode of Christ Now by cause that Christ shulde seclude and abrogate the olde and imperfect sacrifyces of the leuitical lawe and shulde set one mooste purest ê‘fect and sempiternall sacrifice of his bodye blood in place as the end and perfectioÌ„ of the former sacrifices therfore the ê“phet called the blessed sacrament a pure and a cleane sacrifyce offered in euery place vnto his name Certaynly thys could not be so pure clene a sacrifice that it shuld be preferred and set in place of al the other mosaicall sacrifices yf it were nothynge els then bare bread For the deuout fatheres of the olde testament dyd offer vp as pure as cleane bread and as deuoutly as we do And then also shulde the bread of proposition in the mosaycall temple haue ben as cleane and as pure a sacrifice as is the sacrament Yf it were so theÌ„ what neadeth the exchang and permutacyon Wherefore we must nedes vnderstande in this sacrifice the presens of the blessed mooste pure and immaculate bodye and blood of Christ sacryfised and offered vp in the blessed sacrament vnto the name of god euery where But yet a craftye herytike wyll vnderstande or rather wreast this ê“phecye vnto the oblacyon or sacrifice of faith of prayer and of al other godli dedes That can not be so after Luthers opinioÌ„ for al our good dedes with him are synfull whyche is a detestable heresye wherfore diligent reader remeÌ„ber wel that the ê“phete in these his wordes doth ê“myse here that a sacrifice shulde come that shulde succede in the place of the olde mosaical sacrifices whom he rebuked as vncleane but the sacrifice caÌ„not be fayth prayer eather such other good dedes For these were not ordeyned to take the place of the old sacrifices for these were vnder the old law sacrifices who doubteth but that the old faithful fathers offered vp busilie mooste perfect faith most deuote prayers godly dedes innumerable wherfore it is manyfest that this prophecie was spoken ment of the blessed sacrament whiche yf it were but onely bread as I haue sayde it cold not be the pure cleane sacrifice that the ê“phete promyseth here Bycause therfore that it coÌ„tayneth the very immaculate pure bodye blood of Christ therfore it is the pure cleane sacrifice which is offered iÌ„ euery place bycause the name of Christ is great amoÌ„ge the heatheÌ„ Yet least our obstinate aduersaries myght say that these auctorites of scripture be to farre fet to geue any euident profe of the real presens of the body of Christ in the holy sacrameÌ„t â–ª we wyll therfore bring in to coÌ„firme ratifie this verytie more euydeÌ„t more playner testymonies of the scripture And we call fyrst to record with vs the wordes of the ê“mise that our sauyour Christ had vnto his disciples writteÌ„ in the sixt of saynt Iohan wher christ most playnly made this ê“mise Ioh. 6. And the breade sayth he that I wyl geue it is my fleshe for the life of the world And in the same chap My fleshe sayth he is verely meate my blod is verely driÌ„ke But the iÌ„uincible streÌ„gth of this place of scripture the gret craftie subtil wyt of herytikes wold fayne escape by a false glose rather by an opeÌ„ly and manifest lye sayng that our maister christ meÌ„t nothiÌ„g in these wordê of the blessed sacrameÌ„t Where I wold the christane reader shuld wel way coÌ„sider diligeÌ„tly for the true intellection of this place howe this place of the scripture hath ben vnderstaÌ„ded of the churche of Christ who is only the true interpreter of the scryptures and not to geue credens to rashely vnto the erronyus expositours very corruptures of the scriptures as are al suche Iewyshe Caphernaites and obstinate sacramentaries whiche are voyd of the trueth lackyng the spirite of Christe by cause that they are seperated frome the churche by theyr detestable herysies But rather leaue vnto the exposition vnderstaÌ„ding of the catholike church of the lyuiÌ„g god which is as saiÌ„t Paul sayth 1. Tim. 3. the pyller grouÌ„d of veritie trueth How the church hath vnderstande it froÌ„ the begynnyng we shal soue gather perceaue by the auÌ„cieÌ„t catholyke wryters interpÌ„tours Who wryt in theyr tyme not contrarye vnto the churche but as the holy goost instructed them speciallye Clemens in libro 10. recognÌ„ Ad Iaco. fratreÌ„ dnÌ„i Oportet ab eo intelligentiam discere scriptutaruÌ„ qui eam a maioribê° secundum veritatem sibi
traditam etnat in so weyghtye a matter And we maye be sure that the churche hath alwaye the true vnderstaÌ„dyng of the scripture for as muche it is alwaye gouerned by the spirite of veritie Wherfore the expositions of suche catholyke and auncient wryters are to be thought of muche more trueth then are the false newe fangled expositions of those that wyth theyr gaye gloses confoundeth the text and swarueth from the whole churche of Christ The auncient wryters vniformely doth vnderstande this place of saynt IohnÌ„ to be ment of the blessed sacrament as you shall see that lysteth to reade and can iudge in theyr workes And for the trial hereof I shal recyte here some of the mooste auncient of them Origenes super numeruÌ„ Homilia 7. Origene wrytyng vpon the nuÌ„bers allegeth the same texte of S Ioh. vnderstandyng it of the holy sacrameÌ„t whose wordê be these ✿ Those thyngê that were done before were done obscurelye but nowe are they in theyr owne nature and veritie accomplished before baptisme was obscurely in the cloude and in the sea but nowe the generation is in the own nature in water the holy goost Then was the meate obscurely iÌ„ maÌ„na but now it is in the owne nature and the fleshe of the sempiternall worde of God is very meate accordyng as Christ said My flesh is verely meate and my bloode is verely drinke Crisostome also sayth vpoÌ„ the .vi. of s IohnÌ„ in this wyse Ioh. 6. Crisostâ—Ì„e in IoheÌ„z ✿ Christe sayth he in these wordes I am the bread of lyfe spake of the breade of hys diuinite or Godhed but by and by he wyl entreate of the mysteries sygnifinge the sacrameÌ„t for so doth Criosostome cal it Yet First he here disputith of his diuinitie sayng I am the breade of lyfe For this was not spoken of that body of whom about the ende of this chapter he speaketh of sayng And the bread that I wyl geue it is my fleshe For the diuiniâ—ie of him was bread bycause it was god the worde or the second person in trinitye euen as this bread is made by coÌ„myng therunto of the holy ghost the celestiall bread Now be holde good reader how diligently apertly Criosostome maketh distinctioÌ„ and puttyth differeÌ„s betwene the wordes that were spoken of the diuinitie of Christ and the wordes that Christe spake appertayning-vnto his bodye vnder the mysterie of the holy sacrament And sayth that from these wordes in the syxt of saint IohnÌ„ And the bread that I wyl geue it is c. and so vnto the ende of the chaptre Christ speaketh of the blessed sacrament Nowe where our peruerse herytikes denyeth that anye worde in this chapter apperteynyth or was ment of the sacrament they haue here Crisostome an auncient wryter ther aduersarie who expoÌ„dith the latter part of thys chapter vnderstandyng it of the blessed sacrament Cyrillus in IoheÌ„z Cyrill vpon saynt IohnÌ„ declaryng the vi chap. vnderstandyth it also of the blessed sacrament whom he nameth the misticall benedictyon and saythe vpon thse wordes of Christ Except you eate the fleshe of the son of man and drynke his blood you shall haue no lyfe in you ✿ And how he wyll geue sayth Cyrill hys fleshe to be eaten he teachith them not for thei cold not perceaue yet how greate benefites they sholde obtayne yf they eate it in faythe He declareth ones or twyse that by the loue and desyre of eternall lyfe they myght be forced vnto faythe whereby they myghte be the easelyer and soner taught For thus sayth Esaie the prophete Yf you wil not beleue you shal not vnderstaÌ„d Wherfore it was neccesarye firste to radicate faith in the mynde and theÌ„ to aske the thynges that a man ought to seke and enquyre But they before they beleued inquired and asked importunely For thys cause oure Lorde howe it shulde come to passe dyd not declare but exhorted theÌ„ to enquire it by fayth But wheÌ„ his disciples had firme fayth then he brake breade and gaue them saynge Take eate this is my body the cuppe also he gaue aboute saynge Drynke of thys al this is the cuppe of my blood that shal be shede in remission of synnes Nowe thou ê‘ceauist that he declared not the difficultie of the misterie vnto them askyng without faythe But when they had faythe he declared vnto them without askyng These are Civil wordes ✿ Saynt Cipriane Ciprianê° suê‘ orationem dominicam the martir expouÌ„ding the pater noster vpoÌ„ this peticioÌ„ Gyue vs this day our dayly bread saythe Christ whose body we do touche is our cottidiane bread this bread we do desire to be geuen to vs euery day lest we that are in the church do receyue oft times the holy sacrameÌ„t of the aulter for the bread of our helth by anye great or notorius cryme abstainiÌ„g seperated froÌ„ the celestial bread shuld be seperated froÌ„ the bodi of christ he pÌ„achiÌ„ge warning vs him selfe I am the bread of lyfe that came frome heauen yf anye eate of this he shal liue euer The bread that I wyll geue it is my fleshe for the lyfe of the world Then where he sayth that he shall lyue euer that eateth that bread it is manyfest that he speaketh of them that toucheth Hyllarii de trinita te lib. 8. his body And after the maner of coÌ„munion receyuith the blessed sacrament ✿ Hillarie in his eight boke De trinitate vnderstandith this sixt chapter of IohnÌ„ to be spoken of the sacrament and so doth he allege it I wold haue brought in saint Augustine with manye moo holy wryters but the breuenes of a sermon wyll not suffer so longe matter Wherefore I refer the reader vnto saynt Augustines fyrst boke against Cresconium the .xxv chapter also to the fyrst boke De precatoruÌ„ meritis et Remissione the .xxx. and .xxiiij. chapters and vnto many other of his workes wherin he playnly declareth him selfe to vnderstand this syxt chapter of IohnÌ„ of the blessed sacrament And so doth all the catholyke wryters vpon the scriptures take and vnderstande vniformely thys place of scrrpture For they expound interpret the same of the blessed sacrament Vnto whose expositioÌ„s any cristyane man yf he be not besydes hym selfe wyll geue more credite then vnto the erronyous and false gloses of blasphemus apostataes frome Christes fayth For in such serious matters of the fayth Augustinê° post Yre Eligo in bis verbis hoc intelligere quod oiÌ„s vel pe ne oiÌ„s frequeÌ„tat ecclesia the fathers wold neither flater neither faine but in the feare of God speake the verite of scrypture accordyng as they beleued to be the truthe theyr conscience berynge wytnesse Whose fayth vnderstaÌ„ding was none other but the fayth and the vnderstanyng of the churche of Christ which cold not erre Wherefore firmely staÌ„deth the veritie of thys text maketh most euidently for the real presens of the body and blod of Christ in the sacrameÌ„t by cause