the breade that he wolde gyue shulde be he hys fleshe For playnlye in these wordes Christe made a promyse of hys blessed bodye to be eaten as breade in the holye sacrament The whyche promyse the Euangelistes S. Mathew S. Marke s Luke sheweth how it was ê‘formed at the latter supper of Christ And thus doth the one place of scripture open thother Vnto thys sence vnderstanding of this place of S. Ioh. all the auÌ„cient wryters subscribeth coÌ„cordaÌ„tly as I haue sayd vnderstaÌ„dyng it of the corporal eatynge of the body of Christ in the holy sacrament For yf we shuld vnderstaÌ„d it We must not vnderstande the promyse of Christ to be meÌ„t only of i. Cor. x. the spirituall eatynge of hys fleshe in the sacrament only of the spiritual eatyng of the body of Christ by faythe then had Christe made vnto vs christanes no greater ê“myse theÌ„ Moyses made vnto the Iewes wheÌ„ he ê“mysed theÌ„ Manna For they dyde eate in MaÌ„na the body of christ spiritually by fayth as saynt Paule recordeth ✿ All they did eate sayth he the same meat c. To what purpose shuld theÌ„ christ pÌ„ferre the bread that he ê“mised to geue aboue the bread that Moises gaue vnto theÌ„ syth the Iewes in Manna dyd eate the bodye of Christ as wel as we and we no more theÌ„ they as coÌ„cerning the spiritual eatyng It aperith theÌ„ by these pÌ„misses the christ speaketh in this chapiter of the eating of his fleshe body corporally in the sacrament WhoÌ„ they shuld eat not only spiritually in fayth but verely really euen as his fleshe is there that very same that shuld be geueÌ„ for the life of the world For so he ê“mised to geue it vnto vs to be eaten The which ê“mise he hath ê‘formed as thre of the EuaÌ„gelistes with S. Paule recordeth And that the thing maye apere clerely I wyl recyte the narrations of the EuaÌ„gelistê therby we shall ê‘ceyue how plaiÌ„ly opeÌ„ly they affirme this ê“mis of christ to be accoÌ„plished Thus the euaÌ„gelist S. Math. declareth the mater ✿ As they were saith he at supê‘ Iesê° toke the bread wheÌ„ he had geueÌ„ thaÌ„kes he brake it gaue it vnto his disciples and sayd Math. 26. This is my body And taking the cuppe he gaue thaÌ„kes and gaue it vnto them sayde Drynke you all therof This is my blood of the new testameÌ„t that shal be shede for the remyssion of synnes What more plaine more euident wordes can there be spoken to signifye and declare the presens of his blessed bodye and blood in the holy sacrament He could not spake more playnly in so fewe wordes Saynt Marke also with as playne wordes concordantly settith forth the same verytie Mar. 14. Reade good crystiane and marke howe agreably and concordantly the narracions and histories of these euangelistes agreyth are corespoÌ„dent vnto the promises that Christe made in the syxte of saynt Iohn Where he ê“mysed as thou hast harde that the bread that he wolde geue was his fleshe or bodye And here he sayth vnto his dysciples when he had taken breade and blessed it Take and eate this is my bodye As who wolde say This is the bread that I promysed when I sayde The breade that I wyl geue it is my fleshe for the lyfe of the worlde And agayne My fleshe verely is meate and my bloode verely is drynke This he promysed before And nowe in fact and dede takynge breade geuing thaÌ„kê he geueth it to his discyples sayth This is my body Here he geuith theÌ„ his fleshe as meate And takyng the cuppe he geuyth it theÌ„ sayng This is my bloode here he gaue also his blod as drinke Doth not this facte dede of Christ Luce. 21. playnly accomplishe the promise of Christ And on the other syde doth not the ê“mysse of Christ when he sayd The bread that I wyll geue it is my fleshe ratifye these wordes of Christe Take eate this is my body Yes plaiÌ„ly What neade we then to seke any other sence or vnderstaÌ„ding of these places of scripture sith that the one so plainly openyth declareth thother The euaÌ„gelist saint Luke coÌ„firmeth the testimonyes of saynt Mathew Marke in this wise And he toke the bread gaue thaÌ„kê brake it and gaue it them sayde Luce. 22. This is my body which shal be geuen for you This perticle whiche shal be geuen for you was added for none other cause then to signyfie shew that the same body that he gaue vnto them shulde the same nyght be geuen for them into the handes of the Iewes vnto death And after he had supped he toke the cuppe in like maner and sayde This cuppe is the testament in my bloode whiche shal be shed for you Here we haue other wordes theÌ„ saint Mathwe or saint Marke had Yet certaiÌ„ly all is but one meaniÌ„g and vnderstadyng For where they said This is my bloode of the new testameÌ„t and saynt luke saythe This cuppe is the newe testament in my blood Both he they sayth singnifieth That the same cuppe contaynith the very same bloode wherewith the newe testameÌ„t shuld be was the next day ratifyed and coÌ„firmid And this was none other bloode but the moste pÌ„cious blood Exo. 24. Hebre. 9. of the innocent and immaculate lambe Christ For lyke as Moyses when he had read the commaundemeÌ„tes of the law vnto the people he toke the blode of calffes and gotes with water purpull wol ysope and sprynkled the boke and all the people sayng This is the blod of the testament whche God hath a poynted vnto you Athanasius in primaÌ„ ad Corinthios 10. Sanguis enun iste qui calice coÌ„tinetur ille est qui Christi latere ê“â—lux it c. And so confirmed he the olde testament Euen so hath oure sauiour christ ratifyed and confirmed this the newe testament wyth his blood and the same blood that was shede vpon the aulter of the crosse and sprenkeled vpon vs to ratyfy the new testament that very same he gaue vnto his appostles at the supper Therfore the euangelystes saynt Mathewe and saynt Marke calleth it the bloode of the newe testamente And saynt Luke calleth it the new testameÌ„t Saynt Iohan the euangelyste Similia habet et Crisostomus who wrote last of the foure doth passe ouer and speaketh nothynge of thys oure lordes supper No meruel hereof For so doth he the moste thynges that any of the other euangelistes dothe speake of as thynges sufficientlye declared by them Therfore this thynge he touched not For it was sufficientlye declared before by the other thre euangelystes Now thynke I longe or I here the testimony of the appostle Paule in whoÌ„e christ spake And therfore in this mater he spake none other theÌ„ he receaued of our lorde This same holy apostle wrytyng vnto the Corinthians after that he had rebuked theyr vncharitable mysuse of oure Lordes supper declareth thys
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
matter in this wyse 1. Cor. 11. That which I receaued sayth he of oure Lorde I delyuered vnto you For oure lorde Iesus the same nyght that he was betrayed toke breade and gaue thankes and brake it and said This is my body whych is broken for you this same do you in the remembraunce of me In like maner when he had supped he toke the cuppe and sayd Thys cuppe is the newe testament in my bloode The same do you as often as you shall drynke here of in the remeÌ„braunce of me Here saint Paule that was instructed receyued hys doctrine learnynge of no man â—ala 1. Augustinê° ad IanuariuÌ„ epist 117. CoÌ„tinuo quippe cuÌ„ dixisâ— et Iudicium sibi maÌ„ducat et vibit addidit vt diceret NoÌ„ dâ—iudicaÌ„s corpus domini quod satis toto ipso loco in epistola ad Cor. 1. si diligenter atienbatur apparet but by the reuelacion of our lord Iesu Christe therfore taught he no other in thys matter then he had receyued of Christ affirmeth plainly in these wordes the very reall presens of Christes body and bloode to be in the sacrament And nameth it at no tyme eather fygure mystery or sacrameÌ„t but twyse in the same chapiter he calleth it the bodye of our Lorde And yf our Lorde mayster Christ wolde haue had any fyguratiue speache to be vnderstanded in these hys wordes had not ment that hys bodye shulde be in the sacrament but as in the fygure certaynly he wolde haue sygnifyed by some other wordes that he spake fyguratiuelye as he dyd in al suche lyke fyguratiue and parabolycall speches or els certaynly he wold haue instructed Paule the apostle more largely and clerely herof Or els at the least Paule who was so ware and circumspecte that he wolde not leue any ambiguous sentens in hys wrytynges rawlye wolde not haue lefte so necessary a lesson vntouched but wolde haue rather opened the playne and clere vnderstandynge and sence herof least any thynge shulde haue escaped hym wherby any occasion of erroure myght haue beÌ„ takeÌ„ of hys wordes Neyther is it to be thought that so necessarye and also so dauÌ„gerous a lesson in so weyghty a matter of our saluacion shuld be lefte vntaught bothe of Christe of the appostles and also hetherto of the holie goost who cam to teache the appostles and the church all verytie vndoughtedly so he dyd styl doth shal vntyl the worldes ende For what offeÌ„ce were it vnto god horrible error in the church of Christ and hath ben syth the appostles tyme hetherto that the churche of christ shuld worship the creature of bread instead of god there creator for so doth the churche now hath done this fyftyne hundreth yere and aboue yf the vnder the shape and fourme of breade and wyne be not verely and ryally the bodye of Christ God man There was no suche fearfull threatenynge for the vnworthye receauyng or of MaÌ„na eather of the paschal laÌ„be rather of of any of the Mosaical sacrifices For they were but onely bare figures Forthermore where Paule in the same place thretneth dampnatioÌ„ vnto the vnworthy receauers of this sacrameÌ„t Yf there be nothiÌ„g els ther in but bare bread it were to seuere rygorus sentens and harde IugemeÌ„t to thretten or execute dampnacion for eating of a peace of bread But verely the holye appostle Paule maketh a more worthyer thynge of thys then breade For he sayth that he that eatith of this breade and drynketh of thys cuppe vnworthely eatyth and drynketh hys one Iudgemente or dampnacion Not Not by cause that he doth mysuse a peace of breade or a cuppe of wyne But bycause he putteth no differens betwene bread and the body of christ Therfore sayth saynt Paule he eateth and drynketh his owne dampnacyon bycause he putteth no dyfferens he sayth not betwene bread and breade but betwene the breade that is but onely and very breade and the breade that is the very body of our lorde By these it may manyfestly appere howe playnly the holy apostle Paule affirmeth with the euangelystes the very and reall presens of Christes body in holy sacrament 1. Cor. 10. Moreouer in the same epistle in the x. chapter the appostle Paule after the he had set forth the terryble plages of God executed vpoÌ„ the mysusers of the mosaycall figures he sayth That all those thynges happened vnto them for an example are left wryten in the scriptures to be a warnyng for vs. In this wyse the apostle Paule exhorteth the corynthians and in them al faythfull chrystians by these terryble and seuere punyshmentes to be warned and ware that we mysusynge the greater benefites of God shewe not oure selues vnthankful vnto so liberal a lord leste we prouokynge hym vnto wrathe sustayne at hys hande more worser and more greuous plages then dyd the Iewes whose feareful examples we may cede of in scrypture By causse that we haue receaued the more excellent and greater benefytes And in this parte of this chapter he doth specially auocate and call the Corynthes frome the partycypacion of the table of ydols Whiche was none other then to eate ydoll offerynges meate or flesshe offered vp vnto ydolles and that for relygion or deuocyon and in honor of the ydoll hopyng thereby to attayne holynes Frome this enormyte the appostle feareth them by the examples of the plages of God executed vpon his elect people the Israellites and sayth that ✿ These ware wrytten to warne vs ✿ And at the lengthe he shewed a iuste cause why they shulde leaue false religion of ydolles in partakynge of the table of the deuylles saynge ✿ Is not the cuppe of thankes geuynge 1. Cor. 10. wherewyth we geue thankes the partakynge of the bloode Christe Is not the breade that wee do breake the partakynge of the boodye of Chryste In these cleare and mooste in manyfeste wordes saynte Paule speaketh nothynge of anye fygure or sygnyfycacyon onelye that shulde be in thys breade or cuppe For he saythe not that the breade or cuppe signifyeth or is onlye a fygure of the partakynge of Christes bodye and bloode But in mooste playne and manyfeste wordes he sayth that it is the partakyng of Christes bodye and bloode As who wolde saye why seke you to coÌ„municate to eate of the sacrifices offered vp vnto ydols and to partake the table of deuelles for religion and sanctimonie Haue ye not the table of Christ which is not the partakinge of the fleshe and bloode of beastes But the partakinge of the fleshe the innocent bloode of Christe offered vppon the aulter vnto the liuinge God the father And in the partakyng of this table is the true religion and possession of sanctimonie That this is the trew sense of the Appostles wordes in this place Chrisostome shall wytnes wyth me Crisosto in PauluÌ„ Who wrytyng vpon the same place hath these wordes ✿ That which is in the cuppe is the same which
tedyous to the reader in recytynge onelye theyr names Ireneus ✿ Ireneus in hys fyrst boke that he wryteth agaynst heresies sayeth When the chalice wyth water wyne myngled and the breade broken receaueth the worde of God it is made the blessed sacrament of the bodye blood of Christe Of the whych the substance of our fleshe encreaseth and consisteth Howe can they then denye that the fleshe is partaker of the gyfte of God which is euerlastinge lyfe syth that it is noryshed wyth the blood and body of Christ and is made the member of the same as the apostle sayth in the epistle vnto the Ephesians For we be members of hys body and of hys fleshe and bones Not speakynge these thinges of the spiritu all and inuisible man For the spirite hath neather fleshe neather bones but speakynge of the connection and disposition of the naturall bodye the whiche consysteth of fleshe bones the whiche naturall disposition of the body is fedde and encreased with the cuppe whiche is his blood and with the bread whych is his body ✿ There can be no playned wordes spoken for the veritie of the reall presens of Christe in the blessed sacrament ✿ Ignatius Ignatius In episto ad Roma that glorious martir the disciple of saynt IohnÌ„ Euangelist and the thyrd byshop of Antioche after saynt Peter In episto ad Ephe. in hys epistle that he wryteth vnto the Romaynes hath these moste deuoute wordes I wyll not eate sayth he corruptible meate I desyre not the voluptuousnes of thys worlde But I desyre the breade of God the breade celestiall the bread of lyfe whiche is the fleshe of Iesu Christ the sonne of the lyuyng God the which was borne of the seede of Dauid and Abraham in the latter tyme I desyre the drynke which is his blood Therfore he exhorteth the EphesiaÌ„s in thys wyse Make you hast sayeth he to approche oft tyme vnto the sacrament of the Aulter the glorye of God For when that is ofte frequented then are the powers of sathan expelled And in the ende of the same epistle Breakynge the breade the which is the medicine of immortalitie the tryacle not of dyenge but of the lyuynge in god by Iesu Christ These are wordes plain ynough to perceaue what beleue he had of the blessed sacrament ✿ Tertullian in hys boke intituled de Resurrectione carnis wryteth in thys maner Tertullianus Nowe let vs see and beholde the forme and bewtie of a christeÌ„ man what and how great prerogatiue hath this our frayle and fylthye fleshe wyth God Although that thys were dignitie ynoughe there can no soule at all attayne helth or saluation excepte that whyles that it is in fleshe it beleue or receaue the fayth The fleshe is so necessarye thynge of our saluation When the soule of the fleshe is knyt to God it is the fleshe that maketh that the soule maye be so knytte For the fleshe is washed that the soule maye be purifyed The fleshe is anoynted that the soule myght be consecrated The fleshe is signed that the soule might be strengthed The fleshe is shadowed with laing on of handes that the soule myght be illumined with the holy goost The fleshe eareth the bodye and bloode of Christ that the soule myght be fedde with god ✿ Here we may ryght wel perceaue the belefe of Tertullian of thys sacrament whych confesseth opeÌ„ly here that the fleshe doth eate the bodye and blood of Christe and not the fygure of the bodye and bloode And bycause that saint Cyprian was so diligeÌ„t a reader of TertuliaÌ„ I shall place hym Ciprianê° lib 2. epistola 3. next vnto Tertullian ✿ That blessed martyr saint Ciprian wrytyng vnto Cecilium in hys seconde boke the thyrde epystle sayeth That the blessyng of AbrahaÌ„ by Melchisedech the preest might by dewly celebrated the fygure of the sacrifice went before in breade and wyne The which thynge our lorde accomplyshynge and fulfyllynge offered breade the cuppe myxt with wyne and he that was the fulnes hath fulfylled the fygure prefygured Behold there went afore in Melchesedech the fygure of the sacryfice of breade and wyne but Christe whych is the plenitude it selfe fulfylled the veritie of the fygure prefigured namelye in the supper And after he sayth also De cena domini vpoÌ„ the lordes supper ✿ Our lord Christ whose bodye we do touche is breade That thys breade myght be gyuen vnto vs we praye daylye lest we that are in christe and receaue the sacrament of the aulter dayly as the meat of our saluation by meane of any great offence abstaynynge beynge forbydden from the hauenly breade we shulde be separated in dede from the body of Christe he preachynge and mouyshynge vs. I am the breade of lyfe that cam froÌ„ heauen yf any eate of thys bread the same shal lyue euer The breade that I wyl gyue it is my fleshe for the lyfe of the world Therfore when he sayeth that he shall lyue for euer yf he eate of hys breade it is manyfest and playne that they shall lyue whyche toucheth hys bodye and receaueth the sacrameÌ„t of the Aulter after the maner of coÌ„munion Origenes comes â—elsum ✿ Origene wytnesseth wrytynge against Celsus saith Let Celsus ignoraunt of God gyue thaÌ„kes vnto beuels But we thaÌ„ke the creator of al thinges for the benefites that he hath gyuen to vs. When we geuynge thankes do eate the breade the which bread by oration supplication and prayers is made a more holyer bodye the whyche body also verely maketh vs more holy the receaueth the same with a whole pure herte Origenes suê‘ Numeros vt supra ✿ And in the seuenth homilie vpon the boke of Numbres he more playnly wryteth and sayeth Those thynges which before tyme were done in figure nowe are they accomplyshed in the veritie and in dede Before baptisme was in the see and in the cloude but now the generation is in very dede in water and in the holy goost Then was Manna the meate as in the fygure but nowe the fleshe of the worde of God is in dede is very meate as he hym selfe sayeth My fleshe is very meate and my blood is very drinke By these his wordes we may perceaue that the Iewes had the fygure but we christiaÌ„s haue now the thynge it selfe that is the very bodye and blood in very dede ✿ IuueÌ„cus also in hys verses sayeth As sone as he had spoken Inuencus in carminibus he wyth hys owne handes brake the bread and geuynge thankes he taught and tolde his disciples that he gaue his owne proper bodye And then he toke the cuppe replete wyth wyne he sanctifyed it geuynge thankes and gaue it and taught them also that he had deuided vnto them hys precious bloode and sayd Thys bloode shall remytte the synne of the people Drynke it and beleue nowe these trewe and vnfayned wordes ✿ Hyllary whome saynt Ierome calleth the trompe of the latyn tonge
where nature is workyng Euen so thys voice Thys is my bodye was ones spoken yet at al tables or aulters of the churche of Christ vnto thys daye and shal vnto Christes commynge geue vnto thys sacrifice strength ✿ These wordes of Crisostome are to playne to be detorted or wreasted froÌ„ theyr true meaniÌ„g which is that when the wordes of Christe are duelye spoken by the preest at masse theÌ„ are the breade and wyne consecrated made the very bodye blood of Christe by the secret myght power of god so is Christes body blood really in the sacrament ✿ Saynt Augustine Augustinê° ad CresconicuÌ„ gramancum thought that he hath innumerable playne euident testimonies for this veritie yet amonge many I wyll recyte one or two Fyrst he sayth in his fyrst boke ad cresconicuÌ„ gramaticuÌ„ what shall we saye of the very bodye bloode of our lorde the onely sacrifice for oure helth For though that he hym selfe sayth Except that a man eate my fleshe drynke my bloode he shall haue no lyfe in him Yet dothe not the apostle Paule also teach that the same is pernitious and dedly vnto suche as misuseth it For the apostle Paule sayth Whosoeuer eateth the breade and drynketh of that cuppe of our lorde vnworthely he shal be gyltye of the bodye and bloode of our Lorde Agayne saynt Augustine ad Iulianum comiteÌ„ wryteth these wordes The mercye of our lord Iesu Christe delyuer vs from these thynges And he graunte or gyue vnto vs him selfe to be eateÌ„ which sayde I am the lyuely breade whych came from heauen And he that eatythe my fleshe and drynketh my blood hath eternall lyfe in him selfe But let euerye man examyne hym selfe accordyng vnto the precept of the apostle before that he receaue the bodye and bloode of our lorde Iesus Christe so let hym eate of that bread drinke of the cuppe For he that eatith the body blood of our lord vnworthelye he eateth and drynketh it vnto his owne iudgement makynge no differens of the bodye of our lorde For when we shall receaue hym we ought to haue recourse vnto confession and penans and to dyscusse curiously all oure actes and yf we perceaue mortall synnes in vs we ought speadely to make haste to washe them a waye by coÌ„fession and penans lest we lyke Iudas that traytor hyding the deuyll with in vs do perishe ✿ These are the wordê of S. Augustyne The which shewith verye playnely Cyrillus in IoheÌ„z what beleue he had as coÌ„cernyng the blessed sacrameÌ„t ✿ Cyrill the patriarche of Alexandria vpoÌ„ the syxt of IohnÌ„ wryteth very playnly for this veritie Whose wordê are these They can not be ê‘takers in holynes of the lyfe etÌ„nal which hath not receyued Iesus by the mistical benediction And againe he sayth Christ is not with his worde onely but also with his touching he araiseth vp the deade that he myght shew declare that his body coulde also rayse vp the deade Yf then by onely towchynge the corrupte are restored the dead araysed How shuld not we lyue or receaue lyfe which doth taste eate his fleshe For playnly he wyll reforme vnto hys immortalytie suche as be the ê‘takers of hym and after a few wordes he sayth For it must nedes come to passe that not onely the soule of man by the holy goost shuld assend vnto blessed lyfe but also that this rude terrenal body by lyke tast touchiÌ„g of lyke meate as it is it self sholde be brought vnto immortalytie Damascene in hys .iiii. boke of the catholike fayth in the .xiiii. Damascenus lib. 4. cap. 14. chapter sayth these wordes As coÌ„cernyng the veritye of the body bloode of Christe in the sacrament That body verely is ioyned vnto the diuinitie the which body he toke of the immaculate virgine And not that the body assumpted shold come downe from heauen But that the breade and wyne are traÌ„smuted and changed into the body blod of god Thou wylt aske the maner howe that maye be let it suffyce the to heare how that by the holy ghoste in a mooste Godlye vyrgyne he by hym selfe and in hym selfe receaued fleshe and wee can saye no more but that the worde of God is trew effectuous and omnipotent but the maner howe it is That is intractable or vnsearcheable Neyther can thys be redely tolde how breade by eatyng and wyne and water by drinking are chauÌ„ged naturally into the natural body of the eater and drynker and not into a nother body but into the very same bodye that the eater or drynker had before Euen so the purposed breade wyne and water by inuocation and commyng of the holy goost are chaunged supernaturally into the body and blood of Christ and there are not two bodyes but onely one and the very same IoheÌ„s Cassianê° collatione â—2 capi 12 ✿ IohnÌ„ Casiane hath these wordes in the .xxii. collation the .xii. chapiter Wyth so greate dilygens of humylytie we ought to kepe our hart that we kepe al waie this one thing stable coÌ„stantly in oure remembrans That we cannot attayne to so greate puritie and cleanes al though that by the great gyft of God we do al these thynges that I haue spoken of before Yet let vs Iudge our selues moche vnworthy to coÌ„municate or receaue that holye sacrate bodye For fyrst the maiestye of that heueÌ„ly Manna is so great that no man compassed abought with this claye and fleshe can worthely and condyngly receaue that meat but onely of the mere and benefycyall gyft of Godes grace Here in these wordes Cassian confesseth the maiestie of the celestiall Manna and the veryte of the bodye of Christe whome no man can receyue worthely Athanasi ad primaÌ„ Pauli ad Corin. but onely he that thynketh hym selfe vnworthy ✿ Athanasius vpoÌ„ the fyrst epistle vnto the Corinthians confyrmeth the veritye of the reall presens of Christes bodie and bloode in the sacrament For we sayth he hauyng that cuppe in our handes we geue thankes without doubte vnto hym that shed his bloode for vs and haue uoutchsaf to indew vs wyth ineffable gyftes He sayd not onelye that it is the partakyng but rather the communion bycause he wolde expresse some greater thyng That is the wonderful very nye coniuÌ„ction And this is the sence of that whych he spake Thys same blood whyche is contayned in the cuppe is the same that floued oute of the syde of Christ and when we receaue it we do partake it that is to say we be coÌ„nexed and knyt vnto Christ And the breade that we breake is it not the communion of the bodye of Christe That bodye whych our lorde dyd not suffer to be broken vpon the crosse for there was no bone broken of him that same for oure sake he suffereth nowe to be brokeÌ„ Athanasius in these wordes manyfestly sheweth that the blessed sacrameÌ„t brokeÌ„ for vs is the same bodye that honge on the crosse had
conuinceth maÌ„nes reason and sheweth suche thinges in the worde of God that semys impossible vnto mannes wytte reason to be very easye and possible vnto god as is thys wonderfull mysterye of the blessed sacrament Also buyldeth and confirmeth the fayth and treuth of goddes worde and promyse For where anye thynge in the word or promyse of god semyth vnto our weake wytte blynde reason impossible bycause that reason can not reache wysedoÌ„e or wytte attayneth not the senses lacketh experiens and the carnall or natural maÌ„ beleueth not there myracle shewyth it possible easye to God and fayth teacheth vs to lede captiue to subdue al wytte reason vnto the worde and power of God vnto whome there is nothynge impossible For we muste vnderstande that the miraculus workes of god were not wrought before the former people and lefte truely faythfully reported vnto vs in the holy scriptures to teache persuade only the possibilite of theÌ„ selfes for they were to euideÌ„t to be dowbted of But they were wrought writteÌ„ to declare set forth the possibilitie verite of al thiÌ„ges that the word of god teacheth vs to beleue As for exaÌ„ple Exodi 4. Ait MoydnÌ„o Non credent mihi neque audieÌ„t vocem meaz sed dicent non appa ruit tibi dnÌ„o Dixit ergo ad â—nÌ„ Quid est ê™ tenes in manu tua Respondit Virga Dixit dnÌ„s Proiâ—ce iÌ„ terraÌ„ Pro iecit c. Vt credaÌ„t ê™ apparu it tibi dnÌ„s deus tuus c. Ioh. 10. Et si mihi non vultis credere operibê° credite vt cognoscatis c. The woÌ„derful workes that God almyghty wroughte by Moyses hys deare and faythfull seruaunt before the chyldren of Israell and before the Egiptians dyd not onely declare that God almyghty was hable to shewe suche wonders sygnes and myracles But they manyfestly declared bothe the myghte and power of the Lorde God that sent vnto them Moses hys seruaunt and also confirmed ratifyed the veryte of all suche promyses and commaundementes that Moyses brought vnto them from the mouth of God For thys cause had Moyses power of myracles that these wonders whyche they se hym do before theyr eyes myght teache perswade theÌ„ the veryte and possibilite of hys tydynges and message whych semed both vntrew and impossible Not that they shuld beleue only the myraculous workes that they dyd see but that they by the euydens of these workes shulde beleue the word of God the Moyses ministred brought vnto theÌ„ The holy fathers ê“phetes ratifyed persuaded the verite of goddes message sent by them vnto the people with lyke testimonye of miracles Our sauioure Christe and after hym hys disciples confyrmed and dyd corroborate the verite and possibilitie of hys holye gospell wyth the wytnes of hys wonderfull workes Wherfore I thynke it an argument of no small efficatie and strengthe to perswade and proue by the experiens of gods power in the former myracles the possibilitie of the excedynge great myracles in the moste blessed sacrameÌ„t of the Aulter the whych goddes worde teacheth vs to beleue seme they vnto mans reason neuer so vntrewe and vnpossible For these myraculus workes left vnto vs in the sacrat scripture are none other then the very playne experimentes and euident tryal of goddes myghtye power and registred in the byble to corroborate stablyshe as I haue sayd oure faythe and the doctrine of goddes holy word to conuynce and reprehende all vnbelefe and heresye But specially suche grosse and stubburne blyndnesse that wolde not haue reason subiugate and obedieÌ„t vnto goddes myghtie worde power but wolde that the omnipotent worde and power of God shulde take suche auctoritie place as theyr blynd carnall wytte wyll gyue leue as oure grosse frowarde and obstinate caphernaites doth nowe a dayes aboute the mooste sacrate and blessed Sacrament of the Aulter the blessed monument and memoriall both of the death and also of the might and power of our sauiour and Lorde God Christe The sacrament besydes that it contayneth that vyry bodye bloode of Christ is also a memorial of Christes death and therfore stereth vp our charitie towardes hym And in that that it is inuisibly myraculus it excercyseth our fayth For whyles they denye the reall and verye presens of Christes bodye and bloode in the sacramente contendynge agaynste the scripture by reason to be impossible that it shulde be so they extenuate and imbecyl the power of God also they here in denye and subuerte the verite of Goddes worde ratifyed and confirmed by Christ and his disciples with innumerable sygnes wonders and miracles And why semeth thys incredible Playnly for thys cause onely that in thys moste holy sacrament nature is altered and loseth her coÌ„men course order reason can shewe no persuasion The senses hathe contrarie experiens Therfore these carnall infideles voyde of the spirite of God for wante of faith sayeth and thynke it impossible For manyfest scriptures truely taken and vnderstaÌ„de to proue theyr heresy they haue none Saue that where the scripture in hys natiue sence wyll not sustayne eyther helpe theyr horrible heresie and detestable blasphemye they vyolently wrynge it wreste it they toose it and rugge it wyth tropes and fygures catacreses alligories and metaphers to force it to bowe vnto theyr phanaticall frensye and frantyke heresye And althoughe that the blynde obstinacie of these blasphemous heretykes be suche that there semeth lytle remedye to recouer them TituÌ„ 5. sythe they subuerted are as saynt Paule sayeth condeÌ„pned in theyr owne iudgement Yet for the confirmation and comforte of the faythfull I shall set forth and proue by goddes adiutorie the possibilitie of suche myracles as the faith catholique doth teach and sheweth vs to be wrought by the infinite power of goddes myghtye worde in the holy sacrament of the Aulter Thys shal I do by the testimony of these myraculus workes that the scripture reporteth vnto vs. That whyles we perceyue the scripture to set forth before vs so euident open plaine demonstratioÌ„s and experimeÌ„tes of the oiÌ„potent power deuine that they can not be denyed saue onely of an infidele it maye euidentlye apere vnto euery faythfull christiane howe lykely and possible it is that almyghtie God can and doth by the power of hys myghtye worde these wonderful myracles in the holy sacrament And thys maner of argument maye not seme straunge vnto anye man in that that the veritie and possibilitie of thys mysterye and archane of oure faythe by proued and declared by other myracles wrytten whome we beleue in the holye scripture for there in I haue myne example of saynte Paule 1. Cor. 15. who wrytyng vnto the Corinthians and dysputynge the artycle of the generall resurrection proueth by the myraculous resurrection of Christe the whyche they had receyued and beleuyd by the preachynge of saynt Paule the verytie and possibilitie of the generall resurrection Oure sauioure Christe also
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
receyued as wel as though the substaūce of breade or wyne were there Idē Thomas in .4.5 6 7. articulis Yea also the consecrate hoost maye be broken it maye be burnte it maye be moulded as the verye breade maye And yet is not there the substaunce of bread nether is the fraccion the mouldnes nother the burnynge executed or done in the body of Christe for that is impassyble can suffer no suche passyons But it is onely the properties of breade that is broken moulded or burnt These myraculus secretes secreat myracles be as I haue sayd deprehēded only by fayth not onlye bycause they surmounte and excede the altitude and compasse of mannes wytte and reason as the other visible myracles do But also they are directlye contrarye vnto our sensible experiens Wherfore they brynge no small doubte vnto vs and specially vnto all suche that leaneth more vnto theyr naturall experiens then they do vnto the infallible verite of goddes word which affirmeth nothynge to be impossible with God Namely Luce. 1. whē they presume to be curious serchers of the archane secret workes of goddes singuler power with the blynde lanterne and lyght of naturall reason and calleth impotent and blynde nature to coūsel in the peculiar workes of God appropriated onely to hys diuine power and excedyngly passynge the prospecte and power both of nature and mannes naturall wyttes For what can only nature shewe or barren reason of man see or vnderstande in that thynge that is out of the lymyttes and order of all nature surmountynge incomperably all wytte and reason of man Saue onely of a doubte to collecte an errour and out af an errour to fall into an heresye blasphemous For the presumpcion of the carnall mā that preaseth and contendeth by naturall reason to compryse the inuestigable and incomprehensible wysedome of god in hys myraculus workes he wrappyth and intricateth hym selfe in more error then other For the more that he by reason ransacketh and sercheth for reason in those thinges that passeth reason the lesse reason he fyndeth into the further doubte he falleth and asketh with the murmeryng Caphernaites Howe Vnto the whych question for as muche as nature can make no answere reason can not perceiue neither vnderstāde suche as are voyde of fayth as our Iewyshe and grosse sacramentaries haue well declared them selfe of late answereth and concludeth openly suche thynges to be impossible therfore vnworthy to be beleued But yf that such slender faythed christians wold in such inscrutable questiōs leue fleshly iugemēt vnto the carnall Caphernaites for the fleshe Ioh. 6. here in as Christ sayth auaileth nothynge and wolde counsel wyth the spirite of God whyche gyueth the lyuely and playne vnderstandynge of all verytie wythout doubte they shulde be induced thorow out fayth into the clere and syncere verite of these myraculous workes in thys moost sacrate sacramēt that according to the holy scriptures the whych in mooste manyfest playne sentence approueth not onely the verite of the reall presence of the bodye and bloode of Christe in the sacramēt of the aulter as it shal be largely declared in the next sermon but also wyth a great number of myracles the monumentes of the power of God declareth and setteth forth moste sufficiently vnto a dilygent and a faythfull reader the possibilite of all suche wonderfull myracles that the Churche catholyke beleueth and teacheth to be wrought in this holy sacrament as I shall breuelye make manyfest declaration in thys sermon And fyrste as concernynge the transubstanciation Cipriande cena domini Panis iste quē dn̄s discipulis porrigebat nō effigie sed natura mutatus oīpotentia vervi factus est raro wherein the myghtye worde of God doth of breade make the very substaunce of the bodye of Christe as euery true christian is wholy persuaded and beleueth For al suche beleueth it to be lytell dyfficultie vnto almyghtye God vnto whome ther is nothyng impossible to create to brynge to nought to make to destroye to continue to mayntayne to alter to chaunge howe and when and what he lyst Wherfore they beleue that it is not onely possible but very facile and easye vnto God omnipotent of bread to make hys very bodye 〈◊〉 of wyne to make hys very blood The whych thynge maye apere very apertlye by the workes of nature who by her natyue power altereth breade by masticatiōs decoction Saynt Ambrose also in the 5. boke of his exameron the .23 chapiter and digestions into bloode and consequently into fleshe muche more able is almyghtye God which gaue thys power vnto nature by the infinite myghte of hys power of breade to make hys very bodye and that wythout intermeane alterations The wonderfull chaūge of the Phenix of whome when she is deade there succedeth another in thys maner Afterter that she hath made her neest of Gen. xix Myrre Franke insense wyth o-Ex iiii ther swete spices she therin dy-Exo vii eth and of the moystnes of her fleshe there commeth a worme that whych in cōtinuāce groweth vnto the nature of a very Phenyx as mastication and digestion the whych nature muste nedes haue ear she can alter conuert one substaunce into an other And like as nature doth with her powers chaunge the substaunce of bread and wyne vnto blood and fleshe wyth muche more facilitie dothe God by the power of hys myghtye worde of bread by trāsubstanciation maketh hys uery naturall fleshe of wyne hys uery and natural blood Thys is made very credyble yf we remember wyth what facilitie God almyghtye altered and chaūged the fleshe of Lothis wyfe into the nature of salte there of fleshe made a salte stone Yf we also consyder how wonderfully the rodde of Aaron was chaunged into a very serpent and agayne that serpente into the naturall rod. Howe meruelously the waters of Egypte were turned into very blood the water in Cana of Galile turned into very wyne And thoughe al thynges be of equall facilite vnto God yet the thinges in them selfe consydered one is of more facilitie then thother Bycause that ther is more or lesse dystans betwyxte theyr natures therfore requyre they the more or lesse alteration Wherfore sythe that we beleue that God did chaūge fleshe into salte and woode into a serpence we shall a great deale the rather beleue that he can of breade make hys fleshe for there is lesse distance betwene the nature of breade and fleshe then betwene the natures of fleshe and salte or of fleshe and woode For nature can not alter fleshe into salte or woode into fleshe wythout almoste innumerable meane alterations yet with very fewe she altereth breade into the nature of fleshe Wherfore then shuld it not seme credible and possible that the myghtye worde of God maketh by transubstanciation of breade hys body of wyne hys verye bloode sythe he worketh so wonderfully in nature by many meane alterations and hathe
kynge of hys very bloode in the blessed sacrament wherewyth he feadeth and norysheth vs. ✿ Yreneus that holy and auncient wryter recordeth also wyth vs in thys matter in hys fyft boke aduersus hereses where he speaketh very manifestly of thys oure incorporacyon vnto Christ by receuyng the sacrameÌ„t sayth The mengled cuppe the bread brokeÌ„ when they haue receyued the worde of God then be they made the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ Of the which body and bloode the substaunce of oure fleshe is augmented subsistent How can they deny that our fleshe is not partaker of the gyft of God which is eternall lyfe for as moche as oure fleshe is fedde wyth the bodye and bloode of Chryste and made the membre of hym euen as the appostle sayth in the epistle vnto the Ephesians We are the meÌ„bres of his bodye of hys fleshe of hys bones Se now good cristiane how this holy catholyke and verye auncient wryter playnly affirmeth wyth apostle Paule that our fleshe is fedde wyth the bodye and bloode of our sauiour Christe by that we are made the meÌ„bres of his bodye not spirituall membres onely but of hys fleshe and of hys bones Cyrel also shall recorde wyth vs whyche affirmeth the same wrytynge agaynst a certayne heretyke Cyrillus in Ioh. 15 vppon the .xv. of saynt Ioh. ✿ We do not denie saith he that we by trewe fayth syncere charitie are vnyted and knytte to Christ But that we haue no maner of coniunction wyth hym corporally that we vtterly denye and that sayinge is besydes and contrarye to all scripture For who euer doubted Christ to be in suche sorte the vyne tre that we be brauÌ„ches which receiue lyfe thereby Herke euen the same of Paule We are all one bodye sayth he in Christe and though we be many yet in hym we are but one for we do ê‘take all one breade Dothe he thynke that we knowe not the power of the mysticall blessynge the whyche is done or receyued amonge vs Dothe it not cause Christe corporally to dwel in vs by the coÌ„munion or coÌ„men receauynge of Christes fleshe Wherfore els be the meÌ„bres of christen men the membres of Christe Knowe you not fayth he that out meÌ„bres be the membres of Christ shall I make then the membres of Christ the membres of an harlot God for byd Oure sauiour also sayth Ioh. 6. He that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloode dwelleth in me in I him In eodem ✿ Thys is the wytnes of Cyril Wherein you here playnely how that he sydes the spirituall coniunction of vs vnto Christ as his membres by fayth and by charyte there is a another vnyon by the whych Christ is ioyned and vnytyd vnto vs corporally and we are made here by the membres of hym corporally A similitude of ware where by Cyrill proueth the corporall coniunction of vs vnto the naturall bodye of Christe Crysosto in IoheÌ„n Home 46 And yet Cyrill sayth moreouer ✿ Wherfore we must consyder that Christ is not in vs spiritually onelye by charite But also he is in vs by a certayne naturall and corporall particypatyon For lyke as yf a man shulde take waxe and melt it and myngle the same wyth other waxe melted ther shulde be made but one ware of them bothe euen so by receauynge of the body and blod of christ he is in vs and we in him Vnto the same subscrybeth Crysostome vpoÌ„ IohnÌ„ ✿ After that he had sayd that we are one bodye wyth hym and the membres of hys bodye and of hys fleshe and of hys bones he layde the reason thereof by and by sayng By cause that we myght be conuerted and tourned not onely by loue into his flesh but in very dede that same is done brought to effecte by the meate whiche he hath geuen vnto vs. And by cause he wolde set forthe or declare vnto vs his iÌ„tyre loue He by his own body hath miÌ„gled him selfe with vs. ✿ How playne a thinge is thys to confyrme our sentence or sayng For he sayth that the meate that Chryst gaue vnto vs that is the body of Christe in the blessed sacrameÌ„t is that same where by he hath mengled hym selfe with vs And that same maketh vs one body corporally wyth hym Not onelye spiritually for that doth faythe and charitye cause but by this we are made membres of hys body and of hys bones Hereby this we are may perceiue that be sydes the spirituall coniuncyon whyche faythe and charytie causeth and therby maketh vs spirituall membres of hys mysticall body howe necessary it is to be knyt also vnto christ corperally by the eatyng of his body in the blessed sacrament Whereby we do not only participall Christ spiritually for so do we partake Christ as ofte as we with perfect faythe and charitie remembre the deathe of Christe But also we do partake Christes fleshe corporally and verely we be come the membres of hys bodye and be of hys fleshe and of hys bones And in thys poynte we are in better state and in more blessed coÌ„dytyon then were the people vnder the former lawes eather of nature eyther of Moyses Thoughe the fayth full and holy amonge them were in graffed and knyt vnto Christes mystycall bodye as all other are that retayneth perfect faythe and charytye wythout receyuyng of the sacrament yet none of them dyd partake the very fleshe and bloode of Christe For as yet the eternall and omnipotent worde was not in fleshe But bycause these faythefull people beleued that thys fleshe shulde come and be theyr redemptyon by there faythe they receaued and dyd spiritually eate thys fleshe and where thereby partakers of the merytes thereof and so counyted and knyt vnto Christes mysticall bodye as membres spirituall thereof Christ had a mysticall bodye before that he toke vpon hym oure nature and he hathe now also by hys incarnatyon a naturall bodye And nowe he hathe two bodyes a spirituall body or a mystycall body also a natural body It was sufficieÌ„t to saluacioÌ„ befor his death passioÌ„ by fayth charite to apê‘taine to be knyt vnto his mystycal body so to partake hys merytes But nowe out sauiour Christe sayth vnto all of sufficient age and discretion hauynge no impediment Ioh. 6. ✿ Except that you eate my fleshe drynke my bloode you can haue no lyfe in you So that nowe we muste be connexed and ioyned not onely vnto hys spirituall mysticall bodye but also vnto hys naturall body by the corporall receyuynge and eatynge of the same fleshe and bloode There in as I haue sayde standeth the great worthynes preferment and dygnitie of the table of Christe aboue the table of Moyses For Moyses set on his table onely the myraculous breade Manna the fygure of Christes bodye But Christ setteth before vs vpon hys table the reall and verye presens of hys natural bodye and bloode Theophi in IoheÌ„z Quomodo inquit noÌ„
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
agaynst the Arrians agreyth fully with this catholike veritie Hyllarius in lib. 8. de Trinitate and sayth in the eyght boke of the Trinitie We maye not speake or coÌ„mon in the matters of God after the manlyke or worldly maner Neather ought there peruersitie eather vnhoneste preachyng to be extorted by violence vnto a wycked and vngodly intelligence or vnderstandynge out of the helthesome celestiall saynges let vs reade the scriptures but let vs vnderstande those that we reade Then shal we do the offyce of a perfect christiane For as concernynge the naturall veritie of Christe in vs the thing that we hereof do lerne excepte we learne of hym we both folyshely and wyckedly do learne For he hym selfe saythe My fleshe verely is meat and my blood is verely drinke he that eateth my flesh drynkyth my blood dwelleth in me and I in hym As coÌ„cernyng then the verite of the fleshe and bloode of Christe there is no place lefte to doubte at For nowe bothe by the wordes of oure lord hym selfe and also by oure faythe it is very fleshe and bloode And these receaued and dronken dothe cause that we be in Christ and that Christe is in vs. ✿ What can be more euidently and manyfestly spoken then these wordes ✿ Saynt Basyll who not onelye Basilius in regulis monachotum lede hym selfe a monastical and Godly lyfe but also he taught a certayne trade of suche sorte of lyfe in that boke where he entreateth of the â—â—ules of monastycall lyfe he is demaunded of hys brethreÌ„ Wyth what maner of feare fayth affectyon the grace of the body and bloode of Christe ought to be receaued Verey sayth he the apostle saynt Paule teacheth vs wyth what feare saynge He that eateth and drynketh vnworthely he eatheth and drynketh his owne iudgement or condempnacyon not puttyng dyfferens betwene the body of oure lorde and other coÌ„mon meates But the wordes of our sauiour Christ teacheth vs fayth whyche sayth Thys is my bodye the whych is geuen for many do thys in the remembrans of me ✿ Thys is the fayth that faynt Basyll wolde that hys brethren shulde retayne as concernyng the blessed sacrament ✿ Gregory Nysene the brother of saynt Basyll who for his excellente learnynge and Godlynes was called the deuine Intreatynge the lyfe moysaycall mystically or spiritually he geueth consel that we shuld receaue with a pure and cleane mynde the celestyall breade whome sayth he no sowynge nor tyllage hath brought forthe but it is breade whych is prepared for vs wtoute tyllage and wythout any helpe of man Thys is founde flowynge froÌ„ aboue vpoÌ„ the earth For the bread that came from heuen the which is very meate whyche is fygured also by thys hystore of Manna is no spirituall or vncorporall thyng For how can an vncorporall thynge be come meate and the thynge whyche is not vncorporall muste nedes he a very body And surely the breade of hys bodye neyther plowynge neyther tyllyng nether housbandmanes worke hath brought this forth But an earthe remainyng vndefyled yet was the earthful of this bread with the which the huÌ„gry that knoweth the misteriê° birth of a dgin maye sone be satysfyed ✿ These wordes of thys dyuine doctor were playnly ment of the sacrameÌ„t as it may appere in the ê“cesse of the same that he ther entreated Ambrosiê° in primam Pauli Ep stola ad Corinthios ✿ Saynt Ambrose wrytynge vpoÌ„ the fyrst epystle of saint Paul vnto the Corinthyans the .xi. chapitre saythe For bycause that we are redemed with the death of our lorde wee beare in remeÌ„brans the same thyng in eatyng drynkinge the fleshe blood the whych he offered vp for vs And we do singnifie the death of oure lord Christ in these thynges obtayning now the new testameÌ„t the which is the new law that briÌ„geth vnto heueÌ„ euery one that cruely is obedient to it Here apertely saynt Ambrose affirmyth the verytie of the body blood of Christ in the blessed sacrameÌ„t sayth that we do eate drynke the fleshe blood of christ And in many other places he writeth as openly as he doth here Ieronimê° in epistolaÌ„ Pauli ad Titum specially in his boke of the sacrameÌ„tes ✿ Also S. Ierom in his coÌ„meÌ„tareis vpoÌ„ the epistle at TituÌ„ shewiÌ„g the vertues that beloÌ„geth vnto a byshoppe sayth in this maner Yf it be coÌ„mauÌ„ded vnto the laymen that they abstaine froÌ„ theyr wylies for praiers sake what shuld we suppose of the byshop which for his own synnes for the synnes of the people must offer vnto God vndefyled hoostes let vs reade the bokes of the kyngê we shall fynde the abymelech ther wold not geue vnto Dauid hys seruauÌ„tes that shewe breade before that he had knoweÌ„ whether they were cleane froÌ„ womeÌ„s coÌ„pany or no. Not of harlotes but of their one wiues And vntyl that he had knoweÌ„ certainly that they had abstayned froÌ„ the marytall copulation he wolde not grauÌ„t theÌ„ the bread which he denied theÌ„ before Ther is as moch dyfferens betwene the shew bread of the teÌ„ple the body of christe as is betwene the shadow the bodye the ymage the veritie the exaÌ„ples or figures of the thingê to come the thingê whiche by these exaÌ„ples were prefigured And as for mekenes pacieÌ„s sobryetie softenes abstynens frome monye hospitalitie also benignitie shulde chefely be in a byshop and shulde excell in hym aboue all the laytie Euen so pure chastitie as I myght saye a preestly shamefastnes shuld be in hiÌ„ That he shuld not only abstaine hiÌ„ self froÌ„ the vncleane dede but also his miÌ„de which shal coÌ„secrat the body of christ shuld be fre froÌ„ the casting of his eye error of euyl cogitacion This testimonye of saynt Ierome is so playne that it neadeth no monytyon Crisostomus in homilia de Iude tradiâ—ione ✿ Crysostome wryteth in thys sort in the homelie of the treason of Iudas Speake Iudas sayth he whome dyddest thou sel for thyrty pences Thys is the bloode of whome thou dyddest bargayne euen nowe wyth the pharisees O the mercye of Christe O the madnes of Iudas He was at a poynt to sel him for thyrty pences and Christ offered vnto him the bodye whych he had solde that he moght haue remission of synnes And after a fewe wordes Crisostome sayth agayne And nowe is he here present that adorned that table and the same dothe also consecrate this table For it is not man that of the thynges set before the on the consecrate table of God maketh the bodye and the bloode of Christe but he whych was crucifyed for vs Christe The wordes are spoken by the mouthe of the preest and the thinges set forth before vs are consecrated by the grace of the power of God This is sayeth he my bodye And lyke as the voyce the whyche sayde encrease and multiplye spoken ones yet it taketh effecte at al tymes in generation
no bone brokeÌ„ therof ✿ Cassiodorus sayth vpoÌ„ this text Cassiodorus iÌ„ psalmum 110. of the psalme Thou art a preest for euer accordyng to the order of melchisedech Thys thyng sayth he doth the ê“phete tell that the father hath ê“mised to his soÌ„ne For vnto whom can this be truely plainly applyed sauyng only vnto our Lorde sauiour The whych moste helthsomly hath coÌ„secrated hys bodye bloode in the gyfte or erogation of breade wyne Euen as he in the gospel sayth Except that you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drynke his blood ye can haue no lyfe in you But in thys fleshe and in thys bloode lette not mannes mynde ymagyne any thynge crewell or corruptible Leste as the apostle saythe he that eateth the body of our Lorde vnworthely he eateth drinketh it to his iudgement But let the mynde of man thynke ymagyne vnderstaÌ„d the same substance that gyueth lyfe and helthe That same I saye whych is made the verye body ê“pre substaÌ„ce of the word eternall by the whyche both remission of synne and the gyfte of eternall lyfe are gyueÌ„ ✿ Thys blessed father Cassiodor sayth that we shuld not thynke or ymagyne in the sacrament to beholde see the cruel or mortall bloode or bodye in theyr owne shape fashion but we must vnderstaÌ„de sayth he the helthsome substance that gyueth lyfe the substance whych is Christes substaÌ„ce the whyche gyueth lyfe remission of synnes eternal lyfe ✿ It can not be the substaÌ„ce of bread that can gyue remission of synnes But the substaÌ„ce of Christe Fulgentiê° ad Monimum that dyed for the synnes of the world ✿ FulgeÌ„tius answeryng vnto a question as concernyng the sacrifice of the bodye bloode of Christe that one Monimus a frende of his demauÌ„ded whether it were offered onely to the father or no. Vnto hym thus he sayd amonge muche more matter Thys same I saye spiritual edification can not be asked better or more oportunely theÌ„ wheÌ„ in the sacrament of the breade cuppe the very body blood of Christ is offered vp of his bodye the churche For the cuppe that we drynke of it is the coÌ„munion of Christes bloode the breade that we breake it is the coÌ„munion of Christes bodye ✿ Here expressely sayth Fulgentius that the body blood of Christe is offered in the sacrameÌ„t ✿ S. Gregory Gregoriê° primo dea logoruÌ„ lib capi 58. in hys fyrst boke of hys dialoges the .lviii. chap. wryteth in this sort We ought with al our hert to coÌ„teÌ„pne this pÌ„sent world for bycause we may ê‘ceaue that it wasteth and to offer dayly vnto God sacrifices of teares and to offer dayly hoostes of hys fleshe and blood For thys is the sin guler and speciall oblation that saueth the soule froÌ„ death eternal The which oblatioÌ„ representeth vnto vs in a mysterye the death of the onely begotten sonne of God For though he rysynge from death dyeth nomore and death hath no more dominion ouer hym is immortaly and vncorruptibly lyuynge in hym selfe Yet in the mystery of that holy sacrifice he is offred vp for vs for there is hys body receaued there is his fleshe diuided for the helth of the people there hys bloode is distributed powred not into the handes of infydells but into the mouthe of the faythefull ✿ Se deuout reader howe expressly he sheweth that Christe remaynynge immortall and impassible in him selfe yet he is in the blessed sacrament really receaued of the faythful Cedulius presbiter in carmini bus ✿ Sedulyus the preeste in hys verses of the deuyne maruayles saith Our lorde sayth he geuynge bread vnto Iudas dyd knowe afore hande hys dysceatful mynd bewrayed his treason by geuynge hym bread which lorde was the breade hym selfe after that he had stablyshed that two gyftes of his body blod he gaue there vnto his dyscyples the meat and drynke whereby the faythful and cleane soules Beda in Lucam lib. 6. shuld neuer thurst ether hunger hereafter ✿ Beda in his syxt boke vpoÌ„ S. Luke writeth thus where it shuld moue any wyth doubth for asmoche as Christe gaue hys body and blood vnto his discyples when they had supped why we shulde be taught by the costome of the vniuersall churche to receaue the same sacrament fastynge Let the same perceaue in few wordes The appostles therfore dyd receaue it wheÌ„ they had supped for it was necessary the figuratyue passeouer to take an ende to be consumed so to approche vnto the sacrament of the veritie of the trew passeouer It hathe pleased the maysters of the churche in the honour of so great terrible a sacrameÌ„t that we shuld fyrst be strengthed with the partitipacion of oure lordes passion bothe inwardely and outwardely to be saÌ„ctified with the goostly spirituall meates and theÌ„ the hungrie body to be refreshed with the vyle earthely meates ✿ Haymo also vpoÌ„ the epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s wryteth in this sort Hâ—ymo in Paulum Hic virit ciriter annum dnÌ„i 832. As the fleshe of Christe the which he receaued in the wombe virginyall is his very body slayne for our saluacyon euenso the breade whych Christ gaue vnto his disciples to al that be elected to the euerlasting lyfe the which also the preestes dayly do coÌ„secrate in the church by the mighte power of the diuinitie the which diuinitie repleteth the same breade is the very body of Christ Neither are the body that he toke in the woÌ„be virginial and this bread two bodyes but they make but one very body of Christ In so much that when it is broken and eaten theÌ„ is Christ offered a sacrifice eateÌ„ yet he remayneth whole alyue And lyke as the bodye put vpon the crosse was offered vp for our redeÌ„ption euen so dayly for our helth is offered vp thys breade the which though it seme bread yet is it not bread but the body of Christ For our lorde redemer helpinge our frayltie bycause he knewe how frayle we are toward synne he hath gyueÌ„ vnto vs thys sacrameÌ„t that where he can not suffer death dayly we dayly do offende we myght haue a very true sacrifice wherby we might haue expiacioÌ„ be purged And therfore bycause the same whyche was offered on the crosse thys in the sacrameÌ„t make but one body are offered vp for our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ he sayd This is my body that shal be gyuen for you These wordes of Haymo are so plaine that anye maÌ„ may right sone perceaue what thys blessed father beleued of this blessed sacrameÌ„t whose auctoritie is not to be suspected syth it is .vii huÌ„dreth yere agone syth he wryte And yet syth his tyme there hath also many both godly excelleÌ„t learned meÌ„ writen As Theodore the gretian the scole maister of bede Alcuinus scole maister to Charles the great S. Bernard Rupert Hugh desctoÌ„ Victore with a great nuÌ„bre mo whoÌ„ to
praysed so hyghly before but men and lyears and suche as were blynded and had not the spirite of God therfore saye they they are not worthye of credite in all thynges We wyl haue no mennes auctoritie but onely the scriptures Yet these wycked wretches they can be content to take Luther Ecolampadius Coralstadius and Melanthon and Buzere wyth all the rabylment of suche deuylyshe lyars and leude lyuers the whyche hath no more of a christian maÌ„ saue onely the name to be theyr auctours and that of no lesse auctoritie theÌ„ the scriptures These I saye whose learnynge lyffes are as much vnlyke vnto the fathers as were the lyffes of Socrates Sardanapalus or the lyfe of Diogenes and the lyfe of Epicure Here shall you heare some of the auctorities that they haue torne out by peace meale froÌ„ the monumentes and wrytynges of the auncient and mooste catholyke doctours Augusti contra AdamantuÌ„ Fyrste of saynt Augustyne contra Adamantum Manicheum the .xii. chapiter Oure Lorde doughted not sayth he to saye Thys is my bodye when he gaue vnto them the signe of hys bodye Saynt Augustyne calleth the sacrameÌ„t a signe Thys is theyr reason ergo it is but onelye a signe and not the bodye of Christe Euen so myght I argue for Nestorius and saye Christe is called in the scriptures the sonne of man ergo he is onely the sonne of man and not the sonne of God Where you shall vnderstande that saynct Augustyne dysputeth in thys place agaynst one of the Manichees secte whych sayd that the bloode in man was the soule of man bycause that he dyd read in the .xii. chapiter of Exodus that they shoulde not eate any bloode for the bloode sayeth the letter is the lyfe or soule of the fleshe To thys saynt Augustyne sayeth that thys precepte oughte to be vnderstanded that the bloode was the token or sygne of the lyfe or soule For our lorde sayth he doubted not to saye Thys is my bodye when he gaue the token of hys hodye Now let Fryth answere me vnto thys Hathe not the bloode of a best lyfe in it thoughe it be the token of lyfe He muste nedes saye yea Euen so the sacrament is a token of Christes bodye and yet neuerthelesse it contayneth the same very body ✿ Also saynt Ierome vpon .xxvi. Ieronimê° super Matheum chapter of saynt Mathew sayth After that the fyguratyue Passeouer was coÌ„plete and fullfylled and he had eaten the fleshe of the lambe wyth hys apposteles he taketh the breade that comforteth the harte of man and passeth ouer towarde the sacrament of the verye trew Passeouer and lyke as Melchy sedech dyd the preest of the hyest in the fygure here of offerynge breade and wyne he in lyke sorte dothe represent the verite of hys bodye and blood All theyr game lyeth in thys word He representyth Yf he do represent saye they the verytie of hys bodye then the very body is not there This argumeÌ„t is of no force neather streÌ„gth For though that by the sacrament is represented the bodye of Christe yet neuerthelesse the same verye bodye is there also present whych is represeÌ„ted But I wold fayne learne of them why saint Ierome calleth thys the verye sacrament or the sacrament of the veryte Was not the paschall lame a verye sacrament of the Passiouer yeas treuly But this he calleth the verye sacrament by cause that bysydes that it doth sygnyfye the bodye and bloode of Christe it contayneth also no lesse Or whye dothe saynt Ierome saye The verytie of Christes bodye and bloode Dyd not the paschall lambe represent the same bodye and bloode Yes trewly But saynt Ierome here in sygnified the dyfference bytwyxte Moyses lambe and Christes mandye By cause the one was but a bare fygure and nothyng els but a fygure and the other though it were also a fygure yet it contayned the veryte of the thynge that is sygnified by that fygure ✿ Therefore saynt Ierom sayde the Christe represented the veryte of his bodye and bloode You wyll aske me how that the bodye of Christe can represent it selfe or be a signe or figure of it selfe To this I answere that the bodye of Christe vnder the two formes of breade and wyne representeth vnto vs nowe the same bodye as it honge vpon the crosse when the blood was dyuyded frome it for the remyssion of synnes Ambrosiê° âœ¿ S. Ambrose also they allege in hys boke of the sacramentes Where he sayeth in thys wyse He that dyscordyth frome Christe that same eateth not hys fleshe neather drynketh he hys bloode all though that he taketh the sacrament of so worthye a thinge vnto the iugement of hys perdition Also Prosper hath the same wordes in hys boke of sentences Prosper Saynt Augustyne in hys boke intytuled de Ciuitate dei Augustinê° de ciuitate dei lib .xxi. capi xv He that remayneth not in me and in whom I remayne not let not the same say eather thinke that he eateth my bodye For they remayne not in Christe that be not his meÌ„bres ✿ These fathers in the same places where we fynde these wordes thoughe that they saye that the vnworthye receyuers do not receyue the bodye and blood of Christe Yet they saye not that it is not the bodye and blood of Christe But certaynlye they haue playnlye expressed what they mente by these theyr sayenges For as we maye ryghte well collect of them there are thre maner of receyuynges of the blessed sacrament The fyrst is onely sacramentally this terme saynt Augustine vseth The seconde is onely spiritually The thyrde is both spiritually and sacramentally The onely sacramentall receyuynge is when we vnworthelye do receyue the blessed sacrament And by thys receyuynge we are neather incorporated vnto Christe spiritually partakynge the merytes of Christes blessed passion neather incorporated vnto hys naturall bodye as the worthye receauers are but we eate it to the greate dampnation of our soules By the onelye spirituall receauynge whych is by fayth as in hearynge godlye and deuoutlye the masse or els hauynge a godlye and a deuoute memorie of Christes death we are partakers of Christes merytes passion made the membres of hys spirituall or mysticall bodye yet are we not by thys maner of eatynge incorporated vnto the naturall bodye of Christe as we are by the worthye receyuyng of the sacrameÌ„t The thyrde maner of receauyng of this blessed sacrament whych is when we worthely do receaue it doth incorporat vs vnto Christes naturall bodye maketh vs the membres of hys moost blessed bodye of hys fleshe and of hys bones and worketh in vs eternall lyfe of bodye and soule For thys is the propertie of that fleshe and bloode worthelye receyued to worke euerlastynge lyfe as Christ sayeth He that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloode hath euerlastynge lyfe Nowe for as muche as in all suche as are diuided from Christe by heresye or froÌ„ god by mortall synne the blessed sacrameÌ„t receiued worketh not in them
lyfe whyche is the proper operatiō of the body blood of Christ but worketh dampnable death Therfore the blessed fathers sayde that they receyued not the bodye of Christe For thoughe it verelye be the verye bodye and bloode of Christe yet vnto them in suche state it semeth not to be so bycause that it worketh not in them lyfe but death For lyke as of a moost excellent medicine receaued of the pacient out of dewe tyme and order and therby diminisheth not the dysease but encreaseth it we maye saye that vnto hym thys was no medicyne but a presēt poyson Euen so maye we saye of all suche christians and heretikes that lyke Iudas vnworthely receaueth the sacrament that they receaue not the bodye bloode of Christe whyche as a mooste helthsome medicine worketh lyfe in the good and in the bad it worketh present death In the tyme of these blessed fathers there were certayne ouerthwart people as we also haue some nowe a dayes that hearynge the great and wonderfull operation of thys blessed sacrament howe it wrought lyfe in the receyuers had fallen into a wonderfull presumption and had persuaded to them selues that though they were neuer so farre gone in heresies and lyued neuer so dyssolutely and wyckedly yf they receaued thys sacrament whyche was taught them to be the verye bodye and bloode of Christe that they shulde eskape perpetuall dampnatyon Wherefore the fathers to brynge them out of thys blynd and dampnable presumptyon vsed thys maner of speache to saye that they dyd not receaue the bodye of Christ neather drinke his blod though they dyd receaue the sacrament to the dampnation ✿ Tertulliane in his in hys forth boke agaynste Marcyon Tertulianus aduersus Martionem li. 4. sayeh Christe professynge that he had a great desyre to eate hys Passeouer wyth them and the breade that he toke and gaue to hys discyples he made it hys bodye saynge This is my body that is to saye sayth Tertulliane the fygure of my bodye Thys place is recyted of Ecolāpadius wyth no smale commendacyon and tryumphe In lyke sorte saynt Augustine in the prologe of the thyrde Psalme sayeth speakynge of Iudas Christe thoughe he were not ignorant of hys vnhappe thoughtes yet he made hym one of his geastes of that bāket where he exhybyted and gaue vnto hys dysciples the fygure of hys body and bloode Fyrst dylygent reader I praye the expende wel the wordes of Tertulliane and thou shalt sone perceaue that Tertulliane cōfyrmeth our fayth maketh nothynge with the sacramentaryes For he saith Christe had a greate desyre to eate hys Passeouer not sayth he the Passeouer that was the slaughter of shepe for that was Moyses passeouer but thys he called hys by cause that in thys was hys owne naturall fleshe and bloode and in the other the fleshe and blood of a shepe Yf ther had ben nothynge els in thys then breade the fygure of his fleshe why shulde he call this more his then the other whiche was also a more expresse fygure of his death then the bread and wyne were Furthermore Tertulliane sayth that Christ made the bread that he toke and dystrybuted to hys dyscyples hys bodye saynge Thys is my bodye In these wordes he moste apertely sheweth that Christe made the bread hys bodye Yf ther be none other thyng there then breade neyther no alteracyon ther in the sacramēt then ther was before I maruayll what thyng Christ dyd make But Tertullianes wordes be to playne to be deludyd or doubted of for he confesseth that Christe made the breade his bodye saynge This is my bodye But that wordes that foloiuith semeth to haue all the dyfycultye bycause Tertulliane added that is to say the fygure of hys bodye And in lyke sorte also saynt Augustine Tertullyanes contre man callyth it a fygure ✿ No dougth but it is very trew that the sacramēt is a fygure an example a sygne and token of the bodye of Christe For euery sacramēt is a fygure or example and sacrate token of an holy thynge Euen so is the blessed sacramēt called a sygne or a fygure of the bodye of Christ in the wrytynges of these ancient fathers The cause why they so named it I haue declared before amōg the names of the sacrament And yet I wyll touch breuely the same agayne For as moche as in the blessed sacrament which is the very sacrifice of the churche catholyke is cōtayned in two dystinct formes that is of bread wyne the same blessed bodye blood that was offered vpō the crosse in ther own lyknes that is in lykenes of fleshe blood the same bodye and blod vnder the forme of bread at the masse lyfted vp in to the ayer ouer the prestes hed it is a token or a remēbranc how that the same body in the tyme of Christes passion dyd hang vpon the crosse in the ayer and was so offered vp by death for our redēption the same body blood contained reali also vnder the shape or forme of wyne lyffted vp at the sacrynge of the masse it is a token callyng vs to remēbrans how the blessed blood was shed on hye vpō the crosse for the remissiō of our synnes And thus the blessed body blode of christ vnder these two formes of bred wyne in the blessed sacramēt signifieth vnto vs how that in the passiō and death of christ the body of christ hong pale wan vpō the crosse frō whō al the blessed bloode was dyuyded by crewel payne passyō is thus a very lyuely memorie remēbrans of hys death for thys cause also S. Basyl calleth it The exemplar bycause it is so lyuely and so expresse an example memorie of the death of Christ Thus is the blessed sacrament where in is contayned verely the bodye and blood of Christ a sygne a fygure a tokē or example of the death of Christ And in this consideration the fathers some tyme and that very seldome dyd cal it a sygne or fygure And in thys sort we graunt no lesse But that it is but a fygure onlye a fygure or nothynge els thē a figure That we vtterly deny For neither in the scripture neyther in any catholyke wryter can they fynde that the sacramēt is called only a fygure or but a fygure or any lyke saynge The fathers though they named it a figure or a token yet they playnlye declare and shew that they beleued that very real presens of the bodye and blood of Christ in the sacramēt as I haue shewed bi their owne wrytinges So I conclude and answere that though the sacrament be a sygne or a fygure yet neuerthelesse it is verely really the verye bodye and bloode of Christ therfore is it not only a fygure or onely and nothinge els then a fygure or a sygne Thys answere in my iudgemēt is sufficient for all suche places that they can brynge in of anye of the auncyent wrytters It is a lacrymable case and
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