that lacketh in me I supplye of thee O moost sweateste reconciliation See howe Saynte Bernarde ioyneth the offeryng of oure bodyes and of Christes bodye together that yf the oblation of our bodyes be imperfecte suffise not the oblation of christes body may fulfyll and supplye that lacketh in vs And to what ende that we might be reconciled that the body of synne myghte be destroyed that it reygne not in oure bodyes ¶ Here the Prayer was made NOw entryng to speake of y e sacrifice of the churche I pre suppose one thyng whych is the foundation of the same to be most certaynlye and constantly beloued of all vs that be here present which is that in the most blessed SacrameÌ„t of the aultare is presente the true bodye and bloude of oure Sauiour Christe the price of our redemption not in figure only but in trueth and verye dede whiche the learned men call really and essentially that is to saye that thynge that substaunce that was vpon the crosse is nowe verely presente in the blessed Sacrament before we receaue it the cause of whych real presence is the omnipotente power and wyll of God assistyng the due administration of the Priest the whiche body and bloude we christen men receaue by the seruice of our bodyes and senses though not by the iudgement of our senses but onely by the iudgement of fayth because it is gyuen not in the outwarde fourme of the selfe same bodye and bloude as it was slayne shedde vpon the crosse but in the fourmes of our dayly and speciall nutrimentes of breade and wyne and that for sondry weyghtye and necessary causes foresene by our Sauioure Christ. For â–ª seyng the substaunce of our sacrifice of the newe Testament is the verye reall and naturall bodye of Christe as may be proued by many auctorities Saynte Cypriane sayeth In sacrificio quòd Christus est non nisi Christus sequendus est In that sacrifice that is Christ no manne is to be folowed but Christe Here he sayeth that Christ is that sacrifice that we offer to almyghtye God Also Saynte Basyl wryteth in hys forme of Masse Tu es qui offers offerris qui suscipis et impartis Christe Deus noster O Christ our God thou art he that both doest offer is offered that bothe giuest the offeryng and receaueth Saynt Basyl by this meaneth that the sacrifice whyche the churche offered to GOD is Christ hym selfe who in that he is the heade of hys body the churche is one offerer with y e churche and so is bothe offerer and offered as Basyl sayeth Lykewyse Saynte Ambrose wrytynge of the inuention of the bodyes of two gloriouse martyrs Geruasius and Prothasius and of the burying of them vnder the aultare sayeth thus Succedant uictimae triumphales in locum ubi Christus hostia est sed ille super altare qui pro omnibus passus est â—sti sub altari qui illius redempti sunt passione Let these triumphynge sacrifices meanynge the bodyes of the martyrs go into y t place where Christe is a sacrifice But Christe is a sacrifyce aboue the aultare who suffred for all men these two vnder y e aultare that were redemed by his passion Of this place I note my purpose whiche is that the sacrifice of the Churche and newe Testament is the verye reall bodye and bloude of our Sauiour Christ which is also testified by Chrysostome in his homelye he wryteth of the praise of GOD in these woordes Vereamini mensam quaue desuper uictima illa iacet Christus scilicet qui nostri causa occisus est feare and reuerence that table aboue y t which lieth that sacrifice that is to saye Christ whyche for oure cause was slayne By which wordes Chrysostome declareth his faythe that the sacrifice of y e churche is Christ and also that christ is not onely in heauen as some men damnably beareth you in hand but is placed lyinge aboue y e table of the aultare as y e substaunce of our sacrifice And in an other homely he writeth Mensa mysterijs instructa est et agnus dei pro te immolatur The table is furnished with mysteries and the lambe of god for the is offered teachinge vs that the holye mysteryes wherewith the table of our aultare is furnyshed be the body bloude of Christ that is to saye the lambe of god which is also then offered for vs. Saint Augustyne is full of such saynges as writinge of his mothers deathe howe that he wepte nothinge for her all the tyme the Masse was sayde for her soule which he expresseth by these wordes Cum offerrâ—tur pro ea sacrificium praecij nostri When the sacrifice of our pryce was offered for hyr I leaue out all the rest of the sentence contented to alledge onely this that proueth the sacryfice whiche is offered by the priest for the deade to be our pryce which is and can be nothinge else but the bodye bloude of Christ which he gaue vpon the crosse as the pryce of our redemption But playnest of al he writeth in a booke intituled Liber Sententiarum Prosperi which booke is alledged of Gratian in the decrees in these wordes Hoc est quod dicimus quòd modis omnibus approbare contendimus sacrificiuÌ„ Ecclesiae duobus confici duobus constare uisibili elementorum specie inuisibili Domini nostri Iesu Christi corpore sanguine Sacramento re Sacramenti id est corpore Christi This is that we saye that we labour to proue by al meanes that the sacrifice of the church is made and consisteth of two thinges of the visible fourme of the elementes and of the invisible bodye bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ bothe the outwarde Sacrament and y e thinge or substaunce of y e Sacrament that is the bodye of Christ. These wordes nede no declaringe but poyntinge and for that cause why shoulde I tarye in this point any longer seing that our bokes be full of suche like aucthorities Therfore as I began seinge the substaunce of our Sacryfyce of the new Testament is the very reall and naturall bodye of Christe if this bodye be not present in the SacrameÌ„t as the enemyes of Christes crosse the destroyers of our faythe falsely pretend then be we christen men lefte all together desolate without any sacrifyce priuaâ—e vnto vs for bothe the sacrifice of Christe vpon the crosse and also the inwarde sacrifice of mans hearte be not priuate but common to vs to all faythfull men from the beginning of the worlde to the last end And furthermore seinge a sacrifice is an outwarde protestation of our inward faithe deuotion if we christen men now haue no sacrifice priuate vnto vs then be we the moost miserable men that euer were beinge without any kynde of religion For take awaye our sacrifice and take awaye our religion as S. Cyprian confutinge the carnall
wordes and reasons without probabilitye agaynste all rule and forme of true reasonyng Moreouer the nature of a sacrament dothe moue me very muche to beleue styll as I do For whereas euery sacrament of the newe Testament is a visible forme of an inuisible grace as S. Augustyne sayth it can not be a sacramente of y â— newe Testamente excepte it haue a promise of some suche grace to be gyuen to the worthye receauer as is signifyed by the outwarde forme of the sacrament As in baptisme the water which is the outwarde forme signifieth the grace of saluation and remission of synnes whych grace is bothe gyuen to the worthy receauer is also promised in scripture to be giueÌ„ by the mouth of christ saying Qui crediderit baptizatus fuerit saluus erit He that beleueth and is baptized shalbe saued Euen so the outwarde element of this sacrament which is bread and wine doâ—h signifye the grace of the vnitye of Christes misticall bodye that lyke as one breade is made of manye graynes one wyne is pressed out of many grapes so one mysticall body of Christ is compact vnited of the multitude of all Christen people as S. Cypriane sayeth Nowe yf our sacrament be breade and wine as they saye then shal they find the promise of this grace or of some other in the scriptures made to the receauer of breade and wine And yf there be no promise in all the scriptures made to the receauing of bread and wine then be they no sacramentes But yf they wyll loke in the sixt chapiter of S â–ª Iohn they shal find thys grace of the mysticall vnitye promised not to the receauynge of breade and wine but to the worthye receauyng of Christes body and bloude where Christ sayeth he that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude he abydeth in me and I in hym and so is ioyned and incorporate into one mysticall bodye wyth him Oure sacramente therfore that hath the promise annexed vnto it is not breade wyne be they neuer so muche appoynted to signifye heauenly thynges as they saye but the very body and bloude of oure Lord Iesus Christ the bread that came from heauen Luther and suche as be of hys sect as take hys dreames for the ground of their fayth were muche pressed with this argument deduced of the propertye of the sacramente and sawe playnly that it could not be a sacrament of the newe testameÌ„t except it had a promise annexed to the worthy vsyng of it And yet for al that he would not condescende to say as the Churche sayeth that res SacrameÌ„ti the thing of the sacrament signified and not conteyned whych is the vnitye of the mystical body were that grace whych by Christ in S. Iohn was promised to the worthye receauer of it but went and sought about for an other promise and after much pooringe at laste he broughte forth a promyse as he thoughte mete and conueniente which is the wordes of christ Quod pro uobis tradetur which shalbe gyuen for you And in this poynt he shewed w t what violence he handled other matters of our fayth that in thys greate matter so muche ouershotte himselfe Fyrst wyth what face could he call that a promise whyche hathe no apparaunce of anye promise but that the wordes in Latyne be spoken in the future tense whych in Greke be wrytten in the present tense both in Saynt Paule and in S. Luke Quod pro uobis datur whyche is gyuen for you And yf they were spoken in y e future tense as they were not yet they be wordes not promising a thyng to be done but declaryng what shalbe done And further yf we shoulde graunt them to be wordes of a promise yet they promyse not the grace of the sacrameÌ„t whyche is to be gyuen to the worthy receauer â–ª For the passion of Christe or the giuinge of Christes body vpon the crosse is not a grace giuen by the sacramente to the receauer but it is that worke that hath deserued grace to be gyuen by the sacrament for al our sacramentes take their vertue of y e passion of Christe and do not promise the passion of Christe This may suffise for thys shorte time to shewe vnto you the folye of these men that neyther wote nor care what they affyrme in these weyghty matters I coulde saye more in it but that I haue more necessary matter behynde to be sayd S. Augustyne in diuerse places other auncieÌ„t aucthors haue this doctrine in their bokes E latere Christi fluxerunt duo Sacramenta Two Sacramentes dyd yssue forth of christes syde and in those places he teacheth vs by comparyng the creation of Eue the wyfe of Adam the firste man and of the churche y â— spouse of christe the second man Lyke as god castyng AdaÌ„ into a slepe toke forth a bone oute of hys syde and therof buylded and created hym a wyfe euen so when Christ dyd slepe by death vpoÌ„ the crosse vpon water and bloude that came forth of hys side when it was opened with a speare God dyd forme and buylde the churche the spouse of Christ in that by water we be regenerate by bloude we be redemed and nourished Now concernyng our purpose yf two sacrameÌ„tes came oute of Christes syde we are sure there came out no wyne excepte ye wyll saye the wyne of the true vyne whych christ shall neuer drynke wyth vs any more but after anewe sort in the glory and kyngdome of hys father Therfore it muste nedes be that our sacrament is Christes bloude and not wyne Besyde these circumstancies and argumentes deduced vpoÌ„ the scrypture there be also other of no lesse strength then these able to coÌ„firme any true Christen man in the fayth of the reall presence of Christes body and bloude in the blessed sacrament And these be the effectes of the sacrament expressed in the scripture whych be so great so gloriouse so excellent and heauenly that it were great blasphemy to ascribe the same to breade and wyne whyche be only the workes and effectes of almighty GOD and of suche creatures only as gods sonne hath taken and vnited to him selfe in vnitie of person whych be the body and bloude of our Sauiour Christ. The fyrst effect is that our Sacrament is the confirmation of the newe Testament as S. Mathewe and S. Mark also do wryte Hic est sanguis meus noui Testamenti Thys is my bloude of the newe Testament that is to saye which confirmeth the newe Testament as all holye wryters do expounde Like as the bloude of calues did confirme the old Testament as the booke of Exodus doth declare so the bloude of Christ our prieste sacrifice doth coÌ„firme the new Testament which Testament because it is eternall and shall neuer haue ende is confirmed by the eternall bloude of the lambe of God that euer is receaued and neuer consumed and not by anye corruptible bloude or any other creature
to do and therefore some of them blynded by their owne foolyshe suspicion conceaued and publyshed amonges other as it was most likely vnto them that we in oure secrete misteries did kil yonge chyldren eatyng their fleshe and drynkyng their bloude therevpon accused certayn before the magistrates of thys haynouse crime whiche they coulde neuer trye oute to be true as they dyd accuse But for oure purpose it appeareth plainly that we wold neuer haue kept our mysteries so secrete yf they had bene but ceremonies of eatynge of bread wine nor they would neuer haue accused vs of such beastly and vnnatural crimes beyng men of such reason learnynge and equitie as they were yf there hadde not bene some trueth in theyr accusation whyche in dede was true for the substaunce of that they alledged but not for the maner of the thinge for it was is true that we in oure mysteries eate fleshe drynk bloud but yet we do not kyl and murdre younge children and eate theyr fleshe and drynke theyr bloude And therfore I alledge the sayinges of Tertullian and Eusebius the whych is also in Origen the .6 booke contra Celsum to declare the accusation of the gentiles agaynste vs concernyng the eatyng of fleshe and drynkynge of bloud whyche could neuer haue commed into theyr heades so too haue done yf there had not bene a trueth in that matter whych they by theyr reason could neuer see otherwise then they alledged which we by our fayth do playnly see and know as it was ordeyned by Christ oure Lorde And for that cause Tertulliane dyd cast in a vayn word sayinge that we were accused of the sacrament of kyllyng of children whych word Sacramente standeth there for no purpose but to declare vnto vs that this their accusation dyd rise for lacke of the true precyse knowledge of our Sacrament whyche is true concerning the eatyng of fleshe drynkynge of bloude but not true concernyng the kyllynge and murderyng of chyldren And yet afterward our mysteries as they came in more knowledge amonges the gentiles so they came into more contempt for when the multitude of Christen men were so increased that they cared not who did looke vpon them in the time of theyr mysteries beinge out of feare of any externall violence and persecution then the gentyles seyng them knocke and knele make adoration to the Sacramentes not knowyng them to be anye thinge els but as their eyes senses and reason dyd iudge that is to saye breade wine as oure Sacramentaries do nowe beynge blynded nowe with heresye as they before were with infidelitye then I saye they sayde that we dyd not worshyppe and adore one God as we pretended but many gods as they were accustomed for they sayde as saynte Augustyne wryteth that we dyd worshippe Ceres and Bacchus the goddes of corne and wyne takyng our Sacramentes to be nothyng els but bare bread wine as the Sacramentaries do and not to be Christe oure Lord God his flesh and his bloude as al true faythful men do whyche appeareth by the adoration of them the whych adoration we learne y t it was done to the Sacramentes froÌ„ the begynnynge as is proued by the testimonies of our enemies the gentiles as S. Aâ—gustyne reporteth And also by their adoration we learne y â— the thynges whyeh they dyd adore were not simple creatures but Christes body and his bloude vnited to the seconde person in Trinitie S. Basyll beyng asked wyth what feare persuasion fayth and affection we shuld come communicate the bodye and bloude of Christ aunswereth thus Concernyng the feare we haue the saying of the Apostel He that eateth and drynketh vnworthelye eateth and drynketh his iudgemente and damnation What fayth we shuld haue the wordes of oure Lorde do teache who sayd This is my boâ—y whych is gyuen for you do this in my remembraunce And Hesichius sayeth likewyse Sermo qui prolatus est in dominicum mysterium ipse liberat nos ab ignoraÌ„tia The wordes of Christ whych were spoken vpon oure Lordes mysterye they deliuer vs froÌ„ ignorauÌ„ce that is to say they teache vs what fayth what estimation we shuld haue of them Nowe excepte they be taken as they sound to euery man although he be vnlearned and not instructed in oure fayth before thei could not teache vs what fayth we shoulde haue concernynge the Sacramentes and therfore in that they be wordes whervpoÌ„ we must learne our fayth whyche deliueâ— vs from ignoraunce what y e thinges be that be deliuered for that cause they must be taken as they sounde that is to say that the sacramentes deliuered be the very body bloude of Christ that gaue them Chrysostome sayth Quod sacerdos de manu sua dat non solum sanctificatum est sed etiam sanctificatio est That thyng that the priest doth gyue out of his hand is not only a thyng sanctified but it is sanctification it selfe Therfore our Sacrament must not only be an holy thing as they sayd holy breade and holy wyne but it muste be the substaunce of holines making all other thynges holy And here I thinke it worthy to be noted and to be opened somwhat vnto you wyth what sophistrye and vnlearned folye they deluded the saÌ„ctification and consecration of this Sacrament Children at the vniuersitie can tell that it is a deceytfull waye of reasoning by a generall description to exclude and dryue awaye a speciall and singulare definition as they dyd in this case For they sayd that the consecration of the sacrament was no more but an appoyntynge of bread wine to an holy vse which vse they sayd was to signifye vnto vs Christes body that is in heauen and therefore some sayd that the bread was consecrate when the paryshe clerke did bring it to the churche and set it vpon the table and these were no small men but our greatest bishops God forgiue it them other sayd it was not consecrate tyl the wordes of Christ were spoken but yet they noted that the Priest should not looke at the breade in the tyme of the pronouncyng for this ende be lyke that they shuld not be deceaued and that God shoulde worke no more then it pleased theÌ„ that their doctrine might some waye be true And therefore they sayde euery man and woman might consecrate speake the woordes as wel as a priest but thei neuer redde what Arnobius sayeth Quid tam magnificuÌ„ quam Sacramenta diuina conficere et quid tam perniciosum quam si ea is conficiat qui nullum sacerdotij gradum accepit what is so excellent then to consecrate the sacramentes of God and what is so pernicio use then yf he do consecrate that hath receaued no ordre and degree of priesthode And as they erred in the time and person so they erred in the nature of the consecration making thys of the same sort that al other coÌ„secrations be receauynge the general description and denyinge
for the buylding and vpholdyng of it in truth that hys flocke be not seduced and caried about wyth euery blaste of newe doctrine by the craftines of men to the destruction of their soules Of thys I haue spoken somethyng alreadye Thirdly we may know the consent of the churche by the determination of the general councels where the presidentes of Gods churches the rulers and learned priestes of christendome assembled in the name of our lord Iesus christ representyng the holy church of God militaunt being ledde not with priuate affection but by Gods holye spirite to hys glorye instant in prayer feruent in deuotion purely diligently and freely haue intreated determined those thynges that perteyne to y e fayth of Christ and the purgyng of hys churche to whose determination as to Goddes ordinaunces we are bounde to obeye Wherein appeareth manifestlye the consente of the churche The fyrst general councell both for the callyng and also for the cause was holden at Nice in Bithinia by .318 bisshops in the tyme of Constantinus Magnus twelue hundreth and thirtye yeares agoo where it was determined and publyshed to y ◠worlde in these wordes Exal altata mente fide consideremus situm esse in sancta illa mensa agnum Dei qui tollit peccatum mundi qui à sacerdotibus sacrificatur sine cruoris effusione et nos uerè preciosum illius corpus sanguinem sumentes credere haec esse resurrectionis nostrae symbola c ▪ Let vs lyfte vp our myndes vnderstandynge and considering by fayth that the lambe of God whyche taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde is situate and lyeth vpon that holy table whych is offered of the priestes wythoute the sheddyng of bloude that we receauynge verelye hys preciouse bodye bloude do beleue them to be the pledges or causes of our resurrection Thys aucthoritye serueth me very wel to declare the cōsent of the churche both in the matter of the reall presence also of the sacrifice whych we haue in hande For the wordes be couched meruelouslye euery one seruyng to expresse the trueth and to auoyde all doubtes For fyrst he byddeth vs lift vp our myndes and considre by faythe wyllynge vs not to stycke only to our senses thinkyng nothyng els to be there but that we see outwardlye teachynge vs that the iudgemente of thys matter perteyneth not to oure senses but to our fayth only as Eusebius Emesenus sayeth Verè unica perfecta hostia fide aestimanda nō specie nec exterioris cēsenda est uisu hominis sed interioris affectu Thys hoste and sacrifice is verely one and perfect to be estemed by fayth and not by forme and apperaunce to be iudged not by the syghte of the outward man but wyth y e affection and persuasion of the inward man for to fayth only and not to senses perteyneth the knowledge and iudgemēt of Gods mysteries and sacramentes Then the councell declareth what fayth teacheth that is to saye that the lambe of GOD not materiall breade wyne nor the figure of the lābe but the lambe that taketh awaye the synne of the worlde is placed lying vpon the holye table of the aulter whych externall situation proueth a reall presence of Christe to be there before we receaue it and not a phantasticall or an intellectual receauyng of Christe by fayth in the tyme of the receauinge only as these men contende Further it teacheth that this lambe of God is offered to almightye God by the priestes whiche is a distincte offeryng from that Christe made vpon the crosse for there he offered hym selfe by sheddyng hys bloude whiche he did but ones and neuer shall do it agayne any more Here is he offered of the priestes not by sheddynge of bloude but as the councell sayeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not after a bloudy maner whych is not a new kyllynge of Christe but a solempne representation of hys deathe as hym selfe hathe ordeyned After this it declareth the receauing of it saying that we verelye receaue his preciouse body and bloude which word verelye is as muche as that we call reallye and declareth the vse of the sacrament in the receypte of it wyth the seruice of our mouth as Christe commaunded sayinge Take eate whyche is a corporall eatinge not a spirituall beleuyng And last of al it sheweth the effect of the sacrament whych is the resurrection of oure bodyes to eternal life for because Christes body being the body of very life is ioyned to our bodies as our foode it bryngeth oure bodies that be deade by sentence of deathe to hys propertye which is life wherof in my laste sermon I spake more at large O Lord what hard hartes haue these men to doubte thē selfes or to denye or to bryng in question that manifest open trueth in so highe and necessarye a matter whiche in moost playne woordes hathe bene taught of our sauiour Christe his Apostels and euangelistes declared so to be vnderstand by the holye ghoste oute of the mouthes of all these holye fathers whome the holy ghoste dyd assemble and inspire wyth the spirite of truth to the confusion of the greate heretyke Arius that troubled the worlde then and also did inspire their hartes to declare so playnlye the mystery of thys blessed sacramente whyche then was wythout al contention beleued of all Christen men onlye to preuente these heretikes y e aryse and sprynge vp nowe in these latter dayes that the worlde maye see howe they stryue agaynste the knowen trueth their owne conscience and the determination of the whole churche being enemies of God breakyng hys peace diuiding them selfes from the churche whose ende is eternal confusion Lykewise the next general councell holden at Ephesus in the tyme of Theodosius the Emperor eleuen hundreth and twentye yeares agoo dothe determine this trueth lykewyse in these wordes Necessario igitur hoc adijcimus Annunciantes enim sicut secundum carnē mortem unigeniti filij Dei id est Iesu Christi resurrrectionem cius in coelis ascensionem pariter confitentes incruentum ce lebramus in Ecclesijs sacrificij cultum sic etiam ad mysticas benedictiones accedimus sanctificamur participes sancti corporis et preciosi sanguinis Christi omnium nostrum redemptoris effecti non ut communē carnem percipientes quod absit nec ut uiri sanctificati uerbo coniuncti secundum dignitatis unitatem aut sicut diuinam possidentis habitationem sed uerè uiuificatricem ipsius uerbi propriam factā We adde this also necessarely We shewynge and declarynge the corporall death of Gods only begotten sonne Iesus Christ and lykewise confessing his resurrection and ascension vnto heauen do celebrate the vnbloudy oblatiō and sacrifice in our churches for so we come to the mysticall benedictions are sanctified being made partakers of the holy body and preciouse bloude of Christ all our redemer not receauyng it as common fleshe God forbidde nor as
the fleshe of an holy man ioyned to the word of God by vnitye of dignitye nor as the fleshe of hym in whome God dwelleth but as the flesh only propre to gods sonne verely giuing life to the receauer By this determination of this general couÌ„cel we learne that in the mysticall benediction by whyche word is meant thys blessed Sacramente we receaue Christes owne propre fleshe and of it we receaue sanctification and lyfe before the receypt whereof we celebrate the vnbloudye sacrifice of the same in our churches declaring our Lordes death resurrection and ascension and by this place we plainly perceaue that the doinges and wordes whych be vsed daylye in oure Masse were also vsed in the time of this councel muche aboue a thousand yeares agoo This doctrine also was determined in the general councell holden at Constantinople in the time of Iustyniane y e Emperoure the yeare of our Lorde 552. where be wrytten these wordes Omni sensibili creaturae supereminet is qui salutari passione coelestem nactus digni tatem edens bibens ChristuÌ„ ad uitam aeternam perpetuo coÌ„iungitur anima corpore diuinae participatione gratiae saÌ„ctificatur and so forth He farre excelleth euerye sensible creature that by the passion of our sauioure obteynyng heauenlye dignitie eatyng and drynkyng Christ is continually ioyned to eternal lyfe and is sanctified bothe in soule and body by participation of the heauenly grace Thys place is notable declarynge the dignitie of hym that eateth Christ and the effecte of that eatynge to be euerlastynge lyfe and sanctification bothe of bodye and soule Likewyse the general couÌ„cell called Lateranense holden at Rome the yeare of our Lorde 1215. determyned thys matter in the same termes that we expresse it nowe Vna est fidelium uniuersalis Ecclesia extra quam nullus omnino saluatur in qua idem ipse sacerdos sacrificium Iesus Christus cuius corpus sanguis in Sacramento altaris sub speciebus panis uini ueraciter continentur tran substantiatis pane in corpus uino in sanguinem potestate diuina There is one vniuersall churche of all faythfull people wythoute the whych no man is saued at anye tyme in the which Iesus Christ hym selfe is both the priest and the sacrifice whose bodye and bloude be truely conteyned in the sacrament of the aultare vnder the forme of breade and wine the breade beyng transubstantiate into hys body the wine into hys bloude by the power of God This forme of doctrine after this sort in these termes hath bene taught professed beleued throughoute y e whole catholike Churche euer sence that tyme howsoeuer some he retikes forsaking their fayth procedynge from Gods omnipotent word and the vnitye of hys churche and leanynge to their sensualitye and blind reason agaynst fayth haue repyned and barked agaynste the same But I put no doubtes but by Gods grace yf the time wolde suffer me â–ª to make thys matter oâ— transubstantiation as playne as the other of the reall presence The generall councell also of Constance holden of latter dayes the yeare of our Lord 1415. doth agree and testifye the same in that they condemned Iohn Wyclefe the heretike all his errours agaynst this blessed Sacrament Thus haue I shewed you the consente of the churche by the determinations of the generall councels It shal not be nedeful to rehearse any particular and prouincial councels which al in this doctrine agre with the other generall Furthermore the consente of the churche appeareth by y e condemnation of the heretykes of al ages whych hold any false opinion in anye poynte agaynst the veritye and the institution of Christ concerning this blessed Sacrament The first heretike that euer we reade of in this matter father to all the Sacramentaries that lyue nowe was one in the time of Ignatius by and by after y e Apostels whose name we know not but what he and his sect that folowed him did Theodoretus in his thyrd dialoge maketh mention sayinge that Ignatius who lyued within one hundreth yeare of Christ writeth in an epistle ad Smyrnenses in these wordes Eucharistias oblationes non admittunt eoque non confiteantur Eucharistiam esse carnem seruatoris nostri Iesu Christi quae pro pecâ—atis nostris passa est quam pater sua benignitate suscitauit They do not allowe and admitte our Sacrament offerynges because they do not confesse the Sacrament called Eucharistia to be the fleshe of oure sauioure Iesus Christe whych fleshe suffered for oure synnes and which the fathers goodnes dyd rayse froÌ„ deathe agayne By this we learne what was the fayth in the primitiue churche both that the Sacramente was the verye fleshe of Christ whych suffered for vs also that it was offered for vs by the priestes which thinges those heretykes denyed then as their scholers nowe springing vp vpon their ashes denye nowe that they were condemned as heretykes by the primitiue churche then as these most worthely be condeÌ„ned by the catholike Churche nowe And where as the due matter wherein this blessed Sacrament is coÌ„secrated oughte to be vnleauened breade of wheate and wine myxed with water accordyng to the scriptures the example of christ there were one sort of heretykes called Artotoritae of whome speaketh Epiphanius contra Quintillianos whych were so called for y â— they vsed not in their sacrifyces the necessary and due matter but in their mysteries dyd coÌ„secrate and offer bread and cheese An other sort of heretikes were called Fermentarij because they did consecrate in leuened breade as our men of late dyd commaunde to be done â–ª who were condemned by the generall councell at Basyll Other were called Aquarij or Hydroparastae for that they preteÌ„dyng sobrietye did consecrate in water only wythout wine agaynst whome wrytte saynt Cypriane Chrysostome other who also were coÌ„demned by the generall councell of Constantinople in trullo cap. 32. Other were called Armenij who in their sacrifices consecrated and offered wyne onelye wythoute water agaynst whome wryteth Theophilactus All these helde false opinion agaynste the necessary and due matter of the Sacramente There were other heretykes that denyed the effecte of the Sacrament as Messaliani who as it is wrytten by Theodoretus sayd that the heauenly foode whereof our lorde spake he that eateh my fleshe drynketh my bloude shal lyue euer more dyd neyther profite nor hurte any man Nestorius also the pernicious herytyke and Archebyshoppe of Constantinople destroyed the vertue of the sacramente as Theophilactus writeth for y t he graunting christes very fleshe to be really and truely present in the Sacramente denyed that fleshe beynge receyued in to our bodyes to be the propre fleshe of gods sonne and therfore to haue no vertue to giue life to our mortal bodies this heresy was condemned by the generalcouncel holden at Ephesus And where as thys sacrament can not
be cōsecrate but by a priest there was an heretike called Zacheus condemned as Epiphanius wryteth because he would praye with no man but alone and therefore without reuerence and authoritye did handle the holy mysteries and beyng a laye man did impudently ordre and vse them Also certeyne heretikes called Anthropomorphitae denyed the reseruation of the sacramente saying that Christes body remayned there no longer then it was in receauyng of whom Cyrillus writeth thus Dicunt mysticam benedictionē si ex e a remanserint in sequentem diem reliquiae ad sanctificationem inutilem esse sed in saniunt haec dicentes non enim mutatur Christus neque sanctū eius corpus discedit sed benedictionis uirtus et uiuifica gratia continuo manet in illis They saye that the mysticall benediction whyche is the sacrament is not profitable to the sanctification of the receauer yf there remayne anye thyng of the sacrament to the next daye But they be starke madde that saye so for Christ is not chaunged nor yet his holy body doth not departe away but the vertue of the benediction and the grace of giuyng life do continually abide and remayne in that that leaueth Thys heresy is newe reuiued agayne by Martyn Luther and his sect but it can not stande beynge condemned of olde time and now also by the catholike churche Many moo heresies there be cōdemned concernyng the sacrament besyde the heresye of Berengarius that twyse dyd recant it in two prouincial councels and at hys death tooke great penaunce for his damnable opinion as the stories tell and also besyde the cōdemnation of Iohn Wycleffe in y e general councel at Constance but I wyll not hyndre my purpose wyth a longe rehersall of them These be sufficient to shew the consente of the churche by the condemnation of heretykes he that wold know mo argumentes to proue the consent in thys or any other matter let hym reade a booke called Vincentius Lirinensis contra prophanas haeresum nouitates he may bye it for lesse then syxe pence find there a great treasure of good learnyng Now to oure purpose of the sacrifice ¶ Here thye prayer was made AGaynste the blessed Masse which is the sacrifice of y ◠church many wordes of manye men haue bene sayde but sufficient reprofe of it hath not yet bene hearde Scripture neuer one was yet alledged against it sauing one out of the epistle to the Hebrewes where S. Paule writeth that Christ entered into heauen by hys owne bloude ones and afterward he sayth Christe was ones offered vp to take away the sinnes of many and al the argumente consisteth in this woorde ones whych I shall God willinge discusse hereafter But in very dede that same scripture that they brynge agaynste the Masse to no purpose is the verye foundation of the Masse wherevpon the Masse is buylded establyshed after what sort I shal declare as time will serue Lyke as there is one God the father one Christ our redemer one body and churche whych is redemed so there is but one only sacrifice wherby we be redemed whyche was ones neuer but ones made vpon the aultare of the crosse for the sinnes of all men Thys sacrifice is propitiatorye and a sufficient pryce raunsome of the whole world as S. Iohn sayeth he is the propitiation for our synnes not for our synnes onelye but for the synnes of the whole worlde and in his Gospell he wryteth Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world The vertue of this sacrifice beganne when God promised that the seede of Adam shuld brusse and breake the serpents heade without the merite of thys sacrifice there is no saluation for God was in Christ reconcilyng the worlde to hym selfe Thys sacrifice is common to both the testamentes wher of both take their effect whose vertue is extended from the begynnynge of the worlde to the laste ende for the lābe was slayne from the begynnyng of the world as S. Iohn sayth It is also a bloudy and passible sacrifice extendinge to the death of him that offered him selfe it was promised to the fathers and performed in the fulnesse of tyme the merites wherof receaueth no augmentation because it is perfect nor yet diminution because it is eternal And although this sacrifice be sufficiente to saue all men yet it is not effectuall to the saluation of al men it is able to saue al but yet all be not saued for what doth it profite the Turkes Saracenes vnfaythfull gentiles counterfeyte Christians The faulte is no◠in god beinge mercifull to al his workes who created vs without vs but the faulte is in our selfes Therfore y t this sacrifice of Christe as it is sufficiente for all so it maye be effectuall and profitable for all God hath ordeyned certeyne meanes whereby we maye be made able to receaue the merite of it ▪ and wherby the vertue of it is brought and applied vnto vs in the newe Testamente after his passion as it was to the fathers in the olde testament before his passion Of these meanes some be inward some be outward the inwarde be cōmon to both the testamentes of which the first principall is fayth for withoute fayth it is not possible to please God and as S. Iohn sayeth he that beleueth not is now already iudged to hym therefore that is an infidell Christ hath dyed in vayne Charity also is a meane for he that loueth not remayneth in death he that hateth hys brother is in darkenes walketh in darkenes and can not tell whether he goeth and yf I haue all fayth and haue no charitye I am nothyng He is not therfore partaker of Christes merites in the remission of synne that lacketh charitye And so may we saye of hope wythout the whyche no man receaueth mercye at Christes hande Amonges the inward meanes there be other spirituall sacrifices as the sacrifice of a contrite heart whych GOD doth muche regard the sacrifice of oure lyppes whyche is prayer prayse of God wherby we atteyne remissiō of sinne hauyng a playne promise that whatsoeuer we aske of god in the name of Christ we shal obteyne it And the sacrifices of almose beneuolence whiche Saynt Paule wold not haue vs to forgette ▪ because God is gotten and wonne by such sacrifices All these and other suche like do not fully deserue grace and remission of synne but be meanes that the vertue and merite of christes passion may be deriued and applyed vnto vs as he hath ordeyned There be also other outwarde meanes ▪ as sacramentes and sacrifices Of Sacramentes some be propre to the olde Testament some propre to the newe without the whiche ordinarely there is no remission of synne nor collation of grace As circumcision was to the fathers so baptisme is to vs without the whych this bloudye sacrifyce
sayeth it is gyuen for vs and not to vs as Zwinglius and our great Archebisshoppe his disciple wold haue it we must nedes vnderstande by gyuen for vs offered for vs so that in this place and many other to giue is to offre And althoughe it be true that Christ was giuen offered for vs to the father vpon the crosse the next day folowinge yet because the worde datur is in greke in al y e Euangelistes where it is expressed in the present tense and also euerye sentence is true for the time it is pronoūced therfore me thinke I may certenly cōclude because Christe sayeth datur pro uobis is giuen for you that euen then in the supper tyme he offered hys bodye for vs to his father Thirdly Christ did deliuer to hys disciples to be eaten dronken that he hadde before consecrated and offered and thys appeareth by hys wordes Take eate and drynke ye all of this The fyrst and third whyche be the consecration receauyng be out of all controuersy confessed of al men The seconde whiche is the oblation is of late broughte in question which I haue partly proued by the playne wordes of scripture as it semeth to me so that I may well reason thus Christes action is oure instruction I except his wonderful workes and miracles specially when his commaundement is ioyned vnto it But Christe in hys supper offered hym selfe verely and really vnder the formes of breade and wine after an impassible maner and commaunded vs to do the same tyll hys seconde commynge me thynke therfore that in the Masse we do and ought to do sacrifice and offre Christe vnto his father whyche oblation is the external sacrifice of the Churche propre to the newe Testament And for further proue that Christ offered hym selfe in his last supper I shall alledge vnto you the aucthoritie of the Churche and the consente of y e fathers in this poynt which ought to suffise any Christen man Ireneus writeth in hys fourth booke that Christ takyng the creature of breade and giuing thankes sayd This is my body and lykewyse confessynge the cuppe to be of hys bloude Noui testamenti nouam docuit oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in uniuerso mundo offert Deo de quo in duodecim Prophetis Malachias sic praesignificauit Non est mihi uoluntas in uobis c. He taught the newe oblation of the newe testament which oblation the Churche receauyng of the Apostels doth offre to GOD throughout the whole worlde whereof Malachye one of the twelue Prophetes did prophecye I haue no wyll pleasure in you c. What can be more playne then that Christ in his last supper in the ministration of the blessed sacrament dyd teache hys Apostles the newe oblation of the newe Testament and hys Apostles taught the Churche the same that they receaued and the Churche doth continuallye vse to offre the same to GOD in euerye place Thys aucthority the wordes beyng so manifest and the author so aunciente and substantiall can not be auoyded wyth all their cauillations S. Cyprian also the blessed Martyr wryteth thus Si Christus summus sacerdos sacrificium Deo patri ipse primus obtulit hoc fieri in sui commemorationem praecepit utique ille sacerdos uice Christi uerè fungitur qui id quod Christus fecit imitatur Yf Christ the hyghe priest did fyrst hym selfe offre a sacrifice to God hys father and commaunded the same to be done in his remembraunce verelye that priest doth truly occupye the office of Christe that by imitation doth y e same thing that Christ dyd Thys holy martyr teacheth vs that Christ dyd fyrst offre hym selfe to his father in hys supper and also commaunded vs to do the same Why shuld anye man doubte of that that in the beginnyng of y e churche the holye martirs dydde and taught wythout al doubte Hesichius also that flouryshed in the tyme of Gratiane the Emperoure wryteth thus Prius figuratam ouem coenans cum Apostolis postea suum obtulit sacrificium deinde sicut ouem semetipsum occidit Christe in hys supper dyd fyrste eate the figuratyue lambe wyth hys Apostels then he offered hys owne sacrifice and after that he kylled hym selfe lyke a lābe By thys saying that christ kylled hym selfe is ment that christe voluntarely dyd offer hym selfe to the death suffring the Iewes to kyl hym whom he might haue withstāded but to our purpose It is playne y t besyde the bloudye oblation vpon the crosse and also beside the figuratiue oblatiō of hym selfe in the pascal lambe he also did offre him selfe mistically in the celebration of the sacramente whyche is the verye poynte that we go aboute to proue is manifestlye proued by thys auncient author Damascen sayeth In nocte in qua seipsum obtulit testamentū nouū disposuit In that nyght when he offered hym selfe he dyd ordeyne and institute the new testamēt Marke that he saith he offred him selfe in the night y e oblation vpō the crosse was in the mydde day whych is a distincte offerynge from that in the night And Theophilactus sayth Tunc immolauit seipsum ex quo tradidit discipulis corpus suum It is manifeste that then he offered hym selfe when he delyuered too hys disciples his bodye teachinge vs that christe in hys misticall supper offered hym selfe too hys father To this Saynte Augustyne beareth witnesse wrytinge thus Vnde ipse dominus etiam quos mundauit a lepra ad eadem sacramenta misit ut offerrent pro se Sacrificium Sacerdotibus quia nondum eis successerat sacrificium quod ipse post in Ecclesia uoluit celebrari pro omnibus illis ▪ For whyche cause our lorde him selfe sent them whome he had made cleane from their lepre to the same sacraments of the olde Testamente that they shoulde offre to the priestes a sacrifice for them selfes because as yet that sacrifyce dyd not succede to them whyche Christ woulde haue celebrate in his church in stede of al thē ▪ Waye these wordes wel ye shall perceaue that they can not be vnderstand of the sacrifyce of christe vpon the crosse whych was but ones offered and can not be continual celebrate and vsed of the churche nor yet of y e sacrifice of thākesgiuing whyche succedeth not the other but was before and with the other and therfore they proue playnly that this one sacrifice of the newe testamēt y t succedeth the multitude of the olde sacrifices is onelye the sacrifice of Christes bodye and bloud in the blessed Masse whyche he hath ordeyned to be daylye frequented in his churche to the worldes ende What shuld I alledge moo authors Wyll ye yet heare one of the eldest I meane Dionisius Areopagita S. Paules scholer and Bisshoppe of Athens he wryteth thus Quocirca reuerenter simul ex pontificali officio post sacras diuinorum operum laudes quod hostiam salutarem quae
supra ipsum est litet se excusat ad ipsum primo decenter exclamans tu dixisti hoc facite in meam commemorationem Wherfore the bishoppe reuerently and accordyng to hys pastoral office after the prayse and commendation of Gods workes and benefytes he dothe excuse hym selfe that he dothe take vpon hym to offre that sacrifice of our sauiour whych is farre aboue his degree and dignitie crying fyrst vnto hym decentlye Lorde thou dyddeste commaunde sayinge Do thys in my remembraunce If there were no more but thys one aucthoritye it were sufficient to proue that the priest dothe offre the body of Christ which is the sacrifyce of oure Sauiour in the Masse and that he offereth it by the expresse commaundement of Christ saying Do thys in my remembrauÌ„ce that he offereth that thing whyche is farre exceadynge hys degree whych can be nothynge elles but the bodye of Christ. Therfore leauyng for shortnes of tyme all other aucthorities whyche wyth lytle laboure I coulde brynge in for thys purpose me thynke I maye well conclude that the oblation of Christes bodye bloude in the Masse is the verye sacrifice of the Churche both by y e institution of Christ declared by hys expresse commaundement whyche we are all bounden to obeye and also by hys owne example in offerynge hym selfe vndre the formes of bread and wine which we priestes are bounden to folowe as the scrypture whych I haue alledged doth euidently proue â–ª the true sense wherof is as is recyted not pryuate proceadynge from mine owne brayne but catholyke confirmed by the coÌ„sent of y e churche able to reproue and conuince anye one manne that hath nothyng to saye to the contrary but hys bare naye Besyde the institution which were sufficient for thys matter seynge in the doctrine of fayth the profe dependeth vpoÌ„ the weyght of one place not vpon the numbre of many yet I shall alledge vnto you the prophecye of Malachy where it is prophecyed before that God would refuse and reiecte the sacrifices of the Iewes that he woulde call vnto vys grace and mercy the gentiles in whose Churche there shuld be one pure and cleane sacrifice succedyng al the other offered in euery place whych canne be none other but thys one pure sacrifice of Christes body in the Masse The place is thys Non est mihi uoluntas in uobis munus non suscipiam de manu uestra ab ortuenim solis usque ad occasum magnuÌ„ â–ª est nomen meum in gentibus in omni loco sacrificabitur offeretur nomini meo oblatio munda I haue no will and pleasure in you and I wyll receaue no offerynge or rewarde of your hand For from the risinge of the sunne to the settynge my name is great amonges the gentyles and in euery place there shalbe sacrifice done and a pure and cleâ—â—â— oblation shall be offered to my name Thys place is very playne for the detestynge of the Iewes â–ª the reiectinge of their sacrifices for the vocation of the gentyles â–ª and for the pure and one singulare sacryfyce that amonges them shall be offered to almightye God in euerye place in stede of the other This must nedes be y e sacrifice of the Masse or elles let them that saye naye shewe of what other the place is ment And in verye dede some haue bestowed all their witte and learnynge wrytynge and rackynge thys place to make it serue to some other sacrifyce besyde y e Masse but it wyl not be the truth hath euer preuayled Some haue drawen it to the spiritual inward sacrifices of good mens hartes but in y e vnderstandinge they be ouerthroweÌ„ for the place speaketh precisely of one sacrifice the otâ—er spirituall sacrifices be many so manye as there be heartes of good men to offer them And it speaketh also of one pure and cleane sacrifice â–ª but all the rightwesnes of maÌ„ is vnperfyte vnpure vnclean and compared to a fylthy cloth of a sycke woman and it speaketh of suche one pure sacrifice as shall succede and followe in the place of the other sacryfices of the Iewes which god reiecteth and abrogateth But the inward spirituall sacrifices of good men haue ben offered vsed before the lawe in the law after the law froÌ„ the time of Adam til the worldes ende Wherefore it is not possible that this place shulde be directly only vnderstanded of the spiritual sacrifices There be other also y t wrast it wold haue it meane only of the bloudy sacrifice of christ vpon the crosse But that can not be the wordes be so playn to the contrary For although that be one and pure sacrifice yet it was not offered in euery place as Malachie sayeth it shall and also it was offered only among the Iewes vpon the mount of Caluary where the Prophete sayeth thys sacrifice he speaketh of shall be offered in euery place amonge the gentyles Therfore to conclude thys is a playne prophecye declarynge the wyl of God to haue all the sacrifices of the Iewes to cease and in the churche of hys newe people the gentiles to haue thys one pure sacrifice of Christes bodye and bloude in the Masse to be frequented in euerye place wherewith he is wel pleased and contented And in thys sense Irenaeus taketh it whose wordes in Latyn I alledged a lytle before that Christ confessyng the cup to be of hys bloude did teache the newe oblation of the newe testament whych the churche receauing of the Apostles offereth to God throughoute the worlde of the whyche Malachye one of the twelue Prophetes dydde speake before I haue no wyll nor pleasure in you and so forth As I haue recyted before manifestly declarynge that the olde people shoulde cease to offre to God and that the newe people shall offre vnto hym one pure sacryfice in euery place Chrysostome also sayeth Et in omni loco sacrificium offeretur nomini meo et sacrifium puruÌ„ â–ª Vide quà m luculâ—Ì„ter quamque dilucidè mysticaÌ„ interpretatus est mensam quae est incruenta hostla And in euery place a sacrifice shall be offered to my name that a pure sacrifice See howe euidently howe plainly he doth interprete the mysticall table whyche is the vnbloudy sacrifice I nede not to open this place anye more beinge so playne as it is Saynte Augustyne wrytyng agaynste the Iewes sayeth thus Aperite oculos tandem aliquando uidete ab oriente sole usque ad occidentem non in uno loco ut uobis fuit constitutum sed in omni loco offerri sacrificium Christianorum non cuilibet Deo sed ei qui ista prae dixit Deo Israel Open youre eyes at last you Iewes see from the rising of the sunne to the setting not in one place as it was ordeyned amoÌ„ges you but in euerye place to be offered the sacrifice of Christen men not to euery God but to him that prophecied these before the GOD of
wordes of oure sauiour Christ saying Thys is my bodye Thys is my bloud duelye perfectly pronunced vpon y e bread wine Our newe maysters y t styl crye vpon the institution of Christe some sayde it was a sacrament or euer the wordes were spoken assoone as it was brought to y â— churche for y e vse of the communion some woulde haue the wordes sayde but as one shoulde reade a Lesson or tell a tale not directed to the breade and wyne but that the Minister shoulde looke awaye frome the breade and wyne in the tyme of the pronuncynge Fearynge belyke the wordes shoulde haue moore strengthe than they woulde they shoulde haue And thus howsoeuer nowe they pretend a zeale to maintayne the institutioÌ„ of Christ then they vtterly destroyed the institution of Christ eyther deniyng or defraudinge the necessary consecration of the sacrament The minister ought only to be a priest duelye consecrated and ordereed after the rite of the Catholike church whose ministration god only doeth assiste These men dyd not only maintayne y t it was lawfull but also did appoynte and permitte mere laye men to minister yea and laye women somtymes as some said without anye lawfull vocation or orderynge at al not regarding what Arnobius writeth Quid tam magnificum quà m sacramenta dei coÌ„ficere et quid tam perniciosum quà m si is ea conficiat quâ— nulum sacerdotij gradum accipit What is so excellent than to consecrate y e sacramentes of god what is so perniciouse than yf he consecrate them that hath receyued no degre of priesthode The intent also to doe that the churche doeth withoute mockynge dissimulation or contrary purpose is required For although the priest in the consecration may haue hys thoughtes distracte to some other thynge so lacke attention whiche is a greate negligence in the worke of God deadly synne to y e minister yet yf he lacke intention not intendyng to doe that God commaundeth and the churche doeth there is no coÌ„secration nor no sacrameÌ„t at all And for this point what intentioÌ„ shall we thinke these men had of late that vtterlye dinied to consecrate or receiue Christes bodie and bloud vnder the formes of breade and wyne but onelye to receyue the creatures of bread and wyne therby to be pertakers of Christes body and bloude For in the boke of their laste communion these were the wordes of the inuocation Good lord graunt vs that we receyuing these thy creatures of bread and wine according to thy sonnes institution maye be partakers of hys bodye and bloude â–ª Was there euer hearde of anye suche institution Loke throughout all the scripture and shewe me where euer Christe did institute that by eatinge of bread wine men shoulde be partakers of hys body and bloud And if it can not be shewed as I am sure it can not than it was a playne forged lye bearing meÌ„ in haÌ„d that Christ instituted that he neuer thought whereby appeareth y t thei had not this intentioÌ„ which is required to y e due coÌ„secratioÌ„ also y t they in wordes preteÌ„dinge to haue a zeale to maintain Christes institutioÌ„ iÌ„ their dedes shewed theÌ„selfes enemies aduersaries to y e same â–ª And as thei vsed themselues in consecration so they dyd in the oblation whiche they dyd not corrupt as the other but vtterly toke awaye deniynge anye suche thynge to be as I haue proued it is in so muche that in all their newe communion they could not scarcely abide the name or worde of oblation but pulled it oute of the boke so muche dyd they fauour the instituton of Christ whiche they nowe pretende Now when they haue taken awaye the due matter as swete vnleuened bread y e meixture of the chalice peruerted the forme by leauyng oute the principall verbe est in the wordes of Christ as it was in y e last boke in the firste pryntyng howe it came in agayne I can not tell and neglected the due orderynge of the minister sufferyng them to vsurpe the office of a priest that neuer receyued that authoritie neyther of God nor man in that they dyd whiche was verye bad neuer intended to doe as the churche doeth and whollye dyd abrogate as muche as laied in theÌ„ the oblation of Christes bodye in remembraunce of hys passion and at lengthe would haue nothynge to remayne but a bare communion what face haue they to crye vpon Christes institution institution whiche they haue in so many pointes broken and violated as I haue shewed and yet y t they wold haue is no part of Christes instituâ—ion For the vse of the sacrameÌ„t is y t it should be receyued and eaten therefore in diuerse counsels it was decreed that whoso euer tooke the sacrament at the priestes hand dyd not eate it for the which ende Christe dyd ordayne it was holden accursed and excommunicate Thus farre exteÌ„deth y â— institution of Christ concernynge thys poynt because he sayde Accipite manducate et bibite Take eate drynke and also that all shoulde eate and drynke of it that coulde proue themselues after S. Paules admonition But suche thynges as pertayne to the Ceremonye of the eatynge as howe manye in one place together what tyme place maner order and suche lyke be thynges pertaynynge to the ordinaunce and direction of the churche and not to the institution of Christe as necessarye vpon payne of damnation to be obserued of euery christen man For els yf al the rytes that Christe vsed at hys supper were of necessitie and pertaynyng to hys institution then there muste nedes be thyrtene together at the communion and neyther moo nor fewer And it must be celebrate after supper and in the night after the washynge of the fete and in a parler or chamber and al that receyue must be priestes and no women For all these thynges were obserued of Christ hys apostles at hys last supper But for our instruction to declare that they be not fixed by the institution of Christe but left to the disposition of y e church y e churche hath taken an other order in these thinges wyllynge that all shall communicate that be worthy and disposed So that the numbre whether ther be manye or fewe or but one in one place that receyue maketh not the ministration of the prieste for that thynge vnlawefull And it hath ordered that it shalbe celebrate in the mornynge receyued fasting before all other meates in the church except necessite other wise require And therefore S. Augustine taught Ianuarius after thys sorte Ideo saluator non praecepit quo deinceps ordine sumeretur ut apostolis per quos dispositurus erat ecclesiaÌ„ seruaret hunc locuÌ„ Therefore our Saluiour dyd not commauÌ„de by what order it shuld be receyued after hym but reserued that matter to the apostles by whome he woulde order and dispose his church â–ª By this we may conceyue that the receyuynge of the sacrament is
where it sayth that saynt Paule dyd eate the breade which is the sacrament and that all the other dyd fyll theÌ„ wyth their commen meate I maye conclude that saynte Paule dyd receaue alone wherby is proued our purpose of the priuate Masse as they terme it O Lord howe woulde they haue gloried yf they had suche alyke place agaynst vs â–ª Some brynge in a place of Chrysostome where he sayeth frustra sacrificium quotidianum frustra stamus ad altare nullus qui communicet Our daylye sacrifice is in vayne we stande at the aultare in vayne no manne cometh to communicate O Lorde howe they abuse this place of Chrysostome that he sayeth to rebuke the negligence of the people that cometh not they alledge it to find fault at the diligence of the priest that cometh It is reason that the priest whose lyfe is wholy dedicate to the seruice of God and to praye for the people shoulde synne deadly yf he dydde ioyne him selfe more more to Christ by receauyng daylye the spiritual foode of hys body bloud because the people that coÌ„monlye occupye their lyfe in the affayres of the worlde be not worthy or not disposed dayly to receaue with the priest â–ª The verye place it selfe of Chrysostome telleth that the priestes dyd celebrate the sacrifice daylye whether the people came or no which they wold neuer haue done yf it hadde bene deadly sinne so to do Therfore it is playne y t they did sacrifice they did stand at y e aultare cried but al in vayn Sancta sanctis Holye thinges to holye men CuÌ„ timore charitate dâ—i accedite Come vp to receaue with the feare of God and charitye and yet no man came Therfore all this his homelye was too reproue the slackenes of the people that deceaued the expectation of the priest I putte the case as I haue sene it chaunce that when the priest had consecrate and one or two were commed vp to the aultare kneled downe to coÌ„municate w t the priest after the priest had receaued they both departed went away not receauing either of conteÌ„pt or for that some sodeyne disease or passion came vpon theÌ„ y t they could not receaue is God so vnmercifull as to condemne the priest for the casualty of an other man whyche lyeth not in his power to auoyd Our saluation were a verye tykle thyng yf one man should coÌ„mitte deadly synne agaynste his wyll intendinge to serue God so be condempned for the chaunce of an other man which he could not stoppe or amend was no cause of it Yea but say thei Chrisostom sayth Non es hostia dignus nec communione igitur nec oratione If a man make hys excuse that he is not worthye the sacrifice nor to communicate then is he not worthy to be present there at the prayer He sayeth so in dede But what is thys to that the priest should not receaue alone nothyng at all And yet it serueth vs to declare that Chrysostome intended nothing elles but to reproue the negligence of them that stode in the place of the worthy receauers and wold not come to receaue We must considre in the greke churche howe there was certeyne degrees of the placyng of the people the prieste stode at y e aultare â–ª the clerkes wythin the chauncell the worthye receauers in a distincte place besyde the priestes the penitentes in a lower place the Catechumeni whyche were menne learnynge our fayth and not yet Christened sate loweste of all but they were putte out of the Churche when the sermon and teaching was done and were not suffered to be present at y e misteries Nowe the lacke that menne do not vnderstande the distinction of these seuerall places maketh them too take Chrysostome wronge â–ª For in dede he that is in the hygher place of the communicantes and beynge there thynketh hym selfe for hys vncleane lyfe not worthye to communicate and so deceaueth the expectation of the prieste that prepareth for hym is lykewyse not worthy to communicate in only prayer as being in y t place yet hath most nede of al to coÌ„municate in prayer because prayer is an humilitie of y â— mind and a cause degree to make a man worthy to communicate in the sacrament And therfore by Chrysostome he is not forbid to communicate in prayer but not in that place but lower amonge the penitentes For so Chrysostome sayth by by after Quot quot estis in poeniteÌ„tia omnes orate All you that be penitentes occupye youre selfes in prayer And it was a decree of y e whole catholike church y t certeyn men which were not suffered to coÌ„municate in the sacrameÌ„t shuld during their penauÌ„ce coÌ„municate only in prayer These be the wordes of the generall councell at Nice in Englyshe Concerninge them that had coÌ„mitted ydolatrye were in penaunce not yet reconciled and nowe be departinge out of their bodies let the olde canon be obserued that he that is departing be not defrauded of the necessarye vitayle of lyfe but yf anye suche after he haue receaued the communion do recouer and amende let them remayne amonge them that communicate only in prayer We may see by this that the meaninge of Chrysostome is as I haue declared Other make an argument of the worde Communio that the sacramente is called a communion because manye receaued it But thys argumente is vnlearned proceadyng of ignorance For it is so called not for that many communicate together in one place but for y e effect of the sacrament because it maketh many diuerse men one mistical body of Christ. So dothe Chrysostome expounde it wrytynge vpon the 10. chapiter to the Corinthians And also Dionisius Areopagita sayth Vnde merito sacerdotalis sacrosancta prudentia ex rerum effectu proprium illi uerumque communicationis cognomen inuenit Therfore the holye wisdome of the priestes hath worthelye inuented to this sacrament a propre true name of communioÌ„ for the effect of it because it gathereth our lifes y t be diuided a sunder manye wayes into y t one state wherby we are ioyned to god among our selues in one body and so forth And in very dede we do not communicate alone For considering gods churche is but one house as Cypriane saith Vna est domus ecclesiae in qua agnus editur There is one house of the churche wherin the lambe is eaten whosoeuer doeth eate this lambe worthelye doeth coÌ„municate w t al christen men in euery place countre that be in this house do the like If the pryest receyue one parte of the sacrament in the church afterward cary the rest two or thre miles to a sick man doth he not coÌ„municate with another and yet that other is not together w t hym in one place standyng at hys elbow Euen so the priest that sayeth masse alone doeth coÌ„municate w t al theÌ„ y t celebrate in other
churches or in other realmes This argument of CoÌ„munion was neuer â—eard of in the worlde before Martyne Luther who was y e first father of it and the first man that euer wrote agaynst priuate masses as he calleth theÌ„ â–ª And wher learned Luther that lesson euen of the deuyl not because al euyl coÌ„meth by the suggestion of the deuyll but I meane y t Luther had a vision of the deuyl and saw hym wyth hys corporall eye beynge wakyng of whom he learned al that he hath pestilently spoken agaynst the holy masse And lest men should say I lied vpon Luther here is his owne boke Ex orete iudico serue nequam We maye Iudge hym by his owne mouth and his owne hand writynge The title of his boke is of priuate masse I shal read you a peice of it that the trueth of my sayinge maye appeare These be hys very wordes I shall make confession before all you reuende and holy fathers geue me I pray you a good absolution It chaunced me once about midnight sodenly to awake than the deuyl SathaÌ„ began with me this disputation Heare sayd he doctour Luther very wel learned thou knowest thou hast said priuate masses xv yeres almost daily What if such priuate masses be horrible ydolatry what if there wer not preseÌ„t the bodye and bloud of Christ but thou haddest honored onely bread and wine haddest caused other to honor it to whoÌ„ I answered I am an anoynted priest haue receyued vnction coÌ„secration of a bishoppe haue done al these thinges by commaundement obedience of mine elders â–ª Why shuld not I coÌ„secrate wheÌ„ I haue pronuÌ„ced y e wordes of Christ haue said masse iÌ„ earnest this thou knowest All this sayde he is true but y e turkes gentiles do likewise al things in their teÌ„ples of obedieÌ„ce in earnest The priestes of Hieroboam dyd all they dyd of a certayne zeale intent againste the true priestes in HierusaleÌ„ â–ª What yf they orderynge and consecratynge wer false as the priestes of the Turkes and Samaritans were false and their seruyce of god false and wycked First sayd he thou knowest thou haddest than no knowledge of Christ nor true fayth and for faythe thou waste no better than a Turke For the Turke and all the deuyls also beleue the storye of Christ that he was borne crucified and dead â–ª c. But the Turke and we dampned sprites doe not truste to hys mercy nor haue not hym for a mediatour and sauiour but feare hym as a cruell iudge Such a fayth and no other haddest thou when thou receyuest vnction of y e byshoppe and al other both they y t dyd annoynct and were annoyncted thought so and no other wise of Christe â–ª Therefore ye fled from Christe as a cruell iudge to blessed Mary and y e sainctes they wer mediators betwene you Christ. Thus was Christ robbed of his glory â–ª This neyther thou nor no other papist can deny I wold reade more of this boke but for troubling you He y t lyâ—t to knowe what maye be sayd against priuate masse let hym learne here of y e deuil ynough For here is al that hath yet bene sayde of any other and more to The deuyls derlinges wer ashamed to say halfe so much as their father Sathan lest they shulde be called blasphemous lyers as he is But by this boke Luthers owne confession set forthe in prynt by him selfe to y e world ye maye knowe that the deuyll was the first y t euer barked agaynste y e sacrifice of the churche whiche is the masse knowing that his kyngdome of sinne and iniquitie coulde not stand if this sacrifice most aduersarie to it were not defaced and destroyed But what colour had Luther to publishe this shall we thynke he was so madde as to father that vpoÌ„ the deuyll that he woulde haue persauded for trueth to the worlde I shall tell you shortlye hys fonde deuyse in thys poynte as it foloweth fyue or sixe leaues here after He sayeth he knoweth the deuyl is a lyer but he saieth hys lyes be craftye he vseth to alledge a trueth whyche can not be denied and wyth that to colour hys lye which he persaudeth And therefore sayeth he the deuyll lyeth not when he accuseth as that I had committed horrible Idolatry in sayinge priuate masses but the lye is when he dyd afterwarde tempt him to dispayre of gods mercy But saith Luther I wyll not dispayre as Iudas dyd but amende that I haue done amysse neuer saye priuate masse agayne O what a cloke of mischiefe is this al grounded of lyes and falshode He sayth the deuyll lyeth not when he accuseth If that be true then he sayd true when he saide that Luther being a preacher manye yeares neuer had true fayth in Christ tyl he fel from the masse nor neuer trusted in Christes mercy nor neuer toke hym for a sauiour but a cruell iudge Of this the deuyll dyd accuse him whether he was a lyer herein or no iudge you Also in hys accusation he sayde the body and bloude of Christ wer not present in the sacrament when suche annoyncted priestes dyd consecrate and that they honored onely bread wine with many other damnable lyes and heresyes whiche whoso shall read the boke maye fynde in great plentie and yet by Luthers principle the deuyl neuer lyeth when he accuseth Now because y e tyme is farre past shortly to conclud I shal most humblye beseche you to consider and regarde the saluation of your soules for the whiche Christe Gods sonne hath shed his preciouse bloud which saluation canne not be attayned w toute knowledge confession of gods truth reueled to his holy church by her to euery membre of her childe of god whose sentence and determination is sure certen as procedinge froÌ„ the pyller of trueth the spirite of god by whoÌ„ we be taught and assured in goddes owne word that in y e blessed sacrament of the aulter â–ª by the power of the holy gost working with gods word is verely really present the bodye and bloud of our sauiour Christe vnder the formes of bread wyne whiche is by Christes owne commaundement example offered to almightye god in sacrifice in commemoration of Christes passion and death wherby the membres of the churche in whose fayth it is offered bothe they that be alyue and departed perceyue plentuouse and abundaunt grace and mercye and in al their necessities and calamities releife and succur â–ª Our moste merciful father graunt vs to persist stedfast constant in the true catholike faythe and confession of this most blessed Sacrament and sacrifice and with pure deuotion as he hathe ordayned to vse frequent this holye misterye of vnitie reconsiliation that we maye therby remayne in him and he in vs for euermore To whome be all glorye and prayse wyth out ende AMEN ¶ Imprinted at London in Paules churche yarde at the sygne of the