GOd sacrificers, his diuine mynisters, ought not in any wise to be trou­bled, but to be mayntayned, vp­holden and supported of euery mā. Goddes sacrificers, trewly while they execute that office, ought not alone to be withoute wytnes of trew and iust performance of their deutie. But being occupyed in this holy action, to haue assistens, co­adiutors, and hearers: Dd To the intent they maye be proued and try­ed, to haue perfectly sacrificed, for the auctorite of the deuyne lawes approueth this Deut. xii. in these words. Se thou offer not thy sacri­fice [Page] to thy lorde god promyscually in euerye place: but in that place whiche the Lorde hathe chosen. A Byshoppe sacrynge at the aulter, let hym haue witnesse with hym, (as I haue sayde before) yea, and more then any other preist. For as he sitteth on the higher pynacle of honor: so it is behouable at his mynistrynge, y ^t there be present grea­ter nombre of recordes, vpon more solempne dayes. A Bishop shoulde haue seuen, fyue, or thre Deacons at the least, whiche be called his eyes, with subdeacons, and other ministers, who clothed in holy ap­parelmentes, before and behynde, with preistes on euerye syde, dyrectly of the right agaynst the lefte, Contrite in harte, and hum­ble in spryt. Standing also with vpright faces to y ^e heauenwardes, shall kepe hym frome all violence [Page ii] and vylanye. Bb And be prest with consent and saruice to further the sacrifice. The sacringe fynysshed, let them all communicate whiche be entred within the bondes of the churche degrees. For such was bothe the Apostells origynall ordi­naunce, as is the Churche custome. And in his seconde Epystle of ordi­nacyon of Archebyshoppes. The accusacion of byshoppes and pre­sts, agaynst the which matter you haue consulted with vs, ought not to be effecteous, but at their han­des who be fytte, good and vertu­ous men, voyde frome affections, crymes and suspicyons. For y ^e lord will not the holy handelers of hys bodye to be dyffamed of vnworthy persones, nor he hath geuen leue to bakbyte any of them. For he him selfe with his owne bodely handes whipped the vnpreistly preists out [Page] of the churche.

Dd CLement byshoppe in his fyrst booke of reknowlegementes, to Iames y ^e Lordes brother, bryn­geth in S. Peter thus speakinge. In conclusiō I warned them that before we went forwardes to prea­che among al people y ^e trew know­lege of god the Father, that they shoulde be reconcylyd frome synne to God, receauinge his sonne. For other wayes is ther none, to salua­cyon, or of declaringe oure good e­state, but by y ^e grace graunted and inspyred by the holy goste. Cc They dyd hast to be washed in the bapti­sme of the thre folde inuocation, but they dyd take the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ: who onely [Page iii] ought to be beleued enest y ^e things he hath taught. And in his second Epystle to Iames y ^e Lordes bro­ther, entyteled: de sacris, uasis, & uestibus. Byshop Clement to his derely beloued Iames, Byshop of Ierusalem. Forasmoche as we ha­ue so receaued, and be so taught by saynt Peter, the Father of all A­postels, who toke the keyes of hea­uen, how we shoulde vse the sacra­ments, and what we sholde iudge and defende of them, which are exe­cuted in y ^e holy places, it is semyng that I instructe you of the ordre of the same. The sacraments of the diuine secrets, are commytted to thre degrees: y ^t is to saye: a prest, a deacon, and a subdeacon, who with feare and trymblyng of god, ought to gather or kepe together y ^e frag­ments of the Lordes bodye: Least any corrupcion be founde or stycke [Page] in the place wher the hoosts ought to be kept, leste when it is negli­gently layde vp, the body of oure Lorde shoulde be moche indama­ged. For the cōmunion of the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ, yf it be neglygently delte, and the preast do not regarde y ^e admonyshments of lower offycers, let hym be stry­ken with some greuous sequestracion, and humbled or ponyshed w ^t a plage. Certes, let so greate and large sacrifice be offered in the al­ter in quantytie, as be suffycient for the rated nombre of people: yf there be any surpluse remayninge after the dystrybucyon, let thē not be reserued vntyll the next mor­nyng. But lowly and dreadefully let the clerkes receaue them. And they which do consume the residue of the Lordes bodye being lefte in the place of reseruacion: let them [Page iiii] not by and by go to gether, to as­saye or fyl them selues with com­mō meates, & lest they entermyngle other victuall, to the holy porcyon which ought fyrst by degestyon to be conuayde into y ^e innermost and entier parts. Therfore if they take repast of the Lordes bodye, let the ministers which haue so done in y ^e morowe earely, fast vntyl the syxe houre. And yf they haue eaten the Lordes porcyon at the thyrde or fourth houre: let them abstayne frō meate tyll nyght, thus by secrete sanctyfycation y ^e euerlastynge sa­cramentes are to be kept. And it to loweth: for the busines of the Lord ought not to be slackly accomplys­shed. Agayne, and agayne, we de­maunde, and commaunde of y ^e fragmentes & remanents of the body of our Lord, & the Chalice ordeyned for the vessel of our Lordes bloud, [Page] let it be warely and dilygētly prepared by the mynister: lest it scars clene washed by the deacon, maye turne hym to trespas in offeringe. Thus w ^t al honestye such thinges as we haue before spoken of, must be fulfilled. And in y ^e thyrd Epistle to the same entent (of the office of preistes and clerks) Dd Therfore it is behouable to vs here, ronnnig the rayce of this shorte lyfe, in this va­yle of mysery, to perceaue, acknowlege, and wholy to confyrme vs to the will of almighty God, where we ought, & what place is appoyn­ted for y ^e celebraciō of his sacrifices. For it is not lawfull to do masse or any sacrifyce in any place, but in ordynary places, commaunded and alowed by youre owne byshoppe, And consecrated by the cheif eccle­siasticall power in our dyoces. For otherwise, these holy things or deu­ties, [Page v] be not to be admynistred in y ^e holy scripture, both y ^e new & tholde testamente instructynge vs. This assertyon the Apostles haue recea­ued and lerned of our Lorde: And this haue they delyuered & taught vs. And these thinges we teache, & I ioyne you all which haue in hand any spiritual charge, to holde, vse, kepe, and execute the same, with oute any repyne or reprehension. Ee Here after foloweth y ^e order of the wordes which Saynt Clement v­sed in saying masse after this ma­ner. We desyre the O Lorde, that y ^u wilte send thy holy sprite vpon this sacrifyce, whiche maye make this breade the body of thy Christ, and that which is in the cuppe the blode of thy Christ.

SAynte Denyse one of the nom­ber of the seuere Iudges of A­thens conuerted by Saynt Paule. And by Saynte Clement, with these holy men Rusticus and Elu­therius sent into Fraunce: In the thyrde parte of the seconde Chap­ter entreatynge of Ecclesiasticall gouernaunce. In the last ende of al thinges dew to be done in perfight baptysinge. The bishop calleth y ^e baptyzed to y ^e most holy Eucharist, and geueth vnto them the Godly communion of the chefe and moste souerayne sacrament of the body & blode of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And in the fyrst part of y ^e .iii. chap. [Page vi] Nor it is almoste Godly or right any deutye belongynge a preistes office to be executed, oneles he accō plishe this diuine and moste riall sacrament of Euchariste. And in y ^e seconde parte of the sayde chapter. And the principalles of the same order together with the preistes do put vppon the aulter the holye bread, & the chalyce of benedictiō: when there hathe gone before an vniuersall prayse, and confession of the hole quere. That done the reuerente prelate makinge an holy prayer, doth shew holy peace to all the congregacyon. And when they haue one another saluted, the my­sticall reheresall of holye thinges is made. And when the prelate and other preistes haue washed their handes, the Byshoppe standeth at the myddes of the aulter.

All the onelye electe and chosen [Page] preistes that shall receaue, taken oute of the nombre of the myni­sters do stande aboute. But the byshoppe as sone as he hath pray­sed and extolled the Godly gyftes: maketh y ^e holy and high misteries, and sheweth openly those thinges whiche he hath extolled, before hyd and couered with reuerent tokens. And holdinge in sight reuerently the Godly rewardes, he hym selfe is turned to the holy cōmunion of the Lordes maundeth: and dothe exhort the people to take parte. At the last communion receaued and geuen to all that come to receaue it, he geueth thankes and fynys­sheth y ^e mysterys. And in the third parte of the same Chapiter, in this maner trulye whan that the last & moste excellent bounty of God is praysed & magnified: y ^e diuine drink and cuppe of blessynge is handled [Page vii] & propoūded. Aa And it foloweth: but marke this also, that the reuerent tokens being set vpon the aulter, by the which Christ is betokened & taken: and by & by without delay, the description of sayntes is there present, declaringe their insepera­ble coniunctions, and moste holye and high vnyon with Christe. And it foloweth: wherefore reuerently, & of his Byshoply office, after his holy prayse of the diuine workes, he humbly excusethe hym selfe, for that he offeryth and sacrifyseth y ^e helthfull hoost whiche is ouer hym, cryinge vnto hym comely at fyrste, sayinge. Thou hast sayd: do this in remembraunce of me. Then thus great a mysterye being of God in­ymytation of hym selfe, he doth re­quire and praye to be made a sem­blable to Christ as frayle mā may, y ^t he maye bothe make y ^e sacrament [Page] worthely, and purely distribute it. And y ^t they, who be aboute to re­ceaue y ^e holy communion, may worthely take parte with hym. And so he mynistreth the moste reuerente mystery, and setteth them in sight propounded holilye vnder signes. Either else he openeth, and disco­uereth the couert and vndeuyded breade, brekynge it in peces & par­tynge one chalyce amonge thē all, he dothe multyply shaply & distribute y ^e vnite of our Lordes blood, contayned within y ^e sayde chalyce. Thus consumyth the holy myste­rye. For that wyne symply and se­cretly y ^e bloud of our Lorde by his dyuyne worde in his assumption of our humayne nature, hathe gone before and occupied place or he was entered that compound and visible signe of his incomparable bownty & power: wherein it is mercyfully [Page viii] made euident w ^t how suer a knot of socyetye, he hath fastened vs to hym, ioyninge his diuine excellent existence to our earthy matters. Surely let vs agre with hym, e­uen as members with the body, & let vs be glued vnto hym by sem­blablenes of clene & godly lyuing. Lest murdered w ^t vglye vyce, we may be made vnmete for the dyui­ne and moste delicate members, be­ing not able to styck with him, but slydynge into cōtynuance of nau­ghty lyfe.

N A Sacrifice is offered vpon an alter vnto God, not to man nor Angell. Nor that is not onely done vpon an alter halowed, but a clene sacrifyce is offered vnto God in euery place as he dothe testifye, whose boody and blood we offer, to optayne euerlastynge lyfe. Truely euen the same offerynge which the Iewes made in despyte, wenynge to haue abolished his name oute of the earthe, whiche we make in the consecrate alter for our saluation, knowyng & beleuing onely by this remedy, to attayne lyfe and escape death. For this the Lorde comma­unded vs to do in remembrance of hym.

X LEt the stable Eucharist be de­med affirmydly the bodye and bloode of Christ. And in his epistle that he writeth vnto y ^e Romayns, I desyre saith he, the fode of God, the heauenly fode of lyfe, which is the fleshe of Iesu Christ, the sonne of the lyuinge God, who was borne in y ^e last tyme, of the fead of Dauid & Abraham, & I desyre for to drynk the bloode of hym who is loue with out corruption, and lyfe euerla­styng. X They do not admyt the Eu­charist, and oblations, bycause thei do not confesse the Eucharist to be y ^e flesh of our Sauiour Iesu christ which flesh suffred for our synnes whiche fleshe the father by his be­nignitye hathe steryd vp.

C IN the oblation of Sacramen­tes whiche be made solemply at masses the passion of our Lorde is to be mengled, to the intente that his passion may be celebrate, whose body and bloud is made, so that all wicked and supersticious opynions abolyshed, breade only and wyne myxte with water, maye be offered in the sacrifyce, for synnes and cry­mes therby are done awaye: with the whiche oblations the Lorde is contented and pleased, and will forgeue high and gretious offēces, for what more myghty and suffe­ring sacrifice maye be, then of the body and bloud of Christ.

A AGaynst y ^e heresyes of Valen­tius and suche other. We offer those thinges vnto hym whi­che belongeth vnto hym, prea­chinge accordinglye the communi­on and vnitie of fleshe and sprite, for lyke as the breade made of grayne taken frome the grounde, called by consecration, is no more nowe commentable breade, but the bodye and bloude of Christe, ston­ding vpon .ii. thinges, an earth­ly and an heauenlye: euen so oure bodyes perceauing the sacrament, be no more now corruptible, hauīg hope of resurrection. And ī his fyft boke agaynst heresyes. A By what meanes therfore both y ^e myxed cup and the frute of breade perceaueth the worde of God, X is made the Eu­charist of the body and bloude of Christ.

For God in that he is God: hathe nether breth bones ne fleshe. But speakynge as cōcernynge that dis­position and proportion whiche is like vnto man whiche standeth compacte of flesh, synowes, and bo­nes, whiche is norished with the cuppe, whiche is the bloode, and is enoreasyd with the breade whiche is his body.

OVre fleshe eateth the bodye & bloode of Christ, that y ^e soule also may be replenyshed and fully fed with God.

And in his boke of prayer he saith, bread is the worde of the lyuinge God, which came doune īto his fote stole of the earth from his throne of heauen. Then his veraye bodye [Page xi] is demyd and thought to be in the similitude of breade. Saynge: This is my body. Ff Therfore we clamynge & requirynge our dayelye bread, do aske a perpetuite, & cōtynuaunce in Christ and an vnseperable vnite with his body. Agaynst Marcyon he saith: we do knowe, receaue and beleue all the gospelles of Christ by the churche, and not otherwyse.

NOw not onely to the weake or sycke but to y ^e valyant peace is necessarye. Not only to perso­nes departyng, but to the liuinge communion shoulde be minystred, to y ^e intent we maye not leaue thē naked and weaponles, whome we [Page] exhort to battayle. But y ^t we maye defend them with the shelde of the bodye and bloude of Christ. And whē y ^e body & bloud of Christ is mi­nistred y ^t it maye be a sauegarde to the receauers, and that we Arme them with y ^e armour of the Lordes health, whō we wolde saue agaynst our gostely enemy. For why should we teache, or moue them to spende their bloud in confessinge Christes name, yf in this chiuallry we deny them the bloude of Christe? Or by what meanes do we make them fyt for the cup of martirdome, if we do not admyt them fyrste to drynke of the chalice of y ^e righteous cōmu­nicatynge of y ^e Lorde in y ^e churche.

WHan ye receaue y ^e holy meat and vncorrupted dishe, thou dost vse the breade and the cup of lyfe, thou eatest and drinkest y ^e bo­dy and bloud of our Lorde, ther the Lorde enterest into thy house.

LEt vs beleue God in euery thinge and not saye agaynst hym, Verba dei defrauda­ri non pūt yea although the thing that he sayth doth appere an inconueni­ence both to our sences, thought, & vnderstandinge, and dothe also exceade our sences, capacite, and reasone. Let vs I beseche you, be­leue his wordes in al thinges, but chefly in the sacrament, not onely vpō those thinges, which lye before vs: His wordes can no the deceaued, our sen­ces ma [...] easely be deceiued but considerynge also his wor­des. For by his wordes we can not be deceaued, His wordes can not be false, oursences are most ea­sy to be dyssayued. Wherfore seyng Christe hathe sayde. This is my bodye, [Page] let vs nothinge doute therof but beleue and perceaue it with the eyes of our vnderstanding.

WHo is the author of the sa­cramentes, but our Lorde Iesus? these sacramētes came frō heauen, for all counsell is frome [Page] heauen, but verely greate & God­ly is the myracle, that God rayned from heauen to the people An­gelles foode. Exod. 16. And y ^e people labored not, and yet did eate, A Thou pera­uenture sayest: my bread is had cō ­mēly in vse, but this bread, is bread before the sacramentall wordes, but after consecration hathe ap­proched, of bread is made the flesh of Christ. I Let vs therfore fortefye and approue this: how it which is breade can be y ^e body of Christ by consecration? Of what wordes than and of whose sayinges consi­steth the consecration? euen of our Lord Iesu, for by al other thinges which are spoken, S prayse is offered to God, and prayer & supplication is made for the people, for y ^e kynge & for other thinges. But whā it is come to passe y ^t y ^e sacramēt (worthy to be honoured) must be cōsecrated [Page xxii] now the preist vseth not his owne worde, but the wordes of Christe. Therfore the worde of Christ doth make or consecrate this sacramēt. Whiche word of Christ? it truly, by the whiche al thinges are made. The Lorde commaunded, and hea­uen was made. The Lord commaū ded, and the earth was made. The lord commaunded & the seas was made. The Lord cōmaunded & euery creature was begotten & borne. Seest y ^u than how mighty in wor­king the word of God is? therfore, if so great power, strength: & vertu be in the word of our lorde Iesu, y ^e thinges whiche were not, began to be: howe muche more is it able to worke y ^t the things were, might be chaunged into another thing? hea­uē was not, y ^e sea was not, Psa. 14▪ y ^e earthe was not. But here y ^e prophet Da­uid speaking of god, he spake the word, & the thin­ges [Page] were made, he commaun­ded and the thinges was created. Than let me answer, it was not y ^e body of christ before the consecrati­on, but after the consecration I say vnto the, that now it is the body of Christe. He spake the word and it was done, he commaunded and it was created. Thou thy selfe was: but thou was an olde creature. Af­ter y ^t thou was dedicated to God & baptisyd, thou began to be a new creature. Wylt thou knowe how new a creature thou arte? Euery man (saith Saynt Paule) is by Christ anew creature, here therfore, 2. Cor. 5. lo, the worde of Christe hathe bene wonte to chaunge euery creature: and chaungeth whan it will the customes and ordinaūces of nature. Thou requirest how? Harken. And fyrst of all let vs take example of Christes generation. The custome [Page xxiii] is, that man can not be generate but of man and woman, and wed­locke company: but bycause it was our Lordes pleasure who choose this Sacrament, Christ was borne of the holy ghost, and of a vyrgyn, that is to saye: the mediatoure of God and men, Christe Iesus verye man. Than thou seest, that against the custome and order of nature, a man was borne of a vyrgin. Take an other example. Exod. 14 The children of Israell was oppressed of the Egi­ptians, closed in with the sea on e­uery syde, by the commaundement of God Moyses touched the water with his rodde, and the water deuided her selfe a sonder: which vere­ly was not after the custome of her nature, but according to the grace of the heauenly commaundement. Take an other example. Exod, 15. The chil­dren of Israell was thurstye, and [Page] came to a fountayne of water, the whiche was bytter, not able to be dronke: Holy Moyses dyd cast a tre into the water, and it was made swete which before was bitter, that is to saye: it chaunged the custome of nature, and toke the swetnes of grace. Take also y ^e fourth example It fortuned as a man was felling doune a tre besides the floude Iordayne, 4, Reg. 6. the axe hed full into the wa­ter and sonke to the botome (as the custome of Iron is to do) the pro­phet Heleseus dyd cast a sticke of woode into the water, and imme­diately the Iron came vp & swymmed aboue the water, the whiche verely is against y ^e nature of yron. For the stuffe & substaunce of Iron is moch heuyer than is y ^e element of water. Dost thou thē by these examples vnderstande how mightily the heauenly worde worketh? yf y ^e [Page xxiiii] heauēly worde hath wrought in an earthy fōtayne, yf it hath wrought in other thinges, doth not it also worke in y ^e heauenly sacramentes? Pauis f [...] eory 9 christi. than y ^u hast learned y ^t of bread may be made the body of Christ. And y ^e wine and water is put into y ^e cha­lice: C but it is made bloude by the consecration of the heauenly word But perauenture thou wilt saye, I se not the forme of bloude. Euen as thou hast taken the similitude of death in baptyme, Respo [...] so dost thou drinke the similitude of the preci­ouse bloude, that there be no feare of bloude, and yet y ^t it maye worke the price of redemption. Thou hast therfore learned, that y ^e thing which thou takest is the bodye of Christ, and y ^e bloude of our Lorde.

Wilt thou know that it is con­secrate with heauenly wordes. Here what the words be. The prest [Page] sayth: Make (sayth he) this oblati­on enrolled, reasonable whiche is a fygure of the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Iesu Christ: Qui pri­die. whiche the daye afore that he suffered, he toke breade in his holy handes, loked to heauen, to his holy father almigh­ty God, geuynge thankes, blessed, brake, and beinge broken, gaue it to his Apostels and Disciples, say­inge: Take and eate of this all, for this is my body that shall be broken for many. And in lyke maner, he toke the cuppe after he had supped (the daye before that he shoulde suffer) and loked to hea­uen, to the holy father almyghtye, euerlastynge God, geuynge than­kes, blessed, gaue it to his Apostels and Disciples, sayinge: Take and drynke of this all, for this is my bloude. Se al these be the wordes of the Euan­gelyst vnto, Take ye, whether it be the body or bloude, then be the wordes [Page xxv] of Christe: Take and drynke of it all, A Afore it is consecrate it is breade: [...] Corpus christi est. but when the wordes of Christe come, it is the bodye of Christ. Furthermore heare hym sayinge: Take and eate of it all: this is my body, C And afore the wordes of Christe, the cuppe is full of wyne and water: When the wordes of Christe haue wroughte, there is the bloude made, whiche hath redemed the people. Then se in howe greate kyndes is the word of Christ myghty and able to con­uert all maner of thinges. Further more, the Lorde Iesus hym selfe doth testifie vnto vs, that we may take his bodye and bloude, should we then doubte of his fayth and wytnessynge. Lib. 4. de Sacramentis Nowe come with me to my proposition. It is surelye a greate and worshypfull thynge, that he dyd raygne Manna from heauen to the Iewes. But vnder­stand, [Page] what is more, the Manna from heauen, or the body of Christ? Surelye the bodye of Christe, whiche is maker of heauen. O Far­thermore he that did eate Manna is deade. But he that hath eaten this bodye, it shalbe to hym for­geuenes of synnes, and he shall neuer dye. Therfore thou sayst not in vayne Amen, So be it. Now thou confessinge in sprite that thou takest the bodye of Christe, the preist saith to the, The body of Christ. And thou faiste Amen. That is true that which he con­fesseth hath the desyre. B It is to be knowen y ^t in pronounsing of these wordes. Bread is turned into the body of Christe. This is my bodye, a miste­rye is done. And breade is tur­ned into Christes bodye. If thou aske how? we leauinge these thyn­ges not certayne, do affirme that which is of auctorities, that is [Page xxvi] to say, that the substaunce of bread and wine, is conuerted into the substaunce of the bodye and bloude of our lorde. B

And we be not ashamed to con­fesse that we knowe not the maner of turnynge. For the thynges that remayne of the former substaunce, accidentia manent be accidentes, that is: the coloure, sauour, fourme, and weyghte. Nor yet they do make the bodye of Christ, nor can be grounded therin. But if it be asked where they be founded, we saye, Hic deo idēs manet sine subiectodo uirtute di­uina, that by diuyne miracle, they be sustayned without substaunce.

This is truely a greate misterye, and vnsearcheable. We be com­maunded to beleue: we be not per­mitted to discusse, We be commaū ded to beleue, but not to discusse. all thinges that the Lorde wolde he dyd in hea-and in earth. And because so he wolde, so it was. So thoughe [Page] the figure of breade and wyne be seene: yet after the consecration, we muste beleue nothinge els, but the fleshe and bloude of Christe. Wherefore the truth doth saye to his Disciples: This is my fleshe for the lyfe of the worlde, and that I might speake more maruelously it is playnely none other but that which was borne of the virgin Marye, and suffered on the crosse, and rose out of the graue. This I saye is it. And therfore is it y ^e fleshe of Christ, which for the lyfe of y ^e worlde yet to daye is offered, the breade of angelles is made the meate of men: wherfore he sayth: I am the lyuely bread which cam doune from hea­uen. Also, the breade which I will gyue is my fleshe for the lyfe of the world. By these two sentences it is geuen openly to be vnderstanded, that this breade and that, be not [Page xxvii] two, but one breade and one fleshe, and withoute doute is made one bodye. That verely, y ^t surely, which was taken of the virgyn, y ^t suffe­red, that was buryed, that arose a­gayne and ascended into heauen, & sitteth on the right hande of God the father, and which is to come, to Iudge the quicke & the dead. And that thou mayste knowe this to be a sacramēt, the figure of this went before, afterwarde, know how gret a Sacramēt it is, Of the excellen­cie & gretnes of this Sacrament. se what he saith. As ofte as ye shall do this, so ofte shal ye make a remembrance of me vntil I come. Ee Therfore we hauing in mind his most glorious passion, & resurrection from hel, & his ascentiō to heauē, we do offer vnto this spotles sacrifice, reasonable host, bloudlesse offering, this holy bread and Cuppe of lyfe euerlastyng. We bothe aske and pray the that thou [Page] woldest take this oblation into thy high alter, by y ^e handes of thy holy Angelles, as y ^u haste vouchesafe to receaue the rewardes of thy Iust seruante Abell, and the sacrifice of our patriarke Abraham, and that which the high preist Mel­chisedech hathe offered vnto the. Therfore how oft soeuer y ^u dost re­ceaue? what saith the Apostel to y ^e. Howe ofte so euer we do take, we do show the Lordes death. If we showe deathe, we showe remissi­on of synnes: Remission of synnes. howe ofter so euer bloude is shed, it is shed in remis­sion of synnes. I muste alwaye take it that my synnes maye be re­mytted. I that alwaye do synne muste alwaye haue a medison. De Sacra­mentis. li. 6. Cap. 1 For as our Lorde Iesu Christ is the true sonne of God, not as men by grace, but as a sonne of the sub­staunce of his father: So is it the [Page xxviii] veray fleshe (as he sayde) and the veray bloude whiche we drinke. But perauenture ye may saye, how veray fleshe? I that se y ^e similitude se not the truthe of the bloude. Fyrst I tolde you of the worde of Christ, which worketh that it is a­ble to chaunge and conuert kyndes of nature institute. Farthermore whan his disciples dyd not take the worde of Christ, but hearinge that he wolde gyue them his fleshe to eate, and his bloude to drynke, they went backe, yet Peter onely sayde, thou hast the wordes of lyfe, and shal I go from the? Therfore least that mo shoulde saye so, as ther were a certayne fear of bloud, but that the grace of the redemer might abyde styll, therfore in a si­militude thou takest the sacramēt: but yet thou gettest the grace and vertue of the true nature.

S It is therfore no meane questi­on, and therfore we should the more diligently consyder, what is y ^e fotestole. For we reade in a nother place, heauen is my throne, and the earthe the fotestole of my fete. But yet the earth is not to be worship­ped of vs, because it is a creatur of God. And yet let vs se though, lest the Prophete name the earth to be worshypped, which our Lord Iesus toke in y ^e takinge of fleshe. So thē by the fotestole let y ^e earth be vnderstand, & then by the earth the flesh of Christ which we do now worship (also in the misteries) and which y ^e Apostelles (as we haue be­fore sayd) worshiped in our lord Iesu, for christ is not deuided but one.

Q Christ was borne in his own hā ­des.CHrist was borne in his owne handes. Howe can that be in man? Who can vnderstand, for who is borne in his owne handes? A man may be borne in other mens handes, no manne is borne in his owne handes. Howe it may be vn­derstande in Dauid (after the let­ter) I fynde not, in Chryste we fynde. Christ truely was borne in his owne handes, when he (geuing his bodye) sayth: This is my body, That body verely was borne in his owne handes.

I Haue geuen to the Iewes the eatinge of my bodye. I beinge both the meate & the gest, so dyd he vnderstande christes wordes.

Also vpon these wordes of Malachye the fyrst chap. ye offered vpon myne alter poluted breade, (saithe Ierome) we poluted breade, that is the bodye of Christ, when we vnworthelye come to the alter and being foule, do drinke clene bloud: for when sacramentes be defiled, he whose they be is defyled.

PEtrus Lumbardus sayth in his .iiii. boke. and the .xii. chap. After this, it is asked whether that that the preist doth, maye be sayde properly a sacrifice or immolation, and whether Christ be dayly immolate and offered, or onely once?

Whervnto it may be shortly aun­swered: that whiche is offered and consecrated of the preist, is called a sacrifice and oblation, because it is a memorye and representation of the true sacrifice, and holy immo­lation done in the aulter of the crosse. And Christ was once deade [Page xlviii] on the crosse, and ther was offered in hym selfe, but he is dayly immolate or offered in the Sacrament: because in the sacrament there is made a memorye of that is once done. Whervpon saynt Augusten in his .xxiii. Epistle, written vpon the .vi. chap. vnto the Romaynes, sayth: We are assured that Christe rysing from death, dyeth not now. &c. yet least we shoulde forget that is once done, in oure memorye e­uery yeare is done, that is to saye: as often as the Pascha is cele­brate, is Christ as often kylled?

P No: onely a yearely remembraunce representeth that was once done, and causeth vs to be moued, as though we sawe oure LORDE on the crosse. Also Christe was once offered in hym selfe, and yet is dayly offered in the sacramente, whiche is thus to be vnderstande, [Page] that in the open shewynge of his bodye and distinction of his mem­bers he dyd hange onely once vp­on the crosse, offerynge hym selfe to God the father an hoost of redemption effectuall for them whom he hathe predestinate. Also Saynte Ambrose. In Christ the host was once offered, beinge of power to helth: what do we then? Do we not offer euery daye? and if we offer e­uery daye, it is done in the remem­braunce of the death of hym. And the host is one and not many: How one and not manye? because Christ is once offered. This is the ex­ample of that, and the same, and alwayes the same is offered.

Therfore this is the same sacrifice, or else it maye be sayde: because it is offered in many places, there be many Christes, whiche is not so: But one Christ euery where and [Page xlx] here full, and there full, so as that whiche is offered euery where is one bodye, and so also one sacrifice: Christ hath offered the host, we do offer the same also now: but that we do, is a remembraunce of the sa­crifice. D Nor ther is no cause found of the one inualidite or weaknes because it perfiteth the man. Here is gathered, that to be a sacrifice, and to be so called, that is done in the alter, and Christ to be onse offered and daily offered. But other wyse then, and other wyse now, and also it is shewed what is the vertu of this sacrament, that is to saye re­mission of veniall synne and per­fection of vertu.

OVr Lorde leauinge nothinge to the consciēce of the faithful [Page] he taughte the effecte of naturall efficacye, sayinge that they may be one, euen as we be one. I in them, and they in me, that they be per­fect in one. Them I do nowe sake that do put an vnitie of wyll be­twene the father & the sonne: Whether or no, by the truth of nature, Christ be to day in vs, or by con­corde of wyll. For yf we take true­lye the worde beinge fleshe in our Lordes meate: Howe is it not to be estemed hym to abyde in vs na­turallye, whiche toke the nature of oure fleshe, then inseperable to hym, beinge borne man? And the nature of his fleshe, to the nature of eternitie, vnder a Sacrament of his fleshe to vs to be geuen, hathe myngled for so we be al one. For euen in Christe is the father, and Christe in vs. Therefore who­soeuer doth generally deny the fa­ther [Page l] in Christe, let hym deny fyrste (not naturally) ether hym in christ, or Christ to be in hym. For the fa­ther in Christ, and Christ in vs, maketh vs to be one in them. If therfore Christ haue truely taken flesh of the bodye of the vyrgyn, and that, that verye man whiche was borne of Marye be Christ, and we truely vnder a mysterye, take the fleshe of his bodye, and shalbe one therby because the father is in him and he in vs. Howe is the wyll of vnite affyrmed, whan a propertye naturall by sacramentes is per­fyghtlye a Sacrament of vnitie? It is not for the wytte of man, or the wytte of the worlde to speake in Goddes wordes, nor by violent and shamefull preachynge of hea­uenlye wordes, with straunge health, the frowardenes of a wyc­ked [Page] vnderstandinge to be gotten oute. Let vs reade those thinges that be written, and then we shall vse the offyce of perfight saith. For those thinges that we speake of the naturall veritie of Christ (except we learne them of Christ, whiche we speake of hym) we saye and learne folyshly and wyckedly. For he saith: my fleshe verely is meate, and my bloud verely is drinke. He that ea­teth my fleshe & drinketh my bloud, he abideth in me, & I in him. There is no place left of doutinge of the verite of fleshe and bloud. For now by our Lordes profession and our faith, he is verely fleshe and verely bloude. And these taken and dron­ken do that thinge that bothe we be in Christ, and Christ in vs, is not this a truthe? let it happen playne­ly to them not to be trewe, whiche deny y ^t Christe is veray trew God. [Page] And therfore is he in vs by fleshe, and we in hym: when he with hym selfe, that that we be, he is in God. And for asmoche as by sacrament of flesh & bloud cōmunicate, we be in hym, he beareth witnesse saying, and this worlde doth not nowe se me: but you shall se me. For I am in my father and you in me, and I in you. If he wolde onely the vni­te of will to be vnderstande, why dyd he expounde a certayne degre and order of vnite to be consum­mate? but that when he shulde be in the father by nature of diuinite, we agayne shoulde be in hym, by his corporall natiuite. And he af­terwarde in vs myght be beleued to be by a mystery of sacramentes. And that this naturall vnite is in vs, he doth thus witnes. He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude, dwelleth in me, and I in [Page] hym. For none shalbe in hym, but in whome he will be. Thou hast onely his fleshe taken into hym selfe, whiche toke his owne.

BAsill in the rule that he gaue to his brethrē, taught y ^e same of the Sacrament, of the whiche by them there is a question put forth after this maner. With what maner of feare, Timer dei fides. or faith or affect, we owght to take the grace of the bodye and bloude of Christ is opē: vnto y ^t whiche question thus he answereth. The Apstle teacheth vs feare, saying. He that eateth & drinketh vnworthely, he eateth & drin­keth his iudgemente, not iudge­ginge the body of our Lorde. The worde of our Lorde teacheth vs [Page lii] faith sayinge: This is my bodye whiche shalbe geuen for you, Fides do [...] cetur de­sacramen­to. this do ye in remembraunce of me. Agayne the sayinge of Iohn, that the worde is made flesshe, and hath dwelt in vs, and we haue sene his glory as of the onely be­gotten sonne of the father, full of grace and truth. Also the Apostle saithe, whiche when he was in the forme of God, thought it no robery to be equall with god. But he dyd make hym selfe of no repu­tacion, takynge on hym the shape of a seruaunte, and became lyke vnto men, and was founde in his apparell as a man, he humbled hym self and becam obe­diente vnto the deathe, euen the deathe of y ^e crosse: he therfore that beleuith these wordes and considereth the greatenesse of his glory, and doth meruell at y ^e greatenesse of his humilite, howe suche and so [Page] so greate a one was obedient to the father vnto death for our lyfe, I thinke that the soule maye be prouoked to affection of God the father, whiche spared not his owne sonne, but gaue hym for vs all, and vnto the loue of his onely begotten sonne he shall the more be prouoked, that he feith hym suffer most shamefull deathe for our redemption. 2. Cor. 5. Euen as the A­postle dyd saye of hym: For the loue of God dothe constrayne vs iudgyng that, that if one dyed for all, that they euen whiche lyue, nowe lyue not to them selues, but to hym that dyed for them, and rose agayne. Souche affecte and faith therfore, shoulde he pre­pare in his mynde, whiche dothe participate of the breade and cup. If there be greate threatenyn­ges put for them in the olde lawe, [Page liii] that rashely go to those holy thin­ges whiche be of men sanctifyed, What is to be sayde on hym whi­che vnto souche & so greate a mi­sterye (that is to saye of the body & bloude of our Lorde) is folyshly rashe? For the greater that any thinge is then they in the temple, after y ^e Lordes voyce, so moche the more greuouse and terrible it is to hym that is constitute in y ^e vn­clennes of y ^e soule, rashely to touch the body of Christ, the Apostle say­inge: he y ^t eateth and drinketh vn­woorthely, shalbe gyltye of y ^e body & bloude of our Lorde. yea a more vehement, and more terrible iud­gement expressynge by repeticion: Let man proue hym selfe. If a man onely beinge constitute in vnclennes, haue so terrible iudge­ment, how moche more he whi­che when he is in synne, presumeth [Page] to attayne to our Lordes bodye dothe get to hym selfe iudgement. Therfore let vs make cleane our selues frome all filthynes, and so let vs come to the holy thinges that we escape the iudgemente of them that put our Lord to death.

WHen y ^e Capharnytes whiche perceaued y ^e power of godly vertues of our Sauiour, by mira­cle of tokens, shoulde gladely re­ceaue his sermon, and yf any thin­ge semyd harde they humblye sho­ulde haue desyered the solucion of them, To ask this questiō how is a Iu­es word but they allway do con­trary sayinge: how can he geue vs his fleshe? they cryed together of God with greate wyckednesse, nor it came to their myndes that [Page liiii] nothinge is impossible with God. For when they were carnall (as Paule saithe) they coulde not vnderstād spirituall thinges. But let vs I beseche you take a ensample at the synnes of others, and puttinge sure faith to mysteryes, euer in so high thinges this worde how: Let vs eyther thinke or pro­nounce, for this is a Iewes worde, and the cause of extreme tor­ment. Therfore Nicodemus when he sayde: how can this thinge be done? he harde worthely. Arte thou a master in Israel, and kno­west not these thinges? Therfore we being taught by the faute of other when God worketh, let vs not aske how. But let vs graunte to hym onely the waye of knowe­leage of his owne worke. For as thoughe none knew what god is after nature, yet by faith he [Page] iustified, when he beleueth hym to geue rewardes to them that seke hym. So though he knew not the maner of his workes, when yet by fayth he doubteth not hym to be able to do all thinges, he getteth rewardes of this goodnes, not to be contempned. For our Lorde by Esaye represseth vs sayinge: My counsayles be not as yours, nor my wayes as yours: As the hea­uens be exalted from the earth, so be my wayes exalted from youre wayes, and my thoughtes from your thoughtes. Be not they wor­thy greate tormentes, which do so contempne God the maker of all thinges, that they dare in his wor­kes saye howe? whom Scripture hath taught that he is able to do all thinges. O thou Iewe, howe cryest thou also now, this is folish­nesse: I also gladly folowyng, wyll [Page lv] aske the, how dyddest thou go out of Egypt? How was Moses rodde turned into a serpent? How dydde waters goo into the nature of bloude? Howe dyd oure fathers e­scape through the myddes of the seas, as by dry lande? Howe dydde welles of water fly out of a stone? Howe stode Iordane? How by one­ly crye, dyd stronge Hierico fall? There be innumerable thinges, Quomo­do euerti [...] totam dei scripturā & eius o­pera de [...] struit. in the whiche yf they aske howe, thou must nedes turne all scripture: wherfore it dyd rather behoue you to beleue Christ: and yf any harde thinge be sene vnto you, to aske of hym mekely, then lyke dronkards to crye out, how can he geue vs his fleshe?

In the same boke. Cap. xiiii.

It behoueth fyrst to stablysh the rootes of fayth in thy mynde, and then to enquire these thinges that [Page] be for man to be enquired, for to teacheth Esayas. Except ye beleue ye shall not vnderstand. But they afore they dyd beleue, dyd importunately aske, and for that cause our Lorde howe it myghte be done, dyd not disclose. But vnto his disciples beleuinge, he gaue the fragmentes of breade sayinge: Take and eate this is my bodye, and of the cuppe, Drinke ye of this all: this is the cup of my bloude Thou doest perceaue that vnto them enquyringe withoute fayth, he dyd not shewe the maner of the mistery: Christus misterium exposu [...]t credentibus, non infidelibus But to them that beleued (and not askinge howe) he dydde expounde. Lette them here this, whiche wyll not yet by reason of pryde receaue Christes fayth. Ex­cepte ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his bloude, ye shall not haue lyfe in you. For thei cannot with sanctifienge of a bles­sed [Page lvi] lyfe, be parteners of fayth, whiche by mysticall blessynge hathe not receaued Iesu Christe. For he is lyfe after nature whiche is got­ten afore of mā: But no lesse doth his bodye quicken. For it is ioy­ned vnspeakeably to the sonne of GOD, of whome all thinges be quickened. Therefore it is called his bodye, and is one with him.

For after the incarnation, it is one, and abydeth one without deuision at all. But onelye that the worde of the father, The word of y ^e father and the tēple taken of, y ^e virgin be not in natur one thīg and the temple taken of the vyrgin be not in na­ture one thynge. For man taken is not of the same substaunce with the worde of GOD, yet one with it, in a communication in­effable. Howe than? the flesshe of oure Sauioure to the worde of God, whiche is naturallye lyfe be­inge ioyned, is made lyuely when [Page] we eate it, then haue we lyfe. Not onely to the worde alway: but also touchinge often tymes. Our Lord Iesus dyd rayse deade men, as we reade. Luke .vii. that he myghte shewe his bodye also to be able to geue lyfe: that if by his onely tou­chinge, corrupt thinges were made hoole agayne, how shal not we liue whiche both taste, and eate that fleshe? for he wyll alwaye reforme to his immortalitie the parteners of hym. Desyre not thou Iewe to ask how Nor desyre not thou Iew, to aske howe: but remember, tho­ugh water be naturally colde, yet by the comminge to of fyre, forget­tynge his coldenes, it doth scalde. This same way also we, thoughe our nature be corruptible, yet by partakinge of lyfe, (beinge called from our wyckednes to the proper tye of it) we be fashyoned agayne to lyfe. He that eateth Christes [Page lvii] fleshe, hath lyfe euerlastynge. N For the fleshe hath the worde of God, that is lyfe eternall naturallye. Therefore he sayth: I wyll rayse hym vp in the laste day. I he sayd: that is, my body that shalbe eatē. I wyll rayse vp hym. For he is not another thinge, but his owne flesh. I saye not that, that by nature he is another thinge: but that after his incarnation, he doth not suffer him selfe to be deliuered into two sonnes. I therfore sayth he, whiche am made man by fleshe, wyll in the last daye rayse them vp that eate me. My flesshe is very meate, and my bloude is very drinke. Christe maketh a difference here betwene the misticall benediction, and Mā ­na: and the riuers of waters oute of the stone, and the commynge of the holy cuppe. Thei did not bring eternall lyfe: but a shorte remedye [Page] of hunger. But the holy bodye of Christ is noryshynge meate to im­mortalitie, and lyfe eternall. Therfore we be the body and members of Christ, because by this blessinge of the mistery, we do take the ve­raye sonne of God.

He that eateth my fleshe. &c. For as muche as it is an harde thynge, and by faith rather then other­wayes. He is receaued manye and dyuerse wayes, he expoundeth the maruelouse profight of it conser­nynge the foundation & ground to be faith, Exemplū de cord, Vnum corpus Christosumus. Eodem lib cap. 19 as yf one dyd put to mol­ted wax other wax, he muste nedes mengle the one with the other. E­uen so if one receaue the flesh and bloud of our Lord, he must be ioy­ned w ^t him, that Christe be founde in hym and he in Christ.

This is the bread that came doun from heauen, surely they be great [Page lviii] thinges, whiche be done of greate men. N Therfore those thinges that be geuen of Christ, is breade frome heauen: for it geueth to the eaters euerlastynge lyfe. A greate signe of the Godhead in his bodye sure­lye nature to inhabite. For these thinges be therfore geuen whiche passe al other nature. And therfore they of the rude sorte be lesse be­leued: but the most riche nature geueth greatest riches, whiche Paul also merueilinge cryeth. The eye hath not sene, nor the eare hath not hard, nor into many hath not come those thinges whiche God hath or deined to them that loue him. Let vs not therfore misse here only the wordes of Christ, but let vs geue credit to him y ^e teacheth vs faith, for els we shalbe vexed w ^t the mysbeleuers. Iesus knowinge y ^t they murmered by experiēce that many [Page] whiche folowed Christ, not percey­uinge his wordes, were trobled, they thought thei were called of Christ to y ^e cruell maners of wilde beastes, and to be styred, that they shoulde eate the rawe fleshe of mā and drinke the bloude, whiche to heare is horrible. For as yet they dyd not know of this mistery the forme and moste Godly dispensa­cion. They thought how the flesh of this man coulde gyue eternall lyfe: but he, vnto whose eyes all thinges were naked and opē, dothe by another marueylouse thinge, bringe them to faith, you be (saith he), troubled in vayne for my wor­des. What, and if ye do not beleue lyfe to be geuen to you in my bo­dye? what will ye do when ye shall se me ascende vp to heauen? what will ye saye then seyng that? will not that be a greate argument of [Page lix] youre madnesse? If ye do thinke that my fleshe is not able to geue you lyfe, howe shall it ascende into heauen as a byrde? howe shall it fly through the ayer? This in like maner is vnpossible to mankinde. If so be that my fleshe agaynst nature, shall ascende to heauen, what letteth, that also agaynste nature it maye quicken. For he y ^e made this earthely body heauen­ly, he also made it quicknynge. thoughe by the nature of it selfe, it be corruptible. But remem­ber agayne Christ to be one, and not two, as many do folishly af­fyrme. Consyder I say, that euery where after incarnacion he shew­eth hym selfe to be inuisible. Super Iohannem. The sprite it is that quickenyth, the fleshe dothe nothing profight at all, though the nature of flesh (as it is fleshe) cannot quicken yet it [Page] maye do this, be cause it hathe ta­ken so greate operation of the worde, for it is a bodye, not of euery man, whose fleshe can any thinge prosight. For not of Paul or Peter or of others: But of the veray lyfe, and the bodye of our Sauiour Iesu Christ, into whiche the fulnes of the Godhead dothe inhabite maye do it. For seynge that hony is naturally swete, it maketh them swete, with whome it is myngled. Wolde it not be a folyshe thinge to beleue the lyuely nature of the worde, not to geue to man in whome it dwellith, a vertu of quickenynge? For y ^e fleshe of Christ because in it the onely sonne of God dwelleth, maye alone quickē. For he calleth hym selfe a sprite. For God is a sprite. And how the sprite quicke­nyth: we can neither vnderstande, [Page] nor with tonge expresse. But by scilence and sure faithe we do take that. What doth Christ promyse? what dothe he bringe to beleuers? Surely no corruptible thinge, but a besechinge whiche we get by cō ­municating of Christes bodye and bloude, wherby we maye be brou­ght hole to y ^e incorrupcion. For it is a bodye of veray lyfe, retayninge in it the vertue of the worde in­carnate. And full in power of hym, wherby all thinges do lyue and be: whiche thinges seynge they be so, let men baptysed and beinge made partenars of the godly grace. Though they go to the Churche more seldome and by longe space of tymes for a clo­ked religion, refuse to communi­cate mistically Christ, they do ex­pulse them selues farre frome eternall lyfe, for souche refusynge [Page] though it seme to come of religion it both causeth offence, and layeth snares, wherfore it behoueth with all strengthes, to be clensyd from synne, and foundacions of good lyuing, sette with great confidence to ronne, to take lyfe and pleasure of the fleshe, by continencye ouer­come, that we go to the heauenly grace, that we be made partenars of the body of Christ. For so shall we chase awaye the deuill, and be­inge partenars of the godly na­ture, maye ascende vnto lyfe and incorruptible.

THey eatinge, Iesus tokē breade, and set it to the ea­ters that he might shew y ^e cruelty [Page lxi] of Iudas. For at the table & com­munion of the meates of it, whē he if he had not ben a wilde beast, shoulde haue shewed hym selfe more tame then he, neither whan he was reproued vnderstode. But tastinge his bodye he dyd not re­pent, for saying this is my body, he she­weth that the bodye of our Lorde is breade, whiche is sanctifyed in y ^e alter, and not an answeringe fi­gure. Non est figura sed corpus For he sayde not this is a fi­gure. But this is my bodie. For it is transformed by an vnspeakeable operaciō, yea though it seme to vs breade, for we be weake, Panis uidetur in spe­cie, sed caro est, and feare to eate rawe fleshe, chefely y ^e fleshe of a man. Therfore dothe breade appere, But it is fleshe.

LEt those phantastical Christi­ans tell me, what body Iesus brought into the sight of his disci­ples, the gates beynge shut?

This is my body. It appeareth vnto the vtter senses of man to be but breade. But know ye by the sences of the mynde, bycause (saith Christ) this is my body, none other but that same in substaunce, which shalbe geuen to death vpon the [Page xliii] crosse, and crucified for you.

Ll Oure Lordes body is consecra­ted with the signe of the Crosse, & the fount of baptisme is hallowed and also preistes are made by the same signe. Aug. in psal. xxxiii.

Doest thou aske of me howe breade is made Christes bo­dy? and wine and water his bloud? I aunswer vnto the: that the holy goost worketh these things aboue mans vnderstandynge: B but the breade and wyne are turned. The [Page] bodye is ioyned vnto the deitye, whiche body is of the virgin, not that the bodye taken of the virgin, commyth downe frome heauen: but that the breade it selfe and wyne are chaunged into the bodye and bloude of God.

B The bread wyne & water through inuocation and the cōmynge of the holy goste vnto them, are aboue nature chaunged into Christes bodye and bloude, and they are not two bodyes, but one and the same bodye. The breade and wyne be not a figure onely of Christes bodye and bloude. God forbyd, but the bodye and Bloude of Christ. Dost y ^u se breade? dost y ^u se wyne? do they auoyde beneth as other meates do? God forbyd. Thinke not so: for as wax if it be put once into y ^e fyer, no substaunce re­mayneth, nothinge is lefte, so here [Page xliiii] also thinke thou y ^t y ^e misteryes be consumed by the substaunce of the bodye

Of the sacrament of the alter hold we, that breade and wyne at the supper, is the very body & bloude of Christ. And is not onelye mini­stred and receiued of the rightous, but also of wicked christians.

E WHat maddnes were it for me yf I shoulde pronounce, that there is nothinge else in the sacrament of the Alter, but onely breade & wyne. I do acknowelege my selfe, y ^t I were worthy of death if euer eny man harde this of me, either in earnest or in boorde, that there is nothinge else in the bles­sed sacrament but onely breade and wyne: or that ther is not real­ly there present, the very bodye & bloud of our sauiour Iesu Christ.

And farther he saithe: Ff saynte Paule dothe thinke, y ^t an Angell is not to be harde if he do preathe [Page] an other gospell than the catholyke churche dothe approue and a­lowe▪ yea & the same churche hathe perswaded vnto me, to beleue, and to geue credence to the gospell, S & by hyr instruction haue I euer learned how I ought to expoūde the wordes of y ^e gospell, & hitherto haue I euer worshypped in y ^e sa­cramēt Christ which suffered death & passion for me as all other trwe christenyd men hath done. Nor yet hitherto, dyd I neuer se any thing wherefor I ought to go from this mynde and stedfast opynion. Nor Ff no mans reasonynge shalbe able to cary me awaye frome the holy sentēce and agrement of y ^e fathers of Christes church. For those eight wordes of Moyses: in y ^e begyn­nynge god made heauē & earth, be of more strengthe w ^t me, thē al y ^e argumentes & reasons of Aristotle [Page lxxvi] and all other philosophers.

True it is, that the verye bodye of our Lorde and Sauiour Christ is there in the sacrament, thoughe it be not to mans sences or reason perceptible. But yet is that sacra­ment a pleage and wonderful me­mory of his inestimable loue towardes vs, and a stedfost comfort wherby to stablysh oure hope towarde God. The scripture doth make for vs. We haue these playne wordes in holy scripture: This is my bo­dy whiche is geuen for you. And this is my bloud which shalbe shed for you. Where do they fynd in ho­ly scripture, E This is not my body? or this is but a figure, or signe, and token of my bodye.

They shall neuer be able to bringe forth any place of the auncient do­ctors which shal by playne and ex­presse wordes contayne y ^t there is [Page] not in the blessed Sacramente of the aulter, the very body & bloude of our sauiour Christ.

I pray you what thinge is in this matter whiche moueth you thus highly to extoll this spiritual re­ceauing of the body & bloud of our lorde in the sacrament. E Wolde you therby perswade vnto me that I should not holde with the corporal eatinge and drinkinge of the same body and bloude of our Lord also? Kk And wold you by that menes that I should now forsake the true do­ctrine, whiche the catholike church hath euer still taught so manye a­ges together, one folowinge and succedinge after another, to harkē vnto your newly inuented onelye spirituall eating and drinking of those high misteries, therby vtter­ly secludinge the corporall eatinge and drinkinge of the same self blessed [Page lxxvii] Sacrament.

And suerly there is nothing more effectuall to norish in oure mother holy churche a perfight and an in­dissoluble concorde, than that the same oure mother the Catholyke churche, eatinge of one bodye, and drinkinge of one bloude, by one spirite is made and compacte into one bodye, by whom she also receauinge life, is knit vnto our lyuing head Christ. And yet do we nowe se that all these great benefittes, and high promocions notwithstandinge, how that through the fligh­ty craftes of oure desaytefull and stronge aduersarye Sathan, it is brought to passe, that y ^e same most beneficial gifte of the sacramente of the body and bloud of our most [Page] mercyfull & moste tēderly louynge Sauiour, geuē vnto vs to bringe all ꝑsons into vnite & cōcord, hath ben the matter where vpō in olde tyme so many discencions haue rysyn, and of late yeares are now agayne renewed, while y ^e some ther be whiche do deny that ther is any thinge else in y ^e blessed sacrament, but onely the outwarde tokyns of the body & bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Some others do knowlege christ in y ^e sacramēt: but yet vnder y ^e substance of bread and wine. And again some ther were y ^t sayde, how that through y ^e wordes of consecration, the substaunce of breade and wyne do fyrst perishe, and so succedeth after the bodye and the bloude of our Sauiour Christ. Some others do holde that our Sauiour by the wordes of y ^e consecration dothe become breade [Page lxxviii] and wyne by their fantastical mindes, making it but a light matter that was once incarnate, and dyd for our sakes become man. There haue also ben some that were cal­led Starcoraniste, & whiche irreue­rent parsons deserued well so vile a name, because they both ymagin and speake so vylye and withoute all reuerence of so highe a Sacra­mente. The countreye of Grece also, to disquiet the vnitie of the Catholyke Churche, hathe sente forth amongeste vs theyr leuay­ners, so called, because they dare presume contrarye to holy Scri­pture, to leue the vse of pure bread vnlayuened, and do consecrate in breade whiche is leuayned. And after he sayth, woulde to GOD that such persons as haue folowed Berengarius in his maner of er­ryng concerning the veritie of the [Page] body and bloude of our Sauiour Christ to be in y ^e blessed sacrament of y ^e Alter, whiche thinge he deny­ed so to be, woulde in lyke wyse folow hym in repentynge of theyr selues as he dyd: and that whiche now in our dayes be infected with the same erroure, wolde so vnyte them selues vnto the catholyke Churche as he dyd, whiche dyed for his offence, full sore repentaūt. Farthermore ther hath rysen a­boute this blessed sacramēt innu­merable questions. As how is the transubstātiaciō brought to passe? that is to saye: how dothe the sub­staunce of breade geue place vnto the very substaunce of the bodye of our Sauioure Christ? Also how the accident of breade and wyne be preserued, and do re­mayne after theyr former sub­stauces be gone? And howe is it [Page lxxix] that these accidentes do kepe styll theyr color, theyr smel, their sauor, and also haue power to fyll lyke other fode? All whiche qualy­tyes the breade and wyne had in them selues afore y ^t they were con­secrate. Also at what moment the body & bloude of Christ doth seace to be in the sacrament? Also whe­ther y ^t after y ^e formes be corrupted any other fubstaunce do succede? Also how that one selfe same body maye be at once in places innume­rable? Also whether the body of a perfight man maye be vnder so li­tle a broken peace of breade? And many such other folysh questions, which behoueth with sobernesse to be entretyd of, amongest suche persons as haue theyr wyttes exercy­sed in disputynge & reasonyng vpon souche high matters. I But as vnto y ^e laye people it dothe suffise [Page] that they do beleue, that after the wordes of consecration be once by the minister spoken ouer y ^e creatu­res of bread and wyne, that ther is incontinent the very body & bloud of our sauiour christ, which nether can be deuided, nor yet receaue any hurt: nor is not mete to receue any maner of iniury, whatsoeuer chaū ­ces do become of the outward for­mes of bread and wyne. For if the sacred body of our lorde should be throwne into the myre, or into any vyle gonge, or any otherwise, vn­to any irreuerent parsonnes, thin­kinge should be iniured or soylde: in dede the mooste iniury that can be done vnto it, is whan it is rece­ued into the mouth of a wicked & synfull parson, whiche is sore soy­led & spotted with greuouse and odible sinne. Now surely it is therfore sittinge for our christian reli­gion, [Page lxxx] to entreat and order the out­warde formes of breade and wyne of the holy sacrament with all due reuerence. But as concerning the very body of our Sauiour it self: lyke as God after his nature, is no lesse glorious in a vyle synke, than he is in heauen, and canne by no malyce of man, or chaunce by man, or otherwyse happeninge, re­ceaue any hurt or iniurye, no more can the glorified body of our saui­our Christe, what iniurye soeuer be doone vnto the outewarde to­kens of breade and wyne. And to be breife agaynste all doubtes and seruples of mannes weake know­ledge. Lette vs fyrst? call to oure myndes, the immesurable power of God, vnto whome nothinge is impossible: yea & vnto whō ther is nothing but it is light to be done, so it be his pleasure, y ^t it should so [Page] be (whiche saide) Take eate This is my bodye. Aa And in a nother place of y ^e same Epistle he saithe: At y ^e masse tyme the Angelicall sprites do with moste humble reuerence stāde a boute the Alter, ther to do there worshippe, and lowly reuerence: he also is there present whome all the heauenly hoostes of blessed sprites do desire to behold and loke vpō. And a litle after: Aa Let all preistes therefore consider the highnes of their profession, whan they do stād at the aulter, they haue aungels to minister vnto them. These be the wordes of the famous clerke Erasmus Rothorodame, whereby all Christian people maye knowe what was his opinion in the Sa­crament, not disagreing from the olde fathers here before written.

CHrist sayth of the breade, this is my bodye, and of the cuppe this is my bloude. Wherefore we ought to beleue that in the sacra­ment we receaue truely the bodye and bloud of Christ. For God is al­mighty, and he is able therfore to do all thinges what he wyl. Wherfore when Christ taketh bread and saith. Take, eate, this is my body, we oughte not to doubte, but we eate his very body. And whan he taketh the cuppe and saith. Take drinke this is my bloude, we ought to thinke assuredly that we drinke his very blode. And this we muste beleue, yf we will be counted chri­sti [...]n men. And where as in this p [...]illous tyme, certayne dys­ceytfull [Page] persons be founde in ma­ny places, who of very frowardnes will not graunte that there is the body and bloude of Christe: but deny the same for none other cause but that they can not compasse by mannes blynde reasone, howe this thinge shoulde be brought to passe. ye good children, shall with all diligence beware of suche per­sons that ye suffer not youre sel­ues to be deceaued by them. For suche men surely are not true Christians, neyther as yet haue they learned the firste Article of the Crede, whiche teacheth that God is almyghtye, whiche ye good chil­dren haue already perfectlye lear­ned, wherfore eschew suche erroni­ous opinions, and beleue the wor­des of oure Lorde Iesus, that you eate and drinke his verye bo [...]e and bloude in the Sacrament, a [...] ­thoughe [Page lxxxii] mannes reason cannot comprehende howe and after what maner the same is there present. Wherfore doubte not good chyl­dren, but there is the bodye and bloude of our Lorde, whiche we re­ceaue in the lordes supper. For he hath sayde so, and by the power of his worde hath caused it so to be. Wherefore seynge Christ sayth: do this as often as ye do it in remembraunce of me, it is euident there­by, that Christe causeth, euen at this tyme, his bodye and bloude to be in the Sacrament, after the maner and fasshion, as it was at that tyme, when he made his maū ­dye with his disciples. For else we coulde not do it in the remem­braunce of hym, that is to saye: to receaue his bodye and bloud, euen so as he hym selfe dydde geue it to h [...]s disciples.

And let not the folysshe talke of vnbeleuers moue you, who are wonte to aske this question. How can the preiste or minister make the bodye and bloude of Christ? To this I answere, that the my­nister dothe not this of hym selfe: But Christ hym selfe dothe gyue vnto vs his fleshe and bloude, as his wordes dothe euidētly declare.

HEre vs (O mercifull father) we beseche the, and with thy holy sprite and worde vouchsafe to blesse and sanctifye these thy gyftes of breade and wyne, that they maye be vnto vs the bodye and bloude of thy moste dearly be­louyd sonne Iesus Christ.

BE liberal vnto al men liuinge: yet let not to do good euen vnto them that are dead. Ecclesiasticus .vii.

Set thy bread and wyne vpon the burieng of the iust, and eate and drinke not ther­of with synners. Tob. iiii.

So he gathered of euery one a certayn, insomuch that he brought together two, M. Dragmes of sil­uer whiche he sente vnto Ierusa­lem, that there might a sacrifice be offered for the misdeede. In the whiche place he dyd wel and right: for he had some consideration and ponderinge of the lyfe that is al­ter this tyme. For if he hadde not [Page lxxxiiii] thoughte that they whiche were slayne, dyd yet lyue, it had ben su­perfluouse and vayn, to make any vowe or sacrifice for them y ^t were deade. But forsomuche as he sawe that they whiche dye in the fauour and beleife in God, are in good rest and ioye, he thought it to be good and honorable for a reconsilynge, to do the same, for these that were slayne, that the offence mighte be forgeuen .ii. Machab. xii.

Viset the sicke, bury the deade, and diligentlye do their exequis and diriges, and praye, and also geue almose for them. Saynt Cle­ment in his compendiolo.

We do scelebrate the daye of the departinge: for those that seme to dye, do not dye. Therfore we remē ber y ^e sainctes our parents & oure frendes. And we make a solempne memorye for them that dye in the [Page] faithe. And we reioyse as well at their relefe: as also they desye­ringe our Godly consummation and ende in the faithe. And so we do not after that sorte celebrate y ^e daye of the natiuitie, for they that dye (in the Lorde) shall lyue all­wayes. Origen in Iob.

And whan thou haste asked be­fore God for whose sprit thou ma­kest mention of, & for whom thou geuest yearely oblations. &c. Tertulian de exortacione castitatis pagi, ccccc.lxxxi.

Geue rest (O Lorde) to thy wel-beloued seruaunt Theodosius, e­uen that same rest that thou hast prepared for thy saynctes that his soule turne thither from whense it descendyd. Ambrosius super obitu The­dosii imperatoris.

Some vse to obserue the daye of the buryall, some y ^e thyrde daye, [Page lxxxv] some the .vii. day, some the .xxx. day and some the mon the daye, and e­uery obseruinge hath auctorite, by the whiche obseruinge the ne­cessarye offyce of godlynes is ful­filled. Amb. in oratione super obitu Theodo­sii imperatoris.

I commende vnto the, O Lorde God allmighty the innocent soule of my brother now deade. And I offer vnto the my Sacrifice, take mercifully, and gladely y ^e present or gyfte of a brother the sacrifice of a preist. Amb. in oratione de obitu fratris sui satiri.

It is not to be denyed that sow­les of men departed are releued through the godlynes of their frendes alyue, when the sacrifyce of our mediator Christ is offered for them, or else almose be geuen for them in the Churche. Aug. in his enchiridion. ca. ex. ad dulcimum.

When the people shall stande holding vp their handes with the preist, and the dreadfull sacrifice is set forth, shal we not optayne god­des fauour, praying for the deade? Aug. vpon the first chapter vnto the Hebrues,

We muste trauell as muche as maye be, that the deade may be holpen, not with wepinge, but with prayer, supplications, almose, and sacrifice. Aug. in his .xli. Homilie. i. Cor. xv.

I Augustyne beseche the O Lord, for the sinnes of my mother. Here me by the medisine of oure woundes which hange on y ^e crosse, and sitting on thy right hand, and prayeth for vs, &c. August. lib. confess. ix cap. xiii.

Thorough the prayers verely of holy churche, and thoroughe the holsome sacrifice, and almes which [Page lxxxvi] is geuen for the spirites of them, it is not to be douted the deade to be holpen, that it may with them be done more mercifull of the Lorde, then their trespasses deserued. This geuen of the fathers, y ^e vni­uersall churche obserueth, that they that dye in the communion of the body and bloude of Christe, when they be remembred to that sacrament, it is prayed for them, & that is offered for them. Aug. sermo. xxxii. oratio sacrificium altaris & eleemosina prosint defunctis.

The soules of good men departed, are not seperated from the churche, or else a remembraunce of them shoulde not be made at gods Alter, in the communion of Chri­stes Alter for them. Aug. de ciuitate dei. lib. xx. cap. ix.

I did not wepe in those prayers whiche we made to the (O Lorde) [Page] when the sacrifice of oure price or redemption was offered for my mother Monica. Aug. lib. ix. confessionu. cap. xii.

My mother Monica commaunded vs not to do these thinges for her, but onely she desired a remem­braunce of her to be made at thy aulter (O Lorde) whiche she hadde dayly serued, from whiche aulter she knew that the holy goost or sa­crifice to be distributed, by whiche y ^e writing of our own hand (sinne) that was cōtrary vnto vs, is done away, by whiche hooste or sacrifice thy enemy the deuill is vainquis­shed or ouercome. Aug. in Lib. ix. confes­sionum. Cap. xiii.

When sacrifice either of the aulter, or els of any manner of almose are offered for the dead which were baptised. They ar thankesgeuing for them that be very good people [Page lxxxvii] and for them whiche are not verye badde, they are propiciations, for purchasinges of the mercy and fa­uour of God. Eyther they do pro­fit vnto this thinge, that it maye be full remission, or else at the least that the payne be made more tol­lerable. Aug. in his prima precatione ad missa

O holy father, receaue thou this offeringe for thy seruaunt whiche Moyses receaued, when he dyd se in sprite. Receaue the gifte for thy seruaunt, that he feruentlye desi­red, that gifte and offering whiche the holy man, the stronge man, and the lustye man doth requyre. Re­ceaue the oblation of thy grace for thy seruaunt Valyntinian nowe departed, the whiche grace he dyd neuer refuse. Amb. in oratio funcb. super obitu Valent. Imperat.

And thou shalte performe vnto me the mercy of the Lorde, not on­ly [Page] while I lyue, but euen when I am deade, and plucke not thy mercy a waye from my howse for euer. i. Reg. i.xx.c.

YF it chaunce at any tyme, y ^t any mans hart enuye, infi­delitie, or any euell of these whi­che we haue spoken of before hathe preuilye crepte in: Let hym not be ashamed to confesse these thinges to hym whiche ru­leth, and taketh care and charge of the soule of man, that of hym and by the worde of our Lorde, and the holsome councell maye be comforte, whereby he maye auoyde with safe faithe, and good workes, the paynes of eter­nall fyer, and come to the re­warde [Page lxxxviii] of euerlastynge lyfe. D. Petrus, in Epistola Clementis ad Iacobum fratrem domini.

We comynge by and by vn­to Christ, are commaunded of Saynte Clement to cast all our euill thoughtes out of oure har­tes, and to open them and shew them to the preistes of our Lorde. Ad Clementem in compendiolo suo.

If we reuele, open and shew forth our synnes, not onely before God, but also before them whiche can heale or cure oure woundes and synnes, thē our synnes shalbe cleane blotted oute of hym with faith. Beholde, I will put a waye your synnes and iniquites, euen as the cloudes whiche vanyshe and go theyr wayes. Origen in Luke .ii. the .viii. Homil.

Ther be some whiche do saye it is sufficient for them to their [Page] helth and saluatiō, if they confesse their fawtes onelye to GOD, to whome nothinge is hyd, who kno­weth the conscience of menne. But they wyll not, or else they be ashamed, or els disdayne to shewe them selues to the preiste, whome oure Lorde hath ordayned the ge­uer of the law, to discerne betwene leprye and leprye. But I woulde not thee to be disceaued in that o­pinion. Forasmuche that thou art ashamed to be confessed before our Lordes vicare, consumed through shame, or styffenecked through dis­dayne. For euen so his iudgement oughte to be obayde, whome the Lorde hath not disdayned to set to be his deputie. Therefore thou shalte desyre the preiste to come to the, and make hym one­lye partener of thy conscience. Vide august. De. uisitac. infirmorum. Liber. ii. [Page lxxxix] Cap. iiii. & Lib. i. cap. ii.

The remission and forgeuenesse of synnes by penaunce is an harde and a difficulte waye, when the synner doth washe his couche in teares. For teares are vnto hym breade bothe daye and nyght. And when he is not ashamed to shew his synnes to the preist of the Lorde. Origen in leuiticum homilium. ii

A certayne kynde of heretikes called nouatians, when they denyed y ^e preistes had power to bynde and loose synnes, they sayde, they deferred reuerence and honor therof vnto the Lorde: to whome alone is reserued power or auctorite of remittynge synnes. yea thei coulde do no greater Iniury to any man, then they whiche would breake the commaundement of hym: and to restrayne the auctoritie geuen and graunted. Ambros. de [Page] penitentia. lib. i. cap. ii.

ALl the saynctes that depart out of this life, hauinge yet charitie and loue towardes them that are in this worlde, it shall not be conueniente, if they be sayde to take or execute diligent of, or a­boute their helpe, and to ayd them with their prayers and intercessi­on before God. For it is written in the bookes of the Machabees on this wyse: Here is Hieremye the prophet of God, which prayeth al­wayes for the people. Origen in his .iii. Homilye.

O blessed Iob alwayes liuinge with God, and a continuall con­querer and veynequissher before oure Lord the kynge: praye for vs [Page xc] miserable synners. Origen in his ii. boke.

I wyll beginne to fall vpon my knees and desier all the saynctes to helpe me, that dare not my selfe desire God, for the excesse of my sinne: O holy sainctes, I earnestly pray you with teares, and weping full of sorowe, that ye fall downe prostrate for me miserable synner before the mercy of God. Origen, in la­mento statim abinijtio.

Alas that euer I was borne, father Abraham intreate thou for me, that I be not put awaye from thy costes whiche I haue greatlye desired, not worthelye, surelye be­cause of my greate synne. Origen ibi­dem sublamenti finem.

The innocent children slayne of Herode, haue the cheifest rowme amonge the sainctes, and be fami­liare neighbours, beynge preuye [Page] of y ^e deuyne secrettes, do entreate Gods clemencye for our trauelles &c. And so they from the cradelles transelate into heauen, are made councellours and Iudges of the supernall palace, optayninge par­don for synne not deseruyd. &c. Cypri. Ser. de stella, et Magi.

Let vs remember one a nother that are of one harte and of one mynde, Let vs allwaye praye on bothe partes, for our selues, and cease with mutuall loue, the pro­lixte anguyshe, and troble of hart: and if any of vs depart fyrst from hence with hast as it shall please God let our loue contynew allway with God, let not prayer cease be­fore the mercy of God the father for your brethern and systers alyue. Saynt Cypriane, i. lib. i. Epistle

I wolde be now in those places where these bōdes of Paule other [Page xci] are sayde to be, & wolde worshippe worthely those men whiche were of souche desyer toward christ. I wolde desyer to se those chaynes whiche truely y ^e deuylles do feare & tremble at, but y ^e Angelles do honor or worshippe there. Ioan. chrisost homilium .viii. in ca. iiii. Ephe.

O Michaell the prince of the hea­uenly warre, we vnworthy desyre the now, that thou wilt helpe vs with thy prayers, defendynge vs vnder the shadow of thy wynges of thy nature that is vncorporate. We fall doune prostrate and with­oute intermyssion we call vnto y ^e, delyuer vs from all perilles and daungers, as y ^e prynce of heauenly power. &c. D. Ioan Chriso. Ex missa.

O mother of God all thinges are gloriouse in y ^e, sealed with a secret chastytie, and kept in virginitie: thou arte knowne a mother withoute [Page] any dyssayte: whiche truely brought forthe our Lorde (we be­seche the) to praye humbly vnto hym, that he wolde saue our sou­les. Chriso. in eadem missa.

O mother of God for as moche as thou excellest all thinges that were made: we that are not able worthely to prayse the, we beseche the frely to haue mercy vpon vs vndeserued. Chriso. in eadem missa

O father Nicholas be thou imbassadoure before oure Lorde Christ: that we maye optayne saluacion for our soules. Chriso. in eadem missa.

The bodyes of saintes, and the Relyckes of y ^e blessed martyrs, as the mēbers of Christ are to be ho­nored moste purely, and we be­leue, the churches dedicate to their names, ought to be gone vnto [Page xcii] with moste Godly affertion, and faithfull deuocion, as holy placys estemyd to Godly honor, if any man shall chaunce to be agaynst this opinion, is not thought a Christen man, but to be one of the Eunominians and Vigilanti­ans. Aug. ex ecclesiasticorn̄ dogmatu. ca. lxxiii

If we will come to the com­pany of martyrs or preistes, let vs thinke vpon the folowynge of the martyrs, for they ought to knowe some thinge in vs of their vertues, that they maye vochsaue to praye to our Lorde for vs. Aug. De martiribus. Sermo. ii. et. iii

Honor with sobriete the byrth of sainctes that we maye folowe them whiche wente before vs, and that they maye reioyse of vs whiche praye for vs: that the bles­synge of our Lorde maye alwayes contynew. So be it, and God [Page] graūt it so to be. D Aug. in psal. lxxxiiiii.

We pray not for martyrs, but they praye for vs. D. Aug. in e­uang. tracta. lxxxiiii.

When our soules desyeryth any thinge according to goddes will, and that to be geuen of God by y ^e saintes whether they require it with the harte, tongue or voy­ce, the soules of saintes whiche is all one for them to heare and to se, and contrary wise to see or to heare, beholdynge not the voy­ces, but the wordes, they optay­ned of God for them those thin­ges that they desyered it for. S. Austen of knowleage of true lyfe the .xxxix. where he toucheth how the soules of sayntes are vnder­standed to here the prayers of the liuing, & to help thē. Thexamples of iust mē therfore ar set forth, not y ^t we shulde be iustified of thē: but [Page xciii] that we folowynge them, shoulde be made righteouse also, of their iustifier. D. aug. de catechisandus rudi. ca. 7

you therefore whiche haue deserued to be made pertakers of the heauenly cytye, and to take the commoditie of the renoune of the euerlastynge glory, pray for me to our Lorde, y ^t he maye leade me out of this prison in the whi­che I am holden captyue and bounde. August. de spiritu et Anima. cap. lix.

O all ye multitude of sainctes intreat our lorde. O ye most pite­full pray for vs, that we holpen w ^t your prayers & merits, maye come with a safe shepe and hole rewarde to the hauen of perpetuall health and quyetnes, and, contynew all peace and reste, that neuer shall haue ende. Augustinus lib. meditacionū. capite xxiii

Nor yet do we ordayne or erect temples, holye priesthode, and sa­crifice to these same matters, not because of them: but because theyr God is our god. Certaynelye we honoure the memoriall of al them as holye men of God: whiche tra­uoyled for the truth, vnto death of their bodies, that the false and vayne religion vanquisshed and ouercomed, the true holynes of re­lygyon might be knowen.

August. de ciuitate dei. lib. viii. cap. xxiiii.

The holy Aungels both dothe punyshe them withoute wrath, whom they receaue to be punys­shed with eternall lawe, and also do helpe their miseries withoute suffering or passion of misery, and ayde them without feare that are in parell whome they loue. yet ne­uerthelesse they vse also in those, the names of these passion, be y ^e custome [Page xciiii] of mens speaking, for a cer­tayne similitude of the dedes or actes, not for the infirmitie of the affections. As God accordinge to the scriptures is angry, notwith­standinge is not troubled with a­ny passion. Aug. de ciuitate dei. lib. ix. cap. v Whosoeuer be immortal & blessed in the celestiall habitations, if they loue not vs, neyther wolde haue vs blessed. verely they are not to be honoured. But and if they loue vs, and wolde vs to be blessed: surely from thense woulde they haue vs vnto the place wher they are presente. &c. Aug. de ciuitate dei. Lib. x. cap. xii.

What miracle soeuer they be, whether they be done by Angelles or any other waye, they are done by the power of God, for they set forthe the worshypping and religion of one God, in whome onely [Page] is the blessed life. We muste beleue that those thinges be done indede of them, or by them whiche do loue vs according to truth and godly­nes. Aug. de ciuitate dei. Lib. x. cap. xii.

For when Aungelles do heare vs, God him selfe doth hear vs in them, as in his true temple, & not in the onely temple made with hā ­des: like as he heareth them which do his commaundementes in this worlde amonges his saynctes be­holdynge his euerlastinge lawe. Augusti. de ciuitate dei. Lib. x. cap. xii.

Truely he is worse then madde whatsoeuer he be, that denieth all thinges to be in the power of the onely almighty God. Eiusdē lib. ca. xiiii

The holy Aungelles to whose company and congregation we feruently desire to come vnto, in this moost laboriouse pylgremage, as they haue euerlastinge beynge, E­uen [Page xcv] so haue they easy knowinge, & fortunate restinge, for they helpe vs without trouble, they laboure without spiritual mocions for the cleane and free. Aug. de ciuitate dei. lib. x [...] cap. xxxi.

Of diuers miracles which were done about the holy land, brought from Ierusalem, and about the re­liques of saint Stephen, Geruase Prothase, and other saynctes. Rede S. Aug. de ciuitate dei. lib. xxii. cap. viii.

We do not buylde tempelles or churches to our martyrs, as vnto Gods. But we make remēbraunce as vnto deade men, whose sprites lyueth with God, neither do we set vp aulters in the whiche we do sa­crifice vnto martyrs: but we do offer both the martyrs and also our sacrifice vnto one God. &c. Ibidem. lib cap. x.

Then without doute the holy [Page] martirs make intercession for vs, when they knowe in vs any thing of their vertues. Aug. Sermo. ccxliiii. de tempore.

Seinge out desertes do burdē vs, that we be not in the fauoure of God: let vs know that we maye be deliuered by the merites of thē, whom God fauoreth or loueth. Aug. questio super exodū. cap. cxlix.

Let vs cōmend our selues to the prayers of saynct Stephen, for he is greatly harde now of the euer­lastinge God, oure Lorde Iesus Christ, for vs his oratours. &c. Aug. sermo. ii. de sanctise

When ye call vpon sainctes in your prayer, ye muste thinke thus of them, beynge constitute in the glorye of the euerlastinge cleare­nes: yf they be the moste bryghtest lyght shyninge aboue the glyste­ringe of the sonne, which may haue [Page xcvi] all good thinges, fully in the sight of god, as well may they myghtely helpe all that call vpon them. Aug. de cognitione vere uite. ca. ix.

Alexander the byshop of Capa­doxi dyd go to Hierusalem for the loue of worshippinge, and seyng of the holy places of saynctes. Vide hist. Ecclesi. lib. vi. cap. ix.

Theodosius the Emperour did lye in heere, prostrate vppon the ground, before the tombes of mar­tirs, and of the apostels, and required helpe or comforte to hym selfe with faith, and intercession of thē. Hysto. eccles. xi. cap, xxxi.

O holy Athanalius, loke mer­cifullye vpon vs, from the highe throne aboue, and directe, or defend these holy people. &c. G [...]ego. Nasianse­nus. oratio. xviii. in Athana.

A certayne Christian vyrgin, moued to defyle hir virginitie of [Page] Cyprian, then beynge an ydolater: but she callyng vpon the vyrgyn Mary, that she would saue her virginite then beyng in ieopardy, her prayer was harde. Gregorie Nasiausen. Oratio. xix. in D. Cipriano.

It is an vnsemely thinge to wil to honor any holy martyr with belly ioy, whom thou knowest to haue pleased God with fastinge & great abstinence. D. Hyeronimus ad Eustochium.

O Paula, thy doughter Blesill doth praye to God now for the, & I know that hir mynd is such that she optayneth pardon for thee. D. Hyeronimus ad Paulam, super obitu Blesille.

O Paula farewel, and help olde [...]oting age of thy suppliant & worshipper, by thy prayers, for thy fa­yth and thy good workes do associate the vnto Christ, & thou beinge presente with Christ, may farre ea­syer optayne that thinge whiche [Page xcvii] thou requirest. D. Hieronimus in Epitaph Paule.

Mm ANd it doth appeare in the Tripertite Hystory, that the ymage of Mary was had in great honour amonge the Christians. liber. ix. cap. ix.

Eusebius doth testifie, y ^e Christ our sauiour, Peter, and also Paul was fygured of the auncient Christians, and saith that these noble tokens of aunciente men, are wor­thy to be reserued vnto the remē ­braunce of their posterite, which is a true token of their honor & loue Eccles. histo. lib. vii. cap. xiiii.

When a certayne paynter hadde presumed to paynte the ymage of our sauioure, after y ^e similitude of Iupiter, his hand was made drye: who confessinge his sinnes, the ho­ly [Page] man Gennadius restored it a­gayne. Vide histo. ecclesi. incephori sub Leo­ne Imperat. pag. cccccc.

At Constantinople a Iewe entered into the church of S. Sophy, and he considering y ^t he was alone and saw the image of Iesus christ: he toke his swerde and smote the ymage in the throte, and anone y ^e bloud gushed out, and sprenge on the head, and on the face of y ^e Iew. He beyng afrayde, toke the image and cast it into a pytte, and anone he fled away. And it happened that a Christen man met hym, and sawe hym al bloudye, sayd to hym, from whence comest thou, y ^u hast slayne some man. And he sayde nay: And the Christen man sayd: thou haste committed some homised, for thou art all full of bloud: and the Iewe beinge ashamed sayde: O greate is the god of the Christen men, and [Page cviii] his faith is firme, and approued in all thinges. I haue smitten the y­mage of Iesu Christ in the throte: and as sone as I had striken him, y ^e bloud gusshed out of his throte. And then the Iewe broughte the Christen man to the pitte, & there drew out the holy ymage: And the wounde is yet sene to this daye. And the Iewe became Christened, and ledde an honeste lyfe. In Hysto. Tripert.

Abagarus kynge of the Edeso­nes, sent a paynter to paynt an y­mage like to our Lorde, the which when he could not do for y ^e bright­nes of his face shining, our Lorde himself putting a cloth to his godly, & liuely face, wiped of in y ^e cloth his owne ymage, & so sent it to the kynge Abagarus. Euseb. Lib. i. cap. xv. This history sheweth plainly y ^e y­mages do pleafe Christe, and not [Page] to be displeased with them, as he­retikes woulde haue it.

Ll At Alexandria, euerye man had the signe of the crosse paynted v­pon their postes, and in y ^e entringe to of their houses, and pillers. Eccles. hyst. lib. xi. ca. xxix.

Iulyanus thapostita, blessinge him selfe with the signe of y ^e crosse draue away the deuill, thoughe it were against his will. Eccl. hyst. lib. vi. cap. ix.

The secretes of the christians hath a certaine worthye reuerente token, the whiche token or signe they name the crosse, by the imagi­nation of the crosse it self: y ^t which both in dede, we affyrme most worthy of honour: and also we worship it for the remembraunce of hym [Page lxcix] that was crucified theron. Aug. de uisitatione infirmorum. lib. ii. cap. iii.

The crosse is geuen to vs vpon our head, and that it is a shielde, a buckeler, and a cote of armoure a­gainst the deuyl. There this signe must be worshipped of vs, geuinge the honour and reuerence to god. They that do worship rhis figure of the crosse, let them be (o Lorde) partakers of Christ crucified, Damasene. lib. iiii. cap. xxii.

By the signe of the Crosse, all wichcraft, or sorcery, and the act or craft of poysoning, is put away, yf it be done in faith and deuotion. Athanasius. lib. de incar. uer.

It is redde in the Hystoria Scolastica that the paynims had paynted on a wall the armes of one Serapis. And Theodosien the Emperoure dyd put out the sayde armes, and paynted in the same place y ^e signe [Page] of the crosse. And when the pay­nyms of the priestes of the ydolles sawe the signe of the crosse pain­ted there, anone they became chri­stened, saying: that they learned of their elders, that those armes should stand, vntyll suche a signe were set there, where in shalbe sal­uation.

S. Chrisostome sayth, that the crosse and the woundes of Christ: shall geue more lyght at the daye of iudgement, then the sonne.

The deuils seinge Moses lawe feared not, nor trembled not, be­cause it hath not wrought mans health, but seynge the crosse whi­che Christe dyed vppon, they ofte quake, flee, and vanyshe awaye. Of the whiche it fyrste came, that meate, drinke, and all other thin­ges are blessed with the signe of the crosse. Athanas. xxiviii. quest.

When in Ierusalem the Iewes were almost all slayne with a roūd thinge of fyre lyke a boule, and the rest for feare of death, were enfor­ced and constrayned to confesse Christ Iesu to be God: leaste that thinge should haue ben thoughte to haue happened by chaunce, the nighte folowinge the signe of the crosse dyd so euidently appeare in all their garments, that he, which for his vnfaithfulnes would haue taken it awaye, coulde not in no wise. Therefore let men beware y ^u do dispise the picture of the crosse, or the crucifixes of Christ, lest lyke vengeaunce of God do light vp­on them. Tripert. history.

The good & godly emperoure Constantine, when he was turned to christes faith, & hard much preaching of the crosse, when he was in warfare, he commaunded cunning [Page] men to chaūge his baner y ^t he had into a baner of the crosse made of gold, and precious stones. For chis signe of warre was among others more precious, or estemed better, because it wente before the empe­roure, and the custome was of the souldiers to worshippe it. Hysto. Tri pert. lib. i. cap. v.

The emperour Constantine af­ter many & diuers notable victo­ries, optayned of his enemies, accustoming his souldiers to honoure God, as he did him selfe, he made their armoure to haue the signe of the crosse: he did most honoure the holy crosse (as the Historye sayth) both for the good lucke whiche he had in warre by the helpe of it, and for the signe whiche God shewed therby. Trip. Hysto. lib. i. cap. ix.

Whan this emperoure Cōstan­tine was in great care & thought▪ [Page ci] how he should optayne victory a­gainste his ennemies, he sawe in a dreame y ^e figure of y ^e crosse bright­ly appearing in the firmament, & the aungels standing by hym, wō ­dering at the signe, saying: O Con­stantine in hoc uince. That is to saye. O Constantyne, thou shalt ouer­come thy enemies, by this signe of the crosse.

Sozomenus writ this aboue .xii c. yeares agoo. And it is also (saith the story Treportide) that Christe apeared vnto him, and shewed him a signe of the crosse, commaunding him to make a lyke figure, & say­inge, that shalbe thy helpe in bat­tell, wherby thou shalt get the vi­ctorye.

TRuly I would not beleue the gospell, o [...]les the auctorities of the churche had moued me ther vnto: vnto whom I haue ben obedient sayinge: beleue the gospell. Wherfore should I not beleue the church saying: beleue not the Maniches, Aug. contra epistolam Manichei, quā fundamenti uocant. cap. v.

Now in myne olde age I wyll kepe y ^e faith that I was broughte vp withall, Hyeronimus ad occanum et pammacheum.

It is my parte to reade the olde fathers, and singularlye to holde and alow al thinges that be good, and not to degresse from the fayth of the catholyke churche. D. Hieroni­mus ad Mineruum.

We ought to learne the knowlege of the scriptures, of hym whi­che hath kept it from our auncient fathers after the truthe geuen [Page cii] vnto hym. And he maye affirme cō petently those thinges whiche he hath rightfully receaued. Clemens episto. iiii. ad ecclesi [...]hierosoli.

S. Clement Paules companiō in preaching the golpell, affirme [...]h that s. Peter thapostel did teache that mē ought to obey the bishops commaundementes in all lawfull thinges, thoughe they dyd other­wise lyue, hearing in remembraūce our Lordes precepte sayinge: Do ye the thinges whiche they say or bydde you do, but do you not as they do, for they saye and do not. Also he sayeth: oure hartes and bodyes muste be prepared vnto the holye obedyence of Goddes commaundementes, and hys bys­shoppes and preachers: that we maye escape the payne of Hell, and come to euerlastynge glo­rye. In hys fyrste Epystell [Page] wrytten to saynct Iames. And fatther he saith in the same epistle: let no man beleue that these com­maundementes are to be despised, or dissembled without his peryll, because that he shal suffer by gods iudgement the paynes of fire euerlastinge, which shall despise y ^e churches decrees, or determinations.

These thinges S. Clement lear­ned of S. Peters owne mouth.

We haue receaued the rightes whiche are obserued and preached in the church, part therof we haue receaued by writinge, part by the traditions of the Apostels, whiche both hath like strength vnto ver­tue, and no manne hath spoken a­gainst this whiche at the last hath had but a little experience of the ecclesiasticall lawe. For if we take in hande to dispise olde customes not brought forth by writinge, as [Page ciii] hauing litle strength: Trulye we lyke vnwise men do infourme, and bringe in daunger vnto the moste cheifest fathers, nay rather we do drawe the very preachinge of the gospell to an euyll name, or a na­ked reporte. &c. Aug. ad emeritum contra Donatistas. Episto. C.lxiiii.

And the councels them selues that be done in euery priuate re­gion or prouince, oughte to geue place without any doubte, to the auctoritie of the general councels, whiche is done throughe all Chri­stendome, and al thinges that was done before to be amended to oure posterities, by some experience of thinges, the thinge is open which before was shut. And that is kno­wen which was hid withoute anye figure or proud sacrilege. And w ^t ­out the puffed vp necke of arrogā ­cye, and without the contencion of [Page] the yrefull malice, with holy humilitie, catholike peace, and christien charitie. Aug de baptismo, contra donatistas. lib. ii. cap. ii.

In like maner as the littell bees dothe sit vpon the flowers and herbes, with their lyttell feate & light winges, and doth carye a­waye the hydden Iuyce without any hurre to the floure, that at the lengthe they maye minister vnto men the swete hony combes made in their lyttell holes: Euen so the doctors of the churche are sytting aboute the plesaunte and grene bourgenynge of scripture, with a light wynge of mynde: And are very diligent drawing the Iuyce of the holy goste, of the hyd letter, that they maye instill the moste swete hony of faithe into the har­tes of the auditors. Chri. in psal cxv. [Page ciiii] I do confesse my self said S. Gre­gorye, to receaue and reuerence y ^e iiii. coūsels euen as the .iiii. euan­gelistes. S. Gregorie vppon the counsel of Nece, and of the .iiii. o­ther counsels.

THose that do vowe their vir­ginite vnto God, albeit thei receaue an hyer degre of honor & sanctifie or holynes in y ^e churche, neuerthelesse thei are not without matrimoni, for thei do also ꝑtayne in matrimonye with y ^e hole chur­che, in y ^t whiche Christ is y ^e spouse. Aug tractatu. ix. in Euange. Ioh.

All the churche is called a vir­gin, [Page cv] ther be dyuers members of y ^e churche, for they do shyne with dyuers gyftes. For there be some men maried, and some women ma­ried, some men viduate from their wiues, and some women be also viduate from their husbandes, and after that seke not for mariage, some do conserue and kepe theyr virginitie, euen from their youth, and other of maydens and wom [...]n do vowe their virginitie vnto God. Aug. tracta. iii. in euang. Ioh.

A vowe once made by virgins or wydowes (nowe not only to ma­ry, but also if they were not mari­ed) to wyll to mary, is damnable. For as the Apostle dydde declare this thing, he sayd not, when they did liue in pleasures they marrye in Christ: but he sayde: when they wyll to marye, they haue damnation on their headdes, because they [Page] haue made their fyrst faithe voyde not onely in mariage, but in wil­linge to mary: not because the ma­riage of such are Iudged to be cō ­dempned, but the dissayte of their purpose is condempned, and also the brekinge of their wowe is con­dempned. Mariage whiche is y ^e lower goodnes is not condempned: But the vowe vnto God whiche is y ^e higher goodnes is cōdempned, To be short, all suche are cōdem­ned, not because they do bringe in y ^e seconde matrimony: but because they haue broken or made voyde y ^e fyrst faithe of their contynency. Farthermore, those whiche do saye that the mariage of souche is no mariage, but rather aduoutrie: they do apeare to me not to speak sharpelye ynoughe, nor doth not diligently consider what thei may speake therof &c. Aug: de bona uiduitati [...] [Page cvii] bide to receaue christes bodye whi­che is greater then prayer? if he forbere not hys wyues company for a tyme. If a lay man shall for beare the company of his laufull wyfe: moche more a preist to ma­rye. Iheronimus in apologia ad Iouinianum.

If lay men be commaunded that they shoulde abstayne the compa­ny of their wyues for prayer sake, what is it to be thought of a bys­shoppe or a preist, whiche shoulde offer cleane sacrifice vnto God for them selues and the synnes of the people. Ierome in Tite.

They are not to be harde whi­che dothe fayne that Paule had a wyfe, when he disputinge of conti­nence and parswadinge men to fo­lowe the contynuall gyfte of cha­stytie, for I wold (saith he), that al men shold be, as I am. hiero ad Eusto. All the Apostles except Iohn and [Page] Paule had wiues. Ambro. in. ii. Cor. xi

It is better to mary then to burne. This sayinge of the Apo­stel doth not belonge to a woman that hath hyr faithe, nor yet with her whiche hathe not takē y ^e vaele, But whosoeuer hathe promisid them selfe to Christ and hathe re­ceaued the holye vaele, is imme­diattlye maryed vnto Christe, and forth with maryed vnto an immortall husbande. If she after this, will be maryed by the com­mon law of wedloke, she lyueth in adultry, and is made the childe of deathe. D. Ambro. ad virginem lapsā cap. v. S. Paul sayd not (sayth. S. Hie­rome) let hym be chosen a byshop that mariethe a wyfe, and be get­tethe chylder, but he that hath but one wyfe, and chylder brought vp in all good order and disciplyne. And this ye confesse yourselfe, y ^t [Page cviii] no man can be a byshoppe that be getteth chyldern after he is made a byshop. For if he be takē to haue so done, he shall not be counted as a laufull husband, but condemned for a veri aduoutrer. S. hiero. lib. i. con­tra Iouinianum.

A preist if he do mary, ought to be degraded, if he commyte forni­cation or aduoutry, he ought to be cast out of the churche, and be for­ced to penaunce amonges y ^e laite. Consilium Neocesnense.

We vtterly forbyde (sayth S. Clement) preistes, deacons, Sub­deacons, and monkes to kepe con­cubynes, or to contract mariage.

He only (sayth Origen) may of­fer the continuall and euerlasting sacrifice, which maketh a vow of cō ­tinuall & euerlastyng continencie Orig. against preistes mariages.

We do vtterly forbyd preistes [Page] deacons, subdeacons, and monkes to haue concubynes or marye: for all suche mariages shalbe found vnlaufull, and the parties dryuen to do open penaunce. Calixius y ^e holy man. Aboue all thynges the preist whiche is assistant at the al­ter of God, ought to be garnished with chastitie Orig. in leuiti.

O Susan (sayth. S. Ierome) for gettyng this holy purpose, whych had bounde thee to chastitie, for­gettinge thy parentes, the holy church, the glory of virginitie, the honor of that high dignitie, the promisse of heauē, the terrible day of Iudgement, thou hast catched in thyne armes corruption, thou hast brought forth the fruit of cō ­fusion, and at the end a most cru­ [...]ll and paynefull deathe euerla­stynge, hiero. lxxiii. episto. ad rusticum.