A Treatise of the Sacrament of the Eucharist made openlie in Oxford by D. Peter Martyr, the Kings publike Professor of Diuinitie in the same Vniuersitie, when he had now finished the interpretation of the xi. Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians. Before which Treatise we haue placed an excellent Preface of his touching that matter dedicated by him with the same Treatise vnto the most Reuerend Father and victorious Martyr of Iesus Christ, THOMAS CRANMER Archbyshop of CANTERBVRIE.
NOw haue I determined in fewe words to declare certaine things, 1 which if I should co~mit to silence, I might perhaps be accounted vnwise, a forger of new matters, a bold, rash, and an vngodlie man, as though I tooke from the sacrament of the Eucharist the honour and dignitie thereof, or that I would obtrude the holy Supper to the Church without Christ, or perswade such like things, as may tend vnto impietie and negligence of Religion. I had rather die or that I had neuer bin borne, or to suffer the greatest griefe in the world, than to scatter abrode such kinde of opinions. Verily I for my part, doe attribute so much to the sacrament of the Eucharist, as I say that the faithfull, by exercising of the same, doe obtaine the greatest benefites which can be hoped for of God in this life; so, that they themselues be not hindered either through vices or infidelitie. And truely I affirme now, that there be three sortes of good things, which men doe earnestly desire. First, that the life which they receiued in their byrth may be giuen and preserued to them so long as is possible. Secondly, that they would haue God to be gratious and mercifull vnto them. For, since they that be wise, vnderstand that they be neuer without fault, and that by the iustice of God there is a certaine punishment due for euerie fault, vnlesse they haue in readinesse a sure satisfaction, they liue most miserably. Lastlie, this doe the wise sort wish for, to wit, that they may liue iustly, commodiously, merilie and peaceably one with another: For without these things men liue both miserably and most vnhappily. These in effect be the things which are chieflie desired euerie where of all those men which doe not deale foolishly.
And the chiefe and principall point of these three, is, that the life may be prolonged a verie great space of time, which we obtaine by a profitable and wholesome kinde of diet: this most certainlie we haue in the holy Supper; where, euen as the bread and wine which nourish the body, are giuen outwardly to the bodie, so is it truely graunted vnto their mindes, that by faith they eate the body and bloud of Christ giuen for our redemption: whereupon the whole man aswell inward as outward is restored to the high felicitie. And this is the onelie way that the scripture alloweth and knoweth of eating the bodie, and drinking the bloud of the Lorde, namelie, when we apprehend by a constant and firme faith, that Iesus the sonne of God our Lord and sauiour gaue his body vpon the Crosse, and shed his bloud for vs, and that he hath so imbraced vs, being giuen vnto him by the father, and so ioyned and incorporated vs vnto himselfe, as he is our head, and we flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones, and that he dwelleth and liueth in vs and we in him. Herein standeth the whole power and reason of this meate and of this drinke; whereunto our faith is stirred vp and kindled three manner of wayes: sometime inwardly, that is to wit, while the holie Ghost by his secret, but yet mightie power, stirreth vp our mindes to record these things with our selues, and that they may be imbraced with a liuely and readie faith. To the selfe same thing are we many times mooued by helpe of the worde of God, which either by sound or writing doeth outwardly pearce vs. Finally, that there should want no reliefes to our infirmitie, Christ gaue in the supper, bread and wine for signes, the which by his institution and his wordes are made sacraments, that is to wit instruments, whereby the holy Ghost stirreth vp faith in our mindes, that by the same faith we may be spiritually, but yet truely nourished and sustained with his bodie and bloud. What then is there that can more further the faithfull vnto euerlasting life, than this kinde of meate? Doe we not by this maner of eating dwell in Christ, and Christ in vs? Can we require that so great a God shoulde more expressely be promised vs than when he himselfe said: He that eateth me, he shall liue for me. 2 Moreouer in the 6. of Iohn the Lord taught this simple, bare, yet true, that is to wit, no fained eating of his bodie and drinking of his bloud, which the Lord would afterward to be holpen by the assistance of the outward word, and by the feele of the bread and wine when wee come to the holy table. Wherefore he that is no contemner of the diuine life, (I meane the eternall and most happie life) how can it be that he will not make singular account of the sacrament of the Lordes Supper? Howe can it bee, but that he will imbrace the same as a sweete pledge of his saluation? How is it possible, but that he will vse the same in the congregation, so often as it shall be deliuered him? Vndoubtedly no man, which will any thing earnestly weigh these things with himselfe.