PHIL. Fifthly ye may not only come unto this celestial table with hungry stomachs to obtain these inestimable treasures, but also believe unfeignedly that ye shall have all good things, that ye wish or long for, according to your desire & faith For he that cometh unto God, saith S. Paul, must believe 1y• god is, & that he is a rewarder to them that seek him.
Without this faith, no man cometh worthily to receive the ⟨image 81⟩body of our LORD, as Chrysostom saith: Let us all that are sick go 2unto Christ with great faith. For if all they which did but touch the hem of his garment, received their perfect health, how much more shall we be corroborated and made strong, if we have him whole within us? Therefore when ye sit down to receive the blessed body of Christ, call straight ways to your remembrance the death of Christ. Remember that his body was broken for you upon the Altar of the Cross. Remember that he offered himself 3a sweet smelling Sacrifice to God the father for the abolishment of all your since. Remember that his 4blood was shed for the remission of your since. Remember that by the effusion & shedding of his most precious blood, all your offences are 5clean washed away, & you purged from all iniquity. In consideration ⟨image 81⟩whereof, ye now receive y• very body of christ, because ye should nothing doubt of the remission of your since, & of the favour of GOD toward you, as Christ him self witnesseth. He that eateth my flesh & drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, & I shall raise him up in the last day. For my flesh is very meat, & my blood is very drink. He that eateth my flesh & drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, & I in him But do not only call to remembrance these aforesaid things, but believe faithfully also, & be persuaded undoubtedly, that they be true, & shall chance to you according unto your faith. So shall it come to pass, that with the receiving of Christs body, ye shall also receive all the benefits, gifts, and graces of Christ, if ye believe, so that not only Christ is be come altogether yours, but also all y• ever he hath besides is yours, as ⟨image 82⟩S. Paul say the, he that hath not 6spared his own Son, but gave him for us all, how is it possible, that he also should not give us all things with him? O the inestimable treasures, that lye bent out in this most holy Sacrament of the Altar for the faithful.
PHIL. Fyftely ye maye not onlye come vnto this celestial table with hongry stomackes to obtayne these inestimable treasures, but also beleue vnfaynedly that ye shall haue all good thynges, that ye wysshe or longe for, accordyng to your desyre & fayth For he that commeth vnto God, sayth S. Paule, must beleue 1y• god is, & that he is a rewarder to thē that seke hym.
Withoute thys faythe, no manne commeth worthelye to recepue the ⟨image 81⟩body of our LORDE, as Chrisostom saythe: Let vs all that are sycke go 2vnto Christ with great fayth. For yf all they which dyd but towch ye hēme of his garmēt, receyued theyr perfecte healthe, howe muche more shall we be corroborated and made strong, yf we haue hym whole wtin vs? Therfore whē ye syt downe to receyue the blessed body of Christe, call streyght wayes to your remembraunce the death of Christ. Remē ber that his bodye was brokon for you vpon the Altare of the Crosse. Rem•mber that he offred hymselfe 3a swete smelling Sacrifice to God the father for the abolysshement of all your synnes. Remēber that his 4bloud was shed for the remission of your synnes. Remēber that by the effusion & sheddynge of hys mooste precious bloud, all your offēses are 5cleane wasshed awaye, & you pourged from all iniquite. In consideracion ⟨image 81⟩wherof, ye nowe receyue y• ve ry body of christ, bycause ye shoulde nothynge doubte of the remission of your synnes, & of the fauoure of GOD toward you, as Christ hym selfe witnesseth. He that eateth my flesh & dryncketh my bloude, hathe eternal lyfe, & I shall rayse hym vp in the last day. For my flesh is very meate, & my bloud is very dryncke. He that eteth my flesh & dryncketh my bloud, dwelleth in me, & I in hī But do not only call to remēbrāce these aforsayd thynges, but beleue faythfully also, & be perswaded vndoubtedly, that they be true, & shall chaūse to you according vnto your fayth. So shal it come to passe, that wt the receyuīg of Christes body, ye shall also receyue all the benefytes, gyftes, and graces of Christe, yf ye beleue, so that not only Christ is be come altogyther yours, but also al y euer he hath besydes is yours, as
- 1[…].〈…〉.
- 2Hom. in Mat. •v. Cap. xiiii.
- 3Ephe. v.
- 4Mat. •vi Luk. xxii.
- 5[…] Joan. i.〈…〉 Ioan. i.
- 6Roma. viii
