M. Harding. The .8. Division.M. Hardinge. The .8. Diuision.

M. Harding. The .8. Division.

M. Hardinge. The .8. Diuision.

No man more expressly calleth the Sacrament by the name of God,¹ then S. Bernard in his godly Sermō de coena D• ̄i ad Petrū presbyterū. Where he saith thus, Comedunt Angeli verbum de Deo na•ū, Comedunt homines verbū foenū factū. The Angels eat the word borne of God, men eat the word made hay, meaning hereby the Sacrament, which he calleth the word made hay, that is to wit, the word incarnate. And in an other place there, he saithe. Haec est verè indulgentia coelestis, haec est verè cumulata gratia, haec est verè superexcellens gloria, sacerdotem Deū suum tenere, & alijs dando porrigere. This is verily an heavenly gift, this is verily a bountiful grace, this is verily a passing excellent glory, the Priest to hold his God, and in giving to reach him forth to others. In the same sermon speaking of the marvellous sweetness that good Bishops and holy religious men have experience of, by receiving this blessed Sacrament, he saith thus. Ideo ad mensam altaris frequentiùs accedunt, omni tempore candida facientes vestimenta sua, id est, corpora, prout possunt, melius, utpote Deum suum manu & ore contrectaturi. For this cause they come the oftener unto the board of the Altar, at all times making their garments, that is to say, their Bodies, so white, as they can possible, as they, who shall handle their God with hand and mouth. An other place of the same sermon, for that it containeth a wholesome instruction, beside the affirming of our purpose, I can not omit, I remit the learned to the Latin, the English of it is this. They are marvellous things brethren, that be spoken of this Sacrament, Faith is necessary, Knowledge of reason is (here) superfluous. This, let Faith believe, let not understanding require, least that either not being found, it think it incredible, or being found out, it believe it not to be singular and alone. And therefore it behoveth it to be believed simply, that can not be searched out profitably. Wherefore search not, search not, how it may be, doubt not whether it be. Come not unto it unreverently, least it be to you to death, Deus enim est, & quanquàm Panis Mysteria habeat, mutatur tamen in earnem. For it is God, and though it have mysteries of Bread, yet is it changed into Flesh.