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CONSIDER that ether these testi∣monies doe manifestly and infallibly conclude the truth of the realitie of our Sauiours presence in the consecrated hoste, or els we can neuer expect any cer∣taine truth out of holy Scripture: Nothing is more vnanimously deliuered in all Scrip¦ture.
This is my body saith S. Mathew: This is my body, saith S. Marke. This is my body, saith Saint Luke. This is my body, concluds saint Paule. Noe words can be deuised, either shorter, or clearer, to expresse the same truth. The nature of the busines exacted clearenes; for he gaue vs an example of what we were to doe, in imitation and me∣morie of him; and againe it was a last will (and that some few houres onely before he knew he was to dye for vs) wherin all men striue to expresse themselues clea∣rely, and sincerely, without all varnish, trope, figure, equiuocation, or mentall reseruation, as far as may be.
[Affection.] O God how thou hast closely besieged, as it were, and left no passage to euasion! forcing, in a manner, this Con∣fession from us, that vpon this truth, thy testimonies are too too credible: for is it credible, that 3. Euangelists, and the great Apostle of the Gentiles, would vna∣nimously conspire, to misleade all their po∣steritie? Or can it be imagined, that Truth would striue to deceaue vs, by leauing vs affirmatiues to be vnderstood for negati∣ues, in a matter of practise? would a tender Father teach his rude and ignorant chil∣dren,
by hisbodie, to vnderstand not his bodie? to witt, bread? Would the goodnesse and wisedome of heauen, in his verie laste words, haue left to his deare Spouse the Church, an ineuitable occasion of error, and perpetuall Idolatrie, euer since? Farre is it from a Christian vnder∣standing, and farr be it euer from the har∣tes of thy seruants, whom thou feedest with thy flesh, which is truly meate, and with thy blood which is truly drinke. We deuoutly adore thee, ô hidden Deitie, who art truly and really vnder the formes of bread and wine. Let's rather dye then denye, depart from, or entertaine the least doubt, of this certaine Truth.