Matthew — Chapter 26

8. This waste.) Cost vpon Churches, Altares &c. Cost bestowed vpon Christs body then aliue, being to the same not necessary, seemed to the Disciples lost and fruitles: so the like bestowed vpon the same body in the Sacrament, vpon Altars, or Churches, seemeth to the simple lost, or lesse meritorious, then if the same were bestowed vpon the poore.

10. Good worke.) Releefe of the poore. Cost bestowed for religion, deuotion, and signification, is a meritorious worke, and often more meritorious then to giue to the poore; though both be very good, and in some case the poore are to be preferred: yea *in certaine cases of necessity, the Church wil breake the very consecrated vessels and iewels of siluer, and gold, and bestow them in works of mercy. But we may remember very wel, and our Fathers knew it much better, that the poore were then best releeued, when most was bestowed vpon the Church. *Ambr. l. 2. Off. c. 28.

11. Haue not.) Christ alwaies with vs in the B. Sacrament. We haue him not in visible manner as he conuersed on the earth with his Disciples, needing releefe like other poore men; but we haue him after an other sort in the B. Sacrament, and yet haue him truly and really the self same body. Therfore he saith, they should not have him, because they should not so haue him, but after an other manner. As when he said Luc. 24. When I was with you, as though he were not then with them.

20. Twelue.) A wonderful mysterie in the institution of the B. Sacrament. It must needs be a great mysterie that he was to worke in the institution of the new Sacrifice by the maruelous transmutation of bread and wine into his body and bloud: Whereas he admitted none (although many present in the citie) but the twelue Apostles, which were to haue the administration and consecration thereof by the Order of Priesthood, which also was there giuen them to that purpose. Whereas at the eating of the Paschal lamb al the familie was wont to be present.

26. He tooke bread.) The holy Eucharist is both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament. Here at once is instituted, for the continuance of the external office of Christes eternal Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech, both a Sacrifice, and a Sacrament, though the Scriptures giue neither of these names to this action, and our Aduersaries without al reason or religion accept in a sort the one, and vtterly deny the other. A Sacrifice, in that it is ordained to continue the memory of Christes death and oblation vpon the Crosse, and the application of the general vertue thereof to our particular necessities, by consecrating the seueral elements, not into Christes whole person as it was borne of the Virgin or now is in Heauen, but the bread into his body apart, as betrayed, broken, and giuen for vs, the wine into his bloud apart, as shed out of his body, for remission of sinnes, and dedication of the new Testament; which be conditions of his Person as he was in Sacrifice and Oblation. In which mystical and vnspeakable manner, he would have the Church to offer and Sacrifice him daily, and he in mysterie and Sacrament dyeth, though now not only in Heauen, but also in the Sacrament, he be indeed per Concomitantiam (as the Church calleth it; that is, by sequele of al his partes to each other) whole, aliue, and immortal. Which point because our aduersaries vnderstand not, *not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God, they blaspheme, and abuse the People to their damnation. It is also a Sacrament, in that it is ordained to be receaued into our bodies, and to feed the same to resurrection and immortality, and to giue grace and saluation to our soules, if we worthily receaue it. *Mat. 22,29.

28. Bloud of the new Testament.) As the old Testament was dedicated with bloud in these words: This is the bloud of the Testament &c. Heb. 9. so here is the institution of the new Testament in Christs bloud, by these wordes: This is the bloud of the new Testament &c. Which is here mystically shed, and not only afterward vpon the Crosse: ἐκχυννόμενον. κλώμενον. διδόμενον. for the Greeke is the present tense in al the Euangelistes, and S. Paul: and likewise speaking of the body 1 Cor. 11. it is in the Greeke the present tense, and Luc. 22. and there also in the Latin. And the Heretikes them selues so put it in their translations.

29. Fruit of the vine.) The elements after consecration called bread & wine. S. Luke putteth these words before he come to the consecration, whereby it seemeth that he speaketh of the wine of the Paschal lamb; and therfore nameth it, the fruit of the vine. But if he speake of the wine which was now his bloud, he nameth it notwithstanding wine, as S. Paul nameth the other bread, for three causes: First because it was so before: *as Eue is called Adams bone, and, **Aarons rod deuoured their rods. Wheras they were not now rods, but serpents. And: ***He tasted the water turned into wine. Whereas it was now wine and not water; and such like. Secondly, because it keepeth the formes of bread and wine, and things are called as they appeare, as when Raphael is called a yong man Tob. 5. and, Three men appeared to Abraham Gen. 18. Whereas they were three Angels. Thirdly, because Christ in this Sacrament is very true and principal bread and wine, feeding and refreshing us in body and soule to euerlasting life. *Gen. 2. **Exo. 7. ***Iohn 2.

39. Not as I wil.) A perfect example of obedience and submitting our self and our willes to Gods wil and ordinance in al aduersity; and that we should desire nothing temporal, but vnder the condition of his holy pleasure and appointment.

41. Watch and pray.) Vigils and Nocturnes. Hereof came Vigils and Nocturnes, that is, watching and praying in the night, commonly vsed in the Primitive Church of al Christians, as is plaine by *S. Cyprian and **S. Hierom; but afterward and until this day, specially of Religious Persons. *De Orat. Do. nu. 15. **Adu. Vigilant. ep. 53.

69. Wench.) The vertue of the holy Ghost. S. Gregorie declaring the difference of the Apostles before the receauing of the Holy Ghost and after, saith thus: Euen this very Pastour of the Church himself, at whose most sacred body we sit, how weake he was, the wench can tell you, but how strong he was after, his answer to the high Priest declareth, Act. 5. 29. We must obey God rather then men. Greg. ho. 20 Io. Euang.

74. To curse.) Mans Infirmitie. A goodly example and warning to mans infirmity, and to take heed of presumption, and to hang only vpon God in tentations.

75. Wept bitterly.) Peters teares and repentance. S. Ambrose in his Hymne that the Church vseth at Laudes, speaking of this, saith: Hoc ipsa Petra ecclesia canente, culpam diluit. When the Cock crew, the Rock of the Church himself washed away his fault. S. August. 1. Retract. c. 21.