rysostom very aptly writeth, we
say, "that the body of Christ is the dead carcase, and we ourselves must
be the eagles," meaning thereby that we must fly high, if we will come
unto the body of Christ. "For this table," as Chrysostom saith, "is a
table of eagles, and not of jays." Cyprian also, "This bread," saith he,
"is the food of the soul, and not the meat of the belly." And Augustine,
"How shall I hold Him," saith he, "which is absent? How shall I reach my
hand up to heaven, to lay hold upon Him that sitteth there?" He
answereth, "Reach hither thy faith, and then thou hast laid hold on Him."

We cannot also away in our churches with the shows, and sales, and buying
and selling of masses, nor the carrying about and worshipping of bread:
nor such other idolatrous and blasphemous fondness: which none of them
can prove that Christ or His Apostles did ever ordain, or left unto us.
And we justly blame the bishops of Rome, who, without the word of God,
without the authority of the holy fathers, without any example of
antiquity, after a new guise, do not only set before the people the
sacramental bread to be worshipped as God, but do also carry about the
same upon an ambling horse, whithersoever themselves journey, as in old
times the Persians' fire, and the relics of the goddess Isis, were
solemnly carried about in procession: and have brought the Sacraments of
Christ to be used now as a stage play and a solemn sight: to the end,
that men's eyes should be fed with nothing else but with mad gazings and
foolish gauds, in the self-same matter, wherein the death of Christ ought
diligently to be beaten into our hearts, and wherein also the mysteries
of our redemption ought with all holiness and reverence to be executed.

Besides, where they say, and sometimes do persuade fools, that they are
able by their masses to distribute and apply unto men's commodity all the
merits of Christ's death, yea, although many times the parties think
nothing of the matter, and understand full little what is done, this is a
mockery, an heathenish fancy, and a very toy. For it is our faith that
applieth the death and cross of Christ to our benefit, and not the act of
the massing priest. "Faith had in the Sacraments," saith Augustine,
"doth justify, and not the Sacraments." And Origen saith, "Christ is the
Priest, the Propitiation, and Sacrifice: which Propitiation cometh to
every one by means of faith." So that by this reckoning, we say tha