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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	church_n	1,878	5	4.2003	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10472	A booke of Bertram the priest, concerning the body and blood of Christ written in Latin to Charles the Great, being Emperour, aboue eight hundred yeeres agoe. Translated and imprinted in the English tongue. Anno Dnj. 1549.; De corpore et sanguine Domini. English	Ratramnus, monk of Corbie, d. ca. 868.; Lynde, Humphrey, Sir.	1623 (1623)	STC 20752; ESTC S115659	40,145	122

Sacraments may worke that in vs which they doe containe that looke what we now administer and receiue in forme we may also receiue it in the truth of the things He saith that these things are celebrated and done in shew forme and not in truth that is in similitude or likenesse and not in the declaration of the thing it selfe Now the forme and shew of a thing and the veritie or truth of the selfe same thing differ one of them from another Wherefore that body and blood which is celebrated and received in the Church differeth from that bodie and blood which is known to be now glorified in Christs body thorow his Resurrection And the former of these two bodies is a pledge and figure and this latter is the very truth it selfe for the former is celebrated and administred till such time as we may come to the other but when we shall once come to this latter the former shall be removed and taken away Wherefore it appreareth that they are by a very great difference sundred one of them from the other yea looke what difference there is betweene the pledge and thing for which the pledge is given and betweene an Image or the thing whose Image it is or betweene the forme and shew of a thing and the truth it selfe so much difference there is betweene the one and the other Thus we see that that mysterie of the bodie and blood of Christ which the faithfull doe nowe receiue in the Church doth much differ is farre severed from that body which was borne of the Virgin Mary which suffered which was buried which rose againe which ascended into heaven and which sitteth at the right hand of the Father For that which is celebrated received while we are in the way of this life must be spiritually received and vnderstoode for Faith beleeveth the thing which it seeth not layeth hold of that which doth spiritually feed the soule and make glad the heart and giveth eternall life and incorruption whilest we looke not vpon that which feedeth the body or is pressed with the teeth or is broken in peeces but that only which is spiritually received in faith whereas that bodie in which Christ suffered and rose againe is his owne very body which he tooke of the body of the Virgin Mary which also was palpable and visible yea and that after his Resurrection even as he himselfe saith vnto the Disciples Luke 24.38.39 Why are yee troubled and wherefore doe thoughts and doubts arise in your hearts Beholde my handes and my feete for it is I my selfe Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue Let vs heare also what blessed Fulgentius writeth in his Booke of Faith Looke that thou doe most stedfastly beleeue Fulgen. de fide and at no hand doubt that the onely begotten Word of God became flesh Ephes 5.2 and offered vp himselfe for vs as an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour vnto God Vnto whom with the Father and the holy Ghost the Patriarkes Prophets and Priestes did in the time of the olde Testament offer vp Beasts and sacrifice them and vnto whom also with the Father and the holy Ghost with whom he is of one and the selfe same God-head the holy Catholique Church being dispersed throughout the whole world ceaseth not in faith and loue to offer vp the sacrifice of Bread and Wine For in those sacrifices of flesh and Beasts there was a signification of Christes flesh which even he himselfe being without sinne should offer for our sinnes and of his blood also which he should shed for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes but in this sacrifice of Bread and Wine there is a thankesgiving for and a remembrāce of that flesh of Christ which he offered vp for vs and of that blood which he himselfe being very God did shed for vs Act. 20.28 of which S. Paul speaketh in the Acts of the Apostles and in the xx Chapter of the said booke saying Take heed vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops or over-seers to governe the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood Wherefore there was in the former sacrifices figuratiuely signified that that should be given to vs but there is in this sacrifice evidently and plainely declared what is given vnto vs. Now the Doctor in saying that there was in those sacrifices signified what should be given vnto vs and that in this sacrifice there was declared what was given vnto vs alreadie he doth plainely declare that as those sacrifices had the figure of things to come so our sacrifice is a figure of things that are past By which speeches he hath most evidently declared what great difference there is betweene that bodie wherein Christ suffered and this body which is celebrated and administred in the remembrance of his Passion or death For that body wherein he suffered was his proper and very or true body having no mysticall or figuratiue matter in it But this latter is a mysticall bodie shewing one thing outwardly in figure and inwardly representing another thing thorowe the vnderstanding and apprehension of faith Moreover let vs adde and put downe one other testimony of that reverent Father Augustine which shall both warrant the truth and credit of our sayings and make an end of our Oration and speech In a certaine Sermon Aug. de sacra altar Serm. which he made to the people concerning the Sacrament of the Altar thus he saith The thing which you see on Gods Altar you saw the same the night that is past but as yet yee haue not heard what it is what it meaneth and of how great a matter it containeth the Sacrament The thing which you see is bread and the cup which thing also your owne eyes doe declare vnto you but as concerning that wherein your faith requireth to be instructed the Bread is the body of Christ and the cup is his blood Truely this is shortly sayd and it may be perhaps sufficient for faith but yet faith alwayes needeth instruction Esay 7.9 For the Prophet sayth Vnlesse yee beleeue yee shall not vnderstand You may peradventure say vnto me Thou biddest vs beleeue but yet we say declare it vnto vs that we may vnderstand For such a thought may arise in some mans mind We know from whom our Lord Iesus Christ tooke his flesh to wit of the Virgin Mary hee being an Infant did sucke and was nourished and did grow and came to mans age he suffered persecution at the Iewes handes he was hanged vpon a tree he was killed he was taken from the Crosse he was buried the third day he rose againe he ascended into heaven even what day pleased him thither he carryed vp his body from thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead and he is there now sitting at the right hand of the Father

so much divided against it selfe that they cannot by any glue of Concord as Cyprian speaketh nor bond of vnitie be conioyned Cyp lib. 3. Epist 13. Some hold of Paul some of Apollos some allow the Booke others deny the Author Is the Worke man and the Worke divided Is the Author of the Booke commended the Booke it selfe condemned Is this the wisedome and pollicie of the Church to cry some one thing some another like the common Craftsmen for their great Diana of the Ephesians These things were much to be wondred at especially by one that wants perhaps the leisure perhaps the knowledge to search into these doubtfull disputes but that the ingenuous confession of Erasmus will satisfie a further jnquisition It is plainely found saith he that many things in Luthers Bookes are condemned for hereticall which in the Bookes of Bernard and Austen are read for holy and Orthodox Agreeable to that saying of Maldonats Maldon Comment in Ioh. 6. expounding a place of Scripture Although I haue no other Author saith he for my exposition yet I allow it rather then that of Austens and others though it be most probable because this of mine crosseth more the sense of the Calvinists Thus then to end with the Church of Rome with whom I began Isid Pleusit lib. 3. epist 408. Shee is like a Woman fallen from her ancient happinesse and retaining onely some signes thereof she hath the Sheaths and Caskets where the Ornaments lay but the goods themselues she is spoyled off Hence it is that wee are departed from their Church as Moses sometimes departed out of Egypt or as S. Austen from the Maniches Chrysost in Math. Homil 49. We haue departed from them in body they first departed from vs in minde we from them by place they from vs by faith we haue left with them the foundations of the walls they haue left with vs the foundations of the Scriptures We are departed from them in the sight of man they are departed from vs in the iudgement of GOD. And as concerning this Author which I here present vnto you Ierom Epist 126. ad Euagr I will say as S. Ierom answered Euagrius who desiring his opinion concerning Melchisedec whether he were the holy Ghost S. Ierom when he had shewed him the iudgement of the ancient Fathers of whom some thought Melchisedec a Man some an Angell You haue saith he what I haue heard what I haue read touching Melchisedec to bring forth the witnesses it was my part let it be yours to iudge of the credit of the witnesses Behold Gentle Reader the Worke-man and the Worke I haue cited the opinions of the Moderne Writers and of the best concerning this Author it is your part to iudge of the credit of them it was my part to summon their apparance for the tryall of the partie it is your part to iudge of the sufficiencie of their proofe their good agreement amongst themselues You haue the Author aboue 800. yeares continuance you haue his doctrine aboue 1500. yeares if his proofe make it not good we will disclayme both the Author and his Doctrine If such a light did so shine when the Church was so much darkned and obscured with the mists of Ignorāce pittie it were but this Lampe should receiue a new Light by reprinting of him which the Iniquitie of the times hath almost extinguished Briefely all that I can say of the Author is this That which Vincentius Lyrinensis spake of Tertullian may very fitly be attributed to him His words are senses his senses victories and as concerning the Worke and the exquisite performance thereof I will say in two words Exegit Monumentum It may stand and long may it stand a Monument to after Ages that he may be justified in his sayings and cleare when he is judged H. L. ¶ Bertram the Priest his Preface concerning the body and blood of the LORD written to Charles the great being Emperour I Am commanded by you famous Prince to declare vnto your Highnesse What iudgement I am of concerning the mysterie of the Bodie and Blood of Christ Certaine it is that as this commandement doth well beseeme your magnificall and Princely estate so is it a most hard thing to be performed by my poore and small power For what is more meete for your Kingly Providence and government than in respect of your selfe to be vniversally wise concerning his holy mysteries who hath vouchsafed you worthy of the Kingly seate and in respect of your Subiects not to suffer them to thinke divers things concerning the bodie and blood of Christ in which doubtlesse consisteth the whole summe of Christian Redemption For while some of the faithfull affirme that the mysterie or Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ which is daily celebrated and administred in the Church is done vnder no figure and vnder no cover at all but perf●●med vnder the naked manifestation shew of the truth it selfe and againe while other some testifie that these things are conteined vnder the figure of the mystery and that it is one thing which appeareth to our bodily senses and another thing that our faith looketh vpon it plainly appeareth that there is no small diversitie and difference amongst them And whereas the Apostle writeth vnto the faithfull people That all of them should savour one thing 1 Cor. 1.10 and speake one thing and that no schisme should appeare amongst them we must needs say that they are by no small schisme divided and rent asunder who not thinking the selfe same things doe speake diversly of the mysterie of the bodie and blood of Christ Wherefore your Kingly Maiestie and Highnesse being provoked no doubt with the zeale of Religion though perhaps not quietly and indifferently considering of these things and desiring also that all men should according to the Apostles Commandement thinke and speake one thing doth diligently search for the mysterie and secret of truth that so you may call backe such therevnto as haue wandred and strayed Wherevpon also it commeth to passe that you disdaine not to demand and aske the truth of this matter even of very poore and base men perswading your selfe that the mysterie of so great a secret cannot be knowne but by inspiration and revelation from God who having no respect of persons sheweth forth the light of his truth by whomsoever he himselfe hath chosen to so great a matter Now as it is very pleasant for me poore man to obey your Commandement so I confesse it is a very hard matter for me to dispute and reason of a matter so farre estranged from mans vnderstanding and senses and into which a man cannot pearse or enter but by the instruction and teaching of the holy Spirit Wherefore I being at this present subiect to your Highnesse commandement and yet trusting and cleaving to the ayde and assistance of him of whom we will speake will assay by what words I can to open my iudgement concerning

this matter not leaning in the treatie thereof to mine owne wit but pursuing and treading in the footsteps of the holy and auncient Fathers HERE BEGINneth the Booke of Bertram the Priest touching the body and blood of the Lord which he wrote to Charles the Great being Emperour YOur Highnesse Excellency demandeth 1 Two questions whether that the body and blood of Christ which in the Church is receiued by the mouth of the faithfull bee done in a mystery or in truth and verity that is to say whether it containe some secret thing which is euident to the eyes of faith onely or whether without the vaile or couerture of any mystery the bodily sight doe outwardly behold that which the sight of the minde doth inwardly looke vpon so that whatsoeuer is done appeareth manifestly or no And this is the first question The other is whether it be that very body that was borne of the Virgin Mary that suffered that died that was buried and that rising againe ascēding vp into heauen sitteth now on the right hand of the Father or no Now let vs looke into the first of these two questions and lest wee be letted with ambiguity and doubtfulnesse let vs define what a figure is and what the truth is that so beholding and perceiuing some certainty wee may know whither wee ought to deferre the course of our reasoning A figure is a certaine shadow by certaine vailes couertures as it were that is to say darkely declaring the thing which it intendeth to manifest as for example when wee minde to speake of Gods Word we call it bread so in the Lords Prayer wee desire to haue daily bread giuen vs. Also when Christ in the Gospell speaketh Mat. 6.11 saying I am the living bread which came downe from heaven Likewise Ioh. 6.51 when hee calleth himselfe a Vine and his Disciples branches saying I am the true Vine Ioh. 15.1.5 and yee are the branches For all these sayings seeme to speake one thing and yet meane another thing As for that which wee call verity or truth it is the declaration of a manifest and plaine matter which is not couered with any shew of shadowes but insinuated and delivered with pure and open or to speak more plainly with naturall significations as when it is said That Christ being borne of a Virgin suffered death was crucified Mat. 1.25 1 Pet. 3.18 1 Cor. 2.2 Ioh. 19.40 c. dead and buried Heere verily is nothing shadowed with figures ouer-couering the same but the truth of the things declared by the significations of naturall wordes or speeches neither may we heere vnderstand any other thing than that which is spoken and expressed But it is not so in the former sentences for neither is Christ the bread substantiallly neither is Christ a Vine substantially neither are the Apostles branches substantially wherefore in these latter speeches there is a figure and in those former the truth that is to say a naked and open signification is declared by narration or plaine speech Now let vs returne to those things that is to the body and blood of Christ for whose these points haue been propounded and vttered Truly if that great mystery be celebrated and done vnder no mystery at all then it is not rightly called a mystery because that cannot be called a mystery or secret wherein there is no hidden thing and wherein there is no matter remooued from our bodily senses and wherein there is nothing covered with some vaile or couerture But that bread which by the Ministery of the Priest is now become the body of Christ doth shew one thing outwardly to mans senses and soundeth another thing inwardly to the mindes of the faithfull Outwardly indeed the form of bread which it had before is set out the colour thereof is shewed and the savour thereof received and tasted But inwardly a thing farre differing yea and much more precious and excellently is shewed and set forth and I say it is much more precious and excellent because it is heauenly and because it is diuine I meaning hereby that Christs body is manifested which is either seen or receiued or eaten not with the senses faculties or power of the flesh but with the eye and sight of a faithfull or beleeving minde The wine also which by the Priest through consecration is become the Sacrament of Christs blood setteth forth one thing outwardly and containeth an other thing inwardly For what other thing is superficially and outwardly locked vp then the substance of wine Taste it and it savoureth and smacketh wine smell it and it smelleth wine looke vpon it and thou mayst behold the colour of wine But if a man do consider it inwardly then it being not the liquor of wine but the liquor of Christ blood so savoreth to the beleevers minds while it is tasted and is so acknowledged while it is beheld and is so proved to be whilest it is smelled It is manifest that these things are so seeing no man can deny them to be true because the Bread and the Wine is figuratiuely Christs body blood For outwardly and according to that which is seene neither is any kind or shew of flesh knowne to be in that Bread nor any drop of blood shewed forth in the Wine and yet for all that after the mysticall consecration the Bread is no more called Bread nor the Wine Wine but both of them together are called the body and blood of Christ For if according to some mens mindes nothing were in this matter taken figuratiuely but the whole were considered and looked vpon in veritie or truth then should faith worke nothing at all therein because that no spirituall thing should be performed but looke whatsoever the thing it selfe were even that wholly should be taken according to the body and a mans fleshly vnderstanding Heb. 11.1 And seeing that faith as the Apostle saith is the argument and evidence of such things as appeare not that is to say not of such substances as are seene but of such as are not seene we shall then in this action receiue nothing according to faith because that we discerne and iudge of all that is in it according to our bodily senses And what I pray you can be more absurd then to take Bread to be flesh and to affirme that Wine is blood And a mystery that cannot be in which there is no secret or hidden thing conteined And how can it be said to be Christs body and blood in which it is not known that there is any change made Now every alteration and change He proueth by three sorts of change that there is no change made in the elements of the Supper is either made from that thing which actually it is not into that which actually it is or els when it is changed from that which it is into that which it is not or from that which it is to wit in respect of quality to that