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A11189 A way of reconciliation of a good and learned man touching the trueth, nature, and substance of the body and blood of Christ in the sacrament. Translated out of Latin by the right honorable Lady Elizabeth Russell, dowager to the right honourable the Lord Iohn Russell, Baron, and sonne and heire to Francis Earle of Bedford. Russell, Elizabeth Cooke Hoby, Lady, ca. 1540-1609. 1605 (1605) STC 21456; ESTC S101217 72,992 116

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in his second Apologie writeth thus And this meate is called with vs that is Thankesgiuing c. whereof none other may be partaker but he which both beleeueth those things to be true which we say also hath bene purified with the washing which is giuen for the remission of sinnes and regeneration and also so liueth as CHRIST hath appointed For wee take not these things to be common and wonted bread and accustomed drinke but euen as the word of God IESVS CHRIST our Sauiour was made man and had both flesh and blood for our saluation Euen so in like maner wee haue bene taught that the meate which is hallowed by the prayers of the word that we receiued of him and by which our blood and flesh by a change made are nourished is both the flesh blood of the same CHRIST which was made man For the Apostles in their Commentaries which be called the Gospels haue left in writing that CHRIST did so command them and that he said when he had taken bread and giuen thankes Doe this in remembrance of me This is my body And that when he had taken the cup and giuen thankes hee said This is my Blood Partly the other words of this testimoniall doe affirme the trueth of his body and chiefly because by a similitude taken of the two natures in CHRIST he declareth that there be also two natures in the Sacrament namely of the outward signe and of the flesh Blood of IESVS CHRIST Alike vnto this is spoken in Irenaeus in his 4. booke For how say they againe that the flesh commeth into corruption doth not receiue life which is nourished of the body and Blood of the Lord Therefore let them either change their opinion or else abstaine to offer the things which are aforesaid but our opinion is agreeing to the Sacrament of thankesgiuing and this Sacrament againe confirmeth our opinion For wee offer those things that be his preaching agreeably the partaking and trueth of Flesh and Spirit For euen as the bread which is of the earth receiuing the calling vpon God is now no more common bread but a Sacrament of thanksgiuing made of two things earthly and Heauenly so also our bodies receiuing the Sacrament of thankesgiuing be not now corruptible because they haue the hope of resurrection The same man in his fift booke and because wee be his members and are nourished by the creature he giueth vs the creature making his Sonne to arise and raining as he listeth the same Cup which is a creature he confirmed to be his Body by which he increaseth our bodies When therefore both the Cup mixed and the bread made receiueth the word of God it is made the Sacrament of the blood and body of CHRIST whereof both the substance of our flesh is increased consisteth how then doeth he denie that the flesh is able to receiue the gift of God which is life Euerlasting seeing it is nourished with the blood and bodie of CHRIST These words of Irenaeus albeit not very dark yet wil they be more plaine if we adde certaine things to them out of S. Augustine August tit de consecrat dist 2. He in his booke of the Sentences of Prosperus and is found De consecratione distinct 2. writeth thus This is it that we say and that by al meanes we labour to proue that the Sacrifice of the Church is made two maner awayes that it consisteth of two things Of the visible forme of Sacraments and the inuisible flesh and blood of our Lord IESVS CHRIST of the Sacrament and of the substance of the Sacrament that is the body of CHRIST As the person of CHRIST consisteth of God and man since CHRIST himselfe is very God and very man because euery thing conteineth in it selfe the nature and trueth of those things whereof it is made But the sacrifice of the Church is made of two things of the Sacrament and of the substance of the Sacrament that is the body of CHRIST There is therefore the Sacrament and the substance of the Sacrament the bodie of CHRIST S. Augustine repeateth that comparison between the person of CHRIST and the Sacrament of thankesgiuing and therein hee saith plainely that the trueth and nature of the bodie is conteined The same man De consecrat distinct 2. Idem ibidem Whether is this mysticall Sacrament of the Cup made in figure or in trueth The trueth saith My flesh is verily meat and my blood is verily drinke Else how can it bee a great matter The bread that I shall giue is my flesh for the life of the world vnlesse it bee very flesh But because it is not godly that CHRIST should be deuoured with teeth the Lords will was to haue this bread and wine in mysterie to be by his power made his flesh and blood in veritie by the consecration of the holy Ghost and to be daily offered mysticallie for the life of the world That like as his true flesh is created of the Virgin by the holy Ghost without the companie of man so by this same Spirit the same bodie mystically is consecrated of the substance of bread and wine The body of CHRIST is both trueth and figure Trueth in that the bodie and blood of CHRIST by the power of the holy Ghost is made by the strength thereof of the substance of bread and wine And the figure is that which outwardly is perceiued The same man in the same title Idem ibidem They that eate and drinke CHRIST eate and drinke life To eate him is to be refreshed to drinke him is to liue That which is visiblie taken in the Sacrament is eaten and drunke spiritually in very trueth Idem ibidem The same man in his booke of the Sentences of Prosperus in the same title saith But we in the forme of bread and wine which we see do honor inuisible things namely flesh and blood Neither doe we alike take these two formes as we did take them before the consecration seeing that we faithfully confesse that before the consecration they be bread and wine which nature hath framed but after the consecration they be the flesh blood of CHRIST which the blessing hath hallowed He againe vpon the 54. Psalme Vntill the world come to an end the Lord is aboue yet for all that the Lords trueth is also here with vs For it is fit that the body in the which he rose againe should be in one place but his trueth is spred euery where He also in his Epistle to Irenaeus CHRIST is bread of the which hee who so eateth liueth for euer whereof hee himselfe saith thus And the bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world And he expoundeth it how it is bread not onely according to the word whereby all things liue but according to the flesh that hee tooke for the life of the world For mans flesh which was dead through sinne being knit
to pure flesh incorporat made one with it doth liue by his spirit euen as one bodie by his owne spirit But he that is not of the body of CHRIST liueth not of the Spirit of CHRIST Hitherto Augustine hath plainly inough proued the trueth and nature of the body of CHRIST in this Sacrament Hilar. de tri lib. 8. Hilarie in his 8. booke of the Trinitie I would know now of them that alledge vnitie of wil between the Father and the Sonne whether CHRIST nowadayes be in vs by trueth of nature or by agreement of will For if the Word be verily made flesh and wee receiue the word verily flesh in the Lords meate how should a man not suppose him to remaine naturally in vs which being borne man tooke to himselfe an vnseparable nature now of our flesh and hath mixed the nature of his owne flesh with the nature of eternitie vnder the Sacrament of his flesh to be partaked among vs And a little after Therefore whosoeuer wil denie the Father to be naturally in CHRIST let him first denie either himselfe to be naturally in CHRIST or CHRIST to be in him because the Father in CHRIST and CHRIST in vs do make vs to be one thing in them If CHRIST therefore did verily take the flesh of our bodie if the same man which was borne of the Virgine Mary be verily CHRIST and we verily take vnder a mysterie the flesh of his body and thereby shal become one because the Father is in him and hee in vs How is the vnitie of will alledged seeing the naturall propertie by meanes of the Sacrament is a Sacrament of perfect vnitie Also a little after For those things which wee speake of the naturall trueth of CHRIST in vs vnlesse we learne of him we speake foolishly and wickedly For he saith My flesh is meat in deed and my Blood is drinke in deed Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood remaineth in mee and I in him There is no place left of doubting of the trueth of Flesh and Blood For now it is verily Flesh and verily Blood both by the confession of our Lord himselfe and also by our Faith and these things being receiued by eating and drinking doe worke that effect that both wee be in CHRIST and CHRIST is in vs. Is not this trueth Let it happen vnto them not to bee true which denie IESVS CHRIST to be very God And soone after And so by a Mediator the perfit Vnitie should be taught when as wee abiding in him hee should abide in the Father and he abiding in the Father should abide in vs and so should we clime to the vnitie of the Father when hee is naturally according to his birth in him we also should be naturally in him so long as he abideth naturally in vs. And that this natural vnitie is in vs he hath thus witnessed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him And by and by he addeth This is truely the cause of our life for that we haue CHRIST remaining in vs carnal men according to the flesh whereas wee shall liue hereafter by him after the same sort as he liueth by the Father If we therefore liue naturally by him after the flesh namely hauing taken vpon vs the nature of his flesh how hath he not the Father after the spirit naturally in him since he liueth by the Father And he concludeth To this end be these things rehearsed by vs because the heretiks affirming falsly the vnitie of wil onely betweene the Father and the Sonne vsed for the example of our vnitie with the Lord as though we were vnited to the Sonne and by the Sonne to the Father only by obedience and will of Religion and no propertie of naturall fellowship were granted to vs by the Sacrament of his flesh and blood whereas in deed the mysterie of the true and naturall vnitie should be taught both for the honour of the Sonne of God that is giuen vs and for the Sonne carnally abiding in vs and wee knit corporally and vnseparably in him Hilarius doeth manifestly teach the true and naturall partaking of the flesh of CHRIST in the Sacrament And as plainely doeth Cyrillus witnesse the same in the 10. Cyrillus lib. 10. cap. 13. booke chap. 13. when he saith Yet wee denie not that wee be ioyned spiritually in CHRIST by a right faith and sincere loue but that wee haue no maner of ioyning with him according to the flesh that truely we vtterly denie And soone after But doth hee happily thinke that the vertue of the mysticall blessing is vnknowen to vs which when it is wrought in vs doth it not also make CHRIST to dwell corporally in vs by the partaking of the flesh of CHRIST For why be the members of the faithfull the members of CHRIST Know ye not saith he that your members be the members of Christ Shal I therefore make the members of Christ the members of an harlot Our Sauiour also saith He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood remaineth in me and I in him whereby it ought to be considered that CHRIST is in vs not onely by that accustomed qualitie which is perceiued by loue but also further by a naturall partaking For euen as if a man shall melt waxe by the fire and mingle it with other waxe which is likewise melted so that one lumpe may seeme to be made of both So by the communion of the body and blood of CHRIST he is in vs and wee in him For this corruptible nature of the bodie could not otherwise be brought to vncorruption and life vnlesse the body of naturall life should be ioyned thereto The same man also in his 4. Idem in Io. lib. 4. cap. 14. booke vpon Iohn the 14. chapter doeth witnesse For truely it behoueth that not onely the soule should ascend into blessed life by the holy Ghost but also that this rude and earthly body should be brought againe to immortalitie by a taste feeling and meate like vnto it The same man in his 11. book vpon Iohn cap. 27. The Sonne Idem in Io. lib. 11. cap. 27. as man is made one with vs corporally by the mystical blessings but spiritually as God And a little after For we receiuing corporally and substantially as it hath bene said the Sonne of God which is made one by nature with the Father be made pure and glorified being partakers of the nature that is from aboue The same man in the same book vpon the 26. chapter Idem eodem lib. cap. 26. For to the end therefore ye might knit euery one of vs among our selues and God although wee differ both in body and soule yet hath he found a meane agreeable to the determination of his Father and his owne wisdome For he blessing with his owne body through the mystical communion them that beleeue doth make vs one bodie both with himselfe and also among our selues For
the faithfull be not in the sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is deuourers of flesh as I may so terme it as the letter properly soundeth but that spirituall sence is required that is the forme of bread wine being retained the vertue of his flesh and blood is receiued of the faithfull as it is manifest by his owne words both here and those before rehearsed Bertram Wherefore Bertram following the opinion of the old Fathers hath thus written For according to the substance of the creatures they be the same also after that they were before the consecration They were before bread and wine in which forme being now consecrated they seeme to remaine Therfore is there a thing changed inwardly by the mightie power of the holy Ghost which faith beholdeth and feedeth the soule and ministreth substance of eternall life Likewise But now because faith doeth behold that whole whatsoeuer that whole is and the eye of the flesh perceiueth nothing ye shall vnderstand that those things which be seene be the bodie and blood Christ not in forme but in strength The same Bertram when he had rehearsed this saying of Isidore Which thinges for that cause be called sacraments because vnder the couer of corporall things the diuine power doth worke more secret saluation whereupon they be called sacraments also of their secret and holie vertues and in Greek it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it hath a secret hid dispensation And after he addeth of his own this saying What be we taught therby but that the body blood of the Lord be for that cause called Mysteries because they haue a secret and hid dispensation that is they be one thing which they outwardly betoken and another which inwardly they inuisibly worke Of this also they be called sacraments because vnder the couer of corporall things the diuine power doth more secretly minister the saluation of those that receiue them faithfully By all these things which haue hitherto bene spoken it hath bene made manifest that the body and blood of Christ which in the Church be receiued by the mouth of the faithfull bee figures according to their visible forme but according to their inuisible substance that is the power of the heauenly Word they verily be the body and blood of Christ Whereupon according to the visible creature they feed the body but according to the vertue of their better substance they both feed and sanctifie the minds of the faithfull These bee Bertrams words Hitherto haue we declared what hath bene the opinion of the old true diuines of the Supper of the Lord aswell Grecians as Latines euen vnto Bertrams time who in the yeere after Christs birth 840. was a famous man both in life learning noted by no man of Heresie nor found fault with as hauing ill written but greatly praised by the iudgement of learned and good men Wherefore that Iohn called Abbas Trithemius Abbas Trithem doubted not to reckon him in the roule of diuine famous writers and to praise him by this his testimony that foloweth Bertram an Elder and Monke very expert in holy Scripture and notably wel learned in humanitie quick of wit eloquent of speech no lesse famous in life then learning writ many notable little treatises whereof a few haue come to my knowledge He writ one booke of Predestination a cōmendable worke To Charles the king brother to Lotharius the Emperor of the body and blood of the Lord another booke These things haue I the more willingly rehearsed to this intent to reproue that railing boldnes of tongue that some man hath vsed who in a book newly set forth of this controuersie when he had nothing wherewith he could answer Bertram thought it sufficient to despise this so famous a man to note him with the name of an heretike Bertram saith he or what other soeuer was author of that worke set forth in his name was a crafty and an impudent Heretike O shameles face and meet to be bridled Barnard also which liued 300. yeere after Bertram doth reiect all carnall vnderstanding in the wordes of the Lords Supper and acknowledgeth onely a spirituall whose words taken out of his Sermon in the day of the Lords Supper I haue here added A sacrament is called a holy signe or holy secret Many things certainly be done only for themselues some other also for other things betokened and they be called signes and be so As for example of vsual matters a ring is giuen absolutely for a ring there is no signification It is giuen to set a man in possession of any estate of inheritance and it is a token so that now he that receiueth it may say the ring is of smal value but it is the inheritance that I seeke After this sort therefore our Lord drawing neere his Passion was careful to set his disciples in possession of his grace that his inuisible grace might be giuen by some visible signe To this intent hee ordained the sacraments Idem de S. Mart. To this end is the partaking of the sacrament of Thankesgiuing The same man of S. Martin Without faile euen vnto this day is the same flesh giuen vs but spiritually not carnally neither haue we to finde fault that there is denied to this our time the appearing which was shewed to the Fathers of the olde Testament or that presence of his flesh which was declared to the Apostles For certainely neither of both can be prooued to be wanting to those that consider it faithfully For the true substance of his flesh is also now present with vs no doubt but in a sacrament and there be reuelations but yet in spirit and povver so that no part of grace can be prooued to be wanting in the time of grace that now is In cōclusion neither the eye hath seene nor the eare hath heard neither haue they ascended into the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that loue him Notwithstanding he hath reueiled them vnto vs by his Spirit Neither marueile thou that he gaue carnal apparances vnto them which looked for his carnall comming for it is necessary that we haue the grace so much more of force the reuelation of more dignitie as those things vndoubtedly be more excellent that we looke for It cannot be hid by these things that we haue spoken what was Bernards opinion of the presence of the flesh in the Lords Supper First folowing the old writers he appointeth two parts of the sacrament the outward signe and the invvard matter which he defineth to be inuisible grace Againe the flesh is giuen to vs but spiritually not carnally Finally that the very substance of his flesh is present but yet as it is fit for the time of grace in grace spirit and povver As for that other Sermon of the Supper of the Lord since it is not reckoned among Bernards owne works albeit it be not contrary to these things that we haue now
who wil thinke those distant from this naturall vnion which be vnited in one CHRIST by the vnion of one CHRISTS bodie For if all we eat one bread we be made all one body And within few wordes after But that this bodily vniting to CHRIST is attained by the partaking of his flesh Paul himselfe againe doeth witnesse disputing of the mysterie of godlinesse the which saith he hath not bene knowen to the sonnes of men in other generations as it hath bene reueiled now to his holy Apostles and Prophets in the Spirit that the Gentiles be coheires and ioyned in body and equall partakers of the promise in Christ The same man to Calosyrius Idem ad Calosyrium For that wee should not be afraide of the flesh and blood set vpon the holy Altars God submitting himselfe to our frailtie putteth a force of life into those things that bee offered turning them into the trueth of his owne flesh that the body of life as it were a certaine quickning seed may bee found in vs whereupon he addeth Doe this in a remembrance of me Hitherto Cyrillus Cyprianus de coena Domini Cyprian of the Supper of the Lord This bread not in outward apparence but in nature changed by the mightie power of the Word is made flesh which the Lord did reach to his disciples And in the same place Who euen to this day createth and sanctifieth blesseth and diuideth to those that take it godly this his most true and holy bodie Hieron in Matth. de consecrat dist 2. Hierom vpon Matthew De consecrat dist 2. He tooke bread which is the comforter of man and passed to the true Sacrament of Passeouer That as Melchisedec for a figure therof before had done when he offered bread and wine he should represent it in the trueth of his bodie and blood Chrysost in Io. Hom. 45. Chrysostom vpon Iohn Hom. 45. But that not onely by loue but euen in very deed wee should be turned into that flesh he worketh the same by the meate which hee hath giuen vs. For when he ment to bring his loue vpon vs he ioyned himselfe to vs by his body and made himselfe one with vs that the body might be knit with the head The same man Homil. 61. Idem Hom. 61. Therefore that we should be this not only by charitie but in very deed should bee mingled with that flesh this is brought to passe by the meat which hee hath giuen vs. Chrysostom hath also many other sayings to the same meaning Those things that S. Ambrose writeth in his 6. Ambros lib. 6. de sacra cap. 1. booke the first chapter of the Sacraments do agree with these Euen as our Lord IESVS CHRIST is the true Sonne of God not as men be by grace but as a Sonne of the substance of the Father so is that which wee take the very flesh of CHRIST and they drinke his very blood as he himselfe said And a little after Then when his disciples could not away with the talke of CHRIST but hearing that he would giue them his flesh to eate and his blood to drinke they went away But Peter alone said Thou hast the words of eternall life and whither should I goe from thee Lest therefore any moe should say this as though there should be a kinde of lothsomnesse of blood but that the grace of redemption might remaine therefore receiuest thou the Sacrament in a similitude but thou obteinest the grace and vertue of the true nature The same man in his 4. booke the 4. Idem lib. 4. cap. 4. cap. Thou seest therefore how effectuall in operation the word of CHRIST is If then there be so great efficacie in the word of our Lord IESVS CHRIST that that should begin to bee which was not How much more is it of effect to make those things to be that were before and to be changed into another thing And so that which was bread before the consecration the same is become the body of CHRIST after the consecration because the word of CHRIST doeth change the creature And so of bread is made the body of CHRIST and the wine mixed with water in the cup is made blood by the consecration of the heauenly word But perhaps thou wilt say I see not the forme of blood But it hath a likenesse For euen as thou hast taken the likenes of his death so also doest thou drinke the similitude of his blood that there should be no abhorring of blood and yet the price of our redemption wrought Also before the wordes of CHRIST the cup is full of wine water after the words of CHRIST haue wrought there is the blood made which hath redeemed the people Therefore marke how the word of CHRIST is able to make alteration in all things Beside CHRIST himselfe doeth testifie that wee doe receiue his bodie and blood of whose fulnesse and testimonie we ought not to doubt Likewise peraduenture thou saiest I see another thing How prouest thou that I do receiue the bodie of CHRIST This remaineth yet for vs to proue that this is not it which nature hath fashioned but it that blessing hath hallowed and that there is greater force of the blessing then of nature because nature it selfe is also changed by the blessing Also But if the blessing of man was of such force that it could turne nature What doe we say of the very heauenly consecration whereas the very wordes of the Lord our Sauiour do worke For this Sacramēt which thou receiuest is wrought by the words of CHRIST But if the word of Elias was of such force that it could bring fire from heauen Shall not the word of CHRIST be of power to change the kinds of elements Eusebius Emyssenus de consecrat dist 2. Eusebius Emyssenus likewise who was in yeeres before Ambrose doth witnes in these wordes the opinion which was then had of the Sacrament and it is had De consecrat dist 2. Whereupon the heauenly authoritie confirmeth That my flesh is verily meat and my blood is verily drinke Let therefore all doubt of misbeliefe be laid aside because hee that is author of the gift is likewise witnesse of the trueth For the inuisible priest doeth turne with his word by a secret power the visible creatures into the substance of his bodie and blood saying thus Take ye eate ye this is my body and the hallowing being repeated Take ye drinke ye this is my blood Therefore euen as the height of the heauens the depth of waters and largenesse of earth had their being of nothing suddenly at the becke of the Lord that commanded so with the like power in the spirituall Sacraments when power commandeth effect obeieth How great therefore and wonderfull benefits the force of the heauenly blessing doeth worke How it ought not to seeme a new vnpossible matter to thee that earthly and mortal things bee turned into the substance of Christ aske thy selfe that art