A WAY OF RECONCILIATION OF A GOOD AND learned man TOVCHING THE Trueth Nature and Substance of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament Translated out of Latin into English 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 AT LONDON PRINTED BY R. B. ANNO 1605. The Author to the Reader TO seeke the attonement of men is to be commended and it hath a sure promise of God Blessed bee the peace-makers But I feare me lest in greedily following the same it happen to me which chanceth to them that part fraies while they seeke others safetie they beare the blowes themselues And I while I study to make enemies friends perhaps shall haue small thankes of them Which if it happen the example of him shal comfort me which said If I should please men I should not be the seruant of Christ Farewell and indeauour thy selfe to please Christ TO THE RIGHT HOnourable my most entierly beloued and onely daughter the Lady ANNE HERBERT wife to the Lord HENRY HERBERT sonne and heire apparant to EDVVARD the most noble Earle of Worcester MOst vertuous and woorthilie beloued daughter Euen as from your first birth and cradle J euer was most careful aboue any worldly thing to haue you sucke the perfect milke of sincere Religion So willing to ende as I beganne I haue left to you as my last Legacie this Booke A most precious Iewell to the comfort of your Soule being the woorke of a most good learned and worthy man Made aboue fiftie yeeres since in Germanie After by traueile a French creature Now naturalized by mee into English like to his learned Author to whom from my part most Honour and seruice is due Surely at the first I meant not to haue set it abroad in Print but my selfe onely to haue some certaintie to leane vnto in a matter so full of controuersie and to yeeld a reason of my opinion But since by my lending the Copie of mine owne hand to a friend I am bereft thereof by some And fearing lest after my death it should be Printed according to the humors of other and wrong of the dead who in his life approued my Translation with his owne allowance Therefore dreading I say wrong to him aboue any other respect I haue by Anticipation preuented the worst J meant this to you good daughter for a New-yeeres gift but altered by griefe for your Brothers broken arme Farewell my good sweet Nanne God blesse thee with the continuance of the comfort of his holy Spirit that it may euer worke in you and perseuere with you to the ende and in the ende IN ANNAM FILIAM Vt veniens Annus tibi plurima commodet ANNA Voce pia Mater supplice mente precor Vt valeas paritérque tuo cum Coniuge Proles Officijs iunctis vita serena fluat ELIZABETHA RVSSELLA Dowager ¶ A CERTAINE MAN wisheth to all Christians the health and peace of our Lord IESVS CHRIST THE question of the Supper of IESVS CHRIST and Sacrament of Thankesgiuing hath brought foorth to vs aboue other things a cruel and pernitious contention For the other Authors of sects Anabaptists and Suencfeldians be neither learned nor of our family But this is a ciuill and domesticall euill a bloody and deadly wound hidden in our bowels Surely it is a lamentable and horrible matter that the thing which was first instituted for the confirmation of mens minds in loue and concord and fellowship of the body of Christ which is the Church is now wrested to variance and confusion And if there haue bene any good in this broile it hath bene in the silence and sorrow of good and learned men of whom aswell the misliking sheweth that there is somewhat in both parts that might be amended and prayer and earnest desire may percase somewhat obtaine at Gods hand that contention taken away the agreement of minds may againe ioyne in one But this booke which is made touching this question whose soeuer it bee sure it seemeth to be the worke of a good learned and modest man and one that hath bene long much and well exercised in the Monuments of our Fathers and Elders Neither doeth it moue mee that he would not be named for because there is no bitter word in this disputation and he doth reason of the matter learnedly well and truely neither doth seeme willing to craue thankes at mens hands nor to haue taken this Treatie in hand either for desire of praise or greedines of Honour but to be mooued thereunto by the common sorrow and hurt to make an entry to that thing the which many men greatly desiring the peace of Christs Church haue wished with earnest and continuall prayers namely the remembrance of the Christian peace and the forgetting of deuilish debate Bucer whom I with honour speake of and for remembrance sake had found and made a way to this concord and there was great agreement of minds betweene him and Luther and hee pacified the Churches of the Heluetians and while hee liued there was peace and quietnesse but when they were both dead beholde againe bitter bookes on both sides And surely they be to be pardoned which write vnwillingly but those which without cause haue renued this wound if there be any such these surely seeme to me little to feare what men iudge of them or to esteeme the peace which Christ gaue and left vnto vs. But I returne to this Booke which pleaseth me best aboue other in this kinde of argument not that I will altogether allow it to the Congregation but because it seemeth to come neerest to the taking away of this contention For which cause he that cannot inuent a better if he be not content with this and cannot defend his owne let him take heed that hee doe not that for mans sake which he ought to leaue vndone for Christes cause namely that he nourish not contention which is the greatest enemie the Church can haue I see nothing concluded in this disputation that either is repugnant from the nature of our Religion or not honourably ynough spoken of this so great singuler mysterie both which things if both the parts had retained or followed we should haue had quietnesse long ere this I blame neither part I beare good will to both I loue both And if that were done in writing that is done and that of many with good conscience in the leading of our life and retaining and esteeming the friends on both sides men should both haue written and disputed of this question on both sides with lesse offence and bitternesse But now wee write in such sort as though wee did defend the persons and not the cause and apply the trueth of the cause not to the ordinance of Christ but to the interpretation of men Iesus Christ restore to vs his peace which he gaue and left vnto vs when hee departed hence which we
haue lost by these our contentions Iesus Christ I say whose Victory Triumph Honour Praise and Glory be for euer and euer Amen ¶ A way of Reconciliation touching the trueth nature and substance of the Body or of the Flesh and Blood of CHRIST in the Sacrament WHat good man doeth not sorrow or what man zealous in Religion doeth not often bewaile the pitifull and vnluckie contention about the LORDS SVPPER which hath now many yeres troubled the Churches of CHRIST which haue imbraced the pure doctrine whereby not onely brotherly Loue is broken but also cities and whole countreys be thereby brought in danger For whereas after the expelling the darkenesse of Ignorance and the happy restoring to the Church the gift of tongues a certaine new Light was restored to the world and the Gospel had begun to take so great roote that thereby hope of very great fruit was offered to ensue By and by this sharpe and vehement contention bursting in among the chiefe champions of the Word hath miserably troubled these very good beginnings For looke what weapons they had valiantly vsed in setting foorth the trueth in ouerthrowing the enemies of the Gospel the very same after this strife was risen did they bend one against another So that the happie course of the Gospel that began to flourish is not only hindered but also by factions discords the matter is come to that passe that vnlesse the mighty Right-hand of the Lord do resist the trueth doeth seeme to appaule and decay againe yea and to returne to the former confusion For if we will iudge the matter truely no force hath so much withstand the inlarging of the Gospel no not the deceits and inchantments of the idole of Rome not the crueltie of Princes against the flocke of CHRIST not the troublesome motions of breeders of Sects as this onely rash contention hath done hurt which bringeth to the minds of godly men sorrow to the enemies cause to reioyce and to the weake and vnlearned offence and falling And surely there is no doubt but that our owne wickednesse hath bene the originall of this so great an euil as it hath bene of many other For wee not regarding or rather contemning the light offered vs are iustly thought vnworthy of so great a benefit Which thing also is the cause that albeit many learned good men vnderstand what profit it should be for the Christian common wealth speedily to pacifie this quarrell and to ende the contentions few notwithstanding doe earnestly traueile about this matter And if any haue attempted it it seemeth to fall out as vnluckily taken in hand to the contrary part For my part when I saw no end could be made of strife nor any hope in any one of better sequele I thought best to commit the matter to GOD by prayer and with silence to looke for helpe in season at his hands Yet in this meane space I thought it my part not to neglect a matter of so great waight but after examination had of the chiefe points of this controuersie to bolt out what was trueth and what not and then to determine vpon a sure grounded opinion both by authoritie of holy Scripture and by the vndoubted testimonies of the Fathers aswell to satisfie my selfe as to yeeld a reason thereof to any that should perhaps demand it of mee that the minde should not wauer continually to fro tossed as it were with the contrary violence of winds While I take this worke in hand diligently tread the steps of the old Interpreters me thinketh I perceiue vnlesse my opinion deceiue me that this controuersie is not so intangled nor darke as most men suppose and that these sharp cōtentions haue come rather by mens fault then by the nature of the matter and that the way of Reconciliation shall not bee so hard with men desirous rather of the trueth then of quarrelling Wherefore albeit I took in hand this worke whatsoeuer it be priuately to my selfe yet because among my friends certaine good men and well giuen were so desirous I did not greatly passe to haue it come to the eares eyes of other that if there be herein any profit it may also do them good The cause I haue thought good so to diuide that briefly it may bee brought to three especial points First wil I shew the trueth of the body of CHRIST in the Sacrament to be giuen to the faithful and that these termes Nature and Substance are not to be shunned but that they of old time disputing of the Sacrament vsed them Then will I declare the difference betweene the Lords proper body and that which is in the Sacrament and that the olde Fathers were of that opinion And lastly I will set foorth at large what maner of Body that is which is receiued in the mysterie why it is called by that name after the opinion of the selfe same Fathers Which things once expounded a man may easily iudge of the whole controuersie First it is manifest ynough by the declaration of the Euangelists Matthew Matth. 26. c. Matth. 14. c. Luke 22. c. Marke and Luke that our Lord IESVS CHRIST when he should depart out of this world and leauing the earth should goe vp to the Father did ordeine the Sacrament of his Body and Blood in the presence of his disciples at Supper and so when he had taken the bread he blessed brake it and gaue it to them saying This is my body After the like maner the Cup also saying This Cup is the new Testament in my Blood 1. Corinth 11. Doe this in remembrance of me Paul also writeth to the same effect to the Corinthians in his first Epistle the 11. chapter rehearsing in a maner the very same words Et cap. 10. in the tenth chapter The Cup saith he of blessing which we blesse is it not the partaking of the Blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the partaking of the Body of Christ By these words of the Euangelists and the Apostle they of old time were of that opinion that CHRIST our Lord which is Trueth it selfe spake these things truly and did in deed performe those things that he spake so that no place of doubt might any more be left concerning the trueth of the matter Moreouer those words which in the sixt chapter of Iohn Iohn 6. c. the Lord spake My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drinke indeed c. The bread which I will giue you is my flesh And vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his Blood c. The Fathers with great accord as well Grecians as Latines doe apply to the Sacrament of Thankesgiuing And that they haue interpreted those places so both in Iohn and the rest of the Euangelists and Paul to the Corinthians the testimonies that follow taken out of the authors themselues Iustin Martir Apol. 2. shal happily proue First Iustin Martyr
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
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
as oft as they of old time treat of the Sacrament they all apply to the Sacrament the vvords of our Lord vvhich are spoken in the sixt chapter of Iohn My flesh is verily meat my blood is verily drinke The bread which I will giue is my flesh and vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man c. Which things shal be proued by their ovvne sayings before alledged and also by those that shall follovv Neither are they to bee allovved that deny this chapter of Iohn to be referred to this Sacrament seeing so great a troupe of vvitnesses be against them But the opinion of them seemed more probable vvho as they iudge this Euangelist to set forth the humanitie of Christ lesse then the rest and his diuinitie more amply so doe declare that these things vvhich are rehearsed by the other Euangelists concerning the institution and outvvard ceremonie of this Sacrament are not at all mentioned of Iohn but that he openeth expoundeth more plainly vnto vs the true and right vnderstanding of them And it is plaine that the mindes of the Capernaites vvhen the Lord said My flesh is verily meat And vnlesse ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man c. vvere much offended and troubled and therefore leauing him departed for they vnderstood him too grosly and after the common sort But his Tvvelue Apostles that taried by him being admonished and lift vp to a more higher meaning and of more Maiestie heard of him The words which I haue spoken be spirit and life Vpon this it commeth to passe that all the old vvriters do flie the common iudgement and vsuall vnderstanding in those vvordes This is my body and vvhich the Lord spake of eating his flesh and follovv a more diuine vvay of vnderstanding them and more agreeable to the Sacraments as they themselues affirme Chrysost in Matth. cap. 26. Hom. 83. Chrysostom vpon Matthew 26. hom 83. expounding the vvords of the Supper Take ye eate ye this is my body c. doth aske this question Why were they not troubled vvhen they heard this And he ansvvereth Because he had taught them alreadie many and great things concerning this point before Wherefore also hee did not confirme that vvhich they had often before perceiued And not long after hee addeth Hee himselfe did also drinke of it least at the hearing of those vvordes they should say What do vve then drinke blood and eate flesh and vpon that might be troubled For at the first also when he spake of these matters many vvere offended onely for the wordes Lest therefore this should then also haue happened he did this first himselfe that hee might bring them to the partaking of these mysteries vvith a quiet minde We be taught here by Chrysostom that the Apostles were not troubled when they heard the Lord say Take ye eat ye this is my body Because they had bene alreadie taught before hovv that which vvas spoken ought to be vnderstood namely where others were offended as it is in Iohn said This is a hard saying they abode and had learned It is the Spirit that giueth life the flesh profiteth nothing The wordes that I haue spoken vnto you are spirit life that is to say as the same Chrysostom in the same place expounded it they are spiritually to bee vnderstood which selfe thing the Lord himselfe confirmeth by his owne deed vvhen hee did eat the same bread drinke the vvine vvith them lest they should thinke vpon any base or common matter but should be brought to the partaking of the mysteries with quiet minds It is no hard matter to perceiue by this that Chrysostom vvriteth in this place that it is one way a body that Christ himselfe called his body when he said Take ye eat ye this is my body the which he also receiueth himselfe together with his disciples and another vvay to bee his proper body which was fed vvith the other The one did eat the other was eaten after a diuers sort either of them is called his body To this purpose maketh also that vvhich Clemens Alexandrinus schoolemaster to Origen Clemens Alexand lib. inscrip Paedagogus teacheth in his booke intituled Paedagogus when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The blood of Christ is two maner of wayes the one fleshie whereby vve are vvashed the other spirituall vvherevvith we haue bene anointed Hierom. in Epi. ad Ephes ca. 1. Whom Hierom follovving vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians the first chapter saith The blood and flesh of Christ saith he is vnderstood tvvo maner of vvayes that is either that spirituall and heauenly whereof he himselfe spake My flesh is verily meat and my blood is verily drinke And vnlesse you eate my flesh and drinke my blood you shall not haue euerlasting life Or else the flesh and blood that vvas crucified that was shed vvith the speare of the souldier There bee tvvo things that Hierom teacheth in this place That those vvords in the 6. chap. of Iohn do appertaine to the Sacrament euen as Chrysostom doth and that the flesh that vvas crucified doeth differ from that vvhich is in the Sacrament vvhich he calleth Spirituall Diuine The same man vpon Leuiticus and is to be seen De consecrat Idem in Leuit. de consecrat dist 2. dist 2. Of this sacrifice vvhich is by miracle vvrought for the remembrance of Christ it is lavvfull to eate but of that which Christ offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse it is of it self lavvful for no man to eat A plaine and manifest distinction Augustin in lib. senten Prosperi August in lib. Sent. Prosperi It is his flesh vvhich couered with the forme of bread we receiue in the Sacrament and his blood which vnder the forme and tast of wine we drinke that is to say the flesh is the sacrament of flesh and blood is the sacrament of blood By flesh and blood being both inuisible spirituall intelligible is betokened the visible sensible body of our Lord Iesus Christ full of the grace of all vertues diuine Maiestie Who seeth not hovv plainly Augustine putteth a difference between the proper body of Christ which he termeth visible and sensible and that flesh which we receiue in the sacrament vvhich he affirmeth to be inuisible spirituall intelligible and a signe of the other body Idem in Epist. ad Iren. The same man in his Epistle to Irenaeus You shall not eat this body which you see and drinke that blood which they that shall crucifie me shall shed The same truely and not the same The same inuisiblie and not the same visibly He putteth a difference when hee saith Not this body and againe The same not the same The maner of the difference is the same inuisibly which hee termeth before the inuisible body namely the Sacrament of the body and not the same visibly or the visible body which is referred to the proper body for this body
my flesh And againe Vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man c. And how saith he is not the flesh seene O man this is done for our infirmitie For since the bread and wine bee of those things which we be acquainted withall we abhorre them not but if wee should see blood and flesh set before vs we could not abide it but should vtterly abhorre it Therefore God of his mercie fauouring our frailtie retaineth still the forme of bread and wine but he altereth the element into the power of flesh and blood By all these places it is most certaine that Theophylactus followed the steps of the ancient fathers set aside all carnall imaginations in this Sacrament called vs to such as be hie and spirituall that it is not only a figure of the Lords bodie but rather is verely his body yet they that be partakers are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say flesh eaters And he addeth the cause for that we vnderstand it not carnally but spiritually that is to say that they remaine the formes of bread and wine but yet do passe into the power of the Lords flesh and blood and as he tearmed it be transelemented in which tearme there is no cause why we should faine to our selfe any Popish Transubstantiation as they cal it Idem in Ioan. cap. 6. For writing vpon the 6. Chapter of Iohn he vseth the same terme saying thus Therfore euen as I saith he liue for the Father that is as I am borne of the Father which is life euen so also he that eateth me liueth by the meanes of me while he is after a sort mixed with me and is transelemented into me that can quicken By this terme of transelementatiō he meant to signifie nothing els but the same change that is fit for the Sacraments wherof Ambrose Emissenus and others make mention as before we haue repeated for otherwayes wee cannot be transelemented into Christ And no maruell that Theophylactus so tearmed it since Chrysostom himselfe vpon the sixt chap. of Iohn homilia 45. vseth these wordes Chrysost in Ioan. cap. 6. homil 45. But that we should not onely by loue but also in very deed bee turned into that flesh hee hath wrought it by the meate which hee hath giuen vs. Behold Chrysostome saith we are turned into the flesh of Christ really as I may so terme it But yet who seeth not that turning to be spirituall not carnal Euen so is bread turned in very deede and transelemented into Christes flesh but by a spiritual and no carnall turning because the bread doeth get to it the power of the flesh And these things which haue bene thus cited out of Theophylactus albeit he be not so ancient an authour yet because hee is chiefly alleaged of such as followe the carnall sence in the sacrament of thankesgiuing though hee doth very manifestly expound himselfe and teacheth nothing repugnant to holy Scriptures and writings of old Authors I meant to shew the true opinion of so learned a man and not to discredit his authoritie as a late writer Damascenus is yet vnspoken of whom the aduersaries vse as it were a chief champion but in case they would not snatchingly picke out such sentences as serue the humor of their affections but marke well the through drift of his writing he helpeth not so much their cause as he doth ouerthrow it Albeit that I may frankely admonish the reader and vtter mine opinion he is but a very slippery and an vncertain author in expounding of this mysterie and none I dare say among the olde writers shall be found that hath reasoned of this matter so obscurely and doubtfully Truely I gather by him that vvhen hee had determined to write a breuiat of the true faith hee vvould neither leaue this sacrament vnspoken of nor yet vvist how to intreate of it plainely enough The vvhich of his ovvne vvords the indifferent reader shall easily iudge Damas De fide Orthod lib. 4. cap. 14. He vvriteth De fide orthod lib. 4. cap. 14. of Christ in this vvise It behooued not onely that the first fruits of our nature should come into the partaking of a better but that all persons as many as would should both be borne by a second natiuitie and nourished with a nevv meat meet for that natiuity and so preuent the measure of perfection And a litle after And because he is a spirituall Adam it behoued the natiuitie also to be spirituall and likewise the meate For since vvee haue a double and compound nature it is fitte that the natiuitie bee also double and the food likevvise compound The natiuitie therefore is giuen vs by vvater and spirit I meane by holy Baptisme but the meate is our Lord himselfe Iesus Christ vvhich came dovvne from heauen Then after alleaging the vvordes of the Lords Supper and proofes of vvhat force the vvord is he addeth Euen as all things vvhatsoeuer God had made he hath made them by the vvorking of the holy Ghost so novv also the same force of the holy Ghost bringeth to passe those things that be aboue nature the vvhich no thing can comprehend but onely faith And a little after But bread and vvine bee taken For God knovveth mans vveakenes For commonly those things vvhich it is not acquainted vvith it shunneth vvith loathsomnesse Therfore he humbled himselfe after his wonted maner and bringeth to passe by the accustomed things of nature such things as bee aboue nature And euen as in Baptisme because it is the maner of men to bee washed vvith vvater and anointed vvith oyle he coupled vvith oile and vvater the grace of the holy Ghost and made it to be the vvashing of regeneration After the same sort because men are vvont to eate bread and drinke vvine and vvater he coupled therevvithall his Diuinitie and made them his body and blood that by matters vsuall and agreeable to nature we may be caried to those things which passe nature Hitherto hee seemed to agree with the rest for such as the second natiuitie is such saith he is the meate He termeth the natiuitie spirituall likewise also the meat The natiuitie to be double through water and the holy Ghost the meat also double but how it is double hee alleageth not forthwith as hee did in the natiuity but the meate saith he is the very bread of life which came downe from heauen yet after a few wordes he declareth howe it is done saying As the water is coupled with the grace of the holy Ghost and is made the washing of regeneration so is the diuinitie coupled with the bread and is made the body blood of the Lord. And this hee affirmeth to be the working of the holy Ghost and that the bread and wine be taken for mans infirmitie and by matters vsual to nature those things bee wrought that passe nature which onely faith can comprehend None of these things be contrary to the opinion of the
spoken if so be the author be thought to agree with himselfe yet since it is counted another mans worke to haue a false title it ought not to take place in a controuersie of so great a matter Therefore in this third part of this worke I meant to shew I thinke I haue so done how Christ our Lord ought to be beleeued to be present in the administration of his holy Supper according to common agreeable interpretations of the ancient Fathers First I taught that a spirituall vnderstanding of eating the flesh of Christ was required by them and all carnal imagination abolished Then that it was no spiritual maner of vnderstāding if a man folow the letter and proper signification of the words such as they fained which brought in Transubstantiation or doe appoint a grosse presence of flesh with the bread but that all such imaginations be carnall and humane not spiritual Lastly what those Fathers deemed spirituall vnderstanding namely that the body of Christ in the sacrament of Thankesgiuing is giuen to the faithfull by grace and effectual povver in a certaine holy signe But here a doubt riseth If we beleeue that the grace and vertue of his true body bee ioyned with the bread and wine wee shall seeme to attribute too much to the Elements therof should come a double euil for so it shall come to passe that the worshipping of the sacrament will follow the perill of idolatrie euill men when they receiue the sacrament should also eate his body be partakers of his grace But that cannot be He that eateth me saith Christ he shall liue for me and hee that eateth this bread shall liue for euer which cannot bee vnderstood of ill men As concerning the worshipping of the sacrament I answere that the ancient fathers receiued the sacrament of thanks-giuing with reuerence and great honor yet for all that were safe from idolatrie which thing might also happen to vs if the ancient discipline were reuoked August in Psal 98. the maner of Catechisme restored For Augustin doth euidently teach in Psal 98. when he saith That the ancient fathers worshipped when they did receiue He gaue you his very flesh to be eaten for saluation but none eateth that flesh vnles he haue first worshipped And we do not only not offend in worshipping but we offend in not worshipping The same man in Sent. Prosperi Idem in Sent. Prosp But we in the forme of bread and wine which wee see doe honour inuisible things namely flesh and blood Likewise Eusebius Emissenus Euseb Emiss When thou goest vp to the holy Altar to bee fed with the spirituall food behold in thy faith the holy bodie and blood of thy God honour it esteeme it greatly And Chrysostome 1 Cor. 10. Homilia 24 Chrysost 1. Cor. 10. Hom. 24. For I will shew thee that on earth which is worthy of greatest honor For euen as in Kings pallaces not the walles not the goulden roofe but the body of a King sitting in his throne is the excellentest of al so is also in heauen the body of the king which is now set before thee to bee seene in earth I shew thee neither Angels nor Archangels nor the hie heauens but the Lord of all them Ambrose vpon the 1. Cor. 11. Ambros 1. Cor. 11. The sacrament of thankesgiuing is a spirituall medicine which being tasted with reuerence doth purifie a deuout mind And by and by he teacheth that we must come with a deuout minde and with feare to the holy Communion that the mind may know that it oweth a reuerence to him whose body it cōmeth to receiue Theodorit also dial 2. Theodoritus Dial. 2. For neither do the mystical signes after the sanctificatiō depart from their proper nature for they remaine in their former substance shape fashion and may be both seene and touched euen as before but the things which they be made be vnderstood and beleeued worshipped as if they were the self things which they be beleeued By this and other places it is easie to perceiue with what honor with what reuerēce the ancient fathers came to the holy Communion Neyther is it any maruell since they beleeued that they receiued in that bread the true nature and vertue of our Lords true body and were farre off from idolatrie being instructed and diligently taught not to worship the outward signe but the inward vertue Which thing Augustin declareth by these wordes August de doct Christ. lib. 3. cap. 9. De doctrina Christiana lib. 3. cap. 9. For he serueth vnder a signe which worketh or reuerenceth any thing that signifieth not knowing what it signifieth but he that either worketh or reuerenceth a profitable signe ordained of God whose force and signification he vnderstandeth doth not honor this that is seene and passeth away but rather that whereunto all such things be referred And soone after But in this time after that by the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ the most manifest iudgement of our libertie appeared we haue not bene laden with the weightie operation of those signes which we now vnderstand but the Lord himselfe the doctrine of the Apostles hath deliuered vnto vs a few in steed of manie and those verie easie to be done most pure to be kept namely the sacrament of Baptisme and the celebration of the body blood of our Lord which euerie man when he receiueth being instructed he knoweth whereto they be applied so that he doth reuerence them not with a carnal seruitude but rather with a spirituall liberty Here wee see with what learning the Christian men in time past were seasoned before they should come to the vse of the sacraments and how albeit they honored or worshipped aswell in Baptisme as in the celebration of the Supper yet that was done without perill or offence Perill as here it is euident when as they had no respect to that which is seene and doth decay but to the vertue and signification therof Offence because they had a conscience in time past I will not say to receiue the sacraments before Infidels and such as were ignorant of the mysteries but not so much as to talke of so secret matters before them Of the which thing there be many testimonies but wee wil for this time be content with this one taken out of the 2. Dial. of Theodoritus For Orthodoxus Dial. 2. Theod. being asked how he before the consecration called that which was offered by the Priest answered We must not speake frankely for it is likely that there be some here present which be not instructed in the mysteries of Christ Eran. Answere mee therefore softlie By this place it is euident how warily and soberly they in time past spake of the mysteries And this is worth the labour to note That the ancient writers when they spake of the sacraments did vse diuers termes of honoring reuerencing or worshipping By
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
borne anew in Christ Hee againe in his oration of the bodie of the Lord Let not man dout but that the chiefe creatures at the becke of power by the presence of Maiestie may be turned into the nature of the Lords bodie Leo Syn. Rom. de consec dist 2. Leo the bishop and the Synode of Rome as is there declared In what darknesse of ignorance in what bodie of slouthfulnes haue they hitherto lyen that they would neither learne by hearing nor know by reading that which is so agreeable in the congregation vvith the confession of all persons that the trueth of the bodie and blood of Christ among the Sacraments of the communion cannot be kept in silence no not of the tongues of Infants because in that mysticall distribution of the spirituall food this is giuen and this is receiued that wee receiuing the strength of this heauenly meat doe become his flesh which was made our flesh Gregor hom Pasch ibidem Gregorie homilia paschali and it is there rehearsed For he is daily eaten and drunke in trueth but yet he remaineth vvhole and one and vnspotted And it is therefore a great mysterie and to be reuerenced with feare because there is one thing to the sight and another to the vnderstanding Euthym. in Matth. cap. 64. Euthymius vpon Matthew cap. 64. Therfore euen as the old Testament had sacrifices and blood so also hath the Nevv namely the bodie and blood of the Lord. For hee said not These be signes of my body but he said These be my body my blood Therfore vvee must not take heed to the nature of those things that bee set before vs but to the vertue of them For euen as aboue nature hee did deifie the flesh that vvas taken of the Virgine if it bee lavvfull to vse this phrase so also doeth hee vnspeakeably change these things into his very liuely bodie and into his very precious blood and into the grace of them Theophil in Matth. cap. 26. Theophilactus vpon Matt. 26. In saying This is my body hee declareth that the bread vvhich is sanctified vpon the Altar is the very body of the Lord and not a figure ansvvering vnto it for he said not This is a figure but This is my body The bread is transformed by an vnspeakable working into the body of Christ albeit it seemes bread to vs that bee weake and abhorre to eate raw flesh especially the flesh of man For that cause truly bread appeareth but it is flesh The same man vpon Marke cap. 14. Idem in Marc. cap. 14. When he had blessed it that is vvhen he had giuen thanks he brake the bread which thing also we do adding thereto prayers This is my body this I say which you take For the bread is not a figure and example onely of the Lords body but it is turned into the very bodie of Christ Damascenus doth also vvrite almost the very same things lib. 4. cap. 14. Damas de fide Orth. lib. 4. cap. 14. The bread and vvine is not a figure of the body and blood of Christ to the right faith for God forbid wee should beleeue so but it is the very deified bodie of the Lord by his owne saying This is my body not a figure of my bodie but my bodie This is my blood not a figure of my blood Many other places also may be brought forth here taken out of the Fathers vvhich agree with the rehearsed by al the vvhich vve may easily perceiue what vvas the opinion of them al asmuch as apperteineth to this part of our diuision namely that the Sacrament of Thankesgiuing is not only a figure of the Lords body but also comprehendeth in it the trueth nature substance of the same For it cannot be a doubt to any man that will read their writings that they oftentimes vsed these termes Truly Naturally Substantially the coniugates of them And although our faith dependeth not vpon men but vpon the word of God yet since they defend their opinion with the authoritie of the Scripture it is very profitable for godly minds desirous of the trueth to cōsider how so many notable men both for godlinesse and learning haue vnderstood the words of the Scripture and with great agreement left their interpretations to their succession neither shall he auoid the blame of rashnesse whosoeuer he be that dare despise so great authoritie Now let vs take in hand our second part Whether they of ancient time haue thought that there is any difference between the body of our Lord which is distributed in the Sacrament and that which was taken of the Virgin mother vvhich ascended into heauen and from thence shall come at his time to Iudgement That is whether the body of Christ bee in the Sacrament of Thankesgiuing according to the proper signification of a mans body or otherwise differing somewhat from a proper body When I speake of a proper body I meane a body properly vnderstand which shall suffice to haue once admonished Then vvhether these termes Trueth Nature Substance ought to be vnderstand after the common sort in this matter or after a more peculiar maner and more fit for the Sacraments Finally whether there be any aequiuocation in these termes or no. For there is not onely heed to bee taken with vvhat words the fathers haue spoken in old time but also what they ment when they so spake And that is not to be proued by our ovvne or other mens inuentions or light coniectures but by the assured testimonies of the Fathers themselues But that wee may haue the easier entrie to this matter wee must perceiue that the body of Christ is called not after one maner vvise in the Scriptures but sundry vvaies First as that bodie as vvas taken vpon him and borne of the Virgin vvhich also rose againe and ascended into heauen of the vvhich this vvas spoken Mee truely shall ye not haue alway And this I leaue the world and go to my Father And this Feele and behold for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me haue Secondarily as the Church is called the body of Christ according to this saying You are Christs body And this And he gaue him to be a head ouer all things to the Church which is his body Thirdly as the Sacrament of the body of Christ is called the body of Christ wherof Christ himselfe said This is my body And Paul The bread which we breake is it not the partaking of the body of Christ And this Making no difference of the Lords bodie Which places be vnderstood of the Sacrament of his body vvhereby it commeth to passe that the bodie of Christ is called properly and vnproperly Properly that bodie taken of the Virgin Vnproperly the Sacrament and the Church That the Church is not properly the bodie of Christ no man doubteth It remaineth that vvee prooue the same of the Sacrament This is especially to bee marked
by faith and seeth him not with eyes Thus much out of Augustin Where Augustin speaketh of that which is properly called Christs body he denieth that it is simply present here and doeth refuse such a presence of his body but when he speaketh of the Sacrament hee doeth affirme that his body is verily present and a true presence of his body yet not properly but as he himselfe doeth instruct vs according to his Maiestie according to his vnspeakeable inuisible grace whereof we wil speake more at large hereafter It is plaine therefore that the body of Christ in the sacrament is to bee vnderstood one way and that an other way which of necessitie must be in some place of heauen for the fourmes sake of a true body as hee saith Now let vs goe forward to other Gregor Nazianz oratione de Pasch Gregorie Nazianzene in his Oration of the feast of Easter saith thus But let vs be made partakers of the Passeouer but yet still figuratiuely albeit this Passeouer be more manifest then the old For truly the Passeouer of the Law I speake boldly was a more darke figure of a figure but within a while wee shall enioy it more perfect and manifest when the Sonne the Word it selfe shall drinke it new with vs in the kingdome of his Father opening and teaching vs those things which he hath now shewed sparingly Here Nazianzene called the sacrament of Thankesgiuing a more manifest Passeouer then the Passeouer of the Law yet still for all that a figure namely of that which wee shall enioy more perfit and manifest in the kingdome of his Father This Passeouer therefore which is performed in mysterie doeth differ from that which remaineth for euer wherewith wee shall bee satisfied in the world to come Gregor in hom Pasch The other Gregorie in his Homily of the Passeouer This wholesome sacrifice doeth renew to vs by a mysterie the death of the onely begotten Sonne which although he rising againe from death dieth no more nor death shall haue any more dominion ouer him yet hee liuing immortally and vncorruptibly in himselfe dieth againe in this mysterie and his body is also receiued euery where and his flesh for the health of the people his blood is not now shed into the hands of the vnfaithfull but is powred out in the mouth of the faithfull By this therefore we may iudge what maner of sacrament this is which for our absolution doeth alwayes represent the Passion of the onely begotten Sonne For what faithfull man can doubt that in the very houre of the sacrifice at the voyce of the Priest the heauens open and the company of Angels be present in the mysterie of Iesus Christ This Gregorie maketh a difference betweene this sacrifice and the other and doeth also shew that this death this passion this body which things be done in this mysterie doe represent and imitate those things which were done long agoe For if you follow the letter his body is not spred out euery where nor his flesh suffereth nor dieth any more although these things be said to be done in mysterie The same opinion had Eusebius Emissenus Euseb Emis de consecrat dist 2. whose wordes are rehearsed De consecrat Dist 2. as followeth Forasmuch as hee would take away from the eyes the body taken of the Virgin and would place it aboue the starres it was necessary that in the day of his Supper the sacrament of his body and blood should bee consecrated vnto vs to the end that that might be worshipped continually by a mysterie which was once offered for a ransome that seeing a dayly and vnceasing redemption did runne for the saluation of all men there might be a continuall oblation of redemption and that continuall sacrifice might liue in memorie and might euer be present in grace a true perfect and onely sacrifice to be esteemed in faith not to bee iudged by forme nor by outward sight but by the inward affection Whereupon the heauenly authoritie confirmeth that My flesh is verily meat and my blood is verily drinke Let all doubt therefore of vnfaithfulnes depart seeing he that is the author of the gift the same is witnes of the trueth for the inuisible Priest by his word and secret power turneth the visible creature into the substance of his body and blood saying Take eate this is my body and after the blessing being repeated Take and drinke saith he this is my blood Therefore euen as at the becke of the Lord commanding it suddenly and of nothing the hie heauens the depth of the waters and largenesse of the earth was made so by the like power in spiritual sacraments where power doeth command effect doth obey By plaine words doth Eusebius teach vs that the proper body which he termeth taken vpon him is not in the sacrament but withdrawen from the earth placed aboue the starres and therefore is ordained the sacrament of the body wherein is contained the substance of the body yet in a mysterie and by grace not that substance which hee said before was taken away which if it were present the sacrament were not needfull but a spirituall substance and fit for the sacraments whereupon hee also calleth the sacraments spirituall And lest we should imagine it a more grosse substance then is fit hee alledgeth foorthwith the example of regeneration saying How great benefit therfore and worthy to be praised the force of the heauenly blessing doeth worke and how it ought not to bee a new and vnpossible matter to thee that earthly mortal things be changed into the substance of Christ aske thy selfe that art new borne againe in Christ Lately farre from life a stranger from mercie and inwardly a dead man from the way of health thou wast banished and suddenly professing the Lawes of Christ and by wholesome mysteries renewed thou hast leapt into the body of the Church not by sight but by beleefe and of the childe of perdition wast thought worthy by a secret purenesse to be the Sonne of God by adoption abiding still in the visible measure and made inuisibly greater then thy selfe without increase of quantitie For although thou wast the very selfe-same man before yet by augmentation of faith thou art become much otherwise for in the outward man nothing is added and all in the inward man is cleane changed and so man was made the sonne of God and Christ was formed in the minde of man Euen as therefore without corporall feeling the former basenesse set apart thou hast suddenly put on a new dignitie and as in this point that God hath healed those things that were amisse in thee put away thine infections wiped away thy spots thy eyes are not trusted vvithall but thy inward senses so when thou goest vp to the holy Altar to be fed with the spirituall meat behold in thy faith the holy body and blood of Christ honour it marueile at it touch it with thy minde take it in the hand
of thy heart and especially receiue it whole Christ with the thirstie draught of the inward man Eusebius declareth by this similitude what maner of change is made in the sacrament how earthly things be turned into the substance of Christ and what maner of substance that is without doubt like vnto that change wherewith wee be altered in our Baptisme and such a substance as wee put on in the bath of Regeneration when we be borne the children of God and made a new creature and new men when we passe into the body of the Church where in our outward part nothing is changed but all inwardly and for that cause calleth he it spirituall food which we behold in faith touch with minde take with the hand of our heart and receiue with the thirstie draught of the inward man Ambros in Epist ad Hebr. de consecrat dist 2. With this agreeth that that Ambrose writeth vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes and is repeated De consecrat dist 2. In Christ was once a mighty sacrifice offered for an euerlasting Redemption vvhat doe vve then doe vve not dayly offer him yes but in remembrance of his death and it is but one sacrifice not many for Christ vvas once offered and this sacrifice is a paterne of that Ambrose saith plainely that that true sacrifice vvas once offered but this sacrifice is offered euery day and hee declareth in vvhat sort it is one sacrifice and not one vvhen he saith that this is a paterne of that The same man in his booke of Mysteries saith Idem in lib. de Myst. In that sacrament is Christ because it is the body of Christ it is not then a corporall but a spirituall food vvhereupon the Apostle also saith of the figure of it That our fathers did eate the same spirituall food for the body of God is a spiritual body the body of Christ is the body of the diuine spirit These things cannot be said of Christes true and proper body namely that it is a spirit for a spirit hath not flesh and blood vvhich that body hath as the Lord himselfe did vvitnesse before his disciples Feele yee and see you saith he for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me haue Idem de Sacr. lib. 4. Wherefore the same auctour De sacramentis lib. 4. saith thus Thou seest therefore hovv mighty in operation the vvord of Christ is If then there be so great force in the vvord of the Lord Iesu that those things should begin to be which were not hovv much more is it of force to make those things remaine which were and yet to change them into another thing The heauen was not the sea was not the earth was not But hearken to him that saith He spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created Therefore that I may ansvvere thee it was not the body of Christ before the consecration but after the consecration I tell thee it is now the body of Christ He spake the word and it was made he commanded and it was created Thou wast thy self but thou wast an old creature after thou wast consecrated thou didst beginne to be a new creature Wilt thou know how new a creature Euery one is saith he a new creature in Christ Ambrose taketh his argument à maiore By the word of God new things are made then is it no marueile if things which now be and remaine are changed into another thing by his word vvhich thing is done in Sacraments Examples of the first are Heauen the Sea the Earth of the later man which before he be regenerate is an old creature but after regeneration by force of the word albeit he be the very same he vvas before namely a man still yet he receiueth an invvard change and of an old is made a new creature Like vnto this he affirmeth the change in the sacrament to bee when as both bread remaineth and yet getteth to it selfe a nevv substance that is to say a new dignitie That same thing doth hee yet more fully expound in his sixt booke writing thus Idem de sacrament lib. 6. Peraduenture thou mayest say How is it very flesh for I see a similitude I see not the trueth of blood in deed First of all I told thee of the vvord of Christ that it worketh as of force to change and alter the appointed kindes of nature Moreouer when the disciples of Christ could not away with his talke but hearing that hee vvould giue them his flesh to eate and his blood to drinke went their way yet Peter alone said Thou hast the words of eternall life whither shall I goe from thee Least therefore any moe should so say but the grace of Redemption should remaine Therefore thou takest the sacrament in a similitude but thou doest attaine the grace and vertue of the true nature At the last he addeth to make vp the matter And thou which receiuest bread art made partaker in that spirituall food of the diuine substance We learne by the authoritie of this so great a man that that which we take in the sacrament is a spiritual not a corporall food neither that that flesh is to be taken after the maner of his proper flesh as the Capernaits did and vvith offence went backe but together with the outvvard signe we obtaine the grace and vertue of the true nature and receiuing the bread are partakers of his diuine substance And here also we see that Ambrose was of the same opinion that Emissenus was and far otherwise vnderstandeth both the alteration which is made in the sacraments and also the very terme of substance then it is either taken in proper speach or as Philosophers do naturally speake Idem de offic lib. 4. cap. 48. To the same purpose serueth also that which he writeth in his booke De officijs lib. 4. cap. 48. Here is the shadovv here is the image there is the trueth the shadow in the Lavv the image in the Gospel but the trueth in heauen In time past the Lambe was offered the calfe vvas offered Novv is Christ offered but he is offered as man as taking his Passion but hee as a Priest doeth offer himselfe here as in an image but there in trueth where hee maketh intercession for vs as an aduocate vvith his Father Hee putteth a difference in the one oblation from the other And albeit both after their maner be done in deed yet this vvhich is solemnized in the Church is done in an Image but the trueth it selfe remaineth as an Aduocate for vs vvith the Father And this place of Ambrose doeth seeme to be like to that place of Origen vpon the 38. Origen in Psal 38. Psalme vvhere he intreateth of that saying of Paul For the Law hauing a shadow of those good things to come hath not the very Image of the things c. And thus he vvriteth But if any man can passe from this shadovv let him
other Fathers but those things that follow be not so It is verely his body saith he that is knit with the diuinitie that body taken of the holy Virgin This before him no man had said If his meaning be of the proper body the authoritie of the Fathers that were before him cryeth out against him which plainely affirme that body to be taken from the earth caried aboue the starres and not to be here who also with manifest difference doe separate that body from the sacrament of the bodie vnlesse peraduenture we may so interprete it as that saying of Augustine The same body and not the same body the same by grace and power and not the same according to the proper maner of a body the which it may seeme that this Authors meaning was when he writ this For by and by there followeth Not that the body that was taken of the Virgin should come down from heauen but that the very bread and wine is chaunged into the body and blood of the Lord. By which woords hee himselfe testifieth that this body which is receiued in the Sacrament is to bee vnderstood one way and that body which was taken which hee denieth to come downe from heauen another way For if it abide in heauen without comming downe hither and if bread be made of the very same body that was taken sure the bread must be in heauen and the faithfull shall here receiue neither the bread nor yet the body which thing no man in his right wits can affirme But if wee leaue the body that was taken in his place in heauen as our faith doth require and say notwithstanding that the same is present in the sacrament by grace and power as the rest of the Fathers do pronounce and therefore this bread may be called and beleeued for the naturall propertie of a body that is coupled with it to be the body of Christ not properly as that body that he tooke vpon him but after a spirituall sort as the sacrament of that body the matter is not intricate but plainely opened neither shall there bee any neede to frame crooked mazes that be cleane contrary to our faith or to knit vaine ropes of sand or to shun the similitudes that the former Fathers vsed and to inuent other similitudes grosse and strange from mysteries as Damascenus doth in this place For euen as saith hee the bread in eating and the wine and water in drinking are naturally turned into the body and blood of him that eateth and drinketh them and be made another body then that they had before so the Shewe bread and the wine and water by inuocation and comming of the holy Ghost bee changed aboue the law of nature into the body and blood of Christ and be not two but one and the same What other thing doeth hee by this similitude but open a way to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the eating of mans flesh which thing Cyrillus Theophylactus and other Fathers do detest How much better haue Cyprian Ambrose Epiphanius Emissenus and other said which affirme a like change in the sacrament of thankesgiuing as that which is made in Baptisme whereby it commeth to passe that the signes do remaine the same and by grace they get to themselues a new substance in like maner as one selfe man being not yet regenerate doeth belong to the olde Adam and after regeneration becommeth a new man and a new creature not by a fleshly meane which agreeth not to sacraments but after a spirituall sort But Damascenus forgetting himselfe who had before affirmed this meate to be spirituall as the regeneration in Baptisme now teacheth it to be carnall if this bread must passe into the body of Christ as common bread doth into the bodies of those that eate it vvhereby it happeneth that he falleth also into another errour for he denieth this bread and wine to bee a figure This bread and wine saith he is not a figure of the body and blood of Christ God forbid but the very deified body of the Lord. And no marueile it is that he denieth this if he be in opinion that this bread is so changed as common bread is into the body of the feeder But all they of old time throughout be repugnant and surely hee iarreth with himselfe for after those wordes cited out of the sixt Chapter of Iohn Vnlesse yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man c. And My flesh verely c. by and by he bringeth another similitude of a coale farre diuerse from the former A coale saith he is not simple wood but coupled with fire so the bread of communion is not simple bread but coupled with the diuinitie How diuers is the maner of these two similitudes before he said that the Shewbread was turned into the body of Christ beyond nature as the common bread is naturally changed into the body of him that eateth it but that is not done vvhile there remaineth bread here he saith that the bread of communion is not simple bread but bread coupled with the diuinitie The bread therefore remaineth to what is it coupled to the diuinitie Where is then that grosse transmutation Againe a litle after This is that pure sacrifice without blood which God hath commanded by the Prophet should be offered to himselfe from the rising of the Sunne to the going dovvne of the same If hee speake of the body that hee tooke vpon him how is it without blood if hee speake of his spirituall body and blood he saith trueth Againe he saith This body is not consumed it is not corrupted nor cast into the draught If his meaning be of his spirituall and better substance of the sacrament vvee confesse it if of the outward signe Origen farre better learned then Damascenus saith As touching to that material part that it hath it goeth into the belly and is cast into the draught Damascenus goeth yet further and saith The bread is the first fruites of the bread to come which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but epiousios doth signifie either the bread to come that is of the world to come or els that which is taken for the consecration of our substance But vvhether it be this way or that way it is aptly called the body of Christ For the Lords flesh is a spirit giuing life because it was conceiued of a quickening spirit For that which is borne of spirit is spirit But this I speake not to take away the nature of a body but willing to shew his quickening and diuinitie How changeable is this speach sometime one and the selfe bread is one and selfe body another time it is the first fruits of the bread to come otherwhile flesh at another time spirit At last about the end he saith For albeit some named the bread and wine patternes of Christs body and blood as that holy man Basill yet after the sanctifying they called it not so but before the
sacrifice was sanctified But in that which is commonly called the liturgie of Basill it is plaine otherwise and the rest of the Fathers do oftentimes the like And Damascenus himselfe shutteth vp his oration with this conclusion And they be called the patterns of things to come not because they be not verely the bodie and blood of Christ but because now by them we be made partakers of the diuinitie of Christ and then shall be by vnderstanding by sight onely What shall we do with this man who a little before denied that they were called patternes after sanctification and now he himselfe doeth plainely call them patternes after sanctification what maner inconstancie is this This is not a teaching of mysteries but in saying somewhile one thing and another while another it is to wrap all things in blind darkenesse Truly I thinke in my mind that Damascenus knew not how to determine this matter certainely but did heape together hastily and confusedly those things which hee had read and which were written wisely of the olde Fathers and when hee could not winde himselfe out hee floteth to and fro and as the Grecians terme it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say wafteth with his wings For that hee was perswaded that there should be a carnall as they terme it transubstantiation that is not likely since that the very Greeke Church vnto this present day hath not admitted that opinion And indeede no marueile if in this mysterie he saw the lesse or had no sound opinion if those things be true which be reported of him in his life that after hee was made a Monke hee fondly became a basketseller in the market place that he fained foolish miracles that he was a superstitious worshipper of Images and a most earnest maintainer of the same The authoritie of them of old time ought to bee of more credit with vs whose iudgement commended to vs with learning and vnfained godlinesse is of much more weight vvho for the vnderstanding of this so great a mystery exclude all sence of the flesh and cal vs backe to a spirituall maner of vnderstanding Wherefore wisely and learnedly doth Bertram which was no long time after seeme to haue obserued this distinction in the ancient Fathers and agreeable also to the scriptures and to haue set foorth in a worke of his though not long yet clearely and truely what ought to be thought of this controuersie and if wee gather thereout a few places fit for our purpose it shall not be amisse for he is neither a very new Author seeing hee liued about seuen hundreth yeeres past and beside he was no lesse famous for his life then for his learning With many arguments hee proueth this proposition That the flesh of Christ taken of the Virgine and that which is taken in the sacrament differ one from another For he writeth in this maner expounding these wordes of Ambrose That is the vndoubtedly true flesh of Christ that was crucified that was buried Therefore it is verely a sacrament of that flesh The Lorde Iesus himselfe cryeth Bertramus de corp sang Christi This is my body How diligently saith Bertram hovv wisely is this distinction made Of the flesh of Christ vvhich was crucified which was buried that is by the vvhich Christ vvas both crucified and buried he saith It is his very flesh indeed but of that which is receiued in the sacrament he saith It is therefore verily the sacrament of that flesh making a distinction betweene the sacrament of his flesh and the trueth of his flesh in that he said That in the trueth of his flesh which he tooke of the Virgine he was both crucified and buried and therefore said that the mysterie that is now ministred in the Church is verily a sacrament of that flesh wherein he was crucified manifestly instructing the faithfull that that flesh in which Christ was crucified and buried is not a mysterie but the trueth of nature But this flesh which now conteineth in a mysterie the similitude of that other is not flesh in forme but in Sacrament so that in forme it is bread in sacrament the true body of Christ as the Lord IESVS himselfe crieth This is my body Whose minde that we may the better vnderstand it is to be marked the which we did also note before that as he meaneth the body of Christ two maner of wayes so doth he alledge also two maner of truethes of the same namely the one trueth properly which he termeth the trueth in forme and the trueth of nature which he doth attribute to the flesh that was crucified and buried the other a spirituall trueth which he termeth the true body in the sacrament The same man repeating the saying of Ambrose The food then is not corporall but spirituall saith Thou mayest not therefore bring the sense of the flesh for according to that there is nothing here determined It is indeed the body of Christ but not corporall but spirituall It is the blood of Christ but not corporall but spirituall There is nothing therefore to be vnderstood corporally but spiritually It is the body of Christ but not corporally and it is the blood of Christ but not corporally Note when he saith Not corporally he meaneth not properly corporally for by the spirituall eating also in the sacrament we are corporally annexed with Christ as Cyrillus and Hilarius doe witnes but mystically not properly The same man saith of the same Ambrose a little after He hath taught vs very plainely how we ought to vnderstand the mysterie of the Body and Blood of Christ For after he had said that our Fathers did eate spiritual food and drinke spirituall drinke when as for all that there is no man that doubteth but the Manna which they did eate and the water which they did drinke were corporall he applieth it to the mysterie which now is ministred in the Church defining after what sort it is the body of Christ For in that he saith The body of God is a spirituall body Christ vndoubtedly is God and that body vvhich he tooke of the Virgine Mary which suffered which was buried which rose againe was vndoubtedly a true body the same that continued visible and able to be felt but that body which is called the mysterie of God is not corporall but spirituall But if it be spirituall then is it not visible nor able to be felt and therefore S. Ambrose addeth saying The body of Christ is the body of a diuine Spirit But a diuine spirit is nothing that is corporall nothing that is corruptible nothing able to be felt But this body which is solemnized in the Church as touching the visible forme is both corruptible and to be felt Soone after also he concludeth vpon the words of Ambrose in this wise By the authoritie of this great learned man we be well taught that there is a great difference betweene the body wherein Christ suffered and the blood which he shed hanging
vpon the Crosse out of his side and this body which in the mysterie of Christes passion is daily solemnized of the faithfull and that blood also which is receiued in the mouth of the faithfull is a mysterie of that blood wherwith the whole world was redeemed Hee confirmeth that also by the authoritie of Hierom and after rehearsall of this place The blood and flesh of Christ is vnderstood two maner of wayes either that spirituall c. thus he concludeth With no small difference hath this doctour made a distinction of the body and blood of Christ For in that he saith that the flesh or blood which are daily receiued of the faithfull are spirituall and yet that the flesh that was crucified and the blood which was shed with the souldiers speare are not said to be spirituall nor diuine he doeth manifestly signifie that they differ as much one from another as do spirituall things and corporall visible and inuisible diuine and humane and that those things which differ from themselues are not all one But the spirituall flesh which is receiued in the mouth of the faithfull and the spirituall blood which is daily giuen to the faithfull to drinke doe differ from the flesh that was crucified and from the blood that was shed with the souldiers speare as the authoritie of this man doth witnesse Therefore they be not all one For that flesh which was crucified was made of the flesh of the Virgin framed together of bones and sinevves and seuered with the features of the members of a man quickned with the spirit of a reasonable soule indued with reason into a life proper to it selfe and motions agreeable to the same But on the other side the spirituall flesh which feedeth spiritually the people that doe beleeue after the forme that it beareth outwardly is made of the graines of corne by the handes of the workeman framed together of no sinewes and bones seuered with no varietie of members quickened with no reasonable substance nor can exercise any proper motions For whatsoeuer giueth the substance of life it is of a spirituall force and of an inuisible working and of a diuine power Againe of the wordes of Augustine he concludeth in this maner By authoritie of this doctour intreating of the Lords wordes of the sacrament of his body blood we be manifestly taught that those wordes of the Lord be to be vnderstood spiritually and not carnally as hee himselfe sayeth The words which I speake to you bee spirit and life Namely the words of eating his flesh and drinking his blood for he spake it vpon that occasion whereat his disciples were offended Therefore that they should not bee offended the heauenly Master calleth them back from the flesh to the Spirit and from a corporall sight to inuisible vnderstanding We see therefore the food of the Lords body and the drinke of his blood are after a sort his very body and his very blood namely in that they be Spirit and life Hee addeth againe after the matter proued Therefore we see that there is a great difference betweene the mysterie of the body blood of Christ which is now receiued of the faithfull in the Congregation and that body which was borne of the Virgin Mary which suffered which was buried which rose againe which ascended into heauen which sitteth at the right hand of the Father For this that is ministred in the way is to be taken spiritually For Faith beleeueth that which it seeth not and spiritually feedeth the soule and doth reioyce the heart and giueth euerlasting life and incorruption while that is not minded which feedeth the body which is crushed with teeth which is broken in pieces but that which by faith is spiritually receiued But that body wherein Christ suffered and rose againe is his owne proper body taken of the Virgin Maries body able to be felt and seene euen after his resurrection as he himselfe said to his disciples Beholde my hands and my feet for I am euen he handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue Bertram writeth many things to this purpose but let it suffice that wee haue touched thus much Which mans exposition and manner of disputing vpon the Sacrament is in mine opinion diligently to be wayed and imbraced for tvvo respects First because hee sticketh to the authoritie and testimonie not onely of those fathers of whom he hath repeated a few but also many moe I might say of all the most auncient Secondarily because that where the credit of the man was so much that he was prouoked to write by a most famous Prince and his writing published abroad and in sight of all men he was praised of many reprehended of none or noted of any one spot of erronious doctrine whereby it came to passe that before these new grosse and naturall transubstantiation makers sprung vp the doctrine of Bertram touching the Sacrament was allovved by the iudgement of euery man that was best learned Albeit this terme of transubstantiation being indeed new not necessarie yet perhaps might haue some place as the word Trans-elementation if they had not brought in another change of the substances then a sacramentall and that which the auncient fathers did vnderstand which is brought to passe the former substance remayning still But they not satisfied with the noueltie of the terme haue inuented a monstrous interpretation For they appoint the very proper body of Christ to be in the Sacrament and plucke from it the true properties of a mans body whereas it should seeme that Aquinas himselfe was not ignorant of the distinction aboue mentioned Aquin. 3. parte Sum. q. 76. art 3. For he writeth 3. part Sum. q. 76. art 3. on this manner Christ is whole vnder ech peece of the formes of Bread and Wine not onely when the hoste is broken but also when it remaineth whole neyther is there distance of parts one from another as the eye from the eye or the eye from the eare or the head from the feete as there is in other bodies organicall for such maner of distance is in the true body of Christ but not as it is in this Sacrament He affirmeth the true body of Christ to bee one which is organicall and hath difference of members which also hee denyeth to bee in the Sacrament and that to be another which is in the Sacrament and wanteth varietie of members which thing if he meant of the spirituall body as the old writers did speake he iudged right but if hee meant to signifie any masse of flesh without forme it is a great absurditie and contrarie to the opinion of all the old writers Lombardus Lombardus also Author of the sentences concerning the verie and proper flesh of Christ lib 3. Sentent Dist 3. saith thus Christs flesh that was taken is neither heauenly nor of the aire nor of any other nature then of such as all mens flesh is Since
see him but maiest touch him and haue him in thee Chrysostom doth here command vs to beleeue Christ vvhen he saith This is my body but to behold it with the eyes of vnderstanding For he saith that neither any sensible or bodily thing is giuen in the sacraments but by those things that be sensible the very gifts to be vnderstood and incorporall are giuen vs and that not onely in Baptisme but also in the Supper of the Lord. But if Christ do giue vs himselfe in his Supper and yet no bodily thing is giuen for he saith that the gifts be incorporall It is manifest that Chrysostome doth agree with the rest of the Fathers that Christ is present in the vse of the sacrament by grace and vertue of his body And although this Author doe vse in some places deuout Hyperbolicall speeches disputing of this sacrament which thing he hath also done here when hee affirmeth that Christ is set before vs not only to be seene but also to be touched yet an indifferent reader may easily perceiue by this place and some other Theodoritus Dial. 1. what was his right opinion of this matter The very same thing doth Theodoritus plainely teach in his first Dialogue in this wise Ortho. Our Sauiour himselfe chaunged the names and gaue the name of the figure to his bodie and the name of his bodie to the figure Sodal Thou saiest true but I would learne the cause of this change of names Ortho. The cause is plaine to them that bee instructed in the heauenly mysteries for his will was that they which partake the heauenly mysteries should giue no heed to the nature of the thinges which bee seene but by the change of names they should beleeue the alteration that is made by grace for he which before had called his naturall body meat and bread and againe calleth himselfe a Vine the same hath honoured the figures which be seene with the title of his bodie and blood not altering the nature but ioyning grace to the nature Nothing can bee spoken more plainely then Theodoritus doth here expounde how bread is the body of Christ that is to say because the nature of bread remaineth and yet by grace is made his bodie in that grace is ioyned to the nature of the bread The same man Dial. 2. Idem Dial. 2. For neither doe the mysticall signes after the sanctification depart from their proper nature for they tarie in their former substance shape and forme and may bee seene and touched euen as before but they be vnderstood to be the things that they bee made and so beleeued and worshipped as though they were the same which they be beleeued He said before that the nature of the signes did remaine but that there was a change made by grace that the nature was not changed but that grace was ioyned Here doth he plainely say that the substance fashion and forme of the outward figures bee the same after sanctification that they were but yet they be made other things to our vnderstanding and faith that is to say by grace as he taught vs before singing al one song with Chrisostome That no sensible or corporate thing is here giuen but that they bee things intelligible and incorporate which be giuen by grace and with vertue Euthymius in Matth. cap. 64. Hereunto appertaine the words of Euthymius vpon Matthew chap. 64. Therefore euen as the olde Testament had sacrifices and blood so hath the new also namely the body and blood of the Lord for hee saide not These bee signes of my body but These bee my body my blood Therfore we must not take heed to the nature of those things which bee set before vs but to the vertue of them For euen as aboue nature hee deified the flesh that was taken of the Virgin if it bee lawful to vse this phrase so also doth he vnspeakeably change these things into his verie liuely body and into his verie precious blood and into the grace of them In that hee saith Wee may not regard the nature of those things that be set before vs he teacheth that the nature of the bread remaineth and in that hee addeth But to the vertue of them hee sheweth that by vertue they be the body of Christ and not by any carnall meanes Finallie he addeth by interpretation And into the grace of them that hee might exclude carnall imaginations Leo Synod Ro. de con dist 2. Leo and the Synode of Rome de consecrat Dist 2. doe not differ from these for thus bee the words Because in that mysticall distribution of spirituall food this is giuen and this is receiued that wee receiuing the vertue of this heauenly meate may become his flesh which was made our flesh You haue almost the very words which Emissenus and Chrysostome vsed as we rehearsed before The distribution of the heauenly food the vertue of the heauenly meate receiued and that so we become his flesh What other thing is this then that wee be ioyned with his flesh by grace and vertue For how can we otherwise be channed into his flesh To this tendeth also the saying of Hilary there brought in among other Hilarius For the visible quantitie is not to be esteemed in this mysterie but the vertue of the spirituall sacrament Moreouer Theophylactus which is counted as it were a certaine follower and interpreter of Chrysostome doth affirme this most plainely as we haue aboue more fully set foorth out of the which I will repeate a few thinges here the rest Reader thou maist thy selfe take out of him For both he taketh vtterly away carnal imaginations and affirmeth that the words of this mysterie are spiritually to be vnderstood as those which haue no things carnall but bring euerlasting life and he sheweth the manner and way how to vnderstand them writing in this wise And how saith he is not flesh seene O man Thoph in Mar. cap. 14. this is done for our infirmitie for insomuch as the bread and wine be of those things which we be acquainted withall we abhorre them not but if we should see blood and flesh set before vs we could not abide it but should abhorre it Therefore God of his mercie fauoring our frailtie retaineth still the forme of bread wine but he changeth the creatures into the power of flesh and blood The same man in Ioan. cap 6. vpon these words Idem in Ioan. cap. 6. This is a hard saying who can away withall c. See their follie for their dutie had been to haue asked learned those thinges whereof they were ignorant but they started backe and did construe nothing spiritually but all things as they outwardly appeared For when they heard of flesh they thought hee would compell them to be deuourers of flesh and blood But because wee vnderstand it spiritually neither wee be deuourers of flesh and yet we be sanctified by such meat The opinion of Theophylactus is certaine that
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
the which notwithstanding either they meant to signifie some other honour and reuerence meet for holy matters then that which is cōmanded of God when he saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue So that worshipping may be defined to bee of two sorts the one wherewith we worship God himselfe The other wherewith we worship the prescribed signes diuine mysteries according to that saying Worship yee his footstoole which thing most men vnderstand to be spoken of the arke of couenant other interpret it to be of the humanitie of Christ Or admit that there is one manner of worshipping in both places wee might say that the flesh of Christ is to be worshipped though it bee a creature for the diuinitie ioyned therewith that the arke of couenant was to be worshipped for the presence of the diuine maiestie which God himselfe promised should be there present After the which sort also we may worship the sacrament of Thankes-giuing for the vnspeakeable and inuisible grace of Christ ioyned therewith as Augustin saith not honouring that which is seene and passeth away but that which is beleeued and vnderstood This also is worthy to be marked that the worship in old time was not done by the idle lookers on but by them which did receiue the mysteries and were made partakers of their grace For he that worshippeth receiueth to him it is the body of Christ not to him that worshippeth receiueth not For to this intent was that meat ordained that wee worshipping should eate and not that wee should worship it when others eate Thus much bee said concerning the worshipping But in that it is denied that euill men can eate the body of Christ which thing should necessarily be done if the spirituall vertue grace be ioyned with the bread it may be answered That there is a distinction to be vsed For if we haue regard to the very nature of the sacrament the diuine povver can by no meanes be absent from the signe in that it is a sacrament serueth to that vse but if we regard the manners inclination of the receiuer it is not life grace to him vvhich othervvise of the ovvne nature is both because the vvickednesse of euill men cannot be partaker of so great a goodnesse suffereth it not to bring forth fruit but contrariwise to them is it death damnation For euen as diuers kinds of meats bee of their owne nature wholesome but if they be put into diseased bodies they increase the euill and oftentimes shorten their time not through their nature but through the fault of the receiuer so also commeth it to passe in the sacrament vvhose proper vertue is alvvayes present till it hath performed the office thereof although an euil man when he receiueth it cannot be partaker of so great goodnesse nor perceiue any fruit thereof Cyprian de Coena Domini confirmeth the very same Cyprian de Coena Dom. The sacraments truely saith he as much as in them is cannot be without their proper vertue neither by any meanes doth the diuine Maiestie absent it selfe from the mysteries But albeit the sacraments permit themselues to be receiued or touched of vnworthy persons yet for all that they cannot be partakers of the Spirit whose infidelitie or vnworthines doth resist to so great an holinesse And therefore these gifts to some be a sauour of life to life and to some a sauour of death vnto death For it is altogether right that the despisers of grace be depriued of so great a benefit that the puritie of so great grace should haue no dwelling in the vnworthy Augustin against the letters of Petiliane lib. 2. August cont literas Petill. lib. 2. cap. 47. ca. 47. Therefore remember that the maners of ill men do nothing hurt the sacraments of God to make that either they be not sacraments at all or be lesse holy but the hurt is to the ill men themselues that they should haue them for a testimony of damnation and not for a helpe to saluation The same man in his fift booke of Baptisme Contra Donatistas cap. 8. Idem de Bapt. lib. 5. For euen as Iudas to whom the Lord gaue a sop made place for the deuil in himselfe not by receiuing that which was euil but by ill receiuing it So euery man that receiueth vnworthily the sacrament of the Lord maketh it not euill because he is euill or that he receiue nothing because he receiueth it not to his saluation For it was the body of the Lord the blood of the Lord also to them to whom the Apostle said He that eateth vnworthily Idem contra Crescen lib. 1. cap. 25. eateth drinketh his owne iudgement The same man contra Crescen lib. 1. cap. 25. Albeit the Lord himselfe say Vnlesse a man eate my flesh and drinke my blood he shall haue no life in him doth not the same Apostle teach that this becommeth destruction to them that vse it ill For he saith He that eateth the bread and drinketh of the cup of the Lord vnworthily is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Behold how diuine and holy mysteries do hurt those that vse them ill Why not Baptisme in like maner By these many other places it is euident that the sacrament of Thankesgiuing asmuch as pertaineth to the nature of the sacrament is verily the body and blood of Christ and is verily a diuine and holy thing albeit it be receiued of the vnvvorthy where notwithstanding they be not made partakers of the grace holines thereof but they draw thereout death and damnation For neither doth so great a goodnes remaine in them or enter into them to the intent to remaine but to condemne them Neither doeth the touching of the Lords body any more profit them then it did the Iewes that crucified Christ to touch his body that was hallowed alwaies indued with his grace Wherefore let this be certaine that the sacraments as long as they be sacraments doe retaine their vertue neither can they be separated from it For they alwayes consist of their parts heauenly and earthly visible and inuisible inward outvvard whether good men or euill worthy or vnvvorthy receiue them And also that change of signes and passage of elements into the invvard substance which wee often find in the old writers can by no meanes stand if we separate the vertue from the signe or would haue the one receiued apart from the other But this is so to be vnderstood as long as the signe serueth to that vse and is applied to that end for the which it was ordained according to Gods word For if we apply it to other vses and abuse it contrary to Christs institution either it is no sacrament at all or else it ceaseth from being a sacrament Therefore they commit no light offence which do not direct the signes of bread and wine to that end which Christ ordained them
wheresoeuer it be is visible The same man in his booke Sent. Prosperi Idem in lib. Sent. Prosperi Christ was once offered in himselfe yet is hee daily offered in the Sacrament which is thus to be vnderstood That in the outward shewing foorth of his body in the distinction of all his members very God and very man did but once hang vpon the Crosse offering himselfe a liuely sacrifice to the Father The body which is in the Sacrament hath neither outward shewing forth of the body nor distinction of members but his proper body neuer wanteth his distinction of members Idem in Ps 33. The same man vpon the 33. Psalme And he was caried in his owne hands But my brethren who can vnderstand how this might be done in a man For who can be caried in his owne hands A man may well be caried in other mens hands in his owne hands no man is caried How it may be vnderstond in Dauid himselfe according to the letter we shall not finde but in Christ wee shall finde it For Christ was caried in his owne hands when he commending his owne body said This is my body for that body was caried in his hands and afterward expounding himselfe better he saith And hee was caried in his own hands How was he caried in his owne hands Because when he ment to cōmend that body and blood of his hee tooke into his hands that which the faithfull knew and he caried himselfe after a sort when he said This is my body In saying that body was caried in his hands and he tooke into his handes that which the faithfull knew and he bare himselfe after a sort he doeth declare that this saying is not to be vnderstand simply of one selfe body but that body that did carie was one namely his proper bodie and that which was caried another to say the Sacrament of his body The same man vpon the 98. Psalme Idem in Psal 98. It seemed a hard saying to them when he said Vnlesse a man do eate my flesh hee shall neuer haue euerlasting life They tooke it foolishly imagined of it fleshly and thought that the Lord would haue cut certaine pieces out of his bodie to giue them and they said This is a hard saying They themselues were hard not the saying for if they had not bene hard but humble spirited they would haue said within themselues He speaketh not this without a cause there is may hap a certaine hid Sacrament in it They would haue taried with him meeke spirited not hardned and haue learned of him that which those that remained did learne when they were gone For when his Twelue disciples abode with him after their departure they seemed to bewaile to him the death of them because they were offended at his wordes and gone backe But he instructed them said vnto them It is the Spirit that quickeneth for the flesh profiteth nothing The words that I haue spoken to you are Spirit and life Vnderstand you that spiritually which I haue spoken to you You shall not eate this bodie which you see neither shall you drinke the blood which they shall shed that crucifie me I haue commended to you a certaine Sacrament If it be spiritually vnderstood it will giue you life Although of necessitie it must be ministred visiblie yet must it bee vnuisibly vnderstood where hee saith Not this bodie which you see c. And I haue commended a certaine Sacrament vnto you hee maketh a plaine distinction betweene the two bodies whereof one is properly his body the other the Sacrament of his body Idem de doct Christ. lib. 3. The same man De doctrina Christiana lib 3. Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee shall haue no life in you Hee seemeth to command a hainous and wicked thing therefore it is a figure commanding that wee must communicate with the passion of the Lord sweetly and profitably lay vp in remembrance that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs. If we following the letter do vnderstand it as the words doe properly sound Hee seemeth saith he to command a hainous thing therefore hee saith it is a figuratiue speach and ought not to be vnderstood of the eating of his proper body but of the Sacrament of his body which is after a spirituall sort the body of Christ Idem ad Bonifac Epist. 23. The same man to Boniface in the 23. Epistle For so wee speake as when Easter draweth nie wee say To morrow or the day after is the passion of Christ whereas indeed he suffered so many yeeres before and that passion hath not at all bene made but once For vpon very Easter day we say This day the Lord rose againe whereas so many yeres are past since he rose againe Why is none so foolish to reproue vs say we lie in so saying but because we call these dayes according to the similitude of those in which these things were done so that it is called the same day which is not the same but by the course of time is like that and it is said to bee done that day for the ministring of the Sacrament which was not done that day but long before Was not Christ once offered in himselfe and yet in the Sacrament not onely at all the solemnities of Easter but euery day he is offered to the people And hee lieth not that being asked the question doeth answere that he is offered For if the Sacraments should not haue a certaine likenesse of those things whereof they be Sacraments they should be no Sacraments at all And of this likenesse they take the names oftentimes also of the things themselues Euen as therefore after a certaine sort the Sacrament of the body of Christ is the body of Christ and the sacrament of the blood of Christ is the blood of Christ so also the sacrament of faith is faith We see also in this place that the proper body of Christ which was once offered is discerned from that sacrament which is daily offered and after a sort is the body The same S. Augustin Idem de consecrat dist 2. as it is to be found De consecrat dist 2. Whether is this mysticall sacrament of the cup vnder a figure or vnder the trueth The trueth saith My flesh is verily meat and my blood is verily drinke else how shall it be a great matter The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world vnlesse it be very flesh in deed But because it is not lawfull to deuoure Christ with teeth the Lords will was that this bread and wine should be made potentially in a mysterie his flesh and blood verily by the consecration of the holy Ghost and should be daily offered mysticallie for the life of the world That euen as very flesh was made of the Virgin by the holy Ghost without the company of man so also by the same through
be thought here that we eate the rawe flesh of a man or drinke his blood but that the words bee spirituall and spiritually to bee vnderstood that they be termed flesh and blood but ought to be vnderstood of spirit and life that is to say of the vertue of the Lords flesh that giueth life And therfore saide hee that the povver of life was put into the outward signes Idem in Ioan. lib. 11. cap. 26. and called it by an apt signification the body of life The same man vpon Iohn lib. 11. cap. 26. doth expound somewhat more plainely how wee be coupled corporally both with Christ and with our selues and that by the partaking of the sacrament although we be seuered both in body and soule It must be considered saith he whether to the vnitie of consent and will wee may also finde a naturall vnity by which we shall be lincked among our selues and we all vnto God For peraduenture we are ioyned also with corporall vnion although we be seuered one from another that ech one apart hath his being and distance of place For although Peter and Paul be one by vnity in Christ yet Peter is not Paul Afterward within few words hee thus concludeth The originall therefore and the way whereby wee bee partakers of the holy Ghost and vnited to God is the mysterie of Christ for we bee all sanctified in him Therefore that hee might vnite vs one to another and euery one to God although we bee seuered both in body and soule yet hath hee found a vvay agreeable to the counsell of his Father and to his ovvne wisedome For hee blessing those as beleeue with his body through the mysticall communion doeth make vs both with himselfe and also among our selues one body It is plaine that Cyrillus spake not of the same kind of body when he saith Although they bee seuered in body and soule yet they which beleeue through the body of Christ and by the mysticall communion be made one body with Christ and betvveene themselues For euen as the faithfull being ioyned in that spirituall body are one body although their proper bodies remaine seuered Euen so also wee being ioyned with Christ in that spirituall body are made one body with him although his ovvne proper body bee farre distant from our bodies Let vs adde one place more taken out of this Father Idem in lib. ad Euop Anat. 11 which is in his booke Ad Euoptium Anath 11. where he speaketh thus of Nestorius Doeth not he pronounce this mysterie to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a deuouring of mans flesh and violently driue the mindes of the faithfull without conscience into false interpretations and with mans inuentions take those things in hand which are receiued by an onely pure and vnsearchable faith Cyrillus doth in this place obiect against Nestorius That to maintaine this error he did speake too grosly of the Sacrament as though the faithfull doe properly therein eate mans flesh which by the Greeke word hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But such kind of thoughts hee termeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say as Budaeus doeth interpret it counterfeite not right not sincere For so much as here is no place for such kinde of worldly and common imaginations We ought to thinke the like of Theophylactus who although in some place he may seeme to haue follovved a more grosse opinion as vpon Matthew the 26. Chapter whose words wee haue aboue rehearsed wherein he seemeth to denie that the bread of the Sacrament of thankesgiuing is a figure of the Lords body but the very body indeede yet when he saith It is no figure he meaneth that it is not onely a figure as in another place where vpon Marke and Iohn it is read for else hee should haue repugned against all the olde Writers and that is not likely who throughout terme this Sacrament a figure an image a signe and patterne Besides in that he said it was the body in very deede his meaning was not to haue it taken after a worldly and common sort as it shall manifestly appeare by those things that follow for he writing vpon these words in the sixt Chapter of Iohn Theophylac in Ioan. cap. 6. The Iewes therefore did striue among themselues saying How can this man giue vs his flesh to eate saith thus It behoueth vs therefore after that wee heare vnlesse yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man yee shall haue no life in taking the heauenly mysteries to keepe stedfast and vnwauering faith and not to be inquisitiue how For the naturall man that is hee that follovveth mans carnall and naturall thoughts is not apt to conceiue such matters as bee aboue nature and spirituall and euen so he doth not vnderstand the spirituall eating of the Lords flesh whereof who so bee not partakers shall not bee partakers of euerlasting life And by and by hee expoundeth thus these words Hee that eateth my flesh c. In this place vve learne the Sacrament of the communion For he that eateth and drinketh the Lords flesh and blood abideth in the Lord himselfe and the Lord in him for there is a new mixture made and aboue reason so that God is in vs and wee in God Here the Author teacheth that faith must be had in the mysteries and not to be inquisitiue how and therewithall he remoueth apart mans carnall or naturall thoughts and requireth onely a spirituall meaning and commendeth a more hie maner of eating For he addeth not long after vpon these words This is a hard saying who can heare him c. But see their folly For their duetie had been to haue asked and learned those things whereof they were ignorant But they drew backe and did expound nothing spiritually but all things as they outwardly appeared For in as much as they heard of flesh they thought he would compell them to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is deuourers of flesh and blood But because we vnderstand it spiritually neither wee bee deuourers of flesh and yet be we sanctified by such meate By and by also expounding this It is spirit that quickeneth thus he writeth Because as we haue often sayd they that carnally expounded such things as Christ spake were offended he sayth When those things that I speake are spiritually vnderstood that onely bringeth profit but the flesh that is to say to expound them carnally profiteth nothing but is occasion of offence So therefore such as heard carnally those things that Christ spake were offended He addeth therefore The words which I speake are spirit that is to say they be spirituall and life hauing nothing that is carnall and bringing euerlasting life Let vs adde hereunto those things which he writeth vpon Marke 14. cap. 1. For the bread is not onely a figure and a certaine patterne of the Lords body but it is turned into the very body of Christ For the Lord sayth The bread which I will giue is
for but do consecrat them for a pompe farre off from Gods word and yet notwithstanding doe thrust them to the simple people in stead of sacraments For although they be ministred orderly and according to their lavvfull vse yet when that vse and doing of their proper office doeth cease they retaine no longer neither the name nor vertue of sacraments which thing the old custome of the church doeth proue For when the Communion was ended men did eat their common supper and spent together in the Church those things that remained of the sacraments as Hierom doth witnesse vpon the 1. Cor. cap. 11. Hlerom in 1. Cor. cap. 11. And partly those things that remained vnspent vvere streightway cast in the fire Hesych in Leui. lib. 2. cap. 8. as Hesychius teacheth In Leuit lib. 2. cap. 8. whereof neither was lawfull to be done vnlesse they had ceased to be sacraments Wherefore neither is that doubt of them that receiue it vnvvorthily of any force to subuert this opinion which we haue set forth but that neuerthelesse remaineth safe and vnhurt and worthily to be imbraced of men desirous of trueth and concord First because the dignitie due honour of the sacraments is not hurt but remaineth whole and vnblemished whilest we confesse both the trueth of his body and the nature and substance of the same to be receiued of the faithfull together with outward signes which thing the ancient Fathers do testifie to be done Againe if we receiue that distinction which the same Fathers diligently obserued betvveene that proper assumpt body of the Lord or that he tooke vpon him and this figuratiue body or sacrament of his body there is no offence committed against the rule of our faith which by no meanes is to be wronged since that we attribute to either body their due For we say that his proper and assumpt body is in a place and limitted within the space of a place for the maner of his true body as Augustine saith As the true maner of humane nature requireth and the true beleeuing fathers against Marcion Eutyches and other heretikes do stoutly affirme Which thing they that deny and appoint that body to be euery where doe by that meanes deny the true nature of his body and fall into the errors and heresies of them And yet there is no let but the trueth of his mysticall body because it is a spirituall and diuine matter is as largely spread present as the celebration of the sacrament is spread according to the opinion of the same true beleeuing Fathers Furthermore no absurdities follow this doctrine as very many doe insue both that grosse Transubstantiation also that carnal coupling with the bread namely that mise beasts desperate men doe gnaw chew or swallow that precious body of the Lord which was taken of the Virgine whereas it is lawfull for no man to eat of that body no not for a godly man as Hierom witnesseth Beside this is no doubtfull doctrine nor hard to be perceiued but open and very cleare as farre as the nature of the mysteries do permit And albeit this controuersie doth otherwise seeme to many intricate and like a maze this exposition is easie no darkenes in it no wordes of the Scriptures nor testimony of the Fathers be against it but all they do agree friendly accord Adde hereunto that this maner of handling this matter is old constantly deliuered to vs frō the ancient Fathers not new sprung nor at this time first inuented as the matter it selfe declareth therefore it maketh them more friendly to obtaine the peace and tranquility of the Church since that all men may vnderstand that it is no new opinion made out of our owne heads but the ancient opinion of the true beleeuing Fathers called to memory againe especially since it is of such sort as can iustly offend no part but moue exhort all men to be content There be some that take in ill part that the sacrament of Thankesgiuing is called a signe or figure as though it were a bare signe or vaine figure Here they heare that it is not only a signe but the thing it selfe not onely a figure but also the trueth Not being contented herewith they vrge the Fathers they require the nature of his body in the sacrament Here also they do heare that the presence of his nature is taught and that there is a naturall participation Yet they goe further and command vs to confesse a substance of his body They see also that the substance is by vs affirmed to be present and that our communion with Christ naturally and if I may so say substantially is here set out but yet that these termes ought to bee vnderstood not as Philosophers but as Diuines vse to speake Neither would wee striue so much about that terme of Transubstantiation albeit it be barbarous nothing necessary if so be they would interpret it to be such a change of substance as the ancient Fathers acknowledged that is to say a sacramentall alteration such also as is made in a creature that is regenerat by Baptisme which is made a new man and a new creature and such also as is made when wee be turned into the flesh of Christ which examples the ancient Fathers vsed We do not so much eschew the termes themselues although there is also respect to be had of them but we require the significatiō of them which the Fathers themselues taught and earnestly demaund And onely that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the deuouring of flesh which by no meanes they allow but condemne as foolish and wicked we reiect as farre off from the Scriptures and farre from the interpretation of the Fathers and finally directly striuing with the true faith and we iudge that a spiritual meaning is necessary in the eating of this flesh follovving therein Christ himselfe the Author and the consent of the best allowed interpreters that we haue Surely it is a marueilous matter to see hovv in other controuersies we be Aristotle men and oftentimes take hold of distinctions more curious then necessary and in this disputation of Sacraments we admit no difference we allow no equiuocation although both the nature of the thing requireth it and the authoritie of the old writers doe as it were point vs to it with a finger and seeing that neither the Scriptures nor the holy Fathers do speake of the diuine mysteries after a naturall sort but after an high and diuine maner as becommeth men that treat of diuine matters and inspired with God comparing spiritual things with spirituall things Againe if there be any man that thinketh that there is here too much attributed to the elements it is not so but their due reuerence is giuen to the outward signes for the holy vse of them But the invvard povver which commeth by the force of the word of God is onely that which the mind of the faithfull doth respect which sanctifieth the body and the minde of him that vseth it But if there be any that require a miracle for some of the Fathers called the sacrament of Thankesgiuing a notable miracle surely it is no lesse to be marueiled at that the bread and wine being earthly creatures and ordeined to feed the body onely doe possesse that force in them and so mighty an efficacie by the vertue of the mystical benediction that they cleanse nourish sanctifie and prepare to immortalitie both minds and bodies so that they make vs members of Christ and one body with him Yea this miracle hath more weight more dignitie greater profit and more agreeable to the maner of the mysteries then any grosse Transubstantiation or naturall and humane flesh-eating can comprehend Wherefore the seeds of contention and discord bee now taken away and there remaineth no cause why but the Churches of Christ especially those that professe the desire of the Gospel may agree in one with quiet minds and coupled affections which now disagree among themselues with bitter hatred These things my brethren I haue thought meet to gather together touching this controuersie full of thornes as it seemed to many surely at the first not with this intent to set it abroad in print but to haue some certaintie whereto I may leane in a matter so full of controuersie and yeeld a reason of my opinion But now that me thinketh I haue taken some fruit of this worke vvhateuer it bee I am not vnwilling if it may bring any profit to others also This I know in my owne conscience that I haue sought for no other thing in this Treatie but godly and modestly to profit my selfe and others I beseech the GOD and Father of our Lord IESVS CHRIST to remooue from the mindes of Pastours Doctours and Ministers of the Church the greatest confusion of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is desire to striue and rule and dispose their mindes to peace and brotherly concord in Christ that they may not abuse this notable bond of loue deliuered and commended by the Lord himselfe to his Church wresting it to the nourishing of contentions and factions And vouchsafe to inspire with his Spirit the hearts of Princes and Magistrates that they may aboue all things regard what doeth most become the rule committed to their charge and aduance Gods glory and not respect vvhat may grovv to their coffers by this troublesome time with the cruell vexation of their Subiects and common calamitie of their Common-weales