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
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
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
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
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
the substance of bread and wine the same body is mysticallie consecrated The body of Christ is both trueth and a figure Trueth while the body and blood of Christ by the power of the holy Ghost in power of the same is made of the substance of bread and wine but the figure is that which is outwardly seene Here also Augustin doeth put a difference betweene the very flesh taken of the Virgin and the trueth of the flesh that is made of the substance of bread and wine for this saith he is daily created his very flesh and offered in mysterie which thing is not lawfull to be spoken of the very proper body of Christ The same author in the same booke Vntill the end of the world the Lord is aboue but yet the trueth of the Lord is for all that here with vs. For it is fit that the body wherein hee rose againe should bee in one place but the trueth thereof is spread euery where Doeth he not plainely teach that the body wherein hee rose againe is one which necessarily must be contained in one place and that the trueth of his body is another which is so farre spred abroad as the sacrament is rightly ministred Here is moreouer to be noted that the trueth of the Lords body is spoken two wayes and ought two maner wayes to bee vnderstood for one maner of trueth of his body is required in mysterie another simply and without mysterie Those words also of Augustin in the same place Idem ibidem De consecrat dist 2. Vtrum sub figura c. doe make for this purpose That because we do now take the similitude of his death in our Baptisme so also wee may take the similitude of his flesh and blood so that the trueth should not be wanting in the sacrament and yet be no laughing stocke to the Infidels for drinking the blood of a man slaine He affirmeth the likenesse of flesh and blood to be coupled with the trueth in the sacrament yet so as if one would vnderstand it properly to be the blood of a man slaine wee drinke it not for so might the infidels laugh vs to scorne He againe in the same title Hoc est quod c. Idem ibidem Euen as therefore the heauenly bread which is the flesh of Christ after his sort is called the body of Christ wheras indeed it is the sacrament of Christs body namely of that which was to be seene handled mortall set vpon the Crosse and the sacrifice of the flesh which is made by the hands of the Priest is called the passion of Christs death and crucifying not in very deed but by the signification of the mysterie so the sacrament of faith which is meant Baptisme is faith Againe he teacheth plainely that the body of Christ which is to be seene and felt is one thing and that another which after his sort is called the body of Christ whereas indeed it is a sacrament of that body of his which is to be seen and felt Glossa ibidem Whereupon the Glosse vpon the same place hath thus The heauenly bread that is to say the heauenly sacrament which doth truely represent the flesh of Christ is called the body of Christ but vnproperly and therefore it is called after a peculiar maner not in the trueth of the matter but by the signification of the mysterie And a little before Idem ibidem the same Glosse saith in the same place The heauenly sacrament which is vpon the Altar is vnproperly called the body of Christ euen as Baptisme is vnproperly called faith August ad Dard. To this agree those wordes that the same Augustin writeth to Dardanus in this wise Keepe faithfully the Christian profession That hee rose againe from the dead He ascended into heauen Sitteth on the Right-hand of the Father Neither shall he come from any other place then from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead And so shal he come the voice of the Angel being witnesse as hee was seene to goe into heauen namely in the same forme and substance of flesh vnto the which flesh hee hath assuredly giuen immortalitie and not taken away the nature After this forme he is not to be thought that he is euery where spred abroad For we must take heed that wee affirme not so the diuinitie of his manhood that wee take away the trueth of his body Idem ibidem Afterward in the end of the same Epistle Doubt not that Christ our Lord the onely begotten Sonne of God equall to the Father euen that Sonne of man which is lesse then the Father is both altogether present euery where as God and also in some certaine place of heauen for the measure of his true body The trueth of Christs body which in another place he said is euery where spred abroad when hee speaketh of the sacrament of his body here where he entreateth of his true body indeed properly vnderstood he denieth that according to that maner of body it is euery where spred abroad but that so the trueth of his body is cleane taken away Augustin is not contrary to himselfe but sheweth plainely ynough that the body and the trueth of the body is to be taken two waies Peraduenture I seeme to haue rehearsed ouer many places out of Austin but yet this one place doe I thinke not to bee ouerpassed which he hath left in writing vpon the Gospel of Iohn tract 50. The poore haue ye alwayes with you Idem in Ioan. tract 50. but me shall you not haue alwayes Let good men receiue this also and not bee troubled for hee spake of the presence of his body For according to his Maiestie according to his prouidence according to his vnspeakeable and inuisible grace that is fulfilled which was said by him Beholde I am with you euery day euen to the ende of the world But according to the flesh which the Word tooke vpon him according to that that he was borne of the Virgin according to that that hee was taken of the Iewes that he was nailed to a tree that hee was taken downe from the Crosse that he was wrapped in linen clothes that he was layed in the graue that hee appeared in his resurrection ye shall not alvvayes haue him with you Why Because according to the presence of his body hee was conuersant vvith his disciples fourtie dayes and they being in company vvith him by seeing him and not follovving him he ascended into heauen and is not here for he is there he sitteth on the Right-hand of the Father and here hee is also for the presence of his Maiestie did not depart After another sort according to the presence of his Maiestie we haue Christ alwayes According to the presence of his flesh it vvas rightly said to the disciples but mee shall you not haue alwayes for the Church had him a few dayes according to the presence of his flesh and now keepeth him
to the cruel maner of wilde beasts and that they were prouoked to an appetite to eate the raw flesh of man and drinke blood which things bee horrible euen to bee heard Wherefore if we beleeue that the flesh of Christ properly so called is there present whether we thinke it raw rost or sodden either whole or cut in gobbets open or couert the sense is vtterly carnal the words be carnally vnderstood For it is not therefore to be thought a spirituall sense because they say the flesh of Christ is present inuisibly For if their meaning be of the proper flesh we cannot say that we eate him not therefore carnally because we see him not The blinde see not those things which they eate and men many times in pottage and brothes eate egges and flesh which neither they see nor otherwhile feele in taste But none of all these is a spirituall sense or doth containe a more hie meaning but as the wordes simply do signifie eate egges and flesh which Chrysostome termeth carnall vnderstanding Since therefore all carnall meaning of the words set apart a spirituall must be had and retained therein we ought godly to seeke and reuerently to search out what maner of vnderstanding that is that hath bene set foorth and commended vnto vs the which we also wil indeauour our selues to doe not departing from the footsteps of the very same Fathers Euen as there be two parts whereof the sacrament doth consist that is the outward signe and inward vertue so is that spirituall sense which is here required taken of both these parts The carnall vnderstanding doth follow the letter as Nicodemus when he had heard Vnlesse a man bee borne againe of water and the spirit c. hee asketh this question How can a man be borne againe Can he returne againe into his mothers wombe The spirituall man departeth from the letter and so are we borne againe in Baptisme And the washing is of two sorts Outward and inward carnall and spiritual the one according to the letter and is made by water the other doth shunne the letter and is performed in spirit Either of them is said to be truely done but after a diuers maner The first maner of speaking is proper the other figuratiue and the figure hath otherwhile relation to the outward similitude otherwhile to the vertue inwardly hid It is figuratiuely spoken All flesh is grasse For the withering grasse hath a certaine similitude of a man that soone perisheth Beware of the leauen of the Pharises This is taken of the proper strength of leauen which spreadeth the taste therof thorowout the whole lumpe very like whereunto is the infection of ill doctrine Now in this sacrament the Fathers of old time haue noted tvvo things for either of the which it may well be called and accompted the body of Christ but especially when it comprehendeth them both For both because the Bread is a figure of the true body it is iustly called his body and much more because it hath the liuely force of the same ioyned thereto but in especiall because it comprehendeth both And that the figure of any thing hath by good reason the name of the same and is called the thing it selfe indeed Esay sheweth where he saith The people bee verily hay and He verily hath borne our iniquities By a similitude is the people called hay and the Lord vpon the Crosse had in him a similitude of a sinnefull man although he himselfe was without sinne after which maner also Christ is said to be the true Vine I am the true Vine saith he and other places which a man shall often finde in the Scriptures Iohn Baptist spake the trueth when he said Behold the Lambe of God The Lord himselfe said the trueth when he said of Nathaniel Behold an Israelite in deed in whom is no deceit That word Verily or Indeed is not to be referred to the outward but to the inward circumcision for the people of God also vvhich is gathered of the Gentiles is now more truely called Israel then the Ievves themselues according to the saying of Paul We be the Circumcision which worship God in spirit And this He is not a Iew which in outward appearance is a Iew but he is a Iew which is a Iew in secret Yet be we not for all that properly Iewes but we are called so by a figure all these figuratiue speaches for the outward similitude of the things Wherefore it ought to seeme neither a new thing nor yet a marueile if the Lords bread be said to be verily the body where it is a figure of the body August ad Bonif. epist. 23. Hereupon Augustin to Boniface in his 23. Epistle saith For thus wee speake oftentimes As when Easter is at hand we say The Lords passion shal be to morrow or the next day where hee suffered so many yeeres agoe and that passion hath neuer been done but once Likewise vpon the very Easter day wee say To day the Lord rose againe when since hee rose againe so many yeeres are past Why is none so foolish to reproue vs and say we lie in so saying But because wee vse to call these dayes according to the similitude of them in which these thinges were done So that it is called the same day which is not the same but by course of time is like vnto it and it is said to be done that day for the ministring of the Sacrament which was not done that day but long agoe Was not Christ once offered in himselfe yet in the Sacrament not onely in all the solemnities of Easter but euery day hee is offered to the people Againe he lieth not that being asked the question doth 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 likenes also many times they take the names of the things themselues Euen as therfore after a certaine manner the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ is the bodie of Christ and the Sacrament of the blood of Christ is the blood of Christ so also the Sacrament of faith is faith By this place of Augustin and many other both of his other fathers we see that the figures and similitudes of things bee often called by the name of the thinges themselues and that this is one cause though not the onely why this sacrament is called verily Christs bodie To this agree those things that we commonly finde amongst olde writers who tearme this Sacrament otherwhile a figure as Tertull. cont Mart. lib. 4. Tertull. This is my body saith he that is to say a figure of my bodie And Nazianzene Nazianzene which said the old Passouer was a figure of a figure Augustin And Augustin The bodie saith hee of Christ is the trueth and a figure Sometime a signe as Augustin contra Adimant cap. 12. The Lord put no doubt to
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