so much divided against it selfe that they cannot by any glue of Concord as Cyprian speaketh nor bond of vnitie be conioyned Cyp lib. 3. Epist 13. Some hold of Paul some of Apollos some allow the Booke others deny the Author Is the Worke man and the Worke divided Is the Author of the Booke commended the Booke it selfe condemned Is this the wisedome and pollicie of the Church to cry some one thing some another like the common Craftsmen for their great Diana of the Ephesians These things were much to be wondred at especially by one that wants perhaps the leisure perhaps the knowledge to search into these doubtfull disputes but that the ingenuous confession of Erasmus will satisfie a further jnquisition It is plainely found saith he that many things in Luthers Bookes are condemned for hereticall which in the Bookes of Bernard and Austen are read for holy and Orthodox Agreeable to that saying of Maldonats Maldon Comment in Ioh. 6. expounding a place of Scripture Although I haue no other Author saith he for my exposition yet I allow it rather then that of Austens and others though it be most probable because this of mine crosseth more the sense of the Calvinists Thus then to end with the Church of Rome with whom I began Isid Pleusit lib. 3. epist 408. Shee is like a Woman fallen from her ancient happinesse and retaining onely some signes thereof she hath the Sheaths and Caskets where the Ornaments lay but the goods themselues she is spoyled off Hence it is that wee are departed from their Church as Moses sometimes departed out of Egypt or as S. Austen from the Maniches Chrysost in Math. Homil 49. We haue departed from them in body they first departed from vs in minde we from them by place they from vs by faith we haue left with them the foundations of the walls they haue left with vs the foundations of the Scriptures We are departed from them in the sight of man they are departed from vs in the iudgement of GOD. And as concerning this Author which I here present vnto you Ierom Epist 126. ad Euagr I will say as S. Ierom answered Euagrius who desiring his opinion concerning Melchisedec whether he were the holy Ghost S. Ierom when he had shewed him the iudgement of the ancient Fathers of whom some thought Melchisedec a Man some an Angell You haue saith he what I haue heard what I haue read touching Melchisedec to bring forth the witnesses it was my part let it be yours to iudge of the credit of the witnesses Behold Gentle Reader the Worke-man and the Worke I haue cited the opinions of the Moderne Writers and of the best concerning this Author it is your part to iudge of the credit of them it was my part to summon their apparance for the tryall of the partie it is your part to iudge of the sufficiencie of their proofe their good agreement amongst themselues You haue the Author aboue 800. yeares continuance you haue his doctrine aboue 1500. yeares if his proofe make it not good we will disclayme both the Author and his Doctrine If such a light did so shine when the Church was so much darkned and obscured with the mists of IgnoraÌ„ce pittie it were but this Lampe should receiue a new Light by reprinting of him which the Iniquitie of the times hath almost extinguished Briefely all that I can say of the Author is this That which Vincentius Lyrinensis spake of Tertullian may very fitly be attributed to him His words are senses his senses victories and as concerning the Worke and the exquisite performance thereof I will say in two words Exegit Monumentum It may stand and long may it stand a Monument to after Ages that he may be justified in his sayings and cleare when he is judged H. L. ¶ Bertram the Priest his Preface concerning the body and blood of the LORD written to Charles the great being Emperour I Am commanded by you famous Prince to declare vnto your Highnesse What iudgement I am of concerning the mysterie of the Bodie and Blood of Christ Certaine it is that as this commandement doth well beseeme your magnificall and Princely estate so is it a most hard thing to be performed by my poore and small power For what is more meete for your Kingly Providence and government than in respect of your selfe to be vniversally wise concerning his holy mysteries who hath vouchsafed you worthy of the Kingly seate and in respect of your Subiects not to suffer them to thinke divers things concerning the bodie and blood of Christ in which doubtlesse consisteth the whole summe of Christian Redemption For while some of the faithfull affirme that the mysterie or Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ which is daily celebrated and administred in the Church is done vnder no figure and vnder no cover at all but perfâ—â—med vnder the naked manifestation shew of the truth it selfe and againe while other some testifie that these things are conteined vnder the figure of the mystery and that it is one thing which appeareth to our bodily senses and another thing that our faith looketh vpon it plainly appeareth that there is no small diversitie and difference amongst them And whereas the Apostle writeth vnto the faithfull people That all of them should savour one thing 1 Cor. 1.10 and speake one thing and that no schisme should appeare amongst them we must needs say that they are by no small schisme divided and rent asunder who not thinking the selfe same things doe speake diversly of the mysterie of the bodie and blood of Christ Wherefore your Kingly Maiestie and Highnesse being provoked no doubt with the zeale of Religion though perhaps not quietly and indifferently considering of these things and desiring also that all men should according to the Apostles Commandement thinke and speake one thing doth diligently search for the mysterie and secret of truth that so you may call backe such therevnto as haue wandred and strayed Wherevpon also it commeth to passe that you disdaine not to demand and aske the truth of this matter even of very poore and base men perswading your selfe that the mysterie of so great a secret cannot be knowne but by inspiration and revelation from God who having no respect of persons sheweth forth the light of his truth by whomsoever he himselfe hath chosen to so great a matter Now as it is very pleasant for me poore man to obey your Commandement so I confesse it is a very hard matter for me to dispute and reason of a matter so farre estranged from mans vnderstanding and senses and into which a man cannot pearse or enter but by the instruction and teaching of the holy Spirit Wherefore I being at this present subiect to your Highnesse commandement and yet trusting and cleaving to the ayde and assistance of him of whom we will speake will assay by what words I can to open my iudgement concerning
this matter not leaning in the treatie thereof to mine owne wit but pursuing and treading in the footsteps of the holy and auncient Fathers HERE BEGINneth the Booke of Bertram the Priest touching the body and blood of the Lord which he wrote to Charles the Great being Emperour YOur Highnesse Excellency demandeth 1 Two questions whether that the body and blood of Christ which in the Church is receiued by the mouth of the faithfull bee done in a mystery or in truth and verity that is to say whether it containe some secret thing which is euident to the eyes of faith onely or whether without the vaile or couerture of any mystery the bodily sight doe outwardly behold that which the sight of the minde doth inwardly looke vpon so that whatsoeuer is done appeareth manifestly or no And this is the first question The other is whether it be that very body that was borne of the Virgin Mary that suffered that died that was buried and that rising againe ascēding vp into heauen sitteth now on the right hand of the Father or no Now let vs looke into the first of these two questions and lest wee be letted with ambiguity and doubtfulnesse let vs define what a figure is and what the truth is that so beholding and perceiuing some certainty wee may know whither wee ought to deferre the course of our reasoning A figure is a certaine shadow by certaine vailes couertures as it were that is to say darkely declaring the thing which it intendeth to manifest as for example when wee minde to speake of Gods Word we call it bread so in the Lords Prayer wee desire to haue daily bread giuen vs. Also when Christ in the Gospell speaketh Mat. 6.11 saying I am the living bread which came downe from heaven Likewise Ioh. 6.51 when hee calleth himselfe a Vine and his Disciples branches saying I am the true Vine Ioh. 15.1.5 and yee are the branches For all these sayings seeme to speake one thing and yet meane another thing As for that which wee call verity or truth it is the declaration of a manifest and plaine matter which is not couered with any shew of shadowes but insinuated and delivered with pure and open or to speak more plainly with naturall significations as when it is said That Christ being borne of a Virgin suffered death was crucified Mat. 1.25 1 Pet. 3.18 1 Cor. 2.2 Ioh. 19.40 c. dead and buried Heere verily is nothing shadowed with figures ouer-couering the same but the truth of the things declared by the significations of naturall wordes or speeches neither may we heere vnderstand any other thing than that which is spoken and expressed But it is not so in the former sentences for neither is Christ the bread substantiallly neither is Christ a Vine substantially neither are the Apostles branches substantially wherefore in these latter speeches there is a figure and in those former the truth that is to say a naked and open signification is declared by narration or plaine speech Now let vs returne to those things that is to the body and blood of Christ for whose these points haue been propounded and vttered Truly if that great mystery be celebrated and done vnder no mystery at all then it is not rightly called a mystery because that cannot be called a mystery or secret wherein there is no hidden thing and wherein there is no matter remooued from our bodily senses and wherein there is nothing covered with some vaile or couerture But that bread which by the Ministery of the Priest is now become the body of Christ doth shew one thing outwardly to mans senses and soundeth another thing inwardly to the mindes of the faithfull Outwardly indeed the form of bread which it had before is set out the colour thereof is shewed and the savour thereof received and tasted But inwardly a thing farre differing yea and much more precious and excellently is shewed and set forth and I say it is much more precious and excellent because it is heauenly and because it is diuine I meaning hereby that Christs body is manifested which is either seen or receiued or eaten not with the senses faculties or power of the flesh but with the eye and sight of a faithfull or beleeving minde The wine also which by the Priest through consecration is become the Sacrament of Christs blood setteth forth one thing outwardly and containeth an other thing inwardly For what other thing is superficially and outwardly locked vp then the substance of wine Taste it and it savoureth and smacketh wine smell it and it smelleth wine looke vpon it and thou mayst behold the colour of wine But if a man do consider it inwardly then it being not the liquor of wine but the liquor of Christ blood so savoreth to the beleevers minds while it is tasted and is so acknowledged while it is beheld and is so proved to be whilest it is smelled It is manifest that these things are so seeing no man can deny them to be true because the Bread and the Wine is figuratiuely Christs body blood For outwardly and according to that which is seene neither is any kind or shew of flesh knowne to be in that Bread nor any drop of blood shewed forth in the Wine and yet for all that after the mysticall consecration the Bread is no more called Bread nor the Wine Wine but both of them together are called the body and blood of Christ For if according to some mens mindes nothing were in this matter taken figuratiuely but the whole were considered and looked vpon in veritie or truth then should faith worke nothing at all therein because that no spirituall thing should be performed but looke whatsoever the thing it selfe were even that wholly should be taken according to the body and a mans fleshly vnderstanding Heb. 11.1 And seeing that faith as the Apostle saith is the argument and evidence of such things as appeare not that is to say not of such substances as are seene but of such as are not seene we shall then in this action receiue nothing according to faith because that we discerne and iudge of all that is in it according to our bodily senses And what I pray you can be more absurd then to take Bread to be flesh and to affirme that Wine is blood And a mystery that cannot be in which there is no secret or hidden thing conteined And how can it be said to be Christs body and blood in which it is not known that there is any change made Now every alteration and change He proueth by three sorts of change that there is no change made in the elements of the Supper is either made from that thing which actually it is not into that which actually it is or els when it is changed from that which it is into that which it is not or from that which it is to wit in respect of quality to that
Sacraments may worke that in vs which they doe containe that looke what we now administer and receiue in forme we may also receiue it in the truth of the things He saith that these things are celebrated and done in shew forme and not in truth that is in similitude or likenesse and not in the declaration of the thing it selfe Now the forme and shew of a thing and the veritie or truth of the selfe same thing differ one of them from another Wherefore that body and blood which is celebrated and received in the Church differeth from that bodie and blood which is known to be now glorified in Christs body thorow his Resurrection And the former of these two bodies is a pledge and figure and this latter is the very truth it selfe for the former is celebrated and administred till such time as we may come to the other but when we shall once come to this latter the former shall be removed and taken away Wherefore it appreareth that they are by a very great difference sundred one of them from the other yea looke what difference there is betweene the pledge and thing for which the pledge is given and betweene an Image or the thing whose Image it is or betweene the forme and shew of a thing and the truth it selfe so much difference there is betweene the one and the other Thus we see that that mysterie of the bodie and blood of Christ which the faithfull doe nowe receiue in the Church doth much differ is farre severed from that body which was borne of the Virgin Mary which suffered which was buried which rose againe which ascended into heaven and which sitteth at the right hand of the Father For that which is celebrated received while we are in the way of this life must be spiritually received and vnderstoode for Faith beleeveth the thing which it seeth not layeth hold of that which doth spiritually feed the soule and make glad the heart and giveth eternall life and incorruption whilest we looke not vpon that which feedeth the body or is pressed with the teeth or is broken in peeces but that only which is spiritually received in faith whereas that bodie in which Christ suffered and rose againe is his owne very body which he tooke of the body of the Virgin Mary which also was palpable and visible yea and that after his Resurrection even as he himselfe saith vnto the Disciples Luke 24.38.39 Why are yee troubled and wherefore doe thoughts and doubts arise in your hearts Beholde my handes and my feete for it is I my selfe Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue Let vs heare also what blessed Fulgentius writeth in his Booke of Faith Looke that thou doe most stedfastly beleeue Fulgen. de fide and at no hand doubt that the onely begotten Word of God became flesh Ephes 5.2 and offered vp himselfe for vs as an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour vnto God Vnto whom with the Father and the holy Ghost the Patriarkes Prophets and Priestes did in the time of the olde Testament offer vp Beasts and sacrifice them and vnto whom also with the Father and the holy Ghost with whom he is of one and the selfe same God-head the holy Catholique Church being dispersed throughout the whole world ceaseth not in faith and loue to offer vp the sacrifice of Bread and Wine For in those sacrifices of flesh and Beasts there was a signification of Christes flesh which even he himselfe being without sinne should offer for our sinnes and of his blood also which he should shed for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes but in this sacrifice of Bread and Wine there is a thankesgiving for and a remembrāce of that flesh of Christ which he offered vp for vs and of that blood which he himselfe being very God did shed for vs Act. 20.28 of which S. Paul speaketh in the Acts of the Apostles and in the xx Chapter of the said booke saying Take heed vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops or over-seers to governe the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood Wherefore there was in the former sacrifices figuratiuely signified that that should be given to vs but there is in this sacrifice evidently and plainely declared what is given vnto vs. Now the Doctor in saying that there was in those sacrifices signified what should be given vnto vs and that in this sacrifice there was declared what was given vnto vs alreadie he doth plainely declare that as those sacrifices had the figure of things to come so our sacrifice is a figure of things that are past By which speeches he hath most evidently declared what great difference there is betweene that bodie wherein Christ suffered and this body which is celebrated and administred in the remembrance of his Passion or death For that body wherein he suffered was his proper and very or true body having no mysticall or figuratiue matter in it But this latter is a mysticall bodie shewing one thing outwardly in figure and inwardly representing another thing thorowe the vnderstanding and apprehension of faith Moreover let vs adde and put downe one other testimony of that reverent Father Augustine which shall both warrant the truth and credit of our sayings and make an end of our Oration and speech In a certaine Sermon Aug. de sacra altar Serm. which he made to the people concerning the Sacrament of the Altar thus he saith The thing which you see on Gods Altar you saw the same the night that is past but as yet yee haue not heard what it is what it meaneth and of how great a matter it containeth the Sacrament The thing which you see is bread and the cup which thing also your owne eyes doe declare vnto you but as concerning that wherein your faith requireth to be instructed the Bread is the body of Christ and the cup is his blood Truely this is shortly sayd and it may be perhaps sufficient for faith but yet faith alwayes needeth instruction Esay 7.9 For the Prophet sayth Vnlesse yee beleeue yee shall not vnderstand You may peradventure say vnto me Thou biddest vs beleeue but yet we say declare it vnto vs that we may vnderstand For such a thought may arise in some mans mind We know from whom our Lord Iesus Christ tooke his flesh to wit of the Virgin Mary hee being an Infant did sucke and was nourished and did grow and came to mans age he suffered persecution at the Iewes handes he was hanged vpon a tree he was killed he was taken from the Crosse he was buried the third day he rose againe he ascended into heaven even what day pleased him thither he carryed vp his body from thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead and he is there now sitting at the right hand of the Father
which it is in respect of qualitie though changed perhaps into another qualitie But in this Sacrament if onely the truth be considered in simplicitie and plainenesse and not another thing beleeved than that which is beheld no change can be knowne to be made For neyther hath it passed from that which it was not The first kinde of change into somewhat that is as such a passage and change is many times made in growing things for whereas they were not before they to the end they might be passed from not being to that which is to be or to being But this passage or change falleth not out here because that the Bread and Wine were before they passed into the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ The second kinde of change Neither yet can there be here that passage or change which is made from that which it is to that which it is not which change falleth out in things that through defect suffer a decay or fall For whatsoever doth decay was first and had it being because that thing can not suffer a decay or destruction which never was And yet neither can this passage or change be knowne to be made in this matter because that according to truth that very kinde or shape of creature which is before is knowne still to remaine Moreover The third kinde of change that change which is made from that which is to that which is which change appeareth specially in things that suffer diversitie and varietie of qualities as for example when that which was blacke is turned into white neither can that change I say be knowne to be made here for nothing can be here found to be changed either in touching or in tast or in colour or in favour Therefore if nothing be changed herein it is not then any other thing than what it was before But it is another thing for the Bread is become Christs body and the wine his blood for so he himselfe saith Take ye Math. 26.26 c. and eate ye This is my body and speaking of the Cup he sayth likewise This is the blood of the new Testament which shall be shed for you Therefore they that in this question will take nothing figuratiuely but will haue the whole to consist in the simplicitie and plainenesse of truth must be demanded how and in what respect this change is made so that now they be no more that which they were before to wit Bread and Wine but are the body blood of Christ For according to the kind and shew of the creature and the outward forme of visible things both of these that is the Bread the Wine haue nothing at all changed in them and if they suffer no change at all then are they no other thing but that which they were before Your Highnesse most noble Prince perceiveth whether the vnderstāding and mind of those men that thinke otherwise proceedeth for they denie that which men suppose them to affirme and they are proved to destroy that which they beleeue For they doe faithfully confesse it to be the body and blood of Christ and in so doing doubtlesse they doe now protest that the Bread and the Wine be nor the same that they were before and that if they be some other thing than they were before that then they haue admitted some alteration and change Seeing then that this cannot be denied let them tell vs how in what respect they are changed for a man shall perceiue nothing to be bodily substantially changed in them Therefore they must of necessitie confesse either that they are changed otherwise than bodily and substantially He draweth his reason from a double absurditie and so by that means that they are not that which in truth they seeme to be but some other thing which according to his owne being is not seene or perceived to be or els if they will not confesse this they must needs denie it to be the bodie and blood of Christ which thing is very wicked not onely for a man to speake but also to thinke But for as much as they doe confesse both the body and blood of Christ to be there and that this cannot be but by making a change into a better thing and that this change is made not corporally or bodily but spiritually it must needs be that they doe affirme and say that this change is made figuratiuely because that vnder the vayle or coverture of bodily Bread and bodily Wine there is the spirituall body of Christ and his spirituall blood not that they are the existences and beings of two severall and divers things that differ betweene themselues that is to say of the bodie and of the spirit but because that the kinde or shew of Bread and Wine is in one respect one and the selfe same thing that is Bread and Wine and in another respect it is the body and blood of Christ For in respect that both of them are bodily and substantially touched they are the kindes and shewes of a bodily creature but in respect of power because they are spiritually done they are the mysteries of the body and blood of Christ An argument taken from comparing Baptisme the Lords Supper together Let vs consider the fountaine of holy Baptisme which is not without cause called the fountaine or welspring of life because it reformeth them that be partakers of it to newnesse of a better life and maketh them Rom. 6.4 to liue to righteousnesse Ephes 2.1 which before were dead in trespasses and sinne Hath it this power and force because or in respect that the element of water appeareth or is seene to be and yet notwithstanding vnlesse it had in it a vertue and power to sanctifie it were not able to wash away the spots and filthinesse of sinne and vnlesse it contained the vigor and strength of life it could at no hand giue life to them that are dead dead I meane not in the flesh or body but in the soule or spirit And yet notwithstanding all this if in that fountaine we haue respect to that thing onely which our bodily sense looketh vpon and comprehendeth we can see nothing but a moyst and thinne element to wit Water subiect to corruption and that such a one as that of and in it selfe hath no other power in it but to wash our bodies But after that the power of the holy Ghost by the consecratiō of the Priest is come therto it is then become effectuall and powerfull to wash not our bodies onely but our soules and made able also by through a spirituall power to remoue spirituall filthinesses Behold we see that there are in one and the selfe same element two things resisting and as it were striving one of them against the other that is to say we see a corruptible thing to giue incorruption and a thing that hath not life to yeeld and giue life also Wherefore wee
flesh which was crucified and for that blood which was shed with the souldiers speare This Doctor hath made a distinction concerning the body and blood of Christ and this he hath done with a very great difference For whilest that hee saith that the flesh and blood which the faithfull doe daily receiue are spirituall things and saith on the other side that the flesh which was crucified and the blood which was shed with the souldiers speare cannot bee affirmed to be spirituall or divine hee plainely declareth that they differ so much as spirituall and corporall things or visible and invisible things or as divine and humane doe differ one of them from another and that therefore for as much as they differ one of them from another both of them bee not neither indeed can bee one and the selfe same thing Now that spirituall flesh which is received by the mouth of the faithfull and that spirituall blood which is daily offered to bee drunke of the beleevers doe without doubt differ from that flesh which was crucified frō that blood which was shed by the souldiers speare as the authority of this present person alledged doth witnesse Wherefore they bee not all one For that flesh that was crucified was made of the flesh of the Virgin and was compacted or did consist of bones and sinewes and was besides distincted by the lineaments and proportions of the parts and members of mens bodies and was through the spirit of a reasonable soule quickned into his owne life and fit motions agreeing thereto But the spirituall flesh which doth spiritually feed the beleeving people in respect of the kind or forme which it sheweth forth outwardly doth being made by the Artificers hand consist of certaine graines of Corne or wheat and is not compacted of any sinewes or bones nor distincted by any diversity of members nor made liuely by any reasonable substance nor able to exercise any proper motitions for whatsoever in it doth minister or yeeld the substance of life pertaineth to a spirituall power and belongeth to an invisible efficacy and to a heavenly vertue or force but is indeed in respect of that which is outwardly seene farre differing from that which is beleeved in the mystery Besides that flesh of Christ which was crucified did not shew any other thing outwardly then that it was inwardly because it was the very flesh of a very man being also a very body in the kinde and forme of a very body Furthermore wee must consider that there is figured by that bread not onely Christs owne body but also the body of the people that beleeue in him whereupon it is made of many graines of wheate 1 Cor. 16.17 because the bodie of the beleeving people is through the Word of Christ increased with many faithfull ones Wherefore as the bread which is Christs body is received in a mystery so also the members of the people that beleeue in Christ are declared in a mystery And as that bread is said to bee the bodie of the beleevers not bodily but spiritually so must wee needs vnderstand it to bee Christs bodie not bodily but spiritually So likewise in the wine which is called Christs blood water is appointed to be mixed and the one is not suffred to be offred without the other to declare that the people cannot bee without Christ nor Christ without his people even as the head cannot bee without the body nor the body without the head Wherefore the water in that Sacrament beareth the image of people and representeth them Therefore if that wine being sanctified by the office and service of the Ministers be turned bodily into Christs blood the water which is mixed together with it must of necessity bee bodily turned into the blood of the beleeving people For where there is but one sanctification and by consequent one operation or working yea where there is but a like consideration it must needs then there follow that that mystery is like But we see that in the water in respect of the body thereof there is nothing turned wherefore it followeth very well that in the wine there is nothing turned bodily Whatsoever is set out in the water concerning the body of the people the same is taken spiritually Wherefore whatsoever is shewed foorth in the wine concerning Christs blood the same must of necessity be taken spiritually Againe the things which doe differ one of them from another be not all one That body of Christ which died and rose againe and became immortall Rom. 6.9 dieth not now neither shall death any more now beare rule ouer it for it is eternall and cannot now suffer any thing But that which is celebrated and administred in the Church is temporall and not eternall is corruptible not incoruptible is in the way homeward and not in it owne countrey Wherefore they must needs differ one of them from another and so by consequent are not all one and if they be not all one how is it said to bee Christs true body and his very blood For if it be Christs body and be truly so said to be as if it be Christs body it must bee his body in truth and if it be Christs body in truth or truly then it must needs bee that bodie of Christs which is incorruptible and impasible and so by consequent eternall Whereupon also it must of necessity follow that that bodie of Christs which is celebrated and administred in the Church must be incorruptible and eternall but we cannot deny but that that thing is corruptible which being changed is diuided into peeces to bee received and being broken or ground with the teeth passeth into the body and belly And yet that is one thing which is done outwardly and that is another thing which is inwardly beleeved through faith That which belongeth to the senses of the body is corruptible but that which faith beleeveth is incorruptible Wherefore that which appeares outwardly is not the thing it selfe but the image or representation of the thing but that is the truth of the thing and the thing it selfe which is perceived vnderstood by the minde Hereupon blessed Augustine in his Exposition vpon Iohns Gospell speaking of the body and blood of Christ saith thus Moses also did eate Manna Aug. in Ioh. tract 26. so did Aaron and so did Phiwees yea many others did eate Manna in the Wildernesse who also pleased God and yet are not dead And why so because they did spiritually vnderstand the visible food they did spiritually hunger after it they did spiritually taste it that so they might bee spiritually satisfied and filled For even wee also our selues doe at this day receiue visible food but the Sacrament is one thing and the vertue or power of the Sacrament is another thing Likewise in the words following Aug. tract eodem This is the bread which came downe from heaven Manna signified this bread the altar of God also signified this bread They
were Sacraments and are diverse or differing one of them from another in respect of their signes but are equall and like yea all one in the matter that is signified by them Hearken what the Apostle Paul saith 1 Cor. 10.1.2 c. I would not haue you ignorant brethren that all our Fathers were vnder the Clowd and that all passed through the Sea and were all baptised vnto Moses in the Clowd and in the Sea and did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke Verily they had the same spirituall both meate and drinke but another bodily both meate and drinke for they had Manna and we another thing and yet they had the same spirituall thing that we haue And the Apostle addeth and they did all drinke the same spirituall drinke They drunke one thing and wee another but that was in respect of visible kinde or forme and yet they both signified one thing by spirituall power For how otherwise could it be the same drinke They drank saith he of the spirituall rock that followed them and the rocke was Christ From thence came the bread from thence came the drinke The rocke was Christ in sign figure but the very true Christ is in word and in flesh Againe Aug. tract eodem in the same place This is the bread that came downe from heaven so that whosoever shall eate of it shall not dye but yet hee must eate that which appertaineth to the vertue and power of the Sacrament and not that onely which appertaineth to the visible Sacrament And such a one is hee as eateth inwardly and not outwardly only and as eateth the same in his heart through faith and not that pearceth or presseth it with his teeth And in another place of his saide Exposition vpon Iohn bringing in our Saviours words hee speaketh thus Aug. in Ioh. tract 27. Doth this offend you that I said behold I giue you my flesh to eate and my blood to drinke What then if ye shall see the Sonne of man ascend vp where he was before What meaneth this Doth hee by this speech loose that which moved them Doth hee by so saying open that wherewith they were offended Yea verily and that fully also if they could haue vnderstood it For they thought that he would haue given his body but hee said that hee would goe vp into heaven and that whole as he was as though he should say When yee shall see the Sonne of man ascending vp where hee was before at the least even then yee shall know that hee will not giue his body after such a manner and fashion as you imagine and fantasie yea and even then also yee shall vnderstand that his grace is not consumed or eaten vp by bytings and morsels For the Lord himselfe saith It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing And after that hee had vttered many words and sentences hee againe addeth Aug. tract eodem Rom. 8.9 Whosoever saith the Apostle hath not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Wherefore it is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing The words that I haue spoken vnto you are spirit and life What meaneth this that they are spirit and life That is to say they must be spiritually vnderstood Hast thou vnderstood them spiritually then are they spirit and life to thee Hast thou vnderstood them carnally yea even so are they spirit and life but not vnto thee By the authority of this Doctor handling the Lords words concerning the Sacrament of his body and blood wee are plainely taught that those words of the Lord must bee vnderstood spiritually and not carnally even as himselfe saith Ioh. 6.63 The words which I speake vnto you are spirit and life yea even those words verily which hee spake concerning the eating of his flesh and the drinking of his blood For he speaketh of those words wherewith his Disciples were offended Wherefore to the end they might not be offended the heavenly Master or Teacher calleth them back frō the flesh to the spirit and from bodily sight to invisible vnderstanding We see therefore in what respect that meat of the Lords body and that drinke of his blood are truly and indeed his bodie and truly and indeed his blood to wit in respect that they are spirit and life Moreover such things as bee all one are contained in or vnder one definition Now it is affirmed of the very and true body of Christ that hee is very God and very man God as hee was begotten of the father from before all beginnings and man as hee was towards the end of the world conceived and borne of the Virgine Mary But these things cannot bee said of that body of Christ which by a mystery is celebrated and administred in the Church and yet it is after a certaine manner knowne to bee Christs body now that manner is in figure and representation that so the truth and the thing it selfe may bee the better perceived In these prayers which are sayd after the mystery of the body and blood of Christ and whereunto the people answer Amen thus it is vttered with the Priests voyce Wee that doe take or receiue the pledge of everlasting life doe humbly beseech thee to grant that we may with a manifest and plaine partaking receiue that which we touch in the image or representation of the Sacrament Now wee know that a pledge and an image or representation appertaine to another thing that is to say haue respect not to themselues but to another thing For a pledge is a pledge of that thing for the pledging whereof it is given and not the thing it selfe as likewise an image is the image of that thing the likenesse whereof it doth represent or shew forth For these things doe signifie the thing it selfe whose picture and pledge they are and yet for all that they doe not very manifestly declare the things themselues Which seeing it is so it plainely appeareth that this body and blood are the pledge and as it were the picture or representation of a thing that shall be to the end that that which is now shewed by a similitude may in time hereafter to come be by manifestation or manifestly revealed Wherevpon I conclude that if now they signifie and in time to come shall make manifest or lay open that then that is one thing which is done and performed now and that that is another thing which shall in time to come be manifested and layd open Wherefore that which the Church celebrateth and administreth is both the body and blood of Christ but yet as a pledge and as it were the picture or representation But then it shall be the truth when as now not the pledge nor the picture or representation of the thing shall appeare but the truth of the thing it selfe Also in another place of the sayde prayers We beseech thee Lord to graunt that thy