come to the Image of the things and see the comming of Christ made in the flesh Let him behold that hie Priest both novv offering sacrifices to the Father that shall hereafter offer And let him vnderstand all these things to be the Images of spirituall things and that heauenly things be noted by corporall Offices It is therefore called an Image vvhich is receiued for the present time and may be discerned by the nature of man If thou canst vvith thought and mind pearce the heauens and follovv IESVS vvho hath pearced the heauens and is novv present before the face of God for vs there shalt thou find those good things of vvhich the Lavv had a shadovv and Christ shevved the Image in the flesh vvhich are prepared for the blessed vvhich neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor ascended into the heart of man vvhich things vvhen thou shalt see thou shalt vnderstand that he that vvalketh in them and continueth in desire and earnest affection after them such a one vvalketh not novv in an Image but in the very trueth it selfe Origen writeth to the learned and practised and therefore not easie to be vnderstood of all men Notvvithstanding he shevveth plainely that the sacrifices vvhich be here offered be Images of that trueth vvhich pearced to heauens and abiding before the face of God is intercessor for vs And therefore that the Images of the trueth be one thing and the very trueth another And that although these Images haue also their trueth yet this differeth from that proper trueth vvhich vve shall there indeed attaine to vvhen vve follovving Christ shall pearce the heauens vvhere hee abideth the vvhich after a sort vvee also enioy here while in our deuout meditations our mindes being lift vp to heauen we behold those secret good things He also vpon Matthew cap. 15. Idem in Mat. cap. 15. saith Neither is it the material bread but the word that is spoken ouer it that profiteth to him that eateth not vnvvorthily of the Lord. And these things are spoken of the figuratiue and mysticall body Many things beside may be said of the Word which was made flesh Here Origen doeth declare that the true flesh that is to say the true nature of man which Christ being the Word tooke vnto him to bee one maner of flesh and an other thing to bee his figuratiue and symbolical body with which words he calleth the Sacrament To this purpose serue the wordes that he writeth Contra Celsum lib. 8. Idem contra Celsum lib. 8. We obeying the Maker of all things for his great benefits bestovved vpon vs when we haue giuen Thankes are fed with the loaues set before vs which by intercession and prayers are made a certaine more holy body These words A certain more holy body do not agree to the proper body of Christ but they agree to the sacrament of Thankesgiuing which after a certaine maner is his body The same man vpon Leuiticus Homil. 7. Idem in Leuit. Homil. 7. expoundeth the same matter more plainely saying But you if ye be the children of the Church if you bee indued with the mysteries of the Gospel if the Word made flesh dvvelleth in you acknowledge you these things which we speake that they be the Lords lest peraduenture he that is ignorant be ignorant still Acknowledge that they be figures which be written in the holy Volumes therefore examine them as spiritual not carnall men and vnderstand those things which bee spoken For if you take those things as carnal men they hurt you and doe not nourish you For there is also in the Gospel a letter that killeth The killing letter is not onely found in the olde Testament There is also a letter in the nevv Testament that can kill him which will not spiritually marke those things that bee spoken For if thou follow this that hath bene spoken according to the letter Vnlesse ye eat my flesh and drinke my blood this letter slayeth Seeing then the Authors euery where referre these wordes to the sacrament and Origen commandeth so much to flee the letter as to say that it killeth Who seeth not that Christes flesh is in the sacrament one way to bee vnderstood and another according to the letter and in proper speech Epiphanius in Anchorâ—to is of the same opinion Epiphanius in Anchorato where he saith For wee see that our Sauiour tooke into his hands as the Gospel coÌ„taineth that he rose in the Supper and tooke these things and when hee had giuen Thankes he said This is mine c. And we see that it is not equal nor like neither to the Image that is in flesh nor to his inuisible Godhead nor to the features of his members for this is of a round fashion and without sence as much as to the povver of it selfe appertaineth And therefore his will was to speake by grace This is mine c. And euery man beleeueth his saying for he that beleeueth not that he is true as he hath said hee is fallen from grace and health But that which we haue heard wee beleeue that it is his for vve know that our Lord is altogether sence all indued with sence all God all moouing all working all light all incomprehensible but yet he that hath giuen vs this with grace Epiphanius doeth in this place endeuour himselfe to proue that man being made after the Image of God hath in deed the Image of God not according to the proper nature of diuinitie but after grace and vseth the similitude taken of the Sacrament of Thankesgiuing the which according to the proper nature of a body he denieth it to be the body of Christ since it hath neither the forme of a true body and lacketh feeling and mouing and yet it is verily beleeued to be his body by grace Cyprian de Coena D mini Cyprian also in his sermon of the Supper of the Lord doeth very godly and plentifully reason to the same effect out of the which I haue thought sufficient to touch these fevv places For none of the Fathers haue more extolled the dignitie of the Sacrament and shutting out all carnall sence more plainely declared the true vnderstanding of so great a mysterie An vnconsuming meat saith hee the Master did set before his disciples neither were the people bidden to a sumptuous and cunningly dressed Banquet but there is giuen an immortall food differing from common meates retaining the shape of bodily substance but prouing by inuisible vvorking that the diuine vertue is present Againe There did sometime arise a question as it is read in the Gospel of Iohn of the noueltie of this word and at the doctrine of this Mysterie were the hearers amazed vvhen the Lord said Vnlesse you eate of the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood you shall not haue life in you Because certaine for that they did not yet beleeue nor could vnderstand went backe for that it seemed
to them an horrible and hainous thing to feed vpon mans flesh thinking hee had spoken this after that sort as though they should haue bene taught to haue eaten his flesh sod or rosted and cut in pieces whereas the flesh of his person if it should bee deuided into morsels could not haue bene sufficient for all mankinde which being once spent Religion should seeme to perish vvhich should not haue aftervvard a sacrifice remaining any longer But in such like thoughts flesh and blood profiteth nothing because as the Master himselfe hath expounded These words be Spirit and life neither doth the carnall sense pearse the vnderstanding of so great a depth vnlesse Faith be added too The Bread is food the Blood is life the Flesh substance the Body the Church A body because of the agreeing of members in one Bread for the conformitie of nourishment Blood for the effect of life giuen Flesh for the propertie of the humanitie taken Also hee sayth This common bread beeing changed into flesh and blood doeth procure life and encrease to the bodies and therefore by the accustomed effect of things the weakenesse of our faith is aided and taught by a sensible argument that the effect of eternall life is in the visible Sacraments and that we be knit to Christ not so much by corporall as by spirituall passage Also this bread which hee reached to his disciples beeing changed not in forme but in nature by the omnipotencie of the Word is made flesh and euen as in the person of Christ the humanitie was seene and the diuinitie hid so into the visible Sacrament vnspeakeably doeth the diuine substance powre it selfe Also the Master truely of this Institution sayd that Vnlesse wee should eate and drinke his blood we should not haue life in vs instructing vs by a spirituall lesson and opening our vnderstanding to so hidden a matter that wee should knowe that our eating is an abiding in him and our drinke as it were a certaine incorporation by submitting our seruice and ioyning our willes and vniting our affections Also hee sayth Among the guests of the Lords table the natural man is not admitted whatsoeuer flesh and blood doeth appoint is shut out from this company it sauoureth nothing it profiteth nothing whatsoeuer the finenes of the sence of man doth goe about Cyprian hath these and many other places to the same purpose The very words of Cyprian doe sufficiently declare that which belongeth to our purpose How the Letter is not to bee followed in these things which be spoken of this mysterie how the vnderstanding of the Flesh is vtterly to be shunned and all things to be referred to a spiritual sense That there is the presence of the diuine power in this Bread the effect of euerlasting life and that the diuine substance is powred thereinto that the words are spirit and life that a spirituall lesson is giuen that this Body this Blood and Flesh this substance of body ought not to be taken after a common sort nor as mans reason doth appoint but to be named thought of beleeued for certaine excellent effects powers and properties ioyned thereto which be euen within the body and blood of Christ by nature namely that it doeth both feede and reuiue our soules and prepareth our bodies to resurrection and immortalitie Cyrill in Ioan. lib. 4. cap. 14. The same opinion hath also Cyrillus who though he affirme in many places the trueth and nature of the body of Christ to be in the Sacrament yet hee is in opinion that it is a spiritual and diuine matter and not to be vnderstood after the manner of men For first he declareth that the same maner of eating is set foorth in the words of the Lords Supper which the Lord himselfe signified when he said Vnlesse you eat the flesh of the Sonne of man c. For so he writeth in his 4. booke vpon the 14. Chap. of Iohn Where after he had spoken somewhat of them that did say How can this man giue his flesh to be eaten hee addeth these words Therefore they ought first to haue set the rootes of faith in their minde and then to seeke for those things that are to be sought for of man but they before they would beleeue did seeke importunately For this cause therefore the Lord did not open how it might be but exhorteth to seeke it by faith So to his disciples that beleeued he gaue the pieces of bread saying Take ye and eate ye this is my body The cup also in like maner he caried about saying Drinke yee all of this This is the cup of my blood which shall be shed for many for the remission of sins Thou seest manifestly that by no meanes he would declare the maner of the mysterie to them that sought it without faith but to them that did beleeue and did not seeke it he plainely declared it Likewise in cap. 21. Idem in cap. 21 vpon these words This is a hardsaying thus he saith And such as want sharpenesse of wit are wont to abhorre knowledge which should be sought with great study and much labour but yet the spirituall man accustomed to the Lords doctrine as to great dainties doth continually sing How sweet be thy words vnto my throat yea aboue hony to my mouth But the naturall Iew doeth thinke this spirituall mysterie full of foolishnesse and where by the Lords words he is stirred to an higher vnderstanding of things yet he falleth still to his accustomed madnesse Likewise in his cap. 22. expounding these words Doeth this offend you Idem in cap. 22 c. hee writeth on this sort For ignorance many which followed Christ not vnderstanding his words were troubled for when they heard him say Verely verely I say vnto you vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood you shall not haue life in you they thought Christ had called them to the cruel maners of beasts and stirred them to eate the rawe flesh of a man and to drinke blood which be euen horrible to heare For they had not yet knowen the maner of this mysterie and the godly ministration thereof Also in the 24. chapter Idem cap. 24. The words therefore that I haue spoken to you bee spirit that is spirituall and of the spirit and life that is to say they be of the liuely and naturall life Idem ad Calosyrium The same mans words are rehearsed to Calosyrius which follow For least we should abhorre flesh and blood set vpon the holy Altars God fauouring our frailty powred into the things offered the power of life turning them into the trueth of his owne flesh that a body of life as it were a certaine seed that giueth life might be found in vs. By these and many other places in Cyrillus we be lift vp from the letter to the spirite from the sence of the naturall man to a more hie vnderstanding of a spirituall mysterie It must not
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
therefore the manner and nature of the flesh of Christ is common with the flesh of other men as Lombardus saith and such flesh as Aquinas affirmeth commeth not into the Sacrament it followeth by their testimonie that these two kindes of flesh differ much And that this may the better appeare and bee laide vp in memorie I thought it not without profit to adde of such things as we haue spoken of before a certaine distinction which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by comparison 1 The proper bodie of Christ hath the naturall forme of a mans body The mysticall bodie hath not 2 The proper body hath a head breast members seuered The mysticall hath not 3 The proper body hath bones vaines sinewes The mystical hath not 4 That may bee seene and touched This can neither be seene nor touched 5 That is indued with the true sences of a body This is without sence as Epiphanius saith 6 That is organicall This is not 7 That is no figure This is a figure of his proper body 8 That is not in mysterie This is in mysterie 9 That of his owne nature is humane and bodily This is heauenly diuine and spirituall 10 The matter of that is not subiect to corruption The materiall part of this is bread and is corrupted 11 No man may eate that by it selfe This both a man may and ought to eate 12 That is contained in one place This wheresoeuer the Sacrament is ministred is present but not as in a place 13 That is not a Sacrament of another body This is a Sacrament of another body 14 That being taken of the virgin Maries bodie was once create This is not taken of the Virgin but daylie by the mysticall benediction is create potentiallie by the testimonie of Augustin and Cyprian 15 That is a naturall body This is aboue nature 16 Finally that is simply This is after a sort 17 That properly perfectly This is a bodie vnproperly Hitherto wee haue spoken of the difference which the auncient Fathers haue godly and diligently obserued betweene Christs proper bodie and the Sacrament of the same bodie In the which although many things haue beene spoken which doe not only declare that there is a difference which in this place we meant to doe but also doe admonish vs vvithall what manner of bodie that is in the sacrament Yet because wee haue not hitherto so fully expressed this point as the weightines of the matter requireth We haue thought good from hence-forvvard to intreate of this part more fullie Namely in vvhat sort this Sacrament is the Lords bodie and wherefore our Lord himselfe at the first as the Euangelists make mention aftervvard Paul the Apostle lastly all they of old time following the authoritie of them haue left in writing that it is so called and is so indeed not that this manner which is a spirituall and hid thing can be found out by mans reason or that wee goe about to search out curiously such things as bee forbidden and denyed but that all mans inuentions set apart we may follow those things that haue bene left vs by the authoritie of Scriptures and auncient Fathers that agree with them and that manner which the Lord himselfe would wee should know and the Church instructed by him and his Apostles hath receiued not to depart from that This is to bee holden fast which wee proued before that not onely the Lordes wordes which be spoken in the 6. Chapter of Iohn Vnlesse yee eate the flesh c. And My flesh is verily meate and the rest that followeth in the same place but also these wordes of the Lords supper Take ye eate ye this is my body and This is my blood are to bee vnderstood spiritually not carnally and that one maner of eating is meant in both places When I say Not carnally I meane Not according to the letter nor as the words doe properly sound for this is to vnderstand carnally as Chrysostome witnesseth vpon Iohn of these words The flesh profiteth nothing What is it Chrysostom in Ioan. Hom. 46. saith he to vnderstand carnally To vnderstand the things simply as they be spoken and nothing else For those things that be seene are not so to be iudged but all mysteries are to be considered with inward eyes that is to say spiritually Let not this rule of Chrysostome go out of our minds But these two Carnally and Spiritually are contrary when the one is forbidden the other is commanded and contrarywise And that carnall sense hath no place in this mysterie not onely Chrysostome is the Author as we recited euen now and Cyprian where he saith Neither doth carnall sense pearse the vnderstanding of so great a depth and Theophylactus writing thus But because we vnderstand it spiritually we be neither deuourers of flesh and yet be sanctified by that meat But to be short I may in maner say that all the ancient Fathers with one voice do forbid vs to vnderstand the wordes of the Lords Supper carnally and command a spirituall meaning The which by many testimonies repeated in this peece of worke euery man may readily perceiue Neither is this sufficient if we auoyd one maner of vnderstanding carnally and fall into another For he that doth vnderstand the eating of Christs flesh after the letter and as it were a proper kinde of speech he is a carnall Capernaite whether he suppose it to be done properly one way or another That is plaine by these wordes of Augustin vpon the 98. Psalme Augustine in Psal 98. It seemed a hard matter to them that he said Vnlesse a man eate c. They tooke it fondly and imagined of it carnally and thought that the Lord would haue cut out peeces of his body and haue giuen to them And a little after That which I haue spoken vnderstand ye spiritually You shall not eate this body which you see I haue commended to you a certaine sacrament if it be spiritually vnderstood it will giue you life Here Augustine calleth carnall vnderstanding foolishnesse and appointeth spirituall vnderstanding as necessary And his meaning is not that this is onely a carnall sense if a man should imagine of the cut pieces of the Lords body albeit he rehearseth but this one carnall way of vnderstanding but also of all other the like For it is a likely matter that euen all the Capernaites did vnderstand it carnally and yet not all after one way Cyprian For one maner is rehearsed of Cyprian writing thus It seemed to them a horrible and wicked matter to feed of the flesh of man imagining that this had bene so spoken as though they should haue bene taught to eate his flesh either sodden or rosted or cut in gobbets Cyrillus And Cyrillus doth impute to them another kinde of carnall vnderstanding for he saith For after they had heard Verily verily I say to you vnlesse ye eate the flesh c. they thought Christ had called them
that earthly and mortall things bee changed into the substance of Christ aske thy selfe that art nevv borne againe in Christ Lately thou wast farre from life a stranger from mercy and being invvardly dead banished from the way of health and suddenly professing the Lawes of Christ and by vvholsome mysteries renued diddest passe into the body of the Church not by sight but by beleefe and of the childe of perdition wast thought worthy by a secret purenesse to be made sonne of God by adoption abiding stil in thy visible measure and inuisibly made greater then thy selfe without increase of quantitie For although thou wast the very selfe-same man before yet by augmentation of Faith thou art become farre another in the outvvard man nothing is added and all is changed in the invvard man and so man was made the Sonne of Christ and Christ was formed in the minde of man Euen as therefore the former basenesse set apart thou hast suddenly put on a nevv dignitie and as in that God hath healed those things that were amisse in thee put avvay thy imperfections vviped avvay thy spots thy eyes are not trusted withall but thy senses so when thou goest vp to the reuerend Altar to bee fed with the spirituall meat behold in thy faith the holy Body and Blood of thy God honour it marueile at it touch it vvith thy minde take it in the hand of thy heart and especially receiue it whole vvith the thirstie draught of the invvard man Eusebius Emissenus declareth by this similitude what maner of change is made in the sacrament how earthly things namely bread and wine be turned into the substance of Christ and what maner of substance that is surely like vnto that change wherewith wee be changed in Baptisme and such a substance as we put on in the washing of regeneration when we passe into the body of the Church where nothing is changed in our outward part but all in our inward man which is called a new man and a new creature and for that cause doeth Emissenus terme this substance A secret purenesse and new dignitie In like maner also he calleth the bread of the Lord which hath gotten a nevv substance that is to say a secret power and nevv dignitie Spirituall food which we behold with faith touch in minde take in the handes of our heart and receiue with the thirstie draught of our inward man If it be well and diligently weighed how Emissenus Ambrose and the other fathers haue vsed the termes of Nature and Substance it may easily be vnderstood how vainely they trouble themselues which appoint a carnall eating of the flesh and doe not apply the wordes to the matter intreated of For that which we see done in other disciplines that the words do change their significations according to the matter that euery kinde of learning treateth of as Genus Species Figura and other such like do signifie one thing with the Grammarians another with the Logitians and another thing with other writers the same also ought we to obserue in diuinitie when they intreat of the Sacraments The fathers make mention of Nature and Substance not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not as naturall Philosophers speake but men disputing of diuine matters do apply the terme of Nature and Substance to grace vertue and efficacie forasmuch as the nature of the Sacrament so requireth The like maner of speaking doeth Chrysostome vse when he saith But that not onely by loue Chrysostome but euen in very deed we should be turned into that flesh that is wrought by the meat which he hath giuen vs. We be turned in very deed into the flesh of Christ but that conuersion is spirituall not carnall And thus much by the way of the signification of the words Epiphan in Ancho Epiphanius in Anchorato For we see that our Sauiour tooke into his handes as the Gospel containeth that hee rose in the Supper and tooke this and when he had giuen thankes he said This is mine c. And we see that it is not equall nor like neither to the image that is in the flesh nor to his inuisible Godhead nor to the features of his members For this is of a round shape and without sense as farre as pertaineth to power and therefore his will was to speake by grace This is mine c. and euery man beleeueth his word for he that doth not beleeue that he is true as he said he is fallen from grace and health But we beleeue that we haue heard that it is his for wee know that the Lord is all sense all indued with sense all God all mouing all working al light all incomprehensible but yet as one which hath giuen vs this with grace We admonished you before that Epiphanius doth in this place goe about to proue that man being made after the Image of God hath verily the Image of God not according to the proper nature of diuinitie but after grace and vseth the similitude taken of the sacrament of Thankesgiuing the which according to the proper maner of a body he denieth to be the body of Christ since it hath neither the forme of a true body neither can feele or moue and yet is beleeued by grace to be verily his body Idem lib. 3. cont Haer. To. 2. He is of the same opinion Lib. 3. against Haeresies To. 2. where he speaketh thus of the sacraments Christ went downe into the waters rather giuing then receiuing rather offering then needing giuing them light making them mighty for a figure of those things that were to be wrought in them whereby they that beleeue on him in trueth and haue the faith of trueth might learne that he was verily made man and was verily Baptized and that so by his ascension they also might come and receiue the vertue of his comming downe and might be made lightsome by his giuing light that the saying of the Prophet may here bee fulfilled in the change of power that was giuen for saluation the vertue I meane of the bread that was receiued from Ierusalem and of the strength of the water so that here the vertue of the bread and strength of the water may be made of force in Christ that the bread should not be the strength in vs but the vertue of that bread And the meat surely is bread but the vertue in it is it that quickneth And not that water alone should cleanse vs but that in the strength of water by faith and efficacie and hope and perfection of mysteries and calling vpon the sanctification might be wrought for vs the perfection of saluation This place doeth make the other somewhat more plaine There he said that the bread of the sacrament of Thankesgiuing is the body by grace here he attributeth vertue to the bread as strength to the water in Baptisme often repeating this terme Vertue and confirming that this vertue and strength doth sanctifie The
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
the faithfull be not in the sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is deuourers of flesh as I may so terme it as the letter properly soundeth but that spirituall sence is required that is the forme of bread wine being retained the vertue of his flesh and blood is receiued of the faithfull as it is manifest by his owne words both here and those before rehearsed Bertram Wherefore Bertram following the opinion of the old Fathers hath thus written For according to the substance of the creatures they be the same also after that they were before the consecration They were before bread and wine in which forme being now consecrated they seeme to remaine Therfore is there a thing changed inwardly by the mightie power of the holy Ghost which faith beholdeth and feedeth the soule and ministreth substance of eternall life Likewise But now because faith doeth behold that whole whatsoeuer that whole is and the eye of the flesh perceiueth nothing ye shall vnderstand that those things which be seene be the bodie and blood Christ not in forme but in strength The same Bertram when he had rehearsed this saying of Isidore Which thinges for that cause be called sacraments because vnder the couer of corporall things the diuine power doth worke more secret saluation whereupon they be called sacraments also of their secret and holie vertues and in Greek it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it hath a secret hid dispensation And after he addeth of his own this saying What be we taught therby but that the body blood of the Lord be for that cause called Mysteries because they haue a secret and hid dispensation that is they be one thing which they outwardly betoken and another which inwardly they inuisibly worke Of this also they be called sacraments because vnder the couer of corporall things the diuine power doth more secretly minister the saluation of those that receiue them faithfully By all these things which haue hitherto bene spoken it hath bene made manifest that the body and blood of Christ which in the Church be receiued by the mouth of the faithfull bee figures according to their visible forme but according to their inuisible substance that is the power of the heauenly Word they verily be the body and blood of Christ Whereupon according to the visible creature they feed the body but according to the vertue of their better substance they both feed and sanctifie the minds of the faithfull These bee Bertrams words Hitherto haue we declared what hath bene the opinion of the old true diuines of the Supper of the Lord aswell Grecians as Latines euen vnto Bertrams time who in the yeere after Christs birth 840. was a famous man both in life learning noted by no man of Heresie nor found fault with as hauing ill written but greatly praised by the iudgement of learned and good men Wherefore that Iohn called Abbas Trithemius Abbas Trithem doubted not to reckon him in the roule of diuine famous writers and to praise him by this his testimony that foloweth Bertram an Elder and Monke very expert in holy Scripture and notably wel learned in humanitie quick of wit eloquent of speech no lesse famous in life then learning writ many notable little treatises whereof a few haue come to my knowledge He writ one booke of Predestination a cōmendable worke To Charles the king brother to Lotharius the Emperor of the body and blood of the Lord another booke These things haue I the more willingly rehearsed to this intent to reproue that railing boldnes of tongue that some man hath vsed who in a book newly set forth of this controuersie when he had nothing wherewith he could answer Bertram thought it sufficient to despise this so famous a man to note him with the name of an heretike Bertram saith he or what other soeuer was author of that worke set forth in his name was a crafty and an impudent Heretike O shameles face and meet to be bridled Barnard also which liued 300. yeere after Bertram doth reiect all carnall vnderstanding in the wordes of the Lords Supper and acknowledgeth onely a spirituall whose words taken out of his Sermon in the day of the Lords Supper I haue here added A sacrament is called a holy signe or holy secret Many things certainly be done only for themselues some other also for other things betokened and they be called signes and be so As for example of vsual matters a ring is giuen absolutely for a ring there is no signification It is giuen to set a man in possession of any estate of inheritance and it is a token so that now he that receiueth it may say the ring is of smal value but it is the inheritance that I seeke After this sort therefore our Lord drawing neere his Passion was careful to set his disciples in possession of his grace that his inuisible grace might be giuen by some visible signe To this intent hee ordained the sacraments Idem de S. Mart. To this end is the partaking of the sacrament of Thankesgiuing The same man of S. Martin Without faile euen vnto this day is the same flesh giuen vs but spiritually not carnally neither haue we to finde fault that there is denied to this our time the appearing which was shewed to the Fathers of the olde Testament or that presence of his flesh which was declared to the Apostles For certainely neither of both can be prooued to be wanting to those that consider it faithfully For the true substance of his flesh is also now present with vs no doubt but in a sacrament and there be reuelations but yet in spirit and povver so that no part of grace can be prooued to be wanting in the time of grace that now is In cōclusion neither the eye hath seene nor the eare hath heard neither haue they ascended into the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that loue him Notwithstanding he hath reueiled them vnto vs by his Spirit Neither marueile thou that he gaue carnal apparances vnto them which looked for his carnall comming for it is necessary that we haue the grace so much more of force the reuelation of more dignitie as those things vndoubtedly be more excellent that we looke for It cannot be hid by these things that we haue spoken what was Bernards opinion of the presence of the flesh in the Lords Supper First folowing the old writers he appointeth two parts of the sacrament the outward signe and the invvard matter which he defineth to be inuisible grace Againe the flesh is giuen to vs but spiritually not carnally Finally that the very substance of his flesh is present but yet as it is fit for the time of grace in grace spirit and povver As for that other Sermon of the Supper of the Lord since it is not reckoned among Bernards owne works albeit it be not contrary to these things that we haue now
be thought here that we eate the rawe flesh of a man or drinke his blood but that the words bee spirituall and spiritually to bee vnderstood that they be termed flesh and blood but ought to be vnderstood of spirit and life that is to say of the vertue of the Lords flesh that giueth life And therfore saide hee that the povver of life was put into the outward signes Idem in Ioan. lib. 11. cap. 26. and called it by an apt signification the body of life The same man vpon Iohn lib. 11. cap. 26. doth expound somewhat more plainely how wee be coupled corporally both with Christ and with our selues and that by the partaking of the sacrament although we be seuered both in body and soule It must be considered saith he whether to the vnitie of consent and will wee may also finde a naturall vnity by which we shall be lincked among our selues and we all vnto God For peraduenture we are ioyned also with corporall vnion although we be seuered one from another that ech one apart hath his being and distance of place For although Peter and Paul be one by vnity in Christ yet Peter is not Paul Afterward within few words hee thus concludeth The originall therefore and the way whereby wee bee partakers of the holy Ghost and vnited to God is the mysterie of Christ for we bee all sanctified in him Therefore that hee might vnite vs one to another and euery one to God although we bee seuered both in body and soule yet hath hee found a vvay agreeable to the counsell of his Father and to his ovvne wisedome For hee blessing those as beleeue with his body through the mysticall communion doeth make vs both with himselfe and also among our selues one body It is plaine that Cyrillus spake not of the same kind of body when he saith Although they bee seuered in body and soule yet they which beleeue through the body of Christ and by the mysticall communion be made one body with Christ and betvveene themselues For euen as the faithfull being ioyned in that spirituall body are one body although their proper bodies remaine seuered Euen so also wee being ioyned with Christ in that spirituall body are made one body with him although his ovvne proper body bee farre distant from our bodies Let vs adde one place more taken out of this Father Idem in lib. ad Euop Anat. 11 which is in his booke Ad Euoptium Anath 11. where he speaketh thus of Nestorius Doeth not he pronounce this mysterie to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a deuouring of mans flesh and violently driue the mindes of the faithfull without conscience into false interpretations and with mans inuentions take those things in hand which are receiued by an onely pure and vnsearchable faith Cyrillus doth in this place obiect against Nestorius That to maintaine this error he did speake too grosly of the Sacrament as though the faithfull doe properly therein eate mans flesh which by the Greeke word hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But such kind of thoughts hee termeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say as Budaeus doeth interpret it counterfeite not right not sincere For so much as here is no place for such kinde of worldly and common imaginations We ought to thinke the like of Theophylactus who although in some place he may seeme to haue follovved a more grosse opinion as vpon Matthew the 26. Chapter whose words wee haue aboue rehearsed wherein he seemeth to denie that the bread of the Sacrament of thankesgiuing is a figure of the Lords body but the very body indeede yet when he saith It is no figure he meaneth that it is not onely a figure as in another place where vpon Marke and Iohn it is read for else hee should haue repugned against all the olde Writers and that is not likely who throughout terme this Sacrament a figure an image a signe and patterne Besides in that he said it was the body in very deede his meaning was not to haue it taken after a worldly and common sort as it shall manifestly appeare by those things that follow for he writing vpon these words in the sixt Chapter of Iohn Theophylac in Ioan. cap. 6. The Iewes therefore did striue among themselues saying How can this man giue vs his flesh to eate saith thus It behoueth vs therefore after that wee heare vnlesse yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man yee shall haue no life in taking the heauenly mysteries to keepe stedfast and vnwauering faith and not to be inquisitiue how For the naturall man that is hee that follovveth mans carnall and naturall thoughts is not apt to conceiue such matters as bee aboue nature and spirituall and euen so he doth not vnderstand the spirituall eating of the Lords flesh whereof who so bee not partakers shall not bee partakers of euerlasting life And by and by hee expoundeth thus these words Hee that eateth my flesh c. In this place vve learne the Sacrament of the communion For he that eateth and drinketh the Lords flesh and blood abideth in the Lord himselfe and the Lord in him for there is a new mixture made and aboue reason so that God is in vs and wee in God Here the Author teacheth that faith must be had in the mysteries and not to be inquisitiue how and therewithall he remoueth apart mans carnall or naturall thoughts and requireth onely a spirituall meaning and commendeth a more hie maner of eating For he addeth not long after vpon these words This is a hard saying who can heare him c. But see their folly For their duetie had been to haue asked and learned those things whereof they were ignorant But they drew backe and did expound nothing spiritually but all things as they outwardly appeared For in as much as they heard of flesh they thought he would compell them to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is deuourers of flesh and blood But because we vnderstand it spiritually neither wee bee deuourers of flesh and yet be we sanctified by such meate By and by also expounding this It is spirit that quickeneth thus he writeth Because as we haue often sayd they that carnally expounded such things as Christ spake were offended he sayth When those things that I speake are spiritually vnderstood that onely bringeth profit but the flesh that is to say to expound them carnally profiteth nothing but is occasion of offence So therefore such as heard carnally those things that Christ spake were offended He addeth therefore The words which I speake are spirit that is to say they be spirituall and life hauing nothing that is carnall and bringing euerlasting life Let vs adde hereunto those things which he writeth vpon Marke 14. cap. 1. For the bread is not onely a figure and a certaine patterne of the Lords body but it is turned into the very body of Christ For the Lord sayth The bread which I will giue is