❧ The book of Barthram Priest entreating of the body and blood of Christ written to great Charles the Emperor/ and set forth. seven. C. years a go.  
And Imprinted An. dni M.D.XLviii.  
¶ Cum Previlegio, ad Imprimendum Solum.   

¶ The life of Barthram priest  by johannes Thrithe●●us. 
BArthram priest and monk, very well learned in secular disciplyns and in holy scriptures, subtile of wit, eloquent, and no less notable for the integretie of the life, them for his learning wrote many books, whereof I have seen but a few. He wrote a commendable work touching predestinacyo● to King Charles brother of Lotherius, and a book concerning the body and blood of the lord▪ He flourished in the time of Lotherius Emperor an. dni Xlviii.  
¶ A man shall not perceive the mind of the auctor except he read the book through and confer the fyr●● art with the latter.   

¶ The preface to Charles the Emperor.  
YOU commanded me (most famous Prince) to signify unto your magifycence, what opinion I have touching the mystery of the body and blood of christ truly as it is a commandment, not unworthy of ●oure regal and princely ●state so th execucion thereof, to the pervite of my 〈◊〉 strength shallbe very dyfficile and hard. For what is more worthy of your regal providenc, than to be catholic wise, touching the holy mysteries of the body and blood of christ, which hath advanced you, to your regal seat And further not to permit your subjects, diversly to think of the body and blood of christ wherein doubtless, the some of christian redemption doth consist Truly no small controversy is sprung for asmuch as some say that the sacrament of the body and blood newly celebrate in the church is under no Fygur: obuelation or cover, And again, that other some doth say these things to be contained under a figure of a mystery, & that it is one thing which appeareth to our corporal senses: & another that is seen with the eye of our faith. And not withstanding that th'apostle writing to the faithful word have all men to favour one thing, say one, one thing and that no schism should appear among them. Yet they be wonderfully divided in deed, thinking diversly of the body & blood of christ. Wherefore your regal highness, provoked with the zeal of faith, & not well pleased With these things (coveryug also according to the apostles precept, that all men should think and say one thing) searcheth diligently for the secret of the truth. Whereby it may 〈◊〉 that have wandered out of the way, into the same again. Where upon you disdain not, to ask the truth of this matter, even of very poor men, considering that the mystery of such a secret, can not be known, but by the revelation of god. Which showeth the light of his truth: by whom soever it shall please him to elect. verily as it is pleasance for me poor man to obey your commandment, so it is hard to dispute upon a matter, being far beyond the senses of men, & that cannot be known. But by the erudition of the holy ghost. Therefore I at this time being at your commandments: through his grace of whom we will speak, shall declare according to my ability, what I do think, concerning this sacrament, not leaning to mine own will, b●● pursuing the foot steps of the old fathers.   

¶ The book of Barthram prfeste touthing the body and blood of Thirst written to great Charles the Emperor.  
Your highness desireth to know whether that the body and blood of christ which is received in the church by the mouths of the faithful, be in mystery or in verity. etc. That is to say, whether it containeth some secret thing that is only evident to the eyes of faith, or without the veal of any mystery that thing is looked upon of the extern sight of the body, which the inward eye of the mind doth behold. So that whatsoever is done, appeareth manifestly or no etc., And whether it be that body which was born of Mary, that suffered died, was buried rose again, ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the father or no &c. Of these two questions, let us begin with the first 〈◊〉 lest we be letted with doubtfulness, & ambiguity.  

Define we what a figure is, and what the verity is that we may certainly know how, & which way, we ought to reason A figure is a certain obumbration, or shadoing, declaring the thing which he intendeth by some veals or covers. As for an example, we meaning the word, do name bread. As in the lords prayer, we desire our daily bread to be given us. Or when Christ sayeth in the gospel. I am the lively bread, which have descended from heaven, Or when he calleth himself a vine, and his apostles branches, saying: I am the true vine, you verily the branches. In all these one thing is spoken, and an other thing understand. The verity truly is a demonstration of a manifest thing, covered with no Image of shadows, but insinuate, with pure plain and natural significations. As when we say, that christ was borne of a virgin that he suffered, that he was crucified, dead, & buried. Here is nothing shadowed with figures, but the verity of the things, showed by natural significations of words. Neither must we understand, any other thing here, then that which is expressed. But not so in those things that we spoke of before. For substantially, neither is the bread christ, neither the wine is christ, neither yet are the branches the apostles, wherefore in those is a figure, in the other the verity is showed in narration. That is to say. A naked and plain signification. Now let us return to those things for whose cause they be spoken. That is the body and blood of christ. truly if the mystery be done under no figure, then do we nought in calling it a mystery, for that can not have the name of a mystery, wherein no thing is hid, where nothing is removed from our corporal senses, where nothing is, covered with any veal: but that bread which by the mystery of the kind of the creature and the shape of visible things, the bread and the wine have nothing changed in them, and if they have nothing changed in them, they be none other than they were before.  
Your highness (noble prince) perceiveth to what pass the intellection of thes things do come. Which be of a contrary judgement, they deny, which they are thought to affirm And they are provide to destroy that they do believe. For they faithfully confess the body and blood of Christ, and in so doing doubtless they protest that the bread and wine be not the same they ware. & herefore if they be not the same, they were before, they have received mutation, saying that this can not be denied, let them declare how they be changed. truly corporally a man shall perceive nothing to be changed, therefore they must confess that the mutation is made other wise then corporally, & also that not to be the thing which is seen in verity, but some other which is not perceived to be though his power and peculiar benign, or if they will not confess this: needs they must deny the body and blood of christ, which is a wicked thing to do, not in words only but also in thought: but forasmuch as they do confess the body and blood of christ to be there and that it cannot be there but by the reason of mutation from a worse thing to a better it must follow, that the mutation be made not corporally, but spiritually, yet and so that we may say that it is do spiritually. For under the veal of corporal bread and wine, is the spiritual body and blood of christ yet is there not the existency of too divers things, that is to say: of the body and the spirit, but one, and the same thing after one sort, is the kind of bread and wine, & after one other sort the body and blood of christ for in that both of them are touched: they be the kinds of corporal creatures, & through the power by the which they at spiritually made they be the mysteries of the body and blood of Christ.  
Let us consider the well of holy baptism, which is called not without a cause the well of life, because that is confirmeth those that descend into it with the mount of a better life, & maketh than live to justice which were before dead in sin, The element of the water hath not his power, for if it should not obtain the virtue of sainctification, it could not wash away the spot of sin. And if it should not contain the vygore of life utterly, it should not be able to give life to the dead. I mean not my flesh but ●n soul, yet in the fountain if we have respect only to the thing which our corporal sense comprehendeth, we shall find nothing but water subject to corruption, and that which hath none other virtue, but to wash our bodies It after that the virtue of the holy ghost hath access by the concreation of the baptyser, it is of the efficacy, not only to wash our bodies, but also by a spiritual power to wash away the spiritual filth from our solles. Lo in one element we see two things, the one resystinge: the other that is to say, a corruptible thing to give in corruption, and a thing without life to contribute life. Therefore know that in this well is one thing sensible and therefore mutable and curruptible. Also an other thing that only faith beholdeth, and therefore incorruptible & immortal. And if a man require what that is which washeth the body it ●s nothing but an element, but if a man consider that which inwardly purgeth, that is a lively virtue a virtue of sanctification a virtue of immortality, therefore the lycore in his property is corruptible in the mystery, & wholesome virtue, even so the body & the blood of christ considered outwardly is a creature doughtles subject to mutability & corruption, but if a man pondre the virtue of the mystery, it is life giving immortality to those that be partakers of it. Therefore it is not all one thing that is seen & that is believed. For those things that be seen do only feed the corruptible body, they being corruptible themselves. But those things which are not seen, do feed the immortal souls, they being immortal themselves. The apostle writing to the Corinthians, sayeth: know you not that all our father's ware under a cloud, that all passed over the see, that all they were baptized in Moses in the cloud & in the see, that all they have eaten the same spiritual meat, and that all they have drunken the same spiritual drink? They did drink of the spiritual stone following them, the stone also was christ Thus we perceive that the see had a kind of baptism, & the cloud also that the fathers of the old Testament were baptised in the cloud & in the see. Could the cloud or the see of themselves have the virtue of baptism, or could they sanctify the people. Yet dare we not accuse the apostle of dying, for that he said our father's ware baptyz●d in the cloud & in the see. And although the baptism was a type & a figure of the baptism of christ that is now used in the church Yet no man that hath his witness will say, that it also was not baptism itself, or that our father's ware not baptized therein, except he will vary from the apostle as a mad man. Therefore the see & cloud, not in that they were creatures & bodies dead, took the clearness of sanctification of the holy spirit. For in them was a visible form which appeareth plainly to the corporal sense, and within a spiritual power which was only evident to the eyes of the mind & faith. Likewise manna given to the people from heaven & the water flowing out of the rock were corporal and corporally they fed the people & gave them drink, It the apostle nameth that manna & that water spiritual meat, & spiritual drink. and why verily because that there was in those corporal substances a spiritual power of the word, which fed the minds, rather than the bodies of the believing people & spiritually gave them drink, & not withstanding their meat and drink did prefygurate the body & blood of christ which the church doth ●●●●●rate. Yet saint Paul affirmeth that our fathers did eat the same spiritual meat, and drink the same spiritual drink.  
A man will ask peradventure what he meaneth by this word (the same) truly he meaneth that they did eat the same spiritual meat which the faithful eateth & drinketh now a days in the church, we may not understand divers things, for christ is & was always on. And the same christ which fed the people that were them baptized in the desert, in the cloud, & in the see with his flesh and his blood, feedeth now the people in the church of his faithful with the bread of his body, & the water of his blood, this thing the apostle did plainly declare by that which followeth, saying: they have eaten the same spiritual meat & drunken the same spiritual drink They did drink of the same spiritual stone following them & the stone was christ So we understand that christ was in the spiritual stone in the desert. And that he gave the water of his blood to the people And afterward gave to us his body which was borne of a virgin & crucified for the health of the faithful. And not only that we might be redeemed: but also that we might drink thereof. It is a marvelous thing: that Christ all though he was incumprehensyble & inestimable And that he had not it put upon him the nature of man, had not yet tasted death for the health of the world, nor redeemed us with his blood. For all that our fathers in the desert by a spiritual meat & an invisible drink, did eat his body & drink his blood. As the apostle witnesseth, saying: our fathers have eaten the same spiritual meat, & drunken the same spiritual drink, here we cannot know by reason how this thing was done. Yet to the doings faith must be adhibited for it is he truly which by his omnipotent virtue turneth the bread & the wine spiritually into his flesh & his blood, & also which at the time made invycyble the manna that was given from heaven his body, & the water powered out of the rock his blood The which David perceiving did protest in the holy ghost, saying: man hath eaten the bread of angels. It were a fond thing to suppose that this corporal manna given to our fathers, feedeth the heavenly host of angels, or that they do eat any such meat which be rather fed with the dainties of god's word The psalmist declareth plain or the holy ghost rather speaketh in the psalmist, both what our fathers received in that heavenvly manna, and what the faithful aught to believe in the mystery of the body & blood of christ: in the both truly christ is signified, which is not only the meat of angels, but also feedeth the souls of the faithful. And neither of these happen in corporal taste or feeding, but in the virtue of the spiritual word, The evamgeliste teachet that jesus christ before he suffered, took bread gave thanks & distributed it to his apostles, saying: this is my body which shallbe given for you, do this in my remembrance. Likewise he took the cup after he had supped, saying: this is the new testament in my blood, which shallbe shed for you. We see that christ did work the mystery of his body & blood before he suffered. We dow not but every faythfyll man believeth that the bread was made the body of christ which he gave to his disciples, saying: this is my body that is given for you. And also that the cup did contain the blood of christ, whereof he sayeth, this cup is the new testament in my blood that shallbe shed for you. Therefore as he could turn the substance of bread and the creature of wine into his proper body before he died So could he in the desert, turn the manna and the water of the rock into his flesh & blood not withstanding that his flesh was hanged on the cross for us. And his blood shed for us long after hear also we ought to consider what is meant by thes words, excepts you shall eat the flesh of the son of man, & drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He said not that his flesh which hanged on the cross should be eaten in pieces & eaten of the Apostles, nor that his blood which he shed for the redemption of the world should be given his disciples to drink, for it were a wicked thing, if his flesh should be eaten or his blood drunken as the infidels took it. Therefore, he said to his disciples taking the words of christ not unfaithfully, it scarcely perceiving how the same was to be understand, thes doughtes offend Therefore if you shall see the son of man ascending thither where as he was before As though he should say, you may not think my flesh to be eaten of you corporally, or my blood to be drouken of you corporally, neither that my flshe shallbe divided into pieces for as much as after my resurrection ye shall see me affende into heaven with the fullness of my holy body & blood them ye shall well perceive that my flesh is not to be eaten of those that believe as the infidels think, but that the bread & the wine changed by a mystery into the substance of my body & blood is to be received of the faithful, he sayeth also consequently. The spirit is he that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing after any such sort as the unfaithful understand, other wise it giveth life as the faithful take it by a mystery. And therefore he sayeth, the spirit is he that quickeneth So in this mystery of the body & blood of Christ, here is a spiritual operation giving life, with u●e the which operation the mysteries be unprofyatable for well may they feed the body: but the soul they cannot Here springeth a question, ●●e which proposed some say that those things be done in verity, & not in mystery wherein they show themselves playn●lye to repungue against the writings of the holy fathers. saint Austen the doctor of the church in the third of his book de doctrina christ●ana writeth thus Except you eat (sayeth our saviour) the flesh of the son of man & drink his blood, you shall have no life in you, He seemeth to command a wicked thing, therefore it is a figure commanding us to be communicators of his passion, surely also & profitable to pervert in our memories, that his flesh was ●ōdyd & crucified for our sakes Thus saint Austen affirmeth the mystery of the body and blood of christ to be celebrated of the faithful under a figure, for he sayeth it is no point of religion but rather of iniquity to take his flesh a●d his blood carnally, as they did which understood not christ's words spyry●uallye but carnally & went back therefore and departed from him. Among many things in his epistle to bonyeface he writeth thus. truly we use to say of times when Ester draws near that tomorrow or next day shallbe the passion of the Lord: not withstanding he suffered his passion many years before. Neither did he suffer but once Also on Easter day, we customably say this day the Lord hath risen And it many years hath passyed in deed sins he rose. for saying this we should be reported as shameful liars saving that we do name this after the similitude of the days themselves, wherein the things were done So we may say this is the day, though it be not the day itself in deed. But by the revelation of time like unto it. And so we say the thing is done this day for the celebration of the sacrament, which is not done this day in deed, but was done a great while before was not christ once offered in himself? And yet in the sacrament, he is offered to the faithful people, not only every Easter, but every day, neither is he found a liar that answereth to a man (asking the question) that he is offered For if the sacrament had not a certain similitude of those things whereof they be sacraments they were no sacraments at all, for the likeness many times the sacraments take the names of the things themselves. Therefore like as after a sort the sacrament of the body of christ, is the body of christ, & the sacrament of the blood of christ, is the blood of christ. So the sacramet of faith is faith. Thus we perceive that saint Austen affirmeth the sacrament to be one thing, & the thing itself to be another thing, whereof the sacrament is the body in the with christ suffered, & the blood which flowed from his side are the things, but the mysteries of them (sayeth he) be the sacraments of the body and blood of christ, which are celebrated in remembrance of Christ's passion. Not only at every paschal solemnity, but every day in the year. And although there is but one body of the lord in the which he suffered: & but one blood that was shed for the health of the world, yet the sacraments of these things have taken there names, so that we call them the body and blood of christ for the similitudes of the things which they signify. So they be called after the same manner as the paschal feast and the resurrection are which verily be celebrated, & yet christ suffered but once in himself, and rose again, neither can those days be revoked for they are paste. The days in the which the memory of the lords passion & resurrection be celebrated are named the self same days in which christ suffered and rose, because they have a similitude of the very same days in deed. Wherefore we say, this day, tomorrow or next day is the resurrection of the lord. Not withstanding that the day in the which be rose in deed, is many years past. Do we say that the lord is offered, when the sacrament of his body and blood be celebrated. Where as he was offered but ones in himself for the health of the world. As the apostles sayeth, christ suffered once for you, leaving an example that you might follow his footsteps. He doth not say that he suffereth every day, which he did once. He hath left us an example which is daily presented to those which believe in the mystery of the body & blood of christ. That whosoever shall come to it, may know that he ought to be associate to his passions, whose Image he looketh for in the holy mysteries according to the saying of the wise man. Thou art come to the table of a great man, attend diligently what things are set before thee, knowing that thou thyself must prepare like things. To come to the table of a great man is to be partaker of the lords souper The consideration of the things set before the is the intelligence of the body & blood of christ. Wherefore whosoever is partaker, let him know that he ought to prepare like things. That is to say, he must imitate christ in dying with him, the remembrance of whose death he acknowledgeth, not only in believing, but also in tasting.  
Furthermore saint Paul sayeth to the Ebrews: it was meet that we should have such a bishop. That is to say, holy Innocent, without spot segregate from sinners, and higher than the heavens, which shall not need as the other bishops, daily to offer for his own sins, and after for the sins of the people. This our Lord jesus christ hath done in offering himself once, and that which he did once, he doth now daily frequent, once he offered himself for the sins of the people, the same oblation is daily celebrate among the faithful: but it in a mystery, for that which christ hath once fulfilled in offering himself is daily done in the church in the remembrance of his passion by the celebration of mysteries. Neither it is falsely said, that the Lord is offered, or that he suffereth in the mysteries, for as much as they have the similitude of his death and passion whereof they be representations. Wherefore the mysteries be named the body and blood of christ, because they take the appellation of things whereof they be sacraments.  
Saint Ysodore in high book wherein he entreateth of the true signification of words, sayeth that a sacrifice is an holy thing done, or the doing of an holy thing, for by a mystical prayer it is consecrated in the remembrance of the lords passion. Therefore he commandeth us to call it the body and blood of christ, And though it be made of the fruits of the earth, it is sanctified and made a sacrament by the invisible working of the holy ghost. The grecians do call this sacrament, eucharistia, that is by interpretation. good grace, and what is better than the body and blood of christ The bread and the wine truly are compared to the body and blond of christ. Because that as the visible substance of bread and wine doth nourish and inebriate the extern man, so the word of god (which is the lively bread) by his perticipation doth recreate the minds of the faithful. And this catholic teacheth that the same mystery of the lords passion must be done for us in the remembrance of the same. Thus he declareth that the Lords passion was once done, & that the memory of it is represented in the solemnicies of holy things. Wherefore the bread which is made of the fruits of the ground is transposed whiles he is sanctified into the body of christ. And the wine that floweth out of the grape by the sanctification of the godly mystery, is made the blood of christ, not visybly: but after the mind of this present doctor through the operation of the holy ghost, wherefore they are called the body and blood of Christ and so taken, not because they do so appear externely: but for that they are so made by the work of the holy ghost, and for that they be an other thing by the invisible power, than visible they seem to be. He maketh a distinction whiles he sayeth. The bread and the wine be compared to the body and blood of christ. Because that as the substance of the visible bread wine doth inebriate and nourish the extern man, so the word of god which is the lively bread (by the participation of it) doth refresh & recreate the minds of the faithful. Herein he confesseth very plainly, that what extern thing soever we receive, it is accommodate to the refection of the body: but the word of god which is the invisible bread being in the sacrament invisible, by this participation in quickening the minds of the faithful feedeth them. Also the same doctor sayeth: a sacrament is in some celebration, when the thing is so done that it may he understand to signify some what which is to be taken with holiness, by this he declareth, that any sacrament in holy things containeth some secret & that teaching which appeareth visible & that which we ought to perceive invisible be divers. afterward he declareth what sacraments are to be celebreate among the faithful, that is the sacrament of baptism and of the body and blood of Christ which are called sacraments for that a divine virtue doth secretly work the health received in them under the cover of corporal things. Wherefore they be called sacraments, of secret or holy virtue. He sayeth also that a mystery by his signification is that which hath an hid, and secret disposition. Here in we be taught that the body and blood of christ be called mysteries, because they have an hid and and secret disposition. That is to say, a sacrament hath one thing which he doth externely and plainly declare and on other thing which worketh invisible. They be called sacraments, for that a godly virtue doth secretly dispose the health of them which faithfully take them under the cover of corporal things Hither to have we declared that the body and blood of Christ which are received in the church by the mouths of the faithful be figures after the visible form, but after the invisible substance that is to say through the power of god's word they be the very body and blood of christ, Therefore by the visible creatures they feed and nourish the body, but by the virtue of the more excellent substance they feed and sanctify the mind of the faithful.  
FINIS.   

¶ The second question followeth.  
NOw let us consider the second question. Whether the same body that was borne of marry, that suffered died was buried & sitteth on the right hand of the father, be the body which ●s daily received in the church by the mouths of the faithful in the mystery of the sacrament or no. etc. saint Ambros in the first book of sacraments sayeth Truly it is a marvelous th●ng that god did rain manna from heaven for our fathers, and that they were daily fed with heavenvly noryshementes, Wherefore it is said man hath eaten the bread of angels. But if all they which eat bread in the desert are dead. This meat 〈◊〉 which thou receovest. This lively bread which hath descended from heaven doth minister the substance of everlasting life. And who so eateth of this bread shall never die for it is the body of christ See how this doctor calleth the body of christ meat which the faithful receive in the church. This bread sayeth he which hath descended from heaven, doth minister the substance of everlasting life, not that which is seen corporally received, pressed with teeth swallowed with throat, and sent down into the belie, doth minister the substance of everlasting life. For by this 〈◊〉 feedeth the flesh which shall die. Neither can it minister any incorruption. In this respect truly we can not say who soever shall eat this bread shall never die, for that which the body receiveth is corruptible, & cannot by any mean bring to pass that the body may live ever, for whatsoever is subject to corruption can give no eternity, Therefore in that bread there is life which appeareth not to our corporal ey●, but that is looked upon with the aspects of our faith, that is the lively bread indeed that descended from heaven and of the which it is truly spoken. Whosoever eateth this bread shall never die, which is the body of christ. Also in the consequences, where he speaketh of the omnipotenr virtue of christ, he sayeth thus, the word of christ, which could make of nothing that which was not, is able to change those things which be into that thing which they were not, for it is harder to give new things, then to change natures. saint ambrose sayeth in the mystery of the body and blood of christ there is a commutation made marueloously, for it is made by an incomprehensible manner, let them say here which esteem not the secret virtue: but the whole which appeareth visible, how and in what point here happeneth commutation, for after the substance of the creatures, they be even the same things after the consecration, that they were before. For before the consecration they were bread and wine, & after they appear to remain in the same kind still. Therefore the mutation is made internely by the power of the holy ghost, which only faith looketh upon, Which feedeth the soul and ministereth the substance of everlasting life. He sayeth also, why dost thou seek for the order of nature here in the body of christ, saying he was bor●e of a virgin being both god and man beyond the course of nature. Here also riseth the hearer and affirmeth the body of christ to be that which is se●e, and the blood which is drunk Say●nge that he ought not to inquire how it is made: but to believe that it is made: He appeareth to think well, but if he consider diligently the nature of words, he shall pereceyve he sayeth not the thing which he believeth. For if he might say I see the body and blood of Christ he could not say I believe the body and blood of christ, to be there, Now for asmuch as faith looketh on the hole, whatsoever it be, and the eye of the flesh apprehendeth no thing, he shall understand that the body and blood or christ be not in the form but in virtue. Wherefore he saith that the order of nature is not to be looked for, but the power of Christ to be worshipped which doth create what soever he list, and changeth that thing which is create into some what that it was not before, at his pleasure,  
The same auctor sayeth, that was the true and very flesh which was crucified and buried. Truly therefore of the same flesh the sacrament ●s, the Lord sayeth this is my body. How diligently & how wisely hath he made a distinction, where he sayeth touching the flesh which was crucified and buried. This is the true flesh of Christ, but touching that which is received in the sacrament, he sayeth, this is the sacrament of the true flesh, so dividing the sacrament of the flesh, from the very flesh for asmuch as he said in the very flesh which he took of the virgin mary, he was crucified and buried.  
But he affirmeth the mystery which is done in the church to be the sacrament of the very flesh in the which Christ suffered, instructing the faithful, that the flesh in the which Christ suffered and was crucified and buried, is not a mystery, but the very natural flesh. But this flesh which now containeth the similitude of the very flesh in mystery, is not flesh in kind, nor in for me, but in Sacrament.  
For in kind it is bread and in Sacrament the true body of Christ▪ As the LORD crieth this is my body. Also he sayeth further, that the holy ghost hath other wise expressed this, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink. Mat. v. Also by his Prophet, saying, Taste and see for the LORD is sweet, blessed is that man which trusteth in him.  
Do you think that this bread tasted corporally? or this wine drunken corporally? can you declare how sweet the bread is? whatsoever savoureth is corporal and declareth the body sense. Shall we think to taste the LORD, is to feed any corporal thing? Therefore the spiritual taste bideth us to prove the saver, and in that bread and that drink to opynyonate nothing corporally, but to feel the hole spiritually, for the LORD truly is a spirit. He sayeth further in the Sacrament is Christ. For the body of Christ is there: but he doth not say that the wine or the bread is Christ, For if he should say so (as God forbid he should) then he must pronounce the body of Christ to be corporal. And subject to mortalite for what soever is perceived and tasted in that meat corporally is subject to corruption, he addeth thes words, (or it is the body of Christ.  
Therefore peradventure a man will say, lo he doth manifestly confess the bread and the wine to be the body of Christ. But take heed how it is added, for it is no corporal meat but a spiritual meat. Therefore you shall not adhybit the sense of the flesh. For nothing is perceived here after that sense.  
There is the body of Christ how be it not corporal but spiritual. The blood of Christ is there, how be it not corporal but spiritual. Therefore nothing here is to be judged corporally. Here is the body of Christ, but not corporally. Here is the blood of Christ but not corporally. He sayeth further wherefore the apostle speaking of the figure of this sacrament, sayeth our fathers have eaten the same spiritual meat, and drunken the same spiritual drink, for the body of christ is a spiritual body the body of christ is the body of the divine spirit. For christ is a spirit as we read lamentationun l 4 ●0 Spiritus ante faciam nostram  dominus. He hath taught us most plainly how we ought to understand the mystery of the body and blood of christ what he said, that our fathers did eat the spiritual meat, and drink the spiritual drink, notwithstanding that the manna which they eat, and the water which they drunk were corporal things, he a●dyth of the mysteries which is now celebrate in the church, defining how it is the body of christ. The body of god sayeth he, is a spiritual body. Also god is christ, and the body which he took of the virgin mary, in the which he suffered, in the which he was buried, in the which he rose again was the very and the true body, and the same remained visible and palpable, but the body which is called the mystery of god is not corporal, but spiritual, it is not visible nor palpable. To this doth saint ambrose adjoin saying, the body of Christ is the body of the divine spirit, and a divine spirit is not corporal corruptible ne palpable, but this body which is celebrate in the church through his visible vine is corruptible and palpable. How then is it called the body of the divine spirit? Verily in the respect that it is spiritual. That is to say invisible and inpalpable, and therefore incorruptable, he sayeth because Christ is a spirit, as we read Spiritus ante faciam nostram christus dominus. He showeth manifestly by what mean the body of Christ is had, that is to say by the reason that the spirit of Christ is in it, that is the power of god's word, which doth not only feed the soul but also purgeth it. Wherefore the auctor consequently sayeth. This meat comformeth our hearts, and this drink maketh glad the heart of man as the prophet hath mencyon●d, is it not corporal meat think you which confirmeth the heart of man or corporal drink which exhiliarate man's heart? but that he might show: what meat or what drink he speaketh of, (he hath added this meat, and this drink, what meat doth he mean? or what drink? Verily the blood of Christ, the body of the divine spirit. And to speak plainly, the spirit of whom it is read. Spiritus ante faciam nostram , dominus In all this things it is evident, that we must take nothing in this meat or this drink corporally: but that the hole must be attended spiritually. For the soul with in this place is signified by the heart of man, is not fed with corporal meat or corporal drink: but nurysshed it is and made strong with the word of God. Which thing this same doctor affirmeth more plainly in the first book of the sacraments, saying: The bread which goeth into our bodies, is not the bread which ministereth substance to our souls, but the bread of everlasting life. And the lesson following declareth most plainly, that saint Ambrose did not mean here the romen bread but the bread of the body of Christ. For he doth speak of the daily bread which the faithful desireth to be given them. And therefore he addeth, if it be daily bread, why dost thou take it but on's in the year? as the Grecians were wont in the ester. Take therefore that which may daily profit the and live so that thou mayest desire to take it daily. Therefore it is virtue: And it is clean another thing which is sen● externly from that which is believed in the mystery Moreover the flesh of christ that was crucified, did not show one thing outwardly, and was an other thing inwardly, for it was the very flesh of man, and a body consisting in the kind of a very body. We must also consider, that in the bread, not only the body of christ is figured, but also the body of the believing people. For as the bread is made of many grains of wheat, so the body of the faithful people, is augemented with many of those that believe, by the word of christ. Wherefore as in the mystery the bread is taken for the body of christ, so likewise the membres of the believing people in christ, be intinuate in the same mystery. And as the bread is the body of the faithful men, not corporally but spiritually So we must necessarily understand, that the same is the body of christ, not corporally, but spiritually Likewise in the wine which ●s called the blood of christ, water is mixed, and the one is permitted without the other. For as the people can not be without Christ, nor christ without the people: so the head cannot be without the body nor the body without the head. The water in this sacrament, beareth the Image of the people. Therefore if that the wine sanctified by the office of the minister, were corporally changed into the blood of Christ: then the water which is mixed with it, should necessarily be changed corporally into the blood of he faithful people. For where as is one sanctifica●yon, there is consequently one operation: and whereas is like reason, there is like mystery. But we see ●hat nothing is changed in the water corporally: ●herfore it followeth, that nothing is changed corporally in the 〈◊〉: what soever is signified in the water of the people, is taken spiritually: therefore we must nedis take spiritually, whatsoever is intinuate in the wine of the body of christ. Moreover things which do differ, be not all one. The body of christ that died, rose again, and was immortal, dieth no more, death shall no more bear rule over it, for it is eternal and shall suffer no more. But that which is celebrate in the church is temporal, not eternal, corruptible, not incorruptible, in the way, not in our country Therefore they differ and be not all one, and if they be not all one how is it called the body of christ and the very blood? For if it be the very body of christ, and be called the same: Truly because it is the body of christ, it is the body of christ in verity, that is to say. If it be the very body of christ, than it is the body of christ incorruptible and inpassyble, and by that eternal. Therefore by this reason, the body of christ which is celebrate in the church, must needs be incorruptible, and eternal: but we can not deny that thing to be corruptible, which is divided in pieces, broken with our tethe, and goeth into the belie: but that is one thing which is done externly, & that an other which is believed by faith, whatsoever the senses attain unto, is corruptible, and that which faith believeth is incorruptible, Therefore that which appeareth outwardly, is not the thing itself, but an Image of the thing, but that which is perceived & understand in the mind, is the very thing. Therefore Saint Austen speaking of the body and blood of christ in the exposition of the gospel of S. John sayeth thus. Moses' did eat manna, Aaron did eat 〈◊〉 did eat, and many more did eat which pleased god, & they died not Why? verily because they vnd●●stode the visible meat spiritually, they filled themselves spiritually, We also do receive now the visible meat, yet the sacrament is one thing and the virtue of the sacrament an other, he sayeth also. This is the bread which descended from heaven Manna did signify this bread, the altar of god did signify this bread, these aware sacraments, & divers in their figures, yet in the thing which is signified, they were like, Here the apostle Paul. I would not have you ignorant, o brethren (sayeth he) that our fathers were under a cloud, and all they passed over the see, and all were baptized in moyses in the cloud, and in the see, and all they did eat the same spiritual meat, & all they did drink the same spiritual drink, therefore they did eat the same spiritual meat that we do, for there corporal meat was an other thing, they did eat manna, we eat an other thing, yet their spiritual meat was all one with ours, he addeth, and all they did drink on spiritual drink. In the visible kind our drink & they●is were divers: yet in the spiritual virtue, they did both signify one thing. How did they drink the same? They drunk (sayeth he) of the spiritual stone following them, and the stone truly was christ from whence they had the bread, from whence they had the drink: the stone was christ in a figure, the very christ is in flesh and blood. Further this is the bread descending from heaven, that if any man eat of it he shall live for ever: but it is that which pertaineth to the virtue of the sacrament, and not the visible sacrament itself. And he shall live which eateth within & not he that eateth without, which eateth in his heart, & not that braketh with his tooth. He sayeth also repeating the words of out saviour: this doth offend you, because I say, I give my flesh to be eaten of you, & my blood to be drunken. Therefore if you shall see: he son of man ascending where he was first. What meaneth this? Here he dissolved that which moved them. Here he disclosed wherefore they were offended. They thought that he would have spent his body among them But he said that he would ascend hole into heaven. When ye see the son of man, ascending where he was first: truly then ye shall see, that he will not bestow his body so as ye santifye that he will. Verily ye shall understand that his grace is not consumed by morsels. Also he saith himself. The spirit is he that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you (sayeth christ) be spirit & life: that is to say, they are spiritually to be understand. Thou hast understand spiritually: they be spirit & life unto the. Thou hast understand carnally? they be spirit & life: but not to the Thus we are taught, by the authority of this doctor, in treating of the words of the lord, touching the sacrament of his body & blood: that those words of christ are to be understand spiritually, & not carnally. As he sayeth, the words which I spoke to you be spirit & life: he meaneth the words that he spoke concerning the eating of his flesh, & the drink of his blood: where with the apostles were offended. Therefore lest they should be offended still, ye●euyne master calleth them again from the flesh to the spirit: from the corporal vision to the invisible intelligence. We see therefore, after what manner the meat of the body of the lord: & the drink of his blood be his very body & his very blood. Verily in the respect that they be spirit & life: things that be all one be comprehended in one definition: It is said of the very body of christ, that he is very god & very man: god that was borne of the father before the beginning: man that was borne in the later days of the virgin mary. saying that these things cannot be said of the body of christ which is in the church by a mystery: it is known to be the body of christ, but after a certain manner: this manner is in figure, and in Image, that the verity and the thing it, self may be perceived in the prayers which are said after the mystery, of the body & blood of christ, to the which the people say amen. Thus it is pronounced, with the voice of the priest: we taking the pledge of everlasting life desire most humbly, that we may receive with manifest participation, that thing which we touch in the Image of the sacrament. Thus they be the pledge and the Image of an other thing, that is to say, they respect an other thing and not themselves A pledge is of that thing, for the which it is given. An Image is an Image, of that thing whose similitude it showeth These do signify the things whereof th●y be, but they do not manifestly show them, saying: it is so, it appeareth that this body a●d blood, are the pledge and the Image of the thing to come: that the thing itself, which is now showed by a similitude may here after be revealed manifestly. And if they signify that thing now which here after shall be manifest: doubtless it is one thing which is done now, and an other that shallbe manifest in time to come. Wherefore that which is celebrated of the church, is the body and blood of christ: but it is a pledge, and as an Image, the very body shall be seen: when no Image and pledge shall appear, but the verity of the thing itself. This also is another prayer which is used about the sacrament, Make perfit in us good lord we beseech the that that thing which the sacrament doth contain, that we may take those things in verity, which at this time we take in figure He sayeth that these things be done in figure and not in verity. That is by a similitude, & not by the manifestation of the thing itself. The figure and the verity do differ between themselves. Wherefore the body and blood that be now celebrate in the church, do differ from the body and thy blood which are now known to be glorified, by the resurrection, this body is the pledge, & the figure the other is the very natural body. This we celebrate unto such time as we may come to the other: and after that we shall come to it, the sacramental body shallbe removed now we see, that thes too bodies differ asmuch the one, from the other: as the pledge doth from the thing for which it is left, and as the image differeth from the thing, wherefore it is the ymage● and as the figure differeth from the verity, thus it is plain, that the mystery of the body & blood of christ, which is received of the faithful: in the church: differeth from the said body, that was borne of mary the virgin, that suffered & was buried, that rose again, ascended into heaven, & sitteth on the right hand of the father. For this which is celebrate in the way must be spiritually understand, for faith believeth that thing which he seeth not, & that feedeth the soul spiritually, maketh glad the heart, giveth everlasting life, & incorruption. Whiles no heed is taken to the thing, that feedeth the body, that is pressed with the teeth, that is broken in pieces: but that thing, which is taken in faith spiritually, but that body in the which christ suffered, & rose again, is his proper body taken of the virgin mary, palpable, & visible: ye: after his resurrection he saith to his disciples. Why be you troubled, & why do fantises occupy your hearts? look upon my feet and my hand for I am he, grope and see, for a sprite hath no flesh, nor bones as ye see that I have. Let us also here what saint fulgencius sayeth in his book of faith, believe steadfastly & doubt not, but the only beggotten son of god, the word was made flesh, & that he offered himself for us, as a sacrifice to god, in the order of sweetness: unto whom with the father & the holy ghost, the patriarchs, the prophets, the priests of the old testament, did sacrifice beasts, & unto whom with the father & the holy ghost, with whom he hath like devynite: the holy universal church through out all the world●, seizeth not in faith, & charity, now to offer the sacrifice of bread & wine. In those fleshly sacrifices, was the signification of the flesh of christ, which he offered for our sins: & a signification of the blood that he shed, for the remission of our sins but in sacrifice of bread & wine, is the action of thanks, & the commemoration of the flesh of christ, that he offered for us & of the blood that he shed for us Whereof of saint Paul speaketh in the acts of the apostles saying: take heed to you & your universal flock, in the which the holy ghost hath made you bishops, to govern the church of god, that he hath acquired with his blood, therefore in the former sacrifices, it was signified figuratively what should be given us, & in this it is evidently showed, what is given us already, for asmuch as he sayeth, that in the former sacrifices, it was signified what should be given us, & in this sacrifice, we remember what is given us already. He declareth, that as the sacrifices of the old law, was figures of the thing that was it to com●: so this sacrifice is a figure of the thing which is already past. By these words he hath most plainly showed, how much difference is between the body in which christ suffered: & the body which is celebrate in the remembrance of his passion, & death, for the body wherein he suffered, is the proper & the very body having no mystery nor figure in him. But this is a mystical body, shewying one thing externely by a figure, & representing an other thing internly through the intellection of faith. It let us add an other testymoney of saint Austen that shall both affirm our words, & finish our oration. In the sermone that he made to the people, touching the sacrament of the altar, he sayeth thus. The thing which you see in the altar of god, was seen of you the last night, but what it is, or what it meaneth, or of how● great a thine it containeth the sacrament ye have not it heard The thing which you see is bread & wine, & that your ●●●s do argue: but as your faith requireth to be instruct the bread is the body of christ, & the wine his blood it is quickly said, that faith peradventure is sufficient: but faith doubtless, needeth instruction. Esa. ●vi. sayeth. Except ye believe, ye shall not understand. Therefore you may say unto me, sir ye have commanded us to believe: now expound to us, how we may understand, such a cogitation may rise in some man's mind. Ye know that our Lord jesus took his flesh of the virgin mary, that he being an infant did sock, & was nourished, & growed to a man's age, and brought to persecution of the jews, suffered, & upon a cross was killed, & taken from the cross, was buried and rose again the third day, and at his pleasure ascended unto heaven, and carried his body thither from whence he shall come to judge the quick, and dead, and there is he now sitting of the right hand of the father, how therefore is the bread his body and the wine his blood? thes good brethren be called sacraments, because that one thing is seen in them and an other understand, that which is seen, hath a corporal form, & that which is not seen hath a spiritual fruit. In thes words, thy worshipful auctor instructing us, what we ought to think of the proper body of the Lord, that was borne of mary, and sitteth now on the right hand of the father, in the which he shall come to judge the quick & the dead. Also what we ought to think of the body set on the altar, whereof the people be partakers, the very body is hole, and not divided with any section, neither covered with any figures: but this body set on the table of the Lord is a figure, because it is a sacrament. And the extern thing which is seen, hath a corporal form that feedeth the body: but the intern thing which is understand, hath a spiritual fruit that quickeneth the soul, and he willing to speak more plainly and manifestly of the mystical body, sayeth thus, if you will understand the body of the Lord, hear the apostle saying you be the body of christ And the membres. Therefore if ye be the body of christ, and the membres of christ, your mystery is contained in the lords souper, you take the mystery of the lord, and unto that thing which you yourselves be, you answre amen. And in answring, you subscribe, therefore thou hearest the body of christ & thou answrest amen. Be thou a member of the body of christ that that the amen may be true. and wherein, in bread we will speak nothing or our own heads, but hear the apostle. We being many (sayeth he) are one bread, and one body, etc. Therefore saint Augustyne hath taught us, that as the body of Christ is signified in the bread which is on the altar, so is the body of the people that receiveth it, Also he hath evidently showed, that the proper body of christ, is that body in the which he was borne of the virgin mary, in the which he sucked in the which he suffered, in the which he died, and was buried in the which he rose and ascended into heaven, in the which he sitteth of the right hand of the father and in the which he shall come again to iudgemet. But this which is set on the lords table, containeth the mystery of the very body: even as it doth of the mystery of the believing people. For the apostle sayeth. We being many, are one bread and one body.  
YOUR wisdom (most excellent prince) may perceive, that I have proved by the testimonies of holy scriptures, and of the holy fathers: that the bread which is called the body of christ, and the cup called his blood, is a figure because it is a mystery. And that there is no small difference, between the mystical body, and the body that suffered, was buried and rose again. For this which suffered, is the proper body of our saviour. Neither in it is any figure, or signification: but the manifestation of the thying itself is known. And the vision of it should be desired of the faithful. For after we shall see it, your desire shallbe accomplished, for he and the father be all one, & not in the respect of our saviour's body: but in the respect of the fullness of divinity, that dwelleth in the man christ, But in this mystical body is a figure, not only of the proper body of christ: but also of the people believing in christ. For doubtless it beareth the figure both of the body of christ that suffered & rose again, and of the people borne again by baptism and made alive from the death of sin. Let us add also that the bread and the wine, named the body and blood of christ: do represent the memory of the lords passion & death For he sayeth in the gospel. Do this in my remembrance. the which paul expoundeth: saying So oft as ye eat of this bread & drink of this wine, you shall show the death of the lord till he come. Thus we be taught both of christ and of paul, that the bread and the wine set on the altar, are set for a figure or a memory of the lords death, that it may put us in remembrance in the time present, what hath been done in time past, that we made mindful of his passion, may be made also partakers of the godly reward, by the which we are delivered from death. Knowing that after we shall once come to the vision of christ, we shall have no nide of such instruments, by the which we are put in remembrance what christ hath suffered for us. For we looking on him face to face. shall not be admonished by an extern admonition of temporal things: but by the contemplation of the truth itself. Yet we may give thanks to the auctor of our health ●t you shall not think for all this, that the body and blood of the lord is not received of the faithful in the mystery of the sacrament saying that faith receiveth not the thing looked upon with our eyes, but that which is believed. For the meat is spiritual, & the drink is spiritual, feeding the soul spiritually and giveth the life of everlasting secret: as our saviour sayeth The spirit is he that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. W●●●les I have endeavoured to obey the commandment of your excellency. I a man of small importancye, have presumed to dispute of no small things: it not following the presumption of mine own estimation or judgement But the authority of the old fathers, if it happen that you approve these things as Catholic, it must be imputed to be merits of our faith, which was not ashamed (the glory of your regal magnificence laid away for a time) to ask a response of the truth, of a poor man: but if they please you not: let it be imputed to my foolishness it could not with efficacy explicate that thing which you desired.   
FINIS.   

¶ Imprinted at London in saint Andrew's parish in the waredropt, by Thomas Raynalde, and Anthony Kyngstone.