And that they might understand, what he meant, he said further: I am the Bread, that came from Heaven. The Bread, that I will give you, is my Flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. Thus he spake of the spiritual eating, and digesting of his ⟨p. 322⟩Flesh in the hearts of the Faithful.1 And so immediately after he opened his own mind. For, when he saw, The Jews, for that they understood him not, were offended, he said further unto them, It is the Spirit, that giveth life: the Flesh profiteth nothing. The words, that I speak, are Spirit and life. Which words S. Augustine in plainer sort expoundeth thus. Spiritualiter intelligite, quòd locutus sum. Non hoc Corpus, quod videtis, manducaturi estis, & bibituri illum Sanguinem,2 quem fusuri sunt, qui me Crucifigent. Sacramentum aliquod vobis commendavi: Spiritualiter intellectum vivificat vos. Understand ye spiritually, that I have spoken. Ye shall not eat (with your bodily mouth) this Body that you see: nor shall ye (with your bodily mouth) drink that Blood, which they shall shed, that shall Crucify me. I give you a certain Sacrament. The same being spiritually understanded giveth you life.3 So saith S. Basil, Gustate, & videre, quoniam suavis est Dominus. Taste ye, and see, that the Lord is gracious. And further he saith: We have oftentimes marked (in the Scriptures) that the inward powers of the mind, have their names of the outward members of the Body.4 Therefore, for as much as our Lord is the true Bread, and his Flesh the true food, It must needs be, that the delectation, and pleasure of the same, be moved and caused within us, by a spiritual kind of taste. Again he saith, Further we say, that there is a certain Spiritual mouth of the inner man, wherewith he is fed, receiving the Word of life, which is the Bread that came from Heaven. Likewise saith S. Augustine, Fides habet oc•los suos. Faith hath eyes of her own, to see with all. Again, Intus bibendo felix sum. Happy am I, when I drink (in my heart) within. And again, Panis iste interioris hominis quaerit esuriem. This Bread seeketh the hunger of the inner man. So saith Leo, Circa hoc Corpus Aquilae sunt, quae alis circumuolant spiritualibus. About this Body be Eagles, that flee about it with spiritual wings. So likewise Origen:
And that they might vnderstande, what he meante, he saide further: I am the Bread, that came from Heauen. The Bread, that I wil geue you, is my Fleashe, whiche I shal geue for the life of the worlde. Thus he spake of the spiritual eatinge, and digesting of his ⟨p. 322⟩Fleashe in the hartes of ye Faithful.1 And so immediatly after he opened his owne minde. For, when he saw, The Iewes, for that they vnderstoode him not, were offended, he saide further vnto them, It is the Spirite, that geueth life: the Fleashe profiteth nothinge. The woordes, that I speake, are Spirite and life. Whiche woordes S. Augustine in plainer sorte expoundeth thus. Spiritualiter intelligite, quòd locutus sum. Non hoc Corpus, quod videtis, manducaturi estis, & bibituri illum Sanguinem,2 quem fusuri sunt, qui me Crucifigent. Sacramentum aliquod vobis commendaui: Spiritualiter intellectum viuificat vos. Vnderstande ye spiritually, that I haue spoken. Ye shal not eate (with your bodily mouthe) this Bodie that you see: nor shal ye (with your bodily mouthe) drinke that Bloud, whiche they shal sheadde, that shal Crucifie me. I geue you a certaine Sacrament. The same beinge spiritually vnderstanded geueth you life.3 So saith S. Basile, Gustate, & videre, quoniam suauis est Dominus. Taste ye, and see, that the Lorde is gratious. And further he saith: We haue oftentimes marked (in the Scriptures) that the inwarde powers of the minde, haue their names of the outwarde members of the Body.4 Therefore, for as muche as our Lorde is the true Breade, and his Fleashe the true foode, It must needes bee, that the desectation, and pleasure of the same, be mooued and caused within vs, by a spiritual kinde of taste. Againe he saith, Further wee say, that there is a certaine Spiritual mouthe of the inner man, wherewith he is feadde, receiuinge the Woorde of life, which is the Breade that came from Heauen. Likewise saith S. Augustine, Fides habet oc•los suos. Faith hath eies of her owne, to see with al. Againe, Intus bibendo foelix sum. Happy am I, when I drinke (in my harte) within. And againe, Panis iste interioris hominis quaerit esuriem. This Breade seeketh the hunger of the inner man. So saith Leo, Circa hoc Corpus Aquilae sunt, quae alis circumuolant spiritualibus. Aboute this Bodie be Egles, that flee aboute it with spiritual winges. So likewise Origen:
- 1Spiritual eating.Spiritual eatinge.
- 2Augustin. i• Psalm. 98.
- 3Basilius in Psal. 33.
- 4[Greek or Hebrew]〈non-Latin alphabet〉
