This besides saint Augustine is plainly set out by Bertram above 6. hundred years passed,1 whose judgement in this matter of the sacrament, although you allow not (because it utterly condemneth your doctrine therein) yet forasmuch as hitherto his teaching was never reproved by none, but by you alone, and that he is commended of other, as an excellent learned man in holy scripture, and a notable famous man, aswell in living as learning, and that among his excellent works this one is specially praised, which ⟨p. 78⟩he wrote of the matter of the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord, therefore I shall rehearse his teaching in this point, how the holy fathers and Prophets before the coming of Christ did eat Christs flesh and drink his blood: So that although Bertram's saying be not esteemed with you, yet the indifferent reader may see what was written in this matter, before your doctrine was invented. And although his authority be not received of you, yet his words may serve against Smith,2 who herein more learnedly, and with more judgement then you, approveth this author. This is Bertram's doctrine S. Paul saith, that all the old fathers did eat the same spiritual meat, and drink the same spiritual drink. But peradventure thou wilt ask, Which the same? Even the very same that christen people do daily eat and drink in the church. For we may not understand divers things, when it is one and the self same Christ, which in times past did feed with his flesh, and made to drink of his blood, the people that were baptised in the cloud and sea, in the wilderness, and which doth now in the church feed christen people with the bread of his body, and giveth them to drink the flood of his blood. When he had not yet taken mans nature upon him, when he had not yet tasted death for the salvation of the world, not redeemed us with his blood, nevertheless even then our forefathers by spiritual meat and invisible drink did eat his body in the wilderness and drink his blood, as the Apostle beareth witness, saying: The same spiritual meat, the same spiritual drink. For he that now in the church by his omnipotent power doth spiritually convert bread & wine into the flesh of his body, and into the flood of his own blood, he did then invisibly so work, that Manna which came from heaven was his body, and the water his blood.
This besides saynt Augustine is plainely set out by Bertrame aboue 6. hundreth yeares passed,1 whose iudgement in this matter of the sacrament, although you allow not (because it vtterly cōdemneth your doctrine therein) yet forasmuch as hytherto his teaching was neuer reproued by none, but by you alone, and that he is commēded of other, as an excellent learned man in holy scripture, and a notable famous man, aswell in liuing as learning, and yt among his excellent works this one is specially praised, which ⟨p. 78⟩he wrot of the matter of the Sacramēt of the body and bloud of our Lord, therfore I shall reherse his teaching in this point, how the holy fathers and Prophets before the comming of Christ did eat Christes flesh and drink his bloud: So that although Bertrams saying be not estemed with you, yet the indifferent reader may see what was written in this matter, before your doctrine was inuented. And although his authority be not receiued of you, yet his words may serue against Smyth,2 who herein more learnedly, and with more iudgement then you, approueth this author. This is Bertrams doctrine S. Paule saith, that all the old fathers did eat the same spirituall meat, and drinke the same spiritual drink. But peraduenture thou wilt ask, Which the same? Euen the very same that christen people do daily eat and drinke in the church. For we may not vnderstand diuers things, when it is one and the self same Christ, which in times past did feed with his flesh, and made to drink of his bloud, the people that were baptised in the cloude and sea, in the wildernes, and which doth now in the church feed christen people with the bread of his body, and giueth thē to drink the floud of his bloud. When he had not yet taken mans nature vpon him, whē he had not yet tasted death for the saluation of the world, not redemed vs with his bloud, neuertheles euen then our forefathers by spiritual meat and inuisible drink did eat his body in the wildernes and drink his bloud, as the Apostle beareth witnesse, saying: The same spiritual meat, the same spiritual drink. For he that now in the church by his omnipotent power doth spiritually conuert bread & wine into the flesh of his body, and into the floud of his owne bloud, he did thē inuisibly so worke, that Manna which came from heauen was his body, and the water his bloud.
- 1Bertram.
- 2Smith.Smyth.
