And yet S. Augustine showeth this matter more clearly and fully,1 than any of the rest, specially in an Epistle which he wrote ad Bonifatiū, where he saith, that a day or two before good friday, we use in common speech to say thus, To morrow or this day .ii. days, Christ suffered his passion. where in very deed he never suffered his passion but ones, and that was many years passed. Likewise upon Easter day we say, This day Christ rose from death. where in very deed it is many hundred years sithens he rose from death Why than do not men reprove us as liars, when we speak in this sort? But because we call these days so, by a similitude of those days, wherein these things were done in deed. And so it is called that day, which is not that day in deed, but by the course of the year is a like day. And such things be said to be done that day, for the solemn celebration of the sacrament, which things in deed were not done that day, but long before. Was Christ offered any more but ones? ⟨image 70⟩And he offered him self, & yet in a sacrament or representation, not only every solemn feast of Easter, but every day he is offered to the people, so that he doth not lye, that saith, he is every day offered. For if sacraments had not some similitude or likeness of those things, whereof they be sacraments, they could in no wise be sacraments. And for their similitude and likeness, commonly they have the name of the things, whereof they be sacraments. Therefore as after a certain manner of speech, the sacrament of Christs body, is Christs body: the sacrament of Christs blood, is Christs blood: so likewise the sacrament of faith, is faith. And to believe is nothing else, but to have faith: And therefore when we answer for young children in their baptism, that they believe, which have not yet the mind to believe, we answer that they have faith, because they have the sacrament of faith. And we say also that they turn unto God, because of the sacrament of the conversion unto God, for that answer pertaineth to the celebration of the sacrament. And likewise speaketh the Apostle of Baptism, saying: that by Baptism we be buried with him into death: he saith not, that we signify burial, but he saith plainly, that we be buried. So that the sacrament of so great a thing, is not called but by the name of the thing it self.
And yet S. Augustyne sheweth this matter more clearely and fully,1 than any of the rest, specially in an Epistle which he wrote ad Bonifatiū, where he sayth, that a day or two before good fryday, we vse in common speeche to say thus, To morowe or this day .ii. dayes, Christ suffered his passion. where in very dede he neuer suffered his passion but ones, and that was many yeres passed. Lykewise vpō Easter day we say, This day Christ rose frō death. where in very deede it is many hundred yeres sithens he rose frō death Why than do not menne reproue vs as lyers, when we speake in this sort? But because we cal these dayes so, by a similitude of those dayes, wherein these thynges were done in deede. And so it is called that day, whiche is not that day in dede, but by the course of the yere is a like day. And suche thinges be sayd to bee done that day, for ye solemne celebracion of the sacramēt, which thinges in dede were not done that day, but lōg before. Was Christ offereed any more but ones? ⟨image 70⟩And he offered him selfe, & yet in a sacrament or representacion, not onely euery solemne feast of Easter, but euery day he is offered to the people, so that he doth not lye, that saith, he is euery day offered. For if sacramentes had not some similitude or likenes of those thynges, whereof they be sacramentes, they could in no wyse bee sacramentes. And for their similitude and lykenes, commonly they haue the name of the thynges, whereof they bee sacramētes. Therfore as after a certayne maner of speeche, the sacrament of Christes body, is Christes body: the sacrament of Christes bloud, is Christes bloud: so lykewise the sacramēt of fayth, is fayth. And to beleue is nothyng els, but to haue fayth: And therfore whē we answere for yong children in their baptisme, that thei beleue, whiche haue not yet the mynd to beleue, we answere that they haue fayth, because they haue the sacramēt of fayth. And we say also that they turne vnto God, because of the sacrament of the cōuersion vnto God, for that answer partaineth to the celebracion of the sacrament. And likewyse speaketh the Apostle of Baptisme, saiyng: that by Baptisme wee bee buryed with him into death: he sayth not, that wee signifie burial, but he sayth plainly, that we be buried. So that the sacrament of so great a thing, is not called but by the name of the thyng it selfe.
- 1August. ad Bonifatium Episto. 23.
