and immortal. Which point because our adversaries understand not, Mt. 22, 29.not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God, they blaspheme, and abuse the People to their damnation. It is also a Sacrament, in that it is ordained to be receaved into our bodies, and to feed the same to resurrection and immortality, and to give grace and salvation to our soules, if we worthily receave it.
The blessing of Christ referred to the creatures and working an effect in them.26. Blessed.) Our Adversaries for the two wordes that are in Greeke and Latin, benedixit, and, gratias egit, he blessed, he gave thanks, use only the later, of purpose to signifie that Christ blessed not nor consecrated the bread and the wine, and so by that blessing wrought any effect upon them, but gave thankes only to his Father, as we doe in saying grace. But the truth is that the word ευλογειν, signifieth properly to blesse, and is referred to the thing that is blessed, as Luc. 9. of the fishes, ευλογησεν αυτους, benedixit eis, he blessed them: and thereby wrought in them that wonderful multiplication. Consecration.So the blessing of God is alwayes affectual; and therfore here also he blessed the bread, and by that blessing with the wordes folowing, made it his body. Ambro. li. de his qui initi. myst. c. 9. Aug. ep. 59. ad Paulinum. Now whereas taking the cuppe it is said: he gave thankes. We say that it is al one with blessing, and that he blessed the cup, as before the bread: as it is evident by these wordes of S. Paul, 1. Cor. 10, 16.Calix cui benedicimus, the cup which we blesse: and therfore he calleth it, Calicem benedictionis, the cup of blessing, using the same Greeke word that is spoken of the bread. But why is it then said here, he gave thankes? τον αρτον ευχαριστηθενταbecause we translate the wordes faithfully as in the Greeke and the Latin, and because the sense is al one, as we are taught by S. Paul before alleaged, and by the Fathers, which cal this giving of thankes over the cup or over the bread, the blessing therof. S. Justin. In fin. 2. Apol. Panem Eucharistisatum. S. Irenee li. 4. c. 34. Panem in quo gratiæ actæ sunt. S. Cyprian de cœn. Do. Calix solenni benedictione sacratus. that is, The bread blessed by giving thankes upon it, The cup consecrated by solemne blessing.
Transsubstantiation.26. This is.) The bread and the wine be turned into the body and bloud of Christ by the same omnipotent power by which the world was made, and the Word was incarnate in the wombe of the Virgin. Damasc. li. 4 c. 14. Cypr. de Cœn. Domini. Amb. li. de myst. init. c. 9.
No figurative but a real presence.26. My body.) He said not: This bread is a figure of my body; or, This wine, is a figure of my bloud, but, This is my body, and, This is my bloud. Damasc. li. 4 c. 14. Theophyl. in hunc locum. Conc. 2. Nic. act. 6, to. 4. eiusdem actionis in fine. When some fathers cal it a figure or signe, they meane the outward formes of bread and wine.
28. Bloud of the new Testament.) As the old Testament was dedicated with bloud in these words: This is the bloud of the Testament &c. Heb. 9. so here is the institution of the new Testament in Christs bloud, by these wordes: This is the bloud of the new Testament &c. Which is here mystically shed, and not only afterward upon the Crosse: εκχυννομενον.
κλωμενον.
διδομενον.for the Greeke is the present tense in al the Evangelistes, and S. Paul: and likewise speaking of the body 1 Cor. 11. it is in the Greeke the present tense, and Luc. 22. and there also in the Latin. And the Heretikes them selves so put it in their translations.
The elements after consecration called bread & wine.29. Fruit of the vine.) S. Luke putteth these words before he come to the consecration, whereby it seemeth that he speaketh of the wine of the Paschal lamb; and therfore nameth it, the fruit of the vine. But if he speake of the wine which was now his bloud, he nameth it notwithstanding wine, as S. Paul nameth the other bread, for three causes: First because it was so before: Gen. 2.as Eve is called Adams bone, and, Exo. 7.Aarons rod devoured their rods. Wheras they were not now rods, but serpents. Io. 2.And: He tasted the water turned into wine. Whereas it was now wine and not water; and such like. Secondly, because it keepeth the formes of bread and wine, and things are called as they appeare, as when Raphael is called a yong man Tob. 5. and, Three men appeared to Abraham Gen. 18. Whereas they were three Angels. Thirdly, because Christ in this Sacrament is very true and principal bread and wine, feeding and refreshing us in body and soule to everlasting life.
39. Not as I wil.) A perfect example of obedience and submitting our self and our willes to Gods wil and ordinance in al adversity; and that we should desire nothing temporal, but under the condition of his holy pleasure and appointment.
Vigils and Nocturnes.41. Watch and pray.) Hereof came Vigils and Nocturnes, that is, watching and praying in the night, commonly vsed in the Primitive Church of al Christians, as is plaine by De Orat. Do. nu. 15.S. Cyprian and Adv. Vigilant. ep. 53.* S. Hierom; but afterward and until this day, specially of Religious Persons.
The vertue of the holy Ghost.69. Wench.) S. Gregorie declaring the difference of the Apostles before the receaving of the Holy Ghost and after, saith thus: Even this very Pastour of the Church himself, at whose most sacred body we sit, how weake he was, the wench can tell you, but how strong he was after, his answer to the high Priest declareth, Act. 5. 29. We must obey God rather then men. Greg. ho. 20 Jo. Evang.
