flesh and bloud of Christ, nor we do not likewise esteme these two kindes as we did be∣fore [ 3] the consecration, for we must faythfully confesse before the consecration to be bread and wine that nature formed, and after consecration, the flesh and bloud of Christ, which the benediction hath consecrate.
Thus sayth S. Augustine as he is alleadged out of the booke, which in deede I haue not, but he hath the like sence in other places, and for honoring of the inuisible heauenly thinges there, which declare the side and re∣all presence, S. Augustine hath the like in his booke
De Cat••chisandis rudibus, and in the 98. psalme, where he speaketh of adoration. This may be notable to the reader, how this author concludeth himselfe in the fayth of the reall presence of Christes body, by his owne collection of S. Augustine mynd, which is as he confesseth in his owne wordes, noting S. Augustine, that as the person of Christ consisteth of two natures, so
[ 4] the Sacrament consisteth of to natures, of the elements of bread and wine, and of the body and bloud of Christ, and therfore both these natures do remayne in the Sacrament. These be this authors owne wordes, who trauayling to confound Transubstantiation, confoundeth euidently himselfe by his owne wordes touching the reall present. For he sayth the nature of the body and bloud of Christ must remayne in the sacrament, and as truely as the natures of the manhod and Godhead were in Christ, for therupon he ar∣gueth. And now let this author choose whether he will say any of the natures, the man∣hode or the godhead were but figuratiuely in Christ, which and he do, then may be the better say for the agrement of his doctrine. The nature of the body and bloud of Christ is but figuratiuely in the Sacrament. And if he say (as he must nedes say) that the two
[ 5] natures be in Christes person really, naturally, substantially, then must he graunt by his owne collection the truth of the being of the nature of the body and bloud of Christ to be likewise in the Sacrament, and therby call backe all that he hath written agaynst the real presence of Christes body in the sacrament, and abandon his deuise of a presence by significatiō, which is in truth a playne absēce as himselfe also speaketh openly, which open speach can not stand, and is improued by this open speach of his owne.
Likewise where he sayth the nature of the body and bloud of Christ remayne in the Sacrament, the word (remayne) being of such signification, as it betokeneth not onely to be there, but to tary there, and so there is declared the sacrifice of the church, which mistery of sacrifice is perfited before the perception, and so it must be euident how the [ 7] body of Christ is there, that is to say, on the alter before we receaue it, to which aulter S. Augustine sayth, we come to receaue it. There was neuer man ouerturned his own [ 6] assertions more euidently, then this author doth herein this place, the like wherof I haue obserued in other that haue written agaynst this Sacrament, who haue by he way sayd somewhat for it, or they haue brought their treatise to an end.
It will be sayd here, how soeuer this author doth ouerthrow him selfe in the reall presence of Christes very body, yet he hath pulled downe Transubstantiation, and done [ 8] as crafty wrastlers do, falling themselues on theire backe, to throw there fellowe ouer them. But it is not like, for as long as the true fayth of the reall presence standeth, so longe Transubstantiation standeth, not by authority of determination, but by a necessa∣ry consequence of the truth, as I sayd before, and as Zuinglius defendeth playnly, and as for these places of S. Augustine may be answered vnto, for they speake of the visible nature and element, which remayne truely in the propriety of their nature, for so much as remayneth, so as there is true reall and bodily matter of the accidents of bread and wine, not in fantasy or imagination, wherby there should be illution in the sences, but so in deede as the experience doth shew, and the change of substance of the creatures in∣to a better substance, should not impayre the truth of that remayneth, but that remay∣neth, doth in deede remayne, with the same naturall effects by miracle that it had when the substance was there which is one maruaile in this mistery, as there were diuerse more in Manna the figure of it. And then a miracle in gods working doth not empayre the truth of the worke. And therfore I noted before, how S. Thomas did touch Christ after his resurrection truely, and yet it was by miracle, as S. Gregory writeth. And further we may say, touching the comparison, that when a resemblaunce is made of the [ 9] Sacrament to Christes person, or contrariwise of Christes person to declare the Sacra∣ment we may not presse all partes of the resemblance, with a through equality in con∣sideration