Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

What manner therefore of predication is it?

Not proper and regular: for that proposition is not identicall (wherin the same thing is said of it selfe, as, This is bread, of bread, This is a bodie, of a bodie) seeing that breade and the bodie of Christ doe differ in kinde: neither is the speciall spoken of the singular, nor the generall, the difference, the proper, or the acci∣dent, of the speciall, as Peter is a man, a man is a liuing creature, apt to be taught, white: but an vnlike thing of an vnlike, the thing signified, of the signe, yet notwithstanding propor∣tionally, as the manner of relatiues doth require: for things se∣uered, or vnlike, if there bee an Analogie or signification, may so be conioyned, that they may make a proposition, but figura∣tiuely, as I am the vine, Iohn. 15.1. and the field is the word. 13. Mat. 38.

Therefore this predication is figuratiue, and that not simplie Metaphoricall, or allegoricall, (like as, the flesh and bloud of Christ are called the meat and drinke of the faithfull) but Meto∣nimicall. For, most rightly it is called a Metonimie not of the continent for the conteined, but of that manner, whereby the name of the thing signified, is giuen to the signe. As in this proposition, The bread is the bodie of Christ, the name of the thing signified, which is the bodie of Christ, is giuen to the signe, namely bread. Therefore it is a metonimicall speaking, verie fa∣miliar in the scriptures: asa 1.1 the seauen kine are seuen yeares. Iohn is Eliasb 1.2, that is to say figuratiuely (for the predication of a sin∣gular concerning a singular, is not true, but figuratiuely:) Herod is a Foxec 1.3, that is to say, Metaphorically. Christ is the wayd 1.4, The dooree 1.5, breadf 1.6, The rock is Christg 1.7 So the bread of the Eucharist is the bodie of Christ, figuratiuely, metonimycally, and Sacra∣mentally.

For the bodie of Christ cannot bee called breade, regu∣larly, and properly, when as the bodie of Christ is neither the

Genus nor the species, nor the differentia, nor the proprium, nor the Accident of bread. Whereby it commeth to passe that the predication of the bodie of Christ concerning the bread Eucharisticall, is figuratiue, seeing that, euery predication is, either proper, or figuratiue, for a third time of predication there is none.

For it is a foolish thing to say that Sacramentall predications are vnusuall, whereof there is so frequent vse in the Scrip∣tures.

And truely this figuratiue predication is, not in euery word seuerally, and considered in it selfe: but in the whole attribution: for bread is bread properly: and the bodie not allegoricall, not tropicall, not figuratiue, much lesse a spirit, or vision: also not a mysticall bodie, which is the Church, or a signe of the bodie: it signifieth not the merit of Christ; but the proper body of Christ: for the true body of the Lord is altogether spo∣ken of the true bread, I say, it is in the whole attribution, because the copula or word est is, doth ioyne together two things vnlike: which wee may resolue thus, Bread is the signe or seale of the bo∣die of Christ.

But againe, it is to bee noted, that it is not onely a figura∣tiue, Metonimicall, or significatiue speech, as this is, The field is the world, that is, signifieth the word, and other like in parables (because so it should more faintly expresse the nature of that mysterie) but Sacramental: because therwithal the exhibi∣tion of the thing sealed is promised, as in this proposition; Rods boūd together, are the Romane Empire, that is, they do not barely nor simply onely signifie the Iurisdiction of the Romane Em∣pire, but they doe certainely testifie that the Empire together with the signes is transferred to him to whom the rods are law∣fully deliuered. So, that which is promised by worde, and is signified by signes, is truely also giuen of GOD, but to be ta∣ken by saith.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Gen. 41.26
• b 1.2

  Math. 11.14
• c 1.3

  Luk. 11.32.
• d 1.4

  Iohn, 14.6
• e 1.5

  Iohn. 10.7
• f 1.6

  Iohn. 6.53
• g 1.7

  Ier, 10.4