Christian Questions and Answers Part 2, Catechism · Question 231 – Question 232
230. Queſtion.
Howe therefore doeſt thou thinke this place of Paule ſhoulde bee expounded?
Anſweare.
Firſt of all they are to be confuted, who take the Greeke word foreign wc ſignifieth common for diſtribution, which the matter it ſelfe cryeth out too be moſt abſurd, foraſmuch as bread and wine are ſubſtances, but diſtribution is an action: and Paule himſelfe expounding that, vſeth a woorde that ſignifieth to participat, and the ſcope it ſelfe of the Apoſtle requireth that it declare a communion and not a diſtribution. Moreouer it is woonder that they who allowe no trope in the matter of the Sacramēt, that they can in this place interpret the cōmunicating of the body for the bodie communicated or diſtributed: that is, cā confound the action wt the effect. For neither in good ſooth doe they this well, becauſe they referre this diſtribution to the word of breaking as though Paule had written, the bread which we diſtribute is the body cōmunicated. For the word of breking ought to be taken properly in this action as wee hauehave ſhewed before, and it appeareth by the word he gaue, which is added to the woorde hee brake, in the narration of the Euangeliſt.
Queſtion.
What therefore thinkeſt thou foreign to be called?
Anſweare.
Commmunion and felowſhip which is the true ſignification of his word, & it differeth ſomwhat frō foreign as Chryſoſt. noteth, although Paule vſeth the verbe foreign and foreign indifferently one for the other. Such as the Communion is therefore, that is to ſay, the naturall ſocietie of all men in the common nature of fleſh & blood, as between themſelues & with Chriſt himſelfe: ſuch is the communion by the goodneſſe of God betwixt al the faithful & Chriſt, into whom they are engraffed and incorporated.
Queſtion.
But by what maner of ſpeach may that breade bee ſaid to be that ſame felowſhip and communion.
Anſweare.
With the Logitians it is called a cauſall affirmation, whereby the proper effect is attributed to the proper cauſe, whether it bee materiall or efficient: wc manner or faſhion is to be referred to the fourth maner of affirming by it ſelfe, as they ſpeake in the ſchooles. Now a figuratiue ſpeach is when the effect is put for the cauſe, or elſe forſooth for the very efficient cauſe: as for example, when Chriſt is called the reſurrection & the life, for the rayſer and giuer of life: or the cauſe of reſurrection & life: or for the materiall cauſe, as when Paule ſayeth, You are my glory or reioycing, ye is to ſay the matter of my glory or reioycing; or for the inſtrumental wc alſo is it ſelf, efficient, foreign that is to ſay, being as it were an vnderunder ſeruer, as when the Goſpel is ſaid to be the power of God to ſaluation, that is to ſay, the inſtrument that God vſeth effectually too ſaue vsus. So alſo in this place that ſame Breade and that ſame wine are ſayde to be that communion, that is to ſay, the inſtrumentes whereby that ſame conſociation and felowſhip of ours is wrought and ratified in vsus. Now this ſame inſtrument is ſacramentall or rather ſymbolicall and not the verye efficient cauſe, which is the holy Ghoſt. Therefore as that ſame figuratiue propoſition of Chriſte, This bread is my body is expoūded by this, This bread is ſacramental my bodie: ſo alſo this ſaying of Paul, This bread is the communication of my bodie, is to be expounded by this proper. This bread is the Sacramental inſtrument of our conſociation and felowſhip with the bodie of Chriſt. For there the figure is onelyonly in the Copulatiue, that knitteth the matter together, to wit, a Sacramental Metonymie or tranſlation: but heere alſo in the attribute is a figure which they call Metalepſis, too witte, putting the effecte for the cauſe.
231. Queſtion.
But canſt thou beſides bring forth any other argumentes?
Anſweare.
Yea that can I. And firſt of all that ſame from the eſſentiall and conſtituting fourme of all the Sacramentes, which is in ſumm, that they may conſiſt of the ſigne and the thing ſignified, or as Irenaeus ſpeaketh, of an earthly and heauenly thing. But nowe neyther can that that is ſignified be ſpoken of the ſigne, nor the ſigne of the thing ſignified but by the figure of Metonymie: and therefore the propoſitions of the firſt kinde are declared by the verbe [ſignifieth] (vnderſtand of the ſacramental ſignification to which alſo the giuing or miniſtration is alwayes adioyned) but the latter by the Verbe Paſſiue: as this breade is my bodye, that is, This breade ſacramentally ſignifieth my bodie: my bodie is this breade: that is, my bodie ſacramentally is ſignified by this bread. Now that this is the eſſentiall fourme of all ſacramēts it appeareth by the verie name of ſacramentes, as witneſſeth Auguſtine in theſe woordes, in his. 5. Epiſtle: It were ouerlong (ſaith hee) to diſpute of the varietie of ſignes which when they belong to holy thinges are called ſacraments. It appeareth alſo by this that that is common to all ſacraments.
As in the tree of life, in that it is a ſacrament, there is conſidered the outward thing and the ſigne, the viſible plant the ſpiritual & heauenly thing Ieſus Chriſt, life: In the tree of the knowledge both of good and euell, a naturall plant alſo, and the experience of good and euill: in Circumciſion, the cutting off the foreſkinne, and the taking away of ſinne, the imputation of righteouſnes and regeneration: in the paſſeouer the Lambe and Chriſt: in the rock of the deſert, the rocke and Chriſt pouring out bloode: in the Baptiſme of the cloude, the cloudes and the ſea and the blood of Chriſt: in Manna, breade giuen by miracle, and the fleſh of Chriſt: In the Sabboth the ſeauenth day with ceaſing from woorke and the mortification of the fleſh and euerlaſting life: In the Sacrifices the offering ſlayne, and the oblation of Chriſt made by himſelfe in the Sanctuarie, the entrance intoo into the Temple and heauen in the Tabernacle, the woorke made with hand and the bodie of Chriſt: in the Cherub in the Images ouer the Arke, and the Angelles: in the propitiatory or merciemercy ſeate, the gilded couering, and Ieſus Chriſt. So in the appearing of the doue, the doue and the holy Ghoſt: in baptiſme, water with waſhing, and the blood of Chriſt waſhing vsus: in the fierie tongues, the naturall fire and the holy Ghoſt. Finally euen ſo in the Supper of the Lorde, breade and wine, the ſignes, and the body and bloode our Lorde the thinges Sacramentally ſignified.
Queſtion.
But manie of theſe are rather types then Sacramentes.
Anſweare.
Admitte it be ſo, yet this notwithſtanding is the fourme of all ſymbolicall ſpeeches concerning God. Therefore in the verie writings of the Apoſtles they are called, Signes, Seales, Types, Figures, parables, ſhapes & reſemblances. And of the Fathers alſo, beſides that they are called figures, they are called myſteries, types, ſignifications, ſimilitudes, darke ſpeeches, and myſticall Symbolles, and by ſuche like names.
Queſtion.
What doeſt thou therefore conclude of all theſe?
Anſweare.
That neyther the thing ſignified can be ſayde of the ſigne, nor the ſigne of the thing ſignified, otherwyſe then by tranſlation, and that, that is ſo vſuall in the ſcriptures, as that they neuer in a maner ſpeake otherwiſe.