(1.) Sacraments ought to have a certain SIMILITUDE of those things, whereof they are sacraments. Let us, therefore, say: that the officiating priest bears a SIMILITUDE to Christ, AS the bread and wine bear a SIMILITUDE to the body and blood of Christ. [20d]
(2.) After a certain mode, the sacrament of the body of Christ is Christ’s body. For, unless sacraments had a certain SIMILITUDE of those things whereof they are sacraments, they would not be sacraments at all: but, FROM THIS VERY SIMILITUDE, THEY COMMONLY RECEIVE THE NAMES OF THE THINGS THEMSELVES. [21a]
16. Walafrid Strabo lived in the ninth century.
Christ, in the Supper, which, before his betrayal, he had celebrated with his disciples after the solemnisation of the ancient Passover, delivered to the same disciples the sacraments of his body and blood IN THE SUBSTANCE OF BREAD AND WINE:—and taught them; that they ought to pass, from things CARNAL to things SPIRITUAL, from things EARTHLY to things HEAVENLY, from IMAGES to TRUTH. [21b]
17. Rabanus Maurus, Archbishop of Mentz, lived in the ninth century.
Lately, indeed, SOME INDIVIDUALS, not thinking rightly concerning the sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord, have said: that That very body and blood of the Lord, which was born from the Virgin Mary, in which the Lord himself suffered on the cross, and in the which he rose again from the sepulchre, is the same as that which is received from the altar. In opposition to which error as far as lay in our power, writing to the Abbot Egilus, WE PROPOUNDED WHAT OUGHT TRULY TO BE BELIEVED CONCERNING THE BODY ITSELF. [21c]
18. Bertram of Corby lived in the ninth century.
Let us now consider the question: Whether the identical body, which was born from Mary and suffered and died and was buried, and which now sits at the right hand of the Father, is that, which in the Church is daily received by the mouth of the faithful through the mystery of the sacraments.—
According to the substance of the creatures, WHAT THEY WERE BEFORE CONSECRATION, THAT ALSO THEY ARE AFTER IT.—
Spiritual flesh which is received by the mouth of the faithful, and spiritual blood which is daily given to be drunk by the faithful, DIFFER from the flesh which was crucified and from the blood which was shed by the knee of the soldier.