Question 79

Why then doth Christ call breade his bodie, and the cup his bloud, or the new Testament in his bloud; and Paul also calleth bread and wine, the Communion of the bodie and bloude of Christ?

Christ not without great consideration speaketh so: to wit, not onely for to teach vs, that as the bread and wine sustaine the life of the body; so also his crucified body and bloudshed are indeed the meat & drinke of our soul, whereby it is nourished to eternall life: but much more, that by this visible signe and pledge he may assure vs, that wee are as verily partakers of his bodie and bloud, through the working of the holy ghost, as wee doe^a perceiue by the mouth of our bodie these holie signes in remembraunce of him: and further also, that his suffering and obedience is so certainely ours, as though we our selues had suffered punishments for our sinnes, and had satisfied God.^b