offred bread and wyne in figure of Christ and did dedicate the mistery of Christians consisting in the body and blood of our saviour Thus sayth S. Hierome who reacheth also the same expressely in his epistle to Euagrius confirming it with the testimony and autority of Hipolitus the ancient martyr Ireneus Eusebius Caesariensis Eusebius Emissenus Apollinarius and Eustathius Byshops of Antioch Theodoret â—â— declareth euidently that Melchisedech brought fourth bread and wyne both to God for sacrifice and also to Abraham for that he fore saw in Abrahams seede that is to say in Christ a true paterne or example of his priesthood and furder he sayth that Christ fulfilling the figure began to exercise the function of the priesthood of Melchisedech in his last supper and if I should alleadge all the places of the Fathers that confirme the same I should be too taedious and therfore I 〈◊〉 those that desyre to see more to these that follow vz. Eusebius S. Ambrose S. Hierome S. Aug. S. Chrisostome Primasius S. Athanasius Photius Oecumenius S. Iohn Damascen Arnobius and Cassiodorus and to the most of those that haue written vpon the 109 Psalme THAT OVR SAVIOVR Christ instituted and offred at his last super the sacrifice of his blessed body and blood proued by his owne woords by the expositions of the Fathers with a declaration how he is sacrificed in the masse and lastly that he gave commission and power to his disciples to offer his body and blood in sacrifice that is to say to say masse CHAP. XVI IT appeareth by the premisses that the sacrifice of the Churche that is to say the masse was prophesied and foretold by the Prophet Malachias and prefigured not only by the sacrifice of Melchisedech coÌ„sisting in bread and wyne but also by all the sacrifices of the old law yea that our sauiour at his last super did exercise his Priestly function according to the order of Melchisedech in instituting and offering the same when he sacrifised his blessed body and blood in formes of bread and wyne which I wil confirme in this chapter by the words of our sauiour himselfe which he vsed in the institution and oblation therof saying this is my body which is geuen for you and this is my blood which is or shal be shed for you c. Wherein it is to be noted that not only the liturgies of the Apostles and of saynt Basil saynt Chrisostome saynt Ambrose which last is stil vsed in Milan euer since S. Ambrose his tyme but also saynt Paule and all the 3. euangelists that report the words of our sauiour doe as wel in the Greeke text as in the Siriac Caldie speak all in the present teÌ„se saying datur fraÌ„gitur traditur fuÌ„ditur pro vâ—bis in remissioneÌ„ peccatoruÌ„ that is to say is geueÌ„ broken deliuered shed for you and for the remission of sinnes signifiing that the same was then presently doone in that vnbloody sacrifice not that it should be doÌ„ne only afterwards in the sacrifice vpon the crosse though if wee haue also respect therto yea and to the sacrifice of the masse dayly to be offred in the Churche it might truly be spoken in the future tense as our Latin translation of saynt Luke hath of the chalice effundetur it shal be shed though before speaking of the body it hath datur it is geuen where it is also further to be noted that in the Greeke text of saynt Luke this woord effunditur or or rather effusum est is shed hath playne relation to the blood in the chalice and not to the blood that was to be shed on the crosse for that the woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sinifieth effusum is spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the cup therfore the text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say this is the cup the new testament in my blood which cup is shed for you wherby the figure of metonomia the cup is vsed for the blood in the cup wherto S. Augustin alludeth speaking of the effusion of our sauiours blood vpon the altar the body of our Lord saith he is offred vpon the altar and therefore the innocents that were killed do woorthely demand reuenge of their blood vnder the altar vbi sanguis Christi effunditur pro peccatoribus where the blood of Christ is shed for sinners The lyke may also be noted of our sauiours woords concerning his body as S. Paule reporteth them in the Greek in which tongue he wrote where in steede of this is my body which shal be geuen for you as we haue it in the Latin we read this is my body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is broken for you which saynt Chrisostome expounding of our sauiours body in the Sacrament sayth he is broken for all a lyke and is made a body for all a lyke and furder declareth playnly in an other place that this cannot be vnderstood of his body on the crosse for expounding these woords of S. Paule in the chapter beforeâ— vz. panis quem fâ—anginius the bread which wee breakâ— he sayth this wee may see fulfilled in the eucharist not on the crosse but the contrary for it was said a bone of him shal not bee broken but that which he suffred not vpon the crosse he suffreth for thee in the oblation and is content to be broken that he may fil all men Thus farre saynt Chrisostome who is not so grosly to be vnderstood as though he should meane that our sauiours bones which were not broken on the crosse are broken in the eucharist with the hurt and greefe of his person but that his exceeding bounty towards man is such that he is content not only to take vpon him a sacramental forme of bread but also to be handled broken and eaten to the end he may be distributed made meate to feede and fil all men yet so neuertheles that though it may be said as S. Chrisostome sayth that he suffreth fraction or breaking in the Sacrament when it is broken by reason of his real true presence therein yet he suffreth it without hurt or diuision of his person by reason of his impassibilitie and omnipotency being whole perfect in euery part therof though it be deuided and broken into neuer so many This is the meaning of this learned Father who notably confirmeth therby our doctrin not only concerning the verity of Christs body in the sacrament but also concerning our sauiours sacrifice therof at his last super seeing his exposition of our sauiours woords admitteth no relation to his sacrifice vpon the crosse whervpon it followeth that his body which as he sayd him selfe was geuen broken for his Disciples and his blood which he sayd was shed for many aud for remission of sinnes was then presently geuen and shed by him that is to say offred by him in sacrifice This
eucharist whereof I haue spoken already but also before when he promised it for that wheÌ„ soeuer he spoke therof he represented the same to the vnderstanding of the hearers as a body sacrificed dead not speaking of his whole person or of himselfe as liuing but of his flesh of his body of his blood as my flesh is truly meate and my blood is truly drink and the bread which I will geue is my flesh this is my body this is my blood or if he spoke of himselfe or of his person it was with an addition to shew that he was to be eaten as when he sayd he which eateth me liueth for me which kynd of speech made some of his disciples forsake him sayâ—ng it was durus sermo ae hard speeche conceauing therby that they were to eate him dead as other flesh bought in the shambles wheras he spoke in that manner to signify that he shuld be sacrificed before he should be eateÌ„ and therefore he euer spoke of himselfe as already killed and dead for that no creature whyles he is liuing is in case to be eaten as S. Gregory Nissen doth note very wel in the place before alledged in which respect Paschasius also sayth that our Lord is killed to the end wee may eate him and Isichius that Christ killed himselfe when he supped with his disciples not because he is truly killed or doth truly dy but because he dyeth mistically that is to say for that his death is mistically and truly represented by the separation of his blood from his body vnder seueral and dyuers formes of bread and wyne for although by reason of his immortality and impassibilytie he cannot dy neyther yet be so deuided but that he remayneth whole vnder both kynds yet for as much as the forme of wyne rather representeth his blood then his body and the forme of bread rather his body theÌ„ his blood according to the very woords of our sauiour saying of the one kynd this is my body and of the other this is my blood it followeth I say that by reason of this separation wrought by the force of the woordes of consecration he is exhibited in the Sacrament as dead and so dyeth in mistery as wel to represent his death vpon the crosse as also to offer himselfe in sacrifice to his father for the which it is not of necessity that he truly and realy dy but it suffiseth that he dy in some sort that is to say mistically for although all liuing creatures that are sacrificed are offred to God with the losse of their lyues and so are made true sacrifices yet in such other creatures as are not subiect to death it sufficeth that they be offred to almighty God and receiue withall some notable mutation or change to make the action to be sacrifical and different from a simple oblation for when any thing is offred to God and remayneth stil in his owne kynd forme and nature it is called an oblation so the first fruits the tythes the first begotten or borne of liuing creatures yea and religious persons as leuits and others in the old law were only offred to God for that they were no way changed wheras al things sacrifysed were eyther wholy destroyed or consumed by swoord or fyre or els at least receiued by the actioÌ„ of the priest some notable mutation Therfore seeing our sauiour being now eternal immortal and impassible is not subiect to death nor to any destruction or mutation by losse of his lyfe it sufficeth to make him a true sacrifice that he be offred to God with such mutation or change as may stand with his present state and condition as wee see he is offred in this sacrifice wherein the selfe same body that was borne of the blessed virgin Mary and is now in heauen glorified with the proper forme and lineaments of a natural body is by the omnipotency of our sauiours woords pronounced by the priest represented vpon the altar as dead and in formes of bread and wyne his body to be handled broken eaten and his blood to be dronke or shed as the body or blood of any other liuing creature that is killed in sacrifice wherby he is also in some sort coÌ„sumed for that his body being eaten and his blood dronke he looseth the forme and peculiar maÌ„ner of beeing that he hath in the sacrament which beeing deuynes caul Sacramental in respect of all which admirable mutations S. Augustin doth notably and truly apply to our sauiour in this sacrifice the history of King Dauid when he changed his countenance as the scripture sayth before Abimelech or king Achis for they are both one which he sayth was verifyed in our sauiour Christ when he changed his countenance in the priesthood and sacrifice of Melchisedech geuing his body and blood to be eaten and dronk There was sayth he a sacrifice of the Iewes in beasts according to the order of Aaron and that in mistery and there was not then the sacrifice of the body and blood of our Lord which the faythful know and is dispersed throughout the world and a litle after shewing how Melchisedech brought forth bread and wyne when he blessed Abraham he teacheth that it was a figure of this sacrifice then prosecuting the history how Dauid being taken for a mad man went from Abimelech which signifieth regnum Patris that is to say as he expoundeth it the people of the Iewes he applyeth also the same to our Sauiour saying that wheÌ„ he told the Iewes that his flesh was meat his blood drinke they took him for a mad man and abandoned him wherevpon he also forsook them changing his countenance in the sacrifice of Melchisedech that is to say leauing all the sacrifices of the order of AaroÌ„ and as it were disguysing him-selfe vnder the formes of bread and wyne which was the sacrifice of Melchisedech he passed from the Iewes to the Gentils This is the effect of S. Augustinus discours in that place concerning the mutation or change incident to our Sauiours person in the sacrament of the Eucharist and requisit to the sacrifice whereof I treat wherby it hath the nature of a true sacrifice as I haue declared before which being considered with the circumstances of our sauiours owne woords as wel in the promise as in the institution thereof all signifying that his flesh his body aud his blood was to be eaten dronk as of a creature killed in sacrifice yea that the same was then presently geuen or offred by him to his Father for his disciples who represented the whole Churche and for remission of sinnes besyds his manifest allusion to the promulgation of the old Testament dedicated with the blood of a present sacrifice and lastly the consent of the learned Fathers of the Churche confirming our Gatholyke doctrin in this behalfe no reasonable man can dout but that our Sauiour at his last super did ordeyn the Sacrament
is it not a communication of the blood of our Lord the bread which wee breake is it not a participation of our Lords body and after more playnly those things which the gentils do sacrifice they sacrifice to deuils and not to God I wold not haue yow to be partakers with deuils yow cannot drinke the cup of our Lord and the cup of deuils yow can not be partakers of the table of our Lord and the table of deuils c. Thus farre the Apostle who as yow see euidently compareth or rather opposeth cup to cup table to table Altar to Altar sacrifice to sacrifice and therfore saynt Ambrose vnderstandeth in this place the table of our Lord to be the Altar faying he which is partaker of the table of Deuils mensae Domini id est altari obstrepit doth oppose himselfe against the table of our Lord that is to say the Altar and saynt â—ilary expoundeth it to be mensam sacrifictorum the table of sacrifices Also S. Chrisostome vpon these woords Calix beuedictionis the cup of blessing and the rest that followeth in the text sayth in the person of Christ if thou desyre blood sayth be do not sprinkle the Altar of Idols with the blood of brute beasts but my altar with my blood S. Augustin in lyke sort interpreteth this place of the sacrifice of the Churche saying that S. Paul teacheth the Corinthians ad qoud sacrificuÌ„ debeant pertimere to what sacrifice they ought to belong and Haymo who wrote about 800. yeres agoe sayth that calix benedictionis the cup of blessing which S. Paule speaketh of is that cup which is blessed a sacerdoâ—ibus in Altars of priests in the Altar so that if wee consider the circumstances of S. Paules woords with the interpretation of these learned Fathers it can not be denyed but that he and the other Apostles in the ceremony of breaking bread did not only administer the Sacrament of the eucharist to the people as our aduersaries would haue it but also offer sacrifice Which may sufficiently be coÌ„firmed as wel by the liturgy or masse of S. Iames the Apostle yet extant agreeing with ours for as much as concerneth the substance of the sacrifice as also by a constitution of the Apostles mentioned by S. Clement saynt Peters disciple wherein they decreed that nothing should be offred super Altare vpon the Altar more then our Lord had commaunded and speaking furder in the same decree of the sunday he signifyeth that they exercysed that day 3. seueral acts of religion that is to say euangelij praedictionemâ— oblationem sacrificij sacricibs dispensationem the preaching of the gospel oblation of sacrifice and the distribution of the holy meate that is to say the holy eucharist wherby it is euident that the publyke ministery of the Apostles consisted not only in preaching and ministring the Sacrament of the eucharist but also in oblation of sacrifice here to I may ad the testimony of saynt Andrew the Apostle Who being vrged by Egeas the proconsul to sacrifice to the fals God answered that he sacrificed dayly and distributed to the people the flesh of the immaculat lambe as witnesseth the Epistle of the churches of Achaia declaring the story of his passion besyds that Epiphanius a most auncient Father of the Churche doth testify that all the Apostles did sacrifice who writing against the sect of heretykes called Colliridians and reprehending them woorthely for hauing certayne women priests that offred sacrifice to our lady which could not be offred to any but to God alone sayth it was neuer heard of since the world beganne that any woman did sacrifice neither our first mother Eua nor any of the holy women in the old Testament no nor the virgin Mary her selfe nor the 4. daughters of Philip the deacon though they were prophetesses and then hauing named Zacharias father to saynt Iohn for one that offred sacrifice in the old law he addeth that all the 12. Apostles whome he nameth particulerly did sacrifice whereof it were a sufficient argument though there were no other that those Fathers who partly liued with them and receiued of them the Christian fayth and partly succeeded them immediatly do signify not only the vse of the sacrifice in the Churche in theyr tyme but also their constant and most reuerend opinion thereof as it may appeare sufficiently by that which I haue already aleadged out of S. Clement S. Denis S. Martial S. Iustin and S. Ireneus all which do vniformely teach that Christ deliuered this sacrifice to his Apostles and the last of them to wit S. Ireneus scholer to S. Policarp who was scholer to S. Iohn the Euangelist sayth that the Churche receining it of the Apostels did offer it throughout the world in his tyme which as I haue sayd before was in the tyme of K. Lucius and therfore I shal not neede to enlarge my selfe furder in this matter to produce the testimonies of the later fathers partly because I haue already accomplished my principal intention in this treatyse which is to proue that king Lucius could receaue from the Churche of Rome no other but our Gatholyke Roman fayth as wel in this poynt of the sacrifice of the Masse as in all other which wee professe and partly because in handling and explicating the prophecies and figures of the old testament and the actions and woords of our Sauiour and of his Apostles concerning the institution vse and practyse of this sacrifice I haue already aleadged so many playne and euident testimonies of the fathers that it is needles to aleadge any more Seeing it is most manyfest therby that all those of the first 500. yeares both taught our doctrin in this poynt and vnderstood the scriptures concerning the same as wee doe and that they speake not of this sacrifice as our aduersaries wil needs vnderstand them as of an improper sacrifice but in such sort that they euidently shew their opinions of the propriety verity and excellent dignity therof and therfore in S. Denis scholer to S. Paule it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Budaeus translateth sacrificium sacrificiorum the sacrifice of sacrifices In S. Cyprian verum plenum sacrificium a tiue and ful sacrifice which he sayth the priest doth offer in the person of Christ to God the Father In S. Chrisostome sacrificium tremendum horror is plenum caleste summéque venerandum sacrificium a dreadful sacrifice ful of horror a heauenly most reuerend sacrifice In S. Augustin singulare summum verissimum sacrificium cui omnia falsa sacrificia cesserunt the singuler and the most highest and most true sacrifice wherto all the salse sacrifices of the gentils haue geuen place In Eusebius sacrificium Deo plenum a sacrifice ful of God In S. Iohn Damascen tremendum vitale sacrificium a dreadful sacrifice and geuing lyfe In Theodoretus sacrificationem agni deminies the sacrificing of the
lambe of God and in the first general councel of Nice held by aboue 300. Fathers situm in sacra mensa agnum illum Dei tollentem peccata mundi incruente a sacerdotibus in molatum the lambe of God placed vpon the holy table the which lambe taketh away the sumes of the world and is vnbloodily sacrificed by the priests wherto may iustly be added the doctrin of all the Fathers that this sacrifice is propitiatory for the liuing and for the dead grounded no dout vpon the woords of our sauiour himselfe in his first institution and oblation therof when he said to his Apostles representing the whole Church this is my body which is geuen pro vobis for you that is to say for remission of your sinnes and more playnly in oblation of the cup this is my blood which is shed pro vobis or as saynt Math. sayth pro multis in remissioneÌ„ peccatorum for you for many to the remission of sinnes for this cause saynt Iames the Apostle in his liturgy saith offermius â—â—bi wee offer to thee o Lord the vnbloody sacrifice for our sinnes and the ignorance of the people and saynt Martial the most ancient martyr who as I haue sayd liued with the Apostles affirmeth that by the remedy of this sacrifice lyfe is to be geuen vs death to be eschewed and S. Denis a foresaid cauleth it salutarem bostiam the host or sacrifice that geueth health or saluation S. Athanasius sayth that the oblation of the vnbloody host is propitiatio a propitiation or remission of sinnes Origin cauleth it the only commemoration which makes God mercyful to men S. Cyprian termeth it medicamentum holocaustum ad sanandas infirmitates purgandas iniquitates a medicin burnt sacrifice for the healing of infirmityes and the purging of sinnes S. Ambrose speaking of the Eucharist sayth that Christ offreth him selfe therin quasi sacerdos vt peccata nostra dimittat as a priest that he may forgeue our sinnes S. Augustin considering that all the sacrifices of the old law were figures of this sacrifice as he often affirmeth that amongst infinit others there were some that were called hostiae pro peccato sacrifices for remission of sinne By the sacrifices saith he that were offred for sinnes this one of ours is signified wherein is true remission of sinne and to ad somewhat more hereto concerning the custome of Gods Churche to offer this sacrifice also as propitiatory for the dead S. Iames the Apostle in his liturgy prayeth to almighty God that the sacrifice may be acceptable vnto him for remission of the peoples sinnes and for the repose of the soules of the dead also saynt Clement reacheth for a constitution of the Apostles to offer the holy Eucharist in Churches and Churchyards for the dead S. Chrisostome also often affirmeth it for a decree of the Apostles to offer sacrifice for the dead saying it was not rashly decreed by the Apostles that in the most dreadful mysteries there should be commemoration made of the dead for when the people clergy stand with their hands listed vp to heauen the reuerend sacrifice set vpon the Altar how is it possible that praying for them wee should not pacify the wrath of God towards them S. Gregory Nissen in lyke manner proueth the vtility and profit therof by the authority of the Disciples of Christ that taught deliuered the custome to the Churche as witneseth saynt Iohn Damascen who affirming it to be an Apostical tradition confirmeth the same with the testimonies of S. Athanasius and saynt Gregory Nissen Tertullian often maketh mention of oblations offred for the dead yerely in their anniuersaries aleadging it amongst dyuers other for an ancient custome and vnwritten tradition of the Churche S. Cyprian also mentioneth a constitution made before his tyme that for such as make Priests their executors or tutors to their Children no oblation or sacrifice should be offred after their death which statute he ordayned should be executed vpon one called victor that had offended against the same S. Cyril Byshop of Hierusalem hauing spoken of other parts of the sacrifice of the masse sayth then wee pray for all those that are dead beleeuing that their soules for whome the prayer of the dreadful sacrifice is offred receiue very great help therby S. Augustin sayth that according to the tradition of the ancient fathers the whole Church vseth to pray and offer the sacrifice of the blessed body and blood of Christ for those that are dead and that it is not to be douted but that they are helped thereby and in his book of confessions he signifieth that the sacrifice of our redemption that is to say the blessed body and blood of our Sauiour was offred for his mothers soule when shee was dead S. Gregory the great to declare the excellent effect of the sacrifice of the masse offred for the dead telleth of one that being taken prisoner in the warre and thought to be dead was deliuered on certayne dayes of the weeke of his chaynes and fetters which fel from him so oft as his wyfe caused the sacrifice of the masse to bee offred for his soule and of this S. Gregory taketh witnes of many of his auditors whome as he sayth he presumed did know the same The lyke also in euery respect recounteth venerable Bede our countryman in the story of England which he wrote about 800. yeares agoe of one Imma seruant to King Elbum which Imma being prisoner in the hands of his enemies and chayned could not be tyed so fast but that his chaynes fel of once a day at a certayne hower when his brother called Iunna an Abbot sayd masse for him thinking he had ben slayne and this sayth saynt Bede he thought good to put into his history for that he took it for most certayne hauing vnderstood it of credible persons that had heard the party tel it to whome yt happened To conclude this custome of offring the blessed sacrifice of the masse for the dead was inuyolably kept in the Churche of God euen from the Apostle tyme without contradition vntil Aerius an Arrian heretyke impugned the same all prayer for the dead about 360. yeres after Christ for the which he is put in the Catologue of heretykes by saynt Augustin S. Epiphanius as our aduersaryes deserue also to be for teaching and defending the same haeresy AN ANSVVERE TO THE obiections of our aduersaries out of S. Paules epistle to the Hebrewes with a declaration that the heretykes of this tyme who abolish the sacrifice of the Masse haue not the new Testament of Christ and that they are most pernitious enemies to humain kynd CHAP. XVIII BVT now our aduersaries against vs or rather against these expresse scriptures and Fathers obiect some texts and arguments of S. Paule to the Hebrewes by the which he conuinceth
is notably confirmed by an other circumstance that is to be considered in the woords of our Sauiour concerning the promulgatioÌ„ of his new law or manifestation of his new testament in the institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist for as the old testament was dedicated by the blood of a sacrifice not to come but then offred to God when it was promulgat with the which blood Moyses sprinkled the people saying this is the blood of the testament that God hath sent vnto you so the new Testament was also dedicated by the blood of a sacrifice not to be offred only after-wards vpon the crosse but then also presently offred by our sauiour who therefore alluded euidently to the dedication of the old law and to the very woords of Moyses saying this is my blood of the new Testament sanctifying his Churche farre more inwardly and effectually with the blood of his owne sacrifised body when he gaue it to his Apostoles to drink then Moyses sanctified the people of the Iewes when he sprinkled them exteriorly with the blood of a sacrificed beast and therfore saynt Ireneus calleth the Sacrament of the Eucharist nouam oblationem noui Testamentiâ— the new oblation of the new Testament and S. Augustin cauleth it Sacrificium noui Testamenti the sacrifice of the new Testament and in an other place defyneth it to be a ryte or ceremony commanded by almighty God in the manifestation of the new Testament pertayning to the wourship which is due to God alone and called latria quo sibi sacrificari precepit with which ryte or ceremony he commanded sacrifice to be donne to him self and S. Chrisostome expounding these woords of our sauiour in saynt Paul Hic calix nouum Testamentum est in sanguine meo this cup is the new Testament in my blood compareth euidently the cup of the old Testament with the cup of the new blood with blood and sacrifice with sacrifice saying the cup of the old Testament was certayne licors and the blood of brute beasts for after they had sacrificed in the old law they took the blood in a cup and offred it and therfore because Christ in steede of the blood of brute beasts introduced or brought in his owne blood hee renewed the memory of the old sacrifice c. Thus far S. Chrisostome of the woords of our sauiour and then prosecuting the interpretatioÌ„ of S. Pauls discours therevpon he addeth that Saynt Paule represented to the Corinthians our sauiours actioÌ„ at his super to the end they might be so affected as though they where sitting at the same table with him ab ipso Christâ— acâ—â—pientes hoe sacrificium and as though they receiued this sacrifice of Christ himselfe declaring euidently that the sacrifice where with our sauiour did dedicat his testament according to the figure in the old law was not only offred one the crosse but also at his super whereof the reason is euident for at his supper he was a publik person a maister of a family free and at his owne liberty to make and publish his lawes to assemble his friends and witnesses of his wil and those whome he meant to make his heyres his vicars and substituts all which he did whereas vpon the crosse he represented no publik person no maister of a family no law maker nor so much as a free man but seemed the most abiect and miserable man in the world forsaken of all men and therefore S. Paule teacheth not that he did make institut or publish his Testament vpon the crosse but that he confirmed it there by his death and that from thens forward it tooke effect as men ar wont before they dye to make their Testaments which when they are dead beginne to be of force And for the furder explication of this question it is to bee considered that although the sacrifice of the Crosse was a most absolute and perfect coÌ„summation of all sacrifices whatsoeuer and a ful redemption and satisfaction for the sinnes of the world yet neuerthelesse it cannot be sayd properly to haue distinguished the old testament from the new for that it was as I may tearme it a certayne common and transcendent good indifferent to both states and testaments whereto all sacrifices as wel of the law of nature and the law of Moyses had a relation as now also the sacrifice of the Churche hath in the law of grace yet with this difference as S. Augustin noteth that the sacrifice of the crosse was prefigured and promised to come by the many and sundry sacrifices of the old law and now is represented as past by our one and only sacrifice of the new law which sacrifice though it be the same that our sauiour offred at his last supper yet it hath a different respect to the sacrifice of the crosse for that ours representeth the same as already past and our sauiours sacrifice in his last supper going before the other vpon the crosse did not only represent the same to come but also was as it were a preamble thereto where in as venerable Bede our cuntryman sayth he began by passion for that as Rupertus affirmeth in angustia passionis agonizans being already in the Agony and anguish of his passion he offred himselfe with his owne hands to God his father and as Isichius testifieth preuenting his enemies first sacrifised himselfe in his mististical supper and after on the Crosse wherof S. Leo also sayth that he preuented his death by a voluntary oblation of himselfe in the Sacrament and S. Gregorius Nissenus explicating this matter diuinly sayth thus Remember sayth he the woords of our Lord to wit no man shal take my lyfe from me but I my selfe will geue it c. For he which doth geue al things of his owne power and authority doth not expect necessity by treason nor the violent fury of the Iewes nor the vniust iudgement of Pilat that their wickednes malice shuld be the beginning of our saluation but by a secret ineffable manner of sacrifice he doth preoccupat or preuent the violence of men by his owne disposition offring himselfe an oblation or sacrifice for vs being both the priest the lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the world But perhaps thou wilt say vnto me when chanced this euen then when he gaue to his familiar friends his body to be eaten his blood to be dronke for a man cannot eat the sheep but the slaughter must go before Therefore when he gaue his body to his disciples to be eaten he did playnly demonstrat and shew that the lamb was already immolated sacrificed for the body of the host whyles it is liuing is not fit to be eaten Thus farre this famous Graecian brother to saynt Basil whose doctrin coÌ„cerning the sacrifice of our sauiours body before it be eaten is most consonant to our sauiours owne woords not only when he instituted the holy
of the Eucharist to serue vs not only for a food and spiritual meate but also for a sacrifice offring the fame him-selfe first to his Father and then geuing commissioÌ„ and power to his Disciples to do that which he did to wit to offer and sacrifice the same saying hoc facite in nâ—eam commemorationeÌ„ that is to say do make or sacrifice this in remembrance of me for this woord facite as wel in the Syriac Hebrew and Greek as in the Laryn signifieth to sacrifice no lesse then to do or make as in Leuiticus faciet vnum pro peccate he shal sacrifice one of the turtle doues for remissioÌ„ of sinne and in the book of Kings faciam bovem alterum I wil sacrifice the other oxe the lyke may be seene in diuers other places of the holy scriptures where the Hebrew Greek woord which doth properly signify facere must needs be vnderstood to do sacrifice in which sence facâ—re is also vsed amongst the Latins as cum faciam vttulapro frugthus c. when I shal sacrifice a calfe for my corne c also in Plautus faciam tibâ— fideliam mulsiplenam I wil sacrifice vnto the a poâ—ful of sweete wyne and agayne in Cicero Iunoni omnes consules facere necesse est all the consuls must needs sacrifice to Iune But howsoeuer it is it litle importeth for the matter in questioÌ„ whether faecere do properly signify to sacrifice or no seing it is euident that all the doctors of the Churche do vnderstaÌ„d that Christ coÌ„maunding his Apostles to do that which he did commaunded them to sacrifice S. Denis who was conuerted by S. Paul at Athens declaring the practise of the Churche in his tyme fayth that the Bishop in the tyme of the holy mysteries excuseth himself to almighty God for that he is so bold to sacrifice the host that geueth health or saluation aleadging for his excuse our Sauiours commandment to wit hoc facite do this in my remembrance S. Clement in his Apostolical constitutions speaking to Priests in the name of the Apostles fayth suscitato Domino offerte saecrificium vestrum de quo vobis praecepit per nos hae facite in meam commemorationem on easter day when our Lord is risen offer your sacrifice as he commaunded yow by vs saying do this in my remembrance Martialis who also conuersed with the Apostles sayth that the Christians offred the body and blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ to lyfe euerlasting because he commaunded them to do it in remembrance of him Iustin the Philosopher and Martyr within 140. yeares after Christ sayth that God who receiueth sacrifice at the hands of none but of Priests did foretel by his Prophet that those sacrifices should be grateful to him which Iesus Christ commaunded to be offred in the Eucharist S. Cyprian sayth our Lord and God Iesus Christe is the cheefe Priest and offred first sacrifice to God the Father and commaunded that the same should be donne in his remembrance S. Chrysostome teaching that the sacrifice which is dayly offred in the Churche ys alwayes one and the self same sacrifice be it offred neuer so oft addeth that which we do is donne in remeÌ„brance of that which was donne by our Sauiour far he sayd do this in remembrance of me I omit for breuityes sake S. Augustin S. Ambrose Primasius Bishop of vtica S. Isidore Haymo and diuers others that testify in lyke manner that our Sauiour saying to his Apostles do this gaue them coÌ„mission and power to sacrifice and thus much for the institution of the masse by our Sauiour THAT THE APOSTLES practysed the commission geuen them by our Sauiours sacrificing or saying Masse them-selues and leauing the vse and practyse therof vnto the Churche and that the ancient Fathers not only in King Lucius tyme but also for the first 500. yeares after Christ teach it to be a true sacrifice and propitiatory for the liuing and for the dead CHAP. XVII NOW then to speake breefly of the practyse of the Apostles and of Gods Churche euer since It being manifest by that which I haue sayd already that our Sauiour himselfe did not only institute offer the sacrifice of his body and blood at his last super but also gaue commission and power to his disciples to do that which he did it cannot be douted but that they executed this power and commission and did not only consecrate and make the body of our sauiour as he did but also sacrificed the same Therefore whereas we read in the Acts of the Apostles that they vsed to assemble themselues together ad frangendum panem to break bread it is doutles to be vnderstood that they offred this sacrifice informe of bread according to the commission coÌ„maundmeÌ„t of our Sauiour that the same was the publike ministery wherein the scripture sayth they were occupied when they were commanded by the holy ghost to segregat Paul and Barnabas whereof it is sayd ministraÌ„tibus illis Domino ieiunantibus c. whyles they were ministring to our Lord and fasting c. which being in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signify the ministery of sacrifice in which sence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are taken in the scripture when they are vsed absolutely and spoken of any publyke and holy ministery wherof wee haue examples as wel in the epistieto the Hebrewes in dyuers places as also in the gospel of S. Luke author of the Acts of the Apostles who speaking of Zacharias the priest and of his ministery or office which was to offer sacrifice calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therfore Erasinus of whose iudgement in lyke cases our aduersaries are wont to make no smaâ—e account had great reason to translate the foresayd woords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. sacrificanâ—bus illu Domino c. as they were sacrifycing to our Lord c. and so coÌ„mon was this sence vnderstanding of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for sacrifice that the grecians haue no other proper woord for the sacrifice of the Masse Furdermore that the ministery of the Apostles in breaking bread was a sacrifice it appeareth euidetly by S. Paule who to withdraw the Corinthians from sacrificing to Idols did represent vnto them the sacrifice which he and the Apostles did vse to offer in the breaking of bread making a playne antithesis betwyxt the one sacrifice and the other and comparing the bread which they brake as wel with the lawful sacrifices of the Iewes as also with the vnlawful sacrifices of the gentils Of the first he sayth Behold Israel according to the flesh are not those which eate of the sacrifices partakers of the Altar and agayne speaking of the other flie sayth he from the woorship that is to say the sacrifices of Idols and yeilding a reason thereof the cup sayth he which wee blesse
poynts which I haue handled what hath alwayes bin the doctrin of the Churche of God concernâ—ng the same and that therfore King Lucius could receiue no other froÌ„ the Catholyke RomaÌ„ Churche by the which he was conuerted to the Christian fayth and yf I thought it needful to rip vp euery other particuler point controuersed betwyxt our aduersaries and vs I could easely shew the same in euery one But what needeth it seing they cannot proue that any Pope I wil not say from S. Eleutherius to S. Gregory but from S. Peter to Clement the eight that now gouerneth the Churche hath taught and decreed any different doctrin from his predecessors whereas on the other syde wee shew euidently that in a perpetual succession of our Roman Bishops there hath ben also a continual succession of one the selfe same doctrin where vpon it followeth infalibly that King Ethelbert and the English could not receiue from S. Gregory the Pope any other fayth then King Lucius and the britans receiued from saynt Eleutherius and that wee which now hold communion with the Roman Churche teache no other doctrin then that which was taught by them to our ancestors and hath successiuely come from S. Peter consequently from our Sauiour Christ. Therefore thou mayst wel wonder good reader at the impudency of our English ministers that are not a shamed to preache teache the contrary wherby thow mayst also see how lamentable is the case of our poor country wherein such haue the charge and cure of soules as haue not so much as common honesty to say the truth in matters as cleare as the Sunne and teach such a religion as for lack of better reasons and arguments they are forst to mayntayne it with manifest lyes slanders yea and murders of innocent men whome they execute for fayned crymes vnder colour of matter of state acknowledging therby sufficiently the truth of our Catholyk fayth seing they are ashamed to aâ—ow that they trooble any man for it whyles they confesse that they punish and put to death heretykes namely the Anabaptists directly for their religion and their impudency is so much the more notorious for that their publyk proceedings in the dayly execution of penal and capital lawes touching only matter of religion doth contradict and conuince their sayings and writings wherein they affirme that they put none to death for religion But for as much as I haue treated this matter at large in diuers partes of my Apology besydes that I vnderstand that some others also entend to treate thereof in the answere of a ridiculous challenge made by O. E. fraught with most absurd paradoxes as wel concerning this poynt as others touching our Catholyke fayth I remit thee good reader therto and so conclude this treatys beseeching almighty God to geue our aduersaries the light of his grace and vs in the meane tyme pacience and constancy and to thee indifferency to iudge of maters so much importing the eternal good and saluation of thy soule which I hartely wish no lesse then my owne FINIS A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS OF THIS TREATISE THE preface wherein are declared the causes of the long delay of printing the Apology and withall is noted the impudency of a late wryter in England disguysing his name with the letters O. E. who auoweth the fiction of Squyres employment for a truth and affirmeth that none are put to death in England for religion An Answere to two malitious slanders auowched in the foresayd libels concerning the conquest of England falsly supposed to be pretended sollicited by the Catholyks touching the late enterprise of the King of Spayne in Ireland Also concerning sir VVilliam Stanley and the Iesuits calumniated by the lybellers CHAP. 1. Concerning father Parsons in particular and that the extreame malice that the heretyks beare him is an euident argument of his great vertue CHAP. 2. That the Catholykes are persecuted martyred now in England for the same causes that the martyrs dyed in the primatiue Churche and of the great iniustice donne to two Priests condemned at Lincolne by Iudge Glanduile CHAP. 3. Of the impudeÌ„cy of a minister who being present at the death of the two martyrs aforesaid affirmed publykly that our country was conuerted by saynt Augustin the monk to the protestants religion by occasion where-of the truth of that poynt is euidently declared CHAP. 4. Of the first conuersion of our country whyles it was called Britany in the tyme of King Lucius with euideÌ„t proofes that our Catholyk fayth was then preached and planted there CHAP. 5. The same is coÌ„firmed proued out of Gildas the sage Ca. 6. Certayne poynts of controuersy are discussed whereby it is proued that King Lucius receiued our Catholyke fayth and first of the Popes supremacy in Ecclesiasticall causes CHAP. 7. That our Sauiour made S. Peter supreme head of the churche CHAP. 8. That the successors of saynt Peter to wit the Bishops of Rome succeed him in the supremacy of the Churche CHAP. 9. That the Bishops of Rome exercised supreme autority in the tyme of King Lucius CHAP. 10. The matter of holy Images is debated and the vse thereof proued to haue ben in the Churche of God euer since our Sauiours tyme. Chap. 11. The commandment of God touching Images is explicated the practise of the Churche declared Chap. 12. Concerning the relicks of saynts and the reuerend vse thereof Chap. 13. That our doctrin concerning the sacrifice of the Masse was generaly receiued and beleeued in the tyme of King Lucius and first that it was foretold and prophecyed by Malachias Chap. 14. That not only the sacrifice of Melchisedech but also all the sacrifices of the old law were figures of the sacrifice of the masse and are changed into the same and by the way is declared the necessity of sacrifice as wel for common welth as for religion Chap. 15. That our Sauiour Christ instituted and offred at his last supper the sacrifice of his blessed body and blood proued by his owne woords by the expositions of the Fathers with a declaration how he is sacrificed in the masse and lastly that he gaue commission and power to his Disciples to offer his body and blood in sacrifice that is to say to say the Masse Chap. 16. That the Apostles practised the commission geuen them by our Sauiour sacrificing or saying Masse them-selues and leauing the vse and practise thereof vnto the Churche that the ancient Fathers not only in King Lucius tyme but also for all the first 500. yeares afeer Christ taught it to bee a true sacrifice and propitiatory for the liuing for the dead Chap. 17 An answere to the obiections of our aduersaries out of S. Paules epistle to the Hebrewes with a declaration that the heretyks of this tyme that abolish the sacrifice of the Masse haue not the new testameÌ„t of Christ and that they shew themselues to be most pernicious enemies of humain kynd Chap. 18.
hauing attempted to poyson the Queenes Ma tie and my Lord of Essex by the instigation as was surmised of one Father VValpoole a Iesuite in Siuil with the priuity consent of Father Creswel and my selfe here in Madrid I was I assure your Lordships at the first brute amased and much afflicted to heare that these good men so farre of in my conscience from such cogitations and my self no lesse were slaundered with matter so haynous odious and although I had reâ—ours presentlie to the brazen wall of our owne innocency as the Poet speaketh and the comfort of a good conscience which our Sauiour geueth his seruaÌ„ts in like cases saying to his Apostles happie are yow when men shall rayle vpon you and persecute you and speake all euil of you belying you for my sake reioyce and be glad for your reward is copious in heauen although I say I rested coÌ„forted with this consideration so resolued my self to patience silence yet waying afterwards that as the Latyn prouerb sayth Qui tacet consentire videtur he that holds his peace seemes to consent that my sylence might not onlie turne to my further condeÌ„nation in this matter but also to the preiudice of all the good Catholyks of England against whome euery supposed fault of any one or two be it neuer so false is commonlie wrested to the reproche condemnation of all I could not forbeare to offer to all indiffereÌ„t men this necessarie defence and Apology of my innocencie in this affayre as also to addresse the same to your Lord ships hands especially for 2. causes which heer I wil expresse The one was for that it is not only conuenient in respect of your place dignitie as also of the duety I owe beare you but also importeth for the preueÌ„tion of the inconuenieÌ„ce aforesaid that I seek to satisfie your honours before all others in whose hands principally resteth the satisfastion of her Ma tie the moderation of the rigour or iniust persecution vexation which vpon this false conceyt may otherwayes be vsed against the innocents Catholyks of England which haue neyther parte nor fault therin The other is for that persuading my selfe that so fond a fiction or rather so foule vnchristian a practyse teÌ„ding to the spilling of guyltlesse blood in this acte to the slaunder of innocent people both at home abroad could not proceed from the body of a councel consisting of men so honnorable graue wise as your Lordships are presumed to be but rather froÌ„ some inferiour persons of lesse consideratioÌ„ more desyrous of garboyles to whose examinations such causes coÌ„monly are committed who may haue abused perhaps your Lordships in this behalf dazling your eyes with pretence of daungers to her Ma ties person in consideration whereof I thought my selfe bound as wel in conscience as duety to your Lordships to discouer vnto you not onely the trecherous deuises dryfts of those that contryned this infamous tragedy but also the dishonour daunger and ineuitable dommages that must needes redound to her Ma tie to your honours and to the whole state in tyme if such proceedings be permitted in which respect if those ancient senators gouernors among the Romans being heathens did think it conuenient euen for honour of theyr common wealth to chasten oftentymes most sharpely examplary certayne newe deuisers of publyk shiftes deceyptes dishonorable trecheryes vsed by theÌ„ though it were against their enemyes and in farre countreys and to the common publique benefit of theyr state as they pretended whereof many examples may be read in Liuy Halicarnasseus others S. Augustine in his book of the city of God thinketh that God gaue them so florishing a Monarchie ouer the world for this honorable kynd of proceeding in moral iustice how much more ought Christian councelours detest and punish such base vile proceedings or rather malitious and diabolical as this is whereof now I am to treate vsed against the blood of Christian subiectes at home in your owne sights to no publique benefit but rather to publique infamy and shame among all nations where it shal be knowne wherefore this a matter so worthie necessary for your L. to know remedy I hope you wil take it wel that it cometh dedicated to your selues THE AVTORS PROTESTATION of his innocency with the confutation of the fiction by the improbability of the end that was supposed to moue Squyre thereunto CHAP. 1. FIRST then for as much as my innoceÌ„cy in this matter is best knowne and most cleare vnto my selfe by the testimony of my owne coÌ„science which is to me mille testes as the law sayth no one but a thousand witnesses and would be no lesse cleare to your Lordships yf my hart were knowne as wel to you as it is to God and my selfe I think yt conuenient for the first poynt of my discharge to caul him to witnes that is the searcher of hartes raynes which manner of purgation though it may argue weaknes or want of credit in him that vseth it for as S. Chrysostome sayth an othe is a geuing of surety where mans manners haue no credit neuerthelesse it is so conforme to all lawes humayne and deuine and so confirmed by custome of all countreys and common wealthes that it cannot iustlie be refused when the party in neyther infamous for falshood nor conuict by euident testimonyes of the cryme obiected to the contrarie in which respect S. Paule sayth an othe is the end of euery controuersie for the confirmation of the truth Therfore I do here caul almightie God his Angels and Sayntes to witnesse that I am so farre from being guilty of this matter which I am charged with that I neuer saw in my lyfe for ought I know the sayd Edward Squyre nor euer had any correspondence or dealing with him by letters or any other meanes neyther yet euer conspired my self or was any way priuie to any other maÌ„nes conspiracy of the death of her Matie or of my Lord of Essex this I affirme in such sort as yf it be not true in all and in euery part I renounce all the benefit I expect of my Sauiour Iesus Christ which I would not do for all the good in the world as your Lordships may beleeue of me yf it please yow to consider that for the only respect not to offend God and my conscience I left all the peasures and commodityes of my owne countrey to lead this banished lyfe for many yeares not hauing bene any way charged whilest I was in EnglaÌ„d with matter of state or any other greater cryme then that I would not go to your Churches and prayers persuading my selfe as styl I do that I should offend God damnably therin If therfore I haue bene am contented to loose all that a man can loose lyfe excepted rather then to do an act offensiue to God and my conscience I hope no