and offered at his last supper vnder the form's of bread and wine according to the Order of Melchisedech and that the Eucharist as it was instituted and celebrated was not only a Sacrament but also a sacrifice is plainly euidenced out of the words expressing the action that Christ vsed in the instituting and celebrating therof for example (c) The three Euangelists S. Mathew S. Mark and S. Luke express the words Christ vsed in the instituting and celebrating of the Eucharist in the present Tense for example IS GIVEN IS shed likewise S. Paul as to Christs body 1. Cor. 11. is broken Besides the French and Latin Bibles of Caluinists haue IS giuen for you IS shed for you But according to the Latin vulgar translation the particles giuen shed broken are expressed in the future Tence namely shall be giuen shall be shed shall be broken Howeuer Howeuer whether they be expounded in the present or future Tense it matters not since the sense is the same for although is giuen is shed carry the signification of the present Tense neuertheless the subsequent particles namely Do this in remembrance of me vntil our lord shall come to judge the quick and the dead 1. Cor. 11. imply the future Tense The Greek Church hath alwais vsed the future Tense in their Liturgies namely S. Iames. S. Clement S. Basil S. Chrysostome to proue that Christ offered the sacrifice of his body and blood when he was present with his Apostles at his last supper and indeed Christ himselfe paue euidence enough of this Catholick assertion by saying Hic Calix Sanguinis mei This Cup of my blood And the Latin Church vseth the future Tense shall be giuen shall be shed to shew plainly that Christ spoke not of his body and blood onely then at his last supper offered but of the same sacrifice that was to be offered for the future till he should come again to judge the quick and the dead This is my body which is giuen for you Luk 22. which S. Paul expresseth in other term's viz This is my body which is broken for you 1. Cor. 11. This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many Mar 14. This is my blood the new Testament that is shed for many vnto remission of Sins Math. 26. All which sentences import sacrificing since they containe the proper words of sacrifice as it is plainly deducible out of other euident Scripture-testimonies in consequence whereof the Eucharist instituted and celebrated by Christ in his last supper is not a Sacrament only but a sacrifice also Again the afore said Verbs namely to giue to break to shed are vttered in the present tense after the Greek Translation signifying that Christ did did not only offer sacrifice in a bloody manner on the Crosse but in an vnbloody also at his last supper (d) S. Luke cap. 22. expresseth the action that Christ vsed in the institution of the Eucharist as to his body vnder the elements of bread and wine in these words This is my body vvhich is giuen for you which S. Paul 1. Cor. 11. deliuers thus This is my body vvhich is broken for you and 1. Cor. 10. he saith The bread which we break is it not the participation of the body of our lord S. Chrysostome expounding this sacred Text demandes why S. Paul added to the words of the Euangelist vvhich vve break and answer's to his own question saying This is done in the Eucharist and not on the Cross vvhere no bone of him vvas broken Io. 19. According to S. Chrysostome as likewise Theodoret and Occumenius who were versed in the Greek tongue Christ suffered himselfe to be broken in the Eucharist vnder the form of bread vnto filling of all which he did not suffer to be done saith S. Chrysostome on the Cross vnto redeeming of all and indeed Calvin in his Commentary vpon the 11. Chapter set down noteth that the particles Is Broken signify is offered or is sacrificed whereby appear's that the Apostles intent and aime was to shew that Christs body was truly broken in the vnbloody oblation offered at his last supper for as much as the species of the consecrated bread were then truly broken Besides as the words of the action which Christ vsed in instituting and celebrating the Eucharist viz This is my body which is giuen for you This is my blood shed for many vnto remission of sins doe euidently import (e) The sacrifice of the Euchariste in as much as it appeaseth God rendereth him propitious and procureth diuine grace vnto remission of sin◠is truly a propitiotary sacrifice taken in the proper sense according to the ancient Fathers S. Gyprian S. Basil S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Austin and the Council of Trent assertes this Catholick doctrine and addeth withall The sacrifice of the Eucharist according to Apostolicall tradition is not onely offeréd for sinnes pains satisfactions and other necessities but likevvisa for such as are dead in the state of grace and not sufficiently purged as yet a propitiatory sacrifice for blood to be shed is to be sacrificed for propitiation or pardon of sins so the words of precept which follow This is my body giuen for you namely doe this in remembrance of me That is in memory of my death and passion doe signify a commemoratiue sacrifice and consequently plainly demonstrate the Eucharist not to be a Sacrament only but (f) The ancient Fathers S. Cypr. Ep. 63. and Caeci Orig. in cap. 16. Mat. and others also compare the sacrifice Christ offered of his body and blood at his last supper vnto the sacrifice of the paschall Lambe and other sacrifices of the old law wherby appears that the sacrifice Christ offered at his last supper was a sacrifice taken in the proper sense wherfore S. Gregor Nyssen Ora. 1. de Resur saith expresly that Christ in celebrating the Euchariste at his last supper sacrificed himselfe before he was sacrificed vpon the Cross a sacrified also For otherwise it would not be a liuely and perfect commemoration or representation of the sacrifice offered on the Cross such as Christ requireth Luk. 22. for as a Sacrament cannot be perfectly represented but by an other Sacrament 〈◊〉 a sacrifice cannot be liuely represented but by another sacrifice there is necessarily required similitude and proportion between the thing that representeth and the thing represented for a man cannot represent an horse or an horse a man nor the saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. as often as you shall eat of this bread and drink of this drink you shall shew the death of our Lord doth infirm the strength of this argument * Patres antiqui in tribus oecumenicis Concilijs puta Ephesino Calcedo Constantinop vt constat ex praefatione Ephesi sic interpretati sunt verbae Apostoli quotiescunque māducabitis mortem Domini annunciabitis For the true sense and meaning therof is that the sacrifice of the Eucharist which is
vnto instruction and * Hoc facite in mean coÌ„memorationem id est in memoriam passionis mortis meae Et 1. Pet. 4. Christo passo in carne vos eadem cogitatione armemini Vnde ait S. Bernardus passio Christi est vltimum resugium contra omnes illicitas voluptates visa inquit Christi passione quis tam deliciosus qui non abstineat quis taÌ„ iracundus vt non doleat quis tam malitiosus quem non poeniteat S. Augustinus nullum est ait remedium salubrius quam iugiter cogitare de passionâ— Christi full commemoration of Christ his death and passion in compliance with his own commande as it is plainly obseruable in the garments wherwith the Priest is inuested during the tyme of sacrifice as likewise in the Altar and ornament's therof for example 10. The Amice in as much as it is a linnen cloath which the Priest pulls ouer his face and fasten's in his neck doth signify the ragg of linnen wherwith the Iews blind-folded Christ in mockery when they smote and buffited him saying Prophesie to us o Christ who is he that smote thee Mat. 20.20 The Priests Albe that is a white linnen garment doth represent the rayment in which Herod inuested Christ after that he had despised and mocked him Luc. 23.30 The maniple that the Priest weareth on his left arme and the stole that hangeth about his neck doe figure the cord's and fetters with which the officers of the Iews bound Christ Io. 18. and led him from one place to an other from Annas to Caiphas from Caiphas to Pilat from Pilat to Herod and from Herod to Pilat again 40. The Chasuble that is the vppermost vestment doth express the purple garment the souldiers put on Christ Mar. 25. and the heauy cross also that Christ carried on his shouldiers to mount Caluary 50. The Priests (b) Tonsure that is a round crown made in the heads of Clergy-men is an ancient ceremony and according to S. Bede l. 5. 〈◊〉 S. Peter wore it in remembrance of the crown of thorns wherewith Christ's head was crown'd again S. Anicetus that was Chief Church-gouernour in the first 200. years in a certaine Epistle to the Bishops of France commanded all Priests to cut their haire to the end they might not appear delicate and effeminate like secular men that weare long hair for ornament sake Tonsure that is to say the crown of his head shaued in fashion of a round circle doth shew the crown of thornes which the souldiers platted and put about the sacred head of Christ Mar. 25.60 The sundry crosses that the Priest makes ouer the host and chalice before and after consecration are mysticall representations of the many greiuous torments which Christ endured in pursuance of the generall redemption 70. The eleuation of the host and chalice doth figure the lifting vp of Christ on the crosse and in as much as that ceremony is exhibited a part or seuerally it declares the seperatioÌ„ of Christ's soul from his body and his blood from his veins 80. The diuision of the host into three distinct parts doth shew the three substances in Christ vêªt videlicet the diuine of his person the spirituall of his soul and the materiall of his body and wheras one of the said parts is put into the chalice and as it were buried therin thereby is signify'd Christ's body in the sepulcher likewise the mingling therof with the blood demonstrates that the diuine personality was neuer seperated neither from his soul in his descent into Hell nor from his body lying in the sepulcher 90. The Priest's (c) According to the Decrees of Ancient Councils a Priest ought not to depart from the Altar before he giue his benediction again the people were bound to remaine in the Church till the Priest had blest them and indeed priestly benediction was euer practised In the law of nature Melchisedech blessed Abraham in the written law Moses and Aaron blessed the people of Israel and in the law of grace Christ blessed his Disciples benediction giuen in the end of the sacrifice of Mass relates vnto the peculiar recommendation whereby Christ did recommend his Church at the rendring of his soul into the hands of his diuine Father 10. The Altar representes Mount-Caluary and signifies the cross therin erected on which Christ offering as on an Altar a sacrifice of his own body and blood consummated for euer those that are sanctified Heb. 10. And truly as the name of smoak puts vs in minde of fire because of the necessary mutuall relation to each other for smoak of necessity comes from fire that is the cause therof so the name of an Altar doth relate vnto sacrifice necessarily this being included euen in the definition of an Altar taken in the proper sense for a reall Altar to sacrifice on And such is the Altar employed in the sacrifice of Mass called by the Ancient Fathers the Altar of Christ his body and so meant by the Apostle (d) The Apostle by saying Hebrae 13. that We haue an Altar vvhereof they haue no authority to eat vvich serue in the Tabernacle meant an Altar taken in the proper sense that is an Altar on which is offered the sacrifice of Christs body and blood according to the interpretation of the Ancient Fathers S. Greg. Nazian in ora desorore Gorgonia S. Chrysostom demons an Christus sit Deus S. Austin Epis 86. de ciuit l. 8. Confess c. 27. Theophy in 23. Mat. and of the sacrifice of this Altar those cannot eat which serue in the Tabernacle that is which follow the rites and custom's of the ancient Iews nor those which belieue not in the sacrifice of Christs body and blood But this holy Altar si sometymes cal'd Mensa Dominica The Table of our lord because of the heauenly meat our lords reall body and blood which is eaten and drunk there and indeed Mensa Table according to holy scripture often signifies an Altar namely Isa 65. Malach. 1. likewise S. Austin ser 103. de diuersis discoursing of S. Cyprian's Table so called in order to his holy Reliques which were put vnder the Table or Altar erected in the same place where S. Cyprian had suffered Martyrdom In the same place saith S. Austin a Table though erected to God neuertheless was nam'd S. Cyprians Table not because S. Cyprian had feasted there but in regard he had been sacrificed there and through his Martyrdom procured that Table not that he might feed or be fed at it but that vpon it sacrifice might be offered vnto God to whom himselfe had been made an oblation Haebr 13. saying Wee haue an Altar wherof such haue no authority to eate as serue the Tabernacle and for as much as Christs body is spirituall meate and his blood spirituall drink it is named also our lords Table 1. Cor. 10 you cannot say's the Apostle be partakers of our lords Table and the table of deuills
vnto making it warme and therby drawes it into whatsoeuer sin he pleaseth besides * Isa 54. ecce ego creaui fabrum diabolum sufflantem in igne prunas proferentem vas in opus suum the bellowes of the deuils own mouth wherwith he blowes the coales in this sire of luxury he bringes forth other instruments to the worke for example old whores which keep a school of incontinency instruct young maides in all vnclean acts of carnall wantonnes and sell their * Ioel. 3. puellam veÌ„diderunt pro vino biberunt Virginity for wine to drink are the deuils incendiaries that worke in the furnace of luxury I * Ierâ—m 1. ollam incensam ego video id est vetulam nigram Olla enim quantumcunque alba si ad ignem frequeÌ„ter ponatur denigratur see saith the holy Prophet a seething pot that is an old harlot who boileth young women in the pleasures and lusts of the flesh vnto destruction both of body and soul As sire makes a pot black as a coal that was white afore and consumes it so at last the most beautifull men and women that frequente the fiery furnace of luxury become deformed and withered like a stock as to their bodies and in order to their souls most hatefull vnto God that * Deutro 23. Endures no whores of the daughters of his people nor no whore keepers of the sonns of his people for the one and the other is abomination in his sight Because the people of Israël began to commit whore dome with the daughthers of Moab God commanded Moses to take all the heads that is the principall among them and hang them vp against the sun in regard phinias slew Zambry fornicating with an Midianitisht woman he merited his priestly charge and dignity for euer Num. 25. and it matters not that lawes of some places namely in Italy suffer whores for the said lawes doe not consider the sin of whoredome but the peace and tranquillity of the common-wealth obtained through that indulgence in as much as adulteries and other great inconueniences tending to the disturbance therof are preuented and auoided therby to permit and to commit sin is not the same thing God permitteth wickednes which he doth not commit himselfe And though whores be exempt in regard of whore dome presisely from penall lawes of Magistratos which tollerat them neuertheless they are not deliuered therby from the tribunall of God that punisheth all wicked sinners In consequence of the premises t' is euident that no man ought (a) The common saying of two euills the lesser ought to be chosen is not meant of two sinnes which be spirituall euils but of corporall harms or dammages for according to the Apostle Rom. 8. noe man can lawfully commit the least sin although much good may come of it to commit a lesser for preuenting the doing of a greater sin wherfore S. Austin condemneth the fact of lot Gen. 19. that offered his innocent daughters to be deflowred for preuenting the filthy lusts of the Sodomits all though Lot was worthy of praise in regard of his abhorrence of so detestable a sin yet he deserued blame in seeking vnlawfull meanes to auoid it No wickednes ought to be done that good may come therby Furthermore the company * Tritum adagium est mare ignis mulier tria mala sed tamen minus tempestuosum est mare ignis minus inflammat in muliere omnia nocent oculi instar Basilisci vel solo aspectu venenant labia ora flammas vomunt vel leuis attactus inficit Et mulierem sacrae literae cum lcone vrso pardo colubro serpente comparant of wanton women is the deuils instrument that blowes the coales in this fire of luxury for through it loue is kindled as a fire vnto destruction Eccle. 9. a cat that sitteth neer the fire scorcheth her whit skin and a fly that toucheth the candle burneth its wings euen so a man that vseth (b) According to S. Hierom. à woman smiteth the conscience of a man with flams of fire and if young women dwell with men the deuil hath his snares among them the company of wanton women falleth into the snares of concupiscence and defileth his soul Besides as materiall fire is kindled by adding therto wood oyle and pitch so delicat meates * S. Hierâ— venter vino aestuans spumat in libidinem and strong wines taken immoderatly increase the flame of luxury and indeed whosoeuer eates and drinkes wantonly shewes no more willingnes to extinguish the burning coales of fiery lusts then he that castes into a house set on fire wood oyl and pitch shewes an inclination to quench it moreouer the body of man is not made for fornication or carnall vncleanes but for our lord that bought the whole man with the price of his precious blood to the end that both body and soul should serue to his glory our bodies are members of Christ and consequently a fornicatour is sacrilegious in as much as he giueth his body that is consecrated vnto God to any other likewise he is iniurious and contumelious to his body for he that committeth fornication (c) According to the Apostle 1. Cor. 6. fornication defileth the body with a peculiar kind of vncleanes so that carnall sensuality differs exceedingly from the inordinate delights of the other senses which haue nothing of brutall filthines howeuer carnall pleasure has no deformiry as to married people because of the vprightnes and integrity of conscience desire of issue holines of the Sacrament which therfore be called Bona matrimonij sinneth against his own Body where as other sins which a man doth are with out the body that is luxury defileth the body with a sordide brutall filthines which is not common a like to sinns committed by the other senses vix hearing seeing tasting smelling But notwithstanding all this euen among Christians of these daies doe rise cinick Philosophers which so flatter themselues in their carnall pleasures as to think that simple fornication hath nothing of mortall guilt Likewise the Digbean diuins so fool themselues as to beleiue that an outward sin for example outward fornication adultery incest murder doe not of necessity expell the loue of God out of the soul and in consequence therof do not obstruct the passage to Heauen and both the cinick Philosophy and the Digbean Theology lay claime to scripture testimony respectiuely for the proofe therof The cinick Philosophy alledgeth the first chapter of Osea where is mentioned that our lord said to Osea goe take vnto thee a wise of fornications and children of fornications and thence inferreth that luxury is lawfull as to simple fornication but t is a very weak inference for God commanded not the Prophet to commit fornication but matrimony with a woman that had fornicated afore that is to make an honest wife of a dishonest woman vnto representing a diuine mistery that might set forth
that went afore to wit with an oath by him that said vnto him Our lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for euer according to the Order of Melchisedech 2. Outward oblation is obseruable which is expressed in the words wherby Christ consecrated his body and blood saying This is my body which is giuen for you (k) The Apostle S. Paul vseth the verbe giue in that signification when he mentioneth our redemption procured by the sacrifice of the Cross for exaÌ„ple Gal. 3. ad Tit. 2. likewise holy scripture vseth frequently the verb to shed for to Sacrifice Exod. 29. Leuit. 1.2.3 This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for you which are the terms of proper sacrifice and were outwardly vttered in the last supper For indeed all the actions performed by Christ in celebrating the Eucharist were outward actions namly blessing of the bread giuing thanks to his diuine Father before consecration and * Christus in vltima coena manducauit corpus suum bibit sanguineÌ„ suum vna cuÌ„ Apostolis vt post s. Hiero alios Patres docet S. Thomas 3. p. q. 81. eating his own hody and drinking his own blood together with his Apostles after consecration 3. Oblation of a sensible permanent thing is obseruable vêªt videlicet Christ's body and blood which are sensible things vnder the form's of bread and wine which are sensible also 4. There is obseruable destruction or reall change in the oblation to wit by substantiall conuersion of the bread into Christ's body and wine into his blood Besides by eating and drinking therof the body and blood of Christ lose that sacramentall being they had by reproduction vnder the elements of bread and wine which is a reall change also 5. It was an oblation exhibited to God alone for Christ in celebrating the Eucharist addressed all his speeches to his diuine Father lastly there is obseruable recognition of diuine omnipotency as is plainly euidenced by the oblation it self since it succeeded not only in the room of the Pascall lamb but of all the other sacrifices of the law of Moyses and consequently ought to containe in it self the perfect morall signification essentiall to those sacrifices which is recognition of diuine omnipotency and representation of the sacrifice of the cross Nor is it inconuenient for a sacrifice going afore to be a representation or commemoration of a sacrifice comming after for all the old sacrifices went before the sacrifice of the crosse which neuertheless they represented How euer the sacrifice of the cross is only distinct from the sacrifice of the Fucharist as to the manner of offering bloodily or vnbloodily for the head-offerer is the same Christ and the thing offered the same also body and blood of Christ And albeit that Christ by one sole bloody oblation that is by once offering himself in a bloody manner consummated the generall redemption neuertheless he did not think fit to make that one generall oblation an effectuall redemption or remission of sins without the application therof for so he had entailed the kingdom of Heauen vpon euery sinner and consequently deuested himself of all power to disinherit any for what fault soeuer But the applicatiue perfection as to a sacrifice he gaue to the vnbloody oblation only which by his own institution and appointment is and shall be the externall seruice of the new Testament and the continuall application of his passion vnto sanctification As corporall remedies how perfect and sufficient soeuer doe no cure vpon a sick body that is to say are not effectuall remedies vnless they be applyed so Christ his death and passion though a spirituall remedy superabundantly sufficient to take away all the sins of the world neuertheless is not an effectuall remission of any till it be applied aright neither is the preeminent perfection of Christs death and passion a iot lessened therby application being necessarily requisit to its effect by Christ his own appointmeÌ„t And praiers which the faithfull offer to God one for an other doe not prejudice or diminish any part of the intercession which Christ himself made for his people while he liued vpon earth Io. 17. nor of those which sitting at the right hand of his diuine Father he presenteth continually Rom. 8. Heb. 7. But rather do apply the fruit therof to the effecting of the said faithfull their holy desires especially when prayers are offered by the Bishopps and Priests of the catholick Church vnto whom God hath committed the (l) God saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 5. Hath giuen vnto us the vvord of reconciliation novv then are vve Ambassadours for Christ God as it vvere exhorting by us Wherby is meant that Christ as man is the principall Minister vnto reconciling of sinners to God and for and in the room of Christ in order to the office of reconcilement the Apostles and their successors were instituted as his Vicars namely the Bishops and Priests of the Catholick Church Wherfore their absolution from sinnes by offering sacrifice and their ministring the Sacraments ought to be counted as Christs own absolution remission or pardon being the absoluing from and remitting sinnes in the room of Christ in like manner their preaching and exhorting in stead of Christ is as if it were Christ's own preaching and exhorting the office of Bishops and Priests being the Vicarship of Christ So that when the same Apostle saith Hebrae 8. that Christ onely is the Priest of the new law or Testament his meaning is that Christ is the chief Priest that is the Prince of Priests to whom as to his Ambassadours he hath committed the ministery of reconciliation In the old law according to the Apostle Hebrae 7. there was a series of many chief Priests succeeding one an other in that function for none of all them was of perpetuall durance But in our new law there is but one chief Priest or Bishop that shall endure for euer and all other Priests are his Vicars onely who in his room exercise Priestly function visibly wherfore Christ is chief Priest for euer and exerciseth his Priesthood by his substitute Ministers or Vicars which execute the office of reconciliation for him and in his room ministery of reconciliation for and vnder Christ who is the high Priest and chief Minister according to his humanity of mans reconcilement to God the others exercise Christs vicarshipp only These pray and minister sacrifice and Sacraments in Christs stead both vnto remission of sins and the verifying his For euer Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech so that Christ is a Priest for euer after the right order and similitude of Melchisedech for as much as he dayly doth and shall to the end of the world offer by the Priests of the new law as his Vicars the vnbloody sacrifice of his own body and blood vnder the form's of bread and wine called by vse which is the arbitratour of words and language sacrifice of the
deuotion wheras the feruour and humility in the vnlearned doe compence euen the want of an exact and distinct vnderstanding howeuer it is very expedient that euery belieuer say our lords prayer in the tongue he knowes for it is not enough to vnderstand confusedly that the petitions therin contained are good and profitable but likewise to know them distinctly Wherfore sundry constitutions set forth by Synods of Bishops require vnderstanding of words and sense as to our lords prayer CHAR. III. OF MELCHISEDECH THE CONTENTS Melchisedech a type of Christ by diuine dispensation invested in holy Priesthood offered a proper sacrifice of thanksgiuing in bread and wine Melchisedech's sacrifice figured the sacrifice Christ offered of his body and blood vnder the elements of bread and wine Christs vnbloody sacrifice sulfilled the figuratiue of Melchisedech Those which deny that Christ appointed Priests as his Vicars to offer in his room daily sacrifice of his body and blood vnder the forms of bread and wine of necessity destroy his euerlasting Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech the practice of Priestly blessing MElchisedech was king of * Fuit salem vrbs terrae Chananaeae vt constat ex historia Genesis quae fuit filijs Israel à Deo promissa iam dicta Iudaea Palestina seu terra sanctae salem that it by interpretation of iustice and Peace (a) According to holy scriptures Melchisedech was a Priest priesthood taken in the proper sense for he is called the Priest of God most high Gen. 1. and Hebrae 7. and this catholick assertion the ancient Fathers haue vnanimously taught as likewise Philo Iudae l. de Abraham a Priest of God most high counted without Father and mother without kindred without beginning of daies or end of life the holy Scriptures no where making mention of his genealogic He met the great Patriarch Abraham as be returned from the slaughter of the kings brought forth bread and wine which he (b) All the ancient Fathers that florish'd in the years 100.200.300.400 namely S. Irenaeus S. Hypolitus S. Chrysostomus S. Ambrose S. Hierom S. Austin c. teach that Melchisedech offered a sacrifice of bread and wine and S. Cyprian Epis 63. ad Caecil saith expresly that Melchisedech Priest of God most high made an offering of bread and wine and in an other place he calleth the sacrifice of Melchisedech the Image of Christs sacrifice offered vnder the forms of bread and wine so that according to S. Cyprian Melchisedech said Mass figuratiuely his sacrifice being a Type or figure of the sacrifice of the Eucharist and doubtless Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine with an intent to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiuing for the great victory Abraham had won and not precisely to refresh the souldiers who needed no meat hauing refresh'd themselues afore Gen 14. Howeuer t' is probable that Melchisedech did distribute amongst the souldiers of Abraham the bread and wine which he had consecrated in representation of the sacrifice Christ offered at his last supper wherin he consecrated bread and wine and after gaue them to his Apostles and indeed Clemens Alexand. l. 4. stroma Calleth the meat Melchisedech distributed sanctifyed nourishment and S. Epipha ser 55. affirmes that Melchisedech gaue to Abraham and his souldiers consecrated bread and wine offered in sacrifice to giue thanks to him whose Priest he was for the obtained victory and afterward blessed him which shews his excellency aboue Abraham who was a Priest also and consequently aboue Leui and all the Priests of the old law that came out of the loyns of Abrahā (c) S. Paul Hebrae 7. saith that without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better signifying therby that Melchisedech was a greater Priest then Abraham whom he blessed moreouer the Scripture Text teacheth that to bless after a sacred manner is proper to Priestly function in consequence of which without all contradiction a Priest is greater in dignity then any temporall Prince that wanteth authority to giue sacred benediction As Melchisedech blessed Abraham so Priests num 6. were commanded to bless the people and Christ Mark 10. blessed young children and his Disciples Luk 24. and after the same manner the Bishops and Priests of the catholick Church bless lay-people and other creatures namely Agnus Dei bead's Crosses medal's candles Ashes Palmes Belles new shippes c. all which creatures are sanctifyed by the word of God and prayer for so the Church blesseth all such things by express invocation of God alwaise vsing this preface Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini Our helpe is in the name of our lord and so beseecheth God to bless consecrate and sanctifie his creatures in vertue of his passion and death suffered on the Cross that so they may be deliuered from the power of Satan and become beneficiall to men and the Church concludes all benedictions Per Christum Dominum nostrum For it is the prerogatiue of the greatest Priest to blesse the lesser besid's Abraham gaue him tithe which doth euidence the others exceeding dignity yet in these excellencies Melchisedech was a type only of Christ in whom the reall verity was contained Melchisedech as king of iustice and peace by interpretation was but a shadow of Christ who was and is actually and indeed king and Authour of both for he came into the world * Zachar. 9. Ecce Rex tuus venit iustus Saluator a just and peaceable king that * 1. Cor. 1. qui factus est nobis iustitia sanctificatio redemptio justified and reconciled man to God and his Angells Melchisedech as Priest of God that offered a sacrifice of bread and wine was a figure of Christ the son of God who being anointed Priest by the holy ghost offered (d) S. Austin in psal 33. saith that Christ instituted a sacrifice of his body and blood according to the Order of Melchisedech that is vnder the forms of bread and wine And l. 6. de ciuit c. 22. speaking of Melchisedech's sacrifice therin saith he first appeared the sacrifice which Christians offer to God and therby is fulfilled the propheticall saying Thou art a Priest according to the Order of Melchisedech a sacrifice of his own body and blood vnder the forms of bread and wine at his last supper Melchisedech as Priest without beginning of daies or end of life signifieth the continuance of Christ his Priesthood for euer in as much as Priests instituted by and substituted vnder Christ as his proper Vicars shall continually offer to the end of the world the vnbloody sacrifice that Christ himselfe celebrated in his last supper neither can any man in reason deny but that Christ euen then offered an vnbloody sacrifice for that were to auerre that Christ did not fullfill the figuratiue sacrifice of Melchisedech and consequently that he was no Priest according to his order or similitude since it cannot be proued that Christ at any other time did offer a
that is to say such as are not mēbers of Christs Church haue no right to the mysticall meate and drink which is the reall body and blood of Christ 11. The corporall and linnen clothes that couer the Altar doe signify the linnen cloath that wrapped the sacred Body of Christ when he was laid in the sepulcher Io. 19. Furthermore besides the many religious visible ceremonies God commanded to be employed in exhibition of diuine worship during the continuance of the old law Exod. 29. Christ Authour of the new law instituted sundry ceremonies and rites which be of necessity namely washing with water in Baptism imposition of hands and anoynting with consecrated oyle in the Sacrament of Order c. Yea Christ himself practised visible ceremonies for he fell on his face and prayed Io. 26. lift vp his eyes and prayed Io. 11. lift vp his hands and blessed Luc. 24. Besides when he found in the Temple which is a sensible ceremonie too deputed vnto diuine worship those that sold oxen sheep and doues c. Io. 20. he was offended to see his Fathers howse made an howse of marchandice Hereby is euidently plain that Christ when in his conference with the Samaritan Woman Io. 4. said the hower cometh and now is when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and truth he did not meane that he was come to take away sacrifice Sacraments prayers Churches and all other sensible ceremonies practised in the seruice of the new law but for as much as the cited Text is often tymes alledged by ancient and moderne sectaries especially against all visible rites of christian religion it will conduce greatly to vndeceiuing the deceiued in the sense and meaning therof if they consider duely that the Samaritans were Schismaticks as Luther and Zuinglius religious men both and Priests illegally and sacrilegiously marryed against the holy Canons and vowed chastity went out from the catholick Church in the time of Henry the eight king of England and began a schism in Germany likewise as Ballev Peter Martyr Martin Bucher c. Apostat-wedded-priests also in the reign of Edward the Sixt a childe began the schism in England countenanced and supported by Bishop Cranmer specially to which Henry the eight king Edwards Father had opened a doore only so a certain Priest of the Iews called Mansses to retain and enjoy an vnlawfull wife fell from the society of the faithfull Iewes at Hierusalem and broached schism in Samaria Besides as Luther and those other afore mentioned to establish their schisms leaped * Ioseph l. 11. Antiquit cap. 8. est propriū inquit Haereticis Schismaticis transilire capita antiquarum Ecclesiarum vt suam reddant Religionem antiquissimam ouer the heads of all christian Churches then and for many ages before establish't pretending that these were not agreeing with Christ and his Apostles in the essentialls of doctrine worship and gouernment and in consequence thereof made reformation the disguised end of their leape in like manner Manasses to render his schism plausible and taking with that people he leaped ouer the Prophet Moyses to Iacob the Patriarch and ouer the Temple in Ierusalem to the Temple of the Samaritans in Mount Garizim tying thereto the sacrifice of the Iews religion vpon pretence that the said Patriarch Iacob had therin adored long before the Temple of Salomon was built or the law giuen to obtain superiority in his schism he gaue the preeminence in Church-seruice to the place wherin he began it This was the true cause that moued the faithfull Iews to abstain from the company and conuersation of the Samaritans who maintained their adoring in Garizim to be more ancient then the worship of the Iews in Ierusalem In regard of this contention about the Temple in Ierusalem and the Temple in Garizim the Samaritan woman conceiuing Christ to be some Prophet for as much as he had reuealed vnto her the secret passages of her whole life propounded vnto him a Theologicall question touching the afore said controuersy on design to be informed to which of the two publick (e) According to holy scriptures by publick solemn adoration is meant proper sacrifice namely Joan. 12. and There vvere certain Gentils amongst them that came vp to adore at the feast And Act. 8. the Euneuch came vp to adore in Jerusalem in both these scripture-places by adoration which was publick and solemn is vnderstood proper sacrifice that was offered onely in Ierusalem but all other adorations outward and inward might be vsed in any whatsoeuer place besid's Ierusalem adoration or sacrifice was tyed and confined saying Our Fathers adored in this mountaine and ye say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to adore that is to offer sacrifice to which Christ replying (f) The Iews and Samaritans contended about the place of sacrifice and for as much as both of them were in fault therefore Christ form'd his answere in order to both Although the Iews sacrifice was the true sacrifice neuertheless it was vnprofitable being not able to procure sanctifying grace but the Samaritans sacrifice was erroneous for they were schismaticks and adored that is offered sacrifice where God would not haue had them that is they offered sacrifice out of Gods Temple in Ierusalem and therefore Christ said to the Samaritan woman Yee adore vvhat yee knovv not said woman belieue me the houre cometh when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor at Ierusalem adore the Father c. Wherby he for'told her that the adoration or sacrifice as to both the Temples should shortly cease and be disannulled and that the true sacrifice suddenly to be instituted in room therof should not be tyed to one place or nation but should be offered in all the parts of the world according to the Prophecy of Malachias cap. 10. and instructed her with all concerning this new sacrifice signifying that is should not be a gross and carnall adoration exhibited in and by the flesh and blood of goates sheepe oxen c. as afore but that it should be a clean adoration or sacrifice containing in it selfe spirit grace and life which the others wanted yea that it should be the verity it self wherof all former sacrifices were shadowes and figures only wherefore Christ told her that the new adorers should adore the Father in spirit that is to lay should offer to God a sacrifice giuing grace and life Christ did not inculcate adoration of God in spirit to condemne adoration vnder whatsoeuer sensible rites and ceremonies but to exclude the carnall adoration or sacrifice of the Iews that wanted spirit to giue life to the soul In like manner Christ did intimate adoration of God in verity to condemne the erroneous worship of the Samaritās who albeit they did adore the true God of Israel neuertheless being Schismaticks they did not adore him in verity because they adored him out of the communion and vnity of the faithfull Iews and in the mountaine of Garizim
A man must be made a christian through baptism before he can make a progress in christianity through confirmation A man must be made a member of Christ through baptism before he can be a soldier of Christ through confirmation A man must be endued with faith through baptism before he can be deputed to a speciall office in the exercise thereof which is to defend it against the assaults of Tyrants through confirmation A man must be invested with * Hieron diolog con Lucifer cap. 4. quemodo inquit ab Ecclesia recipiet confirmationeÌ„ qui nec dum remissionem peccatorum coÌ„secutus est Docet Arianos qui errabant contra formam baptismi non accepisse spiritum sanctuÌ„ per Sacramentum CoÌ„firmationis grace vnto remission of sins through baptism before he can receiue the holy Ghost vnto perfection through confirmation which does not confer sanctity after the manner of other Sacraments only but also doth * Omnes S. Patres qui agunt de Sacramento confirmationis doceÌ„t baptismi gratiam perfici consummari per gratiam coÌ„firmationis increase and perfect the sanctity receiued afore by baptism it being the complement or consummation thereof Whereby it is plainly euident that albeit this Sacrament is not as baptism a requisite absolutely necessary vnto obtaining eternall blessedness neuertheless it is conditionally necessary to wit as to the armour of grace and (h) According to Pope Vrban dist 5. de consecratione there is no perfect christian that hath not receiu'd the holy Ghost through the imposition of Episcopall hands and Hugo de S. Vict. l. 2. de Sacram. par 7. cap. 3. countes it dangerous to dye without being confirm'd afore which is conform to the doctrine of ancient Fathers S. Dionys Lâ—de Eccles Hierar c. 4. S. Cypr. Epis 72. ad Iubaian which assert that then a man has fulnes of sanctity and is made an adopted son of God when he receiues both the Sacraments baptism and confirmation perfection therof as also to a more ample measure of blessedness then baptisme alone doth effect so that christian catholicks especially such as liue vnder persecution ought to vse extraordinary endeauours for their admittance to this Sacrament the proper office there of being to strenghten them by grace that they may not fall from the Church of Christ * In Epis ad Fabium vti refert Eusebius l. 1. cap. 35. S. Cornelius affirmeth that Nouatus fell into Heresie for the want therof If they haue no conueniency in their own country to repaire vnto a catholick Bishop the spirituall aduantages which they may reape from the Sacrament of confirmation will compence the charges of a journey into forrain parts where catholick Bishops are to be found but this is to be vnderstood in reference to such catholicks as haue ability of body and a competency of temporall fortunes As touching the sensible rites or ceremonies employed in or about the Sacrament of confirmation the most remarkable are two only For example a Bishop in making of chrism breatheth three times in form of a cross on the mouth of the pot or flagon that containeth the said Chrism signifying thereby that euen at that time through episcopall consecration Chrism receiueth virtue from God wherby it is impowered as his instrument to confer strengthning grace to such as doe receaue the Sacrament aright and ceremonies signifying the thing that is done for the time they are employed are profitable by the confession of such * Caluinus in sua harmonia ad cap. 7. S. Marci fatetur caeremonias illas quae habent significationem eius quod tunc fit duÌ„ exercentur esse vtiles as impugne catholick ceremonies The other ceremonie is the reuerence a Bishop exhibiteth to the consecrated Chrism bowing down his head he saluteth saying Haile holy Chrism This ceremony hath nothing of Idolatry for an vnliu'd thing may challenge religious adoration in reference to an other distinct wherin excellency is contained to which religious adoration is due The ancient Iewes adored the Ark of the Testament because of the relation it had to God that is an increated excellency and all Christians doe religiously worship and adore the sacred books of the new Testament in reguard of the word of God therin comprehended And subjects of a temporall Prince do render ciuil reuerence to his chaire of state in relation to his sacred Person if a king or Emperour to which is due ciuill adoration by the law of God and nature in like manner religious worship is exhibited to holy Chrism in as much as it is the effectuall instrument of God to giue armour of grace to such as are baptised and is by speciall benediction deputed to the effecting therof CHAR. VIIJ. OF THE EVCHARISTE THE CONTENTS Christ the night before his passion made his last Testament gaue vnto his Church a legasy of his body and blood in the Sacrament of the Euchariste vnder the form's of bread and wine for to continue the spirituall food of souls till he come to Iudgment The express words of the Testament This is my body This Chalice is the nevv Testament in my blood exclude each figure that is inconsistent with the litterall sense intended by the Testatour that vseth not to say one thing literally and mean an other mystically because Christ Said this is my body this Chalice is the nevv Testament in my blood no man in reason ought to doubt of it Authorities of Councils testimonies of ancient Fathers and the warrantable practice of both primitiue and modern Churches euince the reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Euchariste in vertue of the same word that was made flesh and made all things of nothing bread is transubstantiated in to the body and wine in to the bloud of Christ who is in Heauen and in the Sacrament at once One body can agree with many places by diuine dispensation Requisit's necessary to a worthy receiuing of Christs body and bloud in the Sacrament THe Euchariste is the (a) The blood of Christ shed vnto remission of sinnes is the proper legacy of the new Testament according to Christs owne words set down 1. Cor. 11. This Chalice is the nevv Testament in my blood legacy of the new Testament vnto eternall life that Christ bequeathed to his Church in a Sacrament of his body and blood the night before he suffered his passion in the presence of witnesses without exception which were his Apostles The same body and blood that Christ offered in a sacrifice on the cross visibly to the redeeming of man kind vnto liberty he left in a Sacrament vnder the elements of bread and wine invisibly to the feeding of man vnto eternall life In the bestowing of this legacy Christ who is faithfull in all he promiseth fulfilled the promise he had made long afore and which is set down Io. 6. (b) Christ Ioan. 6. promising and recommending the Sacrament of his body and blood said
whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and except you shall eate the flesh of the son of man and drinke his blood you haue no life in you again the bread that I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world Thus saith S. Austin ser 2. de verbis Apos c. 1. life said of life and to him that thinketh life to be a lyer this meat shall be death and not life The bread that I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world c. Thereby signifying plainly his intent of leauing to his Church his substantiall reall body in meate and his substantiall reall blood in drinke as an effectuall expedient for the obtaining eternall life for alwaies the words of Christ or God which doe importe a thing promised tending to mans saluation ought to be vnderstood in the sense wherein they be outwardly expressed in scripture that is to say * Aug. l. de doc Chris cap. 10. 16. in sermone inquit diuino id omne pertinet ad sensum literalem id est debet accipi literaliter vt verba sonāt non figuratè quod potest referri ad morum honestatem vel fidei veritatem locutio quae iubet vel vtilitatē vel beneficentiā est propria non figuratiua secundum Iustinum codice de legibus litterally setting aside Tropes and mysticall significations Besides a law or precept that exact's obedience from subjects and such indeed is the legacy of the new Testament ought to be cleare and plain to the vnderstanding of euery man that each one may decline what is forbidden and obserue what is enjoyned For no law or precept can be vnderstood by all subjects if the words thereof be mysticall or figuratiue but Christ to shew that he spok according * Concil Nicae quod est 7. synodus generalis Act. 6. probat ex citato Textu Jo. 6. con Iconiclastas Sacramentum Eucharistiae non esse imaginem Christi sed verum reale corpus erus probat insuper ex eodem loco Trid. sess 21. can 1. laicos non adctrings iure diuine ad communionem sub vtraque specie to the plain litterall sense when he perceiued that the Capharnaits for in the synagogue at Capharnaum Christ taught these thinges began to reason among themselues concerning the possibility of giuing his flesh to eate and his blood to drinke he did not correct their conceptions as to orall manducation and orall drinking thereof yet his custome (c) In regard Nicodemus conceiu'd spirituall regeneration after the similitude of naturall generation Christ rectifyed his vnderstanding in regard the Pharisees Io. 16. Mat. 15. imagined that a meer omission of washing their hand 's before refection was a grieuous crime Christ instructed them in the knowledge of sin and in regard the Apostles made a wrong construction of his saying in order to eating his body anddrinking of his blood Christ forthwith expounded his meaning telling them that the words he had spoken were spirit and life that is according to S. Austin Epis 98. they were spiritually not carnally meant as if Christ had intended to giue vnto his Apostles particles of his body diuided from the whole so that Christ in order to the manner and that onely of eating his body and drinking of his blood corrected his Apostles was constant in conformity to his pastorall office to instruct his auditory conceiuing amiss of his sayings but repeated the same words confirmed with an oath saying to them Amen Amen except yee eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood yee haue no life in you which conuincingly shews that Christ spake not figuratiuely but litterally and indeed an oath is sworn to the end that such as doubt of the thinges promised or spoken may be assured of the true meaning of him that promiseth or speaketh any thing Hebrae 6. in consequence of which a thing confirmed with an oath ought to be interpreted in the * Innocentius 3. cap. veniens Extra de iuramento plain literall sense and according to the conceptions of those for whose sake an oath is sworn but the Capharnaits for whose sake Christ * Augus ait Christum iurasse dicēdo Amen Amen swore conceiued Christ to speake of orall manducation of his body and orall drinking of his blood wherefore it was that manner of eating and drinking that Christ confirmed with his oath but when he saw that his Disciples did misunderstand his meaning as to the eating his flesh and drinking his blood imagining him to mean that they were to eate his flesh and drink his blood with the mouth of their body after the manner of common meate and drink that is to teare Christs body and blood diuiding one part from an other in eating and drinking it he corrected (d) According to S. Cyprian ser de Coena Domini the intent and aime of Christs saying Ioan. 6. Vnlesse you eate c. was to instruct vs that our abiding in him is meate and drinke from whence Caluinists vnaduisedly infer that S. Cyprian interpreted Christs words Vnlesse you eate c. Of spiritualll manducation onely For in the place set down S. Cyprian expresly assertes that Christ cōmanded Christians in the new law to drink his blood the eating wherof in the old law Deut. 12. was prohibited which doubtless is meant of true reall drinking Wherefore S. Austin 9.57 in Leuit ingeniously confesseth that in the new law wee are as truly cōmanded to drinke the blood of Christ as were the Jews in the old law forbidden to drink the blood of sacrifices offered vnto expiating sins in consequence of which according to S. Cyprian and S. Austin reall drinking of Christs reall blood is commanded in the chapter alledged and instructed them as to the manner therof only saying The words that I spake vnto you are spirit and life that is sayes S. Aug. on the 98. Psal They ought not to be vnderstood carnally as if Christs intent had been to giue certaine particles or peices of his body diuided from the whole but they ought to be vnderstood spiritually which is to say that Christs body is in the Sacrament after the manner of a spirituall substance invisible indivisible whole and entire in the whole entire subject also whole and entire in each part thereof And here is observable that a reall substantiall and true body may be considered after two sundry fashions conformably to the Apostle that sayes 1. Cor. 15. A body is raised spirituall in incorruption that is sown naturall in corruption First as it is cloathed with terrene conditions and qualities which naturally accōpany a body in this mortall life For example visibility divisibility and mortality Secondly as it is deuested of such rayments of corporall accidents and inuested with the noble conditions and qualities of a spirit or spirituall substance namely invisibility indivisibility impassibility According to this latter consideration which is
proper to things spirituall Christ meant the orall eating of his flesh and orall drinking of his blood saying The words that I speak vnto you that is those things my flesh and blood are * Trid. sess 13. ait Christum instituisse SacrameÌ„tum Eucharistiae taÌ„quam spiritualem animaruÌ„ cibum spirit and life and that is to say are spiritually cloathed after the imitation of spirituall substances exempted from the carnall proprieties which naturally adhere to flesh and blood in this mortall life but are no essentiall requisits there vnto whereby it is plain that the eating of Christs body and drinking of his blood in the Sacrament of the Eucharist may be said spirituall in reference to the spirituall being they haue therein Besides Christs body and blood be indeed spirituall supersubstantiall meate and drink wherby the substance of humane souls is supported and nourished spiritually As corporall meate doth repaire materiall breaches which naturall heate mak's in a materiall body so this spirituall meate doth repaire the spirituall ruines that the fire of concupiscence doth cause in a spirituall soul Also the eating of Christs body and drinking of his blood may bee termed spirituall through faith for as much as a Christian that eateth and drinketh worthily is vnited to Christ by faith which is aspirituall quality Again the eating of Christs body and the drinking of his blood may be styled spirituall because of Christs death and passion figured therein and this Sacrament imports * QuotiescuÌ„quo ait Apostolus manducabitis panem hunc calicem bibetis mortem Domini annunciahitis donec veniat a commemoration thereof so that a Christian receiuing worthily doth communicate with Christs passion suffered on the cross and this manner of spirituall locution is vsed sometimes by ancient Fathers who neuertheless expresly affirm Christ to bee truly (e) The second Council of Nice Act. 6. declares euidently that the Sacrament of the Eucharist ought not to be called the Image of Christs body because he did not say take eate the Image of my body also declares that in the Sacrament is the true body of Christ because he said This is my body really and substantially in the Sacrament of the Eucharist neither is the literall sense of words inconsistent with the spirituall signification of thinges which they express taken in the literall sense For example though Isaac and Ismael doe literally signify the two sons of Abraham as the history of Genesis plainly sheweth neuertheless the Apostle Gal. 4. by Ismael that was born of Agar a seruant spiritually and figuratiuely vnderstands the old Testament that was a law of bondage and likewise by Isaac that was born of Sara a free woman spiritually and figuratiuely vnderstandeth the new Testament which is a law of liberty and grace and indeed all Sacraments whatsoeuer besides * Aug. l. 2. con aduers legis c. 9. ait Christi locutionem nisâ— manducaueritis c. codem modo esse figuratam ac duo filij Abraha fuâ—â—unt duo Test amenta Jsaac Ismael secuÌ„dum literam vere de facto fuerunt filij Abraha figurabant tamen duo Testamenta Idem Aug. l. 3. de doct Christ c. 16. ait illam Christi locutionem nisi manducaueritis c. figuratam esse quatenus praecipit communicandum passioni Christi vtiâ—â—ter recondendum in memoria quod pro nobis caro Christi crucifixa sit Non negat tamen dictam locutionem in sensu literali etïam intelligi de reali oralâ— manducatione corporit Christi bibition◠〈◊〉 sanguinis sub spocicbus consecratis panis vins their literall doe admit a spirituall or figuratiue construction being defined visible figures or signes of spirituall invisible grace The Sacrament of Circumcision according to the literall meaning thereof did signify corporall circumcision as to the foreskin of the flesh called prepuce and according to it 's spirituall and figuratiue signification did import spirituall circumcision as to the foreskin of the heart which is of spirituall vices as also did shadow grace giuen in the new law In like manner the words vttered in baptism I baptise thee taken in the literall sense which is expressed immediatly by the said words doe signify reall washing of naturall water as to the body and taken in the spirituall sense they signify spirituall washing of grace * Aug. vnde tanta vis aquae vt corpus tangat cor vero abluat as to the soul Furthermore the words whereby Christ instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist in full performance of the promise afore mentioned Io. 6. giue cleare euidence of Christs meaning in recognition of a reall eating of his body and reall drinking of his blood The words of institution according to the consenting Testimonies of all ancient and modern writers are these This is my body which is giuen for you Luc. 22. This is my body which shall be deliuered for you This Chalice is the new Testament in my blood 1. Cor. 11. This is the blood of the new Testament which shall be shed for you Mar. 14. This is my blood of thenew Testament that shall be shed for many vnto remission of sins Mat. 26. Which words of Christ being as plainly and clearly vttered as to the litterall sense as those of God the Father in the Transfiguration of Christ to wit This is my son Mat. 30. and consequently there beeing no more reason to wrest the former then the latter words to a figuratiue signification it is a manifest blindnes in the Caluinists and other ancienter sectaries to wrest the proper cleare words and to substitute in their room improper obscure tropes and figures without any ground of reason for what can be more vnreasonable then to think that Christ saying This is my body which shall bee deliuered for you 1. Cor. 11. This is my blood which shall bee shed for many vnto remission of sins Mat. 26. meant a figure (f) Both canon and ciuil lawers treating of Testaments legasies and contracts teach that we must not recede from the words of the Testament nor from the rigour thereof and that we ought to presume of the Testatours intent and meaning according to the signification of the words taken in their proper sense of his body only and a figure of his blood only since a figure was not deliuered in a Sacrifice but Christ's true reall substantiall body nor a figure was shed vnto remission of sins but Christs true reall and substantiall blood Besides a thing that is mysterious vnheard of afore and instituted for an article of faith as is the Sacrament of the Eucharist of necessity ought to bee propounded (g) According to S. Chrysostome Hom. 83. in Mat. because Christ said This is my body we must not doubt of but belieue it to be so And S. Austin Tom. 8. in psal 33. saith expresly that when Christ gaue the Sacrament of the Eucharist he did that which no other could do for Christ saith
he carryed himselfe in his own hands while giuing his body he said This is my body But truly he had not done what no other could doe if he had carried in his hands a meer figure or sign of his body onely Again S. Cyril Hieros Catech. mysti affirmes that the wine is as truly chang'd into the blood of Christ as water was conuerted into wine in Cana-Galilaea Moreouer S. Cyprian ser de Domi. coena asserts that the bread Christ gaue vnto his Disciples is chang'd saith he not as to the form or figure that is as to the accidents thereof but as to the nature that is as to substance through the Omnipotent power of the worde that was made flesh plainly and euidently otherwise the mystery established vnto saluation might leade into errour and damnation since a thing deliuered in Tropes and figures is subiect vnto vncertainty and intricacies Again the words afore mentioned set down by three Euangelists and one Apostle importe the new Testament made by Christ himselfe the night before his passion and it is vncredible that a Testatour expecting death suddenly should say in express tearmes what he meaned not In regard whereof the ancient Fathers doe vnanimously declare that the cited words of institution vêªt videlicet This is my body This is the blood of the new Testament ought to be taken in their proper sense that no man according to reason might doubt of the â—â—all and substantiall presence of Christs reall and substantiall body and blood in the Sacrament of the Eucharist Christ the diuine Testatour expressing himselfe therein plainly and clearly Wherfore it is an infallible Article of christian faith that vnder the elements of bread and wine is contained Christs true reall and substantiall body and blood through a maruelous transubstantiation that is to say substantiall (h) Transsubstantiation signifies conuersion of one substance into an other conuersion of the bread into his body and the wine into his blood in vertue of the word that was made flesh which the word made that made all thinges of nothing Gen. 1. In vertue of the word that changed Lots wife into a piller of salt Gen. 19. that turned Moyses rod into a serpent Exod. 4. that conuerted the riuers and fountaines of Egypt into blood Exod. 7. that made wine of water Io. 2. that created man of the dust of the ground and breathed in his face breath of life Gen. 1. In vertue of the word that was God Io. 10. Wherfore since the omnipotency of the word can work such marueilous effects it is euidently plain that Christ who is this omnipotent word to wit the son of God can conuert bread into his flesh and wine into his blood and the diuine omnipotency as to transmutation of one created substance into an other in like manner created the Deuil did acknowledg when he said vnto Christ If thou be the son of God command that these stones may be made bread Mat. 4. Wherfore such as deny transubstantiation in the Sacrament of Christs body and blood as an action impossible are worse then Deuills and doe not consider the infinite power of God according to the innate vertue therof Besides if the nutritiue faculty of nature can turne bread into the substance of him that eateth it and change wine into the blood of him that drinketh it if art can make Iron of earth and glass of ashes why cannot God that is aboue nature and art conuert bread into Christs body and wine into his blood Christs body and blood being created substances Furthermore it is extream weakness in a Christian that ought in the mysteries of christian doctrine to be ruled by faith which is a conuiction of thinges not seen to think that he cannot receiue in the Sacrament with his corporall mouth the true reall and substantiall body and blood of Christ because he doth not see them for indeed he might as to reason think as well that there are not three persons in God and one substance two natures in Christ and one person or that there was neuer such a man as Salomon or any such as are called his great Grand-Fathers and Grand-mothers because he hath not seen them or to thinke he is not endued with an immortall soul which quickneth each part of his body because he cannot see it and t' is as great weakness to think that if all the belieuers had eaten of Christs reall body from the first age for 1662. it would haue been wasted and spent long agoe though it had been as big as a great mountaine for Christ's (i) T is no strange thing for the substance of Christs body to exist after an indiuisibie manner since according to true Philosophy the substance or essence of euery real thing hath an indiuisible existency body by diuine dispeÌ„sation is spiritually cloathed in the Sacrament being inuisible indiuisible and incorruptible and consequently deuested of outward extension in order to place and therfore not subiect to naturall alterations which doe accompany common bodies As Heate brightness of fire sweet odour of a rose doe not suffer prejudice for as much as they be communicated to many and as the pot of meale and vessel of oile did not faile or diminish though the widow of Sareptha and her family did eat thereof continually while the Heauens were shut froÌ„ rayning through the prayers of Elias 30. Regum so the body of Christ in the Sacrament is not wasted spent or prejudiced albeit that the whole Church doth dayly feed thereof Likewise t is extream weaknesse to think that Christ cannot be in * Chrys l. de Sacerd. ait qui Christus cum patro sursum sedet in illo ipso temporis momeÌ„to omnium manibus pertractatur Heauen and in the Sacrament at once in as much as one body is not capable according to Philosophy to possess two places together for God is not confined to Aristotles principles The diuine omnipotency transcend's Philosophy her Rules and all the works of nature God made all thinges of nothing contrarie to the maxime of Aristotle Nothing is made of nothing Furthermore in Christ are two natures and one sole person Christ was conceiued of the Virgin Mary without prejudice to her virginity and in the day of his Ascension penetrated the Heauens which are solid bodies without boring into them and other effects which vnto Philosophy are impossible to God are possible Howeuer one body and many places are not inconsistent together as to naturall Philosophy especially when a body is in many places after the manner of a spirituall substance deuested of outward extension in order to the places that containe it and so Christs body is in many consecrated Hosts at once or when one body is in one place with it's quantity extended outwardly thereunto and in another depriued therof at the same time and so Christs body is in Heauen and in the Sacrament together all which according to naturall Philosophy ought not to seem thinges
impossible outward extension in order to place being an accidentall propriety only of a body cloathed with quantity as naturall Philosophy teacheth and consequently the want thereof destroieth not the nature or essence of a body as naturall Philosophy teacheth also Besides though the light of the sun be a corporeall quality neuertheless it is well nigh in infinite places at once likewise the words of a preacher are corporall things which in the same moment of time possesse the eares of all such as are attentiue to his sermon and one man walking in a Chamber where be placed sundry looking-glasses his Image appeareth in each of them at the same time in consequence of which doubtless God in the virtue of his word can put supernaturally one singular Man in many places since his figure which is some thing doth naturally occupate many looking-glasses at once Out of the premises plainly followeth that the Sacrament of the Eucharist hath a singular prerogatiue beyond all the other Sacraments of the new law in as much as it is not an effectuall instrument only to confer diuine grace which is a soueraign Antidote against the poyson of sin but it containes and giues also the Author of grace wherfore it comprehends within it self both the sweetness of inherent sanctity and the giuer therof which is all sweet being the fountaine of sweetness and sweetnes it self whereunto the faire spowse in the Canticles inuiteth saying Tast yee and see how sweet our lord is Howeuer as Manna which was a figure of this Sacrament as to Christs body did seem bitter and loathsome to the ill minded and pleasant only to the good Israelites In like manner Christs body to Christians that receiue it vnworthily is the bitterness of death vnto death and to others that eat it aright the sweetness of life vnto life so fier that purgeth gold consumes wood soe the suns light that recreat's the sound offend's the vnsound eyes so the sweet sauour of an oyntâ—â—ent that refreshes doues kill 's beetles Christians by eating Christs naturall body worthily are not vnited to him only * Eph. 5. quia membra sumus de corpore eius de car ne â—â—us de ossibus cius through faith and charity mystically but really and are flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones Eph. 5. To eate worthily vnto a naturall vnion with Christ a christian ought * 1. Cor. probet autem seipsum homo sic de pane illo edat vnde dc Sacramento corporis sanguinis Christi canit Ecclesia mors est malis vita bonis to examine himselfe afore and purge out the leauen of vice Christ hath * Nulla conventio Christi ad diabolum nulla conventio charitatis ad peccatum mortale no concord with sin nor consequently vnion with a soul that sin hath dominion ouer Christs body will not be * Luc. 23. in sindone muÌ„da in sepulchro in quo nondum quisquaÌ„ positus sit wrapped but in a pure linnen cloath that is to say in a clean heart nor will be laid in a Tombe that is not hewen out of a rock wherin neuer any laid afore As there is no agreement betwixt Christ and Belial no communion betwixt sanctity and iniquity no society betwixt light and darkness so there is noe vnion betwixt Christs body and a Christian that serue's Belial delight 's in iniquity and walkes in darkness wherfore let no Christian thinke to tye a knot of vnion with Christ if he shall put his body where allready is * L. 6. super cap. 9. Lucae ait nemo accipit cibum Christi nisâ— fuerit ante sanatus Et Aug. trac 26. in Joan. sic praecipit Innocentiam ad altare portate established Belial that is to say the deuill through mortall sin and truly Christians that * 1. Cor. 11. qui manducat bibit indignè reuâ— erit sanguinis corporis Domini vnworthily receaue the body of Christ as much as lyeth in them doe betray him to the deuill putting him in a place the deuill command's in and consequently become guilty of Christ's body and blood in as high a measure (k) According to S. Chrysostom hom de non contemnenda Ecclesia hom 8 ad popul Antioch those which receiue the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ vnworthily doe an iniury to Christs proper person like the Iewes and Gentils that crucified him as Iudas that betrayed him to the Iewes As the children of Israel were forâ—idden Exod. 12. to cate the paschall lambe which was a figure of Christs Sacramentall body too * Exod. 12. non comedetis ex eo crudum quid nec coctum sed tantum assum igne raw or boiled butrosted only so Christians be prohibited to eat Christs body raw that is before the fire of charity hath prepared them for it or boiled namely in luxury and voluptuousness but rosted only viz. at the fire of a contrite heart inflamed with the memory of Christ * Ecce agnus Dei inquit Apostolus qui tollit peccata muÌ„di the lambe of God that was rosted in the hot furnace of affliction for the taking away the sins of the world CHAR. IX OF COMMVNION IN BOTH KIND'S THE CONTENTS Christ instituted the holy Euchariste vnder the elements of both bread and wine Christ by his institution did not oblige the Church to dispense the Euchariste vnder both kinds Christ left it in the Churches power to giue the Euchariste to lay-people vnder one or both kinds accordingly as she should think fit in order to tymes places and persons those which receiue the Euchariste vnder one sole kind haue nothing less nor such as receiue vnder both kinds haue nothing more of Christ nor of the Sacramentall grace if there be parity in the receiuers as to worthiness obiections answered Communion in both kinds is the receiuing of Christs reall body and blood vnder the two Sacramentall shapes or element's of bread and wine afrer Christ's own institution Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. Howeuer from thence it followeth not that communion vnder both kindes is necessary to the whole Church ioynt and separate vnto saluation for matrimony and the orders of Bishops and Priests doe challenge diuine institution neuertheless none of them be necessary to each member of Gods Church A Priest celebrating as he ought to consecrate the body and blood of Christ vnder distinct elements through distinct form's of words for as much as he then representes Christ's person supplyeth his room and offereth an vnbloody sacrifice on the Altar that is an express remembrance of Christ's bloody sacrifice offered on the cross wherein his blood was seperated from his body in consummation of the generall redemption so he ought likewise to communicate in the distinct consecrated elements but communion in order to lay-people which are no Priest's Christ hath left free (a) According to S. Austin Epis 108. Christ left power vnto
his Church to determine how the Euchariste should be ordered and indeed the Church-goucrnours are the proper ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God 1. Cor. 4. in consequence of which the Church has authority to constitute and appoint in order to dispensing the Sacraments what she shall judge expedient according to tyme place and persons but with that prouiso that she alter nothing pertaining to the nature or essence of them muesting his Church with authority and power to dispense and order therein so the integrity and substance of the Sacrament be not prejudiced as in prudence she might thinke fit in regard of places tymes persons and circumstances (b) Communion vnder the form of bread onely was practiced in the primitiue Church according to the best antiquity prouing the lawfullness thereof out of the 2. and 20. chapter of the Acts. For example S. Austin Epis 6. ad Casulanum S. Bede in 20. Act. and indeed many of the first Christians were Nazarits who were bound by their vow not to drink any licour of grapes pum 4. wherfore since the legall ceremonies of the old law were in force as appears by the fame chapter of the Act. doubtless those new Christians receiu'd the Sacrament of the Euchariste vnder one kinde onely Besides S. Cyprian that liu'd in the first 300. yeares l. de lapsis set's down two examples of communion vnder one kinde Again S. Hierom in epitap Paul ad Eustach e. 23. S. Austin l. 3. de consensu Euang. c. 23. affirme that Christ gaue the Sacrament of the Euchariste vnder the form of bread onely vnto the Disciples going to Emmaous Moreouer Tertull. l. 2. ad vxor l. de Orat. attest's that it was a practice or custome to take Christs body forthwith or to carrie it home and defer the taking to an other tyme. Lay-communion vnder one kind only was practised in the primitiue Ages as plainly doe euidence scripture and Father-Testimonies preseruing of the Eucharist vnder one sole kinde as spirituall prouision for sick persons which though they were Priests did nor communicate in sickness but vnder one kinde de onely namely bread (c) The custome of communicating Infants continued in Some Churches till the dayes of Hugo de S. Victor who liu'd about the yeare 1130. for l. 1. c. 2. de caeremon he affirmes that the Priest with his finger dipt afore in consecrated wine ministred the Sacramen of the Euchariste vnder the form of wine vnto Babes newly born they being able to suck Besides in the ancient Roman office cap. de Sabbato parents are admonished not to suffer their children to suck milk vntill they had communicated But now the Church for good and iust reasons hath wholy abolished that custome and a principall motiue there of was to resist the heresy which euen in those days the Bohemian Hussits had spread teaching that Infants could not be sau'd without receiuing the Euchariste and an other reason of taking away that practice was the eminent danger of prophaning so holy a Sacrament because of the great number of children and the distribution of the Sacrament vnto Infants in one sole kinde also Namely wine for albeit these could not eat the sacramentall bread yet they might suck the sacramentall wine from the Priest's finger which truly they did according to the custome of some Churches Again lay-communion * ConueniÅt omnes Doctores Caetbolici communionem sub vtraque specie fuisse in vsu in quibusdam Ecclesijs eiusque meminerunt S. Dionys cap. 3. de Eccles Hierarch S. Iustinus Martyr Apolog 2. S. Gregor l. 3. Dial. cap. 36 alijque Patres vnder both kindes was anciently practised at some tymes in seuerall precincts of particular christian Churches as doe plainly shew the writings of primitiue Fathers And S. Leo the first being supream Pastor in Church-gouernment vnder Christ by a speciall ordinance commanded publick lay-communion at Easter vnder both kindes the chiefe intent whereof was to discouer the manichean heriticks who to conceale their heresy these sectaries did foolishly belieue that there was a good and euill God and as foolishly held wine to be created by the euill God and therfore had an abhorrence of it were obserued to receiue the sacramentall bread at Easter which sole kinde was then in practice with Catholicks promiscuously Again lay-communion vnder both kind's was abrogated absolutely and vniuersally because of certain Bohemian sectaries named Hussit's that condemned lay-communion vnder one kinde only teaching both kind's as necessarily required to all Christians vnto saluation In detestation of this heresie as also for other good reasons the generall Councell of Constance obliged all lay-Catholick's to communicate in one kinde and indeed the Church of God ought to exercise her authority to the crushing of all heresies in the bud Yet the Greek-Church continued lay-communion in both kind's though it did not esteem both the species of the Sacrament necessary to saluation For in the generall Councill of Florence which was called with design chiefly to setle concord and vnion between that and the latine Church neither the greek or latine Fathers did except against lay-communion as to the practise thereof vnder one sole or both kinds whereby it is euidently manifest that Christ hat left it in the Churches liberty to determine and appoint the distribution of the communion vnto meer lay-people in one only or both kind's as it shall think fit according to the various condition of tymes places persons and circumstances so that though in this present age lay-communion be giuen in sacramentall bread alone through all the precincts of the easterne Church neuertheless it is in the power of the supreme Pastour to change that into another vsage of both kind's if he shall see as good reasons to moue him thereunto as he seeth cause to continue it vnder one sole kinde viêªt videlicet in opposition and detestation of moderne heresies First in regard of many Lutherans who beleiue that Christs body only is contained with the bread and his blood only with the wine and not all Christ entirely which is a manifest ignorance for wheresoeuer Christ's body is truly really and substantially from the day of his Resurrection there it is truly * Rom. non amplius moritur Christus aliue being impossible for Christ to die again and since the life of the flesh * Leuit. 17. anima omnis carnis in sanguine is in the blood Leuit. 17. it followeth euidently that wheresoeuer Christs body is there his blood is also and since Christ hath deuested himself of no reall thing that he once assumed and whatsoeuer he assumed was vnited hypostatically to his diuine person it is again plainly euident that wheresoeuer * S. Ambrosius vbi carpus Christi Christus est Christs body blood or soul is there is all Christ entire without separation of one part from another and albeit the words that consecrate Christs body according to their proper
signification doe constitute the body only vnder the forms of bread and the words which consecrate Christ's blood according to their proper signification doe put the blood only vnder the form's of wine neuerth eless in vertue of naturall concomitancy that is to say of the naturall connection which is between all the naturall part 's of Christ now inuested with immortality it is manifest by necessary consequence that wheresoeuer Christ's body and blood is there is all Christ vndeuided and so it is alike in the mystery of the blessed Trinity that includes three Persons really distinct though the word Father according to it's proper signification be appropriated to the first Person only notwithstanding whersoeuer the first diuine Person is who only layeth claim to the name Father taken in the proper sense there also is the second Person the son and the third Person the holy Ghost in vertue of the naturall connection that one Person has with an other Hence it is plainly euident that the Euchariste distributed vnder one kinde only ought not to be counted a lame Sacrament since one sole species contain's as much of Christ as both together to wit all Christ entirely Neither is a greater measure of grace conferred Ex opere operato that is by the Sacraments working precisely when it is taken in one sole or in both kind's the spirituall effect thereof which is supernaturall grace vnto refreshing and feeding of the soul being equally diuided to all such as receiue the Sacrament with the same worthines whether vnder one only or both kind's and all such are * 1. Cor. 10. multi vnum corpus sumus qui de vno pane participamus one bread and one body in as much as all are partakers of one bread 1. Cor. 10. which is an other effect of the Sacrament Also he that shall eate of this bread worthily which is conuerted into the body of Christ shall liue for euer 10. 6. And as * 2. Cor. 8. qui multum non abundauit qui modicum noÌ„ minorauit Et Exod. 16. filij Israel colligerunt Manna alius plus alius minus nec qui plus collegerat habuit amplius nec qui minus parauerat r. perit minus an Israëlite that gathered much Manna had nothing ouer and an Israëlite that gathered little had not the less so a Christian that receiueth the Sacrament vnder both kind's hath no more of Christ or of sacramentall grace then he that receiueth vnder one kinde only if there * Gratia sucramentalis confertur iuxta dispositiones supernaturales eorune qui recipiunt Sacramenta be parity as to the disposition of the receiuers notwithstanding all these premises it cannot be said in proper speech that he that eateth Christ's body doth drinke his blood or that he that drinketh Christ blood vnder the forme of wine doth cate his blood albeit that whosoeuer receiueth his body receiueth his blood withall and whosoeuer receiueth his blood receiueth his body withall for the reason of difference in order to the proper form of speech doth not proceed from the absence of the one and the sole presence of the other but from a different manner exercised in the conueyance of the consecrated elements * Innocentius III. ait quod quamuis dum bibitur sanguis Christi simul accipiatur eius corpus quod tamen tune non dicitur propriè â—â—aÌ„ducari vnder both of which be contained as well the body as the blood of Christ from the mouth into the stomach no man eating and thinking alike Secondly lay-communion vnder one kinde only is continued because of other modern sectaries that lay claim to a diuine precept to proue a necessary vsage of both kinds which is a manifest weakness for * Jems 6. hic est panis de coâ—le descendens sâ— quit 〈◊〉 ipso manducauevit non morictur Et v. 52. 〈…〉 si quit manducâ—â—erit c hoc pane viuet in aterâ—â—â— Rursiam qui maÌ„ducâ—t â—â—am 〈◊〉 viâ—â—t in aeternum many scripture-testion onies doe declare communion in one kinde to be enough for one obtaining eternall life and not any one doth exprosse an obsolute command to oblige the Church vnto lay-communion vnder both kinds For of all the three Euangelist's which set down the Institution of the Eucharist only S. Luk cap. as mentioneth an absolute precept given by Christ viêªt videlicet Doe this in 〈◊〉 of me but from this scripture no man ought to argue an obligation euen for consecration in both kinds and consequently much less for lay-communion vnder both kinds because the precept doth immediatly follow the consecration of the bread asone and was enjoyned afore Christ did institute the chalice and though Christ Mat. 6. after he had consecrated the chalice said drink yee all of it yet that was a precept giuen to the Apostles only which were present for S. Mark chap. 14. says And they All drank of it that is all the Apostles then sitting at the last supper Furthermore Christ by giuing the afore said precept Doe this in remember ance of mee wherby is commanded the execution of all the actions ioynt and separate that Christ then did cannot be meant vniuersally in order to all the faithfull ioynt and separate the said actions being inconsistent with meer lay-people who are not invested with power to offer proper sacrifice consecrate Christs body and ordaine Priests for the distributing the Euchariste to others which were the actions that Christ exercised and proper only to the Episcopall and Priestly function * Trident. sess 22. cap. 1. can 1. ait per verba hoc facite Christum ordinasse Apostolos Sacerdâ—tes that Christ instituted at his last supper Amongst the Apostles S. Paul 1. Cor. 11. only relateth the Institution of this Sacrament and according to his Testimonie the absolute precept Doe this in remember ance of me is giuen also before Christ consecrated the chalice and albeit that S. Paul mentioneth a conditionall precept that felloweth the institution of the said chalice to wit This doe as oft as ye drinke it in remember ance of me neuertheless as no man ought to argue according to the rules of true Logick from a condititionall proposition an vniuersall absolute so no man ought to infer from a conditionall an absolute precept vniuersally obliging the whole Church ioynt and separate and consequently there cannot be produced out of the three Euangelists and S. Paul which set down the words Christ vsed in the institution of this SacrameÌ„t any warraÌ„table ground to proue a diuine precept obliging all belieuers vniuersally to coÌ„municate vnder both kind's and although S. Iohn the EuaÌ„gelist chap. 6. doth shew an express warrant from Christ coÌ„manding as it were communion vnder both kinds in order to the whole Church joynt and separate The warrant runs thus Except ye eate the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood ye haue no life in you howeuer modern sectaries and Caluinist's especially cannot in
reason lay claim to that passage as a proof of their forbidden doctrine in order to communion in both kind's in regard they deny that any part of the said chapter of S. Iohn is meant of sacramentall eating or drinking lest by assenting thereto they might be forced to grant Christs reall presence in the Sacrament which the chapter plainly declares if it shall beare an interpretation of sacramentall eating and drinking Howeuer the precept so interpreted doth not euince communion vnder both kinds to be enjoyned of necessity in order to each Christian in particular since according to scripture vsage the particle * Julius Paulus insignis Jurisconsultus ait comparatum esse vt coniuncta pro disiunctis accipiantur Di gestis de verborum significatione l. saepe And is frequently taken in a disiunctiue sense only For example S. Peter Act. 3. sayes Siluer and Gold haue I none where the particle And is taken disiunctiuely the true meaning thereof being Siluer or gold haue I none In like manner it is written Exod. 21. He that smiteth his Father and Mother so it is read in Hebrew shall die the death Where And is taken for or Again Math. 20. it is said by thy words thou shalt be iustified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Where likewise the particle And is taken disiunctiuely for Or and Aristotle also taketh And in the disiunctiue sense when he defineth Nature to be Authour or cause of motion and rest all his interpreters vnderstanding the particle And in that definition to signify Or and truly by the latter particle And in the cited passage of scripture vêªt videlicet Except ye cate the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood See doubtless was meant Or as doe plainly demonstrate other word 's of Christ there set down wherby he explaines that precept saying v. 47. I am the bread of life v. 50. This is that bread that came down from Heauen If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I shall giue is my flesh which I shall giue for the life of the world Whereby is plainly euident that Christ did ascribe the effect of this Sacrament as common alike to the bread alone and to the bread and wine ioyntly Howeuer sectaries haue nothing of aduantage if the latter particle And in S. Iohn ought to be taken in the copulatiue sense for the precept euen so meant and indeed so catholick writers do vnderstand it importes an obligation only in order to the whole Church wherin there is neuer want of Priests that be obliged to communicate in both kinds as often as they offer sacrifice and not to each member therof In the old law God hauing iustituted Circumcision added this precept in generall tearmes viêªt videlicet Ye shall circumcise the foreskin of your flesh and notwithstanding only such had right to exercise that function as were deputed therunto by the Church or Synagegue which sheweth plainly that though the precept did oblige the whole Church or Synagogue yet it did not reach to each member thereof howeuer it seemes as if it had been enioyned in order to all vniuersally Again when God instituted the pascall lambe as a Sacrament and sacrifice also he imposed two precepts Exod. 12. the one Let euery man take vnto him a lambe the other all the multitude of the children of Israel shall kill it which two precepts though they be expressed in generall words to the obliging the whole Synagogue yet euery particular member therof had not right to choose and take vnto him a lamb and sacrifice it but the heads of each family only which executed Priestly function as to that sacrifice being a priuiledge giuen to them before Priesthood was appropriated to the family of Aaron as appeareth manifestly by the said chapter of Exod. As to the passages which some sectaries alledge out of S. Innocent Ep. 26. and S. Augustin lib. 7. against Iulian the Pelagian to proue a necessity of communion vnder both kinds in regard that these ancient Fathers expresly assert that Infants cannot be saued except they eate Christ's flesh and drinke his blood they make not a jot for them who require a presonall act of inward faith to the eating of Christ's body and drinking of his blood Infant 's being vncapable of exercising any such acction in consequence where of the alledged * Agunt Innocen Aug. contra Pelagium qui negabat peccatum originale in infantibus authorities afforde them nothing of aduantage But as to the true sense of these primitiue Fathers doubtless their meaning is only to shew that Infants cannot enter into the kingdome of God except they receiue sanctifying grace in baptism through the merits of Christ's body and blood that were offered for all men vnto remission of sins (d) According to Origin hom 29. in num we are said to drink of Christ's blood not only when we receiue the Sacrament but when wee heare his diuine word preach'd wherein is life according to Christ's own saying the Words vvhich I have spoken are spirit and life in as much as they be dispositions to diuine grace which is the life of the soul through the merits of Christ Again such as hear Mass deuoutly and ioyne in heart with the Priest receiue life and fruit by the Sacrament though they neither eate of Christ's body nor drink of his blood sacramentally Fourthermore in as much as Infants through baptism be made members of that Church which eateth Christ's flesh and drinketh his blood the same Church as it doth furnish them * Aug. Tom. 10. ser 10. de verbis Apostoli Mater Ecclesia inquit accommodat parvults alioruÌ„ pedes vt veniant ad Ecclesiam altorum cor vt credant alioruÌ„ linguam vt fatcantur it a Ecclesia accommodat aliorum ora vt comedant bibant with the feet of others to come vnto it with the heart of others to belieue and with the tongues of others to professe the christian faith in like manner according to a spirituall metaphoricall form of speech it may be said to furnish them with the mouths of others to eate Christ's flesh and drink his blood CHAR. X. OF PENANCE THE CONTENTS Penance hath a iust claim vnto all requisits necessary to a speciall Sacrament of the new law Christ after the similitude of an outward Court of iustice instituted an inward Tribunall where by diuine dispensation Priest's sit as Iudges of sinns committed after baptism whatsoeuer Priests judge here below God approu's aboue the power Christ gaue to the Apostles and heir successors in priestly function and authority was not onely to declare but effect indeed remission of hones in vertue of the word of reconciliation ioynt vnto a sinners sincere sorrow and humble Confession of his sinnes together with a full purpose to sin no more PEnance is a (a) There are three requisits necessary to the nature of a Sacrament of the
her exemption from the guilt of Originall sin according to Pope Alexander the seuenth who hath declared in a speciall Bull put forth 1661. that by the feast which the Church celebrates of the Immaculate Conception is meant the blessed Virgins preseruation from Originall sin This feast of the Immaculate Conception was as to the western Church first celebrated in England and afterwards in France by the canons of lyons and though S. Bernard reprehended the practice there of as to the same canons neuertheless he was not against the feast it selfe being offended only because the said canons had introduced it by their own priuate auctority But in the Greek Church the feast of the Conception was celebrated before the year 1000. as attestes Gailatinus l. 1. c. 4. Besides since God in the creation of our first Adam prepared for his entertainment a terrestiall paradise beautified with all manner of pleasant trees bearing fruit and flowers breathing sweet smells (e) S. Austin l. de nat gra c. 36. giues euidence enough of the blessed Virgins preseruation euen from the guilt of originall sin for prouing there against the Pelagians that young children are not without sin which of necessity is meant of originall young babes not being capable of actuall offence refuseth to bring in question the Virgin Mary Now if S. Austin had impugned the Pelagians as to actuall sin he ought not to except the Blessed Virgin only but likewise all young children these hauing nothing of actuall or personall transgression whereby plainly appeares that S. Austin did not thinke that the Virgin Mary was guilty of originall sin doubtles in the incarnation of our second Adam he made his spirituall paradise to wit the Virgin Mary fan beyond the other as to beauty goodnes and splendour * S. Ansel l. de Concept Virginali c. 18. decens inquit crat vt ea puritate qua maior sub Deo nequit intelligi Virgo illa Deipara niteret In her he planted spirituall trees of all vertues and flowers of all the graces that euer had been distributed to any human or Angelicall creature And as God in the temporall generation of his onely son thought fit waueing other feisable waies of his mercy to make the Virgin Mary an Instrument of vniuersall redemption so with reference to the merits of the said son he constituted her a meanes of particular saluation he in fused into her soul the plenitude of celestiall gifts wherby it plainly appeares that all necessary requisits to the purchase of eternall life proceed from God by the Virgin Mary through the merits of her son IESUS and therefore both primitiue and modern times haue stiled her (f) S. Athanas ser in Euan. prayeth thus to the mother of God we together with the Angell Gabriel extoll thee saying Hail Mary full of grace our lord is vvith thee pray for us ô Mistris ô Lady ô Queen ô mother of God queen of mercy that opens the bowels of Gods charity and compassion to whom she will (g) S. Ephrem in quadam Orat. de Deipara makes his prayer to the blessed Virgin thus Virgin before and after trauell by tsiee we are reconciled to Christ our God thy son thou art the helper of sinners the Heauen of such as are lost with tempests the worlds comfort the deliuerer of the imprisonned and the Redeemer of Captiues S. Austin de fide symbolo de agone Christiano saith that as Adam and Eue procured our fall so both sexes conduced to our saluation insomuch that the most grieuous sinner cannot perish injoying the support of her protection As Christs saying to S. Peter feed my lambs feed my sheep was directed to one and intended to many lawfully succeeding him that gouernment being of necessary and continuall vse in the Church soe his saying to S. Iohn behold thy mother was addressed to one and meant to all * Aug. ser 18. de sanctis Tom. 10. vel vt alij sentiunt S. Fulgentius habet haec verba sancta Maria succurre miseris inua pusillanimes refoue fiebries ora pro populo ... intercede pro deuoto femineo sexu that none at all might want a powerfull and tender mother of loue and mercy to fly vnto for protection in their necessity Hence is euidenced * S. Ansel apud S. Antonium 4. p. tit 15. cap. 14. item S. Bernardus sic alloquitur Deiparam quemadmodum ô beatissima omnis à te auersus à te despectus necesse est vt intereat ita omnis ad te conuersus à te respectus impossibile est vt pereat that as it is necessary for such as are auerse from the Virgin Mary and by her despised to perish so it is impossible for such as are conuerted to her and by her respected not to be saued CHAR. V. OF THE SON OF THE VIRGIN MARY THE CONTENTS The promised Messias mediator of God and men his aboundant loue shewn in the pursuance of his mediatiou and the blessed effects thereof THe son of the Virgin Mary is Iesus-Christ (a) According to S. Austin ser 3. de Ascens to assert Christ to be man only is to deny the glory of the maker and to say that he was God only is to deny the mercy of the Redeemer for neither God alone could haue suffered nor man alone ouercome death perfect God and perfect man God the second person in the blessed Trinity made * Aug. ser Nat. Domiui Deus filius inquit se hominec fecit vt homo fieret Deus himselfe man to make man God not by the conuersion of his diuinity into mans flesh but by the assumption of human nature to his diuine person so that in this mistery of Hypostaticall vnion God and man are not two but one Christ containing three substances the diuine of his person the spirituall of his soul and the materiall of his body (b) The Prophet Daniel cap. 3. and sundry other texts of the old Scripture giue clear evidence of Christs comming into the world his destroying of sin and his redeeming of mankind By the vertue of his Incarnation he finished preuarication put an end to sin abolished iniquity brought euerlasting grace and accomplished the visions and predictions of the holy Prophets who is the anointed holy of holyes the promised Messias that came into the world a * Timor 2. vnus Deus vnus mediator Dei hominū mediator of God and men for peace and in fauour of these so charitably mediated that he gaue his body in a sacrifice for the effecting of it (c) S. Iohn the Euangelist cap. 3. calleth Iesus-Christ the lamb of God that taketh away the sinns of the world he wash't away their sinns the sole ground of Gods heauy displeasure in his own blood * Jsai 53. tanquam ouis ad occisionem ductus as an innocent lamb caried to the slaughter-house he emptied his veines superabundantly bleeding euen to the
separation of his soul from his body in euidence of his superabundant loue (d) According to S. Ambrose one sole drop of Christs precious blood had been sufficient to redeem all mankind for one only drop of that precious liquor had been sufficient for the redemption of all mankind His extraction as man is deriued from the most illustrious Tribe of (e) Rom. 15. Isaias saith there shall be the root of Iesse and he that shall rise to rule ouer the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles hope Christ was the flower that grew out of the root of Jesse that came of the stock of Iuda Iuda wherof he was * Apoc. 5. ecce vicit leo de tribus Iuda the conquering lyon he ouercame the world the deuil and the flesh the world by contemning it the deuil by putting down his principallity the flesh by Crucifying it As a lyon he appeared in his natiuity for it is the innate propriety of that royall Beast to wipe out with his sterne the prints of his feet that his steps may not be discouered and Christ in his Natiuity hid with the stern of his humanity his God head that it should not be perceiued by the deuil as a lyon * Gen. 49. requiescens accubuisti vt leo quasi leaena quis suscitabit eum he slept in his sepulchre none daring to awake him as a lyon he waked himselfe rising gloriously * Mat. 27. soluite hoc templum e in triduo reaedificabo illud in the third day of his dead sleep by the vertue of his own power and as a lyon he will come to the generall judgment to put down the authority power and principallity of all his enemies * 1. Cor. 15. cum tradiderit Regnum Deo Patri and deliuer the kingdom which is the Congregation of the faithfull neuer after to be exercised by the tyranny of the wicked to his diuine Father to whom as God he is equall as man inferior CHAR. VJ. OF THE NAME ISEVS THE CONTENTS The origen excellency and marueillous vertue of the name IESUS IESVS is the proper name of the son of man * Luc. 19. venit filius hominisquaerere saluum facere quod perierat that came into the world to seek and saue that which was lost and to heal and quicken that which was mortally wounded This is to say that the son of the Virgin Mary who is also the son of God is properly named (a) Isaias cap. 62. prophesied of the name IESUS and thou shalt be called saith he by a nevv name vvhich the mouth of our lord hath named That is the Angell of God whom the Prophet Zachary calleth the mouth of our lord and t is set down Mat. 1. that the words thou shalt call his name Iesus c. were vttered by an Angell IESUS which signifieth Sauiour being born to saue his people from their sins (b) S. Austin treating of Christs comming into the world writeth thus take avvay vvounds take avvay death if man had not perished the son of man had not come because there vvould haue been no need of remedies wherby he meaneth that if Adam had not sinned the son of God had not been the son of man which are the wounds and death that procured his coming or temporall generation As in the administration of Ecclesiasticall and ciuill gouernment names are giuen to men sutable and proper to the charges or offices they vndergoe for example the names Pope Bishop Emperour King Generall Admirall Maior c. so the son of the Virgin Mary was by * Mat. 1. vacabis nomen eius Iesum ipse enim saluabit populū à peccatis eorum diuino dispensation named IESUS Sauiour the generall redemption being committed to his charge And allbeit that this name was giuen to some others long afore for the holy Scriptures make mention of (c) Iesus Naue according to Ecclesiast 46. was a valiant warrier one IESUS Naue and (d) Iesus the son of Iosedech succeeded his Father in the office of high Priest Hag. 5. IESUS the son of Iosedech high Priest yet it was new and extraordinary in the son of the Virgin Mary first as to his Person being God and man and consequently far more excelling the other two then substances their shadowes or things figured their naked figures And Iesus Naue though a Gallant Captain howeuer he conducted only the people of Israëll into the land of promise which Moses before had brought out of Egygt but Iesus the son of the Virgin Mary came a guide to all nations vnto conducting them into the kingdom of Heauen of which the land of promise was a figure only as likewise Iesus Naue was a Type onely of Iesus the son of the Virgin Mary And though Iesus the son of Iosedech was a high Priest yet he did not perpetuate his Priesthood that dying with him but Iesus the son of the Virgin Mary * Hebr. 6. tu es Sacerdos in aternum is a Priest for euer enjoying an euer lasting Priest hood Besides Iesus the son of the Virgin Mary saued his people from their sins of slaues vnto Satan (e) S. Iohn the Euangelist cap. 5. writeth that Christ gaue power to be the sous of God vnto as many as receiued him he made Children of God and shewed mercy * Isai cuius misericordia super omnem carnem on all flesh Secondly as to the name it selfe that was new and marueillous also (f) Philip. 2. at the name of Iesus euery knee shall bovv of those vvhich are in heauen of those vvihch are on Earth and of those vvhich are vnder the Earth that is in Purgatory for those which are vnder the earth in the hell of the damned giue nothing of reuerence to the name of Iesus being obdurate in an abhorrence from it S. Hieron l. 3. Comment in Isa attesteth that in those daies bowing at the name of Iesus was counted à distinctiue sign wherby Christians were known from Iews which shewed noe more respect and reuerence when they heard Iesus named then when they hear'd the name of Satan or Pharaoh Howeuer Catholicks doe not honour the name of Iesus in regard of the Syllables letters or sound that it carries but because of the relation it has to the Son of God called Iesus Neither does this exhibition of Religious worship render them more guilty of superstition then are the subjects of a king when they shew a ciuill reuerence while they heare him named for at the name of Iesus the Son of the Virgin Mary euery knee bow 's of Creatures in heauen in earth and vnder the earth * Act. 4. non est aliud nomen in quo homines saluari possūt nisi in nomine Iesu Nazareni and it is the sole name that procureth saluation for man in respect and consideration wherof it hath been a holy constant custome amongst ancient Catholick Christians to bow at the name of