nec aperire possunt nisi ille reserauerit qui habet clauem Dauid qui aperit et nemo claudite claudit et nemo aperit In Actis Apostolorum sanctus Eunuchus imo vir sic enim eum scriptura cognominat cum legeret Esaiam interrogatus à Philippo Putà sne intelligis quae legis Respondit Quomodò possum nisi aliquis me docuerit Ego vt de me loquar interim nec sanctior sum hoc Eunucho nec studiosior qui de Aethiopia id est de extremis mundi finibus venit ad templuÌ„ reliquit aulam et tantus amator legis diuinaeque scientiae fuit vt etiam in vehiculo sacras literas legeret et tamen cum librum teneret et verbum Domini cogitatione conciperet lingua volueret labijs personaret ignorabat eum quem in libro nesciens venerabatur Venit Philippus ostendit ei Iesum qui clausus latebat in litera O mira doctoris virtus eâdem hora credit Eunuchus baptisatur et sanctus factus est The heauens were open to Ezechiel whiche to the sinfull people were shette Dauid saith Open thowe mine eies and I shall see the wonderfull thinges of thy lawe The lawe ys spirituall and yt hathe nede of reuelacion that yt maye be vnderstanded and that with open face we maie beholde the glorie of God The booke in the Apocalips ys shewed signed or fastened with seueÌ„ seales whiche if thow geue to a man hauing knowledge of letters that he maye read it he will aunswer I can not For it ys sealed Howe manie nowe a daies thinke Manie nowe a daies holde the booke of scripture scaled them selues learned and do holde the booke sealed neither yet can open it except he onlocke it which shetteth and noman openeth openeth and no man shetteth In the Actes of the Apostles the holie Eunuche yea raither a man for so the scripture doth call him when he did reade Esaie the Prophet being asked of Philippe Thinkest thow thow vnderstandest what thow readest he answered howe can I except some bodie shall teache me As for me that I maie speake somthing of my self I am neither more holie then this Eunuch nor more studiouse whiche came from Aethiope that ys from the furthest coastes of the worlde vnto the TeÌ„ple He left the Courte and was so great a louer of the lawe and godlie Science that he wolde euen in his Chariett read the holie scriptures And yet when he helde the booke and conceaued in his minde the woord of God when he spake it with his tounge and sownded it with his lipps he knew not him whom vnwitting he woorshipped in the booke Philippe came he shewed him Iesus who laie hidde in the letter O great vertue of a teacher The same howre the Eunuch beleued he was baptised and made faithfull and holie Thus farre saincte Hierom. In whose sentence marke well howe many scriptures this holie doctour hath brought forth to declare and proue that the scriptures be obscure and therfore of necessitie require to haue some exercised and learned in them to open and declare them as sainct Hierom declaring the cause whie alleageth these scriptures whiche ye haue heard and immediately addeth and saieth Haec à me breuiter perstricta sunt vt intelligeres te in scripturis sanctis sine praeuio et monstrante semitam non posse ingredi Theise thinges are breiflie touched of me to the entent thow shouldest vnderstande that withoute a leader and one shewing the path thow canst not entre in to the scriptures Not moche vnlike to this declaring the obscuritie and hardnesse of the olde Testament he writeth in his epistle to Algasia Quaestiunculaetuae de Euangelio Hieron ad AlgasiaÌ„ tantum de Apostolo propositae indicant te veterem scripturam aut non satis legere aut non satis intelligere quae tantis obscuritatibus suturorum typis obuâ—luta est vt omnis interpretatione egeat Thy questions propownded onelie out of the gospell and the Apostle doo declare that either thowe hauest not sufficientlie red the olde scripture or ells doest not sufficientlie vnderstand yt whiche ys enwrapped with so manie obscurities and figures of thinges to come that euery parte of yt had nede of interpretacon Thus moche saincte Hierom. Saincte Basill teacheth that all the scriptures are not to be published and made coÌ„mon for that some parte of them semeth to require a scilence or closenesse for their obscuritie Wherfor he diuideth the scriptures into two sortes or partis saieng Aliud est Dogma aliud Praedicatio Dogmata silentur Basil li. de Sp. S. ca. 27 Praedicationes verò publicantur Silentij autem species est obscuritas qua vtitur scriptura ita dogmatum sententiam construens vt aegrè assequi possis The pointes of learning be one thing and morall instruction ys an other Pointes of learning be kept close or secret Morall instructions are published and openlie taught A kinde of scilence also ys the obscuritie whiche the scripture vseth so framing the meening of the secret pointes of learning that a man maye hardlie atteign therto Saint Ambrose also in a fewe woordes saieth moche to this matter calling Lib 7. epist 44. the scripture of God the great sea hauing in yt a depenesse withoute Botome of depe senses and vnderstaÌ„dinges into the whiche manie flouddes doo entre Chrysostom also vpon this text Vae vobis qui clauditis regnum caelorum Wo be Math. 23. Chrysost oinel 44. in Matth. to yow whiche shett vppe the kingdom of heauen saieth thus Regnum est beatitudo caelestis Ianua autem eius est scriptura per quam intratur ad eam Clauicularij autem sunt sacerdotes quibus creditum est verbum docendi et interpretandi scripturas Clauis autem est verbum scientiae scripturarum per quam aperitur homimbus ianua veritatis Adapertio autem est interpretatio vera Videte quia non dixit Vae vobis qui non aperitis regnum caelorum sed qui clauditis Ergo non sunt scripturae clausae sed obscurae quidem vt cum labore inueniantur non autem clausae vt nullo modo mueniantur Propterea dicit Petrus in epistola sua de scripturarum obscuritate quia non sicut voluit homo locutus est spiritus sed sicut voluit spiritus ita locutus est homo Ratio autem obscuritatis multiplex est tamen satisfactionis causa dicimus duas Obscurata est notitia veritatis ne non tam vtilis inueniatur quà m contemptibilis Contemptibilis enim est si ab illis intelligatur à quibus nec amatur nec custoditur The kingdom ys the heauenlie blesse The gates of yt ys the scripture by the whiche we entre into yt The keibearers Preistes are the keiebearers of the scriptures are the preistes vnto whom the woorde ys committed to teache and interprete the scriptures The keie ys the woorde of the knowledge of the scriptures by the whiche
example of godlie liuing that God bothe in his pastours and people maie be glorified As cōcerning the second that the scriptures haue doubtes and difficulties Scriptures ful of doubres Yt appeareth by the expresse woorde of God when he saieth Yf ther rise a matter to hard for thee in iudgemēt c. Thow shalt get thee vppe to the preistes the Leuites But forsomoch as this matter ys allready sufficiētlie treacted of and proued yt ys enough here nowe to haue touched yt and so to passe to the third Which ys that the people must be taught and learn the lawes of god of the preistes Which thīg ys so manifestlie declared ād in so plain woordes Doubtes in the lawe of God must be dissolued by the preistes opened in the scriptures alleaged that I shal not nede to make any further declaraciō therof forasmuche as yt ys plainlie ther saied that the doubtes of the people in the lawe of God must be dissolued bi the preistes to whose sentēce and iudgemēt they must in any wise stande and not decline frō yt neither on the right hand nor on the left and that on the pain of deathe In the which saing of God yt ys euidēt howe moche God wolde that the determinaciō of his church in the doubtes of his lawe should be estemed ād reuerēced and his preistes in that respecte obeid Which howe moche yt ys nowe disdained and contēned and gods ordre and cōmaūdemēt neclected his holie faith and religion infringed and violated yt ys more with Sithes and teares to be lamented then beinge so manifest as yt ys nedefull to be opened and declared Of whose mouthe the people should learn the lawe AlmightieGod by his prophete Malachie telleth Likewise that of the preistes the people should aske People must learn of the preistes the lawe God by the Prophete Aggaeus cōmaundeth Who shoulde teach the people the newe Testamēt he also prescribeth Appointing some Apostles some Prophetes some Doctours or teachers who to theise offices are appointed to rule and instruct the people In ijs quae ad Deū pertinēt in those thinges that appertein to God But nowe al this ordre ys inuerted in manie places The people teache the preistes and not the preistes the people The people dissolue the doubts of the lawe the preistes not being asked for The people God his ordre inuerted speake the preistes holde their peace The people make lawes in religion the preistes are cōpelled to obeie The people take in hande the thinges that appertain to God the preistes are put to scilence A moch like state we finde in the time of Moyses emōge the children of Israel in the time when Moyses was in the moūt with God For they perceiuing him to be lōg absent and thinking that he wolde no more come they began to take the rule vpō thēselues And wheras Aarō before cōmaūded and taught thē the religiō of the true God nowe they taking the rule and inuerting the ordre cōmaunded Aaron and taught him soche Religion as lyked them of a false God When the people sawe saieth the booke of Exodus that yt was long er Moyses came downe oute of the Mountain they gathered themselfes togeather Exod 32. vnto Aaron and saied vnto him Vppe make vs Gods to go before vs. For of this Moises the felowe that brought vs oute of the lande of Aegypte we wote not what ys become Hereby maie yt be perceiued what religion shall be when the ordre that God appointed being broken they will teache and commaunde which in matters to godwarde shoulde be taught and commaunded But with all yt ys to be remembred that for this wickednes the wrathe of God waxed hote against the people and notwithstanding that ther was immediatelie Plaguesfor breaking Gods appoincted ordre in religiō and mynisterie a greate slaughter of the people aboute the nōbre of three thousand and that Moyses made intercession to God for the people Yet allmightie God in the ende saied Neuer the latter in the daie when I viset I will viset their sinne vpon them and the Lorde plagued the people bicause of the calfe whiche Aaron made Wherfore seinge that the moche like trangression ys committed emonge the Chrystian people yt ys to be feared that the wrathe of God will waxe hote against vs. But God graūte vs a Moyses that by earnest intercessiō maie yet mittigate the plague of God that shall come for this wickednesse The plague I feare me will be sore vpon Corah Dathan and Abiron and vpon the capitanes of the multitude whiche be the great and famouse mē in the Num. 16. congregacion which haue gathered thē selues together against Moyses and Aaron and cā not contēt thē selues with soche ordre as God hath put in his Church and which by hys pleasure hath so long continued But yet they come to Moyses and Aaron and saie ye make muche to doo seing all the multitude are holie euery one of them and the Lorde ys emonge them Whieheaue ye your selues vppe aboue the Congregacion of the Lorde I must staie my hand I shall ells be to tediouse to the reader in this matter in the whiche I thought not to haue writtē the fourth parte of that that ys written and for expedicion leaue vnto him to reade the strory in the booke of Nombres and so further to consider yt And wher ther be manie stories declaring the displeasures of God to haue commed vppon the people bicause they wolde not submitte them selues to the ordeinaunce of him and his ministres but wolde vsurpe vpon them both Yet I will speake but of one in the first booke of the kinges which ys that where God appointed Samuel his beloued and holie Prophet to be the ruler of the people they being a stiffnecked and disobedient people to gods 1. Reg. 8. ordre so long before vsed al the elders gathered themselues together and came to Samuel and saied vnto him Beholde thowe arte olde and thy Sonnes walke not in thy waies Nowe therfore make vs a king to iudge vs as al other nacions haue See their phantasticall prouidence and therwith their disobediēce They take in hande to prouide for their common wealth as though God coulde not prouide them as good a ruler after Samuel as he did in prouiding of Samuel And therfore the ruler whiche God appointed reiected make vs saie they a kinge But what saied Almightie God to Samuel Heare the voice of the people for they haue not cast thee awaye but me that I shoulde not reign ouer them 1. Reg. 12. And after that they had a kinge Samuel to cause them to vnderstand that their offence was great saied I will call vnto the Lorde and he shall send thunder and rain that ye maie perceaue and see howe that yower wickednesse ys great which ye haue doen in thee seight of the Lorde in asking yowe a king And they saied Praye for vs thy seruauntes vnto the Lorde thy God that
est ad eum c. Tu es sacerdos Hebr. 5. in aeternum secundùm ordinem Melchisedech Euen so Chryste also glorified not him self to be made the high pteist but he that said vnto him c. Thowe arte a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech And declaring the great benefitte that came by him being the high preist to all beleuers he saieth again Et consummatus factus est omnibus obtemperantibus sibi causa salutis aeternae appellatus à Deo Pontifex iuxta ordinem Melchisedech And Ibid. he being perfight was the cause of eternall saluacion vnto all them that obeied him and ys called of God an high preist after the ordre of Melchisedech Likewise he calleth him in the VI. chapiter And the wholl VII chap. he occupieth in applieng Melchisedech to Chryst prouing by this prophecie the abrogacion of the preisthead of the lawe and so consequētlie of the lawe yt self Wherfore he saied Yf nowe therfore perfection came by the preistheade Hebr. 7. of the Leuites for vnder that preisthead the people receaued the lawe what neadeth further that an other preist shoulde rise to be called after the ordre of Melchisedech and not after the order of Aaron For yf the preisthead be translated then of necessitie must the lawe be translated also c. For after this maner dothe he testifie Thowe arte a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech Then the commaundement that went before ys disanulled bycause of weakenesse and vnprofitablenesse And further declaring the excellencie of Chrystes preisthead aboue the preisthead of Aaron he saieth For these preistes were made withoute an othe but this preist with an othe by him that saied to him The Lorde sware and will not repent him Thowe art a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech Thus as the lawe of nature hath in Melchisedech figured Chryste And the lawe of Moyses by prophecie forespoken yt So hath the lawe of the Gospell as ye haue nowe learned by sainct Paule fullfilled the same and most plainlie and euidentlie proued yt so to be Yf then Chryste be a preist after the order of Melchisedech we must seke what the order of the preistheade of Melchisedech ys and wherin yt consisteth And therbie shall we knowe the preistheade of Chryste wherin yt consisteth Sainct Paule generallie declareth the order of a preist when he saieth Omnis namque Pontifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs Hebr. 5. quae sunt ad Deum vt offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis Euery high preist that ys taken from amonge men ys ordeined for men in thinges perteining to God to offer giftes and Sacrifices for sinne By whiche description of saincte Paule yt dothe appeare that the order of preisthead standeth in two partes The first he teacheth when he saieth Ordre of preisthead standeth in two partes Pro hominibus constituitur in ijs quae sunt ad Deum He ys ordeined for men in thinges perteining to God Wherby ys ment the preaching to the people and teaching them the lawes of God and ministring the Sacramentes to them as yt was saied vnto Moyses Esto tu populo in ijs quae ad Exod. 18. Deum pertinent vt referas quae dicuntur ad eum ostendasue populo ceremonias ritum colendi viam per quam ingredi debeant opus facere Be thowe vnto the people to Godward that thowe maist bringe the causes vnto God And thowe shalt teache them ordinaunces and lawes and shewe them the waie wherin they must walke and the worke that they must doo The seconde parte of the order of preistheade standeth in offring giftes and sacrifices for the sinnes of the people Then they that be called of God as was Aaron and doo preach and teache one faith of God vnto the people and offer vnto God one maner of sacrifice they be one order of preistheade So that these two must concurre or ells yt ys not a perfight order For Elias the prophet of God and the 3. Reg. 18. preistes of Baall did offer one maner of thinge in sacrifice for they both offred oxen yet they differed in preisthead For Helias was the preist of God the other the preistes of Baall And why was this difference bycause they taught not one faithe in one God Melchisedech and Aaron taught one God and were bothe preistes of Gen. 14. Leuit. 8. Heb 5. God For Melchisedech was the preist of the most high God as the booke of Genesis wittnesseth and Aaron was called of God as the booke of Leuiticus and saincte Paule to the Hebrues testifie And yet they were not of one order of preisthead bycause their sacrifices were not of one maner By this then yt maie be taken for a trueth that Chryst not being a preist after the order of Aaron but after the order of Melchidech whiche two orders differed not in faith but in maner of sacrifice ys so called a preist after the order of Melchisedech for the maner of the sacrifice For he must agree with Melchisedech in that thing that maketh the difference betwixt the order of Aaron and the order of Melchisedech and that was and ys in the maner of sacrifice For Aaron offred in blood the other in bread and wine But here the Aduersarie will saie that Chryst ys not likened to Melchisedech for anie sacrifice by all the processe of saincte Paule But for Obiection that Melchisedech was Rex Salem kinge of Salem and withall the preist of God and for that he was with oute Father withoute Mother hauing neither beginning of daies nor ending in these pointes he ys the figure of Chryste who ys both king and preist hauing no Father in earth nor mother in heauen neither as concerning his Godhead anie beginning and as touching his Godhead and Manhead no endinge And so ys he a preist for euer To this I saie that the thing that saincte Paule principallie intended ys to be considered And then yt shall easilie be perceaued why he did not Principall entent of S. Paule in his epist to the Hebrues make rehersall of the maner of the sacrifice of Melchisedech nor mencion of the doing of the same in Chryste The principall entent of saincte Paule in this place was to proue and make manifest the excellencie of Chryst and his preisthead aboue Aaron and his preisthead Whiche excellencie in nothing more appeared then in that that Chryst was an euerlasting preist and his preisthead euerlasting and not in the maner of sacrifice For yf he had alleaged that Melchisedech did sacrifice in bread and wine The Hebrues wolde quickly haue saied that their sacrifices in that respecte moche excelled and had a moche more gloriouse shewe and cowntenance then the sacrifice of Melchisedech being but bread and wine And therfor saincte Paule omitted to make mencion VVhie S. Paule spake nothing of she sacrifice of Melchisedech in his epist
transfusa fortius sonat Vnde AEschines cum Rhodi Hieron ad Paulinum exularet legeretur illa Demosthenis oratio quam aduersus eum habuerat mirantibus cunctis atque laudantibus suspirans ait Quid si ipsam audissetis Bestiam sua verba resonantem The liuelie voice saieth saincte Hierom hath I wote not what an hidden vertue or clerenesse of demonstration and beyng vttered from The liuelie voice hath a more force in the eare then the dead letter in the eye the mouthe of the Authour into the eares of the disciple yt haith a more force in sownde wherfore Aeschynes when he was a banisshed man at the Rhodes and the oration which Demosthenes made against him was red when all men did wonder at yt and praise yt sithing he saied what yf ye had heard the beast him self vttering his owne woordes Thus moche saincte Hierom. In the whiche saieng he declareth that ther ys more clerenesse in a sentence liuelie spoken from the mouth of the Authour and the hearers shall more easelie preceaue yt and sooner vnderstande yt then they shall onelie reading the same in the dead letter Yt maie therfore be concluded that the gospell as yt ys written ys more hard to be vnderstanded then as yt was of the mouthe of Christe spoken But as yt was spoken yt was hard to be vnderstanded wherfore being written yt ys more harde to be vnderstanded Saincte Paule enombring the giftes of the Spirit saieth To one ys geuen 6. 1. Cor. 12. the vtterance of wisdome to an other the vtterance of knowledge to an other ys geuen faith to an other the giftes of healing to an other power to do miracles to an other prophecie to an other iudgment to discern spirites to an other diuerse tounges to an other interpretacioÌ„ of touÌ„ges All theise saieth he woorketh one and the self same Spirit diuiding to euerie man a seuerall gifte euen as he will In the whiche distinction of giftes ye perceaue that the vtterance of wisdome the vtterance of knowledge the gifte of tounges be seuerall giftes And that they be not geuen to all men indifferentlie but some to one some to other as yt pleaseth the holie will of that blessed Spirit that ys the Authour and distributour of the same gistes For saincte Paule in the ende of the same chapiter wher the former alleaged woordes be writteÌ„ saieth Are all Apostles are all prophetes are all teachers are all doers of miracles haue all the giftes of healing doo all speake with touÌ„ges doo all interprete c. whiche his maner of questioninge includeth a negatiue that euerie man hath not all thâ—se Then forasmuche as euerie man hath not the giste of vtterance of knowledge nor the gifte of prophecie nor the gifte of interpretacion c. Euerie Interpretation of Scripture not geuen to euerie man man hath not the vnderstanding of the scriptures Neither then be the scriptures easie to be vnderstanded of euerie man For vnto him that hath the gifte of knowledge prophecie and interpretacion of scriptures the same be easie But euerie man hath not these giftes wherfore the scriptures to all meÌ„ be not easie This also saincte Paule proueth verie well by the ordre and disposition of the naturall bodie from whiche he diduceth and taketh an argument to 7. 1. Cor. 12. proue an order in the misticall bodie the Churche Ye are saieth he the bodie of Christe and membres one of an other And God hath also ordeined in the Congregacion First Apostles secondarelie prophetes thirdlie Teachers then them that doo miracles after that the gifte of healinge c. In the whiche description of the order in Christes Churche ye see that the three cheifest and highest states be Apostles Prophetes and teachers Nowe if the Scriptures be easie for euerie mans vnderstanding then either these states be superfluouse bicause euerie man vnderstanding the Scriptures ther nedeth no teacher nor Prophete Or ells forasmoche as euery man vnderstandeth the scriptures he ys in this state to be a teacher All be not Prophets nor teachers and a prophete whiche ys directlie against saincte Paules doctrine For he saieth all be not Prophetes neither be all teachers Forasmoche then as Christe hath appointed as one of the cheifest states of his Churche the state of teachers there must be of necessitie a great nombre of inferiour membres that must be hearers and learners And whie shoulde they so be but that the scriptures being harde and obscure by the teachers they must be opened and declared that other maie learn So that as by this scripture yt maye be perceaued and learned that euery man hath not the gifte of knowledge and therfore no easie vnderstanding of the scriptures So by all the other before alleaged yt ys moste manifest that the scriptures be harde and full of difficulties whiche shall also by other means well appeare to the Reader in the processe ensewinge THE SECVNDE CHAPITER TO PROVE THAT THE SCRIPTVRES BE NOT EASIE RECITETH CERtain hard and obscure places of the olde testament ALBEIT that this that ys all readie saied ys sufficieÌ„t to proue the scriptures to be hard and not playn ne easie to be vnderstanded yet that ye maye see yt more manysestlie before yowe face certain places shall be laied before yowe whiche for their obscuritie and difficultie shall compell and enforce yowe to confesse that they be not easie for euerie mans vndestanding And first shall be brought some places of the olde Testament oute of the whiche I might bring not places but wholl bookes and of them not a fewe as all the Prophetes as well the greater as the lesse the Booke of Iob the booke of psalmes the booke of the Preacher and Cantica canticorum englished the Ballett of ballettes of Salomon All whiche bookes certen I am be of soche difficultie hardnesse and obsturitie that as queen Candaces ChaÌ„amberlain saied they can not be vnderstanded with oute a guide or ells Acto â— speciall inspiracion of god As for Genesis although it be counted so easie and so plain a booke yet Hieron presa in Ezech. Genesis might not be red of the Iewes before thirtie yeares of age the Iewes as saincte Hierome witnesseth might not read yt before they were thirtie yeares of age as in whiche were many thinges verie harde to be vnderstanded whiche required a staied heade of mature rype and graue Iudgement soberlie to seke the true sense and vnderstanding of them whiche rash youthe wolde sooen ouerpasse and frame an vnderstanding at their pleasure soche as they phantasied as manye do nowe a daies Oute of this booke although saincte Augustin and other that haue trauailed in the exposition of the same do mooue manie and sundrie doubtes yet I shall ouerpasse them wisshinge the Reader to consider the 49. chapiter in the whiche are coÌ„teined the blessinges of Iacob to his twelue Sonnes and let him trie howe he can waid through the vnderstanding of them as for
immediatelie before dothe make yt so plain that all men of iudgement must nedes confesse that yt can not admitte any other vnderstanding For thus the prophete ordereth the woll senteÌ„ce Vnto vs a childe ys born and vnto vs a Sonne ys geuen vpon his shoulder dothe the kingdom lie and he ys called by his owne name wounderfull the geuer of counsell the mightie God the euerlasting father the prince of peace he shall make none ende to encrease the kingdom and peace And shall sitte vpon the seat of Dauid and in his kingdoÌ„ to sette vppe the same and to stablish yt with equitie and righteousnesse from hencefurth for euer more Who ys he that ys a childe born to vs that ys or maye be called the mightie God and the euerlasting Father but our Messias our Sauiour Christe God and man who ys the Sonne geuen to vs that shall sitte vpon the seat of Dauid for euer more making no ende to encrease his kingdom and stablishe yt with equitie and righteousnesse for euer more but Iesus Christe oure verie Messias the verie naturall Sonne of our heanenlie Father which 1. Cor. 1. ys geuen to vs to be our Redemption iustificacion and sanctification Who geuing his commission to the Apostles to preache his Gospell appointed them no termes limittes or bowndes neither did he make anie difference of creatures or people but Ite saied he in vniuersum mundum et Mar. vlt. praedicate Euangelium omni creaturae Go ye through oute all the worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures whiche thing they so doinge In omnem terram exiuit sonus eorum et in fines orbis terrae verba eorum Their found ys gon Psal 18. into all londes and their woordes into the endes of the worlde His kingdom ys wounderfullie encreaced so that the prophecie of Malachie ys fullfilled Ab ortu solit vsque ad occasum magnum est nomen meum in gentitibus et in omni loco sacrificatur et offertur nomini meo oblatio munda From the rising Malac. 1. of the Sunne vnto the goinge downe of the same my name ys great emoÌ„ge the gentiles yea in euerie place ys ther sacrifice doen and a clean meat offing offerd vppe vnto my name Yt ys to be noted that the Prophete saieth To the name of God in euery place shall sacrifice be doen whiche maner of doing of sacrifice being meÌ„t of the Sacrifice of Christes Church so to be doeÌ„ eueriewher well declareth the great encreace of Christes kingdom Whiche must nedes so be For Dominabitur à mari vsque ad mare et à flumine vsque ad terminos orbis terrarum His dominion shall be from the one sea to the other and from the flood vnto the Psal â—1 woorldes ende They that dwell in the wildernes shall knele before him his enemies shall licke the dust The kinges of Tharses and of the Iles shall geue presenttes and the kinges of Arabie and Saba shall bring giftes All kinges shall fall downe before him all nacions shall do him seruice Here Iacobus de valentia expounding the dominion of Christe whiche shal Iacobus de Valentia be from one sea to an other saieth that yt ys from the Sea Mediterranian vnto bothe he Ocean Seas and vnto the Southe and so yt comprehendeth all Affrike and vnto the north Sea and so yt comprehendeth all Europe And he shall haue dominion from the flood Nilus and Tanays vnto the endes of the worlde that be toward the Easte whiche comprehendeth all Asia and so his dominion ys ouer all the worlde For being ouer these three partes all whiche three receaued Christes faith and submitted them selues to his holie religion in to the whiche three partes the wholl worlde ys diuided yt maie well be saied that hys dominion ys ouer all the worlde Christe then alone and no pure earthlie kinge ys he that ys promised to Dauid to sitt vpon his seat for euer and to dilate his kingdom so that ther Chryst not Salomon promised to Dauid Act. 13. shall be none ende of the encreace of yt That in this promisse made vnto Dauid was ment Christe saincte Paule also in the Actes of the Apostles declareth Inueni Dauid filium Iesse virum secundùm cor meum qui faciet omnes voluntates meas Huius ex semine Deus secundùm promissionem eduxit Israëli saluatorem Iesum I haue fownde saith allmightie God Dauid the Sonne of Iesse a man after my owne heart which shall fullfill all my will Of this mans seed saieth saincte Paule hath God according as he had promised brought furth to Israël a Sauiour Iesus By which woordes saincte Paule teacheth plainlie that Iesus our Sauioure was promised to comne of Dauid And for that the promisse was made both to Abraham and to Dauid as yt ys declared that Messias shoulde descend from them both Therfore the Euangelist saincte Matthew describing the Genealogie of oure Sauiour Christe after the flesh beginneth the same at Abraham and Dauid calling Christ the Sonne of Dauid and Abraham saing Liber generationis Iesu Christi filij Dauid filij Abraham The booke of the generacion of Iesus Christ the SoÌ„ne of Dauid the Sonne of Abraham And to conclude two prophetes of the newe Testament namelie the most excellent Prophetisse the virgen Marie the mother of that promised seed Christe and Zacharias the Father of Iohn the Baptist do testifie this also She saieth Suscepit Israël puerum suum etc. He hath holpen his seruannt Israël in remembrance of his mercie euen as he promised to owre Fathers Luc. 1. Abraham and his seed for euer The other saieth Et erexit corna salutis nobis in domo Dauid c. And he hath raised vppe an horn of saluacion to vs in the house of his seruannt Dauid Euen as he promised by the mouthe of his holie Prophetes whiche were sence the worlde began In the whiche prophecies we maie perceaue that the holie Goste did strike an vniforme sownde in these two instrumentes fownding that the promisses made to Abraham and Dauid and spoken by the Prophetes sence the worlde began were nowe fullfilled in that that Christ the Sauioure of the worlde was conceaued and incarnate in the wombe of the immaculate virgen Mary by whom the blessing promissed shoulde come to all the nacions of the earth as nowe we haue seen profourmed THE TENTH CHAPITER TOVCHETH THE FIgures of Christes Incarnation passion Resurrection and Ascension AS vnto these two noble Fathers before spoken of God by manifest promise opened the ioyfull coming of our Sauioure into shesh So to other did he describe and painte by figures all the misterie of our Redemption to be wrought doen and perfected by the same oure Sauiour wherby their faith in Christe to come was moche nourished and they by hope of redemption in Gods mercy moche comforted Vnto the wife of Manoah the Angell of God appeared and saied Ecce sterilis es concipies paries filium Beholde
26. their haÌ„des yf yt had not ben his will to haue suffred In further argument wherof also when Peter drewe his sworde and cutte of the eare of Malchus Iesus saied vnto him Putte vppe thy sworde into the sheath Shall I not drinke of the cuppe which my Father hath geuen me And as S. Matthew testifieth saied further to Peter Thinkest thowe that I can not now praie to my Father and he shall geue me by and by more then twelue legioÌ„s of Angels But howe then shall the scriptures be fulfilled for thus must yt be By all whiche processe yt dothe most euidentlie appeare that willinglie he suffred his passion So did God by his Prophet foresaie that he shoulde doo Oblatus est quia voluit He was offred vppe bicause he wolde Iudas betraied him with a kisse Iuda osculo filium hominis tradis Iudas be Esay 53. traiest thowe the Sonne of man with a kisse The prophecie saied loÌ„g before that yt shoulde so be Homo pacis mea in quo sperani qui edebat panes meos magnificauit super me supplantationem My owne familiar frende whom I trusted which did also eate of my bread hath laied great wait for me Psal 40. That this prophecie was spoken of Iudas Chryste him self ys wittnesse who speakinge of Iudas in the Gospell alleageth this same scripture Qui manducat mecum panem leuabit coÌ„tra me caleaneum suum He that eateth bread with Joan. 13. me shall lifte vppe his hele against me To procead in the story of the passion when the Iewes laied handes vpon him and apprehended him Discipuli omnes relicto co fugerunt All his disciples Matth. 26 fledde and forsooke him Whiche thing allmightie God had spoken by hys Prophet Zacharie that so yt shoulde come to passe Percutiam pastorem disper gentur oues gregis I will smite the sheaperd and the shepe of the flocke shall be scatered That this prophecie ys thus to be vnderstanded Christe ys witnesse Zach. 14. who in the Gospell of saincte Marke applieth yt to the same pourpose In the house of Caiphas they entreacted our Sauiour very euell For emongest other thinges Expuerunt in faciem eius They did spitte in his face Of the whiche the Prophete Esaie spake as though yt had ben doen to hys own Mat. h. 26 Esay 50. person Faciem non auerti ab increpantibus conspuentibus in me I turned not my face from shame and spitting on me That in the morninge the cheif preistes and the elders of the people had a councell against Iesus to putte him to deathe yt was not ouerpassed withoute prophecie For the Prophete Dauid speaketh thus of yt in the person Mat. 21. of Chryste Circumdederunt me canâ—s multi concilium malignantium obsedit me Manie dogges compased me rownde aboute the councell of the wicked laied siege Psal 21. against me When Iudas as yt foloweth in the storie seing Chryste condemned brought the moncie again sainge I haue offended betrayeng an innocent Mat. 27 bloode and that the cheif preistes wolde not putte these siluer plates into the treasurie bicause yt was the price of blood but tooke couÌ„sell and bought with them a potters fielde to burie straungers the Euangelist himself affirmeth the prophecie therby to be fulfilled saing Then was that fulfilled whiche was spoken of by the Prophet Hieremie sainge And they tooke thirtie siluer peices the price of him that was valued whom they bought of the children of Israell and gaue them for the potters feilde Theise woordes be not fownde in Hieremie after the translation of the Bibles that nowe be comonly vsed yet this prophecie maie well be alleaged oute of Hieremie For saincte Hierom saieth that he hath red a booke of Hieremie in the Hebrue tounge in the whiche this sentence ys conteined woord for woorde But emoÌ„ge the prophetes that we haue in vse nowe Zacharie hath yt most plainlie wher we read yt thus Yf ye thinke yt good bring hether my price Zachar. 11 Yf no then leaue So they weighed down thirtie siluer peices the value that I was priced at And the Lorde said vnto me Castyt vnto the potter a goodlie price for me to be valued at of them And I tooke the thirtie siluer peices Matt. 27 and cast them vnto the potter Thus moche Zacharie In whose woordes ye perceaue the price of him that was solde which was thirtie siluer plates for the whiche summe our sauiour was solde Ye perceaue further more what was doen with those thirtie plates In the prophecie they were cast to the potter And the cheif preistes cast theÌ„ likewise to the potter for they bought a porters feilde with theÌ„ to burie strangers in Thus maie ye se how agreable thinges doen in the Gospell be with the prophecie and how liuelie and well the one aunswereth the other Pilate hearing that Iesus was a man of Galilie which belonged to the iurisdiction of Herode he sent him to Herode before whom the high preistes and Scribes accused him straitlie But Herode with his men of warre when they had despised him they sent him again cloathed in a white garment vnto Pilate Wherby the prophecie was fulfilled which saied Quare fremuerunt geÌ„tes populi meditati sunt inania Astiterunt reges terrae principes conuenerunt in Psal 2. vnum aduersus Dominum et aduersus Christum eius Whie do the heatheÌ„ so furiouslie rage together and why dothe the people ymagen vain thinges The kinges of the earthe stand vppe and the rulers take counsell together against the Lorde and against hys enointed That this prophecie of Dauid was herefullfilled the holie Goste by the holie multitude testifieth in the actes of the Apostles which in their praier to God praied thus Domine tu es qui fecisti caelum et terram etc. Lorde thow arte God which hast made heaueÌ„ and earthe the Sea aÌ„d all that in theÌ„ ys Which Act. 4. in the holie Gost by the mouth of thy seruauÌ„t Dauid our father hauest saied why did the heatheÌ„ rage and the people ymagen vain thinges The Kinges of the earth stoode vppe and the rulers came together against the Lorde aÌ„d against his enointed And of trueth against thy holie childe Iesus whom thow hauest enointed both Herode and also Ponce Pilate with the gentiles aÌ„d the people of Israell gathered theÌ„ selfs together in this Citie to doo what soeuer thy haÌ„des and thy counseil determined before to be doen. Thus ye se not onelie the Gospel aunswereth the prophecie but also by meÌ„ full of the holie Goste yt ys so taken vnderstaÌ„ded and applied To procead in the storie When Chryst was before Herode who questioned withe him manie woordes he aunswered nothing as S. Luke testifieth Luc. 23. Matth. 27. So being before Pilate when he was accused of the cheif preistes and elders as S. Mathew wittnesseth he aunswered nothinge And wheÌ„ Pilate also saied to him doest thowe not
dothe speake of the greate prouidence of God in ordering and disposing all thinges in heauen in earthe and in the Seas signifieng therby in the spirite of prophecie the goodlie disposition of thinges in the Church of Christe beautified adorned and confirmed with Sacramentes in most goodlie wise of the which Christe and his Churhe ys the wholl prophecie of that booke as here after more at large shall be declared amonge the whiche sacramentes speaking of the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloode the prophet saied Vt educas panem de terra vinum laetificet cor hominis panis cor hominis confirmet That thow maist bringe furthe foode Psalm 103 oute of the earth and wine that maketh gladde the heart of man and bread to strenghthen mà ns hearte yt shall suffice for this present to declare the same by the woordes alleaged of saincte Hierom. For he ther declaring the ceassing of the olde Paschall lambe and the beginning of the newe whiche he calleth the true Passouer in the beginning of the same saieth thus Assumit panem qui confortat cor hominis He taketh bread whiche comforteh the hearte of man Yt was most certen as saincte Ciprian saieth that Manducauerunt de eodem pane secundùm formam visibilem They had eaten of the same bread after a visible maner But to that bread so eaten sainct Hierome wolde not applie the sainge of the Prophete but wher he beginneth to shewe howe Christe commeth to the institucion of this blessed Sacrament in the whiche they shoulde eate the true Paschall Lambe the bodie of Christe the verie bread of life and comforth Ther he applieth the propheicie of the Prophete to the verie thing that yt prophecied of and saieth He taketh the breade that comforteth the heart of man Thus the placing and applicacon of that Scripture well considered and weighed of the reader shall cause him well to perceaue howe the same ys to be vnderstanded as ys by me before saied And nowe altough saincte Hierom hath sufficientlie declared his faith in this matter of the veritie enacted and receaued throughout all the house of Christe in his time Yet for the satisfieng of them that thirst for the trueth I will bring in saincte Hierom in an other place speaking so plain woordes Hieron ad Heliodorū cpistola 1. Christes bodie ys cōsecrated of the preist as neither the enemie can withstāde so euident a trueth nor other men take occasiō of doubte Absit saieth he vt de ijs quicquam sinistrū loquar qui apostolico gradui succedentes Christi corpus sacro ore conficiunt God forbidde that I shoulde speake anie euell of them whiche succeading the Apostolike degree with their holie mouth do consecrate the bodie of Christe In the whiche sainge ye maie perceaue that sainct Hieroms faith was being so taught of the churhe wherin he liued that he preist doth consecrate the bodie of Christe wherby also then yt ys most manifest that Christes verie bodie ys in the Sacrament And this also ys not to be ouerpassed that the he saieth the preistes doo Amb. de saor lib. 4. cas Euseb Emise hō pasch Chry. de prod Hom. 30. with their holie mouth consecrate the same bodie of Christ For hereby ys reiected that foolish heresie void aswell of reason as of authoritie which taught that the faith of the receauer made the presence of Christ in the Sacrament for yt ys as S. Ambrose Eusebius and Chrysostom saie the holie woord of Christ spoken as sancte Hierom here saieth by the mouth of the preist that consecrateth the bodie of Christ And thus also if by the mouth of the preist the bodie of Christ be consecrated then ys that bodie verilie present And further yt maie be learned of this great learned and holie father that the ordre of preisthoode ys not to be contemned but reuerenced who Preistes aught to be reuerēced for their ordre and office with a maner of speache of vehemencie saieth God forbidde that I shoulde speake anie euell of them c. By whiche maner of speache he noteth yt to be a greate crime to speake euell of them The causes why he wolde not speake euell of them be that they succeade the Apostles in office whiche ys an high degree and that the worke of their ministraciō ys great and that they do consecrate the bodie of Christe And nowe that this noble mā hath so plainlie opened the treuthe enacted Chrysostom his woorthinesse of learning holinesse constancie and auncientie and receaued of the one side of Christes Parliament house we will also heare what one of the other side will saie Whiche shall be golden mouthed Chrisostome who ys wourthie so to be called for the golden sentences that proceade oute of his mouthe Who also ys woorhie to be beleued not onelie for his holinesse and great learning But also for his constancie of faith and auncientie in time Who being in the time of the heresie of the Arriās aboute the yeare of Christe 350 and therfore aboute 1200 yeares a gone gaue no place to yt neither for Princes neither for the losse of his Bishopperick neither for banishment neither for anie persecucion that did come to him for his constancie in faithe but stood immoueable inflexible and streight vpright by the right piller of trueth Wherfore we maie conceaue a good opinion of him that he will doo and hath doen the like in teachinge vs the matter that we nowe seke Let vs therfore heare Thus he saieth Sed per hoc etiam aliud maius beneficium monstrabatur quòd ille agnus futuri agni fuit typus ille sanguis dominici sanguinis monstrabat aduentum ouis illa spiritalis ouis Omel. de prodi Juda. fuit exemplū Ille agnus vmbra fuit Hic veritas Sed postquam sol iusticia radiauit vmbra soluitur luce ideò in ipsa mensa vtrūque Pascha typi veritatis celebratu est Nā sicut pictores pingendam tabulam vestigijs quibusdam adumbrare solent et sic colorū varietate perficere ita Christus fecit in mensa typū Paschae descripsit et Pascha veritatis ostendit Vbi vis paremus tibi comedere Pascha Iudaicum Pascha erat sed vmbralumini cedat aduectata imago veritate superetur But by that also an other great benefitte was shewed that that lambe was a figure of the lambe to come and that bloode declared the cominge of our Lordes bloode and that shepe was an exāple of the spirituall shepe That lābe was a shaddow This lābe the trueth But after that the Sūne of righteousnes shewed furth his beames the The olde Paschal lambe a shaddowe oure lambe the trueth shadowe ys put awaie with the light And therfor in that tablebothe the passeouers both of the figure ād of the trueth were celebrated For as the painters are wont to shaddowe the table that ys to be paincted with certain signes and lineamentes and
offertur nomini meo oblatio munda quia magnum est nomen meum in gentibus dicit Dominus exercituum I haue no pleasure in yowe saieth the Lorde of hostes And as for meat offring I will not accept yt as your handes For from the rising vppe of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name ys great emong the gentiles yea in euery place shall ther be sacrifice doen and a clean meat offring offred vppe vnto my name For my name ys great emong the Gentiles saeth the Lorde of hostes This prophecie hath moche tormented the Aduersaries and therfore all Protestantes tormented with the propheâ—… 〈◊〉 howe â—…ey wrest yt their ingines hookes and all their fetches haue be sett vpon this place to drawe yt to their sense and pourpose but yt will not be all will not serue that they can doo for trueth will shewe yt self and preuaill This prophecie in dede inuinciblie proueth the Sacrifice of Chrystes Churche as hereafter shall be shewed But first let vs see howe the Aduersaries wolde wrest this place and let vs make yt plain to the reader that the sence whiche they wolde haue the scripture vnderstanded in ys not the right and full sence but a distorted sence a wrong sense and soche a sense as the place can not beare a sense disagreing from the expositions of all the holie Fathers bothe of the latin churche and of the greke churche Occolampadius in a booke that he did write of the Masse vnto the Senate of Basille saieth that by this prophecie of the Prophet Malachie was Prophecied Occolamp that the ministres of the newe testament shoulde make a faithfull people oute of all nacions as a pure and an holie oblacion and sacrifice to God And this saieth he ys the minde of the Prophet Martin Bucer not moche differing from him in his aunswer that he made to Latomus saieh that hy this Prophecie ys cheiflie promised the preaching of the Gospell by the whiche God shall be euery whear acknowleged and Bucer the fruicte also of the same preaching that ys faithe and the confessing of the same faithe And he saieth also that by the incense and oblacion are to be vnderstanded the sacrifices of chrysten men whiche be saieth he the praising and calling on the name of God wherunto ys allwaies annexed the geuing vppe of our selues to the will of God and the declaracion of our thaÌ„kefull minde towardes God by the doing and shewing of loue and mercie to the poore And thus dothe he expownde the Prophete Bullinger an other of the same secte and sorte saieth that the lawde and prayse of God his name ys the pure sacrifice that the Prophete speaketh of Bullinger Vrbanus Rhegius But Vrbanus Rhegius writing against Eckius his master in his firstbooke saieth thus The sacrifice that Malachias prophecied of ys the mortificacion of the flesh and the calling on the name of God with godlie prayer And this was his phantasie whiche so I terme as I might the rest for that eche of theÌ„ hath vnderstanded the prophecie as him listeth and not as the full mening of the same hathe required And although other haue vttered their conceptes and coniecturs vpon this prophecie Yet these being the standarde bearers of that wicked armie that hath so maliciouslie fowght against Gods truthe maie fuffice to be rehersed for this time presupposing that the rest do folowe their standerd bearers But let vs nowe examin and weigh their expositions Yf ye marke they do all agree in this that this prophecie ys to be vnderstanded of the sacrifice of praise and thanks geuing which thei call the pure sacrifice Yt ys to be considered here that Allmightie God by his Prophet declaring that the sacrifice of the Iewes which was onelie doen in Hierusalem shoulde be reiected abolished and lefte signified also that an other sacrifice shoulde be substituted in the place of the same whiche shoulde be a pure and clean sacrifice whiche shoulde not be doen onlie in Hierusalem as the other was But in euery place Nowe as for the sacrifice of a contrite heart of lawde praise and thankes geuing who doubteh but that they were vsed and offred of diuerse holie Psal 50. and vertuouse men in the olde lawe and well accepted whiche thing Dauid was not ignorant of when he saied Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus Psalm 49. cor contritum humiliatum Deus non despicies A troobled spirit ys a sacrifice to God a contrite and humble heart o God shalt thowe not despice Of the sacrifice of lawde Dauid also speaketh Immola Deo sacrificium laudis Offer to God the sacrifie of lawde c. praise And in the same Psalm Sacrificium laudis honorificabit me Who so offreth me thankes and praise he honoureth me The hereticall expositions of the prophecie of Malachie cannot stand Therfore wher the Aduersarie wolde that these kinde of Sacrifices shoulde be they of the whiche the prophet Malachie spake that shoulde come into the place of the sacrifice of the Iewes whiche God wolde abolisshe their exposition can not stande For these can not nowe be placed as newe sacrifices whiche were placed and vsed from the beginning of the first good man that offred sacrifice to God Abel who withe the sacrifice of the fruictes of the earth whiche he offred offred also praise and thankes geuing to God These sacrifices then be not newe placed but being of olde time vsed God wolde haue them so continued Neither doo I meen that these be separated from that sacrifice that God wolde place in stead of the sacrifice of the Iewes For their ys no extern sacrifice Sacrifice of laude separated from the extern sacrifice but yf yt be rightlie and duely offred yt bringeth with yt the sacrifice of lawde and praise and of other also But that the Prophet dothe meen of these onelie and not raither of some extern sacrifice to be vsed offred and frequented among the Chrystians and that he ment not cheiflie and principallie of an extern sacrifice to be placed in the place of the Iewes extern sacrifices that ys most vntrue And that maie be perceaued by the difference of the newe sacrifice from the olde What ys that That yt shall be a pure sacrifice Why were not theirs pure sacrifices before in the olde lawe Was ther not a sacrifice of expiacion and a daie of expiacion assigned in the whiche the clensing sacrifice shoulde be offred Read the xvi chapter of Leuiticus and ther shall ye finde that Allmightie God saeth thus In hac die expiatio vestri erit Leuit. 16. atque mundatio ab omnibus peccatis vestris coram Domino mundabimini In this daie shall be your expiacion and cleÌ„sing and ye shall be made clean from all your sinnes before the Lorde Was not this then a pure sacrifice that purified and clensed the people from all their sinnes before God Ys yt not a pure sacrifice that ys
the verie Pharao after they were fedde with the flesh of Chryst and had dronken this bloode Euen so the Fathers the Iewes hauing broken the seruitude of Pharao and passed through the read sea after a certain maner they were baptised in the sea and the cloud that ys to saie similitudinarelie For what the clowde was vnto them defending conducting and refreshing them that vnto vs ys the holy Cost the guide of our doinges and protectour and of our euell lustes the moderatour and destroyer What the sea was vnto them that vnto the Corynthians was the water of Baptisme The Corynthians did eate the flesh of Chryste they did eate Manna the figure of yt which he calleth spirituall meat bicause yt miraculously descended from heauen The Corynthians dranke the bloode of Chryst the Iewes dranke the spirituall drinke whiche the Rocke miraculouslie powred owte And yet for all that being indued with so manie benefittes they came not into the lande of promesse two onely excepted but they were ouerthrowen in the desert and dead In the whiche they were a figure of vs that we shoulde abstein from their vices or ells we shall perish in the Wildernesse of euerlasting vastitie and not entre the true land of promisse Thus moche Gagneius Whom ye see not onely applieng Manna and the water of the Rocke as figures of Chrystes bodie and bloode and affirming the verie presence of thē bothe but also fullie and throughly expownding the text to the perfect vnderstanding of S. Paule and in nothing dissenting but consenting to the enacted trueth of Chrystes Parliament house with the other before alleaged And nowe thus moche of the figure Manna and of the exposition of the text of S. Paule conteining the same THE ELEVENTH CHAPITER DECLAreth the prophecies of the Sacrament vnder the names of Manna and the water of the Rocke ALthough of this blessed Sacrament ther be manie prophecies as in the first booke yt ys declared yet of yt as aunswerable vnto this figure there be not manie The prophet Dauid in the psalme maketh mencion of yt saing Et mandauit nubibus desuper ianuas caeli aperuit Et pluit illis Psalm 77. Manna ad manducandum panem caeli dedit eis Panem Angelorum manducauit homo He commaunded the clowdes aboue and opened the doores of heauen He rained down Manna also vpon them for to eate and gaue them foode from heauen So man did eate Angels foode Of this also he speaketh again Et pane celi saturauit eos Dirupit petram et sluxerunt aquae abierunt in sicco flumina And he filled thē with the bread of heauen He opened the Rocke of stone and the waters flowed oute so that riuers ran oute of drie places These wonderfull factes doen by the hand of God for his people the Applicaciō of Manna and the water to the blessed Sac. children of Israell the Prophet Dauid reherseth not as an historiographer vpon onely respect that they were doen as they be reported but that they shall be doen spirituallievpon his people the faithfull Chrystians whiche be his verie children of Israell as Sainct Paule saieth to the Romains And for this cause ys he called a prophet For he wrote all his Psalmes and Prophecies of Chryst and his Churche as Sainct Augustin saieth So that by this he prophecieth that as the children of Israell were fedde in the desert with Manna a foode from heauen So the children of Israell the Christians shall be fedde with the verie Manna from heauen euen the bodie of Chryst Rom. 4. And as vnto them water flowed oute of the Rocke So vnto the Chrystians oute of that stone vpon whome the Churche ys buylded whiche stone God did strike for our sinnes as Sainct Paule saieth flowed water and bloode of the whicch ther ys soche plentie that yt sufficeth for all the worlde to drinke of yt yf they will Vpon this text S. Hierom saieth Sed fontem Baptismi atque martyrij eadem In psai 77. petra ostendit De latere enim eius cùm percussus est sanguis aqua processit Quod Baptismum martyrium figurauit But the same stone also sheweth oute the fountain of Baptisme and of martyrdome For oute of his side when he was striken came furth bloode and water whiche did figure Baptisme and martyrdome And vpon the other text of Dauid applieng that as a prophecie he saieth Panem caeli dedit eis panem Angelorum manducauit homo Ipse homini Psal 77. Hier. ibid. cibum praebuit qui dixit Ego sum panis vitae qui de caelo descendi qui manducauerit ex hoc viuet in aeternum He gaue them foode from heauen so hath man eaten the foode of Angells He himself hath geuen meat to man who saied I am the bread of life whiche came down from heauen He that shall eate of that breade shall liue for euer In the whiche woordes S. Hierō expownding the Prophet declareth to what ende the woordes of the Prophet did tende namely that ther shoulde be an heauenly Manna geuen to the spirituall children of Israell whiche Manna was Chryst the bread of life whiche thing S. Hierom vpon the Prophet in an other place more plainlie doth opē The Prophet saieth Pane caeli saturauit eos Psal 104. With the bread of heauē he filled thē And S. Hierom saieth Sicut enim illi de coelis fluēte Māna refecti sunt Ita nos hodie in ecclesia corpore agni accepto reficimur Disrupit Petram fluxerunt aquae etc. Percussus est enim lapis ille pretiosus angularis immensos nobis protulit fontes qui nostros errores abluunt ariditates irrigant As they were fedde with Manna flowing from heauen So we nowe in the Churche are fedde with the bodie of the lambe being receaued We be sed with the bodie of the lambe He brake the stone and the waters flowed oute For that preciouse corner stone was smitten and he brought furth to vs vnmeasurable fowntaines which wash awaie our errours and water our drinesse Sainct Augustin also vpon the same psalme geueth a moch like exposicion August in psal 77. Qui enim mandauit nubibus desuper ianuas coeli aperuit pluit illis Manna ad manducandum panem coeli dedit eis vt panem Angelorum manducaret homo Qui cibaria misit eis in abundantia vt satiaret incredulos non est inefsicax dare credentibus verum ipsum de coelo panem quem Manna significabat qui verè cibus est Angelorum quod Dei Verbum corruptibiles incorruptibiliter pascit quòd vt manducaret homo caro factum est habitauit in nobis He that commaunded the clowdes aboue and opened the doores of heauen and rained down Manna to them to eate and gaue them bread from heauen that man might eate the bread of Angells who sent to them meat in abundance to fill the vnbeleuers he ys not vnable to geue vnto
of the which all they cā be parkers but the bodie of Chryst Wherfore in the Sacrament ys the bodie of Chryst of the which all Chrystians receauing woorthilie be as this authour saieth made one in Chryst In this vnion we are not onelie one bread but also by S. Paule one bodie Which distinction of vnion this authour semeth to refer or applie to the seuerall vnions before treacted of as to the vnion spirituall by faith and to the vnion naturall of vs to the naturall bodie of Chryst As touching the first he saieth that although we be manie yet we are all one bread by the vnion of faith hope and charitie As for the seconde he saieth that we are one bodie of that head which ys Chryst The fitst ys mere spirituall and ys and maie be doen withoute the Sacrament although not so certenly nor so perfectlie For Dionysius Areopagita saieth this Sacrament ys omnium sacramentorum consummatissimum of all Sacramentes yt ys most consummate both for that yt ys Dionys Areop Eccle. Hielar 1. part ca. 3. so perfect in yt self and also for that yt perfecteth all other Sacramentes as the same Dyonise also more at large saieth Dicimus ergo caetera sacrarum rerum signa quorum nobis societas indulgetur huius diuinis profectò consummantibusue muneribus perfici Neque enim fermè fas est saccrdotalis muneris mysterium aliquod peragi nisi diuinum istud Eucharistiae augustissimumue sacramentum compleat We saie therfore that the other signes of holie thinges the societie of the whiche ys geuen to vs to be perfected by these diuine and consummating giftes Neither ys yt laufull allmost anie mysterie of the preistlie office to be full doen except this diuine Sacrament and most full of maiestie do finish or performe yt Wherfore as by Chrysostom and other yt maie be perceaued in the primitiue church they that were baptised were brought frō baptisme to the receipt of the blessed Sacrament of Chrystes bodie as therbie to be perfected in Chryst and certenly to be vnited to him bothe by faith and also by hys blessed bodie Although then by faith we be spirituallie vnited to Chryste without the Sacrament yet as yt ys saied we be not so certenly vnited as when this noble Sacrament which perfecteth other Sacramentes cometh also but spirituallie vnited we be Nowe as touching the seconde vnion whiche this authour speaketh of yt ys not likewise mere corporall as the other ys mere spirituall but yt ys so corporall as yt ys neuerthelesse spirituall According as the bodie of Chryst ys which we receaue which although yt be a verie true and perfect bodie Amb. de init myste cap. 9. yet yt ys spirituall as S. Ambrose saieth Corpus enim Dei corpus est spiritale Corpus Christi corpus est diuini spiritus The bodie of God ys a spirituall bodie The bodie of Chryst ys the bodie of the diuine spiritte Yt ys also spiritually receaued for that yt ys doen onely by the knowledge of faith and not of anie sense Although the office of senseis and also of the bodie be required to the receipt therof So then as the bodie of Chryst ys so corporall as yt ys also spirituall and the receipt of the same bodie so corporall as yt ys neuerthelesse spirituall Receipt of Chrystes bodie both corporal ād spirituall so also the vnion brought to effect by the same receipt yt ys verilie corporal altho withall yt ys spiritual This vniō he signifieth vnto vs whē he saieth that we be the bodie of that head which ys Chryst For as cōcerning the spiritual vniō he saied before that we are al one bread ād therfor for the corporal vnion he saieth that we be one bodie For proof wherof that he so plainly ment the allegacion of S. Paule to the Ephesians declareth which he bringeth to open the true sense and mening of S. Paule here For saieth he we are membres of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones ▪ whiche woordes that they be vnderstanded of our corporall vnion with Chryst yt ys more manifestlie declared by Iraeneus then by the Aduersarie yt can Li. 5. aduers heres be denied Thus hetherto of so manie auncient and learned authours ye haue heard no dissonante but a consonante voice all sownding one thing that by the receipt of the blessed bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament we be vnited to Chryst and made one with him THE EIGHT AND TWENTETH CHAP. PROceadeth vpon the same text by Oecumenius and Anselmus I Reade in the fourth booke of the Kinges that the King of Syria 4. Reg. 6. who was in warre against the King of Israell for somoche as he vnderstoode that Eliseus the Prophet disclosed to the kinge of Israell the secrett counsells intentes and pourposes of the saied King of Syria that he sent an armie of men to the cittie wher the Prophet laie to take him And when the seruante of the Prophet went furth in the morning and sawe so great a multitud with horses and chariottes compassing the cittie rownde aboue he cried and saied Alas master what shall we dooe The Pprophete saied vnto him Feare not here be mo with vs them with them And when the Prophete had praied the eies of his seruaint were opened and he sawe the mowntain full of horses and chariottes of fire rownde about the Prophete As the Prophete was thus strenghtned with so great a multitude that his enemies were not able to preuaill against him though his seruante knewe yt not and therfor feared and cried Euen so the verie prophet of God in the Churche of Chryste who hath geuen him self ouer to the seruice of God that he ys fullie become the man of God therfore ys lightned and illumined with the wholsome knowledge of the catholique faith wherby he seeth God and his holie will and pleasure he doth well see that though the Kinge of Syria hath now moued warre against the King of Israell that ys Sathan against Chryst the Kinge of verie Israell and his catholique kingdom his Churche and hath for the better expedicion of his pourpose sent an armie to kake awaie the prophete and godlie learned man that he shoulde not warne the people of Israell of the assaute of Sathan whiche he entendeth to moue by heresie schisme diuision and subuersion of all good ordre in the Churche of Chryste He doth I saie well see that the prowde and cruell kinge ys not able to carie him awaie oute of the kingdom of Chryst into his kingdome For he ys compased abowte with a most mightie armie of the noble soldiers of God all the holie catholique fathers godly writers and noble Martirs whiche stand by him mightilie in the confession of Chrystes holie faith whiche nombre being infinite he maie as euery learned catholique also maie vnto the vnlearned faithfull man the seruante of God saie Feare not ther be mo with vs then with these enemies of Israell with these Aduersaries of