the meritts of the sacrifice of our redemption vnto vs as a commemoration therof and a meanes to obtaine iustification and the gift of contrition and pennance for our sinns as is set doune more at large in the 22. Session of the Councell of Trent And in prouinge of this will consist the whole scope of this our booke following CHAP. II. The necessitie of visible Sacrificie and the end or cause why it was instituted and vsed 1. TWo things haue alwaies been much recommended The honor of God and peace much recommended to men by God The honor of God and peace mainteyned by visible Sacrifice by God and highly esteemed by men of all sects and sortes who firmely beueled that there was a God who extended his prouidence ouer mankinde first the honor of God and peace with him and secondly vnitie peace and society amongst themselues And these two haue alwaies been chiefely mainteyned amongst men by a particular visible Sacrifice first offered vnto God vpon an Altar as a sacred signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts vnto him and after eaten or communicated amongst themselues By offering visible Sacrifice vpon an Altar vnto God they solemnely protested the sacrifice of their hearts vnto him publickely adored him with the honor of Latria or deuine worshipp which is due only vnto him and visibly made profession of peace vnitie and societie with him and amongst themselues The Communion made of meate offered to God in signe of vnion and by eating of the same Sacrifice wich had been offered vnto God they ratified and established the same peace and vnitie as partakers of that meate with they had offered vnto God for a sacred signe of common vnion as is generally manifest by experience in all sectes and sortes of people of former ages who firmely beleeued there was a God and that his Prouidence was not wanting in the gouernment of mankind 2. And to begin with the faithfull who liued in In the lavv of nature the faithfull offered visible Sacrifice to honor God and mainteyne vnitie the law of nature written law and law of grace In the law of nature after that Iacob and Laban his father in law had agreed vpon a peace firme freindshipp and league as before God there present and beholding them Iacob for a conclusion of the peace Offered victimes in the Mount and called his brethren to eate bread who whē they had eaten lodged there Gen. 31. 54. Where in confirmation of the peace concluded Iacob offered visible Sacrifice vnto God as a sacred signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts adored him with the honor of Latria or diuine worshipp which is due only vnto him c. And after the sacrifice called his Brethren to communicate or eate of the victimes the more to ratifie the vnitie peace and concord amongst themselues by eating of the meate which was offered to God in signe of vnion 3. At the comming of the Children of Israel out of Egipt in their last supper they offered visible Sacrificie vnto God in the Paschal Lambe Sacrifice in the Paschal Lambe thereby publickly to honor God as their Soueraigne Lord God and to expresse the inuisible sacrifice of their hearts vnto him And when they had donne they communicated of it the more firmely to maintaine peace and vnity with God and amongst themselues by eating of meate which was offered vnto God as a sacred signe of the vnion of their hearts in him Exod. 12. 4. In like manner after that Moyses had told his father in law Iethro a Priest of the land of Madian Iethro offered Sacrifice all things that our lord had donne for Israel Iethro reioyced and said Now I know that the Lord is great aboue all Gods Iethro therefore offered Holocausts and hosts to God thereby to adore him with diuine honor and to expresse the Sacrifice of his heart vnto him And Aron and the Ancients of Israel came to eate bread with him before God Exod. 18. To cōfirme vnitie peace and society amongst themselues and this was donne in the law of nature before the written law was giuen 5. In the written law God said vnto the Children of Israel To the place which God hath chosen In the vvritten lavv the faithfull offered visible Sacrifice to honor God and maintaine peace and vnitie which was Hierusalem shall you come and shall offer in that place Holocausts and victimes thereby as by a sacred signe to expresse the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts and to adore God with the honor of Latria and you shall eate there in the sight of the Lord your God Deut. 12. To ratifie peace vnitie and concord amongst themselues Againe in the same chapter Thither to Hierusalem shall you bring all the things that God commanded you Holocausts c. There shall you feast before the Lord your God Where vpon it is said that Elcana immolated and gaue to Phenenna his wife and to all her sonns and daughters parts and to Anna one part 1. Kings 1. 4. In like manner Salomon and all Israel with him did immolate victimes before our Lord and Salomon killed peaceable hosts which he immolated to our Lord of Oxen 22000. and of Sheepe 120000. c. and made in that time a solemne Festiuitie and all Israel with him for 14. daies 3. Kinges 8. 60. And this was donne in the old law to establish and preserue the vnitie peace and societie of men with God and amongst themselues as further witnesseth S. Augustine in the 5. chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God saying What thing soeuer we reade to haue been commanded by God about the diuers and sundrie Sacrifices in the ministrie either of the Tabernacle or of the Temple are written to signifie the loue of God and our Neighbour for vpon these two commaundements as it is written doe depend the whole Law and the Prophets Thus S. Augstine Whereby it doth appeare that the diuers and sundrie sacrifices which were vsed in the old law were al instituted by God to this end only to maintaine the loue of God and of men amongst themselues by the vnion of their hearts in God which these Sacrifices did represent 6. In the beginning of the new law our Lord Sacrifice instituted in the lavv of grace and Sauiour Iesus Christ the Prince of Peace offered his bodie for a gift vnto his eternall father and then gaue his said bodie vnto the Children of his Church to eate saying Take eate this is my bodie which is giuen for you Luk 22. as a sacred signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of your hearts and a preseruation of vnitie peace and society with God and amongst yourselues as were the gifts and Sacrifices of the written law and law of Nature And when he had donne he established this manner of offering his bodie to God for a gift in commemoration of him in lieu of all the Sacrifices of the old law saying Doe this the same
Scriptures Exod. 33. 19. Ioh. 11. 15. and the offering of visible external sacrifice being due vnto God only chieflie and aboue al things as a Sacrament of the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts and soules vnto him and a holie signe of our acknowledging God for our Lord God as I haue proued in the precedent chapters What reasonable man can denye that God out of his prouidence towardes mankinde in directing him as a reasonable creature vnto his end and chiefest good hath also giuen vnto all mankinde a natural inclination propension and instinct to offer visible sacrifice vnto him thereby to acknowlegd him for their God honor him with the worshipp of Latria and professe the vnion of their harts with him their last end and chiefest good Vnlesse we should saie that God in the creating of man and in directing of men vnto their last end hath vsed lesse goodnes and prouidence then he hath towards trees plants and stones with is absurd seeing that his mercies towards man are aboue all his workes 2. From this instinct it did proceede that in the law of Nature whilest men liued in the beginning of the world without writings or anie other ordinarie directions or law more then the instinct of nature proceeding from reason with is called the law of Nature the faithfull in the Church of God vsed to offer visible Sacrifice vnto God as Abel Noe Melchisedec Abraham Isaac Iacob and Iob who all offered exterior visible Sacrifice vnto God before anie other law was knowne or published but the instinct of nature The lavve of nature is vvritten in the hartes of the Gentils proceeding from reason and is as S. Paul sayth Written in the harts of the Gentils Rom. 2. 15. and was as S. Hierom. vpon the 24. of Isai sayth Giuen vnto al nations before the law of Moyses was written which was not giuen by God vnto the children of Israel vntill the yeare 2544. from the beginning of the world according to the Annales of Torniellus 3. Neither could the defects in the sacrifice of Cain be displeasing vnto God as they were Gen. 4. 5. if Cain had not been obliged by some law to offer sacrifice for as S. Paul saith Rom. 4. 15. Where there is no law there is no preuarication Cains sacrifice displeasing because it vvas not conformable to the lavv of Nature or offence nor the sacrifices of Abel and Noe be gratefull and acceptable vnto God as they were Gen. 4. and 8. 21. but for that they were conformable vnto some law and right for God is not a God that will iniquitie Psal 5. 5. Yet before the law of Moses was giuen which was not vntill the yeare 2544. there was no other law as al men Cain and Abel bound to offer Sacrifice by the lavv of nature grant but the law of nature written in the harts of men Wherefore seing that for those 2544. yeares the faithfull offered visible sacrifice according to some law and there was no lawe but the instinct of nature proceeding from right reason which we call the law of nature it manifestly followeth that external visible sacrifice is due vnto God by the law and light of nature 4. From hence it is that Cain and Abel in the Cain and Abel offered Sacrifice vvithout a maister or teacher beginning of world had no need of anie maister or teacher to tell or teache them in general that they ought to offer visible sacrifice vnto God because they were taught it by the direction of theire consciences light of reason and wisdome giuen from aboue vnto all mankind as witnesseth S. Chrisostome in his 18. homilie vpon Genesis sayinge Cain of the fruites of the earth offered a Sacrifice to God Consider how the builder of nature in grafted in man the science of conscience for I pray you tell me whoe brought Cain to this knowledge no other but the knowledge which is in a conscious mind He offered saith the Scripture Sacrifice to God of the fruits of the earth for he did know and he did clearly know that it was conuenient or meete to offer something of his possession to God not that God stood in need of any thing that was his but that he who inioyed such a be-benefit from him should shew his gratitude And againe in the same homilie he saith Cain had no teacher nor Abel a prompter or councellor to teach them to offer visible Sacrifice but they were both moued to this oblation by the dictamen of their consciences and by wisdome giuen from aboue vnto mankind In like manner S. Clement in the 20. chapter of his 6. Booke of Apostolicall constitutions affirmeth that Abel Noe Abraham and others after them offered Sacrifice to God only moued thervnto by the law of nature Whervpon Eusebius Cesariensis in the 10. chapter of his first booke of Euangelicall demonstrations saith The ancient friends of God Abel Noe Abraham c. offered Sacrifice which saith hee we ought not to thinke to haue been a rash inuention or a thing begunn after a humaine manner but rather inspired from aboue sed deuino potius nutu insinuatū For which cause Tertullian in the 2. chapter of his book against the Iewes saith Leuites to offer Sacrifice before the leuiticall lavv Before the law of Moses was giuen which was written in Tables of stone ther was a Law not written which was naturally vnderstood and kept by the Fathers for from whence was Noe found iust if the naturall iustice of the Law did not goe before him from whence was Abraham esteemed the freind of God if not by the equitie or iustice of the Law of Nature How came Melchisedec to be called a Priest of the most high God if there were not Leuites before the leuiticall Law who offered Sacrifice to God Thus Tertullian wherby it appeareth that men by the law of nature and dictamen of their conscience without a Maister or Teacher or written law are in generall sufficiently instructed to offer visible Sacrifice vnto God as a meanes wherby they may attaine vnto the vnion of their hearts with him who is theire last end and chiefest good Whervpon Origen in his first book vpon Iob saith In the tyme of the Law of Noe Abraham Melchisedec and Iob Priestes by the lavv of nature nature there were Priests who were not ordained to that office by the prescript of anie written law but taught and instructed to doe it by naturall wisdom After this manner Noe executed the office of Priesthood After this manner Abraham and Melchisedec were Priests and also after them Iob himselfe had the office of Priesthood Thus Origen With whom also agreeth S. Ciprian in his treatise of the reason of Circumcision saying Though many of the nations of the earth did iudge Circumcision which the Iewes vsed to be absurd and vnreasonable yet following the law of nature they retained the instruments of expiation or clensing from sinne and doe immolate victimes burne fatt and
they being for the most part daily and publickly vsed and practised in all the Curches of Christendome and no knowne Christian Catholick man to take notice of such a generall corruption was a thing impossible as we see by experience in thinges of lesser moment and more rarelie practised and of meaner account and reckoning Neither could the whole Christian Catholick Church the promises of God vnto his Church considered so suddenly decaie after the death and Passion of our Lord that in all Christendome there should be no knowne publick practise of the right administration of the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of our Lord. 3. And if wee looke in to the first Liturgie or publicke Church seruice booke which was made The Christian vnbloudie sacrifice begunn at Hierusalem in the Apostles tymes for the Church of Hierusalem where the Ghospell first began and from whence it was to be spredd and preached vnto all nations according to the wordes of our Lord Luck 24. 47. Act. 1. 8. as into the Liturgie which was made by S. Iames the Apostle for the Church of Hierusalem whereof he was instituted Bishop by the Apostles as witnesseth Eusebius in the 22. chapter of his 2. booke of histories which Liturgie is also confirmed to be his by the 32. Canon of the 6. generall Councell by Proclus Bishop of Constantinople in his Tradition of the Diuine Liturgie and S. Cirill Bishop of Hierusalem in his 5. Catechesis both which liued aboue 1200. yeares past and see what will be found there it will directe vs in all the rest 4. In this Liturgie the Priest saith Lord thou S. Iames his Liturgie hast granted that we should confidentlie approach vnto thy holie Altar and offer vnto thee this reuerend and vnbloudie Sacrifice for our sinns c. Let it please thee that these Giftes which we offer with our handes maie be acceptable vnto thee c. Doe not turne awaie from vs sinners handeling tbis fearefull and vnbloudie Sacrifice c. Let it please thee o Lord that we maie be ministers of thy new testament and sacrifice of thy immaculate misteries and admitt vs approaching vnto thy holie Altar according to the multitude of thy mercies that we may be worthie who would offer vnto thee Giftes and sacrifice for our selues and for those sinnes which the people haue committed through ignorance Grāt vs ô Lord that we maie offer vnto thee with all feare and a pure concience this spirituall and vnbloudie Sacrifice c. We bend our knees vnto thy goodnes haue mercie vpon vs ô Lord seeing that we worship and tremble when wee are to aproache vnto tby holie Altar to offer this fearefull and vnbloudie sacrifice for our sinnes c. We offer vnto thee this venerable and vnbloudie sacrifice c. Send vpon vs and vpon these giftes thy holie Spirit 5. And setting downe the wordes of consecration he saith Iesus Christ the night in which he was betraied or rather the night in which be deliuered himself for the life and saluation of the world taking bread into his holy immaculate blamelesse and immortall hands looking vp into heauen and shewing to thee God and father giuing thankes sanctifying breaking he gaue vnto vs his disciples and Apostles saying Take ye and eate this is my bodie which is broken for you and is giuen for the remission of sinns In like manner after he had supped taking the Chalice and mingling wine and water and looking into heauen and shewing to thee God and Father giuing thankes Sanctifying blessing filling with the holie Ghost he gaue vnto vs his disciples saying Drincke yee all of this This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shedd for you and for manie and is giuen for the remission of sinnes doe this for a commemoration of me for as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this Chalice you doe shew forth the death of the Sonne of man and doe confesse his resurrection vntill he come 6. And further telling vs what these Giftes and vnbloudie Sacrifices were he saith Christ our Lord doth come forth that he may be immolated and giuen for meate to the faithfull And putting a parte of the consecrated bread into the Chalice mingling them together he saith The vnion of the most pretious bodie and bloud of our Lord and God and Sauiour Iesu Christ. And sygning the consecrated bread he saith Behold the lambe of God the Sonne of the Father who taketh awaie the sinnes of the world slaine for the life and saluation of the world Thus S. Iames the Apostle and much more to this effect in his Liturgie or publick Church-seruice booke which he made for the Church of Hierusalem whereof he was Bishop 7. And the like hath all the rest of the Liturgies or publicke Church-seruice-bookes which were made by the rest of the Apostles and Euangelistes or Apostolicall men for the countries and Prouinces which they had vnder their charge or which they had conuerted vnto the Christian Catholicke faith to the publishing and dilating the vnbloudie sacrifice or sacrifice of Giftes in the bodie and bloud of our Lord which was begun in Hierusalem by our Lord and the Apostles all ouer the world for a commemoration of our Lord to the fulfilling of the prophecies in that kinde As the Liturgie or publick Church-seruice Booke of S. Peter made for the Romans and these westerne partes of the world The Liturgie of S. Matthew made for the Ethiopians and further partes of Asia and Africa The Liturgie of S Marke made for the Egiptiens and Grecians and so forth as they are sett downe by Margarinus in his sixt Tome of his Bibliotheca Patrum And in the first and laste Tome of the Bibliotheca Patrum sett forth by the Deuines of Colen 8. Of these Liturgies and publique Church-seruice bookes the afore said Proclus Bishop of Constantinople in the place afore cited writeth thus Verie manie Pastors and Doctors of the Church who were famous for pietie and some of those who succeded the Apostles haue deliuered vnto the Church in writing the exposition of the mystitall Liturgie Amongst whom S. Clement doth challenge the first place who was a disciple of the Prince of the Apostles and declared his successor by the Apostles themselues and S. Iames the first Bishop of Hierusalem Afterwards Basill the great finding that manie men thought the former Liturgies to long brought it into a more compendious forme Not long after our Iohn who of his golden eloquence was called Chrisostome hauing consideration of the infirmitie of men that they might haue no excuse tooke awaie manie things and prescribed a briefer forme c. After our sauiour was assumptod into heauen the Apostles before they were dispersed ouer the world being of one minde and liuing together gaue themselues wholy vnto praier and finding great consolation in that mysticall sacrifice of our Lords bodie they sunge the Liturgie at large with manie praiers Thus Proclus Bishop of Constantinople who
the communion in the body and bloud of our Lord offered in vnbloudy Sacrifice it is manifest that both S. Paule taught the Corinthians to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and so to communicate of the same and that our Sauiour himself instituted an vnbloudy Sacrifice and communion in his body and bloud 12. Moreouer not only S. Paule had bin at The faith at Corinth before the vvrittē vvorde of this Epistle Corinth before he writt this Epistle and taught them by practise what they were to doe in the communion and what to beleeue but also Prisilla and Aquilla Act. 18. 18. Apollo Act. 19. 1. Stephanus Fortunatus and Achaicus were at Corinth and instructed them by practise what they ought to doe in the communion and what to beleeue before this Epistle was written as appeareth 1. Cor. 16. which considered and seeing that the Corinthians euen in the infancie of their Church offered vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and communicated of the same as I haue proued in the 12. chapter by the consent of many Councells and Fathers of the primitiue Church who can doubt whether S. Paule taught the Corinthians and Grecians to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and to communicate of the same that is not willing to be deceaued seeing that it is more hard and vncertaine for men to gather and vnderstand a thing deliuered by an Epistle only and that in this point briefe and short then both by seeing it donn and practised many yeares and by an Epistle also both together when an Epistle only may with greater facilitie be altered and changed then a Religion which is settled and established in manie citties and prouinces as wee see by experience CHAP. III. The Scriptures and all knowne Christian-mens bookes who writt of this subiect before Luther reputed hereticks to both parties only excepted teach a Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord. 1. THe Scriptures are so plaine for the institution of an vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice The Scriptures manifest for Sacrifice of Gifts in the body and bloud of our Lord that S. Augustin speaking of the old Testament in his Oration against the Iewes seth downe in the beginning of his 6. Tome saith vnto them Search the Scriptures for they beare testimonie of this cleane Sacrifice which is offered vnto the God of Israel noth of your nation only from whose handes he foretold that he would not receaue but of all nations who saie come lett vs ascend vnto the mountaine of God not in one place as it was commanded you in the earthly Hierusalem but in euery place euen vnto Hierusalem it Sacrifice offered in euery place in S. Augustines tyme. selfe And in like manner preaching vnto the Christians in his first Sermō vpon the 33. Psalme he saith Faithfull men who haue read the Ghospell do know the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord dilated ouer the whole globe of the earth Thus S. Augustine both vnto the Iewes and faithfull Christians whereby we gather fower things first that in the opiniō of S. Augustine both the old and new Testament speake plainely and manifestly enough of an vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord which was to be vsed in the new Law Secondly that the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord was in S. Augustins time Dilated ouer the whole globe of the earth and beleeued of all faithfull men Thirdly VVhy our Aduersaries read Scriptures and find not Sacrifice for Christians that the cause why our Aduersaries doe not or will not beleeue that we ought to vse an vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord is not for that the Scriptures doe not sufficiently speake of it but for that they are blynded with obstinacie and obduratiō of heart with the Iewes and so though they read the Bible euery day and heare it read many times yet as our Lord said Seeing they see not and hearing they heare not neither doe they vnderstand c. for their heart is waxen grosse The Ievves deny Christian Sacrifice Matth. 13. 13. Fouerthly our Aduersaries in denying that we ought to offer Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord doe take parte with the Iewes and Gentils against the faithfull Christians of all former ages 2. Againe S. Augustine in his said Oration against the Iewes saith vnto them as we in his wordes S. Augustins speech to the Ievves applied to our Aduersaries may saie vnto our Aduersaries Least you should thinke ô Iewes because you doe not offer Sacrifice and that God will not receaue Sacrifice at your hands that Sacrifice is not to be offered vnto God which he indeed doth not stand in neede of who wanteth not any of our goods yet that he is not without Sacrifice which is not profitable vnto him but vnto you he addeth and faith from the rising of the sunne euen vnto the goeing downe my nane is made famous in all nations and in euery place there is offered a cleane Sacrifice vnto my name for great is my name in the Gentills saith the Lord omnipotent What wilt thou answere to this ô Iewe open thine eyes yet at last and see the Sacrifice of the Christians to be offered from the rising of the sunne vnto the goeing downe not in one place as it was appointed for you but in all places not vnto any God what soeuer but vnto that God who foretolde these thinges the God of Israel Thus S. Augustine against the Iewes whereby we see that the whole Catholicke Church dilated ouer the world in S. Augustins time not only offered Sacrifice to God in the body and bloud of our Lord as they doe now but also beleeued that they were taught so to doe by the Sriptures 3. And not only in these bookes S. Augustine speaketh of the Sacrifice of the Christians offered S. Augustins often repetition of the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord. vnto God in the body and bloud of Christ but also often in his other workes he calleth the Eucharist the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ as in the 25. chapter of his first booke against Cresconius saying The only Sacrifice of the body it selfe and bloud of our Lord. And in 27. chapter following The Sacrifice of the body and bloud of Chist And in the 8. chapter of his 22. booke of the Cittie of God he telleth vs how one of his neighbours Hesperius by name a Tribune finding his cattle and seruants to be molested by euill Spirits came vnto his Priests in his absence and desired that some one of them would come thither and by his praiers dryue away these wicked The Sacrifice of the body of our Lord expelled vvicked Spirits Spirits One went and offered there saith S. Augustine the body of Christ praying as well as he could that the
Scripture which Catholickes at this day alleadge against the different opinions of their aduersaries adding also in the same Christ at his last Supper offered himselfe in Sacrifice Epistle saith Who is more the Priest of the high God then our Lord Iesus-Christ who offered Sacrifice to God the Father and offered the same which Melchisedech had offered that is bread and wine to witt his body and bloud Againe Iesus-Christ our Lord God he is the chief Priest of God the Father he offered first himselfe to God the Father and commanded that which he then did to be donne in commemoration of him Moreouer he there saith to the Aquarian Hereticks who would only vse water and no wine in the Sacrament of the Chalice The bloud of Christ wherewith Christ bloud seene in the Chalice we are redeemed and quickned cannot be seene to be in the Chalice when wine whereby the bloud of Christ is shewed is not put into the Chalice And citing the wordes of consecration as they are sett downe by S. Matthew in the 26. chapter of his Ghospell addeth Hereby we finde that the Chalice which our Lord offered was mixt and that it had bin wine which he called his bloud whereby it doth appeare It vvas first vvine and after his bloud that the bloud of Christ is not offered if there be no wine put into the Chalice neither is our Lords Sacrifice celebrated with lawfull sanctification vnlesse our oblation and Sacrifice shal be answerable to the Passion wherein our Sauiour shed bloud and water c. Iohn 15. 34. Againe As with this common wine the mind is sett at libertie the spirits freed and all sorrow Christian drinck the bloud of Christ. banished so by drincking the bloud of our Lord and the healthfull cupp we cast awaie the memorie of the old man and doe forgett our former worldly conuersation c. Againe How shall we shed our bloud for Christ who are ashamed to drinck the bloud of Christ. This and much more to this effect hath S. Cyprian in one afore said Epistle besides what he hath dispersed through his other workes 11. Alexander the first was made Bishopp of Rome in the yeare 121. and suffered a most cruell martyrdome for the faith in Rome when the faith of Christ flourished amongst the Romans as our Aduersaries confesse and he in his first Epistle vnto all Catholicks repeating the wordes of consecration addeth With such hostes God will be delighted and pleased for nothing can be greater in Sacrifices then the body and bloud of our Lord neither is there any oblation more to be desired then this for this exceedeth all oblations which is to be offered vnto God with a pure conscience and to be receaued with a cleane heart and to be worshipped of all Thus S. Alexander 12. S. Clement of whom S. Paule maketh mention Philippians 4. 3. in the 57. chapter of his 2. book of Apostolicall constitutions saith Lett the Bishopp pray in these wordes conserue ô Lord thy People safe and blesse thine inheritance c. Afterwards lett Sacrifice be made all the People expecting and praying insilence and Sacrifice being donn lett euery order a part receaue the body of our Lord and the pretious bloud approaching in order with modestie and reuerence as vnto the body of the king before they receaued it Thus these most ancient Fathers of the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord instituted by our Sauiour and continued in the Church of God as they prooue by the same Authorities of Scriptures which the Catholicks alleadg at this day And all Christian mens books and workes who haue written of this subiect are so conformable to the doctrine of those before cited Fathers in this point of the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord that our Aduersaries knowne and reputed hereticks to both parties only excepted are not able to assigne or bring forth any book written before the rebellion of Luther which denieth the offering of Sacrifice to God in the body and bloud of his only Sonne amongst Christians And this is sufficient to proue that the Scriptures and all knowne Christian mens bookes who writt of this subiect before Luther knowne and reputed hereticks or enormish erroneous men to both parties only excepted teach a Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord. CHAP. IV. Remission of sinnes and other blessings are and may be obtained by the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord. 1. THe Sacrifice of our Redemption which The Sacrifice of the Crosse like a Pardon at the end of a Parliament our Lord offered for vs vpon the Crosse is like vnto a generall Pardon at the end of a Parliament which is in it selfe sufficient to pardon all his Majesties subiects for the offences there in specified were they tenntymes more then they are yet actually it pardoneth not any one of them but those who vse the meanes which his Majesties lawes require in that case for the applying his gratious generall pardon vnto themselues which is to sue out a writt of pardon or the like So the Passion of our Lord and his Redemption vpon the Crosse is in it selfe sufficient to redeeme tenn thousand worlds if there were or could be so many from euerlasting paines and from the punishment imposed vpon man for originall and actuall sinne as wittnesseth S. Iohn saying Christ is the propitiation of our sinnes and not for ours only but also for the whole world yet actually according to the common concurse of God it redeemeth not any one man from euerlasting torments but those who vse the meanes to applye the Passion of our Lord and his Redemption vpon the Crosse to themselues expressed in the Law of God as withnesseth S. Paule saying Christ was made to all that obey him cause of eternall saluation Heb. 5. 9. 2. And amongst the many meanes which Almightie God hath left vnto mankind to apply the Sacrifice of our Redemptiō and merits of Christs Passion vnto vs this is one the offering of a certaine and particular externall visible Sacrifice vnto God representing the inward Sacrifice of our hearts and the Passion of his Sonne thereby to acknowledge him for our God and supreame Soueraigne Lord and apply the meritt of the said Passion vnto ourselues for the remission of our sinnes as is manifest by the practise of the Church of God euen from the beginning or first plantation there of vpon earth for Abel Noe Abraham Isaack Iacob Iob and the Children of Israel offered particuler visible Sacrifice to God in commemoration of the Passion of our Lord to come for the remission of sinnes by his Passion who was presenly promised vpon the fall of Adam Gen. 3. 5. and in vertue Slaine from the beginning of the world Apoc. 13. 12. Whervpon S. Iohn saith He hath redeemed vs to God in his bloud out of euery tribe and tongue and people and nation Apoc. 5. 9. And there is no saluation in
these Sacrifices are to be perfectly fulfilled may not be offered to God for the obtaining of all or any one of these or like benifits especially seing that it hath bin the practise of the Catholicke Church in all ages as appeareth by all the Liturgies or publicke Church seruice books of ancient tymes where in the manner of offering the body and bloud of our Lord to God vnder the species of bread and wine is sett down not only for the remission of sinnes but also for the obtaining those other particuler blessings comforts and consolations as is to be seene in the said books at large 12. S. Augustine so constantly beleeued this S. Augustine of the remission of sinne by Sacrifice doctrine that in his 57. question vpon Leuiticus he saith By these Sacrifices of the old Law this only Sacrifice the new was signifyed wherein is true remission of sinnes from taking the bloud of which Sacrament in nourrishment there is no restraint but rather an exhortation vnto all to drinck it And speaking of the practise and vse of this meanes for the remission of sinnes in the 12. chapter of the 9. book of his confessions saith That the Sacrifice of our redemption was offered for his Mother for the remission of her sinnes after her death and yealding the reason why the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord was offered for her in the next chapter addeth All though shee was so quickened and renewed in Christ whilst she remained yet amonst vs that thy name was praysed both in her beleefe and lyfe yet I dare not affirme that after thou hadest regenerated her by her Baptisme there issued no word out of her mouth against thy commandement And in the 25. chapter of his 10. book of the cittie of God he saith that at the tyme of the vniuersall iudgment it wil be necessary that some be purged by the fyer of the iudgmeÌ„t because then Noe man can offer Sacrifice for his sinnes shewing that the offering of Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of sinnes shall not cease vntill the end of the world and then adding saith For all who offer Sacrifice for their sinnes are commonly in the sinne for the remission whereof they doe offer Sacrifice and when they haue offered and it shal be acceptable to God then their sinnes are forgiuen 13. S. Cyprian liued about the yeare 240. yet S. Cyprian and the vvhole Catholick Church of the remission of sinne by Sacrifice speaking of the practise of the Catholick Church of his tyme in his 66. Epistle saith The Bishopps which were before vs haue religioussy and prudently decreed that none of the brethren departing out of this lyfe should name for his Executour or Ouerseer a Clergy man and if any did there should be no offering for him nor Sacrifice celebrated for his ease or rest In the yeare of our Lord 121. S. Alexander the first was made Bishopp of Rome yet he in the 2. chapter of his first Epistle vnto all Catholicks repeating the words of the institution of this Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of sinnes presently addeth saying Crimes and sinnes are blotted out by offering these Sacrifices to God And to conclude the remission of sinnes by the offering of the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord was so generally beleeued to be a matter of faith that in the most flourishing tyme of the Church Aâ—â—ius was condemned of heresie for denying amongst other things the offering of Sacrifice for the dead As wittnesseth Epiphanius in his recapitulation of all heresies S. Augustine in the 53. heresie of his book of heresies and S. Damascene in his book of 100. heresies And if it were the faith of the Catholick Church to beleeue that we might offer the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of the paines and punishment due vnto some sinnes after death no man can with reason deny but that also it was the faith of the same Church to offer the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of the sinnes of the liuing 14. And it was not only the custome of the Catholick Church to offer the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of Sacrifice offered for other blessings sinnes but also for obteyning of other benefits Tertullian in his book to Scapula saith that in his tyme They offered Sacrifice for the health of the Emperor as we doe many tymes for our Soueraigne Lord king Charles his Queene and Children S. Augustine in the 8. chapter of 22. book of the cittie of God relateth how one of his Priests offered the body of our Lord in a hous that was possessed with euill Spirits and the wicked Spirits ceased to trouble the hous any more 15. S. Chrysostome vpon the 95. Psalme setting downe the practise of the Catholick Church in S. Chrysostome of the custome of the Church in offering Sacrifice offering Sacrifice saith In euery place are Altars and Doctrine This God foretould by the Prophets for expressing the Ecclesiasticall sinceritie and manifesting the ingratitude of the Iewes he saith vnto them I haue no will in you saith the Lord omnipotent neither will I receaue hostes from your hands for from the rysiing of the sunne vnto the goeing downe my name is glorified amongst the Gentills and in euery place Sacrifice is offered to my name and a pure Sacrifice See how fully and plainely he hath interpreted the mysticall table which is the vnbloudy Sacrifice and calleth pure incense the holy prayers which are offered with the Sacrifice for this incense doth recreate God not that which is taken from the rootes of the earth but that which is breathed from a pure heart Lett my prayer therefore be deliuered as incense in they sight dost thou see how it is graunted to this Angelicall Sacrifice to shyne most brightly in euery place dost thou not see how neither the Altar nor the Canticle is comprehended within any limits In euery place incense is offered to my name Therefore most certainly the principall mysticall table and the heauenly and the most venerable host is the pure Sacrifice There is also amongst vs diuers kinds of Sacrifices for the Law of the ould Testament had diuers hosts some for sinne others which were called holocaustes others Sacrifice of praise others of health others for the cleansing of Leapers briefely there were others and many and diuers for those who were censured to innumerable expiations Great was the number of the Sacrifices of the ould Law and aboue measure all which the new grace entring vpon doth comprehend in one Sacrifice by appointing one and a true host thus S. Chrysostome With S. Chrysostome agreeth S. Leo in his 8. Sermon vpon the Passion saying Now ô Lord the carnall Sacrifices ceasing the one oblation of thy body and bloud doth fulfill the diuersity
saying and affirming This is my bloud who I saie cann doubt and say that it is not his bloud Heretofore at Cana in Galilea only by his will he changed water into wine which is neere vnto bloud and is he not worthy to be beleeued that hath changed wine into his bloud He being inuited to a corporall marriage wrought a wonderfull miracle shall we not much more easily confesse that he gaue his body and bloud to the Children of his Spouse Wherefore with assurednesse lett vs take the body and bloud of Christ for vnder the species of bread the body is giuen thee and vnder the species of wine the bloud is giuen that hauing receaued the body and bloud of Christ thou mayest be made partaker of his body and bloud we shal be bearers of Christ after that we haue receaued his body and bloud into our membres 8. S. Gregorie Nissen brother to S. Basile the great S. Gregorie Nissen of the change in in the bread by the vvord of God liued in in the yeare 380. and he in his 37. Oration catechetica saith As Christ by eating bread made it is diuine body so likewise heere bread being sanctified by the word and praier as the Apostle saith and not by eating and drinking becometh the body of the word changed by the word saying This is my body 9. S. Ambrose who liued in the yeare 370. in S. Ambrose of the change in the bread by the omnipotency of Gods vvord the 9. chapter of his book of those who are begunn to be instructed in the mysteries saith If human blessing of Moyses Elias and Elizaeus was of such force as that it could alter nature what shall we saie of the diuine consecration where the words themselues of our Lord and Sauiour doe worke for this Sacrament which thou doest receaue is made by the word of Christ. If the words of Elias were of such force that they could call fire from heauen shall not the word of Christ be sufficient to change the species of the Elements Of the workes of the world thou hast read that because he spake the word they were made he commanded and they were created therefore the word of Christ which could make of nothing that which was not cann it not change those things which are into that which they were not for the difficultie is not lesser to giue new natures to thinges then to change natures Againe in his 4. book and 4. chapter of the Sacraments speaking of the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Altar he saith This bread is bread before the words of the Sacraments but assoone as consecration is added vnto it of bread it is made the flesh of Christ. This we affirme how cann that which is bread be the body of Christ by consecration And with what words and speeches is consecration with the wordes of our Iesus for in the rest which are said praise is giuen vnto God praier is made for the people for kings c. but when we come that the venerable Sacramēt should be made then the Priest doth not vse his owne wordes but the wordes of Christ Therefore the word of Christ doth worke this Sacrament What word of Christ euen that by which all things are made Our Lord commāded and the seas were made our Lord commanded and all creatures were begotten If therefore there be so great force in the wordes of our Lord Iesus that these things could begin to be which were not how much more will they be able to effect that those things may be which are and be changed in an other But heare the Prophet saying He said and they were made he commanded and they were created Therefore that I may answere thee it was not the body of Christ before consecration but after consecration I tell thee that then it is the body of Christ Againe vpon the 38. Psalme he saith It is the word of Christ which consecrated the Sacrifice which is offred Thus S. Ambrose 10. In like manner S. Chrisostome in his Homily S. Chrisostome of the change of the bread into the body of our Lord by the povver of God de proditione Iudae saith It is not man that doth make these things which are exposed for consecration vpon the table of our Lord the body and bloud of Christ but he who is crucified for vs Christ The words are pronounced with the Priests mouth and they are consecrated by the grace and vertue of God He said This is my body by these words the things exposed are consecrated And as that voice which said increase and multiplie and replenish the earth was said but once yet at all tymes hath this effect for generation nature concurring so this word but once said and yet it giueth strength to the Sacrifice which is vpon all the tables of the Church euen vntill this daie and shall doe vntill his coming to judgment Againe in his 83. Homily vpon the S. Matthew he saith We Bishopps or Priests in the consecration of this Sacrament hold but the place of Christs Ministers for he who doth santify or make the chāge is Christ himselfe Thus S. Chrisostome 11. S. Hierome vpon the first chapter to the Galatians saith Although some thinke me worthy of reprehension S. Hierome of this change for that in my book which I writt of the preseruation of virginity young woemen ought to flye from wine as they doe from poyson yet it doth not repent me of what I said for I rather contemne the effect or worke of wine then the creature it selfe And I took liberty to giue this counsell vnto a virgine warme with a heate proper vnto her yeares least vpon occasion of drinking a little she might drinke much and perish otherwise I did know that wine was consecrated into Christ his bloud Thus S. Hierome 12. S. Augustine in his 3. book and 4. chapter S. Augustine of the change in the Sacrament by the povver of God De Trinitate saith We doe not say that the articulat words pronounced with the tongue or the signe of letters written in skinns is the body and bloud of Christ but that only which is taken from the fruites of the earth and is consecrated by mysticall prayer c. It is not sanctifyed that it may be so great a Sacrament but by the spirit of God working inuisibly seeing that God doth worke all the things which by corporall motion are made in that worke 13. Againe in his book of sentences ad Prosperum cited by Gratian in his 2. distinction he saith In the species of vvine and bread vvhich vve see vve doe honor inuisible things that is to saie flesh and bloud neither doe vve equally esteeme of these two species after consecration as before consecration for before consecration vve faithfully confeffe that they are bread and wine as nature hath formed them but after consecration they are the flesh and bloud of Christ vvhich the blessing hath consecrated S. Cyrillus Alex.
this earthly and worldly kingdome and all things that are therein which for the most part is so possessed by wicked men and diuels that our Sauiour himself doth not lett to call the diuel Prince of this world Ioh. 12. 31. and 14. 30. and S. Paul to call him God of this world 2. Cor. 4. 4. How can any man thinke it absurd for vs to say that the same God by the omnipotency of his vvord hath established the misteries of our faith and the kingdome of his Church vpon earth which he hath purchased and planted with his bloud and hath espoused vnto himself foreuer Osee 2. 19. seeing that they confess our Sauiour to be God and in the mistery of the holy communion to haue taken bread blessed and said Take ye and eate This is my body and likwise to haue taken the Chalice giuen thanks and gaue to them saying Drink ye all of this for this is my bloud 13. This vvas the argument which mooued the ancient Fathers to beleeue the reall presence of the body and bloud of our Lord in the blessed Sacrament the omnipotency of the vvrd of God as I haue abundantly proued in the precedent chapter For as S. Augustine in his 3. epistle to Velosianus saith in the vvonderfull vvorkes of God and high misteries of our faith All the reason of the deed is the omnipotency of the doeer Wherevpon S. Chrisostome in his 83. Homily vpon S. Matthew exhorteth all Christians saying Lett vs beleeue wholy in God and lett vs not contradict him although that which he saith seeme contrary to our reason and our sight Lett his word haue more authority with vs then our reason or our eyes c. Lett vs not behold only the obiects which are there proposed in the blessed Sacrament but lett vs imbrace his words for his words cannot abuse vs but our sense is easily deceaued His word hath neuer failed but our sense is mistaken euery hower Wherefore seeing that the word itselfe saith This is my body let vs be persuaded and beleeue it and we shall see it with the eyes of our vnderstanding Thus S. Chrisostome vvith vvhom agreeth Gaudentius in his 2. Tract of the reason of the Sacraments saying When our Lord gaue the consecrated bread and wine vnto his Disciples he said vnto them This is my body Lett vs beleeue him I praie you whom we haue beleeued Truth doth not know what it is to lye 14. Wonderfull are the vvorkes of God in his earthly kingdome of this vvorld yet seeing that our Lord descended from heauen and vvas incarnate to erect a spirituall kingdome farr more excellent then is this materiall kingdome of the earth euen so excellent as that he saith I will dwell and walke in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 2. Cor. 6. 16. What maruell if in this his spirituall kingdome he vvorke more vvonderfull things then he did in that materiall seeing that he erected this for his friendes and founded that for all sortes of men and vvoemen and beastes And this is sufficient to shevv in generall hovv our Lord by the omnipotency of his vvord consecrateth his body and bloud vvith Bishopps and Priests his Officers and Legates CHAP. IX Of the certainty of the presence of the true reall and substantiall body and bloud of our Lord in the blessed Sacrament after consecration by the omnipotent power of God 1. FIrst these are as vve may saye the properties The qualities and conditions of God of God 1. To doe all things what soeuer he would Psal 113. 1. Secondly He is faithfull in all his words Psal 144. 14. Thirdly Able to doe what soeuer he promised Rom. 4. 21. Fourthly With him all things are possible Math. 19. 26. Fifthly There shall not be impossible with him any word Luk. 1. 37. Sixtly The word which proceedeth from his mouth shall not returne vnto him voyd but it shall doe whatsoeuer he would and shall prosper in those things for which he sent it Isai 55. 11. Seauenthly He will watch vpon his word to do it Ier. 1. 12. Eightly He is truth it selfe Io. 14. 6. And to conclude it is impossible for God to lye Heb. 6. 18. 2. Secondly our Sauiour in plaine and manifest The promises of Godt o giue his flesh and bloud for meate and drink words promised that He vvould giue meate that perisheth not but endureth to lyfe euerlasting bread that descended down from heauen that if any any man eate of it worthily he dye not liuing bread that came down from heauen bread which is his flesh the flesh of the sonne of man drink vvhich is his bloud meate in deede drink in deede himself to eate and so forth as it is sett down in the 6. chapter of S. Iohn 3. That our Sauiour in the 6. of S. Iohn speaketh of the B. Sacrament the ancient Fathers doe abundantly wittnes whose authorities are cited at large by Bellarmin in his book of the S. Iohn in his 6. chap. vvriteth of the B. Sacrament Eucharist Maldonate vpon the 6. of S. Iohn and Doctour Saunders in his book That our Lord in the 6. of S. Iohn hath spoken properly of the Eucharist I will content my selfe for the further proofe hereof which the words of S. Augustine in the 1. chapter of his 3. book de consensu Euangelistarum where after that he hath cited the words of our Lord at his last Supper as they are set down by the rest of the Euangelists saith That S. Iohn in that place hath not spoken any thing of the body and bloud of our Lord but in an other he doth manifestly wittnes that our Lord had farr more copiously spoken hereof which was this 6. of S. Iohn for no where else hath he spoken of the Communion Againe in the last chapter of his 4. book he saith that S. Iohn doth rarely write that which the rest doe Yet when he commeth to the Lords supper it selfe which none of the rest passed ouer with silence he extendeth himselfe much more copiously out of the Cellar of our Lords breast where he vsed to repose his head And in the 20. chapter of his first book De peccatorum meritis he saith Let vs heare our Lord speaking this of the Sacrament of his holy table except you eat may flesh c. So that it cannot with any reason be denyed that S. Iohn in his 6. chapter speaketh of of the blessed Sacrament 4. Moreouer this is the condition and nature of God Almighty that he neuer giueth or performeth The condition of God is to giue more then he promised lesse then in cleare and manifest words he promiseth but for the most part more then he promiseth as becometh the liberalitie and magnificence of his infinit mercies for he that giueth more then he promiseth doth not deceaue but he who giueth lesse is a deceauer and an impostor So it is blasphemie to affirme that Christ who is true God should
the Sonne of Mann and doe not drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you you ought to communicate after such asort to the holy table as that you doubt nothing at all of the body and bloud of Christ for that is taken by the mouth which is beleeued by faith And in vaine doe these answere Amen who dispute against that which is taken Thus S. Leo. 14. This custome of answering Amen to the Priest when he called the Eucharist the body of Christ was so vniuersally practised in the primitiue Church that Cornelius who was a holy Martyr and made Bishop of Rome about the yeare 254. Nouatus the heretik chāged the ansvvere of Amen in his Epistle to Fabius Bishop of Antioche set down by Eusebius in the 35. chaper of his 6. book of Histories amongst other things accuseth Nouatus an Arch-heretike of a most greevous offence for that when he had offered Sacrifice and should distribute vnto euery one part of the Sacrament he would take the hands of the communicants between both his hands and would not lett them goe vntil he had bound the communicant with this oath Sweare vnto me by the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus-Christ that thou wilt neuer forsake me nor returne to Cornelius And the miserable man saith S. Cornelius who was to receaue did not taste of the blessed Sacrament before he had bound himselfe vnto him after this manner And he who should receaue the Sacrament said this in lieu of Amen which he ought to haue said I will from this tyme forward no more returne to Cornelius Thus S. Cornelius in disciphering the wickednes of the heretike Nouatus whereby we see that euen in the primitiue Church both the Eucharist was beleeued to be the body and bloud of Christ before receauing and that the whole Church of God in all ages vsed to acknowledge it to be the body and bloud of Christ before they receaued 15. S. Augustine in his 29. Sermon vpon the words of the Apostles maketh also mention of this testimony which all the faithfull haue euer giuen to the body and bloud of Christ in the Eucharist before receauing saith You know ô faithfull men what testimony you haue giuen vnto the bloud which you haue receaued for certainly you saie Amen Wherevpon The ansvvere of Amen crieth against the Aduersaries of the reall presence lyke the bloud of Abel S. Augustine in the 10. chapter of his 2. book against Faustus a Manichean heretike who contemned the bloud of Christ in the Eucharist compareth the crying of the bloud of Christ out of the mouths of the faithfull who answere Amen vnto it before they receaue it vnto the crying of the bloud of Abel which was shed vpon earth by his brother Cain saying God saith to Cain what hast thou donn The voice of thy brothers bloud crieth vnto me from the earth Euen so the diuine voice in the Scripture saying This is my bloud doth reprehend the Iewes for the bloud of Christ hath alowd voice vpō earth when Amen is answered vnto it by all nations at their receauing of it This of Amen is the cleare or manifest voice of the bloud which the bloud itselfe out of the mouth of the faithfull redeemed by the same bloud doth expresse Thus S. Augustine whose words we may vse word for word against our Aduersaries changing only Jewes for Puritans 16. Wherefore I humbly beseech the Reader whosoeuer thou art that shalt read these our books and doest not beleeue the reall presence seriously to consider with thyselfe in what a lamentable and miserable estate thou liuest seeing that as S. Augustine saith not only all faithfull people who euer receaued the communion in the Church of God crie against thee as guilty of the bloud of our Lord but also the bloud of Christ itselfe out of the mouthes of the faithfull who haue receaued euen as did the bloud of Abel against his brothe Cain and haue compassion of thyselfe yet whilest there is tyme lett not thy senses deceaue thee nor the obstinacy of thy will hinder thee nor yet sloath or negligence so lull thee a sleepe that thou wilt not heare the crye of all faithfull people and nations If life please thee doe not contemne life when it is offred vnto thee in the bread of life but prepare thy heart to receaue it worthily that thou maist liue eternally Amen THE TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS OF THE FIRST BOOK CHAP. I. WHat we vnderstand by visible Sacrifice and of the whole scope of this book CHAP. II. The necessitie of visible Sacrifice and the end or cause why it was instituted and vsed CHAP. III. All the Gentils and heathen people Atheists and Epicures only excepted offred visible Sacrifice vnto their supposed Gods CHAP. IV. Of all the visible outward actions of men exterior visible Sacrifice is chiefly due vnto God as God and Creator of all thinges CHAP. V. Of all the visible actions of men exterior visible Sacrifice is only due vnto God alone CHAP. VI. By the instinct of nature all people who firmly beleeued that there was a God and his prouidence ouer mankind offred externall visible Sacrifice to some God true or false CHAP. VII How visible Sacrifice was offred vnto God in the beginning of his Church vpon earth and shal be vnto the end CHAP. VIII The reasons why our Sauiour would not take awaie visible Sacrifice out of the Church but establish it in better termes CHAP. IX Our Sauiour was to be a chief Priest of the order of Melchisedech and to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in his body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine vntill the end of the world CHAP. X. At the comming of the Messias vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Sauiour was to be offred euerie where vpon altars amongst the conuerted Gentils CHAP. XI By the distinction of bloudie and vnbloudie Sacrifices is prooued that our Sauiour at his last supper offred vnbloudie Sacrifice in his bodie and bloud CHAP. XII The ancient Fathers beleeued that our Lord at his last supper offred vnbloudy Sacrifice in his bodie and bloud and established the same in hi Church CHAP. XIII The whole Christian world before Luther beleeued that our Sauiour at his last supper offred vnbloudie Sacrifice or Sacrifice of Gifts in his bodie and bloud and established them in his Church CHAP. XIV The conclusion The Chapters of the 2. book CHAP. I. OVr Sauiour at his last Supper instituted an vnbloudie Sacrifice or Gifts in his bodie and bloud to be offred to God in commemoration of him CHAP. II. How these words This is my body which shal be deliuered for you import also a Sacrifice in his body CHAP. III. The Scriptures and knowne Christian mens books who writt of this subiect before Luther reputed heretiks to both parties only excepted teach a Sacrifice in the bodie and bloud of our Lord. CHAP. IV. Remission of sinnes and other blessings are and may be obteined by the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord. CHAP. V. Our Sauiour commanded that we should giue to God for vs the same body and bloud which he gaue and shed and how all the hosts offred in Sacrifice or giuen in the Communion are one CHAP. VI. One and the same substantiall body and bloud of our Lord in the holy Sacrament is in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions at the same tyme. CHAP. VII Our Sauiour is chief Priest or agent in offring vnbloudy Sacrifice and administratring Sacraments CHAP. VIII How in generall our Sauiour by his omnipotency together with Priests his instruments and Legats doth consecrate his true reall and substantiall body and bloud in the blessed Sacrament CHAP. IX Of the certainty of the presence of the true reall and substantiall body and bloud of our Lord in the blessed Sacrament after consecration by the omnipotency of God CHAP. X. The Amen or conclusion of this book and how all faithfull communicants haue vsed to say Amen to the body and bloud of our Lord in the blessed Sacrament before they receaued FINIS APPROBATIO TRactatus hic secundus de Sacrificio nihil continet quod aut rectae Fidei aut bonis moribus repugnet imprimi itaque poterit diuulgari Datum Bruxell die 15. Maij 1637. Henricus Calaenus S. T. L. librorum Censor
OF THE VISIBLE SACRIFICE OF THE CHVRCH OF GOD. THE FIRST PART VVritten by ANONYMVS EREMITA He that Sacrificeth to Gods shall be put to death but to our Lord only Exod. 22. 20. AT BRVXELLES By HVBERT ANTONY Velpius Printer to his Maiestie 1637. TO THE MOST EXCELLENT HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE CHARLES KING OF GREAT BRITAINE France Ireland c. Health and eternall felicitie MOst dread Soueraigne So many are the temporall blessings which All tie God hath bestowed vpon your Royall Maiestie that scarcely can they be paralelled in any other A Monarke of three Kingdomes all fortefied with the Ocean sea a Queene wyse vertuous beutifull and fruitefull subiects without number all in peace and plentie stryuing how to expresse their loues and obedience to so worthie a soueraigne health of Body and disposition of mynd fitt for any heroicall action so that not knowing what to wish or how to adde any more vnto your present temporall estate and happinesse as much as in me lyeth I desyre with all my heart that these your temporall blessings may also be seconded with spirituall eternall And for this cause and to this end hauing occasion to wryte of a Medecine against mortalitie of a Receipt against all diseases corruption and death of a Soueraigne Balme which whosoeuer will vse worthely shall liue eternally I could not but dedicate these my labours vnto your Maiestie vnto whom aboue all men liuing I wish compleat felicitie that protected by your royall fauour this Cordiall may worke the effect I desire which is euerlasting happines to your selfe subiects And so imploring your royall clemencie with most humble respects and profound submission I cast my selfe and labours vnder the shadow of your gratious protection euer to remaine Of your Sacred Maiestie A most humble and most faithfull subject ANONYMVS EREMITA THE PREFACE TO THE READER DEare Reader It may seeme strange vnto thee that an Hermit whose entertainment and conuersation ought chiefly to be in solitude meditation contemplation should trouble himselfe in his Cell with the turbulent controuersies of this tyme in matters of faith which in former ages when innocencie and vertue most florished euery Christian receaued with his baptisme after most constantly to hould and professe the same all the dayes of his life yet so it fell out that in conuersing with dyuers Puritans I found by experience that out of ignorance and want of knowledge what our visible sacrifice is by whome it was instituted or to what end they hate it more then they doe Iudaisme Turcisme or Paganisme it selfe in such sort that they obiect our offering of visible Sacrifice as one of the chiefest causes of their alienation from vs when in truth and veritie exterior visible sacrifice is the cheef exterior visible honor which is due to God as he is God and Creator of all things as will appeare by examination if we shall passe through all the exterior visible worships respects reuerences which are vsed by men in this life and it is so due vnto God alone that it may not be giuen vnto any Creature or false God vnder penaltie of high treason against his Deuine Maiestie punishable by death as witnesseth his lavv and euerlasting decree saging He that sacrificeth to Gods shall be put to death But to our Lord only So that the first motiue which moued me to wryte of this subiect was the grosse ignorāce and blindnesse I found in many Puritans who commonly would bitterly inueigh against our visible sacrifice not knowing what it was nor wherfore it was instituted for otherwyse I suppose they would not be so vehement against the honour of God therfore thought with my selfe for the honor of God and good of their soules to wryte plainly and manifestly of this subiect without any flourishing words or loftinesse of style or farr fetcht inuentions to make euery well minded simple Protestant or Puritan who will be delyghted with truth capable to perceaue and vnderstand that the exterior visible sacrifice or Masse which he so much hateth is the cheef exterior visible worshipp which doth belong vnto God alone that he may also defend the honor of God and not oppose it Secondly the emminencie excellencie of the Sacrament of the Alter is so greate that S. Augustine in the 24. chapter of his first booke de peccatorū meritis calleth it The lyfe of the world S. Ignatius disciple to S. Iohn the Euangelist The medecine of immortalitie and antidote against death S. Epiphanius in his Epistle to Iohn of Hierusalem The chiefest saluation of Christians vvhich before God is also so highly prysed that vvhen through wickednes of men and of Antechrist it shall be quyte taken a way out of the face of the earth the world shall end as witnesseth our fauiour saying The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the lyfe of the world Iohn 6. 51. for euē as when lyfe is takē from a man a man dyeth so when the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord shall be taken out of the world by the meanes of wicked men and of Antechrist the world shall be consumed with fyer as witnesse Daniel 9. 27. Mat. 24. 15. 1. Cor. 11. 26. Which considered fynding the passion of the Puritans of our nation so furious against this said Sacrament of the Alter as to esteeme the reuerence respect which is due vnto it Idolatrie and so to persecute it that if it lay in their poners they would not only extirpate it out of this Iland of great Britanie but out of the whole globe of the earth to bring in their fancie of eating a peece of bakers bread The honour of my lord the saluation of their soules and the lyfe of my Countrie moued me to abstract some howers from my ordinarie recollections to defend with my penne the dignitie of so emminent a Sacrament If this worke of myne fall short of thyne expectation accept of my good will which is if it were in my poner te giue all honor vnto God vnto whome all honor and glorie is due and vnto thee Reader lyfe of eternall lyfe and so Irest thy seruant in Christ Iesus CHAP. I. VVhat we vnderstand by visible Sacrifice and of the whole scope of this booke TO vnfold vnto thee deare Reader the whole scope of this our booke and to sett plainely and manifestly before thine eyes the whole state of this controuersy Of the exterior visible Sacrifyce of the Church of God where of I intend by Gods grace to treate It is necessary first to explicate vnto thee what a sacrifice in generall is then to distinguish the different kindes of Sacrifice one from an other after to defyne or descrybe a proper exterior visible sacrifice and lastly to sett downe the differences between Catholiques and English Protestants and Puritans concerning visible sacrifice that by this first Chapter thou maist cleerly know what I treate of and see the said differences and the whole
scope of this booke the more easily afterward to iudge of the truth and to imbrace it First a Sacrifice A Sacrifice in generall in generall as it comprehendeth all kyndes of Christian Sacrifices is described by S. Augustine in the 6. Chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God to be anie good worke visible or inuisible which is done to this end that we may cleaue fast to God by holie societie as hauing relation to that end of Goodnesse by which we may become truly happie So that euerie good deed whether visible or inuisible which we doe for the loue of God with an intent to vnyte ourselues vnto him or to stick closer vnto him who is our happie life may be called Sacrifice in generall tearmes as holie thing or fact donn or disposed of to the right end of goods which is God Vnder this generall kynd Fovver kindes of Sacrifices of Sacrifice for asmuch as maketh for our purpose in this controuersie we distinguish fower particular kyndes 1. The first kinde of Sacrifice is only inuisible The first kinde of Sacrifice where of the Scripture speaking saith A Sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit Psal 50. 19. and of this sort are all those inward and inuisible operations of our hearts who tend to the honor and loue of God as for example the inward mortification of our inordinate appetytes and desyres according to the wordes of S. Paule saying VVee are killed for thy sake all the daie Rom. 8. 36. And these are called spirituall sacrifices for that by the spirit we inuisibly mortifie and kill the inordinate desires of the spiritt and flesh where of S. Paule further speaking saith If by the spirit you mortifie the deedes of the flesh you shall liue Rom. 8. 13. 2. The second kynd of sacrifices are all those The second kinde of Sacrifices outward pious actions and good deeds which represent vnto vs the aforesaid inward affections of mens mindes as flowers and fruites doe the roote of which kynde are all the outward Sacrifices of Praise iustice faith c. in which sense euery pious outward good worke which is donn for the loue of God is called a Sacrifice as hauing his subordination vnto the end of goodnesse wherevpon S. Paule calleth the giuing of almes for the loue of God a Sacrifice Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. In this sense to praise God or praie is called a Sacrifice Psal 49. 14. Heb. 13. 15. c. But as S. Augustine in the 6. Chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God affirmeth The workes of mercie if they be not donne for the loue of God are not a Sacrifice Because they want the end vnto which all Sacrifices are ordeyned which is that wee may Adhere and cleaue vnto God by holy societie These two kyndes of Sacrifices are called generall because they may and ought to be donn or performed by all men generally who are come to the yeares of discretion and haue abilitie without anie particular vocation or election more then the obligations of all mankynde 3. The third kynde of Sacrifice is the death The 3. kynd of Sacrifice and passion of our Sauiour vpon the crosse which is generally called the Sacrifice of our Redemption for by it we were redeemed and therefore it is called aboue all others chiefly and principally a Sacrifice as vpon which all other Sacrifices doe or ought to depend as commemorations or applications of it vnto our selues for though our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by his Sacrifice vpon the crosse redeemed all mankynde from euerlasting paines yet he did not so redeeme man as that he should haue nothing to doe or performe on his part for the obteyning of his saluation but only to liue idlely for so the sacred passion of our lord should be a cloake for idlenes and sinne but he redeemed mankinde conditionally that man should doe these and these things thereby to applie the merit of the Sacrifice vpon the crosse vnto him selfe and so be saued as witnesseth our Sauiour saying Not euery one that saith lord lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen he shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen Matth. 7. 21. 4. The fowth kinde proper to the faithfull The fovvrth kinde of Sacrifice whereof we are to treate is an oblation or gift giuen or offered to God vpon an Altar by a priest the onely lawfull Minister of a particular visible thing wherein there is made some alteration or change to expresse the death of our Lord in Sacrifice and also to signifie the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts to God his Dominion ouer vs and our subiection vnto him and our vnitie in Religion amongst our selues vnder one God as wittnes the Sacrifices of Noe Gen. 8. 26. of Abraham Gen. 15. 9. of Iacob Gen. 31. 54. Gen. 33. 20. Gen. 14. of Iob Iob. 1. 5. in the law of nature and the Sacrifices perscrybed by God vnto the people of Israel in the written law which Sacrifices were offered to God by the antiēt fathers of the old law as S. Augustine in the 5. Chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God affirmeth To expresse or signifie by them those thinges which are donn in vs to this end only that we may stick or cleaue vnto God and giue councell vnto our neighbour that he may tend vnto the same end And then discrybing what such a visible sacrifice is immediatly addeth saying Therefore a visible Sacrifice is a sacred signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts So that a perfect visible Sacrifice consisteth in it selfe of three partes the exterior visible oblation and actions which are called as S. Augustine saith in the same Chapter The signes of the true Sacrifice the inuisible operations which are the Sacrifice of our heartes the memory of the Passion of our lord the acknowledging of God for our God c and the good worke whereby God is honored with the worshipp of Latria and peace and vnitie in Religion practises amongst our selues Wherefore this fowrth kinde of Sacrifice whereof of I intend cheifly to treate includeth the first and second kynde as the whole doth the partes an hath relation vnto the third as a commemoration or application of the vertue of it vnto our selues 5. Whereas I saie that an exterior visible Sacrifice is an oblation or gift giuen or offered to God vpon an Altar by a lawfull Minister of a particular visible thing wherein there is made some real alteration or change to expresse the death of our Lord in Sacrifice this is so manifest in all the Sacrifices which were offered in the law of nature and written law that it needeth no other proofe-then the reading and obseruing what was donn in those Sacrifices And that this reall allteration The Sacrifices of the old lavv expressions of the death of our Lord to come and change which was made in
their Sacrifices either by killing of liuing things or brusing of solid thinges or shedding of liquid was to expresse or shew forth the death of our Lord in Sacrifice to come S. Paule witnesseth saying These thinges happened to them in figure 1. Cor. 10. And S. Iohn saying The Lambe was slaine from the beginning of the world Reuel 13. 8. not in itselfe but in his signe figure effect and vertue Where vpon S. Augustine in the 18. Chapter of his first booke against the Aduersaries of the law and the prophets saieth The Sacrifices of the old law Were shadowes of the onely Sacrifice of the Sonne of God not dispraising it but signifying it for as one thing may be signified by manie words and manie tongues so this one true and singular Sacrifice was before signified by manie figuratiue Sacrifices And the lyke he hath in the 17. Chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God whereby it appeareth that Sacrifices of the old law were vsed to shew forth the death of our Lord in Sacrifice to come 6. Secondly we saie there is made some reall alteration or change in the thing offered not only to expresse the death of our Lord but also to signifie the inuisible contrition or Sacrifice of our hearts to God his dominion ouer vs and our subiection vnto him which S. Augustine in the 5. Chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God not onely signifieth but also in the 19. Chapter of the same booke further expresseth saying Visible Visible Sacrifice signes of the inuisible as vvords of thinges Sacrifices are signes of the inuisible as sounding wordes are signes of things wherefore as when we pray or praise we direct the signefying words vnto him to whom we offer the thing signified in our hearts So when we see men offering saith hee we know that visible Sacrifice ought not to be offered vnto anie other but vnto him whose inuisible Sacrifice we our selues ought to be in our hearts Thus S. Augustine whereby we see that exterior visible Sacrifice is a signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts to God and of his dominion ouer vs and our subiection vnto him as sounding or articulate wordes are signes of thinges And therefore as when men speake words to God they ought to haue the same intention in their hearts which their articulate or sounding wordes doe signifie so lykewyse when men offer exterior visible Sacrifice they are obleged to haue an inward and inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts to God thereby to acknowledge him for their Lord God and to manifest his dominion ouer them and their subiection vnto him because visible Sacrifices are signes of the God acknovvledged for God by visible Sacrifice inuisible of our hearts as wordes are of things and ought not to be offered vnto any but vnto him whose inuisible sacrifyce we our selues ought to be in our hearts And to whom man offereth the inuisible Sacrifice of his heart him he acknowledgeth for his God Creator c. And hath no other Gods before him which God him selfe signifieth saying Sonne giue me thy heart Prouerb 23. Wherevpon it cometh to passe that the offering of visible Sacrifyce is worshipp of Latria or deuine worshipp which is due vnto God only as I shall shew more at large hereafter 7. Though we ought chiefly to adore and serue God with our myndes and spirits because God is a spirit they that adore him must adore him in spirit and veritie Ioh. 4. 24. yet because the inward acts and operations of the mynde may be neglected without anie notice taken either by our selues or others as we see by daylie experience in the many things which we doe forgett and the distraction in our prayers and because man is composed of bodie and soule it therefore pleased his Deuine Maiestie for the benefitt The cause vvhy God ordeyned visible Sacrifice of man to ordaine that these exterior corporall actions of visible Sacrifyce should be a sacred publicke and knowne sygne of the inward operations and affections of mans mynd towards God thereby to oblege man vnder the penaltie of hipocrisie to publish the inward desyres and inclinatiōs of his heart in the seruice of God vnder visible solemne sygnes otherwise as S. Chrisostome in his 83. homily vpon S. Matth. saith If thou haddest not had a bodie God would haue deliuered VVhy visible things are instituted to represent inuisible vnto thee naked gifts which should not haue been bodies but because thy soule is ioyned to thy bodie therefore he hath deliuered vnto thee intelligible thinges vnter visible formes 8. Thirdly we saie that exterior visible Sacrifice is not only offered for the causes aboue Vnion in Religion and charitie preserued by Sacrifice said but also to signifie our vnion in Religion amongst our selues vnder one God according to that common actiome Those things which are one to a third are one amongst themselues All the faithfull sacrificing their hearts to God haue one heart with God and amongst themselues whereof proceedeth the Cōmunion of Saincts vnyted in Religion and Charitie amongst themselues for he who hath one heart with God is one with God and one with all those who truly and really offer the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts to God Wherevpon it cometh to passe that there neuer was anie sacred Communion amongst men but of meate offered in Sacrifice as of meate offered to God for a sacred exterior signe of common vnion of men with God and amongst them selues as I shall shew more at large in the next chapter 9. Now seeing that God created man and that it was necessarie for man to acknowledge God VVhy visible Sacrifice vvas instituted a signe of the inuisible for his Lord God and to make a commemoration of the passion of our Lord and to haue peace and vnitie with God and other men and yet all men could not speake all languages nor vnderstand what should haue been said if those things should haue been only acted in wordes therefore out of the infinite prouidence of God for the benefitt of all nations it was necessary that this his honor and vnitie which he would haue amongst all his seruants should be performed in outward solemne visible signes knowne vnto them all that all might visibly see and know vnto what they were visibly and inuisibly obliged And considering that for the good of man kind it was necessarie there should be some outward visible thing instituted which might not only priuatly preserue in euerie one the honor and loue of God and his neighbour but also maintaine a publicke practise of the honor of God memorie of the passion of our Lord and vnitie amongst all his seruants in what sacred outward visible signe could it better be expressed then in a visible Sacrifice representing the memorie of the passion of our Lord and the inuisible Sacrifice of our heartes which were the actes and sacred obseruations of our reconliacion and peace with God
by the sufferings of our sauiour vpon the Crosse 10. If anie obiect and say that the Scriptures Hovv God doth desire Sacrifice and not desire it often affirme that God doth not desire Sacrifice this obiection S. Auguctine answereth in the aforesaid chapter prouing by manie examples of Scripture that when it is said God doth not require Sacrifice it is to be vnderstood of the visible signe which is commonly called the sacrifice when it is without the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts for so it is but a false signe and hipocrisie such as was the sacrifice of Cain who offered his goods as a visible signe but not his heart in an inuisible Sacrifice and therefore his sacrifice was reiected and Abells accepted as witnesseth Rupertus in his 4. book vpon Genesis and second chapter saying By faith saith S. Paul Abel offered a greater host then Cain for in exterior worshipp and religion they both offered alike And therefore both of them offered rightlie but Cain did not rightly deuide for Cain whilest he offered his goods to God kept himself vnto himself hauing his heart fixed in earthly desires Such portions or outward gifts God doth not accept of but by himselfe saith in the 23. of the Prouerbes Sonne giue vnto me thy heart Wherefore Abel first offered vnto God his heart and then his goods and so offered by faith a greater host then Cain Who offered the outward Sacrifice which was the visible signe but kept the inward which God most esteemed vnto himselfe 11. The case standeth before God with Sacrifice The case of Prayer and Sacrifice alike as it doth with prayer God commandeth prayer Marke 14. 38. And yet saith that some kinde of prayer is hipocrisie Math. 15. 7. In like manner God so affecteth Sacrifice that vnder penaltie of death he prohibiteth it to be offered vnto anie but vnto himselfe Exod. 22. 20. and yet saith that he will not haue Sacrifice offered vnto him Isay 1. 12. The reason is for that exterior prayer which is cōmonly called prayer is a signe of the interior prayer of the heart which when it wanteth is hipocrisie as a false signe So exterior visible Sacrifice which is commonly called Sacrifice is a signe of the interior and when it is without this it is hipocrisye as a false signe So God will prayer and Sacrifice and he will not prayer nor Sacrifice He will haue prayer and Sacrifice when they are conioyned with the prayer and Sacrifice of the heart and he will not haue prayer nor Sacrifice when they are not accompanied with the heart because they are hipocrisie as making shew of that which is not Wherevpon after the Prophet in the 50. Psalme had said A Sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit a contryte and humble heart ô God thou will not dispyse c. Hee addeth Then shalt thou accept Sacrifice of iustice oblations and holocausts then shall they lay calues vpon thyne Altar When with the exterior visible Sacrifice of the Church men shall offer the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts by sorrow for the negligences of their liues past contrition for their sinnes and humiliation before God vnto whom that Sacrifice is offered thē shall they offer a true and proper Sacrifice of justice oblations and holocaustes acceptable to God and not otherwise because the outward Sacrifices with out this inward and inuisible is but hipocrysie 12. Visible Sacrifices saith Saint Augustine in the place a fore reoyted Are signes of the inuisible Visible Sacrifices are signes of the inuisible as vvords are of thinges as wordes are signes of things Wherefore when without anie iust necessitie men speake wordes and haue other intentions in their hearts then their words sound or signifie it is but dissimulation and contrarie to the institution of words which were ordeyned to expresse the intention of the heart So when we offer visible Sacrifice without the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts it is hipocrisie or dissembled sanctitie which is double iniquitie because visible Sacrifices were instituted vnto this end that they might be a publicke sacred visible signe of the inuisible sacrifice of mēs hearts vnto God as words were ordeyned to expresse the sinceritie of mens myndes and because man should alwaies haue an intention and be euer readie to giue his heart and soule to God without dissimulation therefore he may neuer offer visible Sacrifice without the inuisible Sacrifice of his heart 13. S. Augustine expressing the excellencie of The excellencie of visible Sacrifice conioyned to the inuisible this visible sacrifice when it is accompanied with the visible Sacrifice of our hearts and how acceptable it is vnto God and vnto the Church triumphant in heauen addeth in the same chapter saying When wee offer visible Sacrifice together with the inuisible of our hearts Then all the Angells and the superior powers and the more powerfull spirits through their goodnes piety doe fauour vs and reioyce with vs and according to their power doe helpe vs to offer this visible Sacrifice Thus S. Augustine of the excellencie of this visible Sacrifice when it is vnyted vnto the inuisible of our hearts and how acceptable it is vnto God and vnto the whole triumphant church in heauen 14. The reason why the triumphant Church in VVhy th' Angells reioyce at th' offering of visible Sacrifice heauen which as S. Paule saith doth consist Of the assemblie of manie thousand Angells doth so reioyce at the offering of visible sacrifice when it is accompanied with the inuisible sacrifice of our hearts is for that they are as they themselues say fellow seruants with those who serue God vpon earth And seeing that men here vpon earth cannot continewally without intermission think of God and honor him with the honor which is only due vnto him by a perpetuall and continewall sacrifying of their hearts vnto him as they in heauen doe who Day and nyght crye holy holy Lord God omnipotent and so are eternally happie therfore they doe reioyce that yet sometymes men vpon earth will actually thinke vpon God and actually honor him with the honor of Latria worshipp due only vnto him and consecrate their hearts vnto him alone who is their end and chiefest good therby to become partakers of a little droppe of their happinesse for as S. Augustine in the 22. chapter of his 10. booke of confessions saith This is happie life to reioyce in God of God and for God this is it and other is none Now the question is whether Christians are bound to offer this 4. kynd of Sacrifice to God or no The Puritans deny that in the Christian Church there ought to be any such kind of extenall Puritans deny externall visible Sacrifice in the Christian Church visible Sacrifice offered vnto God The moderate sort of Protestants doe after a sort confesse it in words and doctrine though not in practise as his late deceased Maiestie in his answer to Cardinall Perron related by Casaubon saying The
Kings Maiestie hauing heard of the learned dispute of the double Sacrifice that is to say of expiation and commemoration or religion affirmed in the presence of many that he approued of it Doctor Andrews in his answer to the 18. chapter of Cardinall Perrons replie Moderate Protestants after a sort defend visible Sacrifice saith The Eucharist euer was and by vs is considered both as a Sacrament and a Sacrifice A Sacrifice is proper and only applyable to deuine worshipp Againe The Eucharist being considered as a Sacrament is nothing else but a distribution and application of the Sacrifice to the seuerall receiuers Mr. Mountague in his appeale chapter 29. confesseth that S. Paul calleth our Lords table 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing to offer sacrifice vpon Heb. 13. 10. And moreouer addeth that S. Ignatius S. Iohns disciple vseth this word in the same sense more then thryce and so doth also saith he Clement the Apostles Canons and Dionysius Areopagita and that Ireneus in the 20. chapter of his 4. book of heresies affirmeth it to be the office of the Ministers of the new Testament To serue God and the Altar 16. To these ancient Protestants I may adde the confession of more moderne Protestants Writers as of M. r Browninge Batchelor of diuinitie in his six sermons published by aprobatiō this yeare of 1636. page 132. where setting downe the offices of Priests out of S. Ciprian saith S. Ciprian speaking of the Clergie we Priests euery day celebrate and offer Sacrifice also in his 66. Epistle Ex all who are honored with Deuine Priesthood and are placed in the ministerie of the Clergie ought not to attend vnto any thing but the Altar and the Sacrifices and apply themselues to prayers and supplications Moreouer page 134. affirmeth that it was the vniuersall practise of all former ages to make supplications before the Altar And out of Hugo de S. Victore teacheth that not only the Clergie and domesticall of the Church but also the Heardsmen Hoggards and In the Primatiue Church all sorts heard Masse euery day labourers heard Masse euery daye and for this also citeth the 30. chapter of the Councell of Agathensis and of that which is more ancient then it the 5. Canon of the first Councel Tolletan saying If a Priest or Deacon or Subdeacon or anie Clarck who is deputed to the Church if he shall be within the Cittie or in a place where there is a Church or in a Castle Burrough or Village and shall not come to the Church or to the dayly Sacrifice let him not be accounted for a Clergie Man and for the further confirmation hereof referreth the reader to the 30. Canon of the first Councell of Orlians to the 7. Canon Tarraconensis to the 10 Cannon Gerundensis to the 14. of the 2. Councell of Orlians and many others and the common people for want of instructions fayling herein as he saith gaue occasion Why Masses afterward came so frequently as wee see to be celebrated in priuate The tract called a Coale from the Altar written in defence of the vicar of Gr printed with approbation Gr this yeare of 1636. page 17. saith Wee haue a Sacrifice and an Altar and a Sacrament of the Altar on all sides acknowledged neither the Prince nor Prelates the Priest or People dissenting from it some of these termes being further iustefied by the statute-lawes M r Pocklington a Doctor of diuinitie in his sermon of the Sunday no Sabboth of the second edition published with authoritie this yeare of 1636. page 14. citeth S. Augustine saying My brethren your holines knoweth very well that to day wee celebrate the feast of the celebration of the Altar in which the stone is anointed or blessed vpon which deuine sacrifices are consecrated Againe page 25. None were allowed to come and stand within the listes of the holy place wher the Altar was fixed but the Priests whose office it was not to attend vnto any thing but the Altar page 27. he citeth S. Ambrose saying S. Ambrose his practise sheweth a distinction of seruice the Cathecumeni being dismissed I began to say masse saith S. Ambrose S. Ambrose begun not the second seruice as our Church calleth it at the Altar before the first seruice in the Body of the Church was finished and the Cathecumenie sent out Againe page 34. he saith those are prophainers of the Lords day who will not come to Church vntill seruice be ended and the sermon begun and such as S. Augustine sayes they make the Priest to curtaile the masse or sing or say it after their fancie Of the reall presence the same Author page 39. The reall presence defended by moderate Protestants saith In the Church reuerence was to be giuen to the Angells which attend the Lord our Sauiour at his table in tremendis misterijs as S. Chrisostome speakes where he is truly and really present not so in priuate houses Mr. Shelford in his fiue pious sermons page 6. In this house of the Church God will heare for the presence of his sonne for as Chrisostome saith where Christ is in the Eucharist there is no want of Angells where such a king is and such Princes are there is a heauenly place nay heauen it selfe Doctor White a Doct. VVhite a Protestant Bishope of the reall presence Protestant Bishope in his epistle to his treatise of the Sabboth day saith The sense of the second commandment is thou shalt worship no Idol c. Leuit 26. 1. but the sonn of God and his blessed name are no Idols The Sonne of God in the blessed Eucharist giuing his body and blood is no Idol therfore religious adoration of Christ in the holy Eucharist and at the rehearsing of the name of Iesus is no superstitious act prohibited in the second commandement Thus these moderate Protestants Wherby it doth appeare that they after a fort confesse both the reall and substantiall presence of the Sonne of God in the Sacrament of the Altar and also the visible Sacrifice in the Church of God Catholiques affirme that as in the beginning The opinion of Catholiques concerning visible Sacrifice of the Church of God vpon earth there were particular visible Sacrifices offered vnto God vpon Altars after the manner that is aforesaid so there shall be vntill the end and that in the new law our Sauiour at his last supper not only instituted an externall visible Sacrifice to be offered vnto God vpon an Altar but that also he instituted this Sacrifice in his body and blood an ordeyned that it should be a propitiatorie Sacrifice for the remission of sinnes not of it selfe abstracting from te sacrifice of our redemption vpon the Crosse nor yet immediately that who soeuer shall offer the sacrifice of the body and blood of our Lord shall haue his sinnes immediately forgiuen without contrition or any satisfaction for them as our aduersaries manie tymes doe falsely report but that this Sacrifice is an application of
which he then did For a commemoration of me Luk 22. And so taught his followers to offer the inuisible sacrifice of their hearts to God with him who is their head Lord and Master that though for their owne sakes and multitude of sinnes formely cōmitted their inuisible sacrifice might be lesse gratefull yet by him and through him who is their head it might be also most acceptable 7. Our Sauiour out of his infinite wisdome hath bestowed himself vpon vs for to be the only VVhy our Sauiour vvould be our Sacrifice publick sacred solemne signe of the inuisible sacrifice of our hearts not only to oblige vs daily to offer sacrifice and present God the Father with his sonne In whome he is well pleased but also to offer ourselues with him and by him and not to offer him alone who is our head and reteyne ourselues who are or should be his members vnto ourselues as witnesseth S. Augustine in VVith the sacrifice vve are to offer also ourselues the sixth chapter of his 10. book of the Cittie of God saying The Church doth frequent the Sacrifice of the Altar which the faithfull know where it is shewed vnto him that in the oblation which he doth offer he is also offered himselfe Againe in the 20. chapter of his said booke saying Christ is the Priest he offered and he is the oblation or thing offered the Sacrament of which thing he would should be the dailie Sacrifice of the Church whith Church as bodie of him her head hath learned to offer herselfe by him Thus S. Augustine With whom also agreeth Eusebius Caesariensis in the 10. chapter of his first booke of Euangelicall demonstration saying Christ laboring for all our saluations offered as it were a certaine victime and a singular Sacrifice vnto his father that we might offer ourselues to God himselfe for a Sacrifice So that amongst the other ends why Christ our Lord instituted a visible sacrifice in his bodie and blood at his last supper this was one that we might together with him offer ourselues Wherevpon S. Gregorie the great in his 37. homily vpon the Ghospell and in his 4. booke of his Dialogues and 59. chapter saith It is necessarie that when we offer Sacrifice That we immolate ourselues to God in contrition of heart for that we who celebrate the misteries of the passion of our Lord ought to imitate that which we doe for then it shal be trulie an host for vs to God when we shal be made ourselues an host For whith cause when Bishopps make Priests they saie vnto them as is sett downe in the Pontificall Vnderstand that which you doe imitate that which you handle to this end that celebrating the misterie of the death of our Lord you procure to mortifie your members from all vices and concupiscences Thus these Fathers Whereby it doth appeare that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hath instituted a Sacrifice for vs in his bodie and blood that we might in offering it also offer ourselues in Sacrifice to God by an inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts 8. In like manner our Lord also tooke the Chalice Sacrifice instituted in the chalice after supper saying euen as Protestants translate This chalice is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you Luk. 22. as a sacred signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of your hearts to God as were the Sacrifices in the law of Nature and written law which were types and signes of this and ended when this new Sacrifice of the bodie and blood of our Lord was brought in and instituted by our Lord as witnesseth S. Augustine in the 20. chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God saying The manie and diuers sacrifices of the Saintes in the old testament were signes of this true Sacrifice This one Sacrifice was figuratiuely foretould by manie Sacrifices as if one thing should be deliuered with varietie The Sacrifice of the bodie and blood of our Lord succeded in place of all the Sacrifices of the old Testament of wordes least in being much commended it might grow iedious To this chiefe true Sacrifice all the false Sacrifices haue giuen place Wherevpon S. Chrisostom vpon 26. the chapter of S. Mathew saith As the old testament had sheepe and calues in their Sacrifices and Sacramēts see the new hath our Lords blood For which cause after that our Lord had offered Sacrifice and administrated communion in his blood he presently commaunded the Apostles that they should not drinke of the Cuppe without shedding it to God or offering it in Sacrifice saying This doe yee the same that he then did as offen as you shall drinke for the commemoration of me 1. Cor. 11. 15. Wholy forbidding them to drinke of the Cuppe in commemoration of him without offering it first in sacrifice to God as a sacred signe of the inuisible sacrifice of their hearts least at anie tyme they should drinke in commemoration of him and not of drinke which was offered to God as a sacred signe of the common vnion of their hearts with God 9. That this visible Sacrifice of the new law was not onely instituted by our Sauiour for a publicke exercise of the Sacrificing of our hearts to God and a daily solēne adoration of him with the worshippe of Latria and commemoration of the passion of our Sauiour but also for the preseruation of vnitie peace and societie amongst ourselues S. Paule doth witnesse saying The bread which we breake after the manner of offering sacrifice in bread is it not the participation of the bodie of our Lord for being manie we are one bread one bodie all that participate of one bread 1. Cor. 10. 16. Wherevpon S. Augustine in his 57. Epistle alledging this text saith The head of this bodie the Church is Christ and the vnitie of this body is commended in our Sacrifices which the Apostle doth briefly signifie saying being manie we are one bread one bodie Againe in his 59. Epistle and 5. question hee saith All things are vowed which are offered vnto God especially the oblation of the holy Altar by which Sacrament is preached and declared an other our greatest vow whereby we vow to remaine in Christ as in the coniunction or closing together of the bodie of Christ 10. Exterior visible sacrifice being instituted as a sacred signe of the inuisible sacrifice of our hearts all those who offer Sacrifice as they should doe offer to God the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts and thereby as S. Augustine here saith doe preach and declare agreat vow or promise which is to remaine vnited members in the misticall body of Christ Wherevpon S. Chrisostome in his 24. homilie vpon the first Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians saith O my beloued let vs haue care of the brethren and let vs preserue that vnitie with them which is in vs in our owne bodies for vnto this that terrible and most fearefull sacrifice of the new law doth call vs
especiallie commaunding that we should come vnto it with concord and burning Charitie Thus S. Chrisostome Whereby it doth appeare that the end why Christ our Lord instituted a visible sacrifice in the new law was not only to preserue in Christians the worshipp of Latria towards God and the commemoration of his Passion c. but also to maintaine a perfect vnion amongst them 11. Man on the one side being obliged by the debt of his creation conseruation redemption and other benefits to honor and loue God aboue all things and his neighbour for Gods sake as himselfe as the holy scriptures doe aboundantly testifie And on the other side as Sacrifice is the publick exercise of the vvorshipp of God the said Scriptures doe witnesse and experience doth daily manifest vnto vs That the cogitations of mans heart are bent vnto euill at all times and to forgett these his obligations and institute of life vnlesse he by some publique act or daily exercise be put in minde and kept to the practise thereof for this cause God of his infinite mercies hath ordeyned that a particular visible sacrifice should be daily vsed in his Church as a publicke exercise and practise of the inuisible sacrifice of our hearts vnto him a daily visible adoration of him with the worshipp of Latria a commemoration of the Passion of our Lord and a continual renewing of our loues peace and societie with him and amongst ourselues thereby to preserue in vs the honor and obligation which we owe vnto God and the loue of our neighbours as ourselues so to liue together in vnitie peace and charitie whilst An absurd thing that there should be Schooles of other things not of the vvorship due vnto God we remaine vpon earth and after death to ascend vpp into heauen to enioy the Kingdome Which was prepared for vs from the foundation of the world 12. And it were a thing verie absurd that in the Church of God which is his Kingdome here vpon earth there should be visible Schooles and publique daily exercises of things of lesser moment and that of the visible Sacrificing of our hearts to God publicke worshipp of Latria soleÌ„ne commemoration of the Passion of our Lord for vs and the sacred vnion of our hearts with him and amongst our selues wherein consisteth our teÌ„porall and eternall welfare there should be no practise more then in naked words only which either men of diuers nations who speake different languages or the vnlearned could not vnderstand Neither would words only without other visible actions be sufficient to teach the The necessitie of Sacrifice vulgar common people the practise dignity excellencie and eminencie of these sacred things as we finde by experience Whereby it doth appeare how necessarie it is that in the Church of God there should not only be instituted publicke Schooles where all men not in words only but in deeds might see the adoration due only to God the Sacrifice of mens hearts the commemoration of the passion of our Lord and vnion with God and amongst ourselues daily practised such as are or should be the sacred temples and Churches but also that these exercises should be sett fâ—â—th with great solemnitie vnder solemne visible knowne signes common to all that all in euerie Cittie towne and village might comply with these their obligations towards God and man which is the exterior visible Sacrifice I speake of whose practise as we see by experience is so appropriated vnto this vse that wheresoeuer we shall finde either amongst Christians or infidells anie company of men seriously attending to the offering of Sacrifice vpon an Altar we presently know that they are adoring some God true or false with the honor due only vnto God and colleagued in vnitie of Religion and societie amongst themselues as is manifest by experience 13. And because that the offering of a particular visible Sacrifice vnto God vpon an Altar was instituted by God vnto those ends before rehearsed therefore to communicate as Protestants To communicate and not of things offered in Sacrifice a prophane thing and Puritans now doe and not of hosts or Victimes first offered to God vpon an Altar was and is by the Scriptures accounted a worke of the Sonnes of Belial 1. Kings 2. 2. and an exceeding great sinne 1. Kings 2. 17. Because say the Scriptures they distracted men from the Sacrifice of our Lord and so hindred them not only from the publicke practise of the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts vnto God and the visible adoration of him with the worshipp of Latria which is due only to him but obliterated the memorie of his passion for vs who was slaine from the beginning of the world and infringed the solemne practise of peace and vnitie betweene men and God and of men amongst themselues For which cause S. Paul also commaundeth visible Sacrifice to be vsed in the administration of the communion saying As often as you shall eate this Bread and drinck the Chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntil he come 1. Cor. 11. 26. who dyed offering vp himselfe in a visible Sacrifice as our aduersaries confesse To conclude Prayer as affirmeth S. Iohn Damascen in the 24. chapter of his 3. booke orthodoxae fidei is an eleuation of mind to God which visible Sacrifice doth not only teach and expresse as words doe things as I haue proued hertofore but also addeth to the eleuation of the mind to God a gift giuen or offered to God according to his commaund sayinge Thou shalt not appeare in my sight emptie Exod. 23. 15. and such a superexcellent gift as the body and blood of his only sonne in whome he is wel pleased and withall an inuisible sacrifice of our selues to God accordinge to the earnest exhortation of S. Paul saying I beseech you Brethren by the mercie of God that you exhibite your bodies a liuing host holy pleasing to God your reasonable Sacrifice Rom. 21. 1. wherby it cometh to passe that the due offering of visible Sacrifice doth The offering of visible Sacrifice is excellent prayer not only teach vs to pray as we ought but also is in it selfe the most coÌ„pleate prayer in the Church of God and therfore called the publick office of the Church as I shall further declare in his place In the meane space this is not only sufficient to shew the institution of visible Sacrifice but also the necessitie and cause why visible Sacrifices were instituted in the Church oft God and vsed amongst the faithfull in the Law of nature written law and law of grace and the fruite or benefit we receaue by them CHAP. III. All the Gentills and Heathen people Atheists and Epicures onely excepted offered visible Sacrifice vnto their supposed Gods 1. THe offering vp of externall visible Sacrifices Offering of Sacrifice necessary for the preseruation of vnitie and peace vnto God and communicating of the same after they were offered was esteemed a thing so necessary
to preserue in men the honor of God and vnity and concord amongst themselues that not only the faithfull in all ages vsed it to this effect and purpose but also all the Gentills and heathens who were not All the Gentills the Atheists and Epicures excepted offered Sacrifice Atheists or Epicures and denied not God or Gods or his or their prouidence ouer mankinde as we shall finde by experience For if we look into the acts deeds books histories or relations of such Gentills or Auntient or moderne heathen people who are at this day or haue been in the world in former Ages we shall finde that all Atheists and Epicures only excepted offered externall visible Sacrifice vnto some God true or false as the Babilonians Assirians Chaldeans Cananits Philistians Egiptians Ethiopians Greekes Romans Sarazens Turcks auncient or moderne heathen people of Europe Asia Africa and America who all vniuersally haue and had Priests Altars and externall visible Sacrifice as witnesse all the Authors who make anie mention of the Religion of these nations whose testimonies in this short Treatise would be to long to sett downe and therefore I referr the Reader vnto their owne wrytinges as vnto the bookes of the old and new Testament S. Augustine in his 18. booke of the cittie of God Athanasius in his Oration against the gentilles and Epiphanius in his first booke of heresies vnto Cicero of the nature of the Gods Herodotus Diodorus Siculus c. 2. And for later writers I referr the Reader vnto Geraldus of the Gods of the gentilles Christopher Richerius in his booke of the manners of the Turckes Septem Castrensis of the faith and Religion of the Turkes Samuell Purchas in his relations of the Religions obserued in all Ages Lewis Godfry in his 12. tomes of the history of the East Indies and others Wherevpon Plato towards the end of his 10. Dialogue in his books of lawes saith The custome of the gentilles to offer Sacrifice in their necessities It hath allwaies been the custome of those who were in danger or wanted anie thing or when their substance increased to consecrate something to the Gods and vow Sacrifices With whom agreeth S. Thomas in his 2. 2. quest 85. Art 1. saying In euerie age and amongst men of all nations hath allwaies been offering vp of Sacrifice Insomuch that amongst all the heathen people that are at this daie or heretofore haue been Atheists and Epicures only excepted there is not nor hath there been found anie so impious and barbarous in the whole Globe of the earth who haue not or yet doe not offer some kinde of externall visible Sacrifice thereby to acknowledge the soueraigntie of some God true or false ouer them which is so true that euen at this daie we maie saie vnto the Atheists Epicures and Puritans of this Age who haue no externall visible Sacrifice as Plutark in his booke against Coletes said vnto the Epicure Coletes towards the end of his booke If you trauell throughout the world well you may finde Citties without No Cittie vvithout Sacrifice walles without writings without Kings not peopled or inhabited without howses without money or men or desirous of coyne who know not what Theaters or publik Halls of bodly exercise meane but neuer was there or euer shall there be anie one Cittie seene which vseth no Sacrifice either to obtaine good blessings or to auoid heauie curses or calamities Moreouer the offering vp of Sacrifice vnto some God was by the light of nature so highly esteemed amongst the heathens that if anie man committed any wickednes or impietie in the Sacrifices which were offered vnto the Gods hee was to suffer death for his offēce as witnesseth Plato in the aforesaid Dialogue saying If any shall commit wicked impietie or shall offend either in his priuate or publicke Sacrificinge worship of the Gods he shall be condemned to death as one who sacrificed impurely 3 This being the end and vse of externall visible Sacrifice to preserue in men the memory and honor of God and vnitie and society with him and amongst themselues and all prudent lawes being chiefely instituted to the same end we neuer read of any prudent Lawgiuer or All the prudent Lavvgiuers instituted the offering of Sacrifice Prince though an infidell or heathen that gaue lawes vnto any Common-wealth or founded a Monarchie but he instituted externall visible Sacrifices to be offred vnto some supposed God As Cham founder of the Monarchy of the Egiptiās Chus founder of the Monarchy of the Ethiopians Nemrod Belus founder of the Monarchy of the Babilonians Ninus founder of the Monarchy of the Assirians Ion Cecrops Deucalion Licurgus Law-giuers to the Grecians Numa Pompilius the first and principalst Statesman amongst the Romans All which noble and renowned personages to vse Plutarcks words in his booke against Coletes made the people deuout affectionate and zelous to the Gods in prayers Oathes Oracles Prophecies and Sacrifices either to obtain good blessings or to auert heauy curses and calamities Insomuch as Plato in the 8. Dialogue of his book of Lawes besides solemne Sacrifices Plato ordeyned that 365 Sacrifices should daily be offred in Athens vsed vpon great festiuall dayes ordeyned that in the citty of Athens there should be 365. Sacrifices offred euery day in such sort as that some one or other of the Magistrates should alwayes bee offering Sacrifices to some of the Gods for the prosperities of the Cittie of themselues and their goods 4. Licurgus the Lawgiuer to the Lacedemonians The frugall Sacrifices of Lycurgus ordeyning sparing and frugall Sacrifices to be offred vnto the Gods made answere as Plutark affirmeth in his life That the honour due vnto the Gods might neuer faile amongst them and this these heathen men and infidells did by the light of nature which dictated vnto them that there would be no constant vnitie or ciuill society or Religion amongst them but by offering visible Sacrifice vnto some true or supposed God or Gods thereby to expresse the inward Sacrifice of their harts and soules and acknowledge visibly an vnion in one supreame Soueraigne and amongst themselues Moreouer the Gentils and The Gentills communicated of their Sacrifices heathen people not only offred Sacrifices in honor of their Gods but also did eate or communicate of their Sacrifices to mantayn a more firme vnity and society amongst themselues and with their Gods as the Scriptures witnesse saying The Isralits falling in to Idolatry offered Holocausts and pacifique hosts to the molcen calf and the people sate downe to eate and drinck Exod. 32. 6. afer the manner of the Egiptiās from whence they came whose chiefe God in their tyme was a Calf as witnesseth S. Augustine in the 18. Chapter of his 5. Book of the Cittie of God Agayn The people of Israel fornicated with the Daughters of Moab who called them to their Sacrifices and they did eate and adore their God Numb 25. 5. And because the Gentills and
signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of their harts and bestowed it vpon the Image of a corruptible man or The beginning of Idolatry of fowles or fou-r footed-beasts and so Idolatry began as witnes the Scriptures saying Idols neither were from the beginning neither shall they be foreuer for by the vain-glory of men they entred into the world and therefore shall they come shortly vnto an end for a father afflicted with vntimely mourning when he had made a picture of his child soontaken away now honoured him as a God which was then a dead man and deliuered vnto those who were vnder him ceremonies and sacrifices Wisd 14. 15. 3. Thus as the Scriptures doe witnes began Idolatry by occasion of the passionate affection of a father who sorrowing for the death of his child caused a picture to be made in his memory and ordeyned Sacrifices which are due vnto God to be offered vnto it by his seruants and followers So Ninus erected the statua of his Father Belus Nembroth Grandchild to Cham and first king of Babilon in the midst of Babilon and caused Sacrifice which vnder penaltie of death was due only vnto God to be offered vnto it by the Babilonians as witnesseth Berosus in his 4. Book S. Cyrill in his 3. Book against Iulian S. Hierome vpon the 2. Chapter of Osee and S. Ambrose vpon the 1. chapter to the Romans which the Scriptures also signify saying Afterwards that Idolatry was thus begun as is aforesaid by the passionate affection of a father towards his child deceased in proces of time the wicked custome preuayling this error was kept By vvhat meanes Idolatry increased as a law and grauen things were worshipped by the commandements of kings c. And to the worshipping of these the singular diligence of the Artificer helped them forward that were ignorant for he willing to please him that enterteyned him vsed all his skill to make the similitude of the best fastion And so the multitude allured by the grace of the work took him now for a God which a little before was but honored as a man And this was occasion to deceaue the world for men seruing either passionate affection or Kings did ascribe vnto stones and stocks the incommunicable name of God Wis 14. 16. Wherevpon S. Cyprian in his book of the vanitie of Idols saith It is manifest that they are not Gods which the common-people worship for in times past they were kings who in memory of their Royaltie after death were worshipped of their kindred and seruants and so had temples erected vnto their honor and their statues were erected to preserue the resemblance of the countenance of the dead vnto which they immolated hosts and appointed festiuall dayes in their honor afterwards they were esteemed holy which in the beginning were only vsed for their consolation 4. From the Idoll Belus or Bel of the Babilonians arose by degrees the Idolls of Baal Baalim Belzebub The originall of the Idolls Belus Baal Baalim c. Belfegor c. which were diuers standing Images of the same Belus their names only changed according to the diuers languages of the Nations as witnesseth S. Hierome vpon the 2. of Osee vnto which they offred Sacrifice as the Scripture witnesseth saying They immolated to Baalim Osee 11. 2. They did Sacrifice to Baal and offered drink offerings to strange Gods to prouoke mee to wrath Ierem. 32. 29. They Sacrificed vnto the Idolls of Canaan and the Lord was wrath with fury against his people Psal 105. because they offered visible Sacrifice vnto Idolls which is due only vnto the true God as a sacred signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of our harts vnto him which may not be giuen vnto any creature Wherevpon when Manue the Father of Sampson would haue offered Sacrifice vnto an Angel the Angel said If thou wilt offer Holocaust offer it vnto our Lord for Manue knew not that it was the Angel of our Lord. Iudges 13. 15. 5. In like manner S. Augustin in his 49. Epist saith The holy Angels doe not approue of Sacrifice but that Sacrifice which according to the doctrine of true wisdome and true Religion is offered only vnto that true God whom they serue in holy societie Wherevpon in the 4. Chapter of his 10. Book of the Cittie of God he affirmeth that many things either by to No man as man euer chalenged Sacrifice much humilitie or pestilent flattery are vsurped from deuine worship and translated vnto humain honor yet so as that these men vnto whom such honor is giuen are notwithstanding still esteemed men although they be called worshipfull venerable and if much honourable but who euer thought that Sacrifice ought to be offered vnto any but vnto him whom either he did know or esteemed or feined to be a God And moreouer in his 49. Epist and 3. Quest he saith The true and holy Scriptures do admonish vs that Sacrifice is to be offered vnto the only true God not vnto anie corporall or spiritual creature who by how much the more pious they are and subiect to God by so much the more they refuse to haue that kind of honor done vnto them which they know to be only due vnto God Thus S. Augustin Wherevpon S. Thomas in his 2. 2. Quest 81. art 2. saith The Sacrifice which is Outvvard Sacrifice doth express the invvard of the hart and mind exteriourly offered doth signifie the inward spirituall Sacrifice wherewith the soul offereth herself vnto God as vnto the beginning of her creation and end of her happines and therefore as we ought to offer spirituall Sacrifice only vnto God so we ought to offer exteriour Sacrifice only vnto him This also we see to be obserued in euery common-wealth that they honor their Prince with some perticular signe which if it should be giuen vnto any other were treason 6. For this cause in the Catholick Church they do not offer Sacrifice vnto any creature whatsoeuer as S. Augustin in the 27. Chapter of his 8. book of the Cittie of God witnesseth saying Who Sacrifice neuer offered to saints euer heard the Priest of the faithfull standing at the Altar euen built and adorned to the honor of God ouer the body of a Martyr saying in his prayers I offer vnto thee Sacrifice o Peeter or Paul or Cyprian when it is offered in memory of these Martyrs vnto God who hath VVhy Christ our Lord vvould not haue Sacrifice offered vnto him vpon Earth made them both men and Martyrs And the 20. Chapter of his 10. Book he addeth Although IESVS CHRIST the mediator between God and man beeing in the forme of God might haue had Sacrifice offered vnto him as it was offered vnto his father with whome he is one God yet liuing in the forme of a seruant he chose rather to be a Sacrifice then to haue Sacrifices offered vnto him least that thereby any one might take occasion to think that it was lawfull to offer
Sacrifice to some creature Which S. Paul also signifyeth saying vnto those of Listria who would haue offred Sacrifice vnto him and Barnabe why do you these things we are mortall men like vnto you Act. 14. 11. neither would those of Listria though heathen men haue gonn about to offer Sacrifice to Paul and Barnabe but that they esteemed them Gods saying Gods made like men are descended vnto vs and they called Barnabe Iupiter and Paul Mercurie Act. 14. 11. 7. The reason why Sacrifice is so only due vnto God as that it may not be giuen vnto any creature first is for that Sacrifice is a visible known signe of the deliuery of ourselues vnto him vnto whom the Sacrifice is offered as vnto our God as God himself witnesseth VVhy Sacrifice is only due vnto God saying They haue forsaken mee and haue Sacrificed to strange Gods 4. Kings 22. 17. Again they haue forsaken mee and haue Sacrificed to strange Gods that they might prouoke mee to wrath 2. Paral. 34. 25. and man being Gods by title of his creation conseruation and redemption may not giue himself vnto any other as vnto his God and therefore he may not offer Sacrifice vnto any creature Secondly God created mā according to his owne Image to the Image of God he created him Gen. 1. 27. And as our Sauiour said of the tribute mony Whose is this Image and superscriptiō They sayd vnto him Cesars Then he saith to them render therefore the things that are Cesars to Cesar and the things that are Gods to God Matth. 22. Wherevpon Tertullian in his book of idolatrie saith As the Image of Cesar which is vpon his coyn is due vnto Cesar so the Image of God which is in Man is due vnto God wherefore as thou restorest mony to Cesar so thou oughtest to giue thy self to God 8. And for that exterior Sacrifice is so proper vnto God as a visible signe of the inuisible acknowledging him for our Lord in our harts and a diuine worship or worship of Latria due only VVhy the Diuels desire Sacrifice vnto him to signify the inward spirituall Sacrifice wherewith the soule offreth herself vnto God as vnto the originall cause of her creation and end of her happines therefore the Diuel who is couetous of diuine honor and ambitious to be esteemed as a God desireth to haue external Sacrifice offred vnto him as witnesseth S. Augustin The more fovvl the more ambitions in the 19. Chapter of his 10. Book of the Cittie of God saying The Diuels for no other cause do desire Sacrifices to be offred vnto them then for that they know they are due vnto the true God for it is not true which Porphyrie affirmeth and some others think that the Diuel desireth to haue Sacrifice offred vnto him for that he delighteth in the sauour of dead carkasses burned or rosted but for that he delighteth in deuine honour They haue store of the sauour of things burned euery where and if they should desire more the Diuels themselues could do this for themselues but because these wicked Spirits do impudently chalenge to themselues to be God they are not delighted with the smoak which procedeth from the burning of any body but that which procedeth from the mind of an humble suppliant or petitioner who being deceaued is become subiect vnto them and they domineere ouer him stopp in his passage vnto the true God that man should not become the Sacrifice of God whilst he is offered in Sacrifice vnto another who is not God Agayn in the 22. Chap. of his 20. Book against Faustus the Manichean he saith The proud and wicked Spirits are not fedd with the sauour of things burnt or rosted in the Sacrifices which are offred vnto them or with smoak as many vainly think but they are fedd with the errors of men not by a refection of their bodies but by a malicious delight that they can by any meanes deceaue yea though it be by an arrogant pride of a dissembled majestie and so glory that diuine honor is exhibited vnto them 9. And if there had been any visible outward action more due vnto God or of greater esteeme VVhy our Sauiour redeemed mankind by a Sacrifice or of more woorth in the presence of God then exteriour visible Sacrifice representing the inward Sacrifice of the hart and mind certayn it is that the Sonne of God our Sauiour CHRIST IESVS would haue donn that act or offred it to God the Father for the redemption of mankind Seeing he descended from heauen not to do his own will but the will of God that sent him Ioh. 6. 38. And God the Father in him was well pleased Matth. 3. 17. But seeing he redeemed mankind by exterior visible Sacrifice representing the inward Sacrifice of his hart and soul who can doubt but that of all the outward actions of men externall visible Sacrifice representing the inuisible Sacrifice of the hart is the cheifest and aboue all other visible outward actions due vnto God which S. Augustin in his first book against the aduersaries of the Law and the Prophets and 18. Chapter further witnesseth saying Sacrifice is cheifly and aboue all things due vnto God CHAP. V. Of all the visible actions of men exteri or visible Sacrifice is due vnto God alone 1. ALl other exterior visible actiōs of men except externall visible Sacrifice may be donn or exhibited vnto creatures as visible adoration by bowing to the ground kneeling openning of the lips lifting vp of the hands c. haue been and are giuen vnto men or creatures euen by good and pious men As it is read of Abraham Adoration may be giuen vnto creatures who when he did see three men comming towards him he rann to meet them and adored to the ground Gen. 18. 2. Again Abraham rose vp and adored the people of the land that is to say the Children of Heth Gen. 23. 7. yet Abraham is called Father of the faithfull Rom. 4. And likwise when Iacob did see Esau comming towards him going forward he adored prostrate to the ground seauen times Gen. 33. 3. It being told Moyses that Iethro his father in law was comming towards him Moyses going out mett him adored and kissed him Exod. 18. 7. The Brethren of Ioseph the Patriark adored him prostrate to the ground Gen. 43. 26. Iosue fell flat to the ground and adored an Angell Ios 5. 24. Nathan the Prophet adored king Dauid bowing to the earth 3. Kings 1. 23. 2. God Almightie speaking of the reuerence which shall be vsed towards the chiefe Pastors of his Church in the New Law saith Kings shal be they nureing Fathers and Queenes they nurces with countenance cast down towards the ground they shall adore thee and they shall lick vp the dust of thy feete Isa 49. 23. The Children of the Prophets Adored Elizeus adored Elizeus flat to the ground 4. Kings 2. 15. The Children of Israel being assembled togeather they
bowed themselues and adored God and then the King Dauid adored 1. Chronic. 29. 20. Whereby it is manifest that exterior visible adoration by bowing euen to the ground may be giuen both to God and men and that nether it nor any other outward visible signe except the offering of visible Sacrifice is such a signe of diuine worship or Latria or so due vnto God alone that they may not be giuen vnto men which S. Augustin in the 4. Chapter of his 10. book of the Cittie of God further witnesseth saying There is not any man to be found who dare say that Sacrifice is due vnto any but to God alone 3. Whereas some obiect that S. Iohn fell downe The obiectiō of S. Iohn adoring aunsvvered at the feete of an Angel to adore him Reuel 19. 10. and 22. 8. And the Angel said See thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant adore God This only prooueth that S. Iohn and the Angel were humble the one in adoring and the other in refusing to be adored and that adoration by bowing down to the ground may be giuen vnto both God and his creatures vnlesse we should say that S. Iohn being aduertised in the 19. Chapter that he was an Angel would yet notwithstandinh in the 22. Chapter adore him agayn and fell down before his feete and willingly and wittingly commit Idolatry which is absurd and contrary to the Text the Angel saying twice vnto him I am they fellow seruant one of thy Brethren yet certayn it is that Angels are not fellow-seruants and brethren to Idolaters whereby it appeareth that S. Iohn by twice falling before the feete of an Angel to adore him did no euill act nor committed any sinne 4. Neither doth the Angel say that he refused The cause vvhy the Angel refused to be adored by S. Iohn to be adored of S. Iohn because it was euill or only due vnto God which should be contrary vnto all the places of Scriptures before alleged but the cause why he would not haue S. Iohn to adore him was as there he saith For I am thy fellow seruant as contending with him in humility Neither did the Angel say vnto S. Iohn Adore God to condemne S. Iohn of ignorance or idolatry for then the Angel would not haue called him his fellow seruant and brother as he did twice but to commend the eminencie of his sanctity and greatnes which was of such excellency that out of duty or inferiority he needed not nor ought not to giue adoration to any creature but to God alone So S. Iohn humbling himself before the Angell and falling twice before his feete to adore him the Angel exalteth him and calleth him fellow seruant and brother fulfilling the words of our Sauiour saying He that humbleth himself shal be exalted Mat. 23. 12. And this text together with the rest inuincibly prooue that it is lawfull to adore creatures by falling before their feete seeing S. Iohn the Euangelist and the Patriarcks and Prophets and Children of the Church of God did vse it and that of all outward visible adorations the adoration by offring of visible Sacrifice is due vnto God alone 5. Faustus an Heretick of the sect of the Manicheans All other outvvard visible vvoorshipp due vnto the Saint except Sacrifice accused the Catholick Christians of the Primatiue Church of Idolatry and superstition for honoring Martyrs euen as the Puritans of this age do Catholicks at this day as S. Augustin in the 21. Chapter of his 20. book against him witnesseth saying Faustus doth calumniate vs for the honor we do giue vnto the memory of Martyrs saying that we haue conuerted them into Idols Where vnto he there answereth as we now may say in his words vnto our calumniators Christian people do celebrate together the memory of Martyrs with a Religious solemnitie to stirr vp imitation to be made partakers of their merits and to be assisted by their prayers yet so as that we do not offer Sacrifice vnto any Martyr but to the God of Martyrs although we erect Altars in the memory of Martyrs for what Bishop standing at the Altar which is erected in the place where the bodyes of the Martyrs are was euer heard to say we offer vnto thee Peter or Paul or Cyprian but that which is offered is offered vnto God who hath crowned the Martyrs at the memory of them whom he hath crowned That by the admonition of the place the affection of our minds may be more inflamed with charity towards those whom we ought to imitate and towards God by their assistance We honor Martyrs Hovv the Martyrs are to he vvorshipped with that worship of loue and societie wherewith holy men are worshipped in this life whose hearts are prepared to suffer the like for the truth of the Ghospell only we worship the Martyrs more deuoutly because we may worship them now securely after their victory for they being now conquerors and enioying happie life we may preach their praise with more confidence then we can the praise of those who are yet fighting in this life yet notwithstanding we do not honor them with that worship which the Grecians call Latria and in latin cannot be expressed in one word seeing it is a worship properly due vnto Diuinitie Neither do we teach that any ought to be honored with it but only God For seeing that the offering vp of Sacrifice belongeth vnto this worship in such sort as that it is called their Idolatria who exhibite it vnto Idols in no sort we offer any such thing or commaund to bee offered either vnto any Martyr or vnto any holy soule or vnto any Angel Thus S. Augustin 6. The Grecian Idolaters tooke the same exception against the honor and worship which was done to the Saints deceased which the Puritans do now and Theodoret who liued about the The honor due vnto the saints tyme of S. Augustin in his 8. book of the cure of Greeke affections asweareth them saying Our Lord God hath brought his dead into the Temples in place of your Gods whom he hath depriued of their glory and giuen their honor vnto his martirs for in lieu of the solemnityes of your Gods Pan Diana Iupiter c. are kept the feasts of Peter Paul Thomas Sergius Leontius Antonius Mauritius and other holy Martyrs and in place of that ancient pomp filthines and impudency the feasts are kept modestly chastly and with much temperance now they are not besmeared with wine nor made vain by riotous banquets nor dissolute through loud laughter but with attention and diuine Hymnes and hearing holy Sermons c. But yet ô Grecians we do not offer Hosts or any Sacrifice to the Martyrs Whereby we see that amongst all the visible honors or worships which may or can be donn by man only visible Sacrifice is due vnto God alone the rest may be exhibited or giuen vnto creatures 7. Our Sauiour said Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God
and him only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalt thou honor or serue with the worship of Latria or diuine worship Latria due vnto God alone Luk. 4. 8. Where it is to be noted that in the Greek tongue in which S. Luke writt our Sauiour limiteth the worship of Latria only vnto God and not adoration for he doth not say Thou shalt adore only the Lord they God but he doth say thou shalt only honor or serue him with the worship of Latria such as is the offring of visible Sacrifice and leaueth adoration free to be also communicated vnto creatures which S. Augustin in his 61. Quest vpon Genesis obserueth saying Abraham rising vp adored the people of the land Gen. 23. 7. The Question is how is it written thou shalt adore the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue seing that Abraham did so honor certain people of the Gentils that he would also adore them but it is to be obserued that in the same precept it is not said Thou shalt adore only the Lord thy God as it is said him only shalt thou serue which in the Greek tongue is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for such seruice is only due vnto God Thus S. Augustine Whereby it doth appeare that adoration may be vsed indifferently vpon occasion either to God or creatures but not Sacrifice for that of all the visible actions of men only visible Sacrifice as a sacred signe of the inuisibe Sacrifice of our harts is due vnto God alone and that without visible Sacrifice vnto some creature Visible Idolatrie cannot be committed vvithout visible Sacrifice exterior visible Idolatrie cannot be committed because it consisteth only in the offering of visible Sacrifice vnto some creatures as further also witnesseth Tertullian saying If I should be called to the Sacrifice of an Idol I will not go for it is the proper office of the Idol neither will I assist or any way help in such a work for if called to the Sacrifice of an Idol I should stand by I should bee guiltie of Idolatrie If any one should giue wine vnto one that is offering Sacrifice vnto an Idol or if he help in some word which is necessary to Sacrifice he shal be esteemed as Minister of Idolatrie Thus Tertullian With whome agreeth S. Augustine in the 18. Chapter of his 1. Book against the aduersaries of the Law and the Prophets saying There are few found who haue been so bould as to commaund that Sacrifice should be offred vnto them when out of their regall power they might haue done it but whosoeuer haue been so bould as to commaund it by it they would haue themselues to be esteemed Gods 8. And because that of all the visible actions To vvhat thing anie offered Sacrifice that vvas esteemed as his God of men visible Sacrifice is the only visible sacred signe of the inuisible sacrifyce of our harts to God and the only visible honor worship or Latria which we owe only vnto God alone as vnto our God and Creator of all things therefore vnto what thing soeuer any man offered visible Sacrifice that was esteemed and taken to be his God and an act of Idolatrie though it were no image picture grauen thing nor similitude of any thing as witnesseth the Scripture saing They haue Sacrificed vnto the hoast of heauen and haue offered drink offerings to strange Gods Ierem. 19. 13. Again They Sacrificed to strange Gods to the Queene of Heauen which was the Moone Ierem. 44. 15. Wherevpon S. Paul saith that an Idol is not any thing 1. Cor. 10. 19. how then commeth visible Idolatry But by offring visible Sacrifice vnto any thing whatsoeuer which is not God as S. Paul in the same place immediatly signifyeth saying the things which the heathens do immolate to diuels they do immolate and not to God signifying hereby that visible Idolatrie is only committed and an Idol is only made by the offring of Sacrifice vnto any thing whatsoeuer though it be as vgly as much opposite and as farr contrary to God as is the deuil Wherevpon S. Augustin in the 21. Chapter of his 20. Booke against Faustus an heretick saith The proud impietie of the Diuels doth arrogate Sacrifice vnto them that thereby they may be esteemed Gods for Sacrifice is deuine honor or honor only due vnto deitie 9. By this which hath been said it is sufficiently manifest vnto any indifferent reader that of all the visible actions of men the offering of visible Sacrifice is only due vnto God alone seeing that vnto whatsoeuer thing any man offereth visible Sacrifice though it be vnto as vgly a thing as is the Deuil yet he maketh that thing an Idol or false God and committeth Idolatrie by giuing diuine honor or the honor which is only due vnto God which we call Latria vnto it Which S. Augustin in the 22. Chapter of his said book against the said Heretick further witnesseth saying Neither is it true which Faustus saith that our former Iewes though they had the Temple of God immolations Altars and Priesthood like the Gentils yet were they seperated from the Gentils only by the diuision or not admitting of grauen things that is to say of Idols for they might as many Idolatrie vvith out images others do without hauing of Idols immolate to Trees and Mountaines and also to the Sunne and Moone and the rest of the Starres which if they should do they should serue with that worship which is called Latria the Creature rather then the Creator and thereby haue erred with no small error of impious superstition though they should haue no grauen Images And this is sufficient to shew that the offring of visible Sacrifice is so appropriated vnto the honor of God that of all the visible actions of men it only is due vnto God alone and that these Sectaries who haue no visible Sacrifice offred vpon Altars adore no God with any visible honor which is only due vnto him alone CHAP. VI. By the instinct of Nature all people who firmely beleeued that there was a God and his prouidence ouer mankind offered external visible Sacrifice to some God true or false 1. GOd almightie hauing created all things of nothing as a pious parent and mercifull Gods prouidence ouer his creatures father out of the storehouse of his infinite goodnes and prouidence hath bestowed vpon euerie thing in his creation a naturall inclination propension or instinct to vse meanes to attaine vnto his end or cheifest good As we see by experience euen in the elements trees plants stones wherevpon the Scriptures saye that God by his prouidence doth gouerne Wisd 14. 3. And the function or office of prouidence is as Aristotle The prouidence of God is to direct men vnto their lastend saith in the 6. of his Ethicks and S. Thomas in his 1. part quest 22. art 1. To order or direct things to their ends and th' end and happie life of man being God as witnesse the
poure out ther vowes before God with perfumes and drinke offerings Thus S. Ciprian whereby it appeareth that the ancient Fathers beleued visible sacrifice to be due vnto God by the law and light of Nature 5. Secondly by the defects which euerie one findeth in himselfe natural reason doth dictate vnto euerie one that he is subiect vnto some higher superior whose helpe he hath need of which superior call him what you will is God And the same naturall reason which telleth man Reason telleth man that he must honor God vvith such an honor as may not be giuen vnto any other that he hath a God vnto whom he is subiect and of whose helpe he hath need telleth him also that he is bound to honor this God with the highest kinde of honor that can be giuē him vpon earth and acknowledge this his subiection by such inward affection and outward signes or symbols as neither are nor ought to be giuen vnto anie other which is the externall visible Sacrifice we speake of which as we haue proued in the 4. and 5. chapters neither is nor yet euer was offered vnto anie but vnto some true or supposed God Nature is the cause of these things vvhich are donne after one manner 6. Thirdly Aristotle in his 7. booke of his morals to Eudemon saith That nature is the cause of these things which are alwaies or for the most part donne after one manner and fortune or accident of these which are seldome alike Which wee find true by experience in all naturall and accidentall things as in the naturall and accidentall things of the sunne moone planets and elements all whose naturall motions are constant and after the same manner and accidentall variable and changeable Accident the cause of mutability And seeing that all the sonnes of Adam both faithfull and infidels who firmely beleeued that there was a God or Gods and his or their prouidence ouer mankinde haue all generally offered visible sacrifice vnto some God true or false as I haue proued in the former chapters what reasonable man can doubt that God of his infinite goodnes mercies towards mankinde hath giuen vnto mankind a naturall inclination propension and instinct to offer visible sacrifice vnto him therby to acknowledge him for his God Corruption of nature the cause vvhy all offer not sacrifice and expresse the inward sacrifice of his hart vnto him and that the defect of offering visible sacrifice in those who vse it not is the corruption of nature 7. Fourthly we haue proued in our former chapters that people of all nations Epicures and The impossibility of all mē to agree to offer visible sacrifice had not the lavv of nature dictated it vnto them Atheists only excepted who denied God or Gods and his or their prouidence ouer mankind offered visible sacrifice vnto some true or supposed God And the people of all nations who were vpon the earth could neuer meete together to make an accord or agreement to offer visible sacrifice no nor yet the heads or kings of all nations could meete together to make this general accord that they would all offer visible sacrifice or if they should haue all mett together yet speaking diuerse languages and being of diuerse dispositions and humors they would neuer haue all agreed But suppose that they should haue all concurred together in one assemblie and agreed to offer visible sacrifice yet their diuerse dispositions natures interests reasons of state c. would not haue permitted them to haue continued for so manie thousand yeares in this their agreement of offering visible sacrifice without alteration or change if the dictamen of their consciences law and light of nature written in euery mans hart had not persuaded or compelled them vnto it as we see by experience in the contract or agreements which are made but amongst some few nations in other matters from which they change and fall from in few yeares 8. This which hath ben sayd is sufficient to conuince any indifferent reader that the offering The consent of nations is from the lavv of nature of exterior visible sacrifice vnto God is due vnto him by the instinct and law of nature For as Cicero a heathen man in the first booke of his Tusculan questions well obserueth In euery thing the consent of nations is to be esteemed the law of nature And againe in the same booke The consent of nations is the voice of nature Wheruppon S. Augustin in his 49. Epistle and 5. question sayth Those who are skilfull in the holy Scriptures of both The Pagans not to be blamed for offering sacrifice Testaments do not blame the Pagans or heathen people for that they build temples ordeine Priests and offer sacrifice because these things are taught them by the light and law of nature but for that they doe exhibite those things vnto Idols and deuils Thus S. Augustine With whom agreeth S. Thomas 2. 2. quest 85. ar 1. saying The offering of sacrifice is by Sacrifice by the lavv of nature the law of nature for saith he it proceedeth from natural reason that man should vse some sensible things and offer them to God in signe or token of due subiection and honor as they vse to doe who offer some thing vnto their temporal lords in acknowledgment or manifestation of submission vnto their dominion and this is that we call sacrifice So S. Thomas 9. And from this instinct of nature proceeding The diuision of tongues made no diuision of sacrifice from reason which we call the law of nature written in the harts of all men it came to passe that after the building of the tower of Babel and after that God had so confounded the tongues of all men that they could not one vnderstand another to consult together what kinde of religion they should follow or after what manner or way they should honor God or Gods they all agreed that God or Gods true or false were to be honored and adored with externall visible sacrifice as appeareth by the scriptures and testimonies of all antient times yet were they diuided and scattered ouer the earth into 55. or as others write into 72. distinct nations and tongues so that it had been impossible for them all to agree in generall in the offering of sacrifice vnto their true or supposed Gods had not the light of nature dictamen of their consciences and wisedome giuen from aboue vnto all mankind in their creation directed them 10. And this dictamen and light of nature to Temples vvithout sacrifice atheistical offer sacrifice vnto their true or supposed God or Gods was so inserted in the harts of al men that Plutark a heathen man taught by the light of nature in his booke intituled that there is no pleasant life according to Epicurus saith A temple without a sacred feast or sacrifice is atheistical impious and irreligious So constantly were Sacrifices beleeued to be due vnto God and
plāt peace and preach as S. Paul saith Peace to them that were farr of and peace to them that were nigh Ephe. 2. 17. And God is not the God of dissention but of peace 1. Cor. 14. 33. 6. Fourthly Adam and his sonnes liued in the law of nature and instituted externall visible Sacrifice in the Church of God vpon earth according to the Law of Nature no other law being then published or known as all diuines generally Sacrifice instituted by the Lavv of Nature hold and the law of nature being inserted and ingrafted by God as S. Paul saith Rom. 2. 15. in the harts of all men for them to follow as a rule of Iustice and an instinct of nature proceeding from reason as an euerlasting couenant between God and Man Isa 24. 5. Certayn it is that our The Lavv of Nature immutable Sauiour could not take away externall visible Sacrifice from amongst men and moue them to violate the Law of Nature or change it in the harts of all men seeing that as S. Paul saith He continueth faithfull and cannot deny himself 2. Tim. 2. 13. to change his diuine decrees and alter the Law of Nature in all men or change the naturall diuine instinct which he hath engrafted in all men to follow euen from the first beginning of his Church vpon earth which Lactantius in his 6 Book and 8. Chapter of diuine Institutions obserueth out of the 3. book of Ciceros common-wealth saying Cicero almost with a diuine voice hath in these words described the Law of Nature saying The Law of Nature is right reason agreable Description of the Lavv of Nature to nature spread amongst all men constant and euerlasting To this Law it is not lawfull to add any thing or to take away Thus Lactantius and Cicero of the Law of Nature Wherefore seeing that visible Sacrifice was instituted by the Law of Nature most certayn it is that our Sauiour came not to take it away but to institute it in better termes with he did when taking bread he gaue thanks and brake and gaue to the Apostles saying This is my Body which is giuen for you to God do this for a commemoration of mee In like manner the Chalice also after he had supped saying This is the Chalice the New Testament in my Bloud which is shed for you to God This do ye as often as you shall drink for a commemoration of mee Wherefore we may iustly complayn of these who persecute the offering of visible Sacrifice vnto God in the words with the Prophet Isaie vsed when he complayned of the Iewes for violating the Law of Nature saying The earth is infected with the inhabitants thereof because they haue transgressed the Lawes changed right dissipated the euerlasting couenant Isa 24. 5. 7. Fiftly the Prophet Daniel promiseth that externall visible Sacrifice shall be offered vnto God in the Church of God vntill the end of the Sacrifice to last vntil the end of the vvorld world saying And in the half of the week shall the host and the Sacrifice fail and there shal be in the Temple the abomination of desolation euen to the consummation Daniel 9. 27. Agayn The continuall Sacrifice shal be taken away and the abomination of desolation shal be set vp Dan. 12. 11. And our Sauiour himself setting down the tyme when this Prophecy of Daniel shall be fulfilled and when there shal be no more hosts nor Sacrifices offered to God in his Church vpon earth saith And when you shall see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of by Daniel standing in the holy place c. immediatly afther the tribulation of those dayes the Sunn shal be darkned and the Moone shal not giue light and the Starres shall fall from heauen Math. 24. And so forth describeth the day of Iudgment signifying that externall visible Sacrifice shal be offered in the Church of God vntill a litle before the consummation of the world 8. Sixtly God Almightie promised saying I will send of them which shall be saued to the Gentils into the Sea into Africa and Lidia into Italy and Greece to the Ilands farr of to them that haue not Priests and Leuits shal be allvvayes in the Church to offer Sacrifice heard of mee and haue not seene my glory And they shall shew forth my glory to the Gentils and they shall bring all your Brethren of all Nations a guift to our Lord. And I will take of them to be Priests and Leuits saith our Lord because as a new Heauen and a new earth which I make to stand before mee saith our Lord so shall your seed stand and your name Isa 66. 19. Where we see that God almightie promiseth to make Priests and Leuits whose office is to offer and assist at the offering of visible Sacrifice of the gentils conuerted vnto Christianity and that their seede shall not fail vntill the end of the world Wherevpon S. Augustin in the 21. Chapter of his 20. Book of the Cittie of God alledging this place saith God compareth the conuerted Gentils as it were by a similitude vnto the Children of Israel offring vnto him their hosts or Sacrifice with Psalmes in his house or Temple which the Church doth now euery where and hath promised that he would take of them Priests and Leuits for himself which now we see donne for now Priests are not by succession of flesh and bloud according to the order of Aron but as it ought to be in the new Testament where Christ is the chiefe Priest according to the order of Melchisedech thus S. August 9. Seuenthly God promised by the Prophet Ieremy saying Behold the dayes shall come saith our Lord and I will raise vp the good word that I haue spoken to the house of Israel c. This is the name they shall call him the lord of our iust one c and of Priests and Leuits there shall not faill from before my face a man to offer Holocausts and to burne Sacrifice and to kill victimes all dayes Ierem. 33. 14. Wherevpon Theodoret in his interpretation of this place saith Wee see the euent of this Prophecy for the new Testament being giuen according to the diuine promise The Priest-hood according to the order of Melchisedech is also giuen which whosoeuer haue obteyned do offerr vnto God reasonable Sacrifice 10. Eightly S. Paul commaundeth all Christians No communion vvithout Sacrifice saying As often as you shall eate this Bread and drink the Chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come 1. Cor. 11. 26. and our Lord dyed offering vp himself to God in an externall visible Sacrifice as our aduersaries do graunt whereby it is manifest that exteriour visible Sacrifice by the commaund of the Scriptures shall last vntill the later day 11. Ninthly externall visible Sacrifice being a thing only and chiefly aboue all things due vnto God and giuen vnto God by the consent of all Nations thereby to acknowledg him for
our lord God and maintayn our vnion and society with him and amongst our selues And Antichrist at his comming as S. Paul faith shal exalt himself Antichrist shall take avvay publik Sacrifice aboue all that 's called God or that is worshipped so that he shall sit in the Temple of God shewing himself as if he were God 2. Thes 2. It necessarily followeth that Antechrist shall not only as our Sauiour foretold in the 24. of Mathew and the Prophet Daniel in the 9. and 12. Chapters of his Prophecies take away the offering of externall visible Sacrifice vnto the true God but also from all Idolls that there shal be no externall visible Sacrifice publickly offered vnto anie Idoll or diuell but vnto him onlie who will secretly worshipp the diuell Mahuzim Daniel 11. and so he shall publickly exalt himselfe as the Scriptures saie aboue all that is called God or that is publickly worshipped Wherevpon S. Ireneus in his first Booke against Heresies and 25. Chapter saith He shall put downe Idols to perswade others that he is God and to magnifie himselfe who wil be an Idol that will haue in it the diuers errors of all other Idolls 12. Moreouer S. Ireneus speaking of the Crueltie In the time of Antichrist the faithfull vvho offer Sacrifice shal be forced to fly of Antichrist in putting downe the externall visible Sacrifice in the Church of God in his first Booke of Heresies and 25. Chapter saith In the time of the tirannie of Antichrist the saintes who offer pure Sacrifice vnto God shal be forced to flie awaie And in the halfe of the weeke shal be taken awaie the Sacrifice and the Host and the abomination of desolation shall be vnto the consummation of time With whom also agreeth Hippolitus the Martyr an ancient Father who liued about the yeare 220. after the natiuity of our Sauiour in his booke of the cōsummation of the world saying In the time The mourning of the Church after sacrifice is taken avvaie by Antichrist of Antichrist the Church shall mourne with great sorrowe because there shall be in it neither oblations nor offerings nor incense nor worshipp gratefull vnto God but the sacred Churches shal be like Cottages the pretions Bodie and blood of Christ shall not be extant in those daies the Liturgie or Masse shal be put downe singing of Psalmes shall cease and reading the Scripture shal be taken awaie 13. And the like affirmeth S. Ephrem in his treatise of Antichrist saing Before the end of the world at the coming of Antichrist the whole Church of Christ shall mourne with great sorrowe for that the diuine oblation and sanctification shal be no more offered to God then Sacrifice to cease in the time of Antichrist the holie misterie of Priesthod shall cease after three times and a halfe shall be fulfilled in the power and worke of the wicked Antichrist and all scandalls of the world benig consumed as our Sauiour spoke by his owne proper mouth then shall come the later daie So S. Ephren who liued about the yeare 370. after the natiuitie of our lord And with these aforesaid Fathers agreeth S. Chrisostom in his 49. homily vpon S Mattew saying For three yeares and a halfe the Sacrifice of Christians shal be taken away by Antichrist the Christians flying from him into the deserts there shal be none to enter into the Churches or to offer Sacrifice vnto God S. Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 9. of Daniel is of the same minde saying Hippolitus putteth the last weeke in the consummation of the world c. whereof it is said God will confirme the couenant one weeke vnto manie and in the other three yeares vnder Antichrist the host and Sacrifice shall cease Thus those Fathers of the extirpation of visible Sacrifice out of the Church of God by Antichrist 14. Now seeing that Antichrist at his coming as both Scriptures and Fathers doe testifie shall put downe external visible Sacrifice in such sort as that for a time there shal be no externall visible Sacrifice publickly offered to God vpon earth and that Antichrist is not to come vntill Antichrist is to raigne three yeares and a halfe the end of the world as witnesseth our Sauouir in the 24. of S. Matthew and Dan. 7. and to raigne but three yeares and a halfe before the consummation of the world as affirmeth the aforesaid Hippolitus in his said booke of the consummation of the world S. Ireneus in his 5. booke against Heresies towards the end S. Hierome vpon the 7. Chapter of Daniel S. Cyril in his 25. Catechesis and S. Augustin in the 23. Chapter of his tenth booke of the Cittie of God and others it is manifest Visible sacrifice taken avvaie the vvorld shall end that externall visible Sacrifice shal be offeto God in the Church of God vntill the end of the world and it being wholy taken awaie which is onely cheifely and aboue all thinges due vnto God then shall come the consummation of the world by fire wich shall burne and destroy all these things which are vpon earth Man ceasing to honor God with that honor which is due only vnto him as he is God and Creator of all thinges God will destroy man out of the face earth and all things els which vpon earth he created for man So those who denie and persecute the offering Those vvho denie Sacrifice hasten their ovvne torments vp of externall visible Sacrifice vnto God doe but hasten the destruction of the world and the euerlasting damnation of their owne soules and bodies to the verifying of the saying of the Prophet The sinner is taken in the works of his owne hands Psal 9. 17. he is fallen into the pitt which he made Psal 7. 16. and so doth but as saith the Apostle heape to himself wrath in the daie of wrath Rom. 2. 5. which our Sauiour himself also further signifieth saying The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world Ioh. 6. 51. As when the life of a man is quite taken from his bodie the bodie dieth and by degrees returneth vnto that which it was in his first creation which is slime dust and ashes so when the exterior visible Sacrifice and Sacrament shall be quite taken awaie for which God spareth the world then the world shal be destroyed by fier and shall returne to be as it was In the beginning when God created heauen and earth and the earth was void and vacant a darknes was vpon the face of the earth Gen. 1. 1. And shall so remaine vntill God create a new heauen and a new earth which shall stand for euer Isa 65. 17. Isa 66. 22. CHAP. VIII The reasons why our Sauiour would not take away visible Sacrifice out of the Church but establish it in better termes FIrst for that it shall be the worke of Antichrist Antichrist shall take avvay Sacrifice to put downe the daily Sacrifice as
I haue prooued in the last Chapter and there fore to make Christ to put down all speciall externall Sacrifice were to make him Antichrist Secondly all other outward acts obseruances and worships may be vsed and giuen vnto men only visible Sacrifice is due vnto God as he is God and Creator of all things as I haue prooued in the former Chapters Wherefore if our Sauiour Sacrifice taken avvay Religion is destroyed should haue taken away the offering of visible Sacrifice vnto God he had taken away Religion for Religion is a vertue by which men do giue due worship and honor vnto God as witnesseth S. Thomas in his Secunda Secundae quaest 81. art 1. Wherevpon S. Cyprian in his booke of our Lords Supper saith Religion is destroyed when there resteth no more Sacrifice to bee offred for as S. Augustin saith in the 21. chapter of his 20. book against Faustus The offering of Sacrifice doth belong Sacrifice is diuine honor or only due to ditie vnto the worship of Latria which is a seruice properly due vnto diuinitie Again in the same book and chapter he saith Sacrifice is diuine honor Wherefore if our Sauiour had taken away the offering of visible Sacrifice he had taken away the diuine honor which properly belongeth vnto God and had destroyed Religion 2. Thirdly if our Sauiour had taken away visible Sacrifice out of his Church he had taken away Priest-hood for by the law of nature nations Sacrifices taken avvay Priest-hood is destroyed and written law and law of grace Priests were ordeyned to this end that they might offer externall visible Sacrifice vnto God as we see by experience in all tymes and in all nations for at all tymes and in all nations those who beleeued that there was a God and his prouidence ouer mankind knew by the dictamen of right reason and nature that they were to honor and worship God with visible Sacrifice as a thing only and aboue all things belonging vnto him as their God and Creator as I haue shewed in the 6. Chapter and also knew by the same light of nature that euery one was not fitt to execute that office or could tell how to do it wherefore they chose some who publickly should for the whole assemblie or company performe that act Wherevpon S. Paul saith Euery high Priest is taken from amongst men that he may offer gifts and Sacrifices Heb. 5. 1. Agayn for euery high Priest is appointed to offer gifts and hosts wherefore it is necessary that he haue somthing that he may offerr Heb. 8. 3. Whereby we see that if our Sauiour had taken away the offering of externall Sacrifice vnto God hee had also taken away Priesthood which S. Ephrem in his treatise of Antichrist further witnesseth saying in the tyme of Antichrist for that the deuine oblation and sanctification shal be no more offred to God then the holy mistery of Priesthood shall cease 3. Fourthly the Priesthood being taken away Priesthood being taken avvay the lavv is destroyed the law also is translated and taken away as witnesseth S. Paul saying The Priesthood being translated it is necessary that a translation of the law be made Heb. 7. 12. Wherefore if our Sauiour had not instituted a visible Sacrifice in his Church he had not bin a lawgiuer as the Scriptures call him Iames 4. 12. but a law destroyer And from hence it is that S. Ireneus in the 15. Chapter of his â—5 book against Heresies saith That Antichrist Antichrist vvithout a lavv shal be with out a law as an Apostata because he shall take away all publick visible Sacrifice and Priesthood on which the law dependeth for as the Scripture saith The Lipps of the Priest shall keepe knowlege and the law they shall require of his mouth Math. 2. 7. He that shal be proud refusing to obey the commandement of the Priest that man shall die Deut. 17. 12. Wherevpon the Prophet Osee when he would expresse the wickednes of the Children of Israel in whom there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledg of God but cursing and lying and man-slaughter and theft and adulterie c. saith Thy people are as those who gainsay the Priest Osee 4. 4. Whereby it is manifest that if our Sauiour had taken away externall visible Sacrifice he had taken away the Law 4. And for this cause least that the Church of God should at any tyme be without a religion or law our Sauiour presently after he had finished the Sacrifice of the Paschal lamb took bread and gaue thanks and brak and gaue to his Apostles saying This is my Body which is giuen for you to God Luc. 22. 19. And instituted the Sacrifice of the new law and said to the Apostles and their successors Do this that is giue my body to God for you in commemoration of mee least that his Church should be at any tyme without a speciall visible exteriour Sacrifice Religion and Law 5. If our Sauiour in the new law had not instituted a proper visible Sacrifice wherewith God might be worshipped by men in the time of the VVhen Sacrifice is taken avvay the chief visible honor due vnto God is taken avvay new law as he was in the old but had wholy taken externall visible Sacrifice out of his Church he had left no externall visible act of Religion whereby men might haue adored God as God and had depryued his eternall Father of the greatest externall visible worship and honor which he had vpon earth that is to say the worship of Latria by offering externall visible Sacrifice vnto him which is absurd seeing our Sauiour came to add honor vnto his etternall Father and not to diminish it Ioh. 8. 49. 6. Sixtly the law of nature and nations and written law as I haue proued in the former chapters teach vs to offer externall visible Sacrifice vnto God therby to acknowledge his soueraigntie and supreame power ouer vs and our Sauiour came not to breake the lawe but to fulfill it Math. 5. 18. 7. In the communion of the ould law there was a Sacrifice to represent the Sacrifice of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse to come as witnesse the Scriptures Exod. 12. 6. and Fathers as S. Chrysostome in his 61. homily to the people of Antioch S. Augustine in the 18. Chapter of his first booke against the aduersaries of the lavv and the Prophets therefore there must be also a Sacrifice in the communion of the new law to represent the Sacrifice of our lord vpon the Crosse past seeing as I haue said before our Sauiour came not to breake the law but to fulfill it And as the Children Sacrifice as necessarie in the nevv lavve as in the ould of God who liued before the Passion of Christ stood in need of a Sacrifice in their communion to represent the Sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse to come and to apply the merits of the said Sacrifice vnto them So the Children of the Church
of God who liue after the Passion of Christ stand in need of a Sacrifice in their communion to represent the Sacrifice of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse past to apply his merits vnto them who was slaine as S. Iohn saith from the beginning of the world Apoc. 13. 8. And as many as were saued in the law of nature or vvritten lavv or shal be saued in the law of Grace all were and shal be saued by the merits of the passion of our Sauiour and his Sacrifice vpon the Crosse And therefore if in the lavv of nature and written lavv they had need of externall visible Sacrifice to apply the Passion of our Sauiour vnto them so likevvise haue vve in the nevv lavv seeing that the ould lavv vvas a figure of the nevv 1. Cor. 10. 6. Wherevpon S. Augustine in the 18. chapter of his 20. booke against Faustus saith At this present Christians do celebrate the memorie of the sacrifie of Christ passed vpon the Crosse by the most holie oblation of the body and bloud of Christ 8. The chiefest act whereby our Sauiour redeemed vs vvas his offering or giuing himselfe to God for our Redemption according to his word saying I yeild my life for my sheepe Ioh. 10. 15. Sacrifice taken avvaie the commemoration of our Sauiours passion is also taken avvaie Against Christ gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs. Tit. 2. 14. Wherefore if our Sauiour had taken away all externall visible Sacrifice out of his Church he had left in deeds or actions no expresse commemoration of his Passion 9. God Almightie threatneth it as a great To be depriued of Sacrifice is threatned as a punishment plague to the pleople of Israel to take away from amongst them for their sinnes Sacrifices and Altars saying Manie daies shall the kingdome of Israel sit without King and without Prince and without Sacrifice and without Altar c. And after this the children of Israel shall returne and shall seek the lord their God and his goodnes in the last dayes Osee 34. Where we see that God himself accompted it a great plague for the Children of Israel to be without Sacrifice and Altar as they are and shal be vntill a litle before the last dayes according to this prophecy and at the last dayes they shall seeke the Lord their God and his goodnes and become Christians and haue Sacrifice and Altars Wherefore if our Sauiour should haue planted his new lavv and Testament vvithout any externall visible Sacrifice or Altar the nevv lavv had bin a lavv and Testament of greater anger vvrath and punishmēt then vvas the ould law and not a law of greater grace and fauor which is repugnant to the promises saying Christ came to preach the acceptable yeare of our Lord Psal 71. 1. Luc. 4. 19. Insomuch as S. Paul speaking of this tyme of grace saith Behold now is the time acceptable behold now the day of saluation 2. Cor. 6. 2. c. 10. As I said in the 2. Chapter two things haue alvvayes been highly esteemed amongst men the honor of their God and their vnity peace and society with him and amongst themselues and these two haue been chiefely mainteyned amongst men of all nations by offering visible Sacrifice vnto God and after by eating or communicating of the said Sacrifice amongst themselues as I haue prooued in the 2. chapter By Sacrifice peace and vnitie is preserued and our Sauiour came not to take away peace vnitie and societie of men with God or amongst themselues but to plant it saying Not for the Apostles only do I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in mee that they all may be one as thou Father in mee and I in thee that they also in vs may be one that the world may know that thou hast sent mee Ioh. 17. 20. 11. God Almightie promised by the Prophet Ieremie that visible Sacrifice should neuer be taken away saying Of Priests and Leuits there shall not fail from before my face a man to offer Holocausts and to burn Sacrifice and kill victimes all dayes Ier 33. 18. According to which promises S. Paul commandeth the Christians to offer Sacrifice saying you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come 1. Cor. 11. 26. who dyed offering vp himself in a visible Sacrifice as our aduersaries will confesse 12. If our Sauiour had taken away the offering of visible Sacrifice to God and had instituted a communion by taking an eating a peace of bread and apprehending Christ in heauen by VVithout Sacrifice there is no difference betvveen the communion and eating of common meat faith he had made no difference betweene the eating of common meat and the communion for euery one who eateth or drinketh piously like a Christian and not like a beast apprehendeth God or CHRIST IESVS our Lord in heauen by the hand of faith as author and giuer of that meat as often as they eat or drink 13. The offering of visible Sacrifice in generall vnto God vvas a matter of faith planted in the Church of God vpon earth euen from the first foundatiō of the Church of God vpon earth after the fall of Adam as I haue prooued in the last Chapter and faith is one and vnchangeable as also there I haue prooued Whereby it is sufficiently Our Sauiour changed not the faith but ceremonies of the old Lavv. manifest vnto any indifferent Reader that our Sauiour at his comming did not nor would take away out of his Church which he founded vpon earth externall visible Sacrifice but took away only the ceremoniall law and planted externall visible Sacrifice in more worthy gifts as made suertie of a better Testament Heb. 7. 22. 14. And to conclude all the known world as I haue prooued in the 2. and 3. chapters at the tyme of our Sauiour offered visible Sacrifice vnto some God true or false thereby to adore him with the honor of Latria or honor due only vnto God and signifie the Sacrifice of their harts vnto him and vnion with him Wherefore if our Sauiour had quite taken away the offering of visible Sacrifice to any God some Iew or gentill would haue accused him or the Apostles of it Our Sauiour neuer accused of taking avvay Sacrifice which vve neuer read that they did yet the Iewes so highly esteemed visible Sacrifice as they accounted it a punishment or curse to be without it as appeareth Dan. 9. 27. the 11. 31. and the 12. 11. Osee 3. 4. Ioel. 1. 9. and the Gentils esteemed it a sinne worthy of death to abuse it as vvitnesseth Plato in his 10. Dialogue and a signe of atheisme and impietie to neglect it as testifyeth Plutark in his booke intituled That there Epicurus only for feare offered Sacrifice contrary to his doctrine is no pleasant life according to Epicurus who in doctrine and words denied the offering of visible Sacrifice but not in practise for feare of the
drie it at the fire and bruise it after the manner of meale and so shalt thou offer thy first fruits Leuit. 2. 14. Malachie the last of the Prophets foretelling how God would reiect the sacrifices of the Iewes and haue a cleane oblation or vnbloudy sacrifice offered vnto him euery where amongst the coÌ„uerted gentils sayth A gift I will not receaue at your hands Mal. 1. 10. Where the Prophet accompteth a cleane oblation an vnbloudy sacrifice and a gift offered to God by Priests vpon an Altar as all one 3. S. Paul also maketh mention of these two kinds of sacrifices and calleth th'vnbloudy sacrifices gifts offered to God in sacrifice by Priests saying Euery high Priest taken from amongst men is appointed for men in these things which appertayne to God that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne Heb. 5. 1. Agayne Euery high Priest is appointed to offer gifts and hosts Heb. 8. 3. where distinguishing the two kinds of sacrifices which where offered by Priests in the Church of God from the beginning of the world he calleth the vnbloudy sacrifices gifts and placeth them in the first rank as a more excellent kind of sacrifice then hosts offered with carnall effusion of bloud 4. Moreouer that cleane and vnbloudy sacrifices are called gifts S. Hierom. vpon the 25. chap. of Ezechiel and 15. and 17. verses doth witnes saying that gifts were things of wheate flower or barley flower or oyle offered to God in sacrifice Wherevpon Theophylact vpon this 8. chap. to the Hebrewes and 3. verse sayth If we would diligently examine the difference betweene gift and host it is this that an host is offered with bloud and flesh but gifts consist of fruites and other such things as are vnbloudy With whom agreeth our aduersarie Samuel Purchas a Puritan in the 6. chap. of his 1. booke of his relations of the religions obserued in all ages saying Of sacrifices there were from the beginning two kinds th' one called gifts or oblation of things without life th' other victimes or slayne sacrifices of birds and beasts Where it is manifest that gifts offered to God by Priests appointed as Saint Paul saith for that purpose and vnbloudy sacrifice are all one 5. These gifts or vnbloudy sacrifices were also VVhat gifts vvhere vnbloudy sacrifices of two sorts that is to say of things solide as bread wheate new corne c. or of things liquid as of wine oyle c. If they were of solide things then the manner was in signe of the inuisible sacrifice of the hart to breake or bruise them if of liquid things then the manner was also in signe of contrition and the inuisible sacrifice of the hâ—â—t to poure them fourth before God as appeareth in the solide and liquid vnbloudy sacrifices or sacrifices of giftes which where offered to God in the law of nature and written law So the vnbloudy sacrifice or sacrifices of gifts were distinguished from the generall offerings gifts oblatioÌ„s and tenths of the peole first for that the sacrifice of gifts or vnbloudy sacrifices were broken or shedd th' other offered whole these were offered vpon an Altar by Priests appoynted for that purpose Heb. 5. 1. th' other offered at the Altar by any one Math. 5. 24. these were publike sacred visible signes of the inward contrition and sacrifice of the harts of them who offered as is proued heretofore th' other priuate dewties and donations c. So that not all manner of gifts or oblations were vnbloudy sacrifices or sacrifices of gifts but those which were broken or shedd to God vpon an Altar by a lawfull Priest to signifie the inuisible sacrifice of our harts 6. This distinction putt downe of bloudy and vnbloudy sacrifices or sacrifices of gifts it is easy to proue that our Sauiour at his coming was Our Sauiour established the sacrifice of gifts in his Churche to offer vnbloudy sacrifice or gifts and to establish them in his Churche for after the coming of the Messias all the bloudy sacrifices were to cease as witnesseth the Prophet Dauid in the 39. Psalme Prophet Malachie in his first chapter S. Paul Heb. 10. and the Fathers cited in the last chapter to this purpose But our Sauiour was not to take away all kind of particular exterior visible sacrifice as I haue proued in the 8. 9. and 10. chapters of this booke therefore the vnbloudy sacrifice or sacrifice of gifts were to be established in the Church of God in the new law 7. Moreouer the Prophet Malachie speaking of the sacrifice which shal be established in the new law saith it shal be a gift and cleane oblation Malach 1. wherevpon Lactantius who liued about the yeare 290. in the 25. chapter of his 6. book of diuine institutions sayth There are two things which ought to be offered vnto God gifts and sacrifice gifts for euer sacrifice for a tyme with whom agree the ancient Fathers cited before in the last chapter and many more who shal be cited here after in the ensuing chapters 8. And as for the time when our Sauiour was Our Sauiour at his last Supper offered gifts to God to offer the sacrifice of gifts or vnbloudy sacrifice and to establish it in his Churche it must needs be then when he changed the Sacrament of the old law and instituted the Priests of the new which was at his last Supper as appeareth by Iudas Iscariot who vvas a Priest and Bishop as witnesseth S. Peter Act. 1. 20. And yet could not be made before the last Supper nor yet after seeing that presently after the last Supper hee went forth and betrayed our Lord Luc. 22. and no man euer made a Priest or Bishop but he instructed him what he was to doe Secondly our aduersaryes in the book of their consecration of Priests doe coÌ„fesse that the consecration and administration of the Sacrament of the new law doth belong vnto the office of the Priests of the new lavv but at the last Supper our Sauiour not only consecrated and administred the Sacrament of the new law himselfe as our aduersaries confesse but also gaue vnto the Apostles authoritie to consecrate and administer the Sacrament of the new law saying Do this the same which he then did for a commemoration of me and therefore he then made them Priests and gaue them authoritie to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice or the sacrifice of gifts and established the said kind of sacrifice to be vsed in his Church This sett downe lett vs examine what our Lord did at his last Supper 9. First he tooke bread which was a meate or thing vsed in the sacrifice of gifts and vnbloudy sacrifice Gen. 14. 18. Secondly he blessed the bread Math. 26. 25. and so made it holy and consecrated to God as al things offered in sacrifices are Thirdly he brake it Math. 26. 26. with was accustomed to be donn in all sacrifices of gifts or vnbloudy sacrifices as I haue proued in the 1. paragraphe of this chapter
Fourthly he changed the substance of the bread into his substantiall bodie saying of that with was bread when he tooke it first into his hands This is my body and so made a change of the substance of bread into the substance of his bodie as I shall proue more at large here after to shew the power and omnipotencie of God who can change and alter things created at his will and pleasure which ostension of the power of God is vsed in all Sacrifices as I haue shewed in the 2. chapter And lastly he gaue his body for a gift to God for vs thereby to signifie the Sacrifice of our hearts and our subiection vnto him and his dominion ouer vs as is vsed in particular externall visible Sacrifices saying This is my body which is giuen for you Luk. 22. By which words it is plaine and manifest that the bodie which our Sauiour deliuered in the Communion to the Apostles was a particular gift and vnbloudy Sacrifice giuen to God for vs to signifie the sacrifice of our harts c. 10. In like manner our Sauiour at his last Supper took wyne which also was vsed in vnbloudy sacrifices or sacrifice of gifts as witnesseth the Scripture in the sacrifice of Melchisedech Gen. 13. and after blessed it as witnesseth S. Paul 1. Cor. 10. So that it was holy and consecrated wyne to God as is the wyne of all sacrifices and changed the substance of that which before vvas wyne into the substance of his bloud saying This is my bloud Math. 26. 28. To shew the omnipotent power of God who is able to alter and change all things created at his will and pleasure vvhich alteration by some change of the thing offered is vsed in all sacrifices and lastly to shed his bloud to God for vs therby to signifie the inuisible contrition and sacrifice of our harts and his dominion ouer vs and our subiection vnto him saying This is my bloud which is shed for you Luk. 22. not after a carnall or cruell manner but after the manner of a gift cleane oblation and vnbloudy sacrifice as witnesseth the practise and experience of all ages no Christian Catholik man euer affirming that our Sauiour at his last supper shed his bloud after a carnal cruell manner but after the manner of gifts and cleane vnbloudy Sacrifices to the fulfilling of the Prophecies cited before in the 8. and 10. Chapters 11. Our aduersaries confesse that our Lord at his last Supper administred the communion vnto the Apostles and it is neuer read of any sect or sort of people in former ages that they communicated together and not of meate offered in Sacrifice to God except the Epicures and Atheists as I haue proued in the 6. Chapter of this book Wherefore seeing that our Sauiour at his last supper administred the holy communion it is manifest that he offered first sacrifice in the meate which he deliuered in the communion before he deliuered it and bloudy Sacrifices being to cease in the new law as I haue proued it necessarily followeth that our Sauiour at his last supper offered vnbloudy Sacrifices of gifts and administred the communion of the same and that these gifts or vnbloudy Sacrifices were his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wyne seeing he in plaine and expresse termes sayth of them This is my body which is giuen for you Luk 22. This is my body which is broken for you 1. Cor. 11. This is my bloud which is shed for you Luk. 22. 12. And after that our Sauiour at his last supper had offered a Sacrifice of gifts or an vnbloudy Sacrifice in his body and bloud and had communicated the Apostles of the same he presently by an expresse command established the said kind of Sacrifice in his Church for a commemoration of him saying Doe this the same which he then did for a commemoration of mee Luk 22 And this doe ye for the commemoration of mee 1. Cor. 11. 24. Whereupon the Catholik anciens Fathers beleeued that our Sauiour at his last supper offered vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice of gifts in his body and bloud and therefore sometymes call the Sacrifice of the new law Gifts sometymes vnbloudy sacrifice as all one thing as I will shew more at large in the next chapter CHAP. XII The ancient Fathers beleeued that our Lord at his last supper offered vnbloudie sacrifice in his body and bloud and established the same in his Church 1. FIrst all the Catholick ancient Fathers were The Fathers Bishops or Priests either Bishops or Priests or both and either daily or often vsed and practised Liturgies or publick Church seruice books which teach the offering of vnbloudie Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord in their Churches and the administration of the Sacrament as the protestant Bishops and ministers of England vse the book of the order for the administration of the Lords supper in their Churches so they could not but beleeue and teach that our Lord at his last supper offered vnbloudie Sacrifice or Sacrifice of gifts in his body and No antient books of the administatiō of the Communion but teach vnbloodie Sacrifice bloud and established the same in his Church vnlesse our aduersaries will make them atheists and hypocrites to say and doe one thing and beleeue another For there neither is nor euer was before the rebellion of Luther amongst anie sect or sort of Christians reputed heretickes to both parties only excepted any book of the administration of the holie communion but those which teach how to offer vnbloudie Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and how to administer the communion in the same 2. This is first manifest by the practise and proceeding of our Aduersaries themselues Protestant Bishops and Priests are nevve inuentions who vvhen they did resolue in the 2. yeare of King Edvvard the sixt a child to forsake the Catholique Religion and faith in this point and to haue a Religion vvherein there should be noe offering of vnbloudie Sacrifice or receauing the bodie and bloud of our Lord from the hand of a Priest or Altar could not finde before the time of the Rebellion of Luther anie one Bishop or Priest who had taken such orders or was ordayned a Bishop or Priest of such a Religion knowne and reputed hereticks to both parties onely excepted by whom they could or might haue such Bishops and Priests made nor yet anie book in the whole Christian world in the ages before Luther where in they might or could finde the formes or manner of making and consecrating such kind of Bishops or Priests But seeing they would needs haue such a kinde of Bishops and Priests and such a kinde of Religion they were forced to inuent a new forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops and Priests conformable vnto their desyres as appeareth by their book intituled The forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons 3. And this
their forme and manner of making those their Bishops Priests and Deacons is so dissonant from all the manners and formes vsed before the rebellion of Luther that in the 36. Article of their owne religion established by act of Parliament they confesse that this their said booke is a booke Lately sett forth in the time of Edward the fixt and confirmed at the same time by authoritie of Parliament and neuer before either The making of Protestat Clergie a late inuentiō set forth or confirmed by anie Councell or Parliament but then diuised as witnesseth the statute it selfe of the 3 and 4 yeare of Edward the sixt in the 12 act saying Be it enacted by the Kinges Highnes c. that such forme and manner of making Protestant Clergie deuised in the time of Edvvard the sixt and consecrating of Archbishops Bishops Priests Deacons and other Ministers of the Church as by six other men of this Realme learned in Gods law by the Kings Maiestie to be appointed and assigned or by the most number of them shal be deuised for that purpose and sett forth vnder the great Seale of England before the first daie of Aprill next coming shall by vertue of this act be lawfully exercised and vsed and none other anie other statute law or vsage to the contrarie in anie wise notwithstanding Thus this statute whereby we see that before the time of Edward the sixt all the Archbishops Bishops Priests c. were so ordained to offer vnbloudy Sacrifices in the bodie and bloud of our Lord that our aduersaires could not finde a forme or manner of making Archbishops Bishops Priests and who should not offer vnbloody sacrifice but were forced to inuent and deuise as the statute saith a new one and this so contrarie to the 3. Creeds and promises of God vnto his Church that Thomas Rogers a Protestant Glosser vpon the articles of their Religion in his book intituled The English Creed at the end of the 36. article ingeniously The Protestant Clergie no Catholiques confesseth that this article of the consecration of Protestant Archbishops Bishops Priests c. is noe article of the Catholique Church as a thing no where to be found amongst Catholique Christians but then deuised by Protestants 4. And after that they had deuised a forme and manner of making Archbishops Bishops Priests c who should not offer Sacrifice in all the ages before Luther except only knowne and reputed heretickes atheists and Epicures to both parties they could not finde a book where the office of these kind of men was sett downe without offering of sacrifice but were also forced to inuent a new book of offices for their said Bishops and Priests called The order for the administration of the Lords supper neuer heard of to haue been vsed amongst anie sort of men before Luther except aboue excepted as witnesseth the said book or Order for the administration of the Lords supper sett downe in the end of their booke of common praier and the statutes of the 5. and 6. yeare of Edward the sixt and first yeare of Queen Elizabeth and experience it selfe our aduersaries not being able to finde anie such book sett forth for the administration of anie Lords supper amongst anie sect or sort of men from the beginning of the world vntill the rebellion of Luther knowne and reputed heretickes atheists and Epicures to both parties onely excepted 5. The Apostles themselues beleeuing that our Lord ordained them Bishops and Priests to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice of Giftes in his bodie and bloud for a commemoration of The forme of making Bishops and Priests set dvvne by the Apostles him sett forth also a forme or manner of consecrating other Bishops and Priests to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice of Giftes in his body and bloud for a commemoration of him in the 8. booke of their constitutions where in the consecration of a Bishop the Consecrator saith Giue vnto him that is consecrated ô Allmightie Lord by thy Christ the participation of the holie Ghost that he may haue power to remitt sinnes according to thy command and of loosing all bands according to the power which thou hast giuen vnto the Apostles and of pleasing thee in meekenes and puritie of heart by offering vnto thee alwaies without fault and without sinne a pure and vnbloudie Sacrifice which by Christ thou hast established the misterie of the new Testament as a fragrant smell of sweetenes For as the Apostles saie in the last chapter of their said booke The only begotten Christ did not take this honor to himselfe but was instituted a cheef Priest by his Father who being made man for our sakes and offering a spirituall host his spirituall bodie to his God and Father before his passion and ordained vs onlie that we should doe the same when there were others with vs whereof some also beleeued in him but whosoeuer doth beleeue was not forth with made a Priest or obtained the degree of Episcopall dignitie And we offering a pure and vnbloudie Sacrifice as our Lord ordained haue chosen Bishops Priests and seauen Deacons Thus the Apostles in their constitutions and for the proofe of their authenticalnes I referr you to the preface of Franciscus Turrianus sett before them The forme and manner of making or consecrating Bishops and Priests thus established there was neuer anie Catholick Priest ordained who was not ordained to offer vnbloudie Sacrifice or sacrifice of guifts in the bodie and bloud of our Lord as witnesse all the Pontificals or bookes sett forth for the ordayning of Bishops and Priests in the Church of God nor ever a catholique Bishop or Priest who had not for office the offering of vnbloudie Sacrifice or sacrifice of guifts in the Church of God Whereupon S. Basill Bishop of Capadocia as witnesseth Amphilochius in his life desired of God that he would giue him wisdome and vnderstanding to write a Liturgie or publicke Church-seruice booke with his owne hand wherin he might offer vnbloudie Sacrifice to God and continueing in his praier our Lord appeared vnto him in a vision and saied According to thy petition let thy mouth be filled with praise in such sort as by thy proper wordes thou maiest offer vnbloudy Sacrifice Againe in his Anaphora he praieth saying Thou ô Lord make vs worthie that wee maie stand before thee with a pure heart and minister vnto thee and may offer vnto thee this reuerend and vnbloudy Sacrifice for the remission of our sinnes 6 So likewise S. Chrisostome Bishop of Constantinopole not only in his Liturgie praieth vnto God that he may assist at his fearefull Sanctuarie and finish the vnbloudie Sacrifice without offence but also affirmeth that Christ as Lord of all hath deliuered vnto vs the celebration of this solemne and vnbloudie Sacrifice And sometimes calleth it vnbloudie Sacrifice sometimes guifts which was so extended all ouer that world in his time that in his homily vpon the 95. Psal he saith In
euerie place there are Altars as God foretould by the Prophet Malachie for expressing the Ecclesiasticall sinceritie of the new lawe and laying open the ingratitude of the People of the old law he saith vnto them I haue no will in you saith the Lord omnipotent and hosts I will not receaue at your handes for from the rising of the sunne vnto the goeing downe my name is glorified among the Gentils and in euerie place sacrifice is offered vnto my name and a pure Sacifice See how plainelie how manifestlie he hath sett forth that mysticall Table which is the vnbloudy Sacrifice c. The pure Sacrifice is certainely the chiefe mysticall Table the heauēly and most venerable Host so S Chrysostome 7. In like manner the rest of the ancient Fathers The antient Fathers agre able to the ancient Liturgies doe also call the Sacrifice of the new law somctimes guifts and sometimes vnbloudie sacrifices As S. Dionisius Areopagita in the 5. chapter of his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy saying The Bishop after that he hath shewed the guifts of the diuine workes cometh to cōmunicate them himselfe and also inuiteth others Againe The Bishop doth shew the couered guifts and that which in them is one he diuideth Vnbloudie Sacrifices called gifts into manie S. Clement in the 12. chapter of his 8. booke of constitutions speaking of the sacred host after consecration saith Wee beseech thee ô Lord fauorablie to looke vpon these guifts sett before thee And in the 13. chapter he earnestly beseecheth God to receaue the said Guifts offered for all Bishops Priests Kings and the people there presēt and the whole Church Theodoret in his 2. Dialogue saith What doe You call the guifts which are brought before the inuocation of the Priest Answereth It is made of such like seede And after the sanctification how doe you call those things Answereth The bodie of Christ 8. S. Ireneus in the third chapter of his 4. booke of heresies saith Christ taught the new oblation of the newe testament which the Church receauing Gifts in the nevv Testament from the Apostles offereth throughout the whole world to God who giueth vs for nourishment the first fruits of his gifts in the new Testament So likewise the 318. Fathers in the first general great Councel of Nice in the 5. cannon according to the Greeke copie call the sacrifice of the new Lawe A most pure gift offered to God Where we may obserue that those ancient Fathers doe call the sacrifice and Sacrament of the new Lawe Gifts of the diuine workes and a most pure guift before they were receaued in the communion as being the bodie and bloud of our Lord independant of the faith of the receiuer 9. And in like manner the ancient Fathers doe call the sacrifice of the new Law an vnbloudie sacrifice as Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea in the 10. chapter of his first booke of Euangelicall demonstrations saying We are taught by the most high Priest of all to offer vnto the supreame God throughout our whole life vnbloudie and reasonable victims sweete vnto him S. Gregorie Nazianzen in his first oration Iulian the Apostata hated vnbloudy Sacrifices against Iulian the apostata shewing the auersion which this apostata had from the sacrifice of the Altar saith He profaned his hands that he might wash them from the vnbloudie sacrifice by which we communicate Christ and his sufferings and diuinitie 10. S. Cyrillus Alexandrinus in declaratione Anathematismi 11. saith Wee offer the holie quickening and vnbloudie sacrifice in the Church beleeuing the bodie and pretious bloud which is sett before vs to be not of a common man and like vnto vs but of the word Againe in his booke de adoratione in spirituli 13. The table trulie of proposition hauing bread vpon it did signifie our vnbloudie host wherewith we all are blessed whilst we eate that bread which is from heauen that is to saie Christ. 11. And it was a thing so generally receaued in the Church of God and so vniuersally beleeued of the whole primitiue Church that our Sauiour at his last supper instituted an vnbloudy Sacrifice cleane oblation or gifts in his bodie and bloud to be offered by Bishops and Priests for a commemoration of him that three of the 4. first generall Councells which euer were celebrated in the Church of God call the Eucharist or thing deliuered in the communion the vnbloudie sacrifice as the great generall Councell of Nice which was the first generall coūcell which euer was celebrated in the Church of God saying In the time of the first generall coūcell of Nice they offered vnbloudy sacrifice in the third booke and title of the diuine table Lett vs vnderstand the Lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world to be placed vpon the table sacrificed after an vnbloudie manner by Priests 12. In like manner S. Cirill Archbishop of Alexandria chiefe of the generall Councell of Ephesus in the 26. Epistle set downe in the first part of the same Councell writeth after this manner vnto Nestorius the heretick for whose condemnation In the time of the Councell of Ephesus they offered vnbloudie sacrifice that Councell was called saying I cannot omitt this that whilst we declare the death of the onlie sonne of God and his resurrection from death we also confesse his assumption into heauen and celebrate the vnbloudie sacrifice in the Church and approach vnto the misticall blessings by which meanes we are sanctified as being made partakers of the holie flesh and pretious bloud of Christ the Sauiour of vs all Neither doe we receaue it as common flesh God forbidd we should doe so nor yet as the flesh of a holie man c. But we receaue it as trulie quickening flesh and as proper flesh of the word it felfe which was incarnate Thus S Cyrill Chiefe in the generall Councell to the heretick Nestorius 13. And in the 4. generall Councell which In the time of the Counced of Calcedon they offered vnbloudy sa crifice was that of Calcedon Ischyrion Deacon of Alexandria preferring in the third act of the Councell a bill of complaint vnto the Councell against Dioscorus Archbishop of Alexandria a wicked man amongst other things accuseth him of this as of agreat crime that whereas in Lybia for the sterilitie of the countrey wheate would not grow the most pious Emperor allowed wheates first that as he saith the vnbloudie host might be offered of it and secondlie for the reliefe of Pilgrims and the poore of the prouince Dioscorus would not permit the holie Bishops of the countrie to receaue the said wheate but would forestall it and buy it vp with great summes of money and in time of famine sould it againe at most deare rates and by these meanes neither the terrible and vnbloudie sacrifice as there it is termed was celebrated nor the Pelgrims or poore releeued Thus Ischyrion in his complaint against Dioscorus the hereticke vnto the generall Councell of
inuisible things of God are knowne by the visible and the increated by the creature and cannot in this life be well knowne or learned of man by other meanes Therefore Religion cannot stand without visible Sacrifice which may as by a signe or motiue conduct the mindes of men vnto the inuisible of the heart so to be vnyted vnto God Againe the strength of a kingdome is the vnitie or concord of the subiects amongst themselues and with their Soueraigne vnder God and by visible Sacrifice not onely a league of freindshippe and ciuill vnitie is made amongst men by the participation and communion of the thing that is sacrificed as is proued in the 2. chapter of the first part but also there passeth as it were a couenant betwixt God and them whereby they become his particular people and he their God and Protector without whose particular prouidence and protection no common wealth can either prosper or stand VVhereupon it cometh to passe that there cannot be anie perfect common wealth or well framed monarchie without the offering of visible Sacrifice to God for which cause Aristotle in the 7. of his politickes speaking of the things which are precisely necessarie to the preseruation of a common-wealth guided by the light of abondant reason giueth order that Speciall care be had of the Sacrifice to the Gods because this is the end and office of visible Sacrifice to vnite men with God and amongst themselues as further witnesseth S. Augustine in the 5. Chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God saying VVhatsoeuer things we reade to haue been commanded by God diuers waies concerning sacrifices in misterie of the tabernacle or of the temple they are referred vnto the loue of God and of our neighbour by which loue peace vnitie and concord the commonwealth is established Wherefore seeing that some kinde of exterior visible Sacrifice is so absolutely necessarie both to the state of Religion and the perfection of a common wealth as that they cannot well stand or be without them it cannot be that Iesus Christ our Lord the wisdome of his eternall Father should either establish a Religion or plant a common wealth amongst men without the institution of a daily Sacrifice as I shall shew more at large in the ensuing chapters CHAP. I. Our Sauiour at his laste supper instituted an vnbloudie Sacrifice or Gifts in his bodie and bloud to be offered to God in commemoration of him OVr Sauiour coming into this world not to destroie Religion or take awaie the honor or worshipp due vnto God and the peace vnitie and society of men with God and amongst themselues but to plant a more eminent Religion increase the honor of his eternall Father and establish a more perfect peace vnion and societie between God and men and of men amongst themselues that they myght be The end of Christs coming vvas peace and vnitie of men vvith God and amongst themselues one as he and his Father are one according to his word saying That they all may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee and they also in vs may be one Ioh. 18. 21. To effect this his vnion as soon as he had ended the externall visible Bloudie Sacrifice of the Pascall Lambe wherewith the Children of the Church were vnyted and communicated in the ould law he presētly instituted the exterior visible and vnbloudie Sacrifice or Giftes of the new Law in his bodie and bloud vnder the species of bread and wyne that his Church should not no for a little tyme be without a Law Religion and particular exterior Sacrifice or God without Sacrifice the meanes of vnitie his visible honor of Latria or diuine worship due onely vnto him or the Children of his Church without that meanes of vnitie with him and amongst them selues which he desired For after that the Sacrifice of the Pascall Lambe was ended before he arose from the table taking bread he gaue thankes and brake and gaue to the Apostles Our Sauiour instituted Sacrifice in his last supper saying This is my bodie which is giuen for you Luc. 22. 20. Where first it is necessary to obserue that our Sauiour doth not saie this is my bodie which is giuen to you as a Sacrament only to eate but which is giuen for you to God as a Gift or vnbloudie Sacrifice offered or giuen to God 2. Secondly it is necessarie to obserue that of the two kindes of Sacrifices which had been vsed in the Church from the beginning of the world the one was called Giftes or vnbloudie as I haue proued at large in the 11. Chapter of the first part and the other bloudy both which were to be fulfilled by our Sauiour at his comming who came not to breake the Law but to fullfill Mat. 5. and to perfect those things which in the Law of nature and written Law were done in types and figures of vs as witnesseth S. Paul 1. Cor. 10. and Heb. 7. therfore our Sauiour here at his last supper to shew that he instituted an vnbloudy Sacrifice Why our Sauiour said This is my Body vvhich is giuen for you of Gifts to be vsed in his Church in the new Law to the fulfilling of the Types and Prophecies of the Law of Nature and ould Law concerning vnbloudy Sacrifices or Sacrifices of Gifts said This is my Body which is giuen for you and doth not say This is my Body which is Sacrificed for you The better to expresse himselfe that here at his last supper he instituted Gifts or Vnbloudy Sacrifices in his Body to be giuē to God for vs in his Church vntill the end of the world to the fulfilling of the Types and figures and Prophecies in the Law of Nature and ould Law concerning Gifts or vnbloudy Sacrifices Wherupon the Scriptures indifferently doe vse the wordes Christ gaue himself Christ to giue his Body for vs and to offer Sacrifice is all one for vs And Christ offered himself for vs is all one saying Iesus-Christ gaue himself for our sinnes Gal. 1. Againe Iesus-Christ gaue himfelf a Redemption for all 1. Tim. 2. 6. Againe Iesus-Christ gaue himself for vs that hee myght redeeme vs from all iniquitie Tit. 2. 14. Whereby we see that to saie This is my Body which is giuen for you And This is my Bodie which is offered in Sacrifice for you is all one according to the phrase of Scriptures only to saye This is my Bodie which is giuen for you doth more fittly and properly explicate the Sacrifice of Gifts or cleane oblation and vnbloudie Sacrifice which our Sauiour as high Priest of the Order of Melchisedech was to establish in his Church vntill the end of the world according to the Prophecies Psal 109. 4. Heb. 7. 11. and 12. Mal◠1. 10. 3. Thirdly it is necessarie to obserue that our Sauiour doth not saie here This is my body which shal be giuen for you as to be giuē afterwards vpō the Crosse but which is
Crosse he is the propitiation for our sinnes who are of his Church and not for ours only but also for the whole worlds Ioh. 2. 2. reconciling the world vnto himselfe 2. Cor. 5. 19. as he deliuered his body and bloud vpon the Crosse he is Sauiour of the world Ioh. 4. 14. whervpō the beleeuing Samaritans said We beleeue and doe know that this is the Sauiour of the world indeed Ioh. 4. 41. But at his last Supper to shew that he doth not speake of the giuing or deliuering of his body vpon the Crosse or the shedding of his bloud vpon the Crosse he doth not say This is my body which shal be deliuered for all but this is my hody which shal be deliuered for you who are of my Church for to the Apostles he spoke it And likewise This is my bloud of the new Testament that shal be shed for manie vnto remission of sinnes Matth. 26. 28. And againe This is my bloud of the new Testament that shal be shed for manie Mark 14. 14. Whereby it is manifeste vnto anie indifferent Reader that here at his laste Supper our Sauiour doth not speake of the deliuering of his body or shedding of his bloud at it was vpon the Crosse but at it is in the Liturgie or Masse seeing he limiteth this deliuering of his body vnto the Apostles and this shedding of his bloud vnto manie and not vnto all 7. Our Sauiour here made and established the new Testament in his bloud saying of his bloud Our Lord at his last supper made his Testament This is my bloud of the new Testament Mar. 14. Whervpon Tertullian in the 40. chapter of his 4. booke against Marcion saith Christ established his Testament sealed with his bloud in the mention of the Chalice and Doctor Featly a Puritan in the 8. chapter of his Grand Sacriledge avoucheth that Christ calleth the cup his Testament or laste legacie But the old Testament was not made or confirmed without a Sacrifice The old Testamēt vvas dedicated vvith Sacrifice and therefore the nevv as witnesseth Moyses Exodus 24. and S. Paule Hebr. the 9. Therefore neither was the new Testamēt made or established without a Sacrifice seeing that the old was a type of the new and to be fulfilled in it 8. The dedication or making of a Testament ought to be a mans owne free act and will and A Testamēt ought to be a mans ovvne free vvill not the act of an other man or mens And the death of our Lord vpon the Crosse and the shedding of his bloud vpon the Crosse was the act of the Iewes as witnesseth the Scriptures saying to the Iewes You by the handes of wicked men haue crucified and slaine Iesus of Nazareth Act. 2. 23. Againe You did kill Iesus hanging him vpon a tree Act. 5. 30. Wherefore the shedding of his bloud at his Passion could not be the dedication of his Testament seeing that it was not his owne act but the act of the Iewes not could be his owne act seeing that it is not lawfull for any man to kill himselfe Whereby it is manifest that here at his last Supper our Lord made his Testament and bequeathed his bodie and bloud vnto his Church to be offered in an vnbloudy Sacrifice to God for vs and receaued in the communion vntill he come againe 9. It is manifest to experience that S. Paule Manifest by experience taught the Corinthians and Grecians to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and to communicate of the same for that the Corinthians and Grecians euen from their first conuersion vnto the faith by S. Paule which was many yeares before he writh his first Epistle to them Act. 18. 21. and 1. Cor. 16. vsed vnbloudy Sacrifice and communicated of the same as I haue proued in the 12. chapter by three of the fower first generall Councells that is to saie the Councell of Nice Ephesus and Calcedon which for the most part consisted of Grecian Bishopps And before anie of these generall Councells was the Prouinciall Councell of Ancyra in the lesser Asia not farr from Corinth which for the most part consisted of Grecian Bishopps of those Prouinces vnto which S. Paule had preached before he writh this Epistle to the Corinthians as of the Bishopps of Antioch Caesarea Galatia and Phrigia Act. 18. 22. and 23. yet these Bishopps offered vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord as appeareth by the 2. Canon of the said Councell which decreed that if a Priest or Deacon in the time of persecution should offer incense vnto an idoll and after recouer himselfe and fuffer constantly for the faith then he should reteine the honor of his sea and place but not be admitted aine more either to offer Sacrifice or assist at the offering of Sacrifice or holy Liturgie 10. Who can better tell vs what manner of communion S. Paule taught the Corinthians and Grecians what is the sense of these words in S. Paules Epistle which concerne the holy communion then the Corintbians and Grecians themselues who not only receaued this Epistle from S. Paule but also saw his practise and example a yeare and a half together Act. 18. 11. when the custome of Priests was for the most part to administer the communiō euery day Act. 2. 42. And amongst the Corinthians who can better tell vs what S. Paule did and taught in this point then S. Dionisius Areopagita who was converted by S. Paule not only S. Dionisius Bishopp of Corinth many yeares before he writh this Epistle Act. 17. but also was the first Bishopp of Corinth vnto whom S. Paule writt this Epistle as withnesseth Eusebius in the 22. chapter of his 4. booke of Histories yet he in the 3. chapter of his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie setting downe the manner and forme which was vsed in his time in the administration of the cōmunion sheweth that they vsed to communicate of the body and bloud of our Lord offered to God in Sacrifice as they doe in the Catholicke Church at this day saying The Bishopp assoone as he hath said holy prayers vpon the diuine Altar beginneth to incense it and proceedeth to set down a short Rituall or forme of a solemne manner of offering vnbloudy Sacrifice to God in the body and bloud of our Lord and a communion of the same performed by a Bishopp and diuerse Priests Deacons and other Officers to assist him as is vsed in great solemnities euen vnto this day in all our Cathedrall and principall Churches as is to be seene more at large in the said 3. chapter of his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and the practise of all solemne Sacrifices in everie Cathedrall Church 11. Now seeing that S. Paule speaking of the administration of the blessed Sacrament saith to the Corinthians I receaued of our Lord that which also I haue deliuered vnto you many yeares agoe when I was with you Act. 18. 11. and the Corinthians and Grecians administrated
vexation might cease and by the mercies of God it forth with ceased And in the 10. chapter of the same book he saith We Sacrifice and doe immolate Sacrifice to God only and the Sacrifice it selfe is the body of Christ In the 11. chapter of his first booke de origine animae he saith According to the Catholick faith and Ecclesiasticall rule it is by no meanes granted that the participation of the body and bloud of Christ should be offered for such as are not baptised Which he also repeateth againe in the 15. chapter of his 2. book 4. In his 1. Sermon vpon the 33. Psalme he saith The sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord This sacrifice spread ouer the vvhole earth which the faithfull who haue read the Scriptures doe know was not in the time of the old Law which sacrifice is spread ouer the whole globe of the earth And againe in his second Sermon vpon the same Psalme he saith Christ at his last Supper instituted a sacrifice of his body and bloud according to the order of Melchisedech Whervpon in his 86. Epistle he saith Christ gaue his bloud to drinke before his Passion And in the 20. chapter of his 12. booke against Faustus he saith In this Sacrament is drunck that which flowed out of the side of Christ And vpon the 56. Psalme he affirmeth that the Iewes who crucified Christ and afterwards were conuerted to beleeue in him in this Sacramēt drunck by grace the same bloud which through furie they had shed 5. And because the same body and bloud of One body and bloud in all sacrifices our Lord is offered to God in all Christian Sacrifices which was offered to God in the Sacrifice of the Crosse though after an other manner therefore S. Augustine in the 12. chapter of his 9. booke of Confessions calleth that which is offered to God in Sacrifice by Christians the Sacrifice of our Redemtion saying The Sacrifice of our Redemtion was offered for his Mother after her decease at her Funeralls And in the 13. chapter of the same book speaking of his said Mother S. Monica saith She desyred to be remembred at the Altar of God where at she vsed to assist without pretermission of This Sacrifice dispensed from the Altar any one day and from whence she knew that holy sacrifice to be dispensed whereby the hand writing was blotted out which carried our condemnation in it and whereby our Enemie had triumphed ouer vs. Thus the glorious S. Augustine and that according to the Scriptures as he further affirmeth in the 3. question of his 49. Epistle saying The sacrifice which we Christians doe now offer is not only demonstrated by the written word of the Ghospells but also by the Prophecies 6. Neither is this expression of the Sacrifice of the body and bloud our Lord found only in S. Augustine but also in the rest of the ancient Fathers who are commonly stiled Doctors of the Catholick Church as namely in S. Basil S. Chrisostome S. Ambrose S. Gregorie and S. Hierome for the Church being in peace in their times the first fower of these fiue that is to saie S. Basil S. Chrisostome S. Ambrose and S. Gregorie euery one of them sett forth books where in they expresse the forme and manner how to offer Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord with great solemnitie Fouer Doctors sett forth Missalls and how to administer the Sacramēt in the same which books are extant in print vnder the Titles of The Liturgie of S. Basil The Liturgie of S. Chrisostome The Masse of S. Ambrose and the Booke of the Sacraments of the circle of the yeare sett forth by S. Gregorie the Pope Where of the first two are printed with their works the latter are printed by Pamelius in his two Tomes of the Missalls of the Latin Fathers which Liturgies or Missalls are in substance the same with those Liturgies and Missalls which are vsed at this daie in the Catholick Church for the offering of Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and also with the Liturgies and Missalls which were before their times as with the Liturgie of S. Peter S. Iames S. Andrew S. Marke S. Clement c. as may manifestly appeare vnto anie man who shall take the paines to vew them 7. Moreouer S. Ambrose in the 2. chapter of his 4. book of Sacraments setteth down the words which at this daie are vsed in the Catholick Church in the consecration of the Eucharist and offering Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord saying Wilt thou know how the Eucharist is consecrated by diuine wordes He are the wordes The Priest saith make this oblation apply able vnto vs reasonable and acceptable which is downe vpon the figure Bread a figure of Christs body before consecration of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. that is to saie vpon the bread not yet consecrated After it followeth Who the daie before he suffered tooke bread into his holy handes looked vp into heauen vnto thee ô holy Father Almighty eternall God giuing thankes blessed broake and broken gaue vnto his Apostles saying Take and eate of this all for this is my body which is giuen for you And in like manner he tooke the Chalice after he had supped that is the daie before he suffered looked vp into heauen vnto thee holy Father Almighty eternall God giuing thankes blessed deliuered to his Apostles saying Take ye and drinck ye all of it for this is my bloud consider euery thing he saith who the daie before he suffered he tooke bread into his holy handes therefore it is bread before it be consecrated but when Christs wordes doe approach it is the After consecration the Eucharist is the body of Christ. body of Christ Finally heare him saying take ye eate ye all of it This is my body And before the wordes of Christ it is a Chalice full of wine and water but assoone as the wordes of Christ haue done their worke there is made the bloud which redeemed the People therefore consider after how many sortes the word of Christ is powerfull to conuert all things And to conclude our Lord Iesus-Christ himselfe doth testify vnto vs that we receaue his body and bloud and ought we to doubt of his sinceritie and testimonie Thus S. Ambrose explicating the manner of the consecration of the body and bloud of our Lord in his time and the certaintie there of in the Eucharist before receauing which manner of consecration is also vsed in the Catholicke Church at this daie Againe in the 6. chapter of the same booke he sheweth that the intent of these wordes As often as you shall doe this so often you shall doe it in commemoration of me vntill I commeagaine were to command a Sacrifice in the commemoration of his Passion and for that cause he immediatly addeth to these wordes The Priest saith therefore mindfull of his glorious
Passion Resurrection from hell and Ascension into heauen we doe offer vnto thee this immaculate host reasonable host vnbloudy host this holy bread and Chalice of eternall life and beseech that thou wouldest receaue this oblation in thy high Altar by the handes of thy Angells as thou hast vouchsafed to receaue the Giftes of thy child Abell and the Sacrifice of our Patriarch Abraham and that which the high Priest Melchisedech offered vnto thee Which wordes are also vsed in the in the offering of Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord in the Catholicke Church even vntill this daie 8. S. Hierome who as we haue placed them is the sixth amonst the antient Doctors of the Catholick S. Hierome of the Sacrifice and Sacrament Church so constantly beleeued a Sacrifice and communion in the body and bloud of our Lord that in the 5. chapter of his 3. booke against the Pelagians he saith Christ hath taught his Apostles this that these who haue daily confidence in the Sacrifice of his body may bouldly saie Our Father which art in heauen as the Catholicke Church vseth euen vntill this daie in the daily Sacrifice of his body Vpon the first chapter to Titus A Bishopp is to offer pure victimes euery daie to God for his owne sinnes and sinnes of the People In the 19. chapter of his first book against Iouinian Priests ought alwaies to offer Sacrifice for the People In the 3. chapter of his book against Vigilantius defendeth the Bishopp of Rome who as he saith offered Sacrifice to God ouer the venerable bones of Peter and Paule In his 150. Epistle Moyses hath not giuen vs true bread but our Lord Iesus he is the guest and the banquet he is he that eateth and who is eaten we drincke his bloud and without him we cannot drincke it and daily in his Sacrifices we tread forth the new redd wine of the branch of the true vine and of the viniard of Sorac which is as much as to saie chosen and out of these we drinck new wine of the Kingdome of the Father In the Preface of his 5. book vpon the Prophet Ieremie alluding to the communion of Christians he saith The People of God shall eate the bread which was borne in our village of Bethlem where he sometimes liued a religious life in a monasterie Vpon the 3. chapter of Sophonias Priests serue the Eucharist and distribute our Lords bloud to his People In his Epistle to Heliodorus he saith God forbidd that I should speake any sinister S. Hierome his respect to Priests thing of those who succeeding to the Apostolicall degree doe make the body of Christ with their holy mouthes by whom we also become Christians Againe in his Epistle to Euagrius he saith At the praiers of Bishopps and Priests the body and bloud of Christ is made Which eminencie and dignitie of consecrating the body and bloud of our Lord who is the lambe without spott and the light of heauen so penetrated his heart that though a Priest yet out of his profound S. Hieromes humilitie humilitie and venerable respect to so great a Mysterie as is the consecration of the body and bloud of our Lord would not venture to consecrate or offer Christian Sacrifice as witnesseth S. Epiphanius in his Epistle to Iohn Bishopp of Hierusalem translated out of greeke into latin by S. Hierome himselfe and fett downe both amongst S. Hieromes Epistles and in S. Epiphanius his workes where he saith That after he had seen that there were a multitude of holy bretheren or fryars gathered together in a Monastery and the holy Priests Hierome and Vincent who liued amongst them out of their modestie and humilitie would not exercise the offering of Sacrifice due vnto their function nor labour in this Sacrifice the chiefest saluation of Christians part of the Ministrie which is the chiefest saluation of Christians he ordayned S. Hieromes brother a Priest to supply the necessitie of the monasterie for the offering of Sacrifice and the administration of Sacraments as further witnesseth S. Hierome in the 3. chapter of his Epistle to Theophilus against Iohn of Hierufalem and Epiphanius aboue cited 9. By this which hath been said it is so manifest that all the six aforesaid ancient Doctors of the Catholick Church not only held and taught a Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and a communion of the same but also that this their opinion was agreable to the Scriptures that it is without all controuersie Before all those Doctors flourished Optatus Mileuitanus who writing Optatus Mileuitanus of the furie of the hereticall Donatists against the Eucharist of the body and bloud of our Lord consecrated by Catholicke Priests saith in his 2. booke against Parmenianus That your aforesaid The furie of the Donatists against the Sacrifice and Eucharist of Catholickes Bishopps might violate all holy thinges they commanded the Eucharist to be cast vnto doggs not without a manifestation of the iudgement of God for the same doggs becomming madd with their teeth tore theire Maisters as theeues and guilty of the holy body c. Againe in his 6. booke describing yet more at large the furie of these heretickes against the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord offered by Catholick Priests saith What is so sacrilegious as to breake raise or remoue the Altars of God vpon the which you also sometimes offered wpon which the vowes of the People and the members of Christ are borne where Almightie God is inuocated where the holy Ghost being desired doth descend from whence many take the pledge of eternall saluation the defence of faith and hope of Resurrection c. for what is the Altar but the seate of the body and bloud of Christ All these things your furie hath either raised or broken or remoued c. What had Christ offended you whose body and bloud did dwell there vpon the Altar for a certaine time What haue you offended against yourselues that you should breake these Altars vpon the which for many yeares before vs you offered as we thinke holily whilest that you doe wickedly persecute our handes there where the body of Christ doth dwell you strike your owne whereby you imitate the Iewes They cast their handes on Christ vpon the Crosse and you strike him vpon the Altar And afterwardes This wicked deede is doubled whilest you breake the Chalices the beares of the bloud of Christ whose species you haue turned into masses or lumpes prouiding marchandize for wicked fayres Thus Optatus 10. S. Cyprian liued abond the yeare 240. and S. Cyprian his beleefe of this Sacrifice he in his 63. Epistle proueth against the Aquarij certaine hereticks who were in his time That Iesus-Christ our Lord God was author and teacher of this Sacrifice of his body and bloud which in his time was vsed and beleeued throughout the Christian world as there he proueth at large and by the same places of
any other Act. 4. 14. 3. In proofe here of By faith in Christ to come Abel offered a greater host to God then Cain by which Abel by Sacrifice obtained testimony of Iustice he obtayned testimony that he was just Heb. 11. Noe built an Alter to our Lord offered holocaustes vpon the Alter And our Lord smelled a sweete sauour and said I will no more curse the earth for men and God blessed Noe his Sonnes Gen. 8. 9. Iob when the daies Noe by Sacrifice obtained blessing of feasting which his Children made were past arising vp early offered holocausts for euery one of them For he said least my Sonnes haue sinned Iob. 1. Our Iob offered Sacrifice for the remission of sinnes Lord said to Eliphaz the Themanite my furie is wrath against thee and against thy two friends take therefor seauen oxen and seauen Rams and goe to my seruant Iob and offer holocaustes for your selues and my seruant Iob shall pray for yow c. that the folly be not imputed Eliphaz by Sacrifice and prayer obtained remission of sinnes vnto you Iob 42. In the written Law God often commanded the Priests and People to offer Sacrifice for the remission of their sinnes saying If the multitude of Israel be ignorant and through ignorance doe that which is against the commandements of our Lod c. they shall offer for their sinnes a Calfe c. and the Priest praying for them our Lord wil be propitious vnto them Leuit. 4. 13. If a Prince sinne through ignorance c. he shall offer an host to our Lord a Buck of the goates without spot c. and the Priest shall praye for him and for his sinne and it shal be forgiuen him And if a Soule of the People of the Land shall sinne through ignorance doing any of these things that by the Law of our Lord are forbidden and offending c. he shall offer a shee goate without spot c. The Priest shall praye for him and it shal be forgiuen him Leuit. 4. 27. and the like is said of many other Sacrifices offered for sinne in the 4. 5. and 6. chapters of Leuiticus which manner of offering Sacrifice for the remission of their sinnes continued in the Church of God amonst the People of Israel vntill this last Supper of our Lord. 4. At the last Supper of our Lord our Sauiour did not take away out of his Church Priesthood and Sacrifices for the remission of sinnes in such Our Sauiour constituted a Sacrifice for the remission of sinne sort as that he would haue no more exteriour visible Sacrifice offered vnto God for the remission of sinnes This is contrarie to the Law and the Prophets wcich he came to fulfill and not to breake Math. 5. but translated the Priesthood from the order of Aron vnto the order of Melchisedech Heb. 7 and chāged the Sacrifice of brute beasts which were offered in commemoratiō of him for the remissiō of sinnes in the old Law into the Sacrifice of his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine for the remissiō of sinnes in the new Law to the fullfilling of the Law and the Prophets concerning Priesthoop Sacrifices and the remission of sinnes by Sacrifice offered in commemoration of him when taking bread he blessed brake and gaue it to his Disciples and said This is my body which is broken for you Cor. 11. for the remission of sinnes as wittnesseth Origen in his 35. Tract vpon S. Mathew S. Chrysostome vpon the 26. of S. Mathew and S. Damascene in the 14. chapter of his 3. book Orthodoxae fidei who all citing this text in the places aforesaid and there vnto as the true sense and meaning thereof and words of our Lord For the remission of sinnes which are not put into the Bible at the consecration of the bread because they are annexed vnto the consecration of the Chalice Math. 26. yet the Liturgie or publick Church-seruice book sett forth by S. Iames the Apostle hath these wordes of our Lord thus This is my body which is broken and giuen for you for the remission of sinnes S. Marke in his Liturgie readeth This is my body which is brokē for you and distributed in the remission of sinnes S. Basil S. Chrysostome and the Aethiopians in there Liturgies read This is my body which is broken for you in the remission of sinnes 5. in like manner our Sauiour taking the Chalice He gaue thankes and gaue to the Apostles saying The Chalice offered for the remission of sinnes drincke ye all of this for this is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many vnto remissiō of sinnes Math. 16. and then offered Sacrifice in his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine for the remission of the sinnes of many according to his words and when he had donn he established the remission of sinnes by the giuing of his body and shedding of his bloud vnto God vnder the species of bread and wine saying This doe for a commemoration of me Luk. 22. And This doe ye as often you shall drinck for the commemoraton of me 1. Cor. 11. And so fullfilled the Law and the Prophets concerning Sacrifice for the remission of sinnes by establishing in his Church that one pure and cleane oblatiō or host of his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine for the remission of sinnes in place of the many and diuerse Sacrifices which were vsed in the Law of nature and written Law of Moyses 6. And that this change of Sacrifice for the remission of sinnes might be the better known Propitiatorie Sacrifice not taken avvay but changed our Lord did not speake only once of it but diuerse tymes and said This is my body which is broken for you for the remission of sinns as wittnes the Liturgies before cited and S. Damascene in the 14. chapter of his 3. booke Orthodoxae fidei and also said This is my body vhich shal be broken or deliuered for you for the remission of sinnes as wittnes Origen and S. Chrysostome in the places before cited And this diuersitie of words our Lord vsed Propitiatorie Sacrifice commanded to expresse that he both then broke his body to God for the remission of sinnes and also commanded that it and no other body should be broken to God for vs for the remission of sinnes in his Church and so made voyde all the Sacrifices of the old Law and established this of the new and therefore also he said of the Chalice This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes and This is my bloud of the new Testament which shal be shed for many vnto the remission of sinnes as wittnes the greeke and latin Bibles for the greeke Bibles read these words in the present tense and the latines in the future tense to signify vnto vs that our Lord then at his last Supper
offered Sacrifice to God the Father in his body and bloud for the remission of sinnes and withall gaue an expresse command that no other kind of Sacrifice should be offered for the remission of sinnes in his Church but the Sacrifice of his body and bloud which we see fulfilled 7. As faith in Iesus-Christ to come and the Sacrifice of our Lord vpon the Crosse to come did Saluation at all tymes by vertue of our Lords Passion not hinder the faithfull in the Law of nature and written Law from the offering of Sacrifice to God in the commemoration of Christs Passion to come for the remission of their sinnes so neither may it doe in the Law of grace seing that Christ was slaine from the beginning of the world Apoc. 13. 8. and by vertue of his Passion the faithfull in the Law of nature and written Law were saued as they are now as our Aduersaries together with vs confesse though now the faithfull in the Law of grace haue better meanes because the Law brought nothing to perfection but an introduction to a better hope Heb. 7. 19. And Iesus is made a surty of a better testament Heb. 7. 22. which he should not be if in the new Testament he had not instituted as he did a propitiatorie Sacrifice for sinne in better termes 8. And not only the Scriptures at the institution All high Priests ordained to offer Sacrifice for sinne of the blessed Sacrament doe affirme that our Lord offered a propitiatrie Sacrifice in his body and bloud for the remission of sinnes but also S. Paule saith Euery high Priest taken from amongst men is appointed for men in these things which appertayne to God that he may offer Gifts and Sacrifice for sinne Heb. 5. 1. wherefore seeing that our Sauiour was a high Priest according to the order of Melchisedech Heb. 5. 10. it is certaine that he offered Gifts and vnbloudy Sacrifice for the remission of sinne seeing that euery high Priest did it And considering that he ordayned the Apostles Bishoppes The Apostles high Priests and his Priests at his last Supper Act. 1. it necessarily followeth that at his last Supper he both offered Gifts and vnbloudy Sacrifice for the remission of sinnes and also ordayned the Apostles Bishoppes and high Priests for to offer Gifts and vnbloudy Sacrifice for the remission of sinnes and seeing that at his last Supper there is mention made of no other Gifts giuen or broken to God for the remission of sinnes but his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine it manifestly followeth that our Lord at his last Supper instituted an vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifices of Gifts in his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine to be offered in his Church for the remission of sinnes because he then taught his Church what she should doe herin 9. And not only the ancient Fathers when they haue occasion to speake of the last Supper of our The Fathers affirme that our Lord instituted a Sacrifice for the remission of sinnes Lord affirme that our Sauiour offered vnbloudy Sacrifice in his body and bloud for the remission of sinnes as S. Clement in the 12. chapter of his 4. book of Apostolicall constitutions S. Alexander in the 2. chapter of his Epistle vnto all Catholicks S. Irenaeus in the 23. chapter of his 5. book of heresies Origen in his 35. Tract vpon S. Mathew S. Cyprian in his 63. Epistle S. Chrisostome in his 28. homily vpon S. Math S. Augustine in the 24. chapter of his 1. book De Peccatorum meritis but all the publicke Liturgies or Church seruice bookes for the administration of the communion which haue bin vsed by any nation or people in the Church of God before Luther reputed heretickes only excepted affirme that our Lord at his Last Supper instituted a Sacrifice in his body and bloud for the remission of sinnes as the Liturgies or books of the administration of this Sacrament sett forth by S. Peter S. Iames S. Marke S. Basil S. Chrysostome c. and all the whole Church of God the promises of God considered could not decaie in the right vse and beliefe of this Sacrament 10. Our Sauiour comming to fulfill the Law Our Sauiour came to fullfill the Lavv and the Prophets concerning Sacrifice and the Prophets as he wittnesseth Math. 5. and all the Sacrifices in the Law of nature and Law of Moyses being figures and shadowes of this one and only Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord as wittnes the Scriptures saying Priests that offer Gifts according to the Law serue vnto the example and shadow of heauenly things Heb. 8. 5. for the Law had a shadow of good things to come Heb. 10. 1. And all these things hapened to them in figure 1. Cor. 10. for the Law brought nothing to perfection but an introduction to a better hope Heb. 7. 19. Wherevpon S. Augustine in the 20. chapter of his book against the Aduersaries of the Law and the Prophets saith Israel according to the flesh did serue in the shadowes of the Sacrifices where with the singular Sacrifice The Sacrifices in the ould Lavv shadovves of the Sacrifice in the nevv was signifyed which now the Israel according to the spirit doth offer Againe in the same chapter he saith Our Lord hath sworne and it shall not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech to commend that healthfull Sacrifice wherein his holy body and bloud is shed for vs where of the Sacrifices which were commanded to be immolated of vncleane beastes were shadowes Whervpon it followeth that the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord was not only to be a propitiatorie Sacrifice for the remission of sinnes but also a Sacrifice of Thanksgiuing peace laud and prayse and for the obtayning of all those things for which the diuerse and sundrie Sacrifices of the Law of nature and written Law were vsed to the fulfilling of the Law and Prophecies concerning these Sacrifices 11. Wherefore seing that in the Law of nature and Law of Moyses there were not only propitiatorie The diuerse Sacrifices of the old Lavv fulfilled in the Sacrifice of the nevv Sacrifices for the remission of sinnes but also of Thanksgiuing and for peace as also vpon vowes made for the obtaining sōme good thing to the honor of God and good of personnes as is sett downe in the 7. chapter of Leuiticus and other places as also for cessation of plauges or other punishments as is specifyed in the 2. of Kings and last chapter and in like manner for the preseruation of the temporall life of men which Onias the high Priest practised in the fact of Heliodorus 2. Machab. 3. and the people of Israel for the preseruation of the life of Darius and his children Esdras and 6. chapter what Christian man can with reason deny that the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord wherein all
of hostes in the old Law and as there is one sacrifice for all the victimes of the old Law so now there is one Kingdome of all nations Whereby we see that the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord may be offered to God for the obteyning of all or any of those blessings or benefits which were assigned vnto all or any of the Sacrifices of the old Law or Law of nature because they are all fulfilled in this one and healthfull Sacrifice to the fulfilling of the Law and Prophets concerning Sacrifice 16. And by this Sacrifice appeareth the beauty The beautie of the Church in offering Sacrifice for her necessities and excellency of the Catholick Church for that dispersed throughout the world not only she daily offereth her selfe to God with the body and bloud of our Lord and commemoration of his Passion but also humbly preferreth all her petitions and prayers desiring that by the merits of Sacrifice of her deare Lord vpon the Crosse and The manner hovv Sacrifice obtaineth remission of sinnes the Gift of his body and bloud there present God would bestow vpon her Children grace and the Gift of penance for ther sinnes or the like And if they put no impediment on their part God bestoweth vpon them grace to doe penance for their sinnes and therefore saith This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many vnto remission of sinnes Math. 26. euen â—oâ— as many as put no impediment or stopp to the grace and gift of penance which should be obtained by it or to the other blessings which by meanes of the said Sacrifice they shall desire at the hands of God supposed they be expedient for the saluation of their soules wherein there should be no difficultie amongst Christian men considering that they were promised by the Sacrifices of the ould Law when grace and fauour did not so much abound Sacrifice and prayer of more force then only prayer and that our Lord saith of prayer only Aske and it shall be giuen you for euery one that asketh receaueth Math. 7. How much more then shall this be verifyed when feruent praier is ioyned with the gift of the body and bloud of our Lord and the commemoration of his Passion by which God Hath reconciled all things vnto himselfe Coloss 1. 20. CHAP. V. How our Sauiour commanded that we should giue to God for vs the same body and bloud which he gaue and shed and how all the hosts offered in Sacrifice or giuen in the communion are one and the same 1. WHen our Sauiour instituted the communion and gaue commandement Our Sauiour said not preach this or beleeue this but doe this to the Apostles to make a commemoration of him he said not as puritans would haue it Preach this or beleeue this or apprehend me in heauen by faith For it is supposed that euery one before he come either to consecrat or receaue the communion beleeueth all the Articles of his faith but taking bread he gaue thanks and brake and gaue to them saying This is my body which is giuen for you do this in commemoration of me and so commanded them to consecrat his body and to giue his body to God for vs in commemoration of him and not another body or thing Wherevpon it cometh to pass that the body which our Sauiour gaue then to God for vs and the body which euer since hath been giuen to God for vs or shall be giuen for vs or receaued in the Catholick communion vnto the end of the world is all one body hosts or things though giuen to God for vs and receaued at diuers tymes and in diuers places by a multitude of people Insomuch as all the Christian Catholick Priests who offer Sacrifice and all the Christian Catholick communicants who either haue or shall receaue or offer Sacrifice in the Church of God for as much as concerneth the hosts or thing offered in Sacrifice or receaued do offer and receaue all one host all one body euen the same which our Sauiour then gaue to the Apostles and the same which now sitteth at the right hand of God the Father in heauen though not after the same manner but vnder the species of bread and wine 2. For the better vnderstanding whereof it is necessary to obserue that these words Sacrifice Oblation Gifts Communion c. are somtymes taken in the Scriptures and Fathers for the thing sacrificed offered giuen or communicated and somtymes for the actions in the Sacrifice Oblations Gifts or Communion so when we saye that the Sacrifice Oblation Gift or Communion of all Christian The thing sacrificed is one euery vvhere though the actions be diuers Catholicks is all one we intend the thing sacrificed offered or giuen and not the actions for the actions whereby the Sacrifice is consecrated offered or giuen are diuers and many euen as many as there are men who consecrate or receaue and so the Sacrifices Oblations Hosts and Communions may be saied to be many though the substantiall thing consecrated offered and giuen in the communion be one and the same body according to these wordes of our Sauiour saying Doe this the same which he then did who consecrated his true and reall body and gaue it to God for vs and vnto euery one of the Apostles in the communion if we will beleeue the expresse Text it self 3. And this S. Paule excellently explicateth out of the 39. Psal saying Christ comming into the world he saith host and oblation thou wouldst not but abody thou hast fitted to me Holocaust for sinn did not please thee then said I behold I come In the head of the One body in place of all the Sacrifices of the ould Lavv. book it is written of mee That I may do thy will ô God saying before because hosts and oblations and holocausts and for sinn thou wouldst not neither did they please thee which are offered according to the Law of Moyses then said I Behould I come that I may do thy will ô God He taketh away the first that he may establish that which followeth Thus S. Paule Heb. 10. 5. where the Apostle doth excellently shew that when the hosts oblations holocausts and sinne offerings which were vsed in the ould Law should be abrogated and taken away out of the Church as they were at our Sauiours last Supper after that he had eaten the Paschall Lamb then presently a The Sacrifices of the old Lavv ended presently the Sacrifice of the nevv begun body should succeed in all their places of such excellency and perfections that it should be worthy and fitt to be offered to God which we find true by experience for assoone as our Sauiour had ended the Paschall Lamb and in it all the Sacrifices of the ould Law he presently took bread and brake and gaue thanks and said Take ye and eat this is my body which is giuen for you to God in place of all the
Sacrifices of the ould Law and establishing the giuing of his body to God for vs added Do this in a commemoration of me and so as S. Paule here saith he took away all the former Sacrifices of the ould Law to establish the giuing of his body to God for vs which was to follow after they were abrogated or ended 4. Though in the ould Law there were many Sacrifices Holocausts Oblations and Hosts yet in the new Law all the Sacrifices Oblations and Hosts should be but one as S. Paule saith A body thou hast fitted to me one body in all the Sacrifices of the new Law though offered in euery place amongst the conuerted One host at the last Supper vpon the Cross and daily Sacrifices of the Church Gentils as was foretold by the Prophet Malachie which here also S. Paul further signifyeth saying Christ offering one host for sinnes for euer fitteth on the right hand of God for by one oblatiō hath he consumated for euer them that are sanctifyed shewing that in the new Law there are not many Hosts Oblations or Holocausts to be offered but only one Host the body of the Sonne of God which was giuen for vs to God at his last Supper and vpon the Crosse and shall be giuē to God for vs in his Church vntill the end of the world according to the words of our Sauiour saying This is my body which is giuen for you to God doe this for a commemoration of me as S. Paul addeth vntill he come to Iudgment 1. Cor. 11. Wherevpon S. Augustin in the 20. chapter of his 10. book of the cittie of God saith Christ is the Priest he it is that offereth and he is the oblation The Christ both the Priest and the oblation Sacrament of which thing he would that it should be the daily Sacrifice of the Church which being the body of him her head hath learned to offer herself by him and of this Sacrifice the many and diuers ancient Sacrifices of the Saincts were signes that whilst this one Sacrifice was figured or sett forth by many one thing might as it were be expressed by many words and be much commended without tediousnes To this chiefe and true Sacrifice all the false Sacrifices haue giuen place Thus S. Augustin where the Sainct manifestly and clearely sheweth that Christ himself is the oblation in the daily Sacrifice of his Church succeeding in place of all the Sacrifices of the Saincts in ould Law and that the Church which is his body hath learned to offer herself by him to God in ths one and yet daily Sacrifice of his Church which is the same that the Catholick Church doth teach at this day 5. Moreouer S. Augustin in the 20. chapter of the 17. book of the cittie of God reciting this same place which S. Paul hath before cited out of the 39. Psal saith To be partakers of this table is to begin to liue for in another book which is called Ecclesiastes he saith There is no such good belonging to man as that he shall eat and drinck which we may easely vnderstand to belong vnto the being partaker of this table which the Mediator himself or Priest of the new Testament according to the order of Melchisedech doth bring in of his body and bloud for that Sacrifice hath succeeded in place of all those Sacrifices of the ould Testament which The Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord succeeds all the Sacrifices of the ould Lavv. were immolated in figure of this to come for which cause we also do acknowledge that voyce of the same Mediator speaking by way of Prophecy in the 39. Psalme Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldst not but a body thou hast fitted to me for in place of all these Sacrifices and oblations of the ould Law his body is offered and administred to the communicants So S. Augustin where he sheweth most playnely that this same body of Christ is offered in Sacrifice and deliuered in the communion vnto all the communicants Againe in his book vpon the Psalmes expounding these words of the 39. Psal alledged here by S. Paul he saith Sacrifices and oblations thou wouldst not What Christians are not vvithout Sacrifice then are wee therefore in this tyme sent away with out Sacrifice God forbid But a body thou hast fitted to me therefore thou wouldst not the other that thou mightest perfect this c. and so shewing that this body is that which is sacrificed and giuen in the communion addeth In this body we are of this body we are partakers that which we haue receaued we know and you that doe not know shall know and when you haue learned I pray to God that you may not take it to your condemnation for he that eateth and drincketh vnworthily eateth and drincketh judgment to himfelf So S. Augustin 6. Primasius Bishop of Vtica in Africa and a disciple of S. August vpon the 10. to the Hebrewes saith In the Sacrifices of the Altar the host is one and not many though it be offred vp by many in diuers places and at diuers tymes the diuine power of the vvord The Sacrifice offred by many is one though offered in diuers places and at diuers tymes doth make that there are not many Sacrifices but one all though it be offered by many c. Neither is there now one greater Sacrifice and an other lesser or one offred to day and another to morrow but allwayes the selfsame hauing equall magnitude Wherefore this Sacrifice of Christ is one and not many for if it should be otherwise because it is offered in many places there should be many Christs which God forbidd one Christ therefore is in all them places And as that which is offred euery where is one body and not many bodies so also the Sacrifice is one Thus Primasius 7. And in like manner S. Chrysostome vpon the 10. to the Heb. saith The holy oblation by what Priest soeuer it be offred is the self same which Christ gaue to his Disciples this hath nothing less in it then that All Priests offer the same oblation or host had because men do not sanctify it but Christ himself who before had consecrated that And in his 24. Hom. vpon the first to the Corinthians speaking of the Christian Sacrifice which was vpon the Altar saith This body when it was placed in the manger was reuerenced The same body vpon the Altar vvhich vvas in the manger and adored by the Magi. by the Magi who though wicked and Barbarous men by nation yet left their contrey and home and vndertook a long voyage and when they came they adored with great fear and trembling Let vs Cittizens of heauen imitate at least these Barbarous people for they though they saw him in a manger and in a cottage and not in such state as thou seest him now yet they approached vnto him wit great reuerence and thou dost not see him in a manger but vpon
Our Sauiour spoke often of this Sacrament often of this Sacrifice and Sacrament at his last Supper and Sacrament and said vpon diuerse occasions This is my body This is my body which is giuen for you This is my body which is broken for you This Chalice is the new Testament in my bloud drinke ye all of this for this is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes This is my body which shal be deliuered for you Drinke ye all of this for this is my bloud of the new Testament which shal be shed for many vnto remission of sinnes This is the Chalice the new Testament in my bloud which shal be shed for you as not only doe wittnes the greek and latin Bibles Math. 26. Mar. 14. Luk. 22. 1. Cor. 11. and both the greek and latin Fathers in their seuerall workes but also the practise of both the greek and latin Church in their seuerall Liturgies or books of the consecration and administration of this Sacrament and no where either in the greek or latin Bibles or in the greek or latin Fathers or in the ancient Liturgies or Signe neuer read amōgst the vvords of the institution of the Sacrament books of the consecration and administration of this Sacrament are the wordes of the institution of this Sacrament read This is only a signe of my body or This doth only signifie my body as our Aduersaries would haue them to saie or signifie but euery where both in the greek and latin Bibles and in the greek and latin Fathers and ancient books of consecration and administration of this Sacrament where the wordes of the institution of this Sacrament are read or alleadged they are read and alleadged This is my body This is my bloud c. 2. And though the Grecians alwayes in their The greek Bibles reade the vvordes of the institution in the present tense Bibles and for the most part in theire books of the consecration of this Sacrament and other books read the words of the institution of this Sacrament in the present tense as This is my body which is giuen for you or which is broken for you and This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many and the latines for the most part both in their Bibles books of consecration and other books read them in the future tense as This is my body which shal be deliuered for you and my bloud which shal be shed for you yet neither of them find fault with the other or reprehend the diuersitie in reading because our Lord at the institution of this Sacrament spoke often of his body and bloud and not only said that it was his body and bloud which he then gaue broke and shed to God for vs and deliuered in the communion vnto the Apostles but also said that the same his body and Our Sauiour instituted a Sacrifice in his body to the fulfilling of the Lavv and Prophets bloud should be deliuered and shed to God for vs as a cleane oblation or vnbloudy Sacrifice in his Church vntill he come to the fullfilling of the Law and the Prophets 3. In the ould Law there were cleane or vnbloudy Sacrifices Leuit. 2. 1. 4. and 5. Leuit. 5. 11. and these things were donn in figure of vs 1. Cor. 10. 6. For the Law brought nothing to perfection but an introduction to a better hope Heb. 7. 19. And the Prophets speake of Priests Leuites and vnbloudy Sacrifice or a cleane oblation to be established in the new Law as Isaie 61. 6. Isaie 66. 21. Ieremie 33. 18. Psal 109. 4. Daniel 9. 27. Malachie 1. 11. And therefore our Lord said of his body and bloud in the institution of this Sacrament This is my body and bloud which is giuen and is shed for you now and shal be giuen and shed for you in the commemoratiō of me To fullfill the Law and the Prophets concerning Priests Leuites and vnbloudy Sacrifice 4. The Grecians in their Bibles reading alwayes these words in the institution of this Sacrament in the present tense doe demonstrate that our Our Sauiour at the institution of the Sacrament did not speake of his boby as vpon the Crosse Lord at the institution of this Sacrament did not speake of the giuing or breaking of his body or shedding of his bloud vpon the Crosse but of his then breaking of his body and shedding of his bloud at the institution of the communion to the verifying of his words spoken in the present tense and the sayings of the ancient Fathers who affirme that he was then at his last Supper both the Priest and victime host or gift and both the banquet and the guest as of S. Cyprian in his 63. Epistle Origen in his 35. Tract vpon S. Matthew S. Gregorie Nissen in his Oration of the Resurrection S. Ambrose in his first preparation to Masse S. Chrisostome in his 28. Homilie vpon the 1. to the Corinthians S. Hierome in his 2. question of his 150. Epistle vnto Hedibia and in his Commentaries vpon the 80. Psalme and vpon the 11. chapter of Osee S. Augustine in the 20. chapter of his 10. book of the cittie of God and in his 2. Sermon vpon the 33. Psalme saying Christ carried himself after a certaine manner when he said This is my body because he carried himself vnder the species of bread Neither was was his body broken vpon the Crosse as wittnes both Sriptures and Fathers Iohn 19. 39. Exod 12. 46. S. Chrisostome vpon the 10. chapter of the 1. to the Corinthians and Theophilact and Oecumenus in the same place neither will our Aduersaries be able to finde these words is broken put for shal be crucified in the whole Bible for though the Prophet Isaie saie He was brused for our iniquities or as the Septuagint read He was made infirme or weake for our iniquities yet no where doe they saie He was broken vpon the Crosse or put these words is broken for shal be crucified as both one because the Scriptures saie that he was not broken vpon the Crosse and cannot be contrary vnto themselues Neither was the tyme of our Lords Passion then begun as our Aduersaries also confesse and therefore our Lord could not then saye and saye truly This is my body which is broken for you intending that it was broken for them vpon the Crosse or in his Passion 5. Neither is it any way probable that our Lord who was truth itselfe and descended down Not probable that our Lord vvould vse equiuocation in his last vvill and testament from heauē to teach men the way of truth should in the making of his Testament instituting of a Sacramēt and administrating of the communion and going to his Passion not only equiuocate and put the present tense so often for the future and vse analogie of tymes in a thing which did concerne all mens saluations contrary to the common custome
of speech and vnderstanding of reasonable men but also leaue the consecration of a Sacrament to be made or recorded to all future ages in words which of themselues should not be true 6. Neither is it any way probable that the 3. The Euāgelists vvould not put dovvne the last vvill and Testament of our Lord other vvise then he spake it Euangelists and S. Paule or any of them would haue penned these words of the institution of this Sacrament in the present tense without any further exposition had not our Lord both spoken and intended that they should be vnderstood in the present tense seeing that words are instituted to signify the reall intention of mens minds especially in last wills and Testaments in matters of Sacraments and serious affaires which concerne all mens soules and not for to saye one thing and think another 7. This Sacrament is published to be worthily receaued of all those who shall receaue it vnder penalty of euerlasting fyer and damnation 1. Cor. 11. which cannot be without a true faith and belief in this Sacrament and how cann they haue a The danger of vsing equiuocation in the last vvill and testament of our Lord. true faith or beliefe of this Sacramēt who knowe not by faith but by coniecture only what this Sacrament is or what our Lord instituted as wittnesseth experiēce For when our Aduersaries saie that these words of the institution of this Sacrament This is my body which is broken for you are to be vnderstood thus This is a signe of my body which shal be crucifyed for you how doe they knowe that these words a body is taken in this place for a signe of a body is for shall and broken for crucifyed but by a meere coniecture seing that neither Scriptures nor Fathers nor practise of the Catholick Church of former ages doe tell them so nor yet any dictionary or lexicon in any language 8. The same greek Bibles in the same places doe affirme that our Sauiour speaketh of his owne actions about the communion and what he would haue the Apostles to doe in the consecration of the communion and not what the Jewes were to inflict vpon him at his Passion as I haue proued at large in the 1. and 2. chapters of this book 9. The greek Fathers who vnderstood greek and knew the mind of our Sauiour and his sense and meaning of these his words of the institution of this Sacrament as well as our Aduersaries doe arffirme that our Lord then at the institution of The greek Fathers affirme that our Lord at his last Supper instituted a Sacrifice in his body and bloud this Sacrament offred Sacrifice in his body and bloud as S. Irenaeus saying Christ at his last Supper taught the new oblation of the new Testament which the Church hauing receaued from the Apostles doth offer vnto God throughout the wholeworld which was the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord as I haue proued in the former chapter S. Chrysostome in his 24. Homily vpon the 1. to the Corinthians Christ at his last Supper commanded himselfe to be offred in lieu of the slaughter of boastes and in the 27. following In steed of the bloud of beastes he brought in his owne bloud S. Gregorie Nissen in his Oration of the Resurrection Christ after an vnspeakable and hidden manner of Sacrifice preoccupated the violent force of his death and being the Priest and the Lambe of God offred himselfe an oblation and victime for vs. When was this donn when he exhibited his body to be eaten and his bloud to be drunke by his familiar freinds Whervpon Theodoret vpon the 109. Psalme saith Christ did begin the Priesthood of the new Law in the night when he vndertooke the Crosse when he took bread and brake c. And Occumenus vpon the 5. to the Hebrews saith Christ deliuered the forme of his Priesthood of the new Law vnto Priests in the mistical banquet and Supper So the grecians Fathers 10. The first amongst the Fathers who cite these words of the institution of this Sacrament The first Fathers vvho alledged the vvords of the institution of this Sacrament are S. Alexander of the latin Church and S. Iustine Martyr of the greek Church the words of S. Alexander I haue sett downe in the 3. chapter S. Iustine Martyr writt a 2. Apologie for the Christians vnto Antoninus Pius the Emperor and Senate and people of Rome in the yeare of our Lord 150. or as Eusebius in his Cronikle saith in the yeare 143. In which Apologie he plainely and manifestly proposeth vnto the Emperor Senate and people of Rome the faith of the Christians in his tyme concerning the Eucharist saying These who amongst vs are called Deacons giue vnto euery one of the Assistants to take of this bread and wine and water made the Eucharist and also to carrie to the absent And this meate is called amongst vs the Eucharist whereof it is not lawfull for any to be partaker but those who beleeue that our doctrine is true and haue been washed with the lauer of remission of sinns and regeneration and doe liue according to the ordinance of Christ for we doe not take these things as common bread nor common drinke but after the same manner that Christ Iesus our Sauiour was made flesh by the word of God and had flesh and bloud for our saluation so also haue we been taught that the food whereof by change our flesh and our bloud are nourished made the Eucharist by the word of prayer proceeding from him is the flesh and bloud of the same Iesus made flesh For the Apostles in their commentaries called the Ghospells haue related vnto vs that Iesus hath ordained them to doe so that hee took kread and making it the Eucharist he said Doe this in commemoration of me This is my body And taking likewise the Chalice and making it the Eucharist he said This is my bloud And gaue them to the Apostles only Thus S. Iustine to the Emperor Senate and people of Rome in the yeare 143. or 150. Whereby we may obserue that not only the faithfull of these tymes beleeued that the same flesh and bloud which was incarnate was in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions at the same tyme in the Eucharist or communion but that this command of our Lord Doe this for a commemoration of me was taken euen in the infancy of the Church to be a command giuen vnto the Apostles and their Successors in the Church of God to consecrate the true reall and substantiall body and bloud of our Lord vnder the species of bloud and wine and that the words of our Lord in the institution of the communion which are spoken in the present tense as This is my body which is broken for you or in the future tense as This is my body which shal be deliuered for you are both to be vnderstood of his body in the Sacrifice and communion and
not vpon the Crosse as This is my body which is broken for you now and This is my body which shal be deliuered for you to God in the commemoration of me Wherevpon S. Chrysostome in his 24. Homily vpon the 1. to the Corinthians saith to the communicants in the holy communion Thou art not nourrished of one body and he of an other but we are all nourrished of the same body one and the same substantiall body of our Lord being in all the Christian Communions vnder the species of bread by the will and power of our Lord. 11. Somme also of the greek Fathers alledge Sōme greeck Fathers read the vvords of institution in both tenses these words of the institution of this Sacrament in the future tense as This is my body which shal be deliuered for you and yet also vnderstand thereby that one and the same substantiall body of our Lord should be giuen to God for vs in all Christian Sacrifices and be administrated in the communion to all the communicants as S. Irenaeus who liued about the yeare 180. in the 23. chapter of his 4. book of heresies S. Dionisius Alexandrinus who liued about the yeare 250. in his Answer vnto the obiections of Paulus Samosatenus an heretike sett downe in the 3. Tome of Bibliotheca Patrum Theodoret vpon the 1. to the Corinthians and 11. chapter S. Chrysostome in his 83. Homily vpon S. Mathew c. 12. The latin Bibles more manifestly to demonstrate vnto all men that our Lord at his last Supper spoke diuers tymes of his body and bloud and that the same his substantiall body and bloud may be in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions The Latins read the vvords of institution in both senses at one and the same tyme read those words in the institution of this Sacrament in both tenses and say of the body This is my body which is giuen for you 10. Luk 22. And also This is my body which shal be deliuered for you This doe ye for the commemoration of me 1. Cor. 11. playnely and manifestly to shew that one and the same substantiall body of our Lord both was then giuen to God for vs and shall at all tymes be giuen to God for vs when wee make commemoration of our Lord. 13. So likewise the Greeks in their Bibles Noe contradiction betvveen the greek and latin Bibles in the vvords of the institution of the Sacrament read alwayes these words in the institution of the Chalice in the present tense and the Latins without contradicting or gaine saying what the greeks read doe alwayes read them in their Bibles in the future tense Math. 26. Mark 14. Luk. 22. manifestly to declare vnto all Christians that the same substantiall bloud of our Lord which was shed to God for vs in the institution of the commemoration of our Lord the same substantiall bloud shall also be shed to God for vs in all the commemorations which we shall rightly make of him because God speaking of one and the same substantiall bloud said so 14. When our Lord said This is my body which is broken for you And This is the Chalice the new Testament in my bloud which is shed for you he spoke of the institution of his commemoration and when he said This is my body which shal be deliuered for you and This is the Chalice the new Testament in my bloud which shal be shed for you he spoke of the commemoration which the Apostles and their successors should make of him in his Church and so gaue a command not only that the Apostles and their successors should break and shed the same his true reall and substantiall body and bloud to God for vs in the commemorations By the Lavv of God nothing is to be offred in Sacrifice to God or receaued in the communion but his body and bloud which they were to make of him but also that they should not break or shed any other body or bloud but his in the commemorations which they were to make of him and so made a Law that only his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wyne should be offred to God in Sacrifice and receaued in the communion of Christians and nothing else and abrogated the Priesthood and Sacrifices of the ould Law and established a Priesthood and Sacrifice in his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine according to the order of Melchisedech in his Church to the fulfilling of the Law and Prophets Wherevpon the Apostles in their tyme decreed in their 3. Canon saying If any Bishopp or Priest contrary to the ordinance of our Lord should offer any thing vpon an Altar as hony milke or syder insteed of wine or any compounded thing or any kind of birds or beasts or beans or pease transgressing our Lords constitution lett him be degraded 15. The ould Law as S. Paule saith brought nothing to perfection But an introduction to a better hope Heb. 7. 19. to be performed in the new where Iesus is made a suerty to a better Testament Heb. 7. 22. Wherevpon our Sauiour coming to performe this hope and better Testament changed all the Sacrifices of the ould Law which were Christ chāged the Sacrifice of the ould Lavv. in sheepe Bullockes Birds c. into the Sacrifice of his owne body and bloud and therefore said at the institution of the Eucharist This is my body which is giuen for you and also This is my body which shal be deliuered for you most plainely and manifestly to expresse the change of all the Sacrifices of the ould Law into the only Sacrifice of his body and bloud and declare his prohibition to offer any thing in Sacrifice vnto God but his body and bloud and therefore said This is my body which shal be deliuered for you This is my bloud which shal be shed for you to prohibit the offering of any thing in Sacrifice to God but his body and bloud and the same body and bloud which he then offred or gaue to God Wherevpon S. Augustine in the 20. chapter of his 17. book of the cittie of God saith The Sacrifice of Christs body and bloud succeeded in place of all those Sacrifices of the ould Law Againe in the same chapter For all those Sacrifices and oblations of the ould Law Christ body is offred and administrated in the communion to the communicants And in his 2. Sermon vpon the 33. Psalme he saith In the ould Law was the Sacrifice according to the order of Aron but afterwards Christ instituted a Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech of his body and bloud And the like hath S. Cyprian in his 63. Epistle to Cicilianus S. Ambrose in the 4. chapter of his 5. book of Sacraments S. Hierome in the 2. chapter of his 17. Epistle and in his 126. Epistle S. Ephanius in his 55. heresie Theodoret vpon the 109. Psalme S. Leo in his 8. Sermon vpon the Passion And S.
Damascene in his 14. chapter of his 4. book Fidei orthodoxae 16. And whereas our Aduersaries saye that God cannot put one and the same substantiall God can best tell vvhat he can doe body and bloud in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions at one and the same tyme who can better tell what God can doe then God himselfe and the consent of all the Catholicke Fathers who haue treated of this subiect And seeing that God said it was his body which he deliuered in the communion and all Christians who liued before Luther reputed Heretiks to both parties only excepted beleeued it to be his body as I haue proued in the 3. chapter what Christian can doubt of it 17. The Latin Fathers to preuent the infidelitie of our Aduersaries in this point do also in The greek and latin Fathers alleage the vvordes of the â—nstitutionâ— of the Sacrament as our Lord spoke them their other workes and books reade the words of the institution of this blessed Sacrament sometymes in the present tense and also sometymes in the future tense and yet doe not contradict one another or finde fault at the differing and diuersitie of reading because our Lord at the institution of this Sacrament spoke many tymes of his body and bloud and so accordingly as he spoke of them they repeate his wordes and alleage them sometymes in the present tense and sometymes in the future tense as S. Augustine in the 24. chapter of his book De peccatorum meritis S. Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 1. Cor. 11. S. Ambrose vpon the 22. of S. Luk. S. Cyprian in his 63. Epistle and S. Alexander in the 2. chapter of his first Epistle vnto all Catholickes yet S. Alexander was made Bishopp of Rome in the yeare 121. And though these aforesaid Fathers in the places aboue said alleage the wordes of our Lord in the institution of this Sacrament in the future tense yet they all as it were with one voice affirme that in these wordes our Lord instituted a Sacrifice in his body and bloud to be offred to God in commemoration of him in his Church as I haue proued at large in the 13. chapter of the first part 18. And to conclude it is so manifest vnto the judgements of our Aduersaries that our Lord Our Aduersaries corruption of the Testament of our Lord. at his last Supper gaue his body to God for vs and shed his bloud and that one and the same substantiall body and bloud of our Lord by the omnipotency of his word and will may be at one and the same tyme in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions that our Aduersaries themselues cannot finde any meanes how they may avoid or disproue it but by disannulling corrupting and adding to the last will and Testament of our Lord as by interpreting my body signe or figure of my body is shall broken crucified or the like by which meanes they may proue any thing true be it neuer so false and any thing false be it neuer so true and their error heer in is so much more the greater for that they practise it vpon the laste will and Testament of our Lord when S. Paule saith A mans Testament being confirmed no man disannulleth or addeth thereunto Gal. 3. 15. And this is sufficient to proue that one and the same body of Christ is in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions in the blessed Sacrament CHAP. VII How our Sauiours is chiefe Priest or agent in offring vnbloudy Sacrifices and administring Sacraments 1. TO lett thee vnderstand deare Reader how our Sauiour being in heauen doth Christ head of his Church and chief Priest and shall offer vpon earth vnbloudy Sacrifices in his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine to God the Father and is a chiefe and high Priest vpon earth according to the order of Melchisedech vntill the end of the word it is necessary to obserue first as S. Paule saith that Christ is head of the Church himselfe the Sauiour of his body Eph. 5. 23. Secondly that our Sauiour is chief or high Priest in the Church of God according to S. Paule Heb. 5. 5. 9. So that whatsoeuer is well done by mortall Priests in the Church of God is done by his authoritie and power giuen vnto mortall Priests his ministers VVhatsoeuer is rightly done in the Church is chiefly done by Christ and seruants according to the words of S. Paule saying Paule the seruant of Iesus-Christ Rom. 1. 1. Againe what is Apollo and what is Paule The ministers of him in whom you beleeued and to euery one as our Lord hath giuen I planted Apollo watered but God gaue the increase 1. Cor. 3. 4. Thirdly that the power and authoritie of Christ Iesus is alwaies invisibly present at all the actions of mortall Priests his ministers and seruants chiefly and principally effecting and doing whatsoeuer they doe rightly or well in his Church according to his word saying I am with you all daies euen to the consummation of the world Math. 28. 20. Againe Neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that watereth but he that giueth the increase God 1. Cor. 3. 7. So that when mortall Bishopps or Priests who are rightly ordeyned doe offer Sacrifice or administer Sacraments in Church of God it is Christ Iesus that chiefly and principally as head of his Church and high Priest doth offer the Sacrifice and administer Christ by his omnipotency vvorketh the affects in the Sacrifice and Sacraments the Sacraments and by the omnipotency of his power worketh the exchanges fruits or effects they haue or do produce WherevpoÌ„ S. Iohn saith Christ is he that baptizeth Iohn 1. 33. Againe Iesus abode with the Apostles and baptized Io. 3. 22. Howbeit as the same Apostle saith Iesus did not baptize but bis Apostles Io. 4. 6. So our Sauiour said vnto his Apostles Receiue ye the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye forgiue they are forgiuen Iohn 20. 21. 22. Yet God said I am I am he that take cleane awaie thine iniquities Isa 43. 25. Isa 44. 22. Ier. 31. 34. So when Bishopps and Priests rightly ordeyned doe offer Sacrifice and consecrate the body and bloud of our Lord it is our Lord himselfe who chiefly doth offer Sacrifice according to his former words before alleaged And S. Augustine in his 4. Sermon of the Innocents saying What cann be more reuerend or more honorable then to rest vnder that Altar vpon which Sacrifice is celebrated vnto God in which our Lord is the Priest according as he said Thou art a Priest for euer 2. As God said Be light made and by the omnipotency Similitudes of Gods operation by his vvord of his worp Ligt was made and continueth in his functions and operations euen vntill this day and as God said Led the earth shoote forth greene herbes and such as may seede and fruit trees yealding fruite after his kinde c. And by the omnipotency of
his word It was so donn and the earth brought forth greene herbes such as seedeth according to his kinde and trees that beareth fruite and shall doe vntill the end of the world euen so in the vnbloudy Sacrifice and Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Our Sauiour taking bread blessed and brake and gaue to the Apostles saying This is my body which is giuen for you doe this for a commemoration of me and by the omnipotency of Gods word the Apostles and their Successors rightly ordeyned receaue power and authoritie to giue his body euen that which sitteth at the right hand of God for vs and shall haue power vntill the end of the world as it doth with the light to shine and the earth to shoote foorth green herbes and trees 3. S. Iustine Martir who liued with the Apostles schollers and presently after the Apostles S. Iustine of the Sacrament tymes in his 2. Apologie which he made in behalf of the Christians vnto Antoninus Pius the Emperor Senate and people of Rome declaring vnto vs what was the faith of the Christiās of these primitiue dayes in this point saith that The Eucharist was made the flesh and bloud of Iesus by the word of prayer proceeding from him at the institution of this Sacrament For the Apostles saith he in their commentaries which are called their Ghospells haue related vnto vs that Iesus hath ordained them to doe so That he took bread and making it the Eucharist he said doe this for a commemoration of me This is my body And taking likewise the Chalice and making it the Eucharist he said This is my bloud thus S. Iustine where he sheweth that in the infācy of the Church the faithfull beleeued the Eucharist to be made the flesh and bloud of our Lord by the omnipotency of his word and prayer spoken at the institution of this Sacrament as chief agent in offring vnbloudy Sacrifice and in the consecration thereof 4. S. Irenaeus in the 2. chapter of his 5. book of heresies saith When the mixt Chalice and the bread broken doth perceaue the word of God it is made the Eucharist of the bloud and body of Christ Againe in the same chapter The bread and wine receauing the word of God is made the Eucharist which is the body Hovv constantly in S. Irenaeus tyme they beleeued in the reall presence and bloud of Christ Thus S. Irenaeus who liued with S. Polycarpe scholler to S. Iohn the Euangelist and in his tyme when as yet some of the Apostles schollers were liuing and the actions of our Sauiwere fresh in the memorie of men the realitie of the body and bloud of our Sauiour was so vniuersally and constantly beleeued to be in the B. Sacrament or Eucharist by the omnipotency of The body and bloud of our Lord is in the B. Sacrament by the omnipotency of his vvord and not by faith only his word that in his 4. book of heresies cap. 34. he alleageth against certaine heretikes who denied Christ to be the Sonne of God the reall being of his body and bloud in the Sacrament or Eucharist by his word to proue thereby that Christ was the true Sonne of God who by his word could effect it and make good what he said which otherwise he could not doe vnlesse he were the Sonne of God saying How will it be manifest to these heretikes that deny Christ to be the Sonne of God that the bread vpon which thankes are giuen is the body of their Lord and the Chalice his bloud if they doe not saye Christ to be the Sonne of the builder of the world that is to saye his word by which trees beare fruite fountaines flow the earth first doth giue the blade afterwards the eare and then full wheate in the eare Againe how do they saye that the flesh doth comme to corruption and not receaue life which is nourrished of the body and bloud of our Lord therefore either lett them change their opinions or absteine from offring Sacrifice in these things which are before spokē of that is to saye the body and bloud of Christ our opinion who hold Christ to be the Sonne of God is consonant to the Eucharist and againe the Eucharist confirmeth our opinion for we offer vnto him Sacrifice these things which are his preaching agreably The omnipotency of Gods vvord vvorketh the change in the bread the communication and the vnitie of the flesh and the spirit for euen as the bread which is of the earth receauing the vocation of God is now no more common bread but the Eucharist consisting of two things the earthly and the heauenly so also our bodies receauing the Eucharist are now no more corruptible hauing hope of the resurrection So S. Irenaeus where we see that in his tyme the Catholiks did so little doubt that the body and bloud of Christ was in the B. Sacrament by vertue of his word that they vrged it to proue Christ to be the Sonne of God and taught it as a consonant opinion to saye that Christ was the Sonne of God because his body and bloud was in the Eucharist by vertue of his word and againe that his body and bloud was in the Eucharist because Christ was the Sonne of God 5. In the like manner the rest of the Fathers in their succeeding ages affirme that the body S. Cyprian of the change in the bread by the omnipotency of the vvord of God and bloud of Christ was in the B. Sacrament by the omnipotency of his word as S. Cyprian in his book of our Lords Supper saying The bread which our Lord gaue to his Disciples was not changed in outward forme or shape but in nature by the omnipotency of the word it is made flesh As in the person of Christ the humanitie was seene and the diuinitie laie hidd so after an vnspeakable manner the diuine essence doth poure itselfe into the visible Sacrament that men might vse a religious deuotion about the Sacraments and might haue a more simple or sincere accesse vnto the truth euen vnto the being partakers of the spirit whose body and bloud the Sacraments are 6. Eusebius Cesariensis liued in the yeare 320. Eusebius of the change by the povver of God and he as it is sett downe in the 3. book and 45. chapter of the Pararells of Damasus saith Many Priests while they are in sinne do worke the holie things or offer Sacrifice neither doth God turne awaie from them but by his holie spirit doth consecrate the Gifts sett before them and bread certainely is made the pretious body of our Lord and the cupp the pretious bloud of our Lord. S. Cyrill hovv Christ vvorketh the change in the bread 7. S. Cyrill of Hierusalem liued in the yeare 370. and he in his 4. Mystagogica saith Seeing that Christ himself doth say and affirme after this manner of the bread This is my body who euer heereafter dare doubt And he likewise
of the change in the Sacrament by the povver of God 14. S. Cyrillus Alexandrinus who liued in the yeare 430. in his Epistle ad Calosirium saith Doe not doubt vvhether this be true that the body of our Sauiour is in the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Altar Christ manifestly saying This is my body but rather receaue the word of our Sauiour in faith for seeing he is truth he doth not lye Therefore they are madd vvho saie that the mysticall blessing doth cease from the sanctification if any part thereof should remaine vntill the daie following for the most holy body of Christ vvillnot be changed but the vertue of the blessing and the quickning grace is continually in it for the quickning vertue of God the Father is the only begotten vvord vvhich is made flesh not ceasing to be the vvord but making quickening flesh So these ancient and prime Fathers of the Church of God Whereby it is sufficiently manifest to any indifferent reader that not only the true and reall body and bloud of our Sauiour is in the Sacrifice and Sacrament of Christian Catholikes but that it is there by vertue of the omnipotency of Gods word and not by the faith of him that receaueth it as Puritans would haue it CHAP. VIII How in generall our Sauiour by his omnipotency together which Priests his instruments and Legates doth consecrate his true reall and substantiall body and bloud in the blessed Sacrament 1. GOd hath two Kingdomes here vpon God hath tvvo Kingdomes vpon earth earth the one the temporall Kingdome of this world of which it is sayd The earth is our Lords and the fulnes thereof the round world and all that dwell therein Psalm 23. 1. Thother Kingdome is the spirituall Kingdome of Christs Church militant here vpon earth of which it is said The sonne of man shall send his Angells and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all scandalls and them that vvorke iniquitie Math. 13. 41. And both these Kingdomes and all that is wrought in them were miraculously at the first founded and established by the omnipotency of the will and Both Gods Kingdomes are miraculously founded word of God according to the words of the Prophet saying God spoke and they were made Psal 32. 9. and this first foundation of these Kingdomes and establishing them in their operations was miraculous because they were not before but being thus founded and established now their ordinary operations are not miraculous because God hath giuen vnto either of them their seuerall ordinary natures dispositions properties and qualitis which they are ordinarily to reteyne and keepe vnto the end of the world God hauing so ordeined and decreed by the omnipotency of his will and woord 2. For the better vnderstanding hereof it is necessary to obserue that mirakles as S. Augustine in VVhat is miraculous and vvhat naturall the 14. chapter of his 6. book of the Trinitie saith Are these things which are donne contrary to the vsuall course of nature either in diuine or humane things and the nature of all things is the common and vsuall course of all things wherevpon Aristotle in the 7. book of his moralls to Eudemon saith Nature is the cause of those things vvhich are alwayes or for the most part donn after one manner So those things which are vsually or commonly donn in either of these Kingdomes we doe not call miraculous but naturall and though the things which be vsually or commonly donn in the Kingdome of Christs Church here vpon earth be supernaturall and miraculous in respect of the things which are commonly and vsually donn in the temporall Kingdome of this world for that they are neuer or rarely donn in it not cann be donn in it without a miracle and alteration of the common course of things in the temporall Kingdome of this world as if for example a man who were no Priest in the spiritual Kingdome of Gods Church but a laye man only in his temporall Kingdome by pronouncing the words of absolution after confession or by reading the words of consecration ouer the bread and wine fittly prepared should truely and really forgiue sinnes or consecrate the body and bloud of our Lord this I saye were a miracle because these things are neither ordinarily nor vsually donne by laye men of Gods temporall Kingdome nor can be donne vnles God contrary to the ordinary course of absolution from sinnes and consecration doe supply the defects yet those the institution and ordenance of God supposed are no mirakles when they are donn in the Church of God by Priests who are instituted by God for that purpose because they are commonly and vsually donne by them so likewise if a Priest by doing any act which precisly belongeth vnto the spirituall Kingdome of Christs Church herevpon earth should bring forth a tree or plant this were a mirakle because that by the exercice of Christian religion trees or plants are not ordinarily or vsually brought forth yet that the earth bringeth forth trees and plants is no miracle because the earth vsually and commonly doth it 3. Secondly it is necessary to obserue that as all All the vvorkes of God miraculous in the foundation of his Kingdomes the workes of God in the foundation of his temporall Kingdome here vpon earth are aboue nature and naturall reason supernaturall and miraculous as the creatiō of the heauens earth Sonne Moone Starrs c. of nothing so likewise are all the workes of God in the foundation of his spirituall Kingdome of the Church of Christ here vpon earth supernaturall and miraculous and aboue the reach of humane sense and naturall reason as that God should haue a Sonne a Virgin shold remaine a Virgin and yet bring forth a Child God to die vpon a Crosse men to be borne againe by Baptisme and cleansed from their sinnes the body of the Sonne of God to be in the Sacrament of the Altar c. wherevpon S. Paule saith faith must not be in the wisdome of men but in the power of God 1. Cor. 2. 5. Wherefore seing that all the workes of God in the foundation of his spirituall Kingdome which is the Church of Christ herevpon earth are miraculous and supernatural and aboue the reach of common sense and naturall reason it must needs be that also the The institution of the communion miraculous institution of the communion which is a Sacrament and worke of God in the foundation of his Church must also be a worke of supernatural power and vertue aboue the reach of humane sense and naturall reason and therefore it should be a vaine thing to goe about to giue a reason in nature how our Lord did or doth consecrate his reall and substantiall body and bloud in the blessed Sacrament but only by similitude in the foundation conseruation and preseruation of his temporall Kingdome so by the way of similitude from that which our Aduersaries doe belieue to bring them vnto that which they
then did should not haue power and authority as The cause vvhy Protestans and Puritans deny the reall presence in the B. Sacrament agents and instruments of God to consecrate his true reall and substantiall body and bloud if it be not but because they want the Sacrament of order and know that these words Do this were not spoken vnto them And therefore knowing that they haue no authority or power to consecrat and yet resolue to be as they are not to fall into manifest idolatry and to teach the people to esteeme and adore a peece of bread for God of two euils haue chosen the lesser and therefore say that after consecration there is nothing but bread and wine our Sauiours words effect nothing the whole busines cōsisteth in taking bread and apprehending Christ in heauen by the hand of faith and be thankefull Otherwise if we should seeke to pry and dyue into by naturall reason how and when and after what manner God createth soules in the generation of men and infuseth them into their bodyes or of what substance they are of or how they being spirituall informe the body and make one man with the body what operations they haue where the will vnderstanding and memory are placed and how they are diuided seeing the soule hath no parts how the soule mooueth the body and preserueth it from corruption how it affordeth ability te see heare smell touch and tast in what gulf the memory putteth all these species of things which she reteyneth from whence they come when they are called for and where some lye hid which cannot be found when we would and how and where we find then we shall find no lesse difficulty in these things then in knowing how a body that already is may at the same tyme be in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions and species by the will and power of God 10. And if none should beleeue that he had a soule vnlesse he did know certainly and manifestly all these howe 's then few would attaine vnto the beliefe that he had a soule thoug all men should study Aristotles book de anima or what soeuer books they could find to that purpose all their liues yet what is more familiar vnto a man thē his soule wherewith he liues and mooues whereby we see ho absurd a thing it is not to beleeue the misteries of our faith vnlesse we cann certainly and manifestly know by reason how euery thing in particular is for then it were not a mistery of faith but a thing manifest to our senses whereas faith Is an argument of things not appearing to the senses Heb. 11. Wherefore as in the creation of all As in the founding of his earthly Kingdome God spake and things vvere so done so in founding his spirituall Kingdome vvhich is his Church things and establishing his earthly Kingdome God spake the word and we beleeue that they were made of nothing by the omnipotency of his word though we know not how God made them or could make them of nothing more then by the omnipotency of his word so here establishing the B. Sacrament in his Church he took bread and blessed and said This is my body and likwise wine and said This is my bloud and we beleeue that the bread was changed into his body and the wine into his bloud by the omnipotency of his word though we know not how God could change bread into his body or vvine into his bloud and putt them into so little a roome and vnder the species of bread and vvine but by the omnipotency of his vvord And as after God had created the earth and mankind he said to the earth Let the earth shoote forth green hearbs and such as may seed c. and to man Increase and multiply and vve beleeue that both the earth and man by the omnipotency of his vvord receaued vertue and power to do that vvhich he said though we do not know vvhere this power lyeth or in vvhat part or hovv these things come to passe more then by the omnipotency of his vvord so after that God had instituted this Sacrament and consecrated his body and bloud he said to Bishopps and Priests rightly ordained Doe this and This doe ye and vve beleeue that Bishopps and Priests rightly ordained haue power to consecrate the body and bloud of our Lord though vve doe not knovv vvhere the power lyeth in Priests or hovv it cometh to passe more then by the omnipotency of the vvord of God 11. Besides that vvhich I haue said in the former Chapter S. Iohn Damascene in the 14. chapter of his 4. book Orthodoxaefidei explicateth this point at large saying Our Lord breaking the bread gaue it vnto his Disciples saying take eate this is my body c. S. Damascene of the manner hovv the body of our Lord cometh to be in the Eucharist If then the word of God be quickning and full of efficacy and all that our Lord hath willed he hath done if he hath said lett light be made and it was done if he haue said lett the firmament be made and it vas donn if by the word of God the heauens haue been established and all their vertues by the spirit of his mouth if the heauen and the earth and the water and the fier and all their ornaments and man himself who is so famous a liuing thing haue been perfected by the word of our Lord if God the word itselfe willing it was made man and was formed of the pure and immaculate bloud of the holy alwayes Virgin without seede and flesh vnited hypostatically with him could he not make the bread his body and the wine and water his bloud He said in the beginning lett the earth bring forth green hearbes and euen vntill this day by the fall of raine the earth doth bring forth her proper plantes aided and fortified by the commaundement of God And God hath said This is my body doe this in commemoration of me and this by the omnipotency of his commaund will be donn vntill he come Thus S. Damascenus of the change of the bread and vvine in the consecration of the blessed Sacrament by the omnipotency of God Eusebius Emissenus in his Sermon of the body of our Lord speaketh to the same effect saying When the creatures of bread and wine are placed vpon the Altar to be blessed before they are consecrated by the inuocation of the holy Ghost there is present the substance of bread and wine but after the words of Christ there is Christs body and bloud and what great matter is it if he who could create all things by his word could conuert and change these thinges which he had created into other natures 12. If our Aduersaries will grant as commonly The spirituall kingdome more excellent then the temporall and therefore more probable to be founded by the omnipotency of God they do that God by the omnipotency of his word established
then vnderstand how our Lord would giue vs his flesh to eate and his bloud to drinke but he beleeued the words to be good which he did not vnderstand and that they should eate his true flesh and drinke his true bloud because Christ was God and Sonne of God and therefore casting of all doubts and misbeleef against this Sacrament and firmely beleeuing that they should eate his true flesh indeed and drinke his bloud indeed answered Lord vnto whome shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall lyfe and we beleeue and haue known that thou art Christ the some of God Ioh. 6. 68. 11. The reason why S. Peter answered thus was because the Jewes and many of the Disciples The reason of S. Peters ansvver to our Sauiour vvhenothers beleeued not his vvords spokē about this Sacrament who murmured at our Sauiours words and sayed This saying is hard that they should eate his flesh and drinke his bloud did not beleeue that he was God but only man saying How cann this man giue vs his flesh to eate who if they had beleeued that he was God and Sonne of God would haue made no difficulty in beleeuing that he would giue them his flesh to eate and his bloud to drinke knowing that with God all things are possible Math. 19. 26. and that there shall not be impossible with God any word Luk. 1. 37. And therefore S. Peter said Thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and haue known that thou art Christ the Sonne of God According to the profession of his faith formely made saying Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Math. 16. 16. And therefore he and the rest of the Apostles only Iudas excepted beleeued that he both could and would giue The institution of the Sacrament often repeated in the Scriptures least there might be any doubt them his flesh to eate and bloud to drinke 12. And least there might be any doubt made whether our Sauiour gaue his body and bloud in the Communion or no S. Matthew S. Luke S. Marke and S. Paule when they speake of the institution of the communion doe all affirme that our Lord took bread and blessing said Take ye and eate this is my body and likewise the Chalice saying Drinke ye all of his for this is my bloud Insomuch as amongst them all accounting both the body and bloud least there might be any doubt made of the deliuering his body to eate and his bloud to drinke they repeate it eight times in the words of institution besides other places 13. And to take awaie all doubtes and distrust that our Lord in the institution of the communion did not giue his body to eate and bloud to drinke according to his promise in the 6. of S. Iohn our Lord did not only saye Take ye and eate this is my body and Drinke ye all of this this is my bloud but also added a reason or cause why he would haue them to eate and drinke that holy VVhy our Sauiour vvould haue the Apostles to receaue the communion communion saying for this is my body as wittnesseth Alexander the first who was made Bishopp of Rome in the yeare 121. in the 2. chapter of his 1. Epistle to all Catholikes Origen in his 35. tract vpon S. Mattheuw S. Ambrose in the 5. chapter of his 4. book of Sacraments S. Marke in his publike Liturgy c. And againe For this is my bloud as wittnesseth S. Mattheuw Matth. 26. 28. S. Ciprian Epist 63. S. Hierome Epist 150. c. where our Lord doth assigne vnto the Apostles as a cause or reason why he would haue them eate and drinke of that vvhich he had prepared for them in the communion for or because it vvas his body for or because it was his bloud shewing vnto them that the motiue which moued him so much to desire the institution of this blessed Sacrament and that they should eate and drinke of it was because it was his body and bloud and that he might feede them with his body and bloud to the fulfilling of what he had promised in the sixt of S. Iohn 14. Moreouer all the people and nations vnto All nations vnto vvhich the Apostles preached beleeued the reall presence which the Apostles preached which would be to long to reckon vpp beleeued that our Lord both then did and now doth giue his body to eate and his bloud to drinke in the Communiō as is manifest by their chronicles histories recordes monuments bookes of common prayer and practise and it is not possible that all the nations vnto which the Apostles preached being so infinite many and so farr distant one from another diuided by diuerse languages principalities and kingdomes should all fall into one and the same errour as we see by experience and into an errour Hovv impossible it is for the reall presence to be inuented by any man so hard to be embraced a◠it is to beleeue that vnder the species of all litle peece of bread was the body of the Sonne of God which sitteth at the right hand of God the Father in heauen and vnder the species of a litle wine was the bloud of the Sonne of God and adore and respect them as his true reall and substantiall body and bloud when at the first speaking of it by our Lord it seemed a thing so improbable that not only the Jewes murmured at it but also many of the Disciples were scādalised to heare of it insuch sort as at the hearing of it only they went backe and walked no more which our Lord. Iohn 6. And yet notwithstanding all this can it be imagined by any vnderstanding man that after the death of our Lord all the whole Christian world without a teacher and without a master would beleeue these things of themselues and no man to take notice either when or where or hovv they fell into these supposed grosse errours as the Comike sayeth These things are not well deuised Dauus 15. And because the ancient Fathers of the primitiue Church most firmly beleeued that the Great synners not communicated vntill after many yeares of penance same body and bloud of our Lord which sitteth at the right hand of God the Father in heauen was in the B. Sacrament after consecration therefore they did not communicate great sinners as adulterers drunkards apostatas and the like vntill after many yeares of penance as wittnesseth the Councel of Iliberis celebrated in the yeare 305. throughout the Councel of Arles held in the yeare 314. can 14. and 23. the Councel of Ancira gathered the same yeare the first great Councel of Nice Can. 10. 11. 12. and 13. according to the greeke copie which they did for the great respect they had to the most sacred body and bloud of our Lord in the communion Not to giue that which is holy vnto doggs nor cast pearles before swine according as our Lord had giuen commandement Matth. 7. 6. 16. If these
ancient Fathers of the primitiue Church had beleeued that in the blessed Sacrament after consecration there had been no reall entity or quality more then is in bakers bread and vinteners wine and that by taking a peece of bread and apprehending Christ in heauen by the hand of faith they might haue receaued worthily they would neuer haue reteyned penitent synners so long from the holy Communion as sometymes three yeares sometymes fiue sometymes tenne and sometymes vntill their deaths and that in tyme of seuere persecution 17. Moreouer about 80. yeares after the natiuity Diuers accused of heresie in the primitiue Church for denying the reall presence of our Lord Simon Magus and Menander were accused by S. Ignatius for denying that the Eucharist was the flesh of our Sauiour Iesus-Christ as wittnesseth Theodoret in his 3. dialogue And about the yeare 250. Paulus Samosatenus Bishopp of Antioche amongst other things was condemned of heresie by the Catholik Church of his tyme for affirming that the bloud of our Lord in the B. Sacrament was corruptible and mortall bloud because our Lord sayd of his bloud Take it and deuyde it amongst you How sayd he cann it be incorruptible bloud if it bee deuyded and powred out As wittnesseth Dionysius Alexandrinus in his Epistle to the said Paul set down in the 3. to me Bibliothecae Patrum and may be gathered out the profession of faith set downe by the Fathers of the Church of that tyme and sent vnto Paulus Samosatenus sett down by Bini in the 1. Tome of the Councels fol. 162. 18. These things considered what shal we saye vnto the promises of God vnto his Church which The promises of our Lord made voyd if his body and bloud should not be in the B. Sacrament S. Augustine in the 2. chapter of his 1. book against the Epistle of Parmenianus caleth The thunders of the diuine testament which God gaue in promise vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob whose God he affirmed himselfe to be saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and Iacob this is may name for euer And what was sayd to Abraham In thy seede shal be blessed all nations Gen. 12. 22. What is sayd to Isaac In thy seed shal be blessed all the nations of the earth Gen. 26. What is said to Iacob I am the God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac be not affrayd c. they seed shall be as the sand of the sea to the west and to the south and to the north and to the east in Europe Asia Africa and America and in thee and in thy seed shal be blessed all the natiōs of the earth And least the Iewes should thinke that this is spoken of them the Apostle declareth what is intended by the seed of Abraham saying To Abraham and to his seed were the promises made and he doth not saye to seeds as in many but as in one to thy seed which is Christ Gal. 3. Wherefore seeing that it was promised which so great authority and published by so great a truth and now they do contradict it who wil be called Christians Thus S. Augustine of the promises of God to his Church which he calleth the thunders of God 19. What shall we saye of these and many more the lyke promises of God vnto his Church set down in both Testaments as that it shall possesse the gates of her enemies Gen. 12. The mountaines shal be moued and the litle hils shall tremble but my mercy shall not depart from thee and the conuenant of my peace shall not be moued Isa 54. Our Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the arme of his strenght if I shall giue thy wheate any more to be meate to thine enimies Isa 62. All the ends of the earth shall remember and be conuerted to our Lord. And all the families of the Gentils shall adore in his sight Psal 21. 37. In his dayes shall arise iustice and abundance of peace so long as the moone endureth And he shall rule from sea to sea and from the Riuer of Jordan where he was baptized and began to preache vnto the end of the world Psal 71. 6. The gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Matt. 16. 18. The holy Ghost shall abide with her for euer Io. 14. 16. The house of God the Church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. Goe teache all nations be hold I am with you all dayes euen to the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. What shall we saye vnto our 3. Creeds the The three Creeds not alvvaies true if the body and bloud of our Lord should not bee in the B. Sacrament Apostles creed wherein the Apostles themselues taught Christians to beleeue in all ages and tymes as an article of our faith the Catholik Church or that Church which was generally dilated ouer the world The Nicen creed which was made in the 1. generall Councel which euer was in the world by 318. holy Bishops which teache vs to beleeue that there is but one true Church and that Church to be Catholik or generally dilated over the world and founded by the Apostles Athanasius his Creed which saith Whosoeuer wil be saued it is necessary aboue all things that he hould the Catholike faith which faith except a man keepe whole and inuiolate without all doubt he shall euerlastingly perish Whē now for 1600. yeares there hath ben no Church or faith Catholike or generally dilated over the world but theirs who beleeued that our Sauiour at his last Supper gaue his body to be eaten and his bloud to be drinken and haue beleeued that they in the Communion haue receaued the true reall and substantiall body and bloud of our Lord and haue honored it and respected it as his true body and bloud as I haue proued heretofore and shall proue more all large hereafter 21. If the true and reall body and bloud of our Lord be not in the blessed Sacrament hovv could the Christians of those ages saye I beleeue the Catholik Chuch or faith when there vvas no Catholik Church or faith in those ages which held not the true and reall presence of our Lord in the blessed Sacrament after consecration and before receauing Were not the articles of our faith true in all ages and tymes since they were deliuered by the Apostles What shall we saye vnto all those promises of God vnto his Church and vnto our three Creeds Shall we saye that God hath failed in his promises now for 1600. yeares How shall we perswade men to beleeue him hereafter Or induce men to beleeue that the Scriptures are true 22. § What shall we saye of our three Creeds shall we saye that the Apostles Creed hath not alwayes ben true since it was made Or shall we saye that our 3. Creeds haue been hitherto false Or rather shall we not saye Our Lord is faithfull in all his words Psal 144. 14.
that the saying of Amen doth signify the free consent and confirmation of the thing spoken of before or propounded to be donn Wherefore seeing that both our Sauiour and the faithfull in all ages added Amen to the words spoken of the flesh body and bloud of our Lord in the Eucharist it is most manifest that both it was the true flesh and bloud of our Lord which they spake of and the faithfull in all ages beleeued it to be the true flesh and bloud of our Lord euen that which was borne of the blessed Virgin Mary for as S. Paule saith He that supplieth the place of the vulgar how shall he saye Amen vpon thy blessing if he know not what thou saiest 1. Cor. 14. 16. Wherevpon S. Hierome in his Commentaries vpon the last chapter to the Galathians saith Moreouer that Amen doth expresse the consent of the hearers and is a seale of the truth the first Epistle to the Corinthians doth teach vs where S. Paule saith But if thou blesse with the spirit he who supplieth the place of the common people how shall he say Amen to thy blessing because he knoweth not what thou saiest whereby he declareth that an vnlearned man cannot answere that it is true which is said as Amen signifyeth vnlesse he vnderstand that which is taught Wherevpon the Priest in the primitiue Church before he administred the Communion to the vulgar common people admonished them that it was the body and bloud of Christ as witnesseth Pelagius who liued in the tyme of S. Hierom in his commentaries The people aduertised of the reall presence vpon the first Epistle to the Corinthians and 11. chapter saying When we receaue the Sacrament we are admonished by the Priest that it is the body and bloud of Christ. 5. Not only in the Liturgiy of S. Iames which was vsed for the administration of this Sacrament Amen to the reall presence ansvvered by all nations at Hierusalem the people answered Amen to the words of consecration and to the Priest when he saith The body of Christ or bloud of Christ but also in the rest of the Liturgies or publik Church seruice kooks as in the Liturgie of S. Peter which was made for the latine Church the Liturgie of S. Marke made for the greeke Church the Liturgie of S. Basil made for the Church of Capadocia the Liturgie of S. Chrisostome made for the Church of Constantinople in the Liturgie of the Ethiopians made by S. Matthew the Priest representing the person of our Sauiour saith This is my body the people answere Amen Amen so we beleeue it to be and confesse and do praise the Lord our God this is truly thy body The Priest saith c. This is my bloud of the new Testament c. The people answere Amen Amen Amen we beleeue it and confesse and and doe praise the Lord our God this is truly thy bloud c. The Priest saith This is the body holy honorable and vitall of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus-Christ which hath been giuen for remission of sinnes and the obteyning of life euerlasting to those who take it truly Amen This is the bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus-Christ holy honorable and quickening which hath been giuen for the remission of sinnes vnto all those who shall truly receaue it Amen This is truly the body and this is truly the bloud of Emanuel our God Amen I doe beleeue it now and for euer Amen 6. To this end that the people might answere Amen to the words of consecration and confirme VVhy anciently the vvords of consecration vvere spoken a lovvde their beliefe of the true reall and substātiall being of the body and bloud of our Lord in the Eucharist after consecration in the primitiue Church the words of consecration were pronounced with a lowd voice that all the people present at the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord might answere Amen to the confirming and professing of their faith which continued as it seemeth vntill about the yeare 700. about which tyme diuerse men reteyning the words of consecration would sing them vp and down the streets as The occasion vvhy the vvords of consecration are spoken vvhich a lovv voice they walked and in other indecent places vnfitt for such sacred words and also certaine shepheards who had retained the words of consecration by heart erected a stone for an altar and placed bread and wine thereon pronounced the words ouer them as they had seen Priests to doe wherevpon fire came down from heauen consumed the bread and wine and stone and so astonished the shepheards as that for a longe tyme after they could scarce speake as witnesseth Sophronius in the 196. chapter of his Prato Spirituali Remigius Antisiodorensis in his exposition of the Masse and Alcuinus in his book De diuinis officijs for remedy whereof and such like prophanesse the latin Church hath brought vp the custome to pronounce the sacred words of consecration with a lowe though a distinct voice Yet neuer thelesse euen vntill this day when the Priest doth communicate himselfe before he receaue houlding the Eucharist in his handes he saith The body of our Lord Iesus-Christ keepe my soule to euerlasting lyfe Amen and after communicateth himselfe And when he communicateh any other before he deliuer the Eucharist he holdeth it in his hāds and saith The body of our Lord Iesus-Christ keepe thy soule to life euerlasting Amen 7. In the Liturgie or Masse of S. Ambrose sett forth for the Church of Milan the Priest publikely sheweth the consecrated host vnto the communicants and saith with a lowde voice The body of Christ and the people before they receaue in confirmation that they beleeue it to be the body before it be deliuered vnto them and to professe their faith in this point answere Amen The same custome was vsed also in the administration of the chalice when the Communion was distributed in both kinds as appeareth by the 49. question of a book dedicated to Orosius by some attributed to S. Augustine which saith that before the Priest administrated the Chalice vnto those who communicated in both kinds he said The bloud of our Lord Iesus-Christ and he that communicated in profession of his faith that he beleeued it to be the very bloud of our Lord independant of his faith and before he communicated answered Amen So the whole Church of God hauing at all tymes euen from the first foundation thereof by the Apostles vsed publik acclamation in the confirmation of their beliefe of the reall presence of the body and bloud of our Lord in the Eucharist before receauing and independant of the faith of the receauer I leaue it to the discretion of every vnderstanding man to thinke how absurd it is now after 1600. yeares for any man who desireth to beare the name of a Christian to deny it 8. Moreouer the Catholik Church hath alwayes had so great a care to preserue in all her
The decree of Apostles that none should receaue vvithout ansvvering Amen children the beliefe of the true reall and substantiall body of our Lord in the Eucharist before receauing that the Apostles amongst other things decreed that none should receaue the Eucharist without professing it to be the body and bloud of Christ by answering Amen to the Priest or Deacon when he calleth the Eucharist before receauing the body or bloud of Christ as witnesseth S. Clement in the 13. chapter of his 8. book of Apostolicall constitutions saying Lett the Bishopp deliuer the oblation to the people saying The body of Christ and lett him who receaueth it saye Amen but lett the Deacon hold the chalice and administring it vnto others lett him saye the bloud of Christ the chalice of life and he who doth drink it lett him saye Amen Thus the Apostles whereby we see that this answere of Amen by the people vnto the Priest affirming the Eucharist to be the body and bloud of Christ before receauing is an Apostolicall constitution conformable to the words of our Lord saying Amen Amen I say vnto you vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you If the Sonne of God affirme vnder Amen Amen that the meate he would giue should be his flesh and the drinke his bloud what are the Sonnes of men who deny it but deceaued people 9. This practise of the profession of the body and bloud of our Lord to be in the Eucharist before receauing by the common people being thus established in the Church by the Apostles it cōtinued as a generall custome amognst the laiety and whole Church in succeding ages as witnesseth S. Iustine Martyr in his second Apologie to S. Iustine Martyr of the ansvvering Amen the Emperour Antoninus Pius the Senate and people of Rome who setting down the manner and custome which the Christians vsed in their Communion saith At the end of prayers we salute one an other with a kisse Then is offred vnto him who is chiefe amongst the bretheren bread and a cupp mixt with wine and water which after that he hath receaued he giueth praise and glory to the Parent of all things in the name of the Sonne and holy ghost and giueth thanks a good space that he is esteemed by him worthy of these things which being rightly performed or finished all the people which are present doe giue the blessing to the prayers and thanks-giuing saying Amen And Amen in the Hebrew tongue is as much as to saye be it donn After that both the Prelats haue giuen thanks and all the people haue giuen their blessing by saying Amen those who amongst vs are called Deacons giue vnto euery one that is present c. And we take it to be the flesh and bloud of Iesus-Christ Thus S. Iustine who liued with the Apostles schollers whereby it appeareth that euen from the first plantation of the Church of Christ vpon earth amongst the nations the laiety and common people vsed to aswere Amen to the blessing and consecration of the Eucharist thereby publikly to declare that they most firmely beleeued it to be the body and bloud of Christ independant of the faith of the receauer 10. Not longe after S. Iustine Martyr liued Dionysius Alexandrinus who in his Epistle to Xistus Dionysius Alexandrinus Bishop of Rome recorded by Eusebius in the eight chapter of his 7. book of histories maketh mention of the answering Amen to the words of thanks-giuing and consecration by the laiety and common people saying that a certaine brother who had for a longe tyme been esteemed a faithfull man amongst them and receaued the Communion because he had been baptized by wicked heretiks with teares and sorrow desired of him that he might be baptized againe according to the custome of the Catholik Church Which verily saith he I durst not doe but tould him that the daily Communion whereof he did participate with the faithfull was of force sufficient to purge his soule for he who had heard the thanks-giuing he who together with the rest had pronounced Amen he who had approched to the table who had stretched forth his hands to receaue that holy foode who had receaued it who had been for so longe a tyme partaker of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus-Christ I durst not wholy renew his Baptisme Thus S. Dionisius 11. S. Cirill of Hierusalem in his 5. Catechesis S. Cirill of Hier. maketh also mention of this custome saying Thou presenting thy-self to the Communion doest not come with thy handes extended or thy fingers open but making thy left hand serue to thy right as a seate or throne as he who ought to receaue the king and contracting together the palme of thy hand receaue the body of Christ answering Amen And after thou hast sanctifyed thine eyes by the touching of the holy body receaue or be partaker of it with confidence vsing great eare that thou loose none of it for all that thou doest loose account it as the losse of one of thy proper members c. Hauing communicated the body of Christ present thy-selfe to the chalice of his bloud not stretching forth thy hands but incline in manner of adoration or worshipp saying Amen and this donn sanctify thy-selfe and participate of Christ Thus S. Cirill For the better vnderstanding whereof it is to be noted that the Grecians receaued the body of our Lord into the palmes of their left hands and covred it with the right and so the left hand was as a seate or throne to the blessed Sacrament vntill the communicant receaued it which he did not presently but after some pious meditation or considerations yet at the deliuring of the Eucharist into the palme of his hand the Priest said according to the constitutions of the Apostles The body of Christ and he who receaued it answered Amen and afterwards communicated himselfe 12. S. Ambrose also in the fift chapter of his 4. book of Sacraments affirmeth that it was the custome S. Ambrose of all those who receaued to professe the Eucharist to be the body of our Lord his words are these It was truly a great and venerable thing that God rayned Manna to the Iewes from heauen but vnderstand which is greater Manna from heauen or the body of Christ The body of Christ certainly who is the inlarger of heauen c. Therefore thou doest not say Amen in vaine when thou takest it now confessing in spirit that thou receauest the body of Christ The Priest saieth vnto thee The body of Christ and thou saiest Amen that is to saie true That which thy tongue doth confesse lett thy affection hould 13. S. Leo also the great speaking of this answering S. Leo. by Amen to the Eucharist when it was called the body of Christ in his 6. Sermon of Fasting in the 7. Month saith Seeing that our Lord doth say If you doe not eate the flesh of