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
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
shal be a cleane oblation and not cleane oblations and so is the sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of our lord one and the same cleane oblation though offered in sacrifice by the Gentils conuerted vnto Christianitie in Europe Asia Africa and America our Sauiour not hauing manie bodies but one 8. Eightly the Prophet sayth That by occasion of this Sacrifice The name of God shal be great The name of God great by occasion of this sacrifice amongst the Gentils conuerted vnto Christianitie And what greather Sacrifice can there be then this where the sonne of God is offered in sacrifice for man and man liuing in this exile may receaue and communicate God his creator Seing that herein doth wonderfully appeare the charitie or vnitie of God with Christian men and his omnipotencie wisedome goodnes or mercie Wherevpon S. Marke the Euangelist who planted the Churche of Alexandria in the Liturgie or publick Churche booke which he made for the Churche of Alexandria fett downe in the first to me of Bibliotheca Patrum saith We offer vnto thee ô Lord this reasonable and vnbloudy worshipp of Latria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which to thee ô God all nations do offer from the rising of the sunne to the going downe from the north vnto the south-all the Gentils and in cense and sacrifice and oblation is offered to thy name in euery place 9. And in lyke manner the ancient Fathers vnderstood this prophecie of Malachie to be spoken The Fathers vnderstand the prophecie of Malachie to be spoken of the Christian sacrifice of the Sacrifice of the Christians as Iustine martyr in his dialogue with Triphon who liued in the yeare 150. after the natiuitie of our Sauiour alleadging this place sayth Then the Prophet foretould of the Sacrifices of the Gentils which are offered in euery place S. Cyprian in his first book against the Iewes and 16. chapter allegeth this place to proue that the old Sacrifices of the Iewes should be made voyd and the Sacrifice of the new law established saying That the old Sacrifice should cease and the new be celebrated which appeares by the first chapter of Isaie Psalme 49. and Malachie the first saying I haue no will in you saith the lord and I will not receaue Sacrifice from your handes for from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe my name is glorified amongst the Gentils and in euery place the sent of incense is offered to my name and a pure or cleane Sacrifice for my name is great amongst the Gentiles sayth the Lord. Thus S. Cyprian against the Iewes S. Ireneus who liued with S. Polycarpe scholler to S. Iohn Euangelist alledging this place saith of our Sauiour He tooke bread and gaue thankes saying This is my body c. and taught the new oblation of the new testament which the Church receauing from the Apostles offereth to God in all the world wherof Malachie foretould 10. S. Chrisostome in his commentarie vpon the 95. Psalme cyting this text of Malachie sayeth Behold how excellently how perspicuously he hath sett fourth and described the mysticall table which is the vnbloudy host Eusebius in his 1. booke of Euangelicall demonstrations chap. 10. alledgeth this place to proue that we ought to offer sacrifice in the new lawe saying We Sacrifice after a new manner according to the new Testament a pure host 11. S. Augustine in his Oration against the Iewes sayeth What will you answer to this open your eies at the last and see the sacrifice of the Christians offered to the God of Israel from the rising of the sunne to the going downe not in one place as it was appointed for you but in euerie place And the lyke he hath in his 18. booke cap. 35. of the Cittie of God saying Malachie prophetizing of the Church which now we see propagated by Christ in the person of God most plainly saith vnto the Iewes I haue no will in you I will not receaue gifts at your handes for from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe great is my name among the Gentils and in euerie place there shal be sacrificing and offered vnto my name a cleane oblation because my name is great amongst the Gentils Now we may see this sacrifice offered vnto God by the Priesthood of Christ according to the order of Melchisedech in euery place from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe and the sacrifice of the Iewes vnto whom it was sayed I haue no will in you and gifts I will not receaue at your handes to haue most manifestly ceased Wherfore doe they expect another Christ when they see that which they reade in the Prophet to be fulfilled and could not be fulfilled but by him Thus Augustine And the lyke is affirmed by manie more of the ancient Fathers cyted at large by Coccius in his 6. booke and 6. article 12. And this is sufficient to shew that at the coming of the Messias all the sacrifices of the old law should cease which we finde true by experience and that a cleane vnbloudy sacrifice was to be offered euery where amongst the conuerted Gentiles which also we finde true by experience and to denie this where to ouerthrowe the ancient Fathers arguments against the Iewes so manifest it is that a cleane vnbloudy sacrifice was at the coming of the Messias to be offered euery where amongst the Christians that without denying the arguments the ancient Fathers vsed agaynst the Iewes it can not be deneyd CHAP. XI By the distinction of bloudy and vnbloudy Sacrifices is proued that our Sauiour at his last supper offered vnbloudy Sacrifice in his body and bloud 1. FRom the beginning of the Church of God vpon earth there hath been two kinds of Tvvo kindes of visible sacrifices from the beginning speciall visible Sacrifices offered vnto God th' one bloudy by carnall effusion of bloud out of the veines of some liuing thing th' other vnbloudy which had no such carnall effusion of bloud but in some resemblance as by pouring out of wine or by deuiding the thing offered to God as we read in Gen. 35. and 14. and Leuit. 2. 1. 6. and 14. and both the bloudy and vnbloudy sacrifices were offered vnto God in his Churche euen from the beginning of his Church vpon earth for Abel offered a bloudy sacrifice Caine an vnbloudy Gen. 4. 3. 4. Melchisedech an vnblouddie Gen. 14. 18. Iacob offered both Gen. 35. 14. Gen. 46. 1. In the law of Moyses there were many bloudy Sacrifices ordeyned Leuit. 1. 3. and also diuers vnbloudy Leuit. 2. 1. and 4. and 5. and 14. Leu 5. 11. Vnbloudy sacrifices called gifts 2. The vnbloudy sacrifices were commonly called giftes as Cain offered of the fruits of th' earth gifts to our lord Gen. 4. 3. But to Cain and his gifts God had not respect Gen. 4. 5. Againe If thou offer a gift of the first fruit of thy corne to our lord of the eare being yett greene thou shalt
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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