present in particular before him in the moment of his eternity did see most distinctly and prouide most infallibly for them to eate this heaueÌ„ly Eucharist euery time that in particular Luke 12 they did coÌ„municate for if a haire fall not from their heades without his care and prouidence much lesse this angelicall foode falleth from heauen into their hearts But what confusion may it bee to vs when wee make reflection vppon our selnes to call to minde howe greene our loue is to God no blossomes aÌ„ppeare it scares as yet is budded Alas our hatred and iniquity is grayer headed then our loue and amity for first wee beganne to hate him then to loue him to proclaime open warres then to sue for friendshippe and in the verie first instant wee came into this worlde wee stood at defiance with him that made the worlde Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus Psal â—50 sum in peccatis concepit me mater mea Lo in iniquity I am conceiued and my mother conceiued me in sinne sayde one of Gods canonized Prophets and therfore wee may well bee compared to Vipers who breake theyr mothers side and rent her in peeces before they be hatched Is this the first fruits of our life to repay the benefit of our being with dispight Ah pereat dies in qua natus sum Lette the day Ioâ— 1 perish wherein I was borne cursed bee that day I was conceiued to bee an enemie to my God O that it were not to be numbred among the daies of the yeare But Matth. 20. what remedy now we haue all been Gods ancient enemies lette vs novv beginne to bee his friendes and since wee come in the last houre lette vs recompence with feruour that wee lost with lingering and alvvaiescrie in our hearts Heu bonitas antiqua sero te delexi O old goodnesse too late I haue loued thee and for this auncient loue to God the father which wee receiue in this sacrament in recompence of our long stay and imperfection Second Puritie THe eyes of Christ as cleare as Christall and as fierie as a flame represent vnto vs tvvo conditions of his loue the clearenesse his purity and the flame his feruour this purity of Christs loue declared the spouse in the Canticles comparing his eyes to Doues washed with milke It was not sufficient to resemble them to milke-white Doues but besides to signifie more purity to Doues washed with milke Quae lacte sunt lotae which Cantie 5â— are washed with milke That golde wee call pure which hath no other baser mettall intermingled that water wee thinke pure that is not stained with mudde that Wine wee say is pure that is not allayed with water that loue in like maner wee account pure which is not affected with any proper interest or commodity for if we discouer one that professeth friendshippe who wholly or principally aymeth at his owne gaine and lucre rather than our good will and benefite wee had rather haue his rowme than his company because his loue is impure and really hee seeketh more himselfe than his friend In this blessed Eucharist what interest can God pretend to forgiue vs our daily offences to nourish our soules to be vnited to him to instruct vs in faith to confirme our hope to increase our charitie to deificate vs to giue vs a taste of heauen euen in this life if these bee his gaines I must confesse that he intendeth interest but if all these bee our good without anie Interest of his well we may call his loue most pure and vnspotted But some will say God is glorified by this Sacrament all the world admireth his goodnes praiseth his bountie are thereby mooued to loue and serue him But what gaineth he by al this was not he as fully glorified before the worlde was made in himselfe as after warde Yes doubtlesse or else hee had not beene compleately perfite and consequently not God And therefore when wee haue doone what wee can to him wee are vnprofitable although wee be bound to perfourme all hee commaundeth or exacteth of vs. Moreouer all that we do to glorifie him is our good and a cause why he will glorifie vs therefore if he intend his glorie therin he violateth no lawe of amitie for that wee should loue and honour him as our chiefe good As pure as Gods loue is yet from our heartes scarce can hee distill one drop of puritie for suche is the best loue of all that it carrieth some sent of our imperfections not vnlike the water which in a Limbecke wee see distilled that neuer ascendeth pure but alwayes tainted with the filthy smell of a corrupted vessell wherein the hearbes are baked euen so our affections ascend in the sight of God for most parte infected with some inordinate passion some droppe of sensualitie some smoake of vaine complacence some drosse of proper interest Ah Domine imperfectum meum viderunt oculi tui O Lord thy eyes haue seene mine imperfections Psalme a hundred thirty eight those eyes so pure vvashed vvith Milke more cleare then cristall I know loath to looke into this muddie fenne of my vnperfect soule their seat is vpon the margins of flowing flouds of loue thy father and the holy ghost and aboue the little cristall riuers of celestiall spirits who purely loue thee and for thy glory serue thee How then will they vouchsafe to looke vppon such darknes accustomed to behold such brightnes how can they but abhorre the marches of death whose proper obiects are the fountaine of life Third Vehemencie IF eyes be seates of passions windowes of affections quiuers of loue darts ryuers ioyned with the fountaine of the heart it is no maruaile if Christ intending to declare to S. Iohn the force and fauour of his loue appeared like eyes burning like a flame because the fire that possessed his heart could not bee contained but required some vent If the eyes of our bodyes had put on the garments of immortalitie by which al sences are quikned and new abilities added we might reade in the eyes of Christ inhabiting this Sacrament as in liuing bookes and maps of grace the vehemeÌ„t loue which moued his diuinitie to institute this sacred Eucharist but since we cannot with the eies of our soules beholde his deitie nor with the eyes of our bodyes view his humanity let it be lawfull for vs to argue his loue by naturall and moral reason the which teacheth that wee must search the causes by effects principles by operations and according to the qualities and degrees of perfections in these inferre the natures degrees of perfection in them The experience is manifest in luke warme water in boyling water and in a gloing iron all which participate heat but because wee perceiue that one heateth more vehemently then another wee doe conclude that they all are hot yet exceeding one another in degree of heate Most true it is that all supernatural gifts which proceed from God and are imparted
ouer the effects of loue and therby discouer the origen and fountaine of this vaine of life he shall finde them most liuely in this little world of al pure loue depaynted The fruits of loue be these vnion zeale extasie bountifulnes Foure riuers al issuing from one spring and as this Sacrament and the incarnation of Christ of al the wonderfull works of God most manifestly declare his loue so it were not amisse to declare the effects ofloue in them both that the resemblance of both might render the matter more plaine yet to auoide prolixitie I will content me with the Eucharist for by this the other may be conceiued but first of all let vs see what wee vnderstand by these effectes All perfect loue requireth a certaine Vaion vnion in substance as was declared in the eight cause but for that amongest men this was vnpossible without the destruction of one or both therefore they procured all these vnions which honesty puritie of loue affect and these are to be of the same iudgements and opinions the same wills desires and affections the same table and diet the same place and presence the like garments and attire and finally to expresse one another in all things as neere as they can Zeale after two manners proceedeth Zeale from loue First zealous friends cannot tollerate any iniuries offered to their friends but procure with greater or as great diligence to defend them their credit goods life or what else appertaineth vnto them as their owne Secondly zeale cannot suffer consorts in loue and therefore experience teacheth vs what a griefe it is for the husband to haue a conceit of a riuall Extasie likewise abstracteth or haleth Extasie a louer from himselfe and causeth him rather to liue there where he loueth then indeede where hee liueth for the force of loue transporteth excessiuely his minde cogitations and affections from his owne affaires and enforceth him to attende and procure whatsoeuer concerneth his friend sometimes also it leadeth the soule so farre that it is almost abstracted from the bodie as diuers saints were rauished so with the loue of God that they liued many daies in profound contemplation feeding vpon the food of life not taking any corporall sustenance Bountifulnes waiteth vpoÌ„ loue as a most Bountifulnâ—â— faithful seruant for friendes cannot but communicate their goods one with another who before by friendship had communicated their hearts therefore they preseÌ„t one another with gifts as signes of that good will they carrie in their minds and to remonstrate vnto theÌ„ that as they haue taken possession of their harts so also they may coÌ„mand them in their goods for amicorum omnia sunt communia among friends al things are common and he that hath giuen the greater will not sticke to impart the lesser these effectes I haue set down cursorily bicause the exact treatise requireth a whole booke onely to shew how in this sacrameÌ„t God shews them al. That in the sacred Eucharist God effecteth all those vnions which proceed from loue Ca. 3 AS I said before considering the admirable loue that God hath declared by deliuering this sacrament to the world that I was calmed in the Ocean sea in the which similitude if we persist I thinke I shal be able in part to vnfold the vnion in substance betwixt Christ and our soules in the blessed Eucharist for as the Ocean sea surcharged with an infinite multitude of waters dischargeth it self in the Mediterranean and red seas for the benefit of the inhabitants of Europe Affrike and Asia not diuiding it selfe from them but rather by their meanes becommeth vnited to those coasts wheron they border and the wombs wherin they lie by which means the treasures of the one may be transported to the other and the inhabitants of the vast Ocean may haue free passage into the red and Mediterranean Euen so the endlesse goodnesse of God swelling inwardly with an immensiue loue dischargeth himself in these two seas of loue the redde by the incarnation of Christ the Mediterranean by the institution of this sacrament yet the main Ocean of his diuinitie remaineth vnited to his humanitie and thereby bordereth vpon those soules whom he bathed with his bloud and is conioyned with the breasts of theÌ„ who receiue into them this Mediterane sea by which vnion the Citizens of heauen may passe freely among the colonies of the earth therfore as Christs diuinity was substantially vnited to his humanity euen so his diuinity and humanity are vnited in this blessed sacrameÌ„t to their bodies soules who feed at this table and as from his diuinity proceeded all those graces fauors wherwith that sacred humanity was spiritually annointed euen so froÌ„ his humanity linked with his diuinity issue all those sweete vertues graces for the which this blessed bread was ordained And therfore as betwixt the sacred humatie of Christ and his diuinitie there was a most diuine reciprocate ardent and continuall loue euen so betwixt our soules Christ there should rise a mutuall flame if we faile not he cannot be defectuous And as that sacred humanitie like the needle toucht with the adamant looketh euer towardes the pole starre was alwayes directed by his diuinitie euen so ought wee in all our actions to square our intentions according as our Sauiour teacheth vs whom we holde vnited in this sacrament because he was giuen to vs as our maister our doctor and teacher Much more might be sayd of this substantiall vnion but because it hath beene partly touched before partly because I intend not here to deliuer all I think may be said but only to touch some few points or superficiall heads leauing the rest vnto the prudent and discreet Readers of godly meditations As for all other vnions which are rooted in this coniunction of our soules and bodyes with Christ briefly they may be declared For by this Vnion of conceitswith Christ effected by the Eucharist Sacrament wee come to participate many of these conceites which heere GOD reueileth and maketh vs partakers of that were most darke and hidden from nature because the very mystery it selfe openeth the eyes of our vnderstanding to wade deeper into the secrets of nature than euer philosophy could haue induced vs as that a substaunce can be wholy spoiled of his accidents that the accidents can exist without the substance that a naturall body can consist intirely without extension or circumscription of place finally all these 20. difficulties which before were proposed to this purpose may be inserted Moreouer here our mindes are illustrated with the diuine beames which issue out of Christes humanitie as in the 34. cause hath beene deliuered And then our iudgements are right and true when they come to be conformable to the rule of all true knowledge that is the infinite wisedome of God the which we attaine to by knowing God himselfe for in him by him we shal come to perfect knowledge the which this
not but that a Catholike may leese his faith but with greater difficultie and more excesse of malice as it befell not long agoe to a person of no small account in England whom I had knowne in time past a Catholique but then a protestant by chaunce once falling in company with him I demaunded how it fared with him in religion if he had forsaken that faith vtterly which he sometime approued so feruently forsaken quoth he no faith I am of opiinion that he which once is thorowly grouÌ„ded in the Catholique religion can not possibly but with extreme malignitie alter his religion wel he may change it in shew wel he may maske it with protestancie wel he may varie his affection but his iudgement his conceit his faith hardly wil he change or neuer and therefore by Gods grace after I haue dispatched some affaires I wil renounce the externall profession of that religion I knowe false and detest internally but before his affaires were dispatched death had dispatched him that others may learn what it is to dally with GOD in matters of saluation The third reason that mooued me was the continuall and clamorous voices of ignorant Heretikes who cease not to crie vpon Catholikes vpbraâ—â— them with absurdities impossibilities vnworthy opinions of God and man dishonorable to him and horrible to vs. Therefore that they may see their owne ignorance I thought no better way to refute them then by setting downe the theologicall causes of so diuine a mysterie but yet I know it will befall manie that shal reade them either not to conceiue them or to contemne them for so Dauid said long since Quam magnificata sunt opera tua domine Psâ—lm 91. nimis profundae factae sunt cogitationes tuae vir insipiens noÌ„ cognoscit stultus non intelliget haec O Lord how glorious are thy works thy thoughts are too profound those an vnwise man doth not know nor a foole vnderstand For it seemeth to me that the heretike reading these causes and a Catholike reading the same are like two men entring vnto a garden but the one at midnight with a torch the other in the morning the heretike endued onelie with the light of reason beholdeth them with torchlight he can neither discerne the varietie of colours nor grace of figures not disposition of knots nor borders enclosing but onely a glimpse or darke shewe farre differing from that lustre and glory the beautie of the flowers and odoriferous hearbs represent The Catholike comming in the morning when the sunne riseth veweth and distinguisheth the roses lillies marigolds their formes their sents their order the gratefullaire and paradise of delight The Catholike perusing this booke will see what he beleeued and note distinctly howe euerie thing standeth with what faith all Catholikes professe because hauing had true faith before by liuing in exercise of receiuing the Eacharist in the Catholike Church by reading bookes hearing sermons and spirituall conferences all tending to the same effect he I say wilâ— conceiue no small delight in contemplating all the garden and euerie flower and hearbe in particular And the heretike if he haue grace may say with himselfe if this the papists holde were true certainely God were glorified wonderfully his loue were ineffable the partakers of this sacrament were in a blessed state Truly of God can do it me thinks it standeth well with his prouidence it argueth an abisse of loue and charitie it were a thing to be desired of al men and then afterwards let him consider who first abolished this point of faith out of many Catholikes hearts Martine Luther an Apostate Munke Nunquid cognoscentur in tenebris mirabilia eius iustitia eius in terra obliuiâ—nis Shall perhaps his wonders bee knowne in darkenesse and his iustice in the lande of obliuion for life a Libertine a practiser with the Diuell by whose suggestion hee confesseth he first was induced to abrogate the masse which for fifteene yeares as himselfe saith he celebrated and last of all his bad life had as beastly a death After that he had suffred shipwracke in faith and proclaimed wars against the Church of Christ while he liued but especially after his death the sectaries of his heresies were diuided into factions and principally about the blessed sacrament who in interpreting foure simple and as plaine words as might bee spoken Hoc est corpus meum to auoyde the right interpretation of the Catholike Church haue inuented no more then foure score false expositions The which dissention while I consider they represent vnto me the blind Philosophers who wandering in the blacke night of their misbeleefe sought out which was the last end of man and almost as many diuers endes they set downe as newe Philosophers tooke the question in hand And no maruaile for as the Mathematicians say from point to point it is impossible to draw more right lines then one but crooked and by lines ten thousand therefore the Catholikes keeping perpetually one vniforme and right exposition it is no wonder if heretikes infinitely multiply their false and erronious interpretations To conclude I would wisâ— to preuaile so much with all Protestants into whose hands this present Treatise shal happen as to mcditate with theÌ„selues reason by reason and confer the maiestie benefit of this mystery with other supernaturall mysteries of our faith as the incarnation of Christ the renewing of our souls internally by baptisme and penance the fauors and presence of the holy Ghost in iustification and I doubt not but they shall find an admirable conformitie and proportion betwixt onâ— another and then let them remember what a treasure they want that the catholikes enioy and how they are plagued into the deepest pit of ingratitude by not acknowledging that benefit which except the incarnation surpasseth all others that euer God bestowed on man and finally let them returne to the fold of the Catholike Church where they shal find the earthly Paradise watered with the flouds of Gods grace and vpon the banks Apoe 22. the tree of life laden with the fruite of this sacrament A Copie of a Letter that the Author of this Treatise following sent to his friend GOod Sir your manifolde comfortes which you raine daily vppon mee I hope shal not fall into a barren scile that will not render interest in due season I send you the epilogue of all those canses which either out of Scriptures fathers or theological discourse I can affoord you because without Bookes conference or other good oportunities what can be expected you may well perceiue they are not drawn from sundry sweet floures as Bees sucke their hony but rather like the silke wormes webbe distilled from the inner bowels of my soule in my quiet repose and silent Meditations I send you them as a fleece of wooll new shorne without weauing dying forming or fashioning but you or any other as I I bope wil weaue them in a better methode dye them with a purer
stile and enrich them with Fathers and Scriptures I send you them as an of-spring of my goodwill at your request begun continued and performed If there be any thing in them profitable for good Catholikes to meditate or to serue them for their spirituall exercise thanke God for it and the next cause acknowledge your selfe for the full disposition of them I commit to your discretion As for the other two Treatises you requested of preparation and frequent communion God willing I intend to do my best to satisfie your desire if you had any booke of this subiect I would be content to peruse it to see if my practise and speculation confront with his iudgement In the meane time I beseech you to remember mee in your deuoute prayers and request the dew of heauen that I may yeeld you those delightfull fruites I knowe you desire A Table containing the parts and chapters of this Treatise following THe first part that the body of Christ is really in the blessed Sacrament contained in the first chapter The second part containing 42. Causes of the institution of the holy Eucharist 1 First cause to communicate himselfe to euery one in particular 2 To be an Epitome or an abridgement of all Gods wonders 3 To deifie the soule 4 To vnite the faithfull after a certaine reall manner 5 To vnite the faithfull in affections 6 For the exercise of faith 7 For the encrease of our hope 8 To inflame our charitie 9 To be an Ornament of the materiall Churches 10 To be the end and consummation of all the other Sacraments 11 To arme vs against our enemies and especially against the diuel 12 To arme vs against the world 13 To bridle our concupiscences 14 To giue life to the soule 15 To dignifie his Prâ—ests 16 To haue God vnder a sensible obiect to heare our prayers 17 To abolish veniall sinnes 18 To be a perpetuall sacrifice 19 To be a sacrifice most like his passion 20 That it might be a holocaust or burnt offering for the liuing 21 To be a satisfactory sacrifice for the soules in purgatory 22 To be a sacrifice of thanksgiuing for the Saints in heauen 23 To shew the magnificence and liberty of God 24 By diuers meanes to allure vs to loue him 25 To be the immediate obiect of our religion 26 That the maner of our saluation should be correspondent to the maner of our first preuarication 27 To be carried about in processions 28 To nourish our soules 29 To effect the resurrection of our bodies 30 To be a viaticum or prouision for our voyage 31 To win virgins to God 32 To render by gratitude a certain equality to God for all his benefits 33 To comfort our soules by spirituall ioy and deuotion 34 To illuminate our mindes 35 To be a commemoration of his passion 36 To moue vs to loath that the world loues 37 To be a confirmation of his Testament 38 To be a trumpet to blaze the glory of God 39 To giue vs a taste of the ioyes of heauen 40 To be a condigne sacrifice for Christ to offer to his â—ather 41 To discouer vnto vs the infallible loue of God containing tenne Chapters 1 That the loue of God in this blessed sacrament cannot be comprehended and of foure effects of loue concerning in it first vnion second zeale third extasie fourth benenolence 2 That God instituted this sacrament for loue 3 That in the sacred Eucharist God effecteth all these vnions which proceede from loue 4 That God shewed the second effect of loue in the Eucharist that is zeale 5 That God in this sacrament sheweth a certaine extasie of loue which is the third effect 6 That God in this Eucharist sheweth his beneuolence the fourth effect of loue 7 That God sheweth al diuersities of loue in this sacrament 8 That God sheweth a prizing loue in the Eucharist 9 That God sheweth in the Eucharist a most intensiue loue containing twelue proprieties 1. Antiquiâ—ie 2. Puritie 3. Vehemencie 4 Fecunditie 5. Effâ—cacie 6. Constancie 7. Light 8. Delight 9. Maiestie 10. Glorie 11. Libertie 12. Iustice 10 That God shewed in the Eucharist an extensiue loue and a tender or familiar loue â—â— And last cause to be the end of all the sacraments of the old Testament wherein are explicated the two especiall figures of the holy Eucharist Manna and the Pascall Lambe The end of the table A Treatise of the Blessed Sacrament That the Body of Christ is really in the Blessed Sacrament The first part AMong Catholikes I knowe it were superfluous to indeuour with large discourses to proue this Question Because relying their iudgements vpon the Catholike Church whose definition in all ages hath beene most manifest they need no other proofe or demonstration Yet partly to comforte them partely to confirme that faith they haue embraced I thinke ir not amisse with some few similitudes or palpable experiences to open alitle the vaile of this Arke and discouer some secretes which either seeme impossible or inexplicable imitating herein the ancient Fathers which explicate the mysteries of the Trinitie Incarnation Resurrection and others with corporall similitudes and examples yea Christ himself scarse spoke but in Parables now comparing grace to Io. 4. 7. Mat. 13. Mat 25. water now his church to a net nowe the faithfull to fiue wise and fiue foolish Virgins and the reason heere of I take to be the blindenesse of our wittes and dulnesse of our capacities who are not able to comprehend any spirituall mysteries without som corporal resemblances as most plainly appeareth in the Sacrament of the holie Trinitie which cannot be vnderstood in it selfe but in some effects euen as wee cannot beholde the Sunne in his spheare but in the water or thorow some cloude Knitting therfore the iugement of Christ his church the decrees of Councils the consent of Fathers the reportes of Histories the practise and vse of al christianity I think that any man not bewitched with wilfulnes and but of an indifferent iudgement and capacitie might easily discerne the veritie of this essential poynt of christianitie For supposing here that no man but senslesse can deny that God was and is able to effect this mysterie and as the learnedest Protestants haue confessed to me with what words more plainly could he expresse his minde hauing bread in his hand than by saying This is my bodie that shall bee giuen for you This is my Mat. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. 1 Cor 11. bloud which shal bee shed for you Al Euangelists with S. Paul conspiring in the same wordes in like sense neuer mentioning trope or figure And if euer Christ had occasion to be plaine and apert in his speach questionlesse heere where he gaue a Lawe and enacted a Statute for his church Who is ignorant that Laws ought to be perspicuous because it is necessarie that al men should know them And therfore we see God gaue the Decalogue in so perspicuous a maner Here he
creatures become sensible and animate substances but Christs body so feeds the soule that it giueth life vnto it Qui Ioh. â— manducat me vinet propter me He that eateth me the same also shall liue by mee And therfore as God is saide to be in the Iust by grace charitie and they in him so by this Sacrament Christ is in vs and we in him Herevpon it followeth that men are deified in two sortes by receiuing this Sacrament first by a reall communication with Christ whom they harbour in their bodies and therfore of S. Cyprian are called Baiuli Christi carriers De caena Dom. or bearers of Christ and others terme theÌ„ Christoferi secondly they are deified in soule by receiuing this grace which is a diuine coniunction and admirable participation of his deitie by which they are made diuinae naturae consortes partakers of the diuine nature The fourth cause to vnite the faithfull after a certaine reall manner CHrist our Sauiour making his praier to his Father among other graces hee Ioh. 17. Hec expositio est Cirill lib. 11. in Io. ca. 26. Hillari lib. 9. de trinit demanded he asked this for all the faithfull that as his Father was in him and hee in his Father so the faithfull should bee one thing Christ is in his Father because he really and essentially participateth the same substance with the Father and his Father is in him for that he possesseth the same nature and substance with his sonne It was vnpossible that the faithfull should in such sort participate one coÌ„mon essence because the infinite perfection of God chalengeth this as a proper dignitie to haue a nature communicable to diuers persons But since that mans nature was not capable of such fecunditie our prouident Pastor prouided a way to keepe his flocke together and to vnite them not only by affection in minde but also by a certaine reall and substantiall nature wherein they should be made all one and most excelleÌ„tly resembled vnto the blessed Trinitie which was effected by this Sacrament for by giuing them all the same body and bloud he caused them to be vnited in one substance one nature essence and that more excellent than their owne naturall substance was Wherefore al those that receiue their body may bee called one body as S. Paule doubted not to call them when he saide Vnus panis vnum â— Coria 10 corpus multi sumus omnes qui de vno pane participamus beeing many wee are one bread one body all that participate of one bread And for this cause as wee say all the three persons in Trinitie are one God euen so all the faithfull by a certain maner are one body and as the starres in the firmament though of themselues very different yet are vnited al in one indeficient fountaine of light so all the faithfull fituated in the firmament vnmooueable of the Catholike Church are vnited together and made one in this blessed Sacrament but with this difference that the starres haue not the Sunne in them but â—nely the light whereas the faithful haue the Sonne of all light continually springing within them Iosuah thought GOD Iosu â—â— shevved him a singular fauour and woorthily al admire it that God at the request of a man shoulde staye the course of the Sunne till he had ouercome his enemies But what would he haue saide if God had brought the Sunne from heauen and put it in his hand to haue vsed it at his pleasure so hee hath dealt with vs in this Sacrament by drawing his eternall Sonne from heauen to dwel in earth to be held in our hands to be receiued as foode to ioyne vs all that be in his church to fight against al visible enemies as tyrants and heretikes and inuisible foes as the Divel and his infernall ghosts The fift cause to vnite the faithfull in affection AS the bodie of man containeth diuerse parts of contrary nature and disposition the heart being hote the braine cold fleame moist melancholy drie spirits of a fiery nature bones of an earthly all the foure elementes in sundry partes holding predominion yet the soule keepeth them in peace conserueth a most sweet harmony containeth euery one in his office euen so this blessed Sacrament ioyneth Christs seruants Greekes and Egyptians Iewes and Gentiles poore and rich learned and ignorant in an admirable bond of loue and vnitie if they receiue it with that preparation and vse it as they ought the Isai 11. which vnion loue and peace I say the Prophet foretold was too slowe ouer the earth after that little cloude which Elias 3 Reg. 18. behelde had powred downe this blessed Sacrament vpon it Habitabit saith he lupus the woolfe shall dwel with the lamb the libbard shall rest with the kidde the calfe the lion and the sheepe shal lodge all together and a little childe shall leade them he meaneth fierce cruell and intractable men sauage nations and barbarous countries shall be brought to vnion peace and loue no doubt but principally by vertue of this sacred communion this common soule will cause euery one to keep himselfe in order this little childe which we fold with our breasts in this sacrament will guide pacifie and comforte them all for what inflameth men one to loue another principally but resemblance and similitude Why doe kinsemen so affect one another but in regard of resemblance of bloud and similitude of complexions And therefore they are called Consanguinei and Kinsemen And what similitude can be greater then this whereby good christians are made Verè Consanguinei Christi In very deede the kinsmen of Christ Yea rather identified or made one with the selfe-same bloud the selfe-same body and soule which no kindred euer did participate because they haue the like bloud and bodies but not the same nor the same soule The dignity and worth of those which be partakers of this sacrament may easily inuite al men to loue them For as we prise and admire all those whom we acknowledge to be of account so surely wee ought to esteeme those who are bathed with the bloud of Christ who are indued with his grace whose bodies are liuing temples pallaces to allodge this royall maiestio If the ground was holy where the Angell onely in a bush spâ—ke to Moses If the mountaine was sanctified where the celestiall Exod. 3. Exod. 19 Act. 29 spirits gaue the law If the napkins and girdles of Saint Paule wrought miracles because they serued so great a seruaÌ„t of God O in what reputation should we haue those blessed men which we know receiue so often and keepe so long the king of Angels the head of all the Apostles in their bodies The sixt cause for the exercise of faith IN the summe of all Diuinity I find 10. difficulties hardly to be conceaued and consequently not easie to be beleeued The first is howe God hath free will 2. how he knoweth those future
confirme by daily experience For vvhat els pretend those who so vehemently embrace one an other but as it were one to enter into another and vnite themselues in one for the vehement affection of loue Why did Iob say Quis mihi det vt de carnibus eius saturemur who will Iob 31 giue me that wee may bee filled with his flesh but to declare that the vehemency of loue desired this vnion How possesse the three persons in Trinitye such vehement and ardent loue but for the vnion of one substance in three persons That which men thought impossible to God was possible and that which nature affected was by the Author of nature grace in this mistery effected for herby imparting his body vnto men without destruction of either he caused an vnioÌ„ of both whereupon ensued that the loue of God could not but be singularly increased towards vs because as fathers loue most vehemently their children because in them they see a part of their owne substance disperced in their bodies though after many chaunges and alterations So God vewing his whole substance without any mutation or change in nature or qualitie his body and bloud his soule and person really remaining in vs and ioyned with vs cannot but loue vs exceedingly much more then any father his children And we for the selfe-same cause are moued to loue him for the same vnion or rather identification of substance For who is so base minded or cold in affection that lifting vp the eies of his soule to heauen admiring the infinite Maiestye of God where millions of Cherubins and Seraphines stand in his sight veiling their eyes with their golden wings lest they should be dazelled being not able to behold the infinite brightnes of his glory who I say after this consideration would not open all the vaines of his heart and resolue them into loue seeing this soueraigne Maiestie to discend from heauen to earth to dwell with a poore worme to lodge with a miserable man one that many times had offended him to couer himselfe vnder bread to be eaten of him and to enter into his body to be eternally vnited with him Zacheus thought Luc. 19. he shewed him a singular fauour to come into his house the Centurion passed a Luc. 7. litle furder and saide his house was not worthy of him But here what shall wee say he entereth not to receiue but to giue not to cure the body but to saue the soule how can that heart not be enflamed with loue which hath a burning flame of fier glowing so neere I meane the heart of our Sauiour Iesus Christ How doth not those veines swell with affection which are filled with the pretious bloud of their most affectious and zealous GOD How doth not that soule exult for ioy at Christs presence beeing so neere when Saint Iohn Luc. 1. Baptist exulted for ioy in his mothers wombe conceauing but our Ladies voice The ninth cause to be an ornament of the materiall Churches IN the olde Testament which was a modell of the new wee see that God had a speciall care to prouide the Arke the Cherubines propitiatorie with all the ornaments and furniture of the interiour Exod. 25. Tabernacle or Sanctum sanctorum into which none could enter but the high Priest and he only once a yeere this as the Apostle apertly declareth signified Hebr. 9. how Christ was to offer vp once a bloudy Sacrifice for the redemption of al the world Yet this was but the Allegorie of these ceremonies which God had not only instituted to signifie what was to come but also ordained them for the present vse and religion of the Iewes as CircumcisioÌ„ MaÌ„na the Pascal lambe with al the rest the reasoÌ„ therfore which moued the diuine wisdome of God to ordain this so maiesticall a place so reuerend and ful of ceremonies was to strike into the peoples mindes a great conceit of him a reuerence and respect a feare and humilitie in that place The like with out al doubt stood with his prouidence in instituting this Sacrament that we should haue in our temples the true Ark of his couenant whence-froÌ„ he was to giue answere to imprint in our heartes at the view of his tabernacle a reuerend feare and a fearful loue of his maiestie for if we were Angels and needed not corporall senses to pourtraite or represent the maiestie of God vnto vs little it woulde auaile vs to haue present such rites ceremonies but because our soule in this exile is drowned in the body and cannot ascend to God but by fixing the first and second step in externall sences and corporall imaginations therfore our prouident Sauiour condescending to our infirmities ordained a sensible presence for his maiestie thereby to strike into vs reuerence feare and respect and so in effect it seemes that experience teacheth For when I enter into an heretical church without light altare or image and especialy without the body of Christ me thinks I come into some vast prophane hall or at best some great schoole for it carrieth no shew nor casteth any smel of religion Whereas entring into a church of Catholikes al that I see breatheth pietie and religion the lamps and lights represent the indeficient glory of heauen and brightnes of Gods elected the Images giue mee to vnderstand the multitude of Saints and Angels who assist the maiesty of God in his eternal temple whereas day and night they neuer cease his praises the Altare leades me to that incruent sacrifice which daily is offered to the liuing God for all the faithful in Christs church and in fine the presence of Christ in the Tabernacle moâ—eth me to reuerence to look into my selfe to carry me circumspectly in that older as such a presence requireth For as wel noteth Saint Chrys When Courtiers come before the Kings presence they are careful and circumspect what they doe they roll their eyes about their garments lest any spotte or blemish in them might offend the Kings eyes they ponder theyr speeches lest any vndecent word should escape from them they forelooke al theyr gestures actions lest any of them should appeere vngrateful to the king And how doe faithfull Christians when they come before Christ in the Church they looke into their soules weigh their words consider their thoughts and in fine beware that nothing proceed from them that in any sorte may displease so diuine a maiestie for indeede as the same Authour wel aduertiseth by the presence of Christ in the Sacrament the church is conuerted into heauen For as we prooue the kings Court and Throne is not his pallace his gardens his golden galleries his â—orie beds his chaire of estate his pearled canopies but the person of the King is the essence of the Court and Throne al the rest be accessary to him euen so the court and throne of heauen is not those spheres those angels those saints they be all ornaments they be accessary
they waite vpon Christ which is the very essence and substance of the court and throne of heauen who nowe dwelling in the Church hath changed it into heauen and questioÌ„lesse where Christ as there caÌ„not but be a multitude of Angels attending his Maiestie beholding his glory as Chrys witnesseth The tenth cause to be the end and consummation of all the other Sacraments WHen I consider the seauen Sacraments of Christs church me thinks I conceaue God as an immensiue Circle without bound or limit whence from issueth six Sacraments as lines who end all in the center of Christs body in this Sacrament or else that the other six are great flouds of grace which water the earth of Gods elected yet all running amaine to the ocean sea which is this euerlasting Challice or else that the seuen Sacraments resemble the seuen Planets whose influences cause such admirable effects in this corporall world all yet receiue their light from that which standeth in the middest I meane the Sunne euen so all Sacraments draw their vertue and grace from the contented of the Eucharist Cipr. sermde caena in ritulo Dionis li de eccles Hieraâ—c Wherfore S. Cip. called it Consummans Sacramentum a Sacrament consummating and Dionis Areop termeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 August tract 1 20. in 10. Sacramentum Sacramentorum the Sacrament of Sacraments For as he saith no Sacrament is present without this and that for two causes the former is in regarde that the Author hereof imparteth grace vertue and efficacie to all other Sacraments for out of his side issued all the Sacraments of the church Another reason is because all other Sacraments are peculiarly ordained of God to this and as S. Dioni saith haue not their complete perfection without it By originall sinne the gates of Paradice were shut and wee all debarde from the tree of life which only immortalized the eaters By Baptisme the gates are opened and accesse is graunted to eate the Fruite of the Tree of life this Sacrament which grew vpon the crosse But actuall sinnes caused death againe and bolted the gates as fast as before the which the Sacrament of penance vnbolteth againe The Sacrament of confirmation peculiarly God ordained for the saithful that therin they might receue force and strength to confesse the Soule of this Sacrament Christ Iesus and all the misteries of our faith denied by infidels blasphemed by Iewes impugned by Heretikes among the which none hath bin more assailed nor more earnestly defended then this and as I thinke there is no pointe of christian religion vppon which more books haue bin written then on this matter How order aymeth at the body of Christ none can call it in question since all the seauen orders of the Church are wholy directed vnto the right consecrating and administrating of this Sacrament Matrimonie by representing the vnion of Christ and his Church consequently vnfoldeth vnto vs the coniunction of Christs fathfull flocke with their heauenly Pastor in this Sacrament for as man and wife in Matrimony are one body and one flesh so by the virtue of the Eucharist Christ and his faithfull are one body by reall vnion and one soul by naturall affection And for that this Sacrament of Christs body was to bee a viation to conduct men specially in the last point of their liues when they enter the harbour of eternall life therfore to dispose the soule to take awaie all melancholie and discomforts caused by sicknes and lothsomnes to leaue this worlde our blessed sauiour prouided the extreme vnction and then all Sacraments end in the Eucharist The eleuenth cause to arme vs against our enimies and especially against the deuill THe common enimies of al Christians well knowne and daily proued are the diuell the flesh and the world who openly and secretly by force and trechery omit no occasions wherein they thinke to preuaile Against them all three our vigilant Captaine hath armed his souldiers with this sacrament How he protecteth vs against the diuell heere I will deliuer reseruing the other two to the next discourses First of all most certaine it is that the blessed Eucharist is not only meat to feed our soules but also armour force and strength to defend vs in battaile so saith Dauid Parasti mensam in conspectu Psal 22. meo aduersus eos qui tribulant me Thou hast prepared a table before me against those that vexe me And what other table can he meane of but this which Christ hath set before all his faithfull what other table can fortifie him against his enemies but this wherein is eaten Fortitudo gentiarum the fortitude of the Gentiles the reason why this celestiall foode armeth our soules against the assaults of our enimies may easily be deliuered for little would it auaile a souldier armed without with helme currats picke or what furniture soeuer if he were destitute of naturall force and strength of body to mannage his weapons if for hunger his vitall spirits failed if he were so weake he could not strike a blowe therfore meat is necessary to restore his lost forces to repaire his strength and consequently to arme him within against the troupes of his enimies So internally doth the Eucharist fortifie vs by spirituall nutrition and vitall sustentation against our ghostly foes The diuell as GOD signified by that monstrous Leuiathan mentioned in Iob according to Saint Gregories exposition like a great whale Gregor in 40. Io. did swime in the tempestious Sea of this worlde deuouring men like fishes casting them downe into that fiery stomacke of his infernall furnaces at last he came to Christ and as he caught for a baite his Humanitie he was taken with the hooke of his Diuinitie In like sort pretending to inuade those who are blessed with this thrise blessed bread thinking to take them naked findeth them most strongly armed and those which he made acounte in hell to haue troden vnder feete by vertue of this bloud shall triumph in Hom. bi ad Pop. Antioch hom 45. in lo. heauen ouer his head For as Saint Chrisostom saith Tanquam leones spirantes flammas sic discedimus ab illa mensa diabolo terribiles effecti as lions breathing flames of fier so depart wee from that table being made terrible vnto the deuill For what flame of fier can more affray then the presence of Christ at whose name all the infernall crew do tremble and shake They feare no doubt that which carieth this sacrament in his breast should foile their forces as Dauid did Goliath that tower of flesh their figure 1. Reg. 17. and slaue with a little stone the picture of Christ residing in the Eucharist they know well enough their dartes are shot against a wall of flint which reboundeth to their owne harme and shame when they impugne a soule armed with Christ yea for feare they dare not approach but as a seruant of Christ saide S. Kather. de siennâ— fly from a soule
soules haue harboured this precious balme what fragrant smells of deuotion of modestie of pietie of religion issue out of those mouthes distil from those handes spring from those eyes who haue seene toucht and tasted their saluation The foureteenth cause to giue life to the Soule THis cause motiue or effect of the institution of the Eucharist our Sauiour welnie tenne times inculcateth in S. Iohn which breedeth some difficultie because al the other Sacraments communicate to the receiuers the same effect for a sacrament is a visible sign of an inuisible grace instituted for the fanctificatiō of the soul the which cannot be without grace which is the life of the soule for as the bodye without the soule is dead euen so the soul without grace lacketh life Howe then peculiarly doth Christ ascribe the life of the soule to this Sacrament since it is cōmon to all the rest Diuers causes I think may be rendred First for that in the other sacramentes God distilleth his grace by droppes in this where he disperseth it with his owne hands he powreth it forth in abundance and therefore they may be said not to giue life in respect of this Euen as we call flesh onely meate not that fish is not meate but in respect of fleshe wee scarce account it meate Secondly because in this Sacrament men participate not onely the life of grace in the soule but also the body and soule folde within them the reall and substantial life of Christ wherwith they are made one thing one bodye one life wherefore Christ said Qui manducat me viuet propter me He that eateth me shall also liue by Io. ◠mee And Sicut misit me viuens pater ego vnio propter patrem qui manducat me viuet propter me as the liuing father hath sent mee and I liue by the father And hee that eateth mee the same also shall liue by me that is as my father sent me by mine incarnation and I liue for the vnion vvhich my diuinity receaued from my father euen so those that eate mee shall liue for the vnion they haue with me Thirdly for that we here receaue the intire and compleate cause of life euerlasting both of body soule the which wee doe not in other Sacramentes and therefore Christ saide Qui manducat meam Io. 6. carnem Et bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam aeternam ego resuscitabo eum in nouissimo die He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vppe in the last day Since therefore this foode in general causeth life and for so many particular reasons yeeldeth life to the receauers wee may well call it the fruite of life And as often as we eate thereof we haue accesse to that tree of life planted in paradise by whose fruit our forefathers had kept their Gen. 3. bodies immortall As often as it entreth into our mouthes wee sucke the vaine of life drawing the incorruptible bloud out of our Sauiours side for al other meates do what you can they so restore life that they destroy life and at last by their continuall action exhaust al the forces but this Sacrament yeeldeth eternal life both to the soule and body and although the body die yet by vertue of this foode it is to rise againe The fifteenth cause to dignifie his Priests BEeing once in company with certaine Protestants yet ciuil men for conuersation one of them being a Minister asked what was the cause that Priests were so accounted in times past among the Papists and ministers so little prized now among the Protestants He himselfe answered first Truely quoth he I thinke it proceeded of confession by which they kept the people in great awe and reuerence Nay quoth the other it was the good life of those Priestes which made them esteemed and the ill life of our ministers which causeth them to be contemned I then concluded the matter and told them they had both touched good strings for we commonly reuerence them whom wee know are thorowly acquainted with our state and vnderstand our imperfections besides we respect sanctitie in whom soeuer we find it but especially in them whose state requireth different life from the rest but to make the harmony more perfect I thinke the chiefe cause was the dignitie of consecrating the bodye of Christ al these three make a good consort in Musicke to haue power ouer his reall body by consecration and ouer his mystical bodye by remission of sinnes and to leade a life continually correspondent to them both cannot but strike into the peoples hearts a great reuerence and respect Let vs omit the two latter onely speake of the former What greater authoritie can wee imagine could God giue to man than to put in his hand the vse of his infinite power to worke so many myracles to effect such a worke as surpasseth the creating both of heauen and earth when where and as often as hee woulde Simeon thought thought it so great a thing to take Christ but once in his armes that he loathed after to liue in the world and cried Nunc dimittis seruum Luc. 2. tuum in pace Heere the Priest euery day not onely handleth but also maketh present and eateth The three kinges came from forraine countries to adore him but the Priest can bring Christ from heauen and lay him vpon the altar Saint Marie Magdalen bathed Christs feet with tears Luk. 7. but what flouds would she haue shed once to haue eaten his body or dranke his blod What greater dignity coulde a man haue conceaued then to be made instrumentes of Gods Omnipotencie that their words should be more effectuall thē al the deeds in the world What more imminent glory could they haue imagined then to offer vp daily that sacrifice which our sauiour offered once vpon the Crosse These thinges bee so great that whole bookes would scarce suffice to Register them all Reade Saint Chrysost de sacerdotio and you shall see howe he extolleth their Authority The sixteenth cause to haue God vnder sensible obiect to heare our praiers ONe of the greatest impediments that the seruants of God suffer in praier is a certaine diffidence or doubting that they pray in vaine that none heareth or attendeth what they say whereupon followeth a tediousnesse and loathsomnesse in praier which impeacheth not only the merite but also the effect and impetration which often requireth continuation True it is that wise and faithfull Christians conceaue the presence of God in euery place but because it is so insensible because it proceedeth from the intellectuall faculty it causeth no great impression in the soule therefore our prouident maister foreseeing this imperfection ordained such a presence as should stande well with the merite of faith and also greatly Exod. 25. 37. further our deuotion As in the old Testament God prouided the propitiatorie where he placed two Cherubins folding the Arke with their
no sacrifice nor any Heb. 5. religion where there is not both Priest and sacrifice Because what is religion but a publique profession of a multitude to worship god and what publike worshippe can bee exhibited to GOD without a reall and externall Sacrifice For the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be noted that in all ages and in all nations and in all religions they euer vsed some sorte of Sacrifices for if wee looke into the lawe of nature wee shall finde Abell Abraham Iob offering vp sacrifices if wee discend to the law written there will appeare an admirable number appointed in Leuiticus If wee come to Christ in his last supper and vppon the Crosse we shall finde him sacrificing Besides wee may obserue that all their sacrifices almost consisted in killing beasts or in the destruction of some creature as in burning insence or such like Now if we demaunde for what reason did they kill bulls calues or lambes how know they that GOD would be pleased with them what needded he bulls or calues nunquid manducabo Psa 49. carnes â—aurorum aut sanguinem hircorum potabo shall I eate the flesh of bulls or drinke the blood of goates by the resolution of this doubt we shall better perceiue why Christ left this Sacrament as a perpetuall sacrifice for his church Three reasons then may bee yeelded the first because by sacrifices men acknowledge GOD the first maker conseruer and last end of all creatures the which they intend to professe by the externall action of sacrificing because in killing an oxe and burning of him to ashes they depriued themselues of all vse of all profit whereby they signified that all was due to him of whom they had receiued all The second reason was because the holy ghost moued them to vse such bloudie sacrifices to prefigurat the passion of christ once to be offerred vp on the Crosse Thirdly to shew by the death of beasts that they deserued death for their sins that they offered the one to God in lieu of the other By these three reasons wee plainly see that wee in the lawe of grace haue as great need of a reall and externall sacrifice as either the Iewes or those that liued vnder the lawe of nature For need not wee as well as they to acknowledge the dominion and right of GOD ouer this worlde is not hee our Creator our conseruer our last end as well as theirs ought not wee as well to represent the sacrifice of Christs passion passed as they to prefigurat that which was to come do not our sins as well deserue death as theirs did and are not we bound as well to craue pardon for them as they for these three causes therefore and many more our Sauiour instituted this sacrifice of the altar where by the incruent death of Christ we acknowledge the eternall dominion of God and render him infinite thankes for all his gifts as well of grace as of nature and therefore principally it is called Eucharistia that is gratiarum actio thankesgiuing besides we represent most liuely his passion according to that precept of Christ Hoc facite in â—eam Luke 22. commemorationem do this for a commemoration of me Finally we cry O Father of heauen and earth loe we deserue death and 10000 deaths but here wee present the death of thy sonne his body quod pro vobis traditur which is giuen for Luke 22. you his bloud that is shed promultis in remissionem peccatorum for many vnto remission Mat. 26. of sinnes take and accept his death for ours The ninteenth cause to be a sacrifice most like his passion Diuers ancient fathers expending those 1 Cor. 11. wordes of S. Paul Quotiescunque enim manducabitis panem hunc calicem bibitis Cip. ep 3. Chrisost the â—phi occum mortem domini annuntiabitis donec veniat As often as you shall eat this bread and drink in locuâ— Pauli the chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come affirme that this Sacrifice is the very passion of Christ that heere he suffers he is broken he is changed he is offered in a reall sacrifice after an vnbloudy manner for all the greeke texts haue it in the present tence this is my body which is giuen for you this is my bloud which is shed for you Saint Paul hath expresly this is my body 1 Cor. 11. that is broken for you The manner also how Christs body is here sacrificed to god so plainly expresseth the passion of Christ that if there were no other text to proue it the very correspondence would seeme 10. 19. to shew it sufficiently For howe did Christ die vpon the cross by the deuision seperation of the soule from his body Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum bowing his head he gaue vp the ghost What was the cause of this seperatioÌ„ the issuing of abundaÌ„ce of bloud out of his body and there remaining no life wherefore both philosophers phisitians diuines say Anima est in sanguine the life is in the bloud Deut 12. experience teacheth that many die by venting too much blod out of their veins can shew a reall separation of the soule of Christ from his bodie and a reall separation of his bloud from his body here then we may easely infer that in this sacrament there is not onely a true real and externall sacrifice but also the very same that was vpon the Crosse though in maner as shal be declared they differ It is a receued opinion among al learned diuines that the words of consecrating Hoc est corpus meum This is my body do effect that they signifie that as God by saying Fiat lux let light be made light so by saying Hoc est corpus meum This is my body is presently put the bodie of Christ vnder the forme of bread moreouer that they effect no more imediatly than that they signifie therfore by the vertue or efficacie of consecrating imediatly there is only the body of Christ in the hoast without any soule true it is that there is no host that hath not the soul of Christ but that is not by the imediate force and vertue of consecration but by sequele by a following or as they call it per concommitantiam because the soule is ioyned with the body in heauen therfore consequently the body bringeth the soule with it but if the soule were not in the bo die as it was vpon Goodfriday then if any of the Apostles had consecrated the soule of Christ had not bin in the hoast but the dead body as it was in the graue so that by consecrating of Christes body wee haue a reall separation of soule and body and only an vnion of them by sequele and consequence I call the seperation reall for that where the action is reall that which is effected by the action must likewise be reall In like sort the words
Hic est casix sanguinis mei This is the challice of my blod make that they signifie and therefore hecause they signifie only blod consequently they put by their force and efficacy only bloud in the challice without body or soule although by sequele both the body and the soule descend into the chalice for the bloud being in the veines it draweth the veines the veines beeing fixed in the body cannot but naturally draw the body with them the body harboring the soule likewise bringeth it for company As for example the woman of Samaria that drew Io. 4 vp water with a cord from the wel she immediatly drew the cord but by sequele came the paile because it was tied to the corde and with the paile by sequele the water with the water if there had bin a fish had followed a fish the priest out of Christs side drawes first the bloud immediatly follow the vaines to the vaines the body to the body the soule for which sequel this sacrifice is called incruent and is most decent perfectly representing the maner of Christs death and passion The twentieth cause that it might be a holocaust or burnt offering THree sortes of externall sacrifices we reade in holy scripture were in vse among Louie 1. 43. the Iewes holocausts or burnt offerings pacifying hoasts hoastes for sins The first were offered to God in reuereÌ„ce of his maiesty the 2. in thankesgiuing for his benefits receaued or expected the 3. for expiation of their sins The first was al burnt vpon the altar the last were partly offered to God partly imparted to the priests the second were deuided into 3. parts one was offered to God another bestowed of the priests the third fel to the offerers share The lawe therfore of grace being most complete excellent of al others as it required a most excellent sacrifice in substance so it exacted al sorts of sacrifices included in that one which ether tended to the greater glory of god or the benefit of his worshippers Therefore in this sole solitary sacrifice he clasped theÌ„ al as most plainely shal appeare for here are many consumptions in this sacrifice which euideÌ„tly conuince that it is a burnt offering First it is burnt here as Christs sacrifice and holocaust was burnt vpoÌ„ the Crosse that is with the infinite extinguishable flames of his charity For questionlesse as he there offered himselfe and fired his sacrifice with loue to redeeme al the world euen so here his sacrifice burneth with the same affection to saue all those in particuler for whom it is offered Luke 22 Desiderio desideraui hoc pasca manducare with desire I haue desired to eate this pasche Secondly the substance of bread and wine by this sacred action of transubstantiation are not reduced to ashes as wheÌ„ the holocaustes were burnt vpon the altar but so consumed that they wholy vanishe away and leaue nothing but their skin and rinde behinde Thirdly the priest by receiuing it consumeth it wholy It is likewise a pacifying hoast because by it we acknowledge the infinit benefits we haue receued and especially that benefit of our redemption the which we do not onely represent but also most diuinely exercise by this also we respect the last benefite of all that is life euerlasting Hic est pamis pro Io. 6. mundi vita This is the bread for the life of the world finally it is an hoast for sinnes not onely in regard of the grace it conferreth as a SacrameÌ„t but also for that it worketh to the purging of our sins as a sacrifice because in the old Testament goates bloud and calues bloud did expiate them Heb. 9. from their delicts howe much more the bloud of Christ in this our Eucharist exceedeth both the pacifying hoasts and the sacrifice for sinne that it is whole offered to God whole receiued of Priests whole participated of the people whereas theirs for the imperfection of them coulde not but be dismembred Hereupon I will infer that those people are happy who can daily be present at the sacrifice of Masse to be made partakers of the admirable effects of this diuine oblatioÌ„ For if the Iews resorted to Ierusalem out of all nations at Easter to offer vp their paschall lambe to represent their deliuery out of Egypt if God accepted that shadow of this sacrifice as a gratefull obsequie and louing duty O with what deuotion ought we to resorte to Masse what assurance may wee conceaue that God will accept this sacrifice more then the bloud of a thousand lambes or calues The one and twentieth cause to be a satisfactory sacrifice for the soules in Purgatory THis blessed sacrament doth not only sanctifie the soule as all other sacraments do but also as a sacrifice it hath force to impetrate of God many graces and fauours to incite vs to vertue and to withdraw vs from vice yea the blessing hereof is so ample that it adorneth and profiteth the Church millitant and succoureth also those soules which suffer in Purgatory not vnlike the ocean sea which serueth not only for the commerce of men in forraine countries to nourish and maintaine the fishes which lodge in her wombe to fructifie the earth with riuers and raine but also it passeth throgh the lowe parts there concurreth to the generation of mettels stones other minerals In like sort the blessed Sacrament is not content to ioyne the faithfull in vnitie and concord to nourish those soules which harbour in the catholike Church to engender in them vertues and good workes but also it extendeth fauours and satisfactions to them that doe liue in Purgatory that inhabit the lower partes of the earth This effect none can deny but professed enimies of christs church for the protestants themselues generally confesse that the pâ—imitiue Fathers both caught practised such oblations for the dead howbeit impiously they cal this piety of Fathers Pastours and Doctours of Christs church superstition error But what madnes is this so arrogantly to condemne a matter not of mere speculation but of dayly practise exercised through the whole church at such time as pietie religioÌ„ was most feruent many of those authors either the apostles schollers or schollers vnto them or at least that could render euideÌ„t testimony what al the faithfull beleeued practised in those dayes Whosoeuer I say condemneth this exercise of errour consequently confesseth himselfe to be a foole and Saint Agust Lib. 6. de fâ—cerdot hom 69. ad pop Antâ—o in litt c. calleth it expresse madnes to infringe any thing obserued vniuersally in the whol church And specialy without scripture authoritie or reason Here I omit scriptures Fathers and histories and suppose the matter as an infallible truth that this holy sacrifice profiteth greatly those souls which be in Purgatory according to that saying of â—aint Chrisost Non temere sancitum est ab apostolis vs in tremendis misterijs defunctorum agatur
lilfe Meate helpeth nature to disgest many ill humours and this sacrament is not onely a meate but also a medicine And as Saint Cyprian saith extinguisheth sinne Meate causeth growth and whosoeuer participateth De coena Domini 5 this foode encreaseth in spirit for by receuing the life of charity and grace the soule cannot but grow in vertue and perfection as hee that commeth nearer the sunne participateth more light and heate For these resemblances of meate with the blessed sacrament we may per ceaue the reason why our blessed Sauiour instituted it vnder the formes of bread and wine thereby to teach vs by these externall signes that as bread and wine feede our bodyes so Christs fâ—lesh and bloud our soules But for all these perfections or commodities of temporall meats they haue adioyned as many imperfections and defects the which this blessed foode of life wanteth For corporall meats if they delight vs the more we eate of them our delight is lesse and at last wee come to loathe them but this meate Qui comedit adhuc esurit qui Ecde 24. bibit adhuc sitit hee that eateth of it is the more hungry and hee that drinketh the more thirsty and none we see so much desire it as those who most frequent it Corporall meates cannot cause a body that is dead to returne againe to life but this spirituall foode giueth life vnto the dead Qui manducat me ipse viuet propter me Io. 6. he that eateth me the same also shall liue by me Corporall meate although it repaire our forces lost yet the continuall alteration and disguising of it diminisheth our naturall heat because Omne in agendo repatitur euery agent in doing suffereth againe so that at last euen meat it self would extinguish our outward facultie if we had no other cause of death But he who eateth at this table of life Non gustabit Io. 6. mortem in aeternum non morietur he shal not tast of death for euer he shall not dye For as the soule can neuer dye except it leese the grace of God and that it cannot leese of necessitie but of free will so the grace of God can neuer be consumed but by a peruerse wicked will and therefore in aeternum for euer of it selfe it conserueth the soule in life because in very deed it is life Corporall meates faile in force for they alwayes cause not the body to encrease in strength or quantitie but after certaine yeares the body doth not only cease to grow but also it begins to decay and in fine declineth to death But such is the vertue of this holye Eucharist that euery time it is eaten it addeth a new degree of growth yea and for most part when a man declineth most in body and commeth nearer his death in spirit soul he encreaseth most because he then hath most heat of grace todisgest this sacred foode for which admirable effects Dauid wel say in persoÌ„ of those that receiue this Psal 22. heauenly refection Dominus regit me nihil mihi deerit in loco pascuaeibi me collocauit Out Lord doth gouerne me I shall want nothing in the soile of his pasture he hath placed mee For all pastures in respect of this are barren desarts all repasts compared with this leaueth soule euer fainting These pastures are alwaies greene with grace enameld with flowers of vertues watered with the heauenly dewe of Gods assistance and finally haue the pasture continually attending his sacred flocke The twenty ninth cause to effect the resurrection of our bodies BY the vniuersall preuarication of Adam 1. Cor. 15. all his posterity incuâ—red in particular the death of soule and corruption of body whereunto they onely are subiect who discende from him by naturall generation Because that God had so decreed that as from him we were to draw our nature so by his good demeanour froÌ„ him we should receiue our grace But through his transgression by communicating vnto vs a part of his substance poisoned with the sting of originall sin hee imparted together the mortall woundes of body and soule Our Sauiour Christ whose substaÌ„ce was vnspotted with crime or offence pretending as life to destroye death communicated vnto vs his diuine substaunce to giue the soule the life of grace and the body immortality of glory For who can wonder if Christs body touching the bodies of good souls which receiue him with deuotion resuscitate them to life againe since the touche of Elizeus bones had vertue to restore the 4. Reg. 3. vitall spirit to a dead carcasse If seede sowne in the field although it die in the ground retaine vigour virtue of spring so liuely againe which was communicated vnto it by the roote why shall wee not imagine that our bodies keepe a certaine vertue a relation to this sacrament the onely roote of immortality For if the soule receiue grace the body concurreth it is an instrument and therefore if it bee compartner in paine why not in gaine And if Christs soule sanctifie our soules shall not this bodye glorifie our bodies Yea both his body and soule will immortallize both our bodies and soules and therefore hee saide Hic est panis de caelo Iohn 6. descendens vt si quis ex ipso manducauerit non moriatur this is the breade that descendeth from heauen that if anie man eate of it he die not For although hee die corporally yet by vertue of this food by the touch by the relation to the soule whose instrument it was Christ will raise it vp againe Without doubt it standeth greatly with the prouidence of God that Christs body should cause their resurrection who receiue deuoutly this sacrameÌ„t because as wee saide aboue in this hoast Christ is sacrificed and those that participate it woorthily in affection suffer and die with him therefore reason requireth that as they die with him so they shall rise with him Si compatimnr conregnabimus Rom. 8. if we suffer with Christ we shall be also glorified with Christ And more plainely Reformabit corpus humilitatis nostrae Phil. 3. configuratum corpori claritatis suae Hee will reforme the body of our humillitie configured to the body of his glory For if we mortifie our bodies to make them like his body by crosses and pains Doubtlesse he wil reuiue them with delights glory causing them to be his like his body in eternall ioy For which cause we must for a while intreate our bodies not to groane vnder the burthen of Christs commaundements not to repine at fasting not to murmure at mortification not to loathe long prayers not to grudge to liue in prisons depriued of many false pleasures the worlde affoordeth for all these will passeonce When death comes our conscience will reioyce But when our Sauiour after death shall iudge vs and see our crosses conformable to his our pains for his glory our tribulation for his confession Hiems Cantie
2. transijt imber abijt flores apparebunt in terra nostra the winter is past the showre is gone flours wil appeare in our ground then shal we know that all earthly ioyes were meere toyes and euery transitory crosse an eternall crowne The thirtieth cause to be a viaticum or prouision for our voyage THis holie Sacrament for three causes may be called Viaticum First because our Sauiour in his passage instituted receiued distributed and gaue authority to his disciples to disperse it Secondly wee are to receiue it wander as pilgrims in the desarts of this worlde where spirituall foode can hardly be had and therefore it was prefigured in the celestiall Manna which God rained vpon the Iewes whilest they wandred in their peregrination towards the land of promise Thirdly because peculiarly our Sauiour intended to prouide vs of it as of a defence when we are to depart out of this world for his deuine wisedome did most prouidently fore see that our ghostly enemies would specially imploy their forces to impugne vs in the last periode of our life according to that was foretold in Genesis that the serpent should insidiari calcaceo seminis Gen. 3. mulieris supplant the heele of the womans seed for thereupon dependeth the triumph of God the Church and the soule ouer the diuell the confusion of hell and the glory of heauen In this last conflict therefore so dangerous our Sauiour would arme vs with his owne body and bloud that the infernall fiends seeing the bloud of Christ should be inforced to let that soule passe in security medle no more with it then the distroying Angell with the children of Israell when he saw this bloud painted ouer the dores with the bloud of a lambe yea as so many grisly busaloes they should bee terrified and affrighted euen with the very sight of this vermilian colour An excellent figure of this effect wee find registered in the acts of Elias who beeing persecuted by that impious Iesabell 3. Râ—g 19. loathing his life and desiring death fledde into a deasart and there casting himselfe vnder a luniper tree desired of God to ende his dayes and with that fell a sleepe presently an angell came to him and awaked him willing him to eate for yet there remained a longway he rose vp and found set at his head an imber cake and a cup of water he eat and drunke and walked for two dayes by the strength of that food till he came to the mountain of God Oreb wheras our Lord came vnto him What can more expresly declare the manner the vertue the effect of our viaticum then this while the faithfull Phil. 1. weary of this world lie on their death beds wishing to be dissolued to liue with Christ in the sweet shade of the catholike church the Priest presenteth vnto them the bread of life willing them to eat for a long way remaines a troublesome voyage they haue to passe they receiue and then by the vertue therof proceed in their pilgrimage vnto the holy mount of heauen where they shall see God foreuer O happie soule that resteth in the desart of this miserable world vnder the shade of such a tree from whence falleth the fruit of life I meane the Catholike Church wherin is planted the crosse of Christ which beareth this fruit of saluation Well saide the spouse sub vmbra illius quem desideraui sedi Cant. 2. fructus eius dulcis gutturi meo vnder the shade of him whome I desired I haue sitten and his fruite was sweete vnto my throate If it be so sweet in this life growing in an vplanding country out of the natiue soile how sweet wil it bee in heauen when these vailes shall be broken when these parings shall be taken away when our taste shal be quickened when we shal eate it with God himselfe vpon his owne table The one and thirtieth cause to win virgins to God SOme sage Philosophers and wise phisitions counsell noble women not to commit the nursing of their children to others of base estate meane condition but that they shuld giue them suck themselues the reason say they is most euident because the rusticke milke engendred in these clownish bodies will greatly alter the delicate and noble complection of the child for although we in our stomakes alter change those meates we receiue and bring theÌ„ at last to bee of our temper and substance yet in the verie alteration our bodies feele in tract of time most notable effects of theÌ„ for hot meats inflame them cold meates refresh them moist meates dissolue theÌ„ drie meats vnite them This doctrine being true as experience pregnantly proueth euery one may see how fit a food for virgins is this blessed sacrament for if we consider Christ our sauior therin contained according to his diuinitie his father the first virgin of al others as Nazianzen Nazianz. in Carmine calleth him conceiued him alone in the wombe of his vnderstanding if we expend his humanity it was borne of a virgin without a father if wee wey Christ himself god man we shal find him al his life to haue obserued most strictly a virginall puritie This blessed bread entring into our bodies adorned with so many admirable titles of virginity how can it but alter our sensuall and base appetires by eleuating them to the complexion temper pure disposition of Christ shal corporall meats work with more efficacie their effects in our bodies than this celestiall his prerogatiues in our soules No no it is more excellent than so Dilectus meus candidus Cantic 5. rubicundus electos prae millibus hic est fios campi lilium conuallium My loue is Cantie 2. white and red chosen before thousandes this is the flower of the field and lilly of the valley His garmentes are lilly white wyth chastity and scarlet red with passions of loue and such effects he imprintes with the seale of his body in the soules of the faithfull The which effects considering and admiting one exclamed Quid bâ—â—um Zach. 9. quid pulchrum eius nisi frumentum electorum vinum germinans virgines what of his is good what of his is beautifull but the wheate of his elected wine that springeth virgines O holy Prophet dost thou meditate the maruellous workes of God and canst thou finde nothing more admirable than this View the creation of the world consider thy Fathers in Egypt Gen. 1. Exod 7. and 8 9 10 11 12. Exod. 14. what maruelous miracles Moses wrought how he passed the red sea so woÌ„derfully looke vpon God himselfe and thou shalt see an abisse of goodnesse a fountaine of wisdom an indeficient power How then saist thou Quid bonum quid pulchrum eins nisi frumentum electorum Questionlesse what of his is good and what of his beautiful but the wheat of his elected wine springing virgins He knew wel what he saide for in this
one prospect ouer the whole time from the beginning of the world vnto the latter â—nd it all appeareth vnto me nothing else but a solemne triumph of our Sauiour Christ the which consisteth in the preparation the triumph the memories or monuments thereof for as the Romaine Emperours after they had atchieued any worthy victorie against their enemies they gaue notice thereof to the Senate of Rome and described to them al the valiant exploits howe great a conquest they had made what cities what prouinces they had subdued what great good did redound to their common-weale the Senate vnderstanding this good successe prepared waies for him to passe adorned Gates wherein he was to enter addressed Chariots to conduct him and his traine hanged their streets with tapistrie of arras veluet gold and cloth of tissue And last of all erected arches piramides pillars statues collosses for monuments records to their posteritie engrauing in them the whole substance circumstances of the victory The like it seemes befalleth in the triumph of Christ in his Chariot of the Crosse for before his comming al the old Testament was nothing else but a preparation letters sent by God to those people by Moses by prophets by patriarches to dispose them to beleeue expect defire the day of this triumph insomuch that some of theÌ„ wished the heauens broken that hee might discend loathing to stay any longer he prepared his way with giuing a law and ceremonies hee decked the streetes with sacraments and sacrifices he adorned the gates I meane his temple with infinite varietie of furniture of cherubins of lions of floures After Christ came into this life hee marched for three Matth. 21. Marke 11 Luke 19. and thirtie yeares and at last came into the Citie of Ierusalem where the people spread their garments the children carried boughs of palmes and oliues bicause the vngrateful Iews would not erect a triumphant Arch nor engraue his victories in pilars of marbl or piramides of porphirie he erected himselfe a monument a memory of his triumph his death passion the sacred Eucharist because he triumphed in dying by his passion woon the field so that the victorie triumph and death were altogether vppon the Crosse a blessed Arch more durable then marble or brasse Herein hee hath engrauen his passion as before was declared here euery one may reade the sum of his paines and therefore rightly he said Hoc facite in meam Luke 22. coÌ„memorationem This do for a coÌ„memoration Psal 110. of me and Dauid before memoriam fecit mirabilia suoruÌ„ misericors misereatur dominus escam dedit timentibus se Our mercifull and compassionable Lord instituted a memory of his wonders he gaue food to them that feare him besides al the seruices masses sacraments and what appertaineth to pietie or deuotion after Christs comming it hath some relation it serueth in part for a memorie a thanksgiuing or a representatioÌ„ of this glorious triumph of Christ And questionlesse it concerneth vs much often to remember the passion of our sauior since he hath instituted so diuine a monument to reduce it into our memories at no better time then when we communicate for God is a fountain of liberality yet he would haue vs remember his benefits for as he that acknowledgeth them disposeth the giuer to bestow more so he that acknowledgeth them not dries vp the fountaine towardes him And such is the goodnesse of God that he would institute a memorie of his benefits that wee therby remembring them might merite more and so receiue new continually The sixe and thirtieth cause to moue vs to loathe â—â—at the world loues THe holy and deuout S. Francis inflamed with the loue of God was accustomed to breake out into this affectious voyce Deus meus omnia O my God and al the which hee had learned of a him who was a man according to the heart of God and many yeares before had cryed Quid mihi Psa 72. est in caelum à te quid volui super terram What is there for me in heauen or besides thee what do I desire in earth These voyces it seemed they vttered for two causes first because he that possesseth god enioyeth al things as our sauior expresly declareth Quaerite primum regnum dei iustitiam Matth. 6. eius caetera adijcientur vobis And the reason is euident for if Amicorum omnia sunt coÌ„munia amongst friends al things are common he that is Gods friend possessing his hart by frendship consequently is made partaker of all treasures for which cause the good old father said to his elder son Fili tu meoum es omnia mea tua sunt Son thou art with me al mine are Luke 15. thine The secoÌ„d cause I take to be by reason that whatsoeuer God created or man can do ought to be related vnto god so far vsed or refused how far we see standes with his loue honor glorie For as God made vs to loue him and serue him in this life to enioy him after in the other so wee ought to direct all our actions vse all his creatures prize or contemne theÌ„ no more nor no lesse then we see conduceth to this end For which two causes most pregnantly appeareth how the holy Eucharist inforceth vs after a verie palpable manner to despise and abhorre whatsoeuer this impious worlde affecteth for who is so sencelesse that hauing before his face a fountaine of most pure and Christall water will range abroad to seeke filthy puddles and mirie-fennes to quench his thirst Hath not this sacrament all thou canst desire insomuch that the verie beautie and pride of the field cannot be absent Et pulchritndo agri mecum est and the beautie of Psal 49. the field is with me Wish see aske whatsoeuer the world affordeth heere thou shalt haue it comprised Desirest thou riches here lie the treasures of God wishest thou pleasure De torrente voluptatis potabit te Psal 35. he wil giue thee to drink in the floud of pleasure Wouldest thou sow the flower and crop of al goodnesse Ostendam tibi omne bonum I will shew thee al good crauest thou long life and happie daies Qui manducat Exod. 33 Io. 6. hunc panem viuet in aeternum He that eateth of this bread shal liue for euer Affectest thou in fine all pleasures in one all goodnes in one al wisedom in one Io here Deus meus omnia my God and all For al creatures out of God lacke many perfections they are good but not full As a cup of salt water in the sea is perfecter then in a veslel for there being ioyned it may coÌ„tinualy be preserued it is incorporated with the whole may serue for many notable effects seperated it falleth to corruption serueth to few vses Al creatures in God liue in the prime of their parity ther they lacke imperfection Therefore my soule
God did foresee the hard encounters they should meet withal before that entered into the firme possession he thought conuenient to giue them a taste of the aboundance and fertilitie of that soile to the intent that feeling the fruit they should not grudge at the paine and therefore he mooued them to send the scowts to suruey the country and discouer the commodities They launch forth passe the principall partes auoyde sundry dangers retourne with such huge clusters of grapes it being vintage that Numb 13 they were not able to carry them in their hands but with poules to beare them vppon their shoulders Euen so our blessed Sauiour knowing that the faithfull children of his church were to be assaulted by many potent inuisible expert and ghostly enimes as the victorie was more important and the foile more daungerous so he thought with a preamble of internail ioy to encourage them to tolerate a moment of paine for which effect he being our scowt and hauing viewed the lande of euerlasting promise he brought vs the bloud of grapes this fruite of that soyle to indnce vs with the sweetnes greatnes and taste thereof to suffer with alacritie to resist with a courage to inuade with valour to expugne with glory all crosses encounters enimies temtations that either aduersitie could impose or sathan inuent or persecutor inflict or our alluring flesh stirre vppe against vs. And that is the sacred Eucharist the which is not only as aboue wee haue deliuered a portraite of all the admirable workes of God but also a most liuely image representing vnto vs the vniuersall ioys of heuen For in what consisteth life euerlasting our future felicity In the glory of our soules and bodies In what maner are our foules blessed by seeing foulding louing reioycing in God and our bodyes are glorified by the redundance distillation and influence of our soules Al which most exactly this sacrament affordeth because in very deed he that seeth this sacrament seeth God as those that saw Christs sacred humanity the vaile of his person were said to see his diuinitie and those that view her maiestie though masked are saide to see the Queene Besides in life euerlasting the blessed comprehend fould and as it were spiritually by their vnderstanding claspe God in their soules Sic currite vt comprehendatis 1. Cor. 3. so run that you may obtaine willed he that God had admitted to see these secrets and the spouse Tenui eum nec demittam Cantic 3. I held him and I wil not forgo my holde For really there wee shall holde in eternall possession that we heere expected by hope And who sees not how all those that receiue this glorious bread fould it in their breasts keepe it and quietly possesse God and all his perfections And who is so stonie hearted that loueth not him that lieth so neere his heart or who is so indurated that this bloud doth not mollifie or who is so voide of affection that this so affectious a God would and doth not moue to loue what ioye proceedeth from these spirituall imbracings from this vnion of spirits from this matching of the soule with her center from this vitall refection from this heauenly conuersation let him tell that sayde dulciora sunt vbera tuae super vinum Cantic 2. thy paps are sweeter then wine let him tell that felt quà m dulcia eloquia Dei super Psal 18. and 118. mel fanum how sweet are the words of God sweeter then honye or the honye combe let him tell that called it pinguis Genes 49. panis qui prebet delitijs regibus fat bread which yeeldeth delites to kings Finally how by eating this Sacrament our bodies shall rise and receiue immortalitie aboue was declared and moreouer in this present foode the body of Christ which shal be the example of all glorious bodyes permanently remaineth No maruaile it is therfore if feruent souls liue in a perpetuall iubilie of ioy and peace since here in earth they participate a forme of the ioyes of heauen if they desire to bee with God whose company is so sweet and gratefull The fortieth cause to bee a condigne sacrifice for Christ to offer to his father BEfore the institution of this sacrament of vnualuable value the Euangelist S. Iohn who suckt his diuinitie out of that breast whencefrom issued this Precious licour prepareth the readers for other Euangelists with a most profound diuine preface that after vnderstanding such an admirable mysterie penetrating the depth of his reasons they might be induced to beleeue it sciens Iesus Ioh. 13. c. Iesus knowing that his father had giuen him all things into his hands and that he came from God and returned to God he rose and prepared hmself to wash his Disciples feete thereby infinuating with what puritie of soule the faithfull ought to participate the dainties of this table In which compendious wordes hee yeeldeth three reasons why it concerned the office functions and dignitie of our Sauiour to institute this regall sacrifice First because he being ordained by God our high priest according to the Psal 109. order of Melchisedech and consequently hauing commission to institute a sacrifice in bread and wine after that former since Hebr. 7. therfore God hath deliuered all things into his hands that appertained to his fathers glorie his own honor his Churches saluation and dignitie of them all it was most decent that hauing receiued all his sacrifice should comprehend all and be offered to God in recognition of all the which could not bee any other thing then God who is all in all Secondly because that knowing he came from god that is he issued from his father by natural necessarie eternal generation equal in perfection vnited in the same essence it did behooue him not to offer vp any mean present or base gift no it could not stand with so soueraigne a maiestie to institute any such sacrifice as could bee contained within the limited borders of humane or angelicall capacities for if that vaine Alexander though proudly yet truely vaunted that Kings ought not so much attende to whome they giue as who they are that giue howe much more did it concerne our Sauiour Christ king of kings to offer a condigne present to his father the Monarch of the worlde wherefore as all his actions wherewith hee merited were of infinite value for the dignitie of his person euen so this sacrifice was to bee ordained of infinite prize for the substance of the same for there was no gift answerable to eyther of theyr dignities or sutable to their Maiesties but a sacrifice containing God for nothing but God can be infinite in substance for which reason wee haue God the giuer God the receiuer and God the gift the which sacred consort cannot but yeelde a most sweete harmonie Thirdly knowing hee was to returne to his father where incessantly the incense of his prayers were to ascend therefore as he accompanied
them in earth with this immortall sacrifice so hee woulde not haue them destitute in heauen for although he be in heauen yet hee it is as fathers commonly doo teach that offereth vppe this sacrifice the priest representeth his person Ciprianus De coen◠Domini epist 53. and therefore he saith not Hoc est corpus Christi This is the bodie of Christ but Hoc est corpus meum This is my bodie after the same manner as Christ spake them him selfe And for which cause Christs priesthood is called eternall because he vnto the worldes end will neuer cease to offer it Blessed be this sauiour for euer who so diuinely prouided a sacrifice correspondent to his fathers maiestie his owne glorie his churches benefite and euery Christians profite ¶ The fortie one cause containing ten Chapters To discouer vnto vs the ineffable loue of God That the loue of God in this blessed sacrament cannot be comprehended and of foure loues concurring in it Chap. I. WHen I enter into the profounde abisse of Gods loue the base of al benefits life of all other loues it seemeth I am calmed in the boundlessē ocean sea where on each side beholding the four quarters of the world I can discouer nothing but an immensiue and an endlesse wildernesse of water If I look vpward to heauen I see those lamps of light couered with a misty fogge If I looke downeward I finde a fragil barke leaking on all sides that is if I conuert mine eies in this sacrifice of loue to the institutor to God in whose glorie it is offered to the humanitie of Christ which is offered to the deuoute and feruent soules which participate of this offering I finde no bonds nor limites all affections swell so mightily and like foure riuers deriued Gen. 2 from one fountaine in Paradice I meane the essentiall loue of God the holy ghost to finish in the infinite sea of al loue God himselfe Aboue my head what find I but cloudes and darkenesse in him whom this loue most concerneth God almightie nubes caligo in circuitu eius a cloude and Psal 96. darkenesse round about him whome Nazianzene well compareth to a lightning which vanisheth from our sight before we can firmely fix our eyes vppon it If I consider my selfe and my perfections the which my crasie soule leaketh on euery side I cannot but be afraide to intermedle with suche mysteries since so deuoute a Prophet as Isav durst not speake of god Isa 6. to the people because his lippes were defiled nor would attempt so difficult an interprise till the Seraphin had touched thē with a burning cole taken from the Altar of God where fire did euer glowe But shall we speake nothing then of the loue of god the principal cause of this sacred supper because we haue so many dainties before vs shall we die for hunger no no I hope the Angell of God in earth hath not once but a thousand times purified my lips with this blessed burning coale of heauenly fire taken from gods holy altar and the verie same that comforted the heart of his Prophet therefore by his grace I will deliuer such discourses as hee in this sacrament hath vouchsafed as I hope to deliuer vnto me remembring alwais that whatsoeuer can be said of mortall men in commendations of such a mysterie is as far beneath it as men beneath God and therefore God commaunded in the eating of the pascal lamb a most liuelie Image of this sacrament that they should deuoure that is swallow downe Exod. 12. without chewing the head the intralles and the feet But to what end good lord such immodestie had not these partes most neede of chewing where there is most bones gristles and sinows god questionlesse had a further reach then that present sacrifice hee aymed at this sacrament where the head the intralles the feete of this lambe must perforce bee swallowed for the head of Christ is his 1. Cor. 11. diuinitie Caput Christs Deus The head of Christ is God the intralles the secret and inexplicable maner of his supernaturall being vnder the garments of bread and wine as the intralles of beastes lie in secretest place of their bodyes veiled with the skinne and flesh by the feete scriptures commonly vnderstand affections therefore Christs Godhead his manner of being his inexplicable affection and loue must be swallowed downe wee are not able to comprehend any of them and therefore all we say is too little That God instituted this sacrament for loue Chap. 2. THe nature of loue is so sweete so precious so prized feeding fainting soules that in the verie maine of crosses and aduersities the loue of God rendereth a most sufficient counteruailing consolation wherefore as it is neither loathsome nor tedious to loue God so neither the long thinking nor discoursing can be noysome or fastidious crauing therefore the sacred gale of the Ghost I will lanch foorth aloofe from the shoare and saile into the deepe It is a most auncient and vndoubted trueth that all giftes which God bestowed vpon the worlde for the vniuersall or particular good of men proceeded from the inexhausted fountaine of his loue For which cause the blinded Philosophers could say that loue created this world For what is loue to wish wel to one to reioice in his good to procure his good to defend him from euil to communicate vnto him his treasures to make him partaker of his secrets Al these actions either be loue it selfe or such effects and fruites as can not be separated from loue Therefore if god freely of his owne accord without any interest for our good graunted vs so great a gift who can doubt but that it springeth from loue Moreouer his intention in giuing discouereth sufficiently the grounde of his gift For what cause gaue he it To vnite vs together with him And for what end this vnion That he seeing himselfe sealed in vs might haue a sufficient and worthy obiect of his loue and wee seeing the same engrauen in him for a mutuall resemblaunce might bee inflamed to affect him For what cause gaue he it To imprint our soules with the life of grace And why that he might loue vs and wee him for these be the proper effectes and fruits of grace For what cause gaue he it To be a means to obtain life euerlasting And why life euerlasting That there we might with the full power of our heartes exercise that loue charity quae nunquam 1. Corint 13. excidit which neuer falleth away that there the sailes of loue might swell with the full winde of the holy ghost Finally discourse ouer all those causes wee haue alleadged you shall finde them euery one grounded in loue And therefore let it be lawful for me to call this Sacrament a mirrour a mappe a flame a life of loue interprèt Eucharistia bona gratia good grace a singular fauour a superexcellent loue Moreouer whosoeuer wil runne
sacrament affordeth cognouerunt eum in fractione panis they knew him in the breaking of bread for Luke 24. which cause the wisedome of God inuited all those that would be wise to come and drinke of her wine she had mingled in this sacrament Besides our Sauior here Prouerb 9. submits himself to the iudgement of men for he maketh them the surueyors of theÌ„selues Probet seipsumhomo sic de pane illo 1. Cor. 11. edat de calice bibat qui enim manducat bibit indignè iudicium sibi manducat bibit non deiudicans corpus dominum let a man proue himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drink of the chalice for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe not discerning the body of our Lord. If they iudge worthily he entreth if vnworthily contents himselfe to accept their peruerse sentence as he was content to tolerate the vniust iudgement of Pilate Therfore the mysterie it self the effects theròf the vse and practise shewes that God pretended an vnion of conceits in this Sacrament The vnion of wil affection we see most Vnion of affection manifestly here effected god loueth him selfe infinitely for his owne natiue goodnes and here he giueth vs the life of grace and charitie to hâ—lpe to animate to inable vs to lone him God commaundeth vs to call in remembrance his death passion and here good soules afflict their souls with internal griefe and compassion God intended to giue vs this mistery for a perpetuall sacrifice to bee offered vnto him and here the religious christians confirme their willes with his and daily offer it When I thinke of the vnion of friends Vnion in company who eate at one table what ioy and mirth they conceiue in such imperfect refections and transitory societies and conferre them with this sacred banquet it seemeth no otherwise than to compare a painted dish of meate with one that is reall substantiall because here all that eate feede of the very same they receiue ioys of the soule but especially to our purpose those that communicate at this table eate of the same dish Christ ate on himselfe for hee did eate this food we feed vpon and thus he was verè commensalis And besides hee is the meate it selfe that neuer was yet seene in the world The vnion of presence and place our Vnion in presence Sauiour knew well concerned friendship and loue therefore as one that went into forren countries he thought it not conuenient only to leaue a ring a bare memory but hee included himselfe in this ring of bread he made himselfe the diamond and so didde departe in externall shape and forme but not in substaunce Besides what neerer vnion of place can there bee then in one breast which is the dearest presentest place that any man can desire the which that Ladie well declared who after her husbands death for extremity of loue could not permit his hart which had loued her so intirely to be buried in any other place then in her own breast for that effect she dried it to pouder and so intombed it in the dearest presentest and cheefest place shee had that was her owne breast the nearest roome adioyning to her heart What other vnion affecteth loue which here we see not effected for attire heere is no diuersity since Diuers other vâ—ions one seate serueth both Christ entering the body of a begger is clothed with rags and harbouring vnder the heart of a king is apparelled with scarlet purple What other vnion can wee desire a societie of Souldiours in warres loe here Christ and wee bee made commilitones both fighting against our spirituall enemies as in the eleuenth cause was deliuered therefore if those wicked complices of Cateline before they attempt their trecherie against Caesar drunke all of one cuppe of their owne bloud to make them more bold and linked together and it preuailed so much that they all lost their liues before they failed or fainted to effectuate their conspiracie howe may wee not bee accounted cowards and dastards if we flie away if we faint in battaile if wee leaue Christ and runne to serue his enemies since we haue promised fidelitie and hee with his bloud hath inrolled our names in no better table then our owne hearts Since we haue both drunke the bloud of God what other vnion can we thinke of Saint Paul said children communicated in Hebr. â— flesh and therfore to be like them he participated the same but here we may say because children did eate flesh bloud bread and wine therefore hee tooke the formes of them all By this it appeareth how this sacrament may bee called communion since it causeth so many vnioÌ„s in substance in secrets in opinions in affections in desires in diet in place in attire in warre in resemblance of naturall inclination That God shewed the second effect of loue in the Encharist that is zeale Chap. 4. NAture hath printed in the heart of euery sensible creature of most necesfary instinct for their preseruation that is not onely to loue themselues in procuring good but also in auoiding those euils which may impeach their health or conue nient being ye a she hath lent them armor to defend themselues to impugne their aduersaries Amity the cosin germaine or rather brother of this natural inclination in like sort affecteth not only the good of the beloued but also protecteth defendeth theÌ„ inuading those who either molest or iniury his friends this we see most manifestly in beasts who for loue of their yongones atteÌ„pt extreame perils esteeme no dangers inuade their enemies fighting til death The like we may proue in kinsmen who esteeme al iniuries offered their allies to redound to their ignomie and therefore by the law of amity they endeuor to protect theÌ„ Yea our sauior Christ touched with this zeale for so the scripture Iohn 2 calleth this effect of loue seeing the temple of his father ordained for prayer sacrifice by the sacrilegious Iewes prophaned with theft and marchandize mooued with indignation against them regarding neither the gall of their phrases the malice of the Scribes nor the greedie mindes of the Marchants but presently cast them out of the temple such was his zeale of his fathers glorie that hee could not tollerate to see him dishonoured where he ought to haue bin worshipped The like zeale if no greater boyled in that sacred breast when hee instituted this sacament for although he eternaly did foresee that most sacrile giously this sacred foode of Angels shuld be blasphemed by infidels troden vnder foot by heretikes mangled and crucified by Iewes harbored in most vgly and polluted soules by wicked christians yet for the zeale of those good catholikes he knew were deuoutly religiously to receiue him weyed nothing iniuries blasphemies dishonors treading or traÌ„pling cutting slicing burning or baking so that he might vnite his
horrible paines that no mortall man can tell whether he shewed more loue in suffering for vs or in glorifying of vs. But let vs now suruey the extasie he fell into by instituting this sacrament if it was an extasie to euacuat himselfe in shew of deitie by taking the forme of a man What doth he not suffer a greater extasie here by taking the form of bread for there he tooke the shape of a reasonable creature but heere he beareth a shew of an insensible substance S. Paul speaking of his extasie affirmed that 〈◊〉 2. Christ liued in him Viuo ego non iam ego viuit vero in me Christus I liue now not I 〈◊〉 ◠but Christ liueth in me If Christ liued not himselfe but in S. Paul and other faithful of his church of whom he spake as of himselfe Saule Saule cur me persequeris Saul Saul why persecutest thou me through the force of loue and affection Que potius viuit vbi amat quam vbi animat which more truly liueth where it loueth and not where it liueth how much more truly may hesay who claspes Christ in his breast in this sacred Eucharist Viuo ego iam non ego viuit vero in me Christus I liue now not I but Christ liueth in mee And let any reasonable man iudge if Christ here seeme not to put off and vnapparell himselfe of his maiestie and glorie permitting himself to be closed vnder a husk of bread at the Priests will staying dayes and nights attending in the tabernacle to receiue our supplications permitting infidells and heretikes to abuse and sacrilegiously to handle him entring into poisoned soules beggarly lodgings and al indecent places that either malice or infidelitie can inuent yea in some sort the extasie here surpasseth the extasie of Christ in his passion for although there hee suffered and here is impassible yet there hee shewed himselfe by wordes he answered for himselfe he reprehended and argued them that offered iniuries those blasphemies were for a small time and those dishonours not so many but here he neuer moueth the blasphemies are innumerable they haue continued in all ages And therefore when Moses and Elias talked with Christ in his transfiguration De excessu Luke 9. quem passurus erat in Ierusalem of his decease that he should accomplish in Ierusalem that they might wel haue talked of this Sacrament as I doubt not but they did bicause in very truth both excesses of loue are admirable and in mine opinion Habent se sicut excedens excessum haue relation the one to the other as the exceeding and the exceeded That God in the Eucharist sheweth his beneuolence the fourth effect of loue Cha. 6. As the hearts of men lie hidden from their eies in the centres of their bodies the rootes of trees vnder the earth in such sorte as in themselues wee can not view their natures and qualities yet nature hath taught vs certaine wayes howe to discouer them the heart by motions coulour and pulse the roote by the stem branches leaues and fruit euen so loue harbouring in the bosome of the hearte cannot be perfectly discerned of mortall men who wade into the depth of secrets by senses in it selfe but by some coulours the pulse the fruit some externall signe and of al other commonly it is declared by beneuolēce bestowing of gifts conferring of benefites So as S. Iohn intending Iob. 3. to make manifest vnto vs the exceeding loue of God touched this pulse shewed this fruit Sic deus dilexit mundum vt filium suum vnigenitum daret So GOD loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne And Christ himselfe declaring the loue of Mary Magdalen shewed the externall beneuolence and fruits Luke 7. of her affection by annointing him with oile by bathing his feete with teares by drying them with hir haire and thervpon inferred this comfortable illation Remittuntur ei peccata multa quoniam dilexit multū Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much All faithful chrisstians that eat this fruit of life may easily perceiue the roote from whence it drew so sweete a substance to be the abisse of the loue of God Yea I knowe not by what meanes there resteth imprinted in our mindes a certaine sent of loue When we cal to memory this blessed sacrament it seemeth to smell of the heauenly Orchards of paradise which breath no other aire then the loue of the holy Ghost for I think there is none so simple that at the first prospect of his conceit when he considereth this gift presently imagines not that it proceedeth from loue and most truely might say sic Deus so God beloued Ihon ◠the world that he gaue his sonne that all those that did eate him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Yea while I wade alitle deeper in this matter I know not how but it seemeth to me the three persons in trinity contend which of them should shewe more excesse of loue by excesse of benefites not that there can bee any emulation or discention among those infinit louers and beloued but that the effects be so wōderful exceeding that we know not which to prefer To the father we ascribe power to the son wisdome to the holy ghost goodnesse because the father was produced by none the sonne sprung by vnderstanding the holy ghost issued by loue To the fathers omnipotencie we attribute creation to the sonnes wisedome redemption to the spirits goodnesse iustification Now let al diuines set their heads together yet they cannot decide which of these benefits ought most to bee prized neuerthelesse in my iudgement I take our redemption to surpasse the others because in creation God gaue vs the naturall life of our bodies and soules with this world and all the furniture thereof for our vse and domonion In iustification he imparteth the supernaturall life of grace with sundrie vertues gifts and fauors thereupon attending but in our redemption hee gaue vs the life of God which exceedeth the others so farre as God exceedeth man And in this sacrament his person life soule and bodie and therefore wel may we extoll this gift seeing God so extolled it before vs and say Quid bonum quid pulcrum eius nisi frumentum zach 9. electorum vnium germinans virgines What of his is good and what of his is beautifull but the wheate of his elected and wine that springeth virgins for indeede it is either the cheefest or next to the cheefest Much more might be intreated here of this effect by expounding all the circumstances of this gift who giueth it what is giuen with what effect it is giuen to what ende with what cost howe deare to the giuer but because partly they were handled before in the three twentieth cause of Gods liberalitie shewed in the institution thereof partly because I meane to touch it a little beneath partlie for that all the causes wee haue alleadged
are particular benefits that God bestowes vpon vs in this precious gift for these reasons I will omit much that might be saide concluding only that as great as God is so great is his gift and as great as is his gift so great the loue from whence it proceedeth and as great loue the gift it selfe requireth of vs if we were able to afford it but since we cannot answere one for thousands let vs confesse our defectes open to him our desires and require our sauiour whom we receiue to supply our wants That God sheweth all diuersities of loue in this Sacrament Cha. 7. OVr louing Sauior was not contented to vnfolde vnto vs the excesse of his loue and the effects thereof in this Sacrament of loue but also he hath vouchsafed to expresse all the diuersities and sortes of loue The which I finde among Diuines and morall Philosophers to be in number foure The first is a loue of account or 1 Amor appretiatiuus A prizing loue price for we are prepared by it to prefer our friend before our goodes our fame our owne dangers or life The next may be called loue of feruour or vehemencie 2 Amor intentious An intensiue loue as we see yongmen more vehemeÌ„tly loue their companions than they do either father or mother neuertheles they had rather their friend shoulde die than father or mother if it were left to their election because they loue their parentes after a deeper rate than their companions the 3 Amor extenâ—iuus An extensiue loue other they terme extensiue diffused or a loue common to many as the loue of a king towards his subiects a bishop toward his flocke a father to a multitude of children The last and easiest to be discouered is a certaine familiar and tender loue 4 Amor familiaris A familiar loue as mothers beare to their infants to whom they shew more signes of affection than to the elder howbeit they prize the elder much more than their yonglings It was most conuenient that God instituting a Sacrament proceeding from an abisse of loue and ordained to mooue men to loue should comprehend in it all sorts of loue for if that Manna had all forts of tastes to delight the tongue surelyreason required that this heauenly foode should containe Sap. 16. all sortes of loue to delight the will the which most plainely shall appeare by the next discourses That God sheweth a prizing loue in the Eucharist Cha. 8. CErtaine vnlearned Philosophers considering the subordination of all creatures in this worlde to man the heauens the sunne moone stars elements stones mettelles mineralles fishes beasts foules with al that belongeth to euery one in fitting and seruing him to some purpose besides thinking their gods had no other felicitie than the rowling of the heauenly spheares and disposition of this inferiour worlde concluded that the gods were made for men and in very deede if their principle had bin true no man could haue denied their ilation But what would they haue inferred if they had seene christians cate their God Questionlesse they might much more euidently haue confirmed their opinion For when I thorowly consider with my selfe that god could die for man and befides would giue himselfe to him for meate me thinkes if I had no other matter to meditate vpon all my life this woulde serue men by weighing the weaknes miseries and infirmities of men and after comparing them with the perfections of God and then to see that God would make such an account of man that hee would debase himselfe almost to nothing for his loue This I say might cause the Seraphins to veile their eyes for wonder and mortall men to be rauished with admiration If a friend doe spend but his goods for his friend so that of a rich man he becom a beggar who would not think this loue exceeding Or howe few examples can we find of such amitie althogh the occasion bee offered very often But how few will staine their credite almost with a meere suspition to fauour theyr friends in any cause of great importance But how much lesse offer and effectually giue their bloud for loue of their friend O blessed Sauiour thou art the onely true friend who if all forsake vs will receyue vs and not onely impart vs thy goods but thy honour likewise and bloud to eate If there were a father who so affected his sonne that he could spare no cost to help him to recouer his health for that end bestowed halfe a score such Cordialles as Plutare iâ— Auton Plin. libr. 9. c. 25. Cleopatra the Queene of Egypt eate one after her supper dissoluing a pearle shee had for a pendent with vineger which was valewed at 30000. pounds there is no man but he would iudge he prized extreamely his sonnes life Yet what haue pearles to bee compared with this Sacrament if God should conuey all the masse of this world all the golde and siluer all stones and iewelles all creatures liuing men and Angels into a one bit as no wise man can deny it to be possible and would present this to thee and say lo I giue thee all this to loue mee woulde not all men iudge that god prized thy loue excedingly for which he offereth so great a prise and al this he performeth in this sacrament by thousands more For al that is visible or inuisible in this worlde and ten thousand worlds more our blessed Christ the secoÌ„d person in Trinity which heare God freely bestoweth vpon vs in most noble and eminent manner comprehendeth And what demaundeth he in recompence but Fili prebe mihi cor tuum quia amore langueo Prouerb 23. Cantic 5. Sonne giue me thy heart for I languishe with loue Finally muse meditate with thy selfe night and day and thou shalt not be able to imagine how God coulde haue declared more apertly the account hee maketh of euery one then by imparting vnto vs this sacrament for all the tresures in heauen and earth are herein contained By this plainly appeareth the disloialty ingratitude and base mindes of too too many in Englande who in their hearts know and approue the catholique Religion and yet for feare of leesing their worldly pelfe for some inordinate affection to their family for some desire to enioy the pleasurs of the world they most cowardly and vildely deny their God by making profession externaly of a false religion In what case will they bee when they shal appeare before the tribunal seat of Christ who most iustly may condemne them and infallibly will condemne them for preferring a litle trash before so pretious a treasure and selling their hearts to the world for three miserable mites and denying it to him for infinite millions That God sheweth in the Fucharist a most intensiue loue Chap. 9. THe vehement loue of God in the institution of this sacrament our sauiour well declared before he came to deliuer vnto his Apostles authority to spread this