27 When in the Church the bread and the wine are brought forth being antitypes of the body and blood of him those which partake of the visible bread doe eate his body and his blood spiritually And that which the Priest saith after he hath taken the Eucharist shewes that there is no transubstantiation for after the consecration he saith quod ore sumpsimus c de munere temporali fiat c also the prose sub diuersis speciebus signis tantum non rebus latent res eximiae the Sacraments are termed signes not things Chrys ad Caesar mon. And S. Chrysostome saith that the bread is called by the name of our Lord although the nature of bread doe yet continue The same said Pope Gelasius writing 1000 yeares after our Sauiour Gelas contra Eutich Car. lib. de diuin eff pag. 85. Tertull. lib 4. cont Marcion Chrys 1. Cor. c. 10. Amb. de iis qui init myst c. 9. Can. ante benedict dist 2. de consec Dionys de eccles Hierarch c 3. Aug. in Psal 3. Aug. contra Adim manich c. 12. and Charlemaine writing to Alcuinus his Master hath these wordes In supping with his disciples hee brake the the bread and gaue it vnto them and likewise the cup as figures of his body and blood And Tertullian Christ hauing taken the bread and distributed it to his disciples he made it his body in saying this is my body that is to say the figure of my body And Chrysostome What is that which the bread signifieth the body of Christ And Ambrose Before the blessing of those heau'nly words another kinde was named but after the consecration the body of Christ is signified And Saint Denis By the venerable signes of the Sacrament Iesus Christ is signified and receiued And S. Augustine saith that he eateth Christ which eateth him within and not without which eateth him in his heart and not he which feedeth on him with his teeth In his 26 tract vpon Saint Iohn The patience of Iesus Christ was admirable in that he admitted Iudas to the banquet in the which he instituted and gaue to his disciples the figure of his body and of his blood The Lord made no difficulty to say this is my body when he gaue them the figure of his body and his blood And in the canon taken out of Saint Hierome vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians it is said that the body of Iesus Christ is two wayes vnderstood the first carnally when it is said that it is crucified Euseb de vita const lib 10. c. 3 Maldonat Iesuit in Ioh. c. 6 v. 55. the other spiritually when is is called bread So are the Sacraments called by Eusebius secret Symboles of the passion of our Sauiour Againe he calls his flesh true food and blood true drinke because it doth truly nourish our soules and giues vnto them life euerlasting As in the 32 verse he calls himselfe true bread yet certainely not of nature for if one regard nature he is not true and proper bread but onely in respect of the effect because hee truely doth doe that which bread vseth to doe And Saint Augustine The Apostle saith Aug. ad Bonifac epist 23. wee are buried with Christ through Baptisme into his death hee saith not that wee signifie his burying but hee saith absolutely that we are buried Wherefore hee called not the Sacrament of so great a thing otherwise then by the name of the thing it selfe And the same puts downe this rule Aug. quaest super Leuit. 67. the thing which signifieth hath beene vsed to bee called by the name of that which it signifieth as it is written the seuen eares of corne are seuen yeares hee saith not that they signifie seuen yeares so likewise the seuen kine are seuen yeares and many others From thence it commeth that it was said the rocke was Christ for it is not saide the rocke signifieth Christ but as if it had beene that which it was not in substance but in signification Now that which hath brought in this errour is that they thinke that faith cannot produce any reall effect Heb. 11. and neuerthelesse wee haue the Scriptures full of contrary examples by faith Enoch was translated that hee should not see death through faith Sara conceiued by faith the Israelites passed through the red sea by faith the walles of Iericho fell downe And as for corporall manners of speaking attribubuted to the soule as when it is said that faith eateth and drinketh they enforce not any communication of the proprieties of the body any more then when it is said that the soule heareth and seeth although it haue neither eares nor eyes The effects therefore of the spirit are reall and true although the meanes and causes be spirituall for otherwise the Angels which killed the first borne in Egypt and defeated the Army of Senacherib because they had not bodies could not haue done that reall execution whereas indeede it was so much the more reall by how much the instrument was the more agile and disburdned of that corporall Masse which is an impediment to our actions Obiections There remaine now the Obiections whereof the first is that vnder the Ghospell all figures cease Where wee must distinguish of figures for sometimes they are taken for Rhetoricall figures and manners of speech which they call Tropes and those cease not for the Ghospell is full of them as for example Iesus is called the Lambe the Hedge the way by a Metaphore and euen in this place the cuppe is taken for the wine by a Metonomie Sometimes figures are taken for the ceremonies of the Law which prefigured Christ and his sacrifice These indeed cease in the reformed Churches but not in the Romane For if wee may beleeue Biell Titleman and others there were neuer more figures vnder the olde Law then are now vnder the new See the significations of the Altar the kissing of it the right hand and the left the turnings of the Priest the signes and a thousand significations and inuentions which wee know notwithstanding to haue ceased Wee answere therefore that figures doe not cease in the former signification but the later The second obiection is taken from the omnipotency of God who is able to make a body to be every where to bee invisible and existe without its accidents To this wee must answer that by this argument Mahumet and his abominations may be maintained for God is able to doe any thing But before we imploy this omnipotency we ought to examine if such be his will and then wee may boldly conclude that hee can doe it for the proposition is not convertible God can doe all that he will Aug. Euchirid c. 96. and God will doe all that hee can This is taught vs by S. Augustine God is not called omnipotent for any other reason then for that hee is able to doe all that which he is willing to doe and that the effect of his
For if it might be saith Origen vpon the 15 chap of Mat. that the wicked should eat the word which is made flesh it had never beene written whosoever shall eat this bread shall liue eternally The reason hereof is evident for seeing that the flesh and bloud are eaten only by the faithful and are receaued only by faith this body cannot bee eaten vnworthily For as S. Augustine saith Lib. 5. cont Donatistas tract in Iohan. 26. We are not to conceaue that the wicked doe eat the body of Christ although hee carnally and visibly doe breake with his teeth the signes of the body and bloud Note that he saith signes for S. Paul saith not whosoeuer eateth this body vnworthyly but whosoeuer eateth of this bread drinketh of this cup. Which eating of the meere signe is sufficient to make any man culpable which approacheth vnworthily and reiecteth the grace which his prince offereth him trampling vnder foot his armes and iniuring his ambassadour Heb. 10.26.28 which are no lesse then crymes of high nature offered to his sacred maiestie So the contempt of circumcision was a cause of Gods forsaking his people see more in the punishment of the Bethsamites for prying within the Arke of the covenant Gen. 17. 1. Sam. 7 36. 6.19 and of the Philistians who placed it in the temple of their Idoll Inn. de sacram altaris c. 4 13. 14. pâ—nem domini non panem dominum The fifteenth reason is taken from the wordes which S. Paul vseth that hee is culpable and receiueth his owne damnaon eating vnworthily the bread of the Lord. So Iudas eate the bread of the Lord but not the bread which is the Lord saith Innocent Whence it followeth that there is no transubstantiation considering that after the consecration he speaketh of two breades the one Panis domini the bread of the Lord which is the wheaten loafe the other Panis Dominus the bread which is the Lord to wit the true body of Iesus Christ the one in Heauen the other on earth the one receiued with the hand and the mouth of the body the other with faith which is the hand and mouth of the soule the one offered by the minister of the Church the other by Iesus Christ himselfe Wherefore S Paul saith that he which eateth and drinketh vnworthily discerneth not the Lords body Where to discerne διακÏίνειν is as much as to separate the one from the other and to haue a diuers respect of either for if there be but one there can be neither discerning nor distinguishing The sixteenth reason is taken from hence that the pretended change made by the pronouncing of words will accuse them in that they haue not the power to change as wel the accidents as the substance nor to conuert the forme as well as the matter And they must needes interprete these words this is my body in this manner this substance with his accidents is changed into an other substance without accidents The seuenteenth is taken from that which the Apostle saith You shall declare the Lords death vntill his comming 1. Cor. 11.26 For if we are not to celebrate this action but vntill his comming by a consequent there ought not to bee any more Masses said for according to the Priests doctrine Christ hath often descended already vnto vs. The eightenth is that we are not to celebrat the memory of things present but of those which are absent and therefore seeing that this is a commemoration of Iesus Christ it followeth that he is not there carnally present The nineteenth is taken from the letter to which the Priests so much sticke for this is my body makes not whole Christ and consequently the Priest in pronouncing those words vnderstands him not wholly and therefore ought not to adore him as is before said Numb 23. The twentieth reason is taken from the testimony of Cyrill before cited that the Sacrament is life vnto euery man Cyrill lib. 4. in Ioh. c. 19. is death vnto none whosoeuer he be that receiueth it So that if there were a true transubstantiation of the breade Pope Victor the 3. and the Emperour Henry the 7. would not haue beene poysoned with the bread and wine transubstantiated for neither the body nor bloud glorified is capable of poyson Exod. 16.15 78.25 Joseph Angles in storibus 4. quaest de susc diffic 2. Alexand Hales part 4. q. 45. m. 1. c. The one and twentieth reason for it is behoofull to haue iust furniture is taken from Manna a figure of this Sacrament which though it were not transubstantiated yet was it stiled the bread of Angels and Heau'nly bread and that which was reserued thereof in the Arke putrified not wherfore the bread which is in the Masse is not the naturall and carnall body of our Lord For if it were it would haue no lesse vertue in it to guard it then its legall figure had to preserue it selfe from wormes mice and other creatures with which the Priests stand at mortall enmity this day The last reason is taken from hence that our Sauiour ought to be adored with one onely kinde of adoration before and after his incarnation for the incarnation cannot be a cause of a new worship such as is in the Masse which endures no longer then the species doe subsist without putrifying whereas the onely and true adoration due to our Lord is due onely to the Person of Christ wherein two natures are inseparably vnited Wherefore the Ephesian Creed made against Paulus Damasetanus and translated out of Greeke into Latin by Peltanus the Iesuite saith We confesse that Iesus Christ our Lord ought to be entirely adored with his body but not according to his body For this reason the Arrians haue beene called idolaters by Athanasius Cyrill and Theodoret because they adored a god which they said was created §. Nobis quoque vers per quem The same say the Priestes in the Masse in these words by whom thou createst vnto vs these dayly goods And these goods after the words of pretended consecration are called pure Sacraments in temporall gifts and therefore they cannot be inseparably and hypostatically vnited to the person of our Sauiour § Corpus tuum Inspec sacer versican tangendo Corpus Christi propter continentiam tuam excellentissimae diuinitatis Christi who is neither a Sacrament nor in their sense a temporall gift Likewise Nestorius beleeuing our Sauiour to be man sustaining the God-head hath been condemned as an Heretique much more reason is there to brand with such a title those which beleeue the simple accidents doe sustaine a body and a soule euen the whole entire diuinity and who ordaine an adoration of Sacraments and things visible and temporall which are not God inuisible eternall infinite neither our Sauiour in his naturall existence who is at the right hand of God farre differing from a sacramentall existence which the Councell of Trent confesseth
Angells dead men wood nayles iron apparell and substitute them in the place of God and of the merits of Christ O God how long shall the adversary doe thee this dishonour Psal 74. how long shall the enimie blaspheme thy name for ever CHAP. XII Of the name of the supper of the Masse IT is time to come to the matter whereof wee treate in which we will consider divers things which are there distinguished as 1. The differing names and divers tearmes 2. The place where this mystery is celebrated 3. Things belonging to the garnishing of the place 4. The person of the Priest his habits actions c all which pertaine to the Masse as accidents inseperable Wee need not repeat that which hath beene said before concerning the originall of either word for this action is called Coena a supper because it was instituted as a common repast by our Saviour at supper it is called likewise Sacrament by reason of the vow which is made by the Communicants and named the Eucharist for the thanksgiuing which is rendred there vnto God This hath beene amply treated of before where wee spake likewise somewhat of the word Masse in generall but we shall never be able to giue sufficient reasons for the speciall appellations of each part thereof as Entrance Post-communion Lessons Verse Responsories Gospell offring consecration Antheam Litany Liturgie Corpus Corporall Plate Kyrie eleyson Allelu-ia Albe Cope Girdle Maniple Stole Miter Incense Absolution Canticle Complyne Matins Nons Vespers Infraction Graduels Offertories Oblation Sacrament Sacrifice Altar Image Taper Relique Bell Font Holy water Pixe Sprinkling Chrisme Collect Pax Office Secret Prayer Epistle Tract Sequence Prose Note that by the word prose they vnderstand not a loose manner of speech but Latine rithmes Votiue Masses Masses of grace of requiem dry great short particular of the nayles of the Robe without seame high lowe of the holy Ghost of Iob of St Anthony c. CHAP. XIII Of the place where the Masse is celebrated Hier. in Psal 33. THe Church consisteth not in walls but in the truenes of doctrine saith Hierome and where true doctrine is there is the true Church For the Apostles assembled themselues but in a chamber Act. 1. whence it appeareth that building is rather belonging to the well being then to the being of the service of God so farre is it from being necessary to haue the place consecrated or adorned with reliques Conc. Nic. 2. 7 as the second Nicene Councell did ordaine in the yeare 790 or thereabouts Secondly when the ancient Christians builded Churches they dedicated them to none saue to God onely So saith the Emperour Constantine Whence it is that the Temples which were dedicated vnto him Euseb de laudibus Constant were called by the name of the Lord and on them was imposed the name not of men but of God which is the cause that they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reason is because that Temples Altars and Sacrifices cannot be erected saue to the great and true God alone S. Augustine saith Wee institute no altars temples Priests or sacrifices to Martyres Aug. Psal 44. Jd. de civit Dei l. 22. c. 10. to 5. Inn. 3. de myst missae lib. 3. because they are not Gods but haue the same God that wee haue The Pope himselfe saith that Temples and Alters pertaine to Latria or divine worship and if one erect them to Saints it is idolatry Neverthelesse see here the practise of such consecration brought in in the yeare 800 it being made a Sacrament like baptisme to which they compare it and afterwards in the yeare 1000 hauing the whole forme of it made compleat Epist Zach. ad Bonif. 2. concil tom 2. p. 451. The Bishop being assured of the revenue of a new built Church makes a short prayer besprinkles the walls without with holy water with a nosegay of hysope prophaning the words of the 51 Psalme Purge mee with hysopp and I shall be cleane and applying to a stone the washing of the bloud of Christ which is proper to the faithfull In the dedicating of a temple a Masse likewise is to be said whose entrance is Terribilis est locus iste Then he beats the dore with his staffe saying at tollite portas thrice and being entred in he painteth the Greeke and Latine Alphabet vpon the wals exerciseth the salt wine water ashes makes thereof a mixture into which he dippeth his thumbe and after certaine ends of prayers pronounced by him hee saith these words This Temple be sanctified in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost in the honour of God and of the glorious Virgin Mary and of all the Saints and in memory of such a Saint See how of an indifferent place to pray in they make thereof a place essentiall of a place dedicated to God alone a place dedicated to a creature of a simple destination a sacramentall consecration CHAP. XIIII Of the garnishing of their Churches IN these Temples appeare first the lighted tapers which are not necessary in the day time Wherefore Constantine in Eusebius saith Euseb ad sanct coetum Hieron contra Vigil c. 5. that the Christians haue neither incense nor burning And Hierome We light no taper in the open day as thou calumniatest vs but wee imploy the light to temper the darknesse that we may watch vntill breake of day Alas what would this good pastour haue said if he had seene the benedictions of the tapers in the day of the purification where they sing the song of Simeon and prophane that which is said of our Lord Iesus That he is the light of the Gentiles applying it to a corruptible and a needlesse taper See the prayers which they said in the Masse of the purification and benedictione cereorum Of Altars we spake before as for Images they are expresly forbidden to bee made which is the cause that the Church of Rome hath razed out the second commandment which condemneth them which was done by the Councell of Auspurg in the yeare 1548. And Damascene though otherwise a favorer of Images saith That it is a great folly and impiety to paint the divinitie Orthod fid l. 4. c. 17. Tertul. l. de idol And Tertullian The consecration of images is idolatry Now what may wee gesse he would haue said if he had seene their consecration cloathing adoration presenting of Candles also of armes and legges of wax vnto them But see the doctrine of the Church of Rome Thom. 3. part q. 83. art 3. The things without life which are consecrated doe get a certaine spirituall vertue by which they are made proper to the service of God to the end that from them men may receaue some devotion Bel. de imag c. 21 And Bellarmine would haue that the Images of Christ and of the Saints should be worshipped not only by accident or improperly but also of themselues and properly c. So likewise the