or at the Circumcision or in March. Before the time of K. Charles the ninth in France men began it at Easter and since at the Circumcision and according to this yeere wee count at this present 1600. since the Natiuity of our Sauiour comming into the world to repaire our ages and to giue vs eternity for time Our Ciuill yeare is variable and according to the diuersitie of the Countrey or condition of persons good husbands and Schollers begin at Saint Rhemigius many at Saint Martin some at Saint Iohn Baptist and others at other seasons but the Holy yeare hath his vniforme limits as it ought and there is little difference through all the Catholike Church Well then God commanded the Hebrewes to keepe their yearely Sacrifice of the Paschall Lambe in this first month and in the fourteenth day of it because this was the nearest time to their going forth and deliuerance for they went forth the next morning after the first-borne of the Aegyptians were slaine at midnight the night before So as the Ceremony was iustituted at that time precisely to put them in minde of the benefit as also the day and houre of it which was alwayes religiously obserued vntill the truth of this Figure at the same time many yeares after was accomplished by our Sauiour deliuering vs out of a greater seruitude and substituting the true Lambe in memory thereof as after we shall see The same Hebrewes had commandement to offer Sacrifice euery new Moone that is to say Num. 10. 28. Ioseph lib. 3. Antiq. cap. 10. vpon the Calends or first dayes of euery month which solemnity the Hebrews called Hodesch as who would say beginning the Septuagint haue translated it Neomenia a Greeke word which signifies a new month or a new Moone This Feast was not instituted to serue as a Sacrifice to the new Moone as the Pagans made it but for a thanksgiuing to God for the benefits of his bounty and wisdome in the gouernment of the world for to instruct vs that we ought to make our entrie into all the seasons and to begin euery action with the praise of God and inuocation of his holy name And hereby they were inuited to honour the Creator of the Moone Genes 1.14 and of all the world seruing themselues of the course of that Planet for signe of times for the which end it was created 2. WHEREFORE THE YEARE OF THE Hebrewes was Lunary and how the Synagogue was compared to the Moone THe causes wherefore God would that the Hebrews should take their years from the course of the Moone rather then from the Sunne as now the Church doth are worthy to be knowne if they were also easie to be found out For it ought not to be doubted but that this ordinance was founded in great reason comming from so wise a Law-maker Amongst many others I finde three The first is taken from the rudenesse of this people to which God hauing regard commaunded them to reckon their yeares and months by the Moone as more facill and easie then if they accounted by the twelue celestiall signes deuised by the Chaldeans and other Heathenish people For euery one seeth the new Moone and all his quarters and the most simple can obserue that shee ends her whole course within one moneth whereas none knowes the signes of the Zodiaque but Astronomers S. Greg. Naz. Or. 2. de Pasch The second is more important touched by Saint Gregory Nazianzen that it was to keepe in order by this ceremony the Iewes from following the superstition of the Pagans who were extreamely giuen to the worship of the Moone for they adored it in heauen as a Queene in the earth and vnder earth as a Goddesse vnder the name of Luna Diana Proserpina whose example might giue occasion to that people vainely giuen and of themselues inclined to imitate the foolish Pagans to suffer themselues to be head-long carried to Idolatry so much in practise in those dayes if they had not some true and lawfull vse of the Moone thereby to be held from the abuse therof against the Law of God Therfore God commanded them to order their months and yeares Feastes and Ceremonies according to the course of the Moone adored the true God in his Law and seruing themselues of the creature to the honour of their Creator Exod. 25. And with like wisdome hee ordained the Arke of Couenant to the end they should haue some visible thing before which to honor God without running to Idols The third cause is full of mystery and it was to giue a secret and mysticall signification of the condition of the Synagogue by the qualities of the Moone very significant of it The Moone is the lowest Planet of all terrestriall and grosse and yet celestiall notwithstanding the Iudaicall Law also was earthly and carnall the Ceremonies Sacrifices Promises and the rest no better and yet giuen of God notwithstanding and therefore celestiall in this respect the Moone is a cold and mutable Planet the Synagogue a Law of feare which is a cold passion a temporall Law and mutable which was to be changed into the Law of Grace The Moone by her light doth not ripen any fruit though shee giue by her influence encrease to Plants Trees and liuing creatures The Synagogue giueth not any perfection by his ceremonies Hebr. 7.19 The Law saith Saint PAVL bringeth nothing to perfection and neuerthelesse vnder her direction and light the children of God did receiue from his Maiesty grace and encrease of vertue not by force of Iudaicall Sacraments as now by the Christian but onely by the faith and obedience that they brought with them to those Sacraments For these reasons amongst others the Lunary yeare was the yeare and the time of the Synagogue Such as are more spirituall will draw better reasons hereof from the treasures of the Book of God whose wisdome is infinite in all things The Christians rule themselues by the Solary yeare because the foresaid causes neither touch them nor their religion We shall now decypher the sense of the Picture and shall see how the Paschall Lambe figureth the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of our Sauiour 3. THE PASCHALL LAMBE A FIGVRE of the Sacrifice of the Crosse and of the Eucharist THE Paschall Lambe did Figure Iesus Christ true Lambe without spot descended from heauen to bee killed and by his bloud to deliuer vs from the death and seruitude of the Aegyptians to wit from ignominie and eternall damnation This Ceremony in certaine circumstances carried the signe of the Sacrifice of the Crosse in the reall slaughter in the bloudy effusion in the roasting of the Lambe and such like Saint Iohn also in the Sacrifice of the Crosse Tem. 19.36 Exod. â—2 46 applieth the prohibition of not breaking the bones of the Lambe to that fact of the Iewes when they breake not one bone of our Sauiour crucified Saint Iustin singularly remarketh S. iustin Dialo
Greeke Fathers vpon the Figure of MELCHISEDECH SAint Clement S. Clem. lib. 4. Stre. MELCHISEDECH King of Salem Priest of the most high God gaue the bread and wine sanctified in figure of the Eucharist Saint Chrysostome S. Chrysost hom 35.36 in Gen. speaking of the same Sacrifice of MELCHISEDECH Beholding the Figure thinke I pray you vpon the truth that is to say if thou makest account of the Offering of Melchisedech how much more of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of our Sauiour which is the truth signified of old by the ancient Figure And againe Idem After that MELCHISEDECH King of Salem had offered bread and wine for hee was the Priest of the most high ABRAHAM tooke from his hand part of that which had been offered that is to say he did eate and drinke of the sacrificed bread and wine Theodoret 〈◊〉 Pas 109. Idem in Gen. 4.63 hauing declared how our Sauiour had begun his Priest-hood after the order of Melchisedech in the institution of the Sacrament of his body addeth Wee haâ—e found Melchisedech Priest and King affirming to God not Sacrifices of beasts deprined of reason but of bread and wine as if he should say that the Priest-hood and offering of our Sauiour is not with effusion of blood of beasts as that of Aarons but without killing and that his body is giuen in Sacrifice vnder the formes of bread and wine according to the order of Melchisedech Saint IOHN DAMASCENE S. Ioan. Damâ—â— lib. 4. de Fid. cap 24. The Table of Melchisedech figured out our mysticall Table euen as Melchisedech carried the Figure and the Image of the true Prelate Iesus Christ TMEOPHILACT vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes Theophil in 〈◊〉 5. ad Heb. Psal 109. explaning the words of the Psalmist Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech It is most cortaine saith he that this Prophecie is to be vnderstood of Iesus Christ for it is he onely that hath sacrificed bread and wine according to the order of Melchisedech And a little after He saith eternally as well for that Iesus Christ maketh intercession for vs incessantly to his Father as for that he is offered euery day this Oblation is made without ceasing by the Officers and Seruitors of God hauing for Priest and for Sacrifice Christ the Sauiour it is hee that breaketh and distributeth himselfe 13. TESTIMONIES OF THE ANCIENT Latine Fathers SAint CYPRIAN S. Cyprian l. 2. ep 3. ad Cecil Who hath been more Priest of the highest then our Lord Iesus Christ who hath offered Sacrifice to God the Father and offers the same that Melchisedeth did Ioan. 6. bread and wine to wit his body and his bloud for his body is the true bread and his bloud is the true wine and the true drinke Saint Hierom S. Hieron epist 126. ad Euagr. S. Hieron in ep ad Marcel nomine Paula Eustoch scripta giuing a reason to Euagrius wherefore Melchisedech was compared to our Sauiour It is saith he because he sacrificed not victimes of flesh and blood of beasts but dedicated the Sacrament of Christ with bread and wine a simple and pure sacrifice And elsewhere Reade Genesis Thou shalt finde the King of Salem Prince of the Citie who then offered in Figure of Christ bread and wine and dedicated the mystery of Christians in the body and bloud of our Saniour Againe Our mystery the Masse is signified by the word Order not in imolating victimes of beastes according to the order of Aaron but in offering bread and wine that is to say the body and bloud of our Sauiour Saint Ambrose speaking of the Eucharist S. Ambrel l 5. de Sacra cap. 1. We know saith he that the Figure of this Sacrament hath gone before in Abrahams time then when Melchisedech offered Sacrifice Saint Augustine speaking of this Sacrifice of MELCHISEDECH S. Aug. lib. 16. de Ciuitate Dei cap. 22. Then first was shewed in Figure the Sacrifice which now is offered by Christians throughout the vniuersall world S. Aug lib. 1. Cont. Aaâ—â—â—s â—â— cap. 20. And elsewhere Those that reade know what Melchisedech brought forth when he blessed Abraham and are made partakers thereof they see that through all the world such a Sacrifice is offered And he meaneth the Sacrifice of the Masse which is offered ouer all the world 14. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENE THE Sacrifice of the Crosse and that of the Eucharist THe Sacrifice of the Crosse was bloudie Of this Oblation speaketh Saint Paul Hebr. 7.27 offered but once in Hierusalem onely this of the Eucharist not bloudie it is offered and shall be throughout all the world where the Church is dispersed and that euen to the end of the world That of the Crosse is the chiefe cause of our good the treasure and the generall exchequer of our redemption and the fountaine of our sanctification for by this death our Sauiour hath purchased vs all the good vnlesse we hinder or neglect it the Sacrifice of the Masse is the instrument to apply the fruit of all these purchased goods vnto vs it is the key which opens this treasure it is the meanes to haue part of this substance and the bucket to draw vp from the spring of this fountaine where with to cleanse vs and as when some one is washed in Baptisine or absolued in Penance the merite of the Crosse flowes into him or her that is baptised or absolued from sinne by meanes of these Sacraments euen so the fruit of the Crosse is distributed by the Sacrifice of the Eucharist to all those which offer it and for whom it is offered and it is the same body that was offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse and that which is offered on the Altar in the Church and giuen for food of immortalitie to all those which will receiue it The Masse then celebrating this Mystery makes the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of our Saniour and in them both is as of olde the ancient Sacraments and Sacrifices were an instrument to make vs participate the merit of the Passion of our Sauiour but so much more efficatious and precious as Iesus Christ who is in it the Priest and the offering for the man is but the Vicar surpasseth in dignity the ancient Priests and their earthly victimes This is the difference betweene the Sacrifice of the Crosse and that of the Masse and the glory of God is manifested diuersly thereby in two diuers mysteries 15. THE DIFFERENCE OF THE SACRIfice of Melchisedech and of this of the Masse THe Sacrifice of Melchisedech was but the shadow and the Figure this of the Masse the body and the truth In that there was nothing but bread and wine terrestriall materiall and insensitiue nourishing nothing but the body and that for a little time in this there is offered the body and bloud of our Sauiour the true bread and the true drinke bread of
Exod. 12.49 and their shooes on their feete as if they were ready out of hand to take a iourney Hauing thus finished the holy banquet according to this Ceremony Exod. 13. thy cast the remainder into the sier No person durst after goe foorth into the streete they hauing had an expresse commandement to keep within and not without cause for there shall be presented a terrible massacre and it is begun already heare you the lamentations and howlings of the Aegyptians in this next Village S. Hieron in Esay 19. Psal 77. Exod. 9.22.24 Exod. 10.21 called Tamis Where the Pharoes made their common residences now is the fatall night wherein this supreame Puissance doth execute his rigorous iustice against thee Pharoe and against thy subiects instruments of thy malice thine and their hardned hearts haue been beaten with nine great plagues beaten with the fury of the foure elements Fier Ayre Water and Earth beaten with little animals Exod. 7.27 Exod. 8.3 Exod. 8.17.24 armed with the arme of the Almightie to constraine thee to let the Hebrewes go whom thou detainest with vniust oppression thou hast notwithstanding remained alwayes hardned But at this time thou art ouercome inforced to yeeld to open the dungeon of thy steeled heart and to obey necessity hauing refused the voice of the God of Hoasts of whom now thou feclest the arme more heauy then euer O heauen what astonishment and what horrible slaughter is wrought by this destroying Angell He hath alreadie slaine thousands of the first borne as well of men as of beastes and will doe the like to all the rest Exod. 12.29 without sparing the first borne euen of the King which sitteth gloriously in the throne of his Maiestie This horrible executioner of iustice scoureth all places and spareth none sauing onely the Hebrewes Hee hath indeed visited their houses holding the sword in his hand but seeing the threshold and poastes of their doores red with the bloud of the Lambe he passeth on without doing any hurt vnto them Exod. 12. He exercised all his fury vpon the Aegyptians alone and namely vpon this miserable Citie where euery place is full of dead bodies the houses the stables and the streetes The earth is fearefull being oppressed with so many corses and the ayre is dreadfull being wholly possessed not onely with darknesse but also with the cryes of Citizens lamenting their present harmes and fearing worse For they perswade themselues and haue good cause to thinke and feare that this night would make a generall tombe of all Aegypt Pharoe hath sent some of the Gentlemen of his Chamber to call Moses and Aaron which are alreadie come Exod. 12.31.32 he prayes them to giue him their blessing and to depart in peace and in haste with all that appertaines vnto them the Aegyptian people being fearefull vrge them to be gone by all means possible The Iewes will depart vpon the breaking of the day but not without carrying away rich booties of gold of siluer of apparell pretious stones and such like treasures that they had borrowed of the Aegyptians vpon good condition neuer to restore them againe Exod. 12.36 but to pay themselues for their day labours in Aegypt many hundred yeeres together without receiuing any reward for their trauaile and paines It is a borrowing in name but in effect a restitution of Iustice iustly ordained of God himselfe Exod. 5.14 If yee will attend a little you shall haue the pleasure to behold this departure you shall see a world of people for there went foorth on foote six hundred thousand men of the Iewes Exod. 12.37 ouer and aboue the number of women and little children and many Aegyptians beside that followed them to be put in the Roll of the children of God with them they began long since to goe foorth 1. OF THE TIME OF IMMOLATION OF the Paschall Lambe and of the Holy and Ciuill yeere of the Hebrewes and of their Neomenia or new Moone FOr to see well the verity of our Sacrament in the shadow of this Figure in the first place is to be noted the ceremonie of the time and the end of it God commandeth the Iewes to take the Lambe the tenth day of the first Moone of the Spring-time Exod. 12. where began the Holy yeere and to immolate it that is to say to kill and offer it to God in the euening of the fourteenth day wasting it presently after and eating it with the ceremony represented in the picture The first Moone of holy yeere was the new Moone the next to the Aequinoctiall in the Spring which Aequinoctiall fell then in the fourteenth of March and since the correction of the Callender of Pope Gregoâ—ie the thirteenth it falleth vpon the twentieth And all this Moone taking part of March and part of Aprill makes the first month of the yeere the second Moone makes the second month and so of others and so many new Moones so many beginnings of new monethes and the first day of the Moone was the first of the month and the fourteenth of the Moone was the fourteenth of the moneth So as the yeere of the Iewes was twelue Moones or twelue moneths of the Moone euery one hauing nine and twenty daies and a halfe which is the who'e space of the course of the Moone true it is that to keepe the number of dayes whole they make that one moneth hath thirtie daies and the other nine and twentie and the monthly yeere containes but three hundred fifty and foure dayes lesse by eleuen dayes then the yeare of the Sunne which hath three hundred threescore and fiue daies For this cause the Iewes from two yeeres to two and from three to three did enterlace one moneth to the end to make by such addition their moonely yeare equall to that of the Sunne which other people vse as we doe now and then their yeare consisted of thirteene months Now the yeare which begunne in this month of March was the yeere commanded of God and called holy or sacred for in it he set his people at liberty The ordinance is set downe in these words Exod. 12.1 This month shall be to you the beginning of months and the first month in the yeere They haue another common vulgar yeare equal to this heere vsed in secular intercourses and traffiques beginning in the Moone next to the Aequinectium in Autumne which comes commonly in September as that of the Spring-time in March and the course of this first Moone was the first month of this Ciuill yeare containing part of September and part of October as the first month of the sacred yeare had one part of March and another of Aprill as hath been said Ioseph lib. 1. Antiq. cap. 4. Iosephus hath noted this difference of yeares amongst many Authors and the Christians vse the same distinction but grounded vpon another cause for they haue a Sacred yeere and a Ciuill their Holy yeere begins either at Christmas
after a diuine manner Plin. lib. 11. c. 14 lib. 12. c. 4. Gal. l. 3. de aliment The naturall Philosophers haue well acknowledged a kinde of naturall Manna which is a certaine dew of honny which the labourers of Syria gather from the trees of the mount Lybanus whereof the Apothecaries make vse but this heere was far otherwise in his effects causes as hath bin said it was produced miraculously in the Desert and fel euery day but the Sabbath in Winter and in all times and it was a miracle that it fell not on the Sabbath It continued in this manner forty yeeres and no more and this was one of the miracles that this people saw there continually in the Desert this was then a celestiall food supernaturall and diuine This quality agrees very well to our Sacrament For first the body of our Sauiour was not begotten after a naturall manner Luke 1. but by vertue of the holy Ghost in the wombe of the Virgin which are two extraordinary causes Secondly this body is made present in the Altar vnder the formes of bread and wine by the ministery of Priests which are the Angels of God in the Church These are those which as instruments make this body in the Sacrament vsing to that end the omnipotent word of Iesus Christ THIS IS MY BODY and in this sense it is made by Angells and is the true bread of Angels Thirdly Manna was giuen for prouision in the Desert of Arabia euen vntill they entred into the Land of Promise the Sacrament is giuen vs in the Desert of this world vntill the Church militant shall enter victoriously and triumphantly into the Land of the liuing which is her heauenly countrey Fourthly Manna gathered in little or great quantity was neither more nor lesse for neuer a one had in the end more then the measure of a Gomer bee it that he had gathered more or lesse and this measure was equally sufficient to euery one nourishing a man growne and not ouer-charging the stomack of a yong childe A thing in truth most admirable that in a multitude of more then six hundred thousand of people and so great inequalitie of complexions and of stemackes the selfe-same quantity was equall and proportionable to the condition of euery one This also is more admirably seene in the Eucharist for it is not greater in a little Hoast then in a great one in a piece then in all and the body of our Sauiour is all in all the Hoast and all in euery part of it and is giuen equally to all vnder vnequall pieces how be it that in regard of the effect it profits more to those that are prepared Fiftly Manna serued both for meat and drinke for it baked into bread before the fire and ranne into water before the Sunne here-hence is that the Doctors said that the Iewes asking water murmured malitiously without cause Exod. 16. for so much as hauing Manna they had whereof to eate and drinke neither more nor losse then long time after them the fiue thousand which did cate in the Desert the bread and fishes multiplied had both meat and drinke by that miraculous food in Figure of our Eucharist Euen so the Eucharist it selfe giueth the body and the bloud of our Sauiour true bread and true drinke together though it be but vnder one kinde Sixtly Manna was couered and hidden betweene two dewes Glossa ex Rab. Salan Exod. 16. the body and bloud of our Sauiour is couered and hid from our sense and iudgement vnder the outward accidents of bread and wine Are not heere resemblances enough to make vs see the very face and Figure of our Sacraments And if God hath bin admirable figuring long since the patterne of the truth is he nor yet much more admirable in making perfect from point to point the truth it selfe according to the patterne and in laying so faire and so measurable a resemblance of the liuely colours of a new Mystery vpon the lineaments of the ancient Figure But let vs see yet some other draughts 3. WHAT SIGNIFIED THE LIKENES of Manna to Coriander PHILO a great Doctor writeth Philo. l. 2. Alleg. post med That the peeces of the graine of Coriander burst and cast in the earth grow as well as the whole graine euen as the grafts of a tree set or planted will liue and grow An admirable property of this graine and which is not found in any other seede that I haue read of not in Wheat which is a graine that hath the sprout most full of life The Scripture which puts not one tittle to paper without reason compares Manna to Coriander to the end no doubt wee should marke a wonder hidden in the Iudaicall shadowes to be discouered in the light of our faith the which wonder consists in this that one part alone of our Sacrament hath life as well as the the whole and that euery peece of an Hoast broken containes as much as the whole Hoast This wonder was signified as I said before in the quantity of Manna which was so equall in the prouision although it were gathered in vnequall measure Then the Scripture saying that Manna the olde Figure was like to the graine of Coriander gaue an outward Picture to the Iewes and signified to vs the inward life of our Manna in all his parts hauing the likenesse of Coriander albeit this be in one respect infinitely more perfect for none of the parts of Coriander is all the Coriander but all the parts of the Sacrament are all the Sacrament and all containe the body of our Lord and all are the whole yet if we respect the formes the parts of the Hoast are not the whole Hoast but only a part thereof 4. THE HOLY SACRAMENT KEPT IN the Tabernacle as Manna in the Arke VVEE haue heard how Moses commanded his brother Aaron to take of Manna to bee reserued within the Tabernacle for a memoriall of the benefits receiued from God which was put in execution so soone as the Arke was prepared Exod. 16.33 within the which Aaron put a golden pot full of Manna and the Arke and the pot in it was seated in the most holy place Heb. 9.4 as Saint Paul witnesseth writing to the Hebrewes So as Manna not onely serued for meat and all manner of sustenance but also for a memoriall The truth of these shadowes continue from age to age in the Church of God in which the body of our Sauiour as celestiall Manna is giuen for food and a viaticum and withall is kept and rescrued for a memoriall of benefits receiued from God For wheresoeuer the blessed Sacrament is found euery where it is a memoriall of the bountie of our Sauiour towards vs it is also kept and it shall be kept in Churches euen to the end of the world to be caried to the sicke and others who haue need of it and cannot come to the Church S. Iust. ep 2. S.
haue their eyes fixed on the Altar sinoaking yet with the Sacrifice of the burnt Victimes other on the Priests gesture eleuating so ceremoniously the Loaues put ouer the Lambs some also are attentiue to the Loaues and the Lambes themselues but their lookes cannot bee seene nor the mouings of their hands and eyes for as much as all of them look towards the Altar and are painted for the most part with their backes turned towards vs so as little of their shape before appeares and much lesse their visage But by these few we see we may well coniecture that the most spirituall cast their thoughts on the mystery which was hidden vnder the rinde of the Ceremony for they are taught that their Law was as it were a peece of Tapestree 1 Cor. 10. teaching the truth of that which should after be in the time of the Messias by meanes whereof they behold not so much the preparation of the Sacrifices of the Beasts and of new Loaues as that which is signified by them and it is not to bee doubted but God did make seene to many the future light of the Law of Grace surely by contemplating onely the countenance of this olde Priest portrayted on the right side of the Altar lifting his eyes to heauen and holding his hands a crosse all rauished and all in an extasie one may collect that he hath had some secret reuelation of the great good that God had promised for the ages to come by the feast of this Sacrifice of new Loaues and that he in his soule glorified the diuine Maiesty desirous if such were the good pleasure of God to bee liuing vpon the earth in that season and like it is that he said in his heart O God of Israel how great how magnificent and admirable art thou in the workes of thy hands great to doe great things magnificent to obliege men by thy great benefits and admirable to choose the times and seasons wherein thou wilt bestow them Thou hast by that commandement alone of thy liuely word created heauen and earth and all that is betweene them to make a present thereof to man thy creature and ceasest not to oblige him with new benefits euery moment thou hast in particular assisted with a thousand blessings this thy people the Hebrewes breaking with a strong hand the yron chaines of their bondage deliuering them out of Aegypt and from the tyranny of Pharoe giuing them for their portion a Land of Milke and Holy true delicacies of the earth and communicating to them thy holy Lawes and secrets these are the true effects of thy great goodnesse but I see it will extend it selfe out of measure more then euer to the future people and ages not containing it selfe in Palestine but spreading it selfe ouer the world when the Messias and Redeemer whom thou hast promised and we expect and whom these Sacrifices prefigure to vs and after a secret manner foretell shall come to Sacrifice himselfe and to be an Oblation of new Bread and food of immortality O happy time in which this Sauiour shall be borne O happy people which shall be his people conducted by his Lawes and fed at his Table O that I were a childe of that age and member of that Common-wealth This Picture makes vs coniecture that hee speaketh to this purpose 1. THREE IVDAICALL PEASTS OF the First-fruits THe Iewes receiued a Commandement in the Desert Leuit. 23. to offer vnto God the first of the new fruites of the Land of Promise when they should be peaceable possessors thereof and that vpon three Feasts of the yeare The first was the day after the Pasque in which they gaue a sheafe of the first eares in the beginning of Haruest Leuit. 23. Ioseph l. 3. c. 10. Ant. 9. which after the Iudaicall account began in March or in the entrance of Aprill because the Land was very hot The second they celebrared fifty daies after which for that cause was called Pentecost wherein not eares of Corne as in the first Feast but two Loaues of new Wheate with many bloudy Sacrifices going before were offered vp to God The third was after the fifteenth of Septemb. in which the First-fruits of all the year were offred together as Wheat Barly Grapes Oliues Pomgranats Figges and Dates The most famous of all the three Feasts was that of Pentecost and for that reason the Law called it simply and without any addition Rab. Salomon â—â—ad â—â—ra in c. 23. Leuit. The feast of First-fruits a most solemne and most holy day The Oblation offered vpon that day was accompanied with all the three kindes of the Iewish Sacrifices which were the Holocaust the Propitiatory and the Peace-offering and they made them of the noblest kinde of Hoasts and Victimes to wit of seuen Lambes of one fat Calfe of two sheepe in Holocaust to the honor of God one Goate in Propitiatory Sacrifice for remission of sinnes and two Lambes with the Loaues in a Peace-offering for thanksgiuing This is the Feast and the Oblation of the First-fruits represented in the former Picture 2. THE MASSE THE NEW OBLATION in the Pentecost of Christians THis Oblation and this First-fruits of new Bread at Pentecost was one of the most illustrious Figures of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Masse a new Oblation indeed and the true First-fruits of the Wheat of the new Law as the ancient Fathers haue obserued And amongst others Saint Irenaeas very elegantly in these words Our Sauiour saith hee teaching his Disciples to offer the First-fruits of his creatures to God 〈…〉 l. 4. c. 32 not for any need he had of them but to the end they night not be vnprofitable and vngratefull seruants tooke the bread which is the creature and yeelding thankes said This is my body likewise he confessed that the Chalice which came of his creature was his bloud teaching the new Oblation of the new Testament which the Church receiued from the Apostles and offers all ouer the world to God our nourisher and feeder for the First-fruits of the gifts that he hath bestowed vpon vs in the Law of Grace according as Malachy hath foretold I haue no will in you saith the Lord of Hostes and gifts will not receiue at your hands Malac. 1. for from the rising of the Sunne euen to the going downe great is my name among the Gentiles saith the Lord of Hostes By which words addeth this Doctor The Prophet manifestly signefieth this which is now come to passe for the former people cease offering to God and Sacrifice is now offered to God throughout all the vniuersall world and the name of God is glorified amongst the Gentiles Making then allusion to the old Figure he saith that our Sauiour saying This is my body and this is my bloud and transubstantiating the bread into his body and the wine into his bloud taught his Apostles Disciples to giue to God the First-fruits of his creatures and to offer him a new