euerie place there are Altars as God foretould by the Prophet Malachie for expressing the Ecclesiasticall sinceritie of the new lawe and laying open the ingratitude of the People of the old law he saith vnto them I haue no will in you saith the Lord omnipotent and hosts I will not receaue at your handes for from the rising of the sunne vnto the goeing downe my name is glorified among the Gentils and in euerie place sacrifice is offered vnto my name and a pure Sacifice See how plainelie how manifestlie he hath sett forth that mysticall Table which is the vnbloudy Sacrifice c. The pure Sacrifice is certainely the chiefe mysticall Table the heauēly and most venerable Host so S Chrysostome 7. In like manner the rest of the ancient Fathers The antient Fathers agre able to the ancient Liturgies doe also call the Sacrifice of the new law somctimes guifts and sometimes vnbloudie sacrifices As S. Dionisius Areopagita in the 5. chapter of his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy saying The Bishop after that he hath shewed the guifts of the diuine workes cometh to cōmunicate them himselfe and also inuiteth others Againe The Bishop doth shew the couered guifts and that which in them is one he diuideth Vnbloudie Sacrifices called gifts into manie S. Clement in the 12. chapter of his 8. booke of constitutions speaking of the sacred host after consecration saith Wee beseech thee ô Lord fauorablie to looke vpon these guifts sett before thee And in the 13. chapter he earnestly beseecheth God to receaue the said Guifts offered for all Bishops Priests Kings and the people there presēt and the whole Church Theodoret in his 2. Dialogue saith What doe You call the guifts which are brought before the inuocation of the Priest Answereth It is made of such like seede And after the sanctification how doe you call those things Answereth The bodie of Christ 8. S. Ireneus in the third chapter of his 4. booke of heresies saith Christ taught the new oblation of the newe testament which the Church receauing Gifts in the nevv Testament from the Apostles offereth throughout the whole world to God who giueth vs for nourishment the first fruits of his gifts in the new Testament So likewise the 318. Fathers in the first general great Councel of Nice in the 5. cannon according to the Greeke copie call the sacrifice of the new Lawe A most pure gift offered to God Where we may obserue that those ancient Fathers doe call the sacrifice and Sacrament of the new Lawe Gifts of the diuine workes and a most pure guift before they were receaued in the communion as being the bodie and bloud of our Lord independant of the faith of the receiuer 9. And in like manner the ancient Fathers doe call the sacrifice of the new Law an vnbloudie sacrifice as Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea in the 10. chapter of his first booke of Euangelicall demonstrations saying We are taught by the most high Priest of all to offer vnto the supreame God throughout our whole life vnbloudie and reasonable victims sweete vnto him S. Gregorie Nazianzen in his first oration Iulian the Apostata hated vnbloudy Sacrifices against Iulian the apostata shewing the auersion which this apostata had from the sacrifice of the Altar saith He profaned his hands that he might wash them from the vnbloudie sacrifice by which we communicate Christ and his sufferings and diuinitie 10. S. Cyrillus Alexandrinus in declaratione Anathematismi 11. saith Wee offer the holie quickening and vnbloudie sacrifice in the Church beleeuing the bodie and pretious bloud which is sett before vs to be not of a common man and like vnto vs but of the word Againe in his booke de adoratione in spirituli 13. The table trulie of proposition hauing bread vpon it did signifie our vnbloudie host wherewith we all are blessed whilst we eate that bread which is from heauen that is to saie Christ. 11. And it was a thing so generally receaued in the Church of God and so vniuersally beleeued of the whole primitiue Church that our Sauiour at his last supper instituted an vnbloudy Sacrifice cleane oblation or gifts in his bodie and bloud to be offered by Bishops and Priests for a commemoration of him that three of the 4. first generall Councells which euer were celebrated in the Church of God call the Eucharist or thing deliuered in the communion the vnbloudie sacrifice as the great generall Councell of Nice which was the first generall coūcell which euer was celebrated in the Church of God saying In the time of the first generall coūcell of Nice they offered vnbloudy sacrifice in the third booke and title of the diuine table Lett vs vnderstand the Lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world to be placed vpon the table sacrificed after an vnbloudie manner by Priests 12. In like manner S. Cirill Archbishop of Alexandria chiefe of the generall Councell of Ephesus in the 26. Epistle set downe in the first part of the same Councell writeth after this manner vnto Nestorius the heretick for whose condemnation In the time of the Councell of Ephesus they offered vnbloudie sacrifice that Councell was called saying I cannot omitt this that whilst we declare the death of the onlie sonne of God and his resurrection from death we also confesse his assumption into heauen and celebrate the vnbloudie sacrifice in the Church and approach vnto the misticall blessings by which meanes we are sanctified as being made partakers of the holie flesh and pretious bloud of Christ the Sauiour of vs all Neither doe we receaue it as common flesh God forbidd we should doe so nor yet as the flesh of a holie man c. But we receaue it as trulie quickening flesh and as proper flesh of the word it felfe which was incarnate Thus S Cyrill Chiefe in the generall Councell to the heretick Nestorius 13. And in the 4. generall Councell which In the time of the Counced of Calcedon they offered vnbloudy sa crifice was that of Calcedon Ischyrion Deacon of Alexandria preferring in the third act of the Councell a bill of complaint vnto the Councell against Dioscorus Archbishop of Alexandria a wicked man amongst other things accuseth him of this as of agreat crime that whereas in Lybia for the sterilitie of the countrey wheate would not grow the most pious Emperor allowed wheates first that as he saith the vnbloudie host might be offered of it and secondlie for the reliefe of Pilgrims and the poore of the prouince Dioscorus would not permit the holie Bishops of the countrie to receaue the said wheate but would forestall it and buy it vp with great summes of money and in time of famine sould it againe at most deare rates and by these meanes neither the terrible and vnbloudie sacrifice as there it is termed was celebrated nor the Pelgrims or poore releeued Thus Ischyrion in his complaint against Dioscorus the hereticke vnto the generall Councell of
ancient Fathers of the primitiue Church had beleeued that in the blessed Sacrament after consecration there had been no reall entity or quality more then is in bakers bread and vinteners wine and that by taking a peece of bread and apprehending Christ in heauen by the hand of faith they might haue receaued worthily they would neuer haue reteyned penitent synners so long from the holy Communion as sometymes three yeares sometymes fiue sometymes tenne and sometymes vntill their deaths and that in tyme of seuere persecution 17. Moreouer about 80. yeares after the natiuity Diuers accused of heresie in the primitiue Church for denying the reall presence of our Lord Simon Magus and Menander were accused by S. Ignatius for denying that the Eucharist was the flesh of our Sauiour Iesus-Christ as wittnesseth Theodoret in his 3. dialogue And about the yeare 250. Paulus Samosatenus Bishopp of Antioche amongst other things was condemned of heresie by the Catholik Church of his tyme for affirming that the bloud of our Lord in the B. Sacrament was corruptible and mortall bloud because our Lord sayd of his bloud Take it and deuyde it amongst you How sayd he cann it be incorruptible bloud if it bee deuyded and powred out As wittnesseth Dionysius Alexandrinus in his Epistle to the said Paul set down in the 3. to me Bibliothecae Patrum and may be gathered out the profession of faith set downe by the Fathers of the Church of that tyme and sent vnto Paulus Samosatenus sett down by Bini in the 1. Tome of the Councels fol. 162. 18. These things considered what shal we saye vnto the promises of God vnto his Church which The promises of our Lord made voyd if his body and bloud should not be in the B. Sacrament S. Augustine in the 2. chapter of his 1. book against the Epistle of Parmenianus caleth The thunders of the diuine testament which God gaue in promise vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob whose God he affirmed himselfe to be saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and Iacob this is may name for euer And what was sayd to Abraham In thy seede shal be blessed all nations Gen. 12. 22. What is sayd to Isaac In thy seed shal be blessed all the nations of the earth Gen. 26. What is said to Iacob I am the God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac be not affrayd c. they seed shall be as the sand of the sea to the west and to the south and to the north and to the east in Europe Asia Africa and America and in thee and in thy seed shal be blessed all the natiōs of the earth And least the Iewes should thinke that this is spoken of them the Apostle declareth what is intended by the seed of Abraham saying To Abraham and to his seed were the promises made and he doth not saye to seeds as in many but as in one to thy seed which is Christ Gal. 3. Wherefore seeing that it was promised which so great authority and published by so great a truth and now they do contradict it who wil be called Christians Thus S. Augustine of the promises of God to his Church which he calleth the thunders of God 19. What shall we saye of these and many more the lyke promises of God vnto his Church set down in both Testaments as that it shall possesse the gates of her enemies Gen. 12. The mountaines shal be moued and the litle hils shall tremble but my mercy shall not depart from thee and the conuenant of my peace shall not be moued Isa 54. Our Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the arme of his strenght if I shall giue thy wheate any more to be meate to thine enimies Isa 62. All the ends of the earth shall remember and be conuerted to our Lord. And all the families of the Gentils shall adore in his sight Psal 21. 37. In his dayes shall arise iustice and abundance of peace so long as the moone endureth And he shall rule from sea to sea and from the Riuer of Jordan where he was baptized and began to preache vnto the end of the world Psal 71. 6. The gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Matt. 16. 18. The holy Ghost shall abide with her for euer Io. 14. 16. The house of God the Church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. Goe teache all nations be hold I am with you all dayes euen to the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. What shall we saye vnto our 3. Creeds the The three Creeds not alvvaies true if the body and bloud of our Lord should not bee in the B. Sacrament Apostles creed wherein the Apostles themselues taught Christians to beleeue in all ages and tymes as an article of our faith the Catholik Church or that Church which was generally dilated ouer the world The Nicen creed which was made in the 1. generall Councel which euer was in the world by 318. holy Bishops which teache vs to beleeue that there is but one true Church and that Church to be Catholik or generally dilated over the world and founded by the Apostles Athanasius his Creed which saith Whosoeuer wil be saued it is necessary aboue all things that he hould the Catholike faith which faith except a man keepe whole and inuiolate without all doubt he shall euerlastingly perish Whē now for 1600. yeares there hath ben no Church or faith Catholike or generally dilated over the world but theirs who beleeued that our Sauiour at his last Supper gaue his body to be eaten and his bloud to be drinken and haue beleeued that they in the Communion haue receaued the true reall and substantiall body and bloud of our Lord and haue honored it and respected it as his true body and bloud as I haue proued heretofore and shall proue more all large hereafter 21. If the true and reall body and bloud of our Lord be not in the blessed Sacrament hovv could the Christians of those ages saye I beleeue the Catholik Chuch or faith when there vvas no Catholik Church or faith in those ages which held not the true and reall presence of our Lord in the blessed Sacrament after consecration and before receauing Were not the articles of our faith true in all ages and tymes since they were deliuered by the Apostles What shall we saye vnto all those promises of God vnto his Church and vnto our three Creeds Shall we saye that God hath failed in his promises now for 1600. yeares How shall we perswade men to beleeue him hereafter Or induce men to beleeue that the Scriptures are true 22. § What shall we saye of our three Creeds shall we saye that the Apostles Creed hath not alwayes ben true since it was made Or shall we saye that our 3. Creeds haue been hitherto false Or rather shall we not saye Our Lord is faithfull in all his words Psal 144. 14.
Fourthly he changed the substance of the bread into his substantiall bodie saying of that with was bread when he tooke it first into his hands This is my body and so made a change of the substance of bread into the substance of his bodie as I shall proue more at large here after to shew the power and omnipotencie of God who can change and alter things created at his will and pleasure which ostension of the power of God is vsed in all Sacrifices as I haue shewed in the 2. chapter And lastly he gaue his body for a gift to God for vs thereby to signifie the Sacrifice of our hearts and our subiection vnto him and his dominion ouer vs as is vsed in particular externall visible Sacrifices saying This is my body which is giuen for you Luk. 22. By which words it is plaine and manifest that the bodie which our Sauiour deliuered in the Communion to the Apostles was a particular gift and vnbloudy Sacrifice giuen to God for vs to signifie the sacrifice of our harts c. 10. In like manner our Sauiour at his last Supper took wyne which also was vsed in vnbloudy sacrifices or sacrifice of gifts as witnesseth the Scripture in the sacrifice of Melchisedech Gen. 13. and after blessed it as witnesseth S. Paul 1. Cor. 10. So that it was holy and consecrated wyne to God as is the wyne of all sacrifices and changed the substance of that which before vvas wyne into the substance of his bloud saying This is my bloud Math. 26. 28. To shew the omnipotent power of God who is able to alter and change all things created at his will and pleasure vvhich alteration by some change of the thing offered is vsed in all sacrifices and lastly to shed his bloud to God for vs therby to signifie the inuisible contrition and sacrifice of our harts and his dominion ouer vs and our subiection vnto him saying This is my bloud which is shed for you Luk. 22. not after a carnall or cruell manner but after the manner of a gift cleane oblation and vnbloudy sacrifice as witnesseth the practise and experience of all ages no Christian Catholik man euer affirming that our Sauiour at his last supper shed his bloud after a carnal cruell manner but after the manner of gifts and cleane vnbloudy Sacrifices to the fulfilling of the Prophecies cited before in the 8. and 10. Chapters 11. Our aduersaries confesse that our Lord at his last Supper administred the communion vnto the Apostles and it is neuer read of any sect or sort of people in former ages that they communicated together and not of meate offered in Sacrifice to God except the Epicures and Atheists as I haue proued in the 6. Chapter of this book Wherefore seeing that our Sauiour at his last supper administred the holy communion it is manifest that he offered first sacrifice in the meate which he deliuered in the communion before he deliuered it and bloudy Sacrifices being to cease in the new law as I haue proued it necessarily followeth that our Sauiour at his last supper offered vnbloudy Sacrifices of gifts and administred the communion of the same and that these gifts or vnbloudy Sacrifices were his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wyne seeing he in plaine and expresse termes sayth of them This is my body which is giuen for you Luk 22. This is my body which is broken for you 1. Cor. 11. This is my bloud which is shed for you Luk. 22. 12. And after that our Sauiour at his last supper had offered a Sacrifice of gifts or an vnbloudy Sacrifice in his body and bloud and had communicated the Apostles of the same he presently by an expresse command established the said kind of Sacrifice in his Church for a commemoration of him saying Doe this the same which he then did for a commemoration of mee Luk 22 And this doe ye for the commemoration of mee 1. Cor. 11. 24. Whereupon the Catholik anciens Fathers beleeued that our Sauiour at his last supper offered vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice of gifts in his body and bloud and therefore sometymes call the Sacrifice of the new law Gifts sometymes vnbloudy sacrifice as all one thing as I will shew more at large in the next chapter CHAP. XII The ancient Fathers beleeued that our Lord at his last supper offered vnbloudie sacrifice in his body and bloud and established the same in his Church 1. FIrst all the Catholick ancient Fathers were The Fathers Bishops or Priests either Bishops or Priests or both and either daily or often vsed and practised Liturgies or publick Church seruice books which teach the offering of vnbloudie Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord in their Churches and the administration of the Sacrament as the protestant Bishops and ministers of England vse the book of the order for the administration of the Lords supper in their Churches so they could not but beleeue and teach that our Lord at his last supper offered vnbloudie Sacrifice or Sacrifice of gifts in his body and No antient books of the administatiō of the Communion but teach vnbloodie Sacrifice bloud and established the same in his Church vnlesse our aduersaries will make them atheists and hypocrites to say and doe one thing and beleeue another For there neither is nor euer was before the rebellion of Luther amongst anie sect or sort of Christians reputed heretickes to both parties only excepted any book of the administration of the holie communion but those which teach how to offer vnbloudie Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and how to administer the communion in the same 2. This is first manifest by the practise and proceeding of our Aduersaries themselues Protestant Bishops and Priests are nevve inuentions who vvhen they did resolue in the 2. yeare of King Edvvard the sixt a child to forsake the Catholique Religion and faith in this point and to haue a Religion vvherein there should be noe offering of vnbloudie Sacrifice or receauing the bodie and bloud of our Lord from the hand of a Priest or Altar could not finde before the time of the Rebellion of Luther anie one Bishop or Priest who had taken such orders or was ordayned a Bishop or Priest of such a Religion knowne and reputed hereticks to both parties onely excepted by whom they could or might haue such Bishops and Priests made nor yet anie book in the whole Christian world in the ages before Luther where in they might or could finde the formes or manner of making and consecrating such kind of Bishops or Priests But seeing they would needs haue such a kinde of Bishops and Priests and such a kinde of Religion they were forced to inuent a new forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops and Priests conformable vnto their desyres as appeareth by their book intituled The forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons 3. And this
their forme and manner of making those their Bishops Priests and Deacons is so dissonant from all the manners and formes vsed before the rebellion of Luther that in the 36. Article of their owne religion established by act of Parliament they confesse that this their said booke is a booke Lately sett forth in the time of Edward the fixt and confirmed at the same time by authoritie of Parliament and neuer before either The making of Protestat Clergie a late inuentiō set forth or confirmed by anie Councell or Parliament but then diuised as witnesseth the statute it selfe of the 3 and 4 yeare of Edward the sixt in the 12 act saying Be it enacted by the Kinges Highnes c. that such forme and manner of making Protestant Clergie deuised in the time of Edvvard the sixt and consecrating of Archbishops Bishops Priests Deacons and other Ministers of the Church as by six other men of this Realme learned in Gods law by the Kings Maiestie to be appointed and assigned or by the most number of them shal be deuised for that purpose and sett forth vnder the great Seale of England before the first daie of Aprill next coming shall by vertue of this act be lawfully exercised and vsed and none other anie other statute law or vsage to the contrarie in anie wise notwithstanding Thus this statute whereby we see that before the time of Edward the sixt all the Archbishops Bishops Priests c. were so ordained to offer vnbloudy Sacrifices in the bodie and bloud of our Lord that our aduersaires could not finde a forme or manner of making Archbishops Bishops Priests and who should not offer vnbloody sacrifice but were forced to inuent and deuise as the statute saith a new one and this so contrarie to the 3. Creeds and promises of God vnto his Church that Thomas Rogers a Protestant Glosser vpon the articles of their Religion in his book intituled The English Creed at the end of the 36. article ingeniously The Protestant Clergie no Catholiques confesseth that this article of the consecration of Protestant Archbishops Bishops Priests c. is noe article of the Catholique Church as a thing no where to be found amongst Catholique Christians but then deuised by Protestants 4. And after that they had deuised a forme and manner of making Archbishops Bishops Priests c who should not offer Sacrifice in all the ages before Luther except only knowne and reputed heretickes atheists and Epicures to both parties they could not finde a book where the office of these kind of men was sett downe without offering of sacrifice but were also forced to inuent a new book of offices for their said Bishops and Priests called The order for the administration of the Lords supper neuer heard of to haue been vsed amongst anie sort of men before Luther except aboue excepted as witnesseth the said book or Order for the administration of the Lords supper sett downe in the end of their booke of common praier and the statutes of the 5. and 6. yeare of Edward the sixt and first yeare of Queen Elizabeth and experience it selfe our aduersaries not being able to finde anie such book sett forth for the administration of anie Lords supper amongst anie sect or sort of men from the beginning of the world vntill the rebellion of Luther knowne and reputed heretickes atheists and Epicures to both parties onely excepted 5. The Apostles themselues beleeuing that our Lord ordained them Bishops and Priests to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice of Giftes in his bodie and bloud for a commemoration of The forme of making Bishops and Priests set dvvne by the Apostles him sett forth also a forme or manner of consecrating other Bishops and Priests to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice of Giftes in his body and bloud for a commemoration of him in the 8. booke of their constitutions where in the consecration of a Bishop the Consecrator saith Giue vnto him that is consecrated ô Allmightie Lord by thy Christ the participation of the holie Ghost that he may haue power to remitt sinnes according to thy command and of loosing all bands according to the power which thou hast giuen vnto the Apostles and of pleasing thee in meekenes and puritie of heart by offering vnto thee alwaies without fault and without sinne a pure and vnbloudie Sacrifice which by Christ thou hast established the misterie of the new Testament as a fragrant smell of sweetenes For as the Apostles saie in the last chapter of their said booke The only begotten Christ did not take this honor to himselfe but was instituted a cheef Priest by his Father who being made man for our sakes and offering a spirituall host his spirituall bodie to his God and Father before his passion and ordained vs onlie that we should doe the same when there were others with vs whereof some also beleeued in him but whosoeuer doth beleeue was not forth with made a Priest or obtained the degree of Episcopall dignitie And we offering a pure and vnbloudie Sacrifice as our Lord ordained haue chosen Bishops Priests and seauen Deacons Thus the Apostles in their constitutions and for the proofe of their authenticalnes I referr you to the preface of Franciscus Turrianus sett before them The forme and manner of making or consecrating Bishops and Priests thus established there was neuer anie Catholick Priest ordained who was not ordained to offer vnbloudie Sacrifice or sacrifice of guifts in the bodie and bloud of our Lord as witnesse all the Pontificals or bookes sett forth for the ordayning of Bishops and Priests in the Church of God nor ever a catholique Bishop or Priest who had not for office the offering of vnbloudie Sacrifice or sacrifice of guifts in the Church of God Whereupon S. Basill Bishop of Capadocia as witnesseth Amphilochius in his life desired of God that he would giue him wisdome and vnderstanding to write a Liturgie or publicke Church-seruice booke with his owne hand wherin he might offer vnbloudie Sacrifice to God and continueing in his praier our Lord appeared vnto him in a vision and saied According to thy petition let thy mouth be filled with praise in such sort as by thy proper wordes thou maiest offer vnbloudy Sacrifice Againe in his Anaphora he praieth saying Thou ô Lord make vs worthie that wee maie stand before thee with a pure heart and minister vnto thee and may offer vnto thee this reuerend and vnbloudy Sacrifice for the remission of our sinnes 6 So likewise S. Chrisostome Bishop of Constantinopole not only in his Liturgie praieth vnto God that he may assist at his fearefull Sanctuarie and finish the vnbloudie Sacrifice without offence but also affirmeth that Christ as Lord of all hath deliuered vnto vs the celebration of this solemne and vnbloudie Sacrifice And sometimes calleth it vnbloudie Sacrifice sometimes guifts which was so extended all ouer that world in his time that in his homily vpon the 95. Psal he saith In
they being for the most part daily and publickly vsed and practised in all the Curches of Christendome and no knowne Christian Catholick man to take notice of such a generall corruption was a thing impossible as we see by experience in thinges of lesser moment and more rarelie practised and of meaner account and reckoning Neither could the whole Christian Catholick Church the promises of God vnto his Church considered so suddenly decaie after the death and Passion of our Lord that in all Christendome there should be no knowne publick practise of the right administration of the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of our Lord. 3. And if wee looke in to the first Liturgie or publicke Church seruice booke which was made The Christian vnbloudie sacrifice begunn at Hierusalem in the Apostles tymes for the Church of Hierusalem where the Ghospell first began and from whence it was to be spredd and preached vnto all nations according to the wordes of our Lord Luck 24. 47. Act. 1. 8. as into the Liturgie which was made by S. Iames the Apostle for the Church of Hierusalem whereof he was instituted Bishop by the Apostles as witnesseth Eusebius in the 22. chapter of his 2. booke of histories which Liturgie is also confirmed to be his by the 32. Canon of the 6. generall Councell by Proclus Bishop of Constantinople in his Tradition of the Diuine Liturgie and S. Cirill Bishop of Hierusalem in his 5. Catechesis both which liued aboue 1200. yeares past and see what will be found there it will directe vs in all the rest 4. In this Liturgie the Priest saith Lord thou S. Iames his Liturgie hast granted that we should confidentlie approach vnto thy holie Altar and offer vnto thee this reuerend and vnbloudie Sacrifice for our sinns c. Let it please thee that these Giftes which we offer with our handes maie be acceptable vnto thee c. Doe not turne awaie from vs sinners handeling tbis fearefull and vnbloudie Sacrifice c. Let it please thee o Lord that we maie be ministers of thy new testament and sacrifice of thy immaculate misteries and admitt vs approaching vnto thy holie Altar according to the multitude of thy mercies that we may be worthie who would offer vnto thee Giftes and sacrifice for our selues and for those sinnes which the people haue committed through ignorance Grāt vs ô Lord that we maie offer vnto thee with all feare and a pure concience this spirituall and vnbloudie Sacrifice c. We bend our knees vnto thy goodnes haue mercie vpon vs ô Lord seeing that we worship and tremble when wee are to aproache vnto tby holie Altar to offer this fearefull and vnbloudie sacrifice for our sinnes c. We offer vnto thee this venerable and vnbloudie sacrifice c. Send vpon vs and vpon these giftes thy holie Spirit 5. And setting downe the wordes of consecration he saith Iesus Christ the night in which he was betraied or rather the night in which be deliuered himself for the life and saluation of the world taking bread into his holy immaculate blamelesse and immortall hands looking vp into heauen and shewing to thee God and father giuing thankes sanctifying breaking he gaue vnto vs his disciples and Apostles saying Take ye and eate this is my bodie which is broken for you and is giuen for the remission of sinns In like manner after he had supped taking the Chalice and mingling wine and water and looking into heauen and shewing to thee God and Father giuing thankes Sanctifying blessing filling with the holie Ghost he gaue vnto vs his disciples saying Drincke yee all of this This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shedd for you and for manie and is giuen for the remission of sinnes doe this for a commemoration of me for as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this Chalice you doe shew forth the death of the Sonne of man and doe confesse his resurrection vntill he come 6. And further telling vs what these Giftes and vnbloudie Sacrifices were he saith Christ our Lord doth come forth that he may be immolated and giuen for meate to the faithfull And putting a parte of the consecrated bread into the Chalice mingling them together he saith The vnion of the most pretious bodie and bloud of our Lord and God and Sauiour Iesu Christ. And sygning the consecrated bread he saith Behold the lambe of God the Sonne of the Father who taketh awaie the sinnes of the world slaine for the life and saluation of the world Thus S. Iames the Apostle and much more to this effect in his Liturgie or publick Church-seruice booke which he made for the Church of Hierusalem whereof he was Bishop 7. And the like hath all the rest of the Liturgies or publicke Church-seruice-bookes which were made by the rest of the Apostles and Euangelistes or Apostolicall men for the countries and Prouinces which they had vnder their charge or which they had conuerted vnto the Christian Catholicke faith to the publishing and dilating the vnbloudie sacrifice or sacrifice of Giftes in the bodie and bloud of our Lord which was begun in Hierusalem by our Lord and the Apostles all ouer the world for a commemoration of our Lord to the fulfilling of the prophecies in that kinde As the Liturgie or publick Church-seruice Booke of S. Peter made for the Romans and these westerne partes of the world The Liturgie of S. Matthew made for the Ethiopians and further partes of Asia and Africa The Liturgie of S Marke made for the Egiptiens and Grecians and so forth as they are sett downe by Margarinus in his sixt Tome of his Bibliotheca Patrum And in the first and laste Tome of the Bibliotheca Patrum sett forth by the Deuines of Colen 8. Of these Liturgies and publique Church-seruice bookes the afore said Proclus Bishop of Constantinople in the place afore cited writeth thus Verie manie Pastors and Doctors of the Church who were famous for pietie and some of those who succeded the Apostles haue deliuered vnto the Church in writing the exposition of the mystitall Liturgie Amongst whom S. Clement doth challenge the first place who was a disciple of the Prince of the Apostles and declared his successor by the Apostles themselues and S. Iames the first Bishop of Hierusalem Afterwards Basill the great finding that manie men thought the former Liturgies to long brought it into a more compendious forme Not long after our Iohn who of his golden eloquence was called Chrisostome hauing consideration of the infirmitie of men that they might haue no excuse tooke awaie manie things and prescribed a briefer forme c. After our sauiour was assumptod into heauen the Apostles before they were dispersed ouer the world being of one minde and liuing together gaue themselues wholy vnto praier and finding great consolation in that mysticall sacrifice of our Lords bodie they sunge the Liturgie at large with manie praiers Thus Proclus Bishop of Constantinople who
Crosse he is the propitiation for our sinnes who are of his Church and not for ours only but also for the whole worlds Ioh. 2. 2. reconciling the world vnto himselfe 2. Cor. 5. 19. as he deliuered his body and bloud vpon the Crosse he is Sauiour of the world Ioh. 4. 14. whervpō the beleeuing Samaritans said We beleeue and doe know that this is the Sauiour of the world indeed Ioh. 4. 41. But at his last Supper to shew that he doth not speake of the giuing or deliuering of his body vpon the Crosse or the shedding of his bloud vpon the Crosse he doth not say This is my body which shal be deliuered for all but this is my hody which shal be deliuered for you who are of my Church for to the Apostles he spoke it And likewise This is my bloud of the new Testament that shal be shed for manie vnto remission of sinnes Matth. 26. 28. And againe This is my bloud of the new Testament that shal be shed for manie Mark 14. 14. Whereby it is manifeste vnto anie indifferent Reader that here at his laste Supper our Sauiour doth not speake of the deliuering of his body or shedding of his bloud at it was vpon the Crosse but at it is in the Liturgie or Masse seeing he limiteth this deliuering of his body vnto the Apostles and this shedding of his bloud vnto manie and not vnto all 7. Our Sauiour here made and established the new Testament in his bloud saying of his bloud Our Lord at his last supper made his Testament This is my bloud of the new Testament Mar. 14. Whervpon Tertullian in the 40. chapter of his 4. booke against Marcion saith Christ established his Testament sealed with his bloud in the mention of the Chalice and Doctor Featly a Puritan in the 8. chapter of his Grand Sacriledge avoucheth that Christ calleth the cup his Testament or laste legacie But the old Testament was not made or confirmed without a Sacrifice The old Testamēt vvas dedicated vvith Sacrifice and therefore the nevv as witnesseth Moyses Exodus 24. and S. Paule Hebr. the 9. Therefore neither was the new Testamēt made or established without a Sacrifice seeing that the old was a type of the new and to be fulfilled in it 8. The dedication or making of a Testament ought to be a mans owne free act and will and A Testamēt ought to be a mans ovvne free vvill not the act of an other man or mens And the death of our Lord vpon the Crosse and the shedding of his bloud vpon the Crosse was the act of the Iewes as witnesseth the Scriptures saying to the Iewes You by the handes of wicked men haue crucified and slaine Iesus of Nazareth Act. 2. 23. Againe You did kill Iesus hanging him vpon a tree Act. 5. 30. Wherefore the shedding of his bloud at his Passion could not be the dedication of his Testament seeing that it was not his owne act but the act of the Iewes not could be his owne act seeing that it is not lawfull for any man to kill himselfe Whereby it is manifest that here at his last Supper our Lord made his Testament and bequeathed his bodie and bloud vnto his Church to be offered in an vnbloudy Sacrifice to God for vs and receaued in the communion vntill he come againe 9. It is manifest to experience that S. Paule Manifest by experience taught the Corinthians and Grecians to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and to communicate of the same for that the Corinthians and Grecians euen from their first conuersion vnto the faith by S. Paule which was many yeares before he writh his first Epistle to them Act. 18. 21. and 1. Cor. 16. vsed vnbloudy Sacrifice and communicated of the same as I haue proued in the 12. chapter by three of the fower first generall Councells that is to saie the Councell of Nice Ephesus and Calcedon which for the most part consisted of Grecian Bishopps And before anie of these generall Councells was the Prouinciall Councell of Ancyra in the lesser Asia not farr from Corinth which for the most part consisted of Grecian Bishopps of those Prouinces vnto which S. Paule had preached before he writh this Epistle to the Corinthians as of the Bishopps of Antioch Caesarea Galatia and Phrigia Act. 18. 22. and 23. yet these Bishopps offered vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord as appeareth by the 2. Canon of the said Councell which decreed that if a Priest or Deacon in the time of persecution should offer incense vnto an idoll and after recouer himselfe and fuffer constantly for the faith then he should reteine the honor of his sea and place but not be admitted aine more either to offer Sacrifice or assist at the offering of Sacrifice or holy Liturgie 10. Who can better tell vs what manner of communion S. Paule taught the Corinthians and Grecians what is the sense of these words in S. Paules Epistle which concerne the holy communion then the Corintbians and Grecians themselues who not only receaued this Epistle from S. Paule but also saw his practise and example a yeare and a half together Act. 18. 11. when the custome of Priests was for the most part to administer the communiō euery day Act. 2. 42. And amongst the Corinthians who can better tell vs what S. Paule did and taught in this point then S. Dionisius Areopagita who was converted by S. Paule not only S. Dionisius Bishopp of Corinth many yeares before he writh this Epistle Act. 17. but also was the first Bishopp of Corinth vnto whom S. Paule writt this Epistle as withnesseth Eusebius in the 22. chapter of his 4. booke of Histories yet he in the 3. chapter of his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie setting downe the manner and forme which was vsed in his time in the administration of the cōmunion sheweth that they vsed to communicate of the body and bloud of our Lord offered to God in Sacrifice as they doe in the Catholicke Church at this day saying The Bishopp assoone as he hath said holy prayers vpon the diuine Altar beginneth to incense it and proceedeth to set down a short Rituall or forme of a solemne manner of offering vnbloudy Sacrifice to God in the body and bloud of our Lord and a communion of the same performed by a Bishopp and diuerse Priests Deacons and other Officers to assist him as is vsed in great solemnities euen vnto this day in all our Cathedrall and principall Churches as is to be seene more at large in the said 3. chapter of his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and the practise of all solemne Sacrifices in everie Cathedrall Church 11. Now seeing that S. Paule speaking of the administration of the blessed Sacrament saith to the Corinthians I receaued of our Lord that which also I haue deliuered vnto you many yeares agoe when I was with you Act. 18. 11. and the Corinthians and Grecians administrated