common people and not to displease the Athenians as witnesseth Cicero in his bookes of the ends of good and euill of Tusculans quest and of the nature of the God and Plutark in his book against Coletes an Epicure Wherefore seeing that it was a thing impossible and altogether incredible that our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST should quite take away the offering of externall visible Sacrifice to God for the good of those who are deceaued to the violating of Religion contempt of God and damnation of their poore soules it wil be worth our labour yet more exactly to handle this matter and seeke out how and what visible Sacrifice our Sauiour appointed for his followers to vse in his Church vpon earth which by Gods grace I will do in the ensueing chapters CHAP. IX Our Sauiour was to be a chiefe Priest of the order of Melchisedech and to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in his body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine vntill the end of the world 1. THe Prophet Dauid speaking of the Priesthood of our Sauiour in the 109. Psal and 4. Ver. according vnto our account Christs Priest hood foreuer of the order of Melchisedech vvas to be performed vpon earth and 110. according to the account of Protestants and Puritans saith Our Lord hath sworn and it shall not repent him thou art a Priest foreuer according to the Order of Melchisedech This to be spoken of our Sauiour S. Paul witnesseth Heb. 5. 6. 10. Heb. 6. 20. So here we haue that our Sauiour vvas to be a Priest not for once or for a litle while as vpon the Crosse but as long as the world shall last vntill Eternitie come or as the Apostle saith vntill Christ shall come to Iudgment 1. Cor. 11. 26. For these words foreuer euerlasting are many tymes taken for as long as the world shall last or for a long time as Leuit. 25. 46. Exod. 15. 18. Exod. 21. 6. Exo. 31. 16. Leuit. 23. 31. Eze. 26. 21. And S. Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 26. of Ezechiel and 21. Ver. and vpon the first to the Gal and 4. Ver. affirmeth that the hebrew word Leolam vvhich is here translated foreuer doth not signify the eternity of the other life but the whole tyme of this life or as long as the world shall endure c. 2. The end and vse of Priesthood and offering The vse of Priesthood and sacrifice vp of Sacrifice is as S. Paul saith Heb. 5. 1. to obtayn remission of sinnes but after the day of Iudgment and end of this world there wil be no more any remission of sinnes wherefore it were in vayn to say that Christ were a Priest foreuer in the other world of eternitie according to the order of Melchisedech seeing that in the eternitie of the other life there is no remission of sinnes or vse of Priesthood or Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech which S. Paul further signifyeth saying Where there is no remession of sinnes as in the eternitie of the other life now there is not an oblation for sinnes Heb. 10. 18. Agayn S. Paul sayith Euery high Priest is appointed that he may offer guifts and hosts wherefore it is necessary that he also haue somthing that he may offer Heb. 8. 3. But it were absurd to say that Christ in heauen offered Sacrifice hosts or gifts according to the order of Melchisedech seeing that in heauen earthly Sacraments and Sacrifices which are represented vnder outward corruptible materiall signes do cease by reason of the imperfection for in heauen is no imperfection 1. Cor. 13. 10. 3. And S. Paul speaking of the Priesthood of our Sauiour according to the order of Melchisedech saith If then consummation was by the Leuiticall Priesthood what necessitie was there yet of an other Christ a Priest of the order of Melchisedech and not of Aaron Priest to rise according to the order of Mechisedech and not to be called according to the order of Aaron for the Priesthood being translated it is necessary that a translation of the law also be made for Christ of whom these things be said is of another tribe of the which none attended on the Altar Heb. 7. 11. Where we Chriests Priesthood to be performed on earth see that our Sauiours Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech was to be performed vpon earth as the Priesthood according to the order of Aaron was performed vpon earth and the law was translated vpon earth and the tribes and Altars were vpon earth 4. Neither can this prophecy be vnderstood of This Prophecie not vnderstood of the Sacrifice vpon the Cross our Sauiours Sacrifice vpon the Crosse for that was but once offered Heb. 10. 10. and if the Scriptures here should speake of the Sacrifice of the Crosse it should say thou art a Priest for once and not say thou art a Priest foreuer Secondly S. Paul saith Other Priests by death were prohibited to continue but Christ for that he continueth foreuer hath an euerlasting Priesthood Heb. 7. 23. But as our Sauiour offered himself in Sacrifice vpon the Crosse he was neither euerlasting nor immortall but mortall and dyed and therefore as he was offered vpon the Cross he was by death prohibited to continue aswell as other Priests wherefore it cannot be said that Christ is a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech because he offered himself vpon the Crosse 5. The Sacrifice of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse was bloudy and rather according to the order of Aaron then Melchisedech of which order our Sauiour was not as S. Paul witnesseth saying Christ Our Sauiour vvas not a Priest of the order of Aron was not called according to the order of Aaron Heb. 7. 11. Wherefore seeing that our Sauiour was to be a Priest to offer Sacrifice vnto God vntill the end of the world and that there neither is nor hath been any other Sacrifice offered in the Christian Church but that which amongst Christians No Sacrifice amongst Christians but that of the body and bloud of our Lord. is called the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord as all the Christian Church seruice bookes Histories Chronicles and testimonies of ancient tyme beare witnes what Christian man can deny that our Sauiour was to be a Priest foreuer to offer this Sacrifice of his body and bloud by himself his Apostles and their Successors vntill the end of the world and that this oath of God is fulfilled in offering or giuing to God his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine according to his commaund at his last supper when taking bread he gaue thanks and brake and gaue to the Apostles saying This is my body which is giuen for you to God And in like manner the Chalice after he had supped saying This is the Chalice of the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you to God Luc. 22. Do this the same which he then
of God who liue after the Passion of Christ stand in need of a Sacrifice in their communion to represent the Sacrifice of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse past to apply his merits vnto them who was slaine as S. Iohn saith from the beginning of the world Apoc. 13. 8. And as many as were saued in the law of nature or vvritten lavv or shal be saued in the law of Grace all were and shal be saued by the merits of the passion of our Sauiour and his Sacrifice vpon the Crosse And therefore if in the lavv of nature and written lavv they had need of externall visible Sacrifice to apply the Passion of our Sauiour vnto them so likevvise haue vve in the nevv lavv seeing that the ould lavv vvas a figure of the nevv 1. Cor. 10. 6. Wherevpon S. Augustine in the 18. chapter of his 20. booke against Faustus saith At this present Christians do celebrate the memorie of the sacrifie of Christ passed vpon the Crosse by the most holie oblation of the body and bloud of Christ 8. The chiefest act whereby our Sauiour redeemed vs vvas his offering or giuing himselfe to God for our Redemption according to his word saying I yeild my life for my sheepe Ioh. 10. 15. Sacrifice taken avvaie the commemoration of our Sauiours passion is also taken avvaie Against Christ gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs. Tit. 2. 14. Wherefore if our Sauiour had taken away all externall visible Sacrifice out of his Church he had left in deeds or actions no expresse commemoration of his Passion 9. God Almightie threatneth it as a great To be depriued of Sacrifice is threatned as a punishment plague to the pleople of Israel to take away from amongst them for their sinnes Sacrifices and Altars saying Manie daies shall the kingdome of Israel sit without King and without Prince and without Sacrifice and without Altar c. And after this the children of Israel shall returne and shall seek the lord their God and his goodnes in the last dayes Osee 34. Where we see that God himself accompted it a great plague for the Children of Israel to be without Sacrifice and Altar as they are and shal be vntill a litle before the last dayes according to this prophecy and at the last dayes they shall seeke the Lord their God and his goodnes and become Christians and haue Sacrifice and Altars Wherefore if our Sauiour should haue planted his new lavv and Testament vvithout any externall visible Sacrifice or Altar the nevv lavv had bin a lavv and Testament of greater anger vvrath and punishmēt then vvas the ould law and not a law of greater grace and fauor which is repugnant to the promises saying Christ came to preach the acceptable yeare of our Lord Psal 71. 1. Luc. 4. 19. Insomuch as S. Paul speaking of this tyme of grace saith Behold now is the time acceptable behold now the day of saluation 2. Cor. 6. 2. c. 10. As I said in the 2. Chapter two things haue alvvayes been highly esteemed amongst men the honor of their God and their vnity peace and society with him and amongst themselues and these two haue been chiefely mainteyned amongst men of all nations by offering visible Sacrifice vnto God and after by eating or communicating of the said Sacrifice amongst themselues as I haue prooued in the 2. chapter By Sacrifice peace and vnitie is preserued and our Sauiour came not to take away peace vnitie and societie of men with God or amongst themselues but to plant it saying Not for the Apostles only do I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in mee that they all may be one as thou Father in mee and I in thee that they also in vs may be one that the world may know that thou hast sent mee Ioh. 17. 20. 11. God Almightie promised by the Prophet Ieremie that visible Sacrifice should neuer be taken away saying Of Priests and Leuits there shall not fail from before my face a man to offer Holocausts and to burn Sacrifice and kill victimes all dayes Ier 33. 18. According to which promises S. Paul commandeth the Christians to offer Sacrifice saying you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come 1. Cor. 11. 26. who dyed offering vp himself in a visible Sacrifice as our aduersaries will confesse 12. If our Sauiour had taken away the offering of visible Sacrifice to God and had instituted a communion by taking an eating a peace of bread and apprehending Christ in heauen by VVithout Sacrifice there is no difference betvveen the communion and eating of common meat faith he had made no difference betweene the eating of common meat and the communion for euery one who eateth or drinketh piously like a Christian and not like a beast apprehendeth God or CHRIST IESVS our Lord in heauen by the hand of faith as author and giuer of that meat as often as they eat or drink 13. The offering of visible Sacrifice in generall vnto God vvas a matter of faith planted in the Church of God vpon earth euen from the first foundatiō of the Church of God vpon earth after the fall of Adam as I haue prooued in the last Chapter and faith is one and vnchangeable as also there I haue prooued Whereby it is sufficiently Our Sauiour changed not the faith but ceremonies of the old Lavv. manifest vnto any indifferent Reader that our Sauiour at his comming did not nor would take away out of his Church which he founded vpon earth externall visible Sacrifice but took away only the ceremoniall law and planted externall visible Sacrifice in more worthy gifts as made suertie of a better Testament Heb. 7. 22. 14. And to conclude all the known world as I haue prooued in the 2. and 3. chapters at the tyme of our Sauiour offered visible Sacrifice vnto some God true or false thereby to adore him with the honor of Latria or honor due only vnto God and signifie the Sacrifice of their harts vnto him and vnion with him Wherefore if our Sauiour had quite taken away the offering of visible Sacrifice to any God some Iew or gentill would haue accused him or the Apostles of it Our Sauiour neuer accused of taking avvay Sacrifice which vve neuer read that they did yet the Iewes so highly esteemed visible Sacrifice as they accounted it a punishment or curse to be without it as appeareth Dan. 9. 27. the 11. 31. and the 12. 11. Osee 3. 4. Ioel. 1. 9. and the Gentils esteemed it a sinne worthy of death to abuse it as vvitnesseth Plato in his 10. Dialogue and a signe of atheisme and impietie to neglect it as testifyeth Plutark in his booke intituled That there Epicurus only for feare offered Sacrifice contrary to his doctrine is no pleasant life according to Epicurus who in doctrine and words denied the offering of visible Sacrifice but not in practise for feare of the
OF THE VISIBLE SACRIFICE OF THE CHVRCH OF GOD. THE FIRST PART VVritten by ANONYMVS EREMITA He that Sacrificeth to Gods shall be put to death but to our Lord only Exod. 22. 20. AT BRVXELLES By HVBERT ANTONY Velpius Printer to his Maiestie 1637. TO THE MOST EXCELLENT HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE CHARLES KING OF GREAT BRITAINE France Ireland c. Health and eternall felicitie MOst dread Soueraigne So many are the temporall blessings which All tie God hath bestowed vpon your Royall Maiestie that scarcely can they be paralelled in any other A Monarke of three Kingdomes all fortefied with the Ocean sea a Queene wyse vertuous beutifull and fruitefull subiects without number all in peace and plentie stryuing how to expresse their loues and obedience to so worthie a soueraigne health of Body and disposition of mynd fitt for any heroicall action so that not knowing what to wish or how to adde any more vnto your present temporall estate and happinesse as much as in me lyeth I desyre with all my heart that these your temporall blessings may also be seconded with spirituall eternall And for this cause and to this end hauing occasion to wryte of a Medecine against mortalitie of a Receipt against all diseases corruption and death of a Soueraigne Balme which whosoeuer will vse worthely shall liue eternally I could not but dedicate these my labours vnto your Maiestie vnto whom aboue all men liuing I wish compleat felicitie that protected by your royall fauour this Cordiall may worke the effect I desire which is euerlasting happines to your selfe subiects And so imploring your royall clemencie with most humble respects and profound submission I cast my selfe and labours vnder the shadow of your gratious protection euer to remaine Of your Sacred Maiestie A most humble and most faithfull subject ANONYMVS EREMITA THE PREFACE TO THE READER DEare Reader It may seeme strange vnto thee that an Hermit whose entertainment and conuersation ought chiefly to be in solitude meditation contemplation should trouble himselfe in his Cell with the turbulent controuersies of this tyme in matters of faith which in former ages when innocencie and vertue most florished euery Christian receaued with his baptisme after most constantly to hould and professe the same all the dayes of his life yet so it fell out that in conuersing with dyuers Puritans I found by experience that out of ignorance and want of knowledge what our visible sacrifice is by whome it was instituted or to what end they hate it more then they doe Iudaisme Turcisme or Paganisme it selfe in such sort that they obiect our offering of visible Sacrifice as one of the chiefest causes of their alienation from vs when in truth and veritie exterior visible sacrifice is the cheef exterior visible honor which is due to God as he is God and Creator of all things as will appeare by examination if we shall passe through all the exterior visible worships respects reuerences which are vsed by men in this life and it is so due vnto God alone that it may not be giuen vnto any Creature or false God vnder penaltie of high treason against his Deuine Maiestie punishable by death as witnesseth his lavv and euerlasting decree saging He that sacrificeth to Gods shall be put to death But to our Lord only So that the first motiue which moued me to wryte of this subiect was the grosse ignorāce and blindnesse I found in many Puritans who commonly would bitterly inueigh against our visible sacrifice not knowing what it was nor wherfore it was instituted for otherwyse I suppose they would not be so vehement against the honour of God therfore thought with my selfe for the honor of God and good of their soules to wryte plainly and manifestly of this subiect without any flourishing words or loftinesse of style or farr fetcht inuentions to make euery well minded simple Protestant or Puritan who will be delyghted with truth capable to perceaue and vnderstand that the exterior visible sacrifice or Masse which he so much hateth is the cheef exterior visible worshipp which doth belong vnto God alone that he may also defend the honor of God and not oppose it Secondly the emminencie excellencie of the Sacrament of the Alter is so greate that S. Augustine in the 24. chapter of his first booke de peccatorū meritis calleth it The lyfe of the world S. Ignatius disciple to S. Iohn the Euangelist The medecine of immortalitie and antidote against death S. Epiphanius in his Epistle to Iohn of Hierusalem The chiefest saluation of Christians vvhich before God is also so highly prysed that vvhen through wickednes of men and of Antechrist it shall be quyte taken a way out of the face of the earth the world shall end as witnesseth our fauiour saying The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the lyfe of the world Iohn 6. 51. for euē as when lyfe is takē from a man a man dyeth so when the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord shall be taken out of the world by the meanes of wicked men and of Antechrist the world shall be consumed with fyer as witnesse Daniel 9. 27. Mat. 24. 15. 1. Cor. 11. 26. Which considered fynding the passion of the Puritans of our nation so furious against this said Sacrament of the Alter as to esteeme the reuerence respect which is due vnto it Idolatrie and so to persecute it that if it lay in their poners they would not only extirpate it out of this Iland of great Britanie but out of the whole globe of the earth to bring in their fancie of eating a peece of bakers bread The honour of my lord the saluation of their soules and the lyfe of my Countrie moued me to abstract some howers from my ordinarie recollections to defend with my penne the dignitie of so emminent a Sacrament If this worke of myne fall short of thyne expectation accept of my good will which is if it were in my poner te giue all honor vnto God vnto whome all honor and glorie is due and vnto thee Reader lyfe of eternall lyfe and so Irest thy seruant in Christ Iesus CHAP. I. VVhat we vnderstand by visible Sacrifice and of the whole scope of this booke TO vnfold vnto thee deare Reader the whole scope of this our booke and to sett plainely and manifestly before thine eyes the whole state of this controuersy Of the exterior visible Sacrifyce of the Church of God where of I intend by Gods grace to treate It is necessary first to explicate vnto thee what a sacrifice in generall is then to distinguish the different kindes of Sacrifice one from an other after to defyne or descrybe a proper exterior visible sacrifice and lastly to sett downe the differences between Catholiques and English Protestants and Puritans concerning visible sacrifice that by this first Chapter thou maist cleerly know what I treate of and see the said differences and the whole
scope of this booke the more easily afterward to iudge of the truth and to imbrace it First a Sacrifice A Sacrifice in generall in generall as it comprehendeth all kyndes of Christian Sacrifices is described by S. Augustine in the 6. Chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God to be anie good worke visible or inuisible which is done to this end that we may cleaue fast to God by holie societie as hauing relation to that end of Goodnesse by which we may become truly happie So that euerie good deed whether visible or inuisible which we doe for the loue of God with an intent to vnyte ourselues vnto him or to stick closer vnto him who is our happie life may be called Sacrifice in generall tearmes as holie thing or fact donn or disposed of to the right end of goods which is God Vnder this generall kynd Fovver kindes of Sacrifices of Sacrifice for asmuch as maketh for our purpose in this controuersie we distinguish fower particular kyndes 1. The first kinde of Sacrifice is only inuisible The first kinde of Sacrifice where of the Scripture speaking saith A Sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit Psal 50. 19. and of this sort are all those inward and inuisible operations of our hearts who tend to the honor and loue of God as for example the inward mortification of our inordinate appetytes and desyres according to the wordes of S. Paule saying VVee are killed for thy sake all the daie Rom. 8. 36. And these are called spirituall sacrifices for that by the spirit we inuisibly mortifie and kill the inordinate desires of the spiritt and flesh where of S. Paule further speaking saith If by the spirit you mortifie the deedes of the flesh you shall liue Rom. 8. 13. 2. The second kynd of sacrifices are all those The second kinde of Sacrifices outward pious actions and good deeds which represent vnto vs the aforesaid inward affections of mens mindes as flowers and fruites doe the roote of which kynde are all the outward Sacrifices of Praise iustice faith c. in which sense euery pious outward good worke which is donn for the loue of God is called a Sacrifice as hauing his subordination vnto the end of goodnesse wherevpon S. Paule calleth the giuing of almes for the loue of God a Sacrifice Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. In this sense to praise God or praie is called a Sacrifice Psal 49. 14. Heb. 13. 15. c. But as S. Augustine in the 6. Chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God affirmeth The workes of mercie if they be not donne for the loue of God are not a Sacrifice Because they want the end vnto which all Sacrifices are ordeyned which is that wee may Adhere and cleaue vnto God by holy societie These two kyndes of Sacrifices are called generall because they may and ought to be donn or performed by all men generally who are come to the yeares of discretion and haue abilitie without anie particular vocation or election more then the obligations of all mankynde 3. The third kynde of Sacrifice is the death The 3. kynd of Sacrifice and passion of our Sauiour vpon the crosse which is generally called the Sacrifice of our Redemption for by it we were redeemed and therefore it is called aboue all others chiefly and principally a Sacrifice as vpon which all other Sacrifices doe or ought to depend as commemorations or applications of it vnto our selues for though our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by his Sacrifice vpon the crosse redeemed all mankynde from euerlasting paines yet he did not so redeeme man as that he should haue nothing to doe or performe on his part for the obteyning of his saluation but only to liue idlely for so the sacred passion of our lord should be a cloake for idlenes and sinne but he redeemed mankinde conditionally that man should doe these and these things thereby to applie the merit of the Sacrifice vpon the crosse vnto him selfe and so be saued as witnesseth our Sauiour saying Not euery one that saith lord lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen he shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen Matth. 7. 21. 4. The fowth kinde proper to the faithfull The fovvrth kinde of Sacrifice whereof we are to treate is an oblation or gift giuen or offered to God vpon an Altar by a priest the onely lawfull Minister of a particular visible thing wherein there is made some alteration or change to expresse the death of our Lord in Sacrifice and also to signifie the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts to God his Dominion ouer vs and our subiection vnto him and our vnitie in Religion amongst our selues vnder one God as wittnes the Sacrifices of Noe Gen. 8. 26. of Abraham Gen. 15. 9. of Iacob Gen. 31. 54. Gen. 33. 20. Gen. 14. of Iob Iob. 1. 5. in the law of nature and the Sacrifices perscrybed by God vnto the people of Israel in the written law which Sacrifices were offered to God by the antiēt fathers of the old law as S. Augustine in the 5. Chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God affirmeth To expresse or signifie by them those thinges which are donn in vs to this end only that we may stick or cleaue vnto God and giue councell vnto our neighbour that he may tend vnto the same end And then discrybing what such a visible sacrifice is immediatly addeth saying Therefore a visible Sacrifice is a sacred signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts So that a perfect visible Sacrifice consisteth in it selfe of three partes the exterior visible oblation and actions which are called as S. Augustine saith in the same Chapter The signes of the true Sacrifice the inuisible operations which are the Sacrifice of our heartes the memory of the Passion of our lord the acknowledging of God for our God c and the good worke whereby God is honored with the worshipp of Latria and peace and vnitie in Religion practises amongst our selues Wherefore this fowrth kinde of Sacrifice whereof of I intend cheifly to treate includeth the first and second kynde as the whole doth the partes an hath relation vnto the third as a commemoration or application of the vertue of it vnto our selues 5. Whereas I saie that an exterior visible Sacrifice is an oblation or gift giuen or offered to God vpon an Altar by a lawfull Minister of a particular visible thing wherein there is made some real alteration or change to expresse the death of our Lord in Sacrifice this is so manifest in all the Sacrifices which were offered in the law of nature and written law that it needeth no other proofe-then the reading and obseruing what was donn in those Sacrifices And that this reall allteration The Sacrifices of the old lavv expressions of the death of our Lord to come and change which was made in
their Sacrifices either by killing of liuing things or brusing of solid thinges or shedding of liquid was to expresse or shew forth the death of our Lord in Sacrifice to come S. Paule witnesseth saying These thinges happened to them in figure 1. Cor. 10. And S. Iohn saying The Lambe was slaine from the beginning of the world Reuel 13. 8. not in itselfe but in his signe figure effect and vertue Where vpon S. Augustine in the 18. Chapter of his first booke against the Aduersaries of the law and the prophets saieth The Sacrifices of the old law Were shadowes of the onely Sacrifice of the Sonne of God not dispraising it but signifying it for as one thing may be signified by manie words and manie tongues so this one true and singular Sacrifice was before signified by manie figuratiue Sacrifices And the lyke he hath in the 17. Chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God whereby it appeareth that Sacrifices of the old law were vsed to shew forth the death of our Lord in Sacrifice to come 6. Secondly we saie there is made some reall alteration or change in the thing offered not only to expresse the death of our Lord but also to signifie the inuisible contrition or Sacrifice of our hearts to God his dominion ouer vs and our subiection vnto him which S. Augustine in the 5. Chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God not onely signifieth but also in the 19. Chapter of the same booke further expresseth saying Visible Visible Sacrifice signes of the inuisible as vvords of thinges Sacrifices are signes of the inuisible as sounding wordes are signes of things wherefore as when we pray or praise we direct the signefying words vnto him to whom we offer the thing signified in our hearts So when we see men offering saith hee we know that visible Sacrifice ought not to be offered vnto anie other but vnto him whose inuisible Sacrifice we our selues ought to be in our hearts Thus S. Augustine whereby we see that exterior visible Sacrifice is a signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts to God and of his dominion ouer vs and our subiection vnto him as sounding or articulate wordes are signes of thinges And therefore as when men speake words to God they ought to haue the same intention in their hearts which their articulate or sounding wordes doe signifie so lykewyse when men offer exterior visible Sacrifice they are obleged to haue an inward and inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts to God thereby to acknowledge him for their Lord God and to manifest his dominion ouer them and their subiection vnto him because visible Sacrifices are signes of the God acknovvledged for God by visible Sacrifice inuisible of our hearts as wordes are of things and ought not to be offered vnto any but vnto him whose inuisible sacrifyce we our selues ought to be in our hearts And to whom man offereth the inuisible Sacrifice of his heart him he acknowledgeth for his God Creator c. And hath no other Gods before him which God him selfe signifieth saying Sonne giue me thy heart Prouerb 23. Wherevpon it cometh to passe that the offering of visible Sacrifyce is worshipp of Latria or deuine worshipp which is due vnto God only as I shall shew more at large hereafter 7. Though we ought chiefly to adore and serue God with our myndes and spirits because God is a spirit they that adore him must adore him in spirit and veritie Ioh. 4. 24. yet because the inward acts and operations of the mynde may be neglected without anie notice taken either by our selues or others as we see by daylie experience in the many things which we doe forgett and the distraction in our prayers and because man is composed of bodie and soule it therefore pleased his Deuine Maiestie for the benefitt The cause vvhy God ordeyned visible Sacrifice of man to ordaine that these exterior corporall actions of visible Sacrifyce should be a sacred publicke and knowne sygne of the inward operations and affections of mans mynd towards God thereby to oblege man vnder the penaltie of hipocrisie to publish the inward desyres and inclinatiōs of his heart in the seruice of God vnder visible solemne sygnes otherwise as S. Chrisostome in his 83. homily vpon S. Matth. saith If thou haddest not had a bodie God would haue deliuered VVhy visible things are instituted to represent inuisible vnto thee naked gifts which should not haue been bodies but because thy soule is ioyned to thy bodie therefore he hath deliuered vnto thee intelligible thinges vnter visible formes 8. Thirdly we saie that exterior visible Sacrifice is not only offered for the causes aboue Vnion in Religion and charitie preserued by Sacrifice said but also to signifie our vnion in Religion amongst our selues vnder one God according to that common actiome Those things which are one to a third are one amongst themselues All the faithfull sacrificing their hearts to God haue one heart with God and amongst themselues whereof proceedeth the Cōmunion of Saincts vnyted in Religion and Charitie amongst themselues for he who hath one heart with God is one with God and one with all those who truly and really offer the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts to God Wherevpon it cometh to passe that there neuer was anie sacred Communion amongst men but of meate offered in Sacrifice as of meate offered to God for a sacred exterior signe of common vnion of men with God and amongst them selues as I shall shew more at large in the next chapter 9. Now seeing that God created man and that it was necessarie for man to acknowledge God VVhy visible Sacrifice vvas instituted a signe of the inuisible for his Lord God and to make a commemoration of the passion of our Lord and to haue peace and vnitie with God and other men and yet all men could not speake all languages nor vnderstand what should haue been said if those things should haue been only acted in wordes therefore out of the infinite prouidence of God for the benefitt of all nations it was necessary that this his honor and vnitie which he would haue amongst all his seruants should be performed in outward solemne visible signes knowne vnto them all that all might visibly see and know vnto what they were visibly and inuisibly obliged And considering that for the good of man kind it was necessarie there should be some outward visible thing instituted which might not only priuatly preserue in euerie one the honor and loue of God and his neighbour but also maintaine a publicke practise of the honor of God memorie of the passion of our Lord and vnitie amongst all his seruants in what sacred outward visible signe could it better be expressed then in a visible Sacrifice representing the memorie of the passion of our Lord and the inuisible Sacrifice of our heartes which were the actes and sacred obseruations of our reconliacion and peace with God
by the sufferings of our sauiour vpon the Crosse 10. If anie obiect and say that the Scriptures Hovv God doth desire Sacrifice and not desire it often affirme that God doth not desire Sacrifice this obiection S. Auguctine answereth in the aforesaid chapter prouing by manie examples of Scripture that when it is said God doth not require Sacrifice it is to be vnderstood of the visible signe which is commonly called the sacrifice when it is without the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts for so it is but a false signe and hipocrisie such as was the sacrifice of Cain who offered his goods as a visible signe but not his heart in an inuisible Sacrifice and therefore his sacrifice was reiected and Abells accepted as witnesseth Rupertus in his 4. book vpon Genesis and second chapter saying By faith saith S. Paul Abel offered a greater host then Cain for in exterior worshipp and religion they both offered alike And therefore both of them offered rightlie but Cain did not rightly deuide for Cain whilest he offered his goods to God kept himself vnto himself hauing his heart fixed in earthly desires Such portions or outward gifts God doth not accept of but by himselfe saith in the 23. of the Prouerbes Sonne giue vnto me thy heart Wherefore Abel first offered vnto God his heart and then his goods and so offered by faith a greater host then Cain Who offered the outward Sacrifice which was the visible signe but kept the inward which God most esteemed vnto himselfe 11. The case standeth before God with Sacrifice The case of Prayer and Sacrifice alike as it doth with prayer God commandeth prayer Marke 14. 38. And yet saith that some kinde of prayer is hipocrisie Math. 15. 7. In like manner God so affecteth Sacrifice that vnder penaltie of death he prohibiteth it to be offered vnto anie but vnto himselfe Exod. 22. 20. and yet saith that he will not haue Sacrifice offered vnto him Isay 1. 12. The reason is for that exterior prayer which is cōmonly called prayer is a signe of the interior prayer of the heart which when it wanteth is hipocrisie as a false signe So exterior visible Sacrifice which is commonly called Sacrifice is a signe of the interior and when it is without this it is hipocrisye as a false signe So God will prayer and Sacrifice and he will not prayer nor Sacrifice He will haue prayer and Sacrifice when they are conioyned with the prayer and Sacrifice of the heart and he will not haue prayer nor Sacrifice when they are not accompanied with the heart because they are hipocrisie as making shew of that which is not Wherevpon after the Prophet in the 50. Psalme had said A Sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit a contryte and humble heart ô God thou will not dispyse c. Hee addeth Then shalt thou accept Sacrifice of iustice oblations and holocausts then shall they lay calues vpon thyne Altar When with the exterior visible Sacrifice of the Church men shall offer the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts by sorrow for the negligences of their liues past contrition for their sinnes and humiliation before God vnto whom that Sacrifice is offered thē shall they offer a true and proper Sacrifice of justice oblations and holocaustes acceptable to God and not otherwise because the outward Sacrifices with out this inward and inuisible is but hipocrysie 12. Visible Sacrifices saith Saint Augustine in the place a fore reoyted Are signes of the inuisible Visible Sacrifices are signes of the inuisible as vvords are of thinges as wordes are signes of things Wherefore when without anie iust necessitie men speake wordes and haue other intentions in their hearts then their words sound or signifie it is but dissimulation and contrarie to the institution of words which were ordeyned to expresse the intention of the heart So when we offer visible Sacrifice without the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts it is hipocrisie or dissembled sanctitie which is double iniquitie because visible Sacrifices were instituted vnto this end that they might be a publicke sacred visible signe of the inuisible sacrifice of mēs hearts vnto God as words were ordeyned to expresse the sinceritie of mens myndes and because man should alwaies haue an intention and be euer readie to giue his heart and soule to God without dissimulation therefore he may neuer offer visible Sacrifice without the inuisible Sacrifice of his heart 13. S. Augustine expressing the excellencie of The excellencie of visible Sacrifice conioyned to the inuisible this visible sacrifice when it is accompanied with the visible Sacrifice of our hearts and how acceptable it is vnto God and vnto the Church triumphant in heauen addeth in the same chapter saying When wee offer visible Sacrifice together with the inuisible of our hearts Then all the Angells and the superior powers and the more powerfull spirits through their goodnes piety doe fauour vs and reioyce with vs and according to their power doe helpe vs to offer this visible Sacrifice Thus S. Augustine of the excellencie of this visible Sacrifice when it is vnyted vnto the inuisible of our hearts and how acceptable it is vnto God and vnto the whole triumphant church in heauen 14. The reason why the triumphant Church in VVhy th' Angells reioyce at th' offering of visible Sacrifice heauen which as S. Paule saith doth consist Of the assemblie of manie thousand Angells doth so reioyce at the offering of visible sacrifice when it is accompanied with the inuisible sacrifice of our hearts is for that they are as they themselues say fellow seruants with those who serue God vpon earth And seeing that men here vpon earth cannot continewally without intermission think of God and honor him with the honor which is only due vnto him by a perpetuall and continewall sacrifying of their hearts vnto him as they in heauen doe who Day and nyght crye holy holy Lord God omnipotent and so are eternally happie therfore they doe reioyce that yet sometymes men vpon earth will actually thinke vpon God and actually honor him with the honor of Latria worshipp due only vnto him and consecrate their hearts vnto him alone who is their end and chiefest good therby to become partakers of a little droppe of their happinesse for as S. Augustine in the 22. chapter of his 10. booke of confessions saith This is happie life to reioyce in God of God and for God this is it and other is none Now the question is whether Christians are bound to offer this 4. kynd of Sacrifice to God or no The Puritans deny that in the Christian Church there ought to be any such kind of extenall Puritans deny externall visible Sacrifice in the Christian Church visible Sacrifice offered vnto God The moderate sort of Protestants doe after a sort confesse it in words and doctrine though not in practise as his late deceased Maiestie in his answer to Cardinall Perron related by Casaubon saying The
which he then did For a commemoration of me Luk 22. And so taught his followers to offer the inuisible sacrifice of their hearts to God with him who is their head Lord and Master that though for their owne sakes and multitude of sinnes formely cōmitted their inuisible sacrifice might be lesse gratefull yet by him and through him who is their head it might be also most acceptable 7. Our Sauiour out of his infinite wisdome hath bestowed himself vpon vs for to be the only VVhy our Sauiour vvould be our Sacrifice publick sacred solemne signe of the inuisible sacrifice of our hearts not only to oblige vs daily to offer sacrifice and present God the Father with his sonne In whome he is well pleased but also to offer ourselues with him and by him and not to offer him alone who is our head and reteyne ourselues who are or should be his members vnto ourselues as witnesseth S. Augustine in VVith the sacrifice vve are to offer also ourselues the sixth chapter of his 10. book of the Cittie of God saying The Church doth frequent the Sacrifice of the Altar which the faithfull know where it is shewed vnto him that in the oblation which he doth offer he is also offered himselfe Againe in the 20. chapter of his said booke saying Christ is the Priest he offered and he is the oblation or thing offered the Sacrament of which thing he would should be the dailie Sacrifice of the Church whith Church as bodie of him her head hath learned to offer herselfe by him Thus S. Augustine With whom also agreeth Eusebius Caesariensis in the 10. chapter of his first booke of Euangelicall demonstration saying Christ laboring for all our saluations offered as it were a certaine victime and a singular Sacrifice vnto his father that we might offer ourselues to God himselfe for a Sacrifice So that amongst the other ends why Christ our Lord instituted a visible sacrifice in his bodie and blood at his last supper this was one that we might together with him offer ourselues Wherevpon S. Gregorie the great in his 37. homily vpon the Ghospell and in his 4. booke of his Dialogues and 59. chapter saith It is necessarie that when we offer Sacrifice That we immolate ourselues to God in contrition of heart for that we who celebrate the misteries of the passion of our Lord ought to imitate that which we doe for then it shal be trulie an host for vs to God when we shal be made ourselues an host For whith cause when Bishopps make Priests they saie vnto them as is sett downe in the Pontificall Vnderstand that which you doe imitate that which you handle to this end that celebrating the misterie of the death of our Lord you procure to mortifie your members from all vices and concupiscences Thus these Fathers Whereby it doth appeare that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hath instituted a Sacrifice for vs in his bodie and blood that we might in offering it also offer ourselues in Sacrifice to God by an inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts 8. In like manner our Lord also tooke the Chalice Sacrifice instituted in the chalice after supper saying euen as Protestants translate This chalice is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you Luk. 22. as a sacred signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of your hearts to God as were the Sacrifices in the law of Nature and written law which were types and signes of this and ended when this new Sacrifice of the bodie and blood of our Lord was brought in and instituted by our Lord as witnesseth S. Augustine in the 20. chapter of his 10. booke of the Cittie of God saying The manie and diuers sacrifices of the Saintes in the old testament were signes of this true Sacrifice This one Sacrifice was figuratiuely foretould by manie Sacrifices as if one thing should be deliuered with varietie The Sacrifice of the bodie and blood of our Lord succeded in place of all the Sacrifices of the old Testament of wordes least in being much commended it might grow iedious To this chiefe true Sacrifice all the false Sacrifices haue giuen place Wherevpon S. Chrisostom vpon 26. the chapter of S. Mathew saith As the old testament had sheepe and calues in their Sacrifices and Sacramēts see the new hath our Lords blood For which cause after that our Lord had offered Sacrifice and administrated communion in his blood he presently commaunded the Apostles that they should not drinke of the Cuppe without shedding it to God or offering it in Sacrifice saying This doe yee the same that he then did as offen as you shall drinke for the commemoration of me 1. Cor. 11. 15. Wholy forbidding them to drinke of the Cuppe in commemoration of him without offering it first in sacrifice to God as a sacred signe of the inuisible sacrifice of their hearts least at anie tyme they should drinke in commemoration of him and not of drinke which was offered to God as a sacred signe of the common vnion of their hearts with God 9. That this visible Sacrifice of the new law was not onely instituted by our Sauiour for a publicke exercise of the Sacrificing of our hearts to God and a daily solēne adoration of him with the worshippe of Latria and commemoration of the passion of our Sauiour but also for the preseruation of vnitie peace and societie amongst ourselues S. Paule doth witnesse saying The bread which we breake after the manner of offering sacrifice in bread is it not the participation of the bodie of our Lord for being manie we are one bread one bodie all that participate of one bread 1. Cor. 10. 16. Wherevpon S. Augustine in his 57. Epistle alledging this text saith The head of this bodie the Church is Christ and the vnitie of this body is commended in our Sacrifices which the Apostle doth briefly signifie saying being manie we are one bread one bodie Againe in his 59. Epistle and 5. question hee saith All things are vowed which are offered vnto God especially the oblation of the holy Altar by which Sacrament is preached and declared an other our greatest vow whereby we vow to remaine in Christ as in the coniunction or closing together of the bodie of Christ 10. Exterior visible sacrifice being instituted as a sacred signe of the inuisible sacrifice of our hearts all those who offer Sacrifice as they should doe offer to God the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts and thereby as S. Augustine here saith doe preach and declare agreat vow or promise which is to remaine vnited members in the misticall body of Christ Wherevpon S. Chrisostome in his 24. homilie vpon the first Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians saith O my beloued let vs haue care of the brethren and let vs preserue that vnitie with them which is in vs in our owne bodies for vnto this that terrible and most fearefull sacrifice of the new law doth call vs
especiallie commaunding that we should come vnto it with concord and burning Charitie Thus S. Chrisostome Whereby it doth appeare that the end why Christ our Lord instituted a visible sacrifice in the new law was not only to preserue in Christians the worshipp of Latria towards God and the commemoration of his Passion c. but also to maintaine a perfect vnion amongst them 11. Man on the one side being obliged by the debt of his creation conseruation redemption and other benefits to honor and loue God aboue all things and his neighbour for Gods sake as himselfe as the holy scriptures doe aboundantly testifie And on the other side as Sacrifice is the publick exercise of the vvorshipp of God the said Scriptures doe witnesse and experience doth daily manifest vnto vs That the cogitations of mans heart are bent vnto euill at all times and to forgett these his obligations and institute of life vnlesse he by some publique act or daily exercise be put in minde and kept to the practise thereof for this cause God of his infinite mercies hath ordeyned that a particular visible sacrifice should be daily vsed in his Church as a publicke exercise and practise of the inuisible sacrifice of our hearts vnto him a daily visible adoration of him with the worshipp of Latria a commemoration of the Passion of our Lord and a continual renewing of our loues peace and societie with him and amongst ourselues thereby to preserue in vs the honor and obligation which we owe vnto God and the loue of our neighbours as ourselues so to liue together in vnitie peace and charitie whilst An absurd thing that there should be Schooles of other things not of the vvorship due vnto God we remaine vpon earth and after death to ascend vpp into heauen to enioy the Kingdome Which was prepared for vs from the foundation of the world 12. And it were a thing verie absurd that in the Church of God which is his Kingdome here vpon earth there should be visible Schooles and publique daily exercises of things of lesser moment and that of the visible Sacrificing of our hearts to God publicke worshipp of Latria soleÌ„ne commemoration of the Passion of our Lord for vs and the sacred vnion of our hearts with him and amongst our selues wherein consisteth our teÌ„porall and eternall welfare there should be no practise more then in naked words only which either men of diuers nations who speake different languages or the vnlearned could not vnderstand Neither would words only without other visible actions be sufficient to teach the The necessitie of Sacrifice vulgar common people the practise dignity excellencie and eminencie of these sacred things as we finde by experience Whereby it doth appeare how necessarie it is that in the Church of God there should not only be instituted publicke Schooles where all men not in words only but in deeds might see the adoration due only to God the Sacrifice of mens hearts the commemoration of the passion of our Lord and vnion with God and amongst ourselues daily practised such as are or should be the sacred temples and Churches but also that these exercises should be sett fâ—â—th with great solemnitie vnder solemne visible knowne signes common to all that all in euerie Cittie towne and village might comply with these their obligations towards God and man which is the exterior visible Sacrifice I speake of whose practise as we see by experience is so appropriated vnto this vse that wheresoeuer we shall finde either amongst Christians or infidells anie company of men seriously attending to the offering of Sacrifice vpon an Altar we presently know that they are adoring some God true or false with the honor due only vnto God and colleagued in vnitie of Religion and societie amongst themselues as is manifest by experience 13. And because that the offering of a particular visible Sacrifice vnto God vpon an Altar was instituted by God vnto those ends before rehearsed therefore to communicate as Protestants To communicate and not of things offered in Sacrifice a prophane thing and Puritans now doe and not of hosts or Victimes first offered to God vpon an Altar was and is by the Scriptures accounted a worke of the Sonnes of Belial 1. Kings 2. 2. and an exceeding great sinne 1. Kings 2. 17. Because say the Scriptures they distracted men from the Sacrifice of our Lord and so hindred them not only from the publicke practise of the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts vnto God and the visible adoration of him with the worshipp of Latria which is due only to him but obliterated the memorie of his passion for vs who was slaine from the beginning of the world and infringed the solemne practise of peace and vnitie betweene men and God and of men amongst themselues For which cause S. Paul also commaundeth visible Sacrifice to be vsed in the administration of the communion saying As often as you shall eate this Bread and drinck the Chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntil he come 1. Cor. 11. 26. who dyed offering vp himselfe in a visible Sacrifice as our aduersaries confesse To conclude Prayer as affirmeth S. Iohn Damascen in the 24. chapter of his 3. booke orthodoxae fidei is an eleuation of mind to God which visible Sacrifice doth not only teach and expresse as words doe things as I haue proued hertofore but also addeth to the eleuation of the mind to God a gift giuen or offered to God according to his commaund sayinge Thou shalt not appeare in my sight emptie Exod. 23. 15. and such a superexcellent gift as the body and blood of his only sonne in whome he is wel pleased and withall an inuisible sacrifice of our selues to God accordinge to the earnest exhortation of S. Paul saying I beseech you Brethren by the mercie of God that you exhibite your bodies a liuing host holy pleasing to God your reasonable Sacrifice Rom. 21. 1. wherby it cometh to passe that the due offering of visible Sacrifice doth The offering of visible Sacrifice is excellent prayer not only teach vs to pray as we ought but also is in it selfe the most coÌ„pleate prayer in the Church of God and therfore called the publick office of the Church as I shall further declare in his place In the meane space this is not only sufficient to shew the institution of visible Sacrifice but also the necessitie and cause why visible Sacrifices were instituted in the Church oft God and vsed amongst the faithfull in the Law of nature written law and law of grace and the fruite or benefit we receaue by them CHAP. III. All the Gentills and Heathen people Atheists and Epicures onely excepted offered visible Sacrifice vnto their supposed Gods 1. THe offering vp of externall visible Sacrifices Offering of Sacrifice necessary for the preseruation of vnitie and peace vnto God and communicating of the same after they were offered was esteemed a thing so necessary
to preserue in men the honor of God and vnity and concord amongst themselues that not only the faithfull in all ages vsed it to this effect and purpose but also all the Gentills and heathens who were not All the Gentills the Atheists and Epicures excepted offered Sacrifice Atheists or Epicures and denied not God or Gods or his or their prouidence ouer mankinde as we shall finde by experience For if we look into the acts deeds books histories or relations of such Gentills or Auntient or moderne heathen people who are at this day or haue been in the world in former Ages we shall finde that all Atheists and Epicures only excepted offered externall visible Sacrifice vnto some God true or false as the Babilonians Assirians Chaldeans Cananits Philistians Egiptians Ethiopians Greekes Romans Sarazens Turcks auncient or moderne heathen people of Europe Asia Africa and America who all vniuersally haue and had Priests Altars and externall visible Sacrifice as witnesse all the Authors who make anie mention of the Religion of these nations whose testimonies in this short Treatise would be to long to sett downe and therefore I referr the Reader vnto their owne wrytinges as vnto the bookes of the old and new Testament S. Augustine in his 18. booke of the cittie of God Athanasius in his Oration against the gentilles and Epiphanius in his first booke of heresies vnto Cicero of the nature of the Gods Herodotus Diodorus Siculus c. 2. And for later writers I referr the Reader vnto Geraldus of the Gods of the gentilles Christopher Richerius in his booke of the manners of the Turckes Septem Castrensis of the faith and Religion of the Turkes Samuell Purchas in his relations of the Religions obserued in all Ages Lewis Godfry in his 12. tomes of the history of the East Indies and others Wherevpon Plato towards the end of his 10. Dialogue in his books of lawes saith The custome of the gentilles to offer Sacrifice in their necessities It hath allwaies been the custome of those who were in danger or wanted anie thing or when their substance increased to consecrate something to the Gods and vow Sacrifices With whom agreeth S. Thomas in his 2. 2. quest 85. Art 1. saying In euerie age and amongst men of all nations hath allwaies been offering vp of Sacrifice Insomuch that amongst all the heathen people that are at this daie or heretofore haue been Atheists and Epicures only excepted there is not nor hath there been found anie so impious and barbarous in the whole Globe of the earth who haue not or yet doe not offer some kinde of externall visible Sacrifice thereby to acknowledge the soueraigntie of some God true or false ouer them which is so true that euen at this daie we maie saie vnto the Atheists Epicures and Puritans of this Age who haue no externall visible Sacrifice as Plutark in his booke against Coletes said vnto the Epicure Coletes towards the end of his booke If you trauell throughout the world well you may finde Citties without No Cittie vvithout Sacrifice walles without writings without Kings not peopled or inhabited without howses without money or men or desirous of coyne who know not what Theaters or publik Halls of bodly exercise meane but neuer was there or euer shall there be anie one Cittie seene which vseth no Sacrifice either to obtaine good blessings or to auoid heauie curses or calamities Moreouer the offering vp of Sacrifice vnto some God was by the light of nature so highly esteemed amongst the heathens that if anie man committed any wickednes or impietie in the Sacrifices which were offered vnto the Gods hee was to suffer death for his offēce as witnesseth Plato in the aforesaid Dialogue saying If any shall commit wicked impietie or shall offend either in his priuate or publicke Sacrificinge worship of the Gods he shall be condemned to death as one who sacrificed impurely 3 This being the end and vse of externall visible Sacrifice to preserue in men the memory and honor of God and vnitie and society with him and amongst themselues and all prudent lawes being chiefely instituted to the same end we neuer read of any prudent Lawgiuer or All the prudent Lavvgiuers instituted the offering of Sacrifice Prince though an infidell or heathen that gaue lawes vnto any Common-wealth or founded a Monarchie but he instituted externall visible Sacrifices to be offred vnto some supposed God As Cham founder of the Monarchy of the Egiptiās Chus founder of the Monarchy of the Ethiopians Nemrod Belus founder of the Monarchy of the Babilonians Ninus founder of the Monarchy of the Assirians Ion Cecrops Deucalion Licurgus Law-giuers to the Grecians Numa Pompilius the first and principalst Statesman amongst the Romans All which noble and renowned personages to vse Plutarcks words in his booke against Coletes made the people deuout affectionate and zelous to the Gods in prayers Oathes Oracles Prophecies and Sacrifices either to obtain good blessings or to auert heauy curses and calamities Insomuch as Plato in the 8. Dialogue of his book of Lawes besides solemne Sacrifices Plato ordeyned that 365 Sacrifices should daily be offred in Athens vsed vpon great festiuall dayes ordeyned that in the citty of Athens there should be 365. Sacrifices offred euery day in such sort as that some one or other of the Magistrates should alwayes bee offering Sacrifices to some of the Gods for the prosperities of the Cittie of themselues and their goods 4. Licurgus the Lawgiuer to the Lacedemonians The frugall Sacrifices of Lycurgus ordeyning sparing and frugall Sacrifices to be offred vnto the Gods made answere as Plutark affirmeth in his life That the honour due vnto the Gods might neuer faile amongst them and this these heathen men and infidells did by the light of nature which dictated vnto them that there would be no constant vnitie or ciuill society or Religion amongst them but by offering visible Sacrifice vnto some true or supposed God or Gods thereby to expresse the inward Sacrifice of their harts and soules and acknowledge visibly an vnion in one supreame Soueraigne and amongst themselues Moreouer the Gentils and The Gentills communicated of their Sacrifices heathen people not only offred Sacrifices in honor of their Gods but also did eate or communicate of their Sacrifices to mantayn a more firme vnity and society amongst themselues and with their Gods as the Scriptures witnesse saying The Isralits falling in to Idolatry offered Holocausts and pacifique hosts to the molcen calf and the people sate downe to eate and drinck Exod. 32. 6. afer the manner of the Egiptiās from whence they came whose chiefe God in their tyme was a Calf as witnesseth S. Augustine in the 18. Chapter of his 5. Book of the Cittie of God Agayn The people of Israel fornicated with the Daughters of Moab who called them to their Sacrifices and they did eate and adore their God Numb 25. 5. And because the Gentills and
heathen people did not only eate of things offred vp in Sacrifice vnto their Gods but also estemeed that The vnion amongst the Gentils by communicating of Sacrifices those who did eate of their Sacrifices had vnion peace and society with them and their Gods or Idolls therefore both in the Old Law and in the New the faithfull were prohibited to eate of the meate which was offred vp to Idolls Exod. 34. 25. Act. 15. 29. and 1. Cor. 10. 21. where S. Paul saith to the faithfull you cannott be partakers of the table of our Lord and the table of Diuels Wherevpon Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople in his Oration Iulians craft to bring the Christians to Idolatrie which he made in the beginning of Lent relateth that Iulian the Apostata desirous to compell the Catholicks of Constantinople to an exteriour kind of participation with Idolators and infidells caused all the bread and meate with was publickly to be sold in Constantinople to be offred vpp in Sacrifice vnto the Gods that so saith he they may all be compelled to eate of meate immolated to Idols or els perish with hunger Wherevpon the Christians seeking by the meanes of Theodorus the Martyr to know what they might do to saue the faithfull from perishing of hunger Deuine answere was made that insteed of bread they should vse boyled wheate for their meate which the richer sort for a whole weeke together bestowed vpon the poorer So Iulian being ouercome by the continency and constancy of the Christians commaunded that pure meate with out any spott should be brought again to the market 6. And not only the Scriptures and Ecclesiasticall histories make mention how the heatens honored their Gods with Sacrifice and after did eate of the said Sacrifice to maintayn freindship and society amongst themselues and with their Gods but also heathen Authors themselues as Homer Virgil Plutark Macrobius and Valerius Maximus who writeth that in the feasts which the RomaÌ„ Septemviri made in the Capitoll to Iupiter which were after sacrificed Iupiter was inuited to supper in a bedd and Iuno and Minerua sitting in chayres to signifie that eating the meate with was offred in Sacrifice they communicated and feasted with their Gods And the same doth testify Plutark in his Booke intituled That there is no pleasant life according to Epicurus saying Kings Princes keepe greate cheare in their royall Courts and make certain royall and publick feasts for all commers but those which they hold in the sacred Temples at Sacrifices and solemnities of the The solemne Sacrifice of the Gentiles Gods performed with fragrant perfumes and odoriferous incense where it seemeth that men approach neare vnto the Maiestie of the Gods and think they euen touch them and be conuersant with them in all honor and reuerence such feasts yeild a more rare ioy and singular delight then any other by the assured hope and full perswasion that God is there present propitious fauourable and gratious and that he accepteth in good part the honor and seruice donn vnto him So Plutark and Virgil in the 8. of his Eneides affirmeth the same of Eneas and his Troians saying Then chosen striplings and the Priest who yet Stands at the Altar streight before them sett Oxens broild entrails fâ—ll with manchet fine Baskets and serue them of the purest wine Eneas and his Troians take for cheere The chine and hallowed inwards of a steere Whereby we see that it was the custome of infidels and heathen people to take the flesh with was offered vp in Sacrifice to their God from the Altar of their idolls and bring it to the table of men that those who offred might eate of it with their freinds and such as were inuited after the manner of the Isralits who as is set down more particularly in the 1. Book of Kings and 1. Chapter offered Sacrifice vnto God and after communicated of the said Sacrifice amongst themselues And this is sufficient to shew that all heathens and Gentills who were not Atheists or Epicures and either denied not God or Gods or his or their prouidence ouer mankind offred Sacrifice vnto some supposed God and communicated of the same thereby to giue diuine honor vnto their Gods and maintaynvnitie peace and societie amongst themselues and with their Gods CHAP. IV. Of all the visible outward actions of men exteriour visible Sacrifice is cheifly due vnto God as God and Creator of all things 1. IN all the kingdomes and coÌ„mon-wealths which are vpon the earth there is some particuler visible and known signe of dignity honor and worship belonging only vnto the Kings or supreame Gouernors as they are kings Some visible knovvne signe of honor due vnto supreame Magistrates or supreame Gouernors which may not be giuen vnto any other vnder penaltie of treason and death as Scepter or Crown or the like and God not only being King of Kings Reuel 9. 24. and Prince of the Kings of the Earth Reuel 1. 5. but also God and Creator of all things Reuel 3. 11. And hauing dominion ouer all 1. Chronic. 29. 12. in reason he must needes haue some one particular externall visible known signe of adoration honor and worship due only vnto him as he is God and supreamest Some visible honor due vnto God alone Soueraign by all men which liue vpon the earth thereby publickly to acknowledg him for their God and to practise together their submission and obedience vnto him and visibly to adore him with that diuine worship with is due only vnto him Which honor and worship vnder penaltie of treasoÌ„ against his diuine Maiestie and temporall and eternall death may not be giuen vnto any creature subiect or vassall of his otherwise there should be lesse prouidence vsed in prouiding for the preseruation of the visible publick honor worship and dignity of God amongst men then there is for the meanest king prince or publick gouernour of any priuat cittie vpon earth which is absurd Wherevpon we inferr that there is a particular exterior visible known signe whereby men do or ought publickly and visibly to acknowleg God for their Lord God and cheifest good and publickly and visibly preserue in them the honor dignity and respect which is due only vnto him as their Lord God Creator conseruer and happy life c. 2. That this particuler externall visible known signe is the visible Sacrifice I speake of which S. Augustine discribeth to be a Sacrament or sacred Sacrifice is only due vnto God visible signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of our harts as is sett down in our first chapter God himself doth witnes saying He that Sacrificeth to Gods shal be put to death but to our Lord only Exod. 22. 20. for which cause S. Paul reprehending the Gentils for their Idolatry saith They changed the glory of the incorruptible God Rom. 1. 23. And how did they change it by taking away the exterior visible Sacrifice which was only due vnto God as a sacred visible
signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of their harts and bestowed it vpon the Image of a corruptible man or The beginning of Idolatry of fowles or fou-r footed-beasts and so Idolatry began as witnes the Scriptures saying Idols neither were from the beginning neither shall they be foreuer for by the vain-glory of men they entred into the world and therefore shall they come shortly vnto an end for a father afflicted with vntimely mourning when he had made a picture of his child soontaken away now honoured him as a God which was then a dead man and deliuered vnto those who were vnder him ceremonies and sacrifices Wisd 14. 15. 3. Thus as the Scriptures doe witnes began Idolatry by occasion of the passionate affection of a father who sorrowing for the death of his child caused a picture to be made in his memory and ordeyned Sacrifices which are due vnto God to be offered vnto it by his seruants and followers So Ninus erected the statua of his Father Belus Nembroth Grandchild to Cham and first king of Babilon in the midst of Babilon and caused Sacrifice which vnder penaltie of death was due only vnto God to be offered vnto it by the Babilonians as witnesseth Berosus in his 4. Book S. Cyrill in his 3. Book against Iulian S. Hierome vpon the 2. Chapter of Osee and S. Ambrose vpon the 1. chapter to the Romans which the Scriptures also signify saying Afterwards that Idolatry was thus begun as is aforesaid by the passionate affection of a father towards his child deceased in proces of time the wicked custome preuayling this error was kept By vvhat meanes Idolatry increased as a law and grauen things were worshipped by the commandements of kings c. And to the worshipping of these the singular diligence of the Artificer helped them forward that were ignorant for he willing to please him that enterteyned him vsed all his skill to make the similitude of the best fastion And so the multitude allured by the grace of the work took him now for a God which a little before was but honored as a man And this was occasion to deceaue the world for men seruing either passionate affection or Kings did ascribe vnto stones and stocks the incommunicable name of God Wis 14. 16. Wherevpon S. Cyprian in his book of the vanitie of Idols saith It is manifest that they are not Gods which the common-people worship for in times past they were kings who in memory of their Royaltie after death were worshipped of their kindred and seruants and so had temples erected vnto their honor and their statues were erected to preserue the resemblance of the countenance of the dead vnto which they immolated hosts and appointed festiuall dayes in their honor afterwards they were esteemed holy which in the beginning were only vsed for their consolation 4. From the Idoll Belus or Bel of the Babilonians arose by degrees the Idolls of Baal Baalim Belzebub The originall of the Idolls Belus Baal Baalim c. Belfegor c. which were diuers standing Images of the same Belus their names only changed according to the diuers languages of the Nations as witnesseth S. Hierome vpon the 2. of Osee vnto which they offred Sacrifice as the Scripture witnesseth saying They immolated to Baalim Osee 11. 2. They did Sacrifice to Baal and offered drink offerings to strange Gods to prouoke mee to wrath Ierem. 32. 29. They Sacrificed vnto the Idolls of Canaan and the Lord was wrath with fury against his people Psal 105. because they offered visible Sacrifice vnto Idolls which is due only vnto the true God as a sacred signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of our harts vnto him which may not be giuen vnto any creature Wherevpon when Manue the Father of Sampson would haue offered Sacrifice vnto an Angel the Angel said If thou wilt offer Holocaust offer it vnto our Lord for Manue knew not that it was the Angel of our Lord. Iudges 13. 15. 5. In like manner S. Augustin in his 49. Epist saith The holy Angels doe not approue of Sacrifice but that Sacrifice which according to the doctrine of true wisdome and true Religion is offered only vnto that true God whom they serue in holy societie Wherevpon in the 4. Chapter of his 10. Book of the Cittie of God he affirmeth that many things either by to No man as man euer chalenged Sacrifice much humilitie or pestilent flattery are vsurped from deuine worship and translated vnto humain honor yet so as that these men vnto whom such honor is giuen are notwithstanding still esteemed men although they be called worshipfull venerable and if much honourable but who euer thought that Sacrifice ought to be offered vnto any but vnto him whom either he did know or esteemed or feined to be a God And moreouer in his 49. Epist and 3. Quest he saith The true and holy Scriptures do admonish vs that Sacrifice is to be offered vnto the only true God not vnto anie corporall or spiritual creature who by how much the more pious they are and subiect to God by so much the more they refuse to haue that kind of honor done vnto them which they know to be only due vnto God Thus S. Augustin Wherevpon S. Thomas in his 2. 2. Quest 81. art 2. saith The Sacrifice which is Outvvard Sacrifice doth express the invvard of the hart and mind exteriourly offered doth signifie the inward spirituall Sacrifice wherewith the soul offereth herself vnto God as vnto the beginning of her creation and end of her happines and therefore as we ought to offer spirituall Sacrifice only vnto God so we ought to offer exteriour Sacrifice only vnto him This also we see to be obserued in euery common-wealth that they honor their Prince with some perticular signe which if it should be giuen vnto any other were treason 6. For this cause in the Catholick Church they do not offer Sacrifice vnto any creature whatsoeuer as S. Augustin in the 27. Chapter of his 8. book of the Cittie of God witnesseth saying Who Sacrifice neuer offered to saints euer heard the Priest of the faithfull standing at the Altar euen built and adorned to the honor of God ouer the body of a Martyr saying in his prayers I offer vnto thee Sacrifice o Peeter or Paul or Cyprian when it is offered in memory of these Martyrs vnto God who hath VVhy Christ our Lord vvould not haue Sacrifice offered vnto him vpon Earth made them both men and Martyrs And the 20. Chapter of his 10. Book he addeth Although IESVS CHRIST the mediator between God and man beeing in the forme of God might haue had Sacrifice offered vnto him as it was offered vnto his father with whome he is one God yet liuing in the forme of a seruant he chose rather to be a Sacrifice then to haue Sacrifices offered vnto him least that thereby any one might take occasion to think that it was lawfull to offer
sacred feasts or communions to be made of things offered in sacrifice that euen heathen men who beleeued that there was a God or Gods and his or their Prouidence ouer mankinde guided only by the law of nature or the dictamen of euerie mans conscience esteemed those to be Atheists impious and irreligions who had temples and yet had no sacrifice nor communicated of things offered in sacrifice And Plutark in the same place adding a reason why those who communicated together in their temples and not of things offered in sacrifice were Atheists and impious wicked people saith For he that should make a sacred feast or communion without offering of sacrifice standeth by the Priest as he would stand by a cooke or buicher gaping after meate and that 's all wherby they contemne the sacred honor or worshipp which is due vnto God by the law of nature and profane the holye societie which should be betweene men and God and of men amongst themselues and therefore are instlie esteemed Atheists irreligious And this is sufficient to shew vnto any indifferēt reader that the offering of visible sacrifice is due vnto God by the law and light of nature or the dictamen of all mens consciences in whom the light or lawe of nature is not extinct or that without infringing the law of nature the offering of visible sacrifice vnto God cannot be taken away or neglected CHAP. VII How visible Sacrifice was offered vnto God in the beginning of his Church vpon Earth shal be vntill the end 1. THis being the end why visible Sacrifices were ordeyned by God that men might by them visibly acknowledg him for their Lord God honor him with the honor of Latria or diuine vvorship due only vnto him maintaine a memory of the passion of our Sauiour to come or past and preserue peace vvith him and amongst themselues God of his goodnes in the beginning of his Church vpon earth in the Law of Nature established the offering of visible Sacrifice in man not only by the law and God established the offering of sacrifice light of Nature but also by reuelation and inspiration immediatly bestowed vpon Adam from himselfe as witnesseth S. Athanasius in his sermon vpon these wordes All things are giuen me by my father saying Neither was Abel ignorant that he ought to offer of his first begotten for he learned it of Adam who had it from God For as the Scriptures saie Wisdome 10. 2. God brought Adam out of his sinne and gaue him power to containe all things Amongst which this was one that he and his sonnes and posteritie ought to offer visible Sacrifice to God in signe of homage and subiection vnto him and vnion of hearts with him their Creator Wherevpon S. Chrisostome in his 18. homily vpon Genesis saith that both Cain and Abel were moued to offer Sacrifice By the dictamen of their consciences and by wisdome giuen from aboue 2. By this which hath been said it appeareth that the offering of visible Sacrifice vnto God was not only practised in the beginning of the world by Adam Cain and Abel but also that it Sacrifice an article of faith was an article of faith reuealed vnto man by God in the Law of Nature euen from the beginning of the Church of God vpon earth after the fall of Adam Wherevpon S. Paule faith By faith Abel offered a greater hoast to God then Cain Heb. 11. 4. Where S. Paule signifieth vnto vs that Abel beleeuing that visible Sacrifice as a sacred signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of his heart was gratefull to God offered a visible Sacrifice according to this his faith of the best thinges he had and therefore was respected by God And Cain wanting faith and belief in this point offered according to the defect of his faith of his worst fruites and therefore God respected not his giftes Gen. 4. for without faith as S. Paule saith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. 3. Now seeing that Adam and his sonnes who Adam and his Sonnes first founders of the Church vpon earth were the first founders of the Church of God vpon earth vsed externall visible Sacrifice and externall visible Sacrifice is a thing only chiefly and aboue all thinges due vnto God as a Sacrament representing the inward and inuisible Sacrifice of the heart and a matter of faith in the Law of Nature most certaine it is that externall visible Sacrifice shall not be taken out of the Church of God vntill the end of the world seeing that as S. Paule witnesseth Faith is alwaies one and the same saying One Lord one Faith Ephes 4. One faith in all times and ages immutable 5. and not changeable or mutable but one and the same spirit of faith 2. Cor. 4. 13. Wherevpon S. Augustine in his 89. Epistle to Hillarius and 3. Question saith Faith is not variable but one And the true Faith shall neuer faile vntill the end of the world as the Scriptures affirme Mat. 13. 39. Ephes 4. 13. and the manie promises of Cod. Wherefore seeing that visible Sacrifice was vsed in the beginning and first foundation of the Church of God vpon earth as a matter of faith and as a thing due only to God most certaine it is that visible Sacrifice shal be practised vntill the end of the world that we all meete as S. Paule saith in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God Ephes 4. 13. which God himselfe further witnesseth saying I the Lord this is my name and I will not giue my glorie vnto an other Isa 42. 8. 4. Secondly CHRIST IESVS deliuered himself to death as S. Paul witnesseth that he might Christ planted a glorious Church vvhich could not be vvithout Sacrifice present vnto himself a glorious Church Ephes 5. 26. with could not be where the honor and worship which is only chiefly and aboue all things due vnto God is taken away such as is externall visible Sacrifice as I haue prooued in the precedent Chapters And whereas some obiect and say that S. Paul saith Christ offred himself once and one hoast c. we grant that Christ offered himself but once bloodily which was vpon the Crosse and but one substantial hoast because the same substantial body which was offered vpon the Crosse is now daily offered or giuen to God for vs as a sacred signe of the inuisible Sacrifice of our harts according to his commaundement saying Do this the same which he then did when he took bread and made it his Body and gaue it to God for vs as I shall shew more at larg hereafter 5. Thirdly the offring of externall visible Sacrifice is one of the chiefest meanes whereby Sacrifice the meanes of peace men preserue vnitie peace and society with God and amongst themselues as I haue proued in the 2. Chapter and therefore this could not be taken away by our Sauiour the end of whose coming into the world was chiefly to
plāt peace and preach as S. Paul saith Peace to them that were farr of and peace to them that were nigh Ephe. 2. 17. And God is not the God of dissention but of peace 1. Cor. 14. 33. 6. Fourthly Adam and his sonnes liued in the law of nature and instituted externall visible Sacrifice in the Church of God vpon earth according to the Law of Nature no other law being then published or known as all diuines generally Sacrifice instituted by the Lavv of Nature hold and the law of nature being inserted and ingrafted by God as S. Paul saith Rom. 2. 15. in the harts of all men for them to follow as a rule of Iustice and an instinct of nature proceeding from reason as an euerlasting couenant between God and Man Isa 24. 5. Certayn it is that our The Lavv of Nature immutable Sauiour could not take away externall visible Sacrifice from amongst men and moue them to violate the Law of Nature or change it in the harts of all men seeing that as S. Paul saith He continueth faithfull and cannot deny himself 2. Tim. 2. 13. to change his diuine decrees and alter the Law of Nature in all men or change the naturall diuine instinct which he hath engrafted in all men to follow euen from the first beginning of his Church vpon earth which Lactantius in his 6 Book and 8. Chapter of diuine Institutions obserueth out of the 3. book of Ciceros common-wealth saying Cicero almost with a diuine voice hath in these words described the Law of Nature saying The Law of Nature is right reason agreable Description of the Lavv of Nature to nature spread amongst all men constant and euerlasting To this Law it is not lawfull to add any thing or to take away Thus Lactantius and Cicero of the Law of Nature Wherefore seeing that visible Sacrifice was instituted by the Law of Nature most certayn it is that our Sauiour came not to take it away but to institute it in better termes with he did when taking bread he gaue thanks and brake and gaue to the Apostles saying This is my Body which is giuen for you to God do this for a commemoration of mee In like manner the Chalice also after he had supped saying This is the Chalice the New Testament in my Bloud which is shed for you to God This do ye as often as you shall drink for a commemoration of mee Wherefore we may iustly complayn of these who persecute the offering of visible Sacrifice vnto God in the words with the Prophet Isaie vsed when he complayned of the Iewes for violating the Law of Nature saying The earth is infected with the inhabitants thereof because they haue transgressed the Lawes changed right dissipated the euerlasting couenant Isa 24. 5. 7. Fiftly the Prophet Daniel promiseth that externall visible Sacrifice shall be offered vnto God in the Church of God vntill the end of the Sacrifice to last vntil the end of the vvorld world saying And in the half of the week shall the host and the Sacrifice fail and there shal be in the Temple the abomination of desolation euen to the consummation Daniel 9. 27. Agayn The continuall Sacrifice shal be taken away and the abomination of desolation shal be set vp Dan. 12. 11. And our Sauiour himself setting down the tyme when this Prophecy of Daniel shall be fulfilled and when there shal be no more hosts nor Sacrifices offered to God in his Church vpon earth saith And when you shall see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of by Daniel standing in the holy place c. immediatly afther the tribulation of those dayes the Sunn shal be darkned and the Moone shal not giue light and the Starres shall fall from heauen Math. 24. And so forth describeth the day of Iudgment signifying that externall visible Sacrifice shal be offered in the Church of God vntill a litle before the consummation of the world 8. Sixtly God Almightie promised saying I will send of them which shall be saued to the Gentils into the Sea into Africa and Lidia into Italy and Greece to the Ilands farr of to them that haue not Priests and Leuits shal be allvvayes in the Church to offer Sacrifice heard of mee and haue not seene my glory And they shall shew forth my glory to the Gentils and they shall bring all your Brethren of all Nations a guift to our Lord. And I will take of them to be Priests and Leuits saith our Lord because as a new Heauen and a new earth which I make to stand before mee saith our Lord so shall your seed stand and your name Isa 66. 19. Where we see that God almightie promiseth to make Priests and Leuits whose office is to offer and assist at the offering of visible Sacrifice of the gentils conuerted vnto Christianity and that their seede shall not fail vntill the end of the world Wherevpon S. Augustin in the 21. Chapter of his 20. Book of the Cittie of God alledging this place saith God compareth the conuerted Gentils as it were by a similitude vnto the Children of Israel offring vnto him their hosts or Sacrifice with Psalmes in his house or Temple which the Church doth now euery where and hath promised that he would take of them Priests and Leuits for himself which now we see donne for now Priests are not by succession of flesh and bloud according to the order of Aron but as it ought to be in the new Testament where Christ is the chiefe Priest according to the order of Melchisedech thus S. August 9. Seuenthly God promised by the Prophet Ieremy saying Behold the dayes shall come saith our Lord and I will raise vp the good word that I haue spoken to the house of Israel c. This is the name they shall call him the lord of our iust one c and of Priests and Leuits there shall not faill from before my face a man to offer Holocausts and to burne Sacrifice and to kill victimes all dayes Ierem. 33. 14. Wherevpon Theodoret in his interpretation of this place saith Wee see the euent of this Prophecy for the new Testament being giuen according to the diuine promise The Priest-hood according to the order of Melchisedech is also giuen which whosoeuer haue obteyned do offerr vnto God reasonable Sacrifice 10. Eightly S. Paul commaundeth all Christians No communion vvithout Sacrifice saying As often as you shall eate this Bread and drink the Chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come 1. Cor. 11. 26. and our Lord dyed offering vp himself to God in an externall visible Sacrifice as our aduersaries do graunt whereby it is manifest that exteriour visible Sacrifice by the commaund of the Scriptures shall last vntill the later day 11. Ninthly externall visible Sacrifice being a thing only and chiefly aboue all things due vnto God and giuen vnto God by the consent of all Nations thereby to acknowledg him for
euerie place there are Altars as God foretould by the Prophet Malachie for expressing the Ecclesiasticall sinceritie of the new lawe and laying open the ingratitude of the People of the old law he saith vnto them I haue no will in you saith the Lord omnipotent and hosts I will not receaue at your handes for from the rising of the sunne vnto the goeing downe my name is glorified among the Gentils and in euerie place sacrifice is offered vnto my name and a pure Sacifice See how plainelie how manifestlie he hath sett forth that mysticall Table which is the vnbloudy Sacrifice c. The pure Sacrifice is certainely the chiefe mysticall Table the heauēly and most venerable Host so S Chrysostome 7. In like manner the rest of the ancient Fathers The antient Fathers agre able to the ancient Liturgies doe also call the Sacrifice of the new law somctimes guifts and sometimes vnbloudie sacrifices As S. Dionisius Areopagita in the 5. chapter of his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy saying The Bishop after that he hath shewed the guifts of the diuine workes cometh to cōmunicate them himselfe and also inuiteth others Againe The Bishop doth shew the couered guifts and that which in them is one he diuideth Vnbloudie Sacrifices called gifts into manie S. Clement in the 12. chapter of his 8. booke of constitutions speaking of the sacred host after consecration saith Wee beseech thee ô Lord fauorablie to looke vpon these guifts sett before thee And in the 13. chapter he earnestly beseecheth God to receaue the said Guifts offered for all Bishops Priests Kings and the people there presēt and the whole Church Theodoret in his 2. Dialogue saith What doe You call the guifts which are brought before the inuocation of the Priest Answereth It is made of such like seede And after the sanctification how doe you call those things Answereth The bodie of Christ 8. S. Ireneus in the third chapter of his 4. booke of heresies saith Christ taught the new oblation of the newe testament which the Church receauing Gifts in the nevv Testament from the Apostles offereth throughout the whole world to God who giueth vs for nourishment the first fruits of his gifts in the new Testament So likewise the 318. Fathers in the first general great Councel of Nice in the 5. cannon according to the Greeke copie call the sacrifice of the new Lawe A most pure gift offered to God Where we may obserue that those ancient Fathers doe call the sacrifice and Sacrament of the new Lawe Gifts of the diuine workes and a most pure guift before they were receaued in the communion as being the bodie and bloud of our Lord independant of the faith of the receiuer 9. And in like manner the ancient Fathers doe call the sacrifice of the new Law an vnbloudie sacrifice as Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea in the 10. chapter of his first booke of Euangelicall demonstrations saying We are taught by the most high Priest of all to offer vnto the supreame God throughout our whole life vnbloudie and reasonable victims sweete vnto him S. Gregorie Nazianzen in his first oration Iulian the Apostata hated vnbloudy Sacrifices against Iulian the apostata shewing the auersion which this apostata had from the sacrifice of the Altar saith He profaned his hands that he might wash them from the vnbloudie sacrifice by which we communicate Christ and his sufferings and diuinitie 10. S. Cyrillus Alexandrinus in declaratione Anathematismi 11. saith Wee offer the holie quickening and vnbloudie sacrifice in the Church beleeuing the bodie and pretious bloud which is sett before vs to be not of a common man and like vnto vs but of the word Againe in his booke de adoratione in spirituli 13. The table trulie of proposition hauing bread vpon it did signifie our vnbloudie host wherewith we all are blessed whilst we eate that bread which is from heauen that is to saie Christ. 11. And it was a thing so generally receaued in the Church of God and so vniuersally beleeued of the whole primitiue Church that our Sauiour at his last supper instituted an vnbloudy Sacrifice cleane oblation or gifts in his bodie and bloud to be offered by Bishops and Priests for a commemoration of him that three of the 4. first generall Councells which euer were celebrated in the Church of God call the Eucharist or thing deliuered in the communion the vnbloudie sacrifice as the great generall Councell of Nice which was the first generall coūcell which euer was celebrated in the Church of God saying In the time of the first generall coūcell of Nice they offered vnbloudy sacrifice in the third booke and title of the diuine table Lett vs vnderstand the Lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world to be placed vpon the table sacrificed after an vnbloudie manner by Priests 12. In like manner S. Cirill Archbishop of Alexandria chiefe of the generall Councell of Ephesus in the 26. Epistle set downe in the first part of the same Councell writeth after this manner vnto Nestorius the heretick for whose condemnation In the time of the Councell of Ephesus they offered vnbloudie sacrifice that Councell was called saying I cannot omitt this that whilst we declare the death of the onlie sonne of God and his resurrection from death we also confesse his assumption into heauen and celebrate the vnbloudie sacrifice in the Church and approach vnto the misticall blessings by which meanes we are sanctified as being made partakers of the holie flesh and pretious bloud of Christ the Sauiour of vs all Neither doe we receaue it as common flesh God forbidd we should doe so nor yet as the flesh of a holie man c. But we receaue it as trulie quickening flesh and as proper flesh of the word it felfe which was incarnate Thus S Cyrill Chiefe in the generall Councell to the heretick Nestorius 13. And in the 4. generall Councell which In the time of the Counced of Calcedon they offered vnbloudy sa crifice was that of Calcedon Ischyrion Deacon of Alexandria preferring in the third act of the Councell a bill of complaint vnto the Councell against Dioscorus Archbishop of Alexandria a wicked man amongst other things accuseth him of this as of agreat crime that whereas in Lybia for the sterilitie of the countrey wheate would not grow the most pious Emperor allowed wheates first that as he saith the vnbloudie host might be offered of it and secondlie for the reliefe of Pilgrims and the poore of the prouince Dioscorus would not permit the holie Bishops of the countrie to receaue the said wheate but would forestall it and buy it vp with great summes of money and in time of famine sould it againe at most deare rates and by these meanes neither the terrible and vnbloudie sacrifice as there it is termed was celebrated nor the Pelgrims or poore releeued Thus Ischyrion in his complaint against Dioscorus the hereticke vnto the generall Councell of
they being for the most part daily and publickly vsed and practised in all the Curches of Christendome and no knowne Christian Catholick man to take notice of such a generall corruption was a thing impossible as we see by experience in thinges of lesser moment and more rarelie practised and of meaner account and reckoning Neither could the whole Christian Catholick Church the promises of God vnto his Church considered so suddenly decaie after the death and Passion of our Lord that in all Christendome there should be no knowne publick practise of the right administration of the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of our Lord. 3. And if wee looke in to the first Liturgie or publicke Church seruice booke which was made The Christian vnbloudie sacrifice begunn at Hierusalem in the Apostles tymes for the Church of Hierusalem where the Ghospell first began and from whence it was to be spredd and preached vnto all nations according to the wordes of our Lord Luck 24. 47. Act. 1. 8. as into the Liturgie which was made by S. Iames the Apostle for the Church of Hierusalem whereof he was instituted Bishop by the Apostles as witnesseth Eusebius in the 22. chapter of his 2. booke of histories which Liturgie is also confirmed to be his by the 32. Canon of the 6. generall Councell by Proclus Bishop of Constantinople in his Tradition of the Diuine Liturgie and S. Cirill Bishop of Hierusalem in his 5. Catechesis both which liued aboue 1200. yeares past and see what will be found there it will directe vs in all the rest 4. In this Liturgie the Priest saith Lord thou S. Iames his Liturgie hast granted that we should confidentlie approach vnto thy holie Altar and offer vnto thee this reuerend and vnbloudie Sacrifice for our sinns c. Let it please thee that these Giftes which we offer with our handes maie be acceptable vnto thee c. Doe not turne awaie from vs sinners handeling tbis fearefull and vnbloudie Sacrifice c. Let it please thee o Lord that we maie be ministers of thy new testament and sacrifice of thy immaculate misteries and admitt vs approaching vnto thy holie Altar according to the multitude of thy mercies that we may be worthie who would offer vnto thee Giftes and sacrifice for our selues and for those sinnes which the people haue committed through ignorance Grāt vs ô Lord that we maie offer vnto thee with all feare and a pure concience this spirituall and vnbloudie Sacrifice c. We bend our knees vnto thy goodnes haue mercie vpon vs ô Lord seeing that we worship and tremble when wee are to aproache vnto tby holie Altar to offer this fearefull and vnbloudie sacrifice for our sinnes c. We offer vnto thee this venerable and vnbloudie sacrifice c. Send vpon vs and vpon these giftes thy holie Spirit 5. And setting downe the wordes of consecration he saith Iesus Christ the night in which he was betraied or rather the night in which be deliuered himself for the life and saluation of the world taking bread into his holy immaculate blamelesse and immortall hands looking vp into heauen and shewing to thee God and father giuing thankes sanctifying breaking he gaue vnto vs his disciples and Apostles saying Take ye and eate this is my bodie which is broken for you and is giuen for the remission of sinns In like manner after he had supped taking the Chalice and mingling wine and water and looking into heauen and shewing to thee God and Father giuing thankes Sanctifying blessing filling with the holie Ghost he gaue vnto vs his disciples saying Drincke yee all of this This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shedd for you and for manie and is giuen for the remission of sinnes doe this for a commemoration of me for as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this Chalice you doe shew forth the death of the Sonne of man and doe confesse his resurrection vntill he come 6. And further telling vs what these Giftes and vnbloudie Sacrifices were he saith Christ our Lord doth come forth that he may be immolated and giuen for meate to the faithfull And putting a parte of the consecrated bread into the Chalice mingling them together he saith The vnion of the most pretious bodie and bloud of our Lord and God and Sauiour Iesu Christ. And sygning the consecrated bread he saith Behold the lambe of God the Sonne of the Father who taketh awaie the sinnes of the world slaine for the life and saluation of the world Thus S. Iames the Apostle and much more to this effect in his Liturgie or publick Church-seruice booke which he made for the Church of Hierusalem whereof he was Bishop 7. And the like hath all the rest of the Liturgies or publicke Church-seruice-bookes which were made by the rest of the Apostles and Euangelistes or Apostolicall men for the countries and Prouinces which they had vnder their charge or which they had conuerted vnto the Christian Catholicke faith to the publishing and dilating the vnbloudie sacrifice or sacrifice of Giftes in the bodie and bloud of our Lord which was begun in Hierusalem by our Lord and the Apostles all ouer the world for a commemoration of our Lord to the fulfilling of the prophecies in that kinde As the Liturgie or publick Church-seruice Booke of S. Peter made for the Romans and these westerne partes of the world The Liturgie of S. Matthew made for the Ethiopians and further partes of Asia and Africa The Liturgie of S Marke made for the Egiptiens and Grecians and so forth as they are sett downe by Margarinus in his sixt Tome of his Bibliotheca Patrum And in the first and laste Tome of the Bibliotheca Patrum sett forth by the Deuines of Colen 8. Of these Liturgies and publique Church-seruice bookes the afore said Proclus Bishop of Constantinople in the place afore cited writeth thus Verie manie Pastors and Doctors of the Church who were famous for pietie and some of those who succeded the Apostles haue deliuered vnto the Church in writing the exposition of the mystitall Liturgie Amongst whom S. Clement doth challenge the first place who was a disciple of the Prince of the Apostles and declared his successor by the Apostles themselues and S. Iames the first Bishop of Hierusalem Afterwards Basill the great finding that manie men thought the former Liturgies to long brought it into a more compendious forme Not long after our Iohn who of his golden eloquence was called Chrisostome hauing consideration of the infirmitie of men that they might haue no excuse tooke awaie manie things and prescribed a briefer forme c. After our sauiour was assumptod into heauen the Apostles before they were dispersed ouer the world being of one minde and liuing together gaue themselues wholy vnto praier and finding great consolation in that mysticall sacrifice of our Lords bodie they sunge the Liturgie at large with manie praiers Thus Proclus Bishop of Constantinople who
giuen for you as at that present time For we must obserue that when our lord gaue himselfe vpon the Crosse He gaue himself as S. Paule saith Tit. 2. 12. à Redemption for all So here to distinguish from the giuing or offering himselfe vpon the Crosse and to take awaie al suspition or imagination that here he should speake of the giuing of his bodie vpon the Crosse he saith This is my bodie which is giuen for you as in an vnbloudie Sacrifice and not for all men as in the bloudie Sacrifice of the Crosse And after that our Or Sauiour commanded the offering of vnbloudie Sacrifice in his bodie Lord had offered Gifts or vnbloudie Sacrifice in his bodie to God and communicated the Apostles of the said Gifts or Sacrifice he then gaue them a command saying Doe this for a commemoration of me and instituted an vnbloudie Sacrifice cleane oblation or Sacrifice of Gifts in his bodie to be vsed in his Church and gaue the Apostles and their Successors rightly ordayned authoritie to offer an vnbloudie Sacrificie or cleane oblation or Gift in his body for commemoration of him vntill he come to Iudgment to the verifying of that which was spoken by the Prophet Malachie saying From the rising of the Sunn euen to the going down great is my name amongst the Gentils in euery place there is Sacrificing there is offered to my name a cleane oblation 4. In like manner our Sauiour Taking the Chalice he gaue thanks and gaue to the Apostles saying Our Sauiour instituted an vnbloudie Sacrifice in his bloud Drink ye all of this for this is mi◠my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many vnto remission of sinnes Math. 26. or This is my bloud of the new Testament that is shed for many Mar. 14. or This is the Chalice the new Tectament in my bloud which is shed for you Luc. 22 as it is in ihe original greek and as Protestants and Puritans translate these texts Where first wee are to obserue that he doth not say this is my bloud which is shed to you as in a cōmunion only to eate but which is shed for you to God as an vnbloudie Sacrifice where there was no carnall but spirituall effusion of bloud 5. Secondly we must obserue that when our Sauiour shed his bloud vpon the Crosse he shed it for all the world as witnesseth the Scripture 2. Cor. 5. 14. 2. Cor. 5. 19. 1. Ioh. 4. 14. and therefore to distinguish here this his shedding of his bloud at his last Supper from that shedding of his bloud vpon the Crosse he saith This is my bloud which is shed for many or which is shed for you and doth no say This is my bloud which is shed for all Our Sauiour vpon the Crosse shed his bloud for all at his last Supper for many only to shew that here at his last Supper he did not shed his bloud for all men as he did vpon the Crosse but for many as for these only of his Church c. 6. It is to be noted that the bloud which was here shed was in a Chalice according to his words saying This is the Chalice the new Testament in my bloud that vpon the Crosse was shed out of his side Vpon the Crosse our Sauiours bloud vvas shed out of his side at his last Supper in a Chalice as witnesseth the Scripture saying One of the Soldiers with a speare opened his side presently there came forth bloud water Ioh. 19. 34. 7. The Euangelists here set down the actiōs of our Sauiour what our Sauiour did at his last Supper and what he would haue his Church to do in commemoratiō of him and not what the Iewes were to act or execute vpon him at his Passion and therefore they say IESVS tooke bread and blessed and brake and said c. and do not here speake of what the Iewes were to do at his Passion 8. It is to be noted that the Sacrifice of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse was a Sacrifice of Redemption which was to be applied vnto vs by Baptisme the Sacraments Faith Hope and Charitie c and that this Sacrificie of his last Supper is a Sacrifice of Religion commemoration and application of that as a principal meanes where by we may become partakers of the fruit and benefit of that vpon the The Sacrifice at the last supper is not a Sacrifice of Redemptiō but of commemoratiō or applicatiō of it vnto vs. Crosse and therefore our Sauiour saith This is my bloud which is shed for many vnto remission of sinnes for as many as shall worthily vse it by way of application and commemoration of the Sacrifice of the Crosse vnto them selues as our Sauiour witnesseth immediatly adding This do ye as often as you shal drink for the commemoration of me 1. Cor. 11. 25. 9. It is much to be noted that by these words This do ye as often as you shall drinke for the commemoration of me Our Sauiour did not only giue authorite vnto the Apostles and their Successors rightly ordeyned to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in Our Sauiour commanded a Sacrifice in the Chalice his bloud but also commanded them that they should not drink of the Chalice in commemoration of him without first offering it in Sacrifice to God saying This do ye that is shed my bloud to God for you or for many as often as you shal drink for the commemoration of me absolutly forbidding them to make commemoration of him in the Chalice or to drink of it in memory of him without shedding it or offering it first in Sacrifice vnto God for many vnto the remission of sinnes 10. And the causes why our Sauiour here bindeth the Apostles and theirs Successors not to drinke of the Chalice in commemoration of him before they offered it in Sacrifice to God were first for that our Sauiour offering of him felfe in Sacrifice for vs was the chiefe part of his Passion in such sort as if our Sauiour had died and yed had not offered his death in Sacrifice for vs wee had receaued no benefitt by his Passion and therfore he forbiddeth the drinking of the Chalice in commemoration of him before it be offered in Sacrifice A sinne te cōmunicate not of things offered in Sacrifice Whervpon the sonnes of Hely are called sonnes of Beliall 1. Kings 2 because they would eate of the meate which was prepared for the commemoration of our Lord before it was offered in Sacrifice and so left out the commemoration of the chiefest part of the Passion of our Lord which was his volontarie offering of himselfe in Sacrifice for vs. Secondly in the ould Law the Iewes did not drink of these Sacrifices or commemoration of Christ to come but only eat as is manifest num 15. 5. 7. 10. num 28. 8. 14. In somuch as that there The cause vvhy our Sauoiur cōmanded a Sacrifice in the Chalice was
the penaltie of death imposed vpon those Priests who should drink wine whilest they were seruing in the Tabernacle Leuit. 10. 9. And amongst all the Iewes it was esteemed a profane thing and a token of idolatrie to drink of their drink offerings Deut. 32. 30. Hest. 14. 17. Cor. 10. 7. Therefore our Sauiour said This do ye that is shed my bloud to God for you or offerr vnbloudy Sacrifice in my bloud for you as often as you shall drink for the commemoratiō of me Otherwise if our Sauiour had not giuen them an expres command to offer the Chalice in Sacrifice before they drunk of it either they would not haue offered Sacrifice in the Chalice or els they would not haue drunk of it not to trangress the old Law where they vsed not to drink of their drink offerings in the Sacrifices and communion but of a cup of ordinary wine after the Sacrifice and communion was ended as appeareth by the ritual of the Iewes 11. And if we examine the institution of the B. Sacrament set down by S. Paul we shall find also that our Sauiour at his last Supper instituted an vnbloudie Sacrificie in the Sacrament of his bodie and bloud S. Paule saying Our Lord Iesus in the night he was betraied tooke bread and giuing thankes brake and said as it is in the originall greeke and as Protestants and Puritans translate it take eate this is my bodie which is broken for you this doe in remembrance of me 1. Cor. 11. 24. Where first we may obserue that he doth not saie This is my bodie which is broken to you as in a Sacrament but which is broken for you to God as in a Sacrifice after the manner of vnbloudie Sacrifices which were deuided and brokē as I haue shewed in the 11. chapter Secondly our Sauiour saith This is my bodie which is broken for you to expresse himselfe that he then offered Gifts or vnbloudie Sacrifice for vs to God and commanding the Apostles to obserue that kinde of Sacrifice in his Church addeth Doe this in commemoration of me 12. If our Sauiour in administratiō of the communion If our Sauiour had not intended a Sacrifice he vvould not haue vsed the vvordes proper to signify a Sacrifice had not intended to offer vnbloudie Sacrifice or Gifts he would not when all the world vsed to offer Sacrificie in their Communion haue vsed these wordes so often which are proper to signify an vnbloudie Sacrifice or Gifts as This is my bodie which is giuen for you This is my bodie which is broken for you This is the bloud of the new Testament which is shed for manie This is the Chalice the new Testament in my bloud which is shed for you but haue left them out for if he had not intended to offer Sacrifice these wordes would haue bin better left out and the sense of his wordes would haue bin more cleare and manifest if he had said thus Taking bread he gaue thankes and gaue to them saying Doe this for a commemoration of me And then there would haue bin no dispute or difficultie about the text but these former words being in the text and these aforesaid texts being thus sett downe in the Greeke Bibles and the Protestantes and Puritans themselues translating them after the afore said manner in their English Bibles and the ancienet Fathers vnderstanding them to be spoken of vnbloudie Sacrifce and the whole knowne Nothing more manifest in the Bible then that our Sauiour at his laste Supper instituted a Sacrifice world Atheists and Epicures only excepted vsing them to communicate of things offered in Sacrifice as I haue proued in the 3. Chapter of the first part there is nothing more manifest in the Bible then that our Sauiour in the administration of the communion at his last Supper instituted an vnbloudie Sacrifice in his bodie and bloud 13. To this which hath bin said if we add the A Sacrifice commanded by S. Paule in the Communion words of S. Paule where he commandeth vs saying As often as you shall eate this bread and drinke the Chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come 1. Cor. 11. 26 and our Lord not dying against his will but voluntarily and willingly offering The offering of himselfe in Sacrifice the chiefest act in the Passion of our Lord. vp himself in Sacrifice for vs Isa 53. 7. Ioh. 10. 16. 19 how can anie Christian man with reason doubt whether we should offer Sacrifices or no in commemoration of his death especially seeing that as I haue said before the offering of himselfe in Sacrifice for vs is the chiefest act whereby we receaue benefit by his sacred Passion for if our Sauiour had dyed and had not offered or giuen his life for our Redemption we had receaued no benefit by his sacred death Whereby we see that of all the absurdities this is one of the greatest to graunt as Puritans do that we ought in the administration of the Sacrament to make a commemoration of the Passion of our Sauiour for vs and yet deny that we ought to offer Sacrifice in his commemoration when the offering of himself in Sacrifice for vs is the chiefest thing in his Passion and the greatest benefit we haue receaued by his death and so manifestly expressed and commanded in the Scriptures that we ought to shew forth his death and giue his bodie to God for vs as often as we shall consecrate the Communion as that it can not be denied and that to communicate and not of things offered vp in Sacrifice is by the Scripture accounted a great sinne 1. Kings 2. and contrarie to the practise of all Natiōs as I haue shewed in the first part Wherefore our Aduersaries if they would speake or proceede consequenter they should either deny that they ought to make a commemoration of the Passion of our Lord in their Lordes Supper or els vse an externall visible Sacrifice in their Lordes Supper to shew forth the Sacrifice of our Lord vpon the Crosse And this is sufficient to manifeste vnto anie indifferent Reader that our Lord at the institution of the most blessed Sacrament instituted an vnbloudy Sacrifice or Gifts in his bodie and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine to be offered vnto God in commemoration of him CHAP. II. How these wordes this is my body which shal be deliuered for you import also a Sacrifice in his bodie 1. IF we read this Text of S. Paule according to the vulgar latin translation which saith This is my bodie which shal be deliuered for you 1. Cor. 11. 24. it agreeth in one with that of S. Luke which saith This is my bodie which is giuen for you and with that of the greeke translation which saith This is my body which is broken for you when the Scriptures saie This is my body which is giuen for you or This is my body which is broken for you in the present tense
these Sacrifices are to be perfectly fulfilled may not be offered to God for the obtaining of all or any one of these or like benifits especially seing that it hath bin the practise of the Catholicke Church in all ages as appeareth by all the Liturgies or publicke Church seruice books of ancient tymes where in the manner of offering the body and bloud of our Lord to God vnder the species of bread and wine is sett down not only for the remission of sinnes but also for the obtaining those other particuler blessings comforts and consolations as is to be seene in the said books at large 12. S. Augustine so constantly beleeued this S. Augustine of the remission of sinne by Sacrifice doctrine that in his 57. question vpon Leuiticus he saith By these Sacrifices of the old Law this only Sacrifice the new was signifyed wherein is true remission of sinnes from taking the bloud of which Sacrament in nourrishment there is no restraint but rather an exhortation vnto all to drinck it And speaking of the practise and vse of this meanes for the remission of sinnes in the 12. chapter of the 9. book of his confessions saith That the Sacrifice of our redemption was offered for his Mother for the remission of her sinnes after her death and yealding the reason why the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord was offered for her in the next chapter addeth All though shee was so quickened and renewed in Christ whilst she remained yet amonst vs that thy name was praysed both in her beleefe and lyfe yet I dare not affirme that after thou hadest regenerated her by her Baptisme there issued no word out of her mouth against thy commandement And in the 25. chapter of his 10. book of the cittie of God he saith that at the tyme of the vniuersall iudgment it wil be necessary that some be purged by the fyer of the iudgmeÌ„t because then Noe man can offer Sacrifice for his sinnes shewing that the offering of Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of sinnes shall not cease vntill the end of the world and then adding saith For all who offer Sacrifice for their sinnes are commonly in the sinne for the remission whereof they doe offer Sacrifice and when they haue offered and it shal be acceptable to God then their sinnes are forgiuen 13. S. Cyprian liued about the yeare 240. yet S. Cyprian and the vvhole Catholick Church of the remission of sinne by Sacrifice speaking of the practise of the Catholick Church of his tyme in his 66. Epistle saith The Bishopps which were before vs haue religioussy and prudently decreed that none of the brethren departing out of this lyfe should name for his Executour or Ouerseer a Clergy man and if any did there should be no offering for him nor Sacrifice celebrated for his ease or rest In the yeare of our Lord 121. S. Alexander the first was made Bishopp of Rome yet he in the 2. chapter of his first Epistle vnto all Catholicks repeating the words of the institution of this Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of sinnes presently addeth saying Crimes and sinnes are blotted out by offering these Sacrifices to God And to conclude the remission of sinnes by the offering of the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord was so generally beleeued to be a matter of faith that in the most flourishing tyme of the Church Aâ—â—ius was condemned of heresie for denying amongst other things the offering of Sacrifice for the dead As wittnesseth Epiphanius in his recapitulation of all heresies S. Augustine in the 53. heresie of his book of heresies and S. Damascene in his book of 100. heresies And if it were the faith of the Catholick Church to beleeue that we might offer the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of the paines and punishment due vnto some sinnes after death no man can with reason deny but that also it was the faith of the same Church to offer the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of the sinnes of the liuing 14. And it was not only the custome of the Catholick Church to offer the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of Sacrifice offered for other blessings sinnes but also for obteyning of other benefits Tertullian in his book to Scapula saith that in his tyme They offered Sacrifice for the health of the Emperor as we doe many tymes for our Soueraigne Lord king Charles his Queene and Children S. Augustine in the 8. chapter of 22. book of the cittie of God relateth how one of his Priests offered the body of our Lord in a hous that was possessed with euill Spirits and the wicked Spirits ceased to trouble the hous any more 15. S. Chrysostome vpon the 95. Psalme setting downe the practise of the Catholick Church in S. Chrysostome of the custome of the Church in offering Sacrifice offering Sacrifice saith In euery place are Altars and Doctrine This God foretould by the Prophets for expressing the Ecclesiasticall sinceritie and manifesting the ingratitude of the Iewes he saith vnto them I haue no will in you saith the Lord omnipotent neither will I receaue hostes from your hands for from the rysiing of the sunne vnto the goeing downe my name is glorified amongst the Gentills and in euery place Sacrifice is offered to my name and a pure Sacrifice See how fully and plainely he hath interpreted the mysticall table which is the vnbloudy Sacrifice and calleth pure incense the holy prayers which are offered with the Sacrifice for this incense doth recreate God not that which is taken from the rootes of the earth but that which is breathed from a pure heart Lett my prayer therefore be deliuered as incense in they sight dost thou see how it is graunted to this Angelicall Sacrifice to shyne most brightly in euery place dost thou not see how neither the Altar nor the Canticle is comprehended within any limits In euery place incense is offered to my name Therefore most certainly the principall mysticall table and the heauenly and the most venerable host is the pure Sacrifice There is also amongst vs diuers kinds of Sacrifices for the Law of the ould Testament had diuers hosts some for sinne others which were called holocaustes others Sacrifice of praise others of health others for the cleansing of Leapers briefely there were others and many and diuers for those who were censured to innumerable expiations Great was the number of the Sacrifices of the ould Law and aboue measure all which the new grace entring vpon doth comprehend in one Sacrifice by appointing one and a true host thus S. Chrysostome With S. Chrysostome agreeth S. Leo in his 8. Sermon vpon the Passion saying Now ô Lord the carnall Sacrifices ceasing the one oblation of thy body and bloud doth fulfill the diuersity