after them that hauing ouertaken the enemie the same night hee charged them so hotly vpon the sudden that he easily discomfited them recouered the prisoners and brought backe many others with a glorious victory and with these rich spoiles of cattell apparell and all sorts of wealth which the Painter hath diuersly expressed in the taile of the forenamed Squadron For there you see Camels and Horses some shewing a peece of the head onely others all the head and others a peece of the body likewise there you see also Coates Aimours Chestes and such like things But you ought not to wonder that the Souldiers haue their armes and garments bloudie for they come fresh from the combate These first Lords next Abraham wearing great plumes in their gilded Helmets enuironed with a Diadem Gen. 14.17 are the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah who hauing gathered certaine troopes are come to encounter him with congratulation Abraham vsing them with all courtesie and rendering to them not onely their people that were prisoners but also their goods which they found as they were a little before when they were taken from them they returne Well satisfied and contented Melchisedcch is attentiue to the Sacrifice and makes his Offerings of Bread and of Wine to God praying to him most affectually Gen. 14. heare what he saith Blessed bee Thou ABRAHAM by God the highest which created heauen and earth and blessed be God the highest by whose protection thy enemies are in thy hands This laid he blessed Abraham and gaue to him part of the Sacrifice as also to his people and inuited them all most earnestly to his house to refresh them euery one thanking God with the High-Priest and Abraham giuing him as his due the tenth part of all the spoiles O how many mysteries are hidden in the shadow of this Picture 1. MELCHISEDECH FIGVRE OF our Sauiour MEn cannot paint foorth that which is to come not being able to haue the corporall sight thereof but God who seeth all as present hath made the portraiture of the future Priest-hood of his Sonne in the person of Melchisedech and of the Eucharist in his Offering Saint Paul writes thus Melchisedech saith he King of Salem Hebr. 7. Priest of the mest high God who mette Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him to whom also Abraham gane Tithes of all First indeed by interpretation the King of Iustice and then also King of Salem which is to say King of Peace without Father without Mother without Genealogie hauing neither beginning of dayes nor end of life but likened to the Sonne of God continueth a Priest for ener He saith then expressely that Melchisedech was the Figure of our Sauiour and setteth downe many resemblances betweene them Melchisedech was in Figure King of Iustice Iesus Christ is the true King of Iustice constituted Iudge of the quick and the dead Melchisedech bearing the name and Iesus Christ being the thing Melchisedech King of Peace our Sauiour the true Salomou Prince of Peace For it is he onely that hath made peace betweene God and man Melchisedech King and Priest of the Chanancons and of Abraham Iesus Christ King of Gentiles and of Hebrewes descending from Abraham hauing made of both people the building of his Church whereof himselfe is the corner stone Melchisedech annoynted of God not with a corporall Vnction as Aaron and the other It wish Priests but with spirituall Iesus Christ the annointed of his Father the Holy of Holies and the Saint of Saints Melchisedech without Father and without Mother and without Genealogie that is to say named in the Scripture without any mention of Father or Mother or of his lineage not that he had no Father nor mother but for a mystery The generation also of the Sonne of God is vndiscouerable not only the eternall but euen the temporall for what spirit can comprehend how he hath been begotten and that from all eternity of his Father and how in time without cohabitation of man he was borne of a perpetuall Virgin before his birth in his birth and after his birth Thus then Melchisedech the High-Priest was the Figure of Iesus Christ 2. THE PRIEST-HOOD OF THE SONNE of God figured in that of Melchisedech BVt the most liuely part of this resemblance and most concerning our mystery is that which the Apostle puts the last as the most perfect saying That the Priesthood of the Sonne of God according to the order of MELCHISEDECH remaines eternally Psal 119. which was also the Prophesie of DAVID Our Lord hath swâ—rne and it shall not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of MELCHISEDECH This parcell then containeth the mystery of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Eucharist instituted by Iesus Christ in his Church vnder the formes of bread and wine to continue euen to the end of the world There had been amongst men two kindes of Priesthood before the comming of our Sauiour the one in a Sacrifice not bloody which offered to God gifts without effusion of blood such was the Offering of Melchisedechs bread and wine the other in bloody Sacrifices which were of three sorts of beasts Oxen Weathers or Goats and so many kinds of Birds Doues Turtles and Sparrowes such were the Sacrifices of Aaron The truth whereof was accomplished and fulfilled in the Sacrifice of the Crosse where Iesus Christ was offered once for all in a bloody manner and that with death after the resemblance of the sacrificing and Sacrifices of Aaron and such a Sacrifice could not be iterated for Iesus Christ could die but once But the truth of the Priesthood and Sacrifice of Melchisedech began in the euening of the institution of the Eucharist when our Sauiour ordained the Sacrament and Sacrifice not bloody of his sacred body vnder the formes of bread and wine this hath he continued euer since by the mystery and seruice of our Priests his Vicars and shall continue so long as the Church shall trauaile vpon the earth he being eternally Priest according to the order of Melchisedech that is to say offering continually the true bread and true wine of his body and blood as Melchisedech offered the Figure But wherefore is it that this Soueraigne wisdome hath instituted the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body vnder the formes of bread and of wine If we may be able to find out the reason it will very much enlighten vs to see and admire his greatnesse 3. WHEREFORE OVR SAVIOVR HATH instituted the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body vnder the formes of bread and wine THe supreame wisdome of Christ hath instituted the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body vnder the formes of bread and wine for many reasons of which the most principall seeme to me to be these First because the bread and wine sensibly and very properly set forth the nature the profitablenesse and the excellencie of this Sacrifice and Sacrament There is nothing more common nor better
littlenesse whereon it wrought and on the otherside he will no lesse admire his infinite vertue which of so little a sprout could produce such a goodly tree then praise his bountie which in fine hath made a Present of all this for the vse of man This manner of proceeding is as cleare as meruailous in all the parts of this vniuersall world but thrise illustrious and thrise admirable it is in that Monarchie which God the Sonne hath established in the rule of his Church whereof the foundations haue been meruailous in the Law of Nature the progresse yet more meruailous vnder the Law of the Iewes but the accomplishment made in the Law of Grace surpasseth all admiration The foundations in the Law of Nature and the progresse in that of Moses are meruail ous because that in their littlenesse they containe the modell and the figure of the greatnesse of our Sauiours Law and in this Law of our Sauiour the accomplishment is infinitely more admirable because it containeth the perfection of all that which of old was conceiued and figured in the other Lawes that went before it And this is it which the Scripture sets before vs so often as a cleare demonstration of the Maiesty and greatnesse of our Creator Saint Paul writeth that all things chanced in Figure to the Iewes that is to say 1. Cor. 10. that the old Law was a Picture of the new and our Sauiour protesteth often that he will accomplish the Law euen to a little lot One ior Matth. 5.18 meaning that the Law of Grace was a most absolute accomplishment of the other Lawes before it Now then God shewes himselfe God in the reserence of things past to things present Esay 41.23 if in any other worke of his Almightie God most diuinely hath made himself appeare to be God he hath in this connection and reference of things past to things to come so farre distant one from the other In the first place foretelling that which was to ensue hee hath shewed to haue present before his eyes all things were they passed or to come a signe of supreame dignitie For without this knowledge he could not haue ordained and foretold these so great and so faire designes of so many mysteries which were not to be effected till after the ensuing of many thousand yeeres neither haue pointed out the Lineaments of the Law of Moses in the Law of Nature and haue made in the Law of Moses a body of Figures which represented the Law of the Messias as we see he hath For the Circumcision giuen to Abraham the Redâ—ses the Desert the Manna the Mountaine of Sina in summe all the Iudaicall Mysteries were but so many Pictures containing in signification the truth of our Religion Who then could know how to draw these so Diuine draughts from time to time S. Cyril de Adoratione from season to season except he which holds in his vnderstanding the knowledge and the face of times and seasons and of all things passed present and to come And who could make accord the past with the present and the present with the past Who is it can ioyne the figure to the body Against Atheists and the body to the figure the shaddow to the truth and the truth to the shaddow And with so faire iust and equall proportion consummate the worke from point to point according to the first designe except he which can all that he will As this manner of working by little beginnings and figures arising to perfection and to the truth it selfe by meanes proportioned both to the beginning and to the ending was conuenient to witnesse the Maiestie of God so also it was necessary for to iustruct the Iewes when the Law was in her childe-hood and meruailously proper to perfect the Christians when it came to the perfection of mans estate These Iewes were rude like yong children and therefore their Law was a Schoole-master God taught them by Figures threatened them with the whip promised them milke and hony thus were they taught according to their capacitie bridled with their owne bitt and drawne by their owne cords which were most agreeable with their owne dispositions Plato Plato saith that yong people ought to begin their Schoole with the Mathematikes because it is a Science which teacheth them by things agreeable to their wits by lines by triangles squares rulers figures which enter sweetely into their spirits The Iewes then being children were to be taught Religion by figures of Religion as familiar Alphabets to their infancie and such was the vsage of them amongst the Iewes but with Christians it is farre otherwise If the Iewes fed vpon Figures by vvhich they vvere taught as their Paschall Lambe their Manna their Sacrifices their Offerings and their other more remarkable signes wherein if they were spirituall they did contemplate the future truth of the Law of Grace the Christians doe not so but contrariwise they hold the truth it selfe present and in it they contemplate the Figures past without any more vsing of them after the manner of the Iewes From which contemplation they draw to themselues many good vses The first whereof is That they admire this supreme wisdome of God who hath from the beginning so vvell grounded the Kingdome of his Sonne and conducted it to the perfection of the Law of Grace from so little beginnings in appearance and yet so great in signification seeing hee hath so diuinely laid the liuely and last colours of the Law of Grace vpon those shaddowes and lineaments which he had drawne before in the Lawes of olde The second is that they admire the selfe-same wisdom contemplating the faire report of the nevv and old Testament to one another beholding each other like the two Cherubims vvhich vvere turned face to face before the Arke the one containing the true portraiture the other the liuely truth the one saying the Messias shall come the other the Messias is come the one the Messias shall endure the death of the Crosse the other the Messias hath endured the death of the Crosse the one the Messias shall institute an eternall Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body the other that hee hath instituted the eternall Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body and so of other mysteries These two admirations bring vs three other fruits First they illustrate our faith for when the mysteries which we beleeue are declared to vs by Figures and Prophecies giuen many ages agoe our faith takes foundation and roote vpon the authoritie and certaintie of things past And this is the reason why the Scripture to plant this faith in the heart of the hearer sendeth him so often to the Tables and Testimonies of the ancient Law So our Sauiour going about to make a faithfull Christian of his secret Disciple Nicodemus Ioan 3. Num. 21. illustrates the mystery of his Passion by the historie of the Serpent of Brasse long before erected in the Desert to be a Figure of his
the Tree of Life for what comparison is there betweene thy celestiall body and the wood of earthly Paradise betweene the price of a body which hath redeemed all the world and a Tree that is not the thousandth part of the world betweene the excellency of the body in which inhabites the fountaine of life and the fruit in which remaines onely but a part of life between the vertue of a deified body bearing God and being vpheld of God and a liuely plant of God hauing in it selfe but the vertue of a mortall creature What is then thy bountie O mercifull Lord and who could euer imagine that after hauing been so grieuously offended of men and hauing iustly depriued them of the vse of this first fruit thou wouldest so mercifully substitute another which so infinitely surpassed the former in all good qualities and who could be so good and so liberall but thou which art selfe goodnesse and liberalitie without measure or end be blessed O Lord for thy gifts and since without end thou art sweet and gratious giue vs yet meanes and grace to praise thee thanke thee and serue thee with all the forces of our soule euen till the last breath of our life and so holily to make an end of our pilgrimage in this oâ—â— mortall race strengthned with the viaticum of the precious Sacrament of thy body that one day we may eternally enioy the fruit of life which thou hast prepared in heauen to be meate and nutriment of euerlasting happinesse for thy beloued THE SECOND PICTVRE THE SACRIFICE OF ABEL The Description SIlence masters and attention Genes 4. â— wel to pierce into the draughts and the sense of this sacred Picture to learne how we ought to make Sacrifice to God and to yeeld him faithfull homage ABEL first shepheard and first iust of the children of Adam and first Priest of the Law of Nature offereth Sacrifice to the diuine Maiestie The Altar is prepared by nature without arte for the world is but new borne there are not yet any builders or houses amongst mortall men the Priest is also cloathed simply after the fashion of Adam his Father halfe naked and couered onely with a sheepes skinne but the offering is a choise one and culled for the best that he could choose in all his flocke but the heart of the Offerer is yet much better you reade his profound deuotion and humilitie in the posture of his body he prayeth vpon his knees bowed to the earth his eyes weeping and cast vp towards heauen his mouth modestly open pronouncing the praises of God his armes and hands moderately lifted vp imploring his diuine mercy and the whole composition of his sweete and gratious visage witnesseth his godlinesse his faith his hope his charitie and other diuine vertues of his soule with which he offered both the Sacrifice and himselfe to his Creator so as the heart of the Offerer and the sweet smell of the Offering ascended euen to the heauens S. Cyprian sermâ— de Natiuitate from whence as you see God makes descend his fier inflaming the ayre and lighting vpon the Altar to deuour the Burnt-offering in signe that it is very acceptable in his sight It is not so in Caine the older brother of Abel who by manner of acquiting himselfe hee cares not how and as though he meant to deceiue his diuine Maiesty makes his oblation on the other side offering certaine ill-fauoured sheaues of straw keeping the best corne for himselfe no maruell therefore though it had no signe of approbation from heauen as the Sacrifice of Abel had whereat he is all inraged and giueth manifest signes of his fury Gen. â— â— see you how lumpishly he looketh how he roules his eyes in his head and bends his browes as a forlorne mad-man God from aboue perceiued him well and chidde and corrected him as a Father shewing him that the eye of his knowledge pierced the depth of his secret thoughts and that an Hypocrite thinking by faire shewes to deceiue God deceiueth himselfe Moreouer that it is in his liberty to doe well and that in doing well he shall haue him for his friend and well shall come of him But Caine remaines Caine hardened and obstinate by his fatherly correction and turning the point of his spite against his innocent brother Abel he now resolueth to haue his life and goeth forthwith to put his malitious designe in execution so that making the earth to drinke mans bloud in the beginning of the world and the bloud of the innocent and of his owne proper brother he carieth the marke of the first Murtherer first Tyrant and first Paracide in his forehead and becommeth the fundamentall stone of the kingdome of Satan But thou O meeke childe which art attentiue to thy Sacrifice without any suspition or thought of the enuy of thy vnnaturall brother thou shalt be the first member of the Church of God representing both in thy name and in thy person all the teares trauels anguishes persecutions and laborious courses of the iust in this life But especially in thy Sacrifice and in thy death thou shalt beare the figure of the iust Messias killed to kill our sinne and to restore vs againe to the life of Grace Farewell Abel farewell the blessednesse of the Family of thy Father farewell the honour of the world thou art taken away from the earth in the flower of thy yeeres the very Starres mourne for thee and turne away their eyes in detestation of the foule crime of thy brother O you tender soules which see and heare all this melt your hearts into griefe and your eyes into teares with sorrow and compassion But comfort your selues Abel is yet aliue Abel is now in the safety of the hand of God he shall die no more but liue for euer and we shall liue with him in heauen if we imitate him on earth as all those that are obstinate and wicked with obstinate Caine must perish eternally 1. THE SACRIFICE OF ABEL A FIGVRE of the Crosse and of the Eucharist THe Sacrifice of Abel was a manifest Figure as well of the death of our Sauiour as of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body left for a memoriall of his death That it was a Figure of Christs death the Scripture teacheth when it saith Apoc. 13.2 That the Lambe hath been slaine from the beginning of the world that is to say that Iesus Christ hath been put to death from the beginning in Figure which Figure consists not onely in the death of Abel but also in the death of the Lambe which he offered Tertullian Tertul de Car. Christi S. Aug. lib. 15. cap. 18. lib. 28. cont Faust cap. 9.11 Rup lib. 4. Genes 4. Ioan. 10. Saint Augustine and other Doctors declare the resemblance betweene them in this manner Abel brother of vniust Caine most Iust Iesus brother of the most vniust Iewes Abel a shepheard Iesus Christ the Good shepheard the sacrifice of Abel
was acceptable to God Iesus Christ by his Sacrifice appeaseth God Abel offered his Lambe Iesus Christ himselfe the true Lambe Abel was slaine through enuy Marc. 15.10 Iesus Christ was crucified out of enuy Abel was killed in the fields Iesus Christ without the gates of Hierusalem That this was also the Figure of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist it is euident by the faith of the Church which hath alwayes so beleeued as is witnessed by the ancient Prayer shee vseth in offering that Sacrifice which is inserted in the Canon of the Masse and is to be found in the writings of Saint Ambrose S. Ambros lib. 4. de Sacr. cap 6. in Can. Miss in these tearmes Vpon which Oblations vouchsafe to looke downe Lord with a gratious eye as thou didst look downe vpon the Presents of thy iust seruant ABEL But let vs see the workes and lineaments of this Figure 2. THE ACCORD OF THE FIGVRE OF the Sacrifice of ABEL with that of the Masse BEhold now some draughts of this Figure answering to the truth The Sacrifice of Abel was the first Sacrifice of the Law of Nature for albeit that Adam no doubt did Sacrifice yet notwithstanding the Scripture makes no mention thereof but setteth downe this of Abel as the first and without doubt this was also the first in dignity In like manner the first Sacrifice offered by Iesus Christ true ABEL is this of the Eucharist for that on the Crosse was the second As Abel sacrificed his first-borne Lambe so Iesus Christ offereth in the Eucharist the First-borne of his Father and of his Mother and First-borne amongst many brethren As Abel a little after he had sacrificed was led by his brother out of the house and by him put to death So our most happy Sauiour after that he had offered his first Sacrifice was made prisoner and the morrow after was led out of the Citie of Hierusalem to Mount Caluary and there crucified The Sacrifice of Abel was pleasing by reason of the innocency and piety of the Offerer the Sacrifice of the Eucharist is alwayes pleasing to God by reason of his Beloned Sonne in whom he is well pleased for it is he which is alwayes the first and principall Offerer in the Masse as he is also the principall agent in all the other Sacraments for as it is he which makes his Body it is he also that Baptiseth it is he that Confirmeth it is he that Absolueth vs from our sinnes and which doth all the rest the Priest being no more but his Vicar and Instrument therein but the Sacrifice of the Eucharist in one thing farre excelleth the other of ABEL because it is an Offering gratefull of it selfe to God for it is Iesus Christ himselfe it is he which is the Offerer and Offering together Finally the Sacrifice of ABEL containes alone three Sorts of Sacrifices which after were instituted by God in the Law of Moses as it shall be shewed in the Type of Melchisedech which are the Holocaust the Hoste Pacificall and the Hoste Propitiatory In the first all the Offering was burnt and offered directly to the honor of God in acknowledgement of the homage which wee owe to his diuine Maiesty The second was offered in giuing thankes and in signe of a ioyfull vnion and alliance betweene the Creator and the creature The third was offered to obtaine remission of sinnes These three sorts were in the Sacrifice of ABEL and are found clearely in the Sacrament of the Masse for all is offered to God and to his honor In it is a thankesgiuing of the highest degree by a Returne as it were made vnto him of the most excellent gift that euer he bestowed and therefore it is called the Eucharist by it we haue Propitiation for finnes by it are pardoned As for the Sacrifice of the Crosse although it was truely an Holocaust and vertually a thanksgiuing to God yet was it properly Propitiatory and therefore the Scripture assigning the cause wherefore Iesus Christ died Rom. 4 25. 1. Cor. 15.3 mentioneth alwayes sinne He was deliuered saith Saint Paul for our sinnes and often elsewhere it is then Propitiatory The Sacrifice of ABEL therefore containing the three fore-named sorts of Sacrifices was an expresse Figure of the Eucharist and so you may behold how the truth hath accomplished the ancient Figure Of two sorts of Sacrificers BEsides the proper Sacrifices which are made by Priests and ordained Officers with such Oblations and Presents as Abel and Caine did offer vpon the Altar of stone there are other called also Sacrifices in a more ample signification of the word Sacrifice which are the workes of vertue as of Faith Hope Charity Prayers Almes Fasting Mercy Teares good Desires and other actions of pietie that not onely Priests but euery one ought to offer on the Altar of his soule after the fashion of ABEL in innocencie and sincerity and in a word to offer himselfe also as ABEL offered himselfe taking from him the paterne of a perfect Sacrificer Saint Cyprian speaking of Christian Sacrifices S. Cyprian de â—ra Domi. ABEL saith he innocent and iust sacrificing to God with puritie teacheth others that they ought to come to the Altar with the feare of God and simplicitie of heart S. Ambros de Ord. Dominic Incar cap. 1. And Saint Ambrose ABEL offered sacrifices of the first-borne of his flocke teaching vs thereby that the Presents of the earth please not God but onely those in whom shined the grace of diuine mystery But as for Caine he is a patterne and example of the wicked he offered negligently by way of acquitance deceitfully giuing of the worst and thinking to deceiue God so doe peruerse men after his imitation offer alwayes the worst vpon the Altar of God the worst corne the worst grapes for their Tithes the worst bread for their almes their worst children to the Church for men of the Cleargie and this not for the honor and glory of God but for the vanity of the world for particular interest and temporall commoditie Such Sacrificers are imitators of Caine and partakers of his crime and shall be contemned of God and be made companions of his paine 3. GOD PERMITS EVILL TO DRAW good foorth of it for his glory and the profit of his children BVt Abel was slaine by his brother Caine what is O Lord the secret of thy prouidence in this permission How hast thou endured that thy first Iust first Sacrificer first faithfull seruant in thy house should be so vniustly oppressed and that the enuious hath had the vpper hand against the innocent Such a demaund mans heart might make at the first view admiring the iudgements of God which he doth not vnderstand But we must know that God permitteth nothing which is not holy and honorable to his Maiesty he doth then permit that the vniust oppresse the innocent for two principall reasons of which the first is taken from his wisdome which requires that Caine
onely a Tombe for him and his Matth. 8.20 Luc. 9.15 and the Sonne of God goes yet more forward for he had not in his life any place where to rest his head and was faine to borrow his Sepulcher when he died Courage then Christian soules redeemed from earth to inherite heauen know your condition to be the same with that of your Ancestors and of our Sauiour himselfe with holy sighes lament your miseries in this vaile of teares patiently bearing your afflictions your first brother so liued and so died your Redeemer and Head so trauailed and so left you his life lift vp your eyes to heauen which is your owne Citie this earth is not for you neither her honors nor delights for you she with her delights and honors is all for her owne children Children of the earth Inhabitants of the earth and Burgesses of the City of Caine beare not enuy to their prosperitie which is a smoake that passeth in a moment and like vnto smoake will vanish into nothing but giue immortall thankes to God who hath called you to the fruition of his immortall riches and whilest that you are in the region of death thinke on the true perdurable life and liuing as children of God fixe your hearts vpon God and place your hopes vpon the treasure and honor of his eternity THE THIRD PICTVRE THE SACRIFICE OF MELCHISEDECH The Description MELCHISEDECH King of Salem Genes 14. â— and great Priest of the most high God being aduertised that Abraham had gained a meruailous victory ouer foure victorious kings and that he came marching towards him with his troupes he goes forth of the Citie accompanied with his Clergie and Nobility the vulger people following to meete him and to entertaine him with a Sacrifice of thankesgiuing and to bestow vpon him his solemne blessing Behold he is arriued at the place where he encounters Abraham himselfe adorned with the attyre of a great King and chiefe Priest full of Maiesty in his Person and in his gesture Behold his reuerend cariage the sweetnesse of his countenance and the grauity of his visage some haue thought that he was Sern Noabs son but the Scripture makes not any mention of his beginning no nor of his natiuity and death being otherwise accustomed to note very diligently the Genealogies Houses and Pedegrees of Illustrious persons which makes vs coniecture that some high secret is hidden within the shadow of this mysticall silence concerning his discent The ornament which he weareth on his head is a Miter of twisted Cypers wouen of diuers colours high and round like a Coife lined with cloath of gold fastned with a Saphire in the forme of an Akorne in which is tyed a ribon of azure-Cypers mouing in the ayre behinde Vpon his fore-head he hath a thinne plate of fine gold bound with a band of Iacint which is in stead of a Royall Diadem and vpon the plate is ingrauen the great name of God His first Roabe next to his body reaching downe to his feete is an Albe of fine linnen cloath the Tunicle which is next aboue it shorter by a foote is all of curled Hyacinth embrodered round about with a border of nâ—edle-worke and girt to his reines with a golden girdle all embrodered Of which stuffe and fashion also is made the garment which couers his shoulders after the fashion of a gorget fastned before his breast with three Carbuncles cut into the fashion of buttons and set in gold The Altar erected and the bread and wine being set vponit the Sacrifice begunne Abraham is lighted off his horse as also the most part of his people his vpper garment is of Buffe-leather gilt and enriched with diuers figures from which kinde of garment is come the fashion of our Corcelets of iron the peeces that couer his armes thighes and legges as you see well fashioned in the ioynts with figured bosses are all of the same stuffe He weares on his head an admirable Helmet artificially grauen enriched with gold and adorned with a plume of many rare feathers His Courtle-axe hangs on his left side fastened to a belt after the manner of a skarfe He kisseth his right hand in signe of Honor with his left hand he holds his Leading-staffe one of his Squires carrieth his Target another holds his horse by the bridle in the wing of the first Squadron this Horse as you see is of a bright bay colour bearing himselfe vpon that foote which is to the side of the Mounter and lifting vp the other and shewes by the faire fashion of all his body that he is well broken and well mannaged as worthy to be ridden by so great a Captaine Behold a while his little head his Rats eares pricking vp his forehead leane and large marked with a starre right in the midst his necke of a reasonable length slender at the setting on of the head big towards the brest and sweetly bowing in the middle the brest round and large and the crouper in proportion the tayle and the mayne long behold how in champing proudly the bridle he casts a white foame opening his swelling nosthrells and shewing the vermillion within them see how he beates the earth with his right foote holding it in the ayre as if hee meant to make a little legge and obserue I pray you how excellently the Painter hath drawne his smooth hoofes well rounded and large with the garlands fine and hairie his pasternes short and some what vpright his tufted ioynts bigge and strong and well set together vpon his backe he hath nothing but a cushen fastened with little girthes and a crouper without stirrops for they were not yet in vse no more then saddles of warre The people of whom this first Squadron was composed are the three hundred and eighteene men of armes seruants borne in the house of Abraham they are diuersly armed some with Corslets like their Captaine howbeit they are not so richly wrought others with Coates of made hauing sleeues and gorgets others with Coate-armour of iron cut or lashed the peeces for the face legs and shooes are made of plated steele and all haue their Fawchions hanging at their neckes in skarfes and Gauntlets on their hands With these he miraculously defeated thearmy of the foure Assyrian Kings who a little before had ouercome in battaile fiue other Kings to wit the King of Sodome of Gomor of Adama of Seboim Genes 14.8 and of Baile allied to Abraham and they returned into their Country with their Souldiers enriched with the spoiles of the vanquished and chiefly of the two most wealthy Cities Sodom and Gomorrah which they had sacked leading away thousands of prisoners with them among whom was Lot nephew to Abraham with all his Family Thus being proud of their successe they went disbanded without order of warre thinking of nothing but of drink and sleeping Abraham pierced to the heart with the misfortune of his Nephew and his other Allyes resoluing to take reuenge went with such speed
did eate of the flesh to participate of the Sacrifice so hath he giuen vs the body of his Sonne and we honor him with it and pray vnto him endeuoring by it as by a rich present to pacifie him and to make him fauourable towards vs and afterwards we take it for our refection but yet without euer consuming the same as the bodies of beasts were consumed which could serue but once and therefore to euery Sacrifice was required a new beast But the body of our Sauiour is immortall and alone sufficient to honour God and to be the food of immortalitie to all the members of his Church S. Aug. lib. 10. de Ciuit. cap. 6. at all times and in all places We haue said before that good workes done for God are sometimes called Sacrifices as Prayers Fastings Almes and other actions of piety but these are called Sacrifices only by way of resemblance and this kinde of Sacrifice euery one may and ought to offer whereas the proper and true Sacrifice cannot be offered but by him who is a proper and true Priest by office such as was Melchisedech and the Iewish Priests of olde and now are the Priests of Christ 9. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENE A Sacrament and a Sacrifice FIrst a Sacrament is instituted of God for the sanctification of his creature but a Sacrifice is ordained to hoâ—ior the Creator the one regardeth man the other respecteth God for albeit that the sanctification given by the Sacrament redounds to the honor of God and the action of Sacrifice to the sanctification of his creature the proper end notwithstanding which a Sacrament aymes at is to sanctifie man and that of the Sacrifice to doe homage vnto God neither more nor lesse then in a Ciuill Monarchie Alleagiance is for the King and the administration of lustice for the People though administration of Iustice honor also the King and Alleageance be profitable to the Subiect Euen so then in the Church a spirituall Monarchie the Sacrament is ordained to helpe man and the Sacrifice to honour God What more is done in the one or the other it is rather by consequence then of the first intention and therefore as a Sacrament is properly the signe and instrument of the grace of God so a Sacrifice especially setteth foorth the greatnesse and Maiesty of God Secondly a Sacrament profits onely him which receiueth it being well disposed and prepared as Baptisme sanctifieth only the baptised the Sacrifice may profit all the world absent present iust iniust disposed indisposed liuing and departed if they be not in deadly sinne for though it be not directly instituted for the Sanctification of man as hath beene said yet notwithstanding it openeth the do ore to the sanctification of all men for as much as it pleaseth God by honor and prayer and by this office of piety it obtaines of him mercy and grace and new blessings of repentance and remission of sinnes to all those for whom it is offered And so therefore the Sacrifice of the Masse is profitable for all those which heare it and for whom it is offered 10. NO RELIGION WITHOVT Sacrifice AS the Church hath alwayes had Sacraments for a meanes to sanctifie the children of God so it hath neuer been nor euer shall be vpon the earth without a Sacrifice And sure great reason there is it should be so for since that al true religioÌ„ is instituted for the soueraigne acknowledgement seruice of God it is necessary that in his Church which is his Kingdome and Monarchie there should be a publike worship of supreame honor by which men assembled in one body and societie might professe their faith and dutie towards him This worship is the Sacrifice by which God is knowne and adored publikely as our soueraigne Lord Master of life and death and Author of all our good the most high honor that can be giuen proper to God and vncommunicable to any creature as onely due to diuine Maiestie Wherefore a Religion without a Sacrifice is a body without a soule and a Monarchie without homage or publike acknowlegement of authoritie that is to say without a signe of Monarchie The Church then onely keeper of true Religion hath euer had proper Sacrifice and Priests appropriated by their office to administer the same The most famous Sacrifice in the Law of Nature was that of bread and wine offered by the High-Priest Melchisedech in the Law of Moses there were many in the Law of Grace our Sauiour hath established this of his body one alone in the place of all the Ancient adumbrated by them all and alone the most sufficient of all as well by reason of the thing offered which is of infinite price as of the dignity of the Offerer who is the Sonne of God for the Priest is nothing but his Vicar so as this onely Sacrifice is in estimaon aboue all those of olde as the Sunne is aboue all the Starres A Sacrifice most perfect and most worthy of our Sauiour who hath instituted it in the Law of Grace the most perfect Monarchie that euer was or which euer shall be and instituted it after so noble a manner as it is full of mystery to wit after the resemblance of the Sacrifice of the most noble King and High-Priest Melchisedech vnder the formes of bread and wine which he shall offer euen vntill the end of the world by his Priests and Vicars he himselfe remaining High-priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech 11. TESTIMONIES OF THE HEBREW Doctors vpon the same subiect that is of the Sacrifice of MELCHISEDECH RAbby Samuel renowned amongst the Hebrewes Rabby Sammeâ— in Gen. speaking of this that Melchisedech offered saith Hee did an act of Priest-hood for he sacrificed bread and wine to God holy and blessed Rabby Phines also a great Hebrew Doctor Sabby Phinee See Gal. 1.10 In the time of the Messias all the Sacrifices shall cease but the Sacrifice of bread and wine shall remaine alwayes as it is written in Genesis And Melchisedech brought foorth bread and wine Melchisedech that is to say the King Messias shall except out of this cessation of Sacrifices the Sacrifice of bread and wine as it is said in the Psalmes Psal 109. Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech His meaning is that Melchisedech was the figure of Iesus Christ who is the true Messias and that Iesus Christ is an High-Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech instituting in his Church an eternall Sacrifice of his body and blood vnder the formes of bread and wine making all the other Sacrifices to cease they being but shadowes and figures of this heere And so wee see it to be fulfilled since the death of our Sauiour wherein all the bloody Sacrifices Figures of his death were finished whereas contrariwise the institution of the Eucharist which is our Masse the Sacrifice sigured by that of Melchisedech then tooke its first beginning 12. TESTIMONIES OF THE ANCIENT
Greeke Fathers vpon the Figure of MELCHISEDECH SAint Clement S. Clem. lib. 4. Stre. MELCHISEDECH King of Salem Priest of the most high God gaue the bread and wine sanctified in figure of the Eucharist Saint Chrysostome S. Chrysost hom 35.36 in Gen. speaking of the same Sacrifice of MELCHISEDECH Beholding the Figure thinke I pray you vpon the truth that is to say if thou makest account of the Offering of Melchisedech how much more of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of our Sauiour which is the truth signified of old by the ancient Figure And againe Idem After that MELCHISEDECH King of Salem had offered bread and wine for hee was the Priest of the most high ABRAHAM tooke from his hand part of that which had been offered that is to say he did eate and drinke of the sacrificed bread and wine Theodoret 〈◊〉 Pas 109. Idem in Gen. 4.63 hauing declared how our Sauiour had begun his Priest-hood after the order of Melchisedech in the institution of the Sacrament of his body addeth Wee haâ—e found Melchisedech Priest and King affirming to God not Sacrifices of beasts deprined of reason but of bread and wine as if he should say that the Priest-hood and offering of our Sauiour is not with effusion of blood of beasts as that of Aarons but without killing and that his body is giuen in Sacrifice vnder the formes of bread and wine according to the order of Melchisedech Saint IOHN DAMASCENE S. Ioan. Damâ—â— lib. 4. de Fid. cap 24. The Table of Melchisedech figured out our mysticall Table euen as Melchisedech carried the Figure and the Image of the true Prelate Iesus Christ TMEOPHILACT vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes Theophil in 〈◊〉 5. ad Heb. Psal 109. explaning the words of the Psalmist Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech It is most cortaine saith he that this Prophecie is to be vnderstood of Iesus Christ for it is he onely that hath sacrificed bread and wine according to the order of Melchisedech And a little after He saith eternally as well for that Iesus Christ maketh intercession for vs incessantly to his Father as for that he is offered euery day this Oblation is made without ceasing by the Officers and Seruitors of God hauing for Priest and for Sacrifice Christ the Sauiour it is hee that breaketh and distributeth himselfe 13. TESTIMONIES OF THE ANCIENT Latine Fathers SAint CYPRIAN S. Cyprian l. 2. ep 3. ad Cecil Who hath been more Priest of the highest then our Lord Iesus Christ who hath offered Sacrifice to God the Father and offers the same that Melchisedeth did Ioan. 6. bread and wine to wit his body and his bloud for his body is the true bread and his bloud is the true wine and the true drinke Saint Hierom S. Hieron epist 126. ad Euagr. S. Hieron in ep ad Marcel nomine Paula Eustoch scripta giuing a reason to Euagrius wherefore Melchisedech was compared to our Sauiour It is saith he because he sacrificed not victimes of flesh and blood of beasts but dedicated the Sacrament of Christ with bread and wine a simple and pure sacrifice And elsewhere Reade Genesis Thou shalt finde the King of Salem Prince of the Citie who then offered in Figure of Christ bread and wine and dedicated the mystery of Christians in the body and bloud of our Saniour Againe Our mystery the Masse is signified by the word Order not in imolating victimes of beastes according to the order of Aaron but in offering bread and wine that is to say the body and bloud of our Sauiour Saint Ambrose speaking of the Eucharist S. Ambrel l 5. de Sacra cap. 1. We know saith he that the Figure of this Sacrament hath gone before in Abrahams time then when Melchisedech offered Sacrifice Saint Augustine speaking of this Sacrifice of MELCHISEDECH S. Aug. lib. 16. de Ciuitate Dei cap. 22. Then first was shewed in Figure the Sacrifice which now is offered by Christians throughout the vniuersall world S. Aug lib. 1. Cont. Aaâ—â—â—s â—â— cap. 20. And elsewhere Those that reade know what Melchisedech brought forth when he blessed Abraham and are made partakers thereof they see that through all the world such a Sacrifice is offered And he meaneth the Sacrifice of the Masse which is offered ouer all the world 14. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENE THE Sacrifice of the Crosse and that of the Eucharist THe Sacrifice of the Crosse was bloudie Of this Oblation speaketh Saint Paul Hebr. 7.27 offered but once in Hierusalem onely this of the Eucharist not bloudie it is offered and shall be throughout all the world where the Church is dispersed and that euen to the end of the world That of the Crosse is the chiefe cause of our good the treasure and the generall exchequer of our redemption and the fountaine of our sanctification for by this death our Sauiour hath purchased vs all the good vnlesse we hinder or neglect it the Sacrifice of the Masse is the instrument to apply the fruit of all these purchased goods vnto vs it is the key which opens this treasure it is the meanes to haue part of this substance and the bucket to draw vp from the spring of this fountaine where with to cleanse vs and as when some one is washed in Baptisine or absolued in Penance the merite of the Crosse flowes into him or her that is baptised or absolued from sinne by meanes of these Sacraments euen so the fruit of the Crosse is distributed by the Sacrifice of the Eucharist to all those which offer it and for whom it is offered and it is the same body that was offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse and that which is offered on the Altar in the Church and giuen for food of immortalitie to all those which will receiue it The Masse then celebrating this Mystery makes the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of our Saniour and in them both is as of olde the ancient Sacraments and Sacrifices were an instrument to make vs participate the merit of the Passion of our Sauiour but so much more efficatious and precious as Iesus Christ who is in it the Priest and the offering for the man is but the Vicar surpasseth in dignity the ancient Priests and their earthly victimes This is the difference betweene the Sacrifice of the Crosse and that of the Masse and the glory of God is manifested diuersly thereby in two diuers mysteries 15. THE DIFFERENCE OF THE SACRIfice of Melchisedech and of this of the Masse THe Sacrifice of Melchisedech was but the shadow and the Figure this of the Masse the body and the truth In that there was nothing but bread and wine terrestriall materiall and insensitiue nourishing nothing but the body and that for a little time in this there is offered the body and bloud of our Sauiour the true bread and the true drinke bread of
beast but by the sword of his owne Father imbrued in the bloud of his sonne O Father what dost thou And into what rigour is thy old age fallen towards the end of thy daies O happie hadst thou been if thou had neuer been a Father Happy if in thy yong and barren veers thou hadst bin plucked downe hastily into thy graue This said Nature to him But faith and charity towards God vsed another Language and of a farre higher nature ABRAHAM thou art to obey the voice of God thy sonne is neither thine nor his mothers but borrowed it is God who hath lent him thee without giuing any certaine tearme of life hee will haue him now it is his right he is Master of life and of death he can be vniust in nothing that he commandeth though it be that he command the father to kill his son He is Almighty to multiply thy race without Isaak S. Aug. lib. 1. de Ciuit. cap. 21. hauing a thousand meanes within the treasure of his diuine secrets to accomplish this which he hath promised thee If thy sonne be faire wise and vertuous so much more is he worthy to be presented before the eyes of his Maiesty No person will blame thee to haue obeyed God and if men blame thee wh◠〈…〉 to doe with the words and iudgement of 〈…〉 â—orld where the voice of the high God resound 〈…〉 And thy wife if shee be wise will take it 〈…〉 â—uing place to necessitie and to the diuine will 〈…〉 shee be not wise thou must not regard her On 〈…〉 and care not for any other thing our Lord Alm 〈…〉 nath so commanded it and his commandement can be for nothing but for thy good nor the execution of it but for thy merit and praise So Nature combated with Faith and Reason with Grace but in the end the victory remained to Faith and Grace Wherefore being come to the top of the Mountaine and hauing laid in order the wood vpon the Altar and made ready euery thing for the Holocaust Abraham doth declare his intention to his sonne and then dearely embracing him saith to him O my deare sonne euen now thou askedst of me where the Lambe was that is to be sacrificed It is thou my beloued which must be that Lambe It is thou that the great God hath chosen thou art no more mine I am no more thy Father thou art the Holocaust consecrated at this time to the honor of God Adew my son and with these words losing his voice sobbing and weeping he kissed him But Isaak said to him O my most honorable Father the will of God and yours be fulfilled my life is his and yours and my death cannot haue a more honorable graue then the Altar of his Maiestie Farewell my most honorable Father accomplish his good pleasure Adew my most honorable Mother without farewell I bewaile your sorrow bewaile not my death since it is so diuinely ordained you shall see me in the Land of the Liuing Abraham now hath bound him and set him vpon the wood and bathing him with teares kisseth him againe and the more that he saw him couragious and obedient the more was his heart wounded with fatherly loue towards him Then Isaak like a little Lambe consenting to all from his heart as hath been said and putting himselfe as he could on his knees after the manner as you see recommends himselfe to God offering himselfe as a liuely Holocaust to his holy will and his necke peaceably to his Fathers hand so to become a perfect Sacrifice Abraham his arme is lifted vp and is ready to strike O God be mercifull to this poore Father and his pious son be thou contented if it please theeâ— with the good will and liuely faith of them both they are already Sacrificed to thee in their hearts Feare you not O meeke and tender soules Behold the Angell which hinders the blow and cries with a high voice ABRAHAM AERAHAM stay thy hand strike not thy childe ABRAHAM stayes and falls on his knees rauished with pleasure and admiration The Angell shewes him a Ramme caught in the bush by the hornes to burne in the Holocaust instead of Isaak Abraham goes and puts it on the Altar with thanksgiuing and so are they both deliuered and both gaue thankes to God for this diuine fauour O great God thy name be blessed as well in this thy command as in thy countermand thereof O thou art wise in both and good in both O how well thou knowest to make triall of the faith and loue of those that thou louest and mightily to deliuer them from paine and to set them in repose 1. ISAAK AND THE RAMME SACRIFIced a Figure of the death of our Sauiour and of the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body NO person doubts that the Sacrifice made in the person of Isaak and the Ramme containes the Figure of the death of our Sauiour the resemblance consists in these points which Saint Augustine in one of his Sermons no lesse piously then eloquently obserueth S. Aug. Serm. 7. de Temp. Abraham giueth his sonne in Sacrifice and his sonne Isaak also giueth himselfe God the Father gaue his Sonne for our redemption and Iesus Christ for the same cause gaue himselfe to his Father Isaak carrieth his wood to the Mountaine Iesus Christ carrieth his Crosse to Mount Caluary which is the very same Mountaine whereon Isaak was offered saith the same Doctor hauing learned it of Saint Hierom S. Aug. Serm. 71. de Temp. Ioseph lib 1. Antiq. cap. 13. whom he citeth And it importeth not that Iosephus writeth that Isaak was offered in the Mountaine Moria where Salomon builded his Temple for the place of the Temple and Mount Caluary were in one and the same Mountaine though distant in place and the selfe-same Mount Caluary was also the Sepulcher of Adam As for the killing and the burning of the sheepe or Ramme vpon the Altar in stead of Isaak it containeth another mystery accomplished on the Crosse as declareth Saint AVGVSTINE S. Aug. Serm. 71. de Temp. Abraham saith he represented God the Father giuing his onely Sonne ISAAK represents Iesus Christ obedient to his Father and offering himselfe vpon the Altar of the Crosse but the Diuinity represented by ISAAK endures not any hurt but onely the humanity signified by the Ramme hee is tyed by his hornes as Iesus Christ was tyed in power signified by hornes and by his owne power for no other power could master hold or binde him Caught in a bush as our Sauiour was S. Aug. Serm. 71 de Temp. Fastened saith the same Doctor to the bush when he hung betweene the hornes of the Crosse his hands and feete nailed and his head crowned with thornes These are the resemblances of the Crosse to the Sacrifice of Abraham No man also doubteth but this selfe-same Sacrifice was a Figure of the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Masse seeing that this hath alwayes been the faith of the
or at the Circumcision or in March. Before the time of K. Charles the ninth in France men began it at Easter and since at the Circumcision and according to this yeere wee count at this present 1600. since the Natiuity of our Sauiour comming into the world to repaire our ages and to giue vs eternity for time Our Ciuill yeare is variable and according to the diuersitie of the Countrey or condition of persons good husbands and Schollers begin at Saint Rhemigius many at Saint Martin some at Saint Iohn Baptist and others at other seasons but the Holy yeare hath his vniforme limits as it ought and there is little difference through all the Catholike Church Well then God commanded the Hebrewes to keepe their yearely Sacrifice of the Paschall Lambe in this first month and in the fourteenth day of it because this was the nearest time to their going forth and deliuerance for they went forth the next morning after the first-borne of the Aegyptians were slaine at midnight the night before So as the Ceremony was iustituted at that time precisely to put them in minde of the benefit as also the day and houre of it which was alwayes religiously obserued vntill the truth of this Figure at the same time many yeares after was accomplished by our Sauiour deliuering vs out of a greater seruitude and substituting the true Lambe in memory thereof as after we shall see The same Hebrewes had commandement to offer Sacrifice euery new Moone that is to say Num. 10. 28. Ioseph lib. 3. Antiq. cap. 10. vpon the Calends or first dayes of euery month which solemnity the Hebrews called Hodesch as who would say beginning the Septuagint haue translated it Neomenia a Greeke word which signifies a new month or a new Moone This Feast was not instituted to serue as a Sacrifice to the new Moone as the Pagans made it but for a thanksgiuing to God for the benefits of his bounty and wisdome in the gouernment of the world for to instruct vs that we ought to make our entrie into all the seasons and to begin euery action with the praise of God and inuocation of his holy name And hereby they were inuited to honour the Creator of the Moone Genes 1.14 and of all the world seruing themselues of the course of that Planet for signe of times for the which end it was created 2. WHEREFORE THE YEARE OF THE Hebrewes was Lunary and how the Synagogue was compared to the Moone THe causes wherefore God would that the Hebrews should take their years from the course of the Moone rather then from the Sunne as now the Church doth are worthy to be knowne if they were also easie to be found out For it ought not to be doubted but that this ordinance was founded in great reason comming from so wise a Law-maker Amongst many others I finde three The first is taken from the rudenesse of this people to which God hauing regard commaunded them to reckon their yeares and months by the Moone as more facill and easie then if they accounted by the twelue celestiall signes deuised by the Chaldeans and other Heathenish people For euery one seeth the new Moone and all his quarters and the most simple can obserue that shee ends her whole course within one moneth whereas none knowes the signes of the Zodiaque but Astronomers S. Greg. Naz. Or. 2. de Pasch The second is more important touched by Saint Gregory Nazianzen that it was to keepe in order by this ceremony the Iewes from following the superstition of the Pagans who were extreamely giuen to the worship of the Moone for they adored it in heauen as a Queene in the earth and vnder earth as a Goddesse vnder the name of Luna Diana Proserpina whose example might giue occasion to that people vainely giuen and of themselues inclined to imitate the foolish Pagans to suffer themselues to be head-long carried to Idolatry so much in practise in those dayes if they had not some true and lawfull vse of the Moone thereby to be held from the abuse therof against the Law of God Therfore God commanded them to order their months and yeares Feastes and Ceremonies according to the course of the Moone adored the true God in his Law and seruing themselues of the creature to the honour of their Creator Exod. 25. And with like wisdome hee ordained the Arke of Couenant to the end they should haue some visible thing before which to honor God without running to Idols The third cause is full of mystery and it was to giue a secret and mysticall signification of the condition of the Synagogue by the qualities of the Moone very significant of it The Moone is the lowest Planet of all terrestriall and grosse and yet celestiall notwithstanding the Iudaicall Law also was earthly and carnall the Ceremonies Sacrifices Promises and the rest no better and yet giuen of God notwithstanding and therefore celestiall in this respect the Moone is a cold and mutable Planet the Synagogue a Law of feare which is a cold passion a temporall Law and mutable which was to be changed into the Law of Grace The Moone by her light doth not ripen any fruit though shee giue by her influence encrease to Plants Trees and liuing creatures The Synagogue giueth not any perfection by his ceremonies Hebr. 7.19 The Law saith Saint PAVL bringeth nothing to perfection and neuerthelesse vnder her direction and light the children of God did receiue from his Maiesty grace and encrease of vertue not by force of Iudaicall Sacraments as now by the Christian but onely by the faith and obedience that they brought with them to those Sacraments For these reasons amongst others the Lunary yeare was the yeare and the time of the Synagogue Such as are more spirituall will draw better reasons hereof from the treasures of the Book of God whose wisdome is infinite in all things The Christians rule themselues by the Solary yeare because the foresaid causes neither touch them nor their religion We shall now decypher the sense of the Picture and shall see how the Paschall Lambe figureth the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of our Sauiour 3. THE PASCHALL LAMBE A FIGVRE of the Sacrifice of the Crosse and of the Eucharist THE Paschall Lambe did Figure Iesus Christ true Lambe without spot descended from heauen to bee killed and by his bloud to deliuer vs from the death and seruitude of the Aegyptians to wit from ignominie and eternall damnation This Ceremony in certaine circumstances carried the signe of the Sacrifice of the Crosse in the reall slaughter in the bloudy effusion in the roasting of the Lambe and such like Saint Iohn also in the Sacrifice of the Crosse Tem. 19.36 Exod. â—2 46 applieth the prohibition of not breaking the bones of the Lambe to that fact of the Iewes when they breake not one bone of our Sauiour crucified Saint Iustin singularly remarketh S. iustin Dialo
bread without leauen bread of sincerity It is certaine that the Apostle meant the immolation of our Sauiour made in the Eucharist with refection and not that of the Crosse which was a Paschal Feast accompanied with torments of ignominies of distresses and wants and of other circumstances repugnant to a holy refection Saint AMBROST S. Ambros in cap. 1 Luc. When we Sacrifice Christ is present Christ is immolated for Christ our Passcouer hath been offered Saint Hierom after Origen giues the same exposition Orig. S. Hier. in 26. Mat. Concil 1. Nic. can 5. that Saint Ambrose of the words of Saint Paul and the first Councell of Nice saith that our Sauiour is immolated without effusion of bloud as we said euen now Saint Cyril of Hierusalem tells vs speaking of the Eucharist S. Cyril Hieres Catech. Mist 5. Christ is offered to God the Father for our sins Saint Gregory Nisse proueth it by the Figure of the Paschall Lambe saying S. Greg. Niss Or. 1. de Resur Euery man knoweth that man could not eate the Lambe but first it was immolated wherefore Iesus Christ gining his body to be eaten shewes manifestly that there was before a true and entire immolation Saint AVGVSTINE Iesus Christ S. Aug ep 23. ad Bonis hauing been once immolated in himselfe is he not neuerthe lesse immolated for the people euery day After the same language speake the other Doctors of the Church of God whom it is not needfull to cite we ought rather to admire heere the infinite power wisdom and bounty of our Redeemer in that he will vouchsafe to giue himselfe in such a fashion for the benefit of his members and that so much the more because the gift surpasseth not onely our merits but euen our thoughts For who could euer dare to hope who would euer thinke that he would so much abase himselfe after his triumphant Ascension that he would become meate for vs To apparell himselfe with mortality to make vs immortall To take a mortall Robe vpon him for to giue vs an immortall garment Is hee not truely all puissant in this effect all wise in this ordinance and al good in this charity As who for example would euer haue expected those other things which now wee see are come to passe if they were not done alreadie Who would haue thought that this selfe-same Sonne of God equall in all things to his Father immortall impossible most rich Creator and nourishers of all creatures could haue had the power and will to make himselfe Man a mortall man a needy little Insant sucking the breast of a Virgin to giue himselfe afterwards on the Crosse remaining alwayes what hee was before Who without particuler reuelation would euer haue thought this Wee know that he would doe it and that he hath done it and we admire it in our attentiue silence Admire then likewise the same God for that he giueth and continueth to giue his glorious body hidden vnder such base elements impassible vnder corruptible garments immortall vnder the robe of immortality and a great Creator vnder the cottage of a little creature a great God vnder the forme of a little Lambe 6. HOW THE PASCHALL LAMBE sheweth the vse and end of the Eucharist THere is yet one noble consideration more in the Paschall Lambe which shewes the vse and the end for which our Sacrifice was ordained The Paschall Lambe was instituted in signe of the deliuery of the Iewes Exod. 8.12.12 and in memory of it For they immolated it about the euening at the going downe of the Sunne and did eate it a little after towards night Deut. 16. and at midnight following was the Pasque or the Fast that is to say the passage of our Lord when passing thorow Aegypt hee slew by the hand of his reuenging Angell all the first borne which was the great blow he gaue for the deliuerance of the Iewes that was to follow the next day and Moses by the ordinance of God aduertised the Iewes to teach their posterity that this Sacrifice of the Lambe was commanded in memory of this deliuerance Exod. 12.14.26 Wherefore this was a signe of the benefit to be receiued and a memoriall thereof after it was receiued The resemblance of this Figure hath been perfectly accomplished in the verity For our Sauiour ordained the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body vpon the euening of that night in which he was taken to be crucified the next morning and passe from this world into another to stisle by his death the true first-borne of Aegypt to wit the sinnes of mankinde and to bury afterwards in his precious bloud as within the depth of a red-Sea of his infinite merits the powers of hell for the true deliuerance of his Elect. This Sacrifice then was a signe of the victory which was to be gotten and a memoriall of the same after it was gained this our Sauiour signified when instituting the same he foretold the Apostles of his death and commanded them to doe what hee had done in remembrance of him Doe this in remembrance of me that is to say Luc. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 celebrate this Sacrifice in remembrance of that I shall haue done for your redemption For as the night which followed the institution of the Paschall Lambe was the great Vigil and immediate signe of the deliuerance of the Hebrewes so also the midnight of our Sauiour which followed the institution of this Sacrifice was the great brunt and the immediate ensigne of our redemption The time of this midnight was at ful midday whē he moūted on the Crosse to encounter the enemy and to ouerthrow our sins with out-stretched armes this was a profound midnight indeed of spirituall darknesse in which they were buried which procured his death a midnight also of corporall darknesse for the Sunne and the Moone enraged with the indignity of such a crime committed against the person of their Creator were suddenly colypsed and caused a profound darknesse extraordinary and a dreadfull night in the midst of the day And as the Ceremony of the Paschall Lambe continued in memory of the good receiued in Aegypt so long as the Synagogue endured So in like maner the Sacrifice of the Masse was instituted to continue in memory of the victorious Passion of our Lord so long as the Church shall be militant heere on earth and this is it which Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 11.26 writing to the Christians of Gorinth As often as you shall eate of this Bread and drinke of this Chalice you shew the death of the Lord vntill he come that is to say euen vntill the great day 7. OF THE CEREMONIES VSED IN eating the Paschall Lambe THere were a great number of Mysticall Ceremonies vsed in eating of the Iewes Paschall Lambe which in their shadowes Figure to vs the truth of ours and together instruct vs how we ought to eate it for to draw substance of life from it The Iewes
the humility of our sense and iudgement which in this Mystery is altogether blinde so often we purchase new strength and new grace to beleeue the omnipotencie of our God And herehence it is that the holy Fathers S. Iustin S. Ireneus S. Chrysostoms S. Iustin Apol. 2. S. Iren. l. 4. c. 34. S. Chrysost bom 16. ad Pap. Annâ— bom 83. in Maâ—â—h S. Ambros lib. 4 â—â—it mist c â—9 9 S. Cyprian lib. 〈◊〉 Corn. Dom. S. August in Psal 33. S. Ambrose S. Cyprian S. Agustine and other Doctors so often as they either speake or write of the Eucharist alwayes inculcate with vs the Almightie power of God and obiect it to Heretikes as a certaine Marke of his powerfulnesse And as the Patriarkes and Prophets when they would shew that God is Almighty call him Creator of heauen and of earth Euen so the holy Doctors when they will extoll the almightinesse of our Sauiour alledge euer this his chiefe worke and as the Diuell of old perswaded certaine misinformed Philosophers to write that the world was not created but that it was eternall without beginning to weaken so much our faith in the omnipotencie of the Creator So in our age hath he raised certaine hereticall spirits which deny the presence of the body of our Sauiour in this Sacrament by their heresie to take away and to deface this most noble marke or signe of his omnipotency and to ouerthrow a most strong pillar of our Faith and the most beautifull ornament of Christian Religion 21. OF THE GOODNES OF OVR SAuiour in this Sacrament THe contemplation of the omnipotency and goodnes of God makes vs admire and loue him We haue giuen some documents of his omnipotency in this Sacrament let vs say one word of his goodnesse in the fame It is an argument of our loue to giue our goods to his behoofe and profit vpon whom we bestow them So God hath shewed himselfe to loue man by giuing him a being and creating the world for him It is an argument of greater loue to giue his owne substance for he that giueth of his proper bloud out of his body shewes himselfe more louing then he which makes neuer so great a present out of his purse Almighty God hath giuen his onely Sonne Ioan. 3.16 substance of his substance and the Sonne also hath giuen himselfe vnto vs ioyning in alliance his Diuinity to the Family of our Father Adam and making himselfe our brother so to worke our Saluation could he haue tyed himselfe to vs by any more straite bond and giuen himselfe more amorously then in giuing himselfe wholly to vs and making himselfe one with vs to deifie vs with himselfe and make vs heires of his glory Well then as in the Incarnation he hath made a gift of his Diuinity to man so in this Sacrament he hath bestowed vpon vs his Humanitie 〈◊〉 hath giuen it once to death in a bloudy Sacrifice and from time to time he ceaseth not to giue it for meat to apply vnto vs the fruit of his redemption he maried his Diâ—â—nity to our Humanity when he made himselfe man he â—â—arieth his humanity to ours when he giueth it to vs in this Sacrament For the flesh of our Sauiour heere is holily vnited to ours to make it both chast and fruitfull in bringing forth good workes and the same flesh is also a most diuine dish of his nuptiall feast to feed and fat our soules with celestiall vertues and to giue immortality to our bodies O sweet Iesus what goodnesse is this and what an effect of inflamed loue that thou vouchsafest to ioyne thy selfe by two so straite knots of Mariage and of Meate to so base and so miserable persons as we are the Lord to his scruants the King to his vassals the Creator to his creatures God to wretched poore sinners O what loue is this of thine in this diuine Mariage and Food What King would euer take for his Spouse a poore vassall of his And what father would feede his children with his owne body We see that mothers nourish their children with their milke which is a white bloud but what mother euer nourished her children with her proper flesh O diuine mariage O diuine banquet O wicked abuser and immortall enemie of Man which hast troubled this marriage and this banquet substituting in the place of this true Bridegroome 1. Reg. 19.13 and this true Dauid and this deified flesh an Idoll of Bakers bread But this thou hast done in the Church which thou hast falsly intituled Resormed and not in the Church of God Thou hast done it I say in a Synagogue of such misbeleeuers as haue chosen rather to lend their eares to the lyes of thy vanity then to beleeue the sacred and holy words of verity not in that Church 1. Tim. 3.15 pillar of truth Spouse which cannot erre assisted with the true Spirit Shee knoweth full well her Spouses voice and manner of proceedings she knoweth the goodnesse of his Table and will beware how shee forgoe it shee knoweth the Son omnipotent made for vs Emanuell Esay â— 14 that is to say God with vs when he was made Man liuing with vs and speaking with vs in his proper person but especially when he giueth himselfe vnto vs in this nuptiall banquet heere wherein more then euer or any where else he is indeed Emanuell For when he conuersed with vs mortall and visible it was but for a littla time the vnion was lesse with fewer people and that in Iury onely but by this Sacrament he is euer most straitely vnited as Spouse and Food with all them that will marrie themselues with him and feed vpon him and this not in one onely Land but in so many places as this Catholike and Vniuersall Church adores her Spouse euen from the East to the West from the South to the North and through all the earth An husband when he departs from his wife a father from his children a friend from his friends signifies his loue more then euer makes a feast leaues a pretious remembrance and shewes that departing hee would leaue himselfe still present if he could possibly be in many places at once Iesus Christ hath accomplished all this after a diuine manner for vpon the end of his passion and of his departure from this world hee shewed his feruent loue to his children Hauing loued his owne which were in the world Ioan. 13.1 saith Saint IOHN he loued them to the end that is to say he shewed them his loue more then euer before He likewise made his banquet with singuler signification of loue saying I haue greatly desired to eate this Pasque with you not the Moysaicall but the truth of the Moysaicall wherein he himselfe was the Lambe Finally for a Ring of remembrance he hath left his proper body and his owne selfe to be alwayes present with his friends in the manner aforesaid and to be for euer their Emanuell 22. CHARITIE
to be cut in peeces but spiritually of a liuely flesh which my Spirit will make present to be giuen in a spirituall manner without death or detriment as he wrought the conception of this same body in the wombe of the Virgin without carnall operation and without any hurt to her Virginity 11. THE MASSE BEGAN TO BE CELEbrated by the Apostles at Pentecost IT was then at Pentecost that the Apostles new Sacrificers did giue beginning to the practise of a new Sacrifice in the new Law offering a full and sufficient Oblation and celebrating the Messe with a pacifying Hoist of the bread from heauen and of the immortall Lambe Saint Iames was one of the first that offered in Hierusalem as all Antiquity witnesseth and after him the other Apostles both in Hierusalem and elsewhere Then began this diuine and first troupe as the first fruites of the Spirit of Grace to eate these delitious Cakes promised at the comming of the Messias and to communicat not once a yeare onely or once a month or once a weeke but euery day for it was a food they had neuer eaten of before exceeding delight full to the taste and these good foules had a continual appetite Aâ—â— 2. They were perseuerant saith the Scripture in the doctrâ—ne of the Apostles in the communion of the breaking of bread and in prayer They went to it euery day but this was after that the holy Ghost was descended For before it was said onely that they did perseuer in prayer they communicated euery day after the descent of the holy Ghost Great worker of this mystery Spirit which brought celestiall fier into their stomackes quicknesse to their tongues charity to their harts did let forth the pure water foretold by the ancient Lauarites of Salomons Temple Fountaine of Dauid Fzech 36.25 Ioel. 3 2â— Zach. 13.1 water of Grace and of the Sacrament of Baptisme of Penance and the rest appropriated to cleanse the entrals and the feete of the Hoasts to be offered and of the Offerers themselues that is to say to purifie the hearts the actions intentions and affections of them which offered the Sonne of God their good workes and themselues as whole burnt Sacrifices vpon the Altar of his Maiesty O if Moses had been at this Pentecost at this new Oblation and Sacrament of truth whereof so long before he had drawne the Picture With what reuerence would hee haue adored it O if Dauid could haue had a place at the table of this pacifique Bread and of this immortall Wine as he had in the ancient Sacrifices with what appetite would he haue fed vpon this celestial flesh and with how earnest desire would he haue said of this diuine drinke Psal 115. I will take the cup of salnation and call vpon the name of the most high If Salomon after hauing finished his magnificent Temple had had this body for to haue offred it to God after the manner of Melchisedech without effusion of bloud and without death how much more rich and honorable would he haue thought the dedicating of that Temple in respect of this Sacrifice alone then in regard of thousands of Oxen sheepe and Bulles burnt vpon the Altar of Holocausts O Christian soules lifted vp by contemplation acknowledge the gift of your Lord often celebrate this Pentecost offer this oblation take the first fruits of this deified Wheate and offer him yours to the end that one day you may haue place at the Table of felicitie where this same Lord shal be both the meate and the drinke of that banquet THE NINTH PICTVRE THE BREAD OF ELIAS The Description HAVE you not compassion of this good Elias 1. Reg. 19. â— who sleepeth vnder the shadow of this Iuniper tree more resembling one dead then a man sleeping Behold his face pale and wanne and bathed with a cold sweat his head carelessely bending towards the earth vpon the left side his eyes halfe open his armes cast heere and there and no signe of breath in his mouth and all his body stretched out as if he were yeelding vp the ghost Surely a little before being as it were beside himselfe with feare and ouercome with wearinesse hee asked of God if it were his good pleasure to take him out of this world that he might be deliuered once for all from the griefes that his soule felt by reason of the persecution of this cruell Tygresse Iezabel who had sworne by her gods that shee would put him to death within foure and twenty houres and in the feruour of his Prayer he is fallen a sleepe vnder this shrubbe where he is but euill accommodated either for shadow or any rest or repose for it is little and the leaues are like so many thornes which doe not keepe off the Sunne but pricke and pierce the flesh and the earth is sowed round about him Wherby I coniecture that the holy man without election or choise cast himselfe downe where he was finding himselfe in a manner out of breath and where the feeblenesse of his body had placed him But God who hath alwayes his eyes open to behold the paines of his seruants and his armes stretched out for their deliuerance hath sent for his comfort and succour this heauenly youth who stands hard by him with bread baked vpon the cinders â— â—â—g 19.5.6 and a pot of water It is an Angell in figure and shape of a man for so the Spirits commonly appeare vnto men The Painter hath made his visage bright in forme of lightning representing by this sudden flash his spirituall and subtill nature his lockes flying backe behinde are of a golden colour he hath also wings set on his backe according as the Scripture it selfe doth paint them forth to signifie the Swistnesse of their motion You see them vnequally spred forth in the ayre the one of them shewing the inside the other the outside wonderfully faire artificially drawne The two great feathers guides of the rest are of a bright greene colour as the wing of a Peacock the other next to them are intermingled with yellow oring-tawnie red and blew after the fashion of a Rainbow the little feathers which cloath the quills of both these and of the others that follow in diuers rankes are of diuers colours as the former the downe which couers the backe of the wing is like a heape of little small scales of diuers colours sette vpon cotten His garment is a stole of fine linnen embrodered with a curious work all about The refection which he brought for this good Prophet seemes not great at the first show consisting onely of bread and water which are the two most common and vulgar parts of the food of man but experience will shew that it is a diuine meat and drinke for Elias shall by it be sustained and fortified to walke the space of forty dayes and forty nights vntill that he come to the wonderfull Mountaine where of old God gaue the Tables of
and food bestowing vpon her his Humanity and Diuinitie giuing himselfe and all that he is and that in a manner so diuine and so agreeable to our infirmity That which he did for Elias was it any more then a Picture a representation and a shadow compared to the liuely Image to the truth and to the Body Who shall then O Lord be able to vtter yea or to conceiue thy wisdome in this Bread thy omnipotent greatnesse in this mystery thy infinite mercy in this Feast And what can seeble mortall creatures doe but fumble in speaking and admire in silence the height of thy Councells and the sweetnesse of thy Graces and thanke thee from the bottome of their hearts in humbly confessing their owne insufficiency THE TENTH PICTVRE THE PROPITIATORY SACRIFICE The Description THE Iewish Priest commeth to offer the yearely Propitiatory Sacrifice Leuit. 4.6.7 there with to appease God and obtaine of him grace and pardon for his owne sinnes and for the sinnes of the people One of them hath caried the bloud of the Victime to the Altar of Perfumes placed before the doore of the Sanctuary called Holy of Holies where the Arke of God is and the flesh of that Victime together with the head and skinne was consumed with fier out of the City of Ierusalem no body eating thereof They that burnt it wash themselues without the gates of the Towne for that according to the Law they were reputed vncleane by this seruice and could not enter againe into the company of their brethren vntill they were purified by the water of Expiation There is also in this Picture represented another Sacrifice for sinne but in ceremonies much differing from the former For this is iterated daily and the bloud of the Victime is not carried into the Sanctuary but is offered vpon the Altar of Holocausts in a basen of gold as you see The men of the Priestly linage doe eate in this roome apart the flesh of the Hoast and are sanctified whereas in the other Sacrifice all was consumed by fier and they were vncleane which burnt it as hath been said There is not any woman neither any vncleane man admitted to this banquet for the Law receiued none but men and those sanctified 1. THREE KINDS OF SACRIFICES VVEE haue said elsewhere that there were three kindes of Sacrifices obscurely practised in the Law of Nature and expresly ordained in that of Moses The first was the Sacrifice of Holocaust the second of thanksgiuing the third Propitiatory for the appeasing of God In this last Sacrifice three kindes of beasts might lawfully be offred Bulls sheepe or Goats and three kinds of birds Pigeons Sparowes or Turtles All of them figured either the Sacrifice of the Crosse or that of the Masse or both together The first then of which mention is made in the present Picture signified manifestly the Sacrifie of the Crosse and the second that of the Eucharist Let vs see the resemblance betweene them 2. OF THE PROPITIATORY SACRIFICE which Properly signifies that of the Crosse IF we attentiuely consider the Figure wee shall easily see the resemblance it hath with the truth The first Propitiatory Sacrifice was offered but once a yeare and no more painting forth thereby the one onely Sacrifice of the Crosse Leuit. 25.10.11 Luke 4.19 which was offered but once in the yeare of our Sauiour that is to say during his life which was the yeare and time of the true Iubily of our Lord and so offered as it might neuer be reiterated This is Saint Pauls discourse writing to the Hebrewes In this will saith he we are iustified by the Oblation of the body of Iesus Christ once made And afterwards hauing shewed that the Iewish Priests could not take away sin with their bloudy Sacrifices he addeth Hebr. 10 10 But Iesus Christ hauing offered one Hoast for sins sâ—teth now for euer at the right hand of God This Sacrifice then could not be reiterated our Sauior hauing so triumphed ouer death as he could die no more neither was it necessary The second circumstance was that in this yearely Sacrifice the bloud of the Victime of Propitiation was carried and set vpon the Altar of Incense seated before the Sanctuary a Figure of heauen as Saint Paul allegoriseth The bloud of our Sauiour also that is to say the price of his bloud was carried vp to heauen and set before the eyes of God Who in consideration of that bloud shed for men to his honor giues them pardon of their sinnes if it bee not long of themselues Thirdly the flesh of the Victime was all consumed in the sier with the head and skinne without the Campe whilest they were in the Desart or without Hierusalem after it was chosen for the place of Sacrifice Our Sauiour was crucified on Mount Caluary out of Hierusalem his body burnt by three fiers and consumed euen to death by the fier of his infinit loue which made him a voluntary Victime to his Father for our sinnes by the fier of our sins themselues which caused him to die by the fier of those reproaches blaspemies and torments which hee endured in his Passion And it was easie to see how his skinne felt this fier when it was cruelly torne with whips as also his head crowned with thornes and his sacred visage defiled with spittle Finally none of those which sacrificed did eate of this Propitiatory Sacrifice no man also did eate of this And they that did burne the flesh of the ancient Victime were vncleane and were to purifie themselues in the water of Expiation before they came againe into the City They also which did put our Sauiour to death became thereby abominable in the sight of God and if they would enter into the City of Hierusalem which is his Church they were first to be purified by the water of Baptisme Behold from point to point and tittle to tittle the Figure accomplished in the Sacrifice of the Crosse which hath truely wiped away our sinnes and giueth abeundant grace of peace and Propitiation so it be applied as God hath ordained that is by the Sacraments but aboue all by the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Eucharist 3. THE SECOND KIND OF PROPITIAtory Sacrifice a Figure of the Eucharist NO doubt but as the first kinde of Propitiatory Sacrifice was accomplished in the Oblation of the Crosse so the second was fulfilled in some other For if nothing passed in the olde Law were it neuer so little which our Sauiour was not to fulfill in the Law of Grace and if he himselfe hath so often protested that hee would accomplish all the Law euen to the least tittle and that heauen and earth should passe Matth. 5.18 Luke 16.17 before one tittle thereof should be left vnperfected who dare thinke that so remarkable a Sacrifice as this hath not been fulfilled according to all the circumstances thereof And surely the accomplishment of it is manifestly seene in the Eucharist which is iterated euery
family Iesus Christ who held the vpper end of this first bed Saint Peter is next Saint Iohn the other are fiue and fiue on two other beds They are a little astonished and sorrowfull euery one examining his conscience vpon that which our Sauiour hath said euen now in eating the Lambe that there was one amongst them which would betray him Saint Iohn the nearest to him and the boldest asked him who it should be but neither he nor the rest of his companions could know any thing except Iudas who in his heart was twisting the cord of treason against his Master to his owne condemnation Euery one is afraid to fall into this foule crime except the offender And all attend the issue of some great mystery not onely by reason of the ceremony of washing which our Sauiour had neuer vsed in keeping the Passouer with them the yeares before but also because of his countenance behauiour and words for men reade in his eyes in his mouth and in all his visage the graces of a diuine loue and the grauity of Maiesty more then humane and his words full of affection and of wisdome did witnesse that he did meditate some worthy proofe of an Almighty power 〈◊〉 22.15 Hee tould them that he greatly destred to eate this Passouer with them before he suffered not the Iewes Passouer which he had long since eaten drawing the last line of the Figure but the Passouer of his body These are significatiue words of great affection and the affection of so powerfull a Lord cannot faile to effect some great thing He hath taken the bread hath blessed and broken it as before he blessed the fiue Loaues and two fishes Matth. 14. They moreouer perswade themselues that this ceremony is a preamble of some miracle neuer heard of before Being then thus attentiue he gaue to them all that which hee had taken saying 〈◊〉 6. This is my body take and eate He giues now the Cup saying This is the Chalice of my 〈◊〉 of the new Testament drinks you all of it and doe this in remembrance of me They did drinke and as they found themselues wholly transported and ranished with loue when they tooke the Sacrament of his body vnder the forme of bread So now they feele their soules set a sire with a diuine flame by drinking of the mysterious and beauenly liquor of his pretious bloud Iudas alone by his fault made no benefit of it for he hath not taken this holy flesh diuine drink with a requisite preparation The Diuell had seized on his heart long since had porswaded him to betray his Master he had his feete cleansed but 〈◊〉 soule loaden with filthinesse wherefore taking vnworthily a meate so worthy hee hath swallowed death and damnation in place whereof the others receiued life and sanctification Behold the chiefe worke of our Sauiour effected and perfected in fiue words behold the signification and protâ—â—se of a thousand Prophesies and Figures past fulfilled in one truth Behold the offered Lambe in an vnbloudy Sacrifice commemorating that of the Crosse which to morrow he ought to accomplish Behold the Masse and the magnificent â—â—â—ation of Christians which shall endure euen to the end of the world to honor the Creator of the world to celebrate the death of his Sonne and to nourish his children with his Flesh to eternall life Matth. 26.30 Marke 14. 〈◊〉 Our Sauiour rising from the Table goeth his way and hauing like a true Father giuen many documents parsing from his children and saying vn Hymne in action of thankes goeth foorth vnto the Garden of Oliues Hee went long since and is walking there O sweet Lambe whither goest thou in the snary darknesse of this dangerous night thou knowest well that this is the place noted by the Trdytor which hath sold thee for ready money thou well knowest that the wolues are already trouped and armed with crast and rage to take thee and lead thee bound to the butchery than 〈◊〉 O drinke Wâ—â—lome for nothing can scape the eyes of thy diuine prouidence thou knowest that there for our saluation an agony of horror shall fall vpon thee Luke 22.44 and a bloudy sweat shall flow from thy passioned body with extreame feare of thy grieued soule euen to the death thou knowest thou shalt be taken there and bee bound like a Lambe and bee led from thence like a theefe to Execution and notwithstanding all this thou goest thither nay thou goest thither because thou doest know it And what compels thee to these voluntary torments O Redeemer of my soule but the force of thy loue and mercy which make thee goe with ioyfulnesse of heart to present thy selfe to the combate for to pull forth the children of Adam out of the oppression of sinne and from danger of eternall damnation by the price of thy bloud O great God by what offices seruices and Sacrifices shall we be able to acknowledge this thy vnlimitted bounty O my soule what wilt thou doe for such a Redeemer with what loue canst thou sufficiently loue him by what words canst thou duely thanke him and with what honor wilt thou adore him 1. THE ENTRANCE THAT SAINT IOHN maketh by which he declareth the greatnesse of the mystery of the Eucharist which our Sauiour was to institute THis Picture represents vnto vs the Institution of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of our Lords body the noblest actioÌ„ the diuinest InstitutioÌ„ that euer he did after he was made Man the richest present that hee did euer giue to God and to men while he liued mortal vpon the earth and the highest mystery that hee was to leaue in the treasures of his deare Spouse the Church We haue formerly discoursed hereof in many precedent Figures and namely in that of Manna it will bee sufficient heere to note the circumstances of the present history which especially set forth the greatnesse of it Saint Iohn beginning his narration of the washing of feete vpon the Eue of the Pasche writeth thus Iesus knowing that his houre was come that he should passe out of this world to his Father whereas he had loued his that were in the world vnto the end hee loued them And when Supper was done whereas the Diuell now had put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot to betray him knowing that the Father had giuen all things into his hands and that hee came from God and returned to God he riseth from Supper and layeth aside his garments And that which followeth of the washing of feete by which words Saint Iohn taught vs that our Sauiour was now in the vigill of his Passion that he had loued and did constantly loue his owne that he was the Sonne of God hauing all things in his power And by these preamples hee signified vnto vs that in this Euening so neare to his departure hee was to make the conclusion of all his course by some notable acte to the honor of his Father and their good whom
as it was the next day by bloudy a effusion on the Crosse And when the holy Fathers did sometimes turne the words of Consecration into the Future tense saying This is my bloud which shall be shed in stead of that is said which is shed they contraried not the sense which we now giue for they all did affirme the Reall Presence of our Sauiours bloud in the Chalice but they referred the words of our Sauiour not onely to that present powring foorth which was then made but also to that which was to bee made as well on the Crosse by bloudy Sacrifice once as in the Eucharist by vnbloudy Sacrifice euen vntill the end of the world Behold how our Sauiour Sacrificed and offered his body to his Father by these words This is my body giuen for you This is my bloud shed for you And this is the new Sacrifice and offering in the Law of Grace which the holy Fathers say was instituted in this mysticall Supper as we shall learne by the ensuing witnesses 7. THE SACRIFICE AND SACRAMENT of our Lords body to haue been instituted in the mysticall Supper declared by the testimonie of Fathers SAint Gregory of Nisse speaking of the institution of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist S. Greg. Niss or 1. de Resur made in the Supper of the Paschall Lambe Our Sauiour saith hee by his ordinance preuenteth the violence of his enemies with a secret manner of Sacrifice ineffable and inuisible to the eyes of mortall men He himselfe offers himselfe for vs Oblation and Victime Priest and Lamb of God together And when was this this was then when hee gaue to his familiars his body to eate and his bloud to drinke Saint CHRYSOSTOME S. Chrysost hom 2. in 2. Tim. Be it Peter be it Paul bee it another Priest of like merits which offereth the holy Oblation this is euer the selfe-same which Iesus Christ in person gaue to his Disciples and that which the Priests yet make daily this heere is no lesse then that there Wherefore Because they are not the men that sanctifie it but it is the same Christ who hallowed it before Saint AMBROSE S. Ambros in Psal 8. We haue seene the High Priest comming to vs and haue heard him offering his bloud for vs Let vs follow him according to our power since that we are Priests to the end to offer Sacrifice for the people we are certainly vnequall in merit but honored by the Sacrifice For albeit that Christ now seemes not to offer he is neuerthelesse offered on the earth then when his body is offered heere Saint AVGVSTINE S. Aug. in Psal 33. cont 2. Psal 109. Iesus Christ hath instituted of his body and bloud a Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech AESICHIVS of the same time with Saint Augustine Aesich lib. 2. in Leuit. c. 8. Our Lord God supping with his Apostles did first offer the Lambe which made the Figure and after his owne Sacrifice RVPERT Rupert lib. 2. in Exod. c. 6. Our Saniour extreamely perplexed in the beginning of his Passion first immolated himselfe to his Father with his owne proper hands These passages and the rest that haue been cited in the Types of Melchisedech and of the Paschall Lambe teach how our Sauiour instituted the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body after the old ceremony of the Paschall Lambe was accomplished which is the Faith that the Church hath euer held and will hold for euer 8. OVR SAVIOVRS TESTAMENT MADE in the Institution of the Sacrifice and Sacra ment of his body IT was in this admirable actiō that our Sauiour made his new Testament of the new Couenant with his Church amending the old and drawing neere to his death it was a time fit and agreeable for him to bequeath and leaue an eternall testimony of his last Will and affection towards his children The words of the Testament Gal. 4.24 Heb. 8.7 vlt. Exod. 24. Matth. 26.28 Marke 14.24 Luke 22 20. Exod. 24.7.8 Heb 9.16.17.18.19.20 of the Testator are cleare as also the Ceremony according to S. Matthew and S. Marke our Sauiour said This is my bloud of the new Testament that shall be shed for many vnto the remission of sinnes And according to S. Luke This is the Chalice the new Testament in my bloud which shall be shed for you in the same sense he saith new Testament of his bloud making allusion to the old which he long since had written by the meanes of his seruant Moyses and marked with the bloud of beasts to Figure forth this heere that there was made in the Desart at the foot of the Mount Sinay where Moyses as a royall Notary read the Law and the cenure of the written Testament and gaue the aduertisements of the Father of the Family before seuenty of the Ancients assembled by name and before the people that were to inherit In it the goods also were be queathed to wit the Land of Promise a Figure of Paradise And in Figure the death of the Testator also was interposed for there was Sacrifice offered whereby the death of the future Testator Iesus Christ made Man was represented and promised for confirmation of the Testament to which Ceremony that hath reference which Dauid said Psal 49. Iosue 8.31 Leuit. 23. Gather yee together his Saints vnto him which ordaine 〈◊〉 Testament and alliance with Sacrifice The same Ceremony was practised by Iesus when he renewed the Couenant of this Testament obserued also by the Iewes euery yeare in the Feast of Pentecost and by Salomon 3. Reg. 9.25 three times in one yeare These Victims then after they were offered to God were taken by the Priest and by the people in ordinary refection and the Altar Exod. 24. Heb. 9. and the Booke of the Law was sprinkled with the bloud of them According to the trace of all these Ceremonies Our Sauior made this Testament in this last euening in the desart of this world in Mount Sinay where the old was made but in another part thereof to wit in Sion and Hierusalem part of Sina and adioyning to it as Saint Paul said In Sion more noble then the other part of Sina Gal. 4.24 and in Hierusalem a more liuely Figure of his Church then was the Desart whereof Esay hath written The Law shall goe foorth of Syon Psay 2.3 and the word of God from Hierusalem In it then our Sauiour published in two words his Law and gaue his Aduertisements saying in this same Supper Ioan. 13.34 I giue you a new Commandement that you loue one another A Law of Loue and not of Feare as the Law of the old Testament Matth. 26.28 Marke 14.24 Luke 22.20 1. Cor. 11.24 He made the Recitall of his Testament in these words This is my bloud of the new Testament He made his Legacies and promises to his inheritors not of a Land of Canaan as of old to the Hebrewes but of the
inssituted to be celebrated once alone Hest 1. as that of Assuerus was but foâ— to be continued euen vntill the end of the world as the Paschal Lamb continued vntill the end of the Synagogue Exod. 12. as hath been declared Wherfore our Sauiour hauing communicated his Apostles and established the Institution of his banquet in this first refection commandeth the continuation thereof and declareth the end why hee would it should be continued saying Luke 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 Doe this for a commemoration of me In y selfe will alwayes be the Sacrifice and the principall Sacrificer but inuisible I ordaine you Priests to be my Vicars and visible Sacrificers in my Church euen as I haue giuen you the authority of Doctors and Pastors to keepe my place in the Chaire of truth and to feed and rule my slocke Doe this then do this action the noblest that shal be done in my Family and continue therein a memory of the Sacrifice which shall be offered by me to morrow on the Crosse for you and all mankinde Do it in memory of the Passion that I shall haue suffered for you in memory of the infinite price of my bloud which I shall shed for you in memory of the victory that I shall obtainâ— for you ouer the enemies of your soules health ouer the infernall powers ouer the tyrants of your spiries ouer the Prince of darknesse ouer the flesh and the world in memory of the immortall glory that I shall haue purchased for you and for those which will be my members giuing my flesh in Sacrifice vpon the Altar of the Crosse Do this Feast and celebrate this Sacrifice in memory of these exploits continuing it without limit of time and when my Passion shall be once past let it be alwayes liuing and pâ—â—serued by your seruice in the memory and in the face of my Church and as the benefit is of infinite merit so let the acknowledgement also be eternall This is the sense of these words Luke 23 19â— Doe this for a commemoration of 〈◊〉 As well Diuine as Humane Iustice requiteth that men giue praise to great exployts of vertue and that they be mindfull of a benefit that the remembrance be so much more liuely and honorable as the benefit is great Exod. 20.8 This is it why our Lord commanded the Sabbath day in remembrance of the Creation of the world the Feast of new Moones in memory of the conseruation thereof the Paschall Lambe 2. Par. 2.4 Exod. 12. in memory of the deliuery of the Hebrewes captiues in Aegypt The same Hebrewes did celebrate the victory of Mordecheus gained ouer their enemies 2. Mâ—â—b vlt. Iudis 16. and that of the valiant Iudith obtained ouer Holofernes Was it not then reason and iustice that there should be a memoriall of the Passion of the Sonne of God it being the most admirable worke that euer was and the true worke of an Almighty and all mercifull Lord his highest prowesse his noblest victory his greatest benefit towards men and for which alone hee descended from heauen taking the garment of our mortality Especially considering that this Redemption could not haue saued vnlesse it had been applied and made proper to euery one by this memory reiterated with faith loue deuotion contemplation fasting watching and other workes of piety which are the doores by which this infinite merit of his Passion-entereth into our soules euen as the windows of an house are the means by which they that are within doe pertake of the Sun-beames and enioy them as if it shined onely for them 13. THE MASSE A MOST PROPER MEmoriall of our Sauiours Passion AS it were very reasonable and very important that the memory of our redemption were alwayes fresh and liuing in our soules so the diuine Wisdome hath chosen a most agreeable meanes to represent it most honorably and with fingular efficacie to that end instituting a Sacrifice in his house and a solemne refection amongst his children for these are the two principall acts among men whereby God is Soueraignely honored and the memory of any thing most effectually preserued The Sacrifice acknowledgeth God reuerenceth him and doth him homage rendering him thankes for his benefits and the refection assembles and vnites men together and makes their meetings more famous and more capable to retaine the remembrance of things Pâ—st and more powerfull to ingraue and send their memory forward to the future ages of posterity And so wee see as well in holy Histories as prophane that the greatest actions of men of Kings of Captaines and Princes and Common-wealthes in the world for Peace for Warre for Victory for Triumphes for Funerals and other workes of great importance haue been begunne and ended with Sacrifices and Feasts Salomon celebrated the Dedication of his magnificent Temple 3. Reg. 2.63 2. Por. 7.8 which he built for God with innumerable Sacrifices and Feasts the Persians the Aegyptians the Grecians the Romans and all the Nations of the world vsed the same meanes to honour their Actes and make the memory of them immortall Thus to doe is an imprinted Law of Nature and holily practised in the House of God It is no wonder then that Iesus Christ Author of all good Lawes hath established an Altar and a Table a Sacrifice and a Feast to ingraue his Honor and make the memory of his triumphant Death to liue for euer But that which in this preparation is more efficatious to represent this death and more to be considered then all the rest in this preparation is that same body which suffered which died and which suffering and dying had triumphed is actually present in this Sacrifice and refection as the matter both of the one and of the other He hath not ordained that it should be celebrated as it was of old by words and mysteries and by the bodies of beasts but he himselfe would be present in the action Neither more nor lesse then as a King who desirous to celebrate some great Victory of his owne not onely would make it to be recounted and sung and represented by Orators Poets and Painters but he himselfe in person would be present acting the principall personage in the representation thereof For so our Sauiour hath represented his owne victorious death being therein himselfe the chiefe Actor the Sacrifice and the Sacrificer giuing his body immolated and his bloud shed his body as dead and yet liuing his bloud as drawne forth of his body and yet still vnited with his body in conclusion exhibiting himselfe in Sacrifice and refection after a most effectuall and pregnant manner to set forth clearely liuely and profitably the resemblance and memory of his sacred Passion to the honor of his Father and the saluation of his welbeloued And therefore hath also commanded this Sacrifice and Feast to bee celebrated from yeere to yeere Exod. 12. not in one place only as that of the Iewes Lamb but euery day and many
times a day and this in all places wheresoeuer the faith of his name and the name of his Maiesty should haue shewed it selfe and in all parts of the earth wheresoeuer the tree of his glorious Crosse should haue taken roote 14. THE MASSE THE FEAST OF GOD wherein he is singularly called vpon in the Law of Grace and the Christians are perfectly heard THE Masse the singular Sacrifice and Royall Feast by which God is highly honored and his creature is exceedingly helped for in it his Maiesty denyeth nothing be it neuer so great that any man asketh either for the health of his owne soule or for the saluation of his neighbour and so his creature is there inriched by his gifts The Persian Kings celebrated in their Court a certaine kinde of Feast dedicated either to the day of their birth or of their coronation which they in their Persian language did call Ticta 〈◊〉 Lin. 8. as who should say perfect Supper This Feast was honored with such a prerogatiue as the King at that time denied no demand which was made vnto him A custome no lesse wisely then happily obserued by Queene Hester for her History tells vs that hauing spied the season shee feasted with royall prouision Assuerus her husband the King of Medes and Persians to obtaine of him vengeance against her enemies and deliuerance for her people and therefore after they had taken their refection the King according to his custome said What is thy petition that it may be giuen thee 〈◊〉 and what wilt thou haue done although thou shalt aske the halfe of my Kingdome thou shalt obtaine it Shee asked boldly and as easily obtained that which shee asked The Sonne of God is more magnificent in his continuall Feast deuoted vnto the dayes of his remembrance for hee giues not earthly goods but himselfe for a sauing Sacrifice and food of saluation and puts a present in our hand wherwith we may be sure to obtaine of the Maiesty of his Father all that concernes our peace repose safety and promiseth vs not the halfe of an earthly kingdom like an earthly King but as an heauenly King the whole Kingdome of heauen So that the promise God made of old to the captiue Hebrewes in Babylon You shall call vpon me and I will be are you Ierem. 29. is diuinely fulfilled in the Law of Grace by meanes of this noble and perfect Feast indeed for albeit in the Law of Nature and of Moyses God well liked the Sacrifices of his seruants and heard their prayers yet was it with farre lesse liberality and alwayes in contemplation of the Messias to come who one day was to satisfie the diuine Maiesty by the Sacrifice of his body Whereas Christians in the Law of Grace offer him a Sacrifice most acceptable in the highest degree that is the body bloud of the Messias himselfe paying as it were in his hand a full satisfaction taken from that body and bloud the fairest payment that can be made and praying the Father by the Sonne which is the most vrgent prayer that can be imagined The Histories tell vs that the Molessians desirous to obtaine some fauour from their King Plutarch in Themist did take one of his sons holding him in their armes cast themselues on their knees before him neere to the domesticall Altar doing this they were neuer denied Which maner of supplication Themistocles vsed then when being banished from Athens hee came into that Country and preserued himself by this ceremony from the anger of Admetus King of Molessians who long before had been his great enemie and would haue put him to death being then in his power had hee not serued himselfe of this desence To receiue a prayer for loue of a sonne is naturall and it ought not to be doubted but since God is Author of Nature and hath giuen this inclination to fathers he hath it also in himselfe and that so much more perfectly as he is a Father of infinit perfection and loue and that his owne Sonne is the liuely Image of his Fathers perfection and therefore infinitly beloued of him And for this cause our Sauiour exhorteth his Disciples Heb. 1.3 to aske boldly of his Father what they would in his name and by his merit as hauing right to obtaine by this title whatsoeuer they demaunded The Church also following the direction of her Redeemer concludes her prayers in his name saying Heare vs almighty God by Iesus Christ thy Sonne Matth 21. Marke 11. Ioan. 16.24 And albeit euery Christian hath at all times and in all places accesse to God by the merits of his Sonne yet then his prayers are most acceptable when hee sayeth or heareth Masse and with due preparation receiueth this Sacrament For the King himselfe is then present at this perfect and compleat Feast at the which he denyeth nothing that is asked and the prayer being made in his Royall presence carryeth with it credit and prerogatiue to be heard of the Diuine Maiesty Behold the banquet the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Law of Grace figured by all those of old that went before it and substituted in their places the Oblation and Sacrifice of Christians and the noblest instrument they haue whereby to call vpon God to haue the grant of their requests behold our Eucharist and our Masse The Prayers the Scriptures the Garments and the Ceremonies which haue been since ordained by the Apostles and their Successors and which are in vse at this day are not the Sacrifice of the Masse they are onely the ornaments thereof the essence of the Masse and of all this Royall Feast is the body and bloud of the Sonne of God offered in a Sacrifice commemoratiue of his death This is the Sacrifice and the Sacrament which makes the substance of this banquet the rest serues onely to honor this honorable and diuine action In this euening then of the fourteenth day of the Moone the true Lamb was offered the Figure of the old was accomplished the right of legall Sacrifices was finished the continuance of the Synagogue was ended and the foundation was laid of the Law of Grace All which our Sauiour signifieth diuinely by the circumstance of the time wherein he ordained the Iewes Pasche and in which he established the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body which remaineth to be declared for a finall end to this Treatise 15. THE REDEMPTION OF MANKINDE and the end of the Synagogue signified by the Institution of the Eucharist in the full of the Moone EXplaining the type of the Paschall Lambe wee said that the Ceremony began vpon the fourteenth day of the first month of the Hebrewes holy yeare vpon the euening because in that night the first borne of Aegypt were killed and the gates opened to the freedom of the children of God Our Sauiour then to put an end to the old Figure and liuely to expresse the truth thereof instituted the Sacrament of his body
at that time of the yeare a time wherein the true deliuerance was neere at hand as the Iewes Pasche was a signe of their liberty which was then to follow for the next day Exod. 12. our Sauiour was to break the yoake of sinne and to deliuer mankinde from Satans tyranny figured by that of Pharo But heere is yet another mystery hidden vnder the number of the dayes and state of the Moone which our Sauiour by the same wisdome hath also brought to perfection It was said that the Lamb was to be taken into the house Exod. 12.13 the tenth day of the first month and to be offered the fourteeth Our Sauiour accomplished the first Exod. 12.6 Matth. 21. when he made his entry into Hierusalem riding vpon a shee Asse and vpon a yong vntamed Asse Ioan. 12.1.12 For S. Iohn writes that sixe daies before the Pasche hee came to Bethania and the next day which was fiue dayes before the Pasche he entered into Hierusam It was then vpon the tenth day that he was receiued into Hierusalem with great ioy as the Paschall Lambe there to be offered vpon the fourteenth in this Sacrament without effusion of bloud and on the next day vpon the Crosse by reall slaughter for as the sixth before the Pasche that is to say before the fourteenth was the ninth of the month so the fift before the same was the tenth of the month The second part which was the state of the Moone was no lesse wisely fulfilled The Moone had fourteene dayes old vpon the euening of the Lambe for the fourteenth of the month was the fourteenth of the Moone as the beginning of the month was the beginning of the Moone which hath been elsewhere declared The Moone was then in her full We said before that the Moone signified the Synagogue wherefore the full Moone signified that the Synnagogue was not come to her perfection When our Sauiour therefore instituted the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body in that day and in that houre hee fulfilled the figured truth and withall signified by the ceremony of the time that the Synagogue was then in her fulnesse ready to depart as being now accomplished in the Institution of the Christian Pasche shadowed in the Iudaicall S. Ambres epist 13. Matth. 5. And this is that which Saint Ambrese amongst other Doctors noteth saying Our Lord celebrated in the fulnesse of the Law which hee came to fulfill And there remained nothing for the entire and perfect consummation but onely the last draught which was his death on the Crosse Wherefore from that time the Iudaicall Sacrifices figured of ours were abolished before God and the Sacrifice of the body of his Sonne substituted in the place of them all The Law of Grace to that of Moyses and the Christian Church to that of the Iewes Synagogue being as the truth to the picture and the body to the shadow which was also declared by the Eclypse of the Moone and of the Sunne in the next day of the Pasch as we shall make it appeare in the exposition following 16. THE END OF THE SINAGOGVE AND the beginning of the Law of Grace Signified by the Eclypse of the Moone and Sunne which fell out the next day of the Pasche and after the Eucharist ordained THe Moone was eclypsed and caused an eclypse of the Sunne on the morrow of the Pasch and of the Institution of the Eucharist This was a double eclypse no lesse wonderfull then vnknowne to Nature Who hath euer seen that the Moone should come vnder the Sunne when shee was diametrically distinct from it or that the Sunne should be eclypsed being so farre off from the Moone as the halfe of her circle which is all the distance that can be to dispart one Starre from another Now the Moone on thursday euening which was the houre of the Pasche being found in the East and the Sunne in the West the next day at mid-noone shee was ioyned face to face to the Sunne in the same point of the Zodiak with him and as shee ceased to shine vpon the earth so by her interposition shee made the Sunne to lose his light in such sort as there were two admirable echpses of the two great lights of heauen by them was signified the departure of God from the Iewes and the end of their Synagogue For as the Sunne by his eclypse left to lighten the earth and the Moone by hers losing the sensible light that shee tooke from the Sunne and communicated heere below to the world Euen so the Sonne of heauen Creator of this visible Sunne from that day forward retired the beames of his fauours from these vngratefull people and the Synagogue eclypsed in her fourteenth day that is in her fulnesse was depriued of the spirituall light which shee receiued from him and was before communicated vnto her in the practise of her Ceremonies Then was shee at full in the accomplishment of all her Figures and from thenceforth eclypsed with an eternall eclypse being ended for euer and a new Moone began that is to say the Church of Iesus Christ which hee purchased to himselfe the next day in the time of this eclypse by his pretious bloud in the terrible battell of the Crosse where all the Furies of hell and their confederates of this world ioyned together to assault him and those two Torches as it were offended and angry at the iniury done to their Creator played their parts and shewed their indignation on the Theater of heauen speaking by the language of their effects a language knowne to all and making in a strange maner the streams of their light runne vpward withdrawing them from the eyes of men beneath with sighes and groanes of the astonished world 17. THE CHVRCH SIGNIFIED BY THE Moone and of the Pasche and Christian renouation THe Pasche then of our Sauiour being instituted conteining the Altar and Table of the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body and the combate of the Crosse being ended the Synagogue receiued a deadly blow with all her Sacrifices and Sacraments and a new Moone appeared to signifie that the Church was now no more in the Synagogue but in the Law of Grace The Moone hath a generall resemblance to the Church of God for as the Moone takes all her light from the Sunne and sometimes goes before it sometimes comes after it and sometimes ioynes with it so the Church shewes by the beames of the Sonne of God going before him according to his Humanity vntill the time of his Natiuity being present with him while he remained vpon the earth following him afterward and sometime ioyning her selfe to him by the Sacrament and Reall Presence of his body Againe as the Moone lighteneth the night and giueth direction amidst the darknesse Euen so the Church hath euer enlightened the night of this world and shewed the way to heauen amidst the darknesse of Heathenish Idolatry Moreouer the Moone particularly marketh out the seuerall states of
there the food is heere immortall thy food there will be immortall Hee which hath of his owne free cost and charges prepared this Feast on earth for the food of his Pilgrims the selfe-same will prepare according to his magnificency the Feast of felicity in heauen for a glorious triumph of those who shall haue runne couragiously in the pathes of his diuine Lawes Yet there is a difference For in this Feast nothing but faith soberly perceiues the sauour of the meate and the sweetnesse of the drinke humane sense and iudgement seeth nothing heere but couered dishes without power to touch them In that there the meate shall bee exposed to the appetite of the soule to the full in a magnificent and open table and the senses shall haue also their good part In this heere we are mortall growing in the Land of the dying in that wee shall bee immortall without feare of death or disquiet set in the possession of the Land of the Liuing and of the eternall kingdome but who can vtter by word or imagine by thought the magnificency of that royall Feast The great Apostle rapt vp euen into the third heauen to learne the lessons of those diuine mysteries 1. Cor 2.9 Esay 6.4.4 knew not how to doe it and shewed himselfe learned in the confession of his ignorance in the mysteries of God This is a Feast vnknowne to any that is not set at the Table to eate and drinke there Well then O faithfull soules and trauellers in this Desart redeemed by this Lord beloued of this Spouse inuited to those nuptiall banquets purely vse the meat that he hath prepared and that he offereth you in pawne of his loue in this mortall life liue holily 〈…〉 attend patiently keepe your lampes replenished with the oyle of your good workes and kindled with the light of your conuersation to the end that when the time of the celestiall mariage shall come the doore may be opened to you that you may enter to the Feast And thou O sweete Lambe which shall bee the great King and the great food of this immortall table effect if it please thee by the infinite merite of thy Crosse that wee may sit downe there according to the promise of thy Testament and that wee there may liue eternally there to praise thee euerlastingly Amen FINIS Laus Deo beataequeVirgini MariaÌ„ omnibus sanctis A TABLE OF THE PICTVRES DESCRIPTIONS AND EXPOSITIONS OF THEM PICTVRE I. Paradise and the Tree of Life THe Description Page 13 1 The Church of God liuely set forth in earchly Paradise Page 16 2 Of the benefits and excellent qualities of the Church described in the patterne of earthly Paradise Page 18 3 The holy Sacrament of the Altar figured by the tree of life Page 19 4 Resemblances of the tree of life to the holy Sacrament of the Altar Page 20 5 Of the excellency of the holy Sacrament of the Altar farre aboue the tree of life Page 23 6 The body of the Sauiour nourishment of the soule and cause of the glorious resurrection of the body Page 24 7 The Sacrament of the body of the Sonne of God tree of all the earth Page 25 8 Certaine spirituall aspirations of the soule desiring the cleare vision of the body of our Sauiour and a giuing thankes for the same Page 26 PICTVRE II. The Sacrifice of Abel THe Description Page 29 1 The Sacrifice of Abel a Figure of the Crosse and of the Eucharist Page 31 2 The accord of the Figure of the Sacrifice of Abel with that of the Masse Page 32 Of two sorts of Sacrifices Page 34 3 God permits euill to draw good forth of it for his glory and the profit of his children Page 35 4 Abel an Image of the Iust and Cain of the wicked Page 38 PICTVRE III. The Sacrifice of Melchisedech THe Description Page 42 1 Melchisedech the Figure of our Sauiour Page 45 2 The Priest-hood of the Son of God figured in that of Melchisedech Page 46 3 Wherefore our Sauiour hath Iustituted the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body vnder the formes of bread wine Page 47 4 The bread and wine signes of the Passion of our Sauiour in his Sacrament Page 48 5 The bread and wine in the Eucharist signes of the mysticall body of our Sauiour Page 49 6 The body of our Sauiour called bread his bloud wine Page 50 7 What this Sacrament is ibid. 8 What a Sacrifice is and how it is offered in the Masse Page 51 9 The difference betweene a Sacrament and a Sacrifice Page 53 10 No Religion without Sacrifice Page 54 11 Testimonies of the Hebrew Doctors vpon the same subiect that is of the Sacrifice of Melchisedech Page 55 12 Testimonies of the ancient Greeke Fathers vpon the Figure of Melchisedech Page 56 13 Testimonies of the ancient Latine Fathers Page 58 14 The difference betweene the Sacrifice of the Crosse and that of the Eucharist Page 59 15 The difference of the Sacrifice of Melchisedech and of this of the Masse Page 60 16 The good spirituall souldiers are worthy of the food and blessing of the body of our Lord. Page 61 PICTVRE IV. Isaak on the Altar THe Description Page 63 1 Isaak and the Ramme sacrificed a Figure of the death of our Sauiour and of the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body Page 67 2 The height of the mystery of the Eucharist signified by the Mountaine and by Abraham and how wee are to appreach to it Page 69 PICTVRE V. The Paschall Lambe THe Description Page 73 1 Of the time of Immolation of the Paschall Lambe and of the Holy and Ciuill yeare of the Hebrewes and of their Neomenia or new Moone Page 75 2 Wherefore the yeare of the Hebrewes was Lunary and how the Synagogue was compared to the Moone Page 78 3 The Paschall Lamb a Figure of the Sacrifice of the Crosse and of the Eucharist Page 80 4 How Iesus Christ is imitated in the Eucharist Page 82 5 The Immolation of the body of our Sauiour in the Masse confirmed by the testimonies of the Scripture and ancient Fathers Page 84 6 Hom the Paschall Lambe sheweth the vse and end of the Encâ—arist Page 86 7 Of the ceremonies vsed in eating the Paschall Lambe Page 88 PICTVRE VI. Manna in the Desert THe Description Page 93 1 Manna a Figure of the Sacrament of the Altar Page 95 2 The correspondence of Manna to the Sacrament of the Altar Page 96 3 What signified the likenesse of Manna to Coriander Page 99 4 The holy Sacrament kept in the Tabernacle as Manna in the Arke Page 100 5 The Bread of the Iewes beares the name of wonder in Figure of our wonderfull Sacrament of the Altar Page 101 6 The wonderfull power of God in the Sacrament of the Altar Page 102 7 Of the omnipotemcie of God in Transubstantiation Page 104 8 This Change is a miracle for the faithfull Page 106 9 Of the same power of God shewed in