witnesses to be acceptable to him those which are done by you and by your priests he reproves Again Malachy did then speak of our sacrifices which are offered in every place that is of the bread of the Eucharist in like manner of the Eucharistical Cup. Many of our adversaries turn this pure or clean Oblation as if it were nothing but a Sacrifice of praise but first that cannot be said properly a sacrifice of the New testament sith it was as proper to the law of Nature and the written law 2. the Prophet distinguishes between a sacrifice acceptable and unacceptable now it is certain that a sacrifice of praise was and is always acceptable 3. he opposes a new sacrifice to the sacrifice of the Jews as they were external 4. The holy Fathers very frequently do either clearly distinguish between them or make the holy Eucharist to be a sacrifice of praise finally they plainly say that the pure sacrifice was of bread and wine and so called Eucharistical §. 3. The Sacrifice of the Mass Ordained and Instituted by Christ THe Roman Church as is expressed in the Councel of Trent sess 22. cap. 1. Derives her Authority of celebrating Mass from the Command of Christ Jesus in his last supper when he said Do this in my Commemoration as the Catholick Church has always understood and taught and such I think is the opinion of the Church of England in as much as concerns the Ministery of the Eucharist for a man might ask by what Authority the Ministers alone do celebrate the Communion with exclusion of the lay-people from that office but leaving this let us see what the holy Fathers of those primitive times did teach in this point 420. I shall begin with S. Augustine in his Manual chap. 11. where he makes this prayer Give me I beseech thee O Christ Jesu Contrition of heart c. whilst I unworthy do stand at thy Altar desiring to offer up to thee that admirable and heavenly sacrifice becoming all reverence and devotion which thou my Lord God Immaculate didst institute and command to be offered for a commemoration or remembrance of thy charity that is of thy death and passion for our Salvation and for the daily repairing of our infirmity Again Ser. 14. de Innocent what more reverent what more honourable can be said then to rest under that Altar in which sacrifice is celebrated to God in which hosts are offered in which our Lord is the priest as it is written Thou art a Priest for ever according to the Order of Melchisedech with good reason the Souls of the just do rest under the Altar because the body of our Lord is offered upon the Altar the bloud of the just does not undeservedly there ask for revenge where also the bloud of Christ is shed for sinners Conveniently therfore and as it were for a certain society the Sepulcher of Martyrs is there ordained where the death of our Lord is daily celebrated as he himself said As often as ye shall do these things ye shall shew my death untill I come to wit that those who dyed for his death should rest under the Mystery of his Sacrament 398. S. Chrysostome him 83. in Math. For this cause with desire I have desired saith our Lord to eat this pasche with you that is to deliver to you new things and pasche wherby I may make you spiritual he also drank of it lest hearing these words they should say what do we drink bloud and eat flesh and so should be troubled for when formerly he had made some words of those things many only for the words were scandilized lest then also that should happen he first did this that he might enduce them with a quiet mind to the communication of the Mysteries you will say what then must we make the old Pasche by no means for therefore he said do this that he might withdraw them from the other besides if this do work remission of sins as certainly it doth that is altogether needlesse But as in the old so in the same manner he left for a benefit and gathered together a memory of mysteries even thence bridling the mouths of Hereticks for when they say whence does it appear that Christ was Immolated besides many other things producing also these Mysteries we shut their mouths for if Jesus be not dead whose symbole or sign is this sacrifice thou seest how great care he had that we should keep in memory that he died for us for because Marcion Valentine Manicheus and their followers were went to deny this dispensation by this Mystery he always so reduces us into the memory of his passion Again Hom. 17. in Epist ad Hebraeos He is our Bishop who offered an host cleansing us the same we offer also now what was then offered indeed cannot be consumed but that which we do is done only in commemoration of that which was done for says he Do this in my commemoration Not another Sacrifice but as the Bishop we always do the same but we rather work the remembrance of the Sacrifice 380. S. Gregory of Nice Orat. 1. de Resurrect He who disposes all things by his power doth not expect the violence of the Jews as robbers nor the wicked sentence of Pilate that their malice might be the beginning and cause of the common Salvation of men but he prevented by his counsell and by a secret kind of sacrifice which could not be seen by men he offers himself an host for us and being together priest and lamb of God immolats a victim he that takes away the sin of the World when did he do this when he gave to his Disciples assembled his body to be eaten and his bloud to be drunk then he openly declared the sacrifice of the Lamb to be now perfect wherefore when he exhibited to his Disciples his body to be eaten and his bloud to be drunk now by a secret and invisible Mystery his body was Immolated as it pleased the power of him who performed the Mystery 326. Eusebius l. 1. de Demonst cap. 10. After all things working the salvation of us all he offered a certain wonderfull victim and a most excellent Sacrifice to his Father and ordained that in memory thereof we should offer the same to God for a sacrifice After when we have received the memory of this Sacrifice to be celebrated by certain signs in the table and also of his body and salutarie bloud as an institute of the New testament 230. S. Cyprian Epist 6. ad Cacilium Know that we are admonished that in offering the Chalice the dominicall Tradition is to be observed neither are we to do any thing but what our Lord has first done that the Chalice which is offered in commmemoration of him may be offered mixt with wine and water for when Christ said I am the true vine the vine verily is not the bloud of Christ but the wine neither can his bloud by which we are redeemed and
the Christians for that they did eat their God But it is as foolish sport that he goes about to vilify the sacrifice of the Mass out of the Roman Missall which as he ignorantly conceives wholly destroys the essence and nature of this sacrifice for it shews that there may be many defects and abuses committed in the use of the Holy Eucharist Imagining that Christ may fall on the earth be torn in pieces eaten by catts and doggs devoured by beasts corrupted and burnt and that he lies there as a dead man or as one on a dunghill with innumerable such like frequently reiterated It is true the Roman Missal mentions some such abuser but by way of prevention and to give the Doctor more scope we will admit that some such abuses have happened either through casuality or negligence of those whom it might concern or by the perversity of men or instigation of the divell I must also tell the Doctor that he needs not talk so much of Christs being in so base and vile places for I can tell him that there is no place more vile and base nor more abhominable and odious none more loathsom and stinking then the mouth or stomack of a sinner yet such is the immense goodnes of Christ Jesus that he left this holy Sacrament to us and permitted it to be taken by sinners otherwise the Apostle S. Paul would never have said 1. Cor. 11. He that eateth this bread or drinketh the Chalice of our Lord unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself S. Crysostome on that place sayes such an one is guilty of our Lords death as if he had killed our Lord on shed his bloud and in cap. 10. by this sin the body of our Lord is troden under foot S. Cyprian ser de coena Dom. Violence is offered to our Lords body and by their mouth and hand our Lord is offended The Doctor need not talk of Jakes or sinks for one shall hardly find a more loathsome place then the stomack or belly of man S. Crysostome in Opere imperfect in Mat. said well If thou comparest an ill man to beasts thou shalt sind him worse yea a wicked man is worse then the devil With all this or whatsoever can be said of this kinde none can be so foolish as to think that Christs body or bloud suffers at all in any such abuses or defects for all such happens only in the species for Christs body and bloud in the Eucharist is as a spirit by an indivisible and secret manner and so no more defiled then the soul of man is hurt defiled or sullied by whatsoever filth ordure or excrement the body is insected Christs body being now glorified is impassible immutable and unalterable suffers no more proportionably then the Deity replenishing all places of what nature soever or how loathsom soever whence one said not amiss God who according to nature is no less in the sink then in the heavens cannot be hurt nor defiled The body of Christ in heaven is impassible notwithstanding that he remains there with all his natural dimensions but in the Eucharist it is in a sacramentall and spirituall manner without any quantitative or corporal dimension or situation or sensitive motion I believe the Doctor never understood these circumstances or if he did he makes himself a pratler and contrary to his knowledge wilfully seeks to gull the people who for the most part are ignorant of such mysteries Moreover if such scurrile arguments may have place in divine things may not the Infidel and Jews use the same against Christ himself nay some have done it already saying Can any Imagine Josephs Son to be a God was he not subject to all mankind Miseries he lay nine months as a prisoner in his Mothers womb in all uncleanness was born in a loathsome stable and as a childe might have been devoured by the wilde beasts as he might have been torn out of his mothers womb some sow or Swine might have eaten him some ravenous Wolf or other cruel beast might have torn him to peeces He might have fallen into the saw-pit ditch or pond and so be made food for toads frogs or snakes or other venemous beasts if drowned at Sea meat for fishes they made difficulty also in that he was subject to the devil who earried him too and fro at his pleasure with a thousand such like If God then did permit his only son in person to be thus subject to so many casualties abuses and defects what shall we wonder that such may or have followed him in the Eucharist Christ's body then was possible and capable yea susceptible of all imaginable abuses pains and cruelties of humane malice or diabolical inventions what wonder is it that God should leave Christs body to such accidental and extrinsecal abuses by which it receives no damage at all To conclude the Doctor in alledging the Rubrick of the Roman Missal does little consider that he gives no light argument against himself for in all times since Christ there have been such rules meerly to prevent such abuses and defects as manifestly appears in the ancient penitential Canons also in the several Decrees of Popes and Councils besides the great care that no Infidels Jews or Hereticks should be present at the Mass the continual care that the Church has always had that the holy bloud should not fall on the Altar or ground according to the constitution which Pope Pius the 1. an 158. set down in the Roman Missal de defectibus according to which S. Chrysostome hom 21. Operis impers in Mat. tells us that it is not to be given to beasts or Infidels and S. Augustine l. 50. Hom. 26. We observe with great care when the Body of Christ is administred to us that nothing of it do fall out of our hands to the ground Origen hom 13. in Exod. Ye that are accustomed to be present at the divine Mystery do know how when ye receive our Lords body ye observe with great carefulness and veneration lest any thing of the consecrated gift should fall down for ye believe and that rightly that ye are guilty if any thing do fall through your negligence Surely all this care and folicitude could not be but on some motives more then natural for if there were only pure bread and wine they would have no more care of it then the Protestants have in the Communion of bread and wine but because as I have proved before the Church always believed that the true body and bloud of Christ Jesus was in the Eucharist they laboured by all convenient means to avoid such abuses CHAP. IX The Doctors Raillery concerning Miracles wrought in the Sacrifice of the Mass THe Doctor very frequently scoffs and jears at the many Miracles which are wrought in the sacrifice of the Mass thinking thereby to diminish the credit and belief of it whereas if they be Miracles the multitude makes them not less to be Miracles nay if we will
vivificated be seen to be in the Chalice when wine is wanting to the Chalice wherby Christs bloud is declared which is openly published by the sacrament and testimony of all the scriptures which the Saint proves there at large Again in the same place he says If Jesus Christ our lord and God he the high priest of God the Father first offered Sacrifice to God the Father and commanded this to be done in his commemoration verily the priest executes in the stead of Christ who imitates that which Christ did do and offers a true and full sacrifice in the Church to God the Father if he goes about to offer according to that which he has seen Christ himself to have offered Lastly in Ser. de coena Domini which is commonly attributed to him sith our lord has said Do ye this in my commemoration this is my flesh and this is my bloud as often as it is done with these words and this faith that substantiall bread and chalice consecrated by solemn benediction is profitable to the life and Salvation of the whole man being also a medicine and holocaust to heal our infirmities and purge our iniquities 203. Tertullian l. 5. advers Marcionem after having declared what Christ did in his last supper he concludes fieri semper quod postea Jussit he commanded the same to be done always afterward 180. S. Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 32. He took bread and gave thinks saying this is my body and in like manner the chalice which he declares to be his bloud and taught the new oblation of the New testament Which the Church receiving from the Apostles Offers to God in the whole world and cap. 34. The oblation of the Church which our Lord has taught to be offered in the world is reputed before God a pure sacrifice and a little after The kind of Oblation is not reproved for Oblations were there and Oblations here Sacrifices in the people sacrifices also in the Church and beneath he makes an argument against the Hereticks of his time How is it manifest to them that bread in which thanks are given to be the body of our Lord and the Chalice his bloud if they say not him to be the Son of the maker of the world that is his World 130. S. Justin Martyr Apol. 2. ad Antonium The Apostles in their Commentaries which are called Gospells have so declared that Christ commanded them taking bread and giving thanks he said do this in memory of me This is my Body and also taking the Cup and giving thanks he said this is my Bloud and gave to them only S. Martial Epist ad Burdigal He that is Christ having a body both immaculate and without sin for he was conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary permitted himself to be immolated on the Altar of the Cross but what the Jews through envy did immolate hoping to abolish his name from the Earth we for our Salvations sake do set upon the sanctified Altar knowing that by this only remedy life is to be given us and death avoided for he our Lord commanded us to do this in his commemoration 100. S. Dionise Eccless Hist cap. 3. wherfore the venerable Bishop reverently and according to his pontifical office by holy praises of the divine works excuses himself that he sacrifices the salutarie host which is above him first in a decent manner exclaming to him Thou hast said do this in my commemoration next he asks that he may be made worthy of so great a Ministery ordained in the imitation of God and to become according to his forces like to Christ and that he may devoutly consecrate the Sacraments and purely distribute them 99. S. Clement l. 5. Apostol constit cap. 18. Our Lord being risen from death make ye your sacrifice which by us he has Constituted saying do this in my commemoration and l. 6. cap. 23. for one sacerdotal tribe he hath commanded to choose some of the best of every Nation to the Priesthood not regarding the defects of body but their religion and life for cruental sacrifice a rational and incruental and that mystical sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord which is celebrated in symbole of his death for worship determined by circumscription of place he hath commanded to celebrate the same with praises from the East to the West in every place of his Dominion These might suffice to shew the Authority of the Catholick Church in celebrating the holy sacrifice of the Mass and therfore I omit several other places of the holy Scripture and I will therfore make it more clear by the continual Tradition of the Church in those first 500. years CHAP. II. The sacrifice of the Mass proved by Tradition and practise of the Church within the five hundred years after Christ SAint Augustine Epist 118. ad Januarium cap. 5. affirms that whatsoever the Church in all the world uses carries with it full authority insomuch that to dispute whether it might be done is most insolent madness and lib. 1. contra Cresconium c. 33. to do that which the whole Church approves cannot be questioned for as the holy Scripture cannot deceive us so he who fears to be deceived by the obscurity of any question let him consult of it the Church which without any ambiguity the Scripture demonstrates or makes manifest Let us therfore now see what hath been the Doctrine of the Church within these 500. years after Christ wherto as I said before the Doctour appeals This cannot be made more manifest then by the Tradition and practise of the Church in her Liturgies or Masses for what the Grecians call liturgies that the Latin calls Missa and we in English Mass Now these Liturgies do come from S. Peter S. James S. Basil S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose and others of those times and within the times from five hundred years we hardly find any forms of Masses but what are deduced from them I will not say but that there have been some difference in their rites or ceremonies some diminutions and some additions yet none of them differ in the substance or nature of a sacrifice all agree in their forms in as much as concerns the due celebration of the Mass Now because the Doctour alledges the Liturgies of S. James S. Basil and S. Chrysostome I shall take a brief view of these in particular §. 1. of S. James Liturgie SAint Proclus Bishop of Constantinople l. de Traditione divina Liturgiae about the year 430. assures us that amongst the Apostles S. James did set forth a form of liturgie or Mass which Baronius ad an 63. confirms out of S. Cyril Bishop of Hierusalem Catechist 6. an 365. who Catch 5. explicates the most part of S. James Liturgie as of the pax or kisse of peace the sursum corda and Preface the cherubical hymn sanctus sanctus sanctus prayers before the consecration In which says he we pray our most benign God that he would send
sacrifice which is used by Christians on the holy Altars is not only offered to God the Father but also with common devotion to the Son 239. S. Fabian Pope and Martyr declared that the sacrifice is not to be admitted from the hands of a Priest who cannot perform the prayers or actions or other observances of the Mass according to the rites of the Church 175. S. Soter Pope and martyr determined that when the Priests consecrated the holy Mysteries in the time of the Masses if it happened by any accident of sicknesse that the Mystery began could not be accomplished it should be supplyed by some other Priest Again he ordained that none should presume to celebrate Mass after meat or drink how little soever it were as also that none of the Priests should presume to celebrate the solemnity of Masses without two being present to answer him 273. Foelix Pope and Martyr Epist 2. ad Episcop Galliae declared that in a synod he had commanded them and all Churches that Masses should be celebrated on the memory of Martyrs 145. S. Higgine Pope and Martyr ordained that all Churches should always be consecrated with Mass Evaristus also Pope and Martyr witnesse Ivo and Burchard had ordained the same 142. S. Telesphore Pope and Martyr in his Epistle to all Bishops Cap. 2. ordained three Masses to be said on Chrismass day one at midnight 121. Alexander Pope and Martyr Epist 1. ad omnes orthod sayes Veritie it self has instructed us to offer the Chalice and bread in the Sacrament when he said Jesus took bread and blessed and gave to his Disciples saying take ye and eat for this is my body which is delivered for you In like manner the Chalice c. for by these sacrifices offered to our Lord crimes and sinns are blotted out and therefore his Passion is to be remembred whereby we are redeemed and often recited and these offered to our Lord our Lord is delighted and pleased with such hosts and great sins are demitted for can there be in sacrifices a greater thing then the body and bloud of Christ Neither can there be any Oblation better then this for this excells all which is to be offered to our Lord with a pure conscience and to be taken with a pure minde and to be honoured by all and as it is better then all other so it ought rather to be honoured and worshiped The same Saint sayes In the Oblation of the Sacraments which are offered within the solemnity of Masses the Passion of our Lord is to be added that the Passion of him whose body and bloud is made may be celebrated so that setting aside all superstitious opinions Bread only and wine mixed with water are to be offered in the sacrifice for as we have received from our Fathers and reason it self teaches wine alone or water alone is not to be offered in the Chalice of our Lord but both mixt because we reade that both did flow from his side in his Passion To omit others I shall conclude with S. Clement Pope and Martyr l. 6. constit Apostat 23. for a bloudy sacrifice Christ gave a rational and Incruental and that Mystical sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord which is celebrated as a symbole of his death I know some of our adversaries will call in question some of these Decrees but setting aside all other disputes the practise of the Church from thence even to our times and the use of most of them in the liturgies before mentioned will sufficiently convince the truth of them let us now see whether the holy Councells of those times will manifest the same Councels 505. I Shall begin with the Agathen Councel within the fifth hundred year which can 14. ordains that the Altars are to be consecrated not only with the unction of Chrism but also by the sacerdotal benediction Can. 21. allows Masses in private Oratories but commands that in principal feasts all should hear Mass in the Parochial Churches and can 47. commands all seculars to hear Mass on Sundays 482. The first Councel at Tours Can. 2. forbids married or luxurious priests to offer sacrifice to God or to minister to the people 420. The last Councel of Carthage cap. 3. declares that it is not lawful for a priest to reconcile any one in the publick Mass 416. The second Melevitan Councel cap. 12. ordains that none should celebrate prayers or Orisons or Masses or Praefations or commendations or Imposition of hands which were not approved in Councels 398. The fourth Councel of Carthage in the first 6. Canons plainly shews the holy Orders to have reference to the due celebration of Mass Can. 33. Bishops or Priests if on cause of visiting the Church they come to the Church of another Bishop they are to be received according to their degree and invited to preach the Word and consecrate the oblation that is the Mass Can. 79. Penitents who have diligently performed the laws of Penance if accidentally they die in their journey or on the Sea where they could not be assisted let the memory of them be commended both in prayers and oblations Can. 89. it is ordained that the Bishop should prohibite none whether Gentile or Heretick or Jew to enter into the Church or to hear the Word during the Mass of the Catechumens All such were not to stay in the Mass of the faithful 397. The third Councel of Carthage Can. 23. When one is at the Altar the prayer is alwaies to be directed to the Father and Can. 24. Nothing more is to be offered in the Sacraments of the body and bloud but what our Lord himself has delivered that is bread and wine mixt with water nor nothing more offered in the sacrifices than of grapes and wheat 393. The Councel held at Hippon has the same Decrees and ordains that the Sacraments of the Altar should be celebrated by those who are fasting 352. In a Roman Councel Athanasius was accused for having consecrated a Church built by the Emperour without his knowledge and was so bold as to celebrate the synaxis therein S. Athanasius denies the first but grants the second wherein he prayed for the Emperour and was drawn to do it by the Multitude 324. The Gangrane Councel cap. 24. declares Anathema to those who through pride esteeming themselves perfect did condemn the Assemblies made in the places and Churches of the Saints or believed the oblations which are there celebrated to be despised and the memory of the Saints to be contemned 320. The ancient Councel of Laodicen cap. 58. Bishops are not to make the oblations in private houses without Priests But what makes more to our purpose the same is gathered out of three of the first General Councels which the present Church of England admits now in their Articles In the 4. General Councel of Calcedon Act. 3. Blessed Ischirion Martyr accused Dioscorus Bishop of Constantinople 251. that amongst other things he had taken away the wheat that
the body and bloud of God Bread and wine and water are turned into the body and bloud of Christ I cannot omit the holy Abbot Paschasius who lib. de corp sang Dom. cap. 2. says Although the figure or form of bread and wine be here yet no other thing at all then the flesh of Christ and the bloud of Christ are to be believed after the consecration And lib de Instit Sacra Christ did not say that in this mystery there is a certain vertue or sign of my body but plainly says This is my body and therefore this is what he says and not what any one fancies This Authour lived about the year 850. well nigh four hundred years before the Lateran Council Isichius in the year 601. in Levit. cap. 9. The Dispensation of Mystery principally subsists in our Lords word transferring these things which appear into some other thing greater and intelligible 445. Let us now see what the holy Fathers in the first five hundred years did teach of this subject Prosper in lib. sentent In the species of bread and wine which we see we honour invisible things that is flesh and bloud we do not consider these two species as we did before the Consecration sith we faithfully acknowledg that before consecration the bread and wine to be what nature has framed but after the consecration to be the flesh and bloud of Christ which benediction has consecrated 430. S. Cyrill of Alexandria Epist ad Coelest God condescending to our frailty breaths the force of life in the things which are offered concerning them into the verity of his own flesh Eusebius Emissenus about the same time Hom. 5. de Pasch The invisible Priest by his word and sacred Power converts the visible creatures into the substance of his body and bloud 420. S. Augustine ser 28. de verb. Dom. I say unto you that before the words of Christ that which is offered is called bread when the words of Christ are pronounced it is not called bread but corpus a body 398. S. Chrysostome hom 83. in Mat. 11. hom 60. ad populum Antioch Those works which he did in the supper are not from humane power he now also works he performs it we hold the order of Ministers but he sanctifies and transmutates these things S. Ambrose lib. 4. de Sacram. cap. 4. This bread is bread before the Sacramental words when the consecration comes of bread is made the flesh of Christ After The word of Christ makes the Sacrament what word of Christ to wit that in which all things were created c. and infers I answer thee the body of Christ was not before consecration but after the consecration I say to thee that now it is the body of Christ take therefore as the word of Christ is wont to change all creatures and changes the state of nature when he will which he proves by many examples as that Christ was born of a Virgin and the standing of the waters when the Israelites passed the sea water coming out of a rock and such like lib. 4. de fid cap. 5. As often as we take the Sacrament which by the Mystery of holy prayer is transfigured into flesh and bloud we declare the death of our Lord and lib. de iis qui initiantur cap. 9. How many examples do we use that we may prove this not to be what nature hath framed but what benediction has consecrated and the force of benediction to be greater then that of nature for by benediction nature it self is changed 369. S. Cyril of Hierusalem Catech. 1. The bread and wine of the Eucharist before the Invocation of the adorable Trinity was meer bread and wine but the Invocation being done the bread indeed is made the body of Christ and wine the bloud of Christ Catech. 3. The Eucharistical bread after the Invocation of the holy Ghost is no more humane bread but the body of Christ And Catech. 4. He sometimes changed water into wine and shall not he be worthy to be believed that transmutates or changes wine into bloud 250. S. Cyp. Ser. de coena Dom. This bread which our Lord gave to his Disciples changed not in form but nature by the Omnipotency of the word is made flesh 203. Tertullian lib. 4. adversus Marci Christ made the bread receive his body saying This is my body 226. Origen lib. 8. contra Celsum We eat the offered bread now made by prayer a holy and sanctifying body 183. S. Irenaeus lib. 5. cap. 2. When the mixt chalice and the broken bread receive the word of God the Eucharist of the bloud and body of Christ is made And cap. 34. The bread which of earth taking the invocation of God is now not common bread but the Eucharist of Christs body and bloud 150. S. Justine Martyr Apol. 2. ad Antonium We take not common or usual bread and usuall drink but even as by Gods word Jesus Christ our conserver made man had flesh and bloud for our Salvation so for food which by power of the word which we have received he is consecrated wherewith our bloud and flesh by communion are nourished and we taken to be the flesh and bloud of Jesus Christ of him who made man Sure S. Dionise was of that minde when he calls the Eucharist the sacred and most majesticall Mysteries In a book dedicated to the renowned Prince Henry Prince of Wales under the Title of Catholick Tradition made by a french Hugonot I have these Testimonies following The Ethiopian Liturgy hath this prayer We pray thee O Lord that thou wouldest shew thy face on this bread on this Altar bless sanctifie cleanse and transport this bread into thy spottless flesh and this wine into thy pretious bloud and it may be made an ardent and acceptable sacrifice and health of our soul and body And again The Priest prays That God would change the bread and wine of the Sacrament as he changed water into wine in Cana. In another place the same Author says that the Abyssens in their Liturgy which probably is the same with the former frequently make mention of Transmutation and it is to be noted that these Nations do pretend to have the form of Liturgy or Mass from the Apostles I cannot omit the words of the Constaminopolitan Patriark Jeremias in answer to the German Protestants quoted by the same Author Touching those things we that is the Grecian Church see that you in no way agree with us The Catholick Church holds that the bread after the sanctification is changed into the body of Christ and the wine into into bloud by the holy Ghost A little after The bread is converted and changed into the body of our Lord and the wine into his bloud and again he affirms that there are not two things in the Sacrament to wit Bread and Christs Body but one sole to wit Christs body CHAP. XIV Who are the Ministers of this Sacrifice of the Mass IT may