they waite vpon Christ which is the very essence and substance of the court and throne of heauen who nowe dwelling in the Church hath changed it into heauen and questioÌ„lesse where Christ as there caÌ„not but be a multitude of Angels attending his Maiestie beholding his glory as Chrys witnesseth The tenth cause to be the end and consummation of all the other Sacraments WHen I consider the seauen Sacraments of Christs church me thinks I conceaue God as an immensiue Circle without bound or limit whence from issueth six Sacraments as lines who end all in the center of Christs body in this Sacrament or else that the other six are great flouds of grace which water the earth of Gods elected yet all running amaine to the ocean sea which is this euerlasting Challice or else that the seuen Sacraments resemble the seuen Planets whose influences cause such admirable effects in this corporall world all yet receiue their light from that which standeth in the middest I meane the Sunne euen so all Sacraments draw their vertue and grace from the contented of the Eucharist Cipr. sermde caena in ritulo Dionis li de eccles Hieraâ—c Wherfore S. Cip. called it Consummans Sacramentum a Sacrament consummating and Dionis Areop termeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 August tract 1 20. in 10. Sacramentum Sacramentorum the Sacrament of Sacraments For as he saith no Sacrament is present without this and that for two causes the former is in regarde that the Author hereof imparteth grace vertue and efficacie to all other Sacraments for out of his side issued all the Sacraments of the church Another reason is because all other Sacraments are peculiarly ordained of God to this and as S. Dioni saith haue not their complete perfection without it By originall sinne the gates of Paradice were shut and wee all debarde from the tree of life which only immortalized the eaters By Baptisme the gates are opened and accesse is graunted to eate the Fruite of the Tree of life this Sacrament which grew vpon the crosse But actuall sinnes caused death againe and bolted the gates as fast as before the which the Sacrament of penance vnbolteth againe The Sacrament of confirmation peculiarly God ordained for the saithful that therin they might receue force and strength to confesse the Soule of this Sacrament Christ Iesus and all the misteries of our faith denied by infidels blasphemed by Iewes impugned by Heretikes among the which none hath bin more assailed nor more earnestly defended then this and as I thinke there is no pointe of christian religion vppon which more books haue bin written then on this matter How order aymeth at the body of Christ none can call it in question since all the seauen orders of the Church are wholy directed vnto the right consecrating and administrating of this Sacrament Matrimonie by representing the vnion of Christ and his Church consequently vnfoldeth vnto vs the coniunction of Christs fathfull flocke with their heauenly Pastor in this Sacrament for as man and wife in Matrimony are one body and one flesh so by the virtue of the Eucharist Christ and his faithfull are one body by reall vnion and one soul by naturall affection And for that this Sacrament of Christs body was to bee a viation to conduct men specially in the last point of their liues when they enter the harbour of eternall life therfore to dispose the soule to take awaie all melancholie and discomforts caused by sicknes and lothsomnes to leaue this worlde our blessed sauiour prouided the extreme vnction and then all Sacraments end in the Eucharist The eleuenth cause to arme vs against our enimies and especially against the deuill THe common enimies of al Christians well knowne and daily proued are the diuell the flesh and the world who openly and secretly by force and trechery omit no occasions wherein they thinke to preuaile Against them all three our vigilant Captaine hath armed his souldiers with this sacrament How he protecteth vs against the diuell heere I will deliuer reseruing the other two to the next discourses First of all most certaine it is that the blessed Eucharist is not only meat to feed our soules but also armour force and strength to defend vs in battaile so saith Dauid Parasti mensam in conspectu Psal 22. meo aduersus eos qui tribulant me Thou hast prepared a table before me against those that vexe me And what other table can he meane of but this which Christ hath set before all his faithfull what other table can fortifie him against his enemies but this wherein is eaten Fortitudo gentiarum the fortitude of the Gentiles the reason why this celestiall foode armeth our soules against the assaults of our enimies may easily be deliuered for little would it auaile a souldier armed without with helme currats picke or what furniture soeuer if he were destitute of naturall force and strength of body to mannage his weapons if for hunger his vitall spirits failed if he were so weake he could not strike a blowe therfore meat is necessary to restore his lost forces to repaire his strength and consequently to arme him within against the troupes of his enimies So internally doth the Eucharist fortifie vs by spirituall nutrition and vitall sustentation against our ghostly foes The diuell as GOD signified by that monstrous Leuiathan mentioned in Iob according to Saint Gregories exposition like a great whale Gregor in 40. Io. did swime in the tempestious Sea of this worlde deuouring men like fishes casting them downe into that fiery stomacke of his infernall furnaces at last he came to Christ and as he caught for a baite his Humanitie he was taken with the hooke of his Diuinitie In like sort pretending to inuade those who are blessed with this thrise blessed bread thinking to take them naked findeth them most strongly armed and those which he made acounte in hell to haue troden vnder feete by vertue of this bloud shall triumph in Hom. bi ad Pop. Antioch hom 45. in lo. heauen ouer his head For as Saint Chrisostom saith Tanquam leones spirantes flammas sic discedimus ab illa mensa diabolo terribiles effecti as lions breathing flames of fier so depart wee from that table being made terrible vnto the deuill For what flame of fier can more affray then the presence of Christ at whose name all the infernall crew do tremble and shake They feare no doubt that which carieth this sacrament in his breast should foile their forces as Dauid did Goliath that tower of flesh their figure 1. Reg. 17. and slaue with a little stone the picture of Christ residing in the Eucharist they know well enough their dartes are shot against a wall of flint which reboundeth to their owne harme and shame when they impugne a soule armed with Christ yea for feare they dare not approach but as a seruant of Christ saide S. Kather. de siennâ— fly from a soule
winges and he from thence gaue answere vnto Moses and the Priests to all that they demanded of him that thereby the people might enioye a perpetuall sensible obiect to stirre more deeply in their mindes a more liuely conceite of the presence of God then they coulde imprint without it Besides this corporall presence helpeth vs greatly in praier to recal vs when we are distracted for such is the imperfection of our meditations that we cannot prosecute theÌ„ but by corporal imaginations the which wee proue to be so wauering incoÌ„stant that if we fix not our mindes fully vpon some corporal sensible obiect our selues will be wandring in al the coasts of the world But by this presence of Christ our imagination keepeth at home as soone as it beginneth to range this Sacrament with a silent voice but a crying maiesty admonisheth him of his duty that talking with so soueraigne a king he must not but speake to the purpose attend what he answereth Thirdly it causeth vs to humble our selues the which is most necessary for â—eel 25. Luke 18. praier because oratio humiliantis se nubes penetrabit the praier of him that humbleth himselfe wil pierce the cloudes And the publicane for this cause obtained his petition wheras the Pharisie was reiected and what can enforce a man more truly profoundly to humble himselfe before God then this food where the son of god doth humble yea abase himselfe so low for maÌ„ Fourthly in the Arke as S. Paul witnesseth Heb. 9. were the tables of the law the rod of Aaron wherwith he did so many miracles in Egypt and a vessell of Manna that god rained in the desart For god would haue them to set perpetually before their eyes the memories of his admirable benefites he had bestowed vpon theÌ„ And haue we not most liuely represented al these three in the Eucharist who vieweth but the tabernacle wherin our sauiour resteth and remeÌ„breth not the new testament subrogated for the old Christ for Moses the law of grace for the law of feare the two precepts of charity like the two tables foulding the x. commaundements who seeth this sacrament presently recordeth not what woonders Christ wrought in earth how he conducteth the faithfull through the red sea of his pretious bloud wherein are drowned all infidels for their incredulity being made to the one petra scandali a Rom. 8. 1 Pet. 2. stumbling stone to the other lapis angularis the corner stone finally who beholdeth here the presence of Christ imediatly may not easily see the vessel of maÌ„na the foode of his chosen people in the desart of his life the foode of Angels discended from heauen the food that finally must conduct theÌ„ to the land of promise The seuenteenth cause to abolish veniall sinnes IF we were arriued to the hauen of eternall life and ascribed citizens of that celestiall Ierusalem whence there is neither Eph. 5. macula ruga nec spot nor wrinckle that is neither sinne nor inclination to sinne we needed no remedy to wash away our sins but since our habitation for a while must be cum habitant Cedar in a worlde subiect Psa 119. to temptatioÌ„s of SathaÌ„ euill examples of the vngodly allurements of the flesh infinite occasions of offences since we are seduced by so many extraordinary passions blinded in iudgement and feebly in affection prone to vice and slowe to vertue Lac. 3. therfore the very iust doe vtter these voices In multis offendimus omnes in manye things â— 10. 1. things we offende all and si dixerimus quod peccatum non habemus nosipsos seducimus Prou. 24. If we shall say that we haue no sinne we seduce ourselues and septies in die cadit iustus the iust falleth seuen times a day Neuerthelesse the iust are planted Psa 1. by the riuer side if some little imperfection staine them if some mudde cleaue vnto them these cristal streames wil wash it away this blessed Sacrament beeing their dayly foode will scoure their dayly defects For we know well that dayly meate supplies dayly wants and that which either sunne or labour consumeth that meate repaireth so in the Sacrament it befalleth wherewith the soule is nourished that those defects which either by worldly mallice or carnall delights were contracted by this consuming fier are released If Dauid coulde say asperges me domine Psa 50. hisopo mundabor lauabis me super niuem dealbabor Thou shalt purge â—mee O Lord with isope I shal de clensed thou shalt wash mee and I shall be made whiter then snowe If the bloud of kiddes or calues sprincled with isope could wash him so from sinnes which drew all their vertue from this Sacrament so that hee should become whiter then snow how white then shal become those soules from the spots of sinne whose heartes soules are sprincled with the blood of Christ I must confesse with Saint Augustine that Christ washed his disciples feete before he made them pertakers of his table the which did signifie the spirituall washing from veniall sinnes for none ought to powre downe this pretious liquor but Tract 56. in 10. into a challice most pure and neate Yet what if after some indifferent diligence made or for some other present occasion one come to this Sacrament with some veniall sinnes shall not wee thinke that our bountifull Sauiour will like the sunne consume those little cloudes of ignorance like an Ocean sea drowne those sparkes of concupiscence like a magnificent king taking possession of his crown and kingdome I meane the soules of his seruants forgiue those little faults committed and say as he saide to Zacheus Luke 14. Quia salus huic domui facta est This daye saluation is made to this house For if wee consider but the qualities of veniall sins and the nature of this Sacrament wee shall finde such correspondence of perfection in the one opposite to the imperfections of the other that none can deny but that this foode of life to veniall sinnes is a present death venial sins are not main but light offences of god but this sacrament yeeldeth extreame contentation to God wherein his sonne who comprehendeth all his loue is contained Veniall sins dispose to mortall and consequently tend to damnifie the soule to death but this sacrament is life bringeth life and encreaseth life Veniall sinnes coole the feruer of charitie and this Sacrament enflameth charitie Veniall sins cause some blemishes in the soule and consequently distemper the beautie therof by a little disgracing the exact figure and similitude of the Trinitie this Sacrament deifieth adioyneth new colours and repaireth the portraite againe For who can better do it then he that came of purpose to refine it The eighteenth cause to be a perpetuall Sacrifice Priest Sacrifice Religion are so linked together that it is imposible to finde one without the other for there can be no Priest that hath
no sacrifice nor any Heb. 5. religion where there is not both Priest and sacrifice Because what is religion but a publique profession of a multitude to worship god and what publike worshippe can bee exhibited to GOD without a reall and externall Sacrifice For the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be noted that in all ages and in all nations and in all religions they euer vsed some sorte of Sacrifices for if wee looke into the lawe of nature wee shall finde Abell Abraham Iob offering vp sacrifices if wee discend to the law written there will appeare an admirable number appointed in Leuiticus If wee come to Christ in his last supper and vppon the Crosse we shall finde him sacrificing Besides wee may obserue that all their sacrifices almost consisted in killing beasts or in the destruction of some creature as in burning insence or such like Now if we demaunde for what reason did they kill bulls calues or lambes how know they that GOD would be pleased with them what needded he bulls or calues nunquid manducabo Psa 49. carnes â—aurorum aut sanguinem hircorum potabo shall I eate the flesh of bulls or drinke the blood of goates by the resolution of this doubt we shall better perceiue why Christ left this Sacrament as a perpetuall sacrifice for his church Three reasons then may bee yeelded the first because by sacrifices men acknowledge GOD the first maker conseruer and last end of all creatures the which they intend to professe by the externall action of sacrificing because in killing an oxe and burning of him to ashes they depriued themselues of all vse of all profit whereby they signified that all was due to him of whom they had receiued all The second reason was because the holy ghost moued them to vse such bloudie sacrifices to prefigurat the passion of christ once to be offerred vp on the Crosse Thirdly to shew by the death of beasts that they deserued death for their sins that they offered the one to God in lieu of the other By these three reasons wee plainly see that wee in the lawe of grace haue as great need of a reall and externall sacrifice as either the Iewes or those that liued vnder the lawe of nature For need not wee as well as they to acknowledge the dominion and right of GOD ouer this worlde is not hee our Creator our conseruer our last end as well as theirs ought not wee as well to represent the sacrifice of Christs passion passed as they to prefigurat that which was to come do not our sins as well deserue death as theirs did and are not we bound as well to craue pardon for them as they for these three causes therefore and many more our Sauiour instituted this sacrifice of the altar where by the incruent death of Christ we acknowledge the eternall dominion of God and render him infinite thankes for all his gifts as well of grace as of nature and therefore principally it is called Eucharistia that is gratiarum actio thankesgiuing besides we represent most liuely his passion according to that precept of Christ Hoc facite in â—eam Luke 22. commemorationem do this for a commemoration of me Finally we cry O Father of heauen and earth loe we deserue death and 10000 deaths but here wee present the death of thy sonne his body quod pro vobis traditur which is giuen for Luke 22. you his bloud that is shed promultis in remissionem peccatorum for many vnto remission Mat. 26. of sinnes take and accept his death for ours The ninteenth cause to be a sacrifice most like his passion Diuers ancient fathers expending those 1 Cor. 11. wordes of S. Paul Quotiescunque enim manducabitis panem hunc calicem bibitis Cip. ep 3. Chrisost the â—phi occum mortem domini annuntiabitis donec veniat As often as you shall eat this bread and drink in locuâ— Pauli the chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come affirme that this Sacrifice is the very passion of Christ that heere he suffers he is broken he is changed he is offered in a reall sacrifice after an vnbloudy manner for all the greeke texts haue it in the present tence this is my body which is giuen for you this is my bloud which is shed for you Saint Paul hath expresly this is my body 1 Cor. 11. that is broken for you The manner also how Christs body is here sacrificed to god so plainly expresseth the passion of Christ that if there were no other text to proue it the very correspondence would seeme 10. 19. to shew it sufficiently For howe did Christ die vpon the cross by the deuision seperation of the soule from his body Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum bowing his head he gaue vp the ghost What was the cause of this seperatioÌ„ the issuing of abundaÌ„ce of bloud out of his body and there remaining no life wherefore both philosophers phisitians diuines say Anima est in sanguine the life is in the bloud Deut 12. experience teacheth that many die by venting too much blod out of their veins can shew a reall separation of the soule of Christ from his bodie and a reall separation of his bloud from his body here then we may easely infer that in this sacrament there is not onely a true real and externall sacrifice but also the very same that was vpon the Crosse though in maner as shal be declared they differ It is a receued opinion among al learned diuines that the words of consecrating Hoc est corpus meum This is my body do effect that they signifie that as God by saying Fiat lux let light be made light so by saying Hoc est corpus meum This is my body is presently put the bodie of Christ vnder the forme of bread moreouer that they effect no more imediatly than that they signifie therfore by the vertue or efficacie of consecrating imediatly there is only the body of Christ in the hoast without any soule true it is that there is no host that hath not the soul of Christ but that is not by the imediate force and vertue of consecration but by sequele by a following or as they call it per concommitantiam because the soule is ioyned with the body in heauen therfore consequently the body bringeth the soule with it but if the soule were not in the bo die as it was vpon Goodfriday then if any of the Apostles had consecrated the soule of Christ had not bin in the hoast but the dead body as it was in the graue so that by consecrating of Christes body wee haue a reall separation of soule and body and only an vnion of them by sequele and consequence I call the seperation reall for that where the action is reall that which is effected by the action must likewise be reall In like sort the words
Hic est casix sanguinis mei This is the challice of my blod make that they signifie and therefore hecause they signifie only blod consequently they put by their force and efficacy only bloud in the challice without body or soule although by sequele both the body and the soule descend into the chalice for the bloud being in the veines it draweth the veines the veines beeing fixed in the body cannot but naturally draw the body with them the body harboring the soule likewise bringeth it for company As for example the woman of Samaria that drew Io. 4 vp water with a cord from the wel she immediatly drew the cord but by sequele came the paile because it was tied to the corde and with the paile by sequele the water with the water if there had bin a fish had followed a fish the priest out of Christs side drawes first the bloud immediatly follow the vaines to the vaines the body to the body the soule for which sequel this sacrifice is called incruent and is most decent perfectly representing the maner of Christs death and passion The twentieth cause that it might be a holocaust or burnt offering THree sortes of externall sacrifices we reade in holy scripture were in vse among Louie 1. 43. the Iewes holocausts or burnt offerings pacifying hoasts hoastes for sins The first were offered to God in reuereÌ„ce of his maiesty the 2. in thankesgiuing for his benefits receaued or expected the 3. for expiation of their sins The first was al burnt vpon the altar the last were partly offered to God partly imparted to the priests the second were deuided into 3. parts one was offered to God another bestowed of the priests the third fel to the offerers share The lawe therfore of grace being most complete excellent of al others as it required a most excellent sacrifice in substance so it exacted al sorts of sacrifices included in that one which ether tended to the greater glory of god or the benefit of his worshippers Therefore in this sole solitary sacrifice he clasped theÌ„ al as most plainely shal appeare for here are many consumptions in this sacrifice which euideÌ„tly conuince that it is a burnt offering First it is burnt here as Christs sacrifice and holocaust was burnt vpoÌ„ the Crosse that is with the infinite extinguishable flames of his charity For questionlesse as he there offered himselfe and fired his sacrifice with loue to redeeme al the world euen so here his sacrifice burneth with the same affection to saue all those in particuler for whom it is offered Luke 22 Desiderio desideraui hoc pasca manducare with desire I haue desired to eate this pasche Secondly the substance of bread and wine by this sacred action of transubstantiation are not reduced to ashes as wheÌ„ the holocaustes were burnt vpon the altar but so consumed that they wholy vanishe away and leaue nothing but their skin and rinde behinde Thirdly the priest by receiuing it consumeth it wholy It is likewise a pacifying hoast because by it we acknowledge the infinit benefits we haue receued and especially that benefit of our redemption the which we do not onely represent but also most diuinely exercise by this also we respect the last benefite of all that is life euerlasting Hic est pamis pro Io. 6. mundi vita This is the bread for the life of the world finally it is an hoast for sinnes not onely in regard of the grace it conferreth as a SacrameÌ„t but also for that it worketh to the purging of our sins as a sacrifice because in the old Testament goates bloud and calues bloud did expiate them Heb. 9. from their delicts howe much more the bloud of Christ in this our Eucharist exceedeth both the pacifying hoasts and the sacrifice for sinne that it is whole offered to God whole receiued of Priests whole participated of the people whereas theirs for the imperfection of them coulde not but be dismembred Hereupon I will infer that those people are happy who can daily be present at the sacrifice of Masse to be made partakers of the admirable effects of this diuine oblatioÌ„ For if the Iews resorted to Ierusalem out of all nations at Easter to offer vp their paschall lambe to represent their deliuery out of Egypt if God accepted that shadow of this sacrifice as a gratefull obsequie and louing duty O with what deuotion ought we to resorte to Masse what assurance may wee conceaue that God will accept this sacrifice more then the bloud of a thousand lambes or calues The one and twentieth cause to be a satisfactory sacrifice for the soules in Purgatory THis blessed sacrament doth not only sanctifie the soule as all other sacraments do but also as a sacrifice it hath force to impetrate of God many graces and fauours to incite vs to vertue and to withdraw vs from vice yea the blessing hereof is so ample that it adorneth and profiteth the Church millitant and succoureth also those soules which suffer in Purgatory not vnlike the ocean sea which serueth not only for the commerce of men in forraine countries to nourish and maintaine the fishes which lodge in her wombe to fructifie the earth with riuers and raine but also it passeth throgh the lowe parts there concurreth to the generation of mettels stones other minerals In like sort the blessed Sacrament is not content to ioyne the faithfull in vnitie and concord to nourish those soules which harbour in the catholike Church to engender in them vertues and good workes but also it extendeth fauours and satisfactions to them that doe liue in Purgatory that inhabit the lower partes of the earth This effect none can deny but professed enimies of christs church for the protestants themselues generally confesse that the pâ—imitiue Fathers both caught practised such oblations for the dead howbeit impiously they cal this piety of Fathers Pastours and Doctours of Christs church superstition error But what madnes is this so arrogantly to condemne a matter not of mere speculation but of dayly practise exercised through the whole church at such time as pietie religioÌ„ was most feruent many of those authors either the apostles schollers or schollers vnto them or at least that could render euideÌ„t testimony what al the faithfull beleeued practised in those dayes Whosoeuer I say condemneth this exercise of errour consequently confesseth himselfe to be a foole and Saint Agust Lib. 6. de fâ—cerdot hom 69. ad pop Antâ—o in litt c. calleth it expresse madnes to infringe any thing obserued vniuersally in the whol church And specialy without scripture authoritie or reason Here I omit scriptures Fathers and histories and suppose the matter as an infallible truth that this holy sacrifice profiteth greatly those souls which be in Purgatory according to that saying of â—aint Chrisost Non temere sancitum est ab apostolis vs in tremendis misterijs defunctorum agatur
elected vnto him indue their soules with grace bring them to the ioyes of heauen O zeale of all zeales O loue of al loues most worthy of God to permit himselfe to be trode vnder the fee◠of wicked sinners to exalt his faithfull to fellowes of angels O holy Dauid thou thoughtst man was greatly extolled because that God had laide vnder his feete Oues boues pecora Sheep oxen and beasts of the field but what wouldst thou haue saide if thou hadst seene Christ in an hoaste and for thy loue permit an heretike to treade him vnder his feete but Psal ◠Magnus Dominus laudibus nimis magnitudinis eius non est finis our Lord is great most worthy of praise and there is no end of his greatnes O that wee could immitate in parte this zeale of Christ and by gratitude acknowlege this singular benefit Ah who would mone imprisonmēt for the zeale of confessing that faith which hee appointed Who would bee grieued with fetters stinch grosse fare hard beds restraint of liberty losse of life to glorifie him who is so zealous of our eternall glory Ah deere christian imagine to see the Iews or heretiks pricking this sacred angelicall and diuine hoast with pinnes and kniues in contempt of Christ his religion all for thy cause for that he instituted this sacrament for thee to receiue determine whatsoeuer shuld befall to remaine so long as those formes retaine their nature force wold not such an horible spectacle on one side make thee tremble and on thother side the patience and loue of Christ dissolue thy heart into a maine of teares yet too often such cases haue fallen and many in England God knowes haue bin present at such terrible tragedies god pardon the actors Moreouer this sacrament was instituted for many effects the which all argue the zeale of the institutor for hee did not onely ordain it as a meate or a conduct of grace to confer many celestiall fauors vnto vs but also as medicine to remoue many euils from vs for doth not this preseruatiue from prison diminish the flames of concupiscence doth not this fountaine of light expel the cloudes of ignorance doth not this life of grace abolish the death of sinne doth not the heate of this boyling bloud reuiue the remissenes and coldnes of our charitie all these euills and more our zealous Sauiour did well foresee and prouide for in the institution of the Eucharist The second sort of zeale which permitteth no consorts in amitie that preiudicate the full scope ample possession of the heart as pregnantly appeareth in this sacrament as the first because hee that commeth hither vnprepared not so disposed as this Table requireth eateth his iudgement For what reason 1. Corint ◠because he diuideth his loue for in euery transgression of Gods commaundement the sinner preferreth the loue of the creature before the Creator and consequently violateth that fidelity the spouse ought to the spouse of her soule by making the creatures riualls with God the which iniury GOD will not tolerate for he intendeth to be beloued wholie and entirely and will haue no loue preferred nor equall to his The Diuell would be content to haue halfe our loue because by theft hee stealeth that belongeth not vnto him but God who is our Father will haue it whole as those two women which sued in contention for one ◠Reg. 3. childe before Solomon the true mother would haue all or none the false mother was contented with halfe Nec mihi nec tibi sed diuidatur Neither to me nor to thee but let it be diuided sayde shee that would haue depriued the true mother of her right Likewise Pharao was at last well contented that the children of Israel should depart out of Egypt but Exod. 10. he would they should leaue behind them their heards of catel and flocks of sheepe so the diuell would iuggle those soules he cannot draw to heresie or atheisme with bestly delights sensualities that therby he might dismēber their harts diuide them with God But what said Moses we wil go al men women children cattell sheepe there shal not remaine so much as the hoofe of a beast in Egypt So ought good soules to say who prepare thēselues deuoutly to receiue this bread of life we will offer our selues wholy to God bodie soule wits and wils all we know and all we can there shal no part of vs be left vnconsecrated vnto him And indeed let vs really and with sound iudgemēt consider without any particular inordinate affection if my Sauior giue me himselfe wholy in his person his soule bodie by most intire perfect loue alas why should I diuide my affection from him why should I not sacrifice my selfe wholy to him who dooth sacrifice him selfe heere wholy for me since I know certainely my loue can neuer be perfect except it be consummated in him Besides what an extreme iniury do I offer him to prefer any before or make equal with him is not this to plaie the part of the Iewes who refused Christ Matth. 27. Marke 25 demanded Barabas is not this to spoile God of his regal crowne and dignitie and set it vppon the head of a miserable creature For if God be God then hee must be loued as God and aboue all and all for him because so eminent a maiestie the title of creation conseruation redemption iustification and glorification exact it of vs. That God in this sacrament sheweth a certain extasie of loue which is the third effect Ca. 4 THe learned diuines following that notable saying of Saint Dio Areopagita Deus passus est extastim prae amore God suffered extasie in his passion especially for loue conclude that in verie deede our sauiour Christ was after a certaine manner abstracted from himfelfe for loue the which although it seemeth something harsh and hard to be admitted yet in verie deede the effects were such that hee seemed for loue to haue forgotten himselfe his maiestie and glory to remember vs for so saint Paul insinnuateth in these Phil. 2. words exinnaniuit semetipsum formam serui accipiens hee exinnanited himselfe taking the forme of a seruant What is this exinnanition but an extasie an abstractiō from his glory maiestie and highnes he made himselfe mortall passible little subiect to hunger thirst heat and cold labour sweat and wearines who was immortall impassible immensiue who feedeth the birdes of the ayre the fishes of the sea the beasts of the land the lillyes of the field the angells in heauen hee lieth in a manger hungry and cold and he of whom was principally saide non accedet Psal ◠ad te malum flagellum non appropinquabit tabernaculo tuo No euill shall come neero thee nor no scourge approach to thy tabernacle rauished out of himselfe for loue was made vir dolorum a man of griefs Isa 53. suffering so many and so
significatioÌ„ because that maiesty properly we giue kings thereby signifying their dignity whiche proceedeth from their authority power dominion they possesse ouer ther kingdoms This same transferred to God signifieth the dignity he possesseth by the right title he enioys of the ful dominioÌ„ ouer the world which proceedeth from three perfections of God for that he is the first beginning the last end and conseruer of all things The loue of god in instituting this sacrament was most maiesticall because therin he shewd his dominion ouer al dominion that is the compleat right he had in disposing of his owne person as a king should giue himselfe to redeeme his kingdom his loue by al reason ought to be deemed most kingly and maiestical for in renouncing his right he shevveth his ful authority eueÌ„ so our sauior by debasing himself so low in a certain sort renouncing his right declareth most manifestly the maiestye of his loue By ordaining this sacrifice of himselfe hee manifesteth likwise the maiestie of his loue in the aforesaide three perfections For none but he that hath full and complet dominion ouer God can institute a sacrament or sacrifice wherein the contained is God and consequently he sheweth himselfe to haue power and authoritie ouer all that appertaineth to God Besides instituting it to conserue our soules he declares how to him properly belongeth our spirituall conseruation and since this sacrifice tendeth to God as the finall cause of all our supernaturall good he revealeth vnto vs that he is our end and that by possessing his loue we attaine our consummate felicitie Therefore it proceedeth from a loue maiesticall containeth a maiesticall and tendeth to a maiesticall Tenth Glory THe glory of God cannot be seperated from his loue for as all his other attributes and internall actions are the selfe same thing with his deitie so is his loue and therefore as infinite in perfection as the rest we call his loue glorious because it issueth speaking according to the capacities of our wits from the light of glory whereby God is blessed in himselfe besides it is one essentiall part of his selicitie to loue himselfe and therefore wee ought the more to prize this loue that hauing before it all goodnesse all beauty all delight al wisdome al power and in fine al perfections it would vouchsafe to extend it selfe to vs and impart infinitie goodnes as though it were not sufficiently satiated at home It is lastly glorious because it appointeth a sacrament wherin Gods maiestie is exceedingly glorified our soules and bodyes are embalmed against corruption preserued for glory in life euerlasting Eleuenth Libertie HIs walking among the seauen candlestickes manifested his libertie that he was not bound so to one church but that he might leaue it go to an other nor so restrained to any but that he might leaue them al forcertain it is that as he freely of loue without need created this world so freely of loue he instituted the Eucharist and as he created the world not from the beginning but after an eternitie to giue vs to vnderstand that he who enioyed al felicitie a whole eternitie without the world had no neede of it but onelye for our good and his loue he produced it in tyme in like sort he instituted not this blessed Sacrament strait after Adams falnot for foure thousand yeeres after to manifest vnto vs that for our profite and his loue not for any other interest he instituted it at his departure out of this world Twelfth Iustice THe two edged sword which issued out of his mouth declareth the vindicatiue iustice and reuenge of loue because as his goodnesse is vehement in louing so his iustice is exceeding in punishing for feruent loue bordereth alwayes vppon extreames either extremely hating or extreamely affecting the experience wee may see in Putifars wife who as vniustly Genes 39. hated Ioseph for his chaste deniall as before shee vehemently loued him for her vnchaste desite the which example although it be of impure loue yet it declareth the nature of loue For as a riuer that hath free passage runneth mildely and calmely if it be staide from the naturall course it swelleth and threatneth a ruine of al that hindereth the way euen so loue if it can passe quietly wyth that it pretendeth loue surpasseth all waters in calmenesse but if the course be stopped it swelleth and either as water it wil wash away whole citties or as fire blowe vp whole mountaines Our blessed Sauiour therefore in this Sacrament of loue hath ballanced his loue and his ire if loue cannot preuaile reuenge shall take effect for this sword cutting on both sides threatneth a punishment to disloyall louers with one side it cutteth them who refuse his loue by not accepting this Sacrament with the other those that accept it not well The first are Infidels the second Heretikes and ill christians Pagans reiect his loue Heretikes impugne his loue ill Catholikes abuse his loue But let them not doubt since they will not accept the cup of his honied affection they shall drincke the gall of his bitter hatred Moreouer this double edged sword signifieth the punishments God inflicteth in this worlde vpon those who abuse his loue in this sacrament of death madnesse and horrible diseases as infinite examples alleadged in Vide S. Cipâ—libr de laps 1. Cor. 11. histories most euidently declare Saint Paul seemeth to affirme who after hee had reprehended the Corinthians for irreuerently receiuing the sacred eucharist he adeth Ideo inter vos multi infirmi imbeâ—illes dormiunt multi therefore there are among you many weake and feeble and many sleep and in the world to come for he that eateth it not or vnworthily cannot haue the life of grace without grace hee is dead in sinne the death of sin transferreth the soule to the eternall death of hell Besides this dubble cutting sword representeth the mortall woundes both of bodie and soule that it causeth in them who receiue it not as they ought to do for questionlesse as those which receiue it worthily shall bee receiued both in bodie and soule after a more particular manner then infants who receiue it not at all euen so those that eate it vnworthily shall deferuedly be punished particularly both in Sap. 11. bodie and soule because proportion of paines must bee correspondent to transgressions In quo quis peccat in eodem punitur In that one sinneth in the same he must be punished Ah what a terrible sight will it bee to them to see him comming in iudgement both accuser and iudge who irreuerently irreligiously and impioussie handled him by sacrilegious consuming the sacred Eucharist What confusion will it bee to see that face which in a manner they did spitte in by despising his loue what flouds of gall will those eyes poure into their consciences which came once to glannce streames of sugered peace into their soules what an eternall sting will those lips
reiected it and what else do our aduersaries Iohn â— but murmur against this blessed sacrament did not the Iewes saye Durus est hic sermo quis potest capere eum This saying is hard who can heare it do not heritikes reiect and contemne it But what sayd Christ except you eate me you shall not liue And therefore all heretikes are dead in sinne because they liue not by him The Pascall lambe Exod. 12. ASmanna did most liuely represent the externall forme and spirituall effects of this sacrament so the Pascall lambe expressed the internall substance and disposition of those who came to feed at this holy table This sacrifice was ordained to bee a Lambe without spot that is lacking all defects and imperfections and of a yeare old that is in the prime of goodnes Who sees not that the hoast offered is without spot of imperfection or wrinckle of old age either in diuinitie or humanitie in qualities of bodie or operations of soule Secondly this Lambe was to bee sacrificed in the Citie of Ierusalem and where can this sacrifice be offered but in the Catholike church by IerusaleÌ„ represented Thirdly it was to be sacrificed in the euening at what time else appointed our sauiour this sacrament When did hee eate it with his disciples but in the euening All the whole family were to meete at this feast to be made partakers thereof by this we vnderstand the charitie that all Catholikes ought to haue wheÌ„ they come to this altar to eate the common foment of all true charitie Fiftly it was to be eaten rosted and so was our blessed sauiour vpon the crosse and in his sacrament with the fire of charity which he brought from heauen to earth and what else pretended he but that it shoulde burne Sixtly no common bread but vnleauened was to be eaten in this sacred feast Ioyne this bread and the lamb together and loe the formes of our vnleauened sacrifice our lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Besides this vnleauened bread signifieth innocencie sinceritie that none ought to feede here but such as think verily they bee in Gods grace and cloathed with the marriage garment of eternall sanctitie Seuenthly the sauce for this mysticall Matth. 2â— lambe was no other but sower bitter and wilde Lettices and in this Sacrament the bitter compassion candolence of Christs death salt and sorrowfull teares for our sinnes cause a singular good tast in those who participate this sacrifice Eightly the head the feet and the intrals were to be swallowed that is in this sacrament as was declared in the 41. cause the diuinitie of Christ fignified by his head the loue of Christ declared by his feete the secret manner of his being heere we must swallow no mortall man can sufficiently comprehend them Ninthlie their loynes were to be girded to signifie the purity of mind chastitie of body wherwith this doue bathed in virgins milke ought to be eaten Tenthly they holde stanes in their handes to foretell vs that we must walke forwarde in our iourney where wee shall suffer the encounters of diuers enemies and therefore wee ought to receiue it as a defence and a protection against them Eleuenthly they were bouÌ„d to haue shooes on their feete to teach vs that our affections must bee restrained our inordinate passions bridled our preposterous concupiscences mortified if wee will eate the vnspotted Lambe mortified till death to giue vs eternal life Twelfth their eating of it in haste declared vnto vs that his sacrament was to bee eaten as in passage to life euerlasting We were not alwaies to eat it in this forme buâ— reuelata facie with his face reueled in glory Thirteene if any thing was left God commanded them to burne it because he would haue it a full sacrifice as this Eucharist where all is cousumed all is offered vp to God all receiued of the Priest Fourteene the sprinckling of those postes with bloud which was a wall of securitie against the fury of the angell who killed the first borne of the Egyptians who is so ignorant that seeth not to be the mouthes and hearts of Catholikes sprinkled with this bloud and thereby defended from the furious tyranny and cruell inuasion of that deformed angell of hell Manie more morall and spirituall conceits deuout soules may distill from these mysticall ceremonies which God by his infinite wisedom appointed to represent the sacred Eucharist for what other thing could he pretende to what purpose so many rites and ceremonies for eating a Lambe what imported it him that they should haue shooes on their feete eate those bitter lettices vnleauened bread with their loynes girt nothing could principally moue such a maiestie but the maiestie of this sacrament for howbeit hee would haue those people to remember his benefit of deliuerance out of Egypt yet three of these ceremonies had beene sufficient for them Deo gratias An aduise for protestants and puritanes IF so it chance that these my simple discourses fall into their hands for whose tastes they were not prepared I thought good to giue them three or foure aduirtisments that they remaining without the vineyard of Christ may thrust their hands through the hedge and benefit themselues at least by the leaues of the Eucharist since they cannot be pertakers of the fruite First that I inteÌ„ded not here to proue by fathers councells scriptures theologically euery cause as in schooles they commonly are handled the which if I were to deale with heretikes I could easily performe but only briefly to represent vnto the peoples eyes for their meditations some pointes appliable to euery catholikes capacitie Neither doe I stuffe the margines with ciâ—ations because in very deed I lacked bookes but euery found diuine may wel perceiue that what soeuer the fathers haue written concerning the institution and effects of the Eucharist may be reduced into one cause or other And consequently a little reading would quickly haue filled the margines Secondly let them consider how maiestically how reuerently how reasonably Catholikes belieue téach and worshippe this sacrameÌ„t And what difference there is betwixt our venerable sacrifice their prophane bread and wine Our sacrament subsisting by Gods sonne incarnate and their meere tipicall shadowe our euerlasting fountaine springing graces and vertues for life euelasting and their naked supper vnseasoned with grace depriued of vertue spoiled of religion And in very truth I cannot see how they can saue it but that whosoeuer eateth his breakefast saying grace before and after communicateth as well and feedeth as perfectly on Christ by faith as they do Moreouer who is so blind that cannot discerne howe the pascall lambe and manna which represented Christ in the holy Eucharist were much more excellent sacraments then their communion because they more liuely represented Christ the lambe his passion and manna the fruites thereof then a gobbet of bread and a sup of wine and consequently the blood of the lambe