common people and not to displease the Athenians as witnesseth Cicero in his bookes of the ends of good and euill of Tusculans quest and of the nature of the God and Plutark in his book against Coletes an Epicure Wherefore seeing that it was a thing impossible and altogether incredible that our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST should quite take away the offering of externall visible Sacrifice to God for the good of those who are deceaued to the violating of Religion contempt of God and damnation of their poore soules it wil be worth our labour yet more exactly to handle this matter and seeke out how and what visible Sacrifice our Sauiour appointed for his followers to vse in his Church vpon earth which by Gods grace I will do in the ensueing chapters CHAP. IX Our Sauiour was to be a chiefe Priest of the order of Melchisedech and to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in his body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine vntill the end of the world 1. THe Prophet Dauid speaking of the Priesthood of our Sauiour in the 109. Psal and 4. Ver. according vnto our account Christs Priest hood foreuer of the order of Melchisedech vvas to be performed vpon earth and 110. according to the account of Protestants and Puritans saith Our Lord hath sworn and it shall not repent him thou art a Priest foreuer according to the Order of Melchisedech This to be spoken of our Sauiour S. Paul witnesseth Heb. 5. 6. 10. Heb. 6. 20. So here we haue that our Sauiour vvas to be a Priest not for once or for a litle while as vpon the Crosse but as long as the world shall last vntill Eternitie come or as the Apostle saith vntill Christ shall come to Iudgment 1. Cor. 11. 26. For these words foreuer euerlasting are many tymes taken for as long as the world shall last or for a long time as Leuit. 25. 46. Exod. 15. 18. Exod. 21. 6. Exo. 31. 16. Leuit. 23. 31. Eze. 26. 21. And S. Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 26. of Ezechiel and 21. Ver. and vpon the first to the Gal and 4. Ver. affirmeth that the hebrew word Leolam vvhich is here translated foreuer doth not signify the eternity of the other life but the whole tyme of this life or as long as the world shall endure c. 2. The end and vse of Priesthood and offering The vse of Priesthood and sacrifice vp of Sacrifice is as S. Paul saith Heb. 5. 1. to obtayn remission of sinnes but after the day of Iudgment and end of this world there wil be no more any remission of sinnes wherefore it were in vayn to say that Christ were a Priest foreuer in the other world of eternitie according to the order of Melchisedech seeing that in the eternitie of the other life there is no remission of sinnes or vse of Priesthood or Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech which S. Paul further signifyeth saying Where there is no remession of sinnes as in the eternitie of the other life now there is not an oblation for sinnes Heb. 10. 18. Agayn S. Paul sayith Euery high Priest is appointed that he may offer guifts and hosts wherefore it is necessary that he also haue somthing that he may offer Heb. 8. 3. But it were absurd to say that Christ in heauen offered Sacrifice hosts or gifts according to the order of Melchisedech seeing that in heauen earthly Sacraments and Sacrifices which are represented vnder outward corruptible materiall signes do cease by reason of the imperfection for in heauen is no imperfection 1. Cor. 13. 10. 3. And S. Paul speaking of the Priesthood of our Sauiour according to the order of Melchisedech saith If then consummation was by the Leuiticall Priesthood what necessitie was there yet of an other Christ a Priest of the order of Melchisedech and not of Aaron Priest to rise according to the order of Mechisedech and not to be called according to the order of Aaron for the Priesthood being translated it is necessary that a translation of the law also be made for Christ of whom these things be said is of another tribe of the which none attended on the Altar Heb. 7. 11. Where we Chriests Priesthood to be performed on earth see that our Sauiours Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech was to be performed vpon earth as the Priesthood according to the order of Aaron was performed vpon earth and the law was translated vpon earth and the tribes and Altars were vpon earth 4. Neither can this prophecy be vnderstood of This Prophecie not vnderstood of the Sacrifice vpon the Cross our Sauiours Sacrifice vpon the Crosse for that was but once offered Heb. 10. 10. and if the Scriptures here should speake of the Sacrifice of the Crosse it should say thou art a Priest for once and not say thou art a Priest foreuer Secondly S. Paul saith Other Priests by death were prohibited to continue but Christ for that he continueth foreuer hath an euerlasting Priesthood Heb. 7. 23. But as our Sauiour offered himself in Sacrifice vpon the Crosse he was neither euerlasting nor immortall but mortall and dyed and therefore as he was offered vpon the Cross he was by death prohibited to continue aswell as other Priests wherefore it cannot be said that Christ is a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech because he offered himself vpon the Crosse 5. The Sacrifice of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse was bloudy and rather according to the order of Aaron then Melchisedech of which order our Sauiour was not as S. Paul witnesseth saying Christ Our Sauiour vvas not a Priest of the order of Aron was not called according to the order of Aaron Heb. 7. 11. Wherefore seeing that our Sauiour was to be a Priest to offer Sacrifice vnto God vntill the end of the world and that there neither is nor hath been any other Sacrifice offered in the Christian Church but that which amongst Christians No Sacrifice amongst Christians but that of the body and bloud of our Lord. is called the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord as all the Christian Church seruice bookes Histories Chronicles and testimonies of ancient tyme beare witnes what Christian man can deny that our Sauiour was to be a Priest foreuer to offer this Sacrifice of his body and bloud by himself his Apostles and their Successors vntill the end of the world and that this oath of God is fulfilled in offering or giuing to God his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine according to his commaund at his last supper when taking bread he gaue thanks and brake and gaue to the Apostles saying This is my body which is giuen for you to God And in like manner the Chalice after he had supped saying This is the Chalice of the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you to God Luc. 22. Do this the same which he then
did for a commemoration of mee especially considering that these his words are so plaine and manifest and no where els we finde that our Sauiour either offered vnbloudy Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech or commaunded any of his followers to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice but at his last supper and the Christian world now for 1600. yeares hath generally beleeued that at his last supper our lord offered vnbloudy Sacrifice and gaue his bodie and bloud to God for vs after an vnbloudy manner as in part I haue proued in the 2. Chapter and shall proue more at large heereafter 6. Neither doth this hinder the fulfilling of this oath of God in our Sauiour for that he is not visibly now vpon earth to execute Priesthood according He vvho cōmandeth a thing to be donn is said rather to do it then his officer to the order of Melchisedech for when a thing is donn by commandement of another who hath lawfull power and authority to command and vertue to execute what is commanded he who commandeth is rather said to do the thing commanded then his officers or ministers who do it by his authority power and command So our Sauiour commanding the Apostles and their Successors to giue his body to God for vs and shed his bloud to God for vs and they doing it by his authority power and command he may be rather said to giue his body and shed his bloud to God for vs and offer Sacrifice then Bishops or Priests who do it but as his officers and by vertue of his power authority and command 7. The Scriptures supposing Melchisedechs Melchisedechs Priesthood supposed by the Scriptures to bee vvell knovvn Priesthood and Sacrifice to bee well known many tymes say that Christ shal be a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech yet of Melchisedechs Priesthood and Sacrifice we haue in the Scriptures no more but Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine for he was the Priest of the most high or And he was the Priest of the most high Gen. 14. 18. Whereby it is manifest that hee brought forth bread and wine to offer it vnto God in Sacrifice seeing that no where els there is made any mention of any thing he could offer to God in Sacrifice whereby his order might be known neither can it be said that he brought them forth only to feed Abraham and his soldiors who were filled with the victualls and spoyles of 4. kings and gaue the tythe thereof vnto Melchisedech as appeareth in the same chapter and then it had binn needles to add that he was a Priest of the most high and how he blessed Abraham 8. Secondly the Ancient Iewes affirme that Melchisedech offered Sacrifice in bread and wine The Ancient Ievves affirme that Melchisedech offered Sacrifice in bread and vvine as Rabbi Samuel vpon the 14. Chapter of Gen. saying He sett forth the acts of Priesthood for he was sacrificing bread and wine to God Rabbi Phinees vpon the 28. of Numbres saying In the time of the Messias all Sacrifices shall cease but the Sacrifice of bread and wine shall not cease as it is said Gen. 14. For Melchisedech the King Messias shal be exempted from the cessation of the Sacrifices of bread and wine as it is said in the 110. Psal thou art a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech Rabbi Moyses Hadarsan vpon the 14. of Gen. saying Rabbi the sonne of Enachinam said that this Melchisedech was Sem the sonne of Noe but what is the meaning of this that he brought forth bread and wine by this he shewed that he taught the act of his Priesthood which was to sacrifice bread and wine And this is it which is said in the Psal Our Lord hath sworne and it shall not repent him thou art a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech And Philo Iudaus in his book of Abraham toward the end saith that Melchisedech sacrificed in bread and wine for the victory of Abraham And Galatinus in his 10. book of the secrets of Catholick verities and Genebrard in his Chronologie vpon Melchisedech cite certayn Rabbies who translate these words of the 14. of Gen. and 18. Ver. thus Melchisedech offred bread and wine The Catholick Church translateth them brought forth bread wine and assigning the cause saith for he was Priest of the most high as if she should say that this was his office to offer bread and wine in Sacrifice to God And Theodorus Bibliander a Protestant in his 2. booke of the Trinity and 89. leafe confesseth that it was a generall receaued opinion amongst the ancient Iewes that as the comming of the blessed Messias all legall Sacrifices were to cease and that only the Sacrifice they called Theoda of thancksgiuing praise and confession was to continue with was to bee performed in bread and wine as Melchisedech king of Salem and Priest of the most high God in the tyme of Abraham brought forth bread and wine 9. The ancient Fathers were of opinion that The Ancient Fathers affirme that Melchisedech offered Sacrifice in bread and vvine Melchisedech sacrificed in bread and wine and that our Sauiour was to fulfill the Type in Melchisedechs sacrifice by offering vp his body and bloud in Sacrifice to God vnder the formes of bread and wine As S. Cyprian in his 63. Epist. saying Our Lord Iesus offered a Sacrifice to God the Father and offered the same that Melchisedech did that is bread and wine that is his body and bloud S. Ambrose vpon the 109. Psal saying Christ by the misterie of bread and wine is made a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech S. Hierome in his 17. Epist to Marcella chapter 2. saith Melchisedech then in type of Christ offered wine and bread and dedicated the Christian mystery in the body and bloud of our Sauiour And with these Fathers doth agree S. Augustin in his first Sermon vpon the 33. Psal saying In the old law you know that the Sacrifice of the Iewes was according to the order of Aaron in the slaughter of beasts and that in a mysterie for then the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord which the faithfull and those who read the Scriptures know was not instituted which Sacrifice is now dilated ouer the whole globe of the earth Propound therefore before your eyes two Sacrifices that according to the order of Aaron and this according to the order of Melchisedech c. The Sacrifice of Aaron was taken away and the Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech entered in his place and the Iewes adbering vnto that Sacrifice which was according to the order of Aaron imbraced not the Sacrifice which was according to the order of Melchisedech and so lost Christ Thus S. Augustin 10. Of this opinion where both the Greeke and Latin Fathers abundantly cited by Coceius in his 2. tome and 6. book Insomuch that Doctor Fulk a Puritan in the 99. leafe of his booke
of the change in the Sacrament by the povver of God 14. S. Cyrillus Alexandrinus who liued in the yeare 430. in his Epistle ad Calosirium saith Doe not doubt vvhether this be true that the body of our Sauiour is in the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Altar Christ manifestly saying This is my body but rather receaue the word of our Sauiour in faith for seeing he is truth he doth not lye Therefore they are madd vvho saie that the mysticall blessing doth cease from the sanctification if any part thereof should remaine vntill the daie following for the most holy body of Christ vvillnot be changed but the vertue of the blessing and the quickning grace is continually in it for the quickning vertue of God the Father is the only begotten vvord vvhich is made flesh not ceasing to be the vvord but making quickening flesh So these ancient and prime Fathers of the Church of God Whereby it is sufficiently manifest to any indifferent reader that not only the true and reall body and bloud of our Sauiour is in the Sacrifice and Sacrament of Christian Catholikes but that it is there by vertue of the omnipotency of Gods word and not by the faith of him that receaueth it as Puritans would haue it CHAP. VIII How in generall our Sauiour by his omnipotency together which Priests his instruments and Legates doth consecrate his true reall and substantiall body and bloud in the blessed Sacrament 1. GOd hath two Kingdomes here vpon God hath tvvo Kingdomes vpon earth earth the one the temporall Kingdome of this world of which it is sayd The earth is our Lords and the fulnes thereof the round world and all that dwell therein Psalm 23. 1. Thother Kingdome is the spirituall Kingdome of Christs Church militant here vpon earth of which it is said The sonne of man shall send his Angells and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all scandalls and them that vvorke iniquitie Math. 13. 41. And both these Kingdomes and all that is wrought in them were miraculously at the first founded and established by the omnipotency of the will and Both Gods Kingdomes are miraculously founded word of God according to the words of the Prophet saying God spoke and they were made Psal 32. 9. and this first foundation of these Kingdomes and establishing them in their operations was miraculous because they were not before but being thus founded and established now their ordinary operations are not miraculous because God hath giuen vnto either of them their seuerall ordinary natures dispositions properties and qualitis which they are ordinarily to reteyne and keepe vnto the end of the world God hauing so ordeined and decreed by the omnipotency of his will and woord 2. For the better vnderstanding hereof it is necessary to obserue that mirakles as S. Augustine in VVhat is miraculous and vvhat naturall the 14. chapter of his 6. book of the Trinitie saith Are these things which are donne contrary to the vsuall course of nature either in diuine or humane things and the nature of all things is the common and vsuall course of all things wherevpon Aristotle in the 7. book of his moralls to Eudemon saith Nature is the cause of those things vvhich are alwayes or for the most part donn after one manner So those things which are vsually or commonly donn in either of these Kingdomes we doe not call miraculous but naturall and though the things which be vsually or commonly donn in the Kingdome of Christs Church here vpon earth be supernaturall and miraculous in respect of the things which are commonly and vsually donn in the temporall Kingdome of this world for that they are neuer or rarely donn in it not cann be donn in it without a miracle and alteration of the common course of things in the temporall Kingdome of this world as if for example a man who were no Priest in the spiritual Kingdome of Gods Church but a laye man only in his temporall Kingdome by pronouncing the words of absolution after confession or by reading the words of consecration ouer the bread and wine fittly prepared should truely and really forgiue sinnes or consecrate the body and bloud of our Lord this I saye were a miracle because these things are neither ordinarily nor vsually donne by laye men of Gods temporall Kingdome nor can be donne vnles God contrary to the ordinary course of absolution from sinnes and consecration doe supply the defects yet those the institution and ordenance of God supposed are no mirakles when they are donn in the Church of God by Priests who are instituted by God for that purpose because they are commonly and vsually donne by them so likewise if a Priest by doing any act which precisly belongeth vnto the spirituall Kingdome of Christs Church herevpon earth should bring forth a tree or plant this were a mirakle because that by the exercice of Christian religion trees or plants are not ordinarily or vsually brought forth yet that the earth bringeth forth trees and plants is no miracle because the earth vsually and commonly doth it 3. Secondly it is necessary to obserue that as all All the vvorkes of God miraculous in the foundation of his Kingdomes the workes of God in the foundation of his temporall Kingdome here vpon earth are aboue nature and naturall reason supernaturall and miraculous as the creatiō of the heauens earth Sonne Moone Starrs c. of nothing so likewise are all the workes of God in the foundation of his spirituall Kingdome of the Church of Christ here vpon earth supernaturall and miraculous and aboue the reach of humane sense and naturall reason as that God should haue a Sonne a Virgin shold remaine a Virgin and yet bring forth a Child God to die vpon a Crosse men to be borne againe by Baptisme and cleansed from their sinnes the body of the Sonne of God to be in the Sacrament of the Altar c. wherevpon S. Paule saith faith must not be in the wisdome of men but in the power of God 1. Cor. 2. 5. Wherefore seing that all the workes of God in the foundation of his spirituall Kingdome which is the Church of Christ herevpon earth are miraculous and supernatural and aboue the reach of common sense and naturall reason it must needs be that also the The institution of the communion miraculous institution of the communion which is a Sacrament and worke of God in the foundation of his Church must also be a worke of supernatural power and vertue aboue the reach of humane sense and naturall reason and therefore it should be a vaine thing to goe about to giue a reason in nature how our Lord did or doth consecrate his reall and substantiall body and bloud in the blessed Sacrament but only by similitude in the foundation conseruation and preseruation of his temporall Kingdome so by the way of similitude from that which our Aduersaries doe belieue to bring them vnto that which they