creatures become sensible and animate substances but Christs body so feeds the soule that it giueth life vnto it Qui Ioh. â— manducat me vinet propter me He that eateth me the same also shall liue by mee And therfore as God is saide to be in the Iust by grace charitie and they in him so by this Sacrament Christ is in vs and we in him Herevpon it followeth that men are deified in two sortes by receiuing this Sacrament first by a reall communication with Christ whom they harbour in their bodies and therfore of S. Cyprian are called Baiuli Christi carriers De caena Dom. or bearers of Christ and others terme theÌ„ Christoferi secondly they are deified in soule by receiuing this grace which is a diuine coniunction and admirable participation of his deitie by which they are made diuinae naturae consortes partakers of the diuine nature The fourth cause to vnite the faithfull after a certaine reall manner CHrist our Sauiour making his praier to his Father among other graces hee Ioh. 17. Hec expositio est Cirill lib. 11. in Io. ca. 26. Hillari lib. 9. de trinit demanded he asked this for all the faithfull that as his Father was in him and hee in his Father so the faithfull should bee one thing Christ is in his Father because he really and essentially participateth the same substance with the Father and his Father is in him for that he possesseth the same nature and substance with his sonne It was vnpossible that the faithfull should in such sort participate one coÌ„mon essence because the infinite perfection of God chalengeth this as a proper dignitie to haue a nature communicable to diuers persons But since that mans nature was not capable of such fecunditie our prouident Pastor prouided a way to keepe his flocke together and to vnite them not only by affection in minde but also by a certaine reall and substantiall nature wherein they should be made all one and most excelleÌ„tly resembled vnto the blessed Trinitie which was effected by this Sacrament for by giuing them all the same body and bloud he caused them to be vnited in one substance one nature essence and that more excellent than their owne naturall substance was Wherefore al those that receiue their body may bee called one body as S. Paule doubted not to call them when he saide Vnus panis vnum â— Coria 10 corpus multi sumus omnes qui de vno pane participamus beeing many wee are one bread one body all that participate of one bread And for this cause as wee say all the three persons in Trinitie are one God euen so all the faithfull by a certain maner are one body and as the starres in the firmament though of themselues very different yet are vnited al in one indeficient fountaine of light so all the faithfull fituated in the firmament vnmooueable of the Catholike Church are vnited together and made one in this blessed Sacrament but with this difference that the starres haue not the Sunne in them but â—nely the light whereas the faithful haue the Sonne of all light continually springing within them Iosuah thought GOD Iosu â—â— shevved him a singular fauour and woorthily al admire it that God at the request of a man shoulde staye the course of the Sunne till he had ouercome his enemies But what would he haue saide if God had brought the Sunne from heauen and put it in his hand to haue vsed it at his pleasure so hee hath dealt with vs in this Sacrament by drawing his eternall Sonne from heauen to dwel in earth to be held in our hands to be receiued as foode to ioyne vs all that be in his church to fight against al visible enemies as tyrants and heretikes and inuisible foes as the Divel and his infernall ghosts The fift cause to vnite the faithfull in affection AS the bodie of man containeth diuerse parts of contrary nature and disposition the heart being hote the braine cold fleame moist melancholy drie spirits of a fiery nature bones of an earthly all the foure elementes in sundry partes holding predominion yet the soule keepeth them in peace conserueth a most sweet harmony containeth euery one in his office euen so this blessed Sacrament ioyneth Christs seruants Greekes and Egyptians Iewes and Gentiles poore and rich learned and ignorant in an admirable bond of loue and vnitie if they receiue it with that preparation and vse it as they ought the Isai 11. which vnion loue and peace I say the Prophet foretold was too slowe ouer the earth after that little cloude which Elias 3 Reg. 18. behelde had powred downe this blessed Sacrament vpon it Habitabit saith he lupus the woolfe shall dwel with the lamb the libbard shall rest with the kidde the calfe the lion and the sheepe shal lodge all together and a little childe shall leade them he meaneth fierce cruell and intractable men sauage nations and barbarous countries shall be brought to vnion peace and loue no doubt but principally by vertue of this sacred communion this common soule will cause euery one to keep himselfe in order this little childe which we fold with our breasts in this sacrament will guide pacifie and comforte them all for what inflameth men one to loue another principally but resemblance and similitude Why doe kinsemen so affect one another but in regard of resemblance of bloud and similitude of complexions And therefore they are called Consanguinei and Kinsemen And what similitude can be greater then this whereby good christians are made Verè Consanguinei Christi In very deede the kinsmen of Christ Yea rather identified or made one with the selfe-same bloud the selfe-same body and soule which no kindred euer did participate because they haue the like bloud and bodies but not the same nor the same soule The dignity and worth of those which be partakers of this sacrament may easily inuite al men to loue them For as we prise and admire all those whom we acknowledge to be of account so surely wee ought to esteeme those who are bathed with the bloud of Christ who are indued with his grace whose bodies are liuing temples pallaces to allodge this royall maiestio If the ground was holy where the Angell onely in a bush spâ—ke to Moses If the mountaine was sanctified where the celestiall Exod. 3. Exod. 19 Act. 29 spirits gaue the law If the napkins and girdles of Saint Paule wrought miracles because they serued so great a seruaÌ„t of God O in what reputation should we haue those blessed men which we know receiue so often and keepe so long the king of Angels the head of all the Apostles in their bodies The sixt cause for the exercise of faith IN the summe of all Diuinity I find 10. difficulties hardly to be conceaued and consequently not easie to be beleeued The first is howe God hath free will 2. how he knoweth those future
instituted Exod. 20. a Sacrament for his Church but how plaine was hee in the institution of Baptisme Here he ordained a principal ceremonie Mat. 28. of religion to be practised who Math. 13. knows not how clearely he deliuered the ceremonial law to the Iewes in Leuiticus Here he was priuate with his disciples to whome it was giuen to knowe mysteries although to many others in Parables and therefore it was conuenient in plaine termes to â—eueale this so profound a mysterie to them Here finally Christ made his last wil and testament al men confesse that willes must be most manifest lest the executors should not agree about the sense thereof Therefore Christ giuing a law instituting a sacrament appoynting a religious ceremony conuersing priuately with his disciples and making his last will and testament had sufficient occasion I thinke to conceiue through his infinite wisedome that here was no place for metaphoricall figures symbolicall senses or harsh speeches subiect to sundry interpretations This reason conuiceth my wit so perswadeth my vnderstanding that supposing the thing possible I maruell any man can deny it And therefore since the venty of catholike religion is so true certainely all arguments obiected against it consequently are conuinced to be false whereunto followeth that they may bee answered as in like maner we affirme all arguments which can bee vttered against the holy Trinity to be Paralogismes soluble And for better intelligence and more fuller conceit I meane to propound the chiefest and rather answer them with naturall similitudes or other supernaturall mysteries then seriously assoile them according to the principles of Diuinitie where of most readers are not capable First some will demand how is it possible that such a great bodie as that of Christs with al parts and members shuld be cowched or conueied vnder so little an hoast vnder a crumme of bread or a drop of wine I demaund before I answer if it were not as great a myracle for to make a church or mountaine enter into a hole no greater than a barley corne No man can doubt of it but this I will shew you done by nature Go to the toppe of Paules steeple and there view the country about the mountaines hilles plaines valleis the riuers the gardeins meddowes orchardes churches houses beasts and men heauen aboue and earth beneath now after such a mightie prospect shut your eies and in your mind you shall see all within which before you saw without in the same order situation correspondence and proportion Now I wil inquire by what moÌ„strous gate passed in whole mountaines villages and riuers and pallaces By the smal circle of the apple of the eie no greater than a barly corne But how was God able to cowch such a quantitie or such a masse in so little a moate The reason is because the mountaine entring into the eâ—e putteth on a certaine spirituall garment although the forme of the mountaine imprinted in our eies of it selfe be corporall and extended like other materiall qualities in the subiect This same similitude most aptly declareth the mysterie of Christs bodie in the sacrament because it receiueth a certaine spirituall garment that maketh it to bee in euerie parte of the hoast as the image of the mountaine representeth the whole mountaine in euerie mans eie without confusion or imptoportion I demaund whether is more myraculous to make a man with all his limmes to bee placed in no greater roome than a needles point or a thing which of it selfe is lesse than a needles point without anie addition of substance to be dilated as much as a man The latter we see daily why then do we wonder so much at the former The soule of man requireth no place but of it selfe fully and perfitly can refide in lesse than a needles point yet we see it dilated and spiritually extended as faire as the bodie Yea God himselfe filleth al places whose entire compleate substance requireth no place but wholy may refide in one indiuisible point Is not the highest heauen the vastest bodie and the mightiest masse that euer God created and yet according to the most accepted opinion in the schooles of Philosophers it inhabiteth no place If God by his omnipotencie coulde 4 Mat. 9. make a CAmmell passe through a needles eie who wil denie but that he can put by the same omnipotencie the bodie of Christ in a little hoast Therefore well saide S. Cyprian Panis quem Christus discipulis Cipr. ser de coâ—na Dom. suis porrigebat non effigie sed natura mutatus verbi omnipotentia factus est caro that bread which Christ gaue to his Disciples not chaunged in forme but in nature by the omnipotencie of the worde was made flesh We see that Christ in manie miracles suspended naturall agents from their most proper and necessarie actions as fire Dan. 3. from burning in the furnace of Babylon 4 Reg. 6. the iron from descending in the prophets hatchet S. Peters bodie from drowning Math. 14. when hee walked vppon the water whie may hee not heere suspend the bodie of Christ from extending it in place Pro. Secondly hovv can one bodie be in so manye places at once in Englande France Flaunders Italie c. I answer how is my soule whole in my head whole in my handes whole in my feete If then one soule may bee intire in three places there is no repugnance vvhy one body may not be in diuers places for the repugnaunce is alike in both If you say the soule hath a certain connexion or continuation in the bodie which Christes body hath not in such distant places this auaileth not For who can proue or euer did proue that it is impossible for God to cut off my arme and keepe my soule in it and transfer it into Fraunce or Italie leauing the same soule in my body here in England We heare the Preacher in the Pulpit whose voyce is but one yet fiue hundred receiue it and euery one the same sound in his eare We see in looking glasses if there be a hundred little ones about a great glasse in euery one of them our faces intire Whether is more difficult to conceiue one body in many places or many bodies in one place Surely I thinke no mortall man euer yet could yeeld a sufficient reason but we know most certainly that two bodies were in one place when Christ issued out Luke 2. Math. 27. 28. 10. 20. Mat. 16. Luke â—4 of his mothers wombe reseruing her virginitie when he rose out of the sepulcher it being closed with a mightie stone wheÌ„ he entred to his disciples the dores being shut when he assended vppe to heauen the incorruptible sphears reseruing their places What is more impossible that a body should be in two places or a body putrified and rotten to be restored to all his qualities quantities and other proprieties no doubt but this which wee all beleeue shal be
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
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
coÌ„memoratio sciebant eniminde vtilitatem mnltum illis contingere lucrum 2. Mach. c. 3â— S. August proueth the fame out of this place in lib. de cuâ—a agendâ— promortuis multum It is not wihtout cause ordained by the apostles that in the dreadful mysterys the memory for the dead haue their place for they were not ignorant that they receiued great profit therby great gaine For if the sacrifice that Iudas Machabues caused to be offered in Ierusalem had vertue by the merrits of Christs passion to redeeme those soules out of purgatory how much more this blessed hoaste shal be propitiatory to those which the contented herein redeemed wth his own boud who can deay but that all theâ— Sacraments aâ—e those fountaines whence Esay had promised we shuld draw liuing Isai 12â— ters with ioy Hauristis aquas cum gaudio de fontibus Saluatoris you shall with ioy draw water out of the fountaine of our Sauior if sacraments be ordained to sanctifie the receiuers and participate the graces and effects of christs passion for the receiuers questionlesse this sacrifice which holdeth the substance and nature of all other sacrifices which are instituted as impretratorie for others participateth the effects of Christs passion profitable for others and those which by impetration one meÌ„ber of the catholike church may obtaine Zach. 3. for an other Since therfore Christ suffered both for the quicke and the dead this sacrifice must be a conduct to conuay the graces and effects of Christs passion to those that are dead in body though liuing in soule and so much more copiously how much more neerer this sacrifice toucheth God how much more it standeth with the dignity therof how much more this effect most securely is granted and with how much more deuotion the person dead was affected to this sacrifice or the offerer more feruent at the oblation or the procurer more zealous of expiation The two and twentith cause to be a sacrifice of thankesgiuing for the Saintes in heauen AS the heart in mans body and the sunne in this visible world spred their influence and vertue aboue them beneth them and on each side euen so this blessed sacrifice beeing the heart of the catholike Church and the sunne of this spirituall world communicateth vertue to the church millitant about it to those that suffer beneath it and to the triumphant which dwelleth aboue it and as the heart disperseth not all effects it worketh to all partes but vseth an accommodate discription according to the qualities nature of euery parte euen so this sacrifice extendeth sundry effects agreeing to the diuersities of members to those that suffer Christs satisfactions to those in earth diuers helpes and succours to auoide sinnes temporall commodities sundry graces and vertues to thofe in heauen thankes to God for their happinesse and praises to them for their passed triumphes This notable Eucharistiall effect the very practize of the catholike church continually representeth vnto vs in the holy Masse which she offereth to God nowe for Apostles now for Martires now for Virgins nowe for Confessours the which practise was in vse in saint Ciprians time who caused Cip. epist 37 the daies of martirdomes to be noted that in the holye sacrifice the Martyres might be mentioned If heere therefore we conuert our eyes to God to Christ to the Saints of heauen to the Church in earth we shall find that this oblation can not be but most gratefull and glorious to them all For what can be more gratefull or glorious vnto God than to see the blod of Christ mingled with the bloud of martyres and both offered vp together what can God esteem more than to receiue an oblation of virginitie ioyned with the infinit puritie of this sacrifice how acceptable wil the vertues of Confessors appeare in his sight burnt as sweete incense with the Manna of Christs deified operations and merites howe gloriously will that Garland appeare decked with roses lillieâ— and violets of golde set with pearles of this pretious Manna and rubies of this bloudy challice none can be ignorant how glorious the oblatioÌ„ is to Christ for since his Saints be members of his body by vertue of this Sacrament so vnited vnto him that they be Caro de carne eius Genes 2. Matth. 19. Marc 10. Eph. 5. and ossa de ossibus eius flesh of his flesh bones of his bones by offering vp himselfe here he sheweth the triumph of his Crosse and Passion he representeth the admirable vertues of this blessed Sacrament and sacrifice in vertue whereof they were norished defended and protected against so many perils and dangers in the desart of this life and as by a viaticum conducted vnto the desired land of Promise The Saints of heauen in like case can not but exceedingly reioyce to see theyr brethren so gratefull to God for their benefites receiued and offer vp so worthie an hoast in recognoscence of heauenly fauours God powred vpon them Questionlesse they can not forget them in heauen who are so mindfull of them vppon earth and as their charitie is more feruent so their care will be more vigilant The church finaly to whom it appertains to praise God in his Saints triumpheth in both most admirably presenting to God the merits of her spouse her children insulting against the Diuell flesh and world who could not preuaile against theÌ„ inuiting the rest that remaine with glorifying them that are gone to follow their vertues and good examples The three and twentieth cause to shew the magnificence and liberalitie of God BOuntifulnes beneuolence declareth beneuolence gifts but when the giftes mount to excesse then beneuolence is caled magnificence the which God hath manifested to the worlde most wonderfully in this Sacrament What gaue hee His body and bloud and with them his person and diuinitie so great a gift as none can exceede it for as God surpasseth all that is not good so this Sacrament all that is not the same thing with it Who gaue it God himselfe If a meane gift be giuen of a king men greatly prize it bicause the person of a king dignifieth the gift but being so great a gift and moreouer imparted by God herein the greatnesse encreaseth How deare was it vnto him as deare as his owne life for the selfe same if he had giuen a thing superfluous or not esteemed or not necessary then we wold haue made lesse account of it but being so neare him and so deare vnto him we cannot but highly commend it With what affection gaue hee it Freely not of constraint yea with a most feruent loue Cum dilexisset suos in finem dilexit eos whereas he 10. 13. had loued his vnto the ende he loued theÌ„ Chrysost Euth in eum loc that is giftes that come freely are much more estemed then those which proceed of necessitie To whom doth he giue it To men mortall and miserable creatures yea and to many that
pricke in their hearts with saying Ite à me maledicti in ignem aternum Ger Matth. 29. ye away from me ye cursed vnto fire euerlasting which once were called Famus distillans labia tua Thy lips are a distilling hony combe Ah loue then wil be changed into hatred and his cheereful lookes Cantic 4. into a frowning countenance Therefore let vs entertaine him with loue here that with the like he may entertaine vs there That God shewed in the Eucharist an extensiue loue and a tender or familiar loue Ca. 10 THe breadth of heauen and the depth of the abisse who can measure the 4. â—sdr 4. vastnesse of the sunne or the vehement brightnesse whether most excelleth if these be hard to determine what shall we say of the feruour of Gods loue whether the extension or intension the vehemencie or the amplenesse the height or the largenes thereof ought more to be esteemed first God hath limited his loue in this sacrament to no citie as he did his sacrifices to Ierusalem to no particular nation as his old Testament recites and ceremonies 3. Reg. â— â— Paâ—al 6. and 7. were contained within the narrow bonds of Iuorie But from the rifing of the sun Psal 75. vnto the setting Non est quae abscondat se à calore eius there is none can hide himself Psal 18. from his heate Ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum Maâ—â—e 1. magnum est nomen meum in gentibus From the rising of the sunne vnto the setting my name is great among Gentiles he restrained it to no definite time as all sacrifices of the Iewes like so many errant plannets were to leese their light in the appearing of the sunne whose light shall neuer faile but first the world shall leese his forme before this sacrifice shall leese 1. Cor. 11. his glorie Moreouer the priests be not determined within the straites of any pedegree as the sacrifices of Moses within the tribe of Leui neither the quantity of bread nor wine our louing sauiour prescribed for consecration but left it freely to the Priests intention to consecrate so much of that which may be preseÌ„t before him as shal seeme good vnto him neither limited he any time but left it to be the receiuers deuotion if they could prepare themselues worthily euery day he is content they should communicate euery day and so thousandes of priests as they daily liue by breathing this vitall aire to conserue their bodies so they daily sucke the bloud from Christs side to feede theyr soules Consider how many masses are said euuerie day in Italy Spaine France Germany Flanders Powland England Ireland Scotland and the East and West Indians where there be now almost as many Catholikes as in all Eupore and vppon sundaies and other feastiuall daies howe many millions coÌ„municate Imagine how these vaines of Christs sacred body like the foure maine riuers that issued out of Paradise giue sufficient refectioÌ„ to al this innumerable multitude if we had the eies of our soules open to view Christs precious body and bloud glorious and shining fixed in this sacrament shining in their breasts we should behold another sort of spangled firmament in earth then wee do see in heauen in the clearest winter night Consider moreouer the fragrant smell the spirituall odour which continually the Catholike Church dispersed through the whole world exalteth from this diuine sacrifice and sendeth vp to heauen in recognoscence of the infinite benefit of Christs passion and the manifold graces we haue receiued from his maiestie If God would declare it with a corporall shew the heauens aire earth would be couered with this sacred insence Blessed be his name for euer who so farre extended the sphere of his loue that he would haue all men at al times of all qualities in all places to be licenced to haue free accesse vnto him in such sort that the verie angels admiring the admirable sweetnesse of the Church presenting her selfe daily in these sacred oblations before the vniuersall court of heauen and wondering how such grateful smels ascend from such barreÌ„ deserts said Quae est ista quae ascendit de deserto diliciâ—s affluens Câ—â—tie 8. enixa super spoÌ„sum who is this which ascendeth from the desart flowing with delights leaning vpon her spouse His His familiar â—out tender affection yeeldeth little to any of the rest for as mothers most tenderly and familiarly deale and conuerse with theyr little infants euen so our blessed sauiour with vs in this sacrament But he farre surpasseth all mothers in the tendernesse of his affection for mothers giue their children cold milke that is indigested bloud but Christ imparteth the best bloud in his breast and besides all his substance Of diuers mothers wee reade who came to that fiercenesse and crueltie that to releeue their famine they embrued theyr hands in their childrens bloud bereauing them of that life that naturally they had once imparted to them but wee neuer read of mother that killed her selfe to feede her children O sweete sauiour thou Psal 101. art the only pellicane thou launch est thy heart to feed thy flocke thou diddest die to nourish thy children with this bloud of life Ah how sweetly dost thou coÌ„uerse with those who deuoutly conuerse with thee Thy conuersation hath no bitternes thy friendship no gall yet few doo feele I know these tender affects of Christ because Sapientia non habitat in terra suauiter viuentium Wisedome dwelleth not in the land of daintie liuers for it is an infallible veritie that the ioyes of Christ and the pleasures of the world cannot consort together The fortie two and last cause to be the ende of all the Sacraments of the olde Testament AS great and maiesticall subiects are signified with many names as God Christ the incarnation blisse this sacracrament because we cannot impose one to signifie them compleatly therefore we supplie this defect with the multitude euerie one signifying a part eueÌ„ so the prouidence of God ordained many simbolicall figures and pictures of sacrifices in the old Testament to depaint the blessed Eucharist because we could not fully coÌ„ceiue the maiestie thereof in one wherefore hee appointed a number Not vnlike to great Princes who are not contented in one card to draw their whole kingdomes but commaund for more distinction euerie prouince and Countrey euerie citie territory to be seuerally described Some sacraments God instituted to signifie the matter or external formes of the Eucharist such were the sacrifice of Melchizedech in bread and wine the bread of proposition Some represented the forme life and soule of this sacrament our blessed sauiour heere offered vnto his father and of this sort were all the lambes sheepe doues turtles and bloudie sacrifices for they both represented the passion of Christ and the incruent sacrifice of the Euch arist which in substance is all one with the passion Others did carrie on