the flesh is the onely King who did eat at the table of mens redemption Christ is he alone who hath troden the wine-press Isa 63.3 I have troden saith our Saviour speaking of that he was certainly to perform the winepress alone and of the people there was none with me Christ is he alone who hath been consecrated by afflictions for our salvation Heb. 5.9 For Christ being consecrated through sufferings became the authour of eternal salvation unto all those that obey him and there is no other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved but this of Jesus Christ who saith My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Conclusion and Application Now brethren to conclude let us consider the great work of our Redemption which our Lord and Saviour performed from the birth of his sacred person to his death upon the Cross where he saith It is finished that we may abstain from sin and run after righteousness let us look upon the divine wisedom that found a way to punish our sins and with all save men by it nay more then that a way where the Physician took Physick for his Patient to cure him of all his spiritual diseases that we may never cease to praise the Lord our God whom we adore ler us admire here the tender affection of our dear Saviour who being offended as well as his Father notwithstanding the reconciliation of men with their God and him through his bloud that we may exclaim with the Apostle that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ Moreover let us consider in the work of our Redemption the union of heaven and earth which our sins had broke and you shall see that the sacred angels descend from heaven to protect help and comfort us against our enemies and eminent dangers which beset us in this corrupted world being now ministring spirits for them who shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 But to admire yet more the great benefits of the incomparable work of our Redemption consider seriously what we were by our sins before the decretal resolution of God to save men by Christ examine what we are now by nature the slaves of the Prince of darkness the sons of this corrupted world and the children of death and eternal damnation our condition was as it is by nature worse then Lots in Sodom then Israels in Egypt then Sampsons among the Philistins then the Jews in Babylon and the Prophets and Apostles in the obscure prisons for we were under the power of the god of this wotld bound with chains of obscurity and tyed fast to the infernal pillory for our eternal shame if Christ had not come to destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil Moreover let us learn here that although Christ is alone in this great work of our Redemption yet in the general enterprise of doing the will of God every one according to his condition is sent from him to do his will Kings and Princes have their work from God to do for as S. Paul saith Rom. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Princes are the Ministers of God for good they must kiss the eternal Son of God the Lord of lords and King of kings they must lay down at his feet their Sceptre and Diadem that their kingdoms may continue longer under them nay more then that they must administer all things for his glory all the kings of the world being under Christ the King of kings which the great Monarch of England most piously acknowledgeth by the Church when she saith that his Majesty is next and immediately under God and his Christ in his Dominions supreme Governour The subordinate Magistrates have also their work from God to perform they ought to do all things according to equity and minister justice without partiality and weigh with deliberation the considerable matters which they have in hand lest too much rashness in the execution of them should embroyl them and the people with ruine and confusion or some other fatal accidents All the Spiritual Guides and Ecclesiastical Superiours have a work from God to do which must be their meat they must consider that all things ought to be done decently and in order in the Church of God and that they must not do things to please their fancies or the common sort of people but our God and Christ our Redeemer who did seek onely the glory of his Father that sent him the nurses of piety and learning ought to apply their understandings for the work that they have to perform that they may finde some means to advance and promote the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and keep the Church of God from schism licentiousness and heresie all the Ministers have a work from God which they must accomplish for we are embassadours for Christ who hath given unto us the ministery of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 which is a work of a sublime excellence where we feed our selves with divine meat when we give others the sincere milk of the word of God But further you know that all Christians have a work from God to do for they are sent from him to seek after the meat of obedience unto the word of God that they may live soberly and religiously before him and by a Christian conversation inflame the hearts of others to the glory of his holy Name Lastly all men and women have their work from God to accomplish in their vocation and family as well the greatest and richest as the least and poorest of all as well the Nobility as others their inferiours for to all the intelligent but mortal creatures the time is precious and given for a pious exercise it must not be employed about drunkenness but soberness not about the profanation of the sacred Name of God but its holy celebration nor about idleness but watchfulness Let us then brethren forsake our covetous desires let us not run after the impetuons blast of this world the time which we have employed for our covetousness pride and vanity ought to oblige us to redeem it and to lay aside the sin which doth so easily beset us in this corrupted world pursuing with patience the race that is set before us and looking unto Jesus the authour and finisher of our faith who saith My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Amen FINIS
and ambition did alienate our first Parents from God so pride and ambition makes a division between the Church and her children for you shall often see the children of the Church to be so ambitious that they will esteem themselves above their mother and indeed there is no schismatick much more an heretick but is ambitious and so the Shoolmen speak when they say that a Schismatick is one who retaining the fundamental points of Religion rends impudently the Church by reason of some Rights and Ceremonies which his ambition approves not of but me thinks that the next daughter of hell is envy which seems sad by reason of the union which she fears in this Kingdom for envy loves nothing but division because that vice and immoderate affection of our soul will never permit us to like what is done by those that we do not like or to consent unto these things which we had no hand to in their Institution for in the injunction of such things we are perswaded by that fatal passion that our advantage is hindred or diminished but behold there is another which is covered with a very black garment where you can discern nothing and that is ignorance which cannot inform us of the nature of those things which are imposed upon us by our Superiours for Ignorance makes us esteem the circumstances and garments of Religion to be of as high a nature as the body and substance thereof and by that means we cannot agree nor receive the circumstantial things which our Superiours impose upon us for the good order of the Christian Church but further give me leave to let another monstrous daughter of hell appear with the others that we may eschew the fatal effects thereof in the knowledge of her nature and that is obstinacy which is not content to cause division but will countenance it for obstinacy as every one knows will always have us to defend that which we once have maintained and blame that which we once have declaimed against although we know not any reason for it and so the obstinate men will remain in their errours and entertain division Now if you consider the causes of our divisions without partiality you will confess with me that Pride Envy Ignorance and Obstinacy were those monsters which would not permit as now will not yet suffer the fomenters of division to adhere to those things which their Superiours imposed upon them for otherwise I do verily beleeve that they had not embroyled this Nation with such a cruel war neither had they upon their pretended occasions so violently persecuted the Church for these things which many who agree in the substance of Religion with their mother the Church contended about are harmless and cannot offend moderate and prudent men for not any of the authours of the division of this Kingdom I hope will blame the moderation of the first Reformers of the Church of England who seriously examined the Church of Rome in its Doctrine Discipline and Worship to reject the Errours and Heresies of the Doctrine the Tyranny and oppression of the Discipline and the Superstitions of the Worship and retain that which the Church of Rome had from the Christian Primitive Church nay more then that they took a way the abuse of things indifferent in their nature and reduced them to a lawfull use But for all that some contentious like those that were in Corinth of whom the Apostle speaks when he saith I hear that there be divisions among you would not be satisfied they blamed many things that could be easily passed by as now many of their imitatours do for the white colour of the garments of the Church of England offend their sight they say that these garments are superstitiously used in the Church of Rome as if in the Church of Rome the Clergy regular secular did not use garments of several other colours as well as white nay more then that those that know the Church of Rome as I have reason to know it having lived among them in their communion 23 or 24 years are not ignorant that she makes use of all sorts of colours so that if we would not use any of those she makes use of we should go all naked so we should prove very fit to be among the Adamites but as S. Jerome saith very well against Pelagius what enmity is it against God if the Bishop Priest and Deacon do go in white vestments when they are to officiate Moreover they will not admit the singing of the Creed nor many pious Songs when other Protestants beyond the Sea whom the contentious approve of sing the Lords Prayer in their temple as the Dutch Churches and those of Hesson or the ten Commandments with that which we call the Song of Simeon as our French Reformed Churches and others do and if they tell me that the Church of England cannot produce any passage of Scripture for the singing of the Creed c. I answer that it is not necessary for circumstantial things and that our Protestants beyond the sea whom the causers of division in this Kingdom do approve of cannot bring any passage of Scripture to prove the singing of the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandments But their contentious humour goes yet further for they will not have the people answer in the celebration of the Divine Service and they are offended at the repetitions which the Church of England makes use of but For the first I say that it is good according to the custome of the Church of England to joyn our selves with the Pastours in the Church as you did this day in the celebration of the Divine Service for it is nothing else but a sacred conceâ—t in imitation of that which the sacred Angels make use of in heaven in their praising of the Lord as you may see in Isa 6. and the Church of England is not the onely Church amongst the Reformed which makes use of answers in the celebration of the Divine Service for the Reformed Churches of Hungaria Transilvania and Lithuania as I am credibly informed make use of some answers in their Divine Service but I need not to pleade in that manner for if in that the Church of England should be alone among the Protestant Churches I would hold it lawfull because it is not against Scripture but rather conformable to it when the blessed spirits and sacred Angels cry or answer one to another Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts Concerning the repetitions of the Church let me tell you that they are as so many productions of a sacred and vehement affection like unto that of David Lord have mercy upon me Lord have mercy upon me and that of the Angels Holy Holy Holy indeed if the Church of England should make use of her repetitions by number as the Church of Rome doth so that by the repeating of so many times such a prayer she should think to merit something before God as the relaxation
shall leave to them by that you see how the Church of England differeth from the Church of Rome the Liturgy from the service of the Mass in its matter form and manner of its celebration But me thinks that I hear some of the factious say whatsoever you say there is something of the Mass in the Liturgy of the Church of England and much of the Breviary which is a Book different from that of the Mass to which I answer that there is nothing of the corrupted service of the Mass and if there be something in the Liturgy which is observed and said with the Mass and read in the Breviary I say that in is what is good and what was observed in the Christian Primitive Church leaving what was not good to the Church of Rome and her superstitious inventions Conclusion and Application Now let us conclude with Application and to remove the divisions which are now in the Land let us be of one minde and of one perswasion that we may see this Kingdom flourish in peace and truth for if divisions cause such disorders and confusions in States Families and Churches as you your selves by sad experience know you will confess with me that union cannot but bring peace and procreate good order unto them for union conserveth the kingdoms of the earth keeps families in awe and preserveth the Churches of God from schism licentiousness and heresie you know that the God of heaven is a God of union who hateth division which destroyeth his works of nature and that of his grace in which appeareth an admirable and inexplicable union for by the work of his grace our blessed Saviour united unto God those who were divided from him by their iniquities and by that gracious work earth is united with heaven and men with Angels Then let us all that are here present embrace that vertue and daughter of heaven union which leads us to the God of order all the sacred Scripture preacheth nothing else but union and as our Apostle Paul exhorteth unto it the Corinthians so do I exhort you all unto union and beseech you with him by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same things and that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement 1 Cor. 1.10 and do not tell me that your conscience cannot bear with those things which are imposed upon you for if you seriously consider the occasions of our fatal divisions you will finde them to be no sufficient occasions examine without partiality your reasons and I am sure that you will not finde any sufficient argument for your division for all that you can plead will appear to be under some of those monsters pride envy ignorance or obstinacy do not say in your selves I have so much spoken against these circumstantial things that I do not know how I shall submit my self again to these orders and injunctions for besides you have the commandment of an August Parliament which you must submit unto let me tell you that such considerations proceed from the devil the god of this world and the Prince of division who doth what he can to hinder the glorious union which we hope the great God of heaven will give unto this Nation to the glory of his great Name and the advancing of the spiritual kingdom of his Son Jesus Christ Let us repent brethren in the consideration of our sins which brought these disorders in this kingdom it is no shame before God and angels and men but rather a commendation and glory let men say what they will but regard not what they say obey God the King and the Church but let your obedience be sincere and without hypocrisie otherwise you keep the divisions in your hearts which will break out at the first occasion Consider these things with an impartial eye and I am sure that you will endeavour to banish out of this Nation that horrible and bloudy monster of division and that for the circumstances and the garments of Religion you will not embroil this glorious kingdom with new wars and spoil the Church of God to give way to all schismaticks and hereticks who arise from the ruine of the Church I could go yet further in the representation of the disorders which are caused by contentious persons but I will not any longer trespass on your patience for I will finish my discourse at this time desiring that the peace of God which passeth all understanding may keep your hearts and minde from schism licentiousness and heresie Amen TO THE Right Honourable and Vertuous THOMAS Lord RICHARDSON Baron of Cramond c. All happiness and Peace Right Honourable IF Presents ought to be worthy of those to whom we present them I must ingeniously confess that it is in vain for me to offer your Lordship any thing being deprived of that eminent capacity and indeed persons of quality and eminency as your Honour is must not expect such presents from their inferiours yet Noble Sir I hope you will receive that which I present here to your Lordship I confess it is something presumptuous in me to make use of your Name to ennoble my Sermon unto others but I am perswaded that the most excellent courtesie which shineth in your most noble Person will excuse a stranger nay will suffer me to present you with a heavenly silence where you may see the fatal Eclipse of the Church of God under the bloody persecutions of its enemies with her happiness and prosperity at the cessation of her afflictions but specially the great mystery of our redemption that procures unto angels and men a profound silence of admiration for I am not ignorant that your Lordship takes a singular pleasure at such celestial meditations your most vertuous person being perswaded that not onely the poor but the rich also are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ and obliged to give silence to all the sinfull motions of our corrupted nature and indeed your great charity towards the poor members of our blessed Saviour and singular affection to the Clergy is a sufficient token of that verity nay an example to draw others to the imitation of the noble daughter of heaven vertue and force the most profane to abandon vice that monstrous child of hell I could say much more of the singular vertues which nature and grace have adorned your Lordship with nay of your singular affection to the great Monarch of England and the Church but that would prove needless it being so manifest to all that therefore which I shall say for the present if you will grant me that liberty is that I am My Lord Your Honours most humble Servant James Le Franc. The Churches Spiritual Silence Delivered in a Sermon Preached at the Cathedral in Norwich REVEL 8.1 There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour AS in difficult and obscure things we do
not know which way to turn our selves so in the matter which I have now in hand I do not know whether I shall speak or keep silence me thinks that S. John tels me that I must stay to contemplate the great wonders that are seen in heaven at the opening of the seventh seal it seems that I must keep silence because the sacred Angels do not speak themselves and dare not sound their trumpets lest they should hinder the great agitations of heaven which appear in this silence indeed I could speak at the opening of the first second third and fourth seals of the book in which is written within and on the back-side the great mystery of our redemption the conservation of the Church and the punishment of prophane and wicked men for at the opening of these seals there was no silence kept as you may evidently see in the 6. Chapter the beasts be Angels or Evangelists as some learned men will have it crying Come and see I could break silence at the opening of the fifth seal because you may easily perceive that there was no silence at the opening of it hearing under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God crying with a loud voice and saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud Moreover I could speak at the opening of the sixth seal for at the opening of it a great noise was heard behold there was an earthquake which learns us that we must not keep silence but at the opening of the seventh seal I do not see how I may speak for at the opening of that seal there was silence I am at a stand not knowing which is best for me to do whether to speak or keep silence but seeing that I came to this place to inform you about that heavenly silence I must break it and implore the assistance not of angels nor of men but of our blessed Saviour who hath prevailed to open the book and loose the seven seals thereof for you know that the Lion of the tribe of Judah is he that can give me leave to speak in this silence which S. John speaks of saying there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour which are the words that I have chosen to entertain you with by the special assistance of the blessed Spirit but for a clear intelligence of them I shall divide my text into two parts where in the first part I shall speak of the silence which was kept in heaven in these words there was silence in heaven and in the second part I will shew you the duration of it about the space of half an hour The first Part. To know well the silence which S. John speaks of we must first enter into the place where it was kept heaven there was silence in heaven but as that place is something obscure by reason of its several acceptions we must observe that here by heaven is not understood the air which the Scripture calls heaven Gen. 8.2 the place of generation of many imperfect mixt bodies ice dew clouds rain hail blazing stars and other moist and siery impressions as if these productions should cease in its breast or the air should rest from its agitation neither is it understood by heaven the skie that shining and bright heaven adorned with an insinite number of glorious stars as if there were a cessation of the motion of those shining bodies nor is it meant the supream or highest heaven the place of habitation of the sacred angels and blessed souls which the Scripture calls the third heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 as if there should be a suspension of the heavenly actions of the Citizens of that glorious palace nor is heaven to be understood in this place of the triumphant Church a glorious part of the mysticall body of our dear Saviour which sometimes the Scripture calls heaven Eph. 1.10 Col. 1.20 as if these glorious natures should cease to render their Hallelujahs and Thanks-givings unto the Almighty God who is set upon his throne of majesty and glory For here we must understand by heaven the militant Church upon the earth as it clearly appears by the preceding Chapter where you hear an angel cry with a loud voice to the four angels which did represent the four illustrious kingdoms of the earth with their Monarchs or the devils to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea saying hurt not the earth neither the sea nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads after which S. John beheld a great multitude of men who were to suffer martyrdom for Christ and wash their robes white in the bloud of the Lamb nay whom Christ was to lead unto the living and eternal fountains of waters and immediately after the Church of God admires the great mystery of our redemption in Christ for which she suffereth for it followeth and when he had opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven and indeed the Scripture calls not seldome the militant Church heaven as you may see Dan. 8.10 where it is said that the little horn which did represent the power of a Potent but wicked King intra extra Ecclesiam within and without the Church waxed great even to the host of heaven that is the militant Church so in the Revelation 12. chapter 4. verse we reade that the great red dragon the devil with his well affected creatures by his fraudulent allurements drew with his tail the antichrist that follows the devils steps the third part of the stars of heaven that is the great persons of the militant Church which are eminent in learning humane wisdom nobility and riches and in my text there was silence in heaven the militant Church which obligeth me to tell you that there are three considerations for which the militant Church is called heaven First because the birth of the militant Church is from heaven for she is born of God 1 Joh. 5.1 and so I may say with S. John I saw the holy city the militant Church coming down from God out of heaven She is so called because the inheritance thereof is an inheritance of heaven and therefore it is called the inheritance of the Saints Col. 1.12 The militant Church is called heaven because her conversation is in heaven as the great Apostle tels us Phil. 3.20 and so our blessed Saviour calls often his visible Church the kingdom of heaven which agrees with our assertion of that word heaven the militant Church of which it is spoken when S. John saith there was silence in heaven But having seen the place where silence was kept the militant Church let us now consider the silence and give me leave to make a reslection upon it Silence brethren which the Hebrews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cheresh and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we consider it in general is nothing else but a
cessation of the external and visible actions of the sensible insensible and reasonable creatures and so the learned men call the quietness of the water silence when the water doth not move its moist substance nay the conjunction of the moon with the most bright sun where she seems to be ravished in contemplation of so glorious a Planet is called silence and the herbs and slowers which cease from growing are said to be silent but it is not of that manner of silence which is here spoken of for in this place silence is taken for a suspension of the outward actions of the intelligent creatures but properly of men as the place where silence is kept evidently shews heaven the militant Church of which they onely are members not the angels But you must know that there are several sorts of silence attributed unto them which I must declare unto you for the better illustration of the silence which S. John speaks of First there is silentium persecutionis the silence of persecution Secondly silentium pacis the silence of peace and prosperity Thirdly silentium admirationis the silence of admiration The silence of the Church which is of persecution is the cessation of the publick worship of God by reason of the persecutions which the Church suffereth for Christ under the enemies of the Gospel as it did appear in the birth of the Christian Church which was followed with a cruell silence and I suppose that you have heard of the great eclipse of the militant Church under the ten persecutions and specially the tenth bloudy and most cruel persecution under the Emperours Dioclesianus Maximianus Galienus Maxentius Maximinus and Licinius and how the militant Church at that time was in a profound silence for you know that by the space of twenty years the Church was such that she could not be seen by the eyes of her afflicted children nor by the piercing sight of her persecutours who boasted to have utterly extinguished the Christians at that time there was silence in heaven for the Church of God was silent by reason of her persecutions she was in her mourning apparel being under the cross the places of her resuge were the desarts her palaces the dens of the wilde beasts her most pleasant dwellings the habitation of serpents and other most venemous creatures her voice was not heard and she could not publickly entertain her self with her sweet and most amiable bridegroom and say I will rise now and go about the city in the streets and in the broad ways I will publickly seek him whom my soul loveth Cant. 3.2 Now if we make reflection upon this Nation we may truly say that there was silence in heaven when the Usurpers of this Kingdom did sit upon the Throne of our gracious Monarch Charles the Second for at that time the Church of England was in a deep silence her sumptuous and magnificent buildings erected to offer to God our publick but spiritual sacrifices were demolished the mother and children persecuted and all her publick and holy meetings prohibited so that she could not with a loud voice call her afflicted children to give them any consolation or mollifie the sorrows of their souls I know that some learned men take the silence of the Church which S. John here speaks of according to that sense by an allusion to the Angel who was to perform the sacred function upon the altar of incense as you may see in the third verse of our Chapter for you must know that when the Levitical Priests killed the beasts which were to be offered in sacrifice there was a great noise heard in the temple by the roaring of the beasts which were tied fast to the horns of the altar of the burnt-offerings and from thence were called victimae victims quia ammalia vincta ad altare immolabantur because the beasts were tied to the altar at their immolation but when they burned incense there was silence in the Church every one did consult in their hearts with the Almighty God of Israel and as the pious Hannah moved onely their lips but did not open their mouths to cause any noise in the temple as you may observe Luk. 1.10 where you reade that the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of the incense so by an allusion to the offering of the sacred incense where silence was kept they understand the silence of persecution wherein the Church is in a profound silence by reason of her persecutours But leaving that opinion I pass unto the silence of peace and prosperity to tell you that it is a cessation in regard of the Church of her persecutions when she publickly resteth from her cruel labours begins to take breath and publickly receives a great and exceeding consolation from her dear Saviour and blessed Lord where in that condition the Church of God remains in a profound silence considering with her self how God is carefull of those that are in affliction for his sake as he comforts them by his holy Spirit inwardly although under the burthen of persecution so he delivers them from their calamities and restoreth his people into a peaceable and sweet condition both in body and soul as it was done in the time of Constantine the great where the Church began to respire from her cruel persecutions for at that time there was silence in heaven silence of prosperity and peace and so we may say there is silence in heaven when the Church of God is in a peaceable and quiet condition without schisms and divisions But we must go further and evidently see that it is of the silence of admiration that S. John speaks of when he saith there was silince in heaven because this silence tends to the present action where angels and men are ravished in the contemplation of it for it was kept at the opening of the seventh seal as you may see in the beginning of the 1. ver by the words that immediately precede my Text and therefore you must observe that here is question of a great and sublime mystery which was to cause unto the Jews and Gentiles a profound silence in the consideration of it do you not see all the court of heaven to be silent the angels that are sent for the protection of the militant Church dare not sound their trumpets lest any thing should hinder the great and sublime actings which did appear in the Church to teach us that we must keep silence to contemplate with admiration what is acted in heaven me thinks I see the Church in a profound silence she is admiring with amazement that great mystery the object of her contemplation and let me tell you that it is not without cause seeing it is the matter of the great mystery of our redemption which the militant Church upon the earth admireth in every age with a profound silence for at the opening of the seventh seal Christ God and man the cause of this silence appeareth for
the angel that came and stood at the altar is our blessed Saviour as the best of interpreters teach us God manifested in the flesh an object which angels and men are not us'd to behold Christ the angel of the great council and the messenger of the covenant as the Prophet Malachy tels us Mal. 3.1 Christ our high-Priest who offered a sacrifice not of beasts but of himself upon the altar of the Cross and therefore at his coming into the world to assume our humane nature to satisfie the divine justice for mens sins he caused a great admiration unto angels and at his manifestation procured in heaven the militant Church a profound silence But that you may have a greater satisfaction I beseech you look upon the 3. verse of our Chapter and you will easily see the cause of this silence to be Christ our Redeemer for it is said in that verse that another angel Christ our Priest and Mediatour came having assumed our humane nature and stood at the altar to shew us that he was offered in sacrifice for our sins where you must observe that Christ is our Priest according to both his natures our altar according to his divine nature for as the altar sanctified the oblation Mat. 23.19 so Christ as God sanctified himself in his humane nature according to which humane nature Christ properly is our sacrifice as you may see in the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians 22. ver and in 1 Pet. 4.1 although the principal vertue of his sacrifice did depend on his divine nature Moreover it is said that the angel had a golden censer to teach us that Christ gave God the Father a perfect and eternal satisfaction that we might be delivered from the eternal slavery of the prince of darkness which our sins had made us subject to and further it saith that much incense was given him to shew us that the peculiar office of Christ is to present God the Father the prayers of the righteous and make them acceptable unto him through his intercession which alone without the intercession of the departed Saints is sufficient for all those that he redeemed by his precious bloud as you may see in the 4. verse where it is said that the smoak of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the angels hand all which things could not but cause silence in heaven the militant Church and ravish with admiration all the intelligent creatures in the opening of so great a mystery which the angels desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.12 Moreover seeing that the angel Christ took the censer and filled it with fire of the altar as we reade in the 5. verse and cast it into the earth to prepare by that sacred sire the Ministers of the holy Gospel to preach one Jesus Christ and him crucified as he did after his ascension into the glorious palace of his Father as we reade Act. 2.3 the Church could not but keep silence and further hearing voices thundrings lightnings and earthquakes at the opening of the great and sublime mystery of our redemption for the confirmation of it she could not but admire with a profound silence such prodigious effects as many for certain do in this world at the hearing of this great mystery and I hope many in this company cannot but wonder at it and say being ravished in admiration with S. John at the opening of so great a mystery there was silence in heaven but I am afraid of abusing of your patience seeing that this silence should continue but half an hour there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour which leads me to the second part of my Text. The second part As the intelligent creatures are limited and finite so is their contemplation which doth not permit them to consider several things at once for their understandings present them the objects one after another according to the capacity of their natures and indeed God alone is he who can at once comprehend all things because he alone compasseth about all the creatures of the Universe and which is most admirable in the knowledge which God hath of all things is that to know them he doth not look upon them but upon himself for in his wisdom he sees the eternal models of all things and in his will the efficient cause of all the events so that by the knowledge that God hath of himself he knoweth all things but it is not so with the intelligent creatures for they must alternatively and by degrees consider several natures whether they look upon them Intuitivè intuitively as angels or discursivè discursively as men or consider them with admiration as both angels and men as you may see in our Text there was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour because the sacred attendants of the militant Church could not at once in a moment perceive all those wonders which we have told you were seen in heaven during the celestial silence of which S. John speaks saying there was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour But this duration of time half an hour hath some difficulty in its explication for some learned men will have it to be the duration of the external peace of the Church of God under Constantine the Great which seemed to have lasted but about the space of half an hour for soon after that peace heresies and schisms did spring up in the Church as it did appear by the Arians against whom the great Council of Nice was held being called by Constantine the Emperour Lyranus will have the space of half an hour to be the duration of the persecution of Julian the Apostate who imposed silence unto the Church and commanded her not to instruct her children nor give them any consolation grounded upon the merit of our blessed Saviour which continued but a little while about the space of half an hour for soon after he died in the wars which he did undertake against the Persians where this monstrous Apostate vomited out a damnable blasphemy against our blessed Lord whom he used to call Galilean for he dying took some of his bloud cast it up in the air and said Vicisti Galilaee vicisti thou hast overcome Galilean thou hast overcome at last but Leaving those interpretations with many others give me leave to tell you that by the space of half an hour is understood all the time of the actings which S. John saw in heaven the militant Church at the opening of the seventh seal from the 2. ver of our Chapter to the 7. for the things which are represented unto that verse did seem to Saint John to have continued but a little while about the space of half an hour so short a time that S. John was nothing weary in the contemplation of them and indeed if you observe our Chapter you will easily perceive a perfect silence kept in the
not question being fully perswaded of your Affection towards me which I shall ever acknowledge and highly esteem remaining unto death Sir Your Worships most humble and obliged Servant James Le Franc. Christ's and the Saints Reign OR The Millenaries Confuted Delivered in a Sermon Preached at S. Andrews in Norwich REV. 20.4 And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years IF any matter hath ever required attention I am perswaded that you will confess that this doth require it for the learned Interpreters have so variously expounded it that it is difficult to determine our selves upon this Subject Indeed I had not medled with it if I had not perceived the errour of some of the common people which follow some blinde leaders whose ambition is to extoll themselves and break asunder the Church of God to have some followers for amongst the Sectaries you see so many of them blinded by their ignorance that they will rather choose a worldly reign then a Spiritual Kingdom earth for heaven and temporal delights for eternal pleasures but leaving them for a while upon their earthly Throne give me leave to tell you that this Chapter contains three principal parts The first of which regards the space of a thousand years under which Christ with his Saints shall reign upon the earth The second includes the short time in which Satan after the expiration of the thousand years shall be loosed out of his prison from whence you may consider what will be the condition of the world when in that time you shall see it embroiled with dissentions wars and seductions as you may see by the 8. and 9. ver of our Chapter The third part teacheth us the general Judgement of the Universe where the wicked shall be condemned to eternal punishment and the godly declared the heirs of eternal felicity and glory But as our Text is under the first part of our Chapter let me tell you that S. John in the beginning of it brings in an angel which is Christ coming down from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit with a great chain in his hand to binde with it the dragon which is the devil Satan a thousand years shut him up into the bottomless pit with a seal upon him to stay his power and hinder his tyrannical Empire over the humane kinde that he may deceive the nations no more where in the golden age of Satans chaining you may consider the condition of the faithfull and godly men and see their conquests triumphs and victories over their enemies in their very punishments death for the promulgation of the Gospel and the advancing of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ for in the 4. ver the beloved Disciple of our Saviour S. John saith that he saw thrones and they that is the Martyrs sate upon them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God which had not worshipped the Antichristian beast neither his image nor bad received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands adding and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years which are the words which I have chosen to entertain you with by the special assistance of the blessed Spirit but for a clear intelligence of them I shall divide my Text into two parts where in the first I shall speak of the life and reign of the Saints with Christ in these words and they lived and reigned with Christ and in the second part I shall shew you the duration of it a thousand years and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years The first Part. If we consider the holy Scripture we may evidently see that our Saviour hath onely two several Kingdoms the one providential which is that universal Soveraignty by which Christ manageth the affairs of all the whole world both in heaven and earth the other spiritual which is that royal but celestial authority which he exerciseth over his people the elect which is that kingdom in which the Saints or faithfull live and reign with Christ as you may see in Revel 5.10 where it is said that Christ hath made us unto our God kings and priests that we may reign on the earth or and we shall reign on the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that in a spiritual manner so in Rom. 5.12 we reade that if by one mans offence death reigneth by one much more they which receive abundance of grace shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ and in our Text and they lived and reigned with Christ Which makes me wonder at the Chiliasts or Millenaries opinion which gives our Saviour in this place of Scripture as in many others a third Kingdom which they call Monarchical wherein Christ when he enters upon it will govern as earthly Monarchs do universally over the world in a visible and earthly glory and splendour which is the personal reign which they give to our blessed Lord and which I observe to be diversly understood by its assertors For the Jews perswade themselves that at the possession of that Kingdom Jerusalem shall be most splendidly reedified with the Temple which according to them will be the third Sacrifices offered unto the God of Israel Marriages amongst themselves most gloriously celebrated and all prosperity and happiness without any molestation or hindrance of their enemies enjoyed so that they understand that reign of Jesus Christ both carnal and spiritual Some ancient Doctours of the Christian Primitive Church as Justin dialog contra Tryphon Lactantius ille Firmianus Tertullian against Marcion lib. 2. and others were of that opinion that the Monarchical Kingdom of Jesus Christ should be administred in a spiritual manner without any bloudy sacrifice or libation without marriages or sensual pleasures for as Justin Martyr after his discourse about the day of judgement which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith to Trypho the Jew at that time we shall immolate true and spiritual sacrifices and offer praises and thanks-givings unto our God without any bloudy sacrifice upon an altar Some hereticks as Cerinthius and Apollinaris understood that Monarchical Kingdom of Jesus Christ in a fleshly manner saying that the Saints should reign with Christ upon the earth in all manner of voluptuous pleasures gulae luxuriae of gluttony and wantonness which perhaps may be the sense of some of our Sectaries although they pretend to interpret it of a visible and earthly Monarchy without any fleshly and sinfull volupty as one Archer a London-Divine expresseth it But I will not stay so long upon that Monarchical Kingdom for we do not know such a kingdom in the holy Scripture attributed unto Christ nor to the Saints although you reade in my Text and they lived and reigned with Christ and indeed it is evident that the Scripture denies it for we read S. Joh. 18.36 that Christ said to Pilate my Kingdom is not of this world nor
saith that in the eternity of God he could not perceive any interval of time because the intervals of time consist in the motion of things which are passed or are to come then let me tell you that the thousand years of our Text do signifie all the time of the reign of the Saints from the binding of the dragon untill the formal manifestation of the Anti-christian jurisdiction at the loosing of Satan out of his prison as you may see by the 7. and 8. verses of our Chapter and when the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel But for a clear explanation of our Text we must observe the beginning of these thousand years for there remains the difficulty where many Learned men have pleased themselves with their sancies for leaving alone Prosper who beginneth them at the beginning of the Seventy weeks which Daniel the Prophet makes mention of in the ninth Chapter of his Prophesie Some with Alphonsus a Castro begin the thousand years of our Text after the day of judgement saying that these thousand years are the eternity of the Saints in majesty and glory but the seductions of the world after the loosing out of the devil as you have seen in the 7. and 8. verses of our Chapter evidently shews the contrary Others with the Millenaries with Papias Irenaeus Tertullian Lactantius and others begin them at the death of the Antichrist but you may observe in the 7. and 8. verses that the devil being loosed after the expiration of the thousand years the Antichristian jurisdiction shall prevail and so the thousand years of our Text do not follow the Antichrist but precede him some of the Rabbins Ketina and Eliezar among the Iews will have the beginning of those thousand years after six thousand of the creation of the world at the beginning of the 7000 to the very end of it But how do they know that the world shall endure neither more nor less then six thousand years after which the world shall have a rest of a thousand years the Scripture I am sure makes no mention of such a thing and therefore leaving that opinion I say that others begin them at the Passion of our Saviour as Gregorius and Austin and Pererius but although it was said that at that time the prince of this world should be cast out S. Joh. 12.31 and that in the Cross Christ having spoiled principalities and powers made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it yet you must know that it was not the beginning of Satans binding and therefore I omit for the same reason the opinion of some Learned men that begin the thousand years at the death of Julian the Apostate in the beginning of the Reign of Constantine the Great For if we seriously consider we shall see that a thousand years begin at the Nativity of Jesus Christ at that time Christ beheld Satan as lightning falling from heaven for at his Nativity he took that strong man bound him and spoiled his house as Christ himself insinuates Mat. 12.29 did not the devils know that they were bound when they besought our Saviour saying if thou cast us out suffer us to go into the herd of swine Mat. 8.31 you cannot but know that verity if you consider that the devils could not stand before him without fear and trembling as we reade in the Evangelists and the heathens themselves shew us that the devils were bound at the Nativity of Jesus Christ for Suidas in vita August recordeth that Augustus the Emperour enquiring of the Oracle of Apollo what man should reign after him received no answer from the devil then that an Hebrew child newly born among the Jews hindred him to speak and commanded him to depart from thence and I have read that all the Images of Egypt did fall to the ground when our blessed Saviour entred into that Countrey to avoid the bloudy fury of the Infanticide King Herod Moreover some Learned Historians tell us that the Romans having formerly consulted the Oracles to know how long the Temple of the Goddess Peace should stand an answer was made them until a Virgin should bring forth a child and so it came to pass for at the blessed Virgins deliverance it fell to the ground and further Plutarch de defect orac doth report that in the Reign of Tiberius the Emperour a strange voice and exceeding horrible clamour with cries and howlings was heard by many in the Grecian Sea lamenting and complaining that their great god Pan the master devil was now departed insomuch that all the Sea resounded their dreadfull Ecchoes whereby it is plain and manifest that even in all parts the devil complained on the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour as being at that time so bound that he could not as he did before seduce the Nations of the earth for many of the Gentiles seduced before by him came at that time unto the knowledge of Jesus Christ and suffered Martyrdom for our Lord. And all that agrees very well with the narration of S. John described in our Chapter for the beloved Disciple of Christ saith at the 1. verse that he saw an angel coming down from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand to bind the prince of darkness with it which shews us Christ who came down from heaven as S. John himself saith in the 6. chap. of his Gospel that being conceived by the holy Ghost in the womb of the blessed Virgin 〈◊〉 he might be born of her to destroy the works of the devil and binde that strong man as you may reade in the 12. of S. Mat. Then you may see that the thousand years of our Text begin at the birth or Nativity of our Saviour to continue untill the formal manifestation of the Antichristian Jurisdiction at the loosing of Satan as you have seen by the 7. and 8. vers of our chapt which time is already expired and sinished if you consider who are those that are called Gog and Magog who are to exercise their tyranny against the Church of God after the expiration of the thousand years as you may see in the 8. and 9. verses the devil shall go to deceive the nations of the earth Gog and Magog and gather them together and they went upon the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the Saints about and the beloved City You know that Gog and Magog are two words which are taken from the 38. of Ezechiel the Prophet where the Jews by Gog understand the king and by Magog the people but you are not ignorant that Magog was one of the Sons of Japheth as reade in Gen. 10.2 who at the first did inhabit next to the Caspian mountains and by succession of time extended themselves into all parts of the
diamond being corrupted and reduced into ashes it could not shew any thing of her decayed beauty Silence to our lust and carnal affections for you know that they destroy both body and soul and pollute the image of our God that we are endued with let the monster of drunkenness be silent for it renders us like beasts being in that horrible sin deprived of understanding and judgement and fit to commit any sin against God at the least occasion that is presented unto us you know the fatal events of these monstrous sins how sometimes they solicite us to kill our fathers and mothers sometimes the object of our lascivious pleasures and sometimes our selves how they induce us to go up and down to seek after a prey which spoils and ruines our bodies and souls and often conducts us to a publick place to expire there most shamefully Silence to our illegitimate swearings let us not call God witness to our iniquities nor blaspheme his holy name know that it is not a small matter to call upon the Name of our glorious God at any occasion and if he suffer so many swearers it is an effect of his goodness that they may repent and cease to swear otherwise know that the divine justice will make them feel its eternal effects of vengeance and indeed that sin is the sin of those that are damned who in hell being not able to steal commit fornication or kill cease not to blaspheme the holy Name of the Almighty God Silence to all our evil words and all the motions of an ill tongue which S. James in the third Chapter of his Epistle so severely condemneth for you know that they offend God and our Christ our neighbours and our selves they are unworthy of a Christian for as S. Paul saith Eph. 4.29 Let no corrupt communication come or proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the glory of God and salvation of our souls Silence to our covetousness because it pulleth down the throne of our God and erecteth another in our hearts to the prophanation of the God of heaven whom alone we must adore for covetousness makes us worship the corruptible riches of this world and causeth us to rob the poor members of our blessed Saviour Silence to all our sins for they make division between God and us and deprive us of the gracious presence of the blessed Spirit you know brethren that such silence is required of those that are in the militant Church of our God where in the consideration of the mystery of our redemption we learn that sacred lesson that we must abstain from our iniquities indeed such a silence is our victory and the greatness of our triumph for in that silence of our sins our vices are overthrown and our vertue shineth as a most bright star nay more then that that silence is a triumph which excels that of Alexander the Great when he made his entrance into the noble and famous city of Babylon where he was seen set upon a chariot richer then the Indies and brighter then the Sun that silence of our sins is a triumph which exceeds that of the Grand Caesar when he caused himself to be drawn by forty Elephants unto the Capitol the glorious place of reception of the Roman Conquerours after he had obtained the honour of 24. Battels that silence is a triumph which excels that of a famous Queen of Egypt when she made her entrance into Cecilia where she was admired in a most glorious ship which was so rich that no man could judge of the price for in these triumphs ambition did sit upon its throne but in our Christian triumph humility justice and charity sit upon their thrones happy silence then that filleth men with grace happy silence that procures us celestial honours spiritual pleasures and incorruptible riches happy silence that conducts us to eternal life let us embrace it while we are in our mortal bodies that we may hereafter enjoy the eternal Crown of glory with the scepter of immortality which I wish you in Christ Jesus To whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be ascribed all honour and glory now and for evermore Amen TO THE Right Worshipfull and my much Honoured Friend Sir JOSEPH PAINE Kt Justice of Peace in the County of Norfolk and Colonel of the Foot Regiment in Norwich Health and Happiness Sir YOur great Civility to all and in particular to my self gives me an assurance that you will kindly accept that which I here present your Worship even a Sermon in which I hope the meanness and lowness of the stile will not any ways diminish the excellency of the matter viz. our Saviours Body which you spiritually feed upon every Communion day nay continually seeing we feed upon it in our Celestial Meditations of Christ I desire therefore your Worship to look upon the Matter not on the Work it self being not worthy of your Acceptance Indeed Sir I had not assumed the boldness to offer this Present unto you if I had not been sure of your singular Goodness I have had of it so much Experience that it should be a kind of crime to question it and indeed a true Subject of the Glorious Monarch of England as your Worship is and hath always been will not disdain that which an inferiour offereth him seeing that the Great Charles refuseth not such things from the most inferiour Person amongst his Subjects Truly Sir the Obligations which I owe you are so great that I am obliged to let others know the Civilities I have received from your Noble and Generous Person and by your means from your most worthy Family for I have nothing else to present you with but the acknowledgement of your great courtesie which I being sensible of cannot but present my Prayers to the Almighty God of Heaven for your and your Families Prosperity remaining with all the sincerity of my heart Sir Your Worships most humble Servant James Le Frane Christs Sacramental Presence AGAINST Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation Delivered in a Sermon Preached at Great S. Peters in Norwich S. MAT. 26.26 This is my body AS we cannot but see the effects of the divine Goodness if we contemplate this Universe where God manifesteth himself unto us by the marks of his Divinity and power which there he engraved as the grand Apostle tels us Rom. 1.20 saying that the invisible things of God even his eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen from or by the creation of the world so we cannot but admire the great love of the Almighty God towards us if we consider that he made us the noblest of all his sensible creatures having printed in man the sacred image of himself as Moses tels us Gen. 1.26 and inclosed in him the being of all the created natures for man hath a corporal being with the stars Elements and Mettals life with herbs plants and trees sense with birds beasts and fishes and intelligence with angels and so if the
Philosophers called justly man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little world me thinks they had much better said if they had called him the great world for what is in heaven or earth in comparison of him for whom they were created they shall pass as S. Peter tels us 2 Pet. 3.10 but man that noble creature shall remain for ever it is true that the consideration of the Universe gives us a sublime conception of our Creatour but if we consider within our selves we shall see that we are the subject of all the marvellous effects of his providence for in man his admirable power goodness and wisdom did most gloriously appear as the Royall Prophet tels us in the 8. Psalm saying being ravished in admiration thou hast crowned him with glory and honour But man in the estate of his integrity considering himself so glorious pride appeared and sollicited him to sit upon the throne of his master and this glorious creature being overcome by that monstrous sollicitation in his desire to be like unto God did become the most odious of all the creatures and which is the highest of all miseries he became the slave of the Prince of darkness so that of himself he could not return into the favour of his God if God had not sent his blessed Son our onely Redeemer into the world to appease his anger by the satisfaction he gave to his divine justice for our sins which is such a favour unto repenting sinners that they must never be without a sacrifice of thanks-giving Moreover by another effect of his divine goodness God presents unto us the great benefit of our redemption by the continual preaching of the Gospel and confirms and seals it by the administration of the holy Sacraments and especially that of the Lords Supper which is a Sacrament of his death and passion as S. Paul speaks 1 Cor. 11.26 saying as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come which Sacrament is mentioned in our Text for the Evangelist speaking of its institution after the celebration of the Passover saith as they the Apostles were eating Jesus took bread and blessed it broke it and gave it to his disciples saying Take and eat this is my body which words I have chosen to entertain you with by the special assistance of the blessed Spirit and for a clear intelligence of them we shall consider three things in our Text. First the Subject of the proposition this Secondly the Attribute My body Thirdly the copula is which joyneth the Subject with the Attribute This is my body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this which is a demonstrative pronoun is taken in this place not adectively but substantively and for its explanation you must observe that this doth not signifie an uncertain individuum or a substance indefinitely as Aquinas will have it for if it were so this should demonstrate another substance as well as that of the body of Christ neither doth this signifie or demonstrate the predicate the body of Christ as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this should be the same with it as Scotus speaks for if it were so the proposition should be identical should signifie nothing else but this body of Christ is the body of Christ which is absurd nor is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this to be understood of that which had been bread as if some body speaking of that which Moses held with his hand which had been a rod should say this is a serpent or that which was water at the marriage in Cana is wine for if it were so there should have been a sensible conversion of the bread into the body of Christ as there was in the changing of the rod into a serpent and of the water into wine nor is that Pronoun this taken adverbially for hic here as those of the Church of Rome will confess with us for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is referred to the bread which Christ took broke and gave to his disciples and so demonstrates not a common but sacramental bread where the substance and quality remaining the common use is onely changed into a sacred one as S. Austin doth teach us And it matters not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread is of the masculine gender for by the rule of the Grammar when the substantive is understood and not expressed the adjective must be the neuter gender by way of a substantive in those things that are without life and so we may say hoc est terra this thing is earth that is used somtimes in the Scripture as those that understand Greek may see in 1 Pet. 2.19 where the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this is grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being neuter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feminine but it is so clear that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this demonstrates the bread which our blessed Saviour broke and gave his disciples that the grand Apostle S. Paul cals it so 1 Cor. 10.16 the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ and in cha 11. after he had told the Corinthians that he had delivered them that which he had received from the Lord that is the manner of the administration of the Sacrament saith 26 27 28. as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup c. but let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and if we call antiquity to witness Tertullian will tell us in his Book against the Jews Nos audiamus panem quem fregit Dominus esse corpus Salvatoris Let us hear that the bread which Christ broke is the body of our Saviour which you must understand sacramentally so S. Jerome ad Hebidiam moreover in the same sense Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 57. saith that our Lord taking bread confessed it to be his body and Theodoret. dial 10. cap. 8. teacheth us that in the exhibition of the mysteries Christ called bread his body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Councils also shew us the verity of our assertion for the 37. Canon of the Code of the Canons of the Councils of Africa tels us that in holy places where Divine Service is celebrated nothing more is offered but the body and bloud of Christ hoc est panis vinum aquâ mixtum that is bread and wine mingled with water so the Council in Trullo at Constantinople with the Council of Neocaesarea which forbids certain Priests to give the bread and cup coram Episcopo before a Bishop And I wonder to hear those of the Church of Rome cavil so much at that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this when they amongst themselves are not agreed upon it for they dispute among themselves about the consecration of the bread which Christ gave his disciples some say with the Greeks as those of the