vpon the euening to flye great flockes of Quailes vpon the Campe wherewith they were fed and you see some of them yet remaining and this morning the first day of the weeke he hath made raine to them Manna which serued them and shall serue them for food vntill they be arriued in the Land of Promise which are these round white graines of the bignesse and forme of Corianders Exod. 16. which falling thick and small from heauen haue made white the Land all couered therewith and so haue ceased to fall Wherefore all the world runneth greedily to gather it vp some carry panniers full vpon their backes some their baskets in their hands some their wallets the housholders send their seruants who thereof make their prouision with al diligence But aboue all it is a pleasure to see the little children halfe naked who hauing tasted of these white sweete things runne to it as to an haile of sugred comfits and thrusting one another away striue who shall put most in their pockets They fall on eating greedily remembring no more the Quailes that fell the night past The elder sort contemplate this small bread and admire it and euery one said in the beholding it Man-hu that is to say What is this and not without reason for it was meate neuer seene before neither had the heauens euer rained downe any such especially in this Desert barren of all good fruit They also saw it fall from the skie when it was cleare without knowing any originall or naturall cause thereof they see it laid betweene two snowes Exod. 16.14 or dewes as betwixt two white sheetes For a little before that it descended a little dew was spread ouer the earth to receiue it Rab. Salom. Lyra. ibid. and being already descended another couered it These meruailes astonished the Hebrewes and made them say Man-hu Man-hu But they shall be yet more amazed when they shall see that it shal not fall on the Sabbath day as it were to keepe the Feast that he which shall gather all the morning more then the measure of a Gomer for his prouision Exod. 16.26 shall not haue more then the other which shall haue gathered lesse Exod. 16.18 and that this Gomer shall be the measure of food that euery one shall eate great or little that it shall melt and desolue into water with the beames of the Sun and it shall harden being put to the fire Exod. 16.21 to be prepared and baked into bread that it shall conuert it selfe to that which euery one would haue it and he which would haue the taste of the flesh of Chickens Exod. 16.23 of Veale of Partridge or of other things to eate he shall haue it taste according to his owne desire that it shall putrifie if they keepe it till the next day if it were not the Sabbath day For these maruailes they said alwayes Man-hu as nor being able to comprehend what it is and that name remained alwaies to the thing in witnesse of the admiration Moses contemplates this present Sacrament and casteth the eyes of his cleare sighted vnderstanding vpon the greatnesse of the future mystery and highly praysing the gifts of the diuine boundy instructeth this grosse people how they ought to cary themselues in the gathering and vse of this bread He also commanded his brother Aaron Exod. 16.33.34 to reteine one vessell thereof to put in the Tabernacle there to be reserued when it shall be framed Hebr. 9.4 in eternall memory of the gifts receiued from the diuine hand euery one already hath gotten his prouision and the Manna fallen begins to melt the Sunne being high risen aboue the Horison and drawing neare the South 1. MANNA A FIGVRE OF THE SAcrament of the Altar OVr Sauiour hath euidently declared that Manna was a manifest Figure of the Sacrament of his body when instructing the Iewes vanting of their Ancestors Ioan. 6. Exod. 16.14 Num. 11.7 Psal 77.24 whom they said to haue eaten Manna in the Desert as it is written Thou hast giuen them bread from heauen and taking occasion thereby to speake to them of the eating of his flesh true Manna from heauen he answeres them saying Verily verily I say vnto you Ioan. 6.31.32.44 that it is not Moses which gaue you the true bread from heauen but it is my Father which giueth you the true bread from heauen And a little after Your fathers haue eaten Manna in the Desert and are dead who eateth this bread shall liue for euer Teaching by this allusion and comparison that Manna was but the shadow and Figure of his flesh and that Moses had giuen but the figuratiue bread of that bread which he was to leaue to his Church true bread descended from heauen to wit his pretious body exhibited vnder the formes of bread Saint Paul according to the Spirit of his Master compares Manna to the Eucharist S. Chrysâ—st S. Cyril Alex. Theâ—ph S. Aug. in cap. 6. Ioan. G. Ambros lib. de imâ—tat c. 8. 9. lib. de Sac. cap. 1. and the Red-sea to Baptisme as shadowes to the body The holy Fathers of like faith and doctrine speake of Manna as of a faire Picture made in the Schoole of Moses and extoll the holy Sacrament of the Altar as the truth exhibited in the Law of grace well then for the better conceiuing thereof let vs contemplate the semblance of the one to the other and compare the Manna of the Iewes with the Manna of the Christians 2. THE CORRESPONDENCE OF MANna to the Sacrament of the Altar MANNA was called bread from heauen Psal 77.24 because it came from the ayre called heauen in the holy Scripture as when it saith Matth. 13.4 The birds of heauen that is to say of the ayre which is their element our Sacrament is truely bread from heauen for it containes him which is truely descended not from the ayre but from heauen it selfe And this is that which our Sauiour said to the Iewes as aboue we haue heard Ioan. 9.31.32 It is not Moses which giueth you true bread from heauen but it is my Father which giueth you the true bread from heauen Secondly Manna was a food extracted from an extraordinary cause and made by the ministery of Angels and not a worke of Nature and this is the cause Glossa in 16. Exod. why it is called the bread of Angels For to say that it was because they did eate it were an impertinent exposition seeing that the meat of such Spirits is spirituall and proportioned to their nature according to that which Raphael said to Tobias Toâ— 12.19 It seemed indeed that I did eate and drinke with you but I vse a meate and a drinke inuisible and which none can see For the selfe-same reason it is called by Saint Paul Spirituall meate 1. Cor. 10. not that it was not visible and palpable but because it was prepared by an inuisible hand and
of immortality 6. GOD NOVRISHER OF EVERY CREAture true nutriment of his Children IF this good people seeing that Iesus Christ had so I magnificently and so miraculously filled them would haue made him King and honoured him with an honour which they held to be the greatest of all greatnesse heere vpon earth as wee haue heard what would they haue thought and what would they houe done if they had a little vnderstood that this Lord was hee which of olde had freed their Fathers in the Desart and which nourisheth the Angels in heauen and the blessed Spirits with food of his felicity who giues to eate to euery creature who keepes open table in the spacious ayre vpon the face of the earth within the depthes of the waters prouiding for the fowles in the ayre the beasts of the earth for the fishes of the sea and for all liuing creatures their proper food in their owne dwellings What would they haue said if the eyes of their soule had been opened to behold the grearnesse highnesse and profoundnesse of that miracle without comparison saire more admirable then the they did so much admire and esteemed worthy to bee rewarded with a Kingdome It is a farre greater miracle saith Saint Augustine to prouide for the whole world S. Aug. Tract in Ioan. 24. then to feed fiue thousand men with fiue Leaues and two Fisves And sithence this miracle is the greater wheresore did these men perceiue onely the lesser Was it not for so much as the most part of them had not the entire faith they should haue had of the Messias whom they did esteeme indeed a great man but not great God as they ought But what would they heue said had they knowne that this Sauiour would giue his slesh to men to eate and feed them to immortality And that with so many miracles as Nature it selfe stands wondering at them Would they not foorthwith haue proclaimed him not onely the King of men but of Angels also and of all the world Nay would they not haue inferred by good discourse that hee was God both of heauen and earth For it is God alone who hath power to giue himselfe in meate without diminution and detriment he alone in heauen giues his Diuinity for food of the blessed and he alone giues on earth the body of his Humanity to his seruants for food to saluation remaining no lesse entire then before a worke worthy of God infinite as well in power as in goodnesse Mortall Kings may wel prepare magnificent feasts such as were made by Holofernes Salomon Cleopatra and many Romane Emperours 3. Reg. 4. Plutarch in Anton. but they made them not of their owne substance it was not of their owne bodies that they were liberall it was but of the bodies of beasts and of other prouision which they had taken from the storehouse of Nature God alone can giue himselfe to be eaten he alone is almighty not to bee exhausted vncapable of diminution If then these things be so great and if we beleeue and see heere that which they neither saw nor beleeued If wee see the prouidence of our Sauiour to gouerne and nourish all the world his charity to vs in norishing vs with his flesh from the Table of his Church his truth in promising moreouer the food of felicity Why doe we not admire his benefits Why doe we not magnifie them Why doe wee not giue him immortall thankes for them The multitude of his wonders doe they dazell our eyes as a bright lightning or as the light of the Sunne The continuall multiplying of his presents doth it make his great liberality lesse admirable to vs But if as mortall men we take no heed to the workes which God doth in Nature euery day as being ordinary and common let vs at least regard the rare excellencie of this Table furnished with a meate more worth then all that Nature can affoord The Iewes filled with fiue Loaues and two Fishes thought not of the miracle which God doth in nourishing the whole world because that was a miracle frequent and common And yet they adwored that of the fiue Loaues S. Aug. Tract in Ioan. 24. not because it was greater saith S. Augustine but because it was more rare and lesse vsuall Wherefore admire not we then the rarenesse of our Sacrament sithence it is the miracle of miracles hauing no like and which by no continuance of time can become vulgar as the miracles of Nature Wherefore cry we not in our hearts Liue the King of Kings Raigne the King of Kings Immortall glory to the King of Kings which hath giuen a refection of so great a wonder filling with one loafe and with one fish that is with his sacred body not fiue thousand men for one time but millions of men and of women that haue wandered in the Desart of this world these sixteen hundred yeers and wil fill yet as many millions moe of Christian soules as shall feed vpon it to the end of the world who will fill them not as he hath filled those with the materiall food of the body for the maintenance of this mortall life But with spirituall food of the soule for to bee nourishment of immortality and mernall felicity Liue then O King of Kings true Life of our soules and bodies Raigne O King of Kings truely worthy to raigne Immortall glory to thee O King of Kings most wise to guide most mighty to defend most blessed tenderly to nourish the sheepe which follow thee in the mountaines and barren desarts of this mortall life O when shall this bee that wee shall arriue to the high mountaine of thy eternity there to take without end the food that thou thy selfe art true felicity of such as shall haue followed thee in the pathes of thy holy Commandements THE TWELFTH PICTVRE OVR SAVIOVR PREACHING OF THE SAcrament of his bodie The Description THE Sauiour of the world speakes the Diuine Word preacheth Iohn 6.59 the supreame Wisdome discourseth of the Sacrament of his body in the Synagogue of Capharnaum where he had done many great miracles The preheminence of the Orator and the dignity of the subiect deserueth an attentiue eare neuer man spake so and of such a matter He sees that the people follow him enticed by the miracle of the fiue Loaues and two Fishes and taketh occasion from their earthly desire to inuite them to a celestiall banquet of his flesh which he is about to prepare for those that shall beleeue in him and haue the appetite of their soules in good disposition Heare what he saith I am the bread of life Iohn 6.48 your Fathers haue eaten Manna and are dead this is the bread which descended from heauen that if any man eate of it he may not die I am the liuing bread descended from heauen he that eateth this bread shall liue eternally and the bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world Iohn 6.52 The
Iewes saith the Euangelist contend amongst themselues saying How can this man giue vs his flesh to eate Iesus said vnto them Verily verily I say vnto you if you eate not the flesh of the Sonne of Man and drink not his bloud you shall not haue life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinke my bloud he hath life eternall and I will raise him vp at the last day For my flesh is meate indeed and my bloud it drinke indeed who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud he dwelleth in me and I in him As the liuing Father hath sent mee and I liue by the Father Hee that eateth mee hee also shall liue by mee This is the bread that came downe from heauen not as your Fathers did eate Manna and died hee that eateth this bread shall liue for euer I hese are the words of our Sauiour The Apostles and they which did beleeue in him are ranished but there are others that haue deafe eares and grosse conceits iudging amisse of his words rashly taking scandal at the mystery which they vnderstood not â—on 6.60 and murmuring said This is a hard saying who can abide to heare it But Iesus Piercing their thoughts and secret murmurings corrected them said vnto them Doth this scandalize you if then you shall see the Son of Man ascend where he was before it is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profileth nothing the words that I haue pinken to you bee Spirit and Life So hee endeauoureth to make them capable but they notwithstanding remaine still blind and obstinate in their misbeleefe and got themselues out of his company Behold you how they wrinkle their fore heads in going away and looke behinde them These are carnall and ouerweyning people beleeuing nothing which comes not vnder the comprehension of their sense These are the Patriarches of all those which make warre against the Sacrament of the body of our Sauiour 1. WHEREFORE OVR SAVIOVR MADE a Sermon of the Eucharist before hee anstituted it THe Painter who knoweth how to dispose well of his worke hee hath in hand endeauours amongst other things to ioyne dexteriously the beginnings to their ends and so to smooth the knots of parts disagreeing that nothing appeare hard or constreined in the connexion but all to be aptly guided and brought to an end with due proportion of draught and colour The supreame Wisdome Master of Sciences and Artes obserued this law in all his creatures And it is vsuall with him Sap. S. 1. 11.12 to reach in his strength from end to end and to gouerne all things sweetly and to dispose them in measure in number and in weight According to this rule he continueth the course of this mouable world coupling extremities with their extremities by conuenient meanes So hee made the day to succeed the night by interposing of the morning and the night to the day by the euening neighbour to both the Sommer to Winter by the Spring comming betweene and the Winter to Sommer by interposing of Autumne and so in all his other workes of this world When the Sonne of God Soueraigne Wisdome had decreed in the Councell of his Father and of the holy Ghost to marry one day the greatnesse of his Diuinity to the littlenesse of our Nature and resolued at the same time to bestow also vpon vs as well for food as ransome the body which he had taken of Adams Posterity he began euen then by little and little to ordaine these Figures which we haue hitherto runne ouer and other such like which are in his booke making as it were the first preparations for this Feast which was to follow And being at length made Man and the time being come when he was to fulfill the verity of them and to couer the holy table with the food of his pretious flesh hee made a wonderfull proofe vpon the bread Matth. 14.21 Iohn 5.10 as we haue seene and incontinently after he preached this excellent Sermon which was as it were a generall proclamation of the banquet colouring by the brightnesse of a famous miracle and by his liuely voice those Characters of the old Figures and ioyning the Images past to the Verity present by the interposition thereof before the full accomplishment of his worke The selfe-same method vsed hee for preparatioÌ„ to the faith of other mysteries of his death of his Resurrection of his Ascension of the comming of the holy Ghost of Baptisme and of other Sacraments For besides the ancient Figures of them which he ordained long before he made many discourses a little before they were effected and the Sacraments themselues were instituted Wherefore this Sermon was as it were the connexion of things passed to things present of the shadow to the body and as a speaking morning declaring the comming of the Sacrament of the Altar which is the summe of all the other mysteries in the Church of God 2. THE FIRST CAVSE WHY OVR SAuiour would giue his flesh to eate and his bloud to drinke which was to shew his goodnesse THe first cause why our Sauiour would giue his flesh to eate his bloud to drinke is for as much as he is admirably good exceedingly liberall towards vs as hath been often already declared He tooke his body of vs and because he did that for vs he will in ploy it vpon vs and giue it vs againe like a magnificent Lord as many wayes as a body might profitably be ginen and imployed to wit for a price for food for vnion and signe of amity Hee which giues a pearle of great value to redeeme his friend from captiuity giues it as a price he that sets some delicate fruit vpon the table doth it that it may be eaten and the husband which giues himselfe in mariage giues his body that by vnion hee may become one flesh with his wise and the ring which hee leaues departing from her is a pledge of his loue Our Sauiour gaue his body on the Crosse for our redemption and thereby paid the tribute due to the diuine Iustice for the Ransome of mankinde he giues the same body in the Table of his Sacrament as a nuptiall Feast for meat vnto vs for to make a diuine vnion with vs and for a pledge of his loue Then the master and chiefe cause why he gaue vs his flesh to eat and his bloud to drinke is his boundy his liberality and his infinite loue 3. THE SECOND CAVSE TO GIVE A remedy to our misery THe second cause why our Sauiour did giue vs his body to eate is our miserable condition which out of his exceeding loue to vs he was desirous to repaire as hee hath in ample maner by the gift of his body For by communicating vnto vs his diuine flesh and deified bloud he hath both performed the part of a true Father and of a naturall Mother towards his children and withall hee hath wisely and effectually repaired all the breaches of our spirituall
they asked as Philosophers How Albeit the Scripture did clearely set downe the truth of this generation and tolde them on the otherside that they could not comprehend it and that they ought to beleeue and not to question about it â—say 53.8 So the Panymâ— and the Heretikes did laugh at the saith of the death of Iesus Christ neither could they be perswaded that he being the Sonne of God and God himselfe would or could haue endured death and did say How can it bee that hee could dye At this very day in like manner such as beleeue not imitating their Ancestors beate their hornes against the same Rock and doe say How can the body of our Sauiour be present in the Eucharist How can it be in many places without possessing a place Be eaten without being seene Exposed to the iniuries of the wicked without hurt And because they are proud they beleeue nothing but what they vnderstand and so lose their faith and their vnderstanding like vnto their Fathers and namely the Capharnaits how be it in another extremitie of heresie For of them saith Saint Augustine They did not vnderstand S. Aug. Tract 27. in Ioan. because they beleened not and the Prophet saith If you beleeue not you shall not vnderstand By saith we are vnited to God and by vnderstanding we are quickened Let vs first adhere to the truth by faith to the and that we may afterward be quickened by vnderstanding for he that adhereth not vesisteth and who resists belecueth not Hee excludeth the beame of light which should penetrate into him be turnes not away his eyes but shuts vp his vnderstanding In like manner these heere would know in Philosophie and not beleeue in Christianity and so became bad Philosophers and lose the name of Christians The Church of God and the children of God doe not so They doe beleeue the voyce of truth which said The bread which I will giue is my flesh and after they come to vnderstand as much as diuine mysteries can be vnderstood in the shadow of this mortality expecting to see them in heauen vnmasked and discouered when they shall see all things in God 6. EXPOSITION OF THE WORDS OF our Sauiour IT is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words which I speake to you are Spirit and life It was the custome of our Sauiour to speake couertly in this maner of the highest mysteries to the end he might be heard with better attention For the secret of God saith S. Augustine ought to engender in the hearers attention S. Aug. 27. in Ioan. and not to breed auâ—rsion But what he spake darkly he after explained sufficiently to take away occasion of error So we see that hauing said to Nâ—codemus Iohn 3.4 That to be saued hee ought to be borne anew He expounded himselfe saying That he ought to be Baptised of water and the holy Ghost and that he meant not a corporall but a spirituall generation In like manner Iohn 2.19 when he said I will destroy this Temple and I will build it againe in the third day the Euangelist added for explination thereof that he spake this of the Temple of his body Our Sauiour seeing then how the Capharnaits tooke offence at his words giuing them an absurde sense and such as their grosse phantasies did forge he correcteth their carnall sense and explaines his owne and tells them Doth this scandalize you Iohn â— If then you shall see the Sonne of Man ascend where he was before As if he should say you are sensuall people and will not beleeue that I am able to doe more then you are able to comprehend you thinke that this is an impossible thing for me to giue you my flesh to eate and that it can suffice for you all or giue you eternall life what then will you thinke what will you say when you shall see that I shall carry this flesh to heauen from whence I descended to take it heere on earth when you shall vnderstand that I am God and Man together certainly when you shall see that done which is of more difficultie you will haue occasion to beleeue this which is more easie for it is of it selfe more difficult to carry flesh into heauen which none euer did then to giue it to eate on earth the which many haue done though not after the manner that I will giue it Wherefore either you ought to beleeue that I can giue my flesh to be eaten seeing that I can doe a more difficult thing or not beleening you are to enter into a greater incredulity condemnation when men shall tell you that I in flesh am ascended into heauen Our Sauiour doth not deny the giuing of his flesh to bee eaten but he tould them that he is God Almighty for otherwise he should not haue descended from heauen and that being God he could doe more then that and that if they did not beleeue him their pride and sensuality was the cause which are the true barres and bolts that exclude and hinder the entrance of faith He addeth The flesh profuteth nothing â—l is the Spirit that quickeneth the words that I speake vnto you are Spirit and life Whereby he sweetely taketh away the cause which scandalized them and said The flesh as you vnderstand it and the eating which you imagine is carnall and profiteth nothing but that flesh whereof I speake is spirituall and giueth life eternall The words which I say vnto you are Spirit and life and your thoughts sauour of nothing but of flesh and corruption My flesh shall indeed be giuen and truely vnited to the members of my Church yet not alone or without soule and life as the flesh of beasts which is onely for the body but as being quickened with my Spirit and with my Diuinitie by reason whereof it shall giue life and vnite them to life which shall eate thereof as it is vnited to the life of my soule and of my Diuinitie And shall be giuen not in a carnall manner in peeces and in gobbets as dead flesh but spiritually as liuely flesh immortall and vncapable of diuision And as this flesh was truely taken from the substance of the Virgin my Mother but in a spirituall manner by the vertue of the holy Ghost and not by coniunction with man euen so shall it be truely giuen not in a carnall but after a diuine and spirituall manner Flesh and humane iudgement shall perceiue nothing except some outward accidents of the colour Figure and taste but the eyes of faith will penetrate the mystery hidden therein This is it which our Sauiour would signifie to appease the murmuring of the Caphamaits and to raise them vp from the blockishnesse of their flesh vnto the spirituall sense of his holy word 7. HERESIE ALWAYES CARNALL AND in loue with extremities AS the enemie of man raised carnall men to oppose themselues to the word of life and to hinder the Sacrament of the flesh
after them that hauing ouertaken the enemie the same night hee charged them so hotly vpon the sudden that he easily discomfited them recouered the prisoners and brought backe many others with a glorious victory and with these rich spoiles of cattell apparell and all sorts of wealth which the Painter hath diuersly expressed in the taile of the forenamed Squadron For there you see Camels and Horses some shewing a peece of the head onely others all the head and others a peece of the body likewise there you see also Coates Aimours Chestes and such like things But you ought not to wonder that the Souldiers haue their armes and garments bloudie for they come fresh from the combate These first Lords next Abraham wearing great plumes in their gilded Helmets enuironed with a Diadem Gen. 14.17 are the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah who hauing gathered certaine troopes are come to encounter him with congratulation Abraham vsing them with all courtesie and rendering to them not onely their people that were prisoners but also their goods which they found as they were a little before when they were taken from them they returne Well satisfied and contented Melchisedcch is attentiue to the Sacrifice and makes his Offerings of Bread and of Wine to God praying to him most affectually Gen. 14. heare what he saith Blessed bee Thou ABRAHAM by God the highest which created heauen and earth and blessed be God the highest by whose protection thy enemies are in thy hands This laid he blessed Abraham and gaue to him part of the Sacrifice as also to his people and inuited them all most earnestly to his house to refresh them euery one thanking God with the High-Priest and Abraham giuing him as his due the tenth part of all the spoiles O how many mysteries are hidden in the shadow of this Picture 1. MELCHISEDECH FIGVRE OF our Sauiour MEn cannot paint foorth that which is to come not being able to haue the corporall sight thereof but God who seeth all as present hath made the portraiture of the future Priest-hood of his Sonne in the person of Melchisedech and of the Eucharist in his Offering Saint Paul writes thus Melchisedech saith he King of Salem Hebr. 7. Priest of the mest high God who mette Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him to whom also Abraham gane Tithes of all First indeed by interpretation the King of Iustice and then also King of Salem which is to say King of Peace without Father without Mother without Genealogie hauing neither beginning of dayes nor end of life but likened to the Sonne of God continueth a Priest for ener He saith then expressely that Melchisedech was the Figure of our Sauiour and setteth downe many resemblances betweene them Melchisedech was in Figure King of Iustice Iesus Christ is the true King of Iustice constituted Iudge of the quick and the dead Melchisedech bearing the name and Iesus Christ being the thing Melchisedech King of Peace our Sauiour the true Salomou Prince of Peace For it is he onely that hath made peace betweene God and man Melchisedech King and Priest of the Chanancons and of Abraham Iesus Christ King of Gentiles and of Hebrewes descending from Abraham hauing made of both people the building of his Church whereof himselfe is the corner stone Melchisedech annoynted of God not with a corporall Vnction as Aaron and the other It wish Priests but with spirituall Iesus Christ the annointed of his Father the Holy of Holies and the Saint of Saints Melchisedech without Father and without Mother and without Genealogie that is to say named in the Scripture without any mention of Father or Mother or of his lineage not that he had no Father nor mother but for a mystery The generation also of the Sonne of God is vndiscouerable not only the eternall but euen the temporall for what spirit can comprehend how he hath been begotten and that from all eternity of his Father and how in time without cohabitation of man he was borne of a perpetuall Virgin before his birth in his birth and after his birth Thus then Melchisedech the High-Priest was the Figure of Iesus Christ 2. THE PRIEST-HOOD OF THE SONNE of God figured in that of Melchisedech BVt the most liuely part of this resemblance and most concerning our mystery is that which the Apostle puts the last as the most perfect saying That the Priesthood of the Sonne of God according to the order of MELCHISEDECH remaines eternally Psal 119. which was also the Prophesie of DAVID Our Lord hath swâ—rne and it shall not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of MELCHISEDECH This parcell then containeth the mystery of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Eucharist instituted by Iesus Christ in his Church vnder the formes of bread and wine to continue euen to the end of the world There had been amongst men two kindes of Priesthood before the comming of our Sauiour the one in a Sacrifice not bloody which offered to God gifts without effusion of blood such was the Offering of Melchisedechs bread and wine the other in bloody Sacrifices which were of three sorts of beasts Oxen Weathers or Goats and so many kinds of Birds Doues Turtles and Sparrowes such were the Sacrifices of Aaron The truth whereof was accomplished and fulfilled in the Sacrifice of the Crosse where Iesus Christ was offered once for all in a bloody manner and that with death after the resemblance of the sacrificing and Sacrifices of Aaron and such a Sacrifice could not be iterated for Iesus Christ could die but once But the truth of the Priesthood and Sacrifice of Melchisedech began in the euening of the institution of the Eucharist when our Sauiour ordained the Sacrament and Sacrifice not bloody of his sacred body vnder the formes of bread and wine this hath he continued euer since by the mystery and seruice of our Priests his Vicars and shall continue so long as the Church shall trauaile vpon the earth he being eternally Priest according to the order of Melchisedech that is to say offering continually the true bread and true wine of his body and blood as Melchisedech offered the Figure But wherefore is it that this Soueraigne wisdome hath instituted the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body vnder the formes of bread and of wine If we may be able to find out the reason it will very much enlighten vs to see and admire his greatnesse 3. WHEREFORE OVR SAVIOVR HATH instituted the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body vnder the formes of bread and wine THe supreame wisdome of Christ hath instituted the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body vnder the formes of bread and wine for many reasons of which the most principall seeme to me to be these First because the bread and wine sensibly and very properly set forth the nature the profitablenesse and the excellencie of this Sacrifice and Sacrament There is nothing more common nor better
moreouer who will not wonder to see that howsoeuer a man turne the Hoast lift it vp or lay it downe yet this diuine bodie altereth not the situation in it selfe and although when the Sacrament is remoued it changeth place yet it changeth not for all that the situation of his parts wee see some such like thing in heauen For euen as the Sunne is alwayes aboue the earth albeit it seeme to vs wheeling about to the Antipodes Land to be vnder our feete euen so by resemblance albeit the parts of the quantity of the Hoast be changed neuerthelesse the parts of the body of our Sauiour remaine in their seate of Maiestie Humane reason there admireth God in the naturall seate and mouing of that great Celestiall body heere Faith extols the greatnesse of God in the admirable situation of the deified body of his Sonne 18. THE CLOTHING OF THE BODY of our Sauiour ADAM in his innocency was richly cloathed and neuerthelesse naked and after that he had offended he was clad with dead skins and yet notwithstanding he remained still naked all this was admitable For how was he cloathed and naked naked and clothed together This was because in that first estate he had his soule cloathed with all kinde of goodly garments of Iustice of Chastity of Charity of Fortitude of Temperance and of other such like attire and had nothing vpon his body neither had he need But when the soule was dispoiled of her habits shee was ashamed of her owne nakednesse and of that of her poore body which shee was necessarily to couer at least one part of the shame of the soule Thus Adam was clothed and naked naked and clothed by diuers considerations The Antithesis is most diuine and most meruailous without comparison for the body of our Sauiour hath not any garments and notwithstanding is alwayes most richly cloathed but it is with diuine gists of immortall glory It is shining by brightnesse more then the Sunne more pleasing by its beauty then all the Stars admirable in this and admirable also for that he couereth this robe of glory and takes that of bread and wine hiding the Maiesty of his presence vnder the visible formes to become the more familiar to our capacity euen as hee hid his Diuinity vnder the mantle of our humane nature appearing but Man and being neuerthelesse God Man together to make vs enioy his sweete conuersation So Manna Figure of this Mystery euen in this point was couered with two dewes the one falling before the Manna and seruing it as it were for a bed and the other after in stead as it were of a couerlet as hath been said Behold how God shewes himselfe in this Sacrament Soueraigne Lord of all Nature vniuersally 19. HOW THE EVCHARIST IS AN Abridgment of all the wonders of God IS not then this diuine Mystery an abridgment of Gods wonders And God hath he not made himselfe seene admirably admirable in this wonderfull abridgment more then in any other worke of his Hee hath made appeare his greatnesse two wayes the one in making of wonders apart the other which is the more diuine in assembling them together As a Musition that not onely knowes to set for single voyces but also hath the arte and the grace of setting many parts together and to delight the eare with a sweete harmony composed of diuers voyces well accorded After that he had shewed himselfe wonderfull in the production of a thousand creatures he made man as an abridgement of them all Hee hath made since the Creation of the world a thousand and a thousand admirable workes in the common course of nature sometime in the substance of things sometime in the accidents he hath changed as we haue said the wood into a Serpent changing the substance and the accidents Exod. 3. 4.9 Insu 10.12 and after the same miraculous manner the waters into bloud He hath stayed the course of the Sunne against the force of his extreame swistnesse 4 Reg. 1.10 4. Reg. 6.6 Exod. 10.21 Num. 16.31.32 he hath made fier to defcend from heauen contrary to its lightnesse Iron to swimme aboue the water contrary to the weightinesse thereof obscured the brightnesse of the ayre by extraordinary darknesse Num. 17.8 made the Sea passable within her very depths opened the bosome of the earth contrary to the solidnesse thereof made in one night to sprout to flourish and to beare fruite a drie wood contrary to it barrennesse made a Beast speak Num. 22.36 whereof naturally it was vncapable In conclusion he hath shewed that he is God of Nature making supernaturall workes in euer parcell and part of it but being come in proper Person into the world and being himselfe to depart out of the world hee hath left a miracle equall in greatnesse to the world and a chiefe worke worthy of his hand and for which he deserues to be remembred containing alone the abridgement of all the wonders that hee euer made be it in creating the world by his omnipotent Word be it in gouerning it by his dinine Wisdome be it in the preseruing of it by his infinite bounty A miracle containing his pretious body and thereby surpassing the price of a thousand worlds A miracle where hee made himselfe to be admired as soueraigne Master of all creatures commanding the substance of things and their accidents commanding the ten Categories that is the ten Orders of things in the vniuersall world Dnuid considering the diuersitie and beauty of creatures cryes out saying O Lord how thy name is admirable through all the earth Psal 8.1 but considering this future Mystery he sings another tune saying Our Lord hath made a memoriall of all his wonders Psal 110. and declaring what it is He hath giuen to eate to them that feare him It is his body which he giueth to his children for the common meates of the world he giueth to beasts and to men good and euill this body hee hath giuen to his deare Spouse prepared in this Sacrament and apparelled with all his wonders True marke and signe of his greatnesse true Manna bearing the name of wonder true bread descended from heauen true gift drawne from the greatest treasure of his almighty Wisdome and from his all-wise goodnesse 20. HOW FAITH IS FORTIFIED BY this Sacrament THe first article of our Faith is to beleeue in God Almightie for which this article beginneth our Creed and vpon this foundation are built all other points of our Religion Now the saith of this article is admirably exercised ayded and augmented in the practise of this diuine Mystery For so often as wee communicate as wee haue Masse as we participate or meditate vpon this holy banquet so often we beleeue that God is ommpotent making and renewing euery day by his omnipotent Word the wonder of his pretious body to the astonishment of Angels of men and of Nature vniuersally So often as we make bow to the obedience of Faith
is together the Offering offered the Table carrying the Offering and the Priest distributing it in this vnbloudy Sacrifice as he was also in the bloudy Sacrifice of the Crosse the Victime the Sacrificer and the Altar the Lambe offered the Priest offering and the Altar-stone whereon the Holocaust was burned in the holy fier of his infinite Charitie 5. THE SIGNIFICATION OF THE Gandlesticke THis Table is in the North-side of the Sanctuary hauing a Candlestick of gold with seuen lampes on the left side towards the South and the Altar of perfumes hard by being in the midst betweene the Candlestick and the Table All these things and the manner of their placing are full of mystery The Candlestick signifieth the light S. The. 1.2 A. 102. art 1. and the knowledge men ought to haue of God in this world where Iesus Christ illuminateth his Church by the seuen gifts of the holy Ghost as by seuen lamps and seuen Starres and especially giuing her light by which the mystery of the Sacrament of his body may be seene Clemens Alex. Stro. lib. 5. S. Greg. 5. Ezec hom 6. Hesych 5. Leuit. 24. the excellency of which cannot be well vnderstood without light from on high and without great faith and diuine wisdome The knowledge of God and of this mystery was first communicated to the Iewes enlightened by the South of the Law and after giuen to the Christians before Idolaters signified by the North where the Chieftain and Captaine of Rebels had made his residence and placed the throne of his pride Esa 14.14 And therefore the Table of the true Proposition Loaues is in the North side of the Church composed of those which were Panyms before the Law of Grace For it is shee which hath in verity the Table of the body of our Sauiour true Bread of heauen erected only in figure amongst the Iewes 6. THE HEART OF THE IVST IS THE Altar of Incense THe Altar of Incense which was betweene the Candlestick and the Table of Loaues and vpon the which men burnt to God euening and morning most sweete odours signifying Exod. 30.7 8. Gloss ibid. saith Philo the Iew the memory that we ought to haue of Gods benefits bestowed vpon vs by his Diume bounty and the thanksgiuing that men ought to render vnto him This Altar was within the Temple hauing before it the Arke of Couenant hidden more secretly in the Holy of Holies and behinde it was the Altar of Holocausts Philo Iudaeus quis cerum diuisit haereses lib. de vita Moysis whereon the beasts were sacrificed at the gate of the Temple So that all these things in their placing made a Crosse or a man stretched out vpon a Crosse the Arke was in place of the head the Altar of Holocausts of legges and feete the Candlestick the arme on the left side the Table of Proposition Loaues the arme on the right side and the Altar of Perfumes the brest and heart The Altar of God saith Saint Gregory is the heart of a iust man S. Greg. l. 25. Moral cap. 7. lib. 3. Expos in 1. Reg. cap. 5. S. Aug. Serm. de Temp. 255. in which the diuine fier ought to burne alwayes because from it the flame of charitie towards God ought to ascend without ceasing And Saint Augustine saith That in euery true Christian there ought to be two Altars the one in the soule answering to the Altar within the Temple the other in the body answering to the Altar of the Holocausts without the Temple That is to say whosouer wil carry the name of a Christian ought to be pure in his soule and chast in his body In this Altar then beholding the Arke of Couenant Figure of Iesus Christ and drawing neere the Table of Proposition â—eaues we ought to render thankes to God But wherewith and how 7. WHEREWITH AND HOW WE OVGHT to thanke God VVHerewith and how wee ought to thanke God wee shall vnderstand by the composition of the Perfume which was burnt vpon the materiall Altar the ingredients of this Perfume were foure mixtures of equall waight to wit First drops of Myrrhe that is to say the most pretious liquor that distilleth from Myrthe Secondly Onix a kinde of little shell Thirdly Odoriferous Galban which driues away Snakes Fourthly and the purest Frankencense These foure ingredients represented the foure parts of this visible world as learned Philo teacheth Myrrhe which distills signifieth the water Philo l. quis baer cer diui the Onix terrestriall and drie the earth the odoriferous Galban the ayre the transparant and mounting Incense the fier The Perfume thus then composed readeth vs a lesson and setteth before our eyes the whole world in the Hieroglifique of the parts thereof teaching a generall acknowledgement of the benefits that we receiue from God First in our bodies the noriture whereof we receiue by the created world but chiefely in our soules which are nourished by the body of his Sonne a food infinitely more worth then a thousand worlds a body giuen once on the Altar of the Crosse in a bloudy Sacrifice and on the Altar of his Church vntill the end of the world by an vnbloudy Sacrifice vnder the formes of bread and wine 8. THE VERTVES WHICH ARE NECESsary worthily to gine thankes vnto God and to make a iust examen of our actions THe same Perfume teacheth vs Gin Ti Ord. in Exod. 30. with what preparation we ought to make this thanksgiuing For these foure aromaticall ingredients mingled together to make powder of Perfume teach vs that we ought to acknowledge and thanke his diuine liberality with the vnion and mixture of Faith of Hope of Prayer of Chastity of Charity and of all the other most holy and most Christian vertues S. Gregory We make saith Saint Gregory a Perfume of aromaticall composition when from the Altar of holy workes there ascendeth vp to God a good odour of purity by the multitude of many vertues mixed together for this sweet smelling incense becommeth more pure when one vertue is ioyned with another Now the ingredients to be wel mixed ought to be stamped and brought to powder the which puluerization teacheth the diligent examination that we ought to make of our actions and behauiours to the end that beholding them in grosse wee bee not deceiued in the knowledge of our selues To puluerize the aromaticall drugs saith the same Doctor is to cersider and examine in particular G. Gregny our vertues words and workes and to call them to a secret and strict account for so they shall be fit to be set before the Tabernacle of God to be a sweete odour to him 9. A SOVERAIGNE ACKNOWLEDGEment due onely to God made in the Eucharist IT was forbidden to employ this Perfume vpon any other but onely vpon God himselfe to signifie that the thanksgiuing which we owe to God is supreame and incommunicable to any creature and that otherwise wee thanke God and otherwise the
vs the truth of our Eucharist but principally three The first the Leauen the second the Time the third the Sacrifices foregoing this Oblation It hath been said that these Loaues were made of Leauen-paste and were eleuated in Oblation by the High Priest with the Lambes Leuit. 23.20 Then saith the Scripture the Sacrificers shall-eleuate the Lambes with the Loaues of the First-fruits turning them before the Lord. In such sort as the Loaues were put aboue the Lambes and all was eleuated together This is a diuine draught of Gods Pensell in the Table of the Figure teaching vs not only the presence of the body of his Sonne true Lambe without blot in the Sacrifice of the Masse but also the manner of his being there which is by transubstantiation that is to say by changing of the substance of bread into the substance of the body of our Sauiour hiddeÌ„ vnder the formes of bread The Leauen heretofore hath been a signe vnto vs of some bad thing but heere by a contrary quality it is a signe of that which is good as often in Scripture one selfesame thing hath sundry and contrary significations by reason of contrary references and respects So the Lion Gen. 49 9. Apoc. 5.5 1. Pet. 5.8 if we consider him as a Royall and strong beast is a signe of God as he is cruell and fierce a signe of the Diuell For which cause our Sauiour himselfe expresseth Vice by Leauen in one place Matth. 16.6 Luke 13.21 and in another he compares his Church to Leauen The Leauen then in the Loaues of the First-fruits figureth to vs the transubstantiation which is made in our Eucharist as already often hath been said and must bee said hereafter behold the picture The Leauen by a naturall property changeth the paste heates it puffes it vp and giues it in a certaine manner soule and life so farre forth as it is capable thereof The word of God supernaturall Leauen changeth also the bread and because it is of more force then nature it passeth also further for it chaÌ„geth not the qualities as the natural leaueÌ„ in the paste but the substaÌ„ce it leaues the visible qualities chaÌ„geth the bread within it animateth truly this bread makes it liuing bread changing the substance of it into the flesh of the Lambe of God Iesus Christ signified by the Lambes offred with the Loaues in this Sacrifice The Loaues the Lambes eleuated by the High Priest were diuers things and did make one onely oblation heere where the truth is liuely accomplished diuers elements also make one self-same Oblation for the Lambe is vnder the formes of bread and wine and when those elements are multiplied and offered in diuers places it is alwayes one selfesame Lambe and one selfesame Sacrifice So as this draught drawne in the old Figure tells vs that the Sacrifice figured by the bread of First-fruits should be one Sacrifice of flesh vnder the shewes of bread and wine to which draught our Sauiour gaue liuely colours when he instituted the Sacrament of his body vnder these elements Neither is it without mystery that the Loaues and the Lambs were of two diuers natures for they signified two natures in one Iesus Christ the Diuinity and the Humanity two things in one Sacrament the earthly which are the visible accidents and the heauenly which is the body of the Sonne of God and his Grace Finally they signified two peoples the Gentiles and Iewes vnited vnder one Head reduced into one and made one by meanes of this Sacrament and Sacrifice And so his diuine Wisdome not only teacheth vs by this figuratiue Lineament the presence of his Flesh in the Eucharist but also the quality of his Person and after what manner he makes vs his flesh and vniteth vs therein Let vs see what the Scripture and the ancient Hebrew and Christian Doctors say hereof enriching the Figure with the embroderies of their learned Expositions 6. THE SACRAMENT AND SACRIFICE of the body of our Sauiour vnder the formes of bread foretold in the Scripture and taught by the Hebrew Doctors DAVID by these eleuated Loaues foretold our Sacrament and Sacrifice Psal 71.72 There shall be saith hee a firmament in the earth in the tops of wountaines the fruit thereof shall be extolled farre aboue Libanus Or according to the Hebrew phrase There shall be a little wheat in the earth vpon the top of the mountaines and the fruit thereof shall be lifted aboue Lybanus These words cannot signifie other wheate or any other thing more liuely then our consecrated Hosts containing the body of our Sauiour true wheat on earth true bread and solid stabilitie of our soules and bodies fruit truely lifted vp not onely vpon the toppe of Libanus but aboue the highest of the celestiall powers Wherefore the Hebrew Doctors conformably hereunto Rab. Salomon in Psal 72.16 vol say that Dauid heere did sing of a certaine kinde of little Cakes or thinne delitious wafers that should bee offered in Sacrifice in the time of the Messias Psal 71.16 Our Masters saith he of happy memory vnderstood by this word a certaine kind of Cakes which shall be made in the time of the Messias of the which also all the Psalme is written And all their Hebrew Commentaries extoll extoll euen to heauen the eating and mystery of this Bread and of these Cakes which say they shall be of the bignesse of the palme of a mans hand And one amongst them Rab. Derachias â—â—â—eans illad â— Eccles quid est quod fuit id quod crit Eccles 9. named Barachias explaining these words of Ecclesiastices What is that which was the same that shall be addeth further As their first deliuerer to wit Moyses had giuen them bread of wonder which was Manna so the second Redeemer the Messias should giue them a more wonderfull bread to wit these Cakes And hereunto the same Redeemer alludeth Ioan. 6. saying It is not Moyses which gaue you the bread from heauen vnderstanding his body as it hath been declared in the Figure of Manna Rab. Ionathas in suo â—aigum Gal. l. 10. c. 4. Psal 71.17 And the Rabbins Paraphrastically interpret in the same sense the words of the Psalme before alledged There shall bee saith one of them a parcell of bread in the earth on the top of the mountaines that is to say saith hee there shall bee a Sacrifice of bread on the head of the mountaines of the Church or on the head of the Priests which shall bee in the Church For the Mountaines of the Church are the Prelats and Priests of it if they be such as are worthy of that name for so much as they are lifted vp aboue the vulgar as spirituall Mountaines aboue the earth by holinesse in manners and sublimity of Doctrine This Figure then is euery day literally fulfilled in the Church when the Priests say Masse eleuating the holy Hoast aboue their head and when the faithfull Christians eate
to be cut in peeces but spiritually of a liuely flesh which my Spirit will make present to be giuen in a spirituall manner without death or detriment as he wrought the conception of this same body in the wombe of the Virgin without carnall operation and without any hurt to her Virginity 11. THE MASSE BEGAN TO BE CELEbrated by the Apostles at Pentecost IT was then at Pentecost that the Apostles new Sacrificers did giue beginning to the practise of a new Sacrifice in the new Law offering a full and sufficient Oblation and celebrating the Messe with a pacifying Hoist of the bread from heauen and of the immortall Lambe Saint Iames was one of the first that offered in Hierusalem as all Antiquity witnesseth and after him the other Apostles both in Hierusalem and elsewhere Then began this diuine and first troupe as the first fruites of the Spirit of Grace to eate these delitious Cakes promised at the comming of the Messias and to communicat not once a yeare onely or once a month or once a weeke but euery day for it was a food they had neuer eaten of before exceeding delight full to the taste and these good foules had a continual appetite Aâ—â— 2. They were perseuerant saith the Scripture in the doctrâ—ne of the Apostles in the communion of the breaking of bread and in prayer They went to it euery day but this was after that the holy Ghost was descended For before it was said onely that they did perseuer in prayer they communicated euery day after the descent of the holy Ghost Great worker of this mystery Spirit which brought celestiall fier into their stomackes quicknesse to their tongues charity to their harts did let forth the pure water foretold by the ancient Lauarites of Salomons Temple Fountaine of Dauid Fzech 36.25 Ioel. 3 2â— Zach. 13.1 water of Grace and of the Sacrament of Baptisme of Penance and the rest appropriated to cleanse the entrals and the feete of the Hoasts to be offered and of the Offerers themselues that is to say to purifie the hearts the actions intentions and affections of them which offered the Sonne of God their good workes and themselues as whole burnt Sacrifices vpon the Altar of his Maiesty O if Moses had been at this Pentecost at this new Oblation and Sacrament of truth whereof so long before he had drawne the Picture With what reuerence would hee haue adored it O if Dauid could haue had a place at the table of this pacifique Bread and of this immortall Wine as he had in the ancient Sacrifices with what appetite would he haue fed vpon this celestial flesh and with how earnest desire would he haue said of this diuine drinke Psal 115. I will take the cup of salnation and call vpon the name of the most high If Salomon after hauing finished his magnificent Temple had had this body for to haue offred it to God after the manner of Melchisedech without effusion of bloud and without death how much more rich and honorable would he haue thought the dedicating of that Temple in respect of this Sacrifice alone then in regard of thousands of Oxen sheepe and Bulles burnt vpon the Altar of Holocausts O Christian soules lifted vp by contemplation acknowledge the gift of your Lord often celebrate this Pentecost offer this oblation take the first fruits of this deified Wheate and offer him yours to the end that one day you may haue place at the Table of felicitie where this same Lord shal be both the meate and the drinke of that banquet THE NINTH PICTVRE THE BREAD OF ELIAS The Description HAVE you not compassion of this good Elias 1. Reg. 19. â— who sleepeth vnder the shadow of this Iuniper tree more resembling one dead then a man sleeping Behold his face pale and wanne and bathed with a cold sweat his head carelessely bending towards the earth vpon the left side his eyes halfe open his armes cast heere and there and no signe of breath in his mouth and all his body stretched out as if he were yeelding vp the ghost Surely a little before being as it were beside himselfe with feare and ouercome with wearinesse hee asked of God if it were his good pleasure to take him out of this world that he might be deliuered once for all from the griefes that his soule felt by reason of the persecution of this cruell Tygresse Iezabel who had sworne by her gods that shee would put him to death within foure and twenty houres and in the feruour of his Prayer he is fallen a sleepe vnder this shrubbe where he is but euill accommodated either for shadow or any rest or repose for it is little and the leaues are like so many thornes which doe not keepe off the Sunne but pricke and pierce the flesh and the earth is sowed round about him Wherby I coniecture that the holy man without election or choise cast himselfe downe where he was finding himselfe in a manner out of breath and where the feeblenesse of his body had placed him But God who hath alwayes his eyes open to behold the paines of his seruants and his armes stretched out for their deliuerance hath sent for his comfort and succour this heauenly youth who stands hard by him with bread baked vpon the cinders â— â—â—g 19.5.6 and a pot of water It is an Angell in figure and shape of a man for so the Spirits commonly appeare vnto men The Painter hath made his visage bright in forme of lightning representing by this sudden flash his spirituall and subtill nature his lockes flying backe behinde are of a golden colour he hath also wings set on his backe according as the Scripture it selfe doth paint them forth to signifie the Swistnesse of their motion You see them vnequally spred forth in the ayre the one of them shewing the inside the other the outside wonderfully faire artificially drawne The two great feathers guides of the rest are of a bright greene colour as the wing of a Peacock the other next to them are intermingled with yellow oring-tawnie red and blew after the fashion of a Rainbow the little feathers which cloath the quills of both these and of the others that follow in diuers rankes are of diuers colours as the former the downe which couers the backe of the wing is like a heape of little small scales of diuers colours sette vpon cotten His garment is a stole of fine linnen embrodered with a curious work all about The refection which he brought for this good Prophet seemes not great at the first show consisting onely of bread and water which are the two most common and vulgar parts of the food of man but experience will shew that it is a diuine meat and drinke for Elias shall by it be sustained and fortified to walke the space of forty dayes and forty nights vntill that he come to the wonderfull Mountaine where of old God gaue the Tables of
his Law Whilest I speake the good old man sleepes still and thinks neither of eating nor drinking nor of any meanes to free him from danger Wherefore the Angell shakes him the second time â— â—eg 15.7 and waking him aduises him to take some refection and be packing If you please to expect vntill he rise you shall see him gift with a great leather girdle in a dusty Cassock reaching to the mid-legge couered also with a little mantle flying in the ayre and when he is vp hee will not faile with all speed to obey the words of the Angell and to get him as farre as he can from the fury and reach of the Queene Behold he is now risen and walketh on a pace towards the Mountaine of Horeb. 1. THE BREAD OF ELIAS FIGVRE OF the Sacrament of the Altar THe Bread of Elias was for certaine a Figure of our Sacrament and of many mysteries hidden in it Wee haue said elsewhere that in the Scripture as well in the old as in the new Bread signifieth generally the body of our Sauiour for so much as it is giuen in meat for the sustenance of our soules and the immortality of our bodies So Ieremie speaking of the body of our Sauiour Ier. 11. saith in the person of the Iewes resolued in their Councell to crucifie him Lay the wâ—â—d on his bread that is to say giue the torments of the Crosse to his body Tertul. l. 4. cont Marâ— as the ancient Fathers haue explained it and the Sonne of God said of himselfe I am the Bread of heauen In this generall sense then Iohn 6. the Bread of Elias did Figure this body and this meate But more partiularly in that it was wonderfull in all its causes effects and circumstances which are so many Lineaments drawne vpon the old Figure for a liuely representation of the truth which should follow after First then this Bread was sent from God by the seruice of an Angel this â— accomplished in the Sacrament for it is giuen vs from God specially by the ministery of the Priest Malach. 1.2.7 S. Dâ—anil l. 〈…〉 12. who is called the Angell of God in Scripture because that after the manner of Angell he teacheth others saith S. Dionise of Areopagita for as the superiour Angells enlighten the inferiours by their knowledge so the Priests communicate their doctrine to the inferiour members of the Church of God S. 〈◊〉 iâ—id Angell also according vnto Saint Hierom because he is a Mediator betweene God and man and declareth to the people the will of God Finally Angell of God saith Saint Chrysostom S. Chry2ost hom â— in 2. Tim. 1. because he speaketh not of himselfe but as sent from God It is then this Angell that consecrateth our bread by the Word of God that maketh it flesh by his power and distributeth it by his commission Secondly this Bread of Elias was bread of Wheat for if it had been of other matter the Scripture would haue specified it And it was Bread fashioned into a cake after the forme of loaues baked on the cinders This is also accomplished in our Sacrament for this is the matter and that the forme of our Hoasts which are of Wheate the Sacrament and the admirable Cakes of the Messias of which mention was made a little before but what doth the Scripture signifie by saying that this Bread was baked vnder the imbers 2. WHAT MEANETH THE SCRIPTVRE in signifying that the Bread of Elias was baked vnder the imbers THough we know not how this Bread was baked vnder the imbers by the Angell wee beleeue notwithstanding that it was so baked for the Scripture saith it and because it saith nothing without cause there is no doubt but vnder the hollow of these imbers there lye hidden some mysteries appertaining to our Sacrament These mysteries are three amongst many others which such as are more spirituall may obserue The one is that it puts vs in minde of our Sauiours charity The imbers are the remainder of fier and heate past this Bread then baked vnder the hot imbers mingled with liue coales did Figure our Sacrament true memoriall instituted by Iesus Christ and commanded to be celebrated in his memory Luke 22.19 and in a recordation of his loue and death And therefore it is the true Bread baked vnder the imbers that is to say prepared with the burning coales of his Charity of which it is a memoriall as also of that which he endured for vs. The second mystery taught in this baking is the great humility of the Sonne of God in this Sacrament the imbers being a thing of small value or none at all and therefore Hieroglyfick of basenesse and of humiliation as the naturall Ceremony of all Nations teacheth vs vsing them in this signification So Abraham out of humility Genes 18. calleth himselfe dust and â—shes and abaseth himselfe vnder the name of these things Also the Hebrewes of Bethulia Iudith 7.4 beseeching the diuine Maiesty to succour them in humility cast ashes vpon their heads So the Pagan King of Niniuy humbled himselfe rising from his throne Iohn 3.6 and sitting vpon ashes The Bread then baked vnder the ashes is Iesus Christ true Bread of heauen humbled and abased humbled not onely in making himselfe man in marrying his Maiesty with the infirmity of our nature and in enduring the torments and reproaches of the Crosse but also in giuing himselfe as meate to his creatures vnder the Figure and habite of these weake and meane elements of bread and wine in giuing himselfe after the manner of a thing dead and insensible in giuing himselfe to be eaten and swallowed downe of poore sinners All these degrees of humility represented in ashes are heere persormed and practised in this Sacrament With good reason then was it figured by such a notable signe of great humility as were the imbers on which was baked the Bread of Elias The third mystery is that hereby are signified the many mysteries of this Sacrament hidden vnder the formes of bread and wine as vnder imbers mysteries of the loue and greatnesse of God and of the adminâ—bâ—â— effects of this meat which deuout soules may more easily seâ—â—e then I can expresse And as the great Maâ—esâ—y of our Sauiour walking visibly vpon the earth was câ—uered vnder the cloake of our humanity his almighty power wâ—sdome and bounty effecting the worke of our â—â—cemption by the sâ—eblenesse folly and ignominy of the 〈◊〉 Fuâ—â— so in this Sacrifice he couereth the glory of his body vnder the veyle of these signes and cinders of 〈◊〉 and makes the hand of supreme vertue woâ—â—e iâ—â—sbly for the support and health of our soules and bodies 3. WHAT SIGNIFIETH THE SLEEPE of Elias vnder the shadow of the luniper tree THe diuine hand of God hath by other Lineaments and colours no lesse admirably painted forth the three former mysteries many others in another corner of this table where you see
from heauen and saying That this bread is his flesh which he will giue for the life of the world He declareth that he will giue his body for our food and redemption And adding after He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euer lasting and I will rasse him vp at the last day for my flesh is meate indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed Hee signified the effects of this meate contrary to the effects of the meate of Adam The meate of Adam cause of death a deadly morsell an carthly food a food of anguish The meate of our Sauiour spring of life bread of life bread from heauen flesh of ioyfulnesse and of resurrection When he said Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him He sheweth that he giues his flesh for this vnion for a bond of amity and perpetuall pledge of his loue towards vs. Hee hath then giuen his body in this life for our good as many waies as it could be giuen for our redemption for our meat for our remedy for a pledge vnto vs to deliuer vs to nourish vs. to heale vs and to comfort vs and will giue it in heauen to glory for vs. Hath he giuen sufficiently is he sufficiently liberall to giue himselfe so liberally and at so many time and by so many wayes on earth and to promise himselfe vnto vs yet another way in heauen And are not wee exceedingly vngratefull in not acknowledging his goodnesse no lesse vniust in not giuing our selues to him that haue nothing but from him And most ingratefull in making no better vse of his gifts ordained to vnite our selues vnto him and amongst our selues for the attaining of life euerlasting What hath this diuine Spouse done What hath he inuented What doth he not What hath he not deuised to gaine the loue of a faithfull soule And what doe we In what doe we employ our selues to gaine his loue And who is it of whom this Prince so infinitly rich mighty and beautifull is so much inamored but of a poore caytiffe and deformed creature whom he would enrich nobilitate and beautifie to make him worthy of his Kingdome And how would he seeke to purchase by so many meanes the loue of such a creature if he were not goodnesse it selfe O infinit Goodnesse infinit Wisdome infinite Power fulnesse Make our soules holily inamored of thy beauty enlighten them with the diuine beames of thy celestiall knowledge and make them worthy of thy sacred loue 5. PRIDE AND LICENTIOVSNES ENEmies of Faith and the first aduersaries of the holy Sacrament PRide and sensuality are vncapable to vnderstand the wonders of God and vnworthy to receiue his benefits Wee haue heard the diuine promises of our Sauiour speaking of the eating of his flesh and of the euerlasting fruits thereof heere was cause to wonder at the height of the mystery and liberality of the Giuer and good occasion to say as Saint Peter a little after wondering said Thou bast the words of eternall life Iohn 6.63 They were heere neuerthelesse who in stead of being lifted vp in admiration were strucke downe to death by the words of life because pride and sense had made them bad hearers of the truth enemies of the light and vnable to behold further then humane iudgement could reach In so much as though truth it selfe did speake vnto them they murthered themselues by the voice of truth thinking that eyther he could not doe as he promised and giue his flesh to eate or that if hee could doe it it should be a very inhumane and barbarous act They vnderstood of flesh saith S. Augustine as if one should dismember a dead body or as men sell it in the market S. August Trust 27. in Ioan. in Psal 98. and flesh vnderstood not what it was he called flesh They thought that our Sauiour would cut his body into little bits and serue it to the table boyled and dressed as the body of a beast and standing vpon the bulwarke of their carnall imaginations and pushed forward by the spirit which blindes the soule in stead of being edified they were scandalized and became perfidious in their heart rude in their thought and blasphemers in their language and did say How can this man giue vs his flesh to cate Behold Iohn 6.52.60 a hard saying and who can endure it By the first question they did shew their incredulity not perswading themselues that our Sauiour could accomplish that which he did promise by the second they made their pride appeare condemning our Sauiour as if he intended to commit an horrible crime by killing himselfe and giuing mans flesh to eare if he should be able to doe that which he said People extreamely blinded with pride and sensuality for they had seene a little before a thousand of miracles done by the hand of our Sauiour and beleeued them without asking How And in stead of learning by those so many rare workes to beleeue more easily they heere aske How more incredulous then euer But why are they now so little obedient to the voice of our Sauiour Why were they not before more scrupulous and wary Wherfore did they not as well aske how he made the blinde to see the lame to walke the diuels to flye and of the fresh miracle how hee satisfied fiue thousand men with fiue Loaues and two Fishes Heere their How had been much more to purpose and more pertinent for they might haue vnderstood thereby that he did these things in the authority power of a Master Al-wise and Al-mighty and this knowledge would haue perswaded them that hee could powerfully and wisely accomplish this which hee so manifestly did promise of his flesh although it seemed impossible and absurde to their sense and iudgement But what will you They were proud and their pride had made them to lose the memory of what was past and bound their eyes not to see the truth present nor to fore-see the truth to come and in one word did make them obstinately erronious that is to say Heretikes Behold the first controulers the first persecutors and first Herenkes stirred vp against the truth of this holy Sacrament behold the first authors of Quomodo How out of which mould the Diuell hath shaped all the rest which sithence haue conspired against God for to assault the mysteries of his Church by Quomodo and by How and namely to shake this heere as the most high and most repugnant to their senfuality It was pride and the flesh that made them mutiners and rebels against the doctrine of Iesus Christ and presumptuous to comdemne that which they vnderstood not So the Arrians mocked at the Catholike faith concerning the generation of the Sonne of God whilest they would vnderstand that which they could not and would not beleeue that which they should to wit that God had begotten a Sonne Psal 3.7 Psal 109.1 and in stead of saying Christianlike I beleeue
and ancient Doctor Iesus Christ saying This is my body sheweth that the bread sanctified vpon the Altar is his body and not the Figure of it seeing that he saith not this is the Figure of my body but This is my body for it is thansformed in an explicable manner though outwardly it seemeth bread Saint AMBROSE S. Ambros de Sacr. l. 5. c. 4. 5. It is the word of Christ which made this Sacrament by which Word all hath been made Our Lord commanded and the earth was made seest thou then how working his Word is If then his Word hath been so mighty as it made that to be which was nothing before how much more easy will it be vnto him to change one thing into another the bread before consecration is bread but after the vttering of these words This is my body it is the body of Christ Heare him saying This is my body take you all and eate of this It is Iesus our Lord which testifieth that wee receiue his body and his bloud shall we doubt of his fidelity or testimony Saint CYPRIAN This saith our Lord is my body S. Cyp. de cun Dom. They had according to the visible forme eaten of the same bread and drunke of the same wine But before these words that food was onely for the nourishment of the body and to giue strength to the corporall life but after that Iesus Christ had said Doe yee this in remembrance of me This is my flesh The forme of Consecration are these words THIS IS MY BODY This is my bloud as often times as the same words are pronounced with the same faith this substantiall bread and this consecrated Chalice with solemne benedicton hath been profitable for the health of the whole man He teacheth then that the words of our Sauior are vnderstood according as they do signifie and that they are the forme by which the bread and the wine are consecrated into the body and bloud of our Sauiour Saint AVGVSTINE writing the ancient enstome of Christians who did answer Amen S. August l. 22. cont Faust c. 10. in Psal 33. Concil 1. after that the Priest had vttered the words of Consecration This is my body this is my bloud saith thus The bloud of Christ giueth a cleare voice on earth then when as the Christians hauing receiued answered Amen It is the cleare voice of bloud that the bloud it selfe pronounceth by the mouth of the faithfull receiued by that bloud The same Author elsewhere Iesus saith hee carried himselfe in his hands when recommending his body he said This is my body It was then according to the literall sense of the Word the body of our Sauiour Saint ANSELME S. Anselm in 1. Cor. 11. expounding the selfe-same clauses maketh Iesus Christ to speak thus Eate this that I giue you because it is my body It plainly appeares bread to the outward senses but acknowledge by the sense of faith that this is my body the same in substance that shall be giuen for you to death This is the Exposition of the ancient Fathers and there hath neuer been any Doctor of the Catholike Church which gaue to these words This is my body other sense then these heere doe giue And this is the meaning of Iesus Christ and whosoeuer followeth any other he is gone out of the Schoole of Christ Iesus taking a lye for truth and damnation for food of eternall life 5. MYSTICALL REFERENCES OF OVR Sauiours words THIS IS MY BODY to the ancient Figures and to all other bodies THis is my body saith our Sauiour We haue said something vpon these words but it is nothing in comparison of that which may yet be said they are cleare but yet they are full of hidden meanings They alone containe the old and new Testament and flye in signification farre aboue the height of heauen more profound then the depthes of the Ocean and more in widenesse then is the compasse of the world in sweetenesse they surmount all the hony and milke of the Land of Promise in vertue the power of all men and Angels and in greatnesse the Maiesty of all Kings that euer were vpon the earth The words which made the world out of nothing were great in effect in heauen they made the Starres the Fishes in the sea Gen. 1 in the ayre the Fowles vnder earth the stones and mettells and vpon earth the Plants the Trees the Lions the Elephants and other creatures in number infinite and in beauty admitable but that which our Sauiour saith and in saying effecteth by these words This is my body is more infinite then all that together this body is more then a thousand worlds if so many had been produced The most excellent name of God is the Tetragram expressed vnder the voice Idoney composed of foure letters not to be vttered by the Iewes This clause This is my body it the clause Tetragram wouen of foure words euident to the eares of faith but vnexplanable by the tongue either of man or Angell What shall we say then to expresse the vertue of it And who can or shall expresse it but he who is the Author of these words and mysteries It is he must do it that is the all-knowing Word and all powerfull able to know to say and to doe whatsoeuer he will What said then this great God by these words This is my body He said that it is his body and saying this he said all that is precious admirable and diuine amongst bodies Hee distinguisheth all the bodies that he had euer made or created from his owne and prefetreth it before them all Hee said I haue made the Sunne and the Moone the Starres and all those immortall bodies which on high make the wainscot of my Fathers Pallace but these are not my body neither substances allied to my person these to me are strange bodies This is my body which I haue formed by an extraordinary way in the wombe of an holy Virgin which I haue diuinely appropriated to my greatnesse and which I haue made the habitation of my dignity The other bodies are parts of my possession this heere is the body of my particular person surpassing the excellency of all the bodies long since consecrated to God and were propheticall Figures thereof The Tree of Life planted in the earthly Paradise the Lambe of innocent Abel offered in Sacrifice the bread of Melchi adech giuen in blessing the Sacrifice of Abraham accomplished by rare faith and obedience the Hebrewes Paschall Lambe the Manna from heauen the Loaues of Proposition the First-fruit offerings the bread of Eliah the Sheepe the Lambe the Ewes the Heifers the Beefes the Oxen the Doues the Sparrowes the Turtles and all the bodies of beasts which the Law of Moses set vpon the Altar in Holocaust in action of thanks in Propitiation all the bodies that men haue offred to the Maiesty of my Father haue been sacred bodies the Figures of this my
at that time of the yeare a time wherein the true deliuerance was neere at hand as the Iewes Pasche was a signe of their liberty which was then to follow for the next day Exod. 12. our Sauiour was to break the yoake of sinne and to deliuer mankinde from Satans tyranny figured by that of Pharo But heere is yet another mystery hidden vnder the number of the dayes and state of the Moone which our Sauiour by the same wisdome hath also brought to perfection It was said that the Lamb was to be taken into the house Exod. 12.13 the tenth day of the first month and to be offered the fourteeth Our Sauiour accomplished the first Exod. 12.6 Matth. 21. when he made his entry into Hierusalem riding vpon a shee Asse and vpon a yong vntamed Asse Ioan. 12.1.12 For S. Iohn writes that sixe daies before the Pasche hee came to Bethania and the next day which was fiue dayes before the Pasche he entered into Hierusam It was then vpon the tenth day that he was receiued into Hierusalem with great ioy as the Paschall Lambe there to be offered vpon the fourteenth in this Sacrament without effusion of bloud and on the next day vpon the Crosse by reall slaughter for as the sixth before the Pasche that is to say before the fourteenth was the ninth of the month so the fift before the same was the tenth of the month The second part which was the state of the Moone was no lesse wisely fulfilled The Moone had fourteene dayes old vpon the euening of the Lambe for the fourteenth of the month was the fourteenth of the Moone as the beginning of the month was the beginning of the Moone which hath been elsewhere declared The Moone was then in her full We said before that the Moone signified the Synagogue wherefore the full Moone signified that the Synnagogue was not come to her perfection When our Sauiour therefore instituted the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body in that day and in that houre hee fulfilled the figured truth and withall signified by the ceremony of the time that the Synagogue was then in her fulnesse ready to depart as being now accomplished in the Institution of the Christian Pasche shadowed in the Iudaicall S. Ambres epist 13. Matth. 5. And this is that which Saint Ambrese amongst other Doctors noteth saying Our Lord celebrated in the fulnesse of the Law which hee came to fulfill And there remained nothing for the entire and perfect consummation but onely the last draught which was his death on the Crosse Wherefore from that time the Iudaicall Sacrifices figured of ours were abolished before God and the Sacrifice of the body of his Sonne substituted in the place of them all The Law of Grace to that of Moyses and the Christian Church to that of the Iewes Synagogue being as the truth to the picture and the body to the shadow which was also declared by the Eclypse of the Moone and of the Sunne in the next day of the Pasch as we shall make it appeare in the exposition following 16. THE END OF THE SINAGOGVE AND the beginning of the Law of Grace Signified by the Eclypse of the Moone and Sunne which fell out the next day of the Pasche and after the Eucharist ordained THe Moone was eclypsed and caused an eclypse of the Sunne on the morrow of the Pasch and of the Institution of the Eucharist This was a double eclypse no lesse wonderfull then vnknowne to Nature Who hath euer seen that the Moone should come vnder the Sunne when shee was diametrically distinct from it or that the Sunne should be eclypsed being so farre off from the Moone as the halfe of her circle which is all the distance that can be to dispart one Starre from another Now the Moone on thursday euening which was the houre of the Pasche being found in the East and the Sunne in the West the next day at mid-noone shee was ioyned face to face to the Sunne in the same point of the Zodiak with him and as shee ceased to shine vpon the earth so by her interposition shee made the Sunne to lose his light in such sort as there were two admirable echpses of the two great lights of heauen by them was signified the departure of God from the Iewes and the end of their Synagogue For as the Sunne by his eclypse left to lighten the earth and the Moone by hers losing the sensible light that shee tooke from the Sunne and communicated heere below to the world Euen so the Sonne of heauen Creator of this visible Sunne from that day forward retired the beames of his fauours from these vngratefull people and the Synagogue eclypsed in her fourteenth day that is in her fulnesse was depriued of the spirituall light which shee receiued from him and was before communicated vnto her in the practise of her Ceremonies Then was shee at full in the accomplishment of all her Figures and from thenceforth eclypsed with an eternall eclypse being ended for euer and a new Moone began that is to say the Church of Iesus Christ which hee purchased to himselfe the next day in the time of this eclypse by his pretious bloud in the terrible battell of the Crosse where all the Furies of hell and their confederates of this world ioyned together to assault him and those two Torches as it were offended and angry at the iniury done to their Creator played their parts and shewed their indignation on the Theater of heauen speaking by the language of their effects a language knowne to all and making in a strange maner the streams of their light runne vpward withdrawing them from the eyes of men beneath with sighes and groanes of the astonished world 17. THE CHVRCH SIGNIFIED BY THE Moone and of the Pasche and Christian renouation THe Pasche then of our Sauiour being instituted conteining the Altar and Table of the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body and the combate of the Crosse being ended the Synagogue receiued a deadly blow with all her Sacrifices and Sacraments and a new Moone appeared to signifie that the Church was now no more in the Synagogue but in the Law of Grace The Moone hath a generall resemblance to the Church of God for as the Moone takes all her light from the Sunne and sometimes goes before it sometimes comes after it and sometimes ioynes with it so the Church shewes by the beames of the Sonne of God going before him according to his Humanity vntill the time of his Natiuity being present with him while he remained vpon the earth following him afterward and sometime ioyning her selfe to him by the Sacrament and Reall Presence of his body Againe as the Moone lighteneth the night and giueth direction amidst the darknesse Euen so the Church hath euer enlightened the night of this world and shewed the way to heauen amidst the darknesse of Heathenish Idolatry Moreouer the Moone particularly marketh out the seuerall states of
the Church in her first increasings Shee sheweth the Church vnder the Law of Nature at the Change in the weaknesse of her beames and on the fourteenth day when shee is at the Full shee hath a resemblance of the Church in the Synagogue as we haue said but in that she became a new Moone after a new manner in her fifteenth day she signified the Church in the Law of Grace The newnesse and new manner consists in this that shee drew neare to the Sun by an extraordinary meanes for being on Thursday so farre from it as the East from the West the next day shee was euen against it which approachment shee should not make according to her naturall course but in the space of fourteene dayes supernaturally also and with no lesse wonder shee returned to the East on Friday euening at Sun-set where shee had been the night before And so in six houres shee put on the seuerall roabes of all her states for shee was new shee was in he first quarter shee was in her fulnesse and in the beginning of her third seuenth to wit in her fifteenth day In these circumstances and in these wonders happening neuer before nor since shee marketh out the Church in the state of Grace a state of singular renouation of a third seuenth of a third time in the new Pasch in the new and great Sacrifice and Feast instituted by the Sonne of God in his body To which purpose Saint Augustine writeth in these words Because wee are in the third time of all the worlds continuance 〈◊〉 Aug. 〈◊〉 119. ad lanâ—er c. 3. herehence it is that our Sauiour rose vpon the third day The first time was before the Law the second in the Law the third vnder Grace in the which is manifested the Sacrament which was hid in the folds of the Propheticall bookes This it is that which was signified by the number of the Moones and for that 〈◊〉 the Scripture the number of seuen hath a mysticall signification of perfection the Pasche was celebrated in the third weeke of the Moone which is betweene the fourteenth and the â—â—e and twentieth day Behold how God reades vs a lesson by his Starres teaching vs Paradise by the skie and communicating to vs the beames of his intellectuall light by the condition and course of the corporall 18. OVR SAVIOVR HAVING INSTITVted the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body goeth foorth of his ledging to goe to the Garden of Oliuet THe sweete Lambe being offered this euening and giuen in refection to his Apostles and hauing abolished the olde Pasche and instituted the new as hath been said sung an Hymne with his Apostles after the tradition of the Iewes and went forth to goe to the garden of Oliuet where he was to be deliuered by Iudas to the wicked who had already the watch-word to apprehend him This only remained to accomplish all the proofes of his infinite loue towards mankinde He was first offered to his Father by an vnbloudy Sacrifice without death and passion he went forth to be taken afterwards as a Lambe and to be made a victime on the Crosse there shedding his bloud and giuing his life He had giuen his body to his friends he goeth now to offer it to his enemies He had refectioned the soules of the humble he went soone after to bee fed with gall to drinke viniger to surfet with the torments and reproaches of the proud He long since planted a Garden of delights of rest and of honor he is now gone to a garden of sorrowes of combate and of disgrace He planted the Tree of Life in that delightfull Garden he commeth to plant another in the Orchard of his Church more exquisit and more excellent without comparison And himselfe walkes in this solitary Garden to repaire the fault committed in the first Garden In that the debt was made by disobedience in this it began to be paid by humility In planting the first Garden and the first tree of life he only imployed his word who commanded and all was made but in this it is not so one houres stay in this will cost thee thy bloud O my sweet Redeemer and with the droppes of that pretious purple the beds of this garden must be watred And the Tree of Life which thou hast planted in the Paradise of thy Church is not any meane effect as that was of thy holy word but thy pretious body and bloud it selfe accompanied with the aray of thy holy Diuinitie O my Lord what can I say to prayse thy magnificency I say that thou art magnificent euery way in taking and giuing in feeding and in suffering euery way good and euery liberall of thy goods and of thy selfe euery way rich in mercy and euery way aboundant in propitiation herehence it is that for thy last retraite thou goest to the Garden of Oliuet to make for vs and to giue vnto vs the oyle of thy mercies Oliues for vs but Apples of anguish for thee O my soule thy Redeemer goeth in the night and goeth to subiect himselfe for thee to paines in this Garden doe something for him accompany him amidst this darknesse haue compassion on him admire his loue towards thee loath thy sinnes that haue cast him into these vexations weepe and pray with him offer him thy heart and seruice in this perplexed high-way of his Agony And fince thou art written in his Will called to his Heritage and placed at the Table of his Kingdome to eate of his fruit of life giue some signe of a grateful soule and mindfull of so many benefits make him some present of thy gifts that he hath giuen thee and giue him something of that which he hath made thine albeit thou art nothing yet giue him thy selfe in giuing thy selfe thou shalt become something giue thy selfe to him since he hath giuen himselfe to thee and when I say himselfe what say I an infinite depth of goodnesse giuen many wayes vnto thee in his birth in his conuersation in thy meate in his death and in all the kindes that a thing can be giuen After thou hast contemplated thanked followed and serued him in the Garden of Oliues at the Iudgement Barre of Pilate in the Mount Caluary at the Crosse with teares and sighes of loue of compunction and compassion make him often thy Host by means of this diuine Table which he hath prepared for thee of his immortall and glorious body to giue himselfe to thee and to lodge with thee so often as thou wilt and taking the healthfull refection of his dish contemplate moreouer in this Table the delicates of Paradise and of eternall life which shall follow after For as the Altars of the Hebrewes were Figures of this Feast so this Feast is the Image of the celestiall Table Heere thou eatest the bread of Angells in heauen thou shalt also liue of the bread of Angels Heere thy meat is God himselfe the self-same God will be thy food at that Table
Greeke Fathers vpon the Figure of MELCHISEDECH SAint Clement S. Clem. lib. 4. Stre. MELCHISEDECH King of Salem Priest of the most high God gaue the bread and wine sanctified in figure of the Eucharist Saint Chrysostome S. Chrysost hom 35.36 in Gen. speaking of the same Sacrifice of MELCHISEDECH Beholding the Figure thinke I pray you vpon the truth that is to say if thou makest account of the Offering of Melchisedech how much more of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of our Sauiour which is the truth signified of old by the ancient Figure And againe Idem After that MELCHISEDECH King of Salem had offered bread and wine for hee was the Priest of the most high ABRAHAM tooke from his hand part of that which had been offered that is to say he did eate and drinke of the sacrificed bread and wine Theodoret 〈◊〉 Pas 109. Idem in Gen. 4.63 hauing declared how our Sauiour had begun his Priest-hood after the order of Melchisedech in the institution of the Sacrament of his body addeth Wee haâ—e found Melchisedech Priest and King affirming to God not Sacrifices of beasts deprined of reason but of bread and wine as if he should say that the Priest-hood and offering of our Sauiour is not with effusion of blood of beasts as that of Aarons but without killing and that his body is giuen in Sacrifice vnder the formes of bread and wine according to the order of Melchisedech Saint IOHN DAMASCENE S. Ioan. Damâ—â— lib. 4. de Fid. cap 24. The Table of Melchisedech figured out our mysticall Table euen as Melchisedech carried the Figure and the Image of the true Prelate Iesus Christ TMEOPHILACT vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes Theophil in 〈◊〉 5. ad Heb. Psal 109. explaning the words of the Psalmist Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech It is most cortaine saith he that this Prophecie is to be vnderstood of Iesus Christ for it is he onely that hath sacrificed bread and wine according to the order of Melchisedech And a little after He saith eternally as well for that Iesus Christ maketh intercession for vs incessantly to his Father as for that he is offered euery day this Oblation is made without ceasing by the Officers and Seruitors of God hauing for Priest and for Sacrifice Christ the Sauiour it is hee that breaketh and distributeth himselfe 13. TESTIMONIES OF THE ANCIENT Latine Fathers SAint CYPRIAN S. Cyprian l. 2. ep 3. ad Cecil Who hath been more Priest of the highest then our Lord Iesus Christ who hath offered Sacrifice to God the Father and offers the same that Melchisedeth did Ioan. 6. bread and wine to wit his body and his bloud for his body is the true bread and his bloud is the true wine and the true drinke Saint Hierom S. Hieron epist 126. ad Euagr. S. Hieron in ep ad Marcel nomine Paula Eustoch scripta giuing a reason to Euagrius wherefore Melchisedech was compared to our Sauiour It is saith he because he sacrificed not victimes of flesh and blood of beasts but dedicated the Sacrament of Christ with bread and wine a simple and pure sacrifice And elsewhere Reade Genesis Thou shalt finde the King of Salem Prince of the Citie who then offered in Figure of Christ bread and wine and dedicated the mystery of Christians in the body and bloud of our Saniour Againe Our mystery the Masse is signified by the word Order not in imolating victimes of beastes according to the order of Aaron but in offering bread and wine that is to say the body and bloud of our Sauiour Saint Ambrose speaking of the Eucharist S. Ambrel l 5. de Sacra cap. 1. We know saith he that the Figure of this Sacrament hath gone before in Abrahams time then when Melchisedech offered Sacrifice Saint Augustine speaking of this Sacrifice of MELCHISEDECH S. Aug. lib. 16. de Ciuitate Dei cap. 22. Then first was shewed in Figure the Sacrifice which now is offered by Christians throughout the vniuersall world S. Aug lib. 1. Cont. Aaâ—â—â—s â—â— cap. 20. And elsewhere Those that reade know what Melchisedech brought forth when he blessed Abraham and are made partakers thereof they see that through all the world such a Sacrifice is offered And he meaneth the Sacrifice of the Masse which is offered ouer all the world 14. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENE THE Sacrifice of the Crosse and that of the Eucharist THe Sacrifice of the Crosse was bloudie Of this Oblation speaketh Saint Paul Hebr. 7.27 offered but once in Hierusalem onely this of the Eucharist not bloudie it is offered and shall be throughout all the world where the Church is dispersed and that euen to the end of the world That of the Crosse is the chiefe cause of our good the treasure and the generall exchequer of our redemption and the fountaine of our sanctification for by this death our Sauiour hath purchased vs all the good vnlesse we hinder or neglect it the Sacrifice of the Masse is the instrument to apply the fruit of all these purchased goods vnto vs it is the key which opens this treasure it is the meanes to haue part of this substance and the bucket to draw vp from the spring of this fountaine where with to cleanse vs and as when some one is washed in Baptisine or absolued in Penance the merite of the Crosse flowes into him or her that is baptised or absolued from sinne by meanes of these Sacraments euen so the fruit of the Crosse is distributed by the Sacrifice of the Eucharist to all those which offer it and for whom it is offered and it is the same body that was offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse and that which is offered on the Altar in the Church and giuen for food of immortalitie to all those which will receiue it The Masse then celebrating this Mystery makes the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of our Saniour and in them both is as of olde the ancient Sacraments and Sacrifices were an instrument to make vs participate the merit of the Passion of our Sauiour but so much more efficatious and precious as Iesus Christ who is in it the Priest and the offering for the man is but the Vicar surpasseth in dignity the ancient Priests and their earthly victimes This is the difference betweene the Sacrifice of the Crosse and that of the Masse and the glory of God is manifested diuersly thereby in two diuers mysteries 15. THE DIFFERENCE OF THE SACRIfice of Melchisedech and of this of the Masse THe Sacrifice of Melchisedech was but the shadow and the Figure this of the Masse the body and the truth In that there was nothing but bread and wine terrestriall materiall and insensitiue nourishing nothing but the body and that for a little time in this there is offered the body and bloud of our Sauiour the true bread and the true drinke bread of
heauen bread of life immortall and glorious diuine bread and diuine flesh without the substance of any materiall bread both meate and drinke together giuing the nourishment of grace to the soule and the sprout of immortalitie to the body and to both of them the fruit of all blessednesse In that God shewed his diuine wisdome figuring with his prouident pensill the future Priest-hood of his Sonne in the person of Melchisedech and the Sacrifice of the body of his Sonne in the Sacrifice of Melchisedech But in this heere hee hath left markes infinitely more cleare of his omnipotencie wisdome and boundy changing the hidden substance of bread into that of his body without changing the forme of the outward accidents offering himselfe by himselfe being at one instant together the Sacrificer and the thing Sacrificed Could he shew himselfe more great more skilfull and more liberall Could he establish a Sacrifice either more honorable for the acknowledging of his diuine Maiestie then this in which he offered not the body and bloud of beasts but his owne body and bloud or more profitable to man then in which he giues vs his owne body This mystery then so agreeable to the honor of God and so beneficiall to his friends doth it not merit to be eternally continued in the Church according to that which Dauid hath so diuinely prophecied Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Not according to the order of Aaron who was the Sacrificer of the bodies of beasts lesse honorable and lesse profitable and therefore worthy to be changed but according to the order of Melchisedech offering without bloud the body of the Sonne of God vnder the formes of bread and wine Sacrifice and Priest-hood most honorable and most worthy to endure euen to the end of the world neither can the world be furnished with a better either for the houor of God or for the good of his children 16. THE GOOD SPIRITVAL SOVLDIERS are worthy of the food and blessing of the body of our Lord. BVt who are the children worthy to feed vpon this Sacrifice and to haue the blessing of the true Melchisedech truely they are Abraham and his souldiers which haue noble soules and are armed in all parts with vertue which hotly pursue the enemies of their saluation fighting valiantly against the forces of the Assyrians pride Couetousnesse Leachery Enuy Gluttony Hate Idlenesse Iniquity Impiety and other vices signified by the Assyrians These then are they that giue the tenth of their victories and of their spoiles to God which giue him thankes for his benefits and acknowledge his assistance as chiefe cause of all their good actions for which they glory in nothing but in him and confesse that all their good commeth from him These are they that are true children of Abraham and like valient warriers know readily how to manage their bodies in all sorts of combates and exercises of spirituall battle This braue Horse of Abrahams so well made and so well taught to the bitt and to the spurre to trotte to gallop to runne and to bee decently ordered resembleth those bodies that are well tamed and well taught to follow the commands and directions of a warlike soule Such was he 1. Cor. 9.27 which said I chastise my body and make it a seruant such haue been a thousand champions of our Sauiour which haue victoriously combated against the greatest forces and armies of their enemies the world the flesh and the diuell Such souldiers are worthy of the bread of God worthy which whom the great Melchisedech should comply in the end of their victories comming foorth to honor them to congratulate with them to inuite them to receiue the holy Repast of his sacred body and to sanctifie them with his great blessing wherewith they returne into their countrey which is heauen rich with reward and enobled with immortall glory THE FOVRTH PICTVRE ISAAK ON THE ALTAR The Description THese two yong men seruants of Abraham attend at the foote of the mountaine with this saddled Asse Abraham himselfe with yong Isaak is ascended to the top of the mountaine hauing commanded them to tarry beneath vntill he had there worshipped and offered Sacrifice this is the third day since they came from home with him hauing neuer vsed to depart from him their face shewes that they are sorrowfull and astonished and it is by all true likelihood for not knowing the cause why he should leaue them and for hauing seene and heard of things they misliked they had seene how their Master all sad had put the wood which the Asse carried vpon the shoulders of Isaak taking himselfe fire in the one hand and a sword in the other Ioseph lib. 1. Antiq. cap. 13. and certainly the teares ran downe in great abundance from their eyes because they see their yong Master loaden with this heauie burden to goe with no little paine for hee is tender and delicate and but fiue and twentie yeeres old They could not also imagine what should be the Sacrifice Abraham would offer seeing it was his custome to Sacrifice before his domesticals without euer hauing vsed such like ceremony But this which puts them yet in more great wonder is that they perceiued not any beast he had to sacrifice whereof Isaak himselfe being sollactous asked of his Father in the way where the Lambe was for the Burnt-offering to whom Abraham answered that God would prouide it The good childe knew not that himselfe was the Lambe appointed for the Sacrifice lesse knew hee what this holy old man thought within himselfe for hee felt a maruailous combate in his soule pressed on the one side with the assaults of Nature which moued him to fatherly compassion and on the otherside with the Word of God which made him stedfast in the execution of his Commandement Nature said to him O Father what dost thou Hast thou begotten a sonne to be his murtherer Hast thou giuen him life in the world to put him with thine owne hand to death Hast thou giuen being to this creature and wilt thou depriue him of it in a moment as soone as it beginneth Wilt thou burie in one moment the comfort of thy age and all the hopes of thy future race within the tombe of thy only sonne Thy only sonne giuen thee of God after so many faire and goodly promises of thy prosperity Thy onely son so tenderly nourished so carefully brought vp so beautifull so gratious so obedient and perfect in all kinde of graces And who euer saw such a Father as thou art And what will thy houshold thy neighbours and thy kindred say And aboue all the rest what will his poore Mother say who sitting at home little thinkeâ—â— of any such matter when shee shall see thee returne all alone and that shee shall heare the pitifull newes of her deare and onely childe slaine not by force of sicknesse nor by the hand of the enemie nor by the teeth of any furious
ruine and procured the restauration and health of our soules and bodies by remedies directly opposite to our diseases The Father giueth all that he can to his childe engendered of his seed The mother nourisheth and brings her childe vp with her owne milke which is also a part of the substance of her body and both meate and drinke to the childe Our Sauiour who regenerated vs in his bloud by Baptisme is wholly bestowed vpon vs in giuing vs his body for by concomitance we haue together with it his soule and his Diuinity to the which it is inseparably vnited And of this dainty food he giues vs not a part onely but his whole body and his whole bloud each of which is both true meate and true drinke vnto vs. By meat he lost vs by meat he repaired vs. The first meate was forbidden vnder paine of death Matth. â—â— â—6 Iohn 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not eate of the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill for looke what day thou shalt eat of it thou shalt die The second meat is commanded with promise of life Take eate who eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud he hath life eternall The first was really eaten by disobedience and killed vs. The second is really eaten by obedience and quickens vs. The poyson was truely swallowed downe the Antidote or counter-poyson also is truely taken and not by Figure The flesh of the first Adam by geueration drew vs to death and confusion the flesh of our Sauiour second Adam receiued by manducation brings vs to life and nourisheth vs to immortalitie and eternall glory 4. TWO BAD VNIONS OF THE FLESH of Adam with our soule repaired by the flesh of our Sauiour BVT behold the maine point of opposition betweene the flesh of our Sauiour and that of Adam The flesh of Adam is the spring of all our miseries by reason of two vnions wherewith it ioynes it selfe to our soule the one is naturall and made in the wombe of our mother by necessity the other morall and made my our owne free-wil when the soule followeth the appetites of this corrupted flesh of Adam The first vnion is the blow that first wounded vs to death 〈…〉 For by it we are begotten in iniquity and conceiued in sin according to the saying of King Dauid and become defiled in the first instant of our conception branded with the marke of originall malediction enennes of our Creator separated from him and at war within our seiues for wee bring with vs the Schedule of rebellion and the fource of cruell warre which this masse of corruption incessantly stirreth vp against our soules casting darknesse of ignorance into our vnderstanding fier of concupiscence into our will and forgetfulnesse of heauen and of other future things into our memory The same vnion is also cause that the spirits of men are multiplied and at diuision amongst themselues for looke how many bodies are begotten of the flesh and seed of Adam so many soules are created to be vnited to those bodies and to giue them life and as the children of Adam disser in bodies so by meanes of this generation they are also of different spirits The second vnion of this flesh with the soule encreaseth and maketh worse the euills which came from the first For the soule by loue being vnited to her flesh and following the sensual appetites thereof forgetting heauen and liuing in the vanities and voluptuousnesse of the earth is so much more made enemie of God and banished from his friendship as shee yeelds her selfe peruerse and so much more also diuided in her selfe enduring a continuall tyranny of our flesh to whom shee is made slaue by this voluntary vnion and of whom shee is arrogantly vexed and pricked forward to commit new sinnes which are to her soule so many executioners which giue her torment at euery moment This vnion also diuideth men amongst theÌ„selues for euery one seeking the coÌ„modities of his owne flesh and giuing himselfe to vice loues none but himselfe his proper commodities his honors riches and voluptuous pleasures hating and persecuting at those that do hinder him in them whether they be good or bad And from thence doe spring dissentions warres and all excesse of enuy whoredome couetousnesse and such like sinnes which are committed in the world Behold then how the first vnion of the flesh of Adam with our soules is the spring And the second the fulnesse of all our euills diuiding vs from God from our selues in our felues and amongst our selues for an Antidote and counterpoyson of this flesh and those pernitious effects thereof the second Adam Iesus Christ affoords vs his owne flesh endued with contrary qualities and worker of contrary operations For the flesh of the first Adam is foule infected and pestilent that of the second Adam pure holy Virgin like and in one word flesh of God The flesh of Adam produced from a filthy seed and ioyned with our soule makes vs the children of Adam the flesh of our Sauiour begotten of a Virgin by the worke of the holy Ghost and giuen vs for to be vnited with vs and to vnite vs to God makes vs the children of God not by necessity of generation but by acts of deuotion ordained by meanes of this vnion not onely to cherish to nourish and beautifie our soules but also to repaire the defects of our bodies to correct their wicked inclinations to extinguish their concupiscences to purge and refine them to the likenesse of his owne and to sow in them the seed of glorious immortalicy And albeit this vnion be not naturall as the vnion of body and soule yet is it notwithstanding reall true and most intrinsecall after the manner of meate and drinke and of a holy and diuine mariage by the which wee are made one Spirit with God By the mediation of this flesh of his Sonne vnited to ours wee are also vnited in our selues our sanctified flesh obeying thereby the Law of the Spirit and finally we are voited euen one with another and made one Spirit and one body vnder our chiefe Soueraigne Iesus Christ by the vertuall knot of his pretious flesh which euery one receiueth in this Sacrament Behold you the opposite effects By the flesh of Adam wee are made sinners separated from God both in spirit and in body our bodies are multiplied and likewise our spirits in the same proportion with the bodies men are diuided amongst themselues by enmities arising from the loue of the flesh and euery man is diuided in himselfe his flesh rebelling to the spirit By the flesh of our Sauiour all these inconueniences are repaired as with admirable wisdome so with aboundant grace Of this meate then giuen as a counter-poyson against the first meat and of this sacred vnion in remedy of that which diuided vs. Did our Sauiour heere Preach This is the sense and the end of his diuine Sermon Iohn 6.48 for calling it the brend of life the lining bread that came downe