common people and not to displease the Athenians as witnesseth Cicero in his bookes of the ends of good and euill of Tusculans quest and of the nature of the God and Plutark in his book against Coletes an Epicure Wherefore seeing that it was a thing impossible and altogether incredible that our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST should quite take away the offering of externall visible Sacrifice to God for the good of those who are deceaued to the violating of Religion contempt of God and damnation of their poore soules it wil be worth our labour yet more exactly to handle this matter and seeke out how and what visible Sacrifice our Sauiour appointed for his followers to vse in his Church vpon earth which by Gods grace I will do in the ensueing chapters CHAP. IX Our Sauiour was to be a chiefe Priest of the order of Melchisedech and to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in his body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine vntill the end of the world 1. THe Prophet Dauid speaking of the Priesthood of our Sauiour in the 109. Psal and 4. Ver. according vnto our account Christs Priest hood foreuer of the order of Melchisedech vvas to be performed vpon earth and 110. according to the account of Protestants and Puritans saith Our Lord hath sworn and it shall not repent him thou art a Priest foreuer according to the Order of Melchisedech This to be spoken of our Sauiour S. Paul witnesseth Heb. 5. 6. 10. Heb. 6. 20. So here we haue that our Sauiour vvas to be a Priest not for once or for a litle while as vpon the Crosse but as long as the world shall last vntill Eternitie come or as the Apostle saith vntill Christ shall come to Iudgment 1. Cor. 11. 26. For these words foreuer euerlasting are many tymes taken for as long as the world shall last or for a long time as Leuit. 25. 46. Exod. 15. 18. Exod. 21. 6. Exo. 31. 16. Leuit. 23. 31. Eze. 26. 21. And S. Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 26. of Ezechiel and 21. Ver. and vpon the first to the Gal and 4. Ver. affirmeth that the hebrew word Leolam vvhich is here translated foreuer doth not signify the eternity of the other life but the whole tyme of this life or as long as the world shall endure c. 2. The end and vse of Priesthood and offering The vse of Priesthood and sacrifice vp of Sacrifice is as S. Paul saith Heb. 5. 1. to obtayn remission of sinnes but after the day of Iudgment and end of this world there wil be no more any remission of sinnes wherefore it were in vayn to say that Christ were a Priest foreuer in the other world of eternitie according to the order of Melchisedech seeing that in the eternitie of the other life there is no remission of sinnes or vse of Priesthood or Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech which S. Paul further signifyeth saying Where there is no remession of sinnes as in the eternitie of the other life now there is not an oblation for sinnes Heb. 10. 18. Agayn S. Paul sayith Euery high Priest is appointed that he may offer guifts and hosts wherefore it is necessary that he also haue somthing that he may offer Heb. 8. 3. But it were absurd to say that Christ in heauen offered Sacrifice hosts or gifts according to the order of Melchisedech seeing that in heauen earthly Sacraments and Sacrifices which are represented vnder outward corruptible materiall signes do cease by reason of the imperfection for in heauen is no imperfection 1. Cor. 13. 10. 3. And S. Paul speaking of the Priesthood of our Sauiour according to the order of Melchisedech saith If then consummation was by the Leuiticall Priesthood what necessitie was there yet of an other Christ a Priest of the order of Melchisedech and not of Aaron Priest to rise according to the order of Mechisedech and not to be called according to the order of Aaron for the Priesthood being translated it is necessary that a translation of the law also be made for Christ of whom these things be said is of another tribe of the which none attended on the Altar Heb. 7. 11. Where we Chriests Priesthood to be performed on earth see that our Sauiours Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech was to be performed vpon earth as the Priesthood according to the order of Aaron was performed vpon earth and the law was translated vpon earth and the tribes and Altars were vpon earth 4. Neither can this prophecy be vnderstood of This Prophecie not vnderstood of the Sacrifice vpon the Cross our Sauiours Sacrifice vpon the Crosse for that was but once offered Heb. 10. 10. and if the Scriptures here should speake of the Sacrifice of the Crosse it should say thou art a Priest for once and not say thou art a Priest foreuer Secondly S. Paul saith Other Priests by death were prohibited to continue but Christ for that he continueth foreuer hath an euerlasting Priesthood Heb. 7. 23. But as our Sauiour offered himself in Sacrifice vpon the Crosse he was neither euerlasting nor immortall but mortall and dyed and therefore as he was offered vpon the Cross he was by death prohibited to continue aswell as other Priests wherefore it cannot be said that Christ is a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech because he offered himself vpon the Crosse 5. The Sacrifice of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse was bloudy and rather according to the order of Aaron then Melchisedech of which order our Sauiour was not as S. Paul witnesseth saying Christ Our Sauiour vvas not a Priest of the order of Aron was not called according to the order of Aaron Heb. 7. 11. Wherefore seeing that our Sauiour was to be a Priest to offer Sacrifice vnto God vntill the end of the world and that there neither is nor hath been any other Sacrifice offered in the Christian Church but that which amongst Christians No Sacrifice amongst Christians but that of the body and bloud of our Lord. is called the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord as all the Christian Church seruice bookes Histories Chronicles and testimonies of ancient tyme beare witnes what Christian man can deny that our Sauiour was to be a Priest foreuer to offer this Sacrifice of his body and bloud by himself his Apostles and their Successors vntill the end of the world and that this oath of God is fulfilled in offering or giuing to God his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine according to his commaund at his last supper when taking bread he gaue thanks and brake and gaue to the Apostles saying This is my body which is giuen for you to God And in like manner the Chalice after he had supped saying This is the Chalice of the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you to God Luc. 22. Do this the same which he then
did for a commemoration of mee especially considering that these his words are so plaine and manifest and no where els we finde that our Sauiour either offered vnbloudy Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech or commaunded any of his followers to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice but at his last supper and the Christian world now for 1600. yeares hath generally beleeued that at his last supper our lord offered vnbloudy Sacrifice and gaue his bodie and bloud to God for vs after an vnbloudy manner as in part I haue proued in the 2. Chapter and shall proue more at large heereafter 6. Neither doth this hinder the fulfilling of this oath of God in our Sauiour for that he is not visibly now vpon earth to execute Priesthood according He vvho cōmandeth a thing to be donn is said rather to do it then his officer to the order of Melchisedech for when a thing is donn by commandement of another who hath lawfull power and authority to command and vertue to execute what is commanded he who commandeth is rather said to do the thing commanded then his officers or ministers who do it by his authority power and command So our Sauiour commanding the Apostles and their Successors to giue his body to God for vs and shed his bloud to God for vs and they doing it by his authority power and command he may be rather said to giue his body and shed his bloud to God for vs and offer Sacrifice then Bishops or Priests who do it but as his officers and by vertue of his power authority and command 7. The Scriptures supposing Melchisedechs Melchisedechs Priesthood supposed by the Scriptures to bee vvell knovvn Priesthood and Sacrifice to bee well known many tymes say that Christ shal be a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech yet of Melchisedechs Priesthood and Sacrifice we haue in the Scriptures no more but Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine for he was the Priest of the most high or And he was the Priest of the most high Gen. 14. 18. Whereby it is manifest that hee brought forth bread and wine to offer it vnto God in Sacrifice seeing that no where els there is made any mention of any thing he could offer to God in Sacrifice whereby his order might be known neither can it be said that he brought them forth only to feed Abraham and his soldiors who were filled with the victualls and spoyles of 4. kings and gaue the tythe thereof vnto Melchisedech as appeareth in the same chapter and then it had binn needles to add that he was a Priest of the most high and how he blessed Abraham 8. Secondly the Ancient Iewes affirme that Melchisedech offered Sacrifice in bread and wine The Ancient Ievves affirme that Melchisedech offered Sacrifice in bread and vvine as Rabbi Samuel vpon the 14. Chapter of Gen. saying He sett forth the acts of Priesthood for he was sacrificing bread and wine to God Rabbi Phinees vpon the 28. of Numbres saying In the time of the Messias all Sacrifices shall cease but the Sacrifice of bread and wine shall not cease as it is said Gen. 14. For Melchisedech the King Messias shal be exempted from the cessation of the Sacrifices of bread and wine as it is said in the 110. Psal thou art a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech Rabbi Moyses Hadarsan vpon the 14. of Gen. saying Rabbi the sonne of Enachinam said that this Melchisedech was Sem the sonne of Noe but what is the meaning of this that he brought forth bread and wine by this he shewed that he taught the act of his Priesthood which was to sacrifice bread and wine And this is it which is said in the Psal Our Lord hath sworne and it shall not repent him thou art a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech And Philo Iudaus in his book of Abraham toward the end saith that Melchisedech sacrificed in bread and wine for the victory of Abraham And Galatinus in his 10. book of the secrets of Catholick verities and Genebrard in his Chronologie vpon Melchisedech cite certayn Rabbies who translate these words of the 14. of Gen. and 18. Ver. thus Melchisedech offred bread and wine The Catholick Church translateth them brought forth bread wine and assigning the cause saith for he was Priest of the most high as if she should say that this was his office to offer bread and wine in Sacrifice to God And Theodorus Bibliander a Protestant in his 2. booke of the Trinity and 89. leafe confesseth that it was a generall receaued opinion amongst the ancient Iewes that as the comming of the blessed Messias all legall Sacrifices were to cease and that only the Sacrifice they called Theoda of thancksgiuing praise and confession was to continue with was to bee performed in bread and wine as Melchisedech king of Salem and Priest of the most high God in the tyme of Abraham brought forth bread and wine 9. The ancient Fathers were of opinion that The Ancient Fathers affirme that Melchisedech offered Sacrifice in bread and vvine Melchisedech sacrificed in bread and wine and that our Sauiour was to fulfill the Type in Melchisedechs sacrifice by offering vp his body and bloud in Sacrifice to God vnder the formes of bread and wine As S. Cyprian in his 63. Epist. saying Our Lord Iesus offered a Sacrifice to God the Father and offered the same that Melchisedech did that is bread and wine that is his body and bloud S. Ambrose vpon the 109. Psal saying Christ by the misterie of bread and wine is made a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech S. Hierome in his 17. Epist to Marcella chapter 2. saith Melchisedech then in type of Christ offered wine and bread and dedicated the Christian mystery in the body and bloud of our Sauiour And with these Fathers doth agree S. Augustin in his first Sermon vpon the 33. Psal saying In the old law you know that the Sacrifice of the Iewes was according to the order of Aaron in the slaughter of beasts and that in a mysterie for then the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord which the faithfull and those who read the Scriptures know was not instituted which Sacrifice is now dilated ouer the whole globe of the earth Propound therefore before your eyes two Sacrifices that according to the order of Aaron and this according to the order of Melchisedech c. The Sacrifice of Aaron was taken away and the Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech entered in his place and the Iewes adbering vnto that Sacrifice which was according to the order of Aaron imbraced not the Sacrifice which was according to the order of Melchisedech and so lost Christ Thus S. Augustin 10. Of this opinion where both the Greeke and Latin Fathers abundantly cited by Coceius in his 2. tome and 6. book Insomuch that Doctor Fulk a Puritan in the 99. leafe of his booke
poure out ther vowes before God with perfumes and drinke offerings Thus S. Ciprian whereby it appeareth that the ancient Fathers beleued visible sacrifice to be due vnto God by the law and light of Nature 5. Secondly by the defects which euerie one findeth in himselfe natural reason doth dictate vnto euerie one that he is subiect vnto some higher superior whose helpe he hath need of which superior call him what you will is God And the same naturall reason which telleth man Reason telleth man that he must honor God vvith such an honor as may not be giuen vnto any other that he hath a God vnto whom he is subiect and of whose helpe he hath need telleth him also that he is bound to honor this God with the highest kinde of honor that can be giuē him vpon earth and acknowledge this his subiection by such inward affection and outward signes or symbols as neither are nor ought to be giuen vnto anie other which is the externall visible Sacrifice we speake of which as we haue proued in the 4. and 5. chapters neither is nor yet euer was offered vnto anie but vnto some true or supposed God Nature is the cause of these things vvhich are donne after one manner 6. Thirdly Aristotle in his 7. booke of his morals to Eudemon saith That nature is the cause of these things which are alwaies or for the most part donne after one manner and fortune or accident of these which are seldome alike Which wee find true by experience in all naturall and accidentall things as in the naturall and accidentall things of the sunne moone planets and elements all whose naturall motions are constant and after the same manner and accidentall variable and changeable Accident the cause of mutability And seeing that all the sonnes of Adam both faithfull and infidels who firmely beleeued that there was a God or Gods and his or their prouidence ouer mankinde haue all generally offered visible sacrifice vnto some God true or false as I haue proued in the former chapters what reasonable man can doubt that God of his infinite goodnes mercies towards mankinde hath giuen vnto mankind a naturall inclination propension and instinct to offer visible sacrifice vnto him therby to acknowledge him for his God Corruption of nature the cause vvhy all offer not sacrifice and expresse the inward sacrifice of his hart vnto him and that the defect of offering visible sacrifice in those who vse it not is the corruption of nature 7. Fourthly we haue proued in our former chapters that people of all nations Epicures and The impossibility of all mē to agree to offer visible sacrifice had not the lavv of nature dictated it vnto them Atheists only excepted who denied God or Gods and his or their prouidence ouer mankind offered visible sacrifice vnto some true or supposed God And the people of all nations who were vpon the earth could neuer meete together to make an accord or agreement to offer visible sacrifice no nor yet the heads or kings of all nations could meete together to make this general accord that they would all offer visible sacrifice or if they should haue all mett together yet speaking diuerse languages and being of diuerse dispositions and humors they would neuer haue all agreed But suppose that they should haue all concurred together in one assemblie and agreed to offer visible sacrifice yet their diuerse dispositions natures interests reasons of state c. would not haue permitted them to haue continued for so manie thousand yeares in this their agreement of offering visible sacrifice without alteration or change if the dictamen of their consciences law and light of nature written in euery mans hart had not persuaded or compelled them vnto it as we see by experience in the contract or agreements which are made but amongst some few nations in other matters from which they change and fall from in few yeares 8. This which hath ben sayd is sufficient to conuince any indifferent reader that the offering The consent of nations is from the lavv of nature of exterior visible sacrifice vnto God is due vnto him by the instinct and law of nature For as Cicero a heathen man in the first booke of his Tusculan questions well obserueth In euery thing the consent of nations is to be esteemed the law of nature And againe in the same booke The consent of nations is the voice of nature Wheruppon S. Augustin in his 49. Epistle and 5. question sayth Those who are skilfull in the holy Scriptures of both The Pagans not to be blamed for offering sacrifice Testaments do not blame the Pagans or heathen people for that they build temples ordeine Priests and offer sacrifice because these things are taught them by the light and law of nature but for that they doe exhibite those things vnto Idols and deuils Thus S. Augustine With whom agreeth S. Thomas 2. 2. quest 85. ar 1. saying The offering of sacrifice is by Sacrifice by the lavv of nature the law of nature for saith he it proceedeth from natural reason that man should vse some sensible things and offer them to God in signe or token of due subiection and honor as they vse to doe who offer some thing vnto their temporal lords in acknowledgment or manifestation of submission vnto their dominion and this is that we call sacrifice So S. Thomas 9. And from this instinct of nature proceeding The diuision of tongues made no diuision of sacrifice from reason which we call the law of nature written in the harts of all men it came to passe that after the building of the tower of Babel and after that God had so confounded the tongues of all men that they could not one vnderstand another to consult together what kinde of religion they should follow or after what manner or way they should honor God or Gods they all agreed that God or Gods true or false were to be honored and adored with externall visible sacrifice as appeareth by the scriptures and testimonies of all antient times yet were they diuided and scattered ouer the earth into 55. or as others write into 72. distinct nations and tongues so that it had been impossible for them all to agree in generall in the offering of sacrifice vnto their true or supposed Gods had not the light of nature dictamen of their consciences and wisedome giuen from aboue vnto all mankind in their creation directed them 10. And this dictamen and light of nature to Temples vvithout sacrifice atheistical offer sacrifice vnto their true or supposed God or Gods was so inserted in the harts of al men that Plutark a heathen man taught by the light of nature in his booke intituled that there is no pleasant life according to Epicurus saith A temple without a sacred feast or sacrifice is atheistical impious and irreligious So constantly were Sacrifices beleeued to be due vnto God and
plāt peace and preach as S. Paul saith Peace to them that were farr of and peace to them that were nigh Ephe. 2. 17. And God is not the God of dissention but of peace 1. Cor. 14. 33. 6. Fourthly Adam and his sonnes liued in the law of nature and instituted externall visible Sacrifice in the Church of God vpon earth according to the Law of Nature no other law being then published or known as all diuines generally Sacrifice instituted by the Lavv of Nature hold and the law of nature being inserted and ingrafted by God as S. Paul saith Rom. 2. 15. in the harts of all men for them to follow as a rule of Iustice and an instinct of nature proceeding from reason as an euerlasting couenant between God and Man Isa 24. 5. Certayn it is that our The Lavv of Nature immutable Sauiour could not take away externall visible Sacrifice from amongst men and moue them to violate the Law of Nature or change it in the harts of all men seeing that as S. Paul saith He continueth faithfull and cannot deny himself 2. Tim. 2. 13. to change his diuine decrees and alter the Law of Nature in all men or change the naturall diuine instinct which he hath engrafted in all men to follow euen from the first beginning of his Church vpon earth which Lactantius in his 6 Book and 8. Chapter of diuine Institutions obserueth out of the 3. book of Ciceros common-wealth saying Cicero almost with a diuine voice hath in these words described the Law of Nature saying The Law of Nature is right reason agreable Description of the Lavv of Nature to nature spread amongst all men constant and euerlasting To this Law it is not lawfull to add any thing or to take away Thus Lactantius and Cicero of the Law of Nature Wherefore seeing that visible Sacrifice was instituted by the Law of Nature most certayn it is that our Sauiour came not to take it away but to institute it in better termes with he did when taking bread he gaue thanks and brake and gaue to the Apostles saying This is my Body which is giuen for you to God do this for a commemoration of mee In like manner the Chalice also after he had supped saying This is the Chalice the New Testament in my Bloud which is shed for you to God This do ye as often as you shall drink for a commemoration of mee Wherefore we may iustly complayn of these who persecute the offering of visible Sacrifice vnto God in the words with the Prophet Isaie vsed when he complayned of the Iewes for violating the Law of Nature saying The earth is infected with the inhabitants thereof because they haue transgressed the Lawes changed right dissipated the euerlasting couenant Isa 24. 5. 7. Fiftly the Prophet Daniel promiseth that externall visible Sacrifice shall be offered vnto God in the Church of God vntill the end of the Sacrifice to last vntil the end of the vvorld world saying And in the half of the week shall the host and the Sacrifice fail and there shal be in the Temple the abomination of desolation euen to the consummation Daniel 9. 27. Agayn The continuall Sacrifice shal be taken away and the abomination of desolation shal be set vp Dan. 12. 11. And our Sauiour himself setting down the tyme when this Prophecy of Daniel shall be fulfilled and when there shal be no more hosts nor Sacrifices offered to God in his Church vpon earth saith And when you shall see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of by Daniel standing in the holy place c. immediatly afther the tribulation of those dayes the Sunn shal be darkned and the Moone shal not giue light and the Starres shall fall from heauen Math. 24. And so forth describeth the day of Iudgment signifying that externall visible Sacrifice shal be offered in the Church of God vntill a litle before the consummation of the world 8. Sixtly God Almightie promised saying I will send of them which shall be saued to the Gentils into the Sea into Africa and Lidia into Italy and Greece to the Ilands farr of to them that haue not Priests and Leuits shal be allvvayes in the Church to offer Sacrifice heard of mee and haue not seene my glory And they shall shew forth my glory to the Gentils and they shall bring all your Brethren of all Nations a guift to our Lord. And I will take of them to be Priests and Leuits saith our Lord because as a new Heauen and a new earth which I make to stand before mee saith our Lord so shall your seed stand and your name Isa 66. 19. Where we see that God almightie promiseth to make Priests and Leuits whose office is to offer and assist at the offering of visible Sacrifice of the gentils conuerted vnto Christianity and that their seede shall not fail vntill the end of the world Wherevpon S. Augustin in the 21. Chapter of his 20. Book of the Cittie of God alledging this place saith God compareth the conuerted Gentils as it were by a similitude vnto the Children of Israel offring vnto him their hosts or Sacrifice with Psalmes in his house or Temple which the Church doth now euery where and hath promised that he would take of them Priests and Leuits for himself which now we see donne for now Priests are not by succession of flesh and bloud according to the order of Aron but as it ought to be in the new Testament where Christ is the chiefe Priest according to the order of Melchisedech thus S. August 9. Seuenthly God promised by the Prophet Ieremy saying Behold the dayes shall come saith our Lord and I will raise vp the good word that I haue spoken to the house of Israel c. This is the name they shall call him the lord of our iust one c and of Priests and Leuits there shall not faill from before my face a man to offer Holocausts and to burne Sacrifice and to kill victimes all dayes Ierem. 33. 14. Wherevpon Theodoret in his interpretation of this place saith Wee see the euent of this Prophecy for the new Testament being giuen according to the diuine promise The Priest-hood according to the order of Melchisedech is also giuen which whosoeuer haue obteyned do offerr vnto God reasonable Sacrifice 10. Eightly S. Paul commaundeth all Christians No communion vvithout Sacrifice saying As often as you shall eate this Bread and drink the Chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come 1. Cor. 11. 26. and our Lord dyed offering vp himself to God in an externall visible Sacrifice as our aduersaries do graunt whereby it is manifest that exteriour visible Sacrifice by the commaund of the Scriptures shall last vntill the later day 11. Ninthly externall visible Sacrifice being a thing only and chiefly aboue all things due vnto God and giuen vnto God by the consent of all Nations thereby to acknowledg him for
our lord God and maintayn our vnion and society with him and amongst our selues And Antichrist at his comming as S. Paul faith shal exalt himself Antichrist shall take avvay publik Sacrifice aboue all that 's called God or that is worshipped so that he shall sit in the Temple of God shewing himself as if he were God 2. Thes 2. It necessarily followeth that Antechrist shall not only as our Sauiour foretold in the 24. of Mathew and the Prophet Daniel in the 9. and 12. Chapters of his Prophecies take away the offering of externall visible Sacrifice vnto the true God but also from all Idolls that there shal be no externall visible Sacrifice publickly offered vnto anie Idoll or diuell but vnto him onlie who will secretly worshipp the diuell Mahuzim Daniel 11. and so he shall publickly exalt himselfe as the Scriptures saie aboue all that is called God or that is publickly worshipped Wherevpon S. Ireneus in his first Booke against Heresies and 25. Chapter saith He shall put downe Idols to perswade others that he is God and to magnifie himselfe who wil be an Idol that will haue in it the diuers errors of all other Idolls 12. Moreouer S. Ireneus speaking of the Crueltie In the time of Antichrist the faithfull vvho offer Sacrifice shal be forced to fly of Antichrist in putting downe the externall visible Sacrifice in the Church of God in his first Booke of Heresies and 25. Chapter saith In the time of the tirannie of Antichrist the saintes who offer pure Sacrifice vnto God shal be forced to flie awaie And in the halfe of the weeke shal be taken awaie the Sacrifice and the Host and the abomination of desolation shall be vnto the consummation of time With whom also agreeth Hippolitus the Martyr an ancient Father who liued about the yeare 220. after the natiuity of our Sauiour in his booke of the cōsummation of the world saying In the time The mourning of the Church after sacrifice is taken avvaie by Antichrist of Antichrist the Church shall mourne with great sorrowe because there shall be in it neither oblations nor offerings nor incense nor worshipp gratefull vnto God but the sacred Churches shal be like Cottages the pretions Bodie and blood of Christ shall not be extant in those daies the Liturgie or Masse shal be put downe singing of Psalmes shall cease and reading the Scripture shal be taken awaie 13. And the like affirmeth S. Ephrem in his treatise of Antichrist saing Before the end of the world at the coming of Antichrist the whole Church of Christ shall mourne with great sorrowe for that the diuine oblation and sanctification shal be no more offered to God then Sacrifice to cease in the time of Antichrist the holie misterie of Priesthod shall cease after three times and a halfe shall be fulfilled in the power and worke of the wicked Antichrist and all scandalls of the world benig consumed as our Sauiour spoke by his owne proper mouth then shall come the later daie So S. Ephren who liued about the yeare 370. after the natiuitie of our lord And with these aforesaid Fathers agreeth S. Chrisostom in his 49. homily vpon S Mattew saying For three yeares and a halfe the Sacrifice of Christians shal be taken away by Antichrist the Christians flying from him into the deserts there shal be none to enter into the Churches or to offer Sacrifice vnto God S. Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 9. of Daniel is of the same minde saying Hippolitus putteth the last weeke in the consummation of the world c. whereof it is said God will confirme the couenant one weeke vnto manie and in the other three yeares vnder Antichrist the host and Sacrifice shall cease Thus those Fathers of the extirpation of visible Sacrifice out of the Church of God by Antichrist 14. Now seeing that Antichrist at his coming as both Scriptures and Fathers doe testifie shall put downe external visible Sacrifice in such sort as that for a time there shal be no externall visible Sacrifice publickly offered to God vpon earth and that Antichrist is not to come vntill Antichrist is to raigne three yeares and a halfe the end of the world as witnesseth our Sauouir in the 24. of S. Matthew and Dan. 7. and to raigne but three yeares and a halfe before the consummation of the world as affirmeth the aforesaid Hippolitus in his said booke of the consummation of the world S. Ireneus in his 5. booke against Heresies towards the end S. Hierome vpon the 7. Chapter of Daniel S. Cyril in his 25. Catechesis and S. Augustin in the 23. Chapter of his tenth booke of the Cittie of God and others it is manifest Visible sacrifice taken avvaie the vvorld shall end that externall visible Sacrifice shal be offeto God in the Church of God vntill the end of the world and it being wholy taken awaie which is onely cheifely and aboue all thinges due vnto God then shall come the consummation of the world by fire wich shall burne and destroy all these things which are vpon earth Man ceasing to honor God with that honor which is due only vnto him as he is God and Creator of all thinges God will destroy man out of the face earth and all things els which vpon earth he created for man So those who denie and persecute the offering Those vvho denie Sacrifice hasten their ovvne torments vp of externall visible Sacrifice vnto God doe but hasten the destruction of the world and the euerlasting damnation of their owne soules and bodies to the verifying of the saying of the Prophet The sinner is taken in the works of his owne hands Psal 9. 17. he is fallen into the pitt which he made Psal 7. 16. and so doth but as saith the Apostle heape to himself wrath in the daie of wrath Rom. 2. 5. which our Sauiour himself also further signifieth saying The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world Ioh. 6. 51. As when the life of a man is quite taken from his bodie the bodie dieth and by degrees returneth vnto that which it was in his first creation which is slime dust and ashes so when the exterior visible Sacrifice and Sacrament shall be quite taken awaie for which God spareth the world then the world shal be destroyed by fier and shall returne to be as it was In the beginning when God created heauen and earth and the earth was void and vacant a darknes was vpon the face of the earth Gen. 1. 1. And shall so remaine vntill God create a new heauen and a new earth which shall stand for euer Isa 65. 17. Isa 66. 22. CHAP. VIII The reasons why our Sauiour would not take away visible Sacrifice out of the Church but establish it in better termes FIrst for that it shall be the worke of Antichrist Antichrist shall take avvay Sacrifice to put downe the daily Sacrifice as
their forme and manner of making those their Bishops Priests and Deacons is so dissonant from all the manners and formes vsed before the rebellion of Luther that in the 36. Article of their owne religion established by act of Parliament they confesse that this their said booke is a booke Lately sett forth in the time of Edward the fixt and confirmed at the same time by authoritie of Parliament and neuer before either The making of Protestat Clergie a late inuentiō set forth or confirmed by anie Councell or Parliament but then diuised as witnesseth the statute it selfe of the 3 and 4 yeare of Edward the sixt in the 12 act saying Be it enacted by the Kinges Highnes c. that such forme and manner of making Protestant Clergie deuised in the time of Edvvard the sixt and consecrating of Archbishops Bishops Priests Deacons and other Ministers of the Church as by six other men of this Realme learned in Gods law by the Kings Maiestie to be appointed and assigned or by the most number of them shal be deuised for that purpose and sett forth vnder the great Seale of England before the first daie of Aprill next coming shall by vertue of this act be lawfully exercised and vsed and none other anie other statute law or vsage to the contrarie in anie wise notwithstanding Thus this statute whereby we see that before the time of Edward the sixt all the Archbishops Bishops Priests c. were so ordained to offer vnbloudy Sacrifices in the bodie and bloud of our Lord that our aduersaires could not finde a forme or manner of making Archbishops Bishops Priests and who should not offer vnbloody sacrifice but were forced to inuent and deuise as the statute saith a new one and this so contrarie to the 3. Creeds and promises of God vnto his Church that Thomas Rogers a Protestant Glosser vpon the articles of their Religion in his book intituled The English Creed at the end of the 36. article ingeniously The Protestant Clergie no Catholiques confesseth that this article of the consecration of Protestant Archbishops Bishops Priests c. is noe article of the Catholique Church as a thing no where to be found amongst Catholique Christians but then deuised by Protestants 4. And after that they had deuised a forme and manner of making Archbishops Bishops Priests c who should not offer Sacrifice in all the ages before Luther except only knowne and reputed heretickes atheists and Epicures to both parties they could not finde a book where the office of these kind of men was sett downe without offering of sacrifice but were also forced to inuent a new book of offices for their said Bishops and Priests called The order for the administration of the Lords supper neuer heard of to haue been vsed amongst anie sort of men before Luther except aboue excepted as witnesseth the said book or Order for the administration of the Lords supper sett downe in the end of their booke of common praier and the statutes of the 5. and 6. yeare of Edward the sixt and first yeare of Queen Elizabeth and experience it selfe our aduersaries not being able to finde anie such book sett forth for the administration of anie Lords supper amongst anie sect or sort of men from the beginning of the world vntill the rebellion of Luther knowne and reputed heretickes atheists and Epicures to both parties onely excepted 5. The Apostles themselues beleeuing that our Lord ordained them Bishops and Priests to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice of Giftes in his bodie and bloud for a commemoration of The forme of making Bishops and Priests set dvvne by the Apostles him sett forth also a forme or manner of consecrating other Bishops and Priests to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice of Giftes in his body and bloud for a commemoration of him in the 8. booke of their constitutions where in the consecration of a Bishop the Consecrator saith Giue vnto him that is consecrated ô Allmightie Lord by thy Christ the participation of the holie Ghost that he may haue power to remitt sinnes according to thy command and of loosing all bands according to the power which thou hast giuen vnto the Apostles and of pleasing thee in meekenes and puritie of heart by offering vnto thee alwaies without fault and without sinne a pure and vnbloudie Sacrifice which by Christ thou hast established the misterie of the new Testament as a fragrant smell of sweetenes For as the Apostles saie in the last chapter of their said booke The only begotten Christ did not take this honor to himselfe but was instituted a cheef Priest by his Father who being made man for our sakes and offering a spirituall host his spirituall bodie to his God and Father before his passion and ordained vs onlie that we should doe the same when there were others with vs whereof some also beleeued in him but whosoeuer doth beleeue was not forth with made a Priest or obtained the degree of Episcopall dignitie And we offering a pure and vnbloudie Sacrifice as our Lord ordained haue chosen Bishops Priests and seauen Deacons Thus the Apostles in their constitutions and for the proofe of their authenticalnes I referr you to the preface of Franciscus Turrianus sett before them The forme and manner of making or consecrating Bishops and Priests thus established there was neuer anie Catholick Priest ordained who was not ordained to offer vnbloudie Sacrifice or sacrifice of guifts in the bodie and bloud of our Lord as witnesse all the Pontificals or bookes sett forth for the ordayning of Bishops and Priests in the Church of God nor ever a catholique Bishop or Priest who had not for office the offering of vnbloudie Sacrifice or sacrifice of guifts in the Church of God Whereupon S. Basill Bishop of Capadocia as witnesseth Amphilochius in his life desired of God that he would giue him wisdome and vnderstanding to write a Liturgie or publicke Church-seruice booke with his owne hand wherin he might offer vnbloudie Sacrifice to God and continueing in his praier our Lord appeared vnto him in a vision and saied According to thy petition let thy mouth be filled with praise in such sort as by thy proper wordes thou maiest offer vnbloudy Sacrifice Againe in his Anaphora he praieth saying Thou ô Lord make vs worthie that wee maie stand before thee with a pure heart and minister vnto thee and may offer vnto thee this reuerend and vnbloudy Sacrifice for the remission of our sinnes 6 So likewise S. Chrisostome Bishop of Constantinopole not only in his Liturgie praieth vnto God that he may assist at his fearefull Sanctuarie and finish the vnbloudie Sacrifice without offence but also affirmeth that Christ as Lord of all hath deliuered vnto vs the celebration of this solemne and vnbloudie Sacrifice And sometimes calleth it vnbloudie Sacrifice sometimes guifts which was so extended all ouer that world in his time that in his homily vpon the 95. Psal he saith In
euerie place there are Altars as God foretould by the Prophet Malachie for expressing the Ecclesiasticall sinceritie of the new lawe and laying open the ingratitude of the People of the old law he saith vnto them I haue no will in you saith the Lord omnipotent and hosts I will not receaue at your handes for from the rising of the sunne vnto the goeing downe my name is glorified among the Gentils and in euerie place sacrifice is offered vnto my name and a pure Sacifice See how plainelie how manifestlie he hath sett forth that mysticall Table which is the vnbloudy Sacrifice c. The pure Sacrifice is certainely the chiefe mysticall Table the heauēly and most venerable Host so S Chrysostome 7. In like manner the rest of the ancient Fathers The antient Fathers agre able to the ancient Liturgies doe also call the Sacrifice of the new law somctimes guifts and sometimes vnbloudie sacrifices As S. Dionisius Areopagita in the 5. chapter of his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy saying The Bishop after that he hath shewed the guifts of the diuine workes cometh to cōmunicate them himselfe and also inuiteth others Againe The Bishop doth shew the couered guifts and that which in them is one he diuideth Vnbloudie Sacrifices called gifts into manie S. Clement in the 12. chapter of his 8. booke of constitutions speaking of the sacred host after consecration saith Wee beseech thee ô Lord fauorablie to looke vpon these guifts sett before thee And in the 13. chapter he earnestly beseecheth God to receaue the said Guifts offered for all Bishops Priests Kings and the people there presēt and the whole Church Theodoret in his 2. Dialogue saith What doe You call the guifts which are brought before the inuocation of the Priest Answereth It is made of such like seede And after the sanctification how doe you call those things Answereth The bodie of Christ 8. S. Ireneus in the third chapter of his 4. booke of heresies saith Christ taught the new oblation of the newe testament which the Church receauing Gifts in the nevv Testament from the Apostles offereth throughout the whole world to God who giueth vs for nourishment the first fruits of his gifts in the new Testament So likewise the 318. Fathers in the first general great Councel of Nice in the 5. cannon according to the Greeke copie call the sacrifice of the new Lawe A most pure gift offered to God Where we may obserue that those ancient Fathers doe call the sacrifice and Sacrament of the new Lawe Gifts of the diuine workes and a most pure guift before they were receaued in the communion as being the bodie and bloud of our Lord independant of the faith of the receiuer 9. And in like manner the ancient Fathers doe call the sacrifice of the new Law an vnbloudie sacrifice as Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea in the 10. chapter of his first booke of Euangelicall demonstrations saying We are taught by the most high Priest of all to offer vnto the supreame God throughout our whole life vnbloudie and reasonable victims sweete vnto him S. Gregorie Nazianzen in his first oration Iulian the Apostata hated vnbloudy Sacrifices against Iulian the apostata shewing the auersion which this apostata had from the sacrifice of the Altar saith He profaned his hands that he might wash them from the vnbloudie sacrifice by which we communicate Christ and his sufferings and diuinitie 10. S. Cyrillus Alexandrinus in declaratione Anathematismi 11. saith Wee offer the holie quickening and vnbloudie sacrifice in the Church beleeuing the bodie and pretious bloud which is sett before vs to be not of a common man and like vnto vs but of the word Againe in his booke de adoratione in spirituli 13. The table trulie of proposition hauing bread vpon it did signifie our vnbloudie host wherewith we all are blessed whilst we eate that bread which is from heauen that is to saie Christ. 11. And it was a thing so generally receaued in the Church of God and so vniuersally beleeued of the whole primitiue Church that our Sauiour at his last supper instituted an vnbloudy Sacrifice cleane oblation or gifts in his bodie and bloud to be offered by Bishops and Priests for a commemoration of him that three of the 4. first generall Councells which euer were celebrated in the Church of God call the Eucharist or thing deliuered in the communion the vnbloudie sacrifice as the great generall Councell of Nice which was the first generall coūcell which euer was celebrated in the Church of God saying In the time of the first generall coūcell of Nice they offered vnbloudy sacrifice in the third booke and title of the diuine table Lett vs vnderstand the Lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world to be placed vpon the table sacrificed after an vnbloudie manner by Priests 12. In like manner S. Cirill Archbishop of Alexandria chiefe of the generall Councell of Ephesus in the 26. Epistle set downe in the first part of the same Councell writeth after this manner vnto Nestorius the heretick for whose condemnation In the time of the Councell of Ephesus they offered vnbloudie sacrifice that Councell was called saying I cannot omitt this that whilst we declare the death of the onlie sonne of God and his resurrection from death we also confesse his assumption into heauen and celebrate the vnbloudie sacrifice in the Church and approach vnto the misticall blessings by which meanes we are sanctified as being made partakers of the holie flesh and pretious bloud of Christ the Sauiour of vs all Neither doe we receaue it as common flesh God forbidd we should doe so nor yet as the flesh of a holie man c. But we receaue it as trulie quickening flesh and as proper flesh of the word it felfe which was incarnate Thus S Cyrill Chiefe in the generall Councell to the heretick Nestorius 13. And in the 4. generall Councell which In the time of the Counced of Calcedon they offered vnbloudy sa crifice was that of Calcedon Ischyrion Deacon of Alexandria preferring in the third act of the Councell a bill of complaint vnto the Councell against Dioscorus Archbishop of Alexandria a wicked man amongst other things accuseth him of this as of agreat crime that whereas in Lybia for the sterilitie of the countrey wheate would not grow the most pious Emperor allowed wheates first that as he saith the vnbloudie host might be offered of it and secondlie for the reliefe of Pilgrims and the poore of the prouince Dioscorus would not permit the holie Bishops of the countrie to receaue the said wheate but would forestall it and buy it vp with great summes of money and in time of famine sould it againe at most deare rates and by these meanes neither the terrible and vnbloudie sacrifice as there it is termed was celebrated nor the Pelgrims or poore releeued Thus Ischyrion in his complaint against Dioscorus the hereticke vnto the generall Councell of
Chalcedon Whereby it is sufficiently manifest that three of the fower first Generall Councels called the Eucharist the vnbloudie sacrifice and esteemd that our Sauiour at his last supper offered vnbloudie sacrifice or gifts vnto God 14. To this we may add the second Councel of Nice in the third Tcme of the sixt section saying The 2. Councel of Nice None of the Apostles or of our famous fathers called our vnbloudie Sacrifice which is donn in commemoration of Christ our Lord and all his dispensations the image of his bodie Againe a little after in the same place the said Councel saith Neither our Lord or the Apostles or Fathers euer called the vnbloudie Sacrifice which is offered by the Priest an Image or signe So these fower generall Councels Whereby it is manifest vnto anie indifferent Reader that our Sauiour at his last Supper offered in his bodie and bloud a proper and speciall visible externall vnbloudie Sacrifice and ordayned that a proper and speciall visible externall vnbloudie Sacrifice representing the inward and inuisible Sacrifice of our hartes should be offered vnto God in his Church by Bishops and Pristes thereby to honor God with diuine worshipp or Latria only due to him make commemoration of the passion of our Sauiour for vs and preserue peace vnitie and societiewith God and amongst our selues After vvhat manner our Sauiour died for all 15. For though our Sauiour died for all and his Sacrifice vpon the Crosse is of such a value and vertue that it alone for as much as is required on the behalfe of our Sauiour for the redemption of mankinde was sufficient to redeeme a thousand worlds if there were so manie yet because this Sacrifice of redemption was donn but once and neither could nor needed to be donn anie more and our Sauiour did not neither was it conuenient that he should so redeeme mankinde by his death and passion as that man on his part should haue nothing to doe for his saluation but only idlely to beleeue that Christ died for him and assure himselfe that he should be saued therefore he ordained that all those who would be saued should not onely beleeue the whole articles of the Faith which he planted vpon earth S. Iohn saying in his second Epistle Euerie one that reuolteth and persisteth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God but also that they should doe those thinges which he hath commaunded comparing the rest vnto fooles saying Euerie one that heareth these my wordes and doth them not shal be like a foolish man that built his hous vpon the sand Matth. 7. Wherefore all those who are of yeares of discretion and will not be nombred amongst these fooles and perish eternally are to offer vnbloudie Sacrifice to God thereby to honour God with the worship of Latria due only vnto him applie the Sacrifice of the Crosse vnto them make commemoration of the Passion of our Lord and fulfill his Cōmands For as our Sauiour commanded the Apostles to teache and baptize saying Teach yee all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost Matth. 28. 19 so also he commaunded them to offer vnbloudie Sacrifice saying after he had giuen his bodie for vs Doe this for a commemoration of me Luk. 22. 16. If our Sauiour by his Sacrifice of Redemption vpon the Crosse should haue redeemed all If our Sauiour had redeemed all men vvith out doing anie thing on their parts he had destroied all morall vertues men absolutely without requiring any thing to be donn on their partes but only to beleeue he had destroyed all morall vertues as patience obedience humilitie iustice fortitude temperance c. and also those theologicall vertues of charitie and hope and had been a meanes to plante idlenes sloath sinne and the workes of the Diuell amongst men which is absurd seeing that as S. Iohn saith For this appeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the Diuell 1. Ioh. 3. 8. And the sinn of sloath is to be punished with euerlasting tormentes Matth. 25. 26. And this is sufficieot to shew how the auncient Fathers beleeued that our Lord at his last supper offered vnbloudie Sacrifice in his Bodie and bloud and established the same in his Church CHAP. XIII The whole Christian world before Luther beleeued that our Sauiour at his last supper offered vnbloudie Sacrifice or Sacrifice of Gifts in his bodie and bloud and established them in his Church 1. THe whole Christian world which was Vnbloudy sacrefice dilated ouer the vvorld before the Rebellion of Martin Luther beleeued that our Lord at his last Supper offered vnbloudie sacrifice or sacrifice of Giftes in his bodie and bloud and established them to be vsed in his Church vntill the end thereof as witnes all the Apostles and Apostolicall mens Liturgies or publicke Church seruice Bookes both ancient and moderne which haue been vsed before the rebellion of Luther in anie countrie prouince cittie or parish in anie part of the Christian world or by anie knowen sect or sort of men knowen and reputed hereticks to both parties only excepted all which bookes were made chieflie to expresse what passed at the last supper of our Lord and to retaine in the Christian world a pious memorie and commemoration of him according to his commaund saying Doe this the same which he then did in commemoration of me In execution whereof all those Liturgies or publicke Church-seruice-bookes were putt forth either by the Apostles themselues or Apostolicall men as witnes the bookes themselues vnto which bookes howsoeuer some prayer names of Saintes or the like may be added which is commōly donn according to the necessitie of the time and the worthines of Saintes arising vpp in the Church of God yet by the consent of both the Greeke and Latin Church and all Christian Catholick men in this point of the commemoration of the Passion of our Lord and expression of what passed at the institution of the B. Sacrtment there is noting added of moment or substance 2. And this doth appeare by the bookes themselues All catholick publick Church-seruice bookes agree in sacrifice which though they haue been dispersed in all ages and times since they were made through Christendome and were penned by diuers of the Apostles or Apostolicall men yet in matter of the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the new Law they all agree in one and so vniformely expresse the commemoration commaunded to to be obserued by our Lord at his last supper by diuine Gifts or vnbloudie Sacrifice in his body and bloud as though they had all in this point been penned at diuers times by one man and vsed in one citty or Church which could neuer haue been if anie of the said bookes had in this point been corrupted For to corrupt them all in those mysteries which the Christian Catholickes haue euer esteemed to be sacred and all their corruptions to agree in this point
the communion in the body and bloud of our Lord offered in vnbloudy Sacrifice it is manifest that both S. Paule taught the Corinthians to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and so to communicate of the same and that our Sauiour himself instituted an vnbloudy Sacrifice and communion in his body and bloud 12. Moreouer not only S. Paule had bin at The faith at Corinth before the vvrittē vvorde of this Epistle Corinth before he writt this Epistle and taught them by practise what they were to doe in the communion and what to beleeue but also Prisilla and Aquilla Act. 18. 18. Apollo Act. 19. 1. Stephanus Fortunatus and Achaicus were at Corinth and instructed them by practise what they ought to doe in the communion and what to beleeue before this Epistle was written as appeareth 1. Cor. 16. which considered and seeing that the Corinthians euen in the infancie of their Church offered vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and communicated of the same as I haue proued in the 12. chapter by the consent of many Councells and Fathers of the primitiue Church who can doubt whether S. Paule taught the Corinthians and Grecians to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and to communicate of the same that is not willing to be deceaued seeing that it is more hard and vncertaine for men to gather and vnderstand a thing deliuered by an Epistle only and that in this point briefe and short then both by seeing it donn and practised many yeares and by an Epistle also both together when an Epistle only may with greater facilitie be altered and changed then a Religion which is settled and established in manie citties and prouinces as wee see by experience CHAP. III. The Scriptures and all knowne Christian-mens bookes who writt of this subiect before Luther reputed hereticks to both parties only excepted teach a Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord. 1. THe Scriptures are so plaine for the institution of an vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice The Scriptures manifest for Sacrifice of Gifts in the body and bloud of our Lord that S. Augustin speaking of the old Testament in his Oration against the Iewes seth downe in the beginning of his 6. Tome saith vnto them Search the Scriptures for they beare testimonie of this cleane Sacrifice which is offered vnto the God of Israel noth of your nation only from whose handes he foretold that he would not receaue but of all nations who saie come lett vs ascend vnto the mountaine of God not in one place as it was commanded you in the earthly Hierusalem but in euery place euen vnto Hierusalem it Sacrifice offered in euery place in S. Augustines tyme. selfe And in like manner preaching vnto the Christians in his first Sermō vpon the 33. Psalme he saith Faithfull men who haue read the Ghospell do know the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord dilated ouer the whole globe of the earth Thus S. Augustine both vnto the Iewes and faithfull Christians whereby we gather fower things first that in the opiniō of S. Augustine both the old and new Testament speake plainely and manifestly enough of an vnbloudy Sacrifice or Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord which was to be vsed in the new Law Secondly that the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord was in S. Augustins time Dilated ouer the whole globe of the earth and beleeued of all faithfull men Thirdly VVhy our Aduersaries read Scriptures and find not Sacrifice for Christians that the cause why our Aduersaries doe not or will not beleeue that we ought to vse an vnbloudy Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord is not for that the Scriptures doe not sufficiently speake of it but for that they are blynded with obstinacie and obduratiō of heart with the Iewes and so though they read the Bible euery day and heare it read many times yet as our Lord said Seeing they see not and hearing they heare not neither doe they vnderstand c. for their heart is waxen grosse The Ievves deny Christian Sacrifice Matth. 13. 13. Fouerthly our Aduersaries in denying that we ought to offer Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord doe take parte with the Iewes and Gentils against the faithfull Christians of all former ages 2. Againe S. Augustine in his said Oration against the Iewes saith vnto them as we in his wordes S. Augustins speech to the Ievves applied to our Aduersaries may saie vnto our Aduersaries Least you should thinke ô Iewes because you doe not offer Sacrifice and that God will not receaue Sacrifice at your hands that Sacrifice is not to be offered vnto God which he indeed doth not stand in neede of who wanteth not any of our goods yet that he is not without Sacrifice which is not profitable vnto him but vnto you he addeth and faith from the rising of the sunne euen vnto the goeing downe my nane is made famous in all nations and in euery place there is offered a cleane Sacrifice vnto my name for great is my name in the Gentills saith the Lord omnipotent What wilt thou answere to this ô Iewe open thine eyes yet at last and see the Sacrifice of the Christians to be offered from the rising of the sunne vnto the goeing downe not in one place as it was appointed for you but in all places not vnto any God what soeuer but vnto that God who foretolde these thinges the God of Israel Thus S. Augustine against the Iewes whereby we see that the whole Catholicke Church dilated ouer the world in S. Augustins time not only offered Sacrifice to God in the body and bloud of our Lord as they doe now but also beleeued that they were taught so to doe by the Sriptures 3. And not only in these bookes S. Augustine speaketh of the Sacrifice of the Christians offered S. Augustins often repetition of the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord. vnto God in the body and bloud of Christ but also often in his other workes he calleth the Eucharist the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ as in the 25. chapter of his first booke against Cresconius saying The only Sacrifice of the body it selfe and bloud of our Lord. And in 27. chapter following The Sacrifice of the body and bloud of Chist And in the 8. chapter of his 22. booke of the Cittie of God he telleth vs how one of his neighbours Hesperius by name a Tribune finding his cattle and seruants to be molested by euill Spirits came vnto his Priests in his absence and desired that some one of them would come thither and by his praiers dryue away these wicked The Sacrifice of the body of our Lord expelled vvicked Spirits Spirits One went and offered there saith S. Augustine the body of Christ praying as well as he could that the
vexation might cease and by the mercies of God it forth with ceased And in the 10. chapter of the same book he saith We Sacrifice and doe immolate Sacrifice to God only and the Sacrifice it selfe is the body of Christ In the 11. chapter of his first booke de origine animae he saith According to the Catholick faith and Ecclesiasticall rule it is by no meanes granted that the participation of the body and bloud of Christ should be offered for such as are not baptised Which he also repeateth againe in the 15. chapter of his 2. book 4. In his 1. Sermon vpon the 33. Psalme he saith The sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord This sacrifice spread ouer the vvhole earth which the faithfull who haue read the Scriptures doe know was not in the time of the old Law which sacrifice is spread ouer the whole globe of the earth And againe in his second Sermon vpon the same Psalme he saith Christ at his last Supper instituted a sacrifice of his body and bloud according to the order of Melchisedech Whervpon in his 86. Epistle he saith Christ gaue his bloud to drinke before his Passion And in the 20. chapter of his 12. booke against Faustus he saith In this Sacrament is drunck that which flowed out of the side of Christ And vpon the 56. Psalme he affirmeth that the Iewes who crucified Christ and afterwards were conuerted to beleeue in him in this Sacramēt drunck by grace the same bloud which through furie they had shed 5. And because the same body and bloud of One body and bloud in all sacrifices our Lord is offered to God in all Christian Sacrifices which was offered to God in the Sacrifice of the Crosse though after an other manner therefore S. Augustine in the 12. chapter of his 9. booke of Confessions calleth that which is offered to God in Sacrifice by Christians the Sacrifice of our Redemtion saying The Sacrifice of our Redemtion was offered for his Mother after her decease at her Funeralls And in the 13. chapter of the same book speaking of his said Mother S. Monica saith She desyred to be remembred at the Altar of God where at she vsed to assist without pretermission of This Sacrifice dispensed from the Altar any one day and from whence she knew that holy sacrifice to be dispensed whereby the hand writing was blotted out which carried our condemnation in it and whereby our Enemie had triumphed ouer vs. Thus the glorious S. Augustine and that according to the Scriptures as he further affirmeth in the 3. question of his 49. Epistle saying The sacrifice which we Christians doe now offer is not only demonstrated by the written word of the Ghospells but also by the Prophecies 6. Neither is this expression of the Sacrifice of the body and bloud our Lord found only in S. Augustine but also in the rest of the ancient Fathers who are commonly stiled Doctors of the Catholick Church as namely in S. Basil S. Chrisostome S. Ambrose S. Gregorie and S. Hierome for the Church being in peace in their times the first fower of these fiue that is to saie S. Basil S. Chrisostome S. Ambrose and S. Gregorie euery one of them sett forth books where in they expresse the forme and manner how to offer Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord with great solemnitie Fouer Doctors sett forth Missalls and how to administer the Sacramēt in the same which books are extant in print vnder the Titles of The Liturgie of S. Basil The Liturgie of S. Chrisostome The Masse of S. Ambrose and the Booke of the Sacraments of the circle of the yeare sett forth by S. Gregorie the Pope Where of the first two are printed with their works the latter are printed by Pamelius in his two Tomes of the Missalls of the Latin Fathers which Liturgies or Missalls are in substance the same with those Liturgies and Missalls which are vsed at this daie in the Catholick Church for the offering of Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and also with the Liturgies and Missalls which were before their times as with the Liturgie of S. Peter S. Iames S. Andrew S. Marke S. Clement c. as may manifestly appeare vnto anie man who shall take the paines to vew them 7. Moreouer S. Ambrose in the 2. chapter of his 4. book of Sacraments setteth down the words which at this daie are vsed in the Catholick Church in the consecration of the Eucharist and offering Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord saying Wilt thou know how the Eucharist is consecrated by diuine wordes He are the wordes The Priest saith make this oblation apply able vnto vs reasonable and acceptable which is downe vpon the figure Bread a figure of Christs body before consecration of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. that is to saie vpon the bread not yet consecrated After it followeth Who the daie before he suffered tooke bread into his holy handes looked vp into heauen vnto thee ô holy Father Almighty eternall God giuing thankes blessed broake and broken gaue vnto his Apostles saying Take and eate of this all for this is my body which is giuen for you And in like manner he tooke the Chalice after he had supped that is the daie before he suffered looked vp into heauen vnto thee holy Father Almighty eternall God giuing thankes blessed deliuered to his Apostles saying Take ye and drinck ye all of it for this is my bloud consider euery thing he saith who the daie before he suffered he tooke bread into his holy handes therefore it is bread before it be consecrated but when Christs wordes doe approach it is the After consecration the Eucharist is the body of Christ. body of Christ Finally heare him saying take ye eate ye all of it This is my body And before the wordes of Christ it is a Chalice full of wine and water but assoone as the wordes of Christ haue done their worke there is made the bloud which redeemed the People therefore consider after how many sortes the word of Christ is powerfull to conuert all things And to conclude our Lord Iesus-Christ himselfe doth testify vnto vs that we receaue his body and bloud and ought we to doubt of his sinceritie and testimonie Thus S. Ambrose explicating the manner of the consecration of the body and bloud of our Lord in his time and the certaintie there of in the Eucharist before receauing which manner of consecration is also vsed in the Catholicke Church at this daie Againe in the 6. chapter of the same booke he sheweth that the intent of these wordes As often as you shall doe this so often you shall doe it in commemoration of me vntill I commeagaine were to command a Sacrifice in the commemoration of his Passion and for that cause he immediatly addeth to these wordes The Priest saith therefore mindfull of his glorious
Scripture which Catholickes at this day alleadge against the different opinions of their aduersaries adding also in the same Christ at his last Supper offered himselfe in Sacrifice Epistle saith Who is more the Priest of the high God then our Lord Iesus-Christ who offered Sacrifice to God the Father and offered the same which Melchisedech had offered that is bread and wine to witt his body and bloud Againe Iesus-Christ our Lord God he is the chief Priest of God the Father he offered first himselfe to God the Father and commanded that which he then did to be donne in commemoration of him Moreouer he there saith to the Aquarian Hereticks who would only vse water and no wine in the Sacrament of the Chalice The bloud of Christ wherewith Christ bloud seene in the Chalice we are redeemed and quickned cannot be seene to be in the Chalice when wine whereby the bloud of Christ is shewed is not put into the Chalice And citing the wordes of consecration as they are sett downe by S. Matthew in the 26. chapter of his Ghospell addeth Hereby we finde that the Chalice which our Lord offered was mixt and that it had bin wine which he called his bloud whereby it doth appeare It vvas first vvine and after his bloud that the bloud of Christ is not offered if there be no wine put into the Chalice neither is our Lords Sacrifice celebrated with lawfull sanctification vnlesse our oblation and Sacrifice shal be answerable to the Passion wherein our Sauiour shed bloud and water c. Iohn 15. 34. Againe As with this common wine the mind is sett at libertie the spirits freed and all sorrow Christian drinck the bloud of Christ. banished so by drincking the bloud of our Lord and the healthfull cupp we cast awaie the memorie of the old man and doe forgett our former worldly conuersation c. Againe How shall we shed our bloud for Christ who are ashamed to drinck the bloud of Christ. This and much more to this effect hath S. Cyprian in one afore said Epistle besides what he hath dispersed through his other workes 11. Alexander the first was made Bishopp of Rome in the yeare 121. and suffered a most cruell martyrdome for the faith in Rome when the faith of Christ flourished amongst the Romans as our Aduersaries confesse and he in his first Epistle vnto all Catholicks repeating the wordes of consecration addeth With such hostes God will be delighted and pleased for nothing can be greater in Sacrifices then the body and bloud of our Lord neither is there any oblation more to be desired then this for this exceedeth all oblations which is to be offered vnto God with a pure conscience and to be receaued with a cleane heart and to be worshipped of all Thus S. Alexander 12. S. Clement of whom S. Paule maketh mention Philippians 4. 3. in the 57. chapter of his 2. book of Apostolicall constitutions saith Lett the Bishopp pray in these wordes conserue ô Lord thy People safe and blesse thine inheritance c. Afterwards lett Sacrifice be made all the People expecting and praying insilence and Sacrifice being donn lett euery order a part receaue the body of our Lord and the pretious bloud approaching in order with modestie and reuerence as vnto the body of the king before they receaued it Thus these most ancient Fathers of the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord instituted by our Sauiour and continued in the Church of God as they prooue by the same Authorities of Scriptures which the Catholicks alleadg at this day And all Christian mens books and workes who haue written of this subiect are so conformable to the doctrine of those before cited Fathers in this point of the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord that our Aduersaries knowne and reputed hereticks to both parties only excepted are not able to assigne or bring forth any book written before the rebellion of Luther which denieth the offering of Sacrifice to God in the body and bloud of his only Sonne amongst Christians And this is sufficient to proue that the Scriptures and all knowne Christian mens bookes who writt of this subiect before Luther knowne and reputed hereticks or enormish erroneous men to both parties only excepted teach a Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord. CHAP. IV. Remission of sinnes and other blessings are and may be obtained by the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord. 1. THe Sacrifice of our Redemption which The Sacrifice of the Crosse like a Pardon at the end of a Parliament our Lord offered for vs vpon the Crosse is like vnto a generall Pardon at the end of a Parliament which is in it selfe sufficient to pardon all his Majesties subiects for the offences there in specified were they tenntymes more then they are yet actually it pardoneth not any one of them but those who vse the meanes which his Majesties lawes require in that case for the applying his gratious generall pardon vnto themselues which is to sue out a writt of pardon or the like So the Passion of our Lord and his Redemption vpon the Crosse is in it selfe sufficient to redeeme tenn thousand worlds if there were or could be so many from euerlasting paines and from the punishment imposed vpon man for originall and actuall sinne as wittnesseth S. Iohn saying Christ is the propitiation of our sinnes and not for ours only but also for the whole world yet actually according to the common concurse of God it redeemeth not any one man from euerlasting torments but those who vse the meanes to applye the Passion of our Lord and his Redemption vpon the Crosse to themselues expressed in the Law of God as withnesseth S. Paule saying Christ was made to all that obey him cause of eternall saluation Heb. 5. 9. 2. And amongst the many meanes which Almightie God hath left vnto mankind to apply the Sacrifice of our Redemptiō and merits of Christs Passion vnto vs this is one the offering of a certaine and particular externall visible Sacrifice vnto God representing the inward Sacrifice of our hearts and the Passion of his Sonne thereby to acknowledge him for our God and supreame Soueraigne Lord and apply the meritt of the said Passion vnto ourselues for the remission of our sinnes as is manifest by the practise of the Church of God euen from the beginning or first plantation there of vpon earth for Abel Noe Abraham Isaack Iacob Iob and the Children of Israel offered particuler visible Sacrifice to God in commemoration of the Passion of our Lord to come for the remission of sinnes by his Passion who was presenly promised vpon the fall of Adam Gen. 3. 5. and in vertue Slaine from the beginning of the world Apoc. 13. 12. Whervpon S. Iohn saith He hath redeemed vs to God in his bloud out of euery tribe and tongue and people and nation Apoc. 5. 9. And there is no saluation in
of the Catholick Church for these 1600. yeares or the omnipotency of God and say that he cannot effect it and so hath deceaued his Church for these many hundred yeares togeather both which is absurd and not befitting the thoughts of any Christian 11. Moreouer our Sauiour promised to giue bread to eate which should be his flesh saying The Our Sauiour promised to giue bread to eate vvhich should be his flesh bread vvhich I vvill giue is my flesh c. Ioh. 6 but he did no promise to giue his flesh to eate cut into peeces for that was the errour of the Capernits but his whole flesh and body and so promised that his whole flesh and body should be in diuerse places distributed or giuen by himselfe and caried in his owne hands who is both able to doe what soeuer he promised Rom. 4. 20. and vvill vvatch vpon his vvord to doe it Ierem. 1. 12. As we find by experience he did in the institution of the communion according to the plaine and expresse Text of Scripture saying Iesus tooke bread and blessed and brake and gaue to his Disciples and said Take ye and eate this is my body Math. 26. And the Scriptures cannot be broken as our Sauiour himselfe said Ioh. 10. 35. 12. That one and the same substantiall body of our Lord may by the omnipotency of his will not only be Sacramentally in diuerse places at the same tyme as it is in the blessed Sacrament but also visibly and personally is manifest for our Aduersaries confesse that the body of our Lord hath The body of our Lord both in heauen and earth at the same tyme. alwayes bin in heauen since the tyme of his Ascention yet the Scriptures say that since the tyme of his Ascension S. Paule being in prison our Sauiour stood by him and said be constant c. Act. 23. 11. and seing that our Sauiour stood by S. Paule in the prison and spoke vnto him standing by him Our Sauiour stood by S. Paule certainly he was vpon earth vnlesse our Aduersaries will make our Sauiour to haue so long leggs as that being in heauen he may also stand vpon the earth which is absurd and then he should not be cōtained in heauen as our Aduersaries affirme 13. At the vocation of S. Paule S. Luke saith that the men who were in the companie of S. Paule when our Lord spoke vnto him Heard a voice but S. Paule heard our Sauiours voice saw noe man Act. 9. 7. so there was a man present to be seen otherwise it were in vaine for the Scriptures to saye They saw no man when there was none to be seen Againe S. Ananias said vnto S. Paule The God of our Fathers hath preordinated the that thou shouldst knowe his will and see the S. Paule heard our Sauiours voice from his mouth just one and here his voice from his mouth Act. 22. 15. all which words import the personall presence of our Lord vpon earth for otherwise S. Paule could not haue heard our Lords voice from his mouth if he had bin in heauen neither would the Scriptures haue said that he had heard his voice from his mouth if our Lord had appeared only in a vision or resemblance and not in his proper person for that had not bin his mouth but a resemblance of it Wherefore seing that S. Paule heard our Lords voice from his mouth it is manifest that our Lord was personally vpon earth 14. The cause why our Lord appeared to S. Paule was as our Sauiour then said To this end that Our Sauiour ordained S. Paule Minister of the Ghospell I may ordaine the a Minister and wittnes of these things which thou hast seen as were the rest of the Apostles who were made Ministers of the Ghospels and wittnesses of the Resurrection not from heauen or in a vision only but by our Lords personally appearing vnto them vpon earth Wherevpon S. Paule saith Am not I an Apostle haue not I seen Christ Iesus our Lord 1. Cor. 9. 1. which argument had not bin sufficient to proue that he was an Apostle had he not seen our Lord in person here vpon earth as did the rest of the Apostles but only in a vision for S. Ananias also saw our Lord after his Ascension in a vision Act. 9. 10. yet he was not an Apostle 15. Moreouer S. Paule affirmeth that he saw our Sauiour as the rest of the Apostles saw him S. Paule savv our Sauiour as the rest of the Apostles did which was corporally here vpon earth saying Our Lord was seen of Cephas after of the eleuen Then was he seen of more then fine hundred Brethren moreouer he was seen of Iames and last of me 1. Cor. 15. 15. where he putteth no difference betweene his manner of seeing our Lord and the manner in which the other Apostles and Disciples saw our Lord which was in his proper person Wherefore seing that our Lord is alwayes personally in heauen and shal be personally in heauen vntill the daye of judgment as our Aduersaries confesse and yet the Scriptures so often affirme that S. Paule since his Ascension saw him vpon earth heard him speake standing by him heard his voice from his mouth was ordained Minister of the Ghospell by him and wittnes of his resurrection from death as were the rest of the Apostles and the ancient Fathers with one voice so constantly affirming that the body of our Lord after consecration is in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar who without Testimony of Scriptures or Fathers shall affirme that one and the same true reall and substantiall body cannot by diuine power be in diuerse places at one and the same tyme that is not very incredulous CHAP. VI. One and the same substantiall body and bloud of our Lord in the holy Sacrament is in diuerse places and vnder diuerse dimensions at the same tyme. Our Sauiours prouidence in preuenting errour in this Sacrament 1. OVr Sauiour foreseeing that there would come a tyme when there should arise men who would call themselues Christians and yet both deny the offring of visible Sacrifice in his body and bloud and also that God by the power of his will could putt one and the same his substantiall body in diuerse places and vnder diuerse dimensions at the same tyme to preuent their incredulitie at the institution of the blessed Sacrament not only said once of the thing which he deliuered in the communion vnto the Apostles This is my body which is giuen for you This is the Chalice the new Testament in my bloud which is shed for you Luk. 22. but also to establish this truth of the being of his one true reall and substantiall body and bloud in all the Christian Sacrifices and Sacraments which were to be offred and communicated throughout the whole world that there might neuer be any more question or doubt of it amongst Christians who should professe the doctrine of Iesus-Christ spoke
of speech and vnderstanding of reasonable men but also leaue the consecration of a Sacrament to be made or recorded to all future ages in words which of themselues should not be true 6. Neither is it any way probable that the 3. The Euāgelists vvould not put dovvne the last vvill and Testament of our Lord other vvise then he spake it Euangelists and S. Paule or any of them would haue penned these words of the institution of this Sacrament in the present tense without any further exposition had not our Lord both spoken and intended that they should be vnderstood in the present tense seeing that words are instituted to signify the reall intention of mens minds especially in last wills and Testaments in matters of Sacraments and serious affaires which concerne all mens soules and not for to saye one thing and think another 7. This Sacrament is published to be worthily receaued of all those who shall receaue it vnder penalty of euerlasting fyer and damnation 1. Cor. 11. which cannot be without a true faith and belief in this Sacrament and how cann they haue a The danger of vsing equiuocation in the last vvill and testament of our Lord. true faith or beliefe of this Sacramēt who knowe not by faith but by coniecture only what this Sacrament is or what our Lord instituted as wittnesseth experiēce For when our Aduersaries saie that these words of the institution of this Sacrament This is my body which is broken for you are to be vnderstood thus This is a signe of my body which shal be crucifyed for you how doe they knowe that these words a body is taken in this place for a signe of a body is for shall and broken for crucifyed but by a meere coniecture seing that neither Scriptures nor Fathers nor practise of the Catholick Church of former ages doe tell them so nor yet any dictionary or lexicon in any language 8. The same greek Bibles in the same places doe affirme that our Sauiour speaketh of his owne actions about the communion and what he would haue the Apostles to doe in the consecration of the communion and not what the Jewes were to inflict vpon him at his Passion as I haue proued at large in the 1. and 2. chapters of this book 9. The greek Fathers who vnderstood greek and knew the mind of our Sauiour and his sense and meaning of these his words of the institution of this Sacrament as well as our Aduersaries doe arffirme that our Lord then at the institution of The greek Fathers affirme that our Lord at his last Supper instituted a Sacrifice in his body and bloud this Sacrament offred Sacrifice in his body and bloud as S. Irenaeus saying Christ at his last Supper taught the new oblation of the new Testament which the Church hauing receaued from the Apostles doth offer vnto God throughout the wholeworld which was the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord as I haue proued in the former chapter S. Chrysostome in his 24. Homily vpon the 1. to the Corinthians Christ at his last Supper commanded himselfe to be offred in lieu of the slaughter of boastes and in the 27. following In steed of the bloud of beastes he brought in his owne bloud S. Gregorie Nissen in his Oration of the Resurrection Christ after an vnspeakable and hidden manner of Sacrifice preoccupated the violent force of his death and being the Priest and the Lambe of God offred himselfe an oblation and victime for vs. When was this donn when he exhibited his body to be eaten and his bloud to be drunke by his familiar freinds Whervpon Theodoret vpon the 109. Psalme saith Christ did begin the Priesthood of the new Law in the night when he vndertooke the Crosse when he took bread and brake c. And Occumenus vpon the 5. to the Hebrews saith Christ deliuered the forme of his Priesthood of the new Law vnto Priests in the mistical banquet and Supper So the grecians Fathers 10. The first amongst the Fathers who cite these words of the institution of this Sacrament The first Fathers vvho alledged the vvords of the institution of this Sacrament are S. Alexander of the latin Church and S. Iustine Martyr of the greek Church the words of S. Alexander I haue sett downe in the 3. chapter S. Iustine Martyr writt a 2. Apologie for the Christians vnto Antoninus Pius the Emperor and Senate and people of Rome in the yeare of our Lord 150. or as Eusebius in his Cronikle saith in the yeare 143. In which Apologie he plainely and manifestly proposeth vnto the Emperor Senate and people of Rome the faith of the Christians in his tyme concerning the Eucharist saying These who amongst vs are called Deacons giue vnto euery one of the Assistants to take of this bread and wine and water made the Eucharist and also to carrie to the absent And this meate is called amongst vs the Eucharist whereof it is not lawfull for any to be partaker but those who beleeue that our doctrine is true and haue been washed with the lauer of remission of sinns and regeneration and doe liue according to the ordinance of Christ for we doe not take these things as common bread nor common drinke but after the same manner that Christ Iesus our Sauiour was made flesh by the word of God and had flesh and bloud for our saluation so also haue we been taught that the food whereof by change our flesh and our bloud are nourished made the Eucharist by the word of prayer proceeding from him is the flesh and bloud of the same Iesus made flesh For the Apostles in their commentaries called the Ghospells haue related vnto vs that Iesus hath ordained them to doe so that hee took kread and making it the Eucharist he said Doe this in commemoration of me This is my body And taking likewise the Chalice and making it the Eucharist he said This is my bloud And gaue them to the Apostles only Thus S. Iustine to the Emperor Senate and people of Rome in the yeare 143. or 150. Whereby we may obserue that not only the faithfull of these tymes beleeued that the same flesh and bloud which was incarnate was in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions at the same tyme in the Eucharist or communion but that this command of our Lord Doe this for a commemoration of me was taken euen in the infancy of the Church to be a command giuen vnto the Apostles and their Successors in the Church of God to consecrate the true reall and substantiall body and bloud of our Lord vnder the species of bloud and wine and that the words of our Lord in the institution of the communion which are spoken in the present tense as This is my body which is broken for you or in the future tense as This is my body which shal be deliuered for you are both to be vnderstood of his body in the Sacrifice and communion and
saying and affirming This is my bloud who I saie cann doubt and say that it is not his bloud Heretofore at Cana in Galilea only by his will he changed water into wine which is neere vnto bloud and is he not worthy to be beleeued that hath changed wine into his bloud He being inuited to a corporall marriage wrought a wonderfull miracle shall we not much more easily confesse that he gaue his body and bloud to the Children of his Spouse Wherefore with assurednesse lett vs take the body and bloud of Christ for vnder the species of bread the body is giuen thee and vnder the species of wine the bloud is giuen that hauing receaued the body and bloud of Christ thou mayest be made partaker of his body and bloud we shal be bearers of Christ after that we haue receaued his body and bloud into our membres 8. S. Gregorie Nissen brother to S. Basile the great S. Gregorie Nissen of the change in in the bread by the vvord of God liued in in the yeare 380. and he in his 37. Oration catechetica saith As Christ by eating bread made it is diuine body so likewise heere bread being sanctified by the word and praier as the Apostle saith and not by eating and drinking becometh the body of the word changed by the word saying This is my body 9. S. Ambrose who liued in the yeare 370. in S. Ambrose of the change in the bread by the omnipotency of Gods vvord the 9. chapter of his book of those who are begunn to be instructed in the mysteries saith If human blessing of Moyses Elias and Elizaeus was of such force as that it could alter nature what shall we saie of the diuine consecration where the words themselues of our Lord and Sauiour doe worke for this Sacrament which thou doest receaue is made by the word of Christ. If the words of Elias were of such force that they could call fire from heauen shall not the word of Christ be sufficient to change the species of the Elements Of the workes of the world thou hast read that because he spake the word they were made he commanded and they were created therefore the word of Christ which could make of nothing that which was not cann it not change those things which are into that which they were not for the difficultie is not lesser to giue new natures to thinges then to change natures Againe in his 4. book and 4. chapter of the Sacraments speaking of the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Altar he saith This bread is bread before the words of the Sacraments but assoone as consecration is added vnto it of bread it is made the flesh of Christ. This we affirme how cann that which is bread be the body of Christ by consecration And with what words and speeches is consecration with the wordes of our Iesus for in the rest which are said praise is giuen vnto God praier is made for the people for kings c. but when we come that the venerable Sacramēt should be made then the Priest doth not vse his owne wordes but the wordes of Christ Therefore the word of Christ doth worke this Sacrament What word of Christ euen that by which all things are made Our Lord commāded and the seas were made our Lord commanded and all creatures were begotten If therefore there be so great force in the wordes of our Lord Iesus that these things could begin to be which were not how much more will they be able to effect that those things may be which are and be changed in an other But heare the Prophet saying He said and they were made he commanded and they were created Therefore that I may answere thee it was not the body of Christ before consecration but after consecration I tell thee that then it is the body of Christ Againe vpon the 38. Psalme he saith It is the word of Christ which consecrated the Sacrifice which is offred Thus S. Ambrose 10. In like manner S. Chrisostome in his Homily S. Chrisostome of the change of the bread into the body of our Lord by the povver of God de proditione Iudae saith It is not man that doth make these things which are exposed for consecration vpon the table of our Lord the body and bloud of Christ but he who is crucified for vs Christ The words are pronounced with the Priests mouth and they are consecrated by the grace and vertue of God He said This is my body by these words the things exposed are consecrated And as that voice which said increase and multiplie and replenish the earth was said but once yet at all tymes hath this effect for generation nature concurring so this word but once said and yet it giueth strength to the Sacrifice which is vpon all the tables of the Church euen vntill this daie and shall doe vntill his coming to judgment Againe in his 83. Homily vpon the S. Matthew he saith We Bishopps or Priests in the consecration of this Sacrament hold but the place of Christs Ministers for he who doth santify or make the chāge is Christ himselfe Thus S. Chrisostome 11. S. Hierome vpon the first chapter to the Galatians saith Although some thinke me worthy of reprehension S. Hierome of this change for that in my book which I writt of the preseruation of virginity young woemen ought to flye from wine as they doe from poyson yet it doth not repent me of what I said for I rather contemne the effect or worke of wine then the creature it selfe And I took liberty to giue this counsell vnto a virgine warme with a heate proper vnto her yeares least vpon occasion of drinking a little she might drinke much and perish otherwise I did know that wine was consecrated into Christ his bloud Thus S. Hierome 12. S. Augustine in his 3. book and 4. chapter S. Augustine of the change in the Sacrament by the povver of God De Trinitate saith We doe not say that the articulat words pronounced with the tongue or the signe of letters written in skinns is the body and bloud of Christ but that only which is taken from the fruites of the earth and is consecrated by mysticall prayer c. It is not sanctifyed that it may be so great a Sacrament but by the spirit of God working inuisibly seeing that God doth worke all the things which by corporall motion are made in that worke 13. Againe in his book of sentences ad Prosperum cited by Gratian in his 2. distinction he saith In the species of vvine and bread vvhich vve see vve doe honor inuisible things that is to saie flesh and bloud neither doe vve equally esteeme of these two species after consecration as before consecration for before consecration vve faithfully confeffe that they are bread and wine as nature hath formed them but after consecration they are the flesh and bloud of Christ vvhich the blessing hath consecrated S. Cyrillus Alex.
God is true and euery man that speaketh contrary to his word and promises is a lyar Rom. 3. 4. and beleeue as an article of our Creed that the true reall and substantiall body and bloud of our Lord is in the blessed Sacrament after consecration by the omnipotency of the word of God and so make good the promises of God our 3. Creeds and the honor of the Catholik Church of former ages 23. If thou beest a Christian and esteemest Christians bound to honor their Parents that thou art bound to keep the ten commaundements and honor they carnall Father and Mother how much more art thou bound to honor God who is Father of all Fathers and the Catholik Church who is Mother of all Mothers who are or shal be saued So do but beleeue thy Creed which teacheth thee to saye I beleeue in God the Father Almighty and in Iesus-Christ his only Sonne our Lord and not to saye I beleeue mine owne witt judgment knowledge or learning and perswade they selfe that thou art bound to honor Father and Mother and then thou wilt finde that it is as certaine that the true reall and substantiall body and bloud of our Lord is in the blessed Sacrament after consecration when it is consecrated aright by a Priest lawfully ordained as are certaine the articles of they Creed or that the promises of God are true or that thou art bound to keep the fourth commandement CHAP. X. The Amen or conclusion of this book and how all faithfull communicants haue vsed to saye Amen to the body and bloud of our Lord in the blessed Sacrament before they communicated 1. OVr Sauiour foreseeing the infidelity which vvould arise amongst men towards the end of the world against this article of the reall presence of the body and bloud of our Lord in the Eucharist after consecration Confirmation of the reall presence by oath affirmed vnder a kind of oath that we shoud eate his flesh and drink his bloud saying Amen Amen I say to you vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp at the last daye Io. 6. For as S. Augustine in his 41. Tract vpon the Ghospell of S. Iohn saith Amen Amen is after a certaine manner Christs oath And this our Sauiour did to establish in men a confident assurance of the deliuering of his true and reall flesh to eate and bloud to drink in the Communion For to thinke that Christ our Lord who came down from heauen to teach men the truth should vse a kinde of oath in so serious a matter as did concerne the euerlasting life or death of all his Auditors and yet equiuocate rightly considered is too great an impietie to enter into the heart of any one who professeth himselfe a Christian so that it cannot be doubted but the end why our Lord vsed this his kind of oath or earnest asseueration was to assure the faithfull that The cause vvhy our Sauiour confirmed the reall presence by oath he would giue them his true reall and substantiall flesh to eate in the Eucharist for as S. Hierome in his commentaries vpon the last chapter to the Galathians saith In the ould Testament God confirmeth his words by a certaine custome of swearing saying I liue saith the Lord c. and our Sauiour in the ghospell by the word Amen doth pronounce these things to be true which he saith 2. This Doctrine being thus established by our Lord vnder his kind of oath the Apostles also according to the example of our Lord foreseeing Preuention against future difficulties the difficulty which in future tymes would arise about it taught the Children of the Church of God in the celebration of this Sacrament either presently after the words of the consecration of the body and bloud of our Lord or before the Communion or both to add to their acclamations and consent by saying Amen either to the words of consecration or els to the Priest when he should call the Eucharist the body of Christ thereby to instruct all her faithfull children constantly to beleeue the being of the true reall and substantiall body of our Lord in the Eucharist after consecration before Communion and couragiously to professe this their beliefe by acclamations of Amen to the confusion and shame of all those who at any tyme thereafter should deny it As wittnesseth the practise of the Church in all ages euen from the Apostles tymes both in the publike Liturgies or Church seruice books and the workes of the ancient Fathers 3. And as for the Liturgies the Liturgy of S. Iames the Apostle sett fort for the Church of Hierusalem saith Iesus taking bread into his holy immaculate Amen to the reall presence taught by S. Iames. inculpable and immortall hands looking into heauen and shewing to thee God and Father giuing thankes sanctifying breaking he gaue vnto vs his Disciples and Apostles saying Take ye and eate this is my body which is broken for you and giuen for the remission of sinnes Wherevnto the people aswere with a lowde voice Amen to demonstrate that they beleeued the Eucharist after the consecration to be the true and reall body of Christ for to say Amen is as much as to saye It is true And the like they answere after the consecration of the chalice the Liturgie saying Then the Priest taketh the chalice and sayth In like manner also after he had supped taking the chalice and mixing it with wine and water and looking into heauen and shewing to thee God and Father giuing thankes sanctifying blessing filling with the holy Ghost he gaue it to vs his Disciples saying Drinke ye all of this this is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many and is giuen for the remission of sinns Where vnto the people answere with a lowde voice Amen constantly to shew their faith and beliefe of the true reall and substantiall bloud of our Lord in the Eucharist after consecration and before they receiued it 4. Amen is an Hebrew word vsed in confirmation VVhat Amen signifyeth of a thing spoken of before and signifyeth true or truth as it is true or be it so As witnesseth the Scripture saying The Leuites shall pronounce and saie to all the men of Israel with alowde voice cursed is the man that maketh a grauen thing or idoll and shall put it in secret and all the people shall answere and saye Amen Cursed is he that honoreth not his Father and Mother and all the people shall saye Amen Cursed is he that remoueth his neighbours bounds and all the people shall saye Amen c. as is sett down Deut. 27. So likewise S. Paule saith To God be honor and glory for euer and euer Amen Rom. 16. 27. Againe The holy Ghost be with you all Amen Apoc. 22. 5. So
The decree of Apostles that none should receaue vvithout ansvvering Amen children the beliefe of the true reall and substantiall body of our Lord in the Eucharist before receauing that the Apostles amongst other things decreed that none should receaue the Eucharist without professing it to be the body and bloud of Christ by answering Amen to the Priest or Deacon when he calleth the Eucharist before receauing the body or bloud of Christ as witnesseth S. Clement in the 13. chapter of his 8. book of Apostolicall constitutions saying Lett the Bishopp deliuer the oblation to the people saying The body of Christ and lett him who receaueth it saye Amen but lett the Deacon hold the chalice and administring it vnto others lett him saye the bloud of Christ the chalice of life and he who doth drink it lett him saye Amen Thus the Apostles whereby we see that this answere of Amen by the people vnto the Priest affirming the Eucharist to be the body and bloud of Christ before receauing is an Apostolicall constitution conformable to the words of our Lord saying Amen Amen I say vnto you vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you If the Sonne of God affirme vnder Amen Amen that the meate he would giue should be his flesh and the drinke his bloud what are the Sonnes of men who deny it but deceaued people 9. This practise of the profession of the body and bloud of our Lord to be in the Eucharist before receauing by the common people being thus established in the Church by the Apostles it cōtinued as a generall custome amognst the laiety and whole Church in succeding ages as witnesseth S. Iustine Martyr in his second Apologie to S. Iustine Martyr of the ansvvering Amen the Emperour Antoninus Pius the Senate and people of Rome who setting down the manner and custome which the Christians vsed in their Communion saith At the end of prayers we salute one an other with a kisse Then is offred vnto him who is chiefe amongst the bretheren bread and a cupp mixt with wine and water which after that he hath receaued he giueth praise and glory to the Parent of all things in the name of the Sonne and holy ghost and giueth thanks a good space that he is esteemed by him worthy of these things which being rightly performed or finished all the people which are present doe giue the blessing to the prayers and thanks-giuing saying Amen And Amen in the Hebrew tongue is as much as to saye be it donn After that both the Prelats haue giuen thanks and all the people haue giuen their blessing by saying Amen those who amongst vs are called Deacons giue vnto euery one that is present c. And we take it to be the flesh and bloud of Iesus-Christ Thus S. Iustine who liued with the Apostles schollers whereby it appeareth that euen from the first plantation of the Church of Christ vpon earth amongst the nations the laiety and common people vsed to aswere Amen to the blessing and consecration of the Eucharist thereby publikly to declare that they most firmely beleeued it to be the body and bloud of Christ independant of the faith of the receauer 10. Not longe after S. Iustine Martyr liued Dionysius Alexandrinus who in his Epistle to Xistus Dionysius Alexandrinus Bishop of Rome recorded by Eusebius in the eight chapter of his 7. book of histories maketh mention of the answering Amen to the words of thanks-giuing and consecration by the laiety and common people saying that a certaine brother who had for a longe tyme been esteemed a faithfull man amongst them and receaued the Communion because he had been baptized by wicked heretiks with teares and sorrow desired of him that he might be baptized againe according to the custome of the Catholik Church Which verily saith he I durst not doe but tould him that the daily Communion whereof he did participate with the faithfull was of force sufficient to purge his soule for he who had heard the thanks-giuing he who together with the rest had pronounced Amen he who had approched to the table who had stretched forth his hands to receaue that holy foode who had receaued it who had been for so longe a tyme partaker of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus-Christ I durst not wholy renew his Baptisme Thus S. Dionisius 11. S. Cirill of Hierusalem in his 5. Catechesis S. Cirill of Hier. maketh also mention of this custome saying Thou presenting thy-self to the Communion doest not come with thy handes extended or thy fingers open but making thy left hand serue to thy right as a seate or throne as he who ought to receaue the king and contracting together the palme of thy hand receaue the body of Christ answering Amen And after thou hast sanctifyed thine eyes by the touching of the holy body receaue or be partaker of it with confidence vsing great eare that thou loose none of it for all that thou doest loose account it as the losse of one of thy proper members c. Hauing communicated the body of Christ present thy-selfe to the chalice of his bloud not stretching forth thy hands but incline in manner of adoration or worshipp saying Amen and this donn sanctify thy-selfe and participate of Christ Thus S. Cirill For the better vnderstanding whereof it is to be noted that the Grecians receaued the body of our Lord into the palmes of their left hands and covred it with the right and so the left hand was as a seate or throne to the blessed Sacrament vntill the communicant receaued it which he did not presently but after some pious meditation or considerations yet at the deliuring of the Eucharist into the palme of his hand the Priest said according to the constitutions of the Apostles The body of Christ and he who receaued it answered Amen and afterwards communicated himselfe 12. S. Ambrose also in the fift chapter of his 4. book of Sacraments affirmeth that it was the custome S. Ambrose of all those who receaued to professe the Eucharist to be the body of our Lord his words are these It was truly a great and venerable thing that God rayned Manna to the Iewes from heauen but vnderstand which is greater Manna from heauen or the body of Christ The body of Christ certainly who is the inlarger of heauen c. Therefore thou doest not say Amen in vaine when thou takest it now confessing in spirit that thou receauest the body of Christ The Priest saieth vnto thee The body of Christ and thou saiest Amen that is to saie true That which thy tongue doth confesse lett thy affection hould 13. S. Leo also the great speaking of this answering S. Leo. by Amen to the Eucharist when it was called the body of Christ in his 6. Sermon of Fasting in the 7. Month saith Seeing that our Lord doth say If you doe not eate the flesh of