inssituted to be celebrated once alone Hest 1. as that of Assuerus was but foâ— to be continued euen vntill the end of the world as the Paschal Lamb continued vntill the end of the Synagogue Exod. 12. as hath been declared Wherfore our Sauiour hauing communicated his Apostles and established the Institution of his banquet in this first refection commandeth the continuation thereof and declareth the end why hee would it should be continued saying Luke 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 Doe this for a commemoration of me In y selfe will alwayes be the Sacrifice and the principall Sacrificer but inuisible I ordaine you Priests to be my Vicars and visible Sacrificers in my Church euen as I haue giuen you the authority of Doctors and Pastors to keepe my place in the Chaire of truth and to feed and rule my slocke Doe this then do this action the noblest that shal be done in my Family and continue therein a memory of the Sacrifice which shall be offered by me to morrow on the Crosse for you and all mankinde Do it in memory of the Passion that I shall haue suffered for you in memory of the infinite price of my bloud which I shall shed for you in memory of the victory that I shall obtainâ— for you ouer the enemies of your soules health ouer the infernall powers ouer the tyrants of your spiries ouer the Prince of darknesse ouer the flesh and the world in memory of the immortall glory that I shall haue purchased for you and for those which will be my members giuing my flesh in Sacrifice vpon the Altar of the Crosse Do this Feast and celebrate this Sacrifice in memory of these exploits continuing it without limit of time and when my Passion shall be once past let it be alwayes liuing and pâ—â—serued by your seruice in the memory and in the face of my Church and as the benefit is of infinite merit so let the acknowledgement also be eternall This is the sense of these words Luke 23 19â— Doe this for a commemoration of 〈◊〉 As well Diuine as Humane Iustice requiteth that men giue praise to great exployts of vertue and that they be mindfull of a benefit that the remembrance be so much more liuely and honorable as the benefit is great Exod. 20.8 This is it why our Lord commanded the Sabbath day in remembrance of the Creation of the world the Feast of new Moones in memory of the conseruation thereof the Paschall Lambe 2. Par. 2.4 Exod. 12. in memory of the deliuery of the Hebrewes captiues in Aegypt The same Hebrewes did celebrate the victory of Mordecheus gained ouer their enemies 2. Mâ—â—b vlt. Iudis 16. and that of the valiant Iudith obtained ouer Holofernes Was it not then reason and iustice that there should be a memoriall of the Passion of the Sonne of God it being the most admirable worke that euer was and the true worke of an Almighty and all mercifull Lord his highest prowesse his noblest victory his greatest benefit towards men and for which alone hee descended from heauen taking the garment of our mortality Especially considering that this Redemption could not haue saued vnlesse it had been applied and made proper to euery one by this memory reiterated with faith loue deuotion contemplation fasting watching and other workes of piety which are the doores by which this infinite merit of his Passion-entereth into our soules euen as the windows of an house are the means by which they that are within doe pertake of the Sun-beames and enioy them as if it shined onely for them 13. THE MASSE A MOST PROPER MEmoriall of our Sauiours Passion AS it were very reasonable and very important that the memory of our redemption were alwayes fresh and liuing in our soules so the diuine Wisdome hath chosen a most agreeable meanes to represent it most honorably and with fingular efficacie to that end instituting a Sacrifice in his house and a solemne refection amongst his children for these are the two principall acts among men whereby God is Soueraignely honored and the memory of any thing most effectually preserued The Sacrifice acknowledgeth God reuerenceth him and doth him homage rendering him thankes for his benefits and the refection assembles and vnites men together and makes their meetings more famous and more capable to retaine the remembrance of things Pâ—st and more powerfull to ingraue and send their memory forward to the future ages of posterity And so wee see as well in holy Histories as prophane that the greatest actions of men of Kings of Captaines and Princes and Common-wealthes in the world for Peace for Warre for Victory for Triumphes for Funerals and other workes of great importance haue been begunne and ended with Sacrifices and Feasts Salomon celebrated the Dedication of his magnificent Temple 3. Reg. 2.63 2. Por. 7.8 which he built for God with innumerable Sacrifices and Feasts the Persians the Aegyptians the Grecians the Romans and all the Nations of the world vsed the same meanes to honour their Actes and make the memory of them immortall Thus to doe is an imprinted Law of Nature and holily practised in the House of God It is no wonder then that Iesus Christ Author of all good Lawes hath established an Altar and a Table a Sacrifice and a Feast to ingraue his Honor and make the memory of his triumphant Death to liue for euer But that which in this preparation is more efficatious to represent this death and more to be considered then all the rest in this preparation is that same body which suffered which died and which suffering and dying had triumphed is actually present in this Sacrifice and refection as the matter both of the one and of the other He hath not ordained that it should be celebrated as it was of old by words and mysteries and by the bodies of beasts but he himselfe would be present in the action Neither more nor lesse then as a King who desirous to celebrate some great Victory of his owne not onely would make it to be recounted and sung and represented by Orators Poets and Painters but he himselfe in person would be present acting the principall personage in the representation thereof For so our Sauiour hath represented his owne victorious death being therein himselfe the chiefe Actor the Sacrifice and the Sacrificer giuing his body immolated and his bloud shed his body as dead and yet liuing his bloud as drawne forth of his body and yet still vnited with his body in conclusion exhibiting himselfe in Sacrifice and refection after a most effectuall and pregnant manner to set forth clearely liuely and profitably the resemblance and memory of his sacred Passion to the honor of his Father and the saluation of his welbeloued And therefore hath also commanded this Sacrifice and Feast to bee celebrated from yeere to yeere Exod. 12. not in one place only as that of the Iewes Lamb but euery day and many
did eate of the flesh to participate of the Sacrifice so hath he giuen vs the body of his Sonne and we honor him with it and pray vnto him endeuoring by it as by a rich present to pacifie him and to make him fauourable towards vs and afterwards we take it for our refection but yet without euer consuming the same as the bodies of beasts were consumed which could serue but once and therefore to euery Sacrifice was required a new beast But the body of our Sauiour is immortall and alone sufficient to honour God and to be the food of immortalitie to all the members of his Church S. Aug. lib. 10. de Ciuit. cap. 6. at all times and in all places We haue said before that good workes done for God are sometimes called Sacrifices as Prayers Fastings Almes and other actions of piety but these are called Sacrifices only by way of resemblance and this kinde of Sacrifice euery one may and ought to offer whereas the proper and true Sacrifice cannot be offered but by him who is a proper and true Priest by office such as was Melchisedech and the Iewish Priests of olde and now are the Priests of Christ 9. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENE A Sacrament and a Sacrifice FIrst a Sacrament is instituted of God for the sanctification of his creature but a Sacrifice is ordained to hoâ—ior the Creator the one regardeth man the other respecteth God for albeit that the sanctification given by the Sacrament redounds to the honor of God and the action of Sacrifice to the sanctification of his creature the proper end notwithstanding which a Sacrament aymes at is to sanctifie man and that of the Sacrifice to doe homage vnto God neither more nor lesse then in a Ciuill Monarchie Alleagiance is for the King and the administration of lustice for the People though administration of Iustice honor also the King and Alleageance be profitable to the Subiect Euen so then in the Church a spirituall Monarchie the Sacrament is ordained to helpe man and the Sacrifice to honour God What more is done in the one or the other it is rather by consequence then of the first intention and therefore as a Sacrament is properly the signe and instrument of the grace of God so a Sacrifice especially setteth foorth the greatnesse and Maiesty of God Secondly a Sacrament profits onely him which receiueth it being well disposed and prepared as Baptisme sanctifieth only the baptised the Sacrifice may profit all the world absent present iust iniust disposed indisposed liuing and departed if they be not in deadly sinne for though it be not directly instituted for the Sanctification of man as hath beene said yet notwithstanding it openeth the do ore to the sanctification of all men for as much as it pleaseth God by honor and prayer and by this office of piety it obtaines of him mercy and grace and new blessings of repentance and remission of sinnes to all those for whom it is offered And so therefore the Sacrifice of the Masse is profitable for all those which heare it and for whom it is offered 10. NO RELIGION WITHOVT Sacrifice AS the Church hath alwayes had Sacraments for a meanes to sanctifie the children of God so it hath neuer been nor euer shall be vpon the earth without a Sacrifice And sure great reason there is it should be so for since that al true religioÌ„ is instituted for the soueraigne acknowledgement seruice of God it is necessary that in his Church which is his Kingdome and Monarchie there should be a publike worship of supreame honor by which men assembled in one body and societie might professe their faith and dutie towards him This worship is the Sacrifice by which God is knowne and adored publikely as our soueraigne Lord Master of life and death and Author of all our good the most high honor that can be giuen proper to God and vncommunicable to any creature as onely due to diuine Maiestie Wherefore a Religion without a Sacrifice is a body without a soule and a Monarchie without homage or publike acknowlegement of authoritie that is to say without a signe of Monarchie The Church then onely keeper of true Religion hath euer had proper Sacrifice and Priests appropriated by their office to administer the same The most famous Sacrifice in the Law of Nature was that of bread and wine offered by the High-Priest Melchisedech in the Law of Moses there were many in the Law of Grace our Sauiour hath established this of his body one alone in the place of all the Ancient adumbrated by them all and alone the most sufficient of all as well by reason of the thing offered which is of infinite price as of the dignity of the Offerer who is the Sonne of God for the Priest is nothing but his Vicar so as this onely Sacrifice is in estimaon aboue all those of olde as the Sunne is aboue all the Starres A Sacrifice most perfect and most worthy of our Sauiour who hath instituted it in the Law of Grace the most perfect Monarchie that euer was or which euer shall be and instituted it after so noble a manner as it is full of mystery to wit after the resemblance of the Sacrifice of the most noble King and High-Priest Melchisedech vnder the formes of bread and wine which he shall offer euen vntill the end of the world by his Priests and Vicars he himselfe remaining High-priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech 11. TESTIMONIES OF THE HEBREW Doctors vpon the same subiect that is of the Sacrifice of MELCHISEDECH RAbby Samuel renowned amongst the Hebrewes Rabby Sammeâ— in Gen. speaking of this that Melchisedech offered saith Hee did an act of Priest-hood for he sacrificed bread and wine to God holy and blessed Rabby Phines also a great Hebrew Doctor Sabby Phinee See Gal. 1.10 In the time of the Messias all the Sacrifices shall cease but the Sacrifice of bread and wine shall remaine alwayes as it is written in Genesis And Melchisedech brought foorth bread and wine Melchisedech that is to say the King Messias shall except out of this cessation of Sacrifices the Sacrifice of bread and wine as it is said in the Psalmes Psal 109. Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech His meaning is that Melchisedech was the figure of Iesus Christ who is the true Messias and that Iesus Christ is an High-Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech instituting in his Church an eternall Sacrifice of his body and blood vnder the formes of bread and wine making all the other Sacrifices to cease they being but shadowes and figures of this heere And so wee see it to be fulfilled since the death of our Sauiour wherein all the bloody Sacrifices Figures of his death were finished whereas contrariwise the institution of the Eucharist which is our Masse the Sacrifice sigured by that of Melchisedech then tooke its first beginning 12. TESTIMONIES OF THE ANCIENT
bread without leauen bread of sincerity It is certaine that the Apostle meant the immolation of our Sauiour made in the Eucharist with refection and not that of the Crosse which was a Paschal Feast accompanied with torments of ignominies of distresses and wants and of other circumstances repugnant to a holy refection Saint AMBROST S. Ambros in cap. 1 Luc. When we Sacrifice Christ is present Christ is immolated for Christ our Passcouer hath been offered Saint Hierom after Origen giues the same exposition Orig. S. Hier. in 26. Mat. Concil 1. Nic. can 5. that Saint Ambrose of the words of Saint Paul and the first Councell of Nice saith that our Sauiour is immolated without effusion of bloud as we said euen now Saint Cyril of Hierusalem tells vs speaking of the Eucharist S. Cyril Hieres Catech. Mist 5. Christ is offered to God the Father for our sins Saint Gregory Nisse proueth it by the Figure of the Paschall Lambe saying S. Greg. Niss Or. 1. de Resur Euery man knoweth that man could not eate the Lambe but first it was immolated wherefore Iesus Christ gining his body to be eaten shewes manifestly that there was before a true and entire immolation Saint AVGVSTINE Iesus Christ S. Aug ep 23. ad Bonis hauing been once immolated in himselfe is he not neuerthe lesse immolated for the people euery day After the same language speake the other Doctors of the Church of God whom it is not needfull to cite we ought rather to admire heere the infinite power wisdom and bounty of our Redeemer in that he will vouchsafe to giue himselfe in such a fashion for the benefit of his members and that so much the more because the gift surpasseth not onely our merits but euen our thoughts For who could euer dare to hope who would euer thinke that he would so much abase himselfe after his triumphant Ascension that he would become meate for vs To apparell himselfe with mortality to make vs immortall To take a mortall Robe vpon him for to giue vs an immortall garment Is hee not truely all puissant in this effect all wise in this ordinance and al good in this charity As who for example would euer haue expected those other things which now wee see are come to passe if they were not done alreadie Who would haue thought that this selfe-same Sonne of God equall in all things to his Father immortall impossible most rich Creator and nourishers of all creatures could haue had the power and will to make himselfe Man a mortall man a needy little Insant sucking the breast of a Virgin to giue himselfe afterwards on the Crosse remaining alwayes what hee was before Who without particuler reuelation would euer haue thought this Wee know that he would doe it and that he hath done it and we admire it in our attentiue silence Admire then likewise the same God for that he giueth and continueth to giue his glorious body hidden vnder such base elements impassible vnder corruptible garments immortall vnder the robe of immortality and a great Creator vnder the cottage of a little creature a great God vnder the forme of a little Lambe 6. HOW THE PASCHALL LAMBE sheweth the vse and end of the Eucharist THere is yet one noble consideration more in the Paschall Lambe which shewes the vse and the end for which our Sacrifice was ordained The Paschall Lambe was instituted in signe of the deliuery of the Iewes Exod. 8.12.12 and in memory of it For they immolated it about the euening at the going downe of the Sunne and did eate it a little after towards night Deut. 16. and at midnight following was the Pasque or the Fast that is to say the passage of our Lord when passing thorow Aegypt hee slew by the hand of his reuenging Angell all the first borne which was the great blow he gaue for the deliuerance of the Iewes that was to follow the next day and Moses by the ordinance of God aduertised the Iewes to teach their posterity that this Sacrifice of the Lambe was commanded in memory of this deliuerance Exod. 12.14.26 Wherefore this was a signe of the benefit to be receiued and a memoriall thereof after it was receiued The resemblance of this Figure hath been perfectly accomplished in the verity For our Sauiour ordained the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body vpon the euening of that night in which he was taken to be crucified the next morning and passe from this world into another to stisle by his death the true first-borne of Aegypt to wit the sinnes of mankinde and to bury afterwards in his precious bloud as within the depth of a red-Sea of his infinite merits the powers of hell for the true deliuerance of his Elect. This Sacrifice then was a signe of the victory which was to be gotten and a memoriall of the same after it was gained this our Sauiour signified when instituting the same he foretold the Apostles of his death and commanded them to doe what hee had done in remembrance of him Doe this in remembrance of me that is to say Luc. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 celebrate this Sacrifice in remembrance of that I shall haue done for your redemption For as the night which followed the institution of the Paschall Lambe was the great Vigil and immediate signe of the deliuerance of the Hebrewes so also the midnight of our Sauiour which followed the institution of this Sacrifice was the great brunt and the immediate ensigne of our redemption The time of this midnight was at ful midday whē he moūted on the Crosse to encounter the enemy and to ouerthrow our sins with out-stretched armes this was a profound midnight indeed of spirituall darknesse in which they were buried which procured his death a midnight also of corporall darknesse for the Sunne and the Moone enraged with the indignity of such a crime committed against the person of their Creator were suddenly colypsed and caused a profound darknesse extraordinary and a dreadfull night in the midst of the day And as the Ceremony of the Paschall Lambe continued in memory of the good receiued in Aegypt so long as the Synagogue endured So in like maner the Sacrifice of the Masse was instituted to continue in memory of the victorious Passion of our Lord so long as the Church shall be militant heere on earth and this is it which Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 11.26 writing to the Christians of Gorinth As often as you shall eate of this Bread and drinke of this Chalice you shew the death of the Lord vntill he come that is to say euen vntill the great day 7. OF THE CEREMONIES VSED IN eating the Paschall Lambe THere were a great number of Mysticall Ceremonies vsed in eating of the Iewes Paschall Lambe which in their shadowes Figure to vs the truth of ours and together instruct vs how we ought to eate it for to draw substance of life from it The Iewes
haue their eyes fixed on the Altar sinoaking yet with the Sacrifice of the burnt Victimes other on the Priests gesture eleuating so ceremoniously the Loaues put ouer the Lambs some also are attentiue to the Loaues and the Lambes themselues but their lookes cannot bee seene nor the mouings of their hands and eyes for as much as all of them look towards the Altar and are painted for the most part with their backes turned towards vs so as little of their shape before appeares and much lesse their visage But by these few we see we may well coniecture that the most spirituall cast their thoughts on the mystery which was hidden vnder the rinde of the Ceremony for they are taught that their Law was as it were a peece of Tapestree 1 Cor. 10. teaching the truth of that which should after be in the time of the Messias by meanes whereof they behold not so much the preparation of the Sacrifices of the Beasts and of new Loaues as that which is signified by them and it is not to bee doubted but God did make seene to many the future light of the Law of Grace surely by contemplating onely the countenance of this olde Priest portrayted on the right side of the Altar lifting his eyes to heauen and holding his hands a crosse all rauished and all in an extasie one may collect that he hath had some secret reuelation of the great good that God had promised for the ages to come by the feast of this Sacrifice of new Loaues and that he in his soule glorified the diuine Maiesty desirous if such were the good pleasure of God to bee liuing vpon the earth in that season and like it is that he said in his heart O God of Israel how great how magnificent and admirable art thou in the workes of thy hands great to doe great things magnificent to obliege men by thy great benefits and admirable to choose the times and seasons wherein thou wilt bestow them Thou hast by that commandement alone of thy liuely word created heauen and earth and all that is betweene them to make a present thereof to man thy creature and ceasest not to oblige him with new benefits euery moment thou hast in particular assisted with a thousand blessings this thy people the Hebrewes breaking with a strong hand the yron chaines of their bondage deliuering them out of Aegypt and from the tyranny of Pharoe giuing them for their portion a Land of Milke and Holy true delicacies of the earth and communicating to them thy holy Lawes and secrets these are the true effects of thy great goodnesse but I see it will extend it selfe out of measure more then euer to the future people and ages not containing it selfe in Palestine but spreading it selfe ouer the world when the Messias and Redeemer whom thou hast promised and we expect and whom these Sacrifices prefigure to vs and after a secret manner foretell shall come to Sacrifice himselfe and to be an Oblation of new Bread and food of immortality O happy time in which this Sauiour shall be borne O happy people which shall be his people conducted by his Lawes and fed at his Table O that I were a childe of that age and member of that Common-wealth This Picture makes vs coniecture that hee speaketh to this purpose 1. THREE IVDAICALL PEASTS OF the First-fruits THe Iewes receiued a Commandement in the Desert Leuit. 23. to offer vnto God the first of the new fruites of the Land of Promise when they should be peaceable possessors thereof and that vpon three Feasts of the yeare The first was the day after the Pasque in which they gaue a sheafe of the first eares in the beginning of Haruest Leuit. 23. Ioseph l. 3. c. 10. Ant. 9. which after the Iudaicall account began in March or in the entrance of Aprill because the Land was very hot The second they celebrared fifty daies after which for that cause was called Pentecost wherein not eares of Corne as in the first Feast but two Loaues of new Wheate with many bloudy Sacrifices going before were offered vp to God The third was after the fifteenth of Septemb. in which the First-fruits of all the year were offred together as Wheat Barly Grapes Oliues Pomgranats Figges and Dates The most famous of all the three Feasts was that of Pentecost and for that reason the Law called it simply and without any addition Rab. Salomon â—â—ad â—â—ra in c. 23. Leuit. The feast of First-fruits a most solemne and most holy day The Oblation offered vpon that day was accompanied with all the three kindes of the Iewish Sacrifices which were the Holocaust the Propitiatory and the Peace-offering and they made them of the noblest kinde of Hoasts and Victimes to wit of seuen Lambes of one fat Calfe of two sheepe in Holocaust to the honor of God one Goate in Propitiatory Sacrifice for remission of sinnes and two Lambes with the Loaues in a Peace-offering for thanksgiuing This is the Feast and the Oblation of the First-fruits represented in the former Picture 2. THE MASSE THE NEW OBLATION in the Pentecost of Christians THis Oblation and this First-fruits of new Bread at Pentecost was one of the most illustrious Figures of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Masse a new Oblation indeed and the true First-fruits of the Wheat of the new Law as the ancient Fathers haue obserued And amongst others Saint Irenaeas very elegantly in these words Our Sauiour saith hee teaching his Disciples to offer the First-fruits of his creatures to God 〈…〉 l. 4. c. 32 not for any need he had of them but to the end they night not be vnprofitable and vngratefull seruants tooke the bread which is the creature and yeelding thankes said This is my body likewise he confessed that the Chalice which came of his creature was his bloud teaching the new Oblation of the new Testament which the Church receiued from the Apostles and offers all ouer the world to God our nourisher and feeder for the First-fruits of the gifts that he hath bestowed vpon vs in the Law of Grace according as Malachy hath foretold I haue no will in you saith the Lord of Hostes and gifts will not receiue at your hands Malac. 1. for from the rising of the Sunne euen to the going downe great is my name among the Gentiles saith the Lord of Hostes By which words addeth this Doctor The Prophet manifestly signefieth this which is now come to passe for the former people cease offering to God and Sacrifice is now offered to God throughout all the vniuersall world and the name of God is glorified amongst the Gentiles Making then allusion to the old Figure he saith that our Sauiour saying This is my body and this is my bloud and transubstantiating the bread into his body and the wine into his bloud taught his Apostles Disciples to giue to God the First-fruits of his creatures and to offer him a new
the Church in her first increasings Shee sheweth the Church vnder the Law of Nature at the Change in the weaknesse of her beames and on the fourteenth day when shee is at the Full shee hath a resemblance of the Church in the Synagogue as we haue said but in that she became a new Moone after a new manner in her fifteenth day she signified the Church in the Law of Grace The newnesse and new manner consists in this that shee drew neare to the Sun by an extraordinary meanes for being on Thursday so farre from it as the East from the West the next day shee was euen against it which approachment shee should not make according to her naturall course but in the space of fourteene dayes supernaturally also and with no lesse wonder shee returned to the East on Friday euening at Sun-set where shee had been the night before And so in six houres shee put on the seuerall roabes of all her states for shee was new shee was in he first quarter shee was in her fulnesse and in the beginning of her third seuenth to wit in her fifteenth day In these circumstances and in these wonders happening neuer before nor since shee marketh out the Church in the state of Grace a state of singular renouation of a third seuenth of a third time in the new Pasch in the new and great Sacrifice and Feast instituted by the Sonne of God in his body To which purpose Saint Augustine writeth in these words Because wee are in the third time of all the worlds continuance 〈◊〉 Aug. 〈◊〉 119. ad lanâ—er c. 3. herehence it is that our Sauiour rose vpon the third day The first time was before the Law the second in the Law the third vnder Grace in the which is manifested the Sacrament which was hid in the folds of the Propheticall bookes This it is that which was signified by the number of the Moones and for that 〈◊〉 the Scripture the number of seuen hath a mysticall signification of perfection the Pasche was celebrated in the third weeke of the Moone which is betweene the fourteenth and the â—â—e and twentieth day Behold how God reades vs a lesson by his Starres teaching vs Paradise by the skie and communicating to vs the beames of his intellectuall light by the condition and course of the corporall 18. OVR SAVIOVR HAVING INSTITVted the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body goeth foorth of his ledging to goe to the Garden of Oliuet THe sweete Lambe being offered this euening and giuen in refection to his Apostles and hauing abolished the olde Pasche and instituted the new as hath been said sung an Hymne with his Apostles after the tradition of the Iewes and went forth to goe to the garden of Oliuet where he was to be deliuered by Iudas to the wicked who had already the watch-word to apprehend him This only remained to accomplish all the proofes of his infinite loue towards mankinde He was first offered to his Father by an vnbloudy Sacrifice without death and passion he went forth to be taken afterwards as a Lambe and to be made a victime on the Crosse there shedding his bloud and giuing his life He had giuen his body to his friends he goeth now to offer it to his enemies He had refectioned the soules of the humble he went soone after to bee fed with gall to drinke viniger to surfet with the torments and reproaches of the proud He long since planted a Garden of delights of rest and of honor he is now gone to a garden of sorrowes of combate and of disgrace He planted the Tree of Life in that delightfull Garden he commeth to plant another in the Orchard of his Church more exquisit and more excellent without comparison And himselfe walkes in this solitary Garden to repaire the fault committed in the first Garden In that the debt was made by disobedience in this it began to be paid by humility In planting the first Garden and the first tree of life he only imployed his word who commanded and all was made but in this it is not so one houres stay in this will cost thee thy bloud O my sweet Redeemer and with the droppes of that pretious purple the beds of this garden must be watred And the Tree of Life which thou hast planted in the Paradise of thy Church is not any meane effect as that was of thy holy word but thy pretious body and bloud it selfe accompanied with the aray of thy holy Diuinitie O my Lord what can I say to prayse thy magnificency I say that thou art magnificent euery way in taking and giuing in feeding and in suffering euery way good and euery liberall of thy goods and of thy selfe euery way rich in mercy and euery way aboundant in propitiation herehence it is that for thy last retraite thou goest to the Garden of Oliuet to make for vs and to giue vnto vs the oyle of thy mercies Oliues for vs but Apples of anguish for thee O my soule thy Redeemer goeth in the night and goeth to subiect himselfe for thee to paines in this Garden doe something for him accompany him amidst this darknesse haue compassion on him admire his loue towards thee loath thy sinnes that haue cast him into these vexations weepe and pray with him offer him thy heart and seruice in this perplexed high-way of his Agony And fince thou art written in his Will called to his Heritage and placed at the Table of his Kingdome to eate of his fruit of life giue some signe of a grateful soule and mindfull of so many benefits make him some present of thy gifts that he hath giuen thee and giue him something of that which he hath made thine albeit thou art nothing yet giue him thy selfe in giuing thy selfe thou shalt become something giue thy selfe to him since he hath giuen himselfe to thee and when I say himselfe what say I an infinite depth of goodnesse giuen many wayes vnto thee in his birth in his conuersation in thy meate in his death and in all the kindes that a thing can be giuen After thou hast contemplated thanked followed and serued him in the Garden of Oliues at the Iudgement Barre of Pilate in the Mount Caluary at the Crosse with teares and sighes of loue of compunction and compassion make him often thy Host by means of this diuine Table which he hath prepared for thee of his immortall and glorious body to giue himselfe to thee and to lodge with thee so often as thou wilt and taking the healthfull refection of his dish contemplate moreouer in this Table the delicates of Paradise and of eternall life which shall follow after For as the Altars of the Hebrewes were Figures of this Feast so this Feast is the Image of the celestiall Table Heere thou eatest the bread of Angells in heauen thou shalt also liue of the bread of Angels Heere thy meat is God himselfe the self-same God will be thy food at that Table