sacrament affordeth cognouerunt eum in fractione panis they knew him in the breaking of bread for Luke 24. which cause the wisedome of God inuited all those that would be wise to come and drinke of her wine she had mingled in this sacrament Besides our Sauior here Prouerb 9. submits himself to the iudgement of men for he maketh them the surueyors of theÌ„selues Probet seipsumhomo sic de pane illo 1. Cor. 11. edat de calice bibat qui enim manducat bibit indignè iudicium sibi manducat bibit non deiudicans corpus dominum let a man proue himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drink of the chalice for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe not discerning the body of our Lord. If they iudge worthily he entreth if vnworthily contents himselfe to accept their peruerse sentence as he was content to tolerate the vniust iudgement of Pilate Therfore the mysterie it self the effects theròf the vse and practise shewes that God pretended an vnion of conceits in this Sacrament The vnion of wil affection we see most Vnion of affection manifestly here effected god loueth him selfe infinitely for his owne natiue goodnes and here he giueth vs the life of grace and charitie to hâ—lpe to animate to inable vs to lone him God commaundeth vs to call in remembrance his death passion and here good soules afflict their souls with internal griefe and compassion God intended to giue vs this mistery for a perpetuall sacrifice to bee offered vnto him and here the religious christians confirme their willes with his and daily offer it When I thinke of the vnion of friends Vnion in company who eate at one table what ioy and mirth they conceiue in such imperfect refections and transitory societies and conferre them with this sacred banquet it seemeth no otherwise than to compare a painted dish of meate with one that is reall substantiall because here all that eate feede of the very same they receiue ioys of the soule but especially to our purpose those that communicate at this table eate of the same dish Christ ate on himselfe for hee did eate this food we feed vpon and thus he was verè commensalis And besides hee is the meate it selfe that neuer was yet seene in the world The vnion of presence and place our Vnion in presence Sauiour knew well concerned friendship and loue therefore as one that went into forren countries he thought it not conuenient only to leaue a ring a bare memory but hee included himselfe in this ring of bread he made himselfe the diamond and so didde departe in externall shape and forme but not in substaunce Besides what neerer vnion of place can there bee then in one breast which is the dearest presentest place that any man can desire the which that Ladie well declared who after her husbands death for extremity of loue could not permit his hart which had loued her so intirely to be buried in any other place then in her own breast for that effect she dried it to pouder and so intombed it in the dearest presentest and cheefest place shee had that was her owne breast the nearest roome adioyning to her heart What other vnion affecteth loue which here we see not effected for attire heere is no diuersity since Diuers other vâ—ions one seate serueth both Christ entering the body of a begger is clothed with rags and harbouring vnder the heart of a king is apparelled with scarlet purple What other vnion can wee desire a societie of Souldiours in warres loe here Christ and wee bee made commilitones both fighting against our spirituall enemies as in the eleuenth cause was deliuered therefore if those wicked complices of Cateline before they attempt their trecherie against Caesar drunke all of one cuppe of their owne bloud to make them more bold and linked together and it preuailed so much that they all lost their liues before they failed or fainted to effectuate their conspiracie howe may wee not bee accounted cowards and dastards if we flie away if we faint in battaile if wee leaue Christ and runne to serue his enemies since we haue promised fidelitie and hee with his bloud hath inrolled our names in no better table then our owne hearts Since we haue both drunke the bloud of God what other vnion can we thinke of Saint Paul said children communicated in Hebr. â— flesh and therfore to be like them he participated the same but here we may say because children did eate flesh bloud bread and wine therefore hee tooke the formes of them all By this it appeareth how this sacrament may bee called communion since it causeth so many vnioÌ„s in substance in secrets in opinions in affections in desires in diet in place in attire in warre in resemblance of naturall inclination That God shewed the second effect of loue in the Encharist that is zeale Chap. 4. NAture hath printed in the heart of euery sensible creature of most necesfary instinct for their preseruation that is not onely to loue themselues in procuring good but also in auoiding those euils which may impeach their health or conue nient being ye a she hath lent them armor to defend themselues to impugne their aduersaries Amity the cosin germaine or rather brother of this natural inclination in like sort affecteth not only the good of the beloued but also protecteth defendeth theÌ„ inuading those who either molest or iniury his friends this we see most manifestly in beasts who for loue of their yongones atteÌ„pt extreame perils esteeme no dangers inuade their enemies fighting til death The like we may proue in kinsmen who esteeme al iniuries offered their allies to redound to their ignomie and therefore by the law of amity they endeuor to protect theÌ„ Yea our sauior Christ touched with this zeale for so the scripture Iohn 2 calleth this effect of loue seeing the temple of his father ordained for prayer sacrifice by the sacrilegious Iewes prophaned with theft and marchandize mooued with indignation against them regarding neither the gall of their phrases the malice of the Scribes nor the greedie mindes of the Marchants but presently cast them out of the temple such was his zeale of his fathers glorie that hee could not tollerate to see him dishonoured where he ought to haue bin worshipped The like zeale if no greater boyled in that sacred breast when hee instituted this sacament for although he eternaly did foresee that most sacrile giously this sacred foode of Angels shuld be blasphemed by infidels troden vnder foot by heretikes mangled and crucified by Iewes harbored in most vgly and polluted soules by wicked christians yet for the zeale of those good catholikes he knew were deuoutly religiously to receiue him weyed nothing iniuries blasphemies dishonors treading or traÌ„pling cutting slicing burning or baking so that he might vnite his
incarnation But because this fauour in substance vvas onely proper to Christes humanity though in operation vertue and efficacy sufficiently offered for all therefore the bounty of God was not extended enough it lacked a farther communication that euery man in particuler might participate his infinite bounty and perfection not in vertue alone but in substance also The Sunne lendeth the earth his beames yet the substance remaineth in heauen but lo in this blessed Sacrament God hath with his beames ioyned the sunne with his deuine vertue linked his diuinity and not onely by effect but also by person entreth into the breasts of all the faithfull which come to receiue him Here he maketh euery man partaker of himselfe of his substaunce as well deuine as humane And therfore the sphere of his goodnesse cannot be farther extended since euery one receiueth that which is infinite and God himselfe The second cause to be an Epitome or an abridgement of all Gods wonders AFter that God had rowsed from nothing Sap. 11. the mightie masse of this world polished it in number measure weight the last worke those artificiall hands finished was man who as an epitome or an abridgement comprehended in himselfe the degrees of all creatures thereby giuing vs to vnderstand that as often as we looke vppon man we should call to our memories how many goodly creatures and how admirably God had created and prouided for his cause euen so after that God in the olde Testament and Christ in the new had wrought infinite miracles and wonders one of the last which Christ solemnly manifested to the world was this blessed Sacrament as a memoriall of all his wonders as an abridgement of al his miracles that therby seing this Sacrament we should expend what wonderfull miracles he had effected for vs and what singular graces he had bestowed vp on vs the which it seemeth Dauid standing a loofe off in his high turret of faith did contemplate when he saide Memoriam fecit mirabilium suorum misericors miserator Dominus escam dedit timentibus se Our merciful and pittiful Lord instituted Psa 110. a memory of his wonders he gaue foodâ— to them that feare him that all miracles and singular wonders which God euer wrought are comprised in this SacrameÌ„t or the like easily it might be proved A few I will number leauing the rest to the discourse of euery sound dâ—uine What wonder shewed God first to the worlde by creation of nothing to make all here many learned diuines holde that Christs body exsisting in heauen is created anew for they say it is possible for God to create my soule and body againe in Fraunce I beeing in Englande as for to reproduce in the resurrection those formes qualities and accidents which perished by death and corruption in the graue and truly this manner of speach diuers fathers Cip. de eaera Dom. vse calling this action by which Christs body is placed in the Sacrament creation more ouer it plainly apeareth that when the formes of bread and wine are corrupted God produceth a new substantiall matter to sustaine and vpholde the new accidents If you discourse ouer the miracles of transforming Lots wife into Gen. 19. Exod. 4. 7 a Piller of salte the rod of Moses into a serpent the riuers into bloud water into Ioh. 2. wine in the mariage transubstantiation presently representeth the same If raising vp of the dead if giuing sight to the blinde if in satiating a number with so little most plainly it shall appeare hereafter that this Sacrament causeth life euerlasting that it openeth the eyes of the soule that it feedeth millions and neuer consumeth Therfore most true it is that this Sacrament is an abridgement of the wonders that God wrought and it selfe one of the greatest wonders of all And therfore they may well cease now who admired so much Archimedes for contriuing a spheare of glaffe wherein hee had comprised the motions of the heauens since in this sacrament are vnited all the admirable operations wonders and miracles which proceed from the hands of the soueraigne work man of heauen and earth grace and nature The third cause to deifie the soule THe Philosophers and Phisitions with iointo assent approue this principle to be of an vndoubted verity Ex quibus constamus ex issdem nutrimâ—r with those things we are nourished of which we are made For being compounded of flesh bones heart liuer braines sinewes wee cannot liue except we be fed with flesh bones heart liuers finewes to nourish our bones heart liuer c. which position must not be so grosly conceiued that we ought to eat bones or liuers to nourish our bones or heartes for many eate nothing but roots hearbes fruites bread fishes neuer touching flesh or bones and yet are nourished But that whatsoeuer we receiue for fustinance cannot restore the partes which by continuall resolution vanish away except the meate wee take be first conuerted into the substance of those partes which are to be repaired Therefore that bread wee eate doth not nourish the heart before it be conuerted into the substance of the heart it feedeth not the bones till it be changed into the substance of bones it restoreth not the braines till it become of the nature of braines The Iust therfore in scripture being called gods Ego dixivos dis estis filij Psal 81. and Io. 10. excelsi omnes I saide you are gods and all the sonnes of the highest and participating in their soules a diuine nature Diuinae naturae facti consortes Being made pertakers 2. Pet. 1. of the diuine nature if the Philosophers propositions be proued true ought to haue a diuine foode the which no doubt the wisdome goodnesse and power of God knew would and could prouid for them as we see afforded in this Sacrament This seemed Christ to insinuate when he saide Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem in me manet Io 6. ego in co He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me I in him By which wordes are propounded two admirable vnions the one is that God is in vs the other that we are in God by eating this celestiall foode That God herby dwelleth in vs it cannot be called in question because as meat entreth into vs remaineth in vs and is vnited with vs euen so Christ entereth really remaineth really and is resident so long as the vailes of bread and wine are not consumed But O Lord how can we be in thee since that no man is in the meat he eateth but rather the meat is in him how then is it true he that eateth thee remaineth in thee yet infallible truth it is that those that eate Christ are in Christ For this difference we finde betwixt this diuine foode and other corruptible meats that they haue not life in themselues nor giue life but receiue life of the body and of insensible and inanimate
no sacrifice nor any Heb. 5. religion where there is not both Priest and sacrifice Because what is religion but a publique profession of a multitude to worship god and what publike worshippe can bee exhibited to GOD without a reall and externall Sacrifice For the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be noted that in all ages and in all nations and in all religions they euer vsed some sorte of Sacrifices for if wee looke into the lawe of nature wee shall finde Abell Abraham Iob offering vp sacrifices if wee discend to the law written there will appeare an admirable number appointed in Leuiticus If wee come to Christ in his last supper and vppon the Crosse we shall finde him sacrificing Besides wee may obserue that all their sacrifices almost consisted in killing beasts or in the destruction of some creature as in burning insence or such like Now if we demaunde for what reason did they kill bulls calues or lambes how know they that GOD would be pleased with them what needded he bulls or calues nunquid manducabo Psa 49. carnes â—aurorum aut sanguinem hircorum potabo shall I eate the flesh of bulls or drinke the blood of goates by the resolution of this doubt we shall better perceiue why Christ left this Sacrament as a perpetuall sacrifice for his church Three reasons then may bee yeelded the first because by sacrifices men acknowledge GOD the first maker conseruer and last end of all creatures the which they intend to professe by the externall action of sacrificing because in killing an oxe and burning of him to ashes they depriued themselues of all vse of all profit whereby they signified that all was due to him of whom they had receiued all The second reason was because the holy ghost moued them to vse such bloudie sacrifices to prefigurat the passion of christ once to be offerred vp on the Crosse Thirdly to shew by the death of beasts that they deserued death for their sins that they offered the one to God in lieu of the other By these three reasons wee plainly see that wee in the lawe of grace haue as great need of a reall and externall sacrifice as either the Iewes or those that liued vnder the lawe of nature For need not wee as well as they to acknowledge the dominion and right of GOD ouer this worlde is not hee our Creator our conseruer our last end as well as theirs ought not wee as well to represent the sacrifice of Christs passion passed as they to prefigurat that which was to come do not our sins as well deserue death as theirs did and are not we bound as well to craue pardon for them as they for these three causes therefore and many more our Sauiour instituted this sacrifice of the altar where by the incruent death of Christ we acknowledge the eternall dominion of God and render him infinite thankes for all his gifts as well of grace as of nature and therefore principally it is called Eucharistia that is gratiarum actio thankesgiuing besides we represent most liuely his passion according to that precept of Christ Hoc facite in â—eam Luke 22. commemorationem do this for a commemoration of me Finally we cry O Father of heauen and earth loe we deserue death and 10000 deaths but here wee present the death of thy sonne his body quod pro vobis traditur which is giuen for Luke 22. you his bloud that is shed promultis in remissionem peccatorum for many vnto remission Mat. 26. of sinnes take and accept his death for ours The ninteenth cause to be a sacrifice most like his passion Diuers ancient fathers expending those 1 Cor. 11. wordes of S. Paul Quotiescunque enim manducabitis panem hunc calicem bibitis Cip. ep 3. Chrisost the â—phi occum mortem domini annuntiabitis donec veniat As often as you shall eat this bread and drink in locuâ— Pauli the chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come affirme that this Sacrifice is the very passion of Christ that heere he suffers he is broken he is changed he is offered in a reall sacrifice after an vnbloudy manner for all the greeke texts haue it in the present tence this is my body which is giuen for you this is my bloud which is shed for you Saint Paul hath expresly this is my body 1 Cor. 11. that is broken for you The manner also how Christs body is here sacrificed to god so plainly expresseth the passion of Christ that if there were no other text to proue it the very correspondence would seeme 10. 19. to shew it sufficiently For howe did Christ die vpon the cross by the deuision seperation of the soule from his body Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum bowing his head he gaue vp the ghost What was the cause of this seperatioÌ„ the issuing of abundaÌ„ce of bloud out of his body and there remaining no life wherefore both philosophers phisitians diuines say Anima est in sanguine the life is in the bloud Deut 12. experience teacheth that many die by venting too much blod out of their veins can shew a reall separation of the soule of Christ from his bodie and a reall separation of his bloud from his body here then we may easely infer that in this sacrament there is not onely a true real and externall sacrifice but also the very same that was vpon the Crosse though in maner as shal be declared they differ It is a receued opinion among al learned diuines that the words of consecrating Hoc est corpus meum This is my body do effect that they signifie that as God by saying Fiat lux let light be made light so by saying Hoc est corpus meum This is my body is presently put the bodie of Christ vnder the forme of bread moreouer that they effect no more imediatly than that they signifie therfore by the vertue or efficacie of consecrating imediatly there is only the body of Christ in the hoast without any soule true it is that there is no host that hath not the soul of Christ but that is not by the imediate force and vertue of consecration but by sequele by a following or as they call it per concommitantiam because the soule is ioyned with the body in heauen therfore consequently the body bringeth the soule with it but if the soule were not in the bo die as it was vpon Goodfriday then if any of the Apostles had consecrated the soule of Christ had not bin in the hoast but the dead body as it was in the graue so that by consecrating of Christes body wee haue a reall separation of soule and body and only an vnion of them by sequele and consequence I call the seperation reall for that where the action is reall that which is effected by the action must likewise be reall In like sort the words
2. transijt imber abijt flores apparebunt in terra nostra the winter is past the showre is gone flours wil appeare in our ground then shal we know that all earthly ioyes were meere toyes and euery transitory crosse an eternall crowne The thirtieth cause to be a viaticum or prouision for our voyage THis holie Sacrament for three causes may be called Viaticum First because our Sauiour in his passage instituted receiued distributed and gaue authority to his disciples to disperse it Secondly wee are to receiue it wander as pilgrims in the desarts of this worlde where spirituall foode can hardly be had and therefore it was prefigured in the celestiall Manna which God rained vpon the Iewes whilest they wandred in their peregrination towards the land of promise Thirdly because peculiarly our Sauiour intended to prouide vs of it as of a defence when we are to depart out of this world for his deuine wisedome did most prouidently fore see that our ghostly enemies would specially imploy their forces to impugne vs in the last periode of our life according to that was foretold in Genesis that the serpent should insidiari calcaceo seminis Gen. 3. mulieris supplant the heele of the womans seed for thereupon dependeth the triumph of God the Church and the soule ouer the diuell the confusion of hell and the glory of heauen In this last conflict therefore so dangerous our Sauiour would arme vs with his owne body and bloud that the infernall fiends seeing the bloud of Christ should be inforced to let that soule passe in security medle no more with it then the distroying Angell with the children of Israell when he saw this bloud painted ouer the dores with the bloud of a lambe yea as so many grisly busaloes they should bee terrified and affrighted euen with the very sight of this vermilian colour An excellent figure of this effect wee find registered in the acts of Elias who beeing persecuted by that impious Iesabell 3. Râ—g 19. loathing his life and desiring death fledde into a deasart and there casting himselfe vnder a luniper tree desired of God to ende his dayes and with that fell a sleepe presently an angell came to him and awaked him willing him to eate for yet there remained a longway he rose vp and found set at his head an imber cake and a cup of water he eat and drunke and walked for two dayes by the strength of that food till he came to the mountain of God Oreb wheras our Lord came vnto him What can more expresly declare the manner the vertue the effect of our viaticum then this while the faithfull Phil. 1. weary of this world lie on their death beds wishing to be dissolued to liue with Christ in the sweet shade of the catholike church the Priest presenteth vnto them the bread of life willing them to eat for a long way remaines a troublesome voyage they haue to passe they receiue and then by the vertue therof proceed in their pilgrimage vnto the holy mount of heauen where they shall see God foreuer O happie soule that resteth in the desart of this miserable world vnder the shade of such a tree from whence falleth the fruit of life I meane the Catholike Church wherin is planted the crosse of Christ which beareth this fruit of saluation Well saide the spouse sub vmbra illius quem desideraui sedi Cant. 2. fructus eius dulcis gutturi meo vnder the shade of him whome I desired I haue sitten and his fruite was sweete vnto my throate If it be so sweet in this life growing in an vplanding country out of the natiue soile how sweet wil it bee in heauen when these vailes shall be broken when these parings shall be taken away when our taste shal be quickened when we shal eate it with God himselfe vpon his owne table The one and thirtieth cause to win virgins to God SOme sage Philosophers and wise phisitions counsell noble women not to commit the nursing of their children to others of base estate meane condition but that they shuld giue them suck themselues the reason say they is most euident because the rusticke milke engendred in these clownish bodies will greatly alter the delicate and noble complection of the child for although we in our stomakes alter change those meates we receiue and bring theÌ„ at last to bee of our temper and substance yet in the verie alteration our bodies feele in tract of time most notable effects of theÌ„ for hot meats inflame them cold meates refresh them moist meates dissolue theÌ„ drie meats vnite them This doctrine being true as experience pregnantly proueth euery one may see how fit a food for virgins is this blessed sacrament for if we consider Christ our sauior therin contained according to his diuinitie his father the first virgin of al others as Nazianzen Nazianz. in Carmine calleth him conceiued him alone in the wombe of his vnderstanding if we expend his humanity it was borne of a virgin without a father if wee wey Christ himself god man we shal find him al his life to haue obserued most strictly a virginall puritie This blessed bread entring into our bodies adorned with so many admirable titles of virginity how can it but alter our sensuall and base appetires by eleuating them to the complexion temper pure disposition of Christ shal corporall meats work with more efficacie their effects in our bodies than this celestiall his prerogatiues in our soules No no it is more excellent than so Dilectus meus candidus Cantic 5. rubicundus electos prae millibus hic est fios campi lilium conuallium My loue is Cantie 2. white and red chosen before thousandes this is the flower of the field and lilly of the valley His garmentes are lilly white wyth chastity and scarlet red with passions of loue and such effects he imprintes with the seale of his body in the soules of the faithfull The which effects considering and admiting one exclamed Quid bâ—â—um Zach. 9. quid pulchrum eius nisi frumentum electorum vinum germinans virgines what of his is good what of his is beautifull but the wheate of his elected wine that springeth virgines O holy Prophet dost thou meditate the maruellous workes of God and canst thou finde nothing more admirable than this View the creation of the world consider thy Fathers in Egypt Gen. 1. Exod 7. and 8 9 10 11 12. Exod. 14. what maruelous miracles Moses wrought how he passed the red sea so woÌ„derfully looke vpon God himselfe and thou shalt see an abisse of goodnesse a fountaine of wisdom an indeficient power How then saist thou Quid bonum quid pulchrum eins nisi frumentum electorum Questionlesse what of his is good and what of his beautiful but the wheat of his elected wine springing virgins He knew wel what he saide for in this
Vide saith he quomodo his qui Christi commemorant passioneÌ„ intra sacra officia quasi per quosdam canales de interioribus fontibus egrediantur torrentes super omnes delitias lachrimis nectareis anima delectatur marke what floudes issue as it were by pipes from internall fountaines for them who remember Christs passion in the office he means the masse as appeareth after and howe the soule aboue al delights is delited with sweetest tears But I know many will say they haue often done their indeuour they haue prepared themselues according to their smal possibility yet they remaine as barren as the mountaines of Gelbo vbi nec ros nec plamia where fell 2. Reg. 1. neither dew nor raigne I answer first that often it seemeth to haue vsed diligence when indeed we can not be excused from negligence The Pharisie thought he did wel prepare himselfe to prayer by fasting Luke 2. twice a weeke and yet it was hypocrisie and no preparation for selfeloue is so subtile that except the grace of God lighten our eies wel we can hardly perceue it But let vs suppose that a soule hath endeuoured to prepare a lodging for this King of glory after such a sort as God requireth of our trailtie yet to remain in the former arriditie and drienesse Then I aunswere that veniall sinnes which hinder not the effect of grace as they ordinarily coole the feruour of charitie so they hinder the sweetenesse of deuotion because that this sensible delight which proceedeth from the superiour parte of the soule and affecteth the inferiour may easily be staied by inordinate loue hope or delights For the loue of God is so pure that it cannot abide any smell of sinne and wickednesse and therfore deuotion is sometimes called spirit and deuout men spirituall men the spirit therfore is like winde the which if you close it in any thing as a hallown giue it but vent with a pinnes pointe and you shall see how by little and little it vanisheth away euen so deuotion if you vent the soule with vaine thoughts sundry worldly desires heady affections idle wordes it quickly wil be dspersed Besids there is a reasonable deuotion a tranquilitie of minde a resolut egood wil which breedeth a great contentation although we want sensible delectation But finally let a soule indeuoure to expell venial sins let it attend quid loquatur in ea dominus what Pal. 84. what our Lord will speake in her let it frequentafter the receit acts of faith hope charity humilitie submission with good attention let it not doubt of deuotion The foure and thirtith cause to illuminate our mindes When I beholde this sacred body and this liuing bread enter into the breasts of Gods seruants me thinks I see a king enter into his kingdome or ascend his throne where he sits to rule his state a pastor euter among his flocke to protect and guide them a Pilot to ascend his ship to direct her to the hauen of eternall life a sunne rising vpon their spirituall horizon to illustrate Gods diuine mysteries to reveale many secrets touching their saluation which the night of sin had obscured finally it seemeth that there passeth into euery ones soule a new eye whereby they may discerne the colours of God from the coulours of the deuill the flesh and the world For who will maruaile if from Christ contained in the breasts of his faithfull issue raies of light beames of wisdome floudes of vnderstanding is not he as God the light of his Father Lumen de lumine light of light is not he as the second persoÌ„ in trinitie speculum fiue macula splendor lucis aterna A glasse Symb. concil Niceâ—i without spot and the brightnes of eternal light is not he according to his humanitie a temple of light in quo sunt omnes thesauri Col. 2. sapientiae scientiae Dei in whom are al the treasures of the wisedome and knowlege of God is not he our Prophet our pastor our doctor our maister sent from heauen to giue light to the world did not he call himselfe lux mundi the light of the world Io. 2. how then wil he withdraw the beames of his light from those soules who come deuoutly with oyle prepared in their lamps to receiue light of that indeficient fountaine especialy he himselfe hauing confirmed Matth. 25 it by saying Quamdiu sum in mundo Iohn 9. lux sum mundi as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world Which effect will be counted more certaine if we cal to memory that admirable light which Iona thas receiued by eating a little hony for 1. Reg 14. what proportion had hony with opening his eies or the hony comb with restoring sight but that God would depaint in that fact as in a little Image the effect of this Sacrament that reuiueth the eyes of the soule to see God and closeth them from the view of the world But this admirable operation of the Eucharist was not onely registred in the olde Testament but also expresly proued in the new and heare accomplished indeede that there was foretolde in figure when Christ the light of the worlde of set purpose fained himself a pilgrime to instruct the twoo wandering pilgrimes in faith the veritie of his death Luke 34 passion and resurrection afterwardes intending to drawe awaye the thicke vaile which hindered them for knowing whom he was although in his talke their heartes So S. Aug. vnderstandeth this place of the Sacrament lib. 3. de consensu cuang c. 11. theoph in 24. Lu. author imperf hom 69 in Matth. did burn yet they could not discouer who he was at last by reaching them this new sight this new sunne presently their eies were opened cogneuerunt eum in fractione panis and they knew him in the breaking of the bread And in very deede the common experience of good Catholikes may easily assure vs what light they receiue from this life of light For I haue considered diuers times what shoulde bee the cause that-many worldlings prize so much the pelfe and trash of this life caring nothing for Sacraments praiers spirituall affayres life euerlasting thinges so important so necessary so highly to be esteemed others leaue patrimonies despise courts refuse honours centemne plesures abhorre riches only attend to fasting praying deuotion meditation mortification contempt of themselues the world Truely I am of opinion that one of the principall causes is the often receiuing light from this sacrament in the one the lacke of the other euen as the cause of al fecuÌ„ditie is the presence of the same in the spring summer and authume the absence of it in winter cause of all sterillitie the aboundaunce of heate and light in the one and the scarcitie of both in the other The thirtie fiue cause to be a commemoration of his Passion CAsting mine eyes in
to men issue from an infinite power wisdome and goodnes because they cannot be effected but by God yet this consisteth rather in the manner of their production then in their substance or degree of perfection as for example Christ changed water into Iohn 2. wine in the mariage the manner of working this miacle in an instaÌ„t with a word without the helpe or concourse of any other cause required infinite power yet because the substance of wine the degree and perfection of wine was limitted and contained within the boundes of a speciall creature therfore it required no infinitie of cause or principle and therefore we see a vine can produce wine But if God could create an angel of infinit vertue perfection or grace then not only the manner but also the substance would exact the infinit power of God By this discourse we may plainly conceiue that this gift which GOD hath bestowed vppon vs requireth not only infinit power in the manner of producing it vnder the rindes of bread and wine but also in the very degree and perfection and consequently being a gift proceedeth from no limitred but infinit loue in degree and perfection because the effects being infinit in degree argueth a principle in like proportion and therfore we may wel conclude that this gift and Gods loue weyed both in a ballance haue not one dram of difference What loue can equall this what greater excesse coulde God shew Nam infinitum est vltra quod non est accipere A thing infinite is that that receiueth nothing beyond it If all the loues in the world how ardent how feruent how vehement soeuer were compared with this they would appeare as little sparkes in respect of the vast ocean fier that rouleth vnder the moone But if we adde here vnto the value of this loue the dignitie and worth the vehemencie therof would better appeare For as one droppe of Christs bloud in this sacrifice ought more to be prized then millions of worldes euen so one graine of this loue ought to be preferred before all the loues that euer were are or shal be For which cause our Sauiour saide once Qui amat patrem vel Matâ—h 1â— Luke 14. matrem plus me non est me dignus Hee that loueth father or mother more then mee is not worthy of me that is he deserueth to leese an infinit good an endlesse loue that preferreth a base and limitted loue before mine and for the same cause hee is worthy of eternall hatred who so little accounteth such excesse of friendshippe Fourth Fecâ—nditie BY glaunces of eyes and words of mouÌ„th the heart exalteth the vapours of affections And therefore our Sauiour with eyes like fire and voyce like the sound of many waters discouered to saint Iohn the conditions of his loue by the flame of his eyes the vehemencie by the noyse of his voyce the fecunditie for as the water which falleth from heauen rendeteth the earth fertill and aboundant with flowers and fruit euen so this sacrament embrothereth the soile of our soules with the flowers of vertue and leadeth them with the fruits of good workes Marke sayth S. Ciprian what they do and consider what Cipâ—iaâ—us De coena Domini they doo speake who hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse are satiated hee meaneth with the Eucharist what a holy odour that fulnes breatheth good works decent maners chaste effects quiet senses that internall sinceritie spreadeth abroad But who euer sawe water that restoreth dead trees to life the Eucharist restoreth and therefore it is called panis vitae the bread of life What water could euer preserue Ioh. 6. a tree alwayes in vigour and enable it eternally to beare both floures fruit the Eucharist inableth Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum hee that eateth of Ibidem this bread shall liue for euer What water euer did change the nature of trees and caused a crab tree bring foorth figges or a briar to beare grapes The Eucharist causeth by bridling concupiscences it changeth carnall affection into spirituall and sensualitie into virginite what heauenly dew had euer virtue to make one tree produce al sortes of fruits the Eucharist maketh for by deifying the soule with grace it is disposed by theologicall and morall vertues to effect al good works which are fruit to be presented to the table of God almightie But it is to be considered that the noyse was caused by a multitude of waters for the loue of God doth not onlie fructifie the soule as water but also it washeth it after a much more excellent manner than water and therefore pruneth the trees and trimmeth them This water conuerted into bloud mixt with wine before consecration desired Dauid when he was spotted with sinnes saying Asperges me Psal 50. Hab. 9. Domine hisopo Sprinkle me O Lord with hisope dipt in bloud What blouÌ„d Not of calues nor bulles but figured by them the bloud of Christ And what will it doe lauabis me super niuem dealbabor thou wilt wash me and I shal be whiter than snow for water of life so cleanseth sinnes that it adioyneth a new beautie as if there could be a water which washing a blacke More did not only purge the filth from his face but also added a whitenesse which he neuer had Such effects worketh the Eucharist for it cleanseth not onely the soule from sinne but also adioyneth a colour of gold a supernaturall brightnes a participation of Gods deitie and beautifieth it so exceedingly that it becommeth Diuinae â— Pet. 1. naturae consors partaker of the diuine nature Other waters by washing consume the substance of that they wash but this water is mingled with wine both conuerted into bloud and therefore nourisheth fortifieth and addeth a new vigour to Plut. in Lycurg the soule like that bath of wine Lycurgus ordained to wash yong infants withal immediately after they were borne to fortifie their ioints corroborate their sinewes and with the heate to consume superfluous moysture other waters by clensing other things defile themselues but this water remains in cristal purity rather ioyneth a new lustre of glorifying god Many spots there be in nature which water cannot wash away but there is no stain of the soule but this bloud is able to cleanse it fully Another water concurred to forme that noise which Christs voice resembled that had force to quench the thirst for he that drinketh this coÌ„uerted water shal neuer thirst againe because Christ hath so registred it in S. Iohn qui bibit ex hac aqua Iohn 4. non sitiet in aeternum he that shal drinke of this water shall not thirst for euer for as all medicines require a time for operation so this Sacrament after a small time wil extinguish al inordinate affections fil our souls ab vbertate domus domini from Psal 33. the fruitfulnes of our Lords house Fift Efficacie THe stars which he carried in