his elect according to both natures Concerning the Priesthood of Christ there are three things obseruable First that albeit Christ was a Priest yet he did not arise out of the Priestly stocke of Aaron he was not of the tribe of Leui but of the Princely stocke of Dauid being borne of the tribe of Iudah aud that for these two reasons First to shew that hee was not a Priest after the order of Aaron but of a new order differing from the Leuiticall as the Anti-type from the Type the true Priesthood from the figuratiue Secondly he arose of the Regall tribe of Iudah that so like Melchisedech hee might bee not onely a Priest but a King Yet notwithstanding in the priesthood of Aaron there were many resemblances of Christs Priesthood 1. In that the high Priest was annoynted with oyle so was Christ spiritually God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes 2. In the sumptuous apparrell which the high Priest put on a type of the rich and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. In the speciall parts of the high Priests attire as the Ephod the shoulders whereof had two Onix stones whereon were engrauen the names of the twelue tribes to represent Christs carrying all the elect on his shoulders supporting them in this life against the world the flesh and the diuell Next the brest-plate of iudgement wherin were set twelue stones hauing engrauen on them the names of the 12. tribes of Israel and with these did he appeare before God in the Sanctuarie representing thereby that Iesus our High Priest being in his heauenly Sanctuarie beares in memorie all the elect before God and vpon this ground the Church in the Canticles prayes that she might bee set as a seale vpon his heart and as a seale vpon his arme Then the Vrim and Thummim the first whereof signifies Lights the second Perfections representing in Christ. 1. The light of wisedome for in him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge 2. His perfection wherein he excelleth all creatures Lastly the Priest had a plate on his forehead whereon was engrauen Holinesse to Iehouah representing the holines of Christ wherewith he doth appeare before his father for the redemption of his people In the second place we are to obscrue the eternity of Christs Priesthood for it is saide Thou art Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Now the Priesthood of Christ is said to bee eternall not that Christ shall for euer offer sacrifice for the sinnes of his people but that the vertue and efficacie of his sacrifice doth extend it selfe vnto eternity in the saluation of all beleeuers in that by the merit of this oblation of his death and passion hee hath purchased for all his members eternall glorie So that the eternitie of Christs Priesthood consists not in the continuation of his Sacerdotall acts but in the eternall effect of his sacrifice vpon the elect For when Christ shall at the last day iudge the world and shall inuest the soules and bodies of all his Saints with glory and immortalitie then shall cease the Propheticall and Priestly offices of Christ and onely his Regall or Kingly office shall remaine for the Saints in glorie shall haue perfect knowledge and shall need no information from him as a Prophet nor shall neede the sacrifice or intercession of Christ as a Priest but shall yeeld all obedience in thought word and deede vnto him as their King Quest. But how can the sacrifice of Christ beeing but finite and temporarie be of infinite and eternall merit Ans. The act of Christ vpon the orosse offering himselfe a sacrifice for the sinnes of his Saints was a finite act and temporarie lasting but some certaine houres and so consequently could not be of it selfe of 〈◊〉 and eternall vertue but if we consider that with his manhood there was inseparably vnited his Godhead which was of eternall and infinite efficacie and Christs sacrifice was accepted of his father not onely as the sacrifice of the sonne of man but also as the sacrifice of the Sonne of God his onely begotten Son then we mustneedes confesse the sacrifice of Christ to be of infinite and eternall merit Here then is the solution of this doubt Albeit the Manhood of Christ onely was the sacrifice for our finnes which did satisfie Gods wrath yet the Manhood of Christ alone was not sufficient for the Dietie must concurre though not in suffering yet in giuing vertue power and officacie to merite eternall life at the hands of God Thirdly wee are to obserue the parts of Christs Priesthood which are two First Satisfaction or Expiation for our sinnes whereby Christ hath payd the price for our iniquities and hath giuen himselfe an all-sufficient ransome for vs. From which satisfaction ariseth our reconciliation whereby God is well pleased with vs in his 〈◊〉 and wee in Christ are made the Sonnes of God Secondly 〈◊〉 and that consists of two things First in that he makes request for vs before his father not that he doth kneele before him to pray for vs but that hee doth continually and incessantly appeare before him by the merit of his righteousnesse making intercession for vs for as Christ did vnite his eternall righteousnesse vnto his humane nature at his birth and continued it vntill his death so his humane nature endued with perfect righteousnesse appeares before God the Father in heauen after an ineffable manner making request for vs. Secondly in that hee doth offer our prayers and thanks giuings to God making them acceptable in himselfe Christ is that Angell spoken of by S. Iohn The golden altar is his Godhead signifying Purity and Merit his incense is his righteousnesse which beeing an offering of a sweet smelling sauour in the nostrills of his Father makes the prayers of the Saints acceptable to the father These things being thus made plaine touching the Priesthood of Christ the Thesis or point of Doctrine followes That there neuer was nor euer shall be any Priest that could or shall hereafter offer a perfect satisfactorie sacrifice for the sinnes of the redeemed but onely Christ Iesus the son of God For if any creatures could haue satisfied for the sin of man and reconciled him vnto God he would neuer haue layd so heauy a burthen vpon his onely Son as to endure the shame of cursed Iewes and which was tenne thousand times more the infinite wrath of his heauenly Father for the transgressions of mankind And indeede Christ onely was sufficient for this office if we consider these particulars First he that was to offer such a sacrifice must bee God and man after the order of Melchizedech without father without mother which should be King of Salem and authour of eternall peace who was so but onely Christ Secondly hee that offered such a sacrifice was of no lesse worth merit aud dignity with God then the sacrifice it selfe seeing as
nations vpon horses and in chariots and in litters vpon mules and vpon swift beasts vnto my holy mountaine Ierusalem saith the Lord as the children of Israell bring an offering in a cleane vessell to the house of the Lord. What must all Christians be properly slaine and offered as sacrifices to the Lord or figuratiuely or must they be brought to the terrestriall or to the spirituall and celestiall Ierusalem But Bellarmine vrges that the Prophet speakes of a pure offering which cannot be polluted but spirituall sacrifices may be defiled by the offerer I answer No holy action as prayer preaching mortification prayses Almes-deeds and the like are sacrifices but onely as they are offered in and through Iesus Christ so that in respect as they proceed from vs simply they may bee defiled by our inherent corruptions yet being offered through Christ they are pure and holy for as our Sauiour telleth vs it is the Altar that sanctifieth the gift So in Christ are all our sacrifices offered and hee is the altar that sanctifieth them and therefore saith the Apostle By him that is by Christ Iesus spoken of in the former verse let vs offer the sacrifice of 〈◊〉 to God continually So the Apostle Peter calls the faithfull An holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices by Iesus Christ. So that our spirituall sacrifices being offered on Christ our Altar cannot be contaminated by our sinnes Thirdly whereas Bellarmine would perswade vs that the Prophet speaketh of such an oblation as was not in vse among the Iewes we deny it for he speaketh not of any new kind of oblation but makes a difference betweene the impurity of the Iewish sacrifices and the pure offerings of Christians the one being offered with disdaine the other with true faith in Christ. And it appeares that the Prophets reproofe extendeth it selfe as well vnto the people as to the Priests verse 14. Cursed be he that 〈◊〉 in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing Thus the people were blamed for bringing polluted bread for offering the blind the lame and the sicke for oblations to God and the Priests were blamed for accepting of such impure sacrifices They alleadge the iudgements of the Fathers as of Ireneus Iustine Martyr and Augustine who haue applyed this place vnto the bread and the cup in the Eucharist or Lords Supper We deny not that it may be applyed vnto the Sacrament of the Supper but therefore it followes not that thereby is giuen sufficient ground for the instituon of a Sacrament and yet admit this were a sufficient foundation whereon to build the institution of the Eucharist yet not therefore of the sacrifice of the Masse seeing as I shall hereafter shew there is irreconcilable difference betweene the holy Supper of our Lord Christ and the blasphemous sacrifice of the Idolatrous Masse and doubtlesse these Fathers that applyed this place vnto the Eucharist neuer dreamed of any true reall Propitiatory sacrifice which should be offered by the Minister in the administration of the Sacrament as appeares sufficiently by all their writings Moreouer as one well obserued if our aduersaries will haue this place vnderstood literally then must the Priests of Rome not be after the order of Melchizedech but after the order of Aaron for the Prophet speaking of the same sacrifice chap. 3. vers 3. sayes that Christ at his comming shall purifie the sonnes of Leui they shall be Leuiticall but onely purified but they will not grant themselues to be after the order of Aaron but they are there called Leuites by the way of allusion say they assimulating them vnto the priests of the Law but if they admit of a figuratiue 〈◊〉 in the persons offering why not as well in the sacrifice offered I will conclude this answer with laying before your eyes the common consent first of the Prophet Dauid and the Euangelist S. Iohn the Diuine and the Apostle Paul then of the Fathers of the Church in succeeding ages Dauid vnderstands it of prayer and supplications Let my prayers come before thee as the incense and the lifting vp of my hands as the euening sacrifice where the Prophet vseth the same word Mincha which is vsed by Malachy the one place giuing most cleere light vnto the other for by incense is plainely meant praier and by the pure oblation the lifting vp of the hands Thus the beloued Disciple of Christ expounds what is meant by this incense And another Angell came and stood at the altar hauing a golden censer and there was giuen to him much incense that he might offer it with the prayers of the Saints vpon the golden Altar This Angell is Christ as is shewed formerly the censer is his humanity the incense is his righteousnes wherby our spirituall sacrifices of prayer and prayses haue their acceptance in the eyes of God This place of Malachy may also seeme to be expounded by that of Paul I will therfore that men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath and doubting Thus haue we the consent of Scripture let vs see also the agreement of Fathers Tertullian citing this place expounds it of spirituall sacrifices which being pure hee opposeth to the impure sacrifices of the Iewes and in his booke against Marcion he expounds it of glorifying and praysing God and of prayer proceeding from a pure conscience Hierome on this 1. of Malachy hath these words Dicit orationes sanctorum Domino offerendas esse non in vna orbis prouincia Iudea sed in omni loco The Prophet here saith that the prayers of the Saints shall be offered not in that one Prouince of Iudea but in euery place Chrysostom vnderstands it of the spirituall worship of God Eusebius vnderstands it of prayer lib. 1. de demonstratione Euangelica c. 6. Malachias nihil aliud significat c. The Prophet Malachy signifies nothing hereby but that neither definitiuely at Ierusalem nor any other place but in euery region the Gentiles shall offer the incense and sacrifice of prayer to di euchôn thumiama vnto God which is called a cleane sacrifice not by blood but by godly actions Tertullian also expounds it of the preaching of the Gospell among all nations And so Hieronim vpon Esay saith The sound of the Apostles is gone throughout all the ends of the world euery where there is sacrifice offered to God And herein is accomplished the word of the Prophet namely in this that God is purely preached and purely called vpon in euery place Theodoret expounds it of the abolishing the Iewish sacrifices and of the seruing of God in spirit and truth as our Sauiour af firmeth in his speech vnto the woman of Samaria And whereas they obiect some Fathers who haue vnderstood it of the Eucharist wee haue alleadged both the same Fathers and others with them expounding it otherwise Againe if those places be well confidered we shall finde
estated in glory By him we haue our fetters knockt off and our filthy rags cast away by him we are arrayed with rich apparrell of holines and innocencie by him wee are brought into his fathers presence and are accepted of God Almightie Through him we haue our Iustification through him we haue our Sanctification through him we haue our Glorification Seeing then the saluation of all beleeuers is perfectly wrought and consummated by the sacrifice of Christ here may arise a question Quest. Whether there be any sacrifices to bee offered by Christians vnder the Gospell or no Answ. I answer there are not any Ilasticke or propitiatory sacrifices to bee offered for attonement with God for to that end Christ hath offered himselfe once for all But as you haue heard that all Christians are spirituall Priests so they haue spirituall sacrifices to offer still vnto God which sacrifices are these First a broken and a contrite heart The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart oh Lord thou wilt not despise without this sacrifice all others are abhominable in the sight of God Secondly the offering vp of beleeuers per leitourgian ministrornm by the seruice of Gods ministers of this Paul speakes That I should be the minister of Iesus Christ to the Gentiles ministring the Gospell 〈◊〉 God that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable 〈◊〉 sanctified by the Holy Ghost Thirdly al manner of prayer and supplication Let my prayers be directed before thee as 〈◊〉 incense and the lifting vp of my hands as the euening sacrifice Fourthly all praise and thanksgining which wee giue vnto God By him therefore let vs offer the sacrifice of prayse to God 〈◊〉 that is the fruits of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks to his name This sacrifice of 〈◊〉 Orthodox fathers called an im ton thu sian an vnbloody sacrifice as 〈◊〉 in his embassage for the Christians to the Emperours Antonius and 〈◊〉 And Eusebius Offerant illi logikas kai anaimous thu sias Let them offer 〈◊〉 and vnbloody sacrifices So Cyrill Oecumenicus Iustine Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus fathers of great 〈◊〉 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haleluiahs of Angels and the holy hymnes of the Saints acceptable 〈◊〉 sacrifices Fiftly our almes and reliefe of the poore are spirituall sacrifices To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well 〈◊〉 And Paul calls the beneuolence of the Philippians sent by Ep phroditus an odor of a sweet smell and a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God Sixtly there is the sacrifice of righteousnesse or iustice Offer to God the sacrifices of right 〈◊〉 and againe Then shalt thoube pleased with the sacrifices of righteousnesse 〈◊〉 there is the slaying of our sinnes and offering them vp dead vnto the Lord with there signation of our selues to Gods seruice I beseech you therefore 〈◊〉 by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruice Eighthly the bodily death of the Martyrs inflicted on them by bloody tyrants is a spirituall sacrifice Thus Paul calls himselfe a Sacrifice Yea if I bee offered vp a sacrifice for the seruice of your faith And I take it in this sense it is the Prophet Dauid speakes saying Precious in the sight of God is the death of his Saints Thus did that holy Polycarpe the Disciple of Saint Iohn call his death which hee indured for the testimony of Iesus a Sacrifice And so Saint Augustine speaking of the Martyrs hath these words The Gentils dedicated Temples consecrated Priests erected altars and offered sacrifices to their gods We Christians dedicate Temples to our Martyrs not as to Gods but to their memories as to dead men whose spirits liue with the Lord. Neither doe we erect alvars whereon we sacrifice to the Martyrs but to one God theirs and ours Wee offer sacrifice at which sacrifices those Martyrs as men of God are named in their place and order nor are they 〈◊〉 by him that offers the sacrifice for the sacrifice is not made to them but to God although it be in the remembrance of them for he is the minister of God and not theirs and the sacrifice is the body of Christ which is not offered vnto them for they themselues are that body In the latter end of which words Saint Augustine shewes that the whole Church which is the mysticall body of Christ whereof the Martyrs are a part is a gratefull sacrifice acceptable vnto God Lastly the sacrament of the Lords supper is a sacrifice but not after the manner of the Papists but onely figuratiuely So the bread and cup are called the sacrifices of Christians by Iustine Martyr because they represent the sacrifice of Christ and were instituted in remembrance of it So Dyonisius calls it Sumbolike ierourgia ☠Symbolicum Sacrificium Eccles. Hiera cap. 30. a Symbolicall sacrifice So Saint Augustine Quod ab omnibus appellatur sacrificium signum est veri 〈◊〉 That which by all men is called a sacrifice is but a signe of the true sacrifice And that immolation which is in the hands of the Priest is called the passion death and crucifixion of Christ not that it is so indeed and in truth but onely by the way of remembrance So that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper may be called Sacrificium 〈◊〉 a Recordatory Sacrifice wherein vsing the signes and Symbolls of his body and blood with true faith and thankfull hearts we celebrate the memoriall of the death and sacrifice of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Wherefore the Fathers called it an vnbloody sacrifice because it was not a proper sacrifice but onely mysticall and figuratiue And indeed this makes it not to bee properly a sacrifice because in a sacrifice we giue vnto God but in a Sacrament wee receiue from God but in the Lords Supper wee giue not the body and blood of Christ vnto God but receiue it from the minister as from Christ for the confirmation of our faith which makes it to be properly and truely a sacrament but a sacrifice it is called improperly and by representation Thus you see what was the sacrifice offered by Christ and what are the spirituall sacrifices of euery Christian. Now followes the third branch of this first part of the text Namely the cause why Christ offered this sacrifice or the end whereunto this sacrifice was directed which is said here to be for sinne But this man hauing offered one sacrifice for sinne Here we are to note that albeit the Angels had sinned as well as man yet it was not for their sinne that Christ offered sacrifice for they had no benefite by his incarnation death or passion but for the sinnes of mankind and withall we are to obserue that albeit Christ was a man endued with true humane nature yet in regard he was not a sinnefull man but a lambe without blemish and without spot a
is carried about in the streetes to be worshipped and adored Neither do the fathers compare the Paschall Lamb to the Eucharist or Lords Supper but onely in these three respects first that as the Iewes did eate the one so do Christians the other Secondly as the Paschall Lambe did represent Christum moriturum Christ which was to die so the Lords Supper doth represent Christum mortuum Christ which hath dyed Thirdly as the one was in commemoration of the bodily deliuerance of Israell out of Egypt so is the other in commemoration of our spirituall redemption out of the iawes of Satan Touching the first namely the eating of the Paschall Lambe and the feeding on Christ in the Sacrament Chrysostome speaks Hoc mysterium tradidit c. Hee deliuereth this mystery when the Law was to cease and he dissolueth their principall solemnity to wit of the Paschall Lambe and cals them to a terrible Table saying Take eate this is my body Where note that he calles it a Table to be trembled at not because of the reall presence of Christ there as the Papists expound it but because of worthy or vnworthy communicating So Ierome Our Passeouer is sacrificed prouided that we eate it with 〈◊〉 bread of sincerity and truth Basil sayth Let vs celebrate the Passeouer not in the leauen of malice wickednes but in the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth seeing Christ who is the true Lambe is offered in the euening that is in the end of the world whose flesh is meate indeede Secondly they compare it to the Eucharist in representing Christ. Tertullian Our Lord hauing declared that he desired to eate his Passeouer for it was indignity for the Lord to desire any thing but his owne gaue and distributed it to his Disciples and made it his body saying this is my body that is a figure of my body Thomas their owne Angelicall Doctor sayth Seeing Christ our Passeouer is offered let vs feast feeding on Christ not onely Sacramentally according to that of St. Iohn If you eate the flesh of the sonne of man c. but also spiritually by enioying his wisedome Lastly they are compared in respect of commemoration So Lyra. All whatsoeuer Moses hath written hath relation to Christ and therefore in the sacrificing of the Lambe there is a double sence the one is the state of the people comming out of Egypt this is the litteral and first sence the other is the fore-shewing and shadowing out of Christ who was to be crucified and this is the first in intention though last in accomplishment By which allegations it appeares plainly that the ancients seldome or neuer call the Paschall Lambe a sacrifice and in what respects they compare it to the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper And thus much for answere vnto the second argument The third argument which is alleadged by the Romanists and whereupon they most depend is grounded on the prophesie of Malachy chap. 1. 11. For from the rising of the Sunue to the going downe of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in euery place incense shall be offered to my name and a pure offering for my name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hoasts Seeing the sacrifice of the Masse is so generally offered among all Gentiles therefore it must needs be that pure oblation foretold by the Prophet Malachy And that this Sacrifice may the better appeare Bellarmine alleadgeth these reasons First from the signification of the Hebrew word Mincha which properly betokeneth an externall Sacrifice made with oyle and incense and therfore cannot be vnderstood of Spirituall and internall sacrifices Secondly it is called a pure offering such as cannot be polluted but prayers may be polluted onely the sacrifice of the Masse cannot bee defiled by the illnesse of the Minister Thirdly the Prophet speaketh of such an offering as was not in vse among the Iewes saying I will not accept any offering at your hands but spirituall sacrifices were in vse among them Fourthly the Prophet speaketh directly to the Priests Thus saith the Lord of Hoasts vnto you oh ye Priests and reproouing their sacrifices bringeth in a new kind of offering which a new Priesthood should offer to God which cannot be meant of spirituall sacrifices To these we answer That the intent of the Lord by the Prophet is to oppose the Gentiles against the Iewes and shew the difference betweene the Leuiticall sacrifices which they defiled and the spirituall sacrifices which should bee offered not by one nation onely but by euery people vnder the new Testament Wherefore the Prophet doth comprehend the whole seruice of the Christian Church vnder these three heads 1. The knowledge of God by the preaching of the Gospell 2. Inuocation or calling vpon the name of the Lord by prayer 3. Liberality towards the poore in workes of charity The first is shewed in these words From the rising of the Sunne to the setting of the same my name shall bee great among the Gentiles The second in these words and in euery place incense shall be offered to my name The third is signified by the word Mincha or a pure oblation for as Zanchius obserues by the names of bread and wine all beneficence and liberalitie is signified in the Scripture So Iacob calls the Present hee sent his brother Esau Mincha and Abigail the present she brought to Dauid by the same name But I tye not my selfe precisely to this exposition of Zanchius vnderstanding by Mincha Beneficence or Liberality Therefore I answer to Bellarmin that if he will haue Mincha vnderstood properly and not 〈◊〉 then it would follow that the Prophet did speake in that place of the Iewish ceremonies which should bevsed among Christians but with more purity then among the Iewes but the Papists confesse that hee speaketh not of Iewish sacrifices but of the sacrifices of Christians Againe if he will haue Mincha to bee vnderstood Metaphorically then the Masse is but figuratiuely a sacrifice and not properly at most it will bee but flower or bread without any Transubstantiation as Mincha was And whereas Bellarmine inferreth that because Mincha signifieth properly an offering of flower or bread with oyle and incense therefore it cannot be vnderstood of the spirituall sacrifices of Christians how vnschollerlike and therefore how vnlike himselfe doth hee argue Who knowes not that many things are spoken figuratiuely being applyed improperly from their natiue significations to signifie things which indeed they are not I am a doore saith Christ I am the vine if these things be vnderstood literally and not Metaphorically we shall make but a bad construction But an example like this of the Prophet Malachy may bee that of the Prophet Esay where speaking of the Church of Christ among the Gentiles he faith And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all
the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this place to the Lords Supper not for proofe of any Propitiatory sacrifice but onely for a sacrifice Eucharisticall and of thanksgiuing as first They obiect Ireneus l. 4. c. 32. whose words are these Christus suis discipulis dans consilium primitias Deo offerre ex suis creaturis non quasi indigenti sed vt ipsi nee infructuosi nec ingrati sint eum qui ex creatura panis est accipit c. Noui Testamenti nouam docuit oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in vniuerso mundo offert Deo ei qui alimenta nobis praestat primitias suorum munerum in nouo Testamento de quo Malachias praesignificauit Et paulo post In omni loco incensum offertur nomini meo Sacrificium purum incensum Ioannes in Apocalypsi orationes esse ait Sanctorum Et capite sequenti Quoniam igitur cum simplicitate Ecclesia offert iuste munus eius purum sacrificium apud Deum reputatum est quemadmodum Paulus Philippensibus ait Repletus sum acceptis ab Epaphrodito c. Oportet enim nos oblationem Deo facere in omnibus gratos inueniri Atque ibidem Offerimus non quasi indigenti sed gratias agentes donationi eius Sanctificantes creaturam quemadmodum enim Deus non indiget eorum quae a nobis sunt sic nos indigemus 〈◊〉 offerre Deo sicut Salomon ait qui miseretur pauperis foeneratur Deo Christ giuing counsell vnto his Disciples to offer vnto God the first fruits of his creatures not as of any necessity in God but that they might not be vnfruitfull or vngratefull tooke that which by creation is bread and gaue thankes saying This is my body c. teaching that in the new Testament there is a new oblation which the Church taking from the Apostles offereth throughout the whole world vnto God the first fruits of his gifts in the new Testament to him that giueth whatsoeuer food and nourishment we haue which Malachi foretold There is no question but Ireneus here speakes of the Lords Supper but is there one word which can intimate any Propitiatory sacrifice No hee calls it an offering in two respects First that wee might not seeme vngratefull vnto God but should offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing Secondly that we should not be vnfruitfull and therefore should offer vnto God our first fruits according vnto the ancient Custome of the Christians who were wont at the celebration of the Lords Supper to send their offering whereof part was taken to furnish the table with bread and wine a second part was distributed to the poore and a third part went to prouide necessaries for the Church so that here is mention made of an Eucharisticall but not of a Propitiatory sacrifice of the offering of fruits and things without life and not of the reall offering of our Lord Iesus Christ of a solemne thankesgiuing for good things receiued and not of any atonement or pacification of Gods wrath for sinnes committed And what this incense is whereof Malachi speaketh Ireneus 〈◊〉 saying Euery where incense and pure sacrifices are offered to my name Saint Iohn in the 〈◊〉 hath called the prayers of the Saints the offering of incense And againe In as much as the Church offereth in 〈◊〉 and singlenesse of heart her offering vnto God is by good right reputed a pure and vndefiled sacrifice as Saint Paul saith to the Philippians I was filled hauing receiued of Epaphroditus the things which you sent an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God for it behooueth that we offer vp 〈◊〉 sacrifices to God that 〈◊〉 all things we may be found thankefull And this offering hee further makes plaine by that which followes saying We offer vnto him not because he standeth in 〈◊〉 but that we may be thankefull vnto him for his gifts and so by this meanes sanctifying the creature for as God hath no need of any thing proceeding from 〈◊〉 so hau we need to offer vnto him according to that which Salomon saith Hee that 〈◊〉 the poore lendeth to the Lord. Now in all this place which they make so sure a ground for their sacrifice of the Masse where is one word of sacrificing Christ or of any Propitiatory host yea rather doth not Ireneus directly specifie a sacrifice of thank 〈◊〉 and of charity in as much as that which is giuen to God is giuen to the vse of our neighbour and that which is giuen to the poore is sacrificed to God Secondly they 〈◊〉 that of Iustine Martyr where he calleth the bread and wine the sacrifices of the Eucharist His words are these We are truely made the Priests of God according to that which he witnesseth himselfe because that throughout the whole world there are offered vnto him pure and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He addes Praecepit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eucharistiam in memoriam 〈◊〉 He tooke bread to make the Eucharist in remembrance of his passion But to what end To offer for a propitiatory sacrifice No but he declares the reason Vt gratias agamas Deo tum pro eo quod mundum cum omnibus hominis gratia condidit tum ob id 〈◊〉 quod ab omni in qua fuimus malitia nos liberauit ac principatus potestatesque perfecta occiderit occidione per eum qui de consilio voluntate eius factus est patibilis That we should render than kesvnto God as well for that he that created the world and 〈◊〉 that is therein for the vse and benefit of man as also for that hee hath deliuered vs from all the malice whereunto wee stood subiect and hath slaine with a perfect slaughter the principalities and powers which did oppresse vs by him who by his will and counsell was made to suffer Out of which words the most subtle Papist is not able to prooue either directly or by consequence that Iustine alloweth in the Eucharist any Propitiatory sacrifice but onely Eucharisticall and of thankesgiuing And therefore Langus is condemned by the Councell of Trent to bee raced because hee hath not expounded this place after their manner Thirdly they 〈◊〉 that Augustine expoundeth this place of the sacrifice of Melchizedech and applyeth it to the Eucharist Wee grant it But the words following declare that both the sacrifice of Melchizedech if it may be granted that he sacrificed bread and wine and the Lords Supper are both but sacrifices of prayse and thankesgiuing his words be these Ecclesia immolat Deu in corpore Christi sacrificium laudis c. The Church sacrificeth to God in the body of Christ the sacrifice of prayse seeing the God of Gods hauing 〈◊〉 hath called the earth from the sunne rising vnto the setting thereof for this Church is the spirituall Israell 〈◊〉 from the carnall Israell which serued God in the shadowes of sacrifices in which was signified and 〈◊〉 forth this singular sacrifice which Israell
vnto Christ the Layty gazing on him appearing rather to be excommunicate persons then to haue any communion in the body of Christ as also the Communion of Saints is abolished by the Masse seeing any notorious sinner who can pay for a Masse shall haue as much relaxation of paines as a 〈◊〉 man 6. In the administration of the Sacrament the Laity did pertake of the cup as well as the clergy But in the Masse the Sacrament is maimed by taking away the cup from the Lay people 7. Christ instituted the Sacrament in remembrance of himselfe saying Doe this in remembrance of me The Priest sayes Masse in remembrance of the dead Againe hereby they destroy the remembrance of Christs death For as a Testament doth suppose the death of the Testator so the alteration of that Testament supposeth that the Testator is not yet dead wherefore the Masse beeing so much altered from the institution of Christ which hee bequeathed as a Testament vnto his Church doth by consequence deny the death of Christ For it beeing sufficiently proued to be another pretended Testament differing from the first institution doth 〈◊〉 require againe that Christ should dye recrucisying the Sonne of God for as Paul sayth Where a Testament is there must necessarily follow the death of the Testator Moreouer if Christ be offered 〈◊〉 day how is this not rather to institute a new sacrifice then to Doe it in remembrance of his great sacrifice vppon the Crosse. 8. Christ instituted the Sacrament to be reuerently distributed vnto the people But the Masse is reserued in the Pix is carried about the Cities and Townes like a may-game 9. Christ gaue bread and wine to his Disciples The Priest 〈◊〉 God vnto the people hee being the maker of his Maker and they eating God with their bodyly mouthes to Christ instituted the Sacrament to confirme our Faith they say Masse to redeeme mens soules to cure diseases to worke miracles The second impiety of the Masse It commandeth and practiseth things directly contrary to Gods word 〈◊〉 inuocation of Saints and Angels Prayer for the dead Adoration of creatures Purgatory c. Thirdly it by consequence affirmeth that Christ is out of the fauour of his Heauenly Father and therefore had neede of an earthly Mediator which is the Priest who may offer the body of Christ vnto his Father and pray that God would accept him as the sacrifice of Abell Fourthly the Masse hindreth the seruice of God for God wil be serued in spirit and truth with an inward and entire affection but the Masse causeth a man to rest in the outward seruice of God as hearing seeing gazing stooping kneeling knocking c. Which things of themselues are meritorious by the worke wrought and because the Masse alone is sufficient therefore it makes needlesse all holy exercises as Preaching Prayer c. Working presumption in wicked men who albeit they haue spent their dayes in wickednesse yet if they haue a Masse or can get the Priest to say Masse for them they doubt not but to be saued Fiftly it blasphemeth the Deity of Christ in that whereas God alone is to be worshipped with Diuine worship they ascribe and yeelde that which is due vnto God alone vnto the creature worshipping it instead of God as the bread and the wine in the Eucharist and doubtlesse their Artolatreia is nothing else but Tololatreia Sixtly it derogateth from the vertue of Christs death making it ineffectuall and his sacrifice imperfect ouer-turning the Crosse of Christ by erecting an Altar and reiterating that perfect and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ which was offered once for all whereby hee sanctified for euer them that were perfect hauing obtained eternall redemption for vs. And as the reiteration of the Leuiticall sacrifices argued the imperfection of them so the repetition of the Masse argues an insufficiency in the sacrifice of Christ. Seuenthly it falsifies the word of Christ. We vsually obserue the last speeches of dying men as oracles but Christ dying vpon the Crosse shut vp all with this speech It is finished that is Mans saluation is finished by this my sacrifice And yet the Massedenies it What is this but to make Christ a lyer Eightly it denies the Article of Christs humanity in that it a scribes not vnto him those properties which are competent to all 〈◊〉 bodies and without which a reall body cannot subsist as to be locally in one place at once to be circumscriptible to haue true demensions c. Ninthly it 〈◊〉 the article of Christs session at the right hand of God Who enioying a true materiall body if hee be present in the Masse cannot sit as a man at the right hand of his Father for euer Tenthly it is the ground of all diffidence and distruct the Sacrament encreaseth our faith while thereby wee apprehend Christ bodily absent to bee spiritually present but the Masse depending on the intention of the Priest cannot but beget distrust in the minds of the people Eleuenthly the Masse robbes vs of the fruite of Christs death for the fruite of Christs death is remission of sinnes which is sealed vnto vs in the Lords Supper But the Masse by the consent of some of their greatest Doctors is not auaileable for the remission of sinnes Twelfely it opens the mouth of the Common Aduersary who despises both the persons and religions of all Christians because the Church of Rome worshippeth a breaden God The thirteenth impiety of the Masse is this it destroyeth the eternity of Christs Priest-hood who was consecrated of his father a Priest not for a time but for euer after the order of Melchizedech which order was not temporall as the Priest-hood of Rome but eternall not externall and visible after his assension but spirituall and inuisible such as could neither be supplyed by substitutes or successours But by offering the sacrifice of the Masse they make themselues after the order of Melchizedech which order at the end of the world shall cease what then shall become of Christs eternall Priest-hood The fourteenth impiety of the Masse It maketh the Priest of more desert then Christ himselfe For the sacrifice is not accepted for it selfe but for the worthinesse of the person offering Caines sacrifice was as good as Abels when yet it was reiected for the wickednesse of him that offered Abels being accepted for the worthinesse of the sacrificer so the humane nature of Christ being our sacrifice was meritorious by the vertue of the God-head whereby it was offered vnto his Father But if the Priests do offer the body of Christ vnto his Father he must needes be of more desert then the sacrifice it selfe The fifteenth impiety of the Masse It ouerthroweth the Doctrine of grace and iustification which teacheth that in this life alone man hath time to worke his saluation and to procure the fauour of God and pardon for sinne But the Masse is profitable for the dead yea both to mitigate the paines and totally to liberate out of
vse as meanes for the conuersion of others were to liue in future ages and had not as yet beeing and consequently could not at that time finish those acts whereunto they were destined of God but if he vnderstand by these words All things necessary for mans saluation are not finished all the specificall acts of religion as Prayer Preaching Administration of the Sacraments c. and whatsoeuer of that kind which is necessary to mans saluation is not finished this is false for that they had their institution from Christ before his death and so in the species they were finished Or if thereby the sacrifice of Christ was not finished this is false for both it and the saluation of man by it was finished as appeares by the Apostles vsing the same words saying With one offering teteleioken consummauit he hath consummated for euer such as are sanctified And whereas he sayes that if all things necessary for mans saluation were consummated then the sacraments and all doctrine should bee superfluous this is false for the institution of them might be consummated although the exercise of them in future ages were not finished Againe the perfection of Christs sacrifice abolisheth not the vse of doctrine and Sacraments which doe represent vnto vs the death and sacrifice of Christ but it abolisheth all other sacrifices of Propitiation for if they be but memorialls of Christs death they are superfluous the word and sacraments beeing sufficient to that end and if they be more then memorials as auaileable to forgiue sinnes they are blasphemous and make Christs sacrifice imperfect Argument 17. The seauenteenth argument is taken from the falshood of the Canon of the Masse and it is thus framed Such as is the Canon such is the sacrifice But the Canon of the Masse is false Ergo the sacrifice is false and consequently not Propitiatory The falshood of the Masse appeares in diuers things 1. In the ancient Church when the Lords Supper was celebrated the Christians vsed to bring their agapai which were the bread and wine for the reliefe of the poore and the maintenance of the Ministry and when they had laide downe these oblations which were neuer accounted a Propitiatory sacrifice they prayed for the prosperity and preseruation of the Church which in the Canon before the consecration is applyed vnto the bread and wine and the bread and wine is offered vnto God the Father for the happinesse of the Church Secondly in the Canon They pray vnto God that he would accept that pure sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ as he accepted the sacrifices of Abell and Melchizedech In which words they become intercessours vnto God the Father to accept his Son Iesus Christ as though he were not worthy to be accepted of himselfe And how absurd is it to compare the most pretious sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ if it were so really and truely vnto the sacrifice of Abel which was but a lambe or a goate And how vnwisely doe they pray that God would accept the sacrifice of his Sonne as hee did accept the sacrifice of Melchizedech whereas it cannot appeare as is formerly prooued by the holy scripture that Melchizedech offered bread and wine how absurd is it then to compare the sacrifice of Christ with that sacrifice which neither was is nor shall be Thirdly the Canon saith that the Priest offereth vnto God the heauenly Father the bread of life But where are they commanded to offer the bread of life seeing in the scripture there is mention made of eating the bread of life but not of offering Fourthly the Canon ouerthrowes the article of ascension for it commands the Angells to carry that vnspotted sacrifice to the high Altar of heauen and to present it before God the Father What Is not Christ ascended and fitteth for euer at the right hand of God and hath he now more need of the helpe of Anglls then when he first ascended by the whole power of his Godhead and cannot hee appeare before his Father but by the assistants of Angells But let me bee bold to demand three questions of our aduersaries grounded vpon these words of the Canon Supplices te rogamus omnipotens Deus iube haec perferri per manus sancti Angeli c. We humbly beseech thee O Omnipotent God that tbou wouldest command this sacrifice to be carryed by the hands of the holy Angell vnto thy high Altar in the sight of thy diuine Maiesty c. First if they vnderstand it of the bread and wine transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ how comes it to passe that they are not taken by the Angell and carryed immediately into heauen according to the prayer of the Church Secondly I demand if their doctrine bee true of their Multipresence that the true humane body and blood of Christ be both in heauen and in many thousand places vpon the earth at one time what need then the Angell to carry the body of Christ into heauen where it is already before his heauenly Father Thirdly if it be so as they say that Christ in the night when he instituted the Lords Supper did offer himselfe his naturall body and blood vnder the forms of bread and wine a true Propitiatory sacrifice to his heauenly Father I demand whether the Angell did carry this sacrifice into heauen or whether it did 〈◊〉 before his Father in heauen or no If they say no how then was the sacrifice accepted or how comes the Church to pray for that priuiledge of hauing this sacrifice carryed into heauen which was not vouchsafed to the sacrifice offered immediately by Christ himselfe If they affirme that it was carryed into heauen it would then follow that Christs body was in heauen before his passion resurrection or ascension and when he in his humane nature ascended into heauen from his Disciples hee found his humane body and blood before his Father and to haue beene there before it came thither Thus they make Christ to haue two bodies and consequently two soules and so Christ is not one but two but many but innumerable These absurdities doe directly result and arise from their blasphemous Canon which is so grosse and palpable as deserues to be hissed out of the Church Lastly the Canon in diuers places ouerturnes the Mediation of Christ in that they pray to Saints and Angells making them to be intercessours it also establishes Purgatory and prayer for the dead doctrines so dissonant from the truth of the Scriptures as when we see them authorized in the Church of Rome wee may iustly call in question the vertue of their massing sacrifice Argument 18. The eighteenth Argument is taken from the effect of the Masse thus That which destroyeth the true nature of the Lords Supper cannot be a true Propitiatory sacrifice for the 〈◊〉 of the quicke and the dead But the pretended sacrifice of the Masse doth subuert and destroy the nature of the Lords Supper Ergo