that it should be Holy and without blemish Ephes 5.26 27. Aqua quae benedicitur purgat illuminat hominem The water which is blessed doth purge and illuminate man saith Gregory Nyssen in lib. de Baptismo Caro abluitur ut anima emaculetur the body is washed that the soule may be made cleane saith Tertullian de resurrectione carnis From whence in all likelihood Augustine tract 80. in Johannem propounded that assevering interrogation unde tanta vis aquae ut corpus tangat cor abluat from whence is that powerfull vertue of water that the body being touched the soule is washed The blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist is more powerfull than over Paschal was Tertul. de resurrectione carnis thus Caro corpore Christi sanguine veseitur ut anima de Deo saginetur our flesh feedeth on the body and blood of Christ that our soules may be filled and fatted with God Bernard in primo Sermone de coena Domini pag. 145. Who can quell so fierce raging wilde motions of concupiscence who can beare the itchings bitings or akings of this wound Beleeve Gods grace is sufficient for men And that ye may be secure saith Saint Bernard you have the investiture that is a new acquist and possession of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ For that Sacrament worketh two things in us Et sensum minuit in minimis ingravioribus peccatis tollit omnino consensum it infeebleth and diminisheth sin in the smallest matters but in more grievous sins it wholly taketh away our consent If any of you find not so sharp motions to anger envie luxury or the like let him thank the body and blood of our Lord because the vertue of that Sacrament worketh effectually in him and let him rejoyce that the fowlest ulcer beginneth to heale I conclude this passage with the memorable words of our Saviour at the institution of the holy Eucharist Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Thus doe the Sacraments of Grace remit quell and mortifie sin whereas the divine Apostle speaking of the Sacraments of the old Law is expresse Heb. 10.4 It is not possible that the blood of Goats and Bulls should take away sins PAR. 3. A Third Reason for its Institution was to prefigure Christs death and going out of the world John 13.1 Jesus knew his houre was come that he should depart out of the world unto the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut transeat that he might Passe out of the world having apparent reference both to the old and new Passeover on the Crosse All Sacraments of the old Law were figures of the Eucharist And they did also finally designe and typifie Christs death Therefore the blessed Eucharist must needs adumbrate Christs death also Indeed the Egyptian Passeover by the sprinkling of whose blood the Israelites were freed from the exterminating Angel doth most lively typifie Christ slaine and his blood delivering us But the Paschal Lamb which afterward was yeerely slaine did more resemble the Sacrament of Christs body and blood and yet both the first and the succeding yeerely Passeover may all of them and each of them in a true and fitting sence be said to prefigure not only the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ but the very Crucifixion of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ PAR. 4. A Fourth Cause of Christ's superinducing of the blessed Eucharist was to be a remembrance to us of Christs death till he commeth againe 1 Cor. 11.24 Doe this in remembrance of me so verse 25. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye doo shew the Lords death till he come ver 26. The Paschall was a memoriall of their deliverance from Egypt and of their passing the Red-sea without danger whilst the Sea stood as two Christall walls on the right hand and the left and they passed through dry-footed Exod. 14.22 Againe when in after times their children were to ask What mean you by this service Ye shall say It is the Sacrifice of the Lords Passeover who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivere dour houses Exod. 12.26 c. But the Eucharist is a memoriall of our deliverance from Sin Hell and the power of Satan Therefore so farre as spirituall deliverances are above temporall as the soules are above the bodies heaven above earth so farre doth our holy Eucharist antecede their Paschal and bringeth with it more certaine fruit and fuller Grace infused not only Sealing and Signifying Grace but Conferring and Exhibiting it by it selfe in the true use I urge not this effect so farre as to exclude Baptisme from working remission of sinnes nor as if the sacred Sucharist did remit the Same Individuall sinnes which were Before remitted by Baptisme or as if it did remit sins that never were Repented of God doth not so much But the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord forgiveth such sins as have beene committed betweene the receiving of Baptisme and it and such sins as have overborne us since our hearty Contrition and Repentance yea where sins are perfectly forgiven before the holy Communion yet doth the Holy Communion Enseale and Ratifie the former remission if I may so speake and the Eucharist in the right use maketh an Attrite man a Contrite One A Contrite man to be Justified A Justified man to be Holy An Holy man to be More holy and the Holiest One to be more lively spiritfull and prompt in religious services than I think he would have beene if the Sacrament had beene omitted Thus I doubt not but if the Thrice-blessed Virgin Mary had received the consecrated Eucharist as in likelihood she did though she were full of Grace according to the Angels salutation when she received it yet it would not have beene uneffectuall to her Good for she was not so full of Grace but that shee was still capable of more and greater additaments of Grace Many more Reasons there are why Christ Jesus did superinstitute the blessed Eucharist destroying and abolishing thereby the old Passeover I will instance only in some of them and that very briefly PAR. 5. A Fifth Reason why Christ did institute this Sacrament was to unite us to Himselfe 1 Corinth 10.16 The cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the body of Christ The cup is so necessary that the Apostle placeth it before the bread 6. To breed brotherly love and to unite us to Christ and one to another For we being many are One Bread and One Body For we are all partakers of that One Bread 1 Cor. 10.17 Hence floweth that great Article of our Creed The communion of Saints Hence is that Sacred Eucharist called Communio A Communion John 6.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my
Lambes onely might be at that time the rosted passeover spoken of vers 13. the Sacramentall passeover so i Deut. 16.2 Deut. 16.2 immolabis Domino Phase de ovibus bobus where we must not conclude that Oxen and Calves there and then were to be offered as the peculiar passeover the holiest of holy offerings the sacred Sacramentall passeover but Oxen and Calves were to bee esteemed passeover offerings in a large sense as conducing to the Feast of the Chagigah and as generall Sacrifices whose way was to be prepared by the true and proper offering of the Paschall Lambe Yet say some both Jewes and late Christians that in those tumultuary times Ob. at their going out of Aegypt when all things were hudled up in haste when feare doubt danger and amazement incompassed them they might serve their readiest turne with either Kid or Lambe at that time But this is non causa pro causâ Sol. and they bring a shallow reason to confirme an apparent truth the Scripture voucheth expressely that at the first passeover they might take out of the Sheepe or from the Goates k Exod. 12.5 Exod. 12.5 But against their reason it is observable that they were not confined to any short time but might take leasure enough with mature deliberation before they chose their passeover and at the choyce of it Besides the Sacrifice was to be chosen on the tenth day of the first Moneth l Exod. 12 3. Exod. 12.3 and slaine on the foureteenth day betweene the two Evenings vers 6. foure whole dayes they were to keepe it by them and therefore they preferred not the Kid to be the passeover for want of time nor made they their choyce in the confused hurry for the great hurli-burly was in the night of their Exodus and not till the destroying Angell had passed over their houses and their choyse of the passeover was foure dayes before I rather take this to bee the cause the Israelites were under the most heavy persecution of the domineering Aegyptians and mercilessely as it were condemned to the Brick-kills which bondage is called the Iron Fornace a Deut. 4 20. Deut. 4.20 the middest of the Fornace of Iron b 1 King 8.51 1 King 8.51 which is the hottest place and every Shepheard being an abomination to the Aegyptians c Gen 46.34 Gen. 46.34 though the Israelites had some Flockes d Exod. 10.9 Exod. 10.9 and the Egyptians themselves had some Flockes e Gen. 47.17 Gen. 47.17 yet it is not likely that the Israelites had Lambes enough of their owne no nor of the Aegyptians borrowed Lambes if they borrowed any for this great passeover but the sacrifice in this scarcitie of Lambes was supplyed by Kids even by Gods owne allotment or appointment which afterward might not be so when they had sufficient Lambes PAR. 6. RVpert's observation is too nice that a Lambe or a Kid might be the Passeover to signifie Christ qui in se est Agnus sed nobis est Hoedus quia nostra peccata in se luenda suscepit that is Christ in himselfe is a Lambe but to us a Kid because hee tooke upon him the punishment of our sinnes as if agnus dei non tollit peccata mundi f Ioh. 1.29 Ioh. 1.29 as if he were not brought as a Lambe to the slaughter g Esa 53.7 Isa 53.7 and his soule made an offering for sinne vers 10. for the transgression of my people was be smitten vers 8. As for Hazael 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caper emissarius or scape-Goate the holy writ is expresse h Levit. 16.22 Levit. 16.22 the Goate shall beare upon him all their iniquities It was a Goate not a Kid aries not hoedus and if it had beene hoedus it tooke not the punishment of their sinnes for it was a scape-Goate and lived but their sinnes were layd on the head of it but Christ his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Tree or on the Tree i 1 Pet. 2.24 1 Pet. 2.24 and Christ dyed for our sinnes k 1 Cor. 15.3 1 Cor. 15.3 PAR. 7. THe second ceremony peculiar to the first Pesach was this The Lambe or Kid was prepared and in a readinesse foure dayes before PAR. 8. THis circumstance is wholly omitted at the repeating of the Law l Levit. 23. Levit. 23. nor is any such ceremony mentioned though many others are m Deut. 16. Num. 28. Ezra 6. 2 Chro. 30. and 35. Deu. 16. Num. 28. Ezra 6. 2 Chron. 30. 2 Chron. 35. The passeover was prepared for our Saviour by his disciples but the day in the night whereof it was eaten n Matth. 26.17 Matth. 26.17 c. Many were the reasons why they tooke so much time for this Aegyptian passeover and not ever after First that by beholding the Lambe they might be put in minde to prepare themselves and all other things also for their journey and not Reason 1 be taken tardy nor adjourne all things over to the last quoties agnus balatum emittebat toties quasi Tubae sonitus exitur as castrorum acies excitabat that is as often as the Lambe bleated saith Rupert it served in stead of a Trumpet to stirre them up to the raysing of their armies at least in affection Secondly to shew to the Reason 2 Aegyptians that they feared them not nor cared to displease them by setting aside so long before hand those Kids and especially Lambes for to be sacrificed and eaten which the Aegyptians could not abide to be slaine much lesse to be eaten for this was abhomination to them because they worshipped them as Gods there being no such occasion in future times they needed not to store up their Lambes Reason 3 foure dayes before the Sacrifice Thirdly that they might have faire time to seach and examine if there were any manner of legall defect inward or outward growne Reason 4 or growing Fourthly if they had beene to seeke their sacrifice the last day they might perhaps have missed of it So many Lambes or Kids and those every way perfect were not presently to be found and then the Apollyon or exterminating Angell would have punished their defect Fifthly that the presence of the Lambe Reason 5 for foure dayes might minister unto them discourse of Gods great favour to them by the meanes of that passeover freeing them from the death of their first-borne and giving them this as a sacred earnest of their delivery from captivitie and vassalage in Aegypt Sixtly what the Jewes wanted they were permitted by God to borrow Reason 6 or take of the Aegyptians Now if they wanted Lambes or Kids as is likely they must needs provide them foure dayes before hand because in the three dayes antecedent among the Aegyptians was continuall darkenesse And though the Israelites had light where they dwelt yet the Aegyptians saw not one another neither rose any from his place for
purposely they stole away a golden Cup from a Feast and accused him to the King Dioxippus could not abide to be held by Alexander or his envious enemies as a thiefe and killed himselfe It was one of the worst deedes that ever Alexander or did or countenanced But the Roman Lawes which they tooke from the Grecians in the dayes of the Decemviri appointed that the searcher should make oath by the gods the keepers of the Lawes that he did search in hope to finde the things feloniously stollen from him and then he should come naked into the house of the party suspected covered onely to preserve modesty whereupon the suspected party or parties were to permit him to seeke in all suspicious places of theirs locked or unlocked within doores or without The ninth Commandement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour Qui falsum Testimonium dixisset è Saxo Tarpeio dejiceretur that is if any one shall beare false witnesse against his neighbour let him be cast downe headlong from the Tarpeian rocke the rocke was of an huge heigth Dejectio è rupe sivê â Saxo Tarpeio per carnificem facta est praegressâ verberatione jussu Magistratûs this hurling or tumbling downe from the Tarpeian rocke or stone was done by the Executioner when first he had whipped the malefactor at the command of the Magistrate Free-men were so served saith Appian De Bello civil 3. Cicero lib. 4. de Republ. Siquis actitaverit sive carmen condiderit quod infamiam flagitiúmve alteri precetur capite punitor that is If any one shall compose or rehearse a Libell which may redound to the disparagement of a mans fame or good name let him be beheaded let him die the death Metius Suffetius Albanus pactum atque condictum cum Rege populi Romani perfidè rupit binis quadrigis vinctus in diversa nitentibus Laceratus est Gell. 20.1 Metius Suffetius Captaine of the Albanes did perfidiously violate his promise and agreement which he made with the King of the people of Rome wherefore being tyed by the armes and legges to two Chariots each drawne with foure horses that were driven two cleane contrary wayes he was rent-asunder for his labour Coelius ad Favorinum ibid. testifieth that the Law of casting Lyers from the Tarpeian rocke was abolished and if it had continued they had had few false witnesses acerbitas plerumque ulciscendi malesâ—cii bene cauté vivendi disciplina est that is vehement sharpe punishment of offenders teacheth people to live well At tu dictis Albane maneres Virgil Aeneid 8. Perhaps it might be better thus At tu pactis Albane stetisses But Duke of Alba you should have observed Your owne compacts from which you falsely swerved For it was Metius Suffetius Dux Albanus to whom he spake Patronus si clienti fraudem fecerit sacer esto if the Patron falsifie the trust which the client puts in him he is out-lawed the Patrones esteemed their Clients above kinred sayth Gellius Afterward Lege Corneliâ a false witnesse was confined to some Iland and all his goods forfeited to this Commandement may this be reduced Qui terminum exarâssit ipsus boves sacri sunto He was to die who brake the old boundaries making false bounds he and his innocent Oxen for ploughing of a lye yea the abstainers from witnessing what they knew were to be Intestabiles might neither be witnesses in any ensuing cases nor might any witnesse for them briefely Polybius lib. 6. so great Religion did the Romanes place in an oath that they therein exceeded and excelled all other Nations Polybius himselfe condemning his owne Countrimen and administring occasion to the world that Graeca fides might be taxed and runne into a Proverbe Concerning the tenth Commandement no Lawes of man ever established it for no Law of man could ever punish it an inward unlawfull thought unrevealed is above mans judgement Cogitationis poenam in foro nostro nemo luat let no man be punished by our Law for thoughts onely say the Civilians a transient ill imagination strangled ere his birth is subject only to Gods Tribunall Heathens might and did counsell well but they were never able to straine so high this is a Commandement which subjecteth all the world to guiltinesse Heaven were not so hard to be obtained but for this Non concupisces Thou shalt not lust or covet The Apostle who knew not sinne otherwise knew it by this Law Rom. 7.7 In other Commandements the Act in this the Intention of the Act though the purpose fayle is forbidden In this Commandement the Primitive transient ebullition the thought though corrected presently is condemned yea the very suggestion entertained though speedily rejected is condemnable here not as a suggestion not as resisted but as entertained and too late resisted of thoughts there be divers sorts In morosâ cogitatione there is delight this is condemned in every law in volatili or volaticâ cogitatione where there is no rest no complacency yet because we permitted a noxious thought to supervolitare it is sinfull If any one should prudently cautelously and lovingly advise me to examine whether in every of the other Commandements the Intention of breaking them be not a violation I answer the Intention doth the intention to the contrary is a breaking of any Commandement for Intention implyeth a consent there is the thought of the heart Act. 8.22 the lodging of vaine thoughts within us is not onely disliked Jer. 4.14 but their very first approach or salutation is forbid in the tenth Commandement and not onely the expulsion of them is precepted but a quelling of them at the motus primo-primi whether arising inwardly or contorted by Satan To be tempted of Satan is no sinne else Christ had sinned but it is a sinne if we take not the shield of faith whereby we may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one Ephes 6.16 wee are not onely bound to resist and that alwayes but if we so carelesly resist that he give us a veni or our soule receiveth never so little a spot if any of his darts doe but as it were raze our skinne then this imperfect resistance is a sinne not as it is a resistance but as it is imperfect there is a thought without voyce even this is condemned in the tenth Commandement though it make no impression on the body and there is a thought with a voyce Eccles 10.20 this is a violation if it be evill of any of the Commandements there is morosa cogitatio mali which nestleth in a man and there is transvolans cogitatio this later is condemned by the last Commandement there is a thought of evill and there is an Imagination of a thought 1 Chron. 29.9 Gen. 6.5 the very imagination of an ill thought breaketh the last precept but Cogitation is onely as an abortion of the consent or intention and is forbid onely in the tenth Commandement In the other Commandements is
I returne to him againe who in the same pag. 311. thus to the old matter Such almost is the ceremony of Fasts Because the Iewes were wont in every great griefe to afflict their bodies and to Fast therefore the Lord liked it But since we have no such custome in any griefe of minde to use so great vexations of our bodies God requireth them not nor so great in our repentance Let the world now judge of the Illyrican crapulous repentance Gods especiall approbation of Fasting exempteth for sooth the full-fed and well tipled German because they have no such custome of Fasting among them who but a bold Libertine durst write in this manner PAR. 12. LAstly saith Illyricus Two reasons and those not contemptible ones may be drawn from the nature and site of the countreyes why we are not bound to Fast as the Iewes were 1. First here in Germanie our stomacks for the circumstant cold yea naturally are hotter and therefore consume more meate and can lesse endure hunger 2. The second rēason is Since cold doth more afflict the Fasting then the full stomacks or men if a man would here macerate himselfe with much Fasting without doubt in those so great colds he would dye or fall into some most grievous disease Some have made their belly their God I dare say this super intendent Illyricus may be his high-Priest How tender is he of his God They were never more carefull to provide for Baall then he doth for the belly To the first reason I say it is ridiculous For because they are more hungry naturally or accidentally then the Iewes shall they lesse afflict themselves then the Iewes did If they take away from their dyer but so much as may humble them as may tame their rebellious flesh or may further them in the wayes of devotion this is a true and acceptable Fast though before and after their Fasts the Northerne stomack eate more meate then the Easterne can Againe if the German can lesse indure hunger yet let him indure some let him indure but proportionable affliction as the Iewes did or as God intendeth in his precept of Fasting and then his after-eating is of easier dispensation To the second reason I answer Illyricus is very cautelous very curious in cute curandâ in pampering his belly For though cold weather more punish the Fasting then the full and crammed paunch yet nor God nor good men did ever command us to macerate our selves with Fasting so eagerly so vehemently so extreamely as should bring us either to death or diseases who do so willingly are murtherers of themselves and if any should do so unwillingly hee is accessary to his owne death and incurreth the wrath of God for drawing sicknesse upon himselfe The golden meane is a just tribute due to God payable to man In some other matters concerning Fasting Illyricus so playeth the Dy-dapper up and downe in and out that he is not worth the following Yet I cannot wholy give him over He denyeth that Fasting conduceth to Prayer or is a good worke of it selfe but is onely a signe and effect of a sorrowfull humbled and contrite heart And if any object why did Christ then Fast even hee who had no sinnes for which he should be sorry Why did the Apostles Fast Act. 13.3 of whom we do not read saith Illyricus that then lately they had committed any great sinnes for which they should cruciate themselves with griefe and fasting Illyricus answereth Christ did not Fast to prepare himselfe to Prayer since his flesh did not rebell against his spirit nor needed any such castigation But he fasted for griefe of minde and contrition of heart because he was to be punished as if he had committed all the sins of the world I reply did Christ Fast only then when he had such dolorous thoughts Did He not Fast to teach us to Fast Either before or in or after his fortie dayes Fast is there any word evincing that Christ fasted in consideration of a most dolefull and broken heart Likewise concerning the Apostles All saith hee that adde fasting to Prayers and pray rightly must come with a broken heart and then desire mercie for Christs merit Who denyeth this wholy or what is this to the purpose or how is the objection answered The Apostles and others fasted and prayed that God would blesse them in the calling to which they were then separated and to obtaine the favour of God for that especiall businesse though then they had no extraordinary cause to have broken hearts as Illyricus confesseth and no question but they implored Gods mercie for Christs sake but their fastings and Prayers were not here signes or effects of broken hearts but Signanter fasting ayded Prayer Prayer fasting both desired and obtained a blessing of God upon what they requested Most times a broken heart preceedeth fasting Sometimes fasting prepareth the way to a broken heart as the chewing of meate doth to the speedier nourishment As in our late just holy and commanded Fast that the Lord would vouchsafe to free the Citie of London and the infected neighbouring places from the plague many a thousand countrey-men by fasting came to a sorrowfull heart who at first came not to a fasting by a contrite heart but by command And truely as God doth often commute the eternall punishment which wee have deserved into a temporary so when hee seeth the inward humiliation of the soule attended on with selfe-inflicted paine upon the body the Lord doth take off some of that punishment which otherwise had laid strong hold on us This was Ahabs case 1. King 21.27 and the Ninevites Jonah 3.7 whose voluntary subjecting themselves to punishment diverted from them the full viols of Gods wrath Christ had compassion on such as fainted or were tyred and lay downe Matthew 9.36 And I have saith Christ compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three dayes and have nothing to eate and I will not send them away fasting Matthew 15.32 Illyricus cannot prove that these men fasted as a signe or effect of their condoling contrite hearts but they fasted to feed on Christs holy words they fasted to behold more of his wondrous workes and in expectancie of some divine blessing and when Christ saw that they fasted so long that they were like to be the worse he miraculously fed them verse 37. PAR. 14. MAny learned men saith Illyricus thinke fastings were of old and are now to be used that the weakened body might the rather obey the soule and that a man may be fitter to pray and performe divine duties But thus I thinke saith he and we finde it by experience that the body Rectissime curatum tended most contentedly and exactly with necessary meate drinke sleepe apparell and other requisites is most composed and best setled and therefore can best of all obey and serve the actions of the minde and that I may so say will obey He resteth not here but proceedeth Yea a somewhat
dedicated unto God were to be eaten before the Tabernacle that they might be the merrier and apter to give God thankes For the same cause Musicke was alwaies used in rebus sacris at their devotions to exhilarate and stirre up the spirit So hee Is there no difference betweene the ordinances at feastings and those at fastings Because feastings were appointed and musicke when they had offered their Sacrifices is there any shew of resultance that therefore wee should be merry and well fed at our fastings Or did they feast dance or sing whilst the Sacrifices were offered silence with solemnity of devotion was the anteamble or usher to their festivals His other reasons are these PAR. 5. FAsting is a kinde of naturall thing and therefore is not undertaken purposely for another end but naturally floweth from another precedent cause viz. from a contrite sad heart so hee I say fasting is rather a kinde of voluntary than naturall thing and is never undertaken without some end nay divers ends may be and are of the same fast If some fasting proceed from a broken contrite heart before-hand afflicted yet all fasting doth not so And if all did there must be some end even in that naturall fluxe PAR. 6. MAny examples thērē are of fastings for griefe and sadnesse of minde for past present and imminent calamities but as a kinde of sorrow not for preparation to future prayer So Illyricus Answer He seemeth to be ignorant that sorrow it selfe prepareth us to prayer Doth sorrow exclude prayer when do people pray more or more fervently than in sorrow t In their afflictiction they will seeke mee early Hosea 5.15 Thou called'st in trouble and I delivered thee Psalm 81.2 A command there is for it Psalm 50 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble And it is divinely answered Psalm 86. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee It is not likely saith hee that Christ would whilst hee lived have suffered the Apostles to neglect fastings if they were so profitable exercises for piety and prayer as some thinke I answer The Apostles did not neglect fasting there is a great deale of difference betweene Not-performing and Neglecting Neglect hath sinne wrapped up in it bare omission may be upheld by many just reasons Christs dispensation was sufficient for them And what if I should say their attendance on Christ and observing of him in words and deeds and behaviour was a more powerfull meanes towards piety and prayer than their fasting would have been without eying of Christ and thereupon Christ permitted them to take the better way Who would take up an handfull of silver when instead of it he may take up an handfull of gold Never did Christ turne from the people and turne himselfe to his Disciples and say things privately to them but the things were of extraordinary note But so did Christ Luk. 10.23 shewing what a happinesse they had to be with him So Matt. 13.16 Blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare saith Christ to his Apostles for many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which yee see and have not seene them and to heare those things which yee heare and have not heard them vers 17. It is varied excellently Luk. 10.24 Prophets and Kings So the Kings were reckoned as righteous men more righteous than others Againe saith Illyricus God would not have rejected the fasts of the Jewes Esay 58.3 If they had beene exercises truly preparing men to prayer and other vertues I answer how blinde is hee that will not or cannot see that God findeth fault not with true fasting which much conduceth to holinesse but with their Hypocriticall fasting Behold saith hee in the day of your fast yee finde perhaps invent pleasure yee offer grievances yee fast for strife and debate vers 4. Then he sheweth what a fast God likes vers 6. And after such a fast Thou shalt call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and hee shall say here am I. vers 9. Where the Prophet of set purpose sheweth that a true fast prepareth men to pray and God to heare God found fault with the abuse and not with the right use of fasting And shall we cut downe the vines because some are drunke God never rejected a true fast When yee fasted and mourned did ye at all fast unto mee even to mee Zach. 7 5. Here is both fasting and mourning yet because they did not conduce to the waies of God or godlinesse but fasted to their owne profane and civill ends and not to holy ends or exercises of piety God renounceth them Againe saith hee Christ fasted whose body needed no such castigation Therefore hee did not prepare himselfe by fasting unto prayer I answer Indeed Christ was the immaculate lambe of God without either originall or actuall sin But he fasted to satisfie Adam and Eves intemperate eating he fasted to recompence our gluttony he fasted so to teach us to fast And hee fasted for us not for himselfe If he fasted that needed not how much rather ought wee to fast that do need Christ fasted not without great good causes and to great good ends and purposes the issue was divine For had he made bread of stone had hee eate that bread had hee not still fasted hee had beene surprised by the tempter but by fasting hee grew hungry Graeculus esuriens in coelum jusser is ibit A man will do any thing to satisfie nature if his appetite be sharpe set hunger will breake through stone walls yet whereas Adam and all wee in him fell by his eating our blessed Saviour stood out against Satan and over came him by hunger and fasting as I have manifested in my Miscellanies I deny not the conjunction of other helpes for Christ Christ in the dayes of his flesh when hee offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares he was heard for his piety or in that he feared Heb. 5.7 But in the tempting Christ to eate did the serpents head worke chiefly and it was the maine drift of Satans first great temptation PAR. 7. CHrist defineth a fast to bē a sorrow Matth. 9.15 Can the children of the Bride-chamber mourne I answer it is no definition of a fast Christ speakes of mourning as of a companion fellow and concomitant of fasting Yea some mourning may be without fasting and therefore they be not reciprocall But Daniel 10.3 it is so defined I answer it is not it is true Daniel mourned three weekes and as true that he did eate no pleasant bread neither came flesh or wine into his mouth neither did hee annoint himselfe at all till the whole three weekes were fulfilled yet might hee eate other bread and other food though costly or curious food hee ate not Illyricus might have remembred that because Daniel did chasten himselfe before his God his words or prayers were heard vers 12. Therefore his fasting prepared him to prayer
caeterum But Apparet omninò ex aliis Evangelistis it is very plaine by the other Evanglists that the words But behold c. were spoken in Secundis mensis coenae Legalis at the second course of the Paschall Supper which being taken away and Supper being ended as S. Luke saith in the precedent verse Christ administred the sacred Supper Let this authority be noted for upon the mistaking of those words as spoken after the holy Supper grew the erronious opinion of S. Augustine and many other famous men That Judas received the Eucharist PAR. 2. REasons proving Judas to have eaten the holiest Mysteries are these First after the blessed Sacrament Christ saith Ecce manus tradentis me est in mensa Behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is on the table Luke 22.21 Therefore Judas was present also after the institution and so received it for none present at it were excluded This was the great stumbling-blocke at which the Divine S. Augustine and many others both stumbled and fell Barradius answereth that S. Luke used a recapitulation So Innocentius expoundeth it S. Luke diverse times tyed not himselfe to the order of things done Apparebit saith Maldonate on Matth. 12.43 non Lucam sed Matthaeum rerum gestarum ordinem tenuisse It is apparent that not S. Luke but S. Matthew followed the order of things as they were done so is it also in this place I say S. Matthew and S. Marke have the words in effect before the Consecration Secondly take the words as they lye in terminis and in the History according to the letter there followeth this notable inconvenience that after the third Supper the most blessed Eucharist or Lords Supper Judas was eating with Christ still at the same Table which upon mature consideration no Christian will admit PAR. 3. IVdas sate downe with the twelve and did eate of the Cup it is sayd Biberunt ex eo omnes Mark 14.23 And it was the Eucharisticall Cup as is apparent If none be excepted and if we must not limit things where Scripture doth not then Judas received the Divine Eucharist I answere S. John relateth that Judas went out immediately after after the sop But that sop was not the Sacrament but given before the Sacrament as followeth ex ordine gestorum verhorum Christi according to the order and deedes of Christ saith Barradius Againe the word Omnes All must necessarily be restrained ad omnes qui aderant to all that were present For shall we thinke the absent did receive Then must the 70. Disciples and all in the house be included and sayd to receive it which is false Therefore Omnes All involveth onely Omnes praesentes All present PAR. 4. THirdly Psal 109.8 Let another take his office charge or Bishopricke But hee was made Priest and Bishop at this Supper therefore was he present therefore he received it I answere this Prophecie was fulfilled in due time when Iudas was dead and not before Againe Iudas was made an Apostle long before this Matthew 10.4 He is reckoned as one though the last of the Apostles And the Apostle-ship comprized within it selfe as being the chiefest and greatest power all inferiour authority And S. Matthias was not chosen in his roome as he was Priest onely or Bishop onely the Apostleship being set aside But hee was chosen the twelfth Apostle with all its Rites priviledges and authorities PAR. 5. FOurthly none of the Disciples knew the secret sinne of Iudas so he was not deprived of the sacred Eucharist for this cause I answere when the sop was given and taken all the Disciples knew him to be the Traytor If not yet Christ knew him to be uncleane Ioh. 13.10 and 11. vers and knew him to be a Devill Ioh. 6.70 and 71. vers Therefore though Christ admitted Iudas into his company and to the dying transient Passeover and to the second Supper though he washed and wiped his feete yet it standeth with no likelihood that our holy Saviour would admit so sinfull a soule to so heavenly a banquet If in defence of the Prime part of this objection it be sayd that no man at the table knew for what intent Christ sayd unto him That thou doest doe quickely Iohn 13.28 Till I come purposely to handle the point let this answere serve All the Apostles might both know the traytour expresly and yet be ignorant what was the meaning of those words of Christ for they little imagined that Iudas would have betrayed Christ so soone even that night and they did then little imagine that then Christ gave the Devill full power over him PAR. 6. FIfthly Christ admitted Iudas to the Paschall and to the Common Supper then why was he not admitted to the Holy Eucharist I answere favour hath its latitude even among us we admit some and not others into our companie and among them some into our friendship others into familiarity to some wee shew curresies ina meane degree to other in an higher degree Iudas was chosen as well as the rest to be an Apostle I know whom I have chosen saith Christ Iohn 13.18 But he is named in the last place Matth. 10.4 And though he carried the bagge and kept the money Iohn 13.29 I account that was no favour unto him It was not in it selfe but to his courtuous soule as a snare and stumbling-block Nor doe you ever finde any steps of extraordinary favour of Christ unto him He singled out sometimes two and sometimes three unto especiall Services and to bee personall beholders of his more secret and Divine affaires Peter and Iohn were sent by Christ to prepare the Passeover Luke 22.8 Peter and Iohn waited on him John 21.20 He tooke Peter Iames and Iohn as witnesses of his transfiguration Mat. 17.1 He suffered no man to follow him save Peter Iames and Iohn Mat. 5.37 When they came to Gethsemani Christ sayd to his Disciples sit ye here while I shall pray and he taketh with him Peter Iames and John Mark 14.32 and 33. verses He never shewed Iudas any such token of familiarity so farre as Scripture recordeth but kept him at a distance Yet I confesse I have reade in S. Augustine Serm. 28. Tom. 10. folio 276. strange curtesies if truely undoubted of Christ to Judas he delivered him often from death for Iudas his sake he healed his father of Leprosie his Mother with whom Judas had beene incestuous of the Palsie hee found him often stealing and alwayes pardoned him he most an end honoured Iudas next to Peter he gave him his holy body he kneeled before him he washed his feete he kissed him From whence S. Augustine had all this he revealeth not nor is it de fide any Article of our Christian faith I come to my old businesse S. Bemaâ—d in Serm. 1. de Coenâ Domini pag. 1347. saith Judas was borne in a Village called Marmotis sive malamors Evill death Besides the partaking of the Common Supper yea and of the
and fault-finding with the losse of the rich and costly oyntment ambition to be in good esteeme with the chiefe Priests and the Rulers of the people by doing them such service as no man else would doe and these and other circum-repent temptations found an open entrance and pleasing intertainment in him In the third place Satan confirmeth all the precedent evills of sinne by his owne proper suggestions Every one Veluti contorta phalarica as an engine of warre carrying wild-sire in it where with timber-works were burned was violently hurled into each corner of his heart The devill having put into the heart of Iudas to betray Christ Ioh. 13.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum diabolus jam immisisset in cor Judae as both the Vulgar and Beza hath it when the devill had now as it were darted himselfe into or taken violent possession of the heart of Iudas the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may very well signifie both passed and present suggestions These were Immissae or Contortae tentationes with speedy violence like fiery darts inflamed his soule unto such a wickednesse as man durst not owne but as animated by Satan And to the furious instruments of warre may the word Immissae allude as the Apostle also more evidently seemeth to doe Ephes 6.16 when he saith That by the shield of faith we may be able to quench all the fiery darts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maligni illius saith Beza of the wicked one Nequissinii illius as it is in the vulgar of that most wicked one If our last Translation had expressed the name of the devill no exception could be taken if a man looke up to the 11. and 12. verses Or else the Metaphor in the words Satan put it or cast it or thrust it into the heart of Iudas may be taken from the command of God that whatsoever touched the border of the Mountaine were he man or beast he should surely be stoned or shot thorow Exod. 19.12 and 13. verses which the Apostle Heb. 12.20 divinely varieth He shall be thrust thorow with a dart So was Iudas his heart transpierced by Satan PAR. 13. LEt me insert a little ragge of a Sermon which I made before the most learned and holy Prelate our right reverend Diocoesan now Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells concerning these temptations I take three Conclusions as granted The first Conclusion presupposed as a knowne truth is That the temptations of the world are sometimes severall temptations from those of Satan If God withheld Satan from tempting of a man yet must we be also unspotted of the world Iames 1.27 For there are pollutions of the world 2. Pet. 2.20 Beware of men saith Christ Matth. 10.17 well expounded by S. Paul Phil. 2.3 Beware of evill workers Lastly the ranking of our enemies under the distinct Ensignes of the Flesh the World and the Devill shewes there are divers and divided temptations Sunt trio qua tentant hominem mundus Caro Daemon Three things there are which doe tempt man The world the flesh and old Satan This proves the second truth also which I assumed as granted That the Temptations of the flesh are oftentimes severall from the assaults of the devill If there were no devill at all saith Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secundo we yet should finde unlawfull desires and appetites The flesh would lust against the spirit Iames 4.1 Warres and fightings come even of your lusts that warre in your members warres upon warres and Iames 1.14 Every man is tempted when hee is drawne away of his owne lusts and intised which temptation is there declared by these three degrees the Beginning the Procedure and the Consummation Or thus the Primitive Motion the Assisting Commotion Mota facilius commoventur when things are once moved they move the faster The Plenary agreeing begetting death S. Augustine varieth the phrases though not the sense de Genes contra manicheos 2.14 that the temptation of the flesh is accomplished by Suggestion Delight and Pleasure The third Conclusion presumed as undeniable is this The devill may be said to be author and cause of all and every temptation nor directly but indirectly not alwayes immediatly but principally and occasionally Since wee have never knowne the lusts of the flesh or the baytes of the world if hee had not beene I am loth to goe so farre as Hierom on that of the Psalmograph Eschew evill and doe good who saith Omnia mala ab instinctu diaboli procedunt sicut bona ab instinctu Dei All evill proceedes from the instinct of the devill as all good from the inspiration of God for from God flow all graces directly yet Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most properly is called the Tempter Matth. 4. and is meant where it is said Lest the Tempertempt you 1 Thes 3.5 He begat in mankinde a disposition to sinne as a Cleaver of wood prepareth it for burning He ministreth present matter and concurreth in most temptations as the Fueller layeth sticks upon the fire and bloweth the coales using both the World and the Flesh as his instruments to set us in Comburo as the Spaniard phrazeth it and to seduce us In which regard when we overcome the World or the Flesh we may be said in a sort to resist the devill and yet he hath peculiar Temptations by us to be opposed Resist the devill and he will flie from you So much for the three Conclusions PAR. 14. THe Question is How shall we know the Temptations of the Devill from the temptations of the World and the Flesh Some thinke they cannot be knowne I never read them distinguished aptly enough I wish men would rather labour to avoyde all yet I answer The Obrepentes or creeping Temptations are more slow The Ascendentes or arising Temptations more inward and more naturall yet more sinfull as Selfe-sowne Selfe-growne in the corrupt masse of Mankinde The third sort are more quicke more sharpe or lesse thought of and these proceede from Sathan more immediatly Once againe thus The temptations of the World properly are when men and women are drawne unto sinne by other folkes flatterings perswasions threats fashions evill examples or customes of the world because of these scandalls The temptations of the Flesh are not onely carnall lusts but all inordinate concupiscence of any wordly things The Apostle reckoneth even some spirituall offences among the sinnes of the flesh Gal. 5.19 For the concupiscence even of the Regenerate hath its seate not in the sensitive appetite so much as in the reasonable soule PAR. 15. THe temptations of Satan are many He hath Mille nocendi artes and wee may be sure those are his which doe most cunningly and fiercely tempt us for there is no head to the head of the Serpent no cunning to his cunning his strength is in his loynes Iob 40.16 There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the working of Satan 2 Thes 2.9 He spreadeth sharpe-pointing things upon the mire Job 41.30 And we are that
those very especiall Twelve or rather Eleven Judas being gon forth which were an exempt out from the rest employed above the rest more inwardly and familiarly conversing with Christ than the rest of the Disciples So since they are so often called Disciples we may think it teacheth us probably That the Apostles represented at this Eucharist in this regard viz. as Christ was the Administrant the rest of the Priesthood only not the Body of Christs Church not the whole and intire company of all the Faithfull Disciples that then were or were to bee unto the Worlds end Lay and others but the Clergy Presbyters and Ministers who are here called Disciples though the word Disciples be also often of a larger extent And this may be a reason hereof No man can imagine that Christ gave power to the Laity and Common Disciples Men and Women to consecrate his Sacred Body and Blood If they should offer to do such an Act they should be more guilty than rash Vzzah who for but touching the Arke was stroken dead by God 2 Sam. 6.7 Than foolish Saul who for offering a burnt Offering lost his Kingdome 1 Sam. 13.13 Than presumptuous Nadab and Abihu who offered strange fire before the Lord Lev. 10.1 and were consumed with fire from Heaven Than wicked Jeroboam who by raising up two Calves made Israel the greatest Calfe to sin and made of the lowest of the People Priest of the High places now the Calfe was growne to to an Oxe Any one that would or whosoever would Jeroboam consecrated him 1 King 13.33 which thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from off the face of the Earth vers 34. It were an horrid intrusion on Sacred offices and a Nullity in the fact it selfe Not Angels or Archangels nor any of that Heavenly spirituall Host Not Kings nor Princes unlesse in Orders not any under Heaven except the Clergy have power to Consecrate the most holy Eucharist To whom he said Hoc facite which he said not to others Indeed it is true as is in my Miscellanies that Saint Peter represented sometimes all the Apostles sometimes the Apostles represented all the Clergy But in this place toward his death Christ gave his Apostles representing the whole body of the Priesthood a power to consecrate the Sacred Eucharist and gave it to them only So after his Resurrection when he had overcome actually Death and Sin Hell and Satan when he had fully satisfied to the utmost farthing for all our offences and had an over-merit left even before his Ascention he gave again when he had most and properest power for to give to the Apostles representing the Church for ever that are in holy Orders another power and authority distinct from the former yet conducing some way to it in these words John 20.21 c. As my Father sent me so send I you Then hee breathed on them and said Receive ye the holy Ghost Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them Whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained Let the ill-bred ignorant Clown jeere at the power of the Keyes he shall never find Heaven gates open but by these Keyes And to the Clergy only were thy given maugre all the enemies of the Clergy In one respect it hath been maintained that the Apostles did at the Eucharist represent the body of the Priesthood viz. as the Sacrament wholly and only was to be Instituted and Consecrated by them by whom the Bread must bee Taken Blessed Broken Distributed and Hallowed with the right forme of consecration But in another regard the Apostles even Then may be said to represent the whole company of the Disciples in the largest signification namely as All and Every Christian was to Receive it for so were Themselves Then Recipients and as Recipients as well as in other regards Administrants were these words said to them Do this in remembrance of me and All of you drinke of this which last words cannot be restrained to the Ministers only but involve within their circumference the whole round World of devout Christians Else none might Communicate but Priests only which to say is accursed Perhaps I may say inoffensively Christ represented the Apostles and stood for them and the body of the Clergy Idealiter when he consecrated the blessed Eucharist and gave it to them But as Christ himselfe Received it and in both kindes he may be called their Symposiarchon and I am sure I may say truly and therefore boldly Our most blessed Saviour represented the whole body of his universall Church both Clergy and Lay-people if so he did Receive it as is most probable In imitation of him I say likewise that the Apostles quà Apostoli Sacerdotes did celebrate the Divine Mysteries and Administer them So representing the Clergy but as they received the Divine Food they were Participants quà Discipuli and so stood in the room of the whole Christian Laity PAR. 5. THe words of Saint Matthew and Marke and S. Paul do follow after He gave it to them And said S. Luke varieth it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saying It is all one in sense Here let me tell you These words Hee said or Saying were not spoken by Christ nor part of his Consecration But they are the words of the Evangelists and Apostles recording and coupling Deeds and Words at Christs Institution Christs Consecration consisted of Actions and Words His Actions were Hee Tooke Bread Blessed it Brake it and Gave it to his Disciples His words were not these Saying or He said They are the Historicall copulative narrative of the Heavenly Penmen but his words were only these This is my Body and so forth Aquinas tertiâ parte Quaestione 78. Aritic 1. ad primum relateth That Innocencius the third opined Christ first perfected the Eucharist by Divine power and Afterwards expressed the forme which others should follow But this is expresse against the Evangelists who say Christ did blesse it which was not without some forme of words yet in favour of Innocentius he saith The words were spoken Opinativè magis quà m determinativè Rather by way of Opinion than of determination Others quoth he say the Benediction was made with certaine other words to us unknown but he replyeth wisely This cannot hold because our Benediction of Consecration is now perfected by reciting what was then done Let me adde and Said also And if it were not done by those words Then it would not be done by these words Now. A third sort say Christ spake the words of Consecration twice Once secretly the second time openly to instruct others how to do so But this cannot stand because the Priest doth consecrate uttering these words as publikely spoken by Christ not in a secret Benediction Whereupon since the words have no force but as Recited by Christ it seemeth Christ consecrated the Eucharist by manifest uttering of them More he may reade at large in him who so