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A07763 Fovvre bookes, of the institution, vse and doctrine of the holy sacrament of the Eucharist in the old Church As likevvise, hovv, vvhen, and by what degrees the masse is brought in, in place thereof. By my Lord Philip of Mornai, Lord of Plessis-Marli; councellor to the King in his councell of estate, captaine of fiftie men at armes in the Kings paie, gouernour of his towne and castle of Samur, ouerseer of his house and crowne of Nauarre.; De l'institution, usage, et doctrine du sainct sacrement de l'Eucharistie, en l'eglise ancienne. English Mornay, Philippe de, seigneur du Plessis-Marly, 1549-1623.; R.S., l. 1600. 1600 (1600) STC 18142; ESTC S115135 928,225 532

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to allude to the place of the prophet Malachie but in a far other sence then that of our aduersaries To bee short hee sayth Christ is called a high Priest sacrificing vnto God and besides him there is not any one to whom we do attribute either the name or the effect of priesthood for hee was made the mediator betwixt God and men hee hath sacrificed for vs and not for himselfe and that euen his owne bodie All which arguments are grounded vpon the qualities requisite in a priest of the new Testament but such as men cannot attaine vnto He calleth the Eucharist verie many times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacrifice without blood Idem in Ioban l. 5. c. 7. ad Reginas de recta fide but in the same sence that the former by comparing of it with them of the law Vpon S. Iohn S. Paule saith he to the Hebrewes would not take away the second nor the third remission of sinnes but rather the secondoblation because that Christ hath beene offered once and cannot be any more offered c. The Latine fathers did not vnderstand it otherwise Saint Ambrose saith In Christ the oblation or sacrifice hath beene once offered powerfull and mightie vnto life eternall Againe The Lord commanded the Angell to spare the people and to offer the sacrifice of Dauid For at that time there were sacrifices for sinnes the same are now the sacrifices of repentance Ambros in ep ad Heb. c. 10. Idem ad Theod ep 28. Idem in ep ad Rom. c 12. Idem ibid. Againe The Elders did kill the sacrifice to signifie that men because of sinne were subiect to death And now that men by the gift of God are purified and deliuered from the second death they must offer a liuing sacrifice to the end it may bee vnto them a signe of eternall life For the case standeth not now as when bodies were slaine and sacrificed for bodies now there is not any more question of killing of bodies but of the vices of the bodies Again Is there not a celestiall altar our faith whereupon we dayly offer our praiers Let vs draw neere saith he in another place with a true hart a fulnes of faith let vs draw neere in faith in a spiritual seruice from a sincere hart for in all these there is nothing visible neither the priest nor the sacrifice nor the altar c. In our spirits we receiue spirituall things c. Idem in institut virgin c. 2. In another place We sacrifice vnto God the sacrifice of praise whereupon the Apostle saith I pray you before all thinges to make prayers supplications requestes and thankesgiuing c. Now this is one of the places from whence our aduersaries would gather their Masse their propitiatorie sacrifice and see how hee expoundeth it of the sacrifice of praise Idem epist 28. lib. de fuga sent c. 8. Againe A simple prayer is a sacrifice the good sacrifice that is wisedome the good oblation that is faith and euerie other vertue c. And of all this going before we conclude most euidently that he acknowledged no sacrifice for sinne saue the blood of Christ once shed nor any sacrifices amongst Christians but repentance mortification and calling vpon the name of God in faith c. But some will say vnto vs hee speaketh now and then of the holy Supper in the tearmes of a sacrifice But in this case I could wish such to hearken how hee expoundeth himselfe he speaketh to the matter of the onely oblation of Christ and saith What then do not we offer euery day for the Supper was then administred ordinarily We offer saith he but in making a memoriall of his death and there is but one oblation but one sacrifice not many One and not many saith he how because that it hath beene once offered in the most holy place and this sacrifice is the patterne of that other c. That which we do is in remembrance of that which hath beene done For hee saith vnto vs doe this in remembrance of mee c. Wee offer not as the Priest did another sacrifice but euerie daie the same or rather wee sacrifice the memoriall of this sacrifice Thus say wee sayeth hee to daye is the resurrection of the Lorde that is to say to day wee call to minde the resurrection of the Lord c. And Saint Ierome vnderstoode as little as the rest in this point namely that there should remaine a seruice to bee performed of Christians Hieronim in Esa c. 1. which properly was called a sacrifice Shall I eate sayeth the Lorde the flesh of bulles c. Psalme ●● After hauing reiected and cast away sayeth hee the ceremonies of the old law hee passeth to the puritie of the Gospell and sheweth what hee desireth in stead of them Offer vnto mee the sacrifice of praise Idem in psal 26. c. Againe I will offer in his Tabernacle the sacrifice of ioy and gladnesse that is to say of full and perfect ioy that is to say I will ioyfully declare that hee did vnder-go a base and lowe estate for vs that is to say that he did humble himselfe to aduance exalt vs For God taketh pleasure in such sacrifices of reioycing ioyfull declaring of their gladnesse for this is the sacrifice of preaching And in another place Idem in psal 49. 50. The old sacrifices are past he requireth his sacrifice in good works and maners a fat burnt offering That is that God may be praised by man whom he hath created whom he hath redeemed and to whome hee hath promised the kingdome of heauen Againe By this place the Iewes doe knowe and vnderstand that their sacrifices are ceased And what then shall men haue hereafter to offer hearken to that which hee addeth The humbled heart and the contrite heart is a sacrifice vnto the Lord c. Idem ad Damas Yea but hee sayeth in another place Our Sauiour is the calfe of whose flesh wee are dayly fed and with whose blood wee all haue our thirst quenched This banquet is solemnized euerie day euerie day the father receiueth his sonne euerie day Christ is slaine and sacrificed This is a large speech but hee addeth yet one worde more Immolatur credentibus out of question not sacrificed by the Priest but sacrificed sayth hee by the faithfull In so much as this sacrifice is dayly freshe alwaies present and in Gods sight daily applyed apprehended and taken holde vppon with great efficacie of the faithfull as being such Idem in Psal 97. August quest euangel l. 1. as conceiue and finde their life to lie and consist in his death and the appeasing of Gods wrath for their sinnes to rest in his bloode This is it which hee saith in a worde elsewhere Euerie day Christ is crucified vnto vs. S. Augustine yet more distinctly Christ is then properly slaine for any one when hee beleeueth him to be
Testament wherein there remaineth not anie more question of shadowes and figures and wherein if it bee nothing but a sillie sleight representation if it be nothing but an intricate and infolded thing if it bee not altogether plaine and cleare assuredlie wee may bee bolde to say and that without any doubt that it is but an humaine inuention yea and therefore that it is not there to bee found at all CHAP. III. That the pretended propitiatorie sacrifice of the Masse hath no foundation in the newe Testament OVr aduersaries say Our Lord saide to the woman of Samaria The howre is come that you shall not worship the Father anie more Iohn 4. either in this mountaine or in Ierusalem but the true worshippers shal worshippe in spirite and truth And what proue they from thence To adore say they is to sacrifice but if they said that it were to serue God they said somewhat to the purpose But yet what followeth of this Certainelie that the seruing of God shall not bee any more tyed to one place but spread all ouer the worlde according to the saying of Malachie And as assuredlie that in steade of the more carnall manner of seruice wherewith he was serued vnder the law hee shall hereafter bee spirituallie serued and in a worde that after the materiall sacrifices as saye the Fathers the spirituall sacrifices shall succeede Saint Augustine sayeth Doest thou seeke for anie holy place August in Iohan t. 15. make thy selfe in thine inwarde partes a Temple vnto God for the Temple of God is holie and that are you Wouldest thou pray in a Temple Pray within thy selfe c. chaunging all this outward and materiall seruice into an inwarde and spiritual Cyrill Cyrill in Ioan. l. 2. c. 93. He signifieth and setteth forth the time of his comming which chaungeth the figures of the lawe into truth the shadowes into a spirituall seruice according to the doctrine of the Gospell c. And Origen in like manner Chrysost aduers Iud. hom 2. Chrysostome sayeth That is there shall bee no more Sacrifices nor Priesthoode neyther yet kingdome in Iudea that so they may bee wayned from the receiued custome of the necessitie of worshipping in one certaine place and to bring them to a kinde of seruice that is more spirituall and full of Maiestie Idem de cruce de spiritu hom 3. in hom veniet hora c. In like manner expounding this place in an Homilie for the purpose hee coulde not finde anie Sacrifice but that of prayer grounded vppon the doctrine of veritie neither anie worde tending that waye Cardinall Caietan in the same sence In spirite that is to saye not in the Mountaine not at Ierusalem not in anie one certaine place nor with a temporall seruice but with an inwarde and spirituall c. And in faith that is in knowledge c. Ferus likewise In spirite in asmuch as they shall haue receiued the spirite of adoption crying in him Abba Father In truth in asmuch as they shall call vppon him in his Sonne which is Truth it selfe Offering sayeth hee afterwarde no more anie quicke or liue creatures but their owne bodies in Sacrifice a holie oblation and offering and not the Sacrifice of the Masse But how will they possibly now frame themselues to make their conclusions from this place God shall bee adored and serued in spirite no more in one place but euerie where no more in the sacrificing of beastes but in the sacrificing of our selues Therefore the Masse is a sacrifice propitiatorie for the sinnes of men therefore the Masse must bee saide euerie where c. But they come nearer vnto the point and giue an instance from the institution of the holy supper and this is also our proper part and possession It is said Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. Doe this in remembrance of mee and to doe in the scripture signifieth sometimes to sacrifice Therefore the matter here in hand must needes bee a sacrifice And our Lord had taken the bread and the cup and had saide This is my bodie This is my blood therefore he did sacrifice vnder the kindes of bread and wine his body and his blood vnto God his Father and by vertue of these wordes iuioyneth all succeeding Priestes to doe the like a worlde of errors cauillations and false surmises in a verie few wordes And the long time since they were confuted and ouerthrowne in all these their argumentes might haue bin sufficient to haue caused them to cease from the vsing of thē any more Facere in Latine signifieth to sacrifice but by an abridging of the language to doe some holie thing but that this is more vsuall in the writinges and workes of Poets then of Orators and that seldome not often and onely then when the mater in question doth manifestlie appeare to be about a sacrifice as I say may euidentlie bee seene needeth not to be gessed at And here therefore we stand vppon the quite contrarie As that the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is neuer vsed to sacrifice as far off is faire in the French tongue but the Euangelists and Apostles writ in Greeke So that the controuersie here is about an ordinarie or common and not anie picked or vnwonted phrase the contention is not euidentlie and manifestlie of a sacrifice for it is so farre from apparatiues as that the sharpest sighted Fathers did know nothing therof And further the Hebrew word Asa and how much more the Greeke doth neuer signifie to sacrifice but when a sacrifice or oblation doth follow it as facere haedum agnū c. or facere haedo agno c. to offer a kyd a lambe c. their interlineall Glose is not acquainted with this subtill shift Hoc facite that is saith it At oft as you shal eate this bread and drinke this cup shew forth the death of the Lord vntill his comming But let vs admit that it is so Hoc facite sacrifice this what shall we make then of it To sacrifice the bodie of Christ But Christ saith Which is giuen for you and to giue is not to sacrifice Wherefore it is not the same action which Christ performed for a man to sacrifice if Christ did not sacrifice And afterwarde Which is giuen that is which is now at this present instant giuen and deliuered vp to bee crucified for vs. The olde translation approued by the Councell of Trent hath translated it Dabitur and not Datur referring the same to his suffering vpon the Crosse and not to the holy supper Chrysostome and Origen Dabitur effundetur which shal be giuen which shall bee shedde and offered vppe And Chrysostome addeth the reason how that for the comforte of his Disciples our Lord taught them that his passion was the mysterie of the saluation of mankind the Masse also enemie vnto it selfe in this point hath read it so Let vs say then that these wordes Hoc facite haue relation to the institution of
creature The creature whatsoeuer or whosoeuer it be that cannot moue him liuing here below saue onely to wrath otherwise then in that he hath beene vouchsafed grace in Iesus Christ and who likewise when he is exalted and taken vp into heauen acknowledging no glorie due to him saue in that that God is glorified cannot but take it an iniurie doue vnto him when any thing is attributed vnto him and cannot but bee readie to say as the Angell said vnto S. Iohn Apocal. 19. 22. Beware and looke well to thy selfe I am thy fellow seruant pointing also out vnto vs with Iohn Baptist the greatest that euer was borne amongst the sonnes of men and saying Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world the propitiation for our sinnes is onely in his blood turne and betake your selues to him And moreouer our God will be praied vnto in his onely begotten In that grace and fauour purchased through that sacrifice of the Crosse in the vertue and power of his one onely sacrifice made vpon the Crosse for as much as it is hee onely that may and hath power to be both the sacrifice and the sacrificer together all the sacrifices washings purifying of the law hauing relation to no other but this of his which was without spot or blemish all their blood to his blood and all their deathes to that one death and passion of his who likewise alone could as being God and man suffer and ouercome cast downe himselfe into the center of the earth and raise vp himselfe againe farre aboue the heauens be a curse and a blessing and finally laid prostrate by death and raised vp to life all at once And therefore is it said by the Prophet Esay 53. Esa 53. He hath offered his soule an oblation for sinne The good will and pleasure of the Lord shall prosper preuaile in his hand He was pearced for our misdeedes Esa 63. He hath taken vppon him our iniquities c. Againe He alone hath trod vppon all our enemies in his wrath No one of the people hath helped him he was alone to treade the wine-presse Heb. 10. Hebr. 9. 2. Ioh. 1. c. And he did it saith the Apostle When in the fulnesse of time he abolished sinne by the offering vp of himselfe He was made a propitiation for our sinnes Hee hath sanctified vs by the oblation of his bodie once offered and hath consecrated for euer those whom he hath sanctified Which thing all the blood of all the Saints from righteous Abell vnto the last Martyr could neuer haue accomplished No not though it had beene but for the sinnes of one onely man no not for the least sinne of that man not although this bloode had risen to the hugenesse of a great floode seeing there is no remission but in the blood of the Sonne of God and to seeke it any where else is to shed his blood againe Act 4.12 is to hold the same shed in vaine and this is to be guilty of it For S. Peter saith There is no saluation in any other There is not any other name giuen vnto men by which they may be saued That the fathers of the old Testament neuer sought for helpe or succour by praier but at the hands of the one onely God Eckius in Enchird And therefore we see proportionablie to this doctrine that the fathers of the old Testament did neuer offer vp or direct their prayers vnto any but to one God alone And this our aduersaries subscribe vnto for so also was it held for a point of sound diuinitie amongst them that seeking of helpe at God by prayer was a part of his seruice and worship due vnto himselfe alone They say that this was for feare that the people who otherwise were readie and apt enough of themselues therevnto should turne aside vnto idolatrie but this is to gesse and not to answere But at the least they confesse that this is the way to slippe into idolatrie The rest say That the fathers prayed not vnto the Patriarkes and Prophetes because they were as yet in the Limbes But this is a thing to bee disputed and debated by vs if here were any place But at the least there were Angels and those oftentimes conuersing and keeping companie with men and hauing therewithall the charge of countries and nations Henoch and Elias also had beene rapt and caried aliue vp into heauen and the latter of them in the sight of Elizeus And yet notwithstanding we do not reade that any people or particular man in so many ages did euer pray vnto any Angel or made choise of any to make intercession to God for him No more then euer Noe or his Sonnes did to Enoch or Eliseus to Elias the sonnes to the father or the disciples to their maister albeit as we know Eliseus were zealously affected to Elias My father the chariot and horsemen of Israel In the new Testament God alone is prayed vnto In the new Testament likewise as little notwithstanding that they hold That the fathers by the descending of Christ into hell were deliuered out of the limbes and caried vppe into heauen Fit matter for the children of Abraham the father of the faithfull to flie vnto him to call vpon him for aide and succour and so of the rest Notwithstanding also that many of the Apostles and disciples suffered presently after for our Lord as Iames Steuen c. during the life time of Saint Peter Saint Paul and Saint Iohn Matter sufficient to serue that it should not bee kept close from vs that besides Iesus Christ wee haue them for our aduocates with God and for intercessors by vertue of their sufferinges and merites And the same may bee said of the holy virgine whome Saint Iohn ouerliued many yeares the aduocate at this day if wee will belieue them of the Church of Rome who at the least should haue beene excepted from these generall rules And here againe they say that the Apostles feared that this might be held for arrogancie in them And why on the behalfe of the Saintes of the old Testament and of the holy virgine Againe That they stoode in doubt least the Gentils should returne againe to their idols But that there might not so many duties of deuotion be lost and let slip could they not make some maner of dispatch or dispensation could they not deuise some way to cure and remedie the same And would they that these babish excuses should passe for currant reasons with vs and that against so expresse textes of the scripture What then say they doe you make no more accompt of the saints of those which haue suffered here on earth for the name of Christ and which now are ascended triumphantly with him vp on high c The honour that is due vnto the Saints 1. Cor. 12. Gal. 2. 2 Cor. 3. Act 9. 14. Tim. 4. Yes verily we honour them more then
the furnace Also for that now the Church beganne to be very rich of gifts that the sacrifices that is the offerings of the people should be distributed and diuided equally into foure portions for the Bb. or Pastour for the Cleargie or ministers of the Church for the poore and for the repairing of the church And therevpon and that not without cause euerie one being hereby thus tickled and pricked forward to adde euery day some thing to the seruice as their fancie led them the Mileuitane Councell in the time of S. Augustine tooke the matter in hand ordaining that no other praiers prefaces supplications and masses that is Collects Recommendations or Impositions of hands should be vsed in the Church but those which were approued in that Councel or Synode Least as the same saith by negligence or ignorance there might slip some thing which might be contrarie to the faith this reason is likewise giuen afterward by the Africane councell and it came as yet timely enough if it had been well obserued by those which after came in place yea by Gregorie himselfe And thus be hold The vnlikenes of the Romish Masse we are come to the fiue hundreth yeares after Christ finding in all this time one seruice consisting of confessions and praiers Psalmes reading preaching blessing and distributing of the sacraments according to the institution of our Lord singing of praises vnto God during the time of the communion and a thankesgiuing for the end and conclusion c. without any new offering or sacrificing vp of the sonne of God without any inuocating of the creatures by praying vnto thē without adoring and worshipping of the sacraments and without as yet free from infinite other both impieties and superstitions and therefore by consequent far from the Masse vsed at this day and on the contrarie side comming much neerer vnto the manner of the holy supper as it is now vsed in the reformed Churches The Romish Masse which is the action of one onely man saying reading speaking by figures in a language not vnderstood that is voide of edification then eating drinking without communion all alone and yet speaking continually in the plurall number being a colde ceremonie if euer there were any The holy supper on the contrarie consisting of a feruent praier by the which the Pastour maketh open protestation The coker●ce and agreement of the Lords Supper with that of olde and declaration of the miserie and destruction of mankinde for the people and himselfe of their serious repentance vnto amendement of life and of remission of sinnes by faith in Christ in Psalmes sung with one consent of heart and voice by all the people for to quicken and stirre vp their fainting and ouer dull spirits vnto God in the reading of the sacred word and the interpreting and applying of the same in his time place by the Pastour as namely after that he hath in solemne sort supplicated the Almightie creator in the fauour of his onely begotten that it would please him to open his mouth for to teach and deliuer the same profitably and the eares and hearts of the people for to vnderstand well in a generall praier for the necessities of the Church and of the whole world for Magistrates pastours the conuersion of Infidels the extirpation and rooting out of heresies the publike peace and all maner of generall and particular afflictions in the reading of the holy supper and expounding of the same by the which namely the faithfull are exhorted to come to the holy table in humilitie and deuotion in assurance of faith and ardent charitie with an earnest acknowledgement of their sinnes and notwithstanding in a stedfast affiance in the mercies of God manifested and reuealed in Iesus Christ admonished to renounce all rancour and hatred contentions and strife and carefully to labour to bee reconciled if so be that they bee broken forth and come to the knowledge of others but the impenitent and wilfull obstinate are debarred from the same and that not by the voice and declaration of the Deacon alone but by a seuere denunciation of the iudgement of God if they abuse the bodie of the Lord as likewise by the sence and feeling of their owne consciences or by the iudgement of the Church After which things all and euery one came neere vnto the holy table in decent order and due reuerence to communicate the bodie and bloud of our Lord they receiued the holie sacraments at the hands of the Pastors with the most significant words that are either in the Gospel or in any of the Epistles of the Apostles lifting vp their hearts on high and praying to God that it would please him by the vertue of his holy spirit to giue them the flesh of his sonne for their spirituall repast and foode and his blood for their drinke vnto eternall life seeing that of his infinit mercie he hath vouchsafed to make them bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh c that so they may abide liue and dwell continually in him And during all the time of this action the deuotion of the assemblie was cherished and nourished with the reading of the holy scriptures as most meete to declare the death of the Lord vntill his comming and to record the vnspeakable benefite of the same with singing of Psalmes also chosen out of purpose both for the calling to minde of man his miserie as also for giuing vnto them the sence feeling of Gods mercie and thirdly for the stirring of them vp to giue vnto God for the same all vnfained and solemne thankes And finally there followed the dismission of the assemblie with a praier of the whole people vnto God containing a briefe thankesgiuing for that it had pleased him to make them to see and taste the assurance of their saluation in the communion and participation of his welbeloued sonne ioyning therunto the singing of the song of Simeon vsed of the old Church as wee haue alreadie seene to the same end and purpose And after the solemne and accustomed blessing admonition being giuen them how they should witnes and testifie the coniunction vnitie which they feele and find in Christ by the way and manner of that liuelie sence and feeling which the members of the bodie haue with the head they were to distribute euery one according to his abilitie vnto the poor for whome the Deacons were to receiue what should be giuen I speake nothing of the order of Catechising both publikelie and priuatelie which was wont to bee appointed and practised certaine weeks before for the instruction and examination of such as should be partakers thereof the morning Sermon which ordinarily is spent in the expounding of the doctrine of the Sacrament vnto the people and that also of the after noone tending to the stirring of vs vppe to the giuing of thankes vnto God Now then let euerie man iudge without being partiall in the matter in which of these two
Christianitie by their dispearsinges and scatteringes according to the purenes and sinceritie of the Gospell did teach at this time that the Masse did retaine and hold nothing of the institution of Christ neither for the liuing nor for the dead that the consecration was not tyed to the wordes of the Canon but to the Lordes institution that the holy Supper ought to be celebrated according to that institution or else that it is no supper that all other ceremonies therein are vnprofitable and the vulgar or naturall tongue of euery people necessary for the instruction of the people c. If also the king S. Lewes although caried away with the streames of custome did exhort Henrie king of England to heare sermons taken out of the word of God rather then to frequent Masses Matth. Paris addit Because saith he the one will bee much more auaileable vnto you to saluation then the other But because we haue handled it before how that the priestes had got so much by their daies labors that they had in the end cut off and taken away the cup of the Lord from the people it concerneth vs now consequently to looke about vs and see by what proceedings they attained thereto being no change or alteration but a meere dismembring and violent rent vndertaken in so deepe a degree of presumption and performed with so high and horrible an enterprise of sacriledge CHAP. X. That the Communion vnder both kindes was practised all in the old Church SEeing for certaintie that our Lord Iesus Christ hath once said The communion vnder both kindes Take drinke ye all this is the cuppe of the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you where shall be found such a priest as dare vnder the name of the church refuse deny to giue the same vnto the faithfull and what faithfull person should he be that should not be so bold as to vrge and importune the priest if he denie the cup the blood and the saluation in the blood of our Lord shed for vs the cup of the couenant if we will not willingly bee excluded and shut out from it the cup of the new Testament if wee will not by too open and euident a contempt frustrate and make of no effect our inheritance if wee will not be blotted out of the booke of children And yet such are excommunicate as require that they may haue the communion in the blood of Christ and which do stifly hold and contend that the one halfe of the legacies bequeathed them by their Lord and Maister his last will and testament is stolne from them those are called Sacramentarie Heretickes which complaine that the Sacrament of the bloode of Christ is taken from them And it is nothing but noueltie newfanglednes and innouation to haue recourse to this will and testament whose title is so auncient and authentike or to sue by force and vertue of the couenantes and conditions contained and agreed vpon therein It is antiquitie to eiect disseise and dispossesse vs by a new ordinance which hath no ground nor foundation but meere fansies no reason but presumption an antiquitie which cannot but verie hardly and with great difficultie deriue his pedegree further then one generation But now let vs looke into the stately march and proceeding of this great abuse The holy Supper of our Lord is cut off as we haue seene close by the ground and vpon the ruines thereof is built the Romish Masse By this meanes the people hath beene frustrate of the ordinarie vse of the bodie and blood of Christ From weekes it hath beene reiourned and put off to monethes from monethes to quarters and finally from quarters to once a yeare In stead of the bread of the Eucharist there is giuen the holy bread when they go out from the Masse In stead of the cuppe of the Lord in the communion they are now vouchsafed as much as will wash their mouthes and all this from time to time couered with the glorious name of the Church And what shall wee then say if all the olde Church be cleane contrarie thereunto If of all the deformities and corruptions of the same there bee not one that is newer or later then this Let vs trace ouer therefore the ages of the worlde and the workes of the fathers for I am willingly diposed to take the paines to make it plaine vnto the readers though they might enuy me for the same and though this matter be of the nature of those whereof S. Augustine hath giuen this rule Valeat ad sui demonstrationem ipsa rei ouidentia let the euidence and clearnes of the thing it selfe deale and speake for the proofe thereof Saint Paule in the first to the Corinthians beginneth at that end 1. Cor. 11. I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue also giuen vnto you he is not so bold as these fellowes which giue cleane contrarie euen that which they haue neuer receiued and that which hee had receiued and that which he gaue that is the communion vnder both kinds Let vs vse this word kindes for the signes or Sacraments that so we may the better apply and fit our selues vnto them As oft saith he as you shal eate this bread drink this cup c. Let euerie man proue himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup c. The man saith he and not the Apostle nor the disciple nor the Priest nor the Clearke but euerie Christian for so he writeth vnto the Church of God which is in Corinth to the sanctified in Iesus Christ to them which are called Saintes Yea and vnto all them saith hee which call vppon the name of our Lord in what place soeuer they be Ignatius writing to the whole Church of Philadelpha The consent of the fathers Ignatius ad Philadelph Anno salutis 100. Iren. lib. 4. c. 32 33.34 I exhort you saith he that you vse all one faith one publike ministerie and preaching of the word and one Eucharist for there is but one flesh of Iesus Christ and one blood shed for vs one bread broken for all and one cup distributed to all He saith to all and not to the priestes onely for euen in the same epistle before these words he had made mention of the Bb. Elder Deacons and people Irenaeus ioyneth and coupleth both of them together continually The Lord hath commanded saith he vnto his disciples to offer vnto God the first fruits of his creatures the bread to be his body and the cup to be his blood c and we neuer find them seperated the one from the other in him Saint Cyprian writing vnto Cornelius the Pope Epist 2. Anno 200. How saith he doe we teach how doe we incite and stirre vp the faithfull to shedde their blood for the confession of the name of Christ if we denie vnto them his blood vnto them who haue to fight for him How shall wee fit
Cyrill The Lord went in to his disciples the dores being shut and that by surpassing through his omnipotencie the nature of things And therefore let no man trouble himself with seeking out of the cause but let him rather consider that the question is not here of a meere man like to our selues but of the Almightie Sonne of God to whome whole nature is subiect This was therefore after the same manner that his walking vpon the sea was which naturally is not giuen to beare vp our feet and note that this was before his bodie was glorified and therefore when thou readest this beware that thou be not turned aside to forsake the true faith c. And if thou bee not able to comprehend the same blame the defects and wantes of thy spirit and say rather That whereas hee thus entred in at the dores being shut it is because he is God and yet not any other then he was at the time of his being conuersant as men amongst his disciples before his passion And in deed the better sort of their expositors of the later writers do not abuse these places to the prouing of the said pearsing through of dimensions imagined and deuised by our aduersaries which maketh that two bodies should occupie but one place The dores say they were opened Ferus in Ioh. c. 20. and why not after the same manner that God caused the earth to open and swallow vp Dathan and his confederates the sea to make way for the Israelites and to drowne the Egiptians or the gates of the prison for the deliuerance of his Apostles And if God say they were able to bring them out of a prison fast shut mortall and corruptible men at they were why should he not himselfe be as able to go in the dores close shut The miracle euermore proceeding by this meanes from the diuine power vnited vnto his humane nature and not from any change made or pretended in the same and the change also whensoeuer any is resting in the things which suffer and obey this power without any extending of it selfe by any manner of way vnto the person Durand That our Lord went in the dores being shut by some other priuie secret place but not through the dores shut c. But if any one amongst so many haue found out this denne or lurking hole wherefore of so many sundrie expositions would they haue vs to make choise of that which is most harsh and obscure And when all is done what hath this to doe with the Sacrament of the holy Supper But we answere them two thinges In the first place That in the matter of the Sacraments as also of this same as Saint Augustine hath taught vs before there is no question to be made concerning any miracle And in the second place That this Maxime abideth euer firme that in God there is not yea and no toge ther and therefore that no miracle how great soeuer can imply any contradiction For the one S. Thomas telleth vs That a miracle commeth of admiration Tho. in 1. parte Summ. q. 105. art 7. that admiration falleth out when the effects are manifest but the cause hidden secret But here we all agree that the effects are hidden secret wherupon they are called mysteries And hereupon also S. Augustine doth roundly cut off all the controuersies saying That the Sacraments are things of great note estimation amongst men August de Trinit li. 5. c. 10 that they may be reuerenced as religious things but that they ought not to worke any admiration in vs as if they were miracles And by name he speaketh there of the holy supper As in deede there was neuer any miracle read of whose effectes were not cleare and manifest to the sences And to the second S. Thomas telleth vs God is not Almightie in respect of the things wherein there is contradiction because that they cannot be accounted of as possible things Thom. 1. p. Summ q. 25. art 3. 4. aduer ger t. l. 1 c. 84. l. 2. c. 25 August de Trini l. 15. c. 14 And he layeth downe for an example That he cannot make one thing and that which is contrarie to the definition of the same as a man vnreasonable a triangle and not three angles or three lines c. Because saith he This should be to haue them and not to haue them And to speake in better tearmes with Saint Augustine Because that This shoulde bee an vnablenesse and want of power for great is the power of the word sayeth hee in that it cannot lie for that therein there cannot bee Est non est but Est est Non non c. But are wee not in Saint Thomas his tearmes when there is made and set before vs a bodie without quantitie a quantitie without dimensions and a locall thing without any place a quantitie therefore without quantitie a bodie without a bodie And thus then they destroy the humane nature of Christ wherein lyeth the principall consolation of mankind the article also of his ascention into heauen of his sitting at the right hand c. that is to say euen our Creed In the sixt place let vs see how they deale with his diuinitie Transubstantiation iniurious to the diuine nature of the Sonne of God It is a rule amongst all the ancient fathers as we haue seene that men should distribute the Sacraments that is to say the signes but that God alone is the giuer of the thing but more particularly in this wherein it pleaseth the Sonne of God to giue himselfe vnto vs his flesh and his blood for our nourishment vnto eternall life But with what reuerence can we say that another giueth it vs and that in such sort as that it dependeth not vpon the institution of the Sacrament in it selfe neither yet of the vertue of the wordes which they call sacramentall but as in the workes and feates of Magicke in which strong imagination worketh the effect of the intention of the priest which vttereth them Whereupon it followeth that God must needs haue tyed his grace to the intention of the confecrating priest and not to his owne institution accompanied with his holy spirit And the Sonne of God shall not be ours that is to say the life which is in him shall not distribute it selfe vnto the faithfull further then the discretion of this intention shall extend And it shall bee in the power or rather in the weaknes of the Priest to frustrate and send away emptie a whole assemblie and companie of Christians gathered together in the name of Christ feruently desiring in a true faith and longing after his grace which hee hath included in this precious gift which he hath vouchsafed freely to bestow vpon them of himself in stead that he hath so graciously declared his good will vnto vs saying When two or three of you shall be gathered together in my ●ame J will bee in the