the eyes of our faith As if he would haue said these words This is my body are words of the Omnipotent and effect that which they signifie we ought then to obey and beleeue that Idem hom 23. in Maâ—â—h which they say The same Doctor vpon the same subiect of Transubstantiation The things that we propose you are not workes of humane vertue it is God that sanctifieth them and changeth them we are but the instruments Saint GREGORY NISSE S. Greg. Niss in orat mag catech c. â—7 Iâ—â—â—n de S. â—apâ—â—sme We beleeue that the bread duely sanctified by the word of the Word of God is changed into the body of the Word of God And againe The bread of the Aliar in the beginning is common but after that it is sacrificed in the Masse it is called the body of Christ and it is so indeed Saint IOHN DAMASCEN S. Ioh. Damas l. 4. de Fide c. 14. The bread and the wine mingled with water is supernaturally changed into the body of Christ by the inuocation and comming of the holy Ghost and they are not two but one selfesame thing THEOPHILACT Theoph. i◠〈◊〉 This bread is transformed into the flesh of our Lord by the mysticall blessing of secret words and by the comming of the holy Ghost Behold you haue heard some Greeke Fathers with the same spirit and like stile speake also the Latine Fathers TERTVLLIAN Our Sauiour tooke the bread Tertvl l. 4. cont Mar. c. 40. and made it his body saying This is my body Saint CYPRIAN This bread S. Cyp. de Câ—n. Dom. which our Lord presented to his Disciples was made flesh by the all powerfulnesse of his Word changed not in apparance but in substance As if hee would haue said the outward formes of the clements the quantity colour and sauour remaine but the inward substance is changed into the substance of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Saint AMBROSE This bread S. Amb. l. 4. de Sacer c. 4. before the words of the Sacrament is bread but after Consecration the bread is made flesh and hauing shewed that this consecration and changing is made by the word of God he confirmes his conclusion saying If the word of Christ hath been so powerfull as to giue a being to that which was not how much more is it credible that it can make the things which were before to be now changed into another But heare Dauid saying He hath spoken and the things were done he hath commanded and they were created I answere thee then Thas before consecration the bread was not the body of Christ but after the same it is the body of Christ hee said it and hee bath effected it Saint AVGVSTINE almost in the same tearmes S. Avg. serm 2â— de Verb. Dom. I haue told you that before the words of Christ the bread is called bread but after they are pronounced it is no more called bread but the body of Christ Saint RHEMIGIVS of Rhemes The flesh S. Remig. in◠〈◊〉 ep 2. Cor. which the word of God the Father hath taken in the Virginall wombe and vnited vnto his Person and the bread which is consecrated vpon the Altar is one bodiy of Christ For euen as that flesh is the body of Christ so this bread is changed into the body of Christ and are not two but one body Hee meant that Transubstantiation produceth not a new body of Iesus Christ but that it makes the same body which he tooke in the wombe of the Virgin present in this Sacrament after consecration nothing remaining of those elements but the accidents PASCHASIVS Paschasius Corbiensâ—â— l. de Corp. sang 〈◊〉 c. 1. Though the forme of bread and wine be found in this Sacrament we ought to beleeue notwithstanding that after the consecration there is no other thing but the flesh and bloud of Christ From all these testimonies we collect the explication of two points which doe concerne the manner of our Sauiours being in the Sacrament of the Altar For first we vnderstand hereby that the body of our Sauiour is made present in the Sacrament by Transubstantiation that is to say by change of substance the substance of bread giuing place to the substance of his body which succeeds by vertue of his Omnipotent word And because the Soule and the Diuinity neuer leaue this body whole Iesus Christ is in the Sacrament his body by vertue of his Word his Soule and his Diuinity as necessarily following and accompanying the same Secondly we learne that so long as the species be there vncorrupted the same body remaines vnder them with its quantity beauty immortality and glory but supernaturally and in a spirituall and diuine manner without being perceiued vnlesse by the eyes of faith as we haue before declared so far forth as a thing ineffable can be declared By meanes whereof the Fathers often aduertise vs not to consult heere with the Lawes of Nature nor to regard what sense and humane iudgement tells vs but simply to beleeue the word of him who can doe all and cannot lye 9. WHERFORE OVR SAVIOVR WOVLD haue his body hid and not visible in the Sacrament HEere it shall be good to note wherefore our Sauiour gaue his body veiled vnder the shewes of bread and wine not visible in proper forme For hereby we shal come to know that he was nolesse wise then he is good not onely giuing vs an inestimable gift but also giuing it after the manner he did The principall reasons noted by the Fathers are these The first is taken from the nature of the Sacrament for since that euery Sacrament is a visible signe of an inuisible thing it followeth that he giuing his body in this Sacrament was to couer it vnder some visible signes as the accidents are the colour the whitenesse the sauour and such like things which obiected to our sense might put our soule in minde of some secret thing whereas if he had giuen it openly it had not been a Sacrament full of mystery but a simple gift of his body The second reason giuen by S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Cyril ep ad Coâ—osirium S. Amb. l. 4. d. sacr c. 6. l. 6. c. 1 S. August apuâ—â— grat de cons d. 2. verum See S. Iohn Damas l. 4. c. 14. de fid S. Tho. p. 3. q. 75. c. 5. c. and Saint Cyril is this to wit because this sweet manner is most conuenient and principally to our infirmity most naturall and easie for we take this diuine morsell vnder the forme of common bread familiar to our taste to wit vnder the accidents of bread and wine Whereas if wee should haue eaten them with the feeling of the naturall qualities thereof it had been an eating that could not haue been endured for two reasons For first it could not bee done but sense would naturally conceiue horrour to swallow downe humane flesh in proper forme especially being raw
be proper cleare and euident and without doubtfulnesse ambiguitie or incertainty that the Will of the Testator may bee vnderstood without difficulty and without contention Matth. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. This is the cause why three Euangelists the Registers of this Institution and Notaries of this Testament haue vsed the selfe-same words and S. Paul after them without varying 1. Cor. 11. To the end to hold constant the light of this euidence and strongly to maintaine the ground of that faith which wee ought to haue of this mystery and to declare by a firme and sollide accord of foure diuine witnesses that the sense of the words is that which they literally signifie and that being the words of an Almighty worker to whom nothing can be impossible and the words of a supreme truth who can say nothing which is not true they must needs make that which they signifie By which meanes if any one refusing the literall sense of the Scripture will glose it from his owne head saying This is my body that is to say this is the Figure of my body This is my bloud that is the Figure of my bloud he should herein be opposite to the holy deposition of these foure witnesses not daring so to speake which notwithstanding they would haue done if such had been the sense of the words and should also too boldly change the truth of Gods word giuing a sense cleane contrary to the signification of the words and putting the Figure for the Body against the authority of the forenamed witnesses who haue neuer presumed to giue such a glosse Yea hee should doe contrary to all law of Speech and Grammer which commandeth to take the words of the text according to the ground of their proper meaning without hauing recourse to any metaphoricall and improper signification when they do not giue any absurde or contradictory sense which happeneth not here For heere the proper sense is most cominent and agreeable to the truth and the words do signifie no other thing but the presence of the body of Iesus Christ in this Sacrament which is not onely not contradictory nor absurde but full of wonders most worthy of the power wisdome and goodnesse of our Sauiour When the Scripture calleth the King a Lion the word ought to bee taken by similitude that a King is like a Lion by reason of his royall magnanimity for taking the word according to the sense of the letter the meaning should be that he were a beast which would be false and absurde But these words taken in their naturall signification containe nothing but that which is most agreeable to the Maiesty of the Creator and most heneficiall to his creature wherefore there is not any reason heere to runne to Figures and therefore also it is impiety to say that these clauses This is my body This is my bloud are improper speeches importing no more then that they are Figures of his body and bloud For such deprauation destroyes the truth of a most noble Sacrament and shewes that such Enterpreters are not onely void of faith but also depriued of vnderstanding hastily opening the gate to themselues and to all other senselesse people to reiect all sense of Scripture be it neuer so euident if it displease them and to frame the manner of it according to the vnsteadinesse of their owne braines and to the exorbitant passion of vnbridled flesh 4. TESTIMONIES OF THE FATHERS vpon the Exposition of the same words AS the Scripture is euident in these diuine words so is the Exposition of holy Fathers constant to maintaine the sense they giue in proper signification as hath bin said Saint CYRIL of Hierusalem Since that Iesus Christ S. Cyril Hieres Catech. myst 4 hauing taken the bread saith This is my body Who is he which for euer dare to doubt and he affirming the same and saying This is my bloud Who will refuse to beleeue it He changed water into wine a creature neighbour to bloud by his only will Iohn 2. and shall not we beleeue that hee hath changed the wine to his bloud Beleeue then most constantly that we receiue the body and bloud of Christ for vnder the forme of bread the body is giuen thee and the bloud vnder the forme of wine Saint BASIL hauing asked with what feare faith S. Basil in Regul breu interrog 172. and affection of the soule men ought to take the body and bloud of our Sauiour answeres himselfe saying How great the feare is S. Paul instructs vs Who so eateth this bread and drinketh this Chalice vnworthily he eateth and drinketh his owne damnation What we are to beleeue is taught by the words of Christ who said This is my body giuen for you And there this Doctor consequently sheweth how we ought to beleeue these words This is my body which the same faith with which we beleeue these words of Saint Iohn when he saith The Word was made flesh Iohn 1. and those of Saint Paul Philip. 2. when he extolled the great humility of the same Word in his Incarnation his great obedience in his Passion and his infinit charity in the one and the other as then we beleeue that God was really and truely made flesh and suffered death according as the words of the Scripture tell vs. In the same manner Saint Basil will that wee beleeue the Reall Presence of the body of our Sauiour according as these words This is my body teach vs and concludes that by faith and consideration of these things we are inflamed with a great loue to Iesus Christ which is the affection of the soule that wee ought to bring with vs to the Communion of his body and bloud accompanied with feare and beleefe as hath been said Saint CHRYSOSTOME S. Chrysos hom 83. in Matth 60 ad Pap. Antioch Hom. de prodit Iuda Gen. 1.22 8.17 Let vs beleeue God without doubt for it is he which said This is my body And elsewhere It is not man which makes the body and bloud of Christ in offered things but Christ himselfe crucified for vs Hee said This is my body by this word the offering is consecrated And euen as these words once vttered Increase and multiply and fill the earth alwayes worke their effect in Nature for generation euen so these words vttered This is my body giue certainty to the Sacrifice through all the Tables of the Church euen vnto this day and will giue it vntill the comming of the Sonne of God Saint IOHN DAMASCENE S. Ioan. Damas l. 4. c. 14. The bread and the wine mingled with water supernaturally are changed into the body and bloud of Christ by the innocation of the holy Ghost and are not two but one and the same this hallowed bread it not the Figure of the body neither the wine the Figure of the bloud but the true deified body of our Lord and his true bloud THEOPHILACT Theophil in Matth. 26. a graue
and ancient Doctor Iesus Christ saying This is my body sheweth that the bread sanctified vpon the Altar is his body and not the Figure of it seeing that he saith not this is the Figure of my body but This is my body for it is thansformed in an explicable manner though outwardly it seemeth bread Saint AMBROSE S. Ambros de Sacr. l. 5. c. 4. 5. It is the word of Christ which made this Sacrament by which Word all hath been made Our Lord commanded and the earth was made seest thou then how working his Word is If then his Word hath been so mighty as it made that to be which was nothing before how much more easy will it be vnto him to change one thing into another the bread before consecration is bread but after the vttering of these words This is my body it is the body of Christ Heare him saying This is my body take you all and eate of this It is Iesus our Lord which testifieth that wee receiue his body and his bloud shall we doubt of his fidelity or testimony Saint CYPRIAN This saith our Lord is my body S. Cyp. de cun Dom. They had according to the visible forme eaten of the same bread and drunke of the same wine But before these words that food was onely for the nourishment of the body and to giue strength to the corporall life but after that Iesus Christ had said Doe yee this in remembrance of me This is my flesh The forme of Consecration are these words THIS IS MY BODY This is my bloud as often times as the same words are pronounced with the same faith this substantiall bread and this consecrated Chalice with solemne benedicton hath been profitable for the health of the whole man He teacheth then that the words of our Sauior are vnderstood according as they do signifie and that they are the forme by which the bread and the wine are consecrated into the body and bloud of our Sauiour Saint AVGVSTINE writing the ancient enstome of Christians who did answer Amen S. August l. 22. cont Faust c. 10. in Psal 33. Concil 1. after that the Priest had vttered the words of Consecration This is my body this is my bloud saith thus The bloud of Christ giueth a cleare voice on earth then when as the Christians hauing receiued answered Amen It is the cleare voice of bloud that the bloud it selfe pronounceth by the mouth of the faithfull receiued by that bloud The same Author elsewhere Iesus saith hee carried himselfe in his hands when recommending his body he said This is my body It was then according to the literall sense of the Word the body of our Sauiour Saint ANSELME S. Anselm in 1. Cor. 11. expounding the selfe-same clauses maketh Iesus Christ to speak thus Eate this that I giue you because it is my body It plainly appeares bread to the outward senses but acknowledge by the sense of faith that this is my body the same in substance that shall be giuen for you to death This is the Exposition of the ancient Fathers and there hath neuer been any Doctor of the Catholike Church which gaue to these words This is my body other sense then these heere doe giue And this is the meaning of Iesus Christ and whosoeuer followeth any other he is gone out of the Schoole of Christ Iesus taking a lye for truth and damnation for food of eternall life 5. MYSTICALL REFERENCES OF OVR Sauiours words THIS IS MY BODY to the ancient Figures and to all other bodies THis is my body saith our Sauiour We haue said something vpon these words but it is nothing in comparison of that which may yet be said they are cleare but yet they are full of hidden meanings They alone containe the old and new Testament and flye in signification farre aboue the height of heauen more profound then the depthes of the Ocean and more in widenesse then is the compasse of the world in sweetenesse they surmount all the hony and milke of the Land of Promise in vertue the power of all men and Angels and in greatnesse the Maiesty of all Kings that euer were vpon the earth The words which made the world out of nothing were great in effect in heauen they made the Starres the Fishes in the sea Gen. 1 in the ayre the Fowles vnder earth the stones and mettells and vpon earth the Plants the Trees the Lions the Elephants and other creatures in number infinite and in beauty admitable but that which our Sauiour saith and in saying effecteth by these words This is my body is more infinite then all that together this body is more then a thousand worlds if so many had been produced The most excellent name of God is the Tetragram expressed vnder the voice Idoney composed of foure letters not to be vttered by the Iewes This clause This is my body it the clause Tetragram wouen of foure words euident to the eares of faith but vnexplanable by the tongue either of man or Angell What shall we say then to expresse the vertue of it And who can or shall expresse it but he who is the Author of these words and mysteries It is he must do it that is the all-knowing Word and all powerfull able to know to say and to doe whatsoeuer he will What said then this great God by these words This is my body He said that it is his body and saying this he said all that is precious admirable and diuine amongst bodies Hee distinguisheth all the bodies that he had euer made or created from his owne and prefetreth it before them all Hee said I haue made the Sunne and the Moone the Starres and all those immortall bodies which on high make the wainscot of my Fathers Pallace but these are not my body neither substances allied to my person these to me are strange bodies This is my body which I haue formed by an extraordinary way in the wombe of an holy Virgin which I haue diuinely appropriated to my greatnesse and which I haue made the habitation of my dignity The other bodies are parts of my possession this heere is the body of my particular person surpassing the excellency of all the bodies long since consecrated to God and were propheticall Figures thereof The Tree of Life planted in the earthly Paradise the Lambe of innocent Abel offered in Sacrifice the bread of Melchi adech giuen in blessing the Sacrifice of Abraham accomplished by rare faith and obedience the Hebrewes Paschall Lambe the Manna from heauen the Loaues of Proposition the First-fruit offerings the bread of Eliah the Sheepe the Lambe the Ewes the Heifers the Beefes the Oxen the Doues the Sparrowes the Turtles and all the bodies of beasts which the Law of Moses set vpon the Altar in Holocaust in action of thanks in Propitiation all the bodies that men haue offred to the Maiesty of my Father haue been sacred bodies the Figures of this my
knowne to vs then bread and wine which as they are the two most noble and proper sustenances of mans life euen so the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the body of our Sauiour is the most diuine food and strength of our soules and bodies Bread and wine is very prositable and necessary in the beginning midst and end of repast and the Hebrewes vnder the word Bread comprehend all meat as being the chiefe and a companion of all other meates and the ancient Sages haue of old called wine the King of the banquet 〈◊〉 6.46 〈◊〉 25. 〈◊〉 4. Our Sauiour then hath instituted the Eucharist with these two Symboles or signes to teach vs by them that in the Law of Grace the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body holds the first ranke amongst all the presents of meate that can be set vpon the table of his Altar for to honour his Maiestie and feede our soules withall 4. THE BREAD AND WINE SIGNES of the Passion of our Sauiour in his Sacrament THe second cause wherefore our Sauiour hath instituted the mystery of his body in these elements is to set before our eyes that which he hath endured for vs making himselfe bread and drinke vnto vs. The corne is cast into the earth to come vp in eares and to encrease it dyeth to come forth it endureth winde haile frost heate and cold in the field it is threshed in the barne-floore ground in the Mill wrought in the kneading and baked with fire in the Ouen The Grape carries the markes of the same torments for after it escapeth the iniuries of the ayre as the Corne doth it is troden and trampled vnder feete it is wrung in the Presse it endures to be shut vp in the Tunne and inclosed in the caue for to become good wine These actions and passions are the draughts that paint foorth to vs the trauailes which our Sauiour hath endured that hee might be to vs the celestiall bread and wine which hee giueth vs in the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body 5. THE BREAD AND WINE IN THE Eucharist signes of the Mysticall body of our Sauiour THe third cause of this institution made in these elements is to represent the mysticall body of the Church of Iesus Christ for as the bread and wine is made of many cornes and wrought into one paste so the Church also is composed of many members vnited vnder one head therefore it is that the Greekes call this Sacrament Sinoxis that is to say collection S. Chrysost hom 24. in 1. Cor. 10. S. Aug. 26. in Ioan. and the Latines Communion as much to say as a common vnion For these reasons and likenesses our Sauiour hath instituted this mystery in bread and wine in such sort that the bare elements speaking without words doe teach vs these three godly lessons the charity of our Sauiour in nourishing vs with himselfe his patience in suffering for vs and our vnion with him Such was his diuine wisdome in this institution that it learneth also for Doctrine 6. THE BODY OF OVR SAVIOVR CALled Bread and his Blood Wine FOr the same cause aforesaid the Scripture calleth the body of our Sauiour Bread Ierem. 1. and his blood Wine Ieremie saith in the person of the Iewes Let vs cast wood vpon his bread that is to say Let vs put his body on the Crosse as the ancient Fathers haue interpreted it Againe Hee shall wash his stole in wine Gen. 49.11 and his garments in the bloud of the grape that is to say he shall shed his bloud in abundance figuring his bloud by the wine 1. Cor. 10.16 Saint Paul also calling the Sacrament bread and wine explaines it to be the body and bloud of our Sauiour 1. Cor. 11.27 Hee that shall eate saith he this bread and shall drinke this Chalice vnworthily he shall be guiltie of the body and bloud of our Lord. Ioan. 6 Our Sauiour himselfe calleth himselfe Bread and his bloud Drinke because he offered himselfe to his Father in Sacrifice and giueth himselfe to men in this Sacrament vnder the formes of bread and wine 7. WHAT THIS SACRAMENT IS THe Eucharist is a Sacrifice as was the Oblation of Abel and both a Sacrifice and Sacrament as was the Paschall Lambe and many other ancient mysteries for the body of our Sauiour as it is offered to God in the Masse is sacrificed and the self-same body as it is giuen for food to Christians is a Sacrament And heere-hence some sigures represent it onely as it is a Sacrament so did the Tree of Life others as a Sacrifice onely so did the Oblation of Abel others as both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament together and so did the Oblation of Melchisedech the Paschall Lambe and such like Well then a Sacrament is a signe and an instrument of a holy thing so Baptisme signifies the internall and holy washing of the soule and as an instrument effects it if he which receiueth it doe not hinder the same In like manner the Eucharist containes the body and bloud of our Lord inuisibly which feed the soule and is also a signe thereof by the outward materiall visible formes of bread and wine and in this respect is a perfect Sacrament 8. WHAT A SACRIFICE IS AND HOW it is offered in the Masse THe Sacrifice taken in his proper signification is an outward action of religion and soueraigne honour done to God in acknowledgement of his supreame Maiestie by a proper officer in offering some present and in making some change thereof In this manner the offerings of beastes and other bodies in the Law of Nature and of Moses were Sacrifices And in this sense the Eucharist also is a Sacrifice in the Law of Grace and that of so much more excellencie aboue the former as the bodie of the Sonne of God offered in it surpasseth all the other bodies which could be presented to the diuine Maiestie This Sacrifice is made as hereafter we shall shew more at large by the words of Consecration This is my body this is my blood by which Iesus Christ transubstantiates the bread and the wine into his body and bloud and by the same action hee offers it to his Father for his Church though he vse not any formall words of oblation as by saying I offer thee my body for it is enough that he make it present vpon the Altar with that intention for he did no more in offering the Sacrifice of the Crosse as neither did the ancient Sacrificers in their Sacrifices God vnderstands sufficiently the language of the heart The Church hauing this body from the liberality of God offers it with Iesus Christ and by it doth honor him with homage of diuine and soueraigne whorship shee also prayeth to him by the merits which were purchased in this body afterward taketh it for her food and refection And as in olde times God gaue beasts to the Iewes which the Iewes offered to him againe honouring him in them and
Greeke Fathers vpon the Figure of MELCHISEDECH SAint Clement S. Clem. lib. 4. Stre. MELCHISEDECH King of Salem Priest of the most high God gaue the bread and wine sanctified in figure of the Eucharist Saint Chrysostome S. Chrysost hom 35.36 in Gen. speaking of the same Sacrifice of MELCHISEDECH Beholding the Figure thinke I pray you vpon the truth that is to say if thou makest account of the Offering of Melchisedech how much more of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of our Sauiour which is the truth signified of old by the ancient Figure And againe Idem After that MELCHISEDECH King of Salem had offered bread and wine for hee was the Priest of the most high ABRAHAM tooke from his hand part of that which had been offered that is to say he did eate and drinke of the sacrificed bread and wine Theodoret 〈◊〉 Pas 109. Idem in Gen. 4.63 hauing declared how our Sauiour had begun his Priest-hood after the order of Melchisedech in the institution of the Sacrament of his body addeth Wee haâ—e found Melchisedech Priest and King affirming to God not Sacrifices of beasts deprined of reason but of bread and wine as if he should say that the Priest-hood and offering of our Sauiour is not with effusion of blood of beasts as that of Aarons but without killing and that his body is giuen in Sacrifice vnder the formes of bread and wine according to the order of Melchisedech Saint IOHN DAMASCENE S. Ioan. Damâ—â— lib. 4. de Fid. cap 24. The Table of Melchisedech figured out our mysticall Table euen as Melchisedech carried the Figure and the Image of the true Prelate Iesus Christ TMEOPHILACT vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes Theophil in 〈◊〉 5. ad Heb. Psal 109. explaning the words of the Psalmist Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech It is most cortaine saith he that this Prophecie is to be vnderstood of Iesus Christ for it is he onely that hath sacrificed bread and wine according to the order of Melchisedech And a little after He saith eternally as well for that Iesus Christ maketh intercession for vs incessantly to his Father as for that he is offered euery day this Oblation is made without ceasing by the Officers and Seruitors of God hauing for Priest and for Sacrifice Christ the Sauiour it is hee that breaketh and distributeth himselfe 13. TESTIMONIES OF THE ANCIENT Latine Fathers SAint CYPRIAN S. Cyprian l. 2. ep 3. ad Cecil Who hath been more Priest of the highest then our Lord Iesus Christ who hath offered Sacrifice to God the Father and offers the same that Melchisedeth did Ioan. 6. bread and wine to wit his body and his bloud for his body is the true bread and his bloud is the true wine and the true drinke Saint Hierom S. Hieron epist 126. ad Euagr. S. Hieron in ep ad Marcel nomine Paula Eustoch scripta giuing a reason to Euagrius wherefore Melchisedech was compared to our Sauiour It is saith he because he sacrificed not victimes of flesh and blood of beasts but dedicated the Sacrament of Christ with bread and wine a simple and pure sacrifice And elsewhere Reade Genesis Thou shalt finde the King of Salem Prince of the Citie who then offered in Figure of Christ bread and wine and dedicated the mystery of Christians in the body and bloud of our Saniour Againe Our mystery the Masse is signified by the word Order not in imolating victimes of beastes according to the order of Aaron but in offering bread and wine that is to say the body and bloud of our Sauiour Saint Ambrose speaking of the Eucharist S. Ambrel l 5. de Sacra cap. 1. We know saith he that the Figure of this Sacrament hath gone before in Abrahams time then when Melchisedech offered Sacrifice Saint Augustine speaking of this Sacrifice of MELCHISEDECH S. Aug. lib. 16. de Ciuitate Dei cap. 22. Then first was shewed in Figure the Sacrifice which now is offered by Christians throughout the vniuersall world S. Aug lib. 1. Cont. Aaâ—â—â—s â—â— cap. 20. And elsewhere Those that reade know what Melchisedech brought forth when he blessed Abraham and are made partakers thereof they see that through all the world such a Sacrifice is offered And he meaneth the Sacrifice of the Masse which is offered ouer all the world 14. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENE THE Sacrifice of the Crosse and that of the Eucharist THe Sacrifice of the Crosse was bloudie Of this Oblation speaketh Saint Paul Hebr. 7.27 offered but once in Hierusalem onely this of the Eucharist not bloudie it is offered and shall be throughout all the world where the Church is dispersed and that euen to the end of the world That of the Crosse is the chiefe cause of our good the treasure and the generall exchequer of our redemption and the fountaine of our sanctification for by this death our Sauiour hath purchased vs all the good vnlesse we hinder or neglect it the Sacrifice of the Masse is the instrument to apply the fruit of all these purchased goods vnto vs it is the key which opens this treasure it is the meanes to haue part of this substance and the bucket to draw vp from the spring of this fountaine where with to cleanse vs and as when some one is washed in Baptisine or absolued in Penance the merite of the Crosse flowes into him or her that is baptised or absolued from sinne by meanes of these Sacraments euen so the fruit of the Crosse is distributed by the Sacrifice of the Eucharist to all those which offer it and for whom it is offered and it is the same body that was offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse and that which is offered on the Altar in the Church and giuen for food of immortalitie to all those which will receiue it The Masse then celebrating this Mystery makes the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of our Saniour and in them both is as of olde the ancient Sacraments and Sacrifices were an instrument to make vs participate the merit of the Passion of our Sauiour but so much more efficatious and precious as Iesus Christ who is in it the Priest and the offering for the man is but the Vicar surpasseth in dignity the ancient Priests and their earthly victimes This is the difference betweene the Sacrifice of the Crosse and that of the Masse and the glory of God is manifested diuersly thereby in two diuers mysteries 15. THE DIFFERENCE OF THE SACRIfice of Melchisedech and of this of the Masse THe Sacrifice of Melchisedech was but the shadow and the Figure this of the Masse the body and the truth In that there was nothing but bread and wine terrestriall materiall and insensitiue nourishing nothing but the body and that for a little time in this there is offered the body and bloud of our Sauiour the true bread and the true drinke bread of
Iren. epist ad vict Pap. quae est apud Erseb lib. 5. hist c. 24. Euseb l. 6 c. 36. or be present at Masse to receiue it Such was the practise in the time of the Apostles and in the ages following vntill this day as it appeareth by the writings of Saint Iustin and other Doctors of holy antiquitie 5. THE BREAD OF THE IEWES BEARES the name of wonder in Figure of our wonderfull Sacrament of the Altar AS Manna was wonderfull in his causes in his nature and in his effects so it carried a name signifying nothing but wonder and admiration for Manna comes from the word Man-bu which is as we haue said before nothing but What is this a word which importeth admiration and desire to know in him that speakes it who because he is ignorant of the nature of the thing admires it and asketh What is this Our Manna and our Sacrament is so admirable that no name câ—n declare it and after that one hath well considered it hee shall finde it much more easy to admire it then to expresse it by a name correspondent to the excellencie by which meanes of all the names that it beares there is none which is more agreeable to it then Manna the name of admiration which Dauid declared by Periphrasis when he called the Eucharist Psal 110. The memoriall of the wonders of God which is not so much a name as a marke of wonder and to this of Dauid it is likely our Sauiour had regard when instituting the Sacrament of his body he said to his Apostles Luke 22.29 Doe this in remembrance of mee as if he had said vse this as a memoriall of my wonders Well then in this very name of Manna wee shall obserue another resemblance of admiration betweene the old Manna and the institution of the new Exod. 16. For when the Hebrewes hauing taken theirs in their hand said wondering Man-hu what is this Moyses answered onely in generall to their demand this is the bread that our Lord hath giuen you to eate but our Sauiour taking the bread and instituting the Sacrament answeres in particular saying This is my body Matthew Marke Luke and taking the Cup This is my bloud as if he had said Your Fathers long since asked What is this holding in their hand the food that I made raine downe vnto them and you still pronouncing Manna aske what is this I answere both to you and your Fathers This is my body this is my bloud their Manna and their wonder was this my body in Figure but the Manna which I make and the memoriall that I institute is my body not in Figure but in truth Behold then the wonder of our Sacrament figured in the name of the ancient Manna and the admirable resemblance betweene the old Manna in the Law of Moses and our new Manna in the Law of Grace And since that all heere is admirable and that the admiration hereof is profitable to vs and honorable to God in this great Mystery let vs further contemplate the springs and causes of this admiration arising out of his omnipotencie wisdome and bountie and let vs see wherefore the holy Fathers haue so extraordinarily admired it 6. THE WONDERFVLL POWER OF GOD in the Sacrament of the Altar GOd shewes himselfe admirable three wayes by his Power by his Wisdome and by his Bountie to the which end he hath grauen the workes of these three vertues in euery worke of his be it neuer so little The naturall vertues of Stones or Plants and the armour of beasts set forth the power of their Creator the ordering of the parts of euery creature the industry of the great and little beasts and their agilitie make vs to see his wisdome the essence and propertie of all things giuen vs doe witnesse his bountie vnto vs all that he did long since in the Law of Nature and of Moses and all that he hath done or shall doe hereafter in the Law of Grace is marked with these three markes and there is nothing wherein hee becomes not admirable by meanes of these three to all those that exercise the eyes of their soules in contemplation of the greatnesse of his works But aboue all he hath shewed himselfe maruailous in this diuine Sacrament as the last and principall worke of his hands and the admirable new Schedule or Codicill of his Testament And first he hath made appeare in it his wonderfull Power by so many sundry waves as there be diuersities in the nature of things we must explaine them after a stammering manner For how can we doe otherwise O Lord speaking of so high an effect of thy infinite power We finde in all visible nature the Substance the Qualitie the Relation the Action the Passion the Place the Time the State the Habite and nothing more Man for example hath a reasonable soule and a body which make his substance He hath his quantity which are his length breadth and thicknesse Hee hath his qualities which are his colour his beauty his bounty and such like He hath his relations compared to another which is lesse great lesse good or as great and as good as himselfe and is thereby surnamed greater better or equall He hath also his actions for hee speaketh hee writeth or doth other things He hath his passions for he receiues in his body or in his soule some impression of cold of heate of ioy of knowledge of sorrow and such like He is in some place as in the City in the fields and that at sometime either in the morning or in the euening in Summer or in Winter He hath his situation for hee is sitting or standing or lying Finally he hath his vesture or clothing his cloake his shooes c. And all whatsoeuer which is found in Man or in any other corporall creature is referred to one of these heads which are the ten orders by the Philosophers assigned to Nature Arist in Meta. Logic. comprehending all the parcells of euery creature According to all which our Sauiour sheweth himselfe omnipotent in this Sacrament let vs see it first insubstance 7. OF THE OMNIPOTENCIE OF GOD in Transubstantiation AS for Substance which is the foundation of all and holds the first ranke amongst things Categoria sub 〈◊〉 our Sauiour shewes his supreame power in this Sacrament in that hee changeth by his Word the substance of bread into his bodie and the substance of wine into his bloud a kinde of miracle very like vnto creation and more noble in this Mystery then creation it selfe and most fit to make vs know and acknowledge him an omnipotent workman In the creation Dexit facia 〈◊〉 Psal 32.9 God did speake and it was done he commanded and it was created as Dauid singeth Heere he saith This is my body and his body is found there This is my bloud and his bloud is there present Then his omnipotent Word made that to be which was not before at
these diuine and delitious Cakes at the mysticall Table of our Sauiour The ancient Iewes could not write more clearly of the Figure of our Truth amongst the shadowes of their Law and he that seeth not this Truth brightly shining in the Sacrifice of the Law of Grace is blinde at noone-day and worse then a Iew. 7. THE TESTIMONIES OF HEBREW Doctors for Transubstantiation and the manner how the body of our Sauiour is present in the Eucharist THe manner how the body of our Lord is really present in the Eucharist hath been no lesse plainely set downe in the writings of the Hebrewes then is the Reall presence it selfe This Manner hath two respects the one to the beginning of the Presence and teacheth how the body of our Lord is first made present in the Sacrament of the Altar the other to the maner of this Presence and declares how he remaines there present Of both wee haue spoken in the Figure of Manna discoursing there of the Almighty power of our Sauiour Heere we shall onely alledge the testimonies of Hebrew and Christian Doctors to declare this Presence more fully and to shew the soundnesse of the Catholike faith concerning Transubstantiation And as for the first Conâ— Trident. sess 19. c. 4. can 2. the Catholike Faith and doctrine holds that the body of our Sauiour is made present vpon the Altar by Transubstantiation that is to say not by descent from heauen to earth neither by new production but by changing the substance of bread into the substance of the body of our Sauiour borne of the Virgin The same faith and doctrine saith that it remaines there with a diuine Presence spirituall and supernaturall in its quantity without possessing any place and in its Maiesty without any shew thereof being there immortall and glorious but inuisible to sense and incomprehensible to reason and humane iudgement as hath been said elsewhere And this in summe is that which the Doctors as well Iewes as Christians haue written The Hebrewes as we haue said before in the Table of Proposition Loaues haue taught that these Loaues were called Breads of faces because they did Figure forth a Sacrifice in the which there should be bread in the beginning and flesh in the end for the substance of bread was there to be changed into the substance of the body of the Messias the outward accidents remaining whole and that it should be a Sacrifice of two faces one outward of bread which the sense might see and the other inward of the substance of flesh which Faith only could perceiue And to this may haue reference that the Hebrew word Lehen bread and flesh Rab. Kimhi 1. Serasâ—im Gal. 10. 7. 1. Cor. 11.27 Lehen set in this place hath a double signification for sometimes it signifieth bread sometimes flesh So as where our Translation hath He offered him the breads of Proposition other translations haue He offered the flesh of thy God And Saint Paul long time after vsing the same manner of speech what he calls Bread he also names the body of our Sauiour The same Hebrew Doctors Osee 14.8 explaining the words of Osee They shall be conuerted that sit vnder his shadow they shall liue with Wheate Our Masters say they writ vpon these words that at the comming of the Redeemer there shal be change of nature in Wheat And Rabby Moyses vpon the words of the Psalme Rab. Moyses Hadarsania Psal 135. Gal. l. 10. c. 6. Rab. Iudas in Exod. cap. 25. Gal. l. 10. c. 6. Who giueth food to all flesh a for saith he the bread which bee will giue is his flesh and this shall be a great wonder The Oblation then is bread in the beginning but after the words of Consecration it is flesh the substance of bread being turned into the substance of the body of our Sauiour by the vertue of his Omnipotent word the which being able to make all the world of nothing can change one substance into another This changing is called Transubstantiation in the Catholike Church a word brought into vse fiue hundred yeares agoe Rab. Kimbi Gal. l. 10. c. 4. to stoppe the mouthes of the Heretickes which rose vp against the true Faith the thing it selfe being as ancient as the Eucharist for in the same instant that the Sacrament was instituted by our Sauiour Transubstantiation was in vse though the name was not to be borne vntill long time after As for the Manner according to which the Messias body was to remaine in the Sacrament after it is made present by Transubstantiation the same Hebrew Doctors haue tolde that it was to bee there inuisible and impalpable and in many places together which they beleeued also of the body of the Prophet Elias being in many places at the same time without being seene or touched as the Rabbins testifie in these their Expositions 8. THE TESTIMONIES OF THE CHRIstian Doctors concerning Transubstantiation and the manner how our Sauiours body is in the Eucharist THe Christians haue been so much more resolute and cleare in setting downe the Faith and Doctrine of Transubstantiation and the manner of the presence of our Sauiours body in this Sacrament by how much they haue had better Masters then the ancient Hebrews Their Masters were our Sauiour himselfe the Sonne of Truth the Reuealer of heauenly secrets and his Apostles filled with the new light of the Holy Ghost whereas the Hebrewes had none but Moyses and the Prophets which taught by shadowes and Figures Behold then what they haue said of this admirable change which wee call Transubstantiation and of the manner how the body of our Sauiour remaines in the Sacrament Saint IVSTINE Wee are taught S. Iustin Apol. 2. that the meate the bread and wine wherwith our flesh and bloud are nourished by change thereof into our substance being Consecrated by the prayer and word of God is the flesh and bloud of Iesus Christ incarnate that is to say the substance of bread and wine is changed into the body and bloud of our Sauiour Saint IRENEVS S. â—râ—â— l. 4. c. 3â— disputing against the Heretikes which denied that Christ was Omnipotent Hâ—w saith hee will they beleâ—ue that the consecrated bread is the body of Iesus Christ As if he should say if they beleeue not that he is Omnipotent they cannot beleeue that in the Eucharist the bread is changed into his body by his Word seeing there can be made no such change by any other word but his who can doe all by his Word as hee made the world by his Word Saint CYRIL of Hierusalem S. cyril â—ierosol â—â—tech misâ—ag 4. Hee long since in Cana turned water into wine the which hath some resemblance to bloud shall we esteeme him lesse worthy to be beleeued saying that he hath changed the wine into his bloud Saint CHRYSOSTOME S. Chrysost hom 6. ad Pap. Anâ—ioch Because the Word saith This is my body let vs obey and beleeue beholding it with
of our Sauiour in the first preparation of this Feast so he hath also raised vp others to disturbe and stoppe the proceedings and fruit thereof already prepared These are they which in this last age do impugne the honor and magnificence of this Feast taking from it the substance and truth saying that the flesh of our Sauiour is not heere but onely a Figure thereof and that there is heere no reall eating of the flesh of our Sauiour present which they call carnall but onely spirituall by the meanes of saith alone which makes the body of our Sauiour spiritually present and eateth it spiritually These people are carnall as well as the Capharnaits and puffed vp with the same blast of pride oâ—erthrowing the truth but by a contrary battery The Capharnaits did interpret the words of our Sauiour altogether fleshly and these men altogether spiritually those were in one extremity beleeuing nothing but flesh these are in another extremity admitting nothing but spirit and both the one and the other not willing to acknowledge but what their fancies tells them and therefore are carnall faithlesse and proud though after a different manner The sensuality of the later in particular doth shew it selfe in that they thinke it a carnall thing that the flesh of our Sauiour should be present in the Sacrament their incredulity is in this that they will not beleeue the word of God who said that hee would truely giue his flesh to eate their pride in that they preferred the iudgement of their sense before his Word and condemne the ordinance of our Sauiour albeit they make faire shewes of defending the same They erre then in three things First in thinking the presence of the flesh of our Sauiour in this Sacrament to be carnall for the presence of a thing makes not the carnality but the manner his flesh was trutly and by reall presence conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin Yet was not that presence carnall because the manner of the conception was from the holy Ghost When he ascended into beauen his body was present in as many places of the beauens as he did penetrate the presence was reall but neuerthelesse spirituall because it depended of a cause spirituall and diuine and not naturall When he made himselfe seene to Saint Paul he was present and his presence was true and reall yet spirituall that is to say not after an ordinary and naturall manner Euen so the flesh of our Sauiour is really present in the Eucharist yet not carnally as common flesh is present vpon the table but by transubstantiation by a way about nature by the all powerfull word of our Sauiour It is there inuisible impalpable immorrall and inconsumptible and so spiritually and so diuinely that nothing but the eyes of faith can perceiue it and because these heere haue not but the eyes of their flesh and carnall iudgement therefore they deny this presence and same another according to the blindnesse of their flesh against the truth and leaue the true faith by an imaginary no faith and are blockish and infidels in their sensuall faith 8. CONTRADICTIONS OF HERETIKES in their false and imaginary faith THe same Heretikes inwrap themselues in contradiction denying on the one side the flesh of our Sauiour to be really present in the Eucharist and saying on the other side that it is there by Spirit and faith For if it bee not really there it cannot bee present by Spirit and by faith for as much as no strength neither of the Spirit nor of Faith doth make a thing present that is absent Neither faith nor the Spirit makes that the Hebrewes at this present doe passe the red sea or eate Manna in the Desart or that Iosua now doth stay the Sunne or that our Sauiour is now conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin or that he now riseth from death or ascends into heauen or that hee comes now to iudge the liuing and the dead though it beleeue all this if these men answere that faith imagineth these things as present albeit they bee absent they confesse that as the presence of these things is but imagination so the faith which they haue of the presence of the flesh of our Sauiour in the Sacrament is imaginary and that they cate it not but by imagination Like vnto them who sleeping dreame that they make good cheare and yet make no good cheare but in their fancie Such faith is not the faith that makes a faithfull man in this point neither is such sustenance truely sustenance neither such meate truely meate it is a faith a refection a meate of fancie Now our Sauiour said Iohn 6. that his flesh is meat indeed and his bloud drinke indeed then the faith or rather no faith of these men is a carnall infidelity and a froward imagination contrary to the faith of God They are the children of the Catholike Church which by faith doe eate indeed the body of our Sauiour that is to say in a spirituall manner as it hath been said and with the faith required thereunto by the which they doe beleeue the word of God beleeuing that his body is there present as his word saith beleeuing that they take it really and eate it really as he hath promised beleeuing that he could doe that which he said and that he doth nothing which is contrary to his goodnesse and wisdome And as their faith is farthfull so their eating is true and contrariwise the eating practised by these Heretikes in their Supper is altogether carnall for they take nothing heere more excellent then bread and neither doe they eath but bread nor beleeue any thing but what the faith of a Turke of a Iew and of a Pagan all carnall could not beleeue For what difficulty had there been to beleeue the presence of a morsell of bread that they see taste and perceiue by their sense to be so 9. THE LITERALL SENSE FOVNDAtion of others against the same Heretikes THese good people therefore lose themselues in the by-wayes of their spirituality for willing to interpret the flesh of our Sauiour and his bloud and all this eating spiritually according to their owne sense saying that men cate not this flesh but by Spirit and by faith alone they leaue the proper and fundamentall vnderstanding of the words of our Sauiour and take onely a metaphoricall one against the law of all good Diuinity which first ought to vnderstand and establish the literall and proper sense of the Scripture and after vpon that foundation to ground the spirituall For example the Scripture saith Gen. 2. Exod. 14. Iud. 15. 1. Reg. 17. that God planted an carthly Paradise that the Hebrewes did passe the red Sea that Sampson tyed Foxes by the tayles that Dauid did sight in single combate with Goliah and such like things if euery one would so spiritualize these histories that they would deny the literall truth and say that earthly Paradise is no other thing but the Church the red
body this is not the Figure but my body it selfe which onely pleaseth my Father which only can worthily thanke him which onely can effectually appease him the others were not pleasing to him but so farre forth as they had relation to this heere in as much as they did Figure it and foretold its comming this is the subiect of all these bodies and of all these old Sacrifices this is the body in which God shall be truely honored in which he shall bee fully satisfied in which he shall receiue with infinite measure the taxe of mans Redemption and in which he shall iudge the quicke and the dead By these words then our Sauiour sheweth the body which is the honor of all his Church both in earth and in heauen for that which is most precious in a Kingdome is not treasure munition gould and siluer mines the store-houses of merchandizes the opulent Cities the stately houses Pallaces the Orchyards the Gardens and other such like pleasant places But it is the body of the King it is for him and by him that the Nobles command that the souldiers fight that the Magistrates exercise Iustice that the Guard watch and keepe Sentinell that the Merchants trade He that hath the body of the King hath all Wherefore the words of our Sauiour This is my body declare that this is the holiest and diuinest thing within the inclosure of the kingdom of heauen and Monarchy of his most deare Spouse which is his Church What canst thou then O sweet Iesus choose more rich and more diuine for to honor thy Father to testifie thy loue to make happy thy Spouse then to leaue this body in a perpetual Sacrifice to his Maiesty in daily Sacrament and food to thy members What canst thou vtter higher then to say This is my body The great Casar disguised in the habite of a slaue gaue once both astonishment and courage to his Pilot dismayed with a storme when making himselfe knowne he tells him Haue heart my friend Plut. in Casares it is Casar thou carriest With what heart and with what admiration ought wee to heare these words This is my body With what respect and loue ought we to receiue this body although disguised in the habite of fraile Elements since it is thou that speakest clearely and sayest This is my body And what courage oughtest thou to haue O my soule hauing with thee and carrying in thy mortall body with thee this immortall body this liuely body quickned with a most noble soule replenished with all perfection both of Nature and Grace this Lord God and Man King of Kings And what other thing canst thou doe but contemplate in silence rather then to endeauour to expresse in words the greatnesse of thy Redeemer in this his owne Word which thou canst not comprehend And with a deepe humility and burning affection enioy the Presence that he maketh thee thereof so often as for thy good and saluation he shall say to thee that which he then said of his body to his Church This is my body take and eate 6. HOW OVR SAVIOVR OFFERS HIMselfe to God in Sacrifice saying This it my bodie WHen our Sauiour made dis body Present in vttering these words This is my body in the same instant he offered it to his Father in an vnbloudy Sacrifice after the forme of Melchisedech and forth with he gaue it to his Apostles in Sacrament vnder the same forme This is the cause why hauing said This is my body hee addeth giuen for you that is to say offered for you in Sacrifice broken for you now giuen and broken and which shal be hereafter giuen and broken in the same fashion euen till the end of the world in remembrance of that bloudy Sacrifice which to morrow I wil offer for you once for all vpon the Crosse So as our Sauiour made not his body onely Present but present vnder the formes of bread giuing it a being of food a dead being albeit that in it selfe it was euer liuing euen as in making himselfe man his Diuinity tooke a body and a mortall being and endured death in that body albeit the Diuinity was alwayes immortal and endured nothing as we haue declared before He made himselfe by reason of the dead species present as dead and represented himselfe as a Victime and as an offered Lambe for to bee afterward the refection of the Father of the Family 〈◊〉 12. and of his houshold according to the Figure of the Iewes Lamb the which could not be eaten before it was first dead immolated offered and made a Victim as the Scripture hath told vs S. Greg. Niss or 1. de Resur and Saint Gregory of Nisse after the Scripture And it imports not as hath been said heretofore that our Sauiour vttered no words of Oblation expresly saying My Father I offer thee this body the manner after which he makes himselfe Present as a Victime expressed sufficiently that he offered himselfe It was also sufficient that hee made it Present with intention to offer it to God who seeth the heart though the tongue say nothing And so the Iewish Priests did offer their Sacrifices immolating the the beasts only and saying no other thing whereby to signifie that it was a Sacrifice And so our Sauiour likewise offers himselfe vpon the Crosse without vsing any words fignifying Oblation Matth. 26.28 The same immolation was made in the Censecration of the Chalice when our Sauiour said This is my bloud of the new Testament Luke 22.20 shed for many for the râ—â—ission of siâ—ner Also This Cup is the new Tastament in my bloud the which is shed for you For by this consecration the bloud of our Sauiour is represented apart which also doth euidently declare that his body was made a Sacrifice according to the likenesse of those of the Iewes who comming to immolat the beast did kil it separating the bloud from the body with a sword Heb. 4.12 as our Sauiour with his omnipotent Word in stead of a piercing Sword made his bloud Present in the Cup as separated from his body and so representeth the immolation therof and albeit the body and the bloud were not actually separated and that the body was in the Cup and the bloud was with the body vnder the accidents of bread yet notwithstanding by reason of the forme of wine separated and set apart they appeared separated to represent this immolation and the bloud was truely shed not after the maner of Aarons bloudy Sacrifices in which the bloud was drawne from the veines in proper forme but after the manner of wine Our Sauiour vsed also the Present tense saying This is my bloud shed this is the Chalice of my bloud shed for remission of sins Matth. 26. Luke 22. to signifie that this which was in the Chalice to wit his bloud for the wine could not bee shed for remission of sinnes was already powred into the Chalice by an vnbloudy effusion
as it was the next day by bloudy a effusion on the Crosse And when the holy Fathers did sometimes turne the words of Consecration into the Future tense saying This is my bloud which shall be shed in stead of that is said which is shed they contraried not the sense which we now giue for they all did affirme the Reall Presence of our Sauiours bloud in the Chalice but they referred the words of our Sauiour not onely to that present powring foorth which was then made but also to that which was to bee made as well on the Crosse by bloudy Sacrifice once as in the Eucharist by vnbloudy Sacrifice euen vntill the end of the world Behold how our Sauiour Sacrificed and offered his body to his Father by these words This is my body giuen for you This is my bloud shed for you And this is the new Sacrifice and offering in the Law of Grace which the holy Fathers say was instituted in this mysticall Supper as we shall learne by the ensuing witnesses 7. THE SACRIFICE AND SACRAMENT of our Lords body to haue been instituted in the mysticall Supper declared by the testimonie of Fathers SAint Gregory of Nisse speaking of the institution of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist S. Greg. Niss or 1. de Resur made in the Supper of the Paschall Lambe Our Sauiour saith hee by his ordinance preuenteth the violence of his enemies with a secret manner of Sacrifice ineffable and inuisible to the eyes of mortall men He himselfe offers himselfe for vs Oblation and Victime Priest and Lamb of God together And when was this this was then when hee gaue to his familiars his body to eate and his bloud to drinke Saint CHRYSOSTOME S. Chrysost hom 2. in 2. Tim. Be it Peter be it Paul bee it another Priest of like merits which offereth the holy Oblation this is euer the selfe-same which Iesus Christ in person gaue to his Disciples and that which the Priests yet make daily this heere is no lesse then that there Wherefore Because they are not the men that sanctifie it but it is the same Christ who hallowed it before Saint AMBROSE S. Ambros in Psal 8. We haue seene the High Priest comming to vs and haue heard him offering his bloud for vs Let vs follow him according to our power since that we are Priests to the end to offer Sacrifice for the people we are certainly vnequall in merit but honored by the Sacrifice For albeit that Christ now seemes not to offer he is neuerthelesse offered on the earth then when his body is offered heere Saint AVGVSTINE S. Aug. in Psal 33. cont 2. Psal 109. Iesus Christ hath instituted of his body and bloud a Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech AESICHIVS of the same time with Saint Augustine Aesich lib. 2. in Leuit. c. 8. Our Lord God supping with his Apostles did first offer the Lambe which made the Figure and after his owne Sacrifice RVPERT Rupert lib. 2. in Exod. c. 6. Our Saniour extreamely perplexed in the beginning of his Passion first immolated himselfe to his Father with his owne proper hands These passages and the rest that haue been cited in the Types of Melchisedech and of the Paschall Lambe teach how our Sauiour instituted the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body after the old ceremony of the Paschall Lambe was accomplished which is the Faith that the Church hath euer held and will hold for euer 8. OVR SAVIOVRS TESTAMENT MADE in the Institution of the Sacrifice and Sacra ment of his body IT was in this admirable actiō that our Sauiour made his new Testament of the new Couenant with his Church amending the old and drawing neere to his death it was a time fit and agreeable for him to bequeath and leaue an eternall testimony of his last Will and affection towards his children The words of the Testament Gal. 4.24 Heb. 8.7 vlt. Exod. 24. Matth. 26.28 Marke 14.24 Luke 22 20. Exod. 24.7.8 Heb 9.16.17.18.19.20 of the Testator are cleare as also the Ceremony according to S. Matthew and S. Marke our Sauiour said This is my bloud of the new Testament that shall be shed for many vnto the remission of sinnes And according to S. Luke This is the Chalice the new Testament in my bloud which shall be shed for you in the same sense he saith new Testament of his bloud making allusion to the old which he long since had written by the meanes of his seruant Moyses and marked with the bloud of beasts to Figure forth this heere that there was made in the Desart at the foot of the Mount Sinay where Moyses as a royall Notary read the Law and the cenure of the written Testament and gaue the aduertisements of the Father of the Family before seuenty of the Ancients assembled by name and before the people that were to inherit In it the goods also were be queathed to wit the Land of Promise a Figure of Paradise And in Figure the death of the Testator also was interposed for there was Sacrifice offered whereby the death of the future Testator Iesus Christ made Man was represented and promised for confirmation of the Testament to which Ceremony that hath reference which Dauid said Psal 49. Iosue 8.31 Leuit. 23. Gather yee together his Saints vnto him which ordaine 〈◊〉 Testament and alliance with Sacrifice The same Ceremony was practised by Iesus when he renewed the Couenant of this Testament obserued also by the Iewes euery yeare in the Feast of Pentecost and by Salomon 3. Reg. 9.25 three times in one yeare These Victims then after they were offered to God were taken by the Priest and by the people in ordinary refection and the Altar Exod. 24. Heb. 9. and the Booke of the Law was sprinkled with the bloud of them According to the trace of all these Ceremonies Our Sauior made this Testament in this last euening in the desart of this world in Mount Sinay where the old was made but in another part thereof to wit in Sion and Hierusalem part of Sina and adioyning to it as Saint Paul said In Sion more noble then the other part of Sina Gal. 4.24 and in Hierusalem a more liuely Figure of his Church then was the Desart whereof Esay hath written The Law shall goe foorth of Syon Psay 2.3 and the word of God from Hierusalem In it then our Sauiour published in two words his Law and gaue his Aduertisements saying in this same Supper Ioan. 13.34 I giue you a new Commandement that you loue one another A Law of Loue and not of Feare as the Law of the old Testament Matth. 26.28 Marke 14.24 Luke 22.20 1. Cor. 11.24 He made the Recitall of his Testament in these words This is my bloud of the new Testament He made his Legacies and promises to his inheritors not of a Land of Canaan as of old to the Hebrewes but of the
had so extreamely loued in his life and without whom shee could not liue This was an Humane loue more worthy of compassion then of praise which neuerthelesse may serue vs for an example to make vs do better for how much more conuenient and iust is it that wee should employ all our spirituall meanes our loue our deuotion our fastings our almes our prayers that we may become a liuing Cabinet of the body of this diuine Spouse of our soules whom we shall receiue not senselesse nor dead nor reduced into powder but aliue immortall all whole with his soule and with his glory and with all the Maiesty of his Diuinity for to be one day eternally vnited with him 10. TWO GREAT WONDERS HAPPENED in the institution of this Sacrament SAint Augustine S. August in Psal 33. 2. Keg 21.13 expounding what the History of the Kings saith of Dauid that counterseiting to be out of his wits before King Achis He carried himselfe in his own hands tooke occasion to admire another wonder farre exceeding that which came to passe in the institution of this Sacrament And it is that our Sauiour carried himselfe in his proper hands A thing which he esteemed most admirable and impossible to haue been practised by Dauid according to the sence of the letter But that our Sauiour only did it when holding his body in his hand and saying This is my body hee cetried it to his mouth and gaue it to his Apostles For though it might be that Dauid playing the foole carried himselfe in his hands by going on all foure after the manner of little children or bearing himself vp vpon his armes and vsing them in stead of feet and of legges after the fashion of those who by actluity cast their body vpward in the ayre with their head downward like a tree and walke vpon their hands S. Augustine neuerthelesse had reason to say that to cary himselfe of himselfe in his owne hands belongeth only to our Sauiour for it is he which truly earieth himselfe David caried not himselfe on his hands but rather on his hands and feet together if it be to be vnderstood of the first manner or only on his armes if of the second but our Sauiour carieth himselfe properly in his hands neither more nor lesse then he caried in his band the meate which he put in his mouth or into the mouthes of others There is heere yet another thing admirable in this Institution which is that our Sauiour tooke himself for food a thing not heard of neither hapned to any man since the Creation of the world Ioseâ—h lib. 7. de â—el Iudaâ—c Histories tell vs that some mothers had fed vpon their owne children as Mary the Iew and that some person haue eaten a certaine part of their body compelled by the violence of some extraordinary sicknes but it was neuer read that a man either did or could eate himselfe all whole still remaining without hurt and such an act neuer came into the thought of man The Sonne of God alone can doe it and hath done it and hath giuen herein an illustrious testimony that hee is God doing a worke which onely God could doe by vertue vncommunicable to any other for it is God alone that liueth of himselfe and is his owne proper food the creatures do liue of other creatures and their food is from without their body and none liue of themselues the blessed Spirits in heauen doe liue of the vision of God but God alone is his owne life and his owne meat from all eternity and needeth no other thing but himselfe to sustaine himselfe eternally So that our Sauiour taking himselfe for food signeth himselfe with the signe of his owne greatnesse and sheweth as by an experiment proper to God that he was God hee being able to make food of himself euen according to the body after the likenesse of his Diuinity which is the food and nourishment of himselfe and belongeth to no other thing but to God alone And this is that which he signified by these words Iâ—â—â— 5.26.24 S. Chrysost hom 〈◊〉 in Ioan. For as the Father hath lofe in himselfe so bee hath giuen to the Sonne also to haue life in himsele for proofe then and declaration of his speech hee rooke himsele in food corporally as spiritually he himselfe is his life and his food and his felicity and likewise the life food and felicity of his Elect. 11. SAINT IONN FIRST RECEIVETH OF all the Apostles The Eucharist the true refection and the Present at the refection OVR Sauiour then doth offer his body and his bloud to God his Father in Sacrifice and hauing receiued them first himselfe he giues them to his Apostles for spirituall refection beginning at Saint Iohn and not onely because he was nearest him at the table but because he was endued with singular charity and chastity vertues altogether proper to make vs sit worthily at the table of this feast of loue and purity It is heere where the refection began which alone is true and holy and now it began to be continued afterward so long as the world should endure All the other which had of old been instituted in the House of God were but Figures of this their meats were meates of corruption and of death seruing onely to maintaine this mortall life the Victims the Offerings and all that which was set vpon the Altar or vpon the table in the Law of Nature and of Moses were but dead bodies and mortall food to nourish mortall bodies the body of our Sauiour is the body of life and food of immortality In this refection the ceremony of Alliance made betweene God and Man was celebrated by the mediation of the flesh and bloud of God signes both signifying and withall effecting a most streight and most diuine vnion of the head with his members of the members amongst themselues And the Symbols which were the meate of the table and the connexion of such as assisted the selfe-same were the Presents of the Feast It was a famous custome among the Nations of the world to giue Presenis after a great Feast the which were called of the Greeke word Apophoreta as who should say things to bee carried from the Feast of which S. Ambrose speaking S. Ambros in exhort ad Virg writ in these termes in his Exhortation to Virgins Such as are inuited to a great Feast haue a custome to bring away some conuiuiall presents Isid Some bring vesieis of gold some of sillier some gold and siluerâ— some money Sueton. Coligul Lamâ—â—d in Heliogaâ—oto some Iewels some beasts some men the Sonne of God gaue his body and his bloud for the Present of his Feast or the meat of his Feast and for the Feast it selfe surpassing the price of all other Presents as also the splendour and deliciousnesse of all other banquets 12. OF THE WORDS OF OVR SAVIOVR Doe this in my remembrance NOw this diuine refection was not
all now it makes present his body in a place where it was not a little before There it changed nothing into the creature heere it changeth one creature into another and in a certaine manner into the Creator himselfe so as the Priestes working in the Consecration by vertue of this omnipotent words are in this respect Creators of their Creator For changing the bread into the body of our Sauiour and making this body present they make also by necessary concomitance that his Soule and his Diuinity which neuer abandons the body be also present and by such operation they produce after a certaine manner the diuine Person and their Creator neither more nor lesse then the glorious Virgin brought forth Iesus Christ God and Man and is truely called the Creatrix and Mother of her Creator although shee bred neither the Soule nor the Diuinitie of him but onely the body conioyned to a reasonable Soule and hypostatically vnited to the Diuine Person which accompanieth it vnseparably Therefore the mystery of the Incarnation as also of Transubstantiation is greater and nobler then that of Creation For the effect of the Creation was a creature to wit the World but the effect of the Incarnation as also of Transubstantiation is the Creator by reason of this consequence and concomitance And if one should consider the body of our Sauiour alone the effect is alwayes more pretious seeing that this body surpasseth the price of a thousand worlds God then sheweth himselfe greater in this change then he did in the Creation And therefore after the Creation and before the Mystery of Transubstantiation when he would giue proofe of his power it was first by the change of one creature into another because such an operation did most properly testifie the soueraigne Master of Nature but therewithall to facilitate the faith of Transubstantiation which he was to make in the Law of Grace of bread and wine into the body and bloud of his Sonne So for the first proofe of his omnipotencie he changed the Rod of Moses into a Serpent and before Pharoe and the Aegyptians Exod. 3. 4. he conuerted the waters of Aegypt into bloud So likewise the first miracle by which Iesus Christ made man shewed himselfe God was by changing the water into wine the last remarkable miracle that he wrought in his mortall life Ioan. 2. was in changing the bread into his body the wine into his bloud which he continueth euery day and shall continue in witnesse of his omnipotencie so long as his Church shal walke in the Desert of this world as he continued the Figure of Manna in the Desert of Arabia during the peregrination of the Hebrewes in which Manna this admirable mutation was figured for as it is said in the booke of Wisdome Sap. 16.21 it was turned into that euery man would haue it 8. THIS CHANGE IS A MIRACLE FOR the Faithfull NOw this changing of substance into substance appeareth not to the bodily sense but to the eyes of faith onely and therefore it is made for the faithful which beleeue without seeing and not for vnfaithfull and carnal people S. Aug. in serm de Temp. 147. Whose rule is to vnderstand nothing except that which they touch saith Saint Augustine The mutations and changes that Moses made to fight against the infidelity of Pharoe and the Aegyptians and to giue manifest proof of Gods omnipotency strucke their senses with admiration as also the miracles of our Sauiour did and those of his Saints which were done to plant the faith The miracle that hee worketh in this change as also in the accidents is not for the planting of faith but for the exercise and encrease thereof he that requireth to see it with sense shewes that he hath no more faith then an Infidell and that he more beleeues his sense then the words of God which denounceth to him this change saying This is my body this is my bloud he shewes also that he vnderstands not reason for there are diuers natural changes which are made in secret without the senses perceiuing when they are made as when the water changeth it selfe into the juyce of wine in the Vine and into the juyoe of a Cherry in a Cherry-tree when the corne changeth it selfe into the substance of an eare and when an Egge is turned into a Chicken the shell remaining whole and without any exteriour mutation 9. OF THE SAME POWER OF GOD shewed in the accidents of bread and wine AS our Sauiour sheweth himselfe in this Sacrament Lord and Master of Nature by changing the substance as it hath been said so he maketh it appeare that he is omnipotent in the accidents of the same substance distributed into those nine Orders which wee haue set downe before First in generall because he giues to them all a manner of being supernaturall which is to support themselues without subiect an effect so farre aboue the power of common nature as it is for a man to hold himselfe in the ayre without stay And in particular he giueth force to the quantity of bread not onely to be without subiect but also to doe the office of substance and to serue for foundation to the quality to the sauour Gen. 21. and to other accidents and produceth with them a substance in giuing nourishment by them 2. Reg. Luke 1. Luke 1. And as by commanding the barrennesse of Sara of Anna and of Elizabeth and the Virginitie of his blessed Mother to conceiue and bring forth he made proofe of his omnipotencie Euen so he shewes himselfe heere omnipotent when he commandeth the barren accidents themselues and without all sappe of substance to bring forth and which is more to bring foorth an effect farre aboue their ranke to wit a substance which is a nature without comparison more noble then the accident and of whom the accidents altogether depend as simple officers and vassalls hauing nothing of their owne but what they haue from the power of substance These are then so many markes of an omnipotent Lord in this Mystery 10. THE SELFE-SAME POWER VERIFIED in the accidents of the body of our Sauiour and first in respect of the quantity THe diuine Power is yet more euident in the managing of the accidents of the body of our Sauiour 2 for it there holds his quantity all entire with his dimensions without possessing place all in all the Hoast and all in euery part how little soeuer it be which is to giue to his body that manner of being that naturally belongeth to a spirit thereby to shew himselfe God omnipotent So God is all through all and all in euery part of the world and our soule through all the body and all in euery part The body of our Sauiour is not euery where that being a prerogatiue reserued to the Diuinitie alone but it is in many places in one selfesame time and in all parts of the Hoast which is naturall to spirits and
Oblation of the new Testament which is the truth of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Masse figured by the Oblation of the First-fruits as we haue shewed S. Iust in Tripho S. Chrysost in Psal 95. Tertul. l. 3. cont Marc. c. 22. S. Aug. l. 18. de Ciuit. c. 35. S. Hieron in c. 1. Mal. al◠which Figure we are now to explicate together with the Prophecie of the Prophet Malachie which Saint Irenaus citeth for the same truth and with him Saint Iustin Saint Chrysostome Saint Hierome Saint Augustine Tertullian and other great Doctors of the Church But let vs see the circumstances of the old Oblation answering in all respects to the body of the new 3. OF MANY CIRCVMSTANCES OF THE ancient Oblation answering to the truth of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Masse THe Loaues of the First-fruits were made of the finest flower of Wheate and round after the manner of a cake We haue heere the matter and forme of our Hoasts The Priest did lift it vp before the people in Figure of the eleuation of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse The Priest also eleuates the consecrated Hoast that it may be adored and maketh ouer it many signes of the Crosse The Sacrifice of Loaues were Min-ha Malac. 1. that is to say not bloudy the Masse is a Sacrifice of the same kinde without effusion of bloud and the true Oblation Minha foretold by Malachy The Figure was called in the Law a new Sacrifice which Moses names in the Hebrew and Syriach tongue Deut. 16. Missa that is to say Oblation rich and sufficient which word is not found in all the Bible to signifie any other thing but this new Oblation as the Hebrew Doctors teach All this is liuely agreeable to the Masse for in regard first of the name it is agreeable to it in euery point seeing that this our Sacrifice is singularly a new Sacrifice in all respects in respect of the thing offered of the Priest and of the manner of offering it The thing offered is singularly new it is a new fruit brought forth from a new earth to wit the body of our Sauiour borne of the Virgin a new bread a liuing bread immortall and glorious The Priest also new to wit the Sonne of God the annointed of God King of men and Angels and there was neuer the like nor neuer shall be hereafter The manner wholly new for the thing offered and the Priest is the selfe-same thing and both the one and the other are hidden vnder the formes of bread and wine all in the one and all in the other kinde and all in euery part of it in his proper quantity in his immortality and in his glory though our sense and vnderstanding see nothing but the outward signes So is this Sacrifice altogether new and not knowne either in the Law of Nature or in the Law of Moyses 4. OF THE NAME MASSE AS for the word Missa Masse proper name of the old Oblation it is left wholly to ours and it is so well assigned and applied that it signifies no more neither nominateth any other thing then the Sacrifice of the Law of Grace as of old it signified onely that of Moyses In so much as many great Doctors doubted not Missa apud S. Clem. epist 3. Abdias lib. 7. S. Euarist l. 3. cap. 27. S. Alex ep 1. Telesph ep 1. S. Ambros l. 5. ep 3. S. Aug. serm 91. de Temp 251 S. Leo ep 81. 88. Concil Rom. de Coascr d. 1. nullms Concil 2. Carth. can 3. Concil Agath c. 47. de Conf. d. 1. Missas but that this was an Hebrew word and the same which denominated the ancient Oblation of the First-fruit and one of the first names that the Apostles gaue to the Eucharist The which is probable because it is so called by many ancient Fathers both Greeke and Latine as S. Clement Successor of Saint Peter Abdias who wrote the life of the Apostles either in Greeke or in Hebrew S. Euaristus Pope who sate the yeere 97. S. Alexander sitting in the yeere 106. Telesphorus sitting in the yeare 127. S. Ambrose S. Augustine Saint Leo. Moreouer the first Romane Councell the second of Carthage the Councell of Agath and many other ancient Authors of the first foure Ages and all these haue often vsed it as a name frequented among the Christians which is an argument that it was left by tradition from the Apostles howsoeuer the Church did vse in the beginning many other names especially the Greeke Church Some Doctors haue thought it to be a Latine word for the likenesse of the syllables and of the sound But the argument concludeth not that it is rather Latine then Hebrew seeing that it hath the like syllables and sound in both Languages and if the Latine challenge it by that title the Hebrew may challenge it by the same And after this manner euery one may draw to his Language a thousand strange words by similitude or likenesse and may put themselues in danger to incurre the crime of vnlust vsurpers or ill interpreters as it happened to Optatus in the word Cephas which he thought to be Greeke by reason of the likenesse of syllables of the word Cephale Head By like misconstruing the Latins may also say that the Hebrew words Alma Massa Cera and such like are onely Latin because they haue a Latine sound and euery Language may challenge the word Sac as her owne because it hath the same sound and signification in all tongues It is then as likely that the word Missa is an Hebrew word as that it is a Latine But if any shall resolutely hold that it comes rather from the Latine then from the Hebrew I shall more willingly agree thereunto For this casuall encounter of the Latine with the Hebrew is more meruailous then if it had been deriued from the Hebrew For it could not happen but by diuine prouidence that one Latine word should be so happily tyed and allyed to the Hebrew that it seemes altogether to be an Hebrew word and that the Hebrew word should come so neere to the Latine that it seemes indeed to be a Latine word and that this word hath been vsed to signifie the like thing in diuers Languages and Lawes The Hebrew word in the Law of Moyses to signifie the Figure of the Sacrifice of our Sauiours body and the Latine word to signifie in Latine the truth of the same Sacrifice in the Law of Grace And that the most excellent Sacrifice of all other hath been baptized with the like name in syllables and in signification by the 〈◊〉 most noble Languages of the world in Figure by the Hebrew and in Verity by the Latine The old Figure then resembled our Sacrifice in the matter in the forme in the ceremony and most liuely in the name 5. TRANSVBSTANTIATION MADE IN the Sacrament figured by the Leauen THere are yet more mysticall draughts in the ancient Figure which preach into
Sea Baptisme Sampsons Foxes the Heretikes Golish the enemy of mankinde Danid Iesus Christ and that there is no other thing meant thereby he should make a spirituall fense indeed but should ouerthrow the ground of the history and commit Sacrilege against the Scripture which writeth the foresaid things as truly performed they should do in this as the Priscillianists did long since who did allegorize according to their fantasie all the passages and literall senses of the Scripture which were against their Herefie S. August lib. de Hares 70. as writeth S. Augustine In like manner these heere allegorize and say that there is nothing heere but a spirituall and mysticall eating of the flesh of our Saulour Iohn 6. For since that our Sauiour hath said that his flesh is meate indeed and his bloud drinke indeed and that who so eateth his slesh shall haue eternall life we must necessarily suppose a reall eating of a reall thing adde the spirituall allegoricall afterwards We sinde indeed in the Scriptures the word Lion put for the Diuell 1. 〈◊〉 18. Matth. 7.15 and the word Woulse for a faise prophet These are metaphoricall and spirituall significations but the same words are placed elswhere in their proper vsage and do signifie beasts and out of a resemblance of these words in their proper signification they are translated to signifie the Diuell and false Prophets Wherefore if there bee heere an eating of the flesh of our Sauiour all spirituall that is to say which is done onely by the Spirit without any reall taking of that flesh it is necessary to finde a proper and reall ground foundation thereof the which reall eating cannot bee but in the Eucharist containing really the flesh and bloud of our Sauiour true and proper meat true and proper drinke But is it not a carnall vnderstanding to admit a reall eating of the flesh of our Sauiour Yes doubtlesse if we should vnderstand as did the Capharnaiâ—s an humane and sensuall eating but the manducation which the Catholike Church teacheth and which we haue declared is reall indeed but spirituall but diuine and full of wonderous effects testimonies of the powerfulnesse goodnesse and wisdome of the Creator And when the ancient Fathers refute the carnall eating they neuer meane this heere but onely that which the Capharnalts did forge to themselues and which our Sauiour doth correct by the words we haue expounded as they sufficiently testifie of themselues For as often as the Fathers speak of this carnall eating they propose the Capharnaits as authors of that fond imagination and doe also pâ—â—nely shew that the eating of which our Sauiour did preach is of the reall flesh of him though the manner of taking be spirituall Let vs cite one or two for all Saint HILLARY S. Mill. 〈◊〉 8. de Trin. It is our Sauiour that said my flesh is mâ—â—te indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed Who shall 〈◊〉 my flesh and drinke my bloud dwelleth in mee and I in him Heere is no occasion to doubt of the truth of the flesh and bloud of our Sauiour for according to his word and according to our faith it is flesh indeed 〈◊〉 bloud indeed and those things taken and drunke by vs make that we are in Iesus Christ and Iesus Christ in vs. Is not this the â—â—th to them let it not be true which doe not beleene that Iesus Christ is true God He would say that the words of our Sauiour ought to be taken in their liuely and literall signification The same faith Saint AVGVSTINâ— Wee haue heard saith he the true Master the diâ—ine Rodâ—â—â—â—r and the Sauiour of mankinde recommending vnto vs his bloud our price He hath spoken to vs of his body and of his 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 said that his â—â—dy is 〈◊〉 and his bloud deinke when recommending to vs such meat and such drinke he said If you eate not my flesh and drinke not my bloud you shall 〈◊〉 haue life 〈◊〉 you And who could say this of life but Life himselfe Phâ—â— then shall bee deâ—â— to him and not life who shall thinke Life to be a lyer That is to say whosoever shal think that our Sauiour cannot or will not gine his flesh and his bloud as his words did fignifie he is an Insidell 〈◊〉 shall â—â—e and be damned for 〈◊〉 The other Doctors speake after the same manner that those two beere doe 10. TWO KINDES OF COMMVNION THE one Spirituall the other Sacramentall THe ancient Fathers haue clearely acknowledged an eating altogether spiritual of the flesh of our Sauiour which is done in hearing the Masse in meditating vpon the greatnesse of this banquot in taking the flesh of our Sauiour onely by sight by desire and by dâ—uotion But they haue deliuered thâ—â— doctrine without preiudice to that other which you haue heard for they haue euer beleeued and esteemed this reall eating which by proper name they haue called Sacramentall and haue preserâ—ed it before the other when it is holily done as also they haue preferted the Spirituall alone before the Sacramentall if it be not done with due preparation Rightly iudging that it is better to heate Masse deuoutly and contemplate the mysteries of this meate and communicate in â—b is spirituall maner then to communicate with a consciousâ— defiled with morâ—â—ll finno and by fiâ—â— to pâ—ophane the table of our Lord. And this Sacramentall eating though it bee reall ceaseth notto be spirituall because the 〈…〉 is supernaturall and diuiâ—e as hath been 〈…〉 is called Sacramentall for distinctions sake because heere men take the Sacrament The other simply bears the name of Spirituall because it is only done by Spirit without receiuing really the flesh of our Sauiour This Spirituall communion properly is but deuotion towards the Sacrament as the Sacramental is the reall receiuing of the Sacrament the which ought for an vnseparable companion alwayes to haue the Spirituall for otherwise it profiteth nothing and hurteth exceedingly much whereas the Spiritual may be profitable without the Sacramentall The children of God vse both sorts for they communicate both Sacramentally and Spiritually but the mis-beleeuers are depriued of both For denying the presence of the body of our Sauiour they take away the heart of the Sacrament and depriue themselues of the Sacramentall communion and not hauing the true faith of the Sacrament they cannot communicate spiritually For without faith no holy Spirit quickeneth no Sacrament profitath so that still they remaine carnall in their fancie as the Capharnaits did in theirs 11. OF THE DIVINE WISDOME AND goodnesse of God in this Sacrament and of the folly and ingratitude of men BVt before wee turne away our face from beholding this Picture let vs a little fixe the eyes of our vnderstanding vpon the contemplation of this diuine Widome preaching to vs of the communion of his flesh and vpon our owne basenesse not knowing how to acknowledge the sweetnesse of his diuino benefits On the one side let vs
consider the liberality of the Redeemer and on the otherside the ingratitude of men the wisdome of the Master and the folly of the Disciples Our Sauiour hauing sed the people with terrestriall bread intendeth to giue them the celestiall and to substitute the bread of life in place of the bread which was dead bread of the soule for bread of the body And behold these very men who hauing receiued and eaten the first bread esteemed the Giuer worthy the honor of a Scepter in recompence will not vnderstand our Sauiour preaching of the excellenty of the second although his words were very cleare yet they in their ignorance murmure against the bounty and wisdome of their Master for that bee promised to giue them bread of headen a deified bread which was his body not a strange body but his owne proper body not the flesh of beasts but the flesh of God incarnate They are scandalized because he intended to vnite them to himselfe by his flesh to deifie them by his flesh and to nourish them thereby not for soure and twenty houres onely but to all eternity They mistrusted his power were offended at his goodnesse and condemned the wisdome of his words before they vnderstood them â—â—hn 6.52 How oâ—n this man say they giue vs his flesh to eate O senselesse disciples and too obliuious And how a little before fed hee more then fiue thousand of you with fiue Loaues and two Fishes making aboundance in want and fruitfulnesse in the Desart If you beleeue Marth 14.16 Iohn â— he hath done this worke by power of his almightinesse wherefore aske you how hee can giue you his flesh wherefore esteeme you that he cannot accomplish this that he saith albeit it seemes vnpossible to you You say Behold a hard speech and who can endure it And what word find you so hard What hard speech could proceed out of the mouth of this good Master O delicate and dainty disciples what hath he said that so violently piereed your hearts What sentences hath hee vttered that seeme so hard for you to swallow He hath said That hee is the bread come downe from heane 〈…〉 that who so câ—teth this bread shall line eternally that the bread which be will gine is his flesh for the life of the world that his flesh is meat indeed and his bloud drinke indeed These words of Iron or of stone as are your breasts Are they not words of life and of eternall life words of saluation and consolation Doth life displease you Doth Saluation scandalize you and Consolation grieue you to the heart Are you not malitious schollers to striue against so louing a Lesson and desperately discased to enter into madnesse at the hearing of such a voice and that of such a Physition and that of such a promise of eternall life And if these words so louingly vttered by this sweet Lambe seeme to you intollerable how hard to you shall those words bee which hee shal vtter against you in his great day and against all them who shall bee incredulous as you are when he will say when hee will pronounce when hee will thunder out his last and irreuocable decree Goe you â—ursed from mee into eternall fire prepared for the Dâ—â—ll and his angels If the sweetnesse of the Lambe and Sauiour of the world bee now intollerable to you what will be the rigour of the Iudge of Angels and men then condemning your want of faith But if you finde difficult to your vnderstanding the words of the Master wherefore as good disciples aske you not to the end to be instructed If you haue conceiued some opinion of this Master by reason of the wonders that he hath done before you wherefore think you that he cannot do this that he promiseth that he cannot declare to you this which to you is difficult Why condemne you his doctrine before you vnderstand it Why depart you from the company of the truth which would instruct you 12. TO THE STRAYED SHEEPE OF our age BVt O you wandering soules of this last age why goe you backward in hauing abandoned the company of this Master imitating these your olde predecessors the Capharnaits who going out of the house of God haue forsaken the Table and the Feast of the flesh of the Son of God to goe take a bit of bread out of the throate of Wolues Why imitate you the Capharnaits which condemne you Wherefore like vnto them murmure you at the almightinesse of the wisdome of him that said The bread Iohn 6.51 that I shall gine you is my flesh Why beleeue you not this that he saith since that it is the mouth of Truth that speakes it which cannot lye Why giue you Law and measure to his arme saying That he cannot make a body be without possessing place and that it cannot bee at the same time in diuers places in heauen and earth in many Churches and on many Altars Can he doe nothing that is aboue the capacity of your braines But what faith is yours to beleeue nothing except that which sense witnesseth to you or which your spirit comprehendeth is it not the faith of a faithlesse Philosopher which followes the course of the creature altogether ignorant of the power of the Creator And what iudgement is yours to reiect the Catholike faith about this great mystery for not hauing the capacity to vnderstand it Seeing there haue been a thousand things in Nature it selfe that the Philosophers vnderstood not and for not vnderstanding them did they reiect them But can you vnderstand how our Sauiour took humane flesh without the seed of man how our bodies reduced into ashes shall rise againe How the bodies of the damned shall burne without being consumed in eternall flames and other mysteries of our faith And if you beleeue these things without vnderstanding them why beleeue you not this heere If this seeme more difficult to you so much the more haue you wherein to admire the omnipotencie of God and so much the more merit in beleeuing If you beleeue that God is Almighty why doe you not beleeue he can doe this that he saith who hath made the whole world by his onely word If you beleeue him all wise why beleeue you not what hee hath ordained is decreed with great wisdome albeit your iudgement cannot attaine to the secret of it If you beleeue that hee is most good why doe you not simply vse the gift of his Maiesty Wherefore say you that it is a carnall thing to haue his flesh to eate seeing he hath so disposed of it as it may be really and yet spiritually eaten Are you not proud in your basenesse rather beleeuing the infirmity of your iudgement then the greatnesse of his Almightinesse Intollerable in your folly condemning this which his wisdome ordained Vngratefull in your vnbeleeuing refusing the meate that he offers you for your health O good Iesus O good Master O good Pastor illuminate teach bring home these poore wanderers
family Iesus Christ who held the vpper end of this first bed Saint Peter is next Saint Iohn the other are fiue and fiue on two other beds They are a little astonished and sorrowfull euery one examining his conscience vpon that which our Sauiour hath said euen now in eating the Lambe that there was one amongst them which would betray him Saint Iohn the nearest to him and the boldest asked him who it should be but neither he nor the rest of his companions could know any thing except Iudas who in his heart was twisting the cord of treason against his Master to his owne condemnation Euery one is afraid to fall into this foule crime except the offender And all attend the issue of some great mystery not onely by reason of the ceremony of washing which our Sauiour had neuer vsed in keeping the Passouer with them the yeares before but also because of his countenance behauiour and words for men reade in his eyes in his mouth and in all his visage the graces of a diuine loue and the grauity of Maiesty more then humane and his words full of affection and of wisdome did witnesse that he did meditate some worthy proofe of an Almighty power 〈◊〉 22.15 Hee tould them that he greatly destred to eate this Passouer with them before he suffered not the Iewes Passouer which he had long since eaten drawing the last line of the Figure but the Passouer of his body These are significatiue words of great affection and the affection of so powerfull a Lord cannot faile to effect some great thing He hath taken the bread hath blessed and broken it as before he blessed the fiue Loaues and two fishes Matth. 14. They moreouer perswade themselues that this ceremony is a preamble of some miracle neuer heard of before Being then thus attentiue he gaue to them all that which hee had taken saying 〈◊〉 6. This is my body take and eate He giues now the Cup saying This is the Chalice of my 〈◊〉 of the new Testament drinks you all of it and doe this in remembrance of me They did drinke and as they found themselues wholly transported and ranished with loue when they tooke the Sacrament of his body vnder the forme of bread So now they feele their soules set a sire with a diuine flame by drinking of the mysterious and beauenly liquor of his pretious bloud Iudas alone by his fault made no benefit of it for he hath not taken this holy flesh diuine drink with a requisite preparation The Diuell had seized on his heart long since had porswaded him to betray his Master he had his feete cleansed but 〈◊〉 soule loaden with filthinesse wherefore taking vnworthily a meate so worthy hee hath swallowed death and damnation in place whereof the others receiued life and sanctification Behold the chiefe worke of our Sauiour effected and perfected in fiue words behold the signification and protâ—â—se of a thousand Prophesies and Figures past fulfilled in one truth Behold the offered Lambe in an vnbloudy Sacrifice commemorating that of the Crosse which to morrow he ought to accomplish Behold the Masse and the magnificent â—â—â—ation of Christians which shall endure euen to the end of the world to honor the Creator of the world to celebrate the death of his Sonne and to nourish his children with his Flesh to eternall life Matth. 26.30 Marke 14. 〈◊〉 Our Sauiour rising from the Table goeth his way and hauing like a true Father giuen many documents parsing from his children and saying vn Hymne in action of thankes goeth foorth vnto the Garden of Oliues Hee went long since and is walking there O sweet Lambe whither goest thou in the snary darknesse of this dangerous night thou knowest well that this is the place noted by the Trdytor which hath sold thee for ready money thou well knowest that the wolues are already trouped and armed with crast and rage to take thee and lead thee bound to the butchery than 〈◊〉 O drinke Wâ—â—lome for nothing can scape the eyes of thy diuine prouidence thou knowest that there for our saluation an agony of horror shall fall vpon thee Luke 22.44 and a bloudy sweat shall flow from thy passioned body with extreame feare of thy grieued soule euen to the death thou knowest thou shalt be taken there and bee bound like a Lambe and bee led from thence like a theefe to Execution and notwithstanding all this thou goest thither nay thou goest thither because thou doest know it And what compels thee to these voluntary torments O Redeemer of my soule but the force of thy loue and mercy which make thee goe with ioyfulnesse of heart to present thy selfe to the combate for to pull forth the children of Adam out of the oppression of sinne and from danger of eternall damnation by the price of thy bloud O great God by what offices seruices and Sacrifices shall we be able to acknowledge this thy vnlimitted bounty O my soule what wilt thou doe for such a Redeemer with what loue canst thou sufficiently loue him by what words canst thou duely thanke him and with what honor wilt thou adore him 1. THE ENTRANCE THAT SAINT IOHN maketh by which he declareth the greatnesse of the mystery of the Eucharist which our Sauiour was to institute THis Picture represents vnto vs the Institution of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of our Lords body the noblest actioÌ„ the diuinest InstitutioÌ„ that euer he did after he was made Man the richest present that hee did euer giue to God and to men while he liued mortal vpon the earth and the highest mystery that hee was to leaue in the treasures of his deare Spouse the Church We haue formerly discoursed hereof in many precedent Figures and namely in that of Manna it will bee sufficient heere to note the circumstances of the present history which especially set forth the greatnesse of it Saint Iohn beginning his narration of the washing of feete vpon the Eue of the Pasche writeth thus Iesus knowing that his houre was come that he should passe out of this world to his Father whereas he had loued his that were in the world vnto the end hee loued them And when Supper was done whereas the Diuell now had put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot to betray him knowing that the Father had giuen all things into his hands and that hee came from God and returned to God he riseth from Supper and layeth aside his garments And that which followeth of the washing of feete by which words Saint Iohn taught vs that our Sauiour was now in the vigill of his Passion that he had loued and did constantly loue his owne that he was the Sonne of God hauing all things in his power And by these preamples hee signified vnto vs that in this Euening so neare to his departure hee was to make the conclusion of all his course by some notable acte to the honor of his Father and their good whom
the Church in her first increasings Shee sheweth the Church vnder the Law of Nature at the Change in the weaknesse of her beames and on the fourteenth day when shee is at the Full shee hath a resemblance of the Church in the Synagogue as we haue said but in that she became a new Moone after a new manner in her fifteenth day she signified the Church in the Law of Grace The newnesse and new manner consists in this that shee drew neare to the Sun by an extraordinary meanes for being on Thursday so farre from it as the East from the West the next day shee was euen against it which approachment shee should not make according to her naturall course but in the space of fourteene dayes supernaturally also and with no lesse wonder shee returned to the East on Friday euening at Sun-set where shee had been the night before And so in six houres shee put on the seuerall roabes of all her states for shee was new shee was in he first quarter shee was in her fulnesse and in the beginning of her third seuenth to wit in her fifteenth day In these circumstances and in these wonders happening neuer before nor since shee marketh out the Church in the state of Grace a state of singular renouation of a third seuenth of a third time in the new Pasch in the new and great Sacrifice and Feast instituted by the Sonne of God in his body To which purpose Saint Augustine writeth in these words Because wee are in the third time of all the worlds continuance 〈◊〉 Aug. 〈◊〉 119. ad lanâ—er c. 3. herehence it is that our Sauiour rose vpon the third day The first time was before the Law the second in the Law the third vnder Grace in the which is manifested the Sacrament which was hid in the folds of the Propheticall bookes This it is that which was signified by the number of the Moones and for that 〈◊〉 the Scripture the number of seuen hath a mysticall signification of perfection the Pasche was celebrated in the third weeke of the Moone which is betweene the fourteenth and the â—â—e and twentieth day Behold how God reades vs a lesson by his Starres teaching vs Paradise by the skie and communicating to vs the beames of his intellectuall light by the condition and course of the corporall 18. OVR SAVIOVR HAVING INSTITVted the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body goeth foorth of his ledging to goe to the Garden of Oliuet THe sweete Lambe being offered this euening and giuen in refection to his Apostles and hauing abolished the olde Pasche and instituted the new as hath been said sung an Hymne with his Apostles after the tradition of the Iewes and went forth to goe to the garden of Oliuet where he was to be deliuered by Iudas to the wicked who had already the watch-word to apprehend him This only remained to accomplish all the proofes of his infinite loue towards mankinde He was first offered to his Father by an vnbloudy Sacrifice without death and passion he went forth to be taken afterwards as a Lambe and to be made a victime on the Crosse there shedding his bloud and giuing his life He had giuen his body to his friends he goeth now to offer it to his enemies He had refectioned the soules of the humble he went soone after to bee fed with gall to drinke viniger to surfet with the torments and reproaches of the proud He long since planted a Garden of delights of rest and of honor he is now gone to a garden of sorrowes of combate and of disgrace He planted the Tree of Life in that delightfull Garden he commeth to plant another in the Orchard of his Church more exquisit and more excellent without comparison And himselfe walkes in this solitary Garden to repaire the fault committed in the first Garden In that the debt was made by disobedience in this it began to be paid by humility In planting the first Garden and the first tree of life he only imployed his word who commanded and all was made but in this it is not so one houres stay in this will cost thee thy bloud O my sweet Redeemer and with the droppes of that pretious purple the beds of this garden must be watred And the Tree of Life which thou hast planted in the Paradise of thy Church is not any meane effect as that was of thy holy word but thy pretious body and bloud it selfe accompanied with the aray of thy holy Diuinitie O my Lord what can I say to prayse thy magnificency I say that thou art magnificent euery way in taking and giuing in feeding and in suffering euery way good and euery liberall of thy goods and of thy selfe euery way rich in mercy and euery way aboundant in propitiation herehence it is that for thy last retraite thou goest to the Garden of Oliuet to make for vs and to giue vnto vs the oyle of thy mercies Oliues for vs but Apples of anguish for thee O my soule thy Redeemer goeth in the night and goeth to subiect himselfe for thee to paines in this Garden doe something for him accompany him amidst this darknesse haue compassion on him admire his loue towards thee loath thy sinnes that haue cast him into these vexations weepe and pray with him offer him thy heart and seruice in this perplexed high-way of his Agony And fince thou art written in his Will called to his Heritage and placed at the Table of his Kingdome to eate of his fruit of life giue some signe of a grateful soule and mindfull of so many benefits make him some present of thy gifts that he hath giuen thee and giue him something of that which he hath made thine albeit thou art nothing yet giue him thy selfe in giuing thy selfe thou shalt become something giue thy selfe to him since he hath giuen himselfe to thee and when I say himselfe what say I an infinite depth of goodnesse giuen many wayes vnto thee in his birth in his conuersation in thy meate in his death and in all the kindes that a thing can be giuen After thou hast contemplated thanked followed and serued him in the Garden of Oliues at the Iudgement Barre of Pilate in the Mount Caluary at the Crosse with teares and sighes of loue of compunction and compassion make him often thy Host by means of this diuine Table which he hath prepared for thee of his immortall and glorious body to giue himselfe to thee and to lodge with thee so often as thou wilt and taking the healthfull refection of his dish contemplate moreouer in this Table the delicates of Paradise and of eternall life which shall follow after For as the Altars of the Hebrewes were Figures of this Feast so this Feast is the Image of the celestiall Table Heere thou eatest the bread of Angells in heauen thou shalt also liue of the bread of Angels Heere thy meat is God himselfe the self-same God will be thy food at that Table