Secondly we could not haue endured the brightnesse of so ghstering a body nor the presence of so glorious a Maiestie if he had snâ—wed himselfe in it Saint Paul was become blinde for hauing seene the brightnesse of this body 〈…〉 Coâ— 3.23 and if it behooued Morses speaking to the Hebrewes to veile his shining face which they could not otherwise haue beheld how much more sit was it that Iesus Christ should veyle his body without comparison more resplendent then the face of Moses to come neare vnto vs and to be eaten of vs A third reason may be added that this inuisibility giues vs a singular meane to exercise our faith and to marit happinesse in beleeuing and not seeing according to the Maxime of our Sauiour Ioh. 20.29 who called them happy which beleeued without seeing that is to say which did giue faith and credit to the Word of God although sense and humane reason penetrate not the thing beleeued nay rather finde in it a repugnance to their Lawes as it comes to passe heere where we beleeue the body of our Sauiour to be though sense seeth onely the outward accidents of bread and wine vnder which it is present and humane iudgement cannot comprehend the possibility of this presence But if the body of our Sauiour by this conuersion were made visible and the accidents of bread changed as it was done in the miracle at the mariage in Cana in which the water â—â—ax 2â— with the qualities was changed into the substance and qualities of wine there should be no exercise of faith it not being an obiect of faith or hidden secret but an effect Hebr. 11. not onely euident to reason but also to sense There should also haue been no merit For looke where eyther sense or reason giues any proofe faith hath no reward saith one of our Doctors S. Greg. bow 26. Ioan. 2. In the Miracle of Cana and in other such like there is not any need of faith but of good sense for to make triall as the Master of the banquet did who witnessed that the wine was excellent hauing had no more but a taste thereof for he could not haue faith not knowing any thing then of that which our Sauiour had done howsoeuer hee saw the effect And that which the Apostles did beleeue therein was not the conuersion of water into wine for that they saw with their owne eyes and vision is not faith but the Diuinity of the Soane of God secret worker of that apparent miracle and the merit also of their faith was not in seeing the conuersion of the water into the wine but in beleeuing with the eyes of faith the Diuinity of Iesus Christ which they did not see with their corporall eyes A soâ—rth reason wherefore God giues vs his body hid vnder these signes was secretly to hid the mystery of this diuine meate from the view and sight of Infidels and to take from them al occasion of calumniating the Christians For if they called them Andropâ—phages Tertal in Apol. cap. 7. Minutius Feliâ— in Ocla â—io Eusch l. 5. hist cap. 1. Orig. cont Cels lib. 6. Athenagâ—orat pro Christâ—â—â— and eaters of humane flesh as witnesse Tertullian Euse bius Minutius and other ancient Fathers because they heard say that they fed vpon the body of Iesus Christ in a certaine banquet where notwithstanding they see nothing but bread and wine what might they haue said and what crimes might they haue laid to their charge if they had either vnderstood or seene that they did eate that body in the naturall forme Finally hereby our Sauiour hath preserued the Maiesty of his body from many inconueniences of beasts and of men to which it had been exposed and in danger to bee often iniured in his proper forme whereas by hiding the same al the indignities are receiued in a garment which is not his owne that is to say in the shew of bread and wine albeit such as are guilty of those crimes must expect iust condemnation from God for the iniury which they haue done to this Sacrament 10. AS THE OLDE OBLATION OF FIRST fruits began in Pentecost so our new THe two last draughts figuring the Masse consist partly in the circumstance of time in which the old Oblation was instituted and put in practise partly in the Sacrifices which were to be offered before These two Lineaments haue been diuinely accomplished The time of this Sacrifice was the fiftith day Leuit. 25 10.11 Num. 4. a number importing remission of sinnes and of liberty and freedome In signe whereof euery fiftith yeare each one entered into the possession of the goods which they had formerly sold without repaying any money backe In the same yeare the Land was neither tilled nor sowne And the Leuites were freed from the seruice of the Temple after they were come to the fiftith yeare of their age As then the ancient offering was ordained in the Desert and practised only in the Land of Promise in the prefixed time of Pentecost that is to say Haruest being gathered in fifty dayes after Easter number of remission In like manner the Sacrifice of the Eucharist was instituted by our Sauiour being yet a traueller in the Desert of this world and put in practise by the Apostles after the descent of the holy Ghost vpon the day of Pentecost fiftith day day of pardon and remission putting the children of God in possession of the promised Kingdome which they had lost before a day of generall Haruest in which were to be reaped all sorts of celestiall fruits And as the three sorts of bloudy Sacrifices Holocausts Propitiatories and Pacifiques did goe before the old Oblation of First fruits in the same manner the bloudie Sacrifice of the Crosse figured heere by them weâ—thefore the practise of our new Oblation At this time then and according to the Figure the Apostles did begin to celebrate the Masse and to offer to God the First-fruits and the admirable and immortall wheat of the body of the Sonne of God cast on the Crosse to die springing out of the Sepulcher for to reuiue mounting to the right hand of his Father and gathered into his celestiall barnes there to raigne for euer The Oblation of First-fruits which vntill then had bin made in Figure eyther in the Law of Nature or of Moyses was but Barly as it were the beginning of Haruest but this heere was the great Haruest the great solemnitie of First-fruites and the great Oblation of celestiall Wheat and of the Bread that liueth and giueth life the true Pentecost and the true Iubily of the holy Ghost chiefe worker of this Sacrament and Sacrifice Of which our Sauiour speaking said The words Ioan. 6â— which I say vnto you are Spirit and Life as if he had said The words I speake vnto you concerning the eating of my flesh are not to bee vnderstood carnally after the manner of the Capharnaits who dreamed of dead flesh
iudge it to be much amisse that I haue altogether omitted those Printed Tables being in truth no lesse defectiue then superfluous in respect of their excellent Descriptions which of the two are farre the better Pictures That which doth more conceme me is to excuse some faults of mine owne which haue escaped mee heere and there in the Printing of this notable Worke the Copie which was sent mee being very soule and hauing no body by mee that could correct mee All that I can doe at this present in satisfaction thereof is onely to make a particular confession or recantation of them which you shall finde in the latter end of this Booke set downe in such manner as thou mayest easily reforme them in thy reading for the number of the page and line where the error is being noted there will easily shew thee how to mend it And so desiring Almighty God to pardon also those secret faults of thine with the rest of mine which I feare are farre the greater I bid thee hartily farewell THE LICENCE FOR THE PRINT which goeth before the French Copie VVEE Doctors of Diuinity in Paris doe subscribe certifying that we haue read all this present Booke entituled Holy Pictures c. Composed by the Reuerend Father LEVVIS RICHOME of the Society of the name of Iesus and not hauing found any thing herein contrary to the Catholike Apostolike and Romane Faith nor to good manners but many excellent things excellently deduced and most learnedly explained with a singular transparantnesse touching the high mysteries of the holy Eucharist therefore wee haue iudged it most worthy to come to light as much for the reducing of wanderers as for the edifying and consolation of all true Catholikes Done at Sorborne this 17. of March 1601. Ph. De Gamaches I. Mulet HOLY PICTVRES OF THE MYSTICALL FIGVRES APpertaining to the most excellent Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Eucharist THE AVTHORS PREFACE OF PICTVRES IN GENERALL What a Picture is and how many kindes of Pictures there are THe Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Eucharist is a worke of God so high and so great that no tongue of man or of Angels can sufficiently speake or worthily discourse thereof wee haue said some thing in the foure bookes of the holy Masse confuting errour and confirming the Catholike Faith we addresse now this Treatise without mingling of Controuersies to the honor of this mysterie confirmation of our saith concerning the same and in fauour of those who haue not had the leasure to reade the former worke wee take for the subiect of our discourse the most notable Figures of this mystery drawn from the booke of God which for this occasion we haue intituled Sacred Pictures The inscription of this worke which setting before our eyes the holy Images and propheticall Figures of the mysterie that we adore Such as haue seene the truth in armour of proofe laying about her in the field of dispute will also take pleasure to see her sit heere triumphant in her roabes of peace those which haue not seene her in the field shall haue occasion to confirme themselues without noyse of warre and without contention in the beleefe of the Church of God For Prologue of all this worke The subiect of this 〈◊〉 we ought briefly to declare what a Picture is how we take it heere and of how many sorts there be Moreouer why God would that in the Law of Nature and of Moses there should bee set downe so liuely Figures of the mysteries appertaining to the Law of Grace By the first declaration we shall haue a generall knowledge of those Pictures which hereafter shall bee decyphered to vs more particularly By the second wee shall vnderstand that God hath most wisely vsed this fashion to teach vs his Law as well for the manifestation of his glorie as also for the profit of his children which are the two feete or Bases whereon our Figures or Pictures are erected First then we are to note Naturall Figures that a Picture or Figure if we take it naturally doth according to the name signifie nothing else but the exterior forme of some body So as the outward forme the lineaments and the proportion of the parts of a Plant of a Beast or a Man is a figure of each of these but a naturall figure Artificiall Figures of which we speake not heere this subiect appertaining to the Naturalists Wherefore according to our sense and meaning heere it is a thing made or framed to represent and signifie another thing and this is an artificiall Figure otherwise called a Picture of which we finde three sorts Dumbe Pictures The first is that which to our eyes representeth by lineaments and colours some things without words called for this cause by the Ancients Dumbe Pictures such are the Images as well of imbosted worke as of painted fables Numar the Cherub 〈◊〉 6.29 Such was the Serpent of Brasse cast in mettall by Moses the Cherubims the Palme-trees and the other Images portraited in the Temple of Salomon also the Pictures of the Seasons of the yeere of Vices of Vertues and other fained peeces represented by the Cheesell in caruing or by the Pensell vpon a plaine boord Of this sort also are the Visions framed in our Imagination for though these be in some sort spirituall yet notwithstanding in the likenes of corporal obiects so they are represented to the sight of our inward sense The second sort of Pictures serues for the eare Speaking Pictures and for that qualitie we may call them Speaking Pictures such are the descriptions or fictions which the Poets or Historians make in words of a Tree of a Riuer of a liuing Creature of a Tempest of a Vertue of a Vice or of other imaginarie things This sort containes also the declarations which are made to explane some artificial figures either present or fained as present Such are the discourses of Philostratus for in them there is neither colour nor painting but the bare word which faines the Images and Figures and deciphers the phantasies of the Author as hauing the Pictures before his eyes The third sort of figures are any things or actions instituted to represent other mysteries Allegoricall or mysticall Pictures And if the mysterie be ciuill or prophane the Figure is ciuill or prophane as was the Hierogliphes of the old Aegyptians consisting in certaine figures of beasts or of instruments put for to signifie some hidden thing as a Crocodile was the figure of a Traytor the Eagle the figure of the soule But if it be a mystery of Religion it is an holy figure So Manna was an holy Picture not in regard of colours or of words but of signification so Circumcision was an action signifying and figuring Baptisme This kinde of Figure is otherwise called an Allegorie that is to say a mysticall Picture containing in it selfe a spirituall sense knowne to spirituall people and hid to the rude This last sort makes the
fundamentall subiect of our holy Tables or Pictures of the Eucharist For our principall end is to explane the things and the remarkable actions instituted in the Law of Nature and of Moses to signifie the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the body of our Sauiour Notwithstanding in displaying the volume of these figures we haue serued our selues of the other two kindes of Pictures that is to say of the Dumbe Picture in the printed figures themselues and of the Speaking Picture in our descriptions or declarations of them We haue also made many excursions in recommendation of Vertue and in detestation of Vice for the institution of manners and often encited the Reader to the contemplation and loue of the celestiall countrey touching by this meanes the foure Cardinall Senses â—â—ure Sences of Scripture S. Thâ—m Wart 〈…〉 Greg lib. 10. nor cap. 1. The Literall The Allegoricall The Morall The Anagogicall which commonly are found in the treasures of the holy Scripture the Literall or Historicall which goeth the first the Allegoricall or Figuratiue which is the spirit of the Literall the Tropologicall or Morall which formes the manners and the Anagogicall which shewes the triumphant Church the Literall is the foundation of the other three the Allegorical is the mysticall signification of the Literall the Tropologicall is the fruit of the one and of the other and the Anagogicall is the end of them all And in this fashion haue wee comprehended foure sorts of Expositions and three sorts of Pictures to teach with fruit and pleasure the most great mystery of our Religion for if there be no other better nor profitable Methods then these foure and if there bee nothing more delightfull then a picture not which makes a thing glide more sweetly within the soule then a picture nor which more profoundly engraues it in the memorie nor more effectually calls foorth the will to loue or hate any obiect good or euill which to it shall be proposed I see not in what manner one can more profitably liuely and delitiously teach the vertues the fruits and the delicatenesse of this diuine and holy meate of the body of the Sonne of God then with the aboue named Expositions and with this triple picture of the pensell of the Word and of the signification If my labour in this excellent matter To all Christian Writers truely Christian and worthy of the attention of all honorable men bring any profit or luster to our faith or to the publike weale as I desire with all my heart it should all the praise be to God which hath furnished me with spirit and body inke and paper to write thereof And if by the example of these Pictures any men of good spirit take occasion to vse the like method in discoursing pleasantly on some worthy subiect to teach with honest recreatioÌ„ profit the means to follow Vertue and flye Vice I shall receiue my part thereby of singular contentment and solace and they their recompence of honor and glory from the hand of him which neuer leaues any good worke done for his name without reward nor any ill committed against his Lawes without punishment Truely to say this by the way it is a misery as worthy of compassion as shame that so many Poets and Orators amongst Christians and namely heere in France Employ the goodnesse and fruitfulnesse of their spirits to write tales and fables of Loue and other things either vnprofitable or pernitious and who like to Spiders that draw out their owne bowels in making copwebs to catch Flies doe occupie themselues in such vanities letting passe a thousand faire subiects vpon which they might with eternall praise both learnedly and eloquently write It is a great shame to the name of Christians to see a Pagan Pindarus an Euripides a Virgil an Appelles a Philostratus and other like prophane Authors trauaile so carefully to set foorth sing paint and represent their Captains their Acts their Gods their Vices and their Vanities for the glory of their superstition and that many Christians know not how to choose neither matter nor maner a greeing to their name for to write Christianly to the praise of the true God or to the honor and illustration of their onely true Religion A thing yet farre more vnworthy and yet most deplorable it is to see others temper their pensel and their pen in the sinke and puddle of prophane things Pictures of scandall to represent Pictures of abomination and scandall and to write and paint foorth such fooleries and vilonies as they doe more prophanely then the prophanest themselues without care of losing their soules so they may gaine some brute of reputation amongst the lighter sort And what lamentable folly is it to purchase at so deare a rate the smoake of vanitie to incurre ignominy and eternall paine only to haue their names swimme in the mouthes and estimation of fooles for cunning Artizans of folly But let vs come to the second point of our introduction and declare wherefore God hath of old vsed such Figures going before the Law of Grace THE CAVSES VSES AND EFFECTS of Pictures and Figures in holy Scripture IT remaines yet to declare according to our power wherefore the Diuine prouidence would vse fore-going Figures in the Law of Nature and Moses before that hee sent his Son to establish his owne Law in his proper Person Whereof we giue this reason in generall that it was to declare that he is God and for the more profitable instruction of his creature in this point And thus we prooue what we haue said It is the familiar manner of Gods proceeding to perfect his admirable workes vpon little principles and smal beginnings God workes by little principles therby to make it appeare that he is God in little things as well as in great and no lesse in the first beginning and going forward then in the end and conclusion of his worke In creating the world he began it of nothing and in the gouernment thereof hee continueth the propagation of his creatures by meanes of their seede which in a manner is also no thing For which is worthy of admiration this little seede containes in its littlenesse all that which is to be borne out of it afterwards This Method of God is very fit to manisest clearely his wisedome power and bountie and very proper sweetely to make himselfe knowne vnto man according to his capacitie Who sees a faire great Palme-tree well branched thicke of boughes and loaden with Palmes hath hee not wherefore to admire the Creator in this creature but hee who shall contemplate the little stone from whence all this come forth Their beginning and end the roote the body the branches the leaues and the fruit of this tree will magnifie on the one side his diuine wisdome which secretly proceeding from such a beginning to such an end from such imperfection to such perfection teacheth properly the greatnesse of it selfe by the opposition to the
Passion so insinuated he the victory of his Resurrection by the shipwrack and comming forth of Ionas out of the Whales belly Ionas Iona. 2.2 Matth. 12.19 so the Euangelists and the Apostles vse often the witnesse of the old Testament to giue foote and credit to the faith they preached Secondly the Figures confirme our hope for seeing that which God hath so long before figured and foretold is faithfully accomplished wee are induced to hope that what is yet to come as the iudgement the Reward the glory the paine and the rest shall be likewise accomplished with the same fidelitie Finally they inflame our loue tovvards God because this contemplation of the ancient Figures reported to the present truth maketh vs see the eternall charitie vvith vvhich God hath loued vs preparing for vs by so long Prescience the Good which in the end he hath giuen vs and still promising vs more to come hereafter And because loue and benefits engender loue here-hence it is that if wee be not vnnaturall wee encrease in our loue tovvards God by this meditation These are the causes effects and vse of Figures It remaines to enter into the Temple of God there to see the holy Pictures of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of his Sonne drawne from the writings of his holy Testament explained by his owne Word and that according to the Doctrine of his Diuine Painters and Writers the Interpreters of his Word the dumbe Picture shall be for your eyes the description of them for your eares and the exposition of one and of the other shall serue for your spirits or vnderstandings The first is of the earthly Paradise and of the Tree of Life planted therein set forth as you see in the Picture follovving THE FIRST PICTVRE PARADISE AND THE TREE OF LIFE The Description CHRISTIAN Beholders Gen. 2. â— you know that this admirable Chronicler and diuine Cosmographer Moses said in the History of the Creation that God had in the beginning planted a Garden of pleasure towards the East in which he put the Man that he had formed This is that faire and spacious Region that the Painter represents to you in this Table or Picture It is high in seate rich in goodnesse rare in beautie gratious in habitation and aboundant in all forts of delights The earth in some quarters thereof is leuelled into a plaine champion field and in other places raised vp in little harrowes or hilles replenished with plants and trees of excellent goodnesse In the place where it is highest you may there marke a fountaine which rising in great bubbles is formed into a Riuer winding and watering all the Garden towards the end whereof it is diuided into foure heads and maketh foure great slouds running into diuers quarters of the earth The first of which is called Phison casting vpon the shoare her golden sands and many faire pretious stones but no person gathered them vp because there was none as yet but Adam and Eue in the world their children you may imagine will not lose them for want of gathering The ayre there is most pure and subtill and therefore we see not any token of clouds or mists the Sun shining cleare and bright alwayes As for the fire which is of elements the most supreame it holds it selfe still and quiet in its kingdome aboue the ayre yet contributing notwithstanding light and heate with a sweete temperature as it were after the manner of a Torch lighted in heauen This gay verdure wherewith the earth is still apparrelled and these odoriferous flowers which with a thousand florishing colours adorne the same and wherewith those trees in like sort are all so trimly dressed shew forth the Spring in whose company the other Seasons make heere their quarters all together And therefore Summer hath heere alreadie made yellow the Haruest in this golden field and ripened many fruits in those Meadowes and neighbour Orchards which are readie for the gathering As also Autumne shewes forth her goodly clusters of ripe Grapes in those little hilles where Noah as yet had neuer planted Vineyard And lastly the Winter giues repose without any sharpnesse of colde See Saint Bafil â— Paradis for it is mitigated partly by the light of the Sunne which at al times casts his cleare beames vpon the Horizon of this diuine Region without estranging it selfe very much towards the South partly by the moyste warme breath of those windes which blow sweetely from the South to abate the coldnesse of this Pegising ayre So that there is a perpetuall accord of all the soure Seasons whereof the Spring-time holdeth the preheminence This goodly wood of high trees and thick Cops about it are full of little birds which make the ayre resound with a thousand sorts of warblings and aboue all the Nitinghall incessantly and in many quires make melodious muficke all the yeere long But the Painter could not represent to the eare their sweete harmony as hee represents to the eye the Birds and in particular that Birde which men call the Birde of Paradise hanging heere in this Palme-tree little of body with long feathers all ouer adorned with beautifull colours her head yellow her neck enameled with a gay greene her wings spotted with a cawny purple and the rest of her body with a pale gold colour Citizen of the skye faire wits excellencie and admirable in this that shee is alwayes in the ayre without euer touching the earth for that shee hath no feete and when shee will rest her selfe shee grapples about the trees with two long feathers made in fashion of wyer threeds like as it is represented heere These Lions Elephants S. Bas Orat. de Parad. Aug. lib. 4 de Ciuit. Dâ—i 9.11 Tygers and other liuing creatures that you see in diuers places are not cruell nor furious but gentle and obedient and therefore Eue had not any feare of them no more then Adam her husband who walked neere them in coasting these woods But that which is most exquisite and admirable in this Garden is the Tree of Life or of Liues according to the Hebrew word planted in the middest of the others so called because the fruite thereof is of such vertue that it cannot onely nourish the body for a time as other fruites do but also repaire all defecteousnesse and giue it strength and vigour of life to make it perdurable and immortall And as God hath made in man an Abreuiation of all other creatures euen so hath he comprised in this Tree the vertues and perfections of all other Plants And I beleeue it to be that Nectar and Ambrosia called also Nepenthes Ambrosia and Nectar Nepenthes Moly Plin. lib. 25. cap. 4. and Moly which the ancient Poets inuoluing the truth in fables affirme to haue force to make young againe to preserue from death and to driue away all cause of griefe and discontentment The first Tree which you see on the left-hand towards the West is the Tree of Knowledg
of good and euill loaden with Apples faire to behold and delitious to the taste Eue which is there standing beholds them with an ambitious and eager desire and would faine bee at them but shee is aduertised by her husband that God had forbidden them to be eaten The Enemy to mankinde mooued with enuy and lying in waite for the nonce when he perceiued her weaknesse by her curious beholding tooke occasion to seduce her and cloathed with the body of a Serpent a craftie subtill creature quaâ—ities agreeing to this Deceiuer by many compasses and windings about the Tree hauing now gotten vp began from aboue to speake with her and perswade her to take thereof the poore foole being easily perswaded falls vpon the fruite and begins to â—ate neuer doubting any deceit nor fearing death it selfe that lay hidden therein and which is worst shee will perswade her husband Adam to doe the like Alas how deare must this one bit cost him What a deadly bit will chis be How many wounds and deathes shall he swallow downe with this one morsell Ah good mother lend not your eare to this wicked Abuser who for his reuolt is newly cast downe from heauen and being now full of rage and fury seekes nothing on the earth but your confusion Keepe you for Gods sake from touching these Apples which are onely forbidden you among so much other daintie fruites set before you on the spacious table of this delightfull Garden Offend not for a little pleasure of your tongue the Maiesty of a Lord so bountifull and liberall as he hath been vnto you But if you desire to eat some fruit which is indeed most exquisite and diuine lift vp your hand to this Tree of Life and not to that of death and kill not your selfe with all your race in you by this enormous crime of foule ingratitude for the committing whereof you haue so small occasion 1. THE CHVRCH OF GOD LIVELY set foorth in earthly Paradise GOD teacheth vs celestiall things by terestriall and spirituall by those that are corporall This faire Garden which hath beene heere before represented according to the Historie of Moses by two diuers Pictures the one seruing for the eye the other for the eare is a Figure of the Church of God Cant. 4. Isay 51.61 Aâ—â—â— 2. which the Scripture calleth sometime a Garden sometime a Vineyard planted by the hand of the Almightie And truely if this faire earthly place figured some dwelling it could figure none more reasonably then that where God raignes S. Greg. 5. Cant. 4. S. Aug. lib. 8. de Genes ad lit c. â— and workes after a singular manner and where his children are diuinely nourished which is his Church A heauenly habitation of men and truely eleuated aboue the earth for so much as the desires of those Saints of whom it is cornposed dwell in heauen An abode of spirituall delights the true Pallace and proper Mansion of the children of God S. Aâ—g de Ciuitate Dei lib. 13. cap. 21. S. Augustine hauing proued that this Garden had his being in a corporall place and such a one according to the literall sense as Moses hath described he declareth of what it was the Figure and saith That Paradise is the life of good people the foure Flouds the foure Cardinall Vertues to wit Wisdome Fortitude Temperance lustice the Trees the Artes and the fruits of the Trees the workes of good men the Tree of Life Wisdome the mother of all goodnesse the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill the experience of a Commandement broken And he addes which is more remarkable a second signification That all these things may be vnderstood of the Church for to be the better receiued as signes propheticall of things to come The Church then is a Paradise so called in the booke of the Canticles the foure Flouds are the foure Euangelists Câ—nt â— the fruits of the Trees are good workes the Tree of Life is the Holy of Holies Iesus Christ the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill the free Ithertie of the will S. Aug. lib. de Ciuit. cap. 21. So Saint Augustine allegorizing vpon this Historie of the earthly Paradise 2. OF THE GIFTS AND EXCELLENT qualities of the Church described in the patterne of earthly Paradise IN the Church then may bee seene spiritually all that which corporally was contained in the Garden of Pleasure Shee is situated towards the East for shee is alwaies turned towards Iesus Christ the true Orient and so called because he is the East which shee alwayes beholds adores Zach. 9.11 contemplates loues and admires In signe whereof the materiall Temples of Christians are turned to the East whereas the Temple of the Iewes looked towards the West In her is to be seene the accord of the foure Euangelists foundations and springs of our faith as the foure Elements and the foure vniuersall Flouds of this spirituall Garden The Sunne of Iustice which is God shineth heere alwayes by the bright beame of his truth Sacrament Baptisme Confirmation Penance and the rest the Vertues Faith Hope and Charitie and other like qualities hold there the places of trees and plants the holy actions of the iust are as the greenes the flowers the fruits and the delitious odours thereof the preaching of Gods Word the Writings of the holy Fathers and their cloquence are the gold and pearles cast vpon the shoare by the foure diuine Flouds of the Euangelists the Birdes which sing in this Paradise are the deuout soules which in all times with heart word and deed sound foorth the praises of God the Bird of Paradise so called in particular is euery perfect Christian whose conuersation is alwayes in heauen whose thoughts desires and workes like vnto purple and golden feathers are all gilded and inflamed with charitie the Lions Beares Tygers and other nobleliuing creatures present the Christian Kings and Potentates who notwithstanding their greatnesse and power obey as the least to the voice of our Sauiour speaking and commanding by the Pastors and Gouernors of his Church The Church then is a Paradise on earth figured by the former and is her selfe also a figure of a future Paradise which we looke for in heauen A Figure so much more diuine as the delights of the soules which are found in her are farre more precious and more neerely resembling true felicitie then the corporall gifts contained in that earthly Garden which was prepared for the first Adam Come we now to the Tree of Life the ornament of this Paradise and the propeâ— subiect of our present discourse 3. THE HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE Altar figured by the Tree of Life THe Tree and the fruite of Life Paschasius lib. 1. de corp Domini cap. 7. Philo Iud. de planct Noe ex Platone planted in the midst of earthly Paradise was a Figure of Iesus Christ and of the Sacrament of his body Man is a Tree saith Philo the Iew after Plato but a celestiall Tree and
heauen bread of life immortall and glorious diuine bread and diuine flesh without the substance of any materiall bread both meate and drinke together giuing the nourishment of grace to the soule and the sprout of immortalitie to the body and to both of them the fruit of all blessednesse In that God shewed his diuine wisdome figuring with his prouident pensill the future Priest-hood of his Sonne in the person of Melchisedech and the Sacrifice of the body of his Sonne in the Sacrifice of Melchisedech But in this heere hee hath left markes infinitely more cleare of his omnipotencie wisdome and boundy changing the hidden substance of bread into that of his body without changing the forme of the outward accidents offering himselfe by himselfe being at one instant together the Sacrificer and the thing Sacrificed Could he shew himselfe more great more skilfull and more liberall Could he establish a Sacrifice either more honorable for the acknowledging of his diuine Maiestie then this in which he offered not the body and bloud of beasts but his owne body and bloud or more profitable to man then in which he giues vs his owne body This mystery then so agreeable to the honor of God and so beneficiall to his friends doth it not merit to be eternally continued in the Church according to that which Dauid hath so diuinely prophecied Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Not according to the order of Aaron who was the Sacrificer of the bodies of beasts lesse honorable and lesse profitable and therefore worthy to be changed but according to the order of Melchisedech offering without bloud the body of the Sonne of God vnder the formes of bread and wine Sacrifice and Priest-hood most honorable and most worthy to endure euen to the end of the world neither can the world be furnished with a better either for the houor of God or for the good of his children 16. THE GOOD SPIRITVAL SOVLDIERS are worthy of the food and blessing of the body of our Lord. BVt who are the children worthy to feed vpon this Sacrifice and to haue the blessing of the true Melchisedech truely they are Abraham and his souldiers which haue noble soules and are armed in all parts with vertue which hotly pursue the enemies of their saluation fighting valiantly against the forces of the Assyrians pride Couetousnesse Leachery Enuy Gluttony Hate Idlenesse Iniquity Impiety and other vices signified by the Assyrians These then are they that giue the tenth of their victories and of their spoiles to God which giue him thankes for his benefits and acknowledge his assistance as chiefe cause of all their good actions for which they glory in nothing but in him and confesse that all their good commeth from him These are they that are true children of Abraham and like valient warriers know readily how to manage their bodies in all sorts of combates and exercises of spirituall battle This braue Horse of Abrahams so well made and so well taught to the bitt and to the spurre to trotte to gallop to runne and to bee decently ordered resembleth those bodies that are well tamed and well taught to follow the commands and directions of a warlike soule Such was he 1. Cor. 9.27 which said I chastise my body and make it a seruant such haue been a thousand champions of our Sauiour which haue victoriously combated against the greatest forces and armies of their enemies the world the flesh and the diuell Such souldiers are worthy of the bread of God worthy which whom the great Melchisedech should comply in the end of their victories comming foorth to honor them to congratulate with them to inuite them to receiue the holy Repast of his sacred body and to sanctifie them with his great blessing wherewith they returne into their countrey which is heauen rich with reward and enobled with immortall glory THE FOVRTH PICTVRE ISAAK ON THE ALTAR The Description THese two yong men seruants of Abraham attend at the foote of the mountaine with this saddled Asse Abraham himselfe with yong Isaak is ascended to the top of the mountaine hauing commanded them to tarry beneath vntill he had there worshipped and offered Sacrifice this is the third day since they came from home with him hauing neuer vsed to depart from him their face shewes that they are sorrowfull and astonished and it is by all true likelihood for not knowing the cause why he should leaue them and for hauing seene and heard of things they misliked they had seene how their Master all sad had put the wood which the Asse carried vpon the shoulders of Isaak taking himselfe fire in the one hand and a sword in the other Ioseph lib. 1. Antiq. cap. 13. and certainly the teares ran downe in great abundance from their eyes because they see their yong Master loaden with this heauie burden to goe with no little paine for hee is tender and delicate and but fiue and twentie yeeres old They could not also imagine what should be the Sacrifice Abraham would offer seeing it was his custome to Sacrifice before his domesticals without euer hauing vsed such like ceremony But this which puts them yet in more great wonder is that they perceiued not any beast he had to sacrifice whereof Isaak himselfe being sollactous asked of his Father in the way where the Lambe was for the Burnt-offering to whom Abraham answered that God would prouide it The good childe knew not that himselfe was the Lambe appointed for the Sacrifice lesse knew hee what this holy old man thought within himselfe for hee felt a maruailous combate in his soule pressed on the one side with the assaults of Nature which moued him to fatherly compassion and on the otherside with the Word of God which made him stedfast in the execution of his Commandement Nature said to him O Father what dost thou Hast thou begotten a sonne to be his murtherer Hast thou giuen him life in the world to put him with thine owne hand to death Hast thou giuen being to this creature and wilt thou depriue him of it in a moment as soone as it beginneth Wilt thou burie in one moment the comfort of thy age and all the hopes of thy future race within the tombe of thy only sonne Thy only sonne giuen thee of God after so many faire and goodly promises of thy prosperity Thy onely son so tenderly nourished so carefully brought vp so beautifull so gratious so obedient and perfect in all kinde of graces And who euer saw such a Father as thou art And what will thy houshold thy neighbours and thy kindred say And aboue all the rest what will his poore Mother say who sitting at home little thinkeâ—â— of any such matter when shee shall see thee returne all alone and that shee shall heare the pitifull newes of her deare and onely childe slaine not by force of sicknesse nor by the hand of the enemie nor by the teeth of any furious
Catholike Church S. Ambrol l. 4. de Sacra cap. 6. S. Thom. in Prosa lauda Sâ—â— S. Ambros lib. 4. de Sacra cap. 9. S. Thom in Prosa lauda Sion as it appeareth by the Canon of the Masse where like mention is made of this Sacrifice and that of Abel and of Abraham which is also confirmed by the testimony of Saint Ambrose who hath recorded the same Prayer in his writings and by Saint Thomas of Aquine in his Prose Lauda Sion and will be easily perceiued by the reference of the one to the other as of the Figure to the Truth it selfe In this Oblation Abraham offered the Sacrifice which he had made that is to say his sonne whom he had begotten in the Eucharist the Sonne of God offers his bodie which he himselfe formed in the wombe of the Virgin and which he maketh present vpon the Altar by his omnipotent word Abraham the Sacrificer offereth the Victime and Isaak also a liuely and reasonable Victime offereth himselfe in the Eucharist Iesus Christ offers himselfe who is both Priest and Sacrifice Sacrificer and Victime and that both liuing and reasonable Isaak being offered endured nothing in the Sacrifice but onely the Ramme in his â—â—ome the body of the Sonne of God endures no hurt in the Eucharist perseuering alwayes whole but onely the substance of bread and wine which cease to be after the words of Consecration and the visible species and accidents thereof which are subiect to alteration Isaak was not to be offered in any place indifferently neither was that left to the choyse of Abraham but in a chosen place and appointed expresly by God himselfe who spake thus to Abraham Gen. 22.2 Thon shalt offer thy sonne vnto me for an Holocaust in one of the Mountaines that I shall shew thee Iesus Christ also is offered onely in the Mountaine of the Church the Mountaine of Sion where hee raigneth and he is offered in such a place and on such an Altar as his Church taught by the holy Chost Psal 2.6 appointeth Thus haue we seene some draughts of the Figure which signifieth our truth let vs now see some others 2. THE HEIGHT OF THE MYSTERY OF the Eucharist signified by the Mountaine and by Abraham and how we are to approach vnto it THere are yet some circumstances in the Figure which teach vs other qualities of our Sacrament and Sacrifice The Mountaine teacheth vs how high a mystery it is for it is a familiar marke in the holy Scripture to shew thereby some diuine thing which is eleuated aboue the basenesse of common iudgement Exod. 20. So Moses receiued the Maiestie of the Law and the secrets of God in the Mountaine And so the Prophet exhorting the Preacher to lead a holy and contemplatiue life saith vnto him ascend vp to the Mountaine Thou that Euangelizest to Sion Esay 40.9 that is to say eleuate thy soule aboue earthly things and ascend the Mountaine of contemplation the better to declare the high Mountaine of Gods greatnesse Matth. 17. So our Sauiour transfigured himselfe on the Mount Thnbor so both himselfe and his Church is called a Mountaine And high Dan. 2.35 and spirituall things are signified by this circumstance of high places on earth As then the Sacrifice of Abraham was high and eminent in corporall situation so the greatnesse of our mystery is aduanced in spirituall highnesse and eleuated farre aboue earthly sense or humane iudgement and truely set in the top of Mount Sion being the most supreame and the most admirable of all the other Sacraments in the Church of God And in the same signification the two seruants of Abraham which represent our humane reason and vnderstanding remaine at the foot of the Mountaine sorrowfull and sadde as incapable of this Mystery And so likewise the Asse by the which is meant our corporall sense yet more vnapt to ascend the Mount of this diuine Mystery It is onely Abraham and Isaak that is to say spirits illuminated with a firme and liuely faith that haue their wings so strong as are able to flye so high pitch and to contemplate the eminency greatnesse and maiestie of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of the Sonne of God on the top of holy Sion But in mounting they must perseuer and walke on from home three dayes together carrying with them the Wood the Sword and the Fire to burne as Abraham and Isaak did before them These three dayes are the preparation of good workes which we ought to doe in the faith of the Trinity before we present our selues to the Altar and Table of this diuine Sacrifice The wood signifies to vs the matter of good purposes and holy desires wherewith we ought to kindle the fire vpon the holy Altar The Sword is the Word of God with which we ought to be armed for it is that which saith This is my body and can doe all that it saith If Nature make difficult to beleeue it if shee oppose against it sense or reason we ought to defend our selues with this diuine Word and fight manfully as Abraham did who beleeued that which Nature strongly disswaded and executed that which it abhorred The Fire of Abraham is the Charity wherewith our heart ought to burne heere more then in any other acte of Religion for this is a nuptiall feast a banâ—â—â— et of Loue addressed for the children of Abraham cloathed with the wedding garment and prepared only for you O faithfull soules Math. 22.12 which sigh holily and fight valiantly against the assaults of infidelitie and the counsell of the flesh Perseuer couragiously euen to the third day when God will lift you vp from this base earth to make you see his glory in the top of the high and celestiall Sion our true and assured dwelling THE FIFTH PICTVRE THE PASCHALL LAMBE The Description ALL is in darknesse now in Egypt Sap. 18 1â— and all things rest quietly in silence of a peaceable repose The Sunne whirling about vnder the earth is well-neare come to the Meridian Antipode and the night is now in the midst of his course in the Aegyptian Climate the Hebrewes haue taken some foure howres since their mysticall refection of the Paschall Lambe in euery Family according as they were appointed and shall continue so to doe euery yeere from henceforth vpon the same day and howre that is to say in the euening of the fourteenth day of the first month of their holy yeere beginning in March for their Ciuil yeere began in September The Ceremony is very strange Ioseph l. Antiâ— c. 4. Exod. 12.11 for hauing sprinkled the bloud of the beast on the thresholds and poastes of all their doores they haue eaten with vnleauened bread and wilde Lettice the Lambe roasted Exod. 12.8 disseuering the bones from his flesh without breaking any and made maruailous haste in eating euery one holding a staffe in his hand hauing their garments girt to their loynes
Exod. 12.49 and their shooes on their feete as if they were ready out of hand to take a iourney Hauing thus finished the holy banquet according to this Ceremony Exod. 13. thy cast the remainder into the sier No person durst after goe foorth into the streete they hauing had an expresse commandement to keep within and not without cause for there shall be presented a terrible massacre and it is begun already heare you the lamentations and howlings of the Aegyptians in this next Village S. Hieron in Esay 19. Psal 77. Exod. 9.22.24 Exod. 10.21 called Tamis Where the Pharoes made their common residences now is the fatall night wherein this supreame Puissance doth execute his rigorous iustice against thee Pharoe and against thy subiects instruments of thy malice thine and their hardned hearts haue been beaten with nine great plagues beaten with the fury of the foure elements Fier Ayre Water and Earth beaten with little animals Exod. 7.27 Exod. 8.3 Exod. 8.17.24 armed with the arme of the Almightie to constraine thee to let the Hebrewes go whom thou detainest with vniust oppression thou hast notwithstanding remained alwayes hardned But at this time thou art ouercome inforced to yeeld to open the dungeon of thy steeled heart and to obey necessity hauing refused the voice of the God of Hoasts of whom now thou feclest the arme more heauy then euer O heauen what astonishment and what horrible slaughter is wrought by this destroying Angell He hath alreadie slaine thousands of the first borne as well of men as of beastes and will doe the like to all the rest Exod. 12.29 without sparing the first borne euen of the King which sitteth gloriously in the throne of his Maiestie This horrible executioner of iustice scoureth all places and spareth none sauing onely the Hebrewes Hee hath indeed visited their houses holding the sword in his hand but seeing the threshold and poastes of their doores red with the bloud of the Lambe he passeth on without doing any hurt vnto them Exod. 12. He exercised all his fury vpon the Aegyptians alone and namely vpon this miserable Citie where euery place is full of dead bodies the houses the stables and the streetes The earth is fearefull being oppressed with so many corses and the ayre is dreadfull being wholly possessed not onely with darknesse but also with the cryes of Citizens lamenting their present harmes and fearing worse For they perswade themselues and haue good cause to thinke and feare that this night would make a generall tombe of all Aegypt Pharoe hath sent some of the Gentlemen of his Chamber to call Moses and Aaron which are alreadie come Exod. 12.31.32 he prayes them to giue him their blessing and to depart in peace and in haste with all that appertaines vnto them the Aegyptian people being fearefull vrge them to be gone by all means possible The Iewes will depart vpon the breaking of the day but not without carrying away rich booties of gold of siluer of apparell pretious stones and such like treasures that they had borrowed of the Aegyptians vpon good condition neuer to restore them againe Exod. 12.36 but to pay themselues for their day labours in Aegypt many hundred yeeres together without receiuing any reward for their trauaile and paines It is a borrowing in name but in effect a restitution of Iustice iustly ordained of God himselfe Exod. 5.14 If yee will attend a little you shall haue the pleasure to behold this departure you shall see a world of people for there went foorth on foote six hundred thousand men of the Iewes Exod. 12.37 ouer and aboue the number of women and little children and many Aegyptians beside that followed them to be put in the Roll of the children of God with them they began long since to goe foorth 1. OF THE TIME OF IMMOLATION OF the Paschall Lambe and of the Holy and Ciuill yeere of the Hebrewes and of their Neomenia or new Moone FOr to see well the verity of our Sacrament in the shadow of this Figure in the first place is to be noted the ceremonie of the time and the end of it God commandeth the Iewes to take the Lambe the tenth day of the first Moone of the Spring-time Exod. 12. where began the Holy yeere and to immolate it that is to say to kill and offer it to God in the euening of the fourteenth day wasting it presently after and eating it with the ceremony represented in the picture The first Moone of holy yeere was the new Moone the next to the Aequinoctiall in the Spring which Aequinoctiall fell then in the fourteenth of March and since the correction of the Callender of Pope Gregoâ—ie the thirteenth it falleth vpon the twentieth And all this Moone taking part of March and part of Aprill makes the first month of the yeere the second Moone makes the second month and so of others and so many new Moones so many beginnings of new monethes and the first day of the Moone was the first of the month and the fourteenth of the Moone was the fourteenth of the moneth So as the yeere of the Iewes was twelue Moones or twelue moneths of the Moone euery one hauing nine and twenty daies and a halfe which is the who'e space of the course of the Moone true it is that to keepe the number of dayes whole they make that one moneth hath thirtie daies and the other nine and twentie and the monthly yeere containes but three hundred fifty and foure dayes lesse by eleuen dayes then the yeare of the Sunne which hath three hundred threescore and fiue daies For this cause the Iewes from two yeeres to two and from three to three did enterlace one moneth to the end to make by such addition their moonely yeare equall to that of the Sunne which other people vse as we doe now and then their yeare consisted of thirteene months Now the yeare which begunne in this month of March was the yeere commanded of God and called holy or sacred for in it he set his people at liberty The ordinance is set downe in these words Exod. 12.1 This month shall be to you the beginning of months and the first month in the yeere They haue another common vulgar yeare equal to this heere vsed in secular intercourses and traffiques beginning in the Moone next to the Aequinectium in Autumne which comes commonly in September as that of the Spring-time in March and the course of this first Moone was the first month of this Ciuill yeare containing part of September and part of October as the first month of the sacred yeare had one part of March and another of Aprill as hath been said Ioseph lib. 1. Antiq. cap. 4. Iosephus hath noted this difference of yeares amongst many Authors and the Christians vse the same distinction but grounded vpon another cause for they haue a Sacred yeere and a Ciuill their Holy yeere begins either at Christmas
moreouer who will not wonder to see that howsoeuer a man turne the Hoast lift it vp or lay it downe yet this diuine bodie altereth not the situation in it selfe and although when the Sacrament is remoued it changeth place yet it changeth not for all that the situation of his parts wee see some such like thing in heauen For euen as the Sunne is alwayes aboue the earth albeit it seeme to vs wheeling about to the Antipodes Land to be vnder our feete euen so by resemblance albeit the parts of the quantity of the Hoast be changed neuerthelesse the parts of the body of our Sauiour remaine in their seate of Maiestie Humane reason there admireth God in the naturall seate and mouing of that great Celestiall body heere Faith extols the greatnesse of God in the admirable situation of the deified body of his Sonne 18. THE CLOTHING OF THE BODY of our Sauiour ADAM in his innocency was richly cloathed and neuerthelesse naked and after that he had offended he was clad with dead skins and yet notwithstanding he remained still naked all this was admitable For how was he cloathed and naked naked and clothed together This was because in that first estate he had his soule cloathed with all kinde of goodly garments of Iustice of Chastity of Charity of Fortitude of Temperance and of other such like attire and had nothing vpon his body neither had he need But when the soule was dispoiled of her habits shee was ashamed of her owne nakednesse and of that of her poore body which shee was necessarily to couer at least one part of the shame of the soule Thus Adam was clothed and naked naked and clothed by diuers considerations The Antithesis is most diuine and most meruailous without comparison for the body of our Sauiour hath not any garments and notwithstanding is alwayes most richly cloathed but it is with diuine gists of immortall glory It is shining by brightnesse more then the Sunne more pleasing by its beauty then all the Stars admirable in this and admirable also for that he couereth this robe of glory and takes that of bread and wine hiding the Maiesty of his presence vnder the visible formes to become the more familiar to our capacity euen as hee hid his Diuinity vnder the mantle of our humane nature appearing but Man and being neuerthelesse God Man together to make vs enioy his sweete conuersation So Manna Figure of this Mystery euen in this point was couered with two dewes the one falling before the Manna and seruing it as it were for a bed and the other after in stead as it were of a couerlet as hath been said Behold how God shewes himselfe in this Sacrament Soueraigne Lord of all Nature vniuersally 19. HOW THE EVCHARIST IS AN Abridgment of all the wonders of God IS not then this diuine Mystery an abridgment of Gods wonders And God hath he not made himselfe seene admirably admirable in this wonderfull abridgment more then in any other worke of his Hee hath made appeare his greatnesse two wayes the one in making of wonders apart the other which is the more diuine in assembling them together As a Musition that not onely knowes to set for single voyces but also hath the arte and the grace of setting many parts together and to delight the eare with a sweete harmony composed of diuers voyces well accorded After that he had shewed himselfe wonderfull in the production of a thousand creatures he made man as an abridgement of them all Hee hath made since the Creation of the world a thousand and a thousand admirable workes in the common course of nature sometime in the substance of things sometime in the accidents he hath changed as we haue said the wood into a Serpent changing the substance and the accidents Exod. 3. 4.9 Insu 10.12 and after the same miraculous manner the waters into bloud He hath stayed the course of the Sunne against the force of his extreame swistnesse 4 Reg. 1.10 4. Reg. 6.6 Exod. 10.21 Num. 16.31.32 he hath made fier to defcend from heauen contrary to its lightnesse Iron to swimme aboue the water contrary to the weightinesse thereof obscured the brightnesse of the ayre by extraordinary darknesse Num. 17.8 made the Sea passable within her very depths opened the bosome of the earth contrary to the solidnesse thereof made in one night to sprout to flourish and to beare fruite a drie wood contrary to it barrennesse made a Beast speak Num. 22.36 whereof naturally it was vncapable In conclusion he hath shewed that he is God of Nature making supernaturall workes in euer parcell and part of it but being come in proper Person into the world and being himselfe to depart out of the world hee hath left a miracle equall in greatnesse to the world and a chiefe worke worthy of his hand and for which he deserues to be remembred containing alone the abridgement of all the wonders that hee euer made be it in creating the world by his omnipotent Word be it in gouerning it by his dinine Wisdome be it in the preseruing of it by his infinite bounty A miracle containing his pretious body and thereby surpassing the price of a thousand worlds A miracle where hee made himselfe to be admired as soueraigne Master of all creatures commanding the substance of things and their accidents commanding the ten Categories that is the ten Orders of things in the vniuersall world Dnuid considering the diuersitie and beauty of creatures cryes out saying O Lord how thy name is admirable through all the earth Psal 8.1 but considering this future Mystery he sings another tune saying Our Lord hath made a memoriall of all his wonders Psal 110. and declaring what it is He hath giuen to eate to them that feare him It is his body which he giueth to his children for the common meates of the world he giueth to beasts and to men good and euill this body hee hath giuen to his deare Spouse prepared in this Sacrament and apparelled with all his wonders True marke and signe of his greatnesse true Manna bearing the name of wonder true bread descended from heauen true gift drawne from the greatest treasure of his almighty Wisdome and from his all-wise goodnesse 20. HOW FAITH IS FORTIFIED BY this Sacrament THe first article of our Faith is to beleeue in God Almightie for which this article beginneth our Creed and vpon this foundation are built all other points of our Religion Now the saith of this article is admirably exercised ayded and augmented in the practise of this diuine Mystery For so often as wee communicate as wee haue Masse as we participate or meditate vpon this holy banquet so often we beleeue that God is ommpotent making and renewing euery day by his omnipotent Word the wonder of his pretious body to the astonishment of Angels of men and of Nature vniuersally So often as we make bow to the obedience of Faith
the humility of our sense and iudgement which in this Mystery is altogether blinde so often we purchase new strength and new grace to beleeue the omnipotencie of our God And herehence it is that the holy Fathers S. Iustin S. Ireneus S. Chrysostoms S. Iustin Apol. 2. S. Iren. l. 4. c. 34. S. Chrysost bom 16. ad Pap. Annâ— bom 83. in Maâ—â—h S. Ambros lib. 4 â—â—it mist c â—9 9 S. Cyprian lib. 〈◊〉 Corn. Dom. S. August in Psal 33. S. Ambrose S. Cyprian S. Agustine and other Doctors so often as they either speake or write of the Eucharist alwayes inculcate with vs the Almightie power of God and obiect it to Heretikes as a certaine Marke of his powerfulnesse And as the Patriarkes and Prophets when they would shew that God is Almighty call him Creator of heauen and of earth Euen so the holy Doctors when they will extoll the almightinesse of our Sauiour alledge euer this his chiefe worke and as the Diuell of old perswaded certaine misinformed Philosophers to write that the world was not created but that it was eternall without beginning to weaken so much our faith in the omnipotencie of the Creator So in our age hath he raised certaine hereticall spirits which deny the presence of the body of our Sauiour in this Sacrament by their heresie to take away and to deface this most noble marke or signe of his omnipotency and to ouerthrow a most strong pillar of our Faith and the most beautifull ornament of Christian Religion 21. OF THE GOODNES OF OVR SAuiour in this Sacrament THe contemplation of the omnipotency and goodnes of God makes vs admire and loue him We haue giuen some documents of his omnipotency in this Sacrament let vs say one word of his goodnesse in the fame It is an argument of our loue to giue our goods to his behoofe and profit vpon whom we bestow them So God hath shewed himselfe to loue man by giuing him a being and creating the world for him It is an argument of greater loue to giue his owne substance for he that giueth of his proper bloud out of his body shewes himselfe more louing then he which makes neuer so great a present out of his purse Almighty God hath giuen his onely Sonne Ioan. 3.16 substance of his substance and the Sonne also hath giuen himselfe vnto vs ioyning in alliance his Diuinity to the Family of our Father Adam and making himselfe our brother so to worke our Saluation could he haue tyed himselfe to vs by any more straite bond and giuen himselfe more amorously then in giuing himselfe wholly to vs and making himselfe one with vs to deifie vs with himselfe and make vs heires of his glory Well then as in the Incarnation he hath made a gift of his Diuinity to man so in this Sacrament he hath bestowed vpon vs his Humanitie 〈◊〉 hath giuen it once to death in a bloudy Sacrifice and from time to time he ceaseth not to giue it for meat to apply vnto vs the fruit of his redemption he maried his Diâ—â—nity to our Humanity when he made himselfe man he â—â—arieth his humanity to ours when he giueth it to vs in this Sacrament For the flesh of our Sauiour heere is holily vnited to ours to make it both chast and fruitfull in bringing forth good workes and the same flesh is also a most diuine dish of his nuptiall feast to feed and fat our soules with celestiall vertues and to giue immortality to our bodies O sweet Iesus what goodnesse is this and what an effect of inflamed loue that thou vouchsafest to ioyne thy selfe by two so straite knots of Mariage and of Meate to so base and so miserable persons as we are the Lord to his scruants the King to his vassals the Creator to his creatures God to wretched poore sinners O what loue is this of thine in this diuine Mariage and Food What King would euer take for his Spouse a poore vassall of his And what father would feede his children with his owne body We see that mothers nourish their children with their milke which is a white bloud but what mother euer nourished her children with her proper flesh O diuine mariage O diuine banquet O wicked abuser and immortall enemie of Man which hast troubled this marriage and this banquet substituting in the place of this true Bridegroome 1. Reg. 19.13 and this true Dauid and this deified flesh an Idoll of Bakers bread But this thou hast done in the Church which thou hast falsly intituled Resormed and not in the Church of God Thou hast done it I say in a Synagogue of such misbeleeuers as haue chosen rather to lend their eares to the lyes of thy vanity then to beleeue the sacred and holy words of verity not in that Church 1. Tim. 3.15 pillar of truth Spouse which cannot erre assisted with the true Spirit Shee knoweth full well her Spouses voice and manner of proceedings she knoweth the goodnesse of his Table and will beware how shee forgoe it shee knoweth the Son omnipotent made for vs Emanuell Esay â— 14 that is to say God with vs when he was made Man liuing with vs and speaking with vs in his proper person but especially when he giueth himselfe vnto vs in this nuptiall banquet heere wherein more then euer or any where else he is indeed Emanuell For when he conuersed with vs mortall and visible it was but for a littla time the vnion was lesse with fewer people and that in Iury onely but by this Sacrament he is euer most straitely vnited as Spouse and Food with all them that will marrie themselues with him and feed vpon him and this not in one onely Land but in so many places as this Catholike and Vniuersall Church adores her Spouse euen from the East to the West from the South to the North and through all the earth An husband when he departs from his wife a father from his children a friend from his friends signifies his loue more then euer makes a feast leaues a pretious remembrance and shewes that departing hee would leaue himselfe still present if he could possibly be in many places at once Iesus Christ hath accomplished all this after a diuine manner for vpon the end of his passion and of his departure from this world hee shewed his feruent loue to his children Hauing loued his owne which were in the world Ioan. 13.1 saith Saint IOHN he loued them to the end that is to say he shewed them his loue more then euer before He likewise made his banquet with singuler signification of loue saying I haue greatly desired to eate this Pasque with you not the Moysaicall but the truth of the Moysaicall wherein he himselfe was the Lambe Finally for a Ring of remembrance he hath left his proper body and his owne selfe to be alwayes present with his friends in the manner aforesaid and to be for euer their Emanuell 22. CHARITIE
TOWARDS GOD AND towards our neighbour encreased by this Sacrament IF liberalitie drawes hearts if the table makes friends and if loue begets loue what person will shew himselfe so rusticall and frozen as not to be allured by this infinit goodnesse not to be gained by this feast not to be inslamed with this fier in the frequentation of this diuine Sacrament What soule I say will not be wholly inflamed with the loue of her Redeemer feeling her selfe so delitiously feasted by him so tenderly embraced of him and so straitely vnited with him Whom will shee loue if shee loue not this goodnesse With whom wilshee make amitie if shee make it not with so liberall a Spouse And of whom shall shee be amorous if shee be not enamored of so feruent a friend and louer And then if shee loue faithfully this her Spouse and attentiuely consider the nature of this Mariage and Feast it cannot bee but shee must also loue forthwith her neighbours and her Christian brethren for the loue of her Spouse when shee shall see how they are likewise beloued of him and called to the same Feast and made members of one and the selfe-same body with her For to signifie this mutuall amity he himselfe is ginen in meate and drinke vnder the likenesse of bread and wine which are made of many graines and of many grapes as wee haue said elsewhere And truely the Apostle to exhort the maried holily to loue their wiues â—â—bes 5.25 drawes his most forcible argument from this mystery as being the example of a perfect mariage and of a perfect loue From the mariage I say of Iesus Christ with his Church to whom he liberally giues himselfe and with whom he is vnited by these two most straite bonds of a Spouse and of Meate For which reason also the Eucharist hath alwaies been an Embleme of vnion peace and charity And for signification whereof it was an ancient custome to giue the kisse of peace in the Masse from whence came afterward the ceremony of kissing the Pax which is still in vse Behold then how this soueraigne goodnesse drawes vs by this Sacrament as well to his owne loue as also to the loue of our neighbour 23. OF THE WISDOME OF GOD IN this same Mysterie LEt vs now see some workes of the diuine Wisdome in this his Sacrament for it is so well ordered as it is easie to perceiue that it is shee which is the Mistresse and chiese doer therein According whereunto the Scripture also saith Wisdome hath built her a House Prou. 9.1 shee hath cut out seuen Pillars shee hath immolated her victime mingled her wine and set foorth her table This House is the Church these seuen Pillars are the seuen Sacraments the wine mingled is the pretious bloud of our Sauiour and the meat of this table the sacred Manna of his flesh and so haue the ancient Fathers explained it and namely S. Cyprian S. Cyprian cpist 63. ad Cecil dâ— Sacer. Calicis lib. 2. aducrs Iudeos â— 2. Now as humane wisdome shewes it selfe in well ordaining well comprising and well instructing for these are the true effects of a wise vnderstanding so the diuine Wisdome maketh her selfe appeare in this Sacrament by the same meanes A wise Orator shewes himselfe in the orderly method of his discourse A wise Captaine in well ranking an armie a wise Architect in well ioyning the parts of the building and so of other wise worke men A wise Musition in setting many parts of Mâ—â—ick and vniting them together with a sweete and well a greeing harmony Mirmerides was admired for his and aâ—trious wisdome when he made that so much renowned Chariot of foure wheeles 〈◊〉 l. 35 c. 10. which the wing of a Fly did couer and that wonderfull ship stored with Masts Pun. 16. with Sayles with Roaps with Ankors with Rudder and with all other tacklings which the wing of a Bee might also couer But aboue all Wisdome shewes her selfe in the good and effectuall teaching of euery Science or Vertue and this is her most high title In all these kindes the diuine Wisdome shineth foorth most brightly in this Sacrament Her ordinance heere is admirable For what goodlier order can one desire then to haue drawne so many faire Figures from time to time and to haue at the last inspired and breathed as it were the life of Truth into those ancient lineaments giuing in a Law most perfect a Sacrament full of all perfection a Sacrament of charity in a Law of loue and preparing for the nuptialls of our humane nature with the Sonne of God a nuptiall feast of the flesh of God His Wisdome is heere yet more admirable in combining for this combination surpasseth all wonder for God and Nature are heere combined Heere is the body of the Sonne of God by vertue of his omnipotent Word his soule as inseparable from the body his Diuinity as vnited vnto them both and by consequence the Father and the holy Ghost and all the holy Senate it selfe of this blessed Trinity are heere assembled All the wonders of Nature are heere comprised as hath been said All the soules and bodies of the faithfull are heere conioyned in one as many cornes in one loafe Maub 24.28 S. Chrâ—ost bom 4. in 1. Cor. 10. and many grapes in one cup of wine gathered together like vnto so many diuine Eagles about the body of their King saith Chrysostome But what diuine wisdome was it to haue prepared this diuine morsell so conformable to the infirmity and capacity of our weake nature vnder the taste and feeling of bread and wine meat and drinke of all other the most familiar to vs. 24. GODS DIVINE WISDOME IN teaching of this high Mystery THe last and most liuely tract of Wisdome is to teach effectually And what greater wisdome can be shewed therein then to haue giuen heere the meanes to learne to encrease and fortifie both faith and charity the one the foundation and the other the crowne of Christian vertue For eating this morsell we receiue an Earnest of immortality and as the Church singeth A pledge of future glory And it cannot bee but that by the presence of so braue a Captaine whom we beleeue firmely to be heere present though inuisible to our sight our courage and heart should much encrease if we be faithfull souldiers For as the wicked spirits fright vs if wee beleeue them to bee present though we see them not with onâ— bodily eyes So contrariwise and with more reason we grow confident and as it were are lifted vp to heauen by the assured presence of our Sauiour Heere moreouer wee learne Religion the most noble Pearle of Christian Iustice whereby we honor God doing him the homage of Soueraigne worship due to his Maiestie alone which heere is done with soueraigne preparation For first heere is offered a Sacrifice vnto him which is a worship of supreame acknowledgement incommunicable to all other but to God a Sacrifice
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
of immortality 6. GOD NOVRISHER OF EVERY CREAture true nutriment of his Children IF this good people seeing that Iesus Christ had so I magnificently and so miraculously filled them would haue made him King and honoured him with an honour which they held to be the greatest of all greatnesse heere vpon earth as wee haue heard what would they haue thought and what would they houe done if they had a little vnderstood that this Lord was hee which of olde had freed their Fathers in the Desart and which nourisheth the Angels in heauen and the blessed Spirits with food of his felicity who giues to eate to euery creature who keepes open table in the spacious ayre vpon the face of the earth within the depthes of the waters prouiding for the fowles in the ayre the beasts of the earth for the fishes of the sea and for all liuing creatures their proper food in their owne dwellings What would they haue said if the eyes of their soule had been opened to behold the grearnesse highnesse and profoundnesse of that miracle without comparison saire more admirable then the they did so much admire and esteemed worthy to bee rewarded with a Kingdome It is a farre greater miracle saith Saint Augustine to prouide for the whole world S. Aug. Tract in Ioan. 24. then to feed fiue thousand men with fiue Leaues and two Fisves And sithence this miracle is the greater wheresore did these men perceiue onely the lesser Was it not for so much as the most part of them had not the entire faith they should haue had of the Messias whom they did esteeme indeed a great man but not great God as they ought But what would they heue said had they knowne that this Sauiour would giue his slesh to men to eate and feed them to immortality And that with so many miracles as Nature it selfe stands wondering at them Would they not foorthwith haue proclaimed him not onely the King of men but of Angels also and of all the world Nay would they not haue inferred by good discourse that hee was God both of heauen and earth For it is God alone who hath power to giue himselfe in meate without diminution and detriment he alone in heauen giues his Diuinity for food of the blessed and he alone giues on earth the body of his Humanity to his seruants for food to saluation remaining no lesse entire then before a worke worthy of God infinite as well in power as in goodnesse Mortall Kings may wel prepare magnificent feasts such as were made by Holofernes Salomon Cleopatra and many Romane Emperours 3. Reg. 4. Plutarch in Anton. but they made them not of their owne substance it was not of their owne bodies that they were liberall it was but of the bodies of beasts and of other prouision which they had taken from the storehouse of Nature God alone can giue himselfe to be eaten he alone is almighty not to bee exhausted vncapable of diminution If then these things be so great and if we beleeue and see heere that which they neither saw nor beleeued If wee see the prouidence of our Sauiour to gouerne and nourish all the world his charity to vs in norishing vs with his flesh from the Table of his Church his truth in promising moreouer the food of felicity Why doe we not admire his benefits Why doe we not magnifie them Why doe wee not giue him immortall thankes for them The multitude of his wonders doe they dazell our eyes as a bright lightning or as the light of the Sunne The continuall multiplying of his presents doth it make his great liberality lesse admirable to vs But if as mortall men we take no heed to the workes which God doth in Nature euery day as being ordinary and common let vs at least regard the rare excellencie of this Table furnished with a meate more worth then all that Nature can affoord The Iewes filled with fiue Loaues and two Fishes thought not of the miracle which God doth in nourishing the whole world because that was a miracle frequent and common And yet they adwored that of the fiue Loaues S. Aug. Tract in Ioan. 24. not because it was greater saith S. Augustine but because it was more rare and lesse vsuall Wherefore admire not we then the rarenesse of our Sacrament sithence it is the miracle of miracles hauing no like and which by no continuance of time can become vulgar as the miracles of Nature Wherefore cry we not in our hearts Liue the King of Kings Raigne the King of Kings Immortall glory to the King of Kings which hath giuen a refection of so great a wonder filling with one loafe and with one fish that is with his sacred body not fiue thousand men for one time but millions of men and of women that haue wandered in the Desart of this world these sixteen hundred yeers and wil fill yet as many millions moe of Christian soules as shall feed vpon it to the end of the world who will fill them not as he hath filled those with the materiall food of the body for the maintenance of this mortall life But with spirituall food of the soule for to bee nourishment of immortality and mernall felicity Liue then O King of Kings true Life of our soules and bodies Raigne O King of Kings truely worthy to raigne Immortall glory to thee O King of Kings most wise to guide most mighty to defend most blessed tenderly to nourish the sheepe which follow thee in the mountaines and barren desarts of this mortall life O when shall this bee that wee shall arriue to the high mountaine of thy eternity there to take without end the food that thou thy selfe art true felicity of such as shall haue followed thee in the pathes of thy holy Commandements THE TWELFTH PICTVRE OVR SAVIOVR PREACHING OF THE SAcrament of his bodie The Description THE Sauiour of the world speakes the Diuine Word preacheth Iohn 6.59 the supreame Wisdome discourseth of the Sacrament of his body in the Synagogue of Capharnaum where he had done many great miracles The preheminence of the Orator and the dignity of the subiect deserueth an attentiue eare neuer man spake so and of such a matter He sees that the people follow him enticed by the miracle of the fiue Loaues and two Fishes and taketh occasion from their earthly desire to inuite them to a celestiall banquet of his flesh which he is about to prepare for those that shall beleeue in him and haue the appetite of their soules in good disposition Heare what he saith I am the bread of life Iohn 6.48 your Fathers haue eaten Manna and are dead this is the bread which descended from heauen that if any man eate of it he may not die I am the liuing bread descended from heauen he that eateth this bread shall liue eternally and the bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world Iohn 6.52 The
ruine and procured the restauration and health of our soules and bodies by remedies directly opposite to our diseases The Father giueth all that he can to his childe engendered of his seed The mother nourisheth and brings her childe vp with her owne milke which is also a part of the substance of her body and both meate and drinke to the childe Our Sauiour who regenerated vs in his bloud by Baptisme is wholly bestowed vpon vs in giuing vs his body for by concomitance we haue together with it his soule and his Diuinity to the which it is inseparably vnited And of this dainty food he giues vs not a part onely but his whole body and his whole bloud each of which is both true meate and true drinke vnto vs. By meat he lost vs by meat he repaired vs. The first meate was forbidden vnder paine of death Matth. â—â— â—6 Iohn 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not eate of the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill for looke what day thou shalt eat of it thou shalt die The second meat is commanded with promise of life Take eate who eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud he hath life eternall The first was really eaten by disobedience and killed vs. The second is really eaten by obedience and quickens vs. The poyson was truely swallowed downe the Antidote or counter-poyson also is truely taken and not by Figure The flesh of the first Adam by geueration drew vs to death and confusion the flesh of our Sauiour second Adam receiued by manducation brings vs to life and nourisheth vs to immortalitie and eternall glory 4. TWO BAD VNIONS OF THE FLESH of Adam with our soule repaired by the flesh of our Sauiour BVT behold the maine point of opposition betweene the flesh of our Sauiour and that of Adam The flesh of Adam is the spring of all our miseries by reason of two vnions wherewith it ioynes it selfe to our soule the one is naturall and made in the wombe of our mother by necessity the other morall and made my our owne free-wil when the soule followeth the appetites of this corrupted flesh of Adam The first vnion is the blow that first wounded vs to death 〈…〉 For by it we are begotten in iniquity and conceiued in sin according to the saying of King Dauid and become defiled in the first instant of our conception branded with the marke of originall malediction enennes of our Creator separated from him and at war within our seiues for wee bring with vs the Schedule of rebellion and the fource of cruell warre which this masse of corruption incessantly stirreth vp against our soules casting darknesse of ignorance into our vnderstanding fier of concupiscence into our will and forgetfulnesse of heauen and of other future things into our memory The same vnion is also cause that the spirits of men are multiplied and at diuision amongst themselues for looke how many bodies are begotten of the flesh and seed of Adam so many soules are created to be vnited to those bodies and to giue them life and as the children of Adam disser in bodies so by meanes of this generation they are also of different spirits The second vnion of this flesh with the soule encreaseth and maketh worse the euills which came from the first For the soule by loue being vnited to her flesh and following the sensual appetites thereof forgetting heauen and liuing in the vanities and voluptuousnesse of the earth is so much more made enemie of God and banished from his friendship as shee yeelds her selfe peruerse and so much more also diuided in her selfe enduring a continuall tyranny of our flesh to whom shee is made slaue by this voluntary vnion and of whom shee is arrogantly vexed and pricked forward to commit new sinnes which are to her soule so many executioners which giue her torment at euery moment This vnion also diuideth men amongst theÌ„selues for euery one seeking the coÌ„modities of his owne flesh and giuing himselfe to vice loues none but himselfe his proper commodities his honors riches and voluptuous pleasures hating and persecuting at those that do hinder him in them whether they be good or bad And from thence doe spring dissentions warres and all excesse of enuy whoredome couetousnesse and such like sinnes which are committed in the world Behold then how the first vnion of the flesh of Adam with our soules is the spring And the second the fulnesse of all our euills diuiding vs from God from our selues in our felues and amongst our selues for an Antidote and counterpoyson of this flesh and those pernitious effects thereof the second Adam Iesus Christ affoords vs his owne flesh endued with contrary qualities and worker of contrary operations For the flesh of the first Adam is foule infected and pestilent that of the second Adam pure holy Virgin like and in one word flesh of God The flesh of Adam produced from a filthy seed and ioyned with our soule makes vs the children of Adam the flesh of our Sauiour begotten of a Virgin by the worke of the holy Ghost and giuen vs for to be vnited with vs and to vnite vs to God makes vs the children of God not by necessity of generation but by acts of deuotion ordained by meanes of this vnion not onely to cherish to nourish and beautifie our soules but also to repaire the defects of our bodies to correct their wicked inclinations to extinguish their concupiscences to purge and refine them to the likenesse of his owne and to sow in them the seed of glorious immortalicy And albeit this vnion be not naturall as the vnion of body and soule yet is it notwithstanding reall true and most intrinsecall after the manner of meate and drinke and of a holy and diuine mariage by the which wee are made one Spirit with God By the mediation of this flesh of his Sonne vnited to ours wee are also vnited in our selues our sanctified flesh obeying thereby the Law of the Spirit and finally we are voited euen one with another and made one Spirit and one body vnder our chiefe Soueraigne Iesus Christ by the vertuall knot of his pretious flesh which euery one receiueth in this Sacrament Behold you the opposite effects By the flesh of Adam wee are made sinners separated from God both in spirit and in body our bodies are multiplied and likewise our spirits in the same proportion with the bodies men are diuided amongst themselues by enmities arising from the loue of the flesh and euery man is diuided in himselfe his flesh rebelling to the spirit By the flesh of our Sauiour all these inconueniences are repaired as with admirable wisdome so with aboundant grace Of this meate then giuen as a counter-poyson against the first meat and of this sacred vnion in remedy of that which diuided vs. Did our Sauiour heere Preach This is the sense and the end of his diuine Sermon Iohn 6.48 for calling it the brend of life the lining bread that came downe
they asked as Philosophers How Albeit the Scripture did clearely set downe the truth of this generation and tolde them on the otherside that they could not comprehend it and that they ought to beleeue and not to question about it â—say 53.8 So the Panymâ— and the Heretikes did laugh at the saith of the death of Iesus Christ neither could they be perswaded that he being the Sonne of God and God himselfe would or could haue endured death and did say How can it bee that hee could dye At this very day in like manner such as beleeue not imitating their Ancestors beate their hornes against the same Rock and doe say How can the body of our Sauiour be present in the Eucharist How can it be in many places without possessing a place Be eaten without being seene Exposed to the iniuries of the wicked without hurt And because they are proud they beleeue nothing but what they vnderstand and so lose their faith and their vnderstanding like vnto their Fathers and namely the Capharnaits how be it in another extremitie of heresie For of them saith Saint Augustine They did not vnderstand S. Aug. Tract 27. in Ioan. because they beleened not and the Prophet saith If you beleeue not you shall not vnderstand By saith we are vnited to God and by vnderstanding we are quickened Let vs first adhere to the truth by faith to the and that we may afterward be quickened by vnderstanding for he that adhereth not vesisteth and who resists belecueth not Hee excludeth the beame of light which should penetrate into him be turnes not away his eyes but shuts vp his vnderstanding In like manner these heere would know in Philosophie and not beleeue in Christianity and so became bad Philosophers and lose the name of Christians The Church of God and the children of God doe not so They doe beleeue the voyce of truth which said The bread which I will giue is my flesh and after they come to vnderstand as much as diuine mysteries can be vnderstood in the shadow of this mortality expecting to see them in heauen vnmasked and discouered when they shall see all things in God 6. EXPOSITION OF THE WORDS OF our Sauiour IT is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words which I speake to you are Spirit and life It was the custome of our Sauiour to speake couertly in this maner of the highest mysteries to the end he might be heard with better attention For the secret of God saith S. Augustine ought to engender in the hearers attention S. Aug. 27. in Ioan. and not to breed auâ—rsion But what he spake darkly he after explained sufficiently to take away occasion of error So we see that hauing said to Nâ—codemus Iohn 3.4 That to be saued hee ought to be borne anew He expounded himselfe saying That he ought to be Baptised of water and the holy Ghost and that he meant not a corporall but a spirituall generation In like manner Iohn 2.19 when he said I will destroy this Temple and I will build it againe in the third day the Euangelist added for explination thereof that he spake this of the Temple of his body Our Sauiour seeing then how the Capharnaits tooke offence at his words giuing them an absurde sense and such as their grosse phantasies did forge he correcteth their carnall sense and explaines his owne and tells them Doth this scandalize you Iohn â— If then you shall see the Sonne of Man ascend where he was before As if he should say you are sensuall people and will not beleeue that I am able to doe more then you are able to comprehend you thinke that this is an impossible thing for me to giue you my flesh to eate and that it can suffice for you all or giue you eternall life what then will you thinke what will you say when you shall see that I shall carry this flesh to heauen from whence I descended to take it heere on earth when you shall vnderstand that I am God and Man together certainly when you shall see that done which is of more difficultie you will haue occasion to beleeue this which is more easie for it is of it selfe more difficult to carry flesh into heauen which none euer did then to giue it to eate on earth the which many haue done though not after the manner that I will giue it Wherefore either you ought to beleeue that I can giue my flesh to be eaten seeing that I can doe a more difficult thing or not beleening you are to enter into a greater incredulity condemnation when men shall tell you that I in flesh am ascended into heauen Our Sauiour doth not deny the giuing of his flesh to bee eaten but he tould them that he is God Almighty for otherwise he should not haue descended from heauen and that being God he could doe more then that and that if they did not beleeue him their pride and sensuality was the cause which are the true barres and bolts that exclude and hinder the entrance of faith He addeth The flesh profuteth nothing â—l is the Spirit that quickeneth the words that I speake vnto you are Spirit and life Whereby he sweetely taketh away the cause which scandalized them and said The flesh as you vnderstand it and the eating which you imagine is carnall and profiteth nothing but that flesh whereof I speake is spirituall and giueth life eternall The words which I say vnto you are Spirit and life and your thoughts sauour of nothing but of flesh and corruption My flesh shall indeed be giuen and truely vnited to the members of my Church yet not alone or without soule and life as the flesh of beasts which is onely for the body but as being quickened with my Spirit and with my Diuinitie by reason whereof it shall giue life and vnite them to life which shall eate thereof as it is vnited to the life of my soule and of my Diuinitie And shall be giuen not in a carnall manner in peeces and in gobbets as dead flesh but spiritually as liuely flesh immortall and vncapable of diuision And as this flesh was truely taken from the substance of the Virgin my Mother but in a spirituall manner by the vertue of the holy Ghost and not by coniunction with man euen so shall it be truely giuen not in a carnall but after a diuine and spirituall manner Flesh and humane iudgement shall perceiue nothing except some outward accidents of the colour Figure and taste but the eyes of faith will penetrate the mystery hidden therein This is it which our Sauiour would signifie to appease the murmuring of the Caphamaits and to raise them vp from the blockishnesse of their flesh vnto the spirituall sense of his holy word 7. HERESIE ALWAYES CARNALL AND in loue with extremities AS the enemie of man raised carnall men to oppose themselues to the word of life and to hinder the Sacrament of the flesh
these wicked disciples these stragling sheepe and preserue vs in the sollidity of thy holy faith in the lap of our good Mother thy royall Spouse to receiue there alwayes the refection of thy holy flesh We beleeue thou giuest it vs reall and not in Figure for thou hast said in plaine tearmes The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world Iohn 6. We acknowledge that thou hast the words of life in the administration of thy holy body and of thy holy bloud We know that thou art life eternall and that thou giuest in thy slesh and in thy bloud nothing S. August Traâ—â— 27. in Ioan. but that which thou thy selfe art thus speakes one of thy Saints In the confession of our infirmity incapacity and misery we adore the height of the almightinesse wisdome and goodnesse in this diuine and mysticall Sermon and in the mystery that it teacheth and acknowledge hoere with the words of life the Fountaine of life For which wee yeeld thee immortall thankes and humbly intreate thy Maiâ—sty to make vs so holily to vse this Sacrament of thy pretious body that thereby we may be vnited with thee for euer and made worthy to bee for euer also in heauen at thy blessed Table in the life eternall THE THIRTEENTH PICTVRE THE WASHING OF THE FEET GOING BEfore the institution of the Eucharist The Description THIS day being the fourteenth of the first Moone of the Spring the Sunne is set but a greater Sun shineth The Sauiour of the world hath celebrated the Legall Pasque and goeth to prepare the great and admirable Feast of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body ordaining the same in stead of the Hebrewes Paschall Lambe He is risen from the Table and hath put off his feasting roabe to the end to wash his Apostles feet for a remarkable ceremony See you how this sweete Lambe girt with a white towel Ioan. 13 4â— doth the office of a meane seruant washing his seruants feete and wiping them with the same towell Hee hath washed them all except good Peter who seeing his Master to come Ioan. â— 6 and cast himselfe at his feete to doe him the same seruice that he had done to the eleuen of his companions withheld and protested to him that he would neuer endure that he should wash his feete But hearing ouâ— Sauiour threaten that if he refused he should be depriued of his part with him Hee yeeldes readily and with alacrity presents to be washed not onely his feere but his hands and his head also remaining neuerthelesse much astonished and confounded And truely not without reason for the brightnesse of this thy meruailous humility O good Iesus amazed the dimme sense of this poore man and by admiration rauished the soule out of his body This brightnesse is so great that it is able to â—â—â—onish all men as the light of thy Diuinity rauisheth into adminiration fear the Powers of heauen Who wil not be abashed to see the Master prostrate before his seruant Such a Master before such a Disciple To see the Maiesty of such a Master to bow himselfe to the basenes of such a seruice And how could this good old man but feare but be astonished and dismayed at this profound and extraordinary humility of his King How could he but refuse to haue his feet washed by the hand of God as being ashamed to see himself so humbly serued by the Greatnesse which he adored But what may this humble Apostle say seeing his King and his God kneeling before him to wash his feete Seeing these almighty armes tucked vp and his diuine hands workers of the Starres of heauen and of a thousand wonders vpon earth to cleanse the silthinesse of his feete These fingers so pure and so neate to touch the foule toes and the soles of his fraile mortality This gesture these hands these eyes these behauiours that the Picture giues him seeme they not to you to speake O Christian soules And to tell you by silence that this good Apostle said in his heart O my sweet Master what is this Washest thou my feete Doest thou I say thus kneele before mee Thou thy selfe bow downe to my feete And how was it not sufficient lowhnesse in thee to haue taken Philip. â— being infinite God the shape of a man and to bee maried to the most meanest family of thy reasonable creatures To be made a little Infant Citizen of Nazareth and Pilgrim on the earth Philip. 2. and to haue thy infinite Greatnesse lapped within the cloathes of our littlenesse Canst thou more humble thy selfe then in abasing thy selfe by taking the condition of a meane seruant Choosing the crauels the poornesse the contempt of this world but that thou most cast thy self notwithstanding at my feet Thou my Lord wash my feet thou my King of mee thy vassall thou my God of me thy creature thou supreame purity of me most filthy thou my worthy Sauiour of mee most vnworthy sinner And what may the Angels say and the Planets themselues of thee and of mee O Lord beholding a spectacle of such consusion seeing the varlet to be serued by the Master the King to be made seruant to the varlet and the Creator to be on his knees before his creature Thou wash my feete O Lord and I 〈◊〉 thee and the Angels and the Planets which see mee doe they not now detest my pride for that I permit thee and the creatures of the earth would they not â—â—nne presently vpon me if thy Almightinesse hindered them not Saue mee if thou pleasest O Lord from their indignation if I am proud thy humility hath constrained me it is that which hath commanded mee I protest that I protested that thou shouldest neuer wash my feet but thy humility wil be the Mistres I haue obeyed it and am become proud in my humiliation and in obeying content your selfe O Lord with that which you haue already done and suffer mee to take your place and to bee a little proud in washing your feete since that I already haue sufficiently been proud in enduring you to wash mine Ah sinfull creature that I am such might be the discourse O diuine Apostle which thou madest in thy thought vpon the humility of thy Lord. But stay a while and thou shalt well see other proofes and other exercises of this diuine vertue Expect vntill he shall giue himselfe to thee for meate and drinke cloathed with a roabe of exceeding humility with a thin whitenesse with a waterish rednesse with the littlenesse of fraile accidents when he shall enter within thy entralls and abase himselfe not onely before thee but moreouer within thee Expect this night when he shall be taken as an offender bound as a theese mocked as a foole beaten like any base fellow spit vpon as a blasphemer Expect vntill the morning when hee shall bee euill entreated of Kings of Priests of people and whipt after by all the worldly powers
he had loued so much An action worthy of such a Father and of such a Sonne and of such a Louer all powerfull all good and all wise A Sonne spares nothing to honor his Father how liberall then will such a Sonne be to such a Father A father reserueth nothing from his children that may tend to make them happy and departing from them hee leaueth them all the best that he hath What then will such a Father doe for the aduancement and happinesse of his children Wherefore our Sauiours desire was to accomplish this his chiefe worke in a little time but with such magnificence as was agreeable to his greatnesse gaue with the ornament of those wonders which wee haue mentioned before his owne body in Sacrifice to his Father and in food to his Church commanding her to continue this soueraigne honor and this table of immortâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈…〉 as shee shall be a traueller in the desart of this mortallty And so he fulfilled that which Saint Iohn would signifie by those words that he hath set in the beginning of his Dircourse for giuing his body to his Father in Sacrifice hee made him a present most worthy of his Maiesty and giuing it in food to his Church he leaues her a most precious gage of his loue And by the changing of the bread into his body and of the wine into his bloud which hee doth in this mystery he doth a proper act of an infinite power and more noble then the creation of the world Wherefore as the manner of the worke is worthy of God so the Present is mest magnificent and of greater value then ten thousand worlds for it is the bady of a Prince the body of a King the body of God and the Sacrifice made therof is indeed a Sacrifice of Soueraigne honor especially being ostered by such a Priest who is the Sonne of God himselfe and the food of this pretious body and the manor of giuing and taking it vnder the formes of bread and wine is most agreeable to the wisdome of the Giuer and to the profit of the receiuers The vnwonted ceremony of washing of feete did signifie no lesse then the former words the Maiesty of the future mystery And whereas the other Euangelists note that our Sauiour before he Instituted this holy banquet said I haue greatly desred to eaâ— this Pasche with you Luke 22.151 Manto 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. And againe That he tooke bread and blessed it with thankesgiuing the Cup also and blessed it All these words tended to the same end to declare that our Sauiour was going to do some admirable worke vpon the bread and the wine in the end of his dayes before hee died Let vs now search into the words of the Institution 2. THE EXPOSITION OF OVR SAVIours words THIS IS MY BODY OVR Sauiour being set againe at the Table with his Apostles in such manner as hath been said tooke bread and hauing blessed it brake it and said Matth. 2â— Marke 14. Luke 22. This is my body and in so saying the creature obeyed one substance gaue place to the other and the bread was transubstantiated into the body of our Sauiour that is to say the substance of bread departed and the substance of our Sauiours body taked the place thereof Howbeit the colour the taste and the other accidents of bread do still remaine to serue for the outward robe to couer our Sauiours body and to make an entire Sacrament which is euer composed of two things euen as a man is made of soule and of body the one inuisible for the soule and the other visible for the sense so to speake and so to doe appertained to an omnipotent Lord mans word onely signifieth but the word of God both signifieth and worketh The Kings and the Potentates of the world command indeed their subiects and their subiects obey them but if they command their trees their riuers their mountains and other insensible creatures their commandements are in vaine to the eares of such vassals for that which hath neither sense nor soule cannot vnderstand the voice of any but the Creator King Xerxes threatened the mountaines Plut. de Ira. and made to be heaten the waues of the Sea but the mountaines were dease to his threatnings and the Sea contemned his whip It is God alone that can make himselfe to be vnderstood and felt of all that is S. Hieron in c. 8. Matth. All creatures saith Saint HIEROM haue feeling of the Creator for they vnderstand him when hee threatens them or commands them not that all things haue vnderstanding as the Heretikes dreame but by reason of the Maiestie of him that hath made euery thing of nothing He commandeth all and not onely things depriued of sense but euen that which yet hath neither nature nor being Rom. 4.17 Matth. 8.27 Marke 4.41 He calleth saith the Apostle the things which are not as if they were So the Sonne of God by his Word puts the bridle in the mouth of the windes and waues and calmes the raging of the Sea Euen so he commanded the sicke Death it selfe and the Sepulcher and his commandement was fulfilled Gen. 1. So he commanded Nothing when he created the world of Nothing and that nothing was obedient and became a world by the commandement of his voice The word of man is significatiue Gods word is also operatiue If a man say in the night O that it were day he signifies that he hath a desire that the Sunne should rise from his Horizon to make it day but the Sunne for his saying hasteneth neuer the more the course of his Chariot to make day approach But God saying Gen. 1. Let there be light the light appeared presently and his word was not significatiue onely but moreouer the effectrix of his will saying then This is my body that which a little before was bread is truely his body and his word doth outwardly signifie to the eare and maketh inwardly that which it did signifie It said that it was the body of the Sauiour and saying so it made it so for otherwise he had not said so of it Ioan. 14. for so much as a lye cannot proceed from the mouth and heart of Truth it selfe which assureth nothing that is not true 3. OF THE CLEARENES OF THE SENSE of these words THIS IS MY BODY by Scripture and by reason THese words This is my body are most cleare if there be any in the whole volume of the booke of God and good reason they should be cleare For they containe the Law and Institution of thy greatest Sacrament and mystery of our Faith in ordaining whereof it was fit to speake clearely and intelligibly to the end to take away all occasion of error in a matter of such importance They containe also the principal clause of the testament or Pact which the Sonne of God did then make with his Church wherein the Language which is vsed ought to
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
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
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
the accidents of bread and wine Page 107 10 The selfe-same power verified in the aceidents of the body of our Sauiour and first in respect of the quantitie Page 108 11 The meruailous power of God about the qualities of the body of our Sauiour in the blessed Sacrament Page 109 12 The wonderfull relations of the body of our Sauiour in the same Sacrament Page 110 13 Admirable actions of the body of our Sauiour Page 111 14 The body of our Sauiour impâ—ssible Page 112 15 The Sacrament is in many places at one and the self-same time Page 113 16 The body of our Sauiour about the Lawes of time Page 115 17 The admirable situation of the body of our Sauiour in the blessed Sacrament Page 116 18 The cloathing of the body of our Sauiour Page 117 19 How the Eucharist is an abridgement of all the wonders of God Page 118 20 How Faith is fortified by this Sacrament Page 120 21 Of the goodnesse of our Sauiour in this Sacrament Page 121 22 Charity towards God and towards our neighbour encreased by this Sacrament Page 124 23 Of the Wisdome of God in this same mystery Page 125 24 Gods diuine wisdome in teaching of this mystery Page 127 A Colloquium of prayses and thankesgiuing to God Page 129 PICTVRE VII The Bread of Proposition THe Description Page 131 1 The body of our Sauiour conceined of a Virgin by the operation of the holy Ghost signified by the Loaues of Proposition kneaded of the purest flower without leauen Page 133 2 How the body of our Sauiour is offered euery day and renewed euery weeke Page 134 3 The beginning and end of the Communion is Charity Prayer and Contemplation Page 135 4 The body of our Sauiour signified by the Table vpon which were set the Loanes of Proposition Page 136 5 The signifieation of the Candlesticke Page 137 6 The heart of the Iust is the Altar of Incense Page 138 7 Wherewith and how we ought to serue God Page 139 8 The vertues which are necessary worthily to giue thankes vnto God and to make a iust examen of our actions Page 140 9 A Soueraigne acknowledgement due onely to God made in the Eucharist Page 141 10 The body of our Sauiour meate for the Sanctified Page 142 11 What signified the Table of Proposition Loanes and the Candlestickes multiplied by Salomon Ibid. 12 Purity of body necessary in such as come to receiue the holy Communion Page 144 13 They which holily communicate receiue strength and are armed my the Sacrament Page 14â— 14 A briefe exhortation to purity when we present our selueâ— to the holy Sacrament ibid. PICTVRE VIII The Oblation of the First-fruits at Pentecost THe Description Page 147 1 Three Iudaicall Feasts of the First-fruits Page 151 2 The Masse the new Oblation in the Pentecost of Christians Page 152 3 Of many circumstances of the ancient Oblation answering to the truth of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Masse Page 154 4 Of the name Masse Page 155 5 Transubstantiation made in the Sacrament figured by the Leauen Page 157 6 The Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of our Sauiour vnder the formes of bread foretold in the Scripture and 〈◊〉 by the Hebrew Doctors Page 159 7 The testimonies of Hebrew Doctors for Transubstantiation and the manner how the body of our Sauiour is present in the Euchariâ—â— Page 161 8 The testimontes of the Christian Doctors concerning Transubstantiation and the manner how our Sauiours bodie is in the Eucharist Page 163 9 Wherefore our Sauiour would haue his body hid and not visible in the Sacrament Page 167 10 As the old Oblation of First-fruits began in Pentecost so ours new Page 170 11 The Masse began to bee celebrated by the Apostles at Pentecost Page 171 PICTVRE IX The Bread of Elias THe Description Page 17â— 1 The Bread of Elias Figure of the Sacrament of the Altar Page 177 2 What meaneth the Scripture in signifying that the Bread of Elias was baked vnder the imbers Page 178 3 What signifieth the sleepe of Elias vnder the shadow of the Iuniper tree Page 180 4 Elias his walke after the shadow of the Iuniper tree to the Mountaine Horeb and of the water that was giuen him with the bread Page 182 5 The signification of the pot of Water Page 183 PICTVRE X. The Propitiatory Sacrifice THe Description Page 185 1 Three kindes of Sacrifices Page 186 2 Of the Propitiatory Sacrifice which properly signifies that of the Crosse ibid. 3 The second kinde of the Propitiatory Sacrifice a Figure of the Eucharist Page 188 4 What difference there is betweene the Iudaicall Propitiatory Sacrifices and Sacraments and those of Christians Page 189 5 Testimonies of the ancient Fathers both Latin and Greeke teaching the Sacrifice of the Masse to be a Propitiatory Sacrifice Page 191 6 After what manner the Sacrifice of the Masse anâ— the Sacraments remit sinne since that of the Crosse is our whole redemption Page 194 7 The Sacrifice of the Masse and the Sacraments rather gâ—â—â— then take any honor from the Crosse Page 196 8 The Sacrifice of the Masse profitable to obtaine from God all kinde of good and it extends it selfe to all persons except the damned Page 198 9 The Sacrifice of the Masse profitable to the faithfull departed which are in Purgatory and honorable to those which raigne in heauen Page 200 PICTVRE XI The fiue Loaues and two Fishes THe Description Page 203 1 The miracle of the fiue Loaues a Figure of the Eucharist Page 205 2 In what the miracle of the fiue Loaues did Figure the Eucharist Page 206 3 The two Fishes a Figure of the same Sacrament Page 208 4 Wherefore no mention is made of any drinke in this miracle and other circumstances of it Page 209 5 Why the people would create our Sauiour King and why hee fled them Page 210 6 God nourisher of euery creature true nutriment of his Children Page 212 PICTVRE XII Our Sauiour Preaching of the Sacrament of his body THe Description Page 217 1 Wherefore our Sauiour made a Sermon of the Eucharist before he instituted it Page 218 2 The first cause why our Sauiour would giue his 〈◊〉 to eat and his blend to drinke which was to shew his goodnesse Page 220 3 The Second cause to giue a remedy to our misery Page 221 4 Two bad vnious of the flesh of Adam with our soule repaired by the flesh of our Sauiour Page 222 5 Pride and licentiousnesse enemies of Faith and the first aduersaries of the holy Sacrament Page 226 6 Exposition of the words of our Sauiour Page 230 7 Heresie alwayes carnall and in loue with extremities Page 232 8 Contradictions of Heretikes in their false and imaginarie faith Page 234 9 The literall sense foundation of others against the same Heretikes Page 235 10 Two kindes of Communion the one Spiritual the other Sacramentall Page 238 11 Of the diuine wisdome and goodnesse of God in this Sacrament and of the
to be cut in peeces but spiritually of a liuely flesh which my Spirit will make present to be giuen in a spirituall manner without death or detriment as he wrought the conception of this same body in the wombe of the Virgin without carnall operation and without any hurt to her Virginity 11. THE MASSE BEGAN TO BE CELEbrated by the Apostles at Pentecost IT was then at Pentecost that the Apostles new Sacrificers did giue beginning to the practise of a new Sacrifice in the new Law offering a full and sufficient Oblation and celebrating the Messe with a pacifying Hoist of the bread from heauen and of the immortall Lambe Saint Iames was one of the first that offered in Hierusalem as all Antiquity witnesseth and after him the other Apostles both in Hierusalem and elsewhere Then began this diuine and first troupe as the first fruites of the Spirit of Grace to eate these delitious Cakes promised at the comming of the Messias and to communicat not once a yeare onely or once a month or once a weeke but euery day for it was a food they had neuer eaten of before exceeding delight full to the taste and these good foules had a continual appetite Aâ—â— 2. They were perseuerant saith the Scripture in the doctrâ—ne of the Apostles in the communion of the breaking of bread and in prayer They went to it euery day but this was after that the holy Ghost was descended For before it was said onely that they did perseuer in prayer they communicated euery day after the descent of the holy Ghost Great worker of this mystery Spirit which brought celestiall fier into their stomackes quicknesse to their tongues charity to their harts did let forth the pure water foretold by the ancient Lauarites of Salomons Temple Fountaine of Dauid Fzech 36.25 Ioel. 3 2â— Zach. 13.1 water of Grace and of the Sacrament of Baptisme of Penance and the rest appropriated to cleanse the entrals and the feete of the Hoasts to be offered and of the Offerers themselues that is to say to purifie the hearts the actions intentions and affections of them which offered the Sonne of God their good workes and themselues as whole burnt Sacrifices vpon the Altar of his Maiesty O if Moses had been at this Pentecost at this new Oblation and Sacrament of truth whereof so long before he had drawne the Picture With what reuerence would hee haue adored it O if Dauid could haue had a place at the table of this pacifique Bread and of this immortall Wine as he had in the ancient Sacrifices with what appetite would he haue fed vpon this celestial flesh and with how earnest desire would he haue said of this diuine drinke Psal 115. I will take the cup of salnation and call vpon the name of the most high If Salomon after hauing finished his magnificent Temple had had this body for to haue offred it to God after the manner of Melchisedech without effusion of bloud and without death how much more rich and honorable would he haue thought the dedicating of that Temple in respect of this Sacrifice alone then in regard of thousands of Oxen sheepe and Bulles burnt vpon the Altar of Holocausts O Christian soules lifted vp by contemplation acknowledge the gift of your Lord often celebrate this Pentecost offer this oblation take the first fruits of this deified Wheate and offer him yours to the end that one day you may haue place at the Table of felicitie where this same Lord shal be both the meate and the drinke of that banquet THE NINTH PICTVRE THE BREAD OF ELIAS The Description HAVE you not compassion of this good Elias 1. Reg. 19. â— who sleepeth vnder the shadow of this Iuniper tree more resembling one dead then a man sleeping Behold his face pale and wanne and bathed with a cold sweat his head carelessely bending towards the earth vpon the left side his eyes halfe open his armes cast heere and there and no signe of breath in his mouth and all his body stretched out as if he were yeelding vp the ghost Surely a little before being as it were beside himselfe with feare and ouercome with wearinesse hee asked of God if it were his good pleasure to take him out of this world that he might be deliuered once for all from the griefes that his soule felt by reason of the persecution of this cruell Tygresse Iezabel who had sworne by her gods that shee would put him to death within foure and twenty houres and in the feruour of his Prayer he is fallen a sleepe vnder this shrubbe where he is but euill accommodated either for shadow or any rest or repose for it is little and the leaues are like so many thornes which doe not keepe off the Sunne but pricke and pierce the flesh and the earth is sowed round about him Wherby I coniecture that the holy man without election or choise cast himselfe downe where he was finding himselfe in a manner out of breath and where the feeblenesse of his body had placed him But God who hath alwayes his eyes open to behold the paines of his seruants and his armes stretched out for their deliuerance hath sent for his comfort and succour this heauenly youth who stands hard by him with bread baked vpon the cinders â— â—â—g 19.5.6 and a pot of water It is an Angell in figure and shape of a man for so the Spirits commonly appeare vnto men The Painter hath made his visage bright in forme of lightning representing by this sudden flash his spirituall and subtill nature his lockes flying backe behinde are of a golden colour he hath also wings set on his backe according as the Scripture it selfe doth paint them forth to signifie the Swistnesse of their motion You see them vnequally spred forth in the ayre the one of them shewing the inside the other the outside wonderfully faire artificially drawne The two great feathers guides of the rest are of a bright greene colour as the wing of a Peacock the other next to them are intermingled with yellow oring-tawnie red and blew after the fashion of a Rainbow the little feathers which cloath the quills of both these and of the others that follow in diuers rankes are of diuers colours as the former the downe which couers the backe of the wing is like a heape of little small scales of diuers colours sette vpon cotten His garment is a stole of fine linnen embrodered with a curious work all about The refection which he brought for this good Prophet seemes not great at the first show consisting onely of bread and water which are the two most common and vulgar parts of the food of man but experience will shew that it is a diuine meat and drinke for Elias shall by it be sustained and fortified to walke the space of forty dayes and forty nights vntill that he come to the wonderfull Mountaine where of old God gaue the Tables of