effectes which neuer shal be but if some circumstances did occurre they would fal foorth As for example Vae tibi Bethsaida Woe Math. 11. be to thee Bethsaida for if in Tire c. 3. how God doth predestinate 4. the mistery of the Trinity 5. howe Adams sin can be transfused or communicated to his posterity 6. the mistery of Christes incarnation 7. howe that which once was corrupted shall afterwards be repaired in resurrection 8. how a spirit can be dilated in a body 9. how the corporall fire of hell can torment a spirit the 10. is this admirable Sacrament the which in my iudgement for difficulty surpasseth them all For if you can but resolue me in one or two questions about eache of them I wil make you sufficiently conceiue them all As plainely I could make it appeare discoursing ouer euery one but because al men yea very few are capable I will omit them For in this Sacrament first you haue heard difficulties about the wordes how they can effect that they signify 2. howe they effect it 3. in what time they effect it Secondly you haue inextricable difficulties about the bodye of Christ 4. by vvhat action is it produced 5. by what maner consisteth it in an indiuisible sort 6. how doth it reside there vvithout confusion 7. howe doth it not penetrate those accidents 8. or vvhat vnion hath it vvith them 9. vvhat opposition findeth it with the substance of bread 10. howe is it not by so many that feedeth vppon it consumed 11. howe can it be disperced in so many places 12. how can it be extended to such a masse of bread and such a quantity of wine 13. howe in breaking the hoast Christs body is not diuided 14. how can there bee as much in one hoast as in 10000. 15. how passeth the difficulty of transubstantiation Thirdly there are difficulties about the substance of bread 16. what becoÌ„meth of the substance of bread is it annihillated or resolued into aire 17. vvhen the formes of bread and vvine are coÌ„sumed how returneth it again Fourthly there be not a few most difficult questions about the accidents 18. how they remaine vvithout their subiect 19. how one hoast peâ—etrateth not another 20. how they concurre to the production of grace I omitte many more vvhich might be touched about the sacrifice effects and receauers of this Sacrament But these onely I haue propounded that the faithfull Christians might perceaue the singular vvisedome of God in prouiding them so present so palpable so daily an obiect to exercise their faith For questionlesse there is more merit of faith where the obiect hath greater difficulty to bee vnderstood because there principally we captiue and bridle our wittes to obey God in faith Wherefore I cannot but commend the deuotion of those faithfull christians vvho in all temptations of faith haue recourse vnto this Sacrament and say good Lord Credo adiuua incredulitatem meam I Marke 9. doe beleeue helpe my incredulity Likewise I take one of the dispositions or preparations very proportionate to the receauing hereof to bee a resolute faith to beleeue the reall presence of Christ in this Sacrament protesting to liue and die in the professing of this vndoubted truth in despight of all heresie or errour The seuenth cause for the increase of our hope TWo things by the vertue of hope we expect at Gods hands vvherfore both we are apertly assured to obtaine by the institution of this Sacrament if wee bee not faulty on our partes the former for principall though last in effect is life euerlasting the latter though as it seemes not so worthy yet first in execution are the means to atchieue life euerlasting As for them most liuely our hope we see erected by this sacrament For who is so foolish to thinke that God will deny him any thing necessary to saluation since he hath left him his body soule person bloud life for a meane for a ladder to make him to ascend into heauen If saint Paule reasoned Roman 8. wel God gaue vs his sonne how will he not giue vs all with him speaking of his incarnation so nowe I wil reason Christ bestowed his body and bloud to bring vs to life euerlasting and howe can he deny vs the lesse who hath granted the more how wil he debarre vs of al treasure in heauen who hath giuen vs the Lord of al treasure of heauen Had not the Iewes a most stedfast argument when they wandered in the vast desart of Egypt that GOD firmely pretended to conduct them vnto the land of Promise Exod. 14. when hee sent his Angel with a pillar of fire as a torch bearer to guide them in the obscuritie of the night and with a cloude like a fanne to defend them by day from the scorching beames of the Sunne when he euery day rayned Angels foode to sustaine Exod. 16. them al which were figures of this Sacrament as hereafter shal appeere And may not wee in like manner saye that Christ hath left vs an inuisible proofe that hee pretendeth neuer to faile in meanes necessary to life euerlasting hauing presented a pillar of light a cloude of raine a celestial Manna to illuminate our vnderstanding to coole the fierie flame of concupiscence to feed our soules to eternal life And therefore hee saide Manducauerunt patres vestri manna in deserto mortui sunt Your Fathers didde eate manna in the desart and they died Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeterno Hee that eateth this bread shal liue for euer Iohn the sixt chapter In like sorte we may be assured of life euerlasting for hee that prouideth such forcible and excellent meanes questionlesse intendeth to impart the end yea he that we receiue is the end himselfe Haec est vita aeterna vt cognoscant te verum Deum quem misisti Iesum Christum This is life euerlasting that they know thee the onely true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ the seuenteenth chapter of Saint Iohn And he hath auerred most certainly that those which worthily eate this food haue euen in this life life euerlasting in them Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam aeternam ego resuscitabo enm in nouissimo die Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will rayse him vppe in the last day Iohn the 6. chapter that is they haue the second person in trinity who is life euerlasting both the obiect and the giuer The eight cause to inflame our charitie ARistophanes saide that loue was of such nature that it affected so to vnite louers that they should become one thing but because this was impossible to bee done either without the destruction of one or both therfore it inforced them to procure all those vnions which were possible as the same iudgementes opinions desires habitations table apparell c. And indeede this opinion of Aristophanes we may
soules haue harboured this precious balme what fragrant smells of deuotion of modestie of pietie of religion issue out of those mouthes distil from those handes spring from those eyes who haue seene toucht and tasted their saluation The foureteenth cause to giue life to the Soule THis cause motiue or effect of the institution of the Eucharist our Sauiour welnie tenne times inculcateth in S. Iohn which breedeth some difficultie because al the other Sacraments communicate to the receiuers the same effect for a sacrament is a visible sign of an inuisible grace instituted for the fanctificatiō of the soul the which cannot be without grace which is the life of the soule for as the bodye without the soule is dead euen so the soul without grace lacketh life Howe then peculiarly doth Christ ascribe the life of the soule to this Sacrament since it is cōmon to all the rest Diuers causes I think may be rendred First for that in the other sacramentes God distilleth his grace by droppes in this where he disperseth it with his owne hands he powreth it forth in abundance and therefore they may be said not to giue life in respect of this Euen as we call flesh onely meate not that fish is not meate but in respect of fleshe wee scarce account it meate Secondly because in this Sacrament men participate not onely the life of grace in the soule but also the body and soule folde within them the reall and substantial life of Christ wherwith they are made one thing one bodye one life wherefore Christ said Qui manducat me viuet propter me He that eateth me shall also liue by Io. ◠mee And Sicut misit me viuens pater ego vnio propter patrem qui manducat me viuet propter me as the liuing father hath sent mee and I liue by the father And hee that eateth mee the same also shall liue by me that is as my father sent me by mine incarnation and I liue for the vnion vvhich my diuinity receaued from my father euen so those that eate mee shall liue for the vnion they haue with me Thirdly for that we here receaue the intire and compleate cause of life euerlasting both of body soule the which wee doe not in other Sacramentes and therefore Christ saide Qui manducat meam Io. 6. carnem Et bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam aeternam ego resuscitabo eum in nouissimo die He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vppe in the last day Since therefore this foode in general causeth life and for so many particular reasons yeeldeth life to the receauers wee may well call it the fruite of life And as often as we eate thereof we haue accesse to that tree of life planted in paradise by whose fruit our forefathers had kept their Gen. 3. bodies immortall As often as it entreth into our mouthes wee sucke the vaine of life drawing the incorruptible bloud out of our Sauiours side for al other meates do what you can they so restore life that they destroy life and at last by their continuall action exhaust al the forces but this Sacrament yeeldeth eternal life both to the soule and body and although the body die yet by vertue of this foode it is to rise againe The fifteenth cause to dignifie his Priests BEeing once in company with certaine Protestants yet ciuil men for conuersation one of them being a Minister asked what was the cause that Priests were so accounted in times past among the Papists and ministers so little prized now among the Protestants He himselfe answered first Truely quoth he I thinke it proceeded of confession by which they kept the people in great awe and reuerence Nay quoth the other it was the good life of those Priestes which made them esteemed and the ill life of our ministers which causeth them to be contemned I then concluded the matter and told them they had both touched good strings for we commonly reuerence them whom wee know are thorowly acquainted with our state and vnderstand our imperfections besides we respect sanctitie in whom soeuer we find it but especially in them whose state requireth different life from the rest but to make the harmony more perfect I thinke the chiefe cause was the dignitie of consecrating the bodye of Christ al these three make a good consort in Musicke to haue power ouer his reall body by consecration and ouer his mystical bodye by remission of sinnes and to leade a life continually correspondent to them both cannot but strike into the peoples hearts a great reuerence and respect Let vs omit the two latter onely speake of the former What greater authoritie can wee imagine could God giue to man than to put in his hand the vse of his infinite power to worke so many myracles to effect such a worke as surpasseth the creating both of heauen and earth when where and as often as hee woulde Simeon thought thought it so great a thing to take Christ but once in his armes that he loathed after to liue in the world and cried Nunc dimittis seruum Luc. 2. tuum in pace Heere the Priest euery day not onely handleth but also maketh present and eateth The three kinges came from forraine countries to adore him but the Priest can bring Christ from heauen and lay him vpon the altar Saint Marie Magdalen bathed Christs feet with tears Luk. 7. but what flouds would she haue shed once to haue eaten his body or dranke his blod What greater dignity coulde a man haue conceaued then to be made instrumentes of Gods Omnipotencie that their words should be more effectuall thē al the deeds in the world What more imminent glory could they haue imagined then to offer vp daily that sacrifice which our sauiour offered once vpon the Crosse These thinges bee so great that whole bookes would scarce suffice to Register them all Reade Saint Chrysost de sacerdotio and you shall see howe he extolleth their Authority The sixteenth cause to haue God vnder sensible obiect to heare our praiers ONe of the greatest impediments that the seruants of God suffer in praier is a certaine diffidence or doubting that they pray in vaine that none heareth or attendeth what they say whereupon followeth a tediousnesse and loathsomnesse in praier which impeacheth not only the merite but also the effect and impetration which often requireth continuation True it is that wise and faithfull Christians conceaue the presence of God in euery place but because it is so insensible because it proceedeth from the intellectuall faculty it causeth no great impression in the soule therefore our prouident maister foreseeing this imperfection ordained such a presence as should stande well with the merite of faith and also greatly Exod. 25. 37. further our deuotion As in the old Testament God prouided the propitiatorie where he placed two Cherubins folding the Arke with their
no sacrifice nor any Heb. 5. religion where there is not both Priest and sacrifice Because what is religion but a publique profession of a multitude to worship god and what publike worshippe can bee exhibited to GOD without a reall and externall Sacrifice For the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be noted that in all ages and in all nations and in all religions they euer vsed some sorte of Sacrifices for if wee looke into the lawe of nature wee shall finde Abell Abraham Iob offering vp sacrifices if wee discend to the law written there will appeare an admirable number appointed in Leuiticus If wee come to Christ in his last supper and vppon the Crosse we shall finde him sacrificing Besides wee may obserue that all their sacrifices almost consisted in killing beasts or in the destruction of some creature as in burning insence or such like Now if we demaunde for what reason did they kill bulls calues or lambes how know they that GOD would be pleased with them what needded he bulls or calues nunquid manducabo Psa 49. carnes â—aurorum aut sanguinem hircorum potabo shall I eate the flesh of bulls or drinke the blood of goates by the resolution of this doubt we shall better perceiue why Christ left this Sacrament as a perpetuall sacrifice for his church Three reasons then may bee yeelded the first because by sacrifices men acknowledge GOD the first maker conseruer and last end of all creatures the which they intend to professe by the externall action of sacrificing because in killing an oxe and burning of him to ashes they depriued themselues of all vse of all profit whereby they signified that all was due to him of whom they had receiued all The second reason was because the holy ghost moued them to vse such bloudie sacrifices to prefigurat the passion of christ once to be offerred vp on the Crosse Thirdly to shew by the death of beasts that they deserued death for their sins that they offered the one to God in lieu of the other By these three reasons wee plainly see that wee in the lawe of grace haue as great need of a reall and externall sacrifice as either the Iewes or those that liued vnder the lawe of nature For need not wee as well as they to acknowledge the dominion and right of GOD ouer this worlde is not hee our Creator our conseruer our last end as well as theirs ought not wee as well to represent the sacrifice of Christs passion passed as they to prefigurat that which was to come do not our sins as well deserue death as theirs did and are not we bound as well to craue pardon for them as they for these three causes therefore and many more our Sauiour instituted this sacrifice of the altar where by the incruent death of Christ we acknowledge the eternall dominion of God and render him infinite thankes for all his gifts as well of grace as of nature and therefore principally it is called Eucharistia that is gratiarum actio thankesgiuing besides we represent most liuely his passion according to that precept of Christ Hoc facite in â—eam Luke 22. commemorationem do this for a commemoration of me Finally we cry O Father of heauen and earth loe we deserue death and 10000 deaths but here wee present the death of thy sonne his body quod pro vobis traditur which is giuen for Luke 22. you his bloud that is shed promultis in remissionem peccatorum for many vnto remission Mat. 26. of sinnes take and accept his death for ours The ninteenth cause to be a sacrifice most like his passion Diuers ancient fathers expending those 1 Cor. 11. wordes of S. Paul Quotiescunque enim manducabitis panem hunc calicem bibitis Cip. ep 3. Chrisost the â—phi occum mortem domini annuntiabitis donec veniat As often as you shall eat this bread and drink in locuâ— Pauli the chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come affirme that this Sacrifice is the very passion of Christ that heere he suffers he is broken he is changed he is offered in a reall sacrifice after an vnbloudy manner for all the greeke texts haue it in the present tence this is my body which is giuen for you this is my bloud which is shed for you Saint Paul hath expresly this is my body 1 Cor. 11. that is broken for you The manner also how Christs body is here sacrificed to god so plainly expresseth the passion of Christ that if there were no other text to proue it the very correspondence would seeme 10. 19. to shew it sufficiently For howe did Christ die vpon the cross by the deuision seperation of the soule from his body Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum bowing his head he gaue vp the ghost What was the cause of this seperatioÌ„ the issuing of abundaÌ„ce of bloud out of his body and there remaining no life wherefore both philosophers phisitians diuines say Anima est in sanguine the life is in the bloud Deut 12. experience teacheth that many die by venting too much blod out of their veins can shew a reall separation of the soule of Christ from his bodie and a reall separation of his bloud from his body here then we may easely infer that in this sacrament there is not onely a true real and externall sacrifice but also the very same that was vpon the Crosse though in maner as shal be declared they differ It is a receued opinion among al learned diuines that the words of consecrating Hoc est corpus meum This is my body do effect that they signifie that as God by saying Fiat lux let light be made light so by saying Hoc est corpus meum This is my body is presently put the bodie of Christ vnder the forme of bread moreouer that they effect no more imediatly than that they signifie therfore by the vertue or efficacie of consecrating imediatly there is only the body of Christ in the hoast without any soule true it is that there is no host that hath not the soul of Christ but that is not by the imediate force and vertue of consecration but by sequele by a following or as they call it per concommitantiam because the soule is ioyned with the body in heauen therfore consequently the body bringeth the soule with it but if the soule were not in the bo die as it was vpon Goodfriday then if any of the Apostles had consecrated the soule of Christ had not bin in the hoast but the dead body as it was in the graue so that by consecrating of Christes body wee haue a reall separation of soule and body and only an vnion of them by sequele and consequence I call the seperation reall for that where the action is reall that which is effected by the action must likewise be reall In like sort the words
stile and enrich them with Fathers and Scriptures I send you them as an of-spring of my goodwill at your request begun continued and performed If there be any thing in them profitable for good Catholikes to meditate or to serue them for their spirituall exercise thanke God for it and the next cause acknowledge your selfe for the full disposition of them I commit to your discretion As for the other two Treatises you requested of preparation and frequent communion God willing I intend to do my best to satisfie your desire if you had any booke of this subiect I would be content to peruse it to see if my practise and speculation confront with his iudgement In the meane time I beseech you to remember mee in your deuoute prayers and request the dew of heauen that I may yeeld you those delightfull fruites I knowe you desire A Table containing the parts and chapters of this Treatise following THe first part that the body of Christ is really in the blessed Sacrament contained in the first chapter The second part containing 42. Causes of the institution of the holy Eucharist 1 First cause to communicate himselfe to euery one in particular 2 To be an Epitome or an abridgement of all Gods wonders 3 To deifie the soule 4 To vnite the faithfull after a certaine reall manner 5 To vnite the faithfull in affections 6 For the exercise of faith 7 For the encrease of our hope 8 To inflame our charitie 9 To be an Ornament of the materiall Churches 10 To be the end and consummation of all the other Sacraments 11 To arme vs against our enemies and especially against the diuel 12 To arme vs against the world 13 To bridle our concupiscences 14 To giue life to the soule 15 To dignifie his Prâ—ests 16 To haue God vnder a sensible obiect to heare our prayers 17 To abolish veniall sinnes 18 To be a perpetuall sacrifice 19 To be a sacrifice most like his passion 20 That it might be a holocaust or burnt offering for the liuing 21 To be a satisfactory sacrifice for the soules in purgatory 22 To be a sacrifice of thanksgiuing for the Saints in heauen 23 To shew the magnificence and liberty of God 24 By diuers meanes to allure vs to loue him 25 To be the immediate obiect of our religion 26 That the maner of our saluation should be correspondent to the maner of our first preuarication 27 To be carried about in processions 28 To nourish our soules 29 To effect the resurrection of our bodies 30 To be a viaticum or prouision for our voyage 31 To win virgins to God 32 To render by gratitude a certain equality to God for all his benefits 33 To comfort our soules by spirituall ioy and deuotion 34 To illuminate our mindes 35 To be a commemoration of his passion 36 To moue vs to loath that the world loues 37 To be a confirmation of his Testament 38 To be a trumpet to blaze the glory of God 39 To giue vs a taste of the ioyes of heauen 40 To be a condigne sacrifice for Christ to offer to his â—ather 41 To discouer vnto vs the infallible loue of God containing tenne Chapters 1 That the loue of God in this blessed sacrament cannot be comprehended and of foure effects of loue concerning in it first vnion second zeale third extasie fourth benenolence 2 That God instituted this sacrament for loue 3 That in the sacred Eucharist God effecteth all these vnions which proceede from loue 4 That God shewed the second effect of loue in the Eucharist that is zeale 5 That God in this sacrament sheweth a certaine extasie of loue which is the third effect 6 That God in this Eucharist sheweth his beneuolence the fourth effect of loue 7 That God sheweth al diuersities of loue in this sacrament 8 That God sheweth a prizing loue in the Eucharist 9 That God sheweth in the Eucharist a most intensiue loue containing twelue proprieties 1. Antiquiâ—ie 2. Puritie 3. Vehemencie 4 Fecunditie 5. Effâ—cacie 6. Constancie 7. Light 8. Delight 9. Maiestie 10. Glorie 11. Libertie 12. Iustice 10 That God shewed in the Eucharist an extensiue loue and a tender or familiar loue â—â— And last cause to be the end of all the sacraments of the old Testament wherein are explicated the two especiall figures of the holy Eucharist Manna and the Pascall Lambe The end of the table A Treatise of the Blessed Sacrament That the Body of Christ is really in the Blessed Sacrament The first part AMong Catholikes I knowe it were superfluous to indeuour with large discourses to proue this Question Because relying their iudgements vpon the Catholike Church whose definition in all ages hath beene most manifest they need no other proofe or demonstration Yet partly to comforte them partely to confirme that faith they haue embraced I thinke ir not amisse with some few similitudes or palpable experiences to open alitle the vaile of this Arke and discouer some secretes which either seeme impossible or inexplicable imitating herein the ancient Fathers which explicate the mysteries of the Trinitie Incarnation Resurrection and others with corporall similitudes and examples yea Christ himself scarse spoke but in Parables now comparing grace to Io. 4. 7. Mat. 13. Mat 25. water now his church to a net nowe the faithfull to fiue wise and fiue foolish Virgins and the reason heere of I take to be the blindenesse of our wittes and dulnesse of our capacities who are not able to comprehend any spirituall mysteries without som corporal resemblances as most plainly appeareth in the Sacrament of the holie Trinitie which cannot be vnderstood in it selfe but in some effects euen as wee cannot beholde the Sunne in his spheare but in the water or thorow some cloude Knitting therfore the iugement of Christ his church the decrees of Councils the consent of Fathers the reportes of Histories the practise and vse of al christianity I think that any man not bewitched with wilfulnes and but of an indifferent iudgement and capacitie might easily discerne the veritie of this essential poynt of christianitie For supposing here that no man but senslesse can deny that God was and is able to effect this mysterie and as the learnedest Protestants haue confessed to me with what words more plainly could he expresse his minde hauing bread in his hand than by saying This is my bodie that shall bee giuen for you This is my Mat. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. 1 Cor 11. bloud which shal bee shed for you Al Euangelists with S. Paul conspiring in the same wordes in like sense neuer mentioning trope or figure And if euer Christ had occasion to be plaine and apert in his speach questionlesse heere where he gaue a Lawe and enacted a Statute for his church Who is ignorant that Laws ought to be perspicuous because it is necessarie that al men should know them And therfore we see God gaue the Decalogue in so perspicuous a maner Here he
fullfilled in the finall resurrection of all flesh Thirdly how can can the body and bloud of Christ being so little in comparison be resident in so many hoasts and buttes of wine which in all the world are consecrated and reserued in the tabernacle at one time Pro. Tel me how the soule of a child entring in the conception of the infant into so small and little a body without any addition can extend and dilate it selfe through the whole body of a man tel me how Gods indiuisible substance without addition mutation or alteration filleth the whole world So. Do we not proue by daily experience how a little storax or frankensence resolued into smoke keeping the same matter and quantitie only by rarefaction to bee sufficient to fill a whole church besides those that vse to worke quicksiluer proue most palpably how this mettal being set vpon a fire in a pot assendeth al in smoke and filleth a most large roome yet after with external colde being congealed the selfe same quicke-siluer falleth downe againe and is brought to a very small quantitie Euen so the body and blood of Christ although for a time they be enlarged yet when the cloude is passed the externall vailes of bread wine are consumed the body is as it was before and so shall remaine in all eternitie Fourthly how can those accidents that whitenes that quantitie that moystnes that drynesse hang in the aire without their substance as a house sustained without any foundation the rinde without the choare Pro. He that vnderstandeth the mistery of Christs incarnation effected by the omnipotent hands of God cannot call in question this difficultie in the blessed Sacrament because it is as naturall for a substance to subsist in it selfe as for an accident to be inherent in an other and yet God seperateth from the humanitie of Christ his person and manner of subsisting why then may he not seuer fro these accidents their adherence to another and somuch the more because Christs humanitie is inserted in his diuinitie which hardly can be conceiued without some mutabilitie which cannot be in God If arte or nature can make such admirable seperations as wee dayly proue this pointe cannot seeme so vnprobable Did not the Romains trie pure wines from mingled by putting them in an iuye dish through which the water dropped and left the wine behinde Doth not quicksiluer seuer golde incorporated with other mettells from them all are not the Potecaries able out of all hearbs fruits trees and flowers by fire to drawe the moisture from the terrestriall substance and shall wee say that God is not able to distill the accidents from their substance and drawe the internall substance like sweet oyle from the barke of accidents Fiftly how can there be such chopping and changing of substances of bread and wine into the body and bloud of Christ and yet no externall signe appeare as we Ioh 2. see apeared in the changing of water into wine and in the rod of Moses conuerted Exod 4. into a serpent Plinie recounteth not vnlike effects of Plin. l. 2. c. 5â— thunder that it melted the mony in bags sealed with waxe and yet no signe in the world appeared either in the bagges or waxe And Scneca affirmeth that sometimes Seâ—â— l. 2 c. 31. it melted the sword not indamaging the scabbard and why may not God change the substance and leaue the scabbaâ—d of accidents since he is the Author of nature and wadeth deeper into the bowells thereof then any externall or internall agent In Christs incarnation there was a change of mans nature the which lacked his owne person and was vphelde by the person of the sonne of God and yet externally those that see his body viewed not this change by any sensible effect In iustification also a sinner is wholy renewed within and made a new creature and yet what externall shew appeareth of this internall mutation Sensible miracles and signes were granted especially by God for the conuersion of infidels and therfore were not effected so often among Christians after they had receiued the faith for as S. Greg. saith Fides non habet meritum vbi humana ratio praebet experimentum Faith hath no merite where humane reason yeeldeth proofe therefore it was expedient that this mysterie shoulde be vailed that our reason might possesse a sensible obiect surpassing al reason and onelie by faith to be beleeued Sixtly how is not the body of Christ consumed by so many who daily since the first institution for so manie yeeres haue eaten him Pro. Christ to occurre and answere this reason in the 6. chapt of Saint Iohn first wrought the wonderfull miracle by feeding 5000. men besides women and children with fiue barly loaues and two fishes with the aduantage of twelue baskets I say he wrought this myracle before hee beganne to deliuer them the mysterie of this Sacrament thereby to prepare themselues to answere this Obiection that if with so little he could feed so many and make so much remaine more then he receiued at the beginning how can he notfeed millions with his body and yet preserue it as entire as it was when he first gaue it Christs body doth no otherwise heere then oure soules doe euerye day in our bodies because as bodies continually exhale forth some partes the which wee restore againe by meate and drinke these parts dayly thus exhaled our soules cease to informe and yet they neuer consume nor deminish euen so Christs body residing in diuers hoasts ceaseth to bee in them lesing those places without any other consumtion or alteration Wee see the sunne so many yeres hath euery daye brought newe light to the world euery minut he changeth his place without defect or consumption And why shal not the Sunne of Iustice lighten the worlde in this Sacrament and yet change euery minute his place without corruption or decay Seauenthly how can he abide to passe into such vndeceÌ„t places as mens stomaks whose breaths many scarse can tolerat Pro. How doth his diuinitie fil al places how vndecent and vncleane soeuer receuing no infection by them but as the sun beames beating vppon a dunghil neither are infected nor defiled in like manner the body of Christ adorned with the beames of immortalitie and impassibility receaueth no impression of any infectious or noysome creature So. The stinch of sin much more annoied the smell of his soule when he conuersed in earth among sinners than this could molest his body and yet it was not vndecent he should suffer that but a signe of extreme loue and mercy so it is not vnseemly his body should bee where those defects be suffering nothing but onely remaining there to worke most admirable effects in his creatures to their great profit and his exceeding charitie as shall hereafter be declared Eightly what becometh of the body of Christ after the formes of bread and wine are corrupted assendeth it to heauen theÌ„ is it continually in voiage
Doth it stay in the stomacke but that is most vndecent When a mans arme is cut off what becommeth of his soule that informed that arme doth it perish then he that lacketh an arme lacketh a piece of his soule Doth it hang in the aire But the aire is not organized to receiue the information finally it ceaseth to inform the arme it leeseth that subiect and place keeping the place in the bodie where it was before euen so the bodie of Christ leeseth the place it had in the stomacke and keepeth the place it had before in heauen So. As the Sunne in a moment spreadeth his beames from East to VVeast euen so Christ his body from heauen into the sacrament and as if a clond hinder the vertue of the Sunne the light ceaseth the Sunne remaineth where it was euen so when the forms of bread and wine perish Christs bodie ceaseth to bee there but remaineth in heauen as he was before Ninthly when the Hoast is broken how is not the bodie of Christ broken also why are not seperated the legges from the body c why heare we no crackling of bones why see we no effusion of blod Pro. When a looking glasse is broken do you not see in both the peeces your face as entire as when it was whole euen so when the hoast is broken in both partes thereof remaineth the bodie of Christ as entire as it was in the whole Sol. Albertus Magnus recounteth not vnlike Albertus Mag. trac de Temt cap. 22. effects of thunder that it burns somtimes the shooes but hurteth not the feet it singeth the haire off the head and face without any annoyaunce of those partes Besides hee that mangleth the body can not mangle the soule which keepeth her immortalitie likewise hee that breaketh the hoast impeacheth nothing the incorruptible and indiuisible maner of Christs sacramentall presence in the blessed Sacrament Tenthly how can Christs body be in the Sacrament without confusion beeing whole coarcted into so little a place for it seemes that al his bodie should be pressed to nothing Pro. This may bee most perspiciously resolued by the first similitude we broght of the whole countrie which entreth into the eie without confusion and our faces which we see euerie one in an others eie with al delineaments most intire without any disorder or improportion When Christs bodie entred the dores being shut or issued out of his mothers wombe was his bodie pressed to nothing Io. 20. Luc. ◠No that were corruption and not perfection and vndecent for so decent a bodie I am here to aduertise the gentle Reader that al similituds which Fathers bring to declare the misteries of our faith as the incarnation trinitie grace charitie c. do euer dissent almost in as many things with the mysterie as they agree with it Therfore maruell not if some of those I haue brought iumpt not in all things with the mysterie as they agree with it Therfore maruell not if some of those I haue brought iumpt not in all things with the blessed sacrament for if they should they were not similitudes but the same things Besides consider how many wonderfull workes wee daily prooue effected which we would haue iudged impossible before we see them as in a geographicall glasse the compas and such like Now inferre hereupon that if men by naturall skill can reach but our capacitie how far can God go beyond it Lastly not onely heretikes but also infidels exclaime against Catholiques that it is a thing not only vndecent and horrible to eate mans flesh drinke his bloud but also impious and irreligious to eate their God for what say they is more absurd then for God to abase himselfe to be eaten and more abhominable then for his creatures prophanely to deuoure him This obiection might as wel bee made against Christes incarnation death and passion for it seemeth as vndecent for God to lie in a womans wombe for nine moneths for him that is life it selfe to die as to be eaten in this Sacrament for what need had he of his creatures that he shuld toile so much for them why could he not haue forgiuen them all their offences of his owne accorde seeing the fault was committed against him But the wisdom of GOD ouer-reached these carnall and cloudie conceited men and therefore determined meanes surpassing all vnderstandings and deuises Wherefore as in the mysterie of Christes incarnation the Fathers and Doctors indeuoure to search out the reasons which moued the maiesty of God so extraordinarily to exmiruite himselfe to become man euen so we will here procure to vnderstand some reasons why so familiarly he did debase himselfe to be our foode The second part of this Treatise The first cause of the institution of the blessed Sacrament to communicate himselfe to euery one in particular SVch is the nature of Goodnesse that it doth not only perfit enrich and adorn the subiect wherein it resideth but also enableth it with an ouerflowing vertue to communicate it selfe vnto others Bonum Lib. de Diu. nom ca 4. saith Dionis Areop est sui diffusiuum Goodnes spreadeth it selfe abroad and for this cause we see the Sunne for that it is good in it selfe communicateth his Vertue vnto others dispersing his beames vpon the earth the aire because it is good conserueth the soule the sea in regard of natiue goodnes allodgeth the fishes the earth indued with the like lendeth her lappe to mettalles and hearbs in fine since all creatures that bountiful hand of God framed receiued in their first printing some form Gen. 1. of goodnes Vidit Deus cunctaque fecerat erant valdè bona God did see all that hee had made and they were very good consequently they receiued vertue to communicate their goodnes to others And thus all creatures bee good in themselues◠and profitable to their neighbours Besides we prooue by daily experience how they are not content to lend their frends some little parcell of their perfection but as much as they haue so much they bestowes so that the sphere of such their communication aunswereth in proportion to the degree of the naturall substance and engrafted perfection so that earth produceth earth water bringeth foorth wate◠fire kindleth fire a horse ingendereth a horse an eagle breedeth an eagle a man begetteth a man wherevpon the Philosophers grounded their Axiome Omne simile generat fibi simile euery like produceth like If these drops of goodnes fallen from God their immensiue ocean sea if these beames of perfections issuing from their euerlasting Sunne if these dying leaues of bountie shaken off that neuer fading tree of life extend the limits of their goodnes so far what bounds can containe his goodnesse which is boundlesse what measure can be prescribed to him that is immesurable where shall his bountie border which is infinite nothing being equall to God Therefore his natiue goodnesse enforced him to communicate himselfe to mankinde vvhich mistery vvas effected by
creatures become sensible and animate substances but Christs body so feeds the soule that it giueth life vnto it Qui Ioh. â— manducat me vinet propter me He that eateth me the same also shall liue by mee And therfore as God is saide to be in the Iust by grace charitie and they in him so by this Sacrament Christ is in vs and we in him Herevpon it followeth that men are deified in two sortes by receiuing this Sacrament first by a reall communication with Christ whom they harbour in their bodies and therfore of S. Cyprian are called Baiuli Christi carriers De caena Dom. or bearers of Christ and others terme theÌ„ Christoferi secondly they are deified in soule by receiuing this grace which is a diuine coniunction and admirable participation of his deitie by which they are made diuinae naturae consortes partakers of the diuine nature The fourth cause to vnite the faithfull after a certaine reall manner CHrist our Sauiour making his praier to his Father among other graces hee Ioh. 17. Hec expositio est Cirill lib. 11. in Io. ca. 26. Hillari lib. 9. de trinit demanded he asked this for all the faithfull that as his Father was in him and hee in his Father so the faithfull should bee one thing Christ is in his Father because he really and essentially participateth the same substance with the Father and his Father is in him for that he possesseth the same nature and substance with his sonne It was vnpossible that the faithfull should in such sort participate one coÌ„mon essence because the infinite perfection of God chalengeth this as a proper dignitie to haue a nature communicable to diuers persons But since that mans nature was not capable of such fecunditie our prouident Pastor prouided a way to keepe his flocke together and to vnite them not only by affection in minde but also by a certaine reall and substantiall nature wherein they should be made all one and most excelleÌ„tly resembled vnto the blessed Trinitie which was effected by this Sacrament for by giuing them all the same body and bloud he caused them to be vnited in one substance one nature essence and that more excellent than their owne naturall substance was Wherefore al those that receiue their body may bee called one body as S. Paule doubted not to call them when he saide Vnus panis vnum â— Coria 10 corpus multi sumus omnes qui de vno pane participamus beeing many wee are one bread one body all that participate of one bread And for this cause as wee say all the three persons in Trinitie are one God euen so all the faithfull by a certain maner are one body and as the starres in the firmament though of themselues very different yet are vnited al in one indeficient fountaine of light so all the faithfull fituated in the firmament vnmooueable of the Catholike Church are vnited together and made one in this blessed Sacrament but with this difference that the starres haue not the Sunne in them but â—nely the light whereas the faithful haue the Sonne of all light continually springing within them Iosuah thought GOD Iosu â—â— shevved him a singular fauour and woorthily al admire it that God at the request of a man shoulde staye the course of the Sunne till he had ouercome his enemies But what would he haue saide if God had brought the Sunne from heauen and put it in his hand to haue vsed it at his pleasure so hee hath dealt with vs in this Sacrament by drawing his eternall Sonne from heauen to dwel in earth to be held in our hands to be receiued as foode to ioyne vs all that be in his church to fight against al visible enemies as tyrants and heretikes and inuisible foes as the Divel and his infernall ghosts The fift cause to vnite the faithfull in affection AS the bodie of man containeth diuerse parts of contrary nature and disposition the heart being hote the braine cold fleame moist melancholy drie spirits of a fiery nature bones of an earthly all the foure elementes in sundry partes holding predominion yet the soule keepeth them in peace conserueth a most sweet harmony containeth euery one in his office euen so this blessed Sacrament ioyneth Christs seruants Greekes and Egyptians Iewes and Gentiles poore and rich learned and ignorant in an admirable bond of loue and vnitie if they receiue it with that preparation and vse it as they ought the Isai 11. which vnion loue and peace I say the Prophet foretold was too slowe ouer the earth after that little cloude which Elias 3 Reg. 18. behelde had powred downe this blessed Sacrament vpon it Habitabit saith he lupus the woolfe shall dwel with the lamb the libbard shall rest with the kidde the calfe the lion and the sheepe shal lodge all together and a little childe shall leade them he meaneth fierce cruell and intractable men sauage nations and barbarous countries shall be brought to vnion peace and loue no doubt but principally by vertue of this sacred communion this common soule will cause euery one to keep himselfe in order this little childe which we fold with our breasts in this sacrament will guide pacifie and comforte them all for what inflameth men one to loue another principally but resemblance and similitude Why doe kinsemen so affect one another but in regard of resemblance of bloud and similitude of complexions And therefore they are called Consanguinei and Kinsemen And what similitude can be greater then this whereby good christians are made Verè Consanguinei Christi In very deede the kinsmen of Christ Yea rather identified or made one with the selfe-same bloud the selfe-same body and soule which no kindred euer did participate because they haue the like bloud and bodies but not the same nor the same soule The dignity and worth of those which be partakers of this sacrament may easily inuite al men to loue them For as we prise and admire all those whom we acknowledge to be of account so surely wee ought to esteeme those who are bathed with the bloud of Christ who are indued with his grace whose bodies are liuing temples pallaces to allodge this royall maiestio If the ground was holy where the Angell onely in a bush spâ—ke to Moses If the mountaine was sanctified where the celestiall Exod. 3. Exod. 19 Act. 29 spirits gaue the law If the napkins and girdles of Saint Paule wrought miracles because they serued so great a seruaÌ„t of God O in what reputation should we haue those blessed men which we know receiue so often and keepe so long the king of Angels the head of all the Apostles in their bodies The sixt cause for the exercise of faith IN the summe of all Diuinity I find 10. difficulties hardly to be conceaued and consequently not easie to be beleeued The first is howe God hath free will 2. how he knoweth those future
confirme by daily experience For vvhat els pretend those who so vehemently embrace one an other but as it were one to enter into another and vnite themselues in one for the vehement affection of loue Why did Iob say Quis mihi det vt de carnibus eius saturemur who will Iob 31 giue me that wee may bee filled with his flesh but to declare that the vehemency of loue desired this vnion How possesse the three persons in Trinitye such vehement and ardent loue but for the vnion of one substance in three persons That which men thought impossible to God was possible and that which nature affected was by the Author of nature grace in this mistery effected for herby imparting his body vnto men without destruction of either he caused an vnioÌ„ of both whereupon ensued that the loue of God could not but be singularly increased towards vs because as fathers loue most vehemently their children because in them they see a part of their owne substance disperced in their bodies though after many chaunges and alterations So God vewing his whole substance without any mutation or change in nature or qualitie his body and bloud his soule and person really remaining in vs and ioyned with vs cannot but loue vs exceedingly much more then any father his children And we for the selfe-same cause are moued to loue him for the same vnion or rather identification of substance For who is so base minded or cold in affection that lifting vp the eies of his soule to heauen admiring the infinite Maiestye of God where millions of Cherubins and Seraphines stand in his sight veiling their eyes with their golden wings lest they should be dazelled being not able to behold the infinite brightnes of his glory who I say after this consideration would not open all the vaines of his heart and resolue them into loue seeing this soueraigne Maiestie to discend from heauen to earth to dwell with a poore worme to lodge with a miserable man one that many times had offended him to couer himselfe vnder bread to be eaten of him and to enter into his body to be eternally vnited with him Zacheus thought Luc. 19. he shewed him a singular fauour to come into his house the Centurion passed a Luc. 7. litle furder and saide his house was not worthy of him But here what shall wee say he entereth not to receiue but to giue not to cure the body but to saue the soule how can that heart not be enflamed with loue which hath a burning flame of fier glowing so neere I meane the heart of our Sauiour Iesus Christ How doth not those veines swell with affection which are filled with the pretious bloud of their most affectious and zealous GOD How doth not that soule exult for ioy at Christs presence beeing so neere when Saint Iohn Luc. 1. Baptist exulted for ioy in his mothers wombe conceauing but our Ladies voice The ninth cause to be an ornament of the materiall Churches IN the olde Testament which was a modell of the new wee see that God had a speciall care to prouide the Arke the Cherubines propitiatorie with all the ornaments and furniture of the interiour Exod. 25. Tabernacle or Sanctum sanctorum into which none could enter but the high Priest and he only once a yeere this as the Apostle apertly declareth signified Hebr. 9. how Christ was to offer vp once a bloudy Sacrifice for the redemption of al the world Yet this was but the Allegorie of these ceremonies which God had not only instituted to signifie what was to come but also ordained them for the present vse and religion of the Iewes as CircumcisioÌ„ MaÌ„na the Pascal lambe with al the rest the reasoÌ„ therfore which moued the diuine wisdome of God to ordain this so maiesticall a place so reuerend and ful of ceremonies was to strike into the peoples mindes a great conceit of him a reuerence and respect a feare and humilitie in that place The like with out al doubt stood with his prouidence in instituting this Sacrament that we should haue in our temples the true Ark of his couenant whence-froÌ„ he was to giue answere to imprint in our heartes at the view of his tabernacle a reuerend feare and a fearful loue of his maiestie for if we were Angels and needed not corporall senses to pourtraite or represent the maiestie of God vnto vs little it woulde auaile vs to haue present such rites ceremonies but because our soule in this exile is drowned in the body and cannot ascend to God but by fixing the first and second step in externall sences and corporall imaginations therfore our prouident Sauiour condescending to our infirmities ordained a sensible presence for his maiestie thereby to strike into vs reuerence feare and respect and so in effect it seemes that experience teacheth For when I enter into an heretical church without light altare or image and especialy without the body of Christ me thinks I come into some vast prophane hall or at best some great schoole for it carrieth no shew nor casteth any smel of religion Whereas entring into a church of Catholikes al that I see breatheth pietie and religion the lamps and lights represent the indeficient glory of heauen and brightnes of Gods elected the Images giue mee to vnderstand the multitude of Saints and Angels who assist the maiesty of God in his eternal temple whereas day and night they neuer cease his praises the Altare leades me to that incruent sacrifice which daily is offered to the liuing God for all the faithful in Christs church and in fine the presence of Christ in the Tabernacle moâ—eth me to reuerence to look into my selfe to carry me circumspectly in that older as such a presence requireth For as wel noteth Saint Chrys When Courtiers come before the Kings presence they are careful and circumspect what they doe they roll their eyes about their garments lest any spotte or blemish in them might offend the Kings eyes they ponder theyr speeches lest any vndecent word should escape from them they forelooke al theyr gestures actions lest any of them should appeere vngrateful to the king And how doe faithfull Christians when they come before Christ in the Church they looke into their soules weigh their words consider their thoughts and in fine beware that nothing proceed from them that in any sorte may displease so diuine a maiestie for indeede as the same Authour wel aduertiseth by the presence of Christ in the Sacrament the church is conuerted into heauen For as we prooue the kings Court and Throne is not his pallace his gardens his golden galleries his â—orie beds his chaire of estate his pearled canopies but the person of the King is the essence of the Court and Throne al the rest be accessary to him euen so the court and throne of heauen is not those spheres those angels those saints they be all ornaments they be accessary
Hic est casix sanguinis mei This is the challice of my blod make that they signifie and therefore hecause they signifie only blod consequently they put by their force and efficacy only bloud in the challice without body or soule although by sequele both the body and the soule descend into the chalice for the bloud being in the veines it draweth the veines the veines beeing fixed in the body cannot but naturally draw the body with them the body harboring the soule likewise bringeth it for company As for example the woman of Samaria that drew Io. 4 vp water with a cord from the wel she immediatly drew the cord but by sequele came the paile because it was tied to the corde and with the paile by sequele the water with the water if there had bin a fish had followed a fish the priest out of Christs side drawes first the bloud immediatly follow the vaines to the vaines the body to the body the soule for which sequel this sacrifice is called incruent and is most decent perfectly representing the maner of Christs death and passion The twentieth cause that it might be a holocaust or burnt offering THree sortes of externall sacrifices we reade in holy scripture were in vse among Louie 1. 43. the Iewes holocausts or burnt offerings pacifying hoasts hoastes for sins The first were offered to God in reuereÌ„ce of his maiesty the 2. in thankesgiuing for his benefits receaued or expected the 3. for expiation of their sins The first was al burnt vpon the altar the last were partly offered to God partly imparted to the priests the second were deuided into 3. parts one was offered to God another bestowed of the priests the third fel to the offerers share The lawe therfore of grace being most complete excellent of al others as it required a most excellent sacrifice in substance so it exacted al sorts of sacrifices included in that one which ether tended to the greater glory of god or the benefit of his worshippers Therefore in this sole solitary sacrifice he clasped theÌ„ al as most plainely shal appeare for here are many consumptions in this sacrifice which euideÌ„tly conuince that it is a burnt offering First it is burnt here as Christs sacrifice and holocaust was burnt vpoÌ„ the Crosse that is with the infinite extinguishable flames of his charity For questionlesse as he there offered himselfe and fired his sacrifice with loue to redeeme al the world euen so here his sacrifice burneth with the same affection to saue all those in particuler for whom it is offered Luke 22 Desiderio desideraui hoc pasca manducare with desire I haue desired to eate this pasche Secondly the substance of bread and wine by this sacred action of transubstantiation are not reduced to ashes as wheÌ„ the holocaustes were burnt vpon the altar but so consumed that they wholy vanishe away and leaue nothing but their skin and rinde behinde Thirdly the priest by receiuing it consumeth it wholy It is likewise a pacifying hoast because by it we acknowledge the infinit benefits we haue receued and especially that benefit of our redemption the which we do not onely represent but also most diuinely exercise by this also we respect the last benefite of all that is life euerlasting Hic est pamis pro Io. 6. mundi vita This is the bread for the life of the world finally it is an hoast for sinnes not onely in regard of the grace it conferreth as a SacrameÌ„t but also for that it worketh to the purging of our sins as a sacrifice because in the old Testament goates bloud and calues bloud did expiate them Heb. 9. from their delicts howe much more the bloud of Christ in this our Eucharist exceedeth both the pacifying hoasts and the sacrifice for sinne that it is whole offered to God whole receiued of Priests whole participated of the people whereas theirs for the imperfection of them coulde not but be dismembred Hereupon I will infer that those people are happy who can daily be present at the sacrifice of Masse to be made partakers of the admirable effects of this diuine oblatioÌ„ For if the Iews resorted to Ierusalem out of all nations at Easter to offer vp their paschall lambe to represent their deliuery out of Egypt if God accepted that shadow of this sacrifice as a gratefull obsequie and louing duty O with what deuotion ought we to resorte to Masse what assurance may wee conceaue that God will accept this sacrifice more then the bloud of a thousand lambes or calues The one and twentieth cause to be a satisfactory sacrifice for the soules in Purgatory THis blessed sacrament doth not only sanctifie the soule as all other sacraments do but also as a sacrifice it hath force to impetrate of God many graces and fauours to incite vs to vertue and to withdraw vs from vice yea the blessing hereof is so ample that it adorneth and profiteth the Church millitant and succoureth also those soules which suffer in Purgatory not vnlike the ocean sea which serueth not only for the commerce of men in forraine countries to nourish and maintaine the fishes which lodge in her wombe to fructifie the earth with riuers and raine but also it passeth throgh the lowe parts there concurreth to the generation of mettels stones other minerals In like sort the blessed Sacrament is not content to ioyne the faithfull in vnitie and concord to nourish those soules which harbour in the catholike Church to engender in them vertues and good workes but also it extendeth fauours and satisfactions to them that doe liue in Purgatory that inhabit the lower partes of the earth This effect none can deny but professed enimies of christs church for the protestants themselues generally confesse that the pâ—imitiue Fathers both caught practised such oblations for the dead howbeit impiously they cal this piety of Fathers Pastours and Doctours of Christs church superstition error But what madnes is this so arrogantly to condemne a matter not of mere speculation but of dayly practise exercised through the whole church at such time as pietie religioÌ„ was most feruent many of those authors either the apostles schollers or schollers vnto them or at least that could render euideÌ„t testimony what al the faithfull beleeued practised in those dayes Whosoeuer I say condemneth this exercise of errour consequently confesseth himselfe to be a foole and Saint Agust Lib. 6. de fâ—cerdot hom 69. ad pop Antâ—o in litt c. calleth it expresse madnes to infringe any thing obserued vniuersally in the whol church And specialy without scripture authoritie or reason Here I omit scriptures Fathers and histories and suppose the matter as an infallible truth that this holy sacrifice profiteth greatly those souls which be in Purgatory according to that saying of â—aint Chrisost Non temere sancitum est ab apostolis vs in tremendis misterijs defunctorum agatur
coÌ„memoratio sciebant eniminde vtilitatem mnltum illis contingere lucrum 2. Mach. c. 3â— S. August proueth the fame out of this place in lib. de cuâ—a agendâ— promortuis multum It is not wihtout cause ordained by the apostles that in the dreadful mysterys the memory for the dead haue their place for they were not ignorant that they receiued great profit therby great gaine For if the sacrifice that Iudas Machabues caused to be offered in Ierusalem had vertue by the merrits of Christs passion to redeeme those soules out of purgatory how much more this blessed hoaste shal be propitiatory to those which the contented herein redeemed wth his own boud who can deay but that all theâ— Sacraments aâ—e those fountaines whence Esay had promised we shuld draw liuing Isai 12â— ters with ioy Hauristis aquas cum gaudio de fontibus Saluatoris you shall with ioy draw water out of the fountaine of our Sauior if sacraments be ordained to sanctifie the receiuers and participate the graces and effects of christs passion for the receiuers questionlesse this sacrifice which holdeth the substance and nature of all other sacrifices which are instituted as impretratorie for others participateth the effects of Christs passion profitable for others and those which by impetration one meÌ„ber of the catholike church may obtaine Zach. 3. for an other Since therfore Christ suffered both for the quicke and the dead this sacrifice must be a conduct to conuay the graces and effects of Christs passion to those that are dead in body though liuing in soule and so much more copiously how much more neerer this sacrifice toucheth God how much more it standeth with the dignity therof how much more this effect most securely is granted and with how much more deuotion the person dead was affected to this sacrifice or the offerer more feruent at the oblation or the procurer more zealous of expiation The two and twentith cause to be a sacrifice of thankesgiuing for the Saintes in heauen AS the heart in mans body and the sunne in this visible world spred their influence and vertue aboue them beneth them and on each side euen so this blessed sacrifice beeing the heart of the catholike Church and the sunne of this spirituall world communicateth vertue to the church millitant about it to those that suffer beneath it and to the triumphant which dwelleth aboue it and as the heart disperseth not all effects it worketh to all partes but vseth an accommodate discription according to the qualities nature of euery parte euen so this sacrifice extendeth sundry effects agreeing to the diuersities of members to those that suffer Christs satisfactions to those in earth diuers helpes and succours to auoide sinnes temporall commodities sundry graces and vertues to thofe in heauen thankes to God for their happinesse and praises to them for their passed triumphes This notable Eucharistiall effect the very practize of the catholike church continually representeth vnto vs in the holy Masse which she offereth to God nowe for Apostles now for Martires now for Virgins nowe for Confessours the which practise was in vse in saint Ciprians time who caused Cip. epist 37 the daies of martirdomes to be noted that in the holye sacrifice the Martyres might be mentioned If heere therefore we conuert our eyes to God to Christ to the Saints of heauen to the Church in earth we shall find that this oblation can not be but most gratefull and glorious to them all For what can be more gratefull or glorious vnto God than to see the blod of Christ mingled with the bloud of martyres and both offered vp together what can God esteem more than to receiue an oblation of virginitie ioyned with the infinit puritie of this sacrifice how acceptable wil the vertues of Confessors appeare in his sight burnt as sweete incense with the Manna of Christs deified operations and merites howe gloriously will that Garland appeare decked with roses lillieâ— and violets of golde set with pearles of this pretious Manna and rubies of this bloudy challice none can be ignorant how glorious the oblatioÌ„ is to Christ for since his Saints be members of his body by vertue of this Sacrament so vnited vnto him that they be Caro de carne eius Genes 2. Matth. 19. Marc 10. Eph. 5. and ossa de ossibus eius flesh of his flesh bones of his bones by offering vp himselfe here he sheweth the triumph of his Crosse and Passion he representeth the admirable vertues of this blessed Sacrament and sacrifice in vertue whereof they were norished defended and protected against so many perils and dangers in the desart of this life and as by a viaticum conducted vnto the desired land of Promise The Saints of heauen in like case can not but exceedingly reioyce to see theyr brethren so gratefull to God for their benefites receiued and offer vp so worthie an hoast in recognoscence of heauenly fauours God powred vpon them Questionlesse they can not forget them in heauen who are so mindfull of them vppon earth and as their charitie is more feruent so their care will be more vigilant The church finaly to whom it appertains to praise God in his Saints triumpheth in both most admirably presenting to God the merits of her spouse her children insulting against the Diuell flesh and world who could not preuaile against theÌ„ inuiting the rest that remaine with glorifying them that are gone to follow their vertues and good examples The three and twentieth cause to shew the magnificence and liberalitie of God BOuntifulnes beneuolence declareth beneuolence gifts but when the giftes mount to excesse then beneuolence is caled magnificence the which God hath manifested to the worlde most wonderfully in this Sacrament What gaue hee His body and bloud and with them his person and diuinitie so great a gift as none can exceede it for as God surpasseth all that is not good so this Sacrament all that is not the same thing with it Who gaue it God himselfe If a meane gift be giuen of a king men greatly prize it bicause the person of a king dignifieth the gift but being so great a gift and moreouer imparted by God herein the greatnesse encreaseth How deare was it vnto him as deare as his owne life for the selfe same if he had giuen a thing superfluous or not esteemed or not necessary then we wold haue made lesse account of it but being so neare him and so deare vnto him we cannot but highly commend it With what affection gaue hee it Freely not of constraint yea with a most feruent loue Cum dilexisset suos in finem dilexit eos whereas he 10. 13. had loued his vnto the ende he loued theÌ„ Chrysost Euth in eum loc that is giftes that come freely are much more estemed then those which proceed of necessitie To whom doth he giue it To men mortall and miserable creatures yea and to many that
lilfe Meate helpeth nature to disgest many ill humours and this sacrament is not onely a meate but also a medicine And as Saint Cyprian saith extinguisheth sinne Meate causeth growth and whosoeuer participateth De coena Domini 5 this foode encreaseth in spirit for by receuing the life of charity and grace the soule cannot but grow in vertue and perfection as hee that commeth nearer the sunne participateth more light and heate For these resemblances of meate with the blessed sacrament we may per ceaue the reason why our blessed Sauiour instituted it vnder the formes of bread and wine thereby to teach vs by these externall signes that as bread and wine feede our bodyes so Christs fâ—lesh and bloud our soules But for all these perfections or commodities of temporall meats they haue adioyned as many imperfections and defects the which this blessed foode of life wanteth For corporall meats if they delight vs the more we eate of them our delight is lesse and at last wee come to loathe them but this meate Qui comedit adhuc esurit qui Ecde 24. bibit adhuc sitit hee that eateth of it is the more hungry and hee that drinketh the more thirsty and none we see so much desire it as those who most frequent it Corporall meates cannot cause a body that is dead to returne againe to life but this spirituall foode giueth life vnto the dead Qui manducat me ipse viuet propter me Io. 6. he that eateth me the same also shall liue by me Corporall meate although it repaire our forces lost yet the continuall alteration and disguising of it diminisheth our naturall heat because Omne in agendo repatitur euery agent in doing suffereth againe so that at last euen meat it self would extinguish our outward facultie if we had no other cause of death But he who eateth at this table of life Non gustabit Io. 6. mortem in aeternum non morietur he shal not tast of death for euer he shall not dye For as the soule can neuer dye except it leese the grace of God and that it cannot leese of necessitie but of free will so the grace of God can neuer be consumed but by a peruerse wicked will and therefore in aeternum for euer of it selfe it conserueth the soule in life because in very deed it is life Corporall meates faile in force for they alwayes cause not the body to encrease in strength or quantitie but after certaine yeares the body doth not only cease to grow but also it begins to decay and in fine declineth to death But such is the vertue of this holye Eucharist that euery time it is eaten it addeth a new degree of growth yea and for most part when a man declineth most in body and commeth nearer his death in spirit soul he encreaseth most because he then hath most heat of grace todisgest this sacred foode for which admirable effects Dauid wel say in persoÌ„ of those that receiue this Psal 22. heauenly refection Dominus regit me nihil mihi deerit in loco pascuaeibi me collocauit Out Lord doth gouerne me I shall want nothing in the soile of his pasture he hath placed mee For all pastures in respect of this are barren desarts all repasts compared with this leaueth soule euer fainting These pastures are alwaies greene with grace enameld with flowers of vertues watered with the heauenly dewe of Gods assistance and finally haue the pasture continually attending his sacred flocke The twenty ninth cause to effect the resurrection of our bodies BY the vniuersall preuarication of Adam 1. Cor. 15. all his posterity incuâ—red in particular the death of soule and corruption of body whereunto they onely are subiect who discende from him by naturall generation Because that God had so decreed that as from him we were to draw our nature so by his good demeanour froÌ„ him we should receiue our grace But through his transgression by communicating vnto vs a part of his substance poisoned with the sting of originall sin hee imparted together the mortall woundes of body and soule Our Sauiour Christ whose substaÌ„ce was vnspotted with crime or offence pretending as life to destroye death communicated vnto vs his diuine substaunce to giue the soule the life of grace and the body immortality of glory For who can wonder if Christs body touching the bodies of good souls which receiue him with deuotion resuscitate them to life againe since the touche of Elizeus bones had vertue to restore the 4. Reg. 3. vitall spirit to a dead carcasse If seede sowne in the field although it die in the ground retaine vigour virtue of spring so liuely againe which was communicated vnto it by the roote why shall wee not imagine that our bodies keepe a certaine vertue a relation to this sacrament the onely roote of immortality For if the soule receiue grace the body concurreth it is an instrument and therefore if it bee compartner in paine why not in gaine And if Christs soule sanctifie our soules shall not this bodye glorifie our bodies Yea both his body and soule will immortallize both our bodies and soules and therefore hee saide Hic est panis de caelo Iohn 6. descendens vt si quis ex ipso manducauerit non moriatur this is the breade that descendeth from heauen that if anie man eate of it he die not For although hee die corporally yet by vertue of this food by the touch by the relation to the soule whose instrument it was Christ will raise it vp againe Without doubt it standeth greatly with the prouidence of God that Christs body should cause their resurrection who receiue deuoutly this sacrameÌ„t because as wee saide aboue in this hoast Christ is sacrificed and those that participate it woorthily in affection suffer and die with him therefore reason requireth that as they die with him so they shall rise with him Si compatimnr conregnabimus Rom. 8. if we suffer with Christ we shall be also glorified with Christ And more plainely Reformabit corpus humilitatis nostrae Phil. 3. configuratum corpori claritatis suae Hee will reforme the body of our humillitie configured to the body of his glory For if we mortifie our bodies to make them like his body by crosses and pains Doubtlesse he wil reuiue them with delights glory causing them to be his like his body in eternall ioy For which cause we must for a while intreate our bodies not to groane vnder the burthen of Christs commaundements not to repine at fasting not to murmure at mortification not to loathe long prayers not to grudge to liue in prisons depriued of many false pleasures the worlde affoordeth for all these will passeonce When death comes our conscience will reioyce But when our Sauiour after death shall iudge vs and see our crosses conformable to his our pains for his glory our tribulation for his confession Hiems Cantie
2. transijt imber abijt flores apparebunt in terra nostra the winter is past the showre is gone flours wil appeare in our ground then shal we know that all earthly ioyes were meere toyes and euery transitory crosse an eternall crowne The thirtieth cause to be a viaticum or prouision for our voyage THis holie Sacrament for three causes may be called Viaticum First because our Sauiour in his passage instituted receiued distributed and gaue authority to his disciples to disperse it Secondly wee are to receiue it wander as pilgrims in the desarts of this worlde where spirituall foode can hardly be had and therefore it was prefigured in the celestiall Manna which God rained vpon the Iewes whilest they wandred in their peregrination towards the land of promise Thirdly because peculiarly our Sauiour intended to prouide vs of it as of a defence when we are to depart out of this world for his deuine wisedome did most prouidently fore see that our ghostly enemies would specially imploy their forces to impugne vs in the last periode of our life according to that was foretold in Genesis that the serpent should insidiari calcaceo seminis Gen. 3. mulieris supplant the heele of the womans seed for thereupon dependeth the triumph of God the Church and the soule ouer the diuell the confusion of hell and the glory of heauen In this last conflict therefore so dangerous our Sauiour would arme vs with his owne body and bloud that the infernall fiends seeing the bloud of Christ should be inforced to let that soule passe in security medle no more with it then the distroying Angell with the children of Israell when he saw this bloud painted ouer the dores with the bloud of a lambe yea as so many grisly busaloes they should bee terrified and affrighted euen with the very sight of this vermilian colour An excellent figure of this effect wee find registered in the acts of Elias who beeing persecuted by that impious Iesabell 3. Râ—g 19. loathing his life and desiring death fledde into a deasart and there casting himselfe vnder a luniper tree desired of God to ende his dayes and with that fell a sleepe presently an angell came to him and awaked him willing him to eate for yet there remained a longway he rose vp and found set at his head an imber cake and a cup of water he eat and drunke and walked for two dayes by the strength of that food till he came to the mountain of God Oreb wheras our Lord came vnto him What can more expresly declare the manner the vertue the effect of our viaticum then this while the faithfull Phil. 1. weary of this world lie on their death beds wishing to be dissolued to liue with Christ in the sweet shade of the catholike church the Priest presenteth vnto them the bread of life willing them to eat for a long way remaines a troublesome voyage they haue to passe they receiue and then by the vertue therof proceed in their pilgrimage vnto the holy mount of heauen where they shall see God foreuer O happie soule that resteth in the desart of this miserable world vnder the shade of such a tree from whence falleth the fruit of life I meane the Catholike Church wherin is planted the crosse of Christ which beareth this fruit of saluation Well saide the spouse sub vmbra illius quem desideraui sedi Cant. 2. fructus eius dulcis gutturi meo vnder the shade of him whome I desired I haue sitten and his fruite was sweete vnto my throate If it be so sweet in this life growing in an vplanding country out of the natiue soile how sweet wil it bee in heauen when these vailes shall be broken when these parings shall be taken away when our taste shal be quickened when we shal eate it with God himselfe vpon his owne table The one and thirtieth cause to win virgins to God SOme sage Philosophers and wise phisitions counsell noble women not to commit the nursing of their children to others of base estate meane condition but that they shuld giue them suck themselues the reason say they is most euident because the rusticke milke engendred in these clownish bodies will greatly alter the delicate and noble complection of the child for although we in our stomakes alter change those meates we receiue and bring theÌ„ at last to bee of our temper and substance yet in the verie alteration our bodies feele in tract of time most notable effects of theÌ„ for hot meats inflame them cold meates refresh them moist meates dissolue theÌ„ drie meats vnite them This doctrine being true as experience pregnantly proueth euery one may see how fit a food for virgins is this blessed sacrament for if we consider Christ our sauior therin contained according to his diuinitie his father the first virgin of al others as Nazianzen Nazianz. in Carmine calleth him conceiued him alone in the wombe of his vnderstanding if we expend his humanity it was borne of a virgin without a father if wee wey Christ himself god man we shal find him al his life to haue obserued most strictly a virginall puritie This blessed bread entring into our bodies adorned with so many admirable titles of virginity how can it but alter our sensuall and base appetires by eleuating them to the complexion temper pure disposition of Christ shal corporall meats work with more efficacie their effects in our bodies than this celestiall his prerogatiues in our soules No no it is more excellent than so Dilectus meus candidus Cantic 5. rubicundus electos prae millibus hic est fios campi lilium conuallium My loue is Cantie 2. white and red chosen before thousandes this is the flower of the field and lilly of the valley His garmentes are lilly white wyth chastity and scarlet red with passions of loue and such effects he imprintes with the seale of his body in the soules of the faithfull The which effects considering and admiting one exclamed Quid bâ—â—um Zach. 9. quid pulchrum eius nisi frumentum electorum vinum germinans virgines what of his is good what of his is beautifull but the wheate of his elected wine that springeth virgines O holy Prophet dost thou meditate the maruellous workes of God and canst thou finde nothing more admirable than this View the creation of the world consider thy Fathers in Egypt Gen. 1. Exod 7. and 8 9 10 11 12. Exod. 14. what maruelous miracles Moses wrought how he passed the red sea so woÌ„derfully looke vpon God himselfe and thou shalt see an abisse of goodnesse a fountaine of wisdom an indeficient power How then saist thou Quid bonum quid pulchrum eins nisi frumentum electorum Questionlesse what of his is good and what of his beautiful but the wheat of his elected wine springing virgins He knew wel what he saide for in this
disdain to view these fading floures these roses with thornes these bees with stings these golden aples of Sodoms loue these Syrens sugered songs conuert thy eies to this blessed Eucharist view in thy Lord a paradise of pleasure beutie without corruption profit without displeasure ioyes without deceit continual delight without satiety and then I know thou wilt breake forth and cry Deus meus omnia my God Psal 72. and al nam gustato spiritu deficit omnis caro for the spirit tasted al flesh faileth TheÌ„ I know thou canst not but direct al thy actions vse all the creatures of God for no other end then his glory for this hart will becom like a flame of fire that burneth al it incountreth conuerteth theÌ„ into fire so thy loue wil thinke speake and worke al for God and in God and consequently loath what the world loueth not for God The thirty seuenth cause to be a confirmation of his testament IT hath bin an vsuall custome with God to confirme and seale his pacts and promises with some sensible sign that by such palpable obiects men might better conceiue remember them For if he promise Noe his posteritie neuer after to ouer flowe the vniuersall earth with a deluge he imprintes his seale in the clouds â—ehes â— for his armes leaueth the rainbow If he promise Abraham to multiply his seed as the stars of heauen and to giue him the land of Canaan he causes him to deuide his sacrifices in two partes and in confirmation Genes 15. of his pacte he sendes a lampe of fire which passeth through the midest of theÌ„ If Moses sent from God giue the law writteÌ„ in tables of stone if he promise to accept them into his peculiar people hee Exod. 24. confirmeth his couenant with a bowell of bloud wherwith he sprinkleth all the people If GOD vsed such stately seales to ratifie his promises to his people in the lawe of Nature and the lawe written questionlesse hee will not omitte them in the lawe of grace where the couenaunt concerneth a greater benefit wherein are comprehended in a more iminent degree al these fauors of God promised in times past the which he sealed so solemnly and therefore in confirmation of this newe testament he instituted this blessed Sacrament and sacrifice Hic est ealix noni testamenti this is the challice of the new testament affirme the three proclaimers of Christs law Mathew Marke and Luke with the Apostle S. Paul But what couenant maketh Christ with his people that he ratifieth with the seale of his owne body and bloud Here Hieremy speaking Hier. 31. by himselfe and by S. Paul or rather God by them both Ecce dies venient dicit dominus Hebr. 8. consummabo super domum Israell super domum Iuda testamentum nouum Behold the daies shall come saith our Lord and I will consummate vppon the house of Israel vpon the house of Iuda a new testament c. see the place In these wordes God promiseth fiue things to his church first that hee wil forgiue al them which enter into it all their offences the which he effecteth by Baptisme and this Sacrament Secondly that they should know God euery one little and great the which he performeth by powring of faith into their soules thirdly that he will write this law not in stone tables as Moses did but in fleshie heartes and consequently they shal be more mollified and pliable to obserue them and not so indurated as the Iewes the which he fulfilleth by induing theÌ„ with charitie Fourthly that he would be their God and they should be his people that he would haue a fatherly prouidence ouer them the which he accomplisheth with his owne presence Ecce ego vobiscum sum vsque ad consummationem Matth. 28. seculi behold I am with ye all dayes euen to the consummation of the world and by sending the holyghost which docebit illam omneÌ„ veritatem he shall Actes 2. 5 Iohn 16. teach her all trueth Finally that he will neuer forsake nor abandon his Church as he did the Iewes Sinagog the which we haue prooued by the continuance of the catholike church from Christs time euen till these our dayes although persecuted by emperours impugned by heretikes troubled by so many euill Catholikes Matth. 16 yet the gates of hell could nothing preuail against it the propagation also of his church was promised by God sealed with his sacrament that this vine tree planted by Christs own hands should delate the branches from sea to sea and to the worlds end the extremities thereof in Psal 79. such sort that rather lande shall faile to propagate this Church then her amplification shall finish Wherefore God shall not be knowne onely in Iudea or Siria but in all the prouinces of the world since we Psal 75. see depriued of these promises the protestants Churches eclipsed for fifteene hundred yeares and concluded in corners of the world in some few Cities of Germany in Geneua and England it is no maruaile if they haue broken the seale of the blessed sacrament where with by infallible assurance the maiestie of God confirmed them But the Catholike Church possessing all holdeth the sacred Eucharist as a perpetuall confirmation the which as 〈◊〉 it was sayde comprehendeth both the significations and signes of all the other promises made and confirmed by God in passed ages For God promised to Noe not to drowne the worlde anie more with water and Christ promiseth heere his Church shall neuer whollie bee ouerflowne with sinne hee tooke for a signe the Rainbow the which the sunne causeth by reflection of beames in watrie cloudes O what a goodly rainbowe the sunne of neuer-fading light effecteth heere what glistering beames of glorie powreth his diuinitie into that sacred humanitie what beautifull raies spring from that glorious soule and adorne with brightnesse and most liuely colours that immortall bodie if it were not for merite of our fayth wee might see through those cloudes of bread and Wine another sorte of Rainbovv then Nature in her most stately circle euer behelde God promised to Abraham to multiplie his seede as the stars of heauen and where are they multiplied but in the Catholike Church hee allotted vnto him the lande of Canaan and heere the kingdome of heauen hee commaunded Abraham to diuide his sacrifice in two partes and sent a Lampe of fire from heauen to passe betvvixt them and what coulde more expresly figure this sacrifice Are not heere diuided by vertue of Consecration the soule from the bodie and the bloud from them both and doth not both the diuinity and soule of Christ not passe but firmely stande in middest of these parts God gaue the law by Moses and promised the people to defeÌ„d protect accept theÌ„ for his but here with a more careful prouidence with a more forcible meanes with more pleÌ„ty of grace with more abundance of
to men issue from an infinite power wisdome and goodnes because they cannot be effected but by God yet this consisteth rather in the manner of their production then in their substance or degree of perfection as for example Christ changed water into Iohn 2. wine in the mariage the manner of working this miacle in an instaÌ„t with a word without the helpe or concourse of any other cause required infinite power yet because the substance of wine the degree and perfection of wine was limitted and contained within the boundes of a speciall creature therfore it required no infinitie of cause or principle and therefore we see a vine can produce wine But if God could create an angel of infinit vertue perfection or grace then not only the manner but also the substance would exact the infinit power of God By this discourse we may plainly conceiue that this gift which GOD hath bestowed vppon vs requireth not only infinit power in the manner of producing it vnder the rindes of bread and wine but also in the very degree and perfection and consequently being a gift proceedeth from no limitred but infinit loue in degree and perfection because the effects being infinit in degree argueth a principle in like proportion and therfore we may wel conclude that this gift and Gods loue weyed both in a ballance haue not one dram of difference What loue can equall this what greater excesse coulde God shew Nam infinitum est vltra quod non est accipere A thing infinite is that that receiueth nothing beyond it If all the loues in the world how ardent how feruent how vehement soeuer were compared with this they would appeare as little sparkes in respect of the vast ocean fier that rouleth vnder the moone But if we adde here vnto the value of this loue the dignitie and worth the vehemencie therof would better appeare For as one droppe of Christs bloud in this sacrifice ought more to be prized then millions of worldes euen so one graine of this loue ought to be preferred before all the loues that euer were are or shal be For which cause our Sauiour saide once Qui amat patrem vel Matâ—h 1â— Luke 14. matrem plus me non est me dignus Hee that loueth father or mother more then mee is not worthy of me that is he deserueth to leese an infinit good an endlesse loue that preferreth a base and limitted loue before mine and for the same cause hee is worthy of eternall hatred who so little accounteth such excesse of friendshippe Fourth Fecâ—nditie BY glaunces of eyes and words of mouÌ„th the heart exalteth the vapours of affections And therefore our Sauiour with eyes like fire and voyce like the sound of many waters discouered to saint Iohn the conditions of his loue by the flame of his eyes the vehemencie by the noyse of his voyce the fecunditie for as the water which falleth from heauen rendeteth the earth fertill and aboundant with flowers and fruit euen so this sacrament embrothereth the soile of our soules with the flowers of vertue and leadeth them with the fruits of good workes Marke sayth S. Ciprian what they do and consider what Cipâ—iaâ—us De coena Domini they doo speake who hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse are satiated hee meaneth with the Eucharist what a holy odour that fulnes breatheth good works decent maners chaste effects quiet senses that internall sinceritie spreadeth abroad But who euer sawe water that restoreth dead trees to life the Eucharist restoreth and therefore it is called panis vitae the bread of life What water could euer preserue Ioh. 6. a tree alwayes in vigour and enable it eternally to beare both floures fruit the Eucharist inableth Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum hee that eateth of Ibidem this bread shall liue for euer What water euer did change the nature of trees and caused a crab tree bring foorth figges or a briar to beare grapes The Eucharist causeth by bridling concupiscences it changeth carnall affection into spirituall and sensualitie into virginite what heauenly dew had euer virtue to make one tree produce al sortes of fruits the Eucharist maketh for by deifying the soule with grace it is disposed by theologicall and morall vertues to effect al good works which are fruit to be presented to the table of God almightie But it is to be considered that the noyse was caused by a multitude of waters for the loue of God doth not onlie fructifie the soule as water but also it washeth it after a much more excellent manner than water and therefore pruneth the trees and trimmeth them This water conuerted into bloud mixt with wine before consecration desired Dauid when he was spotted with sinnes saying Asperges me Psal 50. Hab. 9. Domine hisopo Sprinkle me O Lord with hisope dipt in bloud What blouÌ„d Not of calues nor bulles but figured by them the bloud of Christ And what will it doe lauabis me super niuem dealbabor thou wilt wash me and I shal be whiter than snow for water of life so cleanseth sinnes that it adioyneth a new beautie as if there could be a water which washing a blacke More did not only purge the filth from his face but also added a whitenesse which he neuer had Such effects worketh the Eucharist for it cleanseth not onely the soule from sinne but also adioyneth a colour of gold a supernaturall brightnes a participation of Gods deitie and beautifieth it so exceedingly that it becommeth Diuinae â— Pet. 1. naturae consors partaker of the diuine nature Other waters by washing consume the substance of that they wash but this water is mingled with wine both conuerted into bloud and therefore nourisheth fortifieth and addeth a new vigour to Plut. in Lycurg the soule like that bath of wine Lycurgus ordained to wash yong infants withal immediately after they were borne to fortifie their ioints corroborate their sinewes and with the heate to consume superfluous moysture other waters by clensing other things defile themselues but this water remains in cristal purity rather ioyneth a new lustre of glorifying god Many spots there be in nature which water cannot wash away but there is no stain of the soule but this bloud is able to cleanse it fully Another water concurred to forme that noise which Christs voice resembled that had force to quench the thirst for he that drinketh this coÌ„uerted water shal neuer thirst againe because Christ hath so registred it in S. Iohn qui bibit ex hac aqua Iohn 4. non sitiet in aeternum he that shal drinke of this water shall not thirst for euer for as all medicines require a time for operation so this Sacrament after a small time wil extinguish al inordinate affections fil our souls ab vbertate domus domini from Psal 33. the fruitfulnes of our Lords house Fift Efficacie THe stars which he carried in
that seemeth either against his iustice wisdom or goodnes we ought to bridle our iudgements with these three infinities of wisdoÌ„ goodnes power Secondly for the merite of faith God woulde not discerne the iust from the vniust the good froÌ„ the bad in his visible church for diuers most necessarie and important reasons and therefore it was expedient that all externall and visible meanes shoulde bee common to both for otherwise the elected should haue bin confirmed in grace the reprobate in malice that those could do no ill nor they no good which was contrary to the nature of man Thirdly if God did foresee many would abase this sacrament he did foresee the cause before the effect that is the abuse proceeded not because he did not foresee it but because man would most wickedly abuse it the which was the cause vvhy he did foresee it he therefore Eccleâ— 15 laying before maÌ„ fire vvater good and ill life death who can blame him if men rather burne then bath themselues Lastly such is the goodnes of god that he wil opeÌ„ the treasures of his grace euen vnto the wicked that therby the elected may extol his bounty the reprobate coÌ„etmn their own ingratitude for if wee account those men most vertuous who do good to strangers to wicked men and those that haue smal deserts without doubt the infinite goodnes of God is a sufficient cause to do good to meÌ„ without any deserts at all and therfore no maruel if we tollerate the reprobate to feed vpon his table because his loue is so constant towards the iust that hee will rather permit the reprobate to abuse him then the iust to leese him Seuenth Light Eight Delight HIs face as bright as the sun in the greatest force in the cheefest vertue in the prime of light vnfoldeth many excellent conditions and properties of Gods bright enflamed beautifull loue the which instituted the sacred Eucharist was not blinded with ignorance nor vailed with the clouds of passions nor led in a prodigal error for lack of consideratioÌ„ the which defects do ofteÌ„ inuegle vs because as the sun neuer maketh eclips nor shadow neare it selfe euen so this son of iustice Apud quem Iam. 1. non est transmutatio nec vicissitudinis obumbratio With whoÌ„ is no transmutation not shadowing of alteration cannot be blemished with spot of ignorance blot of error or stain of passion And therfore we must not maruel if we can find out so many and so weighty causes which moued him to institute this sacrament for Amor est ingeniosissimus loue is most inuentiue where it loueth can finde forth infinite meanes to procure conserue increase loue wherefore our blessed sauior Candor lucis aeternae Sap. 7. speculum sine macula the whitenesse of eternal life and the looking glasse without spot was not content that his loue should onely bee beautified with aboundance of light but also he dispersed his raies vpon al those who condignely receiue him into their harts for he knoweth very well that derstanding is the eye of loue and that in blisse we shal loue him best because there we shall know him most By which circumstance of Gods loue wee may inferre the force and perfection therof foâ— hee that with infinit wisedome knew his own maiestie our misery the admirable excellence of this Sacrament the estate of his church the causes of the institution the effects of it the good vses and abuses therof could not but be inflamed with a most ardent fire of loue in granting vs such a benefit For let any man expend in particular and he shall trie this illatiou to bee most manifest To loue and light followeth Delighâ— delight therfor the face of Christ shining like the sunne sheweth what delight is adioyned to Gods loue For one of the chiefest causes of delight we haue vppon earth is the light of the sunne therefore the blinded Tobie to whom day and night were all one could say quale Iob. 5. mihi gandium qui lumen coeli non video what ioy haue I that see not the light of heauen the delight that God conceiued by the institution and effects of this sacrament which he did foresee so profitable for vs so glorious to him without dout was ineffable The which he gaue vs to vnderstand by the good father who ranne to meet his prodigall sonne dum adhuc à longe esset when he was yet farre off and Luke 15. there imbrased and kissed him and after bringing him home with what affection thinke you caused he that vitulum saginatum the fatted calfe a most perfect figure of this sacrament to be killed to reioyce and feast with his sonne if his delights be to dwell with the sonnes of men Dilitiae Proâ—â—b â—â— meae esse cum filijs hominum my delights are to be with the sonnes of men what extreame delight had he to institute the Eucharist the very sinew and ioynt the glew and chaine wherewith he did foresee that men and God should perpetually be linked together in loue and vnitie If hee reioyced Io. 1â—â— to foresee his disciples and the rest of his flocke ioyned in friendship and amitie what extremitie of ioy did possesse that sacred brest when he did see them so vnited with his body and bloud that they had cor vnum animam vnam one hart Actes 2. â—â— one minde and all animated with his diuine life If he that planteth a tree with his owne hands could foresee what excellent fruite it would yeeld what ioy would he receiue in planting of it if the fouÌ„ders of colledges might foreknowe what rare schollers preachers and bishops shuld ascend from these foundations how gratefull would it be vnto them with what alacrity would they proceede in their building euen so our sauiour reioiced greatly foreseeing the admirable good of the Eucharist howe many straying soules by it were to be reduced how many proud and ambitious to become humble and milde howe many as fierce as lions as gentle as lambes how many lasciuious chaste how many coÌ„secrated to gluttony modest and temperate hovv many as brittle as glasse perseuer most constantly in virginity this obiect I say so wonderful for excellencie so gracious for varietie so rare for difficulty so glorious for merit could not but greatly content him whose contentation is to see the compleat contentment of vs. 9 Maiestie 10 Glory 11 Libertie THe brightnesse of Christ face in the â—â—â—th 16. Marke 9. Luke 9. mount of Thabor represented vnto his three best beloued disciples the glory of his maiesty or the maiesty of his glory the same it insinuateth here because he would giue vs therby to vnderstand that his loue is no common or vulgar sort of affection but most marestical glorious This word maiesty questionlesse is more triuiall then vnderstood for I am of opinion that fewe conceiue the depth of the
pricke in their hearts with saying Ite à me maledicti in ignem aternum Ger Matth. 29. ye away from me ye cursed vnto fire euerlasting which once were called Famus distillans labia tua Thy lips are a distilling hony combe Ah loue then wil be changed into hatred and his cheereful lookes Cantic 4. into a frowning countenance Therefore let vs entertaine him with loue here that with the like he may entertaine vs there That God shewed in the Eucharist an extensiue loue and a tender or familiar loue Ca. 10 THe breadth of heauen and the depth of the abisse who can measure the 4. â—sdr 4. vastnesse of the sunne or the vehement brightnesse whether most excelleth if these be hard to determine what shall we say of the feruour of Gods loue whether the extension or intension the vehemencie or the amplenesse the height or the largenes thereof ought more to be esteemed first God hath limited his loue in this sacrament to no citie as he did his sacrifices to Ierusalem to no particular nation as his old Testament recites and ceremonies 3. Reg. â— â— Paâ—al 6. and 7. were contained within the narrow bonds of Iuorie But from the rifing of the sun Psal 75. vnto the setting Non est quae abscondat se à calore eius there is none can hide himself Psal 18. from his heate Ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum Maâ—â—e 1. magnum est nomen meum in gentibus From the rising of the sunne vnto the setting my name is great among Gentiles he restrained it to no definite time as all sacrifices of the Iewes like so many errant plannets were to leese their light in the appearing of the sunne whose light shall neuer faile but first the world shall leese his forme before this sacrifice shall leese 1. Cor. 11. his glorie Moreouer the priests be not determined within the straites of any pedegree as the sacrifices of Moses within the tribe of Leui neither the quantity of bread nor wine our louing sauiour prescribed for consecration but left it freely to the Priests intention to consecrate so much of that which may be preseÌ„t before him as shal seeme good vnto him neither limited he any time but left it to be the receiuers deuotion if they could prepare themselues worthily euery day he is content they should communicate euery day and so thousandes of priests as they daily liue by breathing this vitall aire to conserue their bodies so they daily sucke the bloud from Christs side to feede theyr soules Consider how many masses are said euuerie day in Italy Spaine France Germany Flanders Powland England Ireland Scotland and the East and West Indians where there be now almost as many Catholikes as in all Eupore and vppon sundaies and other feastiuall daies howe many millions coÌ„municate Imagine how these vaines of Christs sacred body like the foure maine riuers that issued out of Paradise giue sufficient refectioÌ„ to al this innumerable multitude if we had the eies of our soules open to view Christs precious body and bloud glorious and shining fixed in this sacrament shining in their breasts we should behold another sort of spangled firmament in earth then wee do see in heauen in the clearest winter night Consider moreouer the fragrant smell the spirituall odour which continually the Catholike Church dispersed through the whole world exalteth from this diuine sacrifice and sendeth vp to heauen in recognoscence of the infinite benefit of Christs passion and the manifold graces we haue receiued from his maiestie If God would declare it with a corporall shew the heauens aire earth would be couered with this sacred insence Blessed be his name for euer who so farre extended the sphere of his loue that he would haue all men at al times of all qualities in all places to be licenced to haue free accesse vnto him in such sort that the verie angels admiring the admirable sweetnesse of the Church presenting her selfe daily in these sacred oblations before the vniuersall court of heauen and wondering how such grateful smels ascend from such barreÌ„ deserts said Quae est ista quae ascendit de deserto diliciâ—s affluens Câ—â—tie 8. enixa super spoÌ„sum who is this which ascendeth from the desart flowing with delights leaning vpon her spouse His His familiar â—out tender affection yeeldeth little to any of the rest for as mothers most tenderly and familiarly deale and conuerse with theyr little infants euen so our blessed sauiour with vs in this sacrament But he farre surpasseth all mothers in the tendernesse of his affection for mothers giue their children cold milke that is indigested bloud but Christ imparteth the best bloud in his breast and besides all his substance Of diuers mothers wee reade who came to that fiercenesse and crueltie that to releeue their famine they embrued theyr hands in their childrens bloud bereauing them of that life that naturally they had once imparted to them but wee neuer read of mother that killed her selfe to feede her children O sweete sauiour thou Psal 101. art the only pellicane thou launch est thy heart to feed thy flocke thou diddest die to nourish thy children with this bloud of life Ah how sweetly dost thou coÌ„uerse with those who deuoutly conuerse with thee Thy conuersation hath no bitternes thy friendship no gall yet few doo feele I know these tender affects of Christ because Sapientia non habitat in terra suauiter viuentium Wisedome dwelleth not in the land of daintie liuers for it is an infallible veritie that the ioyes of Christ and the pleasures of the world cannot consort together The fortie two and last cause to be the ende of all the Sacraments of the olde Testament AS great and maiesticall subiects are signified with many names as God Christ the incarnation blisse this sacracrament because we cannot impose one to signifie them compleatly therefore we supplie this defect with the multitude euerie one signifying a part eueÌ„ so the prouidence of God ordained many simbolicall figures and pictures of sacrifices in the old Testament to depaint the blessed Eucharist because we could not fully coÌ„ceiue the maiestie thereof in one wherefore hee appointed a number Not vnlike to great Princes who are not contented in one card to draw their whole kingdomes but commaund for more distinction euerie prouince and Countrey euerie citie territory to be seuerally described Some sacraments God instituted to signifie the matter or external formes of the Eucharist such were the sacrifice of Melchizedech in bread and wine the bread of proposition Some represented the forme life and soule of this sacrament our blessed sauiour heere offered vnto his father and of this sort were all the lambes sheepe doues turtles and bloudie sacrifices for they both represented the passion of Christ and the incruent sacrifice of the Euch arist which in substance is all one with the passion Others did carrie on
sprinckled vpon their dores much more expresly stirred Vp their faith to feed on Christ then a breakfast of bread wine Thirdly for this argument and many more I find the protestants both in their bookes and conferences most waueâ—ing and not able finally to resolue themselues what to hold yet I heare that Doctour Andrewes hath publikely preached that Christs bodie is there really and manie Protestants I know hold the same opinion But alas how is it possible for any man to eate the bodie of Christ really and not corporally after the maÌ„er of Catholikes defend the bodie of Christ to be really in the sacrament for howe can it be reallie present being really distants as far as heauen from earth or how can the body haue a reall presence and a corporall absence it is euen as much to say as a man may eate really a Capon and yet none of the substance of a Capon which is not intelligible and they themselues know not what they say but fal into manifold absurdities and contradictions for as many as write of their eating of Christ by faith differ from others in declaring how he is eaten by faith and in distinguishing their communion from a good christian breakfast Lastly let them consider of what a treasure they are depriued for it seemeth in verie deede that God in punishment of their errors would abandon them and leaue them destitute of one of the greatest benefits he bestowed vpon mankind Alas by lacking this light they liue in darkenesse by wanting this cloude to repaire them from the scorching flames of concupiscence it is no maruaile if they cannot liue chastly being spoyled of this sinew of charity it is no wonder if dissention raigne among them hauing sent into exile these bowels of mercie for necessity christian charitie fayleth abandoning the only sacrifice of true religioÌ„ conseqneÌ„tly they haue expelled al true deuotion And therefore wee now proue by experience in England that fasting is left praying little accounted mortification reiected almes brought to nothing virginity despised Christian pietie deemed hypocrisie and in sine for lacke of this sacrament and true religion brought in fleshly prudence and Atheisme Finis To the Reader ¶ Pardon discreet reader to many errors escaped in the printing because they hardly could be auoyded the Author beeing absent the Printer being ignorant of our language the stile not vulgar and the Copy not very persect Yet I thought good with all these impediments not to depriue thee of so necessary a medicine howbeit the glasse being something brused Faultes escaped in the text FOlio 1. page 6 for knitting reade omitting 9 for reach reade ouer-reach for geographicall reade astronomicall 10 for exmiruite reade exinanite 11 for the naturall reade their naturall 12 for possible reade as possible 15 for their body reade this body 19 for inuisible reade inuincible 24 for present reade persit 25 for naturall reade supernaturall for viation reade viaticum 26 for to affray reade to affray them for that which that he which 30 for rages reade rayes 32 for imminent reade eminent 35 for purge reade sprinckle 38 to these wordes of his body adde for seperate the bloud from his body and there remaineth c. 40 for extinguishable reade inextinguishable for because in the reade because if in the. 43 for description reade distribution for manna reade Thymiama 44 for not good reade not God 45 for explicable reade inexplicable 47 for disguished reade disgusted for lodge reade loue 48 for iminent reade eminent 50 for intice reade inuire for reprobation reade redemption for proposition reade proportion 52 to these words maintaine them adde storme at it 53 for disguishing reade disgeasting 54 for outward reade inward for the pasture reade pastour 55 for of spring reade to spring 56 for disperse reade dispense 57 for two daies reade forty daies 64 for same reade sunne 67 for sowe reade see for paritie reade purity for loue read lacke 68 for iminent reade eminent 73 for house reade hoast for the scowts read their scowtes 78 for perfection reade imperfections 83 for contents reade he contents 84 for confirme reade conforme for seate reade sutes for attempt reade attempted 85 for their phrases read the pharisees 86 for to fellowes reade to be fellowes 87 for prison reade poyson for sued reade stoode for iuggle reade inueagle 92 for what effect reade what affect 93 for could die read would die for serue men read serue me 95 for sauour reade seruour 97 for rockes reade lockes 98 for profited him more reade profited more 99 for and for reade and offer 100 for sauour reade seruour for like eies reade with eies 102 for exalteth reade exhaleth for leadeth read loadeth for chast effects reade chast affects 106 for I knew reade he knew 107 for we tollerate reade he tollerate 108 for instituted reade instituting 113. for receites read rites 114 for exalteth read exhaleth 116 for to we read to no. 118 for inequall read an equall Marginall faults FOlio 2. Math. 13. place against parables 33 for eccl â—5 reade 35. 35 for Luke 14 reade 19. 42 for against S. August place epl ad Ianuarium against S. Chrysost place lib. 6. de sacerd leaue out zachar 3. 63 against speculum note sap 7. 64 for hom 67 reade 17. 86 against oues boues note psa 8. against magnus dominus note psa 144. 109 for prou 28. reade prou 8. 116 for Iob 2â— place Psa 77 Finis
instituted Exod. 20. a Sacrament for his Church but how plaine was hee in the institution of Baptisme Here he ordained a principal ceremonie Mat. 28. of religion to be practised who Math. 13. knows not how clearely he deliuered the ceremonial law to the Iewes in Leuiticus Here he was priuate with his disciples to whome it was giuen to knowe mysteries although to many others in Parables and therefore it was conuenient in plaine termes to â—eueale this so profound a mysterie to them Here finally Christ made his last wil and testament al men confesse that willes must be most manifest lest the executors should not agree about the sense thereof Therefore Christ giuing a law instituting a sacrament appoynting a religious ceremony conuersing priuately with his disciples and making his last will and testament had sufficient occasion I thinke to conceiue through his infinite wisedome that here was no place for metaphoricall figures symbolicall senses or harsh speeches subiect to sundry interpretations This reason conuiceth my wit so perswadeth my vnderstanding that supposing the thing possible I maruell any man can deny it And therefore since the venty of catholike religion is so true certainely all arguments obiected against it consequently are conuinced to be false whereunto followeth that they may bee answered as in like maner we affirme all arguments which can bee vttered against the holy Trinity to be Paralogismes soluble And for better intelligence and more fuller conceit I meane to propound the chiefest and rather answer them with naturall similitudes or other supernaturall mysteries then seriously assoile them according to the principles of Diuinitie where of most readers are not capable First some will demand how is it possible that such a great bodie as that of Christs with al parts and members shuld be cowched or conueied vnder so little an hoast vnder a crumme of bread or a drop of wine I demaund before I answer if it were not as great a myracle for to make a church or mountaine enter into a hole no greater than a barley corne No man can doubt of it but this I will shew you done by nature Go to the toppe of Paules steeple and there view the country about the mountaines hilles plaines valleis the riuers the gardeins meddowes orchardes churches houses beasts and men heauen aboue and earth beneath now after such a mightie prospect shut your eies and in your mind you shall see all within which before you saw without in the same order situation correspondence and proportion Now I wil inquire by what moÌ„strous gate passed in whole mountaines villages and riuers and pallaces By the smal circle of the apple of the eie no greater than a barly corne But how was God able to cowch such a quantitie or such a masse in so little a moate The reason is because the mountaine entring into the eâ—e putteth on a certaine spirituall garment although the forme of the mountaine imprinted in our eies of it selfe be corporall and extended like other materiall qualities in the subiect This same similitude most aptly declareth the mysterie of Christs bodie in the sacrament because it receiueth a certaine spirituall garment that maketh it to bee in euerie parte of the hoast as the image of the mountaine representeth the whole mountaine in euerie mans eie without confusion or imptoportion I demaund whether is more myraculous to make a man with all his limmes to bee placed in no greater roome than a needles point or a thing which of it selfe is lesse than a needles point without anie addition of substance to be dilated as much as a man The latter we see daily why then do we wonder so much at the former The soule of man requireth no place but of it selfe fully and perfitly can refide in lesse than a needles point yet we see it dilated and spiritually extended as faire as the bodie Yea God himselfe filleth al places whose entire compleate substance requireth no place but wholy may refide in one indiuisible point Is not the highest heauen the vastest bodie and the mightiest masse that euer God created and yet according to the most accepted opinion in the schooles of Philosophers it inhabiteth no place If God by his omnipotencie coulde 4 Mat. 9. make a CAmmell passe through a needles eie who wil denie but that he can put by the same omnipotencie the bodie of Christ in a little hoast Therefore well saide S. Cyprian Panis quem Christus discipulis Cipr. ser de coâ—na Dom. suis porrigebat non effigie sed natura mutatus verbi omnipotentia factus est caro that bread which Christ gaue to his Disciples not chaunged in forme but in nature by the omnipotencie of the worde was made flesh We see that Christ in manie miracles suspended naturall agents from their most proper and necessarie actions as fire Dan. 3. from burning in the furnace of Babylon 4 Reg. 6. the iron from descending in the prophets hatchet S. Peters bodie from drowning Math. 14. when hee walked vppon the water whie may hee not heere suspend the bodie of Christ from extending it in place Pro. Secondly hovv can one bodie be in so manye places at once in Englande France Flaunders Italie c. I answer how is my soule whole in my head whole in my handes whole in my feete If then one soule may bee intire in three places there is no repugnance vvhy one body may not be in diuers places for the repugnaunce is alike in both If you say the soule hath a certain connexion or continuation in the bodie which Christes body hath not in such distant places this auaileth not For who can proue or euer did proue that it is impossible for God to cut off my arme and keepe my soule in it and transfer it into Fraunce or Italie leauing the same soule in my body here in England We heare the Preacher in the Pulpit whose voyce is but one yet fiue hundred receiue it and euery one the same sound in his eare We see in looking glasses if there be a hundred little ones about a great glasse in euery one of them our faces intire Whether is more difficult to conceiue one body in many places or many bodies in one place Surely I thinke no mortall man euer yet could yeeld a sufficient reason but we know most certainly that two bodies were in one place when Christ issued out Luke 2. Math. 27. 28. 10. 20. Mat. 16. Luke â—4 of his mothers wombe reseruing her virginitie when he rose out of the sepulcher it being closed with a mightie stone wheÌ„ he entred to his disciples the dores being shut when he assended vppe to heauen the incorruptible sphears reseruing their places What is more impossible that a body should be in two places or a body putrified and rotten to be restored to all his qualities quantities and other proprieties no doubt but this which wee all beleeue shal be