sacrifices for expiation and cleansing of sin whereas in the New he writes his Law only upon the Soul and Spirit in that he now stipulates only the service of Faith which is an action of the inward man and not of the outward not of the hand or bodily members but of the Soul within For by Law here I suppose is meant the condition which God stipulates in the Covenant and through which he makes good his promise unto us Not as though this spiritual condition was not also required under the Law in the Covenant of Grace then but because it was not only nor so openly therefore is it made as a formal difference of the New Covenant and the Old Secondly On God's part the Scripture shews the difference of the Covenants thus The Old Covenant was a Covenant of worser promises the New a Covenant of better Promises and so a better Covenant Heb. 8. 6. Indeed they in the Old Covenant had the same Spiritual Promises we have and so it was one and the same Covenant but they had them not open and uncovered as we have and so our Covenant is not the same but a better Covenant So S. Paul makes his comparison in the same argument 2 Cor. 3. 11. If that saith he which is done away was so glorious much more that which remaineth As if he had said If the Cover seemed so glorious much more shall the Iewel within so seem when the cover is taken from it as now it is For all the open Promises in the Old Covenant seem to be no other than Temporal blessings as for Spiritual they had them only as enwrapped in them so that they could look for them no otherwise but in and through the Temporal which they had as Pledges of the Spiritual veiled under them But in the New these are all revealed and no longer hid from us by such curtains the veil is taken from the face of Moses and we behold with open face the glory of the Lord as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 3. 14 18. Remission of sins Reconciliation with God Everlasting life these are our Promises not deliverance from Temporal enemies worldly prosperity nor the land of Canaan or long life in the land the Lord hath given us So the case here is quite altered For then Earthly blessings were as Pledges of Spiritual but now unto us Spiritual are Pledges of Temporal so far as God sees good for us For the tenour of the Gospel now is Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you And it is now time we should say with S. Paul Rom. 11. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! and with David Psal. 40. 5. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward and Psal. 92. 5. O Lord how great are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep THUS I come to a second Observation which these words afford us namely If the Fathers ate the same Spiritual Meat and drank the same Spiritual Drink which we do then eat we not the real Body nor drink the real Bloud of Christ For the Manna they ate was the same Manna still though a Sacrament of Christ the Water of the Rock was verily Water still though a Sacrament of his Bloud If then we eat the same Spiritual Bread we eat Bread still though Spiritual Bread If we drink the same Spiritual Drink our Drink is Wine still though Spiritual Wine Yea S. Paul himself calls them as they are 1 Cor. 10. 16. The Bread we break is the communion of the Body of Christ Ergo That which is the communion of the Body of Christ is Bread still And unless it should be so how could there be a Sacrament which must consist of a Sign and a thing signified of an Earthly thing and a Heavenly thing For if the Sign once becomes the thing signified it is no more a Sign and so then is no more a Sacrament If it be urged That Christ himself saies plainly of the Bread Hoc est corpus meum This is my Body of the Wine Hic est sanguis meus This is my Bloud I answer He saies also I am the Door and in my Text is as expresly said The Rock was Christ. If therefore it be absurd from hence to infer the Rock left being a Rock and was made the real Person of Christ so will it be of our Spiritual Bread and Wine For the manner of these speeches is nothing but a Figure of certainty or assurance He that receiveth the Bread as assuredly receiveth Christ Body as if the Bread were his Body He that receiveth the Wine as assuredly enjoyeth the Bloud of Christ as if this Wine were his very Bloud indeed A predication in casu recto is a predication of sameness and therefore is used properly in things which are in a manner the same as Genus and Species Homo est animal but in things which are disparate and of several natures we speak usually in concreto or obliquo and from hâ—â—ce arises a Scheme or Figure of speech when we would express a most near union of things even different yet to speak them in casu recto which is the predication of sameness as it were to express they were as nearly link'd together as if they were the very same So we are wont to say a man is Virtue or Piety it self meaning they are throughly link'd unto him And because of all other things the things in the Sacraments are so assuredly and throughly link'd together the Holy Ghost used this Scheme for a Sacramental speech Hoc est corpus meum and Hic est sanguis meus that is a Sign so sure as if it were the very same AND so I will come to a third Observation The Fathers saith my Text ate the same Spiritual Meat and drank the same Spiritual Drink therefore is our Sacrament also to be eaten and drunk of us and not only offered for us Except we eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud we have no life in us And very fitly For as our Bodies are nourished by eating of corporal meats so our Souls are nourished by the Spiritual feeding upon Christ. This condemns that lurching Sacrifice of the Mass where the Bread and Wine are offered as a Sacrifice for the people but they receive no one jot thereof they are invited to a Banquet but eat never a bit Even like the unbelieving Ruler spoken of 2 Kings 7. 19. who saw all the plenty foretold by Elisha but ate no whit thereof And what is it but as Christ said to light a Candle and put it under a Bushel Matt. 5. 15. They think it is enough if the Priest eats all himself though he gives no body else any with him But it is no less absurd to affirm that another should receive good by the Priest's receiving
Eleemosyna or Alms. The first is done to God immediately and is when we give ought to the use and maintenance of his Worship The Second is done to our Neighbour immediately as when we supply his wants out of our abundance and this is done to God only mediately unless it be done unto the stranger fatherless and widow for they in the old Law were in a special manner Cura Dei God's care together with the Levite Of these two kinds I have hitherto extended the first though I exclude not Alms so far as God is worshipped by the good we do unto our brother I COME now unto the last point I proposed namely The Practice of the ancient Church in the use of this Offering or Oblatory Praise and Thanksgiving at the celebration of the Lord's Supper and here I will shew first What their custom was secondly What ground and reason they had for the same To begin with the first Among the ancient Christians the whole Office of this Sacrament I mean the whole Body of Rites and Actions about the same consisted of three parts namely as they are distinguished by Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was an act of Oblatory praise and prayer by addressing or applying Bread and Wine unto the use of the Sacrament and other Gifts to the use of God's service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrifice the consecration or mystical changing of Bread and Wine thus sanctified into the Body and Bloud of our Lord Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the eating or receiving of the same in sign of Communion with Christ and all the fruits of his Incarnation whence Nazianzen defines this Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Communion of the Incarnation of God To these three acts answer three words To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Oblation hallowed Bread and hallowed Wine but no more To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Consecration the Body and Bloud of the Lord To the third the Communion of the Body and Bloud of the Lord. The first act of common Bread and Wine made holy and sanctified Bread and Wine called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Bread and Wine of Blessing and Thanksgiving The second act of holy Bread and Wine made most holy that is holy signs of the Lord's Body and Bloud The third of holy signs in general holy signs in special applied to the soul of each receiver The first was done by being used to Prayer and Thanksgiving The second by pronouncing the words of Institution at the breaking of the Bread and pouring of the Wine The third by receiving it with Amen or So be it The first and last were acts of Priest and People the second of the Priest alone Thus was there as it were a mutual commerce between God and the People the People giving unto God and God again unto his People the People giving a small Thanksgiving but receiving a great Blessing offering Bread but receiving the Body offering Wine but receiving the mystical Bloud of Christ Iesus I know that the names of these are often confounded all being used for the whole and often one for another but especially the Sacrament it self is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Oblation or Offering by a Metonymic of the matter because the matter was offered Bread and offered Wine For the same reason is it called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eucharist because the matter of it was Eucharistia Bread of Blessing and Thanksgiving not as some think because the End thereof is Thanksgiving It is called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrifice I think of the matter also which was taken out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though some will have it so called because it was a sign of Christ's sacrifice But I return again unto the Oblation which as you have seen was as it were a Prologue unto the Sacrament and had the full nature of the Heave-offering which I have so long spoken of First it was in every part complete having all the degrees or parts of a true offering namely of the Heart of the Tongue and of the Hand all formally expressed in the ancient Liturgies For when the people began to bring their Offering unto the Altar the Priest was to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lift up your hearts to which they answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We lift them up unto the Lord This was the use of those Versicles in ancient time When this was done then came the calves of their lips offered both to Praise and Prayer 1. To Praise and Thanksgiving When the Priest cried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us give thanks unto the Lord the people answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is meet and just we should do so and so they went on to give God thanks or to make a thankful remembrance of the Creation of the World and all things therein for the use of man for the Providence of God in governing the same for the Oeconomy of his Church afore the Law and in the Law recounting in brief as they went the principal Histories of the Bible in all these particulars This part of Oblatory Thanksgiving is now called the Preface in the Mass though something diverse from the ancient But because Christ had commanded that in this service they should chiefly remember him they made in the next place a large Thanksgiving unto God that he so loved the world as to give his own Son for the same that the Son of God would abase himself so low as to take upon him the nature of sinful man and by his death and passion to redeem us out of the jaws of death and pit of hell And this is now for the greater part called The Hymn and here ended The offering of Praise and Thanksgiving 2. Next comes the Offering of Prayer or Prayer with an Offering for Kings and Princes the whole Catholick Church and so along as we have it in our Litany or in the Prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church both which are beaten out of that mint And our Prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church is yet Oblatory if the Rubrick were observed which enjoyns the Church-wardens to gather the Alms of the people and then to make this Vniversal Prayer and in the very beginning thereof we desire Almighty God to accept our Alms and to receive our Prayers In no other sense did the ancient Church use their word Offer so often repeated in those Prayers but that God would accept of their Obedience in thus honouring him and so according to his promise in Christ to hear their Prayers And hence it is that sometimes they say We offer sometimes We beseech thee one expounding the meaning of the other But this is now made to be the Canon of the Mass and all this Offering of Prayer is turned into an Offering of Expiation for the quick and the dead For this offering of
Bread and Wine and Alms being out of use the Priest could apply the word Offer to no other thing but the offering of Christ's Body and Bloud Thus have you seen as briefly as I could the Practice of the ancient Church in their offering of Praise afore the Sacrament for after this was done as ye have heard then came the Sacrament and then the Communion of the same NOW it remains I should shew What ground and reason they had for this Custom which I will do briefly The First ground they seem to have had is from the Office of the Peace-offering or Eucharistical Sacrifice because they were both of the like nature and same end the Iews in the Eucharistical Sacrifice having communion with him who was to come by eating of their Sacrifice as we in this Sacrament have with him who is already come by eating of his Mystical Body and Bloud under the forms of Bread and Wine And because of this affinity they framed the office of the one like unto the office of the other For in every Peace-offering there was first a Terumah of Praise and Thanksgiving both of animalia and cibaria secondly A part of this being reserved for the Priest's use the rest was made a Sacrifice by sprinkling of bloud and burning some part thereof upon the Altar as a Memorial of the whole And in the third place That which was saved from the fire was eaten both of Priest and people This may be seen in the Law of Peace-offerings and the offerings of Consecration and Purification all being of the same Law According to this Pattern was framed the Office of the Sacrament for in this also was first offered a Terumah of Praise and Prayer some part of which being kept for some other holy use the rest was consecrate into a Sacrament and then eaten both of Priest and People The Second reason they have is from the first celebration of this Sacrament by Christ and his Apostles which the Evangelists record thus That Christ took Bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is having made a blessing and a thanksgiving he said Take eat This is my body which is broken for you and then likewise of the Cup and to both adds Do this in remembrance of me In these words of the Story we see three acts plainly expressed 1. A Blessing or Thanksgiving 2. A Consecration of a Sacrament This is my Body c. 3. A Communion or Receiving of the same Take and eat Now because after all this Christ adds Do this in remembrance of me or As often as ye do this do it in remembrance of me it may be a question whether he means that all these acts should be done in remembrance of him or only some one of them The Singular number may argue he meant of some one and then it is a Question which of the three whether he would have the Blessing and Thanksgiving or the Consecration or the Eating done in remembrance of him It may seem not to be meant of the Eating or Communion for the words seem to be spoken before it was and besides the words seem to be spoken of something himself had done which were the two first acts only To be short The most ancient Fathers Iustin Martyr Irenaeus with others if I understand them they understand these words of that first act of Blessing and Thanksgiving as if Christ had said Whereas heretofore in this act of Blessing and Thanksgiving you made a chief remembrance or chiefly gave thanks to God for passing by you when he slew all the first-born of Egypt henceforth in lieu of this ye shall do it in remembrance of me that is you shall give thanks to God for my Incarnation and coming into the world to save mankind for my precious Death and Passion for my glorious Ascension and all the Benefits ye have from me And so the meaning of S. Paul's words expounding the words of Christ As often as ye eat of this bread and drink of this cup ye declare the Lord's death until he come is to be construed after the same manner viz. Not by eating this bread or by drinking this cup but at the eating of this bread and at the drinking of this cup ye use to make a thankful remembrance of the Lord's death meaning that this remembrance or declaration is neither the Form nor the Effect of the Sacrament it self but a Connexum or thing joyned unto it or used at the same time with it For the Form of the Sacrament is a Sign and Communion of the Lord's body the End and Effect the Confirmation of our Faith neither of which seems to be meant by remembring of his death Howsoever it be upon this Exposition the Fathers ground their Oblation of Prayer and Thanksgiving before the Sacrament as a thing injoyned by Christ himself Irenaeus expresly saith That Christ in this his taking bread and giving thanks Novi Testamenti novam docuit oblationem did teach and appoint the New Oblation of the New Testament and that by so doing he taught his disciples Primitias Deo offerre ex suis creaturis non quasi indigenti sed ut ipsi nec infructuosi nec ingrati sint to offer unto God an Heave-offering of his creatures not for that God had any need thereof but that they might not shew themselves ungrateful and unprofitable servants and that of this Malachi prophesied when he saith In every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering If you wonder how it could be so taken I will make it plain as I conceive it thus Where it is said that Christ took bread and gave thanks or made a blessing it may be understood either that he gave thanks to God for the Bread or with the Bread If with the Bread he made an Oblatory thanksgiving or blessing as I have shewed the Ancients did And in this sense the Fathers take the words and Beza himself leans the same way quoting the words of Theophylact That he gave not thanks for the bread but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the bread that is he did an act of Oblatory praise by addressing Bread and Wine to the Lord's use in the Sacrament And that such should be the meaning of the words this reason made great appearance because it is like that Christ used the same kind of Blessing and the same kind of Thanksgiving which the Iews used in the Passeover only changing the End thereof Now their Thanksgiving was by way of Oblation for the Passeover was a kind of Peace-offering in which I have shewed that which was to be a Sacrifice was first offered a Terumah of Thanksgiving whereof the whole Sacrifice was called Eucharistical Whether this be the meaning of the words or no I will not say The End of all this Discourse of Offerings hath been to help my self and others to understand the Fathers rightly and to know the difference of the Romish Mass
Christ but the whole Sacred Action or Solemn Service of the Church assembled whereof this Sacred Mysterie was then a prime and principal part and as it were the Pearl or Iewel of that Ring no publick Service of the Church being without it This observed and remembred I define the Christian Sacrifice ex mente antiquae Ecclesiae according to the meaning of the ancient Church in this manner An Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer to God the Father through Iesus Christ and his Sacrifice commemorated in the Creatures of Bread and Wine wherewith God had first been agniz'd So that this Sacrifice as you see hath a double object or matter first Praise and Prayer which you may call Sacrificium Quod secondly The commemoration of Christ's Sacrifice on the Cross which is Sacrificium Quo the Sacrifice whereby the other is accepted For all the Prayers Thanksgivings and Devotions of a Christian are tendred up unto God in the name of Iesus Christ crucified According whereunto we are wont to conclude our Prayers with Through Iesus Christ our Lord. And this is the specification whereby the Worship of a Christian is distinguisht from that of the Iew. Now that which we in all our Prayers and Thanksgivings do vocally when we say Through Iesus Christ our Lord the ancient Church in her publick and solemn Service did visibly by representing him according as he commanded in the Symbols of his Body and Bloud For there he is commemorated and received by us for the same end for which he was given and suffered for us that through him we receiving forgiveness of our sins God our Father might accept our service and hear our prayers we make unto him What time then so sit and seasonable to commend our devotions unto God as when the Lamb of God lies slain upon the holy Table and we receive visibly though mystically those gracious Pledges of his blessed Body and Bloud This was that Sacrifice of the ancient Church the Fathers so much ring in our ears The Sacrifice of Praise and Prayer through Iesus Christ mystically represented in the Creatures of Bread and Wine But yet we have not all there is one thing more my Definition intimates when I say Through the Sacrifice of Iesus Christ commemorated in the Creatures of Bread and Wine wherewith God had first been agnized The Body and Bloud of Christ were not made of common Bread and common Wine but of Bread and Wine first sanctified by being offered and set before God as a Present to agnize him the Lord and Giver of all according to that The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof and Let no man appear before the Lord emptie Therefore as this Sacrifice consisted of two parts as I told you of Praise and Prayer which in respect of the other I call Sacrificium Quod and of the Commemoration of Christ Crucified which I call Sacrificium Quo so the Symbols of Bread and Wine traversed both being first presented as Symbols of Praise and Thanksgiving to agnize God the Lord of the Creature in the Sacrificium Quod then by invocation of the Holy Ghost made the Symbols of the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Sacrificium Quo. So that the whole Service throughout consisted of a reasonable part and of a material part as of a Soul and a Body of which I shall speak more fully hereafter when I come to prove this I have said by the Testimonies of the Ancients CHAP. III. The words of the Text explained and applied to the foregoing Definition of the Christian Sacrifice Incense denotes the rational part of this Sacrifice Mincha the material part thereof What meant by Mincha purum Two Interpretations of the Purity of the Christian Mincha given by the Fathers a third propounded by the Author AND this is that Sacrifice which Malachi foretold the Gentiles should one day offer unto God In every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Mincha for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of hosts Which Words I am now according to the order I propounded to explicate and apply to my Definition Know therefore that the Prophet in the foregoing words upbraids the Iews with despising and disesteeming their God forasmuch as they offered unto him for sacrifice not of the best but the lame the torn and the sick as though he had not been the great King Creator and Lord of the whole World but some petty God and of an inferiour rank for whom any thing were good enough Vers. 6 7. If I be a Father where is mine honour If I be Dominus where is my fear saith the Lord of Hosts unto you O Priests that despise my name and ye say Wherein have we despised it Ye offer polluted bread upon mine Altar and ye say Wherein have we polluted thee I 'le tell you In that ye say The Table of the Lord is contemptible or not so much to be regarded that is you think so as appears by the baseness of your Offering for the Present shews what esteem the giver hath of him he honoureth therewith But you offer that to me which ye would not think fit to offer to your Prorex or Governour under the King of Persia which shews you have but a mean esteem of me in your hearts and that you believe not I am He that I am It may be because you see me acknowledged of no other Nation but yours and that ye have been subdued by the Gentiles and brought into this miserable and despicable condition wherein you now are you imagine me to be some Topical God and as of small jurisdiction so of little power But know that howsoever I now seem to be but the Lord of a poor Nation yet the days are coming when from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered to my Name and a pure Offering for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts it follows though you have prophaned it in that ye say The Table of the Lord is contemptible whereas I am a great King and my Name shall be dreadful among the Heathen This is the coherence and dependence of the Words Now to apply them Incense as the Scripture it self tells notes the Prayers of the Saints It was also that wherewith the remembrance was made in the Sacrifices or God put in mind Mincha which we turn Munus a Gift or Offering is Oblatio farrea an Offering made of meal or flower baked or fried or dried or parched corn We in our English when we make distinction call it a Meat-offering but might call it a Bread-offering of which the Libamen or the Drink-offering being an indivisible concomitant both are implied under the name Mincha where it alone is named The Application then is easy Incense here notes the
first Council of Nice took Sacrificium purum as appears Can. 5. where they expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pure Gift or Oblation to be that which is offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omni simultate depositâ all malice and hypocrisie and the like instances of an unworthy and ignoble spirit being laid aside But according to this Exposition the Purity of the Christian Sacrifice will not be opposite to the pollution of the Iewish in the same kind as it would if more generally taken but in another kind and so the sense stands thus You will not offer me a pure offering but the Gentiles one day shall and that with a purity of another manner of stamp than that my Law requires of you And thus I have told you the two ways according to which the Ancients understood this Purity and I prefer the latter as I think they did 3. But there is a third Interpretation were it back'd by their Authority which I confess it is not which I would prefer before them both and I think you will wonder with me they should be so silent therein namely that this title of Purity is given to the Christian Mincha in respect of Christ whom it signifies and represents who is a Sacrifice without all spot blemish and imperfection This the Antithesis of this Sacrifice to that of the Iews might seem to imply For the Iews are charged with offering polluted Bread upon God's Altar whereby what is meant the words following tell us If you offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evil and if you offer the lame and sick is it not evil and in the end of the Chapter Cursed be the deceiver who hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing Now if the Sacrifice of the Gentiles be called Pure in opposition to this is it not so called in respect of that most perfect unblemisht and unvaluable Sacrifice it represents Iesus Christ the Lamb of God I leave it to your consideration CHAP. IV. Six Particulars contained in the Definition of the Christian Sacrifice The First viz. That this Christian Service is an Oblation proved out of Antiquity How long the Apostles Age lasted or when it ended Proofs out of the Epistles of Clemens and Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how distinguished in Ignatius The Christian Service is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but improperly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the strict and prime sense of the word THUS having absolved the Two first things I propounded given you a Definition of the Christian Sacrifice and explained the words of my Text I come now to the Third and longest part of my task To prove each particular contained in my Definition by the Testimonies and Authorities of the ancient Fathers and Writers of the first and purest Ages of the Church The Particulars I am to prove are in number Six 1. That this Christian Service is an Oblation and expressed under that Notion by the utmost Antiquity 2. That it is an Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer 3. An Oblation through Iesus Christ commemorated in the creatures of Bread and Wine 4. That this Commemoration of Christ according to the style of the ancient Church is also a Sacrifice 5. That the Body and Bloud of Christ in this Mystical Service was made of Bread and Wine which had first been offered unto God to agnize him the Lord of the Creature 6. That this Sacrifice was placed in Commemoration only of Christ's sacrifice upon the Cross and not in a real offering of his Body and Bloud anew When I shall have proved all these by sufficient Authority I hope you will give me leave to conclude my Definition for true That the Christian Sacrifice ex mente antiquae Ecclesiae according to the meaning of the ancient Church was An Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer to God the Father through the Sacrifice of Iesus Christ commemorated in the Creatures of Bread and Wine wherewith God had first been agnized Let us begin then with the first That this Christian Service is an Oblation and under that notion expressed by all Antiquity The names whereby the Ancient Church called this Service are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oblation Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eucharist a word if rightly understood of equipollent sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sacrifice of Praise a reasonable and unbloudy Sacrifice Sacrificium Mediatoris Sacrificium Altaris Sacrificium pretii nostri Sacrificium Corporis Sanguinis Christi the Sacrifice of our Mediator the Sacrifice of the Altar the Sacrifice of our Ransome the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ. It would be infinite to note all the Places and Authors where and by whom it is thus called The four last are S. Augustine's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are to be found with Iustin Martyr and Irenaeus whose antiquity is the Age next the Apostles But you will say the Fathers even so early had swerved from the style of the Apostolick Age during which these kind of terms were not used as appears by that we find them not any where in their Epistles and Writings But what if the contrary may be evinced That this language was used even while the Apostles yet lived For grant they are neither found in the Acts of the Apostles nor in S. Paul's and S. Peter's Writings yet this proves not they were not used in the Apostles times no more than that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not whose case in this point is the same with the other But know that to confine the Apostles Age within the limits of S. Paul's and S. Peter's lives is a general mistake For the Apostles Age ended not till S. Iohn's death Anno Christi 99. and so lasted as long within a year or thereabouts after S. Paul's and S. Peter's suffering as it was from our Saviour's Ascension to their Deaths that is one and thirty years And this too for the most part was after the Excidium or Destruction of Ierusalem in which time it is likely the Church received no little improvement in Ecclesiastical Rites and Expressions both because it was the time of her greatest increase and because whilest the Iews Polity stood her Polity for its full establishment stood in some sort suspended This appears by S. Iohn's Writings which are the only Scripture written after that time and in which we find two Ecclesiastick terms of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word for the Deity of Christ and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord's day for the first day of the week neither of both seeming to have been in use in S. Paul's and S. Peter's times and why may we not believe the like happened in others and by name in these now questioned Which that I may not seem only to guess I think I can prove by two witnesses which then lived the one Clemens he whose name S.
be eaten at home when thy Fast is ended And thus both shall be salved thou mayest partake of the Sacrifice and withal go on in the performance of thy Devotions * If a Soul be conscious of its guilt and thereupon Conscience be ashamed how shall it dare to pray at the ALTAR Cyprian An. 250. Sect. I. a Being mindful of our common honour and dignity and regardful of the Sacerdotal gravity and holiness we have utterly rejected all that was raked up against you in a Writing that was sent us full of a deal of provoking and reproachful stuff seriously considering and weighing with our selves that in so full and religious an assembly of the Brethren God's Priests being set and the ALTAR placed it was no way fit such libellous criminations should be either read or heard b What then remains but that the Church should yield to the Capitol and that the Priests withdrawing themselves and taking away the Lord's ALTAR Images and Idol-Gods together with their Altars should succeed and take possession of the place proper to the sacred and venerable Bench of our Clergy * Consessus here notes the place as in Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Whenas he ought to make due satisfaction and with earnest supplications prayers and tears both day and night intreat God's mercy does he as yet dare to claim the Sacerdotal dignity which he had betrayed as if it were a fit thing for one to come immediately from the Devil's Altars to the Altar of God d We ought to use our utmost care and industry that such lapsâ—d and apostatiz'd persons do not return again to their charge to the defiling of the ALTAR and the infecting of the Brethren e And moreover we are to consider that as the Eucharist so the Oile also wherewith the baptized ones are anointed is consecrated on the ALTAR But how can any such consecrate the Creature of Oile as have neither ALTAR nor Church And therefore there can be no spiritual unction amongst the Hereticks since it is evident that neither can the Oile be consecrated nor the Eucharist celebrated by such as are Hereticks f But withall the Holy Ghost by Solomon doth foreshew the Type of the Lord's Sacrifice the Oblation there offered and the Bread and Wine as also makes mention of the ALTAR and the Apostles saying Wisdom hath built her self an house and hath set it upon seven pillars She hath killed her Sacrifices she hath mingled her Wine in her Cup she hath also prepared her table and sent forth her servants calling with a loud voice and inviting all unto her Cup saying c. Prov. 9. â— c. * LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * â—XX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a That Christ is the Wisdom of God as also concerning the mystery of his Incarnation and of his Passion and Cup and the ALTAR and the Apostles who being sent preached the Gospel there is a plain Testimony in Solomon's Proverbs viz. Wisdom hath built her self an house and set it upon seven pillars She hath killed her Sacrifices she hath mingled her wine in her cup and prepared her table c. * As Athanasius likewise doth Disp. cont Arâ—um in Con. Nic p. 90. To. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—quit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeno Veronensis An. 260. b Happily nourished and brought up not in ill-sented cradles but within the pleasant Septs of the holy ALTAR Euseb. histor Eccles. l. 10. c. 4. c And placing the most holy ALTAR in the middle that the multitude might be hindred from pressing too near it he compassed it about with a wooden rail of net-work of so curious an artifice as was admirable to behold d Who else besides our Blessed Saviour did ever teach and appoint his Friends and followers to offer Unbloudy and Reasonable Sacrifices such as were to be performed by prayer and the mystical service of blessing and praising God And hence it was that ALTARS were erected and Churches also consecrated throughout all the world as also Intellectual and Reasonable Sacrifices were by all Nations offered up to God the King of the whole world But as for the bloudy and smoaky Sacrifices they are by a secret and invisible power quite extinguished and are no more in use * Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eusebius means the praising of God appears by other passages in this Book and elsewhere where he saith That the Invisible Powers or Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Deo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Demon. adv Iudaeos Gent. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edit Saâ— Tom. 6. p. 635. * Psal. 78. 19. Can God furnish a TABLE in the wilderness See the verse after where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flâ—sh or Food is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mensa a TABLE by the LXX and Vulgar So is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bread or Food rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a TABLE by the LXX twice in 1 Sam. 20. 23 26. al. 24 27. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meat is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 four times in Dan. 1. Sect. 2. * Canones Apost a If any Bishop or Presbyter shall bring to the ALTAR any thing besides what is appointed by our Lord concerning the Christian Sacrifice that is to say besides Bread and Wine be it Honey or Milk or in stead of Wine strong Drink prepared with all possible cost and art or Fowls or any other Creatures besides what is appointed by our Lord let him be deposed Nor let it be lawful to offer any thing at the ALTAR in the time of the holy Oblation or Eucharist besides new corn parched or baked and grapes in their season except it be Oile for the Candlestick and Incense * Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tritici grana fricta aut â—osta Laâ—inâ— Graneas dixere De significatione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. LXX Lev. 2. 14 16. ca. 23. 14. Casaub in Athenaeum lib. 14. 16. Malè hîc Balsamon alii Legumina Couser Can. Syn. Carthag quaehabet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Whether Oile for the Candlestick or Incense a That it is not lawful to offer any thing but Bread and Wine mingled with water at the time of celebrating the holy Mysteries Let nothing else besides the Lord's Body and Bloud be offered as our Lord himself hath ordained that is to say Bread and Wine mingled with water But as for the First-fruits whether of Honey or Milk let them be offered as the manner is upon one solemn and accustomed day at the Baptism of Infants And though these viz. Honey and Milk more especially offered at the ALTAR yet they are to have their proper and peculiar benediction different and apart from the blessing of the Bread and Wine or the consecration of the Lord's Body and Bloud Nor let there be any thing presented as a
than to hold one may be fed by the meat another man eats or be saved by another man's Faith Which were most ridiculous for a man is nourished by his own meat and the just must live by his own Faith Many strong Reasons might be alledged against this so soul a corruption but I will comprise all in three 1. It is against the express commandment of Christ whose words are Eat ye all of this and Drink ye all of this Had the Church of Rome been the true Spouse of Christ she would never have presumed to abolish what he hath ordained and to establish what her self hath devised not only in this but in many other actions which is no less than to advance her self in Wisdom and Authority above the Son of God 2. It is against the nature of a Sacrament which consists in receiving For the main difference between a Sacrifice and a Sacrament is that in the one we give to God in the other God gives to us and we receive of him 3. It abolishes the Mystery of our consolation and that whereby our Faith is strengthened in the use of these Holy Signs that mankind might have an interest in Christ and what he should do on our behalf We know it was required he should be incarnate and take our nature upon him which now he hath done Every one of us can believe that what he hath done is for the behoof of mankind and so some men shall be the better for it since our whole kind by reason of his Incarnation is capable of the benefits of his Passion and the whole work of Redemption But in that though Christ became man yet he took not upon him the nature of every several man hence no man from his Incarnation could apply these Benefits unto himself in special For he might say indeed Christ was made man and so man may be the better for him and have some interest in him but since he was not incarnate into me how should I apply this unto my self Why therefore the All-wise God who knew our weakness hath so ordained in the Mystery of this Holy Sacrament that it is a Mystical Incarnation of Christ into every one who receives it Whence Gregory Nazianzen defines the Eucharist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Communion of the Incarnation of God For in that he affirms the Bread to be his Body and the Wine to be his Bloud by receiving this Body and Bloud of Christ and so changing it into the substance of our Body and into our Bloud by way of nourishment the Body of Christ becomes our Body and his Bloud is made our Bloud and we become in a Mystical manner flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone And as in his conception of the Holy Virgin he took upon him the nature of Man that he might save Man so in his Holy Sacrament he takes upon him the nature of every man in singular that he might save every man who becomes him in the Divine Sacrament of his Body and Bloud His real Incarnation was only in one but his Mystical Incarnation in many and hence comes this Sacrament to be an Instrument whereby Christ is conveyed unto us his Benefits applied and so our Faith confirmed How then do they abolish this Holy Mystery this comfortable Analogy where Christ is offered but those for whom he is offered receive him not but stand as gazing Spectators whilst the Priest alone is the Actor But let us who are so happy above them who come hither as Receivers and not as Gazers let us I say consider how great a Gift it is which God gives us Zaccheus gave a great Gift half his Goods unto the Poor Herod promised a greater unto the dancing Damsel but the greatest of all is that which the prodigal giver offered our Saviour even all the Kingdoms of the World But all these Gifts are faln short and of infinite less value than this transcendent Gift which God gives unto us which makes S. Iohn when he speaks of it to express it with an Emphasis So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life Lo here the greatest Gift that Heaven can yield or the Earth can receive Let us therefore stir up Hearts and Hands to give thanks and praise unto him of whom we receive so wonderful a Gift saying with the Prophet David What shall we render unto the Lord for this admirable benefit AND thus I come to a fourth Observation which these words will lend us namely That the Apostle warrants here by his Example the Illustration of things in the Gospel by the Types of the Law For if the Apostle uses an Example where one would scarce suspect there was a Tppe much more doth he approve an application where a Type is plain and evident and besides seems to insinuate thus much unto us That all the extraordinary actions of God toward his ancient People had in them some Mystery of some things to come as this of Manna in the Wilderness And I make no question but the searching and suting of Allegories in these two kinds were allowable and profitable But this is the errour of Allegorizers They seek Allegories where they are not but where they are they seldom look for them For although the body and verity be of it self more clear and evident than the shadow yet always a Comparison affords more light than a single contemplation Now because the Apostle hath led the way of this practice in the matter of the Eucharist let me have leave to second him in another Instance of the same Argument almost out of himself in the Chapter not in so sublime a kind but in a plain and vulgar Type Amongst all the Sacrifice of the Law there is none either for name or nature comes so near the Sacrament of the Supper as the Eucharistical The Passeover was a special kind hereof where it is so well known that the Fathers ate the same Spiritual Meat we do that I shall not need say any thing of it only it shall suffice to shew the same in the whole kind of Eucharistical Offerings which is not so much observed An Eucharistical Sacrifice or a Peace-offering was a Sacrifice of fire or expiatory a part whereof was burnt upon the Altar as in other Sacrifices but the remainder and greater part was eaten by the faithful people who brought it that so their Sacrifice being turned into their bodie 's nourishment might be a Sign of their incorporation into Christ to come who was the true Sacrifice for Sin So whereas other Sacrifices were only Sacrifices this was also a Sacrament the rest were only for Expiation but this also for application being a Communion of that Sacrifice which was offered Rightly therefore was it added to all other Sacrifices for what profit was there of expiation of Sin unless it were applied
from this ancient Terumah of Thanksgiving and Prayer which I will briefly point at and so make an end 1. This Offering of the Fathers was before the Consecration the Mass is after 2. This was of bare and naked Bread and Wine the Mass of the Body and Bloud of Christ. 3. This was an Heave-offering of Praise and Prayer the Mass is an Offering of Expiation or a price of redemption for the quick and dead 4. This was an act of all the Faithful but the Mass is of the Priest alone DISCOURSE LII REVEL 3. 19. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Be zealous therefore and repent THESE words are part of one of the Seven Epistles sent by Christ unto the Seven Churches in Asia namely an Exhortation unto the Church of Laodicea whose disease was Lukewarmness and want of Fervency in the matter of Religion and that accompanied with Security arising from presumption of Gods love through the abundance of his outward blessings bestowed upon them vers 17. That therefore which they abused as an Argument why they might be secure as being God's darling and so much beloved in my Text is retorted unto them as an Argument of fear of some Chastisement near unto them and even hanging over their heads For those whom God loveth he chastiseth Certain therefore it was that they should erelong feel the Scourge of God unless they should timely rouze themselves out of their lazy devotions out of the hateful and dangerous temper of Lukewarmness unless they should blow up the fire of Zeal to love and worship God with all earnestness and fervency in sum unless they would amend that grievous fault by Repentance for As many as I love saith Christ I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent It belongs not much to our purpose to enquire Whether those seven Epistles concern historically and literally only the Churches here named or Whether they were intended for Types of Churches or Ages of the Church afterwards to come It shall be sufficient to say That if we consider their Number being Seven which is a number of revolution of Times and therefore in this Book the Seals Trumpets and Vials also are seven or if we consider the choice of the Holy Ghost in that he taketh neither all no nor the most famous Churches then in the world as Antioch Alexandria Rome and many other and such no doubt as had need of instruction as well as those here named if these things be well considered it will seem that these Seven Churches besides their Literal respect were intended and it may be chiefly to be as Patterns and Types of the several Ages of the Catholick Church from the beginning thereof unto the end of the World that so these Seven Churches should Prophetically sample unto us a sevenfold Temper and Constitution of the whole Church according to the several Ages thereof answering the Pattern of the Churches named here For as in the course of Man's life diversity of ages hath diverse manners and conditions so was it to be with the Church of Christ Yea and as some Diseases are in regard of predominancy proper unto some men and not to others so is it with the Church All of these with their praises if good and remedies if evil are pourtrayed in these Seven Epistles unto the Seven Churches Nay not only the whole Church but even particular Churches have their Ages Manners and Conditions answerable unto the whole Body They have likewise their Infancy Youth Virility and old age with their several Constitutions Conditions and Diseases The first age and spring-time of both like unto Ephesus full of patience labour tolerancy and zeal The last and old age like unto Laodicea in abundance of all external things Lukewarm and neither hot nor cold That which the Poet saies of the disposition of old men Nullus Senex veneratur Iovem being more true of Churches as they grow old their zeal grows cold also So that in this regard my Text will not be unseasonable if the Times wherein we live be either the Last times as most men think or near upon the Last as no man will deny Howsoever since no Condition Temper or Disease is so proper to any one Age but that it is found sometime more or less in all So may this of Lukewarmness be with us what time soever of our age it be and therefore no question but we may in Laodicea as in a lively Example clearly read our own state and learn wisdom Without any longer Preface therefore I come unto the Words themselves which contain First God's rule Those whom he loves he rebukes and chastens Secondly Our and his Churches duty We must be zealous and repent Lastly The Connexion of these two Because those whom God loves he will rebuke and chasten for their sin especially Lukewarmness We must therefore be zealous and repent To begin with the first God's rule As many as I love I rebuke and chasten The words need no great explanation the two last I rebuke and chasten are rendred for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I rebuke notes a reproving and convincing by Argument the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I chasten notes such a correction as Fathers give their children not to hurt them but to amend them which we use to call a discipling a punishment of discipline intended ad correctionem non ad destructionem So that the meaning is Those whom I love if after I have long reproved them and convinced them of sin by my Word and Ministers all be but in vain then I use to chastise them with my rod to afflict them with some scourge of my discipline even as a Father doth the child whom he loveth Come we therefore to the Observations these words afford us The first whereof is That God chastises his children out of love and for their good For all the actions of God towards those he loves must needs be out of love and whatsoever he doth out of love must be for the good of those he loveth Indeed men for want of wisdom often do out of love that which hurts as the Proverb is they kill with kindness But with God it is otherwise He wants not skill to know what is best for his beloved as men do and therefore as certain it is that his chastisements shall end with our profit as we are sure they spring from our sins The ignorance of this point makes many to err and with the friends of Iob to judge amiss of God's love and hate towards men But we must know that God hath two sorts of arrows Arrows of judgment and Arrows of mercy the first he shoots against those he hates Psal. 7. 13. Ps. 144. 6. the other he shoots at his own even those whom he loves and therewith he wounds them that he may cure them and such as these may apply to themselves the words of the Spouse in the
condemned at the last day not for reaving the meat from the hungry but for not seeding their poor brethren not for stripping the naked out of his cloaths but for not cloathing him It will not be enough for thee that thou bringest forth no bad fruit but thou must bring forth good fruit Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen down and cast into the fire What if thou steal not from thy brother yet if thou open not thy hand to help and succour him thou art a Robber What if thou dost neither lie nor swear yet if thou makest not thy mouth a glorious organ and thy tongue a trumpet to sound forth and proclaim the love and mercy of God thou art a deep and a round offender What if no man can condemn thee for any evil yet unless God and thine own conscience shall commend thee for some good thou hast done thou art far from any Assurance of Faith or Knowing thou knowest Christ to be thy Redeemer The End of the First Book THE SECOND BOOK OF THE WORKS OF The Pious and Profoundly-Learned Ioseph Mede B. D. SOMETIME Fellow of CHRIST'S Colledge in CAMBRIDGE CONTAINING SEVERAL DISCOURSES AND TREATISES OF CHURCHES AND The Worship of God therein Horat. de Arte Poet. Fuit haec Sapientia quondam Publica privatis secernere sacra profanis Corrected and Enlarged according to the Author 's own Manuscripts THE CONTENTS OF THE SECOND BOOK Of Churches 1 COR. 11. 22. Have ye not Houses to eat and drink in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or despise ye the Church of God pag. 319 The Reverence of God's House ECCLES 5. 1. Look to thy foot or feet when thou comest to the House of God and be more ready to obey than to offer the Sacrifice of fools pag. 340 The Christian Sacrifice MALACHI 1. 11. From the rising of the Sun even unto the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts CHAP. I. The Text a Prophecy of the Christian Sacrifice according to the judgment of the ancient Fathers in the Second Third and Fourth Centuries The difficulty of explaining the Christian Sacrifice The Reasons of this difficulty The Method and Order propounded for this Discourse pag. 355 CHAP. II. The Christian Sacrifice defined and briefly explained The two parts or double Object of this Sacrifice What meant by Sacrificium Quod what by Sacrificium Quo. pag. 356 CHAP. III. The words of the Text explained and applied to the foregoing Definition of the Christian Sacrifice Incense denotes the rational part of this Sacrifice Mincha the material part thereof What meant by Mincha purum Two Interpretations of the Purity of the Christian Mincha given by the Fathers a third propounded by the Author pag. 357 CHAP. IV. Six Particulars contained in the Definition of the Christian Sacrifice The First viz. That this Christian Service is an Oblation proved out of Antiquity How long the Apostles Age lasted or when it ended Proofs out of the Epistles of Clemens and Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how distinguished in Ignatius The Christian Service is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but improperly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the strict and prime sense of the word pag. 360 CHAP. V. The Second Particular That the Christian Sacrifice is an Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer proved from Iustin Martyr Tertullian Clemens Alexandr c. The Altar or Holy Table anciently the place of the publick Prayers of the Church Prayer Oblation and Sacrifice promiscuously used by the Fathers when they speak of the Christian Sacrifice The Conjunction of Prayer and the Eucharist argued from Acts 2. 42. and from Ignatius ad Ephes. The three parts of which the Christian Synaxis consisted pag. 362 CHAP. VI. The Third Particular That the Christian Sacrifice is an Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer through Iesus Christ Commemorated in the Creatures of Bread and Wine Sacrifices under the Law were Rites to invocate God by That the Eucharist is a Rite to give thanks and invocate God by proved from several Testimonies of the Fathers and the Greek Liturgies A passage out of Mr. Perkins agreeable to this notion What meant by that usual expression of the Ancients speaking of the Eucharist Through Iesus Christ the great High Priest By Nomen Dei in Mal. 1. Iustin M. and Irenaeus understood Christ. Why in the Eucharist Prayers were to be directed to God the Father pag. 365. CHAP. VII The Fourth particular That the Commemoration of Christ in the Creatures of Bread and Wine in the Eucharist is a Sacrifice according to the style of the ancient Church How Sacrifices are distinguished from all other Offerings A Sacrifice defined The Universal Custom of mankind to contract or confirm Covenants and Friendship by eating and drinking together This illustrated from Testimonies of Scripture and humane Authors Sacrifices were Federal Feasts wherein God and men did feast together in token of amity and friendship What was God's Mess or portion in the Sacrifices The different Laws of Burnt-offerings Sin-and-Trespass-offerings and the Peace-offerings Burnt-offerings had Meat and Drink-offerings annexed to them and were regularly accompanied with Peace-offerings That Sacrifices were Feasts of amity between God and men proved by four Arguments The reason of these phrases Secare foedus and Icere foedus That in those Sacrificial Feasts and also in the Eucharist God is to be considered as the Convivator and Man as the Conviva This cleared by several passages in this as also in the following Chapter pag. 369. CHAP. VIII The Fifth Particular That the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Eucharist was made of Bread and Wine which had first been offered to God to agnize him the Lord of the Creature This proved from the Testimonies of Antiquity next to the Apostles times and from ancient Liturgies as also from the Fathers arguing from this Oblation of the Creature in the Eucharist to God that the Father of Christ was the Creator of the world in confutation of some Hereticks in their days and lastly from S. Paul's parallel of the Lord's Supper and the Sacrifices of the Gentiles Two Questions answered 1. Whence may it appear that our Saviour at the Institution of the Eucharist did first offer the Bread and Wine to God to agnize him the Lord of the Creature 2. Is not the celebration of the Eucharist in the Western Churches whether the Reformed or the Roman therefore defective because no such Oblation is there in use pag. 372. CHAP. IX The Sixth Particular That Christ is offered in the Eucharist Commemoratively only and not otherwise This Commemorative Sacrifice or the Commemoration in the Eucharist explained That Christ is offered by way of Commemoration only was the sense of the ancient Church This proved from ancient
Paul says was written in the Book of life and the other Ignatius Clemens in his undoubted Epistle ad Corinthios a long time missing but now of late come again to light In this Epistle the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is three times used of the Christian Service Pag. 52. All those duties saith he which the Lord hath commanded us to do we ought to do them regularly and orderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Oblations and divine Services to celebrate them on set and appointed times And a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They therefore that perform their Oblations on set and appointed times are acceptable to God and blessed for observing the Commandments of the Lord they offend not The other Ignatius in his Epistle ad Smyrnenses hath both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non licet saith he absque Episcopo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not lawful without the Bishop either to baptize or to celebrate the Sacrifice or to communicate Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he calls in a stricter sense the first part of this sacred and mystical Service to wit the Thanksgiving wherein the Bread and the Wine as I told you were offered unto God to agnize his Dominion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he calls the mystical Commemoration of Christ's Body and Bloud and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the receiving and participation of the same For know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are sometimes used for the whole Action and sometimes thus distinguished Of the genuineness of this Epistle the learned doubt not but if any one do I suppose they will grant that Theodoret had his genuine Epistles Let them hear then a passage which he in his third Dialogue cites out of the Epistles of Ignatius against some Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do not admit or allow of Eucharists and Oblations because they do not acknowledge the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Iesus Christ which suffered for our sins Here you see Oblations and Eucharists exegetically joyned together And so I think I have proved these terms of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have been in use in the Church in the latter part of the Apostles Age. But what if one of them namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were used sooner even in S. Paul's and S. Peter's time In the first Epistle of Peter chap. 2. 5. You are saith he speaking to the Body of the Church an holy Priesthood to offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual Sacrifices to God by Iesus Christ. In the Epistle to the Heb. 13. 15. By him that is through Christ our Altar let us offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice of praise to God continually Why should I not think S. Paul and S. Peter speak here of the solemn and publick Service of Christians wherein the Passion of Christ was commemorated I am sure the Fathers frequently call this sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice of Praise And in some ancient Liturgies immediately before the Consecration the Church gives thanks unto God for chufing them to be an holy Priesthood to offer sacrifices unto him as it were alluding to S. Peter Thus you see first or last or both the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were no strangers to the Apostles Age. I will now make but one Quaere and answer it and so conclude this point Whether these words or names were used seeing they were used properly or improperly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the subject we speak of I answer briefly This Christian Service as we have defined it is an Oblation properly For wheresoever any thing is tendred or presented unto God there is truly and properly an Oblation be it spiritual or visible it matters not for Oblatio is the Genus and Irenaeus tells me here Non genus oblationum reprobatum est oblationes enim illic oblationes autem hîc sacrificia in populo sacrificia in Ecclesia sed species immutata est tantúm For Offerings in the general are not reprobated there were Offerings there viz. in the Old Testament there are also Offerings here viz. in the New Testament there were Sacrifices among the people that is the Iews there are Sacrifices also in the Church but the Specification only is changed But as for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrifice according to its prime signification it signifies a Slaughter-offering as in Hebrew so in Greek of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 macto to slay as the Angel Acts 10. 13. says to S. Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peter kill and eat Now we in our Christian Service slay no offering but commemorate him only that was slain and offered upon the Cross Therefore our Service is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 improperly and Metaphorically But if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be Synecdochically taken for an Offering in general as it is both in the New Testament and elsewhere then the Christian Sacrifice is as truly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHAP. V. The Second Particular That the Christian Sacrifice is an Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer proved from Iustin Martyr Tertullian Clemens Alexand c. The Altar or Holy Table anciently the place of the publick Prayers of the Church Prayer Oblation and Sacrifice promiscuously used by the Fathers when they speak of the Christian Sacrifice The Conjunction of Prayer and the Eucharist argued from Acts 2. 42. and from Ignatius ad Ephes. The three parts of which the Christian Synaxis consisted NOW I come to the Second particular contained in my Definition To prove that the Christian Sacrifice according to the meaning of the ancient Church is an Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer My first Author shall be Iustin Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Iew where to the Evasion of the Iews labouring to bereave the Christians of this Text by saying it was meant of the Prayers which the dispersed Iews at that time offered unto God in all places where they lived among the Gentiles which Sacrifices though they wanted the material Rite yet were more acceptable unto God in regard of their sincerity than those prophaned ones at Ierusalem and not that here was meant any Sacrifice which the Gentiles should offer to the God of Israel to this Evasion Iustin replies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Prayers and Thanksgivings made by those that are worthy are the only Sacrifices that are perfect and acceptable unto God I do also affirm for these are the only Sacrifices which Christians have been taught they should perform If you ask where and how he tells you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that thankful remembrance of their food both dry and liquid wherein also is commemorated the Passion which the Son of God suffered by
himself It is a description of the Eucharist wherein as I have already told you the Bread and Wine were first presented unto God as the Primitiae or a kind of First-fruit-Offering to agnize him the Giver of our Food both dry and liquid and then consecrated to be the Symbols of the Body and Bloud of Christ. My next Author shall be Tertullian ad Scap. in the place before alledged Sacrificamus saith he pro salute Imperatoris sed quomodo praecepit Deus purâ prece Non enim eget Deus Conditor Vniversitatis odoris sanguinis alicujus haec enim Daemoniorum pabula sunt The Gentiles so thought that their Gods were refreshed and nourisht with the smell and savour of their Sacrifices Besides in his third Book contra Marcionem cap. 22. In omni loco sacrificium nomini meo offertur sacrificium mundum to wit saith he Gloriae relatio benedictio laus hymni and Lib. 4. cap. 1. Sacrificium mundum scilicet simplex oratio de conscientia pura Thirdly Clemens Alexandrinus Lib. 7. Stromat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We Christians honour God by Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this we send up unto him as the best and holiest Sacrifice honouring him by that most sacred Word whereby we receive knowledge that is by Christ. Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sacrifice of the Church is an oration exhaled from sanctified souls He speaks not of the private Prayer of every Christian but of the publick Prayer of the Church as a Body as will be evident to him that reads the place and appears by the words quoted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sacrifice of the Church and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exhaled not from a sanctified soul but from sanctified souls For to private Prayer was not given this title of the Christian Sacrifice but unto the publick which the Church offered unto God when she presented her self before him as one Body in Christ by the mystical Communication of his Body and Bloud This my next Author Cyprian will make plain in his 16 Epist. ad Mosen Maximum Nos quidem saith he vestri diebus noctibus memores quando in sacrificiis precem cum pluribus facimus cum in secessu privatis precibus oramus We indeed are mindful of you day and night both when we in our Sacrifices pray publickly with others and when we pray privately in our retirements where we see the Sacrifice of Prayer to be cùm precent cum pluribus facimus and distinguisht from that we do cùm in secessu privatis precibus oramus These Authorities are all within the first three hundred years to which I will add one of the fourth Optatus Milevitanns Lib. 6. contra Parmenianum where he thus expostulates with the Donatists for breaking and defacing the Altars of the Catholicks Quid est enim tam sacrilegum saith he quà m Altaria Dei in quibus vos aliquando obtulistis frangere radere removere in quibus Vota Populi Membra Christi portata sunt quò Deus omnipotens invocatus sit For what is there so sacrilegious as to break and deface nay and quite take away the Altars of God whereon ye your selves have sometimes offered those Altars which did bear both the Prayers of the People and the Body and Bloud of Christ that so Almighty God might be invocated Mark here Altaria in quibus Vota populi Membra Christi portata sunt and gather hence what parts the Christian Sacrifice consisted of Vota populi are the Prayers of the Church Membra Christi the Body and Bloud of Christi which the Prayers were offered with both of them upon the Altar For it is worthy your notice That the ancient Church had no other Place whereat she offered her publick Prayers and Orisons but that whereon the memory of the Body and Bloud of Christ was celebrated that as they were joyned in their Use so they might not be severed in their Place According to which use and agreeable to this passage of Optatus speaks the Council of Rhemes commanding the Table of Christ that is the Altar to be reverenced and honoured Quia Corpus Domini ibi consecratur sanguis ejus hauritur Preces quoque Vota populi in conspectu Dei à Sacerdote offeruntur Because there the Body of Christ is consecrated and his Bloud is drunk there also the Prayers and Desires of the People are offered up by the Priest before God Furthermore That the Christian Sacrifice was an Oblation of Prayer and consisted in Invocation is also another way to be evinc'd namely Because the Fathers when they speak thereof use the terms of Prayer Oblation and Sacrifice promiscuously and interchangeably one for the other as words importing the same thing Tertullian Exhort ad Cast. disswading a Widower from marrying again because it would be uncomely in the Sacrifice of the Church to make mention as the manner then was of more Wives than one and that too by the mouth of an once-married Priest speaks thus Neque enim pristinam poteris odisse cui etiam religiostorem reservas affectionem ut jam receptae apud Dominum pro cujus spiritu postulas pro qua oblationes annuas reddis Stabis ergo ad Dominum cum tot uxoribus quoi in oratione commemoras offeres pro duabus commendabis illas duas per Sacerdotem de monogamia ordinatum circundatum virginibus univiris ascendet sacrificium tuum cum liberâ fronte For thou canst not hate thy former wife for whom thou reservest a more religious affection as being received already with the Lord for whose spirit thou makest request for whom thou rendrest yearly Oblations Wilt thou then stand before the Lord with as many wives as in thy prayers thou makest mention of and wilt thou offer for two and commend those two by a Priest ordained after his having been but once-married encompassed with virgins and with women but once married and shall thy Sacrifice ascend freely and confidently Here postulatio and oblatio oratio and offerre oratio and sacrificium are interchangeably put one for the other So also in his Book De Oratione are Oratio and Sacrificium where he speaks of the kiss of Peace and Reconcilement used at the Eucharist Quae oratio saith he cum divortio sancti osculi integra quale sacrificium à quo sine pace receditur What Prayer can be complete that is without the holy kiss what a kind of Sacrifice is that from which Christians come away without the kiss of Peace Augustine De Civit. Dei Lib. 8. cap. 27. speaking of the honour of Martyrs Nec Martyribus saith he sacrificia constituimus quis audivit aliquando fidelium stantem Sacerdotem ad Altare etiam super sanctum corpus Martyris ad Dei honorem cultúmque constructum dicere in Precibus Offero tibi sacrificium Petre vel Paule c. We do not sacrifice
to Martyrs Who among the faithful while the Priest was standing at the Altar built for the honour and worship of God nay though it were over the holy body of the Martyr I say who ever heard the Priest to say thus in Prayer To thee O Peter or O Paul do I offer Sacrifice Here Sacrificium is expounded by Preces and Preces put for Sacrificium And Lib. 22. cap. 8. concerning one Hesperius a man of quality in the City whereof Austin was Bishop who by the affliction of his cattel and servants perceiving his Country-Grange liable to some malignant power of evil spirits Rogavit nostros saith S. Austin me absente Presbyteros ut aliquis eorum illò pergeret cujus orationibus cederent Perrexit unus obtulit ibi sacrificium corporis Christi orans quantum potuit ut cessaret illa vexatio Deo protinus miserante cessavit He entreated our Presbyters in my absence that some one of them would go to the place through the prevalency of whose Prayers he hoped the evil spirits would be forced away Accordingly one of them went thither and offered there the Sacrifice of Christ's Body praying earnestly with all his might for the ceasing of that fore affliction and it ceased forthwith through God's mercy The Priest was entreated to pray there he went and offered sacrifice and so prayed For this reason the Christian Sacrifice is among the Fathers by way of distinction called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrificium laudis that is of Confession and Invocation of God namely to difference it from those of Bloud and Incense Augustine Lib. 1. contra Adversarium Legis Prophetarum cap. 20. Ecclesia immolat Deo in corpore Christi sacrificium laudis ex quo Deus Deorum locutus vocavit terram à Solis ortu usque ab occasum The Church offereth to God the Sacrifice of praise ever since the fulfilling of that in Psalm 50. The God of Gods hath spoken and called the earth from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof Again Epist. 86. Sacrificium laudis ab Ecclesia toto orbe diffusa diebus omnibus immolatur The Sacrifice of Praise is continually offered by the Christian Church dispersed all the world over And elsewhere And amongst the Greek Fathers this term is so frequent as I shall not need to quote any of them Now this joyning of the Prayers of the Church with the mystical commemoration of Christ in the Sacrament of his Body and Bloud was no after-Invention of the Fathers but took its original from the Apostles times and the very beginning of Christianity For so we read of the first believers Acts 2. 42. that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar Latine turns Erant autem perseverantes in doctrina Apostolorum communicatione fractionis panis orationibus And they persevered in the doctrine of the Apostles and in the communication of the breaking of bread and Prayers but the Syriack Perseverantes erant in doctrina Apostolorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicabant in oratione fractione Eucharistiae They persevered in the doctrine of the Apostles and communicated in Prayer and in breaking of the Eucharist that is They were assiduous and constant in hearing the Apostles and in celebrating the Christian Sacrifice Both which Translations teach us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Breaking of Bread and Prayers are to be referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communion as the Exegesis thereof namely that this Communion of the Church consisted in the Breaking of Bread and Prayers and so the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Exegetically taken as if the Greek were rendred thus Erant perseverantes in audienda doctrina Apostolorum in communicatione videlicet fractione panis orationibus And who knows not that the Synaxis of the ancient Christians consisted of these three parts Of hearing the Word of God of Prayers and Commemoration of Christ in the Eucharist Our Translation therefore here is not so right which refers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and translates it The fellowship of the Apostles The Antiquity also of this conjunction we speak of appears out of Ignatius in his Epistle to the Ephesians where speaking of the damage which Schismaticks incur by dividing themselves from the communion of the Church he utters it in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man saith he deceive himself unless a man be within the Altar he is deprived of the Bread of God And if the prayer of one or two be of that force as to set Christ in the midst of them how much more shall the joynt-prayer of the Bishop and whole Church sent up unto God prevail with him to grant us all our requests in Christ These words of Ignatius directly imply that the Altar was the place as of the Bread of God so of the Publick Prayers of the Church and that they were so nearly linked together that he that was not within the Altar that is who should be divided therefrom had no benefit of either CHAP. VI. The Third Particular That the Christian Sacrifice is an Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer through Iesus Christ Commemorated in the Creatures of Bread and Wine Sacrifices under the Law were Rites to invocate God by That the Eucharist is a Rite to give thanks and invocate God by proved from several Testimonies of the Fathers and the Greek Liturgies A passage out of Mr. Perkins agreeable to this notion What meant by that usual expression of the Ancients speaking of the Eucharist Through Iesus Christ the great High-Priest By Nomen Dei in Mal. 1. Iustin Martyr and Irenaeus understood Christ. Why in the Eucharist Prayers were to be directed to God the Father THE second Particular thus proved the Third comes next in place which is I That this Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer was made through Iesus Christ commemorated in the creatures of Bread and Wine Namely they believed that our Blessed Saviour ordained this Sacrament of his Body and Bloud as a Rite to bless and invocate his Father by in stead of the manifold and bloudy Sacrifices of the Law For That those bloudy Sacrifices of the Law were Rites to invocate God by is a Truth though not so vulgarly known yet undeniable and may on the Gentiles behalf be proved out of Homer and other Authors on the Iews by that speech of Saul 1 Sam. 13. 12. when Samuel expostulated with him for having offered a burnt-offering I said saith he The Philistines will come down upon me to Gilgal and I have not made supplication to the Lord I forced my self therefore and offered a burnt-offering upon which place Kimchi notes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifice was a Rite or Medium whereby Prayer was usually presented unto God The same is likewise true of their Hymns and Doxologies as is to be seen 2 Chron. 29. 27. and by the
Service that is After the Thanksgiving and Invocation of the Holy Ghost upon the Bread and the Wine to make it the Body and Bloud of Christ of which he was speaking before was done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We do over that Propitiatory Sacrifice beseech God for the common peace of the Churches for the good estate of the World for Kings their Armies and Confederates for the sick and the afflicted and in fine for all that are in an helpless condition And this is the manner of the Greek Liturgies immediately upon the Consecration of the Dona viz. the Bread and Wine to be the Symbols of the Body and Bloud of Christ and the Commemoration thereon of his Passion Resurrection and Ascension to offer to the Divine Majesty as it were over the Lamb of God then lying upon the Table their Supplications and Prayers for the whole state of Christ's Church and all sorts and degrees therein together with all other their suits and requests and that ever and anon interposing the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we offer unto thee for these and these that is we commemorate Christ in this mystical Rite for them This Prayer therefore our Author Cyrill in the place afore-quoted calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prayer of the holy and most worthily dreaded Sacrifice lying then upon the Table and saith that it is a most powerful Prayer as that wherein we offer unto the Divine Majesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ that was once slain for our sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propitiating the merciful God for our selves and others we pray for And this is that if I mistake not which Tertullian means lib. de Oratione cap. 11. where he says of the Christians that they did Dominicâ passione orare Nos vero inquit non attollimus tantùm manus sed etiam expandimus Dominicâ passione orantes confitemur Christo id est Christum We do not only lift up but spreâ—â— forth our hands and praying with the Lord's passion that is by the Commemoration thereof in the Eucharist confess unto Christ that is confess and acknowledge Christ according to the Dialect of the Scripture Confitemur Domino for Confitemur Dominum For by commemorating Christ and offering our Prayers to the Father in his Name we confess and acknowledge him to be our Mediator So Eusebius de Laude Const. calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To send up Prayers in his Name to the God of all The same with Tertullian means S. Austin describing the Christian Sacrifice to be immolare Deo in Corpore Christi sacrificium Laudis lib. 1. contra Adversarium Legis Prophetarum cap. 20. Ecclesia saith he immolat Deo in Corpore Christi sacrificium Laudis ex quo Deus Deorum locutus vocavit terram à Solis ortu usque ad occasum Psalm 50. 1. The Church offereth unto God the Sacrifice of Praise in the Body of Christ ever since the fulfilling of that in Psal. 50. The God of Gods hath spoken and called the earth from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof Lastly That the representation of the Body and Bloud of Christ in this Christian Service was intended and used as a Rite whereby to find grace and favour with God when the Church addressed her self unto him which is that I undertook to prove is apparent by a saying of Origen Hom. 13. in Levit. where treating of the Shew-bread which was continually set before the Lord with Incense for a memorial of the children of Israel that is to put God in mind of them he makes it in this respect to have been a lively figure of the Christians Eucharist for saith he Ista est commemoratio sola quae propitium facit Deum hominibus That 's the only Commemoration which renders God propitious to men All these Testimonies have been express for our purpose That the Thanksgivings and Prayers of the Church in the Christian Sacrifice were offered unto the Divine Majesty through Christ commemorated in the Symbols of Bread and Wine as by a Medium whereby to find acceptance There is besides these an usual expression of the Fathers when they speak of the Eucharist which though it be not direct and punctual as the former yet I verily believe it aimed at the same Mystery namely when they say that in this Sacrifice they offer Praise and Prayer to God the Father through Iesus Christ the great High Priest I will quote an Example or two Clemens or the Author of the Constitutions lib. 2. cap. 29. al. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You saith he O Bishops are now unto your people as Priests and Levites standing at the Altar of the Lord our God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and offering unto him reasonable and unbloudy Sacrifices through Iesus Christ the great High-Priest The same Clemens in a more undoubted writing of his to wit his Epist. ad Corinthios quoting that of the 50. Psalm after the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sacrifice of Praise shall glorifie me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there is the way wherein I shall shew to him that sacrificeth the salvation of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the way saith Clemens that is the Sacrifice of Praise is the way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein we have found our salvation Iesus Christ the High-Priest of all our offerings The Fathers are wont to expound this place of the Eucharist and therefore I doubt not but Clemens means of the same and tells us that in this Sacrifice Christ the High-Priest of our offerings is found that is represented and commemorated In the same style speaks Iust. Mar. Dial. cum Tryphone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is not any sort of men in the world whether Barbarians or Greeks or of what denomination soever amongst whom Prayers and Thanksgivings are not made to the Father and Maker of all through the name of the crucified Iesus He is speaking of the Christian sacrifice and our Text in Malachi In omni loco offeretur Incensum Nomini meo where note that by Nomen Dei the Name of God he understands Christ through whom in this Sacrifice our devotions are offered So doth Irenaeus and others Iren. lib. 4. cap. 33. Quod est aliud Nomen quod in Gentibus glorificatur quà m quod est Domini nostri per quem glorificatur Pater glorificatur homo quoniam ergo Nomen Filii proprium Patris est in Deo omnipotente per Iesum Christum offert Ecclesia bene ait secundùm utraque Et in omni loco offeretur Incensum Nomini meo Sacrificium purum What other Name is there that is glorified among the Gentiles than the Name of our Lord by whom the Father is glorified and man also is glorified And because the Name of the Son is the Father's and in Almighty God the Church offers through Iesus Christ well saith the Prophet in respect of both And in every
place Incense shall be offered to my Name and a pure Sacrifice Now how this Incense and Sacrifice which the Prophet saith the Gentiles should offer to the Name of God may be expounded Offered by the Name of God to wit by Christ Origen lib. 8. contra Cels. will inform us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We worship saith he as we are able with our Prayer and Supplications the one God and his only Son the Word and Image of God Iesus Christ offering to the God of the Vniverse our Prayers by his only-begotten Son TO WHOM WE FIRST OFFER THEM beseeching him that he being the Propitiation i. Propitiator for our sins would vouchsafe as our High-Priest to present our PRAYERS and SACRIFICES and INTER CESSIONS to God most High The summe whereof is this That which we offer to the Father by Christ we offer first to Christ that he as our High-Priest might present it to his Father More passages hath Origen in the same Books of this kind But I will not weary you too much in this rugged way Only I will add that out of this which we have hitherto discoursed and proved may be understood the meaning and reason of that Decree of the third Council of Carthage and Hippo namely Vt nemo in Precibus vel Patrem pro Filio vel Filiumpro Patre nominet Et cum Altari assistitur N. B. semper ad Patrem dirigatur oratio That none in their Prayer should name either the Son for the Father or the Father for the Son And that when they stand at the Altar they ought always to direct their Prayers to the Father The reason Because the Father is properly the Object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom the Son only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom in this Mystical service and therefore to direct here our Prayers and Thanksgivings to the Son were to pervert the order of the Mystery which is as hath been proved An Oblation of Praise and Prayer to God the Father through the Intercession of Iesus Christ represented in the Symbols of Bread and Wine CHAP. VII The Fourth Particular That the Commemoration of Christ in the Creatures of Bread and Wine in the Eucharist is a Sacrifice according to the style of the ancient Church How Sacrifices are distinguished from all other Offerings A Sacrifice defined The universal Custom of mankind to contract or confirm Covenants and Friendship by eating and drinking together This illustrated from Testimonies of Scripture and humane Authors Sacrifices were Federal Feasts wherein God and men did feast together in token of amity and friendship What was God's Messe or portion in the Sacrifices The different Laws of Burnt-offerings Sin and Trespass-offerings and the Peace-offerings Burnt-offerings had Meat and Drink-offerings annexed to them and were regularly accompanied with Peace-offerings That Sacrifices were Feasts of amity between God and men proved by four Arguments The reason of those phrases Secare foedus and Icere foedus That in those Sacrificial Feasts and also in the Eucharist God is to be considered as the Convivator and Man as the Conviva This cleared by several passages in this as also in the following Chapter THE Fourth Particular propounded was this That the Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ or Lord's Supper or the Commemoration of Christ in the Creatures of Bread and Wine is also a Sacrifice according to the style of the ancient Church It is one thing to say That the Lord's Supper is a Sacrifice and another to say That Christ is properly sacrificed therein These are not the same For there may be a Sacrifice which is a representation of another Sacrifice and yet a Sacrifice too And such a Sacrifice is this of the New Testament a Sacrifice wherein another Sacrifice that of Christ's death upon the Cross is commemorated Thus the Papists gain nothing by this Notion of Antiquity and our asserting the same For their Tenet is That Christ in this Sacrifice is really and properly sacrificed which we shall shew in due time that the Ancients never meant To begin with this That the Lord's Supper or Mystical Rite of the Body and Bloud of Christ is a Sacrifice As in the Old Testament the name of Sacrifice was otherwhile given to the whole Action in which the Rite was used sometimes to the Rite alone so in the Notion and Language of the ancient Church sometimes the whole Action or Christian Service wherein the Lord's Supper was a part is comprehended under that name sometimes the Rite of the Sacred Supper it self is so termed and truly as ye shall now hear The resolution of this Point depends altogether upon the true Definition of a Sacrifice as it is distinguished from all other Offerings Which though it be so necessary that all disputation without it is vain yet shall we not find that either party interessed in this question hath been so exact therein as were to be wished This appears by the differing Definitions given and confuted by Divines on both sides The reason of which defect is because neither are deduced from the Notion of Scripture but built upon other conceptions Let us see therefore if it may be learned out of Scripture what that is which the Scripture in a strict and special sense calls a Sacrifice Every Sacrifice is an Oblation or Offering but every offering is not a Sacrifice in that strict and proper acception we seek For Tithes First-fruits and all other called Heave-offerings in the Law and whatsoever indeed is consecrated unto God are Oblations or Offerings but none of them Sacrifices nor ever so called in the Old Testament What Offerings are then called Sacrifices I answer Burnt-Offerings Sin-offerings Trespass-offerings and Peace-offerings These and no other are called by that name Out of these therefore must we pick the true and proper ratio and nature of a Sacrifice It is true indeed that these Sacrifices were Offerings of beasts of beeves of sheep of goats of fowls but the ratio or essence of any thing consists not in the matter thereof as the Gowns we wear are still the same kind of apparel though made of differing stuffs These Sacrifices also were slain and offered by Fire and Incense but neither is the modus of any thing the ratio or essential Form thereof That therefore may have the nature and formale of a Sacrifice which consists of another matter and is offered after another and differing manner Those we call Sacraments of the Old Testament Circumcision and the Passeover were by effusion of bloud ours are not and yet we esteem them nevertheless true Sacraments So it may be here To hold you therefore no longer in suspence A Sacrifice I think should be defined thus An Offering whereby the offerer is made partaker of his God's Table in token of Covenant and Friendship with him c. or more explicately thus An Offering unto the Divine Majesty of that which is given for the Food of man that the offerer partaking
door and knock If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in unto him and will sup with him and he with me But these passages you will say shew rather how fitly Sacrifices might be Feasts of amity between God and men than prove they were so indeed Hear therefore such proofs as I think come home to the point First Every sacrifice saith our Saviour Mark 9. 49. is salted with salt This Salt is called Levit. 2. 13. The salt of the Covenant of God that is a Symbol of the perpetuity thereof Now if the Salt which seasoned the Sacrifice were Salfoederis Dei the Salt of the Covenant of God what was the Sacrifice it self but Epulum foederis the Feast of the Covenant Secondly Moses calls the Bloud of the Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings wherewith he sprinkled the children of Israel when they received the Law The Bloud of the Covenant which the Lord had made with them This is saith he the Bloud of the Covevenant which the Lord hath made with you Exod. 24. 8. Thirdly But above all this may most evidently be evinced out of the 50. Psalm the whole Argument whereof is concerning Sacrifices There God saith vers 5. Gather my Saints together unto me which make covenant with me by sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And vers 16. of the Sacrifices of the wicked and such as amend not their lives Vnto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction c. Statutes here are Rites and Ordinances and particularly those of Sacrifice which whoso bringeth unto God and thereby supplicates and calls upon his Name is said to take the Covenant of God in his mouth forasmuch as to invocate God with this Rite was to do it by way of commemoration of his Covenant and to say Remember Lord thy covenant and For thy covenant's sake Lord hear my prayer and supplication For what hath man to do with God to beg any favour at his hands unless he be in covenant with him Whereby appears the reason why mankind from the beginning of the world used to approach their God by this Rite of sacrificing that is ritu foederali by a foederal Rite Fourthly I add in this last place for a further confirmation yet That when God was to make a Covenant with Abram Gen. 15. he commanded him to offer him a Sacrifice vers 9. Offer unto me saith he so it should be turned a heifer a she-goat and a ram each of three years old a turtle dove and a young pigeon All which he offered accordingly and divided them in the midst laying each piece or moiety one against the other and when the Sun went down God in the likeness of a smoaking furnace and burning lamp past between the pieces and so as the Text says made a covenant with Abram saying unto thy seed will I give this land c. By which Rite of passing between the parts God condescended to the manner of men And note here that the Gentiles and Iews likewise in their more solemn Covenants between men and men which were made under pain of curse or execration used this Rite of Sacrifice whereby men covenanted with their God as it were to make their God both a witness and party with them And here the Iews cut the Sacrifice in sunder and past between the parts thereof as God did here with Abram which was as much as if they had said Thus let me be divided and cut in pieces if I violate the oath I have now made in the presence of my God The Gentiles besides other ceremonies used not to eat at all of these Sacrifices but to fling them into the Sea or bury them in the Earth as if they had said If I break a Covenant thus let me be excluded from all amity and favour with my God as I am now from eating of his Sacrifice Hence came those phrases of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew of ferire percutere icere foedus in Latin of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Homer To cut or to strike a Covenant à ferendis percutiendis secandis sacrificiis in foederibus sanciendis from the custome of striking and cutting the Sacrifices asunder at the making of Covenants between man and man Though this manner of speech may be also derived from their ordinary Epulae foederales wherein they killed Beasts which the ancients in their ordinary diet did not Having thus seen what is the nature of a Sacrifice and wherein the ratio or essential Form thereof consisteth it will not be hard to judge whether the ancient Christians did rightly in giving the Eucharist that name or not For that the Lord's Supper is Epulum foederale a Foederal Feast we all grant and our Saviour expresly affirms it of the Cup in the institution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Cup is the Rite of the new Covenant in my Bloud which is poured out for many for the remission of sins evidently implying That the bloudy Sacrifices of the Law with their Meat and Drink-offerings were Rites of an old Covenant and that this succeeded them as the Rite of the New That that was contracted with the bloud of beeves sheep and goats but this founded in the bloud of Christ. This parallel is so plain as I think none will deny it There is nothing then remains to make this sacred Epulum a full Sacrifice but that the Viands thereof should be first offered unto God that he may be the Convivator we the Convivae or the Guests CHAP. VIII The Fifth Particular That the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Eucharist was made of Bread and Wine which had first been offered to God to agnize him the Lord of the Creature This proved from the Testimonies of Antiquity next to the Apostles times and from ancient Liturgies as also from the Fathers arguing from this oblation of the Creature in the Eucharist to God that the Father of Christ was the Creator of the world in confutation of some Hereticks in their days and lastly from S. Paul's parallel of the Lord's Supper and the Sacrifices of the Gentiles Two Questions answered 1. Whence may it appear that our Saviour at the Institution of the Eucharist did first offer the Bread and Wine to God to agnize him the Lord of the Creature 2. Is not the celebration of the Eucharist in the Western Churches whether the Reformed or the Roman therefore defective because no such Oblation is there in use MY last task was to prove That not only the whole Action of the celebration of the Eucharist according to the Definition I gave thereof but even the Rite of the Lord's Supper is indeed a Sacrifice not in a Metaphorical but a proper sense and this if the nature of Sacrifice be truly defined no whit repugnant to the Principles of the Reformed Religion To evidence which I
shewed That a Sacrifice was nothing else but a Sacred Feast namely Epulum foederale wherein God mystically entertained Man at his own Table in token of amity and friendship with him Which that he might do the Viands of that Feast were first made God's by oblation and so eaten of not as of Man's but God's provision There is nothing then wanting to make this sacred Epulum of which we speak full out a Sacrifice but that we shew That the Viands thereof were in like manner first offered unto God that so being his he might be the Convivator Man the Conviva or the Guest And this the ancient Church was wont to do this they believed our Blessed Saviour himself did when at the institution of this holy Rite he took the Bread and the Cup into his sacred hands and looking up to Heaven gave thanks and blessed And after his example they first offered the Bread and Wine unto God to agnize him the Lord of the Creature and then received them from him again in a Banquer as the Symbols of the Body and Bloud of his Son This is that I am now to prove out of the Testimonies of Antiquity not long after but next unto the Apostles times when it is not likely the Church had altered the form they left her for the celebration of this Mystery I will begin with Irenaeus as the most full and copious in this point He in his fourth Book cap. 32. speaks thus Dominus Discipulis suis dans consilium Primitias Deo offerre ex suis Creaturis non quasi indigenti sed ut ipsi nec infructuosi nec ingrati sint eum qui ex Creatura panis est accepit gratias egit dicens Hoc est curpus meum Calicem similiter qui est ex ea Creatura quae est secundùm nos suum sanguinem confessus est Novi Testamenti novam docuit oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in universo mundo offert Deo ei qui alimenta nobis praestat primitios suorum munerum in Novo Testamento Our Lord counselling his Disciples to offer unto God the First-fruits or a Present of his Creatures not for that God hath any need thereof but that they might shew themselves neither unfruitful nor ungrateful He took that Bread which was made of his Creature and gave Thanks saying This is my Body and he likewise acknowledged the Cup consisting of the Creature which we use to be his Bloud And thus taught the new oblation of the New Testament which the Church receiving from the Apostles offers throughout the world unto God that feeds and nourisheth us being the First-fruits of his own gifts in the New Testament And Cap. 34. Igitur Eâ—clesiae oblatio quam Dominus docuit offerri in universo mundo purum sacrificium reputatum est apud Deum acceptum est ei non quòd indigeat à nobis sacrificium sed quoniam is qui offert glorificatur ipse in co quod offert si acceptetur munus ejus Per munus enim erga Regem honos affectio ostenditur Therefore the Oblation of the Church which our Lord taught and appointed to be offered through all the world is accounted a pure Sacrifice with God and is acceptable unto him not because God stands in need of our Sacrifice but because the offerer is himself honoured in that he offers if his Present be accepted For by the Present it appears what affection and esteem the Giver hath for the King he honoureth therewith He alludes to that in Malachi 1. 14. I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts Ibid. Oporiet nos oblationem Deo facere in omnibus gratos inveniri Fabricatori Deo Primitias earum quae sunt ejus Creaturarum offerentes hanc oblationem Ecclesia sola puram offert Fabricatori offerens ei cum gratiarum actione ex Creatura ejus It behoveth us to present God with our Oblations and in all things to be found thankful unto God our Maker offering unto him the First-fruits of his Creatures and it is the Church only that offers this Pure Oblation unto the Creator of the world while it offers unto him a Present out of his Creatures with thanksgiving In the same place Offerimus autem ei non quasi indigenti sed gratias agentes Dominationi ejus sanctificantes creaturam But we offer unto him not as if he needed but as giving thanks to his Soveraignty and sanctifying the Creature He alludes again to that in this Chapter of Malachi v. 6. If I be Dominus where is my fear saith the Lord of hosts unto you O Priests that offer polluted Bread ubon mine Altar My next witness shall be Iustin Martyr in time elder than Irenaeus though I reserved him for the second place He in his Dialogue with Tryphon the place before alledged telling the Iew That the Sacrifices of Christians are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supplications and giving of Thanks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that these are the only Sacrifices which Christians have been taught they should perform in that thankful remembrance of their food both dry and liquid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein also is commemorated the Passion which the Son of God suffered by himself Here is a twofold commemoration witnessed to be made in the Eucharist The first as he speaks of our food dry and liquid that is of our meat and drink by agnizing God and recording him the Creator and giver thereof the second of the Passion of Christ the Son of God in one and the same food And again in the same Dialogue Panem Eucharistiae in commemorationem passionis suae Christus fieri tradidit Christ hath taught us that the Eucharistical Bread should be consecrated for the Commemoration of his Passion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that withall we may give thanks to God for having made the world with all things therein for man and for having freed us from that evil and misery wherein we were and having utterly overthrown Principalities and Powers by him that became passible according to his counsel and will To which he immediately subjoyns the Text and applies it to the Eucharist Thus Iustin Martyr My third witness is Origen in his 8. Book Contra Cels. Celsus saith he thinks it seemly we should be thankful to Demons and to offer them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but we think him to live most comelie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that remembers who is the Creator unto whom we Christians are careful not to be unthankful with whose benefits we are filled and whose Creatures we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is And we have also a Symbol of our Thanksgiving unto God the Bread which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where note that the Eucharistical Bread is said to be a Symbol not only of the Body and Bloud of Christ but a Symbol of that Thanksgiving which we render to the Creator through him Again in
the same Book where Celsus likewise would have mankind thankful unto Demons as those to whom the charge of things here upon earth is committed and to offer unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First-fruits and Prayers Origen thus takes him up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Celsus as being void of the true Knowledge of God render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Demons As for us Christians whose only desire it is to please the Creator of the Vniverse we eat the Bread that was offered unto him with Prayer and Thanksgiving for his Gifts and then made a kind of holy Body by Prayer Mark here Bread offered unto God with Prayer and Thanksgiving pro datis for that he hath given us and then by Prayer made a holy Body and so eaten Thus much out of Fathers all of them within less than two hundred and fifty years after Christ and less than one hundred and fifty after the death of S. Iohn The same appears in the Forms of the ancient Liturgies As in that of Clemens where the Priest in the name of the whole Church assembled speaks thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We offer unto thee our King and God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his that is Christ's appointment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Bread and this Cup 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Giving thanks unto thee through him for that thou hast vouchsafed us he speaks of the whole Church to stand before thee and to minister unto thee And we beseech thee thou God that wantest nothing that thou wouldst look favourably upon these Gifts here set before thee and accept them to the honour of thy Christ c. Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Gift or Oblation that is offered to the Lord our God let us pray that our good God would receive it through the mediation of his Christ to his heavenly Altar for a sweet-smelling savour Yea in the Canon of the Roman Church though the Rite be not used yet the words remain still as when the Priest long before the consecration of the Body and Bloud of Christ prays Te Clementissime Pater per Iesum Christum Filium tuum Dominum nostrum supplices rogamus ut accepta habeas benedicas haec Dona haec Munera We humbly beseech and intreat thee most merciful Father Through Iesus Christ thy Son our Lord to accept and bless these Gifts these Presents and other like passages which now they wrest to a new-found Oblation of the Body and Bloud of Christ which the ancient Church knew not of But of all others This Rite is most strongly confirmed by that wont of the Ancient Fathers to confute the Hereticks of those first times who held the Creator of the world to be some inferiour Deity and not the Father of Christ out of the Eucharist For say they unless the Father of Christ be the Creator of the world why is the Creature offered unto him in the Eucharist as if he were would he be agnized the Author and Lord of that he is not Hear Irenaeus Adversus Haeres lib. 4. cap. 34. Haereticorum Synagogae saith he non offerunt Eucharisticam oblationem quam Dominus offerri docuit Alterum enim praeter Fabricatorem dicentes Patrem Ideo quae secundùm nos Creaturae sunt offerentes ei cupidum alieni oftendunt eum aliena concupiscentem The Synagogues of the Hereticks do not offer the very Eucharistical oblation which our Lord taught and appointed to be offered for they affirming another besides the Creator of the world to be the Father of Christ do therefore while they offer unto him the Creatures which are here with us represent him to be desirous of that which is anothers and to covet that which is not his and a little after Quomodo autem constabit eis eum panem in quo gratiae actae sunt Corpus esse Domini sui Calicem sanguinis ejus si non ipsum Fabricatoris mundi Filium dicant id est Verbum ejus per quod lignum fructificat defluunt fontes terra dat primùm quidem gramen post deinde spicam deinde plenum triticum in spica How shall it appear to them that that Bread for which Thanks have been given is the Body of their Lord and that Cup the Cup of his Bloud if they deny him to be the Son of the Creator of the world that is to say to be the word of him by whom the Tree brings forth fruit Fountains send forth water and the Earth brings forth first green corn like grass then the ear after that the full corn in the ear From the same ground Tertullian argues against Marcion Contra Marc. lib. 1. cap. 23. Non putem saith he impudentiorem quà m qui in alâ—ena aqua alii Deo tingitur ad alienum Coelum alii Deo expanditur in aliena terra alii Deo sternitur super alienum panem alii Deo gratiarum actionibus fungitur I cannot conceive any one more impudent than he that is baptized to a God in a water that is none of his that in prayer to a God spreads forth his hands towards an Heaven that is none of his that prostrates himself to a God upon an Earth that is not his that gives thanks to a God for that Bread which is none of his Origen against the same Heretick useth the same Argument Dialog advers Marc. 3. pauso ante finem Dominus aspiciens in coelum gratias agit Ecquid non agit conditori gratias Cùm panem accepisset poculum benedixisset quid alterine pro Creaturis conditoris benedicit an potiùs illi qui effecit exhibuit Our Lord looking up to heaven gave thanks What did not he give thanks to the Creator of the world When he took the Bread and the Cup and blessed did he bless and give thanks to any other for the Creatures of God the Maker of the world and not rather bless and give thanks to him who made them and gave them us Lastly This Oblation of the Bread and Wine is implied in S. Paul's parallel of the Lord's Supper and the Sacrifice of the Gentiles Ye cannot saith he be partakers of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils namely because they imply contrary Covenants incompatible one with the other a Sacrifice as I told you being Epulum foederale a Federal Feast Now here it is manifest that the Table of Devils is so called because it consisted of Viands offered to Devils for so S. Paul expresly tells us whereby those that eat thereof eat of the Devil's meat Ergo The Table of the Lord is likewise called his Table not because he ordained it but it because consisted of Viands offered unto him Having thus as I think sufficiently proved what I took in hand I think it not amiss to answer two Questions which this Discourse may beget The first is How the Ancients
Sacrifice is sanctified or offered and the Place where it is eaten Every Sacrifice was to be offered and sanctified at the Altar where the Bloud was sprinkled and the Memorial burned but that done it was eaten in another place those which were eaten only by the Priests in the Chambers of the Temple those which the people were partakers of as the Peace-Offerings out of the Temple Of this nature was the Passeover the Lamb being first to be offered and slain in the Temple and the Bloud sprinkled on the Altar according unto the Law Deut. 16. and the practice 2 Chron. 35. 1 2 6 10 11. that done to be eaten where they would provided it were in loco mundo in a clean place And thus was the Paschal Lamb whereof our Saviour ate prepared and sanctified yea by proportion of all other Sacrifices the Bread and the Wine whereof the Holy Supper was instituted for they were the Minchah or Meat and Drink-offering of the Passeover such as all other Sacrifices had annexed unto them And to what end else was the Law so strict that they should bring all their Sacrifices and Offerings unto the Place which the Lord should chuse to put his Name there but that they might be sanctified and hallowed at the Lord's Altar before they feasted with them whence perhaps that custom of the ancient Church was derived to offer the Bread and Wine unto God upon the Holy Table before it was consecrated to be the Body and Bloud of Christ because they supposed that at the first institution they had been so offered at the Altar in the Temple But as the Iews used not to eat their Sacrifices where they offered them no more did the ancient Christians think themselves bound to eat the Eucharist where it was consecrated insomuch that they carried it sometimes to their houses and ordinarily sent it to those which were absent And if it be well observed in the practice of our own Church there is a difference commonly between the place of consecration and the place of eating though both be in the Church True it is that at the first Institution though perhaps not the first hallowing of the Bread and Wine for the Passeover yet the consecration thereof to be the Symbols of the Body and Bloud of Christ was in a common room and that out of the necessity of the connexion which the materials thereof had with the viands of the Passeover Yet I suppose not the House to have been of the condition of our Inns but only for such Sacred entertainments as this was of which sort Ierusalem must needs have had very many for the accommodation of such as came to feast before the Lord as the whole Nation was to do three times in a year If all that hath been yet said will not satisfie this Objection yet I hope what I shall now say will do it fully What needed there any Altar or Place of relative presence where the Son of God the Heavenly Altar and Holy of Holies was himself present in person Is not the Temple of God there where he is and what Altar was so holy as his Sacred hands 5. Why in the posture of our adoration of the Divine Majesty more respect should be had to the Altar or Holy Table than either to the Font or Pulpit seeing they are also Places of God's presence as well as the other Suppose they be so yet when there are many why should not that which hath the principality draw this respect unto it A man is present where any part of him is yet when we salute him or speak unto him we are wont to direct our selves unto his Face as that wherein his presence is most principal and erected not to his Backer parts or to his Shoulders though the organ of hearing be that way Perhaps it was this principality which that Doctor or whatsoever he be whom you mention intended when he said that Hoc est Corpus meum was more with him than Hoc est Verbum meum But I think for my part first that the comparison of the Pulpit with the Sacraments and their places is heterogeneal Secondly that neither the Pulpit nor the Place of the Sacrament of Baptism are in this point or for this purpose we speak of of the same nature with the Altar For it ought to be considered though it be a thing now-a-days in a manner quite forgotten that the Eucharist according to the meaning of the Institution is the Rite of our address unto God the Father in the New Testament wherewith we come before him to offer unto his Divine Majesty our thanksgivings supplications and praises in the Name of his Son Iesus Christ crucified for us that is It is not only a Sacrament but as the ancient Church used to speak a Sacrifice also For that Sacrifices were Rites whereby they invocated and called upon God is a Truth though perhaps not so vulgarly taken notice of yet undeniable as on the Gentiles behalf may be seen in Homer in divers places where he describes the manner of offering Sacrifices on the Iews behalf by that speech of Saul 1 Sam. 13. 12. when Samuel expostulating with him for having offered a Burnt-offering I said saith he the Philistins will come down upon me to Gilgal and I have not made supplication to the Lord. I forced my self therefore and offered a Burnt-offering See also 1 Sam. 7. 8 9. Ezra 6. 10. Baruch 1. 10 11. 1 Mac. 12. 11. 2 Chron. 7. 12 sequentia Hence of Abraham and Isaac it is said when they built Altars that there they called upon the name of the Lord but Altars were the place for Sacrifice In stead therefore of the slaughtering of Beasts and the Sacrifices offered by fire and incense whereby they called upon the name of God in the Old Testament the Fathers and primitive Christians believed that our Saviour ordained this Sacrament of Bread and Wine as a Rite whereby to give thanks and make supplication to his Father in his Name in the New The mystery of which Rite they took to be this That as Christ by presenting his Death and Satisfaction to his Father continually intercedes for us in Heaven so the Church on earth semblably approaches the Throne of Grace by representing his Death and Passion to his Father in these holy Mysteries of his Body and Bloud Veteres enim saith Cassander in hoc mystico Sacrificio non tam peractae semel in Cruce oblationis cujus hîc memoria celebratur quà m perpetui Sacerdotii jugis Sacrificii quod in coelis sempiternus Sacerdos offert rationem habuerunt cujus hîc Imago per solennes Ministrorum preces exprimitur This that reverend and learned Divine Mr. Perkins once Fellow of our Society saw more clearly or expressed more plainly than any other Reformed Writer that I have yet seen in his Demonstrat Problem titulo de Sacrificio Missae Veteres inquit Coenam Domini seu totam coenae
But it is no unwonted thing for Scholars thus to outgo their Masters There are some Papers of mine walking I know not where concerning Bowing towards the Altar which were written by way of Answer to some body and a man of note demanding of me what I thought thereof One was my first Answer Another more large replying to the Exceptions he made against that first and the whole opinion and practice being somewhat larger than I use to write Letters and written with some intention of mind after my thoughts that way had been long asleep I by chance kept a Copy of it which how it came to be so much dispersed I profess I know not That so-long-since-written Discourse of mine De Sanctitate Relativa c. savours too much of my infancy in Divinity and first thoughts and affection of style ever to see the publick light And indeed I had resolved to enjoy my self and such contentment as I could find in my Cell and never to have come in print again either to please or displease any man but only to vent such Notions as I had conceived privately by a new way I took of Common-placing changing my Theme qualibet vice When now on a sudden before I was aware and little expected any such matter one of my Straglers is perkt into the Press telling the world he was one of those Common-places What his destiny is I know not but if it be good some body can say He hath flung many a stone in his days but never hit the mark till now and that too by mere chance and not so much as intending it For writing to Sir W. B. I think it is not tanti upon this occasion 'T is a Pamphlet and I had rather it should come to his hands with a kind of neglect on my part than with too much pomp But I thank you for what you have done and for your further offer Thus with my best affection I commend you to the Divine blessing and am Your old and assured Friend Ios. Mede Christ's College Iuly 3. EPISTLE XCVIII Mr. Mede's Letter to Mr. Hartlib touching some Socinian Books and Tenets together with his resentment of the Difficulties which Mr. Dury's Pacifick Design met with and of the Evil of Prejudice and Studium partium Mr. Hartlib I Received yours with the Discourse inclosed of Schism That Extract of the Letter to you is but a Symptom of Studium partium of which kind he that will be an indifferent and moderate man must look to swallow many Therefore Transeat Only thus much to be nearer or further off from the Man of sin is not I think the measure of Truth and Falshood nor that which would be most destructive of him always true and warrantable If it be there be some in the world that would be more Orthodox and Reformed Christians than any of us The Socinians you know deny That Souls live after death until the Resurrection or That Christ hath carnem sanguinem now in Heaven both as most destructive of the idolatrous errours of the Man of sin the first of Purgatory and Invocation of Saints which they say can never be solidly everted as long as it is supposed Souls do live the other of Transubstantiation of the Elements of Bread and Wine into the Body and Bloud of Christ. Is not this to undermine Antichrist with a vengeance as they say I have not been very obtrusive unto men to acquaint them with my notions and conceits in that kind for some of them that are but lately known have lien by me above these twenty years and not shewn to any unless they urge me and ask me what is my opinion and yet my freedom to utter my mind than to such as are prejudiced the contrary way does neither them nor me any good Therefore Cupio defungi if it would be and to be troubled no more either with Quaesita or Reciprocations in that kind For the Discourse you sent me It proceeds from a distinct and rational Head but I am afraid too much inclined that way that some strong and rational wits do It may be I am deceived The Conclusions which he aims at I can more easily assent to than to some of his Premisses I have yet looked it but once over But any more free or particular censure thereof than what I have already given look not for left I be censured my self 'T is an Argument wherein a wise man will not be too free in discovering himself pro or con but reserved Thus with my wonted affection and prayers I rest Your assured Friend Ioseph Mede Christ's Coll. Aug. 6. 1638. After this Mr. Mede wrote another Letter the last Letter he wrote to Mr. Hartlib about a month before he died wherein besides matters of News and his repeating what he had said in the foregoing Letter concerning the great Learning of the Author of that Discourse of Sschism he expresseth his resentment of the Difficulties which Mr. Dury's design of Pacification met with in these words Mr. Dury and such as wish well to his business must comfort themselves as the Husbandman doth who though he sees no appearance of his Seed awhile after it is sown especially in dry weather yet despaireth not but as soon as the Rain from above shall water the ground to see it begin to spring up You see what an invincible mischief Prejudice is and Studium partium It leaves no place for admission of Truth that brings any disadvantage to the side That 's the Rule which they examine all by Will so many Rents of the Church as we see ready to sink it never make us wiser Thus with my prayers and best affection I rest Your assured Friend Ioseph Mede Christ's Colledge Aug. 28. 1638. The End of the Fourth Book THE FIFTH BOOK OF THE WORKS OF The Pious and Profoundly-Learned Ioseph Mede B. D. SOMETIME Fellow of CHRIST'S Colledge in CAMBRIDGE CONTAINING FRAGMENTA SACRA OR MISCELLANIES OF DIVINITY Io. 6. 12. Colligite quae superfuerunt Fragmenta ne quid pereat Chrysost. Homil. in 1 Tim. 5. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE CONTENTS OF THE FIFTH BOOK CHAP. I. The disposition of the years of Iehoiakim according to the several Events mentioned in Scripture pag. 889 CHAP. II. The Mystery of S. Paul's Conversion or The Type of the Calling of the Iews pag. 891 CHAP. III. An Answer concerning a Discourse inferring from the Septenary Types of the Old Testament and other Arguments That the World should last 7000 years and the Seventh Thousand be that happy and blessed Chiliad pag. 892 CHAP. IV. An Explication of Psal. 40. 6. Mine ears hast thou bored compared with Hebr. 10. 5. A body hast thou prepared me pag. 896 CAP. V. D. HIERONYMI Pronunciata de Dogmate MILLENARIORUM cum Animadversionibus pag. 897 CAP. VI. Verba GAII apud EUSEBIUM Lib. 3. cap. 22. Hist. Eccles. cum Animadversionibus pag. 899 CAP. VII De Nomine Antichristi apud S. Ioannem pag. 900.