lilfe Meate helpeth nature to disgest many ill humours and this sacrament is not onely a meate but also a medicine And as Saint Cyprian saith extinguisheth sinne Meate causeth growth and whosoeuer participateth De coena Domini 5 this foode encreaseth in spirit for by receuing the life of charity and grace the soule cannot but grow in vertue and perfection as hee that commeth nearer the sunne participateth more light and heate For these resemblances of meate with the blessed sacrament we may per ceaue the reason why our blessed Sauiour instituted it vnder the formes of bread and wine thereby to teach vs by these externall signes that as bread and wine feede our bodyes so Christs fâ—lesh and bloud our soules But for all these perfections or commodities of temporall meats they haue adioyned as many imperfections and defects the which this blessed foode of life wanteth For corporall meats if they delight vs the more we eate of them our delight is lesse and at last wee come to loathe them but this meate Qui comedit adhuc esurit qui Ecde 24. bibit adhuc sitit hee that eateth of it is the more hungry and hee that drinketh the more thirsty and none we see so much desire it as those who most frequent it Corporall meates cannot cause a body that is dead to returne againe to life but this spirituall foode giueth life vnto the dead Qui manducat me ipse viuet propter me Io. 6. he that eateth me the same also shall liue by me Corporall meate although it repaire our forces lost yet the continuall alteration and disguising of it diminisheth our naturall heat because Omne in agendo repatitur euery agent in doing suffereth againe so that at last euen meat it self would extinguish our outward facultie if we had no other cause of death But he who eateth at this table of life Non gustabit Io. 6. mortem in aeternum non morietur he shal not tast of death for euer he shall not dye For as the soule can neuer dye except it leese the grace of God and that it cannot leese of necessitie but of free will so the grace of God can neuer be consumed but by a peruerse wicked will and therefore in aeternum for euer of it selfe it conserueth the soule in life because in very deed it is life Corporall meates faile in force for they alwayes cause not the body to encrease in strength or quantitie but after certaine yeares the body doth not only cease to grow but also it begins to decay and in fine declineth to death But such is the vertue of this holye Eucharist that euery time it is eaten it addeth a new degree of growth yea and for most part when a man declineth most in body and commeth nearer his death in spirit soul he encreaseth most because he then hath most heat of grace todisgest this sacred foode for which admirable effects Dauid wel say in persoÌ„ of those that receiue this Psal 22. heauenly refection Dominus regit me nihil mihi deerit in loco pascuaeibi me collocauit Out Lord doth gouerne me I shall want nothing in the soile of his pasture he hath placed mee For all pastures in respect of this are barren desarts all repasts compared with this leaueth soule euer fainting These pastures are alwaies greene with grace enameld with flowers of vertues watered with the heauenly dewe of Gods assistance and finally haue the pasture continually attending his sacred flocke The twenty ninth cause to effect the resurrection of our bodies BY the vniuersall preuarication of Adam 1. Cor. 15. all his posterity incuâ—red in particular the death of soule and corruption of body whereunto they onely are subiect who discende from him by naturall generation Because that God had so decreed that as from him we were to draw our nature so by his good demeanour froÌ„ him we should receiue our grace But through his transgression by communicating vnto vs a part of his substance poisoned with the sting of originall sin hee imparted together the mortall woundes of body and soule Our Sauiour Christ whose substaÌ„ce was vnspotted with crime or offence pretending as life to destroye death communicated vnto vs his diuine substaunce to giue the soule the life of grace and the body immortality of glory For who can wonder if Christs body touching the bodies of good souls which receiue him with deuotion resuscitate them to life againe since the touche of Elizeus bones had vertue to restore the 4. Reg. 3. vitall spirit to a dead carcasse If seede sowne in the field although it die in the ground retaine vigour virtue of spring so liuely againe which was communicated vnto it by the roote why shall wee not imagine that our bodies keepe a certaine vertue a relation to this sacrament the onely roote of immortality For if the soule receiue grace the body concurreth it is an instrument and therefore if it bee compartner in paine why not in gaine And if Christs soule sanctifie our soules shall not this bodye glorifie our bodies Yea both his body and soule will immortallize both our bodies and soules and therefore hee saide Hic est panis de caelo Iohn 6. descendens vt si quis ex ipso manducauerit non moriatur this is the breade that descendeth from heauen that if anie man eate of it he die not For although hee die corporally yet by vertue of this food by the touch by the relation to the soule whose instrument it was Christ will raise it vp againe Without doubt it standeth greatly with the prouidence of God that Christs body should cause their resurrection who receiue deuoutly this sacrameÌ„t because as wee saide aboue in this hoast Christ is sacrificed and those that participate it woorthily in affection suffer and die with him therefore reason requireth that as they die with him so they shall rise with him Si compatimnr conregnabimus Rom. 8. if we suffer with Christ we shall be also glorified with Christ And more plainely Reformabit corpus humilitatis nostrae Phil. 3. configuratum corpori claritatis suae Hee will reforme the body of our humillitie configured to the body of his glory For if we mortifie our bodies to make them like his body by crosses and pains Doubtlesse he wil reuiue them with delights glory causing them to be his like his body in eternall ioy For which cause we must for a while intreate our bodies not to groane vnder the burthen of Christs commaundements not to repine at fasting not to murmure at mortification not to loathe long prayers not to grudge to liue in prisons depriued of many false pleasures the worlde affoordeth for all these will passeonce When death comes our conscience will reioyce But when our Sauiour after death shall iudge vs and see our crosses conformable to his our pains for his glory our tribulation for his confession Hiems Cantie
sacrament affordeth cognouerunt eum in fractione panis they knew him in the breaking of bread for Luke 24. which cause the wisedome of God inuited all those that would be wise to come and drinke of her wine she had mingled in this sacrament Besides our Sauior here Prouerb 9. submits himself to the iudgement of men for he maketh them the surueyors of theÌ„selues Probet seipsumhomo sic de pane illo 1. Cor. 11. edat de calice bibat qui enim manducat bibit indignè iudicium sibi manducat bibit non deiudicans corpus dominum let a man proue himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drink of the chalice for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe not discerning the body of our Lord. If they iudge worthily he entreth if vnworthily contents himselfe to accept their peruerse sentence as he was content to tolerate the vniust iudgement of Pilate Therfore the mysterie it self the effects theròf the vse and practise shewes that God pretended an vnion of conceits in this Sacrament The vnion of wil affection we see most Vnion of affection manifestly here effected god loueth him selfe infinitely for his owne natiue goodnes and here he giueth vs the life of grace and charitie to hâ—lpe to animate to inable vs to lone him God commaundeth vs to call in remembrance his death passion and here good soules afflict their souls with internal griefe and compassion God intended to giue vs this mistery for a perpetuall sacrifice to bee offered vnto him and here the religious christians confirme their willes with his and daily offer it When I thinke of the vnion of friends Vnion in company who eate at one table what ioy and mirth they conceiue in such imperfect refections and transitory societies and conferre them with this sacred banquet it seemeth no otherwise than to compare a painted dish of meate with one that is reall substantiall because here all that eate feede of the very same they receiue ioys of the soule but especially to our purpose those that communicate at this table eate of the same dish Christ ate on himselfe for hee did eate this food we feed vpon and thus he was verè commensalis And besides hee is the meate it selfe that neuer was yet seene in the world The vnion of presence and place our Vnion in presence Sauiour knew well concerned friendship and loue therefore as one that went into forren countries he thought it not conuenient only to leaue a ring a bare memory but hee included himselfe in this ring of bread he made himselfe the diamond and so didde departe in externall shape and forme but not in substaunce Besides what neerer vnion of place can there bee then in one breast which is the dearest presentest place that any man can desire the which that Ladie well declared who after her husbands death for extremity of loue could not permit his hart which had loued her so intirely to be buried in any other place then in her own breast for that effect she dried it to pouder and so intombed it in the dearest presentest and cheefest place shee had that was her owne breast the nearest roome adioyning to her heart What other vnion affecteth loue which here we see not effected for attire heere is no diuersity since Diuers other vâ—ions one seate serueth both Christ entering the body of a begger is clothed with rags and harbouring vnder the heart of a king is apparelled with scarlet purple What other vnion can wee desire a societie of Souldiours in warres loe here Christ and wee bee made commilitones both fighting against our spirituall enemies as in the eleuenth cause was deliuered therefore if those wicked complices of Cateline before they attempt their trecherie against Caesar drunke all of one cuppe of their owne bloud to make them more bold and linked together and it preuailed so much that they all lost their liues before they failed or fainted to effectuate their conspiracie howe may wee not bee accounted cowards and dastards if we flie away if we faint in battaile if wee leaue Christ and runne to serue his enemies since we haue promised fidelitie and hee with his bloud hath inrolled our names in no better table then our owne hearts Since we haue both drunke the bloud of God what other vnion can we thinke of Saint Paul said children communicated in Hebr. â— flesh and therfore to be like them he participated the same but here we may say because children did eate flesh bloud bread and wine therefore hee tooke the formes of them all By this it appeareth how this sacrament may bee called communion since it causeth so many vnioÌ„s in substance in secrets in opinions in affections in desires in diet in place in attire in warre in resemblance of naturall inclination That God shewed the second effect of loue in the Encharist that is zeale Chap. 4. NAture hath printed in the heart of euery sensible creature of most necesfary instinct for their preseruation that is not onely to loue themselues in procuring good but also in auoiding those euils which may impeach their health or conue nient being ye a she hath lent them armor to defend themselues to impugne their aduersaries Amity the cosin germaine or rather brother of this natural inclination in like sort affecteth not only the good of the beloued but also protecteth defendeth theÌ„ inuading those who either molest or iniury his friends this we see most manifestly in beasts who for loue of their yongones atteÌ„pt extreame perils esteeme no dangers inuade their enemies fighting til death The like we may proue in kinsmen who esteeme al iniuries offered their allies to redound to their ignomie and therefore by the law of amity they endeuor to protect theÌ„ Yea our sauior Christ touched with this zeale for so the scripture Iohn 2 calleth this effect of loue seeing the temple of his father ordained for prayer sacrifice by the sacrilegious Iewes prophaned with theft and marchandize mooued with indignation against them regarding neither the gall of their phrases the malice of the Scribes nor the greedie mindes of the Marchants but presently cast them out of the temple such was his zeale of his fathers glorie that hee could not tollerate to see him dishonoured where he ought to haue bin worshipped The like zeale if no greater boyled in that sacred breast when hee instituted this sacament for although he eternaly did foresee that most sacrile giously this sacred foode of Angels shuld be blasphemed by infidels troden vnder foot by heretikes mangled and crucified by Iewes harbored in most vgly and polluted soules by wicked christians yet for the zeale of those good catholikes he knew were deuoutly religiously to receiue him weyed nothing iniuries blasphemies dishonors treading or traÌ„pling cutting slicing burning or baking so that he might vnite his
that seemeth either against his iustice wisdom or goodnes we ought to bridle our iudgements with these three infinities of wisdoÌ„ goodnes power Secondly for the merite of faith God woulde not discerne the iust from the vniust the good froÌ„ the bad in his visible church for diuers most necessarie and important reasons and therefore it was expedient that all externall and visible meanes shoulde bee common to both for otherwise the elected should haue bin confirmed in grace the reprobate in malice that those could do no ill nor they no good which was contrary to the nature of man Thirdly if God did foresee many would abase this sacrament he did foresee the cause before the effect that is the abuse proceeded not because he did not foresee it but because man would most wickedly abuse it the which was the cause vvhy he did foresee it he therefore Eccleâ— 15 laying before maÌ„ fire vvater good and ill life death who can blame him if men rather burne then bath themselues Lastly such is the goodnes of god that he wil opeÌ„ the treasures of his grace euen vnto the wicked that therby the elected may extol his bounty the reprobate coÌ„etmn their own ingratitude for if wee account those men most vertuous who do good to strangers to wicked men and those that haue smal deserts without doubt the infinite goodnes of God is a sufficient cause to do good to meÌ„ without any deserts at all and therfore no maruel if we tollerate the reprobate to feed vpon his table because his loue is so constant towards the iust that hee will rather permit the reprobate to abuse him then the iust to leese him Seuenth Light Eight Delight HIs face as bright as the sun in the greatest force in the cheefest vertue in the prime of light vnfoldeth many excellent conditions and properties of Gods bright enflamed beautifull loue the which instituted the sacred Eucharist was not blinded with ignorance nor vailed with the clouds of passions nor led in a prodigal error for lack of consideratioÌ„ the which defects do ofteÌ„ inuegle vs because as the sun neuer maketh eclips nor shadow neare it selfe euen so this son of iustice Apud quem Iam. 1. non est transmutatio nec vicissitudinis obumbratio With whoÌ„ is no transmutation not shadowing of alteration cannot be blemished with spot of ignorance blot of error or stain of passion And therfore we must not maruel if we can find out so many and so weighty causes which moued him to institute this sacrament for Amor est ingeniosissimus loue is most inuentiue where it loueth can finde forth infinite meanes to procure conserue increase loue wherefore our blessed sauior Candor lucis aeternae Sap. 7. speculum sine macula the whitenesse of eternal life and the looking glasse without spot was not content that his loue should onely bee beautified with aboundance of light but also he dispersed his raies vpon al those who condignely receiue him into their harts for he knoweth very well that derstanding is the eye of loue and that in blisse we shal loue him best because there we shall know him most By which circumstance of Gods loue wee may inferre the force and perfection therof foâ— hee that with infinit wisedome knew his own maiestie our misery the admirable excellence of this Sacrament the estate of his church the causes of the institution the effects of it the good vses and abuses therof could not but be inflamed with a most ardent fire of loue in granting vs such a benefit For let any man expend in particular and he shall trie this illatiou to bee most manifest To loue and light followeth Delighâ— delight therfor the face of Christ shining like the sunne sheweth what delight is adioyned to Gods loue For one of the chiefest causes of delight we haue vppon earth is the light of the sunne therefore the blinded Tobie to whom day and night were all one could say quale Iob. 5. mihi gandium qui lumen coeli non video what ioy haue I that see not the light of heauen the delight that God conceiued by the institution and effects of this sacrament which he did foresee so profitable for vs so glorious to him without dout was ineffable The which he gaue vs to vnderstand by the good father who ranne to meet his prodigall sonne dum adhuc à longe esset when he was yet farre off and Luke 15. there imbrased and kissed him and after bringing him home with what affection thinke you caused he that vitulum saginatum the fatted calfe a most perfect figure of this sacrament to be killed to reioyce and feast with his sonne if his delights be to dwell with the sonnes of men Dilitiae Proâ—â—b â—â— meae esse cum filijs hominum my delights are to be with the sonnes of men what extreame delight had he to institute the Eucharist the very sinew and ioynt the glew and chaine wherewith he did foresee that men and God should perpetually be linked together in loue and vnitie If hee reioyced Io. 1â—â— to foresee his disciples and the rest of his flocke ioyned in friendship and amitie what extremitie of ioy did possesse that sacred brest when he did see them so vnited with his body and bloud that they had cor vnum animam vnam one hart Actes 2. â—â— one minde and all animated with his diuine life If he that planteth a tree with his owne hands could foresee what excellent fruite it would yeeld what ioy would he receiue in planting of it if the fouÌ„ders of colledges might foreknowe what rare schollers preachers and bishops shuld ascend from these foundations how gratefull would it be vnto them with what alacrity would they proceede in their building euen so our sauiour reioiced greatly foreseeing the admirable good of the Eucharist howe many straying soules by it were to be reduced how many proud and ambitious to become humble and milde howe many as fierce as lions as gentle as lambes how many lasciuious chaste how many coÌ„secrated to gluttony modest and temperate hovv many as brittle as glasse perseuer most constantly in virginity this obiect I say so wonderful for excellencie so gracious for varietie so rare for difficulty so glorious for merit could not but greatly content him whose contentation is to see the compleat contentment of vs. 9 Maiestie 10 Glory 11 Libertie THe brightnesse of Christ face in the â—â—â—th 16. Marke 9. Luke 9. mount of Thabor represented vnto his three best beloued disciples the glory of his maiesty or the maiesty of his glory the same it insinuateth here because he would giue vs therby to vnderstand that his loue is no common or vulgar sort of affection but most marestical glorious This word maiesty questionlesse is more triuiall then vnderstood for I am of opinion that fewe conceiue the depth of the
no sacrifice nor any Heb. 5. religion where there is not both Priest and sacrifice Because what is religion but a publique profession of a multitude to worship god and what publike worshippe can bee exhibited to GOD without a reall and externall Sacrifice For the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be noted that in all ages and in all nations and in all religions they euer vsed some sorte of Sacrifices for if wee looke into the lawe of nature wee shall finde Abell Abraham Iob offering vp sacrifices if wee discend to the law written there will appeare an admirable number appointed in Leuiticus If wee come to Christ in his last supper and vppon the Crosse we shall finde him sacrificing Besides wee may obserue that all their sacrifices almost consisted in killing beasts or in the destruction of some creature as in burning insence or such like Now if we demaunde for what reason did they kill bulls calues or lambes how know they that GOD would be pleased with them what needded he bulls or calues nunquid manducabo Psa 49. carnes â—aurorum aut sanguinem hircorum potabo shall I eate the flesh of bulls or drinke the blood of goates by the resolution of this doubt we shall better perceiue why Christ left this Sacrament as a perpetuall sacrifice for his church Three reasons then may bee yeelded the first because by sacrifices men acknowledge GOD the first maker conseruer and last end of all creatures the which they intend to professe by the externall action of sacrificing because in killing an oxe and burning of him to ashes they depriued themselues of all vse of all profit whereby they signified that all was due to him of whom they had receiued all The second reason was because the holy ghost moued them to vse such bloudie sacrifices to prefigurat the passion of christ once to be offerred vp on the Crosse Thirdly to shew by the death of beasts that they deserued death for their sins that they offered the one to God in lieu of the other By these three reasons wee plainly see that wee in the lawe of grace haue as great need of a reall and externall sacrifice as either the Iewes or those that liued vnder the lawe of nature For need not wee as well as they to acknowledge the dominion and right of GOD ouer this worlde is not hee our Creator our conseruer our last end as well as theirs ought not wee as well to represent the sacrifice of Christs passion passed as they to prefigurat that which was to come do not our sins as well deserue death as theirs did and are not we bound as well to craue pardon for them as they for these three causes therefore and many more our Sauiour instituted this sacrifice of the altar where by the incruent death of Christ we acknowledge the eternall dominion of God and render him infinite thankes for all his gifts as well of grace as of nature and therefore principally it is called Eucharistia that is gratiarum actio thankesgiuing besides we represent most liuely his passion according to that precept of Christ Hoc facite in â—eam Luke 22. commemorationem do this for a commemoration of me Finally we cry O Father of heauen and earth loe we deserue death and 10000 deaths but here wee present the death of thy sonne his body quod pro vobis traditur which is giuen for Luke 22. you his bloud that is shed promultis in remissionem peccatorum for many vnto remission Mat. 26. of sinnes take and accept his death for ours The ninteenth cause to be a sacrifice most like his passion Diuers ancient fathers expending those 1 Cor. 11. wordes of S. Paul Quotiescunque enim manducabitis panem hunc calicem bibitis Cip. ep 3. Chrisost the â—phi occum mortem domini annuntiabitis donec veniat As often as you shall eat this bread and drink in locuâ— Pauli the chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come affirme that this Sacrifice is the very passion of Christ that heere he suffers he is broken he is changed he is offered in a reall sacrifice after an vnbloudy manner for all the greeke texts haue it in the present tence this is my body which is giuen for you this is my bloud which is shed for you Saint Paul hath expresly this is my body 1 Cor. 11. that is broken for you The manner also how Christs body is here sacrificed to god so plainly expresseth the passion of Christ that if there were no other text to proue it the very correspondence would seeme 10. 19. to shew it sufficiently For howe did Christ die vpon the cross by the deuision seperation of the soule from his body Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum bowing his head he gaue vp the ghost What was the cause of this seperatioÌ„ the issuing of abundaÌ„ce of bloud out of his body and there remaining no life wherefore both philosophers phisitians diuines say Anima est in sanguine the life is in the bloud Deut 12. experience teacheth that many die by venting too much blod out of their veins can shew a reall separation of the soule of Christ from his bodie and a reall separation of his bloud from his body here then we may easely infer that in this sacrament there is not onely a true real and externall sacrifice but also the very same that was vpon the Crosse though in maner as shal be declared they differ It is a receued opinion among al learned diuines that the words of consecrating Hoc est corpus meum This is my body do effect that they signifie that as God by saying Fiat lux let light be made light so by saying Hoc est corpus meum This is my body is presently put the bodie of Christ vnder the forme of bread moreouer that they effect no more imediatly than that they signifie therfore by the vertue or efficacie of consecrating imediatly there is only the body of Christ in the hoast without any soule true it is that there is no host that hath not the soul of Christ but that is not by the imediate force and vertue of consecration but by sequele by a following or as they call it per concommitantiam because the soule is ioyned with the body in heauen therfore consequently the body bringeth the soule with it but if the soule were not in the bo die as it was vpon Goodfriday then if any of the Apostles had consecrated the soule of Christ had not bin in the hoast but the dead body as it was in the graue so that by consecrating of Christes body wee haue a reall separation of soule and body and only an vnion of them by sequele and consequence I call the seperation reall for that where the action is reall that which is effected by the action must likewise be reall In like sort the words
actions transfer our common vertues froÌ„ their ordinary course to a most iminent excellent degree of perfection Therefore he being God and man would haue al our actions imediatly to be done to him For which cause hee saide Qui vos audit me audit he that heareth Luke 10. you heareth me Wherupon did ensue Matth. 10 that that which before by human prudence was but credulity now by the precept of Christ did become deuine faith Likewise Quod vni ex minimis meis fecistis Matth. â—â— mihi fecistis As long as you did it to one of these my least brethren you did it to me Qui vos recipit me recipit he that receaueth Matth. 10. you receaueth me So that almes which Luke 10. by naturall vertue is ordained to succour the poore and relieue their misery by the institution of our sauiour becommeth diuine 10. 13. because it is immediatly offered to him For the same reason Saint Paule instructed Ephes 1. of Christ exâ—orted euen the very Col. 3. Tit. 2. 1. Pet. 2. seruants to obey their froward maisters as Christ himselfe thereby exalting obedience to a higher perfection In like sort it falleth foorth in religion for we see in the old lawe this vertue yeelded worship to God but mediatly a far off they could Exod. 19. Hab. 9 Leuit. 16. Exod. 30. not ascend the mountaine it was not lawfull to enter into sanctum sanctorum Their sacrifices had for their immediate obiects Buls Calues and Lambes But the Catholique Religion immediatly by means of this Sacrament hath accesse to God And as that feruent Magdalen immediatly exercised her Religion vpon the person of God when she powred the pretious Marke 14. oyntment vpon his heade and those Luke 8. holy women who ministred meate and drinke vnto him did a worke of mercie Marke 16. vnto God and all those who adored that sacred humanity immediatly worshipped his person and diuinitie euen so all those who either minister light vestments or other furniture of the altare immediatly direct their offering So that as in the temple of Salomon there was nothing 3. Reg. 6. bare but al guilded with golde so there is 2. Paral. 3. nothing offered here concerning the body of Christ but it is guilded with a deified religion respecting the person of the son of God How many faithful christians at this present wish with all their harts to haue beene present that time that Christ liued vpon the earth how would they haue harboured him in their houses how prepared his garments how diligently dressed his wounds with what fine sindons wrapped his body with what sweet spices embalmed his corse This desire I cannot but commond howbeit I take all seruices obsequies oblations done to this blessed Sacrament of as great merite and more then those which had bin imployed to Christs person liuing in earth for the same diuinitie and humanitie in both are alike and besides here we haue a greater difficultie to beleeue For they that liued with him sawe his humanitie with their corporall eyes and only beleuÌ„ed his diuinity but here wee beleeue both diuinity and humanity and consequently according to our beliefe refer our deuotion religion and oblations which therfore are more meritorious for merit increaseth where faith loue are strongest and commonly there they be strongest where they haue strong difficulties The six and twentieth cause that the manner of our saluation should be correspondent to the maner of our first preuarication THe principall cause why our Sauiour tooke flesh and came to redeeme this worlde according to the common decree of diuines was to abolish al sins from the world but specially originall because it was most ample for many bee conceiued borne in it who neuer actually offend indeed the very roote of al other sins Therfore our most diuine Phisition determined to make the salues of our sores not vnlike the causes of our woes and by the same order extinguish al sin by which it was brought in We know the causes of Adams sin were these the serpent that is the wicked Angel the woman AdaÌ„ himselfe the tree of good ill with the fruit therof and finally the desire to be made like vnto God Which al sixe our Sauior hath matched answerd most diuinely opposed six like in our iustification An Angell Gabriell to denounce Christs incarnation A Virgin to make her maker Christ a man by nature wisdome in his mothers womb the tree of good il the crosse of christ where al the world might know the immensiue goodnes of Christ who died for vs and the pestilent poison of sinne that caused an innocent to die so cruelly the fruit is this blessed sacrament that blossomed out of Christs fide vpon the crosse finally the desire of deitie and immortalitie proper effects of this sacrament the which intice all good christians to receiue it By this plainly appeareth the conformitie of our reprobation with the causes of our perdition That euen as the scorpion carieth a sting to poyson a iuice to heale so a tree yeeldeth a fruite of death and a tree yeeldeth a fruit of life But were it not an horrible abuse to conuert this bread of life into bread of death and make that a poyson which was ordained to bee a remedye against poison I am afraide that many had better haue swallowed poison then eaten this sacrament for poison in fine had but killed the body and this killeth the soule All those who come not prepared who iudge not the body of Christ from other prophane meates these kill their owne soules Many as S. Ciprian Cip. de caen Domini saith Lambunt quidem petram sedinde nec mel sugunt nec oleum They licke indeede the rocke but thereof they suck neither hony nor oyle And after hee addeth Quibus expedit suspendatur mola asinaria in collo eorum demergantur in profundum maris To whome it is expedient that a milstone were hanged about their necks and that they were drownd in the depth of the sea But who be these Those Matth. 18 Marke 9. Matth. 22. which come not with a wedding garment those that haue not a firme purpose to abstaine from all deadly sinnes those who haue other mens goods and doe not restore them those in fine which come not with charity For this Sacrament by a natural proposition supposeth the receiuer to liue spiritually For a deade body cannot digest meate or nourish it selfe And therfore he that is not in charity offendeth hainously by receiuing this sacrament haling as S. Chrysost saith the kinges sonne through the mire and durte Neuerthelesse I do not deny but in some cases this sacrament giueth life euen to the soule that is dead in sinne if bonafide hee come to it with attrition although hee hath committed some mortall sinne which hee inuincibly remembreth not The twenty seuenth cause to be caried about
light with more copie of internall inspirations externall helps he declareth his vigilant care and fatherly watchfulnes ouer his Church more then the sinagog Moses sprinkled the people vppon theyr garments with the bloud of dead beastes but here Christ sprinkled the harts of the Apostles with his bloud that euer liueth Hereupon we may inferrre a practicall illation that if as often as we view the rainbow wee may easily reduce to memorie the promise God made neuer to drowne the world so by seeing this glorious rainbow or rather gracebow wee may call to our considerations the mercie and goodnesse God in pardoning our sinnes and let vs beware to looke vpon it with polluted and defiled soules lest it chance to 1. Reg. 6. vs as it befell to the Bethsamites who curiously beheld the Arke which did not appertaine vnto them for otherwise hee that seeth the secrets of our hearts will sting vs in such secret sort as both horror and confusion will vndoubtedly ensue either â—n this life or in the life to come or both The eight and thirtieth cause to be a trumpet to blaze the glory of God GOd whose sayings are doings can speake as well by workes as wordes blaze his name as amply by silent facts as shtill tongues Therefore most zealous of his owne glory that is desirous that men shuld know his maiestie and in knowing it render him that dutifull praise honour worship and homage as such a soueraigntie requireth iustituted this glorious Sacrament The which so effectually bringeth it to passe that if al tongs and pens were ioyned in one they could not discribe nor speake the thousand part that this silent trumpet soundeth because we see imprinted in the very heart of nature that the crop the flower and perfectioÌ„ of euery thing ought to be prescÌ„ted to God Why did Abell sacrifice vnto him the fat of his flocke but bicause that euen nature had written in the forefront of his Gen. 4. soule that God was the woorthiest and consequently deserued the best why didd God himselfe in the appointing of his oblations and sacrifices prescribe alwayes the best to be singled for his seruice and that neither lame nor blinde nor anie defectious beast should appeere in his sight but as hee himselfe gaue vs to vnderstand that if terrence princes disdaine to accept Malac. 1. base and vnworthy presents howe much more hee to whome all Monarchies doe yeelde homage and laye their Crownes and Scepters vnder his feete Why did the prophet Dauid say Sacrificia medullata offeram tibi marrowed sacrifices I will offer to thee So compleate and perfect sacrifices O Lorde I will offer vnto thee that the very bones shall not lacke theyr Psal 65. perfection but bee filled with the flower of fatnesse their natiue marrow But for what reason a holy Prophet Because if wee haue receiued all from him reason requireth wee should returne the best to him This vniuersall auncient and naturall instinct the faithfull before Christes time performed with great dilligence and exquisite ceremonies and indeede it was conuenient they shuld for the glorifying of God for the reuerence of his maiestie to acknowledge him the beginning of all the end of all the conseruer the prouider the gouernor of all and besides in hym to be an abisse of perfection goodnesse wisedom power and such like attâ—ibutes But what proportion had al these to god what glory yeelded the death of a Bull to such a Highnesse When Solomon offered 2. Pâ—ral â— a thousand to an idoll they were too base and therefore God reiected them he thought them not sutable to such a maiestie and therefore Dauid hauing no better and seeing God refusing beasts calues at last thought his owne heart was something more agreeing and therefore hee saide Quoniam sivolnisses sacrificium dedisse Psal 50. vtique holocaustis non delectaberis sacrificium deo spiritus contribulatus cor contritum humiliatur Deus non despicies If thou wouldest a sacrifice I had giuen thee but with burnt offerings thou art not delighted a sacrifice to God is a contrite spirite SalomoÌ„ perceuing the infirmities of their sacrifices and seeing God distasted with theÌ„ thought in the multitude of offerings make some little shew of the infinite glorie he iudged due to God and therefore â— Regâ— 8. he offered two and twentie thousand oxen for one sacrifice but not in millibus taurorum in thousands of bulles was Gods glorie sufficiently declared what remedy shall God be frustrated of his glorie seeing al the world he created for his glorie Malachie the Prophet will straight make answere or rather God by Malachie Ab ortusolis vsque ad occasum magnum Malac. â— est nomen meum in gentibus in omni loco sacrificatur offertur nomini meo oblatio munda quia magnum est nomen meum in gentibus From the rising of the sun to the setting my name is great among Gentiles and in eueryplace it is sacificed a pure oblatioÌ„ is offred to my name bicause my name is great among Gentiles Marke how he repeateth twise Magnum nomen meum in Gentibus My name is great among Gentiles bicause among the Gentiles his maiestie was admirable to bee esteemed and glorified therefore he ordained the blessed Eucharist that they considering the worthie dignitie and infinite perfection of this sacrifice might breake forth into a wonderfull admiration of the maiestie wisdome and power of God to whom so pure so rare so glorious a sacrifice was offered The which is that glory GOD pretended to win freely by men in this world and the deuill affecting deity procured by thest to steale some parte yet God would not that after this house once appeared among Christians in the most partes of the world whereunto this sacrifice was inducted that idolatry should greatly preuaile For the light of this sun dispersed the vermine of the earth and caused them to retire into their caues So that now all nations in the world knowe that Gods maiestie is infinit to whom an infinite sacrifice is offered that he is most worthy in himselfe to whom so worthy an oblation is presented And what more glory can be desired of man is not this Clara notitia cum laude a blazed notice with praise that they acknovvledge and confesse God infinite in goodnes that of meere bountie he bestovved vpon theÌ„ so ritch so pretious so infinite a treasure do they not protest by offering vppe this maiesticall sacrifice all those perfections that either nature teacheth or faith beleeueth to be rooted in him as their origen and fountaine and this is to make Nomen eius magnum in gentibus his name great among Gentiles and is effected by this sacred food and glorous sacrifice The nine and thirtieth cause to giue vs a taste of the ioyes of heauen WHen the children of Israell drewe neere their promised inheritance a lande flowing with milke and hony because our prouident