with oile of exultation aboue thy fellowes In Isaie Isa 45. v. 14.15 Thus saith our Lord the labour of Aegypt and the merchandise of Aethiopia and of Sabaim the high men shall passe to thee and shall be thine they shall walke after thee the Messias they shall goe boūd with manicles ād they shall ADORE THEE ād shall beseech thee ONLIE in THEE he speakes still to the Messias is God ād there is NO GOD beside thee Verily thou art God hidden in the forme of man the God of Israel a Sauiour God heere auouches that another distīct personallie frō himselfe is God the only God God hidden which speach is verified in the Messias and cānot possiblie be verified of any pure man Goe further ād you shall finde in Ieremie the greate name tetragrammaton that incommunicable name of God giuen and by God to the Messias Behold the daies shall come saith our Lord Ierem. 33. v. 14.15.16 and I will raise vp the good word that I haue spoken to the howse of Israel and to the howse of Iuda c. I will make the SPRING OF IVSTICE to bud foorth vnto Dauid the same is also in the 25. c. v 5.6 and HE shall doe iudgment and iustice in the earth In THOSE DAIES shall Iuda be saued ād Ierusalē shall dwell confidently ād this is the name they shall call HIM By Rab. Aaron Rab. Iacob 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE LORD our iust one Note heere by the waie that the poīts in Hebrew were inuented more thē four hūdred yeeres after Christ Elias Leuita Iudaeus Praefat 3. ante Massoreth Hammassoreth Genebr Chr. ad an 76. Zach. 2. v. 8 9. and therefore in reading you may take them of againe for in the poīting many texts are corrupted In an other of the Prophets Thus saith THE LORD OF HOSTS after glorie he sent ME to the Nations that haue spoiled you for he that shall touch you toucheth the apple of mine eie because loe I lift vp my hand vppon them and they shall be a pray to those that serued them Marke diligently in the begining who speakes saying that he is sent and you will find him to be the Lord of hosts HE is sent ād is sent by the Lord of hosts allso one diuine Person sending the other The same Person the Lord of Hosts doth continue still his speach and saith and you shall knowe that the Lord of hosts SENT ME. Praise and reioyce o daughter of Sion because loe I COME and will dwell in the middest of thee v. 9.10.11 SAITH OVR LORD And many Natiōs shall be ioyned to our Lord in that day ād they shall be my people and I WILL DWELL in the middest of thee and thou shalt knowe that the Lord of hosts hath sent ME to thee The same God of Israel in an other Chapter affirmes himself to be pierced by the inhabitants of Ierusalem as indeede he was in his passiō The words I put downe before Zac. 12.10 To giue the spirit of Grace is an act proper to God and they are these I will powre out vppon the howse of Dauid and vppon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and prayer the God of Israel speakes ād they shall looke vppon ME The God of Israel VVHOM they HAVE PIERCED It is cleere then that the God of Israel hath flesh ād blood by Incarnatiō how els could he be pierced Before he foretold his comming in flesh and blood Isa 7.14 A virgin shall conceaue and beare a sonne and his name shall be called Emmanu-el God with vs. c. 35. v. 5. And in an other place God himselfe VVILL COME and will same you then shall the eies of the blind be opened and the eares of the deafe c. Againe the God of Israel in an other place I my selfe THAT SPAKE Isa 52.6 loe I AM PRESENT All which do manifest the ttuth of that which wee reade in Baruch This is our God and there shall none other be esteemed against him Baruch 3 v. 36.37.38 He found out all the way of discipline and deleuered it to Iacob his seruant and to Israel his beloued After these things he was seene VPPON THE EARTH and was conuersant with men THE FIFT CHAPTER Of the Introduction of Christianitie into the world 40. IN the begining of the former Chapter I proposed vnto my self a briefe discourse of the introductiō of Christianitie into the world and the propagatiō of the Church in the tymes primitiue but Atheists ād Iewes did interrupt me so that all the Chapter was spent with them Hauing there shaken them of I will now resume the subiect and will as then I said relate not dispute He that hath raised this greate building whereof I haue spoken in this Booke the Church I meane diffused in all Nations is Iesus borne at Bethlem Sonne of Marie This all doe know and confesse Pagans Iewes Atheists And this greate worke well considered doth argue in him more then was euer in any other vpon earth no one of what qualitie so euer no Scholler No Monarch none that euer liued hath euer donne the like to vnite I say so maay Nations for so long a tyme in so obscure a Creede by such meanes as he hath donne These things wee see are donne they are vndeniable let vs looke on the begining to see how and if wee keepe a setled eie on our Master and his proceedings wee shall discouer that he was indeede the God of nature conuersing here visiblie amongst men 41. His doctrine was of Sanctitie of Saluation of the power and the knowledge and prouidence and soueraigne will of God Of the last end and chiefe Obiect of mans Being Of the perfection of the next life in immortalitie and the dispositions thereunto Of the horrour and effects of sinne and of the goodnes of all vertue whereof he did exhibite himself a diuine forme and example to the world by practising them all in the heroicke and most perfect manner Reflect vppon his cariage in his passion the bitterest in all respects that euer man suffered and you will finde his behauiour in each particular to be diuine In his rule there is no vertue wanting so perfectly did he comprehend what morall Philosophers could neuer attaine vnto and beyond all these he teacheth Faith relying on the prime Verity Hope reposed in Gods infinite Mercie and Charitie louing the diuine Goodnes for it self Whatsoeuer in speculation men knew cōcerning God the highest Obiect he deliuered it more cleerelie all discouering further his prouidence mercie and iustice about man and which is furthest out of our sight the Sacred Mysterie of the Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost subsisting in one infinite Nature and communitie of blisse Moreouer he did looke into mens thoughts and discouer what he pleased Matt. 9. 26.1 in the presence and to the confusion of those who sought occasion to traduce him Luk. 18
all sufficieÌ„t These two you must distinguish the first is here affirmed the second is not There must be meanes to knowe which is Scripture which Booke which Chapter which verse and to know the sense of it And herein wee must be directed by the Spirit of the Church Wee must take the Scripture from her hands and the meaning of it from her mouth Harke what the same Apostle saith in an other place 2. Thess 2.15 Hold the Traditions you haue learned whether it be by word or by our Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But of this you shall heare more here after It is sufficient here that no place of Scripture doth contradict the doctrine of the Church and your labour to prooue it is all vaine for that Spirit which directed the writers of Gods word doth allso direct the Church to the sense of it and therefore it is vnpossible for any man to finde Opposition betwixt the Church and Gods word 34. Stay now let vs looke on the contradictions all together in could blood before we goe The first God forbids to giue soueraigne honour to any but to him selfe Papists say an inferior and relatiue honour may be giuen to the pictures of Christ and his Saincts The secoÌ„d Antichrist is opposite vnto and extolled aboue all that is called God and sits in the Temple of God shewing himselfe as if he were God Papists The Pope is Christs Vicar here vppon earth and Pastor of his Churth The third The Eucharisticall bread is the participation of the body of our lord Papists it is not the participation of bakers breade but of the true body of Christ in forme of breade The fourth If I pray in a toÌ„gue my Spirit prayeth but my minde is without fruite Papists It is not necessarie that Priests say Masse in the vulgar tongue The fift Abraham beleeued God that he should be Father of many Nations and it was imputed to him to iustice Papists Iustifying faith is not that whereby N. N. beleeues his sinnes are forgiuen him The sixt The Apostles were commanded all to drinke the cuppe Papists The lay people are not commanded to drinke the cuppe The seuenth All Scripcure is profitable to teach c that the man of God may be perfect instructed to euery good worke Papists Traditions are to be receaued the Scripture is not by itselfe all sufficient This is the substance of that which hath bene here discussed Good logicians be modest or go peripatize with your Aristotle some where els I sit and you stand in the same schoole are contradictories according to the rule by which our nimble Masons do builde their newe Church but A man is iustified by works and not by faith onely A man is not iustified by works but by faith onely are not contradictorie though you meane workes done by grace and in grace a litle newe morter may dawbe them both together for if ye marke the one of them is true in the iudgment of S. Iames the Apostle and the other is true in the iugdment of Mr. Iohn Caluin and so they are not secundum idem THE FIFT CHAPTER Other places of Scripture are answered 35. BEing past the monstrouse Argument which thought to affright me wich the multitude of his heades I was going on to cite Scripture against you but an other Chimaera meets me in the Way Iohn White in his preface to the way had made his bragge that ProtestaÌ„ts haue Scripture in manifest places free from all ambiguitie on their side And being to make this good in his Defence I Whites Defense â— 8. n. 4. hath pickt out such places as he thought of most aduantage and most cleere Parte of them are the same with some of those I haue allready spoken of in the former Chapter The rest I will runne ouer briefly beare with me if I be longer in this point then you desire The first An Angell would not be adoared by S. Iohn but refused it saying see thou doe not Apoc. 1â— 10 22 v. 9â— I aÌ„ thy fellowe seruaÌ„t adore God The Apostle againe another tyme fell downe to adore the Angell and it was againe answeared as before Answ It is cleere by this text that the Angell refused to be adored by S. Iohn and this wee beleeue But it is not said here that it is ill to adore an Angell yea in the iudgment of S. Iohn it was conuenient and being told of it he still beleeued it to be conuenient for he did offer notwithstanding the first refusall to doe it the second tyme. The place therefore is against you Neither is there any difficultie in the matter for S. Iohn might well offer it and the Angell considering how deare the Apostle was to the Sonne of God and lord of Angells and how greate his Apostolicall dignitie was might well refuse it So v. Bede S. Anselme and others vppon this place Luke 17.10 36. The second When you haue done all things that are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done that which wee ought to doe This is brought to exclude all merite from our actions donne by and in grace But it comes to short first because here is speach onely of things commanded Matth. 19.21 â— Cor. 7. v. v. 25.38.40 now there are other actions not commanded and by those at leaste wee may merite notwithstanding this sentence Secondly God by creation is Lord of all his creatures and men thereby are naturallie bound to serue him 2. Pet. â—â— Iohn 1.12 By grace men are made partakers of the diuine nature and are sonnes of God and he their Father Wherefore if as seruants they could not merite as by nature indeed they cannot as children they might Seruants are vnprofitable if their masters profit come not from their seruice howsoeuer they may be peraduenture good husbands for theÌ„ selues And this place hath nothing to the contrary Thirdly our labour is vnprofitable to God our lord and Master for he is neuer the better for that wee doe being infinitelie happie in him selfe but it may be profitable to our selues and this is not here denied 37. The 3. Blessed are the dead which die in our lord from hence forth now saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours for their works follow them This place is brought against Purgatorie or paines after this life Apoc. 14.13 suffered by such as depart in the grace of God But it is so farre from being cleere to this purpose S. Aug. l. 20 Ciuit. c. 9. that it rather helpes our cause Some with S. Augustine vnderstand the place of Martyrs and Martyrs instantlie goe to heauen wherefore in that way there is no difficultie S. Ansel vppon this place in the words Others with S. Anselme interprete from hence that is from the Resurrection or generall Iudgment and they are grounded in the discourse of the Chapter This way hath no difficultie neither for all immediately after that tyme are
is not in the a mouthes of the faithfull that b thing is not in the forme of breade Iudas did not c receaue the body but onely a peece of breade That in the Chalice was neuer d in our Sauiours side The body which the Sages worshipped is not oÌ„ the e Altar The bodie of Christ is not f heere on earth nor in the dimensions wee do see touch and receaue Christ is not g Sacrificed on the Altar by the Priest The humanitie of Christ is not on the h Altar Compare it 48. Fiftly it being the same bodie which is in heauen Christ I say being in the Eucharist aÌ„d the Fathers professing this it followeth that he is there allso in the Eucharist to be adored and this the Fathers allso did acknowledge you remember what I repeated euen now out of S. Chrysostome take more out of others S. Gregorie saith of his sister Gorgonia S Greg. Naz. orat 11. She prostrateth her selfe with faith before the Altar and with a greate crie calleth on him who is 1 worshippeed on it the said Altar You must obserue heere that S. Gregorie doth not onely declare the action of his Sister but allso the Custome of the primitiue Church in these words who is worshipped on it and then you will see that Christians in those dayes did worshippe our Sauiour on the Altar S. Augustine S. Aug in â—sal 98. Our Sauiour tooke flesh of the virgin Marie aÌ„d because he walked heere in that flesh and hath giuen vs that flesh to be eaten to Saluation and no man eateth that flesh vnles he first adore 2 it behold wee haue found our in what manner such a foote-stoole of our Lords feete his flesh may be adored and how that wee doe not sinne by adoring it Id. Ep. 120. c. 27. but wee sinne by not adoring it The rich come indeed to the table they eate and adore but are not filled Sainct Ambrose By the foote stoole vnderstand the earth S. Ambr. l. 3. de sp s c. 12 by the earth the flesh of Christ which yeauen at this day wee 3 adore in the mysteries and which the Apostles did adore in our Lord Iesus Christ Theodoret Theodor. Dial 2. The mysticall signes are vnderstood to be that they are made by consecration vzt the bodie and blood of Christ and they are beleeued and 4 adored as being that they are beleeued to be O most diuine S. Dionys Eccl. Hierarch c. 3. De lib ist autho vide Baron a. 109. Mart. Delr Vindic. Areopagit Gualt Chron. c. 28 secu 1. ver 1 aÌ„d holie Sacrifice open those mysticall and signifying veiles wherewith thou art couered shewe thy selfe cleerely vnto vs and 5 replenish our spirituall eies with thy singular and reueiled brightnes 49. The Protestant Opinion 1 No bodie is worshipped on the Alter the flesh of Christ in the 2 Sacrament is not to be adored It is not to be adored in the 3 Mysteries the Sacrament is 4 not adored there is no bodie in the Eucharist or vnder those signes that can heare or 5 is to be prayed vnto Compare 50. Sixtlie the Fathers say the Bodie of Iesus Christ is heere immolated after aÌ„ vnbloodie maÌ„ner that this vnbloodie Sacrifice offered by the ChristiaÌ„s is in substaÌ„ce the bodie of Christ that it is the host which was offered oÌ„ the Crosse and the price of our redemption which things agree no more to bakers breade then adoration and the rest whereof I haue spoken before but onelie to the true bodie of Iesus Christ S. Ignat. Ep ad Smyr ap Theod. dial 3. S. Chrys or 17. in Ep. Hebr. They the Simonians and Saturnians old Hereticks admit not Eucharists a and Oblations because they do not confesse the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Sauiour which suffered for our sinnes Wee do still offer the same not another now but euer the same and for this reason the Sacrifice is one as being offered in b many places it is one bodie not many bodies Ibid. so allso the sacrifice is one It is our high Priest who hath offered the hoast which doth cleanse vs and wee allso now do offerre the same which was then offerred â—d hom 51. â— Mat. â—o ad pop â—ntioch Cyr. Aâ—â— declar â—nat 11. which cannot be consumed Let vs heare and tremble he Christ hath put himselfe c immolated before vs. wee celebrate in the Church the holie quickning and d vnbloodie Sacrifice beleeuing not that that which is shewed is the bodie of some common man like vs and his blood but wee receaue it rather as the life giuing Words owne flesh and blood â—onc Nic â—ct Vatic â—p de diâ—na mens â—c testim â—oscunt â—colamp â—uin â—quin â—blit â—e Bell. l â—e Sa. â— c. 10. In the diuine table let vs not abase our thoughts to consider the breade and cuppe which is set there vppon but rather erecting our minde and fixing it on high let vs by faith vnderstand that there is present vppon that holie e table the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world who is offered in Sacrifice by the Priest without slaughtering and wee verilie receauing his bodie and blood let vs beleeue that these things are the pledges of our Saluation and resurrection This hoste doth singularlie preserue the soule from eternall damnation which hoste doth repaire vnto vs by mysterie that death of the onely begotten S. Greg. l. 4 Dial. c. 58. Pro nobis ITERVM in hoc mysterio sacra Oblationis immolatur who rising from the deade now dieth not yet liuing in himselfe immortallie and incorruptiblie he is againe Sacrificed for vs in this mysterie of the holie Oblation Hether appertaines that which S. Augustine writeth of his mother a good Christian woman of the Religion then common that departing out of this world she desired memorie to be made of her at the Altar S. Aug. 9. Confes â—â— 13. from g whence she knewe the holie Sacrifice to be dispenced wherewith the inditement against vs was blotted out Then he commendes her sowle to the praiers of such as reade his Booke Obserue what and where this thing was it was the victime or Sacrifice wherewith the ransome was paid for our sinnes this is not bread I trow and this was on the Altar and therehence dispenced as you heard from S. Augustines mouth And there adored in the mysteries as you heard before Optat. l. 6. Wherevppon wee find the Altar allso called the seate of the body and blood of our Lord. Hether also doth appertaine that which wee finde in Antiquitie about offering sacrifice for the deade which you may reade ar your leisure in others for I haue ben alreadie to long in this 51. The Protestant opinion no Eucharisticall a Oblation is to be admitted it is not the flesh of Christ that suffered for vs. The sacrifice of the bodie of Christ is not offered in b many places Christ is noe more c
4 ch because euery man holds what he lists and doth assume to himselfe the iudgment of controuersie in Religion I meane here to name only your two Masters the late EuaÌ„gelists aÌ„d reformers forsooth of the Church Luther and Caluin and to cite them in this busines including you as farre as you consent with them for I intend in this Chapter to extend my former scope a litle and to shewe more generally the opposition of ProtestaÌ„tes to the Scripture Of Protestantes for I speake now of the whole body such as it is some be Lutherans some be Caluinists in some things the Lutherans oppose the Scripture more then Caluinists in other things the Caluinists more then the Lutherans in other both are opposite vnto Gods word When you are on that side which doth consent with vs theÌ„ my discourse doth not proceede against you yet then allso my argument holds in as much as it is confessedly true that in those points the Scripture is not against vs. If I say at any tyme you dissent from your masters whom I will name and admit that they and their Spirit of interpretation are contrarie to the Scripture you may interprete your selfe not to be included amongst them I speake vnto But my argument will runne on against you for all the rest of the points wherein you consent and agree with them which are allmost all in substance howsoeuer there may be some litle Difference about the manner If the Scripture affirme any thing absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and you graunt it only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or with a limitation I goe on in such cases against you as opposite vnto the Scripture So in the points of single life keeping the commandements free-will as you expound your selues tradition diuine assistance and some other Likewise if you admit the words but vnderstand them improperly as in the matter of the reall presence priesthood absolution for in such cases your consent is but verball and vnder the words you conceale a different sense whereby the common * The state of the Question that it may not be vnderstooâ— WEE often ofsett purpose ouercloude with darknes things which are manifest wee impudently deny things false without shame wee auouch things plainely impious Wee propose as first principles of faith things orthodoxall wee condemne of Heresie Scriptures at our pleasure wee detort to our dreames Wee boast of Fathers When Wee will follow nothing lesse then their doctrine c. The Confesâ—ion of Zanchiuâ— a greate Protestant concerning the proceedingâ— of Protestant writers Doctors and pillars of that Church Ep. 10 〈◊〉 Sturm fine l. 7. 8. Miscell people are deceaued Of the Fathers authorities I meane the same If you admitte our doctrine plainely subscribe and along to the next if you do not then attend to the plaine sense of the Scripture which I produce Vide Coâ— lat doctrâ— Cath. Protest 〈◊〉 expressâ—â— Scripturâ— verâ—â—s 〈…〉 The obscuâ—â—st of those things which I am to propose is inuocation of Saincts yet you dare not abide â—he triall of that point by confessed testimonies of Antiquitie 46. Touching the honour giuen to some things in animate for the SaÌ„ctitie which they haue as reliques Crosse pictures c. you remember that it is relatiue proportionate vnto the Sanctitie not absolute as I tould you before This kinde of honour done to such things You do wholly condemne Debituâ—â— honorem venerâ—â—tionem c. Conâ— Trid. seâ—â— 25. in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word yoâ— haue inteâ—preted bâ— the â— Niâ— Coâ—â— in eâ— aâ—â—â—pp Calu. l. 1. Instit c. 11. 4. c. 9. Wee do giue it To contradict your generall deniall one example ouâ— of the Scriptere will serue because it is the same reason in the rest You esteeme the deade body of a Sainct more then common earth if therefore I shewe you that honour is in Scripture commanded to be giuen to the very ground in regard of relatiue sanctity you will admit that in this point it makes for vs against you In the third of Exodus our lord seeing that Moyses went forward to see he called him out of the bush Exod. 3. v. 4·5 Honour to the ground and said approach not hither loose thy shoes froÌ„ thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holie ground Heere is command and example of honour donne to the ground in regard of relatiue sanctitie which it had And if the ground might haue a kinde of honour why not the dust and bones of Martyrs why not the Crosse whereon Christ suffered why not the place where he stood why not his picture wherein he is represented when Iosue was in the field of the cittie of Ierico he lifted vp his eies Ios 5. v. 13.14.15.16 and sawe a man standing against him holding a drawne sword and he went vnto him aÌ„d said art thou ours or our aduersaries who answeared No. But I am a prince of the hoast of our lord and now I come Iosue fell flat on the ground and adoring he said what speaketh my lord to his seruant loose VVee haue neede of a Mediator to Christ our Mediator S. Bern. serm sig magn saith he thy shoe from thy feete for the place wherein thou doest stand is holie And Iosue did as it was commanded him 47. Next concerning Saincts and Angells Though wee do not acknowledge them our Principall Mediators for the chiefe Mediator is Iesus Christ appar vide Cyrill l. 12. Thesaur c. 10. God and man Yet wee beleeue that their subordinate mediation to speak with S. Bernard and Intercession and prayers in particular for vs relying on the merites of our Sauiour are profitable to vs agreable to their happie estate and presidencie and conformable to the Scripture You say No. Calu. 1. instit c. 14. 3. c. 20. Christus solus populi vota ad Deum defert ibid. § 20. The Scripture The Angell of our lord said Zach. 1.12 See allso Dan. 10. Intercession O lord of hoasts how long wilt thou not haue mercie on Hierusalem and on the citties of Iuda with which thou hast bene angrie And in the Reuelation of S. Iohn The fower and twentie Seniours or Elders fell before the lambe Apoc. 5. v. 8 hauing euery one harpes and golden vialles full of odours which are the prayers of saincts This place doth prooue subordinate Intercession not to be iniurious to the mediation of Iesus Christ but to be included in the order which he hath serte Apoc. 4. v. 2. Consider further the circumstances of the vision to find out what persoÌ„s these Elders were Behold quoth S. Iohn there was a throne set in heauen v. 4. and vppon the the throne one sitting c. And rouÌ„d about the throne 24 thrones and vppon the thrones 24 Elders sitting cloathed about in white garments and on their heades crownes of gold If now you will haue me to beleeue that these Elders cloathed in white
you must consider that the eie of faith ād the corporall eie may both finde their obiects in one and the same thing Wee reade the Scripture ād beleeue the sense The Apostles saw our Sauiour and beleeued he was the Sonne of God The faithfull assēbled when the holie Ghost came amongst them were visible and yet they where the Church First therefore in a word I will declare that the Church of God which soeuer be is visible secondlie I will shewe you the greatnes of it which is the thing I principallie doe intend in this Chapter thirdlie the durance or perpetuitie that you may frame in your vnderstanding the true conceipt of the Church of God 3. And first touching the visibilitie or to speake yet more generallie touching the sensible perceptibility of the thing wee speake of it is cleere that that which makes a continuall noise Visibilitie and is alwaies speaking and in all mens eies and cannot be hid is a thing sensible vnto men that haue eies and eares and if this thing be in all Nations and at all tymes it is sensible to all the world Now this is the condition of the Church of God Psal 18. v. 6. Isa 52. v. 10 which soeuer it be which I prooue thus by Scripture He hath put his tabernacle in the Sunne saith Dauid and Isaie Our lord hath prepared his holie arme in the eies of all the Gētiles and all the endes of the earth shall see the saluation of our God They of the west shall feare the name of our Lord and they of the rising of the sunne his glorie when he shall come as a violent streame 59. v. 19.20 21. which the spirit of our Lord driueth and there shall come the Redeemer to Sion and to them that returne from iniquitie in Iacob saith our Lord. This is my couenant with them saith our Lord. My spirit that is in thee and my words that I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seede and out of the mouth of the seede of thy seede saith our Lord 62. v. 6. Mat. 5. v. 15 See S. Aug. enar in ps 47. from this present and for euer Vppon thy walls Ierusalem I haue appointed watchmen All the day and all the night for euer they shall not hold their peace You are the light of the world a cittie cannot be hid situated on a montaine 4. I omitte the allegation of more authorities because hereafter I shall speake more of this matter and these fewe declare and prooue manifestlie the truth of that which I said I goe therefore on to the chiefe point intended in this Chapter which is to shewe Gods eternall and inuiolable ordinance about the Churches vniuersalitie Vniuersalitie Gal. 3. And to begin with Moyses wee haue in him the promise of an ample Posteritie to old Abraham Father of Beleeuers made by God himselfe and expounded by S. Paul of the Church of Christ Gen. 22. v. 17. I will blesse thee and I will multiplie thy seede as the starres of heauen and as the sand that is in the sea shore thy seed shall possesse the gates of their enimies and in thy seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth This did God then confirme with an oath and proceeding in the promise 28. v. 14. confirmed it againe to Iacob afterward thy seed shall he as the dust of the earth thou shalt be dilated to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south and in thee and in thy seede all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed Next in the psalmes wee heare God the Father saying vnto his sonne our Sauiour Psal 2. v. 8 aske of me and I will giue the Gentiles for thine inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth and the Prophet adds in an other psalme all the ends of the earth shall remember and be conuerted vnto our Lord 21. v. 28.29 and all the families of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight All Natiōs whatsoeuer thou hast made shall come and shall adore before thee o lord 65. v. 6. 5. Among the Prophets Isaie In the latter daies the mountaine of the house of our lord shall be prepared in the top of mountaines and shall be raised aboue the little hilles Isa 2 v. 2.3 and all Nations shall flowe vnto it and many people shall goe and shall saie come and let vs goe vp to the mount of our lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies and wee shall walke in his paths And againe vppon thee o Ierusalem shall our lord arise and his glorie shall beseene vppon thee and the Gentiles shall walke in thy light and kings in the brightnes of the rising 60. v. 2.3.4 5. lift vp thine eies round about and behold all these are gathered together they are come vnto thee thy sonnes shall come from a farre and thy daughters shall arise from thy side then shalt thou see and shalt abound and thy hart shall wonder and be enlarged when the multitude of the sea shall be conuerted vnto thee the strengh of Gentiles shall come to thee After him Daniel I beheld in the vision of the night and loe with the clouds of heauen there came in as it were the sonne of man Dan. 7. v. 13.14 and he came euen to the auncient of daies and in his sight they offered him and he gaue him power and honour and kingdome and all people tribes and tongues shall serue him his power is an eternall power that shall not be taken awaie and his kingdeme shall not be corrupted The like is in the rest I adde onelie Malachie which is the last and neerest to our Sauiours tyme from the rising of the sunne euen to the going downe Mal. 1. v. 11 great is my name among the Gentiles and in euerie place there is sacrificing and there is offered vnto my name a cleane Oblation because my name is great among the Gentiles saith the lord of hostes 6. As the old Testament so the newe doth establish the foresaid vniuersalitie of the Church and our Sauiour doth giue commission vnto his disciples and to their Successors to raise such a one All power saith he is giuen me in heauen and in earth going therefore teach yee all Nations Mat. 28. v. 19.20 baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the sonne ād of the holie Ghost teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you and behold I am with you all daies euen to the consummation of the world Going into the world preach the Gospell to all creatures And in another Mar. 16. v. 15. he declares the issue of the foresaid propheticall speaches against such as would haue imagined they were cōditionall speaches onelie These are the words which I spake to you Luk. 24. v. 44.45.46 when I
Pastors alwayes exercising their holy function and Gods word in their mouth euer for this Church he doth inquire shewe him this Church and he will trouble you no longer for the rest he shall haue there A third shift is to send him to the primitiue Church and to tell him that indeede then was this communion with all Nations this ample Church which the Scripture doth commend was then but since it decaied and now you are building it againe This iourney were to longe for him he is not able to reade bookes otherwise he would not trouble you nor your Congregation at all for he should easilie find the thing himselfe wherefore that he may be directed by the iudgment of other men better seene in that busines he desires to know which aÌ„d where is the preseÌ„t Catholique Church and by that Church he will be directed about former tymes he desires therefore D. Luther to tell him where the Catholique Church is now for such a perpetuall one the Bible speakes of This question must be answered the man that doth aske it may be any that is in England for example and it might haue bene answered in Lurhers time who was your Master for which reason I tie the question to that tyme for the more perspicuitie and leaue the man with you to answer for your Master 14. Your fellowes finding here no way to flie the question do confesse that the knowne Church of the world in Luthers tyme that which had communion with the Pope was the Catholique Church and labour to finde her in errour and Apostasie So White Field and other of your companions so Luther so Caluin Of errours I will speake hereafter I looke now for the Church only because this is to be found first before we dispute of further matters And thus I vrge That Church which all the world doth say is the catholique church wee likewise Arg. 1 if wee will not be ridiculouslie sensles must beleeue to be the Catholique church as wee must beleeue that is Rome which the world VVee professe the Church of Rome it selfe in all ages to haue ben the visibâ—e Church of God So white Defence c. 41. in the name of his fellowes wee most firmely beleeue all the Churches in the VVorld wherein our Fathers liued and died to haue ben the true Churches of God in which vndoubtedly saluation was to be found Field Church l. 3. c 8 and c. 47. Wee neuer doubted but that the Churches wherein those holy men S. Bernard S. Dominick c. did liue and die were the true Churches of God and held the sauing profession of heauenly truth See him allso in the sixt Chap. of the same Booke Wee confesse that all Christian good is in the Papacie and that from thence it came downe to vs. Luth. Epist cont Anabapt ibid. I say further that in the Papacie is the true Christianitie yea the true kernell of Christianity and vppon the 28. of Genes Wee Confesse the Church to be among the Papists for they haue Baptisme Absolution the text of the Gospell and there are many godly among them Wee deny not that the Churches remaine vnder the Popes tyraenny but they are such as with sacrilegious impietie he hath profaned c. Caluin 4. Inst c. 3. and vppon 2 Thessall 2. he confesseth the Church coÌ„municating with the Pope to be Temple and Sanctuary of God sayth is Rome and that London which the world sayth is London But the whole world sayth that the company of Christians in communion with the See of Rome is the catholique church for so your fellowes so your Masters so wee so Iewes so Pagans and no other can be found wherefore since Gods word and promise of a perpetuall and vniuersall Church must needs be true wee must beleeue that it is this 15. Moreouer the Religion which you call Papistrie is now spred ouer the face of the earth in allmost all Nations and was confessedly the generall Religion of the christian world before Luther for many hundred Arg. 2 yeares together wherefore this Religion is catholique aÌ„d this companie the catholique church of God You answere first that the GreciaÌ„s agreed not with vs. But this makes not for Protestancie And moerouer in your sense it is false for though they haue not beene coÌ„tinuallie in our communion all this tyme yet in this time they haue beene in our communion And so haue the ArmeniaÌ„s aÌ„d others too which is all that I haue said and sufficient for to demonstrate that our communioÌ„ hath beene catholique in the tyme I haue spokeÌ„ of And if you will pleade for theÌ„ that allso their Schisme hath bene somtymes thus catholique I answere as before that Grecisme was neuer generally the faith of Christendome nor any other faith whatsoeuer but that only which wee professe not the Grecian I say not the Aethiopian not the Armenian not the Berengarian the Waldesian the Lutheran the Caluinian none at all and herein the Histories of all Countries and the memories of all Nations beare me witnesse Secondly you say that Mahomet hath seduced a great part of the world and so restrayned the latitude which wee pretend Whereunto I answere first notwithstanding Mahomete and his coÌ„panie that the communion of the christian world hath beene with vs and with no other which is all I desire I answere secondly that our communitie hath gained more in the meane tyme then euer the PagaÌ„ tooke away by an infinite increase both in this old and allso in the newe world Witnesse all those Nations in Europe which haue beene conuerted since that Impostor came besides the dailie and admirable increase in India Iaponia Brasile China and other places You answere thirdlie that all thosâ— worlds of people haue beene in errour But this is impertinent for here I looke only for the church that wee may finde it and when we haue found it we will inquire then whether it hath erred or no. And that this is the Catholique Church is euident because no other is or hath beene in the generall communion of Nations but only this nor euer any for the latitude of communion equall to it 16. I goe now futther and prescribe against you for our church and Religion thus That Arg. 3 Faith which in the Christian world hath beene generally beleeued to be diuine Quod vniuersa tenet Ecclesia nec Concilijs institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate Apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur S. Aug. l 4. de Bapt. c. 24. and looking vpwards towardes the Apostles tyme no other origen of it can be found is verilie to be beleeued to be such But such is the faith of this coÌ„munitie for it hath beene the generall beleefe of the Christian World as I haue shewed and that no other origen of it can be found I prooue cleerly because whensoeuer you or any other begin later we shewe easilie that it was before And this because you persist without ground in your
he speakes of weekes of ages were without example in the Scripture and indeede ridiculous for they make 49000. yeeres and till then the Iewes were to expect their Messias If weekes of Iubilees they take vp halfe the tyme that is 24500. yeers whereas the Temple is allready burnt and the cittie quite ouerturned more then 1500. yeers agoe Olympiads the Scripture neuer compts Iosephus de Bel. Iud. l. 9. c. 10. neither would the tyme agree with the citties ouerthrowe in any sort but reacheth more then a thousand yeeres be yōd it In fine these are sillie shifts without ground and may by the Prophecie be controwled easily To looke into the thing further and consider exactly what yeere these weekes began what yeere precisely they ended Also why the whole sūme was deuided into three parts is not necessarie though there be in the text a light to find it out It is sufficient and euident that the tyme is past more then 1500. yeeres agoe Agge 2. v. 8 9. 34. A third Prophecie Thus saith the Lord of hosts as yet there is one little while and I will moue the heauen and the earth and the sea and the drie land And I will moue all Nations And the desired of all Nations shall come and I will fill this howse the second Temple then standing with glory saith the Lord of hosts Great shall be the glory of this last howse more then of the first That temple which was to be so honoured in the cōming of the Messias the hope of the Gentiles and was indeed more glorious in regard of his presence then the former built by Salomon is now rased to the ground more then 1500. yeeres agoe wherefore this Prophecie is fullfilled long since 35. The Iewes obiect against vs that the Messias is to come in glorie ād Maiestie Iesus came in humilitie and pouerty and therefore they will not beleeue he is indeede the Messias In this discourse these Iewes erre against the Scripture which they admit and their errour is in this that they distinguish not two commings or aduents one to redeeme the other to iudge the world one in humilitie the other in Maiestie one past the other future in the end of the world And here because the Iewes denie the former cōming of the Messias that is in humilitie to suffer for the redēption of mankind I will recite it out of the Prophets where it is so manifestly foretold that it cannot be denied or eluded Reioyce greatly o daughter of Sion Zach. 9. v. 9 behold thy king will come to thee the iust and Sauiour himself poore c. His looke among men shall be inglorious and his forme amōg the sonnes of men Isa 52.14 He shall not crie nor accept person neither shall his voice be heard abrode Isa 42. v. 2 3.4 the brused reede he shall not not breake and smoking flaxe he shall not quench he shall bring forth iudgment in truth he shall not be sad nor turbulēt till he set iudgmēt in the earth ād the ILANDS shall expect his law There is no beautie in him nor comelinesse and wee haue seene him ād there was no sigthlines and wee were desirous of him Despised and most abiect of men A MAN OF SORROVVES AND KNOVVING INFIRMITIE and his looke as it were hid and despised whereuppon neither haue wee esteemed him he surely hath borne our infirmities and our sorrowes he hath caried and wee haue thought him as it weare a leper and striken of God and humbled But he was WOVNDED FOR OVR INIQVITIES he was broken for our sinnes 〈…〉 c. the discipline of our peace vppon him ād with the waile of his stripe were healed All we haue strayed as sheepe euerie one hath declined into his owne way and our lord hath put vpō him THE INIQVITIE OF ALL VS He was offered because himself would and opened not his mouth as a sheepe to slaughter shall he be led and as a lambe before his shearer he shall be dumbe and shall not open his mouth Therfore will I distribute vnto him verie manie and he shall deuide the spoiles of the strong for that he hath deliuered his soule vnto DEATH and was reputed with the wicked and he hath borne the sinne of manie and hath prayed for the transgressours Before you heard out of an other Prophet After sixtie two weekes CHRIST shall be SLAINE Dan 9.26 ād it shall be noe more his people that shall denie him Zach. 12.10 I will powre out vppon the howse of Dauid and vppō the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of prayers and they shall looke vppon ME whō they haue PIERCED They haue digged my hands and my feete Psal 21. v. 18. vppon my vesture they haue cast lotte All this and more the Prophets doe relate of the Humilitie and Passion of the Messias expreslie against the Iewes who are scandalized in that which was manifestlie there declared longe before 36. They obiect secondly that they are to be saued when the Messias comes Iuda is interpreted the cōfession of God See Galat. l. 5. c 11. domus Iuda Congregatio confitentium Deum Indeede the Church of the Messias the Congregatiō of those that perseuerantly adhere to him is to be saued And when all Nations haue entered the remnant of the Iewes will acknowledge our Sauiour too which will be before his second comming But at his first cōminge it is cleere by the Scripture that the Iewes would reiect him and put him to death and that the Gentiles would receaue him as they haue donne and doe and will doe till all Nations haue entered into his Church So that the Iewes obstinacie though it be grosse is not strange to vs for wee are assured of it by the Scripture and of their desolation together with the cause of all I will sett this downe brieflie too First their fact puttinge the Messias to death Secondly their desolatiō there vppon Thirdly God turning his fauoure to the Gentiles Fourthly the Iewes acknowledgment of our Sauiour or conuersiō in the end The fact Dan. 9.26 After sixtie two weekes Christ shall be slaine and it shall not be his people that shall denie him Zach. 12.10 c. I will powre vppon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace c. and they the inhabitants of Ierusalem shall looke vppon me the author of grace and God of Israel whom they haue pierced The desolation followeth in the words of Daniel and is also in Osee Dan. 9.27 Ose 3 4. Many daies shall the childrē of Israel sitte without King and without Prince and without Sacrifice and without Alter and without Ephod ād without Theraphim God Casting thē of and turned to the Gentiles I haue no will in you Iewes saith the lord of hosts Malach. 1. v. 10.11 and guifts or oblation I will not receaue from your hand for from the rising of the sūne euē to the going downe greate is my
of sinne out of the soule so that it cometh in to the Church purer then the Sunne and there findes the breade of life breade of Angells the medicine of immortalitie the fouÌ„taine of all good and consummation of Sacraments the holie Eucharist to feede vppon Euery where there are Altars wherevppon is Sacrificed vnbloodilie the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world according as IESVS our high Priest Priest for euer according to the Order of Melchisedech did institute and ordaine In the way to these Altars are Tribunalls wherein those doe sitte who can open Heauen to the PeniteÌ„t where the Priest doth forgiue trespasses comitted against God Heauen approuing the Sentence of a man I will giue to thee Peeter Matt. 16. 18. the keies of the kingdome of heauen Whatsoeuer you shall loose in earth shall be loosed also in heauen whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them Ioan. 20. and whose you shall retaine they are retained Heere are the Doctors Euangelists Prophets and Pastors of whom wee reade in S. Paul Heere are Isaies Kings and Queenes Abrahams Starrs the Temples of the Holie Ghost and Gods Elect. All Tribes and People and tongues all Nations all the ends of the Earth doe come hither and adore in this Mount of our Lord in this House of God Heere the Holie Ghost still abideth illuminating directing Sanctifying and before him a hundred thousand harts burne euer in the flames of diuine loue Here some are weeping for their sinnes others meditating on the Passion others teaching and instructing the people others defining in generall Councell others conuerting Nations others adoring the souueraigne will of God others suffering for his sake In the Quire innumerable tongues are imployed daie and night in the praise of their Creator and Redeemer And round about are Watchmen that neuer hold their peace Lift vp thine eyes o IERVSALEM round about and see all these are gathered together they are come vnto thee Thy somes are come from a farre and thy daugthers are risen from thy side See and abound let thy hart maruaile and be dilated for the multitude of the Sea is conuerted and the streingth of Gentiles comes vnto thee Enlarge the place of thy tent and stretch out the skinnes of thy Tabernacles spare not make long thy cords and fasten thy nailes behold thou doest penetrate to the right hand and to the left thou art dilated to the East and to the West and to the North and to the South The Gentiles doe walke by thy light and Kings in the brightnes of thy rising Kings are thy nourcing Fathers and Queenes thy Nources The children of them that humbled thee come crouching now aÌ„d adore the stepps of thy feete Thy God hath established thee his throne as the dayes of heauen and hath made thee the pride of worlds a ioy vnto generation and generation thou art a crowne of glorie in the hand of our Lord and the Diademe of a kingdome in the hand of thy God 50. This Church the SPOWSE of Iesus Christ holding in her hand the BOOKE OF GOD doth contemplate and behold therin as in a glasse her OWNE SELF she beholds there her owne greatnes her owne proportion her owne face And such is the rare puritie and perfection of this glasse shee beholds there also her doctrine her inwarde composition her life and sowle The proposition of the Obiect is supernaturallie made vnto her in most cleere and euident circumstances And by the infallible operation of the All-teaching Spirit she is directed in her act By these two powerfull certaine meanes she is so constaÌ„tly setled in her faith that if the world shrink vnder feete shee will not leaue the truth Repeate now the first Chapter and reade there in PROPHECIE that which worlds of people since haue beheld with their EIES and still do reade I saie and consider it diligentlie to the end you may see how one is verified in the other that Prophecie in this Church and this Church in that Prophecie And hereby you will vnderstand at leingth by gods grace both that Prophecie and this Church to be from one and the same cause and prime author whose prouidence and power are so vniuersallie eminent that none can frustrate his designe or hinder an euent which he foretold and therfore both diuine and both from God 51. From this Church and from no other I take my direction for eternitie My owne witte might runne amisse I might mistake in the estimation of the Spirit in mee if I went alone And I were mistaken manifestlie if I followed any that swarued from the Spirit of this communitie And an other communitie like this the world neuer sawe The consent of so many worlds of people in an obscure Creede is an euident argument of a supernaturall cause vniting their vnderstandings It was ouer the world before Constantine and yet all Princes were against it in this consent and consequently of a diuine Spirit mouing them For all these Nations were neuer much lesse all this tyme of sixteene hundred yeers actualy subiect to any one Prince or State and the light of nature doth vnite many in one principle or Conclusion but by way of euidence which is not here in our Creede Further wee knowe that Schollers neuer yet agreed so generallie in things subiect vnto the naturall power of their vnderstanding neither can any man aliue finde out or assigne and defend against a Scholler any naturall cause of this vnitie in beleefe The infinite miracles illustrious and vndeniable in this Church are an euident argument that the Author of nature is in it changing the common course of things to the astonishment of the world thereby to drawe the eies of all vppon this Companie where they may see and learne the seruice of their Creator The vniformity of this Companie of Gentiles to the descriptioÌ„ made before in Prophecie and the Reprobation of the Iewish Nation left now without Temple without Sacrifice without Prophet without miracle without any argument of Gods presence and true seruice amonge them are an euident argument that this Companie and the Messias Church described in the Scripture are all one VVherefore worthily did our predecessors and wee doe worthily rest in the communion of this companie And since mortall man with his industrie caÌ„ goe no higher nor better resolue himself in diuine and heauenly â—â—â—ires being heere arriued he meetes with Gods prouidence to conduct him to securitie Is a man moued to beleeue by example aÌ„d consent here are worlds in our communion and this so ample as the like is no were to be fouÌ„d Is he moued with Miracles here are infinite The blinde see the lame walke the deade arise and of this wee haue as greate euidence as man can desire Is he moued with the common and vniforme resolution of the learned heere are generall Decrees made in Councells Oecumenicall by the wisest of all the world the prime Schollers and grauest men comming
nothing i conuerted into the veritie of his flesh that our Sauiour maketh not of breade his bodie and of wine his blood I referre the comparison and iudgment to your self or to any other man learned or vnlearned and goe on 44. Thirdlie out of that which is allreadie said I may conclude with ease that the Fathers thought the substāce of breade ād wine remained not in the Eucharist For that which is changed conuerted transelemented into an other thing is no more existent in it selfe and you haue heard them say that the nature of breade and wine is changed conuerted transelemented into the body ād blood of Christ whēce it followes that it is not existent in it selfe But you shall heare them further affirme that in the formes or accidēts of breade and wine there is not breade ād wine S. Iren. l. 4. c. 34. but flesh ād blood It is not common breade but Eucharist consisting of two things the earthlie the species and the heauenlie the Bodie Let vs giue credit to God euerie where let vs not oppose against him though what he saith doth seeme to our sense and to our thinking to be absurd let his saying master our sēse and our reason S. Chrys hom 83 in Matth. Let vs doe this in all things and especiallie in the Mysteries not regarding alone the things which lie before vs but holding fast his words for by his words wee cannot be cozened our sense 1 may easilie be deceaued his words cannot be vntrue our sense is often times beguiled Seeing therefore that our Lord hath said This is my Bodie let no staggering or doubt lay hold on vs but let vs beleeue it and see it with the eies of our vnderstanding for nothing that is sensible is giuen vnto vs here by Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in sensible things indeed yet All that he giueth is 2 insensible It is 3 not that which nature made but that which the blessing hath consecrated S. Ambr. de Myst in c. 9. by the blessing euen nature it selfe is changed Conceaue it not as bare breade and bare wine for it is the holie bodie and blood of Christ for though sense doth suggest this that it is breade and wine vnto thee yet let faith confirme thee S. Cyrill Hier. Catech c. 4. that thou iudge 4 not according to the tast but rather take it as of faith most certaine without doubting the least degree that the bodie and blood is giuen thee And a little before VVith assurance let vs receaue the bodie and blood of Christ for in the 5 forme of breade the bodie is giuen to thee and in the forme of wine the blood c. Ibid. Knowing and beleeuing most assuredlie that that which appeareth breade is 6 not breade though it seeme so to the tast but it is the bodie of Christ and that which appeareth wine it not wine as the taste doth iudge it to be Theophil in c 26. Mat. but the blood of Christ. Breade is transelemented by an ineffable operation although to vs it seeme breade because wee are weake and haue a horrour to eate rawe flesh especiallie the flesh of man for this reason breade appeareth but in essence and 7 substance it is not breade S. Ansel in c. 11. pri Cor. To the 8 exteriour senses it seemeth to be breade but knowe by the sense of your vnderstanding that it is my bodie not another but the same in substance which shall be deliuered to death for your redemption 45. The Protestant Opinion our 1 sense cannot erre The substance giuen vs is 2 sensible breade it is 3 that which nature made Of the substance contained vnder those accidents iudge 4 according to the tast The Protestant explication of this point a mans bodie is not in the 5 forme of breade it is breade and wine 6 the sense is to be beleeued in essence and 7 substāce it is breade it is not that bodie which was deliuered but that 8 which it seemeth to the exteriour sense that is plaine breade Compare this to the Fathers words and iudge of the differēce in this point 46. Fourthlie out of the former places of the Fathers it is Further cleere that they beleeued the bodie of Christ in the Eucharist to be the same bodie which is in heauen and the same blood which issued out of his side to be in the Chalice I will adde a place or two more of this S. Aug. l. 12. cōt Faust c. 10. The blood of Christ hath a loude voice on earth when all Nations hauing receaued it do answere Amen This is the shrill voice of blood which the blood it selfe doth make out of the a mouthes of the faithfull redeemed with the same blood V. Beda in c. 10 pri Cor. ex S. Aug. Serm ad Neoph. In the breade you shall receaue that verie b thing which did hang vppon the Crosse and in the Cuppe you shall receaue that which was powered out of the side of Christ Our Lord doth patientlie sustaine Iudas a diuel S. Aug. ep 162. a thiefe his betrayer he permitteth him to receaue among the innocent disciples that which the faithfull doe knowe c the price of our Redemption S. Chrys hom 24 pr. Cor. Ibid. That which is in the Chalice is that which did d issue from our Sauiour his side This bodie the Sages did reuerence in the cribbe thou seest it not in the cribbe but e on the Altar This mysterie makes the earth to be a heauen vnto thee Ibid. Open heauen gates and looke in or rather open the gates of the heauen of heauens and then thou wilt see that which is said to be true For looke what is there most preciouse I will shewe it vnto thee f heere on earth For euen as in royall pallaces the walles and the gilded roofes are not esteemed the most magnificent thing of all but the royall Person seated in his princely throne so is the kings bodie in heauen Now this mayest thou see heere on earth For here I shewe thee not Angells nor Archangells nor heauens nor the heauen of heauens but I shewe vnto thee him who is the verie Lord of all those things Thou perceauest now in what manner thou dost behold heere on earth that thing which is most precious and most honourable of all other and how thou doest not see it onely but allso doest touch it and that thou doest not touch it onely but allso doest eate it and eating of it returnest to thy howse S. Chrys de sacerd l. 6. At the tyme of the Sacrifice the Angells stand about the Priest and the whole companie of the celestiall powers doe make a noise and the place round about the g Alter is full of Angelicall quires in honour of him who h is there sacrificed which thing those will beleeue easilie who do consider the great Sacrifice which is then donne 47. The Protestāt opiniō Blood