haue their eyes fixed on the Altar sinoaking yet with the Sacrifice of the burnt Victimes other on the Priests gesture eleuating so ceremoniously the Loaues put ouer the Lambs some also are attentiue to the Loaues and the Lambes themselues but their lookes cannot bee seene nor the mouings of their hands and eyes for as much as all of them look towards the Altar and are painted for the most part with their backes turned towards vs so as little of their shape before appeares and much lesse their visage But by these few we see we may well coniecture that the most spirituall cast their thoughts on the mystery which was hidden vnder the rinde of the Ceremony for they are taught that their Law was as it were a peece of Tapestree 1 Cor. 10. teaching the truth of that which should after be in the time of the Messias by meanes whereof they behold not so much the preparation of the Sacrifices of the Beasts and of new Loaues as that which is signified by them and it is not to bee doubted but God did make seene to many the future light of the Law of Grace surely by contemplating onely the countenance of this olde Priest portrayted on the right side of the Altar lifting his eyes to heauen and holding his hands a crosse all rauished and all in an extasie one may collect that he hath had some secret reuelation of the great good that God had promised for the ages to come by the feast of this Sacrifice of new Loaues and that he in his soule glorified the diuine Maiesty desirous if such were the good pleasure of God to bee liuing vpon the earth in that season and like it is that he said in his heart O God of Israel how great how magnificent and admirable art thou in the workes of thy hands great to doe great things magnificent to obliege men by thy great benefits and admirable to choose the times and seasons wherein thou wilt bestow them Thou hast by that commandement alone of thy liuely word created heauen and earth and all that is betweene them to make a present thereof to man thy creature and ceasest not to oblige him with new benefits euery moment thou hast in particular assisted with a thousand blessings this thy people the Hebrewes breaking with a strong hand the yron chaines of their bondage deliuering them out of Aegypt and from the tyranny of Pharoe giuing them for their portion a Land of Milke and Holy true delicacies of the earth and communicating to them thy holy Lawes and secrets these are the true effects of thy great goodnesse but I see it will extend it selfe out of measure more then euer to the future people and ages not containing it selfe in Palestine but spreading it selfe ouer the world when the Messias and Redeemer whom thou hast promised and we expect and whom these Sacrifices prefigure to vs and after a secret manner foretell shall come to Sacrifice himselfe and to be an Oblation of new Bread and food of immortality O happy time in which this Sauiour shall be borne O happy people which shall be his people conducted by his Lawes and fed at his Table O that I were a childe of that age and member of that Common-wealth This Picture makes vs coniecture that hee speaketh to this purpose 1. THREE IVDAICALL PEASTS OF the First-fruits THe Iewes receiued a Commandement in the Desert Leuit. 23. to offer vnto God the first of the new fruites of the Land of Promise when they should be peaceable possessors thereof and that vpon three Feasts of the yeare The first was the day after the Pasque in which they gaue a sheafe of the first eares in the beginning of Haruest Leuit. 23. Ioseph l. 3. c. 10. Ant. 9. which after the Iudaicall account began in March or in the entrance of Aprill because the Land was very hot The second they celebrared fifty daies after which for that cause was called Pentecost wherein not eares of Corne as in the first Feast but two Loaues of new Wheate with many bloudy Sacrifices going before were offered vp to God The third was after the fifteenth of Septemb. in which the First-fruits of all the year were offred together as Wheat Barly Grapes Oliues Pomgranats Figges and Dates The most famous of all the three Feasts was that of Pentecost and for that reason the Law called it simply and without any addition Rab. Salomon â—â—ad â—â—ra in c. 23. Leuit. The feast of First-fruits a most solemne and most holy day The Oblation offered vpon that day was accompanied with all the three kindes of the Iewish Sacrifices which were the Holocaust the Propitiatory and the Peace-offering and they made them of the noblest kinde of Hoasts and Victimes to wit of seuen Lambes of one fat Calfe of two sheepe in Holocaust to the honor of God one Goate in Propitiatory Sacrifice for remission of sinnes and two Lambes with the Loaues in a Peace-offering for thanksgiuing This is the Feast and the Oblation of the First-fruits represented in the former Picture 2. THE MASSE THE NEW OBLATION in the Pentecost of Christians THis Oblation and this First-fruits of new Bread at Pentecost was one of the most illustrious Figures of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Masse a new Oblation indeed and the true First-fruits of the Wheat of the new Law as the ancient Fathers haue obserued And amongst others Saint Irenaeas very elegantly in these words Our Sauiour saith hee teaching his Disciples to offer the First-fruits of his creatures to God 〈…〉 l. 4. c. 32 not for any need he had of them but to the end they night not be vnprofitable and vngratefull seruants tooke the bread which is the creature and yeelding thankes said This is my body likewise he confessed that the Chalice which came of his creature was his bloud teaching the new Oblation of the new Testament which the Church receiued from the Apostles and offers all ouer the world to God our nourisher and feeder for the First-fruits of the gifts that he hath bestowed vpon vs in the Law of Grace according as Malachy hath foretold I haue no will in you saith the Lord of Hostes and gifts will not receiue at your hands Malac. 1. for from the rising of the Sunne euen to the going downe great is my name among the Gentiles saith the Lord of Hostes By which words addeth this Doctor The Prophet manifestly signefieth this which is now come to passe for the former people cease offering to God and Sacrifice is now offered to God throughout all the vniuersall world and the name of God is glorified amongst the Gentiles Making then allusion to the old Figure he saith that our Sauiour saying This is my body and this is my bloud and transubstantiating the bread into his body and the wine into his bloud taught his Apostles Disciples to giue to God the First-fruits of his creatures and to offer him a new
these wicked disciples these stragling sheepe and preserue vs in the sollidity of thy holy faith in the lap of our good Mother thy royall Spouse to receiue there alwayes the refection of thy holy flesh We beleeue thou giuest it vs reall and not in Figure for thou hast said in plaine tearmes The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world Iohn 6. We acknowledge that thou hast the words of life in the administration of thy holy body and of thy holy bloud We know that thou art life eternall and that thou giuest in thy slesh and in thy bloud nothing S. August Traâ—â— 27. in Ioan. but that which thou thy selfe art thus speakes one of thy Saints In the confession of our infirmity incapacity and misery we adore the height of the almightinesse wisdome and goodnesse in this diuine and mysticall Sermon and in the mystery that it teacheth and acknowledge hoere with the words of life the Fountaine of life For which wee yeeld thee immortall thankes and humbly intreate thy Maiâ—sty to make vs so holily to vse this Sacrament of thy pretious body that thereby we may be vnited with thee for euer and made worthy to bee for euer also in heauen at thy blessed Table in the life eternall THE THIRTEENTH PICTVRE THE WASHING OF THE FEET GOING BEfore the institution of the Eucharist The Description THIS day being the fourteenth of the first Moone of the Spring the Sunne is set but a greater Sun shineth The Sauiour of the world hath celebrated the Legall Pasque and goeth to prepare the great and admirable Feast of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body ordaining the same in stead of the Hebrewes Paschall Lambe He is risen from the Table and hath put off his feasting roabe to the end to wash his Apostles feet for a remarkable ceremony See you how this sweete Lambe girt with a white towel Ioan. 13 4â— doth the office of a meane seruant washing his seruants feete and wiping them with the same towell Hee hath washed them all except good Peter who seeing his Master to come Ioan. â— 6 and cast himselfe at his feete to doe him the same seruice that he had done to the eleuen of his companions withheld and protested to him that he would neuer endure that he should wash his feete But hearing ouâ— Sauiour threaten that if he refused he should be depriued of his part with him Hee yeeldes readily and with alacrity presents to be washed not onely his feere but his hands and his head also remaining neuerthelesse much astonished and confounded And truely not without reason for the brightnesse of this thy meruailous humility O good Iesus amazed the dimme sense of this poore man and by admiration rauished the soule out of his body This brightnesse is so great that it is able to â—â—â—onish all men as the light of thy Diuinity rauisheth into adminiration fear the Powers of heauen Who wil not be abashed to see the Master prostrate before his seruant Such a Master before such a Disciple To see the Maiesty of such a Master to bow himselfe to the basenes of such a seruice And how could this good old man but feare but be astonished and dismayed at this profound and extraordinary humility of his King How could he but refuse to haue his feet washed by the hand of God as being ashamed to see himself so humbly serued by the Greatnesse which he adored But what may this humble Apostle say seeing his King and his God kneeling before him to wash his feete Seeing these almighty armes tucked vp and his diuine hands workers of the Starres of heauen and of a thousand wonders vpon earth to cleanse the silthinesse of his feete These fingers so pure and so neate to touch the foule toes and the soles of his fraile mortality This gesture these hands these eyes these behauiours that the Picture giues him seeme they not to you to speake O Christian soules And to tell you by silence that this good Apostle said in his heart O my sweet Master what is this Washest thou my feete Doest thou I say thus kneele before mee Thou thy selfe bow downe to my feete And how was it not sufficient lowhnesse in thee to haue taken Philip. â— being infinite God the shape of a man and to bee maried to the most meanest family of thy reasonable creatures To be made a little Infant Citizen of Nazareth and Pilgrim on the earth Philip. 2. and to haue thy infinite Greatnesse lapped within the cloathes of our littlenesse Canst thou more humble thy selfe then in abasing thy selfe by taking the condition of a meane seruant Choosing the crauels the poornesse the contempt of this world but that thou most cast thy self notwithstanding at my feet Thou my Lord wash my feet thou my King of mee thy vassall thou my God of me thy creature thou supreame purity of me most filthy thou my worthy Sauiour of mee most vnworthy sinner And what may the Angels say and the Planets themselues of thee and of mee O Lord beholding a spectacle of such consusion seeing the varlet to be serued by the Master the King to be made seruant to the varlet and the Creator to be on his knees before his creature Thou wash my feete O Lord and I 〈◊〉 thee and the Angels and the Planets which see mee doe they not now detest my pride for that I permit thee and the creatures of the earth would they not â—â—nne presently vpon me if thy Almightinesse hindered them not Saue mee if thou pleasest O Lord from their indignation if I am proud thy humility hath constrained me it is that which hath commanded mee I protest that I protested that thou shouldest neuer wash my feet but thy humility wil be the Mistres I haue obeyed it and am become proud in my humiliation and in obeying content your selfe O Lord with that which you haue already done and suffer mee to take your place and to bee a little proud in washing your feete since that I already haue sufficiently been proud in enduring you to wash mine Ah sinfull creature that I am such might be the discourse O diuine Apostle which thou madest in thy thought vpon the humility of thy Lord. But stay a while and thou shalt well see other proofes and other exercises of this diuine vertue Expect vntill he shall giue himselfe to thee for meate and drinke cloathed with a roabe of exceeding humility with a thin whitenesse with a waterish rednesse with the littlenesse of fraile accidents when he shall enter within thy entralls and abase himselfe not onely before thee but moreouer within thee Expect this night when he shall be taken as an offender bound as a theese mocked as a foole beaten like any base fellow spit vpon as a blasphemer Expect vntill the morning when hee shall bee euill entreated of Kings of Priests of people and whipt after by all the worldly powers
fundamentall subiect of our holy Tables or Pictures of the Eucharist For our principall end is to explane the things and the remarkable actions instituted in the Law of Nature and of Moses to signifie the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the body of our Sauiour Notwithstanding in displaying the volume of these figures we haue serued our selues of the other two kindes of Pictures that is to say of the Dumbe Picture in the printed figures themselues and of the Speaking Picture in our descriptions or declarations of them We haue also made many excursions in recommendation of Vertue and in detestation of Vice for the institution of manners and often encited the Reader to the contemplation and loue of the celestiall countrey touching by this meanes the foure Cardinall Senses â—â—ure Sences of Scripture S. Thâ—m Wart 〈…〉 Greg lib. 10. nor cap. 1. The Literall The Allegoricall The Morall The Anagogicall which commonly are found in the treasures of the holy Scripture the Literall or Historicall which goeth the first the Allegoricall or Figuratiue which is the spirit of the Literall the Tropologicall or Morall which formes the manners and the Anagogicall which shewes the triumphant Church the Literall is the foundation of the other three the Allegorical is the mysticall signification of the Literall the Tropologicall is the fruit of the one and of the other and the Anagogicall is the end of them all And in this fashion haue wee comprehended foure sorts of Expositions and three sorts of Pictures to teach with fruit and pleasure the most great mystery of our Religion for if there be no other better nor profitable Methods then these foure and if there bee nothing more delightfull then a picture not which makes a thing glide more sweetly within the soule then a picture nor which more profoundly engraues it in the memorie nor more effectually calls foorth the will to loue or hate any obiect good or euill which to it shall be proposed I see not in what manner one can more profitably liuely and delitiously teach the vertues the fruits and the delicatenesse of this diuine and holy meate of the body of the Sonne of God then with the aboue named Expositions and with this triple picture of the pensell of the Word and of the signification If my labour in this excellent matter To all Christian Writers truely Christian and worthy of the attention of all honorable men bring any profit or luster to our faith or to the publike weale as I desire with all my heart it should all the praise be to God which hath furnished me with spirit and body inke and paper to write thereof And if by the example of these Pictures any men of good spirit take occasion to vse the like method in discoursing pleasantly on some worthy subiect to teach with honest recreatioÌ„ profit the means to follow Vertue and flye Vice I shall receiue my part thereby of singular contentment and solace and they their recompence of honor and glory from the hand of him which neuer leaues any good worke done for his name without reward nor any ill committed against his Lawes without punishment Truely to say this by the way it is a misery as worthy of compassion as shame that so many Poets and Orators amongst Christians and namely heere in France Employ the goodnesse and fruitfulnesse of their spirits to write tales and fables of Loue and other things either vnprofitable or pernitious and who like to Spiders that draw out their owne bowels in making copwebs to catch Flies doe occupie themselues in such vanities letting passe a thousand faire subiects vpon which they might with eternall praise both learnedly and eloquently write It is a great shame to the name of Christians to see a Pagan Pindarus an Euripides a Virgil an Appelles a Philostratus and other like prophane Authors trauaile so carefully to set foorth sing paint and represent their Captains their Acts their Gods their Vices and their Vanities for the glory of their superstition and that many Christians know not how to choose neither matter nor maner a greeing to their name for to write Christianly to the praise of the true God or to the honor and illustration of their onely true Religion A thing yet farre more vnworthy and yet most deplorable it is to see others temper their pensel and their pen in the sinke and puddle of prophane things Pictures of scandall to represent Pictures of abomination and scandall and to write and paint foorth such fooleries and vilonies as they doe more prophanely then the prophanest themselues without care of losing their soules so they may gaine some brute of reputation amongst the lighter sort And what lamentable folly is it to purchase at so deare a rate the smoake of vanitie to incurre ignominy and eternall paine only to haue their names swimme in the mouthes and estimation of fooles for cunning Artizans of folly But let vs come to the second point of our introduction and declare wherefore God hath of old vsed such Figures going before the Law of Grace THE CAVSES VSES AND EFFECTS of Pictures and Figures in holy Scripture IT remaines yet to declare according to our power wherefore the Diuine prouidence would vse fore-going Figures in the Law of Nature and Moses before that hee sent his Son to establish his owne Law in his proper Person Whereof we giue this reason in generall that it was to declare that he is God and for the more profitable instruction of his creature in this point And thus we prooue what we haue said It is the familiar manner of Gods proceeding to perfect his admirable workes vpon little principles and smal beginnings God workes by little principles therby to make it appeare that he is God in little things as well as in great and no lesse in the first beginning and going forward then in the end and conclusion of his worke In creating the world he began it of nothing and in the gouernment thereof hee continueth the propagation of his creatures by meanes of their seede which in a manner is also no thing For which is worthy of admiration this little seede containes in its littlenesse all that which is to be borne out of it afterwards This Method of God is very fit to manisest clearely his wisedome power and bountie and very proper sweetely to make himselfe knowne vnto man according to his capacitie Who sees a faire great Palme-tree well branched thicke of boughes and loaden with Palmes hath hee not wherefore to admire the Creator in this creature but hee who shall contemplate the little stone from whence all this come forth Their beginning and end the roote the body the branches the leaues and the fruit of this tree will magnifie on the one side his diuine wisdome which secretly proceeding from such a beginning to such an end from such imperfection to such perfection teacheth properly the greatnesse of it selfe by the opposition to the
beast but by the sword of his owne Father imbrued in the bloud of his sonne O Father what dost thou And into what rigour is thy old age fallen towards the end of thy daies O happie hadst thou been if thou had neuer been a Father Happy if in thy yong and barren veers thou hadst bin plucked downe hastily into thy graue This said Nature to him But faith and charity towards God vsed another Language and of a farre higher nature ABRAHAM thou art to obey the voice of God thy sonne is neither thine nor his mothers but borrowed it is God who hath lent him thee without giuing any certaine tearme of life hee will haue him now it is his right he is Master of life and of death he can be vniust in nothing that he commandeth though it be that he command the father to kill his son He is Almighty to multiply thy race without Isaak S. Aug. lib. 1. de Ciuit. cap. 21. hauing a thousand meanes within the treasure of his diuine secrets to accomplish this which he hath promised thee If thy sonne be faire wise and vertuous so much more is he worthy to be presented before the eyes of his Maiesty No person will blame thee to haue obeyed God and if men blame thee wh◠〈…〉 to doe with the words and iudgement of 〈…〉 â—orld where the voice of the high God resound 〈…〉 And thy wife if shee be wise will take it 〈…〉 â—uing place to necessitie and to the diuine will 〈…〉 shee be not wise thou must not regard her On 〈…〉 and care not for any other thing our Lord Alm 〈…〉 nath so commanded it and his commandement can be for nothing but for thy good nor the execution of it but for thy merit and praise So Nature combated with Faith and Reason with Grace but in the end the victory remained to Faith and Grace Wherefore being come to the top of the Mountaine and hauing laid in order the wood vpon the Altar and made ready euery thing for the Holocaust Abraham doth declare his intention to his sonne and then dearely embracing him saith to him O my deare sonne euen now thou askedst of me where the Lambe was that is to be sacrificed It is thou my beloued which must be that Lambe It is thou that the great God hath chosen thou art no more mine I am no more thy Father thou art the Holocaust consecrated at this time to the honor of God Adew my son and with these words losing his voice sobbing and weeping he kissed him But Isaak said to him O my most honorable Father the will of God and yours be fulfilled my life is his and yours and my death cannot haue a more honorable graue then the Altar of his Maiestie Farewell my most honorable Father accomplish his good pleasure Adew my most honorable Mother without farewell I bewaile your sorrow bewaile not my death since it is so diuinely ordained you shall see me in the Land of the Liuing Abraham now hath bound him and set him vpon the wood and bathing him with teares kisseth him againe and the more that he saw him couragious and obedient the more was his heart wounded with fatherly loue towards him Then Isaak like a little Lambe consenting to all from his heart as hath been said and putting himselfe as he could on his knees after the manner as you see recommends himselfe to God offering himselfe as a liuely Holocaust to his holy will and his necke peaceably to his Fathers hand so to become a perfect Sacrifice Abraham his arme is lifted vp and is ready to strike O God be mercifull to this poore Father and his pious son be thou contented if it please theeâ— with the good will and liuely faith of them both they are already Sacrificed to thee in their hearts Feare you not O meeke and tender soules Behold the Angell which hinders the blow and cries with a high voice ABRAHAM AERAHAM stay thy hand strike not thy childe ABRAHAM stayes and falls on his knees rauished with pleasure and admiration The Angell shewes him a Ramme caught in the bush by the hornes to burne in the Holocaust instead of Isaak Abraham goes and puts it on the Altar with thanksgiuing and so are they both deliuered and both gaue thankes to God for this diuine fauour O great God thy name be blessed as well in this thy command as in thy countermand thereof O thou art wise in both and good in both O how well thou knowest to make triall of the faith and loue of those that thou louest and mightily to deliuer them from paine and to set them in repose 1. ISAAK AND THE RAMME SACRIFIced a Figure of the death of our Sauiour and of the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body NO person doubts that the Sacrifice made in the person of Isaak and the Ramme containes the Figure of the death of our Sauiour the resemblance consists in these points which Saint Augustine in one of his Sermons no lesse piously then eloquently obserueth S. Aug. Serm. 7. de Temp. Abraham giueth his sonne in Sacrifice and his sonne Isaak also giueth himselfe God the Father gaue his Sonne for our redemption and Iesus Christ for the same cause gaue himselfe to his Father Isaak carrieth his wood to the Mountaine Iesus Christ carrieth his Crosse to Mount Caluary which is the very same Mountaine whereon Isaak was offered saith the same Doctor hauing learned it of Saint Hierom S. Aug. Serm. 71. de Temp. Ioseph lib 1. Antiq. cap. 13. whom he citeth And it importeth not that Iosephus writeth that Isaak was offered in the Mountaine Moria where Salomon builded his Temple for the place of the Temple and Mount Caluary were in one and the same Mountaine though distant in place and the selfe-same Mount Caluary was also the Sepulcher of Adam As for the killing and the burning of the sheepe or Ramme vpon the Altar in stead of Isaak it containeth another mystery accomplished on the Crosse as declareth Saint AVGVSTINE S. Aug. Serm. 71. de Temp. Abraham saith he represented God the Father giuing his onely Sonne ISAAK represents Iesus Christ obedient to his Father and offering himselfe vpon the Altar of the Crosse but the Diuinity represented by ISAAK endures not any hurt but onely the humanity signified by the Ramme hee is tyed by his hornes as Iesus Christ was tyed in power signified by hornes and by his owne power for no other power could master hold or binde him Caught in a bush as our Sauiour was S. Aug. Serm. 71 de Temp. Fastened saith the same Doctor to the bush when he hung betweene the hornes of the Crosse his hands and feete nailed and his head crowned with thornes These are the resemblances of the Crosse to the Sacrifice of Abraham No man also doubteth but this selfe-same Sacrifice was a Figure of the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Masse seeing that this hath alwayes been the faith of the
Iren. epist ad vict Pap. quae est apud Erseb lib. 5. hist c. 24. Euseb l. 6 c. 36. or be present at Masse to receiue it Such was the practise in the time of the Apostles and in the ages following vntill this day as it appeareth by the writings of Saint Iustin and other Doctors of holy antiquitie 5. THE BREAD OF THE IEWES BEARES the name of wonder in Figure of our wonderfull Sacrament of the Altar AS Manna was wonderfull in his causes in his nature and in his effects so it carried a name signifying nothing but wonder and admiration for Manna comes from the word Man-bu which is as we haue said before nothing but What is this a word which importeth admiration and desire to know in him that speakes it who because he is ignorant of the nature of the thing admires it and asketh What is this Our Manna and our Sacrament is so admirable that no name câ—n declare it and after that one hath well considered it hee shall finde it much more easy to admire it then to expresse it by a name correspondent to the excellencie by which meanes of all the names that it beares there is none which is more agreeable to it then Manna the name of admiration which Dauid declared by Periphrasis when he called the Eucharist Psal 110. The memoriall of the wonders of God which is not so much a name as a marke of wonder and to this of Dauid it is likely our Sauiour had regard when instituting the Sacrament of his body he said to his Apostles Luke 22.29 Doe this in remembrance of mee as if he had said vse this as a memoriall of my wonders Well then in this very name of Manna wee shall obserue another resemblance of admiration betweene the old Manna and the institution of the new Exod. 16. For when the Hebrewes hauing taken theirs in their hand said wondering Man-hu what is this Moyses answered onely in generall to their demand this is the bread that our Lord hath giuen you to eate but our Sauiour taking the bread and instituting the Sacrament answeres in particular saying This is my body Matthew Marke Luke and taking the Cup This is my bloud as if he had said Your Fathers long since asked What is this holding in their hand the food that I made raine downe vnto them and you still pronouncing Manna aske what is this I answere both to you and your Fathers This is my body this is my bloud their Manna and their wonder was this my body in Figure but the Manna which I make and the memoriall that I institute is my body not in Figure but in truth Behold then the wonder of our Sacrament figured in the name of the ancient Manna and the admirable resemblance betweene the old Manna in the Law of Moses and our new Manna in the Law of Grace And since that all heere is admirable and that the admiration hereof is profitable to vs and honorable to God in this great Mystery let vs further contemplate the springs and causes of this admiration arising out of his omnipotencie wisdome and bountie and let vs see wherefore the holy Fathers haue so extraordinarily admired it 6. THE WONDERFVLL POWER OF GOD in the Sacrament of the Altar GOd shewes himselfe admirable three wayes by his Power by his Wisdome and by his Bountie to the which end he hath grauen the workes of these three vertues in euery worke of his be it neuer so little The naturall vertues of Stones or Plants and the armour of beasts set forth the power of their Creator the ordering of the parts of euery creature the industry of the great and little beasts and their agilitie make vs to see his wisdome the essence and propertie of all things giuen vs doe witnesse his bountie vnto vs all that he did long since in the Law of Nature and of Moses and all that he hath done or shall doe hereafter in the Law of Grace is marked with these three markes and there is nothing wherein hee becomes not admirable by meanes of these three to all those that exercise the eyes of their soules in contemplation of the greatnesse of his works But aboue all he hath shewed himselfe maruailous in this diuine Sacrament as the last and principall worke of his hands and the admirable new Schedule or Codicill of his Testament And first he hath made appeare in it his wonderfull Power by so many sundry waves as there be diuersities in the nature of things we must explaine them after a stammering manner For how can we doe otherwise O Lord speaking of so high an effect of thy infinite power We finde in all visible nature the Substance the Qualitie the Relation the Action the Passion the Place the Time the State the Habite and nothing more Man for example hath a reasonable soule and a body which make his substance He hath his quantity which are his length breadth and thicknesse Hee hath his qualities which are his colour his beauty his bounty and such like He hath his relations compared to another which is lesse great lesse good or as great and as good as himselfe and is thereby surnamed greater better or equall He hath also his actions for hee speaketh hee writeth or doth other things He hath his passions for he receiues in his body or in his soule some impression of cold of heate of ioy of knowledge of sorrow and such like He is in some place as in the City in the fields and that at sometime either in the morning or in the euening in Summer or in Winter He hath his situation for hee is sitting or standing or lying Finally he hath his vesture or clothing his cloake his shooes c. And all whatsoeuer which is found in Man or in any other corporall creature is referred to one of these heads which are the ten orders by the Philosophers assigned to Nature Arist in Meta. Logic. comprehending all the parcells of euery creature According to all which our Sauiour sheweth himselfe omnipotent in this Sacrament let vs see it first insubstance 7. OF THE OMNIPOTENCIE OF GOD in Transubstantiation AS for Substance which is the foundation of all and holds the first ranke amongst things Categoria sub 〈◊〉 our Sauiour shewes his supreame power in this Sacrament in that hee changeth by his Word the substance of bread into his bodie and the substance of wine into his bloud a kinde of miracle very like vnto creation and more noble in this Mystery then creation it selfe and most fit to make vs know and acknowledge him an omnipotent workman In the creation Dexit facia 〈◊〉 Psal 32.9 God did speake and it was done he commanded and it was created as Dauid singeth Heere he saith This is my body and his body is found there This is my bloud and his bloud is there present Then his omnipotent Word made that to be which was not before at
not of bodies of the beasts as in the old Law but of the body of God by which body he hath been soueraignely honored with which he hath bin fully appeased in which he hath ouercome the power of his capitall enemie and shall one day come to iudge both the quicke and the dead So as the worship is most soueraigne and the thing offered so great that it cannot be greater which as it is an art of Religion most honorable to the Creator so is it most beneficiall also to his creature who receiuing this precious body from the liberality of God offers it to him againe for an Holocaust for a thanksgiuing for a Propitiation or remission of sin honoring him for his gifts with his proper gift as in Figure thereof In the Law of Nature and Mâ—yses the holy Saints did honor him in making offrings of those goods that they had receiued of him Which is it that the great and deuout King Dauid confesseth saying All things are thine 1. Paral. â—9 14 and we haue giuen thee that which wee haue receiued from thy hands In this Sacrament wee haue likewise a lesson of humility seeing our Sauiour to appeare amongst vs in a poore familiar habit without attendance and in a meaner manner then Dauid when he came to the Priest Achimelech 1. 〈◊〉 2. to appeare I say not in his owne garment but vnder the formes of bread and wine hiding therewith his robe of glory that wee might with greater confidence draw neere vnto him Wee haue heere also a lesson of patience beholding our Redeemer to endure so constantly and for so many ages the iniuries that the wicked doe vnto him through their misbeleefe their sinues their blasphemies treading him vnder their feete casting him into the fier and the like dishonors though all this be done without any hurt of his impassible body Heere we haue also a lesson of obedience in that he is present without faile at the voyce of his Vicar whosoeuer he be pronouncing the words of his omnipotency ouer the bread and wine Heere therefore we haue a lesson of all the most high vertues giuen by the example it selfe of our Redeemer a manner of teaching most cleare and pregnant and recommended vnto vs by himselfe when he said I haue giuen you an example to the end you should doe as you haue seeneme do Hee ceased not to giue vs examples of well doing from time to time while he liued and conuersed with vs but heere hee giueth vs the patternes and examples of diuine vertues from better imitation altogether Behold the wonders of our Sacrament without comparison greater then those of Manna and far more worthy for the which we should say Man-hu What is this for neither men nor Angels can sufficiently enough admire it A COLLOQVIVM OF PRAISES AND thanksgiuing to God VVHat remaines heere then O Lord Almighty most good and most wise but that we eleuate our hearts to the contemplation of this thy diuine Sacrament And Bauing admired the wonders of thy greatnesse to render thee immortall thankes for thy immortall benefits But who can worthily contemplate the price and the excellencie of this benefit if thou giuest not eyes and light to see it And what tongue shall be able to speake of this thy great mercy Moyses considering thy goodnesse and resounding thy praises said Deut. 32. Let the Earth heare the words of my mouth let my doctrine grow vp together as raine and my speech flow as the dew as a shower vpon the hearbe and as drops vpon the grasse for I will inuocate the name of our Lord. Giue magnificence to our God the workes of God bee perfect and all his wayes Iudgements It is heere where there is need of such an Orator and of such a language to magnifie and praise such a gift as surpasseth all those that the Hebrewes did euer receiue and to extoll such a worke as carrieth with it markes of diuine perfection ingrauen therein by the hand of God all good all wise and all mighty Though Moyses himselfe were heere and that his language were eloquence it selfe yet hee would come short to speake of thy Matesty herein O Lord. The tongues of Angels stammer in vttering this Mystery and wee Fecome dumbe the more we endeauour to speake thereof Our highest praise is an humble confession of our insufficiency and our greatest endeauour is to contemplate heere in silence thy great vertue to adâ—â—re with respect thy admirable wisdome to thanke with loue thy infinite goodnesse which wee desire to d ee O sweete Iesus all the time of our mortall life to the end that hauing well knowne the benefit of this Manna and wonderfull pasture of our pilgrimage we may come to enioy the other which thou holdest hidden for the life to come 〈…〉 in the treasures of thy felicitie THE SEVENTH PICTVRE THE BREADS OF PROPOSITION The Description THese twelue Loaues set vpon the Table six at each end piled one aboue another and the Violl of gold aboue them full of most pure Incense are those which the Scripture calleth the Loaues of Proposition or Breads of faces as who would say Bread exposed and set in a publike and sacred place before the face of God There lyeth hid vnder this name a double mystery which the Pensill knowes not how to expresse they are made by Priests onely of most pure flower weighing about eight pounds euery one all Loaues well prepared but neither puffed vp nor great in regard of their weight because they are without leauen They offered them euery weeke and they were to be renewed euery Sabbath-day and hot ones to bee put in their place the Loaues being taken away the Priests might eate them They are twelue because it is the offering of all the Children of Israel diuided into twelue Tribes by which they make a Present in common of thankes to God acknowledging their life and conuersation to come from his Maiestie The Table where they are sett is made of Setim a pretious and incorruptible wood It is two cubits long and one broad all gilded with fine gold and enriched with a circle of gold also which goeth all about bordered with double crownes of foure fingers large the one aboue the other beneath It is put vpon two tressels made of the same wood of a cubit and a halfe long square and sett vpon feete cut and carued It is placed towards the North vpon the right side of the Sanctuary And on the left side towards the South there stands the golden Candlesticke with seuen Lampes and betweene both the Altar of Incense But who is this braue Knight Dauid 1. Râ—g 21. accompanied with certaine Light-hoâ—semen that speaketh with Achimelech the High Priest keeper of these Loaues and as it seemes all astonished to see him It is without doubt valiant Dauid who flying the fury of Saul is come to the City Nob in haste being stolne away from the Court and hee askes something to
Saints and other Benefactors To God with the adoration called Latria as a Soucraigue honor to others by a lesser worship as to the instruments of his Soueraigne goodnesse Now this signification of supreame thanksgiuing is most agreeable to our Sacrament and Sacrifice signified by the Loaues of Proposition for in it is made soueraigne memory of the Soueraigne benefits of our Redemption and thankes are rendered to God with soueraigne magnificence to wit with the offering of the same body which hath redeemed vs an offering infinitely agreeable to his diuine Maiestie This is the reason why this action is called Eucharist that is to say Good grace or Thankesgiuing taking its title and vsuall name from the most worthy and remarkable effect thereof 10. THE BODY OF OVR SAVIOVR meate for the Sanctified NOw these Loaues were not eaten but by the Priests and Leuites people sanctified for the seruice and worke of the Sanctuary By which Ceremony the holy Ghost doth Figure forth vnto vs that Christians ought to eate the bread of Christs Table with singular purity if they will eate it profitably and that euery one ought to haue in this action his soule adorned with a Priestly holinesse because he doth herein after some sort the office of a Priest for he offers the body of Iesus Christ with Iesus Christ and with his Vicar the Priest Sacrificing he eateth the bread set and offered vpon the holy Table And in this respect Saint Peter calleth all Christians Priests and Kings 1. Pet. 2.9 holy people and royall Sacrificers For although the Lay-people to speake properly haue not the character of Priests no more then they are properly Kings yet are they neuerthelesse called by a generall appellation Priests and Kings after the foresaid manner In that as such they are Sanctified and haue right to eate of the Sanctified bread 11. WHAT SIGNIFIED THE TABLE OF Proposition Loaues and the Candlestickes multiplied by SALOMON NOw it ought not to be passed ouer Reg. 7.49 2. Paral. 4.8 that Salomon long time after builded the Temple placed in it ten Tables for Proposition Loaues and ten golden Candlesticks encreasing ten times the number fiue Tables and fiue Candlesticks on the left side the Altar of Perfumes towards the South and fiue on the right side towards the North whereas Moyses had put but one Table on the North side and one Candlesticke on the South side the Altar of Perfumes being in the midst as hath been declared This ouerplus and misterious magnificence signified that the light of faith and the spirituall nourishment of faithfull soules should be without comparison in more great abundance in the time of our true Salomon Iesus Christ and in the Church built by him then it was it the Law of Moyses And that with great reason for that he the bright Sunne and the true celestiall Bread should then descend to the earth begetting a new Sommer bringing the cleare light of noone-day vnto the diuine mysteries making a plentifull haruest through all the world and causing the Loaues of Proposition to multiply in abundance S. Hier. in c. 40 Ezech. Apoc. 12.2 from the onely Bread of his body as Saint Hierom speaketh Samt Iohn in the Apocalyps declared by another allegory the same brightnesse which Salomon figured by his Candlestickes when he said That hee did see a Woman cloathed with the Sunne vnderstanding the Church vnder the name of a Woman and by the Sunne signifying the greatnesse of the spirituall light bestowed vpon her in the Law of Grace Malachie also foretold that throughout all the earth Malach. 1. there should be offered a pure Oblation that is to say the body of the Sonne of God and that this heauenly Bread should be offered and distributed in abundance in the House of God Which is the same that Salomon had signified in preparing ten Tables a number of vniuersality and that in the Temple of God a Figure of the Church 12. PVRITY OF BODY NECESSARY IN such as come to receiue the holy Communion BVt what meant Achimelech 1. Reg. 21. when offering to Dauid and to his people the holy Bread hee did it with this condition if they had kept themselues cleane from the company of women It signified that which our holy Doctors teach to wit that to present our selues to the Table of our Proposition bread we ought to haue not only our soules pure from sinne and adorned with all vertue as it hath been said but also our bodies cleane from all impurity Achimelech saith Saint Hieram would not giue the Proposition bread to Dauids men till first he vnderstood that they had been continent from their wiues three dayes before What then ought to be the chastity that Christians should vse comming to the Table of our Sauiour which is his proper body a Virgin body and conceiued of a Virgin Spring and treasure of all purity and infinitely more pretious then the Proposition Loaues There is saith the same Doctor as much difference betweene the Loanes of Proposition and the body of Christ S. Hier. l. 1. e. 1. epist ad Tit. as betweene the shadow and the bady the Image and the Verity the Figures of things to come and the things themselues represented by passed Figures For this cause therefore In Concil Eliber opud gratia dâ—â— omnis de â—â—seer Conril Cabik Gen. â—6 the Apostles and their Successors haue holily ordained that the Lay-people which will Communicate should containe themselues from their wiues at the least three dayes before and as many after Communion and that the Priests which communicate daily and handle this chast and dinine Flesh liue without wiues and be aften the manner of Angels chast all their life 13. THEY WHICH HOLILY COMMVNIcate receiue strength and are armed by the Sacrament SVch then as eate this true bread of Proposition as Dauid did hauing their soules and bodies cleane are not onely strengthened against the temptation of Satan and enabled to resist concupiscence but also take into their hands the sword of Golias and the weapons of their enemies to fight valiantly in the combates of our Lord to cut in pieces the troopes of Satan the world and the flesh and to attaine the victory of a glorious conquest 14. A BRIEFE EXHORTATION TO PVritie when we present our selues to the holy Sacrament BVt alas how few are the number of such valiant combatants How few are there that present themselues to this diuine Table with that cleannesse and reuerend respect which the High-Priest Achimelech required of Dauid and of his people before he would permit them to eat his Loaues of Proposition the shadow and Figure of ours how few that imitate the holinesse of Dauid and of his Souldiers in this celestiall banquet How few obserue the purity which our ancient Fathers and our holy Mother the ancient Church commanded What are we become What doe we of what thinke we how haue we left our ancient feruour in Communicating frequently and
makes mention of the custome of the Church to say Masse for the fruits of the earth and the testimony of Saint Cyril of Hierusalem is cleare in this matter who in one of his Lessons speaking of the Masse saith After that the spirituall Sacrifice and vnbloudy worship is done ouer the same Heast of Propitiation we pray to God for the common peace of all the Churches for the tranquillity of the world for Kings for Souldiers for the sicke for the afflicted In conclusion for all those which haue need of succour 9. THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASSE profitable to the Faithfull departed which are in Purgatory and honorable to those which raigne in heauen THe faith and custome of the Church hath euer been to offer also to God the Sacrifice of the Masse for the soules of the faithfull departed not to procure pardon for their sinnes but to obtaine of God release of the paine due to their sinnes who are in Purgatory For they which are in hell are cut off eternally from the body of Iesus Christ and incapable of succour from his precious bloud Saint Chrysostome S. Chrysost hom â—9 ad Pap. Anâ—ie â—â—m 3. 〈◊〉 ad Philip. speaking of this custome Not without cause saith he it was or daâ—â—ed by the Aposiles that commemoration should be made of the faith full departed in the dreadfull mysteries for so he calleth the Sacrifice of the Masse for they well knew it would bring them great benefit and profit According to which faith S. Aug. l. 9 â—â—â—sess c. 11.12.13 S. Augustine was entreated by his Mother to pray to God for her after her death in the Masse Shee saith hee charged me not to prepare for herâ— sumptuous toâ—be but onely signified that shee l sâ—râ—d that remembrance should be made of her at the Altar at which emery day shee religiously serued God knowing that from it was the Victime distributed 〈◊〉 2.14.15 which wâ—ped out the hand writing of decree that was against vs and led the enemy in triumph Which he performed like a faithfull childe causing the office for the dead and Masse to be said for her at her burial helping her rather after this manner then bewailing her with teares as himselfe witnesseth saying to God We wept not O Lord in the prayers which we made when the Sacrifice of our price was offered vp to theâ— Whereby he shewes what was the faith and religion of all the Church in his dayes S. Epiphanâ— also puts this custome amongst the Articles of Catholike Doctrine and witnesseth Epiph. heres 57. in Aâ—acephaleâ—â— S. Aug. de 〈◊〉 cap. â—3 as after him did also S. Augustine that Aerius was Anathematized as an Heretike for hauing held that the Sacrifice of the Masse was not to be offered for the dead The same Church hath also at all times offered Sacrifice of thankesgiuing for the Victime of the blessed Saints which are raigning in heauen And here-hence it is that men say Masse vpon their Feasts in which they are called vpon remembred not that men offer Sacrifice to them for that was the slander of the old Heretikes and Pagans but to giue thanks to God who made them victorious and to shew that we reioyce in their glory And this is it Saint Augustine declareth S. Aug. l. 8. de Ciuit. cap. 27. answering to the calumnies of Heretikes Who is he amongst the Infidels saith he that euer heard the Priest being at the Altar say in his Prayer I offer Sacrifice to thee O Peter O Paul O Cyprian for it is to God and not to them that that Sacrifice is offered within the Churches dedicated to their memory And elsewhere Ideâ— coâ—â—â—â— Faâ—st l. 20. c. 21. almost in the same tearmes We erect not Altars to Martyrs but onely to God in remembrance and memory of them For who did euer heare any Prelate doing his office at the Altar where Saints bodies lye say We offer Sacrifice to the O Peter O Paul O Cyprian but what is offered is offered to God who crowned the Martyrs though it be done in places dedicated to their memorie By which Doctrine it appeares how the Sacrifice of the Masse is not onely Propitiatory for sinnes but profitable to obtaine of God all kind of benefits And that it extends it selfe to all sorts of persons except the damned And that as the Sacrifice of the Crosse is a generall and fundamentall treasure for all the members of the Church of God liuing and dead present and to come so the Sacrifice of the Masse is an instrument and vniuersall meanes to apply the merit of this treasure to euery one THE ELEVENTH PICTVRE THE FIVE LOAVES AND TVVO FISHES The Description HEE which is in company of Iesus Iohn 6. Matth. 14.21 Marc. 6.40 can want nothing Doe you behold this great number of people set by hundreds and fifties vpon these beds and Tapestries of hearbes and flowers of the Spring taking their refection in the midst of the Desart they are about fiue thousand men besides women and little children Matth. 14.21 who following our Sauiour many dayes heard his Word with such feruour and delight that before they were a ware all their prouision was spent and were vtterly destitute of necessary food in these high mountaines and barren places fruitfull onely of grasse and flowers Yet notwithstanding they banquet to their fill hauing meruailous aboundance of food though all their prouision was but fiue Barly-loaues and two fishes which a yong Boy of the troope had by chance brought with him O this Boy shall one day vnder the name of Marshall be a great feeder and nourisher of Christian soules in the Countrey of Aquitan This prouision was onely casuall and very insufficient for so great a number of people but the Diuine prouidence was neither casuall nor nigardly which knowes well how to prouide for want and to make abundance of new Manna spring vp in the midst of the Desart and to feed them after with materiall food whom he had fed before with the bread of his holy Doctrine For hee multiplied the Loaues and the Fishes by his blessing in such abundance as they did suffice to fill all this people set at so many tables who brought with them as good appetites to eate as they had strong stomackes to disgest All cat as much as they will of these Loaues and these Fishes And the Apostles are the diuiders and deliuerers no lesse wondering then ioyfull to see that the bread and fishes encreased in their hands as fast as they distributed them to their guests But Philip and Andrew aboue all other were astonished for they also aboue therest apprehended the greatnesse of the multitude and the little quantitie of food which was to be had in that place The good Philip said Two hundred pentworth of bread will not suffice that euery ont may haue a little bet as the custome is to distribute holy-bread Whereas these fiue Loaues brought by this