incarnation But because this fauour in substance vvas onely proper to Christes humanity though in operation vertue and efficacy sufficiently offered for all therefore the bounty of God was not extended enough it lacked a farther communication that euery man in particuler might participate his infinite bounty and perfection not in vertue alone but in substance also The Sunne lendeth the earth his beames yet the substance remaineth in heauen but lo in this blessed Sacrament God hath with his beames ioyned the sunne with his deuine vertue linked his diuinity and not onely by effect but also by person entreth into the breasts of all the faithfull which come to receiue him Here he maketh euery man partaker of himselfe of his substaunce as well deuine as humane And therfore the sphere of his goodnesse cannot be farther extended since euery one receiueth that which is infinite and God himselfe The second cause to be an Epitome or an abridgement of all Gods wonders AFter that God had rowsed from nothing Sap. 11. the mightie masse of this world polished it in number measure weight the last worke those artificiall hands finished was man who as an epitome or an abridgement comprehended in himselfe the degrees of all creatures thereby giuing vs to vnderstand that as often as we looke vppon man we should call to our memories how many goodly creatures and how admirably God had created and prouided for his cause euen so after that God in the olde Testament and Christ in the new had wrought infinite miracles and wonders one of the last which Christ solemnly manifested to the world was this blessed Sacrament as a memoriall of all his wonders as an abridgement of al his miracles that therby seing this Sacrament we should expend what wonderfull miracles he had effected for vs and what singular graces he had bestowed vp on vs the which it seemeth Dauid standing a loofe off in his high turret of faith did contemplate when he saide Memoriam fecit mirabilium suorum misericors miserator Dominus escam dedit timentibus se Our merciful and pittiful Lord instituted Psa 110. a memory of his wonders he gaue foodâ— to them that feare him that all miracles and singular wonders which God euer wrought are comprised in this SacrameÌ„t or the like easily it might be proved A few I will number leauing the rest to the discourse of euery sound dâ—uine What wonder shewed God first to the worlde by creation of nothing to make all here many learned diuines holde that Christs body exsisting in heauen is created anew for they say it is possible for God to create my soule and body againe in Fraunce I beeing in Englande as for to reproduce in the resurrection those formes qualities and accidents which perished by death and corruption in the graue and truly this manner of speach diuers fathers Cip. de eaera Dom. vse calling this action by which Christs body is placed in the Sacrament creation more ouer it plainly apeareth that when the formes of bread and wine are corrupted God produceth a new substantiall matter to sustaine and vpholde the new accidents If you discourse ouer the miracles of transforming Lots wife into Gen. 19. Exod. 4. 7 a Piller of salte the rod of Moses into a serpent the riuers into bloud water into Ioh. 2. wine in the mariage transubstantiation presently representeth the same If raising vp of the dead if giuing sight to the blinde if in satiating a number with so little most plainly it shall appeare hereafter that this Sacrament causeth life euerlasting that it openeth the eyes of the soule that it feedeth millions and neuer consumeth Therfore most true it is that this Sacrament is an abridgement of the wonders that God wrought and it selfe one of the greatest wonders of all And therfore they may well cease now who admired so much Archimedes for contriuing a spheare of glaffe wherein hee had comprised the motions of the heauens since in this sacrament are vnited all the admirable operations wonders and miracles which proceed from the hands of the soueraigne work man of heauen and earth grace and nature The third cause to deifie the soule THe Philosophers and Phisitions with iointo assent approue this principle to be of an vndoubted verity Ex quibus constamus ex issdem nutrimâ—r with those things we are nourished of which we are made For being compounded of flesh bones heart liuer braines sinewes wee cannot liue except we be fed with flesh bones heart liuers finewes to nourish our bones heart liuer c. which position must not be so grosly conceiued that we ought to eat bones or liuers to nourish our bones or heartes for many eate nothing but roots hearbes fruites bread fishes neuer touching flesh or bones and yet are nourished But that whatsoeuer we receiue for fustinance cannot restore the partes which by continuall resolution vanish away except the meate wee take be first conuerted into the substance of those partes which are to be repaired Therefore that bread wee eate doth not nourish the heart before it be conuerted into the substance of the heart it feedeth not the bones till it be changed into the substance of bones it restoreth not the braines till it become of the nature of braines The Iust therfore in scripture being called gods Ego dixivos dis estis filij Psal 81. and Io. 10. excelsi omnes I saide you are gods and all the sonnes of the highest and participating in their soules a diuine nature Diuinae naturae facti consortes Being made pertakers 2. Pet. 1. of the diuine nature if the Philosophers propositions be proued true ought to haue a diuine foode the which no doubt the wisdome goodnesse and power of God knew would and could prouid for them as we see afforded in this Sacrament This seemed Christ to insinuate when he saide Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem in me manet Io 6. ego in co He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me I in him By which wordes are propounded two admirable vnions the one is that God is in vs the other that we are in God by eating this celestiall foode That God herby dwelleth in vs it cannot be called in question because as meat entreth into vs remaineth in vs and is vnited with vs euen so Christ entereth really remaineth really and is resident so long as the vailes of bread and wine are not consumed But O Lord how can we be in thee since that no man is in the meat he eateth but rather the meat is in him how then is it true he that eateth thee remaineth in thee yet infallible truth it is that those that eate Christ are in Christ For this difference we finde betwixt this diuine foode and other corruptible meats that they haue not life in themselues nor giue life but receiue life of the body and of insensible and inanimate
God did foresee the hard encounters they should meet withal before that entered into the firme possession he thought conuenient to giue them a taste of the aboundance and fertilitie of that soile to the intent that feeling the fruit they should not grudge at the paine and therefore he mooued them to send the scowts to suruey the country and discouer the commodities They launch forth passe the principall partes auoyde sundry dangers retourne with such huge clusters of grapes it being vintage that Numb 13 they were not able to carry them in their hands but with poules to beare them vppon their shoulders Euen so our blessed Sauiour knowing that the faithfull children of his church were to be assaulted by many potent inuisible expert and ghostly enimes as the victorie was more important and the foile more daungerous so he thought with a preamble of internail ioy to encourage them to tolerate a moment of paine for which effect he being our scowt and hauing viewed the lande of euerlasting promise he brought vs the bloud of grapes this fruite of that soyle to indnce vs with the sweetnes greatnes and taste thereof to suffer with alacritie to resist with a courage to inuade with valour to expugne with glory all crosses encounters enimies temtations that either aduersitie could impose or sathan inuent or persecutor inflict or our alluring flesh stirre vppe against vs. And that is the sacred Eucharist the which is not only as aboue wee haue deliuered a portraite of all the admirable workes of God but also a most liuely image representing vnto vs the vniuersall ioys of heuen For in what consisteth life euerlasting our future felicity In the glory of our soules and bodies In what maner are our foules blessed by seeing foulding louing reioycing in God and our bodyes are glorified by the redundance distillation and influence of our soules Al which most exactly this sacrament affordeth because in very deed he that seeth this sacrament seeth God as those that saw Christs sacred humanity the vaile of his person were said to see his diuinitie and those that view her maiestie though masked are saide to see the Queene Besides in life euerlasting the blessed comprehend fould and as it were spiritually by their vnderstanding claspe God in their soules Sic currite vt comprehendatis 1. Cor. 3. so run that you may obtaine willed he that God had admitted to see these secrets and the spouse Tenui eum nec demittam Cantic 3. I held him and I wil not forgo my holde For really there wee shall holde in eternall possession that we heere expected by hope And who sees not how all those that receiue this glorious bread fould it in their breasts keepe it and quietly possesse God and all his perfections And who is so stonie hearted that loueth not him that lieth so neere his heart or who is so indurated that this bloud doth not mollifie or who is so voide of affection that this so affectious a God would and doth not moue to loue what ioye proceedeth from these spirituall imbracings from this vnion of spirits from this matching of the soule with her center from this vitall refection from this heauenly conuersation let him tell that sayde dulciora sunt vbera tuae super vinum Cantic 2. thy paps are sweeter then wine let him tell that felt quà m dulcia eloquia Dei super Psal 18. and 118. mel fanum how sweet are the words of God sweeter then honye or the honye combe let him tell that called it pinguis Genes 49. panis qui prebet delitijs regibus fat bread which yeeldeth delites to kings Finally how by eating this Sacrament our bodies shall rise and receiue immortalitie aboue was declared and moreouer in this present foode the body of Christ which shal be the example of all glorious bodyes permanently remaineth No maruaile it is therfore if feruent souls liue in a perpetuall iubilie of ioy and peace since here in earth they participate a forme of the ioyes of heauen if they desire to bee with God whose company is so sweet and gratefull The fortieth cause to bee a condigne sacrifice for Christ to offer to his father BEfore the institution of this sacrament of vnualuable value the Euangelist S. Iohn who suckt his diuinitie out of that breast whencefrom issued this Precious licour prepareth the readers for other Euangelists with a most profound diuine preface that after vnderstanding such an admirable mysterie penetrating the depth of his reasons they might be induced to beleeue it sciens Iesus Ioh. 13. c. Iesus knowing that his father had giuen him all things into his hands and that he came from God and returned to God he rose and prepared hmself to wash his Disciples feete thereby infinuating with what puritie of soule the faithfull ought to participate the dainties of this table In which compendious wordes hee yeeldeth three reasons why it concerned the office functions and dignitie of our Sauiour to institute this regall sacrifice First because he being ordained by God our high priest according to the Psal 109. order of Melchisedech and consequently hauing commission to institute a sacrifice in bread and wine after that former since Hebr. 7. therfore God hath deliuered all things into his hands that appertained to his fathers glorie his own honor his Churches saluation and dignitie of them all it was most decent that hauing receiued all his sacrifice should comprehend all and be offered to God in recognition of all the which could not bee any other thing then God who is all in all Secondly because that knowing he came from god that is he issued from his father by natural necessarie eternal generation equal in perfection vnited in the same essence it did behooue him not to offer vp any mean present or base gift no it could not stand with so soueraigne a maiestie to institute any such sacrifice as could bee contained within the limited borders of humane or angelicall capacities for if that vaine Alexander though proudly yet truely vaunted that Kings ought not so much attende to whome they giue as who they are that giue howe much more did it concerne our Sauiour Christ king of kings to offer a condigne present to his father the Monarch of the worlde wherefore as all his actions wherewith hee merited were of infinite value for the dignitie of his person euen so this sacrifice was to bee ordained of infinite prize for the substance of the same for there was no gift answerable to eyther of theyr dignities or sutable to their Maiesties but a sacrifice containing God for nothing but God can be infinite in substance for which reason wee haue God the giuer God the receiuer and God the gift the which sacred consort cannot but yeelde a most sweete harmonie Thirdly knowing hee was to returne to his father where incessantly the incense of his prayers were to ascend therefore as he accompanied
ouer the effects of loue and therby discouer the origen and fountaine of this vaine of life he shall finde them most liuely in this little world of al pure loue depaynted The fruits of loue be these vnion zeale extasie bountifulnes Foure riuers al issuing from one spring and as this Sacrament and the incarnation of Christ of al the wonderfull works of God most manifestly declare his loue so it were not amisse to declare the effects ofloue in them both that the resemblance of both might render the matter more plaine yet to auoide prolixitie I will content me with the Eucharist for by this the other may be conceiued but first of all let vs see what wee vnderstand by these effectes All perfect loue requireth a certaine Vaion vnion in substance as was declared in the eight cause but for that amongest men this was vnpossible without the destruction of one or both therefore they procured all these vnions which honesty puritie of loue affect and these are to be of the same iudgements and opinions the same wills desires and affections the same table and diet the same place and presence the like garments and attire and finally to expresse one another in all things as neere as they can Zeale after two manners proceedeth Zeale from loue First zealous friends cannot tollerate any iniuries offered to their friends but procure with greater or as great diligence to defend them their credit goods life or what else appertaineth vnto them as their owne Secondly zeale cannot suffer consorts in loue and therefore experience teacheth vs what a griefe it is for the husband to haue a conceit of a riuall Extasie likewise abstracteth or haleth Extasie a louer from himselfe and causeth him rather to liue there where he loueth then indeede where hee liueth for the force of loue transporteth excessiuely his minde cogitations and affections from his owne affaires and enforceth him to attende and procure whatsoeuer concerneth his friend sometimes also it leadeth the soule so farre that it is almost abstracted from the bodie as diuers saints were rauished so with the loue of God that they liued many daies in profound contemplation feeding vpon the food of life not taking any corporall sustenance Bountifulnes waiteth vpoÌ„ loue as a most Bountifulnâ—â— faithful seruant for friendes cannot but communicate their goods one with another who before by friendship had communicated their hearts therefore they preseÌ„t one another with gifts as signes of that good will they carrie in their minds and to remonstrate vnto theÌ„ that as they haue taken possession of their harts so also they may coÌ„mand them in their goods for amicorum omnia sunt communia among friends al things are common and he that hath giuen the greater will not sticke to impart the lesser these effectes I haue set down cursorily bicause the exact treatise requireth a whole booke onely to shew how in this sacrameÌ„t God shews them al. That in the sacred Eucharist God effecteth all those vnions which proceed from loue Ca. 3 AS I said before considering the admirable loue that God hath declared by deliuering this sacrament to the world that I was calmed in the Ocean sea in the which similitude if we persist I thinke I shal be able in part to vnfold the vnion in substance betwixt Christ and our soules in the blessed Eucharist for as the Ocean sea surcharged with an infinite multitude of waters dischargeth it self in the Mediterranean and red seas for the benefit of the inhabitants of Europe Affrike and Asia not diuiding it selfe from them but rather by their meanes becommeth vnited to those coasts wheron they border and the wombs wherin they lie by which means the treasures of the one may be transported to the other and the inhabitants of the vast Ocean may haue free passage into the red and Mediterranean Euen so the endlesse goodnesse of God swelling inwardly with an immensiue loue dischargeth himself in these two seas of loue the redde by the incarnation of Christ the Mediterranean by the institution of this sacrament yet the main Ocean of his diuinitie remaineth vnited to his humanitie and thereby bordereth vpon those soules whom he bathed with his bloud and is conioyned with the breasts of theÌ„ who receiue into them this Mediterane sea by which vnion the Citizens of heauen may passe freely among the colonies of the earth therfore as Christs diuinity was substantially vnited to his humanity euen so his diuinity and humanity are vnited in this blessed sacrameÌ„t to their bodies soules who feed at this table and as from his diuinity proceeded all those graces fauors wherwith that sacred humanity was spiritually annointed euen so froÌ„ his humanity linked with his diuinity issue all those sweete vertues graces for the which this blessed bread was ordained And therfore as betwixt the sacred humatie of Christ and his diuinitie there was a most diuine reciprocate ardent and continuall loue euen so betwixt our soules Christ there should rise a mutuall flame if we faile not he cannot be defectuous And as that sacred humanitie like the needle toucht with the adamant looketh euer towardes the pole starre was alwayes directed by his diuinitie euen so ought wee in all our actions to square our intentions according as our Sauiour teacheth vs whom we holde vnited in this sacrament because he was giuen to vs as our maister our doctor and teacher Much more might be sayd of this substantiall vnion but because it hath beene partly touched before partly because I intend not here to deliuer all I think may be said but only to touch some few points or superficiall heads leauing the rest vnto the prudent and discreet Readers of godly meditations As for all other vnions which are rooted in this coniunction of our soules and bodyes with Christ briefly they may be declared For by this Vnion of conceitswith Christ effected by the Eucharist Sacrament wee come to participate many of these conceites which heere GOD reueileth and maketh vs partakers of that were most darke and hidden from nature because the very mystery it selfe openeth the eyes of our vnderstanding to wade deeper into the secrets of nature than euer philosophy could haue induced vs as that a substaunce can be wholy spoiled of his accidents that the accidents can exist without the substance that a naturall body can consist intirely without extension or circumscription of place finally all these 20. difficulties which before were proposed to this purpose may be inserted Moreouer here our mindes are illustrated with the diuine beames which issue out of Christes humanitie as in the 34. cause hath beene deliuered And then our iudgements are right and true when they come to be conformable to the rule of all true knowledge that is the infinite wisedome of God the which we attaine to by knowing God himselfe for in him by him we shal come to perfect knowledge the which this
pricke in their hearts with saying Ite à me maledicti in ignem aternum Ger Matth. 29. ye away from me ye cursed vnto fire euerlasting which once were called Famus distillans labia tua Thy lips are a distilling hony combe Ah loue then wil be changed into hatred and his cheereful lookes Cantic 4. into a frowning countenance Therefore let vs entertaine him with loue here that with the like he may entertaine vs there That God shewed in the Eucharist an extensiue loue and a tender or familiar loue Ca. 10 THe breadth of heauen and the depth of the abisse who can measure the 4. â—sdr 4. vastnesse of the sunne or the vehement brightnesse whether most excelleth if these be hard to determine what shall we say of the feruour of Gods loue whether the extension or intension the vehemencie or the amplenesse the height or the largenes thereof ought more to be esteemed first God hath limited his loue in this sacrament to no citie as he did his sacrifices to Ierusalem to no particular nation as his old Testament recites and ceremonies 3. Reg. â— â— Paâ—al 6. and 7. were contained within the narrow bonds of Iuorie But from the rifing of the sun Psal 75. vnto the setting Non est quae abscondat se à calore eius there is none can hide himself Psal 18. from his heate Ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum Maâ—â—e 1. magnum est nomen meum in gentibus From the rising of the sunne vnto the setting my name is great among Gentiles he restrained it to no definite time as all sacrifices of the Iewes like so many errant plannets were to leese their light in the appearing of the sunne whose light shall neuer faile but first the world shall leese his forme before this sacrifice shall leese 1. Cor. 11. his glorie Moreouer the priests be not determined within the straites of any pedegree as the sacrifices of Moses within the tribe of Leui neither the quantity of bread nor wine our louing sauiour prescribed for consecration but left it freely to the Priests intention to consecrate so much of that which may be preseÌ„t before him as shal seeme good vnto him neither limited he any time but left it to be the receiuers deuotion if they could prepare themselues worthily euery day he is content they should communicate euery day and so thousandes of priests as they daily liue by breathing this vitall aire to conserue their bodies so they daily sucke the bloud from Christs side to feede theyr soules Consider how many masses are said euuerie day in Italy Spaine France Germany Flanders Powland England Ireland Scotland and the East and West Indians where there be now almost as many Catholikes as in all Eupore and vppon sundaies and other feastiuall daies howe many millions coÌ„municate Imagine how these vaines of Christs sacred body like the foure maine riuers that issued out of Paradise giue sufficient refectioÌ„ to al this innumerable multitude if we had the eies of our soules open to view Christs precious body and bloud glorious and shining fixed in this sacrament shining in their breasts we should behold another sort of spangled firmament in earth then wee do see in heauen in the clearest winter night Consider moreouer the fragrant smell the spirituall odour which continually the Catholike Church dispersed through the whole world exalteth from this diuine sacrifice and sendeth vp to heauen in recognoscence of the infinite benefit of Christs passion and the manifold graces we haue receiued from his maiestie If God would declare it with a corporall shew the heauens aire earth would be couered with this sacred insence Blessed be his name for euer who so farre extended the sphere of his loue that he would haue all men at al times of all qualities in all places to be licenced to haue free accesse vnto him in such sort that the verie angels admiring the admirable sweetnesse of the Church presenting her selfe daily in these sacred oblations before the vniuersall court of heauen and wondering how such grateful smels ascend from such barreÌ„ deserts said Quae est ista quae ascendit de deserto diliciâ—s affluens Câ—â—tie 8. enixa super spoÌ„sum who is this which ascendeth from the desart flowing with delights leaning vpon her spouse His His familiar â—out tender affection yeeldeth little to any of the rest for as mothers most tenderly and familiarly deale and conuerse with theyr little infants euen so our blessed sauiour with vs in this sacrament But he farre surpasseth all mothers in the tendernesse of his affection for mothers giue their children cold milke that is indigested bloud but Christ imparteth the best bloud in his breast and besides all his substance Of diuers mothers wee reade who came to that fiercenesse and crueltie that to releeue their famine they embrued theyr hands in their childrens bloud bereauing them of that life that naturally they had once imparted to them but wee neuer read of mother that killed her selfe to feede her children O sweete sauiour thou Psal 101. art the only pellicane thou launch est thy heart to feed thy flocke thou diddest die to nourish thy children with this bloud of life Ah how sweetly dost thou coÌ„uerse with those who deuoutly conuerse with thee Thy conuersation hath no bitternes thy friendship no gall yet few doo feele I know these tender affects of Christ because Sapientia non habitat in terra suauiter viuentium Wisedome dwelleth not in the land of daintie liuers for it is an infallible veritie that the ioyes of Christ and the pleasures of the world cannot consort together The fortie two and last cause to be the ende of all the Sacraments of the olde Testament AS great and maiesticall subiects are signified with many names as God Christ the incarnation blisse this sacracrament because we cannot impose one to signifie them compleatly therefore we supplie this defect with the multitude euerie one signifying a part eueÌ„ so the prouidence of God ordained many simbolicall figures and pictures of sacrifices in the old Testament to depaint the blessed Eucharist because we could not fully coÌ„ceiue the maiestie thereof in one wherefore hee appointed a number Not vnlike to great Princes who are not contented in one card to draw their whole kingdomes but commaund for more distinction euerie prouince and Countrey euerie citie territory to be seuerally described Some sacraments God instituted to signifie the matter or external formes of the Eucharist such were the sacrifice of Melchizedech in bread and wine the bread of proposition Some represented the forme life and soule of this sacrament our blessed sauiour heere offered vnto his father and of this sort were all the lambes sheepe doues turtles and bloudie sacrifices for they both represented the passion of Christ and the incruent sacrifice of the Euch arist which in substance is all one with the passion Others did carrie on
their shoulders the cognusance of the effects of this sacrament as the tree of life in Paradise the rainbow to we and his posteritie Manna in the desart the honie which opened the eies of Ionathas the Christall water which the stonie vaines of craggie rocks gushed forth at the request and stroake of Moses Others God ordained principally to insinuate vnto vs the continuance and perpetuitie of this oblation as the two sacrifices God appointed the Iews daily to offer one in the morning another in the euening others hee determined to expresse sundrie circumstances as the puritie and perfection by the sacrifice of most pure oyle finest flower Others to foretell howe gratâ—full this sacrifice was vnto God by insence themiamata and other odoriforous smelles All which figures sacrifices ceremonies and ordinances of God hee that would take the assumpt to declare and applie euerie one to the Eucharist might easily find sufficient matter to fill a whole volume Therfore I meane to omit all the rest and only betake me to two of the principall and most celebrated of all antiquitie I meane Manna and the Pascall Lambe Manna Exod. 16 ALthough we had not the testimony of all antiquitie pronouncing that manna was a figure of the blessed Eucharist yet the very conformitie proportion admirable simpathie betwixt theÌ„ would sufficieÌ„tly perswade any reasonable iudgement that the one was a picture of the other as manfestly shall appeare First manna was called food of angels paneâ— angelorum manducauit homo man hath eaten the bread of angel because either it Iob. 28. was formed by the ministerie of angels or so worthy a meat as might serue for the table of Angels And who sees not the Eucharist consecrated by the Priests the terrestrial angells sent from God to feed his flocke and that the angels in heauen feed on no other substance then the sacred body soule person and diuinitie of Christ the meat which is serued vppon these fragile platters of bread and wine Secondly manna descended from heauen panem coeli dedit eis bread from heauen he Psal 77. gaue them And what saide Christ of the Eucharist ego sum panis qui de coelo deseâ—â—à i I am the bread that descended from heuen Psal 77. Thirdly Salomon calleth manna the substance of God substantians tuam dulcedinens Iohn â— tuam quam in filios habes ostendebas Thou diddest shew thy substance and thy sweetnes which thou bearest towardes children note that manna was really the substance of God but by it hee declared his treasures the ritches of his loue In the Eucharist is the very substance of GOD indeed all his sweetnes and glory Hoc est corpus meum This is my body registered Sap. 16. by Christ declareth no lesse Fourthly manna in coulour was white in similitudineÌ„ Sap. 16. pruinae after the liknes of hore forst and by beating it in a morter it became after it was baked like a cake of bread and oile Exod. 1â— None can be ignorant how this represented Numb 11 the externall forme of our sanctified bread in the Eucharist When the people sawe manna descended from heauen they wondered at it and saide Man hu Quid est hoc what is this And did not the Iews Exod. 16. wonder at Christs promising this sacrament Quomodo potest hic nobis caruem suam Iohn 6. dare ad manducandum How can this man giue vs his flesh to eat Sixtly manna was their food for fortie yeares all the while they wandred in the desart and the Eucharist so long as wee wander in the desart of this world Seuenthly manna was not giuen them from heauen till the flower of Egypt was spent and the sweet effects of this sacrament are not communicated till we renounce by baptisme the flesh diuell and world our Egyptian enimies Eightly they gathered it vp all the weeke except the Saboth day wherein they enioyed that they had collected vppon Fryday and in the saboth of rest we shall liue of that we gathered heere on earth here wee sowe there wee reape heere we fight there we shal be crowned here we eat Christ with some difficultie with faith belieuing a most profound mysterie there wee shall take full possession without any crosse or labour Ninthly those that gathered more than that in quantitie which GOD prescribed they Exod. 1â— found nothing remaining in their vessels but wormes and putrifaction who eate this sacrament vnworthiely against the prescript of Christ shall finde no other fâ—uit left in their soules then remorse of conscieÌ„ce that stinging worme that neuer dieth and eternal corruption in hel without euer dieing Tenthly manna had all sweetnes of taste Omne delectaementum Sap. 16. saporis suauitatem All delight and sweetnes of taste The Eucharist containeth Christ who affordeth and containeth all the ioyes both in heauen and earth Eleuenthly in manna euery one had that taste he desired in the Eucharist euery passion Sap. 16. affection and sore findeth a perfect remedy and euery desire a complet sacietie because by nourishing the soule it yeeldeth spirituall force by producing grace it ministereth all varietie of vertues by ioyning our hearts to Christ the fountaine of all comforts it shaketh off all the disgusts and griefes which our enemies by sinnes or temtations canimpose vppon vs Twelfthly the ordinary taste was conuerted into that taste which euery one desired Deseruiens vniuscuinsque voluntati ad 〈◊〉 16. quod quisque volebat conuertebatur deseruing to euery ones will it was conuerted to what euery one desired What could more liuely expresse the misterie of transubstantiation as this admirable conuersion and transmutation of tastes the like we haue in conuersion of the rocke into water the substance of stone by the wonderful worke of god became transformed into the substance of water Conuertit petrum Psal 113 in stagna aquarum rupem in fontes aquarum He conuerted the stone vnto a lake of waters and the rocke vnto fountains 13. Those who gathered more and those who gathered lesse found in equall portion to eat Nec qui plus collegerat habnit Exod. 16. amplius nec qui minus paraner at reperit minus He that had much abounded not 2. Cor. 8. he that had litle wanted not In the Eucharist he that receiues both formes as the Priest or a greater hoast or many hoasts or in in fine more or little receiueth no more then they which communicate with the least parcell of this Sacrament The fourteenth when the sun did rise it consumed away when the sunne of Iustice shall appeare that is when Christ shall come to vs in his glory then the manna of his church shall vanish awaynot in substance but in forme The fifteenth Although that God hath vouchsafed to feed his children with the foode of angelles with bread sent from heauen with the substance of God yet they murmured against it they lothed it they
Doth it stay in the stomacke but that is most vndecent When a mans arme is cut off what becommeth of his soule that informed that arme doth it perish then he that lacketh an arme lacketh a piece of his soule Doth it hang in the aire But the aire is not organized to receiue the information finally it ceaseth to inform the arme it leeseth that subiect and place keeping the place in the bodie where it was before euen so the bodie of Christ leeseth the place it had in the stomacke and keepeth the place it had before in heauen So. As the Sunne in a moment spreadeth his beames from East to VVeast euen so Christ his body from heauen into the sacrament and as if a clond hinder the vertue of the Sunne the light ceaseth the Sunne remaineth where it was euen so when the forms of bread and wine perish Christs bodie ceaseth to bee there but remaineth in heauen as he was before Ninthly when the Hoast is broken how is not the bodie of Christ broken also why are not seperated the legges from the body c why heare we no crackling of bones why see we no effusion of blod Pro. When a looking glasse is broken do you not see in both the peeces your face as entire as when it was whole euen so when the hoast is broken in both partes thereof remaineth the bodie of Christ as entire as it was in the whole Sol. Albertus Magnus recounteth not vnlike Albertus Mag. trac de Temt cap. 22. effects of thunder that it burns somtimes the shooes but hurteth not the feet it singeth the haire off the head and face without any annoyaunce of those partes Besides hee that mangleth the body can not mangle the soule which keepeth her immortalitie likewise hee that breaketh the hoast impeacheth nothing the incorruptible and indiuisible maner of Christs sacramentall presence in the blessed Sacrament Tenthly how can Christs body be in the Sacrament without confusion beeing whole coarcted into so little a place for it seemes that al his bodie should be pressed to nothing Pro. This may bee most perspiciously resolued by the first similitude we broght of the whole countrie which entreth into the eie without confusion and our faces which we see euerie one in an others eie with al delineaments most intire without any disorder or improportion When Christs bodie entred the dores being shut or issued out of his mothers wombe was his bodie pressed to nothing Io. 20. Luc. ◠No that were corruption and not perfection and vndecent for so decent a bodie I am here to aduertise the gentle Reader that al similituds which Fathers bring to declare the misteries of our faith as the incarnation trinitie grace charitie c. do euer dissent almost in as many things with the mysterie as they agree with it Therfore maruell not if some of those I haue brought iumpt not in all things with the mysterie as they agree with it Therfore maruell not if some of those I haue brought iumpt not in all things with the blessed sacrament for if they should they were not similitudes but the same things Besides consider how many wonderfull workes wee daily prooue effected which we would haue iudged impossible before we see them as in a geographicall glasse the compas and such like Now inferre hereupon that if men by naturall skill can reach but our capacitie how far can God go beyond it Lastly not onely heretikes but also infidels exclaime against Catholiques that it is a thing not only vndecent and horrible to eate mans flesh drinke his bloud but also impious and irreligious to eate their God for what say they is more absurd then for God to abase himselfe to be eaten and more abhominable then for his creatures prophanely to deuoure him This obiection might as wel bee made against Christes incarnation death and passion for it seemeth as vndecent for God to lie in a womans wombe for nine moneths for him that is life it selfe to die as to be eaten in this Sacrament for what need had he of his creatures that he shuld toile so much for them why could he not haue forgiuen them all their offences of his owne accorde seeing the fault was committed against him But the wisdom of GOD ouer-reached these carnall and cloudie conceited men and therefore determined meanes surpassing all vnderstandings and deuises Wherefore as in the mysterie of Christes incarnation the Fathers and Doctors indeuoure to search out the reasons which moued the maiesty of God so extraordinarily to exmiruite himselfe to become man euen so we will here procure to vnderstand some reasons why so familiarly he did debase himselfe to be our foode The second part of this Treatise The first cause of the institution of the blessed Sacrament to communicate himselfe to euery one in particular SVch is the nature of Goodnesse that it doth not only perfit enrich and adorn the subiect wherein it resideth but also enableth it with an ouerflowing vertue to communicate it selfe vnto others Bonum Lib. de Diu. nom ca 4. saith Dionis Areop est sui diffusiuum Goodnes spreadeth it selfe abroad and for this cause we see the Sunne for that it is good in it selfe communicateth his Vertue vnto others dispersing his beames vpon the earth the aire because it is good conserueth the soule the sea in regard of natiue goodnes allodgeth the fishes the earth indued with the like lendeth her lappe to mettalles and hearbs in fine since all creatures that bountiful hand of God framed receiued in their first printing some form Gen. 1. of goodnes Vidit Deus cunctaque fecerat erant valdè bona God did see all that hee had made and they were very good consequently they receiued vertue to communicate their goodnes to others And thus all creatures bee good in themselues◠and profitable to their neighbours Besides we prooue by daily experience how they are not content to lend their frends some little parcell of their perfection but as much as they haue so much they bestowes so that the sphere of such their communication aunswereth in proportion to the degree of the naturall substance and engrafted perfection so that earth produceth earth water bringeth foorth wate◠fire kindleth fire a horse ingendereth a horse an eagle breedeth an eagle a man begetteth a man wherevpon the Philosophers grounded their Axiome Omne simile generat fibi simile euery like produceth like If these drops of goodnes fallen from God their immensiue ocean sea if these beames of perfections issuing from their euerlasting Sunne if these dying leaues of bountie shaken off that neuer fading tree of life extend the limits of their goodnes so far what bounds can containe his goodnesse which is boundlesse what measure can be prescribed to him that is immesurable where shall his bountie border which is infinite nothing being equall to God Therefore his natiue goodnesse enforced him to communicate himselfe to mankinde vvhich mistery vvas effected by
no sacrifice nor any Heb. 5. religion where there is not both Priest and sacrifice Because what is religion but a publique profession of a multitude to worship god and what publike worshippe can bee exhibited to GOD without a reall and externall Sacrifice For the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be noted that in all ages and in all nations and in all religions they euer vsed some sorte of Sacrifices for if wee looke into the lawe of nature wee shall finde Abell Abraham Iob offering vp sacrifices if wee discend to the law written there will appeare an admirable number appointed in Leuiticus If wee come to Christ in his last supper and vppon the Crosse we shall finde him sacrificing Besides wee may obserue that all their sacrifices almost consisted in killing beasts or in the destruction of some creature as in burning insence or such like Now if we demaunde for what reason did they kill bulls calues or lambes how know they that GOD would be pleased with them what needded he bulls or calues nunquid manducabo Psa 49. carnes â—aurorum aut sanguinem hircorum potabo shall I eate the flesh of bulls or drinke the blood of goates by the resolution of this doubt we shall better perceiue why Christ left this Sacrament as a perpetuall sacrifice for his church Three reasons then may bee yeelded the first because by sacrifices men acknowledge GOD the first maker conseruer and last end of all creatures the which they intend to professe by the externall action of sacrificing because in killing an oxe and burning of him to ashes they depriued themselues of all vse of all profit whereby they signified that all was due to him of whom they had receiued all The second reason was because the holy ghost moued them to vse such bloudie sacrifices to prefigurat the passion of christ once to be offerred vp on the Crosse Thirdly to shew by the death of beasts that they deserued death for their sins that they offered the one to God in lieu of the other By these three reasons wee plainly see that wee in the lawe of grace haue as great need of a reall and externall sacrifice as either the Iewes or those that liued vnder the lawe of nature For need not wee as well as they to acknowledge the dominion and right of GOD ouer this worlde is not hee our Creator our conseruer our last end as well as theirs ought not wee as well to represent the sacrifice of Christs passion passed as they to prefigurat that which was to come do not our sins as well deserue death as theirs did and are not we bound as well to craue pardon for them as they for these three causes therefore and many more our Sauiour instituted this sacrifice of the altar where by the incruent death of Christ we acknowledge the eternall dominion of God and render him infinite thankes for all his gifts as well of grace as of nature and therefore principally it is called Eucharistia that is gratiarum actio thankesgiuing besides we represent most liuely his passion according to that precept of Christ Hoc facite in â—eam Luke 22. commemorationem do this for a commemoration of me Finally we cry O Father of heauen and earth loe we deserue death and 10000 deaths but here wee present the death of thy sonne his body quod pro vobis traditur which is giuen for Luke 22. you his bloud that is shed promultis in remissionem peccatorum for many vnto remission Mat. 26. of sinnes take and accept his death for ours The ninteenth cause to be a sacrifice most like his passion Diuers ancient fathers expending those 1 Cor. 11. wordes of S. Paul Quotiescunque enim manducabitis panem hunc calicem bibitis Cip. ep 3. Chrisost the â—phi occum mortem domini annuntiabitis donec veniat As often as you shall eat this bread and drink in locuâ— Pauli the chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come affirme that this Sacrifice is the very passion of Christ that heere he suffers he is broken he is changed he is offered in a reall sacrifice after an vnbloudy manner for all the greeke texts haue it in the present tence this is my body which is giuen for you this is my bloud which is shed for you Saint Paul hath expresly this is my body 1 Cor. 11. that is broken for you The manner also how Christs body is here sacrificed to god so plainly expresseth the passion of Christ that if there were no other text to proue it the very correspondence would seeme 10. 19. to shew it sufficiently For howe did Christ die vpon the cross by the deuision seperation of the soule from his body Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum bowing his head he gaue vp the ghost What was the cause of this seperatioÌ„ the issuing of abundaÌ„ce of bloud out of his body and there remaining no life wherefore both philosophers phisitians diuines say Anima est in sanguine the life is in the bloud Deut 12. experience teacheth that many die by venting too much blod out of their veins can shew a reall separation of the soule of Christ from his bodie and a reall separation of his bloud from his body here then we may easely infer that in this sacrament there is not onely a true real and externall sacrifice but also the very same that was vpon the Crosse though in maner as shal be declared they differ It is a receued opinion among al learned diuines that the words of consecrating Hoc est corpus meum This is my body do effect that they signifie that as God by saying Fiat lux let light be made light so by saying Hoc est corpus meum This is my body is presently put the bodie of Christ vnder the forme of bread moreouer that they effect no more imediatly than that they signifie therfore by the vertue or efficacie of consecrating imediatly there is only the body of Christ in the hoast without any soule true it is that there is no host that hath not the soul of Christ but that is not by the imediate force and vertue of consecration but by sequele by a following or as they call it per concommitantiam because the soule is ioyned with the body in heauen therfore consequently the body bringeth the soule with it but if the soule were not in the bo die as it was vpon Goodfriday then if any of the Apostles had consecrated the soule of Christ had not bin in the hoast but the dead body as it was in the graue so that by consecrating of Christes body wee haue a reall separation of soule and body and only an vnion of them by sequele and consequence I call the seperation reall for that where the action is reall that which is effected by the action must likewise be reall In like sort the words
lilfe Meate helpeth nature to disgest many ill humours and this sacrament is not onely a meate but also a medicine And as Saint Cyprian saith extinguisheth sinne Meate causeth growth and whosoeuer participateth De coena Domini 5 this foode encreaseth in spirit for by receuing the life of charity and grace the soule cannot but grow in vertue and perfection as hee that commeth nearer the sunne participateth more light and heate For these resemblances of meate with the blessed sacrament we may per ceaue the reason why our blessed Sauiour instituted it vnder the formes of bread and wine thereby to teach vs by these externall signes that as bread and wine feede our bodyes so Christs fâ—lesh and bloud our soules But for all these perfections or commodities of temporall meats they haue adioyned as many imperfections and defects the which this blessed foode of life wanteth For corporall meats if they delight vs the more we eate of them our delight is lesse and at last wee come to loathe them but this meate Qui comedit adhuc esurit qui Ecde 24. bibit adhuc sitit hee that eateth of it is the more hungry and hee that drinketh the more thirsty and none we see so much desire it as those who most frequent it Corporall meates cannot cause a body that is dead to returne againe to life but this spirituall foode giueth life vnto the dead Qui manducat me ipse viuet propter me Io. 6. he that eateth me the same also shall liue by me Corporall meate although it repaire our forces lost yet the continuall alteration and disguising of it diminisheth our naturall heat because Omne in agendo repatitur euery agent in doing suffereth againe so that at last euen meat it self would extinguish our outward facultie if we had no other cause of death But he who eateth at this table of life Non gustabit Io. 6. mortem in aeternum non morietur he shal not tast of death for euer he shall not dye For as the soule can neuer dye except it leese the grace of God and that it cannot leese of necessitie but of free will so the grace of God can neuer be consumed but by a peruerse wicked will and therefore in aeternum for euer of it selfe it conserueth the soule in life because in very deed it is life Corporall meates faile in force for they alwayes cause not the body to encrease in strength or quantitie but after certaine yeares the body doth not only cease to grow but also it begins to decay and in fine declineth to death But such is the vertue of this holye Eucharist that euery time it is eaten it addeth a new degree of growth yea and for most part when a man declineth most in body and commeth nearer his death in spirit soul he encreaseth most because he then hath most heat of grace todisgest this sacred foode for which admirable effects Dauid wel say in persoÌ„ of those that receiue this Psal 22. heauenly refection Dominus regit me nihil mihi deerit in loco pascuaeibi me collocauit Out Lord doth gouerne me I shall want nothing in the soile of his pasture he hath placed mee For all pastures in respect of this are barren desarts all repasts compared with this leaueth soule euer fainting These pastures are alwaies greene with grace enameld with flowers of vertues watered with the heauenly dewe of Gods assistance and finally haue the pasture continually attending his sacred flocke The twenty ninth cause to effect the resurrection of our bodies BY the vniuersall preuarication of Adam 1. Cor. 15. all his posterity incuâ—red in particular the death of soule and corruption of body whereunto they onely are subiect who discende from him by naturall generation Because that God had so decreed that as from him we were to draw our nature so by his good demeanour froÌ„ him we should receiue our grace But through his transgression by communicating vnto vs a part of his substance poisoned with the sting of originall sin hee imparted together the mortall woundes of body and soule Our Sauiour Christ whose substaÌ„ce was vnspotted with crime or offence pretending as life to destroye death communicated vnto vs his diuine substaunce to giue the soule the life of grace and the body immortality of glory For who can wonder if Christs body touching the bodies of good souls which receiue him with deuotion resuscitate them to life againe since the touche of Elizeus bones had vertue to restore the 4. Reg. 3. vitall spirit to a dead carcasse If seede sowne in the field although it die in the ground retaine vigour virtue of spring so liuely againe which was communicated vnto it by the roote why shall wee not imagine that our bodies keepe a certaine vertue a relation to this sacrament the onely roote of immortality For if the soule receiue grace the body concurreth it is an instrument and therefore if it bee compartner in paine why not in gaine And if Christs soule sanctifie our soules shall not this bodye glorifie our bodies Yea both his body and soule will immortallize both our bodies and soules and therefore hee saide Hic est panis de caelo Iohn 6. descendens vt si quis ex ipso manducauerit non moriatur this is the breade that descendeth from heauen that if anie man eate of it he die not For although hee die corporally yet by vertue of this food by the touch by the relation to the soule whose instrument it was Christ will raise it vp againe Without doubt it standeth greatly with the prouidence of God that Christs body should cause their resurrection who receiue deuoutly this sacrameÌ„t because as wee saide aboue in this hoast Christ is sacrificed and those that participate it woorthily in affection suffer and die with him therefore reason requireth that as they die with him so they shall rise with him Si compatimnr conregnabimus Rom. 8. if we suffer with Christ we shall be also glorified with Christ And more plainely Reformabit corpus humilitatis nostrae Phil. 3. configuratum corpori claritatis suae Hee will reforme the body of our humillitie configured to the body of his glory For if we mortifie our bodies to make them like his body by crosses and pains Doubtlesse he wil reuiue them with delights glory causing them to be his like his body in eternall ioy For which cause we must for a while intreate our bodies not to groane vnder the burthen of Christs commaundements not to repine at fasting not to murmure at mortification not to loathe long prayers not to grudge to liue in prisons depriued of many false pleasures the worlde affoordeth for all these will passeonce When death comes our conscience will reioyce But when our Sauiour after death shall iudge vs and see our crosses conformable to his our pains for his glory our tribulation for his confession Hiems Cantie
disdain to view these fading floures these roses with thornes these bees with stings these golden aples of Sodoms loue these Syrens sugered songs conuert thy eies to this blessed Eucharist view in thy Lord a paradise of pleasure beutie without corruption profit without displeasure ioyes without deceit continual delight without satiety and then I know thou wilt breake forth and cry Deus meus omnia my God Psal 72. and al nam gustato spiritu deficit omnis caro for the spirit tasted al flesh faileth TheÌ„ I know thou canst not but direct al thy actions vse all the creatures of God for no other end then his glory for this hart will becom like a flame of fire that burneth al it incountreth conuerteth theÌ„ into fire so thy loue wil thinke speake and worke al for God and in God and consequently loath what the world loueth not for God The thirty seuenth cause to be a confirmation of his testament IT hath bin an vsuall custome with God to confirme and seale his pacts and promises with some sensible sign that by such palpable obiects men might better conceiue remember them For if he promise Noe his posteritie neuer after to ouer flowe the vniuersall earth with a deluge he imprintes his seale in the clouds â—ehes â— for his armes leaueth the rainbow If he promise Abraham to multiply his seed as the stars of heauen and to giue him the land of Canaan he causes him to deuide his sacrifices in two partes and in confirmation Genes 15. of his pacte he sendes a lampe of fire which passeth through the midest of theÌ„ If Moses sent from God giue the law writteÌ„ in tables of stone if he promise to accept them into his peculiar people hee Exod. 24. confirmeth his couenant with a bowell of bloud wherwith he sprinkleth all the people If GOD vsed such stately seales to ratifie his promises to his people in the lawe of Nature and the lawe written questionlesse hee will not omitte them in the lawe of grace where the couenaunt concerneth a greater benefit wherein are comprehended in a more iminent degree al these fauors of God promised in times past the which he sealed so solemnly and therefore in confirmation of this newe testament he instituted this blessed Sacrament and sacrifice Hic est ealix noni testamenti this is the challice of the new testament affirme the three proclaimers of Christs law Mathew Marke and Luke with the Apostle S. Paul But what couenant maketh Christ with his people that he ratifieth with the seale of his owne body and bloud Here Hieremy speaking Hier. 31. by himselfe and by S. Paul or rather God by them both Ecce dies venient dicit dominus Hebr. 8. consummabo super domum Israell super domum Iuda testamentum nouum Behold the daies shall come saith our Lord and I will consummate vppon the house of Israel vpon the house of Iuda a new testament c. see the place In these wordes God promiseth fiue things to his church first that hee wil forgiue al them which enter into it all their offences the which he effecteth by Baptisme and this Sacrament Secondly that they should know God euery one little and great the which he performeth by powring of faith into their soules thirdly that he will write this law not in stone tables as Moses did but in fleshie heartes and consequently they shal be more mollified and pliable to obserue them and not so indurated as the Iewes the which he fulfilleth by induing theÌ„ with charitie Fourthly that he would be their God and they should be his people that he would haue a fatherly prouidence ouer them the which he accomplisheth with his owne presence Ecce ego vobiscum sum vsque ad consummationem Matth. 28. seculi behold I am with ye all dayes euen to the consummation of the world and by sending the holyghost which docebit illam omneÌ„ veritatem he shall Actes 2. 5 Iohn 16. teach her all trueth Finally that he will neuer forsake nor abandon his Church as he did the Iewes Sinagog the which we haue prooued by the continuance of the catholike church from Christs time euen till these our dayes although persecuted by emperours impugned by heretikes troubled by so many euill Catholikes Matth. 16 yet the gates of hell could nothing preuail against it the propagation also of his church was promised by God sealed with his sacrament that this vine tree planted by Christs own hands should delate the branches from sea to sea and to the worlds end the extremities thereof in Psal 79. such sort that rather lande shall faile to propagate this Church then her amplification shall finish Wherefore God shall not be knowne onely in Iudea or Siria but in all the prouinces of the world since we Psal 75. see depriued of these promises the protestants Churches eclipsed for fifteene hundred yeares and concluded in corners of the world in some few Cities of Germany in Geneua and England it is no maruaile if they haue broken the seale of the blessed sacrament where with by infallible assurance the maiestie of God confirmed them But the Catholike Church possessing all holdeth the sacred Eucharist as a perpetuall confirmation the which as 〈◊〉 it was sayde comprehendeth both the significations and signes of all the other promises made and confirmed by God in passed ages For God promised to Noe not to drowne the worlde anie more with water and Christ promiseth heere his Church shall neuer whollie bee ouerflowne with sinne hee tooke for a signe the Rainbow the which the sunne causeth by reflection of beames in watrie cloudes O what a goodly rainbowe the sunne of neuer-fading light effecteth heere what glistering beames of glorie powreth his diuinitie into that sacred humanitie what beautifull raies spring from that glorious soule and adorne with brightnesse and most liuely colours that immortall bodie if it were not for merite of our fayth wee might see through those cloudes of bread and Wine another sorte of Rainbovv then Nature in her most stately circle euer behelde God promised to Abraham to multiplie his seede as the stars of heauen and where are they multiplied but in the Catholike Church hee allotted vnto him the lande of Canaan and heere the kingdome of heauen hee commaunded Abraham to diuide his sacrifice in two partes and sent a Lampe of fire from heauen to passe betvvixt them and what coulde more expresly figure this sacrifice Are not heere diuided by vertue of Consecration the soule from the bodie and the bloud from them both and doth not both the diuinity and soule of Christ not passe but firmely stande in middest of these parts God gaue the law by Moses and promised the people to defeÌ„d protect accept theÌ„ for his but here with a more careful prouidence with a more forcible meanes with more pleÌ„ty of grace with more abundance of
heauenly fire about the world in saying Desiderio desideraui hoc pascha manducare vobiscum Luke 22. antequam patier With a desire I haue desired that is according to the Hebrew phrase most vehemently I haue desired as one should say after my desire yet still I desire I can haue no ende of desiring to eat this pasche with you before I suffer Sweete sauiour hast not thou for 3. yeres before eaten it with them why desir est thou now so earnestly to eate it Ah hee aymed at this pasce this sacrifice figured by that tipicall lambe the which neither hee nor they had eaten before The like affection Saint Iohn declareth 〈◊〉 13. and confirmeth by saying he loued them vnto the verie ende that is most vehemently as Chrisost and Euthin interpret And without doubt if hee came like a giant running a race from heauen to earth Psal 18. for desire to vnite his person with our nature in his incarnation he will post it to ioyne both person and nature with our soules in the Eucharist as the spouse saide in the Canticles Ecce dilectus meus venit Canic 2. suliens per montes transiliens colles Lo my loue commeth discending from mountaines and running ouer hils because the incarnation here taketh a most compleat effect by the reall application of Christs bodie to ours But for that as Aristotle saith and experience teacheth loue delighteth not so much in generall as when it is minsed in particular euerie condition and qualitie being considered therefore let vs wey the fauor vehemencie of the loue of God the cōditions properties and prerogatiues al which S. Iohn in his reuelation had opened in a vision of Christ Apoc. 1. which appeared vnto him and after a corporall forme depainted that afterwardes of all posteritie they might be better perceiued hee saw one like the sonne of man apparelled with a long robe girded to the breast with a girdle of gold his haire was white like woll or snow his eies like a flame of fire his feete like brasse glowing in the furnace his voyce like the voyce of many waters he carried in his hand seuen stars out of his mouth issued a two edged sword his face was shining like the sun in his vertue Al these darke mysteries signifie the vniuersal loue prouidēce of Christ towards his church therfore this sacrament being one of the most principall signes of his loue towards his church they ought to bee verefied in it more ouidently then any other the long robe signifies the Priesthood of Christ for such a garment as heere is mentioned did properly belong vnto highpriestes for thissacrament was instituted by Christ as our high Priest and Pastour of our soules to whome it did appertaine to prouide pasture for his flocke This Robe was girded to his breast with a girdle of Golde to signifie that whatsoeuer hee ordined or executed as high Priest was commanded vnto him by the eternall decree of the holy Trinity For most certaine it is that al ceremonies sacraments lawes or statutes our Sauiour ordained as man for his Church were ordained first in the supreme consistory of those sacred and indiuided persons therfore the functions of his priesthood were girded with the precepts of God and restrained to certaine limits and bondes for which cause he said Descendi de caelo non John 6 vt faciam voluntatem meam sed eius qui misit me I descended from heauen not to doe mine owne will but the will of him that sent me This girdle was of gould because whatsoeuer God commaunded or Christ as man obserued proceeded from goulden loue and charity and our sauiour executed them with the purest loue of his heart and therefore he said In capite libri Psal 39. scriptum est de me vt facerem voluntatem tuam Deus meus volui legem tuam in medio cordis mei In the head of the booke it is written of me that I may doe thy will O my God I will and thy law in the middest of my hart which words S. Paul applieth 〈◊〉 10 to our sauiour Christ Let vs now consider with what feruour or vehemencie of loue did he institute this sacrament and because Christ loued vs both as God and man eternally in heauen by his diuinitie and in time in earth by his humanitie therfore lette vs first admire that which is diuine and then that is deified twelue conditions or properties of our sauiours diuine loue I finde vailed vnder these mysteries reuealed to Saint Iohn first Antiquitie second Purity third Vehemencie fourth Fecundity fift Effecacie sixt Constancie seuenth Light eight Delight ninth Maiestie tenth Glorie eleuenth Liberty twelfth Iustice all which I meane breefely to runne ouer First Antiquitie THose snowie rockes and hoarie haires describe vnto vs the antiquitie of Christs loue the which quality the scripture commended in amitie comparing old friendes to olde wine and late friends to new wine the which is both vnholsome for health and mingled with many indigested dregs neither must wee imagine that this venerable bush preiudicateth the vigour of loue or argue the decay in affection as it doth in nature for legs of brasse declare the force fiery eyes the greennesse of youth and feruour But how ancient is the loue of Christ wherewith he iustituted this sacrament beganne it when he was incarnated no before when he created the world yet more ancient millions of imaginary yeares conceiued in that abisse of vnlimited time before the creation of the world yet more elder how old finally as old as God in that same poynt and moment of eternitie when the second person in Trinity issued from the breast of his eternall father in that same moment hee resolued himselfe to take flesh and deliuer it to his Church in this venerable sacrament Elegit nos in Ephes 1. ipso ante constitutionem seculi He chose vs in him before the constitution of the world in which election he prouided al means both general particular for his elected to bring them to that glorious end Moreouer by the infinite comprehension of his diuine wisedom he knew all those in particular who were to receiue the benefite therof And besides that there was an infinite multitude whom he might haue created if it had pleased him who would haue profited him more glorified him more vsed this sacrament better then those that he created would do hee did foresee also how many were to receiue it to their perdition how many to abuse it to their damnation howe many to blaspheme it to their eternall ruine and for all this his loue was so great hee determined to giue himselfe wholly to all for the generall loue he bore to all and in particular to his elected O what a comfort and consolation this point wel disgested wil minister to all good soules who deuoutly participate this blessed food when they consider that God himself had thē
to men issue from an infinite power wisdome and goodnes because they cannot be effected but by God yet this consisteth rather in the manner of their production then in their substance or degree of perfection as for example Christ changed water into Iohn 2. wine in the mariage the manner of working this miacle in an instaÌ„t with a word without the helpe or concourse of any other cause required infinite power yet because the substance of wine the degree and perfection of wine was limitted and contained within the boundes of a speciall creature therfore it required no infinitie of cause or principle and therefore we see a vine can produce wine But if God could create an angel of infinit vertue perfection or grace then not only the manner but also the substance would exact the infinit power of God By this discourse we may plainly conceiue that this gift which GOD hath bestowed vppon vs requireth not only infinit power in the manner of producing it vnder the rindes of bread and wine but also in the very degree and perfection and consequently being a gift proceedeth from no limitred but infinit loue in degree and perfection because the effects being infinit in degree argueth a principle in like proportion and therfore we may wel conclude that this gift and Gods loue weyed both in a ballance haue not one dram of difference What loue can equall this what greater excesse coulde God shew Nam infinitum est vltra quod non est accipere A thing infinite is that that receiueth nothing beyond it If all the loues in the world how ardent how feruent how vehement soeuer were compared with this they would appeare as little sparkes in respect of the vast ocean fier that rouleth vnder the moone But if we adde here vnto the value of this loue the dignitie and worth the vehemencie therof would better appeare For as one droppe of Christs bloud in this sacrifice ought more to be prized then millions of worldes euen so one graine of this loue ought to be preferred before all the loues that euer were are or shal be For which cause our Sauiour saide once Qui amat patrem vel Matâ—h 1â— Luke 14. matrem plus me non est me dignus Hee that loueth father or mother more then mee is not worthy of me that is he deserueth to leese an infinit good an endlesse loue that preferreth a base and limitted loue before mine and for the same cause hee is worthy of eternall hatred who so little accounteth such excesse of friendshippe Fourth Fecâ—nditie BY glaunces of eyes and words of mouÌ„th the heart exalteth the vapours of affections And therefore our Sauiour with eyes like fire and voyce like the sound of many waters discouered to saint Iohn the conditions of his loue by the flame of his eyes the vehemencie by the noyse of his voyce the fecunditie for as the water which falleth from heauen rendeteth the earth fertill and aboundant with flowers and fruit euen so this sacrament embrothereth the soile of our soules with the flowers of vertue and leadeth them with the fruits of good workes Marke sayth S. Ciprian what they do and consider what Cipâ—iaâ—us De coena Domini they doo speake who hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse are satiated hee meaneth with the Eucharist what a holy odour that fulnes breatheth good works decent maners chaste effects quiet senses that internall sinceritie spreadeth abroad But who euer sawe water that restoreth dead trees to life the Eucharist restoreth and therefore it is called panis vitae the bread of life What water could euer preserue Ioh. 6. a tree alwayes in vigour and enable it eternally to beare both floures fruit the Eucharist inableth Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum hee that eateth of Ibidem this bread shall liue for euer What water euer did change the nature of trees and caused a crab tree bring foorth figges or a briar to beare grapes The Eucharist causeth by bridling concupiscences it changeth carnall affection into spirituall and sensualitie into virginite what heauenly dew had euer virtue to make one tree produce al sortes of fruits the Eucharist maketh for by deifying the soule with grace it is disposed by theologicall and morall vertues to effect al good works which are fruit to be presented to the table of God almightie But it is to be considered that the noyse was caused by a multitude of waters for the loue of God doth not onlie fructifie the soule as water but also it washeth it after a much more excellent manner than water and therefore pruneth the trees and trimmeth them This water conuerted into bloud mixt with wine before consecration desired Dauid when he was spotted with sinnes saying Asperges me Psal 50. Hab. 9. Domine hisopo Sprinkle me O Lord with hisope dipt in bloud What blouÌ„d Not of calues nor bulles but figured by them the bloud of Christ And what will it doe lauabis me super niuem dealbabor thou wilt wash me and I shal be whiter than snow for water of life so cleanseth sinnes that it adioyneth a new beautie as if there could be a water which washing a blacke More did not only purge the filth from his face but also added a whitenesse which he neuer had Such effects worketh the Eucharist for it cleanseth not onely the soule from sinne but also adioyneth a colour of gold a supernaturall brightnes a participation of Gods deitie and beautifieth it so exceedingly that it becommeth Diuinae â— Pet. 1. naturae consors partaker of the diuine nature Other waters by washing consume the substance of that they wash but this water is mingled with wine both conuerted into bloud and therefore nourisheth fortifieth and addeth a new vigour to Plut. in Lycurg the soule like that bath of wine Lycurgus ordained to wash yong infants withal immediately after they were borne to fortifie their ioints corroborate their sinewes and with the heate to consume superfluous moysture other waters by clensing other things defile themselues but this water remains in cristal purity rather ioyneth a new lustre of glorifying god Many spots there be in nature which water cannot wash away but there is no stain of the soule but this bloud is able to cleanse it fully Another water concurred to forme that noise which Christs voice resembled that had force to quench the thirst for he that drinketh this coÌ„uerted water shal neuer thirst againe because Christ hath so registred it in S. Iohn qui bibit ex hac aqua Iohn 4. non sitiet in aeternum he that shal drinke of this water shall not thirst for euer for as all medicines require a time for operation so this Sacrament after a small time wil extinguish al inordinate affections fil our souls ab vbertate domus domini from Psal 33. the fruitfulnes of our Lords house Fift Efficacie THe stars which he carried in
instituted Exod. 20. a Sacrament for his Church but how plaine was hee in the institution of Baptisme Here he ordained a principal ceremonie Mat. 28. of religion to be practised who Math. 13. knows not how clearely he deliuered the ceremonial law to the Iewes in Leuiticus Here he was priuate with his disciples to whome it was giuen to knowe mysteries although to many others in Parables and therefore it was conuenient in plaine termes to â—eueale this so profound a mysterie to them Here finally Christ made his last wil and testament al men confesse that willes must be most manifest lest the executors should not agree about the sense thereof Therefore Christ giuing a law instituting a sacrament appoynting a religious ceremony conuersing priuately with his disciples and making his last will and testament had sufficient occasion I thinke to conceiue through his infinite wisedome that here was no place for metaphoricall figures symbolicall senses or harsh speeches subiect to sundry interpretations This reason conuiceth my wit so perswadeth my vnderstanding that supposing the thing possible I maruell any man can deny it And therefore since the venty of catholike religion is so true certainely all arguments obiected against it consequently are conuinced to be false whereunto followeth that they may bee answered as in like maner we affirme all arguments which can bee vttered against the holy Trinity to be Paralogismes soluble And for better intelligence and more fuller conceit I meane to propound the chiefest and rather answer them with naturall similitudes or other supernaturall mysteries then seriously assoile them according to the principles of Diuinitie where of most readers are not capable First some will demand how is it possible that such a great bodie as that of Christs with al parts and members shuld be cowched or conueied vnder so little an hoast vnder a crumme of bread or a drop of wine I demaund before I answer if it were not as great a myracle for to make a church or mountaine enter into a hole no greater than a barley corne No man can doubt of it but this I will shew you done by nature Go to the toppe of Paules steeple and there view the country about the mountaines hilles plaines valleis the riuers the gardeins meddowes orchardes churches houses beasts and men heauen aboue and earth beneath now after such a mightie prospect shut your eies and in your mind you shall see all within which before you saw without in the same order situation correspondence and proportion Now I wil inquire by what moÌ„strous gate passed in whole mountaines villages and riuers and pallaces By the smal circle of the apple of the eie no greater than a barly corne But how was God able to cowch such a quantitie or such a masse in so little a moate The reason is because the mountaine entring into the eâ—e putteth on a certaine spirituall garment although the forme of the mountaine imprinted in our eies of it selfe be corporall and extended like other materiall qualities in the subiect This same similitude most aptly declareth the mysterie of Christs bodie in the sacrament because it receiueth a certaine spirituall garment that maketh it to bee in euerie parte of the hoast as the image of the mountaine representeth the whole mountaine in euerie mans eie without confusion or imptoportion I demaund whether is more myraculous to make a man with all his limmes to bee placed in no greater roome than a needles point or a thing which of it selfe is lesse than a needles point without anie addition of substance to be dilated as much as a man The latter we see daily why then do we wonder so much at the former The soule of man requireth no place but of it selfe fully and perfitly can refide in lesse than a needles point yet we see it dilated and spiritually extended as faire as the bodie Yea God himselfe filleth al places whose entire compleate substance requireth no place but wholy may refide in one indiuisible point Is not the highest heauen the vastest bodie and the mightiest masse that euer God created and yet according to the most accepted opinion in the schooles of Philosophers it inhabiteth no place If God by his omnipotencie coulde 4 Mat. 9. make a CAmmell passe through a needles eie who wil denie but that he can put by the same omnipotencie the bodie of Christ in a little hoast Therefore well saide S. Cyprian Panis quem Christus discipulis Cipr. ser de coâ—na Dom. suis porrigebat non effigie sed natura mutatus verbi omnipotentia factus est caro that bread which Christ gaue to his Disciples not chaunged in forme but in nature by the omnipotencie of the worde was made flesh We see that Christ in manie miracles suspended naturall agents from their most proper and necessarie actions as fire Dan. 3. from burning in the furnace of Babylon 4 Reg. 6. the iron from descending in the prophets hatchet S. Peters bodie from drowning Math. 14. when hee walked vppon the water whie may hee not heere suspend the bodie of Christ from extending it in place Pro. Secondly hovv can one bodie be in so manye places at once in Englande France Flaunders Italie c. I answer how is my soule whole in my head whole in my handes whole in my feete If then one soule may bee intire in three places there is no repugnance vvhy one body may not be in diuers places for the repugnaunce is alike in both If you say the soule hath a certain connexion or continuation in the bodie which Christes body hath not in such distant places this auaileth not For who can proue or euer did proue that it is impossible for God to cut off my arme and keepe my soule in it and transfer it into Fraunce or Italie leauing the same soule in my body here in England We heare the Preacher in the Pulpit whose voyce is but one yet fiue hundred receiue it and euery one the same sound in his eare We see in looking glasses if there be a hundred little ones about a great glasse in euery one of them our faces intire Whether is more difficult to conceiue one body in many places or many bodies in one place Surely I thinke no mortall man euer yet could yeeld a sufficient reason but we know most certainly that two bodies were in one place when Christ issued out Luke 2. Math. 27. 28. 10. 20. Mat. 16. Luke â—4 of his mothers wombe reseruing her virginitie when he rose out of the sepulcher it being closed with a mightie stone wheÌ„ he entred to his disciples the dores being shut when he assended vppe to heauen the incorruptible sphears reseruing their places What is more impossible that a body should be in two places or a body putrified and rotten to be restored to all his qualities quantities and other proprieties no doubt but this which wee all beleeue shal be
fullfilled in the finall resurrection of all flesh Thirdly how can can the body and bloud of Christ being so little in comparison be resident in so many hoasts and buttes of wine which in all the world are consecrated and reserued in the tabernacle at one time Pro. Tel me how the soule of a child entring in the conception of the infant into so small and little a body without any addition can extend and dilate it selfe through the whole body of a man tel me how Gods indiuisible substance without addition mutation or alteration filleth the whole world So. Do we not proue by daily experience how a little storax or frankensence resolued into smoke keeping the same matter and quantitie only by rarefaction to bee sufficient to fill a whole church besides those that vse to worke quicksiluer proue most palpably how this mettal being set vpon a fire in a pot assendeth al in smoke and filleth a most large roome yet after with external colde being congealed the selfe same quicke-siluer falleth downe againe and is brought to a very small quantitie Euen so the body and blood of Christ although for a time they be enlarged yet when the cloude is passed the externall vailes of bread wine are consumed the body is as it was before and so shall remaine in all eternitie Fourthly how can those accidents that whitenes that quantitie that moystnes that drynesse hang in the aire without their substance as a house sustained without any foundation the rinde without the choare Pro. He that vnderstandeth the mistery of Christs incarnation effected by the omnipotent hands of God cannot call in question this difficultie in the blessed Sacrament because it is as naturall for a substance to subsist in it selfe as for an accident to be inherent in an other and yet God seperateth from the humanitie of Christ his person and manner of subsisting why then may he not seuer fro these accidents their adherence to another and somuch the more because Christs humanitie is inserted in his diuinitie which hardly can be conceiued without some mutabilitie which cannot be in God If arte or nature can make such admirable seperations as wee dayly proue this pointe cannot seeme so vnprobable Did not the Romains trie pure wines from mingled by putting them in an iuye dish through which the water dropped and left the wine behinde Doth not quicksiluer seuer golde incorporated with other mettells from them all are not the Potecaries able out of all hearbs fruits trees and flowers by fire to drawe the moisture from the terrestriall substance and shall wee say that God is not able to distill the accidents from their substance and drawe the internall substance like sweet oyle from the barke of accidents Fiftly how can there be such chopping and changing of substances of bread and wine into the body and bloud of Christ and yet no externall signe appeare as we Ioh 2. see apeared in the changing of water into wine and in the rod of Moses conuerted Exod 4. into a serpent Plinie recounteth not vnlike effects of Plin. l. 2. c. 5â— thunder that it melted the mony in bags sealed with waxe and yet no signe in the world appeared either in the bagges or waxe And Scneca affirmeth that sometimes Seâ—â— l. 2 c. 31. it melted the sword not indamaging the scabbard and why may not God change the substance and leaue the scabbaâ—d of accidents since he is the Author of nature and wadeth deeper into the bowells thereof then any externall or internall agent In Christs incarnation there was a change of mans nature the which lacked his owne person and was vphelde by the person of the sonne of God and yet externally those that see his body viewed not this change by any sensible effect In iustification also a sinner is wholy renewed within and made a new creature and yet what externall shew appeareth of this internall mutation Sensible miracles and signes were granted especially by God for the conuersion of infidels and therfore were not effected so often among Christians after they had receiued the faith for as S. Greg. saith Fides non habet meritum vbi humana ratio praebet experimentum Faith hath no merite where humane reason yeeldeth proofe therefore it was expedient that this mysterie shoulde be vailed that our reason might possesse a sensible obiect surpassing al reason and onelie by faith to be beleeued Sixtly how is not the body of Christ consumed by so many who daily since the first institution for so manie yeeres haue eaten him Pro. Christ to occurre and answere this reason in the 6. chapt of Saint Iohn first wrought the wonderfull miracle by feeding 5000. men besides women and children with fiue barly loaues and two fishes with the aduantage of twelue baskets I say he wrought this myracle before hee beganne to deliuer them the mysterie of this Sacrament thereby to prepare themselues to answere this Obiection that if with so little he could feed so many and make so much remaine more then he receiued at the beginning how can he notfeed millions with his body and yet preserue it as entire as it was when he first gaue it Christs body doth no otherwise heere then oure soules doe euerye day in our bodies because as bodies continually exhale forth some partes the which wee restore againe by meate and drinke these parts dayly thus exhaled our soules cease to informe and yet they neuer consume nor deminish euen so Christs body residing in diuers hoasts ceaseth to bee in them lesing those places without any other consumtion or alteration Wee see the sunne so many yeres hath euery daye brought newe light to the world euery minut he changeth his place without defect or consumption And why shal not the Sunne of Iustice lighten the worlde in this Sacrament and yet change euery minute his place without corruption or decay Seauenthly how can he abide to passe into such vndeceÌ„t places as mens stomaks whose breaths many scarse can tolerat Pro. How doth his diuinitie fil al places how vndecent and vncleane soeuer receuing no infection by them but as the sun beames beating vppon a dunghil neither are infected nor defiled in like manner the body of Christ adorned with the beames of immortalitie and impassibility receaueth no impression of any infectious or noysome creature So. The stinch of sin much more annoied the smell of his soule when he conuersed in earth among sinners than this could molest his body and yet it was not vndecent he should suffer that but a signe of extreme loue and mercy so it is not vnseemly his body should bee where those defects be suffering nothing but onely remaining there to worke most admirable effects in his creatures to their great profit and his exceeding charitie as shall hereafter be declared Eightly what becometh of the body of Christ after the formes of bread and wine are corrupted assendeth it to heauen theÌ„ is it continually in voiage
effectes which neuer shal be but if some circumstances did occurre they would fal foorth As for example Vae tibi Bethsaida Woe Math. 11. be to thee Bethsaida for if in Tire c. 3. how God doth predestinate 4. the mistery of the Trinity 5. howe Adams sin can be transfused or communicated to his posterity 6. the mistery of Christes incarnation 7. howe that which once was corrupted shall afterwards be repaired in resurrection 8. how a spirit can be dilated in a body 9. how the corporall fire of hell can torment a spirit the 10. is this admirable Sacrament the which in my iudgement for difficulty surpasseth them all For if you can but resolue me in one or two questions about eache of them I wil make you sufficiently conceiue them all As plainely I could make it appeare discoursing ouer euery one but because al men yea very few are capable I will omit them For in this Sacrament first you haue heard difficulties about the wordes how they can effect that they signify 2. howe they effect it 3. in what time they effect it Secondly you haue inextricable difficulties about the bodye of Christ 4. by vvhat action is it produced 5. by what maner consisteth it in an indiuisible sort 6. how doth it reside there vvithout confusion 7. howe doth it not penetrate those accidents 8. or vvhat vnion hath it vvith them 9. vvhat opposition findeth it with the substance of bread 10. howe is it not by so many that feedeth vppon it consumed 11. howe can it be disperced in so many places 12. how can it be extended to such a masse of bread and such a quantity of wine 13. howe in breaking the hoast Christs body is not diuided 14. how can there bee as much in one hoast as in 10000. 15. how passeth the difficulty of transubstantiation Thirdly there are difficulties about the substance of bread 16. what becoÌ„meth of the substance of bread is it annihillated or resolued into aire 17. vvhen the formes of bread and vvine are coÌ„sumed how returneth it again Fourthly there be not a few most difficult questions about the accidents 18. how they remaine vvithout their subiect 19. how one hoast peâ—etrateth not another 20. how they concurre to the production of grace I omitte many more vvhich might be touched about the sacrifice effects and receauers of this Sacrament But these onely I haue propounded that the faithfull Christians might perceaue the singular vvisedome of God in prouiding them so present so palpable so daily an obiect to exercise their faith For questionlesse there is more merit of faith where the obiect hath greater difficulty to bee vnderstood because there principally we captiue and bridle our wittes to obey God in faith Wherefore I cannot but commend the deuotion of those faithfull christians vvho in all temptations of faith haue recourse vnto this Sacrament and say good Lord Credo adiuua incredulitatem meam I Marke 9. doe beleeue helpe my incredulity Likewise I take one of the dispositions or preparations very proportionate to the receauing hereof to bee a resolute faith to beleeue the reall presence of Christ in this Sacrament protesting to liue and die in the professing of this vndoubted truth in despight of all heresie or errour The seuenth cause for the increase of our hope TWo things by the vertue of hope we expect at Gods hands vvherfore both we are apertly assured to obtaine by the institution of this Sacrament if wee bee not faulty on our partes the former for principall though last in effect is life euerlasting the latter though as it seemes not so worthy yet first in execution are the means to atchieue life euerlasting As for them most liuely our hope we see erected by this sacrament For who is so foolish to thinke that God will deny him any thing necessary to saluation since he hath left him his body soule person bloud life for a meane for a ladder to make him to ascend into heauen If saint Paule reasoned Roman 8. wel God gaue vs his sonne how will he not giue vs all with him speaking of his incarnation so nowe I wil reason Christ bestowed his body and bloud to bring vs to life euerlasting and howe can he deny vs the lesse who hath granted the more how wil he debarre vs of al treasure in heauen who hath giuen vs the Lord of al treasure of heauen Had not the Iewes a most stedfast argument when they wandered in the vast desart of Egypt that GOD firmely pretended to conduct them vnto the land of Promise Exod. 14. when hee sent his Angel with a pillar of fire as a torch bearer to guide them in the obscuritie of the night and with a cloude like a fanne to defend them by day from the scorching beames of the Sunne when he euery day rayned Angels foode to sustaine Exod. 16. them al which were figures of this Sacrament as hereafter shal appeere And may not wee in like manner saye that Christ hath left vs an inuisible proofe that hee pretendeth neuer to faile in meanes necessary to life euerlasting hauing presented a pillar of light a cloude of raine a celestial Manna to illuminate our vnderstanding to coole the fierie flame of concupiscence to feed our soules to eternal life And therefore hee saide Manducauerunt patres vestri manna in deserto mortui sunt Your Fathers didde eate manna in the desart and they died Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeterno Hee that eateth this bread shal liue for euer Iohn the sixt chapter In like sorte we may be assured of life euerlasting for hee that prouideth such forcible and excellent meanes questionlesse intendeth to impart the end yea he that we receiue is the end himselfe Haec est vita aeterna vt cognoscant te verum Deum quem misisti Iesum Christum This is life euerlasting that they know thee the onely true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ the seuenteenth chapter of Saint Iohn And he hath auerred most certainly that those which worthily eate this food haue euen in this life life euerlasting in them Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam aeternam ego resuscitabo enm in nouissimo die Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will rayse him vppe in the last day Iohn the 6. chapter that is they haue the second person in trinity who is life euerlasting both the obiect and the giuer The eight cause to inflame our charitie ARistophanes saide that loue was of such nature that it affected so to vnite louers that they should become one thing but because this was impossible to bee done either without the destruction of one or both therfore it inforced them to procure all those vnions which were possible as the same iudgementes opinions desires habitations table apparell c. And indeede this opinion of Aristophanes we may
2. transijt imber abijt flores apparebunt in terra nostra the winter is past the showre is gone flours wil appeare in our ground then shal we know that all earthly ioyes were meere toyes and euery transitory crosse an eternall crowne The thirtieth cause to be a viaticum or prouision for our voyage THis holie Sacrament for three causes may be called Viaticum First because our Sauiour in his passage instituted receiued distributed and gaue authority to his disciples to disperse it Secondly wee are to receiue it wander as pilgrims in the desarts of this worlde where spirituall foode can hardly be had and therefore it was prefigured in the celestiall Manna which God rained vpon the Iewes whilest they wandred in their peregrination towards the land of promise Thirdly because peculiarly our Sauiour intended to prouide vs of it as of a defence when we are to depart out of this world for his deuine wisedome did most prouidently fore see that our ghostly enemies would specially imploy their forces to impugne vs in the last periode of our life according to that was foretold in Genesis that the serpent should insidiari calcaceo seminis Gen. 3. mulieris supplant the heele of the womans seed for thereupon dependeth the triumph of God the Church and the soule ouer the diuell the confusion of hell and the glory of heauen In this last conflict therefore so dangerous our Sauiour would arme vs with his owne body and bloud that the infernall fiends seeing the bloud of Christ should be inforced to let that soule passe in security medle no more with it then the distroying Angell with the children of Israell when he saw this bloud painted ouer the dores with the bloud of a lambe yea as so many grisly busaloes they should bee terrified and affrighted euen with the very sight of this vermilian colour An excellent figure of this effect wee find registered in the acts of Elias who beeing persecuted by that impious Iesabell 3. Râ—g 19. loathing his life and desiring death fledde into a deasart and there casting himselfe vnder a luniper tree desired of God to ende his dayes and with that fell a sleepe presently an angell came to him and awaked him willing him to eate for yet there remained a longway he rose vp and found set at his head an imber cake and a cup of water he eat and drunke and walked for two dayes by the strength of that food till he came to the mountain of God Oreb wheras our Lord came vnto him What can more expresly declare the manner the vertue the effect of our viaticum then this while the faithfull Phil. 1. weary of this world lie on their death beds wishing to be dissolued to liue with Christ in the sweet shade of the catholike church the Priest presenteth vnto them the bread of life willing them to eat for a long way remaines a troublesome voyage they haue to passe they receiue and then by the vertue therof proceed in their pilgrimage vnto the holy mount of heauen where they shall see God foreuer O happie soule that resteth in the desart of this miserable world vnder the shade of such a tree from whence falleth the fruit of life I meane the Catholike Church wherin is planted the crosse of Christ which beareth this fruit of saluation Well saide the spouse sub vmbra illius quem desideraui sedi Cant. 2. fructus eius dulcis gutturi meo vnder the shade of him whome I desired I haue sitten and his fruite was sweete vnto my throate If it be so sweet in this life growing in an vplanding country out of the natiue soile how sweet wil it bee in heauen when these vailes shall be broken when these parings shall be taken away when our taste shal be quickened when we shal eate it with God himselfe vpon his owne table The one and thirtieth cause to win virgins to God SOme sage Philosophers and wise phisitions counsell noble women not to commit the nursing of their children to others of base estate meane condition but that they shuld giue them suck themselues the reason say they is most euident because the rusticke milke engendred in these clownish bodies will greatly alter the delicate and noble complection of the child for although we in our stomakes alter change those meates we receiue and bring theÌ„ at last to bee of our temper and substance yet in the verie alteration our bodies feele in tract of time most notable effects of theÌ„ for hot meats inflame them cold meates refresh them moist meates dissolue theÌ„ drie meats vnite them This doctrine being true as experience pregnantly proueth euery one may see how fit a food for virgins is this blessed sacrament for if we consider Christ our sauior therin contained according to his diuinitie his father the first virgin of al others as Nazianzen Nazianz. in Carmine calleth him conceiued him alone in the wombe of his vnderstanding if we expend his humanity it was borne of a virgin without a father if wee wey Christ himself god man we shal find him al his life to haue obserued most strictly a virginall puritie This blessed bread entring into our bodies adorned with so many admirable titles of virginity how can it but alter our sensuall and base appetires by eleuating them to the complexion temper pure disposition of Christ shal corporall meats work with more efficacie their effects in our bodies than this celestiall his prerogatiues in our soules No no it is more excellent than so Dilectus meus candidus Cantic 5. rubicundus electos prae millibus hic est fios campi lilium conuallium My loue is Cantie 2. white and red chosen before thousandes this is the flower of the field and lilly of the valley His garmentes are lilly white wyth chastity and scarlet red with passions of loue and such effects he imprintes with the seale of his body in the soules of the faithfull The which effects considering and admiting one exclamed Quid bâ—â—um Zach. 9. quid pulchrum eius nisi frumentum electorum vinum germinans virgines what of his is good what of his is beautifull but the wheate of his elected wine that springeth virgines O holy Prophet dost thou meditate the maruellous workes of God and canst thou finde nothing more admirable than this View the creation of the world consider thy Fathers in Egypt Gen. 1. Exod 7. and 8 9 10 11 12. Exod. 14. what maruelous miracles Moses wrought how he passed the red sea so woÌ„derfully looke vpon God himselfe and thou shalt see an abisse of goodnesse a fountaine of wisdom an indeficient power How then saist thou Quid bonum quid pulchrum eins nisi frumentum electorum Questionlesse what of his is good and what of his beautiful but the wheat of his elected wine springing virgins He knew wel what he saide for in this
Sacrament al the riches goodnes and beauty of heauen and earth Christ comprehendeth in quo sunt omnes the sauri absconditi in caelo terra in whom Col. 2. be al the treasures of wisedom and knowledge hidden in heauen and on earth and as for the workes of God if S. Aug. saide the iustification of a sinner was an effect of a more difficulâ—ie than the creation of heauen and earth because God made theÌ„ alone by his infinit power but here besids the same power of God there is required the consent of man I may wel then infer that in this sacrament where he iustifieth sinuers by giuing them the life of grace and glorie where he springeth virgins against so many harde encounters of the flesh and the diuell he worketh a greater work than the creation of heauen earth and therfore Quid bonum quid pulchrum eius nisi frumentum electorum vinum germinans virgines What of his is good and what of his beautifull but the Wheate of his elected and Wine springing virgins far from Christs table that wine of which saint Paul said Nolite inebriari vino in quo Ephes 5. est luxuria bee not drunken with wine wherin is riofousnes because this foode causeth both abstinence and continence The two and thirtieth cause to render by gratitude a certain equalitie to God for all his benefits BY the common consent of sacred diuines one of the principal causes which moued the son of god to take flesh was to satisfie the iustice of his father to pay an equal ransome for our sins for no man can call it in question that if God would hee could of his liberality mercie and bounty haue released all mankind haue forgiuen vs our trespasses but then he had not satisfied his iustice therfore man being not able to pay it God found out a way by making himselfe man to discharge it In like sort after the incarnation so many and so rare benefits God bestowed vppon vs there remained a perpetual debt gratitude for vs to answere so many fauours of creation consetuation redemption vocation iustification election do the promise of life euerlasting I say there remained a bond of gratitude to defrayal these graces such being the nature of gratitude that it ought to render more then it receiueth for if it yeeld lesse it is not coÌ„tent if it repay equall it affordeth nothing proper therfore what remedie was ther for maÌ„ to be grateful to god for so many so singular gifts since he had saide Non accipiam de Psal 49. domo tua vitulos neque de gredibus tuis hircos quoniam meus est orbis terrarum vniuersi qui habitant in eo I will not take calues of thy house neither goates of thy flockes because the world is mine al that dwell therein Our sauiour Christ did well foresee this imperfection of ours and therfore he thought to prouide a remedie questionlesse by no better meanes then this facrament for since there is nothing in this world more woorthy or more excellent then god whoÌ„ we had receiued in Christs incamation life passion in promisse for glorie yea he had bestowed himself vpon vs in this sacrament so often as wee could eate him Our fauior therefore with such profound wisdoÌ„ contriued this Eucharist that he ordained it as a gift of God to vs and as a present of vs to him For as all the lambes and calues offered in the olde testament were more iustly by higher dominion belonging to God then to men yet because God had giuen them to men and granted them the vse he accepted them as gifts and offerings vnto him In like sorte he hath imparted to his church this sacred foode to sanctifie it and also to be a perpetuall sacrifice a continuall offering to God for all his benefites and graces bestowed vpon her that she may with the holy prophet say Quid retribuam Psal 1â—â— domino pro omnibusquae retribuit mihi calicem salutaris accipiam What shall I render to God for all that he hath giuen mee I will take the cup of my Sauiour Therfore I may boldly call of God for more fauours since I haue beene so gratefull for these And for the same cause I shal be able to performe whatsoeuer I haue promised to him Moreouer as oft as in the holy Masse we offer to God this blessed holocauste we may say in humilitie of spirit and with thankes to our Sauiour wee offer vp as great a present to God as euer God gaue or is to giue vs and as we may truely averre as by our sauiours incarnation and passion wee paide an equall ransome for our sinnes so by this oblation we offer vp an equall present for all his benefits and for that we are not able to answere the loue which God gaue his gifts withall we must by the vertue of gratitude acknowledge our insufficieÌ„cie wish to increase in charitie and especially desire our Sauiour in this sacrament according to his humanitie that as he doth pray for vs in heauen so hee will supply our wants in feruent loue and gratitude for so many and so singular fauours The three and thirtieth cause to comfort our soules by spirituall ioy and deuotion THat insoluble probleame which Sampson once propounded and could not be answered except he had reuealed it vnto his vnfaithfull wife De comedente exiuit cibus deforti egressa est dulcedo Iudg. 14. meate came out of the eater sweetnes issued forth from the strong might eafily be solued now by any deuout catholique for as they said Quid fortius leone quid dulcius melle What is stronger then a Apoc. 5. lion what is sweeter theÌ„ hony so we may say quid fortius Christo leone de tribu Iudae quid dulcius Eucharistia quae habet omne delectamentum suanitatis what is stronger than Christ the lion of the tribe of Iuda and what is sweeter theÌ„ the Eucharist which hath all the delights of sweetnesse For as â—ap 16. out of Samsons lion dead he drew a honie comb euen so out of Christs side hanging vpon the crosse islued forth this sacred foode sweeter then honye or the honie combe the which was figured in manna Psal 118. and 18. Sap. 16. that had all sortes of sweetnes that taste could desire And no marnaile if this food be canded with such delights since the ioy of angells and the obiect of all blessednesse is therein contained I know the Spouse did say of christ Fasciculus mirrhae Cantie 1. dilectus meus mihi inter vbera mea commorabitur a nosgay of mirrhe my loue to mee shall rest betwixt my breasts For the bitternes of mirrhe is alayed heere with the sweetnes of sugar well with trickling teares of penance and compassion are conioyned excessiue ioyes of loue as Cip. de eâ—â— Domini S. Ciprian well noted and proued by experience
Vide saith he quomodo his qui Christi commemorant passioneÌ„ intra sacra officia quasi per quosdam canales de interioribus fontibus egrediantur torrentes super omnes delitias lachrimis nectareis anima delectatur marke what floudes issue as it were by pipes from internall fountaines for them who remember Christs passion in the office he means the masse as appeareth after and howe the soule aboue al delights is delited with sweetest tears But I know many will say they haue often done their indeuour they haue prepared themselues according to their smal possibility yet they remaine as barren as the mountaines of Gelbo vbi nec ros nec plamia where fell 2. Reg. 1. neither dew nor raigne I answer first that often it seemeth to haue vsed diligence when indeed we can not be excused from negligence The Pharisie thought he did wel prepare himselfe to prayer by fasting Luke 2. twice a weeke and yet it was hypocrisie and no preparation for selfeloue is so subtile that except the grace of God lighten our eies wel we can hardly perceue it But let vs suppose that a soule hath endeuoured to prepare a lodging for this King of glory after such a sort as God requireth of our trailtie yet to remain in the former arriditie and drienesse Then I aunswere that veniall sinnes which hinder not the effect of grace as they ordinarily coole the feruour of charitie so they hinder the sweetenesse of deuotion because that this sensible delight which proceedeth from the superiour parte of the soule and affecteth the inferiour may easily be staied by inordinate loue hope or delights For the loue of God is so pure that it cannot abide any smell of sinne and wickednesse and therfore deuotion is sometimes called spirit and deuout men spirituall men the spirit therfore is like winde the which if you close it in any thing as a hallown giue it but vent with a pinnes pointe and you shall see how by little and little it vanisheth away euen so deuotion if you vent the soule with vaine thoughts sundry worldly desires heady affections idle wordes it quickly wil be dspersed Besids there is a reasonable deuotion a tranquilitie of minde a resolut egood wil which breedeth a great contentation although we want sensible delectation But finally let a soule indeuoure to expell venial sins let it attend quid loquatur in ea dominus what Pal. 84. what our Lord will speake in her let it frequentafter the receit acts of faith hope charity humilitie submission with good attention let it not doubt of deuotion The foure and thirtith cause to illuminate our mindes When I beholde this sacred body and this liuing bread enter into the breasts of Gods seruants me thinks I see a king enter into his kingdome or ascend his throne where he sits to rule his state a pastor euter among his flocke to protect and guide them a Pilot to ascend his ship to direct her to the hauen of eternall life a sunne rising vpon their spirituall horizon to illustrate Gods diuine mysteries to reveale many secrets touching their saluation which the night of sin had obscured finally it seemeth that there passeth into euery ones soule a new eye whereby they may discerne the colours of God from the coulours of the deuill the flesh and the world For who will maruaile if from Christ contained in the breasts of his faithfull issue raies of light beames of wisdome floudes of vnderstanding is not he as God the light of his Father Lumen de lumine light of light is not he as the second persoÌ„ in trinitie speculum fiue macula splendor lucis aterna A glasse Symb. concil Niceâ—i without spot and the brightnes of eternal light is not he according to his humanitie a temple of light in quo sunt omnes thesauri Col. 2. sapientiae scientiae Dei in whom are al the treasures of the wisedome and knowlege of God is not he our Prophet our pastor our doctor our maister sent from heauen to giue light to the world did not he call himselfe lux mundi the light of the world Io. 2. how then wil he withdraw the beames of his light from those soules who come deuoutly with oyle prepared in their lamps to receiue light of that indeficient fountaine especialy he himselfe hauing confirmed Matth. 25 it by saying Quamdiu sum in mundo Iohn 9. lux sum mundi as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world Which effect will be counted more certaine if we cal to memory that admirable light which Iona thas receiued by eating a little hony for 1. Reg 14. what proportion had hony with opening his eies or the hony comb with restoring sight but that God would depaint in that fact as in a little Image the effect of this Sacrament that reuiueth the eyes of the soule to see God and closeth them from the view of the world But this admirable operation of the Eucharist was not onely registred in the olde Testament but also expresly proued in the new and heare accomplished indeede that there was foretolde in figure when Christ the light of the worlde of set purpose fained himself a pilgrime to instruct the twoo wandering pilgrimes in faith the veritie of his death Luke 34 passion and resurrection afterwardes intending to drawe awaye the thicke vaile which hindered them for knowing whom he was although in his talke their heartes So S. Aug. vnderstandeth this place of the Sacrament lib. 3. de consensu cuang c. 11. theoph in 24. Lu. author imperf hom 69 in Matth. did burn yet they could not discouer who he was at last by reaching them this new sight this new sunne presently their eies were opened cogneuerunt eum in fractione panis and they knew him in the breaking of the bread And in very deede the common experience of good Catholikes may easily assure vs what light they receiue from this life of light For I haue considered diuers times what shoulde bee the cause that-many worldlings prize so much the pelfe and trash of this life caring nothing for Sacraments praiers spirituall affayres life euerlasting thinges so important so necessary so highly to be esteemed others leaue patrimonies despise courts refuse honours centemne plesures abhorre riches only attend to fasting praying deuotion meditation mortification contempt of themselues the world Truely I am of opinion that one of the principall causes is the often receiuing light from this sacrament in the one the lacke of the other euen as the cause of al fecuÌ„ditie is the presence of the same in the spring summer and authume the absence of it in winter cause of all sterillitie the aboundaunce of heate and light in the one and the scarcitie of both in the other The thirtie fiue cause to be a commemoration of his Passion CAsting mine eyes in
sprinckled vpon their dores much more expresly stirred Vp their faith to feed on Christ then a breakfast of bread wine Thirdly for this argument and many more I find the protestants both in their bookes and conferences most waueâ—ing and not able finally to resolue themselues what to hold yet I heare that Doctour Andrewes hath publikely preached that Christs bodie is there really and manie Protestants I know hold the same opinion But alas how is it possible for any man to eate the bodie of Christ really and not corporally after the maÌ„er of Catholikes defend the bodie of Christ to be really in the sacrament for howe can it be reallie present being really distants as far as heauen from earth or how can the body haue a reall presence and a corporall absence it is euen as much to say as a man may eate really a Capon and yet none of the substance of a Capon which is not intelligible and they themselues know not what they say but fal into manifold absurdities and contradictions for as many as write of their eating of Christ by faith differ from others in declaring how he is eaten by faith and in distinguishing their communion from a good christian breakfast Lastly let them consider of what a treasure they are depriued for it seemeth in verie deede that God in punishment of their errors would abandon them and leaue them destitute of one of the greatest benefits he bestowed vpon mankind Alas by lacking this light they liue in darkenesse by wanting this cloude to repaire them from the scorching flames of concupiscence it is no maruaile if they cannot liue chastly being spoyled of this sinew of charity it is no wonder if dissention raigne among them hauing sent into exile these bowels of mercie for necessity christian charitie fayleth abandoning the only sacrifice of true religioÌ„ conseqneÌ„tly they haue expelled al true deuotion And therefore wee now proue by experience in England that fasting is left praying little accounted mortification reiected almes brought to nothing virginity despised Christian pietie deemed hypocrisie and in sine for lacke of this sacrament and true religion brought in fleshly prudence and Atheisme Finis To the Reader ¶ Pardon discreet reader to many errors escaped in the printing because they hardly could be auoyded the Author beeing absent the Printer being ignorant of our language the stile not vulgar and the Copy not very persect Yet I thought good with all these impediments not to depriue thee of so necessary a medicine howbeit the glasse being something brused Faultes escaped in the text FOlio 1. page 6 for knitting reade omitting 9 for reach reade ouer-reach for geographicall reade astronomicall 10 for exmiruite reade exinanite 11 for the naturall reade their naturall 12 for possible reade as possible 15 for their body reade this body 19 for inuisible reade inuincible 24 for present reade persit 25 for naturall reade supernaturall for viation reade viaticum 26 for to affray reade to affray them for that which that he which 30 for rages reade rayes 32 for imminent reade eminent 35 for purge reade sprinckle 38 to these wordes of his body adde for seperate the bloud from his body and there remaineth c. 40 for extinguishable reade inextinguishable for because in the reade because if in the. 43 for description reade distribution for manna reade Thymiama 44 for not good reade not God 45 for explicable reade inexplicable 47 for disguished reade disgusted for lodge reade loue 48 for iminent reade eminent 50 for intice reade inuire for reprobation reade redemption for proposition reade proportion 52 to these words maintaine them adde storme at it 53 for disguishing reade disgeasting 54 for outward reade inward for the pasture reade pastour 55 for of spring reade to spring 56 for disperse reade dispense 57 for two daies reade forty daies 64 for same reade sunne 67 for sowe reade see for paritie reade purity for loue read lacke 68 for iminent reade eminent 73 for house reade hoast for the scowts read their scowtes 78 for perfection reade imperfections 83 for contents reade he contents 84 for confirme reade conforme for seate reade sutes for attempt reade attempted 85 for their phrases read the pharisees 86 for to fellowes reade to be fellowes 87 for prison reade poyson for sued reade stoode for iuggle reade inueagle 92 for what effect reade what affect 93 for could die read would die for serue men read serue me 95 for sauour reade seruour 97 for rockes reade lockes 98 for profited him more reade profited more 99 for and for reade and offer 100 for sauour reade seruour for like eies reade with eies 102 for exalteth reade exhaleth for leadeth read loadeth for chast effects reade chast affects 106 for I knew reade he knew 107 for we tollerate reade he tollerate 108 for instituted reade instituting 113. for receites read rites 114 for exalteth read exhaleth 116 for to we read to no. 118 for inequall read an equall Marginall faults FOlio 2. Math. 13. place against parables 33 for eccl â—5 reade 35. 35 for Luke 14 reade 19. 42 for against S. August place epl ad Ianuarium against S. Chrysost place lib. 6. de sacerd leaue out zachar 3. 63 against speculum note sap 7. 64 for hom 67 reade 17. 86 against oues boues note psa 8. against magnus dominus note psa 144. 109 for prou 28. reade prou 8. 116 for Iob 2â— place Psa 77 Finis