of the Catholick Church for these 1600. yeares or the omnipotency of God and say that he cannot effect it and so hath deceaued his Church for these many hundred yeares togeather both which is absurd and not befitting the thoughts of any Christian 11. Moreouer our Sauiour promised to giue bread to eate which should be his flesh saying The Our Sauiour promised to giue bread to eate vvhich should be his flesh bread vvhich I vvill giue is my flesh c. Ioh. 6 but he did no promise to giue his flesh to eate cut into peeces for that was the errour of the Capernits but his whole flesh and body and so promised that his whole flesh and body should be in diuerse places distributed or giuen by himselfe and caried in his owne hands who is both able to doe what soeuer he promised Rom. 4. 20. and vvill vvatch vpon his vvord to doe it Ierem. 1. 12. As we find by experience he did in the institution of the communion according to the plaine and expresse Text of Scripture saying Iesus tooke bread and blessed and brake and gaue to his Disciples and said Take ye and eate this is my body Math. 26. And the Scriptures cannot be broken as our Sauiour himselfe said Ioh. 10. 35. 12. That one and the same substantiall body of our Lord may by the omnipotency of his will not only be Sacramentally in diuerse places at the same tyme as it is in the blessed Sacrament but also visibly and personally is manifest for our Aduersaries confesse that the body of our Lord hath The body of our Lord both in heauen and earth at the same tyme. alwayes bin in heauen since the tyme of his Ascention yet the Scriptures say that since the tyme of his Ascension S. Paule being in prison our Sauiour stood by him and said be constant c. Act. 23. 11. and seing that our Sauiour stood by S. Paule in the prison and spoke vnto him standing by him Our Sauiour stood by S. Paule certainly he was vpon earth vnlesse our Aduersaries will make our Sauiour to haue so long leggs as that being in heauen he may also stand vpon the earth which is absurd and then he should not be cōtained in heauen as our Aduersaries affirme 13. At the vocation of S. Paule S. Luke saith that the men who were in the companie of S. Paule when our Lord spoke vnto him Heard a voice but S. Paule heard our Sauiours voice saw noe man Act. 9. 7. so there was a man present to be seen otherwise it were in vaine for the Scriptures to saye They saw no man when there was none to be seen Againe S. Ananias said vnto S. Paule The God of our Fathers hath preordinated the that thou shouldst knowe his will and see the S. Paule heard our Sauiours voice from his mouth just one and here his voice from his mouth Act. 22. 15. all which words import the personall presence of our Lord vpon earth for otherwise S. Paule could not haue heard our Lords voice from his mouth if he had bin in heauen neither would the Scriptures haue said that he had heard his voice from his mouth if our Lord had appeared only in a vision or resemblance and not in his proper person for that had not bin his mouth but a resemblance of it Wherefore seing that S. Paule heard our Lords voice from his mouth it is manifest that our Lord was personally vpon earth 14. The cause why our Lord appeared to S. Paule was as our Sauiour then said To this end that Our Sauiour ordained S. Paule Minister of the Ghospell I may ordaine the a Minister and wittnes of these things which thou hast seen as were the rest of the Apostles who were made Ministers of the Ghospels and wittnesses of the Resurrection not from heauen or in a vision only but by our Lords personally appearing vnto them vpon earth Wherevpon S. Paule saith Am not I an Apostle haue not I seen Christ Iesus our Lord 1. Cor. 9. 1. which argument had not bin sufficient to proue that he was an Apostle had he not seen our Lord in person here vpon earth as did the rest of the Apostles but only in a vision for S. Ananias also saw our Lord after his Ascension in a vision Act. 9. 10. yet he was not an Apostle 15. Moreouer S. Paule affirmeth that he saw our Sauiour as the rest of the Apostles saw him S. Paule savv our Sauiour as the rest of the Apostles did which was corporally here vpon earth saying Our Lord was seen of Cephas after of the eleuen Then was he seen of more then fine hundred Brethren moreouer he was seen of Iames and last of me 1. Cor. 15. 15. where he putteth no difference betweene his manner of seeing our Lord and the manner in which the other Apostles and Disciples saw our Lord which was in his proper person Wherefore seing that our Lord is alwayes personally in heauen and shal be personally in heauen vntill the daye of judgment as our Aduersaries confesse and yet the Scriptures so often affirme that S. Paule since his Ascension saw him vpon earth heard him speake standing by him heard his voice from his mouth was ordained Minister of the Ghospell by him and wittnes of his resurrection from death as were the rest of the Apostles and the ancient Fathers with one voice so constantly affirming that the body of our Lord after consecration is in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar who without Testimony of Scriptures or Fathers shall affirme that one and the same true reall and substantiall body cannot by diuine power be in diuerse places at one and the same tyme that is not very incredulous CHAP. VI. One and the same substantiall body and bloud of our Lord in the holy Sacrament is in diuerse places and vnder diuerse dimensions at the same tyme. Our Sauiours prouidence in preuenting errour in this Sacrament 1. OVr Sauiour foreseeing that there would come a tyme when there should arise men who would call themselues Christians and yet both deny the offring of visible Sacrifice in his body and bloud and also that God by the power of his will could putt one and the same his substantiall body in diuerse places and vnder diuerse dimensions at the same tyme to preuent their incredulitie at the institution of the blessed Sacrament not only said once of the thing which he deliuered in the communion vnto the Apostles This is my body which is giuen for you This is the Chalice the new Testament in my bloud which is shed for you Luk. 22. but also to establish this truth of the being of his one true reall and substantiall body and bloud in all the Christian Sacrifices and Sacraments which were to be offred and communicated throughout the whole world that there might neuer be any more question or doubt of it amongst Christians who should professe the doctrine of Iesus-Christ spoke
by the sufferings of our sauiour vpon the Crosse 10. If anie obiect and say that the Scriptures Hovv God doth desire Sacrifice and not desire it often affirme that God doth not desire Sacrifice this obiection S. Auguctine answereth in the aforesaid chapter prouing by manie examples of Scripture that when it is said God doth not require Sacrifice it is to be vnderstood of the visible signe which is commonly called the sacrifice when it is without the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts for so it is but a false signe and hipocrisie such as was the sacrifice of Cain who offered his goods as a visible signe but not his heart in an inuisible Sacrifice and therefore his sacrifice was reiected and Abells accepted as witnesseth Rupertus in his 4. book vpon Genesis and second chapter saying By faith saith S. Paul Abel offered a greater host then Cain for in exterior worshipp and religion they both offered alike And therefore both of them offered rightlie but Cain did not rightly deuide for Cain whilest he offered his goods to God kept himself vnto himself hauing his heart fixed in earthly desires Such portions or outward gifts God doth not accept of but by himselfe saith in the 23. of the Prouerbes Sonne giue vnto me thy heart Wherefore Abel first offered vnto God his heart and then his goods and so offered by faith a greater host then Cain Who offered the outward Sacrifice which was the visible signe but kept the inward which God most esteemed vnto himselfe 11. The case standeth before God with Sacrifice The case of Prayer and Sacrifice alike as it doth with prayer God commandeth prayer Marke 14. 38. And yet saith that some kinde of prayer is hipocrisie Math. 15. 7. In like manner God so affecteth Sacrifice that vnder penaltie of death he prohibiteth it to be offered vnto anie but vnto himselfe Exod. 22. 20. and yet saith that he will not haue Sacrifice offered vnto him Isay 1. 12. The reason is for that exterior prayer which is cōmonly called prayer is a signe of the interior prayer of the heart which when it wanteth is hipocrisie as a false signe So exterior visible Sacrifice which is commonly called Sacrifice is a signe of the interior and when it is without this it is hipocrisye as a false signe So God will prayer and Sacrifice and he will not prayer nor Sacrifice He will haue prayer and Sacrifice when they are conioyned with the prayer and Sacrifice of the heart and he will not haue prayer nor Sacrifice when they are not accompanied with the heart because they are hipocrisie as making shew of that which is not Wherevpon after the Prophet in the 50. Psalme had said A Sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit a contryte and humble heart ô God thou will not dispyse c. Hee addeth Then shalt thou accept Sacrifice of iustice oblations and holocausts then shall they lay calues vpon thyne Altar When with the exterior visible Sacrifice of the Church men shall offer the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts by sorrow for the negligences of their liues past contrition for their sinnes and humiliation before God vnto whom that Sacrifice is offered thē shall they offer a true and proper Sacrifice of justice oblations and holocaustes acceptable to God and not otherwise because the outward Sacrifices with out this inward and inuisible is but hipocrysie 12. Visible Sacrifices saith Saint Augustine in the place a fore reoyted Are signes of the inuisible Visible Sacrifices are signes of the inuisible as vvords are of thinges as wordes are signes of things Wherefore when without anie iust necessitie men speake wordes and haue other intentions in their hearts then their words sound or signifie it is but dissimulation and contrarie to the institution of words which were ordeyned to expresse the intention of the heart So when we offer visible Sacrifice without the inuisible Sacrifice of our hearts it is hipocrisie or dissembled sanctitie which is double iniquitie because visible Sacrifices were instituted vnto this end that they might be a publicke sacred visible signe of the inuisible sacrifice of mēs hearts vnto God as words were ordeyned to expresse the sinceritie of mens myndes and because man should alwaies haue an intention and be euer readie to giue his heart and soule to God without dissimulation therefore he may neuer offer visible Sacrifice without the inuisible Sacrifice of his heart 13. S. Augustine expressing the excellencie of The excellencie of visible Sacrifice conioyned to the inuisible this visible sacrifice when it is accompanied with the visible Sacrifice of our hearts and how acceptable it is vnto God and vnto the Church triumphant in heauen addeth in the same chapter saying When wee offer visible Sacrifice together with the inuisible of our hearts Then all the Angells and the superior powers and the more powerfull spirits through their goodnes piety doe fauour vs and reioyce with vs and according to their power doe helpe vs to offer this visible Sacrifice Thus S. Augustine of the excellencie of this visible Sacrifice when it is vnyted vnto the inuisible of our hearts and how acceptable it is vnto God and vnto the whole triumphant church in heauen 14. The reason why the triumphant Church in VVhy th' Angells reioyce at th' offering of visible Sacrifice heauen which as S. Paule saith doth consist Of the assemblie of manie thousand Angells doth so reioyce at the offering of visible sacrifice when it is accompanied with the inuisible sacrifice of our hearts is for that they are as they themselues say fellow seruants with those who serue God vpon earth And seeing that men here vpon earth cannot continewally without intermission think of God and honor him with the honor which is only due vnto him by a perpetuall and continewall sacrifying of their hearts vnto him as they in heauen doe who Day and nyght crye holy holy Lord God omnipotent and so are eternally happie therfore they doe reioyce that yet sometymes men vpon earth will actually thinke vpon God and actually honor him with the honor of Latria worshipp due only vnto him and consecrate their hearts vnto him alone who is their end and chiefest good therby to become partakers of a little droppe of their happinesse for as S. Augustine in the 22. chapter of his 10. booke of confessions saith This is happie life to reioyce in God of God and for God this is it and other is none Now the question is whether Christians are bound to offer this 4. kynd of Sacrifice to God or no The Puritans deny that in the Christian Church there ought to be any such kind of extenall Puritans deny externall visible Sacrifice in the Christian Church visible Sacrifice offered vnto God The moderate sort of Protestants doe after a sort confesse it in words and doctrine though not in practise as his late deceased Maiestie in his answer to Cardinall Perron related by Casaubon saying The
especiallie commaunding that we should come vnto it with concord and burning Charitie Thus S. Chrisostome Whereby it doth appeare that the end why Christ our Lord instituted a visible sacrifice in the new law was not only to preserue in Christians the worshipp of Latria towards God and the commemoration of his Passion c. but also to maintaine a perfect vnion amongst them 11. Man on the one side being obliged by the debt of his creation conseruation redemption and other benefits to honor and loue God aboue all things and his neighbour for Gods sake as himselfe as the holy scriptures doe aboundantly testifie And on the other side as Sacrifice is the publick exercise of the vvorshipp of God the said Scriptures doe witnesse and experience doth daily manifest vnto vs That the cogitations of mans heart are bent vnto euill at all times and to forgett these his obligations and institute of life vnlesse he by some publique act or daily exercise be put in minde and kept to the practise thereof for this cause God of his infinite mercies hath ordeyned that a particular visible sacrifice should be daily vsed in his Church as a publicke exercise and practise of the inuisible sacrifice of our hearts vnto him a daily visible adoration of him with the worshipp of Latria a commemoration of the Passion of our Lord and a continual renewing of our loues peace and societie with him and amongst ourselues thereby to preserue in vs the honor and obligation which we owe vnto God and the loue of our neighbours as ourselues so to liue together in vnitie peace and charitie whilst An absurd thing that there should be Schooles of other things not of the vvorship due vnto God we remaine vpon earth and after death to ascend vpp into heauen to enioy the Kingdome Which was prepared for vs from the foundation of the world 12. And it were a thing verie absurd that in the Church of God which is his Kingdome here vpon earth there should be visible Schooles and publique daily exercises of things of lesser moment and that of the visible Sacrificing of our hearts to God publicke worshipp of Latria soleÌ„ne commemoration of the Passion of our Lord for vs and the sacred vnion of our hearts with him and amongst our selues wherein consisteth our teÌ„porall and eternall welfare there should be no practise more then in naked words only which either men of diuers nations who speake different languages or the vnlearned could not vnderstand Neither would words only without other visible actions be sufficient to teach the The necessitie of Sacrifice vulgar common people the practise dignity excellencie and eminencie of these sacred things as we finde by experience Whereby it doth appeare how necessarie it is that in the Church of God there should not only be instituted publicke Schooles where all men not in words only but in deeds might see the adoration due only to God the Sacrifice of mens hearts the commemoration of the passion of our Lord and vnion with God and amongst ourselues daily practised such as are or should be the sacred temples and Churches but also that these exercises should be sett fâ—â—th with great solemnitie vnder solemne visible knowne signes common to all that all in euerie Cittie towne and village might comply with these their obligations towards God and man which is the exterior visible Sacrifice I speake of whose practise as we see by experience is so appropriated vnto this vse that wheresoeuer we shall finde either amongst Christians or infidells anie company of men seriously attending to the offering of Sacrifice vpon an Altar we presently know that they are adoring some God true or false with the honor due only vnto God and colleagued in vnitie of Religion and societie amongst themselues as is manifest by experience 13. And because that the offering of a particular visible Sacrifice vnto God vpon an Altar was instituted by God vnto those ends before rehearsed therefore to communicate as Protestants To communicate and not of things offered in Sacrifice a prophane thing and Puritans now doe and not of hosts or Victimes first offered to God vpon an Altar was and is by the Scriptures accounted a worke of the Sonnes of Belial 1. Kings 2. 2. and an exceeding great sinne 1. Kings 2. 17. Because say the Scriptures they distracted men from the Sacrifice of our Lord and so hindred them not only from the publicke practise of the inuisible Sacrifice of their hearts vnto God and the visible adoration of him with the worshipp of Latria which is due only to him but obliterated the memorie of his passion for vs who was slaine from the beginning of the world and infringed the solemne practise of peace and vnitie betweene men and God and of men amongst themselues For which cause S. Paul also commaundeth visible Sacrifice to be vsed in the administration of the communion saying As often as you shall eate this Bread and drinck the Chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntil he come 1. Cor. 11. 26. who dyed offering vp himselfe in a visible Sacrifice as our aduersaries confesse To conclude Prayer as affirmeth S. Iohn Damascen in the 24. chapter of his 3. booke orthodoxae fidei is an eleuation of mind to God which visible Sacrifice doth not only teach and expresse as words doe things as I haue proued hertofore but also addeth to the eleuation of the mind to God a gift giuen or offered to God according to his commaund sayinge Thou shalt not appeare in my sight emptie Exod. 23. 15. and such a superexcellent gift as the body and blood of his only sonne in whome he is wel pleased and withall an inuisible sacrifice of our selues to God accordinge to the earnest exhortation of S. Paul saying I beseech you Brethren by the mercie of God that you exhibite your bodies a liuing host holy pleasing to God your reasonable Sacrifice Rom. 21. 1. wherby it cometh to passe that the due offering of visible Sacrifice doth The offering of visible Sacrifice is excellent prayer not only teach vs to pray as we ought but also is in it selfe the most coÌ„pleate prayer in the Church of God and therfore called the publick office of the Church as I shall further declare in his place In the meane space this is not only sufficient to shew the institution of visible Sacrifice but also the necessitie and cause why visible Sacrifices were instituted in the Church oft God and vsed amongst the faithfull in the Law of nature written law and law of grace and the fruite or benefit we receaue by them CHAP. III. All the Gentills and Heathen people Atheists and Epicures onely excepted offered visible Sacrifice vnto their supposed Gods 1. THe offering vp of externall visible Sacrifices Offering of Sacrifice necessary for the preseruation of vnitie and peace vnto God and communicating of the same after they were offered was esteemed a thing so necessary
plāt peace and preach as S. Paul saith Peace to them that were farr of and peace to them that were nigh Ephe. 2. 17. And God is not the God of dissention but of peace 1. Cor. 14. 33. 6. Fourthly Adam and his sonnes liued in the law of nature and instituted externall visible Sacrifice in the Church of God vpon earth according to the Law of Nature no other law being then published or known as all diuines generally Sacrifice instituted by the Lavv of Nature hold and the law of nature being inserted and ingrafted by God as S. Paul saith Rom. 2. 15. in the harts of all men for them to follow as a rule of Iustice and an instinct of nature proceeding from reason as an euerlasting couenant between God and Man Isa 24. 5. Certayn it is that our The Lavv of Nature immutable Sauiour could not take away externall visible Sacrifice from amongst men and moue them to violate the Law of Nature or change it in the harts of all men seeing that as S. Paul saith He continueth faithfull and cannot deny himself 2. Tim. 2. 13. to change his diuine decrees and alter the Law of Nature in all men or change the naturall diuine instinct which he hath engrafted in all men to follow euen from the first beginning of his Church vpon earth which Lactantius in his 6 Book and 8. Chapter of diuine Institutions obserueth out of the 3. book of Ciceros common-wealth saying Cicero almost with a diuine voice hath in these words described the Law of Nature saying The Law of Nature is right reason agreable Description of the Lavv of Nature to nature spread amongst all men constant and euerlasting To this Law it is not lawfull to add any thing or to take away Thus Lactantius and Cicero of the Law of Nature Wherefore seeing that visible Sacrifice was instituted by the Law of Nature most certayn it is that our Sauiour came not to take it away but to institute it in better termes with he did when taking bread he gaue thanks and brake and gaue to the Apostles saying This is my Body which is giuen for you to God do this for a commemoration of mee In like manner the Chalice also after he had supped saying This is the Chalice the New Testament in my Bloud which is shed for you to God This do ye as often as you shall drink for a commemoration of mee Wherefore we may iustly complayn of these who persecute the offering of visible Sacrifice vnto God in the words with the Prophet Isaie vsed when he complayned of the Iewes for violating the Law of Nature saying The earth is infected with the inhabitants thereof because they haue transgressed the Lawes changed right dissipated the euerlasting couenant Isa 24. 5. 7. Fiftly the Prophet Daniel promiseth that externall visible Sacrifice shall be offered vnto God in the Church of God vntill the end of the Sacrifice to last vntil the end of the vvorld world saying And in the half of the week shall the host and the Sacrifice fail and there shal be in the Temple the abomination of desolation euen to the consummation Daniel 9. 27. Agayn The continuall Sacrifice shal be taken away and the abomination of desolation shal be set vp Dan. 12. 11. And our Sauiour himself setting down the tyme when this Prophecy of Daniel shall be fulfilled and when there shal be no more hosts nor Sacrifices offered to God in his Church vpon earth saith And when you shall see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of by Daniel standing in the holy place c. immediatly afther the tribulation of those dayes the Sunn shal be darkned and the Moone shal not giue light and the Starres shall fall from heauen Math. 24. And so forth describeth the day of Iudgment signifying that externall visible Sacrifice shal be offered in the Church of God vntill a litle before the consummation of the world 8. Sixtly God Almightie promised saying I will send of them which shall be saued to the Gentils into the Sea into Africa and Lidia into Italy and Greece to the Ilands farr of to them that haue not Priests and Leuits shal be allvvayes in the Church to offer Sacrifice heard of mee and haue not seene my glory And they shall shew forth my glory to the Gentils and they shall bring all your Brethren of all Nations a guift to our Lord. And I will take of them to be Priests and Leuits saith our Lord because as a new Heauen and a new earth which I make to stand before mee saith our Lord so shall your seed stand and your name Isa 66. 19. Where we see that God almightie promiseth to make Priests and Leuits whose office is to offer and assist at the offering of visible Sacrifice of the gentils conuerted vnto Christianity and that their seede shall not fail vntill the end of the world Wherevpon S. Augustin in the 21. Chapter of his 20. Book of the Cittie of God alledging this place saith God compareth the conuerted Gentils as it were by a similitude vnto the Children of Israel offring vnto him their hosts or Sacrifice with Psalmes in his house or Temple which the Church doth now euery where and hath promised that he would take of them Priests and Leuits for himself which now we see donne for now Priests are not by succession of flesh and bloud according to the order of Aron but as it ought to be in the new Testament where Christ is the chiefe Priest according to the order of Melchisedech thus S. August 9. Seuenthly God promised by the Prophet Ieremy saying Behold the dayes shall come saith our Lord and I will raise vp the good word that I haue spoken to the house of Israel c. This is the name they shall call him the lord of our iust one c and of Priests and Leuits there shall not faill from before my face a man to offer Holocausts and to burne Sacrifice and to kill victimes all dayes Ierem. 33. 14. Wherevpon Theodoret in his interpretation of this place saith Wee see the euent of this Prophecy for the new Testament being giuen according to the diuine promise The Priest-hood according to the order of Melchisedech is also giuen which whosoeuer haue obteyned do offerr vnto God reasonable Sacrifice 10. Eightly S. Paul commaundeth all Christians No communion vvithout Sacrifice saying As often as you shall eate this Bread and drink the Chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come 1. Cor. 11. 26. and our Lord dyed offering vp himself to God in an externall visible Sacrifice as our aduersaries do graunt whereby it is manifest that exteriour visible Sacrifice by the commaund of the Scriptures shall last vntill the later day 11. Ninthly externall visible Sacrifice being a thing only and chiefly aboue all things due vnto God and giuen vnto God by the consent of all Nations thereby to acknowledg him for
our lord God and maintayn our vnion and society with him and amongst our selues And Antichrist at his comming as S. Paul faith shal exalt himself Antichrist shall take avvay publik Sacrifice aboue all that 's called God or that is worshipped so that he shall sit in the Temple of God shewing himself as if he were God 2. Thes 2. It necessarily followeth that Antechrist shall not only as our Sauiour foretold in the 24. of Mathew and the Prophet Daniel in the 9. and 12. Chapters of his Prophecies take away the offering of externall visible Sacrifice vnto the true God but also from all Idolls that there shal be no externall visible Sacrifice publickly offered vnto anie Idoll or diuell but vnto him onlie who will secretly worshipp the diuell Mahuzim Daniel 11. and so he shall publickly exalt himselfe as the Scriptures saie aboue all that is called God or that is publickly worshipped Wherevpon S. Ireneus in his first Booke against Heresies and 25. Chapter saith He shall put downe Idols to perswade others that he is God and to magnifie himselfe who wil be an Idol that will haue in it the diuers errors of all other Idolls 12. Moreouer S. Ireneus speaking of the Crueltie In the time of Antichrist the faithfull vvho offer Sacrifice shal be forced to fly of Antichrist in putting downe the externall visible Sacrifice in the Church of God in his first Booke of Heresies and 25. Chapter saith In the time of the tirannie of Antichrist the saintes who offer pure Sacrifice vnto God shal be forced to flie awaie And in the halfe of the weeke shal be taken awaie the Sacrifice and the Host and the abomination of desolation shall be vnto the consummation of time With whom also agreeth Hippolitus the Martyr an ancient Father who liued about the yeare 220. after the natiuity of our Sauiour in his booke of the cōsummation of the world saying In the time The mourning of the Church after sacrifice is taken avvaie by Antichrist of Antichrist the Church shall mourne with great sorrowe because there shall be in it neither oblations nor offerings nor incense nor worshipp gratefull vnto God but the sacred Churches shal be like Cottages the pretions Bodie and blood of Christ shall not be extant in those daies the Liturgie or Masse shal be put downe singing of Psalmes shall cease and reading the Scripture shal be taken awaie 13. And the like affirmeth S. Ephrem in his treatise of Antichrist saing Before the end of the world at the coming of Antichrist the whole Church of Christ shall mourne with great sorrowe for that the diuine oblation and sanctification shal be no more offered to God then Sacrifice to cease in the time of Antichrist the holie misterie of Priesthod shall cease after three times and a halfe shall be fulfilled in the power and worke of the wicked Antichrist and all scandalls of the world benig consumed as our Sauiour spoke by his owne proper mouth then shall come the later daie So S. Ephren who liued about the yeare 370. after the natiuitie of our lord And with these aforesaid Fathers agreeth S. Chrisostom in his 49. homily vpon S Mattew saying For three yeares and a halfe the Sacrifice of Christians shal be taken away by Antichrist the Christians flying from him into the deserts there shal be none to enter into the Churches or to offer Sacrifice vnto God S. Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 9. of Daniel is of the same minde saying Hippolitus putteth the last weeke in the consummation of the world c. whereof it is said God will confirme the couenant one weeke vnto manie and in the other three yeares vnder Antichrist the host and Sacrifice shall cease Thus those Fathers of the extirpation of visible Sacrifice out of the Church of God by Antichrist 14. Now seeing that Antichrist at his coming as both Scriptures and Fathers doe testifie shall put downe external visible Sacrifice in such sort as that for a time there shal be no externall visible Sacrifice publickly offered to God vpon earth and that Antichrist is not to come vntill Antichrist is to raigne three yeares and a halfe the end of the world as witnesseth our Sauouir in the 24. of S. Matthew and Dan. 7. and to raigne but three yeares and a halfe before the consummation of the world as affirmeth the aforesaid Hippolitus in his said booke of the consummation of the world S. Ireneus in his 5. booke against Heresies towards the end S. Hierome vpon the 7. Chapter of Daniel S. Cyril in his 25. Catechesis and S. Augustin in the 23. Chapter of his tenth booke of the Cittie of God and others it is manifest Visible sacrifice taken avvaie the vvorld shall end that externall visible Sacrifice shal be offeto God in the Church of God vntill the end of the world and it being wholy taken awaie which is onely cheifely and aboue all thinges due vnto God then shall come the consummation of the world by fire wich shall burne and destroy all these things which are vpon earth Man ceasing to honor God with that honor which is due only vnto him as he is God and Creator of all thinges God will destroy man out of the face earth and all things els which vpon earth he created for man So those who denie and persecute the offering Those vvho denie Sacrifice hasten their ovvne torments vp of externall visible Sacrifice vnto God doe but hasten the destruction of the world and the euerlasting damnation of their owne soules and bodies to the verifying of the saying of the Prophet The sinner is taken in the works of his owne hands Psal 9. 17. he is fallen into the pitt which he made Psal 7. 16. and so doth but as saith the Apostle heape to himself wrath in the daie of wrath Rom. 2. 5. which our Sauiour himself also further signifieth saying The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world Ioh. 6. 51. As when the life of a man is quite taken from his bodie the bodie dieth and by degrees returneth vnto that which it was in his first creation which is slime dust and ashes so when the exterior visible Sacrifice and Sacrament shall be quite taken awaie for which God spareth the world then the world shal be destroyed by fier and shall returne to be as it was In the beginning when God created heauen and earth and the earth was void and vacant a darknes was vpon the face of the earth Gen. 1. 1. And shall so remaine vntill God create a new heauen and a new earth which shall stand for euer Isa 65. 17. Isa 66. 22. CHAP. VIII The reasons why our Sauiour would not take away visible Sacrifice out of the Church but establish it in better termes FIrst for that it shall be the worke of Antichrist Antichrist shall take avvay Sacrifice to put downe the daily Sacrifice as
of the change in the Sacrament by the povver of God 14. S. Cyrillus Alexandrinus who liued in the yeare 430. in his Epistle ad Calosirium saith Doe not doubt vvhether this be true that the body of our Sauiour is in the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Altar Christ manifestly saying This is my body but rather receaue the word of our Sauiour in faith for seeing he is truth he doth not lye Therefore they are madd vvho saie that the mysticall blessing doth cease from the sanctification if any part thereof should remaine vntill the daie following for the most holy body of Christ vvillnot be changed but the vertue of the blessing and the quickning grace is continually in it for the quickning vertue of God the Father is the only begotten vvord vvhich is made flesh not ceasing to be the vvord but making quickening flesh So these ancient and prime Fathers of the Church of God Whereby it is sufficiently manifest to any indifferent reader that not only the true and reall body and bloud of our Sauiour is in the Sacrifice and Sacrament of Christian Catholikes but that it is there by vertue of the omnipotency of Gods word and not by the faith of him that receaueth it as Puritans would haue it CHAP. VIII How in generall our Sauiour by his omnipotency together which Priests his instruments and Legates doth consecrate his true reall and substantiall body and bloud in the blessed Sacrament 1. GOd hath two Kingdomes here vpon God hath tvvo Kingdomes vpon earth earth the one the temporall Kingdome of this world of which it is sayd The earth is our Lords and the fulnes thereof the round world and all that dwell therein Psalm 23. 1. Thother Kingdome is the spirituall Kingdome of Christs Church militant here vpon earth of which it is said The sonne of man shall send his Angells and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all scandalls and them that vvorke iniquitie Math. 13. 41. And both these Kingdomes and all that is wrought in them were miraculously at the first founded and established by the omnipotency of the will and Both Gods Kingdomes are miraculously founded word of God according to the words of the Prophet saying God spoke and they were made Psal 32. 9. and this first foundation of these Kingdomes and establishing them in their operations was miraculous because they were not before but being thus founded and established now their ordinary operations are not miraculous because God hath giuen vnto either of them their seuerall ordinary natures dispositions properties and qualitis which they are ordinarily to reteyne and keepe vnto the end of the world God hauing so ordeined and decreed by the omnipotency of his will and woord 2. For the better vnderstanding hereof it is necessary to obserue that mirakles as S. Augustine in VVhat is miraculous and vvhat naturall the 14. chapter of his 6. book of the Trinitie saith Are these things which are donne contrary to the vsuall course of nature either in diuine or humane things and the nature of all things is the common and vsuall course of all things wherevpon Aristotle in the 7. book of his moralls to Eudemon saith Nature is the cause of those things vvhich are alwayes or for the most part donn after one manner So those things which are vsually or commonly donn in either of these Kingdomes we doe not call miraculous but naturall and though the things which be vsually or commonly donn in the Kingdome of Christs Church here vpon earth be supernaturall and miraculous in respect of the things which are commonly and vsually donn in the temporall Kingdome of this world for that they are neuer or rarely donn in it not cann be donn in it without a miracle and alteration of the common course of things in the temporall Kingdome of this world as if for example a man who were no Priest in the spiritual Kingdome of Gods Church but a laye man only in his temporall Kingdome by pronouncing the words of absolution after confession or by reading the words of consecration ouer the bread and wine fittly prepared should truely and really forgiue sinnes or consecrate the body and bloud of our Lord this I saye were a miracle because these things are neither ordinarily nor vsually donne by laye men of Gods temporall Kingdome nor can be donne vnles God contrary to the ordinary course of absolution from sinnes and consecration doe supply the defects yet those the institution and ordenance of God supposed are no mirakles when they are donn in the Church of God by Priests who are instituted by God for that purpose because they are commonly and vsually donne by them so likewise if a Priest by doing any act which precisly belongeth vnto the spirituall Kingdome of Christs Church herevpon earth should bring forth a tree or plant this were a mirakle because that by the exercice of Christian religion trees or plants are not ordinarily or vsually brought forth yet that the earth bringeth forth trees and plants is no miracle because the earth vsually and commonly doth it 3. Secondly it is necessary to obserue that as all All the vvorkes of God miraculous in the foundation of his Kingdomes the workes of God in the foundation of his temporall Kingdome here vpon earth are aboue nature and naturall reason supernaturall and miraculous as the creatiō of the heauens earth Sonne Moone Starrs c. of nothing so likewise are all the workes of God in the foundation of his spirituall Kingdome of the Church of Christ here vpon earth supernaturall and miraculous and aboue the reach of humane sense and naturall reason as that God should haue a Sonne a Virgin shold remaine a Virgin and yet bring forth a Child God to die vpon a Crosse men to be borne againe by Baptisme and cleansed from their sinnes the body of the Sonne of God to be in the Sacrament of the Altar c. wherevpon S. Paule saith faith must not be in the wisdome of men but in the power of God 1. Cor. 2. 5. Wherefore seing that all the workes of God in the foundation of his spirituall Kingdome which is the Church of Christ herevpon earth are miraculous and supernatural and aboue the reach of common sense and naturall reason it must needs be that also the The institution of the communion miraculous institution of the communion which is a Sacrament and worke of God in the foundation of his Church must also be a worke of supernatural power and vertue aboue the reach of humane sense and naturall reason and therefore it should be a vaine thing to goe about to giue a reason in nature how our Lord did or doth consecrate his reall and substantiall body and bloud in the blessed Sacrament but only by similitude in the foundation conseruation and preseruation of his temporall Kingdome so by the way of similitude from that which our Aduersaries doe belieue to bring them vnto that which they
then did should not haue power and authority as The cause vvhy Protestans and Puritans deny the reall presence in the B. Sacrament agents and instruments of God to consecrate his true reall and substantiall body and bloud if it be not but because they want the Sacrament of order and know that these words Do this were not spoken vnto them And therefore knowing that they haue no authority or power to consecrat and yet resolue to be as they are not to fall into manifest idolatry and to teach the people to esteeme and adore a peece of bread for God of two euils haue chosen the lesser and therefore say that after consecration there is nothing but bread and wine our Sauiours words effect nothing the whole busines cōsisteth in taking bread and apprehending Christ in heauen by the hand of faith and be thankefull Otherwise if we should seeke to pry and dyue into by naturall reason how and when and after what manner God createth soules in the generation of men and infuseth them into their bodyes or of what substance they are of or how they being spirituall informe the body and make one man with the body what operations they haue where the will vnderstanding and memory are placed and how they are diuided seeing the soule hath no parts how the soule mooueth the body and preserueth it from corruption how it affordeth ability te see heare smell touch and tast in what gulf the memory putteth all these species of things which she reteyneth from whence they come when they are called for and where some lye hid which cannot be found when we would and how and where we find then we shall find no lesse difficulty in these things then in knowing how a body that already is may at the same tyme be in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions and species by the will and power of God 10. And if none should beleeue that he had a soule vnlesse he did know certainly and manifestly all these howe 's then few would attaine vnto the beliefe that he had a soule thoug all men should study Aristotles book de anima or what soeuer books they could find to that purpose all their liues yet what is more familiar vnto a man thē his soule wherewith he liues and mooues whereby we see ho absurd a thing it is not to beleeue the misteries of our faith vnlesse we cann certainly and manifestly know by reason how euery thing in particular is for then it were not a mistery of faith but a thing manifest to our senses whereas faith Is an argument of things not appearing to the senses Heb. 11. Wherefore as in the creation of all As in the founding of his earthly Kingdome God spake and things vvere so done so in founding his spirituall Kingdome vvhich is his Church things and establishing his earthly Kingdome God spake the word and we beleeue that they were made of nothing by the omnipotency of his word though we know not how God made them or could make them of nothing more then by the omnipotency of his word so here establishing the B. Sacrament in his Church he took bread and blessed and said This is my body and likwise wine and said This is my bloud and we beleeue that the bread was changed into his body and the wine into his bloud by the omnipotency of his word though we know not how God could change bread into his body or vvine into his bloud and putt them into so little a roome and vnder the species of bread and vvine but by the omnipotency of his vvord And as after God had created the earth and mankind he said to the earth Let the earth shoote forth green hearbs and such as may seed c. and to man Increase and multiply and vve beleeue that both the earth and man by the omnipotency of his vvord receaued vertue and power to do that vvhich he said though we do not know vvhere this power lyeth or in vvhat part or hovv these things come to passe more then by the omnipotency of his vvord so after that God had instituted this Sacrament and consecrated his body and bloud he said to Bishopps and Priests rightly ordained Doe this and This doe ye and vve beleeue that Bishopps and Priests rightly ordained haue power to consecrate the body and bloud of our Lord though vve doe not knovv vvhere the power lyeth in Priests or hovv it cometh to passe more then by the omnipotency of the vvord of God 11. Besides that vvhich I haue said in the former Chapter S. Iohn Damascene in the 14. chapter of his 4. book Orthodoxaefidei explicateth this point at large saying Our Lord breaking the bread gaue it vnto his Disciples saying take eate this is my body c. S. Damascene of the manner hovv the body of our Lord cometh to be in the Eucharist If then the word of God be quickning and full of efficacy and all that our Lord hath willed he hath done if he hath said lett light be made and it was done if he haue said lett the firmament be made and it vas donn if by the word of God the heauens haue been established and all their vertues by the spirit of his mouth if the heauen and the earth and the water and the fier and all their ornaments and man himself who is so famous a liuing thing haue been perfected by the word of our Lord if God the word itselfe willing it was made man and was formed of the pure and immaculate bloud of the holy alwayes Virgin without seede and flesh vnited hypostatically with him could he not make the bread his body and the wine and water his bloud He said in the beginning lett the earth bring forth green hearbes and euen vntill this day by the fall of raine the earth doth bring forth her proper plantes aided and fortified by the commaundement of God And God hath said This is my body doe this in commemoration of me and this by the omnipotency of his commaund will be donn vntill he come Thus S. Damascenus of the change of the bread and vvine in the consecration of the blessed Sacrament by the omnipotency of God Eusebius Emissenus in his Sermon of the body of our Lord speaketh to the same effect saying When the creatures of bread and wine are placed vpon the Altar to be blessed before they are consecrated by the inuocation of the holy Ghost there is present the substance of bread and wine but after the words of Christ there is Christs body and bloud and what great matter is it if he who could create all things by his word could conuert and change these thinges which he had created into other natures 12. If our Aduersaries will grant as commonly The spirituall kingdome more excellent then the temporall and therefore more probable to be founded by the omnipotency of God they do that God by the omnipotency of his word established