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
common people and not to displease the Athenians as witnesseth Cicero in his bookes of the ends of good and euill of Tusculans quest and of the nature of the God and Plutark in his book against Coletes an Epicure Wherefore seeing that it was a thing impossible and altogether incredible that our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST should quite take away the offering of externall visible Sacrifice to God for the good of those who are deceaued to the violating of Religion contempt of God and damnation of their poore soules it wil be worth our labour yet more exactly to handle this matter and seeke out how and what visible Sacrifice our Sauiour appointed for his followers to vse in his Church vpon earth which by Gods grace I will do in the ensueing chapters CHAP. IX Our Sauiour was to be a chiefe Priest of the order of Melchisedech and to offer vnbloudy Sacrifice in his body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine vntill the end of the world 1. THe Prophet Dauid speaking of the Priesthood of our Sauiour in the 109. Psal and 4. Ver. according vnto our account Christs Priest hood foreuer of the order of Melchisedech vvas to be performed vpon earth and 110. according to the account of Protestants and Puritans saith Our Lord hath sworn and it shall not repent him thou art a Priest foreuer according to the Order of Melchisedech This to be spoken of our Sauiour S. Paul witnesseth Heb. 5. 6. 10. Heb. 6. 20. So here we haue that our Sauiour vvas to be a Priest not for once or for a litle while as vpon the Crosse but as long as the world shall last vntill Eternitie come or as the Apostle saith vntill Christ shall come to Iudgment 1. Cor. 11. 26. For these words foreuer euerlasting are many tymes taken for as long as the world shall last or for a long time as Leuit. 25. 46. Exod. 15. 18. Exod. 21. 6. Exo. 31. 16. Leuit. 23. 31. Eze. 26. 21. And S. Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 26. of Ezechiel and 21. Ver. and vpon the first to the Gal and 4. Ver. affirmeth that the hebrew word Leolam vvhich is here translated foreuer doth not signify the eternity of the other life but the whole tyme of this life or as long as the world shall endure c. 2. The end and vse of Priesthood and offering The vse of Priesthood and sacrifice vp of Sacrifice is as S. Paul saith Heb. 5. 1. to obtayn remission of sinnes but after the day of Iudgment and end of this world there wil be no more any remission of sinnes wherefore it were in vayn to say that Christ were a Priest foreuer in the other world of eternitie according to the order of Melchisedech seeing that in the eternitie of the other life there is no remission of sinnes or vse of Priesthood or Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech which S. Paul further signifyeth saying Where there is no remession of sinnes as in the eternitie of the other life now there is not an oblation for sinnes Heb. 10. 18. Agayn S. Paul sayith Euery high Priest is appointed that he may offer guifts and hosts wherefore it is necessary that he also haue somthing that he may offer Heb. 8. 3. But it were absurd to say that Christ in heauen offered Sacrifice hosts or gifts according to the order of Melchisedech seeing that in heauen earthly Sacraments and Sacrifices which are represented vnder outward corruptible materiall signes do cease by reason of the imperfection for in heauen is no imperfection 1. Cor. 13. 10. 3. And S. Paul speaking of the Priesthood of our Sauiour according to the order of Melchisedech saith If then consummation was by the Leuiticall Priesthood what necessitie was there yet of an other Christ a Priest of the order of Melchisedech and not of Aaron Priest to rise according to the order of Mechisedech and not to be called according to the order of Aaron for the Priesthood being translated it is necessary that a translation of the law also be made for Christ of whom these things be said is of another tribe of the which none attended on the Altar Heb. 7. 11. Where we Chriests Priesthood to be performed on earth see that our Sauiours Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech was to be performed vpon earth as the Priesthood according to the order of Aaron was performed vpon earth and the law was translated vpon earth and the tribes and Altars were vpon earth 4. Neither can this prophecy be vnderstood of This Prophecie not vnderstood of the Sacrifice vpon the Cross our Sauiours Sacrifice vpon the Crosse for that was but once offered Heb. 10. 10. and if the Scriptures here should speake of the Sacrifice of the Crosse it should say thou art a Priest for once and not say thou art a Priest foreuer Secondly S. Paul saith Other Priests by death were prohibited to continue but Christ for that he continueth foreuer hath an euerlasting Priesthood Heb. 7. 23. But as our Sauiour offered himself in Sacrifice vpon the Crosse he was neither euerlasting nor immortall but mortall and dyed and therefore as he was offered vpon the Cross he was by death prohibited to continue aswell as other Priests wherefore it cannot be said that Christ is a Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech because he offered himself vpon the Crosse 5. The Sacrifice of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse was bloudy and rather according to the order of Aaron then Melchisedech of which order our Sauiour was not as S. Paul witnesseth saying Christ Our Sauiour vvas not a Priest of the order of Aron was not called according to the order of Aaron Heb. 7. 11. Wherefore seeing that our Sauiour was to be a Priest to offer Sacrifice vnto God vntill the end of the world and that there neither is nor hath been any other Sacrifice offered in the Christian Church but that which amongst Christians No Sacrifice amongst Christians but that of the body and bloud of our Lord. is called the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord as all the Christian Church seruice bookes Histories Chronicles and testimonies of ancient tyme beare witnes what Christian man can deny that our Sauiour was to be a Priest foreuer to offer this Sacrifice of his body and bloud by himself his Apostles and their Successors vntill the end of the world and that this oath of God is fulfilled in offering or giuing to God his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine according to his commaund at his last supper 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 And in like manner the Chalice after he had supped saying This is the Chalice of the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you to God Luc. 22. Do this the same which he then
Passion Resurrection from hell and Ascension into heauen we doe offer vnto thee this immaculate host reasonable host vnbloudy host this holy bread and Chalice of eternall life and beseech that thou wouldest receaue this oblation in thy high Altar by the handes of thy Angells as thou hast vouchsafed to receaue the Giftes of thy child Abell and the Sacrifice of our Patriarch Abraham and that which the high Priest Melchisedech offered vnto thee Which wordes are also vsed in the in the offering of Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord in the Catholicke Church even vntill this daie 8. S. Hierome who as we haue placed them is the sixth amonst the antient Doctors of the Catholick S. Hierome of the Sacrifice and Sacrament Church so constantly beleeued a Sacrifice and communion in the body and bloud of our Lord that in the 5. chapter of his 3. booke against the Pelagians he saith Christ hath taught his Apostles this that these who haue daily confidence in the Sacrifice of his body may bouldly saie Our Father which art in heauen as the Catholicke Church vseth euen vntill this daie in the daily Sacrifice of his body Vpon the first chapter to Titus A Bishopp is to offer pure victimes euery daie to God for his owne sinnes and sinnes of the People In the 19. chapter of his first book against Iouinian Priests ought alwaies to offer Sacrifice for the People In the 3. chapter of his book against Vigilantius defendeth the Bishopp of Rome who as he saith offered Sacrifice to God ouer the venerable bones of Peter and Paule In his 150. Epistle Moyses hath not giuen vs true bread but our Lord Iesus he is the guest and the banquet he is he that eateth and who is eaten we drincke his bloud and without him we cannot drincke it and daily in his Sacrifices we tread forth the new redd wine of the branch of the true vine and of the viniard of Sorac which is as much as to saie chosen and out of these we drinck new wine of the Kingdome of the Father In the Preface of his 5. book vpon the Prophet Ieremie alluding to the communion of Christians he saith The People of God shall eate the bread which was borne in our village of Bethlem where he sometimes liued a religious life in a monasterie Vpon the 3. chapter of Sophonias Priests serue the Eucharist and distribute our Lords bloud to his People In his Epistle to Heliodorus he saith God forbidd that I should speake any sinister S. Hierome his respect to Priests thing of those who succeeding to the Apostolicall degree doe make the body of Christ with their holy mouthes by whom we also become Christians Againe in his Epistle to Euagrius he saith At the praiers of Bishopps and Priests the body and bloud of Christ is made Which eminencie and dignitie of consecrating the body and bloud of our Lord who is the lambe without spott and the light of heauen so penetrated his heart that though a Priest yet out of his profound S. Hieromes humilitie humilitie and venerable respect to so great a Mysterie as is the consecration of the body and bloud of our Lord would not venture to consecrate or offer Christian Sacrifice as witnesseth S. Epiphanius in his Epistle to Iohn Bishopp of Hierusalem translated out of greeke into latin by S. Hierome himselfe and fett downe both amongst S. Hieromes Epistles and in S. Epiphanius his workes where he saith That after he had seen that there were a multitude of holy bretheren or fryars gathered together in a Monastery and the holy Priests Hierome and Vincent who liued amongst them out of their modestie and humilitie would not exercise the offering of Sacrifice due vnto their function nor labour in this Sacrifice the chiefest saluation of Christians part of the Ministrie which is the chiefest saluation of Christians he ordayned S. Hieromes brother a Priest to supply the necessitie of the monasterie for the offering of Sacrifice and the administration of Sacraments as further witnesseth S. Hierome in the 3. chapter of his Epistle to Theophilus against Iohn of Hierufalem and Epiphanius aboue cited 9. By this which hath been said it is so manifest that all the six aforesaid ancient Doctors of the Catholick Church not only held and taught a Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and a communion of the same but also that this their opinion was agreable to the Scriptures that it is without all controuersie Before all those Doctors flourished Optatus Mileuitanus who writing Optatus Mileuitanus of the furie of the hereticall Donatists against the Eucharist of the body and bloud of our Lord consecrated by Catholicke Priests saith in his 2. booke against Parmenianus That your aforesaid The furie of the Donatists against the Sacrifice and Eucharist of Catholickes Bishopps might violate all holy thinges they commanded the Eucharist to be cast vnto doggs not without a manifestation of the iudgement of God for the same doggs becomming madd with their teeth tore theire Maisters as theeues and guilty of the holy body c. Againe in his 6. booke describing yet more at large the furie of these heretickes against the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord offered by Catholick Priests saith What is so sacrilegious as to breake raise or remoue the Altars of God vpon the which you also sometimes offered wpon which the vowes of the People and the members of Christ are borne where Almightie God is inuocated where the holy Ghost being desired doth descend from whence many take the pledge of eternall saluation the defence of faith and hope of Resurrection c. for what is the Altar but the seate of the body and bloud of Christ All these things your furie hath either raised or broken or remoued c. What had Christ offended you whose body and bloud did dwell there vpon the Altar for a certaine time What haue you offended against yourselues that you should breake these Altars vpon the which for many yeares before vs you offered as we thinke holily whilest that you doe wickedly persecute our handes there where the body of Christ doth dwell you strike your owne whereby you imitate the Iewes They cast their handes on Christ vpon the Crosse and you strike him vpon the Altar And afterwardes This wicked deede is doubled whilest you breake the Chalices the beares of the bloud of Christ whose species you haue turned into masses or lumpes prouiding marchandize for wicked fayres Thus Optatus 10. S. Cyprian liued abond the yeare 240. and S. Cyprian his beleefe of this Sacrifice he in his 63. Epistle proueth against the Aquarij certaine hereticks who were in his time That Iesus-Christ our Lord God was author and teacher of this Sacrifice of his body and bloud which in his time was vsed and beleeued throughout the Christian world as there he proueth at large and by the same places of
Damascene in his 14. chapter of his 4. book Fidei orthodoxae 16. And whereas our Aduersaries saye that God cannot put one and the same substantiall God can best tell vvhat he can doe body and bloud in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions at one and the same tyme who can better tell what God can doe then God himselfe and the consent of all the Catholicke Fathers who haue treated of this subiect And seeing that God said it was his body which he deliuered in the communion and all Christians who liued before Luther reputed Heretiks to both parties only excepted beleeued it to be his body as I haue proued in the 3. chapter what Christian can doubt of it 17. The Latin Fathers to preuent the infidelitie of our Aduersaries in this point do also in The greek and latin Fathers alleage the vvordes of the â—nstitutionâ— of the Sacrament as our Lord spoke them their other workes and books reade the words of the institution of this blessed Sacrament sometymes in the present tense and also sometymes in the future tense and yet doe not contradict one another or finde fault at the differing and diuersitie of reading because our Lord at the institution of this Sacrament spoke many tymes of his body and bloud and so accordingly as he spoke of them they repeate his wordes and alleage them sometymes in the present tense and sometymes in the future tense as S. Augustine in the 24. chapter of his book De peccatorum meritis S. Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 1. Cor. 11. S. Ambrose vpon the 22. of S. Luk. S. Cyprian in his 63. Epistle and S. Alexander in the 2. chapter of his first Epistle vnto all Catholickes yet S. Alexander was made Bishopp of Rome in the yeare 121. And though these aforesaid Fathers in the places aboue said alleage the wordes of our Lord in the institution of this Sacrament in the future tense yet they all as it were with one voice affirme that in these wordes our Lord instituted a Sacrifice in his body and bloud to be offred to God in commemoration of him in his Church as I haue proued at large in the 13. chapter of the first part 18. And to conclude it is so manifest vnto the judgements of our Aduersaries that our Lord Our Aduersaries corruption of the Testament of our Lord. at his last Supper gaue his body to God for vs and shed his bloud and that one and the same substantiall body and bloud of our Lord by the omnipotency of his word and will may be at one and the same tyme in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions that our Aduersaries themselues cannot finde any meanes how they may avoid or disproue it but by disannulling corrupting and adding to the last will and Testament of our Lord as by interpreting my body signe or figure of my body is shall broken crucified or the like by which meanes they may proue any thing true be it neuer so false and any thing false be it neuer so true and their error heer in is so much more the greater for that they practise it vpon the laste will and Testament of our Lord when S. Paule saith A mans Testament being confirmed no man disannulleth or addeth thereunto Gal. 3. 15. And this is sufficient to proue that one and the same body of Christ is in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions in the blessed Sacrament CHAP. VII How our Sauiours is chiefe Priest or agent in offring vnbloudy Sacrifices and administring Sacraments 1. TO lett thee vnderstand deare Reader how our Sauiour being in heauen doth Christ head of his Church and chief Priest and shall offer vpon earth vnbloudy Sacrifices in his body and bloud vnder the species of bread and wine to God the Father and is a chiefe and high Priest vpon earth according to the order of Melchisedech vntill the end of the word it is necessary to obserue first as S. Paule saith that Christ is head of the Church himselfe the Sauiour of his body Eph. 5. 23. Secondly that our Sauiour is chief or high Priest in the Church of God according to S. Paule Heb. 5. 5. 9. So that whatsoeuer is well done by mortall Priests in the Church of God is done by his authoritie and power giuen vnto mortall Priests his ministers VVhatsoeuer is rightly done in the Church is chiefly done by Christ and seruants according to the words of S. Paule saying Paule the seruant of Iesus-Christ Rom. 1. 1. Againe what is Apollo and what is Paule The ministers of him in whom you beleeued and to euery one as our Lord hath giuen I planted Apollo watered but God gaue the increase 1. Cor. 3. 4. Thirdly that the power and authoritie of Christ Iesus is alwaies invisibly present at all the actions of mortall Priests his ministers and seruants chiefly and principally effecting and doing whatsoeuer they doe rightly or well in his Church according to his word saying I am with you all daies euen to the consummation of the world Math. 28. 20. Againe Neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that watereth but he that giueth the increase God 1. Cor. 3. 7. So that when mortall Bishopps or Priests who are rightly ordeyned doe offer Sacrifice or administer Sacraments in Church of God it is Christ Iesus that chiefly and principally as head of his Church and high Priest doth offer the Sacrifice and administer Christ by his omnipotency vvorketh the affects in the Sacrifice and Sacraments the Sacraments and by the omnipotency of his power worketh the exchanges fruits or effects they haue or do produce WherevpoÌ„ S. Iohn saith Christ is he that baptizeth Iohn 1. 33. Againe Iesus abode with the Apostles and baptized Io. 3. 22. Howbeit as the same Apostle saith Iesus did not baptize but bis Apostles Io. 4. 6. So our Sauiour said vnto his Apostles Receiue ye the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye forgiue they are forgiuen Iohn 20. 21. 22. Yet God said I am I am he that take cleane awaie thine iniquities Isa 43. 25. Isa 44. 22. Ier. 31. 34. So when Bishopps and Priests rightly ordeyned doe offer Sacrifice and consecrate the body and bloud of our Lord it is our Lord himselfe who chiefly doth offer Sacrifice according to his former words before alleaged And S. Augustine in his 4. Sermon of the Innocents saying What cann be more reuerend or more honorable then to rest vnder that Altar vpon which Sacrifice is celebrated vnto God in which our Lord is the Priest according as he said Thou art a Priest for euer 2. As God said Be light made and by the omnipotency Similitudes of Gods operation by his vvord of his worp Ligt was made and continueth in his functions and operations euen vntill this day and as God said Led the earth shoote forth greene herbes and such as may seede and fruit trees yealding fruite after his kinde c. And by the omnipotency of
God is true and euery man that speaketh contrary to his word and promises is a lyar Rom. 3. 4. and beleeue as an article of our Creed that the true reall and substantiall body and bloud of our Lord is in the blessed Sacrament after consecration by the omnipotency of the word of God and so make good the promises of God our 3. Creeds and the honor of the Catholik Church of former ages 23. If thou beest a Christian and esteemest Christians bound to honor their Parents that thou art bound to keep the ten commaundements and honor they carnall Father and Mother how much more art thou bound to honor God who is Father of all Fathers and the Catholik Church who is Mother of all Mothers who are or shal be saued So do but beleeue thy Creed which teacheth thee to saye I beleeue in God the Father Almighty and in Iesus-Christ his only Sonne our Lord and not to saye I beleeue mine owne witt judgment knowledge or learning and perswade they selfe that thou art bound to honor Father and Mother and then thou wilt finde that it is as certaine that the true reall and substantiall body and bloud of our Lord is in the blessed Sacrament after consecration when it is consecrated aright by a Priest lawfully ordained as are certaine the articles of they Creed or that the promises of God are true or that thou art bound to keep the fourth commandement CHAP. X. The Amen or conclusion of this book and how all faithfull communicants haue vsed to saye Amen to the body and bloud of our Lord in the blessed Sacrament before they communicated 1. OVr Sauiour foreseeing the infidelity which vvould arise amongst men towards the end of the world against this article of the reall presence of the body and bloud of our Lord in the Eucharist after consecration Confirmation of the reall presence by oath affirmed vnder a kind of oath that we shoud eate his flesh and drink his bloud saying Amen Amen I say to you vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp at the last daye Io. 6. For as S. Augustine in his 41. Tract vpon the Ghospell of S. Iohn saith Amen Amen is after a certaine manner Christs oath And this our Sauiour did to establish in men a confident assurance of the deliuering of his true and reall flesh to eate and bloud to drink in the Communion For to thinke that Christ our Lord who came down from heauen to teach men the truth should vse a kinde of oath in so serious a matter as did concerne the euerlasting life or death of all his Auditors and yet equiuocate rightly considered is too great an impietie to enter into the heart of any one who professeth himselfe a Christian so that it cannot be doubted but the end why our Lord vsed this his kind of oath or earnest asseueration was to assure the faithfull that The cause vvhy our Sauiour confirmed the reall presence by oath he would giue them his true reall and substantiall flesh to eate in the Eucharist for as S. Hierome in his commentaries vpon the last chapter to the Galathians saith In the ould Testament God confirmeth his words by a certaine custome of swearing saying I liue saith the Lord c. and our Sauiour in the ghospell by the word Amen doth pronounce these things to be true which he saith 2. This Doctrine being thus established by our Lord vnder his kind of oath the Apostles also according to the example of our Lord foreseeing Preuention against future difficulties the difficulty which in future tymes would arise about it taught the Children of the Church of God in the celebration of this Sacrament either presently after the words of the consecration of the body and bloud of our Lord or before the Communion or both to add to their acclamations and consent by saying Amen either to the words of consecration or els to the Priest when he should call the Eucharist the body of Christ thereby to instruct all her faithfull children constantly to beleeue the being of the true reall and substantiall body of our Lord in the Eucharist after consecration before Communion and couragiously to professe this their beliefe by acclamations of Amen to the confusion and shame of all those who at any tyme thereafter should deny it As wittnesseth the practise of the Church in all ages euen from the Apostles tymes both in the publike Liturgies or Church seruice books and the workes of the ancient Fathers 3. And as for the Liturgies the Liturgy of S. Iames the Apostle sett fort for the Church of Hierusalem saith Iesus taking bread into his holy immaculate Amen to the reall presence taught by S. Iames. inculpable and immortall hands looking into heauen and shewing to thee God and Father giuing thankes sanctifying breaking he gaue vnto vs his Disciples and Apostles saying Take ye and eate this is my body which is broken for you and giuen for the remission of sinnes Wherevnto the people aswere with a lowde voice Amen to demonstrate that they beleeued the Eucharist after the consecration to be the true and reall body of Christ for to say Amen is as much as to saye It is true And the like they answere after the consecration of the chalice the Liturgie saying Then the Priest taketh the chalice and sayth In like manner also after he had supped taking the chalice and mixing it with wine and water and looking into heauen and shewing to thee God and Father giuing thankes sanctifying blessing filling with the holy Ghost he gaue it to vs his Disciples saying Drinke ye all of this this is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many and is giuen for the remission of sinns Where vnto the people answere with a lowde voice Amen constantly to shew their faith and beliefe of the true reall and substantiall bloud of our Lord in the Eucharist after consecration and before they receiued it 4. Amen is an Hebrew word vsed in confirmation VVhat Amen signifyeth of a thing spoken of before and signifyeth true or truth as it is true or be it so As witnesseth the Scripture saying The Leuites shall pronounce and saie to all the men of Israel with alowde voice cursed is the man that maketh a grauen thing or idoll and shall put it in secret and all the people shall answere and saye Amen Cursed is he that honoreth not his Father and Mother and all the people shall saye Amen Cursed is he that remoueth his neighbours bounds and all the people shall saye Amen c. as is sett down Deut. 27. So likewise S. Paule saith To God be honor and glory for euer and euer Amen Rom. 16. 27. Againe The holy Ghost be with you all Amen Apoc. 22. 5. So