these wicked disciples these stragling sheepe and preserue vs in the sollidity of thy holy faith in the lap of our good Mother thy royall Spouse to receiue there alwayes the refection of thy holy flesh We beleeue thou giuest it vs reall and not in Figure for thou hast said in plaine tearmes The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world Iohn 6. We acknowledge that thou hast the words of life in the administration of thy holy body and of thy holy bloud We know that thou art life eternall and that thou giuest in thy slesh and in thy bloud nothing S. August Traâ—â— 27. in Ioan. but that which thou thy selfe art thus speakes one of thy Saints In the confession of our infirmity incapacity and misery we adore the height of the almightinesse wisdome and goodnesse in this diuine and mysticall Sermon and in the mystery that it teacheth and acknowledge hoere with the words of life the Fountaine of life For which wee yeeld thee immortall thankes and humbly intreate thy Maiâ—sty to make vs so holily to vse this Sacrament of thy pretious body that thereby we may be vnited with thee for euer and made worthy to bee for euer also in heauen at thy blessed Table in the life eternall THE THIRTEENTH PICTVRE THE WASHING OF THE FEET GOING BEfore the institution of the Eucharist The Description THIS day being the fourteenth of the first Moone of the Spring the Sunne is set but a greater Sun shineth The Sauiour of the world hath celebrated the Legall Pasque and goeth to prepare the great and admirable Feast of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of his body ordaining the same in stead of the Hebrewes Paschall Lambe He is risen from the Table and hath put off his feasting roabe to the end to wash his Apostles feet for a remarkable ceremony See you how this sweete Lambe girt with a white towel Ioan. 13 4â— doth the office of a meane seruant washing his seruants feete and wiping them with the same towell Hee hath washed them all except good Peter who seeing his Master to come Ioan. â— 6 and cast himselfe at his feete to doe him the same seruice that he had done to the eleuen of his companions withheld and protested to him that he would neuer endure that he should wash his feete But hearing ouâ— Sauiour threaten that if he refused he should be depriued of his part with him Hee yeeldes readily and with alacrity presents to be washed not onely his feere but his hands and his head also remaining neuerthelesse much astonished and confounded And truely not without reason for the brightnesse of this thy meruailous humility O good Iesus amazed the dimme sense of this poore man and by admiration rauished the soule out of his body This brightnesse is so great that it is able to â—â—â—onish all men as the light of thy Diuinity rauisheth into adminiration fear the Powers of heauen Who wil not be abashed to see the Master prostrate before his seruant Such a Master before such a Disciple To see the Maiesty of such a Master to bow himselfe to the basenes of such a seruice And how could this good old man but feare but be astonished and dismayed at this profound and extraordinary humility of his King How could he but refuse to haue his feet washed by the hand of God as being ashamed to see himself so humbly serued by the Greatnesse which he adored But what may this humble Apostle say seeing his King and his God kneeling before him to wash his feete Seeing these almighty armes tucked vp and his diuine hands workers of the Starres of heauen and of a thousand wonders vpon earth to cleanse the silthinesse of his feete These fingers so pure and so neate to touch the foule toes and the soles of his fraile mortality This gesture these hands these eyes these behauiours that the Picture giues him seeme they not to you to speake O Christian soules And to tell you by silence that this good Apostle said in his heart O my sweet Master what is this Washest thou my feete Doest thou I say thus kneele before mee Thou thy selfe bow downe to my feete And how was it not sufficient lowhnesse in thee to haue taken Philip. â— being infinite God the shape of a man and to bee maried to the most meanest family of thy reasonable creatures To be made a little Infant Citizen of Nazareth and Pilgrim on the earth Philip. 2. and to haue thy infinite Greatnesse lapped within the cloathes of our littlenesse Canst thou more humble thy selfe then in abasing thy selfe by taking the condition of a meane seruant Choosing the crauels the poornesse the contempt of this world but that thou most cast thy self notwithstanding at my feet Thou my Lord wash my feet thou my King of mee thy vassall thou my God of me thy creature thou supreame purity of me most filthy thou my worthy Sauiour of mee most vnworthy sinner And what may the Angels say and the Planets themselues of thee and of mee O Lord beholding a spectacle of such consusion seeing the varlet to be serued by the Master the King to be made seruant to the varlet and the Creator to be on his knees before his creature Thou wash my feete O Lord and I 〈◊〉 thee and the Angels and the Planets which see mee doe they not now detest my pride for that I permit thee and the creatures of the earth would they not â—â—nne presently vpon me if thy Almightinesse hindered them not Saue mee if thou pleasest O Lord from their indignation if I am proud thy humility hath constrained me it is that which hath commanded mee I protest that I protested that thou shouldest neuer wash my feet but thy humility wil be the Mistres I haue obeyed it and am become proud in my humiliation and in obeying content your selfe O Lord with that which you haue already done and suffer mee to take your place and to bee a little proud in washing your feete since that I already haue sufficiently been proud in enduring you to wash mine Ah sinfull creature that I am such might be the discourse O diuine Apostle which thou madest in thy thought vpon the humility of thy Lord. But stay a while and thou shalt well see other proofes and other exercises of this diuine vertue Expect vntill he shall giue himselfe to thee for meate and drinke cloathed with a roabe of exceeding humility with a thin whitenesse with a waterish rednesse with the littlenesse of fraile accidents when he shall enter within thy entralls and abase himselfe not onely before thee but moreouer within thee Expect this night when he shall be taken as an offender bound as a theese mocked as a foole beaten like any base fellow spit vpon as a blasphemer Expect vntill the morning when hee shall bee euill entreated of Kings of Priests of people and whipt after by all the worldly powers
they asked as Philosophers How Albeit the Scripture did clearely set downe the truth of this generation and tolde them on the otherside that they could not comprehend it and that they ought to beleeue and not to question about it â—say 53.8 So the Panymâ— and the Heretikes did laugh at the saith of the death of Iesus Christ neither could they be perswaded that he being the Sonne of God and God himselfe would or could haue endured death and did say How can it bee that hee could dye At this very day in like manner such as beleeue not imitating their Ancestors beate their hornes against the same Rock and doe say How can the body of our Sauiour be present in the Eucharist How can it be in many places without possessing a place Be eaten without being seene Exposed to the iniuries of the wicked without hurt And because they are proud they beleeue nothing but what they vnderstand and so lose their faith and their vnderstanding like vnto their Fathers and namely the Capharnaits how be it in another extremitie of heresie For of them saith Saint Augustine They did not vnderstand S. Aug. Tract 27. in Ioan. because they beleened not and the Prophet saith If you beleeue not you shall not vnderstand By saith we are vnited to God and by vnderstanding we are quickened Let vs first adhere to the truth by faith to the and that we may afterward be quickened by vnderstanding for he that adhereth not vesisteth and who resists belecueth not Hee excludeth the beame of light which should penetrate into him be turnes not away his eyes but shuts vp his vnderstanding In like manner these heere would know in Philosophie and not beleeue in Christianity and so became bad Philosophers and lose the name of Christians The Church of God and the children of God doe not so They doe beleeue the voyce of truth which said The bread which I will giue is my flesh and after they come to vnderstand as much as diuine mysteries can be vnderstood in the shadow of this mortality expecting to see them in heauen vnmasked and discouered when they shall see all things in God 6. EXPOSITION OF THE WORDS OF our Sauiour IT is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words which I speake to you are Spirit and life It was the custome of our Sauiour to speake couertly in this maner of the highest mysteries to the end he might be heard with better attention For the secret of God saith S. Augustine ought to engender in the hearers attention S. Aug. 27. in Ioan. and not to breed auâ—rsion But what he spake darkly he after explained sufficiently to take away occasion of error So we see that hauing said to Nâ—codemus Iohn 3.4 That to be saued hee ought to be borne anew He expounded himselfe saying That he ought to be Baptised of water and the holy Ghost and that he meant not a corporall but a spirituall generation In like manner Iohn 2.19 when he said I will destroy this Temple and I will build it againe in the third day the Euangelist added for explination thereof that he spake this of the Temple of his body Our Sauiour seeing then how the Capharnaits tooke offence at his words giuing them an absurde sense and such as their grosse phantasies did forge he correcteth their carnall sense and explaines his owne and tells them Doth this scandalize you Iohn â— If then you shall see the Sonne of Man ascend where he was before As if he should say you are sensuall people and will not beleeue that I am able to doe more then you are able to comprehend you thinke that this is an impossible thing for me to giue you my flesh to eate and that it can suffice for you all or giue you eternall life what then will you thinke what will you say when you shall see that I shall carry this flesh to heauen from whence I descended to take it heere on earth when you shall vnderstand that I am God and Man together certainly when you shall see that done which is of more difficultie you will haue occasion to beleeue this which is more easie for it is of it selfe more difficult to carry flesh into heauen which none euer did then to giue it to eate on earth the which many haue done though not after the manner that I will giue it Wherefore either you ought to beleeue that I can giue my flesh to be eaten seeing that I can doe a more difficult thing or not beleening you are to enter into a greater incredulity condemnation when men shall tell you that I in flesh am ascended into heauen Our Sauiour doth not deny the giuing of his flesh to bee eaten but he tould them that he is God Almighty for otherwise he should not haue descended from heauen and that being God he could doe more then that and that if they did not beleeue him their pride and sensuality was the cause which are the true barres and bolts that exclude and hinder the entrance of faith He addeth The flesh profuteth nothing â—l is the Spirit that quickeneth the words that I speake vnto you are Spirit and life Whereby he sweetely taketh away the cause which scandalized them and said The flesh as you vnderstand it and the eating which you imagine is carnall and profiteth nothing but that flesh whereof I speake is spirituall and giueth life eternall The words which I say vnto you are Spirit and life and your thoughts sauour of nothing but of flesh and corruption My flesh shall indeed be giuen and truely vnited to the members of my Church yet not alone or without soule and life as the flesh of beasts which is onely for the body but as being quickened with my Spirit and with my Diuinitie by reason whereof it shall giue life and vnite them to life which shall eate thereof as it is vnited to the life of my soule and of my Diuinitie And shall be giuen not in a carnall manner in peeces and in gobbets as dead flesh but spiritually as liuely flesh immortall and vncapable of diuision And as this flesh was truely taken from the substance of the Virgin my Mother but in a spirituall manner by the vertue of the holy Ghost and not by coniunction with man euen so shall it be truely giuen not in a carnall but after a diuine and spirituall manner Flesh and humane iudgement shall perceiue nothing except some outward accidents of the colour Figure and taste but the eyes of faith will penetrate the mystery hidden therein This is it which our Sauiour would signifie to appease the murmuring of the Caphamaits and to raise them vp from the blockishnesse of their flesh vnto the spirituall sense of his holy word 7. HERESIE ALWAYES CARNALL AND in loue with extremities AS the enemie of man raised carnall men to oppose themselues to the word of life and to hinder the Sacrament of the flesh
Passion so insinuated he the victory of his Resurrection by the shipwrack and comming forth of Ionas out of the Whales belly Ionas Iona. 2.2 Matth. 12.19 so the Euangelists and the Apostles vse often the witnesse of the old Testament to giue foote and credit to the faith they preached Secondly the Figures confirme our hope for seeing that which God hath so long before figured and foretold is faithfully accomplished wee are induced to hope that what is yet to come as the iudgement the Reward the glory the paine and the rest shall be likewise accomplished with the same fidelitie Finally they inflame our loue tovvards God because this contemplation of the ancient Figures reported to the present truth maketh vs see the eternall charitie vvith vvhich God hath loued vs preparing for vs by so long Prescience the Good which in the end he hath giuen vs and still promising vs more to come hereafter And because loue and benefits engender loue here-hence it is that if wee be not vnnaturall wee encrease in our loue tovvards God by this meditation These are the causes effects and vse of Figures It remaines to enter into the Temple of God there to see the holy Pictures of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the body of his Sonne drawne from the writings of his holy Testament explained by his owne Word and that according to the Doctrine of his Diuine Painters and Writers the Interpreters of his Word the dumbe Picture shall be for your eyes the description of them for your eares and the exposition of one and of the other shall serue for your spirits or vnderstandings The first is of the earthly Paradise and of the Tree of Life planted therein set forth as you see in the Picture follovving THE FIRST PICTVRE PARADISE AND THE TREE OF LIFE The Description CHRISTIAN Beholders Gen. 2. â— you know that this admirable Chronicler and diuine Cosmographer Moses said in the History of the Creation that God had in the beginning planted a Garden of pleasure towards the East in which he put the Man that he had formed This is that faire and spacious Region that the Painter represents to you in this Table or Picture It is high in seate rich in goodnesse rare in beautie gratious in habitation and aboundant in all forts of delights The earth in some quarters thereof is leuelled into a plaine champion field and in other places raised vp in little harrowes or hilles replenished with plants and trees of excellent goodnesse In the place where it is highest you may there marke a fountaine which rising in great bubbles is formed into a Riuer winding and watering all the Garden towards the end whereof it is diuided into foure heads and maketh foure great slouds running into diuers quarters of the earth The first of which is called Phison casting vpon the shoare her golden sands and many faire pretious stones but no person gathered them vp because there was none as yet but Adam and Eue in the world their children you may imagine will not lose them for want of gathering The ayre there is most pure and subtill and therefore we see not any token of clouds or mists the Sun shining cleare and bright alwayes As for the fire which is of elements the most supreame it holds it selfe still and quiet in its kingdome aboue the ayre yet contributing notwithstanding light and heate with a sweete temperature as it were after the manner of a Torch lighted in heauen This gay verdure wherewith the earth is still apparrelled and these odoriferous flowers which with a thousand florishing colours adorne the same and wherewith those trees in like sort are all so trimly dressed shew forth the Spring in whose company the other Seasons make heere their quarters all together And therefore Summer hath heere alreadie made yellow the Haruest in this golden field and ripened many fruits in those Meadowes and neighbour Orchards which are readie for the gathering As also Autumne shewes forth her goodly clusters of ripe Grapes in those little hilles where Noah as yet had neuer planted Vineyard And lastly the Winter giues repose without any sharpnesse of colde See Saint Bafil â— Paradis for it is mitigated partly by the light of the Sunne which at al times casts his cleare beames vpon the Horizon of this diuine Region without estranging it selfe very much towards the South partly by the moyste warme breath of those windes which blow sweetely from the South to abate the coldnesse of this Pegising ayre So that there is a perpetuall accord of all the soure Seasons whereof the Spring-time holdeth the preheminence This goodly wood of high trees and thick Cops about it are full of little birds which make the ayre resound with a thousand sorts of warblings and aboue all the Nitinghall incessantly and in many quires make melodious muficke all the yeere long But the Painter could not represent to the eare their sweete harmony as hee represents to the eye the Birds and in particular that Birde which men call the Birde of Paradise hanging heere in this Palme-tree little of body with long feathers all ouer adorned with beautifull colours her head yellow her neck enameled with a gay greene her wings spotted with a cawny purple and the rest of her body with a pale gold colour Citizen of the skye faire wits excellencie and admirable in this that shee is alwayes in the ayre without euer touching the earth for that shee hath no feete and when shee will rest her selfe shee grapples about the trees with two long feathers made in fashion of wyer threeds like as it is represented heere These Lions Elephants S. Bas Orat. de Parad. Aug. lib. 4 de Ciuit. Dâ—i 9.11 Tygers and other liuing creatures that you see in diuers places are not cruell nor furious but gentle and obedient and therefore Eue had not any feare of them no more then Adam her husband who walked neere them in coasting these woods But that which is most exquisite and admirable in this Garden is the Tree of Life or of Liues according to the Hebrew word planted in the middest of the others so called because the fruite thereof is of such vertue that it cannot onely nourish the body for a time as other fruites do but also repaire all defecteousnesse and giue it strength and vigour of life to make it perdurable and immortall And as God hath made in man an Abreuiation of all other creatures euen so hath he comprised in this Tree the vertues and perfections of all other Plants And I beleeue it to be that Nectar and Ambrosia called also Nepenthes Ambrosia and Nectar Nepenthes Moly Plin. lib. 25. cap. 4. and Moly which the ancient Poets inuoluing the truth in fables affirme to haue force to make young againe to preserue from death and to driue away all cause of griefe and discontentment The first Tree which you see on the left-hand towards the West is the Tree of Knowledg
knowne to vs then bread and wine which as they are the two most noble and proper sustenances of mans life euen so the Sacrifice and Sacrament of the body of our Sauiour is the most diuine food and strength of our soules and bodies Bread and wine is very prositable and necessary in the beginning midst and end of repast and the Hebrewes vnder the word Bread comprehend all meat as being the chiefe and a companion of all other meates and the ancient Sages haue of old called wine the King of the banquet 〈◊〉 6.46 〈◊〉 25. 〈◊〉 4. Our Sauiour then hath instituted the Eucharist with these two Symboles or signes to teach vs by them that in the Law of Grace the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body holds the first ranke amongst all the presents of meate that can be set vpon the table of his Altar for to honour his Maiestie and feede our soules withall 4. THE BREAD AND WINE SIGNES of the Passion of our Sauiour in his Sacrament THe second cause wherefore our Sauiour hath instituted the mystery of his body in these elements is to set before our eyes that which he hath endured for vs making himselfe bread and drinke vnto vs. The corne is cast into the earth to come vp in eares and to encrease it dyeth to come forth it endureth winde haile frost heate and cold in the field it is threshed in the barne-floore ground in the Mill wrought in the kneading and baked with fire in the Ouen The Grape carries the markes of the same torments for after it escapeth the iniuries of the ayre as the Corne doth it is troden and trampled vnder feete it is wrung in the Presse it endures to be shut vp in the Tunne and inclosed in the caue for to become good wine These actions and passions are the draughts that paint foorth to vs the trauailes which our Sauiour hath endured that hee might be to vs the celestiall bread and wine which hee giueth vs in the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body 5. THE BREAD AND WINE IN THE Eucharist signes of the Mysticall body of our Sauiour THe third cause of this institution made in these elements is to represent the mysticall body of the Church of Iesus Christ for as the bread and wine is made of many cornes and wrought into one paste so the Church also is composed of many members vnited vnder one head therefore it is that the Greekes call this Sacrament Sinoxis that is to say collection S. Chrysost hom 24. in 1. Cor. 10. S. Aug. 26. in Ioan. and the Latines Communion as much to say as a common vnion For these reasons and likenesses our Sauiour hath instituted this mystery in bread and wine in such sort that the bare elements speaking without words doe teach vs these three godly lessons the charity of our Sauiour in nourishing vs with himselfe his patience in suffering for vs and our vnion with him Such was his diuine wisdome in this institution that it learneth also for Doctrine 6. THE BODY OF OVR SAVIOVR CALled Bread and his Blood Wine FOr the same cause aforesaid the Scripture calleth the body of our Sauiour Bread Ierem. 1. and his blood Wine Ieremie saith in the person of the Iewes Let vs cast wood vpon his bread that is to say Let vs put his body on the Crosse as the ancient Fathers haue interpreted it Againe Hee shall wash his stole in wine Gen. 49.11 and his garments in the bloud of the grape that is to say he shall shed his bloud in abundance figuring his bloud by the wine 1. Cor. 10.16 Saint Paul also calling the Sacrament bread and wine explaines it to be the body and bloud of our Sauiour 1. Cor. 11.27 Hee that shall eate saith he this bread and shall drinke this Chalice vnworthily he shall be guiltie of the body and bloud of our Lord. Ioan. 6 Our Sauiour himselfe calleth himselfe Bread and his bloud Drinke because he offered himselfe to his Father in Sacrifice and giueth himselfe to men in this Sacrament vnder the formes of bread and wine 7. WHAT THIS SACRAMENT IS THe Eucharist is a Sacrifice as was the Oblation of Abel and both a Sacrifice and Sacrament as was the Paschall Lambe and many other ancient mysteries for the body of our Sauiour as it is offered to God in the Masse is sacrificed and the self-same body as it is giuen for food to Christians is a Sacrament And heere-hence some sigures represent it onely as it is a Sacrament so did the Tree of Life others as a Sacrifice onely so did the Oblation of Abel others as both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament together and so did the Oblation of Melchisedech the Paschall Lambe and such like Well then a Sacrament is a signe and an instrument of a holy thing so Baptisme signifies the internall and holy washing of the soule and as an instrument effects it if he which receiueth it doe not hinder the same In like manner the Eucharist containes the body and bloud of our Lord inuisibly which feed the soule and is also a signe thereof by the outward materiall visible formes of bread and wine and in this respect is a perfect Sacrament 8. WHAT A SACRIFICE IS AND HOW it is offered in the Masse THe Sacrifice taken in his proper signification is an outward action of religion and soueraigne honour done to God in acknowledgement of his supreame Maiestie by a proper officer in offering some present and in making some change thereof In this manner the offerings of beastes and other bodies in the Law of Nature and of Moses were Sacrifices And in this sense the Eucharist also is a Sacrifice in the Law of Grace and that of so much more excellencie aboue the former as the bodie of the Sonne of God offered in it surpasseth all the other bodies which could be presented to the diuine Maiestie This Sacrifice is made as hereafter we shall shew more at large by the words of Consecration This is my body this is my blood by which Iesus Christ transubstantiates the bread and the wine into his body and bloud and by the same action hee offers it to his Father for his Church though he vse not any formall words of oblation as by saying I offer thee my body for it is enough that he make it present vpon the Altar with that intention for he did no more in offering the Sacrifice of the Crosse as neither did the ancient Sacrificers in their Sacrifices God vnderstands sufficiently the language of the heart The Church hauing this body from the liberality of God offers it with Iesus Christ and by it doth honor him with homage of diuine and soueraigne whorship shee also prayeth to him by the merits which were purchased in this body afterward taketh it for her food and refection And as in olde times God gaue beasts to the Iewes which the Iewes offered to him againe honouring him in them and
vs the truth of our Eucharist but principally three The first the Leauen the second the Time the third the Sacrifices foregoing this Oblation It hath been said that these Loaues were made of Leauen-paste and were eleuated in Oblation by the High Priest with the Lambes Leuit. 23.20 Then saith the Scripture the Sacrificers shall-eleuate the Lambes with the Loaues of the First-fruits turning them before the Lord. In such sort as the Loaues were put aboue the Lambes and all was eleuated together This is a diuine draught of Gods Pensell in the Table of the Figure teaching vs not only the presence of the body of his Sonne true Lambe without blot in the Sacrifice of the Masse but also the manner of his being there which is by transubstantiation that is to say by changing of the substance of bread into the substance of the body of our Sauiour hiddeÌ„ vnder the formes of bread The Leauen heretofore hath been a signe vnto vs of some bad thing but heere by a contrary quality it is a signe of that which is good as often in Scripture one selfesame thing hath sundry and contrary significations by reason of contrary references and respects So the Lion Gen. 49 9. Apoc. 5.5 1. Pet. 5.8 if we consider him as a Royall and strong beast is a signe of God as he is cruell and fierce a signe of the Diuell For which cause our Sauiour himselfe expresseth Vice by Leauen in one place Matth. 16.6 Luke 13.21 and in another he compares his Church to Leauen The Leauen then in the Loaues of the First-fruits figureth to vs the transubstantiation which is made in our Eucharist as already often hath been said and must bee said hereafter behold the picture The Leauen by a naturall property changeth the paste heates it puffes it vp and giues it in a certaine manner soule and life so farre forth as it is capable thereof The word of God supernaturall Leauen changeth also the bread and because it is of more force then nature it passeth also further for it chaÌ„geth not the qualities as the natural leaueÌ„ in the paste but the substaÌ„ce it leaues the visible qualities chaÌ„geth the bread within it animateth truly this bread makes it liuing bread changing the substance of it into the flesh of the Lambe of God Iesus Christ signified by the Lambes offred with the Loaues in this Sacrifice The Loaues the Lambes eleuated by the High Priest were diuers things and did make one onely oblation heere where the truth is liuely accomplished diuers elements also make one self-same Oblation for the Lambe is vnder the formes of bread and wine and when those elements are multiplied and offered in diuers places it is alwayes one selfesame Lambe and one selfesame Sacrifice So as this draught drawne in the old Figure tells vs that the Sacrifice figured by the bread of First-fruits should be one Sacrifice of flesh vnder the shewes of bread and wine to which draught our Sauiour gaue liuely colours when he instituted the Sacrament of his body vnder these elements Neither is it without mystery that the Loaues and the Lambs were of two diuers natures for they signified two natures in one Iesus Christ the Diuinity and the Humanity two things in one Sacrament the earthly which are the visible accidents and the heauenly which is the body of the Sonne of God and his Grace Finally they signified two peoples the Gentiles and Iewes vnited vnder one Head reduced into one and made one by meanes of this Sacrament and Sacrifice And so his diuine Wisdome not only teacheth vs by this figuratiue Lineament the presence of his Flesh in the Eucharist but also the quality of his Person and after what manner he makes vs his flesh and vniteth vs therein Let vs see what the Scripture and the ancient Hebrew and Christian Doctors say hereof enriching the Figure with the embroderies of their learned Expositions 6. THE SACRAMENT AND SACRIFICE of the body of our Sauiour vnder the formes of bread foretold in the Scripture and taught by the Hebrew Doctors DAVID by these eleuated Loaues foretold our Sacrament and Sacrifice Psal 71.72 There shall be saith hee a firmament in the earth in the tops of wountaines the fruit thereof shall be extolled farre aboue Libanus Or according to the Hebrew phrase There shall be a little wheat in the earth vpon the top of the mountaines and the fruit thereof shall be lifted aboue Lybanus These words cannot signifie other wheate or any other thing more liuely then our consecrated Hosts containing the body of our Sauiour true wheat on earth true bread and solid stabilitie of our soules and bodies fruit truely lifted vp not onely vpon the toppe of Libanus but aboue the highest of the celestiall powers Wherefore the Hebrew Doctors conformably hereunto Rab. Salomon in Psal 72.16 vol say that Dauid heere did sing of a certaine kinde of little Cakes or thinne delitious wafers that should bee offered in Sacrifice in the time of the Messias Psal 71.16 Our Masters saith he of happy memory vnderstood by this word a certaine kind of Cakes which shall be made in the time of the Messias of the which also all the Psalme is written And all their Hebrew Commentaries extoll extoll euen to heauen the eating and mystery of this Bread and of these Cakes which say they shall be of the bignesse of the palme of a mans hand And one amongst them Rab. Derachias â—â—â—eans illad â— Eccles quid est quod fuit id quod crit Eccles 9. named Barachias explaining these words of Ecclesiastices What is that which was the same that shall be addeth further As their first deliuerer to wit Moyses had giuen them bread of wonder which was Manna so the second Redeemer the Messias should giue them a more wonderfull bread to wit these Cakes And hereunto the same Redeemer alludeth Ioan. 6. saying It is not Moyses which gaue you the bread from heauen vnderstanding his body as it hath been declared in the Figure of Manna Rab. Ionathas in suo â—aigum Gal. l. 10. c. 4. Psal 71.17 And the Rabbins Paraphrastically interpret in the same sense the words of the Psalme before alledged There shall bee saith one of them a parcell of bread in the earth on the top of the mountaines that is to say saith hee there shall bee a Sacrifice of bread on the head of the mountaines of the Church or on the head of the Priests which shall bee in the Church For the Mountaines of the Church are the Prelats and Priests of it if they be such as are worthy of that name for so much as they are lifted vp aboue the vulgar as spirituall Mountaines aboue the earth by holinesse in manners and sublimity of Doctrine This Figure then is euery day literally fulfilled in the Church when the Priests say Masse eleuating the holy Hoast aboue their head and when the faithfull Christians eate
Secondly we could not haue endured the brightnesse of so ghstering a body nor the presence of so glorious a Maiestie if he had snâ—wed himselfe in it Saint Paul was become blinde for hauing seene the brightnesse of this body 〈…〉 Coâ— 3.23 and if it behooued Morses speaking to the Hebrewes to veile his shining face which they could not otherwise haue beheld how much more sit was it that Iesus Christ should veyle his body without comparison more resplendent then the face of Moses to come neare vnto vs and to be eaten of vs A third reason may be added that this inuisibility giues vs a singular meane to exercise our faith and to marit happinesse in beleeuing and not seeing according to the Maxime of our Sauiour Ioh. 20.29 who called them happy which beleeued without seeing that is to say which did giue faith and credit to the Word of God although sense and humane reason penetrate not the thing beleeued nay rather finde in it a repugnance to their Lawes as it comes to passe heere where we beleeue the body of our Sauiour to be though sense seeth onely the outward accidents of bread and wine vnder which it is present and humane iudgement cannot comprehend the possibility of this presence But if the body of our Sauiour by this conuersion were made visible and the accidents of bread changed as it was done in the miracle at the mariage in Cana in which the water â—â—ax 2â— with the qualities was changed into the substance and qualities of wine there should be no exercise of faith it not being an obiect of faith or hidden secret but an effect Hebr. 11. not onely euident to reason but also to sense There should also haue been no merit For looke where eyther sense or reason giues any proofe faith hath no reward saith one of our Doctors S. Greg. bow 26. Ioan. 2. In the Miracle of Cana and in other such like there is not any need of faith but of good sense for to make triall as the Master of the banquet did who witnessed that the wine was excellent hauing had no more but a taste thereof for he could not haue faith not knowing any thing then of that which our Sauiour had done howsoeuer hee saw the effect And that which the Apostles did beleeue therein was not the conuersion of water into wine for that they saw with their owne eyes and vision is not faith but the Diuinity of the Soane of God secret worker of that apparent miracle and the merit also of their faith was not in seeing the conuersion of the water into the wine but in beleeuing with the eyes of faith the Diuinity of Iesus Christ which they did not see with their corporall eyes A soâ—rth reason wherefore God giues vs his body hid vnder these signes was secretly to hid the mystery of this diuine meate from the view and sight of Infidels and to take from them al occasion of calumniating the Christians For if they called them Andropâ—phages Tertal in Apol. cap. 7. Minutius Feliâ— in Ocla â—io Eusch l. 5. hist cap. 1. Orig. cont Cels lib. 6. Athenagâ—orat pro Christâ—â—â— and eaters of humane flesh as witnesse Tertullian Euse bius Minutius and other ancient Fathers because they heard say that they fed vpon the body of Iesus Christ in a certaine banquet where notwithstanding they see nothing but bread and wine what might they haue said and what crimes might they haue laid to their charge if they had either vnderstood or seene that they did eate that body in the naturall forme Finally hereby our Sauiour hath preserued the Maiesty of his body from many inconueniences of beasts and of men to which it had been exposed and in danger to bee often iniured in his proper forme whereas by hiding the same al the indignities are receiued in a garment which is not his owne that is to say in the shew of bread and wine albeit such as are guilty of those crimes must expect iust condemnation from God for the iniury which they haue done to this Sacrament 10. AS THE OLDE OBLATION OF FIRST fruits began in Pentecost so our new THe two last draughts figuring the Masse consist partly in the circumstance of time in which the old Oblation was instituted and put in practise partly in the Sacrifices which were to be offered before These two Lineaments haue been diuinely accomplished The time of this Sacrifice was the fiftith day Leuit. 25 10.11 Num. 4. a number importing remission of sinnes and of liberty and freedome In signe whereof euery fiftith yeare each one entered into the possession of the goods which they had formerly sold without repaying any money backe In the same yeare the Land was neither tilled nor sowne And the Leuites were freed from the seruice of the Temple after they were come to the fiftith yeare of their age As then the ancient offering was ordained in the Desert and practised only in the Land of Promise in the prefixed time of Pentecost that is to say Haruest being gathered in fifty dayes after Easter number of remission In like manner the Sacrifice of the Eucharist was instituted by our Sauiour being yet a traueller in the Desert of this world and put in practise by the Apostles after the descent of the holy Ghost vpon the day of Pentecost fiftith day day of pardon and remission putting the children of God in possession of the promised Kingdome which they had lost before a day of generall Haruest in which were to be reaped all sorts of celestiall fruits And as the three sorts of bloudy Sacrifices Holocausts Propitiatories and Pacifiques did goe before the old Oblation of First fruits in the same manner the bloudie Sacrifice of the Crosse figured heere by them weâ—thefore the practise of our new Oblation At this time then and according to the Figure the Apostles did begin to celebrate the Masse and to offer to God the First-fruits and the admirable and immortall wheat of the body of the Sonne of God cast on the Crosse to die springing out of the Sepulcher for to reuiue mounting to the right hand of his Father and gathered into his celestiall barnes there to raigne for euer The Oblation of First-fruits which vntill then had bin made in Figure eyther in the Law of Nature or of Moyses was but Barly as it were the beginning of Haruest but this heere was the great Haruest the great solemnitie of First-fruites and the great Oblation of celestiall Wheat and of the Bread that liueth and giueth life the true Pentecost and the true Iubily of the holy Ghost chiefe worker of this Sacrament and Sacrifice Of which our Sauiour speaking said The words Ioan. 6â— which I say vnto you are Spirit and Life as if he had said The words I speake vnto you concerning the eating of my flesh are not to bee vnderstood carnally after the manner of the Capharnaits who dreamed of dead flesh
childe were not to be valued at three pence And Andrew giuing notice to our Sauiour Cohn 6.7 of the afore named Loaues and Fishes saith But what are these amongst so many As indeed they might seeme to bee nothing for so great a number according to the rule of humane iudgement meaning the food with the eaters and not conndering what the diuine hand of God can doe Whilest they serue and admire the miracle the gues's bestirre themse lues lustily without sparing either their paines in eating or the meate set before them They who haue long since filled their stomackes begin to fill their bockets and there is not one heere that doth not keepe some piece of this bread some for necessary prouision others as reliques of deuotion And after all this the Apestles filled twelue baskets full with the fragments All of them are transported with ioy and astonishment preferring our Sauiour before Moyses as hauing found a meanes by his omniporent hand to furnish a table in the Desart whereas Moyses procured only Manna to fall from heauen made to his hands by the hands of Angels and not produced by any blessing of his Whereupon they resolue to take our Sauiour their head and to make him their King But hee who was created King by his Father Apec 19.16 and carieth written in his thigh and in his garment this stile King of Kings and Lord of Lords and is descended on earth to endure dishonors and not for to ioy in the glory of the world will not haue to doe with such electors nor with such a Kingdome Wherefore hee goes further into the desart stealing away both from their fight and election 1. THE MIRACLE OF THE FIVE LOAVES a Figure of the Eucharist THis wonderfull banquet prepared in this Desart was a Picture of our Sacrament as the Figures were which euen now haue been declared not so ancient for time but wrought by the hand of a more cunning work-man For the former Figures were anciently pictured indeed according to the direction of God but by the hand and Pensell of Moyses this was the inuention of our Sauiour himselfe and freshly drawne by his owne hand Wherefore those former did signifie a farre off and in diuers subiects the Eucharist and the Author thereof this is an entrance vnto it and sheweth it to bee neere at hand because it is done by the Author himselfe in proper person The others set foorth our diuine mystory as the old Prophets foretold the Messias to come many yeares after this heere did shew him in a manner present as Saint Iohn Baptist did point at our Sauiour with his finger And therefore as our Doctors note the Euangelist Saint Iohn great Secretary and most priuy to his Masters intentions before hee would set downe the Sermon which our Sauiour made of the eating of his flesh sets in the for efront the declaration of this miracle as a peece of the same subiect necessary for the vnderstanding of that Sermon and for the stranthening of our faith concerning the Feast which our Sauiour was to prepare shortly after By this method the supreame wisdome hath wisely taught vs tracing out by little and little both by deeds and words the way to the faith of this mystery of his pretious body working a miracle vpon the sustenance which was to be a signe thereof and declaring to vs the designe of the future banquet of his flesh to be after exhibited vnder the formes of bread Behold now proportions and colours of the Picture 2. IN WHAT THE MIRACLE OF THE fiue Loaues did Figure the Eucharist THis miracle was a Figure of the Eucharist in generall because it was a wonderfull refection as that is of the Eucharist wonderfull in that it was cleane contrary to other common repasts which in the beginning are greatest in quantity and the longer the banquet continueth the lesse meat remaineth till at last all be consumed Whereas heere contrariwise in the beginning there was but a little meate to wit fiue Loaues and two Fishes and the same enereased more and more the more it was distributed and eaten and in the end of the Feast there remained great aboundance This wonder appeareth farre greater in the Eucharist in which one onely body of our Sauiour hath sufficed for all the Church now more then sixteene hundred yeares which multiplieth without being many and is eaten without being consumed For if there be an hundred thousand Hoasts consecrated it is in them all and yet it is but one And if it be receiued of an hundred thousand mouthes it is taken whole and entire of all and neithere is nor can bee consumed of any This is the first draught of the likenes that is betweene the miracle of the fiue earthly loaues our celestial bread which is but one The other smaller draughts are these That miracle was made of bread by the blessing of our Sauiour it was done in the Desart it was prepared without labour paine or difficulty it was distributed by the Apostles and was a refection giuen both to the soules and bodies there is no doubt but faith hope and charitie reuerence religion and other vertues were planted in the hearts of many of them when they beheld this admirable worke done by our Sauiour for their good herehence it was that they would needs create him King These designes are expressed with liuely colours in the Eucharist for it is made of bread by the benediction of our Sauiour who worketh secretly by his Almighty word as a Master work-man in this Sacrament It is made in the Desart of this life for in the other there shall be no more Sacraments It is made after a simple manner onely of bread and wine and the words of Consecration whereas the ancient Sacrifices of the Iewes were made with paine and trauell much killing much washing and burning of the Victimes And if some other ceremonies be vsed in the Masse they are easie and appertaine rather to the decencie then to the essence of the Sacrament and Sacrifice In conclusion this Sacrifice and Feast is made by the ministery of the Apostles and of Priests succeeding them and it serueth to plant and encrease in the soule as elsewhere we haue declared Faith Hope Charity Religion and other diuine vertues true food of our soules and to giue vigour to our bodies that they may rise gloriously vpon the great day of the general resurrection 3. THE TWO FISHES A FIGVRE OF the same Sacrament THe Fishes by another similitude do signifie to vs the same Sacrament S. Aug. l. 1 S. de Qiuit cap. 23. Our Fish is Iesus Christ saith Saint Augustine because he alone was without sinne in the depth of this mortality as in the profundity of waters The same haue said Tertullian Tertul. de Rap. c. 1. Opt. Mil. l. 3. The Sibills S. August ibid. Iethus Optatus Mileuitan cited by the same Saint Augustine and many other Fathers And before them the Sibills
in their writings called our Sauiour a Fish but the Greeke word Iethus which they vsed containeth a remarkable Anagram which is not found in the Latine nor in any other Language for the fiue letters whereof it is composed make Resus Christos Theon Vies Seter Iesus Christ Sonne of God Sauiour He is then our Fish and the Fish giuen for food to the Church is no other but Iesus Christ giuen in the table of the Eucharist And it skilleth not that in this miracle there are two Fishes for both did signifie one self-same Iesus Christ God and man as doth also the fiue Loaues and it is not necessary that a Figure should bee like in all things to that which is signified Moreouer Christians in respect of their Head are also called Fishes We are bred in the water saith Tertullian Tertul. l. Bap. c. 1. as little fishes to the likenesse of our Fish Iesus Christ For it is the water of Baptisme which regenerateth vs in Iesus Christ to his Spouse the Church and whosoeuer are not Fishes of this water perish in the sea of this world 4. WHEREFORE NO MENTION IS MADE of any drinke in this miracle and other circumstances of it THe Euangelist makes no mention of any drinke in this miracle it being probable that as Manna was both meate and drinke euen so were these Loaues and Fishes multiplied which is also agreeable to the mystery for seeing they that follow Iesus Christ are fishes which naturally neuer drinke these also need no drinke being already become the Fishes of our Sauiour beleeuing in him albeit the mystery is yet greater in that hereby is noted a rare fingularity of the holy Sacrament For euen as Manna alone the Loaues and the Fishes did serue both for meate and drinke So the Sacrament in one kinde is both meate and drinke the body of our Sauiour seruing for both together as did Manna and those Loaues and Fishes Figures of it Now for other circumstances of this miracle wee obserue first that it was done in the Spring-time vpon the euening in the Desart before them which had heard and followed our Sauiour they being bidden to sit vpon the grasse These circumstances teach vs that the Sacrament of the Eucharist was instituted in the spirituall Spring of the world Psal 103.32 when Iesus Christ shortly after was to send his holy Spirit to renew the face of the earth to make a new Testament amending the old to wit a new Law a Law of Grace vpon the euening that is to say in the last houre of the world and in the Desart that is during this mortall life And that for those which should beleeue in his Word and which constantly follow him euen vnto the breaking of bread taming of their flesh despising of worldly vanities and the doing of that which they there did corporally eating also vpon the grasse in the Desart For all flesh is grasse Esay de 6. and all his glory is as the flower of the field saith Esay and he who subdueth his flesh and makes no reckoning of the flourishing beauty of the world is set vpon the grasse worthy to be fed with the blessing of our Sauiour by the seruice of his Apostles that is to say to receiue the food of immortality in the Church of God by the hands of his Vicars which are the Pastors and Priests thereof 5. WHY THE PEOPLE WOVLD CREATE our Sauiour King and why he fled them THese people thus satisfied were about to create our Sauiour King not entreating him but compelling him to accept the Royalty which hee foreseeing stayed not vntill they came to him but quickly withdrew himselfe from them and fled into the Mountaine to pray But from whence comes this desire in these men and wherfore did Iesus Christ refuse this honour fithence that he was Prince of heauen and earth and absolute King without dependance of any other If for the miracle they would haue made him King wherefore had they not the same will when they saw him cast foorth diuels out of the bodies they possessed and make those mighty wicked and rebellious spirits obedient to his Commandements Why had they not the same will when he commanded all diseases and maladies and was obeyed Making the blinde to see and the lame to goe c. These wonderfull miracles did not they also merit the same Diadem which this refection in the Desart did In truth if men consider them in their greatnesse they merited a diuine respect and acknowledgement but this miracle had some particular thing which moued these men to this desire and designe First it was a kind of miracle neuer heard of before Moyses had made Manna descend frō heauen Elias had made the flower and oyle to encrease in fauour of the Widow but Moyses made not the Manna with his owne hands Exod. 16. 3. King 17.14.16 as our Sauiour wrought this miracle and that which Elias did he did not by his owne power but receiued power of God to doeit Our Sauiour multiplied these Loaues in his owne hands and with his owne proper blessing this made them beleeue that he could be no lesse then the Messias King promised to Israel and for this cause they sought for to declare him King Secondly the other miracles of our Sauiour were particular principally effected for their good which were deliuered and healed This heere was a publike benefit done in the sight of all the multitude and to the profit of euery one of them in particular which caused in them a generall desire to acknowledge the same by conferring a publike honor vpon our Sauiour and by making him their head to whom they were so much obliged Thirdly they did acknowledge that this refection was a benefit worthy of a King For the principall office of a King is to guide and feed his subiects for which cause they are compared to Feeders and called Pastors of the people They would then haue proclaimed him King Esay 44.28 Homer Iliad 2. Philo Iudaus l. de Agricult as the Roman Souldiers made their Emperours and the other Nations of the world their first Kings But our Sauiour was not come to take vnto himselfe any earthly Kingdome but to establish a spirituall Kingdome of his elect who are the inheritance of his Church in the which hee is King of the Iewes and raigneth likewise in the hearts of all his faithfull subiects The earth is too base and too little for such a King it is heauen which is the true throne of such a Maiesty 〈◊〉 109.2 the earth is but his sootstoole Wisely therefore did hee to contemne this royalty reading vs a Iesson by his example to despise and slye the honours of this world as transitory and deceitfull and not to make esteeme but of such presents as come from heauen which are firme and permanent and onely worthy to bee giuen by an Almighty King and to be sought after by reasonable creatures capable
of immortality 6. GOD NOVRISHER OF EVERY CREAture true nutriment of his Children IF this good people seeing that Iesus Christ had so I magnificently and so miraculously filled them would haue made him King and honoured him with an honour which they held to be the greatest of all greatnesse heere vpon earth as wee haue heard what would they haue thought and what would they houe done if they had a little vnderstood that this Lord was hee which of olde had freed their Fathers in the Desart and which nourisheth the Angels in heauen and the blessed Spirits with food of his felicity who giues to eate to euery creature who keepes open table in the spacious ayre vpon the face of the earth within the depthes of the waters prouiding for the fowles in the ayre the beasts of the earth for the fishes of the sea and for all liuing creatures their proper food in their owne dwellings What would they haue said if the eyes of their soule had been opened to behold the grearnesse highnesse and profoundnesse of that miracle without comparison saire more admirable then the they did so much admire and esteemed worthy to bee rewarded with a Kingdome It is a farre greater miracle saith Saint Augustine to prouide for the whole world S. Aug. Tract in Ioan. 24. then to feed fiue thousand men with fiue Leaues and two Fisves And sithence this miracle is the greater wheresore did these men perceiue onely the lesser Was it not for so much as the most part of them had not the entire faith they should haue had of the Messias whom they did esteeme indeed a great man but not great God as they ought But what would they heue said had they knowne that this Sauiour would giue his slesh to men to eate and feed them to immortality And that with so many miracles as Nature it selfe stands wondering at them Would they not foorthwith haue proclaimed him not onely the King of men but of Angels also and of all the world Nay would they not haue inferred by good discourse that hee was God both of heauen and earth For it is God alone who hath power to giue himselfe in meate without diminution and detriment he alone in heauen giues his Diuinity for food of the blessed and he alone giues on earth the body of his Humanity to his seruants for food to saluation remaining no lesse entire then before a worke worthy of God infinite as well in power as in goodnesse Mortall Kings may wel prepare magnificent feasts such as were made by Holofernes Salomon Cleopatra and many Romane Emperours 3. Reg. 4. Plutarch in Anton. but they made them not of their owne substance it was not of their owne bodies that they were liberall it was but of the bodies of beasts and of other prouision which they had taken from the storehouse of Nature God alone can giue himselfe to be eaten he alone is almighty not to bee exhausted vncapable of diminution If then these things be so great and if we beleeue and see heere that which they neither saw nor beleeued If wee see the prouidence of our Sauiour to gouerne and nourish all the world his charity to vs in norishing vs with his flesh from the Table of his Church his truth in promising moreouer the food of felicity Why doe we not admire his benefits Why doe we not magnifie them Why doe wee not giue him immortall thankes for them The multitude of his wonders doe they dazell our eyes as a bright lightning or as the light of the Sunne The continuall multiplying of his presents doth it make his great liberality lesse admirable to vs But if as mortall men we take no heed to the workes which God doth in Nature euery day as being ordinary and common let vs at least regard the rare excellencie of this Table furnished with a meate more worth then all that Nature can affoord The Iewes filled with fiue Loaues and two Fishes thought not of the miracle which God doth in nourishing the whole world because that was a miracle frequent and common And yet they adwored that of the fiue Loaues S. Aug. Tract in Ioan. 24. not because it was greater saith S. Augustine but because it was more rare and lesse vsuall Wherefore admire not we then the rarenesse of our Sacrament sithence it is the miracle of miracles hauing no like and which by no continuance of time can become vulgar as the miracles of Nature Wherefore cry we not in our hearts Liue the King of Kings Raigne the King of Kings Immortall glory to the King of Kings which hath giuen a refection of so great a wonder filling with one loafe and with one fish that is with his sacred body not fiue thousand men for one time but millions of men and of women that haue wandered in the Desart of this world these sixteen hundred yeers and wil fill yet as many millions moe of Christian soules as shall feed vpon it to the end of the world who will fill them not as he hath filled those with the materiall food of the body for the maintenance of this mortall life But with spirituall food of the soule for to bee nourishment of immortality and mernall felicity Liue then O King of Kings true Life of our soules and bodies Raigne O King of Kings truely worthy to raigne Immortall glory to thee O King of Kings most wise to guide most mighty to defend most blessed tenderly to nourish the sheepe which follow thee in the mountaines and barren desarts of this mortall life O when shall this bee that wee shall arriue to the high mountaine of thy eternity there to take without end the food that thou thy selfe art true felicity of such as shall haue followed thee in the pathes of thy holy Commandements THE TWELFTH PICTVRE OVR SAVIOVR PREACHING OF THE SAcrament of his bodie The Description THE Sauiour of the world speakes the Diuine Word preacheth Iohn 6.59 the supreame Wisdome discourseth of the Sacrament of his body in the Synagogue of Capharnaum where he had done many great miracles The preheminence of the Orator and the dignity of the subiect deserueth an attentiue eare neuer man spake so and of such a matter He sees that the people follow him enticed by the miracle of the fiue Loaues and two Fishes and taketh occasion from their earthly desire to inuite them to a celestiall banquet of his flesh which he is about to prepare for those that shall beleeue in him and haue the appetite of their soules in good disposition Heare what he saith I am the bread of life Iohn 6.48 your Fathers haue eaten Manna and are dead this is the bread which descended from heauen that if any man eate of it he may not die I am the liuing bread descended from heauen he that eateth this bread shall liue eternally and the bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world Iohn 6.52 The
from heauen and saying That this bread is his flesh which he will giue for the life of the world He declareth that he will giue his body for our food and redemption And adding after He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euer lasting and I will rasse him vp at the last day for my flesh is meate indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed Hee signified the effects of this meate contrary to the effects of the meate of Adam The meate of Adam cause of death a deadly morsell an carthly food a food of anguish The meate of our Sauiour spring of life bread of life bread from heauen flesh of ioyfulnesse and of resurrection When he said Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him He sheweth that he giues his flesh for this vnion for a bond of amity and perpetuall pledge of his loue towards vs. Hee hath then giuen his body in this life for our good as many waies as it could be giuen for our redemption for our meat for our remedy for a pledge vnto vs to deliuer vs to nourish vs. to heale vs and to comfort vs and will giue it in heauen to glory for vs. Hath he giuen sufficiently is he sufficiently liberall to giue himselfe so liberally and at so many time and by so many wayes on earth and to promise himselfe vnto vs yet another way in heauen And are not wee exceedingly vngratefull in not acknowledging his goodnesse no lesse vniust in not giuing our selues to him that haue nothing but from him And most ingratefull in making no better vse of his gifts ordained to vnite our selues vnto him and amongst our selues for the attaining of life euerlasting What hath this diuine Spouse done What hath he inuented What doth he not What hath he not deuised to gaine the loue of a faithfull soule And what doe we In what doe we employ our selues to gaine his loue And who is it of whom this Prince so infinitly rich mighty and beautifull is so much inamored but of a poore caytiffe and deformed creature whom he would enrich nobilitate and beautifie to make him worthy of his Kingdome And how would he seeke to purchase by so many meanes the loue of such a creature if he were not goodnesse it selfe O infinit Goodnesse infinit Wisdome infinite Power fulnesse Make our soules holily inamored of thy beauty enlighten them with the diuine beames of thy celestiall knowledge and make them worthy of thy sacred loue 5. PRIDE AND LICENTIOVSNES ENEmies of Faith and the first aduersaries of the holy Sacrament PRide and sensuality are vncapable to vnderstand the wonders of God and vnworthy to receiue his benefits Wee haue heard the diuine promises of our Sauiour speaking of the eating of his flesh and of the euerlasting fruits thereof heere was cause to wonder at the height of the mystery and liberality of the Giuer and good occasion to say as Saint Peter a little after wondering said Thou bast the words of eternall life Iohn 6.63 They were heere neuerthelesse who in stead of being lifted vp in admiration were strucke downe to death by the words of life because pride and sense had made them bad hearers of the truth enemies of the light and vnable to behold further then humane iudgement could reach In so much as though truth it selfe did speake vnto them they murthered themselues by the voice of truth thinking that eyther he could not doe as he promised and giue his flesh to eate or that if hee could doe it it should be a very inhumane and barbarous act They vnderstood of flesh saith S. Augustine as if one should dismember a dead body or as men sell it in the market S. August Trust 27. in Ioan. in Psal 98. and flesh vnderstood not what it was he called flesh They thought that our Sauiour would cut his body into little bits and serue it to the table boyled and dressed as the body of a beast and standing vpon the bulwarke of their carnall imaginations and pushed forward by the spirit which blindes the soule in stead of being edified they were scandalized and became perfidious in their heart rude in their thought and blasphemers in their language and did say How can this man giue vs his flesh to cate Behold Iohn 6.52.60 a hard saying and who can endure it By the first question they did shew their incredulity not perswading themselues that our Sauiour could accomplish that which he did promise by the second they made their pride appeare condemning our Sauiour as if he intended to commit an horrible crime by killing himselfe and giuing mans flesh to eare if he should be able to doe that which he said People extreamely blinded with pride and sensuality for they had seene a little before a thousand of miracles done by the hand of our Sauiour and beleeued them without asking How And in stead of learning by those so many rare workes to beleeue more easily they heere aske How more incredulous then euer But why are they now so little obedient to the voice of our Sauiour Why were they not before more scrupulous and wary Wherfore did they not as well aske how he made the blinde to see the lame to walke the diuels to flye and of the fresh miracle how hee satisfied fiue thousand men with fiue Loaues and two Fishes Heere their How had been much more to purpose and more pertinent for they might haue vnderstood thereby that he did these things in the authority power of a Master Al-wise and Al-mighty and this knowledge would haue perswaded them that hee could powerfully and wisely accomplish this which hee so manifestly did promise of his flesh although it seemed impossible and absurde to their sense and iudgement But what will you They were proud and their pride had made them to lose the memory of what was past and bound their eyes not to see the truth present nor to fore-see the truth to come and in one word did make them obstinately erronious that is to say Heretikes Behold the first controulers the first persecutors and first Herenkes stirred vp against the truth of this holy Sacrament behold the first authors of Quomodo How out of which mould the Diuell hath shaped all the rest which sithence haue conspired against God for to assault the mysteries of his Church by Quomodo and by How and namely to shake this heere as the most high and most repugnant to their senfuality It was pride and the flesh that made them mutiners and rebels against the doctrine of Iesus Christ and presumptuous to comdemne that which they vnderstood not So the Arrians mocked at the Catholike faith concerning the generation of the Sonne of God whilest they would vnderstand that which they could not and would not beleeue that which they should to wit that God had begotten a Sonne Psal 3.7 Psal 109.1 and in stead of saying Christianlike I beleeue
Sea Baptisme Sampsons Foxes the Heretikes Golish the enemy of mankinde Danid Iesus Christ and that there is no other thing meant thereby he should make a spirituall fense indeed but should ouerthrow the ground of the history and commit Sacrilege against the Scripture which writeth the foresaid things as truly performed they should do in this as the Priscillianists did long since who did allegorize according to their fantasie all the passages and literall senses of the Scripture which were against their Herefie S. August lib. de Hares 70. as writeth S. Augustine In like manner these heere allegorize and say that there is nothing heere but a spirituall and mysticall eating of the flesh of our Saulour Iohn 6. For since that our Sauiour hath said that his flesh is meate indeed and his bloud drinke indeed and that who so eateth his slesh shall haue eternall life we must necessarily suppose a reall eating of a reall thing adde the spirituall allegoricall afterwards We sinde indeed in the Scriptures the word Lion put for the Diuell 1. 〈◊〉 18. Matth. 7.15 and the word Woulse for a faise prophet These are metaphoricall and spirituall significations but the same words are placed elswhere in their proper vsage and do signifie beasts and out of a resemblance of these words in their proper signification they are translated to signifie the Diuell and false Prophets Wherefore if there bee heere an eating of the flesh of our Sauiour all spirituall that is to say which is done onely by the Spirit without any reall taking of that flesh it is necessary to finde a proper and reall ground foundation thereof the which reall eating cannot bee but in the Eucharist containing really the flesh and bloud of our Sauiour true and proper meat true and proper drinke But is it not a carnall vnderstanding to admit a reall eating of the flesh of our Sauiour Yes doubtlesse if we should vnderstand as did the Capharnaiâ—s an humane and sensuall eating but the manducation which the Catholike Church teacheth and which we haue declared is reall indeed but spirituall but diuine and full of wonderous effects testimonies of the powerfulnesse goodnesse and wisdome of the Creator And when the ancient Fathers refute the carnall eating they neuer meane this heere but onely that which the Capharnalts did forge to themselues and which our Sauiour doth correct by the words we haue expounded as they sufficiently testifie of themselues For as often as the Fathers speak of this carnall eating they propose the Capharnaits as authors of that fond imagination and doe also pâ—â—nely shew that the eating of which our Sauiour did preach is of the reall flesh of him though the manner of taking be spirituall Let vs cite one or two for all Saint HILLARY S. Mill. 〈◊〉 8. de Trin. It is our Sauiour that said my flesh is mâ—â—te indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed Who shall 〈◊〉 my flesh and drinke my bloud dwelleth in mee and I in him Heere is no occasion to doubt of the truth of the flesh and bloud of our Sauiour for according to his word and according to our faith it is flesh indeed 〈◊〉 bloud indeed and those things taken and drunke by vs make that we are in Iesus Christ and Iesus Christ in vs. Is not this the â—â—th to them let it not be true which doe not beleene that Iesus Christ is true God He would say that the words of our Sauiour ought to be taken in their liuely and literall signification The same faith Saint AVGVSTINâ— Wee haue heard saith he the true Master the diâ—ine Rodâ—â—â—â—r and the Sauiour of mankinde recommending vnto vs his bloud our price He hath spoken to vs of his body and of his 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 said that his â—â—dy is 〈◊〉 and his bloud deinke when recommending to vs such meat and such drinke he said If you eate not my flesh and drinke not my bloud you shall 〈◊〉 haue life 〈◊〉 you And who could say this of life but Life himselfe Phâ—â— then shall bee deâ—â— to him and not life who shall thinke Life to be a lyer That is to say whosoever shal think that our Sauiour cannot or will not gine his flesh and his bloud as his words did fignifie he is an Insidell 〈◊〉 shall â—â—e and be damned for 〈◊〉 The other Doctors speake after the same manner that those two beere doe 10. TWO KINDES OF COMMVNION THE one Spirituall the other Sacramentall THe ancient Fathers haue clearely acknowledged an eating altogether spiritual of the flesh of our Sauiour which is done in hearing the Masse in meditating vpon the greatnesse of this banquot in taking the flesh of our Sauiour onely by sight by desire and by dâ—uotion But they haue deliuered thâ—â— doctrine without preiudice to that other which you haue heard for they haue euer beleeued and esteemed this reall eating which by proper name they haue called Sacramentall and haue preserâ—ed it before the other when it is holily done as also they haue preferted the Spirituall alone before the Sacramentall if it be not done with due preparation Rightly iudging that it is better to heate Masse deuoutly and contemplate the mysteries of this meate and communicate in â—b is spirituall maner then to communicate with a consciousâ— defiled with morâ—â—ll finno and by fiâ—â— to pâ—ophane the table of our Lord. And this Sacramentall eating though it bee reall ceaseth notto be spirituall because the 〈…〉 is supernaturall and diuiâ—e as hath been 〈…〉 is called Sacramentall for distinctions sake because heere men take the Sacrament The other simply bears the name of Spirituall because it is only done by Spirit without receiuing really the flesh of our Sauiour This Spirituall communion properly is but deuotion towards the Sacrament as the Sacramental is the reall receiuing of the Sacrament the which ought for an vnseparable companion alwayes to haue the Spirituall for otherwise it profiteth nothing and hurteth exceedingly much whereas the Spiritual may be profitable without the Sacramentall The children of God vse both sorts for they communicate both Sacramentally and Spiritually but the mis-beleeuers are depriued of both For denying the presence of the body of our Sauiour they take away the heart of the Sacrament and depriue themselues of the Sacramentall communion and not hauing the true faith of the Sacrament they cannot communicate spiritually For without faith no holy Spirit quickeneth no Sacrament profitath so that still they remaine carnall in their fancie as the Capharnaits did in theirs 11. OF THE DIVINE WISDOME AND goodnesse of God in this Sacrament and of the folly and ingratitude of men BVt before wee turne away our face from beholding this Picture let vs a little fixe the eyes of our vnderstanding vpon the contemplation of this diuine Widome preaching to vs of the communion of his flesh and vpon our owne basenesse not knowing how to acknowledge the sweetnesse of his diuino benefits On the one side let vs
consider the liberality of the Redeemer and on the otherside the ingratitude of men the wisdome of the Master and the folly of the Disciples Our Sauiour hauing sed the people with terrestriall bread intendeth to giue them the celestiall and to substitute the bread of life in place of the bread which was dead bread of the soule for bread of the body And behold these very men who hauing receiued and eaten the first bread esteemed the Giuer worthy the honor of a Scepter in recompence will not vnderstand our Sauiour preaching of the excellenty of the second although his words were very cleare yet they in their ignorance murmure against the bounty and wisdome of their Master for that bee promised to giue them bread of headen a deified bread which was his body not a strange body but his owne proper body not the flesh of beasts but the flesh of God incarnate They are scandalized because he intended to vnite them to himselfe by his flesh to deifie them by his flesh and to nourish them thereby not for soure and twenty houres onely but to all eternity They mistrusted his power were offended at his goodnesse and condemned the wisdome of his words before they vnderstood them â—â—hn 6.52 How oâ—n this man say they giue vs his flesh to eate O senselesse disciples and too obliuious And how a little before fed hee more then fiue thousand of you with fiue Loaues and two Fishes making aboundance in want and fruitfulnesse in the Desart If you beleeue Marth 14.16 Iohn â— he hath done this worke by power of his almightinesse wherefore aske you how hee can giue you his flesh wherefore esteeme you that he cannot accomplish this that he saith albeit it seemes vnpossible to you You say Behold a hard speech and who can endure it And what word find you so hard What hard speech could proceed out of the mouth of this good Master O delicate and dainty disciples what hath he said that so violently piereed your hearts What sentences hath hee vttered that seeme so hard for you to swallow He hath said That hee is the bread come downe from heane 〈…〉 that who so câ—teth this bread shall line eternally that the bread which be will gine is his flesh for the life of the world that his flesh is meat indeed and his bloud drinke indeed These words of Iron or of stone as are your breasts Are they not words of life and of eternall life words of saluation and consolation Doth life displease you Doth Saluation scandalize you and Consolation grieue you to the heart Are you not malitious schollers to striue against so louing a Lesson and desperately discased to enter into madnesse at the hearing of such a voice and that of such a Physition and that of such a promise of eternall life And if these words so louingly vttered by this sweet Lambe seeme to you intollerable how hard to you shall those words bee which hee shal vtter against you in his great day and against all them who shall bee incredulous as you are when he will say when hee will pronounce when hee will thunder out his last and irreuocable decree Goe you â—ursed from mee into eternall fire prepared for the Dâ—â—ll and his angels If the sweetnesse of the Lambe and Sauiour of the world bee now intollerable to you what will be the rigour of the Iudge of Angels and men then condemning your want of faith But if you finde difficult to your vnderstanding the words of the Master wherefore as good disciples aske you not to the end to be instructed If you haue conceiued some opinion of this Master by reason of the wonders that he hath done before you wherefore think you that he cannot do this that he promiseth that he cannot declare to you this which to you is difficult Why condemne you his doctrine before you vnderstand it Why depart you from the company of the truth which would instruct you 12. TO THE STRAYED SHEEPE OF our age BVt O you wandering soules of this last age why goe you backward in hauing abandoned the company of this Master imitating these your olde predecessors the Capharnaits who going out of the house of God haue forsaken the Table and the Feast of the flesh of the Son of God to goe take a bit of bread out of the throate of Wolues Why imitate you the Capharnaits which condemne you Wherefore like vnto them murmure you at the almightinesse of the wisdome of him that said The bread Iohn 6.51 that I shall gine you is my flesh Why beleeue you not this that he saith since that it is the mouth of Truth that speakes it which cannot lye Why giue you Law and measure to his arme saying That he cannot make a body be without possessing place and that it cannot bee at the same time in diuers places in heauen and earth in many Churches and on many Altars Can he doe nothing that is aboue the capacity of your braines But what faith is yours to beleeue nothing except that which sense witnesseth to you or which your spirit comprehendeth is it not the faith of a faithlesse Philosopher which followes the course of the creature altogether ignorant of the power of the Creator And what iudgement is yours to reiect the Catholike faith about this great mystery for not hauing the capacity to vnderstand it Seeing there haue been a thousand things in Nature it selfe that the Philosophers vnderstood not and for not vnderstanding them did they reiect them But can you vnderstand how our Sauiour took humane flesh without the seed of man how our bodies reduced into ashes shall rise againe How the bodies of the damned shall burne without being consumed in eternall flames and other mysteries of our faith And if you beleeue these things without vnderstanding them why beleeue you not this heere If this seeme more difficult to you so much the more haue you wherein to admire the omnipotencie of God and so much the more merit in beleeuing If you beleeue that God is Almighty why doe you not beleeue he can doe this that he saith who hath made the whole world by his onely word If you beleeue him all wise why beleeue you not what hee hath ordained is decreed with great wisdome albeit your iudgement cannot attaine to the secret of it If you beleeue that hee is most good why doe you not simply vse the gift of his Maiesty Wherefore say you that it is a carnall thing to haue his flesh to eate seeing he hath so disposed of it as it may be really and yet spiritually eaten Are you not proud in your basenesse rather beleeuing the infirmity of your iudgement then the greatnesse of his Almightinesse Intollerable in your folly condemning this which his wisdome ordained Vngratefull in your vnbeleeuing refusing the meate that he offers you for your health O good Iesus O good Master O good Pastor illuminate teach bring home these poore wanderers
family Iesus Christ who held the vpper end of this first bed Saint Peter is next Saint Iohn the other are fiue and fiue on two other beds They are a little astonished and sorrowfull euery one examining his conscience vpon that which our Sauiour hath said euen now in eating the Lambe that there was one amongst them which would betray him Saint Iohn the nearest to him and the boldest asked him who it should be but neither he nor the rest of his companions could know any thing except Iudas who in his heart was twisting the cord of treason against his Master to his owne condemnation Euery one is afraid to fall into this foule crime except the offender And all attend the issue of some great mystery not onely by reason of the ceremony of washing which our Sauiour had neuer vsed in keeping the Passouer with them the yeares before but also because of his countenance behauiour and words for men reade in his eyes in his mouth and in all his visage the graces of a diuine loue and the grauity of Maiesty more then humane and his words full of affection and of wisdome did witnesse that he did meditate some worthy proofe of an Almighty power 〈◊〉 22.15 Hee tould them that he greatly destred to eate this Passouer with them before he suffered not the Iewes Passouer which he had long since eaten drawing the last line of the Figure but the Passouer of his body These are significatiue words of great affection and the affection of so powerfull a Lord cannot faile to effect some great thing He hath taken the bread hath blessed and broken it as before he blessed the fiue Loaues and two fishes Matth. 14. They moreouer perswade themselues that this ceremony is a preamble of some miracle neuer heard of before Being then thus attentiue he gaue to them all that which hee had taken saying 〈◊〉 6. This is my body take and eate He giues now the Cup saying This is the Chalice of my 〈◊〉 of the new Testament drinks you all of it and doe this in remembrance of me They did drinke and as they found themselues wholly transported and ranished with loue when they tooke the Sacrament of his body vnder the forme of bread So now they feele their soules set a sire with a diuine flame by drinking of the mysterious and beauenly liquor of his pretious bloud Iudas alone by his fault made no benefit of it for he hath not taken this holy flesh diuine drink with a requisite preparation The Diuell had seized on his heart long since had porswaded him to betray his Master he had his feete cleansed but 〈◊〉 soule loaden with filthinesse wherefore taking vnworthily a meate so worthy hee hath swallowed death and damnation in place whereof the others receiued life and sanctification Behold the chiefe worke of our Sauiour effected and perfected in fiue words behold the signification and protâ—â—se of a thousand Prophesies and Figures past fulfilled in one truth Behold the offered Lambe in an vnbloudy Sacrifice commemorating that of the Crosse which to morrow he ought to accomplish Behold the Masse and the magnificent â—â—â—ation of Christians which shall endure euen to the end of the world to honor the Creator of the world to celebrate the death of his Sonne and to nourish his children with his Flesh to eternall life Matth. 26.30 Marke 14. 〈◊〉 Our Sauiour rising from the Table goeth his way and hauing like a true Father giuen many documents parsing from his children and saying vn Hymne in action of thankes goeth foorth vnto the Garden of Oliues Hee went long since and is walking there O sweet Lambe whither goest thou in the snary darknesse of this dangerous night thou knowest well that this is the place noted by the Trdytor which hath sold thee for ready money thou well knowest that the wolues are already trouped and armed with crast and rage to take thee and lead thee bound to the butchery than 〈◊〉 O drinke Wâ—â—lome for nothing can scape the eyes of thy diuine prouidence thou knowest that there for our saluation an agony of horror shall fall vpon thee Luke 22.44 and a bloudy sweat shall flow from thy passioned body with extreame feare of thy grieued soule euen to the death thou knowest thou shalt be taken there and bee bound like a Lambe and bee led from thence like a theefe to Execution and notwithstanding all this thou goest thither nay thou goest thither because thou doest know it And what compels thee to these voluntary torments O Redeemer of my soule but the force of thy loue and mercy which make thee goe with ioyfulnesse of heart to present thy selfe to the combate for to pull forth the children of Adam out of the oppression of sinne and from danger of eternall damnation by the price of thy bloud O great God by what offices seruices and Sacrifices shall we be able to acknowledge this thy vnlimitted bounty O my soule what wilt thou doe for such a Redeemer with what loue canst thou sufficiently loue him by what words canst thou duely thanke him and with what honor wilt thou adore him 1. THE ENTRANCE THAT SAINT IOHN maketh by which he declareth the greatnesse of the mystery of the Eucharist which our Sauiour was to institute THis Picture represents vnto vs the Institution of the Sacrament and Sacrifice of our Lords body the noblest actioÌ„ the diuinest InstitutioÌ„ that euer he did after he was made Man the richest present that hee did euer giue to God and to men while he liued mortal vpon the earth and the highest mystery that hee was to leaue in the treasures of his deare Spouse the Church We haue formerly discoursed hereof in many precedent Figures and namely in that of Manna it will bee sufficient heere to note the circumstances of the present history which especially set forth the greatnesse of it Saint Iohn beginning his narration of the washing of feete vpon the Eue of the Pasche writeth thus Iesus knowing that his houre was come that he should passe out of this world to his Father whereas he had loued his that were in the world vnto the end hee loued them And when Supper was done whereas the Diuell now had put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot to betray him knowing that the Father had giuen all things into his hands and that hee came from God and returned to God he riseth from Supper and layeth aside his garments And that which followeth of the washing of feete by which words Saint Iohn taught vs that our Sauiour was now in the vigill of his Passion that he had loued and did constantly loue his owne that he was the Sonne of God hauing all things in his power And by these preamples hee signified vnto vs that in this Euening so neare to his departure hee was to make the conclusion of all his course by some notable acte to the honor of his Father and their good whom
and ancient Doctor Iesus Christ saying This is my body sheweth that the bread sanctified vpon the Altar is his body and not the Figure of it seeing that he saith not this is the Figure of my body but This is my body for it is thansformed in an explicable manner though outwardly it seemeth bread Saint AMBROSE S. Ambros de Sacr. l. 5. c. 4. 5. It is the word of Christ which made this Sacrament by which Word all hath been made Our Lord commanded and the earth was made seest thou then how working his Word is If then his Word hath been so mighty as it made that to be which was nothing before how much more easy will it be vnto him to change one thing into another the bread before consecration is bread but after the vttering of these words This is my body it is the body of Christ Heare him saying This is my body take you all and eate of this It is Iesus our Lord which testifieth that wee receiue his body and his bloud shall we doubt of his fidelity or testimony Saint CYPRIAN This saith our Lord is my body S. Cyp. de cun Dom. They had according to the visible forme eaten of the same bread and drunke of the same wine But before these words that food was onely for the nourishment of the body and to giue strength to the corporall life but after that Iesus Christ had said Doe yee this in remembrance of me This is my flesh The forme of Consecration are these words THIS IS MY BODY This is my bloud as often times as the same words are pronounced with the same faith this substantiall bread and this consecrated Chalice with solemne benedicton hath been profitable for the health of the whole man He teacheth then that the words of our Sauior are vnderstood according as they do signifie and that they are the forme by which the bread and the wine are consecrated into the body and bloud of our Sauiour Saint AVGVSTINE writing the ancient enstome of Christians who did answer Amen S. August l. 22. cont Faust c. 10. in Psal 33. Concil 1. after that the Priest had vttered the words of Consecration This is my body this is my bloud saith thus The bloud of Christ giueth a cleare voice on earth then when as the Christians hauing receiued answered Amen It is the cleare voice of bloud that the bloud it selfe pronounceth by the mouth of the faithfull receiued by that bloud The same Author elsewhere Iesus saith hee carried himselfe in his hands when recommending his body he said This is my body It was then according to the literall sense of the Word the body of our Sauiour Saint ANSELME S. Anselm in 1. Cor. 11. expounding the selfe-same clauses maketh Iesus Christ to speak thus Eate this that I giue you because it is my body It plainly appeares bread to the outward senses but acknowledge by the sense of faith that this is my body the same in substance that shall be giuen for you to death This is the Exposition of the ancient Fathers and there hath neuer been any Doctor of the Catholike Church which gaue to these words This is my body other sense then these heere doe giue And this is the meaning of Iesus Christ and whosoeuer followeth any other he is gone out of the Schoole of Christ Iesus taking a lye for truth and damnation for food of eternall life 5. MYSTICALL REFERENCES OF OVR Sauiours words THIS IS MY BODY to the ancient Figures and to all other bodies THis is my body saith our Sauiour We haue said something vpon these words but it is nothing in comparison of that which may yet be said they are cleare but yet they are full of hidden meanings They alone containe the old and new Testament and flye in signification farre aboue the height of heauen more profound then the depthes of the Ocean and more in widenesse then is the compasse of the world in sweetenesse they surmount all the hony and milke of the Land of Promise in vertue the power of all men and Angels and in greatnesse the Maiesty of all Kings that euer were vpon the earth The words which made the world out of nothing were great in effect in heauen they made the Starres the Fishes in the sea Gen. 1 in the ayre the Fowles vnder earth the stones and mettells and vpon earth the Plants the Trees the Lions the Elephants and other creatures in number infinite and in beauty admitable but that which our Sauiour saith and in saying effecteth by these words This is my body is more infinite then all that together this body is more then a thousand worlds if so many had been produced The most excellent name of God is the Tetragram expressed vnder the voice Idoney composed of foure letters not to be vttered by the Iewes This clause This is my body it the clause Tetragram wouen of foure words euident to the eares of faith but vnexplanable by the tongue either of man or Angell What shall we say then to expresse the vertue of it And who can or shall expresse it but he who is the Author of these words and mysteries It is he must do it that is the all-knowing Word and all powerfull able to know to say and to doe whatsoeuer he will What said then this great God by these words This is my body He said that it is his body and saying this he said all that is precious admirable and diuine amongst bodies Hee distinguisheth all the bodies that he had euer made or created from his owne and prefetreth it before them all Hee said I haue made the Sunne and the Moone the Starres and all those immortall bodies which on high make the wainscot of my Fathers Pallace but these are not my body neither substances allied to my person these to me are strange bodies This is my body which I haue formed by an extraordinary way in the wombe of an holy Virgin which I haue diuinely appropriated to my greatnesse and which I haue made the habitation of my dignity The other bodies are parts of my possession this heere is the body of my particular person surpassing the excellency of all the bodies long since consecrated to God and were propheticall Figures thereof The Tree of Life planted in the earthly Paradise the Lambe of innocent Abel offered in Sacrifice the bread of Melchi adech giuen in blessing the Sacrifice of Abraham accomplished by rare faith and obedience the Hebrewes Paschall Lambe the Manna from heauen the Loaues of Proposition the First-fruit offerings the bread of Eliah the Sheepe the Lambe the Ewes the Heifers the Beefes the Oxen the Doues the Sparrowes the Turtles and all the bodies of beasts which the Law of Moses set vpon the Altar in Holocaust in action of thanks in Propitiation all the bodies that men haue offred to the Maiesty of my Father haue been sacred bodies the Figures of this my
the Church in her first increasings Shee sheweth the Church vnder the Law of Nature at the Change in the weaknesse of her beames and on the fourteenth day when shee is at the Full shee hath a resemblance of the Church in the Synagogue as we haue said but in that she became a new Moone after a new manner in her fifteenth day she signified the Church in the Law of Grace The newnesse and new manner consists in this that shee drew neare to the Sun by an extraordinary meanes for being on Thursday so farre from it as the East from the West the next day shee was euen against it which approachment shee should not make according to her naturall course but in the space of fourteene dayes supernaturally also and with no lesse wonder shee returned to the East on Friday euening at Sun-set where shee had been the night before And so in six houres shee put on the seuerall roabes of all her states for shee was new shee was in he first quarter shee was in her fulnesse and in the beginning of her third seuenth to wit in her fifteenth day In these circumstances and in these wonders happening neuer before nor since shee marketh out the Church in the state of Grace a state of singular renouation of a third seuenth of a third time in the new Pasch in the new and great Sacrifice and Feast instituted by the Sonne of God in his body To which purpose Saint Augustine writeth in these words Because wee are in the third time of all the worlds continuance 〈◊〉 Aug. 〈◊〉 119. ad lanâ—er c. 3. herehence it is that our Sauiour rose vpon the third day The first time was before the Law the second in the Law the third vnder Grace in the which is manifested the Sacrament which was hid in the folds of the Propheticall bookes This it is that which was signified by the number of the Moones and for that 〈◊〉 the Scripture the number of seuen hath a mysticall signification of perfection the Pasche was celebrated in the third weeke of the Moone which is betweene the fourteenth and the â—â—e and twentieth day Behold how God reades vs a lesson by his Starres teaching vs Paradise by the skie and communicating to vs the beames of his intellectuall light by the condition and course of the corporall 18. OVR SAVIOVR HAVING INSTITVted the Sacrifice and Sacrament of his body goeth foorth of his ledging to goe to the Garden of Oliuet THe sweete Lambe being offered this euening and giuen in refection to his Apostles and hauing abolished the olde Pasche and instituted the new as hath been said sung an Hymne with his Apostles after the tradition of the Iewes and went forth to goe to the garden of Oliuet where he was to be deliuered by Iudas to the wicked who had already the watch-word to apprehend him This only remained to accomplish all the proofes of his infinite loue towards mankinde He was first offered to his Father by an vnbloudy Sacrifice without death and passion he went forth to be taken afterwards as a Lambe and to be made a victime on the Crosse there shedding his bloud and giuing his life He had giuen his body to his friends he goeth now to offer it to his enemies He had refectioned the soules of the humble he went soone after to bee fed with gall to drinke viniger to surfet with the torments and reproaches of the proud He long since planted a Garden of delights of rest and of honor he is now gone to a garden of sorrowes of combate and of disgrace He planted the Tree of Life in that delightfull Garden he commeth to plant another in the Orchard of his Church more exquisit and more excellent without comparison And himselfe walkes in this solitary Garden to repaire the fault committed in the first Garden In that the debt was made by disobedience in this it began to be paid by humility In planting the first Garden and the first tree of life he only imployed his word who commanded and all was made but in this it is not so one houres stay in this will cost thee thy bloud O my sweet Redeemer and with the droppes of that pretious purple the beds of this garden must be watred And the Tree of Life which thou hast planted in the Paradise of thy Church is not any meane effect as that was of thy holy word but thy pretious body and bloud it selfe accompanied with the aray of thy holy Diuinitie O my Lord what can I say to prayse thy magnificency I say that thou art magnificent euery way in taking and giuing in feeding and in suffering euery way good and euery liberall of thy goods and of thy selfe euery way rich in mercy and euery way aboundant in propitiation herehence it is that for thy last retraite thou goest to the Garden of Oliuet to make for vs and to giue vnto vs the oyle of thy mercies Oliues for vs but Apples of anguish for thee O my soule thy Redeemer goeth in the night and goeth to subiect himselfe for thee to paines in this Garden doe something for him accompany him amidst this darknesse haue compassion on him admire his loue towards thee loath thy sinnes that haue cast him into these vexations weepe and pray with him offer him thy heart and seruice in this perplexed high-way of his Agony And fince thou art written in his Will called to his Heritage and placed at the Table of his Kingdome to eate of his fruit of life giue some signe of a grateful soule and mindfull of so many benefits make him some present of thy gifts that he hath giuen thee and giue him something of that which he hath made thine albeit thou art nothing yet giue him thy selfe in giuing thy selfe thou shalt become something giue thy selfe to him since he hath giuen himselfe to thee and when I say himselfe what say I an infinite depth of goodnesse giuen many wayes vnto thee in his birth in his conuersation in thy meate in his death and in all the kindes that a thing can be giuen After thou hast contemplated thanked followed and serued him in the Garden of Oliues at the Iudgement Barre of Pilate in the Mount Caluary at the Crosse with teares and sighes of loue of compunction and compassion make him often thy Host by means of this diuine Table which he hath prepared for thee of his immortall and glorious body to giue himselfe to thee and to lodge with thee so often as thou wilt and taking the healthfull refection of his dish contemplate moreouer in this Table the delicates of Paradise and of eternall life which shall follow after For as the Altars of the Hebrewes were Figures of this Feast so this Feast is the Image of the celestiall Table Heere thou eatest the bread of Angells in heauen thou shalt also liue of the bread of Angels Heere thy meat is God himselfe the self-same God will be thy food at that Table