then vnderstand how our Lord would giue vs his flesh to eate and his bloud to drinke but he beleeued the words to be good which he did not vnderstand and that they should eate his true flesh and drinke his true bloud because Christ was God and Sonne of God and therefore casting of all doubts and misbeleef against this Sacrament and firmely beleeuing that they should eate his true flesh indeed and drinke his bloud indeed answered Lord vnto whome shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall lyfe and we beleeue and haue known that thou art Christ the some of God Ioh. 6. 68. 11. The reason why S. Peter answered thus was because the Jewes and many of the Disciples The reason of S. Peters ansvver to our Sauiour vvhenothers beleeued not his vvords spokē about this Sacrament who murmured at our Sauiours words and sayed This saying is hard that they should eate his flesh and drinke his bloud did not beleeue that he was God but only man saying How cann this man giue vs his flesh to eate who if they had beleeued that he was God and Sonne of God would haue made no difficulty in beleeuing that he would giue them his flesh to eate and his bloud to drinke knowing that with God all things are possible Math. 19. 26. and that there shall not be impossible with God any word Luk. 1. 37. And therefore S. Peter said Thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and haue known that thou art Christ the Sonne of God According to the profession of his faith formely made saying Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Math. 16. 16. And therefore he and the rest of the Apostles only Iudas excepted beleeued that he both could and would giue The institution of the Sacrament often repeated in the Scriptures least there might be any doubt them his flesh to eate and bloud to drinke 12. And least there might be any doubt made whether our Sauiour gaue his body and bloud in the Communion or no S. Matthew S. Luke S. Marke and S. Paule when they speake of the institution of the communion doe all affirme that our Lord took bread and blessing said Take ye and eate this is my body and likewise the Chalice saying Drinke ye all of his for this is my bloud Insomuch as amongst them all accounting both the body and bloud least there might be any doubt made of the deliuering his body to eate and his bloud to drinke they repeate it eight times in the words of institution besides other places 13. And to take awaie all doubtes and distrust that our Lord in the institution of the communion did not giue his body to eate and bloud to drinke according to his promise in the 6. of S. Iohn our Lord did not only saye Take ye and eate this is my body and Drinke ye all of this this is my bloud but also added a reason or cause why he would haue them to eate and drinke that holy VVhy our Sauiour vvould haue the Apostles to receaue the communion communion saying for this is my body as wittnesseth Alexander the first who was made Bishopp of Rome in the yeare 121. in the 2. chapter of his 1. Epistle to all Catholikes Origen in his 35. tract vpon S. Mattheuw S. Ambrose in the 5. chapter of his 4. book of Sacraments S. Marke in his publike Liturgy c. And againe For this is my bloud as wittnesseth S. Mattheuw Matth. 26. 28. S. Ciprian Epist 63. S. Hierome Epist 150. c. where our Lord doth assigne vnto the Apostles as a cause or reason why he would haue them eate and drinke of that vvhich he had prepared for them in the communion for or because it vvas his body for or because it was his bloud shewing vnto them that the motiue which moued him so much to desire the institution of this blessed Sacrament and that they should eate and drinke of it was because it was his body and bloud and that he might feede them with his body and bloud to the fulfilling of what he had promised in the sixt of S. Iohn 14. Moreouer all the people and nations vnto All nations vnto vvhich the Apostles preached beleeued the reall presence which the Apostles preached which would be to long to reckon vpp beleeued that our Lord both then did and now doth giue his body to eate and his bloud to drinke in the Communiō as is manifest by their chronicles histories recordes monuments bookes of common prayer and practise and it is not possible that all the nations vnto which the Apostles preached being so infinite many and so farr distant one from another diuided by diuerse languages principalities and kingdomes should all fall into one and the same errour as we see by experience and into an errour Hovv impossible it is for the reall presence to be inuented by any man so hard to be embraced a◠it is to beleeue that vnder the species of all litle peece of bread was the body of the Sonne of God which sitteth at the right hand of God the Father in heauen and vnder the species of a litle wine was the bloud of the Sonne of God and adore and respect them as his true reall and substantiall body and bloud when at the first speaking of it by our Lord it seemed a thing so improbable that not only the Jewes murmured at it but also many of the Disciples were scādalised to heare of it insuch sort as at the hearing of it only they went backe and walked no more which our Lord. Iohn 6. And yet notwithstanding all this can it be imagined by any vnderstanding man that after the death of our Lord all the whole Christian world without a teacher and without a master would beleeue these things of themselues and no man to take notice either when or where or hovv they fell into these supposed grosse errours as the Comike sayeth These things are not well deuised Dauus 15. And because the ancient Fathers of the primitiue Church most firmly beleeued that the Great synners not communicated vntill after many yeares of penance same body and bloud of our Lord which sitteth at the right hand of God the Father in heauen was in the B. Sacrament after consecration therefore they did not communicate great sinners as adulterers drunkards apostatas and the like vntill after many yeares of penance as wittnesseth the Councel of Iliberis celebrated in the yeare 305. throughout the Councel of Arles held in the yeare 314. can 14. and 23. the Councel of Ancira gathered the same yeare the first great Councel of Nice Can. 10. 11. 12. and 13. according to the greeke copie which they did for the great respect they had to the most sacred body and bloud of our Lord in the communion Not to giue that which is holy vnto doggs nor cast pearles before swine according as our Lord had giuen commandement Matth. 7. 6. 16. If these
then did should not haue power and authority as The cause vvhy Protestans and Puritans deny the reall presence in the B. Sacrament agents and instruments of God to consecrate his true reall and substantiall body and bloud if it be not but because they want the Sacrament of order and know that these words Do this were not spoken vnto them And therefore knowing that they haue no authority or power to consecrat and yet resolue to be as they are not to fall into manifest idolatry and to teach the people to esteeme and adore a peece of bread for God of two euils haue chosen the lesser and therefore say that after consecration there is nothing but bread and wine our Sauiours words effect nothing the whole busines cōsisteth in taking bread and apprehending Christ in heauen by the hand of faith and be thankefull Otherwise if we should seeke to pry and dyue into by naturall reason how and when and after what manner God createth soules in the generation of men and infuseth them into their bodyes or of what substance they are of or how they being spirituall informe the body and make one man with the body what operations they haue where the will vnderstanding and memory are placed and how they are diuided seeing the soule hath no parts how the soule mooueth the body and preserueth it from corruption how it affordeth ability te see heare smell touch and tast in what gulf the memory putteth all these species of things which she reteyneth from whence they come when they are called for and where some lye hid which cannot be found when we would and how and where we find then we shall find no lesse difficulty in these things then in knowing how a body that already is may at the same tyme be in diuers places and vnder diuers dimensions and species by the will and power of God 10. And if none should beleeue that he had a soule vnlesse he did know certainly and manifestly all these howe 's then few would attaine vnto the beliefe that he had a soule thoug all men should study Aristotles book de anima or what soeuer books they could find to that purpose all their liues yet what is more familiar vnto a man thē his soule wherewith he liues and mooues whereby we see ho absurd a thing it is not to beleeue the misteries of our faith vnlesse we cann certainly and manifestly know by reason how euery thing in particular is for then it were not a mistery of faith but a thing manifest to our senses whereas faith Is an argument of things not appearing to the senses Heb. 11. Wherefore as in the creation of all As in the founding of his earthly Kingdome God spake and things vvere so done so in founding his spirituall Kingdome vvhich is his Church things and establishing his earthly Kingdome God spake the word and we beleeue that they were made of nothing by the omnipotency of his word though we know not how God made them or could make them of nothing more then by the omnipotency of his word so here establishing the B. Sacrament in his Church he took bread and blessed and said This is my body and likwise wine and said This is my bloud and we beleeue that the bread was changed into his body and the wine into his bloud by the omnipotency of his word though we know not how God could change bread into his body or vvine into his bloud and putt them into so little a roome and vnder the species of bread and vvine but by the omnipotency of his vvord And as after God had created the earth and mankind he said to the earth Let the earth shoote forth green hearbs and such as may seed c. and to man Increase and multiply and vve beleeue that both the earth and man by the omnipotency of his vvord receaued vertue and power to do that vvhich he said though we do not know vvhere this power lyeth or in vvhat part or hovv these things come to passe more then by the omnipotency of his vvord so after that God had instituted this Sacrament and consecrated his body and bloud he said to Bishopps and Priests rightly ordained Doe this and This doe ye and vve beleeue that Bishopps and Priests rightly ordained haue power to consecrate the body and bloud of our Lord though vve doe not knovv vvhere the power lyeth in Priests or hovv it cometh to passe more then by the omnipotency of the vvord of God 11. Besides that vvhich I haue said in the former Chapter S. Iohn Damascene in the 14. chapter of his 4. book Orthodoxaefidei explicateth this point at large saying Our Lord breaking the bread gaue it vnto his Disciples saying take eate this is my body c. S. Damascene of the manner hovv the body of our Lord cometh to be in the Eucharist If then the word of God be quickning and full of efficacy and all that our Lord hath willed he hath done if he hath said lett light be made and it was done if he haue said lett the firmament be made and it vas donn if by the word of God the heauens haue been established and all their vertues by the spirit of his mouth if the heauen and the earth and the water and the fier and all their ornaments and man himself who is so famous a liuing thing haue been perfected by the word of our Lord if God the word itselfe willing it was made man and was formed of the pure and immaculate bloud of the holy alwayes Virgin without seede and flesh vnited hypostatically with him could he not make the bread his body and the wine and water his bloud He said in the beginning lett the earth bring forth green hearbes and euen vntill this day by the fall of raine the earth doth bring forth her proper plantes aided and fortified by the commaundement of God And God hath said This is my body doe this in commemoration of me and this by the omnipotency of his commaund will be donn vntill he come Thus S. Damascenus of the change of the bread and vvine in the consecration of the blessed Sacrament by the omnipotency of God Eusebius Emissenus in his Sermon of the body of our Lord speaketh to the same effect saying When the creatures of bread and wine are placed vpon the Altar to be blessed before they are consecrated by the inuocation of the holy Ghost there is present the substance of bread and wine but after the words of Christ there is Christs body and bloud and what great matter is it if he who could create all things by his word could conuert and change these thinges which he had created into other natures 12. If our Aduersaries will grant as commonly The spirituall kingdome more excellent then the temporall and therefore more probable to be founded by the omnipotency of God they do that God by the omnipotency of his word established
bowed themselues and adored God and then the King Dauid adored 1. Chronic. 29. 20. Whereby it is manifest that exterior visible adoration by bowing euen to the ground may be giuen both to God and men and that nether it nor any other outward visible signe except the offering of visible Sacrifice is such a signe of diuine worship or Latria or so due vnto God alone that they may not be giuen vnto men which S. Augustin in the 4. Chapter of his 10. book of the Cittie of God further witnesseth saying There is not any man to be found who dare say that Sacrifice is due vnto any but to God alone 3. Whereas some obiect that S. Iohn fell downe The obiectiō of S. Iohn adoring aunsvvered at the feete of an Angel to adore him Reuel 19. 10. and 22. 8. And the Angel said See thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant adore God This only prooueth that S. Iohn and the Angel were humble the one in adoring and the other in refusing to be adored and that adoration by bowing down to the ground may be giuen vnto both God and his creatures vnlesse we should say that S. Iohn being aduertised in the 19. Chapter that he was an Angel would yet notwithstandinh in the 22. Chapter adore him agayn and fell down before his feete and willingly and wittingly commit Idolatry which is absurd and contrary to the Text the Angel saying twice vnto him I am they fellow seruant one of thy Brethren yet certayn it is that Angels are not fellow-seruants and brethren to Idolaters whereby it appeareth that S. Iohn by twice falling before the feete of an Angel to adore him did no euill act nor committed any sinne 4. Neither doth the Angel say that he refused The cause vvhy the Angel refused to be adored by S. Iohn to be adored of S. Iohn because it was euill or only due vnto God which should be contrary vnto all the places of Scriptures before alleged but the cause why he would not haue S. Iohn to adore him was as there he saith For I am thy fellow seruant as contending with him in humility Neither did the Angel say vnto S. Iohn Adore God to condemne S. Iohn of ignorance or idolatry for then the Angel would not haue called him his fellow seruant and brother as he did twice but to commend the eminencie of his sanctity and greatnes which was of such excellency that out of duty or inferiority he needed not nor ought not to giue adoration to any creature but to God alone So S. Iohn humbling himself before the Angell and falling twice before his feete to adore him the Angel exalteth him and calleth him fellow seruant and brother fulfilling the words of our Sauiour saying He that humbleth himself shal be exalted Mat. 23. 12. And this text together with the rest inuincibly prooue that it is lawfull to adore creatures by falling before their feete seeing S. Iohn the Euangelist and the Patriarcks and Prophets and Children of the Church of God did vse it and that of all outward visible adorations the adoration by offring of visible Sacrifice is due vnto God alone 5. Faustus an Heretick of the sect of the Manicheans All other outvvard visible vvoorshipp due vnto the Saint except Sacrifice accused the Catholick Christians of the Primatiue Church of Idolatry and superstition for honoring Martyrs euen as the Puritans of this age do Catholicks at this day as S. Augustin in the 21. Chapter of his 20. book against him witnesseth saying Faustus doth calumniate vs for the honor we do giue vnto the memory of Martyrs saying that we haue conuerted them into Idols Where vnto he there answereth as we now may say in his words vnto our calumniators Christian people do celebrate together the memory of Martyrs with a Religious solemnitie to stirr vp imitation to be made partakers of their merits and to be assisted by their prayers yet so as that we do not offer Sacrifice vnto any Martyr but to the God of Martyrs although we erect Altars in the memory of Martyrs for what Bishop standing at the Altar which is erected in the place where the bodyes of the Martyrs are was euer heard to say we offer vnto thee Peter or Paul or Cyprian but that which is offered is offered vnto God who hath crowned the Martyrs at the memory of them whom he hath crowned That by the admonition of the place the affection of our minds may be more inflamed with charity towards those whom we ought to imitate and towards God by their assistance We honor Martyrs Hovv the Martyrs are to he vvorshipped with that worship of loue and societie wherewith holy men are worshipped in this life whose hearts are prepared to suffer the like for the truth of the Ghospell only we worship the Martyrs more deuoutly because we may worship them now securely after their victory for they being now conquerors and enioying happie life we may preach their praise with more confidence then we can the praise of those who are yet fighting in this life yet notwithstanding we do not honor them with that worship which the Grecians call Latria and in latin cannot be expressed in one word seeing it is a worship properly due vnto Diuinitie Neither do we teach that any ought to be honored with it but only God For seeing that the offering vp of Sacrifice belongeth vnto this worship in such sort as that it is called their Idolatria who exhibite it vnto Idols in no sort we offer any such thing or commaund to bee offered either vnto any Martyr or vnto any holy soule or vnto any Angel Thus S. Augustin 6. The Grecian Idolaters tooke the same exception against the honor and worship which was done to the Saints deceased which the Puritans do now and Theodoret who liued about the The honor due vnto the saints tyme of S. Augustin in his 8. book of the cure of Greeke affections asweareth them saying Our Lord God hath brought his dead into the Temples in place of your Gods whom he hath depriued of their glory and giuen their honor vnto his martirs for in lieu of the solemnityes of your Gods Pan Diana Iupiter c. are kept the feasts of Peter Paul Thomas Sergius Leontius Antonius Mauritius and other holy Martyrs and in place of that ancient pomp filthines and impudency the feasts are kept modestly chastly and with much temperance now they are not besmeared with wine nor made vain by riotous banquets nor dissolute through loud laughter but with attention and diuine Hymnes and hearing holy Sermons c. But yet ô Grecians we do not offer Hosts or any Sacrifice to the Martyrs Whereby we see that amongst all the visible honors or worships which may or can be donn by man only visible Sacrifice is due vnto God alone the rest may be exhibited or giuen vnto creatures 7. Our Sauiour said Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God
of God who liue after the Passion of Christ stand in need of a Sacrifice in their communion to represent the Sacrifice of our Sauiour vpon the Crosse past to apply his merits vnto them who was slaine as S. Iohn saith from the beginning of the world Apoc. 13. 8. And as many as were saued in the law of nature or vvritten lavv or shal be saued in the law of Grace all were and shal be saued by the merits of the passion of our Sauiour and his Sacrifice vpon the Crosse And therefore if in the lavv of nature and written lavv they had need of externall visible Sacrifice to apply the Passion of our Sauiour vnto them so likevvise haue vve in the nevv lavv seeing that the ould lavv vvas a figure of the nevv 1. Cor. 10. 6. Wherevpon S. Augustine in the 18. chapter of his 20. booke against Faustus saith At this present Christians do celebrate the memorie of the sacrifie of Christ passed vpon the Crosse by the most holie oblation of the body and bloud of Christ 8. The chiefest act whereby our Sauiour redeemed vs vvas his offering or giuing himselfe to God for our Redemption according to his word saying I yeild my life for my sheepe Ioh. 10. 15. Sacrifice taken avvaie the commemoration of our Sauiours passion is also taken avvaie Against Christ gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs. Tit. 2. 14. Wherefore if our Sauiour had taken away all externall visible Sacrifice out of his Church he had left in deeds or actions no expresse commemoration of his Passion 9. God Almightie threatneth it as a great To be depriued of Sacrifice is threatned as a punishment plague to the pleople of Israel to take away from amongst them for their sinnes Sacrifices and Altars saying Manie daies shall the kingdome of Israel sit without King and without Prince and without Sacrifice and without Altar c. And after this the children of Israel shall returne and shall seek the lord their God and his goodnes in the last dayes Osee 34. Where we see that God himself accompted it a great plague for the Children of Israel to be without Sacrifice and Altar as they are and shal be vntill a litle before the last dayes according to this prophecy and at the last dayes they shall seeke the Lord their God and his goodnes and become Christians and haue Sacrifice and Altars Wherefore if our Sauiour should haue planted his new lavv and Testament vvithout any externall visible Sacrifice or Altar the nevv lavv had bin a lavv and Testament of greater anger vvrath and punishmēt then vvas the ould law and not a law of greater grace and fauor which is repugnant to the promises saying Christ came to preach the acceptable yeare of our Lord Psal 71. 1. Luc. 4. 19. Insomuch as S. Paul speaking of this tyme of grace saith Behold now is the time acceptable behold now the day of saluation 2. Cor. 6. 2. c. 10. As I said in the 2. Chapter two things haue alvvayes been highly esteemed amongst men the honor of their God and their vnity peace and society with him and amongst themselues and these two haue been chiefely mainteyned amongst men of all nations by offering visible Sacrifice vnto God and after by eating or communicating of the said Sacrifice amongst themselues as I haue prooued in the 2. chapter By Sacrifice peace and vnitie is preserued and our Sauiour came not to take away peace vnitie and societie of men with God or amongst themselues but to plant it saying Not for the Apostles only do I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in mee that they all may be one as thou Father in mee and I in thee that they also in vs may be one that the world may know that thou hast sent mee Ioh. 17. 20. 11. God Almightie promised by the Prophet Ieremie that visible Sacrifice should neuer be taken away saying Of Priests and Leuits there shall not fail from before my face a man to offer Holocausts and to burn Sacrifice and kill victimes all dayes Ier 33. 18. According to which promises S. Paul commandeth the Christians to offer Sacrifice saying you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come 1. Cor. 11. 26. who dyed offering vp himself in a visible Sacrifice as our aduersaries will confesse 12. If our Sauiour had taken away the offering of visible Sacrifice to God and had instituted a communion by taking an eating a peace of bread and apprehending Christ in heauen by VVithout Sacrifice there is no difference betvveen the communion and eating of common meat faith he had made no difference betweene the eating of common meat and the communion for euery one who eateth or drinketh piously like a Christian and not like a beast apprehendeth God or CHRIST IESVS our Lord in heauen by the hand of faith as author and giuer of that meat as often as they eat or drink 13. The offering of visible Sacrifice in generall vnto God vvas a matter of faith planted in the Church of God vpon earth euen from the first foundatiō of the Church of God vpon earth after the fall of Adam as I haue prooued in the last Chapter and faith is one and vnchangeable as also there I haue prooued Whereby it is sufficiently Our Sauiour changed not the faith but ceremonies of the old Lavv. manifest vnto any indifferent Reader that our Sauiour at his comming did not nor would take away out of his Church which he founded vpon earth externall visible Sacrifice but took away only the ceremoniall law and planted externall visible Sacrifice in more worthy gifts as made suertie of a better Testament Heb. 7. 22. 14. And to conclude all the known world as I haue prooued in the 2. and 3. chapters at the tyme of our Sauiour offered visible Sacrifice vnto some God true or false thereby to adore him with the honor of Latria or honor due only vnto God and signifie the Sacrifice of their harts vnto him and vnion with him Wherefore if our Sauiour had quite taken away the offering of visible Sacrifice to any God some Iew or gentill would haue accused him or the Apostles of it Our Sauiour neuer accused of taking avvay Sacrifice which vve neuer read that they did yet the Iewes so highly esteemed visible Sacrifice as they accounted it a punishment or curse to be without it as appeareth Dan. 9. 27. the 11. 31. and the 12. 11. Osee 3. 4. Ioel. 1. 9. and the Gentils esteemed it a sinne worthy of death to abuse it as vvitnesseth Plato in his 10. Dialogue and a signe of atheisme and impietie to neglect it as testifyeth Plutark in his booke intituled That there Epicurus only for feare offered Sacrifice contrary to his doctrine is no pleasant life according to Epicurus who in doctrine and words denied the offering of visible Sacrifice but not in practise for feare of the
Passion Resurrection from hell and Ascension into heauen we doe offer vnto thee this immaculate host reasonable host vnbloudy host this holy bread and Chalice of eternall life and beseech that thou wouldest receaue this oblation in thy high Altar by the handes of thy Angells as thou hast vouchsafed to receaue the Giftes of thy child Abell and the Sacrifice of our Patriarch Abraham and that which the high Priest Melchisedech offered vnto thee Which wordes are also vsed in the in the offering of Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord in the Catholicke Church even vntill this daie 8. S. Hierome who as we haue placed them is the sixth amonst the antient Doctors of the Catholick S. Hierome of the Sacrifice and Sacrament Church so constantly beleeued a Sacrifice and communion in the body and bloud of our Lord that in the 5. chapter of his 3. booke against the Pelagians he saith Christ hath taught his Apostles this that these who haue daily confidence in the Sacrifice of his body may bouldly saie Our Father which art in heauen as the Catholicke Church vseth euen vntill this daie in the daily Sacrifice of his body Vpon the first chapter to Titus A Bishopp is to offer pure victimes euery daie to God for his owne sinnes and sinnes of the People In the 19. chapter of his first book against Iouinian Priests ought alwaies to offer Sacrifice for the People In the 3. chapter of his book against Vigilantius defendeth the Bishopp of Rome who as he saith offered Sacrifice to God ouer the venerable bones of Peter and Paule In his 150. Epistle Moyses hath not giuen vs true bread but our Lord Iesus he is the guest and the banquet he is he that eateth and who is eaten we drincke his bloud and without him we cannot drincke it and daily in his Sacrifices we tread forth the new redd wine of the branch of the true vine and of the viniard of Sorac which is as much as to saie chosen and out of these we drinck new wine of the Kingdome of the Father In the Preface of his 5. book vpon the Prophet Ieremie alluding to the communion of Christians he saith The People of God shall eate the bread which was borne in our village of Bethlem where he sometimes liued a religious life in a monasterie Vpon the 3. chapter of Sophonias Priests serue the Eucharist and distribute our Lords bloud to his People In his Epistle to Heliodorus he saith God forbidd that I should speake any sinister S. Hierome his respect to Priests thing of those who succeeding to the Apostolicall degree doe make the body of Christ with their holy mouthes by whom we also become Christians Againe in his Epistle to Euagrius he saith At the praiers of Bishopps and Priests the body and bloud of Christ is made Which eminencie and dignitie of consecrating the body and bloud of our Lord who is the lambe without spott and the light of heauen so penetrated his heart that though a Priest yet out of his profound S. Hieromes humilitie humilitie and venerable respect to so great a Mysterie as is the consecration of the body and bloud of our Lord would not venture to consecrate or offer Christian Sacrifice as witnesseth S. Epiphanius in his Epistle to Iohn Bishopp of Hierusalem translated out of greeke into latin by S. Hierome himselfe and fett downe both amongst S. Hieromes Epistles and in S. Epiphanius his workes where he saith That after he had seen that there were a multitude of holy bretheren or fryars gathered together in a Monastery and the holy Priests Hierome and Vincent who liued amongst them out of their modestie and humilitie would not exercise the offering of Sacrifice due vnto their function nor labour in this Sacrifice the chiefest saluation of Christians part of the Ministrie which is the chiefest saluation of Christians he ordayned S. Hieromes brother a Priest to supply the necessitie of the monasterie for the offering of Sacrifice and the administration of Sacraments as further witnesseth S. Hierome in the 3. chapter of his Epistle to Theophilus against Iohn of Hierufalem and Epiphanius aboue cited 9. By this which hath been said it is so manifest that all the six aforesaid ancient Doctors of the Catholick Church not only held and taught a Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord and a communion of the same but also that this their opinion was agreable to the Scriptures that it is without all controuersie Before all those Doctors flourished Optatus Mileuitanus who writing Optatus Mileuitanus of the furie of the hereticall Donatists against the Eucharist of the body and bloud of our Lord consecrated by Catholicke Priests saith in his 2. booke against Parmenianus That your aforesaid The furie of the Donatists against the Sacrifice and Eucharist of Catholickes Bishopps might violate all holy thinges they commanded the Eucharist to be cast vnto doggs not without a manifestation of the iudgement of God for the same doggs becomming madd with their teeth tore theire Maisters as theeues and guilty of the holy body c. Againe in his 6. booke describing yet more at large the furie of these heretickes against the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord offered by Catholick Priests saith What is so sacrilegious as to breake raise or remoue the Altars of God vpon the which you also sometimes offered wpon which the vowes of the People and the members of Christ are borne where Almightie God is inuocated where the holy Ghost being desired doth descend from whence many take the pledge of eternall saluation the defence of faith and hope of Resurrection c. for what is the Altar but the seate of the body and bloud of Christ All these things your furie hath either raised or broken or remoued c. What had Christ offended you whose body and bloud did dwell there vpon the Altar for a certaine time What haue you offended against yourselues that you should breake these Altars vpon the which for many yeares before vs you offered as we thinke holily whilest that you doe wickedly persecute our handes there where the body of Christ doth dwell you strike your owne whereby you imitate the Iewes They cast their handes on Christ vpon the Crosse and you strike him vpon the Altar And afterwardes This wicked deede is doubled whilest you breake the Chalices the beares of the bloud of Christ whose species you haue turned into masses or lumpes prouiding marchandize for wicked fayres Thus Optatus 10. S. Cyprian liued abond the yeare 240. and S. Cyprian his beleefe of this Sacrifice he in his 63. Epistle proueth against the Aquarij certaine hereticks who were in his time That Iesus-Christ our Lord God was author and teacher of this Sacrifice of his body and bloud which in his time was vsed and beleeued throughout the Christian world as there he proueth at large and by the same places of
these Sacrifices are to be perfectly fulfilled may not be offered to God for the obtaining of all or any one of these or like benifits especially seing that it hath bin the practise of the Catholicke Church in all ages as appeareth by all the Liturgies or publicke Church seruice books of ancient tymes where in the manner of offering the body and bloud of our Lord to God vnder the species of bread and wine is sett down not only for the remission of sinnes but also for the obtaining those other particuler blessings comforts and consolations as is to be seene in the said books at large 12. S. Augustine so constantly beleeued this S. Augustine of the remission of sinne by Sacrifice doctrine that in his 57. question vpon Leuiticus he saith By these Sacrifices of the old Law this only Sacrifice the new was signifyed wherein is true remission of sinnes from taking the bloud of which Sacrament in nourrishment there is no restraint but rather an exhortation vnto all to drinck it And speaking of the practise and vse of this meanes for the remission of sinnes in the 12. chapter of the 9. book of his confessions saith That the Sacrifice of our redemption was offered for his Mother for the remission of her sinnes after her death and yealding the reason why the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord was offered for her in the next chapter addeth All though shee was so quickened and renewed in Christ whilst she remained yet amonst vs that thy name was praysed both in her beleefe and lyfe yet I dare not affirme that after thou hadest regenerated her by her Baptisme there issued no word out of her mouth against thy commandement And in the 25. chapter of his 10. book of the cittie of God he saith that at the tyme of the vniuersall iudgment it wil be necessary that some be purged by the fyer of the iudgmeÌ„t because then Noe man can offer Sacrifice for his sinnes shewing that the offering of Sacrifice in the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of sinnes shall not cease vntill the end of the world and then adding saith For all who offer Sacrifice for their sinnes are commonly in the sinne for the remission whereof they doe offer Sacrifice and when they haue offered and it shal be acceptable to God then their sinnes are forgiuen 13. S. Cyprian liued about the yeare 240. yet S. Cyprian and the vvhole Catholick Church of the remission of sinne by Sacrifice speaking of the practise of the Catholick Church of his tyme in his 66. Epistle saith The Bishopps which were before vs haue religioussy and prudently decreed that none of the brethren departing out of this lyfe should name for his Executour or Ouerseer a Clergy man and if any did there should be no offering for him nor Sacrifice celebrated for his ease or rest In the yeare of our Lord 121. S. Alexander the first was made Bishopp of Rome yet he in the 2. chapter of his first Epistle vnto all Catholicks repeating the words of the institution of this Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of sinnes presently addeth saying Crimes and sinnes are blotted out by offering these Sacrifices to God And to conclude the remission of sinnes by the offering of the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord was so generally beleeued to be a matter of faith that in the most flourishing tyme of the Church Aâ—â—ius was condemned of heresie for denying amongst other things the offering of Sacrifice for the dead As wittnesseth Epiphanius in his recapitulation of all heresies S. Augustine in the 53. heresie of his book of heresies and S. Damascene in his book of 100. heresies And if it were the faith of the Catholick Church to beleeue that we might offer the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of the paines and punishment due vnto some sinnes after death no man can with reason deny but that also it was the faith of the same Church to offer the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of the sinnes of the liuing 14. And it was not only the custome of the Catholick Church to offer the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord for the remission of Sacrifice offered for other blessings sinnes but also for obteyning of other benefits Tertullian in his book to Scapula saith that in his tyme They offered Sacrifice for the health of the Emperor as we doe many tymes for our Soueraigne Lord king Charles his Queene and Children S. Augustine in the 8. chapter of 22. book of the cittie of God relateth how one of his Priests offered the body of our Lord in a hous that was possessed with euill Spirits and the wicked Spirits ceased to trouble the hous any more 15. S. Chrysostome vpon the 95. Psalme setting downe the practise of the Catholick Church in S. Chrysostome of the custome of the Church in offering Sacrifice offering Sacrifice saith In euery place are Altars and Doctrine This God foretould by the Prophets for expressing the Ecclesiasticall sinceritie and manifesting the ingratitude of the Iewes he saith vnto them I haue no will in you saith the Lord omnipotent neither will I receaue hostes from your hands for from the rysiing of the sunne vnto the goeing downe my name is glorified amongst the Gentills and in euery place Sacrifice is offered to my name and a pure Sacrifice See how fully and plainely he hath interpreted the mysticall table which is the vnbloudy Sacrifice and calleth pure incense the holy prayers which are offered with the Sacrifice for this incense doth recreate God not that which is taken from the rootes of the earth but that which is breathed from a pure heart Lett my prayer therefore be deliuered as incense in they sight dost thou see how it is graunted to this Angelicall Sacrifice to shyne most brightly in euery place dost thou not see how neither the Altar nor the Canticle is comprehended within any limits In euery place incense is offered to my name Therefore most certainly the principall mysticall table and the heauenly and the most venerable host is the pure Sacrifice There is also amongst vs diuers kinds of Sacrifices for the Law of the ould Testament had diuers hosts some for sinne others which were called holocaustes others Sacrifice of praise others of health others for the cleansing of Leapers briefely there were others and many and diuers for those who were censured to innumerable expiations Great was the number of the Sacrifices of the ould Law and aboue measure all which the new grace entring vpon doth comprehend in one Sacrifice by appointing one and a true host thus S. Chrysostome With S. Chrysostome agreeth S. Leo in his 8. Sermon vpon the Passion saying Now ô Lord the carnall Sacrifices ceasing the one oblation of thy body and bloud doth fulfill the diuersity
giue lesse then he promised in so manifest and plaine termes and these so often repeated Wherefore seing that he often promised with cleare and manifest words in the 6. of S. Iohn that he would giue liuing bread bread that came down from heauen bread which is his flesh for the lyfe of the world meate which is his flesh and drinke which is his bloud meate which who soeuer eateth worthily hath lyfe euerlasting and abideth in Christ and Christ in him it cannot without blasphemy be affirmed that Christ hath not truely and really performed those things which he hath so often and so plainly and clearly promised and that rather more then lesse then his words import which cannot be vnlesse he giue his true reall and substantiall body and bloud himself vnder the species of bread and wine vnto vs for meate for whatsoeuer inferior thing he should giue which should be lesse then himself the same should also be lesse then his promise 5. And the want of performance if any such thing could possibly be were so much the more Our Sauiours assurance in giuing his flesh remarkable for that our Sauiour with a double assurance or as it were with a kind of oath affirmeth saying Amen Amen I say to you vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shall not haue lyfe in you Io. 6. 53. Wherevpon S. Augustine in his 41. Tract vpon S. Iohn sayth Truth sayth Amen Amen I say vnto you what a thing is this that our Lord shoul saye Amen Amen I say vnto you He commendeth it very much which he so pronounceth seing that if it be lawfull so to saye Amen Amen I saye vnto you is his oath 6. Wherefore seeing that it is impossible for God to lye and alter all these his afore sayd properties and conditions it necessarily followeth that our Lord at the institution of the communion gaue his true reall and substantiall body and bloud vnto the Apostles in the communion and instituted that his true reall and substantiall body and bloud should be administred in the communion to the fulfilling of those his wordes here spoken in the 6. S. Iohn and also at the institution of this Sacrament where he doth not only saye This is my body and this is my bloud but This is my body which is giuen for you and This is my body which shal be deliuered for you This is my bloud which is shed for many and This is my bloud which shal be shed for many 7. If after all these faire wordes and large promises of receauing from our Sauiour this heauenly God cannot faile to fulfill his many and serious promises food and diuine meate we should receaue from him only a peece of bakers bread and supp of vintners wine which notwithstanding all that it hath from him or on his part is euen after consecration but a peece of bread and supp of vintners wine without any reall qualitie entitie substance flesh body or bloud of his in it more then is in other bakers bread and vintners wine which is the assertion of our Aduersaries who could with reason thinke or beleeue that Christ were God faithfull in his words and iust in all his promises 8. That the Puritans saye they receaue the true reall and substantiall body and bloud of The Protestans and Puritans communion a meere imagination or fiction our Lord by faith eate his flesh and bloud by faith imagine him there though he be as farr of in deed and truth as it is to heauen that 's nothing to the purpose For first these are their own words which are no where to be found in the Scriptures Secondly we do not looke for the actions of men what they do or ought to doe when they communicate or receaue but for the actions of God in preparing and giuing the thing they are to receaue before they receaue it Thirdly faith or imagination can not make a thing really absent to be really present as is manifest by experience and to beleeue that a thing which is indeede absent is really and indeed present is but a deceipt in the imagination and a false faith which cann neuer make that which is not present to be present Fourthly suppose that these sayings of the Puritans were true then the words and promises of Christ were false and so he should not be true God for these are not his words promises workes and actions but theirs wherefore if they saye true then our Lord hath not fulfilled his promises and so was not true God not faithfull in all his words But seeing that he was true God and Sonne of God and truth it selfe it necessarily followeth that he fulfilled these his promises so solēnely made and gaue his true and reall flesh to eate and bloud to drinke in the Communion 9. And this was as I haue said heretofore the argument Christ vvas God because he could chāge bread into his body of S. Irenaeus to proue against some heretiks who denied Christ to be God the changing of bread into his body and wine into his bloud saying in the 34. chap. of his 4. book of heresies How vvill it be manifest to these heretikes who deny Christ to be the Sonne of God that the bread vpon vvhich thankes is giuen is the body of their Lord and the chalice his bloud if they do not saye Christ to be the sonne of the biulder of the world that is to say his vvord by vvhich trees be are fruite fountaines flow the earth first doth giue the blade afterwards the eare then full vvheate in the eare Thus S. Irenaeus who liued why lest yet some of the Apostles schollers were liuing and the actions of our Sauiour and the Apostles were fresh in the memory of men And from hence it is that euen in the primitiue Church none denyed that Christ gaue his true flesh and bloud in the Communion but those who denied him to be God as witnesseth S. Hilarius in his 8. book of the Trinitie saying Christ said my flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud remaineth in me and I in him There is no place left to doubt of the truth of the flesh and bloud of our Lord in this Sacrament for now by the profession of our Lord himselfe and by our faith or according to our faith it is truly bloud and these things being taken into our handes as was the custome of the primitiue Church and swallowed downe do worke this that vve may be in Christ and Christ in vs. And is not this truth It falleth out verily that it is not esteemed true by those who deny Christ to be God 10. From hence it is that when our Lord first preached of this blessed Sacrament in the 6. of S. Peter beleeued the reall presence before he vnderstood it S. Iohn S. Peter as witnesseth S. Augustine vpon the 54. Psalme did not
that the saying of Amen doth signify the free consent and confirmation of the thing spoken of before or propounded to be donn Wherefore seeing that both our Sauiour and the faithfull in all ages added Amen to the words spoken of the flesh body and bloud of our Lord in the Eucharist it is most manifest that both it was the true flesh and bloud of our Lord which they spake of and the faithfull in all ages beleeued it to be the true flesh and bloud of our Lord euen that which was borne of the blessed Virgin Mary for as S. Paule saith He that supplieth the place of the vulgar how shall he saye Amen vpon thy blessing if he know not what thou saiest 1. Cor. 14. 16. Wherevpon S. Hierome in his Commentaries vpon the last chapter to the Galathians saith Moreouer that Amen doth expresse the consent of the hearers and is a seale of the truth the first Epistle to the Corinthians doth teach vs where S. Paule saith But if thou blesse with the spirit he who supplieth the place of the common people how shall he say Amen to thy blessing because he knoweth not what thou saiest whereby he declareth that an vnlearned man cannot answere that it is true which is said as Amen signifyeth vnlesse he vnderstand that which is taught Wherevpon the Priest in the primitiue Church before he administred the Communion to the vulgar common people admonished them that it was the body and bloud of Christ as witnesseth Pelagius who liued in the tyme of S. Hierom in his commentaries The people aduertised of the reall presence vpon the first Epistle to the Corinthians and 11. chapter saying When we receaue the Sacrament we are admonished by the Priest that it is the body and bloud of Christ. 5. Not only in the Liturgiy of S. Iames which was vsed for the administration of this Sacrament Amen to the reall presence ansvvered by all nations at Hierusalem the people answered Amen to the words of consecration and to the Priest when he saith The body of Christ or bloud of Christ but also in the rest of the Liturgies or publik Church seruice kooks as in the Liturgie of S. Peter which was made for the latine Church the Liturgie of S. Marke made for the greeke Church the Liturgie of S. Basil made for the Church of Capadocia the Liturgie of S. Chrisostome made for the Church of Constantinople in the Liturgie of the Ethiopians made by S. Matthew the Priest representing the person of our Sauiour saith This is my body the people answere Amen Amen so we beleeue it to be and confesse and do praise the Lord our God this is truly thy body The Priest saith c. This is my bloud of the new Testament c. The people answere Amen Amen Amen we beleeue it and confesse and and doe praise the Lord our God this is truly thy bloud c. The Priest saith This is the body holy honorable and vitall of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus-Christ which hath been giuen for remission of sinnes and the obteyning of life euerlasting to those who take it truly Amen This is the bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus-Christ holy honorable and quickening which hath been giuen for the remission of sinnes vnto all those who shall truly receaue it Amen This is truly the body and this is truly the bloud of Emanuel our God Amen I doe beleeue it now and for euer Amen 6. To this end that the people might answere Amen to the words of consecration and confirme VVhy anciently the vvords of consecration vvere spoken a lovvde their beliefe of the true reall and substātiall being of the body and bloud of our Lord in the Eucharist after consecration in the primitiue Church the words of consecration were pronounced with a lowd voice that all the people present at the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord might answere Amen to the confirming and professing of their faith which continued as it seemeth vntill about the yeare 700. about which tyme diuerse men reteyning the words of consecration would sing them vp and down the streets as The occasion vvhy the vvords of consecration are spoken vvhich a lovv voice they walked and in other indecent places vnfitt for such sacred words and also certaine shepheards who had retained the words of consecration by heart erected a stone for an altar and placed bread and wine thereon pronounced the words ouer them as they had seen Priests to doe wherevpon fire came down from heauen consumed the bread and wine and stone and so astonished the shepheards as that for a longe tyme after they could scarce speake as witnesseth Sophronius in the 196. chapter of his Prato Spirituali Remigius Antisiodorensis in his exposition of the Masse and Alcuinus in his book De diuinis officijs for remedy whereof and such like prophanesse the latin Church hath brought vp the custome to pronounce the sacred words of consecration with a lowe though a distinct voice Yet neuer thelesse euen vntill this day when the Priest doth communicate himselfe before he receaue houlding the Eucharist in his handes he saith The body of our Lord Iesus-Christ keepe my soule to euerlasting lyfe Amen and after communicateth himselfe And when he communicateh any other before he deliuer the Eucharist he holdeth it in his hāds and saith The body of our Lord Iesus-Christ keepe thy soule to life euerlasting Amen 7. In the Liturgie or Masse of S. Ambrose sett forth for the Church of Milan the Priest publikely sheweth the consecrated host vnto the communicants and saith with a lowde voice The body of Christ and the people before they receaue in confirmation that they beleeue it to be the body before it be deliuered vnto them and to professe their faith in this point answere Amen The same custome was vsed also in the administration of the chalice when the Communion was distributed in both kinds as appeareth by the 49. question of a book dedicated to Orosius by some attributed to S. Augustine which saith that before the Priest administrated the Chalice vnto those who communicated in both kinds he said The bloud of our Lord Iesus-Christ and he that communicated in profession of his faith that he beleeued it to be the very bloud of our Lord independant of his faith and before he communicated answered Amen So the whole Church of God hauing at all tymes euen from the first foundation thereof by the Apostles vsed publik acclamation in the confirmation of their beliefe of the reall presence of the body and bloud of our Lord in the Eucharist before receauing and independant of the faith of the receauer I leaue it to the discretion of every vnderstanding man to thinke how absurd it is now after 1600. yeares for any man who desireth to beare the name of a Christian to deny it 8. Moreouer the Catholik Church hath alwayes had so great a care to preserue in all her
The decree of Apostles that none should receaue vvithout ansvvering Amen children the beliefe of the true reall and substantiall body of our Lord in the Eucharist before receauing that the Apostles amongst other things decreed that none should receaue the Eucharist without professing it to be the body and bloud of Christ by answering Amen to the Priest or Deacon when he calleth the Eucharist before receauing the body or bloud of Christ as witnesseth S. Clement in the 13. chapter of his 8. book of Apostolicall constitutions saying Lett the Bishopp deliuer the oblation to the people saying The body of Christ and lett him who receaueth it saye Amen but lett the Deacon hold the chalice and administring it vnto others lett him saye the bloud of Christ the chalice of life and he who doth drink it lett him saye Amen Thus the Apostles whereby we see that this answere of Amen by the people vnto the Priest affirming the Eucharist to be the body and bloud of Christ before receauing is an Apostolicall constitution conformable to the words of our Lord saying Amen Amen I say vnto you vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you If the Sonne of God affirme vnder Amen Amen that the meate he would giue should be his flesh and the drinke his bloud what are the Sonnes of men who deny it but deceaued people 9. This practise of the profession of the body and bloud of our Lord to be in the Eucharist before receauing by the common people being thus established in the Church by the Apostles it cōtinued as a generall custome amognst the laiety and whole Church in succeding ages as witnesseth S. Iustine Martyr in his second Apologie to S. Iustine Martyr of the ansvvering Amen the Emperour Antoninus Pius the Senate and people of Rome who setting down the manner and custome which the Christians vsed in their Communion saith At the end of prayers we salute one an other with a kisse Then is offred vnto him who is chiefe amongst the bretheren bread and a cupp mixt with wine and water which after that he hath receaued he giueth praise and glory to the Parent of all things in the name of the Sonne and holy ghost and giueth thanks a good space that he is esteemed by him worthy of these things which being rightly performed or finished all the people which are present doe giue the blessing to the prayers and thanks-giuing saying Amen And Amen in the Hebrew tongue is as much as to saye be it donn After that both the Prelats haue giuen thanks and all the people haue giuen their blessing by saying Amen those who amongst vs are called Deacons giue vnto euery one that is present c. And we take it to be the flesh and bloud of Iesus-Christ Thus S. Iustine who liued with the Apostles schollers whereby it appeareth that euen from the first plantation of the Church of Christ vpon earth amongst the nations the laiety and common people vsed to aswere Amen to the blessing and consecration of the Eucharist thereby publikly to declare that they most firmely beleeued it to be the body and bloud of Christ independant of the faith of the receauer 10. Not longe after S. Iustine Martyr liued Dionysius Alexandrinus who in his Epistle to Xistus Dionysius Alexandrinus Bishop of Rome recorded by Eusebius in the eight chapter of his 7. book of histories maketh mention of the answering Amen to the words of thanks-giuing and consecration by the laiety and common people saying that a certaine brother who had for a longe tyme been esteemed a faithfull man amongst them and receaued the Communion because he had been baptized by wicked heretiks with teares and sorrow desired of him that he might be baptized againe according to the custome of the Catholik Church Which verily saith he I durst not doe but tould him that the daily Communion whereof he did participate with the faithfull was of force sufficient to purge his soule for he who had heard the thanks-giuing he who together with the rest had pronounced Amen he who had approched to the table who had stretched forth his hands to receaue that holy foode who had receaued it who had been for so longe a tyme partaker of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus-Christ I durst not wholy renew his Baptisme Thus S. Dionisius 11. S. Cirill of Hierusalem in his 5. Catechesis S. Cirill of Hier. maketh also mention of this custome saying Thou presenting thy-self to the Communion doest not come with thy handes extended or thy fingers open but making thy left hand serue to thy right as a seate or throne as he who ought to receaue the king and contracting together the palme of thy hand receaue the body of Christ answering Amen And after thou hast sanctifyed thine eyes by the touching of the holy body receaue or be partaker of it with confidence vsing great eare that thou loose none of it for all that thou doest loose account it as the losse of one of thy proper members c. Hauing communicated the body of Christ present thy-selfe to the chalice of his bloud not stretching forth thy hands but incline in manner of adoration or worshipp saying Amen and this donn sanctify thy-selfe and participate of Christ Thus S. Cirill For the better vnderstanding whereof it is to be noted that the Grecians receaued the body of our Lord into the palmes of their left hands and covred it with the right and so the left hand was as a seate or throne to the blessed Sacrament vntill the communicant receaued it which he did not presently but after some pious meditation or considerations yet at the deliuring of the Eucharist into the palme of his hand the Priest said according to the constitutions of the Apostles The body of Christ and he who receaued it answered Amen and afterwards communicated himselfe 12. S. Ambrose also in the fift chapter of his 4. book of Sacraments affirmeth that it was the custome S. Ambrose of all those who receaued to professe the Eucharist to be the body of our Lord his words are these It was truly a great and venerable thing that God rayned Manna to the Iewes from heauen but vnderstand which is greater Manna from heauen or the body of Christ The body of Christ certainly who is the inlarger of heauen c. Therefore thou doest not say Amen in vaine when thou takest it now confessing in spirit that thou receauest the body of Christ The Priest saieth vnto thee The body of Christ and thou saiest Amen that is to saie true That which thy tongue doth confesse lett thy affection hould 13. S. Leo also the great speaking of this answering S. Leo. by Amen to the Eucharist when it was called the body of Christ in his 6. Sermon of Fasting in the 7. Month saith Seeing that our Lord doth say If you doe not eate the flesh of