the old learned fathers. And hitherto your muster appeareth but very simple, notwithstanding the great promise of your store. Certainly the holy fathers and martyrs of God will say unto you: We know not your private masses: we know not your half-communion: we know not your strange unknown prayers: we know not your adoration of corruptible creatures : we know not this sacrificing of the Son of God: we know not your new religion: we know not you. God open the eyes of your hearts, that ye may see the miserable state ye stand in, and recover the place that ye have lost, and find your names written in the book of life! Chrysost. in Leaving no small number of places that might be recited out of divers other doctors, I will bring two of two worthy bishops, one of Chrysostom, the other of St Ambrose, confirming this truth. Chrysostom's words be these: Pontifex Epist. ad Hebr. noster ille est, qui hostiam mundantem nos obtulit; ipsam offerimus et nunc, quæ tunc oblata quidem consumi non potest. Hoc autem quod Hoc enim facite, Hom. 17. nos facimus in commemorationem fit ejus quod factum est. saith thus: Vidimus Principem sacerdotum ad nos venientem: vidimus et audivimus offerentem pro nobis sanguinem suum11: sequamur, ut possumus, sacerdotes, ut offeramus pro populo sacrificium, etsi infirmi merito, tamen honorabiles sacrificio. Quia etsi... Christus non videtur offerre, tamen ipse offertur in terris, quando Christi corpus offertur 12: "We have seen the Prince of priests come to us: we have seen and heard him offer for us his blood: let us that be priests follow him, as we may, that we may offer sacrifice for the people, being, though weak in merit, yet honourable for the sacrifice. Because, albeit Christ be not seen to offer, yet he is offered in earth, when the body of Christ is offered." Of these our Lord's words, "which is given for you," and "which is shed for you and for many," here St Ambrose exhorteth the priests to offer the body and blood of Christ for the people, and willeth them to be more regarded than commonly they be nowa-days, for this sacrifice 13 sake, though otherwise they be of less desert. THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. Heb. Hom. This allegation argueth no great abundance of store. For Chrysostom in these words both openeth himself, and sheweth in what sense other ancient fathers used this word "sacrifice," and also utterly overthroweth M. Harding's whole purpose touching the same. For as he saith "we offer up the same sacrifice that Christ offered," so in most plain wise and by sundry words he removeth all doubt, and declareth in what sort and meaning we offer it. He saith not as M. Harding saith: "We offer up the Son of God unto his Father, and that verily and indeed;" but contrariwise thus he saith: Offerimus quidem, chrysost. in sed ad recordationem facientes mortis ejus.... Hoc sacrificium exemplar illius est. Epist. ad ... Hoc quod nos facimus in commemorationem fit ejus quod factum est.... Id ip- 17. sum semper offerimus; magis autem recordationem sacrificii operamur 14: "We offer indeed, but in remembrance of his death. This sacrifice is an example of that sacrifice. This that we do is done in remembrance of that that was done. We offer up the same that Christ offered; or rather, we work the remembrance of that sacrifice." Thus we offer up Christ, that is to say, an example, a commemoration, a remembrance of the death of Christ. This kind of sacrifice was never denied; but M. Harding's real sacrifice was yet never proved. So saith St Augustine: Cum hostia frangitur, et sanguis...in ora fidelium funditur, quid De Consecr. [10 Chrysost. Op. In Epist. ad Hebr. cap. x. Hom. xvii. Tom. XII. p. 169.] [11 Suam, 1611.] [13 Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. In Psalm xxxviii. [JEWEL, II.] Enarr. 25. Tom. I. col. 853; where sequimur.] [14 Chrysost. Op. In Epist. ad Hebr. cap. x 12 Dist. 2. Cum frangitur. Melchisealiud quam dominici corporis in cruce immolatio... significatur1? "When the dech. oblation is broken, and the blood (that is to say, the sacrament of the blood) is poured into the mouths of the faithful, what other thing is there signified, but the sacrifice of our Lord's body upon the cross?" Ambros. In Even so St Ambrose saith Christ is offered here in the earth (not really and Rev. v. indeed, as M. Harding saith, but) in like sort and sense as St John saith "the Lamb was slain from the beginning of the world;" that is, not substantially or in real manner, but in signification, in a mystery, and in a figure. And thus St. Ambrose expoundeth his own meaning, even in the same place that is here Ambros. in alleged: Primum... umbra præcessit: sequuta est imago: erit veritas. Umbra in lege; imago... in evangelio; veritas in cœlestibus.... Ascende... homo, in cœlum, et videbis illa, quorum hic umbra erat vel imago2: "First the shadow went before: the image followed: the truth shall be. The shadow in the law, the image in the gospel, the truth in the heavens. O man, go up into heaven, and thou shalt see those things whereof here was an image and a shadow.” To like purpose Psal. xxxviii. Luc. Lib. v. cap. vii. Hieron. in Ambros, in St Ambrose writeth thus: Vidimus eum, et oculis nostris perspeximus, et in vestigia clavorum ejus digitos nostros inseruimus. Videmur enim...vidisse [eum] quem legimus, spectasse pendentem, et vulnera ejus spiritu ecclesiæ scrutante tentasse3: "We have seen him, and looked upon him with our eyes; and we have thrust our fingers into the dents of his nails." The reason hereof is this: "For we seem to see him that we read of, and to have beholden him hanging on the cross, and with the feeling spirit of the church to have searched his wounds." So St Hierome saith: Quod semel natum est ex Maria quotidie...in nobis nascitur: "Christ, that was once born of Mary, is born in us every day." Now, as St Ambrose saith, "We see Christ even with our eyes hanging upon the cross, and thrust in our fingers, and search his wounds;" even so do we see Christ coming unto us, and offering himself in sacrifice unto God. And, as St Hierome saith, "Christ is born every day;" even so, and none otherwise, St Ambrose saith, "Christ is sacrificed every day." In like manner St Ambrose writeth unto certain Ambros, de virgins: Vestras mentes confidenter altaria dixerim, in quibus quotidie pro redemptione corporis Christus offertur5: "I may boldly say your hearts be altars; upon which hearts Christ is daily offered for the redemption of the body." Hitherto M. Harding hath found no manner token of that he sought for. Virgin. Lib. ii. M. HARDING. THE THIRTEENTH DIVISION. Epist. 3. Now, for proof of the sacrifice and oblation of Christ by the doctors' mind upon the figure of Melchisedech, first St Cyprian saith thus: Qui magis sacer- Lib. ii. dos Dei summi, quam Dominus noster Jesus Christus, qui sacrificium Deo Patri obtulit, et obtulit hoc idem quod Melchisedech,... id est, panem et vinum, suum, scilicet, corpus et sanguinem? "Who is more the priest of the highest God than our Lord Jesus Christ, who offered a sacrifice to God the Father, and offered the self-same that Melchisedech did, that is, bread and wine, that is to say, his own body and blood?" St Hierome, in an epistle that he wrote for the virtuous women Paula and Eustochium to Marcella, hath these words: Recurre ad Genesim, et Melchisedech regem Salem. Hujus principem invenies civitatis, qui jam...in typo Christi panem et vinum obtulit, et mysterium christianum in Salvatoris sanguine et corpore dedicavit": "Return to the book of Genesis, and to Melchisedech the king of Salem, and thou shalt find the prince of that city, who even at that time in the figure of Christ offered bread and wine, and dedicated the mystery of Christians in the body and blood of our Saviour." Here this learned father [ Cum frangitur hostia, dum sanguis &c. designatur.-August. in Lib. Sentent. Prosp. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratian. Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. can. 38. col. 1930.] [2 Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. In Psalm. xxxviii. Enarr. 25, 6. Tom. I. cols. 852, 3; where umbra hic.] [3 Id. Expos. Evang. sec. Luc. Lib. v. cap. vii. v. 19. 97. Tom. I. col. 1378.] [ Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Breviar. in Psalt: Psal. lxxxiv. Tom. II. Append. col. 345.] [5 quarum mentes altaria confidenter, &c.— Ambros. Op. De Virgin. Lib. 11. cap. ii. 18. Tom. II. col. 166.] [ Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. Ad Cæcil. Epist. lxiii. p. 149; where quis magis.] [ Hieron. Op. Paul. et Eustoch, ad Marcel. Epist. xliv. Tom. IV. Pars 11. col. 547] maketh a plain distinction between the oblation of the figure, which was bread and wine, and the oblation of the truth, which is the mystery of christian people, the blood and the body of Christ our Saviour. Of this St Augustine speaketh largely in his first sermon upon the thirty-third psalm3, and in the seventeenth book De Civitate Dei, cap. xx.9 THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. Melchisedech. If M. Harding mean plainly, and will have St Cyprian's words taken as they lie, without figure, then must he say that Melchisedech offered up verily and really Christ himself. For St Cyprian's words be clear: Christus...obtulit hoc Cypr. Lib. ii. Epist. 3. idem, quod Melchisedech obtulerat 10: "Christ offered up the same thing that Melchisedech had offered." Notwithstanding, it is certain that the sacrifice that Melchisedech made, if it were granted to be a sacrifice, yet in plain and common manner of speech was not Christ the Son of God, but only material bread and wine, and other like provision of victuals prepared for Abraham and for his men. And therefore the old learned fathers say not, Melchisedech offered the same in sacrifice unto God; but, he brought it forth as a present, as the manner was, to refresh them after the pursuit and chase of their enemies. And St Hierome in his translation turneth it not obtulit, "he sacrificed;" but protulit11, "he brought it forth." Josephus reporteth the matter thus: Melchisedech milites Joseph. Abrahami hospitaliter habuit, nihil illis ad victum deesse passus. Simulque ipsum Lib. i. cap.xi. adhibuit mensæ 12: “Melchisedech feasted Abraham's soldiers, and suffered them to want nothing that was necessary for their provision. And likewise he received Abraham himself unto his table." Chrysostom13 and Epiphanius 14 say thus: "He Chrysost. in brought forth unto them bread and wine." Tertullian saith: Abrahamo revertenti 35. de prælio obtulit panem et vinum 15: "Melchisedech offered bread and wine (not elchis Epiph. contr. unto God, but) unto Abraham returning from the fight." So St Ambrose: Occurrit Libu ἐξέβαλεν ...Melchisedech,...et obtulit Abrahamo panem et vinum 16: "Melchisedech came avtṚ apforth to meet, and offered (not unto God, but) unto Abraham, bread and wine." By these few it may appear, that Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine Tertull.contr. and other provision, not as a sacrifice unto God, but as a relief and sustenance Ambros. de for Abraham and for his company. Antiquit. Gen. Hom. τον καὶ οἶνον. Jud. Sacram. Lib. iv. cap. iii. St Paul compareth Christ with Melchisedech, in that, like unto Melchisedech, he was the King of justice; in that he was the Prince of peace, as Melchisedech Heb. vii. was; and in that he had neither father nor mother; for so it is 17 likewise written of Melchisedech. But of the sacrifice of bread and wine he speaketh nothing. Yet, notwithstanding, the ancient holy fathers oftentimes resemble the same present of Melchisedech unto the sacrifice that Christ made upon the cross. And in that respect St Cyprian saith, Christ offered the same thing that Melchisedech offered; that is to say, as M. Harding himself must needs expound it, the same thing in performance of truth upon the cross that Melchisedech had before offered in a figure. Johan. Tract. So saith St Augustine: Illis petra Christus 18: "Unto them the rock was August. in Christ;" and yet not really and indeed, but only by way of signification, because 26. it signified and represented Christ. Sometimes they compare it with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and with the ministration of the holy communion, and make it equal with the same. [ August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. In Psalm. xxxiii. Enarr. i. 5, &c. Tom. IV. cols. 210, &c.] [ Id. De Civ. Dei, Lib. XVII. cap. xx. 2. Tom. VIII. col. 484.] [10 See above, note 6.] ["... proferens panem et vinum.-Hieron. Op. Lib. Gen. cap. xiv. Tom. I. col. 14.] [12 Joseph. Op. Amst. 1726. Antiq. Jud. Lib. 1. cap. x. 2. Tom. I. p. 32. The Greek text of the latter part of the quotation is, καὶ παρὰ τὴν εὐωχίαν αὐτόν τε ἐπαινεῖν ἤρξατο.] [13 Chrysostom simply says, Εξήνεγκε γὰρ ἄρα TOYS Kai olvov.- Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In cap. xiv. Genes. Hom. xxxv. Tom. IV. p. 357. But see Op. Lat. Basil. 1547. In cap. Genes. xiv. Hom. [14 Epiph. Op. Par. 1622. Adv. Hær. Lib. II. [15 ... Melchisedech... Abrahæ... revertenti de prælio panem et vinum obtulit.- Tertull. Op. Lut. 1641. Adv. Jud. 3. p. 207.] [16 Ambros. Op. De Sacram. Lib. IV. cap. iii. 10. Tom. II. col. 367; where ei for Abrahamo.] Melchisedech. August. in St Augustine saith: Melchisedech...Abrahæ primum, quasi patri fidelium, tradidit eucharistiam...corporis et sanguinis Domini1: "Melchisedech gave first unto Abraham, as unto the father of the faithful, the sacrament of the body and blood Quest. Novi of Christ." So St Hierome saith: Melchisedech.....in typo Christi panem et vinum obtulit, et mysterium Christianorum in Salvatoris corpore et sanguine dedicavit 2 : "Melchisedech in the figure of Christ offered bread and wine, and dedicated the mystery of Christians in the body and blood of Christ." These authorities might serve to make some shew that Melchisedech said mass, and consecrated the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, and offered up Christ in sacrifice unto his Father; but of M. Harding or any other such priest they touch nothing. et Veter. Testamenti, Quæst. 109. Hieron. ad Marcel, Jovin. Lib.i. And lest any man happen of simplicity to be deceived, thinking that St Hierome hereby meant M. Harding's real presence, for that he saith, "Melchisedech dedicated the christian mystery in the body and blood of Christ;" it may please him to consider that both St Hierome and all other ancient fathers have often used the same manner of speech in other cases, wherein M. Harding can have no manner Hieron, adv. suspicion of real presence. St Hierome saith: Evangelium...passione et sanguine Domini dedicatur: "The gospel is dedicated in the passion and blood of Christ.” St Augustine saith: Quid est [Mare] Rubrum? Sanguine Domini consecratum3: "What is the Red Sea ?" He answereth: "Consecrate in the blood of Christ." Again he saith: Unde rubet baptismus Christi, nisi Christi sanguine consecratus® ? "Whereof is Christ's baptism red, but that it is dedicate in the blood of Christ ?" Thus Melchisedech dedicated the christian mystery in the blood of Christ. August. in August. in Johan. Tract. 11. M. HARDING. THE FOURTEENTH DIVISION. Of all other Ecumenius speaketh most plainly to this purpose upon this place of St Paul alleged out of the psalm: Tu es sacerdos in æternum secun- Psal. cix.7 dum ordinem Melchisedech: "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech." His words be these: Significat sermo, quod non solum Christus obtulit incruentam hostiam (siquidem suum ipsius corpus obtulit), verum etiam qui ab ipso fungentur sacerdotio, quorum Deus pontifex esse dignatus est, sine sanguinis effusione offerent. Nam hoc significat "in æternum." Neque enim de ea, quæ semel a Deo facta est oblatio et hostia, dixisset in æternum; sed respiciens ad præsentes sacrificos, per quos medios Christus sacrificat et sacrificatur, qui etiam in mystica cœna modum illis tradidit hujusmodi sacrificii: "The meaning of this place is," saith he, "that not only Christ offered an unbloody sacrifice, for he offered his own body, but also that they which after him shall do the office of a priest (whose bishop he vouchsafeth to be) shall offer without shedding of blood. For that signifieth the word 'for ever. For concerning that oblation and sacrifice which was once made by God, he would never say, in æternum 'for ever.' But he said so, having an eye to those priests that be now, by the mediation of whom Christ sacrificeth and is sacrificed; who also in his mystical supper taught them by tradition the manner of such a sacrifice." Concerning the prophecy of Malachi for proof of this oblation, though the place of Irenæus above recited may stand in stead of many authorities, yet I will not let to rehearse the sayings of a father or two for confirmation of this article. Chrysostom saith very plainly: In omni loco sacrificium offertur In Psal. xer. nomini meo, et sacrificium purum. Vide quam luculenter quamque dilucide mysticam interpretatus est mensam, quæ est incruenta hostia9: place a sacrifice shall be offered to my name, and that a pure sacrifice. See how plainly and clearly he interpreted the mystical table, which is the unbloody sacrifice." "In every [ Id. Quæst. ex Utroq. Mixt. Quæst. cix. Tom. III. Append. col. 108.] [ Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Paul. et Eustoch. ad Marcel. Epist. xliv. Tom. IV. Pars 11. col. 547. See before, page 730.] [3 Also, 1565, 1609.] [ Id. Adv. Jovin. Lib. 1. Tom. IV. Pars II. col. 167; where ipsius dedicatur.] [5 August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. In Psalm. lxxx. Enarr. 8. Tom. IV. col. 861.] [ Id. in Johan. Evang. cap. iii. Tractat. xi. 4. Tom. III. Pars II. col. 377.] [ H. A. 1564 omits this reference. It appears in H.A. 1565.] [8 Ecumen. Op. Lut. Par. 1631. In Epist. ad Hebr. Comm. cap. v. Tom. II. p. 348.] [Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. Hom. in Psalm. xcv. Tom. V. p. 630. This homily is spurious.] THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. Sacrificed Here might I justly take exception against this doctor, as finding him without daily. Christ the Priest the compass of the first six hundred years. Howbeit, he saith not that " "the priest hath power or authority to sacrifice the Son of God," nor seemeth any way and the to favour M. Harding's purpose. Therefore we shall not need to touch his Oblation. credit. Psal. lxxxvi. Psal. xcvii. The whole contents of his words are these: That there is in the church an unbloody sacrifice, and that Christ himself offereth up the same by the mean and ministry of the priest, and that Christ himself is that sacrifice. Which words, with due construction and in the sense and meaning of the ancient fathers, may well be granted. For like as St Hierome saith, as it is alleged before, Quod Hieron. in natum est ex virgine, nobis quotidie nascitur1o: Christus nobis quotidie crucifigitur11, Hieron. in "Christ, that was born of the virgin, is born unto us every day:" "Christ unto us is daily crucified;" and as St Augustine saith, Tum [Christus] cuique occiditur, August. cum credit occisum 12, "Then is Christ presently slain to every man, when he Evang. Lib.ii. trusteth wholly in his death, and believeth he was slain ;" and as the same St Augustine saith, Tibi [Christus] quotidie resurgit 13, "Christ riseth again to thee August. de every day;" and as Chrysostom saith, "In the holy mysteries is wrought and perfited the death of Christ 14;" briefly, as Gregory saith, [Christus] iterum in Serry hoc mysterio moritur 15, "Christ is slain in this mystery, and dieth again;" even Act. Hom.21. so, and in the same sense and meaning, and none otherwise, Ecumenius saith: Dist. 2. "Christ is offered in the holy supper." But, as Christ is neither 16 daily born of the virgin, nor daily crucified, nor daily slain, nor daily riseth from the dead, nor daily suffereth, nor daily dieth, but only in a certain manner of speech, not verily and indeed; even so Christ is daily sacrificed only in a certain manner of speech, and in a mystery; but really, verily, and indeed he is not sacrificed. Quæst. Verb. Dom. sec. Luc. Chrysost. in De Consecr. Quid sit. Melchised. The rest that followeth in Ecumenius only expresseth the two several natures in Christ, the Godhead and the manhood 17, that, touching his manhood 17, he was sacrificed; touching his Godhead, he was the priest, and made the sacrifice; and further to M. Harding's purpose it maketh nothing. So Beda saith, although somewhat otherwise: Filius Dei...et orat pro nobis, et orat in nobis, et oratur a Bed. in Epist. ad Ephes. nobis. Orat pro nobis ut sacerdos:...orat in nobis ut caput:...oratur a nobis ut cap. ii. Deus 18: "The Son of God both prayeth for us, and prayeth in us, and is prayed of us. He prayeth for us as our priest, he prayeth in us as our head, he is prayed of us as our God." Epiphanius saith: Christus est victima, sacerdos, altare, Epiph. de Deus, homo, rex, pontifex, ovis, agnus, omnia in omnibus pro nobis factus 19: "Christ Lib.. is our sacrifice, our priest, our altar, God, man, king, bishop, sheep, lamb, made for our sakes all in all." Thus is Christ our sacrifice, thus is Christ our sacrificer; not to be offered by the priest, as M. Harding imagineth, but, as the old masters and fathers of the church have taught us, offered by himself upon the cross. St Augustine saith: Ecce istic oblatus est: ibi seipsum obtulit:...simul et hostia et August. de sacerdos....et altare erat crux 20: "Behold, there was he offered: there he offered 130. himself: he was both the priest and the sacrifice; and his cross was the altar.” This word incruentum, that M. Harding hath here alleged out of Chrysostom, is thought to bear great weight; but, being well considered of that side it is alleged for, as it shall appear, it weigheth nothing. The holy learned fathers [10 Hieron. Op. Breviar. in Psalt. Psal. lxxxiv. Tom. II. Append. col. 345. See before, page 730.] [11 Id. ibid. Psal. xcv. col. 377. See before, page 726.] [12 August. Op. Quæst. Evang. Lib. II. Quæst. xxxiii. 5. Tom. III. Pars 11. col. 260. See before, page 726, note 12.] [13 Id. Serm. lxxxv. 3. Tom. V. Append. col. 153. Conf. Ambros. Op. Par. 1686-90. De Sacram. Lib. v. cap. iv. 26. Tom. II. col 379.] [14 Chrysost. Op. In Act. Apost. Hom. xxi. Tom. IX. p. 176.j [15 Gregor. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratian. Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. [16 Neither is, 1565.] [18 Ven. Bed. Op. Col. Agrip. 1612. Ad Ephes. cap. i. Tom. VI. col. 566; where oret pro nobis et oret, and oretur.] [19 Epiph. Op. Par. 1622. Adv. Hær. Lib. 11. Hær. lv. 4. Tom. I. pp. 471, 2.] [20 August. Op. Serm. clv. 2. Tom. V. Append. col. 273. The Benedictine editors consider this a mutilated version of a homily ascribed to Chrysostom.] Temp. Serm. |