MASS AND TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 415
you are pleased to acquaint us with about this " great business of our rehgion." But because you shall perceive that it was not without good grounds and reasons that I affirmed the Scripture to be utterly silent of this that you make the great work of Christianity, I shall a little farther inquire after the nature of it, — that, I mean, which by you it is fancied to be ; for it is a mere creature of your own imagina- tion.
1 . You always contend that it is " a proper sacrifice " which you in- tend. The first canon of your council accurseth them who deny it to be " verum et proprium sacrificium," a " true and proper sacrifice ;" wherein, as they say before, " Christus immolatur," " Christ is sacri- ficed." Many things in the New Testament, in respect of their analogy unto the institutions of the Old, are called " sacrifices," even almost all spiritual actions that are acceptable unto God in Christ. The preaching of the gospel unto the conversion of sinners is termed "sacrificing," Rom. xv. 16; so is faith itself, Phil. ii. 17; so prayers and thanksgiving are an oblation, Heb. v. 7, xiii. 1 5 ; and good works are called "sacrifices," Heb. xiii. 16, Phil iv. 18; and our whole Christian obedience is intimated by Peter so to be. In the sacrament of the eucharist it is that you seek for your sacrifice. And if you would be contented to call it and esteem it so, upon the account of its comprising some of the things before mentioned, or merely as a sjDiritual action ajopointed by God, and acceptable unto him, there would be an end of this contest. But you must have it " a proper sacrifice," like those of Aaron of old; not a " remembrance" of the sacrifice of Christ, but a " sacrifice of Christ himself," wherein "Chris- tus immolatur," " Christ is sacrificed," as the council speaks.
2. The sacrifices of old were of two sorts: — (1.) Eucharistical, or oblations of the fruits of the earth or other things, whereby the sac- rificers acknowledo-ed God as the Lord and author of all good thin<]:s and mercies, with thanksgiving. (2.) Projntiatori/, for the atoning of God, the reconciling him unto sinners, for the turning away of his wrath, and the impetration of the pardon of sin. This was done typically and sacramentally, by virtue of their respect unto the obla- tion of Christ, by the old bloody sacrifices of the law; really and effectually by that bloody sacrifice which the Lord Jesus Christ once offered for all. Now because, in the sacrament of the eucharist, it is our duty to offer up unto God our thankful prayers for his unspeak- able love in sending his only Son to die for us, we do not contend with any who on that account, and with respect unto that peculiar act of our duty in it, shall call it a eucharistical sacrifice, yea, affirm it so to be. But you will have it a "propitiatory sacrifice;" a sacrifice of atonement, like that made by Christ himself; " a sacrifice for the sins of the living and the dead," making reconciliation with God, obtain-
416 A VINDICATION OF THE ANIMADVERSIONS ON FIAT LUX.
ing pardon of sin, and eternal life ; — tilings peculiar to the 07ie sacrifice of Christ in his death and passion.
3. Though you usually exclude the communion from it, — wherein you do wisely, that it may have no affinity with the institution of Christ, — yet you do not precisely determine your sacrifice unto any one act or action in your mass, but make it comprise the whole, with the manner of its celebration, from the first setting forth of the ele- ments of bread and wine mixed with water, unto the end of the offertory, after their transubstantiation and religious adoration there- upon, and their offering up unto God the body and blood of Christ under the accidents of bread and wine. The presentation of the bread and wine you would prove to belong unto your sacrifice from the example of Melchizedek. Your transubstantiation is also of the essence of it; for " it is required in a sacrifice," says your Bellarmine, " that the sensible thing to be offered unto God be changed and plainly destroyed," De Miss., lib. i. cap. 2 : which you esteem the sub- stance of your bread and wine to be in your transubstantiation. Your religious adoration of the consecrated host belonsfs also unto it, for that in the canon of the mass immediately ensues your transubstan- tiating consecration before the oblation itself, and so must necessarily be a part of your sacrifice. Your " offering up unto God of Jesus Christ," praying him to accept of him at the priest's hands ('' supra quae propitio et sereno vultu respicere digneris et accepta habere"), belongs also unto it. So doth your direction of it to the propitiating of God, and the expiation of the sins of the quick and the dead ; the ceremonies also wherewith your mass is celebrated, as I suppose, most of them belong to your sacrifice. And those who believe them not to be duties of piety are accursed by your council of Trent. The priest's eating of the host belongs to the sacrifice ; yea, saith Bellar- mine, it is " pars essentialis sacrificii," though not " tota essentia," — an essential part of the sacrifice, though the whole essence of it doth not consist therein. I know you are at a great loss and variance among yourselves to find out what it is that is properly your sacri- fice, or wherein the essence of it doth consist. Some of your dis- crepant opinions are given us by your Azorius, lib. x. cap. 19 : " Sunt," saith he, " qui putant rationem sacrificii totam constitui in verbis, precibus, ceremoniis, et ritibus, qui in consecratione adhibentur, eo quod sacrificii ratio, inquiunt, nequit in ipsa consecratione consistere, quin e contrario consecratio ad rationem sacramenti potius quam ad naturam sacrificii pertinet. Alii existimant sacrificii rationem tribus sacerdotis actionibus constare, consecratione, oblatione, et sumptione. AHi quidem sensere ad rationem hujus sacrificii quatuor imo quinque actiones concurrere, consecrationem, oblationem, fractionem, sump- tionem. Alii rationem sacrificii ponunt in duobus actibus, consecra-