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AS cōcerning the first ti∣tle, of acknowledging the Maiesty and greatnes of God, what Holocauste, to professe and signifye the same, could there be offered more full and complete thē this, wherein is sacrificed the first begotten of all creatures, whose life alone, is of more esteeme without comparison then all the cre∣atures ioyned together. And
so by this sacrifice we pro∣test, and acknowledge the Maiesty, magnificence, and dignity of our God to be so great, that no lesse is due vnto him then a sacrifice of infinit worthynes & value. The Prophet Isaias, did much exaggerate and mag∣nify the Maiesty of God, in saying, that all the Nations of the world are before him as a dropp of morning dew, and as the smalest grayne of weight, put into the bal∣lance, to counterpoise the cōtrary scale; yea that before him they are as if they were
not. And that so great is his worthynes, as that to offer a sacrifice answerable vnto his greatnes, all the flocks of sheep and heardes of cat∣tle that feed on the Mount Libanus would not be suffi∣cient to make such an Ho∣locaust, nor all the trees that grow thereon able to make fyre great inough to con∣sume the same,* 1.1 Libanus non sufficiet ad succendendum, & animalia eius non sufficient ad Holocaustum. The Prophet sayd much, yet without falshood he might haue sayd more, that the whole world
and what soeuer is compre∣hended therein, would not be sufficient for this end; though all men should offer their liues in sacrifice, though with mē the Angels of Heauē should enter into the Sacrifice, though all cre∣atures ioyning togeather should consume themselues in one Holocaust; yet this would not be condigne, yea this would be much short of Gods greatnes and Ma∣iesty.
Wherefore we may here∣in euer admire the wyse∣dome, goodnes, and power
of Christ Iesus shining in this mystery, that could deuise, was able to effect, willing to giue, and indeed hath gi∣uen vnto his Church such a sacrifice, as hath not only a conformity or proportion, but also equality with Gods greatnes and Maiesty: so that with truth we may af∣firme that we offer a sacrifice as good, and as excellent as euen infinite Excellēcy de∣serues. And this is also ano∣ther dignity, this Sacrifice hath, to magnify God, be∣cause therein we make a most high protestation of
his infinit power, wisedome & goodnes, the three more principall Diuine attributes vnto which the rest are re∣duced. Gods power and su∣preme Lordship ouer all creatures we professe, in this Sacrifice, by belieuing that all, without contradi∣ction, obey his worde and will, and that he may at his pleasure dispose of all both in Heauen and in earth; se∣ing at the only signification of his will, the substance of bread, is changed into the body of Christ, and the sub∣stance of wine into his pre∣cious
Bloud, the accidents which naturally are still in some substance, and haue an essentiall relation therunto, remayne by themselues sin∣gle, without any substance wherein they inhere, as if themselues were substance. The body lykewise of our Sauiour, exalted vnto the Empyreall Heauen, aboue all creatures, garnished roūd about with immense glory puts it self, (by the power of Gods word commanded) vnder the accidents of bread to be eaten of the faythfull.
The Diuine Wisedome
lykewise wōderfully shew∣ed it selfe, in inuenting a most full and conuenient way, how to cōpasse things most difficile, & in the iudg∣ment both of men and An∣gels impossible. This inuen∣tion is, that the whole of∣spring of mē being in sinne, and enemies of God, a mā of this stock, should be foūd to offer vnto God a sacrifice so gratefull and acceptable, that euen in rigour of iustice the same deserues: the re∣demption of man togeather yieldes vnto God the whole worship and reuerence that
is due to him with great ad∣uantage and excesse, repay∣ring the losses incurred by sinne, so many reasons of profit & conueniency con∣curring therin, that they can neyther be declared, nor imagined.
Now it seemes that the goodnes of God cannot pre∣sent vnto men greater de∣monstrations of it selfe. For the nature of goodnes being to communicate it self, who can imagine, a more full communication, or a more straite vnion then this is, where God made man vn∣der
the formes of bread and wine, giues himselfe to be eaten of all men, and of euery one in particular shutting vp himselfe within their breasts, vnited vnto them as perfectly and in∣wardly, as meate is conioy∣ned with the person that feedes theron.
So that we may now well conclude, that the Masse is a most perfect holo∣caust, and that therein in highest māner we acknow∣ledge our Creatours most soueraigne infinite Maiesty, with the rest of his Diuine
excellencyes, and yield him the honour and worship that is his due.
Esa. 40