I marvel, M. Harding would ever allege this place, for the Adoration of the Sacrament. For doth he think, that whatsoever thing is so called upon, is therefore Adored with godly honour? Or hath he forgotten, that in his Church of Rome they use thus to salute the holy Oil, Ave Sanctum Oleum? All hail ô holy Oil? Or hath he forgotten that he him self, in his Church, thus saluteth a Cross of Wood, Ave Rex noster? Alhaile our King? Or that he maketh his prayer, and petition to the same material Wooden Cross in this wise, O Crux, ave, spes unica, hoc Passionis tempore: auge pijs justitiam, reisque dona veniam, All hail O Cross, our only hope, in this time of the Passion: ge•e thou increase of righteousness unto the godly: and give thou pardon unto sinners. Or shall we think therefore, either, that he giveth godly honour unto a corruptible creature, or that Christ is there present hidden under the form of wood? This might suffice, to answer this place of Dionysius. I think M. Harding doth remember,1 that Epiphanius saith, The Sacrament is a thing Unsensible, that can neither see us, nor hear our prayer: And he knoweth that Pachymeres the Greek Paraphrast in this sense expoundeth the words of Dionysius. O Divinum, & Sacrum Mysterium. Affatur illud, tanquam rem animatā &c. He speaketh unto the Sacrament, as if it were a thing endued with sense, and life. And ⟨p. 398⟩well. For so Gregory the great Divine saith, O magnum, & Sanctum Pascha. O great, and holy Passover. For our Lord Jesus Christ as he is our Passover, so is he that holy Mystery. And unto him the Bishop directeth his speech. Unto him being in Heaven, not unto the thing that presently lieth before him upon the Table. And that this was Dionysius very meaning, it appeareth by that immediately went before. Ingrediamur ab effectis ad causas: Let us enter from these outward effects into the causes: that is to say, Let us withdraw our eyes from the Visible Sacraments, and spiritually let us behold Christ, whose Sacraments they be, and who by the same is represented. In like manner Dionysius speaketh of the Consecration of the Oil, Adducamus vela, &c. Let us remove the veils, and behold that Spiritual Brightness it self, &c. By which Spiritual Brightness, doubtless he meant Christ.
I maruel, M. Harding woulde euer allege this place, for the Adoration of the Sacrament. For dooth he thinke, that whatsoeuer thinge is so called vpon, is therfore Adoured with godly honour? Or hath he forgotten, that in his Churche of Rome they vse thus to salute the holy Oyle, Aue Sanctum Oleum? Alhaile ô holy Oyle? Or hath he forgotten that he him selfe, in his Church, thus saluteth a Crosse of Woode, Aue Rex noster? Alhaile our Kinge? Or that he maketh his praier, and petition to the same material Wodden Crosse in this wise, O Crux, aue, spes vnica, hoc Passionis tempore: auge pijs iustitiam, reisque dona veniam, Alhaile O Crosse, our onely hope, in this time of the Passion: ge•e thou increase of righteousnesse vnto the godly: and geue thou pardon vnto sinners. Or shal wée thinke therefore, either, that he geueth godly honour vnto a corruptible creature, or that Christe is there present hidden vnder the forme of woode? This might suffice, to answeare this place of Dionysius. I thinke M. Hardinge dooth remember,1 that Epiphanius saith, The Sacrament is a thinge Vnsensible, that can neither see vs, nor heare our praier: And he knoweth that Pachymeres the Gréeke Paraphrast in this sense expoundeth the woordes of Dionysius. O Diuinum, & Sacrum Mysterium. Affatur illud, tanquam rem animatā &c. He speaketh vnto the Sacrament, as if it were a thinge indewed with sense, and life. And ⟨p. 398⟩wel. For so Gregorie the greate Diuine saithe, O magnum, & Sanctum Pascha. O great, and holy Passeouer. For our Lorde Iesus Christe as he is our Passeouer, so is he that holy Mysterie. And vnto him the Bishop directeth his speache. Unto him beinge in Heauen, not vnto the thinge that presently lieth before him vpon the Table. And that this was Dionysius very meaninge, it appeareth by that immediatly wente before. Ingrediamur ab effectis ad causas: Let vs enter from these outwarde effectes into the causes: that is to say, Let vs withdraw our eies from the Uisible Sacramentes, and spiritually let vs beholde Christe, whose Sacramentes they be, and who by the same is represented. In like manner Dionysius speaketh of the Consecration of the Oile, Adducamus vela, &c. Let vs remoue the veles, and beholde that Spiritual Brightnes it selfe, &c. By whiche Spiritual Brightnesse, doubteles he meante Christe.
- 1Epiphanius in Anchorato. Pachymeres. [Greek or Hebrew]Epiphanius in Anchorato. Pachymeres. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉
