Luke — Chapter 22

15. With desire I haue desired.) The old Paschal ceaseth and a new is instituted. This great desire he had to eate this Paschal lambe, was not for itself, which he had celebrated many yeares before: but because he meant immediatly after the Paschal of the Law was sacrificed and eaten, to institute the other new Paschal in the oblation and eating of his owne body, by which the old Paschal should end and be fulfilled, and in which the old Testament and Law ceasing, the Kingdom of God (which is the state of the new Testament and of his Church) should begin. For, the very passage from the old Law to the new was in this one supper.

17. Taking the chalice.) Two cups or chalices at Christes last supper. This chalice according to the very euidence of the text itself also, is not the second part of the Holy Sacrament, but that solemne cup of wine which belonged as a libament to the offering and eating of the Paschal lambe. Which being a figure specially of the holy Chalice, was there drunken by our Sauiour, and giuen to the Apostles also, with declaration that it should be the last cuppe of the Law, not to be drunken any more, til it should be drunken new in the Kingdom of God, that is to say, in the celebration of the B. Sacrament of his bloud of the new Testament. And by this place it seemeth very like that the wordes in S. Matthew, *I wil not drinke of the fruit of the vine &c, were pertaining to this cuppe of the old Law, and not to the Holy Sacrament, though they be there by repetition or recapitulation spoken after the holy Chalice. *Mat. 26,29.

19. This is my body.) The real presence. Although sense tel thee it is bread, yet it is the body, according to his wordes, let faith confirme thee, iudge not by sense. After the wordes of our Lord let no doubt rise in thy mind. Cyril. mystag. 4. Of the veritie of flesh and bloud there is left no place to doubt: by the profession of our Lord him self, and by our faith it is flesh and bloud indeed. Is not this truth? To them be it vntrue, which deny IESVS CHRIST to be true God. Hilar li. 8 de Trinit.

20. The new Testament in my bloud.) Both Testaments dedicated in bloud. Moyses tooke the bloud of the first sacrifice that was made after the giuing of the Law Exod. 24. and with bloud confirmed the couenant and compact betwixt God and his people, and so dedicated the old Testament, which without bloud (saith S. Paul*) was not dedicated. Moyses put that bloud also into a standing peece, and sprinkled al the people &c. with the same, and said these formal wordes: This is the bloud of the couenant &c. or (as it is read in S. Paul) of the Testament which God hath deliuered vnto you. Vnto al which, Christ in this action about the second part of this his Sacrifice, in euery of the Euangelists most cleerely alludeth: expressing that the new Testament is begun and dedicated in his bloud in the Chalice, no lesse then the old was dedicated, begun, and ratified in that bloud of calues conteined in the goblet of Moyses. With which his owne bloud he sprinkled inwardly his Apostles as the first fruits of the new Testament, imitating the wordes of Moyses, and saying: This is the Chalice the new Testament &c: Which the other Euangelists spake more plainly: This is my bloud of the new Testament. The external religion of the new Testament principally in the Sacrifice of the Altar. By al which it is most certaine, that Christs bloud in the Chalice, is the bloud of Sacrifice, and that in this Sacrifice of the Altar consisteth the external religion and proper seruice of the new Testament, no lesse then the soueraigne worship of God in the old Law did consist in the Sacrifices of the same. For though Christes Sacrifice on the Crosse and his bloud shed for vs there, be the general price, redemption, and satisfaction for vs al, and is the last and perfectest sealing or confirmation of the new law and Testament: yet the Seruice and Sacrifice which the people of the new Testament might resort vnto could not be that violent action of the Crosse, but this on the Altar, which by Christs owne appointment is and shal be the eternal office of the new Testament, and the continual application of al the benefites of his Passion vnto vs. *Hebr. 9.

24. Contention.) Ambition. The Apostles perceiuing Christs departure from them and his Kingdom to be neere, as infirme men and not yet indowed with the Spirit of God, began to haue emulation and cogitations of Superiority one ouer another which our Maister represseth in them by exhortation to humilitie and by his owne example, that being their Lord, yet so lately serued them: not forbidding Maioritie or Superioritie in them, but pride, tyranny, and contempt of their inferiours.

31. Simon Simon,) Peters faith shal neuer faile. Lastly to put them out of doubt, he calleth Peter twise by name, and telling him the Diuels desire to sifte and trie them al to the vttermost (as he did that night) saith that he hath specially prayed for him, to this end that his faith should neuer faile, and that he being once conuerted, should after that for euer confirme, establish or vphold the rest in their faith. Which is to say, that Peter is that man whom he would make Superiour ouer them and the whole Church. Whereby we may learne that it was thought fit in the prouidence of God, that he who should be the Head of the Church, should haue a special priuiledge by Christes prayer and promise neuer to faile in faith and that none other either Apostle, Bishop, or Priest may chalenge any such singular or special prerogatiue either of his Office or person, otherwise then ioining in faith with Peter and by holding of him. The danger (saith S. Leo✟) was common to al the Apostles, but our Lord tooke special care of Peter, that the state of al the rest might be more sure, if the Head were inuincible: God so dispensing the aide of his grace, that the assurance and strength which Christ gaue to Peter, might redound by Peter to the rest of the Apostles: S. August. also, Christ praying for Peter, prayed for the rest, because in the Pastour and Prelate the people is corrected or commended. And S. Ambrose writeth, that Peter after his tentation was made Pastour of the Church, because it was said to him, Thou being conuerted, confirme thy brethren. The Romane faith of Peters successours cannot faile. Neither was this the priuilege of S. Peters person, but of his Office, that he should not faile in faith but euer confirme al other in their faith. For the Church, for whose sake that priuiledge was thought necessarie in Peter the Head thereof, was to be preserued no lesse afterward, then in the Apostles time. Whereupon al the Fathers apply this priuiledge of not failing and of confirming other in faith, to the Romane Church and Peters successours in the same. To which (saith S. Cyprian*) infidelitie or false faith can not come. And S. Bernard saith writing to Innocentius Pope, against Abailardus the Heretike: **We must referre to your Apostleship al the scandals and perils which may fal, in matter of faith specially. For there the defects of faith must be holpen, where faith can not faile. For to what other See was it euer said: I haue prayed for thee Peter, that thy faith do not faile? Popes may erre personally, not iudicially, or definitiuely. So say the Fathers: not meaning that none of Peters seat can erre in person, vnderstanding, priuate doctrine or writings, but that they can not nor shal not euer iudicially conclude or giue definitiue sentence for falshood or heresie against the Catholike faith, in their Consistories, Courts, Councels, Decrees, Deliberations or Consultations kept for decision and determination of such controuersies, doubts, or questions of faith as shal be proposed vnto them: because Christes prayer and promise protecteth them therein for confirmation of their brethren. And no maruel that our Maister would haue his vicars Consistorie & Seat infallible, ***seeing euen in the old Law the high Priesthood and Chaire of Moyses wanted not great priuiledge in this case, though nothing like the Churches and Peters prerogatiue. But in both, any man of sense may see the difference between the person, and the Office, as wel in doctrine as life. Liberius in persecution might yeald, Marcellinus for feare might commit Idolatrie, Honorius might fal to Heresie, and more then al this, some Iudas might creepe into the Office: and yet al this without preiudice of the Office and Seate, in which (saith S. Augustinea) our Lord hath set the doctrine of truth. Caiphas by priuiledge of his Office prophecied right of Christ, but according to his owne knowledge and faith, knew not Christ. The Euangelists and other penners of holy writ, for the execution of that function had the assistance of God, and so far could not possibly erre: but that Luke, Marke, Salomon or the rest might not erre in other their priuate writings; that we say not. The learned fathers sought to the B. of Rome for resolution of doubts. It was not the personal wisedom, vertue, learning, or faith of Christs Vicars, that made S. Bernardb seeke to Innocentius the third: S. Augustine and the Bishops of Afrike to Innocentius the first, and to Celestinus, ep. 90. 91. 95: S. Chrisostomec to the said Innocentius: S. Basil to the Pope in his time ep. 52.: S. Hierom to Damasus ep 57. 58. to. 2. but it was the prerogatiue of their Office and higher degree of Vnction, and Christs ordinance, that would haue al Apostles and Pastours in the world, for their confirmation in faith and Ecclesiastical regiment, depend on Peter. The lacke of knowledge and humble acceptation of which Gods prouidence, that is, that one is not honoured and obeyed of al the brotherhood, is the cause of al Schismes and Heresies, saith S. Cypriand. A point of such importance, that al the Twelue being in Apostleship like, Christ would yet for the better keeping of vnity and truth, haue one to be Head of them al, that a Head being once appointed, occasion of Schisme might be taken away, saith S. Hierom. li. 1. adu. Iouinian. c. 14. ✟Serm. 3. Assump. ad Pont. li. q. Noui. Test. 9. 75 to 4. *Cypr. ep. 55 nu. 6. **Bern. ep. 190. ***Deu. 11. aAug. ep. 166. in fine. bBern. ep. 190. cChry. ep. 1. & 2. dCyp. ep. 55. nu. 2.