remaine without their subiect. which a Sacramentarie wil be loath to grant, lest it might be proued possible, as both these & al other Catholique Doctors beleued and taught, that the accidents of bread and wine remaine in the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist without their subiects. Which Protestants denie.
26. Let vs make man to our Image.] For better consideration of Gods bountie towards vs, and sturring our selues to gratitude towards him, we may here note tenne prerogatiues bestowed on vs, by our Lord & maker in our creation aboue al other earthlie creatures. First, wheras God by an imperial word of commandment made other creatures, Fiat lux, Fiat firmamentum: Be there light: Be there a firmament: intending to make man, he procedeth familiarly, by way, as it were, of consultation, and as to his owne vse and seruice to make man saying: Let vs make man to our image and likenes, that is to say, a reasonable creature with vnderstanding and free wil, which beastes haue not. Secondly, in this worke God first insinuateth the high Mysterie of the B. Trinitie, or pluralitie of Persons in one God (because man is to beleue the same) signifying the pluralitie of Persons by the wordes Let vs make, and to our: and the vnitie in substance, by the wordes Image and likenes, the first in the plural number, the later in the singular. Thirdly, other creatures were produced by the waters and earth, Let the waters bring forth (fishe and foule) Let the earth bring forth (grasse and cattle, & other beastes) but God brought forth man, not by the earth, though of the earth, nor by water, nor by heauen, nor by Angels, but by him selfe, geuing him a reasonable soule, not sensual only as to beastes, and the same not produced of anie creature, but created immediatly of nothing. Fourthly, God gaue man Paradise a most pleasant place to dwel in. Fiftly, God gaue man dominion and imperial authoritie ouer al liuing creatures vnder heauen. Sixtly, man was created in that innocencie of life, and integritie of al vertues, that his mind was wholly subiect to God, his sense to reason, his bodie to his spirite, and al other liuing creatures obedient to him: euen the terrible Lions, the cruel Tigres, the huge Elephants, and the wildest birdes. Seuently, God brought them al to man, as to do him homage, and to take their names of him. Which by his excellent knowledge he gaue them conformable to their natures. Eightly, God gaue man in some sorte an immortal bodie, that if he had kept Gods commandment, he had liued long and pleasantly in this world, and so should haue bene translated to eternal life without dying. Ninthly, God did not only adorne man with al natural knowledge, and supernatural vertues, but also with the gift of prophecie. Wherby he knew that Eue was a bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh, though being a slepe he knew not when she was made. Tenthly (which was the chiefe benefite of al) God conuersed familiarly with man, and that in shape of man, which was a token of his meruelous great loue to man, and a singular incitment of him to loue God. Reade more, if you please, of the dignitie of man, and the benefites of God towards him in his creation, in S. Bernard vpon the 99. Psalme. And vpon the 61. chapter of Esaie.
28. Increase and multiplie.] Whether this be a commandment or no, at least it is a blessing, for so the wordes before conuince, God blessed them and said: Increase and multiplie. He said the same also to brute creatures, which are not capable of a precept, but by this were made fertile. Wherby we see that Gods blessing alwayes worketh some real effect: as of fertilitie in this and other places, of multiplication of the loaues and fishes, Ioan 6. And some real effect Christs blessing must nedes worke also in the blessed Sacrament. Mat. 26.
