him sayth he who giueth aliments to vs the first fructes of there gyftes in the new Testamâ—nt as he should say in that that our Sauiour tuke breade and wyne and offred to his Disciples he teacheth vs a new oblation of the new Testament how we ought with the oblation of oure prayers action of thankes the predication of the mercies of our God the holy Supper ioynâ—â—â—â—tly 〈◊〉 that is to acknowledge vs to receaue all at the 〈◊〉 oâ— God to be as it wer stewarts and despeÌ„sâ—tours of his gyftes and thus to offre vp the first fructes to God that is to sanctifie them to thereleif of the poore and so he declareth him self in the Chap. following by the gyft sayeth or the honoure the affection is schowen towards the Kyng the whiche the Lorde wylling to be offred in all simplicitie and innocencie preached saying when thow bringest the gyft to the altare and sofurth then should thow offre sayeth Ireneus and concludeth the first fructes of his creature to be offred to God as Moyses sayeth thow shall not appeare empty in the presence of the Lorde thy God Now as I haue decleared alreaddy his principale studie is that with these outwarde actions the inwarde worshipping be ioyned we must make our oblatioÌ„ sayeth he to God and be found thankfull in all to our maker God in simple mynde and faith without Hypocrisie a stedfaste hope a seruent dilection offring vp the first fructes of them that be his creaturs and this oblation cleane and vndefyled the onely church and Congregation offreth vp to the maker Sacrifiing to him of his owen workmaschipe with action of thankes in the which wordes he planely declareth what he wyll we vnderstande by the oblation of the new TestameÌ„t which no wayes may apperteyne to your masse where one goeth asyde and pretendeth a certane oblation not of no creature but of the verrie Sonne of God where we be teached here of one oblation made by the holy Churhe and that of the creaturs to the maker ioyning to the inwarde Sacrifice of faith a cleane conscience a stedfaste hope together with prayers and the furthschewing of Gods mercies exhibited in Iesus Christe Syndrie other places may I adduce of the same two Cheptres wherein he decleareth plainely that he meaneth of almous geuen to the nedy in the Lordes Supper and of the table it self prayer and thankes geuing and others suche laudable and Godlie customes as were then vsed whiche alltogether are called the oblatioÌ„ of the new testament by this author Followis Cypriane quha wes martyred for the faith of Christe 1296. zearis bypaste and wryttis in this maner gif our Iesus Christ God himself be the hie preist of God the father and be him self did first offer a Sacrifice to God the father and hes commandid the sam to be done in remembrance of him that preist verrelie goddis Vicar quha dois follow the thiÌ„g that Christe hes done Hither to Cypriane and al 's he affirmis that God is author and teacher of the Sacrifice of the Masse Now ye adde to the wordes of Cypriane by him self and omitteth a part of his sentence which is this verrie and full Sacrifice then he offereth in the CongregatioÌ„ to God the Father if he shall so begin to offre as he hath sene Christ alreddy to haue offred passe by and wyll go to the mater What do ye finde here that wyl serue any wayes to your masse and in verrie dede because ye perceaued no thing to be here making for yow ye adde that God is author and teacher of the masse Why do ye not alledge the place if any thing myght be found in Cypriane ye should no dout haue broght it furth for it should haue serued more to your purpose Shall ye thus be suffred to raill against God aÌ„d inure suche insufferable blasphemies to the Eternall and his sanctes making him author of the moste detestable impietie that euer wes diuised Shall ye thus be permitted to deceaue the simple ones of Christs flock redemed by his bloode Be you assured that the Eternall wyll not suffer the prophanation of his mysterijs the decept of his people and the wrangling of the wryttinges of his sanctes vnpunished Let vs returne to the wordes of Cypriane in the which it is moste certane that he speaketh no thing of priuat masses vnknowen in his dayes nether yet euer had place til that all being distroyed aÌ„d waisted by the Gotthes Vandelles and others fearslie could any multitude be conueyned to the Celebration of the Lordes Table but belyke all goode sciences falling in decaye the ignorance and contempt of Gods worde entred in and receaued that one should eat for all the multitude one should take vpoÌ„ him to do that which ought to haue bene done of all Now the ancients did abhorre these priuate massts we may knowe by the Epistle of Leo Pope who wes many yeares efter Cypriane to Diofcurus where he declareth planelie that there wes but a masse and that the whole people being coÌ„ueyned together at festuall dayes and tymes yea aÌ„d euen in these our dayes the Greik Churche hath no priuate masses in the Popes owen Chapell there is but one altare and a masse and that seldome at certane appoynted tymes in the year The wordes of Cypriane are to be vnderstande of the distribution of the Sacrament and CoÌ„munion of the people For lyke as Christe vpon the Croce offred him self to God the Father and that the memorie of this his oblation myght be kept euer fresche and recent in his Congregation he instituted the Supper and coÌ„manded the practeis thereof breaketh bread calleth it his body and distributeth to his Disciples and sanctifieth the cuppe calling it the blood of the new Testament So the minister making distribution of the body and blood of our Sauiour according to his exemple and institution and giuing thankes to the Eternall for the Sacrifice and oblation ones made vpon the Crote the virtue whareof euer remaneth no dont he is the stedholder of Christ in the imitatioÌ„ doing that which Christ did coÌ„maÌ„ded to be done Now lest that the wordes that I haue added of Cypriane may appeare to be hurtsum and preiudicial to satisfie all readers and take all enasion frome yow Let no man thinke that Cypriane wylleth a preist to stande vp by one altare allone and there to make one oblation by him self But that he shall diuide and distribute to the assistars the body and bloode of our Sauiour offre vnto God prayers and action of thankes for the Sacrifice of the Croce the memorie where of is there solemnedlie celebrated for that is to offre as Christe offred in the Supper to wit to giue thankes pray to God and so make distribution of the simboles of his body and bloode It is well noted by Chrysostomus there be some thinges wherein the Minister differeth frome the Commoun and layick people
is this not that thing that appeareth good in thy eyes shall thou do to the Lord thy God but what the Lord thy God hath commanded thee that do thou thou shall adde nothing thereto nether shall thou deminish any thing there fro Consider now Sire in what rank workes done without Gods commandement are placed and take better head to distinctions and defferences inuented to auoid a treuth Thus farre myght Iames haue gone with you if ye had bene mynded to haue led him the ryght way But now let vs consider the answer made to the Second parte of Iames argument called in the Scooles somtymes Assumptioâ— somtymes minor Here our Kynnishe Doctor trauelleth exceadingly to proue the masse not to be inueÌ„ted by man but instituted by our Sauiours Christ Iesus at the latter Supper at the least the effect and substance of it And to confirme this he giueth a deffinition of the masse concluding all the other Cerimonies prayers and orations to be added by the Apostles and their Disciples moste faslie and vntreuly as shal be after spoken when as we haue ended and proued that parte that he Subiunis of the name of the masse For this is his ordor to fall from the substance to the appellation immediatly introducing Iames and making him to proue the masse no wayes to be instituted by our Sauiour Christ seing there is no such name in the new Testament I am not ignorant what weight force the argument is of that is drowen A nota nominis in the Logique Scooles to wire that it is more probable to persuade then strong and pithie to conuict Yet if we shall consider the Scriptures of God the maner of proceading of the holy Spirite in them no dout it shal be found as it were inuincible For I ask of you Doctor that taketh vpon you continual reading and meditation of the Scriptures where ye do euer find any ordinance of God set furth to the which the Spirit of God giueth not a certane name whereby lyuelie as it were he paynteth furthe the mater and propertie thereof I am assured that the holy institution of circumcision is so tearmed by the Spirite of God the pashoner lykewise the Sacrifices appointed in the boke of Leui as they by their cerimonies and oblations are distinguished one from an other so euerie one hath their own proper name which no man durst alter change or innouate In the new Testament the lyke to be practised by the same Spirite it is moste euident Is not the Sacrament of our regeneratioÌ„ called Baptisme and that moste properlie the holie action of our Sauiour at the Table before his departing from his Apostles in the which he gaue bread and wine the verie signes and tokens yea the verie pledges of his body and blood is not this action called somtymes the Communion somtymes the Lordes Supper and such other appellations drawen furth of the Scriptures as the Sacrament of his body blood and of thankesgeuing This then being cleir that there is no institution in the old nor yet iÌ„ the new TestameÌ„t but as moste faythfully cairfully the ceremonies the rytes and the maner of them are declared so shal we obserue the names to be moste properlie attrybuted vnto them For this we may eissally obserue the trauell and studie of the Spirite of God to be that as the ordinances of God are moste clene and holy in them selues so they be exempted from all matche patching of the foolish imagination of mans hart This rule therefore may serue to try all strange bastard iÌ„stitutions of man croppen in the place of the trew and faithfull ordinances of God which haue obscured adulterated and defaced the Germane ceremonies left and deposed by our onely Law maker Iesus Christ the wosdome of his Father What are ye able Sire I pray you to say agaiÌ„st this argumeÌ„t Al the ordinaÌ„ces of God are so set furth in the scriptures that nether is there any ceremonie pretermitted nor yet is the name of the whole action passed by with sielencâ— Nether is the name of your masse conteined in the Scriptâ—res nor yet the cerimonies vsed in it prescriued by our Sauioure It followeth then that it hath nothing to do with the institutions of our Maister Iesus Christ. To your subterfuge pretended of Clemens and Ignatius when as I shall answer to the authorities of the Doctors cited by you there shal be declared the meaning of them and how they vsed that word to no such thing as ye meane Clemens if he wes the Scolar of Peter I know not but sure I am that if he wes his Disciple and these his workes which be set furth in his name that Peter should think him worthy of the stryppes for there is ether nothing or verie lytle that sauoreth of the breist of that Apostle in this Clemens This I wold ye should receaue rather of the mouth of Eusebeus nor myne who writing in the sext boke and. 11. Cha. of the Ecclesiastical historie of Clemens Alexandrinê° what vnlefull testimonies he vsed reckynneth this your Clemens Epistle Ignatius writeth in Greik the interpretors ignorant of that language or els not throughlie vnderstanding latine yea and not knowing the meaning of the Author turneth by this word Missas celebrare where the godly writer Ignatius vseth these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or such wordes signifeing not els but to coÌ„uene assemble gather the people together to the seruice of God This may appeare euidently in the place of Socrates that is in the thrid boke of the tripertie historie writing of Melitiê° ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which place is turned by Epiphaniê° the followers of Meclitius made masses apart the author meaning no suche mater nor yet the turner of no such masse as we haue sene but onely that they conuened apart by them selues so abstracted them selues from the rest of the CongregatioÌ„ The ignorance of this language deceaueth thee glorious Doctor howsoeuer thou be puft vp in thy owne consaite and playes King harrad amongest thy owne companions lyke vnto thy self but hereafter we wil haue better occasion to speak of this mater in the conference of the Doctors There is yet an other shift pretty as appeares to this Author which is that the Fathers conuened at the councill holding at Nicea to refute the herysie of Arius inueÌ„ted this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and an other whereby they tearme the Virgine to be the mother of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Theothitos as ye do write ignorantly the thridt in our own tongue Trinitie which wordes sayeth this Author are not found in the Scriptures what if I shal deny this vnto this new start vp Doctor of Carrick How is he able to proue it if he vnderstandeth not the language that the Scriptures were first written in by the finger of the holy Goste But to come nerrer what albeit these wordes be not found seing it
now murmilling somtymes displaying furth his handes now cōtracting them And fynally doeth not els but gaseth vpon the swellowing ouer of a peace of bread and the vglie and shamefull licking of a cuppe without any ciuilytie If in the beholding of this lyeth remission of sinnes in deid they are easie to be pardoned If we shall say that the preist as he taketh the whole to him self so onely obteined he forgiuenes of his sinnes then the people is heauily intreated and at an euill point when the harlote and the ignorant preist shall haue the whole This is mirrie to refresh the reader and yet is moste trew for this wicked and deuillish opinion of remission of snies by masse hath enuennomed all Christēdome and drowned it vp so that she allone wes esteamed to be the lady the plyght and souerane Anchor yea and the porte of all benediction and Saluation What blasphemie and derogation to the blood of Iesus Christ To his dignitie honor and preisthead hath proceaded hereof as it is now manifest to euerie one so in the refutatiō of this we are driuen to speak somwhat And firste wil I demād of this Romish Doctor where did he euer here that theie wes any Sacrifice instituted without a Sacrificer We knowe that the Author to the Hebreues Vendicates the dignitie of preisthead wholy to our Sauioure whose preisthead he calleth there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say of that nature that it can not be transferred into an other The argument of the Apostle is verie cleir in the 7. Chap. where he giues the cause of the multytude pluralitie of preistes euerie one succedinge other because they were mortal and subiect to death ād so could not remane But no such infirmitie falleth in our preist the Lord Iesus who hath offered vp him self in a ful satisfaction and recōpence for all our sinnes and that ones the vertue whereof remaneth perpetually and yet desisteth not to execute the other parte of the office of the preist euer interreading at his Fathers handes for the offences of the people euer liuing as the Apostle sayeth for that cause How then can this Sacrifice stand without a preist How can there be any oblation without a Sacrificer Secondly we be plainely teached by this same author that there can be no remission of sinnes without effusion shedding of blood In your masse there is no shedding of blood for ye call it on vnbloody Sacrifice but how iustly after shal be cōsidered How then darre ye promise to your selues remission of sinnes thereby Thridly if ye will pertinatiouslie insist and will it to be a Sacrifice necessarly it shal follow that it that is offerred shal be slaine If Christ be Sacrificed in euerie masse then shal he be moste barbarously and cruelly slaine euerie day in ten thousand places for ye affirme plainely that ye offer him vp vnto his Father This is not myne but the Apostles argument in the same Epistle if it had bene neidfull to him to haue offered him self ofter then ones then should he haue suffered oftentymes since the beginning of the world It followeth then cleirly that since ye take vpon you to offer him vp at all tymes in euerie corner that ye do that that is in you to put traterous and blody handes vpon him Your shiftes and subterfuges are well knowene to me firste that ye christ not successors to our Sauioure as if he were dead and vtterly taken away but suffraganes of his Eternall preisthead But if the wordes of the Apostle be well examinat and considdered aryght they do proue manifestly that nether neadeth he a successor nor yet a suffragane seing he is euer leuing and ready to execute yea and executing his office euer present with his Church and neuer intermitting the office laide vpon him by his Father And this his Sacrifice he dide ones offer vp by vertue whereof remission of sinnes is obtened to all that beleued In the office of intercession he is cōtinually occupyed as we haue somwhat touched so that in no part of his office can he be ether esteamed sleuthful absent or so occupied to require a Suffragane ether yet mortal and subiect to death that he should neid a successor Hereby I trust it be sufficiently declared your masse to be no Sacrifice and so your diffinition to fal in that point and so haue ye to lybell new againe To that ye say the Lordes body is really conteined vnder the formes of bread and wyne I wonder ye make no mention of the blood of our Lorde aswell as of the Body but in this ye shaw well where ye learned to wit at Sorbone and not at the Scoole of Christe for Christe instituteth and vseth two seuerall simboles of his body blood bread wyne but you as ye are teached of your maister Sathan doeth think that nawise neidfull In token whereof ye haue debarred all Christianes except a certane shauelinges from the one part of the Lordes table and hath reserued the cuppe all whole to your selues and in deid God be praised it is not euill sent vpon their boched faces Albeit that Iesus Christ the Author hereof doeth plainely command that all shall drink and this wes euer practised in the primitiue Church yea and euer reteined by the ancient Fathers howsoeuer ye take vpon you in your stinking diffinition that it wes so instituted by our Sauioure in remembrance of his death and passion so lyghtly not onely do ye pas by the holy ordinances of God but also the shedding of his blood In the Second diffinition which appeareth to conteine a certane correction of the former Ye call it a commemoration and remembrance of Christes death and passion In deid it is certane that our Sauiour willed and cōmanded that action which he had practised to be done in commemoration of him and after him Sainct Paule giueth charge lykewise that how so oft we shall eat of that bread and drink of that cuppe we annunce and furthshaw the Lordes death till he come But the masse to be that action ether yet to haue any affinitie with it being altogether al 's contrarious as the heauen and the earth lyght and darknes the day and the nyght he is more nor mad that tholeth hī so to be persuaded But of this repugnancie we will haue more ganing occasion to speak when as we shall atteane to that place where of set purpose you do handle the aggreance of the masse with the Lordes table and the diuersitie Where ye pretend the bread the wyne to be consecrated execrated I darre say boldly for consecration haue ye none according to Christes institution I trust there be none that euer hath sene the action of the Lord Iesus practysed ether yet hath red the wordes of his moste blissed institution that will consent or aggre thereto for in his action we read plainely that he take bréad gaue thankes brake it gaiue it
further subiect to death and yet thou wil that he shal be offered vp againe yea and is offered vp in euerie corner Is not these two sayinges plaine contrarius Shall not the manifest treuth vttered by the holy spirite distroy the plaine vntrâ—â—â—h and manifest blasphemie that proceadeth of thy mouth But least it shall seme and appeare to you that ye shal escape by your stinking distinccions which standeth and dependeth wholy vpon the diuersitie of the oblation that the one is bloody and the other vnbloody I will ask of thee whome of hath thou that distinction Is it of the Spirite of God Whom to wes it reueilled before the Scriptures wes shute vp Or in what place of Scripture is it expressed Where is the commandement I am assured ye can haue no sufficient warrand to do any thing that the Lorde Iesus did not in his latter Supper Let all be red that is written by Mathew Mark Luck and Paule of the holie Supper and moste diligently and manifestly conferred and considered if our Sauioure iÌ„ his latter Supper offered his body and blood vnto God the Father and commanded that we should do the same he brake bread gaue thankes distributed it to his Disciples saying take ye eat ye this is my body which is broken for you He did lykewise with the Cuppe saying take drink of it all this Cuppe is the new Testament in my blood which shal be shed for you and many vnto remission of sinnes adiecting to bothe the partes do this in remembrance of me What is here I pray you that may in any wise apperteane to the oblation of the body and blood of our Sauioure to be made in the masse For we know that the oblation of his body wes made and his blood shed the day following And I truste that no man wil think or say that he commanded vs to do that thing in remembrance of him which he did the day immediatly ensewing but that he willed them to do that that he then practised to the perpetuall recordation and memorie of him without any further commandement Thus then thou can pretend no commandement whatsoeuer thou shall brage of it Secondly we are plainely teached by the Author to the Hebrewes that the oblation of the body and blood of Iesus Christe is of that nature that one 's perfected vpon the croice it can in no wayes be reiterate nor made againe Christe in offerring vp himself died and rose againe thus is no more subiect to mortalitie and we know that there can be no oblation vnto remission of sinnes but it that is by effusion of blood So that now whosoeuer goeth about to offer vp him againe they do that is in them to crucifie him of new Is not the argument of the Apostle moste euident and strenthy shawing the excellency of our Sacrifice of the new Testament aboue them of the olde in that that they not onely were many and oftentymes repeated yea euen the self same by long continuance of tyme till they were altogether abolished where as we haue but one and that ones offered neuer to be reiterated nor offered againe Iudge with thy self if that be not the introducting and establishing of a new iudaisime shaw me the defference thay had a certane Sacrifice which in consideration of the inhabilytie wes oftentymes reiterate in no wayes had bene repeated if it should haue had sufficient force and strenth what shal be of the Sacrifice of the croice Sall it not be accused of imperfection and inhabilitie thus reiterate by you Further we know that Christe can not be offered of none but of him self being the onely Mediator betuix God and maÌ„ neuer hauing resigned ouer this dignitie to none Attour what a monstrus and preposterus thing shall this be that the oblation that is the thing that is offered shal be more worthy and of greater value and estimation then the offerer more acceptable to God nor he that doeth offer it which of a necessitie must follow if a shaueling shall offer vp Christe in his masse Moyses doeth teach vs the oblation to be receaued of God for his saike that doeth offer it for the oblation of Cain wes reiected of God for Cain saike and the gift of Abell receaued not for the owen cause but the saike of the offerer lyke as is plaine through all the Prophetes so we haue in this mater the oblation of the body and blood of Iesus Christe to be moste pleasant vnto the Father in consideration that it wes offered vp by his onely and welbeloued Sonne By these argumentes it may appeare euidently the vanitie of thy pretended commandement captius distinctions which in your owen doctrine included a verie great contradiction For ye do call this your fond oblation an vnbloodie Sacrifice if I had presently a notare at hand I should bestowe an plack vpon an instrument of this saying I ask of thee new diuine how can this be an vnbloody Sacrifice and yet thou wil affirme the wyne that is their drunke by the Preist to be the verie reall blood of our Sauiour Christe that he receaued of the substance of the Virgine and that he shed vpon the croice The Sacrifice of the croice is called bloody because Christes blood wes shed thereon in verie deid shall not this your Sacrifice be the same argument be bloodie since ye drink and offre vp the same blood that vpon the croice wes shed Now ether must thou renunce and recant the wicked error of transubstantiation or els thou shalt will you or will you not grant it to be a bloodie Sacrifice that thow so stifly denyeth haeth no otherway to declyne the pithe of the argument Now ones I pray the againe oppin thyne eyes and be not styll blynde to considder how naroly thow are thrung in and delyuer thy self if thow can Considder last if it be a thing consistyng in the power and wyll of man tyll alterre and change the ordinances of God to change the nature of Saccrifices which be appoynted iÌ„ effusion of blood for so shall fall all the holie and inuiolable ordinances of God as witnesseth the Apostle effusion of blood to be necessarly ioyned with remission of sinnes Thus shal we conclud with thee that a veritie distroyeth not an other but in deid it oppeneth vp an vntreuth and lie which allace doeth abound in thy mouth what adiuration soeuer thou shall cloike them with all These your sayinges appeareth somwhat scabrus and obscure to Iames as in deid all vntreuth masked cloiked with pretense of veritie simplenes is dark hard to be vnderstaÌ„d the veritie coÌ„trarie wayes is euer remaning lyke to the self plane manifest and simple and for this caus he is desyrus that your sayiÌ„ges be made more plaine And hereupon ye take occasion to declaire the difference betuix the Sacrifice of the Lordes body on the croice and the Sacrifice of the masse quhilk in
sume part aggreis and sum part defferis firste they aggre in so far as the self same body in substance and so furth The suÌ„me of the whole is that the Sacrifice of the massee hath thre thinges coÌ„mon with the Sacrifice of the croice whereof the two former be sufficiently entreated refelled and prouen that nether is the same body in the masse that wes offered vp vpon the croice nor yet that the masse in any wayes wes forewarned by the Prophetes and so wil I omit those two partes least I should seme to do againe as lyeth in the Prouerb that that is already done and will ioyne in with the thrid which is this Thridly say ye thay aggre that lyke as the Sacrifice of the croice wes prefigurat be mony diuers signes and figures so was the Sacrifice of the masse prefigurat be the preisthead and oblation of Melchisedec In this I glaidly go with you that the Sacrifice of the croice wes prefigurat in the Lawe yea and before the written Lawe in the Sacrifices offered by the Fathers which did cheiflie serue to the exercise of their faith teaching and leading them as it were by the hand to the Sacrifice of Iesus Christe to be offered vpon the croice which wes moste liuely prefigured by the Immolation of Isaac But that there be any fygur or adumbration of thy fond Sacrifice of the masse or forewarning to the allowance of it that I vtterly refuse and constantlie denye The place cyted by you out of the .14 of Geneses of Melchisedec serueth you nothing how much soeuer ye shal bragge of it for it is plaine that he offered no bread nor wyne to God but broght furth bread and wyne to the refection of Abraham and his armie now weried hongrie by their great iorney and trauel and that not as preist of the moste heigh God but as King of Salem thus shall we haue the most proper diuision and proportion of euerie part aggreing moste semely with others firste that he as King broght furth bread and wyne for that is the meaning and signification of the Hebrwe word and the Greik 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so vsed him self liberally towardes Abraham and his Armie Secondly as preist according to the deutie and office of the preist he blissed him Trew it is that in the common Latine translatioÌ„ there is some difference from the Hebrew in that he sayeth Erat enim for he wes geuing as it wer a cause of the fact of Melchisedec before rehearsed of the refreshing of Abraham and his folkes And this no dout hath giuen the occasion to the vnlearned of stumbling but the Hebrew is plaine Et erat and he wes preist of the moste heigh God so that clause Et erat Sacerdos altiss dei apperteaneth not to the fact preceading but to the office of the preist recyted immediatly after of the blissing of Abraham in the name of the Lord of heauen Thus Melchisedec being King and preist no dout wes the liuely type and figure of the preisthead of our Sauiour ioyned with his kingdome as Dauid doeth forewarne and teach vs in the 110. Psalme and the Apostle in the .7 Chap. to the Hebrewes where he at lenth and of purpose declareth this mater Wherefore I will not trauel any more in the explication of that place but will send the Reader to the Spirite of God declaring it at lenth by the mouth of the foresaid Apostle I know that Tertuliane and some of the Ancients wil seme somwhat subtile in the explication of this Text insisting vpon the bread and the wyne and the application thereof to this that we do practise in the Lordes Table But I pray you what a sleuth should this be in the holie Apostle of Iesus Christe in the explication of this mater to pas this point if it should haue in any wise belonged to the purpose specially seing in speaking of the preisthead that at large of purpose he touched it not what a gros obliuion should it be to pas the cheif priÌ„cipal Sacrifice wherein the vertue of the preisthead is included to your erronius iudgement By the benediction the receauing of the teindes onely cleane leauing out your foolish new inuented offering he proueth his honour and dignitie But this offering of bread and wyne wherein as ye say wes prefigured the Sacrifice of the bodie and blood of Christe which is the verie lyfe of the world had bene a mater more pertinent to the Apostles purpose and intent then any that he there alledged if it were trew as is most fals that ye alledge Here we may clearly espy that the Ancients can not be altogether excused nor defended in this point But in the wordes of Moyses lyeth the moste full perfect and plaine refutation of this new inuention where we read not that any thing there wes offered to God but rather giuen to Abraham so that not onely he wes blissed of him but refreshed For I truste thou will not say that he Sacrificed to Abraham and if this shall serue to your masse see we not all that the figure of Melchisedec can not auale vnles ye grant bread and wyne to be offered there and so shall your transubstantiation vanishe and vtterly fall because therein ye susteane no substance to remaine but the onely accidentes Attour what temeritie and foolish boldnes shall this be to giue the body of Christe to be offered vp of a shaueling seing that the onely successor to Melchiseder is our Sauiour Christe without any coÌ„panion collaterall successor or suffragane Now pas thy way and search the argument els where for thy masse iÌ„ no wayes hath any affinitie with the Sacrifice of the croice in the pointes rehearsed Yea and I wil affirme it boldly that it can haue no more similytude or communication with it nor light with darknes godlines with impietie God with Beliel nor the holy ordinances and institutions of God with the fond wicked peruerst and adulterat inuentions of men Now ye discend to declaire vnto vs the defferences and disagrement of the one with the other and firste That they deffer that the Lordes body was offered vp vpon the croice in the awin forme visible and sensible and the Lordes body in the Sacrifice of the masse is offered vp vnder the formes of bread and wyne inuisiblie and insensable so they deffer in maner and forme of offering vp and not in substance Trew it is that the Lordes body wes offered vp in the owen forme and no wayes els could haue bene nor yet can be for this caÌ„ not be seperated from manifest impietie contempt and mockage of God to stufe vp the hyde of a Bull and the skin of a Lamb with stâ—â— or otherwyse and so to offer it vp in Sacrifice lyke as ye do bragge of bread and wyne and calling them the Lordes body and blood or at the least vnder the formes of them the body and the
is moste certane we haue the mater expressed by the wordes at large declared in them so that any man that shal here these wordes pronounced incoÌ„tinently knoweth the mater being moste properly and euidently shawen by the wordes But this word masse I pray thee what affinitie hath it with the mater signifieth by it which nether it self is found in the Scriptures nor the mater signified by it I pray thee let me know the signification of it or what cuntrie language is it I know that some of your men trauelleth to draw it from the Hebrew some affirmeth it to be an latine tearme receaued in the great dekay of the latine tongue â–ª What euer it be the Authors can not conuene vpon it some affirming one thing and some an other It is moste probable that it proceadeth from the ryte of the Sacrifices of the Greikes who in the end thereof vsed some certane solempnitie in geuing leaf to the people to depart saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the which ye say Ite missa est crossing the people with an emptie chalice I myght take occasion here to speak somwhat at more large of this mater if my purpose were not to waite vpon this Author nowayes to pas by him Now followeth to intreat somwhat of the diffinition of the masse giuen by this glorious glosare an he giues first which is this That the masse is noght els properly but the Sacrifice of the Lordes body really contened vnder the formes of bread and wine institute by Iesus Christ in his latter Supper in remembrance of his death and passion Hereafter he interiectis this disputation of the name of the masse and then as new hauing digested his wyne he returneth and assigneth an other diffinition which is this The masse I vnderstand to be a commemoration of Christes death passion in the which the bread and wyne are coÌ„secrated according to Christes institution and the body and blood of Iesus Christ vnder the forme of bread and wyne are offered to the Father of heauen and are receaued as the heaueÌ„ly food of our soules This fare this Author any man that conferreth the one with the other may consider easylie how necessarie it wes to this Author to assigne this new and last diffinition because of the great imperfection of the formare Alwayes howsoeuer he is troubled with him self to patche sowe clamp and set together such peaces as will neuer aggre let vs procead to the examinatioÌ„ of the treuth of his sayinges This I vnderstand to be the maner of teaching of the Logique Scooles and namely of Aristotle whome to not without cause the Scoole giueth the praise and prerogatiue in the sext boke of his Topickes where he of set purpose entreateth of the conditions properties and qualities of a laufull diffinition that it shall haue it that they call Senus which being as it were confuse because it extendeth the self to other members nor it that is iÌ„ question they do adde differences which shall so properly apperteyne to the mater that is spoken of that they shall declare the nature and the substance thereof so that there shal nether want nor be superflous any thing therein but deuide discerne and seperate it from all others our inuerted Silenus in the former explication taketh the masse to be a Sacrifice but because there be many kyndes of Sacrifices therefore he addeth the rest that it may be knowen to be a Sacrifice of such a kynde and thus seperated from all others Now haue we to consider how iustly he doeth call it a Sacrifice All Sacrifices whatsoeuer thou shal here of in the Scriptures albeit they be many in nomber yet be they all redacted to this strate that ether they be of the noâ—ber of theÌ„ that the Greik calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea soÌ„tymes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby men doeth testifie and oppenly witnes them to receaue all thinges out of the handes of God and for his wonderfull and inestimable giftes and benifites offerreth the Sacrifice of thankesgeuing vp vnto his maiestie Of this sorte were they Sacrifices appointed in the Law and called solide offerringes libations the first stuctes oblations peace offerringes and such others whereby the people sometymes did testifie there Religion sometymes did vse them in maner of supplication to search the fauonâ— of their God now to practise with them selues the obedience and loue that they owe to their God in consideration of his liberalitie yea and now to stirre vp their hartes to the trew and vnfenyed feare of God and all together moste chieflie to renew the remembrance of that blissed and happy couenant which it hath pleased the Eternall to make with them I do think ye wil not minishe the glorie and prerogatiue of this your owne doghter whome ye flatter so busylie as to put her in the rank of these seing ye ascribe vnto her remission of sinnes Er opere operato For thus speaketh your gostly Fathers the Scoole men with the whole rable of Sophisters vnto that vndefyled lady who is ready to ioyne with euery shauilling and also is at all tymes ready deckt to him that hath the price in his hand Of this kynd of Sacrifices ye do not tak the masse to be as may euidently appeare by your boke where ye set her vp euen with the Sacrifice of the croce as we shal after here The other kynde of Sacrifices be when an oblation is offered vp for a sinne whereby it is redeamed before God and this is called a propitiatorie expiatorie an sacrifice of satisfaction as by the which the wraith of God is appeased satisfaction made to his â—â—ste and ryghteous iudgementes so that the sinner purged and restored vnto puritie and iustice is in fauor with God by virtue thereof seing it hath power and force to wype and washe away sinnes And this name had they offerringes in the Law that were ordeined appointed for remission of such sines as were committed euerie one in the own kynde not that they were able of them selues or had that force but because they were appointed to this end figuring that Sacrifice which is onely worthy of that name persyted by our Sauioure Iesus Christ vpon the croce putting end and syne to all Sacrifices If this Iowel and block of yours shal be of this kynde it falloweth well that she forgiueth sinnes And not without cause ye beck and bowe to her so earnestlie that is by virtue of that action that God remitteth sinnes But here wold I glaidly inquire whose sinnes are remitted whither the sacrificer or the beholder of the which I am sure no man knoweth for the moste parte any more but that he sees the murgeons played a disguysed preist somtymes pufting somtymes blawing somtymes dreaming now as it were walking out of his slepe now turning his face to the people now to the Alter now crosing now bowing him self doune
vnto his Apostles and lykewise did with the Cuppe In your masse what is lyke this First there is no thankes geuing or any that can be pretended since it is in a forrane language it is eueÌ„ as there were none there is no breaking of bread nether yet distribution What can it haue then lyke vnto the Lordes institution To the offerring vp of the body and blood of Iesus Christe vnder the formes of bread and wyne to the father of heauen I am assured there is no such thing in the institution of our Sauiour shaw your warrand produce your commission the action I haue rehearsed wherein there is no such thing to the iudgement of all But if ye will say it is here conteined do this in remembrance of me this sentence is relatiue to the action preceading so that there can be no mention at all in this whole institution By whome ye will the body and blood to be receaued as the heauenly foode of our Soules it is incertaine whither of God or of vs be lyke ye wold meane of God seing ye haue spoken of offerring immediatly before as ye should meane that as it is offered by vs vnto God so lykewise is it receaued of his part which in verie deid is a strange maner of speaking and vntrew for who did euer here that the Sacramentes giuen and appointed vnto vs by God as a moste speciall benefite and comfort that euer they wer commanded to be offered to God or so receaued of him I am not ignorant that that thing which is done according to his holy ordinance he is coâ—tent with it and in that consideration receaueth it But here we speak of offerring of our part and receauing in that respect of the part of God We are commanded to vse and practise his holy Sacramentes whereby we testifie our Religion and witnes our obedience vnto God but to offer them vp vnto him this did I neuer here In deid the body and the blood of Iesus Christe represented by bread and wyne in this Sacrament being receaued according to his holye institution and ordinance and no wayes els I knowe to be the foode and nourishment of the Soule of the faithfull receauer If this be your mynde in the latter wordes of your diffinition then doeth the latter part moste ineptlie and improperlie aggre with it that preceadeth of the offerring This farre haue we trauelled with your fond diffinitions and al 's shortly as wes able and more shortlie nor the mater should require if we should not haue occasion after to speak somwhat as ye trauel forwarde in the explication of your owne sayinges It that ye adde to your former diffinition I can not tel what triflus orations iÌ„uented deuised as you say by the aÌ„cient Fathers that as seames to you moste iustlie to decore the Maske I answer vnto you that all proceadeth of a Fornace and one Author to wit the Deuill for as the principall is blasphemous so is all that is ioyned wiâ—h it and pretex not such godlie orations as be vsed in the holy Communion for there is nothing there but it that is drawen out of the Scriptures of God and practysed accordiÌ„g to Christes holy institutioÌ„ ordinaÌ„ce For the prayers which we do vse before the table of the Lorde Iesus we repute no part of that holy action but onely vse them to inflaÌ„me and stirre vp our dul hartes to the due consideration of that great mysterie to the practise whereof when we approche we do nothing which the Lorde Iesus did not nether yet omit we any thing which we finde that he did and commanded vs to do but in your masse if the Collettes Pro Pecore infirmo I wil not say for a seick sow Pro Partutientibus Pro Defunctis Pro naâ—uigantibus and such others be omitted Sire Iohn is not worth his Six blankes Now haue we to consider the reasons and argumeÌ„tes whereby this Romish Doctor trauelleth to confirme his fond diffinitions Iames as he is introduced requireth a probation of Scripture for iustification of the which is adduced an part of the wordes of the institution out of Lucas and Marcus do ye this in remembrance of me By the which wordes sayeth this Gospeller He commanded his Disciples to consecrate the bread and the wyne as he did saying this is my body and so he institute the consecration and by the consecration the verie body and blood of Iesus Christe our Sauiour are contened vnder the forme of bread and wyne by the power of y e Lordes word which is omnipotent according to this ye shal mark the godlie Ancient sayinges of Chrisostome written in this maner It is not man that maketh our Lordes body and bloode of the breade and wyne and so furth Whereupon first we shall obserue the olde practise and shift of sathaÌ„ in the recyting of any place of Text alledged or broght in for his purpose that euer he rehearseth a certane portion or part of the text neuer the whole senteÌ„ce Why is not the whole action recyted This hath bene a great occasion of these wicked errors we are now troubled with all and principally in this mater we haue now in hand for hereof hath proceaded that there wes nothing Iudged to appertene to this action by the aduersaries of the Euangle but onely this sentence this is my body that not pronounced plainely but mumled and blowen vpon the bread and so of the Cuppe as nether the thinges preceading nether yet the commandement ensewing should haue any place in this action the fructes whereof are that not onelie the sentence is vtterlie wryed and peruerted but the wordes altered changed and adulterate which no man of a sober wit can esteme to be attempted without a great Sacriledge For as deprauing of senteÌ„ces bringeth in all corruption so innouation of tearmes vsed by the Spirite of God can procead of no sobrietie whosoeuer be the Author and inuenter of them Of the one we haue the horrible and monsters mother of all impietie transubstantiation and real presence dinging Christe from the ryght hand of the Father taking from him the office of preisthead and mediation in that that it leaueth not to him the proprieties of the manlie nature pernerting and exstinguishing the ordor and effect of a Sacrament ascribing vnto our Sauioure a phantasticall body with Marrion and fynally affixing him to a certane peice of bread at the appetite of a filthy whormoÌ„ger not vnlyke to that that we reid in Theotritus and after him in Virgile in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where they gaue such strenth to the versis of Inchanters that they moue Iupiter the Sonne Mone to fal out of the heauen and discend in their bossomes I wold this glorius gloser should haue red BonaueÌ„tura and Stotus otherwise called Doctor Subtilis and suche others in the impugnation of this wicked and deuillishe impietie set furth by Nicolaus Secundus and Innocentius
no other thing nor that which the EuaÌ„gelistes meaneth signifieth by thanks geuing or blissing so that they referre it not to the wordes of the promise that ye call the wordes of consecration but to expres that he gaiue thankes or blissed which is not altogether intollerable albeit it lacke not iuste cause of reprehension Further it is a thing more then manifest that all Sacramentes consisteth in these two to wit the word aÌ„d externall Element This word whereof principally dependeth the virtue and strenth of the Sacrament is not to be takeÌ„ for a certane quhispered or mumled wordes or a sonâ— rather without all sense or fayth not vnlyke the magick incautions but rather oppenly and plainâ—ly preached that may teach the auditorie what is ment by the visible signe whereby it may euidently appeare that your whole proceadinges in the papistrie lacketh not a great prophanation of these holy mysteries where it is thoght sufficâ—ent if the preiste the people gasing vpon him without all intelligence should blowe and brâ—â—th out the wordes that ye call of consecration For it is plainely commanded that all be recyted in a strange tongue yea and that the wordes be not pronounced but rather murmured with a rauk voice But farre otherwise we be teached by Augusâ—ine Let the word be ioyned with the Element â–ª and then shall we haue a Sacrament for whereof proceadeth this great virtue of the water that when it shal touch the body it shal purge the hart but by the working of the word not because it is spoken but because it is beleâ—eâ— For in the worde it self the sound is an thing that pâ—sâ—â—th and the virtue an other thing that remaneth this is the word of fayth that we preach sayeth the Apostle so in the Actes of the Apostles by Faith purging their hartes And Peter the Apostle sayeth that Baptisme maketh vs saife not by the wyping away of the fylth of the fleshe but that a good conscience maketh requeist to God This then is the worde of Faith that we preach by the which that it may haue the strenth to clange Baptisme is hallowed So we may euidently perceaue the mynde of this godlie Author to require and vrge preaching which engenders Faith We neid not to spend much tyme in this mater seing it is cleare what our Sauiour did what he coÌ„manded to be done what the Apostles practised to his imitation what the godly Fathers followed and approued yea and what the Church did euer reteane so long as there remaneth any spunk of integritie in it and so shall we obserue eueÌ„ from the begining that coÌ„tinually when God offered any signe vnto the Fathers to their instruction confort that euer he ioyned the word with the Simboles So that we may clearly vnderstand that the Fathers neuer did meane of no such magicall consecration made by a certane whispered wordes rounded with the Element after the abuse of the papistrie but that the promise should be pronounced with a loude and cleare voice in a familiare laÌ„guage the which being preached to the people might lead them as it were by the hand to that that is signified by the whole action For this that is recyted by Augustine of Baptisme no dout apperteaneth also to the Lordes Table and to all Sacramentes practised since the beginning Now consider with your self how miserablie ye are deceaued how maliciously being enuennomed with a wicked opinion ye wrye wreast the sayinges of the Scriptures and Doctors out of their naturall meaning to establishe and confirme your fore conceaued error I knowe that by this word ye will meane that assone as euer these wordes this is my body are spoken immediatlie the substance of bread is taken away and the body of Iesus Christe entâ—reth in really naturally and substantially euen the same body that wes borne of the Virgine wes crucified scurâ—ed buried ascended into the heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father which is a deuillish assertion and expres against the Scripture affirming that the bread remaneth still bread and the wyne vyne and against all naturall reason that a body may or can be in mo places at one tyme and also against the nature of a Sacrament wherein the Simboles and Elementes do represent vnto vs the thinges signified and are not the self same thinges albeit the names be attributed vnto theme against the authorities of the Fathers and fynally this detestable opinion of the Papistes sauoreth of the herysie of Marâ—ion who attributed vnto Christe a phantasticall boâ—y which of necessitie shall follow if he thus shal be in euerie â—omer against the proprieties of the naturall body which being taken away his office of mediation and Preisthead muste vanishe and fall Of the omnipotencie of Gods worde ye haue not to brage in this mater for howsoeuer his worde is almighty if his will be not ioyned with the word it is nothing But thou will collect his will of the wordes this is my body In deid if the wordes of the Scripture shal be alwayes vnderstand euen as they are spoken then shall we proue Christ to be a Rock Stone according to the sayinge of the Apostle to be a wyne tre to be a doore and the way so furth Let vs here then Augustine in this mater To this answereth Augustine in his Epistle to Bonifaciê° 2â— If the Sacramentes sayeth he should not haue some aggrement and similytude with these thinges which they represent then shall they not be Sacramentes For of this similytude oftentymes they take the names of the thinges them selues Therefore as after a certane maner the Sacrament of Christes body is Christes body the Sacrament of Christes blood is Christes blood so the Sacrament of Faith is Faith And writing against Adamantus Manicheus plainely our Maister Christe douted not to call it his body when he gaue the fygure of his body And vpon the thrid Psal. wonderfull sayeth he is Christes pacience in that that he receaued Iudas to the Banked in the which he coÌ„manded and gaue to his Disciples the figure of his body blood Of the which Authorities of this godly learned Father we may easylie answer this speaking of our Sauioure to be Sacramentale Meâ—onymical and so his wil to performe any such thing as thou falsly gathered in no wayes to haue bene For we giue that reuerence vnto our Sauioure and Maister that there is nether inconstancie lyghtnes nor repugnancie in his worde nether yet do we think these wordes spoken of the bread to be otherwayes vnderstand or exponed nor they that after followeth of the cuppe where of necessitie ye must grant al 's many fygures as there be wordes Shall we say that the cuppe is the New Testamentâ— â–ª Or the cuppe is the blood of the new Testament Here thou can not eshew how good a Gladiator or Fensare soeuer thou be turne thy self in alâ— many formes and shappes
as euer did Protheus here shal thou stick fast Shall these wordes be vnderstand euen as they are spoken I truste ye will not say that then must it follow that there is a fygure and howsoeuer thou shall expone the wordes of the cuppe thou shal be driuen to grant the same of the bread for no thing can be said or alledged of the latter part of this mysterie that is not to be vnderstand of the former So now then as the cuppe by the interpretation of Luâ—eâ—s and Paulus Is the couenant in the blood of our Sauioure the same shall we affirme of the bread to wit that it is the couenant in the body Now striue cry out laubour trauell and do what you list to inuert this thou shall haue to do with the holy Spirite of God declaring plainely that the will of our Sauioure is in no wayes concurring with such an omnipotencie as thou thy fellowes hath forget of these wordes this is my body fondly and vainely exponed after the letter I pas by the common maner of Scripture calling the Circumcision by the name of the couenant the Pasouer lykewise whereof they were but Simboles and signes and suche other places seruing to this purpose and will pas forwarde to the wordes of Chrisostomus which this glorius Doctor who will seme to be so beasy and diligent notes to be written in the. 48. Homilie vpon Iohn where I darre boldly affirme there is no such mater nor wordes for that homilie is written vpon the. 7. Chap. of Iohn and is spent wholy vpon the obseruation of the Sabboth Hereby it is easy to perceaue how vainely ye ascribe such reading of the Ancientes vnto your self as in your writinges ye â—ake vpon you that ye will seme in the eyes of the people to be the onely he in this Realme versed in antiquitie And now to say my iudgement frely I truste ye haue no workes of such men as ye draw your authorities out of but onely hath I can not tell what lytle scabbed treaâ—â—es of Eccius Cochleus Hosius Stanissans youre new start vp Campion and of such others of your factioÌ„ and taketh out of them such thinges as ye think may serue to your wicked and blasphemus purpose What credite now or what authoritie oght to be giuen to such places as thou draweth out of the Doctors who â—elyke neuer hath sene there workes nether yet knoweth to what purpose they speak if they speak of their owne mynde or of their aduersaries whither they speak by an interrogation or conclusiuely and determinatly whither they speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is excessiuely to extoll the dignitie of the mater they haue in hand which is not â—â—are in this Author or simplie Thus the Text it self is to be considered that it that preceadeth being conferred with it that followeth the mynde and sentence of the Author may be knowen perfytlie Not that I will hereby damne yong men who ether excluded by tyme or els lacking bookes muste giue credite to good authorities but in this man who will seme to be an other Anacharses Inter Sordidds Scythas it is intollerable who is sequestrate frome the common societie of men and trauell in the common wealth hauing not els to do but that he hath inioyned to him self that is to ly by a pleasing bray and cast in stones to trouble the faire and cleare rinning watter This thing I say againe is not onely intollerable but moste worthy of all punishment But to the purpose I haue said there is no such mater entreated iÌ„ the place cited by this diligent Reader In deid in the same Author we shall read not vnlyke to this in his 83. Homilie vpon Mathew his wordes are They be not workes of mans power propounded who then made them in that Supper the fame worketh them now We occupie the rouine of Ministers but he that sanctifieth them and changeth them is he meaning our Sauiour who did appoint and institute this action This in deid being well considered shal and may be vnderstand to be spoken more by a Rethoricall amplyfication to extoll the excellencie and worthynes of this so great a mysterie rather then spoken according to the simple treuth of the mater It is knowen well ynough to any man that is but mid way familiare with this Author that he is somwhat excessiue in such amplyfications somtymes playing the orator rather then the simple Theologien This I were able to proue particularly by sindrie things entreated by him if the tyme should suffer but yet I se no such things in these wordes whereof you haue any occasion to brage or reioice For in this that he sayeth they bâ— no workes of mans virtew propounded Who did eueâ— think or teach other We be well teached by Iohn the Baptiste of that defference in ministration of Sacramentes that is betuix the inward worker and giuer of graâ—e who is Christe Iesus and the Minister who onelâ— worketh and serueth outwardly so that howsoeuer 〈◊〉 shall at the appointment of our Maister Minister and practise the action Yet is it not the work of mans strenth nor power nether is there an part thereof to be ascribed to him but all whole to be vendicat to the instituter in that that not onely he commandeth it to be done and nothing is done but at the prescript of his commandement but also he is he who giueth the power the strenth the energie to it that it may profect and frutrifie vnto the receauer and in this maner the cause giuen by Chrisostome is verie good that he is he now that worketh who wroght then So that there is no defference betuix that action that wes then practised by our Sauioure and it that is now done to his imitation by vs we but haue the place of ministers it is he that sanctifieth and changeth that is to say it is he by whose ordinance and commandement this whole action is hallowed and sanctified For the action it self if it shal be considered it shall seme and appeare verie vile and of no price yet seing there is nothing done but at his commandement practised by him self allowed by him we as becometh well instructed Children doeth iudge it to be worthy of all reuerence whereof we haue his warrand being commanded so to do in remembrance of him till he come This then is the sanctificatioÌ„ that this Author speaketh of here and no such deuillishe incantation as thou wold pretend which dontles wes vnknowen in the dayes of Chrisostome But least thou shal insist vpon the latter word of changing I will trauell to oppen vp the mynde of the moste Ancient Fathers in that part for they do vse that worde often not to signifie any such change as ye fondly haue deuised and inuented but onely willing hereby that we should all before that we shall offer and present our selues to this table consider the dignitie praise and prerogatiue of this heauenly banked that
we be here called to where the same is the banked and the banked giuer as this same Author sayeth We shall consider this bread exhibited to vs here to be the bread of lyfe nourishing our Soules vnto immortalitie We shall consider these Elementes which he giuen as sure pledges of eternall Saluation and of all benefites procured and obteined to vs by Iesus Christe So that we must not go to this table as to a common table to farce and stuffe our bellies with bread and wyne but we muste vnderstand this bread to be seperated from the common vse and sainctified and dedicated to the holy Communion of Christes body and blood to declare to vs that we are not now leuing in our selues but Christe leueth and rigneth in vs we are no more the seruandes and slaues of Sathan but members of Iesus Christe that we are now made participant and partakers of his iustice and ryghteousnes and that by him we haue remission of our sinnes so that now albeit we be in the earth exposed to all kynde of tentation trouble and persecution yet our conuersation is in the heauen with him on whome our Soules stayeth and feadeth This change then that they do meane of is to extoll this mysterie as it is worthy all praise and declare with what trymbling feare and humilitie we oght to present our selues thereto because this that wes common bread appointed for the refection of mans body is now sanctified to an holy vse to assure vs of that coniunction yea and liuely perticipation we haue now with the Eternall Sonne of God who ioyneth him self so familiarly with vs that we are now ingrafted so in him that we now as it were soucketh our verie substaÌ„ce out of his body blood He is now vnto vs that that he called him self the wynetre and we the brenches he is the head and we the members he is shortlie he out of whome lyfe ryghteousnes iustice holynes and sanctification proceadeth and floweth vnto vs. So that this whole change and immutation is to be referred to the myndes and consciences of the receauers not to any other change that is in the substances of the Elementes that be there proponed but the bread remaneth bread and the wyne wyne albeit they be sanctified to an other more holy vse as we haue said and shall alter declare in the conference of the Doctors This I take to be and douteth not but it is the verie naturall meaning of the wordes of this Auâ—hor and of all the AncieÌ„tes wheÌ„ as they speak of any change here Yet I am not ignorant that thou and thy fellowes will apply the former sentences and referre them vnto the commandement do ye this in remembrance of me as hereby the Lorde should giue vs the charge to sanctifie or as thou speaketh to consecrate the bread and wyne which as it is moste vntrew and coÌ„trarious to the simple treuth of the Lordes commandement so the Author doâ—th meane no such thing For the lord did not coÌ„mand vs to sanctifie bread and wyne and change them but that we shoulde take them giue thankes break and distrybute them amongest vs. and that with all humilytie and reuerence we should eat and drink them in remembrance of him as the verie Sacrament of his body and blood which Sacramentall ceremonie passeth not the reach and capacitie of man And in this whole institution one 's made by him self he still sanctifieth for euer the Sacramentall Simboles to the perpetuall vse and confort of the whole Churche which this Author Chrisostome signifieth moste clearlie In that he sayeth he that wroght then in the Supper doeth them euen now so that he still sanctifieth them by his holy institution and ordinance that he made then in the Suppere where he changed not the substance of bread and wyne but the naturall vse appointed to the resection of our bodies he turned and conuerted in a Sacramentall vse to serue vs by the inwarde operation of the Spirite of God to the nourishement of our Soules and vpholding of our Faith Ones he said this is my body this cuppe is the new Testament in my blood do this in remembrance of me And in these wordes ones pronounced did he ones iÌ„stitute and sanctifie this holy action and ceremonie and changed these Elementes from a naturall vnto a Sacramentall vse by vertew whereof this whole action is saÌ„ctified throghout all wheresoeuer it is practised which is the verie meaning and interpretation of this Author and all the Ancients wheresoeuer they vse such forme and maner of speaking Here then thou seeth plainely that this Author ascribeth nothing to the wordes pronounced by the Minister but vendicates and reserueth to Christe the instituter the whole strenth and power of sanctification which wes theÌ„ done when as he instituted this action and commanded it to be practised in remembrance of him But alwayes here it is not to be passed by that in these wordes cyted out of this Author there is no mention of an Alter but of a Table whereby thou may vnderstand clearly that this Author knew no suche Alters whereof we haue such a multitude erected euerie where without the which the Papistes opinion is that no masse can be done but onely a Table to the imitation of our Sauiour which properly apperteaneth to the practise of his holy Supper Whereof lykewise we may collect that there wes no preuy masses such as in our dayes in the aige of our forebiers that hath bene vnder Antichristes authoritie moste prophanely abused hath bene preuy masses I call all suche where as the preist the people wholy secluded without any distribution deuoreth swelloweth vp all in a moste reuinus maner as in all masses we haue sene which as they are contrarius to the ordinances of Christe Iesus so moste iustlie they lacke and hath no testimonie nor approbation of antiquitie but are moste impius blasphemus and detestable When this inuerted Silenus hath thus played him with the wordes of this Author he inferreth concludeth That not onely said our Sauiour this is my body where through he institute the consecration but al 's he eaked these wordes saying which is giuen and broken for you by the which wordes preseÌ„tly as the same verie time he declared his body to be an vnbloodie Sacrifice to be offered by the Apostles and all other Ministers of Christes Church to the end of the world in remembrance of his death saying do this in remembrance of me In the answer to this conclusion I wil be verie shorte because afterward ye intreat this mater as it were of set purpose in the. 14. leaf speaking there of the wordes that be vsed in the present tyme. As to the obseruation of the tyme and full vnderstanding of those wordes I will reserue to that place that I be not driuen to make an vnpleasing and lothsome repetition Alwayes that that may serue instantly that we shall not
thy Idole masse there iâ— never a worde to the Scriptures nor yet of thy applying of the vertew of the â—â—ath of Christe But 〈…〉 of this glorius Papist what he doeth vnderstand by this applying I trust thou will not pas from the doctrine of the â—omishe Church since thou cleanes to all the vaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and beggetly ceremonies thereof â—o â—iftly There â—â—câ—rine is plaine that the vertew merite of the masse is applied by this Sacrifice thre wayes in a moste special maner to him self for his moste charitable motion by the which he is rauished vp to God and so by the saying of the masse he merites the Eternall lyfe which is called by the Scoole men the essentiall rewarde This fruct he can apply to none other sayeth Gabriel â–ª for albeit a man sayeth he may merite to an other the firste grace yea and augmentation of grace yet can he nor merite the essentiall rewarde of the Eternall lyfe which respondeth and followeth â—pon euerie mans owen work 2. The Second maner of their application is moste generall conueaning to all and the whole Church for it is nor the deutie of the Preist say they till exclude any 〈◊〉 from the virtew and merite of it that is a member of the Church 3. The last maner is speciall and so it serueth to him or them that the Sacrificer applyeth it to conceaueth certane orations and prayers for obteining remission of sinnes grace spirituall commodities and temporal benefites to the dead and the 〈…〉 This is then the application thou meaneth of hert for this is the doctrine of thy mother the Romane Church as I am able to proue by the moste esteamed writers amonges you which say in plaine tearmes that the preist may pairte and distribute these graces â—â—nalie or otherwayes at his appetite to whome it shall lyke him 〈◊〉 yea and that his wickedness shal be no hinderance thereto nether yet excommunication not yet suspension For these things safeth not away the virtew of the Sacrifice which it hath because of the worthynes of the work it self Many other thinges I pretermit of set purpose wearying to rehears them in consideration of the great 〈◊〉 shame and blasphemie that lyeth in them aâ— the Reader shall now shortly consider with me Firste â–ª seing we darre not attempt nor oght to take vpoÌ„ hand nothing but that we be assured of the allowance oâ— God I wold inquire of them whereas this office appointed to them to offer vp Christe to God the Father to apply the merite of his death together with all other graces â–ª and benefites at their pleasure and appetite which is the hiest mater and of greatest importance in all the polycie gouernment of the Church where is this commandemenâ— giue by Iesus Christe ether yet practised by his disciples Secondly how shall we take this to be a propitiatorie Sacrifice meriting and procuring such hie and excellent giftes and graces which onely is deuised by the fantasie of man and whereof there is neuer a word in the Scriptures of God conforme to the which we acknowledge an Sacrifice of the croice whereby we haue grace remission of our sinnes restitution to Gods fauor Redemption and Saluation Consider in what estimation we haue our God and what roume and prerogatiue we ascribe to man if he shall vsurpe and take vpon him to make such Sacrifices at his owen appetite which shall obteane and merite all thinges to him shall subdew the Eternall God to the pleasure of a filthy whoremonger taking vpon him the dispensation of the benefites of God Is not this to make man redemer of him self To spoile God of his owen honour and dignitie To subiect God to the will and pleasure of man And fynally not onelie to absence and deminâ—she but vtterly to deface and quenche the whole glorie virtew of the death of our Sauiour We know and teach that the minister preacheth the word annunceth the Sermon of peace and confort ministereth dispenseth the Sacramentes but the geuing of the inwarde grace the increas and augmentation of it we reserue all whole to the Spirite of God who applyeth and distrybuteth to euerie man at his good pleasure the merite of the Sacrifice of the croice together with all other giftes If it should be demanded of these gay teachers if any massemonger preist did euer pearish or wes condemned I truste they should answer quickly no for how can it come to pas that a preist who by the mâ—bling of a masse may conques and obteane the rewarde of the Eternal lyfe that this man shal pearish who may in the space of a quarter of an houre apply Saluation to him self this man I say can not but streight go to heauen yea long before his â—ine be cold as is â—aid vulgarly Secondly since it is in the will of the preist to apply the virtew of this Sacrifice to whome shall lyke him specially for the redemptioÌ„ of Soules what is the cause of Trentales of masses and fundations made for the soule of any certane man seing he may be redeamed deliuered by me I know therebe some stations iÌ„ Rome which giueth that power and priuiledge to any man by the saying of the Lordes prayer and the beleue to deliuer any a soule out of Purgatorie why is there now any masse said for this soule I know that the Pope selleth the same priuiledge as we haue sene in our dayes and I am able to produce the exemple if the tyme should suffer or were otherwayes neidful Besydes what moneth them to sing many masses yea and continew them dayly and yearely for the deliuerance of the soule of the riche man and but one for the nedie and indigent We haue sene Helas that if a riche and potent man should haue bene called vpon the Belles doubted all the Altares and Church ful of dule masses sung in euerie corner continued so long as money wes payed scarssy one said for the poore what meaneth this it being in the pleaâ—ure of the preist to deliuer and redeame as lyketh him ether muste we say that the preist hath bene inuius and anaritius or the masse is not of equale value to the riche and to the indigent but the more money is payed for them they are of les value this muste of necessitie follow Last of all I wold glaidlly be instructed of this how it hath proceaded that the Apostles neuer knew nor teached the Churches of this virtew of the masse It may appeare to be a wonderfull mater that the Church of God should haue bene defrauded of so great a treasure in those dayes we reid nothing in the Scriptures of this ryte of Sacrificing for the dead and the quick Of breaking of bread in the Lordes Table communion of the body and blood of our Sauiour many notable testimonies we haue but of this thy Sacrifice and applycation of the masse at the appetite of any man or otherwayes there
haue added it as Christe did in the latter Supper Communicat to the multitude and ze tak all to zour self How soeuer this glorius diuine sheweth a bould and a throwen countinance it appeareth that he is moued with this argument and in deid not without cause for all the Papistes in the earth can not excuse this great Churlishe Sacriledge Let vs consider his answer Be that same argument sayeth he I wil cut thy throte with thy awin sworde the cause of this boiste he exponeth for why sayeth he Christe CoÌ„municated efter Supper and ze of the new learning dois communicat vther tyme of day I thoght ye should haue said and we papistes doeth play our masses at an other tyme of day For who should haue beleued this man who taketh vpon him the defence of the Papistrie should damne in vs that he alloweth in his owen faction His Second argument is Christe communicat to his tuelf Disciples allanerly and ze communicat to all men and wemen indefferently swa ze do not as Christe did For why the Scripture makes na mention that thair was ony wemen thair Perceaue the captius ingine malicius and stubburne mynde preasing euer to that that he may damne in vs all the most laudable and godly customes that hath bene since the beginning yea and practised by them selues albeit in a wicked maner He proceadeth Trewly brother and ze besa scrupulus Scripturares that ze will do nothing but but is not in my Text as Christe did towardes the vse of the Sacramentes ze will subuert our haile Faith and commend our awin doinges so I ride it our owen doinges or commonly I can not tell which should be red or if there be any other thing yet For quhair find ze that Christe euer appointed ane man to be Baptised I darre bauldly say this ordinance wes neuer of the Euangell nor zit of the Kirk of God nor of ony vther haue and iuste authoritie ather God or man My maister here findeth him so bound with the argumeÌ„t that he can not tell what way to escape And in verie deid it is no wonder for in this they haue abused them selues so wickedly against the manifest ordinance of God the practise of the Apostles the coÌ„sâ—tetude of all antiquitie and authoritie of the godly Fathers that they can pretend nothing Yet neuertheles that he might not seme altogether dume and so to zeild to the treuth thus blasphemusly he brusteth furth and cauillateth the alteration of tyme as our Sauiour thereby had giuen an expres commandemeÌ„t and so had astricted the practise of the holy action to that tyme in the which he did vse it moued by good causes and considerations For the Supper we know most assuredly that the intention of our Sauiour wes not that it should be practised and celebrated by night but we knowe the cause why he taried and aboide the comming of the night which wes that he wes to eat the Pasouer with his Disciples the which Lambe of the Pasouer wes vnder the Lawe of Moyses euen as the holy Table is to vs now for therein the Iowes had a certaine visible signe how that God had preserued them miraculusly when as his furie wes disployed vpon the Realme of Egypt As lykewise there wes a greater and more excellent Redemption proponed in this vmber ceremonie and shaddow to them to pause moste diligently and meditate vpon The Apostle Paule therefore declareth our Sauioure Iesus Christ to haue bene this pasouer this Pashe lambe he then with his Disciples receaued this Sacrament that wes appointed for the Fathers vnder the Lawe and so being willing to abolishe this signe he instituteth the holy Supper now it wes not lefull to eat the Pasouer before the going doune of the Sonne This is the cause then why our Sauioure did institute and practise this holy communion at that tyme so that this is not to make a certane reule or to giue a certane instruction so continually to do Now then we haue to aduert and discerue diligently and to followe this as an infallible reule that in the actions of our Sauiour we muste luke what it is that he willeth vs to take and follow as a certane and sure reule to giue as it were from hand to hand but in other thinges that are not to be drawen exactly to imitation nor consequence we haue nothiÌ„g there to moue as when our Sauiour sayeth hauing receaued the bread take ye eat ye this oght to be obserued strictly The cause is for it wes not for a tyme that our Sauiour gaue the bread but he willeth that the bread yea euen this day and to the end of the world the bread I say should be distributed in his Name and euen as he were in the middest of vs. And suchlyke of the Cuppe He willeth that we eat the bread to be thereby admonished instructed that our nourishmeÌ„t is of his body and when we shall drink the wyne that we receaue it as a figure that his blood is our Spiritual drink it whereby our soules and consciences are refreshed to that heauenly immortalitie that is to be reueiled vpon the Sonnes of God To determine thus exactly vpon the tyme of the celebration of the Lordes Supper that we shall insist with all rigor hauing no necessitie as it were mere rashnes so we grant that the Church may appoint some other tyme since there is no commandemnt thereof The cause why the communion is distrybuted in the morning it is easy to be gathered of Cypriane First that the morning is more commodius to the celebration of the holy assemblies For we obserue many thinges to fall in the rest of the day whereby men are withdrowen from godlie actes and interpryses Secondly we are moste sober then and haue our mindes moste able and ready to coÌ„ceaue heigh weightie maters He addeth thridly that the morning tyme is a certane monument of the Resurrection of our Sauiour which is not to be dispysed in this holy mysterie Trew it is that the Ancients in the tyme of abstineÌ„ce and fasting because they tuke no meat before night they defered the communion to that tyme spending and bestowing the whole day in fasting praying preaching Psalmes singing and other godly exercise At night wes the celebration of the Supper wheÌ„ they offered them selues to the holy Table syne passed home to the refection of their bodies But this consuetude wes abbrogated by the sext council of CoÌ„stantinopole holden in Trullum The Decries we haue in the Greik tonge where plainely mention is made that this consuetude wes obserued in the Churches of Affrica yea Augustine shaweth that in his tyme in many places vpon the Thurisday before the Pashe tyde after Supper the Table wes proponed vnto the faithfull that there might appeare no defference from the action of our Sauiour But in this we haue not to be verie cairfull so we may haue the
this maner now haue I celebrated the Pasouer appointed by my heauenly Father to be practised in memorie remembrance of your potent mighty deliuerance out of Egypt where your fathers wes holden in seruitude boÌ„dage this ceremonie is now to be taken away in place of the which shal ye haue an other sacrifice wherein ye shal offer vp my body yea my verie reall and natural body blood vnder the formes of bread and wyne ye shall erect an Alter the Preistes shal be chosen with such qualities anoynted shauen they shal haue such apperrell And in this maner shal they celebrate this Sacrifice It were werisome here to rehears all your murgeons which ye think and iudge so necessarie that they can not be pretermitted without an horrible Sacriledge Thus we find in the figure all thinges prescribed by the mouth of God in the Sacrifices of the Law and nothing passed by But here neuer a word of any such thing a simple action recyted the coÌ„mandement giuen to practise the same and the promes made out of the which this Scripturare wil fyne out a Sacrifice which he after trauelleth to proue by the exemple of the Pasouer which albeit it wes a Sacrament yet sayeth he it wes offered vp to this I will not answer presently but wil differre the ful answer to the proper roume Yet will I say that if they should pretend the similytude of the Pasouer they should not thole them selues to be so driuen and caried away from the institutioÌ„ of the Supper For in the practise of the Pasouer howsoeuer they were commanded to celebrate it they pretermitted not one iote of the ceremonies appointed they inuented nor added none of their owen braine nether yet pared any thing but being conuened together with staues in their handes their Loynes gyrded they did eat it with the rest of the ceremonies The same shoulde haue bene done of you that it might appeare that ye beare some reuerence to the ordinances of God If ye should set you at a Table and there reuerently take bread giue thankes break it and so make distribution according to the exemple lest to you by Iesus Christ albeit ye should bragge somwhat of a Sacrifice some cullour might ye haue and it were somewhat tollerable But where this is whollie not onely inuerted but peruerted so that your deuillish ê“ceadinges are al 's coÌ„trarius to the action of our Sauiour as the night and the day and yet will ye pretend a commandement so to do and bragge of a Sacrifice inuented by your selues vtterly distroying the Lordes action as we haue already prouen and shall yet trauell to make more cleare and sensible what resteth to vs to say or do but to declyne and eshew your companies and pronounce you possessed For I am assured the Deuill him self neuer inuented thinges more contrarius to God more repugnant to his glorie nor ye haue done and practisest daylie Helas vnder the cloik of ReligioÌ„ Now since I haue sensibly in my iudgement oppened vp the absurdities inconuenients that doeth ensew of your interpretation I will trauel to declaire the verie Germane sense of the wordes of the action and that with all simplicitie and moderation First I trust no man will deny but here our Sauiour doeth institute a Sacrament and Sacramentes we know to be outward and externall signes hauing the promises of God adioyned in the which our God offereth giueth vnto vs his giftes and not we giue or offer any thing to God as hath bene heretofore shortly spoken and declared by the exemple of Baptisme and will now in this action in the which our Sauiour with the bread wyne giueth vs his body and his blood adding and adioyning the promise whereby also he offereth and giueth vnto vs his giftes and benefites and not we to him These benefites he communicateth vnto vs to this end that they shal remane to our vse profite and commoditie and not we say I to offer them vnto God but onely offer to him the Sacrifice of thankes geuing praising and extolling him for his great and infinite goodnes towardes vs. In which consideration this Sacrament is called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is a thaÌ„kes geuing for a benefite receaued now to giue thankes is to winnes that we haue receaued some benefite and not to present or 〈◊〉 out Now that the goodnes of my God shal be so great toâ—ardes me that euen this small oblation of thankes â—e â—â—eth accept as a verie Sacrifice This is nothing to me to bragge that I deâ—erue or merite any thing thereby ether to me or to any others but rather to be moued to preach annunce the glorie of our God who disdaneth not to receaue Vitulos Labiorum Nostrorum as the Prophet speaketh that is our prayer and thankfulnes yea euen in the place of a Sacrifice and this is the cause that moued some of the Ancients to call this Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is improperly a Sacrifice for this deffierence is betuix the natures of the Sacrament and of the Sacrifice that in this we offer to God in the other we receaue from God This I am assured the wordes of the action it self wil testifie he tuke bread and hauing giuen thankes brake gaue it vnto his Disciples saying take ye eat ye this is my body and sofurth And lykewise of the cuppe the promise is added this is my body and this is the new Testament in my blood which promise if any man shall go about to diâ—â—euer from the action preceading or referre it to any other thing then is there expressed we plainely perceaue that first he distroyeth this holy Sacrament and â—econdly he diffeuereth those thinges that be ioyned by God which is altogether intollerable according to that that is written let no man put a shonder that that is ioyned by God Now the sense of the wordes is plaine that our Sauiour offereth and giueth to the faithfull and worthy receauers his body to fede vpon and his blood to be refreshed thereby vnto euerlasting lyfe And to assure them hereof he subiuneth yea euen this same body that is giuen for you that is which shal be giuen immediatly after this vpoÌ„ the croice For no dout the present tyme is taken for the future as it is familiare to the Spirite of God to put one tyme for an other for the assurance and certitude of the mater so that this giuen is altogether to be referred to the oblation wes made vpoÌ„ the croice as all the Ancients do commonly vnderstand it and can no otherwayes 〈◊〉 Now least any man should think that here in the Supper we receaue the verrie body naturall and substaÌ„ciall aÌ„d that body that wes borne of the Virgine but onely Sacramentaly in this as the Ancientes do altogether acknowledge a figure that we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is when the name of the thing
zow sayeth he to vnderstand the same be the conference of Scriptures A maner of proceading in deid substantius and formal if he should do that he doeth promes To this place he hath spoken all Pythagorice that is of his owen inuention as he wil seme without any probation and first alledged the Psalmest Dauid and S. Paule to proue that which is confessed of euerie one Oure Sauioure to be a preiste for euer according to the ordoure of Melchisedec quha maid oblation of breade and wyne vnto God as the Scripture plainlie teaches The place here alledged I haue already entreated at large but now will I say to this fals glosare that he is neuer able to proue that neuer Melchisedec made any oblation and if he made any he made it to Abraham But that he made no oblation it is plaine by the Hebrew and Greik Text. For the word is plaine he broght furth and not offerred vp And that he gaue this bread wyne to Abraham it is manifest lykewise by the prayse that is giuen to Melchisedec of his liberalytie in refreshinge Abraham and his wearie Hoste according to that he wes King and in blissing Abraham conforme to the duetie of the preist Besydes this which is the verie meaning of the Spirite of God the Relatiue him maketh all that preceadeth to be vnderstand of Abraham in coÌ„sideration that there is no mention of any other but of AbrahaÌ„ only Now I resson sayeth this Doctor on this maner Read all the Euangell quhare our Sauiour vsed the Preisthede of Mechisedec declaring him to be ane preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec but in ye latter supper quhair he maid oblation of his precious body blude vnder the forme of bread and wyne prefigurat be the oblation of Mâ—â—â—hisedec than are we compelled that our Sauiour maid oblation of his body and blude in the latter Supper or els he was not a preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec Albeit that heretofore I haue declared sufficiently all that beloÌ„geth to the explicatioÌ„ of this place yet shal I not werie to adduce somwhat for the more cleare vnderstaÌ„ding of the place and coÌ„uicting of the gros malicius and blind ignorance of this Author What a madnes and phrenesie shall we think it in this Scripturer that he can not content him self with this that the Spirite of God hath teached vs The author to the Hebrewes hath declared the wordes of the Psalme and hath pretermitted nothing apperteaning to the similytude and comparison of our Sacrificator Iesus Christe and Melchisedec The Psalmist no dout in the forenamed Psalme vendicateth and attributeth to our Sauiour the dignitie of the kingdome together with the progatiue of Eternal preisthead hauing spoken of his kingdome in the fourt verse he discendeth to his preisthead where he sheweth his preisthead to be farre different from the preisthead of Aaron being such an as should not now be after the ordoure of AaroÌ„ but after the ordor of Melchisedec SecoÌ„dly he sheweth it to be firme and stable planted by the authoritie of the Eternall who shall neuer be strucken with repentance that is the thing he hath ones decreed shal not alterre nor change then doeth he adde the orackle which doeth not consist in oblation of bread and wyne nor yet is it added thou art a preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec to signifie any such thing as thou fondly diuisest but to declaire the perpetuitie and the qualitie of his preisthead as the author to the Hebrewes doeth plainely witnes declair and expone First then we haue here the kingdome and the preisthead giuen by God vnto our Sauiour so that he is bothe king and preist By the kingdome we vnderstand that power that is giuen to him in heauen and in earth to gouerne defend his subiectes to be auenged vpon his enimies The office of the preist is to instruct in the feare of God to intercead for remission of sinnes to pray offer which offices the Euangelist doeth plaâ—nely witnes that Iesus Christe hath fulfilled And therefore ye do manifestly belie the spirit of God And where ye affirme that Iesus Christ did no parte of the office of Melchisedec vnles we grant that he did offer vp him self vnder the formes of bread and wyne that is a manifest vntrenth For that Christ is king preist wes the office of melchisedec that his preisthead is eternal and not temporal as the preisthead of AaroÌ„ wes is proper to Melchiesdec that Christ doeth blesse his elect not curse them wes also the office of Melchisedec and all these I suppose ye wil confesse Iesus Christ hath done yet doeth These two offices in Moyses and Aaron being distinguished are ioyned in Melchisedec the Type and figure of our Sauiour in whome they be not onely ioyned but perfected Secondly as the kingdome and preisthead are not giueÌ„ to him by man but by God as we may collect of this that the Lorde sweare This obserueth the author to the Hebrewes when he sayeth no man vsurpeth any honoure but he that is called as Aaron So the Sonne of God being Lorde of all abydeth the appointment and vocation of his Father to the great shame and rebuke of the Popes that no les impiuslie nor impudently taketh and vsurpeth the crowne of the kingdome and the myter of the Bishopprie and preisthead to them selues without commission or laufull vocation And therefore moste iustlie shall it be said to them they reigne but not of the Lorde they are preistes but not the Lordes Thridly this preisthead is assigned with a great ceremonie and by a certane Religion established that with one Solemne othe which peculiarly coÌ„ueneth to our Sauiour and is diligently noted in the Epistle to the Hebr. others preistes sayeth he are made without any othe but this preist is made by the othe of him that said to him the Lord hath sworne shal not repent him thou art the eternal preist that by two things that can not be moued the promes and the othe by the which it is impossible that God shal lie we may reteane the most firme confort of our faith conceaued of the preisthead of Christe that with a steadfast esperance we may enter in the inward partes of the Sanctuarie with our Sauiour Feardly this preisthead thus confirmed with an othe can not be changed nor transferred but shall remaine firme and immutable For it is plainely said and he shoulde not repent him This steadfaste perpetuitie of the preisthead of our Sauioure is obserued and declared by the Apostle many preistes sayeth he wes made vnder the Lawe because they might not remane being subiect to death but our preist no wayes being subiect to mortalytie hath an eternall preisthead The worde vsed by the Apostle I haue noted before and the proprietie of it And in this we may obserue the difference of the preisthead of our Sauiour from all other
our Lordis body and blude thare is na sacrifice better nor this this excellis all vthers quhilk man be offred to the Lorde with a pure conscience resauit with a clene mynde worschypped with all men In this thow obseruest two thinges to wit the Masse to be called a Sacrifice for sinne and lykewise to be worschypped Trew it is that this author can not be excused but he hath spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye somwhat heyghlie to extolle the mater Yet can I not find here wherein thow can haue great mater to reioyce For the custome appoynted heir is moste laudable that in the Solemnities of Masses for so coÌ„monly the Anciens speaketh in plurall noumber that is of the peoples Conuention the Passion of the Lorde be recyted with a loude and intelligible voice for that Sacrifice is the only sacrifice whereby the Lord is satisfied appeased our sines forgeuen where we may shall obserue the name ether take in the ê“per significatioÌ„ apê‘teyniÌ„g to the sacrifice of the croce or els if thow can not be coÌ„tented with this it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by a certane maner of speaking abused applyed to the commemoration of the Lordes bodie broken vpoÌ„ the Croce made in the holy Table in what maner we haue obserued this worde to be taken oftentymes by the ancient Fathers But before I proceade first I require the reader that when soeuer he heareth this worde masse or masses in the ancieÌ„ts that he vnderstaÌ„de it of no such Masse as we haue sene and this author moste impiuslie defendeth but as I haue expounde it out of Eusebius Epiphanius of the Conuentions of the people which is easalie gathered of this author Alexander Marke thow that there can be no thing so contrarious to thy Masse in the which there is no recytation of the Passion of our Sauiour at all nor yet of no other action of his confortable any wayes to the audience so that how soeuer the wordes shal be taken they can no wayes serue to thy purpose Now that Alexander speaketh if he be the author hereof as many doth not without cause dout of pacification and delyting the author to the Hebrewes may serue for a CoÌ„mentarie to it where he exhorteth to remeÌ„ber of liberalitie wel doing for with such Sacrifices God is appleased and this no dout is the mynde of Alexander how soeuer he speaketh excessiuelie of forgiuenes of Sinnes to stirre vp the hertes of the people to deuotion or referring it to the Sacrifice of the Croce whereby we haue remission of sinnes onely that he speaketh of the excellencie of the Sacrifice of the Lordes body and blood This should be applyed to the Passion that he commaÌ„deth to be recyted or if ye lyst to the practeis of the Lordes Table which no dout is the moste excellent Sacrifice of all the Sacrifices we are commanded to offre not that it is a Sacrifice ê“perlie but as I haue declared a Sacrifice of recordation coÌ„memoration of the Lordes death for this is the most heyght and excelleÌ„t mysterie in the which the body and blood of the Lorde Iesus are proponed and giuen so vnto vs to fede vpon that we are made one with him and he one with vs and as he is one with the Father so are we one with him which mysterie is to be wyrschepped that is with such reuerence and humiliation of hert we ought to offre vs to it depelie and ê“foundlie mediting with oure selues the goodnes of oure God Who so familiarlie presenteth his Sonne vnto vs with him communion and participation of his benefites that we can not be but caryed away in admiratioÌ„ of the mysterie and the wyrschepping of so beneficiall a God and so to offre vp our selues and all to him Take heade that thow beleue not good reader as this fals teacher wolde persuade that this Alexander wylleth vs to stand and gaise vpon the bread and wyne to fall doun before them worschipe them sofurth For thow seest planelie that he requireth first a diligent tryall and examination of conscience nixt a sinceritie of mynd in receauiÌ„g to the which he subiuneth the worschipping which is not els but a deipe and profound meditation of the goodnes of our God the league and couenant made in the bloode of his eternall Sonne and the which he hath confirmed and sealed vp in the hert of the trew receauer in that he here offreth and giueth to him bread and wyne the body and blood of Iesus Christ now by the receauiÌ„g of the simboles of the same Thus I truste any reasonable man ought to be satisfied with the wordes of Alexander now let vs cuÌ„ to Ireneus Policarpus Disciple Quha wes Disciple to S. Ihon the Euangelist and martyred for the faith of Iesus Christe threttene huÌ„dreth fourescore fyue zearis bypast wryttis on this maner Christ tuke bread and gaue thankis saying this is my body and tuke the Chalice of wyne and coÌ„fessed it to be his blude and teched the new sacrifice of the new testament quhilk the kirk resauit of the Apostles offred vnto God in all the haill warld Here our new maister wylleth Iames to marke how this godlie author affirmeth that our Sauiour in the latter Supper teached a new Sacrifice of the new TestameÌ„â— the which the Church receaued of the Apostles Because of sett purpose and fraudfullie a great part of the sentence of this author is suppressed and omitted I am drewen to rehearse the proper wordes of Ireneus that the Lector may then Iudge clearlie what is the meanyng of this author to the which effect it shal be verrie necessarie that he reade the 32. and 33. Chap. of the same fourt booke this place is drawen furth of that he may the more resolutlie Iudge of what oblation is there spoken Here shall I not wearie to declare the suÌ„me of his disputatioÌ„ iÌ„ the two Cheptres which is to teache be many places exemples of Scripturs that the verrie trew sacrifices be not the externe and outwarde commanded in the law but vnfeyned faith obedience knowledge pacience the loue of our nyghtbour and suche others inwarde and spirituall Sacrifices without the which the outwarde aâ—e but mere abhominations in Gods presence as is easy to proue by the testimonies of the Prophets Whereby he coÌ„cludeth in dede that the Lord required no sacrifice no solide offring but faith obedience and Iustice to the saluation of man as we be teached in the Prophete Osea aÌ„d our Sauiour repeateth iÌ„ the Euangell To this place Ireneus goeth about to proue all oblations made vnto God in a foreconceaued opinion of ryghtuusnes iustice and remission of synnes without these inwarde sacrifices of mercy peace and sofurth to be execrable before God since God hath not institute these outwarde thinges as he any-wise delyteth in them but to admonies vs of the inwarde as we be teached by Ihon 4.
that the trew worschippers adoreth in spirite and veritie and Peter offring vp spirituall offringes acceptable for Christes saike for vnles all our Sacrifices and werkes be derected to God by faith in the mediator they are altogether vnplesing because there is no accesse to the Father but by him and by grace we are saued euen as the Fathers vnder the law This oblation then that Ireneus speaketh of is not the oblation of the body and blood of our Sauiour which fals lie to establish thy masse thou pretendest to be offred vp by a shaueling for here there is no thing of any masse God be praysed spoken but it is the whole outward inward externe and spiritual worshipping First the spirituall as A trew and vnfeyned repentence a contryte and a sobbing hert stroken with the conscience of sinne and so directing it self by a stedfast faith in the mediator to God receauing remission of sinnes for his saike geuing thankes to the Eternal Father for the great treasour of his goodnes disployed and powred doun vpon man in geuing his onely Sonne to the death for the redemption of the world which faith is testefied confirmed and sealed vp by the receauing of the holy mysterie of his body and bloode To these inwarde workes we may Ioyne the earnist vehement desyre and thrust we haue to the propagation of his kyngdome the predication of his worde and suche others of this kynde Thus hauing proceaded he doeth prosecute and teache vâ— how we ought to Ioyne to these inwarde and spirituall the outwarde and externe whiche consisteth in suche outwarde virtues as extendeth them selues to others as liberalitie Iustice fortitude prudence but cheiflie in dede of liberalitie and mercy towards the nedy and indigent For in they tymes it wes receaued that certane almous wes broght to the place of Conuention where the Lordes Table wes to be ministrate this destributed to the vse of them that wer in necessitie that not onely they should be teached by the preachers of that Fraternall and brotherlie loue league and societie that they wer all bâ—und together in Iesus Christe But that the lyuelie practies of the same should more vinelie represent set vp and imprent it in there hertes These oblations wer called by the word of the ould Testament the first fructes for as by the commandement they wer oblist in the ould to offre them so sayeth Ireneus our Sauiour coÌ„manded in the new testameÌ„t oblations to be for the supporte of the poore which wes in the Primitiue Churche done when they coÌ„ueyned to the Celebration of the Lordes Table and this beninguitie vsed to the releif of the poore is called by the Apostle Hostia bone fragrantie one oblation of sweit sauour to the Philip. This thoght I neidfull to premitte for the oppinning vp of the mind of this author Now shal we recyte the wordes that the caluÌ„niê° fraud of this our start vp may appear the wordes are but and he geuing counsell to his owen Disciples to offre vp to God the first fructes of his creatures not as he wer nedy but that they should not be found vnfructful and ingrate he tuke it that by creation is bread and gaue thankes saying this is my body and it that is the cuppe lykewise by creation after vs he confessed his blood and of the new testament he teached a new oblation the whiche the Churche receauing from the Apostles vniuersalie offreth to God that giueth to vs our Alimentes and sustenence of the which Malachias one of the twelf Prophetes did forewarne and so recyteth the wordes of the Prophete which be declared already It is easy the maters being considdered I haue said before what of the explication of the place of Malachias and what of the mynd of Ireneus to vnderstand how miserablie this author and all the Papistes be deceaued aÌ„d schamefullie they stumble First it is euident that all they that do affirme the maâ—â— sayeth efter there muÌ„milled incaÌ„tation consecration they call it the breade is no creature nor yet is breade but is turned and changed in the verrie naturall body of Iesus Christe that they offre the Sonne vnto the Father yea and setteth him euen there before the Father Now the sonne is no creature being the creator and Ireneus sayeth that the Lorde gaue counsell to his Disciples to oâ—fre to God the first fructes of his creatures so that it is euident Ireneus to haue spoken no thing of the offring vp of the Sonne of God but the oblatioÌ„s gyftes that wer broghâ— to the Table at the celebration of the Lordes Supper together with the prayers action of thankes and predication of the Euangell through out all euen amongest the Nations which preaching of the Euangell the Apostle termes by the name of Sacrifice I am the Minister of Iesus Christe saeth he among the Nations Sacrifiing the Euangell of God that the oblation of the Gentiles may be acceptable and sanctified in the holy Spirite Thus Ireneus exponeth Malachias declaring him to speak of the whole new and spirituall worshipping of the new Testament and to speak no thing of thy masse his wordes are For my name is great amongst the Nations sayeth the Lorde omnipotent moste manifestlie hereby declaring that because the first people had desisted to offre to God in all places sacrifice is offred to him that clene so his name is glorified in the nations Whereby Ireneus clearely declared the Prophete to haue foresignified the Sacrifice of the Euangell and the preaching of the croce whereof the sueit odore the delitious and confortable sauour is disparsed spred throghout all which is the most acceptable oblatioÌ„ to God as the apostle witnesseth prayse to God sayeth he that hath made manifest by vs in al places the ordour of his knowledge Ireneus exponeth him self in the 34. Chap. as he is plane yneugh in the 33. schewing that prayers aÌ„d thankes geuing of the Sanctes is the same oblation that Malachie foreprophecied to be offred vp in all places where he calleth the incenses that be spoken of by Ihon in the Reuelation the prayres of the sancâ—â—â— aâ—d efter him schortlie 〈◊〉 against the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 4. against Marcion foâ—â—â—â—eth the same exposiâ—â—â—n no dout sayeth Tertuliane 〈◊〉 is forespoken by the â—â—ophete becauâ—e the predicatio◠〈◊〉 the Apostles wes to â—â—sse throghout all countries and 〈◊〉 efter speaking of â—â—â—ritual â—acrifices he rehearseth these 〈◊〉 of the Proâ—â—ete and in al place cleane Sacrifices shal be offred to me Now lest some should think that this oblation whiche the Churche receaueth frome the Apostles and offreth vp euery where may alwayes be applyed to this Authors wicked purpose Ireneus in the wordes of the Text reryted by me but fraudfullie omitted by this author declareth him self calling the oblations of bread and wyne aÌ„d others thinges that wer broght to the releif of the nedy the first fructes the wordes are plaine to
stand in faith These be the wordes of Chrysostomus in the place before rehearsed Of the office of the ministerie sanctificatioÌ„ I haue spoken in the beginning of this treaty of the oblatioÌ„ Lykewise how it should be vnderstand and that it is one with that which our Sauiour practeist with his Disciples since the action is one sanctificatioÌ„ one a sanctifiar the same ceremonies recyted and the commandement giuen to do the same there is no dout But here ye must obserue more that he maketh no differeÌ„ce towardes the presence of our Sauiour in this action and his presence in Baptisme and this is moste trew for in consideration that they that be Baptised in Christe are indued and sled with him we haue to luke for no vther presence of Christe in this action towards the realitie of his body and bloode But all is to be referred to faith as this author concludeth nor we haue in Baptisme In the secunde place adduced by yow where the author is drewen to burste furth in admiration of this mysterie and cal it a miracle in deid it is excessiuelie spoken to the prayse of the action Which maner of speaking is verrie familiare to this writter for who soeuer is well acquent with him shall obserue him much giuen and to delyte wounderfullie in allusions tropes figurs and as he hath his name frome great eloquence so hyperbollie and heygtly set vp and extolle the mater that he entreateth that he shal euen appeare to forget him self notwithstanding the sense is gude being rygtlie considdered and discreitlie according to the mynde of the author in other places weyed and exponed for can there be any thing more miraculus nor the coÌ„iunction of God man of the sonne of God and the sinfull wrached man man to possesse Iesus Christe with all his benefites and that he who setteth at the ryght hand of God the Father shal be giuen to the Saule of man no thing at all This is the operation of the spirite of God the strenth and virtew of faith whiche maketh the thinges that be absent present yea and maketh vs to inioye and possesse the thinges we hope for as Peter teacheth vs this author as hath bene laitlie said Be were prudent reader that thow think not that this author here speaketh any thing of Christes real substancial naturall presence as the Papistes do fondlie ymagine for that he hath affirmed to be no other nor iÌ„ Baptisme aÌ„d it is not to be supposed that here he meaneth any thing other nor he teacheth plainelie in his Sermone De Eucharistia in Enâ—oenus Do not sayeth he think that yow receaue by the hand of any man the body of God meaning of Christe And in many other places sayeth that we ascend vp vnto heauen and eateth Christ sitting at the ryght hand of the Father and that he speaketh yea and some others of the wounderfull operation of God in his SacrameÌ„ts passing all maÌ„nes wit sense and reasoun not meaniÌ„g of the working of God in watter breade and wyne whiche be figurs sanctified in dede to one holy vse but of the merue lus working of God in the hertes of them that receaue his Sacraments secreitlie inwardlie spirituallie transforming renewing feiding conforting nurissing them with his body and bloode in heauen so that all this is to referred to the receauers who be thus wonderfullie changed and not to the signes whiche notwithstanding the sanctification proceading of the commandement of Iesus Christe and that they be remoued and taken from the vulgare commoun and propâ—â—â—ne vse and dedicate to this holy action and so to be the simboles and Sacramentes of Christes presence and remunition with vs yet receaue they no alteration in there owen natures but remane still in there proper and naturall kyndes so that it is moste trew that this author sayeth of Christe sitting aboue with his Father in his naturall body tryumphant in glorie and yet is the same here in our hands SacrameÌ„tallie and figuratiuelie yea and present and remaning in our hertes by grace nurishment In the thrid authoritie alledged by this Scripturare First obserue with me reader that which I haue admonished before to wyt in what sense the ancients doth call this action of the Lordes table a Sacrifice because sayeth Chrysostome it is celebrated in memorie of Christes death and passion the rest tendeth altogether and onely to declare this action wheresoeuer it is practeist or how often repeated it is no thing different but all one with the action of our Sauiour And lest that any man should be moued or trubled with his free speaking he exponeth him self in the conclusion this that we do sayeth he is done in commemoration of that that wes done do this sayeth he in remembrance of me not one other as the byschope but the self same we do Magiâ— autem recordationem operamur rather we work the coÌ„memoration of the Sacrifice By the which wordes he noteth him to haue spoken excessiuelie and correcteth him self exponing and restricting his former disputation to the remembrance and recordation of the great and only Sacrifice lest that any man should think and iudge by his wordes this action to be a Sacrifice in dede What haue ye now to bragge of your Sacrifice of the masse when ye are thus refelled of Chrysostome him self whome ye and all papistes pretendeth to stand moste for yow Now in verrie dede I petie yow and exhorte yow in the bowells of the mercies of Iesus Christe to zeald to the treuth and eschame not to recant confes your impius wicked and vngodlie errour eschame not to giue it ouer to Iesus Christe whose eternall veritie wyl obteyne victorie This we seik at yow not on a realing maner or yet of mockerie but as God is witnes to our conscience froÌ„ the bottome of oure hartes for there is no other thing that pusheth vs to this baâ—tell God is witnes but the defence of the treuth which by tyrannie ambition Auarice ignoraÌ„ce these many ages allace hath bene oppressed and almoste buryed to the which we wyll postpone all thing that is here moste tender deir and precius Now cumeth this author to Ambrosiê° ane ancien doctor apê“uit be ye kirkof god in his apê“bation I wyl not stand but wyl saye that he is best worthy of apê“bation who staÌ„deth by the treuth further that many be apê“ued by the RoÌ„ane church which church I trust ye mean that be worthy to be cast in the fyre or to serue to the butter wyffes that I say no wers 1176. zeris bypast wryttis on this maner we haue sene ye Prince of Princes cum vnto vs we sawe him hard him offer for vs his blude lat vs prestes follow as we may offer Sacrifice for the peple altho we be weaik be our desseruing zit we at honorable throuth the Sacrifice for albeit Christe is not sene to be offred zit neuer theles he is
haue our former rebellion forgiuen and remitted There is no mention of muÌ„dled masses but our author is so addicted to his wicked opinion and so blynded that wheresoeuer any word is made of a Sacrifice one altare one oblatioÌ„ one hoste incontineÌ„tlie thinketh he with him self ha this author maketh for me let me put this in protocolle neuer hauing respect to the custome of the tyme nor sense of the author and so abuseth all to the wrapping vp of him self in obstinacie and blynding and deceauing of the people The oblation and Sacrifice what it wes I haue declared one hoste lykewise what the altare is the author to the Hebrewes and Ihon in the Reuelation declared to wit Iesus Christe who vndoutedlie is the altare vpon the which we haue to offre vp our Sacrifices hostes and oblations of prayer thankes and liberalitie whome by all our actions Sacrifices and oblations are sanctified and he is the verrie Hoste of the whiche Sacramentallie and spirituallie do eat all that offereth them to the holy practies of the Lordes Table and do beleue in him as youre owen Parisien doctor Gâ—gneus doth well say We know none other altare nor the Scripturs of God allow vnles ye wyll set vp a new Iudaisme as ye fetcht in a gentilisine out of Virgile in your obite masse and the moste part of all your proceadinges as I am able to declaire particularlie if tyme and leaser should serue Now sayeth this author giue I wald call to rememberance all the sayingis of the godly Fatheris quhilks treattis according to this purpose our Colloquie sulde extend the boundis and grow tyll ane gret worke quharefore we wyll rehearse the sayingis of the maist notable Counsallis I truste ye haue adduced all myght serue anywayes in your Iudgement to this deuilishe purpose of the defence of the miserable masse but if the mater had bene good and allowed of God I dout not but albeit ye should pereuenture not haue nedeth so many yet we could haue contented with a few nomber but my beleue is that these authors being ryghtlie coÌ„siddred the tyme weyed there myndes graipped out where in we haue takeÌ„ some paine not vnfructfullie God be praysed the lector shal perceaue clearly that they make no thing for your partie Followeth the concile Nicene Towards this purpose sayeth this author The counsall Necene quhilk wes the first generall consal ester y â— tyme of Apostles apê“uin in al ages 1226. zearis bypast writtis and sayis on this maner disponing our selues to the godly table lat vs not luke selenderlie vpon the bread and the cuppe set before vs but lat vs lyft vp our mynd be faith vnderstanding in that holy table to be the Lambe of God takin away the Sinnes of the warld offred vp be the preistis without blude and we receauing verilie his pretius bodie and blude aucht to beleue thaim to be the plage of our resurrectioun The Sacrifice that is here spoken of in the determination of the concile is a Sacrifice of prayse laude aÌ„d thankes geuing whiche albeit it be made by the minister yet since it is made in the name of the whole Church the people doth consent in there hartes to it that is oppinlie spoken by him yea doth approue it to by the saying Amen It is reputed no les to be the Sacrifice of the assisters nor of the minister This then is the Sacrifice the councile speaketh of making no mention of a Sacrifice propiciatorie to be made for remission of sinnes of the deade and quick This propiciatorie and expiatorius Sacrifice wes offred vp by Christe that ones neuer to be repeated aÌ„d reiterat for the way is euer ready prepared his blude euer fresehe as the Apostle speaketh The Churche in dede in memorie of that Sacrifice offereth vp coÌ„tinuallie oblation oforation prayers thankes giuing The wordes of the Concile calling Christe the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world are not to be referred to the symboles of bread and wyne whiche the concile disertlie pronunceth to be there but to the Sonne of God Christe him self who wes made the verrie propiciation of our sinnes and the correction of our Peace But here I wyll hear with your falt in the traÌ„slation knowing yow to be ignorant of the Greik tongue aÌ„d should passe by it if it should not serue to the declaration of the mynd of the concile for lest that any maÌ„ should think that this action be a verrie Sacrifice this is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not lyke a Sacrifice or not after the maner of a Sacrifice so the sentence Sacrificed of the preistes not as ye turne it without blood but Sacrificed by the preistes not after the maner of a sacrifice or not lyke a Sacrifice declareth plainely that there is no suche Sacrifice propiciatorie ment of here as ye falslie pretende whereby ye may perceaue euidentlie a great difference betuix the Sacrifice that is offred by the preist and the Sacrifice of Christe who in verrie dede did offre him self after the maner of a Sacrifice that is to the death for the absolution and expiation of the sinnes of the worlde The preist wiâ—â—â—he 〈…〉 and offer vp not after the maner of a Sacrifice as the councile sayeth the action of thankes laude and prayse for that sacrifice cause Where by the wraith of God is anoyded sancâ—ification purchased foâ— his 〈◊〉 wypeth away oure sinnes and not the eating of his body nor drynkinh of his bloode And forber we shall obserue in this that this councile wylleth vs to lyft vp our myndes and not to fixe them vpon the â—ume ElemeÌ„ts that be set before vs we be here I say admonished Christes body naturallie to be in the heauennes and to be no wayes here in this action but as he is in Baptisme as this councile planely doeth declare and we haue alreadâ—y shewen in Chrysostomus Others thinges I passe by that be here to be obserued and are most lyueâ—ie setfurth as the forme of the action the mention of the Table according to the forme practeist and obserued by oâ—r Sauiour the â—yfting vp of 〈◊〉 â—artes by faith â–ª the 〈…〉 made indifferentlie to all of boith the partâ—s â—aâ—e of all in the wordes â—â—â—â—ted by yow that we oght to take but a lytle and sober quantitie â–ª knowen that we do not offre vs thither for the saturâ—â—e aÌ„d filling of the flesche but for sanctification as the councile doeth moste godly conclude Now lat vs cum to the consale of Ephesus haâ—â—â— 1128. zeris byâ—ast â—uhareby wes condemned the 〈◊〉 of Nestorius wryttis on this maner we do offer ane vnbludie Sacrifice and also we cum to the haly Sacrament and ar maid haly being maid partakers of the haly body and binde of Iesus Christe quhilk wes maid redemer of vs all not receauing it as commouâ—â—lesche God forbide nor as the slesche of man maid haly
of the wordes of the laâ—â—er Supper in the which wordes there is no commandement giuen of oblation nor Sacrifice but onely to do that which he had done to take bread giue thankes break and distribute it and all in remembrence of his death the which being thus practeist they myght be assured of his verie body and blood to be thereby nurished and refreshâ—d vnto eternall felicitie The inconueniences and absurdities that doeth ensue of youre oblatioun hath bene declared how ineptlie and improperlie ye adduce Malachie the trew meanyng and sense of the Prophet hath bene shawen by the vniuersall consent and exposition of the most godlie some do think the mynd of the Prophete there to signifie forewarne the vocation of the Gentiles and nations by a maner of speache familiare to the Prophetes to wit by the inward and spirituall maner forme of worshipping set furth according to the worshipping of the lawe to Prophecie the vocation of the nations together with the reiection of the Iewes In whose place they war to be receaued adopted As in there whole workes we haue the gyftes exhibited vnto vs in Iesus Christe paynted furth by the figures aggreing to there age as the conuersion to God by the passing vp to Ierusalem his adoration by the offring of al kynd of gyftes and Sacrifices and by the visions dreames we haue the foresignification of that great knowlege that wes to be geuen to the elect and chosen at the â—â—yumphant Reuelation of the eternall Sonne of God Iesus so that this place of Malachie is euen all lyke to that that is spoken of the three Altares to be erected in Assiria Egypt and Iudea for if ye be of that opinion that this Prophecie of Isaie is fulfilled and accompleshed ye must schaw to me where and when these alteres wer erected and further if euery kingdome hath a certayne temple appoynted or one altare for the self and if ye wyll make answer to these I truste ye wyl be drowen to confessâ— that the Prophets vnder the formes types and figures aggreing and consonant to there aiges forwarneth the dilaâ—ation of the kingdome of God at the exhibition of his sonne Iesus Christe Besyddes this I haue showen how miserably ye are deceaued thinking that there is no other Sacrifice but your masse Notwithstanding that the faithfull now styll offereth to God a cleane and vndefyled oblation as we haue alreadye spoken The similitude and comparison of our Sauiour with Melchisedec out of the author to the Hebreues is explaned and to it adioyned the interpretation of the wordes of Dauid In the 110. Psalme which wordes no wayes apperteyneth to any oblation of breade and wyne but to the perpetuitie of his kingdome without any fallow or successour for it is plane that Melchisedec made no oblation of bread and wyne to God whereof there is no mention but onely broght them furth to Abraham and his wearryed Armie as Chrysostomus and Iosephus doeth note and there shall be any place to coniecture probabilitie but we oght not trouble our selues with the cause wherefore Abraham so did but rather to keip silence with the spirit of God And if any oblation shal be granted in the Lordes table it is of bread aÌ„d wyne to be sanctified and conuerted to one Sacramentall vse frome a prophane and naturall and not to be transubstanciated in the body aÌ„d blood of our Sauiour for then the similitude shall peryshe so that no thing can make more against the reall presence nor this as haethbene shewen How ye are abused in the Pasouer Lambe thinking all the poyntes partes and ceremonies of it to be performed in the latter Supper as no part of it should foresignifie or apperteyne to the Sacrifice of the Croce I truste ye be alreaddy conuicted within your self by it that is spoken for we haue not to iudge nor esteame how euer we haue spoken of this mater before the Sacramentes of the ancien Fathers to be figures of the Sacraments of the new Testament what soeuer similitude or aggremeÌ„t be betuix them but they be all together figures of our redemption in Christe conforme to the saying of Augustine the Sacramentes of the old Law sayeth he are Figures paynting furth the thinges that were to be accompleshed and performed in the Croce of Iesus Christe in whome we haue the whole perfection of all and in our Sacramentes we celebrat the memorie of the benefites purchassed vnto vs by his passion and death Trew it is that in that that it wes eaten a sufficient nombre called theirto and appoynted to be practeist in remeÌ„berence of there myghtie wonderfull delyuerence it hath a certane aggrement aÌ„d conformitie with the Lordes table but how it is a lyuelie figure of the passion of oure Sauiour representing it moste properlie haeth bene declared How fondlie and ignorantlie ye bryng in the figures and allegories out of the old Tastament to coÌ„firme your doctryne hath also bene sufficientlie expressed but in this part as yâ— moâ—te reioyce so ye expone your self euen to be iested and laâ—theâ— at be the verrie Baâ—es and Infantes seiking a corespondence and conformitie betuix the figure it that is represeÌ„ted by the figure for as I haue said this wes the cullour cloâ—â—â—tended by them that affirmed Symon Cyreneus to haue suffred the death and not our Sauiour he being supposed in our Sauiours rowme lyke as we read of the Ram that wes offred vp for Isaac be werre that ye be not perceaued to be of this sorte of men and opinion which in dede we must conclude of yow if yow persew obstinatlie the coÌ„gruence of the figure with the thing figurat by it VpoÌ„ this wes declared that suche allegories be no ê“bations nether yet are adduced to serue for any argumentes to confirme any poynt of doctryne in the new Testament otherwayes doutsum but sumtymes to shew the conformitie of our doctryne with the doctryne of the old Fathers sumtymes to exorne and dilate the mater alreaddy prouen and sum tymes are produced in contempt of them that can not content them with the simplicitie of the doctryne of Christe but cryeth and gaippeth after signes tokennes and wondres as to them that now desyreth the veritie of the Euangel to be confirmed by miracles â–ª we may moste iustlye giue the answer that they shall haue no other nor the laying vp of Iesabell in hir bed or any suche other seruing to that purpose Now that ye haue showeÌ„ your ignoraÌ„ce of aÌ„tiquitie of the Greik tonge in cyting the fathers what euer ye bragge hereof I truste it be manifest where lykewise wes declared what oght to be concedet to the Fathers and generall conciles to wit that they are to be receaued so farre as they keip them by the precyse reule of the text of God where they shal excead this boundes aÌ„d leane to them selues then haue we to iudge of them as they did of others before there