belonge only to the ministers thyrdly some thynges perteyne to the receyuer onely and finally some thinges must be obserued in the sacramente alone First let vs expende and consider what is the dutes of the ministers and laitie together at this holly supper Christ was the minister and the .xii. aposteles were the receyuers laitie Luke .xxii. for S Luke sayth wheÌ„ the houre was come Christ and the .xii. apostles i. Co. xiiii sate downe to be an exaÌ„ple to vs to do all thynges in the coÌ„gregacion wyth comlynes and order For we se that Christ obserued boeth tyme place but yet those ought not to be vnderstanded that we shall leaue the true meanynge and folowe the bare letter the tyme and place was most myte for hym to go about that godly worke and thankes giuinge boeth because the easter lamb ought to be eaten in the euening the night of Christs passion was at haÌ„d but it is most mete to vs to minister that sacrameÌ„t before dinner that the laitie shall receyue it standyng and not sittyng also that it be broken in two pieces before the administracioÌ„ to the laitie not when it is ministred for the euangelistes commaunded and decrered nothynge in these externe thynge but an honeste order for it is vnpossible that we shoulde do and obserue the selfe same order of receyueinge the sacramente that the apostles dyd for theÌ„ no mo then xii should receyue it at once And hat of one minister it should also be recyued in the euening Moreouer Christ did eate the easter lambe with his disciples and refused that bodily meat and drinke saying he would eate nomore of that vntyl it were Luke xxii fulfilled in the kingdome of God nor dryncke of the fruite of the vine vntyl the kingedome of God come that we after hys example shoulde neythere seke for a carnall supper to fyll the belly nor be addicte giuen to the obseruauÌ„ce of the Iuishe cerimonies and shadowes of the truth but that with an vnfayned fayth we shoulde which thankes giuing receyue the spirituall fode in the worde and promisses of God Also both the minestres and receiuers ought to come to the Lordes table in charitie proteste true mutuall loue one to an other for Saint Iohn sayeth Christe dyd ernestly preache charite Iohn xxiii xiiii xv xvi xvii to his disciples and loued theÌ„ to the ende for we beinge one congregacion are membres of one body bretherne in dede by Christ For as saint Paule sayth though i. Cor. x. we be manie yet are we one bodie when we are partakers of one breade finally it is mete that one tarie for anothere excepte some matter of greate importaunce let vs and that we coÌ„tinue in praier to th ende Iudas alone departied awaye before the other to his own destruction Saint Paule saieth bretherne wheÌ„ you come together â— Cor xi to eate let one tarie for annother and if any man be huÌ„grie let hym Math. xxvi Marâ— xiiii eate at home Saynte Mathewe and Saint Marke saye that after they had sayed grace thei weÌ„t vp into the hyll of Oliues Nowe let vs learne what is the function and office of the minister and stuard of the misteries of God thys we are taught of Christ him selfe in the administracion of the sacrameÌ„t to hys disciples wherein dyuers and suÌ„dri thinges are to be diligeÌ„tly noted obserued First howe he dyd gyue hym selfe to al hys disciples and ministers and in especially to the preachers beinge an example in washinge of theyr fete that they should do the same and be prompte and redy at all tymes to minister and do seruice to eueri man Moreouer here is to be noted that Christe dyd willingelye and of purpose shone and abhorre al externe and outwarde pompes and soleÌ„ne sightes that he might printe in oure hertes thynges of greater importaunce also wheÌ„ he had washed theire feete he went agayne to the table and put on Iohn xiii hys accustomed rament teaching hys disciples â–ª by thys example to go about suche thinges as ought to be most chifflye regarded for he then ernestly preached the Gospell admonished and rebuked Iudas the teaytoure and taught his disciples to be in charitie pacience and hope of thynges to come so Iohn xvi plainely manifestlie that they sayd you speake not nowe in parables Note also that Christe gaue Math. xvi thankes to God the father before he gaue the sacrament to hys disciples exhortynge them to remeÌ„bre i. Cor xii and shewe furth thereby hys passion vntill he come Finally he callyd vpon hys father wyth a feruent Iohn xvii desire and prayed for all theÌ„ that beliue Nowe touchinge the Iohn xvii receyuers of oure Lordes supper they gaue greate attendaunce to the word doctrine of Christ and wyth obedience receyued the sacrament of the body and bloude of Christe Saynt Marke sayeth they al dyd drinke by hys sayinge no man is excepted Finally let vs expende consider of what thing Marâ— xiiii the sacramente is made vndoubtedly it is made of breade wyne the worde for there cannot be the sacrament of oure Lordes supper where any of these lacketh Christ verely toke materiall breade and wyne chosinge them for the vse of the sacrament we reade not that he toke water grapes or any such other thynge and he sayede these wordes Thys is my bodie which shal be gyuè for you and thys cup Luke xxii is the newe testamente in my blould whiche shal be shed for you by these wordes the bread wyne are made the sacrameÌ„t holly tokeÌ„s of Christes body bloud these wordes offer to vs the promesses of the Ioyful Gospel which if we receiue with a true faith we eate spiritually in spirit the fleshe bloud of christ therby obtain life eternal The sacrament is like a writen Testament that promiseth great gyftes and is sealed wyth two seales that ought to be kepte hole vnbrokeÌ„ if all these thynges afore rehersed were obserued and kepte then the Lordes supper should be truely vsed the Masse as they cal it should perfectlie be holy for god praised therin would regard it we should receyue of it great frutes goodnes for therebye we are enstructed to beleue in god loue oure neighboure excludinge all sedicion and disobedieÌ„ce that peace pacience and concorde may take place and rule againste thys doctrine nothinge can be proued and debated by the holy scripture for it is grounded on moste sure principles and fundacion referringe all thynges to fayeth and â— Ti. i. Iohn i. â—i iii. iiii v. charitie by the which two al thinges ought to be tried paraduenture they wyll answere that noman can finde faulte wyth oure sayeinge but yet it is expediente to Ioyne other ceremonies wyth the approued vse in the administracion of thys sacrament of our Lordes supper as haue been vsed hitherto and so the hollye thynge
disobedient children that wyll take counsayle wythout me and wyll take asecerete aduise and not out of my spirite therefore adde they sinne vnto sinne and Christ saith Math. vi in vaine do they serue me teachinge the doctrines and preceptes of men the proude herted Iewes did stande so well in there owne conceite for their tradicions and inuentions that for loue thei had to them they dispised hated and at last killide oure maister Christ Iohn xxi our aduersaris dare saye that Christ and the apostles taught manye thynges whyche are not wryten in the scripture and that Christe sayed hys Disciples coulde not beare awaie al that he had taught thys cauil repungnauÌ„t to the true vnderstandinge of the scripture maye be an occasion and cause of greate errours for there wyth all lyes and herisies maye be confirmed they will saye albeit it is not written yet the appostles taught it by worde of mouth and also the scriptures of God shoulde be an vnperfecte doctrine which thyng to offâ—râ—ne is blasphemie agaynste the holy gost considering that theÌ„ all the doctrine of our fayth should be put in question Therefore surly so muche is contayned in holye scripture as is necessary vnto saluacion to eueri one that beleueth They saye coulde the churche erre so longe time as it hath If youre doctrnie be true the true churche hath not errede whiche hath the word of god only The church verely must be tried by the worde of God and not the worde of god by the churche whether the churche that beleueth be of manye or of fewe for the churche is knoweÌ„ by the frutes and not because it coÌ„sisteth of many and hath her begynynge of the worde of God and her frutes are tried by the worde whether the true christan churche brought them forth or no if it be the true christen churche Iohn â— she heareth no nother voice but Christes her shepherde and brydgrome whiche the appostles preached to the church and if an angel came out of heauen teaching any other doctrine then thys let hym Gala. i. be accurssed if we loue and folow the doctrine that Christe taught and beinge hys disciples we shal not be excluded frome the true churche so longe as we kepe wyth vs the worde of God But he is puffed vp wyth pryde and doeth i. Timo. vi knowe nothinge at al that wil not obey the word of God he therfore which doth knowe nothinge can not teache vs religion and the true worshippinge of god if the Masse be vsede as it hath ben hitherto it can in no wyse agree wyth the worde of God but is so muche repugnaunt as what thing is most The Masse therfore is a diuilishe Idolatrie and detestable abominacion against God and the maynteners therof shal incurre his displeasure for euer thys thyng we wil proue two waies first because the popishe Masse is vsed in nothinge lyke the supper that Christ ordeined and differeth nolesse froÌ„ it then blacke to white they synne therefore so griuouslye as dyd Achas the made an aultar at Ierusalem iii. ReguÌ„ xvi lyke that which was at DamascoÌ„ and caste the aultare of god out of the temple so they haue lest the true vse of oure Lordes supper And in stede of it haue instituted and ordeinede the Masse of theyr owne folishe deuise and oppinion which is a great and blasphemouse abominacioÌ„ before god Moreouer we wyll proue by ther erroures and abusinge of the masse whyche they call an offeringe for the quicke and deade that it is an horible abominacion for if the Masse were ordeined of Christe which is faulse yet by there abusinge of it they woulde make it a blasphemouse heinous abominacion before god vndoubtedly we ought to folowe truely and sencelye that thynge whiche is absolutly Deut. vi sufficient of it selfe alredie Firste let vs consyder and expende the maner and order that Christe vsed at the institucion of thys holly and sacrete supper and then we wyll confer the abuse with the truth But we ought to learne all these thynges of the Euangelistes and of Saynte Paule and of none other Verely the true Masse which is worthy al kindes of praieses is the Masse which Christe ordeyned at hys laste supper before he shoulde suffere Luk xxii for when the houre was come he sate downe and the twelue appostles wyth hym and he sayed vnto theÌ„ I haue inwardly desired to eate thys passeouer wyth you before that I suffer for I say vnto you hence furth I wil not eate of it any more vntyll it be fulfilled in the kingdome of God and he toke the cup and gaue thaÌ„kes and saied take this and deuid it amonge you for I saye vnto you â— will not drinke of the frut of the vine vntyll the kingdom of god come and he toke breade and when he hadde giuen thankes he brake it and gaue it vnto theÌ„ saying this is my bodye whiche is giuen for you thys do in remembrauÌ„ce of me Like wyse also wheÌ„ he had supped he toke the cup sayinge thys cupe is the newe testament in my bloude whiche is shed for you These wordes Sainte Luke Luk. xxii Math. xxvi writeth the other euangelestes wrytte the same but they differ in some wordes as Math sayed Drinke all of thys for thys is my bloude whiche is the newe testamente that is shed for manie for Mat. xiiii the remission of synnes and saint Marke sayth they al dranke of it meaninge the cup. Saint Paule doth expounde Christes wordes sayinge thys doo as ofte as you drinke it in remembraunce of me for as often tymes as you shall eate thys breade and drinke thys cup ye shall shewe furth the Lordes death tell he come but let a man examyne him selfe and so let hym eate of the breade and drinke of the cup Saint Iohn doeth not declare the ordinaunce of thys sacrament But he teacheth from the .xiii. Iohn .xiii. xiiâ—â— xv xvii xviii Cap. to the .xviii. how Christ did vse his supper and what he did at it he washed hys disciples fete he preached to theÌ„ and commaunded them to be in charitie he exhorted them to pacience he strengthend confirmed and establyshed their fayth towarde god and praied for them to hys father but especially he rebuked Iudas the traitor S. Paule sayth we beinge many are one breade and one bodye in Cor. â— so muche we all are partetakers of one breade and the Euangelistes reporte that Christe dyd finishe hys holy supper wyth thankes geueyng The some and grounde of the hole matter proponed coÌ„sisteth in the sentences of scripture nowe rehersed but because Christ sayth serch the scripture we therfore Iohn v. wil are counsaile of the word of God in other plases and debate howe the Lordes supper ought to be vsede let vs first deuide thes questions into foure partes firste some thinges are common both to the ministre and receiuour of the Sacrament moreouer some thinges
shal be worthei the greater praise We aunswer that it is nomatter thoughe these ceremonies were omited and left whyche were excogitate and found out by mans reason and a true christē man wil not be offended ther with as lightyng of candeles singing ringing of belles deckinge of aulters gyltynge of Images veluet and enbrodered ornamentes reliques of sayntes Organs pricksonge descant and such other which do not edifie the congregacion that they maye encrease in godlines fayeth and charitie for as Saynt Paul Act. xv sayeth bodely exercise is litel profitable but rather when these externe thinges are highlie estemed and defēded with touth and naile as we haue sene by experience these percepts of god faith humilitie charite and preachinge of the worde are lytle regarded when these true good things that please God are taught vs of the scripture do wonderfully worcke in vs godlines Iustice If thys multitude of ceremoneis had pleased God and ben thought profitable to bring men to godlines and vertuouse liuinge No doubte but Christe woulde haue taugth the The apostles woulde haue obserued and kept them and S Paul woulde haue greately magnified and praysed thē and if god would that his noble workes shoulde haue ben had in reuerēce setfurth and extolled wyth sumptuouse ceremonies he woulde haue thaught our fathers of the priuate church to vse them after a most gorgiouse facion as they dyd in Ierusalem when Solomons temple was dedicated i. Regū viii where many fatte Oxen were slayne and muche monye spente also when Aaron the high prieste was consecrated and whē the arke of couenaunte was made if god woulde that we shoulde do so thys multitude of ceremonies had ben laufully instituted in the primatiue church but christ wuld that we shoulde be occupied with weightier maters lesse regarde ths externe pompe then heauenlye and celestiall for cerimonies are nothynge but figurs to shadowe and hyde the trueth frome the vnlearned A man therfore cā vse no better order in the administracion of oure Lordes supper then that whiche Christe him self vsed but we are not pleased wyth Christe when we are not pleased wyth the order and waye that he taketh Naamā when he dispiced that playne waye to washe hymselfe in Iordā remayned alwayes a leper and whē he did washe himselfe i. Cor. iii. as the prophete commaūded hym he was healped Verely mēnes wysdome in maters of god is folishnes we cānot set furth and minister the Lordes supper more purely then when we folowe ther in Christe his disciples for that whiche men put to of there owne brayne without authoritie of scriture is merlie faulce albe it they ascribe the same to the holly goost What fole hardines is this to ad ioyne their dremes to the spirit of God doeth it of necessitie folowe that whē two or three Bishoppes are assembled together that the holly gooste doeth decre and make lawes by them we must examine and trye there constitucions and decres whethere they agree with Christes doctrine and do extolle teache and establishe fayeth and charitie or no for in so do ynge a man maye easlye perceyue that the hollie gost is not the authour of such dirtie tradicions and lowsie lawes but rather that it is blasphemie to thynke that the office of the hollye gooste is to institute and ordayne suche supersticious and vnprofitable cerimonies They that knowe the nature of the holye gost by the word of God are assured that he commaūded not such trifles and superfluouse thinges to be done as haue ben constituted and decreed in mani general coūsailes for he doth not renewe the shadows of the vnperfite olde law nor laith on christē mens shoulders the yoke that nother the apostles nor fathers of the old testamente coulde beare for noman Math. i◠▪ doeth put newe wyne into olde botteles nothere soweth apiece of newe cloth into an old garmēt but our aduersaris most blasphemously affirme that although they constitute and ordayne manye ceremonies contrarie to the libertie of the Gospell and repugnaunte to Christes ordinaunces yet they are made and ordeined by the holly goste Now we haue declared the true doctrine of Christe touchinge the administracion of the sacramente of oure Lordes supper we wyl also consider the popishe Masse wyth it Let vs fyrst shewe and declare the abuse boeth in the functiō and office of the minister and of the receyuer for thys is the chiefe erroure of the papisties not because they do not obserue tyme place but forasmuche they regarde not the libertie of a christen man whō Christe set at libertye wyth sheddynge of hys owne bloude And laie snares for mens cōsience with preceptes in externe thinges as in ornamēts oyleing a supersticiouse auriculare confessiō and in other like thinges innumerable for both the ministers and receiuers of the sacramēt thynke it a capital offēce if they omite leaue any of these beggerly tradicions of mē behind and vndon defending them vnder pretence of good order when ther can be nothyng more confuce and oute of order then to make the Lordes supper subiecte to mens cōstitutions and preceptes in extrene thinges from whiche Christ oure master made it free They Iudge it a muche more heinouse offēce to omyte anye of the vayne tradicions of man vndon then if a man should be a fornicator a dicer a dronckeard a blasphemer of god or in any other such vices an abominable sinnercondeminge of heresie all such as neglecte these ceremonies and vn godly constitutcions of theirs and Christes ordinaunce beynge nothynge wourth or wythout there cererimonies inuented of theyr owne brayne it muste therefore be a detestable abominacion to trouble christē mens libertie after thys sorte for if it myght cōtinew styll free men myghte let ornamētes passe and suche other externe thynges for the holy goste doeth not teache them whiche set thinges out of order after thys sorte The true honoure and seruice of God is subiecte nothere to tyme place nor persone charitie in edefiynge thy neyghboure in these thynges oughte to rule all congregacions For al christē congregacions vse not one kynde and order in they re cerimonies Themperoure Charles firste of the name dyd laboure to bryng al churches to agree in one kynde and order of ceremonies but he coulde neuer bring it to passe for it was against god and therefore it coulde neuer be brought to effect If we should be compelled to obserue and kepe suche preceptes of men being profitable nother to fayth nor charitie mē may Iudge that we haue not yet eatē the easter lambe that is to saye That greater burdens are leyde on oure neckes thē euer was on the Iues which thing is abominaciō before God and that they haue done so to vs the deuersitie of ornamentes and many other folishe cerremonies whiche they haue borowed of the Iues do manifestly declare and testifie as it shall appeare hereafter Also they cōtemne they re neighbours which beliue in Christ and desire to be
ought to be offred no more For Christes death is so perfect a sacrifice that by the one offering we are made cleane from sinne for euer And touchinge his bodie he is no more in thys worlde There is to be noted that Saynt Paule sayeth that Christe is once offered The papistes saye often He saieth all thinges are cōsummate made perfecte by one sacrifice The papistes wil haue moneie masses Note also that Christe offered hym selfe and so dyd not the churche byshopes nor priestes and thys worde cōsummate or made perfecte doeth blanke them that they haue nothing to answere for the holy gost confuteth theyr sophistrie and cauilacions wyth so manifeste and playne argumentes as can not be denied Note also thys worde euerlastinge Christe is an euerlastynge prieste for he made satisfaction for all the synne of the whole worlde and this sacrifice hath a continuall efficacitie and vertue in all thē that beleue in it and shew it forth wyth thākes giuinge for the same It is truely a great vnthākfulnes to say it is necessarie to offer christ againe an other waye for the sinnes of the worlde They seke manye euations to defende their often offring One is thys they say Christ offreth hym selfe Sacramentally thei are but ministres But thei declare not this worde sacrament what thyng it is leste they should vtter the truth The sacrament is no nother thynge then a token for vs to remembre that Christ being an only sacrifice toke awaye oure synnes once on the crosse If they woulde declare it after thys sorte we shoulde sone agre But when no man doeth resiste them herein they maye doo wyth there Masse what so euer pleaseth them They rule fortune at theyr owne pleasure Victorie in battaile is optained bi their Masse satisfaction for sinne what thinge is it that the Masse cannot do And they make theyr bostes that they deserue by this holi worke what thing so euer is needful But whē they are put to there answer thē thei fly to this euaciō afore reherssed Christe offereth hym selfe therin we are nothynge elles but ministers theyr cannon which they magnifie and extoll aboue the gospell doeth manifestlie opē and detecte theire vngodlines and blasphemi for before they come to the consecracion thei saye I offre presente and gyue to God an holye and vndefiled sacrifice for the peace of the whole congregacion of holly churche when as it is nothynge but breade and wyne And it is named the sacrament And albeit they beliue that it is not then oure Lordes bodye yet they offer it fore all the world This must nedes be plaine Idolatrie to gyue to breade and wyne the honour and glorie of Christe who gaue hymselfe for the church to reconsile and make hys father atone wyth vs. Howe can Christe offer offre himselfe in the sacrament before he is ther I thinke men maye nowe easlye perceyue howe muche their lies and answere differ frōe their dedes and masses What an heinouse offence is thys to offre a peice of breade a litle wine for the onely Sacrifice of Christe the highe prieste And shal the bread and wyne be of lyke efficacitye and power to redeme synne with the bloud of Iesus Christe But they are muche more blasphemouse after the consecracion sayng that the bread and wyne are tourned into the naturall bodye and bloude of Christ for they saye we offre to thy holly maiestye an holly offeringe holy breade of lyfe euerlasting and cup of euerlastynge health whiche we praye the vochsafe to regarde and loke vpon wyth thy moste merciful eies and cherful countenaūce and let them be as acceptable to the as the reward of rightuouse Able sacrifice of our father Abrahā Make thē an hollye cleane sacrifice that thei may be brought to thin altar by the handes of the angel These are the wordes of the cānon If they speake of Christe as they cōmōly vnderstād it how cā their Imaginacion take place where they saye that Christe offred hym selfe in the sacramente For they praie for Christe and desire of god that he maye be in suche fauoure wyth God as Abel and Abraham and that the Angell maye brynge hym to the aultar of god For they cā not take bread of eternal life to signifie the people although christ were in the breade bodelye yet he shoulde not be offered to God for that were great derogaciō to the honour of hys priesthod Great in conuenience doeth folowe to saye that the Masse is a sacrifice for sinnes For saynt Paule sayeth forgiuenes of synnes is not without sheddinge of bloude Howe is Christ then offered in the Masse when there is no offeringe wythout bloude for if there be any sacrifice that suffereth not and is without bloude Saynt Paules Argumētes are folishe and of no strength or vertue saying Christ offreth hymselfe no more or elles he muste necessarily dye once agayne and must haue died oftentymes sens the begininge of the worlde But vndoubtly S Paul doeth knowe the true sence and meaneinge of holly scripture better thē any of al the papistes For a sacrifice for sinne is neuer offred without bloud This saying therfore that some thing was offered in the olde lawe as breade wythout bloude maketh nothinge for there purpose For when the bodyes of lyuinge creatures are slayne and sacrifice is offered for sinnes bloude must be shed Thei cannot therefore proue by scripture that Christes bloude is offered in the Masse otherwyse then in remembraunce and thankes giuing And thys is done both of the ministers and receiuours For as prayer so thankes giuing also belongeth to al men He that geueth thankes sayeth not I offer any thing more than a thanfull herte and prayse to God If the people were taught thys doctrine They woulde not bestowe somuch monie on masses and vpō the foūdacions of chauntries and fraternities as they haue done throughe persuacion that remission of synnes is obtayned in the Masse not by grace promised to them that beleue but by offering of Christe the sonne of God and by prayeinge for hym Phie I am ashamed to rehersse thys abominable balasphemie of theirs in maters of God The papistes in as muche as in them lyeth kill and crucifie Christe agayne in there sacrifice of the Masse doinge no other wyse then if Christe as yet were not ascended into heauen to hys father he that doeth thys maketh Christe subiecte to death and crucifieth hym agayne For Christe entred not nor entreth in to the hollye place of heauen but by his bloud Let vs labour that Christ maye dwell in oure hertes They obeicte the if it be derogacion to Christes honour and dignitie and that the merite of hys passion be not perfecte because we offer Christe agayne fayeth Baptisme and kepinge of godes commaundementes maye diminishe the dignitie of Christe and full merites of his passion and therefore it should not nede to do any good workes This is a folish and an vnmete comparisiō The offeringe verely of
therefore he offered breade and wyne vndoubtedly Melchsedech was the figure of Christe but Saynt Paule manifestly declareth in what thynges he was the figure of Christ In the rehersinge of the honours and dignitye of Melchisedech whiche is that he was an eternall prieste and kynge of peace and ryghtuousnes Ther is not one worde of the offeringe of bread and wyne They cānot finde in the boke of Genesis that Melchisedech dyd sacrifice to God but that he offered breade and wyne to Abrahame for sustenaūce of his people as Christe offered to vs hys worde Melchisedeche broughte breade and wyne and Abrahame payed hym tythes Christe after the same sorte gaue vs the sacrament of his bodye and bloude but he dyd not offer it to God The scripture shewith forth Melechisedech vnder the figure of an eternal an only prieste But the papistes appointe othere priestes to be Christes viccars after his ascēciō in to heauē If a mā shoulde agre wyth them the Christe offered to God breade and wyne yet they cannot proue that he killed hym selfe in sacrifice vnder bread and wyne Also if Christ offered nothyng but breade wine the priestes of the olde lawe dyd muche better in kyllinge of liuing creatures to offer them in sacrifice The papistes cannot tell what to saye and whan they brynge authoritie of scripture it maketh agaynste them and are confuted wyth there owne sayinges as one that is slayne with his owne weapon Moreouer they brynge suche places of scripture as speake of mele and vnleuened breade as of the breade that was euer stādinge one the table of the vnleuened bread and two loues of the first fruites Also where they are iudged holye because they offer to the Lorde an host of bread chiefeli thei make great bragges of the sayinge of Malachias a cleane host is offered to my name in all places for my name is magnified among the gentiles And in what place so euer they fynde the offering of breade and wyne they apply it to signifie the bodely offeringe of Christe in the Masse They beleue that they cannot er and that these dreames are confirmed by the law prophesiyng therby as they did of purgatorie that wher soeuer they sound this word fiere written in the byble they applyed it to signifie purgatory as they do in thys mater when they can bring no probable reason that Christes bodye ought to be offerd in the Masse And whē they find any mencion of bloude and other sacrifices they wraste thē to Christes bodie takynge witnesse of the olde doctours when thei no better vnderstande them then they doo the byble Nowe we wyll briefely make answer to theyr allegations and declare the true maintenaūce of such places as they alledge to make for theyr purpose And firste we wyl declare the saiyng of Malachias whereby it maie be perceiued what the other places signifie He rebuked the I wishe priestes who gaue them selues all together to couetuousnes when they shoulde haue occupied them selues to offer a pure people to the Lorde and to fassion there maners after gods commaundementes as the Chapiter folowinge doeth testifye They oughte to haue taught the people godlines and all kyndes of vertue but they fed the people with foleshe and vayne tradicons of men offered to the Lord an vngodly people folishe herted Here is named the filthye breade the blind lame and broken sacrifice They maye perceiue that the vncleane bread can not signifie the pure bodie of Christ that breade and sacrifice therfore doeth signifie the people as saynt Paule sayeth we are one breade and one bodye and that he doeth seruice to God in preachinge the Gospell to make the Gentiles an acceptable sacrifice to God Whē the priestes therefore made an vngodlye and sinfull people by there doctrine and euill example God rebuked them and thretneth that he woulde ordeyne other priestes in theyr stead that shoulde offer a pure Sacrifice not only amonge the Iewes but also a monges the gentiles that is to saye they should enstructe the people wyth true godlines and wyth true honoure and worship of god He therfore dyd prophesy of the priestes whiche shoulde come to offer sacrifice of iustice that is to say the holye apostles and all other faythful ministers of gods word And therfore the people of God whiche is Christes spiritual bodie is brough and offered by their doctrine to God as S. Paule sayeth I haue spoused the Corinthi to Christe meaning no other thinge by these words but that by his preaching and miracles he hath brought and offered in sacrifice to god the Gentiles whiche were before carnal and fleshly mynded And therfore Ro. xii be exorteth the Romains thorowe the mercie of God to gyue theyr bodies to be aliuely facrifice Iohn iiii holly and acceptable to God The people of God is spirituallye the meate which Christe desired most and are the twelue loues of swete breade whiche beinge conuerted by the preachinge of the twelue apostles doeth continually appere before the face of God These are the true preistes And the they maye bringe to effecte there enterprice it is mete that they be holly that is ▪ That they absteine frome all thynges that pluckethe them frō the true worshipping of god This breade is called somtyme vndefiled For christē mē ought to walke in the trueth wythout Hypocrisie and fayned lies and to be anoynted with oyle that is to saye wyth the grace of the hollye goste true charitie and mercie this is the true sence and meaninge of thys texte of scripture declared and proued by other plases of scripture But the papistes thoughe they alledge the doctors yet they can proue the meaning vnderstanding of this text by no place of al the scripture Beade in the scripture betokneth the word of God For Christ saith man doth not lyue onely by bread but euery word that procedeth from the mouth of god The priests ought sincerly to minister this breade to the people and in thys significacion the spirituall bread is not a sacrifice but the administracion of the word of the ministres of god This is the true manna angelles fode which was giuen to men frō heauē to be their sustenaūce By these thynges a man may easly perceiue what offeringe the Apostles and true priestes made Vndoubtly a faithful people whō they brought to god with holsome doctrine but they offered not the natural bodie of Christ after the opinion of these fleshly minded papistes for that were done to crucify christ againe Thei beleue Daniel his saying maketh muche for there purpose where he sayth that their daylie sacrifice called in 〈…〉 ▪ shoulde cease for aliene by this they vnderstand their Dayly sacrifice The Masse that nowe beginneth to cease this application is falsely deuised For the sacrifice that Daniel speake of was offered eueri day at two seueral Exod xxix times which was in the morning and euening that sacrifice with other I wyshe sacrifices ceassed when Christ the