in his owne person Wherefore it is as possible that the Christiā people should be fedde spiritually with the body blood of Iesus Christ by the communion which the priest alone maketh in his masse as it is possible that he may be fed bodily with that which the priest dineth with and eateth drinketh all alone Wherefore if the people wil be partakers of the things signified by the signes of the supper they must also be partakers of the worde of the signes of the same which are the meanes whereby God will cōmunicate those things which they doe signifie For as he hath ordeined the meane whereby he will giue entertaine conserue the bodily life euē so hath he done for the conseruation of the spiritual life And therefore seeing that he hath ordeined the ministerie of the word of the sacramēts in respect of the spirituall life he that would haue conserue it without this meane should do as much as if he would liue a bodily life without eating or drinking vsing the meane ordeined of God for the nouriture entertainemēt of the same if there be no such necessitie and let that they both cannot be had For God hath not so tied his graces to external things that he cannot distribute the same without them by his diuine vertue and without externall meanes if it please him prouided that there bee no contempt or rebellion of our part for albeit that he hath made vs subiect thereunto so farre foorth as hee giueth vs the meanes yet for all that he is not subiect as wee are but so farre foorth as it pleaseth him to vse them of his owne free will. And therefore euen as he did nourish extraordinarily supernaturally by his diuine vertue Moyses Elie and Iesus Christ the space of fortie dayes they not receiuing in that time any bodily meate or drinke according to the order of nature euen so may hee nourishe spiritually and communicate his gifts and graces without the ministerie of man ordeined in his Churche if it please him to those which by necessitie are depriued of them notwithstanding that they haue great desire to vse the meanes which he hath ordeined and that they do all their indeuour that they may to haue the true and right vse thereof as if a faithfull man were so holden by necessitie of sicknesse or by captiuitie and prison of tyrantes or by some other like necessitie which hindreth him that he may not participate outwardly For if there were there of his fault and that hee would forbeare for his pleasure and that he would not do his duetie in that behalfe the reason shoulde bee otherwise Chapter .xii. How greatly and how much the more inexcusable the Romaine priestes should be for depriuing the Christian people from the communion of the body and of the blood of the Lorde in their Masses and of his blood in their common Suppers if the doctrine of their transsubstātiation were true ANd if the doctrine of transsubstantiation were true that which I say would fight yet more sharpely against the Romaine priests For seeing that they doe affirme that the bread and the wine which are the signes of the supper are conuerted into the very body and blood of Iesus Christ the which they signifie they must also confesse will they or will they not that in depriuing priuing the people of these two signes in their masse they doe also depriue them of the bodie of the blood of Iesus Christe and that in their commō supper they depriue them of the blood deliuering to them but they body according to their doctrine for seeing that we must be made flesh of the flesh bones of the bones of Iesus Christ by the communiō which we should haue with him and which is represented vnto vs as well by baptisme as by the supper an other can not be that for vs And by that meane the priests may no more receiue the supper for vs in our name then they may be baptized in our name for vs And therefore Iesus Christ said not that he which should eate his flesh and drinke his blood by vicar lieutenant should haue life in him should be in Iesus Christ and Iesus Christ in him but said openly He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me I in him hath eternall life and I will rayse him vp at the latter day Let the Romaine Catholiques then consider whether their priestes may eate this meate and drinke this drinke rise for all their parochians and for all those which heare and see their masses and whether they will be contented to be so nourished with the flesh and with the blood of Iesus Christe and so to rise at the latter daye in the person of their priestes Chapter .xiii. Of the Sacrifice and of the Communion that the priestes doe administer in their masses as well for the dead as for the liuing THus much concerning the cōmunion which is in the masse and concerning the ninth errour which wee doe blame in the same I will now come to the tenth which is cōcerning that that the priests doe not doaste that they do sacrifice and cōmunicate in their masse only for the liuing but also for the dead affirming that by that meane they doe applie the sacrifice of Iesus Christe and the vertue and the merite of the same as well to the one as to the others For the which cause they saye that they doe deuide their hosties into three partes in their communion of the which they dippe the one into the wine in their challice against the expresse ordinaunce of the Lorde yea and against the very auncient canons For the Lorde did not temper the bread with the wine neither did hee make a soppe in the wine in the institution of the supper neither did he also commaunde to do it And therefore it is written in the auncient canons which forbidde the same that Iesus Christe did distribute the bread apart and the wine apart and that he gaue not the bread nor the morcell tempered to any other then to Iudas which betrayed him and he gaue it not vnto him yet in the Supper but out of the Supper Nowe of these three partes that the priestes make of their hostie in their masse they assigne the one to the liuing and the two others to the dead because that they doe make two sortes to witte the one which are already happy and doe raigne in Paradise and the other which are yet holden in the paines of purgatorie and haue not yet fulfilled their penance nor haue fully satisfied vnto God and by that meane they doe sacrifice and communicate both for the liuing and for the dead all at one tyme as though Iesus Christe had not fully satisfied for all by his sacrifice and as though the ministerie of the woorde and of the Sacramentes were
Of the principall pointes which are at this day in controuersie concerning the holy Supper of Iesus Christ and the Masse of the Romaine Church and of the resolution of them ¶ The first Booke Chapter 1. Of the principal reasons whereupō they ground them selues which mainteine the Masse and of the waight of them IT is no maruell if they which haue bene nourished vnder the Masse euē from their childhode are greatly offended when they heare the same blamed and condemned as a false seruice by the which God is dishonoured and blasphemed seing that the same hath bene accompted heretofore for the most holy thing that euer was in the worlde since the first creation thereof And in deede they should haue iust cause to be offended in that behalfe if the reasons which cause them to haue such opinion of the holines thereof were so certaine true as they thinke them to be and cause them selues to beleue for so much as they haue bene so instructed For first they haue bene taught that it was instituted and celebrated by Iesus Christe him selfe and afterward continued by his Apostles consequently by al their successours from age to age euen from the first institution of the same euen vntil our time And then they do consider the matter whereof al the pieces of the same are composed the which they doe thinke to be all taken out of the holy Scripture because that some of those pieces are taken from thence And therefore they say Haue you not in it the Epistle the Gospell and the Pater noster and the Credo Are not these good things Beholde then three reasons of very great apparauntes which they doe alledge for them selues of the which the first is taken of the institution of the Masse and of the authour of the same and the second of his long continuance which is as they thinke euen from the death and passion of Iesus Christe vntill our age the third is taken of the matter of the good and holy wordes things whereof it is cōposed If all these reasons were true and well grounded vpon trueth they were worthy of great accompt For for the first how great a crime is it to reiect and condemne the ordinaunces of the Sonne of God And afterward what a pride were it to make so small accompt of the common consent of the whole Church of God and of so many holy men and of so long a time And on the other side shoulde they bee accompted for Christians which do reiect the expressed word of God Chapter .ii. Of the examination of the reasons before alleadged and whether the Sacrament of the holy Supper of the Lord and the Sacramēt of the Altar and the Masse of the Romaine Church be one verie thing or els be things different and contrary SEeing then that they alleadge such reasons that they giue them so goodly a shewe it resteth nowe to consider whether they bee true or false For if they be true they haue then wonne their processe But if they be false they may not finde it straunge at all if that a man doe discouer the falshod which hindereth the knowledge of the truth of this matter And therefore so farre forth as it toucheth the institution of the Masse and the authour of the same we doe first aske them what it is that they do vnderstand by this word Masse for if they vnderstand by the same the Sacramēt of the holy supper of the Lorde we will easely graunt them that Iesus Christ him selfe did institute and administer the same holy Sacrament and gaue commaundement to his Apostles and to all their true successours to do the like euen as he did in the institution and administration of the same and that they haue done it according to the cōmandement which was giuen vnto thē But if they vnderstand by this worde Masse such a seruice as is that which at this day is so called in the Church that is called Catholike Romaine wee do not onely then not graunt that Iesus Christe did euer institute that Masse nor that euer the Apostles or their true successours did euer celebrate such an one but that which more is we say that so farre of it is that such a Masse may be the holy sacramēt of the supper instituted by Iesus Christ that on the contrary the ordinance of the Lorde is there wholy ouerthrowē with the whole forme of the holy supper and of the diuine seruice which hath alwayes bene obserued in the true ancient Church by meane of the reasons which I will anon yeelde Chapter .iii. VVhether Iesus Christ or his Apostles did euer ordeine saye or celebrate the Masse and of the ancientie of the same and of the workmen which layed their handes to the framing thereof and of the pieces which haue bene added vnto it by succession of time THus much touching the foundation of their first reason which is the strongest the most apparant that they haue For if they cannot shew that their Masse is of the institution of Iesus Christ and of the ordinance of God it must then necessarily be placed amongst the inuentions and traditions of men by the which God him selfe doth witnes not onely by the mouth of the Prophet Isai but also by that of his own sonne Iesus Christ that he is serued in vaine Wherefore if this first foundation be already ouerthrowen the second which is founded vpon the same will also be forthwith ouerthrowen For if Iesus Christ did not institute such a Masse nor his Apostles their true successors did euer celebrate or knowe such an one at the least for the time of six hundreth yeres after the ascension of our Lord Iesus Christ where is that whereupon they will builde the auncientie thereof and the long and cōtinual succession and the common and publique consent of all the Church for so long a time wherewith they make them selues so great a buckler It is here then needefull to enquire and to consider what difference there is betweene the Sacrament of the supper ordeined by Iesus Christe and that which is called the sacrament of the Altar in the Romish Church and how long time the holy supper of the Lorde did remaine whole and perfect and when it began to be changed corrupted ouerthrowen and conuerted into the same fashion that it nowe is in the Masse of the Romaine Church For their owne doctours can not deny but that since the time of Iesus Christ and of his Apostles and of the first and most auncient Christian Church they haue chaunged and added much to the first institution of the Lord and in the forme of the administration of this holy Sacrament the which the Apostles did vse For this cause no one but the most shamelesse amōgst thē dare saye openly that Iesus Christ did ordeine make the Masse but they saye that he gaue onely the matter and that afterward the Church gaue it the fashion by the successours of
the Apostles chiefly by the Romaine Popes wherein they doe greatly honour the sonne of god For if it be so he did but rough hewe the worke whereof he left the matter confused and euill polished as a first purtraiture rude and not polished leauing the thing to be better polished adorned and brought to perfection by those which should come after him the which worke was not made perfect by one or twoo workmen only but by a great number as they them selues do witnesse For they are not so shamelesse that they dare affirme that it was made or perfected neither by one workman onely but by many nor at one instant nor at one onely time but in sundry ages Chapter iiii Of the principall authours of the Masse alleadged by the Romaine doctors and of the diuersitie of Masses as well Greekes as Latins and of those Masses which were celebrated by the Apostles THose which dare not make Iesus Christ the authour do attribute the fashion of it some to Saint Iames others to Basile the great and some other to Gregorie the first And in deede they doe set forth diuerse formes of Masses the one sorte Greeke the other Latin masses which are greatly different amoÌ„g theÌ„ selues As touching the Greeke Masses they do againe set forth diuerse formes the one of Basile the other of Chrysostome And as touching that of Chrysostome they do not set forth onely one forme but two at the least And as touching the Latin masse the principall honour whereof they giue to Gregory the first how many craftes men haue there bene which haue laid their handes vnto it euer adding something the one to the others inuentions according as their owne doctours the historians of the Romaine Church do witnesse And after the time of Gregory the first how many pieces haue bene added vnto it and how long a time was it before it was such an one as it is at this present How theÌ„ is Iesus Christ the author or Saint Iames or any other of the Apostles And how did the Apostles sing and celebrate the masse the one in one countrey and the others in others as many of the Romaine doctors doe boldely and assuredly affirme without any shame at all cleane contrary to the euideÌ„t testimonies as wel of the holy scriptures as of their owne doctors historians which giue testimonie of all the peeces that euery one of the said craftes men which haue wrought in the same worke haue added thereunto Whether their testimonies be true or no I will not now enter into disputation of it It suffiseth that those which do vpholde the Masse do vouch them and that by their own testimony the which they doe receiue they are conuinced that there was no such masse as there is at this day in the Romaine Churche not onely in the Apostles time neither also in a long time after their daies How then commeth it to passe that the Apostles could sing and celebrate the masse before that it was made or borne If they take the masse for the supper I will willingly graunt that all the Apostles and their true successors haue often celebrated the same But it was in the same maner that Iesus Christ did institute and administer it not in the same maner that it hath bene since disguised and conuerted into masse and such as nowe it is celebrated in the Romaine Churche wherefore it is a great filthines or too great a malice so to disguise things to make the poore ignoraunt people to beleeue that the masse is of the institution of Iesus Christ and of his Apostles and that they them selues haâ—e celebrated the same and that euen from their time it hath alwayes bene obserued in the Church such as it is at this daie in the Romaine For it is an ouer filthy and shameles lye Chapter v. Of the names of the Supper and of the Masse and whether the differeÌ„ce that is at this day because of the same betweene the reformed Church and the Romaine is onely for the names and titles or els for the matter and substance and whether the Masse be in substance the Supper of the Lord. IT must then be that the Romaine doctors confesse that the Masse which they do now call the Masse is farre different from that which they affirme to haue bene said and celebrated by the Apostles and their true successours And if they do replie that it is the same in substance and that there is no difference but in respect of the ceremonies and ornamentes wherewith it hath bene adorned and enriched since that time by the successours of the Apostles we must yet see whether it be so or no. Behold then one point which standeth yet in question whereupon it must be considered whether the Masse such as it is at this day be in substaÌ„ce the holy supper of Iesus Christ or no such as he him self did institute administer his Apostles and his true Church did receiue from him and did celebrate according to his ordinance and coÌ„maundement For our chiefe controuersie is not for the wordes or for the names but for the thing it selfe the very substance thereof for the which we are at controuersie Wherefore when we shal agree vpon the substance we shall then easely agree vpon the accidentes names so farre forth as the thing which they do signifie be conteined in the holy scriptures and in the Lords ordinaÌ„ce as we do it in the name of the trinitie and of Sacrament and such like For albeit that the very same wordes are not founde either in the olde testament or in the newe yet for all that we doe receiue them for so much as the things signified by them are therein conteined Wherefore it would be vncomely and of small edification to debate vpon names and wordes when men are agreed vpon the things that they would signifie by these same It resteth now that we vnderstand the one the other and that we do agree vpon the sense according to the which we shall take the wordes which we shall vse As touching the Sacrament whereof we do nowe speake it is called by Saint Paul sometime the table an other time the supper of the Lord and also the Communion and communication of the body and of the blood of the lord Seeing then that the holy Ghost hath giueÌ„ vnto it such names titles by this holy Apostle it is then the surest and the best to vse the same This notwithstanding if the Romaine Catholiques will call it both Masse and Sacrament of the Altar we will not greatly striue for it prouided that we do agree in the principal point of our different Chapter vi Of the chiefe different that is betweene the reformed Church and the Romaine touching the Supper and the Masse and of the meane to agree it IF then they be able to shewe that their Masse is in substance the very supper of the Lorde and their sacrament of the Altar his
is ioyned vnto it not somuch because it is spokē but because it is beleued He doth not deny but that the element is made a sacrament by the word because it is spokē pronounced but it is chiefly because that men do beleue the same word For men could not beleue it if it were not declared vnto thē which should ought to beleue it But his only meaning is that it is not enough to speake pronounce it but that it must also be receyued by faith From whēce it foloweth also that it must needes be that it be declared vnderstood For otherwise men could not beleue cōsidering that faith can not be faith without the vnderstanding the knowledge of the things which are set forth vnto men by the worde of God. Note And thereby it is easie to iudge that the word is not of effect in the sacraments that they cannot be made sacramentes by the same if it be not declared to those which are capable of it For the signes cānot beleeue the word wherefore it is not for their cause that the word is ioyned vnto them but in respect of those vnto whō they are administred to the end that they may know what the vse of them is to what ende they are administred vnto them For hee that should pronounce the wordes only ouer the signes in steade of declaring them to the people to whom the sacramentes doe belong it should be to conuert the sacramentes into a maner of sorcerie of charmes and of enchantments against the expressed word of God ▪ Chapter xxi Whether the Sacraments and their vertue do depend as well of the persons which doe administer them as of those to whom they are administred BVt they may replie that if it were so as I say according to the testimonie of Saint Augustine the sacraments and the vertue and the efficacie of them should depend more vpon the faith of thē to whom thei should be administred then vpon the ordinance and the word of God whereupon they are builded Whereunto I answer that so farre it is of from me so to cōclude that I say yet further that they doe not onely not depend at all vpon those vnto whom they are administred neither yet vpon the very ministers which do administer them For albeit the minister were as vnfaithfull as Iudas was yea thorowly an Atheist and of the worst conscience of the world that notwithstanding the sacraments which they should administer should be no lesse sacraments then if a very Apostle of Christ or some other very holy personage should administer them prouided that such a minister should be called by lawful vocation according to the order which the Lorde hath ordained in his Church and that he should administer the sacramentes in the very true maner that they haue bene ordeined by the Lorde without adding or diminishing changing disguising and counterfaiting in any thing which belongeth to their proper nature and substance Note For if their vertue and efficacie should depend of him that doth administer them in what case should the Churche be For what assurāce might she haue whether the sacraments which are administred vnto her be true sacraments or no if it were so that their assurance were builded in such matter vpon the faith of her ministers For shee is not God which only knoweth the hearts whereby to discerne them Wherefore if her assurance be not better grounded then vpon the faith of the ministers it must nedes be that she should remaine alway in doubt for so much as she can not iudge of the hearts of men nor consequently of the faith or vnfaithfulnesse which may be in them From whence it should folowe that she should alway remaine in doubt consequētly that she should not receiue any sacrament in assured faith for so much as faith is so contrary to doubt as is trust and assurance Wherefore they may in no wyse agree together And therefore in such a case the Churche needeth not but to haue a regarde to three pointes The first is whether the Lord did ordeine the Sacramentes which are set foorth vnto her in his name The seconde whether hee that doeth administer them bee called by lawfull vocation to that charge to administer them The thirde whether hee doeth administer them according to the ordinaunce of the Lorde or no or whether hee doe disguise and peruerte them or whether hee doe administer others in the steade of them For as there ought nothing to be attempted in the Churche without lawfull vocation euen so the onely vocation is not sufficient if the charge by her committed be not executed according to the Lordes ordinance For albeit that a man shal be called by lawfull vocation hee may very well straye afterwarde and may passe the limittes thereof and doe cleane contrary to his duetie but hee shall not bee allowed therein And therefore it behoueth euery man herein to take good heed that hee be not deceiued For if the Minister doe deliuer any other woorde then that which God hath reuealed vnto vs in his holy scriptures and any other Sacramentes then those which the Lorde hath ordained and in any other sorte hee may well boaste of his calling for that shall not at all let but that hee is a false minister and a seducer in that behalfe and that those vnto whome hee shall administer be not seduced and deceiued by him For his vocation may not exempt him but so farre forth as hee followeth the same and not at all in that wherein he doeth contrary thereunto On the contrarie if he doe administer the woorde and the Sacramentes which hee ought to doe and in such sorte as the Lorde hath commaunded his infidelitie and wicked life shall not let but that which is of God shall bee alwaye of God and shall alwayes haue his vertue and his efficacie in those which are made capable by him because that that which the Lorde hath ordayned taketh his vertue and force of him and not at all of the Minister which is but the instrument which of him selfe can doe nothing but so farre foorth as the Lorde shall worke by him And therefore the Gospell which Iudas preached was no lesse the Gospell then that which was preached by the other Apostles his fellowes for so much as hee was called to the same ministerie with them This notwithstanding Iesus Christe yet in those dayes sayde that Iudas was a Deuill Hee was then a Deuill and an Apostle both together An Apostle by meane of his vocation and for so much as hee dyd execute it according to the charge that was committed vnto him and a Deuill in respect of his hypocrisie and of his infidelitie couetousnesse and malice If then during the time that he was yet an Apostle hee should haue administred the supper in such sort as Iesus Christ did ordeine and administer the same it shoulde haue bene no less◠the Lordes supper then if
1415. there was neuer any ordinance made in the Church whereby it was forbidden to administer the cuppe to al the people as the Romaine doctours them selues are enforced to confesse This notwithstanding the corrupted and abastardised Romaine church which hath made this ordinance cleane contrary to the expresse coÌ„mandement of Iesus Christ and to the obseruatioÌ„ of the true ancieÌ„t church as well the Romaine as of all the true vniuersall churche is that true ancient Romaine Church and the true catholique Churche which did immediatly succeede the Apostles if we will beleeue the Romaine doctors albeit that shee be apparantly cleane contrary to it Chapter ii Whether the Supper of the Lord may be a true supper if any of the signes of the same be cut off and whether Iesus Christ did ordayne any thing superfluous in the same whether he did ordeine one sort of supper for one sort of men and an other for the others BVt they will yet replie that as the bloud is contayned vnder the body and that the lay people in receiuing the body receiue also the bloud albeit that they doe receiue but the signe of the body and not that of the bloud euen so when the priest communicateth alone in the masse he communicateth for al the rest and all the rest do communicate also in the person of him Behold a very faire starting hole and a reason very wel grounded Whereupon I aske them for the first whether Iesus Christ did ordaine any thing superfluous and in vaine in his holy supper and that was not very necessary I do not thinke at all that they dare gainesay this If there be theÌ„ nothing superfluous neyther that is ordayned in vayne and without great and necessary cause in this sacrameÌ„t and mysteries which it containeth wherefore is it that they dare to cut off any thing froÌ„ thence And if there be any thing superfluous and not necessary Note wherefore doe they not as wel cut off in their masse that whiâ—â— they do cut off in the supper of the people forse much as it must needes be that there be equaltie among al in the supper of the Lorde For hâ— ordained none other for the ministers then hâ— did for the people nor for the pastours then fâ—â— the sheepe nor for the clerkes then for the layâ— And what reason haue they to cut off rather thâ— wine Demaund then the bread They wil answere that 〈◊〉 is because that there is greater daunger in repect of the wine Answere by meane of the shedding thaâ— may happen and consequently of the bloud intâ— that which it is conuerted by meane of their transsubstanciation Wherfore is it then that the auncâ—ent Church did not aswel feare this daunger before the time of the Councel of Constaunce a did that Church which hath bin since There 〈◊〉 no doubt at al but that the errour of transsubstanciation hath brought foorth this also For thâ— Church which hath counterfaited it hath haâ— since greater feare to shed the bloud into thâ— which the wine is conuerted according to theâ—â— doctrine then the true auncient Church haâ—â— which did not know any such transsubstanciatâ—on Wherefore she did not also feare any suâ—shedding of the bloud of Iesus Christ Note And fâ—â— that also that she did not vse to keepe the breâ—â— and the wine to make them to be worshippeâ— as they do at this day in the Romaine Church in like sort she did not feare that the body and the bloud of the Lord should corrupt in the vessels wherein they were kept Beholde then one reason that the most moderne Romaine Church hath had more then the true auncient Church concerning this point And on the other side euen as the priestes of the same haue magnified their dignitie by meane of their transsubstanciation not onely aboue all other men but also aboue the virgine Mary and the Angels euen so haue they done in the communion of their masse and of their Supper For it is no small dignitie to be able to cause Iesus Christe to come and to be betwene their handes euery day and when it pleaseth them to make gods and to be the creatours of the creatour as they haue named them selues heretofore in their owne very bookes Therefore it is very reasonable also that they haue their communion apart separated from others which are not of such dignitie and that it be different from that which is common to al persons Chapter iii. Whether the Priestes may receiue the Supper for the people and what communion and excommunication is FUrther I aske them if they would be conteÌ„ted that an other man should dine for them or else that he should receyue the reuenewes of their benefices and that he should keepe the same for him selfe and in the meane time should say that he had receyued it for them I do beleeue that they would not haue such vicars nor such receiuers for them neither at the table nor iâ— their recepts but would doe both the one and y other in their owne person This notwithstanding they will needes be vicars of their Parochians in such matters in receyuing alone for them al that which belongeth generally to euery of them And the Parochians are very weâ— contented to haue such vicars and receiuers which do ordinarily receiue the Supper for theÌ„ because that they knowe not what the Supper of the Lorde is nor what profit or hurt they maâ— receiué by the administration or priuation of same wherefore they cannot knowe nor consâ—der the wrong which they do to them in so dâ—priuing them be it in all or in parte For who 〈◊〉 shal wel consider the communion which is inâ— masse and shall iudge thereof according to thâ— truth may of right call it no communion at all but excommunication For as communicatiâ—â— signifieth the partaking of many in one thing which is common to them al so on the contraâ— excommunication signifieth the depriuation 〈◊〉 such a partaking and communication as also to excommunicate signifieth asmuch as to be put out of the communion comminalty Now it is so that the Church as I haue already declared is the communion of Saints the comminalty of the faithfull And forsomuch as the sacraments being administred according to the pure ordinance of the Lorde are of the principal outward markes of the true Church and of the communion comminaltie she is also signified and represented by them For that cause they do receiue those the which they do esteeme for true members of that whole body and of all that coÌ„minaltie which we doe call the Church and the communion of Saints acknowledging theÌ„ as true Burgesses and Citizens of the kingdome of heauen and of the holy Citie of god And by that meane they do communicate vnto them the Sacraments which are vnto them as markes and tokens which Princes Lordes and Captames doe giue to their seruants and souldiours the which they doe aduow
in the holy scriptures But we haue not one onely for the other two Note And on the other side when it is commaunded to the liuing to pray for the liuing it is not to the end that the one should be aduocates towards God for the others or toward Iesus Christ but onely to exercise their charitie the one towardes the other because that they do knowe both the necessities infirmities whereunto they are subiect but the like is not of the dead The same is also done to the end that God may be glorified by many as Saint Paul doth witnesse And therefore he which mought be aduocate for others how often doth he desire the praiers of the other faithful for him during this life and did he euer promise or teach that he or any other of the Apostles other holy personages would pray after their death for thē for the other liuing or also for the dead Wherefore I will alway conclude infallibly that such praiers are made without faith only by opinion and humaine fantasie From whence it also foloweth that they are sinne displeasing God. Chapter xix Of the Collects of the auncient Church of those of the masse of the Deacons aswell of the one as of the other of their office THe other point which is the twelfth the last is touching the Collects of the aunciēt Church those of the masse his offertories I haue already declared in an other place howe that the auncient Church had collects almes for the poore ioyued to their assemblies namely to thadministratiō of the supper and that for the same cause it had also his deacons which had the charge dispensation the care special regard to the poore to the end that al mought be distributed in good order according to the necessitie of euery of thē Therefore when the faithful mette in their assemblies namely vpon the day of the Supper euery of them did bring according to his power that which he would giue as wel for the helpe and maintenance of the poore as for the other charges which the Church did ordinaryly endure And the deacons did receiue gather the same which euery one brought of their owne free wil without any cōstraint thē they did husband and distribute the same so wel by so good order in such faithfulnes that the almes of the faithfull were not giuen but only vnto those to whom they ought to be giuen and had neede thereof And by this meane euen as the poore were not left in necessitie no more were the idle loytering ones nourished in their idlenes by the meane thereof And they also which had wherewith to mayntaine them selues otherwise did not eate at al the goods of the poore Note But the cleane contrary is now done in the masse in the Romaine Church She hath not only deacōs but also Subdeacōs and Archdeacons but they are but vaine titles which haue not ioyned vnto them the office which they doe signifie but are greatly different from those of the which the scripture mēcioneth For they are such but in name as are all the other ministers officers of the Romaine Church that which do keepe wel the aunciēt names titles of the true ministers of the auncient Church with those which they haue added vnto thē by their owne inuention but others must be sought which must execute their office For these kind of men are well contented with the titles the benefices the which they do enioy vnder the shadowe thereof without taking any care at all for the office Euē so is it of their deacons Subdeacons archdeacōs For they haue not in al their clergie any that are appointed to haue any care for the poore nor to distribute vnto thē any of the goods of the Church nor of the offerings which are offered in the same For the goods of the Church are no more in the Romaine Church the goods of the poore but the goods of the rich which do so deuide it with the poore that they take al to thē selues doe leaue nothing or else very litle for the poore They haue indeed in their masse the offertory in stead of the collects of the ancients But that which is there receiued is not for the poore but for the priests and the monkes which deuide the spoile among them Chapter xx Of the Charge which is giuen to Archdeacons deacons subdeacons in the Romain Church of the offertories of the masse of the same ANd in the meane time their deacons Subdeacons Archdeacons are occupied but in foolish vain ceremonies as it appeareth aswel by the charge which is giuen vnto thē whē they are appointed to their mynisterie by their Byshops or suffragans as by the also which is written of their office in their bookes by the executiō of the same There are in their masse praiers to wit those which goe before the reading or the singing of the Epistle that which they do cal Collects But in the meane time there is no collection made for the poore And the Doacons and Subdeacons which should gather the same should distribute them after ward to the poore do there none other thing but that the one singeth the Epistle the other the Gospel which is to say some piece aswel of the one as of the other yea often times very euil vnaptly shaped And as for the rest they do serue the priest which doth administer the masse Note in the ceremonies which he hath to do chiefly to gather the offerings of the offertorie that which as I haue already said come not so farre as to the poore And yet they do not this office but in solemne masses such as they do sing with a loude voice for in the others it is sufficient to haue some pety clarke to answere thē to serue the priest which is at the altar And as touching the offertorie it is not so in euery mans libertie either to go or not to go thereunto but that there is also constraint thereunto chiefly in certaine feastes of the yere namely in those which they do call solemne For there is certaine tribute laid vpon aswel men as women at the least vpon fathers mothers of houshold which they must thē bring to the offertorie And albeit that the curats haue their benefices cures certenly rented yet for al that they say that that is their right as are many other impostes which they do impose to their parochians aswel for the liuing as for the dead aswel for thadministration of their sacraments as for their other ceremonies superstitions Idolatries If the same be not done in euery place after one sort yet it is done notwithstanding For they doe not any thing freely for nought Thus much concerning this latter point the which we do also condemne in the
very table our strife is ended For we will neuer striue against the trouth when they shall make it appeare vnto vs by good and sure testimonies of the worde of God the which is reueiled vnto vs by the scriptures But if they cannot shewe the same vnto vs by this meane and that we be able to shewe them the contrarie by the same meane which wee require of them to wit that the Masse such as it is at this day is not only not the very table and supper of the Lord but is wholy cōtrary to the same we beseech them that they woulde not resist the manifest truth but that they giue glory to God and do suffer that their Masse be so reformed according to the ordinance of Iesus Christe that as it hath bene peruerted into the same euen so the same may be restored againe to the true forme which he gaue to his holy supper and was obserued in the auncient Church And then when that shal be done which is so iust and reasonable that nothing can be more all the controuersies shal be ended and they shal be no more deuided nor banded the one against the other for the supper and for the masse wherein euery mā may iudge whether we demaunde any thing that is not very iust and very reasonable and whether they may iustly refuse the same It resteth yet that I do declare the principall reasons which doe hinder vs from the accepting of the masse such as they do set forth vnto vs for the true supper of the Lorde and for what cause we may in no wise receiue nor accept the same but are cōstrained to reiect it as a thing which cannot agree with the true Christian religion if there be not such reformation that it be no more that which it is at this present but that it be the true supper of the Lorde such as it is set forth vnto vs by the Euangelistes and the Apostles who are sure and true witnesses of the doctrine and of the ordināces and workes of Iesus Christ their master who did chuse and call them to that office Chapter vii Of those which will allowe the Masse by the good and faire wordes takē out of the holy scriptures which are conteined in the same and what iudgement and consideration is meete to be had of the same BUt before that I doe expounde these reasons throughly I will yet touche one point concerning that which hath bene spoken of the good and holy wordes which are in the masse I do not deny but it is so but I do answere further that it is not enough to haue good wordes taken out of holy letters except they be wel applied to their true vse and to that ende whereunto they ought to serue For if it were not so a man might by the like reason allowe not onely the charmes and enchantments of Charmers Sorcerers and Enchanters but also the Alchoran of Mahomet and the doctrine in maner of all the heretiques For there be many good faire words takē out of the holy scriptures and faire names of God and of Iesus Christe our lord And if the crosses might serue to the holinesse of the things with the words they haue ordinarily many in charmes inchantments It is not enough then to haue such words if the right vse of them be not had with them And further it must be seene whether there be any thing mingled with them which doth corrupt them as doth poyson good meate which otherwise is of it self good For there needeth no great quantitie of poyson to corrupt the best meates of the worlde and the better that the meat is the more daungerous is the poyson which is hidden vnder the same for so much as it is very hard to discouer it and that men are the more prouoked to take it Wherefore so farre of is it from letting the poyson to be any more poyson that it maketh it more daungerous more mortall if that the poyson be not expelled by a contrapoyson It is not then altogether to see if there be faire and good words in the masse taken of the holy scriptures but we must yet consider whether there bee any poyson false doctrine and mens tradicions mixed with them And if there be any such a man may profite nothing at all by it but may be hurt thereby if the same poyson be not taken away and expelled by his contrapoyson the which can not be taken but of the pure word of god And therefore the controuersie vpon the which we are at this present resteth yet in this to witte whether al the meat which is set forth to vs in the masse be wholy good or whether there be poyson mixed with the same if it be al good then may there none of it be reiected if there be poyson no man may receiue it without danger and perill Chapter viii Whether there be any thing in the Masse other then good wordes and whether those good wordes which are in it be well applied and whether that for those good woordes the Masse ought to be accompted good ANd euen as good meate doth not let but that poyson is alwaye poyson and maketh it more hurtfull euen so the good and holy wordes doe not let at all but that God is dishonoured in thē when men do abuse thē Note for the more holy blessed that a thing is so much the more is the abuse thereof detestable in the sight of God so much the more is he dishonored for so much as his holy name is there the more prophaned By meane whereof so farre of is it that the charmes and enchantments be the better because of the names of God and of Iesus Christ of the virgine Mary and of men and women Sainctes of the good wordes of the holy scriptures that may be in thē that they are in deede so much the more execrable and cursed For seeing that the thing of it selfe is euill it is yet made much worse when that which should serue to the honor of God is there applied to his dishonor Wherefore it is like to blasphemies For when men do blaspheme God they do take his name in their mouth but he is more dishonored by that meane then though they did wholy abstaine from naming him For they do not vse it at all as they do which take it in their mouth to call vpon God and to sanctifie him but do abuse it not onely taking it in vaine but also villainously profaning and polluting the same Therfore Irenee saieth that the heretiques and cōsequently al those which abuse the holy scriptures do with thē euen as when an excellēt workman should make the image of a king very faire and of fine golde and well furnished with all fortes of precious stones and there did come an euill workeman which should take the same matter and should make thereof either a dogge or an ape or some other beast or
some monster Albeit that it should be alwayes one selfe matter very good and very excellent yet for all that the workemāship should be greatly different and the matter very euill applied in as much as by applying thereof they should destroy a good very faire piece of work to make one both euil and filthy And by the same meane a man should do great wrong to the king in so counterfaiting his image It is not enough then to take the matter whereof the Prophetes the Apostles haue made the worke of the Lord if it be not euenly laide squared and wrought as they them selues haue done it For if any man make an other worke contrary to theirs and by the which theirs should be destroyed the stuffe which men haue taken of thē is not well applied Wherefore so farre of is it that the worke is the better because of the same that on the contrary it is more worthy of blame Thus much for the shuting vp of the mouthes of those which doe alleadge the good woordes and the good things which are in the Masse if they cannot otherwise shew the goodnes thereof and that there be nothing at all in it that is good and applied as it ought to be Chapter ix Of the diuision of the matters which shal be handled hereafter and of the principall pointes which are at this day in controuersie concerning the Supper and the Masse I Wil now come to the principal points which do moue vs by good reason not in any wise to allowe the masse being of the same forme and qualitie that at this day it is set forth vnto vs of the which pointes I will firs make a generall diuision and afterward a more special and then I will propone and expounde them all the one after the other euery one of them in his place The first diuision which is the most generall shall conteine fiue pointes of the which fiue pointes I will after ward make more special diuisions The first is touching the matter and all the pieces and inuentions and humaine tradicions in generall whereof it is compounded The second is of the wordes of the same in speciall And the third is of the signes and of the things signified by them The fourth of the prayers The fift of the collectes As touching the second point which concerneth in special the wordes of the masse I deuide it againe into three points The first is touching the language of them The second concerning the pronunciation The thirde concerning the application of them And for the third point which is concerning the signes and the things signified I do deuide them againe into six other pointes The first is the transubstantiation of the signes The second the adoration of them The third the reseruation and application which vsed beside the vse of the supper The fourth is of the sacrifice The fift is of the cōmunion The sixt of the application aswell of the sacrifice as of the communion both for the dead and for the liuing Now concerning the first the fourth and the fifth Of the fiue pointes which I did in the first place set forth in generall I doe not at all make any other more speciall diuision of them Now all these pointes ioyned and comprehended together do amount to the number of 12. the which I am not determined here to handle all at large but onely summarily to the ende that men may vnderstand which be the principall differences to agree vpon between the reformed Church and the Romaine Church concerning the Sacrament of the supper and that of the Masse Chapter x. Of the first general point which is of the whole matter of the Masse and of the additions vvhich men haue giuen to the supper of the Lorde in the same by the vvhich they haue cleane ouerthrovven his institution THe first point then that we doe condemne in the Masse is that ingeneral there are so many inuentions traditions and humane additiōs to the Lordes institution so many chaunges and disguisings of the same and so many ceremonies and foolish and doultishe superstions and insufferable Idolatries that there remaineth in the same no kinde of forme of the pure ordinance of the Lord but that it is there wholy ouerthrowen And by the same meane the expressed word of God is there openly violated in as much as it is so often and so expressedly forhidden by the same in the holy scriptures to adde or to diminish any thing to or from the lawe statutes and ordinances of the Lorde or to go out either on the right hand or els on the left For the which cause Saint Paul meaning to correct the abuses which were already in his time committed in the supper among the Corinthes said plainely setting foorth the institution of Iesus Christ I haue receiued of the Lord that which also I haue deliuered vnto you And after ward he expoundeth it point by poynt in what sorte Iesus Christe did institute and administer this holy Sacrament and ordeined it to be administred afterward in his Church wherein he ment to giue plainely to vnderstand not onley to the Corinthes but also to the whole Churche of God as well for that present time as for all the time to come that the institution of the Lord is pure whole and perfect what rule there was and is to be obserued in such matter without adding any thing to it or diminishing chāging and disguising any thing from it or in it For if Saint Paul which was plucked vp euen to the third heauen and who sawe there secrets incomprehensible to man and hath so faire and excellent a testimonie of his vocatiō by Iesus Christ him selfe neither would nor durst take in hande such a matter but did content him selfe with the simple ordinance of the Lord and tied him selfe to the fame rule and did drawe thereunto the whole Church what pride is this in those which dare vndertake more then he yea more then the very sonne of God him selfe did These which are so audacious ds they not feare at all the curses which are denounced by Saint Iohn in the Apocalypse to all those which either adde or diminish any thing to or from the doctrine reuealed by the Lord for that which he saith in his Apocalypse doth no lesse agree to all the rest of the body of the holy scriptures then to it selfe for so much as there is no canonicall booke which is of lesse authoritie And if Saint Paul did assubiecte the very Angels to the Gospell which he had preached Note who dare set him selfe vp aboue them Chapter xi Of the second generall point which is of the wordes of the Masse and of the diuision of the same into his members and first of the language of the Masse AS concerning the second point which is touching the wordes of the Masse we haue to note first that albeit that it were so that there were not one onely worde in the
whole content of the same but that it were taken out of the holy Scriptures and were very agreeable to the same yet for all that there are three great and insufferable faultes therein of the which three the first is commō and generall to all the whole Masse and euery part thereof the other two belong more speciall to the sacramentall wordes but they are notwithstanding altogether manifestly repugnant to the expressed worde of God and to the institution of the holy Supper And by that meane this second point doth conteine those other three of which I made mention in the diuision of the same which are touching the language pronunciation and application of the wordes As touching the first it is manifestly against the expresse commaundement of God in that that he hath expressedly forbidden by S. Paul that in the assemblies of the Church there should be neither praiers nor other words spokē in a tongue which were not knowen to the whole assemblie if there were not forthwith some one to expounde the same in a tongue which should be well vnderstoode by the whole congregatiō Now it is so that al that euer is spoken sung in the masse is there said sung in an vnknowē language at the least to the greatest part of the people and assistantes oftentimes to them al. Whereof it foloweth according to the testimonie of S. Paul that the commandement of God is there manifestly violated Whereupon I doe further conclude that the masse can not be the supper of the Lord for so much as he hath plainly commanded that men should set forth the remembrāce of him in the same Which thing can not be done by vnknowen language but onely by such a language as is vnderstoode of all as Saint Paul doth sufficiently declare when expounding the wordes of Iesus Christe concerning this commemoration he saith plainly You shall shewe the Lordes death vntil the time that he come The which shewing cannot be set forth by a language not vnderstoode but onely by preaching and doctrine set foorth in a language which may be vnderstoode of all for so much as speach without vnderstāding profiteth no more then though a man spake not at all For that is as much as though he that speaketh were domme and he which heareth were dease Chapter xii Of the pronunciation of the woordes of the Masse and chiefly of those which are called sacramentall and what fault there is committed in the same as wel against the commandement of God as against the lawes Imperiall FUrthermore we haue yet to note in the other point which is of the pronunciation of the wordes of the Masse that albeit that whatsoeuer should be there said in a lāguage that should be vnderstoode of al men yet for all that Note it could be in no wise sufferable that any thing should be there recited with a whispering voyce namely the principall wordes which do properly belong to the institution of the supper and chiefly those which they do cal sacramentall the which they do pronounce with so soft a voice as they can not be heard of any man no not of those which are neerest the priest which pronounceth them so farre of are they from being vnderstoode by all the assemblie Wherein they fall againe into the first inconuenience that I haue already touched For be it that they speake with a loude voice in an vnknowen tongue or with a softe voice in a knowen tongue in sort that he is not heard at all or els that mē can not vnderstande the wordes the one sort is euen as good as the other This notwithstanding they do cōmit both the faultes in all their masses chiefly in their cannon and in many other pieces and namely in those the which because of the same they do call the secrets For beside that that the language of them is vnknowē at the least to the greatest part they adde thereunto also the pronunciation so soft so secret that hardly there is any man that may vnderstand one only word thereof as I haue already said This thing is common to all Masses as well high as lowe For they haue these two sortes the which they do so distinguishe according to the pronunciation which they vse in the same They call high masses those which they say with song because that they speake and crie more loude in them Yet are they greatly to be blamed in the very same that they sing in so much as they doe vse such songs as doth greatly hinder the vnderstāding of it euen to those which could otherwise vnderstand the wordes and the language For how many notes do they put oftentimes to one sillable from whence it commeth to passe that they make the woordes and the pronunciation of them so long and doe make so great distance from one sillable to an other that men forget the first before they be come to the last namely whē they do sing in set Musick Wherin it appeareth plainely that the song of the Romaine Church hath bene vsed more to feede the bodily eares then the soule and the spirit and to serue men for delectation and pastime as doe their belles and their organs For there is al the profite which commeth of them which consisteth in sound which vanisheth in the aire Againe they call lowe Masses such as are not said with song but onely with a soft voice And albeit that there be very fewe which can vnderstande any thing of it throughout the whole masse yet not contented therewith they do also speake it more softly when they come to their secretes and to their Cannon and therein they doublely transgresse not onely the lawe of God Note as I haue already proued by the testimonie of S. Paul but also the humane and Imperiall lawes For the Emperour Iustinian which raigned about the yere 528. did make a lawe expressedly for that point the which he grounded vpon the sentence of S. Paul which I haue already alleadged takē out of his first Epistle to the Corinths The same lawe commaundeth all ministers of the Church to speake so loude and so plaine especially in the administratiō of the Sacraments that all the people may heare and vnderstande it and make answere So be it to that which shal be there spoken He doth not commande thē that they should speake in a language vnderstoode of al men for so much as yet at that time they did alwayes so according to the example of the auncient Church but onely so to speake and pronoūce to the end that they might be the better vnderstoode of all men the which thing had bene to no purpose at al if speaking in such sort the speach had not bene knowen and vnderstood of all men Wherefore in commāding the fame hee presupposeth that which already was to witte that the language was knowen and vnderstoode of all men Seeing then that in that respect the masse is repugnant to all lawe
sâ—uer before it be stamped and that that it is aftâ—â— the coyning thereof hauing imprinted in it 〈◊〉 marke of the prince the which gyueth vnto it his estimation and value It hath also like difference as hath the waxe whereof men make a â—eale before it be printed and after that it is printed hauing receiued the forme by the Impression of the seale it is then no more simple waxe as before but the true seale of the prince For that cause the rod the which Moyses held â—n his hand keeping the sheepe of Iethro his Father in law when God appeared vnto him in â—he bush is afterwarde called the rodde of God when God had commaunded him to vse the same â—n his ministerie and in the miraculouse works which were done by the same And in this sorte must we vnderstaÌ„d that which Saint Augustine â—aid speaking of baptisme The word is ioyned â—o the element and it is made a sacrament He â—nderstandeth by the element the water of bapâ—isme the which is dedicated to be the signe â—hereof by the worde which is ioyned vnto it â—he which is not ioyned vnto it but to be vnâ—erstood of those vnto whom it belongeth and â—o vnderstand by the same to what end it is â—â—yned to the signes Note And albeit that the liâ—e children can not vnderstand it in their bapâ—â—sme as those which are of greater age doe yet â—or all that the same is not wrong applied in â—s much as it may be vnderstood as well by â—â—eir Godfathers and Godmothers as by those which doe present them and assist at theiâ— baptisme for so much as it is not founded onelâ— vpon the person of the infants and vpon theiâ— faith but also vpon the faith of their Godfatherâ— and Godmothers and of the whole Church iâ— as much as it is grounded vpon the alliauncâ— that God hath made with the faithful because hâ— hath also comprehended in the same their chiâ—dren saying that he would be their God and thâ— God of their children Wherefore seing that baptisme is the sacrament thereof in the Christiaâ— Church as the Circumcision was in thâ— Church of Israel the children of the Christianâ— are no lesse capable of Baptisme theÌ„ were thosâ— of the Iewes of circumcisioÌ„ forsomuch as therâ— is one very foundation and one very reason iâ— them both touching this point And thereforâ— such is the consecration which is done to thâ— water in baptisme whereby the same is consecrated to that vse Note We then see here how that the worde whereupon the same is grounded hath aswell relation to the matter of baptisme in respect of the bloud of Christ accordinâ— to the testimonie of Saint Augustine as hauâ— those of the supper to the bread to the wine iâ— sort that the water is no lesse consecrated by thiâ— meane to be the signe of baptisme then is thâ— bread the wine in the supper to be signes thereof For a man may say in very trouth thereof thâ— â—ame that Saint Augustine hath said of the waâ—er of baptisme For there is like reason in both â—n as much as there is none other meane wherâ—y the matter which is taken to be the signe â—f the Sacraments may be dedicated and conâ—ecrated to that vse otherwise then by the word of God whereof they are signes and sacrameÌ„ts Beholde here then that which the auncients did â—all here properly Consecration Chapter xviii Of the chaunge and conuersion of the signes of the sacraments into the thing signified by them according to the vsage of the auncient Church and of the doctors of the same ANd when they speake of the chaunge conuersion of the signes of the sacraments into â—he thing which they do signifie they doe vnderstand this chaunge of the vsage of them for the which cause they doe also chaunge their name taking the name of the thing which they signifie in contemplation and in respect of this chaunge of the vse and not at all of the chaunge of one substance into an other to wit of the substance of the signes into that of the things which they doe signifie For if there were such 〈◊〉 chaunge of substance by the vertue of the sacramental wordes and of the consecration oâ— the signes it should necessaryly then come tâ— passe that the same should be in al sacraments 〈◊〉 not more in the one then in the other forsâ—â— much as there is none at all that may be sacraments without consecration and without sacramentall wordes and they haue al this commoâ— together and the like reason is in them all concerning this point Wherefore the Romaynâ— transsubstantiators haue no ground of reason to affirme that there is more transsubstanciatiâ—â— in the supper by chaunge of the substance of thâ— signes into the thing signified by the vertue oâ— the consecration and of the sacramental words then in all the other sacraments And thereforâ— if they would that we should beleeue them theâ— must then proue their sayings by other testimonies then them selues for so much as they doâ— ouerthrowe the whole nature of sacraments by their doctrine For the bread and the wine oâ— the Supper can not be made the signes there of but onely by the vertue of their consecratioâ— and of the sacramentall wordes by the which they are consecrated to that vse For as we hauâ— alreadie heard by Saint Augustine the wordâ— must be alwaies ioyned to the element beforâ— that it may be made a sacrameÌ„t Now it is therâ— then ioyned when the bread and the wine whicâ— are taken of the elements of this world are applied to the vse of the supper and this application is made by the consecration and by the sacramental wordes when they are pronounced and declared in the administration of the Supper in the same sort as Iesus Christ did pronounce and declare them and commanded the same to be done according to his example Behold then here al the conuersion and all the transsubstanciation which may be in the supper aswel as in the other sacraments Chapter xix Whether euery chaunge carry with it conuersion of one substance into another and what difference there is betwene chaunge and transsubstanciation and of the double chaunge of the signes which should be required in the supper if the doctrine of traÌ„ssubstanciation were true ANd therefore when the auncient doctors did speake of chaunge and conuersion of the signes into the same they vnderstood none other as I haue shewed and proued very plainly and by good testimonies of the auncient doctors theÌ„ selues in other treatises of mine For euery chaunge and euery conuersion of one thing into an other carieth not with it at all transsubstanciation of one substance into an other For there may be chaunge without conuersion of substance But conuersion of substance can not be without chaunge We may then say that wherâ— there is transsubstanciation by conuersioÌ„ of substance there is there chaunge But there is not alwaies transsubstanciation and conuersion
such sorte as the Romaine Church hath holdeÌ„ it euer since to witte from the time of the Pope Nicholas the secoÌ„d and afterward of Gregorie the seuenth about the yeere 1074. But this was not done at all without contradiction of many which coulde not profit at al forsomuch as they were oppressed by the authoritie of the Romaine Popes and of the multitude of their adherentes The custome for all that was not in the same church to keepe the bread in cupbordes boxes and pixtes before the time of Honorius the third who ordeined it about the yeere 1226. that hee was in the Romaine Chaire nor also to beare it in solemne procession and to dedicate a speciall feast to it vnto the time of Pope Vrbane the fourth who ordained that feast which commonly is called the feast of God or of the holy body of god Beholde then the antiquitie of the religion which followeth such doctrine and such maner of doings and as touching the principall authours vnto the which it may be ascribed And thereby euery man may knowe what faith they ought to giue to the traÌ„ssubstantiatours and Romaine doctours which affirme that the Romaine religion which they at this daye doe followe is the religion of the true auncient Churche and that they haue receiued it of Iesus Christ and of his Apostles and is come euen to them from hande to hand by a continuall succession Men may also iudge by the very same which were the Apostles from whom they receiued such doctrine such ceremonies superstitions and idolatries and what iniurie they do to Iesus Christ and to his Apostles and to all the auncient Church in abusing as they doe the name and authoritie of them to giue a more faire shewe to the inuentions of men and the more to coÌ„firme the poore ignorant in their errours and abuses For as I haue already declared the whole ancient church and the true doctors of the same did not knowe any such transsubstantiation as that of the Romaine Church which is at this daye nor any other conuersion of the signes of the sacrameÌ„ts into the thing which they signified but onely in respect of the vse of them as I haue already declared And therefore it had also no such worshipping and keeping of the bread and of their hostie as is that whereof I haue now spoken Chapter x. Of the sacrifice of the Romaine Masse and of the building of the same vpon the transsubstantiation and of the onely sacrifice of Iesus Christ and of the contrarietie that is betweene the same and that of the Masse I Will not nowe bryng foorth anye more proofes wherewith the better to coÌ„firme that which I haue already sayde of all these things because that I haue sufficiently written of it in diuerse other bookes and that I did not determine for this present but onely to touche and handle them briefly and summarily And therefore I will now come to the eight point which is concerning the sacrifice of the Romane priests in their masse the which dependeth also of the transsubstantiatioÌ„ and hath his foundation vpoÌ„ the same For if they did confesse that the bread and the wine did remaine alway bread and wine in the same they durst not affirme nor saye that they do offer vnto God bread and wine in sacrifice for the remission of sinnes the redemptioÌ„ of soules as well the liuing as the dead as they boaste them selues to doe daily in their masses For for the first seeing that according to the testimonie of the Epistle to the Hebrewes there is no sacrifice offered for the remission of sinnes without shedding of blood they can in no waies make sacrifice of bread and of wine for so much as it shoulde bee without sheading of bloud And then what reason should they haue to offer to God bread wine for the redeÌ„ption of soules and for the saluation of man and of what vertue and efficacie might such a sacrifice be And therefore seeing that they woulde conuert the Sacrament of the Supper into a sacrifice and transforme it into a Masse they must in deede foorthwith transsubstantiate the bread and the wyne into the bodie and into the blood of Iesus Christe to the ende that by that meane they might afterwarde offer them in saerifice for the remission of sinnes and for the redemption of soules and not onely for the lyuing but also for the dead Wee may not then greatly marueile if that they doe fight strongly and assuredly to mainteine their transsubstantiation without the which they are neuer able to mainteine their sacrifice without the which also their purgatorie would yelde them a very barren reuenue with all their other inuentions But what foundation haue they for this sacrifice I do not say in the institution of the supper of the Lorde onely but also in all the holy scriptures For for the first we do not reade at all that when Iesus Christ did institute and administer the supper he did in any wise offer in sacrifice either the bread or the wine which hee ordeined to be signes of the same nor in like sort his bodie nor his bloud For it is not in the supper that he did offer theÌ„ really in sacrifice to God for man but vpoÌ„ the crosse For the whole scripture maketh no mention of two sacrifices of Iesus Christ for the redemption of man but of one onely which is so perfect that he needed not to make it but one time onely and it could not bee offered by any other then by Iesus Christe him selfe the very sonne of God which onely is the priest the sacrificer the Sacrifice the Temple and the Altar and the same may in no wise be reiterated by any creature seeing that it is of vertue eternall and of deserte infinite For this cause the sacrifice of the masse can not stande with this but it must necessarily be that the one or the other be abholished to giue place to one onely seeing that there is but one which is full and perfect and there may none other be had seeing then that the same of Iesus is such an one it abolisheth all the others Chapter .xi. Of the difference that the Romaine doctors do put betwene the bloudy sacrifice the not bloudy of Iesus Christ in what sense the auncieÌ„t doctors of the Church did take both the one and the other and did cal the supper by the name of sacrifice And of the things which were obserued in the assemblies of the auncient Church IT may not be then that the Romayne sacrificers doe lay before vs 2. sortes of sacrifices of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes to wit the one not blouddy that is to say without shedding of bloud the which he offred in the supper and the other blouddy to wit with shedding of â—loud the which he offered vpon the crosse For by what testimonie of the Scripture
will they â—oue this first sacrifice which they terme not blouddy vpon the which we are in controuersie with them and of the which they say that they â—e sacrificers and successors of Iesus Christ in 〈◊〉 behalfe For we doe not disagree with theÌ„â—t all as touching the second And concerning â—â—e first wee will not make any difficultie to â—â—aunt them that the auncient doctors of the â—hurch and the auncient Church which foloâ—ed their doctrine haue indeede called the saâ—â—â—â—eÌ„t of the supper sacrifice in that sense that the holy Scripture calleth the same name the woorke of the preaching of the Gospel by the which the true ministers thereof bring men vnto God as though they did offer men vnto him and as it doth call also the mortification of the Christians whereby they offer them selues vnto God for liuing and reasonable sacrifices and in like sort the praiers thanks giuing the almes because that al these things were done auncieÌ„tly in the supper For it was not celebrated without the preaching of the word of God nor without praiers and thankes giuing from whence it hath had the name of Eucharistie among the Greekes nor without almes and gathering and such other like good workes the which God accepteth for sacrifices But these are not at al propiciatory sacrifices for the remission of sinnes the redemption of soules but are sacrifices of praise and thankes giuing For the Christian Church doth not acknowledge any other sacâ—â—â—fice propiciatorie but onely that which Iesuâ— Christ him selfe did offer in his owne person â–ª not wheÌ„ he did iustitute and administer the supper but wheÌ„ he suffered for vs and namely inhâ—â— he died for our sinnes For al his life was a peâ—â—petuall sacrifice but wee take him chiefly in hiâ— death because that it was therein ended as 〈◊〉 him selfe did witnesse vpon the crosse Then whâ— the auncients did call the sacrament of the suâ—per a sacrifice not bloudy they toke it in the seÌ„se that I haue already declared that the Supper was a sacrifice of praise thankes giuing they haue also called it so because that they haue ofteÌ„ times taken the name of sacrifice for that which we do call diuine seruice praier forsomuch as al the parts therof al the things therein required are comprised in the celebration of the Supper in that same maner as it was instituted by Iesus Christ and celebrated by the Apostles and by the true auncient Church For according to the testimony of Saint Luke the first Christian Church had foure thinges in singular recoÌ„meÌ„dation in their assemblies The first was the praiers and then the doctrine of the Apostles and the thied breaking of bread and the fourth the communion by the which two latter wee must vnderstand the administration and distriâ—â—tioÌ„ of the Supper and the gatherings for the â—oore the distributioÌ„s which were made vnto â—hem When then the auncients do call the supâ—er sacrifice and that they doe make mencion of sacrifice not bloudy they vse it in that sense that haue already declared as it appeareth plainâ—â— by their owne testimony Wherefore we wil â—â—t make any great difficulty to graunt that the â—upper was a sacrifice in that sense to wit a â—acrifice of praise and thankes giuing 〈◊〉 not a Sacrifice propiciatorie for the remission of sinnes the redemption of soules in such sorte as the Romaine catholiques do affirme their masse to be into the which they haue conuerted the supper of the Lorde Chapter xii Of the trumperies of the doctors of the Romayne Church concerning the name of sacrifice and the vse thereof and chiefly of the confusion which they put betwene the sacrifice propiciatorie and Eucharistique and betweene sacrament and sacrifice and of the differeÌ„ce that must be put betwene the one and the other WHereupon it is needful that euery man he warned of 2. trumperies by the which the Romayne doctors do deceyue the ignorant aâ—using the name of sacrifice and of the authoritie and testimonie of the auncient doctors of the Church in this matter The first is in the confusion that they make betwene the sacrifices The other in that they take the name of sacrifice in the writings of the auncient doctors for the masse such as it is in the Romayne Church For first they do take for sacrifice propitiatorie that which the auncient Doctors did take for sacrifice 〈◊〉 praise and thanks giuing and for a commemâ—â—ration of the death of Iesus Christe the whiâ—â— for the same cause men may call Eucharistique euen as some men do call it to giue men the better to vnderstand this difference as men doe cal the Supper Eucharistie for the same cause For the which cause they haue called the Supper sacrifice not blouddy to giue to vnderstande that they did not meane to offer Iesus Christ to God in sacrifice in the same for the remission of sinnes and the redemption of soules for somuch as the same cannot be done but by the very and onely sonne of God Iesus Christe nor without the shedding of his bloud but onely for a coÌ„memoration of the propiciatory sacrifice that which Iesus Christ him selfe did offer of his owne body bloud to yeeld him praise and thankes For they did knowe very wel what difference there is betwene sacrament and sacrifice and that the supper was not instituted by the Lorde for a sacrifice but for a Sacrament For in a sacrifice which is offered for the remission of sinnes and the redemption of soules it behoueth that the man offer vnto God the thing which he sacrificeth vnto him and that it be sufficient to appease â—is wrath or otherwise the sacrifice is not perâ—ect neither may it satisfie god And therefore it was that al those of the Leuits which were â—rdayned in the lawe to represent that of Iesus Christ did cease to giue place to him only But â—e sacraments are ordayned not at all to offer any thing to god for the remission of sinnes but on the contrary to receiue of him the spiritual and heauenly good things which he offreth communicateth vnto vs by the same And therefore Iesus Christ did not offer vnto God eyther the bread or the wine of the Supper or yet his body and his bloud in the same but did offer and communicate them both to wit the signes and the things signified by them to his disciples distributing bodily vnto them that which was bodyly and earthly sptritually that which was spiritual and heauenly And therefore he said Take ye and eate ye and drinke ye the which woordes he did not addresse vnto â–ª God nor consequently the bread and the wine which he commanded to eate and to drinke neither his body nor his bloud signified by the same but to his disciples and consequently to al those vnto whom the supper is administred according to his ordinance And therefore when Iesus Christ sayd
This is my body which is giuen and broken for you he sayd it not in respect of that which he then did in the supper towardes God his father but in respect of that which he after did towardes him vpon the crosse very shortly after his supper For it is there where he was giuen for vs when he offered him selfe vppon the crosse in sacrifice 〈◊〉 his father and not at all in the supper For it 〈◊〉 not there where he gaue him selfe for vs ▪ 〈◊〉 where he is giuen to vs for he is there giuen vnto vs in asmuch as he is cōmunicated vnto vs by the meane of this sacrament of the Supper Whereupon we haue to note that Iesus Christ did vse the present time for the time to come according to the Ebrue maner of speach which vseth often times indifferently the time passed the time present and the time to come the one for the other chiefly when it cōcerneth the promisses of God forsomuch as that which he promiseth is as certaine as if it were already present or as if it were already done Note The like may we say also of that which is sayd of the wine This is my bloud of the newe testament the which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes For it was not in the supper that the body of Iesus Christ was giuen and broken and his bloud shed but vpon the crosse and in his death and passion For the which canse the translator of the common Latin translatiō the which the priests vse in their masse and in all their diuine seruice hath translated these woordes into the time to come for the time presēt saying which shal be giuen and which shal be broken and which shal be shed c. in the stead that there it is which is giuen and which is broken and which is shed in the woordes of the Euangelistes and of Saint Paul as they haue set them downe in the Greeke And al the auncient doctors of the Church haue not taken thē in any other sense And forsomuch as they did wel vnderstand what differēce there was betwene sacrament and sacrifice they had not any masse to offer vnto God a sacrifice of the body and of the bloud of Iesus Christ as the Romaine priests at this day doe boast thē selues to do in theirs but in the stead of such a masse they had the Supper the which they did not celebrate at any time but that they had presently communion of the faithfull to whom the same was administred and not only to a priest in particular as they do in the masse Chapter xiii Of the name of sacrifice falsely taken for the Romaine masse how the Romaine doctors in stead to proue that Iesus Christ and his Apostles did institute and celebrate the Masse doe proue that they instituted and celebrated the Supper in stead to proue that the auncient doctors did take it for a propiciatory sacrifice they proue that they vsed the name of sacrifice in an other sēse BEholde then here one great trumpery the which proceedeth either of the ignorance or of the malice of the Romaine doctors priests which doe make the ignorant beleeue that the auncients did call the Supper sacrifice in the same very sense that they at this day do take it in their masse wherein they doe them great wrong For they did neuer so vnderstand or teach And albeit their should haue so vnderstood taught we mought not folowe their doctrine in that behalfe because that it should be cleane contrary to that of the Apostles and namely to all the Epistle to the Hebrues And then folowing that trumpery they doe yet build an other very great one vpon the same which is the second wherof I am now to speake which is that they willing to proue that the auncient doctors haue approued their Masse and that the same was in the auncient Church such as it is at this day they take the passages wherein the auncient fathers doe vse the name of sacrifice oblation and offering and such other like as wel in the latine as in the Greeke when they speake of the Supper or of all the diuine seruice as though they had vsed the name of masse in the same and that they had vnderstod by the names which they did vse of such a masse as the Romaine masse nowe is Questio For here is no question whether the auncients did vse such words or names but whether they tooke those words in the same sense that they are at this day taken in the Romaine Church And albeit that they should haue vsed the name of masse in the stead of the name of sacrifice and such like that which they vsed to signifie all the diuine seruice of the Christians yet should they haue nothing gayned at all For it must yet be that they doe shew that the masse of the aunciētes was such an one as theirs is and that there was in it like sacrifice The which they shal neuer do For albeit that some of the auncients did begin to vse the name of masse for the diuine seruice after three or foure hundred yeres after the natiuity of our Lorde that notwithstanding it was but in small vse yet in two hundred yeres after that to wit before the time of Gregory the first no more was it then taken for such a masse as it is at this daye in the Romaine Church For there was not yet at that time any such neyther could there be for so much as the greatest nomber of the workemen which haue framed the same from age to age frō yere to yere for a lōg time were not yet borne at the time Behold then howe the Romayne doctors doe deceiue the ignorant vnder the name of sacrifice and vnder the authoritie of the auncient doctors as vnder the name and authoritte of Iesus Christ and of the Apostles For after that they haue greatly bragged that Iesus Christ and the Apostles did institute and celebrate the masse they proue to confirme the same that they haue instituted and celebrated the Supper wherein they proue and confirme that which is not at all in question or in doubt and not that at all which is in controuersie but in stead of prouing and confirming that they proue and confirme an other thing which is out of al controuersie Euen so doe they concerning the auncient fathers For willing to proue by them the same of the masse and of the sacrifice thereof they proue that they haue vsed the name of sacrifice and other names also as well Greeke as Latines which signifie as much as diuine seruice and publike ministerye in our language Chapter xiiii In what sort the sacrifices of the lawe were sacraments and sacrifices both together and that the supper cannot be both but onely a sacrament and of the agreement difference that is betwene the same and the sacrament of the Paschal lambe BVt they
esteme thē worthy because of their faithfulnes On the contrary they doe reiect from the communion of the sacramēts those whom they cannot acknowledge for true members of the Church but onely for notten members or such as are cut off from the same The which thing they do declare vnto them when they doe shut them from the administration Note of them to signifie vnto them that they are cut off and shut out not onely from the company of the faithfull but also of Iesus Christ which is the head and of al his heauenly court And by that meane Note when they do deny them the markes of the true faithful and do depriue them thereof the same is as a maner of degradation as if a man should take from them the tokens which do belong but only to true Christians as a man should take from souldiours the liuery of their Prince and Captaine as from Traitors or from cowardly and vntrue seruants such as are vnworthy to be any more receyued into the company of others which are faithfull and true For that cause we doe call such personages excommunicated Chapter iiii Of the difference which is betwenc the assistants at the masse be thei priests or no the penitents and excommunicated of the auncient Church of the faults which are to be blamed in particular excommunications THen when the priest which is at the altar receiueth his sacrament alone and communicateth nothing to any one of all those which doe assiste at his masse is not this as a kinde of excommunication whereby he shuteth them all out from the Supper which he receiueth all alone for doth he not as though there were none but he alone which were worthy capable therof that all the rest were vnworthy mought be reiected as persons excommunicated For there is no great difference betwene that which they do at this day in the masse in respect of those which do assiste at the same and that which they did in time passed in the auncient Church in the administration of the Supper towarde excommunicated persons which were in the place of the penitents For albeit that they did assiste in the Temple yet for al that they were separated from those which did communicate at the supper and were shut forth from the communication of the same vntil such time as they were reconciled to the Church But yet they had that more then those haue which do assiste at the masse that they did vnderstand both the praiers and the doctrine which were set forth in the assemblie mought make their profit thereof But the greatest part of those which doe assiste at the masse may carry away with them no such profit forsomuch as they vnderstād there nothing at al. And then when the excommunicated were reconciled to the Church they mought goe to the supper as often as the same should be administred For they then made no particular Supper for any but made it onely generall for all wheras euery priest maketh his particular for him selfe and shutteth out all the rest Wherein they do commit three notable faults The first is in that as I haue already touched that the cōmon people those whō they call lay are depriued of the Supper in maner al the whole yere albeit that the priestes doe euery day make theirs euery of them in particular The second is that in the same very time that they do administer the supper generally to al yet doe not the priestes administer theirs with the rest of the body of the Church but doe it all aparte as though they were of an other Church and members of an other body The third is that being already so separated from the rest yet doe they separate them selues among them selues the one from the other For euery of them maketh his Supper aparte vpon his altar without communicating any thing to any of his felowes Chapter v. Of the particular masses and Suppers of the Romaine Church and howe much they are repugnant to the institution nature of the Supper of the Lord. THey do very il agree in euery respect in this with the ordinance of the lord For men may not say at al of any of their Suppers made in this maner that which Saint Paul hath written of the communion of the true Supper saying Wee which are many are one bread and one body forsomuch as we are all partakers of one very bread For euery one doth not partake here of one very bread nor at one very table for euery one hath his bread and his table apart Saint Paul in his time did rebuke the Corinthians for that they did not tary the one for the others when they did celebrate the Supper but did separate the one from the others and chiefly the rich from the poore as well for the contempt of them as for the bankets which yet at that time they did adde to the Supper And for that cause he wrote vnto them When then ye doe assemble your selues together it is not to eate the Supper of the Lorde for euery man taketh his owne particular supper c. Men mought by greater reason say the like of this particularitie of masses and of Suppers which are made in the Romaine Church It is true that the table of the people is more common So is it notwithstanding that the same is yet greatly deuided and separated without any necessity For as euery priest hath his apart vpon his altar in his Chapell euen so do they administer the Supper after their maner to those which will haue it apart and in particular in all their Chappels and altars the which will separate them selues from the common table of others The which thing doth very euill agree with the nature of this holy Sacrament which is vnto vs a Sacrament aswel of the vnion that the faithful haue with Iesus Christe their head as his mēbers as of that which they haue euery of them with the other among them by his spirite Wherefore the more that wee may represent this vnion being all vnited together in the communion of the Supper so much the better doe wee accomplish that which the same Supper doth represent vnto vs For that cause doe wee eate all of one very bread and drinke all of one very wine the which notwithstanding that they be both made of sundry graines gathered together yet for all that they make but one very lofe and one very wine And thereby the Lord would giue vs to vnderstand that wee which were scattered abroad are brought together by his death as Saint Iohn witnesseth and are reunited with him and the one with the other By meane whereof as we eat al of one bread drinke al of one wine at one very table euen so albeit that we be many yet ought we alwaies to be altogether one gathered together in one body as many graines in one
generall communion in 〈◊〉 masses that there is no fault at al in the prieste◠which say it For they doe excuse them selues that they are not the cause that there is no communion of the assistants for they denie it to no mā wherefore the fault procedeth from the assistāts which doe not demaund it at all and which are not at al disposed to receiue it as they ought to doe not from the priestes By meane whereof they shut thē selues from it But who is the cause thereof but onely the priestes them selues For what admonition doe they giue to the people either in their masse or before the same to cause them to prepare and dispose them selues to the communion which they will administer in the same And when they come to the Altar do not they know wel enough what supper they ought to administer and which be those that are disposed to communicate at the same doe they not know very well that there are none which are prepared thereunto for they do not accustome at all to communicate the same but to such as are first cōfessed to them and by whom they are aduertised whether they haue will to communicate or no. And on the other side what is the chief cause that the people hath so smal care to cōmunicate there is it not because that they haue giuen them to vnderstand that they do communicate for all in the communion of their masse Wherefore the people beeing so instructed and falsely perswaded do thinke that they may very well rest vpon their consciences But if they doe excuse them selues vpon that that the people is not at all disposed as they ought to bee they may not say the like of them selues at the least of those which are disposed to say masse and are accustomed daily to say it For they come not at all to the altar without preparing thē selues first according to their maner Wherefore is it then at the least that they do not communicate altogether and that they administer not a supper in commō among them and such as shoul◠be disposed to communicate with them and no◠to separate them selues euery one the one from the other Chapter .ix. That there was not at al any particular or priuate Masse of Supper in the anciēt church and of the declaratiōs and decrees against such as did not communicate at al nor did tary the ende of the diuine seruice and of the originall spring and multiplication of particular and priuate Masses WE doe reade well in the bookes of the ancient doctors and in the Ecclesiasticall histories that it is come often to passe that because the deuotion of the people was already become colde and that they did very often celebrate the Supper there were but the ministers and the Deacons and the Auncientes of the Churche and those of the Clergie and certaine others which did communicate at the Supper But yet for all that such as would cōmunicate did cōmunicate alway together were they ministers byshops priestes deacons or others and there was no one at all which made his Supper aparte And in the meane whyle that true Bishops and true priestes beeing the true ministers of the Churches did neuer giue the people to vnderstande that it was sufficient that they alone did administer the Supper for them and for all the rest of the Churche neither did they make marchādizes of it as the Romaine priests do of their masses but on the contrary they did greatly blame and rebuke such as willingly did abstaine from the communiō and they declared vnto thē that they were rebels to God in so doing and how ingrate vnworthy they were of such a grace And amōg the rest S. Iohn Chrysostom did oftentimes cōplaine thereof There are also sūdrie decrees canons to the same effect against those which did not cōmunicate at all did not tarry to the end of the whole diuine seruice of the last benedictiō whereby the minister did cōclude end the same as we doe yet at this day following the maner of the ancient church But for so much as the seruice the diuine office is called in these canons either by the name of sacrifice or of oblation or of masse the Romaine doctors catholikes do take it for their priuate particular masses to the which they are cleane contrary For they speake fully of all the diuine seruice and do make expresse mētion of the supper and of the communion of the people and of all the whole church But they which applie it in this sort are so ignorāt or els so caried away by their owne opinions and affections that they do take for them selues those testimonies which are manifestly against them and do put into our handes a swoorde wherewith to beate them and to cut their throtes but it is sufficiēt for them to dazle the eyes of the ignorant which do delight to be deceiued with them by such fogges and smokes When then there is any question of the supper there must be there certaine order the minister must know at what time and in what place and to what persons in what sorte they ought to administer it And if there be not such number of persons disposed and prepared to receiue the same as is requisit they must then attend a better opportunitie For they may not receiue it for the rest nor any one in particular separated and deuided from the other And therfore the very Romaine church hath had neither particular and priuate masses and suppers without communion but onely from the time that the masse was conuerted in the same into a propiciatorie sacrifice as well for the dead as for the liuing For euen from that time it hath bene the worke and occupation of priests monkes and mamely from the time that they haue accustomed to set their masses at sale and to make common marchandizes of the sacrifices of the same For that traffike hath also bene the cause of the multiplication of the marchaunts which hath traded that marchandize From thence is come chiefly a great multitude of priests and of monkes wherewith the Church hath bene loden and filled And for so much as the masses haue bene multiplied according to the multitude of the Sayers and marchants of the same it was needefull that the communion which should be in the Supper should be cut off that it should be conuerted into that of the onely priest which saieth the masse and that for sundrie causes The first is for so much as the doctrine which should be set forth to the people and by the which they should be exhorted to the cōmunion and to prepare them selues to the same hath bene taken away and conuerted into mumbling singing The other is that albeit that this fault were not there at all men are alwayes of the deuotion colde enough in matters of true religion and are not very warme if it
no more then they can of their fayth onely God excepted which knoweth the heartes Wherefore either they put them selues in daunger to bee idolaters according to their owne very doctrine worshipping the bread and the wyne in steade of the body and of the blood of Iesus Christe or els they must needes worship them with condition the which can not bee voyde of doubt From whence it followeth that it can not bee in fayth but onely in opinion and by consequence it is sinne seeing that whatsoeuer is not of fayth and without the same can not please God but is sinne Chapter viii Of the diuision of the signes of the Supper and of the Sursum corda of the Masse and of the signification of the same and whereunto it serueth at this present ANd on the other side seing that the Lord hath ordeined 2. signes in this sacramēt the one may not be separated from the other but that his ordinance is there violated and ouerthrowen contrary to his intent and his expressed commandement Now so it is that the wine appointed to be that signe of the bloud is separated from the bread which is appointed to be the signe of the body not onely when the bread is reserued in their pixtes boxes all alone without the wine but also in their supper which they administer beside their masse to them whome they call the Lay people From whence it foloweth that this bread is not at all the sacrament of the supper for so much as it is not applied to his true vse according to the intent and expresse commandement of Iesus Christ but cleane contrary And if it be not a sacrament of the supper it can not be an other sacrament For Iesus Christ hath not instituted any other to that which he hath appointed the bread for a signe but only this And if it be not at all a sacrament how may it be the body of Iesus Christ Iesus Christ him selfe God and man yea in so many places at one instant as there be boxes pixtes cupbordes and caskets in the which this bread is reserued and kept as a relique Therefore I would gladly that the transsubstantiators and Romaine doctors should well consider in all their worshippings that they doe to this bread bee it in their masses or in their pixtes cupbordes and boxes or in their processions to what purpose a litle before they do lift it vp in their masse to cause it to be worshipped they say and sing Lift vp your heartes which is as much to say Sursum corda For it is an exhortation to the Christian people taken of the true ancient Churche whereby the ministers did admonishe them which should cōmunicate at the supper not to stay them selues and rest vpon the visible signes of the same but that they should lifte vp their heartes and their mindes on high to heauenly and diuine things represented by them and to the Lorde which only can communicate those things and will bee serued and worshipped in spirit and truth as he him selfe witnesseth and not in visible and corruptible things nor in things base and earthly For if the time be come that he will not be any more worshipped either in Ierusalem or in the mountaine no more will hee be worshipped betweene the handes of the Romaine priestes nor in their masses and boxes cupbordes pixtes and caskets For that cause after that this exhortation Sursum corda was giuen to all the assistantes they answered Habemus ad dominum which is to saye we haue them vp to the Lorde to witte the heartes the which they were exhorted to lift vp on high Note For the same was spoken in a tongue vnderstoode of al. But to what purpose serueth it now to sing in the masse Sursum corda before the poore people and the ignorant which knowe not what men saye vnto thē neither do they vnderstand at al the exhortation which is giuen vnto them for so much as it is deliuered in Latin and not in their owne language And although that it were deliuered vnto them in their owne language saying Lift vp your heartes on high it coulde not serue them but onely to make them lift them vp to the handes of the priestes which holde and lift vp their hostie and their cuppe euen as hye as their pixtes boxes wherin they holde their holy hostie inclosed no hygher at all For seeing that they doe teache them there to seeke God Iesus Christe our Lorde they neede not to lift their heartes more high to worshyppe him in spirit and trueth but rather that they doe abase them to the earth where they shewe them their visible god whereupon they thinke and rest Wherefore they may very wel boaste thē selues that they haue a god which they see and hee seeth not them But as for vs we knowe no God created nor visible but onely hee which hath created all things and is not him selfe created and which is eternall and inuisible the which doeth very well see vs albeit that we see not him at all for so much as his diuine nature can not bee seene And albeit that hee made him selfe visible in his Sonne Iesus Christe in whome hee hath declared him selfe yet for all that Iesus Christ would withdrawe his bodily presence from this visible worlde to the ende that wee shoulde not seeke him any more in this base territorie nor in corruptible things but that wee shoulde seeke him in the heauens where hee is at the right hande of the Father to worshippe him there in spirit and trueth For hee will not bee worshipped with any other worshippe then that wherewith hee hath taught vs that God must bee worshipped seeing that hee is the cause for the which hee is worshipped for otherwyse it should not be lawfull to worship him seeing that that honour apperteineth to none but to God onely Chapter ix Of the auncientie of transsubstantiation and of the worshipping and keeping of the holy Romaine hostie and of the feast and procession which is dedicated vnto it LEt them not then finde it straunge if we doe not beleeue thē at all when they say vnto vs Lo here is Christ yea there is Christ behold he is in the wildernesse or in the closets For Iesus Christ doth not giue vs testimonie of such a presence of him in his Churche neither of any such comming of his from heauen but in deede giueth vnto vs one cleane contrary No more may they also alleage vnto vs in this behalf the authoritie of the auncient Church nor of the ancient doctours nor the auncientie of their religion touching such worshipping reseruation and keeping of the bread of their holy hostie For the auncient Church hath at the least continued vpon the point of a thousand and three score yeeres before that the doctrine of transsubstantiation was brought into it receiued and approued by the councel in