Bishoppe liued vnder Phocas the Emperour Nowe then you haue the originall of your goodly religion no doubt of many yeares long time great antiquitie which you so holde of being a thing found out almost but the other day Yet if it were so as in the same you be shamelesse lyars that all your ordinaunces and decrées were of many thousand yeres what matter were that to proue the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of the same For séeing that you haue no allowance of them nor any one thing among you that may be tolerated by the Scriptures those opinions receiued commonly by you can be no other then damnable and so I will conclude for this point of your Masse and for the beginning and entrance in of the same into the Church We haue thirdly to enquire whether your Masse be a propitiatorie sacrifice or not for the quicke and the dead I affirme Luke 22. and I wil proue it is not In the scriptures I finde not that the supper of the Lorde is called a sacrifice but other names it hath It is called the newe Testament The Apostles call it the breaking of breade Actes 2. Paul calleth it the Table of the Lord 1. Cor. 10. and a communication of the bodie and bloud of Christ and the Cup of the Lorde But as for the name of sacrifice it was neuer vsed it was neuer mentioned in the scriptures But you say the Fathers called it so Why what then shall we beare their sinnes or shall we answere their iniquities or defend all that they spake you are deceiued to the Lawe and to the Prophets Esa 8. if they speake not according to the word of God As the Prophets had all thinges by word from God so must we allowe of nothing in his seruice that came not from Christ there is no trueth in them Nowe also you belye the Fathers they called the supper of the Lorde a sacrifice indéede but they called not your Masse a propitiatorie sacrifice for the quicke for the dead this ought you to proue and leaue the other Therefore I will come plainely and directly to you aunswering you first that you haue no one place in the Scriptures or Fathers to proue this proposition Masse is a sacrifice for the quicke and for the dead Secondly I will proue by the Scripture that there is no such thing My first reason is this We are iustified before God all only by faith therfore not by the worke and déed at the Masse done by any The argument holdeth it selfe vp vpon the authoritie of the word of God Rom. 4.2 Diuers reasons against the masse For a Scripture saith Si ex operibus iustificatus pater Abraham c. If Abraham had bene iustified by workes then had Abraham wherein to reioyce but Abraham had not wherein to reioyce Therefore Abraham was not iustified by workes Ioel saith Iustus ex fide viuit i. Ioel 2. The iust man shall liue by his faith But he that is iustified and liueth by faith is not instified by the worke he worketh and sacrifice he sacrificeth in the Masse Ergo there is none iustified and saued by the worke in the Masse In Iohn it is thus written Iohn 3.15 Whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ should not perish but haue eternall life The sacrifice in the Masse done for an other that is deade by one that is aliue hath no beliefe which is reposed in Iesus Christ Ergo by the sacrifice in the Masse a man can not haue eternall life For in Iohn I finde a reason shewed of the comming of Christ into the world 1 First for that God loued vs. 2 Secondly in that he had giuen his sonne for vs. 3 Thirdly that all should beleeue in him 4 Fourthly in the same they should haue life by him Nowe in the Masse neither is Christe knowne nor our faith séene nor the loue of God euident nor yet life giuen vs but all is thought to be accomplished by a worke of man in sacrifice therefore your Masse can not be a propitiation for vs. There is a most excellent place in the same Euangelist Iohn 6.29 as followeth A question was moued by the people what worke they should worke â—o accomplish the workes of God It is aunswered by Christe thus This is the worke of God Christe was offered vp for man Frgo a Priest at the Masse may not offer vp for man for then taketh he Christes office in hand that you beleeue in him whome he hath sent Nowe I inferre this God sent his Christ to dy for vs not a man not a Priest not a Monke to offer at Masse a sacrifice for vs therefore the worke in the sacrifice of your Masse is not the worke of God But what foolishnesse is it for you to say that you can make a propitiatorie sacrifice for vs why you are confuted againe by scripture For Paul saith to the Romanes Rom. 6. That there was one only sacrifice of Christ offered once for al then I coÌ„clude that was done once and was sufficient may not be done any more for that is vaine Christe was once offered and it was sufficient Christ left behind him no deputie to offer for man Ergo none must offer none was left bicause none was named and in so necessary a thing Christ wold not haue forgotten vs. and it was good and it was auaylable and there néed no more Ergo your sacrifices at your Masse for the quick and for the dead are in vaine And nowe I demaund againe why you should yet stand in your follie Is it bicause you are ignoraunt learne Is it bicause you are lead away turne backe then and amend Is it bicause the light is kept from you pray and you shall attaine the light Is it bicause the Scriptures are hard resist not the spirite and you shall haue vnderstanding For cast vp your eyes beholde and looke on the booke of God Read to the Hebrues the seuenth chapter It will appeare euidently that Christ onely being high Priest dyed once for all and being offered vp there nowe néedeth no more sacrifice to the end of the world The order of the priesthoode of Melchisedech was an order by wiard and promise by it selfe distinguished from Aarons priesthood So that if Christe had left behind him an highe priest he must be of the order of Melchisedech not of Aaronâ— nowe none was euer like Melchisedech but Christ and none for euer like Melchisedech hereafter again then there is no priest hood behind to be looked for For in the comparison of Christe with Melchisedech which is the more honourable Priesthood the Leuitical being abrogated Melchisedech standeth to be considered and is figured in similitude like Christ for these causes Melchisedech was King Priest as is Christ else none Melchisedech was king of peace and righteousnesse as is Christ but none other Melchisedech is said to be without beginning and without ending for neither his father nor
the comparison For as much as maÌ„ is not to liue here for euer he hath to learne the way to liue eternally In that Christ doth and perfourmeth that vnto the soule which the breade doth vnto the bodie by materiall breade life is preserued by the spirituall foode Christ saluation is attained by the corporall breade the bodie is nourished by the spirituall meate man is helped by the first we are strengthened bodily by the second we are raysed vp eternally by the first we are maintained to strength mightily by the second relieued by the spirite effectually The one is to kéepe vs here The other is to liue with God the one is for a season in this life the other for euer with the Lord So that this we knowe as bread is to be taken that we may continue so is not Christ to be forsaken least we perish 2 Secondly the comparison holdeth betwixt Christ and the breade For that breade profiteth vs not if it be not vnited to our owne nature if it be not as good nourishment receiued wherevpon we feede to our comfort No more is Christ vnited vnto vs if by faith we beléeue not that he is incarnate or by hope trust not that he hath giuen vs life or by assurance persuade not our selues that he can deliuer vs or by certaine and vndoubted confidence be not made his members vnto glorie 3 Thirdly as without breade man dyeth There is none that feareth god but he is rauâ—shed and taken vp to God as it were when he pondereth and coÌ„sidereth those spiritual and internall coÌ„solations which he attaineth by feeding and staying on Iesus Christ so without Christ man falleth as without bread we continue not so without Christ we prosper not It is farre a more liuely and pretious foode of the soule Iesus Christ whome we speake of then is that of the bodie to which he is compared for with this men haue dispensed withall for a season And Elias and Moses did fast a long time without the breade of the bodie notwithstanding as they could not continue but for a time no more may we be long without Christ 4 Fourthly It is an excellent admonition that we haue in that Christe is compared to breade For as breade of all other is most common and most necessarie whereon we stay So is Christ the most rediest in need the most liueliest in force the most strongest in power the most playnest in trueth the most desirous to saue the most valiaunt in death the most bent against Sathan and most readie and most prone to defend from destruction all such as call vpon him There is yet one member and parcell â—ehinde into the which we must looke also And it is this Howe this breade is receiued by vs August in Sext. cap. Ioh. Our sauiour Christ sheweth directly how Iohn the 6. He that beleeueth in me hath eternall life And againe He that commeth to me shall not hunger Therefore Augustine vpon those wordes of Christ rehearsed Spirituall eating of Christ what it is saith Quâ—d paras dentes ventrem crede manducasti That is Wherefore preparest thou thy teeth and thy bellie beleeue and thou hast eaten And who séeth not that this spoken is vnderstoode of the sillie creature the poore afflicted soule the hungrie conscience thirsting and gaping after the kingdome of heauen and therevpon it is that Paule speaketh so confidently to the Romanes Rom. â— Who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall affliction shall anguish shall persecution shall hunger shall nakednesse shall trouble shall the sworde c No saith Paul But in all these we ouercome by him which hath loued vs So that I conclude that on Christe Iesus we féede vnto life In Christe we are immouable we stande by him In Christ we liue for he liueth in vs In Christ we dwell who also dwelleth with vs In Christ we are fed with the bread of life and in Christ do we eate vnto saluation glory if we dâ— it as he willeth vs through faith Séeing we are ariued and nowe haue fully performed the was promised it is required of vs to go further to sée if we may find any other thing worthy either to be spoken of or to confute Not the a man shall thinke it so hard a thing to say any thing against you But bicause the stepping ouer the threshold and casting his eyes into the first elements entrance of your religion he shal scarse tell which way to betake him nor what to speake first all things among you are so corrupted If you looke into that order that I haue taken in speaking to you it shall appeare the this consequently followeth to be handled Whether or no you haue done well A flat alienation of Christ his institution in annibilating the word of the Lord propounding vnto vs your preposterous doctrine of the commixture and mingling the wine water together at the sacrament As for the first institution of our sauiour Christ if but a childe should looke in to it though he could not coÌ„fute you yet he wold chide w e you for your altering the which in so holy reuerend maner Christ ordained Alexander Pope as appeareth in his Decretals De Conc. dis 2. c. in sacramentoâ—um Cap. 5. inacted that bread and wine mixed with water should be offered vp at the sacrifice Your generall Councel held at Carthage saith thus Nihâ—laliud offeratur Conc. Carth. 3. De Conc dis 2. cap. c. vt in sacramentis quà m quod Dominus dicit hoc est panis vinum aqua mixtum the is Let no other thing be offered then that which God hath coÌ„maunded which is to say bread and wine mixt with water It is a wonder to sée how these men are blinded for in their decrée they goe against them selues and the written veritie In that they say they will do no more then God willed they did well if they would haue performed it in that they say that his institution was with wine water it is a manifest vntruth there is no mention made of any water at the supper that was vpon the table not in al the Euangelists In the also they cal the supper of the lord a sacrifice in that do they offend to for Christ neuer spake that word of his supper nor his Apostles who were with him but as other your vntruthes so is this brought in of your owne inuention whom we may not beléeue bicause you were many but we will beléeue a few if they speake the truth For a scripture saith Thou shalt not followe a multitude in doing the is euil I am not vnmindful of your councel of Affrike Conc. Afric tertium that decréed the self same But of al other your argument the is made by another general Councel where there is a reason giuen of this thing shal answere for it selfe how they haue ahused the supper of the Lorde
veritas vita non dixit ego sum consuetudo sed veritas That is You will peraduenture set some auncient custome against me but it is to be noted what God saith It is saide by him I am the way the trueth and the life and GOD did not say I am the custome but I am the trueth Wherefore Augustine saide well Ad Casulâ—num Praesbyterum Dist 11. Can. consuetud Consuetudinem laudamus quae contra fidem catholicam nihil vsurpare dignoscitur That is We allowe and commend that custome that is not knowne to haue vsurped any thing at any time contrarie to the true and Catholique faith Therefore I aunswere you here if you can proue to me out of the Scriptures those Articles and pointes of religion which you affirme you holde by custome I will yelde and condiscend to your opinions otherwise I am of the minde these learned Fathers are of That we must beléeue the truth before all your customes and if you doe not thinke that my iudgement is sound you shall giue me leaue to offend to erre and to goe out of the way with them There is nowe remayning the last thing yet as good and necessarie a thing as any other and it is this God saith thus My words shall be in your heart what his words the words of the Lord You will heare no word at all Is it so and the Lordes wordes howe hardly are you drawne to heare them at this present Why how in what manner where shall we lay them vp where shall we repose them In your heart and in your soule they should be laid vp And I do ensure you sithence my last being in this place and from the time that I haue séene so dissolute and lewde behauiour among you and howe pyningly and howe vntowardly and howe scornfully and howe irreuerendly howe hautily and howe disdainefully you stand here before the Lorde before his Angels in his Church before vs I am not onely astonied vpon the wickednesse and sinne I sée within you as I am amazed at the heauie iudgements of the Lord that hang ouer you Contempt of his word It was neuer noted but in Castawayes Irreuerend behauiour when the word is preached It was neuer séene but in the reprobate vnséemely demeanor and disdainfull lookes vpon the Prophetes You finde it not all onely saue in the Baalites and Chemerims or Saducées or Pharisées or in some such like vnto to them Wherefore you are of that froward generation and those vntoward sprigges That claue and rent in sunder that gnashed their teeth Actes 7. and fell vpon Stephan when they heard his preaching Why 2. Pet. 1.23 Matth. 13.33 Ephe. 6.17 Mark 4.32 Iere. 5.14 Ezech. 3.33 Wherefore for what cause should this be so The worde of the Lorde is that which assureth The worde of the Lorde is the leauen that leaueneth The word of the Lord is the sword that striketh The worde of the Lorde is the graine that increaseth The worde of the Lorde is the fire that inflameth The worde of the Lorde is the honie that sweetneth Howe then shall you escape the iudgements of God the fierce wrath of the highest the furie of his countenaunce the displeasure of our God that both vnwillingly doe come to heare and so like men of Bedlam and as if you were possessed by some foul fiende rage and byte when you vnderstand the trueth Then if not for Gods cause yet for your owne safetie regarde and marke this reason taken out of the former scriptures alledged That thing which bringeth death with it and destruction and confusion for euer is neither to be done or allowed or committed by any godly man nor by you The contempt of Gods worde your irreuerend behauiour in this sacred place bringeth death with it and destruction and confusion for euer if you repent not Ergo This vnseemely dealing in you which bringeth with it all these inconueniences should be done or allowed or committed neither by any godly man nor by you Consider then weigh and regard where and before whom you stand Here is the Lord that seeth you here be his Angels that behold you 1. Cor. 11.12 For whose sakes also you should do the things that are comely And vndoubtedly a greater comfort should there be none to the godly man or to any one vnder heauen then to féede vpon the trée of life then to drinke of this spirituall drinke Deut. 32.2 Mark 4.14 Psal 119.104 Ier. 23.29 Esai 55.1 the word of God This Why It is the rayne that bedeweth It is the seede that groweth It is the rule that leadeth It is the axe that heweth It is the fountaine that springeth It is the well that draweth the water of life to all that come that heare that beléeue that will be saued Then receiue to your comfort comprehend vnto life attaine vnto saluation heare and refuse not that the Lorde may blesse you For there is a verie comfortable reason and a strong conclusion gathered out of this place thus That which bringeth life and is commaunded by God is to be doone of all to be allowed and to be obeyed without exception The worde of the Lorde doth bring in life and is that which is commaunded by God vnto all Ergo The word of the Lord and the Gospell of trueth which is preached is to be heard of al and of you without exception His worde 2. Sam. 22.31 Psal 12.7 it is pure it is immaculate it is tried in the fire it will followe all them that hope and trust in him His wordes they are chaste and milde speaches they are seuered from the earth Psal 18.33 and purged more then seuen times His wordes his wayes They are not polluted wayes but they are leaders vnto life and the Lord is a protectour of all those that trust in him As for you I sée it as for you I doe well perceiue it as for you you doe declare it That you are none of those that haue his statutes before you His lawe is not regarded by you the bright morning starre hath not shined on you You you walke according to the wayes of them of Gomorrah You you trust in Pharaoh and in his mightie power you repose all on the Popes shoulders not on GOD You you are comforted in Herode his pleasaunt Oration and swéete style hath bewitched you You you are protected vnder the shadow of the great beast in the reuelation to whom the most of the Kinges of the earth doe â—â—ll downe and giue worship you you are angrie with Caine you you are hardened as was Sehon you you are the sonnes of the fathers that haue cast stones at the Prophetes you you are bouldened with Zedechias you you are still and you will be Sacrificers stil to the Quéene of HeaueÌ„ you you are peruerted as were false Prophets you you are proude and stately as were the Scribes you you couer sinne with sin as the Iewes dyd you you
stedfastilie and not to be doubted of by any man that the Barnes of the Lord doo signifie vnto vs the Church of God and within them 〈◊〉 the ende of the world there will be Chaffe mixt with good Corneâ— that is wicked with good euill men among righteous men and Heretiqâ—â—â— among those that are faithfull It is as true and as pretie as it is plaine that Prosper sayth Prosper depromis et praed Dei Cap. 7. Nunc vero ecclesia aut Arca velut mundâ— et immunda animalia bonos malosque portare cognoscitur vsque in praedictum finem de quo Dominus et saluator noster in Euangelio 〈◊〉 est That is And nowe we are assured that the Church of God which is as was the Arke hath in it bothe fowle and cleant 〈◊〉 and is openlie knowne as well to carie the good as those that are euill euen vntyll the determined ende and tyme whereof our Sauiour Christe spake in the Gospell which is vnttyil the ende of the worâ—e So that nowe we are not to be discouraged but comforted not dismayed but stayed in as much as the Lord will alwayes fight for vs and permitte the wicked for a season that their condempnation may be greater when he commeth And it must not be vnknowen to you that there haue risen vp Heretiques from tyme to tyme but especially in the Primitiue Church and in the lyght of the Gospell as the Iesuites and the Fanulie of Looue and the Seminaries doo now in our age Euse Lib. 2. Cap. 1. After Christe 46 yéeres began Simon Magus whome the Pope is 〈◊〉 lyke as can be that selteth the holie Ghost and hell and Heauen and soules of men for money Beda After Christe 58. yéeres or thereabout 〈◊〉 by Elymas Bariesus he would haue peruerted and turned Sergius Paulus from the trueth as Champion and Howlet haue laboured of 〈◊〉 to peruert the state of England Iren. Lib. 1. Cap. 25. After Christe 73. sprang vp Corinthus as like the Papistes in this one thing as might be that he luâ—â—â— after the satissying of the â—â—â—lie and delighted in meate and drinke and maried women Euse Lib. 4. Cap. 7. After Christe 93. sprâ—ng vp Basilides before 〈◊〉 Menander whome in this one thing the Pope and his Clergie resâ—â—â— bleth in that they thinke that Faith by periurie may be renouriâ—â—â— Epiphanius Haer. 26. After Christe 100. yéeres arose vp the Gnostikes some call them Barborites all one with Papistes for they had in them a swelling pride as hath the Pope with his Cardinals thought they knowe all things and their women among them were as common as the strumpets and 〈◊〉 be at Roome for the Friars Haer. 29. After Christe 121. dyd the Nazaritâ—â— spread their Herefies abroade altogether in effect as are the Iesuites who gaue them selues to the obseruation of the Lawe euen alike as be all their Ceremonies which they vse Euse Lib. 5. Cap. 13. After Christ 163. were the Montanists verie rife in the world what they differed from the sects of Iesuites and their company I knowe not all one they were in many things For they for bad mariage as papistes doo they absteined from 〈…〉 béeing vnlaâ—â—full euen as papistes doo they vsed 〈…〉 and defiled women as the papists doo And thus from time to time since Christe there haue béene most detestable Herefies in the Church now I am of opinion that the errors of the papistes are a confused and mingled Chaos euen a trusse and Booget of Hertfies gathered togeather of all sortes of Heretiques from the beginning which when time seâ—ueth I will prooue Héere lyeth out 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 holde that God of his mercie will as wel defend vs as he hath done the other his Churches that hath béene pestered with them since the comming of Christe And as for England they can doo it no 〈◊〉 God is with vs. They cannot hurt vs God fighteth for vs theâ—r pretious bauâ—â—es shal not breake our heads for so hath the Lord 〈…〉 Their errors shall doo what God will haue done that is mough to comfort vs. For the papistes them selues what grosse and 〈◊〉 opinions they holde this short Treatise shall declare 〈◊〉 Irequire at your hands that shall reade this Booke First that 〈…〉 â—â—differerently without partiality Secondly that you way the Articles and sundrie pointes and howe and where the trueth in them is to be looked for Thirdly that you cast not your eyes vpon the writer or vpon the Aduersary that is confuted but that you iudge 〈◊〉 betwixt bothe Last of all with a perfect pure and vndefiled 〈…〉 this booke to be read of thée that thou thy selfe mayst be comâ—â—ted thy conscience assured thy minde and beare satisfied and thy adversaries mouthes that would hinder thée for euermore stopped So I leaue thée to the tuition of the Almightie and do aduertise thée to may for the conuersion of these Heret ques or for the will of the Lord to be shewed vpâ— them according â—â— that purpose and determination of 〈◊〉 which he hath decréed And so fare you most hattehe well Yours in the Lord. Iohn Keltridge ⧠To the aduersaries of the grace of God in the Tower of London or els where I Iohn Keltridge wishe amendment of life conuersion to the moste auncient and vndoubted faith with true repentaunce and contrition of hart That they may become liuely and perfect members of Iesus Christe ALbeit the rare strange comming of you into England hath kindled the harts of many men against you so them see on fire as it is very apparaÌ„t that the flaÌ„erherof is not like to be extinguished till either the godly people see your conuersion from your heresies or conceiue some hope that you will return to God speedily Yet we for our partes that haue endeuored by preaching to bring you to the Lord may not cannot cease continually either to pray with earnestnes or desire with stedfastnes or begge with feruentnes or intreat in all faithfulnes at the handes of the Lord that he would lighten you by his spirit or quicken you thorow his grace or resolue you by the trueth or confirme you by the woord which you dayly heare that the only true and perfect man Iesus Christe maye be knowen unto you which knowledge and perfect vnderstanding you cannot be ignorant of if you shut not your eyes or withdrawe your harts from the hearing of the same What you haue been hitherto we know but what heerafter you shal be that the Lord our GOD knoweth not we We may hope very hardly for you refuse the trueth willingly your conuersioÌ„ 〈◊〉 we not looke for speedily you perseuere in your errours so stouely So that for that matter we deforre and commit all to to the Lord. Notwithstanding for myne owne 〈…〉 some thing to say vnto you for your owne behalfe I haue much to charge you with For my selfe wheras I haue bothe spoken heertofore and doo
Yea I will set foorth the prayses of such a man as feareth the Lord for it is a good thing to obey him and to haue a care and reuerence to his name and this feare and dreade this seruice belonging to his Maiestie is thriâ—folde in this place Therefore it eyther 1. Concerneth God alone not man 2. Concerneth God as well as man 3. Concerneth man onely not God The seruice due vnto the Lorde is seene in Circumstaunces 1. First that Israel his pople 2. Secondly heare or vnderstand 3. Thirdly such thinges as concerneth their God This seruice is seene in those Epithites and titles giuen vnto the Lord in this place whome you onely ferue 1. First he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Lord of all 2. Secondly he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 God seeing all 3. Thirdly he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 our God in deliuering all 4. Fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 he is only one God there is no more among all The first name of Dignitie héere set downe as Augustine noteth Potentiam denotat She weth his power For God ruleth and gouerneth all And in the same he sate the FirmameÌ„t aâ—one that spreadeth it selfe as a Canapie and the earth beneath the is inustoouâ—able as be the Pillers of heauen and betwixt bothe the fire which burneth not by the power of his woord and the ayre which infecteth not for he restraineth the gates of death And the water which as in the house presumeth not to goe ouer the thresholdes and bankes that are limited The Lord it is indéede that lifteth vp and pluckesh 〈◊〉 shaâ—exaltath hâ—â—bleth that deliuereth casteth 〈…〉 pleasure he brought Israel thorow the red Sea 〈◊〉 his eniâ—â—ies as in a wall he brought in the Waters and drowâ—ed them but he led Israel his people on drie land The Countries of the Nations did the Lord giue vnto them to possesse returned with an angrie couÌ„tenante against the â—ings he spared not the Giâ—nit with his Chaâ—â—ots nor the Mike Countries with the walled Townes but brought in destructioÌ„ for their sinnes and gaue them the slaine as a portion for their vngodlinesse wherefore let all men praise the Lord and serue and obey him aboue all The second tytle giuen vnto the Lord is that he is called 〈…〉 which is as much â—s To see take a view and to to perse thorowe all things very narrowly For the eyes of the Lord are vpon all the earth he giueth strength to them the trust in him vnderstanding to them that walke vprightly he beholdeth the endes and coasts of the Sea and stilleth the raâ—ing of the tempeste 〈◊〉 in his fury he mounteth foorth on she â—â—â—ges of the winde and with the same he bringeth in all 〈◊〉 thinges to trouble sinners who like vnto our God whose eyes are vpon the iuste whose countenaunce is against all those that doo euill to roote them out 〈◊〉 â—he land he giueth and man receyueth he detayneth and man perisheth For the cup of his wrath is powred foorth vpon malefactors and as a man prepared to the battell so is the Lord girded to fight against the wicked For why all thinges are done by him he filleth the hungrie soule and replemisheth with meateÌ„ the néedy Creatures His woorkes are séene aboue and his wunders in the deapth Among the holie ones dooth the Lord raigne and filleth with his blessing euerie lyuing soule The haires of our head are numbred before him and the Sparoâ—e séeketh for meate in due season let euerie soule therefore feare the Lord and let nothing staye him to acknowledge his name for he is a God which séeth all things and nothing may be hidden from him at any time This vvord our then God also our God dooth exclude all forrain and straunge Gods and prooueth that the Lord all on ly is to be feared The thirde tytle and Epithite giuen vnto God is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 our God euen the God of Iacob and the God of Israel which name of remâ—nthraunce no 〈◊〉 was put in and added in this place that Israel should neuer forgetts their Lord God that fought for them therefore is it sayde The Lord can God is Lord onely as being none other that fought for them but ouâ—ly he For in déede the Lord kept the promise that he made them and the â—athe which he swâ—re vnto their Fathers he wought them out of the house of bondage and redéemed them out of the straunge land For why God was iâ—yned to their séede and he would not forsake them for their Fathers sake the Lord gaue vnto them Ierusalem for their portion and the land of Mountaines for their rest he planted his Posteritie to the which 〈…〉 sworne and withdrewe not his woorde though they 〈◊〉 therefore is the Lord woorthy to be praysed and Israel must haue none other God then him alone that saued them The fowrth name and rythe giuen to God is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thy God is onely one For there is no 〈◊〉 then he he is the Lord of Hoases meyther will the Kord 〈◊〉 God giue his gloâ—ie to any other Ierâ—â—e of this word sayth Identitatem 〈…〉 alnatem notat 1 That is The 〈…〉 and vnitie of the same not the varietie or plurality of Gods is to be noted and considered heere For I doo finde that the most best learned haue gathered out of this place of Scripture bothe the Vnitie in the Trinitie and the Trinitie in the Vnitie which is to be worshipped For the word Lord in the first place may signifie the Lord God the first person which made all the worde God in the second place may represent Christe the worde of God that redéemed all And one onely Lord in the third place may be well the spirite of God who béeing equall with them bothe doo make but onely one true eternall euerliuing and glorious God Then you sée that I haue two things héere proportioned and drawns out vnto me wherof I must of necessitie speake 1. The first that Vnitie in Trinitie and Trinitie in Vnitie is to be worshipped 2. The second that all manner of Idoll worship and all seruice not agreeing to this commaundement in this place is to be abhorred The maner of theyr preaching in tyme of Popery was known wheÌ„ they handled nothing else but the defence of theyr filthy and Idolatrous Ceremonies as for doctrine of faith of maÌ„ners of life of religion or any other good vvholsome Article of our beleese they neuer dealt vvith any of them For the first point which is our Faith we ought to holde concerning the Trinitie I say this As you whereof I sée too many héere Schollers of the Pope are not able to escape without suspitioÌ„ of great Sacriledge for that diuers of your sect and your heresies with whome I doo confesse I haue reasoned haue béen of opinion that in the body of the Bible the olde Testament no man
not to be grossely taken that no more is to be followed then those named in this place But by these wordes must be vnderstoode all his lawes and ordinances written in the Lawe and in the Prophetes and I referre this place Vnto Deut. 12.32 thus written God is of heauen heauenly therefore bumane traditions must not be mingled with his seruice Quicquid tibi in mandatâ—m dedero hoc facies neque addi aliquid neque diminui patieris a verbo meo What so euer I commaund thee that shalt thou doe thou shalt neither add any thing therevnto neither shalt thou plucke any thing therefrom which euen very same commandement is written Deut. 4.2 Hearken you O Israel vnto the ordinances and lawes which I teach you to doe it followeth you shall put nothing vnto the worde which I commaund you neither shal you take ought therefrom And vnto Ioshua was the same lawe giuen in commaundement Iosh 1.7 and he was charged to obserue all things that Moses the seruant of the Lord did commaund him the restraint was set downe thus Thou shalt not turne away from it to the right hande or to the left that thou maiest prosper whither so euer thou goest The Priestes of Bâ—al the foolish Chemermâ— and the Scribes and Phariâ—ies were in the same maner blinded as be our Iesurtes Papistes and Seminaries their most principall and chiefe Ceremonies were al one the same proofâ— they vse both of them for their superstitions and the verie same customs they doe allowe of bicause their fathers of olde vsed them which lawe and most sacred and holy ordinance of the Lord when I consider of I wonder how you the aduersaries of the grace of God schollers of the Pope and Antichrist either burst not in pieces for feare or holde not downe your heades for shame or accuse not your selues in your consciences or cry not out vnto the Lorde in this extremitie when you sée all thinges in your religion and profession either to be inuented either to be founded by man either to disagrée either to be contrarie dissonant from the word of God either to be whorish either to be diuelish either to be Idolatrous either to be superstitious which is the least fault you haue of al It can not be if you had read the lawe as you flée from it If you had experience in the scriptures as you shut them vp If you had exercises of prayer as you haue none aright If you had the Commaundements of the Lorde among you as you denye them If you had true seruice as you corrupt it If you had the ordinaunces of the Lord and his wordes with you as you are farre from them But that you should sée easily and perceiue rightly and iudge perfectly and deale syncerely and after an other manner to than nowe you doe in your daily administrations and vnlawfull sacrifices Remember that cursse that is laide vpon your shoulders and vpon the shoulders of your fathers in the last of the Reuelation Reuel 22.18 for your corrupting of the word Therefore after a rewarde that is giuen to euerie one according to his workes there is a description of Christ whom we ought to acknowledge in this manner 1 First as being α and ω the beginning and the end 2 Secondly as being the first and the last There is also a blessing set downe vnto those that shall feare his Commaundements 1 Their right way shall be in the tree of life 2 They shall enter in through the gates of the citie After this there are certaine per sons named the are shut out of the kingdome of God 1 Dogges be the first sort sauage wilde vntamed and wanton persons 2 Inchaunters be next such as haue bene the most of your Romish Prelates 3 Whoremongers the third and you and the Romanistes speake against marriage and yet maintame whores in your Cloysters 4 Murtherers folow such are you and such haue your fathers bene that seeke and thirst after the bloud of the Saints 5 Idolaters also are without and more vile more ougly more monstrous and more filthie theÌ„ are you of Rome I know none vnder heauen professors of religion at this day 6 Moreouer such as loue and make lyes are in the number and these can be no other than you and as you be that maintaine false doctrine and delight therein After al this there is a message sent vnto men The messinger is the Angel of God and his message or tidings is heauenly and diuine namely 1 That the roote and generation of Dauid Iesus Christ 2 That the bright morning starre Christ the light that brought light into the world Hath of his meeremercy brought â—vs good tidings 1 How that the spirit and the bride do cry come 2 How that euery one that heareth may come 3 How that al those that are a thirst may come 4 How that euery one that will take of the water of life may come freely But there followeth a Protestation with a ComminatioÌ„ 1 First that what man so euer he be 2 Secondly that heareth 3 Thirdly the wordes 4 Fourthly of this prophecie 5 Fifthly presuming to add any thing thervnto That then God shall adde vnto that man all the plagues that are written in that booke Furthermore the Lorde inlargeth that spoken before So that if any man shall presume 1 To diminish the wordes of the booke of that prophecie 2 His part shall be taken out of the booke of life 3 His parte shall be taken out of the holie citie 4 He shall haue no part in the things are written in this booke 5 And all this is confirmed by the Lorde for hee will come quickly to see it done As they are more to be feared that can kill and destroy the soul rather than those onely that do spill the bodie so are the papistes the more to be abhorred as they doe cast away both the outward the inward man Nowe therefore looke you vnto this O you the enimies of God more then enimies vnto the Lorde for you make all other whome you can get enimies vnto him worse than common enimies for you raise vp straungers against him crueller than are the enimies for they kil but the body you destroy both bodye and soule Fiercer than are all enimies for they vse the sword you abuse the word and bring in an other contrarie to it I charge you not without cause I lay nothing vnto you but that I may iustly Your consciences bewray you and you betray your selues your comming ouer to vs presuming to teach being more fitter you should learne entring and insinuating of you into the hearts of men spreading abroad your damnable opinions are tokens sufficient I say to manifest vnto the world what men you be You you haue counterfeited the Scriptures you you haue falsified the trueth You you haue added and diminished You you haue put too and taken from the word of God You you haue inclined
his mother nor his auncestors nor his death are writteÌ„ of and such a one is the sonne of God to wit an euerlasting Priest As he is God most wonderfully without a mother be gotten before all worldes And as he is man without father wonderfully conceiued of the holy ghost Now as the comparison standeth thus so also is there no comparison at all of Christ with the sacrifising Priestes of Leuie but with the Priesthoode of Melchisedech wherevpon I conclude thus Melchisedech was a figure of such a priesthood in Christ as is not terrestriall but heauenly but Christ offered daily in your sacrifice of the Masse is not heauenly but terrestriall Ergo Christe is not and can not be daily offered vp for vs in your Masse being heauenly and with his father It followeth in the same place Heb. 7.25 that the priesthood of Christ is such a one as may not passe from one to an other Now yours passeth from priest to priest euery day wherfore yours is not like vnto Christes Moreouer he that is a high Priest for vs must haue these properties in him First such a one as of him self is able to saue Secondly such a one The things requited of the high priest are not found in yours Ergo yours are no priestes as by whom we may come to God Thirdly one that euer liueth and one that maketh intercession for vs. Then he must be holy then he must be harmlesse then he must be vndefiled then he must be separated from sinners last of al made higher than the heauens and that néedeth not daily to haue a sacrifice offered vp Now that I may conclude and shut vp this piece also I say that all these thinges are neither found in your Priestes nor in your sacrificers therefore all your sacrifices at your Masse and else where are not lawfull The fourth thing to be enquired of in your Masse is this That if it be no sacrifice yet whether or no it be a worke sufficient to iustifie or that a man may be saued by the same yea or no I answere that your Masse is no worke of iustification that is able to iustifie for so you vnderstand it I proue it thus and you if you will learne shall knowe it thus namely Actes 4.12 Actes 15.11 Ephe. 2.5 Heb. 7.25 Ioel 2.32 We haue not two wayes or two meanes vnto saluation but one only way and meane vnto saluation Nowe Christ is the way the dore and the life and by him only haue we a meane and passage to his father therfore by the worke of the Masse excluded and without Christ you can not haue any way or entrance vnto saluation This we knowe the if your Masse were sufficient to saluation then it was first a vaine thing for God the father to haue sent his sonne Grosse errours arising out of the Papistes doctrine séeing he also might haue found out a sacrifice of Masse here in the earth sufficieÌ„t for vs Secondly what cause was there Christ should dye for our sinnes séeing the you haue found out another ordinary way vnto life Thirdly wherfore should Christ be made a sacrifice for vs if you your selues can make a sacrifice sufficient For which causes you teach as euery one may sée very damnable doctrine there is no standing for you against God Can this be or hath it euer bene Psal 5â— or will it be proued which you affirme Why Psal 18.3 what saith the Scriptures The Scripture saith that saluation is of God Psal 27.1 of him onely of the Lord of the almightie of the highest Esa 27.3 of him that is aboue and of none other Ergo not of the Masse Esa 43.3 But you say you are iustified by the sacrifice of the Masse Iames 4.12 and not saued well then if so then I pray you aunswere the Lorde Rom. 3.24 in whose name and fears I reason thus We are iustified by grace in the redemption of Christe Ergo not by the Masse Rom. 4.6 and by the worke therein We are iustified by acceptation in the meere mercie of GOD Ergo not by your worke in the Masse And you are iustified if you will be iustified Esa 53.11 and helped if you will be helped and deliuered if you wil be deliuered in the righteousnesse of Christe who hath borne your iniquities Papistes confated Ergo not by any worke of yours in the Masse And I knowe and I am assured that euerie one that shall be saued Philip. 3.9 hath not righteousnesse by sacrifices which were for a time but onely by faith in Iesus Christ through God Ergo not in your beggerly oblations can there be any worke sufficient to saluation Augustine to Bonifacius saith thus Cerium habemus quia Christus resurgens ex mortuis tam non moritur mors illâ— vltra non dominabitur c. i. We know for a trueth saith Augugustine that Christ being risen from the dead nowe dyeth no more death shall not reigne ouer him and in that place proueth he neither any sacrifice to be auaylable for vs but Christes and that he was made a sacrifice for vs but all only once for all In Heb. cap. 9. Theophilactus is of this opinion Sic Christus semel oblatus est A quonam ille oblatus est a seipso non a quouis alio hominum Qui etsi Pontifex sit hostia tamen ipse oblatio that is as saith Theophilact Goe to then Christe is once for all offered tell me of whome was he offered Of him selfe not of any other was he once offered And although Christ be a high Priest yet was he made an offering and an oblation for vs Ciryll vpon Iohn the Euangelist Lib. 5. cap. 17. saith thus Paule taketh not away the second or the thirde remission of offences of men But Paule denyeth that Iesus Christ which was a sacrifice and an oblation for vs shal nowe any more be offered vp vpon the Crosse For once was Christe offered and not for euer shall he be any more offered vp hereafter Now then what hope can you haue miserable creatures in your workes by the Masse in as much as Christe onely died for you Christe onely offered for you Christe onely sacrificed for you and your worke meritorious in the Masse was not so much as euer hearde of The Authour of our iustification is set downe by Saint Chrysostome thus The The second man came froÌ„ heauen Ser. 6. de proditoâ—â— the second man came without finne The seconde man came all onely vnlike to vs in iniquitie The seconde man came that did owe nothing either to death or sinne The seconde man came to bee made free among those that were deade Lib. 3. in Com. lib. Reg. that death by death might bee conquered Eucherius saith thus Apertio regni coelestis per incarnationem Domini saluatoris nostri nobis donata est that is The way to the kingdome of heauen
is the newe Testament in my bloode This figure did the fathers we often times and the scholemen too Lactanâ—â—â—â— called the churche the temple of God Hylarie calleth it the house of Gods Ambrose calleth it the mother of al that liue Epiphanius saith it is via Regia the high kinges high waye Ierome saith it is the Arke of Noe and so doe they also speake of the supper of the Lord Nazianzen calleth it the supper of the Lorde a thankes giuing and againe a Table Ambrose calleth it a spirituall restoratiue and Dionisius calleth it a societie a communion a congregation an assembly so that if the Papistes and Iesuites did not willingly erre they might see the trueth In which wordes is a deuble Metonymie a double figure First the vessel is taken for that which was contained in the vessell as the cuppe for the wine which was within the cuppe Then the wine is called the couenant or Testament where as 〈…〉 the thing it is it can bée but the signe of the Testament 〈◊〉 rather of the bloode of Christe whereby the Testamente was made And thus doe I thinke of the body of Christ for it was spoken by the same figure representing the bodie and the bloode of Iesus Christ Nowe for that you may knowe both my faith and what I thinke hereof I will make open protestation of that certaine and vndoubted veritie which I beléeue as also so farre as in me lyeth confirme and establish the weake consciences of those that are here At the supper of the Lorde you shall consider two thinges 1. The person of God 2. The person of man In the person of God 1 The institutor which is Christ 2 The cause of his institution which is the remembrance of his death In the institution of these thinges 1 The externall signes 1 Bread for his bodie for his death 2 Wine for his blood shedding most precious sacrifice 3 The word for the remembraunce of both 2 The internal meaning And then shall you see all his spirituall graces most heauenly benefites Which are these most excellent 1 Faith if we beleeue 2 Assurance of life if we continue 3 Saluation if we receiue these mysteries truely 4 In Christes blood shedding our blood is not shedd 5 In his offering God the father is pacified 6 By his death hath hee ouercome the power of death and hee giueth the spirite which worketh vnto life to all those that receiue him worthily Secondly we haue here to coÌ„sider maÌ„ and it is to be done two waies 1 In his own person 2 In the persoÌ„ of his neighbor If in his owne person then let him consider 1 The time Hee is warned to flye sinne and though at all time hee bee put in minde thereof yet nowe aboue all times and though neuer vntimely yet it is the best time to remember it 2 The place it is holy for wee come before God 3 The persons and they are these 1 God the father 2 God the Sonne 3 God the holy Ghost These are al there these are naturally there these are in power ther they are not really there these are in grace there they are not in state there these are in gouernmeÌ„t of spirite truth there they will not be mocked at your handes 4 The vse of this the supper of the Lord. The vse is this 1 That we stand in faith conforme our selues to the death of Christ 2 That we examine our selues and come with a loathing of sinne meaning to sinne no more 3 That you be assured that whatsoeuer hath been done before time is pardoned Then here commeth in the last thing to be considered which is The person of thy neighbour for there be two sortes at the table 1 Thou thy selfe 2 And others For thy selfe call to minde 1 What thou wast 2 What thou art 3 What thou shalt be 1 Without God and borne in sinne 2 Made a newe man strengthned in Iesus Christ 3 An heir with God copartner with him if thou liue therafter For others remember 1 To laye aside all malice with hawtines 2 To laye aside all enuye with bitternesse 3 To lay aside all reuenge with greedinesse Then haue you fulfilled all Nowe for my owne parte I do protest simply before the Lord my God The Lord did foresee that these blasphemouâ— heretikes woulde rise vp therefore hath God giuen to vs many examples to approue that which here he spake so that Papists Iesuits cannot be excused for euer that if I had but any warrant at al in the scriptures to satistie me in this point I wold condescend willingly vnto your opinions But séeing the whole body of the Bible is against you and we haue the Lord wholy on our side what reason is there that I should credit you And as for you if you were not blinded if you were not deceiued if you were not most wonderfully drowned in your errours you might easily see the truth of this matter If God alone had vsed this figure in this place if it had béen founde no where else if the scripture would not haue permitted it if the lawe and the Prophets did not testifie it if reason and God him self did not condescend vnto it then you might haue perswaded vs but seeing that the Lord our God hath not bene against our opinions but hath euen by his owne mouth iustified all that we haue spoken what cause what reason what moueth you to coutende Search and sée looke into the booke of God if 〈◊〉 very same figure be not vsed in many thinges as it is in this one thing of his bodye The worde of God is compared to leauen that leaueneth the whole lumpe Matth. 13.33 Isay 49.2 Ephe. 6.17 Apoc. 19.15 Ier. 5.14 Ier. 23.29 Ezec. 3.3 Esa 55.10 Deut. 32.2 Matt. 13.19 the word is called a sworde the worde is called Musterde séede the worde of God is called fire the worde of God is a hammer the word of God is bony the worde of God is as snowe the worde of God is as raine the worde of God is the seede sowen yet for all this the worde of the Lord leaueneth not the worde of the Lorde striketh not the worde of the Lorde groweth not the worde of the Lorde burneth not the worde of the Lord killeth not the worde of the Lord sweeteneth not the worde of the Lorde snoweth not the worde of the Lorde rayneth not the worde of the Lorde powreth not downe materially grossely earthly and really as the wordes portende and so I say of the body of Christe you haue it not carnally you haue it not fleshly you haue it not verily flesh blood and bone in the sacrament The same maner of speach also in the scripture concerning Christ is found euery where Christ was the rocke that gushed out water 1. Cor. 10.1 yet Christ was not in the rocke and Augustine and Origen are of the same opinion that the rocke signified Christ
you the thirst come vnto the waters Tertul. de Resur Carnis and you shall be satisfied Tertullian hath an excellent saying Sermonem constituens viuificatorem quia spiritus vita sermo eundem etiam carnem suam dixit quia sermo caro erat factus Proinde in causam vitae appetendus denorandus auditu ruminandus intellectu fide digerendus That is Christ appointing the word of life called the same worde his flesh both bicause that the worde is spirite and life and bicause that the worde was made flesh Therefore as the onely way to life Christ is to be desired and by hearing is he to be consumed and by the vnderstanding is he to be chawed and by faith is he to be disgested Athanas de peccato in Spir. San. I doe call to minde what Athanasius saith Dominus aijt quae dixi vobis spiritus sunt vita c. That is The Lorde saith the things which I haue spoken vnto you are spirite and life which is as much saith Athanasius as that which eye hath seene and that which is giuen for vs shall be giuen as the foode and meate of men Wherefore séeing it is euident that Christe is the breade of life something must be spoken of the same and it is to be determined of all Christians what is to be helde for trueth I will for this cause briefly discusse this question in the examining of these principall pointes First what is meant by breade in the Scriptures Secondly howe Christe is saide to be the breade of life Thirdly wherefore he and none other should be this breade Fourthly howe this breade is receiued by vs. To the first which concerneth breade I say thus much I am not ignorant that it is diuerfly taken in the Scriptures yet is all that which may be spoken hereof not so appertinent to the matter as is worthie of very long discourse Breade is taken for loaues of breade sometimes as in Matthew 15. and in Luk. 11. Where the neighbour doth borowe three loaues of the neighbour also the Manna is called bread in Iohn the 6. and by a figure by Synecdoche doth breade signifie all kinde of meate what so euer and so saide God vnto Adam Gen. 3. In fudoré valius tui c. That is In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eate thy breade So also in Esay Isai 58. Frange esurienti pâ—â—em tuum That is Breake thy breade vnto the hungrie The like may be saide of infinite places in the Scripture Nowe here vpon it commeth by a Metaphor that the worde of God is called breade For as the one féedeth corporally so the other nourisheth spiritually to eternall life and thus doe I thinke that the breade is called the body of Christe by the same analogie For this cause We must take heede in handling the doctriâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 we 〈…〉 Christ as the Tâ—â—ke as Mahomet that we diuide him 〈…〉 â—under him not as Nestorius 〈…〉 we 〈…〉 not 〈…〉 did 〈…〉 him as 〈…〉 bee 〈…〉 Christians it is easie for you to sée the second thing we enquire after that is to say Howe Christe is called the breade of life And you shall consider thus either properly or improperly are all things spoken of him If properly then also they be such things as coÌ„cerne both the natures of Christ his godhead and his manhood Of which sort are these Epishetes giuen him in the scripture That Christ is God That Christ is man that Christ dyed that Christ was incarnate and such like and that Christ was Mediatour and that Christ is an intercessor and that Christe is made an Attonement for vs. Nowe if Christe be spoken of improperly which must néedes be by a figure and by Anagogen which is a perfect similitude representing that is figured therein Then are all they of that sort whereof I spake before representing him in some one excellent and notable propertie of which condition are these whereas Christe is called the vine the stone the way the doore c. after which manner and by the same figure Christ is called the breade of life in deede and therefore Augustine bringeth in the place of Iohn 6. De Doct. Christ lib. 3. cap. 16. Nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis sanguinem illius biberitis non habebitis vitam in vobis that is Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blond you haue not life within you It followeth presently An aunswere to the former obiection of the Papist Fatinus vel flagitium iubere videtur signrata est ergo praeciptens passionâ— Domini esse communicandum suauiter vtiliter in memoria recondendum quod pro nobis care eius crucifixa vulnerata sit which is as much to say What shall we cate his bodie and drinke his bloud he commaundeth vs a wicked and detestable thing It is therefore saith Augustine a figuratiue speach and it commaundeth to communicate and be partakers of the passion of the Lord and to lay vp profitably and commodiously in our remembrances that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs. To this appertaineth that of Athanasius In sermone in verba illa Christi Quae loquutus sum vobis spiritus vita quod perinde est ac sidiceret corpus meum quod ostenditur datur pro mundo in cibum dabitur c. That is The thinges which I speake vnto you are spirit and life which is as much saith Athanasius as if Christ shuld haue said My bodie which is manifested and giuen for the world If this doctrine were not our fathers could neuer haue bene saued or could neuer be confirmed and saluation could neuer be attained by man shall be giueÌ„ as meat to feede vpon that spiritually euerie man may haue something and that Christ may be made a safetie and defence for all and saluation to eternall life Out of this therefore that I haue spoken no man may denye that our Sauiour Christe is called the breade of heauen and the spirituall foode bicause we all féede on him by faith vnto eternall life so that nowe you haue no more to applye it terrestrially or to speake of it grosly or to interprete it carnally or to comprehend it materially as you haue done but to thinke of that saying this is my body as of a thing spoken mystically and by a figure to represent a spirituall meaning by the same The thirde thing I promised to speake of is this Wherefore and for what cause Christ is called the bread of life Albeit an heape and large companie of reasons might be gathered together by which euerie one of them I could proue plainely wherefore Christe is thus called the breade of life yet for that I am not to discourse of at this present copiously but to wade in them as spéedily as I may I will giue you a verie fewe and in especiall these causes 1 First therefore here lyeth
for there is giuen this reason of the commixtion De latere eius aqua cum sanguine egressa ConciliuÌ„ Wormatiense cap. 4. vinum de vera carnis eius vita cum aqua expressuÌ„ ostendit Out of the side there gushed out bloud water which doth declare that wine is to be mingled if we will haue life through his flesh with water Who séeth not that this straunge great miracle done when Christ was deade to make a separation betwixt him other men How wicked vngodly the Iesuites are is now seene that defende a lye in so shamefull maner vpon the authoritie of a Pope which was Alexander but they runne from Christ and from his Apostles hath no force at all to proue commirtion at the table For the mixture which they take away from the miracle that was vpon the trée their commixtion is at supper That was when Christ had giuen vp the ghost they should proue that Christ did it when he was aliue at the table That was a miracle to shewe the straunge crueltie of them vpon Christ and the commixtion at the table should haue bene no miracle at al but a custome and ordinance if it had bene done by Christ That was a mixture of bloud and water and what is this that therefore you should mingle wine and water That came out of Christes sides This should be done at their Altar that was for a miracle declared to the faithlesse Iewes this must be obserued in the faithfull Church that was a signe to them of the displeasure of God of their trechery to Christ you forsooth must apply it to a custome to be obserued in the house of God Wherefore if you will kéepe it and retaine it still as vnto them so shall it be a token of Gods wrath and curse vnto you for euermore And though there haue bene sufficient tokens of the displeasure of God shewed vpon you yet the more and the heauier shall they be Augustine did chide the people for not coÌ„ming to the table Ambrose was wrath for the slacknesse of theÌ„ in the Church Tertullian and Irenaeus do complaine bicause men came not in time to receine the bread and wine and Ignatius Policarp do chid them of Antiochia and Smirna for their slacke and slow comming to the table but beside the Iesuites Papistes and suche like heretikes none keep back the people from comming to receiue as you haue most blindly and ouer wickedly verie foolishly and most peruersely charmed euerie good institution of Christ O that euer you should commit such sacriledge as to kéepe true Christians and the weake members of his bodie from the table I tell you that all forts of people should haue occasion to curse you if you were permitted to goe forward in your diabolicall pretences Thinke you that the great man though he be a Lay man the honourable man though he be a temporall man the plaine man though he be no spirtuall man is not as willing to receiue and as readie to come to the table of the Lord as are you or any other of the Cleargie Then why would you bring in Innouations inlarge your whorish kingdome of Rome and teach vs that it is not lawfull for the Lay man to receiue the supper of the Lord in both kinds I tell you you are but robbers of men destroyers of soules patrons of iniquitie defenders of vntruth such as chop chaunge for your own coÌ„moditie And there is no one sort of our people but the doore shal be opened to them the way made ready for them we will be as desirous to instruct them to tell them how to come to Christes table as you are readie to withdraw them from the receiuing of so holy mysteries But you men full of iniquitie readie to spill the blood of the simple and to cast away multitudes of people shew vnto me some cause some law some reason some scripture some commandemeÌ„t of God by which you may lawfully and by right take away the wine from the breade that is deliuered Is it because Christ ministred to his disciples and not to lay men O wise and of déepe vnderstanding Wherefore do you minister at al vnto them wherfore then let you any come If it be lawfull for them to receiue bread shal it bee lawfull for them to take the wine Why Christ deliuered both ergo they must haue both Christ saide not only take eat but take drink too Christ did not all alone giue the bread for his bodie but he gaue as well the wine for his bloode therefore béeing giuen ioyntly they may not be distinguished seuerally and being deliuered by Christ equally they may not bée cutt a sunder by man vnreuerently Your councell of Constance after Christ 1415. and at their Session in Iune 13. Consilium CoÌ„stantiense By the meaneâ— of Dioscorus B. of Alexandrâ—â— and one Chrysaphius was a Councell held at Ephesus where Entyches the heretike was restored ergo a Councel can doeth erre and so doth this of yours Did forbid to minister in both kinds at the Altar But what of that it proneth not that therefore it was a thing lawefull because they decred it for the Scribes and Pharcsies tooke counsell together against Christ often times and his doctrine as well as you doe against his ordinance and institution Yet may we not iustifie or alow them no more then we dare or be able to thinke well of you And albeit your superstitious Eremites some not all the dayes of their life many not in the space of many yeares did euer receiue the communion yet are they no lawe vnto vs no more then are the Iewes or Turkes that disalowe of all that Christ doeth A simple man may sée you are in a wrong way For both the institution of Christ proueth it The custome of the Apostles aloweth it The manner ordinances in the primitiue Church confirmed it The fathers the Doctors haue defended it our Churche of Englande doeth against you and all other heretikes stande vnto it That the holy communion is to be ministred vnder both the kindes of bread and wine not vnder one Luk. 22.19 It is euident in Luke where as Christ our Sauinur is first saide to giue thankes secondly to haue broken thirdly to haue giuen fourthly the bread fiftly to his disciples then to haue coÌ„maunded them but what To do the same in remeÌ„braunce of him Then also it followeth the likewise after supper Mark 14.22 first Christ took the cup then spake vnto them then said the the cup was the new Testament in his bloud Then shed for them and for many for remission of sinnes Math. 26.28 as Mathew saith where vppon I conclude this The Institution of our Sauiour Iesus Christ is not to be broken But when he was at supper he gaue the Breade and the Cupp equally to all ergo we must giue the bread and the