ex latere ipsius compuncto Io. 6. fluxit ad purgationem inquinatoruÌ„ respersioneÌ„ ac salutem animarum nostrarum That is Melchizedec met Abraham and sette out or shewed to hym breade and wine before fyguryng darke thingeâ— and samples of misteries or secrete thynges forasmoche as our lorde sayeth I am the quyck bread and a sample of that bloud whiche dyd runne out of his syde pricked to the purgynge of the defyled and sprinklyng and health of our soules here we se that after this auÌ„cient writers mind yâ— bread wine which Melchiz shewed to AbrahaÌ„ figured our sauiour christes flesh blod which ran out of his syde strykeÌ„ that he offered to his father vnder the fourme of bred wine at his last supper not vpon the crosse for there he offered himself to his father vnder and in his owne propre forme after the ordre of Aaron onely Damascene also a greke doctour whiche was aboue a thousand yeres afore our time confirmeth playnly this our Lib. 4 â–ª ca. 14. purpose entreatynge of Melchizedeches sacrifice offred to god in bread wyne when thus he sayth Haec mensa hanc mysticam praefigurâ—uit mensam velut sacerdos Gene. 14. ille christi veri sacerdotis figuram Psal 10â— praeseferebat et imagineÌ„ Tues enim inquit sacerdos in aeternuÌ„ secundum ordinem Melchizedec That is This table of Melch. figured before this mistical table of Christe like as this preiste Melchyzedec dyd beare the figure and image of christ the very preist For the holy goost saith by Dauyd yâ— prophet rehersing god the fathers wordes to christ his sonne Thou art a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchize Is not this plainly spoken of this old writer great clarke Is it not mete to beleue him rather theÌ„ Martin Luther or any of his disciples nothinge so well learned as he was nor so vertuouse in liuyng But to be short I wil allege now Theophilactus Theophila wordes whiche was also a greke doctour then go to yâ— rehersal of In Heb. 5. latin doctours He saith after this maner But whom can the Iewes bryng besyde christ which may or shoulde be a byshoppe or a preiste after the order of Melchizedec were not all other preistes vnder the lawe dyd not they all obserue the sabboth dayes and offre sacrifices Therfore it is most euident that it was spoken of Chryst for he and onlye he dyd make sacryfice with bread and wine after the maner of that Melchizedec Anon after he asketh howe Christe is a preist for euer To that he maketh this aunswere that he is called a preist for euer not only because he doth alway pray for vs to his father shewing to hym his bodye whiche he offered vp for the synnes of the world vnto his father vpoÌ„ the crosse to obteyne mercye for vs sayenge o father haue mercye on them for whom I haue suffered death but he is also a preiste for euer because he is offered daylye or els because an oblation or sacrifice is continuallye offered by goddes mynisters the preistes which hath in it Christ our lorde byshoppe and sacrifice that for our sake doth sanctifie halowe or make holy him selfe breake and geue this he Hitherto I haue alleged the Hebrewe the Greake wryters to proue that Melchyzedec dyd offre breade and wyne in sacrifice to god in fygure of oure sauiour christes sacrifice whiche he sholde then offre and now hath in dede offered to his father at his maundy verely none other thing then his owne naturall and lyuely bodye flesh and bloude vnder the fourme of breade and wyne Nowe let vs see what the latyn Latyn autours touchynge this matter doctours say in the same matter but yet not al whiche I haue red entreatynge of it but certayne of the eldest best lerned only as S. Austen Hierom Ambrose LactaÌ„t Arnobius the holy martir Cypriane S. Austen the yere of our lorde cccc Of the which S. AusteÌ„ thus sayth vpon the .xxxiii. Psalme of Dauyd Melchize was in AbrahaÌ„s time Of what other saith god the father Thou art a preist for euer Psal â—0â— after the ordre of Melch. but of him whose sacrifice ye knowe The sacrafice of AaroÌ„ is taken away a sacrifice after the order of Melchi is begon Also in another place he saith Melch. did know to To. 2. ePist 95 figure the eternal preisthod of oure lorde with a sacrament or a holye signe of oure lordes table shewed To. 5. de ciui dei lib. 16 ca. 22. forth Againe he saith speaking of Melchi his sacrifice Ibi quippe primuÌ„ apparuit sacrificiuÌ„ qâ— nuÌ„c a christianis offertur deo toto orbe terraruÌ„ impleturque illud quod loÌ„ge post hoc factuÌ„ per prophetaÌ„ dicitur ad christuÌ„ qui fuerat venturus in carneÌ„ Tues sacerdos secuÌ„duÌ„ ordineÌ„ Melch. inaeternuÌ„ NoÌ„ scilicet secuÌ„duÌ„ ordineÌ„ Aaron qui ordo fuerat aufereÌ„dus illucesceÌ„tibê° rebus quae illis vmbris praenotabaÌ„tur That is to say in englyshe Surely there fyrst did appere the sacrifice which now is offred of christeÌ„ people to god through all the world the is fulfilled which longe after this dede of Melch. is saide by the ê“phet Dauid to christ the shuld come to be made man Thou art a preiste for euer after the ordre of Melch. As who saith not after the ordre of AaroÌ„ which ordre shold be takeÌ„ away the thinges being clere or manifest which were before noted or figured with those shadowes Hitherto S. austen which was aboue eleuen C. yeres past and of suche cunnynge and learnynge in holy scripture beside manye other thinges as neuer was anye sence the holy apostles tyme therfore syth he dothe so playnlye approue this matter of the sacrifice of the masse as we haue alredye shewed wyll do hereafter more at large god wyllynge is not he a very madde man that wyll rather beleue Martyn Luther than this auncient father and godlye wryter But now to go forwarde on this purpose I wyll brynge in saynt Hieroms mynd in this matter whiche thus sayeth therin Melchizedec pane vino simplici Hierom ad â—uâ—grium puroque sacrificio Christi dedicauit sacramentum That is Melchizedec with bread and wine a symple and a pure sacrifice dyd dedicate christes sacrameÌ„t Again vpoÌ„ the sautre Quo modo Melchize rex salem obtulit panem vinum sic et tu offeres corpus tuum sanguinem verum panem vinum â—ste Melchizedec ista mysteria quae habemus nobis dedit Ipse est qui dixit Qui mandu cauerit ex hoc pane viuet in aeternum Ioh. â— Secundum ordinem Melchizedec tradidit nobis sacramenâ—uÌ„ suum In what maner Melchizedec kynge of Salem hath offered bread and wyne euen so thou also shalt offre thy bodye and bloude very breade and very wine This Melchi gaue to vs these misteries
auteÌ„ noster ille est qui hostiaÌ„ muÌ„danteÌ„ nos obtulit ipsam offerimus nunc quae tunc oblata quidem consumi non potest Hoc autem quod nos facimus in commemorationem quidem eius fit quod factum est Hoc enim facite Luc. 22. inquit in mei commemorationeÌ„ That is Our byshop is he which hath offered an hooste or sacrifice Note this well reader â—gainst the enemies of the masse makynge vs cleane the same we offre also nowe the whyche than offered trulye can not be consumed but this that we do is done for a remembraunce of that thing whyche was done for christ sayd do ye this for remembraunce of me Who is so blynde that he can not see that Chrysostom a greake autour learned as excellentlye in the scripture as euer anye was of the greakes synce the apostles tyme and their scolers doth saye playnelye that we meanynge preistes of whom he was one him selfe do offre the selfe same sacrifice whyche Chryste ones for euer offered by deathe and bloudde shedynge on the crosse but we do it for remembraunce of that hys passion and blouddy sacrifice not withoute autoritie power and coÌ„maundemente as the whyche all three we haue of him saieng Hoc facite in mei commemorationem Luc. â—â— do ye this for a remembraunce of me Wolde to God chrysten men wolde looke well on these wordes consyderynge bothe the auncientie of the wryter and also hys greatte learnynge and holynes whiche may cause them rather to beleue his sayenges thaÌ„ any other nothynge lyke to hym in those qualities but it is better to let this passe and to here saynt Cypryan that holy martyr which wrote aboue twelue hundred and lxxx yeres past He this wryteth after Cyprianus ii â— epist 3 many wordes spokeÌ„ of the holy sacrifice of the masse Qua in parte inuenimus calicem mixtum fuisse quem obtulit Vnde apparet sanguineÌ„ Christi non offerri si desit vinum calici nec sacramentum dominicum legitima sanctificatione celebrari nisi oblatio sacrificium nostrum passioni responderit That is In the whiche parte we do fynde that the cuppe was mengled or medled that is wyne water were therein mixed together whiche Christ dyd offre Whereby it doth appere that christes bloude is not offered yf there want wine in the cuppe or chalice neither is our lordes sacramente celebrate with halowynge accordynge to the lawe excepte our offerynge and sacrifice be lyke the passion In these wordes note that he sayth we fynd yâ— the cup whiche christ offred was mixed with wine water whyche was at none other tyme but onely at his last supper for at the time of his death he had no cuppe so medled nor then he offred not his bloud vnder forme of wyne but onely vnder the forme of bloude therefore he offered his bloud in sacrifice at his maundy after this holy martyrs mynde preistes do euen that same after his lawe and ordynaunce as he sayth lykewyse here agayne for thus he writeth Quo modo auteÌ„ de creatura vitis nouuÌ„ vinum cuÌ„ christo in regno patris bibemus si in sacrificio dei patris christi vi nuÌ„ non offerimus nec calicem dnÌ„i traditione dominica miscemus That is to saye Howe shall we drynke newe wyne wyth Christe of the creature of a vyne in the kyngedome of the father yf we Marke whose is the sacrifice of the masse offre not wyne in the sacryfyce of God the father and of Chryste or if we do not meddle or myxe the lordes cuppe after the teachyng or coÌ„myssyon of our lorde Lo oure lorde taughte the preistes at the masse to myxe in the chalyce wyne wyth water and so to offre in sacryfyce hys precyous bloudde whyche he dydde neuer but at his laste supper as it is euydente and therefore he dydde there offre hys bodye and bloude in sacryfyce and gaue commyssyon to hys apostelles and to all preystes in and by them to do the same Also in the same epystle he sayth agayne Ab euaÌ„gelicis praeceptis Cyprianus Luc. â—2 non est omnino recedendum eaque quae magister docuit fecit discipuli quoque obseruare facere debent We oughte not to goo from the commaundementes of the gospell and the dyscyples muste of duetye obserue and doo also those thynges whyche the mayster taughte and dydde Lo here Saynte Cypryane sayethe that Chryste offered him selfe and taughte hys scolers that same lesson and commaunded them also to offre sacryfyce as he hadde Matt. 26. Luc. 2â— doone afore when he toke breade and so forth and thereby he bond them to kepe and doo the selfe same thynge that he dydde What woulde anye manne desyre more To proue all this he allegeth saint Paule the eleuenth chapter of the fyrste epistle to the 1 Cor. 11. Corinthians This holye martyr sheweth wherfore christ dyd myxe wyne and water together in the cuppe whiche he blessed and consecrated at his maundye sayenge that he so dyd because the water signifieth the people as we reade in the Apocalypse of saint Iohn Apoca 17. why water is menglâ—d with wyne in the chalice when the preist sayth masse the .vii. chapter so that lykewyse as the water in the chalice is meddled and myxed together with the wyne and so meddled that the one caÌ„ not be separate from the other euen soo by shedynge of christes bloude the people whiche beleue in hym trust in goddes mercy promysed to theÌ„ for chrystes deathes sake feare god forsake their synnes thorough perfytte penaunce loue god and their neyghboure finally do kepe gods commaundementes and abyde therein nothing can separate or disseuer theÌ„ from goddes fauour and loue as Paule affirmeth the eight chapter to the Romaines But yet marke by the waye good reader that Cyprian doth saye that Christe dyd myxe wyne and water together in the cuppe which he dyd blesse and consecrate at his laste supper and dyd also teache and commaunde preistes to kepe and do that same as we now in dede do at our masses and yet there is no texte of all the scripture that maketh anye mention of this dede lesson and commaundement of our sauyour Christ therfore they are foule deceaued A verytye not wrytteÌ„ in scripture thorough ignoraunce or rather malyce which affirme that we ought to beleue nothinge excepte it be mencioned in scripture But I wyll retourne eftesones to holye Cypryan and allege out of hym a fewe moo sentences for my purpose of the whyche this is one agaynste theym that putte onelye water in the chalyce at masse Quaerendum est enim ipsi quem sunt secutiâ—nam si in sacrificio quod Christus est non nisi Christus sequendus est vtiâ— id nos obaudire facere oportet quod Christus fecit quod faciendum esse mandauit non debemus attendere quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putauerit sed
opinions agaynst the faythe as they nowe are but they shoulde shortely ceasse and the true doctryne of CHRIST and his churche florisheth agayne whiche is knowen as Vyncentius Lyrmensis wrytte a thousand yeares synce by aunciente generalytie and agreynge of the fathers in it I was moued gentyll reader to wryte thys catholyque and godlye sentence of Saynte Basyll partely because there lacked matter to fyll the shete of paper in printynge and partely for that it was verye notable and worthy to be obserued of all learned men ¶ Hereafter foloweth the preface ¶ The preface vnto the reader THE holy prophet Dauyd good christen reader saithe that the truth of our lorde abideth for euer and therfore Psal â—â— albeit many and diuers men haue from tyme to tyme euen froÌ„ the begynnynge of the churche both spoken wrytten also bokes againste it yet they coulde neuer preuayle but lost their laboures got their confusion and endlesse damnation Wherfore though the ê“phet Daniel doth say Prosternetur Danieâ—is â— veritas in terra The truth shal be troden vnder the feete on the earth yet the is not ment that al the people of god shulde treede it vnder their fete dispise it but that in the tyme of Antichriste fygured by Antiochus of whome the prophet sawe a vyâ—â—on as in the eyght chapiter of Daniel it apereth the continuall sacrifice that is the sacrifice of the masse as I wyll by gods grace hereafter proue shold be abolished and put away for the space of thre yeres and the halfe how longe Antichrist shal reigne Daniell in the twelfte chaptre testifienge the same Of the whiche place and other mo lyke written Luther is antichristes messanger to make all redye agaynste his coÌ„minge which firste of all men spake agenst the sacrifice of the holye masse except one Peter debruis by Daniel we maye well gather that Antichristes tyme approcheth and draweth very nie for as much as Marten Luther and his folowers do trauaile so earnestly but yet all in vayne to take awaye the holye sacrifice of the blessed masse whiche all chrysten nations from the fyrst institution thereof made by chryste oure sauioure at hys laste supper euen tyl our tyme the space of a thousand and fiue hundred yeres was euer beleued accepted and receaued for a sacrifice auayleable and profitable bothe for the quicke and the dead which thinge shall be openly and plenteousely declared god wyllyng here after in this booke not only by the scripture but also by general couÌ„celles and the expositions of the eldest and best learned doctours declarynge the said scripture so that no man which listeth not to winke at the lyght of the truth nor is not maried to his oâ—ne opinion shall haue any excuse to laye for his errour throughe want and lacke of knowlage of the truth Therefore reade this booke without al affection diligeÌ„tly not regardyng who made it nor againste whome it is made but what matter it doth coÌ„teyne be it neuer so rudely grosly set fourth for the easyer vnderstandynge of it Folowe the wyse mans counsaile sayeng Non contradicas Eccle. 4. verbo veritatis Say not against the worde of truth for yf thou do thou shalt laboure all in vaine and gaine therby the wrath of god and his indignation with payne euer to endure in hell with the deuyll which stode not in the truthe as Christe dothe affirme IoaÌ„ 8. This saith Paule writyng to the Romaynes after this sort Iis auteÌ„ Rom. 2. qui sunt ex coÌ„tentione qui non acquiescunt veritati credunt autem iniquitati ira indignatio To them the wrath and indignation of god shall come whiche are geuen to contention or strife and do not quietly obeye the truth but beleue the wronge or falsitie Remember this our sauiour christes Math. 16 sayeng What shal it auaile man if he wynne the whole worlde and thereby lose his soule What eschaunge Mat. 16. shall a man make for his soule If thou hast therfore erred with Peter receauynge false doctrine defeÌ„ding it and persecuting the teachers and mayntainers of the truth be not ashamed to forsake thyne errour and againe to embrace the truth Paule persecuted the truth but he forsoke his errour when god called him Saint Austen erred but he retourned agayne to the truth and vnfainedly recanted his errour Thus many other haue done whiche hadde gone from the truth whan it pleased god of his greate mercy to call them to gyue them the spirite of truth for the exilyng the spirite of errour I maye well saye to them that folow Martyn Luthers wicked Luther errours and damnable heresies and namely that which is againste the sacrifice of the holye masse neuer improued before his daies as saynt Paule saide to the Galathians greatly wonderinge Gala. 3. at their blyndnes Quis vos fascinauit non obedire veritati Who hathe bewytched you not to obeye the truth As though he had sayd ye haue had the truth so plainlye and perfectly taught you that excepte ye were witched ye could not so erre as ye now do forsaking the same If saynt Paule dyd iustlye iudge the Galathians witched because they had forsakeÌ„ the truth of the gospell which they learned not longe before throughe the inticement prouocation and persuasion of false teachers that then did preache to them howe moche more iustlye maye a man saye to them whiche are shamefullye deceaued and blynded by Martyn Luthers fond folyshe and deuellysshe doctryne Quis vos fascinauit veritati non obedire Who hath witched yow not to obeye the truth hath-Marten luther deceaued and witched you Hath he blynded you that ye can not se the truth which heretofore sence Christes byrth no man atteÌ„pted to do in this matter of the masse Hath he deceaued you Excepte one Peter de brâ—â—s which was in saynt Bernaâ—des time whiche is the autoure maintenar and defender of many and sondry plaine heresies Hath he witched you not to obeye the truth concernynge the sacrifice of the blessed masse whiche so setteth forth and auaunceth only fayth that he sticketh Only fâ—yth not to saye and defende that only through faith god forgeueth mannes synnes nothing helpyng therunto his penaunce feare charite praier forgiuinge his neighbors George Ioyes opinion trespaces nor any like thing yea that only fayth shuld saue maÌ„ though he lyued neuer so yll And because saint Iames in his epistle doth playnly condemne reproue that his deuyllysh opinion and saynt Ihons Apocalypsis also disproueth the same erroure he was not ashamed to denye them both affirmynge that these bookes are not scripture nor wrytten by Iames and Ihon the apostle Is not this a blynde doctour Is not he worthye to haue credence geuen to hym in matters of our faithe whiche doth not feare to deny the holye scripture for the mayntenaunce of a fonde and a wicked heresye against the scripture the hole churche of christendome and all wryters
that truly write vpon the scripture euen from christes tyme to these our dayes What man or woman is so madde to be Luther denieth maÌ„s fâ—e wyll whiche dyd Symon Magus as S. Clement testifiethe that was the fyist heretikâ— after christeâ— byrth leue him which denieth the fre wyl of man and ascribeth both synne and vertue onlye to necessitie and â—othinge to man as Luther doth sayeng that we can not chose but synne when we do synne nor chose but we must neades do well when we do any good dede Is not this a great blyndnes What can be more against reason and goddes holye worde What doctryne can he more pestilent and noysome to good lyuyng For if this doctrine were true as it is moost false we shoulde neade no lawe of man nor of god no preachyng no teaching â—o good counsaile nor any semblaâ—le or lyke helpe to lyue the better with all Martyn Luther also deâ—â—eth Luther sayeth that god doth gyue no grace by the sacrameÌ„tes that god geueth any grace man thorow the blessed sacramentes Is not this man worthyâ— to be beleued of vs christeÌ„ peopleâ— He teachethe that a christen maâ— shuld not warre agaynst the Turkes Is not this holsome doctrine godlye yea is it not rather metâ— for a Turke thus to write then â–ª christen man Beware therefore good christen reader of his pestilent and contagious doctrine Reade not his bookes nor none oâ— Heresye bokes shold not be redde his disciples makynge They aâ—â— full of poyson althoughe thâ—â— seme neuer so good and frutefullâ— as commoÌ„ly doth all heresy at thâ— firste taste and syght The kyngeâ— maiesty lyke a most christeÌ„ princâ— hath put fourth a proclamation oâ— late straightly chargynge and coÌ„maundinge that no man or woman do kepe after the last daye oâ— August next insuinge any boke iâ— Englysh that conteyneth in it anâ— yll and hurtefull doctrine This godlye commaundemente ought to be obeyed of vs not only for feare of temporall and bodilye punishmente but to eschewe also gods displeasure and wrath whose ministre he is and by whome he Prouer. â— â—eygneth as the scripture affirmeth If thou hast ben deceaued by Luther Ro. 13. this blynde teacher retourne againe to the truth with a penytent hart Folow this holy Tobias Tobie 14. counsaile Serue the lorde in dread and truth Bye the truthe sell it not againe as Salamon Prouer. 23. doth couÌ„saile the. Instauntly pray with the holy prophette Dauyd Psal 118. saienge Ne auferas de ore meo verbum veritatis Let not o lorde the worde of the truthe be taken from my mouth Abyde in christe by loue and charite and kepe his commaundemeÌ„tes and then thou shalt knowe the truth as our sauiour saith and the truth shall make IoaÌ„ â— the fre from al errour ignoraunce synne and wretchednes and bring the to the endles ioyes of heauen the which Christ the truth dyeng for the truthes sake bought moste dearly with the sheddynge of his precious bloude for his faythfull seruauntes to whome with his father and the holy gooste be glory and honour for euer Amen Take in good worthe this my laboure gentle reader thoughe in all poyntes the treatyce shall not lyke the and no maruayle for because it was made in haste within the space of a monethe whan I myght steale an houre from my other busines of studye At London the yere of our lorde M. D. xlvi The xx day of Iulye A certaine lesson or an instruction to discerne and to put difference betwene a false doctrine and a true TErtulian good Tertulianus 203. reader an auncient writer for he was within .clxxx yeres of Christes byrth in his boke made of the prescription agaynste heretiques declaring how we may knowe without al dout what doctrine is true and what is false and heresie thus writeth Christe in a certaine parable sayeth that good Math. 13. seade of corne was firste sowed of the lorde and afterwarde his ennemye the deuyll sowed cokle and euyll seade Ita ex ordine ipso manifestatur id esse dominicum verum quod sit prius traditum id vero extraneum falsum quod sit posterius immissum That is thus muche in englishe Luthers sede of doctrine againste the masse is cokle and erroneous doctrine bicause it was sowed after the good sede of the truth It is playne by the ordre of the sowynge of good seade of good and godlye doctryne whiche Christe fyrste sowed in the field his churche and the deuyls after sowynge of yll seade of false and erroneus doctrine in the same by heretiques his ministers that to be our lordes and true which is first taught and that to be straunge false that was after broughte in This sentence saythe Tertulian there shall abyde and remayne agaynst other heresies whiche shall hereafter ryse to whome no man that is constante in his faith and of a good conscience doth geue or graunt any thynge to defend that they haue the truth on their syde Lo good reader here thou hast an euydent lesson to perceyue that Martyn Luthers doctryne which Chrisosto homilia 17 in Heb. he dothe mayntaine agaynste the blessed masse and the holye sacrifice therof the very selfe same offerynge of our sauiours very flesh and bloud whiche he him self once offered to his father on the crosse to pacify his wrath is very strauÌ„ge false and manifeste heresie for as moche as it was sowed by the deuyll in the church of Christ longe and many yeres forsoth no fewer than a thousand and fyue huÌ„dred after that oure sauioure at his maundye and his holye apostels â—ad sowen the seade of that godlye doctrine teachinge the masse to be â— sacrifice profitable both for the quycke and the deade as I shall â—roue manifestly in this boke foâ—owyng Moreouer the same auncient and great clarke Tertulian teacheth vs an other lesson to discerne â—n other tuâ—e to know heresie by from holsom true doctryne heresye from true doctrine sayenge That heresie by interpretation or exposition of the greake worde is that doctrine whiche a man of him selfe or of his owne chosinge doth institute set forth or take and maiteine being by an other mans choise afore inuented And therfore the apostle Paule dyd saye that an heretique was coÌ„demned euen by his owne iudgement and conscience Quia in quo damnatur sibi elegit because â—i 3. he hath chosen to hym that in the whiche he is condemned This rule also doth sufficientlye proue that Martyn Luthers doctrine Luter waâ— by his owne iudgement and conscience condemned as al heretickes be againste the sacrifice of the masse is yll and that he was coÌ„demned euen by his owne iudgement for as much as he chose this doctryne of his owne heade hauynge neither scripture with him but agaynste hym nor any other good autorytie to defende that his wicked heresye as hereafter it shall be opened at large by
father not onelye to geue hym thankes for his benefytes bestowed on man but to purchase his grace also for the people to appease his displeasure conceaued taken against man for his synne Finally receaue it your selues sayeng masse and distribute the same to the people for their housle and all this do ye in remembraunce of Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. my death and passion continuing so to do till yâ— worldes ende That Christe didde offre his blessed bodye to his father a swete sacrifice for our synnes at his laste supper coÌ„mauÌ„ded his apostles likewise to do and all preystes in and by them the auÌ„cient and old fathers sentences do playnlye proue of the which I wyl allege here some that be most stronge and euydent Ireneus a greke doctour beynge withiÌ„ .clxxx. yeres of christ expouÌ„dynge Ireneus lib. 4. cap. 32. these wordes of christ Hoc est corpus meum hîc est sanguis meus This is my body and this is my bloude whiche he pronounced at his last supper consecratinge and offeringe his bodye and bloude in sacrifice to his father thus writeth as I haue ones afore rehersed Oure lorde toke bread and gaue thankes sayeng This is my body Also he toke the cuppe and confessed it to be his bloude Et nouam docuit noui testamenti oblationeÌ„ quaÌ„ ecclesiam ab apostolis recipiens in vniuerso muÌ„do offert deo And he taughte them a newe sacrifice of the newe testamente which the churche receauynge Christe dyd institute the sacrifice of the masse the apostels taught the church of the apostles he sayth not of the byshop of Rome nor of any other bishoppe or preist doth offre to god in all the hole worlde These wordes are so playne that no man can denye but that this saint sayth that Christ dyd offre his bodye and bloude in sacrifice to god at his maundye and that Chrystes mynystres the preistes of the newe lawe do dayelye offre the same at masse instructed that lesson of the apostles which were taught it of their maister our sauiour christ Shal it not therfore be moch more mete coÌ„uenieÌ„t that we christen men and women geue credence rather vnto this holye and aunciente fathers teachynge in this matter especially beinge so agreable with goddes worde yea beyng playnly set forth by it than to Martyn Luther nâ—yther lyke to hym in auncientie nor vertue nor learninge Meruayle not reader that I do here expounde this worde facere to signifie as muche as to make sacrifice partly because this holy martyr saynte Ireneus saynt Cyprian and many other of the eldest and best writers vpon the scripture so do take it in this coÌ„maundement of christ geuen to his apostles Hoc facite Facere to do iÌ„ christes wordes is to make sacrifice c. Partely for asmuche as it is so vsed both in prophane wryters and also in the holye scripture For Vergylle sayth Cum faciam Vergilius vitula pro frugibus ipse venito When sayth Dametas I shall do sacrifice or offre sacrifice to Ceres the goddes of corne with an heffar for the corne come thou thy selfe Also Theocritus Theocritus a greke poete so vseth this word sayeng Quum facies agno Nymphas veneratus agrestes When thou shalte make sacrifice with a lambe honouring the wild or rude maideÌ„s of the sea Likewise baptista MaÌ„tuanê° a christeÌ„ maÌ„ Mantuanus vsed this word saieng of Abel the first shepeherd Nunc oue nunc pingui vitula faciebat agno He made sacrifice sometyme with a shepe sometyme with a fat heffer and a lambe Now to the scripture whiche in this signification often tymes doth vse this worde For the thirde boke of the kynges the eleuenth chapter thus hath Et fecit Salomon astartae abominatio ni Sydoniorum That is And Salomon Lege Ezech 45 46 et Iudicum â—â— dyd make sacrifice to the idol the abominatioÌ„ of the SydonioÌ„s Is not here facere which is in englysh to do vsed for sacrificare to make sacrifice Many other textes of the old testameÌ„t do shew Leui. 23. Et facietis hyrcum pro peccato playnly that this worde is oftentimes vsed for to make sacrifice which I passe ouer to be the shorter and brynge one place oute of the newe testamente whiche is in Lukes gospell the seconde chapter after this fourme of wordes Et cum inducerent puerum Iesum parentes eius ut facerent secunduÌ„ consuetudineÌ„ legis pro eo Sim eoÌ„ accepit euÌ„ in ulnas suas c. That is And whan the father mother of the childe Iesu brought him into the temple that they mighte do for him after the custome of the lawe Symeon toke hym into his armes What els I besech the good reader is ment by doyng in this place but making of sacrifice or offeringe of sacrifices according to the law of Moises The text a litle before in Luke declareth this plainelye whiche sheweth that our Lady Christes honourable and most blessed mother Marye our sauiours blessed mother and his father Ioseph at the lest whiche was iudged his father of the people at the day of purification presented Christ in the teÌ„ple of hierusalem Vt darent hostiam secundum ê™ dictum est in lege domini par turturum aut duos Leui. 12 pullos columbarum that is to saye That they shulde geue an hoste a paire of byrdes called turtelles or two pygeons accordyng to the commaundemeÌ„t of the lawe of our lord Thus we se that christes Christes parentes did geue to the preiste these thinges not offâ—ryngâ— in sacrifice for that is the office of a preist but presentyng them to the preist that he shuld offre them in sacrifice as the law required father and mother presented and brought in to the temple eyther a payre of turtelles or .ii. pygeons that the preist shulde offre them in sacrifice after the lawe so facere doth sygnifye in this place of Luke sacrificare to make sacrifice in the whiche signification both greke wryters and latyn also do often vse that worde and not onely the Hebrewe speache as it appereth by the places aboue recyted Why therfore maye we not well vnderstande by these wordes of our sauyour Christ Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Do ye this for my remembrauÌ„ce that he commaunded them to offre sacrifice for his remembrauÌ„ce especyally seynge the aunciente wryters of Christes churche and the whole churche hath euen so taken those wordes euer synce they were spoken no man otherwyse expoundynge them tyll Martyn Luther came lerna ferè omniuÌ„ haereseoÌ„ in whom was almost all heresies Homilia 17. in Hebre. To be shorte saynt Chrysostome vnderstode that Christe dyd offre his bodye and bloude in sacrifice at his maundy and gaue commaundemeÌ„t Read more of Chrisost in the chaptre of the doctours sayenges to his apostles to offer it also in remeÌ„braunce of hys death whose wordes are these PoÌ„tifex
is daylye offered at masse he is daylye offered in the masse withoute bloude sheddynge as thys holye counsayle sayethe and al the wrytters vpon the scripture bothe latins and grekes specially This counsayle moreouer affyrmeth in theyr epystle sente to Nestorius the heretique that the worthy receauers of Christes blessed The masse is a sacryfyce propitiatorye bodye and bloude are made holye or cleane thereby and therfore the masse is a sacryfyce not of prayse onelye but also of appeasynge goddes wrath and purchasynge to vs cleannes or holynes Fynallye it is to be noted diligently that this great assemble of lerned byshoppes calleth Chrystes flesshe Viuificatricem that is the gyuer of lyfe and that whiche geueth lyfe to them whiche lefullye and purelye do receaue it the whiche declarethe that Chryste sayenge Caro non prodest quicquam Io 6. the flesh profiteth nothing dydde not meane that hys flesshe worthelye receaued vnder fourme what christ ment saieng the flesshe profytethe nothynge of breade in the holye Sacramente dothe profytte nothynge as the heretyques do expounde it but that the Iewes carnall vnderstandynge hys wordes spoken of the eatynge of his flessh whereby they thoughte he mente they shoulde eate it rawe blouddy or sodden cutte out in peeces as meate is wonte to be solde in the shambelles shulde profit nothyng as bothe Saynt Austen Cyryllus also doth expounde that wordes of Christ in Iohan the flesh ê“fiteth nothyng or els christ ment that his flesshe of it selfe withoute the spirite ioyned to it and the godhede as the Iewes beleued it was not but onely the flesshe of a pure man not of him which was very god maÌ„ could profyt nothiÌ„g but A booke of the sacrament of the aulter of this text I haue spokeÌ„ at large in my boke of the sacrament of the aulter therfore nowe I wyll passeouer it whiche I haue touched by the waye takynge an occasion of this holy counsailes wordes affirmynge christes blessed flesshe beynge ioyned with the godhead to gyue man lyfe when it is worthelye receaued of hym in the sacramente of the aulter Nowe to go forwarde I wyll reherse the wordes of a counsell holden at NeoceÌ„saria Cano vli whych are these Presbyteri ruris in ecclesia Ciuitatis episcopo praesente vel praesbyteris vrbis ipsius offerre non possunt nec panem sanctificatum dare caliceÌ„que porrigere That is Preistes of the countrey or that dwell out of the citie may not offre in the church nor geue the breade halowed and the cuppe the bysshoppe beynge present or the preistes of the same citie Here is euident mentioÌ„ made of the preistes offerynge sacrifice vnder the fourme of bread and also of wyne conteined in the chalice This hathe in fewe wordes the counsaile kept at Laodicea a citie The counsel kepte at Laodiceâ— in Asia sayenge Tunc Laici sibi tribuent ita sancta celebrabitur ob latio that is to witte Than the laye men shall geue to them selfe peace by kyssyng the paxe and so the holy offeringe or sacrifice shal be celebrate What man wyll or can yf he wolde neuer so gladlye denye that this was spoken of the sacrifice of the masse Seing therfore good reader that not onelye fygures of the olde testament the holye prophetes and dyuers textes of the newe testamente wyth the expositions of the eldeste and greateste learned doctoures but also these generall counsayles and dyuers other whiche were ledde and guided with CHRISTES presence and the holye ghostes alsoo haue thus playnely and strongelye sette vp and establyshed the sacryfyce of the masse ageynste the whyche no man dydde speake or wryte by the space of .xv. hundred yeres whan Martyn Luther began to barke agaynste it as the dogges are wonte to barke at the lyghte of the moone in the nyght geue thou rather stedfaste credence vnto all those wytnesses approuynge yea prouynge the masse to be a sacrifyce than to Martyn Luther lutynge out of tewne Now though Luther Inteth oute of tewne this whyche is alreadye wrytten in thys booke were ynoughe and sufficiente too persuade euerye man not wedded to his opinion to beleue that the masse is a sacrifyce appeasynge goddes wrathe towardes man yet to stoppe all bablers mouthes I wyll goo further in thys matter and shewe what the holye apostelles haue doone touchynge this thynge before whome CHRISTE made hys maundy and to whom he gaue power autoritye and also commaundemente to offre hys bodye and bloudde in sacryfyce as he hadde done him selfe before Luc. 2â— 1. Cor. 11. sayenge to them Hoc facite in meam coÌ„memorationem Do ye this in remembraunce of me These disciples of Christ did make certaine Canons or rules for the instruction of Christen people the whyche saint Clement the apostle Paules company on in preachinge the gospell dyd gather together and put them in writinge as Damascene Lib. 4. ca. 18. saith whiche dyd so greatly esteme and regarde the same rules that he dyd numbre and reherse them amonge the bookes of goddes holye worde and therfore their wordes ought to be without al dout beleued They thus write Si quis episcopusvel presbyter pÌ„ter Canone 3. ordinationeÌ„ domini alià quedaÌ„ in sacrificio offerat super altare id est aut mel aut lac aut pro vino siceram c. contra coÌ„stitutionem domini facieÌ„s deponatur congruo tempore If any bysshoppe or prieste do offre vpon the aulter in Note reader the holy apostles iudgementeÌ„ in this matter sacrifice certen other thynges besyde ouer or aboue the lordes ordinaunce that is to wyt either hony or mylke or in stede of wyne drink made of corne or fruites doynge against oure lordes ordynaunce let him be deposed in a mete tyme. Lo the holye apostles of Christe whiche learned the gospell of him and reaceaued the holye ghost the spirite of truth teaching al trouth The masse is a sacryficeinstitute by Chryst to them do playnely affirme that the masse sayde of the preiste is a sacrifice of chrystes owne institution and ordinaunce Dydde not they knowe the truthe supposest thou good reader better theÌ„ Martyn Luther or any of his scoole Heare what Tertulian wryt with in clxxx yeares of chryste sayenge Tertul. de praescri Veritas illis adiudicanda est â–ª qui in ea regula in cedunt quam ecclesiae ab apostolis apostoli a Christo Christus a deo accepit That is the truth must be adiudged to theÌ„ whiche do walke in that rule whiche the churches or congregatioÌ„s of the faithfull haue receaued of the apostles the apostles of christ Christe of God but the churches dydde receaue this doctrine coÌ„cernynge the sacrifice of the masse of the apostelles as Saynt Ireneus testyfyeth whose wordes are Lib. 4. Ca. 32. rehersed before and here the same doth also appeare playnelye by thys canon or rule made of them therefore the churches of Chryste haue the truthe on theyr syde whiche
do go in this the apostles cannon or rule sette forth for that verye same thynge But yet ones more lette vs se what the apostles haue sayde in this matter which thus doth speake Si quis episcopus Canone 2. aut presbyter aut diaconus aut quilibet ex sacer dotali catalogo facta oblatione non communicauerit aut dicat causam vt si fuerit rationabilis ueniam consequatur aut si non dixerit communione priuetur tanquam quipopulo causa laesionis extiterit dans suspicionem de eo qui sacrificanerit quod non recte obtulerit That is in oure englysh tongue If anye Bysshoppe or preiste or deacon or who thou wylte of the numbre of preistes or spirytuall men shall not receaue his housle whan the sacryfyce is offered eyther lette hym tell the cause thereof that yf it be reasonable he maye gette pardon or yf he do not shewe the cause wherfore he dyd not receaue his communion at masse let hym not haue his housell lyke as he which gaue an occasioÌ„ of harme or hurte to the people geuyng to theÌ„ a suspicion of him which dyd offre sacrifice that he did not offre or make sacrifice well ynoughe or after a ryght fasshyon Hytherto the apostles of our sauiour christ in theyr boke of canons or rules whose wordes are so playne clere vppon oure syde agaynst Marten Luther and his scholers that nothyng can be more plaine Therfore let Luther go wyth his fonde wycked dyuelly she heresye agaynst the sacrifice of the masse good Christen reader folowe christes and his holye apostles Doctryne so clerely makynge for this truth Moreouer s Audrew one of the apostels dyd offre christes Saynt Andrewe at masse offred sacrifice bodye in sacrifice at his masse as he sayde hym selfe to Aegeas the tyraunt Philaletus testifieng that wrytting the apostles lyues whose wordes are these Ego omnipotenti deo omni die sacrifico non thuris fumum nec hircorum aut tautorum sanguinem sed immaculatum agnum quotidie in altari sacrifico I do sayth he make sacrifice euery day to god almightye not offering in sacrifice smoke of Frankynsence nor the bloud of goates or of bulles but I offre in sacrifice daylye on the aultare the vndefyled lambe Be not these manifest wordes and inough to satisfye euery man beynge not ouer moche geuen to the blynde errour of Luther Saynt Clement whiche S. ClemeÌ„t was a companion of Paules in teachyng the gospell of Chryste vsed this fourme as Bassario testifieth when he dydde saye masse Rogamus ut mittas domme spiritum Basssario libri de sacramento altaris sanctum tuum super hoc sacrificiuÌ„ qui efficiat hunc panem corpus Christi tui quod in calice est sanguineÌ„ filij tui That is We beseche the o lorde to sende thy holy spirite vpon this sacrifice whiche maye make this breade the bodye Saint Clement Paules companyon maketh mention of thâ— masse as we reade in the .lxxiii. canon therefore it is no new thinge as Luther sayth it is of thy christe or annoynted that thynge which is in the cuppe or chalyce the bloud of thy sonne Here we se that saint ClemeÌ„t whiche was instructed by the apostels in Christes faith religion toke the masse to be a sacrifice Whether is he more of credence or Martyn Luther Nowe tâ— make ones an ende of the prouynge the truth I wyll reherse the auncient doctours sayenges in this matter and that done I wyll aunswere to the scriptures wrested froÌ„ their true sense to the mayntenaunce of this heresy by Martyn Luther his scholers ¶ What the doctours haue said in the matter of the sacrifice of the masse here it appeareth euidently Interroga obsecro generationem pristinam praeparate ad inuestigationeÌ„ yatrumtuoruÌ„ Iob. 8. and also that we ought to beleue them agremge together in any thynge touchyng our faith for because than they erre not THe scripture is very hard to be perceiued Ne transferas terminâ—s antiquos quos fecerunt patres prouâ— 23 as s Peter saith in his second epystle though it seme or be iudged neuer so plaine and easye to some men whiche in verye dede are not learned therein and therfore it is not conuement that euery man do vnderstande it after his owne fansie for that hath bene and yet is the cause of many errours but we The scripture is hard to be vnderstande and the true sense of it must be learned of the holy doctours muste leaue and cleaue to the aunciente doctors expositions made and publisshed therevpon For as god chose them to be doctors and teachers of his worde and gaue to theÌ„ his holy spirite which now these dayes many do arrogantly callenge but vntruely eueÌ„ so they dyd spende theyr tyme whollye in praier and studieng the scripture that thereby they myghte atteyne the true sense thereof But ye will saye to me as many fonde people are wont to say may not god now giue to men the spirite of truth as he dyd to the apostles or els to the doctours of the church Is he not nowe both as stronge that he can do it and also as kynde and liberall that he wyll do it as he was before our tyme To that blynde reasons I aunswere that god can do it if he lyst but he can do many and sundrye thynges whiche he wyll neuer do For he can make this man a kynge reysynge hym as Dauyd sayeth a poore man from the donge hill and that man a byshoppe whiche he wyll neuer do The thinges whiche he doth are euer done in a semely ordre as Paule affirmeth Nowe an ordre Rom. 13. requireth that in Christes church some shulde be teachers and some learners some maisters and some scholers as in mannes bodye to the whiche Paule compared the 1. Cor. 12. churche some membres haue one office and workynge and some an other and not all one office The eyes do se the eares heare so the doctours seyng the truth do teach and the learners doo heare theyr lessons Therefore god made not Saint Iames the thirde chapter exhorteth men not to coueâ—te the office of a teacher for the danger therof Math. 15. all men indifferently doctours as nowe men wolde be foule deceauynge both themselues and also many other while they beynge blynde do leade the blynde and falle thereby bothe together in to the denne of erroure and damnacion but as Paule saith he gaue to the instructynge of hys people some apostelles some prophettes some euangelystes some shepeherdes and some doctours and therefore our sauiour sayd to hys disciples Vobis datuÌ„ est nosse mysteriuÌ„ regni dei It is geueÌ„ not to Luc. 8. all men but to you to knowe the mysteries or secretes of the scrypture the knoweledge of the whiche is the keye of heauen gates Dydde not god appoynte Esdras to teache the lawe to the people as we reade in the scrypture
whiche sayth Esdras interpretatus est eis verba legis Esdras dydde expounde to them the wordes of the law Paule wrotte his epystles to the bysshoppes that they shoulde declare them to the people vnlearned All sortes of meates are not Vide Gregoir Nazianze in apologetico meete for all ages of folke Milke is good for chylderne stronger meates for yonge lustye men moyster meates are beste for aged men whyche are drye of complexion 1. Cor. 3. in lyke maner all men are not apte and meete to seede on all the scripture indyfferentlye but Heb. 5. those onelye whiche haue good wyttes and haue spent theyr studye therin by gods callyng Now it is true the moore pitie that Saynte Hierome wrytte in an epistle to his frende Paulyne complaynynge lamentably of the vnreuerent handlynge of scrypture Hierom epistola â—8 Saynt Clement sayth the seconde boke to S. Iames the law of god can not be vnderstand withoute a teachâ—r Note good reader the vnreuerent handlâ—â—g of scriptuâ—â— Thus he sayth The husband meÌ„ morter makers smythes cutters of woode woull men also and fullers and other diuers craftes meÌ„ absque doctore esse noÌ„ possuÌ„t quod cupiunt without a teacher can not be that whiche they couette to be that is cunnynge in theyr craftes Quod medicorum est promittuÌ„â— medici tractant fabrilia fabri Sola scripturarum arâ— est quam omnes passim vendicant hanc garrula anus hanc delâ—rus senex hanc sophista verbosus hanc vniuersi praesumunt lacerant docent anteque discunt In englyshe The phisitions do promyse that whiche doth appertayne to them the smythes or craftes men whiche worke with the hande do handle or exercyse thynges belongynge to haÌ„dycraftes men or smythes Onelye the craftes of scrypture is whiche all men indifferently do clayme this the bablynge olde wyfe this the dotynge olde man this the sophister full of wordes this all men do arrogantlye take vpon them to know they rent it in peces or geue to it many woundes they teache it afore they learned it This wrote saint Ierom against men womeÌ„ of his time whiche dyd arrogantly and vnreuerently handle gods holy word but what wold he now saye thinkeste thou good reader If he were lyuynge at this tyme whan men and women are in this matter so fautye as they neuer haue bene heretofore wolde noâ— he greatly lament bewaile this our wonderfull blyndnes and detestable presumption whereby we neyther by shame nor yet by feare do forbeare to clayme vnto vs the knowledge of the scriptures whiche we neuer studied or els but very lytell yea we stycke not to callenge to vs the holy goost the spirite of truth coÌ„paryng our selues therein with the apostles of christ whiche anone became teachers of the gospell beynge fyshers rude and vnlearned a litle before This Such flatterynge preachers whom Saint Gragorye Nazianzene Ieroms mayster calleth euentriloquos that is speakers of the belye becaâ—se in al thâ—ir words mâ—y prouide for the bâ—lye is a straunge fondnes and a marueilous presumption our lorde amende it Some preachers haue not ben ashamed in their sermons to brynge the lay people into this fooles paradise praysyng their cuÌ„nyng in the scriptures which they neuer vnderstode them selues but they studie to please theyr hearers and seinge their eares itche they clawe them and with pleasaunte saienges they deceaue the innoceÌ„tes hartes But I will recyte a lytle more of saynt Ieroms wordes out of the saide epistle which thus writeth Alij adducto supercilio grandia verba trutinantes inter mulier culas de sacris literis philosophantur Other wayenge examinynge or iudgyng with a stately or a lourynge countenaunce greate wordes doo reason lyke studentes of wysedome amonge women of the holy scripture Was this at anye tyme truer good reader then it is euen nowe in our dayes yet Ierome goth on sayeng Alij discuÌ„t proh pudor à faeminis quod doce aÌ„tviros et ne paruÌ„ hoc sit qua daÌ„ facilitate â—boruÌ„ immo audacia edisseruÌ„t women do teache men and men other that which they vnderstand not them selues alijs quod ipsi noÌ„ intelliguÌ„t Other lerne alas for shame fastnes of women that which they shold teach meÌ„ lest that myght be a lytle they declare to other with a certeÌ„ easynes or lightenes of wordes yea rather with boldenes or trustynge well in them selues that thynge whiche they them selues vnderstand not Do not men euen so nowe amonge vs whome women arrogantelye do teache and men also that thynge whiche they do not perceaue them selues Saynt Gregory Ieroms maister sayth all suche men are touched in the common prouerbe In dolio discere artem figuli hoc est in periculo animaruÌ„ doctrinam discere pietatis To lerne a potters crafte in a tunne pype butte or a hogges heade that is in the daunger of soules to learne the doctryne of the knowledge of god Hytherto that saynt playnlye reprouynge As I of keÌ„t many men of our tyme. Some women can say moche of the scripture without the boke but they vnderstande almoost no worde therof They are not ashamed suche is their shameles pride and impudeÌ„t arrogaÌ„cy to boast that they haue ouercome and confounded euen the doctours of diuinitie by reasonynge in scripture whan in deede they do but bable without lerning and all reason yf they meete with any cunnynge man therin whiche I my selfe haue often times proued true Let theÌ„ beware of gods curse whiche he threteneth to all suche by his prophet sayenge Esa 5. Vae qui sapientes estis in oculis vestris coraÌ„ vobismetipsis prudentes Cursed be you whiche are wyse in your owne sighte and polytike before youre owne selues Doth not this gods curse touche them whiche do thinke that their wittes and learning doth farre excell As Lather â—oth hys scholers the wittes lerning of al yâ— auÌ„cient wryters and do folowe their owne fonde fantasie and leude dreames in construynge and vnderstandynge goddes holy worde rather theÌ„ the olde writers Saint Basyle saint Gregory Ieromes maister were not so proude and arrogant as those nowe be For they beynge very excellently well lerned in the tongues in logicke thetorike philosophie and diuers other sciences sought the vnderstandynge of the scripture oute of their elders bokes as the historie Lib 1â— cap. 9 â–ª of Eusebius doth reherse sayeng They gaue their studye to holy scripture not folowing their own Scripture must be learned of the doctours presuÌ„ptioÌ„ but the writinges of their auÌ„cetours their autoritie to vnderstand the same which it was euident to haue reaceaued the rule to perceaue the scripture of thapostels and their successours Contrary to this men doo in these miserable dayes of their owne heades wittes thinking to vnderstand gods word as did the heretike Aetius Triper Histo li. 5 Cap. 45. saienge that god had opened to hym those thinges whiche he hyd from his apostels as
the storie maketh mention Doth not euen so at this our time Martin Luther and his scholers whiche deny the masse to be a sacrifice whan the apostles taughte the cleane contrary as I haue afore declared largely S. Dioni lib. de caelesti hierarchia Ca. I Dionise Paules scholer teacheth vs an other lesson how we shulde study scripture whom we shuld folow in the vnderstaÌ„dyng of it his wordes are these Ad saÌ„ctissimaruÌ„ scripturaruÌ„ intelligentias prout illas a patribus accepimus contuendas pro viribus pergamus Lette vs procede to loke on the vnderstandynge of the moost holy scriptures accordynge to oure strengthe or power as we haue harde or receaued of the elders Do we not here see that this father whiche was a greate philosopher and verye well learned in dyuers knowledges afore he was conuerted by saint Paule was taught the fayth by hym wolde not presume to studye the scripture without the doctours and elders bokes whiche he studied to vnderstande it Therefore if thou wilte study the scripture to profyt therein reade saint Austens bokes sainte Ieromes Chrisostoms Ambroses Cyprians and suche other whiche do sincerely truely and catholykely expownde the scriptures to the auauncinge of the truth and the thrustynge downe of errours and heresie Preistes of Cesarea cappa docie coulde not be persuaded to leaue the faith Qâ— eis suffecerint ad vtilitatem sui antiquae patrum narrationes velut quaedam turres murum fidei indeclinabilem Triper Histo li. 7 Cap. â—6 seruauerunt Bycause the auncieÌ„t expositions of the fathers sufficed them to their proffitte and dydde kepe lyke as certaine towers the wall of faith vpright And where men saie that god is as lyberall now as he was in the apostles tyme to them and therefore he can geue euen nowe also the holye ghost to euery man and woman for the vnderstandynge of his worde the scripture I graunte that god is nowe as lyberall in dede as he was thaÌ„ but yet thervpon it foloweth not that he dothe nowe geue the spirite of knoweledge in the holye scripture without all laboure and why god did geue to fysshers his holy spirite to vnderstand the scripture studye as he then dydde to his apostles to confounde the greate clerkes and lerned men by the simple and vnlearned fysshers and by ther teachyng to conuert to the faith the hole world that thereby his almighty power might be knowen his blessed name glorified the vertue of his sonnes deathe christ our sauiour estemed yâ— cause as in dede it was of that so great a myracle This I saye was the cause whye at the begynnynge of christes religion and fayth rude fysshers hadde geuen them suche knoweledge in the scripture without all labour and study geuen to it of their partes God theÌ„ shewed hys greate lyberalytye in feading fyue thousande men besyde women and chyldren with fiue barly Io. 6. loues and two fysshes as sainte Iohan testyfyeth but shal we therfore loke for anye lyke thinge now in oure dayes Chryste at that tyme dydde worke dyuers myracles whych he worketh not at this tyme nor neuer wyll hereafter He is therein lyke to one that plantethe yonge trees or setteth herbes whyche while they be tendre and yonge not yet well rooted in the earthe he often watereth but after they are growen vp and haue taken well rootes than he ceassethe waterynge them so christ A similitude oure sauyoure when he planted the faythe at the fyrste dydde water it wyth sundrye and dyuerse myracles and whan he sawe it well and surelye rooted in mens hartes than he lefte waterynge it with myracles Therefore let vs not looke to receaue the holye goost to teache vs the scryptures and the vnderstandynge of them wythoute oure studye and labour as the apostles ones dydde by miracle for the coÌ„uersion of the worlde to the faith but let vs learne it of the holy doctours and of the preistes which are learned and whose office it is to teache the vnlearned multitude as witnesseth the holy prophet Malachias saieng Labia Malach. 2. sacerdotis custodiunt scientiam legem requirent ex ore eius quia angelus domini exercituum est That is The preistes lyppes do kepe cunnynge and the laye people shall often seke or demauÌ„d of his mouth the lawe for asmuch as he is the messanger of the lorde of hostes that is of aungels whiche are called the hoostes of heauen Aeto 20. Heb. 13. He is sent by goddes assignement to teache the vnlearned and doth take charge of theyr soules as the scripture in manye places wytnesseth Nowe I wyll shewe the holy doctours myndes in this our coÌ„trouersye sens we ought to folowe their iudgement in the vnderstandynge of the scriptures as I haue nowe declared that by theÌ„ we maye perceaue which doctrine is true and catholique and which is false and hereticall I wyll yet recite here but a certaine of the most auncient and eldest writers on the scripture for the yongest almost The olde doctours sayeuges of theÌ„ shal be about nyne hundred yeres olde because men saye that the sacrifice of the masse was inueÌ„ted of late and set vp by preistes coueteousnes for lucre that they maye se theyr folye and forsake it in tyme leaste it at the length as it must neades brynge them to vtter confusion in bodye and soule But to the rehersal of the olde writers in this matter amonge the whiche Theophilactus shall occupy the first place sayeng Quaereâ— Theophilac In Heb 10 aliquis num ipsi sine sanguine immolamus Ita quidem sed Christi tunc reminiscimur obitus vna nobis est immolatio noÌ„ multae quandoquidem est ille semel oblatus eundem enim semper offerimus vnus est enim sanguis semel effusus Vnum est corpus noÌ„ multa quiuis fuerit pro multis oblatum item vna est quae offertur hostia Hanc namque semper ut praesentem offerimus That is Some body wyl demaunde wether we do sacrifice without bloud or no we do so surely but then we remembre Christes death and we haue one sacrifice not manye for as moche as Christe also hath bene ones offered in sacryfyce for we offre alwaye the samâ— the bloude is one shedde ones The body is one not many thoughe it bathe bene offered vp in sacryfyce for manye and also the hoste is one which is offred For we alwaye offre that same as present hitherto Theoph. No man can desire playner wordes than these are of this greate clerke to proue that the masse is a sacrifice Rupert also confirmethe this saieng Quotidie in altari sancto Lib. 1. comeÌ„t in Dani. ca. 14. oblationes eius sacruÌ„ celebramus mysteriuÌ„ We do daiely celebrate in the holy aulter the holye mystery or sacrameÌ„t yâ— sacrifices of christ Fulgentius whiche was aboue a M. yeres sence agreeth with Fulgentius li. 2. ad MonimuÌ„ this verity
to the laste argumente whan I sayde that Vrbanus Regius his folowers saye vntruelye that we defendyng the masse to be a sacrifice do crucyfye christ again as much as lyeth in vs. Paule wolde that yf Christ shold sundry tymes offer him selfe in sacrifice in his owne fourme by pourynge out his bloude as he dydde ones on the crosse that than he must nedes oftentimes suffre death but so he doth not offre hym self at the masse but onelye vnder the forme of breade and wyne withoute all payne and sufferinge Sainte Ihon saithe in the Apocalypse Agnus occisus est ab origine mundi The lambe christ Ioh. i was sleane from the beginninge of the worlde not that christ thā suffered death but many yeres after whan Gala. 4. the tyme appointed as Paul saith was come but that thā it was appointed by gods prouydence that he shuld dye for mans offences that his death was fygured by the death of Abel and other lyke beynge at the begynnynge of the world so christ is offered in sacrifice at the masse not that he suffereth there ageyne but that there he is offered for the remembraunce of his death ones suffered on the crosse wherfore this reason is cleane wiped away the next anone shal be which is this cōpiled also of s Paules wordes y◠x. to the Heb. where he thus saith Lex per singulos annos eisdē The syxte reason ipsis hostijs quas offerūt indesinēter nunque potest accedentes perfectos facere alioquin cessassent offerri c. The law saith Paule neuer could make them perfytte whiche came to it by the same hostes or sacrifices whyche the preistes euery yere do offre wtout ceassyng or elles they shuld haue ceassed to be offered for as moche as the haunters or kepers of it shuld not haue any lenger grudge or cōscience of sinne vpon these wordes thus they reason The sacrifices of tholde lawe were for that cause oftentymes as Paule saith offered because they were weake and not of strength to put awaye sinne to delyuer mēfrō grudge of synne in their cōsciences for yf they coulde haue done this they shuld haue cessed to be offred whā they had done it but the sacrifice of christes flesh bloud one 's offred vpō y◠crosse was strōge sufficiente inoughe to take awaye the synnes of all the 1. Pet. 2. 1. Io. 2. Apo. 2. worlde as the scrypture witnesseth in sundrye places therefore by S. Paules reason Christe oughte no more after his death to be offered in sacrifice as he shold necessarely yf the masse were a sacrifice wherfore it is no sacrifice This reason hath some apparaunce The solution of truth though it be very false in dede For saint Paule mēt that the sacrifices of the olde lawe were of them selues vnperfit weake not able to put away mans synne and therfore it was nedefull that many and dyuers hoostes and sacrifices shuld one succede an other from tyme to tyme durynge that lawe now christ is not oftentimes offred in sacrifice at masse because his sacrifice done ones on the crosse was not able and sufficiēt to take away al mens synnes but because men do dayly synne and they haue neade to haue the vertue of that sacrifice done on the crosse ones for all applied to them which is done by the masse Agayne in the olde law there was not alway one and the same sacrifice offered but many and dyuers for their feblenes and insufficiēcy but so it is not in the newe lawe for there is continually one hooste and the very same is offered in the masse by the preist whiche Christe on good fryday offred vpon the crosse for our sinnes although in the masse it is offred vnder the fourme of breade and wine and was vpon the crosse vnder the forme of flesshe and bloud so that the sacrifice is one albeit the maner of offering it be not one but dyuers as the flesshe raw and rosted is one thinge thoughe it be altered in his qualities This is S. Chrisostoms mynd as it shall appeare in the soylinge of the nexte reasō which is this gathered also ho. 17. in He. out of Paules epistle to the Hebre. Vrbanus Regius abuseth thys autoritie againste the sacrifice of the masse as Luther his mayster doth the .x. chapter where he thus saith Vna oblatione consummauit in sēpiternū sanctificatos Christe hath made perfecte for euer with one oblation thē that are halowed or made holy Vpon these wordes Luther his scholers make this argumēt S. Paule doth affirme that The seuēth reason christe hath made perfecte for euer with one sacrifice vpon the crosse those which are sanctified therfore we nede none other sacrifice beside that to make vs perfecte before god and thervpon it folowethe that the masse is no sacrifice To this I saie that it is great The solution meruaile that Martyn Luther wyll take oute of thys epystle of Saynte Poule anye wytnesse agaynst the sacryfyce of the blessed masse For as muche as he denieth the autoritie of it and sayeth that Marke Luthers vnshame fulnesse it is not saynt Paules letter But suche is hys maner and others lyke to hym that they are not ashamed to denye the autoritie of some bookes of scripture the auctoritie of the churche and the holy doctours and yet whan they seme any thyng to make for the setting forth of their heresies than they wyl vse thē but let this go Saint Paule this mente by his wordes aboue rehersed that Christ our sauiour offring him selfe to his father a sacrifice of swete sauoure as Paule saith in an other place dyd make men beleuynge in hym and doynge penaunce for their synnes perfecte and dydde take awaye their synnes accordynge to saynt Iohn baptistes sayenge Ecce agnus dei ecce qui tollit peccata mūdi Lo the lambe of god se hym that taketh awaye the sinnes Io. 1. of the worlde This I saye Christ hath done for vs ones offerynge hym selfe on the crosse the whiche Moses lawe and all the sacrifices of it coulde neuer do as s Paule saith in this tenth chaptre though they were neuer so oftentymes offered and for this cause Christes sacrifice done ones on the crosse is perfecte and sufficient to doo awaye all the worldes offences whiche is not offered againe at masse vnder the fourme of breade and wine for the vnperfectenes and in sufficiency of it as I haue afore often saide but for the applyenge thereof to vs for the remembraūce of Christes death and the greate and tender loue which he shewed towarde vs in the tune of his passion that therbye we excited and moued sholde loue him tenderlye againe and finally for the attainement of that grace whiche Chryst dyd merite and purchase for vs offerynge hym selfe on the crosse to appease his fathers wrath Many Note how many men are deceued in valuinge of the vertu of christes death men are
this ordynaunce to praye and say masse for the deade thoughe those thynges be not expresselye sette forthe in scrypture But Tertulian shall speake once agayne wyth these Tertulia li. de exhorta ad castitatem wordes Et iam repete ad deum ê“ cuius spiritu postules pro qua oblationes annuas reddas Stabis apud deum cum tot vxoribus quoâ— illas oratione commemoras offeres pro duabus commemorabis illis duas per sacerdotem c. And nowe remember for whose soule thou mayest make petytyon to God for whyche wyfe thou mayeste rendre yearelye sacrifyces Thou shalte stande afore god wyth soo manye wyues as thou doeste remember in thy prayer and thou wylte offer for them bothe and thou shalte remember them two by the preist Fynally in Tertulian demonog an other boke Enim vero pro anima prioris vxoris orat refrigerium interim postulat in prima resurrectione consortiuÌ„ offert aÌ„ nuis diebus dormitionis eiê° For soth the husbande dothe praye for the soule of his first wyfe and he desireth a recreation refresshynge or a coolynge for hir in the meane season and felowshippe in the first arising vp and he offreth sacrifice Obites or yeres miÌ„des yerely at her obite or the tyme of her dyenge and decesse lo good reader the custome to haue dirige masse ones in the space of an yere A booke called epiâ—ome cronicon falsely saith that one Pelagius a bysshoppe of Rome dydde ordeine that masse sholde be sayde for the dead for he was â—52 yeres after Christes byrth for the dead is no newe inuention nor of late sette vp by couetous preistes as many couetous and enuious persons saye but a thing obserued alwaye euen from the holy apostles tyme tyll oure dayes and therefore it muste neades be a good and a godly custome For as Tertulian saith We maye prescribe againste all heretikes holdyng the contrary agaynst whom iudgemente is giuen afore Id esse uerum qui cunque primum id esse ad ulterum quodcumque posterius That to be true what so euer is first that to be counterfait or forged what so euer is that commeth Dionisius lib. de eccl hierar ca. 7. after Saint Dionise Paules scoler thus writeth also of the prayenge at masse for the dead Sanctorum preces etiam in ista vita noÌ„ This came vp in the traditioÌ„ of the apostles as s Dionise testifieth tantum post mortem prosunt ijs so lis qui digni sunt vt pro eis sanctae preces fiant nempe fidelibus That is holy mens prayers ye in this lyfe and not only after death do profitte them onely whiche are worthye that holye prayers shuld be saide for them sothelye for the faithfull as Damascene recytyng these wordes doth expound them Againe this sainte speakynge of Sermone de mortuis the bysshops or preistes prayenge for the dead at dirige masse saith after this maner Inter praecanduÌ„ igitur oratur diuina bonitas ut cuncta defuncti peccata dimittat per humanam infirmitatem admissa Damas eumque in luce collocet regione viuorum in sinibus Abrahae Isaac Iacob in loco vnde aufugit dolor tristicia gemitê° While the preiste doth praye for the dead the goodnes of god is praied vnto the he wolde forgiue the deade all his synnes commytted by mans infirmitie and that he wolde sette hym in lyght and in the region of the liuynge persons in the bosomes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob in a place frome whense is fleed heuynes That is in heauen sadnes and waylynge Thou doest le saith s Damascen reciting these wordê o aduersary by what meane Dionisius confirmeth praiers to be very profitable for them which are departed in a holy hope Damas sermone pro defunctis This aunciente doctour Damas reherseth s Gre. Ieroms masters wordes writteÌ„ in a certeine oratioÌ„ of the funerall exequies for hys mother whiche are these Diuitias igitur quae in nostra potestate fueruÌ„t partim dedimê° partim daturi sumus anniuersarios illi honores memorias exhibituri Therfore sith by praiers and masses my mothers dolour may be eased for that he saide afore we haue partely geuen already and partely wyl geue these goodes which were in our power I wil geue to her that meÌ„ may behold yerely honours memories Thou seest saith Damas that he coÌ„firmeth our opinioÌ„ allowiÌ„g sacrifices yerely remeÌ„brauÌ„ces to be made for theÌ„ which are departed in god while he callethe them good holy Moreouer s Dama doth alledge a very plaine senteÌ„ce of one Grego Nyssene saint Basyls brother which is this Nihil absque vtilitate a predicatoribus discipulis Christi est traditum in omnibus ecclesijs predicatum Res autem modis omnibus est utilis Gregorius Nyssenus saithe that the apostles dyd preache and teache iÌ„ all churches that we shulde pray at masse for the dead as Damascen Chrisostom Tertulian and diuers other do say they dydde deo in primisgrata indiuinis praeclarisque operationibus eorum qui in recta fide discesserunt manifestam facere memoriam That is in englysshe There is nothinge taughte or delyuered by tradition and preached in al churches of the preachers and disciples of Christ without profitte but it is a thinge by alwayes profilable and to god chiefly thankefull or acceptable to make a manifest memory of theÌ„ that haue departed in a ryghte faith in the diuine and very noble workes What els good reader I besech the ment this great clerke and aunciente father by these dyuyne and very noble workes than dirige masses and other lyke prayers offred to god for them whiche dyed in a true faith The apostles of Christ the truth and to whome the holy goost the spirite of the truth It is a traditioÌ„ of christes apostels to pray for the dead at masse as G. Nyssene saith Damascene doth affirm that they lerned it of Christe dyd teache all truth accordinge to christes promysse taughte this lesson and the same is preached in al churches Thou doest beleue that infantes or yonge children ought to be baptised and that baptisme auaileth them thorough the fayth of the church to the attainemente of remyssion of originall synne grace and glorye and yet that can not be proued by any scripture sufficientlye but it is a tradytyon of christes apostles left to the church De eccle hiera Origene ii 6. in epist Rom. without writing as saint Dionise Paules scholer affirmeth and Origen with many other Why therfore doest thou not beleue that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatorie and profitable both to the quicke and the deade for as muche as the holye apostles hathe taughte the church aswel the one as the other They whiche denye that chyldren shulde be baptised because there is no plain scripture for it are couÌ„ted heretikes of the sect of the anabaptistes
only because the holy apostels taughte the churche that All catholyke churches do baptise infantes though that be not coÌ„maunded in scripture doctrine and it hath ben obserued through al churches of the worlde euer since therefore by that autoritie and reason they muste nedes runne into heresie that denye the masse prayers with other good deades to be auaileable for the deade because it is a tradition of the apostles to praye to geue almes and saie masses for them and it hath ben kepte accustomedly in all churches of Christe from that time to this tyme and shal be till the worldes ende as Damas saith because it is a truth of our lord whiche Sermone pro defunctis shal abide for euer as Dauyd the ê“phet saith Moreouer Damas telleth that one Palladius an old writer of histories writing of a holy maÌ„ called Macarius which had wrought manye greate miracles thus saith of him Quia faciebat ê“ consuetudine sua ê“ defuÌ„ctis pÌ„ces scireque desiderabat nuÌ„qê“ illis ê“desset et coÌ„solatio illis inde proueniret Deus amator animaruÌ„ uolens hoc suo seruo pluribus et certis argumeÌ„tis pate facere cranio ê™ exaruerat verbuÌ„ ueritatis inspirauit ê“rupit enim cranium in hec verba QuaÌ„do pro mortuis offers preces coÌ„solatiunculaÌ„ sentimus That is to wit WhaÌ„ that holy man Macariê° A myracle doone to shewe that praiers of the quycke do profytte the deade dyd after his custome pray for the dead and was desirous to knowe whether that he did any ê“fit to them or no whether they had any comforte thereof God the louer of soules wyllinge to disclose or declare this thinge by many certen reasoÌ„s makiÌ„g a profe to his seruaÌ„t dyd inspire the foremoost parte of a skull which was dried with the worde of truth For the foremoost parte of the skull brast out saieng these wordes Whan thou doest offer prayers for the deade we feele coÌ„forte in aduersite Lo here a great miracle to proue this matter as there are written in olde bokes many mo whiche I wyll passe ouer to be short and bring ones againe Damas contione de defunctis IdeÌ„ hrbet D Hugo Aetherianorum lib. de regressu animarum ab inferis saint Damascenes saienge which is this Nisi hoc in oculis dei misericordis rectum foret nunque occasionem dedisset habendae memoriae defunctorum in sacrificio illo incruento anniuersariorum quae nunc inconcussa certiora quam de quibus iudicandum sit apostolica catholicaque ecclesia ac populus domino collectus pietatique deditus absque omni contradictione custodit This is in oure speache Excepte to praie and to offer sacrifice at the masse for the soules departed shulde be in goddes mercifull sighte righte he wolde neuer haue giuen an occasion of a memorie to be had for the deade in that vnblouddye sacrifice nor of anniuersaries God gaue an occasion of the sacrifice of the masse to be offered and yeares mindes to be kept for the deade as s Damascene doth affirm retourninge euery yeare ones at one tyme Thus moche I haue said of the olde doctours iudgementes in this matter touching the sacrifice of the holy masse and the offerynge of it to god both for the quicke and the deade also vpoÌ„ the which doctrine they are al and whollye agreed and therefore no wise godly christen man or woman wyll rather beleue Martyn Luther Eucer Bullynger Melancton Iohn Frith Bale or any of that yll heare then all these auncient fathers of the whiche some were taughte and instructed by the apostles some by their disciples scolers therfore no maÌ„ that wise is or godly wil doubt but they did know the truth much better than any maÌ„ of a later time not lerning it of theÌ„ and their bokes All the doctours of christes church do affirme that the masse is a sacrifice auaileable both to the quicke and the dead Luther Ihon Frith with a rablement of like rascalles denie it whether party wilt thou good reader beleue al these holy fathers or these leude vnlerned later writers very natural reasoÌ„ wyt yf nothing els shuld persuade that rather to beleue these auÌ„cieÌ„tes thaÌ„ these other which now write like to theÌ„ nether in yeres nor lerning Valeriê° Maximus An hystory of Valeriê° Maximus sheweth that the Romanes dyd in a matter risen betwene two men of the which the one was of muche honestie and fidelitie the other of very litle vertue credeÌ„ce gyue seÌ„tence vpon the honest maÌ„s part for his truthe and honesties sake when his aduersary laide against hym a certaine cryme The story is this CuÌ„ Marcus aemelius Scaurus vir clarissimus ac exploratae probitatis a vario SuccroneÌ„si uiro paruÌ„ syncero apud populuÌ„ accusaretur atque accusator long a oratioÌ„e perorasset ille maximo coÌ„pendio vsus est eo ê™ sua populi consceÌ„tiaÌ„ fretus non voluit oratione coÌ„teÌ„dere Querites inquit Variê° SuccroneÌ„sis ait Aemiliê° Scaurê° negat Vtri potius CredeÌ„duÌ„ ceÌ„setis quibê° verbis applaudeÌ„te populo falsaÌ„ sâ—bi inteÌ„taâ—aÌ„liteÌ„ coÌ„sopiuiâ— That is Whan Marke Aemyle Scaurus a man most honorable or famous and of goodnes well knowen was accused to the people of Varius SuccroneÌ„sis a maÌ„ of lyttle purenes or symplycytie and the accusar had reasoned to an ende with a longe oration Marke Aemile vsed a very shorte fourme for because he trusted vppon hys owne coÌ„science the peoples also he wolde not striue with reasonynge but saide onely for his defence againste his aduersarie O Romaines Varius SuccroneÌ„sis affirmeth that I am gylty in this faulte Aemelius Scaurus denyeth it To whiche of these two doo you iudge credence shuld be giueÌ„ with the which wordes he ceassed or sette at rest the action falsely entred against him the people mouing their handes or feete for ioy Lo good reader amonge the Romaines which then were infidels the famousenes and surely knoweÌ„ goodnes of the person was a sufficiente cause to geue sentence with a signe of ioye vpon the famous and good mannes syde saieng onely for his defeÌ„ce that he was falselye accused against his aduersary being yl pleading his actioÌ„ with many wordes The honourable and good Marke said to the people myne aduersarye saith that I am gyltye I saye naye whether thinke you ought to be beleued The people mouing their handes or feete for ioy the good maÌ„ Marke was discharged of that actioÌ„ thorough those his fewe wordes for his goodnes and fames sake So in this presente controuersie of the sacrifice of the masse saint Dionise saint Ignatius S. Anaclet saint Alexander saint Clemente s Cyprian with all other catholycke doctours of all ages do saye that the masse is a sacrifice appeasinge goddes wrath Martyn Luther Suynglius Oecolampius Bucers shoulde be praied for to our lorde The thirde councel holden at Carthago hath a lyke decre and other diuers whiche I wyll passe