thy Idole masse there iâ— never a worde to the Scriptures nor yet of thy applying of the vertew of the â—â—ath of Christe But 〈…〉 of this glorius Papist what he doeth vnderstand by this applying I trust thou will not pas from the doctrine of the â—omishe Church since thou cleanes to all the vaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and beggetly ceremonies thereof â—o â—iftly There â—â—câ—rine is plaine that the vertew merite of the masse is applied by this Sacrifice thre wayes in a moste special maner to him self for his moste charitable motion by the which he is rauished vp to God and so by the saying of the masse he merites the Eternall lyfe which is called by the Scoole men the essentiall rewarde This fruct he can apply to none other sayeth Gabriel â–ª for albeit a man sayeth he may merite to an other the firste grace yea and augmentation of grace yet can he nor merite the essentiall rewarde of the Eternall lyfe which respondeth and followeth â—pon euerie mans owen work 2. The Second maner of their application is moste generall conueaning to all and the whole Church for it is nor the deutie of the Preist say they till exclude any 〈◊〉 from the virtew and merite of it that is a member of the Church 3. The last maner is speciall and so it serueth to him or them that the Sacrificer applyeth it to conceaueth certane orations and prayers for obteining remission of sinnes grace spirituall commodities and temporal benefites to the dead and the 〈…〉 This is then the application thou meaneth of hert for this is the doctrine of thy mother the Romane Church as I am able to proue by the moste esteamed writers amonges you which say in plaine tearmes that the preist may pairte and distribute these graces â—â—nalie or otherwayes at his appetite to whome it shall lyke him 〈◊〉 yea and that his wickedness shal be no hinderance thereto nether yet excommunication not yet suspension For these things safeth not away the virtew of the Sacrifice which it hath because of the worthynes of the work it self Many other thinges I pretermit of set purpose wearying to rehears them in consideration of the great 〈◊〉 shame and blasphemie that lyeth in them aâ— the Reader shall now shortly consider with me Firste â–ª seing we darre not attempt nor oght to take vpoÌ„ hand nothing but that we be assured of the allowance oâ— God I wold inquire of them whereas this office appointed to them to offer vp Christe to God the Father to apply the merite of his death together with all other graces â–ª and benefites at their pleasure and appetite which is the hiest mater and of greatest importance in all the polycie gouernment of the Church where is this commandemenâ— giue by Iesus Christe ether yet practised by his disciples Secondly how shall we take this to be a propitiatorie Sacrifice meriting and procuring such hie and excellent giftes and graces which onely is deuised by the fantasie of man and whereof there is neuer a word in the Scriptures of God conforme to the which we acknowledge an Sacrifice of the croice whereby we haue grace remission of our sinnes restitution to Gods fauor Redemption and Saluation Consider in what estimation we haue our God and what roume and prerogatiue we ascribe to man if he shall vsurpe and take vpon him to make such Sacrifices at his owen appetite which shall obteane and merite all thinges to him shall subdew the Eternall God to the pleasure of a filthy whoremonger taking vpon him the dispensation of the benefites of God Is not this to make man redemer of him self To spoile God of his owen honour and dignitie To subiect God to the will and pleasure of man And fynally not onelie to absence and deminâ—she but vtterly to deface and quenche the whole glorie virtew of the death of our Sauiour We know and teach that the minister preacheth the word annunceth the Sermon of peace and confort ministereth dispenseth the Sacramentes but the geuing of the inwarde grace the increas and augmentation of it we reserue all whole to the Spirite of God who applyeth and distrybuteth to euerie man at his good pleasure the merite of the Sacrifice of the croice together with all other giftes If it should be demanded of these gay teachers if any massemonger preist did euer pearish or wes condemned I truste they should answer quickly no for how can it come to pas that a preist who by the mâ—bling of a masse may conques and obteane the rewarde of the Eternal lyfe that this man shal pearish who may in the space of a quarter of an houre apply Saluation to him self this man I say can not but streight go to heauen yea long before his â—ine be cold as is â—aid vulgarly Secondly since it is in the will of the preist to apply the virtew of this Sacrifice to whome shall lyke him specially for the redemptioÌ„ of Soules what is the cause of Trentales of masses and fundations made for the soule of any certane man seing he may be redeamed deliuered by me I know therebe some stations iÌ„ Rome which giueth that power and priuiledge to any man by the saying of the Lordes prayer and the beleue to deliuer any a soule out of Purgatorie why is there now any masse said for this soule I know that the Pope selleth the same priuiledge as we haue sene in our dayes and I am able to produce the exemple if the tyme should suffer or were otherwayes neidful Besydes what moneth them to sing many masses yea and continew them dayly and yearely for the deliuerance of the soule of the riche man and but one for the nedie and indigent We haue sene Helas that if a riche and potent man should haue bene called vpon the Belles doubted all the Altares and Church ful of dule masses sung in euerie corner continued so long as money wes payed scarssy one said for the poore what meaneth this it being in the pleaâ—ure of the preist to deliuer and redeame as lyketh him ether muste we say that the preist hath bene inuius and anaritius or the masse is not of equale value to the riche and to the indigent but the more money is payed for them they are of les value this muste of necessitie follow Last of all I wold glaidlly be instructed of this how it hath proceaded that the Apostles neuer knew nor teached the Churches of this virtew of the masse It may appeare to be a wonderfull mater that the Church of God should haue bene defrauded of so great a treasure in those dayes we reid nothing in the Scriptures of this ryte of Sacrificing for the dead and the quick Of breaking of bread in the Lordes Table communion of the body and blood of our Sauiour many notable testimonies we haue but of this thy Sacrifice and applycation of the masse at the appetite of any man or otherwayes there
e mysteries of ye scripture speciallie of the word is of the latter Supper Quhareby thay vnderstand the Sacrifice of the Masse These thinges glorious Doctor be persuasiuelie spoken but they be not arguments of suche strenth as be vnuincible but shal be ouer throwen Well Iames is desyrus to here the reasons Then sayeth he ze sall considder that efter the ascension of our Sauiour the Spirit of veritie entred in the hartes of the Apostles geuing thaim full instructione of all places of Scripture quhare oure Sauiour hes spoken in Parables and all vther mysteriis of the Scriptures concerning our faith and trew vnderstanding of the sam Now man ze vnderstaÌ„d y t lyke as the Spirite of veritie gaue instructione to the Apostles of all the mysteriis of the Scriptures swa did the Apostles geue instruction to thair Disciples of all mysteriis of the Scriptures necessar to be knawin for a Christiane maÌ„nis saluatioÌ„e quha wer the Primitiue Kirk as I wald say beginnares of the faithfull Congregation immediatlie nixt to the Apostles Quharefor quheÌ„ soeuer question is for the vnderstanding of the mysteriis of the Scriptures and speciallie the Sacramentis and rycht vse of thaim quhilks but dout ar the maist profound mysteriis in al y t Scriptures it is ane assured way tyll haue recourse to the auld Ancien wryttares speciallie thay quha wes Disciples to the Apostles and Martyres for the faith of Iesus Christ to haue trew instructione baith of the Sacramentes and of the rycth vse of thaim as the Kirk of God hes euer teached ws be the perpetuall succession of tyme sen the tyme of the Apostles to thir our dayis conforme to the doctryne interpretation of the Scripture maid be thaim Quha wer Disciples to the Apostles and al 's conforme to the doctryne and deliberatioun of the generall Counsels duely conuenit to quhoÌ„e it appertenis to tak ordour in al maters doutsuÌ„ concerning faith coÌ„forme to the Scripture We be teached by the Scripturs in dede that the Apostles wer indued soddenly with the gyftes of the Spirit froÌ„ aboue which gyftes I beleue assuredlie wer not Idle in them so that it is out of all questione that the Apostles wer continuallie occupied in Predication of the word in ministratioÌ„ of the Sacramentes in planting of Churches euery where yea and I will go with yow in that that they had certane Familiars awaiting vpon them whom they instructed as we read of Lucas the familiar of Paule Marcus of Peter and such others yea and I will proceade forther yet with yow that euen in doutsum ambiguus matters that falleth in question I walde gladlie luke vpon the workes of them that hath faithfullie trauelled in the action of godlynes yea and receaue the determinations of generall Counciles but that with the reule and restriction geuen by yow conforme to the Striptures But that ye will hereby insinuat obliquelie quietlie meane that all corruption and vanitie Whereby the Church of God hath bene heretofore oppressed these many hundreth yeares the Sacramentes peruerted and ryght vse of them adulterated the worde being buried in all ignorante and proude contempt and man erected and sett vp in the place of God that ye will meane all this to haue proceaded of the Apostles and consequentlie of the spirite of God and hereby defend and restore the abhominations ouer thrawen by the blood and labours of many godlie men in this our aige In this I will answer yow feling your mynd reache and tend to this lest that some simple man shall chop here Trew it is that the Apostles had geuen vnto them the intelligence of the Scriptures and the mysteries thereof to the admiration of all men that so soddenlie ignorant aÌ„d Idiot men simple and abiect persones should start vp and not onely speak the praises of God in euery language disertlie but bouldly withstand the fury and rage of preistes Magistrates and the whole people where soeuer they passed Yet do we obserue this discretion in the Spirit of our God that some mysteries are kept from them secreit hidde for a certaine tyme as the vocation and calling of the Gentiles hidde frome Peter till the Reuelation wes made the vision came some did esteme the Ceremonies of the Law neidful which question troubled them so that they were euen diuided Thridlye some imperfectioÌ„s find we in them as when Paule withstaÌ„deth Peter in his face being worthy of reprehension Whereby we are admonished aÌ„d may obserue the wysedome of our God in handling his owen that howsoeuer he shall extolle and sett them vp yet doeth he brydle them so that they continuallie keip in mynd and remembrence them selues to be men to receaue all of God and a man left to him self what he is and how ready to declyne frome God From the lyke ignorance the Ancient Fathers Abraham Iacob Moyses Dauid can not be excused Moyses the beloued of god how cairful he is iÌ„ the gouernmeÌ„t of the people in iÌ„structing them in laying before them continuallie the law the ordinaÌ„ces and constitutions of God reducing to there remembrance there wounderfull delyuerance there preseruation in Egypt the great cair of God ouer them in the wyldernesse the mercyful coÌ„uenant made with there Fathers and renewed with them selues so that these peple wer the verie familiar scolers to the Prophete Yet what became Scarslie hath the Prophete turned his bak vp with God in the montayne when they fall to a horrible defection and haynus apostasie froÌ„ God erecteth Idolatrie yea and carieth the hie preiste Aaron brother to Moyses with them to the same impietie What an instrumeÌ„t do we think S. Paule in the church of God What trauell taketh he in executioÌ„ of the charge laid vpon him how diligentlie teacheth he the Corinthianes remaning amongest them the space of a year and one half But immediatlie efter his departinge what corruptioÌ„ entreth in that church he coÌ„cealeth it not but plane lie testifieth in his Epistles to them and cheiflie in the formare where he compleneth of the deprauation of the Lordes Supper and of the resurrection besydes many other thinges he scharplie layeth to there charge with other such exemples occurreth in Scriptures Which were to long tedious and not necessarie to prosecute Whereby we may first obserue and note yea euen a grosse ignorance to be sumtymes in the chosen and elect of God that be appoynted to the ministerie SecoÌ„dly how easalie men are caried away froÌ„ the obedience of god ryghtuousse lawfull obseruatioÌ„ of his ordinaÌ„ces What necessitie iudge ye to be in your aâ—gumeÌ„ts alledgeing there Fathers to haue bene the Disciples of the Apostles and instructed by them When we see oftentymes Scollers declyne from the doctryne of there maisters as we reade planelie of Ioas who during the tyme of Ichoiada did it that wes ryghtuousse and iust in the eyes of the Lorde But as euer the hie Preiste wes taken
veritie y t the Disciples of the Apostles had the trew vnderstanding of all the mysteries of the Scripture necessare to be knawin for ane Christiane maÌ„nis saluatioÌ„ speciallie of the profound mysterie of the Supper of the Lorde Quhareof is gathered the Sacrifice of the Masse Quharefor I am desyrus to knaw the sayingis of ye auld wryttars speciallie of thaim y e war Disciples to the Apostles of the Masse giue thay mak mention of it in thare workes Heretofore some releif had I of yow brother But now being becumin no les Inimie to this cause nor the Abbot hiÌ„self here ye must not be offeÌ„ded brother Iames if I shal renuÌ„ce forder amitie to your I trust ye speak not this of your owen head but as your Tutoure hath instructed you Here I must schew to you where ye chope to wit in this that ye do think the trew vnderstanding of the mysteries of the scripture to consiste in proximitie of tyme or in familiaritie with the Apostles foreclosing the graces of God and bynding them to a certane age and tyme meanyng that the familiaritie of the Apostles might make stedfastnes and constancie I wold not any man should think that I speak this in preiudice of the ancients Which I with al my hert reuereÌ„ce But I wold not that the foreconceaued opinion of there authoritie should preinge the action of veritie and that no man shoulde think this to be sufficient to establishe any doctryne to say the man who wes the familiare of Paule and this of Ihon the Disciple sayeth and so to conclude it to be allowed as godlie I am assured there be none of there Disciples of that they wer reached by them wyll establishe any other thing nor the Spirite of God approued in his Scriptures But we know there complaintes and the forewarnyng of the Apostles Ihon in his Canonick they haue passed furth of vs but they were not of vs and S. Paule exhorteth the ouersears of Ephesus to tak head and be vigilant for of them selues sayeth he shall ryse vp men speaking wicked thinges immediatlie efter my departing yea rauenus Wolffes hauing no pitie on the floke and so furth Whereby we may gather that it is not yneugh to haue bene familiare and familiarlie instructede by the Apostles no not by Iesus Christ him self vnles we considdre if they be of there Disciples in dede which is knowen by conference of there writtinges with the doctryne of the Apostles if they aggre not we may wel affirme with Ihon they passed furth frome them but they were not of them This mater is so plaine that it nedeth no forther probation in my iudgement Now cumeth our author and difâ—endeth to the sayinges of the Fathers Which he hath gathered out of there werkes as he thoght they myght serue to his mater and first he recyteth Testimony of Ignatius in his Epistle Ad smirninses It is not leiful to offre nor to mak Sacrifice nor say masse without the Byschops authoritie and consent These wordes of this Ancient doctor ye vnderstande and expone of your vnsauorie Sacrifice altogether prophane Which I am sure if he wer a lyue he should say he neuer knâ—w nor yet ment of any such impietie The sentence and the mynd of this author may be easalie gathered for there his cheif aÌ„d principall studie is that discorde may be auoyded in the assemblies and conuentions of the people The which cryme the Apostle Paule layeth scharply to the charge of the Corinthians Herefore sayeth he it shall not be leiful without any kynde of difference and ordour to all and euery one to conueyne the people to haue publique assemblies and there to offre vp Sacrifice that is to preache the doctryne of Saluation to offre vp prayer and action of thankes in name of the whole Conuention for these exercises according to the custome of the old testament yea the new ar called sacrifices by the fathers the Apostles and there disciples and such others that it should not be leifull to euery man to conueyne the people without a charge to the practeis of the Lordes Supper called there planelie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Conuention of them that shall practeis the Lordes Table I haue compleyned before of the ignorance of Greik Latine tounges the Ignoration whereof no doute hes moued vs a great part of this busines specialie hauing to do with men that vnderstandeth not the ê“prietie of them It is plaine that Epiphanius vnderstandeth by this miss â— the publique Conuentioun of the people to the seruice of God to here the Preaching the Prayers made thankes geuen and the Lordes Table and such other godlie exercises in which the primitiue Church did exercise them selues as we may be teached by Socrates in the Tripartite Historie recyting the ordour of the Church of Alexandria Where the Scripture wes rede exponed Prayers made the Communion distributed and oblatioÌ„ made that is a certane gathering for the poore and Iustinus in his Apologie for the Christians For as in the old TestameÌ„t the people conuened at certane tymes to offre vp the Sacrifices of Kiddes Lambes and suche others conforme to the commandement made in the law So now in the new Testament by the Superintendents Elders Ministers the people is conueyned for a certane ordoures cause and offreth vp vituios labiorum the Sacrifice of prayse thankes and Prayers Now followeth Clemens whom this author affirmeth to haue bene S. Peters Disciple if he wes I know not I haue recyted the IudgemeÌ„t of Clemens Alexandrinus of him damning him planelie and that out of Eusebius But I fynd not that the wordes of Clemens can any wayes hurte which are Nane of the Preistis sal say Masse in his Paroche nor Baptise nor do ony vther thing without permission of the Byschope thir sayingis the Apostles resauit of the Lorde and gaue tyll vs and we teache y â— sam and commandis zow to hade and teache to al men without reprehensioun These wordes may be euen so vnderstand as the sentence of Ignatius for all tendeth to a scope but this writter in dede because I fynd him full of superstitions ether is he by wicked men adulterate as we know the Papistes to haue interiected many wicked senteÌ„ces in the writtings of godlie and Catholique men or if he writeth of his owen head I dar bouldly affirme that he wes no Scoler of Peter but as Ihon speaketh he passed furthe frome him but wes not of his and this is the opinion of Clemens Alexandrinus Who planely condamned this your Clemens Epistles Followeth Alexander quha wes martyred for the faith of Christe fourtene houndreth 30. nyne zeris bypast wryttis on this maner our Lordis Passion is to be rehears it in all Solemnities of the Masse with sick Sacrifice the Lorde is delyted and pacifeit and wyll forgeue gret Sinnes for amang the Saccrifice thare can be na thing greater than
is this not that thing that appeareth good in thy eyes shall thou do to the Lord thy God but what the Lord thy God hath commanded thee that do thou thou shall adde nothing thereto nether shall thou deminish any thing there fro Consider now Sire in what rank workes done without Gods commandement are placed and take better head to distinctions and defferences inuented to auoid a treuth Thus farre myght Iames haue gone with you if ye had bene mynded to haue led him the ryght way But now let vs consider the answer made to the Second parte of Iames argument called in the Scooles somtymes Assumptioâ— somtymes minor Here our Kynnishe Doctor trauelleth exceadingly to proue the masse not to be inueÌ„ted by man but instituted by our Sauiours Christ Iesus at the latter Supper at the least the effect and substance of it And to confirme this he giueth a deffinition of the masse concluding all the other Cerimonies prayers and orations to be added by the Apostles and their Disciples moste faslie and vntreuly as shal be after spoken when as we haue ended and proued that parte that he Subiunis of the name of the masse For this is his ordor to fall from the substance to the appellation immediatly introducing Iames and making him to proue the masse no wayes to be instituted by our Sauiour Christ seing there is no such name in the new Testament I am not ignorant what weight force the argument is of that is drowen A nota nominis in the Logique Scooles to wire that it is more probable to persuade then strong and pithie to conuict Yet if we shall consider the Scriptures of God the maner of proceading of the holy Spirite in them no dout it shal be found as it were inuincible For I ask of you Doctor that taketh vpon you continual reading and meditation of the Scriptures where ye do euer find any ordinance of God set furth to the which the Spirit of God giueth not a certane name whereby lyuelie as it were he paynteth furthe the mater and propertie thereof I am assured that the holy institution of circumcision is so tearmed by the Spirite of God the pashoner lykewise the Sacrifices appointed in the boke of Leui as they by their cerimonies and oblations are distinguished one from an other so euerie one hath their own proper name which no man durst alter change or innouate In the new Testament the lyke to be practised by the same Spirite it is moste euident Is not the Sacrament of our regeneratioÌ„ called Baptisme and that moste properlie the holie action of our Sauiour at the Table before his departing from his Apostles in the which he gaue bread and wine the verie signes and tokens yea the verie pledges of his body and blood is not this action called somtymes the Communion somtymes the Lordes Supper and such other appellations drawen furth of the Scriptures as the Sacrament of his body blood and of thankesgeuing This then being cleir that there is no institution in the old nor yet iÌ„ the new TestameÌ„t but as moste faythfully cairfully the ceremonies the rytes and the maner of them are declared so shal we obserue the names to be moste properlie attrybuted vnto them For this we may eissally obserue the trauell and studie of the Spirite of God to be that as the ordinances of God are moste clene and holy in them selues so they be exempted from all matche patching of the foolish imagination of mans hart This rule therefore may serue to try all strange bastard iÌ„stitutions of man croppen in the place of the trew and faithfull ordinances of God which haue obscured adulterated and defaced the Germane ceremonies left and deposed by our onely Law maker Iesus Christ the wosdome of his Father What are ye able Sire I pray you to say agaiÌ„st this argumeÌ„t Al the ordinaÌ„ces of God are so set furth in the scriptures that nether is there any ceremonie pretermitted nor yet is the name of the whole action passed by with sielencâ— Nether is the name of your masse conteined in the Scriptâ—res nor yet the cerimonies vsed in it prescriued by our Sauioure It followeth then that it hath nothing to do with the institutions of our Maister Iesus Christ. To your subterfuge pretended of Clemens and Ignatius when as I shall answer to the authorities of the Doctors cited by you there shal be declared the meaning of them and how they vsed that word to no such thing as ye meane Clemens if he wes the Scolar of Peter I know not but sure I am that if he wes his Disciple and these his workes which be set furth in his name that Peter should think him worthy of the stryppes for there is ether nothing or verie lytle that sauoreth of the breist of that Apostle in this Clemens This I wold ye should receaue rather of the mouth of Eusebeus nor myne who writing in the sext boke and. 11. Cha. of the Ecclesiastical historie of Clemens Alexandrinê° what vnlefull testimonies he vsed reckynneth this your Clemens Epistle Ignatius writeth in Greik the interpretors ignorant of that language or els not throughlie vnderstanding latine yea and not knowing the meaning of the Author turneth by this word Missas celebrare where the godly writer Ignatius vseth these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or such wordes signifeing not els but to coÌ„uene assemble gather the people together to the seruice of God This may appeare euidently in the place of Socrates that is in the thrid boke of the tripertie historie writing of Melitiê° ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which place is turned by Epiphaniê° the followers of Meclitius made masses apart the author meaning no suche mater nor yet the turner of no such masse as we haue sene but onely that they conuened apart by them selues so abstracted them selues from the rest of the CongregatioÌ„ The ignorance of this language deceaueth thee glorious Doctor howsoeuer thou be puft vp in thy owne consaite and playes King harrad amongest thy owne companions lyke vnto thy self but hereafter we wil haue better occasion to speak of this mater in the conference of the Doctors There is yet an other shift pretty as appeares to this Author which is that the Fathers conuened at the councill holding at Nicea to refute the herysie of Arius inueÌ„ted this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and an other whereby they tearme the Virgine to be the mother of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Theothitos as ye do write ignorantly the thridt in our own tongue Trinitie which wordes sayeth this Author are not found in the Scriptures what if I shal deny this vnto this new start vp Doctor of Carrick How is he able to proue it if he vnderstandeth not the language that the Scriptures were first written in by the finger of the holy Goste But to come nerrer what albeit these wordes be not found seing it
blood of our Sauiour to lurke and so to be expossed to the doggishe appetite and cruell teath of a filthy harlote what a masked Sacrifice is this Augustyne speaketh more reuerently geuing vs a generall reule to discerne proper speaches and thinges that be spoken properly and vnderstand euen as they be written from improper and Metaphoricall that whensoeuer we be commanded to do that which includeth no absurditie nor repugneth not to all humanitie nature then haue we to take this commandement as properly spoken and to be obeyed as it speaketh But where the commandement is giuen against all humaintie nature and reason as to eat the fleshe of man and to drink his blood then let vs think well that the speaking is improper and Metaphorical What wil thou answer to this saying of this godly learned man Thou seeth plainely this godly Father to grant manifestly a figure in these wordes this is my body and that they oght to be vnderstand figuratiuelie and Metaphorically iudgeing it a great impietie til a man to think that he shall eat the body and fleshe of man drink his blood in any wayes really and substantially as ye do fondly imagine But to be mirry with you ye do well that howsoeuer ye do vse this haynus cruel and more nor barbarus boucherie vpon the Sonne of God yet that he sealeth not your horrible intreatment that he being a maÌ„ against the nature of man is made insensible and inuisible some relief and confort hath he God giue you his holy Spirite that ye may ones consider the treuth submit your self vnto it in all humilitie The last defference is in the consideration of the cause wherefore the Lordes body is offerred vp in the Sacrifice of the masse The Lordes body wes offered vpon the croice to obtene euerlasting lyfe satisfaction for sinne redemâ—tion and so furth The Sacrifice of the masse was institute by our Sauiour in the last Supper not as a new satisfaction or redemption but it is a new Sacrifice in coÌ„memoration and rememberance of Christes death and passion be the vse of the quhilk we are made pertakers of the fruct of his death and passion This farre In deid in the practise of the Lordes Table we be teached to celebrate the Lordes death till his comming that is to say to remember and meditat with our selues yea and confesse preach and annunce in presence of the whole world the benefites procured and obteined vnto vs by the death and resurrection of our Sauiour and no dout the faithfull is ioyned with Christe and made participant of his iustice holynes innocencie and so furth Yea and as Tertuliane speaketh the bread and the cuppe are verie pledges of our spirituall lyfe resurrectioÌ„ and Saluation But we acknowledge no such thing to be receaued of thy wicked impius and vngodly masse which thou here decketh vp with the ornamentes of the Lordes holy table not vnlyke to Esops Crawe But since we are atteined hetherto I will not werie to shaw the defferences betuix the two which shall not be altogether without fruct nor yet from the purpose and shall conclude them shortly in four heades 1. First we know Iesus Christe appointed vncted of his Father the Eternall preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec then to haue executed absolued and perfyted the office of his preisthead when as at the will of his Father he offered him self vp in a Sacrifice of sweit Sauour vpon the croice the onely and Eternall Sacrifice which no dout wes prefigurat long before in Melchisedec who being ones in the Scriptures broght in is declared to be the preist of the liuing God without any further mention of him In this blasphemus Sacrifice of your masse ye spoile and rubbe the SoÌ„ne of God the onely and Eternal preist of this prerogatiue of preisthead ioyning to him Collateralles Companions successors and suffraganes to vse his charge and execute his office euen as the same infirmitie were in him that wes in the preistes of the Lawe who by their mortalitie wes driuen to take men till occupy their roumes supplie there absence and so releif their charges The Apostle affirmeth no such imperfection to be in our Sauiour the Eternall preist euer liuing to execute his office of mediation and intercession whose preisthead is of that nature that it can not be transfered into any other And if it be trew that we be teached by the same Author that no man taketh any honour vpon him but he that is called of God as Aron Shaw the place and commandement of appoynting of these new Sacrificers And as I am moste certane that thou shall finde none in the Scriptures so am I assured that thow can haue no suffrage nor testimony of antiquitie thereof For Chrysostomus is plaine and Augustine plainely sheweth it to be the voice of the Antichrist if any man shall call a Bishop a mediator betuix God and man so straitly doeth he ascribe and vendicat the whole honour of preisthead vnto Christe that not one â—ote he will thole to be taken or communicat with 〈◊〉 other 2. The Second difference is that it wholy defaceth and distroyeth the croice and passion of Christe For that is moste certane that assone as euer thou erecteth an Alter that the croice of Christe is vtterly extinguished For ye will not deny but our Sauiour Christe offered vp himself to purches and obteâ—ne perpetuall sanctificaion and forgiuenes to his Elect and faithfull the vertew whereof is Eternal and remaneth other wayes we could iudge no other thing of this Sacrifice of Christe then of them vnâ—er the Lawe the which are tryed by that to be of small value that they wâ—re oft reiterat Wherefore we muste conclude ether that the croice of Christe lacketh the force of Eternall pâ—rgation or els that it is a sufficient Sacrifice whereby he hath fully satisfied for all and that perpetually Now then if place shal be to this thy Sacrifice which isso practised that a hundreth thousand of them are offered vp in a day What can we think but that the passioÌ„ of our Sauiour wherein he offered vp him self to his Father shal be vtterly rased defaced buryed and quenshed I sâ—air to rehears the testimonies of the Scripture because we will haue immediatly after occasion to speak of them 3. The thrid propertie and vertew of the masse is that â—t burieth and obliterateth the death of our Sauioure to the which is attrybuted by the Spirite of God the whole Saluation and Redemption of man For as commonlie â—monges men the Testaments and latter willes of men are of no effect nor strenth to the man that maketh it be depriued of lyfe so we know our Sauiour to haue confirmed his Testament wherein we be written aires of the Eternal kingdome by his death Weknow lykewayes what a Sacriledge it is to alterre change varie and innouate any iote of a Testament Shall this
I answer that there is a great diuersitie betuix the one and the other for the one is appointed for an other cause and directed to an other bute nor the other The one is to receaue vs of nature being strangers into the couenant league societie and housholde of God the other is to witnes and testifie that all those that be thus entered in the league to them all is common they are all members of one body they haue all one faith one Baptisme one Lorde and Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe vpon the body and blood of the which Iesus they do all fead so that now herein is signified the great and heigh mysterie of our communication together that they are all one body as the Apostle doeth plainely testifie and these two Sacramentes lacketh not their figures in the olde Testament we know Baptisme to haue succeded in the place of circumcisioÌ„ and the Lordes Supper in the roume of the Pasouer The eight day precisely wes appointed for ministration of the Sacrament of circumcision so that now supputation to be made from the day of the Natiuitie of the Childe ether thou moste say that God prouided them all to be borne in one day or els they were receaued according to the ordour of the Lawe euerie one conforme to the calculation from his Natiuitie so that now one wes receaued seuerally or els God prouided mo This can not be denyed to vs but in the Pasouer thou will not finde that one did sit doune alone eat it but that rather then any should lacke of the nomber they should call vpon their nighboures and so go to that mysterie Now consider with thy self first in the figures of the one the other Secondly in the effectes the defference betuix the one and the other that thy argumentes can no wayes procead nor haue any place The suÌ„me of our whole disputation is to attend and discerne diligently betuix the commanded ceremonies of our God hauing including certane misteries whiche can not be pretermitted without a certane sacriledge yea the peruerting of the hoill action institution as we be plainelie teached by Paule 1. Cor. 11. such other cercumstances as tyme place and such others which in dede may be altered and changed at the determination of the church Hitherto I haue susteined the parte of Iames but heir he foolishlie tholeth him self to be caried away thus sayeth I perceaue be your ressoning it is expedient that thair be diuers ceremonies and customes vsed in the ministration of the Sacrament and al 's in the Sacrament of the masse quhilk are not conteined in Scripture I thoght ye should haue said in this maner I perceaue there be many ceremonies customes bowinges murgeons and such others tryfles not vnlyke to a farce or an Aippes play vsed in your masse which our Sauioure did not coÌ„mad nor the Apostles practise nether yet is allowed of any antiquitie that it hath no similytude nor affinitie with the Lordes Table but rather vtterly repugnnig and contrarius vnto it yea and in it ye blasphemussy call the Sacrament of the Lordes body and blood ye haue fraudfully spoyled the people of God of the one parte thereof and so not onely impiusly hath peruerted the substance of it but in the action it self hath proceadeth with the same remeritie rashenes and Sacriledge to the contempt of God and the bitter and greuous sobbinges of all godly seing the people of God thus miserablie deceaued by you and in the place of the holsome and confortable Cuppe of medicine the bitter and horrible Goblet of vennome Gal daÌ„nation tyranoussy and vnmercifullie propyned But this Soule hunter iÌ„troduceth Iames seruiÌ„g to his turne speaking at his appetite I dout not against the mynde of the gentilman whome I take to be godly and nothing content of his parte in this farce To this is answered frely of the parce of the Abbote in this maner Trew it is albeit Iesus Christ our Sauiour hes appointed be his word and Scripture all thinges necessare for manis Saluation as towarde the substance and effect nottheles as towarde the ceremonies and maner how thir thinges should be vsed quhilkê he hes appointed for manis Saluation he refered it to his Kirk and Ministers to quhome he hes promised the Spirit of veritie to the end of ye warld And so furth Wold to God ye vnderstude what ye haue here said in the former parte of your answer but I feare ye play here the parte of Caiphas wheÌ„ he prophecied that it wes meit and necessarie that one should die for the people not knowing what he had said This godly Reader hath bene continually and is the whole trauell and studie of the godly preachers to assure vs of the infinite and perfect wisdome of our God vtterred in his Scriptures of the sufficiencie of his word which this fyue or six hundreth yeares hath bene kept in a most horrible bondage by the tyraÌ„ny of them that vanted themselues be the tytles of Pastors to the soire complaint of the godly in al aiges and the haynus horrible entreating of the poore flok redeamed with the precius blood of Iesê° Christe This good word that it may wel and euidently appeare that thou euer reteanest thy owen nature as it is fallen furth of a certane euenture so it is wrapped suedled vp with the vennemous dregge of Papistrie and the fond imaginatioÌ„ of thy owen hart so that scaerflie can it appeare for thou adiunest I can not tell what distinguo toward the substance sayest thou all is conteined in scriptures necessarie for our Saluation and not towarde the ceremonies What if I should say to thee pas thy way with thy ceremonies that thou callest and I will content me with the mater and substance what could thou obiect Thou speakest all Magistraliter Sorbonice assuming all that thou sayest without any probation What callest thou ceremonies that thou vrgest here to be so necessarie The exemple adduced by you will declaire and I trust we shall aggre as by exemple Followeth in our Text our Sauiour when he institute Baptisme he commanded his Apostles that thay should Baptise in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the haly Gaste he appointed nether tyme nor place nor quha sould beir witnes to them that war Baptised Here ye may obserue that this Author called the tyme and place ceremonies which are not ceremonies but as I haue tearmed them heretofore circumstances the determination and appointing whereof I moste willingly submit vnto the wisdome and discretion of the congregation of the faithful and godly not to the wicked and pernicius but to the trew teachers and not to the Reuenus Volfes to the humble and lowly and not to the horned Bishopes bloody Cardinalles and the head and cheif of that whole rable the Antichriste of Rome who hath so hemd in and obscured the holy ordinances of God with their beggerly
of schâ—rcie and sayeth they shall haue no other signe but the signe of Ionas who wes thre dayes ad thre nyghtes in the whales bellie not hereby laboring or intending to proue his Buriall anywise but rather to mocke and wrape them vp in a great obstinacie aÌ„d blyndnes It that is adduced by Peter of the Arke of Noie is not to serue for one probation of his purpose but to declare that he is not altogether destitute of some thing iÌ„ the ould TestameÌ„t secuâ—ng and aggreing to his mater And to prosecute the conformitie of the figurat thinges wiâ—h the figures what haue we correspondent in Baptisme to maste sailles other thinges most ê“perlie apperteyninge to the Arke if this should be vrged as shâ—w moste instantlie requirest then in Baptisme we pull vp sailles haue all other thinges aggreing with the Ark ê‘ceaue your owen vanitie God forbid We shall so entreat the Scripturs of God that the German treuth and veritie of the matters reiected we shall cleaue vnto incertane Allegories hauing no pith nor strenth to conuince but rather with varietie of mater delyte as may moste euedentlie appeare be the exemple of Paule who hauing prouen his intent by strong arguments and interiected certane exhortations to moue the Galathians for decoring and erornyng the mater addeth this allegorie or figure whiche in it self is no solide probation but now is not to be reiected the mater being sufficientlie prouen Origenes in deid and a great noumbre with him are moued yea caried away efter Allegories by this exemple of the Apostle thrawing and wreisting the Scripture froÌ„ the owen proper sense aÌ„d vnderstanding curious vaine men delyting more in subtile speculations and diuises of there owen hertes nor in solide doctryne and treuth and the naturall interpretation of the Scripture And of this no dout hath proceded the great ignorance and contempt of the Scriptures the prophanation whereof God hath moste Iustlie auenged in this that we see the verrie proper intelligence of them ouerset oppressed with bastarde glosses and fonde allegories If we will profe it in the intelligence of the scriptures Let vs cleane to the Germane sense of the Text embrace it aÌ„d stik by it As to diuised expositions aliene fra the mater what culour or cloik so est they shall haue let vs not onely reiect them boldlie but iudge them vnworthy to be hard And this is the mynd of Chrysostomus vpon the forenamed place of Paule Now passe thy way with thy vaine Allegories and deceaue Iames or suche others that knoweth not the pith of them for we are God be praysed other wayes instructed nor to receaue them to establishe any doctryne otherwayes doutsome ether yet to seik the conformitie of the figure with the thing figurat in all poyntes For figures we haue to Iudge to be as Parables in the whiche the scope and the fyne being obserued with the substâ—ntiall poyntes seruing to the purpose we haue not curiuslie and anxiuslie to insist in al others thiÌ„ges that be rehearsed aâ— is plaine to any man that is but indifferentlie versed in the Scripturs And to end this long disputatione in one worde Isaac wes the figure of our Sauiour his immolation the type of the Croce of our Sauiour and this is the moste lyuelie figure I darre say that we can fynd through out all the Scripturs Yet do they not in all aggre for we know that Isaac wes not offred but a Ram wes taken offred for him If your argument should haue place sire their should we say that our Sauiour wes not offred vp but as some haue said Symon Cyreneus taken and Crucified for him tak head that ye be not suspected of the same deuilishe and impius opinion Now haue we perused the partes of your booke in the which ye go about to proue establishe your purpose by testimony of Scripture Your arguments hath bene recyted faithfullie and so pithilie refelled that I trust any man of sobrietie should be satisfied yea and what so euer thow braggest ether of thy Iudgement in the naturall interpretation of the places adduced by the ether yet of dexteritie in the proper applycation of them and how vanelie thow this takest vpon the to the purpose and mater how aptlie and conuenientlie thow so doest I take it to be manifest But here allace Iames yealdeth and casteth all froÌ„ him so struken down by one allegorie that he granteth him vtterlie vainquest almost cryeth Gods mercy Ye lacked I truste brother Iames a faithfull armoure bearer to haue serued yow of wappinnes but what aualeth it to put good wappinnes of defence or yet of inuasion in the handes of him that can not handle nor vse them in tyme and place Damd wes more expedite able and ready with his fling staf to go feght against Goliath nor he wes inarâ—ed on all partes with the fynest harnes the King had â–ª on the one part beiÌ„g encuraged be the ryghtuousnes and equitie of the cause and on the other feat of his personn and wel acquent with his wappinnes Now Iames granteth hiÌ„self sufficieÌ„tlie persuaded with the conference of Scriptures and thinketh them seat and proper to the purpose and onely is desyrus by what other wayes and meanes this diuine is able to persuade that our Sauiour iÌ„stituted the sacrifice of the masse in the latter Supper the Doctor answereth That he wyl persuad the same by the vniuersall Doctryne interpretation and consent of the auld Ancient father is Interpretouris of the Scriptures of almythtie God baith the Greikes and the Latinistes together with the deliberatioÌ„ of the maist Ancient and notable Counsales Quhilk euer hes bene sen the faith began This is fairlie and largelie promeist and howe rashelie interprised shal be efter knoweÌ„ but here I pray thee indifferent reader considder the craft of this sportar in exornyng and decking vp them quhose authorities he is efter to abuse not but I will grant a great part of the fathers and some of the conciles to be worthy of prayse and admiration But I pray thee note the ambition of the maÌ„ who wil seme to haue al for him I truste to obtene the same in this part that I haue already in the matters preceading that is to pull fra him the authoritie of the Fathers and the determinations of Counciles suche as be of most estimation and faith And then will he know the strenth of the reid of Egypt he leaneth vnto But here is casten in be Iames a questioÌ„ if he thinketh that the interpretation and doctryne of the ould wryters concerning the mysterijs of the Supper of the Lord is sufficient to persuade the Sacrifice of the masse to this it is answered treuly sayeth he I am perswaded be iÌ„uincible ressons quhilks ar aggreable with ye scripturs of almychtie God that ye auld writtars speciallie thay quha wes disciples to the Apostles had the trew mynde and vnderstanding of y
away how horriblie he declyned and returned to the trace of his wicked fathers the historie doeth planelie testifie ye your-self some tymes I haue hard to haue casten furth the fylthie and pestilēt dung of papistrie to the great confort of many now how miserably ye are declyned ād returned to youre vomite the trouble that ye do moue doeth lykewyse witnes So then we haue to receaue lawfull and constant scollers who being instructed in the treuth remaneth constantly therein Ambitious proude and arrogante and such as can not content them with the simple treuth of Gods worde and the puritie of his constitutions and Sacramentes we haue not to acknowledge for Disciples to the Apostles nether yet to geue vnto them such authoritie whereby the gyftes of Gods spirite may be foreclosed or yet any thing receaued preiudicial otherwyse to the ordinances of God I am sure the godlie Fathers craueth no forther of the reader but that he allow follow it that is setfurth by authoritie of Scriptures where they excede the boundes and speaketh of there own head they geue vs libertie to reiect al 's frelie as they haue taken rashelie vpon them to wryt it This is the iudgement of all the ould and godlie fathers and namely Cypriane who in his 3. Epistle of his secounde book If in the Sacrifice which is Christ sayeth he onely Christ is to be followed then is it force to vs to here and practeis that that Christ did and that he commāded to be done since he sayeth in his own Euangel If ye do the thinges that I command yow now cal I yow not seruandes but freindes and in dede we are commanded to here him onely by the father who hath geuen him to be the Angell of great counsell and the onely teacher to his church The same reule and moderation is prescribed by Augustine to all readers of his workes Geue not thy self to my wryttinges as to the Canonical Scriptures But in them without all tarie beleue when thow shall fynd that thow beleuest not but in these meanyng of his owen it that thow wes not assured of retene it not certanelie vntil thow haue vnderstand it assuredlie And in one other place I wyll not thow follow my authoritie that because I haue said it thow shall think thy self astricted to beleue it But ether beleue the Cononicall scriptures if thow seest not as yet the thing that is trew or els to the veritie teaching inwardlie and schawīg that thow may see it planelie And lykewyse in one other place we ought not to esteme or receaue the disputations of euery man be thay neuer so Catholike and laudable as the Canonical Scripturs that it shal not be leiful to vs the reuerence saned that is due to them to improue reiect some thinges in there writtinges if pereuenture we shall fynd that they haue other wayes iudgeid nor the veritie ether with the help of God vnderstand by vs or searched out by others conteyneth I am this man in other mennes wryttinges and wylleth euery man to vnderstand myne in the same maner I myght adduce out of this same authour and otheres of the anciēts if the necessitie should require it where they lay this reule and moderation nowyse astricting the reader to follow that which they haue Iudged to be moste cōsonant to the treuth but sending them to the scripturs This moderation and reule being layed I wyll trauel with yow through the feildes of the Doctours Counciles which as ye say wel ought and should attempte no thing aboue the counsell of God reueled in his Scripturs but ought to determine all by the precise reule thereof The Apostles taketh no forther vpon them I haue receaued of the Lorde sayeth Paule that which I haue delyuered to yow our Sauiour in the reformation of Mariage goeth to the Originall institution being demanded of the cheif commandement he hath recurse to the lawe being tempted by the Sadducces in the mater of resurrectiō he ryteth not the bookes of the Thalmude nether yet the conciles and the Cōmentaries of the Hebrues but bringeth furth the plane Scripture and correcting the wicked and pernitious interpretations of such as had place to his cōming without any repugnācie or cōtradiction of the scriptures sayeth ye know it wes said to the Ancients and Immediatlie he addeth but I say to yow teaching vs hereby that bidding faire wel to the doctryne of men we ought to cleane to the sure trew and vndouted sense and mynd of Scripture The Anciēts in that they say well we shoulde praise allow them But we should not be there followers but as they wer the followers and Imitators of Iesus Christ nor yet allow them in that which is wicked this is lykewayes our Iudgement of Counciles We wyll grant that it apperteyneth to godly and excercised men in the Scriptures of God to determine according to the scriptures vpō al thīges that he called in doute wherein we can admitte no tyrannicall power of any mā which being receaued aboue all authoritie of Scripture and of the conueyned brothren the experience teacheth ws how preiudiciall it hes bene to the Church of God where we haue sene no thing but the stinkīg traditiōs of a tyrane not in equale degre and rank with the ordinances of God but placed and authorished aboue them the puritie of the worde vtterlie quenched the Sacramentes prophaned ād adulterat yea and the godlie constitutions of ancient conciles by the iniquitie and ambition of a man affecting and exerting the Impyre aboue all others abrogated ī the latter Counciles Attoure we be sufficientlie teached by the Councile holden at Carthage in the tyme of Cypriane Where he wes present what authoritie is to be geuen to them if they shall tak vpon them to defyne any thyng of there owen heades Wes not there the Anabaptisme established and erected by a plane Decree Besydes others thinges that Augustine dissimuleth not but they did displease him Shall we be accused to oppone vs hauing the authoritie of God to a councile where al thing is determined according to the affection of man Paphnutius a singulare man withstude and opponed him to the whole Councile holden at Nice the moste godlie Councile I dar say that hath bene sen the tyme of the Apostles To conclude then we wyll gladlie wyllinglie admitte ether priuat man or generall Councile that defynes vpon the matters of cōtrouersie by the Scriptures if they do not we wyl take the libertie that is purcheshed to vs by Iesus Christ say planelie that we wyll not be made seruandes to men according to the commandement of S. Paule Here allace Iames as happinneth commonlie that a man ones fangged in wyl grant more nor ye wold desyre condescendeth to more nor is affirmed or wes required that the mater shall haue the more weyght and authoritie affirmeth it of his conscience To be of
of our faith in the which all authoritie of man set a part the onely scole maister Iesus Christe is to be harde according to the commandement giuen here him what euer Augustine did iudge of purgatorie and prayer for the dead I am assured these be his wordes First the faith of the Catholicques by the authoritie of God hath beleueth that there is a kingdom of heauen the secunde that there is a Hell in the which all that declyneth to Apostasie or diuideth him self frome the faith of Christ shall feile torments We know no thrid yea aÌ„d we find noÌ„e in the holy Scripturs And in one other place best it were in one incertane mater of the which the scripturs maketh no mention miâ—tacken affirmeth the contrarie that they should say no â—hing coÌ„forme to the sentence of the wyse Seneca in thâ—â—◠〈◊〉 douesum thow should affirme nothing but hald 〈◊〉 iudgemeÌ„t incertane In others places he planely douteâ— euen In Luchiridio ad Laureunum 68. Cap. and writeth the same in the conclusion of 68. some thing lyke this sayeth he to happin efter this lyfe it is not incredible but he sayeth if it be so it may be demanded and ether to be funde or to be ignored and these same wordes ye shall find Ad dulcinum questione prima and in the boke of faith and workes Cap. 1â— whidder then men shall suffer these thinges in this lyfe or yet efter this lyfe some suche iudgements shal ensue it abhorreth not as I beleue frome reasoun and againe in 21. of the Citie of God Cap. 26. hauing spoken of Purgatorie subioyneth this I red argue not for pereuenture it is trew In al these ye may ê‘ceaue euideÌ„tlie Augusti to dout of it but against Pelagius to affirme planely that efter the deperting out of this lyfe there is Heauen and Hell and no thrid place But thow wyll say that he affirmeth it in other places I answer that those places in the which he appereth to affirme it should be exponed by these that ether he wes certantlie persuaded that there was no suche thing or then he douted of it But now wolde I aske of thee why wolde thow this godly man should certanely affirme that which he can not proueether by authoritie or by exemple of attentique scripture If it be a thing so coÌ„fortable necessarie do we think that boith the ancien Fathers vnder the law should haue bene frauded nether yet any reuelation made to the Apostles of it I wyll not feght with stronger arguments because it is but incident and accessorie to our mater The argument of praying for the dead is euerted by the same reason trew it is and can not be denyed but of long antiquitie it heth bene receaued to praye for the dead and againe it is not to be douted but they were meÌ„ and builded not euer vpon the fundation Gold Syluer precious stones And we knowe that there is no antiquitie of opinion nor errour that oght to prescribe or preiudge to the veritie for it is moste certane that euen in the tyme of the Apostles errours were and Paule him self maketh mention of euyll builders yea â–ª and a lytle efter there age we read that some wes 〈◊〉 opinion that Baptisme should be receaued for the deâ—â—â— How esalie men are moueâ—â—y a naturall affections and inclination to wysse there frâ—â—des at there deperting to be well and so to burste furth 〈◊〉 some prayer we haue al experieÌ„ce but we oght to tak head that our affection be not fund repugnant to the reule of faith and godlynes and so to be brydled This coÌ„suetude of prayiÌ„g for the dead no dout appeareth well to haue proceaded of the opinion of Purgatorie yet some other cause may be assigned as that it wes iudged one iÌ„humane thiÌ„g to thoâ—e the memorie renome of the depted to be vtterlie extinguished perishe so that these prayers at the beginninge before the opinion of purgatorie tuke so depe rute appeareth to haue bene sumwhat tollerable for they tended to this end to giue God thankes that hath called them frome the miserable condition of this lyfe to his mercy and so Ambrosius in his oration at the departing of Theodosius Valentinianus maketh a certane gratulation to them that are delyuered out of the miseriis of this lyfe and wes with Christe in the Eternall â—lysse He adiuneth some prayers which repugneth to this but by this he wolde teache and admoneshe the Church of a certane duety towards the departed euen as they were yet a lyfe not douting but they had receaued that whiche he wyssed to them Christe prayed for the resurrection of Lazarus being certane that he had obteyned that he hade called for so he sayeth he did for there saik that assisted it appeareth by Dionisius that the Byshope prayed to teache the people principalie what the felicitie wes that the departed enioyed and that he hade receaued all that the Churche wyssed to him Epiphanius giueth one other cause against Arrius to showe our imperfection conferred with Christe this cause it hath no ê“babilitie for we know the ancients to haue prayed for Martyres Apostles and others But these ar not to be called prayers properlie but actiones of thankes lyke as Augustine wytnesseth him self in the wordes recyted by yow And al 's we are able to proue by the Greik CaÌ„non where it is planely said that offringes be made for Prophets Patriarches and others that be receaued already to mercy Which I am sure neideth hone of oure prayer by the confessioÌ„n of all and so â—aâ— noâ— stand if it shall not be thus vnderstand for a certane thankes giuen to God and gâ—atulation to them that be â—â—ceaued in that eternall felicitie These causes I haue â—â—duced that ye may vnderstande that there be â—o â—or â—â—ause that moued the ancients to pray for the dead aÌ„d that ye may perceaue that there wes some certane collour of simplicitie at the beginning til purgatorie that gredy deuowring insaciable and pestilent fyre wes erected when all religion wes ouerthrowen as we sene by experience for of it hath flowed all the abhomination that regneth to this day Let no maÌ„ think that in this I wyll excuse the ancients in this there attemptate without any commandement or allowâ—nce of God But that ye may vnderstand them to haue bene moued to this by many causes probable in there iudgement before there wes any mention of Purgatorie Now resteth to oppin vp the beginning of the oblatioÌ„s that were made at the burying of the dead it wes a receaued custome and coÌ„suetude among the nations that in the dayes of there natiuitie and solemnitie of there burial they made a certane Banked to the people which custome after there conuersion to the Euangell they styll reteyned in many places and speciallie in the burial albeit some part corrected that they in the burying broght meat drynk vnto the graue of hiÌ„ that
and ioyned to the Sonne of God be any vnitie of worthynes or ellis as being ane Mansioun of God but as that quhilk verelie geuis lyfe to mens saules and wes maid proper to Gods awin sone him self Hitherto the counsal Marke how thir twa ancient counsell is dois approue the Sacrifice of the masse and al 's the reall presence of the Lordis body in the Sacrament of the Altare To the one councile I haue answered and schewen the trew meanyng of the fathers in there determination where there is no thing that any wayes apperteyne or properlie can be applyed to the masse lyke as in the decreit of this concile there is no thing making for your part and for thâ—s cause the Sacrifice that they acknawledgeit to be here they pronunce it to be one vnbloody Sacrifice that is no sacrifice in dede if we should speak strietlie and according to the proper nature of a Sacrifice but onely to bear the name of sacrifice because it is a monument aÌ„d memoriall and as it were one anniuersarie of the propiciatorie Sacrifice offred vp by the Sonne of God so that the meanyng of this councile is one with it of the councile of Nicea for it that is went by the Aduerb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here called vnbloody Considder with your self how far ye offend against this councile that sayeth and defendeth the verrie coÌ„trarie for ye affirme that ye haue a blody sacrifice going about to inferre a reall presence of Christes body and bloode for if his verrie and reall body 〈◊〉 there in your masse his verrie and reall blood and oblation made of them it followeth necessarelie that it is a bloody Sacrifice so your conclusion directlie is contrarius to the constitution of the concile that calleth it one vnbloodie Sacrifice in the maner as I haue declared Now haue we God be praysed atteyned to the end of this authores arguments there be no other thing in his boke worthy of answer not the les leâ—t that he shoulde bragge as I knowe the 〈…〉 if 〈◊〉 thâ—ng should be pretermitted we shall go throught all the rest Here then is Iames broght in praysing his reasons and arguments graÌ„ting them to be most ê“perlie alleged exponed In this I wyll truble the render no foâ—der with many wordes but referre the iudgement to him if iâ— deâ—ot euidentlie declared that â—e her hath be any fundation of 〈◊〉 masse in the old Testamenâ— nor in the now exemple nor practies of the Apostles authoritie nor suffrage of antiquitie ether the fathers ether yet the conciles which he all moste vntreulie pretended to maâ—e for him his wrangling and wraisting of the plâ—ces of Scripture ineptlye and impertinentlie cyted by him together with there treâ— and germane sense is expoâ—ed this ignoraÌ„ce of the Greik tongue aÌ„d antiquitie without the knawledge of the which it is not able to ony man to trauel happelie in the matters of Scripturs is oppinned vp and the verrie and naturall mynd of the fathers and counciles vtterred to the coÌ„tentment I truste satisfaction of the modest and gentle reader I haue schewen besydes this the thinges that wrappeth vp this author in obstinacy and diâ—nours First his owen affection and his folishe and inconsiderat zeale being addicted to the defence of that that semeth good vnto him and as we see a Febricitant maÌ„ hauing his stomake corrupt and his taiste infâ—rted all thing be it neuer so good synketh to him euen so it is in the mynd when a man is addicted and fixed vpon any purpose be it neuer so wicked it shall seme good be it neuer so impius it shal appeare godly be it neuer so haynus and detestable yet shall it be to him pleasing and delectable Trew it is that the spurre of ambition pricketh a maÌ„ wounderfullie forewarde when a man wyll seme appeare wyl set vp and extolle him self and so wyll be singulare in opinion and of these allace we haue a great nomber who in tyme of papistrie and darknes regarded not masse caired not for no â—ond ceremonies whispered in euery corner yea and some tymes plainelie spake al to be wicked as it wes in dede that wes then vsed cryed for reformatioÌ„ which now of the great mercy of our God offered they Loth and abhorre wolde be againe at there vomite the stynking dung of papistrie we luked not say they for a speaking God that so scharplie rebuketh vice and extremelie punisieth let vs returne to our dum God that neuer said euyl to vs but wes euer for the pryce ready to forgiue what so euer we had committed to the purpose one inconsidderat zeale ioyned with ambition it can not be expressed how pithy and strong it is to carie a maÌ„ away headlinges to induration then if ignorance shal be added the mother of wyll and arrogancy the seiknes beginneth to be incurable paâ—sing exceding al remedie The ignorance of antiquitie and of the Greik tongue â–ª hath helped muche to peâ—uert your iudgement Sire in preposterus and inept citing of the sayinges of the ancien doctors and I fear that ye haue rather giuen credite and faith to others that hath traueled in this wicked cause before yow nor hath red them your self When a man is affectioned then O Lorde how â—asalie is he transported what so euer he readeth making it to serue to his purpose this thinketh he is to be sâ—ked here is meÌ„tion of the masse here is worde of a Sacrifice here one oblation what so euer it be it muste serue to the purpose with out all consideration and tryall This hath bene a part of my 〈◊〉 to oppâ—n vp youre seikâ—es and the cause thereof beseiking the eternall God to put remedie to it if his godly pleasour be take not this to be said in realing maner how soeuer ye deserue to be entreaitted realing without all mesour moderation modestie against the trew and holy seruandes of God yea aÌ„d verrie Prophets sent of his great uterâ—y to reforme the face of the earth which had so horâ—idly â—â—dyneâ— from God and his obedience but raâ—her Siâ—r think and iudge it to be said of a zealus harâ— desyring and thristing moste earnistlie your conuersion and vnfeyned repentance Iames after that he hath thus praysed him as it is wrytteÌ„ in the old Prouerbes Mules claweth euer one other then requireth he for his memories cause a rehearsal be made of the whole disputation to the which reasonable desyre as he is verrie gentle in suche cares how soeuer he appear to be otherwayes he granteth wyllinglie and first bringeth him bak to it that wes principal of the whole disputation If the masse be a sacrifice instituted by Iesus Christe in his latter Supper which he taketh to be clearly prouen but vpoÌ„ this mater I wyll spâ—aâ— no thing but require the reader to call to remembrence what hath bene spoken against his defiâ—ition the grâ—â—â—â— and fundation of it drawen out