Paule doth opeÌ„ly coÌ„firme this wryttyng to the CorynthiaÌ„s the .x. chap. of yâ— first epistle saieng Vnus panis vnum corpus multi sumus oeÌ„s quideÌ„ de vno pane devno calice participamus We be many one breade saith Paule one body sothely we take parte all of one bread of one cup. The holy father great clerke S. Austen thus writeth Huius corporis To. 2. epist 57. Dardano caput est Christus huius corporis vnitas nostro sacrificio significatÌ„ Qâ— brâ—uit significauit apostolê° diceÌ„s Vnus panis vnuÌ„ corpê° multisumê° 1. Cor. 10. That is Christ is the head of this body the church the vnitie of this body is signified by our sacrifice The which thing the apostle Paule hath breifly signified sayeng We are many one bread one body Also in another place thus he saith after he hath defined and shewed what a sacrifice is Hoc est To. 5. de ciui dei lib. 10. Cap. â— sacrificiuÌ„ christianoruÌ„ multi vnuÌ„ corpê° sumê° in christo quod etiaÌ„ sacrameÌ„to altarê fide libê° noto frequeÌ„tat ecclesia vbi ei demonstratur quod in ea oblatione quam offert ipsa offeratur The englysshe is this This is the sacrifice of christen people we many be one body in Christe the which also the church accustomely vseth with the sacramente of the aulter knowen to the beleuynge people where it is opeÌ„ly shewed to the churche that in that sacrifice which she doth offre she the same is offered No man can desyre more playne wordes than these are but yet I wyll procede vpon a further proufe of this matter Paule the tenth chapter of the firste epistle to the Corynthyans 1. Cor. 10. this writeth againe Non potestis calicem domini bibere et calicem daemoniorum Non potestis mensae domini participes esse mensae daemoniorum ye can not drynke of oure lordes cuppe and the deuils or yll spirites to Paule puttynge differeÌ„ce betwixt the eaters drynkers of oure lordes table theÌ„ that eate drinke thinges offred iÌ„ sacrifice to the deuyls doth meane that the bodye bloud of Chryst is fyrst offred in sacrifice as the meates and drinkes were to the ydolles and then afterward receaued of vs ChrysteÌ„ people Ye can not be partakers of oure lordes table and the deuyls also Here saint Paule reasoneth with the Corynthians to persuade theÌ„ that they wold abstayne from the eatynge of meates offred in sacryfice to the ydolles and that with two very good reasoÌ„s of the whiche the fyrst is grounded vpon the wordes whiche are here nexte before rehersed out of this same epistle and chapter and it is this Lyke as they whiche haue mutuall participatioÌ„ in christe through the sacrifice of his flesshe bloud do entre into a certayne vnite with him SeÌ„blaly they haue acertain vnite with the idolles by the eatinge S. Paule comparing the bodye bloudde of Chryste to the meates of the gentyles offered in sacrifice dothe playnely noÌ„bre the body and bloude of Christe amonge thiÌ„ges offered in sacrifice The same is proued by that that he calleth the lordes table the aulter for none other cause truely than he called the Iewes and gedtiles aultare a table of those thinges which are offered them in sacryfyce Nowe for as muche as euerye Chrysten harte doth or shuld abhorre to haue any vnitie with the deuyls or ydolles it is mete that ye whiche are christened people do forbeare eatyng of meates offered in sacrifice to idolles But that we are vnyted or knytte to Christ and haue with hym a certayne mutuall participation thorough the sacrifice of hys flesshe and bloud he sheweth by a similitude of the Iewes table vsed in the synagoge For as the sacrifice which the carnall Iewes dyd offre made them partakers of the aulter lykewise the sacrifice whiche is offred either in the table of oure lorde or elles of the deuyls maketh the offerers partakers of christ or of the diuels Thoughe Paule dothe not call in this reason the body and bloud of christ a sacrifice yet his wordes do shewe that he so ment because he setteth the table and cuppe of our lorde christe agaynst the table and cuppe of the dyuels sayenge Non potestis calicem domini c. Ye can not drinke of the lordes cuppe so forth as is aboue rehersed Therefore seyng the apostle doth calle that whiche is offered in sacrifice to the deuyls the table and August T 6. lib. 1. Ca 19. contra aduâ—â—sariuÌ„ legis proph Paulus 1. Cor. â—0 Dicendo Calix c. ostendit adque sadrificium debeant pertinerâ— cuppe of the deuyls it muste therof folowe that he mente by the cuppe and table of our lorde that thing which is offered in sacrifice vpoÌ„ our lordes aulter so that this is yâ— seÌ„se ye caÌ„ not cate that thing which is offred to god in sacrifice yâ— also which is offred in sacrifice to deuels because the light hath no felowship with darknes as he sayth in an other place nor betwixt christ and the deuil is any agreing Wherfore it is manifest by saint Paule that 2. Cor. 6. the bodye and bloud of Christ is a sacrifice of the newe Testament or els if they be not offred in sacrifice This declareth that s Paule dyd gather of Chrystes wordes pronounced of hym at hys last supper that he dyd offre his bodye then in sacrifice at the masse and then afterward receyued of vs howe shulde Paules comparison stande and take place when he teacheth that the Corynthyans could not be together partakers of thinges offred vp in sacrifice to god and also to deuyls Truely Chrisostome expoundynge this chapter dothe shew that saint Paule ment this whose wordes are these Itaque si cupis sanguinem non imbue altare idolorum caede irrationalium sed altare meum meo imbue sanguine That is Therfore yf thou doest desire to haue bloud do not thou spryncle the ydolles aulter with slaughter of vnreasonable beastes but laye vpon my aultare my bloude reade the chapter of the doctours sentences Adde to this good reader that whiche saynt Paule writeth the nexte chapter folowynge with these wordes QuotienscuÌ„que enim ederitis panem istum calicem istum biberitis mortem domini annuâ—ciabitis quoad vsque veniat For as ofte as ye shall eate this bread drinke of this cuppe ye shall declare the lordes deathe tyll he come These wordes doo shewe that the masse is a sacrifice as saynt Cyprian doth construe Cyprianus li â–ª 2. epist 3. and take them whyche thus saith vpon them Et quia passionis eius mentionem in sacrificijs omnibus facimus passio est enim domini sacrificium ê™ offerimus nihil aliud qui quod ille fecit facere debemus Scriptura enim dicit QuotienscuÌ„que panem istum c. And because we make mention or we rememâ—re christes death in all sacrifices â—or that whiche we
offered them in sacrifice to his father For then he gaue them autorite to do that very same whiche he had afore done sayenge Hoc facite in mei commemorationem Doo ye thys in remembraunce of Luc. 22. me Secondly he saith that the sacrifice which now prestes do offre at masse is the same hoost hauing nothinge lesse than that had whiche Christ gaue hys apostels to offer because men do not halowe or consecrate it but Christ that dyd consecrate that geuen to his discyples to offre and that by reasoÌ„ the wordes whiche a preiste sayeth at masse are the selfe same whyche Chryste spake at his maundy consecratinge and offeringe his body and bloud Thus it appeareth that the learnynge of the sacryfice of the masse is not new nor of late inuented thoughe one Vrbanus Regius in his vngodly boke called the comparison betwene the olde learnynge and the newe doth impudently without learning eytheir olde or newe that good is affyrme Vrbanuâ— Regiê° boke translated out of LatiÌ„ into english by wyllyam Turner is ful of heresy that it is as herafter I wil by gods grace declare But nowe ones againe to saint Chrisostome lettynge passe this hereticall boke of Regius sette forth in latine by hym translated into english by one wyllyam Turner Papae inquit Chriso homilia de enceniis Chrisost mensa mysterijs instructa est agnus dei pro te immolatur sacerdos pro te angitur seraphin astaÌ„t omnesque incorporeae virtutes pro te cum sacerdote intercedunt sanguis in cratere in tuam purificationem ex immaculato latere haustus est non crubescis neque propitium tibi facis de um That is to wytte The table is furnysshed with thinges secrete or hyd in wordes or ceremonyes The masse is a sacrifice propitiatorye and profitable not onlye to the saâ—er of it but to other also the lambe of god is offered in sacrifice for the the preist is in an anguish for the the aungels called Seraphim are present and all powers hauynge no bodyes do pray and make intercession for the with the prieste the bloude in the cuppe is drawen out of the immaculate syde for thy purgynge art not thou ashamed nor doeste make god mercyful to the O lord howe manyfeste are these wordes both to proue the very presence of Christ in the sacramente of th aulter and also the masse to be a sacrifice The masse is a sacrifice propitiatorye not of laude and thankes geuynge to god only but also appeasinge goddes wrath and dyspleasure conceaued againste vs for synne The whiche he affirmethe in sundrye places of his workes of the whiche I wyll alledge yet some because no man wrote so wel and playnely in this matter as he dyde This he saith ones againe Cum astat pontifex is preces diuturnas fundit quo gratia in sacrificium influat Whan the byshoppe is presente he praieth longe continuynge that grace maye runne in Chrisostom in missasua to the sacrifice To be shorte Chrisostome in his masse sayeth recytynge the praier whiche the preist than dyd vse to saye before he weÌ„t in to the place where he shoulde offre sacrifice saieng masse Domine deus noster emitte manum tuaÌ„ de sancto habitaculo tuo corrobora me ad propositum ministeriun tuum vt citra condemnation em assistam metuendo altari tuo immaculatum peragam sacrificium Sacrifica domine agnum Immolatur agnus dei qui tol lit peccata mundi That is Send o lorde our god thy hande that is thy power from thy holy mansioÌ„ and make me stronge to this seruyce sette forth that I may be presente Marke reader at the dreadefull aulter with out damnation make perfyt this cleane sacryfyce O lorde sacryfice thou the lambe The lambe of god Luc. 22. whiche taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde is offred in sacrifice Also he saith Domine sacrificiorum ritum instituisti ac solemnis huius immaculati sacrificij celebrationem nobis tradidisti tanque Christe dyd ordeyne the accustomed mauer of sacrifice doiÌ„g and not any preiste vpoÌ„ couetousnes dominus omnium Thou o lord hast begonne taught or ordeyned the approued custome of sacrifices and haste deliuered to vs the celebration of this annual or yere ly and vndefiled sacrifice as the lorde of all thynges doth not this doctoure affirme that Christe dyd institute and ordeyne the vsage approued in makyng of sacrifices taught the apostles to offer him selfe a sacrifice pure withoute spotte of synne It is therefore a greate blasphemye to god and a reproche to CHRIST our sauioure to ascribe this his dede ordinaunce to any maÌ„ Ceasse therfore that leude sayenge whych turneth to no lyttel derogatioÌ„ of god des honoure Beleue this and other auncient writers whiche do with one assente confesse that the sacryfyce of the masse is of oure sauyours settynge vppe and teachynge Whyche Eusebius thus Eusebius lib. â— de euangel de monst ca. 10. confyrmethe after manye wordes spooken of this matter Christus post omnia quasi mirabilem quandam victimam sacrificiuÌ„qui eximiuÌ„ deo patri operatus pro nostra omniuÌ„ salute obtulit eiusque rei memoriam ut nos ipsi deo pro sacrificio offerremus instituit Christ after all thinges whan he had wrought a certayne marueylous hoost and a verye greate or excellent sacrifice he offered it to god for all oure helthes and he hathe ordeined that we our selues shoulde offer to god for a sacrifice the remeÌ„braunce of the samething Gregorius Emissenus which was G. Emissenus Anno. d. â—00 aboue twelfe hundred yeres afore this tyme after this sorte writeth vpon this matter Quia corpus assumptum erat ablaturus ab oculis nostris syderibus illaturus necessarium erat ut nobis in hac die sacramentum corporis sanguinis coÌ„secraret ut coleretur iugitet per mysterium quod semel offerebatur in praecium ut quia quotidiana currebat in defessa pro hominuÌ„ salute redemptio perpetua etiam esset redemptionis oblatio perennis illa victima viueret in memoria semper praesens esset in gratia That is to wytte Because Christ wolde take away the bodye whiche he toke to hym froÌ„ Christ ones offred in sacrifice on the crosse is dâ—yly offred in the masse and worshipped our sight and brynge it in to heauen it was necessary that he shuld this tyme consecrate to vs the sacramente of his bodye and bloude that the thynge whiche was ones offred for the price of our raunsoÌ„ shulde be alwaye worshypped by a mysterie or a sacrament that because a daylye and a continuall redemption for mannes helth dydde runne a continuall also sacrifice of the raunsom shoulde be that euer endurynge sacrifice shoulde be had in memorye and shulde be alway presente in grace and autorytie What maye be sayde more playnely for our purpose This saint Cyprian of whome I
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
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
offre sacrifice to ydols go againe to wresteling shal retayne or kepe still theyr dignitie or promotion but it maye not be lefull for them to offre Lo this greate assemble of learned couÌ„saylers dyd ordeine that preistes whiche dyd make sacrifice to ydolles shulde not offre sacrifice to god whiche must neades be vnderstande of the sacrifice of the masse for asmuche as none other sacrifice was than nor now is propre to preistes Also the couÌ„sayle kepte at Laodicea a citie in â— counsayl holden at Laodicea Cap. 58. Assia about twelue hundred yeres before this our tyme this dyd inacte Non oportet oblationes in domibus ab episcopis vel presbyteris offerri It behoueth not sacrifices to be offered of bysshops or preistes in houses Who can denye but this ordynaunce was made of the sacrificy of the masse In lyke maner the counsell holdeÌ„ Cap. 4. Affricane counsayle in Affrica at the which S. Austen was doth declare by an ordynauÌ„ce made of them therin assembled that the masse is a sacrifice sayeng In sacrameÌ„tis corporis saÌ„guinis dnÌ„i nihil amplius offeratÌ„que quod ipse dnÌ„s tradidit hoc est panis vinuÌ„ aqua mixtuÌ„ That is to wyt let nothinge more be offered in the sacramentes of our lordes bodye and bloud theÌ„ that which the lord hym selfe dyd teache that is bread and wine meddled with water Note Note thys reader wel here good reader two thinges whiche this acte conteyneth the fyrst that the masse is a sacrifice because the bodye and bloud of chryste is offered therein vnder the fourme of breadde and wyne myxed wyth water the seconde that oure lorde Christe Iesus dyd teache that nothynge elles but breade and wyne meddled with water shoulde be offered in sacrifyce in the sacramente of our lordes bodye and bloude whyche doth well agree with Saynt Cypryans sayenge afore rehersed so that this sacryfyce of the holye masse also what thinges shulde be offered therin was instituted ordeyned by christ Furthermore marke reader that this counsell affirmeth that wine is mixed with water in the chalice at masse by christes teachynge as dyd Cypryan before that tyme longe and yet there is no commaundemente in the scrypture to meddle wine with water at the masse nor yet any one A truth not expressed in scripture sentence to teache vs that thynge and therefore they are farre deceaued as I sayde afore whiche defende that nothinge pleaseth god whiche is not commaunded in the scripture to be done as Martyn Luther sayth and that there is no truth necessarye to be beleued of christen people but that only whiche is expressely conteyned in scripture the whiche howe false it is I will declare in my boke of traditions whiche god wyllynge shall â— booke of traditions be shortely put forth But nowe to the counsayle whiche was holden at Nicea a citie in Bithinia the yere of our lorde 327. whiche thus Canone 18 sayth Peruenit ad sanctum concilium ê™ in locis quibusdam ciuitatibus ptesbyteris diaconi sacramenta porrigant Hoc neque regula neque consuetudo tradidit vt ij qui offerendi sacrificij non habent potestatem ijs qui offerunt corpê° Christi porrigant It came to the holy counsaile that in certaine places and cities the deacoÌ„s do geue to the preistes the sacramentes whiche neither rule nor custome taughte that they whiche haue no power or auctoritie to offre sacryfyce shulde gyue Christes bodye to them whiche do offre Doeste thou not heare good reader that this holy generall counsayle whiche is one of the foure that saynte Gregorye sayde he estemed as the foure gospels doth affyrme that the preistes do offre sacrifice whiche the deacons haue none autoricie to do because they are not preistes and therefore thys was spoken of the sacrifice of the masse onlye for all other sacrifices the deacons maye offre Who wyl not rather geue credence to this couÌ„saile so many learned men therin asseÌ„bled by the holy ghoost as saynt Gregorie Nazianzene Ieromes maister saith oratioÌ„e .xviii affirmynge thus plainely the masse to be a sacrifice rather then to Martyn Luther with all the rablemeÌ„t of that sorte whyche hauinge no grouÌ„de to leaue to but scrypture wrested from the ryght meanynge of it into a wroÌ„ge sence do affirme the contrarye Also the same counsayle thus hathe agayne Generaliter autem cuilibet in exitu posito poscenti sibi communionis Cap. 13. gratiaÌ„ tribui episcopus probabiliter ex oblatione dare debebit But yâ— Byshop wisely oughte to geue to euery maÌ„ at his departyng here hence desyrynge the grace of coÌ„munyon to be giuen him the sacrifice But nowe to the fyrste couÌ„sel of Ephesus whereat saynte Cyryll was almoste twelue hundred yeres passed wyth two hundred byshoppes assembled whiche Iu epistola ad Nestorium thus hath Nos annuntiantes morteÌ„ fili dei id est Iesu Christi resurrectioneÌ„ eius in coelos ascensionem pariter confitentes incruentaÌ„ celebramus in Ecclesiasticis sacrificijs seruitutem sic etiam ad mysticas benedictiones accedimus sanctificamur participes facti corporis praeciosi sanguinis Christi non vt communem carnem percipientes ê™ absit nec vt viri sancti facti verbo coniuÌ„cti sicut dignitatis vnitatem aut sicut diuinam possidentes habitationem sed vt vere viuificatricem ipsius verbi propriam factam That is We declaringe the sonne of goddes death Iesu Chryste and confessinge his resurrection and also his assension in to the heauens do celebrate a seruyce or an honouringe vnblouddye or without bloude sheddynge in the sacrifices of the church Also we so come to the mysticall blessynges the consecration and are halowed or made holye or cleane beynge made partakers of Christes bodye and preciouse bloude not receauyng it as common flesh whiche god forbydde nor as of a man made holy and ioyned to the worde as a vnitie of dygnitie or as possessyng a godly habitation but as flessh verelye geuyng lyfe and made propre to the word that is the sonne of god Doest thou not see here good chrysten reader that this greate counsayle of two hondred byshoppes amonge the whyche saynt Cyrille was heade and chiefe doth call the seruice done of the preistes at masse a seruyce Obserue this well reader vnbloudye in the sacrifices of the churche can that be otherwise taken thaÌ„ of the sacrifice of the masse wherein the preiste serueth and honoureth god by offerynge to hym in sacryfice the verye bodye and bloude of his sonne Christe Iesu without bloud sheddynge vnder the fourme of breade and wyne Heb. 9. 1â— Christe on the crosse ones offered him selfe a blouddye sacrifice to god for our synnes and is not after that forte by his bloude sheddyng offered in the masse because he can dye no moore as Paule saythe to the Ramaynes the syxte chapter yet that notwythstandynge Christ ones offered vppon the cros
saieng Dicis te a nonnullis iÌ„terrogatuÌ„ de sacrificio corporis saÌ„guinis χÏι quod plerique soli patri existimaÌ„t immolari cuÌ„ ad patreÌ„ litaÌ„tis destinatur intentio sacrificij munus omni trinitati vno eodeÌ„que offertur litaÌ„tis officio That is in our language Thou sayeste that thou was asked of some men of the sacrifice of the bodye bloude of christ whiche manye do iudge to be offred in sacrifice only to the father whan the intente of him whiche pleaseth god with sacrifice is appointed to the father the gyfte of sacrifice is offered to the hole trinitie with one the same office of him which obtayneth his desire of god by sacrifice Also he aunsweringe to the thirde question proposed to him by his freÌ„de Monimê° sayth thus Thou doest aske yf the sacrifice be offered to yâ— who le trinitie wherefore the sendynge onelye of the holye goost is desyred to sacrifice or consecrate yâ— gyfte of our sacrifice As verelye that I so may say god the father hym selfe from whome the holye goost procedeth coulde not halow the sacrifice offred to hym or the sonne hymselfe coulde not make holye the sacrifice of his body the whiche he offered to raunsom vs or els that the holye goost shulde so be sente to consecrate the churches sacrifice as the father and the sonne were not presente helpinge them whiche do offre sacrifice At the length he concluding this matter thus writeth Quando auÌ„t congruentius ad consecrandum sacrificium corporis Christi saÌ„cta ecclesia quae est corpus eius sancti spiritus deposcat aduentum Aedificatio Marke this reader spiritualis opportunius nunque petitur qui cum ab ipso Christi corpore quod est ecclesia in sacramento panis ac calicis ipsum Christi corpus sanguis offertur Calix enim quem bibimus communicatio 1. Cor. 10. sanguis Christi est panis quem frangimns participaâ—io corporis domini est vt ait apostolus That is But whan maye the holy church which is Christes body more conueniently aske the holy gostes coÌ„ming to consecrate the sacrifice of christes body A spirituall edifienge is neuer desired in duer time than when the same Christes bodye and bloude is offered in sacrifice of that his bodye whiche is the church in the sacramente of breade and wyne For the cuppe of whiche we do drynke is 1. Cor. 10. the communion of christes bloude and the breade that we breake is the partetakynge of oure lordes bodye Hytherto this holye father Fulgentius whole wordes are as manyfeste for the sacryfice of the masse as they can be therefore I wyll speake no more of them but 1. Ambrose l0 1. offi ca. 41 reherse saint Ambrose iudgement that was aboue eleuen hundred yeres synce whiche this hathe rehersyng saint Laurences wordes spoken to Syxtus the bysshoppe whaÌ„ he was ladde to suffre martirdome Quo sacerdos saÌ„cte sine diacono ê“peras NuÌ„que sacrificiuÌ„ sine ministro offerre consueueras Cui coÌ„misisti dnÌ„ici corporis consecrationeÌ„ To. 2. li. 1. offi cap. 41. cui coÌ„suÌ„maÌ„doruÌ„ coÌ„sortiuÌ„ sacrameÌ„toruÌ„ huic coÌ„sortiuÌ„ tui saÌ„gui nis negas Whither goest thou hastly o holy preist wtout a deacoÌ„ Thou wast neuer wont to offre sacrifice wtout a ministre To whom thou hast commited the consecratynge of our lordes body and the felowshyp of sacramentes to be accoÌ„plisshed to him thou deniest the felowship of thy bloud Again in a certeÌ„ oration funeral of the death of valentynyane the emperoure thus he speaketh to Valentynyane and To. 1 Gratian. Nulla vos nox non donatos Prayers the masse do auayle the dead aliqua praecum mearum CoÌ„textione transcurret omnibus frequentabo oblationibus I wyl saith Ambrose praye for you euerye nyghte I wyll accustomelye offre sacryfyce for you Also to one Faustine ouer muche lamentyng his systers deathe after manye Lib. 2. epist 8. wordes spoken to comforte hym thus he writeth Itaque non tam deplorandam qui frequentandam orationibus reor Nec maesticandam lachrymis tuis sed magis oblationibus animam eius deo commendandam arbitror Therefore I thinke that she ought not so moch to be lamented as to be praied for accustomedly Neyther I thynke she shoulde be made heuye wyth thy teares in wepinge but rather hir soule to be commended to god with sacrifices Are not these playne wordes to testifie the holye masse to be a sacrifice profitable for the Prayers the masse do auayle the dead deade that also prayers of theÌ„ which do lyue here be auayleable for them besyde this he saith in an epistle to Theodosius the emperour Lib. 5. epist 28 whom he had excommunicated for the murder done in Thessalia at his commaundemente Ego causam coÌ„tumaciae nullaÌ„ in te habeo sed habeo timoris offerre noÌ„ audeo sacrificiuÌ„ si volueris assistere I haue no cause in the of disobedience or froward wyll but I haue a cause of feare for I dare not offre sacrifice if thou wylte be present was not this ment of the ExcommunicatioÌ„ once was regarded sacrifice of the masse whiche saint Ambrose sayde he durste not offre yf Theodosius themperour were in the temple because he was excommunicate TheÌ„ excommunicatioÌ„ was feared of the highest estates and the masse had in great honour as it ought in dede to be though both of them now are lyttell regarded the more is the pite Ambros Mar. lib. 5. epist 5. Missam sacere caepi dumque offero rapruÌ„ cognouicastu lum S. Austens sentences lib 2. retract Ca. 21 But of sainte Ambrose ynoughe Now saint Austen shall speake in this controuersie whose learning farre amouÌ„teth and excelleth any mans that hath ben synce yâ— apostles tyme especially in the holy scripture He was aboue eleuen hundred yeres passed which thus saieth Hylarius quidaÌ„ laicus nescio unde aduersus dei ministros vt fieri assolet irritatus morem qui tuÌ„e apud carthaginem caeperat vt hymni ad altare dicerentur de psal morum libro siue ante oblationeÌ„ siue cum distribueretur populo quod fuisset oblatum maledica reprehensione lacerabat That is Hylarye a certayne laye man kendled wit wrath as it is wont to be against gods mynysters wherby I knowe not did breake with cursed reprouynge the custome whiche than began at the citie carthage that hymnes shulde be sayde out of the boke of psalmes at the aulter eyther before the offerynge of sacrifice or whan that which was offered shoulde be dystributed to the people Imprynte good reader these wordes surely in thy mynde for they do playnlye make for the defence of the sacrifice of the masse But yet heare hym againe affyrmynge that same thynge more playnely with these fewe wordes Augustinus To. 2. epist 23. Marke reader howe Christ was ones â—ffred in sacrifice yet he is daily offred in the masse Nonne semel immolatus est christus in
autorytye whose bodye and bloud it should be they wyll beleue nothynge elles but that our lorde hath appeared in that fourme to the eyes of men and that lycoure to haue runne out of suche a syde streken This saynt Augustyne Agayne in an othere booke this he writte De ciui dei li. 10. cap. 20. Christ doth offre hym selfe at the masse and he is the sacrifice therein offred Per hoc sacerdos est offerens ipse oblatio Cuius rei sacramentuÌ„ quotidianum esse voluit ecclesiae sacrificium cuÌ„ ipsius corporis sit ipse caput ipsius ipsa sit corpê° tam ipsa per ipsum qui ipse per ipsaÌ„ suetus offerri That is thus much in englyshe By that both he is a preist offerynge sacrifice and he is the sacrifice A sacramente of the whiche thinge he wolde shulde be the daylye sacrifice of the churche For asmoche as he is the heade of that bodye the churche and the churche is his bodye as well the church by Christ as Christ by the church is wont to be offred This saint Austen Now I beseche the good reader what doest thou call the dayly sacrifice of yâ— church but the sacrifice of christs body bloud accustomed dayelye in the masse to be offered of the priest Wherin is Christe wont to be offered in sacrifice by the churche excepte it be in the masse What man excepte he be very affectionate and blynd will not rather gyue credence to this greate clerke sait Austen thaÌ„ to Luter or any other taughte in his schole But of this holye doctours sentences writteÌ„ in this matter the learned may reade muche more in his bokes whiche I doo passe ouer lest my booke shulde be S. Hierome aduersus lucifâ—rianoâ— To. 2. to longe and tedious Therefore I wyll go to saynt Ierome which coÌ„firmeth this truth sainge while he sheweth that a preist is the salte of the earth Sacerdos quippe prolaico offert oblationeÌ„ suaÌ„ For as moche as the prieste offere the his offerynge or sacrifice for the laye man Doth not here saint Ierom affyrme that the preiste offereth at the masse sacrifice for the lay maÌ„ Estesones he sayeth Nec moses dedit vobis panem verum sed dominus Quaest â—â— ad â—â—edibiam Christ is eaten in the sacramente of the aulter hys bloudde drunken Iesus ipse conuiua conniuium ipse commedens qui commeditur illius bibimus sanguinem sine eo potare non possumns quotidie in sacrificijs eius de genimine vitis verae uineae sorec quae interpretatur electa rubentia musta calcamus nouum ex his vinum bibimus de regno patris Moses hath not gyuen to you verye breade but oure lorde Iesus he is the gueste and the feaste he is that eatethe and whych is eaten we do drynke his bloude and withoute hym we cannot drynke and we daylye treade or presse downe in hys sacryfyces newe redde wyne of the true vynes and the choosen vyneyardes generatyon and we drynke of these newe wyne of the fathers kyngedome Thys sentence of Saynte Hierome manyfestely makethe bothe for the presence of CHRISTE hym selfe in the holye Sacramente of the aultar because it sayethe that CHRISTE hym selfe is the feaste he that is eaten and we drynke hys bloudde and also for the sacryfyce of the masse wherein the same CHRISTE is offered in sacryfyce I lette passe manye other textes of thys holye Doctoure and go to the rehearsall of other mennes sayenges amonge the whiche Damascene thus speakethe Damas lâ—b 4. ca. 14. Etsi quidam exemplaria corporis sanguinis domini panem vinum vocauerunt vt deifer vocauit BASILIVS non tamen post sanctificationem dixit sed pri usque sanctificaretur ipsa oblatio ita vocabant That is Albeit certaine men haue called the breade and wyne samples of our lordes body and bloude as the godlye Basyll hath called them yet he called theÌ„ not that after the halowynge or consecration but before the sacrifice was halowed or consecrated so they dydde call them This Damascene wrote aboue eleuen hundred yeres passed afore this oure tyme. In the whiche belefe was also Gregorius Nazian in apologetico saiÌ„t Gregory Ieronis maister whiche wrote this almoste twelfe huÌ„dred yeres synce Sciens quoniaÌ„ nemo dignus est summi dei sacerdos esse vel sacrificium offerre qui non prius exhibuit se hostiam viuam deo placentem c. Knowynge that no man is meete or apte to be a preiste of god the hyghest or to offer sacrifice which hath not set abrode hym selfe by vertuous lyuyng and mortifieng his lustes a quycke hoost pleasynge god and so forth as Paule writeth to the Romaynes Furthermore writynge of preistes dignitie Rom. 12. he thus saythe O sacrificia mittentes incruenta sacerdotes O anim arum custodes magnifici O magnum figmnetum dei manibus In uersibus in vestris ferentes O preistes saith Gregory Nazianzene sendynge or geuynge sacrifices vnblouddy O the kepers of soules whiche do greate thinges O ye that beare in youre handes the greate workeman shyppe of God What is to sende or geue sacrifices without bloude sheddynge in this sayenge good reader but to offer in sacrifice at the masse the very bodye and bloude of Chryst discipulis suis offerendam quamque modo conficiunt sacerdotes Nihil habet ista quam illa minus quia hanc non sanctificant homines sed Christus qui illam sacrauerat Vt enim verba quae locutus est Christus eadem sunt quae nûc quoque socerdos pronuntiat ita eadem est quae tune fuit hostia In englisshe This holy sacrifice whether Peter doo offre it or Paule or els a preist of what meryte in lyuyng so euer he be is the same that our lord gaue his dyscyples to be Luc. 22 offered and that nowe the preistes do make or consecrate This hath nothynge lesse than that because men do not halow this but Christ whiche had halowed that For as the wordes which Christe spake at his laste supper be the same whiche nowe the preist also doth pronounce lykewise the hoste or sacrifice is the same whiche was than There was neuer maÌ„ that set out better and more plainely the blessed sacrifice of the masse than this holye man Chrisostome hath done aboue eleuen hundred yeres passed wolde god these his wordes were learned and kepte of al men in a faste and sure remembraunce withoute all doutyng in the veryte of them Note good reader wel what lessons here are geuen to vs of this auncient and excellent doctoure Fyrst he saith that the sacrifice whiche Peter or Paule hathe offered or nowe any preiste dothe offre what so euer he be good or yll in his lyfe is none other but the same whiche Chryste gaue hys apostles to offer vndoubtedlye at his laste supper after he had turned bread and wine into his owne verye bodye and bloude and
and yet antychrist is not come therfore by this continuall sacrifice was mente the sacrifice of the blessed masse which antychrist labouringe all that he can to destroye christes fayth and his whole religion shall abolisshe and cause to ceasse for three yeres space and the halfe for so longe by Daniels saint Ihons sayenge he shall reigne wherfore Martyn Luther and his scolers endeuourynge them selues to take awaye this holy sacrifice of the masse are the messangers of Antichryst makyng redy and preparyng against his commynge that people may receyue and honoure him for the verytue messyas and sauyour of the worlde Christe our sauyour reiected and vtterly forsakeÌ„ as he him selfe dyd prophicye sayenge to the Iewes I came in the name of my IoaÌ„ 5. father and ye dyd not receaue me an other shall come in his owne name ye wyll receaue hym But I wyll passe ouer this and goo forward vpon my purpose to proue that the masse is a very sacrifice and fyrst by fygures of the olde testament We rede in the xiiii chap. of the Gene. that Melchizedech whâ—che was both a king also a preist Of Melchisedech dyd offre in sacrifice breade and wine when Abraham was retourned froÌ„ the kyllyng of .iiii. kinges for these be the wordes of yâ— letter At vero Melchizedec rexsaleÌ„ profereÌ„s paneÌ„ vinuÌ„ erat enim sacerdos Gene. 1â— dei altissimi benedixit ei c But verely Melchizedec kynge of SaleÌ„ bringinge forth or offering bread wine for he was a preist of god yâ— higheste blessed Abraham This text doth proue sufficieÌ„tly the Melchizedec did offre to god bread wine in sacrifice to thanke hym for yâ— victory geueÌ„ to AbrahaÌ„ and therfore it must nedes thervpon folow that christ did make sacrifice vnder yâ— forme of bread wine at his last supper instituting the masse for as moch as Melchizedec was a fygure of him his preisthode likewise a figure of christes preisthode according to the prophecy of Dauid â—n the Psalme which is Tues sacerdos Psal 109. in aeternuÌ„ secuÌ„duÌ„ ordineÌ„ Melchizedec Thou art said god the father to christ his son a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchizedec No maÌ„ caÌ„ truely say that christ was a preest after this ordre of Melchiz wheÌ„ he offred vp him selfe on the crosse to his father for our sinnes for theÌ„ he did not offre his body vnder the forme of bread wine but vnder the forme of flesh bloud therfore he was that time so offring sacritice a priest after the ordre of AaroÌ„ not of Melchiz so that this fygure of Melchiz and the prophicy of the holy ghoste pronounced by Dauid were fulfylled by christ at his mandy last supper when he toke breade gaue thankes to god blessed yâ— bread brake it gaue it to his apostles saieng Take eate this is my bodye whiche shall be gyuen to death for you and therfore Christ dyd then offer hys flesh and bloude in sacrifice to god his father and the same also doeth the priest in the masse hauyng autorite so to do coÌ„maunded of hym to do that same thynge whych he dyd afore when he said to his apostles Hoc faicte in mei commemorationem Luc. 22. Do ye this for my remembraunce as Luke maketh mentioÌ„ in his gospell But nowe let vs se what they saye whiche are of the contrarye opinion that the masse is no sacrifice to proue that this autoritie of the Genesis makethe not for vs to perswade that Melchiz dyd at that tyme offre to god breade and wyne in sacrifice Fyrst they say that the texte of the Genesis An obiectiâ— hath not offereÌ„s vel sacrificaÌ„s panem vinum offerynge or sacrifisynge breade and wyne but proferens bryngyng forth bread and wyne and therfore this place proueth not that Melehiz dydde make then sacryfyce to god To that I aunswere that the texte in dede hath euen so as they say and yet it proueth right well and sufficiently that Melchiz dyd then offre sacrifice to god with breade wyne or els why shoulde Moyses haue added a sentence declarynge that Melchiz dyd that thynge as a prieste and because he was a priest For if he had not offred that bread and wine to god in sacrifice there shulde haue ben no cause to say Erat enim sacerdos dei altissimi for he was a priest of the highest god because he myghte haue done it then beynge no preest For it is not the office of a prieste to bryuge forth breadde and wyne to refresshe the hungrye people but rather of a laye man as no man can saye naye and therâ—fore syth Melchizedec dyd this as a preest and exercising yâ— office of a preist the whiche is cheifely to offre sacrifices for the synnes of the people as Paule saith it foloweth that 〈…〉 Melchizedech did make theÌ„ sacrifice wyth bread and wyne Moreouer this argument is very weake and sclender the texte of the Genesis saith that Melchizedec dydde brynge forthe breade and wyne therfore he dyd not offre them in sacrifice for as these two to brynge forth breade and wine and to offre them are not coÌ„trary euen so Melchizeder dyd bryng forth those thinges not to feade AbrahaÌ„ and his souldiers as anone it shal appere but to offre them vnto god in sacrifice to giue him thankes for the greate victorye by hym geuen to Abraham Now where many men folowing therein the Iewes as it appereth in Lire vpon the Genesis do affyrme that Melchizedech Lirâ— dyd not ofâ—re bread and wine in sacrifice to god but onlye broughte theÌ„ forth to refresh AbrahaÌ„ his souldiers they are very bliÌ„d so to say For they neaded not his bread nor wine hauing sufficieÌ„t vittals brought with theÌ„ there hence where they got the victory as it appereth in yâ— letter Also is it like that Melch. had bread wyne ynough in store to refresh so many souldiers being in nuÌ„ber aboue .iii. c. Beside this who that wise is wold say the AbrahaÌ„ if he had had any such nede wolde not haue gon rather to some other man for succoure then to the priest of the hyghest god AbrahaÌ„ also gaue to Melchyzedech tythes of yâ— spoyles gotteÌ„ in warre as Paul wytnesseth whiche he wolde not Heb. 7. haue done yf he had wanted necessaries for him and his souldyers Finally AbrahaÌ„ brought with him all Lothes goodes besides the substaunce of the foure kynges whiche he had sleane before and therefore he neaded not to begge breade and wyne of goddes preeste Melchizedech But ye wyll saye to me the text An obiectioÌ„ hath not in Hebrewe a worde declaringe a cause for the Hebrewe worde signifieth only in englyshe and and therfore that texte maketh not sufficiently to proue that Melchy dyd offre that breade and wyne in sacrifice To that I make The aÌ„swer aunswere fyrst that saint Hierom whiche was excellently learned in â—he
Hebrue tonge dydde so translate the Hebrewe worde to whom more credence ought to be geuen then to twenty Luthers Bucers Byllygers or any like which neither for learnynge nor holynes of lyuynge are worthy to be coÌ„pared with hym as all good Chrysten men wil graunt Secondly I say that this latyn worde Et whiche is in englysh and is many times vsed in scripture for enim sygnifienge in englyshe for as in Esai Esai 65. the prophette sayenge Lo thou art angrye with vs and we haue synned where and is put in stede Psal 59. of this worde for Also in the psaltre it is thus written Lorde geue to vs helpe and the health of maÌ„ is vaine Here also and is put for this worde for Lykewise in the newe testamente that worde is vsed as in Luke the fyrste chapter where the most blessed and honorable vyrgyn our lady mother of christ was thus sayd vnto by Elizabeth Zacharias wife Benedictatu in mulieribus benedictus fructus ventris tui Thou art blessed Luc. 1. among women and blessed is the fruyt of thy wombe where is put for enim declaring yâ— cause why our lady was blessed whiche was because she broughte forthe our sauyour most blessed of al by whose death al the faythfull lyuyng godly shuld be saued blessed in heuen accordyng to the promysse of God made vnto AbrahaÌ„ as the Genesis doth playnly tell Manye other textes of scripture Gene. 15. 22. manyfestly do shewe that it is no seldome thing the shuld be vsed in stede of enim which I wyl not reherse at this tyme least I shuld be tedious to the reader especyallye syth these places alredy recyted are sufficiente to proue my purpose that which is approued by many doctours expositioÌ„s not only of Hebrues but of the grekes the Ltayns also for amongest the Hebrew writers one called Rabbi semuel expoundynge this texte of Rabbi semuel the Genesis entreatyng of Melchi thus writeth Hic Melchi mysteria sacerdotij tradidit Erat enim ipse sacrificans paneÌ„ vinuÌ„ deo sancto benedicto that is to wit This Melch. taught or deliuered misteries or thinges secret in wordes ceremonies of preisthod For he was doing sacrifice with bread wine to god holy blessed Here we se that this great clerke being an Hebr. writer an Hebr. borne did vnderstand this afore sayde texte of Melchizedeches oblatyon or sacryfyce Nowe oughte not more credence to be geuen vnto hym in this poynt specially than to any man of this our tyme laboring to teache an heresy by wrestynge of this place from his right sense Also an other of the Hebrewe doctours Rabbi pinhas called Rabbi Pinhas confirmeth playnly this matter sayenge In the tyme of messias or yâ— Gene. 14. Psal 109. anoynted meanyng our sauiour all sacrifices shal seace but the sacrifice of breade and wyne shall neuer cease Forthwith he alegeth this texte of the Genesis and the verse of Dauydes Psalter wherin mention is made of Christes presthode This might be proued by the saienges of many other Hebrewe doctours but I wyll lette them passe to be short and reherse some of yâ— greke wryters to proue Eusebius lib. 5 cap. 3. De cuaÌ„ge demonstra this my purpuse Eusebius whiche was aboue twelfe hundred yeres passed thus writeth of this matter speakynge of the prophetes saienge Tues sacerdos c. Psal 109. Thou art a preist after the order of Melchizedec for euer The end sayth Eusebi of the prophesy is wonderfull to hym whiche dothe beholde after what maner our sauiour Iesus whiche is the anointed of god dothe accomplyshe by his ministers after the ordre of Melchizedec those thinges that appertayne to the vsyng or exercysynge of priesthod among men For lyke as he which was a preist of the gentiles doth appere in no place to haue vsed corporall sacrifices as Aaron dyd with beastes but only with breade and wyne when he blessed Abraham so truelye fyrst the sauyour and our lord afterwarde the preistes whiche were instituted by hym exercising the spirituall office of preisthode among all people after the lawes or ordinaunces of the churche do present shew or bryng in presence wyth bread and wyne the misteries or secrete thinges both of hys bodye and also of his holsome bloude The which mysteries verely Melchizedec so longe before dyd know through the holy gost and dyd vse the ymagies or figures of thynges to come Hetherto Eusebius euydently saynge that Melchyzedech fygured Christe and offered sacrifice with breade and wyne for a fygure of Christes sacryfyce whyche he shoulde offre vnder the fourme of breade and wyne euen so he dydde sacrifisynge to his father hys very fleshe and bloude as the preistes nowe do instituted and made by hym and his auctorytie whoÌ„ â—restes are ordeined by chryste wyll not rather beleue this holye father and aunciente clerke then Martyn Luther whyche laboureth dylygentlye to abolyshe all holy and godly sacramentes â–ª But nowe let Chrisostom speake hys Chrysostome mynde in this controuersy which for his auÌ„cienty beyng before our tyme .xii. c. yeres and for his learnyng ought to be admitted amoÌ„g good christen men to the decysing In Hebr. Ca. 5 of coÌ„trouersyes risen in their religioÌ„ which thus wryteth To whoÌ„ was it said thou art a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchiz who is a preist after the order of Melchizedec None other but christ for all other were vnder the law al dyd kepe the sabboth dayes al were cyrcuÌ„cised the Iewes could fynd none other but Christe that shulde be a preiste after the ordre of Melchizedech But thou wylt say to me the An obiectioÌ„ text hath not offerens offring but proferens bryngynge forth It is very true but yet the greke word that the .lxxii. translatours whiche turned the Hebrewe letter in to greake do vse in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a. proferre pro offerre whiche is prospherin signifiethe not only to brynge forth but also to offer sacrifice as it appereth in many places of the newe testameÌ„t in greake but specially the fyfthe Cap. 7. 9. of Matthewe Si obtuleris c. The fifth of Paule to the Hebre. and in other certayne places of that epistle and therfore this obiection is of no force nor strength but it maketh rather for my purpose Lib. 3. To â— Haeresi 9. Epiphanius moreouer a greake doctoure beynge aboute twelfe hundred yeres passed confyrmeth this playnly sayenge Abraham iustus sacrificat deo Melchizedec sacerdos dei altissimi Abraham rightuous doth sacrifice to god and Melchizedech the prest of the highest god Also thus he saith speakyng of the same matter Melchizedec Abrahamo obâ—â—iam Lib. 2. To. 1. Haeresi 55. venit et proposuit ipsi paneÌ„ vinum mysteriorum aenigmata praefigurans exemplaria cum dominus noster dicat Egosum panis viuus exeÌ„plar sanguinis ipsius qui
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
whych we haue He it is which Iohan â— said He the shal eate of this bread shal liue euer He hath delyuered to vs his sacrameÌ„t after the ordre of Melchyze Are not these plaine wordes of this auÌ„cient excellent clerke Hierom sufficient to stop all their mouthes that bable and barke agaynst the holye sacrifice of the masse whych euer synce christes time was had in honoure tyll Marten Luther began to write against it But yet ons more let holy Hierom say his mynde in this coÌ„trouersi to the vtter coÌ„futatioÌ„ of Hieromâ— in Mat. 26. the masses ye of christes which dyd institute it aduersaries Thus he writeth after he had rehersed oure sauiours wordes spokeÌ„ at his last supper when he did institute this blessed masse the sacrifice of it After the pasouer which was a fygure was fulfilled christ had eateÌ„ the flesh of a laÌ„be with his apostles he taketh bread which comforteth maÌ„s hart he passeth ouer to yâ— very sacrameÌ„t of easter or yâ— pasouer yâ— like as Melch. the preist of the highest god in a figure afore of him had done offring bread wine he also shold bring in preseÌ„ce or lay before meÌ„ the truth of his body bloud Who caÌ„ desire more plaine words thaÌ„ these are of s Hierom to proue that Melch. offered bread wine in sacrifice to god as a figure of christes sacrifice instituted of him vnder the forme of bread wine at his mauÌ„dy S Ambrose in like maner Ambrosius lib 4. de sacramâ—tis coÌ„firmeth this veritie saieng Occurrit Melch. sacerdos Abrahae obrulit ei paneÌ„ vinsi Melchi a preist met AbrahaÌ„ offred to hym bread and wine Also in an other Lib 1. de Abraham patriarchâ— Ca. 3. place thus he saith intreatinge of Melch. Who is king of rightousnes the priest of god but he to whoÌ„e it is saide Thou art a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchi Hoc est dei filius sacerdos patris â— sui corporis sacrificio patreÌ„ nrÌ„isre ê“pitiauit delictis yâ— is yâ— sonÌ„e of god yâ— preist of the father which with yâ— sacrifice of his body hath appesed or made merciful yâ— father to our liuÌ„s These words do plainly declare the saynt Ambrose beleued that christ dyd offre his owne body to his father after the order of Melchize to appease his wrath whiche can not be vnderstand of the sacrifice made vpoÌ„ the crosse because there he was not a preist or he dyd not offre sacrifice there after the ordre of Melchizedec vnder the kyndes of breade and wyne but after the maner ordre of Aaron offeringe his bodye and bloude vnder or in his owne fourme visible This also is approued by an olde doctour Lactantius lib. 4. cap. 14 de uera sap Psal 109. named Arnobius writynge vpon the sawtre whiche sayethe Hic per mysterium panis vini sacerdos factus est in eternum secunduÌ„ ordineÌ„ Melchizedec qui panem solus obtulit vinum in sacerdotibus This meanynge Christ of whom the prophet spake by reason of the mysterie of bread and wyne was made a preiste foreuer after the ordre of Melchize the whiche only amonge preistes offred bread and wyne This was written aboue twelue hundred fortye yeres passed manyfestlye affirmynge that christe by reason of the mystery or the secrete thing that is the sacrament of breade wyne was made a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchizedec whiche he coulde not be except he had offered his owne bodye and bloude in sacrifice to his father at his maundye vnder fourme of breade and wyne as I haue declared alredy therfore the masse muste neades be a sacrifice wherin he is continually sacrificed by the preistes his ministers after the ordre of Melchize * Fyue bisshops whiche were Aurelius Alipius Augustinus Possidonius wrote an epistle to Innocentius in the whiche they said Melchizedec prolato sacramento mensae dominicae nouit aeternum eius sacerdotiuÌ„ figurare That is Melchizedec dydde know to figure our lordes euerlastynge preisthode with a sacrament or a holy signe of his table shewed forth The which thing is so euidently affirmed by the holy martyr S. Ciprian which was almost thirtene hundred yeres passed that nothing caÌ„ be more plainly sayde for this he writeth In sacerdote Melchizedec sacramentum dominici sacrificij praefiguratum videmus We se saith holye Cypriane the sacrament of oure lordes sacrifice before fygured in the preist Melchizedec Than he proueth that his saienge both by the wordes of the Genesis .xiiii. chaptre spoken of Melchizedec and his sacrifice made with bread and wine and by the wordes also of Dauyd spoken of god the father to Chryste oure Sauyoure his sonne whych are these Thou arte a preiste for euer after the ordre of Melchizedec Anon afterwarde he layeth thus The whiche ordre of Christe trulye is this commynge of that sacryfyce and therof descendynge that Melchizedec was a preiste of the higheste God because he offered breade and wyne and blessed Abraham Nam quis magis sacerdos dei summi qui dominus noster Iesus Christus qui sacrificium deo patri obtulit Et obtulit hoc idem quod Melchizedech obtulerat id est panem vinum suum scilicet corpus sanguinem That is to say For who is rather the preist of god the highest than oure lord Iesus Christe whiche dydde offre sacrifice vnto his father And he offred the verye same the Melchizedec had offered that is to witte breade and wyne surely his body and bloude Moreouer Cipryane â—peaking of the sacrifice of Melchizedech in breade and wyne the whyche wente before as a fygure of Chrystes sacryfyce that was to comme in breade and wyne sayth after this maner Quam rem adimpleÌ„s dominus perficiens panem calicem mixtum Cyprianus vino obtulit qui est plenitudo veritatem praefiguratae imaginis adimpleuit The whiche thynge that is to wytte the sacrifice of Melchizedec that was a figure of christes sacrifice to come vnder fourme of bread and wine our lorde fulfyllynge and accomplysshynge hath offered breade and a cuppe or chalyce mengled with wine and water and he whiche is fulnesse hathe fulfilled the truth of the image or figure afore figured Who could haue spoken more playnly than this holy martyr here speaketh that christes sacrifice in fourme of bread wine was fygured before by the sacryfice of Melchizeder And to put awaye all doubte anone after this he sayth Vnde apparet sanguineÌ„ Christi non offerri si desit vinum calici nec sacramentum dominicuÌ„ legitima sanctione celebrari nisi oblatio et sacrificiuÌ„ nostruÌ„ passioni respond erit Whereby it appeareth that christes bloude can not be offred yf there be no wyne in the chalyce neyther our lordes sacrament celebrate or made after the laufull ordinaunce except our oblation offeringe and sacrifice shall agree or be lyke the
passion Hitherto this blessed martyr saint Cyprian a man nere the apostles tyme and of a very deape knowelage in goddes holye worde we ought therfore to geue credence rather vnto him in this presente controuersy of our religion than to Martyn Luther or els any other of that sort whiche vpon no grounde as it shall hereafter appeare manifestlye deny the masse to be a sacrifice propitiatory that is appeasynge or pacifieng gods displeasure and wrath whiche all meÌ„ seÌ„ce christe dyd firste institute it at his last supper til now Martyn Luthers comynge euer beleued vndoutedly stedfastly but I wil procede vpon this purpose make yet a further probation to leaue no doubte in the matter yf it may be by my small learninge The twelue loues of bread spokeÌ„ of in Leuitico were a fygure of this blessed sacrifice made in the Leui. 24. masse vnder fourme of breade as saint Dainascene dothe affirme sayeng Hunc paneÌ„ panes figurabant Damas lib. 4. Cap. 14. propositionis The loues of shewe dyd figure this bread And therfore where our texte in Latin hath panes propositionis offert He offereth breade of shewe the Hebrewe hath as Galatinus testifieth Galatinus lib. 10. cap. 7. Quia carnem dei tui ipse est vel erit sacrificans that is because he is or shall be sacrifisynge the flesshe of thy god S. Origen Origines in Leui. 24. doth playnlye confirme the same saieng If a man loke on the bread which descended downe from heauen and on that coÌ„memoration or remembrauÌ„ce of the which the lorde saith Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Luc. 22. Do ye this for remembraunce of me and do remember also the misteries of the churche more dylygently lokyng on them In his quae scribit lex futurae veritatis inuenies imaginem praeformatam He shall fynde in those thynges whiche the lawe writeth an Image or a symylytude of the trouthe afore fourmed Thys sacryfyce also was fygured by the continual sacrifice of the olde lawe mentioned in the boke of Moses called Exodus the xxix chap. For lyke as the twelue Exodi 29. loues were set out to shewe daily and this sacrifice coÌ„tinually done by the preistes of the olde lawe euen so in the masse the preist doth shewe daylye to the people our sauiours blessed bodye vnder the fourme of bread and continually offereth it in sacrifice to god for to appease his displeasure and to make him mercyfull and fauourable vnto vs that yet lyue and to the deade also Nowe the prophet Malachias shall come forthe to saye his mynde in this matter whych this writeth Non est mihi Mala. 1. â— 3 voluntas in vobis dicit dominus exercituum munus non suscipiaÌ„ de manu vestra Ab ortu enim solis vsque ad occasum magnuÌ„ est nomen meum in gentibus in omni loco facrificatur offertur nomini meo oblatio munda quia magnum est nomen meum in gentibus I haue no wyll or mynde to you saith the lorde of hostes I wyll not receaue of your hand a gyft or a sacrifice For from the risinge of the sonne vnto the goynge downe my name is great amonge the people and sacrifice is made and a cleane oblation is offred to my name bicause my name is great amonge the people Lo good christen reader here we se that god said by this his prophet that he had no mind to the Iewes mening that he wold forsake theÌ„ by reason of their infidelite lacke of fayth refusing his sonne christ at his commynge and synne and that he wolde no more receaue of them sacrifices made with beastes as he had done afore christ came in the tyme of the old testamente but that all suche sacrifices shuld be vtterlye abolysshed and lefte cleane as shadowes and fygures of christes sacrifice the very thing shadowed and figured by them whiche shuld and doth in dede as moch excede amouÌ„t excel them as the bodye dothe the shadowe and the thynge fygured the fygure or pycture representynge it That this is mente and spoken by the sacryfyce of the masse dyuerse olde wryters men so wel lerned as none are nowe these daies do playnely testyfye of the which I wyll brynge a fewe Damascene Damâ—s lib. 4. Ca. 14. aboue a thousand yeres sence thus wrote on this texte of the prophete Malachias Haec est pura scilicet hostia incruenta quam ab ortu vsque ad occasum ipsi offer riper prophetam dominus loquitur Christi videlicet corpus saÌ„guis in stabilimentum animae nostrae corporis inconsuÌ„ptuÌ„ incorruptuÌ„ non in secessuÌ„ iens absit enim sed in nostraÌ„ substantiaÌ„ conseruationem omnimodi nocumenti reparatio sordis omnis purgatio This is the englysshe therof This is the pure hooste or sacrifice offered to atteyne victorie of our enemies and vnblouddy or offered without bloud sheding the whiche our lord sayeth by his prophet shuld be offered to him froÌ„ the risinge of the sonne to the goyng downe surely the bodye and bloud of christ to kepe stedfaste or stable our soule and bodye or to be that thing which doth stablish our soule and body not coÌ„sumed â–ª incorrupted not going into the draught for god forbyd that but into our substauÌ„ce and conseruation a repayringe of all maner of The masse is a sacryfice propiriatoryâ— for one sinnes hurt a purgation or purgynge of al vncleannes Marke here good reader that this olde wryter Damascene affirmeth that oure lorde sayde by the prophet that a cleane hoost shoulde be offered to hym without bloude sheddyng verely the body and bloud of Christ and none other sacrifice than the sacrifice of the masse though Luter Bucer Bullyger and lyke other do neuer so much say the coÌ„trary without al good ground Secondly note that the same hoost or sacrifice shuld be a stay or a stablishment bothe of our bodye and the soule also Thyrdlye that it goeth not into the draught as other bodily meates do but it is turned in to the spiritual sustinaunce of the soule coÌ„seruatioÌ„ of it Fourthly note well that he calleth this holy sacrifice a reparation of all harine whiche came to the soule through synne and a purgynge or clensynge of all fylth of synne agaynst them which denye that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatorye that is makyng god mercyfull to vs and appeasynge his wrath towarde vs for our synnes Some Dyuers obiections are here soyled men saye that this prophetment of a sacrifice whiche the Iewes dyd make to god but they are farre deceyued Fyrste bycause he prophecyed of a sacrifice which shuld succede the iewes sacrifices abolyshed Secondly bycause he spake of a sacrifice whiche all people in euery place shuld offre to goddes name therfore it can not be vnderstande of any sacrifice of the iewes which they only in the temple of hierusalem dyd offre as it apereth by the law playnly Moreouer
some vnderstande this prophecy of the sacrifice fulfylled by christe on the crosse but as vntruly as the other for that sacrifice was offered of christ only in one place which was the mounte of caluarie but the prophet entreateth there of a sacrifice that shuld be offered to god in all places and therfore he spake not of christes sacrifice ones doone on the crosse Agayne the prophete wrote of that sacrifice which shuld be offered to god when his name shuld be great and famous amoÌ„ge the gentylles whiche was not renoumed among them before christ Mat .vi. Mar. 16 dyd suffre death but after his resurection wheÌ„ he sent his apostles to preache the gospell through all the worlde to euery man Thyrdly As bucer bulliger other of that sortt they are lykewyse deceyued that vnderstand by this sacrifice here mentioned laudyng of god thankes gyuynge to him confessynge of his name contritioÌ„ of mannes harte preachyng of the gospel mortifyenge of the bodye and carnall lustes or desyres of the flesh or any lyke first bycause none of these succeded or came in to the place of the Iewes sacrifices done away anulled and vndone for euer for they all were in the tyme of the lawe of nature before Moses lawe was put forth and vnder Moses lawe and after it was abolysshed as no man can say nay and therfore this prophecy can not be taken of them or any one of them Agayne the prophet spake of one sacrifice in the synguler nomber and theâ—e are many wherfore he may not be vnderstande of these Moreouer the prophet dyd speake of a pure and a clene sacrifice but our workes are not pure and clene because we offend sayeth saynt Iames in many Iacobi 3. 1. Ioh. 1. thynges And Iohn saith yf we saye we haue no synne we deceyue our selfes and the trouth is not in vs Therfore this prophecye must be vnderstande of Christes very bodye and blotidde a lambe without spotte of all fylthe and synne as Peter saith and sainte Paule 1 Peter 2. 2. Cor. 5. also which he offered vnder forme of bread wyne at his last supper and gaue autorite to his apostles and theyr successours prestes and byshoppes to do the same for his Luke 22. 1 Cor. 1â— remembraunce tyll his commynge agayne at the last day But I wyl brynge forthe Eusebius an olde Eusebius lib. Primo de euangelica demonstra greke writer to conferme this my purpose which thus writeth Mosaicis sacrificiis reiectis quod futurum erat nostrum ipsarum institutum propheta diuinitus nuÌ„ciat dicens Quoniam ab ortusolis c. That yâ— prophet sheweth of god or by the inspiratioÌ„ of the holy goost that which shuld be our own ordinauÌ„ce or institutioÌ„ the sacrifices of Moses reiected sayng bycause from the rysyng of the sonÌ„e to the goyng down sacrifice is made a clene oblation is offered to my name in euery place Therfore we do sacrifice saith Eusebius to god the highest a sacrifice of laude we do sacrifice to god a full sacrifice and bryngyng feare Et sacrosaÌ„ctum sacrificium A coÌ„secrated sacrifice halowed and that whiche ought not to be touched but reuerentlye We do offre in sacrifice to god with a new maner after the new testament an hoost clene This can not be vnderstande of any other sacrifice than of the sacrifice of the masse for none other is offered to god nowe after a newe maner accordynge to the newe testament as euery learned man may easely perceyue and therfore it must neades be taken of that sacrifice only Agayne he saith thus after very many wordes spoken of this matter as concludyng Iâ—aque Christus quasi mirabilem quaÌ„dam victimam sacrificiuÌ„ quod eximium deo patri operatus pro nostra omniuÌ„ salute obtulit eiusquè rei memoriam vt nosipsi ipsi deo pro sacrificio offerremus instituit That is to witte Therfore Christe after he had wrought offered to god the father for all our helth or saluation as who saith a certen wonderful and an excellent sacrifice and hath ordeyned that we our selfes shulde offre to the same god for a sacrifice the remembraunce of the same thynge If Marten Luther or his scolers had sene this holy fathers sainges and not lyâ—â—ed to lyke and esteme theyr owne iudgemnet more than his they wolde not haue so rashely The sacrifice of the masse was ordined by Christe and not by man as some meÌ„ saye vngodly denyed the masse to be instituted ordeyned a sacrifice of our sauiour Christe him selfe as they do ascribynge it and the settyng vp of it vnto prestes auarice and couetousnes Whose fonde Ireneus lib. 4 Ca. 32 33 â—4 leude and vngodly opinyon Ireneus an other greke wryter which was withiÌ„ .clxxx. yeres of Christes byrth and sawe sainte Polycarpe saint Iohn the euangelystes disciple yea whose scholer he was as some men say doth thus euydently wryte in this matter but Christe also geuyng counsayll to his disciples to offre vnto god of his creatures the first frutes not as who saith nedynge but that they shuld be neyther vnfruitful nor vnkynde toke that breade whiche is of his creation or his creature and gaue thankes sayng Hoc est corpus Christ at his laste supper taught his apostles a newe sacrifice whiche is the holye masse meum This is my bodye And he toke lykewyse the cuppe and confessed it his bloude and he taught a newe sacrifice of the newe testamente whiche the churche receyuynge of or from the apostles offereth to god throw al the hole world What can any wyse christen man desyre to be more playnly spoken of any man than this in defence of the sacrifice of the masse Maye not I beseche the good reader men be greatly ashamed either to deny the masse to be a sacrifice or els to saye that it is nothyng but an ydoll set vp by prestes couetousnes for lucre and gaynes Ought not we rather to beleue this auncieÌ„t father whiche was instructed by them that learned the trouth of Christes religion of the apostles scholars then Marten Luther or any of his Luther teachyng and schole which now after xv hundred yeres do laboure to brynge vp a new religion and faith amonge christen people Came not the holye goost to teache men the truth which Christ promysed Note reader Io. 14. 16 â–ª to sende to the apostles tyll Marten Luther came the fountayne almost of all heresie Hath Christe suffered his deare spouse the churche for whiche hâ— shed his most precious bloud to erre in his religion and the faith â–ª thus longe the space of xv hundred yeres Dyd not he promyse his apostles Matt vlt Ioh. 14. to be with them the holy churche tyll the worldes ende that he leadyng them whiche is the truth as he him selfe saith they could not be disceyued so foule in theyr belefe to thynke the masse a sacrifice ordeyned by Chrtste in the gospell it
nothynge so Truly euery wyse man doth iudge moche other wise but it is better to passe ouer this and to retourne agayne to holye Ireneus whiche after he hath aleged the prophecie of Malachias whiche I haue nowe in hande to proue that Christ as his maundye dyd offre his bodye and bloude in sacrifice to his father teachynge the apostles euen so to do and they the hole churche which offereth the same also through all the worlde Anone after this he writeth QuoniaÌ„ ergo nomen filij propriuÌ„ patris Caep 33. est et in deo omnipotente per Iesum Christum offert ecclesia bene ait secundum vtraque et in omniloco incensum offertur nomini meo et sacrificium purum That is Therfore because the sonnes name is proper to the father and in god almyghty the churche offereth sacrifice by Iesu Christe the prophet Malachias saith well after both the thinges both incâ—se or a swete perfume is offered in euery place to my name And also a pure sacrifice agayne Igitur ecclesie Cap. 34. oblatio quam dominus do cuit offerri in vniuerso mundo purum sacrificium reputatum est apud deum acceptum est ei noÌ„ quod ille indigeat a nobis sacrificium sed quoniam is qui offert glorificatur ipse in eo quod offert si acceptetur munus eius That is thus moch in our speach Therfore Mathe wel this reder the sacrifice of the churche whiche our lorde taught to be offered in the hole worlde is rekened with god a clene sacrifice and it is accepted of him not because he neadeth our sacrifice but because he whiche doth offre it is glorified or renoumed by that whiche he doth offre yf his gyfte or sacrifice be accepted of god Lo good reader here eftsoones and agayne this holy man playnly affyrmeth that the churche doth offre sacrifice whiche our sauiour Christe dyd teach so to do not any couetous preist or byshop myndyng to gette vauÌ„tage gaynes therby though many through enuye and malyce conceyued against the clergy whiche no heretike euer lacked are not ashamed so shamefully falsly to say of theÌ„ But now to S. HieroÌ„e S. Hierome â—poÌ„ Mala. 1 which writeth after this maner vpon this prophet Malachie Non in vna orbis prouincia Iudaea nec in vna vrbe Iudaea Hierusalem sed in omni loco offerri oblationem nequaque immundaÌ„ vt a populo israel sed mundam vt in caeremonijs Christianorum That is to witte God spake to the prestes of the iewes by the prophet the whiche do offre the blynde the lame and faynt to make sacrifice with that therby they myght knowe that spirituall sacrifices shuld succede the carnal and that not bulles and gootes bloude but a swete perfume that is the saintes prayers shuld be offered to the lord and that not in one prouynce of the worlde Iury nother in one citye of Iury Hierusalem but in euery place shulde be offered a sacrifice in no wyse vnclene as by the people of Israell was offered once but cleane lyke as in the ceremonyes of christeaÌ„s or christen people is offered Lo. Here good reader saint Hierome vnderstandeth the prophet of one pure and cleane sacrifice whiche should as nowe daylye it is in the masse be offered in christen mens ceremonyes whiche muste neades be spoken of the sacrifice of the masse wherin are many ceremonyes vsed with diuers holye prayers And that the prophet meÌ„t that sacrifice of the blessed masse he himselfe declareth openly in the thyrde chapyter folowynge For Malachi 3. there he doâ—h prophecy of Christes commyng by his byrth saynge lo he cometh Who canne attayne by thought the day of his commyng Who shall stande to se him For he lyke as fyre bloweth lyke as one bloweth the fyre and as the herbe of fullers of clothe And he He meaneth the apostles which christ clensed by makyng theÌ„ ryghteuos good men afore they should offre sacrifices to god his father shall sytte bloyng together or blowyng lyke as one bloweth the fyre and makynge clene lyke as gold and lyke as syluer and he shall purge or make clene the sonnes of Leui. Et colabit eos quasi aurum et quasi argentum et erunt domino offerentes sacrificia in iusticia And he shall strayne out theyr lycoure lyke as gold and syluer and they shall offre to our lorde sacrifices in ryghteousnes S. Hierome vnderstandeth here the sonnes of Leui all preistes of the new lawe whiche onlye shoulde succede the prestes of the olde lawe and these clensyd and purged as golde and syluer should offre to our lorde sacrifices in rightuousnes Et placebit domino sacrificium iuda et hierusalem sicut dies seculi anni antiqui That is the sacrifice of Iude and Hierusalem shall please the lorde lyke as the dayes of tyme the olde yeres This letter is not so playne and easye to be vnderstand as men thynke the scripture is which saint Hierome thus expoundeth the sacrifice of the prestes which they do offre for Iuda and Hierusalem that is for them that do confesse our lorde and se his peace with the mynde shall please the lorde lyke as dayes of tyme and as olde yeres that is as they pleased him at the begynnynge so after penaunce done for synne commytted when they shall be clensed from the fylth of all synnes they shall begynne to please god with theyr sacrifices agayne It is called also the sacrifice of Iuda because Christ dyd institute it whiche was borne of the tribe and in bethelem Iuda Also the masse is called of the prophet the sacrifice of Hierusalem because it was there first institute by christe Therfore sith this was prophecied of christes coÌ„myng by byrth which should make clene and purge the prestes of the newe testament that they myght beyng so clensed offre sacrifices to god for the people whiche confesse Christe to be our sauiour and do se his peace with their mynde euery man playnlye maye perceaue that this prophecye toucheth yâ— sacrifice of the masse for that onely doth appertayne to the preistes of the new testament as no man can denye Hytherto of the olde testament Now to the newe wherin are certayne places and textes euidently prouyng the masse to be a sacrifice not of laude and thankes geuynge onlye but also of appeasynge gods displeasure Textes of newe lawe prouyng the masse to be a sacrifice toward vs for synne and makynge hym mercyfull both to the lyuynge the dead Of the whiche the fyrst is this of Lukes gospell Hoc facite in meam commemorationeÌ„ Do ye this for my remembraunce Luc. 2â— That is to wytte I geue you autoritie power and coÌ„mauÌ„de you also to do yâ— whiche I haue done euen nowe at thys my maundye that is take ye breade geue thankes to god for al his benefites geuen to man blesse it consecrate it turnyng the substaunce of it in to my fleshe offre it to my
quid qui ante omnes est Christus prior fecerit For we muste aske sayth Cyprian whom they haue Cyprianus folowed For if in the sacriâ—ice whiche christe is none excepte Chryst â—uste be folowed truely it is necessary that we obeye and do that whiche Chryst hath done and that the whyche he commaunded to be done we ought not to marke what any man before vs thought to be done but what Chryst which is afore all men fyrste hathe doone Note dylygentlye good reader that this holye martyr saythe that Chryste is the sacryfyce offered of the preiste and that he dyd make sacryfyce in the cuppe beynge myxed wyne and water together and commaunded the apostles all preystes to folowe that same his maner and fourme of sacrafice at theyr masses These wordes hytherto rehersed good Christen reader are verye playne to persuade euerye man not vtterly vnapte to be taughte for wante of faythe to beleue the masse to be a sacryfyce ordeyned not by anye man but by oure Sauyoure CHRIST at hys maundye but yet here more playne wordes of him if it may be Thus he saith declaringe that gods ordinaunce oughte not to be chauÌ„ged by any mans tradition the which shulde be if wyne and water were not myxed together in the chalice at masse according to Christes institution Nam si Iesus Christus dominus deê° noster ipse est suÌ„mus Cyprianus â–ª sacerdos dei patris sacrificium deo patri ipse primus obtulit hoc fieri in sui commemorationeÌ„ praecepit vtique ille sacerdos vice Luce. 22. Christi vere fuÌ„gitur qui id quod Christus fecit imitatur Et sacrificium verum plenû tunc offert Marke this reader dilygently in ecclesiam deo patri si sic incâ—piat offerre secundum ê™ ipsum Christum videat obtulisse This is the englysh For yf Iesus christ our lord and god be the hygheste prepsie of God the father and he fyrste hathe offered a sacryfyce to God the father and commaunded that to be done for remembraunce 1. Cor. 11. of hym verelye that preiste doth exercyse Christes office or place truely whiche foloweth that thinge whiche Christe hath done And then he offreth to god the father in the churche a true and a full sacrifice yf he begynne so to offre as he may se the christ hiÌ„selfe hathe offered Are not these wordes playne and sufficient to proue the masse to be a sacrifice set vp by our sauiour Christe Iesu The apostles sayeng masse did make sacrifice to god We reade moreouer in the actes of the apostles the .xiii. that the apostels accordinge to the power autoritie and commauÌ„dement geuen them of their maister Christe at his maundy sayeng do ye this for a remembraunce of me dydde make sacrifice to god for there we fynd these wordes after Erasmus translation Quum auteÌ„ sacrificarent Act. 1â— dnÌ„o ieiunareÌ„tque dixit illis spiritus saÌ„ctus Segregate mihi Paulum BernabaÌ„ in opus ad quod assumpsi eos That is Whan the apostles dyd make sacrifice to our lorde and fasted the holye gooste sayde to them Seuer or separate for me Paule and Bernabe to the worke vnto the whyche I haue taken them Here we se that the apostles offered then sacrifice to god and that in the greke tongue was wrytten by Luke the euangelyste whyche vseth here the same greke verbe of the which the masse in the greke speache is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the hebrewe it is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Litourgia missah and that name is vsed in latyn Chrysostom wrytte a booke of the masse whiche he calleth in greake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Erasmus Pelargus with dyuers other translatours of that booke in latyn do turne that greke word by the hebrewe word missa which the latyn men commonlye do vse and it can not be otherwise conueniently turned into the latin tongue but by that same hebrewe worde missah whiche name the holye apostle Peter that fyrst said masse dyd belyke geue to that dyuyne and holye office whiche we cal the masse in englyssh And that most blessed and holy sacrifice with the whole ordre and maner of godlye suffrages prayers petitions and laudes commonly nowe vsed in the churche from that time of Christ and his apostles vntill this oure time hath alwayes ben receyued taught by the very selfe same name wtout agayne saieng of any man excepte one Peter Brusian whiche denied sacrifice to be offred to god Thoughe the greake worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 1. Heb. 9. whiche Luke vseth there signifieth many thynges yet not onelye in that place but also in other dyuers it signifieth to offer sacrifice as a preist doth and therefore the apostles dyd offre sacrifice to god instructed by their mayster Christ at his laste supper Moreouer it maye thus be proued that Chryst dyd offre him selfe in sacryfice at his last supper to god his father It is writteÌ„ in the first chapter of Iohns gospel and the fyfth chaptre of the fyrst epistle of Paule to Ioan. 1. 1. Cor. 5. the Corynthians that Christ is the very true Easter lambe pascal lambe passeouer in a fygure of whom the Iewes by goddes coÌ„maundemeÌ„t dydde offre in sacrifice a lambe as we fynde in the booke of Moyses called Exodus vpon the whiche Exo. 12 I make this reasoÌ„ for my purpose The thynge fygured muste agree with the figure and therefore as the pascall or passeouer lambe was a fygure of Chryste euen so muste neades the maner of offering and eatynge of Chryst the lambe figured by the passeouer or paschall lambe be lyke the offrynge in sacrifice and eatyng of that fygure but that could not be except christ had offered his verye bodye and bloud at his maundye and afterward receaued it as S. Hierom Hedibiâ— sayth that he dyd in verye deede for the Iewes dyd fyrste offre the pascall lambe in sacryfice and afterward Exo. 12. eate him as Moyses testifieth Therfore Christ dydde at hys laste supper offre hys bodye in sacrifice to his father fyrst in a fygure offeryng the pascal lambe and after that in very dede without a fygure eatynge it hymselfe and geuynge it to his apostles to eate also The which is done daylye of the preiste by his autorite power and commission as I haue declared already and wyl declare hereafter more at large by gods helpe and grace Saynt Ambrose Liâ— 1. â— LucaÌ„ dothe gather of Paules wordes the first epistle and the fyfth chapter to the Corynthians that christ is sacrificed by the preist at masse for thus he saieth Non dubites assistere angelum quando Christus 1. Cor. 5. assistit Christus immolatur Etenim pascha nostruÌ„ immolatus est Christus That is Doute not the aungell to be here syns that christ is here Christ is offered in sacryfyce For our pascal or our passeouer lambe christe is offered in sacrifice
do offre is the â—rdes death we are bonde to do no other thinge than that whiche he hath doone For the scripture sayth as ofte as ye shall eate this bread c. Lo Cypryan did vnderstande these Paules wordes spoken of makynge remembraunce of christes death so that he affyrmeth that we do make sacrifice in the masse and therby is that remeÌ„brauÌ„ce made of Christes passion death And that this holy martyr so dyd vnderstande saint Paules wordes it doth playnly appere by his wordes streighte folowynge which are these QuotieÌ„scuÌ„que ergo caliceÌ„ in coÌ„memorationeÌ„ dnÌ„i Cyprianus passionis eius offerimus id quod coÌ„star dnÌ„m fecisse faciamê° That is in our englysshe speache thus muche to saye Therfore as often as we do offre the cuppe in remembraunce of our lorde of his passion let vs do that whiche it is euydent that our lorde dyd Doth not Cyprian here manifestlye affyrine that by the offering in sacrifice of christes bloud coÌ„teined at yâ— masse in yâ— chalice a remembrauÌ„ce is made of Christes death accordynge to his saint Paules commauÌ„dement but ye wil say to me An obiectioÌ„ that S. Paule in this chapter maketh mention of eatynge and drinkyng the body and bloud of christ and of the remembrynge of christ his passion therby which thing is indiffereÌ„t to lay men preistes and therefore Cypryan doth not well gether of Paules wordes here that Christes deathe is remeÌ„bred by doyng sacrifice of the priest at masse To that I saye that the The solution death and passion of Christ is remembred by euery laye mannes and womans housle or receyuyng of the blessed sacrament of th aulter but more chiefly more lyuelye and expressely by offeringe of his verye bodye and bloude in sacrifice whiche is done of the preist at his masse than by that eatynge lyke as the sacrificyng of the paschal or passeouer lambe did moch more expressely figure the deathe and sacrifice of our sauyour christ on the crosse then to come thaÌ„ did the eatynge of hym as no lerned man doth or can doute and therefore although euery man and woman receauynge the blessed sacramente of the aulter whiche is the very bodye and bloude of Christ A booke made of the sacramente of th aulter and not only a figure therof as I haue declared in my boke made of that matter dothe by that declare Christes death and make a remeÌ„braunce of it yet that notwithstaÌ„dynge the preist in his masse doth princypally make remembraunce of that christes death and so saint Paules mynd was that the preist in the masse offeringe Christes fleshe and bloude in sacrifice doth thereby especially remembre hys deathe though he doth that secondarely in receiuing his body and bloude and the laye people do also the same But ye wyll saye vnto me that Christes institution wheÌ„ Math. â—â— Luc. 2â— he bade his disciples to take cate and drynke and to do that for his remeÌ„braunce doth playnely shew that we do only remembre christes death in eatynge and drinkinge his flesshe and bloude and not by An obiectioÌ„ offering it in sacrifice and therefore saynt Paule mente no suche â—hynge Also saynte Paule hym â—â—lfe sayeth when ye shall eate â—is breade and drynke of this â—ppe ye shall shewe the lordes death speakynge not one word of makyng sacrifice and therfore he oughte not to be wrested in this place to the sacrifice of the masse To that I aunswer that Christ his scholer saynt Paule dyd commaund The aunswere that when we do eate hys bodye and drinke his bloude we shulde haue his passion in remembrauÌ„ce or take theÌ„ to the remembrauÌ„ce of his death but yet no maÌ„ ought ne can if he wolde gether thereof that to shewe the lordes death is nothynge els but to eate and drynke the Sacrament in remembraunce of christes passion For if a man do wel and diligently considre and pondre Chrystes wordes when he saith Hoc facite Luc. 2â— 1. Cor. 11. in meam commemorationem Do ye thys for my remembraunce he shall see that it is an other thinge to do that whiche Chryste commaunded the apostles to do than onelye to make remembraunce of Chrystes death For Chryst badde we shulde do that whyche he dyd to remembre his death Now who knoweth not that the thinge whiche is done and that wherefore it is done are not both one thing But what neade so many wordes at this time syth Paule sayth nothinge agaynst the remeÌ„brynge of christes death by offring his body bloude in sacrifice in the masse but with it rather as I haue declared by S. Cyprians iudgemeÌ„t and sayenge and I haue proued already by diuers autorities both of the scrypture and the holy doctours that Chryste dyd offre his flesshe and bloude at his maundy to god his father in sacryfyce Therefore I wyll recyte more of the scrypture to proue that the holy masse instituted by Chryste our sauiour is a sacrifice appeasynge goddes displeasure profitable both to the quicke also to the deade people Whereby men maye perceyue howe moch Martin Luter Iohan Fryth with dyuers other were deceaued in this matter and namely a yonge man of this Pâ—raenesis our countrey in a boke sette forth in latyn in the which he saith that the holye masse is set vp to the reproche or iniurye of Christe and that Paule Peter and Iohan do teache vs the same The apostle Paule to the Hebrewes the fyfthe Chapter thus wryteth Omnis poÌ„tifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs quae sunt ad deum vt offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis That is Euery byshoppe or preist taken out of the nombre of men is ordeyned for men in those thinges whiche This texte proueth that eyther iÌ„ our tyme of the newe testamente there is no preisthode which no good christen bodye wyl affirme or that there is a sacrifice propre to it aduered to be offered for sinne which none can of fre vp but a preiste and syth there is nor can be anye other suche sacrifice but the masse it must nedes folow that it is a sacrifice of the newe testment do appertaine to god that he sholde offre gyftes and sacrifices for synne This texte is manifeste agaynst Martin Luthers heresy whiche is that all Christen people are preistes and that among christen folke there is none rather a preiste than all other For here Paule affirmeth that a preist is elected and chosen out of the multitude of the people therfore some and certayne of the people are preistes and not all the hole number of them Also he sayeth that a preist is ordeined or instituted for the multitude of Christen people to offre gyftes and sacrifices for theyr synnes and therfore that is the preistes propre and chiefe offyce so that it neyther dothe belonge to the layte to vse that office nor the office of a preist is onlye to
preach as some men vntruly do saye Moreouer this place declareth playnly that amonge chrysten people there are preistes whose office is to offre giftes as prayer such other also sacrifices as the sacrifice of teaching yâ— holy word of god to the people and chiefly the sacrifice of th aulter the very body bloud of our sauiour Christe Iesu which offeryng and sacrifice doth only appertaine to yâ— office of a preist to euery preiste indifferently for amonge christen people there are certaine sacrifices belonging only to a preist as preaching offering sacrifice at masse not only of prayer prayse thankes geuynge but also and principally of the body bloud of christ This letter of Paule omnis pontifex c. can not be vnderstaÌ„de only of preistâ— after the ordre of Aaron accordyng to the olde lawe for Paule ê“ueth therewith that christe whiche was no suche preist hath neade of a sacryfice moche more excellente than was euer any other before hys tyme of the lawe therefore yf that place shuld be vnderstande only of preistes of Aarons ordre it could make nothynge for Paules purpose vnder fourme of bread and wyne wherein consysteth Christes continuall priesthode after the ordre of Melchizedec as it is already declared largely and also in whiche euery preistes offyce dothe nowe staÌ„de chiefely Wherefore no man can well denye but the masse is a sacrifice belongynge to preistes of christes ordre and of the newe testameÌ„t This ment also s Paule in the seuenth Chaptre of his epistle sent to the hebrewes sayeng that yâ— preisthode of AaroÌ„ is abolished put cleane away christes preisthode set in his romth place whiche is after that ordre not of AaroÌ„ for after that ordre Christ dyd ones for all offre him self a sacrifice to god his father as Paule saith often to yâ— Heb. but after the ordre of Melch. wherby sacrifice is offred vnder the forme of bread wine in the sacrameÌ„t of th aulter For in this point as I haue afore proued resteth christes ê“petual coÌ„tinual preisthode preistes office Moreouer that the masse is a sacrifice it may be proued by another text of saint Paule in this same epistle to the Hebrues the .xiii. chapter where he thus writeth Habemus altare de quo edere non habent potestatem qui tabernaculo deseruiunt We christen people haue an aulter of the which they haue no power or auctoritie to eate that do serue the tabernacle that is they Math 5 CuÌ„ offers c â–ª sit mentio altaris 1. Cor. 9. whiche do put difference betwixte meate after Moyses law anulled vtterly by Christes death kepe the ceremonies of that lawe haue none auctoritie nor power to eate of Christes breade his very body Hebraeiâ—ocaÌ„t altare Mispâ—ach 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab oblatione coÌ„secrated and offered in sacrifice on the aulter whiche we Christen folke haue sette vp in our temples For yf he had not ment thys why shoulde he haue made any mentioÌ„ of an aulter which is made for sacrifice to be offred therupoÌ„ to god The masse therfore is a sacrifice exercised on the aulter for the continuall remembraunce of chrystes death and blouddy sacrifice once offered vpon the crosse The name which the greakes do geue th aulter declareth that it is made for sacrifice for they calle it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thysiasterium a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thysia Tireo hoc est sacrificio hostia seu victima seruo vel animaduerto perpendo So that they name that an aulter where sacrifice is offred or kept as amoÌ„ge Christen people nowe is kepte alwaye the very bodye of our sauyour in the boxe or pyxe hangynge vpon or ouer the aulter and therfore euen the name of an aulter giuen to it by the greakes whiche Paule dothe vse often maye and doth muche proue that the masse 1. Cor. 9. Heb. 13. wont to be sayde on the aulter is a sacrifice the whiche beyng ones abolyshed as Martyn Luther and his scolers goeth about to do but al in vayne for it hath continued synce chrystes mauÌ„dy neuer spoken against til Martyn Luter came and euer shall tyll the worldes ende accordynge to our sauyours Matt. vlt. Luc. 23. 1. Cor. 11 promise though it shal cease almost wholly amongest al nations a fewe excepted whan Antichrist shall reigne the space of .iii. yeres the half as saint Danyell Dan. 7. 12 writeth This I say sacrifice done awaye as it shall neuer be cleane tyl the worldes ende or yf the masse were no sacrifice in dede as Luther and his adherentes falselye saye it is none why shoulde than the aulter beare that hys name in the greake tungue But nowe let vs se what the generall councels the presideÌ„t leader and ruler wherâ—f was yâ— holy goost yâ— spirite Math. 16. Math. 18. of truâ—h as I wyll anon proue by gods grace therfore they erred not in their iudgemeÌ„tes sentences therein establyshed inacted published by their auctoritie But to yâ— matter wherin I wil be short The generall counsayls Our sauiour christ ê“mised to his apostles as we read yâ— .xviii. chap. of Matheus gospel that he wold be in the myddes among theÌ„ that being .ii. or .iii. were gathered together in his name how moch rather hath he ben presente where two hundred hathe ben assembled in his name as hathe ben in the mooste parte of all generall councelles and therefore they neyther erred in any weyghtye matter belongynge to oure faythe as this doth of the sacrifice of yâ— masse nor yet could erre Christ the truth it selfe beynge theyr guyde leader Also he promised to be wyth the churche euer tyll the worldes ende as Matthew doth tell in the laste chapter and to sende the holy Matt. 28 gooste the spirite of truth to teache the churche all truthe necessary for christen people to knowe Io. 16. and that the same shall alwaye for euer abyde wyth it the whiche he hath vndoutedly perfourmed before Luthers byrth and especyally to the generall councels representynge the whole churche and congregation of christen people so that they beynge lawfullye gathered together and assembled dyd not erre in the faith of Christ nor yet coulde erre therein Therfore yf it maye be proued that any suche counsayle hathe approued thys doctryne that the masse is a sacrifice as in deede manye hath done it must neades be very true Wherefore I wyll breifely shewe what some councels hath thought in this matter of the masse The counsayle holden at the citie Ancyra Ancyrane counsayle aboue twelue hundred yeares passed whiche was before the couÌ„sayle of Nycene hath these wordes folowynge Presbyteros immolantes videlicet idolis iterum lucta men adeuntes c. placuit honoreÌ„ quidem sedis retinere offerre autem illis non liceat That is We ordeine that preistes which do
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
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
haue moche spoken alreadye beynge within two hundred lix yeres of Christes byrth manifestly doth Cyprianus de caena do confirme sayenge Perpes est hoc sacrificium semper permanens holo caustum nulla panem hunc multitudo consumit nulla antiquitate veterascit This sacrifice is perpetuall and euer abydyng no multitude of people consume the this bread it waxeth olde with no auÌ„cientie Origene also being .xxx Origenes li .i. in Iob. yeres before hym that is within twoo hundred and xxv yeres of Christs byrth doth opeÌ„ly affirme the masse to be a sacrifice sayeng Probet seipsum Homo .i. mundeâ— seipsum ita de mundissimis domini sacrificijs frueatur vt apostolus ait Let a man sayth Origen proue hym selfe that is to saye let hym make hym selfe cleane and so lette hym vse with delectation and profytte the moost cleane sacrifices of oure lorde Lo this olde doctoure sayth that the Sacrament of the aulter is a sacryfyce whyche Paule exhorted the people to eate after they hadde proued and made cleane them selues through penaunce from their synnes soo that after hys iudgemente Sainte Paule vnderstode Christes wordes spooken at his maundye whiche he there to the Corinthyans the eleuenth chapter of the fyrst epistle recytethe to be spoken of his blessed bodyes sacrifice Ireneus lykewyse wrytte thus vpon the same matter before Origen twenty yeres Quomodo Ire li. 4. ca. â—4 autem dicuÌ„t carneÌ„ in corruptioneÌ„ deuenire noÌ„ ê‘cipere vitaÌ„ quae a corpore domini sanguine alitur Ergo aut sententiam mutent aut ab offereÌ„do abstineaÌ„t quae prae We eate and drynke christes flesshe bloud in the sacrament they are offered at masse in sacrifice dicta funt Nostra autem conson aÌ„s est sententia eucharistiae eucharistia rursus confirmat sententiam nostram Whiche is thus moch in oure speache But howe saye they that the fleshe goeth to corrupcion and receiueth not lyfe whiche is fedde with the bodye and bloude of our lorde Therefore lette them eyther chaunge their opinion or forbeare offerynge in sacrifice the thinges which are spokeÌ„ of afore the very bodye and bloude of our lord Our iudgemente or opinion is agreinge with the sacramente of the aulter and the sacramente againe doth confyrme our opinioÌ„ What man is he except he be past shame yea very blynde or malicious against the truth that wyl or can deny this olde and godly martyrs saienge to be ynoughe for the establyshynge of the sacrifice of the masse for asmuche as he learned yâ— scripture of them whiche were the apostles scholers as sainte Polycarpe Ihon the euangelystes disciple and suche other He goethe forth and saith thus Offerimus ei quae sunt eius congruenter communicationem vnitatem praedicantes carnis spiritus Quemadmodum enim qui est è terra panis percipiens uocationeÌ„ dei iam non coÌ„munis panis est sed eucharistia ex duabus constans rebus terrena caelesti sic corpora nostra percipientia eucharistiam iam non sunt corruptibilia spem resurrectiouis habentia We offer to hym in sacrifice those thinges whiche are his publysshynge or openly declarynge accordynglye the partakinge together and vnite of the fleshe and the spirite For lyke as the breade which is of the earth perceauynge or takinge the callynge of god is not nowe commune breade but the sacramente or the bodye of Christe consistinge in two thinges the one erthly and the other heauenly so also our bodyes receyuinge the sacrament of the aulter are not now apt to corruptioÌ„ hauing hope of risinge againe Hitherto S. Ireneê° Tertuliane which was about a C. .lxxx Tertulian li de exhorta castitatis yeares after Christes passion writ in this matter for my purpose saieng Differentiam constituit ecclesiae autoritas inter plebem ordinem Et sacerdos offert tingit The authoritie he saithe of the churche hathe ordeyned a differeÌ„ce betwene the laye people and them which hath taken ordres And the preiste offereth sacrifice and baptiseth Loo here two offices of a preiste to do sacrifice at masse for noone other sacrifice is propre to a preiste and to deepe chyldren in the founte Anacletus which was Anacletus be epist ecclesia â–ª with in .c. .ii. yeres of christes byrth doth confirme this marter saieng Diaconi coÌ„stituti sunt utessent ab oculis episcoporum quibus hoc praecipuum curae erat ut sacris induti vestibus episcopum ad altare ducerent reducerent eumque sacrificantem velut ex cubitores ob seruarent ne maleuolorum in cursione sacra turbarentur That is Deacons are ordeyned that they shulde be to the byshops as spectacles or to se for theÌ„ the which had this as chiefe charge or whose labour was chiefly that they hauing on the holy vestures shuld bringe the byshop to th aulter and from it againe and alsoo as watche men take good hede on hym offerynge sacrifice lest the holy thynges whiche are in the masse shulde be troubled by inuasion of malycyous or yll wylled personnes Wyth this accordeth Euaristus beyng within Euaristus ad aphricanam ecclesiam ten yeres after hym saienge Ea tantum matrimonia rata habeantur quae teste populo solemni rituperacta fuerint sacerdotis oblatione firmata Let onelye those mariages be counted stablyshed the whiche were finisshed with a solemne or an accustomed maner the people bearyng witnesse and were also assured with the preistes sacrifice Is not this spoken of the sacrifice of the masse Are not they The masse is a sacrifice not newlye inuented as heretikes say it is shameles whyche do saye that the masse was of late inuented by preistes for their owne lucre and vauÌ„tage and sette vp by them for a sacrifice to get pence with But I wyll go forwarde to the martyr s Alexanders senteÌ„ce which is this written aboue .xiiii. huÌ„dred yeres Alexander sanctissimus Martir uixit â—â—no d. 119 â–ª afore our dayes In sacramentoruÌ„ oblationibus quae inter missarum solemnia domino offeruntur passio domini misceÌ„da est vt eius cuius corpus sanguis conficitur celebretur passio Crimina enim atque peccata oblatis his domino sacrificijs delentur Idcirco passio eius in his commemoraÌ„da est qua redempti sumus saepius recitan da atque domino offerenda Talibê° hostijs delectabitur atque placabitur dominus peccata dimittet ingeÌ„tia Nihil enim in sacrificijs maius esse potest qui corpus sanguis christi Neculla oblatio hac poâ—ior est sed haec omnes praecellit quae pura conscientia domino offerenda est pura mente sumenda atque ab omnibus veneranda Et sicut potior est caeteris ita potius excoli atque uenerari debet Hec ille The englyshe may be this In the oblations of the sacramentes whiche are offered to our lorde among the solemnities of the masses
oure lordes passion muste be meddled that his passion whose body and bloude is made maye be celebrate or had in remeÌ„braunce ‡ And there fore it was not so ones offered on the crosse that it caÌ„not ne ought to be offered in the masse daylye albeit Luther is of that opion as his scholers be For crymes and sinnes are putte awaye throughe these sacrifices offred to our lorde Therefore his passion also in these muste be remembred with the whiche we are ransomed or redemed and it muste be oftentymes rehersed * The mas is a sacrifice appeasinge gods wrath and purchasynge to vs remission of oure synnes and offered to our lorde For he wyll be delyted and appeased or pacified with suche sacrifices and wyll forgeue greate synnes by theÌ„ For in sacrifices nothinge can be greatter then the body bloud of christ Neither there is any sacrifice better thâ— this but this excelleth all whiche muste be offered to our lorde with a cleane The blessed sacramente ought to be worshipped and honoured of christen people thoughe Luther Frith denied it conscieÌ„ce and receaued with a pure minde and worshypped of all men and women And as it is better theÌ„ other sacritices so it oughte to be rather had in reuerence and worshipped Hitherto that blessed martyr saint Alexander whose saieng shulde the rather be beleued because he was within a hundred twentye yeares of Christe and a man of hygh perfection in his life and notably lerned also This sayeng of this blessed auÌ„cieÌ„t martyr ought to be beleued of euery christeÌ„ maÌ„ without suspitioÌ„ of deceyt colouringe of this doctrine for lucre or gaines Now good reader I haue almost fully declared by yâ— rehersall of the eldeste doctours of christes churche from whense and whom this doctrine of the masse and the sacrifice therof hath come to vs that is to wytte euen frome Christe him selfe at his last supper institutinge and orderinge them bothe that the church was taught the same by his holye apostels their successours and obserued it Lâ—terluteth out of tune against the masse cotinually no man again saieng it tyll Martyn Luther beganne vpon mere malyce to lute against it with his stringes farre oute of Vâ—banus Regius tune and therefore Vrbanus Regius ought to be ashamed to call Ignatius saint Iohn the euangelystes disciple spake of the masse the sacrifice of it in hys epistle to the Smyrnenses and ther fore neyther of theÌ„ is lately inuented thoughe Luther and his scholers say other wise this the newe learnynge beynge aboue .xv. huÌ„dred yeres olde But Ignatius saint Iohn euangelystes scholer doth after this maner wryte of thys sacryfyce Nemo preter episcopum aliquid agat eorum quae ad ecclesiam pertineÌ„t Firma eucharistia reputatur quae ab episcopo concessa fuerit Christus est dispensator totius intelligibilis naturae propterea non licet sine episcopo neque offerre neque sacrificium immolare neque missas celebrare No man can do any of those thinges whiche doo perteyne to the churche againste the byshops mynde or otherwise then he wyll it shulde be doone Let the sacrament of the aulter be accompted of strength or assured whiche shal be graunted of the byshoppe Christe is the stewarde or dispenser of the hole nature whiche may be vnderstande Therfore it is not lefull to offer nor to make sacrifice nor to say masses withoute a byshoppe that is without the consente and authoritie of hym Loo good christeÌ„ reader this holy martyr saint Iohns disciple doth thus manifestelye speake bothe of the masse and also of the sacrifice of it whiche he learned of his mayster Ihon the was taught instructed by our sauiour christe at his laste supper both the masse the sacrifice of the same S. ClemeÌ„t saieng masse S. Clement the apostle Paules coÌ„panyon in preachynge spâ—aâ—ethe of the sacrifice of the masse it is therfore no new thiÌ„g inuented for lucre of preistes as Bassario cardinall of Nicea saith writing vpoÌ„ the sacrameÌ„t of yâ— aulter was woÌ„t to vse this forme of praieng Rogamus dnÌ„e vt mittas spuÌ„m saÌ„ctuÌ„ tuuÌ„ suê‘ hoc sacrificiuÌ„ qui efficiat huÌ„c paneÌ„ corpê° Ï‡Ïι tui qd in calice est saÌ„guineÌ„ filij tui That is to say in englysh We besech the o lord to sende thy holye ghost vpon this sacrifice whiche shuld make this bread the body of thy christ and also that which is in the cuppe the bloud of thy sonÌ„e Againe in the thirde epistle to s Iames thus he saith While we lyue here we must knowe where is the place to offre sacrifice QmÌ„ in alijs locis sacrificare missas celebrare noÌ„ licet nisi in ijs in quibus episcopê° proprius iusserit aut ab episcopo regulariter ordinato teneÌ„te videlicet ciuitateÌ„ coÌ„secratus fuerit Aliter enim noÌ„ suÌ„t hâ—c ageÌ„da nec rite celebraÌ„da doceÌ„te nos nouo ueteri restameÌ„to Haec apostoli a dnÌ„o acceperuÌ„t nobis tradideruÌ„t haec nos do cemê° That is forasmuch as it is not leful to offre sacrifice say masses in other places but in those in which the propre bishop hath or shall commauÌ„d or in that which hath ben or shal be halowed of the byshop ordered after the rule as who saith possessinge the citie For these thinges ought not to be done otherwise nor well after the maner vsed they are otherwise to be celebrate the new the olde testameÌ„t teachiÌ„g vs. Thapostles hard or receaued these thinges of oure lord taught theÌ„ vs or lefte theÌ„ to vs by traditioÌ„ which we teache commaunde to be doone of other men withoute reprofe as it foloweth immediately Lo good christen reader this holy doctoure S. Paules companyon in preaching doth playnlye make mention both of the masse also of the sacrifice of it affirmyng that Christ taught his apostles and they vs that sacrifice shoulde be offered onelye in places assigned by the bysshop or in a place consecrated by him whiche is propre byshoppe of the citie This dothe euidentlye proue that Christe also taught his apostles the masse the sacrifice of it that they taught the church and congregation of the faithfull people the same lesson whyche hathe euer since remayned shall alwaye tyll the worldes ende amonge all true and catholyque nations although dyuers men doo bable and barke againste it neuer so muche for the truth of oure lord abydeth for euer as Dauyd saith and Christe sente to the church the spirite of truth to abyde with it coÌ„tinuallye that it shoulde not erre in the faith beware therefore reader of Luthers pestilent doctrine whiche teacheth againste the premysses But to be short s Dionise Dionistus De ecclesibierar Ca â— the holye apostle Paules scholer conuerted by hym which was afore Christes passioÌ„ a famous philosopher doth call the sacramente of the aulter hostiam hostiarum the hoste of hostes or the sacrifice of
populi ignorantijs dignos nos fac ut inueniamus gratiam in coÌ„spectu tuo vt acceptabile fiat sacrificiuÌ„ nostrum That is Make vs o lord saith the preist at masse This is plainly said of that noble doctoure and holye saynte amonge the greakes meete to bringe into the gyftes and spirituall sacryfyces for our synnes the peoples sinnes coÌ„mytted thorough lacke of knoweledge and make vs worthy to fynde grace in thy syghte that oure sacrifice may be acceptable Againe in the same treatice of the masse he sayeth Fac panem hunc praeciosum corpus filij tui in calice vero hoc sanguinem preciosum Christi tui traÌ„smutans ea spiritu tuo sancto Vt fiat assumentibus in lotionem animarum in remissionem peccatoruÌ„ in communionem saÌ„cti spiritus in regni coelorum impletio nem in fiduciam apud te non in iudicium non in condemnationem haec ibi Make o lord saith the greke preist at masse this breade the precious bodye of thy sonne and that thing whiche is in this cuppe the precyous bloud of thy Christe * The doctrine of TransubstaÌ„tiation is no newe thing of whiche Chrisostom wrote nigh twelue hundred yeares past chaungynge them from breade and wine in to flesshe and bloude by thy holy spirite That it maye be to the receauers therof for a wasshynge or a clensynge of their soules and remyssion of their synnes and a coÌ„munion or a mutuall participation together of the holye ghoste to the fulfyllynge of the heauenly kingdom an affiauÌ„ce in the not to their iudgemente not to their condemnation Epiphanius alsoo a greake doctour nygh twelfe hundred yeares olde confirmeth this Epipha in cpi. ad Ioan hiero so uersa ab d. Hieroni. sayenge Illud audiens admiratus sum quod quidam te quoque turbauerunt dixerunt ê™ in oratione quando offerimus deo sacrificia soleamus ê“ te dicere Domine presta Ioanni ut recte credat That is I hearynge that dyd maruayle that certayn men had troubled the also and sayde that we are wonte in oure prayer whan we doo offre sacrifices to god to saye for the. Lorde graunte to Ihon that he maye beleue truely A lyke saieng hath saint Gregory Ieroins maister entreatynge of Iuliane the Grego Nazi oratio 1. in Iulianum emperours wickednes Mox incruenti sacrificij oblationem manus commaculat per quod nos christo unimur nec non passionis ac diuinitatis eius participes reddimur Anone the handes do defile the oblation of the sacrifice vnblouddye or offered without bloud shedding by the whiche we are ioyned together with Christe and made parte Marke reader takers also of his passioÌ„ and godhead What sacrifice I beseche the good reder can ioyne vs together with Christe and make vs partenars of his death and godheade whiche mannes handes maye defile except it be the masse and it be also a sacrifice propitiatory pacyfieng goddes wrath toward vs for oure offences That sayethe sainte Cyprian thus writinge after Cyprianus de caena domini he had saide that Christe vpon the crosse dyd offer hym selfe a sacrifice and that he the buttelar had giuen the same cuppe Penitrat omnia tanti medicamenti virtus quicquid esset intus ibi dum effugaret renouaret sanaretque quic quid morbi carni vel spiritui veteris uitae adlinierat corruptela That is The vertue or strength of soo greate a medicine perceth al thinges while it dryueth awaye what so euer shulde be there within and shoulde renewe and heale what so euer disease the defylynge of the olde lyfe had brought to the fleshe or the spirite Hytherto Cypryan Origen doth also thus write of the force and strength of the masse Origenes ho 13. in leui Sirespicias ad illam commemorationem de qua dicit dominus Hoc facite in meam commemorationeÌ„ inuenies ê™ ista est commemoratio Lu. â—2 sola quae propitium facit hominibê° deum If a man loke to that remeÌ„braunce of the whiche oure lorde saith do ye this for my remeÌ„brauÌ„ce he shal fynde that this is the only memorye or remembraunce of Christes death and sacrifice done on the crosse whiche causethe god to be contented or mercyful to men Of this part this is sufficent to proue that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatory or appeasynge gods dyspleasure for synne Now to the seconde part which is that the masse is auayleable and profitable to theÌ„ whiche are departed from this lyfe ¶ That the masse is profitable to the deade lyke as other good deedes doone for them are THegrekes good reder dyd deny vtterly that there was any meane place betwene heauen hell wherin maÌ„s soule shulde be deteined for a time tyll that it myght please god to deliuer it froÌ„ thence to his glorious sighte The whiche errour among diuers other Iohan Wycleffe Martin luther Ihon Frith did maynteyne and defende Also one Aerius as sainte Austen sheweth August lib. de heres heres 55 in his booke of heresies whan he coulde not obteyne a byshoprike for the which he laboured he taught Epiphani lib. 3 many heresies amonge the whiche he saied that a christen man shuld not be bounde to faste any certain daye but to be suffered to fast whaÌ„ he lyste ageinst the which I haue made a boke in englisshe and also A boke of fastynge he saide that it shulde nothinge auaile the deade yf the lyuynge shuld pray for them And thought it were nowe greate nede to write fully of this matter yet I wyll at this tyme onely bringe the auncieÌ„t doctours sentences to proue that the masse is a sacrifice profitable to them whiche are departed yf it be songe or sayde for them and shortely god wyllynge I wyll set forthe a hoole booke of that matter againste Frithes booke compiled of the same To begynne Innocen li. de myst miss therfore Innocentius thus wryteth Istos qui nondum perfecte prorsus purgati sunt commendat pia mater ecclesia intercessione sua in sacrosaÌ„cto sacrificio certissime The same hath s Barnarden sermone 66. Canti ca. credens ê™ sanguis ille praeciosus qui pro multis effusus est in remissionem peccatorum non soluÌ„ valeat ad salutem viuentium sed etiam ad releuationem defunctoruÌ„ The godly or piteous mother the church doth remembre them wtih her intercession in the halowed sacrifice beleuynge moste assuredly that the precious bloud which was poured out for the remission of many meÌ„s sinnes is not only of force or strength for the helth of the lyuynge but also for the easyng of the dead Isodorê° agreeth with this Isodorus lib. â— off sayenge Sacrificium pro defunctorum requie offerre quia per to tuÌ„ orbeÌ„ custoditur credimus ab apostolis esse traditum We do beleue that the apostles taught to offer sacrifice for the deades reste because it is kepte throughe all the world
But I wyl passe ouer those S. Augu. lib. 9 confes ca. 12. 1â— later writers and go to S. Austen which thus saith after he had rehersed his mothers petitioÌ„ which was that yâ— preistes wolde pray for hir in their masses CuÌ„ ecce corpê° elatuÌ„ est imus redimus sine lachrymis NaÌ„ neque in eis praecibus quas tibi fuÌ„dimus cuÌ„ offerretur ê“ ea sacrificiuÌ„ precij nostri fleuimus Lo whaÌ„ the body of my mother was brought forth to beburied we go come again wtout teares in wepiÌ„g For we dyd not wepe in those prayers Note that he saith the sacrifice of our price or redemption whiche we poured oute to the whaÌ„ the sacrifice of oure price or ransom was offred for hir Also s Austen desired the preistes to remeÌ„bre his mother Monica and hys â—â—ther Patricke in their masses Oughte I besech the good reder bablers and bunglers in diuinite affirme that the prayers of the quicke and preistes masses can nothynge auayle the deade sythe saint Austen the greateste learned man that hath ben sence the apostles tyme dyd so instantlye desire preistes at their masses to remember his father and mother More ouer this he saith of the same matter Neque neganduÌ„ est defunctoruÌ„ animas pietate suorum uiuentium releuari cum pro illis sacrificium Angnst q. 2. de octo questi ad dulcitium mediatoris offertur uel eleemosynae in ecclesia fiunt sed eis haec profunt qui cum uiuerent vt haec sibi postea prodesse possent merueruÌ„t That is to say iÌ„ our toÌ„gue It maye not be denied that the deade mennes soules are releaued or eased with the pitie of their frendes liuynge when the sacrifice of the medyatoure is offered or almesse ar done in the church but these thinges profit theÌ„ which deserued whaÌ„ they lyued that these thinges Augustin enchy ca. 109 110 myghte afterwarde auayle them CuÌ„ ergo sacrificia siue altaris siue quaruÌ„cuÌ„que eleemosynaruÌ„ pro baptisatis omnibus defuÌ„ctis offerunt pro valde bonis gratiaruÌ„ actiones suÌ„t Pro valde malis etsi nulla sint adiumenta mortuorum qualescunque viuorum consolationes sunt Quibus autem prosunt aut ad hoc prosunt ut sit plena remissio aut certe tollerabilior fiat ipsa damnatio Therfore whan sacrifices eyther of the aulter or of any almesse are offered for all christened people deade for those whiche are very good they be geuynge of thankes For those that are very muche yll though they be no helpe to the deade they are confortes suche as they are of the liuyng But whom they do profite they profitte to that that the remyssion maye be full or perfitte or at the leste the damnation shulde be more tollerable lib. 20. deciui deâ— cap. 9. et de cura pro mortuis habenda Hytherto saynte Austen whiche saienges he hathe alsoo in many other of his bokes which I now go ouer to the rehersal of other writers saienges among the whiche Ambros oratione funebride â—bitu fratris one is S. Ambrose whiche sayeth wryting vpon the death of his brother Tibi nunc omnipotens deus innoxiaÌ„ coÌ„meÌ„do aiam tibi hostiaÌ„ meaÌ„ offero cape ppitiê° ac serenus munus fraternuÌ„ sacerdotis sacrificiuÌ„ I commende to the o god almighty a harmles soule Ioffer to the my host or sacrifice take coÌ„teÌ„ted and pleased with a mery countenauÌ„ce the sacrifice of a preist the duety S. Ambrose prayed and saide masse for his brothers soule departed of a brother Lo here Ambrose doth praye at masse offer in it a sacrifice the very body bloud of Christe for his brothers soule departed wilt thou not beleue him that it is profitable to the dead so to do rather than Martyn Luter new scoryng an olde heresye of the greakes Aerius Ihon Wycleffe And suche other Epiphanius whiche was somwhat elder then saint Ierom condeÌ„nynge Aerius of herisie because he denied the praiers Epiphani li. â— suffrages of the quick shuld auayle the deade thus writeth Quae pro defuÌ„ctis fiunt prosuÌ„t praeces illis etiaÌ„si totaÌ„ culpaÌ„ noÌ„ abscinduÌ„t Ecclesia hoc necessario ê‘ficit traditione a prÌ„ibus accepta The praiers which are said for the dead do ê“fit theÌ„ thoughe they cut not away al the fault The church doth that thing necessarely by a tradition receiued of the fathers Gre. Nazi s Ieroms maister doth in diuers places confyrme this godlye and catholyque doctrine of the whiche to be breife I wil allege but only one which is in a certaine oration made at the buryall of his brother Cesarius where he thus praieth for him to Greg. Nazian Oratio 7. god O domine nunc quidem caesariû suscipe peregrinationis nostrae primitias Take to the now o lord Cesary the first fruites of our pilgrymage Chrisostome also doth wryte in Chrisost ad popu antioch homilia 69. this controuersye so playnelye as fewe other hath done either before his tyme or els sence for these are his wordes Non temere ab apostolis Chrisostome also the 41. sermon vpoÌ„ the l. to the CorinthiaÌ„s saith that the holy goost ordeyned that in the masse the deade shuld be praied for haec sancita fuerunt ut in tremendis mysterijs defunctorum agatur coÌ„memoratio Sciunt enim illis inde multum contingere lucrum utilitatem multam Cum eni constiterit populus extensis manibus sacerdotalis multitudo tremeÌ„dum proponatur sacrificiuÌ„ quomodo deuÌ„ noÌ„ exorabimus pro illis deprecantes These thinges were ordeined of the apostles for a lawe not vnaduisedlye nor with The sacrifice of the masse and prayers said in it do profyt the dead and the apostelles made that ordynaunce that masse shulde be said for them out a cause that in the dreadefull mysteries or sacramente of th aulter a remembraunce of the deade sholde be made For they knowe that muche lucre and moche profytte doth come to them thereof For whan the people shall stande holdynge vp their handes and also the multitude of preistes and the fearefull sacrifice is set forth how or by what reason shall not we obteyne grace or pardon for them praienge What is mente heare by that fearefull sacrifice whiche is shewed forth whan the lay people and the preistes are assembled together holdynge vp their handes Is it not the very bodye of Christ god moste dreadefull whiche the preist offereth at masse for the dead as this olde writer testifieth whiche writte almost twelfe hundred yeares passed This lawe to saye masse for the dead saith this auÌ„ciente doctour was made by the holy apostles of our sauiour christ and therfore it must nedes be true and godlye and all doctrine against it false and vngodly This holy father also in many other places maketh mention of this matter the whiche I wyll passe ouer excepte one in his masse whiche is this MemoriaÌ„ dnÌ„e
and the fauoure of god This reason is grounded vpoÌ„ the wronge vnderstandynge of s Paules sayenge For we maye as well proue by this autoritie that remyssion of our synnes commeth not by baptisme penaunce the hearing Expende haec lector iudica of goddes worde faith hope nor any other lyke thynge as that by the masse forgyuenesse of synne hapneth not to vs because when these thynges are receyued there is no paurynge oute of bloude as there is none in the masse Therfore let vs se what Paul ment by these his wordes which is easely found out by the wordes nexte afore in the letter pertainyng to the same sentence and they are these Et oia penè in sanguine secuÌ„duÌ„ legeÌ„ muÌ„daÌ„t And all sinnes almost after yâ— law are made cleane in bloude Lo he saith almost all and not all and therefore the other part of his sentence whiche is alleged aboue againste the sacrifice of the masse ought to be thus takeÌ„ almost with out pouryng out of bloude remission Aduerte lect of synne is not for els he had spoken playnely against the lawe which maketh mention of an oblation Leui. 2. Heb. aliud Sabach aliud Nuncha aliud Misath vnblouddy wont to be offred to god for remission of sinne that was made ex simila that is of fine meale of corne Also by the water called aqua expiationis that is the Num. 8. 19 S. Paule sayeth that the bloud of goates and of bulles the ashes of a heffer spriÌ„cled dydde make holye or pure the defyled as touchynge the vncleannes of the flessh and in the tenthe chapter he affyrmethe that it was impossyble that synnes shulde haue bene taken awaye by the bloud of bulles and goates water of clensinge or purgyng of the whiche the booke of numbers speaketh synnes were forgiuen not only vncleanes of the bodye was purged and yet bloude was not alway shedde whan this was done but ones before through sleynge of a redde heffar to make that water Thou mayst say good reader that although Paule ment that nothinges almooste whiche were vncleane in the olde lawe were made cleane without bloude sheddynge eyther euen than â— before yet that saieng of his may be applied to the time of the new law for asmuch as in this time there is no remyssion of synnes giuen with out bloud shedding that is to wit withoute the vertue of Christes bloude once shedde on the crosse that the same is applyed to vs by the masse as by the other sacrameÌ„tes Without faith in the strenghe merite and vertue of this bloude sheddynge than to come no sacryfyce of the olde testament dyd put awaye synne finallye it maye appeare by the letter of this chapter that Paule mente here by remyssion the purgynge of certaine irregularites and vncleanes of the body and flesshe rather than forgiuenes of synne the triall and iudgemente whereof I referre to the lerned and wyll go forwarde to the rehersall of the nexte argumente whiche is this taken out of Paules epystles to the Hebrewes thus wrytynge Christus semel oblatus est ad multorum The fourth reason â—â—b 9. semel peccata exhaurienda Christe is ones offered in sacrifice to consume or to take away many mennes synnes vppon this that Paule affyrmeth that Christ was ones offered vp in sacrifice for our synnes they argue and reasoÌ„ that the masse is no sacrifice for then Christe muste neades be offered as often in sacrifice as masse is sayde the which is plaine against saint Paule sayenge that he was ones and not often tymes offred for mennes synnes and therefore it must neades folow that the masse is not a sacrifice propitiatorye or purchasynge to vs grace and forgyuenesse of synnes This reason though it be iudged The solution neuer so stronge yet it is but very weake and of lytle force For as s AusteÌ„ saith Christ was ones offered for vs and yet if we beleue and remember his comming to vs he is dayly offered for vs so that albeit he was ones offered on the Christ was offred by the preistes of tholde law in figures and heofiereth hym selfe at his laste supper whan he of fered the paschall lambe crosse where he shed his precious bloud and died for all the worldes offences and that beynge a preist and exercysynge also a preistes office after the order of Aaron yet he offered him self vnder the fourme of breade at his last supper as I haue proued before sufficiently dayly dothe offer in the masse by the ministery of the preiste after thorder of Melchizedech which made sacrifice to god with breade and wyne as the Genesis sheweth wher Gene. 14. of I haue entreated afore at large S. Austen saith the .xxiii epistle whiche he wrote to the byshoppe Boniface was not Christ ones of fred in sacrifice in hym selfe and yet he is offered in the sacramente not only on al the feastes of easter but euery day also for the people That saint Paule ment onelye in this place of the deathe of christ and that his blouddye sacrifyce was ones done for al on the crosse and nothing of the sacrifice vnder the fourme of breade and wine whiche was fygured by Melchizedeches sacrifice it appearethe plainly by certaine wordes of that same chaptre whiche are these Neque ut saepe offerat semetipsum queÌ„ admoduÌ„ pontifex intrat in sanctaê‘ sigulos annos in saÌ„guine alieno alioquin oportebat euÌ„ frequeÌ„t pati ab origine muÌ„di NuÌ„c auÌ„t semel in coÌ„suÌ„matione seculoruÌ„ ad destitutionem peccatiê‘ hostiaÌ„ suaÌ„ apparuit Not that he shuld offer him selfe oftentimes lyke as the bishop entreth into the holy places euery yeare with the bloude of an other or els he muste neades haue suffred death often from the beginning of the world But now he hath ones appeared by his hoste or sacrifice in the ende of the worlde to the putting away of synÌ„e Nothing caÌ„ be spoken more plainly thaÌ„ this is to declare that Paule ment of that sacrifice which is ioyned with suffring of passion and death that ones is done and offred for euer and shall be neuer offered againe because Christ dyed ones for our synnes as Paule saith to the Romanes and shall neuer suffre death again Rom. 6. that notwithstandynge he is offred dayly in the masse withoute passion or paine that we maye the better and the souer be partakers of the grace whiche he purchased for vs by his deathe But of thys ynoughe now to the nexte reason of Martyn Luther Saint Paule saieth the nynth The fyfthe reason to the Hebrewes that yf Christe sholde oftentymes offre hym selfe in sacrifice that than he must neades suffre death often but he can not dye nor suffer deathe oftentymes therfore he doth not offre him selfe often in the masse as he neades muste yf the masse were a sacrifice wherfore the masse is no sacrifice The solutioÌ„ This reason is soyled alredy in the aunswerynge
dedes with suche other yet it were great foly and blyndnes to argue thervpon that christes onely sacrifice dyd not satisfie for al sinne Now to Luther againe who thus reasoneth vngodly It is not lefull to set vp any sacrifice The xvi reason to be a worshypping of god wtout expresse coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of god or wtout manifest scripture therfore but there is neither expresse commaundement nor plaine scripture that the masse is a sacrifice or that the preist in it shuld offer anye sacrifice Therfore it is no sacrifice The first part of this reasoÌ„ is false The solutioÌ„ for Abel offred sacrifice which pleased god wtout coÌ„maundement or scripture as the fourth of the Genesis doth testify and Iob also for his chylderne Furthermore al the Iob. 1 catholyke doctours are cleane in this opinion that Christe at hys laste supper dydde institute the sacrifice of the masse and commaunded his apostles to offer there at his blessed bodye and bloude in sacrifice saienge Hoc facite in meaÌ„ commemorationem Do ye thys for my remembraunce Luke .xxii. Finally we beleue many thinges not expressed nor commaunded in Verities not written expressely in scripture the scripture as the continuall virginitie of the mooste blessed and honorable virgin marye Christes mother for the denial of the which Saint Ierome called Eluidius an heretike Also the baptisme of infantes or babes can not be proued by expresse scripture but only by tradition of the apostelles as Origen Sainte Austen and Dionise Li 6. coÌ„ iÌ„ Ro. Aduer faustuÌ„ lib. de ecclesi hierarch Paules disciple do say I passe by diuers other thinges necessary to be beleued althoughe scripture neither commaundeth them to be done nor speaketh anye thinge of them of the whiche I wyll putte forth shortely a boke god willing They yet reason thus against the masse The .xvii. reason That can not be a sacrifice whiche the preiste doth eate because a sacrifice is wholly offered to god and no part of it is turned to maÌ„s vse but the preist doth wholly eate the sacramente Therfore it is not a sacrifice O blyndnes of Luther dydde The solutioÌ„ not the Iewes eate the paschal or passeouer lambe and yet that was a sacrifice as it appearethe in the scripture playnely And where he saith that a sacrifice is wholly offered to god and no peece of it turned to mans vse that is true only of one kynde of sacrifice called in greke holocaustum that is al burned For in the olde laue the iewes dyd â—leye beestes wich hauynge theyr bowelles taken out were layed hole on the aulter and burned so that of these onelye no part was turned to mans vse the whiche Martin Luther applieth falsely to all other sacrifices therefore this his reason is not worth two peason as this is not made by him The sacrament of th aulter is a The xviii reason gage or a pledge of gods promyse made of the remission of sinne and obtaininge of life euerlastynge by the eatynge of it as it appeare the in Iohans gospell sayeng he that eateth of this breade shal lyue for IoaÌ„ 6 euer therefore that thinge whiche is consecrate in the masse can not be a sacrifice for as muche as one thynge can not be a gage and also a sacrifice Hytherto leude Luther without all learnyng To this I aunswere breifely The solution that the masse is both a pledge assurynge vs of the perfourmynge of gods promysse touchynge remission of synne and the lyfe euerlastynge also a sacrifice in dyuers respectes For it is a sacrifice for as moch as it is offered of the preist to god after the churches ordinauÌ„ce and a gage or pledge in as moch as it is geuen to vs of god as a certificate and an assuraunce of forgiuenes of synne and glorie celestiall at the lengthe to be of vs receaued throughe the worthy eatynge of Christes bodye Wherefore thys reason is soyled cleane Nowe whan Luther thus argueth The sacramente is a gyfte geuen The .xx. reason to vs of god as christe sayeth Accipite take ye this is my body but one thinge can not be a sacrifice and a gyft because the nature of a sacrifice is to be offred to god and of a gyfte to be giuen of god whiche are contrarye and can not agre together in any one thinge What ignoraunce is this of The solutioÌ„ this greate doctour whome hys scholers are not ashamed to call Daniel and the lanterne of the worlde whiche brought the lyght into it If good christen reader one thinge coulde not be bothe a gifte of god gyuen to man and also a sacrifice than Abell dyd offer no sacrifice for those thinges whiche he offered were the gyftes of god as the text sheweth nor Abraham nor Iob nor the Iewes offerynge of beastes corne and other thinges by the coÌ„maundement of god had ben any sacrifice because al those thinges were goddes giftes as al creatures be accordyng to the prophet Dauids sayenge Domini est terra plenitudo eiê° Psal 23. The earth is our lordes and the fulnes of it are not the praysynge of god geuynge thankes to hym the confession of his name geuing of almes with many other thiÌ„ges sacrifices and yet they are al gods giftes as Paul saith Quid habes 1. Cor. 4. quod non accepisti What hast thou that good is whiche thou haste not receaued Therefore the prophet 1 paral 29. Dauyd sayde Tua sunt omnia domine quae de tua manu accepimus dedimus tibi Lorde all thinges are thyne and we haue giuen to the those thinges whiche we haue receaued of thy hande This the church confesseth in the canon Nihil deo preter â— sua damus we gyue no thynge to god besyde his owne G. Nazianze oratione 16. of the masse sayenge Offerimus praeclarae tuae maiestati de tuis donis ac datis hostiam puram hostiam sanctam hostiam immaculalatam panem sanctum vitae aeternae calicem salutis perpetuae We do offer to thy very excellent maiestie of thy lyberal or fre gyftes thynges geuen to vs a pure hoost a holye hooste an vndefyled host holye breade of euerlastynge lyfe and the cuppe of saluation perpetuall Lo here thou seeste reader that the church christes spouse the fouÌ„dation and pyllar of the truth to whome christe promysed the holye ghost the spirite of truth whiche shulde abyde with it for euer that it shuld not holly erre in the faith doth confesse one the same thing Tua ex tuis tibi offerimê° we offre to the saythe Chrisostom iÌ„ his masse â–ª thine owne thynges of thyne owne to be a gyfte of God and a sacryfyce offered to hym Ought not we rather to beleue this than Martyn Luthers folysh bablyng grouÌ„ded vppon no learnynge but of this sufficiente An other argumeÌ„t of his framynge is this whyche I do reherse that men maye se his great and exceadynge ignoraunce in
scripture and not for any learnynge or strength it hath The xx reason The sacramente of the aulter was called of Christe whan he dydde institute it the newe testamente in hys bloude as it appereth the .xxii Lu. 22. 1. Cor. 11. of Luke But nothing can be both a sacrifice and a testameÌ„t because a testament is receaued by the executour of the maker of it and a sacrifice is offered to god Thys reason is easelye soyled partely for as muche as onlye the bloude of Christe is called the newe testamente and not the flesshe and that improperlye because the newe testamente is confirmed and establyshed by sheddynge Heb. 9. Gro. 24. of it as the olde was by the bloude of beastes Also the sacrament is called the newe testamente because it is a gyfte of the newe testament or a thing bequeathed of Christe therin as peace is whiche Christe bequethed to his disciples whan he shulde depart from them by death as Iohn testifieth the .xiiii Ioan. 14 chaptre This notwithstandynge it is a sacrifice for as much as it is Testamentum est institutio percipiendae baereditatis morte testatoris obsignata Heb. 9. offered to god at masse for the quick and deade A testament properlye is an ordinaunce of a mans laste wyll concernyng the distribution of his goodes ratified and assured with his death as Paule saieth and so the sacrament of the aulter is not called a testament as it is euident Fynally the newe testameÌ„t Testamentum dequo christê° l â–ª quitur est ordinatio uitae aeternae â— giÌ„am indiscendae christi morte obsignataê™ ideâ— dicitur aeternum ê™ uitae aeterna est ab aeterno preparata electis ê™ illa est aeterna Matt. 25. in an other significatioÌ„ containeth the lawe of fayth hope charyte the commaundementes counsaylles and the promisses of Chryste after the whiche sorte the sacrament cannot be called a testament as euery learned man perceaueth and therfore it is called the newe testament for two the first causes aboue mentioned with the whiche it standeth very wel that it is also a sacrifice but of this reason I haue spoken inoughe wherefore let vs here the nexte thus fashyoned out of fasshyon The communyon or housle of one laye man profyteth nothinge another Therefore the preistes masse doth nothynge auayle the people but onely hym selfe Dyd euer man heare or reade â—he .xxi. reason afore Martyn Luther came anye so fonde and folysh an argument The apostels of christe receauing their housell of hym dydde therewyth profytte vs nothynge therfore Christes consecration of the sacramente dydde profytte vs nothinge Is this a good reason Is it lyke of the laye mannes receauynge his housle and of the preistes sayenge masse who but Martyn Luther is so ignoraunte and blynde to affirme that But the blynde leadeth the blynde tyl both fall into the denne of heresye and eternal damnation Beware good reader of suche blynde leaders leste thou repente whan it is to late Againe thus Luther reasoneth saienge One maÌ„ can not be baptised or christened for an other nor marry a wyfe for an other therefore one can not offer sacrifice for an other This is a reason mete for such a teacher Why dyd not he as well argue thus one man can not be christened nor marry a wife for an other therefore one can not praye for an other nor giue almes for an other Doth not that folow as wel as the other vpon his first proposition Dyd not Iob offer sacrifices Iob. 1. for hys chyldrene Dydde not the preistes of the olde lawe offer Leui 9 sacrifices for the peoples synnes Doth not sainte Paule saye that Heb 5. euery preist or byshoppe is chosen to offer gyftes and sacrifices for mens synnes beleue not therfore good reader this doiynge ignoraunt techer which erreth so plainly against gods holy worde as the seest in these argumentes alredye recited that Luther did as thou shalte se in the reasons now folowynge of whiche this is one The laye people do not offer The xxii reason sacrifice whan they receyue the sacrament Therfore the preistes likewyse do not offre sacrifice when they do eate it and so the masse is no sacrifice This reason is so sclender and The solutioÌ„ weake that it is not worthye to be rehersed much lesse to be confuted The Iewes eatinge the paschall lambe dyd not offer sacrifice neyther the layte nor the preistes and yet the preistes dydde offer hym in sacryfyce before they dydde eate hym as the scripture sheweth manifestlye after lyke sorte the preistes of the newe lawe thoughe in receauynge the mooste blessed sacrament they do not offre sacrifice yet they do offer the body bloude of our sauioure Christ to god before they take it as the canon both of the greake and also the latyne masse playnelye declareth wherefore this argumente is of no pith ne strength as the nexte is fourmed after this maner If the masse were a sacrifice or The xxiiii reason deyned by Christe as ye say it is than it shoulde folowe that the apostles at their masses had offred sacrifice ensuinge therein Chryste their maisters sample and commaundement byddinge them doo that whiche he had done hym self But they dyd not offer sacrifice in their masse Therfore the masse is not a sacrifice Martyn Luther thus trauaileth The solution to proue the seconde parte of this reason whiche is that the apostles at their masse dyd not offer sacrifice we reade saith he in thactes of the apostels that they dyd breake breade about the howses so they receiued it which is vnderstande of the sacrament and made no sacrifice because sacrifice was and is nowe euer offered in the temple and not in anye pryuate house The solution To this I say that that breaking of breade was but a distribution or a giuing of the holy body of christ to the people which was before coÌ„secrated offred vnto god a sacrifice For that is oftentymes in scripture the signification of this worde frangere to breake as in the prophet Esaie the eyght and fyfty chaptre where we read these wordes frange panem tuum esurienti breake thy bread to the hungry that is gyue it to hym Moreouer there were belyke some halowed places about those howses in the wich the apostles sayed masse and made sacrifice to god before the temples were buylded Fynally a temple is not vtterly necessarie to offre sacrifice in as now experieÌ„ce of the church declareth and so by this aunswer another of Luthers reasons is soyled whiche is that Another reason of Luthers is soyled by the waye Christ at his maundye dydde not offer sacrifice institutynge the masse because he was not then in the temple where sacrifyce should haue ben offered but in the geste chaumber or a parler where men dyd vse to souppe for yf a temple hadde bene so necessarye to offer sacrifyce that none coulde haue ben offered excepte