vnto his Apostles and lykewise did with the Cuppe In your masse what is lyke this First there is no thankes geuing or any that can be pretended since it is in a forrane language it is eueÌ„ as there were none there is no breaking of bread nether yet distribution What can it haue then lyke vnto the Lordes institution To the offerring vp of the body and blood of Iesus Christe vnder the formes of bread and wyne to the father of heauen I am assured there is no such thing in the institution of our Sauiour shaw your warrand produce your commission the action I haue rehearsed wherein there is no such thing to the iudgement of all But if ye will say it is here conteined do this in remembrance of me this sentence is relatiue to the action preceading so that there can be no mention at all in this whole institution By whome ye will the body and blood to be receaued as the heauenly foode of our Soules it is incertaine whither of God or of vs be lyke ye wold meane of God seing ye haue spoken of offerring immediatly before as ye should meane that as it is offered by vs vnto God so lykewise is it receaued of his part which in verie deid is a strange maner of speaking and vntrew for who did euer here that the Sacramentes giuen and appointed vnto vs by God as a moste speciall benefite and comfort that euer they wer commanded to be offered to God or so receaued of him I am not ignorant that that thing which is done according to his holy ordinance he is coâ—tent with it and in that consideration receaueth it But here we speak of offerring of our part and receauing in that respect of the part of God We are commanded to vse and practise his holy Sacramentes whereby we testifie our Religion and witnes our obedience vnto God but to offer them vp vnto him this did I neuer here In deid the body and the blood of Iesus Christe represented by bread and wyne in this Sacrament being receaued according to his holye institution and ordinance and no wayes els I knowe to be the foode and nourishment of the Soule of the faithfull receauer If this be your mynde in the latter wordes of your diffinition then doeth the latter part moste ineptlie and improperlie aggre with it that preceadeth of the offerring This farre haue we trauelled with your fond diffinitions and al 's shortly as wes able and more shortlie nor the mater should require if we should not haue occasion after to speak somwhat as ye trauel forwarde in the explication of your owne sayinges It that ye adde to your former diffinition I can not tel what triflus orations iÌ„uented deuised as you say by the aÌ„cient Fathers that as seames to you moste iustlie to decore the Maske I answer vnto you that all proceadeth of a Fornace and one Author to wit the Deuill for as the principall is blasphemous so is all that is ioyned wiâ—h it and pretex not such godlie orations as be vsed in the holy Communion for there is nothing there but it that is drawen out of the Scriptures of God and practysed accordiÌ„g to Christes holy institutioÌ„ ordinaÌ„ce For the prayers which we do vse before the table of the Lorde Iesus we repute no part of that holy action but onely vse them to inflaÌ„me and stirre vp our dul hartes to the due consideration of that great mysterie to the practise whereof when we approche we do nothing which the Lorde Iesus did not nether yet omit we any thing which we finde that he did and commanded vs to do but in your masse if the Collettes Pro Pecore infirmo I wil not say for a seick sow Pro Partutientibus Pro Defunctis Pro naâ—uigantibus and such others be omitted Sire Iohn is not worth his Six blankes Now haue we to consider the reasons and argumeÌ„tes whereby this Romish Doctor trauelleth to confirme his fond diffinitions Iames as he is introduced requireth a probation of Scripture for iustification of the which is adduced an part of the wordes of the institution out of Lucas and Marcus do ye this in remembrance of me By the which wordes sayeth this Gospeller He commanded his Disciples to consecrate the bread and the wyne as he did saying this is my body and so he institute the consecration and by the consecration the verie body and blood of Iesus Christe our Sauiour are contened vnder the forme of bread and wyne by the power of y e Lordes word which is omnipotent according to this ye shal mark the godlie Ancient sayinges of Chrisostome written in this maner It is not man that maketh our Lordes body and bloode of the breade and wyne and so furth Whereupon first we shall obserue the olde practise and shift of sathaÌ„ in the recyting of any place of Text alledged or broght in for his purpose that euer he rehearseth a certane portion or part of the text neuer the whole senteÌ„ce Why is not the whole action recyted This hath bene a great occasion of these wicked errors we are now troubled with all and principally in this mater we haue now in hand for hereof hath proceaded that there wes nothing Iudged to appertene to this action by the aduersaries of the Euangle but onely this sentence this is my body that not pronounced plainely but mumled and blowen vpon the bread and so of the Cuppe as nether the thinges preceading nether yet the commandement ensewing should haue any place in this action the fructes whereof are that not onelie the sentence is vtterlie wryed and peruerted but the wordes altered changed and adulterate which no man of a sober wit can esteme to be attempted without a great Sacriledge For as deprauing of senteÌ„ces bringeth in all corruption so innouation of tearmes vsed by the Spirite of God can procead of no sobrietie whosoeuer be the Author and inuenter of them Of the one we haue the horrible and monsters mother of all impietie transubstantiation and real presence dinging Christe from the ryght hand of the Father taking from him the office of preisthead and mediation in that that it leaueth not to him the proprieties of the manlie nature pernerting and exstinguishing the ordor and effect of a Sacrament ascribing vnto our Sauioure a phantasticall body with Marrion and fynally affixing him to a certane peice of bread at the appetite of a filthy whormoÌ„ger not vnlyke to that that we reid in Theotritus and after him in Virgile in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where they gaue such strenth to the versis of Inchanters that they moue Iupiter the Sonne Mone to fal out of the heauen and discend in their bossomes I wold this glorius gloser should haue red BonaueÌ„tura and Stotus otherwise called Doctor Subtilis and suche others in the impugnation of this wicked and deuillishe impietie set furth by Nicolaus Secundus and Innocentius
we be here called to where the same is the banked and the banked giuer as this same Author sayeth We shall consider this bread exhibited to vs here to be the bread of lyfe nourishing our Soules vnto immortalitie We shall consider these Elementes which he giuen as sure pledges of eternall Saluation and of all benefites procured and obteined to vs by Iesus Christe So that we must not go to this table as to a common table to farce and stuffe our bellies with bread and wyne but we muste vnderstand this bread to be seperated from the common vse and sainctified and dedicated to the holy Communion of Christes body and blood to declare to vs that we are not now leuing in our selues but Christe leueth and rigneth in vs we are no more the seruandes and slaues of Sathan but members of Iesus Christe that we are now made participant and partakers of his iustice and ryghteousnes and that by him we haue remission of our sinnes so that now albeit we be in the earth exposed to all kynde of tentation trouble and persecution yet our conuersation is in the heauen with him on whome our Soules stayeth and feadeth This change then that they do meane of is to extoll this mysterie as it is worthy all praise and declare with what trymbling feare and humilitie we oght to present our selues thereto because this that wes common bread appointed for the refection of mans body is now sanctified to an holy vse to assure vs of that coniunction yea and liuely perticipation we haue now with the Eternall Sonne of God who ioyneth him self so familiarly with vs that we are now ingrafted so in him that we now as it were soucketh our verie substaÌ„ce out of his body blood He is now vnto vs that that he called him self the wynetre and we the brenches he is the head and we the members he is shortlie he out of whome lyfe ryghteousnes iustice holynes and sanctification proceadeth and floweth vnto vs. So that this whole change and immutation is to be referred to the myndes and consciences of the receauers not to any other change that is in the substances of the Elementes that be there proponed but the bread remaneth bread and the wyne wyne albeit they be sanctified to an other more holy vse as we haue said and shall alter declare in the conference of the Doctors This I take to be and douteth not but it is the verie naturall meaning of the wordes of this Auâ—hor and of all the AncieÌ„tes wheÌ„ as they speak of any change here Yet I am not ignorant that thou and thy fellowes will apply the former sentences and referre them vnto the commandement do ye this in remembrance of me as hereby the Lorde should giue vs the charge to sanctifie or as thou speaketh to consecrate the bread and wyne which as it is moste vntrew and coÌ„trarious to the simple treuth of the Lordes commandement so the Author doâ—th meane no such thing For the lord did not coÌ„mand vs to sanctifie bread and wyne and change them but that we shoulde take them giue thankes break and distrybute them amongest vs. and that with all humilytie and reuerence we should eat and drink them in remembrance of him as the verie Sacrament of his body and blood which Sacramentall ceremonie passeth not the reach and capacitie of man And in this whole institution one 's made by him self he still sanctifieth for euer the Sacramentall Simboles to the perpetuall vse and confort of the whole Churche which this Author Chrisostome signifieth moste clearlie In that he sayeth he that wroght then in the Supper doeth them euen now so that he still sanctifieth them by his holy institution and ordinance that he made then in the Suppere where he changed not the substance of bread and wyne but the naturall vse appointed to the resection of our bodies he turned and conuerted in a Sacramentall vse to serue vs by the inwarde operation of the Spirite of God to the nourishement of our Soules and vpholding of our Faith Ones he said this is my body this cuppe is the new Testament in my blood do this in remembrance of me And in these wordes ones pronounced did he ones iÌ„stitute and sanctifie this holy action and ceremonie and changed these Elementes from a naturall vnto a Sacramentall vse by vertew whereof this whole action is saÌ„ctified throghout all wheresoeuer it is practised which is the verie meaning and interpretation of this Author and all the Ancients wheresoeuer they vse such forme and maner of speaking Here then thou seeth plainely that this Author ascribeth nothing to the wordes pronounced by the Minister but vendicates and reserueth to Christe the instituter the whole strenth and power of sanctification which wes theÌ„ done when as he instituted this action and commanded it to be practised in remembrance of him But alwayes here it is not to be passed by that in these wordes cyted out of this Author there is no mention of an Alter but of a Table whereby thou may vnderstand clearly that this Author knew no suche Alters whereof we haue such a multitude erected euerie where without the which the Papistes opinion is that no masse can be done but onely a Table to the imitation of our Sauiour which properly apperteaneth to the practise of his holy Supper Whereof lykewise we may collect that there wes no preuy masses such as in our dayes in the aige of our forebiers that hath bene vnder Antichristes authoritie moste prophanely abused hath bene preuy masses I call all suche where as the preist the people wholy secluded without any distribution deuoreth swelloweth vp all in a moste reuinus maner as in all masses we haue sene which as they are contrarius to the ordinances of Christe Iesus so moste iustlie they lacke and hath no testimonie nor approbation of antiquitie but are moste impius blasphemus and detestable When this inuerted Silenus hath thus played him with the wordes of this Author he inferreth concludeth That not onely said our Sauiour this is my body where through he institute the consecration but al 's he eaked these wordes saying which is giuen and broken for you by the which wordes preseÌ„tly as the same verie time he declared his body to be an vnbloodie Sacrifice to be offered by the Apostles and all other Ministers of Christes Church to the end of the world in remembrance of his death saying do this in remembrance of me In the answer to this conclusion I wil be verie shorte because afterward ye intreat this mater as it were of set purpose in the. 14. leaf speaking there of the wordes that be vsed in the present tyme. As to the obseruation of the tyme and full vnderstanding of those wordes I will reserue to that place that I be not driuen to make an vnpleasing and lothsome repetition Alwayes that that may serue instantly that we shall not
is this not that thing that appeareth good in thy eyes shall thou do to the Lord thy God but what the Lord thy God hath commanded thee that do thou thou shall adde nothing thereto nether shall thou deminish any thing there fro Consider now Sire in what rank workes done without Gods commandement are placed and take better head to distinctions and defferences inuented to auoid a treuth Thus farre myght Iames haue gone with you if ye had bene mynded to haue led him the ryght way But now let vs consider the answer made to the Second parte of Iames argument called in the Scooles somtymes Assumptioâ— somtymes minor Here our Kynnishe Doctor trauelleth exceadingly to proue the masse not to be inueÌ„ted by man but instituted by our Sauiours Christ Iesus at the latter Supper at the least the effect and substance of it And to confirme this he giueth a deffinition of the masse concluding all the other Cerimonies prayers and orations to be added by the Apostles and their Disciples moste faslie and vntreuly as shal be after spoken when as we haue ended and proued that parte that he Subiunis of the name of the masse For this is his ordor to fall from the substance to the appellation immediatly introducing Iames and making him to proue the masse no wayes to be instituted by our Sauiour Christ seing there is no such name in the new Testament I am not ignorant what weight force the argument is of that is drowen A nota nominis in the Logique Scooles to wire that it is more probable to persuade then strong and pithie to conuict Yet if we shall consider the Scriptures of God the maner of proceading of the holy Spirite in them no dout it shal be found as it were inuincible For I ask of you Doctor that taketh vpon you continual reading and meditation of the Scriptures where ye do euer find any ordinance of God set furth to the which the Spirit of God giueth not a certane name whereby lyuelie as it were he paynteth furthe the mater and propertie thereof I am assured that the holy institution of circumcision is so tearmed by the Spirite of God the pashoner lykewise the Sacrifices appointed in the boke of Leui as they by their cerimonies and oblations are distinguished one from an other so euerie one hath their own proper name which no man durst alter change or innouate In the new Testament the lyke to be practised by the same Spirite it is moste euident Is not the Sacrament of our regeneratioÌ„ called Baptisme and that moste properlie the holie action of our Sauiour at the Table before his departing from his Apostles in the which he gaue bread and wine the verie signes and tokens yea the verie pledges of his body and blood is not this action called somtymes the Communion somtymes the Lordes Supper and such other appellations drawen furth of the Scriptures as the Sacrament of his body blood and of thankesgeuing This then being cleir that there is no institution in the old nor yet iÌ„ the new TestameÌ„t but as moste faythfully cairfully the ceremonies the rytes and the maner of them are declared so shal we obserue the names to be moste properlie attrybuted vnto them For this we may eissally obserue the trauell and studie of the Spirite of God to be that as the ordinances of God are moste clene and holy in them selues so they be exempted from all matche patching of the foolish imagination of mans hart This rule therefore may serue to try all strange bastard iÌ„stitutions of man croppen in the place of the trew and faithfull ordinances of God which haue obscured adulterated and defaced the Germane ceremonies left and deposed by our onely Law maker Iesus Christ the wosdome of his Father What are ye able Sire I pray you to say agaiÌ„st this argumeÌ„t Al the ordinaÌ„ces of God are so set furth in the scriptures that nether is there any ceremonie pretermitted nor yet is the name of the whole action passed by with sielencâ— Nether is the name of your masse conteined in the Scriptâ—res nor yet the cerimonies vsed in it prescriued by our Sauioure It followeth then that it hath nothing to do with the institutions of our Maister Iesus Christ. To your subterfuge pretended of Clemens and Ignatius when as I shall answer to the authorities of the Doctors cited by you there shal be declared the meaning of them and how they vsed that word to no such thing as ye meane Clemens if he wes the Scolar of Peter I know not but sure I am that if he wes his Disciple and these his workes which be set furth in his name that Peter should think him worthy of the stryppes for there is ether nothing or verie lytle that sauoreth of the breist of that Apostle in this Clemens This I wold ye should receaue rather of the mouth of Eusebeus nor myne who writing in the sext boke and. 11. Cha. of the Ecclesiastical historie of Clemens Alexandrinê° what vnlefull testimonies he vsed reckynneth this your Clemens Epistle Ignatius writeth in Greik the interpretors ignorant of that language or els not throughlie vnderstanding latine yea and not knowing the meaning of the Author turneth by this word Missas celebrare where the godly writer Ignatius vseth these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or such wordes signifeing not els but to coÌ„uene assemble gather the people together to the seruice of God This may appeare euidently in the place of Socrates that is in the thrid boke of the tripertie historie writing of Melitiê° ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which place is turned by Epiphaniê° the followers of Meclitius made masses apart the author meaning no suche mater nor yet the turner of no such masse as we haue sene but onely that they conuened apart by them selues so abstracted them selues from the rest of the CongregatioÌ„ The ignorance of this language deceaueth thee glorious Doctor howsoeuer thou be puft vp in thy owne consaite and playes King harrad amongest thy owne companions lyke vnto thy self but hereafter we wil haue better occasion to speak of this mater in the conference of the Doctors There is yet an other shift pretty as appeares to this Author which is that the Fathers conuened at the councill holding at Nicea to refute the herysie of Arius inueÌ„ted this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and an other whereby they tearme the Virgine to be the mother of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Theothitos as ye do write ignorantly the thridt in our own tongue Trinitie which wordes sayeth this Author are not found in the Scriptures what if I shal deny this vnto this new start vp Doctor of Carrick How is he able to proue it if he vnderstandeth not the language that the Scriptures were first written in by the finger of the holy Goste But to come nerrer what albeit these wordes be not found seing it
now murmilling somtymes displaying furth his handes now cōtracting them And fynally doeth not els but gaseth vpon the swellowing ouer of a peace of bread and the vglie and shamefull licking of a cuppe without any ciuilytie If in the beholding of this lyeth remission of sinnes in deid they are easie to be pardoned If we shall say that the preist as he taketh the whole to him self so onely obteined he forgiuenes of his sinnes then the people is heauily intreated and at an euill point when the harlote and the ignorant preist shall haue the whole This is mirrie to refresh the reader and yet is moste trew for this wicked and deuillish opinion of remission of snies by masse hath enuennomed all Christēdome and drowned it vp so that she allone wes esteamed to be the lady the plyght and souerane Anchor yea and the porte of all benediction and Saluation What blasphemie and derogation to the blood of Iesus Christ To his dignitie honor and preisthead hath proceaded hereof as it is now manifest to euerie one so in the refutatiō of this we are driuen to speak somwhat And firste wil I demād of this Romish Doctor where did he euer here that theie wes any Sacrifice instituted without a Sacrificer We knowe that the Author to the Hebreues Vendicates the dignitie of preisthead wholy to our Sauioure whose preisthead he calleth there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say of that nature that it can not be transferred into an other The argument of the Apostle is verie cleir in the 7. Chap. where he giues the cause of the multytude pluralitie of preistes euerie one succedinge other because they were mortal and subiect to death ād so could not remane But no such infirmitie falleth in our preist the Lord Iesus who hath offered vp him self in a ful satisfaction and recōpence for all our sinnes and that ones the vertue whereof remaneth perpetually and yet desisteth not to execute the other parte of the office of the preist euer interreading at his Fathers handes for the offences of the people euer liuing as the Apostle sayeth for that cause How then can this Sacrifice stand without a preist How can there be any oblation without a Sacrificer Secondly we be plainely teached by this same author that there can be no remission of sinnes without effusion shedding of blood In your masse there is no shedding of blood for ye call it on vnbloody Sacrifice but how iustly after shal be cōsidered How then darre ye promise to your selues remission of sinnes thereby Thridly if ye will pertinatiouslie insist and will it to be a Sacrifice necessarly it shal follow that it that is offerred shal be slaine If Christ be Sacrificed in euerie masse then shal he be moste barbarously and cruelly slaine euerie day in ten thousand places for ye affirme plainely that ye offer him vp vnto his Father This is not myne but the Apostles argument in the same Epistle if it had bene neidfull to him to haue offered him self ofter then ones then should he haue suffered oftentymes since the beginning of the world It followeth then cleirly that since ye take vpon you to offer him vp at all tymes in euerie corner that ye do that that is in you to put traterous and blody handes vpon him Your shiftes and subterfuges are well knowene to me firste that ye christ not successors to our Sauioure as if he were dead and vtterly taken away but suffraganes of his Eternall preisthead But if the wordes of the Apostle be well examinat and considdered aryght they do proue manifestly that nether neadeth he a successor nor yet a suffragane seing he is euer leuing and ready to execute yea and executing his office euer present with his Church and neuer intermitting the office laide vpon him by his Father And this his Sacrifice he dide ones offer vp by vertue whereof remission of sinnes is obtened to all that beleued In the office of intercession he is cōtinually occupyed as we haue somwhat touched so that in no part of his office can he be ether esteamed sleuthful absent or so occupied to require a Suffragane ether yet mortal and subiect to death that he should neid a successor Hereby I trust it be sufficiently declared your masse to be no Sacrifice and so your diffinition to fal in that point and so haue ye to lybell new againe To that ye say the Lordes body is really conteined vnder the formes of bread and wyne I wonder ye make no mention of the blood of our Lorde aswell as of the Body but in this ye shaw well where ye learned to wit at Sorbone and not at the Scoole of Christe for Christe instituteth and vseth two seuerall simboles of his body blood bread wyne but you as ye are teached of your maister Sathan doeth think that nawise neidfull In token whereof ye haue debarred all Christianes except a certane shauelinges from the one part of the Lordes table and hath reserued the cuppe all whole to your selues and in deid God be praised it is not euill sent vpon their boched faces Albeit that Iesus Christ the Author hereof doeth plainely command that all shall drink and this wes euer practised in the primitiue Church yea and euer reteined by the ancient Fathers howsoeuer ye take vpon you in your stinking diffinition that it wes so instituted by our Sauioure in remembrance of his death and passion so lyghtly not onely do ye pas by the holy ordinances of God but also the shedding of his blood In the Second diffinition which appeareth to conteine a certane correction of the former Ye call it a commemoration and remembrance of Christes death and passion In deid it is certane that our Sauiour willed and cōmanded that action which he had practised to be done in commemoration of him and after him Sainct Paule giueth charge lykewise that how so oft we shall eat of that bread and drink of that cuppe we annunce and furthshaw the Lordes death till he come But the masse to be that action ether yet to haue any affinitie with it being altogether al 's contrarious as the heauen and the earth lyght and darknes the day and the nyght he is more nor mad that tholeth hī so to be persuaded But of this repugnancie we will haue more ganing occasion to speak when as we shall atteane to that place where of set purpose you do handle the aggreance of the masse with the Lordes table and the diuersitie Where ye pretend the bread the wyne to be consecrated execrated I darre say boldly for consecration haue ye none according to Christes institution I trust there be none that euer hath sene the action of the Lord Iesus practysed ether yet hath red the wordes of his moste blissed institution that will consent or aggre thereto for in his action we read plainely that he take bréad gaue thankes brake it gaiue it
as euer did Protheus here shal thou stick fast Shall these wordes be vnderstand euen as they are spoken I truste ye will not say that then must it follow that there is a fygure and howsoeuer thou shall expone the wordes of the cuppe thou shal be driuen to grant the same of the bread for no thing can be said or alledged of the latter part of this mysterie that is not to be vnderstand of the former So now then as the cuppe by the interpretation of Luâ—eâ—s and Paulus Is the couenant in the blood of our Sauioure the same shall we affirme of the bread to wit that it is the couenant in the body Now striue cry out laubour trauell and do what you list to inuert this thou shall haue to do with the holy Spirite of God declaring plainely that the will of our Sauioure is in no wayes concurring with such an omnipotencie as thou thy fellowes hath forget of these wordes this is my body fondly and vainely exponed after the letter I pas by the common maner of Scripture calling the Circumcision by the name of the couenant the Pasouer lykewise whereof they were but Simboles and signes and suche other places seruing to this purpose and will pas forwarde to the wordes of Chrisostomus which this glorius Doctor who will seme to be so beasy and diligent notes to be written in the. 48. Homilie vpon Iohn where I darre boldly affirme there is no such mater nor wordes for that homilie is written vpon the. 7. Chap. of Iohn and is spent wholy vpon the obseruation of the Sabboth Hereby it is easy to perceaue how vainely ye ascribe such reading of the Ancientes vnto your self as in your writinges ye â—ake vpon you that ye will seme in the eyes of the people to be the onely he in this Realme versed in antiquitie And now to say my iudgement frely I truste ye haue no workes of such men as ye draw your authorities out of but onely hath I can not tell what lytle scabbed treaâ—â—es of Eccius Cochleus Hosius Stanissans youre new start vp Campion and of such others of your factioÌ„ and taketh out of them such thinges as ye think may serue to your wicked and blasphemus purpose What credite now or what authoritie oght to be giuen to such places as thou draweth out of the Doctors who â—elyke neuer hath sene there workes nether yet knoweth to what purpose they speak if they speak of their owne mynde or of their aduersaries whither they speak by an interrogation or conclusiuely and determinatly whither they speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is excessiuely to extoll the dignitie of the mater they haue in hand which is not â—â—are in this Author or simplie Thus the Text it self is to be considered that it that preceadeth being conferred with it that followeth the mynde and sentence of the Author may be knowen perfytlie Not that I will hereby damne yong men who ether excluded by tyme or els lacking bookes muste giue credite to good authorities but in this man who will seme to be an other Anacharses Inter Sordidds Scythas it is intollerable who is sequestrate frome the common societie of men and trauell in the common wealth hauing not els to do but that he hath inioyned to him self that is to ly by a pleasing bray and cast in stones to trouble the faire and cleare rinning watter This thing I say againe is not onely intollerable but moste worthy of all punishment But to the purpose I haue said there is no such mater entreated iÌ„ the place cited by this diligent Reader In deid in the same Author we shall read not vnlyke to this in his 83. Homilie vpon Mathew his wordes are They be not workes of mans power propounded who then made them in that Supper the fame worketh them now We occupie the rouine of Ministers but he that sanctifieth them and changeth them is he meaning our Sauiour who did appoint and institute this action This in deid being well considered shal and may be vnderstand to be spoken more by a Rethoricall amplyfication to extoll the excellencie and worthynes of this so great a mysterie rather then spoken according to the simple treuth of the mater It is knowen well ynough to any man that is but mid way familiare with this Author that he is somwhat excessiue in such amplyfications somtymes playing the orator rather then the simple Theologien This I were able to proue particularly by sindrie things entreated by him if the tyme should suffer but yet I se no such things in these wordes whereof you haue any occasion to brage or reioice For in this that he sayeth they bâ— no workes of mans virtew propounded Who did eueâ— think or teach other We be well teached by Iohn the Baptiste of that defference in ministration of Sacramentes that is betuix the inward worker and giuer of graâ—e who is Christe Iesus and the Minister who onelâ— worketh and serueth outwardly so that howsoeuer 〈◊〉 shall at the appointment of our Maister Minister and practise the action Yet is it not the work of mans strenth nor power nether is there an part thereof to be ascribed to him but all whole to be vendicat to the instituter in that that not onely he commandeth it to be done and nothing is done but at the prescript of his commandement but also he is he who giueth the power the strenth the energie to it that it may profect and frutrifie vnto the receauer and in this maner the cause giuen by Chrisostome is verie good that he is he now that worketh who wroght then So that there is no defference betuix that action that wes then practised by our Sauioure and it that is now done to his imitation by vs we but haue the place of ministers it is he that sanctifieth and changeth that is to say it is he by whose ordinance and commandement this whole action is hallowed and sanctified For the action it self if it shal be considered it shall seme and appeare verie vile and of no price yet seing there is nothing done but at his commandement practised by him self allowed by him we as becometh well instructed Children doeth iudge it to be worthy of all reuerence whereof we haue his warrand being commanded so to do in remembrance of him till he come This then is the sanctificatioÌ„ that this Author speaketh of here and no such deuillishe incantation as thou wold pretend which dontles wes vnknowen in the dayes of Chrisostome But least thou shal insist vpon the latter word of changing I will trauell to oppen vp the mynde of the moste Ancient Fathers in that part for they do vse that worde often not to signifie any such change as ye fondly haue deuised and inuented but onely willing hereby that we should all before that we shall offer and present our selues to this table consider the dignitie praise and prerogatiue of this heauenly banked that
further subiect to death and yet thou wil that he shal be offered vp againe yea and is offered vp in euerie corner Is not these two sayinges plaine contrarius Shall not the manifest treuth vttered by the holy spirite distroy the plaine vntrâ—â—â—h and manifest blasphemie that proceadeth of thy mouth But least it shall seme and appeare to you that ye shal escape by your stinking distinccions which standeth and dependeth wholy vpon the diuersitie of the oblation that the one is bloody and the other vnbloody I will ask of thee whome of hath thou that distinction Is it of the Spirite of God Whom to wes it reueilled before the Scriptures wes shute vp Or in what place of Scripture is it expressed Where is the commandement I am assured ye can haue no sufficient warrand to do any thing that the Lorde Iesus did not in his latter Supper Let all be red that is written by Mathew Mark Luck and Paule of the holie Supper and moste diligently and manifestly conferred and considered if our Sauioure iÌ„ his latter Supper offered his body and blood vnto God the Father and commanded that we should do the same he brake bread gaue thankes distributed it to his Disciples saying take ye eat ye this is my body which is broken for you He did lykewise with the Cuppe saying take drink of it all this Cuppe is the new Testament in my blood which shal be shed for you and many vnto remission of sinnes adiecting to bothe the partes do this in remembrance of me What is here I pray you that may in any wise apperteane to the oblation of the body and blood of our Sauioure to be made in the masse For we know that the oblation of his body wes made and his blood shed the day following And I truste that no man wil think or say that he commanded vs to do that thing in remembrance of him which he did the day immediatly ensewing but that he willed them to do that that he then practised to the perpetuall recordation and memorie of him without any further commandement Thus then thou can pretend no commandement whatsoeuer thou shall brage of it Secondly we are plainely teached by the Author to the Hebrewes that the oblation of the body and blood of Iesus Christe is of that nature that one 's perfected vpon the croice it can in no wayes be reiterate nor made againe Christe in offerring vp himself died and rose againe thus is no more subiect to mortalitie and we know that there can be no oblation vnto remission of sinnes but it that is by effusion of blood So that now whosoeuer goeth about to offer vp him againe they do that is in them to crucifie him of new Is not the argument of the Apostle moste euident and strenthy shawing the excellency of our Sacrifice of the new Testament aboue them of the olde in that that they not onely were many and oftentymes repeated yea euen the self same by long continuance of tyme till they were altogether abolished where as we haue but one and that ones offered neuer to be reiterated nor offered againe Iudge with thy self if that be not the introducting and establishing of a new iudaisime shaw me the defference thay had a certane Sacrifice which in consideration of the inhabilytie wes oftentymes reiterate in no wayes had bene repeated if it should haue had sufficient force and strenth what shal be of the Sacrifice of the croice Sall it not be accused of imperfection and inhabilitie thus reiterate by you Further we know that Christe can not be offered of none but of him self being the onely Mediator betuix God and maÌ„ neuer hauing resigned ouer this dignitie to none Attour what a monstrus and preposterus thing shall this be that the oblation that is the thing that is offered shal be more worthy and of greater value and estimation then the offerer more acceptable to God nor he that doeth offer it which of a necessitie must follow if a shaueling shall offer vp Christe in his masse Moyses doeth teach vs the oblation to be receaued of God for his saike that doeth offer it for the oblation of Cain wes reiected of God for Cain saike and the gift of Abell receaued not for the owen cause but the saike of the offerer lyke as is plaine through all the Prophetes so we haue in this mater the oblation of the body and blood of Iesus Christe to be moste pleasant vnto the Father in consideration that it wes offered vp by his onely and welbeloued Sonne By these argumentes it may appeare euidently the vanitie of thy pretended commandement captius distinctions which in your owen doctrine included a verie great contradiction For ye do call this your fond oblation an vnbloodie Sacrifice if I had presently a notare at hand I should bestowe an plack vpon an instrument of this saying I ask of thee new diuine how can this be an vnbloody Sacrifice and yet thou wil affirme the wyne that is their drunke by the Preist to be the verie reall blood of our Sauiour Christe that he receaued of the substance of the Virgine and that he shed vpon the croice The Sacrifice of the croice is called bloody because Christes blood wes shed thereon in verie deid shall not this your Sacrifice be the same argument be bloodie since ye drink and offre vp the same blood that vpon the croice wes shed Now ether must thou renunce and recant the wicked error of transubstantiation or els thou shalt will you or will you not grant it to be a bloodie Sacrifice that thow so stifly denyeth haeth no otherway to declyne the pithe of the argument Now ones I pray the againe oppin thyne eyes and be not styll blynde to considder how naroly thow are thrung in and delyuer thy self if thow can Considder last if it be a thing consistyng in the power and wyll of man tyll alterre and change the ordinances of God to change the nature of Saccrifices which be appoynted iÌ„ effusion of blood for so shall fall all the holie and inuiolable ordinances of God as witnesseth the Apostle effusion of blood to be necessarly ioyned with remission of sinnes Thus shal we conclud with thee that a veritie distroyeth not an other but in deid it oppeneth vp an vntreuth and lie which allace doeth abound in thy mouth what adiuration soeuer thou shall cloike them with all These your sayinges appeareth somwhat scabrus and obscure to Iames as in deid all vntreuth masked cloiked with pretense of veritie simplenes is dark hard to be vnderstaÌ„d the veritie coÌ„trarie wayes is euer remaning lyke to the self plane manifest and simple and for this caus he is desyrus that your sayiÌ„ges be made more plaine And hereupon ye take occasion to declaire the difference betuix the Sacrifice of the Lordes body on the croice and the Sacrifice of the masse quhilk in
sume part aggreis and sum part defferis firste they aggre in so far as the self same body in substance and so furth The suÌ„me of the whole is that the Sacrifice of the massee hath thre thinges coÌ„mon with the Sacrifice of the croice whereof the two former be sufficiently entreated refelled and prouen that nether is the same body in the masse that wes offered vp vpon the croice nor yet that the masse in any wayes wes forewarned by the Prophetes and so wil I omit those two partes least I should seme to do againe as lyeth in the Prouerb that that is already done and will ioyne in with the thrid which is this Thridly say ye thay aggre that lyke as the Sacrifice of the croice wes prefigurat be mony diuers signes and figures so was the Sacrifice of the masse prefigurat be the preisthead and oblation of Melchisedec In this I glaidly go with you that the Sacrifice of the croice wes prefigurat in the Lawe yea and before the written Lawe in the Sacrifices offered by the Fathers which did cheiflie serue to the exercise of their faith teaching and leading them as it were by the hand to the Sacrifice of Iesus Christe to be offered vpon the croice which wes moste liuely prefigured by the Immolation of Isaac But that there be any fygur or adumbration of thy fond Sacrifice of the masse or forewarning to the allowance of it that I vtterly refuse and constantlie denye The place cyted by you out of the .14 of Geneses of Melchisedec serueth you nothing how much soeuer ye shal bragge of it for it is plaine that he offered no bread nor wyne to God but broght furth bread and wyne to the refection of Abraham and his armie now weried hongrie by their great iorney and trauel and that not as preist of the moste heigh God but as King of Salem thus shall we haue the most proper diuision and proportion of euerie part aggreing moste semely with others firste that he as King broght furth bread and wyne for that is the meaning and signification of the Hebrwe word and the Greik 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so vsed him self liberally towardes Abraham and his Armie Secondly as preist according to the deutie and office of the preist he blissed him Trew it is that in the common Latine translatioÌ„ there is some difference from the Hebrew in that he sayeth Erat enim for he wes geuing as it wer a cause of the fact of Melchisedec before rehearsed of the refreshing of Abraham and his folkes And this no dout hath giuen the occasion to the vnlearned of stumbling but the Hebrew is plaine Et erat and he wes preist of the moste heigh God so that clause Et erat Sacerdos altiss dei apperteaneth not to the fact preceading but to the office of the preist recyted immediatly after of the blissing of Abraham in the name of the Lord of heauen Thus Melchisedec being King and preist no dout wes the liuely type and figure of the preisthead of our Sauiour ioyned with his kingdome as Dauid doeth forewarne and teach vs in the 110. Psalme and the Apostle in the .7 Chap. to the Hebrewes where he at lenth and of purpose declareth this mater Wherefore I will not trauel any more in the explication of that place but will send the Reader to the Spirite of God declaring it at lenth by the mouth of the foresaid Apostle I know that Tertuliane and some of the Ancients wil seme somwhat subtile in the explication of this Text insisting vpon the bread and the wyne and the application thereof to this that we do practise in the Lordes Table But I pray you what a sleuth should this be in the holie Apostle of Iesus Christe in the explication of this mater to pas this point if it should haue in any wise belonged to the purpose specially seing in speaking of the preisthead that at large of purpose he touched it not what a gros obliuion should it be to pas the cheif priÌ„cipal Sacrifice wherein the vertue of the preisthead is included to your erronius iudgement By the benediction the receauing of the teindes onely cleane leauing out your foolish new inuented offering he proueth his honour and dignitie But this offering of bread and wyne wherein as ye say wes prefigured the Sacrifice of the bodie and blood of Christe which is the verie lyfe of the world had bene a mater more pertinent to the Apostles purpose and intent then any that he there alledged if it were trew as is most fals that ye alledge Here we may clearly espy that the Ancients can not be altogether excused nor defended in this point But in the wordes of Moyses lyeth the moste full perfect and plaine refutation of this new inuention where we read not that any thing there wes offered to God but rather giuen to Abraham so that not onely he wes blissed of him but refreshed For I truste thou will not say that he Sacrificed to Abraham and if this shall serue to your masse see we not all that the figure of Melchisedec can not auale vnles ye grant bread and wyne to be offered there and so shall your transubstantiation vanishe and vtterly fall because therein ye susteane no substance to remaine but the onely accidentes Attour what temeritie and foolish boldnes shall this be to giue the body of Christe to be offered vp of a shaueling seing that the onely successor to Melchiseder is our Sauiour Christe without any coÌ„panion collaterall successor or suffragane Now pas thy way and search the argument els where for thy masse iÌ„ no wayes hath any affinitie with the Sacrifice of the croice in the pointes rehearsed Yea and I wil affirme it boldly that it can haue no more similytude or communication with it nor light with darknes godlines with impietie God with Beliel nor the holy ordinances and institutions of God with the fond wicked peruerst and adulterat inuentions of men Now ye discend to declaire vnto vs the defferences and disagrement of the one with the other and firste That they deffer that the Lordes body was offered vp vpon the croice in the awin forme visible and sensible and the Lordes body in the Sacrifice of the masse is offered vp vnder the formes of bread and wyne inuisiblie and insensable so they deffer in maner and forme of offering vp and not in substance Trew it is that the Lordes body wes offered vp in the owen forme and no wayes els could haue bene nor yet can be for this caÌ„ not be seperated from manifest impietie contempt and mockage of God to stufe vp the hyde of a Bull and the skin of a Lamb with stâ—â— or otherwyse and so to offer it vp in Sacrifice lyke as ye do bragge of bread and wyne and calling them the Lordes body and blood or at the least vnder the formes of them the body and the
zow sayeth he to vnderstand the same be the conference of Scriptures A maner of proceading in deid substantius and formal if he should do that he doeth promes To this place he hath spoken all Pythagorice that is of his owen inuention as he wil seme without any probation and first alledged the Psalmest Dauid and S. Paule to proue that which is confessed of euerie one Oure Sauioure to be a preiste for euer according to the ordoure of Melchisedec quha maid oblation of breade and wyne vnto God as the Scripture plainlie teaches The place here alledged I haue already entreated at large but now will I say to this fals glosare that he is neuer able to proue that neuer Melchisedec made any oblation and if he made any he made it to Abraham But that he made no oblation it is plaine by the Hebrew and Greik Text. For the word is plaine he broght furth and not offerred vp And that he gaue this bread wyne to Abraham it is manifest lykewise by the prayse that is giuen to Melchisedec of his liberalytie in refreshinge Abraham and his wearie Hoste according to that he wes King and in blissing Abraham conforme to the duetie of the preist Besydes this which is the verie meaning of the Spirite of God the Relatiue him maketh all that preceadeth to be vnderstand of Abraham in coÌ„sideration that there is no mention of any other but of AbrahaÌ„ only Now I resson sayeth this Doctor on this maner Read all the Euangell quhare our Sauiour vsed the Preisthede of Mechisedec declaring him to be ane preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec but in ye latter supper quhair he maid oblation of his precious body blude vnder the forme of bread and wyne prefigurat be the oblation of Mâ—â—â—hisedec than are we compelled that our Sauiour maid oblation of his body and blude in the latter Supper or els he was not a preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec Albeit that heretofore I haue declared sufficiently all that beloÌ„geth to the explicatioÌ„ of this place yet shal I not werie to adduce somwhat for the more cleare vnderstaÌ„ding of the place and coÌ„uicting of the gros malicius and blind ignorance of this Author What a madnes and phrenesie shall we think it in this Scripturer that he can not content him self with this that the Spirite of God hath teached vs The author to the Hebrewes hath declared the wordes of the Psalme and hath pretermitted nothing apperteaning to the similytude and comparison of our Sacrificator Iesus Christe and Melchisedec The Psalmist no dout in the forenamed Psalme vendicateth and attributeth to our Sauiour the dignitie of the kingdome together with the progatiue of Eternal preisthead hauing spoken of his kingdome in the fourt verse he discendeth to his preisthead where he sheweth his preisthead to be farre different from the preisthead of Aaron being such an as should not now be after the ordoure of AaroÌ„ but after the ordor of Melchisedec SecoÌ„dly he sheweth it to be firme and stable planted by the authoritie of the Eternall who shall neuer be strucken with repentance that is the thing he hath ones decreed shal not alterre nor change then doeth he adde the orackle which doeth not consist in oblation of bread and wyne nor yet is it added thou art a preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec to signifie any such thing as thou fondly diuisest but to declaire the perpetuitie and the qualitie of his preisthead as the author to the Hebrewes doeth plainely witnes declair and expone First then we haue here the kingdome and the preisthead giuen by God vnto our Sauiour so that he is bothe king and preist By the kingdome we vnderstand that power that is giuen to him in heauen and in earth to gouerne defend his subiectes to be auenged vpon his enimies The office of the preist is to instruct in the feare of God to intercead for remission of sinnes to pray offer which offices the Euangelist doeth plaâ—nely witnes that Iesus Christe hath fulfilled And therefore ye do manifestly belie the spirit of God And where ye affirme that Iesus Christ did no parte of the office of Melchisedec vnles we grant that he did offer vp him self vnder the formes of bread and wyne that is a manifest vntrenth For that Christ is king preist wes the office of melchisedec that his preisthead is eternal and not temporal as the preisthead of AaroÌ„ wes is proper to Melchiesdec that Christ doeth blesse his elect not curse them wes also the office of Melchisedec and all these I suppose ye wil confesse Iesus Christ hath done yet doeth These two offices in Moyses and Aaron being distinguished are ioyned in Melchisedec the Type and figure of our Sauiour in whome they be not onely ioyned but perfected Secondly as the kingdome and preisthead are not giueÌ„ to him by man but by God as we may collect of this that the Lorde sweare This obserueth the author to the Hebrewes when he sayeth no man vsurpeth any honoure but he that is called as Aaron So the Sonne of God being Lorde of all abydeth the appointment and vocation of his Father to the great shame and rebuke of the Popes that no les impiuslie nor impudently taketh and vsurpeth the crowne of the kingdome and the myter of the Bishopprie and preisthead to them selues without commission or laufull vocation And therefore moste iustlie shall it be said to them they reigne but not of the Lorde they are preistes but not the Lordes Thridly this preisthead is assigned with a great ceremonie and by a certane Religion established that with one Solemne othe which peculiarly coÌ„ueneth to our Sauiour and is diligently noted in the Epistle to the Hebr. others preistes sayeth he are made without any othe but this preist is made by the othe of him that said to him the Lord hath sworne shal not repent him thou art the eternal preist that by two things that can not be moued the promes and the othe by the which it is impossible that God shal lie we may reteane the most firme confort of our faith conceaued of the preisthead of Christe that with a steadfast esperance we may enter in the inward partes of the Sanctuarie with our Sauiour Feardly this preisthead thus confirmed with an othe can not be changed nor transferred but shall remaine firme and immutable For it is plainely said and he shoulde not repent him This steadfaste perpetuitie of the preisthead of our Sauioure is obserued and declared by the Apostle many preistes sayeth he wes made vnder the Lawe because they might not remane being subiect to death but our preist no wayes being subiect to mortalytie hath an eternall preisthead The worde vsed by the Apostle I haue noted before and the proprietie of it And in this we may obserue the difference of the preisthead of our Sauiour from all other
the blood of him wes a figure of the Redemption of man by the blood and passion of our Sauiour Thridly it serued for a document of good lyfe holynes and so furth As the Apostle concludeth in the place before recyted let vs reioyse in all puritie and veritie The same shall we obserue in the first fructes and the rest of the Sacrifices vnder the Law but to eshew all cauillatioÌ„ of such Sophisters as go about to deceaue we haue to obserue euerie point to examine it that is proper to a Sacrament and it that belongeth to a Sacrifice and so to distinguishe them skilfully as in the exemple of the Pashe Lambe which in consideration of the offerring and immolation onely apperteaneth to the Sacrifice of the croice as I haue said Now will I trauell to shew the aggrement and similytude of the Pasouer with the Supper of the Lorde yea and wherein they do dissagre as in no figure can be found the perfect image of the veritie aggreing in all pointes with it that is corespondent howsoeuer ye those your self to be deceaued and goeth about to deceaue others This is first to be obserued in the institution of the holy Supper that euen as immediatly after the eating of the Pasouer the holy communion wes instituted by our maister and Sauiour Christ so doeth he obserue the same ordour that Moyses rehearseth to be kept and wes appointed by the eternal our God in the eating of the SacrameÌ„t of the Pasouer for that same night that the Lorde had decreed to slay the first borne of Egypt and to deliuer his owen people by the hand of the Angell he ordeined the Sacrament of the Pasouer to be a testimonie and monument of that wonderfull deliuerance euen immediatly after to be perfected The deliuerance of the people ensewed a lytle space after the memorie whereof euerie yeare by this Sacrament wes renewed at the commandement of God In the same maner our Sauiour that self same night that he wes to be betrayed and in the which he wes to beat doune that most cruel Pharoo and his whole power together with his first borne Sonne Death Hel to perfect the thinges that were prefigurate by the Pash Lambe he institute the holy Supper to be a perpetuall monumeÌ„t of that vnspeakable benefite he wes to obteane vnto vs and in place of a Lambe and the blood of it the Symboles of the Pasouer he appointed the signes of bread and wyne elements as moste seruing to the refection nurishement feading and confort of mans body and lykewise commonly moste parable and easy to be obteined so most proper to bind vp and confirme frenship and amitie Celius Rhodiginus teacheth this to haue bene moste solemne and familiare to the Lacedemonians by the breaking of bread to receaue in amitie such as they embraced in confideracie and league Aristotle in the. 8. boke of his Morals declareth the nature of amitie to be such that as by mutuall leuing together resorting at table together it is reteaned so by long silence and absence it is dissolued as the greik Prouerb there recyted by Aristotle and Atheneus in his fyft boke doeth euidently proue In these signes our maister and Sauiour instituteth his holy Supper which wes to remane and practised to his returning to assure vs hereby of his preseÌ„ce howsoeuer he is touching his bodylie presence absent and to ratifie and establishe that amitie league and societie the Eternall God receaued vs in and that in the blood of his deare Sonne Touching the tyme this we may obserue that as the wisdome of our God determineth all thinges and appointeth in the moste due and conuenient tyme So this hour of his Supper to haue serued moste properly to that holy action by him then practised We obserue most diligently and kepe in mynde moste faithfully not onely the factes but the wordes of them that we see in the trauell and battall of death thereby as it were calling to mynde the memorie of him who is departed these thinges as moste notable we iudge moste worthy of Register the treuth of them and maiestie being sealed vp by the verie death The hour of his death then approching and at hand and in the which not onely the Lambe of the Pasouer but all the rest of the Sacrifices appointed in blood were to receaue their perfection and end and so to haue no further place the tyme can not be but moste proper the ceremonies of the Lawe being in no point by him neglected the figures fully performed and the presence of his body to be immediatly after to them denyed Wherefore not without cause he changed the signes whereby the thinges to come were foresignified in such signes as should declaire those thinges to be performed already So then followed the deliuerance by the â—eath of Christ the memorie whereof is celebrated by the frequentation of the Lordes Supper to the which vse it wes appointed For he commanded take ye eat ye this is my body do this in remeÌ„brance of me the which commandement as I haue teached can of no better reason be separate from this Sacrament adioyned to any fond Sacrifice nor the promes by the which is plainely declared the cause of the institution when he sayeth this is my body which is giuen to you and this is my blood and sofurth For how I praye you can these wordes that be here interiected giuen for you and shed for you how can they I say be separate from the action preceading and from the commandement that is after giuen Or how can the commandement be drawen from the whole action preceading That can be no more nor the members from the body So they peruert the holy ordinance of our Sauiour that separateth the commandement from the promes or yet the promes or any parte of it from the action Now that the Pasouer wes lykewise a similytude and a figure of Christes death may easylie be declared by sindrie thinges which nowise can apperteane to the communion First in the Sacrifice of the pasouer the Lambe wes flaine which can nowise aggre with the Supper in the which there is no slaughter nor boucherie but ye wil here insist and repyne alledgeing by this that it is a Sacrifice To this I haue answered you that there is no vnbloody Sacrifice by the plaine wordes of the Apostle For ye teach plainely that your masse is not onely a Sacrifice of thankes geuing but of expiation of sinnes which can not stand without spilling of blood The Lambe wes slaâ—â—e the blood of him spilt and that foresignified the death and cruell intreatment of Iesus Christe who wes to be offered vp in a bloody maner vpoÌ„ the croice and this can nowise aggre with the Supper nor yet your fond oblation made in it as ye imagine for as witnesseth Paule our Pasouer is offerred vp Christe Lyke as the Supper doeth liuely testifie and represent so by the immolation of the Lambe as by the figure wes
our Lordis body and blude thare is na sacrifice better nor this this excellis all vthers quhilk man be offred to the Lorde with a pure conscience resauit with a clene mynde worschypped with all men In this thow obseruest two thinges to wit the Masse to be called a Sacrifice for sinne and lykewise to be worschypped Trew it is that this author can not be excused but he hath spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye somwhat heyghlie to extolle the mater Yet can I not find here wherein thow can haue great mater to reioyce For the custome appoynted heir is moste laudable that in the Solemnities of Masses for so coÌ„monly the Anciens speaketh in plurall noumber that is of the peoples Conuention the Passion of the Lorde be recyted with a loude and intelligible voice for that Sacrifice is the only sacrifice whereby the Lord is satisfied appeased our sines forgeuen where we may shall obserue the name ether take in the ê“per significatioÌ„ apê‘teyniÌ„g to the sacrifice of the croce or els if thow can not be coÌ„tented with this it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by a certane maner of speaking abused applyed to the commemoration of the Lordes bodie broken vpoÌ„ the Croce made in the holy Table in what maner we haue obserued this worde to be taken oftentymes by the ancient Fathers But before I proceade first I require the reader that when soeuer he heareth this worde masse or masses in the ancieÌ„ts that he vnderstaÌ„de it of no such Masse as we haue sene and this author moste impiuslie defendeth but as I haue expounde it out of Eusebius Epiphanius of the Conuentions of the people which is easalie gathered of this author Alexander Marke thow that there can be no thing so contrarious to thy Masse in the which there is no recytation of the Passion of our Sauiour at all nor yet of no other action of his confortable any wayes to the audience so that how soeuer the wordes shal be taken they can no wayes serue to thy purpose Now that Alexander speaketh if he be the author hereof as many doth not without cause dout of pacification and delyting the author to the Hebrewes may serue for a CoÌ„mentarie to it where he exhorteth to remeÌ„ber of liberalitie wel doing for with such Sacrifices God is appleased and this no dout is the mynde of Alexander how soeuer he speaketh excessiuelie of forgiuenes of Sinnes to stirre vp the hertes of the people to deuotion or referring it to the Sacrifice of the Croce whereby we haue remission of sinnes onely that he speaketh of the excellencie of the Sacrifice of the Lordes body and blood This should be applyed to the Passion that he commaÌ„deth to be recyted or if ye lyst to the practeis of the Lordes Table which no dout is the moste excellent Sacrifice of all the Sacrifices we are commanded to offre not that it is a Sacrifice ê“perlie but as I haue declared a Sacrifice of recordation coÌ„memoration of the Lordes death for this is the most heyght and excelleÌ„t mysterie in the which the body and blood of the Lorde Iesus are proponed and giuen so vnto vs to fede vpon that we are made one with him and he one with vs and as he is one with the Father so are we one with him which mysterie is to be wyrschepped that is with such reuerence and humiliation of hert we ought to offre vs to it depelie and ê“foundlie mediting with oure selues the goodnes of oure God Who so familiarlie presenteth his Sonne vnto vs with him communion and participation of his benefites that we can not be but caryed away in admiratioÌ„ of the mysterie and the wyrschepping of so beneficiall a God and so to offre vp our selues and all to him Take heade that thow beleue not good reader as this fals teacher wolde persuade that this Alexander wylleth vs to stand and gaise vpon the bread and wyne to fall doun before them worschipe them sofurth For thow seest planelie that he requireth first a diligent tryall and examination of conscience nixt a sinceritie of mynd in receauiÌ„g to the which he subiuneth the worschipping which is not els but a deipe and profound meditation of the goodnes of our God the league and couenant made in the bloode of his eternall Sonne and the which he hath confirmed and sealed vp in the hert of the trew receauer in that he here offreth and giueth to him bread and wyne the body and blood of Iesus Christ now by the receauiÌ„g of the simboles of the same Thus I truste any reasonable man ought to be satisfied with the wordes of Alexander now let vs cuÌ„ to Ireneus Policarpus Disciple Quha wes Disciple to S. Ihon the Euangelist and martyred for the faith of Iesus Christe threttene huÌ„dreth fourescore fyue zearis bypast wryttis on this maner Christ tuke bread and gaue thankis saying this is my body and tuke the Chalice of wyne and coÌ„fessed it to be his blude and teched the new sacrifice of the new testament quhilk the kirk resauit of the Apostles offred vnto God in all the haill warld Here our new maister wylleth Iames to marke how this godlie author affirmeth that our Sauiour in the latter Supper teached a new Sacrifice of the new TestameÌ„â— the which the Church receaued of the Apostles Because of sett purpose and fraudfullie a great part of the sentence of this author is suppressed and omitted I am drewen to rehearse the proper wordes of Ireneus that the Lector may then Iudge clearlie what is the meanyng of this author to the which effect it shal be verrie necessarie that he reade the 32. and 33. Chap. of the same fourt booke this place is drawen furth of that he may the more resolutlie Iudge of what oblation is there spoken Here shall I not wearie to declare the suÌ„me of his disputatioÌ„ iÌ„ the two Cheptres which is to teache be many places exemples of Scripturs that the verrie trew sacrifices be not the externe and outwarde commanded in the law but vnfeyned faith obedience knowledge pacience the loue of our nyghtbour and suche others inwarde and spirituall Sacrifices without the which the outwarde aâ—e but mere abhominations in Gods presence as is easy to proue by the testimonies of the Prophets Whereby he coÌ„cludeth in dede that the Lord required no sacrifice no solide offring but faith obedience and Iustice to the saluation of man as we be teached in the Prophete Osea aÌ„d our Sauiour repeateth iÌ„ the Euangell To this place Ireneus goeth about to proue all oblations made vnto God in a foreconceaued opinion of ryghtuusnes iustice and remission of synnes without these inwarde sacrifices of mercy peace and sofurth to be execrable before God since God hath not institute these outwarde thinges as he any-wise delyteth in them but to admonies vs of the inwarde as we be teached by Ihon 4.
him sayth he who giueth aliments to vs the first fructes of there gyftes in the new Testamâ—nt as he should say in that that our Sauiour tuke breade and wyne and offred to his Disciples he teacheth vs a new oblation of the new Testament how we ought with the oblation of oure prayers action of thankes the predication of the mercies of our God the holy Supper ioynâ—â—â—â—tly 〈◊〉 that is to acknowledge vs to receaue all at the 〈◊〉 oâ— God to be as it wer stewarts and despeÌ„sâ—tours of his gyftes and thus to offre vp the first fructes to God that is to sanctifie them to thereleif of the poore and so he declareth him self in the Chap. following by the gyft sayeth or the honoure the affection is schowen towards the Kyng the whiche the Lorde wylling to be offred in all simplicitie and innocencie preached saying when thow bringest the gyft to the altare and sofurth then should thow offre sayeth Ireneus and concludeth the first fructes of his creature to be offred to God as Moyses sayeth thow shall not appeare empty in the presence of the Lorde thy God Now as I haue decleared alreaddy his principale studie is that with these outwarde actions the inwarde worshipping be ioyned we must make our oblatioÌ„ sayeth he to God and be found thankfull in all to our maker God in simple mynde and faith without Hypocrisie a stedfaste hope a seruent dilection offring vp the first fructes of them that be his creaturs and this oblation cleane and vndefyled the onely church and Congregation offreth vp to the maker Sacrifiing to him of his owen workmaschipe with action of thankes in the which wordes he planely declareth what he wyll we vnderstande by the oblation of the new TestameÌ„t which no wayes may apperteyne to your masse where one goeth asyde and pretendeth a certane oblation not of no creature but of the verrie Sonne of God where we be teached here of one oblation made by the holy Churhe and that of the creaturs to the maker ioyning to the inwarde Sacrifice of faith a cleane conscience a stedfaste hope together with prayers and the furthschewing of Gods mercies exhibited in Iesus Christe Syndrie other places may I adduce of the same two Cheptres wherein he decleareth plainely that he meaneth of almous geuen to the nedy in the Lordes Supper and of the table it self prayer and thankes geuing and others suche laudable and Godlie customes as were then vsed whiche alltogether are called the oblatioÌ„ of the new testament by this author Followis Cypriane quha wes martyred for the faith of Christe 1296. zearis bypaste and wryttis in this maner gif our Iesus Christ God himself be the hie preist of God the father and be him self did first offer a Sacrifice to God the father and hes commandid the sam to be done in remembrance of him that preist verrelie goddis Vicar quha dois follow the thiÌ„g that Christe hes done Hither to Cypriane and al 's he affirmis that God is author and teacher of the Sacrifice of the Masse Now ye adde to the wordes of Cypriane by him self and omitteth a part of his sentence which is this verrie and full Sacrifice then he offereth in the CongregatioÌ„ to God the Father if he shall so begin to offre as he hath sene Christ alreddy to haue offred passe by and wyll go to the mater What do ye finde here that wyl serue any wayes to your masse and in verrie dede because ye perceaued no thing to be here making for yow ye adde that God is author and teacher of the masse Why do ye not alledge the place if any thing myght be found in Cypriane ye should no dout haue broght it furth for it should haue serued more to your purpose Shall ye thus be suffred to raill against God aÌ„d inure suche insufferable blasphemies to the Eternall and his sanctes making him author of the moste detestable impietie that euer wes diuised Shall ye thus be permitted to deceaue the simple ones of Christs flock redemed by his bloode Be you assured that the Eternall wyll not suffer the prophanation of his mysterijs the decept of his people and the wrangling of the wryttinges of his sanctes vnpunished Let vs returne to the wordes of Cypriane in the which it is moste certane that he speaketh no thing of priuat masses vnknowen in his dayes nether yet euer had place til that all being distroyed aÌ„d waisted by the Gotthes Vandelles and others fearslie could any multitude be conueyned to the Celebration of the Lordes Table but belyke all goode sciences falling in decaye the ignorance and contempt of Gods worde entred in and receaued that one should eat for all the multitude one should take vpoÌ„ him to do that which ought to haue bene done of all Now the ancients did abhorre these priuate massts we may knowe by the Epistle of Leo Pope who wes many yeares efter Cypriane to Diofcurus where he declareth planelie that there wes but a masse and that the whole people being coÌ„ueyned together at festuall dayes and tymes yea aÌ„d euen in these our dayes the Greik Churche hath no priuate masses in the Popes owen Chapell there is but one altare and a masse and that seldome at certane appoynted tymes in the year The wordes of Cypriane are to be vnderstande of the distribution of the Sacrament and CoÌ„munion of the people For lyke as Christe vpon the Croce offred him self to God the Father and that the memorie of this his oblation myght be kept euer fresche and recent in his Congregation he instituted the Supper and coÌ„manded the practeis thereof breaketh bread calleth it his body and distributeth to his Disciples and sanctifieth the cuppe calling it the blood of the new Testament So the minister making distribution of the body and blood of our Sauiour according to his exemple and institution and giuing thankes to the Eternall for the Sacrifice and oblation ones made vpon the Crote the virtue whareof euer remaneth no dont he is the stedholder of Christ in the imitatioÌ„ doing that which Christ did coÌ„maÌ„ded to be done Now lest that the wordes that I haue added of Cypriane may appeare to be hurtsum and preiudicial to satisfie all readers and take all enasion frome yow Let no man thinke that Cypriane wylleth a preist to stande vp by one altare allone and there to make one oblation by him self But that he shall diuide and distribute to the assistars the body and bloode of our Sauiour offre vnto God prayers and action of thankes for the Sacrifice of the Croce the memorie where of is there solemnedlie celebrated for that is to offre as Christe offred in the Supper to wit to giue thankes pray to God and so make distribution of the simboles of his body and bloode It is well noted by Chrysostomus there be some thinges wherein the Minister differeth frome the Commoun and layick people
haue our former rebellion forgiuen and remitted There is no mention of muÌ„dled masses but our author is so addicted to his wicked opinion and so blynded that wheresoeuer any word is made of a Sacrifice one altare one oblatioÌ„ one hoste incontineÌ„tlie thinketh he with him self ha this author maketh for me let me put this in protocolle neuer hauing respect to the custome of the tyme nor sense of the author and so abuseth all to the wrapping vp of him self in obstinacie and blynding and deceauing of the people The oblation and Sacrifice what it wes I haue declared one hoste lykewise what the altare is the author to the Hebrewes and Ihon in the Reuelation declared to wit Iesus Christe who vndoutedlie is the altare vpon the which we haue to offre vp our Sacrifices hostes and oblations of prayer thankes and liberalitie whome by all our actions Sacrifices and oblations are sanctified and he is the verrie Hoste of the whiche Sacramentallie and spirituallie do eat all that offereth them to the holy practies of the Lordes Table and do beleue in him as youre owen Parisien doctor Gâ—gneus doth well say We know none other altare nor the Scripturs of God allow vnles ye wyll set vp a new Iudaisme as ye fetcht in a gentilisine out of Virgile in your obite masse and the moste part of all your proceadinges as I am able to declaire particularlie if tyme and leaser should serue Now sayeth this author giue I wald call to rememberance all the sayingis of the godly Fatheris quhilks treattis according to this purpose our Colloquie sulde extend the boundis and grow tyll ane gret worke quharefore we wyll rehearse the sayingis of the maist notable Counsallis I truste ye haue adduced all myght serue anywayes in your Iudgement to this deuilishe purpose of the defence of the miserable masse but if the mater had bene good and allowed of God I dout not but albeit ye should pereuenture not haue nedeth so many yet we could haue contented with a few nomber but my beleue is that these authors being ryghtlie coÌ„siddred the tyme weyed there myndes graipped out where in we haue takeÌ„ some paine not vnfructfullie God be praysed the lector shal perceaue clearly that they make no thing for your partie Followeth the concile Nicene Towards this purpose sayeth this author The counsall Necene quhilk wes the first generall consal ester y â— tyme of Apostles apê“uin in al ages 1226. zearis bypast writtis and sayis on this maner disponing our selues to the godly table lat vs not luke selenderlie vpon the bread and the cuppe set before vs but lat vs lyft vp our mynd be faith vnderstanding in that holy table to be the Lambe of God takin away the Sinnes of the warld offred vp be the preistis without blude and we receauing verilie his pretius bodie and blude aucht to beleue thaim to be the plage of our resurrectioun The Sacrifice that is here spoken of in the determination of the concile is a Sacrifice of prayse laude aÌ„d thankes geuing whiche albeit it be made by the minister yet since it is made in the name of the whole Church the people doth consent in there hartes to it that is oppinlie spoken by him yea doth approue it to by the saying Amen It is reputed no les to be the Sacrifice of the assisters nor of the minister This then is the Sacrifice the councile speaketh of making no mention of a Sacrifice propiciatorie to be made for remission of sinnes of the deade and quick This propiciatorie and expiatorius Sacrifice wes offred vp by Christe that ones neuer to be repeated aÌ„d reiterat for the way is euer ready prepared his blude euer fresehe as the Apostle speaketh The Churche in dede in memorie of that Sacrifice offereth vp coÌ„tinuallie oblation oforation prayers thankes giuing The wordes of the Concile calling Christe the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world are not to be referred to the symboles of bread and wyne whiche the concile disertlie pronunceth to be there but to the Sonne of God Christe him self who wes made the verrie propiciation of our sinnes and the correction of our Peace But here I wyll hear with your falt in the traÌ„slation knowing yow to be ignorant of the Greik tongue aÌ„d should passe by it if it should not serue to the declaration of the mynd of the concile for lest that any maÌ„ should think that this action be a verrie Sacrifice this is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not lyke a Sacrifice or not after the maner of a Sacrifice so the sentence Sacrificed of the preistes not as ye turne it without blood but Sacrificed by the preistes not after the maner of a sacrifice or not lyke a Sacrifice declareth plainely that there is no suche Sacrifice propiciatorie ment of here as ye falslie pretende whereby ye may perceaue euidentlie a great difference betuix the Sacrifice that is offred by the preist and the Sacrifice of Christe who in verrie dede did offre him self after the maner of a Sacrifice that is to the death for the absolution and expiation of the sinnes of the worlde The preist wiâ—â—â—he 〈…〉 and offer vp not after the maner of a Sacrifice as the councile sayeth the action of thankes laude and prayse for that sacrifice cause Where by the wraith of God is anoyded sancâ—ification purchased foâ— his 〈◊〉 wypeth away oure sinnes and not the eating of his body nor drynkinh of his bloode And forber we shall obserue in this that this councile wylleth vs to lyft vp our myndes and not to fixe them vpon the â—ume ElemeÌ„ts that be set before vs we be here I say admonished Christes body naturallie to be in the heauennes and to be no wayes here in this action but as he is in Baptisme as this councile planely doeth declare and we haue alreadâ—y shewen in Chrysostomus Others thinges I passe by that be here to be obserued and are most lyueâ—ie setfurth as the forme of the action the mention of the Table according to the forme practeist and obserued by oâ—r Sauiour the â—yfting vp of 〈◊〉 â—artes by faith â–ª the 〈…〉 made indifferentlie to all of boith the partâ—s â—aâ—e of all in the wordes â—â—â—â—ted by yow that we oght to take but a lytle and sober quantitie â–ª knowen that we do not offre vs thither for the saturâ—â—e aÌ„d filling of the flesche but for sanctification as the councile doeth moste godly conclude Now lat vs cum to the consale of Ephesus haâ—â—â— 1128. zeris byâ—ast â—uhareby wes condemned the 〈◊〉 of Nestorius wryttis on this maner we do offer ane vnbludie Sacrifice and also we cum to the haly Sacrament and ar maid haly being maid partakers of the haly body and binde of Iesus Christe quhilk wes maid redemer of vs all not receauing it as commouâ—â—lesche God forbide nor as the slesche of man maid haly
our God the same is forbidden The abbote is lyke a wower in this sclandering of the preachers The abbote tryumpheth befor the victorie Deut. 4.12 This wes spoken by the holie Goste for a perpetuall precept in the seruing and worshipping of God Of what force Argumentum a nota nominis mayâ—e in the Sriptures Euerie ordinaÌ„ce of God in the scripture haeth a name proper to it self Cor. 10.11 The whole action of Christ at the table that night he wes betrayed hath diuers names proper by it self The name of the masse is not in the scriptures Here may be sene how sure grounde the papister haue for their masse The abbote is deaceued through ignoraÌ„ce of the Greik tongue The papisticall Doctors can not shaw fed what laÌ„gauage the name of the masse is come How ita missa est came in firste The abbottes first diâ—finition of the papisticall masse The abbottes Second diffinitioÌ„ of the said masse What diffinition is required according to the scoole men What significatioÌ„ the sacrifices in the scriptures may haue whereof the first reid here The second significatioÌ„ that the Sacrifices expressed iÌ„ the Scriptures haue The harlot preist â—iceaued the simple people Christe alone is the preist and none other Hebr. 7. Why in the olde Lawe ther wes many Preistes There is no shedding of blood in the masse and therefore no remissioÌ„ of sinnes If Christ be offered in euerie masse as the papistes say theÌ„ must he be slaine euery day aboue a thousand tymes The papistes subteltie deceat in taking away one part of the sacrament Ane answer to the secoÌ„d diffinitioÌ„ of the masse In the masse there is nothing-lyke the Lordes Supper 1 Cor. 14.23 There is no commandement in Christes institutioÌ„ to offer vp Christes body In the coÌ„munioÌ„ there is nothing added to nor deminished away by vs from Christes insticution A crafte of Satan alwayes to punish and cut of the scripturâ— Onelie the Papistes tuk these wordes This is my body and left out the rest To whoÌ„ the Papistes are lyke The abbotes purpose is to stablish the wicked 〈◊〉 The papistes alwayes brage of Peter Paule yet â—ollow theÌ„ nothing as may well appeare All that the Papistes now vse by the doctrine of the Apostles is vtterlie damned The Papistes oght to be wheipped out of the Churche of God 13 Tract vpon Iohn Because their offerrings wanteth the promes they be altogether blasphemous Psal. 50. The actioÌ„ of the Lordes Table haeth a commaÌ„dement and a promes The hole ê“ceding in the papistrie wanteth not great prophanation of the holie mysteries The souÌ„d of the worde vanished but the vertew thâ—reof by â—eth Rom. 10.8 Acte 15. 1 Pet. 3.21 By preaching of the word is faith iÌ„creased What the papistes vndersâ—aÌ„d by the word ioyned to the SacrameÌ„tes August Tract vpon Iohne 50. 1. Cor. 10 Augusts Eipstile to Bonifaciê° 2â— August con AdamaÌ„ Manichesi Augusti in the. 3 â–ª Psalme As the cuppe is the couenant in the blood so is the bread the couenaÌ„t in the bodie of our Sauioure Christe Eccius Cochleê° Hosius Stanissaê° be the abbotes companinos It is moste shame for him that taketh vpon himself greatest perfection to be found an ignorant How the wordes of Chrisostome oght tobe vnderstand what the ancentis vnderstand by changiÌ„g in the sacrametes Christ is boith the bankede and the bankede giuer We must consider the brad aÌ„d wyne in the holy Supper to be dedicated to an holy are vse then to feade oure bodies The chaÌ„ge is to be referred to the myndes consciences of the receauers Christe commanded vs not to sanctifie breade wyne to chaÌ„ge them but that we shoulde tak them c. The vse of the elemeÌ„ts be changed at the lordes table but not there substance Chrisost. maketh no meÌ„tion of an alter but of a table Sathan him self could neuer so impudeÌ„tlie wrâ—sâ— the scriptures as doeth this Abbote here It was not the bread but Christes natural body that was broken for vs Ye papist is mark the falset here and be ashamed Gala. 3. Psal. 19. How Christ is said to be crucified iÌ„ all places Euen as the Apls wordes may be taken metaphorically likewyse the Prophetes sainges Iere. 7. Psam 50 The principall cause of the masse and of all heresie is the gredy belly Hiero. in Iere. â–ª 4 Harken ye papistes your masse is oldertheÌ„ ye know The wordes of Ierome expounding this place alledged by the papists out of the â— cha of malachie None of the Ancients euer knewe this Papisticall Masse Why the Ancients vse this worde Sacrifice What is offered to God by the faithfull people What is the offering of the faithful preacher Rom. 15. Sathan coÌ„pelleth the wycked to abuse the holy scriptures The deuersitie of oratioÌ„ prayer almus alledged by the papiste The byers of masses are miserablie deceaued Pryde blindeth the Papistes The primitiue Churche neuer â—â—en the Popishe masse The church of god hath nothing to do w t coÌ„tentius Persones It maye be well sene that the Papists pryde them selues greatlye in lyeng The Papistes wrest the Anciente Fathers sayinges rehearseth places oute of them that can neuer be found in them The natur of the treuth is to distroi falshead which is derect contrary thereto The treuth of Godis word coÌ„foundeth the blasphemus falshead of the papistes Papistis we maye not beleue yow without ye shewe zour warrande of offering The Apostle sayth playnlie that without effusion of blood there wes no oblatioun for Sinne. The differeÌ„ce betuixt the sacrifice of the old and new testameÌ„t The Papistes bringing vp a Iudaisime make the sacrifice of Christ imê“fyte The Papistis affirme that they drink in their masses the blood of Christ and yet they call it an vnbloodye sacrifice ad cloke with treuth is alway is scabrus and vncleane Melchisedec not as the preist of God offered bread and wine but as king of peace broght furth bread wine to reâ—resh 〈◊〉 his companie Psal. 110 Papists be ware of your coÌ„paring lest ye ourethraue your traÌ„substancâ—ation What coÌ„fort the supper of our lord bringeth to the faithfull The Papistis will not learne this lessoÌ„ Christ feleth not the barbarus crueltie of the papistes Christ accomplished the office of his priesthead when he offered vp his body in sacrifice on the crosse The Masse maketh successors to Christe wich is a great blasâ—â—eme Hebr. 7. Hebr. 4. Libro 2. coÌ„tra Paâ— men Cap. 8. There was neuer so great multitude of sacrifices in this world as the antichrist haeth iuented The 3. ê“pertie of the masse The masse is a new maner of tastament What Christe taught his disciples The Sacrament assureth vs of all maner of goodnes in Christ The papists call their masse a coÌ„memoration an applycation of Christes death passion Gal. 6. Ephe. 5. The romishe doctrine coÌ„cerniÌ„g their Idol masse moste abhominable The doctrine of the trew faithful ministers Filthy detestable blasphimers caÌ„ neuer
Tertius men replenished with al fraude and decepte Sonnes of the Deuill who expresly after that they haue impugned and defaced it by all good argumentes and authoritie against their own consciences and all godlines are rauished and caryed away to reuerence that wicked saite mother of al defection and apostasie from God rather then to declyne a iote from it with the manifest treuth Many other absurdities may be gathered enseuing and following hereof but in deid my purpose is not to werie my pen any more instantlie in this mater but wil reserue it ether to a particuler treatie when God shall send the tyme or then to the conclusion of this boke alwayes I darre promise that the sober Reader shall haue yneugh euen in this same worke to be satisfied with all for as the mater shall require the occasion serue we shall bring in such thinges as shal be in any wise necessarie For albeit this Author is euer at the body and blood conteined vnder bread and wyne so gnashing him as it were with his teith yet his principall purpose is not to establishe transubstantiation but to flatter cullor and trymme vp his Leprose doghter the stinking and filthy masse To returne to our purpose the sentences being thus boldie without any shame peruerted followeth consequentlie the innouation of the wordes with the sembladle rashnes and temeritie that be lyke they haue altogether conâ—pired to destroy the whole forme of Religion planted by our Maister and Sauiour For if Peter or Paule should now reuyue or go a Thort to se the maner and the ordor of those that brageth moste of the Apostles What should they find Any thing lyke that that they teached any thing aggreing with that ordour thay plaÌ„ted I am sure nothing For they should not onelie perceaue the forme of the whole Religion peruerted but lykewise the wordes changed Should they allow this empyre that is cruelly exerted vpon the consciences of men This importable burthen of dayes monethes tymes cerimonies rytes customes and suche vanities which they did vtterly damne This holy water and burning of Candles at noune dayes for euen as the inchanters and socerers can do nothing without Fyre so alwayes in your vanities Fyre is iudged necessarie this masking clothes inâ—ocacion of Sainctes Purgatorie your qâ—hispered and mâ—â—led masses in eâ—erie corner wold they approue I am assured that by the exemple of their Maister Christe they should wheip you out of the Temple in moste shamefull and ignominius maner Did they euer vse this word which thou continually hath in mouth of consecration ether yet the Euâ—ngelistes They do vse euer speaking of the mater of the holy Supper the wordes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in our tongue of benediction or thankes geuing Shall these wordes dyted by the holy Spirite of God be so broght in obliuion that I can not tell what other wordes shal be receaued in their place of the inuention of man whosoeuer is the inuenter of them all is a mater Of this rank we haue the ministers of God called preistes the holy communion called the masse or the Sacrament of the Alter and to be shorte the whole ordinances of our Sauioure not onely in the opinion and forme adulterated but the wordes changed and innouated This is the reuerence that these holy Fathers beareth to the worde and institutions of our Law maker the wisdome of the Eternal Father Now I ask of you what do ye vnderstand by this worde of consecration for there is no such worde found in the Scriptures at least God hath giuen no such power to wordes spoken by man that they may alter and change the substance of dead and insensible Creatures Trew it is that the worde passing or being ioyned to the Element the Sacrament is made but Augustie shaweth the reason saying not because the word is spoken â—ot because it is beleued and I pray you who beleueth the worde The Element or the faythfull I think ye wil not be so impudent as to affirme that the watter in baptisme beleueth the promise made in the same and no more shall ye proue the breade and the wyne do ether vnderstand or yet beleue the wordes whiche ye quhisper to them But to what end shal we dispute with you of consecration which we reid not in the wordes of our Sauioure nether yet geueth he any coÌ„mandement so to do to his Apostles and Church For in this that he commanded them to do that in remembrance of him as he assureth them of well doing when as they shall practise that action euen as they had sene him do so he bindes them strictly to the obseruation of euerie iote of that action he had practised in their presence for if thou shall transgres and break the commandement in any poynt be it neuer so smal in thy iudgemeÌ„t thou no dout shall peruert the whole action thou hath no promise which taken away there remaneth nothing of that that is here offered so now thy whole action turneth to a mere blasphemie We know and I truste it be not vnknowen to you that the ordinances of God consisteth in two pointes the commandement and the promise as in the mater of prayers cal vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I shal here thee the commandement is geuen to cal vpon God the promise is annexed I shall here thee if thou shall break this commandement darre thou or can thou assure thy self of the promise that is to be hard of God I think not In the action of the Lordes Table the coÌ„mandement is geuen to practise that action in remembrance of our Sauioure that is to say to take bread giue thankes break it make distribution of it the promise is subioyned This is my body which is broken for you Thou deuiseth here and inuenteth I can not tel what a consecration thou maketh no distribution and yet wil thou assure thy self of the promes How vainely euerie man may iudge But here thou will say pereuentur that this worde is vsed by some of the Ancien latine writers it is a receaued worde adding nothing vnto the action but onely declaring it that is ment by these wordes This is my body To this I haue already towardes the word declared my iudgement that in the action of God we oght with no les religion reteane the wordes of the Spirite of God nor the forme and ceremonies of the action it self In this I regarde not the authoritie of any what antiquitie and estimation soeuer shal be pretended But to ê“ceid to the mater I wold not that ye albeit ye will seme to aggre with them that vseth that word in the terme yet should altogether disagre with them in the mater For they of the moste ancient I speak not of the Scóole men in the great decay of the latine tongue and ignorance of the Greik did vse this word to expres
no other thing nor that which the EuaÌ„gelistes meaneth signifieth by thanks geuing or blissing so that they referre it not to the wordes of the promise that ye call the wordes of consecration but to expres that he gaiue thankes or blissed which is not altogether intollerable albeit it lacke not iuste cause of reprehension Further it is a thing more then manifest that all Sacramentes consisteth in these two to wit the word aÌ„d externall Element This word whereof principally dependeth the virtue and strenth of the Sacrament is not to be takeÌ„ for a certane quhispered or mumled wordes or a sonâ— rather without all sense or fayth not vnlyke the magick incautions but rather oppenly and plainâ—ly preached that may teach the auditorie what is ment by the visible signe whereby it may euidently appeare that your whole proceadinges in the papistrie lacketh not a great prophanation of these holy mysteries where it is thoght sufficâ—ent if the preiste the people gasing vpon him without all intelligence should blowe and brâ—â—th out the wordes that ye call of consecration For it is plainely commanded that all be recyted in a strange tongue yea and that the wordes be not pronounced but rather murmured with a rauk voice But farre otherwise we be teached by Augusâ—ine Let the word be ioyned with the Element â–ª and then shall we haue a Sacrament for whereof proceadeth this great virtue of the water that when it shal touch the body it shal purge the hart but by the working of the word not because it is spoken but because it is beleâ—eâ— For in the worde it self the sound is an thing that pâ—sâ—â—th and the virtue an other thing that remaneth this is the word of fayth that we preach sayeth the Apostle so in the Actes of the Apostles by Faith purging their hartes And Peter the Apostle sayeth that Baptisme maketh vs saife not by the wyping away of the fylth of the fleshe but that a good conscience maketh requeist to God This then is the worde of Faith that we preach by the which that it may haue the strenth to clange Baptisme is hallowed So we may euidently perceaue the mynde of this godlie Author to require and vrge preaching which engenders Faith We neid not to spend much tyme in this mater seing it is cleare what our Sauiour did what he coÌ„manded to be done what the Apostles practised to his imitation what the godly Fathers followed and approued yea and what the Church did euer reteane so long as there remaneth any spunk of integritie in it and so shall we obserue eueÌ„ from the begining that coÌ„tinually when God offered any signe vnto the Fathers to their instruction confort that euer he ioyned the word with the Simboles So that we may clearly vnderstand that the Fathers neuer did meane of no such magicall consecration made by a certane whispered wordes rounded with the Element after the abuse of the papistrie but that the promise should be pronounced with a loude and cleare voice in a familiare laÌ„guage the which being preached to the people might lead them as it were by the hand to that that is signified by the whole action For this that is recyted by Augustine of Baptisme no dout apperteaneth also to the Lordes Table and to all Sacramentes practised since the beginning Now consider with your self how miserablie ye are deceaued how maliciously being enuennomed with a wicked opinion ye wrye wreast the sayinges of the Scriptures and Doctors out of their naturall meaning to establishe and confirme your fore conceaued error I knowe that by this word ye will meane that assone as euer these wordes this is my body are spoken immediatlie the substance of bread is taken away and the body of Iesus Christe entâ—reth in really naturally and substantially euen the same body that wes borne of the Virgine wes crucified scurâ—ed buried ascended into the heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father which is a deuillish assertion and expres against the Scripture affirming that the bread remaneth still bread and the wyne vyne and against all naturall reason that a body may or can be in mo places at one tyme and also against the nature of a Sacrament wherein the Simboles and Elementes do represent vnto vs the thinges signified and are not the self same thinges albeit the names be attributed vnto theme against the authorities of the Fathers and fynally this detestable opinion of the Papistes sauoreth of the herysie of Marâ—ion who attributed vnto Christe a phantasticall boâ—y which of necessitie shall follow if he thus shal be in euerie â—omer against the proprieties of the naturall body which being taken away his office of mediation and Preisthead muste vanishe and fall Of the omnipotencie of Gods worde ye haue not to brage in this mater for howsoeuer his worde is almighty if his will be not ioyned with the word it is nothing But thou will collect his will of the wordes this is my body In deid if the wordes of the Scripture shal be alwayes vnderstand euen as they are spoken then shall we proue Christ to be a Rock Stone according to the sayinge of the Apostle to be a wyne tre to be a doore and the way so furth Let vs here then Augustine in this mater To this answereth Augustine in his Epistle to Bonifaciê° 2â— If the Sacramentes sayeth he should not haue some aggrement and similytude with these thinges which they represent then shall they not be Sacramentes For of this similytude oftentymes they take the names of the thinges them selues Therefore as after a certane maner the Sacrament of Christes body is Christes body the Sacrament of Christes blood is Christes blood so the Sacrament of Faith is Faith And writing against Adamantus Manicheus plainely our Maister Christe douted not to call it his body when he gaue the fygure of his body And vpon the thrid Psal. wonderfull sayeth he is Christes pacience in that that he receaued Iudas to the Banked in the which he coÌ„manded and gaue to his Disciples the figure of his body blood Of the which Authorities of this godly learned Father we may easylie answer this speaking of our Sauioure to be Sacramentale Meâ—onymical and so his wil to performe any such thing as thou falsly gathered in no wayes to haue bene For we giue that reuerence vnto our Sauioure and Maister that there is nether inconstancie lyghtnes nor repugnancie in his worde nether yet do we think these wordes spoken of the bread to be otherwayes vnderstand or exponed nor they that after followeth of the cuppe where of necessitie ye must grant al 's many fygures as there be wordes Shall we say that the cuppe is the New Testamentâ— â–ª Or the cuppe is the blood of the new Testament Here thou can not eshew how good a Gladiator or Fensare soeuer thou be turne thy self in alâ— many formes and shappes
blood of our Sauiour to lurke and so to be expossed to the doggishe appetite and cruell teath of a filthy harlote what a masked Sacrifice is this Augustyne speaketh more reuerently geuing vs a generall reule to discerne proper speaches and thinges that be spoken properly and vnderstand euen as they be written from improper and Metaphoricall that whensoeuer we be commanded to do that which includeth no absurditie nor repugneth not to all humanitie nature then haue we to take this commandement as properly spoken and to be obeyed as it speaketh But where the commandement is giuen against all humaintie nature and reason as to eat the fleshe of man and to drink his blood then let vs think well that the speaking is improper and Metaphorical What wil thou answer to this saying of this godly learned man Thou seeth plainely this godly Father to grant manifestly a figure in these wordes this is my body and that they oght to be vnderstand figuratiuelie and Metaphorically iudgeing it a great impietie til a man to think that he shall eat the body and fleshe of man drink his blood in any wayes really and substantially as ye do fondly imagine But to be mirry with you ye do well that howsoeuer ye do vse this haynus cruel and more nor barbarus boucherie vpon the Sonne of God yet that he sealeth not your horrible intreatment that he being a maÌ„ against the nature of man is made insensible and inuisible some relief and confort hath he God giue you his holy Spirite that ye may ones consider the treuth submit your self vnto it in all humilitie The last defference is in the consideration of the cause wherefore the Lordes body is offerred vp in the Sacrifice of the masse The Lordes body wes offered vpon the croice to obtene euerlasting lyfe satisfaction for sinne redemâ—tion and so furth The Sacrifice of the masse was institute by our Sauiour in the last Supper not as a new satisfaction or redemption but it is a new Sacrifice in coÌ„memoration and rememberance of Christes death and passion be the vse of the quhilk we are made pertakers of the fruct of his death and passion This farre In deid in the practise of the Lordes Table we be teached to celebrate the Lordes death till his comming that is to say to remember and meditat with our selues yea and confesse preach and annunce in presence of the whole world the benefites procured and obteined vnto vs by the death and resurrection of our Sauiour and no dout the faithfull is ioyned with Christe and made participant of his iustice holynes innocencie and so furth Yea and as Tertuliane speaketh the bread and the cuppe are verie pledges of our spirituall lyfe resurrectioÌ„ and Saluation But we acknowledge no such thing to be receaued of thy wicked impius and vngodly masse which thou here decketh vp with the ornamentes of the Lordes holy table not vnlyke to Esops Crawe But since we are atteined hetherto I will not werie to shaw the defferences betuix the two which shall not be altogether without fruct nor yet from the purpose and shall conclude them shortly in four heades 1. First we know Iesus Christe appointed vncted of his Father the Eternall preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec then to haue executed absolued and perfyted the office of his preisthead when as at the will of his Father he offered him self vp in a Sacrifice of sweit Sauour vpon the croice the onely and Eternall Sacrifice which no dout wes prefigurat long before in Melchisedec who being ones in the Scriptures broght in is declared to be the preist of the liuing God without any further mention of him In this blasphemus Sacrifice of your masse ye spoile and rubbe the SoÌ„ne of God the onely and Eternal preist of this prerogatiue of preisthead ioyning to him Collateralles Companions successors and suffraganes to vse his charge and execute his office euen as the same infirmitie were in him that wes in the preistes of the Lawe who by their mortalitie wes driuen to take men till occupy their roumes supplie there absence and so releif their charges The Apostle affirmeth no such imperfection to be in our Sauiour the Eternall preist euer liuing to execute his office of mediation and intercession whose preisthead is of that nature that it can not be transfered into any other And if it be trew that we be teached by the same Author that no man taketh any honour vpon him but he that is called of God as Aron Shaw the place and commandement of appoynting of these new Sacrificers And as I am moste certane that thou shall finde none in the Scriptures so am I assured that thow can haue no suffrage nor testimony of antiquitie thereof For Chrysostomus is plaine and Augustine plainely sheweth it to be the voice of the Antichrist if any man shall call a Bishop a mediator betuix God and man so straitly doeth he ascribe and vendicat the whole honour of preisthead vnto Christe that not one â—ote he will thole to be taken or communicat with 〈◊〉 other 2. The Second difference is that it wholy defaceth and distroyeth the croice and passion of Christe For that is moste certane that assone as euer thou erecteth an Alter that the croice of Christe is vtterly extinguished For ye will not deny but our Sauiour Christe offered vp himself to purches and obteâ—ne perpetuall sanctificaion and forgiuenes to his Elect and faithfull the vertew whereof is Eternal and remaneth other wayes we could iudge no other thing of this Sacrifice of Christe then of them vnâ—er the Lawe the which are tryed by that to be of small value that they wâ—re oft reiterat Wherefore we muste conclude ether that the croice of Christe lacketh the force of Eternall pâ—rgation or els that it is a sufficient Sacrifice whereby he hath fully satisfied for all and that perpetually Now then if place shal be to this thy Sacrifice which isso practised that a hundreth thousand of them are offered vp in a day What can we think but that the passioÌ„ of our Sauiour wherein he offered vp him self to his Father shal be vtterly rased defaced buryed and quenshed I sâ—air to rehears the testimonies of the Scripture because we will haue immediatly after occasion to speak of them 3. The thrid propertie and vertew of the masse is that â—t burieth and obliterateth the death of our Sauioure to the which is attrybuted by the Spirite of God the whole Saluation and Redemption of man For as commonlie â—monges men the Testaments and latter willes of men are of no effect nor strenth to the man that maketh it be depriued of lyfe so we know our Sauiour to haue confirmed his Testament wherein we be written aires of the Eternal kingdome by his death Weknow lykewayes what a Sacriledge it is to alterre change varie and innouate any iote of a Testament Shall this
I answer that there is a great diuersitie betuix the one and the other for the one is appointed for an other cause and directed to an other bute nor the other The one is to receaue vs of nature being strangers into the couenant league societie and housholde of God the other is to witnes and testifie that all those that be thus entered in the league to them all is common they are all members of one body they haue all one faith one Baptisme one Lorde and Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe vpon the body and blood of the which Iesus they do all fead so that now herein is signified the great and heigh mysterie of our communication together that they are all one body as the Apostle doeth plainely testifie and these two Sacramentes lacketh not their figures in the olde Testament we know Baptisme to haue succeded in the place of circumcisioÌ„ and the Lordes Supper in the roume of the Pasouer The eight day precisely wes appointed for ministration of the Sacrament of circumcision so that now supputation to be made from the day of the Natiuitie of the Childe ether thou moste say that God prouided them all to be borne in one day or els they were receaued according to the ordour of the Lawe euerie one conforme to the calculation from his Natiuitie so that now one wes receaued seuerally or els God prouided mo This can not be denyed to vs but in the Pasouer thou will not finde that one did sit doune alone eat it but that rather then any should lacke of the nomber they should call vpon their nighboures and so go to that mysterie Now consider with thy self first in the figures of the one the other Secondly in the effectes the defference betuix the one and the other that thy argumentes can no wayes procead nor haue any place The suÌ„me of our whole disputation is to attend and discerne diligently betuix the commanded ceremonies of our God hauing including certane misteries whiche can not be pretermitted without a certane sacriledge yea the peruerting of the hoill action institution as we be plainelie teached by Paule 1. Cor. 11. such other cercumstances as tyme place and such others which in dede may be altered and changed at the determination of the church Hitherto I haue susteined the parte of Iames but heir he foolishlie tholeth him self to be caried away thus sayeth I perceaue be your ressoning it is expedient that thair be diuers ceremonies and customes vsed in the ministration of the Sacrament and al 's in the Sacrament of the masse quhilk are not conteined in Scripture I thoght ye should haue said in this maner I perceaue there be many ceremonies customes bowinges murgeons and such others tryfles not vnlyke to a farce or an Aippes play vsed in your masse which our Sauioure did not coÌ„mad nor the Apostles practise nether yet is allowed of any antiquitie that it hath no similytude nor affinitie with the Lordes Table but rather vtterly repugnnig and contrarius vnto it yea and in it ye blasphemussy call the Sacrament of the Lordes body and blood ye haue fraudfully spoyled the people of God of the one parte thereof and so not onely impiusly hath peruerted the substance of it but in the action it self hath proceadeth with the same remeritie rashenes and Sacriledge to the contempt of God and the bitter and greuous sobbinges of all godly seing the people of God thus miserablie deceaued by you and in the place of the holsome and confortable Cuppe of medicine the bitter and horrible Goblet of vennome Gal daÌ„nation tyranoussy and vnmercifullie propyned But this Soule hunter iÌ„troduceth Iames seruiÌ„g to his turne speaking at his appetite I dout not against the mynde of the gentilman whome I take to be godly and nothing content of his parte in this farce To this is answered frely of the parce of the Abbote in this maner Trew it is albeit Iesus Christ our Sauiour hes appointed be his word and Scripture all thinges necessare for manis Saluation as towarde the substance and effect nottheles as towarde the ceremonies and maner how thir thinges should be vsed quhilkê he hes appointed for manis Saluation he refered it to his Kirk and Ministers to quhome he hes promised the Spirit of veritie to the end of ye warld And so furth Wold to God ye vnderstude what ye haue here said in the former parte of your answer but I feare ye play here the parte of Caiphas wheÌ„ he prophecied that it wes meit and necessarie that one should die for the people not knowing what he had said This godly Reader hath bene continually and is the whole trauell and studie of the godly preachers to assure vs of the infinite and perfect wisdome of our God vtterred in his Scriptures of the sufficiencie of his word which this fyue or six hundreth yeares hath bene kept in a most horrible bondage by the tyraÌ„ny of them that vanted themselues be the tytles of Pastors to the soire complaint of the godly in al aiges and the haynus horrible entreating of the poore flok redeamed with the precius blood of Iesê° Christe This good word that it may wel and euidently appeare that thou euer reteanest thy owen nature as it is fallen furth of a certane euenture so it is wrapped suedled vp with the vennemous dregge of Papistrie and the fond imaginatioÌ„ of thy owen hart so that scaerflie can it appeare for thou adiunest I can not tell what distinguo toward the substance sayest thou all is conteined in scriptures necessarie for our Saluation and not towarde the ceremonies What if I should say to thee pas thy way with thy ceremonies that thou callest and I will content me with the mater and substance what could thou obiect Thou speakest all Magistraliter Sorbonice assuming all that thou sayest without any probation What callest thou ceremonies that thou vrgest here to be so necessarie The exemple adduced by you will declaire and I trust we shall aggre as by exemple Followeth in our Text our Sauiour when he institute Baptisme he commanded his Apostles that thay should Baptise in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the haly Gaste he appointed nether tyme nor place nor quha sould beir witnes to them that war Baptised Here ye may obserue that this Author called the tyme and place ceremonies which are not ceremonies but as I haue tearmed them heretofore circumstances the determination and appointing whereof I moste willingly submit vnto the wisdome and discretion of the congregation of the faithful and godly not to the wicked and pernicius but to the trew teachers and not to the Reuenus Volfes to the humble and lowly and not to the horned Bishopes bloody Cardinalles and the head and cheif of that whole rable the Antichriste of Rome who hath so hemd in and obscured the holy ordinances of God with their beggerly
traditions fond and blasphemus ceremonies that they were altogether hidde and wrapped vp As Baptisme we know that our Sauiour ordeined it most simplie in the word and in the watter preach sayeth he and baptise let the worde sayeth Augustine come to the Element then shall we haue a Sacrament Thus we see what Christe ordeined we see what this godly Father Augustine approued and what wes in the Church reteined The worde wes preached and the Sacrament in watter vsed but what hath our men done â–ª They haue added oyle they haue added spattell and a thousand other fattras and beggerly thinges that they call ceremonies All wes done by a shaueling who knew no more the dignitie nor the nature of that Sacrament he ministred nor doeth thy gray hors Abbot and all wes muÌ„bled in a strange langage Credis credo quod he Vis Baptizariâ— Volo quod he Quid petis Baptismum quod he that nether â—e nether yet any of the assistance did vnderstaÌ„d nether yet what he required that wes Minister nor yet what wes promest on the other part But otherwise out Sauiour did ordeine and otherwise speaketh Augustine â—oâ—est verbum fidei quod predicamus This is the word of Faith that we preach In the holy institutions of our Sauiour we shall euer obserue not onely the substance that thou tallest set furth by him self but also the ceremonies that be verie ceremonies which we oght not to preterm it being so ioyned with the substance of the Sacrament that if any alteration shal be admitted the Sacramentes are no more Sacramentes For this cause plainly pronounceth Paule that the Corinthians did not eat the Lordes supper the cause is exponed in the Text and clearly declared by the Ancients because they patched in somwhat of their owen and so peruerted the puritie of the Sacrament what if Paule should now reuiue and see how miserably and traterouslie ye haue abused and deceaued the world I think he should lay it sorer to your charge nor he doeth to the Corinthians I regard not what intention soeuer they procead of these your ceremonies for I am sure ye haue no such cloik nor couerture as had the Corinthians to wit the releif and support of the poore So that not onely their blissed communication in Iesus Christe wes preached vnto them but liuely practised the poore and riche all conuening together eating at one table and the poore supported by the riche without any contempt or disdaine Of the tyme and place and suche others circumstances that thou callest ceremonies I haue already protested that I moste willingly subscriue with you but I deny that the same proceadeth of the multytude for I affirme that to be a substanciall ceremonie coÌ„manded and appointed by our Sauiour whose institution the heauen and the eareth may not nor oght alterre In the institution of his holy Supper he tuke bread brake it gaue thankes and distributed it so that no persoÌ„ how well disposed soeuer he shall appeare may take vpon him to change this that is to say to offer him to this action alone no more then one seuerally might haue eaten the Pashe Lambe seing it is the ordinaÌ„ce of our Sauiour and the mysterie of our coniunction consociation and vnitie with him moste liuelye set furth in it no more nor the bread is made of a graine of wheit can there be a communion without distribution and in this no man can coÌ„pleane that he is frustrat iniuried or euill entreatted but rather may haue iuste occasion of complaint where as the institutioÌ„s of God haynuslie coÌ„temned he might be broght in a fals erronius and wicked opinion So these priuate masses and quiet Tables that be appointed for one are altogether against the institution of this Sacrament and the nature of it and can not be without an horrible Sacriledge iniurie and sâ—lander Where thou concludest the Preist to be ready to distrybute to all others being disposed that is moste vntrewly pretended of you For we haue sene and may see in your Synagoges great barres and chanceler walles made expres to this end that the people mitght be debarred so that their whole fruct is to gaise vpon your Sacrificers swellowing vp a peice of bread moste vnsemely licking a Challice Besydes this if ye had any reuerence of God in youre breastes or respect to his holy ordinances what is the cause that thretry or fourtie of you being at your masses together he in this corner and here an other Sire Ihon iâ— an other why do ye not ioyne your selues altogether and set you doune at a Table and there celebrate the Lordes Table according to his commandement Now shift thy self as thou can thou shall not escape For as the cheif and principal confort we haue of the Lordes Table is to assure vs that we fead vpon the body and blood of Iesus Christe and that we are ioyned and made all one in him So no dout they excommunicat them selues and cutteth them of as it were from Christes body that seuerally craueth it and of a wicked zeal offereth them to it since their deutie is rather neuer to oâ—fer them hetherto then to discerne and diuide that which our Sauiour hath ioyned For we are to be assuredly persuaded and think well that the grace of God is not so fixed to his SacrameÌ„tes but the faithfull mynde may and shall obteane it by Faith without the Sacrament if there be no contempt sleuth or negligence Iames here desyreth to be more fully instructed How our Sauiour appointed all thinges necessarie for manis Saluation concerning the effect and substance and shawed not be his worde the ceremonies and maner how thir thinges should be vsed but refered to the Kirk To discuse and declaire this question asked by Iames this glorius Gospeller sâ—tteth vs furth a rude exemple of a potent prince directing furth his Ambassadoures geuing them a commission conteining certane heades and articles bearing the substance and effect of the whole which he commonly tearmed instructions Yet sayeth our Doctor there is nothing prescribed to them of their garmentes in the day of their presence nether yet any kynde of ceremonies necessarie and expedient appointed Albeit this similytude be not euerie where trew yet wil I grant it partly to be verie proper we know Iesus Christ to be this poteÌ„t mighty prince his ministers are teached by S. Paule to be the Ambassadoures of our reconciliation the instructions of this ministerie to be conteined in the Scriptures sufficiently fully and perfectly so that there is not passed by a ceremonie substanciall I meane To other thinges called ceremonies by thee as the setting of the cheare the table the foormmes benkes to the East or the west the place the tyme our owen garmentes or such others of that Kynde Euen as the Spirite oâ— God hath pretermitted and passed by these circumstances with silence so we may luke herein to the commoditie of the Congregation prouiding alwayes that
Sacrifices and preisthead to haue bene vtterly abrogated and taken away by the Sacrifice of the croice ye adde Now man we consider that Iesus Christe our Sauiour knawing that the Sacrifice of Aaron being the Sacrifice of the auld Testament was to ceaâ—e and take ane end be the death and passion institute a new Sacrifice according to the ordour of Melchisedec As this latter part is wicked and fals so oure Author purposlie pretermitteth the preisthead making no mentioÌ„ of it but of the abrogation of the Sacrifices onely and institution of an other in their place according to the ordour of Melchisedec But here may be demanded of you if he institute a Sacrifice according to the ordour of Melchisedec why did he not appoint Sacrificers For there can be no Sacrifice without a Sacrificer nor oblation without a preist as we speak now If thou will say that your shauelinges be Sacrificers then will I demand of you their vocation I am assured by the Author to the Hebrewes that the dignitie of preisthead apperteaneth to the Sonne of God as also witnesseth Dauid in the. 110. Psal. which he neuer did communicat to any other it being of such a nature that it could not be transferred If I should discend and shaw the maner of the creation and making of your preistes it might moste iustly appear that ye haue broght againe the verie preisthead of Aaron abrogated as ye haue confessed by our Sauiour so that in the word ye grant it to be taken away which by the fact it self ye establishe Thus then ye pas by the preisthead of set purpose in the latter parte of your answere â–ª Because ye perceaued that it should subuert your whole fundation Iames vrgeth and thinketh him not as yet satisfied and so driueth this new Ingynour that coÌ„passeth maters so craftilie that he can make of one two to bring againe and repeat the wordes of the institution do this in remembrance of me By the which wordes he â—ayeth our Sauiour gaue not onely commandement to eat his body and drink his blood but al 's to make an oblation Iames yet as before granteth the commandement of eating and drinking giuen but beleueth that he wil not proue properly by the wordes of the latter Supper that our Sauiour coÌ„manded to make any oblation of the bodie and blood This new diuine according to his nature and vse taketh the mater vpon hand and promiseth to proue it properly That he maid oblation of his body and blood in the latter Supper be the wordes of the same saying take ze eat ze this is my body quhilk is giuen for zow baith in ane effect It appeareth that there lacketh some word here as to me I giue yow your owen wordes as they be in the Text which came to my handes Here Iames shrinketh with the mater and is introduced improuing the allegatioÌ„ of the wordes that our diuine may seme and appeare able to expone and interprete the Greik Text and the proprietie of the worde tyme and other accidentes falling to the worde but how he is besene in the tongue we shall after here It appeares sayeth Iames to me that ze rehers the Text wrang for the Text sayis this is my body quhilk salbe giuen for zow that is great difference betuix is giuen for zow and salbe giuen for zow Vpon the mergine it is noted that Iames speaketh of the authoritie of Paule 1. Cor. 11. who vseth the word _____ which verâ—e signifieth not giuen but broken I grant that they are to be taken in a signification here but by this it is easy to espy how thou art vearsed in the Greik tongue as may lykewise appeare by it that followeth when thou alledgest Erasmus To Iames he answereth on this wife Ze salbe assured that thir wordes are spoken in the present tyme as testifeis the excellent Clerk Erasmus according to the Greik Text quhilk is the natural Text of the new Testament the maist pairt Ye shal be assured in deid of the whole howsoeuer some doeth iudge of the Euangel of S. Mathew who no dout hath written in the Greik as may euidently appeare in the places recited out of the olde Testament by him in the which he followeth the Greik translation of the 70. interpretors and not the verie Text of the Hebrew yea and whatsoeuer is iudged by some in lykemaner of the Epistle to the Hebrewes but in this we haue not to insist Trew it is that these wordes _____ are red in the present tyme and yet they are to be vnderstand as spoken in the future as the vulgare Text beareth and as Castalio some others doeth plainely translate them and the sense requireth the same Well let vs procead I will say with Iames Geuing that thir wordes war spoken in the present tyme zit thair is a defference betuix thir wordes this is my body quhilk is giuen for zow and offered for zow To this ye answer partly as ye had bene auised with euerie man Thair will no man say ye of iudgement or learning mak difference betuix thir wordes geuing for zow and offered for zow As toward the effect albeit the phrase and maner of speach differs I darre not take vpon me iudgement nor learning least I shall seme to arrogate somwhat to me impudently but the existimation I will with all sobrietie referre vnto the Reader alwayes I will trauell to shaw that there is a great difference betuix giuen and offered and that not onely in the signification of the wordes but also in the persones that be the giuers and the offerers I truste thou will not confound these two tearmes in Scriptures for many thinges we darre affirme to be giuen that be not offered oblation and Sacrifice be one and yet we darre not affirme euerie gift to be an oblation and Sacrifice We be teached plainely that the Eternal God gaue his Sonne vnto vs yet we wil not say that he offered him vp and Sacrificed him to vs for this onely conueneth to the Sonne him self to make oblation of his body and blood being appointed by God to this office Besydes this if oblation and gift should be thus confounded as thou wolde persuade then should it follow that as thou goest about to proue that there be two oblations of our Sauiour so shal I adde the thride that wheÌ„ he wes giuen to the world that then wes he offered I am not ignoraÌ„t that the whole course of his peregrination here may apperteane and be referred to his offering But we do cal that properly and specially his oblation when he entereth in the Battel and conflict with the aduersarie powers the tormentes and panes of death and the anguishe and thrist of mans Saluation euen till his departing I will not deny but the godly interpretors may in this place take these two maner of speakinges to an effect referring them bothe to the Sacrifice of the croice as they oght to be but seing
thou doest it to abuse the Text and wreist the sense of it to confirme thy wicked opinion It is neidfull to shaw thee the absurditie that shall ensew Doutles if thou should vnderstand the wordes referre them to that oblation that wes a lytle after made vpon the croice then should I grant thy sayinges and go with thee moste willingly being assured of the approbation of the wholle Church and consent of the Godlie Fathers But thou that thou may seme to haue inuented somwhat of thy owen head confoundest these wordes to the ignominie of the Eternall Sonne of God spoiling him of his preisthead and intrusinge in his roume a pestilent harlote a shaueling after the ordour of Epicurus Sardanapalus This in deid can not be suffered for being demanded of Iames what thou will inferre of this thou answerest braggest that thou hast gotten thyne intent which is Our Lorde maid ane oblation of his body blude in the latter Supper and gaue his Apostles commaundement to do the same Thou subioynest the cause the gif our Sauiour in the latter Supper had onely institute the cōmunion and not the Sacrifice of the masse then he had said tak ze eat ze this is my bodie quhilk giuen to zow and not for zow because giuen to zow includes onely the communion and giuen for zow includes not onely the cōmunion but al 's ane Sacrifice as the phrase of the wordes plainely declares The horrible blasphemies that be here conteined in these few wordes nether can mynde think nor tongue sufficiently expresse For by these wordes not onely shal we find that he spoileth the Sonne of God the Eternal and onelie preist of his honour trodding him vnderfoote and al 's that he moste craftilie and inuiusly taketh from vs that great infinite treasure of the latter Supper of the Lorde Iesus which we are commanded to practise til his returning and in the which he hath so mercifully and aboundantly disployed his benefites giftes mercies towards man This I say this Author taketh from man for if giuen to you includeth the communion as this Author sayeth and our Sauiour hath pronounced no such thing but giuen for you it followeth well that here there is no such institutiō as the holy communion for by this Author giuen for you is offered for you Christe then offered him self there we be commanded to do the same then followeth that we are commanded to offer him and so to make Sacrifice of him where is there any place to the communion then whiche is no Sacrifice or els of necessitie thou shall grant that the communion and the Sacrifice are bothe one which repugneth manifestlie to thy doctrine but aggreeth in deid with the Ancientes For some of them we obserue to haue giuen this Name of Sacrifice to the Lordes Table but that improperlie because it is instituted and practised in memorie of that Sacrifice which onely is worthy of that name consider how thou art trapt in the same Snaire that thou prepared for others and how craftily to establishe thy impius Sacrifice of the masse thou fraudest the whole Congregation of that great and inestimable confort of the Lordes Table This belyke thou wolde meane howsoeuer thou sayest that in these wordes giuen for you is included not onely the cōmunion but al 's the Sacrifice of the masse for with what Brow can thou deny but I may collect of this thy doctrine that there is no communion at all for as thou sayest giuen to you includeth the communion so say I that giuen for you includeth only the masse It followeth well for giuen for you is asmuch as offered for you and so importeth a Sacrifice then it followeth well that we haue no communion but a Sacrifice onely for thou will not grant the communion and the Sacrifice to be one diuiding and separating the one from the other and collecting two diuers institutions in the latter Supper And so alwayes it is fals that thou assumest to proue that our Sauiour institute two thinges here the holy Table and the Sacrifice of the masse And lykewise it followeth euidently that ether we shal lacke the communion or els the masse This followeth moste necessarly of thy interpretation if thou will say that the communion is conteined in the former parte of the Table he tuke bread brake it gaue thankes and gaue it to his Disciples and in the latter part for so ye of your factiō distinguisheth the wordes this is my body which is giuen for you here he instituteth the Sacrifice the cōmandement apperteaneth equalie to bothe then muste it follow that there be two seuerall actions the former hauing as it were nothing to do with the latter the communion to wit and the masse Secondly hereby we shall collect that there shal be a Sacrament without a promes euerie man I truste wil grāt the Lordes Table to be a Sacrament which can not subsist without the promes For if giuen for you apperteaneth to the wordes preceading this is my body and shall altogether be referred to thy masse and now shal haue nothing to do with the former action of distribution of the bread this Sacrament shall lack the promes and so consequently shal be no Sacrament how vaine and fonde this is let euerie man iudge For I darre affirme that there is no man of iudgement that wil diuide and disseuet this action being all one and what Sacriledge doest thou think it to dissociat distract and put a shunder that which is ioyned by God And to answer you sire in your owen maner what wes the cause if the mynde of our Sauiour wes to institute here a Sacrifice and that such a Sacrifice as your masse that he doeth not take a peice or portion of bread a certane quantitie of wyne erect vp an Altare or at the least withdraw him self some space from the company vse the ceremonies that ye do vse and so to make and offer vp the Sacrifice We know that the wisedome of our God hath forget nothing vncommanded touching the offering vp of Sacrifices in the Law the garmentes and apperrell of the Preist the erecting of the Alter the beast that wes to be slaine and lykewyse of the rest of the circumstances ceremonies then to be vsed when as the preist approched to the practise of the oblation Should this haue bene pretermitted in this Sacrifice where the Sonne of God is offered vp the veritie and treuth of all Sacrifices preceading We obserue with what solicitude studie and cairfulnes the Spirit of God painteth furth the celebration of the Pasouer and with what diligence our Sauiour and maister Christe Iesus celebrated it according to the precept of the Law not passing by a ceremonie And requireth he not the same of vs in obseruation of his ordinances Will ye affirme that there is any obliuion forgetfulnes sleuth or negligence in our God Why doeth he not then say to his company in
this maner now haue I celebrated the Pasouer appointed by my heauenly Father to be practised in memorie remembrance of your potent mighty deliuerance out of Egypt where your fathers wes holden in seruitude boÌ„dage this ceremonie is now to be taken away in place of the which shal ye haue an other sacrifice wherein ye shal offer vp my body yea my verie reall and natural body blood vnder the formes of bread and wyne ye shall erect an Alter the Preistes shal be chosen with such qualities anoynted shauen they shal haue such apperrell And in this maner shal they celebrate this Sacrifice It were werisome here to rehears all your murgeons which ye think and iudge so necessarie that they can not be pretermitted without an horrible Sacriledge Thus we find in the figure all thinges prescribed by the mouth of God in the Sacrifices of the Law and nothing passed by But here neuer a word of any such thing a simple action recyted the coÌ„mandement giuen to practise the same and the promes made out of the which this Scripturare wil fyne out a Sacrifice which he after trauelleth to proue by the exemple of the Pasouer which albeit it wes a Sacrament yet sayeth he it wes offered vp to this I will not answer presently but wil differre the ful answer to the proper roume Yet will I say that if they should pretend the similytude of the Pasouer they should not thole them selues to be so driuen and caried away from the institutioÌ„ of the Supper For in the practise of the Pasouer howsoeuer they were commanded to celebrate it they pretermitted not one iote of the ceremonies appointed they inuented nor added none of their owen braine nether yet pared any thing but being conuened together with staues in their handes their Loynes gyrded they did eat it with the rest of the ceremonies The same shoulde haue bene done of you that it might appeare that ye beare some reuerence to the ordinances of God If ye should set you at a Table and there reuerently take bread giue thankes break it and so make distribution according to the exemple lest to you by Iesus Christ albeit ye should bragge somwhat of a Sacrifice some cullour might ye haue and it were somewhat tollerable But where this is whollie not onely inuerted but peruerted so that your deuillish ê“ceadinges are al 's coÌ„trarius to the action of our Sauiour as the night and the day and yet will ye pretend a commandement so to do and bragge of a Sacrifice inuented by your selues vtterly distroying the Lordes action as we haue already prouen and shall yet trauell to make more cleare and sensible what resteth to vs to say or do but to declyne and eshew your companies and pronounce you possessed For I am assured the Deuill him self neuer inuented thinges more contrarius to God more repugnant to his glorie nor ye haue done and practisest daylie Helas vnder the cloik of ReligioÌ„ Now since I haue sensibly in my iudgement oppened vp the absurdities inconuenients that doeth ensew of your interpretation I will trauel to declaire the verie Germane sense of the wordes of the action and that with all simplicitie and moderation First I trust no man will deny but here our Sauiour doeth institute a Sacrament and Sacramentes we know to be outward and externall signes hauing the promises of God adioyned in the which our God offereth giueth vnto vs his giftes and not we giue or offer any thing to God as hath bene heretofore shortly spoken and declared by the exemple of Baptisme and will now in this action in the which our Sauiour with the bread wyne giueth vs his body and his blood adding and adioyning the promise whereby also he offereth and giueth vnto vs his giftes and benefites and not we to him These benefites he communicateth vnto vs to this end that they shal remane to our vse profite and commoditie and not we say I to offer them vnto God but onely offer to him the Sacrifice of thankes geuing praising and extolling him for his great and infinite goodnes towardes vs. In which consideration this Sacrament is called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is a thaÌ„kes geuing for a benefite receaued now to giue thankes is to winnes that we haue receaued some benefite and not to present or 〈◊〉 out Now that the goodnes of my God shal be so great toâ—ardes me that euen this small oblation of thankes â—e â—â—eth accept as a verie Sacrifice This is nothing to me to bragge that I deâ—erue or merite any thing thereby ether to me or to any others but rather to be moued to preach annunce the glorie of our God who disdaneth not to receaue Vitulos Labiorum Nostrorum as the Prophet speaketh that is our prayer and thankfulnes yea euen in the place of a Sacrifice and this is the cause that moued some of the Ancients to call this Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is improperly a Sacrifice for this deffierence is betuix the natures of the Sacrament and of the Sacrifice that in this we offer to God in the other we receaue from God This I am assured the wordes of the action it self wil testifie he tuke bread and hauing giuen thankes brake gaue it vnto his Disciples saying take ye eat ye this is my body and sofurth And lykewise of the cuppe the promise is added this is my body and this is the new Testament in my blood which promise if any man shall go about to diâ—â—euer from the action preceading or referre it to any other thing then is there expressed we plainely perceaue that first he distroyeth this holy Sacrament and â—econdly he diffeuereth those thinges that be ioyned by God which is altogether intollerable according to that that is written let no man put a shonder that that is ioyned by God Now the sense of the wordes is plaine that our Sauiour offereth and giueth to the faithfull and worthy receauers his body to fede vpon and his blood to be refreshed thereby vnto euerlasting lyfe And to assure them hereof he subiuneth yea euen this same body that is giuen for you that is which shal be giuen immediatly after this vpoÌ„ the croice For no dout the present tyme is taken for the future as it is familiare to the Spirite of God to put one tyme for an other for the assurance and certitude of the mater so that this giuen is altogether to be referred to the oblation wes made vpoÌ„ the croice as all the Ancients do commonly vnderstand it and can no otherwayes 〈◊〉 Now least any man should think that here in the Supper we receaue the verrie body naturall and substaÌ„ciall aÌ„d that body that wes borne of the Virgine but onely Sacramentaly in this as the Ancientes do altogether acknowledge a figure that we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is when the name of the thing
signified is giuen to the signe it self so S. Paule doeth expone this giuen for you to be asmuche as broken for you No man will or darre say that the naturall body of our Sauiour wes broken for it wes writteÌ„ ye shall not break one bone of him Herein there is an vndouted allusion to the fraction of the bread appointed and vsed in the communion and lykewise a plaine declaration how the wordes of the promes oght to be taken Sacramentally and figuratiuely This shortly for the declaration of the wordes Now followeth the latter wordes of the institution do this in remembrance of me which nowayes can be vnderstand of any Sacrifice as ye do expone falslie but of the receauing and of the whole action recited before For these wordes our Sauiour doeth referre to the actioÌ„ preceading take ye eat ye this is my body drinke of this ye all and thus eating and drinking celebrate the remembrence of me to wit that I haue giuen and offerred vp my body for you that I haue shed my blood for you to the remission of your sinnes for if these wordes giuen for you and shed for you to remission of sinnes should not wholy be referred and appertane to the Sacrifice of the croce then should it follow that the Sacrifice of the croce wes not necessarie seing by your interpretation we haue remissioÌ„ of sinnes by the virtew of this action so shal the virtew of the Sacrifice of the croce euanesh Paule exponeth these wordes as I haue not of a Sacrifice but of the receauing do this so oft as ye shal drinke sayeth he in commemoratioÌ„ of me for as often as ye shall eat of this bread drinke of this cuppe ye shall furth shew the Lordes death till he come whereby we obserue that he conioyneth the commemoration with the receauing which ye that affirmeth the masse separateth and diuideth For it is plaine and manifest by Paule that in this publique action in the which he commandeth one to tarie vpon an other and in the which the body of our Sauiour is eaten and his precius blood drunkt That he willeth that we conioyne the celebration of the benefites procured vnto vs by his death with the action it self And that we giue thankes for these giftes and so in nowise willeth he vs to offer his body blood but that we eat and drinke them and so to celebrate and annunce his death that is the great and inestimable deliuerance purchased by his death If any please to speak as the Ancients do and call it a Sacrifice I repugne not so he vnderstand not that Christ is here to be offered for the offences of the people for the sinnes of the leuing and the dead for Saluation and sofurth For he hath by this one oblation one 's made consuÌ„mat and perfected his faithfull and Elect for euer For it is a haynus blasphemie to think that any man may offer vp the Sonne of God vnto the Father as we haue already heretofore declared he being him self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the offerer and the oblation it self as I am able to proue by the Greik Cannon and the Ancients all in one voice Now we offer not his body and his blood the which we be commanded onely to receaue and were offerred of Christ him self the virtew of the which oblation yet remaneth and shal perpetually yea and here they be offerred and giuen vnto vs but we againe offer vp prayers laude praise and action of thankes which we are coÌ„manded to ioyne with this action In these wordes do this in remembrance of me which wordes are exponed by Paule as we haue declared Now this to be the verie Germane sense of the wordes of this action I dout not yea and all godly consciences wil affirme and subscriue that if an Angel of heaueÌ„ should setfurthe any thing against this it is one accurse wherein I haue not trauelled to satisfie the contentius and obstinat persones but because the wordes of the text were wreiâ—ted by this wrouglare of Scriptures I wes driuen to bring furth the godly meaning of the same wordes with all sobrietie to the releif of the simple that by all appereÌ„ce might els haue bene troubled thereby Now let vs returne to our Author who as he hath begunne blasphemusly so he contineueth impudently and as I haue already forewarned you so now shall ye finde his principal studie direct to this that the whole communion may be subuerted and distroyed and his deuillishe masse erected For here he plainely protesteth that this his Sacrifice of the masse Is a mair proper commemoration and remeÌ„brance of the Sacrifice of the croice nor is the communion quhairfore sayeth he the Sacrifice of the masse is called a Sacrifice of commemoration and swa ze may perceaue be the command quhilk our Sauiour gaue to his Apostles saying do this in remembrance of me that he rather appointed the Sacrifice of the latter Supper to be ane commemoration of his death and passion nor the communion In deid maister Abbote I wold glaidly ye should leaue your magistrall and Sorbonik maner of speaking and proue your sayiÌ„gs but God be praised it appeareth that ye be rather a Scoller of Pythagoras yea Pythagoras him self nor a Scoller of Christ Iesus We know that in Pythagoras Scoole there wes no more but his authoritie whereof proceaded this saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he said it this authoritie ye take vpon you in preferring your pestilent Sacrifice to the holy institution of our Lawe maker Iesus Christe yea and doeth that is in you to euert the holy communion the which I haue shewen heretofore to be called a Sacrifice of coÌ„memoration in consideration that we there giue thankes to our God of that blissed League and couenant that it hath pleased his maiestie to receaue vs in and that in the blood of Iesus Christe althogh improperly in deid yet in that sense not altogether intollerable yea and I wil say further that neuer ye shal find your masse so called being vnknoweÌ„ in those dayes as shall be after discussed when we shall atteane to the examination of the authorities of the Fathers Strange it is to see a man so caried away with his owen fantasy so giuen ouer in the handes of Sathan that he shal repyne against God that he shall renunce and refuse the manifest veritie of God confessed in all aiges to establishe his owen imagination We know the communion to be the ordinance of Iesus Christe practised in all aiges and as I haue prouen by S. Paule the moste liuely commemoration of Christes death and yet will ye set before it your stinkinge whore the masse which neuer had place till these our latter dayes and that neuer without controuersie to the great and greuous grudge of all godly and now fynally fealeth the iust pleague of God being trodden vnderfoote in the dust In your conclusion howsoeuer
offred vpon the earth quhen his body is offred Zea he is declarit planely to be offred intyll vs quhais wordis makis haly the Sacrifice quhilk is offred Your purpose is to call the mater to mynde againe to ê“ue the masse to be a Sacrifice wherein Christe is offered to the father by the preist Now I pray you what streÌ„th of probation lyeth in these wordes of Anthrosius seruing to this mater there is no meÌ„tion of masse the Sacrifice oblatioÌ„ that is here spokeÌ„ ê‘teyneth derectly to the practeis celebration of the holy coÌ„munion where the faithful menisters executing there office charge conforme to the exemple of our Sauiour are not only followers of Christ as Ambrose doeth testifie but Vicarres and stedeholders as we haue alreaddy said in Cypriane but as we obserued in Chrysostom so we haue in this author that he in the â—clitsioÌ„ vseth a certane correction of his form are sayinges Whereby he explaneth his meaning in the word preceding that not so muche haue we to vnderstand his body blood to be offred vp speaking properlie as it is to be vnderstaÌ„d that that it is declared plainly him to be offred vp in ws that is as he wold say this oblation and Sacrifice which I beat thus coÌ„tinuallie iÌ„ your eares is not to be takeÌ„ so as I should meane properlie vs to offre vp to the Father his Sonne Iesus Christe which he him self onely wes worthy and able to do and did But I meane that now we being receaued in couenante with oure God by the mediation of Iesus Christe which league is confirmed sealed vp in our hartes by the symboles of his body blood whereby we are assured that we are one with him feiding vpon his body aÌ„d blood that we now possesse him and hes him duelling in vs what resteth on our part sayeth Ambrose but in recordation of this so great a benefeit in declaration of our thankfulnes to offre vs vp to God together with all that we possesse we haue receaued by the communion of thy Sonne Iustice ryghtuusnes sanctification holynes with all benefites these graces as we grant our selues to haue receaued of thy free mercy so we now do dedicat sanctifie and offre them to thee This Immolation then is none other nor it that Paule speaketh of as we haue heretofore declared All our worthynes doeth proceade and flow of that Sacrifice in recordation of the whiche we celebrat this Sacrifice reiocing in no thing but in Iesus Christe and him crucified by whose agnominy we are made honorable by whose pouertie we are made ryche by whose death we are quickned and by whose obedience we are made bould to enter in the presence of our God thoght we be neuer so vnable and vnworthy of our selues so that now we are not to be Iudged and reputed the offrers but rather he whose spirit reuleth our hartes aÌ„d moueth vs to this thankfullnes yea he him self offreth all we haue by the Communion vnto the eternall Father Now followis Augustine ane excellent doctor approued be the Kirik of God 1156. zeris bypast reproued Atrius as ane Heretike because he said as mony sayis now of lytle knawledge that meÌ„ fulde nocht praye for the dede nor offer Sacrifice for thaim he wryttis thus coÌ„cerning that mater it is nocht to be denyed y â— the saules of meÌ„ departed ar releued throuch the godlynes of thare freindis on lyue quheÌ„ the Sacrifice of our Mediator Christe is offered for thaim hidderto Augustine He writtis in ane vther place say and quhen the Sacrifice of the altare or almous is offered for the dede Quhilk war Baptised thare at thaÌ„kes geuin for thaim that be verray gude peple and for thaim that ar not verie euyll thay ar propiciatioÌ„ns or purchessinges of mercy fauour of God He wryttis in ane vther place it is not to be douted but the saules departed ar helped be the haly kirkis prayers and the Sacrifice of saluation almous quheÌ„ thay ar geuin for thaim that god sudle deale mair mercy fullie thaÌ„ thair synnis had deserued hidderto Augustine marke how this godlie Doctor Byschope affirmes the Sacrifice of the masse to be propiciatorie and helplie for thaim that be departed I can not answer Augustine better then by him self but before I cum to the answer it shall not be all out of purpose good reader if I shall shewe the reule which Augustine pÌ„scribeth to al readers of his workes wyl not attribute to others nor yet vendicat to him self more then becumeth Of this mater I haue spoken sumwhat heretofore out of Augustine yet to refreshe the memorie of the reader aÌ„d to shewe and teache that many mo places may be gathered out of his workes then they that be recyted I wyll not wearie here in the proper place of the interpretation of his owen wordes to shew his opinion and in what place he wylleth all readers to put his workes And first these be his plane wordes I can not deny nether yet oght I that euen as in them that hath passed before so verrie many thinges to be in my so many treattes that by a Iust iudgement and without temeritie may be damned And againe he wrytteh to Ieronimus for I wyll graÌ„t sayeth he vnto thee to these onely bokes of the Scripturs which be called Canonicall haue I learned to deferre that feare giue that reuerence that I beleue most firmelie none of the authors of them in wrytting any thing to haue erred or if I shall find any thing in their wryttinges that shall appeare to be contrarius and repugnant to the treuth then do I not dout but ether the exemplar is fals or the interpretor hath not atteyned to the vnderstanding of it that is said or that I do not vnderstande it my self But others I read so that with whatsoeuer holynes and doctryne they haue excelled yet do I not iudge it to be trew because they so iudged But because they haue bene able to persuade ether by these Canonicall authors or by a probable reason that abhorreth nor froÌ„ the treuth I wyll content me gentle reader with these testimonies not but there be many mo but that I iudge it superfluus to adduce any mo and thinke these sufficient to oppin vp the mynde of Augustine What is the reuerence that is due to the Scripturs of God and with what iudgement discretion we oght to read other mennes wryttings and what he craueth him self of others Now shall it then in anywise seme arrogant if it should be required of Augustine that that he craueth of others that hath passed before without any respect to there holynes or doctryne aÌ„d craueth earnistlie authoritie of Scripture or a probable reasone not abhorring from the veritie and pereuenture in sober and maters of no great importance The disputation now being here in the mater we haue in hand of the cheif and principale poyuctes
and ioyned to the Sonne of God be any vnitie of worthynes or ellis as being ane Mansioun of God but as that quhilk verelie geuis lyfe to mens saules and wes maid proper to Gods awin sone him self Hitherto the counsal Marke how thir twa ancient counsell is dois approue the Sacrifice of the masse and al 's the reall presence of the Lordis body in the Sacrament of the Altare To the one councile I haue answered and schewen the trew meanyng of the fathers in there determination where there is no thing that any wayes apperteyne or properlie can be applyed to the masse lyke as in the decreit of this concile there is no thing making for your part and for thâ—s cause the Sacrifice that they acknawledgeit to be here they pronunce it to be one vnbloody Sacrifice that is no sacrifice in dede if we should speak strietlie and according to the proper nature of a Sacrifice but onely to bear the name of sacrifice because it is a monument aÌ„d memoriall and as it were one anniuersarie of the propiciatorie Sacrifice offred vp by the Sonne of God so that the meanyng of this councile is one with it of the councile of Nicea for it that is went by the Aduerb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here called vnbloody Considder with your self how far ye offend against this councile that sayeth and defendeth the verrie coÌ„trarie for ye affirme that ye haue a blody sacrifice going about to inferre a reall presence of Christes body and bloode for if his verrie and reall body 〈◊〉 there in your masse his verrie and reall blood and oblation made of them it followeth necessarelie that it is a bloody Sacrifice so your conclusion directlie is contrarius to the constitution of the concile that calleth it one vnbloodie Sacrifice in the maner as I haue declared Now haue we God be praysed atteyned to the end of this authores arguments there be no other thing in his boke worthy of answer not the les leâ—t that he shoulde bragge as I knowe the 〈…〉 if 〈◊〉 thâ—ng should be pretermitted we shall go throught all the rest Here then is Iames broght in praysing his reasons and arguments graÌ„ting them to be most ê“perlie alleged exponed In this I wyll truble the render no foâ—der with many wordes but referre the iudgement to him if iâ— deâ—ot euidentlie declared that â—e her hath be any fundation of 〈◊〉 masse in the old Testamenâ— nor in the now exemple nor practies of the Apostles authoritie nor suffrage of antiquitie ether the fathers ether yet the conciles which he all moste vntreulie pretended to maâ—e for him his wrangling and wraisting of the plâ—ces of Scripture ineptlye and impertinentlie cyted by him together with there treâ— and germane sense is expoâ—ed this ignoraÌ„ce of the Greik tongue aÌ„d antiquitie without the knawledge of the which it is not able to ony man to trauel happelie in the matters of Scripturs is oppinned vp and the verrie and naturall mynd of the fathers and counciles vtterred to the coÌ„tentment I truste satisfaction of the modest and gentle reader I haue schewen besydes this the thinges that wrappeth vp this author in obstinacy and diâ—nours First his owen affection and his folishe and inconsiderat zeale being addicted to the defence of that that semeth good vnto him and as we see a Febricitant maÌ„ hauing his stomake corrupt and his taiste infâ—rted all thing be it neuer so good synketh to him euen so it is in the mynd when a man is addicted and fixed vpon any purpose be it neuer so wicked it shall seme good be it neuer so impius it shal appeare godly be it neuer so haynus and detestable yet shall it be to him pleasing and delectable Trew it is that the spurre of ambition pricketh a maÌ„ wounderfullie forewarde when a man wyll seme appeare wyl set vp and extolle him self and so wyll be singulare in opinion and of these allace we haue a great nomber who in tyme of papistrie and darknes regarded not masse caired not for no â—ond ceremonies whispered in euery corner yea and some tymes plainelie spake al to be wicked as it wes in dede that wes then vsed cryed for reformatioÌ„ which now of the great mercy of our God offered they Loth and abhorre wolde be againe at there vomite the stynking dung of papistrie we luked not say they for a speaking God that so scharplie rebuketh vice and extremelie punisieth let vs returne to our dum God that neuer said euyl to vs but wes euer for the pryce ready to forgiue what so euer we had committed to the purpose one inconsidderat zeale ioyned with ambition it can not be expressed how pithy and strong it is to carie a maÌ„ away headlinges to induration then if ignorance shal be added the mother of wyll and arrogancy the seiknes beginneth to be incurable paâ—sing exceding al remedie The ignorance of antiquitie and of the Greik tongue â–ª hath helped muche to peâ—uert your iudgement Sire in preposterus and inept citing of the sayinges of the ancien doctors and I fear that ye haue rather giuen credite and faith to others that hath traueled in this wicked cause before yow nor hath red them your self When a man is affectioned then O Lorde how â—asalie is he transported what so euer he readeth making it to serue to his purpose this thinketh he is to be sâ—ked here is meÌ„tion of the masse here is worde of a Sacrifice here one oblation what so euer it be it muste serue to the purpose with out all consideration and tryall This hath bene a part of my 〈◊〉 to oppâ—n vp youre seikâ—es and the cause thereof beseiking the eternall God to put remedie to it if his godly pleasour be take not this to be said in realing maner how soeuer ye deserue to be entreaitted realing without all mesour moderation modestie against the trew and holy seruandes of God yea aÌ„d verrie Prophets sent of his great uterâ—y to reforme the face of the earth which had so horâ—idly â—â—dyneâ— from God and his obedience but raâ—her Siâ—r think and iudge it to be said of a zealus harâ— desyring and thristing moste earnistlie your conuersion and vnfeyned repentance Iames after that he hath thus praysed him as it is wrytteÌ„ in the old Prouerbes Mules claweth euer one other then requireth he for his memories cause a rehearsal be made of the whole disputation to the which reasonable desyre as he is verrie gentle in suche cares how soeuer he appear to be otherwayes he granteth wyllinglie and first bringeth him bak to it that wes principal of the whole disputation If the masse be a sacrifice instituted by Iesus Christe in his latter Supper which he taketh to be clearly prouen but vpoÌ„ this mater I wyll spâ—aâ— no thing but require the reader to call to remembrence what hath bene spoken against his defiâ—ition the grâ—â—â—â— and fundation of it drawen out
stand in faith These be the wordes of Chrysostomus in the place before rehearsed Of the office of the ministerie sanctificatioÌ„ I haue spoken in the beginning of this treaty of the oblatioÌ„ Lykewise how it should be vnderstand and that it is one with that which our Sauiour practeist with his Disciples since the action is one sanctificatioÌ„ one a sanctifiar the same ceremonies recyted and the commandement giuen to do the same there is no dout But here ye must obserue more that he maketh no differeÌ„ce towardes the presence of our Sauiour in this action and his presence in Baptisme and this is moste trew for in consideration that they that be Baptised in Christe are indued and sled with him we haue to luke for no vther presence of Christe in this action towards the realitie of his body and bloode But all is to be referred to faith as this author concludeth nor we haue in Baptisme In the secunde place adduced by yow where the author is drewen to burste furth in admiration of this mysterie and cal it a miracle in deid it is excessiuelie spoken to the prayse of the action Which maner of speaking is verrie familiare to this writter for who soeuer is well acquent with him shall obserue him much giuen and to delyte wounderfullie in allusions tropes figurs and as he hath his name frome great eloquence so hyperbollie and heygtly set vp and extolle the mater that he entreateth that he shal euen appeare to forget him self notwithstanding the sense is gude being rygtlie considdered and discreitlie according to the mynde of the author in other places weyed and exponed for can there be any thing more miraculus nor the coÌ„iunction of God man of the sonne of God and the sinfull wrached man man to possesse Iesus Christe with all his benefites and that he who setteth at the ryght hand of God the Father shal be giuen to the Saule of man no thing at all This is the operation of the spirite of God the strenth and virtew of faith whiche maketh the thinges that be absent present yea and maketh vs to inioye and possesse the thinges we hope for as Peter teacheth vs this author as hath bene laitlie said Be were prudent reader that thow think not that this author here speaketh any thing of Christes real substancial naturall presence as the Papistes do fondlie ymagine for that he hath affirmed to be no other nor iÌ„ Baptisme aÌ„d it is not to be supposed that here he meaneth any thing other nor he teacheth plainelie in his Sermone De Eucharistia in Enâ—oenus Do not sayeth he think that yow receaue by the hand of any man the body of God meaning of Christe And in many other places sayeth that we ascend vp vnto heauen and eateth Christ sitting at the ryght hand of the Father and that he speaketh yea and some others of the wounderfull operation of God in his SacrameÌ„ts passing all maÌ„nes wit sense and reasoun not meaniÌ„g of the working of God in watter breade and wyne whiche be figurs sanctified in dede to one holy vse but of the merue lus working of God in the hertes of them that receaue his Sacraments secreitlie inwardlie spirituallie transforming renewing feiding conforting nurissing them with his body and bloode in heauen so that all this is to referred to the receauers who be thus wonderfullie changed and not to the signes whiche notwithstanding the sanctification proceading of the commandement of Iesus Christe and that they be remoued and taken from the vulgare commoun and propâ—â—â—ne vse and dedicate to this holy action and so to be the simboles and Sacramentes of Christes presence and remunition with vs yet receaue they no alteration in there owen natures but remane still in there proper and naturall kyndes so that it is moste trew that this author sayeth of Christe sitting aboue with his Father in his naturall body tryumphant in glorie and yet is the same here in our hands SacrameÌ„tallie and figuratiuelie yea and present and remaning in our hertes by grace nurishment In the thrid authoritie alledged by this Scripturare First obserue with me reader that which I haue admonished before to wyt in what sense the ancients doth call this action of the Lordes table a Sacrifice because sayeth Chrysostome it is celebrated in memorie of Christes death and passion the rest tendeth altogether and onely to declare this action wheresoeuer it is practeist or how often repeated it is no thing different but all one with the action of our Sauiour And lest that any man should be moued or trubled with his free speaking he exponeth him self in the conclusion this that we do sayeth he is done in commemoration of that that wes done do this sayeth he in remembrance of me not one other as the byschope but the self same we do Magiâ— autem recordationem operamur rather we work the coÌ„memoration of the Sacrifice By the which wordes he noteth him to haue spoken excessiuelie and correcteth him self exponing and restricting his former disputation to the remembrance and recordation of the great and only Sacrifice lest that any man should think and iudge by his wordes this action to be a Sacrifice in dede What haue ye now to bragge of your Sacrifice of the masse when ye are thus refelled of Chrysostome him self whome ye and all papistes pretendeth to stand moste for yow Now in verrie dede I petie yow and exhorte yow in the bowells of the mercies of Iesus Christe to zeald to the treuth and eschame not to recant confes your impius wicked and vngodlie errour eschame not to giue it ouer to Iesus Christe whose eternall veritie wyl obteyne victorie This we seik at yow not on a realing maner or yet of mockerie but as God is witnes to our conscience froÌ„ the bottome of oure hartes for there is no other thing that pusheth vs to this baâ—tell God is witnes but the defence of the treuth which by tyrannie ambition Auarice ignoraÌ„ce these many ages allace hath bene oppressed and almoste buryed to the which we wyll postpone all thing that is here moste tender deir and precius Now cumeth this author to Ambrosiê° ane ancien doctor apê“uit be ye kirkof god in his apê“bation I wyl not stand but wyl saye that he is best worthy of apê“bation who staÌ„deth by the treuth further that many be apê“ued by the RoÌ„ane church which church I trust ye mean that be worthy to be cast in the fyre or to serue to the butter wyffes that I say no wers 1176. zeris bypast wryttis on this maner we haue sene ye Prince of Princes cum vnto vs we sawe him hard him offer for vs his blude lat vs prestes follow as we may offer Sacrifice for the peple altho we be weaik be our desseruing zit we at honorable throuth the Sacrifice for albeit Christe is not sene to be offred zit neuer theles he is