opinions agaynst the faythe as they nowe are but they shoulde shortely ceasse and the true doctryne of CHRIST and his churche florisheth agayne whiche is knowen as Vyncentius Lyrmensis wrytte a thousand yeares synce by aunciente generalytie and agreynge of the fathers in it I was moued gentyll reader to wryte thys catholyque and godlye sentence of Saynte Basyll partely because there lacked matter to fyll the shete of paper in printynge and partely for that it was verye notable and worthy to be obserued of all learned men ¶ Hereafter foloweth the preface ¶ The preface vnto the reader THE holy prophet Dauyd good christen reader saithe that the truth of our lorde abideth for euer and therfore Psal â—â— albeit many and diuers men haue from tyme to tyme euen froÌ„ the begynnynge of the churche both spoken wrytten also bokes againste it yet they coulde neuer preuayle but lost their laboures got their confusion and endlesse damnation Wherfore though the ê“phet Daniel doth say Prosternetur Danieâ—is â— veritas in terra The truth shal be troden vnder the feete on the earth yet the is not ment that al the people of god shulde treede it vnder their fete dispise it but that in the tyme of Antichriste fygured by Antiochus of whome the prophet sawe a vyâ—â—on as in the eyght chapiter of Daniel it apereth the continuall sacrifice that is the sacrifice of the masse as I wyll by gods grace hereafter proue shold be abolished and put away for the space of thre yeres and the halfe how longe Antichrist shal reigne Daniell in the twelfte chaptre testifienge the same Of the whiche place and other mo lyke written Luther is antichristes messanger to make all redye agaynste his coÌ„minge which firste of all men spake agenst the sacrifice of the holye masse except one Peter debruis by Daniel we maye well gather that Antichristes tyme approcheth and draweth very nie for as much as Marten Luther and his folowers do trauaile so earnestly but yet all in vayne to take awaye the holye sacrifice of the blessed masse whiche all chrysten nations from the fyrst institution thereof made by chryste oure sauioure at hys laste supper euen tyl our tyme the space of a thousand and fiue hundred yeres was euer beleued accepted and receaued for a sacrifice auayleable and profitable bothe for the quicke and the dead which thinge shall be openly and plenteousely declared god wyllyng here after in this booke not only by the scripture but also by general couÌ„celles and the expositions of the eldest and best learned doctours declarynge the said scripture so that no man which listeth not to winke at the lyght of the truth nor is not maried to his oâ—ne opinion shall haue any excuse to laye for his errour throughe want and lacke of knowlage of the truth Therefore reade this booke without al affection diligeÌ„tly not regardyng who made it nor againste whome it is made but what matter it doth coÌ„teyne be it neuer so rudely grosly set fourth for the easyer vnderstandynge of it Folowe the wyse mans counsaile sayeng Non contradicas Eccle. 4. verbo veritatis Say not against the worde of truth for yf thou do thou shalt laboure all in vaine and gaine therby the wrath of god and his indignation with payne euer to endure in hell with the deuyll which stode not in the truthe as Christe dothe affirme IoaÌ„ 8. This saith Paule writyng to the Romaynes after this sort Iis auteÌ„ Rom. 2. qui sunt ex coÌ„tentione qui non acquiescunt veritati credunt autem iniquitati ira indignatio To them the wrath and indignation of god shall come whiche are geuen to contention or strife and do not quietly obeye the truth but beleue the wronge or falsitie Remember this our sauiour christes Math. 16 sayeng What shal it auaile man if he wynne the whole worlde and thereby lose his soule What eschaunge Mat. 16. shall a man make for his soule If thou hast therfore erred with Peter receauynge false doctrine defeÌ„ding it and persecuting the teachers and mayntainers of the truth be not ashamed to forsake thyne errour and againe to embrace the truth Paule persecuted the truth but he forsoke his errour when god called him Saint Austen erred but he retourned agayne to the truth and vnfainedly recanted his errour Thus many other haue done whiche hadde gone from the truth whan it pleased god of his greate mercy to call them to gyue them the spirite of truth for the exilyng the spirite of errour I maye well saye to them that folow Martyn Luthers wicked Luther errours and damnable heresies and namely that which is againste the sacrifice of the holye masse neuer improued before his daies as saynt Paule saide to the Galathians greatly wonderinge Gala. 3. at their blyndnes Quis vos fascinauit non obedire veritati Who hathe bewytched you not to obeye the truth As though he had sayd ye haue had the truth so plainlye and perfectly taught you that excepte ye were witched ye could not so erre as ye now do forsaking the same If saynt Paule dyd iustlye iudge the Galathians witched because they had forsakeÌ„ the truth of the gospell which they learned not longe before throughe the inticement prouocation and persuasion of false teachers that then did preache to them howe moche more iustlye maye a man saye to them whiche are shamefullye deceaued and blynded by Martyn Luthers fond folyshe and deuellysshe doctryne Quis vos fascinauit veritati non obedire Who hath witched yow not to obeye the truth hath-Marten luther deceaued and witched you Hath he blynded you that ye can not se the truth which heretofore sence Christes byrth no man atteÌ„pted to do in this matter of the masse Hath he deceaued you Excepte one Peter de brâ—â—s which was in saynt Bernaâ—des time whiche is the autoure maintenar and defender of many and sondry plaine heresies Hath he witched you not to obeye the truth concernynge the sacrifice of the blessed masse whiche so setteth forth and auaunceth only fayth that he sticketh Only fâ—yth not to saye and defende that only through faith god forgeueth mannes synnes nothing helpyng therunto his penaunce feare charite praier forgiuinge his neighbors George Ioyes opinion trespaces nor any like thing yea that only fayth shuld saue maÌ„ though he lyued neuer so yll And because saint Iames in his epistle doth playnly condemne reproue that his deuyllysh opinion and saynt Ihons Apocalypsis also disproueth the same erroure he was not ashamed to denye them both affirmynge that these bookes are not scripture nor wrytten by Iames and Ihon the apostle Is not this a blynde doctour Is not he worthye to haue credence geuen to hym in matters of our faithe whiche doth not feare to deny the holye scripture for the mayntenaunce of a fonde and a wicked heresye against the scripture the hole churche of christendome and all wryters
goddes grace to the vtter abolyshynge and confutacion of this leude fonde and deuyllyshe opinion But I wyl let this passe and sette vpon myne enterprise and purpose Looke not good reader to haue this matter garnished paynted with stranÌ„ge termes of frenche or of any other toÌ„gue wherby yâ— vnlearned might not vnderstaÌ„d wtout great labour difficultie where about I shuld goo nor take but lytle profit by yâ— teadyng of this boke The truth Lactan. lib. 3. Cap. 1. de falsa sapien as Lactantius dyd writte twelte hundreth yeres afore this tyme god wold shuld be of this nature that it being simple and bare shold be more estemed and sett by Quia satis ornata per se est ideoque ornamentis extrinsecus additis fucata corrumpitur because it is of it self garnyshed sufficiently and therefore it is corrupted being coloured or paynted with ornameÌ„tes outwardlye added Also in an other place Lib. 5 de diuiâ—a iusticia ca. 1 he saith Eloquentia seculo seruit populo se iactare in rebus malis placere gestit Eloquence serueth the worlde it desireth to boste it selfe to the people and to please in euyll thinges To be short the scripture was written without eloquence and colours of Rhetorike as Paule saith to the CorinthiaÌ„s 1. Cor. 2. lest the conuersion of the world to the faith by the preachynge of the apostles and their bookes shulde be ascribed and imputed vnto the eloquence of them and their cleane termes to perswade yf they had vsed any suche and therby the vertue why the â—â—ripture was writteÌ„ without muche eloquence and strenght of Christes holye crosse and death shulde haue bene of none effecte nor force the people beleuyng that men had ben broughte to Christes fayth throughe the eloquence of the prechers and not by the great vertue and strengthe of Christes death Therfore I wolde not yf I could neuer so wel paint this my booke with many termes of Rhetoricke or of anye other straunge speache wherby the matter as I haue saied before myght be the more obscure and darke to the reader which is not of the best learned especially seinge I oughâ— as well to study for the edifienge of yâ— symple and the rude as of the wyse and the cunnyng But nowe I wyll beginne this matter and Rom. â— proue by good auctorite of the olde and newe testament the doctours of the churche and of certayne general councelles that the masse is a sacrifice auayleable not only for the preist whiche saith it but also for the lyuynge and deade fyrste declarynge the name of the masse whereby it shal appere very plainly that it is a sacrifice or els the apostles wolde not haue gyuen to it yâ— name whiche in Hebrue dothe signifie a sacrifice and an oblacioÌ„ The name of the masse sheweth that it is a sacrifice THe masse good reader hathe that name and is so called by reason it is a sacrifice for in the Hebrewe tongue missah is named that whiche the grekes do call liturgiam the latins oblationem we iÌ„ englysh a sacrifice For wherein the boke of Moses called Deuteronomium Douâ—e 1â— the .xvi. chaptre we reade in the hebrew missach in the latyn oblatio the english hath an oblation or els a sacrifice so that euen therof we may wel se and perceaue that the holye masse hathe that name because it is a sacrifice which vndoutedly the apostles of our sauyour Christe Iesu dydde first so cal vnderstandyng by these wordes Hoc facite in meaÌ„ coÌ„memorationem Luc. 22. Do ye this for my remeÌ„brance that Christ gaue theÌ„ autorite to make sacrifice of his very true naturall flesh and bloud at their masses which thynge he hym self had theÌ„ before done at his last supper as it shall manyfestlye be proued by goddes grace hereafter in this booke Peter the apostle sayd the fyrst masse of al at Antiochia whiche ordeyned a greatte part of the ceremonies nowe vsed in the masse and also instituted the selfe same ordre of prayers with which the priest doth coÌ„secrate the very flesh bloud of christ at his masse as we rede in diuers wel lerned mens Râ—migius dâ— officio 〈◊〉 Hugo 〈…〉 â—sodoâ—â—â— lib. de oâ—ficâ—â—s Cap. 15. bokes Ihon Wiclep he was therfore iustly coÌ„deÌ„ned in the general couÌ„cell holden at CoÌ„staÌ„tia because he sayd that the masse was not instituted ordeined by Christ but inuented onely by man of yâ— which more largely hereafter I wyll entreat by the helpe of god But let vs se what is a sacrifice and what yâ— scripture saith of the sacrifice of the masse S. Austen good reader in the x. boke de ciui deâ— the .vi. cha thus describeth a sacrifice A very sacrifice what is sacrifice is euery worke whiche is done that we myght cleaue vnto god with a holy felowship referred to the ende of goodnes wherby we may be truly happy or blessed Moreouer sacrificare in latin is to make sacrifice a priest in latin is called sacrificus because he maketh sacrifice by his priesthod orders whiche is his cheif principal office as it appereth in s Paules epistle yâ— .v. cha to the Heb. 5. Hebr. the which I wyl declare also herafter Daniel the ê“phet made mentioÌ„ good reder in the xii chap. of this sacrifice saieng Impie ageÌ„t impij neque intelligeÌ„t oeÌ„s impij porro docti iÌ„telligeÌ„t a teÌ„pore cuÌ„ ablatuÌ„ fuerit iuge Luther Bully bucer MesaÌ„ Regiuo c. are of that nomber sacrificiuÌ„ posita fuerit abominatio in desolationeÌ„ dies mille duceÌ„ti nonaginta Vngracious or vngodly meÌ„ shal do vngraciously or vngodly the vngraciouse or vngodly shal not vnderstaÌ„d but the lerned meÌ„ shal vnderstaÌ„d froÌ„ the time wheÌ„ the coÌ„tinual sacrifice is takeÌ„ away abominatioÌ„ put in to desolation that is to wytte Antichrist destroyed a M. dayes .ii. C. xc The which do make .iii. yeres and the halfe by which space antichrist shal reigne persecute christeÌ„ people after he hath caused masses to ceasse taken away the sacrifice of them Thus we se that the prophete dyd prophecy that a coÌ„tinuing or continuall sacrifice should be destroyed or taken awaye in the tyme of cursed antichriste for of him the prophete dyd there speake as the text it selfe doth shewe whiche Chryst dyd allege entreatyng of Antichriste as Matthewe writeth the xxiiii chapter but this continual sacrifice caÌ„ be none other but the sacrifice of the masse Fyrst bicause yâ— prophet speaketh of that one sacrifice whiche shulde ceasse the space onlye of thre yeres and the halfe but the Iewes sacrifices were many and This prophise caÌ„ not be vnderstaÌ„d of the sacrifice of prayer geuinge thankes nor lyke other spir sacryfyces for the godlye shall vse those theÌ„ mooste of all beyng a time of persecutioÌ„ are abolished for euer Secondlye because they haue ben taken away these M. cccc yeres
the storie maketh mention Doth not euen so at this our time Martin Luther and his scholers whiche deny the masse to be a sacrifice whan the apostles taughte the cleane contrary as I haue afore declared largely S. Dioni lib. de caelesti hierarchia Ca. I Dionise Paules scholer teacheth vs an other lesson how we shulde study scripture whom we shuld folow in the vnderstaÌ„dyng of it his wordes are these Ad saÌ„ctissimaruÌ„ scripturaruÌ„ intelligentias prout illas a patribus accepimus contuendas pro viribus pergamus Lette vs procede to loke on the vnderstandynge of the moost holy scriptures accordynge to oure strengthe or power as we haue harde or receaued of the elders Do we not here see that this father whiche was a greate philosopher and verye well learned in dyuers knowledges afore he was conuerted by saint Paule was taught the fayth by hym wolde not presume to studye the scripture without the doctours and elders bokes whiche he studied to vnderstande it Therefore if thou wilte study the scripture to profyt therein reade saint Austens bokes sainte Ieromes Chrisostoms Ambroses Cyprians and suche other whiche do sincerely truely and catholykely expownde the scriptures to the auauncinge of the truth and the thrustynge downe of errours and heresie Preistes of Cesarea cappa docie coulde not be persuaded to leaue the faith Qâ— eis suffecerint ad vtilitatem sui antiquae patrum narrationes velut quaedam turres murum fidei indeclinabilem Triper Histo li. 7 Cap. â—6 seruauerunt Bycause the auncieÌ„t expositions of the fathers sufficed them to their proffitte and dydde kepe lyke as certaine towers the wall of faith vpright And where men saie that god is as lyberall now as he was in the apostles tyme to them and therefore he can geue euen nowe also the holye ghost to euery man and woman for the vnderstandynge of his worde the scripture I graunte that god is nowe as lyberall in dede as he was thaÌ„ but yet thervpon it foloweth not that he dothe nowe geue the spirite of knoweledge in the holye scripture without all laboure and why god did geue to fysshers his holy spirite to vnderstand the scripture studye as he then dydde to his apostles to confounde the greate clerkes and lerned men by the simple and vnlearned fysshers and by ther teachyng to conuert to the faith the hole world that thereby his almighty power might be knowen his blessed name glorified the vertue of his sonnes deathe christ our sauiour estemed yâ— cause as in dede it was of that so great a myracle This I saye was the cause whye at the begynnynge of christes religion and fayth rude fysshers hadde geuen them suche knoweledge in the scripture without all labour and study geuen to it of their partes God theÌ„ shewed hys greate lyberalytye in feading fyue thousande men besyde women and chyldren with fiue barly Io. 6. loues and two fysshes as sainte Iohan testyfyeth but shal we therfore loke for anye lyke thinge now in oure dayes Chryste at that tyme dydde worke dyuers myracles whych he worketh not at this tyme nor neuer wyll hereafter He is therein lyke to one that plantethe yonge trees or setteth herbes whyche while they be tendre and yonge not yet well rooted in the earthe he often watereth but after they are growen vp and haue taken well rootes than he ceassethe waterynge them so christ A similitude oure sauyoure when he planted the faythe at the fyrste dydde water it wyth sundrye and dyuerse myracles and whan he sawe it well and surelye rooted in mens hartes than he lefte waterynge it with myracles Therefore let vs not looke to receaue the holye goost to teache vs the scryptures and the vnderstandynge of them wythoute oure studye and labour as the apostles ones dydde by miracle for the coÌ„uersion of the worlde to the faith but let vs learne it of the holy doctours and of the preistes which are learned and whose office it is to teache the vnlearned multitude as witnesseth the holy prophet Malachias saieng Labia Malach. 2. sacerdotis custodiunt scientiam legem requirent ex ore eius quia angelus domini exercituum est That is The preistes lyppes do kepe cunnynge and the laye people shall often seke or demauÌ„d of his mouth the lawe for asmuch as he is the messanger of the lorde of hostes that is of aungels whiche are called the hoostes of heauen Aeto 20. Heb. 13. He is sent by goddes assignement to teache the vnlearned and doth take charge of theyr soules as the scripture in manye places wytnesseth Nowe I wyll shewe the holy doctours myndes in this our coÌ„trouersye sens we ought to folowe their iudgement in the vnderstandynge of the scriptures as I haue nowe declared that by theÌ„ we maye perceaue which doctrine is true and catholique and which is false and hereticall I wyll yet recite here but a certaine of the most auncient and eldest writers on the scripture for the yongest almost The olde doctours sayeuges of theÌ„ shal be about nyne hundred yeres olde because men saye that the sacrifice of the masse was inueÌ„ted of late and set vp by preistes coueteousnes for lucre that they maye se theyr folye and forsake it in tyme leaste it at the length as it must neades brynge them to vtter confusion in bodye and soule But to the rehersal of the olde writers in this matter amonge the whiche Theophilactus shall occupy the first place sayeng Quaereâ— Theophilac In Heb 10 aliquis num ipsi sine sanguine immolamus Ita quidem sed Christi tunc reminiscimur obitus vna nobis est immolatio noÌ„ multae quandoquidem est ille semel oblatus eundem enim semper offerimus vnus est enim sanguis semel effusus Vnum est corpus noÌ„ multa quiuis fuerit pro multis oblatum item vna est quae offertur hostia Hanc namque semper ut praesentem offerimus That is Some body wyl demaunde wether we do sacrifice without bloud or no we do so surely but then we remembre Christes death and we haue one sacrifice not manye for as moche as Christe also hath bene ones offered in sacryfyce for we offre alwaye the samâ— the bloude is one shedde ones The body is one not many thoughe it bathe bene offered vp in sacryfyce for manye and also the hoste is one which is offred For we alwaye offre that same as present hitherto Theoph. No man can desire playner wordes than these are of this greate clerke to proue that the masse is a sacrifice Rupert also confirmethe this saieng Quotidie in altari sancto Lib. 1. comeÌ„t in Dani. ca. 14. oblationes eius sacruÌ„ celebramus mysteriuÌ„ We do daiely celebrate in the holy aulter the holye mystery or sacrameÌ„t yâ— sacrifices of christ Fulgentius whiche was aboue a M. yeres sence agreeth with Fulgentius li. 2. ad MonimuÌ„ this verity
that truly write vpon the scripture euen from christes tyme to these our dayes What man or woman is so madde to be Luther denieth maÌ„s fâ—e wyll whiche dyd Symon Magus as S. Clement testifiethe that was the fyist heretikâ— after christeâ— byrth leue him which denieth the fre wyl of man and ascribeth both synne and vertue onlye to necessitie and â—othinge to man as Luther doth sayeng that we can not chose but synne when we do synne nor chose but we must neades do well when we do any good dede Is not this a great blyndnes What can be more against reason and goddes holye worde What doctryne can he more pestilent and noysome to good lyuyng For if this doctrine were true as it is moost false we shoulde neade no lawe of man nor of god no preachyng no teaching â—o good counsaile nor any semblaâ—le or lyke helpe to lyue the better with all Martyn Luther also deâ—â—eth Luther sayeth that god doth gyue no grace by the sacrameÌ„tes that god geueth any grace man thorow the blessed sacramentes Is not this man worthyâ— to be beleued of vs christeÌ„ peopleâ— He teachethe that a christen maâ— shuld not warre agaynst the Turkes Is not this holsome doctrine godlye yea is it not rather metâ— for a Turke thus to write then â–ª christen man Beware therefore good christen reader of his pestilent and contagious doctrine Reade not his bookes nor none oâ— Heresye bokes shold not be redde his disciples makynge They aâ—â— full of poyson althoughe thâ—â— seme neuer so good and frutefullâ— as commoÌ„ly doth all heresy at thâ— firste taste and syght The kyngeâ— maiesty lyke a most christeÌ„ princâ— hath put fourth a proclamation oâ— late straightly chargynge and coÌ„maundinge that no man or woman do kepe after the last daye oâ— August next insuinge any boke iâ— Englysh that conteyneth in it anâ— yll and hurtefull doctrine This godlye commaundemente ought to be obeyed of vs not only for feare of temporall and bodilye punishmente but to eschewe also gods displeasure and wrath whose ministre he is and by whome he Prouer. â— â—eygneth as the scripture affirmeth If thou hast ben deceaued by Luther Ro. 13. this blynde teacher retourne againe to the truth with a penytent hart Folow this holy Tobias Tobie 14. counsaile Serue the lorde in dread and truth Bye the truthe sell it not againe as Salamon Prouer. 23. doth couÌ„saile the. Instauntly pray with the holy prophette Dauyd Psal 118. saienge Ne auferas de ore meo verbum veritatis Let not o lorde the worde of the truthe be taken from my mouth Abyde in christe by loue and charite and kepe his commaundemeÌ„tes and then thou shalt knowe the truth as our sauiour saith and the truth shall make IoaÌ„ â— the fre from al errour ignoraunce synne and wretchednes and bring the to the endles ioyes of heauen the which Christ the truth dyeng for the truthes sake bought moste dearly with the sheddynge of his precious bloude for his faythfull seruauntes to whome with his father and the holy gooste be glory and honour for euer Amen Take in good worthe this my laboure gentle reader thoughe in all poyntes the treatyce shall not lyke the and no maruayle for because it was made in haste within the space of a monethe whan I myght steale an houre from my other busines of studye At London the yere of our lorde M. D. xlvi The xx day of Iulye A certaine lesson or an instruction to discerne and to put difference betwene a false doctrine and a true TErtulian good Tertulianus 203. reader an auncient writer for he was within .clxxx yeres of Christes byrth in his boke made of the prescription agaynste heretiques declaring how we may knowe without al dout what doctrine is true and what is false and heresie thus writeth Christe in a certaine parable sayeth that good Math. 13. seade of corne was firste sowed of the lorde and afterwarde his ennemye the deuyll sowed cokle and euyll seade Ita ex ordine ipso manifestatur id esse dominicum verum quod sit prius traditum id vero extraneum falsum quod sit posterius immissum That is thus muche in englishe Luthers sede of doctrine againste the masse is cokle and erroneous doctrine bicause it was sowed after the good sede of the truth It is playne by the ordre of the sowynge of good seade of good and godlye doctryne whiche Christe fyrste sowed in the field his churche and the deuyls after sowynge of yll seade of false and erroneus doctrine in the same by heretiques his ministers that to be our lordes and true which is first taught and that to be straunge false that was after broughte in This sentence saythe Tertulian there shall abyde and remayne agaynst other heresies whiche shall hereafter ryse to whome no man that is constante in his faith and of a good conscience doth geue or graunt any thynge to defend that they haue the truth on their syde Lo good reader here thou hast an euydent lesson to perceyue that Martyn Luthers doctryne which Chrisosto homilia 17 in Heb. he dothe mayntaine agaynste the blessed masse and the holye sacrifice therof the very selfe same offerynge of our sauiours very flesh and bloud whiche he him self once offered to his father on the crosse to pacify his wrath is very strauÌ„ge false and manifeste heresie for as moche as it was sowed by the deuyll in the church of Christ longe and many yeres forsoth no fewer than a thousand and fyue huÌ„dred after that oure sauioure at his maundye and his holye apostels â—ad sowen the seade of that godlye doctrine teachinge the masse to be â— sacrifice profitable both for the quycke and the deade as I shall â—roue manifestly in this boke foâ—owyng Moreouer the same auncient and great clarke Tertulian teacheth vs an other lesson to discerne â—n other tuâ—e to know heresie by from holsom true doctryne heresye from true doctrine sayenge That heresie by interpretation or exposition of the greake worde is that doctrine whiche a man of him selfe or of his owne chosinge doth institute set forth or take and maiteine being by an other mans choise afore inuented And therfore the apostle Paule dyd saye that an heretique was coÌ„demned euen by his owne iudgement and conscience Quia in quo damnatur sibi elegit because â—i 3. he hath chosen to hym that in the whiche he is condemned This rule also doth sufficientlye proue that Martyn Luthers doctrine Luter waâ— by his owne iudgement and conscience condemned as al heretickes be againste the sacrifice of the masse is yll and that he was coÌ„demned euen by his owne iudgement for as much as he chose this doctryne of his owne heade hauynge neither scripture with him but agaynste hym nor any other good autorytie to defende that his wicked heresye as hereafter it shall be opened at large by
do offre is the â—rdes death we are bonde to do no other thinge than that whiche he hath doone For the scripture sayth as ofte as ye shall eate this bread c. Lo Cypryan did vnderstande these Paules wordes spoken of makynge remembraunce of christes death so that he affyrmeth that we do make sacrifice in the masse and therby is that remeÌ„brauÌ„ce made of Christes passion death And that this holy martyr so dyd vnderstande saint Paules wordes it doth playnly appere by his wordes streighte folowynge which are these QuotieÌ„scuÌ„que ergo caliceÌ„ in coÌ„memorationeÌ„ dnÌ„i Cyprianus passionis eius offerimus id quod coÌ„star dnÌ„m fecisse faciamê° That is in our englysshe speache thus muche to saye Therfore as often as we do offre the cuppe in remembraunce of our lorde of his passion let vs do that whiche it is euydent that our lorde dyd Doth not Cyprian here manifestlye affyrine that by the offering in sacrifice of christes bloud coÌ„teined at yâ— masse in yâ— chalice a remembrauÌ„ce is made of Christes death accordynge to his saint Paules commauÌ„dement but ye wil say to me An obiectioÌ„ that S. Paule in this chapter maketh mention of eatynge and drinkyng the body and bloud of christ and of the remembrynge of christ his passion therby which thing is indiffereÌ„t to lay men preistes and therefore Cypryan doth not well gether of Paules wordes here that Christes deathe is remeÌ„bred by doyng sacrifice of the priest at masse To that I saye that the The solution death and passion of Christ is remembred by euery laye mannes and womans housle or receyuyng of the blessed sacrament of th aulter but more chiefly more lyuelye and expressely by offeringe of his verye bodye and bloude in sacrifice whiche is done of the preist at his masse than by that eatynge lyke as the sacrificyng of the paschal or passeouer lambe did moch more expressely figure the deathe and sacrifice of our sauyour christ on the crosse then to come thaÌ„ did the eatynge of hym as no lerned man doth or can doute and therefore although euery man and woman receauynge the blessed sacramente of the aulter whiche is the very bodye and bloude of Christ A booke made of the sacramente of th aulter and not only a figure therof as I haue declared in my boke made of that matter dothe by that declare Christes death and make a remeÌ„braunce of it yet that notwithstaÌ„dynge the preist in his masse doth princypally make remembraunce of that christes death and so saint Paules mynd was that the preist in the masse offeringe Christes fleshe and bloude in sacrifice doth thereby especially remembre hys deathe though he doth that secondarely in receiuing his body and bloude and the laye people do also the same But ye wyll saye vnto me that Christes institution wheÌ„ Math. â—â— Luc. 2â— he bade his disciples to take cate and drynke and to do that for his remeÌ„braunce doth playnely shew that we do only remembre christes death in eatynge and drinkinge his flesshe and bloude and not by An obiectioÌ„ offering it in sacrifice and therefore saynt Paule mente no suche â—hynge Also saynte Paule hym â—â—lfe sayeth when ye shall eate â—is breade and drynke of this â—ppe ye shall shewe the lordes death speakynge not one word of makyng sacrifice and therfore he oughte not to be wrested in this place to the sacrifice of the masse To that I aunswer that Christ his scholer saynt Paule dyd commaund The aunswere that when we do eate hys bodye and drinke his bloude we shulde haue his passion in remembrauÌ„ce or take theÌ„ to the remembrauÌ„ce of his death but yet no maÌ„ ought ne can if he wolde gether thereof that to shewe the lordes death is nothynge els but to eate and drynke the Sacrament in remembraunce of christes passion For if a man do wel and diligently considre and pondre Chrystes wordes when he saith Hoc facite Luc. 2â— 1. Cor. 11. in meam commemorationem Do ye thys for my remembraunce he shall see that it is an other thinge to do that whiche Chryste commaunded the apostles to do than onelye to make remembraunce of Chrystes death For Chryst badde we shulde do that whyche he dyd to remembre his death Now who knoweth not that the thinge whiche is done and that wherefore it is done are not both one thing But what neade so many wordes at this time syth Paule sayth nothinge agaynst the remeÌ„brynge of christes death by offring his body bloude in sacrifice in the masse but with it rather as I haue declared by S. Cyprians iudgemeÌ„t and sayenge and I haue proued already by diuers autorities both of the scrypture and the holy doctours that Chryste dyd offre his flesshe and bloude at his maundy to god his father in sacryfyce Therefore I wyll recyte more of the scrypture to proue that the holy masse instituted by Chryste our sauiour is a sacrifice appeasynge goddes displeasure profitable both to the quicke also to the deade people Whereby men maye perceyue howe moch Martin Luter Iohan Fryth with dyuers other were deceaued in this matter and namely a yonge man of this Pâ—raenesis our countrey in a boke sette forth in latyn in the which he saith that the holye masse is set vp to the reproche or iniurye of Christe and that Paule Peter and Iohan do teache vs the same The apostle Paule to the Hebrewes the fyfthe Chapter thus wryteth Omnis poÌ„tifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs quae sunt ad deum vt offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis That is Euery byshoppe or preist taken out of the nombre of men is ordeyned for men in those thinges whiche This texte proueth that eyther iÌ„ our tyme of the newe testamente there is no preisthode which no good christen bodye wyl affirme or that there is a sacrifice propre to it aduered to be offered for sinne which none can of fre vp but a preiste and syth there is nor can be anye other suche sacrifice but the masse it must nedes folow that it is a sacrifice of the newe testment do appertaine to god that he sholde offre gyftes and sacrifices for synne This texte is manifeste agaynst Martin Luthers heresy whiche is that all Christen people are preistes and that among christen folke there is none rather a preiste than all other For here Paule affirmeth that a preist is elected and chosen out of the multitude of the people therfore some and certayne of the people are preistes and not all the hole number of them Also he sayeth that a preist is ordeined or instituted for the multitude of Christen people to offre gyftes and sacrifices for theyr synnes and therfore that is the preistes propre and chiefe offyce so that it neyther dothe belonge to the layte to vse that office nor the office of a preist is onlye to
is daylye offered at masse he is daylye offered in the masse withoute bloude sheddynge as thys holye counsayle sayethe and al the wrytters vpon the scripture bothe latins and grekes specially This counsayle moreouer affyrmeth in theyr epystle sente to Nestorius the heretique that the worthy receauers of Christes blessed The masse is a sacryfyce propitiatorye bodye and bloude are made holye or cleane thereby and therfore the masse is a sacryfyce not of prayse onelye but also of appeasynge goddes wrath and purchasynge to vs cleannes or holynes Fynallye it is to be noted diligently that this great assemble of lerned byshoppes calleth Chrystes flesshe Viuificatricem that is the gyuer of lyfe and that whiche geueth lyfe to them whiche lefullye and purelye do receaue it the whiche declarethe that Chryste sayenge Caro non prodest quicquam Io 6. the flesh profiteth nothing dydde not meane that hys flesshe worthelye receaued vnder fourme what christ ment saieng the flesshe profytethe nothynge of breade in the holye Sacramente dothe profytte nothynge as the heretyques do expounde it but that the Iewes carnall vnderstandynge hys wordes spoken of the eatynge of his flessh whereby they thoughte he mente they shoulde eate it rawe blouddy or sodden cutte out in peeces as meate is wonte to be solde in the shambelles shulde profit nothyng as bothe Saynt Austen Cyryllus also doth expounde that wordes of Christ in Iohan the flesh ê“fiteth nothyng or els christ ment that his flesshe of it selfe withoute the spirite ioyned to it and the godhede as the Iewes beleued it was not but onely the flesshe of a pure man not of him which was very god maÌ„ could profyt nothiÌ„g but A booke of the sacrament of the aulter of this text I haue spokeÌ„ at large in my boke of the sacrament of the aulter therfore nowe I wyll passeouer it whiche I haue touched by the waye takynge an occasion of this holy counsailes wordes affirmynge christes blessed flesshe beynge ioyned with the godhead to gyue man lyfe when it is worthelye receaued of hym in the sacramente of the aulter Nowe to go forwarde I wyll reherse the wordes of a counsell holden at NeoceÌ„saria Cano vli whych are these Presbyteri ruris in ecclesia Ciuitatis episcopo praesente vel praesbyteris vrbis ipsius offerre non possunt nec panem sanctificatum dare caliceÌ„que porrigere That is Preistes of the countrey or that dwell out of the citie may not offre in the church nor geue the breade halowed and the cuppe the bysshoppe beynge present or the preistes of the same citie Here is euident mentioÌ„ made of the preistes offerynge sacrifice vnder the fourme of bread and also of wyne conteined in the chalice This hathe in fewe wordes the counsaile kept at Laodicea a citie The counsel kepte at Laodiceâ— in Asia sayenge Tunc Laici sibi tribuent ita sancta celebrabitur ob latio that is to witte Than the laye men shall geue to them selfe peace by kyssyng the paxe and so the holy offeringe or sacrifice shal be celebrate What man wyll or can yf he wolde neuer so gladlye denye that this was spoken of the sacrifice of the masse Seing therfore good reader that not onelye fygures of the olde testament the holye prophetes and dyuers textes of the newe testamente wyth the expositions of the eldeste and greateste learned doctoures but also these generall counsayles and dyuers other whiche were ledde and guided with CHRISTES presence and the holye ghostes alsoo haue thus playnely and strongelye sette vp and establyshed the sacryfyce of the masse ageynste the whyche no man dydde speake or wryte by the space of .xv. hundred yeres whan Martyn Luther began to barke agaynste it as the dogges are wonte to barke at the lyghte of the moone in the nyght geue thou rather stedfaste credence vnto all those wytnesses approuynge yea prouynge the masse to be a sacrifyce than to Martyn Luther lutynge out of tewne Now though Luther Inteth oute of tewne this whyche is alreadye wrytten in thys booke were ynoughe and sufficiente too persuade euerye man not wedded to his opinion to beleue that the masse is a sacrifyce appeasynge goddes wrathe towardes man yet to stoppe all bablers mouthes I wyll goo further in thys matter and shewe what the holye apostelles haue doone touchynge this thynge before whome CHRISTE made hys maundy and to whom he gaue power autoritye and also commaundemente to offre hys bodye and bloudde in sacryfyce as he hadde done him selfe before Luc. 2â— 1. Cor. 11. sayenge to them Hoc facite in meam coÌ„memorationem Do ye this in remembraunce of me These disciples of Christ did make certaine Canons or rules for the instruction of Christen people the whyche saint Clement the apostle Paules company on in preachinge the gospell dyd gather together and put them in writinge as Damascene Lib. 4. ca. 18. saith whiche dyd so greatly esteme and regarde the same rules that he dyd numbre and reherse them amonge the bookes of goddes holye worde and therfore their wordes ought to be without al dout beleued They thus write Si quis episcopusvel presbyter pÌ„ter Canone 3. ordinationeÌ„ domini alià quedaÌ„ in sacrificio offerat super altare id est aut mel aut lac aut pro vino siceram c. contra coÌ„stitutionem domini facieÌ„s deponatur congruo tempore If any bysshoppe or prieste do offre vpon the aulter in Note reader the holy apostles iudgementeÌ„ in this matter sacrifice certen other thynges besyde ouer or aboue the lordes ordinaunce that is to wyt either hony or mylke or in stede of wyne drink made of corne or fruites doynge against oure lordes ordynaunce let him be deposed in a mete tyme. Lo the holye apostles of Christe whiche learned the gospell of him and reaceaued the holye ghost the spirite of truth teaching al trouth The masse is a sacryficeinstitute by Chryst to them do playnely affirme that the masse sayde of the preiste is a sacrifice of chrystes owne institution and ordinaunce Dydde not they knowe the truthe supposest thou good reader better theÌ„ Martyn Luther or any of his scoole Heare what Tertulian wryt with in clxxx yeares of chryste sayenge Tertul. de praescri Veritas illis adiudicanda est â–ª qui in ea regula in cedunt quam ecclesiae ab apostolis apostoli a Christo Christus a deo accepit That is the truth must be adiudged to theÌ„ whiche do walke in that rule whiche the churches or congregatioÌ„s of the faithfull haue receaued of the apostles the apostles of christ Christe of God but the churches dydde receaue this doctrine coÌ„cernynge the sacrifice of the masse of the apostelles as Saynt Ireneus testyfyeth whose wordes are Lib. 4. Ca. 32. rehersed before and here the same doth also appeare playnelye by thys canon or rule made of them therefore the churches of Chryste haue the truthe on theyr syde whiche
autorytye whose bodye and bloud it should be they wyll beleue nothynge elles but that our lorde hath appeared in that fourme to the eyes of men and that lycoure to haue runne out of suche a syde streken This saynt Augustyne Agayne in an othere booke this he writte De ciui dei li. 10. cap. 20. Christ doth offre hym selfe at the masse and he is the sacrifice therein offred Per hoc sacerdos est offerens ipse oblatio Cuius rei sacramentuÌ„ quotidianum esse voluit ecclesiae sacrificium cuÌ„ ipsius corporis sit ipse caput ipsius ipsa sit corpê° tam ipsa per ipsum qui ipse per ipsaÌ„ suetus offerri That is thus much in englyshe By that both he is a preist offerynge sacrifice and he is the sacrifice A sacramente of the whiche thinge he wolde shulde be the daylye sacrifice of the churche For asmoche as he is the heade of that bodye the churche and the churche is his bodye as well the church by Christ as Christ by the church is wont to be offred This saint Austen Now I beseche the good reader what doest thou call the dayly sacrifice of yâ— church but the sacrifice of christs body bloud accustomed dayelye in the masse to be offered of the priest Wherin is Christe wont to be offered in sacrifice by the churche excepte it be in the masse What man excepte he be very affectionate and blynd will not rather gyue credence to this greate clerke sait Austen thaÌ„ to Luter or any other taughte in his schole But of this holye doctours sentences writteÌ„ in this matter the learned may reade muche more in his bokes whiche I doo passe ouer lest my booke shulde be S. Hierome aduersus lucifâ—rianoâ— To. 2. to longe and tedious Therefore I wyll go to saynt Ierome which coÌ„firmeth this truth sainge while he sheweth that a preist is the salte of the earth Sacerdos quippe prolaico offert oblationeÌ„ suaÌ„ For as moche as the prieste offere the his offerynge or sacrifice for the laye man Doth not here saint Ierom affyrme that the preiste offereth at the masse sacrifice for the lay maÌ„ Estesones he sayeth Nec moses dedit vobis panem verum sed dominus Quaest â—â— ad â—â—edibiam Christ is eaten in the sacramente of the aulter hys bloudde drunken Iesus ipse conuiua conniuium ipse commedens qui commeditur illius bibimus sanguinem sine eo potare non possumns quotidie in sacrificijs eius de genimine vitis verae uineae sorec quae interpretatur electa rubentia musta calcamus nouum ex his vinum bibimus de regno patris Moses hath not gyuen to you verye breade but oure lorde Iesus he is the gueste and the feaste he is that eatethe and whych is eaten we do drynke his bloude and withoute hym we cannot drynke and we daylye treade or presse downe in hys sacryfyces newe redde wyne of the true vynes and the choosen vyneyardes generatyon and we drynke of these newe wyne of the fathers kyngedome Thys sentence of Saynte Hierome manyfestely makethe bothe for the presence of CHRISTE hym selfe in the holye Sacramente of the aultar because it sayethe that CHRISTE hym selfe is the feaste he that is eaten and we drynke hys bloudde and also for the sacryfyce of the masse wherein the same CHRISTE is offered in sacryfyce I lette passe manye other textes of thys holye Doctoure and go to the rehearsall of other mennes sayenges amonge the whiche Damascene thus speakethe Damas lâ—b 4. ca. 14. Etsi quidam exemplaria corporis sanguinis domini panem vinum vocauerunt vt deifer vocauit BASILIVS non tamen post sanctificationem dixit sed pri usque sanctificaretur ipsa oblatio ita vocabant That is Albeit certaine men haue called the breade and wyne samples of our lordes body and bloude as the godlye Basyll hath called them yet he called theÌ„ not that after the halowynge or consecration but before the sacrifice was halowed or consecrated so they dydde call them This Damascene wrote aboue eleuen hundred yeres passed afore this oure tyme. In the whiche belefe was also Gregorius Nazian in apologetico saiÌ„t Gregory Ieronis maister whiche wrote this almoste twelfe huÌ„dred yeres synce Sciens quoniaÌ„ nemo dignus est summi dei sacerdos esse vel sacrificium offerre qui non prius exhibuit se hostiam viuam deo placentem c. Knowynge that no man is meete or apte to be a preiste of god the hyghest or to offer sacrifice which hath not set abrode hym selfe by vertuous lyuyng and mortifieng his lustes a quycke hoost pleasynge god and so forth as Paule writeth to the Romaynes Furthermore writynge of preistes dignitie Rom. 12. he thus saythe O sacrificia mittentes incruenta sacerdotes O anim arum custodes magnifici O magnum figmnetum dei manibus In uersibus in vestris ferentes O preistes saith Gregory Nazianzene sendynge or geuynge sacrifices vnblouddy O the kepers of soules whiche do greate thinges O ye that beare in youre handes the greate workeman shyppe of God What is to sende or geue sacrifices without bloude sheddynge in this sayenge good reader but to offer in sacrifice at the masse the very bodye and bloude of Chryst discipulis suis offerendam quamque modo conficiunt sacerdotes Nihil habet ista quam illa minus quia hanc non sanctificant homines sed Christus qui illam sacrauerat Vt enim verba quae locutus est Christus eadem sunt quae nûc quoque socerdos pronuntiat ita eadem est quae tune fuit hostia In englisshe This holy sacrifice whether Peter doo offre it or Paule or els a preist of what meryte in lyuyng so euer he be is the same that our lord gaue his dyscyples to be Luc. 22 offered and that nowe the preistes do make or consecrate This hath nothynge lesse than that because men do not halow this but Christ whiche had halowed that For as the wordes which Christe spake at his laste supper be the same whiche nowe the preist also doth pronounce lykewise the hoste or sacrifice is the same whiche was than There was neuer maÌ„ that set out better and more plainely the blessed sacrifice of the masse than this holye man Chrisostome hath done aboue eleuen hundred yeres passed wolde god these his wordes were learned and kepte of al men in a faste and sure remembraunce withoute all doutyng in the veryte of them Note good reader wel what lessons here are geuen to vs of this auncient and excellent doctoure Fyrst he saith that the sacrifice whiche Peter or Paule hathe offered or nowe any preiste dothe offre what so euer he be good or yll in his lyfe is none other but the same whiche Chryste gaue hys apostles to offer vndoubtedlye at his laste supper after he had turned bread and wine into his owne verye bodye and bloude and
populi ignorantijs dignos nos fac ut inueniamus gratiam in coÌ„spectu tuo vt acceptabile fiat sacrificiuÌ„ nostrum That is Make vs o lord saith the preist at masse This is plainly said of that noble doctoure and holye saynte amonge the greakes meete to bringe into the gyftes and spirituall sacryfyces for our synnes the peoples sinnes coÌ„mytted thorough lacke of knoweledge and make vs worthy to fynde grace in thy syghte that oure sacrifice may be acceptable Againe in the same treatice of the masse he sayeth Fac panem hunc praeciosum corpus filij tui in calice vero hoc sanguinem preciosum Christi tui traÌ„smutans ea spiritu tuo sancto Vt fiat assumentibus in lotionem animarum in remissionem peccatoruÌ„ in communionem saÌ„cti spiritus in regni coelorum impletio nem in fiduciam apud te non in iudicium non in condemnationem haec ibi Make o lord saith the greke preist at masse this breade the precious bodye of thy sonne and that thing whiche is in this cuppe the precyous bloud of thy Christe * The doctrine of TransubstaÌ„tiation is no newe thing of whiche Chrisostom wrote nigh twelue hundred yeares past chaungynge them from breade and wine in to flesshe and bloude by thy holy spirite That it maye be to the receauers therof for a wasshynge or a clensynge of their soules and remyssion of their synnes and a coÌ„munion or a mutuall participation together of the holye ghoste to the fulfyllynge of the heauenly kingdom an affiauÌ„ce in the not to their iudgemente not to their condemnation Epiphanius alsoo a greake doctour nygh twelfe hundred yeares olde confirmeth this Epipha in cpi. ad Ioan hiero so uersa ab d. Hieroni. sayenge Illud audiens admiratus sum quod quidam te quoque turbauerunt dixerunt ê™ in oratione quando offerimus deo sacrificia soleamus ê“ te dicere Domine presta Ioanni ut recte credat That is I hearynge that dyd maruayle that certayn men had troubled the also and sayde that we are wonte in oure prayer whan we doo offre sacrifices to god to saye for the. Lorde graunte to Ihon that he maye beleue truely A lyke saieng hath saint Gregory Ieroins maister entreatynge of Iuliane the Grego Nazi oratio 1. in Iulianum emperours wickednes Mox incruenti sacrificij oblationem manus commaculat per quod nos christo unimur nec non passionis ac diuinitatis eius participes reddimur Anone the handes do defile the oblation of the sacrifice vnblouddye or offered without bloud shedding by the whiche we are ioyned together with Christe and made parte Marke reader takers also of his passioÌ„ and godhead What sacrifice I beseche the good reder can ioyne vs together with Christe and make vs partenars of his death and godheade whiche mannes handes maye defile except it be the masse and it be also a sacrifice propitiatory pacyfieng goddes wrath toward vs for oure offences That sayethe sainte Cyprian thus writinge after Cyprianus de caena domini he had saide that Christe vpon the crosse dyd offer hym selfe a sacrifice and that he the buttelar had giuen the same cuppe Penitrat omnia tanti medicamenti virtus quicquid esset intus ibi dum effugaret renouaret sanaretque quic quid morbi carni vel spiritui veteris uitae adlinierat corruptela That is The vertue or strength of soo greate a medicine perceth al thinges while it dryueth awaye what so euer shulde be there within and shoulde renewe and heale what so euer disease the defylynge of the olde lyfe had brought to the fleshe or the spirite Hytherto Cypryan Origen doth also thus write of the force and strength of the masse Origenes ho 13. in leui Sirespicias ad illam commemorationem de qua dicit dominus Hoc facite in meam commemorationeÌ„ inuenies ê™ ista est commemoratio Lu. â—2 sola quae propitium facit hominibê° deum If a man loke to that remeÌ„braunce of the whiche oure lorde saith do ye this for my remeÌ„brauÌ„ce he shal fynde that this is the only memorye or remembraunce of Christes death and sacrifice done on the crosse whiche causethe god to be contented or mercyful to men Of this part this is sufficent to proue that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatory or appeasynge gods dyspleasure for synne Now to the seconde part which is that the masse is auayleable and profitable to theÌ„ whiche are departed from this lyfe ¶ That the masse is profitable to the deade lyke as other good deedes doone for them are THegrekes good reder dyd deny vtterly that there was any meane place betwene heauen hell wherin maÌ„s soule shulde be deteined for a time tyll that it myght please god to deliuer it froÌ„ thence to his glorious sighte The whiche errour among diuers other Iohan Wycleffe Martin luther Ihon Frith did maynteyne and defende Also one Aerius as sainte Austen sheweth August lib. de heres heres 55 in his booke of heresies whan he coulde not obteyne a byshoprike for the which he laboured he taught Epiphani lib. 3 many heresies amonge the whiche he saied that a christen man shuld not be bounde to faste any certain daye but to be suffered to fast whaÌ„ he lyste ageinst the which I haue made a boke in englisshe and also A boke of fastynge he saide that it shulde nothinge auaile the deade yf the lyuynge shuld pray for them And thought it were nowe greate nede to write fully of this matter yet I wyll at this tyme onely bringe the auncieÌ„t doctours sentences to proue that the masse is a sacrifice profitable to them whiche are departed yf it be songe or sayde for them and shortely god wyllynge I wyll set forthe a hoole booke of that matter againste Frithes booke compiled of the same To begynne Innocen li. de myst miss therfore Innocentius thus wryteth Istos qui nondum perfecte prorsus purgati sunt commendat pia mater ecclesia intercessione sua in sacrosaÌ„cto sacrificio certissime The same hath s Barnarden sermone 66. Canti ca. credens ê™ sanguis ille praeciosus qui pro multis effusus est in remissionem peccatorum non soluÌ„ valeat ad salutem viuentium sed etiam ad releuationem defunctoruÌ„ The godly or piteous mother the church doth remembre them wtih her intercession in the halowed sacrifice beleuynge moste assuredly that the precious bloud which was poured out for the remission of many meÌ„s sinnes is not only of force or strength for the helth of the lyuynge but also for the easyng of the dead Isodorê° agreeth with this Isodorus lib. â— off sayenge Sacrificium pro defunctorum requie offerre quia per to tuÌ„ orbeÌ„ custoditur credimus ab apostolis esse traditum We do beleue that the apostles taught to offer sacrifice for the deades reste because it is kepte throughe all the world
But I wyl passe ouer those S. Augu. lib. 9 confes ca. 12. 1â— later writers and go to S. Austen which thus saith after he had rehersed his mothers petitioÌ„ which was that yâ— preistes wolde pray for hir in their masses CuÌ„ ecce corpê° elatuÌ„ est imus redimus sine lachrymis NaÌ„ neque in eis praecibus quas tibi fuÌ„dimus cuÌ„ offerretur ê“ ea sacrificiuÌ„ precij nostri fleuimus Lo whaÌ„ the body of my mother was brought forth to beburied we go come again wtout teares in wepiÌ„g For we dyd not wepe in those prayers Note that he saith the sacrifice of our price or redemption whiche we poured oute to the whaÌ„ the sacrifice of oure price or ransom was offred for hir Also s Austen desired the preistes to remeÌ„bre his mother Monica and hys â—â—ther Patricke in their masses Oughte I besech the good reder bablers and bunglers in diuinite affirme that the prayers of the quicke and preistes masses can nothynge auayle the deade sythe saint Austen the greateste learned man that hath ben sence the apostles tyme dyd so instantlye desire preistes at their masses to remember his father and mother More ouer this he saith of the same matter Neque neganduÌ„ est defunctoruÌ„ animas pietate suorum uiuentium releuari cum pro illis sacrificium Angnst q. 2. de octo questi ad dulcitium mediatoris offertur uel eleemosynae in ecclesia fiunt sed eis haec profunt qui cum uiuerent vt haec sibi postea prodesse possent merueruÌ„t That is to say iÌ„ our toÌ„gue It maye not be denied that the deade mennes soules are releaued or eased with the pitie of their frendes liuynge when the sacrifice of the medyatoure is offered or almesse ar done in the church but these thinges profit theÌ„ which deserued whaÌ„ they lyued that these thinges Augustin enchy ca. 109 110 myghte afterwarde auayle them CuÌ„ ergo sacrificia siue altaris siue quaruÌ„cuÌ„que eleemosynaruÌ„ pro baptisatis omnibus defuÌ„ctis offerunt pro valde bonis gratiaruÌ„ actiones suÌ„t Pro valde malis etsi nulla sint adiumenta mortuorum qualescunque viuorum consolationes sunt Quibus autem prosunt aut ad hoc prosunt ut sit plena remissio aut certe tollerabilior fiat ipsa damnatio Therfore whan sacrifices eyther of the aulter or of any almesse are offered for all christened people deade for those whiche are very good they be geuynge of thankes For those that are very muche yll though they be no helpe to the deade they are confortes suche as they are of the liuyng But whom they do profite they profitte to that that the remyssion maye be full or perfitte or at the leste the damnation shulde be more tollerable lib. 20. deciui deâ— cap. 9. et de cura pro mortuis habenda Hytherto saynte Austen whiche saienges he hathe alsoo in many other of his bokes which I now go ouer to the rehersal of other writers saienges among the whiche Ambros oratione funebride â—bitu fratris one is S. Ambrose whiche sayeth wryting vpon the death of his brother Tibi nunc omnipotens deus innoxiaÌ„ coÌ„meÌ„do aiam tibi hostiaÌ„ meaÌ„ offero cape ppitiê° ac serenus munus fraternuÌ„ sacerdotis sacrificiuÌ„ I commende to the o god almighty a harmles soule Ioffer to the my host or sacrifice take coÌ„teÌ„ted and pleased with a mery countenauÌ„ce the sacrifice of a preist the duety S. Ambrose prayed and saide masse for his brothers soule departed of a brother Lo here Ambrose doth praye at masse offer in it a sacrifice the very body bloud of Christe for his brothers soule departed wilt thou not beleue him that it is profitable to the dead so to do rather than Martyn Luter new scoryng an olde heresye of the greakes Aerius Ihon Wycleffe And suche other Epiphanius whiche was somwhat elder then saint Ierom condeÌ„nynge Aerius of herisie because he denied the praiers Epiphani li. â— suffrages of the quick shuld auayle the deade thus writeth Quae pro defuÌ„ctis fiunt prosuÌ„t praeces illis etiaÌ„si totaÌ„ culpaÌ„ noÌ„ abscinduÌ„t Ecclesia hoc necessario ê‘ficit traditione a prÌ„ibus accepta The praiers which are said for the dead do ê“fit theÌ„ thoughe they cut not away al the fault The church doth that thing necessarely by a tradition receiued of the fathers Gre. Nazi s Ieroms maister doth in diuers places confyrme this godlye and catholyque doctrine of the whiche to be breife I wil allege but only one which is in a certaine oration made at the buryall of his brother Cesarius where he thus praieth for him to Greg. Nazian Oratio 7. god O domine nunc quidem caesariû suscipe peregrinationis nostrae primitias Take to the now o lord Cesary the first fruites of our pilgrymage Chrisostome also doth wryte in Chrisost ad popu antioch homilia 69. this controuersye so playnelye as fewe other hath done either before his tyme or els sence for these are his wordes Non temere ab apostolis Chrisostome also the 41. sermon vpoÌ„ the l. to the CorinthiaÌ„s saith that the holy goost ordeyned that in the masse the deade shuld be praied for haec sancita fuerunt ut in tremendis mysterijs defunctorum agatur coÌ„memoratio Sciunt enim illis inde multum contingere lucrum utilitatem multam Cum eni constiterit populus extensis manibus sacerdotalis multitudo tremeÌ„dum proponatur sacrificiuÌ„ quomodo deuÌ„ noÌ„ exorabimus pro illis deprecantes These thinges were ordeined of the apostles for a lawe not vnaduisedlye nor with The sacrifice of the masse and prayers said in it do profyt the dead and the apostelles made that ordynaunce that masse shulde be said for them out a cause that in the dreadefull mysteries or sacramente of th aulter a remembraunce of the deade sholde be made For they knowe that muche lucre and moche profytte doth come to them thereof For whan the people shall stande holdynge vp their handes and also the multitude of preistes and the fearefull sacrifice is set forth how or by what reason shall not we obteyne grace or pardon for them praienge What is mente heare by that fearefull sacrifice whiche is shewed forth whan the lay people and the preistes are assembled together holdynge vp their handes Is it not the very bodye of Christ god moste dreadefull whiche the preist offereth at masse for the dead as this olde writer testifieth whiche writte almost twelfe hundred yeares passed This lawe to saye masse for the dead saith this auÌ„ciente doctour was made by the holy apostles of our sauiour christ and therfore it must nedes be true and godlye and all doctrine against it false and vngodly This holy father also in many other places maketh mention of this matter the whiche I wyll passe ouer excepte one in his masse whiche is this MemoriaÌ„ dnÌ„e
shortlye put forth therefore now I let that passe and touch the seconde peece of this argument whiche is that yf by the worke of the masse we shuld obteine remissioÌ„ of our sinnes thaÌ„ it shuld not come by faith This proposition declareth the autours ignorauÌ„ce or els his malice coÌ„ceiued against the truth and the clergy of whom he doth falselye reporte that they saye that the masse of it self without faith in christes death shulde bringe to vs remyssion of our synnes where they affirme with saint Rom. 3. Heb. 11. Paul that our righteousnes doth come by faith and that withoute fayth no maÌ„ can please god These are all very true remissioÌ„ of sinne commeth by the passion of Christe by the masse by baptisme by faith by penauÌ„ce by hope by feare prayer fastinge almes dedes and such other as the scripture sheweth but onely christes death is the merite of grace and remyssion of synnes Therefore this argument is of no force ne pith as in dede this is not The. â—xvii reason which he maketh after this sorte It is an horrible thinge to attribute or ascribe as muche as great vertue to the priestes worke which he doth saienge masse as to christes death But they the affirme the masse to be a sacrifice abolysshinge the synnes of the quicke the dead do no lesse giue ascribe to the priestes worke then to chrystes death Therefore the masse is no suche sacrifice He proueth not the second part The solutioÌ„ of this argument whiche is verye false but only saieth it as though his saieng shuld be sufficient with out all proufe to verefy his deuellysshe purpose All catholyke people do beleue that by the masse the synnes of the quicke and dead are forgiueÌ„ as by an applyeng of christes death to vs by the vertue ther of and that not by the priestes worke chiefly but by christes owne worke offering him selfe in sacryfice to his father by the ministery of the priest saieng masse this is not to ascribe as to the preistes dedâ— or worke which he doth in the masse as to christes death which MelaÌ„cthon falsely sayth we do that defende the blessed masse to be a sacrifice pacifieng gods wrath Moreouer he sayth that synne can not be vanquysshed and ouercome but by The .xxix. reason fayth in Christe as Paule sayeth the fifth to the Romaynes We iustified throughe faith haue peace wherefore the payne which the soules departed in grace and are not yet in heauen do suffre cannot be ouercome by the applyenge of an other mannes worke soch as the masse is sayde by a preiste and therefore the masse is no sacrifice profitable for the deade to deliuer them froÌ„ the paine which they do suffer to make them cleane that they maye entre into heauen O wonderful blyndnes of this The solutioÌ„ man whych sawe not that iustification bringeth remission of mortall and deadlye synnes whyche they obteined whyle they were here liuing whom being dead the masse doth auayle for the remissioÌ„ of venial sinnes and the releasing of their temporall paines whyche they suffre because whan they lyued in this world they did deserue and merite that not onely masses as saint Austen affirmeth but also Ad dulcitiuÌ„ questi â— ineucha 109 prayers and almes of the quick shuld profit theÌ„ if they were applyed to theÌ„ therfore this Melancththons reason is clerly of no value ne force Vrbanus Regius dothe Vrbanus Regiê° false ly reporteth of preistes as many other do that they make marchaundyse of the masse falselye spitefully saye that the preistes ydell fellowes do make marchaundise of the masse lefte to be a memoriall and remembraunce of the death which brought lyfe For they do take moneye for sayenge masse as a stipende and wages of their labours to liue by accordinge to their vocation and maner of lyuing Is it not lefull for them to take somwhat for that their seruice for as muche as euerye man maye lyue by the swete of his face as god sayde to Adam that he shulde doth not Christ say Gene. 3. Mat 10. Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 9. that the workeman is worthye to haue his wages for his laboure Doth not also saynte Paule saye that they ought of duetie to geue Rom. 1â— temporal sustinaunce and goodes to them of whom they had receyued spiritual thinges May not a prieste take money for his sustynaunce whan he prayeth and saieth masse for the people as well as the preacher for his sermons whiche maye lefully lyue by that hys labour as Paule declarethe the ninth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians Therefore we preistes make no marchaundise of the masse like as the preacher doth not of his preachinge Nowe good peroratio Christen reader thou hast not onely the truth of this matter set forth at large in this boke but also a coÌ„futation of al that Martin Luter which of al men first began to bable against the blessed masse could write for the maintenaunce of his heresye to the which I haue added some other of his scholers argumentes with a reprouynge also of them so that no man can hereafter excuse him selfe through want of knowledge of the truth which wil reade ouer this boke withoute all affection diligently more considerynge what is therein sayde than who sayde it and set it forth to be redde of all men Accepte in good worth gentil reader this my endeuour and labour taken to profyt them which eyther be cleane rude and vnlearned or els haue but lytell knoweledge and vnderstanding in scrypture for learned men haue no nede of this my laboure whereby the truth is declared after a grosse and a rude fasshion for the easier vnderstanding of the vnlearned for whom it is done The grace of god be with the good reader and kepe the from all heresye or sone delyuer the from it yf thou be alredye therewith infected and poysoned that thou stedfastely and vndoubtedly beleuinge all thinges pertaining to a christen mans beleefe and obseruinge goddes commaundementes mayest at th ende of thy lyfe come to that ioy which god hath prepared for hys true louers christ our sauiour most dearly hath boughte for the same with sheddyng of hys precious bloude to whom be glorye honour and imperye for euer Amen Faultes escaped in the printynge Fol. pa. li. faut correctioÌ„  2 12 perfecto perlecto 39 1 12. after this word name lacketh these wordes in euery place 42 2 21 ipsaruÌ„ ipsoruÌ„ 43 1 1 reade That is 43 2 7 quod quoddaÌ„ 44 1 8 reade Againste whose fonde c. 46 2 17 iudea iudeae 48 2 2 the tribe the tribe 50 1 20 ecclesiaÌ„ ecclesia 58 8 18 ecclesiaÌ„ ecclesia 60 2 against the first lyne in the margin reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70 2 in the margyn reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 76. 1 9. reade of the sacriÌ„fice therby vnderstandyng the body of Christ offered at masse in sacrifice to god whiche the counsaile commaundeth to be geuen to the sycke before he depart if he aske it 76 2 17 for the consecration reade the sacrament of the aulter 77 2 4 Ramanes romanes 78 1 21 porfyt profyt 82 1 13 sacrificanerit sacrificauerit 83 1 22 Audrew Andrewe 87 1 3 craftis craft 92 2 19 heuen heuon 95 2 19 sanguis sanguinis 97 2 19 wyt wyth 99 2 2 lacketh in afore the first word 103 2 5 conniuiuÌ„ conuiuiuÌ„ 105 1 11 figmnetuÌ„ figmentuÌ„ 106 2 8 socerdos sacerdos 1011 2 4 funt sunt 1042 1 1â— coÌ„scientiaÌ„ coÌ„scieÌ„tia ¶ Prynted at London in Aldersgate strete by IohnÌ„ Herforde 1546.