wordes and reasons without probabilitye agaynste all rule and forme of true reasonyng Moreouer the nature of a sacrament dothe moue me very muche to beleue styll as I do For whereas euery sacrament of the newe Testament is a visible forme of an inuisible grace as S. Augustyne sayth it can not be a sacramente of y â— newe Testamente excepte it haue a promise of some suche grace to be gyuen to the worthye receauer as is signifyed by the outwarde forme of the sacrament As in baptisme the water which is the outwarde forme signifieth the grace of saluation and remission of synnes whych grace is bothe gyuen to the worthy receauer is also promised in scripture to be giueÌ„ by the mouth of christ saying Qui crediderit baptizatus fuerit saluus erit He that beleueth and is baptized shalbe saued Euen so the outwarde element of this sacrament which is bread and wine doâ—h signifye the grace of the vnitye of Christes misticall bodye that lyke as one breade is made of manye graynes one wyne is pressed out of many grapes so one mysticall body of Christ is compact vnited of the multitude of all Christen people as S. Cypriane sayeth Nowe yf our sacrament be breade and wine as they saye then shal they find the promise of this grace or of some other in the scriptures made to the receauer of breade and wine And yf there be no promise in all the scriptures made to the receauing of bread and wine then be they no sacramentes But yf they wyll loke in the sixt chapiter of S â–ª Iohn they shal find thys grace of the mysticall vnitye promised not to the receauynge of breade and wine but to the worthye receauyng of Christes body and bloude where Christ sayeth he that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude he abydeth in me and I in hym and so is ioyned and incorporate into one mysticall bodye wyth him Oure sacramente therfore that hath the promise annexed vnto it is not breade wyne be they neuer so muche appoynted to signifye heauenly thynges as they saye but the very body and bloude of oure Lord Iesus Christ the bread that came from heauen Luther and suche as be of hys sect as take hys dreames for the ground of their fayth were muche pressed with this argument deduced of the propertye of the sacramente and sawe playnly that it could not be a sacrament of the newe testameÌ„t except it had a promise annexed to the worthy vsyng of it And yet for al that he would not condescende to say as the Churche sayeth that res SacrameÌ„ti the thing of the sacrament signified and not conteyned whych is the vnitye of the mystical body were that grace whych by Christ in S. Iohn was promised to the worthye receauer of it but went and sought about for an other promise and after much pooringe at laste he broughte forth a promyse as he thoughte mete and conueniente which is the wordes of christ Quod pro uobis tradetur which shalbe gyuen for you And in this poynt he shewed w t what violence he handled other matters of our fayth that in thys greate matter so muche ouershotte himselfe Fyrst wyth what face could he call that a promise whyche hathe no apparaunce of anye promise but that the wordes in Latyne be spoken in the future tense whych in Greke be wrytten in the present tense both in Saynt Paule and in S. Luke Quod pro uobis datur whyche is gyuen for you And yf they were spoken in y e future tense as they were not yet they be wordes not promising a thyng to be done but declaryng what shalbe done And further yf we shoulde graunt them to be wordes of a promise yet they promyse not the grace of the sacrameÌ„t whyche is to be gyuen to the worthy receauer â–ª For the passion of Christe or the giuinge of Christes body vpon the crosse is not a grace giuen by the sacramente to the receauer but it is that worke that hath deserued grace to be gyuen by the sacrament for al our sacramentes take their vertue of y e passion of Christe and do not promise the passion of Christe This may suffise for thys shorte time to shewe vnto you the folye of these men that neyther wote nor care what they affyrme in these weyghty matters I coulde saye more in it but that I haue more necessary matter behynde to be sayd S. Augustyne in diuerse places other auncieÌ„t aucthors haue this doctrine in their bokes E latere Christi fluxerunt duo Sacramenta Two Sacramentes dyd yssue forth of christes syde and in those places he teacheth vs by comparyng the creation of Eue the wyfe of Adam the firste man and of the churche y â— spouse of christe the second man Lyke as god castyng AdaÌ„ into a slepe toke forth a bone oute of hys syde and therof buylded and created hym a wyfe euen so when Christ dyd slepe by death vpoÌ„ the crosse vpon water and bloude that came forth of hys side when it was opened with a speare God dyd forme and buylde the churche the spouse of Christ in that by water we be regenerate by bloude we be redemed and nourished Now concernyng our purpose yf two sacrameÌ„tes came oute of Christes syde we are sure there came out no wyne excepte ye wyll saye the wyne of the true vyne whych christ shall neuer drynke wyth vs any more but after anewe sort in the glory and kyngdome of hys father Therfore it muste nedes be that our sacrament is Christes bloude and not wyne Besyde these circumstancies and argumentes deduced vpoÌ„ the scrypture there be also other of no lesse strength then these able to coÌ„firme any true Christen man in the fayth of the reall presence of Christes body and bloude in the blessed sacrament And these be the effectes of the sacrament expressed in the scripture whych be so great so gloriouse so excellent and heauenly that it were great blasphemy to ascribe the same to breade and wyne whyche be only the workes and effectes of almighty GOD and of suche creatures only as gods sonne hath taken and vnited to him selfe in vnitie of person whych be the body and bloude of our Sauiour Christ. The fyrst effect is that our Sacrament is the confirmation of the newe Testament as S. Mathewe and S. Mark also do wryte Hic est sanguis meus noui Testamenti Thys is my bloude of the newe Testament that is to saye which confirmeth the newe Testament as all holye wryters do expounde Like as the bloude of calues did confirme the old Testament as the booke of Exodus doth declare so the bloude of Christ our prieste sacrifice doth coÌ„firme the new Testament which Testament because it is eternall and shall neuer haue ende is confirmed by the eternall bloude of the lambe of God that euer is receaued and neuer consumed and not by anye corruptible bloude or any other creature
sayeth it is gyuen for vs and not to vs as Zwinglius and our great Archebisshoppe his disciple wold haue it we must nedes vnderstande by gyuen for vs offered for vs so that in this place and many other to giue is to offre And althoughe it be true that Christ was giuen offered for vs to the father vpon the crosse the next day folowinge yet because the worde datur is in greke in al y e Euangelistes where it is expressed in the present tense and also euerye sentence is true for the time it is pronoūced therfore me thinke I may certenly cōclude because Christe sayeth datur pro uobis is giuen for you that euen then in the supper tyme he offered hys bodye for vs to his father Thirdly Christ did deliuer to hys disciples to be eaten dronken that he hadde before consecrated and offered and thys appeareth by hys wordes Take eate and drynke ye all of this The fyrst and third whyche be the consecration receauyng be out of all controuersy confessed of al men The seconde whiche is the oblation is of late broughte in question which I haue partly proued by the playne wordes of scripture as it semeth to me so that I may well reason thus Christes action is oure instruction I except his wonderful workes and miracles specially when his commaundement is ioyned vnto it But Christe in hys supper offered hym selfe verely and really vnder the formes of breade and wine after an impassible maner and commaunded vs to do the same tyll hys seconde commynge me thynke therfore that in the Masse we do and ought to do sacrifice and offre Christe vnto his father whyche oblation is the external sacrifice of the Churche propre to the newe Testament And for further proue that Christ offered hym selfe in his last supper I shall alledge vnto you the aucthoritie of the Churche and the consente of y e fathers in this poynt which ought to suffise any Christen man Ireneus writeth in hys fourth booke that Christ takyng the creature of breade and giuing thankes sayd This is my body and lykewyse confessynge the cuppe to be of hys bloude Noui testamenti nouam docuit oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in uniuerso mundo offert Deo de quo in duodecim Prophetis Malachias sic praesignificauit Non est mihi uoluntas in uobis c. He taught the newe oblation of the newe testament which oblation the Churche receauyng of the Apostels doth offre to GOD throughout the whole worlde whereof Malachye one of the twelue Prophetes did prophecye I haue no wyll pleasure in you c. What can be more playne then that Christ in his last supper in the ministration of the blessed sacrament dyd teache hys Apostles the newe oblation of the newe Testament and hys Apostles taught the Churche the same that they receaued and the Churche doth continuallye vse to offre the same to GOD in euerye place Thys aucthority the wordes beyng so manifest and the author so aunciente and substantiall can not be auoyded wyth all their cauillations S. Cyprian also the blessed Martyr wryteth thus Si Christus summus sacerdos sacrificium Deo patri ipse primus obtulit hoc fieri in sui commemorationem praecepit utique ille sacerdos uice Christi uerè fungitur qui id quod Christus fecit imitatur Yf Christ the hyghe priest did fyrst hym selfe offre a sacrifice to God hys father and commaunded the same to be done in his remembraunce verelye that priest doth truly occupye the office of Christe that by imitation doth y e same thing that Christ dyd Thys holy martyr teacheth vs that Christ dyd fyrst offre hym selfe to his father in hys supper and also commaunded vs to do the same Why shuld anye man doubte of that that in the beginnyng of y e churche the holye martirs dydde and taught wythout al doubte Hesichius also that flouryshed in the tyme of Gratiane the Emperoure wryteth thus Prius figuratam ouem coenans cum Apostolis postea suum obtulit sacrificium deinde sicut ouem semetipsum occidit Christe in hys supper dyd fyrste eate the figuratyue lambe wyth hys Apostels then he offered hys owne sacrifice and after that he kylled hym selfe lyke a lābe By thys saying that christ kylled hym selfe is ment that christe voluntarely dyd offer hym selfe to the death suffring the Iewes to kyl hym whom he might haue withstāded but to our purpose It is playne y t besyde the bloudye oblation vpon the crosse and also beside the figuratiue oblatiō of hym selfe in the pascal lambe he also did offre him selfe mistically in the celebration of the sacramente whyche is the verye poynte that we go aboute to proue is manifestlye proued by thys auncient author Damascen sayeth In nocte in qua seipsum obtulit testamentū nouū disposuit In that nyght when he offered hym selfe he dyd ordeyne and institute the new testamēt Marke that he saith he offred him selfe in the night y e oblation vpō the crosse was in the mydde day whych is a distincte offerynge from that in the night And Theophilactus sayth Tunc immolauit seipsum ex quo tradidit discipulis corpus suum It is manifeste that then he offered hym selfe when he delyuered too hys disciples his bodye teachinge vs that christe in hys misticall supper offered hym selfe too hys father To this Saynte Augustyne beareth witnesse wrytinge thus Vnde ipse dominus etiam quos mundauit a lepra ad eadem sacramenta misit ut offerrent pro se Sacrificium Sacerdotibus quia nondum eis successerat sacrificium quod ipse post in Ecclesia uoluit celebrari pro omnibus illis ▪ For whyche cause our lorde him selfe sent them whome he had made cleane from their lepre to the same sacraments of the olde Testamente that they shoulde offre to the priestes a sacrifice for them selfes because as yet that sacrifyce dyd not succede to them whyche Christ woulde haue celebrate in his church in stede of al thē ▪ Waye these wordes wel ye shall perceaue that they can not be vnderstand of the sacrifyce of christe vpon the crosse whych was but ones offered and can not be continual celebrate and vsed of the churche nor yet of y e sacrifice of thākesgiuing whyche succedeth not the other but was before and with the other and therfore they proue playnly that this one sacrifice of the newe testamēt y t succedeth the multitude of the olde sacrifices is onelye the sacrifice of Christes bodye and bloud in the blessed Masse whyche he hath ordeyned to be daylye frequented in his churche to the worldes ende What shuld I alledge moo authors Wyll ye yet heare one of the eldest I meane Dionisius Areopagita S. Paules scholer and Bisshoppe of Athens he wryteth thus Quocirca reuerenter simul ex pontificali officio post sacras diuinorum operum laudes quod hostiam salutarem quae
suit Deus propitiationem per fi dem in sanguine eius si respi câ—as ad illam commemorationeÌ„ de qua dicit Dominus hoc facitâ— in meam commemorationem inuenies quod ista est commemoratio sola quae propitium faci at Deum If these be referred to the greatnes of our mysterye thou shalt fynde that thys coÌ„memoration hath a greate effect of propitiation If ye returne to that breade of propitiation whych God hath sette for a propitiation by faythe in hys bloude and yf ye looke to that commemoration of whych our Lorde sayd Doo thys in commemoratioÌ„ of me thou shalte fynde that this is the only commemoration that maketh God mercifull Doth not saynte Cyprian cal the sacramente holocaustuÌ„ ad purgandas iniquitates A sacrifice to purge iniquitie in what respect is it called so but for that it is offered to that ende And so is it called a medicine to heale infirmities for thys respecte that it is receaued to thys ende Saynt Augustyne sayeth lykewyse Nemo melius praeter martyres meruit ibi requiescere ubi hostia Christus est sacerdos scilicet ut propitiationeÌ„ de oblatioue hostiae consequantur No manne hath deserued better then the martyrs too rest be buried there where Christe is bothe the hoste and the prieste that is to saye vnder the aultare for this ende that they myght atteyne propitiation by the oblation of y e hoste Marke the purpose I bringe in this for which is to atteine propitiation by y e oblation of y e sacrifice and as he sayth in an other booke Sacrificium illud mirabile coeleste quod tu instituisti offerri praecepistiin coÌ„memorationem tuae charitatis mortis scilicet passionis pro salute nostra pro quotidiana fragilitatis nostrae reparatione That meruelouse and heauenly sacrifice whyche thou haste instituted and commaunded to be offered in remeÌ„braunce of thy charitye that is to saye of thy deathe and passion for oure healthe and saluation for the daylye reparation of our frayle weakenes Dothe he not here shewe the ende of the oblation to saue vs and to repayre our frayltye Saynt Hierome wryteth Si laicis imperatur ut propter orationem abstineant ab uxori bus quid de Episcopo sentiendum est qui quotidie pro suis po pulique peccatis illibatas deo oblaturus est uictimas If it be commaunded to the laye menne that for prayers cause they shuld absteyne from their wiues what shuld we thynke of a Bysshoppe that muste offre daylye pure sacrifices for hys owne synnes â–ª the peoples Of thys place thoughe I myght proue you the chast life of a Bysshoppe yet I bringe it in nowe only to show that the office of a Bisshoppe is to offre daylye pure sacrifices for hys owne synnes and the peoples synnes as saynt Basyll sayth in the booke of hys Masse Da Domine ut pro nostris peccatis populi ignorantijs acceptum sit sacrificium nostrum Graunt o Lord that for oure synne and the ignoraunce of the people oure sacrifice maye be accepted of thee Thus ye perceaue that I haue shewed you and proued that the oblation of the priest in the Masse is a sacrifice propitiatory for the synnes of theÌ„ that be alyue that is to saye mouyng and prouokyng god to pardonne the synnes of the prieste and of the people A lytle is to be sayde concernynge them that be departed and then an ende of that matter Tertullian sayeth Oblationes pro defunctis pro natalitijs annua die facimus â–ª We make euerye yeare oblations for the deade and for the birth dayes of martirs which be the dayes they suffered their martyrdome Athanasius sayeth Intelligimus animas peccatorum participare aliqua beneficentia ab exangui immolatione We vnderstande that the soules of synners doo receaue some benefyte of the vnbloudye oblation and of almose done for them as he onelye hathe ordeyned and commaunded that hathe power bothe of quycke and deade Our god And Saynt Ambrose exhorteth the people to praye for the soule of Ualentiniane the emperour for whome he dyd offre the sacrifice of christes body Chrisostom saith â–ª Non frustra sancitum est ab apostolis ut in celebratione uenerandorum mysterioruÌ„ memoria fiat eorum qui hinc discesseruut nouerunt illis mul tum hinc emolumeÌ„ ti fieri c. It was not in vayne ordeyned of the Apostles that in the celebration of the honorable misteries there shuld memorye be made of them that were departed hence For they knewe much profite muche commoditie to come to them therby And in an other homely he sayeth in this maner in Englishe A sinner is departed surely it becometh vs to be glad that hys synnes be stopped not increased and to laboure as muche as we can to release hym not wyth wepynge but with prayer supplications almose and sacrifices For that was not ordeyned in vayne nor we doo not in vayne in oure holye misteries celebrate the memory of the deade and make intercession for them to the lambe that lyeth there which taketh away the sinnes of the world but y â— some comfort may therby come to theÌ„ Is not this very playne and that it is not a thyng newe inuented but a doctrine taught and vsed in the churche euer sence Christ and ordeyned so to be done by the Apostles theÌ„ selfes S. Augustyne sayth in his booke of confessions that the sacrifice of oure pryce whyche is Christes owne naturall bodye was offered for his mothers soule after she was dead And he sayeth also In Machabeorum libris legimus oblatum pro mortuis sacrificiuÌ„ Sed si nunquam in scripturis ueteribus omnino legeretur non parua hac consuetudine claret authoritas ubi in praecibus Sacerdotis quae Domino Deo aâ— eius altare funduntur locum su um habet etiam commendatio mortuorum In the bookes of the Machabees we read that there was sacrifiâ—e offered for the deade But althoughe in the old scriptures there were no such thing redde yet there appeareth no small authoritie in this custome that amonges y e prayers of the priest whiche are made to oure Lorde God at hys aultare the commendation prayer for the deade hath also hys place Marke well that he sayth it was an olde custome in the Churche for Priestes in their Masse to praye for the deade in hys tyme whyche is aboue eleuen hundreth and thyrtye yeare agoo And that the custome of the Churche in thys poynte is of sufficiente aucthorytye too proue thys matter thoughe there were no scripture for it at all and yet he him selfe alledgeth the boke of machabees for it the place is knowen well ynough He teachethe vs the same thynge wrytinge vpon saynte Iohn Ideo ad ipsam mensam noÌ„ sic eos commemoramus quemadmodum alios qui in pace requiescunt ut etiam
â–ª of lesse value and efficacie In the olde lawe and also in S. Paule it is sayd Hic est sanguis Testamenti quod uobis cum pepigit Deus This is the bloude of the Testament that god hath couenauÌ„t with you he sayeth not This is the bloude of the newe TestameÌ„t But yf these woordes Thys is my bloude of the newe Testament the Euangelist had meant that it had bene the figure of the bloude of the new Testament what had he sayd more then Moyses sayde before for the bloude of calues gotes was the figure of thys bloude of Christe And then were the Iewes and the olde lawe of more dignity then we Christen men of the new law because beside we both 〈◊〉 but vnder figures as these men saye yet their figure was of more estimaâ—ion 〈◊〉 ours is beyng as they saye but â—are breade and wyne wherefore seyng these wordes of Christ. this is my bloude be y â— â—rme of our Sacrament the effect wherof is the confirmation of the newe Testament it foloweth wel that the cause muste be of lyke or more dignity so by no meanes can be y e material creature of wine but must nedes be the innocent and preciouse bloude of our immaculate and vndefyled lambe of God Iesus Christ. An other effect of this Sacrament is taughte vs in S. Luke the .24 chapiter of his Gospell where oure sauioure Christe sate downe with his two Disciples that wente to Emaus and takynge breade blessed it and brake it gaue it to them and then their eyes were opened and they knewe him S. Augustyne in his booke De consensu Euangelistarum teacheth vs to vnderstand this place of the blessed bread which is the sacrameÌ„t of the aultare sayth the effect of it is to open oure eyes that we may know god And Theophilactus vpon thys place of saynt Luke wryteth thys Insinuatur et aliud quiddam nempe quòd oculi eorum qui benedictuÌ„ panem assumunt aperiuntur ut agnoscant illum magnam enim indicibilem uim habet caro Domini By thys scripture an other thing is giuen vs to vnderstande that the eyes of them whyche receaue thys blessed bread be opened that thei might know hym for the fleshe of our Lord hath a great vnspeakeable vertue Here we may perceaue both by the scripture and also by y e holy Doctours and Fathers that the effect of this Sacrament is the openynge of oure eyes to knowe God and that the cause of that is the fleshe of Christ whych is our sacrament and in no wyse can be eyther breade or wyne An other effect is the immortalitye of our bodyes and soules the resurrection of our fleshe to euerlastyng lyfe to haue lyfe eternall dwellynge in vs. Thys effect is declared in the syxt of S. Iohn He that eateth me shall lyue for me he that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude â–ª hath euerlastyng lyfe and I shall rayse hym vp in the last daye Upon thys place Cirillus sayth Ego enin dixit id est corpus meum quod comedetur resuscitabo eum ego igitur inquit qui homo factus sum per meam carnem in nouissimo die comedentes resuscitabo Christ saith I that is to saye my bodye whych shalbe eaten shal rayse hym vp I that am made man by my fleshe shall rayse vp theÌ„ that eate it in the last daye And in hys 10. booke he sayeth more playnly Non potest aliter corruptibilis haec natura corporis ad incorruptibili tatem uitam traduci nisi naturalis uitae corpus ei coniâ—ngeretur Thys corruptible nature of oure bodies can not otherwyse be broughte to immortalitye and life except the body of natural lyfe be ioyned to it By these aucthorities we learne that the effect of Christes body in the sacrament is the raysyng vp of our bodyes to eternall lyfe And also we learne that the eatyng of christes body is not only spiritually by fayth as the sacramentaries saye but also corporally by the seruice of our bodyes when Christes body in the sacrament is eaten and receaued of our bodyes as our spirituall foode and because it is of infinite power it is not conuerted into the substaunce of our flesh as other corruptible meates be but it doth chauÌ„ge conuert our fleshe into hys propertye makyng it of mortall and deade immortall and lyuely As the same Cyrillus writeth in his .4 booke Recordare quamuis naturaliter aqua frigidior sit aduentu tamen ignis frigiditatis suae oblita aestuat Hoc sanè modo etiam nos quaÌ„uis propter naturam carnis corruptibiles sumus participatione tamen uitae ab imbecillitate nostra reuocati ad proprietatem illius ad uitam reformamur Oportuit enim certe ut non soluÌ„ anima per spiritum sanctum in beatam uitam ascenderet ueruÌ„ etiam ut rude atque terrestre hoc corpus cognato sibi gustu tactu cibo ad immortalitatem reduceretur The Englysh is thys Remembre how water although it be colde by nature yet by reason of fyre put to it it forgetteth the colde waxeth hoate euen so do we although we be corruptible by reason of the nature of oure fleshe yet by participation of Christes fleshe whych is life we are brought froÌ„ our weakenes and refourmed to his proprietye that is to saye to lyfe for it is necessary that not only our soule should ascende to an happy and spirituall lyfe by receauyng the holy ghoste but also y t this rude earthly body should be reduced to immortalitie by taâ—ynge touching and corporall meat like to it selfe This place is verye playne declarynge vnto vs that lyke as our soules are reuiued froÌ„ the death of synne to the lyfe of grace and glorye by the receauynge of Gods sprite the holye ghost in baptisme euen so our bodyes beyng corruptible by nature and dead by reason of the general sentence of death are restored agayne to lyfe eternal and celestial by the receauynge of Christes liuely fleshe into them after the maner of meate in this sacrament of the aultare And in hys eleuenth boke he sayth that it is not possible for the corruptible nature of man to ascende to immortalitye excepte the immortall nature of Christ do reforme and promote it from mortalitye to lyfe eternall by participation of hys immortall fleshe Here perchaunce some men wyl stumble consideryng that we beleue the bodyes of yong innocentes shall ryse to euerlastyng lyfe whych we knowe neuer receaued Christes flesh in the sacrament But their dout in this poynt may soone be resolued yf they coÌ„sidre that scripture and the olde fathers speake after the ordinary workyng of GOD making no preiudice to the absolute power of God who oftentymes giueth the propre grace of the sacramentes before the outward receauynge of the same As for example Wythout Baptysme in water and the holy ghost no man can entre into the kingedome
maiestate By the fleshe and bloude of oure Lorde Iesus Christ both beynge in the sacrament inuisible spirituall intelligible is signified the visible body of Christ and palpable full of the grace of all vertues and of the godlye maiestye And euen so likewise very Christ is offered in the mysterye in signe and commemoration of him selfe offered vpoÌ„ the crosse as S. Augustyne sayth Christiani iam peracti sacrificij memoriam celebrant sacrosancta oblatione perticipatione corporis sanguinis Christi Christen menne nowe do celebrate a memorye of Christes sacrifice alreadye paste by the most holy oblation and partitipation of Christes body and bloude The lyke saying hath S. Gregorye diuerse aucthors whyche I omitte to rehearse because the tyme is paste They say that neyther the Apostles nor none in theyr tyme dyd offre Christes body in sacrifice And yet I haue shewed you before that Dionisius Areopagita S. Paules disciple of whome mention is made in the .17 chapiter of the Actes of the Apostles dyd offre the sacrifice of Christes bodye alledgyng Christes commaundement for his warraunt Ireneus that lyued wythin fiftye yeare of saynte Iohn the Euangelist and Polycarpus scholer doth make mention of this offerynge sayinge Ecclesiae oblatio quam Dominus docuit offerri in uniuerso mundo purum sacrifiâ—ium reputatum est apud Deum acceptum est eâ— The oblation of the Churche whych our Lord taught to be offered in the whole world is reputed of God a pure sacrifice and acceptable to hym And in the same chapiter confutynge them that denied the immortalitye of the fleshe by this reason that oure fleshe was nourished with Christes fleshe to eternall lyfe concludeth thus Aut sententiam mutent aut abstine ant offerendo quae praedicta sunt Eyther let them chaunge their opinion or elles absteyn from offering the same bodye and bloude of Christ we spake of Also the generall councell of Constantinople sayth that saynt Iames dydde write the forme of a Masse I omytte the Latyne the woordes in Englyshe be thus faythfullye translate Saynt Iames brother to Christ our God accordynge to the fleshe to whome the churche of HierusaleÌ„ was first committed Basilius which was Bysshop of Caesarea whose fame is knowen throughoute the worlde â–ª whiche deliuered in wrytynge the mysticall celebration of y e sacrifices haue declared that the cuppe in our holye ministerye oughte to be of water and wyne mengled And the holye fathers that were assembled at Carthage haue thus lefte in wrytynge that in the sacrifices nothinge els be offered but the bodye bloude of oure Lorde as oure Lord him selfe hath ordeyned so forthe I neuer redde S. Iames his booke my self nor I thinke it be not nowe to be had but I tel you so much as I knowe that S. Iames dyd write the forme of a Masse as S. Basill did which we haue in greke now If this greate and learned generall councell doth truelye reporte as I beleue doth Let no man therefore beleue them that saye the Apostles did not sacrifice theÌ„ selues nor none in their time except they can proue the negatiue which they shall neuer do There be other some that wyll graunte the sacrifice but denye that it is propitiatorye for the synnes of the quycke and the deade And therefore they disalowe the last senteÌ„ce of the Masse Where the priest sayeth graunt good lord that this sacrifice whyche I haue offered to thy diuine maiestie be propitiable or a meane to obteyne mercye to me to al for whome I haue offered it And surely these be most foolishe of al for yf it be a sacrifice it must nedes be a propitiatory sacrifice taking propitiatory as it ought to be taken not coÌ„foundyng the meanynge of it by sophistrye but vnderstanding the diuerse acception of y e word but these men dally seduce the people with amphibologies and doubtful sayinges Distinctions they admit none nor can not abyde to haue the matter opened and wyth a confuse general saying sclaunder the churche Thys is their priuate sophistrye and yet they call other men sophisters that detecte open their collusions that diuyde the sentence that men might see howe it is true and howe it is false For example They crye out of this that we saye the Masse is a sacrifyce propitiatorye By the worde Masse maye be vnderstanded two thynges the thynge it selfe that is offered and the acte of the priest in offeryng of it If ye take it for the thynge offered whych is the bodye of Christ who can iustly denye but that the body of Christe is a sacrifice propitiatory seyng saynt Iohn sayeth he is the propitiation for our synnes euer was and euer shall be and neuer cease so to be tyll oure synnes be ended and deathe the last enemye be ouercomed in vs hys mysticall body and as Oecumenius sayeth Caro Christi est propitiatorium nostrarâ—Ì„ iniquitatum The flesh of christ is the propitiation for our iniquities But yf by the word Masse be vnderstaÌ„ded the acte of the priest and the vse of the sacrament as they would haue it then it is not propitiatorye in that degree of propitiation as Christes body is but after an other sorte And therefore I must diuide the word propitiatory whyche is taken two wayes also First for that that worthely deserueth mercy at Gods hand and so the acte of the prieste in offerynge is not propitiatorye of it selfe deseruyng mercy as Christe doth Nexte for that prouoketh God to gyue mercye and remission alreadye deserued by Christ. And so the oblation of the priest is propitiatory mouyng and prouokinge God to applye hys mercye vnto vs. So Prayer is a sacryfyce for synnes as Saynte Iames sayeth Oratio fidei saluabit infirmum fi in peccatis sit remittentur ei The Prayer of fayth shall saue the sycke and yf he be in synne they shalbe remitted vnto him And christ taught vs to praye thus forgyue vs oure trespases as we forgyue them that trepase agaynste vs. And also promised to gyue vs that we aske in CHRISTES name Then ye see that prayer beynge a sacrifyce is a prouocation of GOD and a meane to atteyne remyssion of oure synnes and therefore maye be well called propitiatorye So is a contryte hearte a Sacryfyce propitiatorye and almose as appeared by the story of the Niniuites of Daniell For all good workes y t we do both fastynge prayer almose forgyuyng of my neygâ—bourâ— is done for thys ende to mitigate Gods angre agaynst our synnes and to prouoke hym to haue mercye of vs for christes merites Euen so the Mosse taking it for the acte of the priest is a sacrifice propitiatori for sinne Whych I shal proue vnto you by the holy fathers Origen writeth thus Si referantur haec ad mysterij magnitudinem inueni es commemorationem istam habere ingentem repropitiationis effectum Si redeas ad illum panem propitiationis quem propo
wordes of oure sauiour Christ saying Thys is my bodye Thys is my bloud duelye perfectly pronunced vpon y e bread wine Our newe maysters y t styl crye vpon the institution of Christe some sayde it was a sacrament or euer the wordes were spoken assoone as it was brought to y â— churche for y e vse of the communion some woulde haue the wordes sayde but as one shoulde reade a Lesson or tell a tale not directed to the breade and wyne but that the Minister shoulde looke awaye frome the breade and wyne in the tyme of the pronuncynge Fearynge belyke the wordes shoulde haue moore strengthe than they woulde they shoulde haue And thus howsoeuer nowe they pretend a zeale to maintayne the institutioÌ„ of Christ then they vtterly destroyed the institution of Christ eyther deniyng or defraudinge the necessary consecration of the sacrament The minister ought only to be a priest duelye consecrated and ordereed after the rite of the Catholike church whose ministration god only doeth assiste These men dyd not only maintayne y t it was lawfull but also did appoynte and permitte mere laye men to minister yea and laye women somtymes as some said without anye lawfull vocation or orderynge at al not regarding what Arnobius writeth Quid tam magnificum quà m sacramenta dei coÌ„ficere et quid tam perniciosum quà m si is ea conficiat quâ— nulum sacerdotij gradum accipit What is so excellent than to consecrate y e sacramentes of god what is so perniciouse than yf he consecrate them that hath receyued no degre of priesthode The intent also to doe that the churche doeth withoute mockynge dissimulation or contrary purpose is required For although the priest in the consecration may haue hys thoughtes distracte to some other thynge so lacke attention whiche is a greate negligence in the worke of God deadly synne to y e minister yet yf he lacke intention not intendyng to doe that God commaundeth and the churche doeth there is no coÌ„secration nor no sacrameÌ„t at all And for this point what intentioÌ„ shall we thinke these men had of late that vtterlye dinied to consecrate or receiue Christes bodie and bloud vnder the formes of breade and wyne but onelye to receyue the creatures of bread and wyne therby to be pertakers of Christes body and bloude For in the boke of their laste communion these were the wordes of the inuocation Good lord graunt vs that we receyuing these thy creatures of bread and wine according to thy sonnes institution maye be partakers of hys bodye and bloude â–ª Was there euer hearde of anye suche institution Loke throughout all the scripture and shewe me where euer Christe did institute that by eatinge of bread wine men shoulde be partakers of hys body and bloud And if it can not be shewed as I am sure it can not than it was a playne forged lye bearing meÌ„ in haÌ„d that Christ instituted that he neuer thought whereby appeareth y t thei had not this intentioÌ„ which is required to y e due coÌ„secratioÌ„ also y t they in wordes preteÌ„dinge to haue a zeale to maintain Christes institutioÌ„ iÌ„ their dedes shewed theÌ„selfes enemies aduersaries to y e same â–ª And as thei vsed themselues in consecration so they dyd in the oblation whiche they dyd not corrupt as the other but vtterly toke awaye deniynge anye suche thynge to be as I haue proued it is in so muche that in all their newe communion they could not scarcely abide the name or worde of oblation but pulled it oute of the boke so muche dyd they fauour the instituton of Christ whiche they nowe pretende Now when they haue taken awaye the due matter as swete vnleuened bread y e meixture of the chalice peruerted the forme by leauyng oute the principall verbe est in the wordes of Christ as it was in y e last boke in the firste pryntyng howe it came in agayne I can not tell and neglected the due orderynge of the minister sufferyng them to vsurpe the office of a priest that neuer receyued that authoritie neyther of God nor man in that they dyd whiche was verye bad neuer intended to doe as the churche doeth and whollye dyd abrogate as muche as laied in theÌ„ the oblation of Christes bodye in remembraunce of hys passion and at lengthe would haue nothynge to remayne but a bare communion what face haue they to crye vpon Christes institution institution whiche they haue in so many pointes broken and violated as I haue shewed and yet y t they wold haue is no part of Christes instituâ—ion For the vse of the sacrameÌ„t is y t it should be receyued and eaten therefore in diuerse counsels it was decreed that whoso euer tooke the sacrament at the priestes hand dyd not eate it for the which ende Christe dyd ordayne it was holden accursed and excommunicate Thus farre exteÌ„deth y â— institution of Christ concernynge thys poynt because he sayde Accipite manducate et bibite Take eate drynke and also that all shoulde eate and drynke of it that coulde proue themselues after S. Paules admonition But suche thynges as pertayne to the Ceremonye of the eatynge as howe manye in one place together what tyme place maner order and suche lyke be thynges pertaynynge to the ordinaunce and direction of the churche and not to the institution of Christe as necessarye vpon payne of damnation to be obserued of euery christen man For els yf al the rytes that Christe vsed at hys supper were of necessitie and pertaynyng to hys institution then there muste nedes be thyrtene together at the communion and neyther moo nor fewer And it must be celebrate after supper and in the night after the washynge of the fete and in a parler or chamber and al that receyue must be priestes and no women For all these thynges were obserued of Christ hys apostles at hys last supper But for our instruction to declare that they be not fixed by the institution of Christe but left to the disposition of y e church y e churche hath taken an other order in these thinges wyllynge that all shall communicate that be worthy and disposed So that the numbre whether ther be manye or fewe or but one in one place that receyue maketh not the ministration of the prieste for that thynge vnlawefull And it hath ordered that it shalbe celebrate in the mornynge receyued fasting before all other meates in the church except necessite other wise require And therefore S. Augustine taught Ianuarius after thys sorte Ideo saluator non praecepit quo deinceps ordine sumeretur ut apostolis per quos dispositurus erat ecclesiaÌ„ seruaret hunc locuÌ„ Therefore our Saluiour dyd not commauÌ„de by what order it shuld be receyued after hym but reserued that matter to the apostles by whome he woulde order and dispose his church â–ª By this we may conceyue that the receyuynge of the sacrament is
churches or in other realmes This argument of CoÌ„munion was neuer â—eard of in the worlde before Martyne Luther who was y e first father of it and the first man that euer wrote agaynst priuate masses as he calleth theÌ„ â–ª And wher learned Luther that lesson euen of the deuyl not because al euyl coÌ„meth by the suggestion of the deuyll but I meane y t Luther had a vision of the deuyl and saw hym wyth hys corporall eye beynge wakyng of whom he learned al that he hath pestilently spoken agaynst the holy masse And lest men should say I lied vpon Luther here is his owne boke Ex orete iudico serue nequam We maye Iudge hym by his owne mouth and his owne hand writynge The title of his boke is of priuate masse I shal read you a peice of it that the trueth of my sayinge maye appeare These be hys very wordes I shall make confession before all you reuende and holy fathers geue me I pray you a good absolution It chaunced me once about midnight sodenly to awake than the deuyl SathaÌ„ began with me this disputation Heare sayd he doctour Luther very wel learned thou knowest thou hast said priuate masses xv yeres almost daily What if such priuate masses be horrible ydolatry what if there wer not preseÌ„t the bodye and bloud of Christ but thou haddest honored onely bread and wine haddest caused other to honor it to whoÌ„ I answered I am an anoynted priest haue receyued vnction coÌ„secration of a bishoppe haue done al these thinges by commaundement obedience of mine elders â–ª Why shuld not I coÌ„secrate wheÌ„ I haue pronuÌ„ced y e wordes of Christ haue said masse iÌ„ earnest this thou knowest All this sayde he is true but y e turkes gentiles do likewise al things in their teÌ„ples of obedieÌ„ce in earnest The priestes of Hieroboam dyd all they dyd of a certayne zeale intent againste the true priestes in HierusaleÌ„ â–ª What yf they orderynge and consecratynge wer false as the priestes of the Turkes and Samaritans were false and their seruyce of god false and wycked First sayd he thou knowest thou haddest than no knowledge of Christ nor true fayth and for faythe thou waste no better than a Turke For the Turke and all the deuyls also beleue the storye of Christ that he was borne crucified and dead â–ª c. But the Turke and we dampned sprites doe not truste to hys mercy nor haue not hym for a mediatour and sauiour but feare hym as a cruell iudge Such a fayth and no other haddest thou when thou receyuest vnction of y e byshoppe and al other both they y t dyd annoynct and were annoyncted thought so and no other wise of Christe â–ª Therefore ye fled from Christe as a cruell iudge to blessed Mary and y e sainctes they wer mediators betwene you Christ. Thus was Christ robbed of his glory â–ª This neyther thou nor no other papist can deny I wold reade more of this boke but for troubling you He y t lyâ—t to knowe what maye be sayd against priuate masse let hym learne here of y e deuil ynough For here is al that hath yet bene sayde of any other and more to The deuyls derlinges wer ashamed to say halfe so much as their father Sathan lest they shulde be called blasphemous lyers as he is But by this boke Luthers owne confession set forthe in prynt by him selfe to y e world ye maye knowe that the deuyll was the first y t euer barked agaynste y e sacrifice of the churche whiche is the masse knowing that his kyngdome of sinne and iniquitie coulde not stand if this sacrifice most aduersarie to it were not defaced and destroyed But what colour had Luther to publishe this shall we thynke he was so madde as to father that vpoÌ„ the deuyll that he woulde haue persauded for trueth to the worlde I shall tell you shortlye hys fonde deuyse in thys poynte as it foloweth fyue or sixe leaues here after He sayeth he knoweth the deuyl is a lyer but he saieth hys lyes be craftye he vseth to alledge a trueth whyche can not be denied and wyth that to colour hys lye which he persaudeth And therefore sayeth he the deuyll lyeth not when he accuseth as that I had committed horrible Idolatry in sayinge priuate masses but the lye is when he dyd afterwarde tempt him to dispayre of gods mercy But saith Luther I wyll not dispayre as Iudas dyd but amende that I haue done amysse neuer saye priuate masse agayne O what a cloke of mischiefe is this al grounded of lyes and falshode He sayth the deuyll lyeth not when he accuseth If that be true then he sayd true when he saide that Luther being a preacher manye yeares neuer had true fayth in Christ tyl he fel from the masse nor neuer trusted in Christes mercy nor neuer toke hym for a sauiour but a cruell iudge Of this the deuyll dyd accuse him whether he was a lyer herein or no iudge you Also in hys accusation he sayde the body and bloude of Christ wer not present in the sacrament when suche annoyncted priestes dyd consecrate and that they honored onely bread wine with many other damnable lyes and heresyes whiche whoso shall read the boke maye fynde in great plentie and yet by Luthers principle the deuyl neuer lyeth when he accuseth Now because y e tyme is farre past shortly to conclud I shal most humblye beseche you to consider and regarde the saluation of your soules for the whiche Christe Gods sonne hath shed his preciouse bloud which saluation canne not be attayned w toute knowledge confession of gods truth reueled to his holy church by her to euery membre of her childe of god whose sentence and determination is sure certen as procedinge froÌ„ the pyller of trueth the spirite of god by whoÌ„ we be taught and assured in goddes owne word that in y e blessed sacrament of the aulter â–ª by the power of the holy gost working with gods word is verely really present the bodye and bloud of our sauiour Christe vnder the formes of bread wyne whiche is by Christes owne commaundement example offered to almightye god in sacrifice in commemoration of Christes passion and death wherby the membres of the churche in whose fayth it is offered bothe they that be alyue and departed perceyue plentuouse and abundaunt grace and mercye and in al their necessities and calamities releife and succur â–ª Our moste merciful father graunt vs to persist stedfast constant in the true catholike faythe and confession of this most blessed Sacrament and sacrifice and with pure deuotion as he hathe ordayned to vse frequent this holye misterye of vnitie reconsiliation that we maye therby remayne in him and he in vs for euermore To whome be all glorye and prayse wyth out ende AMEN ¶ Imprinted at London in Paules churche yarde at the sygne of the