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
and yet antychrist is not come therfore by this continuall sacrifice was mente the sacrifice of the blessed masse which antychrist labouringe all that he can to destroye christes fayth and his whole religion shall abolisshe and cause to ceasse for three yeres space and the halfe for so longe by Daniels saint Ihons sayenge he shall reigne wherfore Martyn Luther and his scolers endeuourynge them selues to take awaye this holy sacrifice of the masse are the messangers of Antichryst makyng redy and preparyng against his commynge that people may receyue and honoure him for the verytue messyas and sauyour of the worlde Christe our sauyour reiected and vtterly forsakeÌ„ as he him selfe dyd prophicye sayenge to the Iewes I came in the name of my IoaÌ„ 5. father and ye dyd not receaue me an other shall come in his owne name ye wyll receaue hym But I wyll passe ouer this and goo forward vpon my purpose to proue that the masse is a very sacrifice and fyrst by fygures of the olde testament We rede in the xiiii chap. of the Gene. that Melchizedech whâ—che was both a king also a preist Of Melchisedech dyd offre in sacrifice breade and wine when Abraham was retourned froÌ„ the kyllyng of .iiii. kinges for these be the wordes of yâ— letter At vero Melchizedec rexsaleÌ„ profereÌ„s paneÌ„ vinuÌ„ erat enim sacerdos Gene. 1â— dei altissimi benedixit ei c But verely Melchizedec kynge of SaleÌ„ bringinge forth or offering bread wine for he was a preist of god yâ— higheste blessed Abraham This text doth proue sufficieÌ„tly the Melchizedec did offre to god bread wine in sacrifice to thanke hym for yâ— victory geueÌ„ to AbrahaÌ„ and therfore it must nedes thervpon folow that christ did make sacrifice vnder yâ— forme of bread wine at his last supper instituting the masse for as moch as Melchizedec was a fygure of him his preisthode likewise a figure of christes preisthode according to the prophecy of Dauid â—n the Psalme which is Tues sacerdos Psal 109. in aeternuÌ„ secuÌ„duÌ„ ordineÌ„ Melchizedec Thou art said god the father to christ his son a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchizedec No maÌ„ caÌ„ truely say that christ was a preest after this ordre of Melchiz wheÌ„ he offred vp him selfe on the crosse to his father for our sinnes for theÌ„ he did not offre his body vnder the forme of bread wine but vnder the forme of flesh bloud therfore he was that time so offring sacritice a priest after the ordre of AaroÌ„ not of Melchiz so that this fygure of Melchiz and the prophicy of the holy ghoste pronounced by Dauid were fulfylled by christ at his mandy last supper when he toke breade gaue thankes to god blessed yâ— bread brake it gaue it to his apostles saieng Take eate this is my bodye whiche shall be gyuen to death for you and therfore Christ dyd then offer hys flesh and bloude in sacrifice to god his father and the same also doeth the priest in the masse hauyng autorite so to do coÌ„maunded of hym to do that same thynge whych he dyd afore when he said to his apostles Hoc faicte in mei commemorationem Luc. 22. Do ye this for my remembraunce as Luke maketh mentioÌ„ in his gospell But nowe let vs se what they saye whiche are of the contrarye opinion that the masse is no sacrifice to proue that this autoritie of the Genesis makethe not for vs to perswade that Melchiz dyd at that tyme offre to god breade and wyne in sacrifice Fyrst they say that the texte of the Genesis An obiectiâ— hath not offereÌ„s vel sacrificaÌ„s panem vinum offerynge or sacrifisynge breade and wyne but proferens bryngyng forth bread and wyne and therfore this place proueth not that Melehiz dydde make then sacryfyce to god To that I aunswere that the texte in dede hath euen so as they say and yet it proueth right well and sufficiently that Melchiz dyd then offre sacrifice to god with breade wyne or els why shoulde Moyses haue added a sentence declarynge that Melchiz dyd that thynge as a prieste and because he was a priest For if he had not offred that bread and wine to god in sacrifice there shulde haue ben no cause to say Erat enim sacerdos dei altissimi for he was a priest of the highest god because he myghte haue done it then beynge no preest For it is not the office of a prieste to bryuge forth breadde and wyne to refresshe the hungrye people but rather of a laye man as no man can saye naye and therâ—fore syth Melchizedec dyd this as a preest and exercising yâ— office of a preist the whiche is cheifely to offre sacrifices for the synnes of the people as Paule saith it foloweth that 〈…〉 Melchizedech did make theÌ„ sacrifice wyth bread and wyne Moreouer this argument is very weake and sclender the texte of the Genesis saith that Melchizedec dydde brynge forthe breade and wyne therfore he dyd not offre them in sacrifice for as these two to brynge forth breade and wine and to offre them are not coÌ„trary euen so Melchizeder dyd bryng forth those thinges not to feade AbrahaÌ„ and his souldiers as anone it shal appere but to offre them vnto god in sacrifice to giue him thankes for the greate victorye by hym geuen to Abraham Now where many men folowing therein the Iewes as it appereth in Lire vpon the Genesis do affyrme that Melchizedech Lirâ— dyd not ofâ—re bread and wine in sacrifice to god but onlye broughte theÌ„ forth to refresh AbrahaÌ„ his souldiers they are very bliÌ„d so to say For they neaded not his bread nor wine hauing sufficieÌ„t vittals brought with theÌ„ there hence where they got the victory as it appereth in yâ— letter Also is it like that Melch. had bread wyne ynough in store to refresh so many souldiers being in nuÌ„ber aboue .iii. c. Beside this who that wise is wold say the AbrahaÌ„ if he had had any such nede wolde not haue gon rather to some other man for succoure then to the priest of the hyghest god AbrahaÌ„ also gaue to Melchyzedech tythes of yâ— spoyles gotteÌ„ in warre as Paul wytnesseth whiche he wolde not Heb. 7. haue done yf he had wanted necessaries for him and his souldyers Finally AbrahaÌ„ brought with him all Lothes goodes besides the substaunce of the foure kynges whiche he had sleane before and therefore he neaded not to begge breade and wyne of goddes preeste Melchizedech But ye wyll saye to me the text An obiectioÌ„ hath not in Hebrewe a worde declaringe a cause for the Hebrewe worde signifieth only in englyshe and and therfore that texte maketh not sufficiently to proue that Melchy dyd offre that breade and wyne in sacrifice To that I make The aÌ„swer aunswere fyrst that saint Hierom whiche was excellently learned in â—he
do go in this the apostles cannon or rule sette forth for that verye same thynge But yet ones more lette vs se what the apostles haue sayde in this matter which thus doth speake Si quis episcopus Canone 2. aut presbyter aut diaconus aut quilibet ex sacer dotali catalogo facta oblatione non communicauerit aut dicat causam vt si fuerit rationabilis ueniam consequatur aut si non dixerit communione priuetur tanquam quipopulo causa laesionis extiterit dans suspicionem de eo qui sacrificanerit quod non recte obtulerit That is in oure englysh tongue If anye Bysshoppe or preiste or deacon or who thou wylte of the numbre of preistes or spirytuall men shall not receaue his housle whan the sacryfyce is offered eyther lette hym tell the cause thereof that yf it be reasonable he maye gette pardon or yf he do not shewe the cause wherfore he dyd not receaue his communion at masse let hym not haue his housell lyke as he which gaue an occasioÌ„ of harme or hurte to the people geuyng to theÌ„ a suspicion of him which dyd offre sacrifice that he did not offre or make sacrifice well ynoughe or after a ryght fasshyon Hytherto the apostles of our sauiour christ in theyr boke of canons or rules whose wordes are so playne clere vppon oure syde agaynst Marten Luther and his scholers that nothyng can be more plaine Therfore let Luther go wyth his fonde wycked dyuelly she heresye agaynst the sacrifice of the masse good Christen reader folowe christes and his holye apostles Doctryne so clerely makynge for this truth Moreouer s Audrew one of the apostels dyd offre christes Saynt Andrewe at masse offred sacrifice bodye in sacrifice at his masse as he sayde hym selfe to Aegeas the tyraunt Philaletus testifieng that wrytting the apostles lyues whose wordes are these Ego omnipotenti deo omni die sacrifico non thuris fumum nec hircorum aut tautorum sanguinem sed immaculatum agnum quotidie in altari sacrifico I do sayth he make sacrifice euery day to god almightye not offering in sacrifice smoke of Frankynsence nor the bloud of goates or of bulles but I offre in sacrifice daylye on the aultare the vndefyled lambe Be not these manifest wordes and inough to satisfye euery man beynge not ouer moche geuen to the blynde errour of Luther Saynt Clement whiche S. ClemeÌ„t was a companion of Paules in teachyng the gospell of Chryste vsed this fourme as Bassario testifieth when he dydde saye masse Rogamus ut mittas domme spiritum Basssario libri de sacramento altaris sanctum tuum super hoc sacrificiuÌ„ qui efficiat hunc panem corpus Christi tui quod in calice est sanguineÌ„ filij tui That is We beseche the o lorde to sende thy holy spirite vpon this sacrifice whiche maye make this breade the bodye Saint Clement Paules companyon maketh mention of thâ— masse as we reade in the .lxxiii. canon therefore it is no new thinge as Luther sayth it is of thy christe or annoynted that thynge which is in the cuppe or chalyce the bloud of thy sonne Here we se that saint ClemeÌ„t whiche was instructed by the apostels in Christes faith religion toke the masse to be a sacrifice Whether is he more of credence or Martyn Luther Nowe tâ— make ones an ende of the prouynge the truth I wyll reherse the auncient doctours sayenges in this matter and that done I wyll aunswere to the scriptures wrested froÌ„ their true sense to the mayntenaunce of this heresy by Martyn Luther his scholers ¶ What the doctours haue said in the matter of the sacrifice of the masse here it appeareth euidently Interroga obsecro generationem pristinam praeparate ad inuestigationeÌ„ yatrumtuoruÌ„ Iob. 8. and also that we ought to beleue them agremge together in any thynge touchyng our faith for because than they erre not THe scripture is very hard to be perceiued Ne transferas terminâ—s antiquos quos fecerunt patres prouâ— 23 as s Peter saith in his second epystle though it seme or be iudged neuer so plaine and easye to some men whiche in verye dede are not learned therein and therfore it is not conuement that euery man do vnderstande it after his owne fansie for that hath bene and yet is the cause of many errours but we The scripture is hard to be vnderstande and the true sense of it must be learned of the holy doctours muste leaue and cleaue to the aunciente doctors expositions made and publisshed therevpon For as god chose them to be doctors and teachers of his worde and gaue to theÌ„ his holy spirite which now these dayes many do arrogantly callenge but vntruely eueÌ„ so they dyd spende theyr tyme whollye in praier and studieng the scripture that thereby they myghte atteyne the true sense thereof But ye will saye to me as many fonde people are wont to say may not god now giue to men the spirite of truth as he dyd to the apostles or els to the doctours of the church Is he not nowe both as stronge that he can do it and also as kynde and liberall that he wyll do it as he was before our tyme To that blynde reasons I aunswere that god can do it if he lyst but he can do many and sundrye thynges whiche he wyll neuer do For he can make this man a kynge reysynge hym as Dauyd sayeth a poore man from the donge hill and that man a byshoppe whiche he wyll neuer do The thinges whiche he doth are euer done in a semely ordre as Paule affirmeth Nowe an ordre Rom. 13. requireth that in Christes church some shulde be teachers and some learners some maisters and some scholers as in mannes bodye to the whiche Paule compared the 1. Cor. 12. churche some membres haue one office and workynge and some an other and not all one office The eyes do se the eares heare so the doctours seyng the truth do teach and the learners doo heare theyr lessons Therefore god made not Saint Iames the thirde chapter exhorteth men not to coueâ—te the office of a teacher for the danger therof Math. 15. all men indifferently doctours as nowe men wolde be foule deceauynge both themselues and also many other while they beynge blynde do leade the blynde and falle thereby bothe together in to the denne of erroure and damnacion but as Paule saith he gaue to the instructynge of hys people some apostelles some prophettes some euangelystes some shepeherdes and some doctours and therefore our sauiour sayd to hys disciples Vobis datuÌ„ est nosse mysteriuÌ„ regni dei It is geueÌ„ not to Luc. 8. all men but to you to knowe the mysteries or secretes of the scrypture the knoweledge of the whiche is the keye of heauen gates Dydde not god appoynte Esdras to teache the lawe to the people as we reade in the scrypture
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
only because the holy apostels taughte the churche that All catholyke churches do baptise infantes though that be not coÌ„maunded in scripture doctrine and it hath ben obserued through al churches of the worlde euer since therefore by that autoritie and reason they muste nedes runne into heresie that denye the masse prayers with other good deades to be auaileable for the deade because it is a tradition of the apostles to praye to geue almes and saie masses for them and it hath ben kepte accustomedly in all churches of Christe from that time to this tyme and shal be till the worldes ende as Damas saith because it is a truth of our lord whiche Sermone pro defunctis shal abide for euer as Dauyd the ê“phet saith Moreouer Damas telleth that one Palladius an old writer of histories writing of a holy maÌ„ called Macarius which had wrought manye greate miracles thus saith of him Quia faciebat ê“ consuetudine sua ê“ defuÌ„ctis pÌ„ces scireque desiderabat nuÌ„qê“ illis ê“desset et coÌ„solatio illis inde proueniret Deus amator animaruÌ„ uolens hoc suo seruo pluribus et certis argumeÌ„tis pate facere cranio ê™ exaruerat verbuÌ„ ueritatis inspirauit ê“rupit enim cranium in hec verba QuaÌ„do pro mortuis offers preces coÌ„solatiunculaÌ„ sentimus That is to wit WhaÌ„ that holy man Macariê° A myracle doone to shewe that praiers of the quycke do profytte the deade dyd after his custome pray for the dead and was desirous to knowe whether that he did any ê“fit to them or no whether they had any comforte thereof God the louer of soules wyllinge to disclose or declare this thinge by many certen reasoÌ„s makiÌ„g a profe to his seruaÌ„t dyd inspire the foremoost parte of a skull which was dried with the worde of truth For the foremoost parte of the skull brast out saieng these wordes Whan thou doest offer prayers for the deade we feele coÌ„forte in aduersite Lo here a great miracle to proue this matter as there are written in olde bokes many mo whiche I wyll passe ouer to be short and bring ones againe Damas contione de defunctis IdeÌ„ hrbet D Hugo Aetherianorum lib. de regressu animarum ab inferis saint Damascenes saienge which is this Nisi hoc in oculis dei misericordis rectum foret nunque occasionem dedisset habendae memoriae defunctorum in sacrificio illo incruento anniuersariorum quae nunc inconcussa certiora quam de quibus iudicandum sit apostolica catholicaque ecclesia ac populus domino collectus pietatique deditus absque omni contradictione custodit This is in oure speache Excepte to praie and to offer sacrifice at the masse for the soules departed shulde be in goddes mercifull sighte righte he wolde neuer haue giuen an occasion of a memorie to be had for the deade in that vnblouddye sacrifice nor of anniuersaries God gaue an occasion of the sacrifice of the masse to be offered and yeares mindes to be kept for the deade as s Damascene doth affirm retourninge euery yeare ones at one tyme Thus moche I haue said of the olde doctours iudgementes in this matter touching the sacrifice of the holy masse and the offerynge of it to god both for the quicke and the deade also vpoÌ„ the which doctrine they are al and whollye agreed and therefore no wise godly christen man or woman wyll rather beleue Martyn Luther Eucer Bullynger Melancton Iohn Frith Bale or any of that yll heare then all these auncient fathers of the whiche some were taughte and instructed by the apostles some by their disciples scolers therfore no maÌ„ that wise is or godly wil doubt but they did know the truth much better than any maÌ„ of a later time not lerning it of theÌ„ and their bokes All the doctours of christes church do affirme that the masse is a sacrifice auaileable both to the quicke and the dead Luther Ihon Frith with a rablement of like rascalles denie it whether party wilt thou good reader beleue al these holy fathers or these leude vnlerned later writers very natural reasoÌ„ wyt yf nothing els shuld persuade that rather to beleue these auÌ„cieÌ„tes thaÌ„ these other which now write like to theÌ„ nether in yeres nor lerning Valeriê° Maximus An hystory of Valeriê° Maximus sheweth that the Romanes dyd in a matter risen betwene two men of the which the one was of muche honestie and fidelitie the other of very litle vertue credeÌ„ce gyue seÌ„tence vpon the honest maÌ„s part for his truthe and honesties sake when his aduersary laide against hym a certaine cryme The story is this CuÌ„ Marcus aemelius Scaurus vir clarissimus ac exploratae probitatis a vario SuccroneÌ„si uiro paruÌ„ syncero apud populuÌ„ accusaretur atque accusator long a oratioÌ„e perorasset ille maximo coÌ„pendio vsus est eo ê™ sua populi consceÌ„tiaÌ„ fretus non voluit oratione coÌ„teÌ„dere Querites inquit Variê° SuccroneÌ„sis ait Aemiliê° Scaurê° negat Vtri potius CredeÌ„duÌ„ ceÌ„setis quibê° verbis applaudeÌ„te populo falsaÌ„ sâ—bi inteÌ„taâ—aÌ„liteÌ„ coÌ„sopiuiâ— That is Whan Marke Aemyle Scaurus a man most honorable or famous and of goodnes well knowen was accused to the people of Varius SuccroneÌ„sis a maÌ„ of lyttle purenes or symplycytie and the accusar had reasoned to an ende with a longe oration Marke Aemile vsed a very shorte fourme for because he trusted vppon hys owne coÌ„science the peoples also he wolde not striue with reasonynge but saide onely for his defence againste his aduersarie O Romaines Varius SuccroneÌ„sis affirmeth that I am gylty in this faulte Aemelius Scaurus denyeth it To whiche of these two doo you iudge credence shuld be giueÌ„ with the which wordes he ceassed or sette at rest the action falsely entred against him the people mouing their handes or feete for ioy Lo good reader amonge the Romaines which then were infidels the famousenes and surely knoweÌ„ goodnes of the person was a sufficiente cause to geue sentence with a signe of ioye vpon the famous and good mannes syde saieng onely for his defeÌ„ce that he was falselye accused against his aduersary being yl pleading his actioÌ„ with many wordes The honourable and good Marke said to the people myne aduersarye saith that I am gyltye I saye naye whether thinke you ought to be beleued The people mouing their handes or feete for ioy the good maÌ„ Marke was discharged of that actioÌ„ thorough those his fewe wordes for his goodnes and fames sake So in this presente controuersie of the sacrifice of the masse saint Dionise saint Ignatius S. Anaclet saint Alexander saint Clemente s Cyprian with all other catholycke doctours of all ages do saye that the masse is a sacrifice appeasinge goddes wrath Martyn Luther Suynglius Oecolampius Bucers shoulde be praied for to our lorde The thirde councel holden at Carthago hath a lyke decre and other diuers whiche I wyll passe
shamefullye deceyued in this matter puttynge no difference betwene the merite of remission of synne and the applyeng of suche merite The church of Christ neuer taught otherwise than that Christ onely was a sacrifice deseruynge or meritinge grace and for giuenesse of synne for vs the only 1. Cor. 6. 7 Ti. 2 1. P◠2. Apo. 1. 5 14 pryce for the raunsom of the hole worlde and the only redemption whiche boughte vs with the pryce of his precious bloude and yet the masse is a sacrifice representynge and aduertisinge vs of Christes blouddy sacrifice and deth by the which the grace as I haue already sayde and remission of synne that christe through that his sacrifice dyd merite for vs is applyed to vs If thou wylt say that christ as Paules mind was did so take awaye al synne with that his one oblatiō or sacrice done on the crosse that we neade nowe no sacrifices for the purgynge of synne than what nede we the sacrifice of confession made to god of laude thankes gyuynge of a contryte harte of mortifienge our affections and lustes of alines semblable other whiche god commaundeth in scripture to be done wherefore thinke not good reader that saint Paule mente that christe had so satisfyed for oure synnes with that his one oblation doone on the crosse that thereby all other sacrifices are annulled abrogated and abolyshed cleane as vnfrutefull and vnnecessarye but onely to declare of what and how greatte efficacie force and strength that sacrifice was and is for the takynge away of sinne and makyng a man beleuynge and repenting for his vices committed perfect before god whiche al the sacrifices of the olde lawe a thousande tymes and oftener offered coulde neuer bryng to passe and therefore they ought to be forsaken and lefte of Christes onelye sacrifice receiued embraced and obserued This was sainte Paules onelye mynde as the letter it selfe euydentelye shewethe But yet ye wyll percase say to me CHRISTE dydde sufficiently An obiectiō perfectly satisfye for our sinnes with this one oblation and made the sanctyfyed perfecte for euer as saint Paule here affirmethe therfore there is no neade at all of the sacrifice of the masse to satisfy for our sinnes or to make vs perfecte afore god This is a greate blyndnes of men Dyd not chryst also sufficiently faste wepe pray for vs yet we must fast wepe praye for our sinnes forgiuenesse dyd not he also pray being in this world sufficiently for our trespaces Heb. 5 and that notwithstandyng he cesseth not to praye for vs Therefore Ro. 8. Heb. 9. Gene. ◠lyke as god dyd make al thinges perfect within the space of .vi. dayes and yet he worketh euen now as christ sayd in conseruing the same his creatures so christ with one oblation dyd sufficiently and perfectly worke our saluation me rytynge for vs grace remyssion of synnes and glorie and yet he ceasseth not nor will tyll the worldes ende to worke oure health and saluation by the holye sacramentes and diuers other meanes wherby we are made partakers of that his moost sufficient and perfect oblation and sacrifice or els we shoulde be damned for euer Reade Chrysostome the .xvii. homilie on thys epystle in whom thou shalt fynde that the preiste at masse doth offre christ in sacrifice notwithstādinge that Paule saith that Christe dyd make vs perfect with one oblatiō Of this sufficient now to the next reason fet lykewise out of the same Paules epistle where he thus sayeth Vbi peccatorum remissio iam The eyghte reason non est oblatio pro peccato That is Where or after there is remyssion of synne forth with there is no oblation for synne to these wordes they adde But christ hath through his death and oblation done vpō the crosse taken awaye the synnes of all the worlde as manye textes of the scripture do wytnesse therefore there remaineth no sacrifice or oblation necessary for the doyng away of synne and so the masse is no sacrifice for synne Saint Hilarye good christen reader sayd wel that he is a good Lib. 4. de trinitate and a mete reader of the scripture whiche bringeth not with hym in his fansy or heade the vnderstādyng of it labouring to make it seme to signifie that thyng which he hath afore conceaued and fantisied but taketh the vnderstandynge of it of the causes why it was writtē and the circumstaunce of the text As Martyn Luther and his scholers do not but cleane contrary These wordes of Saynte Paule make as muche againste the sacrifice of laude thankesgyuyng to god for his benefites of penaūce such other as against the sacrifice of the holy masse as it is euydente therefore let vs see what Paule ment by them Truelye his The solutiō mynde was to shewe vnto the Iewes which wold that the olde law and the sacrifices of it shoulde be kept with christes gospel and that his death was not a sacrifice sufficiente to put awaye mannes sinne but it was nedefull that the olde sacrifices shulde helpe thereunto that Christe by offerynge hym selfe ones vpon the crosse dydde so perfectely and sufficiently take awaye synne that afterward there neaded none other sacrifice of Moses law than abolyshed no nor it was not necessarye that Chryste shoulde dye agayne to offer eftesones sacrifice for synne as thoughe that one sacrifice done on the crosse were not sufficient This is nothinge againste the sacrifice of the masse for as muche as that is not a sacrifice of Moses lawe nor yet distincte from the sacrifice of the crosse but the selfe same thoughe the maner of offrynge be Chrisosto ho. 17. im Heb. dyuers For on the crosse Christe was offered vnder the fourme of flesshe and bloude vysyblye wyth shedynge of his precious bloude but in the sacrament at masse he is offered vnder the fourme of bread and wyne inuisibly and yet this dyuersitie of offring doth not make the sacrifice dyuers but it remainethe euer one lyke as the flesshe rawe and rosted is one and a man clothed and naked But yet some peraduenture wyl say yf our synnes be forgyuen done clane awaye by christes death and sacrifice An obiection commōly moued of foles vnlearned why shuld we neade to haue the masse sayde and christe therin offered in sacrifice for them I say to that fonde question that as wel they may aske why shuld baptisme penaunce fastynge almes praier The solutiō fayth hope feare charite and such other be neadfull syth our synnes are forgyuē by christes passion Maye it not be sayed to these men Matt. 22. as christe sayed to the iewes Erratis nescientes scripturas ye do erre or go out of the waye knowynge not the scriptures because they thinke that christ hath by his deth so taken awaye synne that there ◠grosse errour of many men is none remaynynge amonge vs. For than wherefore shulde chryste teache vs to praye for remission of oure synnes
in it onelye than CHRIST had not offered hym selfe in sacrifice at his death whiche is agaynste the scrypture for than he was not in anye temple but on the mounte of caluary as the gospels do playnelye tell This reason therefore is cleane and clerelye doone awaye yet Luther goeth forth thus reasonyng If the masse were a sacrifice The .xxv. reason we myghte therewith worshyppe and honoure god But we can not so do Therefore it is no sacrifice That we can not worshyp god with the masse he goth about this to proue by the wordes of Christe written that fourth of Iohns gospel Io. 4. Oportet eos qui adoraÌ„t deuÌ„ in spiritu veritate adorare They that do worshyppe god muste worshyp in spirite and truth therefore the masse which is an outward thing can not serue anye thinge for the worshyppynge of god as it shuld do yf it were a sacrifice and for that cause it is none This reason is grounded vpon The solutioÌ„ the yll takynge of christes wordes whiche do not exclude al outward thinges from the honouringe of god as Martyn Luther and his scholers suppose but they shewe that in the time of the newe lawe the figures and ceremonies of tholde lawe shulde ceasse and be anulled clerelye so that it shulde be lefull for men to worshyppe god not only in the temple of Hierusalem as it was duringe the olde lawe but they shulde honoure hym in euery place in spirite truth Also christ ment by those wordes that the errour of theÌ„ which did worship god in the hyll or mountaine called Seir as the Samaritanes dyd shulde likewise be taken awaye as the text it selfe playnlye declareth that christ ment and therefore this letter maketh vtterly nothynge agaynst the sacrifice of the masse whiche is no ceremony of the Iewes law nor errour of the gentiles but a sacrifice instituted by christ at his laste supper the whiche he that doth offer deuoutly to god doth honour and worshyppe hym in spirite truth wherefore this argument is aunswered vnto sufficiently Martyn Luther wold haue in the new law no outward sacrifice suche as the masse is but only inwarde spirituall as to offer to god our bodyes in sacrifice thorowe mortifyenge out affections and carnal lustes Rom 12 to offer laudes and thankes to god for his benefites bestowed on vs with suche other sacrifices which euery christen man womaÌ„ offreth to god is therby a preist as Peter Ihon in the Apocalips 1. â—â— 2 Apo 1 â— 5 do witnes and there is none other preist no sacrifice nor preisthoode but this only Hitherto Luter whiche dyd not se he was so blynded or els he wold not se such was his myscheuous malyce that in the lawe of nature men offered to god outward sacrifices as Abel Noe Melch. and other dyuers were not content to honour god with in warde sacrifices onlye Also in the tyme of Moses lawe the Iewes dyd likewise by goddes owne commaundemente why therfore shuld not christen people after semblable and lyke maner worshyppe god in the tyme of the newe lawe sythe euery lawe hathe a sacrifice or a sorte of sacrifices propre to it as a kynde of preisthode also Nor it is not to be marueiled at whye The. 〈◊〉 reason saynt Paule so largely intreating of christes preisthode and of the coÌ„parison betwene hym and Melch made no mentyon of the sacryfice of the masse which is after the order of Melchizedech For sainte Paule speketh there only of those Heb. 7. The solution thinges whiche myght make any thinge for the auauncynge and settinge forthe of the excellency of Christes preisthoode before the preisthood of Moyses lawe to the entent he myght cause the Iewes to leaue and forsake that sacrifice of Moses and cleane onely to christes beinge farre more excellente and of greater streÌ„gth to saue maÌ„ than the other to the whiche purpose it shoulde nothynge haue helped if he had entreated of christes sacrifice vnder fourme of breade wyne as it is euydente to all learned men therefore in that whole epistle to the Hebrewes Paule neuer spake of that sacrifice but onlye of that which Christe offered ones vppon the crosse whereby he made man perfitte in soule which thing al Moyses sacrifices could neuer bringe to passe and for that cause christe whiche offered that noble sacrifice was and is a preist muche more excellente than Moyses preistes were Nowe we se how lyttle it maketh against the sacrifice of the holye masse that Paule spake not thereof in his epistle seÌ„t to the Hebreus Moreouer it foloweth not that the masse is no sacrifice because Paule to the Hebrewes spake not of it for many thynges are true not ones touched there Thirdely it was a matter to hard for the capacitie of the Iewes to perceaue howe the masse shulde be a sacrifice auaileable for the quick and the deade for they neded easye doctrine rather thaÌ„ hard as Paul saythe to them the fyfte chapter therefore he made no mention of that matter to them Nowe where Luther allegeth the twelfe of the Romaines the seconde of saint Peters first epistle the Apocalipse to proue al christen people prestes he is deceiued shamefully because those textes do proue as well that all christeÌ„ folke be kinges as preistes so they are iÌ„ dede spiritually in wardly for asmuch as they do rule their affectioÌ„s carnal desires with the bridel of reason which is a kinges office they offre spiritual sacrifices to god as praier thaÌ„kesgiuiÌ„g c. being therby spiritual preistes but not as we be that haue taken preisthode of that bishop Hythertoâ— I haue rehersed M. Luthers reasoÌ„s against the masse the disprouing of theÌ„ also now let vs se what one of his scolers called Philip MelaÌ„ethon hath sayd against the same first this he saith beside aboue yâ— which I haue already confuted of Luters his maisters forgyng The scripture saith that we are iustified or made righteous by faythe The. â—xvii reason wheÌ„ we do beleue that oure sinnes be forgiuen for christes sake now if the masse do take away the sinnes of the quick the dead through the worke done our iustificatioÌ„ shulde happeÌ„ by the worke of the masse and not of faith which the scripture suffreth not it foloweth thervpon that the masse is no sacrifice putting away the sinnes of the quicke and dead As touching the first parte of this The solutioÌ„ reason whiche is that we be iustified through faith wheÌ„ we do beleue that our sinnes are forgiueÌ„ vs for christes sake I saye that it is not sufficieÌ„t for the attainemente of rightousnes and remission of oure sinnes to beleue that they be remitted for Christes deathes sake excepte we forsake also our synnes and do diuers thinges ther vnto necessary by the assignement of god in scripture as I mynd to declare in my boke of iustification whiche god willing I wyl