euer after the order of Melchisedech Psalm 110. 4. As much to say as in that Melchisedech was thy figure and likenesse As Mechisedech in that he was a figure of Christ was an euerlasting Priest so thou also the Messiah art the same That which the Apostle saith that Melchisedech was without father without mother is to be vnderstood insomuch as he was the figure of Christ for otherwise had he father and mother and so think some that Melchisedech was Sem. The Priests after the order of Aaron were mortall and none of them continued for euer but he of the order of Melchisedech is immortall and euerlasting Of the order of Aaron were there many but of the order of Melchisedech was there but onely one the same Messiah our redeemer and Lord who in that he is the eternall son of God hath no mother in that he is man borne in this world when the fulnesse of time was come hath no father and as hee is eternall so shall his priesthood be eternall Euery day sing they in their euensongs Iurauit Dominus non poenitebit eum Tu et Sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech But I call their owne consciences to witnesse that dayly sing it if they vnderstand that which euery day they sing Of this order of Melchisedech expect no other priests then Christ But Antichrist is he that shall so terme himselfe to be as he saith the vicar of Christ Hee and all his shavelings and fatlings will say themselues to be Priestes after the order of Melchisedech and not after the order of Aaron But so are they not after the order of Melchisedech sith there is no more but one which is Christ as little are they after the order of Aaron seeing with the death of Christ ceased the Leuiticall priesthood What priests then be the Papists After the order of Baal and so they be enemies of God and of his Prophets which preach against idolatrie The third thing that the Apostle noteth wherein Melchisedech was the figure of Christ is that Melchisedech by reason of his priesthood was much more excellent than Abraham and so as the greater blessed Abraham And Abraham himself acknowledging this maioritie and superioritie gaue vnto him the tithes of the spoyles Such a one truly is Christ vpon whom the redemption righteousnesse sanctification not of Abraham only but of all the faithful also doe depend Here see you the things wherin may we beleeue the Apostle a vessell of election Melchizedeck was the figure of Christ No mention at all maketh he of the sacrifice of bread nor of wine which we doubt the Apostle would haue done had Melchizedeck in this bene a figure of Christ The place which they cite of Malachy saith thus For from the rising of the sun vntill the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles And in euery place shal be offered to my name pure incense and Myrrach which we translate present or guift The common edition wherunto our aduersaries giue more credit then to the Ebrew text translateth Et in omni loco sacrificatur offertur nomini meo oblatio munda To wit And in euery place is sacrificed and offered to my name a cleane offering Here hence they conclude that this cleane offering which in euery place is sacrificed and offered is the sacrifice of the masse But the Masse being a profanatiō of the holy supper as before we haue proued it cannot be a present nor offering which is offered to God nor acceptable to him whereof it followeth that this Incense and present Of which speaketh Malachy is another thing farre different from the Masse It is say I the sacrifice not expiatory but Eucharistical of prayse and thanksgiuing which the faithful euery day and moment doe offer to God As before wee haue said in the one hundred forty one Psal and 2. verse The Prophet vseth these two very names which we translate Incence and offering The which place none vnderstand of the Masse because the Prophet saith An euening sacrifice But their Masse is said in the morning It is no new thing with God when his people his priests and princes prouoked him with their superstitions and Idolatries to threaten them that he would forsake them that he would nought esteeme them that he would take vnto himselfe another people which should serue him much better Of whom he would haue great regard S. Paul alleageth to this purpose a notable passages when he saith But I say hath not Israel attained to knowledge First Moses saith I will prouoke you to ielousie with a people which is not mine with a foolish people I will prouoke you to wrath also Esaias is bold to say I was foūd of those that sought me not I was manifested to them that enquired not for me c. The same doth the Lord in the place of Malachias which we haue in hand forsaking the Iewes he saith I take no pleasure in you saith the Lord of hostes neither do I regard the offerings of your handes You see here how he forsaketh the Iewish people And then in the following verse hee admitteth the Gentiles saying For from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles And in euery place shal be offered to my name Incense and a pure offering Then saith God That his Church should now no more be straightned in Iudea But that it should extend throughout all the world Which was fulfilled when the Lord sent his Apostles throughout all the world to preach the Gospell to euery creature Then did Malachy prophesie the calling and conuersion of the Gentiles which hartily conuerted should offer Incense and a pure offering vnto God That is to say That they shall serue him with spirituall worshippe and seruice and shall worship him in spirit and truth and not in this mountaine nor at Ierusalem As said Christ to the woman of Samaria but throughout al the world The prophets when they will speake of the calling of the Gentiles are wont to signifie the spirituall worship Whereunto they exhort them by the ceremonies of the lawe And in stead of saying that all the people should turne vnto God They say That they shall goe vp to Ierusalem In stead of saying that all the people of the South and of the East shall worship God they say that they shall offer for a present the riches of their land To shewe the great and abundant knowledge which he was to giue to his faithfull in the kingdome of Christ they say That the Daughters shal prophesie the young men shal see visions old men shal dreame dreames So now Malachy willing to say that the Gentiles shall worship God in spirit and in truth saith that they shall offer Incense and an offering which bee things which God in the lawe commaunded the Iewes to offer vnto him and addeth pure to
the day houre and moment when Christ offered it for which cause it neither ought nor may be reiterated without doing most great iniurie to Christ as though his sacrifice which he once offered were not fufficient to obtain pardon for all sins that therefore another new sacrifice were needful or at the least to reiterat the old All as many as were or shal be saued not onely since the death of Christ but before his death also frō the first iust Abel vnto the last were are shal be saued by the vertue of this only sacrifice once offered Otherwise must he often haue suffered since the foundation of the world But now in the end of the world hath he appeared once to put away sin by the sacrifice of himselfe These be the words of the Apostle against which nothing impugneth that which S. Iohn saith in his Reuelatiō That the Lambe Christ was slaine frō the beginning of the world for Iesus Christ but onely once died this was whē Tiberius Caesar was Emperor which is now 1566. yeares since How thē saith S. Iohn that he died frō the beginning of the world To this say we that S. Iohn meant that the sacrifice which Christ offred did not only profit those that in the time of Christ or sithence liued but all those also which were long time before frō the beginning of the world For all before the death of Christ which beleeued that the seed of the woman which is Christ should breake the head of the serpent which is the diuel were neither more nor lesse saued then these which sithence the death of Christ beleeue that he is come and that by dying he hath ouercome the deuill In the same God whom we beleeue beleued they the same faith which wee hold held they and by the same sacrifice of Iesus Christ one only time no more offred they we are saued The same Sacraments as touching the substance that we haue had they So wittnesseth Saint Paul when he saieth Moreouer Brethren I would not that yee should be ignorant That all our fathers were vnder the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptised vnto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall Rocke that followed them which Rock was Christ This is the difference between them and vs that they beleeued Christ the Messias shuld come and we beleeue that he is already come and hath fulfilled all whatsoeuer was written of him We then here conclude that with one only sacrifice which Iesus Christ offred and this one only time and no more he sanctified for euer all those that from the beginning of the world haue bene are and shall be sanctified The Lord God which whē we were the children of wrath and his enemies hath shewed vs such mercie giue vs grace firmely and constantly to perseuer in this faith perseuering may liue in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life The holy Scripture as we haue seen mentioneth two kinds of Priests which offer sacrifice for sinnes the one after the order of Aaron the other after the order of Melchisedech Many there were after the order of Aaron because being mortall they died and being dead one succeded another After the order of Melchisedech no other Priest there is but only Christ who being an euerlasting Priest and his sacrifice being of euerlasting vertue admitteth no companion for he only is sufficient This priesthood shall shall endure for euer and it is proper to the new Testament wherein there is not nor can be more then one onely Priest which neither hath nor can haue companion nor successor in his office For he is an euerlasting priest and therefore his offering one only time offered is of euerlasting vertue Hereupon we then conclude that if the Masse-priests which say they offer Christ in Sacrifice for the sins of men be Priests instituted by God either they so be after the order of Aaron or after the order of Melchisedech for of these two only orders the scripture maketh mention But Priests they be not after the order of Aaron which already ceased with the death of Christ As little are they of the order of Melchisedech for after this order there is but one only Priest which is Christ Hereuppon it followeth that if they be Priests not by God but by the diuell be they instituted and so be they the Priests of Baal May it please our God and Lord to conuert them Or if they bee vessels of wrath to breake them with his rod of yron that they doe not more mischiefe to the Catholique Church the Spouse of Iesus Christ and with his precious bloud redeemed I trust in mine omnipotent God that one day he will haue mercie vppon our country of Spaine and send the true Elias which with the power of Gods word shal kill these false prophets filthy priests Besides the expiatory sacrifice wherof we haue spoken anothere there is called Eucharisticall of thanksgiuing This sacrifice offereth and ought to offer euery faithfull and Catholique Christian and for such a one he that offereth it not neither is nor ought to be holden What maner of sacrifice this is in the beginning of this Treatise of the Masse we haue before declared And if euery Christian offer vnto God this kind of sacrifice it followeth hereupon that euery Christian seeing he offreth sacrifice is a priest And for this cause God commanded Moses to say these words to all the people of Israel Ye shall be vnto me a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation And S. Peter speaking to all the faithfull saith Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light c. S. Iohn in his Reuelation speaking of the Lambe saith Thou hast made vs vnto our God kings priests Of this which we haue said we conclude Christ only to be the Preist who offring vp himselfe this onely once obtained for vs remission of sins that all faithful christians are priests that not once but manie times euery day euery houre euery moment so ought it to be done do offer sacrifices of praises vnto God And why ought we to praise God to giue him thanks For al the benefits which we receiue ech momēt of him touching both body soule But for this benefit chiefly that passeth all others which is the inestimable benefit that we receiue by the death passion of Christ By the sin of the first Adam we were all made sinners and seruants of sinne sonnes of wrath enemies of God and to two sorts of death temporall and eternall of body soule condemned Strangers we were from the common wealth of Israel
wit If the head of an horse be put to a humane body A distinction truly very rediculous Conclude we this matter with that which was ordeyned in the Councell of Eliberis in Spaine holden about the yeare of the Lord. 335. whose 36. Cannō was as Carranza noteth in his Summa Conciliariorum Placuit picturas in Ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut odoratur in parietibus depingatur It pleaseth vs that pictures ought not to be in the Church lest that be worshipped or adored which is painted on the walles Eliberis where was celebrated this ancient Councell was a Cittie neare vnto that place where is now Granada Eliberis was destroyed and of the ruines thereof was Granada builded or augmented And there is one gate in Granada euen to this day called the gate Deluira corrupting the worde in steed of Elibera The gate is so called because men goe that way to Elibera Had this Cannon made in our countrie of Spaine 1263. yeares past bene obserued in Spaine there had not bene such Idolatrie in Spaine as now there is Vp Lord regard thine owne honour Conuert or confound not being of thine elect all such as worship Pesel grauen or carued Images or Temuna picttures or patternes All that whatsoeuer we haue sayd against Images is meant of those that are made for religion seruice worship and to honour serue and adore them Such Images are forbidden by the law of God And so the Arte of caruing grauing painting and patterne making not done to this end is not forbidden but lawfull The superstition and Idolatrie taken away the Arte is good If there be any people or nation that haue and doe commit inward and outwarde Idolatrie it is the Popish Church For what else see we in their Temples houses streetes and crosse-streetes but Idolles and Images made and worshipped against the expresse commaundement of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image No nation hath bene so barbarous to thinke that which they outwardly beheld with their eyes to be God They supposed as before we haue said their Iupiter Iuno Mars Venus to be in Heauen whom they worshipped in the Images that did represent them Many of the Moores Turkes and Iewes would conuert vnto Christ were it not for the offence and scandall of Images in the Churches Therefore said Paulus Pricius a most learned Hebrew which became in a Christian Paue that it was very meet Images should be taken out of the Temple for they were the cause that many Iewes became not Christians The Popish Church doth not onely commit the Idolatrie of the Gentiles but farre exceed them also One Idolatrie it committeth which neuer Pagan nor Gentile euer committed It beleeueth the bread and wine in the Masse called a sacrifice celebrated by her Pope or a Priest made by the authoritie of the Pope to be no representation nor commemoration of the Lordes death but his very body and bloud the same Iesus Christ as bigge and great as he was vpon the crosse And so as very God doth worship it We will then in this first Treatise proue by the Lords assistance whose cause we now maintaine the Pope to be a false Priest and very Antichrist that such Idolatrie and other much more he hath inuented in the Church In the second Treatise we will also proue by the same assistance the Masse to be a false Sacrifice and great Idolatrie And because our chiefe purpose is not so much to beat downe falshood as to aduance the truth after we haue shewed the Pope to be a false Priest And the Masse a false Sacrifice we will shew also which is the argument of the Apostle in the Epistle written to the Hebrewes Iesus Christ to be the true and onely Priest and his most holy body and bloud which he offered vnto his father vpon the Crosse to be the true and only sacrifice where with the eternall father is well pleased and receiueth vs into his fauour and friendship iustifying vs by faith and giuing vs his holy spirit of Adoption whereby we crie Abba father and liue in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life And so be glorified of him to reigne ' with him for euer Many will wonder that we with so great constancie or as they call it sawsinesse reiect condemne and abhore the Pope and his Masse And therefore doe slaunder and defame vs not among the common people onely but amongest the Nobles also and great Lordes Kinges and Monarches that we are fantasticke heady arrogant sedicious rebellious partiall and many other false reportes they raise against vs wherewith they fill and breake the eares of the ignorant and of all those that take pleasure to heare them To shew them then that it is no foolish opinion nor fantasie which doth lead vs neither any ambition vaine glory nor other passion that doth alter moue or transport our minds but a good zeale rather of the glory of God and feruent desire of the health of our owne soules A reason will we giue in this first Treatise vnto all that desire to heare vnderstand it of that which we beleeue hold concerning the Pope and his authoritie And chiefely if we be asked because as saith Saint Peter we ought to be ready with meekenesse and reuerence to make answere to euery one that demaundeth a reason of the hope which we hold The reason then which we giue for reiecting condemning and abhorring the Pope and flying from him as from the pestilence is his euill life and wicked doctrine Note also what the Doctors and ancient Councels the holy Scriptures in three wonderfull places chiefly for that purpose say concerning him In the second Treatise we will declare what wee thinke of the Masse and the holinesse thereof The Pope and Masse two pillers of the Popish church be very ancient For it is now a thousād yeares past since they first began to be buylded Their beginnings were very small but they dayly increased adorning and decking themselues vntill they attayned to the estate wherein we now see them For aswell the Pope as the Masse is holden and called God Without are they made very beautifull couered ouer with silke gold siluer cloth of gold rich stones but within is superstition hypocrisie and Idolatrie I haue often pondred with my selfe whether of these two pillers the Pope or the Masse were strongest and more esteemed The vertues excellencie holinesse and diuinitie which they say is in the Masse who can declare How profitable it is for al things liuing and not liuing quick dead By cōsideratiō hereof the Masse I supposed was chiefest and therefore ought to begin with it But the Pope vpon better aduisement mee seemed notwithstanding to be the chiefest piller The reasons mouing me so to beleeue are these that the cause in dignitie is before the effect the creator before the creature the maister before the seruant the Priest before the
Gregorie was condemned and a new Pope made who was called Clement 3 Reade a little lower in Pascual 2. this was the 23. Sisme whom the Emperour placed in the church of S. Peter in Rome and put Rome to such a straight that forced it was to demand peace Gregory seeing himselfe forsaken fled to Salernum where in the 1086 yeere he miserably ended his life Albeit that this Gregory was so abhominable there wanted not papists that said he wrought miracles after his death D. Illescas vpon the life of this Gregory 7. as a great flatterer of the Popes of him saith The Cardinals without much dispute ioyning in one gaue their mutuall and willing consents to the most excellent and no lesse valerous S. Hildebrande and somewhat lower And this in particular was due to the holy and most prudent Hildebrand one of the most famous chiefe bishops the Church of God hath had c. Mon. Ecclesiastic he calleth him the great seruant of God Against this deuillish beast wrote Hugo Candido the Cardinall Walramus bishop of Neburgo Venericus bishop of Vercelle Rolandus a priest of Parma and many others Cardinal Bennon doth witnes 13. Cardinals to haue bene against him Should we recount all the villanies of this Pope we should neuer make an end let what is said suffise When Gregory 7. was deposed Clement 3. was made Pope He was pope 21 yeeres after whose death those of his part in the 1101 yere elected Albertus Pascal 2. caused the bodie of Clement to be vntombed and burned The same which hapned to Clement 3. hapned also to Formosus as before we haue said vpon Stephen 6. or 7. and Sergius 3. In the time of this Pope Gregorie 7. raigned Don Alonso 6. This Alonso wan Toledo in whose time and presence the miracle in Toledo recited by Don Rodrigo Archbishop of Toledo in his historie of Romish and Gothish offices which both were cast into the fire happened The Romish was burned and not the Gothish Which historie in the treatise of the Masse we will afterwards declare Victor 3. not by the Cardinals nor the people of Rome but by Maud the adulteresse whore of Pope Gregory 7. was made pope This Victor tooke part against the Emperour and Clement 3. but that which he would he did not for in the 1088. yeere of poyson which his subdeacon in saying of Masse cast into the Chalice he quickly died Don Alonso of Cartagena bishop of Burgos speaking of Don Alonso the king in his time maketh mention hereof By Maud also was Vrban 2. made Pope He was the disciple of Hildebrand whom Cardinall Benon in contempt calleth Turbano He was a Sismatike an heretike an Arrian He excōmunicated Clement 3. and the Emperor that did chuse Clement This Clement also as saith Vicencius did excommunicate Vrban and when Vrban would not absolue any of those whome Hildebrand had excommunicated he secretly departed from Rome Many Councells did this pope celebrate 1. in Melphis 2. in Troya in Pull 3. in Placencia 4. in Clarmont 5. in Turon wherein he approued and confirmed that which Gregorie 7. that good peece did In that of Claremont a voiage into the holy land was concluded and so went there 3000. men and with them Petrus Hermitanus From this Petrus Hermitanus say many as noteth Friar Iohn de Pineda issued praying by count which we call the Rosaries But I demaunde what worde of God or what example taken out of the old or newe Testament haue they to confirme this maner of praying It is then a humane inuention and by consequence abhominable in the sight of God This Vrban made the Archbishop of Toledo Primate of all Spaine Two yeares was this Pope hidden in the house of Peter Leo for feare of Iohn Paganus a citizen of Rome where in the 1099 yere he died His aduersary Pope Clement 3. who being Pope saw 3 Popes the same yere died Don Alonso 6. reigned in Castile Pascal 2. a Thuscan was the disciple of Hildebrand This Pascal seeing they wold make him Pope would not ascend to the Papall seat before the people had three times said S. Peter hath chosen a most good man Reinerus In warres and seditions he consumed his life In a Councell which he held he renued the excommunication against the Emperour Henry 4. such was his hate towardes him that with deceits and subtilties he incited Henry 5. against his owne father What thing more cruell and horrible can be then to cause an onely sonne not onely causelesse to despise forsake and abandon his father but also with warre to persecute him take him by deceit and so taken to suffer him die a most miserable death And who incited him to this Euen the Pope himselfe who being a Priest as he cals himselfe was to haue exhorted the sonne to loue and honor his father as God in th fifth Commandement of his holy law commandeth And yet after the fathers death ceased not the Pope to shew his malice He commanded to vntombe him cast him out of the Church and his bodie to remaine fiue yeares without Christian buriall Otherwise commandeth Saint Peter whose successor he saith that he is that kings should be honoured Be subiect saith he 1. Pet. 2. 13. to euery ordinance of man for Gods cause be it to the king as superiour Otherwise commandeth S. Paule that we should honor them Let euery soule saith he Rom. 13. 1. be subiect to higher powers for there is no power but of God c. And to Titus chap. 3. 1. he saith Warne them that they be subiect to Princes and potentates that they obey c. But he is shamelesse all the earth is his he may do all whatsoeuer he listeth without reckoning of God his sonne Iesus Christ or his holy Apostles who commaund vs to honour kings and bee subiect to them And as Pascal was an vnquiet and seditious man so began he also with the sonne and denied to confirme the Bishops which Henrie the fifth had nominated But the Emperour gaue him his payment who dissembling came to the Pope and after he had kissed his feete caused him to be taken and would not release him out of Prison vnill he had confirmed the said bishops and crowned him But as the Emperour turned his backe to returne into Germanie then reuoked the Pope periured as he was all whatsoeuer he had promised and excommunicated the Emperour In Campania of France held this Pope a Councell Wherein he tooke away the lawful wiues from the priests of Fraunce as Hildebrand his maister tooke them from those of Germanie In his time the Templars began This Pope as in Gregory the seuenth we haue said caused the body of Clement the third to be vntombed and burned Pascal died in the 1118. yeare and Don Alonso the seuenth reigned in Castile Gelasius Gaietanus the second with great tumult and
afterwardes was much brawling betweene the Dominicans and Franciscans the question as yet being vndetermined For the Popes therein haue put them to silence lest the foolish deuotion and superstition of the ignorant common people should be despised In the 1392. yeare Clement died Very many and terrible Bulles sent these Antipopes into diuerse partes of the world many famous libels cast they one against the other where with they did bite detest and curse the one calling the other Antichrist Sismatike Heretike Tyrant Theefe Traitor wicked sower of tares and sonne of Beliall And verily in this that the one saith against the other doe they not lie neuer in their liues spake they more truly For aswell the sonne of Beliall as the rest was both one and other Many holding this Pope for Antipope count him not in the Catalogue of the Popes But certenly he hath wrong for more canonically was he chosen then Vrban if there be any election of the pope canonically made and was not in his life so great a villaine nor so cruell as Vrban was Hereby moreouer great iniurie is done to our countrie of Spaine and to Fraunce which held Clement for true Pope and Vrban for Antipope and Antichrist as Clement called him And so Don Iohn 1. king of Castile that his kingdome should not be seperate from the communion of the Seat Apostolike caused as saith Don Rodrigo Bishop of Palencia in his historie speaking of K. Iohn the Prelates and men most learned in diuinitie and humanitie and the estates of his Realme to assemble together who after they had well examined and debated the businesse declared that Clement 7. was to be obeyed And when Clement was dead they gaue it to his successor Benedict 13. as hereafter we will declare Boniface 9. not being as thē 30 yeares old by the parciality factiō of Vrban 6. who as saith Crantzio intreated the Romans not like a bishop but like a cruel Emperor or tyrant was chosen in Rome And for that he held them suspected put many of thē to death This Pope made a law that no Priest should inioy his liuing without paying to the pope the first fruits called the Annales which is one whole yeres value of his liuing The English only did resist this decree as Platina Volateranus Blundus Polidorus Virgilius Pantaleon c. do note Hee caused Ladislaus sonne of Charles to be crowned king of Naples Vrban 6. as in his life we haue said for the hatred which he bare vnto his deceased father endeuoured to disinherite and vtterly destroy Ladislaus A great Simmonist was this Boniface by his Bulles Indulgences pardons and the great Iubile which in the 1400. yeare he celebrated at Rome he gathered much money which against al law right he with his kindred prodigally wasted In the 1404. yeare he died And Don Henry 3. reigned in Castile Benedict 13. or 11. a Spaniard for the same causes as was Clement 7. is not reckened among the Popes but sith our countrey of Spaine and Fraunce held him for Pope we will not displace him A Spaniard he was borne in Cataluna and called before he was Pope Pedro de Lunae by 20 Cardinals of Clements faction he was chosen in Auignon a man learned he was and before he was Pope disputed against the authoritie of the Pope and concluded that he was not to be feared For this so true doctrine he was by the Pope which then held the seat of Antichrist as an heretike condemned Pope he was vntill the Councell of Pisa deposed him He was afterwards deposed by the Councel of Constance who albeit by two Councels deposed yet left he not for all this to be called Pope vntill the 1424. yeare after he had bene Pope 30 yeares and more he died in his land of Cataluna At his death he commaunded the Cardinals when he was dead to choose for pope Gill Nunoz Cannon of Barcelona whom they called Clement 8. who at the instance of Don Alonso king of Aragon created new Cardinals and did all that the popes were accustomed to do But when pope Martin 5. elected in the Councell of Constance ioyned in friendship with the king Don Alonso Nunoz after he had 4 yeares poped by commandement of the king renounced and was made Bishop of Mallorca and his Cardinals of themselues forsooke their functions In the time of this Sisme liued a learned good man called Theodoricus of Nyem bishop of Verda who as before we haue sayd wrote the historie of this Sisme which historie is now hard to be found because the papists for that it manifested the truth almost cast it out of the world But in the 1566. yeare was it againe newly printed to the popes great griefe in Basilea Among other things this Author said proued that the pope held no politike right ouer the Emperour but contrariwise that the Emperour ought to chasten wicked Popes said moreouer that they which dissemble such enormious abhominations and tyrannies which the popes commit are not worthy to be called Emperours In the time of Benedict 13. Don Henry and Don Iohn 2. reigned in Castile Innocent 7. was chosen in Rome to succeed Boniface 9. whiles he was Cardinall he reproued the negligence and fearfulnesse of Vrban and Benedict saying that they were the cause of the Sismes so long continuance which to al Christendom wrought so great mischiefe But when he was pope he changed his opinion and not only did that which before he had so much reproued but was also much offended if any spake to him thereof In doing what he would he tyrannized ouer the people of Rome but his popedome not long endured and so in the 1407. yeare he died Don Iohn 2. then reigning in Castile Gregorie 12. whom Thodoricus de Nyen alwayes called Errorius and his followers Errorians was elected at Rome in place of Innocent 7. Benedict 13. then liuing in Auignon With this condition was Gregorie chosen that were it for the good of the Church he shold renounce the popedome which being pope he cōfirmed before witnesses Notaries that wrote the same so that Benedict 13. would doe the like But as Benedict would not renounce no more would Gregorie albeit both the one the other being great dissemblers and subtill gaue great hope that they would do it And so they appointed Sauona whither they should come and agree yet al was but wind For this cause in the 1410 yeare was holden a great Councell in Pisa where manie Cardinals on the one side and the other 124 Diuines and almost 300 Lawyers were present Both the Popes in this Councell were deposed and Alexander 5. a Cretian in their place elected This did al Christendome approue Spaine Scotland and the Countie of Ameniaco which claue firmely to Benedict 13. excepted Gregorie and Benedict nought esteeming the Councell of Pisa yet held themselues for Popes but fearing to be caught
Epistle which the Apostle wrote to the Hebrewes and chiefly the seuenth chapter Of this will wee intreat somewhat more to the purpose hereafter The 2. manner of sacrifice which wee call Eucharisticall comprehendeth all the exercises of charitie which done to our neighbours in some sort are they done vnto God who is thus honored in his members Our prayers praises thankesgiuing and all whatsoeuer we doe for the seruice and honor of God are also comprehended in this kind of sacrifice Al which sacrifices doe depend vppon that great sacrifice by which we are consecrated in body and soule and dedicated for holy Temples to God This kind of sacrifice nought serueth to appease the wrath of God to obtaine forgiuenesse of sinne or to deserue or purchase righteousnesse but is only to magnifie and glorifie God This Eucharisticall sacrifice can no way please God except it proceede from those which hauing by the other kind of sacrifice which we call Expiatory obtained forgiuenesse of sinnes bee already reconcyled with him and iustified This sacrifice Eucharisticall is very necessarie in the Church And woe to that day which a Christian passeth without offering of this sacrifice to God This is the incense and oblation cleane and pure which Malachie Prophesied that the Church of God should offer Of this sacrifice speaketh Saint Paule when hee saith that we offer vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice holie and acceptable vnto God a reasonable seruice of God For this cause the almes and other good works of the faithfull are called sacrifices wherewith God is well pleased The Prophet Hoseas exhorteth the people to returne vnto the Lord and saie vnto him Take away all iniquitie and receaue vs gratiously So will wee render the Calues of our lippes What the Prophet vnderstood by the calues of lippes the Appostle declareth when hee saith Let vs therefore by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwayes to God that is the fruite of the lippes which confesse or prayse his name Saint Paule calleth the liberalitie wherewith the Phillippians in his necessitie had relieued him A sacrifice of sweete sauour and all the good workes which the faithfull doe are called spirituall sacrifices His Maiestie giue vs grace continually to offer such sacrifices vnto him and that when we offer them we may without all hypocrisie confesse that wee are vnprofitable seruauntes c. For if hee commaunded his Apostles so to say and thinke yea when they had done what God had commanded them Why shal he not command the same vnto vs which be in life and doctrine so farre inferiour to his Apostles that we are vnworthie to lose the latchets of their shooes God giue vs grace to be humble in heart Of this kinde of sacrifice will we also say more hereafter By that which is said is plainely seene that the Masse is neither an expiatorie nor Eucharisticall sacrifice and so by consequence no sacrifice at all That it is not expiatorie we already haue proued and that it is not Eucharisticall by that which our aduersaries say that the Masse is an expiatorie sacrifice is proued If it be expiatorie then is it not Eucharisticall The force of this Argument consisteth in a rule of Logicke which saith The members diuiding must not be confounded As touching the definition of the Masse this is sufficient Wee haue taken from it the kind in prouing it no sacrifice we haue taken from it the difference in prouing that it is not expiatorie both the kind and difference taken away what shall be the definite Nothing Or if the Masse bee anie thing it is a priuation of the holy supper of our master and redeemer Iesus Christ euen as sinne is the priuation of grace Let not our aduersaries thinke that we yeeld thē their Masse to be so ancient as they make it saying that the Lord 1565 yeares past did institute it for so long it is since he suffered Neither do we grant them that S. Peter nor S. Iohn nor any of the Apostles euer said that which our aduersaries say to bee the Masse Those which they bring are false testimonies If any man beare false witnesse against his neighbour how vile or abiect soeuer he be he breaketh the 9. commandement he breaketh the law of God and for the same is worthy of eternall death Howe much more shall he breake it and be worthy of death that vpon cold bloud and deliberat purpose of the learned I speake and not of the vulgar sort which can neither read nor vnderstand bringeth false witnes against Christ his king prophet and priest saying that he did institute the Masse wherin are so many superstitions and idolatries saying that the Apostles chosen vessels of God to denounce the Gospell and to preach the holy catholike faith haue sayd such a Masse And so say they that S. Peter was the first that sang Masse but by hearesay they speake without alleaging any Authors How is it possible that S. Luke so diligent an Historiographer of the Acts of the Apostles hath left in the incke-horne this Article which our aduersaries hold so necessarie to saluation as any other of the twelue Articles of the faith contained in the Creed And seeing that this false testimony which they raise vp against Peter auaileth little to the confirmation of their Masse Another false testimony raise they vp also of S. Iames that S. Iames say they was the first that said the first Masse in Ierusalem Yet are they more shamelesse bring to light the said Masse said of S. Iames which 1500 years since at the least was buried cry out a miracle a miracle Now is there no further disputing to be had sith it is an Apostle which hath said Masse now neither can or ought they to moue any more doubts touching the Masse vpon paine to be an heretike blasphemer whosoeuer shal moue it In the 1560. yeare was this Masse of S. Iames as they call it printed in Paris In this Masse ther is a prayer wherin are said these words We pray for the gifts offred sanctified precious supercelestiall ineffable immaculate glorious horrible fearful diuine What maner of speech is this when vsed the Apostles any such forme of speaking Also that this falshood may be clearely perceiued there is a prayer in the Masse for the Monkes Nunnes which liued in the Monasteries They which say that this Masse is of S. Iames should read this and be silent For in the time of the Apostles was there neither Monkes nor Nunnes nor Monasteries many yeares after were these things inuented Moreouer if this be a Masse of S. Iames let them augment the Cannon Let them place them among the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scripture Let them beleeue do al that which is said in the same In this Masse which they call of S. Iames all the people did vnder two kinds communicate all the office was said in the vulgar tongue the people sang
Sadduces shamelesly denied the resurrection and allowed neither Angel nor spirit As by the disputation which they held with Christ about the woman that had seauen husbands appeareth Matth. 22. 22. and in the Acts 23. 8. The Essees apart had their opinions It was a people solitarie like the Charterhouse Monkes They had no wiues drunk no wine nor did they eat any flesh a people they were very austere and euery day fasted Whiles the Church was deuided into these sects when all was confused came the sonne of God into the world With such he conuersed And of such for preaching the truth vnto thē he was crucified When the light of the Gospel was come which Christ and his Apostles preached who allowed it not but rather killed and crucified those that preached the same The same people of God the Church of God chiefly the Scribes Pharisies priests and high priests These came togither held a Councell wherein they concluded that Christ should die and all those that should preach the same Doctrine They tooke him because they wanted authoritie to put any to death with false witnes they accused him before Pilate Deputy to the Emperour Tiberius and thisin the holy Ierusalem And so was he condemned for an euil doer for such a one was crucified O what a Church O what a Councell if the cheife Preist may erre and erred in dede The Lord by diuine power eftsoones raysed vpp who suborned his keepers to say that his disciples had stollen him away Who assembled a Councell to persecute the Apostles and commaunded them that they should not preach who caused S. Iames to be put to death Who made S. Peter to be taken to cause him to die had not the Angel of the Lord deliuered him The visible Church of God the scribes and Pharisies and high Priests Not without cause faid the Lord speaking of Ierusalem Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the prophets and stonest those that be sent vnto thee Afterwards the very same hath hitherto happened leauing former times spake we of these wherein we liue Who hath for the space of 70 or 80. yeares hitherto shed so much bloud of Martyres they that call themselues the Church of Iesus Christ chiefly the peeuish Friars Bishops chiefe Bishops and the same shal they doe vntill the end of the word And so Christ speaking of his second comming when he shall come to the vniuersall Iudgement saith Luke 18. 8. The son of man when he commeth shall he find faith vpon the earth As if he should say no. And in the XXIIII chapter of Saint Matthewe he maketh a discourse hereof verse 12. And because saith he iniquitie shal be increased the loue of many shal be cold And verse 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the very elect And thinke we not these false Christs and false Prophets shal bee Turkes and Iewes Christians they shal be and for such shall they be holden Bishops and chiefe Bishops shal be the principally as at this day they be I haue sufficiently proued me thinketh by many examples and passages of the old and new Testament that the Church of God may erre and hath erred indeede which to our aduersaries seemeth vnpossible Now will we resolue a doubt and this it is If the Church bee such and subiect to fall into Errours superstitions heresies and idolatries as before we haue proued How shall that be vnderstood which the scripture saith That the Church is the body of Iesus Christ That the Church is the spouse of Christ That the Church is the pillar of truth founded vppon the sure foundation That the Churche is without spot or wrincle and wholy faire That the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her and other like commendations and prayses thereof the word of God witnesseth To this may we answere that both the one and the other may very well stand For God neuer suffered all his Church to fall togither into Error But rather hath alwayes reserued some good and some times also seauen thousand As said he speaking of Elias albeit in corners which neuer bowed the knees to Baal Such as these the common error dispatched wherewith all the Church was generally deceaued Against this Error such others of these spake preached and wrote and most times it cost them their liues and had each one of them had a thousand liues a thousand liues would each one of them haue lost for the same cause That Church wherein Catholiquely and vniuersally raigned that Errour or heresie shee and her Bishoppes did persecute condemned and kill them As by examples wee haue confirmed the same So that when the scripture saith All Israel all Iuda all the inhabitants of Ierusalem turned away from God committed Idolatrie c. Of such a manner ingenerall must wee vnderstand which hath it Exceptions for in the middest of these Errours and idolatries so Catholique fo vniuersall had alwayes God some particular men whom he reserued cleane and pure from that common errour So reserued God Moses and Iosua and some other particular persons also which worshipped not the calfe when all Israel ingenerall and Aaron the high Priest him selfe worshipped it The same will wee say of the time of the Iudges that God neuer forsoke his Church The same wee say also of the times of the kings of Israel and of Iuda When all committed Idolatrie God raysed vp an Esaias a Micheas a Ieremias an Ezechiel a Daniel c. Who reproued vices and false Doctrine and declared the truth But which of these did not the Church and her high priests persecute and kill So also reserued the Lord vnro himselfe at his first comming into the worlde A Simeon an Anna widdowe a Ioseph and his spouse the virgin Marie mother of our sauiour An holie Elizabeth and her sonne Saint Iohn Baptist which were Godly very well thought of the true religion and agreed neither with the Pharisies nor Sadduces nor Essees And so the Lord in so vnhappy times preserued his Church And so likewise vntill now hath he preserued the same And now also in these lest miserable times wherein neither faith Luk. 18 8. nor loue is found Matth. 24. 12. God reserueth some which oppose themselues to the tyranny of the Antichrist of Rome and to the common errour and Idolatrie of all the Romane Church ingenerall And so God hath not permitted that his Church hath wholly bene deceiued nor according to his promise I am with you vnto the end of the world Wil he euer permit the same Euer thē hath God reserued fome that haue not bene deceiued with the cōmon errour many from time to time be enlightened As by experience we haue seene it God of his infinit mercy increase them that the number of his chosen may be fulfilled so sinne may cease and only Christ
denote that this Incense and offering is not to be carnal but spirituall What agreement hath this with the Masse Which is a diuelish inuentioÌ„ prophaneth the holy supper Other places of the scripture alleage they for confirmation of their Masse But with as great faithfulnesse and as much to the purpose As these two of Mechilzedeck and Malachy which by that is said may easily be answered The 8 reason wherewith our aduersaries do magnifie their masse is for the great good profit that therof they receiue And of al these reasons others such like which they alleadge they coÌ„clude vs to be heretiques dogs worse theÌ„ Iewes Turkes Because we so shamelesly speake against the Masse which Iesus Christ instituted his Apostles said all the Church Catholike vnto this day hath celebrated c. They say then that besides the oblatioÌ„ and sacrifice which Iesus Christ hath made vppon the Crosse of his body and of his blood for remission of our sinnes to reconcile vs with God and to obtayne for vs life eternall hee hath ordayned the Priestes which be successors of the Apostles to consecrate in the Masse the bread and wine to transubstantiate it in the body and bloud of Christ to sacrifice and offer vnto God the father that body and that blood for the remission of our sinnes and to obtaine all that is necessarie for vs both in body soule And what greater good then this say they can be This sacrifice say they also doth much profit the dead to allay the paines which they haue to suffer and doe suffer in purgatory As we cited before of the dead maÌ„s scul of Macharius reported by Damascen Who so lusteth to knowe the profits of the Masse Let him read the Spanish houers he shall find very many Amongst others there mentioned be these which follow as much worth is the masse as is the passion of Iesus Christ Also that he which heareth it waxeth not old whilst he heareth it Also that hee shall not loose that day the light of his eyes Also that he shal not die an euil death also that he which shal haue seen the body of the Lord if that day he shal die sodenly that it is taken for comunicating he may not feare to be condemned And al this say they that S. Iohn Chrisostom S. Augustine S. Ierom say for they knew how to raise false testimonies These Articles of faith haue the inquisitors of our countrey of Spaine many yeares ago yeelded to goe among the houers which coÌ„monly are praied And if now they haue caused theÌ„ to be taken away and not suffered them to be printed in this yet doe they shew their ignorance that for so many yeares they haue suffered and commanded that with their license they should print them The cause that they now fall in account is that so grosse and abhominable lies more serue at this day to make wary the people then to deceaue them And therefore permit they such things more to be printed We say then that the Masse procureth vs no good at all but great mischiefe rather As after we shall see Now that we haue answered to the reasons wherewith our aduersaries thinke to mainetaine their Masse for more confutation thereof we will now likewise set downe some notable domages which it causeth and great aduersaries which necessarily follow the popish Doctrine of the masse And I will not be much curious in seting down here al the domages absurdities which follow of the masse for that should be neuer to end Only wil I set down such as most fitly come to mind for the preseÌ„t I say then that the Masse causeth many domages First it prophaneth the holy supper of the Lord suppressing and despising his death passion 2. In it they inuocate the dead saints 3. In it dead saints are placed for intercessors 4. The priests that saith it holde hee intention to consecrate or not and the people that heare it commit idolatrie Fiftly The Masse mainetaineth many other abuses besides the Idolatrie of transubstantiation As the worshipping of Images and the inuention of Purgatorie which is a common cutpurse Sixt. In the masse defraud they the people of the halfe of the Sacrament and this halfe doe they giue seldome and wickedly Seuenthly And put case the Masse were good yet is it said in a straunge Language which the people vnderstand not and with such gesture mouing childish toyes apish fopperies that rather prouoke laughter then deuotion These seuen domages wee proue by the same order as we propounded them And that the masse derogateth from the passion of Christ is clerely sene For the Masse which for this cause was ordayned that a hundred thousand sacrifices should euery one day be offered what doth it pretend but that the passioÌ„ of Iesus Christ wherin he offered himseâ—â—e and this once by one only sacrifice remaineth buried and cast in a corner Who will thinke to be redeemed by the death of Christ when he shall see a new redemption in the Masse Who will beleeue his sins to be pardoned by the death passion of Christ when he shal see a new remission of sins in the Masse Inuocation is a high worship seruice which is only due to God For in him only we beleeue how saith S. Paule shall we call vpon him in whom we haue not beleeued So that inuocation presupposeth faith such a faith as is founded vpon the word of God the Nicen creed they sing in their Masse which beginneth Credo in vnum Deum I beleeue in one only God If in one only God we ought to beleeue one only God ought we to inuocate The which inuocation being done in faith God promiseth that he will heare it Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord saith Ioel shall escape c As S. Paule Rom. 10. 13. and Saint Peter Acts 2. 21. doe interpret it shal bee saued Also that only God ought to be inuocated is by this reason proued Sacrifice is only due to the true God this our aduersaries will not deny inuocation is a sacrifice As saith the Psal 50. 14. Sacrifice vnto me praise or as saith the common edition The sacrifice of praise The sacrifice of praise commendeth the Apostle Hebr. 13. 15. and Hosea 14. 3 that we shal offer to God Therefore Inuocation sith it is a sacrifice to God onely ought it to bee offered But our aduersaries forsaking the fountaine of liuing waters haue digged them broken cesternes which can holde no water They leaue to call vppon God and inuocate the Saints And Saints sometime also that it is not knowne who they bee and some of them it may bee that are burning in hell An example haue we hereof in the prayer of S. Roccus which togither with the Crowne of our Lady in the 1581 yeare was printed in the house of Iohn Gutierres in Siuell The praier saith thus God which
to his Apostles The Supper of the reformed Churches In celebrating of the Supper the Minister first breaketh the bread then giueth it to the communicants therefore is our supper the supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest in his Masse obserueth not this order for he first speaketh certaine words ouer the bread and then at his pleasure breaketh it or as they say the accidents of bread by they is transubstātiated into the body of Christ But Iesus Christ first brake the bread and then spake the words therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ after he had broken the bread said Hoc est corpus meum This is my body The Supper of the reformed Churches The same saith and doth the Minister without ought adding or diminishing therfore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The Prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest speaketh the words without breaking of the bread and not content with Christs wordes addeth thereto this word enim saying Hoc est enim corpus meum therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ sitting at the Table with his Apostles sayd Take and eate The Supper of the reformed Churches The same saith the minister and neuer celebrateth the Supper but the Church doth the like and all ioyntly with him doe communicate and not one swallow vp all therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest all being on their knees onely sheweth them the bread and wine to be worshipped and giueth nought to the people but like a glutton keepeth all for himselfe and eateth it alone which is not onely contrary to Christes institution but the custome also of ancient Fathers as by the Cannons of Anacletus and Calixtus plainely appeareth Where vnder the paine of excommunication it is ordayned that after the consecration all should communicate The same is ordayned in the Cannons sayd to be the Apostles And in the Councell of Tholouse Whereuppon it plainely followeth that the Masse as now it is said was neuer by Iesus Christ instituted nor by his holy Apostles celebrated which being so all those that now heare it all those I say are by the same Cannons excommunicate Seeing that hearing the Masse they communicate not but the Priest onely taketh it for himselfe and eateth it alone contrarie to rhat which Christ and the ancient Fathers ordayned Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ gaue not the bread onely but also the wine saying Drinke ye all of this Matth. chap. 26. 27. And as saith Saint Marke chap. 14. verse 23. And they dranke all thereof The Supper of the reformed Churches The Minister giueth not the bread only but also the wine saying Drinke yee all of this And all drinke thereof as Christ hath commaunded therefore is our supper the supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest onely giueth the consecrated bread and not the wine to the people which is wholly contrarie not to the institution of Christ onely but the custome also of the the ancient Doctors since the Apostles who communicated in both kinds of bread and wine and condemned all such as communicated in one kind only as in the Consecra Dist 2. Cap. Comperimus appeareth where it is sayd that such as receiue not the sacrament in both kinds refuse the one part or the other be sacrilegious infidels Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ gaue the bread by it selfe and the wine by it selfe The Supper of the reformed Church The Minister giueth the bread by it selfe and the wine by it selfe beleeuing the bread to be the Sacrament of the body of Christ and the wine to be the sacramēt of his bloud therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest doth first consecrate as he thinketh the bread and wine and then a good while after breaking it in 3 parts one part whereof he letteth fall into the wine and so mingleth thē together all which he himselfe deuoureth Sauing that once a yeare whē the people communicate then he giueth them the consecrate bread but of the consecrate wine he neuer giueth to the communicants Who thinketh this to agree with the Lords supper Therefore the Masse is not the supper of the Lord. The hoy Supper of the Lord. Christ ordained his holy supper in memoriall of his death passion and that he had once offered vp his body and bloud vpon the crosse for vs. The Supper of the reformed Churches The Supper which we celebrate is in memorial of the death and passion of Christ and that he hath once offered his bodie and bloud for vs vpon the crosse therefore is our supper the supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The popish Priest saith his Masse in memoriall of the Saints both he and she And those oftentimes do they hold for Saints whose soules are burning in heil Hee sayth his Masse also to find things which be lost and that for money The Priest vseth the Masse for a plaister or drugge against all infirmities And which is more hee sacrificeth saith he Iesus Christ in his Masse and presenteth him to God his father for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead Which Christ did once vpon the crosse and none but he onely could euer doe the same Because as Saith the Apostle Heb. 7. chap. vers 26. it behoued that the Priest which purged sinnes should be holy innocent pure separate from sinners and made higher then the heauens which needed not euery day to offer sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the sinnes of the people This Christ once perfourmed offering vp himselfe for the sinnes of all men Examine the liues of the popish priests and how farre off they are from that puritie which it behoueth the Priest to haue that offered the expiatorie sacrifice will appeare Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. Many other things there be wherein the holy Supper the Masse do differ are contrary as in so many mouings iestures childish fopperies maskings apish toyes done in the Masse which Chhrist neuer did nor once thought of The Lord in celebrating his supper neuer commanded men to make Saints their intercessors nor to call vpon them nor to kisse nor worship images nor to pray for the soules of the dead in purgatory nor not taking nor eating the sacrament beleeuing it to bee God to worship it nor to keepe it in the boxe nor carry it in procession to walke in the streets couered with boughes the walles hanged with fine Tapisterie of silke gold and cloth of gold with castles and much iollitie c. Who commanded thē to do these things Not Christ