wes deceassed placed vpon the graue which ryte Augustine rebuketh calling them that so did Infideles And it is not to be wondered that they who were instructed in the scole of Pythagoras Plato reteyned and sauored somthing of their olde dregge This vse dured a sufficient tyme amongest them that were conuerted therefore sayeth Augustine cease brethreÌ„ from this heathen error of infidelytie for the holy Soules sayeth he ether be innocency of lyfe are cleane or are purged by satisfaction of repentance and so are receaued by our Sauiour are to be iudged to be with him according to the saying of Paule I wisse to be dissolued be with Christe this farre Augustine making no meÌ„tion of Purgatorie nether yet sending the Soules of the dead to any suche place This consuetude thus flowing from the gentilytie could not be altogether remoued yet wes it corrected in this maner that at the practeis of the Lordes Table and in the buriall oblations were made of bread and wyne suche others thinges to 〈◊〉 â—eleif and vse of the poore yea and in the funerall this wes â—eâ—â—er adioyned that not only almous wes geuin to the supporte of the nedy by the freindes of the dead but there wâ—s added prayer thankes geuing and funerall orations made in the publique assemblie The forme is setfurth by Dionisius that the minister after he had set vp the monument of him that wes to be buried then he gaue thankes to the eternall God who by Iesus Christe had distroyed death and the author of it aÌ„d by him had giuen eternall lyfe to them that beleued in him then wes there certane Psalmes recyted sung by the assistence after this a certane place of Scripture confortable of the resurrection of the dead wes red and exponed immediatlie they that were vnder instruction and vnbaptised were put furth of the temple This done a cathologue wes recyted of them that had bene called vpon to Gods mercy before and the name of him that wes to be buried put in his virtues rehearsed as constancy in religion faith Innocency of lyfe mercy and liberalitie to the nedy to this wes ioyned one exhortation to them that assisted to follow there exemple and fotesteppes then and last came the Minister vnto the corps there recyted certane prayers commending the dead to God Of this ordour vsed in the buriall proceded that euen in the holy communion mentioun wes made of the dead as Augustine planely wytnesseth speaking that his Mother earnistlie craued that mention should be made of hir at the table as we may gather of his book that he wrytteth de Te cura pro mortuis Yet wes not this memorie and commemoration so superstitious as in this aige when oure masse mounging schauelinges braggeth that they offre vp the body and blood of Iesus Christe for the dead and the quick for redemyng of them that be in Purgatorie the Supper of the Lorde being institute nether for dead nor for quick others nor doeth vse it according to the institution and practies of our Sauiour Whereby we may clearlie perceaue in the tyme of Augustine as I haue alreadye declared and may proue by the Greike Canon there wes no oblation suche as ye pretend for the deade but onely ane â—ction of thankes to God for his mercy shewed vpon them in receauing them to his cumpanye The oblations we read in the ancien wrytters are to be vnderstand of bread and wyne and suche others thinges giuen and seruing to the vse of the poore and not for redemption of any Soules out of Purgatorie It can not be denyed but they speak as I haue oftentymes warned excessiuelie yet all is to this end that the releif of the poore may be the more depely imprented in our hartes and that we may haue the greater care ouer them aÌ„d thus brusteth furth to promes remissioÌ„ of sinnes increase of goodes multiplication of the benefites of God yea and some tymes to encurage them the more affirmeth it to auale euen to the deade not that any fructe redoundeth to the deade but onely that they may moue them to greater pitie and liberalitie towardes the indigent they amplyfie and deck vp the mater For this ye bring out of Augustine is not to be vnderstand of any other oblatioÌ„ nor of almus giuen to the poore to the which wes ioyned certane orations or rather commemorations and actions of thankes for the dead And that these be called propiciations and meanes whereby grace and mercy is purcheshed to the dead this we haue to take excessiuelie spokeÌ„ to the prayse of almons and to kendle the charitie of meÌ„ towards there indigent brethren which charitie mercy they complene to be waxed cold thus by faire persuasions and promisses they walken allure and encurage the dull hartes of meÌ„ aÌ„d so the wordes are not to be taken rigoruslie strictlie For if ye shall so do we muste haue recurse to the reule of Augustine already declared that is to the eternall veritie of God reueled in his Scriptures where there is no suche commandement giuen to pray or offre for the deade nor yet allowed by any exemple of attenticque Scripture nor worde spoken of Purgatorie but planely teached that all faithfull are saued vnfaithful condeÌ„ned Where vnto aggreth the doctours them selues as Ambrose De bono mortis He that receaueth not remissioÌ„ of sinnes here there shal be none there to wyt after the departing of this lyfe there shal be noÌ„e because they could not atteyne to eternall lyfe which is remission of sinnes And Cypriane after the departing of this lyfe there is no place to repentance nor effect of satisfaction Here is lyfe ether loste or holden here is prouided for eternall lyfe by the worshipping of God and the fructe of faith And Ieronimus in this worlde we know that we may help euerie one others ether by oratioun or then by Counsell when we shall cum before the Trybunal of Christ nether Iob Daniel Noah may pray for vs but euery man shall bear his owen burthene And Augustine him self besydes the places alledged sayeth he not all hath at there departing out of this world there owen diuers receptacles the godlie hath ioy the wicked tormeÌ„tes but at the resurrection the ioy of the godly shal be amplyfied and the panes of the vngodlye shal be made more greuous when they shal be troubled with there bodyes the holy Patriarches Prophets Martyres Apostles all good faithfull are receaued in peace yet they shall all receaue in the end that God hath promised for there is promished â—esurrection of the fleshe consumption of death eternall lyfe with the Angells this we are to receaue at ones for the rest which immediatlie is giuen after the death euerie man receaueth if he be worthy of it when he dieth This farre Augustine If a rest be prepared for all faithfull where is thy Purgatorie and since
to the Lord of the fruit of the ground and Abell also him self broght of the fructes of his shepe and of the fat of them and the Lorde had respect vnto Abell and his offerring but vnto Cain and to his offerring he had no regarde In the answer to this where it is pretended by this reasoner that there is no coÌ„mandement giuen in the Text to ether of the brethren so to do albeit the place of the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes may serue to the refutation hereof yea the Text it self new rehearseth allowing Abell his work the Author to the Hebreues ascribing the praise of fayth vnto it Yet will I trauell somewhat further and prufe by this Text that no dout they were thus instructed by their Father The maner kynd of lyfe which they did follow wes no dout godlie and laudable for the manuring of the ground wes commanded of God and prefered to all other exercise and lauboure by the antiquitie The feading of the Cattell wes no les honest then profitable yea and this whole lyfe as it is moste simple and clene and impolluted so it is moste naturall Whereof we may collect that they did bothe exercise them selues in lauboures approued of God moste necessarie to the releif of the coÌ„mon vse of the lyfe of man so that there can be no dout but they were well instructed by their father Seing they do exercise them selues bothe in offerring vp of Sacrifices so that in the lyfe of Cain to the outward appearance no man shall find faut vsing himself deuly to his God and winning sustentation wiâ—h all leafull and honest meanes to him self and his houshold For how shal we think that euer it should haue ascended in the gredy and wicked hart of Cain to offer vp in Sacrifice to God of the feuer of the ground if the Father had not teached him Yea and coacted him as it were This I think ye will not deny but if ye ask where is the coÌ„mandement giuen to the Father To answer hereto we shall rehears somepart of the Chapiter preceading principally that notable and confortable sentence where it is said I shal put Inimitie betuix the sede of the SerpeÌ„t and the sede of the woman he shall break thy head thou shal bruse his heill in the which wordes no dout the promes of the Sauioure is conteined and the meanes signified whereby Saluation wes to be procured vnto man and that by the Sacrifice of his death whereof all Sacrifices were figures Do we then think that God hauing thus rased vp maÌ„ from the pit and the goulf of death giuing to him some certane smelling of lyfe being new casten out of paradise hauing lost the syght and contemplation of that tree which wes a Sacrament vnto him and a pledge of immortalitie do we not think I say that he appointed him these ordinarie exercises of Sacrifices whereby they might be reteaned in continuall remembrance and protection of that Sacrifice of the croice offered vp by the Sauioure and out of the which Saluation floweth vnto all God forbid that we so shall think that the Sacrament of Gods fauore being taken from the Fathers when they were eiected out of paradise exiled and debarred from the tree of lyfe that then there wes no esperance of releif and succoure leaft to them their posteritie but altogether denuded spoyled of all confort God forbid I say that we should think so but rather in the Sacrifices which were not vainely and rashely inuented by man but commanded from aboue by God but rather in the Sacrifices I say againe there wes a sure infallible and vndouted argument of esperance giuen of our reconciliation againe with God and how we should atteane to the lyfe lost before by our rebellion For plaine it is that the Apostle ascribeth the praise and worthynes of this Sacrifice which is offered vp by Abell to faith whereof it followeth moste certanely and necessarly that it wes not done without the commandement and expres worde Further we know euer trew obedience to be more acceptable and pleasing to God then any Sacrifice for out of obedience we may well affirme all virtue to flowe and procead which being astricted to the word as we haue heretofore said it followeth well that nothing caÌ„ be approued of God but that which he hath commanded Thridly since our God is constant and euer lyke vnto him self darre we say that at any tyme he praiseth and deliteth in any outward and externall worshipping or oftentation How can it then but follow necessarlie this thus allowed of God thus approued by his holy Spirite but it wes offered vp vnto him spiritually so that we shal not here say that the Fathers were mocked their Sacrifices being but naked emptie and vaine cerimonies which were prescribed to them For vndoutedly these cerimonies signified an hier mater and that moste coÌ„fortable which can not be seperated from the word seing that the onely thing whereby the naturall liuely and approued honoring of God is decerned and tryed from the bastarde and superstitious is the inuard treuth and symplicitie of hart Thus may we plainely se that God expelling vs from the tre of lyfe in the which he had first sealed the certitude of his beneuolence towardes man and assured him hereof now by other meanes and wayes declareth him to be a mercyfull and a propitious God againe for in these offerringes besydes that they declared them to receaue all at the handes of God there is further included in the slaughter of the beastes and spilling of the blood to wit a respect vnto that which is mentionat in the sentence recyted But these thinges can neuer be vnderstand if the ordor of Moyses in the writing of the historie be misknoweÌ„ who in consideration of that treuth and constancie that lyeth in our God is not verie curyous to rehears euerie thing precept and commandement in the own place but rather remitteth the charge which is general vnto the allouance of a certane fact proceading of it as is in this cace But ye will say there is no mention hereof I answer that albeit it be not in plaine tearmes yet in that that we reid the promes yea and lykewise we reid that it wes an ordinarie thing and accustumat aswel by the wicked as the godly let vs assure our selues that it wes not without the commandement of God But these maters this cunning clerk passeth by affirming thinges to be moste trew which are declared to be moste fals and impious and goeth about to refell some exemples which godlie preachers vsed to imprufe the vaine and fond inuentions of Ypocrytes who thinketh God to be appleased with whatsoeuer thing they inuent to his worshipping And yet contrarily there is nothing acceptable to him nor that he seaketh more of man then obedieÌ„ce in simplicitie without declyning to the right or left hand which sentences
now murmilling somtymes displaying furth his handes now cōtracting them And fynally doeth not els but gaseth vpon the swellowing ouer of a peace of bread and the vglie and shamefull licking of a cuppe without any ciuilytie If in the beholding of this lyeth remission of sinnes in deid they are easie to be pardoned If we shall say that the preist as he taketh the whole to him self so onely obteined he forgiuenes of his sinnes then the people is heauily intreated and at an euill point when the harlote and the ignorant preist shall haue the whole This is mirrie to refresh the reader and yet is moste trew for this wicked and deuillish opinion of remission of snies by masse hath enuennomed all Christēdome and drowned it vp so that she allone wes esteamed to be the lady the plyght and souerane Anchor yea and the porte of all benediction and Saluation What blasphemie and derogation to the blood of Iesus Christ To his dignitie honor and preisthead hath proceaded hereof as it is now manifest to euerie one so in the refutatiō of this we are driuen to speak somwhat And firste wil I demād of this Romish Doctor where did he euer here that theie wes any Sacrifice instituted without a Sacrificer We knowe that the Author to the Hebreues Vendicates the dignitie of preisthead wholy to our Sauioure whose preisthead he calleth there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say of that nature that it can not be transferred into an other The argument of the Apostle is verie cleir in the 7. Chap. where he giues the cause of the multytude pluralitie of preistes euerie one succedinge other because they were mortal and subiect to death ād so could not remane But no such infirmitie falleth in our preist the Lord Iesus who hath offered vp him self in a ful satisfaction and recōpence for all our sinnes and that ones the vertue whereof remaneth perpetually and yet desisteth not to execute the other parte of the office of the preist euer interreading at his Fathers handes for the offences of the people euer liuing as the Apostle sayeth for that cause How then can this Sacrifice stand without a preist How can there be any oblation without a Sacrificer Secondly we be plainely teached by this same author that there can be no remission of sinnes without effusion shedding of blood In your masse there is no shedding of blood for ye call it on vnbloody Sacrifice but how iustly after shal be cōsidered How then darre ye promise to your selues remission of sinnes thereby Thridly if ye will pertinatiouslie insist and will it to be a Sacrifice necessarly it shal follow that it that is offerred shal be slaine If Christ be Sacrificed in euerie masse then shal he be moste barbarously and cruelly slaine euerie day in ten thousand places for ye affirme plainely that ye offer him vp vnto his Father This is not myne but the Apostles argument in the same Epistle if it had bene neidfull to him to haue offered him self ofter then ones then should he haue suffered oftentymes since the beginning of the world It followeth then cleirly that since ye take vpon you to offer him vp at all tymes in euerie corner that ye do that that is in you to put traterous and blody handes vpon him Your shiftes and subterfuges are well knowene to me firste that ye christ not successors to our Sauioure as if he were dead and vtterly taken away but suffraganes of his Eternall preisthead But if the wordes of the Apostle be well examinat and considdered aryght they do proue manifestly that nether neadeth he a successor nor yet a suffragane seing he is euer leuing and ready to execute yea and executing his office euer present with his Church and neuer intermitting the office laide vpon him by his Father And this his Sacrifice he dide ones offer vp by vertue whereof remission of sinnes is obtened to all that beleued In the office of intercession he is cōtinually occupyed as we haue somwhat touched so that in no part of his office can he be ether esteamed sleuthful absent or so occupied to require a Suffragane ether yet mortal and subiect to death that he should neid a successor Hereby I trust it be sufficiently declared your masse to be no Sacrifice and so your diffinition to fal in that point and so haue ye to lybell new againe To that ye say the Lordes body is really conteined vnder the formes of bread and wyne I wonder ye make no mention of the blood of our Lorde aswell as of the Body but in this ye shaw well where ye learned to wit at Sorbone and not at the Scoole of Christe for Christe instituteth and vseth two seuerall simboles of his body blood bread wyne but you as ye are teached of your maister Sathan doeth think that nawise neidfull In token whereof ye haue debarred all Christianes except a certane shauelinges from the one part of the Lordes table and hath reserued the cuppe all whole to your selues and in deid God be praised it is not euill sent vpon their boched faces Albeit that Iesus Christ the Author hereof doeth plainely command that all shall drink and this wes euer practised in the primitiue Church yea and euer reteined by the ancient Fathers howsoeuer ye take vpon you in your stinking diffinition that it wes so instituted by our Sauioure in remembrance of his death and passion so lyghtly not onely do ye pas by the holy ordinances of God but also the shedding of his blood In the Second diffinition which appeareth to conteine a certane correction of the former Ye call it a commemoration and remembrance of Christes death and passion In deid it is certane that our Sauiour willed and cōmanded that action which he had practised to be done in commemoration of him and after him Sainct Paule giueth charge lykewise that how so oft we shall eat of that bread and drink of that cuppe we annunce and furthshaw the Lordes death till he come But the masse to be that action ether yet to haue any affinitie with it being altogether al 's contrarious as the heauen and the earth lyght and darknes the day and the nyght he is more nor mad that tholeth hī so to be persuaded But of this repugnancie we will haue more ganing occasion to speak when as we shall atteane to that place where of set purpose you do handle the aggreance of the masse with the Lordes table and the diuersitie Where ye pretend the bread the wyne to be consecrated execrated I darre say boldly for consecration haue ye none according to Christes institution I trust there be none that euer hath sene the action of the Lord Iesus practysed ether yet hath red the wordes of his moste blissed institution that will consent or aggre thereto for in his action we read plainely that he take bréad gaue thankes brake it gaiue it
we be here called to where the same is the banked and the banked giuer as this same Author sayeth We shall consider this bread exhibited to vs here to be the bread of lyfe nourishing our Soules vnto immortalitie We shall consider these Elementes which he giuen as sure pledges of eternall Saluation and of all benefites procured and obteined to vs by Iesus Christe So that we must not go to this table as to a common table to farce and stuffe our bellies with bread and wyne but we muste vnderstand this bread to be seperated from the common vse and sainctified and dedicated to the holy Communion of Christes body and blood to declare to vs that we are not now leuing in our selues but Christe leueth and rigneth in vs we are no more the seruandes and slaues of Sathan but members of Iesus Christe that we are now made participant and partakers of his iustice and ryghteousnes and that by him we haue remission of our sinnes so that now albeit we be in the earth exposed to all kynde of tentation trouble and persecution yet our conuersation is in the heauen with him on whome our Soules stayeth and feadeth This change then that they do meane of is to extoll this mysterie as it is worthy all praise and declare with what trymbling feare and humilitie we oght to present our selues thereto because this that wes common bread appointed for the refection of mans body is now sanctified to an holy vse to assure vs of that coniunction yea and liuely perticipation we haue now with the Eternall Sonne of God who ioyneth him self so familiarly with vs that we are now ingrafted so in him that we now as it were soucketh our verie substaÌ„ce out of his body blood He is now vnto vs that that he called him self the wynetre and we the brenches he is the head and we the members he is shortlie he out of whome lyfe ryghteousnes iustice holynes and sanctification proceadeth and floweth vnto vs. So that this whole change and immutation is to be referred to the myndes and consciences of the receauers not to any other change that is in the substances of the Elementes that be there proponed but the bread remaneth bread and the wyne wyne albeit they be sanctified to an other more holy vse as we haue said and shall alter declare in the conference of the Doctors This I take to be and douteth not but it is the verie naturall meaning of the wordes of this Auâ—hor and of all the AncieÌ„tes wheÌ„ as they speak of any change here Yet I am not ignorant that thou and thy fellowes will apply the former sentences and referre them vnto the commandement do ye this in remembrance of me as hereby the Lorde should giue vs the charge to sanctifie or as thou speaketh to consecrate the bread and wyne which as it is moste vntrew and coÌ„trarious to the simple treuth of the Lordes commandement so the Author doâ—th meane no such thing For the lord did not coÌ„mand vs to sanctifie bread and wyne and change them but that we shoulde take them giue thankes break and distrybute them amongest vs. and that with all humilytie and reuerence we should eat and drink them in remembrance of him as the verie Sacrament of his body and blood which Sacramentall ceremonie passeth not the reach and capacitie of man And in this whole institution one 's made by him self he still sanctifieth for euer the Sacramentall Simboles to the perpetuall vse and confort of the whole Churche which this Author Chrisostome signifieth moste clearlie In that he sayeth he that wroght then in the Supper doeth them euen now so that he still sanctifieth them by his holy institution and ordinance that he made then in the Suppere where he changed not the substance of bread and wyne but the naturall vse appointed to the resection of our bodies he turned and conuerted in a Sacramentall vse to serue vs by the inwarde operation of the Spirite of God to the nourishement of our Soules and vpholding of our Faith Ones he said this is my body this cuppe is the new Testament in my blood do this in remembrance of me And in these wordes ones pronounced did he ones iÌ„stitute and sanctifie this holy action and ceremonie and changed these Elementes from a naturall vnto a Sacramentall vse by vertew whereof this whole action is saÌ„ctified throghout all wheresoeuer it is practised which is the verie meaning and interpretation of this Author and all the Ancients wheresoeuer they vse such forme and maner of speaking Here then thou seeth plainely that this Author ascribeth nothing to the wordes pronounced by the Minister but vendicates and reserueth to Christe the instituter the whole strenth and power of sanctification which wes theÌ„ done when as he instituted this action and commanded it to be practised in remembrance of him But alwayes here it is not to be passed by that in these wordes cyted out of this Author there is no mention of an Alter but of a Table whereby thou may vnderstand clearly that this Author knew no suche Alters whereof we haue such a multitude erected euerie where without the which the Papistes opinion is that no masse can be done but onely a Table to the imitation of our Sauiour which properly apperteaneth to the practise of his holy Supper Whereof lykewise we may collect that there wes no preuy masses such as in our dayes in the aige of our forebiers that hath bene vnder Antichristes authoritie moste prophanely abused hath bene preuy masses I call all suche where as the preist the people wholy secluded without any distribution deuoreth swelloweth vp all in a moste reuinus maner as in all masses we haue sene which as they are contrarius to the ordinances of Christe Iesus so moste iustlie they lacke and hath no testimonie nor approbation of antiquitie but are moste impius blasphemus and detestable When this inuerted Silenus hath thus played him with the wordes of this Author he inferreth concludeth That not onely said our Sauiour this is my body where through he institute the consecration but al 's he eaked these wordes saying which is giuen and broken for you by the which wordes preseÌ„tly as the same verie time he declared his body to be an vnbloodie Sacrifice to be offered by the Apostles and all other Ministers of Christes Church to the end of the world in remembrance of his death saying do this in remembrance of me In the answer to this conclusion I wil be verie shorte because afterward ye intreat this mater as it were of set purpose in the. 14. leaf speaking there of the wordes that be vsed in the present tyme. As to the obseruation of the tyme and full vnderstanding of those wordes I will reserue to that place that I be not driuen to make an vnpleasing and lothsome repetition Alwayes that that may serue instantly that we shall not
seme to winke at the mater we can not haue a more faithfull expositor of these wordes theÌ„ the Spirite of God by the mouthe of his holy Apostle Paule who as thou recyteth sayeth which is broken for you For it is moste cleare that the Sacramentall signe of bread wes not broken for them but the onely natural body of our Maister vpon the craice so that in no wayes these wordes may or can be referred to the pronome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first word of the promise where demonstration is made of the bread but apperteaneth to the latter word body For speaking of the bread he sayeth he brake it and he gaue it to his Disciples and not for his Disciples now meaning of his passion and that his body wes to suffer which is sayeth he broken for you as to the tyme we haue not to be curius for we knowe the Spirite of God somtymes in declaring that that is vndoutedly to be ether a long tyme or immediatly after to vse the present tyme yea and the tyme passed Lyke as here by the present he setteth furth that which wes to be vpon the morrow So the verie sense of the whole is This is the Sacrament of my body which is broken for you that is to say which body is to suffer and to be broken euen the morrow for you as shal be declared at more lenth when as by Gods grace we shal atteane to the place But I pray thee where shal we finde in these wordes such an vnbloody Sacrifice as thou here bringeth in I am assured the breaking of Christes body wes bloody and moste cruel where lykewise shall we finde this oblation For there is no mention of oblacion in this whole action nether yet did our Sauiour offer any thing there nor yet to his Disciples giueth he any coÌ„mandement to offer but simplie willeth vs to do this in remembrance of him which is relatiue to the whole action before practysed of taking bread thankes geuing breaking of it and distribution to be made here is neuer a sillabe of offering Well let vs go to the probation which is drowen out of Malachy the Prophet and his first Cha. the wordes are I haue no pleasure of you sayeth the Lorde and as for the meat offering I will not accept it at your hand for from the rysing vp of the Sone and to the going doune of the same My Name is great amonges the Gentiles yea in euerie place shal the Sacrifice be done and an cleane oblacion offered vp vnto my Name for my Name is great amonges the Gentiles Here I may haue occasion to speak somwhat of this interpreters faithfulnes who thinketh it nothing to turne by the future tyme that which is spoken in the present for I am assured that all the textes that euer I did se Hebrew Greik Latine Englishe French hath the word in the present is Sacrificed and not shal be and an cleane oblation is offered not shal be but I will pas by that followeth in this Doctor Mark sayeth he the wordes of the Prophet and ye shall perceaue that they are not spoken of the Sacrifice of the Lordes body offered vp vpon the croice For why the Sacrifice of the Lordes body on the croice was onely in Ierusalem and the wordes of the Prophet speaketh of a Sacrifice offered vp in euerie place and so furth Where this Author trauelleth by an argument that â—e call in the Scooles A sufficiente enumeratione partium that is when as we euert euerie particulare to confirme and establishe an certane thing but as this argument lacketh not the strenth when as all is properly euerted so if any thing be pretermitted ether yet improperly handled it proceadeth not Now to the matter of the Sacrifice of the Lordes body on the croice say ye it can not be vnderstand for it wes onely in Ierusalem I know that our Sauiour wes crucified in Ierusalem Yet what shal be the cause that it shall not be lefull to vs to speak as the Apostle Paule in the. 3. to the Galth where he plainely witnesseth that our Sauioure wes crucified amonges them Why shal the same libertie be denyed to all places where the death of our Sauiour hath bene or is lyuelie preached Which no dout hath bene euerie where lyke as the Prophet testifieth in the. 19. Psalme and the holy Goste speaketh of Paule appointing him to beare the name of Iesus to the vttermoste partes of the earth Why then may we not expound this saying of the Prophet of the Sacrifice and oblation of the body of Iesus Christe seing he is euerie where crucified wheresoeuer his Euangel is treuly preached And as touching thy stinking and filthy masse it hath bene God be preased at all tymes included and circumscribed within a certane boundes and that verie small But thou will say pereuentur that the speaking of the Apostle is metaphoricall What if I shal say the same of the wordes of the Prophet For if he admonisheth vs of any thing to be erected after the abrogation of the ceremonies of the Lawe no dout he speaketh so by the fygures then vsed in the Lawe that thereby we should vnderstand an other sort of worshipping to be plaÌ„ted and receaued in place of those fygures Thus thru the speaking can not be proper but alwayes metaphoricall from the vmber shoddowe to expres the veritie And thus may we haue the sense of the wordes of the Prophet properly that euerie where is there an oblation or Sacrifice offered vp in my Name that is the Sacrifice of my Eternall and onely Sonne wherewith I am all whole coÌ„plesed and delyred is offered vp vnto me that is preached for whatsoeuer way thou can apply this saying to thy masse that same way shall I proue that it conueneth and more iustly to the predication of the Euangel and death of our Sauiour For where thou restreines his death to the towne of Ierusalem so will I affirme of the institution of his holy Supper out of the which thou soucketh moste iâ—eptly and impiusly thy fond masse If thou will insist and say that the masse is done euerie where I answer the same of the Sacrifice of Christes body more treuly If thou shall reply yet that that is onely by preaching I answer that first thy masse hath nothing to do with the Lordes table and besydes that the Author of the holy Supper did ones sanctifie this action which remaneth for euer as I haue shawen heretofore as our Sauiour died ones willeth his death to be preached euerie where and so consequently to be crucified in all places according to the metaphorical speaking of the Apostle as I haue already declared Now I pray you good Reader perceaue with me the vanitie of this new Author the strenth of his argumentes and the forme of his proceadinges Secondly ye go about to proue that the sayinges of the Prophet Can not be vnderstand of the wordes
blood of our Sauiour to lurke and so to be expossed to the doggishe appetite and cruell teath of a filthy harlote what a masked Sacrifice is this Augustyne speaketh more reuerently geuing vs a generall reule to discerne proper speaches and thinges that be spoken properly and vnderstand euen as they be written from improper and Metaphoricall that whensoeuer we be commanded to do that which includeth no absurditie nor repugneth not to all humanitie nature then haue we to take this commandement as properly spoken and to be obeyed as it speaketh But where the commandement is giuen against all humaintie nature and reason as to eat the fleshe of man and to drink his blood then let vs think well that the speaking is improper and Metaphorical What wil thou answer to this saying of this godly learned man Thou seeth plainely this godly Father to grant manifestly a figure in these wordes this is my body and that they oght to be vnderstand figuratiuelie and Metaphorically iudgeing it a great impietie til a man to think that he shall eat the body and fleshe of man drink his blood in any wayes really and substantially as ye do fondly imagine But to be mirry with you ye do well that howsoeuer ye do vse this haynus cruel and more nor barbarus boucherie vpon the Sonne of God yet that he sealeth not your horrible intreatment that he being a maÌ„ against the nature of man is made insensible and inuisible some relief and confort hath he God giue you his holy Spirite that ye may ones consider the treuth submit your self vnto it in all humilitie The last defference is in the consideration of the cause wherefore the Lordes body is offerred vp in the Sacrifice of the masse The Lordes body wes offered vpon the croice to obtene euerlasting lyfe satisfaction for sinne redemâ—tion and so furth The Sacrifice of the masse was institute by our Sauiour in the last Supper not as a new satisfaction or redemption but it is a new Sacrifice in coÌ„memoration and rememberance of Christes death and passion be the vse of the quhilk we are made pertakers of the fruct of his death and passion This farre In deid in the practise of the Lordes Table we be teached to celebrate the Lordes death till his comming that is to say to remember and meditat with our selues yea and confesse preach and annunce in presence of the whole world the benefites procured and obteined vnto vs by the death and resurrection of our Sauiour and no dout the faithfull is ioyned with Christe and made participant of his iustice holynes innocencie and so furth Yea and as Tertuliane speaketh the bread and the cuppe are verie pledges of our spirituall lyfe resurrectioÌ„ and Saluation But we acknowledge no such thing to be receaued of thy wicked impius and vngodly masse which thou here decketh vp with the ornamentes of the Lordes holy table not vnlyke to Esops Crawe But since we are atteined hetherto I will not werie to shaw the defferences betuix the two which shall not be altogether without fruct nor yet from the purpose and shall conclude them shortly in four heades 1. First we know Iesus Christe appointed vncted of his Father the Eternall preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec then to haue executed absolued and perfyted the office of his preisthead when as at the will of his Father he offered him self vp in a Sacrifice of sweit Sauour vpon the croice the onely and Eternall Sacrifice which no dout wes prefigurat long before in Melchisedec who being ones in the Scriptures broght in is declared to be the preist of the liuing God without any further mention of him In this blasphemus Sacrifice of your masse ye spoile and rubbe the SoÌ„ne of God the onely and Eternal preist of this prerogatiue of preisthead ioyning to him Collateralles Companions successors and suffraganes to vse his charge and execute his office euen as the same infirmitie were in him that wes in the preistes of the Lawe who by their mortalitie wes driuen to take men till occupy their roumes supplie there absence and so releif their charges The Apostle affirmeth no such imperfection to be in our Sauiour the Eternall preist euer liuing to execute his office of mediation and intercession whose preisthead is of that nature that it can not be transfered into any other And if it be trew that we be teached by the same Author that no man taketh any honour vpon him but he that is called of God as Aron Shaw the place and commandement of appoynting of these new Sacrificers And as I am moste certane that thou shall finde none in the Scriptures so am I assured that thow can haue no suffrage nor testimony of antiquitie thereof For Chrysostomus is plaine and Augustine plainely sheweth it to be the voice of the Antichrist if any man shall call a Bishop a mediator betuix God and man so straitly doeth he ascribe and vendicat the whole honour of preisthead vnto Christe that not one â—ote he will thole to be taken or communicat with 〈◊〉 other 2. The Second difference is that it wholy defaceth and distroyeth the croice and passion of Christe For that is moste certane that assone as euer thou erecteth an Alter that the croice of Christe is vtterly extinguished For ye will not deny but our Sauiour Christe offered vp himself to purches and obteâ—ne perpetuall sanctificaion and forgiuenes to his Elect and faithfull the vertew whereof is Eternal and remaneth other wayes we could iudge no other thing of this Sacrifice of Christe then of them vnâ—er the Lawe the which are tryed by that to be of small value that they wâ—re oft reiterat Wherefore we muste conclude ether that the croice of Christe lacketh the force of Eternall pâ—rgation or els that it is a sufficient Sacrifice whereby he hath fully satisfied for all and that perpetually Now then if place shal be to this thy Sacrifice which isso practised that a hundreth thousand of them are offered vp in a day What can we think but that the passioÌ„ of our Sauiour wherein he offered vp him self to his Father shal be vtterly rased defaced buryed and quenshed I sâ—air to rehears the testimonies of the Scripture because we will haue immediatly after occasion to speak of them 3. The thrid propertie and vertew of the masse is that â—t burieth and obliterateth the death of our Sauioure to the which is attrybuted by the Spirite of God the whole Saluation and Redemption of man For as commonlie â—monges men the Testaments and latter willes of men are of no effect nor strenth to the man that maketh it be depriued of lyfe so we know our Sauiour to haue confirmed his Testament wherein we be written aires of the Eternal kingdome by his death Weknow lykewayes what a Sacriledge it is to alterre change varie and innouate any iote of a Testament Shall this
is neuer a syllabe I pas by sindrie maters that might be adduced and should serue properly to this purpose as why at the beginning when this opinion entered in of thy Sacrifice of the masse a loÌ„g time there wes but one in euerie Church yea amonges a great multitude of Monkes and Freares there wes but a preist and an Alter a masse and that but vpon Solemne dayes as we see yet in these dayes but an Alter in the Popes Chappell a masse and that but at certane tymes in the yeare By these thinges I truste it may be easylie espyed of what mynde this Author asceibeth the applycation of the fructes of the Lordes death to the masse euen to foster and manteane all wickednes and impietie to the plaine mockage derision and contempt of God peruersion and supplantation of his holy ordinances defacing and burying of the Sacrifice of the croice fynally to thruste the Sonne of God out of his owen roume to spoile him of his prerogatiue of Eternal preisthead and intruding a preist The Apostle pronounceth that Christe the Sonne of God by his onely oblatioÌ„ ones offered purchased Eternall sanctification to all the Elect of God And in that disputation not onely abbrogateth and wypeth away the Sacrifices of the Law but also fully refuteth your vaine dreame of this sacrifice of the masse Ye affirme your masse to be a Sacrifice by virtew whereof ye haue remission of sinnes and that al 's well to the dead as to the quick The Apostle affirmeth plainely that there is no place now to any Sacrifice since the saying of Ieremie is accomplished and fulfilled when ye are thus vrged ye true to your shift and cryeth that it is no new Sacrifice nor any thing different from the Sacrifice of Christe but the self same The Apostle occurreth to this and denyeth that it oght any wayes to be repeated or reiterat and is not contented to call it a Sacrifice but adioneth that it wes one 's made yea and wholy vendicates the glorie and prerogatiue of the Eternal preisthead vnto the onely anoynted of God so that it can coÌ„uene to none to offer him vp but to him self Your craft to schift you of this is to say that the wordes of the Apostle are to be vnderstand of a bloody maner your Sacrifice say ye is vnbloody but the Apostle affirmeth without any exceptioÌ„ that there can be no Sacrifice by which remission of sinnes is obteined without effusion of blood Last of all ye here affirme that it is a certane applycatioÌ„ of the feuer of that a Sacrifice offered by our Sauiour To this the Apostle answereth for this cause and to this effect the ceremonies and Sacrifices of the Lawe haue bene abbrogated and taken away by the death of Christe because in them there wes memorie and mentioÌ„ of sinnes which they were no wayes able to take away Whereby ye are constrayned and compelled in dispite of your obstinat and indured hart to grant that no such kynde of applycation can haue place as ye haue foolishely deuised Change and turne thee in al 's many formes and figures as the Poyet speaketh of Protheâ—s thou shal be holden so fast and strait by the disputation of the Author that thou shall in no wayes escape He teacheth vs plainely that none is able to offer him but him self what a Sacriledge then is it that euerie preist shall take this vpon him in the masse Secondly he pronounceth this Sacrifice to be one and ones perfited that it can not be repeated in the masse howsoeuer ye affirme it to be the same yet is it offered vp oftentymes yea many myssion of tymes in an hour nothing appearing but a preist euerie where The Apostle pronounceth geue rally that there is no Sacrifice without shedding of blood ye affirme youres to be vnbloody as we haue said heretofore The Apostle when as we shal search remission of our sennes commandeth vs to stay our selues on the passion and death of our Sauiour his Sacrifice and sheweth the difference that is betuix vs and the Fathers to be that they were astricted and bund to a continuall ryte ordaine of offering vp of Sacrifices which we are exempted and deliuered oâ— by the death of our Sauioure Ye affirme plaine against this that the Sacrifice of the croice of Christ can in no wayes serue vs vules the virtew of it be applyed vnto vs by this your Sacrifice 〈◊〉 iudge I besech thee godly Lector of this do not repugne plainely to the wordes of the Apostle and doeth introduce a new iudaisme by pluâ—alytie of Sacrifices and heaping vp of ceremonies Thou goeth about to declaire thy wicked opinion by an exemple drowen out of the medicine where it repugneth nothing that a thing be propyned by sindrie instrumentes This saying is trew but if the medicin shall 〈◊〉 proper instrumentes to entreat handle his patient committed to his cure charge and yet shal take a poysoned Goblet filthy and stinking alwayes trimuâ—e deckt and verie semely without and in it propine to his patient rank poysone making hiÌ„ who hath wholie submitted him self to his faith to beleue that he shall receaue the moste pectoral and confortable potion what shal we think of this medicin what is thy iudgement of him â–ª Is he not worthy of the death This is more proper and pertinent to thy purpose Chrysostome vseth the similytude of the medicine but more properly then ye do as the medicine sayeth he and it be strenthy and of virtew ones being vsed and applyed shall expell the sickenes and is no more to be vsed otherwayes it shall declaire the owen imperfection if it shall neid to be after vsed so sayeth he is the oblation of our Sauiour which in respect of the perpetuall virtew and power of purgation and sanctification ones offered is not to be repeated In that they were commanded to offer Sacrifices as is coÌ„teined rebuke and reprehension of sinnes so in the multitude and repetition of them is tryed the infirmitie of the thinges that were offered Take head now what thou doeth vrgeing this Sacrifice so earnestly and defacing the vertew of Christes Sacrifice which herâ— by â—an not be but impotent since thou will haue it so often reiterat Thou neadeth not to oppen vp our infirmities subiection to sinne and iniquitie to proue the necessitie of this thy blasphemus Sacrifice as we had no other meanes to be assured of our Redemption but by it we haue God be praised Baptisme and the Lordes Supper which we acknowledge to be the holie institutions of Iesus Christe whereby we are fully and perfectly assured 〈◊〉 our deliuerance by Christe and of our coniunction with him Now let vs prosecute the rest Followeth an other obiection made by Iames. Alwayes sayes he all ze quha vses the masse dois not this not is not in the Text that is come to my handes but because the sentence requireth it I
signified is giuen to the signe it self so S. Paule doeth expone this giuen for you to be asmuche as broken for you No man will or darre say that the naturall body of our Sauiour wes broken for it wes writteÌ„ ye shall not break one bone of him Herein there is an vndouted allusion to the fraction of the bread appointed and vsed in the communion and lykewise a plaine declaration how the wordes of the promes oght to be taken Sacramentally and figuratiuely This shortly for the declaration of the wordes Now followeth the latter wordes of the institution do this in remembrance of me which nowayes can be vnderstand of any Sacrifice as ye do expone falslie but of the receauing and of the whole action recited before For these wordes our Sauiour doeth referre to the actioÌ„ preceading take ye eat ye this is my body drinke of this ye all and thus eating and drinking celebrate the remembrence of me to wit that I haue giuen and offerred vp my body for you that I haue shed my blood for you to the remission of your sinnes for if these wordes giuen for you and shed for you to remission of sinnes should not wholy be referred and appertane to the Sacrifice of the croce then should it follow that the Sacrifice of the croce wes not necessarie seing by your interpretation we haue remissioÌ„ of sinnes by the virtew of this action so shal the virtew of the Sacrifice of the croce euanesh Paule exponeth these wordes as I haue not of a Sacrifice but of the receauing do this so oft as ye shal drinke sayeth he in commemoratioÌ„ of me for as often as ye shall eat of this bread drinke of this cuppe ye shall furth shew the Lordes death till he come whereby we obserue that he conioyneth the commemoration with the receauing which ye that affirmeth the masse separateth and diuideth For it is plaine and manifest by Paule that in this publique action in the which he commandeth one to tarie vpon an other and in the which the body of our Sauiour is eaten and his precius blood drunkt That he willeth that we conioyne the celebration of the benefites procured vnto vs by his death with the action it self And that we giue thankes for these giftes and so in nowise willeth he vs to offer his body blood but that we eat and drinke them and so to celebrate and annunce his death that is the great and inestimable deliuerance purchased by his death If any please to speak as the Ancients do and call it a Sacrifice I repugne not so he vnderstand not that Christ is here to be offered for the offences of the people for the sinnes of the leuing and the dead for Saluation and sofurth For he hath by this one oblation one 's made consuÌ„mat and perfected his faithfull and Elect for euer For it is a haynus blasphemie to think that any man may offer vp the Sonne of God vnto the Father as we haue already heretofore declared he being him self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the offerer and the oblation it self as I am able to proue by the Greik Cannon and the Ancients all in one voice Now we offer not his body and his blood the which we be commanded onely to receaue and were offerred of Christ him self the virtew of the which oblation yet remaneth and shal perpetually yea and here they be offerred and giuen vnto vs but we againe offer vp prayers laude praise and action of thankes which we are coÌ„manded to ioyne with this action In these wordes do this in remembrance of me which wordes are exponed by Paule as we haue declared Now this to be the verie Germane sense of the wordes of this action I dout not yea and all godly consciences wil affirme and subscriue that if an Angel of heaueÌ„ should setfurthe any thing against this it is one accurse wherein I haue not trauelled to satisfie the contentius and obstinat persones but because the wordes of the text were wreiâ—ted by this wrouglare of Scriptures I wes driuen to bring furth the godly meaning of the same wordes with all sobrietie to the releif of the simple that by all appereÌ„ce might els haue bene troubled thereby Now let vs returne to our Author who as he hath begunne blasphemusly so he contineueth impudently and as I haue already forewarned you so now shall ye finde his principal studie direct to this that the whole communion may be subuerted and distroyed and his deuillishe masse erected For here he plainely protesteth that this his Sacrifice of the masse Is a mair proper commemoration and remeÌ„brance of the Sacrifice of the croice nor is the communion quhairfore sayeth he the Sacrifice of the masse is called a Sacrifice of commemoration and swa ze may perceaue be the command quhilk our Sauiour gaue to his Apostles saying do this in remembrance of me that he rather appointed the Sacrifice of the latter Supper to be ane commemoration of his death and passion nor the communion In deid maister Abbote I wold glaidly ye should leaue your magistrall and Sorbonik maner of speaking and proue your sayiÌ„gs but God be praised it appeareth that ye be rather a Scoller of Pythagoras yea Pythagoras him self nor a Scoller of Christ Iesus We know that in Pythagoras Scoole there wes no more but his authoritie whereof proceaded this saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he said it this authoritie ye take vpon you in preferring your pestilent Sacrifice to the holy institution of our Lawe maker Iesus Christe yea and doeth that is in you to euert the holy communion the which I haue shewen heretofore to be called a Sacrifice of coÌ„memoration in consideration that we there giue thankes to our God of that blissed League and couenant that it hath pleased his maiestie to receaue vs in and that in the blood of Iesus Christe althogh improperly in deid yet in that sense not altogether intollerable yea and I wil say further that neuer ye shal find your masse so called being vnknoweÌ„ in those dayes as shall be after discussed when we shall atteane to the examination of the authorities of the Fathers Strange it is to see a man so caried away with his owen fantasy so giuen ouer in the handes of Sathan that he shal repyne against God that he shall renunce and refuse the manifest veritie of God confessed in all aiges to establishe his owen imagination We know the communion to be the ordinance of Iesus Christe practised in all aiges and as I haue prouen by S. Paule the moste liuely commemoration of Christes death and yet will ye set before it your stinkinge whore the masse which neuer had place till these our latter dayes and that neuer without controuersie to the great and greuous grudge of all godly and now fynally fealeth the iust pleague of God being trodden vnderfoote in the dust In your conclusion howsoeuer
zow sayeth he to vnderstand the same be the conference of Scriptures A maner of proceading in deid substantius and formal if he should do that he doeth promes To this place he hath spoken all Pythagorice that is of his owen inuention as he wil seme without any probation and first alledged the Psalmest Dauid and S. Paule to proue that which is confessed of euerie one Oure Sauioure to be a preiste for euer according to the ordoure of Melchisedec quha maid oblation of breade and wyne vnto God as the Scripture plainlie teaches The place here alledged I haue already entreated at large but now will I say to this fals glosare that he is neuer able to proue that neuer Melchisedec made any oblation and if he made any he made it to Abraham But that he made no oblation it is plaine by the Hebrew and Greik Text. For the word is plaine he broght furth and not offerred vp And that he gaue this bread wyne to Abraham it is manifest lykewise by the prayse that is giuen to Melchisedec of his liberalytie in refreshinge Abraham and his wearie Hoste according to that he wes King and in blissing Abraham conforme to the duetie of the preist Besydes this which is the verie meaning of the Spirite of God the Relatiue him maketh all that preceadeth to be vnderstand of Abraham in coÌ„sideration that there is no mention of any other but of AbrahaÌ„ only Now I resson sayeth this Doctor on this maner Read all the Euangell quhare our Sauiour vsed the Preisthede of Mechisedec declaring him to be ane preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec but in ye latter supper quhair he maid oblation of his precious body blude vnder the forme of bread and wyne prefigurat be the oblation of Mâ—â—â—hisedec than are we compelled that our Sauiour maid oblation of his body and blude in the latter Supper or els he was not a preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec Albeit that heretofore I haue declared sufficiently all that beloÌ„geth to the explicatioÌ„ of this place yet shal I not werie to adduce somwhat for the more cleare vnderstaÌ„ding of the place and coÌ„uicting of the gros malicius and blind ignorance of this Author What a madnes and phrenesie shall we think it in this Scripturer that he can not content him self with this that the Spirite of God hath teached vs The author to the Hebrewes hath declared the wordes of the Psalme and hath pretermitted nothing apperteaning to the similytude and comparison of our Sacrificator Iesus Christe and Melchisedec The Psalmist no dout in the forenamed Psalme vendicateth and attributeth to our Sauiour the dignitie of the kingdome together with the progatiue of Eternal preisthead hauing spoken of his kingdome in the fourt verse he discendeth to his preisthead where he sheweth his preisthead to be farre different from the preisthead of Aaron being such an as should not now be after the ordoure of AaroÌ„ but after the ordor of Melchisedec SecoÌ„dly he sheweth it to be firme and stable planted by the authoritie of the Eternall who shall neuer be strucken with repentance that is the thing he hath ones decreed shal not alterre nor change then doeth he adde the orackle which doeth not consist in oblation of bread and wyne nor yet is it added thou art a preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec to signifie any such thing as thou fondly diuisest but to declaire the perpetuitie and the qualitie of his preisthead as the author to the Hebrewes doeth plainely witnes declair and expone First then we haue here the kingdome and the preisthead giuen by God vnto our Sauiour so that he is bothe king and preist By the kingdome we vnderstand that power that is giuen to him in heauen and in earth to gouerne defend his subiectes to be auenged vpon his enimies The office of the preist is to instruct in the feare of God to intercead for remission of sinnes to pray offer which offices the Euangelist doeth plaâ—nely witnes that Iesus Christe hath fulfilled And therefore ye do manifestly belie the spirit of God And where ye affirme that Iesus Christ did no parte of the office of Melchisedec vnles we grant that he did offer vp him self vnder the formes of bread and wyne that is a manifest vntrenth For that Christ is king preist wes the office of melchisedec that his preisthead is eternal and not temporal as the preisthead of AaroÌ„ wes is proper to Melchiesdec that Christ doeth blesse his elect not curse them wes also the office of Melchisedec and all these I suppose ye wil confesse Iesus Christ hath done yet doeth These two offices in Moyses and Aaron being distinguished are ioyned in Melchisedec the Type and figure of our Sauiour in whome they be not onely ioyned but perfected Secondly as the kingdome and preisthead are not giueÌ„ to him by man but by God as we may collect of this that the Lorde sweare This obserueth the author to the Hebrewes when he sayeth no man vsurpeth any honoure but he that is called as Aaron So the Sonne of God being Lorde of all abydeth the appointment and vocation of his Father to the great shame and rebuke of the Popes that no les impiuslie nor impudently taketh and vsurpeth the crowne of the kingdome and the myter of the Bishopprie and preisthead to them selues without commission or laufull vocation And therefore moste iustlie shall it be said to them they reigne but not of the Lorde they are preistes but not the Lordes Thridly this preisthead is assigned with a great ceremonie and by a certane Religion established that with one Solemne othe which peculiarly coÌ„ueneth to our Sauiour and is diligently noted in the Epistle to the Hebr. others preistes sayeth he are made without any othe but this preist is made by the othe of him that said to him the Lord hath sworne shal not repent him thou art the eternal preist that by two things that can not be moued the promes and the othe by the which it is impossible that God shal lie we may reteane the most firme confort of our faith conceaued of the preisthead of Christe that with a steadfast esperance we may enter in the inward partes of the Sanctuarie with our Sauiour Feardly this preisthead thus confirmed with an othe can not be changed nor transferred but shall remaine firme and immutable For it is plainely said and he shoulde not repent him This steadfaste perpetuitie of the preisthead of our Sauioure is obserued and declared by the Apostle many preistes sayeth he wes made vnder the Lawe because they might not remane being subiect to death but our preist no wayes being subiect to mortalytie hath an eternall preisthead The worde vsed by the Apostle I haue noted before and the proprietie of it And in this we may obserue the difference of the preisthead of our Sauiour from all other
the blood of him wes a figure of the Redemption of man by the blood and passion of our Sauiour Thridly it serued for a document of good lyfe holynes and so furth As the Apostle concludeth in the place before recyted let vs reioyse in all puritie and veritie The same shall we obserue in the first fructes and the rest of the Sacrifices vnder the Law but to eshew all cauillatioÌ„ of such Sophisters as go about to deceaue we haue to obserue euerie point to examine it that is proper to a Sacrament and it that belongeth to a Sacrifice and so to distinguishe them skilfully as in the exemple of the Pashe Lambe which in consideration of the offerring and immolation onely apperteaneth to the Sacrifice of the croice as I haue said Now will I trauell to shew the aggrement and similytude of the Pasouer with the Supper of the Lorde yea and wherein they do dissagre as in no figure can be found the perfect image of the veritie aggreing in all pointes with it that is corespondent howsoeuer ye those your self to be deceaued and goeth about to deceaue others This is first to be obserued in the institution of the holy Supper that euen as immediatly after the eating of the Pasouer the holy communion wes instituted by our maister and Sauiour Christ so doeth he obserue the same ordour that Moyses rehearseth to be kept and wes appointed by the eternal our God in the eating of the SacrameÌ„t of the Pasouer for that same night that the Lorde had decreed to slay the first borne of Egypt and to deliuer his owen people by the hand of the Angell he ordeined the Sacrament of the Pasouer to be a testimonie and monument of that wonderfull deliuerance euen immediatly after to be perfected The deliuerance of the people ensewed a lytle space after the memorie whereof euerie yeare by this Sacrament wes renewed at the commandement of God In the same maner our Sauiour that self same night that he wes to be betrayed and in the which he wes to beat doune that most cruel Pharoo and his whole power together with his first borne Sonne Death Hel to perfect the thinges that were prefigurate by the Pash Lambe he institute the holy Supper to be a perpetuall monumeÌ„t of that vnspeakable benefite he wes to obteane vnto vs and in place of a Lambe and the blood of it the Symboles of the Pasouer he appointed the signes of bread and wyne elements as moste seruing to the refection nurishement feading and confort of mans body and lykewise commonly moste parable and easy to be obteined so most proper to bind vp and confirme frenship and amitie Celius Rhodiginus teacheth this to haue bene moste solemne and familiare to the Lacedemonians by the breaking of bread to receaue in amitie such as they embraced in confideracie and league Aristotle in the. 8. boke of his Morals declareth the nature of amitie to be such that as by mutuall leuing together resorting at table together it is reteaned so by long silence and absence it is dissolued as the greik Prouerb there recyted by Aristotle and Atheneus in his fyft boke doeth euidently proue In these signes our maister and Sauiour instituteth his holy Supper which wes to remane and practised to his returning to assure vs hereby of his preseÌ„ce howsoeuer he is touching his bodylie presence absent and to ratifie and establishe that amitie league and societie the Eternall God receaued vs in and that in the blood of his deare Sonne Touching the tyme this we may obserue that as the wisdome of our God determineth all thinges and appointeth in the moste due and conuenient tyme So this hour of his Supper to haue serued moste properly to that holy action by him then practised We obserue most diligently and kepe in mynde moste faithfully not onely the factes but the wordes of them that we see in the trauell and battall of death thereby as it were calling to mynde the memorie of him who is departed these thinges as moste notable we iudge moste worthy of Register the treuth of them and maiestie being sealed vp by the verie death The hour of his death then approching and at hand and in the which not onely the Lambe of the Pasouer but all the rest of the Sacrifices appointed in blood were to receaue their perfection and end and so to haue no further place the tyme can not be but moste proper the ceremonies of the Lawe being in no point by him neglected the figures fully performed and the presence of his body to be immediatly after to them denyed Wherefore not without cause he changed the signes whereby the thinges to come were foresignified in such signes as should declaire those thinges to be performed already So then followed the deliuerance by the â—eath of Christ the memorie whereof is celebrated by the frequentation of the Lordes Supper to the which vse it wes appointed For he commanded take ye eat ye this is my body do this in remeÌ„brance of me the which commandement as I haue teached can of no better reason be separate from this Sacrament adioyned to any fond Sacrifice nor the promes by the which is plainely declared the cause of the institution when he sayeth this is my body which is giuen to you and this is my blood and sofurth For how I praye you can these wordes that be here interiected giuen for you and shed for you how can they I say be separate from the action preceading and from the commandement that is after giuen Or how can the commandement be drawen from the whole action preceading That can be no more nor the members from the body So they peruert the holy ordinance of our Sauiour that separateth the commandement from the promes or yet the promes or any parte of it from the action Now that the Pasouer wes lykewise a similytude and a figure of Christes death may easylie be declared by sindrie thinges which nowise can apperteane to the communion First in the Sacrifice of the pasouer the Lambe wes flaine which can nowise aggre with the Supper in the which there is no slaughter nor boucherie but ye wil here insist and repyne alledgeing by this that it is a Sacrifice To this I haue answered you that there is no vnbloody Sacrifice by the plaine wordes of the Apostle For ye teach plainely that your masse is not onely a Sacrifice of thankes geuing but of expiation of sinnes which can not stand without spilling of blood The Lambe wes slaâ—â—e the blood of him spilt and that foresignified the death and cruell intreatment of Iesus Christe who wes to be offered vp in a bloody maner vpoÌ„ the croice and this can nowise aggre with the Supper nor yet your fond oblation made in it as ye imagine for as witnesseth Paule our Pasouer is offerred vp Christe Lyke as the Supper doeth liuely testifie and represent so by the immolation of the Lambe as by the figure wes
of Christes body ones offred vpon the Croce whose fleshe and blood by his death are become the verrie nurishment of our Soules according to his owen promes saying and the bread that I shall geue yow it is my fleshe which I shall geue for the lyfe of the warld Playe thou thy self with thy mearie conceait dreaming that he firste offred his bodye and then he gaue it to be eaten We are assured he did offre it vpon the Croce by which onely oblatioÌ„ we haue obteyned lyfe Searâ—h then what thow lest in thy Sacrificâ— of thy masse lyfe shal thou not fynd in it for that floweth frome Christes death only but maister Doctor if a maÌ„ should demaÌ„de by which wordes is this your Sacrifice of the masse instituted if ye answer by these this is my body Then ye grant that there wes no thing offered before they wordes were pronounced Then if some maÌ„ shuld demaÌ„d were the Apostles obedient to Christes commandiment or not It wel be harde to yow to say that they repined in that caise but plaine it is that the bread being broken Christ said take ye eat ye aÌ„d efter subiuned the other wordes then it appeareth that some of the Apostles were busye with the bread before the whole wordes were pronunced And so wolde some captius man and that not without some iuste cause seing ye deale with the mater so captiuitie say that if his body wes not eaten yet it wes in eating before it wes offred thus ye may espy that we can trouble yow if we list for oure coniecture hes more probabilitie nor hes your bolde affirmation Christes body wes offred before it wes eaten because the pasouer wes offred before it wes eaten But suche anxius and to curious obseruation of euery moment of tyme will not serue to establishe and for vp a new doctryne wicked and impius it that is worthy obseruation of the tyme is this in the oâ—e and the vther that the Lorde our God being of mynde to delyuer his people out of Egypt and to see them at libertie he instituted the Pasouer whiche should be vnto them as a figure and a monument of there fredome and 〈◊〉 to all ginerations in the ages to come and that they should be the more diligent in obseruation of his ordinaÌ„ce at that same tyme there wes no lytle dainger appearing to Egypt and they not as yet delyuered he commanded them to do this for we be more moued affected with those thinges that we be teached in the myddest of a great trouble and calamitie nor with those that be repdited vnto vs in al quietnes and securitie for as solicitude and fear maketh a maÌ„ more attentiue war and able to conceaue so do they make a maÌ„ more thankful and myndful of the benefite receaued Lykewise we obserue that our maister sauiour Christ that same nyght he wes betrayed the displeasour and melancholie hauing occupyed the hertes of his Apostles then did he institute his holy supper whereby they should be admonished of there instaâ—te delyuerance that wes to follow at hande Yet since ye vrge the figure and preisseth so earnestlie at the tyme I praye yow answer to me if any Preiste wee disquieted called vpon appoynted for the Immolation of the Easter Lambe ye knowe I truste the contrarie it wes commaÌ„ded to be eaten in euery housse slayne be the maister of the housse without any Ceremonye or circumstance commanded in otheres Sacrifices as of preiste altare and sofurth whereby it appeareth euidentlie that it wes onely rekned to be a Gratulatorie Sacrifice and of the kynd of suche as were called meat offringes no suche as ye meane and this we will not denye to conueine most properlie to the Communion as hath bene clearlie declared Now then a lytle with yow where of proceadeth this your Papisticall Preisthead by the whiche ye claime Authoritie to offre vp the Lambe of God since ye see no preist called vpon here in the figure but the maister of the housse in this to haue the charge Now apply the figure to the veritie and ye shall perceaue how great a vanitie it is to seik the congruence aggrement and similitude of the one with the other in all poyntes for if that should haue place neuer shall I seik one other argument but the figure to euert thy whole purpose as thow alledgest the Sonne of God should be first offred and sacrificed according to the figure then shall it follow that he wes firste slayne syne eaten yea and efter he wes eaten slayne againe as we know Christe Iesus to haue dead vpon the Crioce efter his holy Supper These are the great absurditeis following vpoÌ„ the figures Forther to inquire of the tyme it is vaine and â—urâ—uâ— yea and foulishe to lead any probation thereby an establishe any thing any wayes doutsum let be it that is manifestlie wicked Here Iames is moued seing this dimne bryng all his probations out of the figures of the olde Testament to vtter his Iudgement and think that the figures of the auld Testament ar noche sufficient confirmatioun of the maters of faith concerning the new Testament As in verrie deid allegoreis how soeuer the Ancients delyted in them are but weak ê“batioÌ„s not mekle to be leaued vnto In some places being vsed modestlie they may be receaued in doctryne of admonition But to this this Doctor boldly pronunceth ze think sayis he all wraÌ„g because zour hart is against the Scripture dois not our Sauiour confirme his burying tyll indure thre dayis and thre nychtis be the figure of Ionas Dois nocht Peter proue Baptisme necessarie be the figure of the Arke of Noie affirminge all thaim tyll haue perissed that wer withoute it Lykewise Paule callis to remembrance the twa Sonnes of Abraham to haue signified the twa Testamentis thus may we perceaue the speciall matters of our faith conteaned in the new TestameÌ„t to be coÌ„firmed be the figures of the auld Testament To proue his intent this glorious diuine adduces thre exemples out of sindre places of the new Testament euen as these places were cyted out of the ould Testament as solide probations When as they are adduced onely to Illustrate the mater which is already decleared to be luke for or then that whiche is already prouen by strong arguments Last to shaw that they haue some figure or similitude in the ould Testament We knowe that our Sauiour to whome and to his holy spirit it apperteneth to expone and declare the conformitie of the figureâ— with the mater represented by them and not to euery one to take vpon him to deuise and ymagine al thing according to us fond faiâ—talie our Sauiour I say againe being in oportuned be the Iowes continuallie calling for signes tokenes wounderous workes according to there ingyne he thus disdanefully trâ—etteth them aÌ„d pronunceth them vnworthy of the thinges they called for moste earnestlie aÌ„d â—o â—urteâ—h them
Church vtterly misknew it yea and yet 〈…〉 the Euangell â—ath 〈…〉 〈◊〉 is not in 〈◊〉 places of the Orient amonges the Christianes we know no such thing to be God be â—rassed and we hope in God â–ª that all 〈◊〉 shal be 〈◊〉 deliuered from her moste tyrannus filthy and insufferable abhomination And to be marâ—y with you for so I know you of your nature I know finde iâ— places in Scotland that hath euer 〈◊〉 cleane of â—er filthynes â–ª And I wolde be verie sorie that my staine or thy Iack â—ues wiâ—h reuerence I say of the modest Reader â–ª should be polluted with so 〈◊〉 and vile â—harlote as is the masse Thus thy argâ—ment is refuted wholy so that I truste euerie man shal be satisfied that is not altogether contentius for to such I write not not yet will dedicate my layboures for we know that the Church of God hath nothiÌ„g to do with such men ones Trew it is that the Prophetes forwarned vs of the comming and Natiuitie of our Sauiour and painted him furth in his owen cussors that he might be knowen to wit by his wonderus workes infearciable wisdome and doctrine But that thou hereupon wold gather That this Prophet lykewise did prophecy of a cleane Sacrifice to be offered ouer all hetherto in deid thow sayeth not euill quhilk is the precius Body and blude of Iesus Christe offered vp in the Sacrifice of the masse be the Minister In this thou speaketh vainely vngodly and impiusly yea and vnlearnedly which I haue already declared yea and shall proue by the same that thou adduceth for thy wicked prufe to wit the wordes of the latter Supper and the Prophet Malachie expounded and declared by the vniuersall consent of the moste Ancient Fathers when as we shall come to the declaration of the sayinges of the Ancients and wil not now trouble the ordour of the boke Here in deid this glorius diuyne taketh to him a fre feild taking vpon him to proue and certifie Iames his brother That this was sayeth he the declaration of them that was Disciples to the Apostles and all vther godly interpretors of Gods worde Greikes Latinistes together with the vniuersall consent and declaration of the maist Ancient and godly generall Councels quhilâ— euer hes bene sen the tyme of Christe to thâ— our dayes But here thou reciteth none of the wordes of thyne Authors In deid there is somwhat noted vâ—oÌ„ the mergâ—â— Alexander Epistolâ— primâ— Ireneus Libro primo Cap. 32. Damascenus Libro primo de Fide Orthodoxa Cap. 14. Augustinus Libro 8. de Ciuitate dei Cap. 33. et 9. Cap. â—3 â—ruâ—erinâ—â—uper exodum but here thou hath no mercy vpon the Reader forgetting to note the Chapiter the two Councils of Nice Ephesus last of all But hereof afterward because thou entreateth somwhat at more large I will referre them to their owen place and will ioyne with thee in the substaÌ„â—e of the mater which I haue euer from the beginning longed to atteane vnto But here I can not pretermit vnobserued that thou cyteth Augustine in the eight boke 33. Chap. the whole boke being conteined and deuided in 2â— Chapiters But least ye should haue forget your self in some of the figures I haue loked the. 23. Chap. where the ancient Father diâ—puteth of the iudgement of Hermes Trimegistus of Idolatrie and of the abolishing of the superstitions of Egypt and I can find nothing any wayes apperteining to this purpose we haue in hand but except that if some man may Iustlye think that the reprehension of Hermes should most worthely â—uene to you The wordes are these vaine deceptful pernicius and Sacrilege thinges Hermes the Egyptiane because he knew the tyme to come in the which they were to be abolished he lamented but he wept impudently as he knew it imprudently this part and these wordes may be applyed to you and all of your faction who trauelleth in disperate causes and lamenteth and bewaleth the erecting of the trew Religion of God and ouerthrowe of that that is impius aÌ„d wicked which no dout as ye bewale impudently so haue ye foresene these many yeares to come with no les impudencie nor ignorance Than cyteth the. 23. of the nynte boke of the same worke wherein is entreated how falssy the Name of God is attrybuted to the Gods of the Gentiles and yet it is communicat by the authoritie of the holy Scriptures to holy Angels and iuste men And I am able to say that there is nothing there can in any wise serue to this mater Now Reader I beseche thee consider what authoritie and faith is to be giuen to the sayinges of this diuine who not onely wreasteth and throweth the Scriptures sayinges of the ancient Fathers to his pernicius and vngodly purpose so that it might seme to the imprudeÌ„t Reader that loketh no further that he hath all for him but also rehearseth places that be not found and to vtter his knowledge of the antiquitie addeth Chapiters vnto their workes so liberally he dealeth with them Now let vs procead Here is introduced Iames after his long silence making an argument against the masse The wordes are Sen the Apostle Paule in diuers places testifies that Iesus Christe our Sauiour suffered anes for vs and neuer is to suffer againe quhairby we are assured that our Sauiour was offered vp anes in Sacrifice on the croce for mannes redemption and neuer to be offerred vp againe and ze say he is daylie offerred vp in the Sacrifice of the masse how can thir twa stand This is the argument of Iames gathered of the. 9. and 10. Chapiters of the Epistle to the Hebrewes To this is answered of this new deuyne in this maner It is trew that Christe was offered vp vpon the croies and is neuer to be offered vp againe after that maner as ane bludie Sacrifice and it is trew that the Lordes body is offered vp after ane vther maner in the Sacrifice of the maâ—se conforme to Christes commandement as ane vnbludie Sacrifice for why a veritie makes not ane vther veritie fals The â—uÌ„me of your answer is that there be two Sacrifices oblations of Christes body aÌ„d blood vpon the crocâ— one an other vnblody iÌ„ the masse This your sayiÌ„g as it is without any testimonie of the Scripture or suffrage of the antiquitie so is it moste impudent and moste easy to be reiected and refelled whatsoeuer ye pretend of Gods commandement wherein ye haue none at all Trew it is as ye say that a veritie distroyeth not an other but I must say for the part of Iames and of the treuth that an established trouth distroyeth and oppeÌ„neth vp all thing that is contreâ—ius which is nothiâ—g but falshead and vntreuth The Apostle writeth plaine that our Sauiour offered vp himself ones for the perfect deliuerance of man and neuer is to thoâ—e againâ— â–ª Thou granteth that he suffered ones and is no
further subiect to death and yet thou wil that he shal be offered vp againe yea and is offered vp in euerie corner Is not these two sayinges plaine contrarius Shall not the manifest treuth vttered by the holy spirite distroy the plaine vntrâ—â—â—h and manifest blasphemie that proceadeth of thy mouth But least it shall seme and appeare to you that ye shal escape by your stinking distinccions which standeth and dependeth wholy vpon the diuersitie of the oblation that the one is bloody and the other vnbloody I will ask of thee whome of hath thou that distinction Is it of the Spirite of God Whom to wes it reueilled before the Scriptures wes shute vp Or in what place of Scripture is it expressed Where is the commandement I am assured ye can haue no sufficient warrand to do any thing that the Lorde Iesus did not in his latter Supper Let all be red that is written by Mathew Mark Luck and Paule of the holie Supper and moste diligently and manifestly conferred and considered if our Sauioure iÌ„ his latter Supper offered his body and blood vnto God the Father and commanded that we should do the same he brake bread gaue thankes distributed it to his Disciples saying take ye eat ye this is my body which is broken for you He did lykewise with the Cuppe saying take drink of it all this Cuppe is the new Testament in my blood which shal be shed for you and many vnto remission of sinnes adiecting to bothe the partes do this in remembrance of me What is here I pray you that may in any wise apperteane to the oblation of the body and blood of our Sauioure to be made in the masse For we know that the oblation of his body wes made and his blood shed the day following And I truste that no man wil think or say that he commanded vs to do that thing in remembrance of him which he did the day immediatly ensewing but that he willed them to do that that he then practised to the perpetuall recordation and memorie of him without any further commandement Thus then thou can pretend no commandement whatsoeuer thou shall brage of it Secondly we are plainely teached by the Author to the Hebrewes that the oblation of the body and blood of Iesus Christe is of that nature that one 's perfected vpon the croice it can in no wayes be reiterate nor made againe Christe in offerring vp himself died and rose againe thus is no more subiect to mortalitie and we know that there can be no oblation vnto remission of sinnes but it that is by effusion of blood So that now whosoeuer goeth about to offer vp him againe they do that is in them to crucifie him of new Is not the argument of the Apostle moste euident and strenthy shawing the excellency of our Sacrifice of the new Testament aboue them of the olde in that that they not onely were many and oftentymes repeated yea euen the self same by long continuance of tyme till they were altogether abolished where as we haue but one and that ones offered neuer to be reiterated nor offered againe Iudge with thy self if that be not the introducting and establishing of a new iudaisime shaw me the defference thay had a certane Sacrifice which in consideration of the inhabilytie wes oftentymes reiterate in no wayes had bene repeated if it should haue had sufficient force and strenth what shal be of the Sacrifice of the croice Sall it not be accused of imperfection and inhabilitie thus reiterate by you Further we know that Christe can not be offered of none but of him self being the onely Mediator betuix God and maÌ„ neuer hauing resigned ouer this dignitie to none Attour what a monstrus and preposterus thing shall this be that the oblation that is the thing that is offered shal be more worthy and of greater value and estimation then the offerer more acceptable to God nor he that doeth offer it which of a necessitie must follow if a shaueling shall offer vp Christe in his masse Moyses doeth teach vs the oblation to be receaued of God for his saike that doeth offer it for the oblation of Cain wes reiected of God for Cain saike and the gift of Abell receaued not for the owen cause but the saike of the offerer lyke as is plaine through all the Prophetes so we haue in this mater the oblation of the body and blood of Iesus Christe to be moste pleasant vnto the Father in consideration that it wes offered vp by his onely and welbeloued Sonne By these argumentes it may appeare euidently the vanitie of thy pretended commandement captius distinctions which in your owen doctrine included a verie great contradiction For ye do call this your fond oblation an vnbloodie Sacrifice if I had presently a notare at hand I should bestowe an plack vpon an instrument of this saying I ask of thee new diuine how can this be an vnbloody Sacrifice and yet thou wil affirme the wyne that is their drunke by the Preist to be the verie reall blood of our Sauiour Christe that he receaued of the substance of the Virgine and that he shed vpon the croice The Sacrifice of the croice is called bloody because Christes blood wes shed thereon in verie deid shall not this your Sacrifice be the same argument be bloodie since ye drink and offre vp the same blood that vpon the croice wes shed Now ether must thou renunce and recant the wicked error of transubstantiation or els thou shalt will you or will you not grant it to be a bloodie Sacrifice that thow so stifly denyeth haeth no otherway to declyne the pithe of the argument Now ones I pray the againe oppin thyne eyes and be not styll blynde to considder how naroly thow are thrung in and delyuer thy self if thow can Considder last if it be a thing consistyng in the power and wyll of man tyll alterre and change the ordinances of God to change the nature of Saccrifices which be appoynted iÌ„ effusion of blood for so shall fall all the holie and inuiolable ordinances of God as witnesseth the Apostle effusion of blood to be necessarly ioyned with remission of sinnes Thus shal we conclud with thee that a veritie distroyeth not an other but in deid it oppeneth vp an vntreuth and lie which allace doeth abound in thy mouth what adiuration soeuer thou shall cloike them with all These your sayinges appeareth somwhat scabrus and obscure to Iames as in deid all vntreuth masked cloiked with pretense of veritie simplenes is dark hard to be vnderstaÌ„d the veritie coÌ„trarie wayes is euer remaning lyke to the self plane manifest and simple and for this caus he is desyrus that your sayiÌ„ges be made more plaine And hereupon ye take occasion to declaire the difference betuix the Sacrifice of the Lordes body on the croice and the Sacrifice of the masse quhilk in