fownd them selues naked and shamfast to be sene and hauing themselues no way to be couered with cootes of skinnes So let thes with teares axe of the same God that thei may be clothed with the same most pure cleane holy and godly skinn that is to say Iesus Christ to th entent that being couered with it thei might be no more ashamed of Gods sight But this can not be done iff thei will scuse them selues It behoueth that thei accuse them selues that thei tell their own fawt that thei doo poenance and that plainely thei confesse to haue erred Affter this sort thei shall obteine this godly garment and thei shall folow Paules cowncell yea his commandement the which he teacheth writing to the Romans put on the lord Iesus Christ Roma 13. for otherwise thei shall allweys remaine naked and with shame that is to say that their consciens shall neuer be quyet but thei shall allweyes haue hell at home Wherfor o Christians euen as in the beginning of this booke I haue exhorted yow to reade it and well to consider it to th entent that yow might vnderstand the crafft off this masse so many wayes blasphemos so now in the end of the same whan yow doo clerely vnderstand the most vngratios qualities of the same that yow will wholly forsake it Hether to many not only lay men but priestes fryres and monkes haue by ignorāce fawted thinking that it had bene a thing most holy and a worship most thanckfull to God and therfor haue hawnted it not knowing it And though thei haue greuosly offēded God yet in some part thei were excusable hauing fawted by ignorance And here I doo not speake of thos the which against their conscience and knowing what maner a thing it was only for feare or other wordly respect haue dissembled bacaus that thos maner of men haue committed a great fawt albeit that thei also shall be pardoned iff thei forsake the same and doo poenance and be sory for that which is past But now that by this boke iff thei will reade it and vnderstād it all mens eyes are opened and made plainely to see with how many abuses and cursings it is not only ful but heaped iff thei shall being priestes frires or monkes any more say it or being other men shall any more heare it I say surely that thei shall be vtterly vnexcusable and damnable as thei that knowingly and willingly shall sinn euen of very purpos and shall heape vpp Gods wrath vp on them Nor it shall not help nor auayle them talleage the perell of their goodes of their howsold or of their own life For so moch as that all thes things and as many other as can be had in the world to gether with the liffe it selff compared to Christ ought to be cownted as vile yea of no valure and for his loue we must necessarly forsake them becaus he is that treasure hiddon in the felde and that precios margarite for the which we ought to sell all our goodes to bye it Math. 13. And whan we be brought to such an eschew that we must either loose all thes things with the mortall liffe or forsake Christ Who dowteth but all the rest ought to be forsaken to kepe Christ whom iff we haue we possesse God and euery good thing What doth it help man saith Christ him selff though he in dede winn the whole world and lose his sowle Math. 1◅ What a foly is this to gett other things and to loose a mans selff withowt whō nothing cā help or auayle him Off thother part let vs consider that nedes whether we will or noo we must leaue the world and this same life for we be mortal and cānot allweyes tary here but we be certen that we must nedes depart and goo owt off this contry that is to say dye and change the liffe This is a sure rule And seing that this is necessary and we can not eschewe it is it not better for Christes sake to leaue the whole the which is not in deede to loose but to gaine and to lay vp treasor in heauē nor it is not to leaue it but to put it in to his hādes to th entent that he euerlastingly may kepe it for vs Is it not better I say to doo thus thā vtterly to lose all to gether It is a thing most certen that he that looseth Christ loseth euery thing and he that possesseth him possesseth euery good thing I knowe that Antichrist with his tirantes like a roaring lion doth threaten the lābe and warreth with him persecuting his affter diuers sortis afflicting them tormenting them and in th end killing them But for all that let them work as moch as thei will and can yet they shall lose and the lambe as Iohn saith in the Apocalipse shall ouercom them Apo. 14.17 For he is the king of kings and lord of lordes that hath all powr in heauen and in earth Math. 28. And hath a name aboue all names to whom euery knee in heauen in earth Philip. 2. and in hell is bowed and there is not that can resist him Now it semeth that he slepeth but the time will come of reuenge whan yea Antichrist with his tyrantes to gether with his fals prophetes shall be cast in to the burning pitt or lake of fire and brimstone where thei shall be tormented for euer Now the poore Christians be in the handes of Antiochessis of Dioclesians of Domicians of Neroes and other cruel tyrantes and Antichristes I touch not the good princis the which tyrants haue allweyes and will afflict Gods peple But let vs O brethern haue pacience in Christ as him selff doth admonissh vs saing Math. 14. In yowr paciens possesse your sowles And he that shall continewe to th end shall be safe Let vs pray and haue trust in God through Christ for he is able to deliuer vs from the hand of our enemyes and defend vs iff it shall please him And whan we shall see apparent parell rather than to denye Christ let vs flee awaye iff we can from the vnhappy nacion But iff we can not what els is to be done but to confesse him boldly Roma 8. 2. Timo. 1.2 calling to remembrans that the trewe Christian hath not the spirite of feare but of stowtnes and powre let vs rather obey God than men the which can in deede kill the body but not the sowle Math. 10. Let vs dye for God and Christes name for this death shall be glorios and let vs remember that which we said before that nedes we must dye Let vs dye I say with the prophetes with the Apostels with the holy martirs yea with Christ him selff Why shuld we be affrayed hauing such companions so noble and glorios that haue ledd vs the way being sure that iff we shall dye to gether with them Roma 8. and with Christ we shall also to gether with them and with Christ reigne
the proper maner of speche and not the improper To this I answer that god often tymes vseth with vs the custome of men because we be men and he agreeth to oure maner of speche for so muche as the custome is amonge men that they call the signes of a thinge by the self same name of the same thinge signified As for example If at any tyme we should make a couenaunt or an agrement with any man as sone as the agreement and couenaunt is made we cause to be made an instrument or a wrytinge of such agrement and we call it couenaunt or els agrement not that that instrument is really such agreement for the couenaunt and agrement went before but because it is a signe of such couenaunt and agrement So we call the wrytinge of a sale or of a purchase a sale or purchase because it is a signe and confirmacion of the sale or purchase And we do call the wrytinge or the instrument of such thinges testament or legacie or gift because it is the signe and confirmacion of these thinges Let vs geue an other example which also is of the scripture In Exodus and in many other places the ceremony of the paschall lambe is called passouer And Christ and the Apostels did so call it Christ sayd in saynet luke I haue ernestly desired to eat this passouer before I suffer Here Christ called the paschall lamb passouer And the Apostells said to Christ where willt thou that we prepare for the to eat the passouer And for all that the paschall lamb was not really the passouer because the passouer as we haue in the same Exodus was that passage as it is also sayd before in the ninth reason the which the Aūgell made whē he strake the first borne of Egypt ād passed by the houses of the hebrues Now that passage was properly the passouer But because the lamb was ordeined that it should be killed and after eaten with many ceremonyes in signe and remēbraūce of that thinge therfore the scripture calleth it passouer Behold how the scripture calleth the sacramētes by the names of the thinges represented and signified why shall we maruell then that Christe did call the cōsecrated bread his body and the wyne his bluod because they should be signes and a remembraūce of his body and bluod We ought not to maruell yea it is oure great rudenes and dulnes that we see not this thinge and why he hath done it that is to saie whye he calleth the bread his body and the wyne his bluod Euery man sayth that the sacrament of thanks geuinge doth come in stede of the sacrament of the paschall lambe And if it be so seinge that the scripture and the Apostels call the same such lamb passouer yea Christ him self in the same supper when he instituted the sacrament of his body and bluod called that lambe passouer not for any other cause but for that it was a signe and a remembraunce of the passouer why should not the bread be called the body and the wyne the bluod because they be signes and a remembraunce of the bodye and the bluod euen as the lambe is called passouer because it is the signe and remembraunce of the passouer And that rock out of which came furth the water in the desert paule calleth it Christ not for any other cause but for that it did signifie Christ nor there was neauer any men that bi such a sainge wold think that paule ment to affirme that that stone was really Christ but that he ment onely to say that it did signifie Christ So likewise let vs saye of the bread and the wyne that they be called body and bluod because they be signes and a remembraunce of such thinges We haue bene longe in answeringe to this reason because in dede the whole consisteth in this declaration that we haue made The second reason is this If Christ were not really in the sacrament S. Paule wold not haue sayde that it should be condemnation to them that should take it vnworthelye nor he wold not haue sayde that such should be giltie of the lords bodye and bluod For so much as that if Christ be not in the sacrament there should not be any other thinge but bread and wyne and beinge none other thinge there it should not be to vs such condemnacion as it is in dede no condēnation to eate other comē bread and to drink other wyne To this is answered that therfore paule sayth that they be giltye of the lords body and bluod the which do take the consecrated bread and wyne and the sacrament vnworthelye not for because that eather the body or the bluod be in the sacrament but they be therfore giltye of the one and the other because thei dispise Christs death thei dispise his body and bluod not goinge with that faith and with that reuerence that they ought to take those holy signes Instituted by Christ in remembraunce of his body and bluod geuen to death for oure raunsome In old tyme thei that did dispyse or dishonoure the name or the glory of the Romane Empire thei were gyltie of treason against the state of Rome And they that had done wronge to Cesars Image or els had defaced any of Cesars writings This was as if thei had layd violent hands vpon the princes persone He that wold dishonoure the armes or the badges of any great state that prince wold haue estemed such dishonoure and disworship to be cōmitted against his oune person for when his badges or els his Armes be dyspysed he him self is dispysed So seinge that Iesus Christ the chefe prince of the world hath Instituted the sacramētall bread and wyne to the intēt that that it should be a remēbraunce of so great a thinge and should represent so great a misterye that is to say that hath geuen his body and his bluod and dyed for to deliuer vs from sinn and from euerlastinge death and to geue vs euerlastinge lyfe Sewerly they that will take these holy signes withoute true repentaunce of there sinnes and without true faith and without consideration of so great a misterie and benefite they make no counte nother of Christes body nor his bluod nor of his death no nor of Christe himself it is no maruell therfore that they who go to take such a sacrament vnworthelye do eate and drinke Iudgement that is to say condemnation because when they dispyse the signes of so great thinges they do consequently dispyse the same thinges and him also that did institute such signes It is not proued by this that Christ is enclosed in this sacrament but the contrary The third reason The third reason the which semeth to haue some shew is this that is to say that if Christ were not here in this sacrament there should not be wrought any such great myracles as men see Sometyme it is seen that the hostes haue cast out bluod and such bluod is kept in many places It
declare it It is suer that this praier is wicked as well as that of the offering of the hoste The fourth Chapter HEre is examined that many praiers which they call secreats and are sayd before the preface be damnable and hold much wickednes in them as these That fasting purgeth sin̄es and maketh vs worthye of the grace of god and leadeth vs to the heauenly and euerlasting glory That by the bread and wyne god is apeased and forgeueth vs oure sinnes Then follow certein praiers and they be three which affirme the bread ād wyne to be a sacrifice of which matter because we will treate of it in the end where we will proue that nether the bread nor wyne before the consecration nor the Sacrament after the consecration can be a sacrifice albeit that the Sacrament is a remembraunce of the sacrifice We wil not now talke any farther of it least we should vnproffitably repeat one thinge often But we wil examen that which remaineth of this first parte ād chefely these praiers which they call secreats because they are sayd softly to geue more aucthoritie to the Masse And let them neuertheles alledge as many reasons as they will yet they ought to speak it a loude but this maketh not so much matter as the wicknedesses and blasphemies that are in some of them and among the rest in that of the fourth ferye of the Imber dayes in aduent which saith let oure fastings we beseche the oh lord be acceptable vnto the which by clensing vs maye make vs worthy of thy grace and bring vs to the euerlasting promesses The veri same is said also in the third serie that is to saie the tewesday after pashiō sonday And an other tyme on fryday in the Ember weke after the seauentēth sonday after whit sonday which praier in few words hath much matter that is to say thre great blasphemyes The first is that fastinges do clere purge and clense The seconde is that they make vs worthye of Gods grace The third that they bring vs to the euerlasting promesses These thre cursed wickednesses are in this litle praier who wil denye that these be not thre blasphemies First is not this a blasphemie to geue to the fastings which are oure works the clensinge of sinnes Heb. 1. which is gods worke onely by Christ Iesus thoroughe his blod and death As paule sayth 1. Ioan. 1. That Christ alone is he that purgeth sinnes And Ihon in his first Epistle saith That the blood of Iesus Christe doth clense vs from al sinne And Ihon Baptist sayth Ioan. 1. behold the lamb of god behold him that taketh awaye the sinnes of the world And Esay geueth the forgeuinge of sinnes to Christe onely thorough his passion and death Esa 53. And to be shorte the whole scripture geueth this honoure to Christe and this praier geueth it to oure fastings These be those godly sacrifices that are made beare with me you that yet know it not in this detestable Masse by which the world so long hath bene disceaued and Christ dispysed Besyd yf by oure fastings we were clensed and oure sinnes forgeuen vs Rom. 4. we should be iustified by oure oune works for so much as iustification is forgeuenes of sinnes it self or at the least is not without it and that onely iustifieth vs that forgeueth vs oure sinnes Ro. 3. 4. Gala. 2.3.4 5. Roma 3. But this doctrine is contrary to the Apostle Paule who sayth in all his Epistles and specially to the Romaines and Galath that we be not iustified by works but bye Gods grace through Christs redemption Paule saith to the Romains we be iustified by his grace that is Gods by the redemptiō that is in Christ Iesus In which place appointinge the things that perteine to iustification he alledgeth grace the redemption by Christe and faith which wholly he geueth to the grace of god by Christ and no whit to man yea rather he turneth out all the glory of man and geueth the whole honoure and glory to God Which he wold not haue done if oure works whether they be fastings or other works had pertained to iustification as any cause therof Moreouer how canne fastings purge or clense sinnes seing that we must first be losed and clensed before we can do eny work that may be thankfull to God whether it be fasting or other work How can fastings take away sinnes yf they be not thankfull to God and if they be thankfull to God it is necessary that oure sinnes should first be forgeuē vs and that we should be clensed of them Fastings therfore cannot cause forgeuenes of sinnes nether in whole nor in parte yea let thē think this before hand that yf they should be acceptable vnto god forgeuenes of sinnes must necessarylye goo before them And if it should be sayd that in the end of the praier there is Per Dominum nostrū Iesum Christū etc. Which words confesse that oure sinnes are forgeuen by Christ to this is answerd that ether they will that by Iesus Christe himself onely our sinnes should be forgeuen or els not onely by Christ but by Christ together with the fastings If they will by Christ onely why do they alledge fastings yf they will haue fastings together with Christ this is first against the scriptures which thorowout alledge Christ onely ād none other Further it is plaine that the reason before made resteth stronge that is that forgeuenes of sinnes go before fastings if they shal be thankfull to god then fasting cannot because of forgeuenes of sinnes nether with Christ nor without Christ And if thei wold say we meane not of forgeuenes of sinnes as concerning the faulte but the punishmēt to this I say that when men speak absolutely of the clensing or forgeuinge of sinne it is to be vnderstand of the faulte as of the chefe thinge in that forgeuenes and here the praier speaketh absolutely wherfore it is vnderstand of the fawt and not of the paine only Than if the fawt be forgeuen and taken away we ought not to be any more ponisshed for the cause of that fawt For take away the caus and the effect foloweth This is a generall rule where there is no fawt there ought not to be any ponisshment If god doo thorowly for gyue and take away the fawt he taketh a way also the ponisshment dewe for that fawt And this distinction which is comonly made of the forgeuenes of the paine ād of the fawt hath no maner fowndacyō in holy scriptures but is fownd owt by men And though somtymes god forgiuing the fawt doth some way ponissh as he did Dauyd and certen other yet this is not that the ponisshmēt shuld remayne as the ponisshmēt of that sin̄ but for other respecttys as to humble the man and to exercyse hym or to geue example to other that thei doo not the like and that he also may be ware in tyme to come that he fall not
possybylytie that the sowles of the faithfull affter thei be past this liffe cā be dāned but be certen of theyr safetye nor it can not be no nother wise it nedeth not than to pray for them that god wold not dampne them but there ought only to be desyered that they might be delyuered from the paynes of purgatory iff at least they were there and not from the euerlasting paynes from which withowt dowt thei be by gods grace and thorow Christ delyuered nor there is no more perell that thei shuld fall in to it Wherfor such a praier is made in vaine and is vnfitt because it putteth in dowt the safetie of the faithfull sowles of the which thei be most certen To be short the sowles that be departed this life either theibe of the trewe faithfull or not Iff thei be not of the faithfull it nedeth not to pray for them because the praiers doo not help them Iff thei be of the trewe faithfull it nedeth not to pray for them that thei shuld be freed from euerlasting paine for such a praier shuld help them nothing being withowt dowt allredy freed Thā next affter it is writton in the lesson of thapocalipse which is recited in the same masse Apoc. 14. that thāgell said to lhon write blessed be thei that dye in the lord for frōhenfforth that is to say frō their bodily death the spirite saith that thei shall rest from all their labours and trauels Iff it be so that affter their death thei be in quiet and rest and thes men speake not but the spirite of god which cā not lie to what purpos shuld we nede to pray for them that god wold leade them in to the place of comfort Iff thei rest from all their trauells and be in quiet it nedeth not to pray or desire god that he wold giue them that the which we be certen thei haue allredy We be certen 〈◊〉 the saing off the holy goost that thei rest from all their labors and consequently be free from all paine and haue no nede to be freed Iff thei were in purgatory or in any paine the spirit wold not haue said that thei were in rest as he affirmeth but wold haue caused mē to desire it Surely this office for the deade speaketh against it self ād against tholy scripture for it affirmeth that the sowles off the faithfull be in rest ād on the other side desireth that thei may haue rest Affterward in the lessō of the machabeis what is the cause that thei haue not putt in the text as it lieth Whi haue thei kept back that word sacrifice The text saith thus 2 Mach. 12 Et facta collatione duo decim milia dragmas argenti misit Ierosolima offerri pro peccatis mortuorum sacrificium How haue thei thus put in all the rest of this lessō ād thes wordes onely that is to say Sacrificium thei haue lefft owt Thei shuld with owt dowt haue put it in But I Imagine thei feared least it wold hinder their opiniō And be it as it wil be thei haue fauted ād vsed crafft in hiding it ād thei imagined such a maner of word shuld not be moch for their purpos because that the sacrifices were not made of mony but of beastes not with stonding this is none of the greatest fawtes Than next in the offertori is praied O lord Iesus Christ king of glory deliuer the sowles of all faithfull deade from the paines of hell and from the depe lake Deliuer them from the mowth of the lion that hell may not swalow them and that thei fall not in to darknes but that thy standerd bearers Michaell may present them in the holy light the which in time past thow didst promes to Abraham and his seede This offertory as thow seist praith for the sowles of the deade that Christ wold deliuer them from the paines off hell as the first praier saith and from the mowth of the lion that is to say of the deuill and that the horrible place that is to say the depth of the dongion shuld not swalow them and that thei shuld no falle in to the dimme darknes And it geuith vs to vnderstand that the sowles of the faithfull be yet in perell to be damned the which is not only fals but contrary to their own opinion that bringe in purgatory the which sayth that the sowles of them that die in grace for the which only the church praieth hand not for any other can not be damned as the reprobate for whom the church praith not because thei can not be saued Why than doth not this praier called the offetory desire that christ wold deliuer thos sowles from the paines of purgatory and not from the paines of hell whether thei can not goo Parauenture some will glose that thes wordes paines of hell mowth of the lion Depe lake Terrible and dark place doo not meane the paines or place of the damned but of purgatory Thei cānot reasonably say this For such maner wordes doo not agree with purgatory And with owt dowt thei meane the hell of the dampned ād of the euerlasting paine as the first praier ment the which expressely made mencion of purgatory Surely this offetory is folish and erronios as the first praier is because it geuith tunderstand that the sowles of thelect passed from this liffe may be dampned The iiij Chapter THat the blessing in the massboke that is to say of asshes of candels of bowes of chese of eggs of breade of fire of fankincens of the paschall and of water are wicked ād full of superstitions The blessing of the asshes is not ōly wicked and supperstitos but plaine blasphemy for that is very blassphemie whan that is geuen to plaine creatures which belōgeth only to god and christ As for exāple to forgeue sin̄ to iustifie ād to saue Now let vs see a litle what this blessing of asshes saith there be ij praiers The first saith Grant by the calling vpō of thy holy name that all thos which shall cast the asshes vpō them for redēpcion of their sinnes may receiue the helth of body ād defence of sowle The other that foloweth affirmeth and confesseth that we put thes asshes on our heades to shewe furth humblenes and to deserue forgeuenes saing thus O god which doest not desyre the death of sinners but their repentans looke most fauorably vpon the frailtie of mans state and vouchsaue to blesse thes asshes which we haue determined to lay vp on our heades to th entent to shewe furth humblenes and to deserue forgeuenes c. In thes ij praiers it is plainly confessed that we cast thos asshes vpon vs for to haue redemption and to deserue forgeuenes of our sinnes O cursed blasphemy And shall we redeme our sinnes with asshes And why not with towe And what need we to labor to disproue so gret and so plaine a foly How vile a thing doth Antichrist make the redemptiō of sin̄es For the bringing of
expressely and more clerely betoken than thold For so moch as now in our time there is gretter knowlege of christ and off grace because it is the time of fullnes So our sacraments can more clereli betokē than theires But that thei can satisfie or forgeue sinnes or Iustifie man or geue grace or applie it to the same man Thei can not doo it as neither thold sacraments could doo any of thes things as we haue proued before Concerning forgeuenes of sinnes and Iustification it is plaine that thei do it not because that necessarily both th one and thother must goo before the sacraments iff thei shuld be worthily receiued Thapplication also of Christes satisfaction and redemption is made by faith the which receiueth the whol worke of our saluation by gods grace thorow Christ ād receiue forgeuenes Iustification holimaking and redemption from the mere and pure grace of god thorow Christ and not from any other thing and to it doth attribute and geue all the praise and glory Roman 3. as we haue in the pistle to the romanes And therfor the sauior so offt doth beate in this faith saing that who so euer beleuyth in him hath life euerlasting geuing to ūderstād that bi faith are receiued the benifites of saluaciō bi gods grace thorow Christ ād he that hath it not is not partaker of such benifites Therfor whan we find in the saings of the Euangelistes or of thold doctors that the sacraments forgiue sinnes as that of mark and luke that Iohn preached the baptime of repentans in forgiuenes of sinnes or els in thactes of thapostels that Ananias said vnto paul Rise vp baptise the and wassh thy sinnes And the crede receiued from the church which saith confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum And such like saings the which seme to attribute the forgeuenes of siinnes to baptim I say that thei must be vnderstand safely by that figure which attributeth to the signe that that belongeth to the signified The saing of luke and mark and the article of the faith are vnderstand affter this sort that is to say that the baptime is a signe of the forgeuenes of sinnes The saing of Ananias whan he saith to Paul wassh thy sinnes is as moch to say as take the signe of the wasshing And that saing of Peter in thactes of thapostels Actor 2 whan he saith Be repentant for sinnes and let euery one of yow be baptised for the forgeuenes of your sinnes is thus vnderstand Let euery one of yow be baptised in token of forgeuenes of your sinnes And so of thother saings that attribute the forgeuenes of sinnes to the sacramentes we must giue them the trewe vnderstanding that is to say that thei be tokens of such forgeuenes and thei certifie the byleuers of the same but thei be not the cause And iff any wold axe to what end than be the sacraments geuen iff thei work none of thes effectes that is to say iff thei forgeue not sinnes iff thei Iustifie not satisfie not saue not nor applie not such things to man I answer as before that thoffice of the sacraments is to be witnessing signes of thes said things and thei be as it were certen sealis which assure vs of the forgeuenes of sinnes of gods grace and of saluacion The merciful god and our fauorable father sawe how we are by nature vnbyleuing and weake And ther for for maintenans of our faith and help of our weaknes causeth not only his word that is to sai the holi gospell to be preached vs but cōfirmeth vs in the faith with the sacraments and sheweth vs by certen owtward signes and plaine to our sensis that which is preached by the word Wherfor whā we here said he that beleueth the gospell his sinnes are forgeuen hym and affter we see one baptise with water and knowe that this baptime is ordeined by god to signifie such a thing we be confirmed in faith that is to say we bileue more surely perceiuing that baptime is ordeined to signifie that euen as the water wassheth the spottes or the vnclen̄es of the bodi so is he that byleuyth wasshed with in the sowle The sacraments haue other offices of the which it is not our mind presently to speake It suffiseth that amōg other thei haue this that is to say to bring vs forgeuenes of sinnes gods grace and our saluation not only at that time whan thei be geuen but thorowt all our liffe whan so euer thei come in to our remēberans so that we bileue And thei work not all this effect by their own vertu but by tholy institution and because thei be a ministery of the spirite as gods word is Returning therfor to the purpos I say that it is a gret abuse and supersticion willingly to goo abowt to say that the sacrament of thanksgeuing forgeueth sinnes for it is gods grace that forgeueth sinnes thorow christ whan we bileue with a trewe faith ād not the sacrament of thanksgeuing It is trew in dede that this sacrament doth certifie vs of that thing because it bringeth to our remembrans that christ gaue his body and his blood for our redemption and how his death is cause of our life but it worketh not the forgeuenes nor it can not work it as we haue before proued And iff thos that defend the mass shuld say that thei meane of the forgeuenes of the paine and not of the fawte whan thei say that the masse forgeueth sinnes And that affter this sort also the praier of the mass booke ought to be vnderstand in the which is made mention of such forgeuenes that is to say that thei be vnderstanden of the forgeuenes of the paine and not of the fawt Tho this I say first that the praiers absolutely make mention of the forgeuenes of sinnes and doo not any thing speake of the paine wherby it appeareth that thei meāe of the fawt which is princypall in sinne And the selff same wordes shewe that thei meane of the fawt As for exāple that praier haec nos communio domine purget a crimin It saith not liberet a poena but purget a crimine that is to say from the fawt And that other which saith Sit absolutio scelerū that is to say let it be a discharge of the fawtes ād affter al◅o it saith Sit uiuorū atque mortuorum fidelium remissio omniū delictorum that is to say let it be a forgeuenes of all the sin̄es of the faithfull liuing and deade Thes wordes surely being so generall as thei be of all sin̄nes as well of the liuing as of the deade can not conueniently be vnderstād only of the paine ād not of the fawt Than the Summistis ād scol mē defenders of the masse say that theffect of this sacramēt is to forgeue veniall sinnes ād also mortall wherof man hath no cōsciens that is to say as I thinck whan either he remēbreth not or Iudgeth not thē to be deadli sinnes allthough
the sacrament and not of the hole masse either thei meane of the breade and wine not yet consecrated or els affter that thei be cōsecrated Wich way so euer thei take it it is fals that thei shuld be a sacrifice for sin̄es Although I know that affter both sortis thei wold it shuld be a sacrifice both affter the consecration and before There is no dowt but affter the cōsecration folowing their opinion the bread and the wine be a sacrice For as thei think Christ all hole is there in body and in sowle and that there is no more neither bread nor wine but only Christ the which is the trew sacrifice Also that thei hold that that bread and wine is a sacrifice before the consecratiō how can thei denie it so many praiers secrets and chefely the canon affirming it The which canon in the first part praith god that he wold blesse that bread and wine and calleth them holy vntasted sacrifices in the plural nomber And in the second part that is to say in the memento he calleth them a sacrifice of praise The which is offered for the saluation of sowles And in the fourth part he calleth them an oblacyon And in the fifft he praith god that he wold vouchsafe taccept this oblacion so that it might becōe the body and blood of his best beloued sonn So that than they will that that breade and wine which are not yet cōsecrated shuld be a sacrifice for the ransoming of sowles And they pray that they may becom Christes body ād blood Iff they pray that they may become then be they not yet consecrated For whan they be cōsecrated they are become Christs body ād blood as they think and it nedeth not any more to pray that they shuld become soo becaus they be allready soo becomne That this bread and wine vncōsecrated shuld not be a sacrifice for sinnes it is an easy thing to proue For that according to tholy scripture the sacrifice for sinnes is that that hath redemed vs. For so moch as the redempcion is as moch to say as the forgeuenes of sinnes according to Paul as it is writton to the Ephesians and to the Colossians Eph. 1. Collos 1. But we be not redemed neyther with bread nor wyne but only with the blood of the vnspotted lamb christ as Peter saith in his first pistle 1. Petri 1 Yow knowe that yow were not redemed from yowr vayne conuersacion which yow toke by the tradicion of yowr elders with fadeable things as gold ād siluer but with Christes precios blood as of an hole and vndefyled lamb Is not the bread and wine vncōsecrated things fade able and corruptible How vile doth this masse make Christes redēpcion Of how litle valew his blessed blood God wold not pardon sin̄e but that there was paid so gret a price so gret a passiō so high a blood and so gret a death as that was of his sonn And they will that sinnes shuld be pardoned with bread and wine which yet are no nother but plaine breade ād plaine wine That the bread and the wine whā the consecraciō is made shuld be no sacrifice although there were no more neither bread nor wine but the body and blood of Christ Ihesus as they wold haue it I say that they be no sacrifice They be so moch lesse a sacrifice iff the bread ād the wine remaine And that they shuld be the sacrament as without dowt the Sacramēt is no nother in substās but bread and wyne consecrated that is to say appointed to the vse to which Christ appointed thē that is to sai to bring in to remembrans his body and blood That the sacrament I say is no sacrifice in what so euer sort it be a sacrament I proue it by Paul in his pistle to the hebrews Hebre. 7.8.9.10 The which if the fauorers of the masse had but supperficially vnderstand they wold neuer so boldly haue vttered that the masse or let it be the sacrament shuld be a sacrifice It is writton first in that pistle that there were in the lawe many prystes becaus thei were mortall but Christ who is immortall hath now theuerlasting pristhode and therfor can saue for euer all thos that goo to god by him alweys liuyng to that end that he may intreate god for vs. And he addeth a none affter that thos prestes or els bysshops had nede toffer sacryfyces not only for the sinnes of the peple but for their own also But it behoued that Christ shuld be vndefyled innocent the which shuld not haue nede eueri dai toffer for him selffe and affter for the peple because he dyd this ones whan he offred hym selffe For so moch as that the lawe appointeth men bisshops that haue weakenessys Psal 110. but the word of the oth that is to sai the word of god and of which Dauyd spake in the Psalme appointeth the son for euer consummate that is to say perfite By thes wordes ij things are geuen vs to be vnderstand First that none can offer a sacrifice that may auaile as before god for sinnes except Christ that is pure innocent separated from sinners perfite and euerlasting bishop who hath in such sort offered him selff that the sacrifice is the prest him selff and the priest the sacrifice it selff For that toffer sacrifice for sinnes it behoueth not only that the sacrifice shuld be cleane pure and withowt spott but it is necessary that he that offereth it shuld be him selff also cleane and that he shuld not haue nede toffer for his own sinnes It is knowen off old that among men also whan a thing is presented by the handes of one that is in displeasure of any gret lord allthough that the thing be good yet it shall not be acceptable because that he which presenteth it is not fauored Iff it be so than that he who offereth must be cleane and no sinner the prestes that say masse can not offer sacrifice for sinnes because thei be vncleane and sinners And albeit thei shuld in deede offer Christ ones again that offring could not auaile for sinnes because it is nedefull for the bringing to passe of such an effect that both th one and thother shuld be cleane and withowt spott not only the sacrfice but also the sacrificer a thing that can not be among as many as be but men in the whole world And for this cause it behoued that Christ him selff shuld be he that shuld offer and make sacrifice to god and no nother but him selff because he alone is without sinne and all the rest be sinners Than it geuyth also tunderstand that it nedeth not any more to doo sacrifice for sinnes becaus he that hath done sacrifice Christ hath satisfied hauing done ones for euer because it was perfite being the same Christ theuerlasting bisshop that offred him selff Iff that haue suffised being ones done what nedeth it to make other sacrifices or to make againe the same at other times Surely
it shuld be superfluos yea it shuld lessen the worthines of so gret a sacrifice for it wold seme that it were not sufficient So than the masses sacrament is no sacrifice for sinnes Next affter in the viij chapter he saith Heb. 8. that Christ hath so moch a more excellent presthode than the old bisshops as he is a mediator of a more excellent testament the which is made with more excellent promises And declaring of what sort the newe testament shuld be he allegeth the saing of the scripture Iere. 31. that is to say Ieremy the which saith this is the testament that is to say the newe testament which I will make with the how 's of Israell affter thos daies saith the lord I wil geue them my lawes in their mindes And in their hartis I will write them And I will be their god and thei shal be my peple And affter a fewe wordes he saith I will be pacified concerning their vnrightuosnes and their sinnes and iniquities I will no more remember Thes wordes conclude that there is for vs no nother sacrifice for sinnes but that which Christ ones made God saith who can not lie that geuing the newe testament he wold in such sort be mercifull as he wold no more remember the sinnes of his peple that is to say of the trewe byleuers The which geueth to vnderstand that he shuld be perfitely and perpetually pacified Let vs see now for what cause he shuld be so pacified We must say for no nother cause but for the mediators sake of such a testament that is to say for Christes sake by whom this testament was made Let vs goo on further How is god pacified by Christ except by the sacrifice the which he made offring him selff vnto god for the sinnes of his peple Gods anger and his Iustice is by no nother meanes pacified but becaus affter a maner of spech he hath wreked him selff vpon Christ. Off the which Esay saith I haue beaten him for the wickednes of my peple Than let vs say affter this sort iff god be pacified by Christes sacrifice and forgeuith our sin̄es It foloweth that there nedeth no nother sacrifice for sinnes For iff he wold haue other sacrifice for sinnes he shuld not be I say perfytely pacifyed nor requiring other sacrifyce that might satisfye for them he wold not forget owre iniquities Surely he that seith not this is very bare of vnderstanding In the ninth chapter shewing the differens betwene thold bysshops ād Christ he saith that the leuitical bisshop entred ones in the yeare into that place the which is called sancta sāctorum that is the head holy place not withowt blood the which he offered for him selff and for the sinnes of the peple And he saith that thos gifftes ād sacrifices which were offered could not make man perfite as perteining to the consciens But Christ the bisshop of trewe good things entred onys in to the head holy place with his own blood and gate ther theuerlasting ransō And affter he addeth that forgeuenes is not wrought withowt blood sheding And declaring what shuld be thos head holy placis where into Christ entered he saith that that is heauen and that he is there entered that he may presently appeare in gods sight for vs not to be offten offered as the bisshop that is to say the leuiticall bisshop off◅ times euery yeare entered by strange blood For other wise it shuld haue bene nedefull that he shuld haue offten suffered sins the beginning of the world But now towards th end of the world hath he ones appeared to destroy sinne by the offering of him selff And as it is appointed that all mē ones shall die ād affter that shal iudgement be so Christ is ones offered to take a way the sinnes of man All this talk doth shewe that neyther the masse nor the sacramēt is a sacrifice First it saith that thos gifftes and sacrifices which were offered could not make man perfite as perteining to the cōsciēs as though he wold say that they could not for giue sinnes nor perfitely clense man but Christes gifft ād sacrifice is that wich maketh man perfite as perteining to the cōsciēs It is plaine that Christes sacrifice is made for all thelect in all the world that be past present ād to come As Iohn saith in his first pistle that he is thappeasement of all the world 1. Ioh. 2. and he hath made thē perfite as cōcerning cōsciēs that is to say hath perfitely rāsomed freed halowed wasshed ād clēsed thē And he onli hath done that which thos nōber of sacrifices of the lawe could not doo And by that one ōly he hath satisfied quieted ād pacified their cōsciencis and hath made thē sure of his grace that is to say of forgeuenes of sinnes of recōciliaciō ād attonemēt with god ād of their saluacion To make a man perfite in consciens doth bring with it thes forsaid things Iff it be so than what nedeth it more to make other sacrifices and to goo abowt to seke to make that a newe that Christ hath perfitely made as though he had not ma◅ it that other word that foloweth proueth the v◅ry same that is to say that christ hath fownd ow◅ theuerlasting ransom that is to say the per◅ freing of all thelect in the world from sinne from damnation from death and from all euill for euer and this by the sacrifice that he made ones with his blood and by his passhion and death If he haue with his facrifice ones made gotē theuerlasting ransom that is to say that which shall allwaies be and shall neuer faile but euer cōtinewe wath nedeth there any other sacrifices for sin̄es We haue inough of that which christ ōes made because with that he fownd owt theuerlasting ransom And that other word which saith that withowt blood sheding forgeuēes is not wrought what doth it meane but that it is nedefull in the sacrifice which is made for sinnes and which forgeueth thē that blood shuld be shed ād that it shuld satisfie for sinnes And for this cause was nedefull that christ shuld shed his blood In the masse there is no sheding of blood therfor it is no sacrifice for sin̄es Tho ther word that cometh next affter that is to say that Christ is ētred in to heauē to the intēt that he may appeare in gods fight for vs not to be offten offered for it is as moch to say as one time suffiseth Forels it shuld haue bene nedefull that he shuld offten haue suffered sins the beginning of the world what doo thes wordes meane but that christ cānot be offered for sin̄es more th◅ one time And who so euer seketh toffer him off◅ner than one time there foloweth this inconueniens that it shuld haue bene nedefull that christ shuld offten haue suffered sins the beginning of the world Thei say that christ is offered in the masse for sinnes that is to say thei offer
say iff we be made cleane aÌ„d iff our sinnes be forgeuen vs through christes sacrifice ones made wath nedeth it to make any other sacrifice or to offten the same Now the third saing the which reÌ„drith the caus of the whole that is to say that with one only oblatioÌ„ aÌ„d sacrifice christ hath made perfite all thos that is to say all thelect froÌ„ the beginÌ„ing of the world vnto th end Iff it be trewe as withowt dowt it is what nedeth it any more to make sacrifice for sinnes neither the selff same nor any other By that saith the text here be all thos made perfite that be holied that is to say thelect Iff thei be made perfite that is to say perfitely clensed and it meanith that thei want nothing what nede haue thei of moo sacrifices furthermore if the holy goost which caÌ„ not lie doo witnes that god through christ wold no more remember the sinnes of his peple that is to say wold perfitely and thorowly forgeue them what nedeth it any more to make sacrifices for sinnes To be short iff where as forgeuenes or sacrifice for sinnes is made there is not any other offring or sacrifice for the same as the text here saith becaus that that of christes is ynough the which was made onis why will we make mo sacrifices for sinnes if thei be wholly forgeuen and of such sort as god wold neuer remember him any more of them So that than it is clere and plaine by thes so many saings of this most christen and holy pystle fore ledged that we haue no nother sacrifice for sinnes but that which christ made on the crosse And iff it be so it doth in dede folowe of necessitie and certenly that neither the masse nor ther sacrament is a sacrifice for sinnes And if any one wold say how is forgeuenes of all sinnes wrought by christ seing euery day it is done a newe by repentans And Christ Iesus him selff commandeth vs in the praier which he hath taught his apostles what thei shuld say Et dimitte nobis debita nostra that is to say forgue vs our sinnes Iff he hath allredy forgeuen them what nede we any more desyre that he wold forgeue them vs To this I answer that whaÌ„ Paul sayth that by Christes sacrifyce is forgeuen vs all our sinnes 1. Ioh. 2 that is to say past present and to come the which also Ihon affirmeth in his I. pistle whan he saith 1. Pet. 2. that he is the appeasement of all the sinnes of the world And whan peter in his first also sayth that Christ hath born our sinnes Esa 53. on his body vp on the crosse And Esay likewyse sayth that god hath layd all our iniquyties vp on him that is to say vp on Christ Thes saings of the scripture and such other like haue this meaning that is to say that Christ Iesus hath satisfyed gods Iustyce for the whole sinnes of thelect past present aÌ„d to come nor god for this respect doth not looke for any other satisfaction or payment becaus he was perfitely and wholly satisfyed for our sinnes whaÌ„ Christ gaue himselff for a sacrifyce suffering and dyeng as he dyd nor there was not any other way for us to pacifie god and to satisfye him but this Vnderstonding affter this sort the fore sayd saings the forgyuenes of all the sinnes of all thelect of the world present past and to come are allredy forgeuen nor there is no nother forgeuenes loked for Becaus that for the sinnes of the same elect there is no nother satisfaccyon looked for And whaÌ„ it is sayd that sinnes be daily forgeuen by repentans this is to be vnderstaÌ„d as to vs that is to sai that we doo accept by fayth inclosed within repentans such forgeuenes and we doo enter in to the knowlege of gods grace and mercy shewed towards vs thorow Christ bi the forgeuyng of al our sinnes Wherfor euen as Christ hath onli satisfied for thelect aÌ„d not for the rest to whom his death auaileth not so thelect oÌ„ly haue the trew sayth aÌ„d doo knowe the forgiuenes of their sinÌ„es wrought theÌ„ by Christ Wherfor speaking properli neither the repentaÌ„s nor the faith doo forgeue the sinÌ„es becaus that gods grace oÌ„ly or mercy thorow Christ Iesus that is to say becaus he hath satisfied for us is that that forgeuyth sinnes But therfor the forgeuenes of synnes is attributed to repentans and to faith becaus the same faith is that which knoweth and accepteth such forgeuenes and it is a certen assurednes of the same And whan we aske euery day in the lords praier that he wold forgeue vs our sinnes we doo aske of god rather the knowlege and assurednes of such forgeuenes than the forgeuenes it selff of which the faithfull ought not to dowt but that it is wrought him in Christ. But we doo aske to knowe such forgiuenes better and to be more certen of the same The which knowlege and certentie being no nother but faith it selff is neuer so gret but it may increase and become greater And therfor the faithfull ChristiaÌ„ euery day and as offten as he remembreth him of his sinnes desireth forgeuenes of theÌ„ that is to say the knowlege aÌ„d more certentie of such forgeuenes Further more Christ will that praing daily we shuld ask forgeuenes of our sinnes to make vs to knowe that we be sinners aÌ„d that we doo continually offend him The which thing whan we knowe first it doth huÌ„ble vs before god ThaÌ„ it maketh vs know his mercy how gret it is It hangeth of this knowlege that we be inflamid more feruently to loue god to honor him to reuereÌ„ce him to serue him from the hart And according to his exaÌ„ple to loue our neyghbor to doo him good to forgiue him whan he offendith vs and to pardon wronges receiued the which in comparison of thos that we doo vnto god which be withowt noÌ„ber aÌ„d most great we ought to accownt them no wrongs and of no wâ—…ight Now there remaineth to proue that the sacrament of the masse is no remeÌ„brans of a sacrifice For iff it were a remeberans of a sacrifice it shuld be a trewe sacrameÌ„t but it is no trewe sacrameÌ„t chefely to theÌ„ that be there present and say not the masse therfor it is no remeÌ„berans of a sacrifice I proue that it is no sacrameÌ„t becaus that to a trew sacrament is necessary that the wordes of the coÌ„secratioÌ„ be said and that thei be vnderstaÌ„d according to that comoÌ„ saing and it is of AusteÌ„ accedit uerbum ad elemeÌ„tum fÃt sacramentum that is to say when the worde is Ioined to the ElemeÌ„t the sacrameÌ„t is made it is necessary I say to a trewe sacrament that the word shuld be Ioined other wise it is no sacrameÌ„t But how be thei certeÌ„ whiche be preseÌ„t at the masse that the wordes with the which thei coÌ„secrate be said by the prest or not For so moch as thei
S. Lucia or of a nother saint How moch shuld it be to the purpos ād conueniēt iff one hauing nede to intreate the Emperor or a king wold goo to a poore mā and on his kneis wold say vnto him I commend my selff to your magestie ād I besech yow that yow wold shewe me this fauor and wold desire of him such things as he could not doo and as were not conuenient to be axed of such a parson shuld not that poore man cownt him selff mocked and scorned Thei doo moch wors becaus thei attribute to a plaine creature that which belōgeth to god only and to Christ who withowt measure doo more excede euery creature thā any earthly estate doth any poore or base parson as to the world And marke that in the councelles of thes owre times their is no worde spokē of thes and manie other so greate ād grosse errors and abuses as Reingne nowe Amonge Christes flock Be thes things deuociōs Men must not touche thē Well it is ynough that thei goo abowt to condēne the Lutherā Heretikes that is christ with all the whole holy scripture as their fathers haue done that is to say the chefe priestes the scribes ād the phariseis Who crucified Christ condemned euelhādled and in the end killed the holi Apostels Euen soo doo they A nother abuse is that they geue to vnderstand that the angels with all the court of heauen be present at the masse This is ouergret a falshode for that the angels ād the sowles of Iust mē can not be but in one place And according to this opiniō we must say that thei be eueri where wher so euer the masse is said For seing that thei must accompany Christ and that Christ as thei think is in all thos places where thei celebrate there must be also the angels and the sowles of saintes ād so the plaine creatures shall be at one time in diuers places the which cānot be we can not say that thei accompany him more in one place thā in a nother seing that Christ as thei think is equally in all places where the sacramēt is Wherfor we must say that eyther thei accōpany him in all places or in none A nother abuse is that thei say the masse for the deade against Christes institutiō The caus is this for that the sacraments auaile for thē for whō thei were instituted and not for other It is clere that thei were instituted for the liuing ād not for the deade therfor thei auaile not for them As for baptisme it is plaine that it auaileth not for the dead seinge the deade be neither baptised thē selues nor ani other for thē And though sōtime it were done as some vnderstand the saing of Paul to the Chorinthes 1 Corin. 15. Vt quid baptisantur pro mortuis This was by error and it was not well done So we will say of the super that it was instituted for the liuing and not for the deade becaus that the deade can not vse it in Christes rememberans nor eate it nor drinck it Some man will say the deade can not vse it but the liuing may vse it for the deade I wold haue of thes men that thei wold alledge me the caus why this sacrament may rather be vsed for the deade than baptisme There is differens betwene baptisme and the supper I know it becaus baptisme is vsed only ones in the life for a man But the holy supper many times I doo confesse that in this point there is a differens and there be also other differencis but this notwithstanding baptisme at thos times that it is vsed may also be taken for the deade such a nomber of childern being baptised as there is for so moch as that in baptisme there is made memory of the passion crossing death and burieng of Christ Roman 6. 2 Coloss 2. as we haue to the romans and to the collossians and mencion is made of the forgiuenes of sinnes Yea iff we shuld speake by the scripture it semeth to attribute more vnto baptisme than to the holy supper Marc. 1. Luc. 3. Act. 2. et 22. Iff we shuld consider many saings according to the letter we haue in Mark ād in Luke that Iohn did baptise in forgeuenes of sinnes We haue in the actes of thapostles how Peter said let euery one off yow be baptised in the forgiuenes of sinnes and Ananias said to Paul Rise vp baptise the and wassh thy sinnes The article off the faith which saith I doo confesse one baptisme in forgeuenes off sinnes c. All thes saings and other which we could bring forth iff we wold seme according to the letter that they shuld attribute more to baptisme as concerning forgeuenes of sinnes than to the supper And yet no one of the catholiks euer said that baptisme shuld help the deade Why than shall the holy supper help for the sinnes off the dead It is certen that where the holy supper is spoken off there is not so offten and so expresse mencion made that it shuld be taken in forgeuenes off sinnes as where the baptisme is spoken of I meane not by this my saing to affirme that by baptisme sinnes be forgeuen I will not affirme this for before we haue proued the contrary that is to say that the baptisme is in dede a signe off the forgeuenes off sinnes and it certifieth vs and maketh vs more sure off the same not that it doth it But I will say that in the writings of theuangelists and Apostles there is more mencion made of the forgeuenes of sinnes whan the baptisme is spoken of than whan the supper is spoken off And that iff the lords supper shuld auayle for the deade baptisme also shuld auaile but baptisme doth not auaile for the deade wherfor also the sacrament of thanks giuing doth not auaile A nother abuse is so gret a variete of gestures of strange dedes now this now that now the prist stoupeth now he standeth vp And this may haue some reason becaus the stouping there is a signe of prayer and in the masse are said diuers prayers But how many gestures and cown enancis be made withowt any purpos Somtime he Ioynith his handes and fingars By and by sondereth them Now he liffteth vp his armes now he putteth them down Now he speaketh now he saith nothing Now he speaketh sofftly now a lowd somtime he standeth at one end of the altare a nother time he standeth at the other and remoueth the masseboke Now he he turnith him to the peple by and by he turneth his back somtime he semith to slepe Oh there be made I can not tell how many crosses and how moche a doo I know well that thei geue to all thes things their significacion Imagined at their pleasure ād fained of their own head The which significaciō neuertheles neither the peple that seith and heareth nor thei thē selues that say the masse doo vnderstād But tell me I pray yow to
the scripture But the Hebrewes who had the benifice of Gods word cleare and open did sinn more greuosly in their vnbilefe committing Idolatry and blasphemy than the heathen For it was euen as he that seith the ditch and yet of purpos and willingly falleth in to it It is plaine that he doth moch more sinne who hath thexpresse commandment of the lord and knoweth his will and noth withstanding yet doth against such commandement and will than he that knoweth it not Luc. 12. as the Sauior saith in S. Luke That is to say the seruant that knoweth the will of his master and doth it not shall be worthily beaton with many stripes but the seruant that knoweth not the will of his lord and doth it not shall be beaton too but not so moch as he that knoweth it And for this caus the Hebrewes whan thei worsshipped the calff in the desert they did moch more greuosly sinn than the heathen who did honor the Idols for so moch as that not long before thei were cowncelled by God him selff who gaue them the lawe and commanded them that thei shuld not make any ymage to honor and yet thei made it against Gods expresse commandment And so as many other times as thei haue committed Idolatry as we haue in the bookes of the Kings and of the Prophetes thei haue moch more offended God and more greuosly sinned than the heathen And the Idolatry and vnfaithfulnes of his own peple was more abhominable in Gods sight and did more prouoke him to anger than that of the heathen And for this caus also thei were more threatned than the ame heathen And how many scorgis how many ouerthrowes haue thei suffred for the sinn of vnbilefe and Idolatry The 10. tribes of Israell for what caus were thei so offt by God scorgid and at the last berefft of their right 4. Reg. 17. and by Salmanasar King of the Assyrians led in to continuall bondage as it is writton in the boke of the Kings but only for Idolatry The tribe off Iuda how many wayes was it striken as well off their borderers that is off their next neighbors as affter by a peple that came farr off as the Caldees and the Assyrians were why was it sent in to exile to Babylone Why was the temple destroyed and euery thing ouerthrowen but only for their Idolatry Be caus thes things be knowen I doo not labor to recite the stories where thei be writton and therfor I passe them ouer Exod. 32. Deut. 4. 2. Parali 7. Ierem. 43. 44. Esa 65. Ezech. 9. and. 43. Exod. 4. Deut. 7. 3. Reg. 14. Ezech. 8.20 4. Reg. 23. How offten hath God threatned the ouerthrowe to Idolaters Loke in Exodus in Deuteronomy in Paralipomenon in Ieremy in Esay in Ezechiel and in very many other placis of the Prophetes Idolatry in the scripture is called abhominacion becaus God hath it most chefely in hatred Loke in Exodus in Deutronomy in the 3. boke off the Kings where Achias the Prophet foretelleth the exile and sparkeling off the tribe off Israel for Idolatry and also in Ezechiel In all thes places the scripture calleth Idolatry Abhominacion becaus that God as we haue sayd hath it in meruelos hatred This fowndacion being laid that God hath chefly in hatred Idolatry in what so euer sort it be done but moch more in his own peple than he had in the other And this becaus his peple had the knowlege off God and were taught with his word the trew worship off God that is to say how thei ought to worship him and honor him the other peple were not soo the which sinned by ignorans It doth fitly folow also that iff there shall be fownd Idolatry among the Christians who be now Gods peple that that shal be more abhominable before God than any other not only of the heathen but also of the Hebrewes For where as the knowlege off God and off his trewe worship is gretter and the trowth is more manifest in that place Idolatry and vnbilefe be greater sinnes and gretter abhominacions before God than where there is not so moch knowlege nor the truth so open But who dowteth that there shuld not be in the Christian peple a greater knowlege off God and off his trew worship and off Christ who is the truth it selff by the witnes off him selff the which saith in S. Iohn I am the way Iohn 4. the truth and the liffe than in any other peple and nacion doth not he witnes the truth talking with the Samaritane as Iohn writeth that the Christians that is to say the peple gathered to gether of by leuing Iewes and heathē which we be turned to Christ by Gods grace shuld be the trewe worshippers that shuld worshipp the father in spirite and truth Haue not we more knowlege of God hauing greater knowlege of Christ by whom God is truly knowen than the Hebrewes who will dowt this but he that knoweth not what Christ is Also this time is compared to that of the lawe vnder the which the Hebrews were as the day is to the night For thei had the flesshly worship that is to say thos sacrifices and nōber of ceremonies and we haue the spiri◅uall Coloss 2. Thei had the shadows and we haue the body as Paul saith to the Colosseis The knowlege that thei had was dark becaus it was shadowed with figures and certen veales or couerings owrs be clere bare and open wee doo better knowe Gods benifites thorow Christ than thei how sinnes be forgeuen vs how we be Iustified and saued Now we knowe that Christ is deade for our sinnes Rma 4. and is risen again as Paul saith for our rigthuosnes We know that he suteth at the right hand of God and where he is there we shal be Iohn 12. as he witnesseth in Iohn And of this we be sure We byleue certenly as an artikle of our faith that Christ is trewe God and trewe man The comen sort of the Iewes did not clerely knowe thes things as we doo And that it is the truth Iesus Christes Apostles them seluis although thei had hard him a long time and had conuersacion with him yet thei did not think that by death and chefely that death off the crosse he shuld redeme the world and that he shuld be a sacrifice and satisfaccion for our sinnes To him that hath redd the stories of theuangelistes this that I say is plaine Iff it be so than that where the knowlege of God of Christ of the threw worship is greater Idolatry vnbilefe and blasphemy be more greuos sinnes than where there is not so gret and so clere knowlege Surely iff we shall find thes so greuos sinnes in the Christen peple we must of necessitie conclude that thei shall more displease God and shall be more hatefull vnto him than all the Idolatries all the vnbilefes and all the blaspemies off the heathē yea and off the Hebrewissh peple too
and liue for euer to whom be all rule honor and glory for euer and euer So be it THE END A SERMON OF THE SACRAMENT OF THANckes geuing the which declareth whether Christ be really and bodily in the same or no. I CAN NOT SAY HOW moch mirth and yoie is in my hart whan I see in this our age that there is kindeled in the mindes of many the holy desire to vnderstand gods things that is to say the inestimable and the incomprehensible treasures hidden in Christ Iesus whose knowlege passeth euery other knowlege and wisdoÌ„ and doth so farr excell Philip. 3. that Paul thapostel thought euery other thing losse and worthy the throwing awai in comparison of that Neuertheles the lord doth not geue this desire to know Christ to all men but to his own that is to say to the elect only the which he hath before the beginning of the world forepointed that thei shuld be to his praise and glory Ephes 1. Of the other side not with standing I can not but be sory seing in thes same times whan the gospell that hath bene hidden so many worlds past is by the goodnes of god lately come furth to light that there shuld be so mani and so diuers opinions of thes things that god hath Instituted to kepe agrement and peace among the faithful that is to say of the sacraments of the church in such sort as Sathan the enemy goth abowt with the self same instruments of peace and vnitie to make warr against Christ setting dissension making schismes and sowing debates amongst Christians not only among the people and comon sort but among thos that shuld be lightes glasses and examples of agrement to whom belongeth to teach other that is to say among the ministers and preachers of the holy gospell But this dere brethern ought not to offend yow nor to remoue yow from your holy purpos that yow haue in Christ but rather to confirm yow in faith and to kindle yow to make a gretter entry in to the religion and way of God for so moch as that god doth suffer such striffes and diuersities of opinioÌ„s for the benifite of his church and of the trewe bileuers First to th entent that his 1. Corinh 11 who abide constant and stowt may be manifest whan thother that haue not a trewe growndwork but a fained and vaine faith doo falle and faile Furthermore also to th entent that whan we see such disorders we shuld not put our trust in men the which may all err but we shuld come to gods word the which onlie can not deceiue and that we shuld indeuor our selues with all diligens and care to vnderstand it and that we our selues shuld looke in the scripture whether it be so or 〈◊〉 as we may reade of thos that hard Paul preacâ—â—â—…n the citie of Berrhoe in Macedony as it is writteÌ„ in in thactis of thapostels Act. 17. the which whan thei hard Paules sermon thei looked in the scripture itself whether it was so as he said 〈◊〉 â—…o And to be short to th enteÌ„t that we shuld prai vnto god that he wold geue vs the trewe vnderstanding of the same because the matters of gods spirite be not vnderstand by any mans way but by gods disclosing 2. Pet. 1. 1. Cho. 2. Now to return to the purpose of the striffe that is of the sacraments Some say that in the sacrameÌ„t of the body and blood of Christ that is to say in the breade and wyne consecrated in remembrans of his death is conteined his very body and his very blood and that there we haue really and bodily all and hole Christ as great and as thick as he was on the crosse Other some say that he is not there but there is only the breade and the wine as signes of Christes body and blood geuen for our redempcion And this controuersy and striffe is in such sort gone forward that it hath with many hindered the course of the holy gospel And it hath made that Christes enemies haue taken occasion and boldnes to blaspheme the holy lerning and gods truth But be it as it will allthough some haue coÌ„mitted a great fawt in this thing striuing euer bitterly against the contrary opinion wherby thei haue shewed them selues to be men and haue in som part spotted their own glory lessening the credite and auctoritie that the world had of them We not withstanding will comfort our seluis with Paules saing which he speaketh to the romaÌ„s Rom. 8. that to gods elect euery thing groweth to good And although that presently thorow such dissensyon we see among many nothing but disorder offence and euel yea hatred toward the gospell yet god for all that who knoweth how to get order owt of disorder and good owt of euell will caus whan it shall please him some great profite to growe owt of it in his church for the present vnknowen but in the end open thus we schuld beleue And becaus I know that many desire to vnderstand what shuld be the trewe opinion of this sacrament I for the loue of the truth for the glory of god and to doo them a pleasure and also a benifite will simply and with as moch easines as is possible sett furth the opinion which I thinck and hold for certeÌ„ hath bene and is the opinion of the Apostles all the awncienty of the holy scripture and of Christ him selff And let no man meruell though I setting the suttletyes a syde shall rather procede with simplenes and familiaritie and also though I shall reherse one thing often for so moch as that my mind is to be plainely vnderstand of all men and chefely of the simple aÌ„d vnlerned And because the thing is of so great waight that it deserueth to be handled with all diligens to th entent that all men may the more easily vnderstand it we by order and by parts will consider it And First we wil see how that there hath bene aÌ„d yet be diuers opinions of this sacrameÌ„t of the supper of the lord aÌ„d the cause why aÌ„d we will bring furth the contrary talkes and reasons to the truth Secondarily whan we haue shewed the trewe and catholike opinioÌ„ we will proue it with sure grownd workes and plaine reasons In the third place we will make it certenly appeare that this is the opinion of the holy fathers and of the old church In the fourth we will answer to the contrary saings and reasons shewing them to be vaine and of no waight In the fift and last we will serch owt from whens the error of the fals Imaginacions in the matter of that sacrament is proceded let vs than in the name of our lord begin We must vnderstand that the cause of the differens in this matter that is to say that some say that Christ is really and bodyly in the sacrament of the bread and the wyne and some other say the contrary that is to