father not onelye to geue hym thankes for his benefytes bestowed on man but to purchase his grace also for the people to appease his displeasure conceaued taken against man for his synne Finally receaue it your selues sayeng masse and distribute the same to the people for their housle and all this do ye in remembraunce of Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. my death and passion continuing so to do till yâ— worldes ende That Christe didde offre his blessed bodye to his father a swete sacrifice for our synnes at his laste supper coÌ„mauÌ„ded his apostles likewise to do and all preystes in and by them the auÌ„cient and old fathers sentences do playnlye proue of the which I wyl allege here some that be most stronge and euydent Ireneus a greke doctour beynge withiÌ„ .clxxx. yeres of christ expouÌ„dynge Ireneus lib. 4. cap. 32. these wordes of christ Hoc est corpus meum hîc est sanguis meus This is my body and this is my bloude whiche he pronounced at his last supper consecratinge and offeringe his bodye and bloude in sacrifice to his father thus writeth as I haue ones afore rehersed Oure lorde toke bread and gaue thankes sayeng This is my body Also he toke the cuppe and confessed it to be his bloude Et nouam docuit noui testamenti oblationeÌ„ quaÌ„ ecclesiam ab apostolis recipiens in vniuerso muÌ„do offert deo And he taughte them a newe sacrifice of the newe testamente which the churche receauynge Christe dyd institute the sacrifice of the masse the apostels taught the church of the apostles he sayth not of the byshop of Rome nor of any other bishoppe or preist doth offre to god in all the hole worlde These wordes are so playne that no man can denye but that this saint sayth that Christ dyd offre his bodye and bloude in sacrifice to god at his maundye and that Chrystes mynystres the preistes of the newe lawe do dayelye offre the same at masse instructed that lesson of the apostles which were taught it of their maister our sauiour christ Shal it not therfore be moch more mete coÌ„uenieÌ„t that we christen men and women geue credence rather vnto this holye and aunciente fathers teachynge in this matter especially beinge so agreable with goddes worde yea beyng playnly set forth by it than to Martyn Luther nâ—yther lyke to hym in auncientie nor vertue nor learninge Meruayle not reader that I do here expounde this worde facere to signifie as muche as to make sacrifice partly because this holy martyr saynte Ireneus saynt Cyprian and many other of the eldest and best writers vpon the scripture so do take it in this coÌ„maundement of christ geuen to his apostles Hoc facite Facere to do iÌ„ christes wordes is to make sacrifice c. Partely for asmuche as it is so vsed both in prophane wryters and also in the holye scripture For Vergylle sayth Cum faciam Vergilius vitula pro frugibus ipse venito When sayth Dametas I shall do sacrifice or offre sacrifice to Ceres the goddes of corne with an heffar for the corne come thou thy selfe Also Theocritus Theocritus a greke poete so vseth this word sayeng Quum facies agno Nymphas veneratus agrestes When thou shalte make sacrifice with a lambe honouring the wild or rude maideÌ„s of the sea Likewise baptista MaÌ„tuanê° a christeÌ„ maÌ„ Mantuanus vsed this word saieng of Abel the first shepeherd Nunc oue nunc pingui vitula faciebat agno He made sacrifice sometyme with a shepe sometyme with a fat heffer and a lambe Now to the scripture whiche in this signification often tymes doth vse this worde For the thirde boke of the kynges the eleuenth chapter thus hath Et fecit Salomon astartae abominatio ni Sydoniorum That is And Salomon Lege Ezech 45 46 et Iudicum â—â— dyd make sacrifice to the idol the abominatioÌ„ of the SydonioÌ„s Is not here facere which is in englysh to do vsed for sacrificare to make sacrifice Many other textes of the old testameÌ„t do shew Leui. 23. Et facietis hyrcum pro peccato playnly that this worde is oftentimes vsed for to make sacrifice which I passe ouer to be the shorter and brynge one place oute of the newe testamente whiche is in Lukes gospell the seconde chapter after this fourme of wordes Et cum inducerent puerum Iesum parentes eius ut facerent secunduÌ„ consuetudineÌ„ legis pro eo Sim eoÌ„ accepit euÌ„ in ulnas suas c. That is And whan the father mother of the childe Iesu brought him into the temple that they mighte do for him after the custome of the lawe Symeon toke hym into his armes What els I besech the good reader is ment by doyng in this place but making of sacrifice or offeringe of sacrifices according to the law of Moises The text a litle before in Luke declareth this plainelye whiche sheweth that our Lady Christes honourable and most blessed mother Marye our sauiours blessed mother and his father Ioseph at the lest whiche was iudged his father of the people at the day of purification presented Christ in the teÌ„ple of hierusalem Vt darent hostiam secundum ê™ dictum est in lege domini par turturum aut duos Leui. 12 pullos columbarum that is to saye That they shulde geue an hoste a paire of byrdes called turtelles or two pygeons accordyng to the commaundemeÌ„t of the lawe of our lord Thus we se that christes Christes parentes did geue to the preiste these thinges not offâ—ryngâ— in sacrifice for that is the office of a preist but presentyng them to the preist that he shuld offre them in sacrifice as the law required father and mother presented and brought in to the temple eyther a payre of turtelles or .ii. pygeons that the preist shulde offre them in sacrifice after the lawe so facere doth sygnifye in this place of Luke sacrificare to make sacrifice in the whiche signification both greke wryters and latyn also do often vse that worde and not onely the Hebrewe speache as it appereth by the places aboue recyted Why therfore maye we not well vnderstande by these wordes of our sauyour Christ Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Do ye this for my remembrauÌ„ce that he commaunded them to offre sacrifice for his remembrauÌ„ce especyally seynge the aunciente wryters of Christes churche and the whole churche hath euen so taken those wordes euer synce they were spoken no man otherwyse expoundynge them tyll Martyn Luther came lerna ferè omniuÌ„ haereseoÌ„ in whom was almost all heresies Homilia 17. in Hebre. To be shorte saynt Chrysostome vnderstode that Christe dyd offre his bodye and bloude in sacrifice at his maundy and gaue commaundemeÌ„t Read more of Chrisost in the chaptre of the doctours sayenges to his apostles to offer it also in remeÌ„braunce of hys death whose wordes are these PoÌ„tifex
shamefullye deceyued in this matter puttynge no difference betwene the merite of remission of synne and the applyeng of suche merite The church of Christ neuer taught otherwise than that Christ onely was a sacrifice deseruynge or meritinge grace and for giuenesse of synne for vs the only 1. Cor. 6. 7 Ti. 2 1. P◠2. Apo. 1. 5 14 pryce for the raunsom of the hole worlde and the only redemption whiche boughte vs with the pryce of his precious bloude and yet the masse is a sacrifice representynge and aduertisinge vs of Christes blouddy sacrifice and deth by the which the grace as I haue already sayde and remission of synne that christe through that his sacrifice dyd merite for vs is applyed to vs If thou wylt say that christ as Paules mind was did so take awaye al synne with that his one oblatiō or sacrice done on the crosse that we neade nowe no sacrifices for the purgynge of synne than what nede we the sacrifice of confession made to god of laude thankes gyuynge of a contryte harte of mortifienge our affections and lustes of alines semblable other whiche god commaundeth in scripture to be done wherefore thinke not good reader that saint Paule mente that christe had so satisfyed for oure synnes with that his one oblation doone on the crosse that thereby all other sacrifices are annulled abrogated and abolyshed cleane as vnfrutefull and vnnecessarye but onely to declare of what and how greatte efficacie force and strength that sacrifice was and is for the takynge away of sinne and makyng a man beleuynge and repenting for his vices committed perfect before god whiche al the sacrifices of the olde lawe a thousande tymes and oftener offered coulde neuer bryng to passe and therefore they ought to be forsaken and lefte of Christes onelye sacrifice receiued embraced and obserued This was sainte Paules onelye mynde as the letter it selfe euydentelye shewethe But yet ye wyll percase say to me CHRISTE dydde sufficiently An obiectiō perfectly satisfye for our sinnes with this one oblation and made the sanctyfyed perfecte for euer as saint Paule here affirmethe therfore there is no neade at all of the sacrifice of the masse to satisfy for our sinnes or to make vs perfecte afore god This is a greate blyndnes of men Dyd not chryst also sufficiently faste wepe pray for vs yet we must fast wepe praye for our sinnes forgiuenesse dyd not he also pray being in this world sufficiently for our trespaces Heb. 5 and that notwithstandyng he cesseth not to praye for vs Therefore Ro. 8. Heb. 9. Gene. ◠lyke as god dyd make al thinges perfect within the space of .vi. dayes and yet he worketh euen now as christ sayd in conseruing the same his creatures so christ with one oblation dyd sufficiently and perfectly worke our saluation me rytynge for vs grace remyssion of synnes and glorie and yet he ceasseth not nor will tyll the worldes ende to worke oure health and saluation by the holye sacramentes and diuers other meanes wherby we are made partakers of that his moost sufficient and perfect oblation and sacrifice or els we shoulde be damned for euer Reade Chrysostome the .xvii. homilie on thys epystle in whom thou shalt fynde that the preiste at masse doth offre christ in sacrifice notwithstādinge that Paule saith that Christe dyd make vs perfect with one oblatiō Of this sufficient now to the next reason fet lykewise out of the same Paules epistle where he thus sayeth Vbi peccatorum remissio iam The eyghte reason non est oblatio pro peccato That is Where or after there is remyssion of synne forth with there is no oblation for synne to these wordes they adde But christ hath through his death and oblation done vpō the crosse taken awaye the synnes of all the worlde as manye textes of the scripture do wytnesse therefore there remaineth no sacrifice or oblation necessary for the doyng away of synne and so the masse is no sacrifice for synne Saint Hilarye good christen reader sayd wel that he is a good Lib. 4. de trinitate and a mete reader of the scripture whiche bringeth not with hym in his fansy or heade the vnderstādyng of it labouring to make it seme to signifie that thyng which he hath afore conceaued and fantisied but taketh the vnderstandynge of it of the causes why it was writtē and the circumstaunce of the text As Martyn Luther and his scholers do not but cleane contrary These wordes of Saynte Paule make as muche againste the sacrifice of laude thankesgyuyng to god for his benefites of penaūce such other as against the sacrifice of the holy masse as it is euydente therefore let vs see what Paule ment by them Truelye his The solutiō mynde was to shewe vnto the Iewes which wold that the olde law and the sacrifices of it shoulde be kept with christes gospel and that his death was not a sacrifice sufficiente to put awaye mannes sinne but it was nedefull that the olde sacrifices shulde helpe thereunto that Christe by offerynge hym selfe ones vpon the crosse dydde so perfectely and sufficiently take awaye synne that afterward there neaded none other sacrifice of Moses law than abolyshed no nor it was not necessarye that Chryste shoulde dye agayne to offer eftesones sacrifice for synne as thoughe that one sacrifice done on the crosse were not sufficient This is nothinge againste the sacrifice of the masse for as muche as that is not a sacrifice of Moses lawe nor yet distincte from the sacrifice of the crosse but the selfe same thoughe the maner of offrynge be Chrisosto ho. 17. im Heb. dyuers For on the crosse Christe was offered vnder the fourme of flesshe and bloude vysyblye wyth shedynge of his precious bloude but in the sacrament at masse he is offered vnder the fourme of bread and wyne inuisibly and yet this dyuersitie of offring doth not make the sacrifice dyuers but it remainethe euer one lyke as the flesshe rawe and rosted is one and a man clothed and naked But yet some peraduenture wyl say yf our synnes be forgyuen done clane awaye by christes death and sacrifice An obiection commōly moued of foles vnlearned why shuld we neade to haue the masse sayde and christe therin offered in sacrifice for them I say to that fonde question that as wel they may aske why shuld baptisme penaunce fastynge almes praier The solutiō fayth hope feare charite and such other be neadfull syth our synnes are forgyuē by christes passion Maye it not be sayed to these men Matt. 22. as christe sayed to the iewes Erratis nescientes scripturas ye do erre or go out of the waye knowynge not the scriptures because they thinke that christ hath by his deth so taken awaye synne that there ◠grosse errour of many men is none remaynynge amonge vs. For than wherefore shulde chryste teache vs to praye for remission of oure synnes
Why shuld penauÌ„ce Matt. 6. Luc. 24. be preached for remyssion of synne as christe sayde it ought for what cause dyd christe geue to his apostels after his death and resurrection autoritie and power to remit the penitent persons synne yf they Ioan 20 â—eto 2. dyd confesse them Why dydde Peter commaunde the people to do penaunce that they myghte be baptysed for to receaue remyssion of theyr synnes yf Chryste hadde in dede and in effecte so done awaye synne by hys deathe that noone shulde afterward remaine They whyche wolde gladlye lyue after the flesshe and the leude lustes thereof do laye all on Chrystes backe sayenge that he hathe doone suffycyent for vs we neade to doo nothynge but Saynte Paule euen in thys epistle the .v. chapter teacheth vs an other lessoÌ„ sayenge Christus factus est omnibus obteÌ„peraÌ„tibus sibi causa salutis aeternae Chryste is made the cause of euerlastinge saluation to all them which do obeye him Loo we muste obeye Chryst commaundyng vs to beleue to hope to loue to feare god to praye and to kepe his commaundementes or elles Chryst shal not be to vs a cause of euerlastynge saluation although he hath dyed for vs that we shuld be saued but rather an occasion of our damnation as Symeon said to oure Lady Ecce hic positus est in ruinam multorum Lo this thy sonne Christ is put to make many fall or extremely to decaye Ro. 8. Haeredes dei sumus si tameÌ„ coÌ„pati mur ut coÌ„glorificemur 2. Tim. 2. si coÌ„mortui fuerimê° et coÌ„uiuemê° si sustinebimê° coÌ„regnabimus We are gods heires saiethe Paule yf we suffre wyth Chryste that we maye be gloryfyed wyth hym If we dye wyth Chryste we shall liue with him yf we suffre we shal reigne wyth Christ These conditions and manye other are required by the scripture as necessarye for to attayne lyfe euerlastinge thoughe George Ioye calleth theÌ„ the honourable fathers Steuen lorde bysshoppe of Winchester as thinges of his muention To be shorte yf only christes passioÌ„ were sufficiente to saue vs withoute any thinge done of oure parte than all men shulde nedes be saued for christe dyed for all the hole world as Iohn testifieth the whiche is 1. Io. 2. manifestly against the scriptures Againe If this were trewe take hell awaye cleane as touchynge men at the leste doest thou not see reader that Lactantius sayd wel ArgumeÌ„ta ex falso petita ineptos De. orig 〈◊〉 li. 2. ca. 6. et absurdos exitus semê‘ habent That is argumentes fet or gathered of a false priÌ„ciple haue alway tryflynge endes vnapte to the purpose and folysshe But I haue taryed ouer longe in the handlynge of this argumente and therfore I wyll say therin no more They yet reason farther after this sort vpoÌ„ these saint Paules wordes shame fully wrasted from their true sence VoluÌ„tarie peccantibus nobis post The nynth reason acceptam noticiam ueritatis iam noÌ„ relinquitur pro peccatis hostia To vs whiche do synne voluntarilye after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth now there is lefte no hooste or sacrifice for synne yf there be lefte no sacrifice sayth these men for synne it foloweth that the masse is not a sacrifice propitiatorye To this I aunswere that the The solution autours and setters forth of this argumente doo not vnderstande Saynte Paules wordes or elles they reason vppon them againste their owne conscience seynge that they make nothynge for any suche purpose as in dede they doo not For Saint Paule ment that men offendynge after they had ones receaued the faith and the truth of the gospell beynge Christened shulde not trust to be againe raunsomed and reconcyled to god by an other crosse or by the deathe of Chryst agayne to be crucified and offered to god in sacrifice as in the olde lawe the sacryfyces were oftentymes offered for synne for yf they had that hope they shulde be deceiued because Christ died ones for oure synnes as Peter sayethe shal neuer dye againe as Paule 1. Petrt 3. Rom. 6. wytnesseth for he lyueth a lyfe immortall and euer shal Thus saint Chrisostome doth expounde Paul in thys place sayeng Hostia ultra non est hoc est secunda Crux ultra noÌ„ est hostiam quippe hanc uocat An hoost is no more that is the seconde crosse is no more for he calleth this a crosse Vna namque hostia perficit in perpetuum eos qui sanctificantur non sicut iudaica Cautos nos uult efficere ne speremus ultra secunduÌ„ iudaicaÌ„ legeÌ„ aliam hostiam That is to witte For one hooste maketh them perfytte for euer which are halowed not as the Iewes hooste He wolde make vs The iewes hostes often tymes offered coulde neuer make men perfit in their consciences as Paul saith Heb. 9. ware the we shuld not trust to haue offered for vs an other hoost after the Iewes lawe Hytherto saynte Chrisostom Some expounde this text that saint Paule shuld meane that they whyche do synne after they be baptised and haue receiued the fayth continue in synne doing no penaunce therefore shuld take no profitte by christes deathe but harme rather because they shal be more greuously punysshed not lyuynge after their profession and fayth than yf they had neuer bene christened as Christe and Peter do say This toucheth them which Matt. 11. 2. Petrt 2. folowyng madde Martyn Luther do beleue that only faith without good workes shulde be sufficiente to saue them Finallye this texte maye be vnderstande of them that synne of malyce and do reioyce in their yll dedes of whome Salomon speaketh sayeng Laetantur Prouerb 2. cuÌ„ malefeceruÌ„t exultaÌ„t in rebus pessimis They reioyce in their myndes whiche they shewe also outwardely by sygnes whan they haue done yll and do bragge or leape out with excedyng gladnes in warst thinges The sacrifice of christe done on the crosse can profytte these men nothynge excepte they amende and repente For as muche as the meanynge of these wordes do depende vpon them whiche wente a lytle before wherby Paule dydde exhorte the Heb. to styrre and prouoke one another to loue and good workes that no man in tyme of persecution shulde forsake the churche or congregation of the faithful I thinke Paule mente that neither christes sacrifice ones done on the crosse coulde saue them that dyd leaue the company of the christened and forsake their faith in christe nor any other whiche they shulde loke for But yet I do not preferre this myne exposition before saint Chrisostoms whiche semeth to me verye ryght and true The nynth reason made againste the sacrifice of the masse is this Sainte Paule saith deus erat in christo mundum sibi reconcilians The tenthe reason non reputans illis delicta ipsorum God was in Christe reconcylynge to hym the worlde that is al people of the world not imputing their sinnes to them Vpon these
such other textes of scripture whiche do testifie that god is pleased through christes death and we set in his fauoure they reason and argue that there is no nede vtterlye of any sacrifice to appease goddes wrath and displeasure toward vs conceaued for oure sinnes for as much as he is alredye pleased by christes death and blouddy sacrifice and therfore the masse is no sacrifice propitiatory The aunswere to this argument The solutioÌ„ is sone made for they take wronge the scripture which saith that god Matt. 3. is pacified appeased by chrystes sacrifice ones doone on the crosse thinkynge that he is pacified indifferently to all men and that christ toke awaye in deede and in effecte al the worldes sinÌ„es so that streight withe after his deathe none dydde remaine whiche is plaine false as I haue declared before for than the Turkes the Iewes the Sarasons with all other not beleuynge in Christe and those that beleuing in hym dyeng yet impeniteÌ„t shuld al come to heauen shuld none be damned Therefore the truthe is that albeit Chryste dyed for al indifferently yet those onely shal be saued by his deth which do or shal beleue iÌ„ him perfitly ameÌ„diÌ„g their liues through penaunce hopiÌ„g in gods mercy promised for his sake to vs loue god their neighbours as theÌ„ selfes fear god giue almes to neadye doo praye and obserue gods commaundementes These only shal be saued by christes deth I speake not of infantes none other the whiche christ ment sayenge Hic est sanguis noui testameÌ„ti qui pro multis effunderur in remissionem peccatorum This is Matt. 26. the bloude of the newe testamente whiche shal be poured out for the remission of many mens synnes he saith of many not of al because all men shuld not fulfill the aboue rehersed thinges necessary for the attainemente of grace and saluation purchased by his deathe in the whiche and suche other is contayned the coÌ„ditioÌ„ that George Ioye G. Ioye mockyngly and vngodly callethe Wynchesters condition in his vnlearned raylynge booke made againste that honourable prelate but to his owne greate shame yf he be not shamelesse as it shulde appeare by that his boke that he is The confutation of whose tryflynge The honourable lorde byshoppe of wichesters boke and deuyllysh boke he that lysteth to se well set forth in his colours let hym reade my lorde of Wynchesters aunswere made to hym whiche is full on euery syde both of hygh wyt and also of depe learnynge But my lorde neadeth no more my commendation than the sea water or the sonÌ„e the light of a candell therfore I wil speake no more of his prayse but go forth on my purpose to the confutation of the next argument which thus they make That whiche is a signe and a Thâ—â—â—â—th reason representation of a sacrifice is no sacrifice But the masse is a signe and a representation of christes sacrifice ones offered by hym on the crosse for our synnes Therefore it is no sacrifice This argument hathe Vrbanus Regius without any prouf of it as though it were inoughe for hym to saye it onely They proue the seconde part of this argumente whiche nedeth no proufe by christes wordes saying do ye this for my remembraunce whiche Paule also recyteth to the Corinthians but they proue not the first parte therof which is very false folowyng therein certeine In proaemio de opificiodei philosophers whiche as Lactantius testifieth so dydde reason of all thinges that were darke and obscure Vt ea quae asserunt probata cognita videri velint That they wolde those thinges to seme proued and knowen whiche they do affyrme or approue Where they saye that one thynge can not be a signe a remembrauÌ„ce or a representation of a sacrifice and a sacrifice also that is false For wherefore I beseche the good reader maye not the masse be a sacrifice and yet a memorye signe representation of Christes sacrifice offred ones vppon the crosse as well as the paschall lambe was a verye sacryfyce in dede as the scripture wytnesseth and that notwythstandynge a sygne and representation Exo. 12. of Christes sacryfice to come Chrisostome the seuententh sermon vpon the epistle of Saynt Paule to the Hebrewes plainelye saith that the masse is both a remembraunce of Christes death and sacrifice offered ones on the crosse and also a sacryfyce not dystynete frome that but the verye selfe same as wherein is offered the same bodye which christe dydde offer on the crosse for vs. Truely we maye proue by that that the masse is commaunded of CHRIST to be sayde for a remembraunce of his death that it is a sacrifice rather than the coÌ„trarye after this sorte That whiche is done in remeÌ„braunce of a thing passed oughte to represente it perfytlye and especiallye the chiefe parte therof but the masse was ordeined of christe to be a memoriall of his deathe whereat he dydde offer him selfe a sacrifice and that was the cheife thing he than dyd therefore the masse ought to represente and to put vs in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of that sacrifice whiche it can not do excepte it be a sacrifice wherefore it is a sacrifice Fynally christ saide not do ye this onelye for the remembrauÌ„ce of me for than that texte shulde make muche more for myne aduersaries purpose than nowe it doth The nexte reason is this Christes oblation and sacrifice The twelfe reason offered on the crosse was moost sufficient and puisaunt to take away cleane all the synnes of the world for as moche as it was offred by hym whiche was bothe god and man also defiled with no spotte of synne therefore we haue no neade of the sacrifice of the masse to purge vs of sinne and they whiche do ioine this sacrifice with christes sacrifice ones offered vppon the crosse do seme to diminishe the myght vertue efficacy strength of Christes sacrifice shewing ther by that it is not of it self sufficient to delyuer vs from synnes daunger but that it wanteth helpe of the sacrifice of the masse Many meÌ„ thinke this a strong The solutioÌ„ reason whan in dede it is very feble and weake For as no learned man that is catholique doth deny that Christes sacrifice offred vppon the crosse is sufficiente and of vertue inoughe to do awaye all synne of the whole worlde euen so no good Chrysten man nor womaÌ„ wyll saye nay but that this chrystes death and sacryfyce must neades be as I haue oftentimes said afore applyed to vs by the sacramentes and other meanes prouyded of god there vnto amonge the whiche the sacrifice of the masse is one not of leste necessitie as it appeareth before in this booke sufficientlye declared and therefore I wyll let that passe and go forward in this matter to the disprouynge of the nexte reason whiche is thys set forth by one Vrbanus Regius in latyn translated into englysh by wyllyam Turner wyllyam Turner Thâ— .xiii
and yet antychrist is not come therfore by this continuall sacrifice was mente the sacrifice of the blessed masse which antychrist labouringe all that he can to destroye christes fayth and his whole religion shall abolisshe and cause to ceasse for three yeres space and the halfe for so longe by Daniels saint Ihons sayenge he shall reigne wherfore Martyn Luther and his scolers endeuourynge them selues to take awaye this holy sacrifice of the masse are the messangers of Antichryst makyng redy and preparyng against his commynge that people may receyue and honoure him for the verytue messyas and sauyour of the worlde Christe our sauyour reiected and vtterly forsakeÌ„ as he him selfe dyd prophicye sayenge to the Iewes I came in the name of my IoaÌ„ 5. father and ye dyd not receaue me an other shall come in his owne name ye wyll receaue hym But I wyll passe ouer this and goo forward vpon my purpose to proue that the masse is a very sacrifice and fyrst by fygures of the olde testament We rede in the xiiii chap. of the Gene. that Melchizedech whâ—che was both a king also a preist Of Melchisedech dyd offre in sacrifice breade and wine when Abraham was retourned froÌ„ the kyllyng of .iiii. kinges for these be the wordes of yâ— letter At vero Melchizedec rexsaleÌ„ profereÌ„s paneÌ„ vinuÌ„ erat enim sacerdos Gene. 1â— dei altissimi benedixit ei c But verely Melchizedec kynge of SaleÌ„ bringinge forth or offering bread wine for he was a preist of god yâ— higheste blessed Abraham This text doth proue sufficieÌ„tly the Melchizedec did offre to god bread wine in sacrifice to thanke hym for yâ— victory geueÌ„ to AbrahaÌ„ and therfore it must nedes thervpon folow that christ did make sacrifice vnder yâ— forme of bread wine at his last supper instituting the masse for as moch as Melchizedec was a fygure of him his preisthode likewise a figure of christes preisthode according to the prophecy of Dauid â—n the Psalme which is Tues sacerdos Psal 109. in aeternuÌ„ secuÌ„duÌ„ ordineÌ„ Melchizedec Thou art said god the father to christ his son a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchizedec No maÌ„ caÌ„ truely say that christ was a preest after this ordre of Melchiz wheÌ„ he offred vp him selfe on the crosse to his father for our sinnes for theÌ„ he did not offre his body vnder the forme of bread wine but vnder the forme of flesh bloud therfore he was that time so offring sacritice a priest after the ordre of AaroÌ„ not of Melchiz so that this fygure of Melchiz and the prophicy of the holy ghoste pronounced by Dauid were fulfylled by christ at his mandy last supper when he toke breade gaue thankes to god blessed yâ— bread brake it gaue it to his apostles saieng Take eate this is my bodye whiche shall be gyuen to death for you and therfore Christ dyd then offer hys flesh and bloude in sacrifice to god his father and the same also doeth the priest in the masse hauyng autorite so to do coÌ„maunded of hym to do that same thynge whych he dyd afore when he said to his apostles Hoc faicte in mei commemorationem Luc. 22. Do ye this for my remembraunce as Luke maketh mentioÌ„ in his gospell But nowe let vs se what they saye whiche are of the contrarye opinion that the masse is no sacrifice to proue that this autoritie of the Genesis makethe not for vs to perswade that Melchiz dyd at that tyme offre to god breade and wyne in sacrifice Fyrst they say that the texte of the Genesis An obiectiâ— hath not offereÌ„s vel sacrificaÌ„s panem vinum offerynge or sacrifisynge breade and wyne but proferens bryngyng forth bread and wyne and therfore this place proueth not that Melehiz dydde make then sacryfyce to god To that I aunswere that the texte in dede hath euen so as they say and yet it proueth right well and sufficiently that Melchiz dyd then offre sacrifice to god with breade wyne or els why shoulde Moyses haue added a sentence declarynge that Melchiz dyd that thynge as a prieste and because he was a priest For if he had not offred that bread and wine to god in sacrifice there shulde haue ben no cause to say Erat enim sacerdos dei altissimi for he was a priest of the highest god because he myghte haue done it then beynge no preest For it is not the office of a prieste to bryuge forth breadde and wyne to refresshe the hungrye people but rather of a laye man as no man can saye naye and therâ—fore syth Melchizedec dyd this as a preest and exercising yâ— office of a preist the whiche is cheifely to offre sacrifices for the synnes of the people as Paule saith it foloweth that 〈…〉 Melchizedech did make theÌ„ sacrifice wyth bread and wyne Moreouer this argument is very weake and sclender the texte of the Genesis saith that Melchizedec dydde brynge forthe breade and wyne therfore he dyd not offre them in sacrifice for as these two to brynge forth breade and wine and to offre them are not coÌ„trary euen so Melchizeder dyd bryng forth those thinges not to feade AbrahaÌ„ and his souldiers as anone it shal appere but to offre them vnto god in sacrifice to giue him thankes for the greate victorye by hym geuen to Abraham Now where many men folowing therein the Iewes as it appereth in Lire vpon the Genesis do affyrme that Melchizedech Lirâ— dyd not ofâ—re bread and wine in sacrifice to god but onlye broughte theÌ„ forth to refresh AbrahaÌ„ his souldiers they are very bliÌ„d so to say For they neaded not his bread nor wine hauing sufficieÌ„t vittals brought with theÌ„ there hence where they got the victory as it appereth in yâ— letter Also is it like that Melch. had bread wyne ynough in store to refresh so many souldiers being in nuÌ„ber aboue .iii. c. Beside this who that wise is wold say the AbrahaÌ„ if he had had any such nede wolde not haue gon rather to some other man for succoure then to the priest of the hyghest god AbrahaÌ„ also gaue to Melchyzedech tythes of yâ— spoyles gotteÌ„ in warre as Paul wytnesseth whiche he wolde not Heb. 7. haue done yf he had wanted necessaries for him and his souldyers Finally AbrahaÌ„ brought with him all Lothes goodes besides the substaunce of the foure kynges whiche he had sleane before and therefore he neaded not to begge breade and wyne of goddes preeste Melchizedech But ye wyll saye to me the text An obiectioÌ„ hath not in Hebrewe a worde declaringe a cause for the Hebrewe worde signifieth only in englyshe and and therfore that texte maketh not sufficiently to proue that Melchy dyd offre that breade and wyne in sacrifice To that I make The aÌ„swer aunswere fyrst that saint Hierom whiche was excellently learned in â—he
ex latere ipsius compuncto Io. 6. fluxit ad purgationem inquinatoruÌ„ respersioneÌ„ ac salutem animarum nostrarum That is Melchizedec met Abraham and sette out or shewed to hym breade and wine before fyguryng darke thingeâ— and samples of misteries or secrete thynges forasmoche as our lorde sayeth I am the quyck bread and a sample of that bloud whiche dyd runne out of his syde pricked to the purgynge of the defyled and sprinklyng and health of our soules here we se that after this auÌ„cient writers mind yâ— bread wine which Melchiz shewed to AbrahaÌ„ figured our sauiour christes flesh blod which ran out of his syde strykeÌ„ that he offered to his father vnder the fourme of bred wine at his last supper not vpon the crosse for there he offered himself to his father vnder and in his owne propre forme after the ordre of Aaron onely Damascene also a greke doctour whiche was aboue a thousand yeres afore our time confirmeth playnly this our Lib. 4 â–ª ca. 14. purpose entreatynge of Melchizedeches sacrifice offred to god in bread wyne when thus he sayth Haec mensa hanc mysticam praefigurâ—uit mensam velut sacerdos Gene. 14. ille christi veri sacerdotis figuram Psal 10â— praeseferebat et imagineÌ„ Tues enim inquit sacerdos in aeternuÌ„ secundum ordinem Melchizedec That is This table of Melch. figured before this mistical table of Christe like as this preiste Melchyzedec dyd beare the figure and image of christ the very preist For the holy goost saith by Dauyd yâ— prophet rehersing god the fathers wordes to christ his sonne Thou art a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchize Is not this plainly spoken of this old writer great clarke Is it not mete to beleue him rather theÌ„ Martin Luther or any of his disciples nothinge so well learned as he was nor so vertuouse in liuyng But to be short I wil allege now Theophilactus Theophila wordes whiche was also a greke doctour then go to yâ— rehersal of In Heb. 5. latin doctours He saith after this maner But whom can the Iewes bryng besyde christ which may or shoulde be a byshoppe or a preiste after the order of Melchizedec were not all other preistes vnder the lawe dyd not they all obserue the sabboth dayes and offre sacrifices Therfore it is most euident that it was spoken of Chryst for he and onlye he dyd make sacryfice with bread and wine after the maner of that Melchizedec Anon after he asketh howe Christe is a preist for euer To that he maketh this aunswere that he is called a preist for euer not only because he doth alway pray for vs to his father shewing to hym his bodye whiche he offered vp for the synnes of the world vnto his father vpoÌ„ the crosse to obteyne mercye for vs sayenge o father haue mercye on them for whom I haue suffered death but he is also a preiste for euer because he is offered daylye or els because an oblation or sacrifice is continuallye offered by goddes mynisters the preistes which hath in it Christ our lorde byshoppe and sacrifice that for our sake doth sanctifie halowe or make holy him selfe breake and geue this he Hitherto I haue alleged the Hebrewe the Greake wryters to proue that Melchyzedec dyd offre breade and wyne in sacrifice to god in fygure of oure sauiour christes sacrifice whiche he sholde then offre and now hath in dede offered to his father at his maundy verely none other thing then his owne naturall and lyuely bodye flesh and bloude vnder the fourme of breade and wyne Nowe let vs see what the latyn Latyn autours touchynge this matter doctours say in the same matter but yet not al whiche I haue red entreatynge of it but certayne of the eldest best lerned only as S. Austen Hierom Ambrose LactaÌ„t Arnobius the holy martir Cypriane S. Austen the yere of our lorde cccc Of the which S. AusteÌ„ thus sayth vpon the .xxxiii. Psalme of Dauyd Melchize was in AbrahaÌ„s time Of what other saith god the father Thou art a preist for euer Psal â—0â— after the ordre of Melch. but of him whose sacrifice ye knowe The sacrafice of AaroÌ„ is taken away a sacrifice after the order of Melchi is begon Also in another place he saith Melch. did know to To. 2. ePist 95 figure the eternal preisthod of oure lorde with a sacrament or a holye signe of oure lordes table shewed To. 5. de ciui dei lib. 16 ca. 22. forth Againe he saith speaking of Melchi his sacrifice Ibi quippe primuÌ„ apparuit sacrificiuÌ„ qâ— nuÌ„c a christianis offertur deo toto orbe terraruÌ„ impleturque illud quod loÌ„ge post hoc factuÌ„ per prophetaÌ„ dicitur ad christuÌ„ qui fuerat venturus in carneÌ„ Tues sacerdos secuÌ„duÌ„ ordineÌ„ Melch. inaeternuÌ„ NoÌ„ scilicet secuÌ„duÌ„ ordineÌ„ Aaron qui ordo fuerat aufereÌ„dus illucesceÌ„tibê° rebus quae illis vmbris praenotabaÌ„tur That is to say in englyshe Surely there fyrst did appere the sacrifice which now is offred of christeÌ„ people to god through all the world the is fulfilled which longe after this dede of Melch. is saide by the ê“phet Dauid to christ the shuld come to be made man Thou art a preiste for euer after the ordre of Melch. As who saith not after the ordre of AaroÌ„ which ordre shold be takeÌ„ away the thinges being clere or manifest which were before noted or figured with those shadowes Hitherto S. austen which was aboue eleuen C. yeres past and of suche cunnynge and learnynge in holy scripture beside manye other thinges as neuer was anye sence the holy apostles tyme therfore syth he dothe so playnlye approue this matter of the sacrifice of the masse as we haue alredye shewed wyll do hereafter more at large god wyllynge is not he a very madde man that wyll rather beleue Martyn Luther than this auncient father and godlye wryter But now to go forwarde on this purpose I wyll brynge in saynt Hieroms mynd in this matter whiche thus sayeth therin Melchizedec pane vino simplici Hierom ad â—uâ—grium puroque sacrificio Christi dedicauit sacramentum That is Melchizedec with bread and wine a symple and a pure sacrifice dyd dedicate christes sacrameÌ„t Again vpoÌ„ the sautre Quo modo Melchize rex salem obtulit panem vinum sic et tu offeres corpus tuum sanguinem verum panem vinum â—ste Melchizedec ista mysteria quae habemus nobis dedit Ipse est qui dixit Qui mandu cauerit ex hoc pane viuet in aeternum Ioh. â— Secundum ordinem Melchizedec tradidit nobis sacramenâ—uÌ„ suum In what maner Melchizedec kynge of Salem hath offered bread and wyne euen so thou also shalt offre thy bodye and bloude very breade and very wine This Melchi gaue to vs these misteries
auteÌ„ noster ille est qui hostiaÌ„ muÌ„danteÌ„ nos obtulit ipsam offerimus nunc quae tunc oblata quidem consumi non potest Hoc autem quod nos facimus in commemorationem quidem eius fit quod factum est Hoc enim facite Luc. 22. inquit in mei commemorationeÌ„ That is Our byshop is he which hath offered an hooste or sacrifice Note this well reader â—gainst the enemies of the masse makynge vs cleane the same we offre also nowe the whyche than offered trulye can not be consumed but this that we do is done for a remembraunce of that thing whyche was done for christ sayd do ye this for remembraunce of me Who is so blynde that he can not see that Chrysostom a greake autour learned as excellentlye in the scripture as euer anye was of the greakes synce the apostles tyme and their scolers doth saye playnelye that we meanynge preistes of whom he was one him selfe do offre the selfe same sacrifice whyche Chryste ones for euer offered by deathe and bloudde shedynge on the crosse but we do it for remembraunce of that hys passion and blouddy sacrifice not withoute autoritie power and coÌ„maundemente as the whyche all three we haue of him saieng Hoc facite in mei commemorationem Luc. â—â— do ye this for a remembraunce of me Wolde to God chrysten men wolde looke well on these wordes consyderynge bothe the auncientie of the wryter and also hys greatte learnynge and holynes whiche may cause them rather to beleue his sayenges thaÌ„ any other nothynge lyke to hym in those qualities but it is better to let this passe and to here saynt Cypryan that holy martyr which wrote aboue twelue hundred and lxxx yeres past He this wryteth after Cyprianus ii â— epist 3 many wordes spokeÌ„ of the holy sacrifice of the masse Qua in parte inuenimus calicem mixtum fuisse quem obtulit Vnde apparet sanguineÌ„ Christi non offerri si desit vinum calici nec sacramentum dominicum legitima sanctificatione celebrari nisi oblatio sacrificium nostrum passioni responderit That is In the whiche parte we do fynde that the cuppe was mengled or medled that is wyne water were therein mixed together whiche Christ dyd offre Whereby it doth appere that christes bloude is not offered yf there want wine in the cuppe or chalice neither is our lordes sacramente celebrate with halowynge accordynge to the lawe excepte our offerynge and sacrifice be lyke the passion In these wordes note that he sayth we fynd yâ— the cup whiche christ offred was mixed with wine water whyche was at none other tyme but onely at his last supper for at the time of his death he had no cuppe so medled nor then he offred not his bloud vnder forme of wyne but onely vnder the forme of bloude therefore he offered his bloud in sacrifice at his maundy after this holy martyrs mynde preistes do euen that same after his lawe and ordynaunce as he sayth lykewyse here agayne for thus he writeth Quo modo auteÌ„ de creatura vitis nouuÌ„ vinum cuÌ„ christo in regno patris bibemus si in sacrificio dei patris christi vi nuÌ„ non offerimus nec calicem dnÌ„i traditione dominica miscemus That is to saye Howe shall we drynke newe wyne wyth Christe of the creature of a vyne in the kyngedome of the father yf we Marke whose is the sacrifice of the masse offre not wyne in the sacryfyce of God the father and of Chryste or if we do not meddle or myxe the lordes cuppe after the teachyng or coÌ„myssyon of our lorde Lo oure lorde taughte the preistes at the masse to myxe in the chalyce wyne wyth water and so to offre in sacryfyce hys precyous bloudde whyche he dydde neuer but at his laste supper as it is euydente and therefore he dydde there offre hys bodye and bloude in sacryfyce and gaue commyssyon to hys apostelles and to all preystes in and by them to do the same Also in the same epystle he sayth agayne Ab euaÌ„gelicis praeceptis Cyprianus Luc. â—2 non est omnino recedendum eaque quae magister docuit fecit discipuli quoque obseruare facere debent We oughte not to goo from the commaundementes of the gospell and the dyscyples muste of duetye obserue and doo also those thynges whyche the mayster taughte and dydde Lo here Saynte Cypryane sayethe that Chryste offered him selfe and taughte hys scolers that same lesson and commaunded them also to offre sacryfyce as he hadde Matt. 26. Luc. 2â— doone afore when he toke breade and so forth and thereby he bond them to kepe and doo the selfe same thynge that he dydde What woulde anye manne desyre more To proue all this he allegeth saint Paule the eleuenth chapter of the fyrste epistle to the 1 Cor. 11. Corinthians This holye martyr sheweth wherfore christ dyd myxe wyne and water together in the cuppe whiche he blessed and consecrated at his maundye sayenge that he so dyd because the water signifieth the people as we reade in the Apocalypse of saint Iohn Apoca 17. why water is menglâ—d with wyne in the chalice when the preist sayth masse the .vii. chapter so that lykewyse as the water in the chalice is meddled and myxed together with the wyne and so meddled that the one caÌ„ not be separate from the other euen soo by shedynge of christes bloude the people whiche beleue in hym trust in goddes mercy promysed to theÌ„ for chrystes deathes sake feare god forsake their synnes thorough perfytte penaunce loue god and their neyghboure finally do kepe gods commaundementes and abyde therein nothing can separate or disseuer theÌ„ from goddes fauour and loue as Paule affirmeth the eight chapter to the Romaines But yet marke by the waye good reader that Cyprian doth saye that Christe dyd myxe wyne and water together in the cuppe which he dyd blesse and consecrate at his laste supper and dyd also teache and commaunde preistes to kepe and do that same as we now in dede do at our masses and yet there is no texte of all the scripture that maketh anye mention of this dede lesson and commaundement of our sauyour Christ therfore they are foule deceaued A verytye not wrytteÌ„ in scripture thorough ignoraunce or rather malyce which affirme that we ought to beleue nothinge excepte it be mencioned in scripture But I wyll retourne eftesones to holye Cypryan and allege out of hym a fewe moo sentences for my purpose of the whyche this is one agaynste theym that putte onelye water in the chalyce at masse Quaerendum est enim ipsi quem sunt secutiâ—nam si in sacrificio quod Christus est non nisi Christus sequendus est vtiâ— id nos obaudire facere oportet quod Christus fecit quod faciendum esse mandauit non debemus attendere quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putauerit sed
do offre is the â—rdes death we are bonde to do no other thinge than that whiche he hath doone For the scripture sayth as ofte as ye shall eate this bread c. Lo Cypryan did vnderstande these Paules wordes spoken of makynge remembraunce of christes death so that he affyrmeth that we do make sacrifice in the masse and therby is that remeÌ„brauÌ„ce made of Christes passion death And that this holy martyr so dyd vnderstande saint Paules wordes it doth playnly appere by his wordes streighte folowynge which are these QuotieÌ„scuÌ„que ergo caliceÌ„ in coÌ„memorationeÌ„ dnÌ„i Cyprianus passionis eius offerimus id quod coÌ„star dnÌ„m fecisse faciamê° That is in our englysshe speache thus muche to saye Therfore as often as we do offre the cuppe in remembraunce of our lorde of his passion let vs do that whiche it is euydent that our lorde dyd Doth not Cyprian here manifestlye affyrine that by the offering in sacrifice of christes bloud coÌ„teined at yâ— masse in yâ— chalice a remembrauÌ„ce is made of Christes death accordynge to his saint Paules commauÌ„dement but ye wil say to me An obiectioÌ„ that S. Paule in this chapter maketh mention of eatynge and drinkyng the body and bloud of christ and of the remembrynge of christ his passion therby which thing is indiffereÌ„t to lay men preistes and therefore Cypryan doth not well gether of Paules wordes here that Christes deathe is remeÌ„bred by doyng sacrifice of the priest at masse To that I saye that the The solution death and passion of Christ is remembred by euery laye mannes and womans housle or receyuyng of the blessed sacrament of th aulter but more chiefly more lyuelye and expressely by offeringe of his verye bodye and bloude in sacrifice whiche is done of the preist at his masse than by that eatynge lyke as the sacrificyng of the paschal or passeouer lambe did moch more expressely figure the deathe and sacrifice of our sauyour christ on the crosse then to come thaÌ„ did the eatynge of hym as no lerned man doth or can doute and therefore although euery man and woman receauynge the blessed sacramente of the aulter whiche is the very bodye and bloude of Christ A booke made of the sacramente of th aulter and not only a figure therof as I haue declared in my boke made of that matter dothe by that declare Christes death and make a remeÌ„braunce of it yet that notwithstaÌ„dynge the preist in his masse doth princypally make remembraunce of that christes death and so saint Paules mynd was that the preist in the masse offeringe Christes fleshe and bloude in sacrifice doth thereby especially remembre hys deathe though he doth that secondarely in receiuing his body and bloude and the laye people do also the same But ye wyll saye vnto me that Christes institution wheÌ„ Math. â—â— Luc. 2â— he bade his disciples to take cate and drynke and to do that for his remeÌ„braunce doth playnely shew that we do only remembre christes death in eatynge and drinkinge his flesshe and bloude and not by An obiectioÌ„ offering it in sacrifice and therefore saynt Paule mente no suche â—hynge Also saynte Paule hym â—â—lfe sayeth when ye shall eate â—is breade and drynke of this â—ppe ye shall shewe the lordes death speakynge not one word of makyng sacrifice and therfore he oughte not to be wrested in this place to the sacrifice of the masse To that I aunswer that Christ his scholer saynt Paule dyd commaund The aunswere that when we do eate hys bodye and drinke his bloude we shulde haue his passion in remembrauÌ„ce or take theÌ„ to the remembrauÌ„ce of his death but yet no maÌ„ ought ne can if he wolde gether thereof that to shewe the lordes death is nothynge els but to eate and drynke the Sacrament in remembraunce of christes passion For if a man do wel and diligently considre and pondre Chrystes wordes when he saith Hoc facite Luc. 2â— 1. Cor. 11. in meam commemorationem Do ye thys for my remembraunce he shall see that it is an other thinge to do that whiche Chryste commaunded the apostles to do than onelye to make remembraunce of Chrystes death For Chryst badde we shulde do that whyche he dyd to remembre his death Now who knoweth not that the thinge whiche is done and that wherefore it is done are not both one thing But what neade so many wordes at this time syth Paule sayth nothinge agaynst the remeÌ„brynge of christes death by offring his body bloude in sacrifice in the masse but with it rather as I haue declared by S. Cyprians iudgemeÌ„t and sayenge and I haue proued already by diuers autorities both of the scrypture and the holy doctours that Chryste dyd offre his flesshe and bloude at his maundy to god his father in sacryfyce Therefore I wyll recyte more of the scrypture to proue that the holy masse instituted by Chryste our sauiour is a sacrifice appeasynge goddes displeasure profitable both to the quicke also to the deade people Whereby men maye perceyue howe moch Martin Luter Iohan Fryth with dyuers other were deceaued in this matter and namely a yonge man of this Pâ—raenesis our countrey in a boke sette forth in latyn in the which he saith that the holye masse is set vp to the reproche or iniurye of Christe and that Paule Peter and Iohan do teache vs the same The apostle Paule to the Hebrewes the fyfthe Chapter thus wryteth Omnis poÌ„tifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs quae sunt ad deum vt offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis That is Euery byshoppe or preist taken out of the nombre of men is ordeyned for men in those thinges whiche This texte proueth that eyther iÌ„ our tyme of the newe testamente there is no preisthode which no good christen bodye wyl affirme or that there is a sacrifice propre to it aduered to be offered for sinne which none can of fre vp but a preiste and syth there is nor can be anye other suche sacrifice but the masse it must nedes folow that it is a sacrifice of the newe testment do appertaine to god that he sholde offre gyftes and sacrifices for synne This texte is manifeste agaynst Martin Luthers heresy whiche is that all Christen people are preistes and that among christen folke there is none rather a preiste than all other For here Paule affirmeth that a preist is elected and chosen out of the multitude of the people therfore some and certayne of the people are preistes and not all the hole number of them Also he sayeth that a preist is ordeined or instituted for the multitude of Christen people to offre gyftes and sacrifices for theyr synnes and therfore that is the preistes propre and chiefe offyce so that it neyther dothe belonge to the layte to vse that office nor the office of a preist is onlye to
the storie maketh mention Doth not euen so at this our time Martin Luther and his scholers whiche deny the masse to be a sacrifice whan the apostles taughte the cleane contrary as I haue afore declared largely S. Dioni lib. de caelesti hierarchia Ca. I Dionise Paules scholer teacheth vs an other lesson how we shulde study scripture whom we shuld folow in the vnderstaÌ„dyng of it his wordes are these Ad saÌ„ctissimaruÌ„ scripturaruÌ„ intelligentias prout illas a patribus accepimus contuendas pro viribus pergamus Lette vs procede to loke on the vnderstandynge of the moost holy scriptures accordynge to oure strengthe or power as we haue harde or receaued of the elders Do we not here see that this father whiche was a greate philosopher and verye well learned in dyuers knowledges afore he was conuerted by saint Paule was taught the fayth by hym wolde not presume to studye the scripture without the doctours and elders bokes whiche he studied to vnderstande it Therefore if thou wilte study the scripture to profyt therein reade saint Austens bokes sainte Ieromes Chrisostoms Ambroses Cyprians and suche other whiche do sincerely truely and catholykely expownde the scriptures to the auauncinge of the truth and the thrustynge downe of errours and heresie Preistes of Cesarea cappa docie coulde not be persuaded to leaue the faith Qâ— eis suffecerint ad vtilitatem sui antiquae patrum narrationes velut quaedam turres murum fidei indeclinabilem Triper Histo li. 7 Cap. â—6 seruauerunt Bycause the auncieÌ„t expositions of the fathers sufficed them to their proffitte and dydde kepe lyke as certaine towers the wall of faith vpright And where men saie that god is as lyberall now as he was in the apostles tyme to them and therefore he can geue euen nowe also the holye ghost to euery man and woman for the vnderstandynge of his worde the scripture I graunte that god is nowe as lyberall in dede as he was thaÌ„ but yet thervpon it foloweth not that he dothe nowe geue the spirite of knoweledge in the holye scripture without all laboure and why god did geue to fysshers his holy spirite to vnderstand the scripture studye as he then dydde to his apostles to confounde the greate clerkes and lerned men by the simple and vnlearned fysshers and by ther teachyng to conuert to the faith the hole world that thereby his almighty power might be knowen his blessed name glorified the vertue of his sonnes deathe christ our sauiour estemed yâ— cause as in dede it was of that so great a myracle This I saye was the cause whye at the begynnynge of christes religion and fayth rude fysshers hadde geuen them suche knoweledge in the scripture without all labour and study geuen to it of their partes God theÌ„ shewed hys greate lyberalytye in feading fyue thousande men besyde women and chyldren with fiue barly Io. 6. loues and two fysshes as sainte Iohan testyfyeth but shal we therfore loke for anye lyke thinge now in oure dayes Chryste at that tyme dydde worke dyuers myracles whych he worketh not at this tyme nor neuer wyll hereafter He is therein lyke to one that plantethe yonge trees or setteth herbes whyche while they be tendre and yonge not yet well rooted in the earthe he often watereth but after they are growen vp and haue taken well rootes than he ceassethe waterynge them so christ A similitude oure sauyoure when he planted the faythe at the fyrste dydde water it wyth sundrye and dyuerse myracles and whan he sawe it well and surelye rooted in mens hartes than he lefte waterynge it with myracles Therefore let vs not looke to receaue the holye goost to teache vs the scryptures and the vnderstandynge of them wythoute oure studye and labour as the apostles ones dydde by miracle for the coÌ„uersion of the worlde to the faith but let vs learne it of the holy doctours and of the preistes which are learned and whose office it is to teache the vnlearned multitude as witnesseth the holy prophet Malachias saieng Labia Malach. 2. sacerdotis custodiunt scientiam legem requirent ex ore eius quia angelus domini exercituum est That is The preistes lyppes do kepe cunnynge and the laye people shall often seke or demauÌ„d of his mouth the lawe for asmuch as he is the messanger of the lorde of hostes that is of aungels whiche are called the hoostes of heauen Aeto 20. Heb. 13. He is sent by goddes assignement to teache the vnlearned and doth take charge of theyr soules as the scripture in manye places wytnesseth Nowe I wyll shewe the holy doctours myndes in this our coÌ„trouersye sens we ought to folowe their iudgement in the vnderstandynge of the scriptures as I haue nowe declared that by theÌ„ we maye perceaue which doctrine is true and catholique and which is false and hereticall I wyll yet recite here but a certaine of the most auncient and eldest writers on the scripture for the yongest almost The olde doctours sayeuges of theÌ„ shal be about nyne hundred yeres olde because men saye that the sacrifice of the masse was inueÌ„ted of late and set vp by preistes coueteousnes for lucre that they maye se theyr folye and forsake it in tyme leaste it at the length as it must neades brynge them to vtter confusion in bodye and soule But to the rehersal of the olde writers in this matter amonge the whiche Theophilactus shall occupy the first place sayeng Quaereâ— Theophilac In Heb 10 aliquis num ipsi sine sanguine immolamus Ita quidem sed Christi tunc reminiscimur obitus vna nobis est immolatio noÌ„ multae quandoquidem est ille semel oblatus eundem enim semper offerimus vnus est enim sanguis semel effusus Vnum est corpus noÌ„ multa quiuis fuerit pro multis oblatum item vna est quae offertur hostia Hanc namque semper ut praesentem offerimus That is Some body wyl demaunde wether we do sacrifice without bloud or no we do so surely but then we remembre Christes death and we haue one sacrifice not manye for as moche as Christe also hath bene ones offered in sacryfyce for we offre alwaye the samâ— the bloude is one shedde ones The body is one not many thoughe it bathe bene offered vp in sacryfyce for manye and also the hoste is one which is offred For we alwaye offre that same as present hitherto Theoph. No man can desire playner wordes than these are of this greate clerke to proue that the masse is a sacrifice Rupert also confirmethe this saieng Quotidie in altari sancto Lib. 1. comeÌ„t in Dani. ca. 14. oblationes eius sacruÌ„ celebramus mysteriuÌ„ We do daiely celebrate in the holy aulter the holye mystery or sacrameÌ„t yâ— sacrifices of christ Fulgentius whiche was aboue a M. yeres sence agreeth with Fulgentius li. 2. ad MonimuÌ„ this verity
saieng Dicis te a nonnullis iÌ„terrogatuÌ„ de sacrificio corporis saÌ„guinis χÏι quod plerique soli patri existimaÌ„t immolari cuÌ„ ad patreÌ„ litaÌ„tis destinatur intentio sacrificij munus omni trinitati vno eodeÌ„que offertur litaÌ„tis officio That is in our language Thou sayeste that thou was asked of some men of the sacrifice of the bodye bloude of christ whiche manye do iudge to be offred in sacrifice only to the father whan the intente of him whiche pleaseth god with sacrifice is appointed to the father the gyfte of sacrifice is offered to the hole trinitie with one the same office of him which obtayneth his desire of god by sacrifice Also he aunsweringe to the thirde question proposed to him by his freÌ„de Monimê° sayth thus Thou doest aske yf the sacrifice be offered to yâ— who le trinitie wherefore the sendynge onelye of the holye goost is desyred to sacrifice or consecrate yâ— gyfte of our sacrifice As verelye that I so may say god the father hym selfe from whome the holye goost procedeth coulde not halow the sacrifice offred to hym or the sonne hymselfe coulde not make holye the sacrifice of his body the whiche he offered to raunsom vs or els that the holye goost shulde so be sente to consecrate the churches sacrifice as the father and the sonne were not presente helpinge them whiche do offre sacrifice At the length he concluding this matter thus writeth Quando auÌ„t congruentius ad consecrandum sacrificium corporis Christi saÌ„cta ecclesia quae est corpus eius sancti spiritus deposcat aduentum Aedificatio Marke this reader spiritualis opportunius nunque petitur qui cum ab ipso Christi corpore quod est ecclesia in sacramento panis ac calicis ipsum Christi corpus sanguis offertur Calix enim quem bibimus communicatio 1. Cor. 10. sanguis Christi est panis quem frangimns participaâ—io corporis domini est vt ait apostolus That is But whan maye the holy church which is Christes body more conueniently aske the holy gostes coÌ„ming to consecrate the sacrifice of christes body A spirituall edifienge is neuer desired in duer time than when the same Christes bodye and bloude is offered in sacrifice of that his bodye whiche is the church in the sacramente of breade and wyne For the cuppe of whiche we do drynke is 1. Cor. 10. the communion of christes bloude and the breade that we breake is the partetakynge of oure lordes bodye Hytherto this holye father Fulgentius whole wordes are as manyfeste for the sacryfice of the masse as they can be therefore I wyll speake no more of them but 1. Ambrose l0 1. offi ca. 41 reherse saint Ambrose iudgement that was aboue eleuen hundred yeres synce whiche this hathe rehersyng saint Laurences wordes spoken to Syxtus the bysshoppe whaÌ„ he was ladde to suffre martirdome Quo sacerdos saÌ„cte sine diacono ê“peras NuÌ„que sacrificiuÌ„ sine ministro offerre consueueras Cui coÌ„misisti dnÌ„ici corporis consecrationeÌ„ To. 2. li. 1. offi cap. 41. cui coÌ„suÌ„maÌ„doruÌ„ coÌ„sortiuÌ„ sacrameÌ„toruÌ„ huic coÌ„sortiuÌ„ tui saÌ„gui nis negas Whither goest thou hastly o holy preist wtout a deacoÌ„ Thou wast neuer wont to offre sacrifice wtout a ministre To whom thou hast commited the consecratynge of our lordes body and the felowshyp of sacramentes to be accoÌ„plisshed to him thou deniest the felowship of thy bloud Again in a certeÌ„ oration funeral of the death of valentynyane the emperoure thus he speaketh to Valentynyane and To. 1 Gratian. Nulla vos nox non donatos Prayers the masse do auayle the dead aliqua praecum mearum CoÌ„textione transcurret omnibus frequentabo oblationibus I wyl saith Ambrose praye for you euerye nyghte I wyll accustomelye offre sacryfyce for you Also to one Faustine ouer muche lamentyng his systers deathe after manye Lib. 2. epist 8. wordes spoken to comforte hym thus he writeth Itaque non tam deplorandam qui frequentandam orationibus reor Nec maesticandam lachrymis tuis sed magis oblationibus animam eius deo commendandam arbitror Therefore I thinke that she ought not so moch to be lamented as to be praied for accustomedly Neyther I thynke she shoulde be made heuye wyth thy teares in wepinge but rather hir soule to be commended to god with sacrifices Are not these playne wordes to testifie the holye masse to be a sacrifice profitable for the Prayers the masse do auayle the dead deade that also prayers of theÌ„ which do lyue here be auayleable for them besyde this he saith in an epistle to Theodosius the emperour Lib. 5. epist 28 whom he had excommunicated for the murder done in Thessalia at his commaundemente Ego causam coÌ„tumaciae nullaÌ„ in te habeo sed habeo timoris offerre noÌ„ audeo sacrificiuÌ„ si volueris assistere I haue no cause in the of disobedience or froward wyll but I haue a cause of feare for I dare not offre sacrifice if thou wylte be present was not this ment of the ExcommunicatioÌ„ once was regarded sacrifice of the masse whiche saint Ambrose sayde he durste not offre yf Theodosius themperour were in the temple because he was excommunicate TheÌ„ excommunicatioÌ„ was feared of the highest estates and the masse had in great honour as it ought in dede to be though both of them now are lyttell regarded the more is the pite Ambros Mar. lib. 5. epist 5. Missam sacere caepi dumque offero rapruÌ„ cognouicastu lum S. Austens sentences lib 2. retract Ca. 21 But of sainte Ambrose ynoughe Now saint Austen shall speake in this controuersie whose learning farre amouÌ„teth and excelleth any mans that hath ben synce yâ— apostles tyme especially in the holy scripture He was aboue eleuen hundred yeres passed which thus saieth Hylarius quidaÌ„ laicus nescio unde aduersus dei ministros vt fieri assolet irritatus morem qui tuÌ„e apud carthaginem caeperat vt hymni ad altare dicerentur de psal morum libro siue ante oblationeÌ„ siue cum distribueretur populo quod fuisset oblatum maledica reprehensione lacerabat That is Hylarye a certayne laye man kendled wit wrath as it is wont to be against gods mynysters wherby I knowe not did breake with cursed reprouynge the custome whiche than began at the citie carthage that hymnes shulde be sayde out of the boke of psalmes at the aulter eyther before the offerynge of sacrifice or whan that which was offered shoulde be dystributed to the people Imprynte good reader these wordes surely in thy mynde for they do playnlye make for the defence of the sacrifice of the masse But yet heare hym againe affyrmynge that same thynge more playnely with these fewe wordes Augustinus To. 2. epist 23. Marke reader howe Christ was ones â—ffred in sacrifice yet he is daily offred in the masse Nonne semel immolatus est christus in
sacrifices saienge moreouer Ferme non reperitur sacerdotalis muneris mysterium peragi quod non compleatur in consummatione diuinissimae eucharistiae ad vnaÌ„ perficiente sacrificio collectioneÌ„ The mysterye or secrete of a preistes office is welnygh not founde to be made perfit or done throughly whiche shulde not be finisshed in the perfourmynge of the sacramant of the aulter mooste diuine or perteynyng to god while the sacrifice doth accomplysshe or bring to a point men to one gatherynge together Doest thou not se christeÌ„ reader that this holy man sainte Paules disciple calleth the blessed sacramente of the aulter most diuine godlye or pertaynynge vnto god and yet men of oure dayes are not ashamed to call it an ydol Also this aunciente father calleth the masse a sacrifice and that also which maketh the people for whom it is offered and which do worthely receyue it one together in christ through perfit charitie concord Wherefore euery good christeÌ„ maÌ„ ought rather to geue credence to this doctours iudgemente and al the other rehersed afore in this boke than to one Martyn Luther and his secte or folowers But now I wyll shewe what the same writers or at the leaste some of them saye concerninge that pointe which is nowe moost amonge men in controuersie that is whether the masse be a sacrifice propitiatorie or appeasynge goddes wrathe againste synnes and makynge hym mercyfull to vs so that it be auayleable and profitable bothe for the quick the dead or no. That it is so this chapter nexte here ensuynge shall proue sufficiently to persuade all them whiche are blynded wyth affection towarde the contrary opinion to beleue no lesse vndoubtedly and stedfastlye ¶ That the masse auayleth both the quyck and the deade for the appeasynge of gods dyspleasure taken for synne and the purchasynge of his mercy also SAynt Austen maketh mencion of a August de eiui dei lib. xx cap. 8. wonderfull myracle whiche was done by a preistes praiers masse Wherebye we maye perceaue of what great force streÌ„gth the masse is therfore I wyll recite his wordes breifly whiche are euen these Vir Tribunitius qui apud nos est habet in territorio FussaleÌ„si funduÌ„ cubedi appellatnm vbi cum afflictione animalium seruorum suorum domum suam spirituum malignorum vim noxiam perpeti coÌ„perisset rogauit nostros me absente presbyteros vt aliquis eorum illo pergeret cuius orationibus cederent perrexit vnus obtulit ibi sacrificium corporis christi orans quantuÌ„ potuit vt cessaret illa vexatio deo protinus miserante cessauit That is to saye A man bearynge the tribunes office at Rome whereby he had cheife iurisdiction amenge the commons whiche is with vs hath in a territorie or a countreye of fussalence a soyls named cubedi where after he perceyued by experience throughe the tormentynge of his beastes seruauntes that his house suffred violence hurtefull of the yll spirites he beseched oure preistes whaÌ„ I was absente that some of them A greate myracle wrought of god by the masse wold go thither by whose prayers they shulde departe thence One wente he offred there the sacrifice of Christes bodye prayenge as muche as he coulde that that vexation shoulde ceasse wythoute taryenge it ceassed god hauynge pitie Dothe not this place proue the masse to be a sacrifice propitiatorye sythe by the offerynge of Christes bodye in sacryfyce at it goddes wrathe towarde thys man To. Io. ser 28 de uerbis dâ— secundii Lucam and hys seruauntes conceaued for their synnes whereby the deuell hadde suche power on them was pacified and appeased Agayne saynte Austen thus writeth after many wordes spoken of the sacrament of the aulter Tu audis ê™ quotienscumque offertur sacrificium mors domini resurrectio eleuatio 1. Cor. 11. eius significeÌ„tur remissio peccatorum panem istum vitae nostrae quotidianum non assumis Qui vulnus habet medicinaÌ„ Note this reader requirit Vulnus est quia sub peccato sumus Medicina est caeleste et venerabile sacramentum Hactenus ille In englyshe this it is Thou doest heare that as ofteÌ„ as the sacryfyce is offered our lordes deathe resurrectyon and lyftynge vp of him on the crosse are signified and represented and also forgyuenes of sinnes and doest not thou receaue this daylye breade of oure lyfe He whiche hathe a wounde dothe seke often a medicine The wounde is for as moche as we be vnder synne the honourable and Christes body in the sacramente is honourable against Luther Ihon Fryth heauenlye sacramente is the medicine Nothynge can be moore euidentlye spooken for the sacryfyce of the holye masse that it is a sacrifice propytyatory curyng mannes wouÌ„des that is to say his sinnes and that also by the ordinaunce of Christe commaundynge it to be done for a remembraunce of hys death and rising againe It foloweth in the same sermon of sainte Austens Cum tractarem de sacramentis Sermone â—8 de verbis d. secun Lucum dixi vobis ê™ ante verba Christi quod offertur panis dicatur ubi Christi verba fuerint deprompta iaÌ„ non panis dicitur sed corpus Christi appellatur Whan I dyd entreate of the sacramentes saieth Austen I telled you that afore Christes wordes pronounced of the preiste that the whiche is offered in sacrifice is called bread after Christes wordes be spoken it is not now named bread but it is called christes body This sainte Austen dothe set forth bothe the sacryfyce of the masse and also that by the strenght force of christes wordes which he spake at his laste supper institutynge the masses sacrifice the breade is turned Transubstantition into Christes very bodye and after loseth the name of breade Moreouer sainte Austen thus writeth De ciui dei li 20. cap. 25. in an other place of this matter Omnes qui offerunt profecto in peccatis sunt pro quibus dimit tendis offerunt ut cum obtulerint acceptumque deo fuerit tunc dimit tantur That is to saye in englysh All men whiche do offer sacrifice forsoth they are in synne for the whiche to be forgiuen they offre Note this dilygently reader sacrifice that whan they haue offred sacrifice and that is accepted of god than their synnes shoulde be forgyuen them These wordes are inoughe to stoppe all mennes mouthes that they maye haue nothinge hereafter to speake against this holye sacryfyce of the masse but that it is a sacrifice obteyning of god remyssion of synne This ment saint Poule the fifte chapter to the Hebrewes sayenge that a byshoppe or a preiste is chosen ordeined to offre gyftes as praier and lyke thinges sacrifices for the lynnes of the people With the whych saynt Chrisostome agreeth Chrisostom in missa sua saienge Idoneos nos redde domine ad inferenda tibi dona sacrificia spiritualia pro nostris peccatis
populi ignorantijs dignos nos fac ut inueniamus gratiam in coÌ„spectu tuo vt acceptabile fiat sacrificiuÌ„ nostrum That is Make vs o lord saith the preist at masse This is plainly said of that noble doctoure and holye saynte amonge the greakes meete to bringe into the gyftes and spirituall sacryfyces for our synnes the peoples sinnes coÌ„mytted thorough lacke of knoweledge and make vs worthy to fynde grace in thy syghte that oure sacrifice may be acceptable Againe in the same treatice of the masse he sayeth Fac panem hunc praeciosum corpus filij tui in calice vero hoc sanguinem preciosum Christi tui traÌ„smutans ea spiritu tuo sancto Vt fiat assumentibus in lotionem animarum in remissionem peccatoruÌ„ in communionem saÌ„cti spiritus in regni coelorum impletio nem in fiduciam apud te non in iudicium non in condemnationem haec ibi Make o lord saith the greke preist at masse this breade the precious bodye of thy sonne and that thing whiche is in this cuppe the precyous bloud of thy Christe * The doctrine of TransubstaÌ„tiation is no newe thing of whiche Chrisostom wrote nigh twelue hundred yeares past chaungynge them from breade and wine in to flesshe and bloude by thy holy spirite That it maye be to the receauers therof for a wasshynge or a clensynge of their soules and remyssion of their synnes and a coÌ„munion or a mutuall participation together of the holye ghoste to the fulfyllynge of the heauenly kingdom an affiauÌ„ce in the not to their iudgemente not to their condemnation Epiphanius alsoo a greake doctour nygh twelfe hundred yeares olde confirmeth this Epipha in cpi. ad Ioan hiero so uersa ab d. Hieroni. sayenge Illud audiens admiratus sum quod quidam te quoque turbauerunt dixerunt ê™ in oratione quando offerimus deo sacrificia soleamus ê“ te dicere Domine presta Ioanni ut recte credat That is I hearynge that dyd maruayle that certayn men had troubled the also and sayde that we are wonte in oure prayer whan we doo offre sacrifices to god to saye for the. Lorde graunte to Ihon that he maye beleue truely A lyke saieng hath saint Gregory Ieroins maister entreatynge of Iuliane the Grego Nazi oratio 1. in Iulianum emperours wickednes Mox incruenti sacrificij oblationem manus commaculat per quod nos christo unimur nec non passionis ac diuinitatis eius participes reddimur Anone the handes do defile the oblation of the sacrifice vnblouddye or offered without bloud shedding by the whiche we are ioyned together with Christe and made parte Marke reader takers also of his passioÌ„ and godhead What sacrifice I beseche the good reder can ioyne vs together with Christe and make vs partenars of his death and godheade whiche mannes handes maye defile except it be the masse and it be also a sacrifice propitiatory pacyfieng goddes wrath toward vs for oure offences That sayethe sainte Cyprian thus writinge after Cyprianus de caena domini he had saide that Christe vpon the crosse dyd offer hym selfe a sacrifice and that he the buttelar had giuen the same cuppe Penitrat omnia tanti medicamenti virtus quicquid esset intus ibi dum effugaret renouaret sanaretque quic quid morbi carni vel spiritui veteris uitae adlinierat corruptela That is The vertue or strength of soo greate a medicine perceth al thinges while it dryueth awaye what so euer shulde be there within and shoulde renewe and heale what so euer disease the defylynge of the olde lyfe had brought to the fleshe or the spirite Hytherto Cypryan Origen doth also thus write of the force and strength of the masse Origenes ho 13. in leui Sirespicias ad illam commemorationem de qua dicit dominus Hoc facite in meam commemorationeÌ„ inuenies ê™ ista est commemoratio Lu. â—2 sola quae propitium facit hominibê° deum If a man loke to that remeÌ„braunce of the whiche oure lorde saith do ye this for my remeÌ„brauÌ„ce he shal fynde that this is the only memorye or remembraunce of Christes death and sacrifice done on the crosse whiche causethe god to be contented or mercyful to men Of this part this is sufficent to proue that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatory or appeasynge gods dyspleasure for synne Now to the seconde part which is that the masse is auayleable and profitable to theÌ„ whiche are departed from this lyfe ¶ That the masse is profitable to the deade lyke as other good deedes doone for them are THegrekes good reder dyd deny vtterly that there was any meane place betwene heauen hell wherin maÌ„s soule shulde be deteined for a time tyll that it myght please god to deliuer it froÌ„ thence to his glorious sighte The whiche errour among diuers other Iohan Wycleffe Martin luther Ihon Frith did maynteyne and defende Also one Aerius as sainte Austen sheweth August lib. de heres heres 55 in his booke of heresies whan he coulde not obteyne a byshoprike for the which he laboured he taught Epiphani lib. 3 many heresies amonge the whiche he saied that a christen man shuld not be bounde to faste any certain daye but to be suffered to fast whaÌ„ he lyste ageinst the which I haue made a boke in englisshe and also A boke of fastynge he saide that it shulde nothinge auaile the deade yf the lyuynge shuld pray for them And thought it were nowe greate nede to write fully of this matter yet I wyll at this tyme onely bringe the auncieÌ„t doctours sentences to proue that the masse is a sacrifice profitable to them whiche are departed yf it be songe or sayde for them and shortely god wyllynge I wyll set forthe a hoole booke of that matter againste Frithes booke compiled of the same To begynne Innocen li. de myst miss therfore Innocentius thus wryteth Istos qui nondum perfecte prorsus purgati sunt commendat pia mater ecclesia intercessione sua in sacrosaÌ„cto sacrificio certissime The same hath s Barnarden sermone 66. Canti ca. credens ê™ sanguis ille praeciosus qui pro multis effusus est in remissionem peccatorum non soluÌ„ valeat ad salutem viuentium sed etiam ad releuationem defunctoruÌ„ The godly or piteous mother the church doth remembre them wtih her intercession in the halowed sacrifice beleuynge moste assuredly that the precious bloud which was poured out for the remission of many meÌ„s sinnes is not only of force or strength for the helth of the lyuynge but also for the easyng of the dead Isodorê° agreeth with this Isodorus lib. â— off sayenge Sacrificium pro defunctorum requie offerre quia per to tuÌ„ orbeÌ„ custoditur credimus ab apostolis esse traditum We do beleue that the apostles taught to offer sacrifice for the deades reste because it is kepte throughe all the world
and the fauoure of god This reason is grounded vpoÌ„ the wronge vnderstandynge of s Paules sayenge For we maye as well proue by this autoritie that remyssion of our synnes commeth not by baptisme penaunce the hearing Expende haec lector iudica of goddes worde faith hope nor any other lyke thynge as that by the masse forgyuenesse of synne hapneth not to vs because when these thynges are receyued there is no paurynge oute of bloude as there is none in the masse Therfore let vs se what Paul ment by these his wordes which is easely found out by the wordes nexte afore in the letter pertainyng to the same sentence and they are these Et oia penè in sanguine secuÌ„duÌ„ legeÌ„ muÌ„daÌ„t And all sinnes almost after yâ— law are made cleane in bloude Lo he saith almost all and not all and therefore the other part of his sentence whiche is alleged aboue againste the sacrifice of the masse ought to be thus takeÌ„ almost with out pouryng out of bloude remission Aduerte lect of synne is not for els he had spoken playnely against the lawe which maketh mention of an oblation Leui. 2. Heb. aliud Sabach aliud Nuncha aliud Misath vnblouddy wont to be offred to god for remission of sinne that was made ex simila that is of fine meale of corne Also by the water called aqua expiationis that is the Num. 8. 19 S. Paule sayeth that the bloud of goates and of bulles the ashes of a heffer spriÌ„cled dydde make holye or pure the defyled as touchynge the vncleannes of the flessh and in the tenthe chapter he affyrmethe that it was impossyble that synnes shulde haue bene taken awaye by the bloud of bulles and goates water of clensinge or purgyng of the whiche the booke of numbers speaketh synnes were forgiuen not only vncleanes of the bodye was purged and yet bloude was not alway shedde whan this was done but ones before through sleynge of a redde heffar to make that water Thou mayst say good reader that although Paule ment that nothinges almooste whiche were vncleane in the olde lawe were made cleane without bloude sheddynge eyther euen than â— before yet that saieng of his may be applied to the time of the new law for asmuch as in this time there is no remyssion of synnes giuen with out bloud shedding that is to wit withoute the vertue of Christes bloude once shedde on the crosse that the same is applyed to vs by the masse as by the other sacrameÌ„tes Without faith in the strenghe merite and vertue of this bloude sheddynge than to come no sacryfyce of the olde testament dyd put awaye synne finallye it maye appeare by the letter of this chapter that Paule mente here by remyssion the purgynge of certaine irregularites and vncleanes of the body and flesshe rather than forgiuenes of synne the triall and iudgemente whereof I referre to the lerned and wyll go forwarde to the rehersall of the nexte argumente whiche is this taken out of Paules epystles to the Hebrewes thus wrytynge Christus semel oblatus est ad multorum The fourth reason â—â—b 9. semel peccata exhaurienda Christe is ones offered in sacrifice to consume or to take away many mennes synnes vppon this that Paule affyrmeth that Christ was ones offered vp in sacrifice for our synnes they argue and reasoÌ„ that the masse is no sacrifice for then Christe muste neades be offered as often in sacrifice as masse is sayde the which is plaine against saint Paule sayenge that he was ones and not often tymes offred for mennes synnes and therefore it must neades folow that the masse is not a sacrifice propitiatorye or purchasynge to vs grace and forgyuenesse of synnes This reason though it be iudged The solution neuer so stronge yet it is but very weake and of lytle force For as s AusteÌ„ saith Christ was ones offered for vs and yet if we beleue and remember his comming to vs he is dayly offered for vs so that albeit he was ones offered on the Christ was offred by the preistes of tholde law in figures and heofiereth hym selfe at his laste supper whan he of fered the paschall lambe crosse where he shed his precious bloud and died for all the worldes offences and that beynge a preist and exercysynge also a preistes office after the order of Aaron yet he offered him self vnder the fourme of breade at his last supper as I haue proued before sufficiently dayly dothe offer in the masse by the ministery of the preiste after thorder of Melchizedech which made sacrifice to god with breade and wyne as the Genesis sheweth wher Gene. 14. of I haue entreated afore at large S. Austen saith the .xxiii epistle whiche he wrote to the byshoppe Boniface was not Christ ones of fred in sacrifice in hym selfe and yet he is offered in the sacramente not only on al the feastes of easter but euery day also for the people That saint Paule ment onelye in this place of the deathe of christ and that his blouddye sacrifyce was ones done for al on the crosse and nothing of the sacrifice vnder the fourme of breade and wine whiche was fygured by Melchizedeches sacrifice it appearethe plainly by certaine wordes of that same chaptre whiche are these Neque ut saepe offerat semetipsum queÌ„ admoduÌ„ pontifex intrat in sanctaê‘ sigulos annos in saÌ„guine alieno alioquin oportebat euÌ„ frequeÌ„t pati ab origine muÌ„di NuÌ„c auÌ„t semel in coÌ„suÌ„matione seculoruÌ„ ad destitutionem peccatiê‘ hostiaÌ„ suaÌ„ apparuit Not that he shuld offer him selfe oftentimes lyke as the bishop entreth into the holy places euery yeare with the bloude of an other or els he muste neades haue suffred death often from the beginning of the world But now he hath ones appeared by his hoste or sacrifice in the ende of the worlde to the putting away of synÌ„e Nothing caÌ„ be spoken more plainly thaÌ„ this is to declare that Paule ment of that sacrifice which is ioyned with suffring of passion and death that ones is done and offred for euer and shall be neuer offered againe because Christ dyed ones for our synnes as Paule saith to the Romanes and shall neuer suffre death again Rom. 6. that notwithstandynge he is offred dayly in the masse withoute passion or paine that we maye the better and the souer be partakers of the grace whiche he purchased for vs by his deathe But of thys ynoughe now to the nexte reason of Martyn Luther Saint Paule saieth the nynth The fyfthe reason to the Hebrewes that yf Christe sholde oftentymes offre hym selfe in sacrifice that than he must neades suffre death often but he can not dye nor suffer deathe oftentymes therfore he doth not offre him selfe often in the masse as he neades muste yf the masse were a sacrifice wherfore the masse is no sacrifice The solutioÌ„ This reason is soyled alredy in the aunswerynge
reason If they worke saith he wiselye lyke him selfe with their dayly sacrifice as they cal it remyssyon of Vrbanus Reginus reason synne I pray you thē what sinnes dyd the bloude of the newe and euerlastynge testament take away Dyd euer man heare or reade The solutiō so fonde and foly she a question as this is who sayth that the masse or the sacrifice therof doth take awaye synnes withoute the vertue of the bloud whiche Christ shedde for the establyshemente of the new testamente Who doth not ascribe the forgyuenesse of all synnes vnto Chrystes deathe and sacryfyce offered to god on the crosse as the onelye meryte or merytoryous cause thereof Agayne what man excepte he wante fayth wytte or learnynge wyll denye but that the meryte vertue and strēgth of that CHRISTES bloud shedynge muste neades be applyed to vs by the sacramentes and other necessarye meanes that we maye thereby be made partakers thereof for the remyssion of our synnes obtaininge of grace and saluatiō euerlasting Now the masse as I haue declared already sufficiētly is an application of that Christes meryte consystynge in the offring of hym self a swete sacrifice to his father for the pleasinge and pacifienge of his wrathe towarde vs for our synnes and putteth awaye no synne but throughe the vertue of christes deathe and bloude as al defēders of it do affirm though Vrbanus Regius and his scolers maliciouslye do laye the contrary to their charge Further yet these men reason sayenge Christe by his death hath satisfied The xiiii reason sufficiētly for our synnes and with his bloud wasshed thē away accordynge to the prophecye of Esaye the .liii. chapter he dyd beare our synnes and was corne for our wickednes of the which it foloweth and is a good argument that all the oblations whiche are beside this are vaine and voyde the whiche they pretende Hytherto Vrbanus Regius The solution Naughtye bookes whose leude and vngodly boke of the comparison betwene the newe and the olde learnynge is among the people in english to the poysonīg of their soules as many other The kynges maiestie lyke a most Christen prince hath by hys proclamarion redressed this matter naughty bokes be the more is the pitie that it is so suffered God wolde that men and women nowe hadde no lesse zele to the truth nor loue to their owne soules thā the Ephesians whiche were idolaters had whan saint Paule preached to thē that they wolde bringe forth their bokes of heresye and burne them as they dyd their yll bookes but to the argumente of Regius whiche hathe as lytle learnynge in it as godlynes For what learned or godly man wold reason after this sorte Christe hath by his oblation satisfied sufficiently for our sinnes Therefore all other sacrifices oblations be vayne voyde Doth not the scripture commaund vs to offer dyuers kyndes of oblatiōs sacrifices notwithstandynge the sufficiencye of Christes oblation sacrifice Reade the .vii. the .xiiii. the .xxxiiii. and xlv chapter of the booke called Ecclesiasticus in latyn and in englysshe the boke of the sonne of Sirach where mentiō is made of certen oblations whiche Christes deth made not voyd as y◠oblatiō of almes other dyuers Doth not christ him selfe speake of offeringe sacrifice in the fyfte of Matthew doth not saynt Paule Rom. 12 cōmaunde vs to offer vp our bodies a sacrifice to god doth not saynt Peter make mention of offerynge 1. Petri. 2. to god spirituall hoostes and sacrifices doth not s Paule calle the conuersion of the people Rom. 15. to the fayth an oblation doth not Dauyd saye Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iusticiae Than o lorde thou Psal 50. shalte accept the sacrifice of rightuousnes Doth not he also commanude vs to do sacrifice saienge Sacrificate sacrificium iusticie Psal 4. sperate in domino Offer ye sacrifice of righteousnes or verteous liuīg trust ye īour lord as though he had sayd excepte ye liue well yf ye had all faythe as Paule sayth your truste in god is but vayne rather presumption than verye hope or trust as theirs vndoutedly Iacobi 2. is which saye the onelye fayth do iustifie man or is sufficient to saue hym withoute good workes as s Paule and Iames both do plainly Rom. 2. witnesse Moreouer Dauyd speketh of the sacrifice of laude the c and syxte and the hundred and .xv Gala. 5. psalme Item in the fyfty psalme mention is made of the sacrifice of a contrite harte To be shorte dothe not sainte Paule saye that god is pleased or appeased with the hostes of liberalitie and almes Heb. 12. geuynge Who is therfore so mad to say that christes death satisfieng for synne hathe made al these oblatiōs vaine voide of none effecte Howe with christes sufficient satisfaction it doth agre and stand that the masse is a sacrifice whereby we are made partakers of the passiō of christ I haue oftentimes shewed alreadye and therefore I wyll nowe passe ouer that thing and reherse mo of their reasons Vrbanus Regius againe thus saith wyselye To rayse vp a new oblation is The .xv. reason to sette lytle by the firste But they that defende the masse to be a sacrifice do eayse vp a newe oblation Therefore they set lytel by christes oblation made on the crosse He proueth not the second part of this argument because he sawe that it was playne false and that it farre passed his witte and learnynge to proue it For no man setteth vp the masse but Christ onely hym selfe as I haue afore in sundrye places of this boke declared and it is not a newe sacrifice nor yet any other than that very selfe same whiche christe dyd ones offer on the crosse as saint Chrisostom Homili◠17. in hebre truely sayth though the maner in offerynge whiche Chryste vsed in the tyme of his death and now is vsed at masse is not one but dyuers like as I haue opened before so that this reason is playn voide and of no strength Moreouer the same Regius thus bableth verye fondly Whan they say that sinnes be releassed and forgiuen in the sacrifice An obiectiō of the masse it foloweth after their opinion that that only sacrifice on the crosse did not satisfye for all synnes This he sayth with out all proufe of his saienge whiche The solutiō is very false For it is true that sinnes are releassed and forgiuen by the sacrifice of the masse yet Christe dyd sufficiently satisfye by hys sacrifice offered ones on the crosse for all sinnes as Ihon sayth 1. Io◠2. in his first epistle the .ii. chapter The masse as a meane and an application of christes bloudy sacrifice offered on the crosse doth put awaye sinne throughe the vertue of that sacrifice so that the releassing of sinne by it is ought to be ascribed to christes death We saye by baptisme sinne is forgiuen by penaunce faith hope prayer almes
in it onelye than CHRIST had not offered hym selfe in sacrifice at his death whiche is agaynste the scrypture for than he was not in anye temple but on the mounte of caluary as the gospels do playnelye tell This reason therefore is cleane and clerelye doone awaye yet Luther goeth forth thus reasonyng If the masse were a sacrifice The .xxv. reason we myghte therewith worshyppe and honoure god But we can not so do Therefore it is no sacrifice That we can not worshyp god with the masse he goth about this to proue by the wordes of Christe written that fourth of Iohns gospel Io. 4. Oportet eos qui adoraÌ„t deuÌ„ in spiritu veritate adorare They that do worshyppe god muste worshyp in spirite and truth therefore the masse which is an outward thing can not serue anye thinge for the worshyppynge of god as it shuld do yf it were a sacrifice and for that cause it is none This reason is grounded vpon The solutioÌ„ the yll takynge of christes wordes whiche do not exclude al outward thinges from the honouringe of god as Martyn Luther and his scholers suppose but they shewe that in the time of the newe lawe the figures and ceremonies of tholde lawe shulde ceasse and be anulled clerelye so that it shulde be lefull for men to worshyppe god not only in the temple of Hierusalem as it was duringe the olde lawe but they shulde honoure hym in euery place in spirite truth Also christ ment by those wordes that the errour of theÌ„ which did worship god in the hyll or mountaine called Seir as the Samaritanes dyd shulde likewise be taken awaye as the text it selfe playnlye declareth that christ ment and therefore this letter maketh vtterly nothynge agaynst the sacrifice of the masse whiche is no ceremony of the Iewes law nor errour of the gentiles but a sacrifice instituted by christ at his laste supper the whiche he that doth offer deuoutly to god doth honour and worshyppe hym in spirite truth wherefore this argument is aunswered vnto sufficiently Martyn Luther wold haue in the new law no outward sacrifice suche as the masse is but only inwarde spirituall as to offer to god our bodyes in sacrifice thorowe mortifyenge out affections and carnal lustes Rom 12 to offer laudes and thankes to god for his benefites bestowed on vs with suche other sacrifices which euery christen man womaÌ„ offreth to god is therby a preist as Peter Ihon in the Apocalips 1. â—â— 2 Apo 1 â— 5 do witnes and there is none other preist no sacrifice nor preisthoode but this only Hitherto Luter whiche dyd not se he was so blynded or els he wold not se such was his myscheuous malyce that in the lawe of nature men offered to god outward sacrifices as Abel Noe Melch. and other dyuers were not content to honour god with in warde sacrifices onlye Also in the tyme of Moses lawe the Iewes dyd likewise by goddes owne commaundemente why therfore shuld not christen people after semblable and lyke maner worshyppe god in the tyme of the newe lawe sythe euery lawe hathe a sacrifice or a sorte of sacrifices propre to it as a kynde of preisthode also Nor it is not to be marueiled at whye The. 〈◊〉 reason saynt Paule so largely intreating of christes preisthode and of the coÌ„parison betwene hym and Melch made no mentyon of the sacryfice of the masse which is after the order of Melchizedech For sainte Paule speketh there only of those Heb. 7. The solution thinges whiche myght make any thinge for the auauncynge and settinge forthe of the excellency of Christes preisthoode before the preisthood of Moyses lawe to the entent he myght cause the Iewes to leaue and forsake that sacrifice of Moses and cleane onely to christes beinge farre more excellente and of greater streÌ„gth to saue maÌ„ than the other to the whiche purpose it shoulde nothynge haue helped if he had entreated of christes sacrifice vnder fourme of breade wyne as it is euydente to all learned men therefore in that whole epistle to the Hebrewes Paule neuer spake of that sacrifice but onlye of that which Christe offered ones vppon the crosse whereby he made man perfitte in soule which thing al Moyses sacrifices could neuer bringe to passe and for that cause christe whiche offered that noble sacrifice was and is a preist muche more excellente than Moyses preistes were Nowe we se how lyttle it maketh against the sacrifice of the holye masse that Paule spake not thereof in his epistle seÌ„t to the Hebreus Moreouer it foloweth not that the masse is no sacrifice because Paule to the Hebrewes spake not of it for many thynges are true not ones touched there Thirdely it was a matter to hard for the capacitie of the Iewes to perceaue howe the masse shulde be a sacrifice auaileable for the quick and the deade for they neded easye doctrine rather thaÌ„ hard as Paul saythe to them the fyfte chapter therefore he made no mention of that matter to them Nowe where Luther allegeth the twelfe of the Romaines the seconde of saint Peters first epistle the Apocalipse to proue al christen people prestes he is deceiued shamefully because those textes do proue as well that all christeÌ„ folke be kinges as preistes so they are iÌ„ dede spiritually in wardly for asmuch as they do rule their affectioÌ„s carnal desires with the bridel of reason which is a kinges office they offre spiritual sacrifices to god as praier thaÌ„kesgiuiÌ„g c. being therby spiritual preistes but not as we be that haue taken preisthode of that bishop Hythertoâ— I haue rehersed M. Luthers reasoÌ„s against the masse the disprouing of theÌ„ also now let vs se what one of his scolers called Philip MelaÌ„ethon hath sayd against the same first this he saith beside aboue yâ— which I haue already confuted of Luters his maisters forgyng The scripture saith that we are iustified or made righteous by faythe The. â—xvii reason wheÌ„ we do beleue that oure sinnes be forgiuen for christes sake now if the masse do take away the sinnes of the quick the dead through the worke done our iustificatioÌ„ shulde happeÌ„ by the worke of the masse and not of faith which the scripture suffreth not it foloweth thervpon that the masse is no sacrifice putting away the sinnes of the quicke and dead As touching the first parte of this The solutioÌ„ reason whiche is that we be iustified through faith wheÌ„ we do beleue that our sinnes are forgiueÌ„ vs for christes sake I saye that it is not sufficieÌ„t for the attainemente of rightousnes and remission of oure sinnes to beleue that they be remitted for Christes deathes sake excepte we forsake also our synnes and do diuers thinges ther vnto necessary by the assignement of god in scripture as I mynd to declare in my boke of iustification whiche god willing I wyl
shortlye put forth therefore now I let that passe and touch the seconde peece of this argument whiche is that yf by the worke of the masse we shuld obteine remissioÌ„ of our sinnes thaÌ„ it shuld not come by faith This proposition declareth the autours ignorauÌ„ce or els his malice coÌ„ceiued against the truth and the clergy of whom he doth falselye reporte that they saye that the masse of it self without faith in christes death shulde bringe to vs remyssion of our synnes where they affirme with saint Rom. 3. Heb. 11. Paul that our righteousnes doth come by faith and that withoute fayth no maÌ„ can please god These are all very true remissioÌ„ of sinne commeth by the passion of Christe by the masse by baptisme by faith by penauÌ„ce by hope by feare prayer fastinge almes dedes and such other as the scripture sheweth but onely christes death is the merite of grace and remyssion of synnes Therefore this argument is of no force ne pith as in dede this is not The. â—xvii reason which he maketh after this sorte It is an horrible thinge to attribute or ascribe as muche as great vertue to the priestes worke which he doth saienge masse as to christes death But they the affirme the masse to be a sacrifice abolysshinge the synnes of the quicke the dead do no lesse giue ascribe to the priestes worke then to chrystes death Therefore the masse is no suche sacrifice He proueth not the second part The solutioÌ„ of this argument whiche is verye false but only saieth it as though his saieng shuld be sufficient with out all proufe to verefy his deuellysshe purpose All catholyke people do beleue that by the masse the synnes of the quicke and dead are forgiueÌ„ as by an applyeng of christes death to vs by the vertue ther of and that not by the priestes worke chiefly but by christes owne worke offering him selfe in sacryfice to his father by the ministery of the priest saieng masse this is not to ascribe as to the preistes dedâ— or worke which he doth in the masse as to christes death which MelaÌ„cthon falsely sayth we do that defende the blessed masse to be a sacrifice pacifieng gods wrath Moreouer he sayth that synne can not be vanquysshed and ouercome but by The .xxix. reason fayth in Christe as Paule sayeth the fifth to the Romaynes We iustified throughe faith haue peace wherefore the payne which the soules departed in grace and are not yet in heauen do suffre cannot be ouercome by the applyenge of an other mannes worke soch as the masse is sayde by a preiste and therefore the masse is no sacrifice profitable for the deade to deliuer them froÌ„ the paine which they do suffer to make them cleane that they maye entre into heauen O wonderful blyndnes of this The solutioÌ„ man whych sawe not that iustification bringeth remission of mortall and deadlye synnes whyche they obteined whyle they were here liuing whom being dead the masse doth auayle for the remissioÌ„ of venial sinnes and the releasing of their temporall paines whyche they suffre because whan they lyued in this world they did deserue and merite that not onely masses as saint Austen affirmeth but also Ad dulcitiuÌ„ questi â— ineucha 109 prayers and almes of the quick shuld profit theÌ„ if they were applyed to theÌ„ therfore this Melancththons reason is clerly of no value ne force Vrbanus Regius dothe Vrbanus Regiê° false ly reporteth of preistes as many other do that they make marchaundyse of the masse falselye spitefully saye that the preistes ydell fellowes do make marchaundise of the masse lefte to be a memoriall and remembraunce of the death which brought lyfe For they do take moneye for sayenge masse as a stipende and wages of their labours to liue by accordinge to their vocation and maner of lyuing Is it not lefull for them to take somwhat for that their seruice for as muche as euerye man maye lyue by the swete of his face as god sayde to Adam that he shulde doth not Christ say Gene. 3. Mat 10. Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 9. that the workeman is worthye to haue his wages for his laboure Doth not also saynte Paule saye that they ought of duetie to geue Rom. 1â— temporal sustinaunce and goodes to them of whom they had receyued spiritual thinges May not a prieste take money for his sustynaunce whan he prayeth and saieth masse for the people as well as the preacher for his sermons whiche maye lefully lyue by that hys labour as Paule declarethe the ninth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians Therefore we preistes make no marchaundise of the masse like as the preacher doth not of his preachinge Nowe good peroratio Christen reader thou hast not onely the truth of this matter set forth at large in this boke but also a coÌ„futation of al that Martin Luter which of al men first began to bable against the blessed masse could write for the maintenaunce of his heresye to the which I haue added some other of his scholers argumentes with a reprouynge also of them so that no man can hereafter excuse him selfe through want of knowledge of the truth which wil reade ouer this boke withoute all affection diligently more considerynge what is therein sayde than who sayde it and set it forth to be redde of all men Accepte in good worth gentil reader this my endeuour and labour taken to profyt them which eyther be cleane rude and vnlearned or els haue but lytell knoweledge and vnderstanding in scrypture for learned men haue no nede of this my laboure whereby the truth is declared after a grosse and a rude fasshion for the easier vnderstanding of the vnlearned for whom it is done The grace of god be with the good reader and kepe the from all heresye or sone delyuer the from it yf thou be alredye therewith infected and poysoned that thou stedfastely and vndoubtedly beleuinge all thinges pertaining to a christen mans beleefe and obseruinge goddes commaundementes mayest at th ende of thy lyfe come to that ioy which god hath prepared for hys true louers christ our sauiour most dearly hath boughte for the same with sheddyng of hys precious bloude to whom be glorye honour and imperye for euer Amen Faultes escaped in the printynge Fol. pa. li. faut correctioÌ„  2 12 perfecto perlecto 39 1 12. after this word name lacketh these wordes in euery place 42 2 21 ipsaruÌ„ ipsoruÌ„ 43 1 1 reade That is 43 2 7 quod quoddaÌ„ 44 1 8 reade Againste whose fonde c. 46 2 17 iudea iudeae 48 2 2 the tribe the tribe 50 1 20 ecclesiaÌ„ ecclesia 58 8 18 ecclesiaÌ„ ecclesia 60 2 against the first lyne in the margin reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70 2 in the margyn reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 76. 1 9. reade of the sacriÌ„fice therby vnderstandyng the body of Christ offered at masse in sacrifice to god whiche the counsaile commaundeth to be geuen to the sycke before he depart if he aske it 76 2 17 for the consecration reade the sacrament of the aulter 77 2 4 Ramanes romanes 78 1 21 porfyt profyt 82 1 13 sacrificanerit sacrificauerit 83 1 22 Audrew Andrewe 87 1 3 craftis craft 92 2 19 heuen heuon 95 2 19 sanguis sanguinis 97 2 19 wyt wyth 99 2 2 lacketh in afore the first word 103 2 5 conniuiuÌ„ conuiuiuÌ„ 105 1 11 figmnetuÌ„ figmentuÌ„ 106 2 8 socerdos sacerdos 1011 2 4 funt sunt 1042 1 1â— coÌ„scientiaÌ„ coÌ„scieÌ„tia ¶ Prynted at London in Aldersgate strete by IohnÌ„ Herforde 1546.
to the laste argumente whan I sayde that Vrbanus Regius his folowers saye vntruelye that we defendyng the masse to be a sacrifice do crucyfye christ again as much as lyeth in vs. Paule wolde that yf Christ shold sundry tymes offer him selfe in sacrifice in his owne fourme by pourynge out his bloude as he dydde ones on the crosse that than he must nedes oftentimes suffre death but so he doth not offre hym self at the masse but onelye vnder the forme of breade and wyne withoute all payne and sufferinge Sainte Ihon saithe in the Apocalypse Agnus occisus est ab origine mundi The lambe christ Ioh. i was sleane from the beginninge of the worlde not that christ thā suffered death but many yeres after whan Gala. 4. the tyme appointed as Paul saith was come but that thā it was appointed by gods prouydence that he shuld dye for mans offences that his death was fygured by the death of Abel and other lyke beynge at the begynnynge of the world so christ is offered in sacrifice at the masse not that he suffereth there ageyne but that there he is offered for the remembraunce of his death ones suffered on the crosse wherfore this reason is cleane wiped away the next anone shal be which is this cōpiled also of s Paules wordes y◠x. to the Heb. where he thus saith Lex per singulos annos eisdē The syxte reason ipsis hostijs quas offerūt indesinēter nunque potest accedentes perfectos facere alioquin cessassent offerri c. The law saith Paule neuer could make them perfytte whiche came to it by the same hostes or sacrifices whyche the preistes euery yere do offre wtout ceassyng or elles they shuld haue ceassed to be offered for as moche as the haunters or kepers of it shuld not haue any lenger grudge or cōscience of sinne vpon these wordes thus they reason The sacrifices of tholde lawe were for that cause oftentymes as Paule saith offered because they were weake and not of strength to put awaye sinne to delyuer mēfrō grudge of synne in their cōsciences for yf they coulde haue done this they shuld haue cessed to be offred whā they had done it but the sacrifice of christes flesh bloud one 's offred vpō y◠crosse was strōge sufficiente inoughe to take awaye the synnes of all the 1. Pet. 2. 1. Io. 2. Apo. 2. worlde as the scrypture witnesseth in sundrye places therefore by S. Paules reason Christe oughte no more after his death to be offered in sacrifice as he shold necessarely yf the masse were a sacrifice wherfore it is no sacrifice This reason hath some apparaunce The solution of truth though it be very false in dede For saint Paule mēt that the sacrifices of the olde lawe were of them selues vnperfit weake not able to put away mans synne and therfore it was nedefull that many and dyuers hoostes and sacrifices shuld one succede an other from tyme to tyme durynge that lawe now christ is not oftentimes offred in sacrifice at masse because his sacrifice done ones on the crosse was not able and sufficiēt to take away al mens synnes but because men do dayly synne and they haue neade to haue the vertue of that sacrifice done on the crosse ones for all applied to them which is done by the masse Agayne in the olde law there was not alway one and the same sacrifice offered but many and dyuers for their feblenes and insufficiēcy but so it is not in the newe lawe for there is continually one hooste and the very same is offered in the masse by the preist whiche Christe on good fryday offred vpon the crosse for our sinnes although in the masse it is offred vnder the fourme of breade and wine and was vpon the crosse vnder the forme of flesshe and bloud so that the sacrifice is one albeit the maner of offering it be not one but dyuers as the flesshe raw and rosted is one thinge thoughe it be altered in his qualities This is S. Chrisostoms mynd as it shall appeare in the soylinge of the nexte reasō which is this gathered also ho. 17. in He. out of Paules epistle to the Hebre. Vrbanus Regius abuseth thys autoritie againste the sacrifice of the masse as Luther his mayster doth the .x. chapter where he thus saith Vna oblatione consummauit in sēpiternū sanctificatos Christe hath made perfecte for euer with one oblation thē that are halowed or made holy Vpon these wordes Luther his scholers make this argumēt S. Paule doth affirme that The seuēth reason christe hath made perfecte for euer with one sacrifice vpon the crosse those which are sanctified therfore we nede none other sacrifice beside that to make vs perfecte before god and thervpon it folowethe that the masse is no sacrifice To this I saie that it is great The solution meruaile that Martyn Luther wyll take oute of thys epystle of Saynte Poule anye wytnesse agaynst the sacryfyce of the blessed masse For as muche as he denieth the autoritie of it and sayeth that Marke Luthers vnshame fulnesse it is not saynt Paules letter But suche is hys maner and others lyke to hym that they are not ashamed to denye the autoritie of some bookes of scripture the auctoritie of the churche and the holy doctours and yet whan they seme any thyng to make for the setting forth of their heresies than they wyl vse thē but let this go Saint Paule this mente by his wordes aboue rehersed that Christ our sauiour offring him selfe to his father a sacrifice of swete sauoure as Paule saith in an other place dyd make men beleuynge in hym and doynge penaunce for their synnes perfecte and dydde take awaye their synnes accordynge to saynt Iohn baptistes sayenge Ecce agnus dei ecce qui tollit peccata mūdi Lo the lambe of god se hym that taketh awaye the sinnes Io. 1. of the worlde This I saye Christ hath done for vs ones offerynge hym selfe on the crosse the whiche Moses lawe and all the sacrifices of it coulde neuer do as s Paule saith in this tenth chaptre though they were neuer so oftentymes offered and for this cause Christes sacrifice done ones on the crosse is perfecte and sufficient to doo awaye all the worldes offences whiche is not offered againe at masse vnder the fourme of breade and wine for the vnperfectenes and in sufficiency of it as I haue afore often saide but for the applyenge thereof to vs for the remembraūce of Christes death and the greate and tender loue which he shewed towarde vs in the tune of his passion that therbye we excited and moued sholde loue him tenderlye againe and finally for the attainement of that grace whiche Chryst dyd merite and purchase for vs offerynge hym selfe on the crosse to appease his fathers wrath Many Note how many men are deceued in valuinge of the vertu of christes death men are