that most excellent present which God bestoweth vppon vs at this holy Table which cannot be done except we enter into a deepe due consideration of our miserable estate and condition a signe whereof was long sithens expressed vnto vs in the tēporall captiuitie and bondage of Gods people in Egipt We see there how Pharoh was strong and mightie how he knewe not the Almighty how hee pretended to put to death the whole stock and seed of the Israelites by the suppression and cutting short of the male children We see also how he enioyned the Hebrews to labor excessiue vnreasonable yea without all hope of anie wages or reward how he would not suffer them to offer sacrifice vnto the Lord nor to depart out of the land of Egipt And this opinion continued not for one yeare or two but by the space of fowre hundred thirty yeares wherein we maie clearelie behold the liuelie picture and resemblance of our most wretched and miserable estate We were all lost in Adam and brought to ruine destruction We were retayned captiues in the infernall Egypt vnder the tyrannie of the spirituall Pharaoh which is the Deuill This tyrant was stong and mightie hee would not suffer vs to serue our God he made vs to take an endlesse and restlesse labour in the seruile and fruitlesse workes of sinne for the establishing of his kingdome he slew not onelie our male children but caried vs al without anie difference into euerlasting destruction of bodie and soule Which tyrannie had not continued and endured onelie for a short season but had bene euen in a prooued strength and fulnes for euer if we had not bene thence deliuered by the power and mercy of our God through the ministrie and meane of that true Moyses our Lord Iesus Christ the true lambe deliuered as it were into the iawes of death that we might bee saued and obtaine eternall life For so it is plainely testified in the scripture that God so loued the world that he gaue his onelie begotten sonne to the end that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Now seing that God hath bene so bountifull and mercifull vnto vs that he hath set vs at libertie from the tyranie of the Deuill of sinne of death and of hel seing that his loue towards vs hath bene so wonderfull that he hath suffered his onelie sonne to endure a cruell and shamefull death to deliuer vs which wear seruants and bondslaues to the deuill his welbeloued for vs which were his enemies the righteous and the lambe without spot for vs which were sinfull and altogether corrupted the onelie inheritour of heauen for vs the true and lawfull heires of hell ought we not to be rauished with an admiration of this wonderfull and vnutterable loue of our God towards vs and to haue our tongues continually vnfolded and vntied to chaunt out with loud cleare voice the praise of this benefite of our redemption Let vs remember that Iesus Christ himselfe doth put vs in minde of our duetie in this behalfe when he saith touching the celebrating of his holie Supper Do this in remembrance of me Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 And S. Paul expoundeth this remembrance where he giueth vs to vnderstand that as often as we shall eat this bread and drinke this cuppe 1. Cor. 11.26 we shew the Lords death vntill his comming Then sith it is so that God requireth at our handes a true and vnfeigned acknowledging of those benefites which we receiue of his bountie and largenes by the meane of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ let vs be well aduised that we be not spotted or infected with the vice of ingratitude except we wil incur the wrath and heauy displeasure of God so finde him a sharpe seuere iudge whom we would not acknowledge a louing gentle pitiful father to which purpose S. Paul threatneth al vnthankful where he saith Whosoeuer shall eate this bread drink the cup of the Lord vnworthily 1. Cor. 11.27 shal be guiltie of the body blood of the Lord. and soone after in the same Chap. He that eateth drinketh vnworthily eateth drinketh his owne damnation And surely it stādeth with good reason that the vengeance of God is discharged vpon al those which wickedly suppresse the glorie of God especially in that thing which concerneth their own saluation For if a theefe being now in the hands of the hangman for felonnie whereof he was iustly lawfully cōdemned reiecting the Prince his free pardon grace and not vouchsafing to thank him for the same is wel worthy to be dispatched with expedition or if a child which daylie and howerly receiueth of his father all things necessarie for his life and maintenance and hath not once in his mouth the word of kindnesse I thanke you father is worthy to be beaten with many stripes how much more are we which for our manifold and outragious offences and trespasses haue iustly deserued to be hanged vp in hell when we contemne and set at naught the grace and fauour of God our souereigne Prince make no accompt of the eternal blessings which he giueth vs in Christ offered vnto vs in the holy Supper how much more I saie are we worthy to perish for our vnthankfulnesse so fowle and odious a sinne before God and man Now concerning this matter of thankfulnesse these poynts following are to be diligentlie regarded obserued First we must make this recognisance to God alone by his onely Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ For euen as God by his Sonne alone hath created redeemed vs from euerlasting death so he would haue vs to render thankes to him alone for al his benefits that by his onely Sonne in whom he is well pleased This we may learne of S. Paul in many places specially in his Epist to the Ephe. where it is written in this wise Ephes 1.3.4 Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spiritual blessing in heauēly things in Christ as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world Then they that call vppon Saincts that put their trust in them or to their merites they that make them the patrones and aduocates of their causes also they that are reposed vpon their owne strength free will or good works do manifestly rob God of his glorie and cannot truely performe the giuing of thankes for the singular benefite of their redemption For we cannot attribute to any creature be it neuer so little in the matter of our saluation but we shal be culpable of treason in the highest degree against the maiestie of our maker And therefore let vs renouncing our selues and all the creatures of God in the whole or in part say with the Apostle Now vnto the king euerlasting immortall inuisible vnto God onely wise 1. Tim. 1.17 be honor and glorie for euer
great lamentation deuised sharpe inuectiues against the Iewes Pontius Pilate Herod Iudas and those that had executed and put to death Iesus Christ yet in the meane time flattered themselues gloried in their merites and considered not narrowlie that Iudas Pontius Pilate and Herod were none other then the executours and ministers of their impieties and offences Let vs consider therefore in the breaking of the bread that our sinnes yea the sinnes of euerie one of vs in particular haue crucified the Sonne of God and haue broken him with the paines of the first and second death And euen so is it preciselie witnessed in the Supper that the bodie of Iesus Christ was broken for vs and that his blood was shedde for the remission of our sinnes And our heauenlie Father himselfe doth testifie the same by the mouth of his Prophet Isaiah saying Isa 63. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities Now if it be so that our sinnes being weyed in the balance of God his iustice are found to be of so greâ—t consequence and importance that his anger and displeasure conceiued against vs can by no meanes be appeased but by the death of his onelie Sonne yea by the cruel and shamefull death vpon the crosse by which alone satisfaction is per 〈…〉 ed why should we not hencefoorth abhor 〈…〉 ur sinnes wickednesse the cruell and bloodie murtherers of the onely Sonne of God Behold the Sunne the Moone the elements the vaile of the Temple the stones rockes were mooued at the death of Iesus Christ and shewed tokens of sorow heauinesse and shal not we which beare about vs the cause of this death abhorre so foule euil-fauored and vnfortunate a guest who hath taken vp his lodging in our heartes and shall we suffer him to abide or rather to dwel within vs vntill he haue brought euerlasting death into his lodging No verely But contrariwise we ought to esteeme him most detestable as one that first did set vp a wall of separation between vs and God our souereigne happinesse and as one that hath caused vs to loose that image and resemblance of God whereunto at the first we were created It is he that hath defiled vs within and without it is he that hath spoyled vs of our holines and righteousnes it is he that hath driuen chased vs out of Paradise it is he that hath brought vs in bondage to the tyrany of the Deuil it is he that hath made vs subiect to pouertie and sicknesse and finally to the first and second death It is he that after he had barred and diuided vs from God caused vs to see our filthines and brought vpon vs shame blacke reproch that caused vs to tremble at the voice of our God which before was to our eares most sweete amiable It is he by whom the wrath of God is heaped vp against al mankind which is in cause that the earth becoÌ„meth barren and bringeth forth thorns and bryers that women do labour and bring foorth children in sorowe and that men eate their bread with the sweate of their face trauaile of their bodies Now seeing that sin doth bring vpon vs continually so many euils mischiefes it followeth that we ought to retire withdraw our selues from it except we will be voluntarie hinderers and enemies of our happines saluation And heere I call into presence al such as wallowing in al kind of sinne and wickednesse and giuing occasion of grieuous offence to the children of God are neuerthelesse so shamelesse as they dare presume to present themselues at the Lord his table I would haue them to answere what it is that they promised to God to his church in their Baptisme They wil saie they promised to forsake the Deuill and al his works Euen so but sinne is one of the cheife and principall workes of the Deuill why then do they not abstaine from it why are they trayterous and disloyal to God and to his Church why haue they conspired with the Deuil the world and the flesh against their owne saluation how dare they present themselues before God to craue pardon remission of their sinnes at his hands seeing that from time to time they doe heape sinne vpon sinne and outragiouslie crucifie again as much as in them lyeth the Sonne of God or at the least deride the purgation of his blood which was applyed to them in Baptisme Let the case be of an offendor beggerly needy and destitute of al helpe succour that he were fallen into a fowle and filthie bogge whereout by his owne strength wit he could not escape and of a King his sonne passing by the said place that he tooke the paines to draw him out of this myrie hole that he made him cleane and that he decked him richlie with braue and costly attire If this miseralbe wretch shal returne againe into this pit of filth mire defiling therein both his bodie his garments and further placing his life in extremity of danger maie we not iustlie thinke him to be vnthankful aboue measure and carelesse of that princelie bountie and humilitie On the other side maie we not boldlie affirme that he hath wittingly willingly taken an othe as it were against his owne life and safetie and that he is worthy to come to ruine and to perish without al helpe and succour Like is the case betweene vs and Iesus Christ We are al fallen into the fowle pit of sinne in the person of Adam we are al offendors before God worthie of innumerable gibets we cannot of our selues by any meanes possible get out of this pit of our destruction into the which we are fallen by our owne defaulte and follie The Sonne of God the King of Kings the Lord of Lords not onelie draweth vs out of this filthy pit but washeth vs cleane also with his pretious blood vouchsafeth to cloath vs with his owne garment of righteousnesse innocencie If we fall to tumble and to wallow againe in the pit of sinne if we please our selues therein if we defile and stayne the garment of innocencie which he gaue vs in Baptisme cleane and vnspotted do we not manifestlie contemne the loue and the benefit of Iesus Christ not able no be valued esteemed are we not worthie to rot an hundred thousand times in our vncleannesse or rather with the Deuill in hell to gnash our teeth for euer It is out of al controuersie Then sith it is so that the end of our redemption Baptisme iustification requireth that we should abstaine from sinne so farre as is possible and the fraylenes of mans nature can permit it behooueth vs to employ al our paine diligence by the mightie power of the Spirit of God to driue out of our soules bodies al vncleannes filthines idolatrie blasphemie rebellion hatred murther whoredome stealing vsurie and al other things contrarie to his holy
one minde And as we haue but one Baptisme one Faith one Law one spirit one sauiour one heritage one hope and one table so we maie not be but one bodie in our God being euermore prest and readie to helpe one another both with such blessings as God hath outwardlie bestowed vpon vs and also with councell with carefulnesse with painfulnesse with our friends and generallie with our whole strength and power whereof our neighbors may stand in neede And forasmuch as we are all of vs vnperfect in this charitie as well as we are in Faith when we come to the supper we must remember to cal vpon God that it would please him to increase the same in vs by his spirit and to forgiue vs our manifold infirmities and imperfections Minist Then it is not sufficient that we haue this Faith and this Charitie which you haue handled to come to the supper but it is further required that we humble our selues before God and pray vnto him that notwithstanding our vnworthines it would please him to receiue to admit vs thereunto of his bountifull gratious and free fauor Euseb It is euen so syr as you saie Minist May it please you Eusebius to rehearse the forme both of your praier and of the confession that you vse when you come to the Supper might it not be ouermuch trouble vnto you I would gladlie heare it in those selfe same termes wherein it is your wont and manner to vtter it Euseb I ioyne them both together and falling downe before God I saie vnto him in this manner following O Lord who and what am I that I should receiue so manie graces fauors at thy hands to be inuited receiued and intreated so honorablie in thy house to sit at thy table and there to be fedde and refreshed with the flesh and blood of thy sonne to be lincked and ioyned with him in such sort as we shall neuer be sundered to be called to take part of all the benifits and blessings and to be adopted by thee into a certeine hope to be thine heire and to enioy the glory of resting and abiding for euer in that life and true blessednesse which thou hast promised and keepest to the benefit and behoofe of thy children Was it not sufficient my vnthankfulnesse and vnkindnesse towards thee considered and the spoile and wast of all thy good blessings bestowed vpon me remembred that when I came home againe to thee thou wouldest forgiue my trespasses and offences and taking pitie of me thy poore creature lost and vtterlie cast away thou wouldest make me as one of thy hired seruants Luke 15. yet Thou didst embrace me in thine armes and kisse me and yet thou diddest cause the best robe to be brought forth and to be put vppon me thou diddest put a ring vppon my hand thou diddest kill the fatte calfe that I might eate and be merie in so great ioy and so good companie of my friends Was it not sufficient this being regarded that my condition was no better and it may be wel worse then the condition of a dogge that thou wouldest suffer me onelie to gather the croomes that fell from thy table Matth. 15. as the poore Cannanite besought thee but thou gauest me the whole loafe which belongeth onelie to thy children or that thou wouldest onely speak the word yet thou diddest come vnder my roofe euen into my house to heale me Am I more worthy is my faith greater then the faith of the Centuriō who accounted himself vnworthy of so great fauor was it not sufficient that as thou didst passe by thou wouldest vouchsafe onelie to speake vnto me to looke towards me yet thou didst come home with me euen into my house Luke 19. and thou didst feast me at thy proper costs charges was it not sufficiēt that thou wouldst cal me after the mariage to break my fast with the leauings at thy table and yet thou didst bid me to the feast receiue me to the cheifest of the banquet wherein thine oxen thy fatlings were prepared serued Is it not meruailous much Matth. 22. that in things which proceede only of thy gracious liberality thou hast added an oath signes seales yea hast left thy holy spirite for a gage pledge of thy promises to the end we shold in no case doubt but that it will please thee to performe them hauing thy bond vnder so many assurances that we might go with boldnes cōfidence to thy throne of thy mercy to be helped of thee in due time there to obtaine both pardon and life Is it not wonderfull that with al thy creatures thou wouldst giue thy selfe vnto vs after we haue iustlie deserued manie afflictions and calamities we haue contrarily receiued of thee so great blessinges as we are not able to value nor to number them not to comprehend them nor sufficiently to consider them And what meaneth this O Lord that to make satisfaction for our sinnes to redeeme a company of robbers murtherers theeues adulterers blasphemers proud couetous traitours faithles liers idolators thākles such roges beggars as weare thou thy selfe hast deliuered thy only son to the death not only in hostage for our deliuerance but also in pledge that he might abide in the same in our place if happely he had not bin of sufficient righteousnes to rāsome vs of sufficient power to fight with death of sufficient life to swallow him vp to confound so deadlie an aduersarie What meaneth this O Lord that thou hast contrarie to thy iustice thy nature thy custome thy promises not acknowledged him for a season notwithstāding he was thy son refused cast him off notwithstāding he entreated thee forsaken and let him passe notwithstanding that in thee he had reposed al his hope looked vpon him without all pitie compassion notwithstanding that he endured great extremities and that his soule as he himselfe witnessed was heauie and sorrowfull euen vnto the death And further what is this that as if thou haddest beene the most cruel tyrant that euer was heard of thou hast condemned him being innocent and guiltles and curssed him being the blessed seed and hauing perfectly accomplished the whole Law and lastlie deliuered him into the hands of many executioners to be put to death betweene two theeues the most shamefull death that euer man died notwithstanding he was righteous faithfull the author of life vnto all creatures Who could beleeue if thou hadst not spoken it if it were not written in thy word if thy signes and tokens did not shew it and lastlie if thy holie spirit did not assure it vnto our consciences that a God merciful patient and slow to anger that a God of all comfort and consolation and a louing Father as thou art the staie and refuge of all afflicted and forlorne persons the hauen and sunnie seate of all those that are tossed
exercise the office of priesthood for the Priest must appease the wrath of God and reconcile him vnto men that are in his displeasure And this is not possible to be done without a most perfect obedience euen as his wrath heauy displeasure at the beginning was stirred vp inflamed against vs by no other thing then the disobedience of our first parents But none is able except Iesus Christ alone to yeld such obedience to God as is required by reason of the perfection integritie of his nature Therefore for this respect no man can execute the office of the Preist but he Further the Priest must satisfie the iustice of God for the iniquities and transgressions of those in whose fauour he offereth the sacrifice inasmuch as he appeereth and presenteth himselfe before him as a pledge and a suretie for their debts which no carnal and sinful man is able to performe For how should he acquite the debts of another Luke 7. being himselfe alwaies indebted and vnable to pay his owne as it appeereth by the parables of those two that were bound to one creditor whō they could not pay satisfie and of him Marth 18. that ought the King ten talents which by no means he was able to discharge and by the ordinarie confession of the Church Matth. 6. which I say the Catholique Church doth make vnto God praying for the remission and forgiuenesse of her sinnes and offences Wherefore there is no other that can in this point discharge the office dutie of the Priest Heb. 9. Again The Priest must obteine remission of sins for those for whom he doth sacrifice which cannot be obteined without sheading of blood Heb. 9.22 For without sheading of blood saith the Apostle is no remission And this blood may not be the blood of bulls goates calues lambes or of anie other beast which cannot purge purifie the conscience but it must be the blood of the Priest himselfe the same without spot Seeing then that neuer in the world there hath bin blood with that conditiō but onely the blood of Iesus Christ we may hereby well conclude that it is he onely that can execute the office of the Priest Heb. 9.17 Againe the Priest must procure the confirming ratifying of the Testament and of the new league and alliance with God But the Testament is yet of no force as long as he that made it is aliue If thē our Massepriests could be true sacrificing Priests they ought for the performance of their duetie charge to dye so to become testators to the end that by their death the Testament might be confirmed Now they are no Testators because they are not God neither do they yet die and albeit they should die yet their death would not be auailable to the confirming of the Testament which they had not made before wherefore it followeth that they cānot exercise the state of the Priesthood Heb. 9.26 Further The office of the Priest is to destroye sinne as the Apostle sheweth which is not possible for any mortal man to doe being the seruant and slaue of sinne bearing it about him in his bosome nourishing mainteining it continually with him giuing it being strength vigour bringing it forth of his mothers womb and keeping it euer after vntill his dying day being vnable to liue without it so greatly vnwilling to destroy it that if it were dead in him he would quicken and reuiue it Seeing then that there is none but Iesus Christ that is come into the world to destroy sinne and the other workes of the Deuil as S. Iohn saith there is none but he that can execute the office of the Priest 1. Iohn 3.5 Againe the office of a Mediator Heb. 9. is to appeare before the face of God continuallie to make intercession for vs and to keepe vs in his grace fauor But none saue only Iesus Christ can performe this poynt For Isaiah the Prophet speaking of men saith in this manner Esaie 33.14 Who among vs shall dwell with the deuouring fire who among vs shall dwell with the euerlasting burnings And Dauid confirmeth the same saying The foolish shal not stand before thy face nor come into thy presence thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie Then if no man be altogether pure and free from foolishnes but euery one committeth often times iniquitie we must inferre hereupon that the Massepriests which are like other men haue neede them selues of one to present them vnto God and to bring them to the presence of his Maiestie which otherwise they were not able to come vnto so much are they vnable to bring in a sinner into the presence of God to begge his pardon or by their own credit and fauor to inclyne and to bend the Maiestie of God to shew him fauour We haue shewed that the Priest must pacifie the wrath appease the anger of God Now I saie that he is to passe on farther and namely to charge his owne shoulders with the burthen of God his wrath to the end that he maie discharge those that he would reconcile vnto him Now we are to consider what strength a mortal man can haue to beare so great and so heauie a burthen as the heauen the earth the mountains and the whole frame of the world is not able to endure Iesus Christ himselfe being innocent the arme the power the right hand of God did shrinke and sweate blood in great aboundance for the hugenesse and heauines of this burthen when he had taken it vpon his shoulders For it was the verie feeling of the iudgement of God and not of the death of the bodie which caused him to feele such anguishes as he endured complained of when the houre of his crucifiing was at hand And how then can a poore Chaplin cloathed with al manner of iniquitie drinking downe vnrighteousnesse as water be so hardie as to offer himselfe to beare so heauie a burthen vnder which Iesus Christ with al his strength and innocencie remained almost ouerwhelmed Lastly the office of the Priest is Heb. 2. To haue compassion of the infirmities of al the elect that are in the world to comfort them and to sweeten the bitternesse of their euils and sorrowes And this is not to be done of any but onely of Iesus Christ because there is none but he that can vnderstand them and prouide remedy for them For the men of the West cannot learne the afflictions of them that dwel in the East nor they of the South the miseries of those that inhabit the North by which reason they cannot take any pitie either of other nor prouide due remedies for them by reason of their weakenes and insufficiencie By this reason with the former we may conclude that they can by no meanes execute the office and estate of the Priesthood We haue prooued that our Priests cannot be true Priests for sacrifice neither yet
discharge that office Now let vs prooue in like manner that their sacrifice cannot be auayleable nor forceable to please or to appease God nor any maner of way to procure or to obteine the remission of sinnes First a sacrifice to be of such a propertie must be perfect as Moses taught vs in the law when as by the ordinance of God he commanded so expressely that the beasts which should be offered vnto him to shadow him should be perfect without blemish whole of al their members But the sacrifices of men cannot be perfect because they themselues being vnperfect and al their workes vnperfect haue not in regard of their personnes or of their righteousnesse any other perfection then that which is imputed vnto them by the grace of God in the name and fauor of Iesus Christ Therefore it followeth that they can offer nothing vnto God that may make him well pleased and fauorable vnto sinners Further it is required that all Sacrifices as al other workes should be ioyned with obedience so by consequent that they should be commanded For otherwise they should be offered without Faith so become abhominable before God Yea the verie sacrifice that Iesus Christ did make of his owne bodie if it had not beene foreappointed of his Father had not beene receiued nor accepted And therefore it is that he maketh the greatest reckoning and the greatest accompte of his obedience For thus he saith Psal 40.9 Burntoffering and sinoffering hast thou not required then said I loe I come For in the roll of the booke it is written of me that I should do thy will o God S. Paul in like manner doth attribute al the fruite and profite that commeth by the death of Iesus Christ to his obedience when he saith That he became obedient to his father euen vntill the death and therefore that God had highlie exalted him Nowe let our preistes shew vs by scripture that God hath commanded them to chaunte to sing masse if they wil haue vs to approue their sacrifice If they cannot do it no more can we without it auouch their sacrifice to haue power and vertue to satisfie and to please God as they doe hold neither yet that it is acceptable nor holy before God Againe the power of such a sacrifice must be eternall and infinite that it may surpasse and exceede the disobedience of the first Adam And as the one hath spread abroad the poyson thereof a general calamity vpon all the men in the world in what countrie time or age soeuer they haue liued so the obedience of the second Adam being opposed to that of the first must bring a generall blessing felicitie vpon al them that are predestinate to eternal life to the end That where sinne hath abounded Rom. 5. there the grace of God might more abound But the sacrifice of a Popish Priest cannot haue this vertue and power yea lesse then the ancient sacrifices of the Priests of Leui which were ordeined appointed of God and were a type and shadow of Iesus Christ Then let vs conclude against their opinion that it neither is nor can be sufficient to please God Also the sacrifice wherewith God must be pleased and his wrath appeased must be but one for otherwise it should not be perfect if it were renewed neither the power and vertue thereof infinite wherefore the Preists that sing so many masses doe euidently declare by the multiplying of their Sacrifices that they are vnperfect and therefore they cannot be propitiatorie that is to say of nature and force to please and to satisfie God If they saie as commonlie they do that they offer Iesus Christ we answere First it cannot be so because Iesus Christ can die no more Rom. 6. Heb. 9. which must needes be if he were sacrificed againe because there is no Sacrifice without death Secondlie this renewing of the Sacrifice should be vnprofitable and seruing to no vse in respect of the remission of sinnes which by Faith we do beleeue and obteine Heb. 10. for Where no remission is there is no more sacrifice for sinne For if the end of the Sacrifice be to sanctifie and to perfect him for whom it is offered what need we to haue anie more sacrifices seeing that by the sacrifice Heb. 7. that Iesus Christ did offer vnto God of his owne body we are already sanctified and made holie for euer Thirdly it would be a great preiudice and a notorious iniurie to him if his Sacrifice should be renewed and offered againe by any other then by himselfe For if it were so then should he be robbed and spoiled of his honor Heb. 7. and the oblation that he made once of his body should be reputed and taken as vnperfect and insufficient for the renewing is a certeine reason and argument of imperfection And if there were other Priests to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne Heb. 8. and Iesus Christ were yet abiding vpon the earth he should be no Preist at all For if he were Preist he should be Priest alone neither can he haue any fellow to be ioined and associate vnto him in the Preisthood no more then in his other offices So we may be resolued that we ne haue ne can haue other Preist to reconcile vs to God then Iesus Christ ne other sacrifice then that which he hath once offered to purchase vnto vs remission of al our sinnes And so He is both the Priest and also the oblation as saith S. Augustine For as there was neuer in the world anie perfect bodie saue his onely worthie to be offered vp vnto God in sacrifice so there was neuer anie other man so perfect as he was fit and capable to offer vp the same bodie in sacrifice The third point which we haue to consider in the Masse is touching certaine things annexed to the sacrifice and to the Priesthood which poynt maie briefelie and in fewe words be dispatched For they are confessions praiers or praises or the reading of Epistles and Gospels or of ceremonies As concerning praises such as are the orisons or confessions made at the beginning entrance of the Masse they are to be reiected and refused because they are for the most parte against the expresse commandement of God consecrated to creatures Psal 9. As concerning praiers this is much vngodlines or impietie and no lesse infidelitie or vnbeliefe in them forasmuch as the intercession or merite of some Saincte is most commonlie mingled and ioyned with them Iosue 7. As for the reading of the Epistle and Gospell in that the name of God is vsed taken in vaine because they be redde in a strange language it cannot bring any edifiing to the congregation As for the ceremonies to the end I saie nothing more grieuous they are al superstitious because they are al the inuentions of men without any sence or signification saue onlie such as slumbering and dreaming Monckes haue forged