inde me hominem esse proinde nihil humani ut comicus ait à me alienum falli posse decipi errare nolle tamen in errore pertinaciter edurare sed erratorum à quoque commonefactum incuÌ„ctanter ac perque libenter consilium in melius commutaturuÌ„ gratiam vel multo maximam admonitori ex animo habiturum tantum abest ut cum eo sim quicque expostulaturus seu illi succensurus ConsultuÌ„ est illud Di. Gregorij Nazianzeni Optabile est naÌ„que mihi praeclarum usque ad ultimam discere se nectutem quoniam nulla aetas ad perdiscendum sufficere potest oratione .vii. Postremo hoc tibi optime lector in mentem subeat quoties tibi quippiam in hac elucubratione displicet me occupatissimiiÌ„ esse ac tantum non negocioruÌ„ vndis adobrutum ut non iam integer uti par fuit sed aut prelegeÌ„do aut de rebus arduis disserendo delas satus propemodum a studendo abhorreÌ„s noÌ„ integros dies sed vix horas aliquot succisiuas seu furtiuas ut Hieroni. loquitur vnius tantum mensishoc libello contexendo insumpserim Nec sum omnia hic complexus caÌ„dide lector quae hac de re à uiris doctis prodita legerim sed multa de industria ueluti destinato transmisi silentio ne uolumen iusto maius esset ipsius prolixitas lectori aut paulo occupatiori aut nause abundo cieret nauseam fastidium pareâ—et Porro non sum nescius lector pie esse inter nostrates noÌ„ paucos â—uic proninciae obeundae longe magis idoneos quam me esse citra froÌ„â—is iacturaÌ„ ipse queam agnoscere si id oneris aut subire non recusarent aut per negotia subire illis liceret Quod tamen cum a nemine vel leuiter attactum neque attentatum hactenus viderim malui equidem meam qualem cunque in caelelestium literarum cognitione estimationem nonnihil perielitari duÌ„ noÌ„ ita dextre feliciter instituto tam sancto coronis aut manus suprema accesserit quam pati meaegentis fideÌ„ iaÌ„ noÌ„nihil coÌ„cussam labefactatam ullius imposturis praestigijs pessum iri ac interire modo per me staret ne id fieret effectuÌ„ dare ita quoruÌ„daÌ„ impijâ— conatibus obuâ—aÌ„ire ne illis quaÌ„tuÌ„ libeat liceat neue uirus suum pro sua libidine improbo studio mortalibus afflent eos in suaruÌ„ haereseon nassaÌ„ unde illis nunquaÌ„ nisi apprime aegrè se postea extricare liceat pro suo arbitratu pertrahant Hoc si contigisse videro abuÌ„de coÌ„pensatuÌ„ huÌ„c meuÌ„ laboreÌ„ satque feliciter eum mihi cefsisse ex istimauero tametsi multoruÌ„ interim dentes plusque theoninos me subinde morsicaÌ„tes senserim quoruÌ„ uituperium mauelim qui laudem ut a quibus laudibus tolli est planè uituperari pios sane eruditos admodum moror quos nihil addubito huÌ„c meuÌ„ conatuÌ„ ut seduluÌ„ quideÌ„ a pio profectuÌ„ aiÌ„o candide Seimus deo de â—eptum esse quicquid sit ê‘â—iribus D. G. Nâ—â—i orat 7. probaturos quippe quos noÌ„pÌ„terit illud flacci Est quodam prodire tenus si noÌ„ datur vltra Nec quod uidua euangelica quae exile planè leâ—â—t leuidensae ut est in ê“uerbio muâ—us contulerit in corbonam à chriâ—â—o cordis expensore adeo non auâ—ierit male ut illo nomine praeclaâ—o fuerit ornata encomio Age â—taque lector boni coÌ„sulè quod nuÌ„c â—uulgo Si enim id feceris facturuÌ„â—utem non diffido calcar mihi ad des haud mediocre ad plura hoc genus aggrediendum concinnandum inuulgandum ut hinc pij lectores nonnihil referant compendij commodi cum ad alioâ—uÌ„ tuÌ„ ad suaÌ„ ipsoruÌ„ constabilieÌ„ daÌ„ fidem atque ad eos christianae religioni denuo asciscendos qui illi ualefecerint absque ea desciuerint non tam inconsulte quam impie Vale lector pie aut his fruere mecum ut habet ille aut meliora Horatiuâ— quod hominis fuerit christiani imparti Oxoniae Anno ab orbe asserto 1546. Mense Septembri ¶ Note good reader this godly sayenge of saynt Basyll the greate WHen saint Basyll as the tripertite â—riper Histo li. 7 Cap. 36. story telleth was aduertised moued by a certen officer of the emperoure Valens to followe the tyme and not to suffre so many churches to be piteouslye vexed through a small subtiltie oâ— doctrine as then it was and the sayde officer had promised to him the emperours fauour and amitie yf he wolde ceasse speakynge agaynst heresye then being ê¯pronge vp and spred among the people he made this godly catholyke aunswere Adolescentibus haec conueniunt uerba illi illorum similes talia respiciunt NaÌ„ qui diuinis inutriti sunt eloquijs corruÌ„pi de diuinis doginatibus ne unam quidem syllabam patiuntur sed pro his sâ— contingat etiaÌ„ omnes mortis species amplectuntur Amicitiam autem imparatoris magnaÌ„ quideÌ„ cuÌ„ pietate iudico sine qua pernitiem potius hanc appello That is to saye in englysh These wordes are mete for spryngoldes or yonkers they and lyke to them do regarde suche For they whiche are nourisshed vp with or in scripture do suffer no not one syllable of goddes doctrines to be corrupted but if it happeÌ„ they embrace yea al kindes of deathe But I do iudge the emperours amitie or frendshyppe verely great beinge coupled or ioyned with godlynes withoute the whiche I do call it rather destruction then amitee This was vndoubtedly a very godly aunswer and wonderous semely for a good and a holy bysshop worthy not to be redde onely of all learned men and especially of bysshoppes but to be also diligently noted printed in memory folowed of them that they beynge thereby instructed do not let for any mans frendshyppe or for any benefites offred to them to stande stoutely and manly in defense of the true doctryne of Christe and his churche the foundation and pyller of the truth not sufferinge one â—ote or sillable thereof to be taken awaye and abolyshed by the craftie and deuellisshe persuasions of ill wryters or teachers but continuallye by scriptures the autoritie of christes churche and stronge reasons defendyng it For s Austen saith CoÌ„tra rationeÌ„ nemo sobriê° coÌ„tra scripturaÌ„ nemo christianus contra De â—rini 4. ca. 6. ecclesiaÌ„ nemo pacificus senserit That is to saye No sobre or well aduysed man wyll iudge againste reasoÌ„ no christeÌ„ man against scripture no quyet man againste the churche Wolde god that all men and women readyng or hearynge this notable and catholique sentence pronounced by the auncient great clerke saint Austen wolde receyue it and in al pointes of our religion folowe it For then there shold not be among vs christeÌ„ people so many schysmes and yll
is daylye offered at masse he is daylye offered in the masse withoute bloude sheddynge as thys holye counsayle sayethe and al the wrytters vpon the scripture bothe latins and grekes specially This counsayle moreouer affyrmeth in theyr epystle sente to Nestorius the heretique that the worthy receauers of Christes blessed The masse is a sacryfyce propitiatorye bodye and bloude are made holye or cleane thereby and therfore the masse is a sacryfyce not of prayse onelye but also of appeasynge goddes wrath and purchasynge to vs cleannes or holynes Fynallye it is to be noted diligently that this great assemble of lerned byshoppes calleth Chrystes flesshe Viuificatricem that is the gyuer of lyfe and that whiche geueth lyfe to them whiche lefullye and purelye do receaue it the whiche declarethe that Chryste sayenge Caro non prodest quicquam Io 6. the flesh profiteth nothing dydde not meane that hys flesshe worthelye receaued vnder fourme what christ ment saieng the flesshe profytethe nothynge of breade in the holye Sacramente dothe profytte nothynge as the heretyques do expounde it but that the Iewes carnall vnderstandynge hys wordes spoken of the eatynge of his flessh whereby they thoughte he mente they shoulde eate it rawe blouddy or sodden cutte out in peeces as meate is wonte to be solde in the shambelles shulde profit nothyng as bothe Saynt Austen Cyryllus also doth expounde that wordes of Christ in Iohan the flesh ê“fiteth nothyng or els christ ment that his flesshe of it selfe withoute the spirite ioyned to it and the godhede as the Iewes beleued it was not but onely the flesshe of a pure man not of him which was very god maÌ„ could profyt nothiÌ„g but A booke of the sacrament of the aulter of this text I haue spokeÌ„ at large in my boke of the sacrament of the aulter therfore nowe I wyll passeouer it whiche I haue touched by the waye takynge an occasion of this holy counsailes wordes affirmynge christes blessed flesshe beynge ioyned with the godhead to gyue man lyfe when it is worthelye receaued of hym in the sacramente of the aulter Nowe to go forwarde I wyll reherse the wordes of a counsell holden at NeoceÌ„saria Cano vli whych are these Presbyteri ruris in ecclesia Ciuitatis episcopo praesente vel praesbyteris vrbis ipsius offerre non possunt nec panem sanctificatum dare caliceÌ„que porrigere That is Preistes of the countrey or that dwell out of the citie may not offre in the church nor geue the breade halowed and the cuppe the bysshoppe beynge present or the preistes of the same citie Here is euident mentioÌ„ made of the preistes offerynge sacrifice vnder the fourme of bread and also of wyne conteined in the chalice This hathe in fewe wordes the counsaile kept at Laodicea a citie The counsel kepte at Laodiceâ— in Asia sayenge Tunc Laici sibi tribuent ita sancta celebrabitur ob latio that is to witte Than the laye men shall geue to them selfe peace by kyssyng the paxe and so the holy offeringe or sacrifice shal be celebrate What man wyll or can yf he wolde neuer so gladlye denye that this was spoken of the sacrifice of the masse Seing therfore good reader that not onelye fygures of the olde testament the holye prophetes and dyuers textes of the newe testamente wyth the expositions of the eldeste and greateste learned doctoures but also these generall counsayles and dyuers other whiche were ledde and guided with CHRISTES presence and the holye ghostes alsoo haue thus playnely and strongelye sette vp and establyshed the sacryfyce of the masse ageynste the whyche no man dydde speake or wryte by the space of .xv. hundred yeres whan Martyn Luther began to barke agaynste it as the dogges are wonte to barke at the lyghte of the moone in the nyght geue thou rather stedfaste credence vnto all those wytnesses approuynge yea prouynge the masse to be a sacrifyce than to Martyn Luther lutynge out of tewne Now though Luther Inteth oute of tewne this whyche is alreadye wrytten in thys booke were ynoughe and sufficiente too persuade euerye man not wedded to his opinion to beleue that the masse is a sacrifyce appeasynge goddes wrathe towardes man yet to stoppe all bablers mouthes I wyll goo further in thys matter and shewe what the holye apostelles haue doone touchynge this thynge before whome CHRISTE made hys maundy and to whom he gaue power autoritye and also commaundemente to offre hys bodye and bloudde in sacryfyce as he hadde done him selfe before Luc. 2â— 1. Cor. 11. sayenge to them Hoc facite in meam coÌ„memorationem Do ye this in remembraunce of me These disciples of Christ did make certaine Canons or rules for the instruction of Christen people the whyche saint Clement the apostle Paules company on in preachinge the gospell dyd gather together and put them in writinge as Damascene Lib. 4. ca. 18. saith whiche dyd so greatly esteme and regarde the same rules that he dyd numbre and reherse them amonge the bookes of goddes holye worde and therfore their wordes ought to be without al dout beleued They thus write Si quis episcopusvel presbyter pÌ„ter Canone 3. ordinationeÌ„ domini alià quedaÌ„ in sacrificio offerat super altare id est aut mel aut lac aut pro vino siceram c. contra coÌ„stitutionem domini facieÌ„s deponatur congruo tempore If any bysshoppe or prieste do offre vpon the aulter in Note reader the holy apostles iudgementeÌ„ in this matter sacrifice certen other thynges besyde ouer or aboue the lordes ordinaunce that is to wyt either hony or mylke or in stede of wyne drink made of corne or fruites doynge against oure lordes ordynaunce let him be deposed in a mete tyme. Lo the holye apostles of Christe whiche learned the gospell of him and reaceaued the holye ghost the spirite of truth teaching al trouth The masse is a sacryficeinstitute by Chryst to them do playnely affirme that the masse sayde of the preiste is a sacrifice of chrystes owne institution and ordinaunce Dydde not they knowe the truthe supposest thou good reader better theÌ„ Martyn Luther or any of his scoole Heare what Tertulian wryt with in clxxx yeares of chryste sayenge Tertul. de praescri Veritas illis adiudicanda est â–ª qui in ea regula in cedunt quam ecclesiae ab apostolis apostoli a Christo Christus a deo accepit That is the truth must be adiudged to theÌ„ whiche do walke in that rule whiche the churches or congregatioÌ„s of the faithfull haue receaued of the apostles the apostles of christ Christe of God but the churches dydde receaue this doctrine coÌ„cernynge the sacrifice of the masse of the apostelles as Saynt Ireneus testyfyeth whose wordes are Lib. 4. Ca. 32. rehersed before and here the same doth also appeare playnelye by thys canon or rule made of them therefore the churches of Chryste haue the truthe on theyr syde whiche
opinions agaynst the faythe as they nowe are but they shoulde shortely ceasse and the true doctryne of CHRIST and his churche florisheth agayne whiche is knowen as Vyncentius Lyrmensis wrytte a thousand yeares synce by aunciente generalytie and agreynge of the fathers in it I was moued gentyll reader to wryte thys catholyque and godlye sentence of Saynte Basyll partely because there lacked matter to fyll the shete of paper in printynge and partely for that it was verye notable and worthy to be obserued of all learned men ¶ Hereafter foloweth the preface ¶ The preface vnto the reader THE holy prophet Dauyd good christen reader saithe that the truth of our lorde abideth for euer and therfore Psal â—â— albeit many and diuers men haue from tyme to tyme euen froÌ„ the begynnynge of the churche both spoken wrytten also bokes againste it yet they coulde neuer preuayle but lost their laboures got their confusion and endlesse damnation Wherfore though the ê“phet Daniel doth say Prosternetur Danieâ—is â— veritas in terra The truth shal be troden vnder the feete on the earth yet the is not ment that al the people of god shulde treede it vnder their fete dispise it but that in the tyme of Antichriste fygured by Antiochus of whome the prophet sawe a vyâ—â—on as in the eyght chapiter of Daniel it apereth the continuall sacrifice that is the sacrifice of the masse as I wyll by gods grace hereafter proue shold be abolished and put away for the space of thre yeres and the halfe how longe Antichrist shal reigne Daniell in the twelfte chaptre testifienge the same Of the whiche place and other mo lyke written Luther is antichristes messanger to make all redye agaynste his coÌ„minge which firste of all men spake agenst the sacrifice of the holye masse except one Peter debruis by Daniel we maye well gather that Antichristes tyme approcheth and draweth very nie for as much as Marten Luther and his folowers do trauaile so earnestly but yet all in vayne to take awaye the holye sacrifice of the blessed masse whiche all chrysten nations from the fyrst institution thereof made by chryste oure sauioure at hys laste supper euen tyl our tyme the space of a thousand and fiue hundred yeres was euer beleued accepted and receaued for a sacrifice auayleable and profitable bothe for the quicke and the dead which thinge shall be openly and plenteousely declared god wyllyng here after in this booke not only by the scripture but also by general couÌ„celles and the expositions of the eldest and best learned doctours declarynge the said scripture so that no man which listeth not to winke at the lyght of the truth nor is not maried to his oâ—ne opinion shall haue any excuse to laye for his errour throughe want and lacke of knowlage of the truth Therefore reade this booke without al affection diligeÌ„tly not regardyng who made it nor againste whome it is made but what matter it doth coÌ„teyne be it neuer so rudely grosly set fourth for the easyer vnderstandynge of it Folowe the wyse mans counsaile sayeng Non contradicas Eccle. 4. verbo veritatis Say not against the worde of truth for yf thou do thou shalt laboure all in vaine and gaine therby the wrath of god and his indignation with payne euer to endure in hell with the deuyll which stode not in the truthe as Christe dothe affirme IoaÌ„ 8. This saith Paule writyng to the Romaynes after this sort Iis auteÌ„ Rom. 2. qui sunt ex coÌ„tentione qui non acquiescunt veritati credunt autem iniquitati ira indignatio To them the wrath and indignation of god shall come whiche are geuen to contention or strife and do not quietly obeye the truth but beleue the wronge or falsitie Remember this our sauiour christes Math. 16 sayeng What shal it auaile man if he wynne the whole worlde and thereby lose his soule What eschaunge Mat. 16. shall a man make for his soule If thou hast therfore erred with Peter receauynge false doctrine defeÌ„ding it and persecuting the teachers and mayntainers of the truth be not ashamed to forsake thyne errour and againe to embrace the truth Paule persecuted the truth but he forsoke his errour when god called him Saint Austen erred but he retourned agayne to the truth and vnfainedly recanted his errour Thus many other haue done whiche hadde gone from the truth whan it pleased god of his greate mercy to call them to gyue them the spirite of truth for the exilyng the spirite of errour I maye well saye to them that folow Martyn Luthers wicked Luther errours and damnable heresies and namely that which is againste the sacrifice of the holye masse neuer improued before his daies as saynt Paule saide to the Galathians greatly wonderinge Gala. 3. at their blyndnes Quis vos fascinauit non obedire veritati Who hathe bewytched you not to obeye the truth As though he had sayd ye haue had the truth so plainlye and perfectly taught you that excepte ye were witched ye could not so erre as ye now do forsaking the same If saynt Paule dyd iustlye iudge the Galathians witched because they had forsakeÌ„ the truth of the gospell which they learned not longe before throughe the inticement prouocation and persuasion of false teachers that then did preache to them howe moche more iustlye maye a man saye to them whiche are shamefullye deceaued and blynded by Martyn Luthers fond folyshe and deuellysshe doctryne Quis vos fascinauit veritati non obedire Who hath witched yow not to obeye the truth hath-Marten luther deceaued and witched you Hath he blynded you that ye can not se the truth which heretofore sence Christes byrth no man atteÌ„pted to do in this matter of the masse Hath he deceaued you Excepte one Peter de brâ—â—s which was in saynt Bernaâ—des time whiche is the autoure maintenar and defender of many and sondry plaine heresies Hath he witched you not to obeye the truth concernynge the sacrifice of the blessed masse whiche so setteth forth and auaunceth only fayth that he sticketh Only fâ—yth not to saye and defende that only through faith god forgeueth mannes synnes nothing helpyng therunto his penaunce feare charite praier forgiuinge his neighbors George Ioyes opinion trespaces nor any like thing yea that only fayth shuld saue maÌ„ though he lyued neuer so yll And because saint Iames in his epistle doth playnly condemne reproue that his deuyllysh opinion and saynt Ihons Apocalypsis also disproueth the same erroure he was not ashamed to denye them both affirmynge that these bookes are not scripture nor wrytten by Iames and Ihon the apostle Is not this a blynde doctour Is not he worthye to haue credence geuen to hym in matters of our faithe whiche doth not feare to deny the holye scripture for the mayntenaunce of a fonde and a wicked heresye against the scripture the hole churche of christendome and all wryters
do go in this the apostles cannon or rule sette forth for that verye same thynge But yet ones more lette vs se what the apostles haue sayde in this matter which thus doth speake Si quis episcopus Canone 2. aut presbyter aut diaconus aut quilibet ex sacer dotali catalogo facta oblatione non communicauerit aut dicat causam vt si fuerit rationabilis ueniam consequatur aut si non dixerit communione priuetur tanquam quipopulo causa laesionis extiterit dans suspicionem de eo qui sacrificanerit quod non recte obtulerit That is in oure englysh tongue If anye Bysshoppe or preiste or deacon or who thou wylte of the numbre of preistes or spirytuall men shall not receaue his housle whan the sacryfyce is offered eyther lette hym tell the cause thereof that yf it be reasonable he maye gette pardon or yf he do not shewe the cause wherfore he dyd not receaue his communion at masse let hym not haue his housell lyke as he which gaue an occasioÌ„ of harme or hurte to the people geuyng to theÌ„ a suspicion of him which dyd offre sacrifice that he did not offre or make sacrifice well ynoughe or after a ryght fasshyon Hytherto the apostles of our sauiour christ in theyr boke of canons or rules whose wordes are so playne clere vppon oure syde agaynst Marten Luther and his scholers that nothyng can be more plaine Therfore let Luther go wyth his fonde wycked dyuelly she heresye agaynst the sacrifice of the masse good Christen reader folowe christes and his holye apostles Doctryne so clerely makynge for this truth Moreouer s Audrew one of the apostels dyd offre christes Saynt Andrewe at masse offred sacrifice bodye in sacrifice at his masse as he sayde hym selfe to Aegeas the tyraunt Philaletus testifieng that wrytting the apostles lyues whose wordes are these Ego omnipotenti deo omni die sacrifico non thuris fumum nec hircorum aut tautorum sanguinem sed immaculatum agnum quotidie in altari sacrifico I do sayth he make sacrifice euery day to god almightye not offering in sacrifice smoke of Frankynsence nor the bloud of goates or of bulles but I offre in sacrifice daylye on the aultare the vndefyled lambe Be not these manifest wordes and inough to satisfye euery man beynge not ouer moche geuen to the blynde errour of Luther Saynt Clement whiche S. ClemeÌ„t was a companion of Paules in teachyng the gospell of Chryste vsed this fourme as Bassario testifieth when he dydde saye masse Rogamus ut mittas domme spiritum Basssario libri de sacramento altaris sanctum tuum super hoc sacrificiuÌ„ qui efficiat hunc panem corpus Christi tui quod in calice est sanguineÌ„ filij tui That is We beseche the o lorde to sende thy holy spirite vpon this sacrifice whiche maye make this breade the bodye Saint Clement Paules companyon maketh mention of thâ— masse as we reade in the .lxxiii. canon therefore it is no new thinge as Luther sayth it is of thy christe or annoynted that thynge which is in the cuppe or chalyce the bloud of thy sonne Here we se that saint ClemeÌ„t whiche was instructed by the apostels in Christes faith religion toke the masse to be a sacrifice Whether is he more of credence or Martyn Luther Nowe tâ— make ones an ende of the prouynge the truth I wyll reherse the auncient doctours sayenges in this matter and that done I wyll aunswere to the scriptures wrested froÌ„ their true sense to the mayntenaunce of this heresy by Martyn Luther his scholers ¶ What the doctours haue said in the matter of the sacrifice of the masse here it appeareth euidently Interroga obsecro generationem pristinam praeparate ad inuestigationeÌ„ yatrumtuoruÌ„ Iob. 8. and also that we ought to beleue them agremge together in any thynge touchyng our faith for because than they erre not THe scripture is very hard to be perceiued Ne transferas terminâ—s antiquos quos fecerunt patres prouâ— 23 as s Peter saith in his second epystle though it seme or be iudged neuer so plaine and easye to some men whiche in verye dede are not learned therein and therfore it is not conuement that euery man do vnderstande it after his owne fansie for that hath bene and yet is the cause of many errours but we The scripture is hard to be vnderstande and the true sense of it must be learned of the holy doctours muste leaue and cleaue to the aunciente doctors expositions made and publisshed therevpon For as god chose them to be doctors and teachers of his worde and gaue to theÌ„ his holy spirite which now these dayes many do arrogantly callenge but vntruely eueÌ„ so they dyd spende theyr tyme whollye in praier and studieng the scripture that thereby they myghte atteyne the true sense thereof But ye will saye to me as many fonde people are wont to say may not god now giue to men the spirite of truth as he dyd to the apostles or els to the doctours of the church Is he not nowe both as stronge that he can do it and also as kynde and liberall that he wyll do it as he was before our tyme To that blynde reasons I aunswere that god can do it if he lyst but he can do many and sundrye thynges whiche he wyll neuer do For he can make this man a kynge reysynge hym as Dauyd sayeth a poore man from the donge hill and that man a byshoppe whiche he wyll neuer do The thinges whiche he doth are euer done in a semely ordre as Paule affirmeth Nowe an ordre Rom. 13. requireth that in Christes church some shulde be teachers and some learners some maisters and some scholers as in mannes bodye to the whiche Paule compared the 1. Cor. 12. churche some membres haue one office and workynge and some an other and not all one office The eyes do se the eares heare so the doctours seyng the truth do teach and the learners doo heare theyr lessons Therefore god made not Saint Iames the thirde chapter exhorteth men not to coueâ—te the office of a teacher for the danger therof Math. 15. all men indifferently doctours as nowe men wolde be foule deceauynge both themselues and also many other while they beynge blynde do leade the blynde and falle thereby bothe together in to the denne of erroure and damnacion but as Paule saith he gaue to the instructynge of hys people some apostelles some prophettes some euangelystes some shepeherdes and some doctours and therefore our sauiour sayd to hys disciples Vobis datuÌ„ est nosse mysteriuÌ„ regni dei It is geueÌ„ not to Luc. 8. all men but to you to knowe the mysteries or secretes of the scrypture the knoweledge of the whiche is the keye of heauen gates Dydde not god appoynte Esdras to teache the lawe to the people as we reade in the scrypture
But I wyl passe ouer those S. Augu. lib. 9 confes ca. 12. 1â— later writers and go to S. Austen which thus saith after he had rehersed his mothers petitioÌ„ which was that yâ— preistes wolde pray for hir in their masses CuÌ„ ecce corpê° elatuÌ„ est imus redimus sine lachrymis NaÌ„ neque in eis praecibus quas tibi fuÌ„dimus cuÌ„ offerretur ê“ ea sacrificiuÌ„ precij nostri fleuimus Lo whaÌ„ the body of my mother was brought forth to beburied we go come again wtout teares in wepiÌ„g For we dyd not wepe in those prayers Note that he saith the sacrifice of our price or redemption whiche we poured oute to the whaÌ„ the sacrifice of oure price or ransom was offred for hir Also s Austen desired the preistes to remeÌ„bre his mother Monica and hys â—â—ther Patricke in their masses Oughte I besech the good reder bablers and bunglers in diuinite affirme that the prayers of the quicke and preistes masses can nothynge auayle the deade sythe saint Austen the greateste learned man that hath ben sence the apostles tyme dyd so instantlye desire preistes at their masses to remember his father and mother More ouer this he saith of the same matter Neque neganduÌ„ est defunctoruÌ„ animas pietate suorum uiuentium releuari cum pro illis sacrificium Angnst q. 2. de octo questi ad dulcitium mediatoris offertur uel eleemosynae in ecclesia fiunt sed eis haec profunt qui cum uiuerent vt haec sibi postea prodesse possent merueruÌ„t That is to say iÌ„ our toÌ„gue It maye not be denied that the deade mennes soules are releaued or eased with the pitie of their frendes liuynge when the sacrifice of the medyatoure is offered or almesse ar done in the church but these thinges profit theÌ„ which deserued whaÌ„ they lyued that these thinges Augustin enchy ca. 109 110 myghte afterwarde auayle them CuÌ„ ergo sacrificia siue altaris siue quaruÌ„cuÌ„que eleemosynaruÌ„ pro baptisatis omnibus defuÌ„ctis offerunt pro valde bonis gratiaruÌ„ actiones suÌ„t Pro valde malis etsi nulla sint adiumenta mortuorum qualescunque viuorum consolationes sunt Quibus autem prosunt aut ad hoc prosunt ut sit plena remissio aut certe tollerabilior fiat ipsa damnatio Therfore whan sacrifices eyther of the aulter or of any almesse are offered for all christened people deade for those whiche are very good they be geuynge of thankes For those that are very muche yll though they be no helpe to the deade they are confortes suche as they are of the liuyng But whom they do profite they profitte to that that the remyssion maye be full or perfitte or at the leste the damnation shulde be more tollerable lib. 20. deciui deâ— cap. 9. et de cura pro mortuis habenda Hytherto saynte Austen whiche saienges he hathe alsoo in many other of his bokes which I now go ouer to the rehersal of other writers saienges among the whiche Ambros oratione funebride â—bitu fratris one is S. Ambrose whiche sayeth wryting vpon the death of his brother Tibi nunc omnipotens deus innoxiaÌ„ coÌ„meÌ„do aiam tibi hostiaÌ„ meaÌ„ offero cape ppitiê° ac serenus munus fraternuÌ„ sacerdotis sacrificiuÌ„ I commende to the o god almighty a harmles soule Ioffer to the my host or sacrifice take coÌ„teÌ„ted and pleased with a mery countenauÌ„ce the sacrifice of a preist the duety S. Ambrose prayed and saide masse for his brothers soule departed of a brother Lo here Ambrose doth praye at masse offer in it a sacrifice the very body bloud of Christe for his brothers soule departed wilt thou not beleue him that it is profitable to the dead so to do rather than Martyn Luter new scoryng an olde heresye of the greakes Aerius Ihon Wycleffe And suche other Epiphanius whiche was somwhat elder then saint Ierom condeÌ„nynge Aerius of herisie because he denied the praiers Epiphani li. â— suffrages of the quick shuld auayle the deade thus writeth Quae pro defuÌ„ctis fiunt prosuÌ„t praeces illis etiaÌ„si totaÌ„ culpaÌ„ noÌ„ abscinduÌ„t Ecclesia hoc necessario ê‘ficit traditione a prÌ„ibus accepta The praiers which are said for the dead do ê“fit theÌ„ thoughe they cut not away al the fault The church doth that thing necessarely by a tradition receiued of the fathers Gre. Nazi s Ieroms maister doth in diuers places confyrme this godlye and catholyque doctrine of the whiche to be breife I wil allege but only one which is in a certaine oration made at the buryall of his brother Cesarius where he thus praieth for him to Greg. Nazian Oratio 7. god O domine nunc quidem caesariû suscipe peregrinationis nostrae primitias Take to the now o lord Cesary the first fruites of our pilgrymage Chrisostome also doth wryte in Chrisost ad popu antioch homilia 69. this controuersye so playnelye as fewe other hath done either before his tyme or els sence for these are his wordes Non temere ab apostolis Chrisostome also the 41. sermon vpoÌ„ the l. to the CorinthiaÌ„s saith that the holy goost ordeyned that in the masse the deade shuld be praied for haec sancita fuerunt ut in tremendis mysterijs defunctorum agatur coÌ„memoratio Sciunt enim illis inde multum contingere lucrum utilitatem multam Cum eni constiterit populus extensis manibus sacerdotalis multitudo tremeÌ„dum proponatur sacrificiuÌ„ quomodo deuÌ„ noÌ„ exorabimus pro illis deprecantes These thinges were ordeined of the apostles for a lawe not vnaduisedlye nor with The sacrifice of the masse and prayers said in it do profyt the dead and the apostelles made that ordynaunce that masse shulde be said for them out a cause that in the dreadefull mysteries or sacramente of th aulter a remembraunce of the deade sholde be made For they knowe that muche lucre and moche profytte doth come to them thereof For whan the people shall stande holdynge vp their handes and also the multitude of preistes and the fearefull sacrifice is set forth how or by what reason shall not we obteyne grace or pardon for them praienge What is mente heare by that fearefull sacrifice whiche is shewed forth whan the lay people and the preistes are assembled together holdynge vp their handes Is it not the very bodye of Christ god moste dreadefull whiche the preist offereth at masse for the dead as this olde writer testifieth whiche writte almost twelfe hundred yeares passed This lawe to saye masse for the dead saith this auÌ„ciente doctour was made by the holy apostles of our sauiour christ and therfore it must nedes be true and godlye and all doctrine against it false and vngodly This holy father also in many other places maketh mention of this matter the whiche I wyll passe ouer excepte one in his masse whiche is this MemoriaÌ„ dnÌ„e
this ordynaunce to praye and say masse for the deade thoughe those thynges be not expresselye sette forthe in scrypture But Tertulian shall speake once agayne wyth these Tertulia li. de exhorta ad castitatem wordes Et iam repete ad deum ê“ cuius spiritu postules pro qua oblationes annuas reddas Stabis apud deum cum tot vxoribus quoâ— illas oratione commemoras offeres pro duabus commemorabis illis duas per sacerdotem c. And nowe remember for whose soule thou mayest make petytyon to God for whyche wyfe thou mayeste rendre yearelye sacrifyces Thou shalte stande afore god wyth soo manye wyues as thou doeste remember in thy prayer and thou wylte offer for them bothe and thou shalte remember them two by the preist Fynally in Tertulian demonog an other boke Enim vero pro anima prioris vxoris orat refrigerium interim postulat in prima resurrectione consortiuÌ„ offert aÌ„ nuis diebus dormitionis eiê° For soth the husbande dothe praye for the soule of his first wyfe and he desireth a recreation refresshynge or a coolynge for hir in the meane season and felowshippe in the first arising vp and he offreth sacrifice Obites or yeres miÌ„des yerely at her obite or the tyme of her dyenge and decesse lo good reader the custome to haue dirige masse ones in the space of an yere A booke called epiâ—ome cronicon falsely saith that one Pelagius a bysshoppe of Rome dydde ordeine that masse sholde be sayde for the dead for he was â—52 yeres after Christes byrth for the dead is no newe inuention nor of late sette vp by couetous preistes as many couetous and enuious persons saye but a thing obserued alwaye euen from the holy apostles tyme tyll oure dayes and therefore it muste neades be a good and a godly custome For as Tertulian saith We maye prescribe againste all heretikes holdyng the contrary agaynst whom iudgemente is giuen afore Id esse uerum qui cunque primum id esse ad ulterum quodcumque posterius That to be true what so euer is first that to be counterfait or forged what so euer is that commeth Dionisius lib. de eccl hierar ca. 7. after Saint Dionise Paules scoler thus writeth also of the prayenge at masse for the dead Sanctorum preces etiam in ista vita noÌ„ This came vp in the traditioÌ„ of the apostles as s Dionise testifieth tantum post mortem prosunt ijs so lis qui digni sunt vt pro eis sanctae preces fiant nempe fidelibus That is holy mens prayers ye in this lyfe and not only after death do profitte them onely whiche are worthye that holye prayers shuld be saide for them sothelye for the faithfull as Damascene recytyng these wordes doth expound them Againe this sainte speakynge of Sermone de mortuis the bysshops or preistes prayenge for the dead at dirige masse saith after this maner Inter praecanduÌ„ igitur oratur diuina bonitas ut cuncta defuncti peccata dimittat per humanam infirmitatem admissa Damas eumque in luce collocet regione viuorum in sinibus Abrahae Isaac Iacob in loco vnde aufugit dolor tristicia gemitê° While the preiste doth praye for the dead the goodnes of god is praied vnto the he wolde forgiue the deade all his synnes commytted by mans infirmitie and that he wolde sette hym in lyght and in the region of the liuynge persons in the bosomes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob in a place frome whense is fleed heuynes That is in heauen sadnes and waylynge Thou doest le saith s Damascen reciting these wordê o aduersary by what meane Dionisius confirmeth praiers to be very profitable for them which are departed in a holy hope Damas sermone pro defunctis This aunciente doctour Damas reherseth s Gre. Ieroms masters wordes writteÌ„ in a certeine oratioÌ„ of the funerall exequies for hys mother whiche are these Diuitias igitur quae in nostra potestate fueruÌ„t partim dedimê° partim daturi sumus anniuersarios illi honores memorias exhibituri Therfore sith by praiers and masses my mothers dolour may be eased for that he saide afore we haue partely geuen already and partely wyl geue these goodes which were in our power I wil geue to her that meÌ„ may behold yerely honours memories Thou seest saith Damas that he coÌ„firmeth our opinioÌ„ allowiÌ„g sacrifices yerely remeÌ„brauÌ„ces to be made for theÌ„ which are departed in god while he callethe them good holy Moreouer s Dama doth alledge a very plaine senteÌ„ce of one Grego Nyssene saint Basyls brother which is this Nihil absque vtilitate a predicatoribus discipulis Christi est traditum in omnibus ecclesijs predicatum Res autem modis omnibus est utilis Gregorius Nyssenus saithe that the apostles dyd preache and teache iÌ„ all churches that we shulde pray at masse for the dead as Damascen Chrisostom Tertulian and diuers other do say they dydde deo in primisgrata indiuinis praeclarisque operationibus eorum qui in recta fide discesserunt manifestam facere memoriam That is in englysshe There is nothinge taughte or delyuered by tradition and preached in al churches of the preachers and disciples of Christ without profitte but it is a thinge by alwayes profilable and to god chiefly thankefull or acceptable to make a manifest memory of theÌ„ that haue departed in a ryghte faith in the diuine and very noble workes What els good reader I besech the ment this great clerke and aunciente father by these dyuyne and very noble workes than dirige masses and other lyke prayers offred to god for them whiche dyed in a true faith The apostles of Christ the truth and to whome the holy goost the spirite of the truth It is a traditioÌ„ of christes apostels to pray for the dead at masse as G. Nyssene saith Damascene doth affirm that they lerned it of Christe dyd teache all truth accordinge to christes promysse taughte this lesson and the same is preached in al churches Thou doest beleue that infantes or yonge children ought to be baptised and that baptisme auaileth them thorough the fayth of the church to the attainemente of remyssion of originall synne grace and glorye and yet that can not be proued by any scripture sufficientlye but it is a tradytyon of christes apostles left to the church De eccle hiera Origene ii 6. in epist Rom. without writing as saint Dionise Paules scholer affirmeth and Origen with many other Why therfore doest thou not beleue that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatorie and profitable both to the quicke and the deade for as muche as the holye apostles hathe taughte the church aswel the one as the other They whiche denye that chyldren shulde be baptised because there is no plain scripture for it are couÌ„ted heretikes of the sect of the anabaptistes
only because the holy apostels taughte the churche that All catholyke churches do baptise infantes though that be not coÌ„maunded in scripture doctrine and it hath ben obserued through al churches of the worlde euer since therefore by that autoritie and reason they muste nedes runne into heresie that denye the masse prayers with other good deades to be auaileable for the deade because it is a tradition of the apostles to praye to geue almes and saie masses for them and it hath ben kepte accustomedly in all churches of Christe from that time to this tyme and shal be till the worldes ende as Damas saith because it is a truth of our lord whiche Sermone pro defunctis shal abide for euer as Dauyd the ê“phet saith Moreouer Damas telleth that one Palladius an old writer of histories writing of a holy maÌ„ called Macarius which had wrought manye greate miracles thus saith of him Quia faciebat ê“ consuetudine sua ê“ defuÌ„ctis pÌ„ces scireque desiderabat nuÌ„qê“ illis ê“desset et coÌ„solatio illis inde proueniret Deus amator animaruÌ„ uolens hoc suo seruo pluribus et certis argumeÌ„tis pate facere cranio ê™ exaruerat verbuÌ„ ueritatis inspirauit ê“rupit enim cranium in hec verba QuaÌ„do pro mortuis offers preces coÌ„solatiunculaÌ„ sentimus That is to wit WhaÌ„ that holy man Macariê° A myracle doone to shewe that praiers of the quycke do profytte the deade dyd after his custome pray for the dead and was desirous to knowe whether that he did any ê“fit to them or no whether they had any comforte thereof God the louer of soules wyllinge to disclose or declare this thinge by many certen reasoÌ„s makiÌ„g a profe to his seruaÌ„t dyd inspire the foremoost parte of a skull which was dried with the worde of truth For the foremoost parte of the skull brast out saieng these wordes Whan thou doest offer prayers for the deade we feele coÌ„forte in aduersite Lo here a great miracle to proue this matter as there are written in olde bokes many mo whiche I wyll passe ouer to be short and bring ones againe Damas contione de defunctis IdeÌ„ hrbet D Hugo Aetherianorum lib. de regressu animarum ab inferis saint Damascenes saienge which is this Nisi hoc in oculis dei misericordis rectum foret nunque occasionem dedisset habendae memoriae defunctorum in sacrificio illo incruento anniuersariorum quae nunc inconcussa certiora quam de quibus iudicandum sit apostolica catholicaque ecclesia ac populus domino collectus pietatique deditus absque omni contradictione custodit This is in oure speache Excepte to praie and to offer sacrifice at the masse for the soules departed shulde be in goddes mercifull sighte righte he wolde neuer haue giuen an occasion of a memorie to be had for the deade in that vnblouddye sacrifice nor of anniuersaries God gaue an occasion of the sacrifice of the masse to be offered and yeares mindes to be kept for the deade as s Damascene doth affirm retourninge euery yeare ones at one tyme Thus moche I haue said of the olde doctours iudgementes in this matter touching the sacrifice of the holy masse and the offerynge of it to god both for the quicke and the deade also vpoÌ„ the which doctrine they are al and whollye agreed and therefore no wise godly christen man or woman wyll rather beleue Martyn Luther Eucer Bullynger Melancton Iohn Frith Bale or any of that yll heare then all these auncient fathers of the whiche some were taughte and instructed by the apostles some by their disciples scolers therfore no maÌ„ that wise is or godly wil doubt but they did know the truth much better than any maÌ„ of a later time not lerning it of theÌ„ and their bokes All the doctours of christes church do affirme that the masse is a sacrifice auaileable both to the quicke and the dead Luther Ihon Frith with a rablement of like rascalles denie it whether party wilt thou good reader beleue al these holy fathers or these leude vnlerned later writers very natural reasoÌ„ wyt yf nothing els shuld persuade that rather to beleue these auÌ„cieÌ„tes thaÌ„ these other which now write like to theÌ„ nether in yeres nor lerning Valeriê° Maximus An hystory of Valeriê° Maximus sheweth that the Romanes dyd in a matter risen betwene two men of the which the one was of muche honestie and fidelitie the other of very litle vertue credeÌ„ce gyue seÌ„tence vpon the honest maÌ„s part for his truthe and honesties sake when his aduersary laide against hym a certaine cryme The story is this CuÌ„ Marcus aemelius Scaurus vir clarissimus ac exploratae probitatis a vario SuccroneÌ„si uiro paruÌ„ syncero apud populuÌ„ accusaretur atque accusator long a oratioÌ„e perorasset ille maximo coÌ„pendio vsus est eo ê™ sua populi consceÌ„tiaÌ„ fretus non voluit oratione coÌ„teÌ„dere Querites inquit Variê° SuccroneÌ„sis ait Aemiliê° Scaurê° negat Vtri potius CredeÌ„duÌ„ ceÌ„setis quibê° verbis applaudeÌ„te populo falsaÌ„ sâ—bi inteÌ„taâ—aÌ„liteÌ„ coÌ„sopiuiâ— That is Whan Marke Aemyle Scaurus a man most honorable or famous and of goodnes well knowen was accused to the people of Varius SuccroneÌ„sis a maÌ„ of lyttle purenes or symplycytie and the accusar had reasoned to an ende with a longe oration Marke Aemile vsed a very shorte fourme for because he trusted vppon hys owne coÌ„science the peoples also he wolde not striue with reasonynge but saide onely for his defence againste his aduersarie O Romaines Varius SuccroneÌ„sis affirmeth that I am gylty in this faulte Aemelius Scaurus denyeth it To whiche of these two doo you iudge credence shuld be giueÌ„ with the which wordes he ceassed or sette at rest the action falsely entred against him the people mouing their handes or feete for ioy Lo good reader amonge the Romaines which then were infidels the famousenes and surely knoweÌ„ goodnes of the person was a sufficiente cause to geue sentence with a signe of ioye vpon the famous and good mannes syde saieng onely for his defeÌ„ce that he was falselye accused against his aduersary being yl pleading his actioÌ„ with many wordes The honourable and good Marke said to the people myne aduersarye saith that I am gyltye I saye naye whether thinke you ought to be beleued The people mouing their handes or feete for ioy the good maÌ„ Marke was discharged of that actioÌ„ thorough those his fewe wordes for his goodnes and fames sake So in this presente controuersie of the sacrifice of the masse saint Dionise saint Ignatius S. Anaclet saint Alexander saint Clemente s Cyprian with all other catholycke doctours of all ages do saye that the masse is a sacrifice appeasinge goddes wrath Martyn Luther Suynglius Oecolampius Bucers shoulde be praied for to our lorde The thirde councel holden at Carthago hath a lyke decre and other diuers whiche I wyll passe