disobedient children that wyll take counsayle wythout me and wyll take asecerete aduise and not out of my spirite therefore adde they sinne vnto sinne and Christ saith Math. vi in vaine do they serue me teachinge the doctrines and preceptes of men the proude herted Iewes did stande so well in there owne conceite for their tradicions and inuentions that for loue thei had to them they dispised hated and at last killide oure maister Christ Iohn xxi our aduersaris dare saye that Christ and the apostles taught manye thynges whyche are not wryten in the scripture and that Christe sayed hys Disciples coulde not beare awaie al that he had taught thys cauil repungnauÌ„t to the true vnderstandinge of the scripture maye be an occasion and cause of greate errours for there wyth all lyes and herisies maye be confirmed they will saye albeit it is not written yet the appostles taught it by worde of mouth and also the scriptures of God shoulde be an vnperfecte doctrine which thyng to offâ—râ—ne is blasphemie agaynste the holy gost considering that theÌ„ all the doctrine of our fayth should be put in question Therefore surly so muche is contayned in holye scripture as is necessary vnto saluacion to eueri one that beleueth They saye coulde the churche erre so longe time as it hath If youre doctrnie be true the true churche hath not errede whiche hath the word of god only The church verely must be tried by the worde of God and not the worde of god by the churche whether the churche that beleueth be of manye or of fewe for the churche is knoweÌ„ by the frutes and not because it coÌ„sisteth of many and hath her begynynge of the worde of God and her frutes are tried by the worde whether the true christan churche brought them forth or no if it be the true christen churche Iohn â— she heareth no nother voice but Christes her shepherde and brydgrome whiche the appostles preached to the church and if an angel came out of heauen teaching any other doctrine then thys let hym Gala. i. be accurssed if we loue and folow the doctrine that Christe taught and beinge hys disciples we shal not be excluded frome the true churche so longe as we kepe wyth vs the worde of God But he is puffed vp wyth pryde and doeth i. Timo. vi knowe nothinge at al that wil not obey the word of God he therfore which doth knowe nothinge can not teache vs religion and the true worshippinge of god if the Masse be vsede as it hath ben hitherto it can in no wyse agree wyth the worde of God but is so muche repugnaunt as what thing is most The Masse therfore is a diuilishe Idolatrie and detestable abominacion against God and the maynteners therof shal incurre his displeasure for euer thys thyng we wil proue two waies first because the popishe Masse is vsed in nothinge lyke the supper that Christ ordeined and differeth nolesse froÌ„ it then blacke to white they synne therefore so griuouslye as dyd Achas the made an aultar at Ierusalem iii. ReguÌ„ xvi lyke that which was at DamascoÌ„ and caste the aultare of god out of the temple so they haue lest the true vse of oure Lordes supper And in stede of it haue instituted and ordeinede the Masse of theyr owne folishe deuise and oppinion which is a great and blasphemouse abominacioÌ„ before god Moreouer we wyll proue by ther erroures and abusinge of the masse whyche they call an offeringe for the quicke and deade that it is an horible abominacion for if the Masse were ordeined of Christe which is faulse yet by there abusinge of it they woulde make it a blasphemouse heinous abominacion before god vndoubtedly we ought to folowe truely and sencelye that thynge whiche is absolutly Deut. vi sufficient of it selfe alredie Firste let vs consyder and expende the maner and order that Christe vsed at the institucion of thys holly and sacrete supper and then we wyll confer the abuse with the truth But we ought to learne all these thynges of the Euangelistes and of Saynte Paule and of none other Verely the true Masse which is worthy al kindes of praieses is the Masse which Christe ordeyned at hys laste supper before he shoulde suffere Luk xxii for when the houre was come he sate downe and the twelue appostles wyth hym and he sayed vnto theÌ„ I haue inwardly desired to eate thys passeouer wyth you before that I suffer for I say vnto you hence furth I wil not eate of it any more vntyll it be fulfilled in the kingdome of God and he toke the cup and gaue thaÌ„kes and saied take this and deuid it amonge you for I saye vnto you â— will not drinke of the frut of the vine vntyll the kingdom of god come and he toke breade and when he hadde giuen thankes he brake it and gaue it vnto theÌ„ saying this is my bodye whiche is giuen for you thys do in remembrauÌ„ce of me Like wyse also wheÌ„ he had supped he toke the cup sayinge thys cupe is the newe testament in my bloude whiche is shed for you These wordes Sainte Luke Luk. xxii Math. xxvi writeth the other euangelestes wrytte the same but they differ in some wordes as Math sayed Drinke all of thys for thys is my bloude whiche is the newe testamente that is shed for manie for Mat. xiiii the remission of synnes and saint Marke sayth they al dranke of it meaninge the cup. Saint Paule doth expounde Christes wordes sayinge thys doo as ofte as you drinke it in remembraunce of me for as often tymes as you shall eate thys breade and drinke thys cup ye shall shewe furth the Lordes death tell he come but let a man examyne him selfe and so let hym eate of the breade and drinke of the cup Saint Iohn doeth not declare the ordinaunce of thys sacrament But he teacheth from the .xiii. Iohn .xiii. xiiâ—â— xv xvii xviii Cap. to the .xviii. how Christ did vse his supper and what he did at it he washed hys disciples fete he preached to theÌ„ and commaunded them to be in charitie he exhorted them to pacience he strengthend confirmed and establyshed their fayth towarde god and praied for them to hys father but especially he rebuked Iudas the traitor S. Paule sayth we beinge many are one breade and one bodye in Cor. â— so muche we all are partetakers of one breade and the Euangelistes reporte that Christe dyd finishe hys holy supper wyth thankes geueyng The some and grounde of the hole matter proponed coÌ„sisteth in the sentences of scripture nowe rehersed but because Christ sayth serch the scripture we therfore Iohn v. wil are counsaile of the word of God in other plases and debate howe the Lordes supper ought to be vsede let vs first deuide thes questions into foure partes firste some thinges are common both to the ministre and receiuour of the Sacrament moreouer some thinges
oculis in â—elâ— lifting vp his eies to heaueÌ„ And Eterni Of the euerlasting Also MisteriuÌ„ Fidei The misterie of the fayeth But these are maters of smal weight thei leaue vnsaid wordes of grater importauÌ„ce which is Quod pro nobiâ— tradâ—tur aut frangitur That shal be deliuered or broken for you And meÌ„s eares are stopped with plaing one the organs descante songes When these wordes are spoken leaste they shoulde doubte in any thynge that is saide If the people remembre christes passioÌ„ at the time the priestes are not thankes worthie for they shoulde boeth remeÌ„bre the wordes of the passion and also giue thankes to God for the same but they shall not do so if the priestes can let theÌ„ It is therfore manyfest that the papistes folowe not Christes example in the supper at theyr popishe Masse yet they saye there Masse is holie wheÌ„ there is nothinge more vnhollye They bragge that saynte Iames dyd vse thys Masse at Ierusalem Saynte Marke at Alexandria and Saynte Peter at Antioche but they haue no historie toucheinge thys matter worthy credite Though they vsed our lordes supper as Christe oure mayster dyd and as S Paule also at Corinth yet they dyd not vse it as the pynishe papistes do now the Masse That Ignatius Policarpe Ireneus make mencion of is not like this popishe masse Thei confesse that Basilius Magnus IheroÌ„e Ambros vsede another order in the administracioÌ„ of our Lordes supper then is nowe vsed and that diuerse haue vsed diuerse facioÌ„s therin by ther own wordes Therfore it is manifeste that this kind of massinge is not the ordinaunce of Christe but inuented by mans wyt and policie without the worde of God And nowe I wyll declare by the testimonie of aunciente histories what popes and wheÌ„ they patchilde together this beggerlye Masse of theires ☞ Halowing of aultares and temples ¶ Felix frist pope of that name coÌ„maunded temples and aultars to be hallowed in the yere of oure Lorde God cclxix ☞ Aulters ¶ â—erâ—us firste of that name ordeined aulters and Sayntes in the yere of oure Lorde Cxxiiii ☞ Aultar clothes ¶ Boniface commauÌ„ded aultares to be couered with fyne linnen cloth in the yere of our Lord. cccx Chalices ¶ Vrban and Seuerine ordeined challices of goulde and siluer in the yere of our Lorde ccxv ☞ Albes and corporasses â–ª ¶ Siluester dyd ordayne albes and corporasses in the yere of our Lord. cccxiii ☞ Candeles and ornamentes ¶ Gregory dyd ordayne lyght at masse certaine Ornamentes in the yere of our Lord. ccccclxxxxii ☞ Procession ¶ Agabetus dyd ordayne procession on Sondayes aboute the churche in the yere of oure Lorde cccccxxxii ☞ Holly water ¶ Alexander did ordeine water to be mingled wyth wyne vnleuened breade and holly water in the yere of our Lord. cxii ☞ Confiteor and the office ¶ Pontianus ordeined CoÌ„fiteor before masse in the yere of our Lord. ccxxv And Selestinus the office in the yere of our lord ccccxxiiii ☞ Kyrie eleison Gregori dyd ordayne Kyrie eleson at Masse in the yere of oure Lorde ccccclxxxxii ⧠Gloria in excelsis Telesphorus made Gloria inexcelsis in the yere of our lord cxxix ⧠Collectes and grayle Gelasius made the Collectes Preface and graile in the yere of our Lord. CCCC lxxxx Anastasius ordeined that we shoulde stande when the Gospell is read in the yere of oure Lorde CCCCix Martine made the Crede in the yere of oure Lord cccxxxiiii ¶ The canon is patched together of many and therefore one seÌ„tence is repugnauÌ„t wyth an other many superstouse wordes are in it they call vpon certayne peculiare Sayntes in it And offer for soules in purgatorie thei blesse crosse as if greate vertue and powere were therin and reade nothinge so reuerently as this theyr clouted canon Gregory made the Offertorye Damasus gloria patri They caÌ„ not therfore saye that they minister the sacramentes of oure Lordes supper as the apostles dyd wheÌ„ their doctrine is repugnauÌ„te coÌ„trarie one to a nother Thys is sufficiente to proue that the Masse should be abhorred because it doth laye for mens consience snares of meÌ„s tradicioÌ„s Thei wil haue the priestes to be as the priestes of the olde lawe bring shadows in tyme of light stretching out the armes deuidinge the hostes and such other Ieuish customes It was therfore the dyueles deuise to brynge into the churche suche lewde lawes for the true liuing worde of God If circumcision hurteth as S. Paule witnesseth who can denye that the priesthod of AroÌ„ varietie of ornamentes and anoyntynge do nothinge auaile and profite in thys tyme of the newe law Much lesse profite is therfore receyued of mans inuentions and vayne dreames that kepe men occupied from the exercise of true godlines humilitie of minde And excite mens hertes wyth singynge and organplayng to acertayne carnall delite and pleasure rather theÌ„ to the true glory of god as dyd the groue which was by the temple of Ierusalem albeit therefore these cerimonies are glisterynge in meÌ„s eis yet they are vile and of no reputacion before Christ who requireth not the visour and shadow of a thyng but the veri thing it selfe the masse therfore which was ordiened and constituted of Antichrist and maintayned of his most best assured adherentes is an abominacion before God throughe this externe pompe and suche other thinges afore rehersed Finally they fere not to saye that Christes bodie is offered in the masse I wyll not contende and stryue wyth them if they take this word offer to signifie remembre accordinge to the sence and meanynge of Christes wordes albeit the ministers alone pronouÌ„ce and speake these wordes Yet such thaÌ„kes giuing and remembraunce belongeth not only to them alone but also to the whole congregacion We deny not that the Doctoures called the Masse an offeringe whiche is the remembrauÌ„ce of an offering once made as Sainte Augustine doeth playnely declare sayeinge in thys offering is thaÌ„kes giuing and remembraunce of Christes bodie and bloude which he offered and shede for vs But the papistes are not pleased wyth this offering for they wil haue a greater offring which is an offering represeÌ„tatiue when Christe dyed once for euer and caÌ„ die nomore They saye that these wordes do thys in my remeÌ„braunce signifie the consecracion offering and remeÌ„brauÌ„ce but this is a faulsely deuised and forgide interpretation For Christe at hys holly and Sacrete supper Tooke breade and gaue thankes brake it and gaue it to his disciples Commaundynge them to eate and in like wyse the wyne TheÌ„ he preached to them hys death and passion that they shoulde do after hys example wyth a sincere true fayth and there is not one Iotte that can proue the administracioÌ„ of this most blessed sacramente to be an offering represeÌ„tatiue of Christ his owne offering and althoughe Christ woulde haue had his bodie present bodily in this breade yet in no wise his wordes signifie the he offered him selfe
shal be worthei the greater praise We aunswer that it is nomatter thoughe these ceremonies were omited and left whyche were excogitate and found out by mans reason and a true christē man wil not be offended ther with as lightyng of candeles singing ringing of belles deckinge of aulters gyltynge of Images veluet and enbrodered ornamentes reliques of sayntes Organs pricksonge descant and such other which do not edifie the congregacion that they maye encrease in godlines fayeth and charitie for as Saynt Paul Act. xv sayeth bodely exercise is litel profitable but rather when these externe thinges are highlie estemed and defēded with touth and naile as we haue sene by experience these percepts of god faith humilitie charite and preachinge of the worde are lytle regarded when these true good things that please God are taught vs of the scripture do wonderfully worcke in vs godlines Iustice If thys multitude of ceremoneis had pleased God and ben thought profitable to bring men to godlines and vertuouse liuinge No doubte but Christe woulde haue taugth the The apostles woulde haue obserued and kept them and S Paul woulde haue greately magnified and praysed thē and if god would that his noble workes shoulde haue ben had in reuerēce setfurth and extolled wyth sumptuouse ceremonies he woulde haue thaught our fathers of the priuate church to vse them after a most gorgiouse facion as they dyd in Ierusalem when Solomons temple was dedicated i. Regū viii where many fatte Oxen were slayne and muche monye spente also when Aaron the high prieste was consecrated and whē the arke of couenaunte was made if god woulde that we shoulde do so thys multitude of ceremonies had ben laufully instituted in the primatiue church but christ wuld that we shoulde be occupied with weightier maters lesse regarde ths externe pompe then heauenlye and celestiall for cerimonies are nothynge but figurs to shadowe and hyde the trueth frome the vnlearned A man therfore cā vse no better order in the administracion of oure Lordes supper then that whiche Christe him self vsed but we are not pleased wyth Christe when we are not pleased wyth the order and waye that he taketh Naamā when he dispiced that playne waye to washe hymselfe in Iordā remayned alwayes a leper and whē he did washe himselfe i. Cor. iii. as the prophete commaūded hym he was healped Verely mēnes wysdome in maters of god is folishnes we cānot set furth and minister the Lordes supper more purely then when we folowe ther in Christe his disciples for that whiche men put to of there owne brayne without authoritie of scriture is merlie faulce albe it they ascribe the same to the holly goost What fole hardines is this to ad ioyne their dremes to the spirit of God doeth it of necessitie folowe that whē two or three Bishoppes are assembled together that the holly gooste doeth decre and make lawes by them we must examine and trye there constitucions and decres whethere they agree with Christes doctrine and do extolle teache and establishe fayeth and charitie or no for in so do ynge a man maye easlye perceyue that the hollie gost is not the authour of such dirtie tradicions and lowsie lawes but rather that it is blasphemie to thynke that the office of the hollye gooste is to institute and ordayne suche supersticious and vnprofitable cerimonies They that knowe the nature of the holye gost by the word of God are assured that he commaūded not such trifles and superfluouse thinges to be done as haue ben constituted and decreed in mani general coūsailes for he doth not renewe the shadows of the vnperfite olde law nor laith on christē mens shoulders the yoke that nother the apostles nor fathers of the old testamente coulde beare for noman Math. i◠▪ doeth put newe wyne into olde botteles nothere soweth apiece of newe cloth into an old garmēt but our aduersaris most blasphemously affirme that although they constitute and ordayne manye ceremonies contrarie to the libertie of the Gospell and repugnaunte to Christes ordinaunces yet they are made and ordeined by the holly goste Now we haue declared the true doctrine of Christe touchinge the administracion of the sacramente of oure Lordes supper we wyl also consider the popishe Masse wyth it Let vs fyrst shewe and declare the abuse boeth in the functiō and office of the minister and of the receyuer for thys is the chiefe erroure of the papisties not because they do not obserue tyme place but forasmuche they regarde not the libertie of a christen man whō Christe set at libertye wyth sheddynge of hys owne bloude And laie snares for mens cōsience with preceptes in externe thinges as in ornamēts oyleing a supersticiouse auriculare confessiō and in other like thinges innumerable for both the ministers and receiuers of the sacramēt thynke it a capital offēce if they omite leaue any of these beggerly tradicions of mē behind and vndon defending them vnder pretence of good order when ther can be nothyng more confuce and oute of order then to make the Lordes supper subiecte to mens cōstitutions and preceptes in extrene thinges from whiche Christ oure master made it free They Iudge it a muche more heinouse offēce to omyte anye of the vayne tradicions of man vndon then if a man should be a fornicator a dicer a dronckeard a blasphemer of god or in any other such vices an abominable sinnercondeminge of heresie all such as neglecte these ceremonies and vn godly constitutcions of theirs and Christes ordinaunce beynge nothynge wourth or wythout there cererimonies inuented of theyr owne brayne it muste therefore be a detestable abominacion to trouble christē mens libertie after thys sorte for if it myght cōtinew styll free men myghte let ornamētes passe and suche other externe thynges for the holy goste doeth not teache them whiche set thinges out of order after thys sorte The true honoure and seruice of God is subiecte nothere to tyme place nor persone charitie in edefiynge thy neyghboure in these thynges oughte to rule all congregacions For al christē congregacions vse not one kynde and order in they re cerimonies Themperoure Charles firste of the name dyd laboure to bryng al churches to agree in one kynde and order of ceremonies but he coulde neuer bring it to passe for it was against god and therefore it coulde neuer be brought to effect If we should be compelled to obserue and kepe suche preceptes of men being profitable nother to fayth nor charitie mē may Iudge that we haue not yet eatē the easter lambe that is to saye That greater burdens are leyde on oure neckes thē euer was on the Iues which thing is abominaciō before God and that they haue done so to vs the deuersitie of ornamentes and many other folishe cerremonies whiche they haue borowed of the Iues do manifestly declare and testifie as it shall appeare hereafter Also they cōtemne they re neighbours which beliue in Christ and desire to be
therefore he offered breade and wyne vndoubtedly Melchsedech was the figure of Christe but Saynt Paule manifestly declareth in what thynges he was the figure of Christ In the rehersinge of the honours and dignitye of Melchisedech whiche is that he was an eternall prieste and kynge of peace and ryghtuousnes Ther is not one worde of the offeringe of bread and wyne They cānot finde in the boke of Genesis that Melchisedech dyd sacrifice to God but that he offered breade and wyne to Abrahame for sustenaūce of his people as Christe offered to vs hys worde Melchisedeche broughte breade and wyne and Abrahame payed hym tythes Christe after the same sorte gaue vs the sacrament of his bodye and bloude but he dyd not offer it to God The scripture shewith forth Melechisedech vnder the figure of an eternal an only prieste But the papistes appointe othere priestes to be Christes viccars after his ascēciō in to heauē If a mā shoulde agre wyth them the Christe offered to God breade and wyne yet they cannot proue that he killed hym selfe in sacrifice vnder bread and wyne Also if Christ offered nothyng but breade wine the priestes of the olde lawe dyd muche better in kyllinge of liuing creatures to offer them in sacrifice The papistes cannot tell what to saye and whan they brynge authoritie of scripture it maketh agaynste them and are confuted wyth there owne sayinges as one that is slayne with his owne weapon Moreouer they brynge suche places of scripture as speake of mele and vnleuened breade as of the breade that was euer stādinge one the table of the vnleuened bread and two loues of the first fruites Also where they are iudged holye because they offer to the Lorde an host of bread chiefeli thei make great bragges of the sayinge of Malachias a cleane host is offered to my name in all places for my name is magnified among the gentiles And in what place so euer they fynde the offering of breade and wyne they apply it to signifie the bodely offeringe of Christe in the Masse They beleue that they cannot er and that these dreames are confirmed by the law prophesiyng therby as they did of purgatorie that wher soeuer they sound this word fiere written in the byble they applyed it to signifie purgatory as they do in thys mater when they can bring no probable reason that Christes bodye ought to be offerd in the Masse And whē they find any mencion of bloude and other sacrifices they wraste thē to Christes bodie takynge witnesse of the olde doctours when thei no better vnderstande them then they doo the byble Nowe we wyll briefely make answer to theyr allegations and declare the true maintenaūce of such places as they alledge to make for theyr purpose And firste we wyl declare the saiyng of Malachias whereby it maie be perceiued what the other places signifie He rebuked the I wishe priestes who gaue them selues all together to couetuousnes when they shoulde haue occupied them selues to offer a pure people to the Lorde and to fassion there maners after gods commaundementes as the Chapiter folowinge doeth testifye They oughte to haue taught the people godlines and all kyndes of vertue but they fed the people with foleshe and vayne tradicons of men offered to the Lord an vngodly people folishe herted Here is named the filthye breade the blind lame and broken sacrifice They maye perceiue that the vncleane bread can not signifie the pure bodie of Christ that breade and sacrifice therfore doeth signifie the people as saynt Paule sayeth we are one breade and one bodye and that he doeth seruice to God in preachinge the Gospell to make the Gentiles an acceptable sacrifice to God Whē the priestes therefore made an vngodlye and sinfull people by there doctrine and euill example God rebuked them and thretneth that he woulde ordeyne other priestes in theyr stead that shoulde offer a pure Sacrifice not only amonge the Iewes but also a monges the gentiles that is to saye they should enstructe the people wyth true godlines and wyth true honoure and worship of god He therfore dyd prophesy of the priestes whiche shoulde come to offer sacrifice of iustice that is to say the holye apostles and all other faythful ministers of gods word And therfore the people of God whiche is Christes spiritual bodie is brough and offered by their doctrine to God as S. Paule sayeth I haue spoused the Corinthi to Christe meaning no other thinge by these words but that by his preaching and miracles he hath brought and offered in sacrifice to god the Gentiles whiche were before carnal and fleshly mynded And therfore Ro. xii be exorteth the Romains thorowe the mercie of God to gyue theyr bodies to be aliuely facrifice Iohn iiii holly and acceptable to God The people of God is spirituallye the meate which Christe desired most and are the twelue loues of swete breade whiche beinge conuerted by the preachinge of the twelue apostles doeth continually appere before the face of God These are the true preistes And the they maye bringe to effecte there enterprice it is mete that they be holly that is ▪ That they absteine frome all thynges that pluckethe them frō the true worshipping of god This breade is called somtyme vndefiled For christē mē ought to walke in the trueth wythout Hypocrisie and fayned lies and to be anoynted with oyle that is to saye wyth the grace of the hollye goste true charitie and mercie this is the true sence and meaninge of thys texte of scripture declared and proued by other plases of scripture But the papistes thoughe they alledge the doctors yet they can proue the meaning vnderstanding of this text by no place of al the scripture Beade in the scripture betokneth the word of God For Christ saith man doth not lyue onely by bread but euery word that procedeth from the mouth of god The priests ought sincerly to minister this breade to the people and in thys significacion the spirituall bread is not a sacrifice but the administracion of the word of the ministres of god This is the true manna angelles fode which was giuen to men frō heauē to be their sustenaūce By these thynges a man may easly perceiue what offeringe the Apostles and true priestes made Vndoubtly a faithful people whō they brought to god with holsome doctrine but they offered not the natural bodie of Christ after the opinion of these fleshly minded papistes for that were done to crucify christ againe Thei beleue Daniel his saying maketh muche for there purpose where he sayth that their daylie sacrifice called in 〈…〉 ▪ shoulde cease for aliene by this they vnderstand their Dayly sacrifice The Masse that nowe beginneth to cease this application is falsely deuised For the sacrifice that Daniel speake of was offered eueri day at two seueral Exod xxix times which was in the morning and euening that sacrifice with other I wyshe sacrifices ceassed when Christ the