zow sayeth he to vnderstand the same be the conference of Scriptures A maner of proceading in deid substantius and formal if he should do that he doeth promes To this place he hath spoken all Pythagorice that is of his owen inuention as he wil seme without any probation and first alledged the Psalmest Dauid and S. Paule to proue that which is confessed of euerie one Oure Sauioure to be a preiste for euer according to the ordoure of Melchisedec quha maid oblation of breade and wyne vnto God as the Scripture plainlie teaches The place here alledged I haue already entreated at large but now will I say to this fals glosare that he is neuer able to proue that neuer Melchisedec made any oblation and if he made any he made it to Abraham But that he made no oblation it is plaine by the Hebrew and Greik Text. For the word is plaine he broght furth and not offerred vp And that he gaue this bread wyne to Abraham it is manifest lykewise by the prayse that is giuen to Melchisedec of his liberalytie in refreshinge Abraham and his wearie Hoste according to that he wes King and in blissing Abraham conforme to the duetie of the preist Besydes this which is the verie meaning of the Spirite of God the Relatiue him maketh all that preceadeth to be vnderstand of Abraham in coÌ„sideration that there is no mention of any other but of AbrahaÌ„ only Now I resson sayeth this Doctor on this maner Read all the Euangell quhare our Sauiour vsed the Preisthede of Mechisedec declaring him to be ane preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec but in ye latter supper quhair he maid oblation of his precious body blude vnder the forme of bread and wyne prefigurat be the oblation of Mâ—â—â—hisedec than are we compelled that our Sauiour maid oblation of his body and blude in the latter Supper or els he was not a preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec Albeit that heretofore I haue declared sufficiently all that beloÌ„geth to the explicatioÌ„ of this place yet shal I not werie to adduce somwhat for the more cleare vnderstaÌ„ding of the place and coÌ„uicting of the gros malicius and blind ignorance of this Author What a madnes and phrenesie shall we think it in this Scripturer that he can not content him self with this that the Spirite of God hath teached vs The author to the Hebrewes hath declared the wordes of the Psalme and hath pretermitted nothing apperteaning to the similytude and comparison of our Sacrificator Iesus Christe and Melchisedec The Psalmist no dout in the forenamed Psalme vendicateth and attributeth to our Sauiour the dignitie of the kingdome together with the progatiue of Eternal preisthead hauing spoken of his kingdome in the fourt verse he discendeth to his preisthead where he sheweth his preisthead to be farre different from the preisthead of Aaron being such an as should not now be after the ordoure of AaroÌ„ but after the ordor of Melchisedec SecoÌ„dly he sheweth it to be firme and stable planted by the authoritie of the Eternall who shall neuer be strucken with repentance that is the thing he hath ones decreed shal not alterre nor change then doeth he adde the orackle which doeth not consist in oblation of bread and wyne nor yet is it added thou art a preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec to signifie any such thing as thou fondly diuisest but to declaire the perpetuitie and the qualitie of his preisthead as the author to the Hebrewes doeth plainely witnes declair and expone First then we haue here the kingdome and the preisthead giuen by God vnto our Sauiour so that he is bothe king and preist By the kingdome we vnderstand that power that is giuen to him in heauen and in earth to gouerne defend his subiectes to be auenged vpon his enimies The office of the preist is to instruct in the feare of God to intercead for remission of sinnes to pray offer which offices the Euangelist doeth plaâ—nely witnes that Iesus Christe hath fulfilled And therefore ye do manifestly belie the spirit of God And where ye affirme that Iesus Christ did no parte of the office of Melchisedec vnles we grant that he did offer vp him self vnder the formes of bread and wyne that is a manifest vntrenth For that Christ is king preist wes the office of melchisedec that his preisthead is eternal and not temporal as the preisthead of AaroÌ„ wes is proper to Melchiesdec that Christ doeth blesse his elect not curse them wes also the office of Melchisedec and all these I suppose ye wil confesse Iesus Christ hath done yet doeth These two offices in Moyses and Aaron being distinguished are ioyned in Melchisedec the Type and figure of our Sauiour in whome they be not onely ioyned but perfected Secondly as the kingdome and preisthead are not giueÌ„ to him by man but by God as we may collect of this that the Lorde sweare This obserueth the author to the Hebrewes when he sayeth no man vsurpeth any honoure but he that is called as Aaron So the Sonne of God being Lorde of all abydeth the appointment and vocation of his Father to the great shame and rebuke of the Popes that no les impiuslie nor impudently taketh and vsurpeth the crowne of the kingdome and the myter of the Bishopprie and preisthead to them selues without commission or laufull vocation And therefore moste iustlie shall it be said to them they reigne but not of the Lorde they are preistes but not the Lordes Thridly this preisthead is assigned with a great ceremonie and by a certane Religion established that with one Solemne othe which peculiarly coÌ„ueneth to our Sauiour and is diligently noted in the Epistle to the Hebr. others preistes sayeth he are made without any othe but this preist is made by the othe of him that said to him the Lord hath sworne shal not repent him thou art the eternal preist that by two things that can not be moued the promes and the othe by the which it is impossible that God shal lie we may reteane the most firme confort of our faith conceaued of the preisthead of Christe that with a steadfast esperance we may enter in the inward partes of the Sanctuarie with our Sauiour Feardly this preisthead thus confirmed with an othe can not be changed nor transferred but shall remaine firme and immutable For it is plainely said and he shoulde not repent him This steadfaste perpetuitie of the preisthead of our Sauioure is obserued and declared by the Apostle many preistes sayeth he wes made vnder the Lawe because they might not remane being subiect to death but our preist no wayes being subiect to mortalytie hath an eternall preisthead The worde vsed by the Apostle I haue noted before and the proprietie of it And in this we may obserue the difference of the preisthead of our Sauiour from all other
The Confutation of the Abbote of Crosraguels Masse set furth by Maister 〈…〉 Math. 1â— All plantation that is not planted by my heauenly Father shal be rooted out leaue them for they be blinde guides to the blinde 〈…〉 Lib. â— Epist. 2. If in the Sacrifice 〈◊〉 is Christe onely Christe is to be followed then must we here and do that that Christe did and commanded to be done since he in his Euangell sayeth if ye do that I command you now call I you not setuandes but freindes And the Father out of the heauen testifieth saying This is 〈◊〉 moste deare SoÌ„ne in whom I am compleated 〈…〉 Christe is to be herde we oght not 〈…〉 him before vs iudged to be done but what 〈…〉 before all Christe first did for the consuetude of man must not be followed but the truth of God Imprinted at Edinburgh by Roberâ— Lek 〈…〉 k and are to be sauld his hous at the nether Bow Cum priuilegio 1563. The Prenter to the Reader AS I haue at all tymes bene ready to employe and bestowe my laboures to the auancement of the glorie of God and vtiliâ—ie of his Church so the bruite rysing of this that I now present vnto thee good Reader Confutation of the Abbote of Crosragnels Masse I wes moste diligent and trauelled moste earnestly with the Author of it that it might come to light Hard it wes vnto me amongest many others to obteane it of him a man shamefast of his owen nature yet by the inopportune and continuall sure of the Church freindes being mollified and moued to yeald and remitte â—omwhat of his will in end oppenned vp his mynde that he hath onely written this by maner of declamatioÌ„ and so hath vsed some Greik wordes as expressing the mater moste liuely and sensiblie which wordes I had no Carracters to expres this moued me somwhat at the beginning yet finding them few in nomber and so seruing to the mater as I could not well suffer them to be taken away yea and no impediment to the vnlearned the sentence being moste plaine I coulde not those the learned to be frauded of so great a help and so vndertuke the mater Wherein I haue vsed the help of a moste excelleÌ„t young maÌ„ wel exercised in the tongue yit the trauel being wearisome in the hait of his occupatioÌ„s the ordour and reule by him laide I wes driuen and content to borrow the laboure of some Scollers whome I iudged to be moste expect Whom vnto it muste be imputed if ether fant shal be in lacking of a letter or otherwayes in accent and others such accidents This I speak no but to the praise of the great good wil of the children whâ— are ready and willing to gratifie the Church of God bâ—t to â—â—â—dicat the name of the Author from all calumnie 〈…〉 and wicked tougues If I should haue suâ— help 〈◊〉 Church as I haue oftentymes implored the shouâ—â—â—ot the ingynes and labours of the learned in thâ— countrie be retarded by any such impediment yea and I will promes further we should not be troubled to send here and there abounding in all thinges necessarie within our selues And so faire thou well in the Lorde Iesus At our buith the penult of Iuly 1563. The Epistle To the moste Noble potent and godly Lorde Iames Earle of Murray the Author wisheth grace mercy peace and increase of heauenly giftes of the Spirite of God THis consuetude hath of long antiquitie obteyned moste mighty Lorde that in weighty matters and argumentes of consequence euer the Patrociny fauor and authoritie of some great princely man hath bene implored The occasions and causes hereof althoght they may appeare many and diuers yet alwayes may be comprehended in a certane nomber for some trauelling in an haitefull argument subiect to inuy and tonges of many iudgeth the help and protectioÌ„ of such as placed in authoritie are most reuereÌ„ced of the people and ether by wisedome in iudgement or by prowes in warrely effaires hath coÌ„ciliat creadite and beneuolence of the stronger iudged the help I say of such moste requisite and necessarie promising to themselues securitie and quietnes vnder there shaddowe as it were authoritie and power as that we obserue commonly and be teached by experience in all aiges euer the muses to haue followed the impire dominion monarchie yea and with them flitted and remoued During the impire of the orient that is Assirians Chaldeans and Persians the Gymnosophistes were in price the Magians authorished and Egypt and east partes moste frequented but this power being deuolued to the Grecians we read how suddenly amongest them all sciences and â—nowledge florisheth that as it were out the hors of Troye starteth vp hundrethes and thousandes most eloquent in tongue moste witty in iudgement yea and most solide in erudition This their zeal emulation continueth so long as they had the vpper hand whereof they being spoiled it wes not so lamentable and greuous their decay in power and fall frome dominion as the lose of those wherein their principall glorie and reioycing did consist sciences to wit and erudition which alltogether with the impire flitteth This no dout as it proceadeth of the cairful ê“uidence of our God erecting ouer whelming Realmes at his good pleasure wil so is it as it wer moste kyndely and naturall that the muses delicat tender and Daines louing of quietnes still persue to be in greatest securitie and honour which taken away then do they incontinently vanishe Others to whom the horne of aboundance is shute vp are driuen to dedicate their lauboures to such as they haue found mercyfull and beneficiall towardes them to witnes their gratitude and thankfull mynde on that one parte on the other to satisfie the moste iuste and reasonable desyre of their manteiners who preafed hereby to redeame their memories â–ª from eternall and euerlasting obliuion Alexander the great howsoeuer he hath exceaded and excelled all that hath passed before in amplytude of impyre and conques yit in this iudgeth and pronounceth him self vainquest and inferiour to Achilles that he neuer culde haue such one as Domerus to write the historie of his valiant Actes and to set furth his praises Penurie lacke of mantenance as they be great enimies to good letters so is there nothing in this earth whereby we are encuraged more nor by the esperance and thriste of that glorius immortalytie which maketh the Fathers howsoeuer depriued of this lyfe of many aiges past yet to liue still and their memories to be moste happy and blessed This is the glorie of the children of God seing the caire of their God to vendicat their Names from darcknes committing them moste diligently and faithfully to Register that albeit their staire and condition be moste deplored and miserable yet their memories are at all tymes in Gods presence moste recent and blissâ—d All do trauelle to be spoken of but in the meanes standeth the diuersitie the
tyrraÌ„ne preaseth to this what obteineth he He is called a proude tyrraÌ„ne the bloodthristy cruel the ambitius receaueth the same hyre and the same rewarde proponed abydeth all the wicked the solide glorie apperteaneth to the godly Others causes may be gathered besydes these two toucheâ— by me yet because they may be referred to these two heades I will not wearie my pen in recyting them Some and of them a great nomber we know to haue abhorred this conteyning them selues as it were within their owen walles and determined to sing to them selues as is in the Prouerb and to the muses which sorte of men as I darre not damne so had I proposed with my self to follow them For being younge in yeares voide of experience nether yet at any tyme before exercised in the lyke aâ—gument such houres as I might cut of from the publicque charge and occupation my mynde wes to bestowe in suche kynde of Declamations as Quintilyane tearmeth by the Greik word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there appointeth and recoâ—mendeth to them as are not yet able for the sonne and the feildes whereby they shal proue them selues and trye their forces But as commonly commeth to pas that are we rathest disapointed of that we moste eaâ—nistly conclude with ourselues before that euer I coulde put any parte of my deliberation in practeis the charge came to me and moste straitly to vndertake the matter and procead with all dilâ—gence commanded This commandâ—ment at the beginning albeit it wes somwhat fearful to me vnderstanding hereby the Church vtterly to repugne to my mynde yet because I wes determined to examine my self in the same argument I refused not plainely resolued that that mater should not come to light which I had chosen to my particulare exercise The worke is not yet finished when the bruit ryseth of the abbotes great danger of death the â—eicknes beiÌ„g so inualessed that he could not escape Here is herde the complaint of the godly thinking and laying before their eyes the wicked speaking and braling of his fauorers who of our continuall silence should haue taken accasion to blawe vp if caice any thing shoulde come to lyghte after his death wold seme to haue inst cause to accuse our long and fearfull silence Then were the eyes of all turned and fixed vpon me hearing that the charge hath bene laide to me and that I had proceaded therein The mater wes verie fore and heauy vnto me rauished in sindrie and they contrarious thoghtes harde it wes to me who hath still bene as it were in the shaddow to come to the light to euenture my fame to expone me to the tongues and iudgements of all to enter in a fearful and terrible battal with a proude and wyde blowing Goliath on the other part I wes no les moued at the earnest sutte and request of the brethren the commandement of the Church and moste of all touched in conscience with the staite of the cause and condition of tyme. The word still increasing of his suddane death yet suffer I not my self to be vainquest vtterly but this farre I inclyne that I shew my labours to the brethren which way as it wes subtilie diuised by them so did it wholie disapoint and frustrat me of all I had determined For neuer could I obteane it of them noâ— procure qâ—ietnes to my self till it wes copied and send to the Abbote Thus wes my silence broken my purpose dissolued and I pulled furth to the sonne and as it commeth oftentymes to pas that there is none bolder nor the cowarde when all way and euasion is foreclosed so did I feale my self moued for the charge being laide to me to pas in Carrick I glaidly obeyed thinking that I could not but refute that by tongue which I had conuicted of Idolatrie by pen. In that iorney what wes protected I referre the iudgement to others Now that this my trauell commeth laitter to light nor that ether my opinion wes and the earnest desyre of the godly ether yet the staite of this action and the iniquitie of the tyme yea and the loithsome stomaches of a great nomber weareing and abhorring all good thinges did require the causes are my continual occupations which God be praised groweth and increaseth being firste appointed to Carrick and immediatly after my returning called to the same office in Court before you my Lorde and my Lordes of Councile wherein what relaxation I haue had or can haue your Lordship may be a moste suthfast and faithfull witnes The other impediment wes and that greater nor the formaâ—e that seing I had deliuered the answer to the Abbote necessarie it wes to awaite vpon him and tarie til he should reply least I should be driuen to make two of one Whereof being now dispared and assured by some of his familiares that he myndeth no such thing at the earnest request of freindes and coÌ„mandement of them whome I reuerence I haue committed the Sailles to the windes as Quintiliane speaketh Elegantly and will call to God for a good and prosperus viage to them that louseth in insist still in the similytude The counsell of Horatius 〈◊〉 Quintiliane is not to be contemned in suche caces desyring vs to lay asyde our workes for a certane tyme till that the hait of the inuention be culed and we spoyled of the Fatherly affection as it were towardes our owen workes may take them againe and so iudge of them as of the workes of others Well this whatsoeuer it hath bene my trauell I haue caused appeare in your Name my Lorde partly to ridde me of the fals and caluÌ„nius speakinges of a great mainie who as they be altogether borne and doe wholy liue to their Bellies so repleanished with inuy and Idill do delyte theme selues in preposterus and wicked interpretation of euerie manes laboures and occupatioÌ„s partly that it may remane with you at all tymes as a sure pledge and monument of my great ready minde towardes your Lordeship ceading in facultie and power to many but in will geuing place to none The gift is not so much to be esteamed and mesured by the quantitie and excelleÌ„cy of the gift it self as by the free and liberall hart of the giuer A cuppe of cold watter lacketh not the praise at some tyme and our Maister pronounceth that the poore wyfe that hath offreth two smal peaces money hath bene more liberall nor they who hath casten in moste These then my firste fructes â–ª I offer vnto you my Lorde whereby ye will know that I haue not bene Idle in this my shorte absence from Court but as I aduertest your Lordeship by writing faithfully bestowing my laboure and tyme in that action that oght to be more deare and precius vnto vs nor all the dignities of the earth riches honour pleasure voluptie yea the lyfe it self I dout not but in what parte soeuer the iudgements of others shall inclyne yet your Lordeship shal as the
Poete speaketh and after him Plinius to the Emperour Domitiane esteame these my â—owes to somwhat If at any tyme it should please the goodnes of God to moue the hart of the Quenes Maiestie to take this Treatie in hand and read it then had I reported the full pryce of my laboure then were I fully satisfied In reading ye know my Lorde how we oght to lay asyde all affection weye the arguments consider and examine the pith of them hereafter pronounce and iudge for there can be no greater inimie to the treuth 〈◊〉 A foreconceaued opinion of error confirmed by long antiquitie and a certane progres of yeares and yet we know as Peregrinus the Philosopher sayeth that the treuth is doughter to the tyme howsoeuer it shal be suppressed and buried as Democritus sayeth in the pit yet wil our God bring it to light and declaire that that is not the treuth that is approued of many but that that he hath reueiled If thus I say our Souerane should enter in work then I dout not but she should consider the equitie of our cause then she should haue a florishing common wealth then should her G. Liges be assured of tranquilytie obedieÌ„ce that as she craueth the seruice of our bodies and substance so we may moste hartly and glaidly discharge our selues before God and the whole earth our hartes being ioyned together in vnitie of doctrine which is the onely and most sure bande as Augustine speaketh whereby the hartes of all are conciliat ioyned yea and reteyned together Thus I commit her Maiestie to the protection of the moste heigh who hath in his handes the hartes of Princes and turneth them to and fro at his good pleasure and will and wisheth lykewise to your Lordeship the increase and aboundance of the giftes of his holy Spirite that as he hath begunne the worke in your handes so he will assist you to the end as we may luke continually for the lyke conforte And so faire well in the Lorde Iesus Christe At Edinburgh the penult day of Iuly 1563. Your Lordeshipes moste humble and obedient Seruiture George Nay ACcording to the approued laudable and receaued vse of writers that do trauell in any argument of consequence I haue iudged it verie necessarie to admonishe thee good reader of the fyle ordor and maner that I haue followed and obserued in this my answer and confutation of the Abbote of Crosraguels masse For it may appeare strange at the first face that for a smal tractie and volome not exceading the boundes of threttie small leaues direct forth and sent by him he shal receaue hard by fourtie sheites of paper in greatest and fullest measure Secondly it may be asked pereuenture that in suche aboundance of flourishing ingiues in suche welth of solide iudgementes in suche plentie of eloquent men and perfection of letters tongues and erudition as I may treuly affirme ether wes neuer at least these thousand yeares wes not that this charge should be laide to me or by me vndertaken For in that one may appeare temeritie and rashnes in that other arrogancie and lack of iudgement Somthing thridly may be inquired of our long silence in consideration that this our Abbote hath continually barked from the beginning of this mercyful visitation of our God and reformation in Scotland yea and set forthe some thinges that be plainely red and euerie where to be found that the rest of his workes which be no les pernitious be neglected and this onely hath bene iudged worthy of answer To satisfie thee good Reader in the first head thou shal vnderstand my studie and trauel to haue bene to make all thinges plaine and sensible aswel of Scripture as of antiquitie for in this no dout lyeth the cause of his shortnes and of my prolixetie not that I haue bene any wayes long in this argument which vndoutedly requireth an ample tractation but in respect I speak of his compendiousnes and obscuritie In the maters of Scripture it can not be denyed but he hath bene as I note in some places â—ther sleuthfull negligent and obliuius or els so addicted to his owne iudgement wherein he confidis not lytle that whatsoeuer he hath iudged of any place the same should the Reader immediatlie approue and without any stay or impediment esteme it for a verie vndouted treuth To prike forward to this the imprudent and vnskilfull Reader We obserue his craft to be to alledge and cote in the margen the authorities of Scriptures Fathers and councils as should appeare to the Lector that all that is alledged by him is spoken out of the mouth of suche Authors as he there notes In this part I am driuen to produce euerie place oppen vp the mynde sense and vnderstandiÌ„g of it and satisfie to euerie thing can be obiected because the danger is so great that if I should pas by any thing with silence that incoÌ„tinentlie should be iudged to make for his partie In the Fathers and councils I foresaw somwhat more that they hauing almoste continually in mouth solemnities of Masses Sacrifices Hostes Oblations worshippinges Myrackles and suchlyke I feared that these thinges should be interpreted and vnderstand after the superstitious vse that we haue sene rather then according to the mynde of the Author and the practise and custome of that tyme. Here am I constrained by conferrence of places to shaw the mynde of the writer and by the consuetude then vsed to declare the naturall intelligence of euerie thing which part as it hath bene to me painefull and tedious so I dout not but it shall not onely be to the vnlearned confortable where they are assured of the antiquitie but also to the learned they being releaued of the werisome wadiÌ„g through the Doctors and to bothe shall this my lauboure serue for a Mirror to behold the great puritie the godly lyfe the care ouer the poore and the liberalitie of the primitiue Church and the old Fathers which being conferred with the exemples of those that vanteth and brageth of the tytles of successors may be knowen how far they be not onely fallen from the puritie of the doctrine but lykewise horrible declined and degenered in all good vertuus and maners This shortly for answer to the first head In the Second head I shal not be verie long the ordor of reformed persones we know to be subiect to the commandement of the Church without all shift tergiuersatioÌ„ or repugnancie What is the iudgement and opinion of men of letters of me I haue not to inquire the occasions mouing theâ— to laye this charge to me moste vnable amonges many hundreth ar vnknawen But alwayes God be preased my duetie I know which is all particulare respectes and considerations layed asyde to giue and dedicat my self holye to the seruice proffect of the Churh of God Iudgeing it rather my part and office in obeying there honest charge to euenture my fame and estimation then in disobeying
vnto his Apostles and lykewise did with the Cuppe In your masse what is lyke this First there is no thankes geuing or any that can be pretended since it is in a forrane language it is eueÌ„ as there were none there is no breaking of bread nether yet distribution What can it haue then lyke vnto the Lordes institution To the offerring vp of the body and blood of Iesus Christe vnder the formes of bread and wyne to the father of heauen I am assured there is no such thing in the institution of our Sauiour shaw your warrand produce your commission the action I haue rehearsed wherein there is no such thing to the iudgement of all But if ye will say it is here conteined do this in remembrance of me this sentence is relatiue to the action preceading so that there can be no mention at all in this whole institution By whome ye will the body and blood to be receaued as the heauenly foode of our Soules it is incertaine whither of God or of vs be lyke ye wold meane of God seing ye haue spoken of offerring immediatly before as ye should meane that as it is offered by vs vnto God so lykewise is it receaued of his part which in verie deid is a strange maner of speaking and vntrew for who did euer here that the Sacramentes giuen and appointed vnto vs by God as a moste speciall benefite and comfort that euer they wer commanded to be offered to God or so receaued of him I am not ignorant that that thing which is done according to his holy ordinance he is coâ—tent with it and in that consideration receaueth it But here we speak of offerring of our part and receauing in that respect of the part of God We are commanded to vse and practise his holy Sacramentes whereby we testifie our Religion and witnes our obedience vnto God but to offer them vp vnto him this did I neuer here In deid the body and the blood of Iesus Christe represented by bread and wyne in this Sacrament being receaued according to his holye institution and ordinance and no wayes els I knowe to be the foode and nourishment of the Soule of the faithfull receauer If this be your mynde in the latter wordes of your diffinition then doeth the latter part moste ineptlie and improperlie aggre with it that preceadeth of the offerring This farre haue we trauelled with your fond diffinitions and al 's shortly as wes able and more shortlie nor the mater should require if we should not haue occasion after to speak somwhat as ye trauel forwarde in the explication of your owne sayinges It that ye adde to your former diffinition I can not tel what triflus orations iÌ„uented deuised as you say by the aÌ„cient Fathers that as seames to you moste iustlie to decore the Maske I answer vnto you that all proceadeth of a Fornace and one Author to wit the Deuill for as the principall is blasphemous so is all that is ioyned wiâ—h it and pretex not such godlie orations as be vsed in the holy Communion for there is nothing there but it that is drawen out of the Scriptures of God and practysed accordiÌ„g to Christes holy institutioÌ„ ordinaÌ„ce For the prayers which we do vse before the table of the Lorde Iesus we repute no part of that holy action but onely vse them to inflaÌ„me and stirre vp our dul hartes to the due consideration of that great mysterie to the practise whereof when we approche we do nothing which the Lorde Iesus did not nether yet omit we any thing which we finde that he did and commanded vs to do but in your masse if the Collettes Pro Pecore infirmo I wil not say for a seick sow Pro Partutientibus Pro Defunctis Pro naâ—uigantibus and such others be omitted Sire Iohn is not worth his Six blankes Now haue we to consider the reasons and argumeÌ„tes whereby this Romish Doctor trauelleth to confirme his fond diffinitions Iames as he is introduced requireth a probation of Scripture for iustification of the which is adduced an part of the wordes of the institution out of Lucas and Marcus do ye this in remembrance of me By the which wordes sayeth this Gospeller He commanded his Disciples to consecrate the bread and the wyne as he did saying this is my body and so he institute the consecration and by the consecration the verie body and blood of Iesus Christe our Sauiour are contened vnder the forme of bread and wyne by the power of y e Lordes word which is omnipotent according to this ye shal mark the godlie Ancient sayinges of Chrisostome written in this maner It is not man that maketh our Lordes body and bloode of the breade and wyne and so furth Whereupon first we shall obserue the olde practise and shift of sathaÌ„ in the recyting of any place of Text alledged or broght in for his purpose that euer he rehearseth a certane portion or part of the text neuer the whole senteÌ„ce Why is not the whole action recyted This hath bene a great occasion of these wicked errors we are now troubled with all and principally in this mater we haue now in hand for hereof hath proceaded that there wes nothing Iudged to appertene to this action by the aduersaries of the Euangle but onely this sentence this is my body that not pronounced plainely but mumled and blowen vpon the bread and so of the Cuppe as nether the thinges preceading nether yet the commandement ensewing should haue any place in this action the fructes whereof are that not onelie the sentence is vtterlie wryed and peruerted but the wordes altered changed and adulterate which no man of a sober wit can esteme to be attempted without a great Sacriledge For as deprauing of senteÌ„ces bringeth in all corruption so innouation of tearmes vsed by the Spirite of God can procead of no sobrietie whosoeuer be the Author and inuenter of them Of the one we haue the horrible and monsters mother of all impietie transubstantiation and real presence dinging Christe from the ryght hand of the Father taking from him the office of preisthead and mediation in that that it leaueth not to him the proprieties of the manlie nature pernerting and exstinguishing the ordor and effect of a Sacrament ascribing vnto our Sauioure a phantasticall body with Marrion and fynally affixing him to a certane peice of bread at the appetite of a filthy whormoÌ„ger not vnlyke to that that we reid in Theotritus and after him in Virgile in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where they gaue such strenth to the versis of Inchanters that they moue Iupiter the Sonne Mone to fal out of the heauen and discend in their bossomes I wold this glorius gloser should haue red BonaueÌ„tura and Stotus otherwise called Doctor Subtilis and suche others in the impugnation of this wicked and deuillishe impietie set furth by Nicolaus Secundus and Innocentius
seme to winke at the mater we can not haue a more faithfull expositor of these wordes theÌ„ the Spirite of God by the mouthe of his holy Apostle Paule who as thou recyteth sayeth which is broken for you For it is moste cleare that the Sacramentall signe of bread wes not broken for them but the onely natural body of our Maister vpon the craice so that in no wayes these wordes may or can be referred to the pronome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first word of the promise where demonstration is made of the bread but apperteaneth to the latter word body For speaking of the bread he sayeth he brake it and he gaue it to his Disciples and not for his Disciples now meaning of his passion and that his body wes to suffer which is sayeth he broken for you as to the tyme we haue not to be curius for we knowe the Spirite of God somtymes in declaring that that is vndoutedly to be ether a long tyme or immediatly after to vse the present tyme yea and the tyme passed Lyke as here by the present he setteth furth that which wes to be vpon the morrow So the verie sense of the whole is This is the Sacrament of my body which is broken for you that is to say which body is to suffer and to be broken euen the morrow for you as shal be declared at more lenth when as by Gods grace we shal atteane to the place But I pray thee where shal we finde in these wordes such an vnbloody Sacrifice as thou here bringeth in I am assured the breaking of Christes body wes bloody and moste cruel where lykewise shall we finde this oblation For there is no mention of oblacion in this whole action nether yet did our Sauiour offer any thing there nor yet to his Disciples giueth he any coÌ„mandement to offer but simplie willeth vs to do this in remembrance of him which is relatiue to the whole action before practysed of taking bread thankes geuing breaking of it and distribution to be made here is neuer a sillabe of offering Well let vs go to the probation which is drowen out of Malachy the Prophet and his first Cha. the wordes are I haue no pleasure of you sayeth the Lorde and as for the meat offering I will not accept it at your hand for from the rysing vp of the Sone and to the going doune of the same My Name is great amonges the Gentiles yea in euerie place shal the Sacrifice be done and an cleane oblacion offered vp vnto my Name for my Name is great amonges the Gentiles Here I may haue occasion to speak somwhat of this interpreters faithfulnes who thinketh it nothing to turne by the future tyme that which is spoken in the present for I am assured that all the textes that euer I did se Hebrew Greik Latine Englishe French hath the word in the present is Sacrificed and not shal be and an cleane oblation is offered not shal be but I will pas by that followeth in this Doctor Mark sayeth he the wordes of the Prophet and ye shall perceaue that they are not spoken of the Sacrifice of the Lordes body offered vp vpon the croice For why the Sacrifice of the Lordes body on the croice was onely in Ierusalem and the wordes of the Prophet speaketh of a Sacrifice offered vp in euerie place and so furth Where this Author trauelleth by an argument that â—e call in the Scooles A sufficiente enumeratione partium that is when as we euert euerie particulare to confirme and establishe an certane thing but as this argument lacketh not the strenth when as all is properly euerted so if any thing be pretermitted ether yet improperly handled it proceadeth not Now to the matter of the Sacrifice of the Lordes body on the croice say ye it can not be vnderstand for it wes onely in Ierusalem I know that our Sauiour wes crucified in Ierusalem Yet what shal be the cause that it shall not be lefull to vs to speak as the Apostle Paule in the. 3. to the Galth where he plainely witnesseth that our Sauioure wes crucified amonges them Why shal the same libertie be denyed to all places where the death of our Sauiour hath bene or is lyuelie preached Which no dout hath bene euerie where lyke as the Prophet testifieth in the. 19. Psalme and the holy Goste speaketh of Paule appointing him to beare the name of Iesus to the vttermoste partes of the earth Why then may we not expound this saying of the Prophet of the Sacrifice and oblation of the body of Iesus Christe seing he is euerie where crucified wheresoeuer his Euangel is treuly preached And as touching thy stinking and filthy masse it hath bene God be preased at all tymes included and circumscribed within a certane boundes and that verie small But thou will say pereuentur that the speaking of the Apostle is metaphoricall What if I shal say the same of the wordes of the Prophet For if he admonisheth vs of any thing to be erected after the abrogation of the ceremonies of the Lawe no dout he speaketh so by the fygures then vsed in the Lawe that thereby we should vnderstand an other sort of worshipping to be plaÌ„ted and receaued in place of those fygures Thus thru the speaking can not be proper but alwayes metaphoricall from the vmber shoddowe to expres the veritie And thus may we haue the sense of the wordes of the Prophet properly that euerie where is there an oblation or Sacrifice offered vp in my Name that is the Sacrifice of my Eternall and onely Sonne wherewith I am all whole coÌ„plesed and delyred is offered vp vnto me that is preached for whatsoeuer way thou can apply this saying to thy masse that same way shall I proue that it conueneth and more iustly to the predication of the Euangel and death of our Sauiour For where thou restreines his death to the towne of Ierusalem so will I affirme of the institution of his holy Supper out of the which thou soucketh moste iâ—eptly and impiusly thy fond masse If thou will insist and say that the masse is done euerie where I answer the same of the Sacrifice of Christes body more treuly If thou shall reply yet that that is onely by preaching I answer that first thy masse hath nothing to do with the Lordes table and besydes that the Author of the holy Supper did ones sanctifie this action which remaneth for euer as I haue shawen heretofore as our Sauiour died ones willeth his death to be preached euerie where and so consequently to be crucified in all places according to the metaphorical speaking of the Apostle as I haue already declared Now I pray you good Reader perceaue with me the vanitie of this new Author the strenth of his argumentes and the forme of his proceadinges Secondly ye go about to proue that the sayinges of the Prophet Can not be vnderstand of the wordes
I answer that there is a great diuersitie betuix the one and the other for the one is appointed for an other cause and directed to an other bute nor the other The one is to receaue vs of nature being strangers into the couenant league societie and housholde of God the other is to witnes and testifie that all those that be thus entered in the league to them all is common they are all members of one body they haue all one faith one Baptisme one Lorde and Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe vpon the body and blood of the which Iesus they do all fead so that now herein is signified the great and heigh mysterie of our communication together that they are all one body as the Apostle doeth plainely testifie and these two Sacramentes lacketh not their figures in the olde Testament we know Baptisme to haue succeded in the place of circumcisioÌ„ and the Lordes Supper in the roume of the Pasouer The eight day precisely wes appointed for ministration of the Sacrament of circumcision so that now supputation to be made from the day of the Natiuitie of the Childe ether thou moste say that God prouided them all to be borne in one day or els they were receaued according to the ordour of the Lawe euerie one conforme to the calculation from his Natiuitie so that now one wes receaued seuerally or els God prouided mo This can not be denyed to vs but in the Pasouer thou will not finde that one did sit doune alone eat it but that rather then any should lacke of the nomber they should call vpon their nighboures and so go to that mysterie Now consider with thy self first in the figures of the one the other Secondly in the effectes the defference betuix the one and the other that thy argumentes can no wayes procead nor haue any place The suÌ„me of our whole disputation is to attend and discerne diligently betuix the commanded ceremonies of our God hauing including certane misteries whiche can not be pretermitted without a certane sacriledge yea the peruerting of the hoill action institution as we be plainelie teached by Paule 1. Cor. 11. such other cercumstances as tyme place and such others which in dede may be altered and changed at the determination of the church Hitherto I haue susteined the parte of Iames but heir he foolishlie tholeth him self to be caried away thus sayeth I perceaue be your ressoning it is expedient that thair be diuers ceremonies and customes vsed in the ministration of the Sacrament and al 's in the Sacrament of the masse quhilk are not conteined in Scripture I thoght ye should haue said in this maner I perceaue there be many ceremonies customes bowinges murgeons and such others tryfles not vnlyke to a farce or an Aippes play vsed in your masse which our Sauioure did not coÌ„mad nor the Apostles practise nether yet is allowed of any antiquitie that it hath no similytude nor affinitie with the Lordes Table but rather vtterly repugnnig and contrarius vnto it yea and in it ye blasphemussy call the Sacrament of the Lordes body and blood ye haue fraudfully spoyled the people of God of the one parte thereof and so not onely impiusly hath peruerted the substance of it but in the action it self hath proceadeth with the same remeritie rashenes and Sacriledge to the contempt of God and the bitter and greuous sobbinges of all godly seing the people of God thus miserablie deceaued by you and in the place of the holsome and confortable Cuppe of medicine the bitter and horrible Goblet of vennome Gal daÌ„nation tyranoussy and vnmercifullie propyned But this Soule hunter iÌ„troduceth Iames seruiÌ„g to his turne speaking at his appetite I dout not against the mynde of the gentilman whome I take to be godly and nothing content of his parte in this farce To this is answered frely of the parce of the Abbote in this maner Trew it is albeit Iesus Christ our Sauiour hes appointed be his word and Scripture all thinges necessare for manis Saluation as towarde the substance and effect nottheles as towarde the ceremonies and maner how thir thinges should be vsed quhilkê he hes appointed for manis Saluation he refered it to his Kirk and Ministers to quhome he hes promised the Spirit of veritie to the end of ye warld And so furth Wold to God ye vnderstude what ye haue here said in the former parte of your answer but I feare ye play here the parte of Caiphas wheÌ„ he prophecied that it wes meit and necessarie that one should die for the people not knowing what he had said This godly Reader hath bene continually and is the whole trauell and studie of the godly preachers to assure vs of the infinite and perfect wisdome of our God vtterred in his Scriptures of the sufficiencie of his word which this fyue or six hundreth yeares hath bene kept in a most horrible bondage by the tyraÌ„ny of them that vanted themselues be the tytles of Pastors to the soire complaint of the godly in al aiges and the haynus horrible entreating of the poore flok redeamed with the precius blood of Iesê° Christe This good word that it may wel and euidently appeare that thou euer reteanest thy owen nature as it is fallen furth of a certane euenture so it is wrapped suedled vp with the vennemous dregge of Papistrie and the fond imaginatioÌ„ of thy owen hart so that scaerflie can it appeare for thou adiunest I can not tell what distinguo toward the substance sayest thou all is conteined in scriptures necessarie for our Saluation and not towarde the ceremonies What if I should say to thee pas thy way with thy ceremonies that thou callest and I will content me with the mater and substance what could thou obiect Thou speakest all Magistraliter Sorbonice assuming all that thou sayest without any probation What callest thou ceremonies that thou vrgest here to be so necessarie The exemple adduced by you will declaire and I trust we shall aggre as by exemple Followeth in our Text our Sauiour when he institute Baptisme he commanded his Apostles that thay should Baptise in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the haly Gaste he appointed nether tyme nor place nor quha sould beir witnes to them that war Baptised Here ye may obserue that this Author called the tyme and place ceremonies which are not ceremonies but as I haue tearmed them heretofore circumstances the determination and appointing whereof I moste willingly submit vnto the wisdome and discretion of the congregation of the faithful and godly not to the wicked and pernicius but to the trew teachers and not to the Reuenus Volfes to the humble and lowly and not to the horned Bishopes bloody Cardinalles and the head and cheif of that whole rable the Antichriste of Rome who hath so hemd in and obscured the holy ordinances of God with their beggerly
to the veritie the treuth and the body in the new without a great Sacriledge Samson is the figure of our Sauiour we read that he played the harlote shal we werifie this of our Sauiour Dauid lykewise being the figure of Christe wes an adulterare and to the crime of Adulterie ioyned slaughter Shal we affirme this of the body which is Christe Salomon wes the moste liuely figure of all and yet he wes caried away a whoring after fals Gods and Idoles at the appetite of his wifes Wil ye find any thing correspondent to this in our maister God forbidde we so think or that any such thoght enter into our hartes So ye see manifestly that of all thing is found in the figure we oght not to feak the lyke in the veritie as we shal shew in the Pashall Lambe shortly We read plainely in the Text that Melchisedec broght furth bread and wyne and that to conforte Abraham and his Armie as before we haue said In deid we may finde not vnlyke to this in Christe that at sindrie tymes in the wildernes he fed the people that followed vpon him they being destitute of sustentation and wearied of the iorney yea and in the latter Supper he gaue bread and wyne to his Disciples And yet I will go further with you that in the Lordes Table we offer vp bread and wyne to be sanctified of the Lorde and that it may be made a Sacrament by him These thinges as I will not deny so they may somwhat conuene But that he made oblation of bread and wyne vnto his Father in any such condition as ye pretende as Melchisedec made none at all so his doing can not serue you to proue your intent yea and when all should be granted to you what strenth I pray you is in an allegorie to set vp any doctrine and make it of authoritie none at all But seing the Spirite of God passeth by this with silence we may iudge it altogether strainge from the purpose If this sobrietie were in this doctor he should not thoâ—e him self to be thus caried away God send you his holy Spirite to lighten your hart and oppeÌ„ your eyes that ye may see and purge your smelling that ye may smell oute Gods treuth and embrace the same Let vs come to the exemple That is na dout sayeth he but the Pascall Lambe was a figure of the Sacrifice of the croce Nottheles that figure was corespondeÌ„t in all partes to it that was done in the latter Supper For quhy we reid that the Lambe was offerred in Sacrifice of the Hebreains in recordation of the benefite the quhilk the people of Israel was deliuered fra the seruitude of Pharo and bringing out of Egypt bot the Sacrifice of the croce was not in recordation of ony benefite bot it was the self benefite the same self liberation fra sinne the same self Redemption fra the captiuitie of the Deuill Quhairfore it was necessare that be the immolation of the Pascall Lambe ane vther immolation besydes it done on the croice sould be signified the quhilk in the latter supper was done than man we conclude coÌ„forme to the Scriptures that lyke as the Sacrifice of the Pascall Lambe wes a coÌ„memoration of benefite and gudenes of Almichtie God toward the people of Israell quhair thay deliuered fra the seruitude and tyranny of Pharo euin sa is the Sacrifice of the Lordes body in the latter Supper called the masse a perpetuall commemoration and remembrance of the gret gudnes of Almichty God quhair he deliuered the haill warld fra the tyranny and seruitude of the Deuill be the Sacrifice of the croce sa the Sacrifice of the croce and the Sacrifice of the masse in all partes are correspondent to the figure and Sacrifice of the Pascall Lambe Now will I call vpon the heauen and the earth to beare recorde to it that shal be now tossed betuix me and this Author and how substancially he proceadeth in the probatioÌ„ to proue by the Pasouer two Sacrifices one in the latter Supper an other of the croice Your conclusion is plaine that by the immolation of the Pashall Lambe an other immolation besydes it wes done vpon the croice shoulde be signified the which say ye wes done in the latter Supper And so will ye of a Sacrifice in figure make two to start furth Ether must ye say that in that the Pasouer Lambe wes Sacrificed it wes a figure of the immolation of our Sauiour vpon the croice or then it wes a figure of that oblation that wes made as ye pretend in the Supper take your chose ye shall neuer conclude of it two immolations as ye fondly trauel to proue To it of the Supper I can nowise aggre for then the veritie shall not coresponde to the figure In the Supper there wes no shedding of blood as wes in the immolatioÌ„ of the Lambe which is the principall point belonging to the nature of a Sacrifice but ye will answer that the LaÌ„be wes offered in recordation of their deliuerance I answer that is verie fals for it wes principally to serue to the figure of that deliuerance and Sacrifice whereby all Sacrifices hath their vigure and by the which we haue all deliuerance to wit the Sacrifice of the croice Ye will obiect That the Sacrifice of the croice was not a recordation of the deliuerance of vs fra the tyrranny of Sathan bot the deliuerance it self That I answer is lykewise fals speaking as ye do strictly For it is onely the instrument by the which of the part of our Sauiour deliuerance and Saluation are purchased vnto vs that beleueth in Iesus Christe Bot it was the Pascal Lambe wil ye say that was offered vp in recordatioÌ„ of thair deliueraÌ„ce In that I say it doeth aggre with the Supper of the Lorde that lyke as in it we are commanded to celebrate the Lordes death till he come so were they to haue remeÌ„brance of their deliuerance so that this is not in respect of the offerring which principally is to be referred to the Sacrifice of the croice whereof all Sacrifices were figures but in consideration of the Lordes Table which wes to be placed and succead in the roume of it and this to be the verie Bermane interpretation of that place it is moste plaine by the Apostle Paule 1. Cor. 5. where he affirmeth Christe to be offered vp our Pasouer and so exhorteth vs to be mirrie and reioyse without any mention of Sacrification and offerring vp of him vnder the formes of bread and wyne Trew it is that in euerie ceremonie vnder the Lawe we haue to consider thre sindrie thinges the first is a coÌ„memoration of some benefite receaued as no dout the Pasouer in coÌ„sideration that it wes a Sacrament broght them in mynde of their deliuerance out of Egypt Secondly we haue to receaue it as an vmber or figure of Christe Iesus as the offerring vp of the Lambe the spilling of
veritie y t the Disciples of the Apostles had the trew vnderstanding of all the mysteries of the Scripture necessare to be knawin for ane Christiane maÌ„nis saluatioÌ„ speciallie of the profound mysterie of the Supper of the Lorde Quhareof is gathered the Sacrifice of the Masse Quharefor I am desyrus to knaw the sayingis of ye auld wryttars speciallie of thaim y e war Disciples to the Apostles of the Masse giue thay mak mention of it in thare workes Heretofore some releif had I of yow brother But now being becumin no les Inimie to this cause nor the Abbot hiÌ„self here ye must not be offeÌ„ded brother Iames if I shal renuÌ„ce forder amitie to your I trust ye speak not this of your owen head but as your Tutoure hath instructed you Here I must schew to you where ye chope to wit in this that ye do think the trew vnderstanding of the mysteries of the scripture to consiste in proximitie of tyme or in familiaritie with the Apostles foreclosing the graces of God and bynding them to a certane age and tyme meanyng that the familiaritie of the Apostles might make stedfastnes and constancie I wold not any man should think that I speak this in preiudice of the ancients Which I with al my hert reuereÌ„ce But I wold not that the foreconceaued opinion of there authoritie should preinge the action of veritie and that no man shoulde think this to be sufficient to establishe any doctryne to say the man who wes the familiare of Paule and this of Ihon the Disciple sayeth and so to conclude it to be allowed as godlie I am assured there be none of there Disciples of that they wer reached by them wyll establishe any other thing nor the Spirite of God approued in his Scriptures But we know there complaintes and the forewarnyng of the Apostles Ihon in his Canonick they haue passed furth of vs but they were not of vs and S. Paule exhorteth the ouersears of Ephesus to tak head and be vigilant for of them selues sayeth he shall ryse vp men speaking wicked thinges immediatlie efter my departing yea rauenus Wolffes hauing no pitie on the floke and so furth Whereby we may gather that it is not yneugh to haue bene familiare and familiarlie instructede by the Apostles no not by Iesus Christ him self vnles we considdre if they be of there Disciples in dede which is knowen by conference of there writtinges with the doctryne of the Apostles if they aggre not we may wel affirme with Ihon they passed furth frome them but they were not of them This mater is so plaine that it nedeth no forther probation in my iudgement Now cumeth our author and difâ—endeth to the sayinges of the Fathers Which he hath gathered out of there werkes as he thoght they myght serue to his mater and first he recyteth Testimony of Ignatius in his Epistle Ad smirninses It is not leiful to offre nor to mak Sacrifice nor say masse without the Byschops authoritie and consent These wordes of this Ancient doctor ye vnderstande and expone of your vnsauorie Sacrifice altogether prophane Which I am sure if he wer a lyue he should say he neuer knâ—w nor yet ment of any such impietie The sentence and the mynd of this author may be easalie gathered for there his cheif aÌ„d principall studie is that discorde may be auoyded in the assemblies and conuentions of the people The which cryme the Apostle Paule layeth scharply to the charge of the Corinthians Herefore sayeth he it shall not be leiful without any kynde of difference and ordour to all and euery one to conueyne the people to haue publique assemblies and there to offre vp Sacrifice that is to preache the doctryne of Saluation to offre vp prayer and action of thankes in name of the whole Conuention for these exercises according to the custome of the old testament yea the new ar called sacrifices by the fathers the Apostles and there disciples and such others that it should not be leifull to euery man to conueyne the people without a charge to the practeis of the Lordes Supper called there planelie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Conuention of them that shall practeis the Lordes Table I haue compleyned before of the ignorance of Greik Latine tounges the Ignoration whereof no doute hes moued vs a great part of this busines specialie hauing to do with men that vnderstandeth not the ê“prietie of them It is plaine that Epiphanius vnderstandeth by this miss â— the publique Conuentioun of the people to the seruice of God to here the Preaching the Prayers made thankes geuen and the Lordes Table and such other godlie exercises in which the primitiue Church did exercise them selues as we may be teached by Socrates in the Tripartite Historie recyting the ordour of the Church of Alexandria Where the Scripture wes rede exponed Prayers made the Communion distributed and oblatioÌ„ made that is a certane gathering for the poore and Iustinus in his Apologie for the Christians For as in the old TestameÌ„t the people conuened at certane tymes to offre vp the Sacrifices of Kiddes Lambes and suche others conforme to the commandement made in the law So now in the new Testament by the Superintendents Elders Ministers the people is conueyned for a certane ordoures cause and offreth vp vituios labiorum the Sacrifice of prayse thankes and Prayers Now followeth Clemens whom this author affirmeth to haue bene S. Peters Disciple if he wes I know not I haue recyted the IudgemeÌ„t of Clemens Alexandrinus of him damning him planelie and that out of Eusebius But I fynd not that the wordes of Clemens can any wayes hurte which are Nane of the Preistis sal say Masse in his Paroche nor Baptise nor do ony vther thing without permission of the Byschope thir sayingis the Apostles resauit of the Lorde and gaue tyll vs and we teache y â— sam and commandis zow to hade and teache to al men without reprehensioun These wordes may be euen so vnderstand as the sentence of Ignatius for all tendeth to a scope but this writter in dede because I fynd him full of superstitions ether is he by wicked men adulterate as we know the Papistes to haue interiected many wicked senteÌ„ces in the writtings of godlie and Catholique men or if he writeth of his owen head I dar bouldly affirme that he wes no Scoler of Peter but as Ihon speaketh he passed furthe frome him but wes not of his and this is the opinion of Clemens Alexandrinus Who planely condamned this your Clemens Epistles Followeth Alexander quha wes martyred for the faith of Christe fourtene houndreth 30. nyne zeris bypast wryttis on this maner our Lordis Passion is to be rehears it in all Solemnities of the Masse with sick Sacrifice the Lorde is delyted and pacifeit and wyll forgeue gret Sinnes for amang the Saccrifice thare can be na thing greater than
our God the same is forbidden The abbote is lyke a wower in this sclandering of the preachers The abbote tryumpheth befor the victorie Deut. 4.12 This wes spoken by the holie Goste for a perpetuall precept in the seruing and worshipping of God Of what force Argumentum a nota nominis mayâ—e in the Sriptures Euerie ordinaÌ„ce of God in the scripture haeth a name proper to it self Cor. 10.11 The whole action of Christ at the table that night he wes betrayed hath diuers names proper by it self The name of the masse is not in the scriptures Here may be sene how sure grounde the papister haue for their masse The abbote is deaceued through ignoraÌ„ce of the Greik tongue The papisticall Doctors can not shaw fed what laÌ„gauage the name of the masse is come How ita missa est came in firste The abbottes first diâ—finition of the papisticall masse The abbottes Second diffinitioÌ„ of the said masse What diffinition is required according to the scoole men What significatioÌ„ the sacrifices in the scriptures may haue whereof the first reid here The second significatioÌ„ that the Sacrifices expressed iÌ„ the Scriptures haue The harlot preist â—iceaued the simple people Christe alone is the preist and none other Hebr. 7. Why in the olde Lawe ther wes many Preistes There is no shedding of blood in the masse and therefore no remissioÌ„ of sinnes If Christ be offered in euerie masse as the papistes say theÌ„ must he be slaine euery day aboue a thousand tymes The papistes subteltie deceat in taking away one part of the sacrament Ane answer to the secoÌ„d diffinitioÌ„ of the masse In the masse there is nothing-lyke the Lordes Supper 1 Cor. 14.23 There is no commandement in Christes institutioÌ„ to offer vp Christes body In the coÌ„munioÌ„ there is nothing added to nor deminished away by vs from Christes insticution A crafte of Satan alwayes to punish and cut of the scripturâ— Onelie the Papistes tuk these wordes This is my body and left out the rest To whoÌ„ the Papistes are lyke The abbotes purpose is to stablish the wicked 〈◊〉 The papistes alwayes brage of Peter Paule yet â—ollow theÌ„ nothing as may well appeare All that the Papistes now vse by the doctrine of the Apostles is vtterlie damned The Papistes oght to be wheipped out of the Churche of God 13 Tract vpon Iohn Because their offerrings wanteth the promes they be altogether blasphemous Psal. 50. The actioÌ„ of the Lordes Table haeth a commaÌ„dement and a promes The hole ê“ceding in the papistrie wanteth not great prophanation of the holie mysteries The souÌ„d of the worde vanished but the vertew thâ—reof by â—eth Rom. 10.8 Acte 15. 1 Pet. 3.21 By preaching of the word is faith iÌ„creased What the papistes vndersâ—aÌ„d by the word ioyned to the SacrameÌ„tes August Tract vpon Iohne 50. 1. Cor. 10 Augusts Eipstile to Bonifaciê° 2â— August con AdamaÌ„ Manichesi Augusti in the. 3 â–ª Psalme As the cuppe is the couenant in the blood so is the bread the couenaÌ„t in the bodie of our Sauioure Christe Eccius Cochleê° Hosius Stanissaê° be the abbotes companinos It is moste shame for him that taketh vpon himself greatest perfection to be found an ignorant How the wordes of Chrisostome oght tobe vnderstand what the ancentis vnderstand by changiÌ„g in the sacrametes Christ is boith the bankede and the bankede giuer We must consider the brad aÌ„d wyne in the holy Supper to be dedicated to an holy are vse then to feade oure bodies The chaÌ„ge is to be referred to the myndes consciences of the receauers Christe commanded vs not to sanctifie breade wyne to chaÌ„ge them but that we shoulde tak them c. The vse of the elemeÌ„ts be changed at the lordes table but not there substance Chrisost. maketh no meÌ„tion of an alter but of a table Sathan him self could neuer so impudeÌ„tlie wrâ—sâ— the scriptures as doeth this Abbote here It was not the bread but Christes natural body that was broken for vs Ye papist is mark the falset here and be ashamed Gala. 3. Psal. 19. How Christ is said to be crucified iÌ„ all places Euen as the Apls wordes may be taken metaphorically likewyse the Prophetes sainges Iere. 7. Psam 50 The principall cause of the masse and of all heresie is the gredy belly Hiero. in Iere. â–ª 4 Harken ye papistes your masse is oldertheÌ„ ye know The wordes of Ierome expounding this place alledged by the papists out of the â— cha of malachie None of the Ancients euer knewe this Papisticall Masse Why the Ancients vse this worde Sacrifice What is offered to God by the faithfull people What is the offering of the faithful preacher Rom. 15. Sathan coÌ„pelleth the wycked to abuse the holy scriptures The deuersitie of oratioÌ„ prayer almus alledged by the papiste The byers of masses are miserablie deceaued Pryde blindeth the Papistes The primitiue Churche neuer â—â—en the Popishe masse The church of god hath nothing to do w t coÌ„tentius Persones It maye be well sene that the Papists pryde them selues greatlye in lyeng The Papistes wrest the Anciente Fathers sayinges rehearseth places oute of them that can neuer be found in them The natur of the treuth is to distroi falshead which is derect contrary thereto The treuth of Godis word coÌ„foundeth the blasphemus falshead of the papistes Papistis we maye not beleue yow without ye shewe zour warrande of offering The Apostle sayth playnlie that without effusion of blood there wes no oblatioun for Sinne. The differeÌ„ce betuixt the sacrifice of the old and new testameÌ„t The Papistes bringing vp a Iudaisime make the sacrifice of Christ imê“fyte The Papistis affirme that they drink in their masses the blood of Christ and yet they call it an vnbloodye sacrifice ad cloke with treuth is alway is scabrus and vncleane Melchisedec not as the preist of God offered bread and wine but as king of peace broght furth bread wine to reâ—resh 〈◊〉 his companie Psal. 110 Papists be ware of your coÌ„paring lest ye ourethraue your traÌ„substancâ—ation What coÌ„fort the supper of our lord bringeth to the faithfull The Papistis will not learne this lessoÌ„ Christ feleth not the barbarus crueltie of the papistes Christ accomplished the office of his priesthead when he offered vp his body in sacrifice on the crosse The Masse maketh successors to Christe wich is a great blasâ—â—eme Hebr. 7. Hebr. 4. Libro 2. coÌ„tra Paâ— men Cap. 8. There was neuer so great multitude of sacrifices in this world as the antichrist haeth iuented The 3. ê“pertie of the masse The masse is a new maner of tastament What Christe taught his disciples The Sacrament assureth vs of all maner of goodnes in Christ The papists call their masse a coÌ„memoration an applycation of Christes death passion Gal. 6. Ephe. 5. The romishe doctrine coÌ„cerniÌ„g their Idol masse moste abhominable The doctrine of the trew faithful ministers Filthy detestable blasphimers caÌ„ neuer
Sacraments in their owen simplenes and integritie Since of such circumstances there is nothing commanded and they touch not the substance of the mater But in few wordes plainly to answer our captius Momus in appoiÌ„ting a seuerall tyme to the vse of the Lordes Table other then at after Supper in so doing I say we do rightly abyding in that libertie which our maister and lawmaker hath graÌ„ted vnto vs In these wordes do this as oft as ye do it in remembrance of me in saying as oft our maister maketh all tyme fre vnto vs. Now where it is here obiected that Christe did coÌ„municate onely to his tuelf Apostles and that we receaue all men and wemen indifferently It is not clearly declared by the Euangelistes if there wes no mo then present with our Sauiour It is moste probable that there wes mo for it is not to be supposed that the godly and religius ladies that coÌ„tinually did follow him yea and in the moste troublus and dangerus tymes did not leif him that they were not present then when he gaue and left to his Church the moste quick and confortable testimonie of his coniunction with them But all is a mater for albeit that it were so that the onely tuelf were admitted to the Table yet we know and reades a plaine commandement giuen to them so to do as he had done that is to diuide and distribute the bread Attoure we be well instructed by the Spirite of God speaking by Paule to the Corinthianes that he receaued of the Lorde that which he gaue vnto them he subiuneth that they should communicat and without any defference all to be admitted one tarying for another We haue the practise of the Apostles the suffrage of all antiquitie yea and ye your selues how durst ye take vpon you to giue the Symbole of the Lordes body if ye pretend no coÌ„mandement nor exemple of the Lorde But this is the continuall practise of Sathan to damne in all others that which they do them selues And in this that we vrge thus earnestly the communion which can not be with out distribution there is no such danger as thou pretendest of subuersion of our whole Faith and Religion For we affirme plainely that our Religion can not stand if we shall not beare that reuerence vnto the ordinances constitutions of the same that we decline not one iote from the reule that is layed before our eyes by the Lord Iesus And howsoeuer thou vnderstandest this that thou subiunest that if we shall do nothing but it that the Lorde Iesus did we shall incurre the same danger of peruerting of all Whereby appearently thou will affirme in outwarde â—â—â—nges and ceremonies that the preceptes be not so firme and established but they may be innouated and changed yea euen in this holy action To this answereth Cypriane in his Epistle Contra Aquarios where he affirmeth the preceptes of this Saâ—arment to be of moste great weight and Christe him self doeth he not pronounce him to be the least that is none in the Kingdome of heauen that shal dissolue or break the least one of his commandementes Read I pray thee the 4 and 12. of Deuteronomion and the. 15. of Nombers where we be plainely teached that he will not suffer one of his ceremonies to be changed Yet we will grant that there is some defference in the preceptes of God For some we grant to be of that nature that no wayes we can be absolued from them as all the preceptes that commandeth and forbiddeth of the which the whole Law and the Prophetes dependeth the summe whereof is the loue of God and our nighbour Others there be that we are not oblist to but when the tyme the place and other commodities requireth and vrgeth as the Hebrewes were not oblist to offer vp Sacrifices in all places nor yet at all tymes but in the place chosen by God and the tyme appointed by his wisdome But in these this is euer to be obserued that when the commandement is to be performed executed then we inuert nor change nothing We know how Nadab and Abiu were entreated and Oza for his temeritie and rashnes and also how Ozcas wes strucken with Leprosie and such others Thus when thou practissest the commandementes of the Lorde thoâ—e the neuer to be drowen one iote from his constitution Ye take good head that nothing shal be pretermitted or broken in your masse of those thinges that ye call Cautele messe the Pagaines in their Sacrifices we read with what Religion attendaÌ„ce they preceaded and this libertie shal be denyed to vs Yea if we shall vrge the obseruation of Gods holy commandementes then is it obiected that that can not be done without the ruine of the whole whereby we may easylie obserue and espy whatsoeuer they bragge of any reuerence to God that there whole studie is to dissolue and subuert all the whole Now commeth this glorius diuine to affirme that we are not able to proue that we haue any coÌ„mandement to Baptise one maÌ„ which when he hath written I feare that Thome Armour hath bene a foote Aristotle in the firste boke of his Topikes sayeth that if any man should deny the Fyre to be hote or Snow white that we oght to procead against such one with no argument or reason but rather by extremitie and rigor of the whip how then shall we entreat this our new Scripturare that denyed no les impudently nor ignoraÌ„tly that there is no precept of baptisme of one maÌ„ if he should haue spokeÌ„ of babes we should haue thoght he should haue Sauored the Anabaptisme But what shall we say here it appeareth well that thou art giuen ouer of God into a reprobat sense But alwayes that thou pas not away without an answer doeth thou think that the Baptisme of Ihon wes of God or of man and in the wildernes that he did Baptise stones or the wilde Roes The Euangelistes testifieth that the men of warre and others came to Ihon and were instructed of him of there deutie and Baptised Yea and our Sauiour him self belyke there hath bene none other Baptised with him and Iesus Christe did he not Baptise gaue he not commandement to Baptise wes not this practised by the Apostles and because thou speakest of one what doeth thou think of the fact of Philippus in Baptising the Ennuche of Candace Quene of Athiopia But parâ—uenttur thou will make the obiection that there is no such commandement of a singulare man giuen in plaine tearmes I answer do ye not think that he that commandeth all to be Baptised that he debarreth none I truste thou will go this farre with me but thou will insist why shall it not be lefull in the Lordes Table that that is in Baptisme allowed one seuerally is receaued in Baptisme why shall it not be in the Lordes Supper the same I feare I seik further in thy writing nor thou meanest thy self To this
e mysteries of ye scripture speciallie of the word is of the latter Supper Quhareby thay vnderstand the Sacrifice of the Masse These thinges glorious Doctor be persuasiuelie spoken but they be not arguments of suche strenth as be vnuincible but shal be ouer throwen Well Iames is desyrus to here the reasons Then sayeth he ze sall considder that efter the ascension of our Sauiour the Spirit of veritie entred in the hartes of the Apostles geuing thaim full instructione of all places of Scripture quhare oure Sauiour hes spoken in Parables and all vther mysteriis of the Scriptures concerning our faith and trew vnderstanding of the sam Now man ze vnderstaÌ„d y t lyke as the Spirite of veritie gaue instructione to the Apostles of all the mysteriis of the Scriptures swa did the Apostles geue instruction to thair Disciples of all mysteriis of the Scriptures necessar to be knawin for a Christiane maÌ„nis saluatioÌ„e quha wer the Primitiue Kirk as I wald say beginnares of the faithfull Congregation immediatlie nixt to the Apostles Quharefor quheÌ„ soeuer question is for the vnderstanding of the mysteriis of the Scriptures and speciallie the Sacramentis and rycht vse of thaim quhilks but dout ar the maist profound mysteriis in al y t Scriptures it is ane assured way tyll haue recourse to the auld Ancien wryttares speciallie thay quha wes Disciples to the Apostles and Martyres for the faith of Iesus Christ to haue trew instructione baith of the Sacramentes and of the rycth vse of thaim as the Kirk of God hes euer teached ws be the perpetuall succession of tyme sen the tyme of the Apostles to thir our dayis conforme to the doctryne interpretation of the Scripture maid be thaim Quha wer Disciples to the Apostles and al 's conforme to the doctryne and deliberatioun of the generall Counsels duely conuenit to quhoÌ„e it appertenis to tak ordour in al maters doutsuÌ„ concerning faith coÌ„forme to the Scripture We be teached by the Scripturs in dede that the Apostles wer indued soddenly with the gyftes of the Spirit froÌ„ aboue which gyftes I beleue assuredlie wer not Idle in them so that it is out of all questione that the Apostles wer continuallie occupied in Predication of the word in ministratioÌ„ of the Sacramentes in planting of Churches euery where yea and I will go with yow in that that they had certane Familiars awaiting vpon them whom they instructed as we read of Lucas the familiar of Paule Marcus of Peter and such others yea and I will proceade forther yet with yow that euen in doutsum ambiguus matters that falleth in question I walde gladlie luke vpon the workes of them that hath faithfullie trauelled in the action of godlynes yea and receaue the determinations of generall Counciles but that with the reule and restriction geuen by yow conforme to the Striptures But that ye will hereby insinuat obliquelie quietlie meane that all corruption and vanitie Whereby the Church of God hath bene heretofore oppressed these many hundreth yeares the Sacramentes peruerted and ryght vse of them adulterated the worde being buried in all ignorante and proude contempt and man erected and sett vp in the place of God that ye will meane all this to haue proceaded of the Apostles and consequentlie of the spirite of God and hereby defend and restore the abhominations ouer thrawen by the blood and labours of many godlie men in this our aige In this I will answer yow feling your mynd reache and tend to this lest that some simple man shall chop here Trew it is that the Apostles had geuen vnto them the intelligence of the Scriptures and the mysteries thereof to the admiration of all men that so soddenlie ignorant aÌ„d Idiot men simple and abiect persones should start vp and not onely speak the praises of God in euery language disertlie but bouldly withstand the fury and rage of preistes Magistrates and the whole people where soeuer they passed Yet do we obserue this discretion in the Spirit of our God that some mysteries are kept from them secreit hidde for a certaine tyme as the vocation and calling of the Gentiles hidde frome Peter till the Reuelation wes made the vision came some did esteme the Ceremonies of the Law neidful which question troubled them so that they were euen diuided Thridlye some imperfectioÌ„s find we in them as when Paule withstaÌ„deth Peter in his face being worthy of reprehension Whereby we are admonished aÌ„d may obserue the wysedome of our God in handling his owen that howsoeuer he shall extolle and sett them vp yet doeth he brydle them so that they continuallie keip in mynd and remembrence them selues to be men to receaue all of God and a man left to him self what he is and how ready to declyne frome God From the lyke ignorance the Ancient Fathers Abraham Iacob Moyses Dauid can not be excused Moyses the beloued of god how cairful he is iÌ„ the gouernmeÌ„t of the people in iÌ„structing them in laying before them continuallie the law the ordinaÌ„ces and constitutions of God reducing to there remembrance there wounderfull delyuerance there preseruation in Egypt the great cair of God ouer them in the wyldernesse the mercyful coÌ„uenant made with there Fathers and renewed with them selues so that these peple wer the verie familiar scolers to the Prophete Yet what became Scarslie hath the Prophete turned his bak vp with God in the montayne when they fall to a horrible defection and haynus apostasie froÌ„ God erecteth Idolatrie yea and carieth the hie preiste Aaron brother to Moyses with them to the same impietie What an instrumeÌ„t do we think S. Paule in the church of God What trauell taketh he in executioÌ„ of the charge laid vpon him how diligentlie teacheth he the Corinthianes remaning amongest them the space of a year and one half But immediatlie efter his departinge what corruptioÌ„ entreth in that church he coÌ„cealeth it not but plane lie testifieth in his Epistles to them and cheiflie in the formare where he compleneth of the deprauation of the Lordes Supper and of the resurrection besydes many other thinges he scharplie layeth to there charge with other such exemples occurreth in Scriptures Which were to long tedious and not necessarie to prosecute Whereby we may first obserue and note yea euen a grosse ignorance to be sumtymes in the chosen and elect of God that be appoynted to the ministerie SecoÌ„dly how easalie men are caried away froÌ„ the obedience of god ryghtuousse lawfull obseruatioÌ„ of his ordinaÌ„ces What necessitie iudge ye to be in your aâ—gumeÌ„ts alledgeing there Fathers to haue bene the Disciples of the Apostles and instructed by them When we see oftentymes Scollers declyne from the doctryne of there maisters as we reade planelie of Ioas who during the tyme of Ichoiada did it that wes ryghtuousse and iust in the eyes of the Lorde But as euer the hie Preiste wes taken
away how horriblie he declyned and returned to the trace of his wicked fathers the historie doeth planelie testifie ye your-self some tymes I haue hard to haue casten furth the fylthie and pestilēt dung of papistrie to the great confort of many now how miserably ye are declyned ād returned to youre vomite the trouble that ye do moue doeth lykewyse witnes So then we haue to receaue lawfull and constant scollers who being instructed in the treuth remaneth constantly therein Ambitious proude and arrogante and such as can not content them with the simple treuth of Gods worde and the puritie of his constitutions and Sacramentes we haue not to acknowledge for Disciples to the Apostles nether yet to geue vnto them such authoritie whereby the gyftes of Gods spirite may be foreclosed or yet any thing receaued preiudicial otherwyse to the ordinances of God I am sure the godlie Fathers craueth no forther of the reader but that he allow follow it that is setfurth by authoritie of Scriptures where they excede the boundes and speaketh of there own head they geue vs libertie to reiect al 's frelie as they haue taken rashelie vpon them to wryt it This is the iudgement of all the ould and godlie fathers and namely Cypriane who in his 3. Epistle of his secounde book If in the Sacrifice which is Christ sayeth he onely Christ is to be followed then is it force to vs to here and practeis that that Christ did and that he commāded to be done since he sayeth in his own Euangel If ye do the thinges that I command yow now cal I yow not seruandes but freindes and in dede we are commanded to here him onely by the father who hath geuen him to be the Angell of great counsell and the onely teacher to his church The same reule and moderation is prescribed by Augustine to all readers of his workes Geue not thy self to my wryttinges as to the Canonical Scriptures But in them without all tarie beleue when thow shall fynd that thow beleuest not but in these meanyng of his owen it that thow wes not assured of retene it not certanelie vntil thow haue vnderstand it assuredlie And in one other place I wyll not thow follow my authoritie that because I haue said it thow shall think thy self astricted to beleue it But ether beleue the Cononicall scriptures if thow seest not as yet the thing that is trew or els to the veritie teaching inwardlie and schawīg that thow may see it planelie And lykewyse in one other place we ought not to esteme or receaue the disputations of euery man be thay neuer so Catholike and laudable as the Canonical Scripturs that it shal not be leiful to vs the reuerence saned that is due to them to improue reiect some thinges in there writtinges if pereuenture we shall fynd that they haue other wayes iudgeid nor the veritie ether with the help of God vnderstand by vs or searched out by others conteyneth I am this man in other mennes wryttinges and wylleth euery man to vnderstand myne in the same maner I myght adduce out of this same authour and otheres of the anciēts if the necessitie should require it where they lay this reule and moderation nowyse astricting the reader to follow that which they haue Iudged to be moste cōsonant to the treuth but sending them to the scripturs This moderation and reule being layed I wyll trauel with yow through the feildes of the Doctours Counciles which as ye say wel ought and should attempte no thing aboue the counsell of God reueled in his Scripturs but ought to determine all by the precise reule thereof The Apostles taketh no forther vpon them I haue receaued of the Lorde sayeth Paule that which I haue delyuered to yow our Sauiour in the reformation of Mariage goeth to the Originall institution being demanded of the cheif commandement he hath recurse to the lawe being tempted by the Sadducces in the mater of resurrectiō he ryteth not the bookes of the Thalmude nether yet the conciles and the Cōmentaries of the Hebrues but bringeth furth the plane Scripture and correcting the wicked and pernitious interpretations of such as had place to his cōming without any repugnācie or cōtradiction of the scriptures sayeth ye know it wes said to the Ancients and Immediatlie he addeth but I say to yow teaching vs hereby that bidding faire wel to the doctryne of men we ought to cleane to the sure trew and vndouted sense and mynd of Scripture The Anciēts in that they say well we shoulde praise allow them But we should not be there followers but as they wer the followers and Imitators of Iesus Christ nor yet allow them in that which is wicked this is lykewayes our Iudgement of Counciles We wyll grant that it apperteyneth to godly and excercised men in the Scriptures of God to determine according to the scriptures vpō al thīges that he called in doute wherein we can admitte no tyrannicall power of any mā which being receaued aboue all authoritie of Scripture and of the conueyned brothren the experience teacheth ws how preiudiciall it hes bene to the Church of God where we haue sene no thing but the stinkīg traditiōs of a tyrane not in equale degre and rank with the ordinances of God but placed and authorished aboue them the puritie of the worde vtterlie quenched the Sacramentes prophaned ād adulterat yea and the godlie constitutions of ancient conciles by the iniquitie and ambition of a man affecting and exerting the Impyre aboue all others abrogated ī the latter Counciles Attoure we be sufficientlie teached by the Councile holden at Carthage in the tyme of Cypriane Where he wes present what authoritie is to be geuen to them if they shall tak vpon them to defyne any thyng of there owen heades Wes not there the Anabaptisme established and erected by a plane Decree Besydes others thinges that Augustine dissimuleth not but they did displease him Shall we be accused to oppone vs hauing the authoritie of God to a councile where al thing is determined according to the affection of man Paphnutius a singulare man withstude and opponed him to the whole Councile holden at Nice the moste godlie Councile I dar say that hath bene sen the tyme of the Apostles To conclude then we wyll gladlie wyllinglie admitte ether priuat man or generall Councile that defynes vpon the matters of cōtrouersie by the Scriptures if they do not we wyl take the libertie that is purcheshed to vs by Iesus Christ say planelie that we wyll not be made seruandes to men according to the commandement of S. Paule Here allace Iames as happinneth commonlie that a man ones fangged in wyl grant more nor ye wold desyre condescendeth to more nor is affirmed or wes required that the mater shall haue the more weyght and authoritie affirmeth it of his conscience To be of