still that in the sacrament is Christ his bodye and to make playne what body is meaned it foloweth which shalbe delyuered for yow Agayne it is a verâ—tie most certain that Christ hath not left his church without guides and gouernours in which be first Apostles then Propheâ—s then EuaÌ„gelistes after these Pastors and Doctors to the perfiting of her Which if yow graunt to what purpose is any talk or brable moued if more masses be sayd in one church at one tyme if laye men be restrained from commenting vpon the Scriptures or if the host be diuided in to three partes or if the laie man receiue in one kynd alone wher as all these thinges be such that being once appointed they must nedes be obserued And if they neuer had ben appointed the veritie of the SacrameÌ„t were nothing thereby diminished To what purpose then do I speak all this Truly to come at length to some end with out aduersaries and to geue waâ—â—ing vnto our frendes that in all thinges they require that which is materiall and necâ—ssary and lerne to distinct that from thinges indifferent in them selues â–ª also to appeale vnto the principall coÌ„clusion and not to meddle with lower matters before the principall be decided Can you proue saieth M. Iuell that it was lawfull by the old Doctours and Councels for the priest to pronounce the wordes of coÌ„secration closely What then Sir I can proue that there was and must be a principall head in the church by whom we must be ruled whether he appoint the wordes closely or openly to be pronounced how now then should any wise man and desirous of the truth haue talk with an heretike aboute the open and close speaking of the priest which dependeth of that other question whether the Bisshoppes and heades of the church may not rule the churche of Christ as they shall see expedient what a doe is made about the coÌ„munion vnder one kynde of prayers in the vulgar tong and of order in the seruice in which questions the heretike hath this aduantage that whiles these thinges are indifferent he maye bring for him selfe a probable argumeÌ„t and the Catholike whatso euer he shall bring except he goe to a higher questioÌ„ he shall speak but probablye and so the hearer of bothe partes can not dissalow greately any one But if we wold come to that which is the chefe in all such indiffereÌ„t matters and reason whether we shold not obey the lawfull Bishoppes and heads this question concluded would sone put to silence all heresy and settle well the consciences of true Catholikes I would faine be at an end and I can not For behold more then a dosen interrogations do folow which if I doe not answer I think that will be the best answer rather then to trouble both you and my self in opening all the matters which goe before and folow after vpon the foresaied interrogations But what nedeth that I go thorough all his interrogations and articles whereas if we be able to auouche against him any one of them all he is content to yeld and subscribe I will shew therefor which he demeth that the priest hath authoritie to offer vp Christ vnto his father Euery Bisshop saieth the blessed Apostle vnto the Hebrewes selected and chosen outâ— of men is appointed for men in those thinges which appertaine vnto God that he offer vp giftes and sacrifices for sinnes which being a generall proposition ergo either there be no priests and Bishopes in the new lawe or els they must haue a sacrifice which they may offer Which sacrifice must be of that valew that none may offer it but he which is called therevnto as Aaron was called â–ª and which sacrifice must be according to the order of Melchisedech as it is writen Thou arte a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Of which order Christ our Lorde was in his last supper as being the priest of the gentils and not annoynted with visible oyle as the olde Bishoppes of the lawe were and thirdly bycause he offred vp sacrifice there his owne body and bloud not in forme of bloud and flesh but in forme of bread and wine as Melchisedeth did before Of which order Christ is truly saied to be a priest for euer as Oecuâ—enius saieth in respect of the priests which be now a dayes by meanes of whom Christ doth offer and also is offred Therefore if allmighty God hath taken an oth and if it doth not repent him thereof that Christ is priest for euer according to the order of Melchiâ—edech and if these wordes for euer be verified in Christ thorough priestes which be now in the world and whereas Christ offred in his last supper his very body and bloud in formes of bread and wine as it dyd appertayne vnto the order of Melchisedech how can it be saied that the priests haue no authoritie to offer his bodye which except it were offred God should seme to repent him of his oth and to break it also And further except priestes made out of men should offer it no offering wold be at all our Sauiour now according to his visible forme being ascended in to heauen and there abiding vntill the last iudgement of the world And not onely by this argument it is proued that priestes may and should offer vp Christ but also by the very expresse commaundement of Christ in his last supper when he sayed Do this in remembrance of me which commaundement except it had ben geuen what man in all the world wold haue entreprised to haue coÌ„secrated the body of oure Lorde For as S. Denyâ— testifieth of the priests of his time They did excuse them selues reuerently and Bishoplike that they offred vp the â—olsome sacrifice which is farr aboue them trying first vnto God decently and saying Thou hast sayed Do this in my remembrance and then beseching him that they maye be made worthy of so great a ministery and seruice that they maye holylye consecrat the Sacrament By which wordes it appereth that the priestes of the primitiue church much abashed at the excellency of their function did yet take harâ—e of grace to consecrat the holsom sacrifice because they were commaunded so to do by God him selfe In which sense also Sainct Basil praieth in his lyturgye and masse Make me saieth he meete through the power of the holy Ghost that I being endued with the grace of priesthood maye stand at this holy table and maye consecrat thy holy and vndefiled body and precious bloud And like wise again For thy vnspeakable and exceding kindnes sake withoute all mutation and conuersion thou hast ben made man and hast ben named oure Bishop and hast deliuered vnto vs the consecratioÌ„ of this seruiceable and vnbloudy sacrifice And after this very sorte all blessed men haue euer done in the church of Christ not denying but that all priestes do in very dede coÌ„secrat and offer vp the body of Christ but leâ—t
of that manner If I lâ—â—ke sinewes and substance such as is in ould souldiars by vse and practise strengh will grow If indifferencie fauor these beginnynges And as I haue sayed I thinke it no fault with a breth onlie if I could to dryue backe an enemye And if with a penknyfe I diminishe his lustie bâ—oude lett other vse the great swordes and piekes which shall kyll his heresie Let this be my excuse vnto the Catholykes let this be my defence against the Protestantes Fare well At Louanie Nouemb. 20. A CONFVTATION of Maister Iuelles sermon THe tyme worlde now being suche that there is made no sermon or treatise so vaine idle but it findeth one or other to print it and that not without Grace Priuilege obtained I doe not mistrust readie pardon of you my dere frinde M.N. if I dare write my minde vnto you in any kinde of disputable question For if my sayinges be alowable they may be profitable to more then one and be knowen of â—undrie persons for all the lacke of print if they be not in some parte altogether so exact and perfect my forgetfulnes or vnskilfulnes may receaue better aduisement instruction when they shall not be past the amendinge bicause they are not auctorised Cum Gratia priuilegio ad Septennium It moueth me also to write that whereas according to the blessed will gift of God I may perchaunce come before I end this life vnto open defence shewing of my fayth it shalbe therfore profitable and necessarie to practise with my pen in the chambre that which may be and should be openly confessed with mouth ether in churche or consistorie And further my hart being so iustely greued wyth the lowd exprobration that the called Bishoppe of Salisburie made vnto all the hostes of the â—od of Israel although I be but a common souldiar emong the orders of diuines must therfore kepe my place wich is to stand behind so many Bishoppes Doctors Bachelers Scholars in diuinitie which in the fore fronte ar sett to fight and although my course be not yet com to meete with the party hand to hand and face to face yet the harte being greued and desire of defâ—ce arising with in me the hand is moued with such weapoÌ„s as it hath pen incke paper it doth what it can to the ouerthrow of him which standeth vpon his own wordes so stedfastly And verely I doe thinke if M. Iuell him selfe should presently vnderstand what I entend and should herafter see what I write he would be nothing at all displeased with my replying except perchaunce bicause I am not cunning and learned inowgh to sett vpoÌ„ hym which is so well prepared that he prouoketh the best of all the armie of the Catholikes and so prouoketh them that if they can bringe against him but one senteÌ„ce for example owt of all their armorie of couÌ„cells doctors vsage of the primitiue Church or scripture that is to say yf thei can fasten but one blowe vpon him then he will yelde vtterly and geue ouer in plaine feild vnto them Which opinion of thinking one Catholike to be to weake for him yf it can entre in to so noble a harte as it is very harde to kepe it owt therof then must he vse som indifferency and take no skorne if a M. of Art and studient of Diuinitie goe aboute the practise of breaking his blowes and assertions wheras the church of God so well ordered with excellent men of learning godlines is constrained to suffer coblers weauers tinkers tanners kardemakers tapsters gailers fidlers and other of like professioÌ„ not onlie to enter into disputing with her but also to clime vp into pulpetes within her iurisdiction and to kepe the place of Priestes ministers of the misteries of God before her face VVhich thing being tolerated if not alowed in these our blessed daies if M. Iuell were Metropolitane of the realme he should not disdaine as I think to be sett vpon by a verie meane scholar But his wisdome is such that he will not marke so much what person it is which speaketh as what matter it is which shalbe spoken and so desirous he is as it appeareth of one to encounter with him that rather then he will lacke occasioÌ„ to vtter his learning he will suppose in his mind one to stande against him with diuers obiections which he is trymlie prepared alreadie to answer prouided alwaies that he wil obiect him selfe no more then he is able to answer And when somwhat is for a fassion sake rehersed then for the rest that he will triumph solempnelie as though all were ouercom VVherfore being sufficiently moued to write because first so great licences ar graunted in these daies then bicause of mine owne exercise and also for the easing of my minde in this chalenge made vnto Catholikes and last of all for that I thinke M. Iuell him selfe would take this matter so well if he did know it that he would nothing be offended with the occasion wherby he may shewfurthe his manhood I will therfore write without all sparing of him for who can hurt not oneli such a Goliath with a brason head but also such a preacher with a brason face without all sparing therfore will I write as before the face of God and his blessed Angells and all holy Martirs CoÌ„fessors Doctors and Bishoppes not onely which were six hundred yeres after the ascension of Christ but also which haue ben these nine hundred yeres last passed in which time God was knoweÌ„ as he promised to make his name great emong the Gentils and that no power no not hell gates them selues should preuaile against his Catholike Church In the sight of this our God and vnder the witnes of so blessed glorious and diuine company I will declare your great florishing to be far from all kinde of good fighting and that all your talke M. Iuell hath more of the worde then of the sworde with much mouing and litle prouing In the copy of a Sermon pronounced by the Bishopp of Salisbury at Paules crosse the second Sonday before Easter which is by interpretation Passion sonday in the yere of our Lord. 1560. these wordes ar prefixed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mores antiqui obtineant Let old customes preuaile VVould not a man think that the person which vseth such a posy in the first side of his sermon were one which did much embrace old customes How can they be but very heretikes which appeale onely to the writen worde and refuse all other profe which is not expressely in the liuely scriptures of the Lorde Behold here is a testimony of the Councell of Nice alleaged and alowed by the Bishopp that is called of Salisbury sett as a golden claspe vnto his pretious Sermon which he pronounced at Paules crosse the secoÌ„d Sonday before Easter and it is this Let old customes preuaile But where is this saing in all Scripture begin at Genesis
replieth saying The holy oblation whether Peter or Paule doe offer it or any other priest of what so euer goodnes he be is the same which Christ did geue vnto his disciples and which priestes euen now to these daies doe consecrate And S. Ambrose He is saieth he our Bishop which offered the sacrifice which purged vs the same we also now offer vp which then being offered can not be consumed Wherfore seing that priestes how so euer they be in their liues are honorable for the sacrifice which they offer And wheras Christ did offer vp him selfe according to the order of Melchisedech in his last supper and thirdly wheras priestes do the same very thing which our master did before it is ignoraÌ„ce not to know these thinges or dissimulatioÌ„ to passe by them it is impiety to speak against the church and it is blasphemy in deed to reuile or taunt at Christ his bodi But yet M. Iuel wil proue his saing For contrariwise Christ presenteth vs and maketh vs a swete oblation in the sight of God his father Ergo sayeth he the priest offereth not Christ. which is open blasphemye or els he should say that he vnderstandeth not the matter For what contrariety is betwen Christ and his church or betwen the head and the body All this which I shal say is true Christ offereth vp vs Christ is the oblation it selfe the churche offereth Christ and Christ doth offer his church and in all this ther is no contrarietie witnes hereof is S. Austen saing Bicause of the forme of a seruant which he â—oke Christ is also a priest him self being the offerer and him self the oblation Of which thing he would the daily sacrifice of the church to be a Sacrament wheras he is the head of her the body and she the body of him the head she aswel being accustomed to be offered by him as he accustomed to be offered by her So that euery man may see whith what lerning and truth the Canon hitherto hath ben reproued But let vs coÌ„sider the rest More ouer the priest desireth God to accept the body of his soâ—ne Ihesus Christ â–ª as he once accepted the sacrifice of Abell or the oblatioÌ„ of Melchisedech And think we that Christ the soune of God standeth so far in his fathers displeasure that he nedeth a mortal and miserable man to be his spokes man to procure him fauor Haue you seen a man somtimes for wantones or dronkenes or plaine 〈◊〉 to fight against his owne shadow 〈◊〉 M. Iuel here streketh that kind of men which I haue not read of and none I think which beleueth in Christ did euer dreame that his father was angry with him and that he needeth to haue not onely a mortal miserable man but any most glorious creature to speake for him Yet this preacher so sowndeth as though all the whole number of Catholikes which these nine huÌ„dred yeres by his owne coÌ„fession vsed the Canon haue praied to God for Christ his soule Now God haue mercy on his sowle which so loudly belieth so many blessed and lerned men This obiection hath in part been answered before yet I say now again that the church desireth God to loke downe vpon his sonnes body and to accept it either for vehemency of loue and deuotion which causeth men to repete again and again that which they are sure of or els bicause all flesh is weake and vnclean and vnworthy to come so nigh vnto the most high mysteries therfore the church desireth that God will accept at her handes and looke fauorably vpon the body of his soâ—ne fearing lest perchaunce the wickednes of her be such that God turneth away his face from her euen at that time when his most dearest soune is present After which manner albeit the Ghospell and the actes of Christ be alwaies liked of God yet of som it is saied by the Prophet VVy doest thou declare my righteousnes and takest my testament in thy mouth Which men wel might praye after this sort which M. Iuel so gretly wondreth at and say Lord behold with a merciful couÌ„tenance the wordes of thy owne Ghospell and turne not away they face from thy owne testameÌ„t And so likewise that which foloweth in the Canon that God wold accept the sacrifice of his sonnes bodye as he accepted Abell Abraham or Melchisedechs oblations it is not spoken as M. Iuel faineth as thowgh the bodye of Christ were to be receaued no otherwise then shepe or lambe and bread or wine but the church declareth therin her wish that as concerning her seruice not as concerning the price of the thinges offered in the old time and these daies of grace it wold please God to receaue at her handes the sacrifice of Christ his body so thankfully as he receaued the oblations of those good fathers And that her seruice in this part may be no worse vnto her then those of old time were to Abell Abraham and Melchisedech But let vs now coÌ„sider by this obiection what one may do which is disposed and what euil example is geuen vnto Ethnikes by the lokes of Christians to speake against the Christian faith Arise o Lord sayeth the Prophet why doest then slepe Remembre Dauid o Lord sayeth the same Prophet and all his gentlenes and that Dauid is Christ. And in an other place of the Psalmes it is writen that God did arise like one which had ben a slepe and like a valiant which had well dronk of wine Yea it ys expresslie sayed for Christ I pray God to heare the in the tyme of thy tribulation and so furth thorowgh the whole Psalme Shall Christians in these places play the Ethnikes partes and aske whether God be a slepe or forgetfull or well tipled what doe they meane which pray to obteine any thing for Christ his sake do they not say in effect all this behold o Lord how thy blessed soun take flesh vpon hym for our sakes remembre his obedieÌ„ce remembre the scourges the prickes of thorne the nailes the crosse the death which he suffered remembre and doe not forget how deepe is S. Bernard and S. Bonauentura and thousandes of blessed men in the coÌ„sideratioÌ„s of our Sauior his passion what lamentations what questions what wisshes what thoughtes haue they O blessed fault sayeth S. Gregory which deserued such a redemer what saye we to the auncient hymnes of the church which are song in the lent the sense I remembrâ— although I keepe not all the wordes Bowe downe thy bowes o tall high tree and slake thy hard stiff graine That with soft stretching his bodye thou ease the high kinges paine what place is left for the fong of the three children All the workes of our Lord blesse our Lord And the Psal. Praise ye our Lord which is in the heauens in which Psalmes sonne and moon thunder lightning haile snow hills fildes riuers seas all beastes of the earth
all foules of the aire and to be short all creatures are called vpon to praise God may you wisely now obiect and say the moone can not heare me the wild beastes be neuer the soner obedient for me the birdes will sing no louder for all me with princes of the earth what is ther to doe for me yong mâ—n and virgins old men with younglinges let them praise the name of our Lord and who made me an officer to commaund so many I will goe no further but breifly will I conclude there was neuer kind of argument more pernicious then this one to examine the deuotions and praiers of good men by the rules of worldly ciuilitye and to iest at the homlines and hartines of Catholikes when they speake to God as one frind would vnto an other familiarly or wheÌ„ they speake according to the world childishely or according to the nature of thinges absurdly Off all which poyntes yow may fynd examples in the boke of Cantica Canticorum if euer yow haue either reade them or can with al your wit vnderstand them and then to bring those sayinges before the people to be iudges therof which haue no tast almost of heauenly thinges it is most vaine and vnreasonable Besides this he dosireth God that an Angell may come and cary Christ his bodye away into heauen VVhat a fable is this that Christ should be born vpon an Angel and so caried vp away into heauen It is besides the person of him which hath ben brought vp among lerned men and for opinion of learning and grauity is called a Bishop so to dissemble and so to counterfaict the vice in making of sporte with a fable of his owne And first the Canon is not truely Englished in this parte which he iesteth at For the wordes of the Latin CanoÌ„ be these Iube haec perferri per manus Sancti Angeli tui in sublime altare tuum which is to say coÌ„maund o Lord these thinges to be brought by the handes of thy holy Angell in to thy high altar Yet M. Iuell to make more sport englisheth perferri to be caried away not to be brought or caried vp as the truth is And bicause the Canon maketh mention of the Angells handes he fableth as though Christ should be caried vpoÌ„ an Angells back or shoulders or as though the Catholike did meane that Christ should be borne vpon an Angels backe and caried vp away into heuen But what a fable is this sayeth he for soth a very folish grosse fable in deed inuented by the diuell and vttered by Melhoserus and translated in to english by M. Iuell A folish grosse fable I say bicause the church of God hath no such carnall base vnderstanding of the place But desireth God that by the ministery of Angells which wait vpon vs and his misteries he would commaund the body of his soune our Lord to be caried vp not according to the changeing of place but according to his gracious acceptation of our seruice in to his high altar which is heauen For thinketh M. Iuell that when the Angells doe cary vp good mens almes deades or their praiers or fastinges or teares or any such like in to the sight of God that they make those thinges vp in fardels and cast them vpon their backes and make hast to heaueÌ„ warde and there vndoe their packes for the worde of carying vp soundeth in the eares of a carnall man as though there were changeing of place ther about or heuines of a burden or vse of armes sholders or back or some stay vpon which the cariage might rest which members are not in Angels and yet the scripture speaketh after the fashion of men testifying our almes dedes fastinges and prayers to be caried vp before the face of God in heauen and presented before his maiesty by the ministery of Angells now if one did not vnderstand the sense of those wordes rightly it were wisedom for him to hold his peace rather then to vtter his grossenes in vnderstanding them so basely and folishelye Especiallye wheras Sainct Ambrose so blessed and lerned a doctor hath like wordes vnto these which M. Iuell contemneth saing in his boke which he made of the sacramentes VVe besech the and pray the that thou wilt receaue this oblation vp to they high altar by the handes of thy Angells as thou hast vouchsafed to receaue the giftes of thy iust seruant Abell and the sacrifice of our patriarch Abraham and that which the high priest Melchisedech offered vp vnto the. Loe Sir if it please you to shew the finenes of your witt you may find fault with Sainct Ambrose and aske of your audience more folish then your selfe what a tale is this that the oblation of the church should be borne vpon an Angell on pick packe perchaunce and so caried vp away into heauen but see the good nature of the man he confesseth his folies and saieth he would not stand so long vpon them if force draue him not ther vnto But what force trow ye I think bicause a wanton audience is most delited with iesting against other and bicause a grosse audience conceiueth thinges spoken after a carnall sort and thinketh that preacher which so doth to be a very 〈◊〉 that to serue his audience he could not leaue of so plausible a matter Therfore saieth he after he had done his worst I leaue to speake farther of the Canon geuing you occasion by these few thinges the better to iudge of the rest Which wordes I note bicause in deed as the whole CanoÌ„ might haue ben mistrusted if any certain faultes had been noted in it so when with all his power and cunning he hath spoken the worst and yet hath reproued nothing but his owne misunderstanding an imagination which he fained to be in the Canon therfor we may iudge all well of the rest when no euill is found in those pointes which he toke to be farthest from the best The â—owerth matter that remayneth to be towâ—hed is the adoration It is agreable withe the rest of their doctrine and it foloweth coÌ„sequentlye that no bodye of Christ being in the Sacrament there should be no adoration vsed at all So that the very sure way to disproue adoration were to disproue the reall presence Which bycause they can not doe against so manifest wordes of our Sauior therefor how so euer the matter of the presence doth stand yet will they assaye to take away the worshipping or adoring of Christ in the Sacrament But that is done with so light and vnfytt argumeÌ„tes that they may serue by changeing of a few wordes against all kynd of orders in the church and consequentlye of owr fayth For what is it that you say good master myne against adoratioÌ„ Christ sayeth he which knew best what owght to be done when he ordeyned and deliuered the SacrameÌ„t of hys body and bloud gaue no coÌ„maundement that any man should fall downe to