in thys holie supper for he woulde haue gyuen hys bodie to thē reallie not in the sacramente It is not inoughe for these piuishe papistes to offer christes bodie to God except they offer it also for remission of synne for health of the bodie and for hope of eternal life For other wise it shuld not be so highly estemed If they continewe still in these errours against the plaine trueth they will The belefe of a true christian Ro. iiii deny Christ For he that knoweth Christe is certainely assured that he is god and man the sauiour of the worlde that in hym as in the true sede of Dauid al nacions are blessed and that no mā can come to the father but by him For the father Ga. iii. Iohn xi doth so loue him that for hys sake his angre toward vs is pacified for he is our rightuousnes holines and redempcion that nomā Cor. i. is saued but bi his name only that he alone fulfilled the worke of our Act. iiii redempcion with out any helper And finally that he did sufficiētly satisfie Esae lxiii for our sinnes on the crosse if we beliue truely on him This is the Heb. x. ground of our christen faith wher on christes church is builded And Math. xvi he that denieth Christe to be hys perfecte and sufficient redemer by once sufferinge death on the crosse maketh him an vnsufficient priest and vnable redemer And therfore they deny Christ in that they deni his ful power and vertue in our redemptiō These Maskinge Masse priestes in their often offeringe of Christe denye that we are Iustified by fayth only ascribinge part of oure iustificacion to good workes cōtrarie to the playne scriptures of Eph ii God for we are saued by grace and not of workes And they magnifie and extolle the Masse aboue all other good workes makeinge them sēlues fellowe priestes wyth Christ wherin they shew of what generacion they be euen as they sprynge of Lucifer the father of pride nowe let vs expende and cōsider whether Christe commaunded his disciples to make an offeringe of the sacrament of his holy supper or whether he offered hym selfe therein or no. Vndoubtedly Christes wordes diligently obserued and noted we maye perceyue easlye the Christ offred no sacrifice therein To take and breake bread doth not signifye to offre To geue thankes is not to do sacrifice for elles he hadde done sacrifice in fedynge fyue thousand with the fewe barlye loues to gyue his disciples to eate And to say do this in remēbraunce of me in shewynge furth the Lordes death vntyll he come is not an offering To belyue that Christ was giuen vs the he gaue his bodie to death for vs that he shed his bloud not at the supper but on the crosse to redeme vs frō syn is not an offering Finally to proue the testamēt the beleue on the which was cōmaunded in the testament doth not signifie to offre How wyl you nowe proue your offerynge in the Masse We come to the Lordes table we take and eate trusteinge in Christes promesses howe do we thē gyue to him againe If a king shoulde gyue a ringe to a pore mā for a gage not that he shoulde be heire of hys landes and goods but that it should helpe hym and that he thereby shoulde remember his liberalitye mercye and the people myght cōmende and prayse hym for that facte the pore man receyueth it to giue it agayne to the king thynkinge to do hym a great pleasure to make hym riche wyth hys own gift wer not this a mad mā So may al such be Iudged as offere to Christ agayne the whych he gaue vs for our owne vse and profite and that thereby we shoulde kepe in remembraūce his loue and mercye towarde vs. Christ did not lifte vp the sacramēt ouer his head as these proude papistes do They obiecte and saye that God cā giue some thynges and receyue them agayne as the sacrifices of tholde lawe Thoughe they were the giftes Psal x of God Yet they were gyuen to hym agayne and thoughe a cōtrite herte is the gyfte of god yet it is a sacrifice to God If we were cōmaunded to offer sacrifice as they were then theire obiection shoulde be of some strēgth and efficacie But wee haue no suche commaundemente neyther the scriptures make mencion of these popishe sacrifices For Christ is of greater power and reputaciō then that these proude popish prelates other can or oughte to offer hym to hys father Christe sitteth on the fathers ryght hande and once satisfied for the synnes of the Atc. vii true Christen church with a most sufficient and perfecte sacrifice Dare we then moste miserable wretches enterprise to do thys thynge agayne He that doth offre vp sacrifice is better thē the sacrifice They therefore are better thē Christe their sacrifice he offred vs a sacrifice to God and do we goo about to offer hym He that offerreth vp sacrifice ought to be as pure as the sacrifice Oh howe pure they make Christ nowe He as a testament maker gaue his disciples the sacramēt in his supper none other wise thē as a writtē testamēt wherin by fayth in Christ we receiue Christes bodie bloude the vertue and frutes of the same If wee gyue hym hys testamente agayne as if he required it of vs should not we haue the testament maker in a contempt And should Aba xi not the promise in the testamente be of effecte Who ahboreth not thys kynde of blasphemie whē we consider the hyghnes of Christes priesthod and what this worde sacrifice contayneth in it we maye easlye perceyue what Iniury we do to thynke that we offer Christes bodye as the papistes do S. Paule declareth vnto vs the pristhod of christ saiing it is mete the we Hebru vii haue suche a godly and vndefiled byshop made higher then heaues whych nedeth not to offre dayly First for hys owne sinnes and thē for the synnes of the people as the byshop of the olde lawe for Christ dyd thys once in offeringe vp hys owne bodye and in an other place he sayth Christe beinge the hyghe priest of the good thinges to come came by a greater and more perfecte Tabernacle whiche was not made wyth handes that is to saye was not of thys kynde of bulding Neither came he by the bloud of gotes and calues but by hys owne bloude he entred once into thys holly place and founde eternall redempcion for we are made hollie bi godes fre mercie through the offering of christes bodie done once for all For Christe verely beinge one sacrifice offred vp for our sinnes sitteth on his fathers right hand lokeing for the thing that remayneh vntil his enemise be made his fotestole for wyth one offring he made perfecte those that are sātified Saynt Paule teacheth vs by Melchisedech That Christ is king of peace rightuousnes By these places of scripture it is Manifest that Christ
ought to be offred no more For Christes death is so perfect a sacrifice that by the one offering we are made cleane from sinne for euer And touchinge his bodie he is no more in thys worlde There is to be noted that Saynt Paule sayeth that Christe is once offered The papistes saye often He saieth all thinges are cōsummate made perfecte by one sacrifice The papistes wil haue moneie masses Note also that Christe offered hym selfe and so dyd not the churche byshopes nor priestes and thys worde cōsummate or made perfecte doeth blanke them that they haue nothing to answere for the holy gost confuteth theyr sophistrie and cauilacions wyth so manifeste and playne argumentes as can not be denied Note also thys worde euerlastinge Christe is an euerlastynge prieste for he made satisfaction for all the synne of the whole worlde and this sacrifice hath a continuall efficacitie and vertue in all thē that beleue in it and shew it forth wyth thākes giuinge for the same It is truely a great vnthākfulnes to say it is necessarie to offer christ againe an other waye for the sinnes of the worlde They seke manye euations to defende their often offring One is thys they say Christ offreth hym selfe Sacramentally thei are but ministres But thei declare not this worde sacrament what thyng it is leste they should vtter the truth The sacrament is no nother thynge then a token for vs to remembre that Christ being an only sacrifice toke awaye oure synnes once on the crosse If they woulde declare it after thys sorte we shoulde sone agre But when no man doeth resiste them herein they maye doo wyth there Masse what so euer pleaseth them They rule fortune at theyr owne pleasure Victorie in battaile is optained bi their Masse satisfaction for sinne what thinge is it that the Masse cannot do And they make theyr bostes that they deserue by this holi worke what thing so euer is needful But whē they are put to there answer thē thei fly to this euaciō afore reherssed Christe offereth hym selfe therin we are nothynge elles but ministers theyr cannon which they magnifie and extoll aboue the gospell doeth manifestlie opē and detecte theire vngodlines and blasphemi for before they come to the consecracion thei saye I offre presente and gyue to God an holye and vndefiled sacrifice for the peace of the whole congregacion of holly churche when as it is nothynge but breade and wyne And it is named the sacrament And albeit they beliue that it is not then oure Lordes bodye yet they offer it fore all the world This must nedes be plaine Idolatrie to gyue to breade and wyne the honour and glorie of Christe who gaue hymselfe for the church to reconsile and make hys father atone wyth vs. Howe can Christe offer offre himselfe in the sacrament before he is ther I thinke men maye nowe easlye perceyue howe muche their lies and answere differ frōe their dedes and masses What an heinouse offence is thys to offre a peice of breade a litle wine for the onely Sacrifice of Christe the highe prieste And shal the bread and wyne be of lyke efficacitye and power to redeme synne with the bloud of Iesus Christe But they are muche more blasphemouse after the consecracion sayng that the bread and wyne are tourned into the naturall bodye and bloude of Christ for they saye we offre to thy holly maiestye an holly offeringe holy breade of lyfe euerlasting and cup of euerlastynge health whiche we praye the vochsafe to regarde and loke vpon wyth thy moste merciful eies and cherful countenaūce and let them be as acceptable to the as the reward of rightuouse Able sacrifice of our father Abrahā Make thē an hollye cleane sacrifice that thei may be brought to thin altar by the handes of the angel These are the wordes of the cānon If they speake of Christe as they cōmōly vnderstād it how cā their Imaginacion take place where they saye that Christe offred hym selfe in the sacramente For they praie for Christe and desire of god that he maye be in suche fauoure wyth God as Abel and Abraham and that the Angell maye brynge hym to the aultar of god For they cā not take bread of eternal life to signifie the people although christ were in the breade bodelye yet he shoulde not be offered to God for that were great derogaciō to the honour of hys priesthod Great in conuenience doeth folowe to saye that the Masse is a sacrifice for sinnes For saynt Paule sayeth forgiuenes of synnes is not without sheddinge of bloude Howe is Christ then offered in the Masse when there is no offeringe wythout bloude for if there be any sacrifice that suffereth not and is without bloude Saynt Paules Argumētes are folishe and of no strength or vertue saying Christ offreth hymselfe no more or elles he muste necessarily dye once agayne and must haue died oftentymes sens the begininge of the worlde But vndoubtly S Paul doeth knowe the true sence and meaneinge of holly scripture better thē any of al the papistes For a sacrifice for sinne is neuer offred without bloud This saying therfore that some thing was offered in the olde lawe as breade wythout bloude maketh nothinge for there purpose For when the bodyes of lyuinge creatures are slayne and sacrifice is offered for sinnes bloude must be shed Thei cannot therefore proue by scripture that Christes bloude is offered in the Masse otherwyse then in remembraunce and thankes giuing And thys is done both of the ministers and receiuours For as prayer so thankes giuing also belongeth to al men He that geueth thankes sayeth not I offer any thing more than a thanfull herte and prayse to God If the people were taught thys doctrine They woulde not bestowe somuch monie on masses and vpō the foūdacions of chauntries and fraternities as they haue done throughe persuacion that remission of synnes is obtayned in the Masse not by grace promised to them that beleue but by offering of Christe the sonne of God and by prayeinge for hym Phie I am ashamed to rehersse thys abominable balasphemie of theirs in maters of God The papistes in as muche as in them lyeth kill and crucifie Christe agayne in there sacrifice of the Masse doinge no other wyse then if Christe as yet were not ascended into heauen to hys father he that doeth thys maketh Christe subiecte to death and crucifieth hym agayne For Christe entred not nor entreth in to the hollye place of heauen but by his bloud Let vs labour that Christ maye dwell in oure hertes They obeicte the if it be derogacion to Christes honour and dignitie and that the merite of hys passion be not perfecte because we offer Christe agayne fayeth Baptisme and kepinge of godes commaundementes maye diminishe the dignitie of Christe and full merites of his passion and therefore it should not nede to do any good workes This is a folish and an vnmete comparisiō The offeringe verely of
Christe agayne is contrary to fayeth and good workes For they glorifye the merittes of Christes passion when the offeringe of him agayne is greate derogacion to the same They do as a man that lyghteth a candle in a bright sunnye Daye saynge all thoughe the sunne giueth a light cleare inoughe it of selfe yet it is necessarye and profitable that more lyght be put thereto But a man maye answere sayeing why do you mocke your selfe You haue the bryghte daye in derision as if the sunne were not sufficiente wyth out your lyght So although the merites of Christes passion are sufficient to forgyue synne as the sōne is to make a light daye yet the popishe massmōgers wyll offer him vp againe The sacrifice of the Masse for remission of synnes thoughe there be none such is like a candel lighted in a bright sunny daye and so slander the true sacrifice to be vnperfect But as we se by the brightnes of the daye so by the knowledge of Christes merites we perceyue the goodnes of God towardes vs and fayeth is profitable to vs as a gifte of God and throughe faith we do good workes wyllinglie as obediente childerne but no other good workes ▪ then suche as are cōmaunded by God We haue nowe declared the sacrifice of the Masse to be agaynst godes commaundement the wordes of God and hys glorie And nowe we wyl proue these argumentes and assertions to be dreames of scriptur preposterously vnderstāded playne lyes which not onely cannot proue and affirme the Masse to be a sacrifice but also whollye make againste it It is therfore euidently perceyued that thys popishe Masse is an horrible abominacion before God That they ought to dispute proue and affirme by Christes ordinaunces wyth sure demonstracions and plaine textes of scripture that the Masse is a sacrifice But there is not one worde or example that maketh for them as I haue before declared They woulde wrast and turne thys sayinge Do thys in my remembraunce to mayntayne there lyes as who say God would these wordes shoulde signifie to offre or do sacrifice When they muste be this vnderstanded what so euer you haue seene hearde or done do it in remembraunce of me but they cannot fynde in all the supper That Christe dyd offre vp sacrifice They obiecte that euerie byshop chosen of men and appointed for men touchinge these thinges that belonge to god doeth offer gyftes and sacrifices firste for hymselfe and then for the people Thys assercion is of no vertue or strength for here Saynte Paule speaketh of the priestes of the olde lawe whiche were a figure onely of Christ as ye may easly perceiue by these wordes folowing the same texte saying No man muste take vppon hym the dignitye of priesthode cxcepte he be called of God as Aaron and thei which were of the lymage of Aaron But what is become of these priestes Al thei wer deposed and abolished by Christes death and Christe become a priest in their sted not of the order of Aaron but of Melchisedeche a man therefore maye knowe that thys place of Paule maketh nothynge for their Maskinge sacrifice And if they wyll haue it to agree both to the priestes of the olde lawe and newe Testamente they most proue whether they be priestes or no. As the name of prieste maketh not a prieste but his dedes like as a begger named prince heringe princes to be rulers of people and countreis If he claime a people and countrie which he maye rule and gouerne shal he therfore 〈◊〉 a people and countrie to rule ▪ So the popishe priestes that are priestes in name onlye hearinge that the priestes of the olde lawe did offer sacrifice for synnes after godes cōmaundemēte if they cleime the same authorite shal thei therefore haue it But thys is a harde sayinge to saye there are no priestes nowe in the newe law Let no man be offēded ther wyth for vndoubtedlye there be no priestes nowe appointed of God to offer for synnes but euerie christiā man is ordeined of Christe to be a prieste to praye to gyue thankes and prayse to god and to offre vp them selues in sacrifice Saynte Peter sayeth you are a chosē generacion a royall priesthode and a holly people meaninge therbye al christen people as by al christian men The holy gost teacheth the priestes of the newe testamente that is to saye al christen people are of muche more honoure and dignitye then weare the priestes of the olde lawe but none of these priestes can offre for synnes Yet they obiecte how can the churche continewe if we shall haue no priestes to teach correcte rebuke and exhort the people We answere that God wyll euer raise vp some in the congregacion to do these thinges And Christ hath ordeined in al congregacions a shepherde and preachers but no massmongers whiche haue brought in to the churche manye errous by theyr vaine ceremonies and maskynge Also where Saynt Paule sayeth if we synne wyllinglye after we knowe the trueth there is no sacrifice lefte to purchese vs remission of sinnes these papistes gather of this saing that ther is no sacrifice to helpe them that synne wylfullye but that there is a sacrifice yet remayninge for the fayethful which is their masse They faulsely vnderstande the texte For S. Paule sayeth a litle before the there is nomore sacrifice remayning for them whose synnes are forgyuen al readye and therefore one place expoundeth another and plainly declareth the there is lefte no more sacrifice for them that sinne of set purpose or for the that haue obtayned remission of sinnes alredie for Christ offered him selfe for the syn of those the beleue in him wil not offer him selfe againe for thē the beleue not but wilfully remayne in their sinnes They obiecte that we haue an aultar whereof it is not leaful for thē to eate which minister in the tabrenacle meaninge by thys aulter a heape of stones ioyned together whiche they call an aulter but Christe hym selfe is oure aulter wher on we laye oure prayers whiche are oure spirituall sacrifices for no prayeres are accepted of God the father but by Christ For he sayth if you aske my father any thynge in my name he wyll gyue it you And saynt Paulle expoundeth his owne sainge Let vs offer sayth he at al times by him a sacrifice of prayse whiche is the frutes of our lippes confessing his name We lye therfore when we call the masse our Lords aulter for Christ is our onely aulter and S Paule in all his Epistle to the Hebrues doth knoweledge none other sacrifice for sinnes but Christ once offred on the crosse The papistes haue no place of the newe testament to make wyth thē and therefore they seke helpe of the olde testamente And firste of the boke of Genesis they saye Melchisedech Was the Genes xiiii fygure of Christe for he was the prieste of the hygheste And as Dauid sayeth Christe is an eternall prieste after the order of Melchisedech And
disobedient children that wyll take counsayle wythout me and wyll take asecerete aduise and not out of my spirite therefore adde they sinne vnto sinne and Christ saith Math. vi in vaine do they serue me teachinge the doctrines and preceptes of men the proude herted Iewes did stande so well in there owne conceite for their tradicions and inuentions that for loue thei had to them they dispised hated and at last killide oure maister Christ Iohn xxi our aduersaris dare saye that Christ and the apostles taught manye thynges whyche are not wryten in the scripture and that Christe sayed hys Disciples coulde not beare awaie al that he had taught thys cauil repungnauÌ„t to the true vnderstandinge of the scripture maye be an occasion and cause of greate errours for there wyth all lyes and herisies maye be confirmed they will saye albeit it is not written yet the appostles taught it by worde of mouth and also the scriptures of God shoulde be an vnperfecte doctrine which thyng to offâ—râ—ne is blasphemie agaynste the holy gost considering that theÌ„ all the doctrine of our fayth should be put in question Therefore surly so muche is contayned in holye scripture as is necessary vnto saluacion to eueri one that beleueth They saye coulde the churche erre so longe time as it hath If youre doctrnie be true the true churche hath not errede whiche hath the word of god only The church verely must be tried by the worde of God and not the worde of god by the churche whether the churche that beleueth be of manye or of fewe for the churche is knoweÌ„ by the frutes and not because it coÌ„sisteth of many and hath her begynynge of the worde of God and her frutes are tried by the worde whether the true christan churche brought them forth or no if it be the true christen churche Iohn â— she heareth no nother voice but Christes her shepherde and brydgrome whiche the appostles preached to the church and if an angel came out of heauen teaching any other doctrine then thys let hym Gala. i. be accurssed if we loue and folow the doctrine that Christe taught and beinge hys disciples we shal not be excluded frome the true churche so longe as we kepe wyth vs the worde of God But he is puffed vp wyth pryde and doeth i. Timo. vi knowe nothinge at al that wil not obey the word of God he therfore which doth knowe nothinge can not teache vs religion and the true worshippinge of god if the Masse be vsede as it hath ben hitherto it can in no wyse agree wyth the worde of God but is so muche repugnaunt as what thing is most The Masse therfore is a diuilishe Idolatrie and detestable abominacion against God and the maynteners therof shal incurre his displeasure for euer thys thyng we wil proue two waies first because the popishe Masse is vsed in nothinge lyke the supper that Christ ordeined and differeth nolesse froÌ„ it then blacke to white they synne therefore so griuouslye as dyd Achas the made an aultar at Ierusalem iii. ReguÌ„ xvi lyke that which was at DamascoÌ„ and caste the aultare of god out of the temple so they haue lest the true vse of oure Lordes supper And in stede of it haue instituted and ordeinede the Masse of theyr owne folishe deuise and oppinion which is a great and blasphemouse abominacioÌ„ before god Moreouer we wyll proue by ther erroures and abusinge of the masse whyche they call an offeringe for the quicke and deade that it is an horible abominacion for if the Masse were ordeined of Christe which is faulse yet by there abusinge of it they woulde make it a blasphemouse heinous abominacion before god vndoubtedly we ought to folowe truely and sencelye that thynge whiche is absolutly Deut. vi sufficient of it selfe alredie Firste let vs consyder and expende the maner and order that Christe vsed at the institucion of thys holly and sacrete supper and then we wyll confer the abuse with the truth But we ought to learne all these thynges of the Euangelistes and of Saynte Paule and of none other Verely the true Masse which is worthy al kindes of praieses is the Masse which Christe ordeyned at hys laste supper before he shoulde suffere Luk xxii for when the houre was come he sate downe and the twelue appostles wyth hym and he sayed vnto theÌ„ I haue inwardly desired to eate thys passeouer wyth you before that I suffer for I say vnto you hence furth I wil not eate of it any more vntyll it be fulfilled in the kingdome of God and he toke the cup and gaue thaÌ„kes and saied take this and deuid it amonge you for I saye vnto you â— will not drinke of the frut of the vine vntyll the kingdom of god come and he toke breade and when he hadde giuen thankes he brake it and gaue it vnto theÌ„ saying this is my bodye whiche is giuen for you thys do in remembrauÌ„ce of me Like wyse also wheÌ„ he had supped he toke the cup sayinge thys cupe is the newe testament in my bloude whiche is shed for you These wordes Sainte Luke Luk. xxii Math. xxvi writeth the other euangelestes wrytte the same but they differ in some wordes as Math sayed Drinke all of thys for thys is my bloude whiche is the newe testamente that is shed for manie for Mat. xiiii the remission of synnes and saint Marke sayth they al dranke of it meaninge the cup. Saint Paule doth expounde Christes wordes sayinge thys doo as ofte as you drinke it in remembraunce of me for as often tymes as you shall eate thys breade and drinke thys cup ye shall shewe furth the Lordes death tell he come but let a man examyne him selfe and so let hym eate of the breade and drinke of the cup Saint Iohn doeth not declare the ordinaunce of thys sacrament But he teacheth from the .xiii. Iohn .xiii. xiiâ—â— xv xvii xviii Cap. to the .xviii. how Christ did vse his supper and what he did at it he washed hys disciples fete he preached to theÌ„ and commaunded them to be in charitie he exhorted them to pacience he strengthend confirmed and establyshed their fayth towarde god and praied for them to hys father but especially he rebuked Iudas the traitor S. Paule sayth we beinge many are one breade and one bodye in Cor. â— so muche we all are partetakers of one breade and the Euangelistes reporte that Christe dyd finishe hys holy supper wyth thankes geueyng The some and grounde of the hole matter proponed coÌ„sisteth in the sentences of scripture nowe rehersed but because Christ sayth serch the scripture we therfore Iohn v. wil are counsaile of the word of God in other plases and debate howe the Lordes supper ought to be vsede let vs first deuide thes questions into foure partes firste some thinges are common both to the ministre and receiuour of the Sacrament moreouer some thinges