which is the house of God And so all the goodnes which was in vs was either wholly lost and banished from vs or els corrupted and endamaged through sinne So that we cannot think well much lesse can we doe well The cause of all this is sin which as saith Saint Paul entred into the world by Adam by sin death And so death went ouer all men for as much as all men haue sinned But contrary wise by the righteousnes of the second Adam Christ by his obedience by his death passion for of no lesse power to saue was his obedience then the disobedience of the first Adam to condemne all are we made iust free from sin sonnes friends of God heires of life eternal citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem desirous to do wel and enemies vnto euil and whatsouer wickednes is in vs it is conuerted into goodnes For by Christ grace entred into the world and by grace life and so went grace vnto all men in him in whom all men were saued O my God how vnspeakeable is thy mercie and goodnesse that thou so much louedst the sinfull world that thou gauest thine only begotten son that euery one that beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life c. And if God so loued the world that he spared not his onely begotten son but gaue him vp for vs how theÌ„ shal he not giue vs al things with him Who shall lay anie thing to the charge of Gods elect And that moreouer which S. Paul to this purpose saith Rom. 8. 32. But God setteth out his loue or charitie towards vs seeing that whiles wee were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Much more then being now iustified by his bloud shall wee be saued from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne much more now being reconciled vnto God shall wee be saued by his life c. Who so listeth to know and meditate vppon that which Christ did and suffered to obtaine for him remission of sinnes and reconcile him with God let him reade the historie which the Euangelists set downe concerning the life and death of Christ he shall finde that from the houre wherein he was borne vâ—ntil he died no other thing he was but a verie example of crosses afflictions miseries and calamities And what greater miserie then to be born in a manger amongst beasts And that when he was borne it behoued him to fly to a strange land for feare of Herod who sought to slay him This miserie can none vnderstand but he that with aduersitie hath bene a stranger And to what land did he fly To a land of a barbarous language and strange religion It is great comfort for a stranger to find people of his owne nation but much more is it to find people of his owne religion Very long should I be thus to prosecute the life of Christ to the Euangelists I referre me And if miserable was his life to the eyes of men much more miserable and vnhappy was his death Sith as a transgression of the diuine and humane law he was publikely sentenced to die vpon the crosse which kind of death was not giuen but to abominable persons which had committed enormious offences and sinnes And so pronounced the holy scripture such sentence when it said Cursed is he vvhich hangeth on the tree And so Saint Paul speaking of Christs humiliation saith He became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse And all this which he out wardly suffered was nothing in comparison of that which his most holy soule inwardly felt this was the insupportable burthen of sinnes not his but of all men which God layd vpon him for which hee onely was to satisfie This so great a weight felt Christ when praying in the garden he sayd Father if thou wilt let this cuppe passe from me yet not mine but thy will be done And so great was his sorrow that an Angell from heauen appeared vnto him and comforted him and notwithstanding being in an agonie hee prayed more earnestly and his sweate was as witnesseth the same Euangelist like droppes of bloud trickling downe to the ground so as abhorred and forsaken of the Father for the multitude of sins not his but ours which were poured vpon him a little before he gaue vp the ghost cried he out with a loud voice saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Christ thou seest here cast into the depth of hell striuing with death with sin with the diuel which fel to the erth with him but their reioycing not loÌ„g endured for Christ aided by his diuine power returned vpon his enemies and did in such sort suppresse them that he vaÌ„quisht theÌ„ for euer This is that which S. Peter saith Whom God hath raised vp anâ— loosed the sorrowes of death because it was impossible that he should be holden of it And so Christ hauing vaÌ„quished his enemies satified the Father for our sins reconciled vs with him went out victorious froÌ„ this cruel bloudy battell Read for this purpose Esai 53. wherein Esayas seemeth not to bee a prophet which foretelleth that which should happen to Christ but an Euangelist which recounteth that which already had befallen him In the 4. verse he saith Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes yet we did iudge him as plagued and smitten of God and humbled vers 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our peace was layd vpon him and with his stripes are we healed verse 6. All we like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath layd vpon him the iniquitie of vs all c. And ver 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie manie for he shall beare their iniquities An admirable chapter is this against the obstinate Iewes which expect their Messiah to be verie mighty in this world a great warriour which shall kill and cleaue asunder But here the Prophet depaintcth out a man the most humbled of any that hath been whipped and wounded of God and men without any forme or beautie so had he bene handled of God and men Admirable also is this chapter to proue the Diuinitie of the Son of God of the Messiah of our Christ For who can by faith in him which the prophet calleth with his knowledge iustifie men Who can giue righteousnesse and take away the sinnes of men but God alone This doth Christ therefore is he God The same Christ Matth. 9. 6. saith that he hath power to pardon sinnes and so said he to the sicke of the palsie Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes be forgiuen thee For which cause said the Scribes that he blasphemed And so said he to the sinful woman Luk 7. 4. S. Thy sinnes are
they are worthie of perpetuall memorie I will here recite them Hardly saith he remayned any bishopricke or ecclesiasticall dignity which entertained not strifes whose cause but not with emptie hande was caried to Rome Be glad mother Rome because the sluces of treasures doe open in the earth that the flouds and riuers of money may come to thee in great abundadnce Reioice ouer the wickednes of the sonnes of men because for recompence of so great wickednes the price to thee is geuen delight thou with discorde thy helper which issued from the pit infernall that many rewardes of money might be heaped vnto thee Hold that for which thou hast thirsted Sing to sing because by the malice of men and not their godly religion thou hast ouercome the world draw men vnto thee not their deuotion but the committing of great abhominations and the deciding of strifes for reward Hitherto the Abbot who so now would say thus should be an heretike a Lutherane In the 1198. yeare died Celestinus Don Alonso 8. reigned in Castile Innocent 13. whom the Historians call Nocentissimus bare so great hatred to the Emperour Philip because against his liking he was chosen by the Germane Princes that he said these words Bishop either take the crowne and kingdom from Philip or Philip take from the Bishop his Bishopdome And so stirred he vp Otho a great and rash warriour against the Emperour Much bloud he shed for the Popes cause vntill another Otho and great taitor slew Philip and so his Competitor Otho came to Rome and for his good seruice done to the Pope was crowned Note that which before we haue said vpon Alexāder 3. against the Emperour but long lasted not the friendship between Innocent Otho For Otho willing to recouer that which the Popes had vsurped of the Empire was by the Pope excommunicated all whosoeuer should call or hold Otho for Emperour were accursed And so the Pope procured the Princes to choose for Emperor Frederike king of Cicil. The Popes be like vnto stumpets which no longer loue their ruffians then they do them seruice In the time of this Pope which was in the 1212 yeare some of the Nobles of Alsacia as Huldericus Mucius reporteth condemned the Pope for wicked because he suffered not the Priests to be maried And because certaine men said it was lawfull for euerie Christian to eate flesh and marrie at any time of the yere the bishops burned in one daie a hundred persons If this be heresie then Saint Paule was an heretique 1. Timothie 4. 3. where he calleth them that forbid mariage and meats which God hath created c. apostatates from the faith This Innocent 3. vnder colour to recouer the holy land did celebrate the Councell of Laeteran but his principall intent was to excommunicate and depose the Emperor because he had taken some citties of the Patrimonie of Saint Peter The Pope in this Councell brought forth auricular confession He was the first that imposed this charge vpon christians He was the first that forbad the laitie as they call them the cuppe in the communion This prohibition was confirmed in the Councell of Constance Almericus a learned man he condempned for an heretike and cōmaunded his bones to be burned in Paris and all those that held his opinion This did the Pope saith Friar Domingo Soto in one of his sermons because Almericus had taught that Images should be cast out of the Temple Seest thou not ô Pope that God forbiddeth that which thou commandest and comandeth that thou forbiddest with great reason doe men call thee Antichrist The Councell of Eliberis celebrated in Spaine at the same time almost with the first Councell of Nice comaundeth that that which is reuerenced or adored should not vpon the walles be pictured as in the beginning of this Treatise we haue said This Pope ordeined that when the princes disagreed in election of the Emperour such election should remaine to the arbitrement of the pope Concerning the election of the Emperour and the authoritie of the 7 electors reade Carion lib. 5. fol. 3. and 5. Therewith hath the Pope nothing to doe He commaunded the God Pan the wheaten God should in the Churches be kept And that when they carried it to any sicke person a little bell and light should be borne before it Hee ordained that the Pope ought to correct the Princes of the whole world And that none bee holden for Emperour which shall not bee crowned by the Pope If this be true it followeth that Don Fernando in our Countrey of Spaine nor Maximilian his sonne nor Rodulph his nephewe that nowe is Emperour were no Emperours seeing that none of these three besides other more were crowned by the Pope In the 1216. yeere he dyed Thomas Cantipratensis a Dominican as recounteth Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 21. cap. 26. ¶ 7. writeth that this Innocent after his death burning in cruell flames appeared to the holy Virgine Lutgarda and said vnto her that so should he goe vnto the end of the world and that for three sinnes hee had deserued euerlastingly to bee condemned but that the glorious mother of God and of mercie fauoured him because he had built a Church in honour of her holy and sweete name And this Authour saith that Saint Lutgarda tolde him what sinnes they were but that hee for the Popes honour would not write them O yee Church-men that for true prelates confound the Churches God grant ye become not worse then Innocent Thus farre Pineda Open thine eyes ô Spaine and vnderstand at last what a one is the Pope whome as a God on earth thou adorest Don Alonso the ninth then reigned in Castile Honorius the third against the excommunicated Otho the fourth and Henry the first crowned Frederick second sonne of Constantia the Nunne of whom we haue spoken in the life of Celestinus the third which Fredericke because he sought that which was his in Sicilia and Pulla the Pope did afterwards excommunicate This Honorius forbad the Ciuill lawe to be read in Paris In the time of this Pope and the 1223. yeare did one Adam Bishop of Cathan in Scotland excommunicate certaine men for not paying their tithes against whome the citizens were so muche offended that they burned him in his kitchin So much did the Pope stomacke this matter that he staied not till the king of Scotland called Alexander did it but 400. of them he caused to be hanged and their sonnes to be gelded that their name shoulde not remaine in the earth Cruell and reuengefull is this beast In the 1227. yere he died Don Fernando surnamed the Holie which wan Seuill Cordoua and a great part of Andalusia reigned in Castile Gregorie 9. the Nephew or to speake better the sonne of Innocent 3. bare great hatred against Fredericke and so he confirmed the sentence of excommunication which Honorius had giuen against him The
the supper of the Lord and not the Masse Call wee it then the supper of the Lord and not the Masse And chiefly the difference betweene the supper and the Masse beeing so great as wee shal see Concerning the name of Masse yet is it not concluded among the Romists themselues whence it is deriued Some say that it is deryued of this hebrew word Mas which signifieth trybute or taxe others sayd that it is Latine and that Missa is the same that Missio is as Remissa which word some of the ancients and chiefly Saint Ciprian vsed is the same that Remission is and others sayd other thinges The Masse as our aduersaries define it is a sacrifice whereby pardon is obtained for the sinnes of the quick and dead The Romists doe magnifie their Masse and that as they say for diuers reasons Eight of the chieffest whereof I will here set downe The first for that it is a sacryfice expiatorie The second in regard of him who instituted the same which as they say was Iesus Christ The third in regard of them that say it which were as they say Saint Peter Saint Iohn who was chaplaine say they of the virgine Mary Saint Iames and the other Apostles The fourth for the antiquitie of the Masse seeing all the Church from the death of Christ vntill now hath celebrated it with great reuerence God would neuer permit say they that his Church should so long time be deceiued The fift with many myracles which the Masse and their consecrate host haue done they confirme it which shew the holinesse and diuinitie that remayneth in the Masse The sixt they maintaine it saying that in the Masse are many good thinges taken out of holie scripture as the Epistle the Gospell the Hoc est corpus meum the Pater noster c. The seauenth that this sacrifice of the Masse say they was figured in Melchisedech who being a priest of the most high God offered bread and wine vnto him Malachie they say spake of the Masse when he said For from the rising of ths sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place Incense shal be offered vnto my name and a pure offring 8. For the great profit which thereby we receaue doe they esteeme it Of all this they conclude that the masse is holy good blessed and diuine And that we for so shamelesly speaking against a thing so excellent which Iesus Christ ordayned his Apostles celebrated and all the Church Catholique worshippeth and honoreth are heretiques dogges c. In conclusion their Masse is their Helen for whom they trouble the whole world These be the principall reasons wherewith our aduersaries doe maintaine their Masse Whereunto inuocating the name of the Lord whose cause we deale in and here mainetaine in like order as we haue proposed them will we answere I beseech thee Christian reader for the zeale thou holdest of the glory of God the desire thou hast of the saluatiō of thine own soule attentiuely to read with ripe Iudgment to waigh the foresaid reasons and the answers which we will giue and that moreouer which wee shall say to this purpose See which of these two Doctrines doe agree and are more conformable with the squier and rule of holy scripture and that beleeue Bee not a beast vnderstanding and his law hath God giuen thee Consider well if thou be an idolater or no that nought therein befall thee but the saluation of thy soule Concerning the first where the Masse they say is a sacrifice to obtaine remision of sinnes c. I say by their leaue that the Masse is no sacrifice For were it a sacrifice it should not speaking properly be a sacrament And they affirme the Masse to be both a sacrifice and a Sacrament which cannot be For so great is the difference betweene a sacrifice and a sacrament as there is difference betweene giuing and taking The sacrifice is offered and presented vnto God The sacrament is taken and receiued of the hand of the Lord by the ministerie of the minister of his word The holie supper speaking properly is no expiatorie sacrifice for of this doe wee now speake but a sacrament of the precious bodie and blood of Iesus Christ our redeemer But improperly speaking it may bee called a sacrifice because a memoriall it is of that euerlasting and onely sacrifice which Iesus christ offered to his father vppon the alter of the Crosse And so vnderstand it the fathers when they call it a sacrifice Not that the supper is a sacrifice but a memorial of the sacrifice doe they vnderstand according to that which Christ speaketh of his supper saying Doe this in remembrance of me And Saint Paul to the same purpose saith Ye shall shew the Lords death till his comming againe And if the supper be no sacrifice much lesse shall the Masse be which they celebrate in the place of the supper Besides this were the Masse a sacrifice It should be either propitiatory which we also call expiatory or Eucharisticall to wit either offered for remission of sinnes or in thanksgiuing They will say vnto me as in the definition thereof they said that it is a sacrifice expiatory I say vnto them it cannot so be for no other expiatory sacrifice is there but only the death and passion of Iesus Christ An expiatorie sacrifice is that which is made to appease the wrath of God and to satisfie his iustice and in so doing doth purge and clense sinnes that the sinner beeing clensed from his filthinesse and sinnes and restored to the purity of righteounesse may be reduced into the fauour of God All this wholy and perfectly did the Lord by his death vppon the Crosse and hee onely and no other did sacrifice such kind of sacrifice For the vertue and efficacy hereof which Christ alone one only time offered is eternall And so said he in offering this sacrifice all is finished all is fullfilled asmuch to say That whatsoeuer was necessarie to reconcile vs with the father to obtaine remission of sinnes righteousnesse and saluation all this was ended and fulfilled with that onely sacrifice which Iesus Christ offered And so faulted hee nothing that no place might afterwardes remaine for any other sacrifice Hereuppon will we then conclude that it is an intollerable disgrace and monstrous blasphemy against Iesus Christ and against his sacrifice if any offer any other sacrifice besides that already offered or shall reitterate that which Christ before offered supposing by such sacrifice to obtayne forgiuenesse of sinnes reconciliation with God and righteousnesse And what other thing is done in the Masse but that wee by the merit of a new sacrifice may bee made partakers of the death and passion of Christ Who so will well vnderstand this which wee saie concerning the onely expiatory sacrifice one onely time offered and neuer more iterated Let him read the
denote that this Incense and offering is not to be carnal but spirituall What agreement hath this with the Masse Which is a diuelish inuentioÌ„ prophaneth the holy supper Other places of the scripture alleage they for confirmation of their Masse But with as great faithfulnesse and as much to the purpose As these two of Mechilzedeck and Malachy which by that is said may easily be answered The 8 reason wherewith our aduersaries do magnifie their masse is for the great good profit that therof they receiue And of al these reasons others such like which they alleadge they coÌ„clude vs to be heretiques dogs worse theÌ„ Iewes Turkes Because we so shamelesly speake against the Masse which Iesus Christ instituted his Apostles said all the Church Catholike vnto this day hath celebrated c. They say then that besides the oblatioÌ„ and sacrifice which Iesus Christ hath made vppon the Crosse of his body and of his blood for remission of our sinnes to reconcile vs with God and to obtayne for vs life eternall hee hath ordayned the Priestes which be successors of the Apostles to consecrate in the Masse the bread and wine to transubstantiate it in the body and bloud of Christ to sacrifice and offer vnto God the father that body and that blood for the remission of our sinnes and to obtaine all that is necessarie for vs both in body soule And what greater good then this say they can be This sacrifice say they also doth much profit the dead to allay the paines which they haue to suffer and doe suffer in purgatory As we cited before of the dead maÌ„s scul of Macharius reported by Damascen Who so lusteth to knowe the profits of the Masse Let him read the Spanish houers he shall find very many Amongst others there mentioned be these which follow as much worth is the masse as is the passion of Iesus Christ Also that he which heareth it waxeth not old whilst he heareth it Also that hee shall not loose that day the light of his eyes Also that he shal not die an euil death also that he which shal haue seen the body of the Lord if that day he shal die sodenly that it is taken for comunicating he may not feare to be condemned And al this say they that S. Iohn Chrisostom S. Augustine S. Ierom say for they knew how to raise false testimonies These Articles of faith haue the inquisitors of our countrey of Spaine many yeares ago yeelded to goe among the houers which coÌ„monly are praied And if now they haue caused theÌ„ to be taken away and not suffered them to be printed in this yet doe they shew their ignorance that for so many yeares they haue suffered and commanded that with their license they should print them The cause that they now fall in account is that so grosse and abhominable lies more serue at this day to make wary the people then to deceaue them And therefore permit they such things more to be printed We say then that the Masse procureth vs no good at all but great mischiefe rather As after we shall see Now that we haue answered to the reasons wherewith our aduersaries thinke to mainetaine their Masse for more confutation thereof we will now likewise set downe some notable domages which it causeth and great aduersaries which necessarily follow the popish Doctrine of the masse And I will not be much curious in seting down here al the domages absurdities which follow of the masse for that should be neuer to end Only wil I set down such as most fitly come to mind for the preseÌ„t I say then that the Masse causeth many domages First it prophaneth the holy supper of the Lord suppressing and despising his death passion 2. In it they inuocate the dead saints 3. In it dead saints are placed for intercessors 4. The priests that saith it holde hee intention to consecrate or not and the people that heare it commit idolatrie Fiftly The Masse mainetaineth many other abuses besides the Idolatrie of transubstantiation As the worshipping of Images and the inuention of Purgatorie which is a common cutpurse Sixt. In the masse defraud they the people of the halfe of the Sacrament and this halfe doe they giue seldome and wickedly Seuenthly And put case the Masse were good yet is it said in a straunge Language which the people vnderstand not and with such gesture mouing childish toyes apish fopperies that rather prouoke laughter then deuotion These seuen domages wee proue by the same order as we propounded them And that the masse derogateth from the passion of Christ is clerely sene For the Masse which for this cause was ordayned that a hundred thousand sacrifices should euery one day be offered what doth it pretend but that the passioÌ„ of Iesus Christ wherin he offered himseâ—â—e and this once by one only sacrifice remaineth buried and cast in a corner Who will thinke to be redeemed by the death of Christ when he shall see a new redemption in the Masse Who will beleeue his sins to be pardoned by the death passion of Christ when he shal see a new remission of sins in the Masse Inuocation is a high worship seruice which is only due to God For in him only we beleeue how saith S. Paule shall we call vpon him in whom we haue not beleeued So that inuocation presupposeth faith such a faith as is founded vpon the word of God the Nicen creed they sing in their Masse which beginneth Credo in vnum Deum I beleeue in one only God If in one only God we ought to beleeue one only God ought we to inuocate The which inuocation being done in faith God promiseth that he will heare it Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord saith Ioel shall escape c As S. Paule Rom. 10. 13. and Saint Peter Acts 2. 21. doe interpret it shal bee saued Also that only God ought to be inuocated is by this reason proued Sacrifice is only due to the true God this our aduersaries will not deny inuocation is a sacrifice As saith the Psal 50. 14. Sacrifice vnto me praise or as saith the common edition The sacrifice of praise The sacrifice of praise commendeth the Apostle Hebr. 13. 15. and Hosea 14. 3 that we shal offer to God Therefore Inuocation sith it is a sacrifice to God onely ought it to bee offered But our aduersaries forsaking the fountaine of liuing waters haue digged them broken cesternes which can holde no water They leaue to call vppon God and inuocate the Saints And Saints sometime also that it is not knowne who they bee and some of them it may bee that are burning in hell An example haue we hereof in the prayer of S. Roccus which togither with the Crowne of our Lady in the 1581 yeare was printed in the house of Iohn Gutierres in Siuell The praier saith thus God which
fourth domage which the Masse worketh Yet is there no other mediator but Iesus Christ alone The reason is this for he that is to be a Mediator must be in hand with both parties between whō he is made a mediator for if he be in hatred or is not welbeloued with one of the parties he shal neuer preuaile for suspected shal he euer be holden For this cause was it meere that man hauing offended God and being to be reconciled with God it was needfull I say that the reconcilour Intercessour aduocate and mediator should bee verie God and very man for had hee bene onely man hee should haue bene a sinner conceiued and borne in sinne and so should hue nought preuailed with God And had hee bene God and not man hee could not by dying haue satisfied the iustice of God as dyed our Mediatour and Intercessour Christ and dying satisfied and payd all whatsoeuer man ought to the iustice of God Like as sinne for being committed against the infinite God was infinite so was it meete that the wages of that sinne should be infinite and so the infinite God and man Christ perfourmed the same No other intercessour nor mediator is there to obtaine of the Father pardon of sinnes but Christ alone for as there is but one God so is there but one Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus as sayth Saint Paul He onely is the Mediatour of the new testament as in many places of the Epistle to the Hebrues the Apostle doth witnesse The same which we said of inuocation say we also now that there is no commandement of God which commandeth to put the dead Saints for intercessours neither is there any example in the olde or newe Testament that anie of the faithfull hath put them for intercessors To seeke bread beyond wheate may we not goe for better bread then that of wheate cannot be Wee may not leaue a certaintie for a thing vncertain Assured we are by the word of God that Iesus Christ is our Intercessour that the Saints are the same wee see not by holy Scripture and it not appearing vnto vs yet doubting without faith will we put them for intercessours And whatsoeuer proceedeth not of faith is sinne as saith S. Paul to the Romans And writing to the Hebrues he saith Without faith it is impossible to please God Whereupon we conclude then that Christ onely wee ought to put for our intercessour and that the Masse doteth in putting for intercessour another besides Christ to obtaine remission of sinnes and not Christ onely in dying was our Mediatour But now also is he the same as Saint Iohn in his catholike Epistle saith Little children these thinges haue I written that yee sinne not And if anie man sin we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous c. Had there bene more Aduocates then one Saint Iohn would doubtlesse haue sayd We haue Aduocates and would haue named them But as hee certainely knew that there was but onely one Aduocate he sayd We haue an Aduocate and nameth him Iesus Christ and addeth The righteous By which tytle all other men he excludeth all which none excepted of their owne nature are the children of wrath conceyued and hardened in sinne in the belly of their mothers as that holie Prophet king Dauid witnesseth This doctrine so wholsome and full of consolation that Iesus Christ now is and hereafter wil be our mediator and Intercessor hath Sathan obscured and for many yeares buried it in the church Who was he that seeing himselfe in necessity and misery would remēber Iesus Christ to put him for an intercessor aduocate with his father Some ran to one he or she Saint others to other according to their zeale according to their foolish deuotion and sometimes put they those for Intercessors whose soules were burning in hell With the Popes is it no new thing to discannonize these whom other Popes haue canonized for Saints For example Pope Boniface 8. that discannonized Hermanus Ferrariensis comaunding him after he had 30 yeeres beene buried to be vntombed and burned during all which time he had bin holden for a Saint was inuocated of al contrariwise a Pope hath bin which cannonized him for a Saint whom others condemned for an heretike S. Ierome and Pope Damasus condemned for an Arrian Pope Liberius but Gregory 7. did cannonize him for a Saint Their Mule being sicke they call vpon S. Polonia when they haue fore eyes S. Lucie for the throate they inuocate S. Blase for the pestilence S. Roccus They go yet further and shamelessely for their filthy lusts put they Magdalen for intercessour the barren put for intercessour whom thinke you the great gyant Saint Christopher whose legend for being so fabulous Pope Pius the third commanded to be taken out of the Roman Breuiarie which he caused to be corrected as in the life of Marcellus the second before wee haue noted How many kingdomes how many prouinces how manie people how many houses how many persons there bee so manie protecting Gods haue they whom they put for their intercessours God our maker and Iesus Christ our redeemer sleepe Hereof complaine the Prophets and chiefly Ieremie when he saith For according to the number of thy cities vvere thy Gods ô Iudah Blessed be the Lord who by his great mercie hath pleased in these latter times to shew vs so great mercie as to renew and raise vp againe this doctrine so admirable and full of consolation the which in the time of darkenesse of ignorance and superstition was dead as it were and buried Here will I briefly recite a chaunce that vpon this matter happened It is now thirty sixe yeares past that one conferring with a graduate with a maister in Israell among other things sayd vnto him that Iesus Christ was now also our Aduocate The maister wondred at that which was said it seeming to him to be new doctrine for that neuer such had he heard or read The other seeing him wonder wondred at his wonder and for confirmation of that he had sayd alleaged vnto him the place of S. Iohn We haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ c. Saint Paul confirmeth this doctrin Rom. 8. 34. speaking of Christ he saith Who is at the right hand of God maketh request or intercession for vs. And Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore hee is able also euerlastingly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Well beleeued this Maister that the Saints were Aduocates but that Iesus Christ was the same he neither beleeued nor knewe If he being a Maister in Israel was ignorant of this what shall wee wonder if the ignorant people know it not What shall we maruell if silly old women do not knowe it That which I say that there is no other intercessour but Christ I meane it as touching the obtaining of remission of sinnes
for otherwise one may and ought to pray to God for another And so S. Paul recommendeth himselfe to the prayers of those to whom hee wrote that they should pray to God for him And the same Apostle besought God for them Should the Priest say that in saying his Masse he so prayed to God as the Apostle prayed for them to whom he wrote such a prayer were it done in faith should be good But to presume to be an intercessour and to sell his sacrifice for as much vertue and efficacie as the death and passion of Christ it selfe This is intollerable ouermuch pride Let them begin to hūble thēselues to giue glory to God who only pardoneth sins this doth he by the only intercession of Christ by the vertue of that only sacrifice which he once no more offred to his father The fourth domage which we say the Masse worketh and this passeth and ought no way to be supportted That is the Priest which sayeth it and the People that heare it commit Idolatry How great a sinne is Idolatry and how much more God abhorreth it then any other we haue already declared in our first Treatise The Priest ordayned for the Masse say our Aduersaries hath authoritie and power from Christ and his vicar the Pope that in saying the words of consecration as they call them Hoc est enim corpus meum so that hee say them super debitam materiam ouer a competent matter and with intention to consecrate he changeth conuerteth transformeth and transubstantiateth this last word is it that best pleaseth them the bread into the body of Christ and the wine into his bloud In such sort that be the Priest what ye will liue hee a letcher in mortall sinne as the most part of them do be he the greatest and most infamous villaine of the world yet for al this say they that this authoritie he hath to bring Christ from heauen in finishing the words Hoc est corpus meum and to put him into the place where the bread and wine were so that no more bread nor no more wine remaine for the substance of the bread and of the wine is vanished and gone to nought but the body and bloud of Christ the which is there trulie really corporally and carnally these be their proper termes as bigge and as great as corpulent and as large as hee was vpon the crosse when hee dyed for vs sinners This is their doctrine And because we beleeue not these straunge things which be contrarie to the word of God and contrarie to that which the ancient Doctors haue taught as we will prooue it they condemne vs for heretikes they persecute vs most cruelly with fire and bloud worse then were wee Iewes or Turkes But another more strong then they to their griefe hath defended doth defend and will defend vs from them Who listeth to know more of the roote of this doctrine let him reade their new Councels wherein the Popes by their Legats tyrannically haue gouerned Let him reade their Decrees Decretals Sextos Clementines and Extrauagants there shall hee find it at fall Let him not reade the Scripture for in it shall hee finde nothing at all to confirme such wonders Scotus one of the chiefe and principall pillers of their Church sayth That albeyt the priest were not attyred to celebrate nor in the state of grace nor ouer any Altar but should saye the fiue wordes or the foure leauing out Enim ouer all the bread that is in the market or in the Pantry and ouer all the wyne that is in the Sellar how much bread so euer should be in the pantrie or in the market so that he had intention to consecrate should be in that very moment conuerted transubstantiated into the body of Iesus Christ and all the wine of the sellar by the vertue of the wordes spoken and pronounced by the Priest should be conuerted into the bloud of Christ Herehence it commeth that no bread but the body of Christ remayning in the sacrament in their Sagrarios or pixes do they keepe it that when anie shall be sicke they may with torch-light carie it in procession that the diseased may adore and receiue it for the saluation of his soule Iesus Christ say they is in sort as we haue said not onely in one Masse but in an hundred thousand more also if so many could bee said in one moment And whole Christ is not in all the Host only but also in euery small parcell how little soeuer it be so that Christ is in the host as the soule is in the body all in all and all in euery part thereof This their doctrine of Transubstantiation they confirme first with the omnipotencie of God that seeing God of nothing could create something the heauen and the earth and whatsoeuer is therein contained how much more can he cause one thing to be conuerted and transubstantiated into another 2. They say that seeing Iesus Christ is the infallible truth it is meete that that which he saith must be in sort as hee spake it and sith he saith Hoc est corpus meum This is my body they now inferre that the bread is no bread but the body of Christ 3. For confirmation of their opinion they also alleage the sayings of Doctors In answering to these three reasons wherewith they confirme their Transubstantiation me seemeth wee shall haue answered to all whatsoeuer in this matter they can obiect vnto vs. That which they say of the omnipotency of God God forbid that we should once denie we confesse it and it may be and also without may be much better then they With all our heart we do also confesse that which the Creed saith I beleeue in God the Father almightie all sufficient that which we say is that from the power to the deede is no good maner of argument God in that he is omnipotent may eftsoones drowne the world as he did drowne it in the time of Noah and the malice of our times is no lesse but much more then that of that time Notwithstanding his omnipotencie and notwithstanding our extreme malice we know that he will not drown it because so promised he to Noah when he sayd My couenant will I establish witb you that from henceforth all flesh shal not be rooted out by the waters of the floud c. And to seale and confirme this promise God gaue him the Bow in the cloudes for a signe of this couenant c. Reade the historie To this same purpose is it sayd in the Psalm 140. 9. that God set a bound for the waters ouer which they shal not passe nor turne againe to couer the earth And God speaking to Iob concerning the sea chap. 38. 10. saith I established my commaundement vpon it and set barres and doores and said Hitherto shalt thou come but no further and there shall it stay thy proud waues Here you see that
the day houre and moment when Christ offered it for which cause it neither ought nor may be reiterated without doing most great iniurie to Christ as though his sacrifice which he once offered were not fufficient to obtain pardon for all sins that therefore another new sacrifice were needful or at the least to reiterat the old All as many as were or shal be saued not onely since the death of Christ but before his death also frō the first iust Abel vnto the last were are shal be saued by the vertue of this only sacrifice once offered Otherwise must he often haue suffered since the foundation of the world But now in the end of the world hath he appeared once to put away sin by the sacrifice of himselfe These be the words of the Apostle against which nothing impugneth that which S. Iohn saith in his Reuelatiō That the Lambe Christ was slaine frō the beginning of the world for Iesus Christ but onely once died this was whē Tiberius Caesar was Emperor which is now 1566. yeares since How thē saith S. Iohn that he died frō the beginning of the world To this say we that S. Iohn meant that the sacrifice which Christ offred did not only profit those that in the time of Christ or sithence liued but all those also which were long time before frō the beginning of the world For all before the death of Christ which beleeued that the seed of the woman which is Christ should breake the head of the serpent which is the diuel were neither more nor lesse saued then these which sithence the death of Christ beleeue that he is come and that by dying he hath ouercome the deuill In the same God whom we beleeue beleued they the same faith which wee hold held they and by the same sacrifice of Iesus Christ one only time no more offred they we are saued The same Sacraments as touching the substance that we haue had they So wittnesseth Saint Paul when he saieth Moreouer Brethren I would not that yee should be ignorant That all our fathers were vnder the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptised vnto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall Rocke that followed them which Rock was Christ This is the difference between them and vs that they beleeued Christ the Messias shuld come and we beleeue that he is already come and hath fulfilled all whatsoeuer was written of him We then here conclude that with one only sacrifice which Iesus Christ offred and this one only time and no more he sanctified for euer all those that from the beginning of the world haue bene are and shall be sanctified The Lord God which whē we were the children of wrath and his enemies hath shewed vs such mercie giue vs grace firmely and constantly to perseuer in this faith perseuering may liue in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life The holy Scripture as we haue seen mentioneth two kinds of Priests which offer sacrifice for sinnes the one after the order of Aaron the other after the order of Melchisedech Many there were after the order of Aaron because being mortall they died and being dead one succeded another After the order of Melchisedech no other Priest there is but only Christ who being an euerlasting Priest and his sacrifice being of euerlasting vertue admitteth no companion for he only is sufficient This priesthood shall shall endure for euer and it is proper to the new Testament wherein there is not nor can be more then one onely Priest which neither hath nor can haue companion nor successor in his office For he is an euerlasting priest and therefore his offering one only time offered is of euerlasting vertue Hereupon we then conclude that if the Masse-priests which say they offer Christ in Sacrifice for the sins of men be Priests instituted by God either they so be after the order of Aaron or after the order of Melchisedech for of these two only orders the scripture maketh mention But Priests they be not after the order of Aaron which already ceased with the death of Christ As little are they of the order of Melchisedech for after this order there is but one only Priest which is Christ Hereuppon it followeth that if they be Priests not by God but by the diuell be they instituted and so be they the Priests of Baal May it please our God and Lord to conuert them Or if they bee vessels of wrath to breake them with his rod of yron that they doe not more mischiefe to the Catholique Church the Spouse of Iesus Christ and with his precious bloud redeemed I trust in mine omnipotent God that one day he will haue mercie vppon our country of Spaine and send the true Elias which with the power of Gods word shal kill these false prophets filthy priests Besides the expiatory sacrifice wherof we haue spoken anothere there is called Eucharisticall of thanksgiuing This sacrifice offereth and ought to offer euery faithfull and Catholique Christian and for such a one he that offereth it not neither is nor ought to be holden What maner of sacrifice this is in the beginning of this Treatise of the Masse we haue before declared And if euery Christian offer vnto God this kind of sacrifice it followeth hereupon that euery Christian seeing he offreth sacrifice is a priest And for this cause God commanded Moses to say these words to all the people of Israel Ye shall be vnto me a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation And S. Peter speaking to all the faithfull saith Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light c. S. Iohn in his Reuelation speaking of the Lambe saith Thou hast made vs vnto our God kings priests Of this which we haue said we conclude Christ only to be the Preist who offring vp himselfe this onely once obtained for vs remission of sins that all faithful christians are priests that not once but manie times euery day euery houre euery moment so ought it to be done do offer sacrifices of praises vnto God And why ought we to praise God to giue him thanks For al the benefits which we receiue ech momēt of him touching both body soule But for this benefit chiefly that passeth all others which is the inestimable benefit that we receiue by the death passion of Christ By the sin of the first Adam we were all made sinners and seruants of sinne sonnes of wrath enemies of God and to two sorts of death temporall and eternall of body soule condemned Strangers we were from the common wealth of Israel
negligence forgetfulnes of the things which concern our saluation that we shuld not forget the benefit of his death passion did institute the most holy sacrament of his precious body which he gaue vpon the crosse of his precious bloud which he shed in his passion which sacramēt he wold shuld be vnto vs a memoriall of al that which he suffred for vs of the benefit we receiue by his death passion As often as ye shal do this to wit as ye shall celebrate the holy Supper ye shal do it saith Christ in remembrance of me One only time was Christ offered and by this only offering he obtained for vs a generall pardon of all our sinnes But hee would we should alwayes remember this benefit And to help our memorie did he institute this sacrament and willeth wee not once but many times in our life receiue it The institution of this Sacrament the Euangelists Matthew Marke and Luke do declare but most largely Saint Paul in 1. Cor. chap. 11. and in the tenth chap. he beginneth also to intreate thereof He are wee then Saint Peul declare how Christ celebrated his holy supper wherein hee instituted the Sacrament of his body and of his bloud I receiued of the Lord saith Saint Paul that which I also deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus the same night that he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had giuen thanks he brake it and said Take eate This is my body which is broken for you Do this in remembrance of mee Likewise also after supper he tooke the cup saying This is the new testament in my bloud Do this as often as you shall drinke it in remembrance of me For as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shew forth the Lords death vntill his comming Whosoeuer therefore shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup vnworthily shall be guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let then a man proue himselfe and so eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. For who so eateth and drinketh the same vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not considering the Lords body We haue heard how the Lord did celebrate his holy supper and instituted therein the most holy sacrament of his body and bloud The same order that Iesus Christ vsed in celebrating of it held his Apostles as often as they celebrated the same This selfe same order as we haue before shewed was for a thousand yeares space obserued in the Church Albeit true it is that before the thousand yeares were accomplished Sathan enuying the great benefite and comfort which we receiue with this sacrament began to alter it adding thereto many thinges touching rites and ceremonies But the thousand yeares passed the whole sacrament with furie hee cast to the earth and in place thereof aduaunced an idoll made of dough made betweene two irons which they adore and sacrifice vnto neither more nor lesse then if it were God himselfe that created heauen and earth But in all this time of so great ignoraunce and Idolatrie The Lord as we haue said did neuer vtterly forsake his Church For euer he raised vp some true prophet some holy man or men that with zeale of the Lordes house and nor accompting of the daunger whereunto they thrust their liues reproued the world Because through the Church of God was sold this so horrible idolatry But particularly in these our times hath the Lord shewed mercy raysing vp very many learned godly men Which being simple poore men haue with great zeale opposed them selues to the tyranny of Antichrist and to all the power of the world which was inchanted bewitched with the false Doctrine of Antichrist And so hath God blessed the labour of these men As he blessed in times past the labour of the Apostles meane simple people that they haue cast to the earth the Missa or Masse the breaden God which our aduersaries haue raysed vp and haue eftsoones restored the holy supper which the Lord Iesus the night before he should suffer celebrated with his disciples They that haue eyes to see Let them see and they that haue eares to heare Let them heare That seeing and hearing All the world may iudge if that be true which we say I will here set downe the order holden in our Churches which God by the meanes of these holy men hath in our time reformed when the holy supper is celebrated Hearken then O Spaine what in thine owne Language I speake that small and great learned and vnlearned may vnderstand me The forme which is holden in the reformed Churches of celebration of the holie supper of the Lord. It is to be noted That the Lords day before the supper is celebratae The minister doth warne the people that each one dispose and prepare himselfe to receiue it worthily and with such reuerence as is meete The second thing which is done is that youthes which haue now attayned to yeares of discretion doe not present themselues to receiue it before they he well instructed and taught in the Christian Doctrine and have made profession of their faith in the Church Thirdly if therebe any straungers or newe commers which be as yet rude and ignorant in religion that they come present themselues to be taught particularly in that which is meete for them to know the day on which they celebrate the same the minister at the end of the sermon toucheth somewhat concerning the misteries Or if neede require his whole sermon treateth of the Doctrine of the supper to declare to the people what the Lord by this mistery will say giue to vnderstand And how we ought to receiue it After that the minister hath publiquely prayed he saith the generall confession after the confession of faith made to witnes in the name of the people that they all wil liue die in the doctrin Christian religion The table being prepared the bread wine vpō it he thus aloud speaketh The institution of the holy supper of the Lord Let vs heare how Iesus Christ did institute vnto vs his holy supper according to that which S. Paule in the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians declareth I receiued of the Lord c. As we haue before recited The forme of excomunication and excluding from the holy supper of the Lord these which be not worthy to receiue it We haue heard brethren how the Lord celebrated the supper with his disciples and in that which he did he sheweth vnto vs that straungers to wit those which be not of the fellowship of his faithfull ought not to be admitted vnto it Following therefore this rule in the name by the authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christ I excommunicate all Idolaters blasphemers contempners of God heretiques all Schismatiques which make sects a part to break the vnity of the Church all periured persons all that be
keepe my statutes and do them The same teacheth Iesus Christ Mat. 15. 9 saying In vane do yee honor me teaching for doctrine the commandements of men The new doctrine of men doth teach that in the worship of God the traditions ceremonies and constitutions of the Roman Church ought to be obserued and that the Cannon law doth equall the constitutions of the Popes in value with the Gospell and that it is necessarie to keepe them for as saith Pope Leo 4. The Gospel cannot well be obserued if a man obey not iointly therewith all the decrees and constitutions of the Fathers Dist 15. cap. Sicut Dist 19. cap In canonicis Dist 20. cap. De libellis The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that the worship of images is a thing abominable Deut. 27. 15. Leuit. 26. 1. and expresly forbidden in the second commandement of the law of God Exod. 20. 4. and Deut. 5. 8. 9. also that the holy Spirit calleth images Teachers of lies and vanitie Ierem. 10. 8. Habac. 2. 18. And therefore in no wise to be allowed in the Temples of Christians in which Iesus Christ hath bene painted out before the eyes of the faithfull by the preaching of the Gospell Gal. 4. 1. The new doctrine of men teacheth that the worship of images is well pleasing to God and verie necessarie and profitable for the Church And that images are the Bookes of the Laytie Hee therefore that teacheth the contrary is cursed and anathema Concil Trid. Sess 9. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Christians ought to imitate the faith godlinesse and good doctrine of the Saints as they imitated Christ 1. Cor. 11. 1. Heb. 6. 12 cap. 13. 7. But that in no wise they ought to inuocate them nor put their confidence in them 1 Because inuocation is an honor due to God alone which he declareth by his Prophet Esay 48. 11. Mine honour will I not giue to another 2 Because the Saints being in this world will not receiue this honor neither the Angels As Act. ch 10. 26. chap 14. 14. Reuâ—â—â—s 19. 10. chap. 22 9. appeareth 3 Because they be ignorant and do not know vs as Esay 63. 16. doth very clearely teach saying Abraham hath forgotten vs and Israel doth not know vs Thou Lord art our Father and Redeemer So that as the Israelites in the old Testament were idâ—laters and transgressours of the Law of God when they sacrificed to another then God alone So be all they at this day that inuocate Saints or Angels wherein they do contrarie to the doctrine of Christ Maâ— 6. 9. chap. 11. 28. Ioh. chap. 16. 24. And contrary to the example of all the Saints Psal 22. 6. Neâ—â—e 9. 27. Gen. 32. 9. Exod. 2. 25. cap. 17. 12. Iosua 10. 13. Psal 107. and 11. 8. 5. c. Act. 4. and 24. and cap. 16. 25. c. The new doctrine of men teacheth that Christians ought to inuocate the Saints and to be ayded by their intercession to God because they be his familiars Also that it is a false and wicked opinion to beleeue that the Saints pray not for men and that the inuocation of Saints is idolatrie contrary to the word of God and that he which so teacheth and beleeueth is accursed and anathema Concil Trid. Sess 9. The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that Iesus Christ our Lord being true God and true man â—s the onely and perfect sauiour of the world who saith by his Prophet Esay chap. 63. 3. I haue troden the wine-presse alone and of all the people there was none with me And of whom saith the Angell Matth. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his name Iesus for hee shall saue his people from their sinnes And the Apostle Saint Iohn doth witnesse 1. Ioh. 1. 7. that the bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth cleanse vs from all sinne The new doctrine of men teacheth that Iesus Christ is not a perfect Sauiour for Christ saith it died onely for originall sinne And that by his death he satisfied for the fault but that God being iust will that man satisfie hâ—s iustice for the punishment Also that the purgation of sinnes is made by good works satisfactions Masses indulgences and Purgatorie Lib. 4. Sent. distinct 17. and 18. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Iesus Christ is the onely Mediator between God and man and our Aduocate and Intercessor to the Father and that no other can be found nor ought to bee sought for 1. Because there is no saluation in any other but in him alone Act. 4. 12. 2. Because 〈…〉 other but Christ only can be sufficient for this office which hath all power in heauen and in earth and remaineth euer with his to the end of the world Math. 28. 18. 20. â— Because Christ hath loued vs and more loueth vs then anie other seeing he gaue himselfe for vs and hath made the purgation of our sinnes with his bloud in his owne person Heb. chap. 13. And so gratiously inuited vnto him all that trauell and are heauie laden Matth. 11. and 28. So that men haue no cause to doubt of his sufficiencie power and good will but that in all their afflictions they ought to flie vnto him alone who witnesseth of himselfe Iohn chap. 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by me The new doctrine of men doth teach that Iesus Christ is not the onely Mediator but also the Saints which reigne with him in heauen and that Saint Mary also the mother of God is the Mediatrix and Aduocatrix of mankind lib. 4. Sâ—nt Distinct 45. in Mâ—ssale Paris in prosâ— Mâ—ssae de Anuntiat The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that our Redeemer Iesus Christ by the perfect sacrifice of himselfe once offered vpon the crosse for the putting away of sinne hath reconciled all the faithfull with God his Father and hath found eternall redemption so that there remayneth now no more sacrifice for sin Heb. 9. 12. 26. and cap. 10. 12. 18. The new doctrine of men doth teach that the Masse is a sacrifice for the remission of sins of the quicke and the dead Concil Trid. Sess 6. Can. â— The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that we are iustified by faith in Iesus Christ without the works of the law Rom. 3. 24. 28. Gal â— 16. as witnesseth the holy Ghost of Abraham the Father of all beleeuers Abraham saith he beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 3. And the Apostle S. Paul expresly addeth that this was not written only for him but also for vs to whom faith shall also be imputed for righteousnes Rom. 4. 23. 24. The new doctrine of men doth teach that not faith only but works also do iustifie Concil Trid. Ses 6. can 11. The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that faith is not doubtfull but assured of saluation which it hath by the bloud of Christ and