1215. And I will not héere tell howe gréeuously the consciences of the godly were by this Romishe and Papisticall confession troubled and howe they learned more euill thereby than good and howe horrible and fylthie factes were in this confession committed and howe the same serued to vpholde the power pryde errours and disceiptes of that vnspirituall spiritualtie as they call them selues But it is no small fortresse or foundation of their kingdome and therefore no maruell thoughe they so earnestly and busely labour to defende and kéepe the same But all these things thanks bée vnto God are made manyfest vnto the whole worlde The. Lj. Question Whether those things which the Priest dothe enioyne vs to do for our sinnes which we haue confessed are not to be done as the punishments and deedes of tepentaunce â–ª and whether this our satisfaction be hurtefull or contrary to the satisfaction of Chryste The Answere NEyther the confession whiche is done to the Priest neither yet the payne or penance which is ioyned for the same haue any authoritie froÌ„ the holy Scrypture but are onely grounded vppon the authorities of a fewe fathers And therfore I answere that the faythfull are not bounde by the word of god to do that penaunce which they call satisfaction neither I say to require or doo them For there is one eternall satisfaction that is to say a price reconciliation redemption from our sinnes to wit the death passion of Chryst by meanes wherof al our sins â—ffences and punishments deserued for the same are clerely forgiuen and wyped away And this is confirmed by Esai 53. the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles and chiefly of Paul to the Romanes the thirde and fifth chapters and 1. Cor. 1. c. If therefore by our workes and penaunce which we suffer that is to say if we attribute to our satisfaction which consisteth in the correctioÌ„ of our body fasting prayer almes other such like workes the remission of our sinnes the punishment due therefore or if wée suppose that by this satisfaction we satisfie and requite all those things for the which we were gilty before God then truely this satisfaction is directly coÌ„trary and striueth agaynst the satisfaction of Chryst. Or else must they say that Paule in the like case reasoned not aright when he sayd For if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then is Chryst dead in vayne For euen after the same maner doo wée also reason saying If wee our selues can make satisfaction for our sinnes what neede then had Chryst to dye Wherfore the Chuche kéepeth still that one eternall satisfaction euen the death of Chryste and héerewith doo all the faythfull content them selues iudging their works not to bée so perfecte or worthy that by them their sinnes should be forgiuen and that God by them should bée satisfyed and eternall lyfe bée purchased Here also is to be noted that the faythful which acknowledge Chrystes death to be their onely satisfaction and redemption and are delyuered by hym doo earnestly and diligently auoyde sinne and willingly suffer whatsoeuer God layeth vpon them and yet not to make any satisfaction therby bycause Chryste already hathe fully satisfied but bycause it pleaseth God so to exercise them and call them from their sinnes shewing howe gréeuously the same offende him and by this meanes exerciseth their fayth and maketh them partakers of the afflictions of Chryst. And therefore when GOD receyued Abraham and Dauid into fauour for Chrystes sake and had forgiuen theyr sinnes yet dyd he exercise them in this lyfe with the mortification of their fleshe Chryste also in the Gospel sayth vnto the man which he healed Behold thou art made whole see thou sinne no more least some worse thing happen vnto thee And therefore wée vse commonly to say to doo the same offence no more is a great punishment but yet the beste punishement And out of thys penaunce and satisfaction whiche standeth by no warrant of the Scripture is farrowed all the Whelpes of Romishe indulgences For after they had layde moste gréeuous penaunces and punyshments vppon the poore Penitentiaries for which they must make satisfaction for their mortall sinnes as by fasting many yeres togither then by their Indulgences they mitigated the same agayne and so by this meanes heaped vy huge heapes of money and so of Gods house they made an house or shoppe of Marchaundise yea rather a very denne of théeues and therefore doubtlesse God will shortly whip them out of his house The thirtenth Common place Of the authoritie or power of Priestes The. Lij Question Whether Priests haue power and authoritie to forgiue or retayne those sinnes for the whiche wee bee sory and confesse our selues The Answere THe power which Christ hathe giuen to the Ministers of the Churche is rather an office than a power for power belongeth to Christ alone And that power or Office which the Ministers or Priests haue receyued is to edifie and not to destroy as Paule manifestly teacheth 2. Cor. 10. And the keyes of the kingdome of god are giuen in déede vnto the Ministers of the church For our Lord promised them to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Math. 16. with these words I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt lose in earth shal be losed in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shal be bound in heauen the same he gaue to all the Disciples John. 20. saying Euen as my father sent me so sende I you who soeuers sinnes you shall remitte they shall be forgiuen and whose sinnes you shall retayne they shall be retayned Therefore to lose is to forgiue sinnes and to binde is not to forgiue or to retayne sinnes But bycause no man can remit or forgiue sinnes but God onely therefore the Ministers of God by his commaundement preaching the Gospel doo declare that god forgiueth their sinnes and remitteth all punishmente if they beléeue in Chryst and that on the other side their sinne remayneth and that they shall bée punyshed for the same if they beléeue not in Chryst and therfore for this cause dothe the Scripture say that the Minister doth bind or lose forgiue or retaine sinnes And as the minister doth truly preach this so doth it vndoutedly come to passe both on the faithfull and vnfaithfull For God being in heauen performeth that which his ministers héere doe promisse on the earthe By this we may easily gather that the keyes are nothing else but the preaching of the gospel and not a peculiare iurisdiction or power as oure aduersaries reache For euen as a maister of some house giueth his keyes vnto his seruaunt to open and shut the house to let men bothe in out So is the church the house of God in the which who so euer abideth is an inheritor of the kingdome of heauen those which through infidelitie are not in the churche haue no portion in the
on the thighe Wherfore true repentaunce and the right sorowing for our sinnes muste procéede from God stirring vp the same in vs by fayth so as it must not be a repentaunce or sorrow according to the world but after the wil of god â— Cor. 7. Touching confession and satisfaction shall bée spoken hereafter The. L. Question Whether they beleue that sins with all their circumstaunces oughte to bee confessed to the Prieste in the Sacramente of confession The Answere COnfession or the numbring of our sinnes which must be done before the priest with al the circuÌ„stances therof as how when who with whom how often and wherfore he hath offended is but in vayne and without all sufficient proofe called the Sacrament of confession For God alone as wée haue before shewed dyd institute the Sacraments but he ordeyned not this confession to be any of them neither did he commaunde it as necessarie to our saluation For the holye Scripture teacheth an other maner of profitable and necessarie kinde of confession and byddeth vs to confesse our sinnes with a true fayth from our hearts méekely vnto god For God it is alone whome wée haue offended who knoweth our hearts déedes and determinations remitteth or punisheth sinnes and hathe giuen his sonne vnto vs an high Priest and one eternall sacrifice Therefore muste wée come to GOD the father through Chryst and that with the same wordes which he hathe giuen vs teaching vs to confesse our sinnes saying Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynst vs. And after this sorte may all the faythfull in all theyr troubles and at all tymes and in euery place confesse themselues to GOD bothe secretly and openly Secretly when eche man prayeth alone and confesseth his sinnes to god Openly when any man in the Church togither with the whole congregation prayeth and confesseth the same And there are many examples in bothe the Testamentes of those who confessed themselues to God and not onely craued but also obteined of him forgiuenesse of their sinnes But on the contrarie there are no examples of any which confessed themselues to Laye men or Priestes for this honor belongeth to God alone which hathe giuen vs hys sonne to be our high Prieste who heareth sufficiently the confession of al the faythfull so that there is no néede to substitute any in hys roume to heare them For who so euer with a true fayth from the bottome of his heart in maner as is sayd confesseth his sinnes to God the father and to his sonne our onely chiefe Byshoppe Chryste Jesus â—auing hys grace and mercy they vndoubtedly receiue full remission of all their sinnes And therfore I demaunde of our Aduersaries whether this bée true or no If they denie it then doo we obiecte agaynst them the Lords prayer in the which wée confesse and pray saying Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse agaynst vs. And our Lorde hathe saide whatsoeuer you aske in my name you shall receiue it Agayne wée obiecte agaynst them the Articles of our Fayth wherin wée confesse wée beléeue the remission of sinnes Yea wée doo certaynly know that if wée beléeue according to Gods worde wée doo also obteyne the same that wée beléeue but wée beléeue the remission of sinnes therefore wée obteyne the same To conclude wée obiecte the euydente promisses conteyned in the worde of God and chiefly that saying of Saincte John. 1. Epistle 1. If wee confesse our sinnes hee is mercyfull to forgiue vs our sinnes Wherefore sithe it is thus as by the truthe it is confirmed then they which confesse their sinnes to God and to his sonne our Lorde haue obteyned full remission of the same and so is there no néede to vse the Auricular confession of the Romishe Churche Furthermore there is an other kynde of confession commaunded by our Lorde to all the faythfull to wyt that euery man should confesse eche one to other his faults and offences wherein he hath offended iniured his neighbour and that ech man doo hartily forgiue euery offence iniury which he hath suffred and forgiue hym also which hath don the same and pray for him And the Lordes prayer dothe prescribe vnto vs this kinde of confession for we say As we forgiue them that trespasse agaynst vs. And of this confession is it that Saincte James speaketh in his fifthe Chapter and not of that which is done vnto the Priestes Furthermore there is not one worde in the whole Scripture of God spoken of any other confession than thys and therefore their Auricular confession vnto the Priest is without all authoritie of Scripture Furthermore the blessed Apostles dydde neuer gyue them selues to the hearing of confession neither gaue them absolution whispering in the eares of them that were confessed For the preaching of the Gospell is that ioyfull tydings wherin the captiues and suche as are adiudged to death are declared to bee made free and delyuered from the falte the punishment due for the same and are receiued into fauour and into the number of Gods children and that by the death of Chryste Jesus as Chryste him selfe teacheth out of Esai the Prophet ca. 61 at Nazareth as appeareth in Luke 4. And Paul confirmeth the same 2. Cor. 5. Wherefore that which the aduersaries obiect saying that the priest knoweth not the state or condition of the sinne excepte the same be opened to him and therfore knoweth not what to forgiue or what to leaue vnforgiuen hathe no maner of ground of truthe Wherfore if the Priest doo remitte or retayne any sinnes it behoueth that those be disclosed and opened to him But the wordes of Chryst touching the remitting or retayning of sinnes appertayneth to the preaching of the Gospell and to excommunication not to the priuate power of the Priest whereof I will speake hereafter Likewise when Chryst biddeth the Leper shewe him selfe to the Prieste he commaundeth him not to confesse him selfe vnto him but that he should offer him selfe to be tryed by the Priest and so offer his sacrifice For the iudging or trying of Leprosie appertained to the priest Leuit. 13. and. 14. But in that they say Leprosie did signifye sinne we answere that touching spiritual things and sinne the Priests and sacrifices were figures of Chryste and therefore are they to bée sente vnto Chryste to whome also that Samariâ—ane came when he was healed and not to any priest So also we trust that Chryst will delyuer and saue vs if wée beléeue in him and to him we confesse our selues although we come not to the priest The auncient Churches before the birthe of Chryste and a long tyme after his comming were altogither ignorant of the confession and absolution of the Priest and after it began to bée receiued yet was there no commaundement for the same as appeareth De pemtent Distinct. 1. But in the counsell of Lataran vnder Innocentius the third Pope it was commaunded in the yere of our Lorde
but at Rome and that churche whiche agréed not therewith to bée excluded from Chrystes churche And therefore they haue excommunicated the Grecian and Easte churches and haue herevppon stirred vp gréeuous troubles offences and braulings in the whole vniuersall churche of Chryste But to this Question we aunswere thus Bicause the churche of Chryste is catholike or vniuersall it can not be bound tyed or shutte vp into one certayne place for how can it otherwyse be called the catholike or vniuersall church Therefore if it continue to bée catholyke as the vndoubted Truthe dothe testifie then it both hath bene in times paste and is nowe also in those places where the true members of Chryste are for those onely are they which beléeue in him call on him worshippe and honour hym for their onely Pastor and Sauiour and haue those principall tokens whereof I haue spoken before And thus haue I shewed you the place wherein the true and vniuersall Churche of Chryste hathe héeretofore bene and is yet to bée founde And wée speake of the vniuersall Churche whyche is on thys earthe and not of that whiche is in heauen bycause the place thereof is knowen and manyfest vnto the faythfull But what aunswere wil these Prelates make to that that there was a glorious and scattered church of Christ throughout the worlde before there was any Church of Chryst at Rome the whiche was not called the Churche of Rome but the Churche of Chryste and was in euery place where any faythfull were For the Popish Prelates them selues doo confesse that Saint Peter came to Rome the second yere of Claudius the Emperour and that was tenne yeres after the ascention of Chryste and that there he dyd beginne and preache the Gospell For the gospel sprang not vp first at Rome but it dyd spread from Hierusalem to Rome and so into the whole worlde wherevppon some haue called Hierusalem the mother Churche Therefore the Romishe Churche hathe ouer soone and to quickly desired the gouernment of other Churches and for that cause hathe stirred vp turmoyles and discordes no smal confusion and trouble to the vniuersall Church Furthermore not onely in Grecia but also in the south and in the east there are many faythfull whiche not onely doo confesse Jesus Christ but also worship cal vpon him serue him and doo vndoubtedly appertayne to the kingdome of Chryst although they be subiect to the ciuill gouernement of the tyrannous Lurke and such like tyrants Yet none of all these men care any whit at al for the Byshop of Rome the church thereof or for any customes or Ceremonies by the same Churche deuised or ordeined beeing contrary to the worde of God I say they esteeme them no more than we in this our age and in this our countrey esteeme them And doo they not nowe therefore appertayne to the Churche of Chryste Wherfore it is euident that Chryste hathe his church yea euen in those Countreys But when as in tymes paste the Byshop of Rome desired certayne of those Nations to submitte them selues vnder the Churche of Rome they as the Storie testifieth aunswered VVee knowe your power and your pride we can not satisfie your couetousnesse nor wyll suffer your tyrannie and vnlawefull luste and therefore as wee are so wee wyll remayne And yet these godly men refuse not to obey the Chrystian Churche but onely they doo refuse to obey the vnlawefull luste of these pontificall Prelates and yet notwithstanding loue and serue Chryste yea so muche the more for that they submitte not them selues to the Byshop of Rome The. ix Question Whether they do beleeue that without the Churche of Rome there be no saluation or remission of sinnes and whether they doo also beleeue that all those which separate thēselues willingly from that church are to be condemned as Heretikes and Schismatikes The Answere LEt vs make some difference betwéene these questiōs whether there be any saluation or remission of sinnes without the churche of Rome Or again whether there be any saluation or remission of sinnes without the Christian church For thus truely we suppose say that there is no more saluation to be looked for without the christian church than there was health to be loked for in the floud without the arke of Noe. For our sauiour Chryst Jesus the remissiō of sinnes and al other good gifts of God that are declared vnto vs by the preaching of the gospel are written in our herts by the holy ghost vnto eternall lyfe are only to be founde in the communion or felowship of saincts For without the Churche there are many erroures in this world as of the Gentiles Jewes Mahomets diuers other Heresies yea the lawes and superstitious constitutions and Ceremonies of the Popes which all are vnknowne and repugnant to the churche of Christe Wherfore we say that saluation and remission of sinnes may very well be had withoute the churche of Rome For the faithfull which beléeue Christes woorde and féele the power of faith and redemption of Christ and in the meane while beholde what is done in the church of Rome wherein Heauen remission of sinnes and all other holy things are set out to sale and are bidde to be redéemed with oure vnrighteous riches as by the shamefull mart of their indulgences it appeareth doe not long abide in suche a churche nor studie not to be pertakers of these knackes but flée with a quiet and faithfull harte without money to the onely grace of God bicause Esaie in hys 55. Chapter sheweth that euen for thys cause the Lorde speaketh vnto and reproueth men for that they come not to him but lay oute their money for those things which profitte nothing to theyr saluation Let therefore euery man I beséeche you reade the fiue and fiftie chapter of this Prophet And how suche buying and selling in the churche displeaseth bothe Christe yea and Peter of whome the churche of Rome dothe so busily but yet without cause bragge Christe himselfe declareth by his example in that he draue twise out of the Temple the buyers and sellers yea euen with whippes Iohn 2. Matth. 21. In the Actes of the Apostles also it is wrytten That when Simon Magus sawe the holy Ghoste was giuen of the Apostles by laying on of their handes he broughte money vnto them saying Geeue mee also this povver that on vvhome so euer I lay mine hande hee may receiue the holy Ghost but Peter answered him Let thy siluer perishe togyther vvith thee or as some doe interprete it Let thy mony be vvith thee into perdition vvhich thinkest the gift of God may begotten vvith mony For thou hast neyther parte nor felovvship in this doctrine for thy hart is not right before god Act. 8. And bicause God héere by Peter cursseth all those which are not of an vprighte harte and pronounceth them to haue no parte or fellowshippe wyth Goddes electe which make marchandise of his grace and other giftes amongste whome saluation
in Chryst is the fulnesse of all and that in him wanteth nothing belonging to intercession but that he moste perfectly dothe all things with his father and that therefore hys onely intercession is sufficiente for the faythfull yea they see that the father loueth mankinde and woulde that all men which obteine grace mighte bée made partakers therof by Chryst. And therefore is it written that the elders fall downe before the throne of God and giue all glory honour vnto him and that amongest other thinges they say vnto the Lambe Thou onely arte worthy to take the booke and open the seales thereof for thou arte slayne and haste redeemed vs by thy bloud Apo. 5. Neither dothe our charitie ceasse towardes the Apostles althoughe wée pray not to God for them For wée beléeue that they are blessed and haue no néede of our prayers Wherefore in lyke sorte when they nowe in heauen see that nothing is wanting to the intercession of Chryste and that there néedeth no mo intercessors but him alone dothe not then their charitie still remayne althoughe they make no intercession for vs The .xxviij. Question Whether the Saincts in heauen be inferior to mē liuing here on earth Therfore sithe Paule commaunded vs to pray one for another and the Apostles eche where required others to pray for them whether ought we not to desire the praiers of the Apostles being in heauen as more worthy and more effectuall The Answere IT appeareth by thys question that they goe aboute to defame vs that we think no better of the Sainctes in Heauen than wée doo of sinnefull men lyuing héere on the earthe and as thoughe wée affirmed them to bée subiecte to infirmitie and myserie But héerein they doo vs great wrong For wée include not the Sainctes in heauen as subiecte to any corruption or infirmitie but rather their doctrine is to bée suspected hereof For we teach and beléeue that the Sainctes whiche are in heauen are far better than they which lyue héere in this worlde bycause they are frée from all infirmitie and are perfecte and pure subiecte to no sorrow but without all care and trouble liue with God reioycing in euerlasting ioyes and therfore are they ignorant of our miseries which else would vexe trouble make them sorowfull And that they be frée from al cares and all things that might trouble them in any thing we may read in the. 7. and 21. Chapters of the Reuelation And as touching the miseries of this worlde they are onely knowen to God and to his sonne our Lorde Jesus Chryst and yet without all manner of gréefe and sorrowe vnto them But the Sainctes knowe not all things which are done euery where through the worlde nor are not omnipotent to help neither are they presente in all places nor knowe the harts of men for the secret thoughts are secrete and hydde from them and where as they say that the Saincts doo beholde and sée all things in God as in a moste brighte and cleare mirror this is more foolishe than néedeth confutation And as touching these thinges aforesayde they are onely proper to the maiestie and wisedome of god And as touching the Sainctes they enioy all glory moste perfectly of the heauenly lyfe And whereas the Saincts in this lyfe haue commaunded vs to pray one for an other and haue also here prayed for others and required others to pray for them yet héereby it followeth not that they which are in heauen pray for vs or that wée ought to desire them to make intercessiō for vs that they might nowe pray for vs in heauen bycause they prayed for vs when they were here on the earth And yet notwithstanding we ought to pray one for an other so long as we liue héere And there is also as we haue sayde an other state of the saynctes in heauen for they doo not all that there which they did héere on earth We are expresly commaunded to pray one for an other in this life But let them shewe vs one worde or sentence in the holy Scripture where the Saincts which now liue in heauen are commaunded to pray for vs or else shewe where the Apostles did cōmaund vs to pray vnto the Angels and Saincts to make intercession for vs or let them bring one example where any of the Apostles dyd pray vnto any Angell or Saincte to make intercession for him Wherefore if they can bring foorth no one example as in déede it is impossible so to doo bicause the inuincible veritie testifieth that they prayed to one God onely and were contented with the intercession of Chryste then should they also contente them selues with Chryst and byd that their intercession fare well for which they are not able to bring foorthe any one worde or testimonie of the holy Scripture And no doubt if there were any intercession of Sainctes in heauen the Scripture would in some one place or other make mention of it The. xxix Question Whether the riche man which was condemned dyd not in hell pray for hys kinsefolkes Althoughe he were not heard bycause of hys sinne and damnation which thing the Saincts and Angels haue not The Answere SUrely it had bene much better for these myserable wretches if they had let slippe this Question sithe they haue no better argument testimonie than that they haue from this damned rich man But this is Gods iudgement for that they are not content with that most sure excellent faythful and perfect intercession of Chryste For if they thought this intercession onely sufficiente why then make they mention of any other intercessors And bycause they often speake of other intercessors whiche yet notwithstanding are none neyther would they bée and bycause they set foorth rather the intercession of creatures than of Chryste as not contente with him therefore are they iustely for their desertes punished with so greate blyndenesse Furthermore it is not written in the Scripture that the riche man dyd call vppon GOD and pray for hys brethren that GOD myghte haue mercie ouer them But rather defired that him selfe mighte bée deliuered to the ende that he mighte warne them And therfore was it denied him bycause God will not haue the lyuing to haue any respecte to the deade as to looke for any Doctrine Reuelation or saluation from them but to content them selues with the doctrine of the holy Scripture Wherefore if our Aduersaries acknowledge thys then on Gods name let them contente themselues with the intercession of Chryst which the holy Scripture dothe allow and commende vnto vs onely And this similitude maketh quyte agaynst themselues The. xxx Question Whether they beleeue that the blessed virgin and mother of Chryst the Angels Apostles Martires and the other saincts in heauen be not to be worshipped honored and prayed vnto to helpe vs and make intercession for vs The Answere WE must here touching this worde woorship make a certayne distinction For if by this worde worship is vnderstanded adoration
the eternall wisdome of God sawe not these things before he instituted the cuppe and could not he if it had séemed to him good haue forbidden the lay men the vse of the same But sith the eternall wisedome of God hath giuen the same vnto them let vs content our selues therewith onlesse we would séeme to haue more wisdome than god And may not the priests I pray yée shed the wine as well as the lay men And why then shuld not the same be forbidden vnto them But the Lordes supper is brought into contempt for farre many other causes than when any parte of the Wine falleth by chaunce on the grounde or is shedde vnwillingly For true faithe burning charitie stedfaste hope faithfulnesse mercy iustice and the puritie of those which coÌ„municate are the true ornamentes of the Sacramentes Wherefore what offences or what honor they bring to this Sacrament which daily vse the same to gette their liuing thereby yet in the meane time are drunkardes whoremaisters vncleane persones studying all vngodlynesse liue publikely in their naughtinesse to the great offence of many is nowe by the great mercy of God most manifestly knowne Wherefore I hartely beséeche almighty God to graunte all those the true knowledge of their sinnes wherby they may repent and amend their liues Amen The. xij Common place Of the sacrifice of the Masse The. xlviij Question Whether they doe beleue that the true bodie bloud of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar be a true and an acceptable sacrifice vnto God whiche ought to be offered in the Churche of Christ in the blessed office of the Masse vncessantly for the quick the dead vntyll the comming of Chryst The Answere SIth we haue sufficiently before proued that the true body and bloude of Christ is not in the Sacramente corporally it foloweth of necessitie that the same canne not be offered vp in the Masse by the priestes But yet the Romishe churche teacheth that the bodye and bloude of Christe is corporally and substantially present and in the office of their Masse offered vp to God by the Priestes for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead and therefore oughte to be woorshipped But the form of the Masse dothe not agrée with the institution of the Lordes supper but is encreased by the long continuaunce of time wyth diuers additions rights Ceremonies so as Gregorius the seuenth Pope doth confesse that in his time the Masse was not celebrated in all places of the world after one manner wherefore without all doute the Apostles Peter James and Mathewe did neuer celebrate the Masse vsed in the Churche of Rome but were altogyther ignoraunte thereof Therefore the Churches of the gospell haue by good right putte away and abolished the Romishe Masse and in the stead therof haue rightly and godly ordained the supper of oure Lord Jesus Christe which was godly celebrated in the old Apostolical church without any of the Popes or mannes traditions or additions And therfore to the foresaide question we answer that we do not acknowledge nor receiue the Masse for the institution of God but flée from it as being contrary to oure profession partly for causes already shewed and partly for such causes as héereafter we shall shewe But that we may the better knowe what sacrifices are we will héere vnto adde a few words There are amongst the Christians chéefely two kindes of sacrifices the one propiciatorie for the reconciliation and remission of sinnes and the other of thaÌ„ks geuing in which we exercise our faith serue God geue him thankes bothe wyth wordes and déedes for his benefits bestowed vpon vs In the olde Testament the sacrifice propitiatorie was shadowed and figured by many figures yet was there but one thing which they all did signifie to wit the body and bloud of Christe offered on the crosse Wherefore after that Christ came into the world and remained héere a certaine time that he might offer his body and bloude on the crosse for the remission of sinnes he ordained â—n his supper the Sacrament of the geâ—ing of his body and the shedding of his â—loud calling it the cuppe of the Newe â—estament in his bloud Wherfore this Sacrament ought from hence forth onâ—â— to be in stead of all the Sacraments of the Olde testament which were figures and to witnesse that as Christe by the Sacraments of the Olde testament was promised a sauiour so in the â—ewe testament he is come and hathe â—â—rformed it and so by the sacrifice of his body and bloud hathe taken away for euer all the sinnes of the faythfull Wherefore when our Lord would ofâ—â—r himselfe vppon the crosse and that 〈…〉 houre was come in which he would â—â—liuer vp his spirite so by his deathe â—ll sinne death and hell he cried with â—â—oud voice It is finished As who shuld â—â—y that sacrifice is nowe ended and fulâ—â—lled in which all the figures and proâ—isses of the fathers are accomplished 〈…〉 ne fréely pardoned and eternal righâ—â—ousnesse is obtained vnto euerlasting life And therefore so soone as our Lord was deade and had in this sorte offered vp him selfe a sacrifice to God his heauenly father the vaile of the Temple rente in two péeces greate myracles were séene bothe in the liuing and in the deade yea in heauen and in earthe And thus did the olde Testament the Leuiticall priesthoode and all the other Sacrifices take their ende whereunto they were ordained Therfore nowe resteth but the one only and euerlasting sacrifice of Christ as the chéefest holyest and moste perfecte And suche is the propretie of this Sacrifice that it neither coulde nor yet can be offered of any liuing man bicause not onely for the excellencie and holynesse thereof but also bicause of the imperfection of manne And therefore Christe offered vp him selfe that is to say gaue him self vnto death and so became the one and euerlasting Bishop after the order of Melchisedech as onely Bishop and sacrifice offered to God by him selfe onely Yea this sacrifice which he offered is but one that is to say once offered neither can it any more be offered againe For that hys one sacrifice is hys deathe once made effectuall that it onely and for euer mighte be sufficiente for all ages for the reconciliation and remission of sinnes And bicause Christe hathe suffered for vs dyed was buryed and arose againe from the deade and ascended into Heauen appearing for euer euen vnto the laste daye as one sufficient sacrifice in the sight of God for the full and perfecte redemption of all the Faithfull that is sufficient neither néedeth there any other Sacrifice to be offered in the Churche for the remission of sinnes Wherefore if there be any that wil offer a Sacrifice for his sinnes he dothe manifestly héereby declare that hée dothe not beléeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him by the onely Sacrifice of Christe For if he stedfastly beléeue that they are washed away why then dothe he