this ordynaunce to praye and say masse for the deade thoughe those thynges be not expresselye sette forthe in scrypture But Tertulian shall speake once agayne wyth these Tertulia li. de exhorta ad castitatem wordes Et iam repete ad deum ê“ cuius spiritu postules pro qua oblationes annuas reddas Stabis apud deum cum tot vxoribus quoâ— illas oratione commemoras offeres pro duabus commemorabis illis duas per sacerdotem c. And nowe remember for whose soule thou mayest make petytyon to God for whyche wyfe thou mayeste rendre yearelye sacrifyces Thou shalte stande afore god wyth soo manye wyues as thou doeste remember in thy prayer and thou wylte offer for them bothe and thou shalte remember them two by the preist Fynally in Tertulian demonog an other boke Enim vero pro anima prioris vxoris orat refrigerium interim postulat in prima resurrectione consortiuÌ„ offert aÌ„ nuis diebus dormitionis eiê° For soth the husbande dothe praye for the soule of his first wyfe and he desireth a recreation refresshynge or a coolynge for hir in the meane season and felowshippe in the first arising vp and he offreth sacrifice Obites or yeres miÌ„des yerely at her obite or the tyme of her dyenge and decesse lo good reader the custome to haue dirige masse ones in the space of an yere A booke called epiâ—ome cronicon falsely saith that one Pelagius a bysshoppe of Rome dydde ordeine that masse sholde be sayde for the dead for he was â—52 yeres after Christes byrth for the dead is no newe inuention nor of late sette vp by couetous preistes as many couetous and enuious persons saye but a thing obserued alwaye euen from the holy apostles tyme tyll oure dayes and therefore it muste neades be a good and a godly custome For as Tertulian saith We maye prescribe againste all heretikes holdyng the contrary agaynst whom iudgemente is giuen afore Id esse uerum qui cunque primum id esse ad ulterum quodcumque posterius That to be true what so euer is first that to be counterfait or forged what so euer is that commeth Dionisius lib. de eccl hierar ca. 7. after Saint Dionise Paules scoler thus writeth also of the prayenge at masse for the dead Sanctorum preces etiam in ista vita noÌ„ This came vp in the traditioÌ„ of the apostles as s Dionise testifieth tantum post mortem prosunt ijs so lis qui digni sunt vt pro eis sanctae preces fiant nempe fidelibus That is holy mens prayers ye in this lyfe and not only after death do profitte them onely whiche are worthye that holye prayers shuld be saide for them sothelye for the faithfull as Damascene recytyng these wordes doth expound them Againe this sainte speakynge of Sermone de mortuis the bysshops or preistes prayenge for the dead at dirige masse saith after this maner Inter praecanduÌ„ igitur oratur diuina bonitas ut cuncta defuncti peccata dimittat per humanam infirmitatem admissa Damas eumque in luce collocet regione viuorum in sinibus Abrahae Isaac Iacob in loco vnde aufugit dolor tristicia gemitê° While the preiste doth praye for the dead the goodnes of god is praied vnto the he wolde forgiue the deade all his synnes commytted by mans infirmitie and that he wolde sette hym in lyght and in the region of the liuynge persons in the bosomes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob in a place frome whense is fleed heuynes That is in heauen sadnes and waylynge Thou doest le saith s Damascen reciting these wordê o aduersary by what meane Dionisius confirmeth praiers to be very profitable for them which are departed in a holy hope Damas sermone pro defunctis This aunciente doctour Damas reherseth s Gre. Ieroms masters wordes writteÌ„ in a certeine oratioÌ„ of the funerall exequies for hys mother whiche are these Diuitias igitur quae in nostra potestate fueruÌ„t partim dedimê° partim daturi sumus anniuersarios illi honores memorias exhibituri Therfore sith by praiers and masses my mothers dolour may be eased for that he saide afore we haue partely geuen already and partely wyl geue these goodes which were in our power I wil geue to her that meÌ„ may behold yerely honours memories Thou seest saith Damas that he coÌ„firmeth our opinioÌ„ allowiÌ„g sacrifices yerely remeÌ„brauÌ„ces to be made for theÌ„ which are departed in god while he callethe them good holy Moreouer s Dama doth alledge a very plaine senteÌ„ce of one Grego Nyssene saint Basyls brother which is this Nihil absque vtilitate a predicatoribus discipulis Christi est traditum in omnibus ecclesijs predicatum Res autem modis omnibus est utilis Gregorius Nyssenus saithe that the apostles dyd preache and teache iÌ„ all churches that we shulde pray at masse for the dead as Damascen Chrisostom Tertulian and diuers other do say they dydde deo in primisgrata indiuinis praeclarisque operationibus eorum qui in recta fide discesserunt manifestam facere memoriam That is in englysshe There is nothinge taughte or delyuered by tradition and preached in al churches of the preachers and disciples of Christ without profitte but it is a thinge by alwayes profilable and to god chiefly thankefull or acceptable to make a manifest memory of theÌ„ that haue departed in a ryghte faith in the diuine and very noble workes What els good reader I besech the ment this great clerke and aunciente father by these dyuyne and very noble workes than dirige masses and other lyke prayers offred to god for them whiche dyed in a true faith The apostles of Christ the truth and to whome the holy goost the spirite of the truth It is a traditioÌ„ of christes apostels to pray for the dead at masse as G. Nyssene saith Damascene doth affirm that they lerned it of Christe dyd teache all truth accordinge to christes promysse taughte this lesson and the same is preached in al churches Thou doest beleue that infantes or yonge children ought to be baptised and that baptisme auaileth them thorough the fayth of the church to the attainemente of remyssion of originall synne grace and glorye and yet that can not be proued by any scripture sufficientlye but it is a tradytyon of christes apostles left to the church De eccle hiera Origene ii 6. in epist Rom. without writing as saint Dionise Paules scholer affirmeth and Origen with many other Why therfore doest thou not beleue that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatorie and profitable both to the quicke and the deade for as muche as the holye apostles hathe taughte the church aswel the one as the other They whiche denye that chyldren shulde be baptised because there is no plain scripture for it are couÌ„ted heretikes of the sect of the anabaptistes
opinions agaynst the faythe as they nowe are but they shoulde shortely ceasse and the true doctryne of CHRIST and his churche florisheth agayne whiche is knowen as Vyncentius Lyrmensis wrytte a thousand yeares synce by aunciente generalytie and agreynge of the fathers in it I was moued gentyll reader to wryte thys catholyque and godlye sentence of Saynte Basyll partely because there lacked matter to fyll the shete of paper in printynge and partely for that it was verye notable and worthy to be obserued of all learned men ¶ Hereafter foloweth the preface ¶ The preface vnto the reader THE holy prophet Dauyd good christen reader saithe that the truth of our lorde abideth for euer and therfore Psal â—â— albeit many and diuers men haue from tyme to tyme euen froÌ„ the begynnynge of the churche both spoken wrytten also bokes againste it yet they coulde neuer preuayle but lost their laboures got their confusion and endlesse damnation Wherfore though the ê“phet Daniel doth say Prosternetur Danieâ—is â— veritas in terra The truth shal be troden vnder the feete on the earth yet the is not ment that al the people of god shulde treede it vnder their fete dispise it but that in the tyme of Antichriste fygured by Antiochus of whome the prophet sawe a vyâ—â—on as in the eyght chapiter of Daniel it apereth the continuall sacrifice that is the sacrifice of the masse as I wyll by gods grace hereafter proue shold be abolished and put away for the space of thre yeres and the halfe how longe Antichrist shal reigne Daniell in the twelfte chaptre testifienge the same Of the whiche place and other mo lyke written Luther is antichristes messanger to make all redye agaynste his coÌ„minge which firste of all men spake agenst the sacrifice of the holye masse except one Peter debruis by Daniel we maye well gather that Antichristes tyme approcheth and draweth very nie for as much as Marten Luther and his folowers do trauaile so earnestly but yet all in vayne to take awaye the holye sacrifice of the blessed masse whiche all chrysten nations from the fyrst institution thereof made by chryste oure sauioure at hys laste supper euen tyl our tyme the space of a thousand and fiue hundred yeres was euer beleued accepted and receaued for a sacrifice auayleable and profitable bothe for the quicke and the dead which thinge shall be openly and plenteousely declared god wyllyng here after in this booke not only by the scripture but also by general couÌ„celles and the expositions of the eldest and best learned doctours declarynge the said scripture so that no man which listeth not to winke at the lyght of the truth nor is not maried to his oâ—ne opinion shall haue any excuse to laye for his errour throughe want and lacke of knowlage of the truth Therefore reade this booke without al affection diligeÌ„tly not regardyng who made it nor againste whome it is made but what matter it doth coÌ„teyne be it neuer so rudely grosly set fourth for the easyer vnderstandynge of it Folowe the wyse mans counsaile sayeng Non contradicas Eccle. 4. verbo veritatis Say not against the worde of truth for yf thou do thou shalt laboure all in vaine and gaine therby the wrath of god and his indignation with payne euer to endure in hell with the deuyll which stode not in the truthe as Christe dothe affirme IoaÌ„ 8. This saith Paule writyng to the Romaynes after this sort Iis auteÌ„ Rom. 2. qui sunt ex coÌ„tentione qui non acquiescunt veritati credunt autem iniquitati ira indignatio To them the wrath and indignation of god shall come whiche are geuen to contention or strife and do not quietly obeye the truth but beleue the wronge or falsitie Remember this our sauiour christes Math. 16 sayeng What shal it auaile man if he wynne the whole worlde and thereby lose his soule What eschaunge Mat. 16. shall a man make for his soule If thou hast therfore erred with Peter receauynge false doctrine defeÌ„ding it and persecuting the teachers and mayntainers of the truth be not ashamed to forsake thyne errour and againe to embrace the truth Paule persecuted the truth but he forsoke his errour when god called him Saint Austen erred but he retourned agayne to the truth and vnfainedly recanted his errour Thus many other haue done whiche hadde gone from the truth whan it pleased god of his greate mercy to call them to gyue them the spirite of truth for the exilyng the spirite of errour I maye well saye to them that folow Martyn Luthers wicked Luther errours and damnable heresies and namely that which is againste the sacrifice of the holye masse neuer improued before his daies as saynt Paule saide to the Galathians greatly wonderinge Gala. 3. at their blyndnes Quis vos fascinauit non obedire veritati Who hathe bewytched you not to obeye the truth As though he had sayd ye haue had the truth so plainlye and perfectly taught you that excepte ye were witched ye could not so erre as ye now do forsaking the same If saynt Paule dyd iustlye iudge the Galathians witched because they had forsakeÌ„ the truth of the gospell which they learned not longe before throughe the inticement prouocation and persuasion of false teachers that then did preache to them howe moche more iustlye maye a man saye to them whiche are shamefullye deceaued and blynded by Martyn Luthers fond folyshe and deuellysshe doctryne Quis vos fascinauit veritati non obedire Who hath witched yow not to obeye the truth hath-Marten luther deceaued and witched you Hath he blynded you that ye can not se the truth which heretofore sence Christes byrth no man atteÌ„pted to do in this matter of the masse Hath he deceaued you Excepte one Peter de brâ—â—s which was in saynt Bernaâ—des time whiche is the autoure maintenar and defender of many and sondry plaine heresies Hath he witched you not to obeye the truth concernynge the sacrifice of the blessed masse whiche so setteth forth and auaunceth only fayth that he sticketh Only fâ—yth not to saye and defende that only through faith god forgeueth mannes synnes nothing helpyng therunto his penaunce feare charite praier forgiuinge his neighbors George Ioyes opinion trespaces nor any like thing yea that only fayth shuld saue maÌ„ though he lyued neuer so yll And because saint Iames in his epistle doth playnly condemne reproue that his deuyllysh opinion and saynt Ihons Apocalypsis also disproueth the same erroure he was not ashamed to denye them both affirmynge that these bookes are not scripture nor wrytten by Iames and Ihon the apostle Is not this a blynde doctour Is not he worthye to haue credence geuen to hym in matters of our faithe whiche doth not feare to deny the holye scripture for the mayntenaunce of a fonde and a wicked heresye against the scripture the hole churche of christendome and all wryters
the storie maketh mention Doth not euen so at this our time Martin Luther and his scholers whiche deny the masse to be a sacrifice whan the apostles taughte the cleane contrary as I haue afore declared largely S. Dioni lib. de caelesti hierarchia Ca. I Dionise Paules scholer teacheth vs an other lesson how we shulde study scripture whom we shuld folow in the vnderstaÌ„dyng of it his wordes are these Ad saÌ„ctissimaruÌ„ scripturaruÌ„ intelligentias prout illas a patribus accepimus contuendas pro viribus pergamus Lette vs procede to loke on the vnderstandynge of the moost holy scriptures accordynge to oure strengthe or power as we haue harde or receaued of the elders Do we not here see that this father whiche was a greate philosopher and verye well learned in dyuers knowledges afore he was conuerted by saint Paule was taught the fayth by hym wolde not presume to studye the scripture without the doctours and elders bokes whiche he studied to vnderstande it Therefore if thou wilte study the scripture to profyt therein reade saint Austens bokes sainte Ieromes Chrisostoms Ambroses Cyprians and suche other whiche do sincerely truely and catholykely expownde the scriptures to the auauncinge of the truth and the thrustynge downe of errours and heresie Preistes of Cesarea cappa docie coulde not be persuaded to leaue the faith Qâ— eis suffecerint ad vtilitatem sui antiquae patrum narrationes velut quaedam turres murum fidei indeclinabilem Triper Histo li. 7 Cap. â—6 seruauerunt Bycause the auncieÌ„t expositions of the fathers sufficed them to their proffitte and dydde kepe lyke as certaine towers the wall of faith vpright And where men saie that god is as lyberall now as he was in the apostles tyme to them and therefore he can geue euen nowe also the holye ghost to euery man and woman for the vnderstandynge of his worde the scripture I graunte that god is nowe as lyberall in dede as he was thaÌ„ but yet thervpon it foloweth not that he dothe nowe geue the spirite of knoweledge in the holye scripture without all laboure and why god did geue to fysshers his holy spirite to vnderstand the scripture studye as he then dydde to his apostles to confounde the greate clerkes and lerned men by the simple and vnlearned fysshers and by ther teachyng to conuert to the faith the hole world that thereby his almighty power might be knowen his blessed name glorified the vertue of his sonnes deathe christ our sauiour estemed yâ— cause as in dede it was of that so great a myracle This I saye was the cause whye at the begynnynge of christes religion and fayth rude fysshers hadde geuen them suche knoweledge in the scripture without all labour and study geuen to it of their partes God theÌ„ shewed hys greate lyberalytye in feading fyue thousande men besyde women and chyldren with fiue barly Io. 6. loues and two fysshes as sainte Iohan testyfyeth but shal we therfore loke for anye lyke thinge now in oure dayes Chryste at that tyme dydde worke dyuers myracles whych he worketh not at this tyme nor neuer wyll hereafter He is therein lyke to one that plantethe yonge trees or setteth herbes whyche while they be tendre and yonge not yet well rooted in the earthe he often watereth but after they are growen vp and haue taken well rootes than he ceassethe waterynge them so christ A similitude oure sauyoure when he planted the faythe at the fyrste dydde water it wyth sundrye and dyuerse myracles and whan he sawe it well and surelye rooted in mens hartes than he lefte waterynge it with myracles Therefore let vs not looke to receaue the holye goost to teache vs the scryptures and the vnderstandynge of them wythoute oure studye and labour as the apostles ones dydde by miracle for the coÌ„uersion of the worlde to the faith but let vs learne it of the holy doctours and of the preistes which are learned and whose office it is to teache the vnlearned multitude as witnesseth the holy prophet Malachias saieng Labia Malach. 2. sacerdotis custodiunt scientiam legem requirent ex ore eius quia angelus domini exercituum est That is The preistes lyppes do kepe cunnynge and the laye people shall often seke or demauÌ„d of his mouth the lawe for asmuch as he is the messanger of the lorde of hostes that is of aungels whiche are called the hoostes of heauen Aeto 20. Heb. 13. He is sent by goddes assignement to teache the vnlearned and doth take charge of theyr soules as the scripture in manye places wytnesseth Nowe I wyll shewe the holy doctours myndes in this our coÌ„trouersye sens we ought to folowe their iudgement in the vnderstandynge of the scriptures as I haue nowe declared that by theÌ„ we maye perceaue which doctrine is true and catholique and which is false and hereticall I wyll yet recite here but a certaine of the most auncient and eldest writers on the scripture for the yongest almost The olde doctours sayeuges of theÌ„ shal be about nyne hundred yeres olde because men saye that the sacrifice of the masse was inueÌ„ted of late and set vp by preistes coueteousnes for lucre that they maye se theyr folye and forsake it in tyme leaste it at the length as it must neades brynge them to vtter confusion in bodye and soule But to the rehersal of the olde writers in this matter amonge the whiche Theophilactus shall occupy the first place sayeng Quaereâ— Theophilac In Heb 10 aliquis num ipsi sine sanguine immolamus Ita quidem sed Christi tunc reminiscimur obitus vna nobis est immolatio noÌ„ multae quandoquidem est ille semel oblatus eundem enim semper offerimus vnus est enim sanguis semel effusus Vnum est corpus noÌ„ multa quiuis fuerit pro multis oblatum item vna est quae offertur hostia Hanc namque semper ut praesentem offerimus That is Some body wyl demaunde wether we do sacrifice without bloud or no we do so surely but then we remembre Christes death and we haue one sacrifice not manye for as moche as Christe also hath bene ones offered in sacryfyce for we offre alwaye the samâ— the bloude is one shedde ones The body is one not many thoughe it bathe bene offered vp in sacryfyce for manye and also the hoste is one which is offred For we alwaye offre that same as present hitherto Theoph. No man can desire playner wordes than these are of this greate clerke to proue that the masse is a sacrifice Rupert also confirmethe this saieng Quotidie in altari sancto Lib. 1. comeÌ„t in Dani. ca. 14. oblationes eius sacruÌ„ celebramus mysteriuÌ„ We do daiely celebrate in the holy aulter the holye mystery or sacrameÌ„t yâ— sacrifices of christ Fulgentius whiche was aboue a M. yeres sence agreeth with Fulgentius li. 2. ad MonimuÌ„ this verity
oure lordes passion muste be meddled that his passion whose body and bloude is made maye be celebrate or had in remeÌ„braunce ‡ And there fore it was not so ones offered on the crosse that it caÌ„not ne ought to be offered in the masse daylye albeit Luther is of that opion as his scholers be For crymes and sinnes are putte awaye throughe these sacrifices offred to our lorde Therefore his passion also in these muste be remembred with the whiche we are ransomed or redemed and it muste be oftentymes rehersed * The mas is a sacrifice appeasinge gods wrath and purchasynge to vs remission of oure synnes and offered to our lorde For he wyll be delyted and appeased or pacified with suche sacrifices and wyll forgeue greate synnes by theÌ„ For in sacrifices nothinge can be greatter then the body bloud of christ Neither there is any sacrifice better thâ— this but this excelleth all whiche muste be offered to our lorde with a cleane The blessed sacramente ought to be worshipped and honoured of christen people thoughe Luther Frith denied it conscieÌ„ce and receaued with a pure minde and worshypped of all men and women And as it is better theÌ„ other sacritices so it oughte to be rather had in reuerence and worshipped Hitherto that blessed martyr saint Alexander whose saieng shulde the rather be beleued because he was within a hundred twentye yeares of Christe and a man of hygh perfection in his life and notably lerned also This sayeng of this blessed auÌ„cieÌ„t martyr ought to be beleued of euery christeÌ„ maÌ„ without suspitioÌ„ of deceyt colouringe of this doctrine for lucre or gaines Now good reader I haue almost fully declared by yâ— rehersall of the eldeste doctours of christes churche from whense and whom this doctrine of the masse and the sacrifice therof hath come to vs that is to wytte euen frome Christe him selfe at his last supper institutinge and orderinge them bothe that the church was taught the same by his holye apostels their successours and obserued it Lâ—terluteth out of tune against the masse cotinually no man again saieng it tyll Martyn Luther beganne vpon mere malyce to lute against it with his stringes farre oute of Vâ—banus Regius tune and therefore Vrbanus Regius ought to be ashamed to call Ignatius saint Iohn the euangelystes disciple spake of the masse the sacrifice of it in hys epistle to the Smyrnenses and ther fore neyther of theÌ„ is lately inuented thoughe Luther and his scholers say other wise this the newe learnynge beynge aboue .xv. huÌ„dred yeres olde But Ignatius saint Iohn euangelystes scholer doth after this maner wryte of thys sacryfyce Nemo preter episcopum aliquid agat eorum quae ad ecclesiam pertineÌ„t Firma eucharistia reputatur quae ab episcopo concessa fuerit Christus est dispensator totius intelligibilis naturae propterea non licet sine episcopo neque offerre neque sacrificium immolare neque missas celebrare No man can do any of those thinges whiche doo perteyne to the churche againste the byshops mynde or otherwise then he wyll it shulde be doone Let the sacrament of the aulter be accompted of strength or assured whiche shal be graunted of the byshoppe Christe is the stewarde or dispenser of the hole nature whiche may be vnderstande Therfore it is not lefull to offer nor to make sacrifice nor to say masses withoute a byshoppe that is without the consente and authoritie of hym Loo good christeÌ„ reader this holy martyr saint Iohns disciple doth thus manifestelye speake bothe of the masse and also of the sacrifice of it whiche he learned of his mayster Ihon the was taught instructed by our sauiour christe at his laste supper both the masse the sacrifice of the same S. ClemeÌ„t saieng masse S. Clement the apostle Paules coÌ„panyon in preachynge spâ—aâ—ethe of the sacrifice of the masse it is therfore no new thiÌ„g inuented for lucre of preistes as Bassario cardinall of Nicea saith writing vpoÌ„ the sacrameÌ„t of yâ— aulter was woÌ„t to vse this forme of praieng Rogamus dnÌ„e vt mittas spuÌ„m saÌ„ctuÌ„ tuuÌ„ suê‘ hoc sacrificiuÌ„ qui efficiat huÌ„c paneÌ„ corpê° Ï‡Ïι tui qd in calice est saÌ„guineÌ„ filij tui That is to say in englysh We besech the o lord to sende thy holye ghost vpon this sacrifice whiche shuld make this bread the body of thy christ and also that which is in the cuppe the bloud of thy sonÌ„e Againe in the thirde epistle to s Iames thus he saith While we lyue here we must knowe where is the place to offre sacrifice QmÌ„ in alijs locis sacrificare missas celebrare noÌ„ licet nisi in ijs in quibus episcopê° proprius iusserit aut ab episcopo regulariter ordinato teneÌ„te videlicet ciuitateÌ„ coÌ„secratus fuerit Aliter enim noÌ„ suÌ„t hâ—c ageÌ„da nec rite celebraÌ„da doceÌ„te nos nouo ueteri restameÌ„to Haec apostoli a dnÌ„o acceperuÌ„t nobis tradideruÌ„t haec nos do cemê° That is forasmuch as it is not leful to offre sacrifice say masses in other places but in those in which the propre bishop hath or shall commauÌ„d or in that which hath ben or shal be halowed of the byshop ordered after the rule as who saith possessinge the citie For these thinges ought not to be done otherwise nor well after the maner vsed they are otherwise to be celebrate the new the olde testameÌ„t teachiÌ„g vs. Thapostles hard or receaued these thinges of oure lord taught theÌ„ vs or lefte theÌ„ to vs by traditioÌ„ which we teache commaunde to be doone of other men withoute reprofe as it foloweth immediately Lo good christen reader this holy doctoure S. Paules companyon in preaching doth playnlye make mention both of the masse also of the sacrifice of it affirmyng that Christ taught his apostles and they vs that sacrifice shoulde be offered onelye in places assigned by the bysshop or in a place consecrated by him whiche is propre byshoppe of the citie This dothe euidentlye proue that Christe also taught his apostles the masse the sacrifice of it that they taught the church and congregation of the faithfull people the same lesson whyche hathe euer since remayned shall alwaye tyll the worldes ende amonge all true and catholyque nations although dyuers men doo bable and barke againste it neuer so muche for the truth of oure lord abydeth for euer as Dauyd saith and Christe sente to the church the spirite of truth to abyde with it coÌ„tinuallye that it shoulde not erre in the faith beware therefore reader of Luthers pestilent doctrine whiche teacheth againste the premysses But to be short s Dionise Dionistus De ecclesibierar Ca â— the holye apostle Paules scholer conuerted by hym which was afore Christes passioÌ„ a famous philosopher doth call the sacramente of the aulter hostiam hostiarum the hoste of hostes or the sacrifice of
populi ignorantijs dignos nos fac ut inueniamus gratiam in coÌ„spectu tuo vt acceptabile fiat sacrificiuÌ„ nostrum That is Make vs o lord saith the preist at masse This is plainly said of that noble doctoure and holye saynte amonge the greakes meete to bringe into the gyftes and spirituall sacryfyces for our synnes the peoples sinnes coÌ„mytted thorough lacke of knoweledge and make vs worthy to fynde grace in thy syghte that oure sacrifice may be acceptable Againe in the same treatice of the masse he sayeth Fac panem hunc praeciosum corpus filij tui in calice vero hoc sanguinem preciosum Christi tui traÌ„smutans ea spiritu tuo sancto Vt fiat assumentibus in lotionem animarum in remissionem peccatoruÌ„ in communionem saÌ„cti spiritus in regni coelorum impletio nem in fiduciam apud te non in iudicium non in condemnationem haec ibi Make o lord saith the greke preist at masse this breade the precious bodye of thy sonne and that thing whiche is in this cuppe the precyous bloud of thy Christe * The doctrine of TransubstaÌ„tiation is no newe thing of whiche Chrisostom wrote nigh twelue hundred yeares past chaungynge them from breade and wine in to flesshe and bloude by thy holy spirite That it maye be to the receauers therof for a wasshynge or a clensynge of their soules and remyssion of their synnes and a coÌ„munion or a mutuall participation together of the holye ghoste to the fulfyllynge of the heauenly kingdom an affiauÌ„ce in the not to their iudgemente not to their condemnation Epiphanius alsoo a greake doctour nygh twelfe hundred yeares olde confirmeth this Epipha in cpi. ad Ioan hiero so uersa ab d. Hieroni. sayenge Illud audiens admiratus sum quod quidam te quoque turbauerunt dixerunt ê™ in oratione quando offerimus deo sacrificia soleamus ê“ te dicere Domine presta Ioanni ut recte credat That is I hearynge that dyd maruayle that certayn men had troubled the also and sayde that we are wonte in oure prayer whan we doo offre sacrifices to god to saye for the. Lorde graunte to Ihon that he maye beleue truely A lyke saieng hath saint Gregory Ieroins maister entreatynge of Iuliane the Grego Nazi oratio 1. in Iulianum emperours wickednes Mox incruenti sacrificij oblationem manus commaculat per quod nos christo unimur nec non passionis ac diuinitatis eius participes reddimur Anone the handes do defile the oblation of the sacrifice vnblouddye or offered without bloud shedding by the whiche we are ioyned together with Christe and made parte Marke reader takers also of his passioÌ„ and godhead What sacrifice I beseche the good reder can ioyne vs together with Christe and make vs partenars of his death and godheade whiche mannes handes maye defile except it be the masse and it be also a sacrifice propitiatory pacyfieng goddes wrath toward vs for oure offences That sayethe sainte Cyprian thus writinge after Cyprianus de caena domini he had saide that Christe vpon the crosse dyd offer hym selfe a sacrifice and that he the buttelar had giuen the same cuppe Penitrat omnia tanti medicamenti virtus quicquid esset intus ibi dum effugaret renouaret sanaretque quic quid morbi carni vel spiritui veteris uitae adlinierat corruptela That is The vertue or strength of soo greate a medicine perceth al thinges while it dryueth awaye what so euer shulde be there within and shoulde renewe and heale what so euer disease the defylynge of the olde lyfe had brought to the fleshe or the spirite Hytherto Cypryan Origen doth also thus write of the force and strength of the masse Origenes ho 13. in leui Sirespicias ad illam commemorationem de qua dicit dominus Hoc facite in meam commemorationeÌ„ inuenies ê™ ista est commemoratio Lu. â—2 sola quae propitium facit hominibê° deum If a man loke to that remeÌ„braunce of the whiche oure lorde saith do ye this for my remeÌ„brauÌ„ce he shal fynde that this is the only memorye or remembraunce of Christes death and sacrifice done on the crosse whiche causethe god to be contented or mercyful to men Of this part this is sufficent to proue that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatory or appeasynge gods dyspleasure for synne Now to the seconde part which is that the masse is auayleable and profitable to theÌ„ whiche are departed from this lyfe ¶ That the masse is profitable to the deade lyke as other good deedes doone for them are THegrekes good reder dyd deny vtterly that there was any meane place betwene heauen hell wherin maÌ„s soule shulde be deteined for a time tyll that it myght please god to deliuer it froÌ„ thence to his glorious sighte The whiche errour among diuers other Iohan Wycleffe Martin luther Ihon Frith did maynteyne and defende Also one Aerius as sainte Austen sheweth August lib. de heres heres 55 in his booke of heresies whan he coulde not obteyne a byshoprike for the which he laboured he taught Epiphani lib. 3 many heresies amonge the whiche he saied that a christen man shuld not be bounde to faste any certain daye but to be suffered to fast whaÌ„ he lyste ageinst the which I haue made a boke in englisshe and also A boke of fastynge he saide that it shulde nothinge auaile the deade yf the lyuynge shuld pray for them And thought it were nowe greate nede to write fully of this matter yet I wyll at this tyme onely bringe the auncieÌ„t doctours sentences to proue that the masse is a sacrifice profitable to them whiche are departed yf it be songe or sayde for them and shortely god wyllynge I wyll set forthe a hoole booke of that matter againste Frithes booke compiled of the same To begynne Innocen li. de myst miss therfore Innocentius thus wryteth Istos qui nondum perfecte prorsus purgati sunt commendat pia mater ecclesia intercessione sua in sacrosaÌ„cto sacrificio certissime The same hath s Barnarden sermone 66. Canti ca. credens ê™ sanguis ille praeciosus qui pro multis effusus est in remissionem peccatorum non soluÌ„ valeat ad salutem viuentium sed etiam ad releuationem defunctoruÌ„ The godly or piteous mother the church doth remembre them wtih her intercession in the halowed sacrifice beleuynge moste assuredly that the precious bloud which was poured out for the remission of many meÌ„s sinnes is not only of force or strength for the helth of the lyuynge but also for the easyng of the dead Isodorê° agreeth with this Isodorus lib. â— off sayenge Sacrificium pro defunctorum requie offerre quia per to tuÌ„ orbeÌ„ custoditur credimus ab apostolis esse traditum We do beleue that the apostles taught to offer sacrifice for the deades reste because it is kepte throughe all the world