practise of the most points of controuersie betweene them and vs. The Methode which I shall follow in this ensuing confutation shall be this First I shall shew that the pretended sacrifice of the Masse hath no foundation either in the Scriptures or practise of the Apostles or was knowne to the Fathers of the first sixe hundred yeares after Christ. Secondly I shall shew how the Masse got entrance increase and continuance in the Church of Rome from the time of Gregorie the great vntill these 〈◊〉 dayes Thirdly I shall answer vnto the Obiections of our Aduersaries Lastly I shall lay downe arguments confuting them and establishing the Doctrine now taught in the Church of England And for the first of these If this sacrifice of the Masse haue any ground in Scripture the Papists will be sure to alleadge whatsoeuer may seeme to make for their purpose Let vs then lay in the ballance of the Sanctuary their wrested Scriptures and see how they prooue the matter in hand First they alleadge the words of our Sauiour to the woman of Samaria The houre commeth that you shall not worship the father neither in this mountaine nor at Ierusalem but the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth What prooue they from hence to adore say they is to sacrifice which sacrifice say they is the sacrifice of the Masse But who can be so blind as not plainely to discerne that by worship is meant all spirituall seruice and that after the materiall sacrifices the spirituall sacrifices shall succeede And Saint Augustine vnderstands it of inward and spirituall prayer Wouldest thou pray in a Temple pray within thy selfe saith he changing this outward and materiall Seruice to inward and spirituall Chrysostome expounds Christ to 〈◊〉 of the spirituall sacrifice of our selues which the Apostle mentions Rom. 12. 1. And 〈◊〉 their owne Cardinall thus expounds this place In spirit that is to say not in the mountaine not at 〈◊〉 not in 〈◊〉 one 〈◊〉 place not with a temporall Seruice but with an inward and spirituall Ferus likewise one of their own though nor so corrupt as now they are sayes In spirit in as much as they shall haue receiued the Spirit of 〈◊〉 crying in him Abba Father in truth in as much as they shall call upon him in his Sonne who is Truth it selfe Offering saith he afterwards no more any quicke and liuing creatures but their owne bodies in sacrifice a holy oblation and offering Thus neither by the Fathers nor by some of their owne Writers expounding this Scripture can it appeare that Christ speakes in this place concerning the sacrifice of the Masse Secondly the falshood of Iohannes 〈◊〉 Durantus is palpable when he saith That it is perspicuous by the testimonies of Christ himselfe and of Paul the Apostle and of the ancient Fathers that Christ instituted the sacrifice of the Masse and was the Authour thereof Wherefore hauing recited the institution of the Sacrament out of the 22. chapter of Luke and the first of the Corinth the eleuenth vpon these words Doe this in remembrance of me hee concludeth that by those words Christ gaue commandement to sacrifice for to doe signifies to sacrifice according to that of Virgill Quum faciam vitulam pro frugibus c. Answ. I answer Facere in the latine signifies sometimes to sacrifice but it is onely a Poeticall phrase feldome read and neuer but when it is ioyned with the thing to be sacrificed And the greeke language wherein the Euangelist Luke and the Apostle Paul writ vseth not the word Poiein to sacrifice Wherefore Christ instituting there not a Sacrifice but a 〈◊〉 enioyneth vs to doe the same that hee hath done namely to blesse the bread to eate the bread to blesse the cup to drinke of the cup to distribute them both and to receiue them both Thirdly a great Papist of late yeares seeing himselfe thrust out of this place flyeth to another and will needes prooue that the Apostles said Masse by that place of the Acts. Leitourgountôn ae autôn kai nesteuontôn As they ministred vnto the Lord and fasted This word Leitourgountôn as they ministred he will haue to signifie as they were saying Masse Answ. I answer the word properly signifies to 〈◊〉 ones duty or to serue and therefore is to be translated as they were seruing the Lord. I know in the greeke Church the Lords Supper was called leitourgia a liturgie or seruice but that is kat exochen because it is the clearest badge of our Christian profession and a speciall worke of Gods seruice So the Apostle calls the almes of the Saints leitourgia a liturgy or seruice in both which places the word is vsed which they would haue to signifie to say Masse in the place before alleadged They may as well prooue that the Angells said Masse for the same Epitheton is attributed to them They are called leitourgika pneumata ministring spirits It were strange to translate it Massing spirits But what is the meaning of the former place Leitourgounton As they were ministring Oecumenius tells vs Truely the same that 〈◊〉 they were preaching The Syriacke and the Arabian As they were at praiers Their old translation as they were executing their office and ministerie And the Glosse addeth in good workes euery man according to his order and degree Nicholas de Lyra and Caietan two of their owne men the first sayes As they serued God euerie one according to his degree fasting to the end that their spirits might be so much the more raysed and lifted vp to 〈◊〉 and diuine things The second sayes He speaketh nothing of what kind their ministring was but in as much as hee had spoken before of Prophets and teachers he would in finuate vnto vs that they serued God in teaching and prophecying Among these and all ancient expositers there is not one can be found that did euer dreame of finding the Masse in this place of Scripture But let vs further grant that the word doth signifie that they were celebrating the holy Sacrament yet what can they from thence collect to prooue the sacrifice of the Masse yea but say they Leitourgein signifies to sacrifice Nay but properly to execute a publike charge either in spirituall or temporall affaires Wherefore Suidas calls Leitourgia he demosia huperesia a publike of fice or charge and so is called quasi ta leita ergazein to doe some publike worke for the people or suppose wee should yeeld they were sacrificing why not sacrificing the Gospell according to that place which formerly I haue quoted and expounded to bee nothing els but by preaching the Gospell to make the sacrifice of Christ to be knowne to their hearers and by the sword of the spirit the word of God to kill and slay mens sinnefull lusts that so they may bee offered vp to God a pure and vnspotted sacrifice Fourthly they tell vs of the Masse of Saint
he must infinitely humble himselfe and in humbling himselfe he must die for vs and in dying for vs he must die not for the righteous but for sinners and if the wordes of Christ be true that greater loue there cannot be then that a man should lay downe his life for his friend how great then is that loue when God shall lay downe his life for his enemies If Christ hath thus loued vs let vs labour to loue him againe and if wee will giue an euident demonstration of our loue to Christ let vs expresse it by this euen by our care to keepe his commandements for so sayes Christ If yee loue me keepe my commandements Thus so often as wee meditate on the Priest-hood and sacrifice of Christ whereby wee receiue remission of sinnes and reconciliation wee should in them as in a glasse behold the incomprehensible compassion of God our father and the vnspeakable loue of Christ our Sauiour The third vse of this point is for consolation vnto all Gods elect who are sanctified with the grace of Christ hauing the eyes of their vnderstandings illuminated and being renewed in the spirit of their minds are become new creatures for to them hath he made an atonement and reconciliation by his sacrifice and oblation which hee offered vpon the crosse once for all Whosoeuer thou art therefore that fearest the Lord and art begotten againe to a 〈◊〉 hope albeit thou findest in thy selfe many failings and infirmities and that the burthen of those 〈◊〉 which thou diddest commit in the dayes of thy vnregeneration and non-conuersion doe so oppresse thee as that thou art weary and heauy laden yet lift vp the eyes of thy faith vnto Christ hee was the Priest that offered vp his humane nature an al-sufficient sacrifice for the sinnes of all that beleeue in him he felt the sharpe wrath of God against him but it was for thy sinnes that thou mightest be freed from the wrath to come he hath borne thine infirmities he was broken for thy transgressions the chastisement of thy peace was layd vpon him and by his stripes thou art healed he put himselfe in thy roome and by the punishment of his soule and body did free thy soule and body from eternall damnation If therefore thou be stung with sinne Christ is the brazen Serpent exalted on the crosse list vp the eyes of faith vnto him and thou shalt be restored It was for thy sake that Christ Iesus was made a Holocaust or sacrifice that he might abandon all enmity and consummate a perfect peace betweene thee and God Wherefore feare not thy sinnes but reioyce in thy Christ and let thy soule be ioyfull within thee say vnto thy soule as Dauid did Prayse the Lord ô my soule and all that is within me prayse his holy Name because hee hath of his tender compassion on thee conferred the riches of his mercy and incorporated thee into the mysticall body of his sonne Christ Iesus by whose most holy sacrifice God is so appeased that I dare runne boldly vnto the Throne of Grace and with confidence in his name assure my selfe of eternall life But vnto all wicked men which liue without feare and die without repentance albeit their outward profession be more glorious in shew then was the profession of the most strict Pharisie but doing good workes in hypocrisie and dissimulation I will say concerning the benefit of Christs Sacrifice as Peter sayd to Simon Magus touching the guifts of the Holy Ghost You haue neither part nor lot in this matter that is in the sacrifice of Christ for your heartes are not right in the sight of God Repent 〈◊〉 of your wickednesse and pray God if perhaps the thoughts of your hearts may be forgiuen you for I 〈◊〉 you are in the gall of bitternesse and band of 〈◊〉 Oh you wicked and vngodly men 〈◊〉 not your soules feede not your selues with vaine hopes and dreaming expectations of future happinesse for vnto heauen can you not come but by the sacrifice of Christ and till you leaue your sinnes by 〈◊〉 and reformation and be changed from your miserable state of nature to the comfortable state of grace you can haue no part norportion in Christs sacrifice for that was onely offered for them that were elected before all time and shall be called in time to the sauing knowledge of the Lord Icsus Christ. Wherefore if any man desire to come to heauen and there to enioy the felicity of Gods glorious Kingdome let him then by a true 〈◊〉 faith apply the sacrifice of Christ vnto himselfe Let the 〈◊〉 for sake-his wayes and the vnrighteous his thoughts and let him returne vnto the Lord and hee will haue mercy vpon him and to our God for hee will aboundantly pardon The last vse of this point is for consutation of that most blasphemous doctrine and damnable heresie of the Church of Rome concerning the sacrisice of the Masse established by Canons in the cursed Councill of Trent and is now taught and beleeued by all Papists The words of which Canons are these If any man shall say that in the Masse there is not offered vnto God a true and proper Propitiatory Sacrifice vnder the formes of bread and wine or shall deny that by this sacrifice is effected that those which come vnto God with a true heart and vpright conscience do obtaine mercy let him be accursed The other Canon hath these words If any man shal say the sacrifice of the masse to bee onely a sacrifice of praise and 〈◊〉 or a bare commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse and not propitiatory or shall say that it is profitable onely for him that 〈◊〉 it and not both for the quicke and the dead for their sinnes punishments and satisfactions let him bee accursed This diuelish and most hereticall doctrine as it hath beene already confuted by the Scriptures which are as the ancients stile them the touchstone of truth the pillar of faith a strong army against heretickes so shall it also appeare to bee vnknowne to the Fathers of the Primitiue Church and gain-sayd by diuers of then owne Writers Now if in this 〈◊〉 wee shall somewhat more then ordinarily relye vpon the 〈◊〉 of Writers it is to be borne with in regard that it is the best course 〈◊〉 like owles they 〈◊〉 the light of the Scripture to deale with them which so much stand vpon antiquity by the 〈◊〉 of antiquity and the testimony of their 〈◊〉 men And the 〈◊〉 shall I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it falls so patte in the way that I must eyther remooue it or leape ouer it as also because herein consisteth the most principall part of Diuine Seruice in the Church of Rome and vnto them it is the badge and cognizance to distinguish betweene the good and euill Christian and in going thereunto or not going a man workes his owne saluation or damnation as also because it compriseth in it the doctrine or the
Argument 6. Sixtly if the sacrifice of Christ was perfectly finished vpon the Crosse then is it vnlawfull for any Priest to presume to offer againe this sacrifice But the offering of the sacrifice of Christ was perfectly finished vpon the crosse Ergo it is vnlawfull to presume to offer this sacrifice againe in the Masse The consequence is euident For hee that goes about to offer that sacrifice which was perfectly finished vpon the crosse cannot but by his reiteration preiudice and call in question the perfection thereof for as Chrysostome speaketh he that hath a soueraigne medicine which by once applying is perfectly able to cure a disease and shall often apply the same doth derogate from the vertue thereof so he that shall reiterate the all-sauing sacrifice vpon the crosse by the frequent reiteration charges it with impotency and imbecility Wherefore whatsoeuer pretence our aduersaries may vse they by their Massing sacrifice doe no lesse then robbe the al-sufficient sacrifice of the Crosse and with irreligious blasphemy derogate from it the meritorious power to saue all that beleeue The Minor is manifest by the words of our Sauiour he cryed Consummatum est It is finished What is finished The Ceremoniall law was abrogated the Morall law was fulfilled the sacrifice of Christ was perfected the saluation of mankind accomplished And God forbid that against so many euidences of scripture any man should affirme the sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse not to be perfectly finished as though he had left any part to bee supplyed by the Masse-Priests which hee himselfe was not able to effect Wherefore if Christ hath on his crosse cancelled the hand writing which was against vs if hee by his crosse hath reconciled vs vnto his father if he on the crosse did once sacrifice himselfe for all beleeuers then God forbid any man should 〈◊〉 in ought saue the crosse of Christ God forbid any Christian should seeke for a Propitiatory sacrifice in the Eucharist which hath no vertue in it to procure pardon for sinne vnto any soule but onely faithfully receiued to seale the remission purchased by the bloody sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse But our subtle Antagonists thinke to auoide the force of our argument by this cunning distinction There is say they two degrees of remission of sinnes The first that God would for his part and as much as in him lyes be reconciled to men Secondly that he would receiue them into fauour they working by faith and repentance The first degree say they is in the sacrifice of Christs death on the crosse The second is in the sacrifice of the Masse and for the confirmation of this distinction they adduce the saying of the Apostle God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe not imputing their trespasses vnto them and hath committed vnto vs the word of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But our aduersaries by this distinction thinking to auoid us haue giuen vs the greater aduantage For this latter degree of remission of sinnes is nothing els but the application of the sacrifice of Christ vnto all men as if they should say that then are wee made partakers of that great benefite of Christs sacrifice when we doe receiue him with a true faith And for this end was the sacrifice of the Masse instituted Vt cruenti sacrificij salutaris virtus in remissionem corum quae quotidie committuntur a nobis peccatorum 〈◊〉 That the sauing vertue of the bloody sacrifice may be applyed vnto vs for the remission of those sinnes which are dayly committed by vs. From hence I conclude that if the application of a Propitiatory sacrifice bee not the sacrifice it selfe for he that confounds the thing and the application of that thing shewes but weakenesse of iudgement and that in the Masse there is an application of the great Propitiatory sacrifice offered by Christ it must needes follow that in the Masse there is no Propitiatory sacrifice it selfe true and reall but onely an application of the great and al-sufficient sacrifice offered by Christ. Therefore the Apostle sayes that God hath committed to vs his ministers the ministery of reconciliation From which words I collect these two obseruations First that the Pastors of the Church of Christ are Ministers of application of Christs sacrifice but not of sacrificing Christ himselfe Secondly that this application is made not by sacrificing of Christ as our Romanists dreame but by teaching admonishing and exhorting with the administration of the Sacrament according to the institution of Christ. Argument 7. Seauenthly if Christ be truely and really offered in the Masse then in the Masse he is really slaine But in the Masse he is not truely and really slaine ergo in the Masse Christ is not reall offered The Consequence appeares by this that the offering of Christ and the slaying of Christ are neuer seperated in the holy Scripture For it was not with Christ as with the beast vnder the Law which were first slaine and then offered vppon the Altar but Christ in the instant of his death was offered a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauor to his Heauenly Father Let the Scriptures be examined and iudge whether euer they speake of the Sacrifice of Christ but thereby is meant his death For this he did once when he offered himselfe How much more the blood of Christ which by the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God So Christ was once offered to beare the sinnes of many These and all other places of the new Testament which speake of the offering of Christ are to be interpreted of his death Wherefore to say Christus 〈◊〉 est Christ is offered is nothing else but to say Christus mortuus est Christ is dead or Christ is slaine Wherefore if Christ be truely and really offered in the Masse he must be truely and really slaine Our aduersaries answere That there is a Sacramentall immolation of Christ in the Masse because by the power and vertue of Transubstantiation the body of Christ is consecrated and made to subsist by it selfe and the blood of Christ is consecrated and made to subsist by it selfe and so though they are seperated locally and in appearance yet they are not seperated propter concomitantiam by concomitance they are both ioyned together By this their distinction they thinke to vp hold their Masse by which they ouer-turne it For first in that they say it is a Sacramentall immolation herein they speake more truely then they are aware wherein wee consent with them for if it be Sacramentall it cannot be proper reall and externall seeing that which is Sacramentall is so relatiue hauing reference vnto that substance whereof it is a shadow or resemblance Againe for the body and the blood to be framed seperately and yet by concommitance not to be seperated who heares not a contradiction in these words The Minor our aduersaries themselues confesse they will not say Christ is slaine really and truely in the Masse least their
Iesuite of his owne society that hee might prooue the receiuing of the bread and the wine in the Eucharist not to bee any essentiall part of this sacrifice reasoneth negatiuely from Christ his institution thus It is very likely that Christ instituting this sacrifice did not make it of the essence of this sacrifice for the Priest to receiue for the Euangelists negatiue authority proones it it being probable that they relating the history of so great a mystery would not haue pretermitted so essentiall a rite thereof who doe expresly signifie that Christ did consecrate the Eucharist but that hee himselfe did take it they doe not report and immediately hee addes If the Priests receiuing of the bread and wine be of the essence of the Eucharist it ought to haue bin cleerely and plainely deliuered by the Euangelist From hence may bee collected thus much That wbosoeuer is not expressely related by the Euangelist concerning the institution of this sacrament is not essentiall or absolutely necessary thereunto This is Suarez his confession and as much as Luther and we desire for if the Euangelists haue not layde downe any institution of a sacrifice nor so much as named a a sacrifice in the Eucharist wee ought not to embrace it this therefore argues the malice of our aduersary Bellarmine who calls this a ridiculous manner of reasoning in vs which is vsed by a Doctour of his owne order not inferiour to himselfe in learning and iudgement Secondly let vs appeale vnto the iudgement of the Cardinall himselfe who answers in another case after the same manner for hee reciteth the Liturgies that passe vnder the name of Saint Iames because all things saith he contained in those liturgies and in the liturgies of other Fathers are not taken from the example or precept of Christ. Thus doth the Cardinalls argument frame it selfe whatsoeuer in the seruice of God is not by prescript precept or direct example of Christ confirmed is not lawfull or warrantable see now the partiality and philautia of the Cardinall for what hee thinkes commendable in himselfe he accounts ridiculous in another The Liturgie of Saint Iames is not lawfull because it contains many things not taken either from the example or commandement of Christ yet we may not say that the Masse is vnlawfull because it cannot be prooued by either example or commandement of Christ. Note here the Cardinall requires greater authority for the confirmation of a Liturgy then of their Massing sacrifice Wherefore when they vrge the lawfulnesse of this their sacrifice let vs reply Orthodoxally in the Cardinals owne words Shew vs either example or commandement from Christ and it shall 〈◊〉 For in this tempestuous night of opposition and contention wee haue nothing to steere our course by but by the compasse of Scripture and the Load-starre Christ in whom wee are to obserue dicta facta his words and his actions in his institution It is not vntrue that some Romanists haue thought that Christ did name the word sacrifice or oblation when he spake vnto his father albeit it be not mentioned by the Euangelist for they thought it necessary in consecration that Christ should haue vsed the words offering or sacrificing But that had beene strange forgetfulnesse in the 〈◊〉 to haue omitted the maine thing which must authorize this sacrifice and how did the spirit of the truth lead them into all truth if this were omitted which is the maine part of Gods seruice and the chiefe solace of a Christian soule But we will not 〈◊〉 them to so strict a taske as to finde in the institution of Christ the very words of a sacrifice or oblation it shall auaile them to proue any word tending to that purpose Bellarmine brags of the probate of the point and vseth this argument Christ offered himselfe vnder the forme of bread and wine vnto his father and bid his Apostles do this in remembrance of him therefore the Church may offer a sacrifice propitiatory according to Christs command laying Do this Who sees not here a Paralogisme or petitio principij For he takes that for granted which is the life of the cause and hee supposes that Christ offered himselfe vnder the formes of bread and wine which can neuer be proued and therefore is vnlikely to be granted by vs for if it can appeare that Christ at the institution of the Eucharist or Lords Supper did 〈◊〉 his body into the bread and wine and so did offer it vnto his father wee shall soone yeelde and the controuersie shall haue end But can any man beleeue that Christ carried his whole body in owne of his hands that he gaue it to be eaten to his Disciples which saw him present at the Table and heard him speaking to them both while they were eating him and afterward that the same sonne of man should at once both 〈◊〉 his owne body and 〈◊〉 intine and whole at Table That a true naturall body should be in many places at once Vnlesse hee were as Tursellian reports of St. Xanier one of Loyala's brood who was seene in a boate and ship both at once like Plautus his Amphitruo Sealiger layes downe his Axiome The numericall vnity of a finite thing cannot stand without continuity But Bellarmine sayth The very places wherein Christs body is are discontinued yea and the very body of Christ it selfe is 〈◊〉 from it selfe 〈◊〉 respect of place though not in respect of substance and quantity As though there could be any diuision of a materiall substance but by bounds of place or as if quantity were not both bounded and measured by place alone Or as if that sinite body which is in two places at once were not first diuided in it selfe So that we demaund of Bellarmine as once Paul did in another case Is Christ diuided The Papists do not say as once of old Behold here is Christ or there but which is much worse Behold Christ is both here and there and euery where in his true humane nature thus they blush not to teach impossibilities that the selfe same body should be all here and all not here all visible and all inuisible all vppon the Table and all in Heauen all eaten and all vneaten all in England and all at Rome Who sees not these impostures to be most palpable And for that Bellarmine will haue these words Do this to signifie as much as to sacrifice thereby to establish their great Diana the sacrifice of the Masse hee alleadgeth not one of the whole Catalogue of the Fathers who hath so interpreted those words Insomuch that his brother Cardinall dispairing of the proofe of the Masse by these words is faine to confesse Vt vel hoc ex loco vel alijs scripturae locis essicaciter probari non possit hoc esse sacrificium tamen ex eccle siae traditione idefficaciter probatur That albeit this sacrifice cannot be proued by this text Do this or by other places of
vnto Christ the Layty gazing on him appearing rather to be excommunicate persons then to haue any communion in the body of Christ as also the Communion of Saints is abolished by the Masse seeing any notorious sinner who can pay for a Masse shall haue as much relaxation of paines as a 〈◊〉 man 6. In the administration of the Sacrament the Laity did pertake of the cup as well as the clergy But in the Masse the Sacrament is maimed by taking away the cup from the Lay people 7. Christ instituted the Sacrament in remembrance of himselfe saying Doe this in remembrance of me The Priest sayes Masse in remembrance of the dead Againe hereby they destroy the remembrance of Christs death For as a Testament doth suppose the death of the Testator so the alteration of that Testament supposeth that the Testator is not yet dead wherefore the Masse beeing so much altered from the institution of Christ which hee bequeathed as a Testament vnto his Church doth by consequence deny the death of Christ For it beeing sufficiently proued to be another pretended Testament differing from the first institution doth 〈◊〉 require againe that Christ should dye recrucisying the Sonne of God for as Paul sayth Where a Testament is there must necessarily follow the death of the Testator Moreouer if Christ be offered 〈◊〉 day how is this not rather to institute a new sacrifice then to Doe it in remembrance of his great sacrifice vppon the Crosse. 8. Christ instituted the Sacrament to be reuerently distributed vnto the people But the Masse is reserued in the Pix is carried about the Cities and Townes like a may-game 9. Christ gaue bread and wine to his Disciples The Priest 〈◊〉 God vnto the people hee being the maker of his Maker and they eating God with their bodyly mouthes to Christ instituted the Sacrament to confirme our Faith they say Masse to redeeme mens soules to cure diseases to worke miracles The second impiety of the Masse It commandeth and practiseth things directly contrary to Gods word 〈◊〉 inuocation of Saints and Angels Prayer for the dead Adoration of creatures Purgatory c. Thirdly it by consequence affirmeth that Christ is out of the fauour of his Heauenly Father and therefore had neede of an earthly Mediator which is the Priest who may offer the body of Christ vnto his Father and pray that God would accept him as the sacrifice of Abell Fourthly the Masse hindreth the seruice of God for God wil be serued in spirit and truth with an inward and entire affection but the Masse causeth a man to rest in the outward seruice of God as hearing seeing gazing stooping kneeling knocking c. Which things of themselues are meritorious by the worke wrought and because the Masse alone is sufficient therefore it makes needlesse all holy exercises as Preaching Prayer c. Working presumption in wicked men who albeit they haue spent their dayes in wickednesse yet if they haue a Masse or can get the Priest to say Masse for them they doubt not but to be saued Fiftly it blasphemeth the Deity of Christ in that whereas God alone is to be worshipped with Diuine worship they ascribe and yeelde that which is due vnto God alone vnto the creature worshipping it instead of God as the bread and the wine in the Eucharist and doubtlesse their Artolatreia is nothing else but Tololatreia Sixtly it derogateth from the vertue of Christs death making it ineffectuall and his sacrifice imperfect ouer-turning the Crosse of Christ by erecting an Altar and reiterating that perfect and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ which was offered once for all whereby hee sanctified for euer them that were perfect hauing obtained eternall redemption for vs. And as the reiteration of the Leuiticall sacrifices argued the imperfection of them so the repetition of the Masse argues an insufficiency in the sacrifice of Christ. Seuenthly it falsifies the word of Christ. We vsually obserue the last speeches of dying men as oracles but Christ dying vpon the Crosse shut vp all with this speech It is finished that is Mans saluation is finished by this my sacrifice And yet the Massedenies it What is this but to make Christ a lyer Eightly it denies the Article of Christs humanity in that it a scribes not vnto him those properties which are competent to all 〈◊〉 bodies and without which a reall body cannot subsist as to be locally in one place at once to be circumscriptible to haue true demensions c. Ninthly it 〈◊〉 the article of Christs session at the right hand of God Who enioying a true materiall body if hee be present in the Masse cannot sit as a man at the right hand of his Father for euer Tenthly it is the ground of all diffidence and distruct the Sacrament encreaseth our faith while thereby wee apprehend Christ bodily absent to bee spiritually present but the Masse depending on the intention of the Priest cannot but beget distrust in the minds of the people Eleuenthly the Masse robbes vs of the fruite of Christs death for the fruite of Christs death is remission of sinnes which is sealed vnto vs in the Lords Supper But the Masse by the consent of some of their greatest Doctors is not auaileable for the remission of sinnes Twelfely it opens the mouth of the Common Aduersary who despises both the persons and religions of all Christians because the Church of Rome worshippeth a breaden God The thirteenth impiety of the Masse is this it destroyeth the eternity of Christs Priest-hood who was consecrated of his father a Priest not for a time but for euer after the order of Melchizedech which order was not temporall as the Priest-hood of Rome but eternall not externall and visible after his assension but spirituall and inuisible such as could neither be supplyed by substitutes or successours But by offering the sacrifice of the Masse they make themselues after the order of Melchizedech which order at the end of the world shall cease what then shall become of Christs eternall Priest-hood The fourteenth impiety of the Masse It maketh the Priest of more desert then Christ himselfe For the sacrifice is not accepted for it selfe but for the worthinesse of the person offering Caines sacrifice was as good as Abels when yet it was reiected for the wickednesse of him that offered Abels being accepted for the worthinesse of the sacrificer so the humane nature of Christ being our sacrifice was meritorious by the vertue of the God-head whereby it was offered vnto his Father But if the Priests do offer the body of Christ vnto his Father he must needes be of more desert then the sacrifice it selfe The fifteenth impiety of the Masse It ouerthroweth the Doctrine of grace and iustification which teacheth that in this life alone man hath time to worke his saluation and to procure the fauour of God and pardon for sinne But the Masse is profitable for the dead yea both to mitigate the paines and totally to liberate out of