inde me hominem esse proinde nihil humani ut comicus ait à me alienum falli posse decipi errare nolle tamen in errore pertinaciter edurare sed erratorum à quoque commonefactum incuÌ„ctanter ac perque libenter consilium in melius commutaturuÌ„ gratiam vel multo maximam admonitori ex animo habiturum tantum abest ut cum eo sim quicque expostulaturus seu illi succensurus ConsultuÌ„ est illud Di. Gregorij Nazianzeni Optabile est naÌ„que mihi praeclarum usque ad ultimam discere se nectutem quoniam nulla aetas ad perdiscendum sufficere potest oratione .vii. Postremo hoc tibi optime lector in mentem subeat quoties tibi quippiam in hac elucubratione displicet me occupatissimiiÌ„ esse ac tantum non negocioruÌ„ vndis adobrutum ut non iam integer uti par fuit sed aut prelegeÌ„do aut de rebus arduis disserendo delas satus propemodum a studendo abhorreÌ„s noÌ„ integros dies sed vix horas aliquot succisiuas seu furtiuas ut Hieroni. loquitur vnius tantum mensishoc libello contexendo insumpserim Nec sum omnia hic complexus caÌ„dide lector quae hac de re à uiris doctis prodita legerim sed multa de industria ueluti destinato transmisi silentio ne uolumen iusto maius esset ipsius prolixitas lectori aut paulo occupatiori aut nause abundo cieret nauseam fastidium pareâ—et Porro non sum nescius lector pie esse inter nostrates noÌ„ paucos â—uic proninciae obeundae longe magis idoneos quam me esse citra froÌ„â—is iacturaÌ„ ipse queam agnoscere si id oneris aut subire non recusarent aut per negotia subire illis liceret Quod tamen cum a nemine vel leuiter attactum neque attentatum hactenus viderim malui equidem meam qualem cunque in caelelestium literarum cognitione estimationem nonnihil perielitari duÌ„ noÌ„ ita dextre feliciter instituto tam sancto coronis aut manus suprema accesserit quam pati meaegentis fideÌ„ iaÌ„ noÌ„nihil coÌ„cussam labefactatam ullius imposturis praestigijs pessum iri ac interire modo per me staret ne id fieret effectuÌ„ dare ita quoruÌ„daÌ„ impijâ— conatibus obuâ—aÌ„ire ne illis quaÌ„tuÌ„ libeat liceat neue uirus suum pro sua libidine improbo studio mortalibus afflent eos in suaruÌ„ haereseon nassaÌ„ unde illis nunquaÌ„ nisi apprime aegrè se postea extricare liceat pro suo arbitratu pertrahant Hoc si contigisse videro abuÌ„de coÌ„pensatuÌ„ huÌ„c meuÌ„ laboreÌ„ satque feliciter eum mihi cefsisse ex istimauero tametsi multoruÌ„ interim dentes plusque theoninos me subinde morsicaÌ„tes senserim quoruÌ„ uituperium mauelim qui laudem ut a quibus laudibus tolli est planè uituperari pios sane eruditos admodum moror quos nihil addubito huÌ„c meuÌ„ conatuÌ„ ut seduluÌ„ quideÌ„ a pio profectuÌ„ aiÌ„o candide Seimus deo de â—eptum esse quicquid sit ê‘â—iribus D. G. Nâ—â—i orat 7. probaturos quippe quos noÌ„pÌ„terit illud flacci Est quodam prodire tenus si noÌ„ datur vltra Nec quod uidua euangelica quae exile planè leâ—â—t leuidensae ut est in ê“uerbio muâ—us contulerit in corbonam à chriâ—â—o cordis expensore adeo non auâ—ierit male ut illo nomine praeclaâ—o fuerit ornata encomio Age â—taque lector boni coÌ„sulè quod nuÌ„c â—uulgo Si enim id feceris facturuÌ„â—utem non diffido calcar mihi ad des haud mediocre ad plura hoc genus aggrediendum concinnandum inuulgandum ut hinc pij lectores nonnihil referant compendij commodi cum ad alioâ—uÌ„ tuÌ„ ad suaÌ„ ipsoruÌ„ constabilieÌ„ daÌ„ fidem atque ad eos christianae religioni denuo asciscendos qui illi ualefecerint absque ea desciuerint non tam inconsulte quam impie Vale lector pie aut his fruere mecum ut habet ille aut meliora Horatiuâ— quod hominis fuerit christiani imparti Oxoniae Anno ab orbe asserto 1546. Mense Septembri ¶ Note good reader this godly sayenge of saynt Basyll the greate WHen saint Basyll as the tripertite â—riper Histo li. 7 Cap. 36. story telleth was aduertised moued by a certen officer of the emperoure Valens to followe the tyme and not to suffre so many churches to be piteouslye vexed through a small subtiltie oâ— doctrine as then it was and the sayde officer had promised to him the emperours fauour and amitie yf he wolde ceasse speakynge agaynst heresye then being ê¯pronge vp and spred among the people he made this godly catholyke aunswere Adolescentibus haec conueniunt uerba illi illorum similes talia respiciunt NaÌ„ qui diuinis inutriti sunt eloquijs corruÌ„pi de diuinis doginatibus ne unam quidem syllabam patiuntur sed pro his sâ— contingat etiaÌ„ omnes mortis species amplectuntur Amicitiam autem imparatoris magnaÌ„ quideÌ„ cuÌ„ pietate iudico sine qua pernitiem potius hanc appello That is to saye in englysh These wordes are mete for spryngoldes or yonkers they and lyke to them do regarde suche For they whiche are nourisshed vp with or in scripture do suffer no not one syllable of goddes doctrines to be corrupted but if it happeÌ„ they embrace yea al kindes of deathe But I do iudge the emperours amitie or frendshyppe verely great beinge coupled or ioyned with godlynes withoute the whiche I do call it rather destruction then amitee This was vndoubtedly a very godly aunswer and wonderous semely for a good and a holy bysshop worthy not to be redde onely of all learned men and especially of bysshoppes but to be also diligently noted printed in memory folowed of them that they beynge thereby instructed do not let for any mans frendshyppe or for any benefites offred to them to stande stoutely and manly in defense of the true doctryne of Christe and his churche the foundation and pyller of the truth not sufferinge one â—ote or sillable thereof to be taken awaye and abolyshed by the craftie and deuellisshe persuasions of ill wryters or teachers but continuallye by scriptures the autoritie of christes churche and stronge reasons defendyng it For s Austen saith CoÌ„tra rationeÌ„ nemo sobriê° coÌ„tra scripturaÌ„ nemo christianus contra De â—rini 4. ca. 6. ecclesiaÌ„ nemo pacificus senserit That is to saye No sobre or well aduysed man wyll iudge againste reasoÌ„ no christeÌ„ man against scripture no quyet man againste the churche Wolde god that all men and women readyng or hearynge this notable and catholique sentence pronounced by the auncient great clerke saint Austen wolde receyue it and in al pointes of our religion folowe it For then there shold not be among vs christeÌ„ people so many schysmes and yll
dedes with suche other yet it were great foly and blyndnes to argue thervpon that christes onely sacrifice dyd not satisfie for al sinne Now to Luther againe who thus reasoneth vngodly It is not lefull to set vp any sacrifice The xvi reason to be a worshypping of god wtout expresse coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of god or wtout manifest scripture therfore but there is neither expresse commaundement nor plaine scripture that the masse is a sacrifice or that the preist in it shuld offer anye sacrifice Therfore it is no sacrifice The first part of this reasoÌ„ is false The solutioÌ„ for Abel offred sacrifice which pleased god wtout coÌ„maundement or scripture as the fourth of the Genesis doth testify and Iob also for his chylderne Furthermore al the Iob. 1 catholyke doctours are cleane in this opinion that Christe at hys laste supper dydde institute the sacrifice of the masse and commaunded his apostles to offer there at his blessed bodye and bloude in sacrifice saienge Hoc facite in meaÌ„ commemorationem Do ye thys for my remembraunce Luke .xxii. Finally we beleue many thinges not expressed nor commaunded in Verities not written expressely in scripture the scripture as the continuall virginitie of the mooste blessed and honorable virgin marye Christes mother for the denial of the which Saint Ierome called Eluidius an heretike Also the baptisme of infantes or babes can not be proued by expresse scripture but only by tradition of the apostelles as Origen Sainte Austen and Dionise Li 6. coÌ„ iÌ„ Ro. Aduer faustuÌ„ lib. de ecclesi hierarch Paules disciple do say I passe by diuers other thinges necessary to be beleued althoughe scripture neither commaundeth them to be done nor speaketh anye thinge of them of the whiche I wyll putte forth shortely a boke god willing They yet reason thus against the masse The .xvii. reason That can not be a sacrifice whiche the preiste doth eate because a sacrifice is wholly offered to god and no part of it is turned to maÌ„s vse but the preist doth wholly eate the sacramente Therfore it is not a sacrifice O blyndnes of Luther dydde The solutioÌ„ not the Iewes eate the paschal or passeouer lambe and yet that was a sacrifice as it appearethe in the scripture playnely And where he saith that a sacrifice is wholly offered to god and no peece of it turned to mans vse that is true only of one kynde of sacrifice called in greke holocaustum that is al burned For in the olde laue the iewes dyd â—leye beestes wich hauynge theyr bowelles taken out were layed hole on the aulter and burned so that of these onelye no part was turned to mans vse the whiche Martin Luther applieth falsely to all other sacrifices therefore this his reason is not worth two peason as this is not made by him The sacrament of th aulter is a The xviii reason gage or a pledge of gods promyse made of the remission of sinne and obtaininge of life euerlastynge by the eatynge of it as it appeare the in Iohans gospell sayeng he that eateth of this breade shal lyue for IoaÌ„ 6 euer therefore that thinge whiche is consecrate in the masse can not be a sacrifice for as muche as one thynge can not be a gage and also a sacrifice Hytherto leude Luther without all learnyng To this I aunswere breifely The solution that the masse is both a pledge assurynge vs of the perfourmynge of gods promysse touchynge remission of synne and the lyfe euerlastynge also a sacrifice in dyuers respectes For it is a sacrifice for as moch as it is offered of the preist to god after the churches ordinauÌ„ce and a gage or pledge in as moch as it is geuen to vs of god as a certificate and an assuraunce of forgiuenes of synne and glorie celestiall at the lengthe to be of vs receaued throughe the worthy eatynge of Christes bodye Wherefore thys reason is soyled cleane Nowe whan Luther thus argueth The sacramente is a gyfte geuen The .xx. reason to vs of god as christe sayeth Accipite take ye this is my body but one thinge can not be a sacrifice and a gyft because the nature of a sacrifice is to be offred to god and of a gyfte to be giuen of god whiche are contrarye and can not agre together in any one thinge What ignoraunce is this of The solutioÌ„ this greate doctour whome hys scholers are not ashamed to call Daniel and the lanterne of the worlde whiche brought the lyght into it If good christen reader one thinge coulde not be bothe a gifte of god gyuen to man and also a sacrifice than Abell dyd offer no sacrifice for those thinges whiche he offered were the gyftes of god as the text sheweth nor Abraham nor Iob nor the Iewes offerynge of beastes corne and other thinges by the coÌ„maundement of god had ben any sacrifice because al those thinges were goddes giftes as al creatures be accordyng to the prophet Dauids sayenge Domini est terra plenitudo eiê° Psal 23. The earth is our lordes and the fulnes of it are not the praysynge of god geuynge thankes to hym the confession of his name geuing of almes with many other thiÌ„ges sacrifices and yet they are al gods giftes as Paul saith Quid habes 1. Cor. 4. quod non accepisti What hast thou that good is whiche thou haste not receaued Therefore the prophet 1 paral 29. Dauyd sayde Tua sunt omnia domine quae de tua manu accepimus dedimus tibi Lorde all thinges are thyne and we haue giuen to the those thinges whiche we haue receaued of thy hande This the church confesseth in the canon Nihil deo preter â— sua damus we gyue no thynge to god besyde his owne G. Nazianze oratione 16. of the masse sayenge Offerimus praeclarae tuae maiestati de tuis donis ac datis hostiam puram hostiam sanctam hostiam immaculalatam panem sanctum vitae aeternae calicem salutis perpetuae We do offer to thy very excellent maiestie of thy lyberal or fre gyftes thynges geuen to vs a pure hoost a holye hooste an vndefyled host holye breade of euerlastynge lyfe and the cuppe of saluation perpetuall Lo here thou seeste reader that the church christes spouse the fouÌ„dation and pyllar of the truth to whome christe promysed the holye ghost the spirite of truth whiche shulde abyde with it for euer that it shuld not holly erre in the faith doth confesse one the same thing Tua ex tuis tibi offerimê° we offre to the saythe Chrisostom iÌ„ his masse â–ª thine owne thynges of thyne owne to be a gyfte of God and a sacryfyce offered to hym Ought not we rather to beleue this than Martyn Luthers folysh bablyng grouÌ„ded vppon no learnynge but of this sufficiente An other argumeÌ„t of his framynge is this whyche I do reherse that men maye se his great and exceadynge ignoraunce in
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
passion Hitherto this blessed martyr saint Cyprian a man nere the apostles tyme and of a very deape knowelage in goddes holye worde we ought therfore to geue credence rather vnto him in this presente controuersy of our religion than to Martyn Luther or els any other of that sort whiche vpon no grounde as it shall hereafter appeare manifestlye deny the masse to be a sacrifice propitiatory that is appeasynge or pacifieng gods displeasure and wrath whiche all meÌ„ seÌ„ce christe dyd firste institute it at his last supper til now Martyn Luthers comynge euer beleued vndoutedly stedfastly but I wil procede vpon this purpose make yet a further probation to leaue no doubte in the matter yf it may be by my small learninge The twelue loues of bread spokeÌ„ of in Leuitico were a fygure of this blessed sacrifice made in the Leui. 24. masse vnder fourme of breade as saint Dainascene dothe affirme sayeng Hunc paneÌ„ panes figurabant Damas lib. 4. Cap. 14. propositionis The loues of shewe dyd figure this bread And therfore where our texte in Latin hath panes propositionis offert He offereth breade of shewe the Hebrewe hath as Galatinus testifieth Galatinus lib. 10. cap. 7. Quia carnem dei tui ipse est vel erit sacrificans that is because he is or shall be sacrifisynge the flesshe of thy god S. Origen Origines in Leui. 24. doth playnlye confirme the same saieng If a man loke on the bread which descended downe from heauen and on that coÌ„memoration or remembrauÌ„ce of the which the lorde saith Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Luc. 22. Do ye this for remembraunce of me and do remember also the misteries of the churche more dylygently lokyng on them In his quae scribit lex futurae veritatis inuenies imaginem praeformatam He shall fynde in those thynges whiche the lawe writeth an Image or a symylytude of the trouthe afore fourmed Thys sacryfyce also was fygured by the continual sacrifice of the olde lawe mentioned in the boke of Moses called Exodus the xxix chap. For lyke as the twelue Exodi 29. loues were set out to shewe daily and this sacrifice coÌ„tinually done by the preistes of the olde lawe euen so in the masse the preist doth shewe daylye to the people our sauiours blessed bodye vnder the fourme of bread and continually offereth it in sacrifice to god for to appease his displeasure and to make him mercyfull and fauourable vnto vs that yet lyue and to the deade also Nowe the prophet Malachias shall come forthe to saye his mynde in this matter whych this writeth Non est mihi Mala. 1. â— 3 voluntas in vobis dicit dominus exercituum munus non suscipiaÌ„ de manu vestra Ab ortu enim solis vsque ad occasum magnuÌ„ est nomen meum in gentibus in omni loco facrificatur offertur nomini meo oblatio munda quia magnum est nomen meum in gentibus I haue no wyll or mynde to you saith the lorde of hostes I wyll not receaue of your hand a gyft or a sacrifice For from the risinge of the sonne vnto the goynge downe my name is great amonge the people and sacrifice is made and a cleane oblation is offred to my name bicause my name is great amonge the people Lo good christen reader here we se that god said by this his prophet that he had no mind to the Iewes mening that he wold forsake theÌ„ by reason of their infidelite lacke of fayth refusing his sonne christ at his commynge and synne and that he wolde no more receaue of them sacrifices made with beastes as he had done afore christ came in the tyme of the old testamente but that all suche sacrifices shuld be vtterlye abolysshed and lefte cleane as shadowes and fygures of christes sacrifice the very thing shadowed and figured by them whiche shuld and doth in dede as moch excede amouÌ„t excel them as the bodye dothe the shadowe and the thynge fygured the fygure or pycture representynge it That this is mente and spoken by the sacryfyce of the masse dyuerse olde wryters men so wel lerned as none are nowe these daies do playnely testyfye of the which I wyll brynge a fewe Damascene Damâ—s lib. 4. Ca. 14. aboue a thousand yeres sence thus wrote on this texte of the prophete Malachias Haec est pura scilicet hostia incruenta quam ab ortu vsque ad occasum ipsi offer riper prophetam dominus loquitur Christi videlicet corpus saÌ„guis in stabilimentum animae nostrae corporis inconsuÌ„ptuÌ„ incorruptuÌ„ non in secessuÌ„ iens absit enim sed in nostraÌ„ substantiaÌ„ conseruationem omnimodi nocumenti reparatio sordis omnis purgatio This is the englysshe therof This is the pure hooste or sacrifice offered to atteyne victorie of our enemies and vnblouddy or offered without bloud sheding the whiche our lord sayeth by his prophet shuld be offered to him froÌ„ the risinge of the sonne to the goyng downe surely the bodye and bloud of christ to kepe stedfaste or stable our soule and bodye or to be that thing which doth stablish our soule and body not coÌ„sumed â–ª incorrupted not going into the draught for god forbyd that but into our substauÌ„ce and conseruation a repayringe of all maner of The masse is a sacryfice propiriatoryâ— for one sinnes hurt a purgation or purgynge of al vncleannes Marke here good reader that this olde wryter Damascene affirmeth that oure lorde sayde by the prophet that a cleane hoost shoulde be offered to hym without bloude sheddyng verely the body and bloud of Christ and none other sacrifice than the sacrifice of the masse though Luter Bucer Bullyger and lyke other do neuer so much say the coÌ„trary without al good ground Secondly note that the same hoost or sacrifice shuld be a stay or a stablishment bothe of our bodye and the soule also Thyrdlye that it goeth not into the draught as other bodily meates do but it is turned in to the spiritual sustinaunce of the soule coÌ„seruatioÌ„ of it Fourthly note well that he calleth this holy sacrifice a reparation of all harine whiche came to the soule through synne and a purgynge or clensynge of all fylth of synne agaynst them which denye that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatorye that is makyng god mercyfull to vs and appeasynge his wrath towarde vs for our synnes Some Dyuers obiections are here soyled men saye that this prophetment of a sacrifice whiche the Iewes dyd make to god but they are farre deceyued Fyrste bycause he prophecyed of a sacrifice which shuld succede the iewes sacrifices abolyshed Secondly bycause he spake of a sacrifice whiche all people in euery place shuld offre to goddes name therfore it can not be vnderstande of any sacrifice of the iewes which they only in the temple of hierusalem dyd offre as it apereth by the law playnly Moreouer
some vnderstande this prophecy of the sacrifice fulfylled by christe on the crosse but as vntruly as the other for that sacrifice was offered of christ only in one place which was the mounte of caluarie but the prophet entreateth there of a sacrifice that shuld be offered to god in all places and therfore he spake not of christes sacrifice ones doone on the crosse Agayne the prophete wrote of that sacrifice which shuld be offered to god when his name shuld be great and famous amoÌ„ge the gentylles whiche was not renoumed among them before christ Mat .vi. Mar. 16 dyd suffre death but after his resurection wheÌ„ he sent his apostles to preache the gospell through all the worlde to euery man Thyrdly As bucer bulliger other of that sortt they are lykewyse deceyued that vnderstand by this sacrifice here mentioned laudyng of god thankes gyuynge to him confessynge of his name contritioÌ„ of mannes harte preachyng of the gospel mortifyenge of the bodye and carnall lustes or desyres of the flesh or any lyke first bycause none of these succeded or came in to the place of the Iewes sacrifices done away anulled and vndone for euer for they all were in the tyme of the lawe of nature before Moses lawe was put forth and vnder Moses lawe and after it was abolysshed as no man can say nay and therfore this prophecy can not be taken of them or any one of them Agayne the prophet spake of one sacrifice in the synguler nomber and theâ—e are many wherfore he may not be vnderstande of these Moreouer the prophet dyd speake of a pure and a clene sacrifice but our workes are not pure and clene because we offend sayeth saynt Iames in many Iacobi 3. 1. Ioh. 1. thynges And Iohn saith yf we saye we haue no synne we deceyue our selfes and the trouth is not in vs Therfore this prophecye must be vnderstande of Christes very bodye and blotidde a lambe without spotte of all fylthe and synne as Peter saith and sainte Paule 1 Peter 2. 2. Cor. 5. also which he offered vnder forme of bread wyne at his last supper and gaue autorite to his apostles and theyr successours prestes and byshoppes to do the same for his Luke 22. 1 Cor. 1â— remembraunce tyll his commynge agayne at the last day But I wyl brynge forthe Eusebius an olde Eusebius lib. Primo de euangelica demonstra greke writer to conferme this my purpose which thus writeth Mosaicis sacrificiis reiectis quod futurum erat nostrum ipsarum institutum propheta diuinitus nuÌ„ciat dicens Quoniam ab ortusolis c. That yâ— prophet sheweth of god or by the inspiratioÌ„ of the holy goost that which shuld be our own ordinauÌ„ce or institutioÌ„ the sacrifices of Moses reiected sayng bycause from the rysyng of the sonÌ„e to the goyng down sacrifice is made a clene oblation is offered to my name in euery place Therfore we do sacrifice saith Eusebius to god the highest a sacrifice of laude we do sacrifice to god a full sacrifice and bryngyng feare Et sacrosaÌ„ctum sacrificium A coÌ„secrated sacrifice halowed and that whiche ought not to be touched but reuerentlye We do offre in sacrifice to god with a new maner after the new testament an hoost clene This can not be vnderstande of any other sacrifice than of the sacrifice of the masse for none other is offered to god nowe after a newe maner accordynge to the newe testament as euery learned man may easely perceyue and therfore it must neades be taken of that sacrifice only Agayne he saith thus after very many wordes spoken of this matter as concludyng Iâ—aque Christus quasi mirabilem quaÌ„dam victimam sacrificiuÌ„ quod eximium deo patri operatus pro nostra omniuÌ„ salute obtulit eiusquè rei memoriam vt nosipsi ipsi deo pro sacrificio offerremus instituit That is to witte Therfore Christe after he had wrought offered to god the father for all our helth or saluation as who saith a certen wonderful and an excellent sacrifice and hath ordeyned that we our selfes shulde offre to the same god for a sacrifice the remembraunce of the same thynge If Marten Luther or his scolers had sene this holy fathers sainges and not lyâ—â—ed to lyke and esteme theyr owne iudgemnet more than his they wolde not haue so rashely The sacrifice of the masse was ordined by Christe and not by man as some meÌ„ saye vngodly denyed the masse to be instituted ordeyned a sacrifice of our sauiour Christe him selfe as they do ascribynge it and the settyng vp of it vnto prestes auarice and couetousnes Whose fonde Ireneus lib. 4 Ca. 32 33 â—4 leude and vngodly opinyon Ireneus an other greke wryter which was withiÌ„ .clxxx. yeres of Christes byrth and sawe sainte Polycarpe saint Iohn the euangelystes disciple yea whose scholer he was as some men say doth thus euydently wryte in this matter but Christe also geuyng counsayll to his disciples to offre vnto god of his creatures the first frutes not as who saith nedynge but that they shuld be neyther vnfruitful nor vnkynde toke that breade whiche is of his creation or his creature and gaue thankes sayng Hoc est corpus Christ at his laste supper taught his apostles a newe sacrifice whiche is the holye masse meum This is my bodye And he toke lykewyse the cuppe and confessed it his bloude and he taught a newe sacrifice of the newe testamente whiche the churche receyuynge of or from the apostles offereth to god throw al the hole world What can any wyse christen man desyre to be more playnly spoken of any man than this in defence of the sacrifice of the masse Maye not I beseche the good reader men be greatly ashamed either to deny the masse to be a sacrifice or els to saye that it is nothyng but an ydoll set vp by prestes couetousnes for lucre and gaynes Ought not we rather to beleue this auncieÌ„t father whiche was instructed by them that learned the trouth of Christes religion of the apostles scholars then Marten Luther or any of his Luther teachyng and schole which now after xv hundred yeres do laboure to brynge vp a new religion and faith amonge christen people Came not the holye goost to teache men the truth which Christ promysed Note reader Io. 14. 16 â–ª to sende to the apostles tyll Marten Luther came the fountayne almost of all heresie Hath Christe suffered his deare spouse the churche for whiche hâ— shed his most precious bloud to erre in his religion and the faith â–ª thus longe the space of xv hundred yeres Dyd not he promyse his apostles Matt vlt Ioh. 14. to be with them the holy churche tyll the worldes ende that he leadyng them whiche is the truth as he him selfe saith they could not be disceyued so foule in theyr belefe to thynke the masse a sacrifice ordeyned by Chrtste in the gospell it
preach as some men vntruly do saye Moreouer this place declareth playnly that amonge chrysten people there are preistes whose office is to offre giftes as prayer such other also sacrifices as the sacrifice of teaching yâ— holy word of god to the people and chiefly the sacrifice of th aulter the very body bloud of our sauiour Christe Iesu which offeryng and sacrifice doth only appertaine to yâ— office of a preist to euery preiste indifferently for amonge christen people there are certaine sacrifices belonging only to a preist as preaching offering sacrifice at masse not only of prayer prayse thankes geuynge but also and principally of the body bloud of christ This letter of Paule omnis pontifex c. can not be vnderstaÌ„de only of preistâ— after the ordre of Aaron accordyng to the olde lawe for Paule ê“ueth therewith that christe whiche was no suche preist hath neade of a sacryfice moche more excellente than was euer any other before hys tyme of the lawe therefore yf that place shuld be vnderstande only of preistes of Aarons ordre it could make nothynge for Paules purpose vnder fourme of bread and wyne wherein consysteth Christes continuall priesthode after the ordre of Melchizedec as it is already declared largely and also in whiche euery preistes offyce dothe nowe staÌ„de chiefely Wherefore no man can well denye but the masse is a sacrifice belongynge to preistes of christes ordre and of the newe testameÌ„t This ment also s Paule in the seuenth Chaptre of his epistle sent to the hebrewes sayeng that yâ— preisthode of AaroÌ„ is abolished put cleane away christes preisthode set in his romth place whiche is after that ordre not of AaroÌ„ for after that ordre Christ dyd ones for all offre him self a sacrifice to god his father as Paule saith often to yâ— Heb. but after the ordre of Melch. wherby sacrifice is offred vnder the forme of bread wine in the sacrameÌ„t of th aulter For in this point as I haue afore proued resteth christes ê“petual coÌ„tinual preisthode preistes office Moreouer that the masse is a sacrifice it may be proued by another text of saint Paule in this same epistle to the Hebrues the .xiii. chapter where he thus writeth Habemus altare de quo edere non habent potestatem qui tabernaculo deseruiunt We christen people haue an aulter of the which they haue no power or auctoritie to eate that do serue the tabernacle that is they Math 5 CuÌ„ offers c â–ª sit mentio altaris 1. Cor. 9. whiche do put difference betwixte meate after Moyses law anulled vtterly by Christes death kepe the ceremonies of that lawe haue none auctoritie nor power to eate of Christes breade his very body Hebraeiâ—ocaÌ„t altare Mispâ—ach 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab oblatione coÌ„secrated and offered in sacrifice on the aulter whiche we Christen folke haue sette vp in our temples For yf he had not ment thys why shoulde he haue made any mentioÌ„ of an aulter which is made for sacrifice to be offred therupoÌ„ to god The masse therfore is a sacrifice exercised on the aulter for the continuall remembraunce of chrystes death and blouddy sacrifice once offered vpon the crosse The name which the greakes do geue th aulter declareth that it is made for sacrifice for they calle it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thysiasterium a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thysia Tireo hoc est sacrificio hostia seu victima seruo vel animaduerto perpendo So that they name that an aulter where sacrifice is offred or kept as amoÌ„ge Christen people nowe is kepte alwaye the very bodye of our sauyour in the boxe or pyxe hangynge vpon or ouer the aulter and therfore euen the name of an aulter giuen to it by the greakes whiche Paule dothe vse often maye and doth muche proue that the masse 1. Cor. 9. Heb. 13. wont to be sayde on the aulter is a sacrifice the whiche beyng ones abolyshed as Martyn Luther and his scolers goeth about to do but al in vayne for it hath continued synce chrystes mauÌ„dy neuer spoken against til Martyn Luter came and euer shall tyll the worldes ende accordynge to our sauyours Matt. vlt. Luc. 23. 1. Cor. 11 promise though it shal cease almost wholly amongest al nations a fewe excepted whan Antichrist shall reigne the space of .iii. yeres the half as saint Danyell Dan. 7. 12 writeth This I say sacrifice done awaye as it shall neuer be cleane tyl the worldes ende or yf the masse were no sacrifice in dede as Luther and his adherentes falselye saye it is none why shoulde than the aulter beare that hys name in the greake tungue But nowe let vs se what the generall councels the presideÌ„t leader and ruler wherâ—f was yâ— holy goost yâ— spirite Math. 16. Math. 18. of truâ—h as I wyll anon proue by gods grace therfore they erred not in their iudgemeÌ„tes sentences therein establyshed inacted published by their auctoritie But to yâ— matter wherin I wil be short The generall counsayls Our sauiour christ ê“mised to his apostles as we read yâ— .xviii. chap. of Matheus gospel that he wold be in the myddes among theÌ„ that being .ii. or .iii. were gathered together in his name how moch rather hath he ben presente where two hundred hathe ben assembled in his name as hathe ben in the mooste parte of all generall councelles and therefore they neyther erred in any weyghtye matter belongynge to oure faythe as this doth of the sacrifice of yâ— masse nor yet could erre Christ the truth it selfe beynge theyr guyde leader Also he promised to be wyth the churche euer tyll the worldes ende as Matthew doth tell in the laste chapter and to sende the holy Matt. 28 gooste the spirite of truth to teache the churche all truthe necessary for christen people to knowe Io. 16. and that the same shall alwaye for euer abyde wyth it the whiche he hath vndoutedly perfourmed before Luthers byrth and especyally to the generall councels representynge the whole churche and congregation of christen people so that they beynge lawfullye gathered together and assembled dyd not erre in the faith of Christ nor yet coulde erre therein Therfore yf it maye be proued that any suche counsayle hathe approued thys doctryne that the masse is a sacrifice as in deede manye hath done it must neades be very true Wherefore I wyll breifely shewe what some councels hath thought in this matter of the masse The counsayle holden at the citie Ancyra Ancyrane counsayle aboue twelue hundred yeares passed whiche was before the couÌ„sayle of Nycene hath these wordes folowynge Presbyteros immolantes videlicet idolis iterum lucta men adeuntes c. placuit honoreÌ„ quidem sedis retinere offerre autem illis non liceat That is We ordeine that preistes which do
is daylye offered at masse he is daylye offered in the masse withoute bloude sheddynge as thys holye counsayle sayethe and al the wrytters vpon the scripture bothe latins and grekes specially This counsayle moreouer affyrmeth in theyr epystle sente to Nestorius the heretique that the worthy receauers of Christes blessed The masse is a sacryfyce propitiatorye bodye and bloude are made holye or cleane thereby and therfore the masse is a sacryfyce not of prayse onelye but also of appeasynge goddes wrath and purchasynge to vs cleannes or holynes Fynallye it is to be noted diligently that this great assemble of lerned byshoppes calleth Chrystes flesshe Viuificatricem that is the gyuer of lyfe and that whiche geueth lyfe to them whiche lefullye and purelye do receaue it the whiche declarethe that Chryste sayenge Caro non prodest quicquam Io 6. the flesh profiteth nothing dydde not meane that hys flesshe worthelye receaued vnder fourme what christ ment saieng the flesshe profytethe nothynge of breade in the holye Sacramente dothe profytte nothynge as the heretyques do expounde it but that the Iewes carnall vnderstandynge hys wordes spoken of the eatynge of his flessh whereby they thoughte he mente they shoulde eate it rawe blouddy or sodden cutte out in peeces as meate is wonte to be solde in the shambelles shulde profit nothyng as bothe Saynt Austen Cyryllus also doth expounde that wordes of Christ in Iohan the flesh ê“fiteth nothyng or els christ ment that his flesshe of it selfe withoute the spirite ioyned to it and the godhede as the Iewes beleued it was not but onely the flesshe of a pure man not of him which was very god maÌ„ could profyt nothiÌ„g but A booke of the sacrament of the aulter of this text I haue spokeÌ„ at large in my boke of the sacrament of the aulter therfore nowe I wyll passeouer it whiche I haue touched by the waye takynge an occasion of this holy counsailes wordes affirmynge christes blessed flesshe beynge ioyned with the godhead to gyue man lyfe when it is worthelye receaued of hym in the sacramente of the aulter Nowe to go forwarde I wyll reherse the wordes of a counsell holden at NeoceÌ„saria Cano vli whych are these Presbyteri ruris in ecclesia Ciuitatis episcopo praesente vel praesbyteris vrbis ipsius offerre non possunt nec panem sanctificatum dare caliceÌ„que porrigere That is Preistes of the countrey or that dwell out of the citie may not offre in the church nor geue the breade halowed and the cuppe the bysshoppe beynge present or the preistes of the same citie Here is euident mentioÌ„ made of the preistes offerynge sacrifice vnder the fourme of bread and also of wyne conteined in the chalice This hathe in fewe wordes the counsaile kept at Laodicea a citie The counsel kepte at Laodiceâ— in Asia sayenge Tunc Laici sibi tribuent ita sancta celebrabitur ob latio that is to witte Than the laye men shall geue to them selfe peace by kyssyng the paxe and so the holy offeringe or sacrifice shal be celebrate What man wyll or can yf he wolde neuer so gladlye denye that this was spoken of the sacrifice of the masse Seing therfore good reader that not onelye fygures of the olde testament the holye prophetes and dyuers textes of the newe testamente wyth the expositions of the eldeste and greateste learned doctoures but also these generall counsayles and dyuers other whiche were ledde and guided with CHRISTES presence and the holye ghostes alsoo haue thus playnely and strongelye sette vp and establyshed the sacryfyce of the masse ageynste the whyche no man dydde speake or wryte by the space of .xv. hundred yeres whan Martyn Luther began to barke agaynste it as the dogges are wonte to barke at the lyghte of the moone in the nyght geue thou rather stedfaste credence vnto all those wytnesses approuynge yea prouynge the masse to be a sacrifyce than to Martyn Luther lutynge out of tewne Now though Luther Inteth oute of tewne this whyche is alreadye wrytten in thys booke were ynoughe and sufficiente too persuade euerye man not wedded to his opinion to beleue that the masse is a sacrifyce appeasynge goddes wrathe towardes man yet to stoppe all bablers mouthes I wyll goo further in thys matter and shewe what the holye apostelles haue doone touchynge this thynge before whome CHRISTE made hys maundy and to whom he gaue power autoritye and also commaundemente to offre hys bodye and bloudde in sacryfyce as he hadde done him selfe before Luc. 2â— 1. Cor. 11. sayenge to them Hoc facite in meam coÌ„memorationem Do ye this in remembraunce of me These disciples of Christ did make certaine Canons or rules for the instruction of Christen people the whyche saint Clement the apostle Paules company on in preachinge the gospell dyd gather together and put them in writinge as Damascene Lib. 4. ca. 18. saith whiche dyd so greatly esteme and regarde the same rules that he dyd numbre and reherse them amonge the bookes of goddes holye worde and therfore their wordes ought to be without al dout beleued They thus write Si quis episcopusvel presbyter pÌ„ter Canone 3. ordinationeÌ„ domini alià quedaÌ„ in sacrificio offerat super altare id est aut mel aut lac aut pro vino siceram c. contra coÌ„stitutionem domini facieÌ„s deponatur congruo tempore If any bysshoppe or prieste do offre vpon the aulter in Note reader the holy apostles iudgementeÌ„ in this matter sacrifice certen other thynges besyde ouer or aboue the lordes ordinaunce that is to wyt either hony or mylke or in stede of wyne drink made of corne or fruites doynge against oure lordes ordynaunce let him be deposed in a mete tyme. Lo the holye apostles of Christe whiche learned the gospell of him and reaceaued the holye ghost the spirite of truth teaching al trouth The masse is a sacryficeinstitute by Chryst to them do playnely affirme that the masse sayde of the preiste is a sacrifice of chrystes owne institution and ordinaunce Dydde not they knowe the truthe supposest thou good reader better theÌ„ Martyn Luther or any of his scoole Heare what Tertulian wryt with in clxxx yeares of chryste sayenge Tertul. de praescri Veritas illis adiudicanda est â–ª qui in ea regula in cedunt quam ecclesiae ab apostolis apostoli a Christo Christus a deo accepit That is the truth must be adiudged to theÌ„ whiche do walke in that rule whiche the churches or congregatioÌ„s of the faithfull haue receaued of the apostles the apostles of christ Christe of God but the churches dydde receaue this doctrine coÌ„cernynge the sacrifice of the masse of the apostelles as Saynt Ireneus testyfyeth whose wordes are Lib. 4. Ca. 32. rehersed before and here the same doth also appeare playnelye by thys canon or rule made of them therefore the churches of Chryste haue the truthe on theyr syde whiche
do go in this the apostles cannon or rule sette forth for that verye same thynge But yet ones more lette vs se what the apostles haue sayde in this matter which thus doth speake Si quis episcopus Canone 2. aut presbyter aut diaconus aut quilibet ex sacer dotali catalogo facta oblatione non communicauerit aut dicat causam vt si fuerit rationabilis ueniam consequatur aut si non dixerit communione priuetur tanquam quipopulo causa laesionis extiterit dans suspicionem de eo qui sacrificanerit quod non recte obtulerit That is in oure englysh tongue If anye Bysshoppe or preiste or deacon or who thou wylte of the numbre of preistes or spirytuall men shall not receaue his housle whan the sacryfyce is offered eyther lette hym tell the cause thereof that yf it be reasonable he maye gette pardon or yf he do not shewe the cause wherfore he dyd not receaue his communion at masse let hym not haue his housell lyke as he which gaue an occasioÌ„ of harme or hurte to the people geuyng to theÌ„ a suspicion of him which dyd offre sacrifice that he did not offre or make sacrifice well ynoughe or after a ryght fasshyon Hytherto the apostles of our sauiour christ in theyr boke of canons or rules whose wordes are so playne clere vppon oure syde agaynst Marten Luther and his scholers that nothyng can be more plaine Therfore let Luther go wyth his fonde wycked dyuelly she heresye agaynst the sacrifice of the masse good Christen reader folowe christes and his holye apostles Doctryne so clerely makynge for this truth Moreouer s Audrew one of the apostels dyd offre christes Saynt Andrewe at masse offred sacrifice bodye in sacrifice at his masse as he sayde hym selfe to Aegeas the tyraunt Philaletus testifieng that wrytting the apostles lyues whose wordes are these Ego omnipotenti deo omni die sacrifico non thuris fumum nec hircorum aut tautorum sanguinem sed immaculatum agnum quotidie in altari sacrifico I do sayth he make sacrifice euery day to god almightye not offering in sacrifice smoke of Frankynsence nor the bloud of goates or of bulles but I offre in sacrifice daylye on the aultare the vndefyled lambe Be not these manifest wordes and inough to satisfye euery man beynge not ouer moche geuen to the blynde errour of Luther Saynt Clement whiche S. ClemeÌ„t was a companion of Paules in teachyng the gospell of Chryste vsed this fourme as Bassario testifieth when he dydde saye masse Rogamus ut mittas domme spiritum Basssario libri de sacramento altaris sanctum tuum super hoc sacrificiuÌ„ qui efficiat hunc panem corpus Christi tui quod in calice est sanguineÌ„ filij tui That is We beseche the o lorde to sende thy holy spirite vpon this sacrifice whiche maye make this breade the bodye Saint Clement Paules companyon maketh mention of thâ— masse as we reade in the .lxxiii. canon therefore it is no new thinge as Luther sayth it is of thy christe or annoynted that thynge which is in the cuppe or chalyce the bloud of thy sonne Here we se that saint ClemeÌ„t whiche was instructed by the apostels in Christes faith religion toke the masse to be a sacrifice Whether is he more of credence or Martyn Luther Nowe tâ— make ones an ende of the prouynge the truth I wyll reherse the auncient doctours sayenges in this matter and that done I wyll aunswere to the scriptures wrested froÌ„ their true sense to the mayntenaunce of this heresy by Martyn Luther his scholers ¶ What the doctours haue said in the matter of the sacrifice of the masse here it appeareth euidently Interroga obsecro generationem pristinam praeparate ad inuestigationeÌ„ yatrumtuoruÌ„ Iob. 8. and also that we ought to beleue them agremge together in any thynge touchyng our faith for because than they erre not THe scripture is very hard to be perceiued Ne transferas terminâ—s antiquos quos fecerunt patres prouâ— 23 as s Peter saith in his second epystle though it seme or be iudged neuer so plaine and easye to some men whiche in verye dede are not learned therein and therfore it is not conuement that euery man do vnderstande it after his owne fansie for that hath bene and yet is the cause of many errours but we The scripture is hard to be vnderstande and the true sense of it must be learned of the holy doctours muste leaue and cleaue to the aunciente doctors expositions made and publisshed therevpon For as god chose them to be doctors and teachers of his worde and gaue to theÌ„ his holy spirite which now these dayes many do arrogantly callenge but vntruely eueÌ„ so they dyd spende theyr tyme whollye in praier and studieng the scripture that thereby they myghte atteyne the true sense thereof But ye will saye to me as many fonde people are wont to say may not god now giue to men the spirite of truth as he dyd to the apostles or els to the doctours of the church Is he not nowe both as stronge that he can do it and also as kynde and liberall that he wyll do it as he was before our tyme To that blynde reasons I aunswere that god can do it if he lyst but he can do many and sundrye thynges whiche he wyll neuer do For he can make this man a kynge reysynge hym as Dauyd sayeth a poore man from the donge hill and that man a byshoppe whiche he wyll neuer do The thinges whiche he doth are euer done in a semely ordre as Paule affirmeth Nowe an ordre Rom. 13. requireth that in Christes church some shulde be teachers and some learners some maisters and some scholers as in mannes bodye to the whiche Paule compared the 1. Cor. 12. churche some membres haue one office and workynge and some an other and not all one office The eyes do se the eares heare so the doctours seyng the truth do teach and the learners doo heare theyr lessons Therefore god made not Saint Iames the thirde chapter exhorteth men not to coueâ—te the office of a teacher for the danger therof Math. 15. all men indifferently doctours as nowe men wolde be foule deceauynge both themselues and also many other while they beynge blynde do leade the blynde and falle thereby bothe together in to the denne of erroure and damnacion but as Paule saith he gaue to the instructynge of hys people some apostelles some prophettes some euangelystes some shepeherdes and some doctours and therefore our sauiour sayd to hys disciples Vobis datuÌ„ est nosse mysteriuÌ„ regni dei It is geueÌ„ not to Luc. 8. all men but to you to knowe the mysteries or secretes of the scrypture the knoweledge of the whiche is the keye of heauen gates Dydde not god appoynte Esdras to teache the lawe to the people as we reade in the scrypture
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
only because the holy apostels taughte the churche that All catholyke churches do baptise infantes though that be not coÌ„maunded in scripture doctrine and it hath ben obserued through al churches of the worlde euer since therefore by that autoritie and reason they muste nedes runne into heresie that denye the masse prayers with other good deades to be auaileable for the deade because it is a tradition of the apostles to praye to geue almes and saie masses for them and it hath ben kepte accustomedly in all churches of Christe from that time to this tyme and shal be till the worldes ende as Damas saith because it is a truth of our lord whiche Sermone pro defunctis shal abide for euer as Dauyd the ê“phet saith Moreouer Damas telleth that one Palladius an old writer of histories writing of a holy maÌ„ called Macarius which had wrought manye greate miracles thus saith of him Quia faciebat ê“ consuetudine sua ê“ defuÌ„ctis pÌ„ces scireque desiderabat nuÌ„qê“ illis ê“desset et coÌ„solatio illis inde proueniret Deus amator animaruÌ„ uolens hoc suo seruo pluribus et certis argumeÌ„tis pate facere cranio ê™ exaruerat verbuÌ„ ueritatis inspirauit ê“rupit enim cranium in hec verba QuaÌ„do pro mortuis offers preces coÌ„solatiunculaÌ„ sentimus That is to wit WhaÌ„ that holy man Macariê° A myracle doone to shewe that praiers of the quycke do profytte the deade dyd after his custome pray for the dead and was desirous to knowe whether that he did any ê“fit to them or no whether they had any comforte thereof God the louer of soules wyllinge to disclose or declare this thinge by many certen reasoÌ„s makiÌ„g a profe to his seruaÌ„t dyd inspire the foremoost parte of a skull which was dried with the worde of truth For the foremoost parte of the skull brast out saieng these wordes Whan thou doest offer prayers for the deade we feele coÌ„forte in aduersite Lo here a great miracle to proue this matter as there are written in olde bokes many mo whiche I wyll passe ouer to be short and bring ones againe Damas contione de defunctis IdeÌ„ hrbet D Hugo Aetherianorum lib. de regressu animarum ab inferis saint Damascenes saienge which is this Nisi hoc in oculis dei misericordis rectum foret nunque occasionem dedisset habendae memoriae defunctorum in sacrificio illo incruento anniuersariorum quae nunc inconcussa certiora quam de quibus iudicandum sit apostolica catholicaque ecclesia ac populus domino collectus pietatique deditus absque omni contradictione custodit This is in oure speache Excepte to praie and to offer sacrifice at the masse for the soules departed shulde be in goddes mercifull sighte righte he wolde neuer haue giuen an occasion of a memorie to be had for the deade in that vnblouddye sacrifice nor of anniuersaries God gaue an occasion of the sacrifice of the masse to be offered and yeares mindes to be kept for the deade as s Damascene doth affirm retourninge euery yeare ones at one tyme Thus moche I haue said of the olde doctours iudgementes in this matter touching the sacrifice of the holy masse and the offerynge of it to god both for the quicke and the deade also vpoÌ„ the which doctrine they are al and whollye agreed and therefore no wise godly christen man or woman wyll rather beleue Martyn Luther Eucer Bullynger Melancton Iohn Frith Bale or any of that yll heare then all these auncient fathers of the whiche some were taughte and instructed by the apostles some by their disciples scolers therfore no maÌ„ that wise is or godly wil doubt but they did know the truth much better than any maÌ„ of a later time not lerning it of theÌ„ and their bokes All the doctours of christes church do affirme that the masse is a sacrifice auaileable both to the quicke and the dead Luther Ihon Frith with a rablement of like rascalles denie it whether party wilt thou good reader beleue al these holy fathers or these leude vnlerned later writers very natural reasoÌ„ wyt yf nothing els shuld persuade that rather to beleue these auÌ„cieÌ„tes thaÌ„ these other which now write like to theÌ„ nether in yeres nor lerning Valeriê° Maximus An hystory of Valeriê° Maximus sheweth that the Romanes dyd in a matter risen betwene two men of the which the one was of muche honestie and fidelitie the other of very litle vertue credeÌ„ce gyue seÌ„tence vpon the honest maÌ„s part for his truthe and honesties sake when his aduersary laide against hym a certaine cryme The story is this CuÌ„ Marcus aemelius Scaurus vir clarissimus ac exploratae probitatis a vario SuccroneÌ„si uiro paruÌ„ syncero apud populuÌ„ accusaretur atque accusator long a oratioÌ„e perorasset ille maximo coÌ„pendio vsus est eo ê™ sua populi consceÌ„tiaÌ„ fretus non voluit oratione coÌ„teÌ„dere Querites inquit Variê° SuccroneÌ„sis ait Aemiliê° Scaurê° negat Vtri potius CredeÌ„duÌ„ ceÌ„setis quibê° verbis applaudeÌ„te populo falsaÌ„ sâ—bi inteÌ„taâ—aÌ„liteÌ„ coÌ„sopiuiâ— That is Whan Marke Aemyle Scaurus a man most honorable or famous and of goodnes well knowen was accused to the people of Varius SuccroneÌ„sis a maÌ„ of lyttle purenes or symplycytie and the accusar had reasoned to an ende with a longe oration Marke Aemile vsed a very shorte fourme for because he trusted vppon hys owne coÌ„science the peoples also he wolde not striue with reasonynge but saide onely for his defence againste his aduersarie O Romaines Varius SuccroneÌ„sis affirmeth that I am gylty in this faulte Aemelius Scaurus denyeth it To whiche of these two doo you iudge credence shuld be giueÌ„ with the which wordes he ceassed or sette at rest the action falsely entred against him the people mouing their handes or feete for ioy Lo good reader amonge the Romaines which then were infidels the famousenes and surely knoweÌ„ goodnes of the person was a sufficiente cause to geue sentence with a signe of ioye vpon the famous and good mannes syde saieng onely for his defeÌ„ce that he was falselye accused against his aduersary being yl pleading his actioÌ„ with many wordes The honourable and good Marke said to the people myne aduersarye saith that I am gyltye I saye naye whether thinke you ought to be beleued The people mouing their handes or feete for ioy the good maÌ„ Marke was discharged of that actioÌ„ thorough those his fewe wordes for his goodnes and fames sake So in this presente controuersie of the sacrifice of the masse saint Dionise saint Ignatius S. Anaclet saint Alexander saint Clemente s Cyprian with all other catholycke doctours of all ages do saye that the masse is a sacrifice appeasinge goddes wrath Martyn Luther Suynglius Oecolampius Bucers shoulde be praied for to our lorde The thirde councel holden at Carthago hath a lyke decre and other diuers whiche I wyll passe