of the applicacion whiche they fayne to merite vnto others remission of synnes In dede it may be called an oblation because there be offered prayers thankes gyuyng and all that hole ceremonie lykewyse as it is called Eucharistia But neyther the ceremonies neyther the prayers be ê“fitable by the owne vertue without fayth How be it here we dispute not of the prayers but properly of the souper of the lorde The Greke canon also speaketh many thingê of oblation but it declareth openlye that it speaketh not properly of the body bloud of our lorde but of the hole masse of yâ— prayers and thankes gyuynge For the Greke worde maye be thus translated in to oure englysshe tongue And make vs worthye to offre vnto the o lorde prayers supplications and sacrifices vnbloudy for all the hole people If this be ryght vnderstaÌ„de there is no hurte in it For it desyrethe that we maye be made worthy to offre prayers and supplicatioÌ„s and vnbloudy sacrificê for the people It calleth the very prayers vnbloudy hostê or sacrificê Likewise as a lytle after it sayth Yet we offre vnto the this reasonable vnbloudy honour For they expounde it folyshelye who soeuer had rather expounde this place for a reasonable hoste applye it to the body of Christ whan the canon speakethe of the hole seruice of the Masse And Paule vsethe this worde reasonable honour agaiÌ„st yâ— worke wrought meanynge by it the seruice of the mynde that is to say feare inuocation thankes gyuynge But where our aduersaries defende the application of the ceremonie for the delyuerynge of soules oute of Purgatorye by the reason wherof they gette infinite lucre and money they haue no testimonies nor coÌ„mauÌ„dmentes out of the scripturê And it is no small synne to ordeyne suche ceremonies or seruicê in the churche without the coÌ„maundemente of god or any example of the scripture and to applye vnto deade men the souper of the lorde whiche was ordeyned for a remembraunce and to be preached amonge quicke men This is to abuse the name of god agaynste the seconde coÌ„maundemente for fyrst it is iniurie and dishonour to the gospell a man to thynke that the ceremonie by vertue of the worke that is wrought without faythe is a sacrifice reconcilyng god and satisfienge for synnes It is I say an horrible abominable sayenge that the worke of the preest is of as moche streÌ„gth as is the deathe of Christe Secondarily syn and deathe can nat be ouercomeÌ„ but by faythe in Christe as Paule teacheth we iustified by faythe haue peace ergo the payne of Purgatory can nat be ouercomen by the applyenge of another mannes worke We wyll passe ouer here what maner testimonies our aduersaries haue of Purgatorye what maner paynes they iudge the paynes of Purgatorie be what maner causes the doctryne of satisfactions hathe whiche doctrine we haue here before shewed to be moste vayne This thyng only we shall laye agaynst them it is moste certayne and vndoubted that the souper of the lorde was ordeyned for the remission of the gylte for it offereth remission of synnes in whiche case we muste nedis by it vnderstonde the gylte and yet neuertheles it satisfieth nat for the gylte for than the masse shulde be egall to the deathe of Christe Neyther remission of the gylte can â—e otherwyse receiued then by faythe wherfore we may coÌ„clude that the masse is no satisfaction but a promyse and sacrifice requiringe faythe And forsothe all good and godly men can nat but be sore greued in theyr hartes if they shulde thynke that the Masse for the moste parte is translated and applyed to deade men and to satisfactioÌ„s for paynes This is to take away contynual sacrifice out of the churche This is the kyngdome of Antiochus whiche hathe translated the moste holsome promyses of remission of synne and of faythe vnto the moste vayne opinions of satisfactions This is to defyle the gospell to corrupre the vse of the sacramentê These be they whom Paule sayde be gyltie of the body and bloud of the lorde whiche haue oppressed the doctrine of faythe and remission of synne and vnder the preteÌ„ce of satisfactioÌ„s haue abused the body bloude of the lorde to moste cursed lucre But they shall one day suffre for this abominable sacrilege Wherfore we and all good consciences muste take hede that we approue nat the abuses of our aduersaries But let vs retourne to our matier Forasmoche as the masse is nat a satisfaction neyther for punyshement nor for syn by the vertue of the worke wrought without faythe it foloweth that the applieng of it for deade men is vnprofitable Neyther do we nede here any lenger disputation For it is vndoubted that these applicatioÌ„s for deade meÌ„ be nat grounded vpon the scriptures And it is ieoperdous to institute any honour or seruice to god without auctoritie of scripture That if we shall se nede at any tyme we shall speake more largely of this matire For wherunto shulde we braule nowe with our aduersaries whiche neither vnderstande what sacrifice is nor what a sacramente is nor what remission of synnes is nor what faythe is Neyther dothe the Greke canon applye the oblation as a satisfaction for deade men for it applyeth it indifferently to all the blessed patriarches prophetes apostles It appereth therfore that the Grekes offre it as a thaÌ„kes gyuing and applye it nat as a satisfaction for punyshementes Howbeit they speake nat of the onely oblation of the body and bloude of the lorde but of the other partes of the masse that is to wete of prayers thankes gyuing For after the consecration they praye that it may profite them that receyue it they speake nat of other men Afterwardê they adde these wordes in theyr tongue We offre also vnto the this reasonable seruice for them that reste in the faythe our fyrste fathers patriarches prophetes and apostles c. But reasonable seruice dothe nat here betoken the verie hoste but signifieth the prayers and al thinges that be done there Nowe where our aduersaries alledge the fathers as concerning oblation for deade men we knowe that the olde fathers speake of prayer made for deade men whiche we wyll nat forbydde but the applyeng of the souper of the lorde for deade men because of the worke wrought this we disalowe Neither the olde fathers defeÌ„â—e or aduersaries iÌ„ theyr opinion of the worke wrought And thoughe they haue neuer somuche the testimonies of Gregorie and of other writers oâ— late time for them we sette agaynste them moste open and moste vndoubted scriptures Nowe there is greate vnlyknes and diuersitie betwixt scripture and fathers They were men and myghte erre Howebeit if they were nowe alyue saw theyr owne sayenges made a buckler and defense to those open lyes whiche our aduersaries teache of the worke wrought they wolde expoune theyr owne sayengê farre otherwyse Our aduersaries also falsely alledge agaynste vs the condempnation of one
many together howe moche they auayle whan they be applied for euery man particularly Sophisters haue the degrees of meritê set forthe euen as goldsmythes haue the degrees of wayghtes in golde or syluer Besydes this they selle the masse as a price to obteyne what soeuer any man desyrethe to marchauÌ„t men that they may haue ê“sperous byenge and sellyng to hunters that they may haue prosperous huntynge and so of other thynges infinite Finally they applie it also to deade men they delyuer soules by the applyenge of the sacrament from the paynes of Purgatory where as without fayth the masse profiteth no nat them that be alyue Neyther can oure aduersaries brynge forthe so moche as one sillable of the scriptures to the mayntenauÌ„ce of these tryfles and lyes whiche they teache with greate auctoritie in the churche Neither haue they any testimonies of the auncient Churche or of the fathers ⧠⧠The opinions of the fathers concernynge sacrifice BUT because we haue declared the places of scripture whiche be alledged agaynst vs we must nowe make answere also concernynge the olde fathers We knowe well inough that the Masse is called of the olde fathers a sacrifice but theyr mynde is not that the masse by the vertue of the worke wrought dothe gyue grace that it applyed for other dothe merite vnto them remission of synnes bothe of the cryme and also of the punyshement Where be any suche moÌ„struous wordê redde in the warkes of the olde fathers but they opeÌ„ly witnesse that they speake of thankes gyuynge and therfore they call it by the greke worde Eucharistia thankes gyuynge Nowe we haue sayde before that a sacrifice Eucharistical doth not merite recoÌ„ciliation but it is done made by them that be alredye reconciled Lykewyse as afflictions merite not reconciliation but than they be Eucharistical sacrifices whan they that be reconciled suffre them And this answere in generall to the sayenges of the fathers dothe sufficiently defende vs agaiÌ„st our aduersaries For certaine it is that those figmentes and imaginations of the merite of the worke wroughte be redde no where in the writynges of the fathers But to th eÌ„teÌ„t that the hole cause may be the more clerelye perceyued we also shall speake touchiÌ„g the vse of the sacrameÌ„t those thinges whiche be without question agreinge to the sayenges of the fathers to scripture ⧠Of the vse of the sacrament and of sacrifice CErtayn pleasauÌ„t felowes fayne and imagine that the souper of the lord was instituted for two causes The one is yâ— it shulde be a marke and testimonie of ê“fession lykewyse as the certein facyon of a monkes or a freers habite is a tokeÌ„ of a certeyn ê“fessioÌ„ or ordre Secundarily they thynke that suche maner signe and token that is to witte a souper or maundy dyd chyefely please Christ to th ende it shulde signifie a coniunction and frendshyp of christeÌ„ men amonge them selues eche to other For drynkyng and eatynge together is a token of loue and frendshyppe But this is but a ciuile opinion and dothe not shewe the chyefe and princihall vse of thynges taughte by god Only it speaketh of charitie to be exercised whiche laye and ciuile men do after a fashyon vnderstande but it speakethe not of fayth whiche fewe men vnderstaÌ„de what it is Sacramentes be signes and tokens of the wyll of god towardê vs and not only tokens of men amonge them selues And they verye well define sacrameÌ„tes in the newe testament to be signes and tokeÌ„s of grace And because in a sacrament there be two thyngê the signe and the worde The worde in the newe testament is the promyse of grace which is added to the signe The promyse of the newe testament is the promyse of remission of synnes â–ª as the texte sayth here This is my body whiche is gyuen for you This is the cuppe of the newe testament with my bloude whiche shall be shed forth to the remission of synnes The worde therfore offerythe forgyuenes of sinnes And the ceremonie is as it were a pycture or a seale of the worde as Paule calleth it shewyng the promyse Therfore lykewyse as the promyse is vnprofitable onles it be receyued by fayth so is the ceremonie also vnprofitable onles faythe be put vnto it who decreeth beleueth verelye that here is offered remission of synnes This faythe coÌ„forteth lyfteth vp coÌ„trite troubled myndê And lykewise as the worde was gyuen to styrre vp this faythe So the sacrament was ordeyned for this entente that the visible signe sette forthe vnto the iye shuld moue the hertes to beleue For by these thynges I meane by the worde and by the sacrament the holy ghooste dothe worke And suche maner vse of the sacrameÌ„t whan fayth quickeneth troubled and feareful hertes is a sacrifice of the newe testamente For the newe testamente hath spirituall motions that is to say mortification and viuification And to this vse dyd Christe institute it whan he byddethe vs do it for a memoriall and remembraunce of hym For to remembre Christe is no vayne or ydle celebration of the sighte or shewe or instituted onely for exaÌ„ple as we se in tragedies the memorye of Hercules or Ulisses to be honourablye made But it is to remembre the benefites of Christ and to receiue them by fayth so that we may be quickened by them Therfore the psalme saythe A memorie hath the most merciful lorde made of his merueiles he hath gyuen meate to theÌ„ that feare hym For he signifieth meaneth that the wyll and mercye of god shulde be acknowleged in that ceremonie But faythe whiche knowlegeth confesseth mercy doth vndoubtedlye make a lyue And this is the principall vse of the sacrament wherby it appereth who be mete and conuenient persones to this sacramente that is to witte troubled consciences and throughlye made affrayde and also howe they ought to vse the same There is put to also a sacrifice for there be many endes of one thyng After that the coÌ„science lyfted vp and conforted with faythe hath felte and perceyued oute of what maner feares it is delyuered than verely it truelye gyueth thaÌ„kes for the benefite and passion of Christe and dothe vse the ceremonie to the laude prayse of god to th ende that by this obedieÌ„ce it may shewe due kyndnes and may knowledge it selfe to esteme greatly the gyftê of god So the ceremonie is made a sacrifice of prayse And the fathers speake of two effectes that is to witte of the consolation and confortyng of consciences and of gyuyng of thaÌ„kê or prayse The fyrst of these two effectê apperteyneth to the nature of a sacramente The seconde apperteyneth to a sacrifice â–ª Of consolation thus speaketh S. Ambrose Recedite ad cum absoluÌ„imini quiâ—â— est remissio peccatorum Qui sit iste quaeritis Audite ipsum dicentem Ego sum panis uitae qui uenit ad me non esuriet qui credit in me non sitiet unquam That
iustificemâ—â— ex fide Christi et non ex operibus legis .i. we beleue in Christ Iesu that we may be iustified by the fayth of Christ nat by the workes of yâ— lawe Ephe. 2. Gratia enim saluati estis per fidem et hoc noÌ„ ex vobis dei enim donum est non ex operibus ne quis glorietur .i. For by grace ye be saued by faythe and that nat of your selues for it is the gyft of god nor of your workes leaste any man shulde glorie IohaÌ„ 1. Dedit eis potestatem filios dei fieri his qui credunt in nomine eius qui non ex sanguimbus neque ex voluntate carnis neque ex voluntate viri sed ex deo nati sunt He gaue them power to becum the chyldren of god they I meane whiche beleue in his name whiche be borne nat of blodes neyther of the wyl of the fleshe neyther of the wyl of man but of god Ioh. 3. Sient Moses exaltauit serpeÌ„tem in deserto ita exaltari oportet filium hominis vt omnis qui credit in ipsum non pereat i. Lykewese as Moses exalted the serpent in desert so must the soÌ„ne of man be exalted that all whiche beleue in hym peryshe nat Also Non misit deus filium sunin in mundum vt iudicet muÌ„dum sed vt saluetur mundus per ipsum Qui credit iÌ„ eum non indicatur .i. God seÌ„t nat his son into the worlde that he shulde iudge the world but that the worlde shulde be saued by hym who beleueth in hym is nat iudged Actes 13. Notum igitur sit vobis viri fratres ê™ per hunc vobis remissio peccatorum annunciatur c. i. Be it knowen therfore vnto you o brethern that by him remission of synnes is preached vnto you and of al tho thinges by which ye coulde nat be iustified in the lawe in hym all that beleueth is iustifyed Howe myght it be more clearely spoken of the office of Christe and of iustifycacyon The lawe quod he iustifyed nat therfore Christe was gyuen that we shuld beleue that we be iustified for him He openly plucketh froÌ„ the lawe iustifycacyon Ergo for Christe we be accompted iuste whan we beleue that god is pacified with vs for hym Act. 4. This is the stone which is disallowed of you buylders whiche is made the corner-stone and there is nat helth in any other For there is none other name vnder heuen gyuen vnto men in which we ought to be saued But the name of Christ is only sticked to by fayth Ergo by the truste of his name and nat by the trust of our workê we be saued For name signifyeth here a cause whiche is alledged wherby helth is obteined And to alledge the name of Christ is to truste in the name of Christ as in the cause or pryce for whiche we be saued Act. 15. Fide purificans corda nostra i. By faythe purifyeng our hertes wherfore the faythe of whiche thapostles speake is nat an ydle knowledge but a thyng receyuyng the holy ghoste and iustifyeng vs. Abacuc 1. Iustus ex fide viuet The ryghtwyse man shall lyue of faythe Here fyrst he sayeth that men be iust by fayth because they beleue that god is mercifull and he addeth that the same fayth viuifyeth because this fayth genderethin the harte peace and ioy and euerlastynge lyfe ⧠⧠⧠Esa. 53. Noticia eius iudicabit multos .i. The knowledge of hiÌ„ shall iudge many But what is the knowledge of Christ but to knowe the benefitê of Christe the promyses whiche by the EuaÌ„gell he hathe sparsed into the worlde And to knowe the benefytes is properly and truly to beleue in Chryste and to beleue that the thinges whiche God hathe promysed for Chryste he wyll surelye fulfyll But the scrypture is ful of suche aucthorytes and testymonyes for otherwhiles it sheweth the lawe otherwhyles the promyses of Chryst remyssyon of synnes and free acceptaunce for Chryste ✚ There be also amonge holye fathers spred many lyke testymonyes For Saynt Ambrose sayth in hys Epystle to Ireneus thus Subditus autem mundus eo per legem factus est quia ex prescripto legis omnes conueniuntur et ex operibus legis nemo iustificatur id est quia per legem peccatum cognoscitur sed culpa non relaxatur Videbatur lex nocuisse que omnes fecerat peccatores sed veniens dominus Iesus peccatuz omnibê° quod nemo poterat euitare donauit et chirographum nostruÌ„ sui sanguinis effusione deleuit Hoc est quod ait Abundauit peccatuÌ„ per legem superabundauit autem gratia per Iesum Quia postquaÌ„ totus mundus subditus factus est totius muÌ„di peccatum abstulit sicut testificatus est Iohannes diceÌ„s Ecce agnus dei ecce qui tollit peccatuÌ„ mundi Et ideo nemo glorietur in operibus quia nemo factis suis instificatur Sed qui instus est donatum habet quia post lauacrum iustificatus est Fides ergo est que liberat per sanguinem Christi quia beatus ille cui peccatum remittitur et venia donatur That is to saye The world is made subiect therfore by the lawe because by the prescript of the lawe al be conuented before the hyghe iudge of the workes of the lawe no maÌ„ is iustifyed that is because by the lawe synne is knowen but the offence is not remytted the lawe semed to haue hurted whiche made all men synners but the lorde Iesus by his comyng pardoned unto al men synne whiche no man coulde eschewe and dyd clene stryke out our chirografe with the shedyng of his blode Thys is it that he sayeth Syn was aboundaunt by the lawe But grace by Iesus was more aboundant For after that the hole worlde was become subiecte he toke away the sinne of the hole worlde as testifieth Iohan saing Lo the lambe of god Lo he that taketh awaye the syn of the worlde And therfore lette no man glorye in hys workes for no man is iustyfyed hy hys factes But he that is iustifyed hath it gyuen him Wherfore fayth is the thynge which delyuereth by the bloude of Chryste for blyssed is he to whom synne is remytted and pardone gyuen These be the wordes of Saynt Ambrose which apertly do defende our opinion For he plucketh awaye from workes iustificacyon and gyueth it to faythe because it delyuereth by the bloude of Chryste Let all the Sentenciaryes be layde together on a heape be they furnyshed with neuer so gloryous tytles For some be called angelycal some seraphical some subtyle some irrefragable All they red and red agayne shal not make so moche to the vnderstandynge of Paule as thys one sentence of Saynte Ambrose dothe ☞ ⧠☞ In lyke sentence wryteth also Saynte Austyne moche agaynste the Pelagyans and in hys boke de spiritu et litera he saythe thus Ideo quippe proponitur iusticia legis ê™ qui