A DEFENCE OF THE TRVE AND CAtholike doctrine of the sacrament of the body and bloud of our sauiour CHRIST with a confutation of sundry errors concernyng thesame grounded and stablished vpon Goddes holy woorde approued by y e consent of the moste auncient doctors of the Churche Made by the moste Reuerende father in GOD THOMAS ARCHEBYSHOP of Canterbury Primate of all ENGLANDE and Metropolitane Yt ys the spirite that giueth lyfe the fleshe profiteth nothinge Ioannis 6. Thys booke ys deuyded into fiue partes The fyrst is of the true and Catholike doctrine and vse of the sacrament of the body and blud of our sauiour CHRIST The second is agaynst the erroure of Transubstantiation The thyrde teacheth the maner howe CHRIST is present in his holy supper The fowerth is of the eatynge and drinking of the body blud of our Sauioure CHRIST The fyft booke is of the oblation and sacrifice of our sauiour CHRIST A PREFACE TO THE READER OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST Iesus accordyng to the wil of his eternall father when the tyme therto was fully coÌ„plished takiÌ„g our nature vpon him cam into this world frome the high throne of his Father to declare vnto miserable sinners good newes to heale them that wer syck to make the blind to see the deaf to here the domb to speke to set prisoners at libertee to shew that the tyme of grace mercy was come to giue light to them that were in darknes and in the shadow of deth and to preach and geue pardon and ful remission of sinne to al his elected And to perfourme the same he made a sacrifice oblation of his owne body vpon the crosse whiche was a full redemption satisfaction propitiation for the sinnes of y â— wholle world And to coÌ„mend this his sacrifice vnto al his faithful people and to confirm their faith hope of eternall saluation in the same he hath ordeined a perpetual memory of his said sacrifice daily to be vsed in the Church to his perpetual laud praise to our singular comfort coÌ„solation That is to saie y â— celebration of his holy supper wherin he doth not cesse to geue him selfe with al his benefites to all those that duely receiue the same supper accordyng to his blessed ordinance But the Romish Antichrist to deface this great benefite of Christ hath taught that his sacrifice vpon y e crosse is not sufficient herevnto without another sacrifice deuised by him and made by the priest or els without IndulgeÌ„ces Beades Pardons Pylgramages suche other pelfray to supply Christes imperfection And that christian people can not apply to them selfes the benefites of Christes passion but that the same is in the distribution of the byshop of Rome or els that by Christe we haue no full remission but be deliuered onely from synne and yet remayneth temporall payne in Purgatorye due for the same to be remitted after this life by the Romishe Antichrist and his ministers who take vpon them to do for vs that thyng whiche Christ either would not or could not do O heynous blasphemy and moste detestable iniury against Christe O wicked abhominacion in the teÌ„ple of God O pryde intolerable of Antichrist and most manifest token of the soÌ„ne of pardicioÌ„ extollyng him selfe aboue God with Lucifer exaltyng his seate power aboue the throne of God For he that taketh vpoÌ„ him to supply that thyng whiche he pretendeth to bee vnperfite in Christ must nedes make him selfe aboue Christ and so very Antichrist For what is this els but to be against Christ to bryng him in coÌ„tempt as one y â— either for lacke of charitee would not or for lacke of power he could not with all his bloudsheadyng and death clearely deliuer his faythfull and geue them full remission of their synnes but that the ful perfectioÌ„ therof must be had at the haÌ„des of Antichrist of Rome his ministers What maÌ„ of knowlege zeale to Gods honor can with dry eyes se this iniury to Christ and loke vpoÌ„ the state of religion brought in by the Papistes perceiuyng the true sence of Gods worde subuerted by false gloses of mans deuisyng the true christian religion turned into certayne hypocritical superstitious sectes y â— people praiyng with their mouthes hearyng with theyr eares they wyst not what so ignorant in Gods worde that they could not discerne hypocricie superstition froÌ„ true syncere religion This was of late yeres the face of religion with in this realme of Englande yet remayneth in dyuers realmes But thankes be to almightie God to the kynges maiestie with his father a prynce of most famous memory y e superstitious sectes of Monkes Fryers that were in this Realme be cleane taken away the scripture is restored vnto the proper true vnderstandyng the people may dayly reade heare Gods heaueÌ„ly worde pray in theyr owne laÌ„guage whiche they vnderstaÌ„d so that their heartes mouthes may go together and be none of those people of whom Christ complayned saiyng These people honor me with theyr lyppes but theyr heartes be farre from me Thankes be to God many corrupt weedes bee plucked vppe whiche were wont to rotte the flocke of Christ and to let the growyng of the Lordes haruest But what auaileth it to take away beades pardoÌ„s pilgremages and such other like Popery so long as .ii. chief rootes remaine vnpulled vpâ— wherof so long as thei remain wil spryng again al former impedimeÌ„tes of the Lordes haruest corruption of his flock The rest is but branches and leaues the cuttyng away wherof is but like toppyng loppyng of a tree or cuttyng downe of weeds leauiÌ„g the body staÌ„dyng the rootes in the ground but the verye body of the tree or rather the rootes of the wedes is the popish doctrine of TransubstaÌ„tiation of the real presence of Christes fleshe and bloud in the sacrament of the aultar as they call it and of the sacrifice oblation of Christ made by the preest for the saluation of the quick and the dead Which rootes if thei be suffred to grow in the Lords vineyard thei wil ouerspreade all the ground agayn with the old errours superstitions These iniuries to Christ be so intollerable that no christâ—aÌ„ heart can wyllyngly beare them Wherfore seing that many haue set to their hands whetted their to les to pluck vp y e weedes to cut down y e tree of errour I not knowyng otherwise how to excuse my selfe at the last daie haue in this boke set to my hand and axe with the rest to cut downe this tree and to plucke vp the wedes and plantes by the rootes which our heuenly Father neuer plaÌ„ted but were grafted and sowen in his vineyard by his aduersary the diuell and Antechriste his minister The Lord graunt that this my trauail and labour in his vineyard be not in vaine but that it may prosper and bring forth good frutes to his honor and
as a necessary article of our fayth But it is not the doctrine of Christe but the subtill Inuension of Antechrist fyrst decreed by Innocent the thyrd and after more at large set furth by schole authors whose studye was euer to defende and set abrode to the worlde all suche matters as y e byshop of Rome had once decreed And the deuil by his minister Antichrist had so daseled the eyes of a great multitude of christen people in these latter dayes that they sought not for their fayth at the cleare light of Gods worde but at the Romishe Antichrist beleuyng whatsoeuer he prescribed vnto thē yea though it were against all reason all senses and Gods most holy worde also For els he could not haue been very Antichrist in dede except he had been so repugnaunt vnto Christe whose doctrine is cleane contrary to this doctrine of Antichrist For Christ teacheth that we receiue very bread and wyne in the most blessed supper of the Lord as sacramentes to admonishe vs that as we be fedde with bread wyne bodely so wee be fedde with the body and bloud of our sauiour Christ spiritually As in our baptisme we receiue very water to signifye vnto vs that as water is an element to washe the body outwardly so be our soules washed by the holy ghost inwardly The seconde principall thyng wherein the Papistes varry from the truth of Gods worde is this They say that the very natural fleshe and bloud of Christe whiche suffered for vs vpon the crosse and sitteth at the right hand of the father in heauen is also really substancially corporally and naturally in or vnder the accidentes of the sacramental bread and wyne which they cal the fourmes of bread and wyne And yet here they varry not a lytle among them selues For some say that the very natural body of Christ is there but not naturally nor sensibly And other saye that it is there naturally and sensibly and of the same bygnes fashion that it is in heauen and as the same was borne of the blessed virgyn Mary and that it is there broken and torne in peeces with our teethe And this appeareth partly by the schole authors and partly by the confession of Beringarius whiche Nicholaus the second constrayned him to make whiche was this That of the sacramentes of the Lordes table the sayd Beringarius should promise to holde that fayth whiche the sayd Pope Nicholas and his counsail held whiche was that not onely the sacramentes of bread and wyne but also the very fleshe and bloud of oure Lorde Iesu Christ are sensibly handeled of the priest in the altare broken and torne with the teethe of the faythfull people But the true catholike fayth grounded vpon Gods moste infallible woorde teacheth vs that our sauiour Christ as concernyng his mannes nature and bodely presence is gone vp vnto heauen sitteth at the right hand of his father and there shall he tarry vntyl the worldes ende at what tyme he shal come agayn to iudge both the quicke and the dead as he sayth him selfe in many scriptures I forsake the worlde sayth he and go to my Father And in another place he sayth You shal haue euer poore men among you but me you shall not euer haue And again he sayth Many hereafter shall come and laye Loke here is Christe or looke there he is but beloue them not And sainct Peter sayth in the Actes that heauen must receiue Christe vntyll the tyme that all thynges shall be restored And saint Paule writyng to the Colossians agreeth hereto saiyng Seke for thinges that be aboue where Christ is sittyng at the right hand of the father And sainct Paule speakyng of the very sacrament sayth As often as you shall eate this bread and drynke this cuppe shewe furth the Lordes death vntyll he come Tyll he come sayth S. Paule signifiyng that he is not there corporally present For what speeche were this or who vseth of him that is already present to say Untyl he come For Untyl I come signifyeth that he is not yet present This is the catholike fayth whiche we learne from our youth in our common Crede and whiche Christ taught the Apostles folowed and the martyres confirmed with theyr bloud And although Christ in his humayne nature substantially really corporally naturally and sensibly be present with his father in heauē yet sacramentally and spiritually he is here present in water bread and wyne as in signes and sacramentes but he is in deede spiritually in the faythfull christian people whiche accordyng to Christes ordinaunce be baptised or receyue the holye communion or vnfainedly beleue in him Thus haue you hard the seconde pryncipal article wherin the Papistes vary from the truthe of Goddes worde and from the catholike faith Nowe the thyrde thynge wherin they varye is this The Papistes saye that euell and vngodlye men receaue in this sacramente the very bodye and bloud of Christe and eate and drynke the selfe same thinge that the good and godly men doo But the truthe of Gods woorde is contrary that al those that be godly mēbres of Christe as they corporally eate the bread and drinke the wyne so spiritually they eate and drinke Christes very fleshe and bloude And as for the wycked membres of the dyuell they eate the sacramental bread and drinke the sacramental wyne but they doo not spiritually eate Christs fleshe nor drinke his blode but they eate and drinke theyr owne damnation The fourthe thynge wherein the Popyshe preestes dissente frome the manifest woorde of God is this They saie that they offre Christe euery day for remission of sinne and distribute by their Masses the merites of Christes passion But the prophetes apostels and euangelistes doo saye that Christe him selfe in his owne person made a sacrifice for our sinnes vppon the Crosse by whose woundes all our diseases were healed and our sinnes pardoned and so dyd neuer no preest man nor creature but he nor he dyd the same neuer more than ones And the benefite hereof is in no mannes power to gyue vnto any other but euery man muste receaue it at Christes handes him selfe by his owne faith and beliefe as the prophete saieth HERE ENDETH THE fyrste booke THE SECONDE BOOKE IS AGAINST THE ERROVR OF Transubstantiation THVS HAVE you hearde declared fower thynges wherein chiefly the papisticall doctrine varieth from the true worde of God and frome the olde catholyke Christen faith in this matter of the lordes supper Nowe lest any man shuld thynke that I faine any thinge of myne owne heade without any other ground or authoritee you shall heare by Goddes grace as well the erroures of the Papistes confuted as the catholike truthe defended both by goddes most certaine woorde and also by the moste olde approued authors and martyrs of Christes churche And fyrst that breade and wine remain after the woordes of consecration and bee eaten and drunken in the
say that they dyd eate his body drunke his bloud although he was not yet borne nor incarnated They say that the body of Christ is euery day many tymes made as often as there be Masses sayd that than and there he is made of bread and wyne We say that Christes body was neuer but ones made and than not of the nature and substance of bread and wyne but of the substance of his blessed mother Thei say that the Masse is a sacrifice satisfactory for sinne by the deuocion of the priest that offereth not by the thyng that is offered But we say that their saiyng is a most haynous lye detestable error against the glory of Christ. For the satisfactiō for our synnes is not the deuociō nor offeryng of the priest but the only hoost and satisfaction for all the sinnes of the world is the death of Christ the oblacion of his body vpon the crosse that is to say the oblacion that Christ him selfe offered ones vpon the crosse and neuer but ones nor neuer none but he And therfore that oblation whiche the priestes make dayly in their papistical Masses can not be a satisfactiō for other mens synnes by the priestes deuocion but it is a mere elusion and subtyll craft of the deuil wherby Antichrist hath many yeres blynded and deceiued the worlde They say that Christe is corporally in many places at one tyme affirmyng that his body is corporally and really present in as many places as there be hoostes consecrated We say that as the sonne corporally is euer in heauen and no where els and yet by his operation and vertue the Sonne is here in yearth by whose influence and vertue all thynges in the worlde be corporally regenerated encreased and growe to their perfecte state so lykewise oure sauiour Christe bodely and corporally is in heauen sittyng at the right hande of his father although spiritually he hath promised to be present with vs vpō yearth vnto the worldes ende And whansoeuer two or thre be gathered together in his name he is there in the myddes among them by whose supernal grace all godly menne bee first by him spiritually regenerated and after encreace and growe to their spiritual perfection in God spiritually by fayth eatyng his fleshe and drinkyng his bloud although the same corporally bee in heauen farre distant from our sight Nowe to returne to the principal matter lest it might bee thought a newe deuise of vs that Christe as concernyng his body his humayne nature is in heauen and not in yearth therfore by Gods grace it shal be euidently proued ▪ that this is no newe deuised matter but that it was euer the olde fayth of the catholike churche vntyll the Papistes inuented a newe fayth that Christ really corporally naturally and sensibly is here styll with vs in yearth shut vp in a boxe or within the compasse of bread and wyne This nedeth no better nor strōger profe than that whiche the old authors bryng for the same that is to say the generall profession of all christian people in the common Crede wherein as concernyng Christes humanitee thei be taught to beleue after this sorte That he was conceiued by the holy ghost borne of the virgyn Mary that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buryed that he descended into hell and rose againe the third day that he ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his almightie father and from thence shal come to iudge the quicke and dead This hath been euer the catholyke fayth of christian people that Christ as concernyng his body and his manhood is in heauen and shall there continue vntyll he come doune at the last iudgement And forasmuche as the Crede maketh so expresse mencion of the article of his ascencion and departyng hence from vs if it had been an other article of oure fayth that his body taryeth also here with vs in yearth surely in this place of the Crede was so vrgēt an occasion geuen to make some mention therof that doutlesse it would not haue been passed ouer in our Crede with silence For i◠Christe as concernyng his humanitee be both here gone hence and both those two be articles of our fayth whan mencion was made of the one in the Crede it was necessary to make mencion of the other least by professyng the one we should be dissuaded from beleuyng the other beyng so contrarye the one to the other To this article of oure Crede accordeth holy scripture and all the olde auncient doctours of Christes churche For Christe himselfe saide I leaue the worlde and go to my father And also he saide You shall euer haue poore folkes with you but you shall not euer haue me with you And he gaue warninge of this errour beefore hande saying That the tyme wolde come whan many deceiuers shulde be in the worlde and saye Here is Christe and there is Christe but beleue theim not said Christ. And S. Marke writeth in the last chapiter of his gospell that y e Lorde Iesus was taken vp into heauen and sytteth at the ryghte hande of his father And S. Paule exhorteth all men to seeke for thinges that be aboue in heauen where Christe sayth he sitteth at the ryght hand of God hys father Also he saith that we haue such a bishop that sitteth in heauē at the ryght hand of the throne of Gods maiesty And that he hauing offred one sacrifice for sinnes sitteth continuallye at the right hande of God vntyll his enemyes be put vnder his feete as a foote stoole And herevnto consent all the olde doctoures of the churche Fyrste Origen vpon Mathew reasoneth this matter howe Christe maye be called a stranger that is departed into an other cūtrey seing that he is with vs alwai vnto the worldes end and is among al them that be gathered togither in his name and also in the middes of them that know him not And thus he reasoneth If he be here among vs stil how can he be gone hence as a strāger departed into an other contrey Wherevnto he answereth that Christe is both god and man hauinge in him two natures And as a manne he is not with vs vnto the worldes ende nor is present wyth all hys faythfull that bee gathered togyther in his name but his diuyne power and spirite is euer with vs. Paule saith he was absent from the Corinthes in his body when he was present wyth them in his spirite So is CHRIST sayth he gone hense and absent in his humanitee whiche in his diuine nature is euery where And in this saying saith Origene we diuide not his humanitee for S. Iohn writeth that no spirite that diuideth Iesus can be of God but we reserue to both his natures their owne properties In these wordes Origene hath plainly declared his mind that Christes body is not both present here with vs also
not in his humayne nature as the Papistes would haue vs to beleue but the olde authors saye that he is in heauen as concernyng his manhoode and neuerlesse both here and there and euery where as concernyng his Godhead For although his diuinitee bee suche that it is infinite without measure compasse or place so that as concernyng that nature he is circumscribed with no place but is euery where and fylleth all the worlde yet as concernyng his humayne nature he hath measure compasse and place so that whan he was here vpon yearth he was not at the same tyme in heauen and nowe that he is ascended into heauen as concernyng that nature he hath nowe forsaken the yearth and is onely in heauen For one nature that is circumscribed compassed and measured can not be in dyuers places at one tyme. This is the fayth of the olde Catholike churche as appeareth as well by the authors before rehersed as by these that hereafter foloweth Sainct Augustyne speakyng that a body must nedes be in some place saith that if it be not within the compasse of a place it is no where And if it be no where than is it not And S. Cyril consideryng the proper nature of a very body sayd that if the nature of the Godhead were a body it must needes bee in a place and haue quantitee greatnes and circumscription If than the nature of the Godhead muste nedes bee circumscribed if it were a body muche more must the nature of Christes manhoode bee circumscribed and contayned within the compasse of a certayne place Didymus also in his booke De spiritu sancto whiche sainct Hierome did translate proueth that the holy ghost is very God because he is in many places at one tyme whiche no creature can be For sayth he all creatures visible and inuisible be circumscribed and inuironed either within one place as corporal and inuisible thynges be or within the proprietee of their owne substance as Angels inuisible creatures bee so that no Angel sayth he can bee at one tym◠in two places And forasmuche as the holy ghost is in many men at one tyme therefore sayth he the holy ghost must nedes be God The same affirmeth also sainct Basyle That the Angel whiche was with Cornelius was not at the same tyme with Philippe nor the Angell whiche spake to zachary in the altare was not the same tyme in his proper place in heauē But the holy ghost was at one tyme in Abacuk and in Danyel in Babylon and with Hieremy in prison and with Ezechiell in Chober wherby he proueth that the holy ghost is God Wherfore the Papistes whiche saie that the body of Christe is in an infinite numbre of places at one tyme doo make his body to bee God and so confounde the two natures of Christ attributyng to his humaine nature that thynge whiche belongeth onely to his diuinitee whiche is a moste heynous and detestable heresy Agaynst whome writeth Fulgentius in this wyse speakyng of the distinction and diuersitee of the two natures in CHRISTE One and the selfe same Christe saythe he of mankynd was made a man compassed in a place who of his father is God without measure or place One and the selfe same person as concernyng his mans substaunce was not in heauen whan he was in yearth and forsooke the yearthe when he ascended into heauen but as concernynge his godly substaunce whiche is aboue all measure he neither lefte heauen when he cam from heauen nor he left not the yearthe whan he ascended into heauen whiche may be knowen by the moste certayn worde of Christ hym self who to shewe the placyng of his humanitee sayd to his disciples I ascende vp to my father and youre father to my God and your God Also when he had sayd of Lazarus that he was dead he added saiyng I am glad for your sakes that you maye beleeue For I was not there but to shewe the vnmeasurable compasse of his diuinitee he sayd to his disciples Beholde I am with you alwaies vnto the worldes ende Nowe how dyd he go vp into heauen but because he is a verye man conteined within a place Or howe is he present with faythfull people but because he is very God beynge without measure Of these wordes of Fulgentius it is declared most certainly that Christe is not here with vs in earth but by his godhead that his humanitee is in heauen onely and absent from vs. Yet the same is more plainly shewed yf more playnely can bee spoken by Uigilius a byshop and an holy martyr He writeth thus agaynste the heretike Eutyches whyche denyed the humanite of CHRISTE holdynge opinion that he was onely God and not manne Whose erroure Uigilius confutynge proueth that CHRISTE hadde in hym two natures ioyned togyther in one persone the nature of his Godhead and the nature of his manhode Thus he writeth Christ sayd to his disciples If you loued me you wold be glad for I go vnto my father And agayn he sayde It is expedient for you that I go for yf I go not the comforter shal not come to you And yet surely the eternal word of God the vertue of God the wysedome of God was euer with his father and in his father yea euen at the same tyme whan he was with vs and in vs For whan he dyd mercyfully dwelle in this worlde he left not his habitation in heauen for he is euery where whole with his father equall in diuinitee whome no place can conteyne for the Sonne fylleth all thynges and there is no place that lacketh the presence of his diuinitee From whence than and whither dyd he say that he wolde go Or howe dyd he say that he went to his father from whome doubtelesse he neuer departed But that to go to his father and frome vs was to take from this worlde that nature whiche he receaued of vs. Thou seest therfore that it was the propretee of that nature to bee taken away and go from vs which in the ende of the worlde shall bee rendered agayne to vs as the angels wytnessed saiyng This Iesus which is taken from you shal com agayn lyke as you saw hym goyng vp into heauen For looke vpon the myracle looke vpon the mysterie of bothe the natures The sonne of God as concernyng his humanitee went from vs as concernynge his diuinitee he sayde vnto vs Behold I am with you all the dayes vnto the worldes ende Thus farre haue I rehersed the woordes of Uigilius and by and by he concludeth thus He is with vs and not with vs For those whome he lefte and went from them as concernyng his humanitee those he lefte not nor forsoke them not as touchyng his diuinitee For as touchyng the form of a seruant which he toke away from vs into heuen he is absent from vs but by the fourme of God whyche goeth not from vs he is present with vs in earth and
Lyon a byrdes image a byrde and an image of a tree and herbe is called a tree or herbe So were we wont to say Our lady of Walsyngham Our lady of Ipiswyche Oure lady of Grace Our lady of pytie sainct Peter of Myllan Sainct Ihon of Amyas and suche like not meanyng the thynges them selues but callyng their images by the name of the thynges by them prepresēted And lykewise we were wont to say Great sainct Christopher of Yorke or Lyncolne Oure lady smyleth or rocketh her childe Let vs go in Pilgrymage to sainct Peter at Rome and sainct Iames in Compostella And a thousand lyke speeches whiche were not vnderstand of the very thinges but onely of the images of them So doth sainct Ihon Chrysostome say that wee see Christ with oure eyes touche him feele him and grope him with our handes fixe oure teethe in his fleshe taste it breake it eate it and digest it make redde our tongues and dye them with his bloud and swalowe it and drynke it And in a Cathechisme by me translated set furth I vsed like maner of speeche saiyng that with our bodely mouthes we receiue the body bloud of Christ. Whiche my saiyng diuers ignorant persones not vsed to reade olde auncient authors nor acquainted with their phrase and maner of speeche did carpe and reprehende for lacke of good vnderstandyng For this speeche and other before rehersed of Chrysostome all other like he not vnderstand of the very fleshe and bloud of our sauior Christ whiche in very deede wee neither feele nor see but that whiche wee do to the bread and wyne by a figuratiue speeche is spoken to bee done to the fleshe bloud because they bee the very signes figures and tokens instituted of Christ to represent vnto vs his very fleshe and bloud And yet as with our corporal eyes corporal hādes and mouthes wee do corporally see feele taste and eate the bread and drynke the wyne beyng the signe and sacramentes of Christes body euen so with oure spiritual eyes handes and mouthes we do spiritually see feele taste eate his very fleshe and drynke his very bloud As Eusebius Emissenus sayth Whan thou commest to the reuerend altare to be fylled with spiritual meates with thy fayth looke vpon the body bloud of him that is thy god honor him touche him with thy mynde take him with the hād of thy heart drynke him with the draught of thyne inwarde man And these spiritual thinges requyre no corporall presence of Christ him selfe who sytteth continually in heauen at the right hand of his father And as this is most true so is it ful and sufficient to answere all thynges that the Papistes can bryng in this matter that hath any apparance for their partie Nowe it is requisite to speake some thyng of the maner and forme of worshippyng of Christ by them that receiue this sacrament lest that in the steade of Christ him selfe be worshipped the sacrament For as his humanitee ioyned to his diuinitee and exalted to the right hande of his father is to be worshipped of all creatures in heauen yearth and vnder the yearth 〈◊〉 if in the steade thereof we worshyp the signes and sacramentes we committee as greate Idolatrye as euer was or shall be to the worldes ende And yet haue the very Antichristes the subtilest enemies that Christe hath by their fyne inuentions and crafty scholastical diuinitee deluded many simple soules and broughte theym to this horrible Idolatry to worshyp thynges visible and made with their owne handes persuadyng them that creatures were theyr creatour theyr God and theyr maker For els what made the people to runne frome theyr seates to the altar from aultar to aultar and frō sakeryng as they called it to sakeryng peepyng tootyng and gasynge at the thynge whiche the priest helde vp in his handes if they thought not to honour that thyng whiche they sawe What moued the priestes to lyft vp the sacrament to hye ouer their beades or the people to crie to the prieste holde vp holde vp and one man to saie to an other stoupe downe before or to saie This daie I haue sene my maker And I can not be quiet excepte I see my maker ones a daie What was the cause of al these and that as well the priest as the people so deuoutely dyd knocke and kneele at euery syghte of the sacrament but that they woorshypped that vysyble thynge whyche they sawe with theyr eyes and tooke it for very God For yf they worshypped in spirite onely Christe syttynge in heauen with his father what needed they to remoue oute of theyr seates to toote and gaase as the apostles dyd after Christe whan he was gone vp into heauen If thei worshypped nothyng that they sawe why dyd they ryse vp to see Doubtles many of the simple people woorshipped that thyng which they sawe with their eies And although the subtyl Papistes doo colour and cloke the matter neuer so finely sayeng that they worshyp not the sacramentes whiche they see with theyr eyes but that thyng whyche they beleue with their faith to be really and corporally in the sacramentes yet why doo they than run frō place to place to gase at the thinges whiche they see yf they worshyp them not giuyng therby occasion to them that be ignorant to worship that whyche they see Why doo they not rather quietly syt styll in their seates and moue the people to doo the lyke woorshyppynge God in hart and in spirite than to gadde aboute from place to place to see that thyng whyche they confesse theim selues is not to bee worshipped And yet to eschue one inconuenience that is to saie the worshyppyng of the sacrament they fall into an other as euyl and worshyp ▪ nothyng there at al. For they worship that thyng as thei say whiche is really and corporally and yet inuisibly present vnder the kinds of bread and wine whiche as before is expressed and proued is vtterly nothyng And so they geue vnto the ignorant occasion to worshyp breade and wyne and they them selues worshyp nothynge there at all But the Papistes for their owne commoditee to kepe the people styll in Idolatrye do often allege a certain place of S. Augustyne vpō the Psalmes where he sayth that no man dothe eate the fleshe of Christe excepte he fyrste worship it and that we do not offende in worshippyng therof but we should offende if we should not worship it That is true whiche sainct Augustyne sayt◠in this place For who is hee that professeth Christe and is spiritually fedde and nourished with his fleshe and bloud but he wyll honour and worship him sittyng at the right hande of his father and tendre vnto him frō the bottome of his heart all laude prayse and thankes for his mercyfull redemption AND as this is moste true whiche sainct Augustyne sayth so is that moste false whiche the Papistes would persuade vpon sainct Augustynes woordes that
from yere to yere yet could they not take away synne nor make meÌ„ perfect For if they coulde ones haue quieted mens consciences by takyng away sinne they shuld haue ceassed and no more haue ben offred But Christ with ones offeryng hath made perfect for euer theym that be sanctified puttyng their synnes cleane out of goddes remembrance And where remission of sinnes is there is no more offerynge for synne And yet further he sayth concernynge the old testament that it was disanulled and taken away bycause of the feblenesse and vnprofitablenesse therof for it brought nothyng to perfection And the preestes of that lawe were many bicause they lyued not longe and so the priesthod went from one to an other but Christ lyueth euer and hath an euerlastynge priesthoode that passeth not from hym to any man elles Wherefore he is able perfectly to saue theim that come to God by hym for as muche as he lyueth euer to make intercession for vs. For it was meete for vs to haue suche an high priest that is holy innocent without spotee separated from synners and exalted vp aboue heauen who needeth not daily to offer vp sacrifice as AaroÌ„s priestes did fyrst for his owne synnes and than for the people For that he dyd ones whan he offered vp hym selfe Here in his Epistle to the Hebrues S. Paule hath plainly and fully described vnto vs the difference betwene the priesthode and sacrifices of the olde testamente and the moste high and worthy priesthode of Christe his most perfect and necessary sacrifice and the benefitte that commeth to vs thereby For Christ offred not the blud of calues shepe and goates as the priestes of the old lawe vsed to doo but he offered his owne bloud vpon the Crosse. And he went not into an holy place made by mans hande as Aaron dyd but he ascended vp into heauen where his eternall father dwelleth and before hym he maketh continuall supplication for the synnes of the whole worlde presentynge his owne body whyche was torne for vs and his precious bloud whyche of his most gracious and liberall charitee he shedde for vs vpon the Crosse. And that sacrifice was of suche force that it was no nede to renewe it euery yere as the bysshops dyd of the olde testament whose sacrifices â—ere many tymes offred and yet were of no great effecte or profite because they were sinners them selues that offered theym and offered not theyr owne bloude but the bloude of brute beastes but Christes sacrifice ones offred was sufficient for euermore And that al men mai the better vnderstaÌ„d this sacrifice of Christ which he made for the greate benefite of all men it is necessary to knowe the distinction and diuersitee of sacrifices One kynd of sacrifice ther is whiche is called a Propiciatorie or mercyfull sacrifice that is to saie suche a sacrifice as pacifieth Gods wrathe and indignation and obteyneth mercye and forgeuenes for all our synnes and is the raunsome for our redemption from euerlastyng damnatioÌ„ And although in the old testament there were certain sacrifices called by that name yet in very dede there is but one such sacrifice whereby our sinnes be pardoned gods mercy fauour obteined which is the deth of the son of God oure Lord Iesu Christ nor neuer was any other sacrifice propiciatorie at any tyme nor neuer shalbe This is the honoure and glorie of this oure high priest wherin he admitteth neither partner nor successour For by his one oblation he satisfied his father for all mens synnes and reconciled mankynd vnto his grace and fauoure And who soeuer depriue hym of this honour and go about to take it to them selues they be very Antichristes most arrogant blasphemers against God and against his sonne Iesus Christ whom he hath sente An other kynde of sacrifice there is whyche dothe not reconcile vs to God but is made of them that be reconciled by Christe to testifie our dueties vnto god and to shew our selues thankfull vnto hym And therfore they be called Sacrifices of laude praise and thankes geuyng The fyrst kynde of sacrifice Christe offered to God for vs the seconde kynde we our selues offer to God by Christe And by the fyrste kynde of sacrifice Christ offered also vs vnto his father and by the second wee offer our selues and all that wee haue vnto hym and his father And this sacrifice generally is our whole obedience vnto God in kepyng his lawes and commaundementes Of whiche maner of sacrifice speaketh the prophete Dauid sayenge A sacrifice to God is a contrite herte And S. Peter saith of all christen people that they be an holy priesthode to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesu Christ. And S. Paule saith That alwaye wee offer vnto God a sacrifice of laude and prayse by Iesus Christe But nowe to speake somwhat more largely of the priesthode and sacrifice of Christ he was suche an hygh byshop that he ones offeryng hym selfe was sufficient by ones effusion of his blud to abolyshe synne vnto the worldes end He was so perfect a priest that by one oblatioÌ„ he purged an infinite heape of synnes leauyng an easy and a redy remedy for all synners that his one sacrifice shulde suffise for many yeeres vnto all men that woulde not shewe them selues vnworthye And he toke vnto hym selfe not onely their synnes that many yeres before were deade and put theyr truste in hym but also the synnes of those that vntyl his commyng agayn shuld truly beleue in his gospell So that nowe we may loke for none other priest nor sacrifice to take a waye our synnes but onely hym and his sacrifice And as he dyeng ones was offered for all so as muche as pertayned to hym he tooke all mens synnes vnto hym selfe So that nowe there remaineth no mo sacrifices for synne but extreme iugement at the last daye whan he shall appere to vs agayne not as a man to be punyshed agayn and to bee made a sacrifice for our synnes as he was before but he shall come in his glory without synne to the great ioy and comforte of them whyche be purified and made cleane by his deth and continue in godly and innocent lyuyng and to the greate terrour and dreade of theym that bee wycked and vngodly Thus the scripture teacheth that yf Christe hadde made any oblation for synne more than ones he shoulde haue dyed more thanne ones for as muche as there is none oblation and sacrifyce for synne but onely his deathe And nowe there is no more oblation for synne seyng that by hym our synnes bee remytted and oure consciences quieted AND althowgh in the olde Testament there were certayne sacrifices called Sacryfices for synne yet they wer no such sacrifices that could take away our synnes in the syghte of God but they were ceremonies ordeyned to this entente that they shoulde bee as it were shadowes and fygures to signifie beefore hande the excellente
sell Masses to the people whiche caused Masses so muche to encrease that euerye daye was sayde an infinite numbre and that no priest would receaue the communion at an other preestes hand but euery one would receaue it alone neither regardyng the godly decree of the most famous holy counsail of Nice which appointeth in what order priestes should be placed aboue Deacons at the CoÌ„munion nor yet the Canones of the Apostles whiche commaunde that when any Communion is ministred all the priestes together should receiue the same or els bee excomunicate So muche the olde fathers mislyked that any priest should receyue the sacrament alone Therefore when the olde fathers called the Masse or supper of the Lorde a Sacrifice they ment that it was a sacrifice of laudes thankes geuyng and so aswel the people as the priest do sacrifice or els that it was a remembraunce of the very true sacrifice propitiatorye of Christe but they ment in no wyse that it is a very true sacrifice for sinne and applicable by the priest to the quicke and dead For the priest may well minister Christes wordes and sacramentes to all men both good and bad but he can applye the benefite of Christes passion to no man beyng of age and discrecion but onely to suche as by their owne fayth do applye the same vnto them selues So that euery maÌ„ of age and discrecion taketh to him selfe the benefites of Christes passion or refuseth theim himself by his own fayth quicke or dead That is to say by his true and liuely fayth that worketh by charitee he receiueth them or els by his vngodlynes or fayned fayth reiected them And this doctrine of the scripture clearely coÌ„dempneth the wicked inueÌ„cions of the Papistes in these latter dayes which haue deuised a purgatory to torment soules after this life oblations of Masses sayd by the priestes to deliuer them from the sayd tormeÌ„tes and a great number of other commodities do they promise to the symple ignorant people by their Masses Nowe the nature of maÌ„ beyng euer prone to Idolatry froÌ„ the beginnyng of the worlde and the Papistes beyng ready by al meanes and policy to defend and extoll the Masse for their estimacion and profite and the people beyng superstitiously enamored and doted vpon the Masse because they take it for a preseÌ„t remedy against all maner of euyls and part of the princes beyng blynded by Papistical doctrin part louyng quietnes and lothe to offende their clergye and subiectes and all beyng captiue and subiecte to the Antichrist of Rome the state of the worlde remainyng in this case it is no wonder that abuses grewe and encreased in the churche that superstition with Idolatry were taken for godlynes true religion and that many thinges were brought in without the authoritee of Christ. As Purgatory the oblacion and sacrifisyng of Christ by the priest alone the application and appointyng of the same to suche persones as the priest would syng or say Masse for and to suche abuses as they could deuise to deliuer some froÌ„ Purgatory and some froÌ„ hell if they were not there fynally by God determined to abyde as they termed the matter to make rayne or fayre wether to put awaye the plage and other syckenesses both from man and beast to halowe and preserue them that weÌ„t to Ierusalem to Rome to sainct Iames in Compostella and to other places in pilgrimage for a preseruatiue against tempest and thunder against peryls and daungers of the sea for a remedy against morren of cattell against pensyuenes of the heart and against all maner affliction and tribulacion And finally they extoll their Masses farre aboue Christes passion promisyng many thynges thereby whiche were neuer promised vs by Christes passion As that if a man heare Masse he shal lacke no bodely sustenance that day nor nothyng necessarye for him nor shalbe letted in his iourney he shall not lose his sight that day nor dye no sodayn death he shall not waxe olde in that tyme that he heareth Masse nor no wicked spirites shal haue power of him be he neuer so wicked a man so long as he loketh vpon the sacrament All these folishe and deuilishe superstitions the Papistes of their owne idle brayne haue deuised of late yeres whiche deuises were neuer knowen in the olde churche And yet they crye out against them that professe the gospell say that they dissent from the churche and would haue them to folowe the example of their churche And so would they gladly do if the Papistes would folow the first churche of the Apostles whiche was moste pure and incorrupte but the Papistes haue clearely vaâ—ied from the vsage examples of that churche and haue inuented newe deuises of their owne braynes and wyll in no wyse consent to folowe the primitiue churche and yet they would haue other to folowe their church vtterly variyng dissentyng from the fyrst most godly churche But thaÌ„kes be to the eternal God the maner of the holy Communion whiche is nowe sette furth within this Realme is agreable with the institution of Christ with sainct Paule and the olde primitiue and Apostolike churche with the right fayth of the sacrifice of Christe vpon the Crosse for oure redemption and with the true doctryne of oure saluacion iustificacion and remission of all our synnes by that onely sacrifice Nowe resteth nothyng but that all faythfull subiectes wyll gladly receiue and embrace the same beyng sory for their former ignorance and euery man repentyng him selfe of his offeÌ„ces against God and amendyng the same may yelde himselfe wholly to God to serue and obaye him all the dayes of his life and often to come to the holy supper whiche our Lord and sauior Christ hath prepared And as he ther corporally eateth the very bread and drynketh the very wyne so spiritually he may feade of the very fleashe and bloud of Iesu Christ hys sauiour and redemer remembryng his death thankyng hym for his benefites and lokyng for none other sacrifice at no pristes haÌ„des for remission of his synnes but onely trustyng to his sacrifice whiche beyng both the high priest and also the lambe of God prepared from the beginning to take away the synnes of the worlde offered vp himselfe ones for euer in a sacrifice of swete smell vnto his father and by the same payde the raunsome for the synnes of the whole worlde Who is before vs entred into heuen and sitteth at the right haÌ„d of his father as patrone mediatour and intercessour for vs. And ther hath prepared places for all them that bee liuely meÌ„bres of his body to reigne with him for euer in the glory of his father to whom with him and the holy ghost be glory honor and praise for euer and euer AMEN FINIS CERTAYN FAVTES Leaf Page Line Read 23 2  in the margent â—â—de Irenaeus contra Valentinum libro 4. cap. 34. 48 1 2 Corporally generated encrease and growe c.