The Confutation of the Abbot of Crosraguels Mass

The Prenter to the Reader.

AS I have at all times been ready to employe and bestow my labors, to the auancement of the glory of God, and vtili • ie of his Church, so the brute rising of this that I now present unto thee good Reader Confutation of the Abbote of Crosragnels Mass, I wes moste diligent, and traveled moste earnestly with the Author of it, that it might come to light. Hard it wes unto me, amongst many others, to obteane it of him, a man shamefast of his owen nature, yet by the inopportune and continual sure of the Church, & friends being mollified and moved to yield and remit • omwhat of his will, in end oppenned up his mind, that he hath only written this by manner of declamatiō, and so hath used some Greik words, as expressing the mater moste lively and sensibly, which words I had no Carracters to express: this moved me somewhat at the beginning, yet finding them few in number, and so serving to the mater, as I could not well suffer them to be taken away, yea, and no impediment to the unlearned, the sentence being moste plain, I could not those the learned to be frauded of so great a help, and so vndertuke the mater. Wherein I have used the help of a moste excellent young mā, well exercised in the tongue, yet the travel being wearisome in the hait of his occupations the order and reule by him laid, I wes driven, and content to borrow the labor of some Scollers, whom I judged to be moste expect. Whom unto it must be imputed, if ether fant shall be in lacking of a letter, or other ways in accent, and others such accidents. This I speak no but to the praise of the great good will of the children, wh • are ready and willing to gratify the Church of God: b • t to ••• dicat the name of the Author from all calumny 〈…〉 and wicked tougues. If I should have su • help 〈◊〉 Church, as I have oftentimes implored, the shou •• • ot the ingynes and labors of the learned in th • country be retarded by any such impediment, yea, and I will promise further, we should not be troubled to send here and there, abounding in all things necessary within our selves. And so fair thou well in the Lord Jesus. At our buith, the penult of July. 1563.

A Ccording to the approved, laudable, and received use of writers, that do travel in any argument of consequence, I have judged it very necessary, to admonish thee good reader, of the fyle, ordor, and manner that I have followed and observed, in this my answer and confutation of the Abbote of Crosraguels mass. For it may appear strange at the first face, that for a small tractie and volome, not exceading the bounds of threttie small leaves, direct forth and sent by him, he shall receive hard by forty sheites of paper, in greatest and fullest measure.

Secondly, it may be asked pereuenture, that in such abundance of flourishing ingiues, in such wealth of solid judgments, in such plenty of eloquent men and perfection of letters, tongues and erudition, as I may treuly affirm, ether wes never at least these thousand years wes not, that this charge should be laid to me, or by me undertaken. For in that one, may appear temerity and rashness, in that other arrogancy and lack of judgment. Somthing thridly may be inquired of our long silence in consideration, that this our Abbote hath continually barked from the beginning of this merciful visitation of our God, and reformation in Scotland, yea, and set forth some things that be plainly red, and everywhere to be found, that the rest of his works which be no les pernicious be neglected, and this only hath been judged worthy of answer.

To satisfy thee good Reader, in the first head, thou shall understand my study and travel to have been, to make all things plain and sensible, as well of Scripture, as of antiquity: for in this, no dout, lieth the cause of his shortness and of my prolixetie, not that I have been any ways long in this argument, which undoubtedly requireth an ample tractation: but in respect I speak of his compendiousnes and obscurity.

In the maters of Scripture it cannot be denied, but he hath been (as I note) in some places, • there sleuthfull, negligent, and obliuius, or else so addicted to his own judgment (wherein he confidis not little) that whatsoever he hath judged of any place, the same should the Reader immediately approve, and without any stay or impediment, esteem it for a very undoubted truth, To prike forward to this, the imprudent and unskillful Reader. We observe his craft to be, to allege and cote in the margen the authorities of Scriptures, Fathers and councils, as should appear to the Lector, that all, that is alleged by him, is spoken out of the mouth of such Authors as he there notes. In this part I am driven to produce every place, oppen up the mind, sense and vnderstandīg of it, and satisfy to everything can be objected, because the danger is so great that if I should pas by anything with silence, that incōtinentlie should be judged to make for his party.

In the Fathers and councils I foresaw somewhat more, that they having almost continually in mouth, solemnities of Masses, Sacrifices, Hosts, Oblations, worshippings, Myrackles, and suchlyke, I feared that these things should be interpreted, and understand after the superstitious use that we have seen, rather then according to the mind of the Author, and the practice and custom of that time. Here am I constrained by conferrence of places, to shaw the mind of the writer, and by the consuetude then used, to declare the natural intelligence of everything, which part as it hath been to me painful and tedious, so I dout not, but it shall not only be to the unlearned comfortable, where they are assured of the antiquity, but also to the learned, they being releaued of the werisome wadīg through the Doctors, and to both shall this my lauboure serve for a Mirror to behold the great purity, the godly life, the care over the poor, and the liberality of the primitive Church, and the old Fathers which being conferred with the exemples of those that vanteth and brageth of the titles of successors, may be known, how far they be not only fallen from the purity of the doctrine, but likewise horrible declined and degenered in all good vertuus and manners. This shortly for answer to the first head.

In the Second head I shall not be very long, the ordor of reformed persons we know, to be subject to the commandment of the Church, without all shift, tergiuersatiō, or repugnancy. What is the judgment, and opinion of men of letters of me, I have not to inquire: the occasions, moving the • to lay this charge to me (moste unable amongst many hundredth) ar vnknawen. But always God be preased, my duty I know, which is all particular respects and considerations laid aside, to give and dedicat myself holy to the service & proffect of the Church of God, Iudgeing it rather my part and office in obeying there honest charge, to euenture my fame and estimation then in disobeying and schif • ing, to be esteemed contumatious and fearful.

The argument I know to be vnplausible & odious till a great noumbre, and they not of the lawest sort. But under protestation, I speak of the particular offense of any: that simply I prosecute my mater and declares my judgment frelie, wherein I dout not but every man will take in good part, that I gently and with a liberale hert doth offer ever submitting myself to judgment & correction.

In deed the raling and babbling forth, without all modesty upon the ministers of God, hes moved me to be somewhat scharper then my nature bears or yet the Law of amity requires, with the Abbote. But in that let every man be assured, that nether have I been so hoite as he moste justly haeth deserved nether yet do I mean anything but of the quality of his mind, without any further respect. Which vnfeynedlie I protest everywhere, doeth displease me with all the learned and Godly.

As to the speaking sometimes in the singular sometimes in the plurale number that my lord knows well yneugh, to be the manner of speaking in all tongues and of all writers in such cace.

In the thread point, ī very deed I may say that before this boke wes delivered to me, I never had seen none of his works, yea, and I believe that the most part of his writings be ether unseen to the rest of my brethren, or at least, they that they have seen, they have judged unworthy of any answer. The causes of their silence may be easily gathered out of Lipriane, against Demetrian{us}, whom he along time barking and continually inueying against God, did contemn, judging it better to wink at his ignorance, thē by answer to stir and provoke him to a greater phrenesie. We know well yneugh the nature of such men, that rather by answer they be kindled & inflamed to burste forth, thē to receive any instruction, or be moved to conteane themselves within the bounds of modesty and shame fastnes.

Cypriane adduceth sindry places out of the Scriptures, as. Thou shall say nothing in the ears of the unwise, least when he shall here, he mock at thy witty speaking: and in another place. Thou shall not answer to the foolish, according to his folly, that thou be not like unto him. We be warned by our Master, not to cast holy things before Swyne. Many other causes may be adduced of their silence, which should move any man to bear with these mē for a certain time, in esperence of some amendimēt. But where the evil is incurable and danger appearing to the simple, then the brydle is • o be loused to the tongue, and the pen sharped to the battle, not for the satisfaction of such mē that given to contention, be endured and wrapped up in all blindness and obstinacy, but in consideration of the good and unlearned Rearder, who may here be seduced and carried out of the way by a blind guide.

I have traveled here to comprehend his whole boke in this my answer, I have brought forth his arguments, word by word, wherein if any faut shall be found, let it not be imputed to me, but ether to the author himself, or else to his scribe. To the arguments I have answered formally in my judgment, his words be noted in the margin, with this marck "so that the Reader may easylie discern betwix his text and my answer. Somethings in the latter part of his boke as nothing apertenīg to the mater, by his own cōfessiō, I have only touched, & not fully recited. The mater is • fortable, seeing as it were two adversaries, Iuning hand to hand in a field, & contending for the victory.

These were the principal things I had to forwarne thee good Reader, praying thee, to take in good part, this my travel. Thus I commit thee to be guyded by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, in expectation of better, when God shall give it unto me, and when the occasion and opportunity shall serve. At Edinburgh, the 15. of July. 1562.

Heir followeth the Confutation of the Abbote of Crosraguels Mass, made by master George Haye,

T REV it is, that before this boke of the Abbote of Crosraguels wes set forth and published, sindrie and diverse were the opinions of men concerning it. For the sort of them that be commonly termed Papists, adversaries to all true Religion, thoght in very deed that they should receive such a confort, yea, such a Gun, as no munition might withstand, no strength resist, nether yet any manner of force repel. They were encuraged by the brute and fame of the man, who only would appear in these times to have dexterity of ingyne, helped and auanced by long progress of time spent in good letters, yea, and besides the Scriptures of God, will also appear to have the conference, judgment, and authority of the ancient Fathers and councils, which it may seme to the Reader that he feadeth (not unlike to the nine Muses) in his bosom. I myself having hade some times credit and acquentence of the man, looked for somewhat that might have troubled the consciences of waiklinges, and of such as stayed them selves upon a glistering and semely Ymagination of man's heart, rather then upon the written and revealed truth, by the spirit of God. For it wes not unknown to me how familiare he hath been with the scolastike Sophisters, their thorny questions, and scabrus conclusions yea, and some of the ancient Doctors, whose writings, what by ignorance of time seduced, what by affection carried away, I thoght well he should wreist to his ungodly opinion. So that I wes driven not without sobing, groaning, syghing, and bitter tears to lament and bewale the state of the simple and unlearned, who in such repugnancy of contrarious opinions, could not wit whereunto to cleave, nor what they should follow. And to speak freely on the other part, in respect of the amity that hath other times interceded betwix the Abbote and me. I wes not little moved, that he (for I cannot tell what applausion & fame to be reported of the wicked and ungodly) should hasserd and euenture his existimation in so impius, foolish, and vain a purpose, that he not unlike to the Gyātes, should oppugn the manifest truth of God: and so to give himself forth a baner man to all the wicked in a disperate cause And finally that he should give and bestow his time so, that it might seme, rather that he proceedeth from the horses, to the Asses (as is in the Proverb) then from the Asses to the Oxen.

This my querimonie wes common to all the learned & godly: who as they compleaned upon the entreatment of the simple, so did they wonder, that a man of his own study, without all conference with men of letters, yea, and never having hard the doctrine teached: but separate out of the Tentes of the people of God, to a certain corner and Celle aside, to be ravished to such a phrenesie, as to damn the eternal verity of God, to declare war to all godly men, and under the cullor and pretext of knowledge, to shaw his own infancy, and oppen up his ignorance, and so to expone himself to mockage and derision. On the other side it wes somewhat comfortable, that we {per}ceaued god, as it were, ready bent to have his verity examined and tried, and for this cause to have it stoutlie assailed and violentlie invaded, that the victory enseuing, may be the more triumphant and glorious. But whatsoever wes the expectation of this golden birth, before it wes brought to light: Always it that is moste comfortable I do marck, the curages of them that did moste brage of it to be fallen, being altogether frustrate of their expectation: the simple to be nothing moved: the learned and the godly to compleane of the time ociusly and profanely spent, which is so precious that the Apostle Paul willeth us to redeame it by all means.

To the tryfles that be gathered out in this treaty, albeit answer be made every day in the Sermons, and every boy that hath seen the Catechism is able to refell them: yet seeing the desire is of many that they be confuted by writing: the charge being lade to me, I could not refuse it, nor deny my lauboure to the Church of God, judging it rather to stand with my deutie, to obey the commandment of the Congregation, in the defense of God's cause and the truth, thē to have respect to an withered & intermitted amity, yea, although it were never so strait and dear.

Now before I enter into the matter, let no man loke for such horrible and blasphemous imprecations of me, as this Author maketh in syndrie places of his Famous work of the mass. For such imprecations, as they procead of an obstinate and contumatious heart, so they be altogether Deuillish, to deceive and draw back the simple ignorant and unskillful Reader, unto utter distructiō, although they be without all authority of Scripture, or example of the godly Fathers.

The authority of Paul shall be found so far sought, and so impertinent to the purpose, that I trust our holy Abbote will not lean thereto. And albeit he shall so do, we know with what Spirit Paul wes led, and his pen directed.

Do we reid at any time, that Cypriane, Augustine, Jerome, Chrysostom, Theophilactus, Tertuliane and the rest of the ancient wariors, stirred up from time to time, by God's holy Spirit, for the avenging of his cause aganist the unhappy seed and members of Satan, having to do with no les pertinacious and wicked enemies to all truth and Religion, nor we instantly: do we reid, I say again, that ever thus madlie, and blasphemuslie they do renounce God's mercies, and submit them to his severe judgments: I am able to say: not.

But I can shaw you, Sire, of what fontane, these your blasphemies do flowe. We reid in deed that the Prophets of Baal, ordinarlie did smyte them selves with knyues and Lancettes, and that (as appeared to them) wes no vain cerimonie, but used to this end, that the people might be hereby moved to credit them, and they getting authority to their fond dreams might be judged moste strong in defense of their opinion.

And this shall we observe, in all Authors of untruth, and forgers of lies, that continually to affirm their impious doctrine: ether shall they use provocations to God's judgments, ether to such corporal chastisement shall they submit them, as may seme to declare in the inuenters of a falls Religion, an zeal to justice and equity: a bold confidence in their opinion: and a will to suffer the extremity, for the defense of that which they manteane.

Thus hath God moste justly permitted the devil to blind men in all ages, who more delyteth in their own imaginations, then in the truth of God plainly revealed. The Analogy and similytude, were very proper betwix the Preistes of Baal, and the Popes shauelinges: in the discurs of the whole, if I should dishiffer to the particular: of the dum & deaf god of the one: the caike god of the other: the incantations of the one, the sorcery of the other: the stoike gravity of the ministers of the one: and the stubborn morositie of the other: the dissolute life of the one: and the ryote of the other, and so forth, as were moste easy to draw to him that should set his ingine hitherto, and that not without fructe to the Reader.

Thus then let us gather this note, whereby we may discern the rauenus and disceatfull wolf, from the godly and religious Pastor, to wit, by these extraordinary and horrible imprecations: by such profane and barbarous renouncing of God's mercies. For as in judgment the deposition of him that sweareth moste enormely and haynuslie, is not of greatest faith and authority, but rather is the more suspected. So have we to judge of his preposter{us} and inverted Silenus who regardeth nothing the profanation and abuse of God's holy Name, and so to make him author of untruth: speaking only to draw the people vnwarres to his devilish fantasies.

My purpose is then to procead through the weighty arguments (for so he will have them seeming) and shawe to him with all modesty, wherein he deceaueth himself, what is wrongously and preposterusly drawn to his purpose, wherein he abuseth the Text of God's word and authority of the Fathers. Finally to supply the parte of James, who as he is introduced very simple, so he tholeth himself to be to hastelie vainquest. To such an Capitane, shall I never commit my hold in keaping, nether yet to such an aduocat, the defense of my just cause.

To that I have passed through the whole, I will not speak of this, that our Author doeth wonder the mass to be called Idolatry and witchcraft, and pronounceth boldly, all them to be possessed, that so doeth affirm (it appeareth well that the man hath been in an great rage of sever: for if the words, he here infarceth, should have been pronounced by mouth, Lord what scheikes should he have show̄: I am assured he should have passed Coruet, Chalme and Trompet) how treuly this is said by him, in the end the Reader will perceive.

Now to iune with this Doctor, and susteane the part of James. How are ye able to imprufe this argument? All worshipping of God invented by the brave of mā, is Idolatry, the mass is of that nature, ergo it is Idolatry. Let us consider how this Sophister, new start up out of Sorbone, goeth about to impugn the proposition of this Syllogism. It is express (saith he) against God's word, for Abraham and syndrie of the Fathers had invented ways and means to worship God, without any commandment.

Thus, this new Doctor playeth him with his mirrie concept, but the mater were of light value if he should not travel to draw the godly Fathers allowed, and having testimony of the Spirit of God, into the same impiety, and so to make them as it were Authors hereof. This is the fructe that is to be looked for, of the vain fantasies & fond Ymaginations of the wicked hearts of men, when they take upon them impudentlie the part of God. The man I cannot tell what he thinks of the mater, always he reciteth no Text. Trew it is, that some Cotation is in the Margine: the 22.8. and 4. Chapitures of Geneses, places as appeareth to him so facile and pertinent, that they neid no rehearsal.

In deed I will not werie to bring forth the words of the Text. It is written in the 22. Chapiture the. 9. verse. When they were cōing to the place which God had shawen to him, in the which he built up an Alter, and laid the wood orderly, and bound Isaac his Son, and laid him on the Alter upon the wood. This I take to be the place ye mean of, for there be no other in that Chapiter, whereby ye may any wise help you. Now then let us consider how proper this Text is to the purpose.

To make this Text to serve your purpose, ye will (I believe) affirm that Abraham had no commandment so to do, yet if we consider the Text aright, there shall be found an plain commandment of God, God to be the conductor of Abraham all the way, and finally his whole fact to be approved by the Spirit of God. The commandment is plain in the Second verse. Take now thy only son Isaac, whom thou lovest best, and get thee to the Land of Moriah, and offer him there for and brunt offering, upon one of the Montanes, which I shall shaw unto thee. Can there be an more plain charge of God then this? But ye will say pereuēture, there be nothing there spokē of an Alter: that I deny: for it is plain that he is commanded to offer him up for an brunt o • ferring, where plainly the Alter is commanded, or else if it be not cōmmanded, it followeth well that it had been cō • anded from the beginning to the Fathers, and so to have had place from time to time, that no Sacrifice wes offered up, but upon an certain Alter, erected to that use, which may evidently appear in this, that the erection of the Alter is recited in the fact of Abraham, which is all whole allowed and likewise shall be declared in the fact of Noie. It is no ways to be believed, that this holy Father, who doeth all by the direction of faith, yea, and whose fact is altogether allowed of God, as we reid plainly in the Text the. 16. That this holy Patriarch, I say attempteth anything in the work of God, without his commandment. This I trust James might have replied.

In the eight Chapiter it is written. Then Noie builded an Alter to the Lord, and tuke of every clean beast, and of every clean foul, and offered brunt offerings upon the Alter. Here starteth up our Carrick Doctor, and saith, Noie hath no commandment this to do. Where is the charge to build the Alter? To offer up the Sacrifice?

Firste if I shall ask this Doctor, if Noie had any commandment to build the Arcke to receive therein of all sortes of beasts, and mo of the clean, then unclean, to enter into it. I think he will not deny it, yea, and that to testify his obedience, he would not depart out of the Arcke, till he wes commanded, and besides this, reid we not plainly? that he wes commanded to take a greater number of the clean beasts, then unclean? and that for the Sacrifice cause? which altogether may appear vain. If the counsel of God herein had been kept secrete and back from this holy Father, who wes to be the Priest for offerring up of sacrifice. Attour Moses saith plainly that the sacrifices were appointed to be of the clean beasts, whereī it is most certain that Noie could make no defference, nether yet wes it in the pleasure, or power of man, for wes it able to Noie think ye? to descerne betwix the clean, and the unclean, and it that wes meit for Sacrifice, and it that wes not. If the Spirit of God had not this revealed unto him? it is not to be believed.

Shall we conclude now that this which he doeth to the praise of God, for his deliverance and reporteth such an testimony of the allowance, and approbation of God, that the like is not given throughout all the Scriptures to no Sacrifice? Shall we conclude this to be done without the ordinance of God, ether by revelation in dream, or else by an Angel. For these were the two ordinary means whereby God uttered his will, to his Elect and chosen: which ways being now pretended by Papists and Anabaptists can have no place. The eternal Son of God, who is the fine and end of all propheci • s, being already manifested in the flesh, ascended to the Father, and his Scriptures shute up and closed.

I believe Sire ye will not deny, but this work wes done in faith, being thus allowed by the Spirit of God, faith cometh of hearing, as the Apostle doeth reason out of Isayas, which hearing, is subject to the word of God. So thus then it may appear manifestly that this godly fact of Noie, leaneth to the commandment and word of God.

A • toure we may observe the manner of proceading of the Spirit of God in his Scriptures, that in so far as he is given to a certain sententious brevity, he passeth by the commandment of the fact which he so earnestly alloweth, and that immediately after, yea, and sometimes in the precept itself, pretermitteth some circumstances of time, place, Alter and suchlyke, whereof after is made mention.

Further do we think it to be of no authority and weight that which is spoken in the conclusion of the 4. Chapiter. In deed for my own judgment, as I moste willingly subscriue, to the interpretation of them that hereby understandeth the erecting of God's true Religiō, that heretofore by the impiety of the time, and the wicked manners of men had been suppressed and adulterated. So will I affirm that the worshipping of the eternal, wes redacted to a certain form and ordor, not that every man shall do that, that doeth seme best beutiful and pleasing in his sight but use himself according to the Laws and precepts of the Spirit of God, who is the Author & modirator of all godliness.

Who then dare be so impudent or malapeart to deny this Sacrifice of Nose to be here commanded, or that it shall not • e • e to this form, here spoken and mentionat? I trust none.

The answers made to these two, may serve sufficiently to the refutation of it that is alleged out of the beginning of the 4. Chapiter, which is of Abel. If I should not bind and astrict myself to the answer of every perticulare, that this Authore hereafter shall have no shift to avoid nor pretext to cloke his willful and barbarous obstinacy. The words are these. And in process of time, it came to pas, that Cain brought an oblation to the Lord of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also himself, brought of the fructes of his sheep, and of the fat of them, and the Lord had respect unto Abel and his offerring, but unto Cain and to his offerring he had no regard.

In the answer to this, where it is pretended by this reasoner, that there is no commandment given in the Text to ether of the brethren so to do: albeit the place of the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, may serve to the refutation hereof, yea, & the Text itself new rehearseth, allowing Abel & his work, & the Author to the Hebreues, ascribing the praise of faith unto it. Yet will I travel somewhat further, and prufe by this Text, that no dout they were thus instructed by their Father. The manner & kind of life which they did follow, wes no dout, godly and laudable, for the manuring of the ground wes commanded of God, and prefered to all other exercise and lauboure, by the antiquity. The feading of the Cattle wes no les honest then profitable, yea, and this whole life, as it is moste simple and clean, and impolluted, so it is moste natural. Whereof we may collect, that they did both exercise them selves in lauboures approved of God, & moste necessary to the relief of the common use of the life of man, so that there can be no dout, but they were well instructed by their father. Seeing they do exercise them selves, both in offerring up of Sacrifices, so that in the life of Cain, to the outward appearance, no man shall find faut, using himself deuly to his God, and winning sustentation, wi • h all leafull and honest means to himself and his household. For how shall we think that ever it should have ascended in the greedy and wicked heart of Cain, to offer up in Sacrifice to God, of the fever of the ground, if the Father had not teached him? Yea, and coacted him as it were.

This I think ye will not deny, but if ye ask where is the commandment given to the Father. To answer hereto we shall rehears somepart of the Chapiter, preceading:: principally that notable and comfortable sentence, where it is said. I shall put Inimitie betwix the seed of the Serpēt, and the seed of the woman, he shall break thy head, & thou shall bruise his heill. in the which words, no dout, the promise of the Sauioure is contained, and the means signified, whereby Salvation wes to be procured unto man, and that by the Sacrifice of his death, whereof all Sacrifices were figures.

Do we then think that God, having thus rased up mā, from the pit and the goulf of death, giving to him some certain smelling of life, being new casten out of paradise, having lost the sight and contemplation of that tree which wes a Sacrament unto him, and a pledge of immortality, do we not think (I say) that he appointed him these ordinary exercises of Sacrifices, whereby they might be reteaned in continual remembrance and protection, of that Sacrifice of the croice, offered up by the Sauioure, and out of the which Salvation floweth unto all? God forbid that we so shall think that the Sacrament of God's fauore being taken from the Fathers, when they were ejected out of paradise, exiled and debarred from the tree of life, that then there wes no esperance of relief and succoure left to them, & their posterity, but altogether denuded & spoiled of all confort? God forbid, I say that we should think so, but rather in the Sacrifices (which were not vainly and rashly invented by man, but commanded from above by God) but rather in the Sacrifices (I say again) there wes a sure infallible and undoubted argument of esperance given of our reconciliation again with God, and how we should atteane to the life, lost before by our rebellion.

For plain it is, that the Apostle ascribeth the praise and worthiness of this Sacrifice, which is offered up by Abel to faith, whereof it followeth moste certainly and necessarily, that it wes not done without the commandment and express word. Further we know ever true obedience, to be more acceptable and pleasing to God then any Sacrifice, for out of obedience we may well affirm all virtue to flowe and procead, which being astricted to the word (as we have heretofore said) it followeth well that nothing cā be approved of God, but that which he hath commanded.

Thirdly, since our God is constant, and ever like unto himself, dare we say that at any time he praiseth and delighteth in any outward and external worshipping or ostentation? How can it then but follow necessarlie this, thus allowed of God, thus approved by his holy Spirit, but it wes offered up unto him, spiritually, so that we shall not here say that the Fathers were mocked, their Sacrifices being but naked, empty and vain cerimonies, which were prescribed to them. For undoubtedly these cerimonies signified an hier mater and that moste comfortable, which cannot be separated from the word, seeing that the only thing whereby the natural, lively, and approved honoring of God, is decerned and tried, from the bastard and superstitious, is the inuard truth and symplicitie of heart.

Thus may we plainly se that God expelling us from the tree of life, in the which he had first sealed the certitude of his benevolence towards man, and assured him hereof now by other means and ways, declareth him to be a merciful and a propitious God again: for in these offerringes besides that they declared them, to receive all at the hands of God, there is further included, in the slaughter of the beasts, and spilling of the blood, to wit, a respect unto that which is mentionat in the sentence recyted.

But these things can never be understand, if the ordor of Moses in the writing of the history be misknowē, who in consideration of that truth and constancy that lieth in our God, is not very curyous to rehears everything, precept, and commandment in the own place, but rather remitteth the charge which is general unto the allouance of a certain fact, proceading of it as is in this cace.

But ye will say there is no mention hereof. I answer, that albeit it be not in plain terms, yet in that, that we reid the promise, yea, and likewise we reid that it wes an ordinary thing and accustumat, as well by the wicked, as the godly, let us assure our selves that it wes not without the commandment of God.

But these maters, this cunning clerk passeth by, affirming things to be moste true, which are declared to be moste falls and impious, and goeth about to refell some exemples which godly preachers used to imprufe the vain and fond inventions of Ypocrytes, who thinketh God to be appleased with whatsoever thing they invent to his worshipping. And yet contrarily there is nothing acceptable to him, nor that he seaketh more of man then obedience in simplicity without declining to the right or left hand, which sentences as they are moste certain and true, so be their moste notable exemples in the Scriptures, for the confutation of them, but specially besides these that this Author hath brought forth of the Sacrifice of Saul, and preservation of Agag. &c. To wit, of Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron. The Ephod m • de by Gideon. The fact of Michias, concerning the Molten Ymages, and of Osa in the upholding of the Acck, and others which were to long to recyte.

Which he is not able to prufe in all, but to go with him in this, what is he able to adduce against the notable and godly sentence of the Prophet Samuel? Obedience is better then Sacrifice, which obedience cannot be without commandment givē. Seeing then that obedience is preferred to all, and is that which only our God requireth of us, and it again is restricted to a certain precept, there can be no place to our inēutions, without the warrand of the word of God. All that be of us, thinketh that we would have our seruādes so framed, that at their own hand they should attempt nothing, unless they be bidden, they cā not be assured of well-doing. Shall we not think us this far astricted and oblift to our God, who {pro}nounceth all to be sin, that is not of faith, who likewise hath teached us to pray for the performance of his will, even as in the heaven, so in the earth, that is, that (according to the exposition of the moste godly) as the Angels are ready at all times to execute such charges as shall please God to derect them, attempting nothing without the warrand of his commandment, so man to submit stoup and how dune his will, appet • t • and effection, to his godly pleasure, taking nothing upon himself, but wholylie randering and giving him over to God, to be guyded, reuled and conducted by his holy Spirit.

To this may be added that, that is written by the Apostle to the Collo. where he in plain terms condemneth all voluntary worshippings, using the Greik word, which is moste proper, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 what outward appearance soever they shall be decked with.

These be your words faithlly recited out of the exemplare that hath comin to my hands. This I dare not pas by with silence, because ye will seme to put a great part of your probation herein. The fact of Saul is ungodly, because it is done against the ordinance of God, yea, and the first part ye infer thereupon is true, but in this ye are miserabilly deceived, that (besides that the partes and members of your comparation are improperly and ineptly joined together) ye will invent to us a new kind of work which is good, and done of a godly zeal, without the commandment of God. For this I hald to be moste sure, that their is no good work done of a godly zeal, but it is commanded by God. And I will add this more that all good works done of a godly zeal, are commanded by God, and contrarly all works that are not commanded by God, are mere wickedness. For this reverence and perfection we have to attrybute to the ordinances & Law of our God that all that is good, is by him commanded perfectly. It that is not commanded ī the worshipping of God albeit it shall appear very glorious in our eyes, yet in so far as it hath not the cercitude of God's commandment, being committed by us, it is utterly wicked, and to be placed ī the rank with the works that be expressly forbidden, because we have no assurance nor warrand. But here we may mark it to be true that is commonly said, one error engenders another. The ignorance & misknowledge of this, casteth you, Sire, into an greater and more gros error.

Trew it is, that Cornelius wes a Gentile, and did many good works acceptable to God, no dout, but that your argument may procead, ye have to prove that they were done without the commandment of God, which ye are not able, nor all your ignorant, wicked and ungodly sect: for the Spirit of God pronounceth plainly that he wes a religious man, & fearing God with all his whole house, so that he hath express testimony to have been instructed in the Law of God, of the Revelation and coming of the Messias promised, and Salvation proceading of him, and to have teached the same to all his house. Now I trust ye are not able to prove anything done by Cornelius, but by the commandment of God.

But all your sayings being moste falls, ye assume them without any probation, It appeareth that ye have been so cōmered with the mater ye had interprysed, to refell, that ye cared not how to pas by it, so ye might appear to the Reader, to have done something not unlike to the wower, who having been a while in house with a young maiden, & she now ready to be contracted with another in marriage, rather then he should be called the blaite lover, be sclandereth the damisel. Yet am I not little conforted in this, that ye make (good, and acceptable to God) to be of equal and of a value, a thing, ever denied by the Sophisters and scoole men. Take head that they be not be the ears with you, for this, and conceive some opinion of Apostasy and defection, as ye ar a mā in deed that can direct your cours to the wind, if ye should not be carried away with the wind of ambition and pride.

Thus, this subtle reasoner concludeth the oppugnatiō of the Major, putting a defference betwix the works that be done of a good zeal, against the commandment of God, & such as are done with a good intent, without the commandment of God. The one never to be reputed acceptable, because they cannot aggre with the Scriptures, but the other doeth aggre, and so this glorious Doctor singeth Peana ▪ never having passed through the field, never having troubled himself, nor yet sweet. Much easyar had it been to have said shortly this proposition is erroneous, and needeth no refutation, and to have proceedeth to the assumption. This manner of reasoning, albeit it may seen to refell anything that will be alleged by Thome armors men in the contrary: yet think not that ye will blind the eyes of such as may abide the Son, and are tried thereby.

And therefore Sire, yet we say to repeat the sum of the whole in few words, that all worshipping of God, invented by man's brain is Idolatry, and altogether displeaseth God, because it is done against his express commandment, for God's express commandment is this: not that thing, that appeareth good in thy eyes, shall thou do to the Lord thy God, but what the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, that do thou, thou shall add nothing thereto, nether shall thou diminish anything there fro.

Consider now Sire in what rank, works done without God's commandment are placed, and take better head to distinctions and defferences invented to avoid a truth. Thus far might James have gone with you, if ye had been minded to have led him the right way. But now let us consider the answer made to the Second parte of James argument, called in the Scooles sometimes Assumptio • sometimes minor. Here our Kynnishe Doctor travaileth, exceadingly to prove the mass, not to be invented by man, but instituted by our Saviors Christ Jesus, at the latter Supper, at the least the effect and substance of it. And to confirm this, he giveth a deffinition of the mass, concluding all the other Cerimonies, prayers and orations to be added by the Apostles, and their Disciples, moste faslie and vntreuly, as shall be after spoken, when as we have ended and proved that parte that he Subiunis of the name of the mass. For this is his ordor, to fall from the substance, to the appellation immediately, introducing James, and making him to prove the mass no ways to be instituted by our Savior Christ, seeing there is no such name in the New Testament. I am not ignorant, what weight & force the argument is of, that is drowen A nota nominis: in the Logic Scooles, to wire, that it is more probable to persuade, then strong and pithy to convict. Yet if we shall consider the Scriptures of God, the manner of proceading of the holy Spirit in them, no dout, it shall be found as it were invincible.

For I ask of you Doctor, that taketh upon you continual reading and meditation of the Scriptures, where ye do ever find any ordinance of God, set forth, to the which the Spirit of God giveth not a certain name, whereby lyuelie as it were he paynteth forth the mater, and property thereof. I am assured that the holy institution of circumcision is so termed by the Spirit of God, the pashoner likewise: the Sacrifices appointed in the boke of Levi, as they by their cerimonies and oblations, are distinguished one from another, so everyone hath their own proper name, which no man durst alter, change or innouate. In the New Testament the like to be practiced by the same Spirit, it is moste evident. Is not the Sacrament of our regeneratiō called Baptism? and that moste properly: the holy action of our Savior, at the Table, before his departing from his Apostles, in the which he gave bread and wine, the very signs and tokens, yea, the very pledges of his body and blood, is not this action called sometimes the Communion, sometimes the Lord's Supper, and such other appellations, drawn forth of the Scriptures, as the Sacrament of his body & blood, and of thanksgiving.

This then being cleir, that there is no institution in the old, nor yet ī the new Testament, but as moste faithfully & cairfully the ceremonies, the rites and the manner of them are declared, so shall we observe the names to be moste properly attrybuted unto them. For this we may eissally observe, the travel and study of the Spirit of God to be, that as the ordinances of God are moste clean and holy in them selves, so they be exempted from all match & patching of the foolish imagination of man's heart. This rule therefore may serve to try all strange & bastard institutions of man, croppen in the place of the true and faithful ordinances of God, which have obscured, adulterated, and defaced the Germane ceremonies, left and deposed by our only Law maker, Jesus Christ the wosdome of his Father.

What are ye able, Sire, I pray you to say against this argument? Al the ordinances of God are so set forth in the scriptures, that nether is there any ceremony pretermitted, nor yet is the name of the whole action passed by with sielenc • Nether is the name of your mass contained in the Script • res, nor yet the cerimonies used in it, prescriued by our Sauioure. It followeth then that it hath nothing to do with the institutions of our Master Jesus Christ.

To your subterfuge pretended of Clemens and Ignatius when as I shall answer to the authorities of the Doctors cited by you, there shall be declared the meaning of them, and how they used that word to no such thing as ye mean Clemens if he wes the Scolar of Peter, I know not, but sure I am that if he wes his Disciple, and these his works which be set forth in his name, that Peter should think him worthy of the stryppes, for there is ether nothing, or very little, that sauoreth of the breist of that Apostle, in this Clemens.

This I would ye should receive, rather of the mouth of Eusebeus nor mine, who writing in the sext boke and. 11. Cha. of the Ecclesiastical history of Clemens Alexandrin{us}, what vnlefull testimonies he used, reckynneth this your Clemens Epistle. Ignatius writeth in Greik, the interpretors ignorant of that language, or else not thoroughly understanding latin, yea, and not knowing the meaning of the Author, turneth by this word, Missas celebrare, where the godly writer Ignatius, useth these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or such words signifeing, not else but to cōuene, assemble, & gather the people together, to the service of God. This may appear evidently in the place of Socrates, that is in the thread boke, of the tripertie history, writing of Meliti{us}. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which place is turned by Epiphani{us}, the followers of Meclitius, made masses apart, the author meaning no such mater, nor yet the turner of no such mass as we have seen, but only that they conuened apart by them selves, & so abstracted them selves from the rest of the Congregatiō The ignorance of this language, deceaueth thee glorious Doctor, howsoever thou be puffed up in thy own consaite and plays King harrad amongst thy own companions, like unto thyself: but hereafter we will have better occasion to speak of this mater, in the conference of the Doctors.

There is yet another shift, pretty as appears to this Author, which is, that the Fathers conuened at the council holding at Nicaea, to refute the herysie of Arius, invented this word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and another, whereby they term the Virgin to be the mother of God. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not Theothitos, as ye do write ignorantly, & the thridt in our own tongue Trinity, which words saith this Author, are not found in the Scriptures, what if I shall deny this, unto this new start up Doctor of Carrick: How is he able to prove it, if he understandeth not the language, that the Scriptures were first written in, by the finger of the holy Goste.

But to come nerrer, what albeit these words be not found, seeing it is moste certain, we have the mater expressed by the words, at large declared in them, so that any man that shall here these words pronounced, incontinently knoweth the mater, being moste properly and evidently shawen by the words. But this word mass I pray thee, what affinity hath it with the mater signifieth by it, which nether itself is found in the Scriptures nor the mater signified by it. I pray thee, let me know the signification of it? or what cuntrie language is it? I know that some of your men travaileth to draw it from the Hebrew, some affirmeth it to be an latin term, received in the great dekay of the latin tongue▪ What ever it be the Authors cannot conuene upon it, some affirming one thing, and some another. It is moste probable that it proceedeth from the ryte of the Sacrifices of the Greikes, who in the end thereof used some certain solempnitie in giving leaf to the people to depart saying. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 according to the which ye say. Ite missa est. crossing the people with an empty chalice. I might take occasion here to speak somewhat at more large of this mater, if my purpose were not to wait upon this Author, & nowayes to pas by him.

Now followeth to entreat somewhat of the diffinition of the mass, given by this glorious glosare, an he gives first, which is this.

Hereafter he interiectis this disputation of the name of the mass, and then as new having digested his wyne, he returneth and assigneth another diffinition which is this.

This fare this Author, any man that conferreth the one with the other, may consider easylie how necessary it wes to this Author to assign this new and last diffinition, because of the great imperfection of the formare. Always, howsoever he is troubled with himself, to patche, sow, clamp and set together such peaces as will never aggre, let us procead to the examinatiō of the truth of his sayings.

This I understand to be the manner of teaching of the Logic Scooles, and namely of Aristotle (whom to not without cause, the Scoole giveth the praise and prerogative) in the sext boke of his Topickes, where he of set purpose entreateth of the conditions, properties, and qualities of a lawful, diffinition, that it shall have it that they call Senus, which being as it were confuse, because it extendeth the self to other members nor it that is ī question, they do add differences, which shall so properly appertain to the mater, that is spoken of that they shall declare the nature and the substance thereof, so that there shall nether want nor be superflous anything therein, but devide, discern and separate it from all others, our inverted Silenus, in the former explication, taketh the mass to be a Sacrifice, but because there be many kinds of Sacrifices, therefore he addeth the rest, that it may be known to be a Sacrifice of such a kind, and thus separated from all others.

Now have we to consider how justly he doeth call it a Sacrifice. All Sacrifices, whatsoever thou shall here of in the Scriptures, albeit they be many in number, yet be they all redacted to this strate, that ether they be of the no • ber of thē that the Greik calleth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 yea & sontymes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whereby men doeth testify, and oppenly witness them to receive all things out of the hands of God, and for his wonderful and inestimable gifts and benifites, offerreth the Sacrifice of thanksgiving up unto his majesty. Of this sort were they Sacrifices appointed in the Law, and called solid offerringes libations, the first stuctes, oblations, peace offerringes and such others, whereby the people sometimes did testify there Religion, sometimes did use them in manner of supplication, to search the fauon • of their God, now to practice with them selves the obedience and love that they owe to their God, in consideration of his liberality, yea, and now to stir up their hearts to the true and vnfenyed fear of God, and all together moste chiefly to renew the remembrance of that blessed and happy covenant which it hath pleased the Eternal to make with them.

I do think ye will not minishe the glory and prerogative of this your own doghter, whom ye flatter so busylie, as to put her in the rank of these, seeing ye ascribe unto her remission of sins, Er opere operato. For thus speaketh your gostly Fathers the Scoole men, with the whole rabble of Sophisters, unto that undefiled lady, who is ready to join with every shauilling, and also is at all times ready decked to him, that hath the price in his hand.

Of this kind of Sacrifices, ye do not take the mass to be, as may evidently appear by your boke, where ye set her up, even with the Sacrifice of the croce, as we shall after here

The other kind of Sacrifices be, when an oblation is offered up for a sin, whereby it is redeamed before God: and this is called a propitiatory, expiatorie an sacrifice of satisfaction, as by the which the wraith of God is appeased, satisfaction made to his •• ste and righteous judgments: so that the sinner purged and restored unto purity and justice is in favor with God, by virtue thereof, seeing it hath power and force, to wype and wash away sins. And this name had they offerringes in the Law, that were ordained & appointed for remission of such sines as were committed, everyone in the own kind, not that they were able of them selves, or had that force, but because they were appointed to this end, figuring that Sacrifice which is only worthy of that name, persyted by our Sauioure Jesus Christ upon the croce, putting end and syne to all Sacrifices. If this Iowel and block of yours, shall be of this kind, it falloweth well that she forgiveth sins. And not without cause ye beck and bow to her so earnestly, that is, by virtue of that action that God remitteth sins.

But here would I glaidly inquire, whose sins are remitted, whither the sacrificer or the beholder, of the which I am sure no man knoweth (for the moste parte) anymore, but that he sees the murgeons played, a disguysed priest, sometimes pufting, sometimes blawing, sometimes dreaming, now as it were walking out of his sleep, now turning his face to the people, now to the Alter, now crosing, now bowing himself down, now murmilling, sometimes displaying forth his hands, now cōtracting them. And finally doeth not else but gaseth upon the swellowing over of a peace of bread, and the ugly and shameful licking of a cup, without any ciuilytie. If in the beholding of this lieth, remission of sins, in deed they are easy to be pardoned. If we shall say that the priest as he taketh the whole to himself, so only obtained he forgiveness of his sins, then the people is heavily entreated, and at an evil point, when the harlote and the ignorant priest shall have the whole. This is mirrie to refresh the reader, and yet is moste true, for this wicked and devilish opinion of remission of snies by mass, hath enuennomed all Christiandome and drowned it up so, that she allone wes esteamed to be the lady, the plyght and souerane Anchor, yea, and the porte of all benediction and Salvation. What blasphemy and derogation, to the blood of Jesus Christ? To his dignity, honor and preisthead, hath proceaded hereof? as it is now manifest to everyone, so in the refutatiō of this, we are driven to speak somewhat. And first will I demād of this Romish Doctor: where did he ever here that theie wes any Sacrifice instituted without a Sacrificer?

We know that the Author to the Hebreues, Vendicates the dignity of preisthead, wholly to our Sauioure, whose preisthead he calleth there. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, of that nature, that it cannot be transferred into another.

The argument of the Apostle is very cleir, in the 7. Chap. where he gives the cause of the multitude & plurality of priests, everyone succedinge other, because they were mortal and subject to death, and so could not remane. But no such infirmity falleth in our priest the Lord Jesus who hath offered up himself in a full satisfaction and recompense, for all our sins and that ones, the virtue whereof remaneth perpetually, and yet desisteth not to execute the other parte of the office of the priest, ever interreading at his Fathers hands, for the offenses of the people, ever living as the Apostle saith, for that cause. How then can this Sacrifice stand without a priest? How can there be any oblation without a Sacrificer?

Secondly, we be plainly teached by this same author that there can be no remission of sins without effusion & shedding of blood. In your mass there is no shedding of blood, for ye call it on unbloody Sacrifice: but how justly after shall be considered. How then dare ye promise to yourselves remission of sins thereby.

Thirdly, if ye will pertinatiouslie insist, and will it to be a Sacrifice, necessarily it shall follow, that it that is offerred shall be slain. If Christ be Sacrificed in every mass, then shall he be moste barbarously and cruelly slain every day, in ten thousand places, for ye affirm plainly, that ye offer him up unto his Father. This is not mine, but the Apostles argument in the same Epistle, if it had been neidfull to him to have offered himself ofter then ones, then should he have suffered oftentimes, since the beginning of the world. It followeth then cleirly that since ye take upon you to offer him up at all times in every corner, that ye do that, that is in you to put traterous and blody hands upon him. Your shifts and subterfuges are well knowene to me, first that ye christ not successors to our Sauioure, as if he were dead and utterly taken away, but suffragans of his Eternal preisthead. But if the words of the Apostle be well examinat and considdered aryght, they do prove manifestly, that nether neadeth he a successor nor yet a suffragane, seeing he is ever leuing, and ready to execute, yea, and executing his office, ever present with his Church, and never intermitting the office laid upon him by his Father. And this his Sacrifice he dide ones offer up, by virtue whereof remission of sins is obtened, to all that believed. In the office of intercession, he is continually occupied, as we have somewhat touched, so that in no part of his office, can he be ether esteamed sleuthful, absent or so occupied to require a Suffragane, ether yet mortal and subject to death, that he should neid a successor.

Hereby I trust it be sufficiently declared, your mass to be no Sacrifice, and so your diffinition to fall in that point, and so have ye to lybell new again. To that ye say the Lord's body is really contained under the forms of bread and wyne, I wonder ye make no mention of the blood of our Lord as well, as of the Body, but in this ye shaw well where ye learned, to wit, at Sorbone, and not at the Scoole of Christ: for Christ instituteth and useth two several simboles of his body & blood, bread & wyne, but you as ye are teached of your master Satan; doeth think that, nawise neidfull. In token whereof ye have debarred all Christians, except a certain shauelinges, from the one part of the Lord's table, and hath reserved the cup all whole to yourselves, and in deed, God be praised, it is not evil sent upon their boched faces. Albeit that Jesus Christ the Author hereof doeth plainly command, that all shall drink, and this wes ever practiced in the primitive Church, yea, and ever retained by the ancient Fathers, howsoever ye take upon you, in your stinking diffinition, that it wes so instituted by our Sauioure, in remembrance of his death and passion: so lyghtly not only do ye pas by the holy ordinances of God, but also the shedding of his blood.

In the Second diffinition which appeareth to contain a certain correction of the former, Ye call it a commemoration and remembrance of Christ's death and passion. In deed it is certain that our Savior willed and commanded that action which he had practiced, to be done in commemoration of him, and after him Saint Paul giveth charge likewise, that how so oft we shall eat of that bread, and drink of that cup, we annunce and furthshaw the Lord's death till he come. But the mass to be that action, ether yet to have any affinity with it, being altogether als contrarious as the heaven and the earth, light and darkness, the day and the night, he is more nor mad, that tholeth hī so to be persuaded. But of this repugnancy we will have more ganing occasion to speak, when as we shall atteane to that place, where of set purpose, you do handle the aggreance of the mass with the Lord's table, and the diversity. Where ye pretend the bread & the wyne to be consecrated (execrated I dare say boldly for consecration have ye none) according to Christ's institution. I trust there be none that ever hath seen the action of the Lord Jesus practysed, ether yet hath red the words of his moste blessed institution, that will consent or aggre thereto, for in his action we read plainly, that he take bread, gave thanks, brake it, gaiue it unto his Apostles, and likewise did with the Cup. In your mass, what is like this? First there is no thanks giving, or any that can be pretended, since it is in a forrane language, it is evē as there were none: there is no breaking of bread, nether yet distribution. What can it have then like unto the Lord's institution?

To the offerring up of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, under the forms of bread and wyne to the father of heaven, I am assured there is no such thing in the institution of our Savior, shaw your warrand, produce your commission, the action I have rehearsed, wherein there is no such thing to the judgment of all. But if ye will say: it is here contained: do this in remembrance of me, this sentence is relative to the action preceading, so that there can be no mention at all, in this whole institution. By whom ye will the body and blood to be received, as the heavenly food of our Souls, it is incertaine whither of God, or of us, be like ye would mean of God, seeing ye have spoken of offerring immediately before: as ye should mean, that as it is offered by us unto God, so likewise is it received of his part, which in very deed is a strange manner of speaking and untrue: for who did ever here that the Sacraments given and appointed unto us by God, as a moste special benefit and comfort, that ever they wer commanded to be offered to God, or so received of him? I am not ignorant that, that thing which is done according to his holy ordinance, he is co • tent with it, and in that consideration receiveth it.

But here we speak of offerring of our part and receiving in that respect, of the part of God. We are commanded to use and practice his holy Sacraments, whereby we testify our Religion, and witness our obedience unto God, but to offer them up unto him, this did I never here.

In deed the body and the blood of Jesus Christ, represented by bread and wyne in this Sacrament, being received according to his holy institution and ordinance, and no ways else, I know to be the food and nourishment of the Soul, of the faithful receiver. If this be your mind in the latter words of your diffinition, then doeth the latter part moste ineptlie and improperlie aggre with it that preceadeth of the offerring.

This far have we traveled with your fond diffinitions, and als shortly as wes able, and more shortly nor the mater should require, if we should not have occasion after to speak somewhat, as ye travel forward in the explication of your own sayings.

It that ye add to your former diffinition, I cannot tell what triflus orations inuented & devised as you say by the ancient Fathers, & that as seames to you moste justly to decore the Maske. I answer unto you, that all proceedeth of a Fornace and one Author, to wit, the Devil for as the principal is blasphemous, so is all that is joined wi • h it, and pretex not such godly orations, as be used in the holy Communion, for there is nothing there, but it that is drawn out of the Scriptures of God, and practysed according to Christ's holy institutiō & ordinance.

For the prayers which we do use before the table of the Lord Jesus, we repute no part of that holy action, but only use them to inflāme and stir up our dull hearts, to the due consideration of that great mystery, to the practice whereof when we approach, we do nothing which the Lord Jesus did not, nether yet omit we anything which we find that he did, and commanded us to do, but in your mass, if the Collettes Pro Pecore infirmo (I will not say for a seick sow) Pro Partutientibus. Pro Defunctis. Pro na • uigantibus and such others be omitted, Sire John is not worth his Six blanks.

Now have we to consider, the reasons and arguments, whereby this Romish Doctor travaileth to confirm his fond diffinitions. James as he is introduced, requireth a probation of Scripture, for justification of the which is adduced an part of the words of the institution, out of Lucas and Marcus: do ye this in remembrance of me. By the which words (saith this Gospeller).

Whereupon first we shall observe, the old practice and shift of sathā in the recyting of any place of Text, alleged or brought in for his purpose, that ever he rehearseth a certain portion or part of the text, & never the whole sentence. Why is not the whole action recyted? This hath been a great occasion of these wicked errors, we are now troubled with all, and principally in this mater we have now in hand, for hereof hath proceaded that there wes nothing Iudged to appertene to this action, by the adversaries of the Euangle, but only this sentence, this is my body, & that not pronounced plainly, but mumled and blown upon the bread, and so of the Cup, as nether the things preceading, nether yet the commandment ensewing, should have any place in this action, the fructes whereof are, that not only the sentence is utterly wryed and perverted, but the words altered, changed and adulterate which no man of a sober wit can esteem to be attempted, without a great Sacrilege. For as depraving of sentences, bringeth in all corruption, so innovation of terms, used by the Spirit of God, can procead of no sobriety, whosoever be the Author and inuenter of them.

Of the one we have the horrible and monsters mother of all impiety, transubstantiation and real presence, dinging Christ from the right hand of the Father, taking from him the office of preisthead and mediation, in that that it leaveth not to him the proprieties of the manlie nature, pernerting and exstinguishing the ordor and effect of a Sacrament, ascribing unto our Sauioure a fantastical body with Marrion, and finally affixing him to a certain piece of bread at the appetite of a filthy whormōger, not unlike to that, that we reid in Theotritus, and after him in Virgile in his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 where they gave such strenth to the versis of Enchanters, that they move Jupiter, the Son & Mone to fall out of the heaven and descend in their bosoms.

I would this glorious gloser, should have red Bonauētura and Stotus, otherwise called Doctor Subtilis, and such others in the impugnation of this wicked and deuillishe impiety, set forth by Nicolaus Secundus, and Innocentius Tertius, men replenished with all fraud and decepte Sons of the Devil, who expressly after that they have impugned and defaced it, by all good arguments and authority, against their own consciences and all godliness, are ravished and carried away, to reverence that wicked saite, mother of all defection and apostasy from God, rather then to declyne a jot from it with the manifest truth

Many other absurdities may be gathered, enseuing and following hereof, but in deed my purpose is not to werie my pen anymore instantlie in this mater, but will reserve it ether to a particular treaty, when God shall send the time, or then to the conclusion of this boke: always I dare promise that the sober Reader shall have yneugh, even in this same work to be satisfied with all, for as the mater shall require, & the occasion serve, we shall bring in such things as shall be in any wise necessary. For albeit this Author is ever at the body and blood, contained under bread and wyne, & so gnashing him, as it were, with his teith, yet his principal purpose is not to establish transubstantiation, but to flatter, cullor, and trymme up his Leprose doghter, the stinking and filthy mass,

To return to our purpose, the sentences being thus boldie, without any shame perverted, followeth consequently the innovation of the words, with the sembladle rashness and temerity, that be like they have altogether con • pired to destroy the whole form of Religion, planted by our Master and Savior. For if Peter or Paul should now reuyue or, go a Thort, to se the manner and the ordor of those that brageth moste of the Apostles.

What should they find? Any thing like that, that they teached? anything aggreing with that order they planted? I am sure, nothing. For they should not only perceive the form of the whole Religion perverted, but likewise the words changed. Should they allow this empyre that is cruelly exerted upon the consciences of men? This importable burden of days, months, times, cerimonies, rites, customs, and such vanities which they did utterly damn? This holy water, and burning of Candles at noun days (for even as the enchanters and socerers can do nothing without Fire, so always in your vanities Fire is judged necessary) this masking clothes, in • ocacion of Saints, Purgatory, & your q • hispered and m •• led masses in e • erie corner, would they approve? I am assured that by the example of their Master Christ, they should wheip you out of the Temple, in moste shameful and ignominius manner.

Did they ever use this word, which thou continually hath in mouth of consecration, ether yet the Eu • ngelistes: They do use ever speaking of the mater of the holy Supper, the words of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is in our tongue, of benediction or thanks giving. Shall these words, dyted by the holy Spirit of God, be so brought in oblivion, that I cannot tell what other words shall be received in their place of the invention of man, whosoever is the inuenter of them, all is a mater. Of this rank we have the ministers of God, called priests, the holy communion called the mass, or the Sacrament of the Alter, and to be short, the whole ordinances of our Sauioure, not only in the opinion and form adulterated, but the words changed and innouated.

This is the reverence that these holy Fathers beareth to the word and institutions of our Law maker, the wisdom of the Eternal Father. Now I ask of you, what do ye understand by this word of consecration, for there is no such word found in the Scriptures, at least, God hath given no such power, to words spoken by man, that they may alter and change the substance of dead and insensible Creatures.

Trew it is, that the word passing or being joined to the Element the Sacrament is made, but Augustie shaweth the reason, saying, not because the word is spoken • ot because it is believed, and I pray you who believeth the word? The Element or the faithful. I think ye will not be so impudent, as to affirm that the watter in baptism believeth the promise made in the same, and no more shall ye prove the bread and the wyne do, ether understand, or yet believe the words which ye whisper to them. But to what end shall we dispute with you of consecration: which we reid not in the words of our Sauioure, nether yet giveth he any commandment so to do to his Apostles and Church.

For in this that he commanded them to do that, in remembrance of him, as he assureth them of well doing, when as they shall practice that action, even as they had seen him do, so he binds them strictly to the observation of every jot of that action, he had practiced in their presence, for if thou shall transgres and break the commandment in any point, be it never so small in thy judgment, thou, no dout, shall pervert the whole action, thou hath no promise (which taken away) there remaneth nothing of that, that is here offered: so now thy whole action turneth to a mere blasphemy.

We know, and I trust it be not unknown to you, that the ordinances of God consisteth in two pointes, the commandment and the promise, as in the mater of prayers, cal upon me in the day of thy trouble, and I shall here thee, the commandment is given to cal upon God, the promise is annexed: I shall here thee, if thou shall break this commandment, dare thou, or can thou assure thyself of the promise that is to be hard of God? I think not.

In the action of the Lord's Table, the commandment is given to practice that action, in remembrance of our Sauioure: that is to say, to take bread, give thanks, break it, make distribution of it, the promise is subjoined, This is my body, which is broken for you.

Thou deviseth here and inuenteth, I cannot tell what a consecration, thou maketh no distribution, and yet will thou assure thyself of the promise? How vainly every man may judge. But here thou will say pereuentur, that this word is used by some of the Ancien latin writers, it is a received word, adding nothing unto the action, but only declaring it that is meant by these words. This is my body. To this I have already towards the word, declared my judgment, that in the action of God we ought with no les religion reteane the words of the Spirit of God, nor the form and ceremonies of the action itself.

In this I regard not the authority of any, what antiquity and estimation soever shall be pretended. But to {pro}ceid to the mater I would not that ye, albeit ye will seme to aggre with them that useth that word in the term, yet should altogether disagre with them in the mater. For they (of the moste ancient I speak not of the Scóole men) in the great decay of the latin tongue, and ignorance of the Greik, did use this word to express no other thing, nor that which the Evēgelistes meaneth & signifieth by thanks giving or blissing, so that they refer it not to the words of the promise, that ye call the words of consecration, but to express that (he gaiue thanks or blessed) which is not altogether intolerable, albeit it lack not just cause of reprehension

Further it is a thing more then manifest, that all Sacraments consisteth in these two, to wit, the word and external Element. This word, whereof principally dependeth the virtue and strenth of the Sacrament, is not to be takē for a certain whispered or mumled words, or a son • , rather without all sense or faith, not unlike the magic incautions, but rather oppenly and plain • lie preached, that may teach the auditory, what is meant by the visible sign: whereby it may evidently appear that your whole proceadinges in the papistry, lacketh not a great profanation of these holy mysteries: where it is thoght suffic • ent, if the preiste, the people gasing upon him, without all intelligence, should blow and br •• th out the words that ye call of consecration. For it is plainly commanded, that all be recyted in a strange tongue, yea, and that the words be not pronounced, but rather murmured with a rauk voice. But far otherwise we be teached by Augus • ine. Let the word be joined with the Element▪ and then shall we have a Sacrament, for whereof proceedeth this great virtue of the water, that when it shall touch the body, it shall purge the heart, but by the working of the word, not because it is spoken, but because it is bele • e • . For in the word itself, the sound is an thing that p • s •• th, and the virtue another thing, that remaneth, this is the word of faith that we preach, saith the Apostle, so in the Acts of the Apostles, by Faith purging their hearts. And Peter the Apostle saith, that Baptism maketh us safe, not by the wiping away of the fylth of the flesh, but that a good conscience maketh requeist to God. This then is the word of Faith that we preach, by the which, that it may have the strenth to clange, Baptism is hallowed. So we may evidently perceive the mind of this godly Author, to require and urge preaching, which engenders Faith. We neid not to spend much time in this mater, seeing it is clear what our Savior did, what he commanded to be done, what the Apostles practiced to his imitation, what the godly Fathers followed and approved, yea, and what the Church did ever reteane, so long as there remaneth any spunk of integrity in it: and so shall we observe evē from the beginning, that continually when God offered any sign unto the Fathers, to their instruction & confort, that ever he joined the word with the Simboles So that we may clearly understand, that the Fathers never did mean of no such magical consecration made by a certain whispered words, rounded with the Element, after the abuse of the papistry but that the promise should be pronounced with a loud and clear voice, in a familiare language, the which being preached to the people, might lead them as it were by the hand, to that, that is signified by the whole action. For this that is recyted by Augustine of Baptism, no dout, apperteaneth also to the Lord's Table, and to all Sacraments, practiced since the beginning.

Now consider with yourself how miserably ye are deceived, how maliciously being enuennomed with a wicked opinion, ye wrye & wreast, the sayings of the Scriptures and Doctors, out of their natural meaning, to establish and confirm your fore conceived error.

I know that by this word, ye will mean that assone as ever these words: this is my body, are spoken, immediately the substance of bread is taken away, and the body of Jesus Christ ent • reth in really, naturally, and substantially, even the same body that wes borne of the Virgin, wes crucified, scur • ed, buried, ascended into the heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father, which is a devilish assertion, and express against the Scripture (affirming that the bread remaneth still bread and the wyne, vine) and against all natural reason, that a body may or can be in mo places at one time, and also against the nature of a Sacrament, wherein the Simboles and Elementes do represent unto us the things signified, and are not the self same things, albeit the names be attributed unto theme, against the authorities of the Fathers: and finally this detestable opinion of the Papists sauoreth of the herysie of Mar • ion, who attributed unto Christ a fantastical bo • y, which of necessity shall follow, if he thus shall be in every • omer, against the proprieties of the natural body, which being taken away, his office of mediation and Preisthead must vanishe and fall.

Of the omnipotency of God's word, ye have not to brage in this mater, for howsoever his word is almighty, if his will be not joined with the word, it is nothing. But thou will collect his will of the words: this is my body. In deed if the words of the Scripture shall be always understand, even as they are spoken, then shall we prove Christ to be a Rock Stone, according to the saying of the Apostle, to be a wyne tree, to be a door, and the way, & so forth. Let us here then Augustine in this mater. To this answereth Augustine in his Epistle to Bonifaci{us}. 2 • . If the Sacraments (saith he) should not have some aggrement and similytude, with these things which they represent, then shall they not be Sacraments. For of this similytude, oftentimes they take the names of the things them selves. Therefore, as after a certain manner, the Sacrament of Christ's body, is Christ's body, the Sacrament of Christ's blood, is Christ's blood, so the Sacrament of Faith, is Faith.

And writing against Adamantus Manicheus plainly, our Master Christ douted not, to call it his body, when he gave the figure of his body. And upon the thread Psal. wonderful (saith he) is Christ's patience, in that, that he received Judas to the Banked, in the which he commanded, and gave to his Disciples, the figure of his body & blood. Of the which Authorities of this godly learned Father, we may easylie answer, this speaking of our Sauioure, to be Sacramentale, Me • onymical: and so his will to perform any such thing, as thou falsely gathered, in no ways to have been. For we give that reverence unto our Sauioure and Master, that there is nether inconstancy, lyghtnes, nor repugnancy in his word, nether yet do we think these words spoken of the bread, to be other ways understand or exponed, nor they that after followeth of the cup, where of necessity ye must grant als many fygures, as there be words. Shall we say that the cup is the New Testament • ▪ Or the cup is the blood of the New Testament? Here thou cannot eschew, how good a Gladiator, or Fensare soever thou be, turn thyself in all • many forms and shappes as ever did Protheus, here shall thou stick fast.

Shall these words be understand, even as they are spoken? I trust ye will not say that: then must it follow that there is a figure, and howsoever thou shall expone the words of the cup, thou shall be driven to grant the same of the bread: for nothing can be said or alleged of the latter part of this mystery, that is not to be understand of the former. So now then as the cup, by the interpretation of Lu • e • s and Paulus, Is the covenant in the blood of our Sauioure, the same shall we affirm of the bread, to wit, that it is the covenant in the body. Now strive, cry out, laubour, travel, and do what you list to invert this, thou shall have to do with the holy Spirit of God, declaring plainly that the will of our Sauioure is in no ways concurring with such an omnipotency, as thou & thy fellows hath forget, of these words, this is my body, fondly and vainly exponed, after the letter. I pas by the common manner of Scripture, calling the Circumcision by the name of the covenant, the Pasouer likewise, whereof they were but Simboles and signs, and such other places, serving to this purpose, and will pas forward to the words of Chrisostomus, which this glorious Doctor, who will seme to be so beasy and diligent, notes to be written in the. 48. Homilie upon John, where I dare boldly affirm there is no such mater nor words, for that homily is written upon the. 7. Chap. of John, and is spent wholly upon the observation of the Sabbath

Hereby it is easy to perceive how vainly ye ascribe such reading of the Ancientes unto yourself, as in your writings ye • ache upon you, that ye will seme in the eyes of the people, to be the only he in this Realm versed in antiquity

And now to say my judgment freely, I trust ye have no works of such men as ye draw your authorities out of, but only hath, I cannot tell what little scabbed trea •• es of Eccius, Cochleus, Hosius Stanissans youre new start up Campion, and of such others of your factiō, and taketh out of them, such things as ye think may serve to your wicked and blasphemus purpose.

What credit now, or what authority ought to be given to such places, as thou draweth out of the Doctors, who • elyke never hath seen there works, nether yet knoweth to what purpose they speak, if they speak of their own mind, or of their adversaries, whither they speak by an interrogation or conclusiuely, and determinatly, whither they speak 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is excessively, to extol the dignity of the mater they have in hand (which is not •• are in this Author) or simply. Thus the Text itself is to be considered, that it that preceadeth, being conferred with it that followeth, the mind and sentence of the Author, may be known perfytlie.

Not that I will hereby damn young men, who ether excluded by time, or else lacking books, must give credit to good authorities, but in this man who will seme to be another Anacharses Inter Sordidds Scythas, it is intolerable, who is sequestrate from the common society of men, and travel in the common wealth, having not else to do, but that he hath enjoined to himself, that is to lie by a pleasing bray, and cast in stones to trouble the fair and clear rinning watter.

This thing I say again is not only intolerable, but moste worthy of all punishment. But to the purpose, I have said there is no such mater entreated ī the place cited; by this diligent Reader. In deed in the same Author we shall read not unlike to this, in his. 83. Homilie upon Matthew, his words are. They be not works of man's power propounded, who then made them in that Supper, the fame worketh them now. We occupy the rouine of Ministers, but he that sanctifieth them and changeth them is he (meaning our Savior) who did appoint and institute this action.

This in deed being well considered, shall and may be understand, to be spoken more by a Rethoricall amplyfication to extol the excellency and worthiness of this so great a mystery, rather then spoken according to the simple truth of the mater. It is known well enough to any man that is but mid way familiare with this Author, that he is somewhat excessive in such amplyfications, sometimes playing the orator, rather then the simple Theologien.

This I were able to prove particularly by sindrie things entreated by him, if the time should suffer, but yet I se no such things in these words, whereof you have any occasion to brage or rejoice. For in this that he saith, they b • no works of man's virtew propounded. Who did eve • think or teach other? We be well teached by John the Baptist of that defference, in ministration of Sacraments, that is betwix the inward worker and giver of gra • e (who is Christ Jesus) and the Minister, who onel • worketh and serveth outwardly, so that howsoever 〈◊〉 shall at the appointment of our Master, Minister and practice the action: Yet is it not the work of man's strenth nor power, nether is there an part thereof to be ascribed to him, but all whole to be vendicat to the instituter, in that, that not only he commandeth it to be done, and nothing is done, but at the prescript of his commandment, but also he is he, who giveth the power, the strenth, the energy to it, that it may profect and frutrifie unto the receiver, and in this manner the cause given by Chrysostom is very good, that he is he now that worketh, who wrought then. So that there is no defference betwix that action, that wes then practiced by our Sauioure, and it that is now done to his imitation by us, we but have the place of ministers, it is he that sanctifieth and changeth, that is to say, it is he by whose ordinance and commandment, this whole action is hallowed and sanctified. For the action itself, if it shall be considered, it shall seme and appear very vile and of no price, yet seeing there is nothing done, but at his commandment, practiced by himself, allowed by him, we as becometh well instructed Children, doeth judge it to be worthy of all reverence, whereof we have his warrand, being commanded so to do, in remembrance of him till he come.

This then is the sanctificatiō that this Author speaketh of here, and no such deuillishe incantation, as thou would pretend, which dontles wes unknown in the days of Chrysostom.

But least thou shall insist upon the latter word of changing: I will travel to oppen up the mind of the moste Ancient Fathers in that part: for they do use that word often, not to signify any such change, as ye fondly have devised and invented: but only willing hereby, that we should all, before that we shall offer and present our selves to this table, consider the dignity, praise and prerogative of this heavenly banked, that we be here called to, where the same is the banked, and the banked giver, as this same Author saith. We shall consider this bread, exhibited to us here, to be the bread of life, nourishing our Souls unto immortality. We shall consider these Elementes which he given, as sure pledges of eternal Salvation, and of all benefits procured and obtained to us by Jesus Christ.

So that we must not go to this table, as to a common table, to farce and stuff our bellies with bread and wyne, but we must understand this bread to be separated from the common use, and sainctified and dedicated to the holy Communion of Christ's body and blood, to declare to us that we are not now leuing in our selves, but Christ leueth and rigneth in us, we are no more the seruandes and slaves of Satan, but members of Jesus Christ, that we are now made participant and partakers, of his justice and righteousness: and that by him we have remission of our sins, so that now albeit we be in the earth exposed to all kind of temptation, trouble, and persecution, yet our conversation is in the heaven with him, on whom our Souls stayeth and feadeth.

This change then that they do mean of, is to extol this mystery as it is worthy all praise, and declare with what trymbling, fear and humility, we ought to present our selves thereto, because this that wes common bread, appointed for the refection of man's body, is now sanctified to an holy use, to assure us of that conjunction, yea, and lively perticipation we have now, with the Eternal Son of God, who joineth himself so familiarly with us, that we are now engrafted so in him, that we now, as it were soucketh our very substance, out of his body & blood He is now unto us, that, that he called himself the wynetre, and we the brenches, he is the head, and we the members, he is shortly he, out of whom life, righteousness, justice, holiness, and sanctification, proceedeth and floweth unto us.

So that this whole change and immutation, is to be referred to the minds and consciences of the receauers, & not to any other change, that is in the substances of the Elementes, that be there proponed, but the bread remaneth bread, and the wyne, wyne, albeit they be sanctified to another more holy use, as we have said, and shall alter declare in the conference of the Doctors.

This I take to be, and douteth not, but it is the very natural meaning of the words of this Au • hor, and of all the Anciētes, whē as they speak of any change here. Yet I am not ignorant, that thou and thy fellows will apply the former sentences, and refer them unto the commandment, do ye this in remembrance of me, as hereby, the Lord should give us the charge to sanctify, or as thou speaketh, to consecrate the bread and wyne, which as it is moste untrue, and cōtrarious to the simple truth of the Lord's commandment, so the Author do • th mean no such thing. For the lord did not command us to sanctify bread and wyne, and change them, but that we should take them, give thanks, break, and distrybute them amongst us. and that with all humilytie and reverence we should eat and drink them, in remembrance of him, as the very Sacrament of his body and blood, which Sacramental ceremony, passeth not the reach and capacity of man.

And in this whole institution, ones made by himself, he still sanctifieth forever, the Sacramental Simboles, to the perpetual use and confort of the whole Church: which this Author Chrysostom signifieth moste clearly, In that he saith: he that wrought then in the Supper, doeth them even now, so that he still sanctifieth them, by his holy institution and ordinance, that he made then in the Suppere, where he changed not the substance of bread and wyne, but the natural use appointed to the resection of our bodies, he turned and converted in a Sacramental use, to serve us by the inward operation of the Spirit of God, to the nourishement of our Souls, and upholding of our Faith.

Ones he said: this is my body, this cup is the New Testament in my blood, do this in remembrance of me. And in these words ones pronounced, did he ones institute and sanctify this holy action and ceremony, and changed these Elementes, from a natural, unto a Sacramental use, by virtue whereof, this whole action is sanctified, throghout all, wheresoever it is practiced, which is the very meaning and interpretation of this Author, and all the Ancients, wheresoever they use such form and manner of speaking,

Here then thou seeth plainly, that this Author ascribeth nothing to the words pronounced by the Minister, but vendicates and reserveth to Christ the instituter, the whole strenth and power of sanctification, which wes thē done, when as he instituted this action, and commanded it to be practiced in remembrance of him.

But always here it is not to be passed by, that in these words, cited out of this Author, there is no mention of an Alter, but of a Table: whereby thou may understand clearly, that this Author knew no such Alters, whereof we have such a multitude erected everywhere (without the which the Papists opinion is that no mass can be done) but only a Table, to the imitation of our Savior which properly apperteaneth to the practice of his holy Supper.

Whereof likewise we may collect, that there wes no preuy masses, such as in our days, & in the aige of our forebiers (that hath been under Antichrists authority, moste profanely abused) hath been: preuy masses I call all such, where as the priest (the people wholly secluded) without any distribution, deuoreth & swelloweth up all in a moste reuinus manner, as in all masses we have seen: which as they are contrarius to the ordinances of Christ Jesus, so moste justly they lack, and hath no testimony nor approbation of antiquity, but are moste impius, blasphemus, and detestable.

When this inverted Silenus hath thus played him, with the words of this Author, he inferreth & concludeth.

In the answer to this conclusion, I will be very short, because afterward ye entreat this mater as it were of set purpose, in the. 14. leaf, speaking there, of the words that be used in the present time. As to the observation of the time, and full understanding of those words, I will reserve to that place, that I be not driven to make an unpleasing and loathsome repetition. Always that, that may serve instantly, that we shall not seme to wink at the mater, we cannot have a more faithful expositor of these words, thē the Spirit of God, by the mouthe of his holy Apostle Paul, who as thou recyteth, saith, which is broken for you. For it is moste clear, that the Sacramental sign of bread wes not broken for them, but the only natural body of our Master upon the craice, so that in no ways these words may or can be referred to the pronome 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the first word of the promise, where demonstration is made of the bread, but apperteaneth to the latter word (body). For speaking of the bread, he saith, he brake it, and he gave it to his Disciples, and not for his Disciples, now meaning of his passion, and that his body wes to suffer, which is (saith he) broken for you, as to the time we have not to be curius, for we know the Spirit of God, sometimes in declaring that, that is undoubtedly to be, ether a long time, or immediately after, to use the present time, yea, and the time passed. Lyke as here by the present he setteth forth that which wes to be upon the morrow. So the very sense of the whole is. This is the Sacrament of my body, which is broken for you, that is to say, which body is to suffer, and to be broken even the morrow for you: as shall be declared at more lenth, when as by God's grace we shall atteane to the place

But I pray thee, where shall we find in these words, such an unbloody Sacrifice, as thou here bringeth in? I am assured the breaking of Christ's body wes bloody, and moste cruel: where likewise shall we find this oblation? For there is no mention of oblation in this whole action, nether yet did our Savior offer anything there, nor yet to his Disciples giveth he any commandment to offer, but simply willeth us to do this in remembrance of him, which is relative to the whole action before practysed, of taking bread, thanks giving, breaking of it, and distribution to be made, here is never a sillabe of offering.

Well, let us go to the probation, which is drowen out of Malachi the Prophet, and his first Cha. the words are

Here I may have occasion to speak somewhat of this interpreters faithfulness, who thinketh it nothing to turn by the future time, that which is spoken in the present, for I am assured that all the texts that ever I did se, Hebrew Greik, Latin, English, French, hath the word in the present (is Sacrificed) and not (shall be) and (an clean oblation is offered) & not (shall be) but I will pas by that followeth in this Doctor.

Where this Author travaileth, by an argument that • e call in the Scooles A sufficient enumeratione partium.

that is, when as we euert every particular, to confirm and establish an certain thing, but as this argument lacketh not the strenth, when as all is properly euerted, so if anything be pretermitted, ether yet improperly handled it proceedeth not.

Now to the matter, of the Sacrifice of the Lord's body on the croice (say ye) it cannot be understand, for it wes only in Jerusalem. I know that our Savior wes crucified in Jerusalem. Yet what shall be the cause that it shall not be lefull to us to speak as the Apostle Paul in the. 3. to the Galth. where he plainly witnesseth that our Sauioure wes crucified amongst them. Why shall the same liberty be denied to all places, where the death of our Savior hath been, or is lyuelie preached? Which no dout, hath been everywhere, like as the Prophet testifieth, in the. 19. Psalm, and the holy Goste speaketh of Paul, appointing him to bear the name of Jesus, to the uttermost partes of the earth.

Why then may we not expound this saying of the Prophet, of the Sacrifice and oblation of the body of Jesus Christ, seeing he is everywhere crucified, wheresoever his Evangel is treuly preached. And as touching thy stinking and filthy mass, it hath been (God be preased) at all times included and circumscribed within a certain bounds, and that very small.

But thou will say pereuentur, that the speaking of the Apostle is metaphorical. What if I shall say the same of the words of the Prophet? For if he admonisheth us of anything to be erected after the abrogation of the ceremonies of the Law, no dout, he speaketh so by the fygures, then used in the Law, that thereby we should understand another sort of worshipping to be planted, and received in place of those fygures. Thus thru the speaking cannot be proper. but always metaphorical from the vmber & shoddowe to express the verity. And thus may we have the sense of the words of the Prophet properly that everywhere is there an oblation or Sacrifice offered up in my Name, that is the Sacrifice of my Eternal and only Son, wherewith I am all whole cōplesed and delyred, is offered up unto me, that is preached, for whatsoever way thou can apply this saying to thy mass, that same way shall I prove that it conueneth, and more justly to the predication of the Evangel, and death of our Savior. For where thou restreines his death to the town of Jerusalem, so will I affirm of the institution of his holy Supper, out of the which thou soucketh moste i • eptly and impiusly thy fond mass. If thou will insist and say that the mass is done everywhere, I answer the same of the Sacrifice of Christ's body more treuly. If thou shall reply yet, that, that is only by preaching. I answer, that first thy mass hath nothing to do with the Lord's table, and besides that the Author of the holy Supper, did ones sanctify this action, which remaneth forever, as I have shawen heretofore, as our Savior died ones, & willeth his death to be preached everywhere, and so consequently to be crucified in all places, according to the metaphorical speaking of the Apostle as I have already declared.

Now I pray you good Reader perceive with me the vanity of this new Author, the strenth of his arguments, and the form of his proceadinges. Secondly ye go about to prove that the sayings of the Prophet.

This ferre our Author.

First if I should repugn, how shall ye be able to prove, that here we be forewarned of any Sacrifice to be erected in the New Testament? of the abolishment of the Sacrifices of the Law, and the institution of this your exploded Sacrifice of the mass, which ye continually flatter and bear in hand? For in this place there is no prophecy but a sharp rebuke & reprehēsion of the sacrificers under the Law who, by their horrible & heinous sines, did so kidle the wraith of God against thē, that he moste justly compleaneth of them in this place, like as he doeth ī the first Chap. of Isayas, rejecting their Sacrifices, Prayers, fastinges, with all the rest of their Pompus works, whereof they did so much brage, so that here there is nothing else but the common querimonie of all the Prophets, to wit, that he declareth their Sacrifices in no ways to be acceptable unto God, but altogether abhominable in his presence, because of their filthy and vicius life.

For the reule is generally prescribed by Moses, that God did first luke to Abel, and then to his gifts. And it is more nor evident, that of the horrible and proud contemuer, he doeth not receive, no not his owen most holy ordinances: so that the whole thing that is here rehearsed may be moste properly applied to the shame, rebuke, and utter exterminion of these filthy massemongers, and of all that is offered by them, whose Sacrifices, albeit they were appointed and allowed of God, as were those of the Law (as in very deed they be not, but altogether are detestable in his presence, nether having commandment nor approbation of him) yet are they of no value, yea, I say moste odius in God's presence, by the plain testimony of the Prophet here. So that I meruell not little of these masked Asses, that alledgeth ignorantly this place for the prufe and confirmation of this whore moste justly rejected of all them that are not blinded with Satan.

God here in plain terms pronounceth, that he is in no ways appleased in them, he will receive no gift of their hands, so that he receiveth not the oblations of their hands, whose conditions & manners are haitful to him. He is not contented with the Sacrifices and oblations of the Jews, being institute and commanded, earnestly required and authorised of him? Not that God is not content and appleased with that, that he commandeth, but that the Sacrificers did not offer them of that mind, but of a mere hypocrisy did they use and practice them, and turn them to a certain lucre again, and advantage for them selves.

Now let us convert this querimonie of the Prophet unto our Sacrificers, do ye not think that the Eternal may say the same, my pleasure is not in you, I will receive no gift of your hands, seeing their filthy lives, their auarixius and gredie practices, their whole studies and thoghtes are given to ambition and lucre, in such rage, that as our eyes abhorreth the sight of it, so doeth the tongue shrink to express it. I trust, that not only by the judgment of the world, may it be prouen, but by the testimony of your owen consciences ye may be convicted, all that be of you Sacrificers, to refer all, and to Sacrifice wholly for your Belly, that is the mother (as Ieronimus doeth moste deseartly note) of all Herisie and fond oppinion. I know your shifts ye object, that albeit that God be not appleased with you, yet the Sacrifice that ye do offer, is pleasing, to wit, the body, and blood of Jesus Christ is acceptable.

But if God should answer, and say, I know, and acknowledgeth my Son, he is be in whom I am pleased, I have placed and deposed with him the thesaures of my wisdom, power, mercy and goodness. But what be ye? Who gave you any such commission? He offered himself according to my determination and Eternal Council, for the sins of the world, for satisfaction to my righteous judgment, and for the reconciliation of man to me: but who required that ye should offer him up again? But in deed good Master, if this place of the Prophet shall be thus applied to your Idole mass, I perceive well ye do it upon a great policy, for one of your principal things ye brage of (but how justly it shall be after examinat) is antiquitie, thus ye shall have your holy Idole much oulder nor ye take it to be, and to have been practiced in the time of Malachias, for I am assured that all that is there spoken, is in the present time, as I have warned you heartofore. And besides this ye shall have an universality for this that is spoken of there, is said to be everywhere, in all places. This how justly may be said of your mass let the wise and prudent Reader consider. I am assured, that the mass wes, nether so old as Malachias, nor yet that it wes so universally received, that it wes published and authorised everywhere, and so pas thy way with thy vanities and fond imaginations, and search some other place, to confirm and establish thy wicked opinion, for this can serve nothing.

Consider how Ieronimus exponeth the place, writing upon it: the words are notable, wherefore I will not werie to recyte them. The reule of Scripture is, where as there is a moste manifest prophecy of the things to come not to minish, nor extenuat the things that be spokē by incercitude of allegories, so now properly to the Preistes of the Jews the Sermon of the Lord is derected that offereth the blind, the crouked and the mained, to be offer • ed up, that they know, that Spiritual offerringes wes • o succead or enter in the roumes of the carnal, and not the blood of Bulls and Bullockes, but incense, that is the prayers of the Saints, to be offered up to the Lord, & that not in an province of the world, as Iowrie, nor yet in a toune of Iowrie, as Jerusalem, but everywhere an oblation offered, and that not unclean, as by the people of Israel, but clean, as in the ceremonies of the Christians, for from the ryssng of the Sone, to the down passing of it, my Name is great amongst the nations, as our Savior plainly witnesseth. Father I have manifested thy Name to men. And now saith he, when as my Name is to be great amongst the nations, ye O Princes of the Iowes, have polluted it, and polluteth it, for so he wrytith his prophecy, of the things to come, that he omitteth not the present time, and so forth. Whereby every Reader may perceive and understand, what wes the judgment of that Ancient and well learned man of this place, to wit, that it is to be expounded of the Sacrifice of oration, prayer and thanks giving, whereby the Eternal is everywhere glorified by his elect and chosen, as the Prophet should say, ye Preistes thinketh that ye do some great mater to me, in that, that ye offer up unto me, I cannot tell what beasts, and slayeth some Lambes, some Bullockes, Rāmes, and so forth, even as I were a small God, and like unto the God's of the Nations, or that I were circumscribed, compassed, and set about, yea, and the only bounds of Jerusalem were prescribed to my service, honor and worship, or that my glory should not extend the self, further then the bonudes of Judea.

This is not the words of the Couennat, that I made with your Fathers, what time I brought them out of Egypt, I required no such thing of you, I sought no such thing of your Fathers, but only the Sermon that I commanded them, saying, here my voice, and I shall be your God. I am not so contemptible, nether yet delight I in such vile meats and gifts, am I not Lord of the whole? Boweth not every knie unto me? Shall not my Name be celebrated, yea, amongst the Nations, and that from the rising of the Sone, to his down going? yea, and with another manner of Sacrifice, nor this your bludy, to wit, of a clean impolluted and undefiled Sacrifice of thanks giving, which shall not consist in ambition and avarice, nor yet shall be referred to any filthy lucre, but shall procead of an ardent charity, and of an unfeigned mind, so that my Name shall be sanctified, and the Sceptur of my kingdom auanced and promoted.

Doeth thou think the mind of the Prophet well oppened in this, and treuly, according to the mind and inter • retation of Ieronimus, who suffereth not that we shall in any ways follow an incertane allegory, and as thou will an ungodly & wicked declaration, where the mater is clear. I know that there be 〈◊〉 many things teached by the Spirit of God, to wit, the calling of the Gentiles, the abolishment of the ceremonies, yea, and the cōmutation & change of the Iowish manner of worshipping, gros: and carnal, in it which is Spiri • uall of thanks, giving, and this not only is the mind of Ieronimus, but of all the Ancientes, who did never acknowledge any such mass, as thou introduceth, being utterly damned by the Apostle, in the. 9. and. 10. to the Hebrews, as shall be after seen.

Trew it is, that they use the term of Sacrifice, but that is because it is a commemoration of that Sacrifice, by virtue whereof all faithful are sanc • ified forever, the Supper I speak of the Lord, the which is not received of the only shauelinges, but cōmunicat to all faithful people according to the institution and commandment of the Lord Jesus the Author of it: to the Name of the Lord our God, we offer up, yea, and burneth the Sacrifice of praise and thanks, and that willingly, proceading of a certain charity, dilection and love we bear to him.

There be offered likewise, by the faithful preachers, moste acceptable Sacrifices, to wit, such people as be converted from their wicked ways, by their predication, to the true and living God, maker of the heaven and of the earth. Thus the Apostle speaketh, and after him Irenaeus as shall be declared in the owen room. There is yet a certain sort of Sacrifice commanded in the new Testament of liberalytie, Alinus, mercy, well doing, as the Author to the Hebrews speaketh.

〈…〉 which thou here doeth pas by lightly, saying.

I may be very short in the refutation of this last conclusion, by reason I have shown the nature and the strenth of the argument that this Author useth here, and have already reuerted the two former partes of it, and have also prouen clearly, the vanity and blind ignorance of this divine, so that I neid not to travel me any whit more, for any part of this argument, being impugned and improvē is altogether falls. But he • e I dare not pas by the reasō that is here adduced of the diversity of prayer, of orations and Almus in all places, Will thou say to me glorious divine, that Al •• s is diverse in all places? but wherein is this diversity? Is it in the givers? In the mater? or in them it is given to? And so will I demand of prayers, and orations: will thou say the variety is in the givers? This same shall I • ffirme of thy mass mongers: or will thou understand it of them that be liberally entreated? shall not the same be found true of them ye sel, your masses to? & miserably seduceth, having nothing for their money, but the gaising upon your monstrous farce?

But I think thou will cleave to the mater, which saith thou is one in all masses. Trew it is, that in your masses ye travel to have bread and wyne but in this he is •• ore then blind that s • yeth nor a great variety in sindrie Regions. For in some we do se the bread, whiter 〈…〉 , in some places made of only wheit, in others melted & patched? of the wyne semblablie, here of a starker kind, here we alter, hereof us • ed; there clean and natural, and God be maised everywhere, that won that wes thoght unable for the use and service of man, wes reserved and judged m •• te mere to that Idole, to refr • she the throt of that shaking whore. Always we find little les variety in the mate • of this mass, nor in Alinus, prayer and orations, w • ich are 〈◊〉 of God, m • ste 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the needy, of it we have granted unto us of God's liberalytie, to pray for such thing as we lack, according to the form prescribed unto us, by our Scoole Master Christ.

Now glorious Doctor consider wi • h me, the arrogancy of thy fond wi • , which being putt up 〈◊〉 the self, hath carried thee so away, that thou could not en • y thy owen vanity, I pray to the Eternal 〈◊〉 tyrie eyes to consider the deip pit of ignorance, thou art wrapped in and the dangerus state and condition wherein thou consists. It that ye conclude, to wit, the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ's body and blood, to be moste clean, none I trust will deny, but that thou affirmeth then to be offered under the • orines of bread and wyne, in thy mass, that we utterly 〈◊〉 as wicked and 〈…〉 altogether abhor. And that thou affirmeth it to have been used ī all places, professing Christ (alas) this is also • als, for the primitive Church utterly misknew it, yea, and yet 〈…〉 the Evangel • ath 〈…〉 . 〈◊〉 is not in 〈◊〉 places of the Orient amongst the Christians we know no such thing to be (God be • rassed) and we hope in God▪ that all 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 delivered from her moste tyrannus, filthy, and insufferable abomination. And to be mar • y with you, for so I know you of your nature, I know find i • places in Scotland, that hath ever 〈◊〉 clean of • er filthiness▪ And I would be very sorry, that my stain or thy Jack • ues wi • h reverence I say of the modest Reader▪ should be polluted with so 〈◊〉 and vile • harlote, as is the mass.

Thus thy arg • meant is refuted wholly, so that I trust every man shall be satisfied, that is not altogether contentius, for to such I write not; not yet will dedicate my layboures, for we know that the Church of God hath nothing to do with such men ones. Trew it is, that the Prophets forwarned us of the coming and Natiuitie of our Savior, and painted him forth in his owen cussors, that he might be known, to wit, by his wonderus works, & infearciable wisdom and doctrine. But that thou hereupon would gather.

In this thou speaketh vainly, ungodly, and impiusly, yea, and unlearnedly, which I have already declared, yea, and shall prove by the same, that thou adduceth for thy wicked prufe, to wit, the words of the latter Supper, and the Prophet Malachi expounded and declared by the universal consent of the moste Ancient Fathers, when as we shall come to the declaration of the sayings of the Ancients, and will not now trouble the order of the boke Here in deed this glorious divine taketh to him a free field, taking upon him to prove and certify James his brother.

But here thou reciteth none of the words of thine Authors. In deed there is somewhat noted v • ō the merg •• . Alexander Epistol • prim • Irenaeus Libro primo. Cap. 32. Damascenus Libro primo de Fide. Orthodoxa. Cap. 14. Augustinus Libro. 8. de Ciuitate dei Cap. 33. et 9. Cap. • 3. • ru • erin • • uper exodum

(but here thou hath no mercy upon the Reader, forgetting to note the Chapiter) & the two Councils of Nice, & Ephesus last of all. But hereof afterward, because thou entreateth somewhat at more large I will refer them to their owen place, and will join with thee in the substā • e of the mater, which I have ever from the beginning longed to atteane unto.

But here I cannot pretermit vnobserued, that thou citeth Augustine in the eight boke. 33. Chap. the whole boke being contained and divided in. 2 • . Chapiters. But least ye should have forget yourself in some of the figures I have looked the. 23. Chap. where the ancient Father di • puteth of the judgment of Hermes Trimegistus of Idolatry, and of the abolishing of the superstitions of Egypt, and I can find nothing any ways appertaining to this purpose we have in hand, but except that if some man may Iustlye think that the reprehension of Hermes should most worthily • uene to you. The words are these, vain deceptful, pernicius, and Sacrilege things, Hermes the Egyptiane, because he knew the time to come, in the which they were to be abolished, he lamented, but he wept impudently, as he knew it imprudently: this part and these words may be applied to you, and all of your faction, who travaileth in disperate causes, and lamenteth and bewaleth, the erecting of the true Religion of God, and overthrow of that, that is impius and wicked, which no dout, as ye bewale impudently, so have ye foresene these many years to come, with no les impudency nor ignorance. Than citeth the. 23. of the nynte boke of the same work, wherein is entreated, how falssy the Name of God is attrybuted to the God's of the Gentiles, and yet it is communicate by the authority of the holy Scriptures, to holy Angels and just men. And I am able to say, that there is nothing there can in any wise serve to this mater.

Now Reader I beseech thee consider, what authority and faith is to be given to the sayings of this divine, who not only wreasteth and throweth the Scriptures & sayings of the ancient Fathers, to his pernicius and ungodly purpose (so that it might seme to the imprudēt Reader that looketh no further, that he hath all for him) but also rehearseth places that be not found, and to utter his knowledge of the antiquity, addeth Chapiters unto their works: so liberally he dealeth with them. Now let us procead.

Here is introduced James, after his long silence, making an argument against the mass. The words are.

This is the argument of James, gathered of the. 9. and 10. Chapiters of the Epistle to the Hebrews. To this is answered of this new divine, in this manner.

The • ūme of your answer is, that there be two. Sacrifices & oblations of Christ's body and blood, upon the croc • one, another vnblody ī the mass. This your saying, as it is without any testimony of the Scripture, or suffrage of the antiquity, so is it moste impudent, and moste easy to be rejected and refelled, whatsoever ye pretend of God's commandment, wherein ye have none at all.

Trew it is, as ye say, that a verity distroyeth, not another, but I must say for the part of James, and of the truth that an established truth distroyeth, and oppēneth up all thing that is contre • ius, which is nothi • g but falshead and untruth.

The Apostle writeth plain, that our Savior offered up himself ones for the perfect deliverance of man, and never is to though • e again • ▪ Thou granteth that he suffered ones, and is no further subject to death, and yet thou will that he shall be offered up again, yea, and is offered up in every corner. Is not these two sayings plain contrarius? Shall not the manifest truth uttered by the holy spirit; destroy the plain vntr ••• h and manifest blasphemy, that proceedeth of thy mouth.

But least it shall seme and appear to you that ye shall escape by your stinking distinccions, which standeth and dependeth wholly upon the diversity of the oblation, that the one is bloody, and the other unbloody. I will ask of thee, whom of hath thou that distinction? Is it of the Spirit of God? Whom to wes it reueilled before the Scriptures wes shute up? Or in what place of Scripture is it expressed? Where is the commandment? I am assured ye can have no sufficient warrand to do anything that the Lord Jesus did not in his latter Supper.

Let all be red that is written by Matthew, Mark, Luck, and Paul, of the holy Supper, and moste diligently and manifestly conferred and considered, if our Sauioure ī his latter Supper, offered his body and blood, unto God the Father, and commanded that we should do the same, he brake bread, gave thanks, distributed it to his Disciples, saying: take ye, eat ye, this is my body, which is broken for you. He did likewise with the Cup, saying, take, drink of it all, this Cup is the New Testament in my blood, which shall be shed for you and many, unto remission of sins, adiecting to both the partes, do this in remembrance of me. What is here, I pray you, that may in any wise apperteane to the oblation of the body and blood of our Sauioure, to be made in the mass?

For we know that the oblation of his body wes made, and his blood shed the day following. And I trust that no man will think or say, that he commanded us to do that thing in remembrance of him, which he did the day immediately ensewing, but that he willed them to do that, that he then practiced, to the perpetual recordation and memory of him, without any further commandment.

Thus then thou can pretend no commandment, whatsoever thou shall brage of it. Secondly, we are plainly teached by the Author to the Hebrews, that the oblation of the body and blood of Jesus Christ is of that nature, that ones perfected upon the croice, it can in no ways be reiterate nor made again.

Christ in offerring up himself, died and rose again, & thus is no more subject to mortality, and we know that there can be no oblation unto remission of sins, but it that is by effusion of blood. So that now, whosoever goeth about to offer up him again, they do that is in them to crucify him of new.

Is not the argument of the Apostle, moste evident and strenthy, shawing the excellency of our Sacrifice of the New Testament above them of the old, in that, that they not only were many and oftentimes repeated, yea, even the self same, by long continuance of time, till they were altogether abolished, where as we have but one, and that ones offered, never to be reiterated nor offered again.

Judge with thyself, if that be not the introducting and establishing of a new iudaisime, shaw me the defference, they had a certain Sacrifice, which in consideration of the inhabilytie, wes oftentimes reiterate, & in no ways had been repeated, if it should have had sufficient force and strenth, what shall be of the Sacrifice of the croice? Sall it not be accused of imperfection and inhabilitie, thus reiterate by you. Further we know, that Christ cannot be offered of none, but of himself, being the only Mediator betwix God and mā, never having resigned over this dignity to none.

Attour, what a monstrus and preposterus thing shall this be, that the oblation, that is the thing that is offered, shall be more worthy, and of greater value and estimation, then the offerer, more acceptable to God, nor he that doeth offer it, which of a necessity must follow, if a shaueling shall offer up Christ in his mass.

Moses doeth teach us, the oblation to be received of God, for his saike that doeth offer it, for the oblation of Cain wes rejected of God for Cain saike, and the gift of Abel received not for the owen cause, but the saike of the offerer, like as is plain through all the Prophets, so we have in this mater, the oblation of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, to be moste pleasant unto the Father, in consideration that it wes offered up, by his only and well-beloved Son. By these arguments it may appear evidently, the vanity of thy pretended commandment, & captius distinctions, which in your owen doctrine included, a very great contradiction. For ye do call this your fond oblation an unbloody Sacrifice, if I had presently a notare at hand, I should bestow an plack upon an instrument of this saying.

I ask of thee new divine, how can this be an unbloody Sacrifice, and yet thou will affirm the wyne, that is their drunk by the Priest, to be the very real blood of our Savior Christ, that he received of the substance of the Virgin, and that he shed upon the croice. The Sacrifice of the croice is called bloody, because Christ's blood wes shed thereon, in very deed, shall not this your Sacrifice be the same argument be bloody, since ye drink and offer up the same blood that upon the croice wes shed.

Now ether must thou renunce and recant the wicked error of transubstantiation, or else thou shalt, will you or will you not, grant it to be a bloody Sacrifice, that thow so stiffly denieth & haeth no otherway to declyne the pithe of the argument. Now ones I pray the again oppin thine eyes and be not still blind to consider how naroly thow are thrung in, and deliver thyself if thow can. Considder last, if it be a thing consistyng in the power, and will of man till alterre and change the ordinances of God, to change the nature of Saccrifices, which be appointed ī effusion of blood, for so shall fall all the holy and inviolable ordinances of God, as witnesseth the Apostle, effusion of blood to be necessarily joined with remission of sins. Thus shall we conclude with thee, that a verity distroyeth not another, but in deed it oppeneth up an untruth and lie, which, alas, doeth abound in thy mouth, what adjuration soever thou shall cloike them with all.

These your sayings appeareth somewhat scabrus and obscure to James (as in deed all untruth), masked, & cloiked with pretense of verity & simplenes, is dark & hard to be understand the verity contrary ways is ever remaning like to the self plane manifest and simple) and for this caus he is desyrus that your sayīges be made more plain.

The sum of the whole is, that the Sacrifice of the massee hath three things common with the Sacrifice of the croice, whereof the two former be sufficiently entreated, refelled and prouen, that nether is the same body in the mass, that wes offered up upon the croice, nor yet that the mass in any ways wes forewarned by the Prophets, and so will I omit those two partes, least I should seme to do again, as lieth in the Prouerb, that, that is already done, and will join in with the thread, which is this.

In this I glaidly go with you, that the Sacrifice of the croice wes prefigurat in the Law, yea, and before the written Law, in the Sacrifices offered by the Fathers, which did cheiflie serve to the exercise of their faith, teaching and leading them, as it were by the hand, to the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, to be offered upon the croice, which wes moste lively prefigured by the Immolation of Isaac.

But that there be any fygur or adumbration of thy fond Sacrifice of the mass, or forewarning, to the allowance of it, that I utterly refuse and constantly deny. The place cited by you, out of the .14. of Geneses, of Melchizedek serveth you nothing, how much soever ye shall brag of it, for it is plain that he offered no bread, nor wyne to God, but brought forth bread and wyne, to the refection of Abraham and his army, now weried & hongrie, by their great journey and travel, and that not as priest of the moste heigh God, but as King of Salem, thus shall we have the most proper division and proportion of every part, aggreing moste semely with others, first that he as King, brought forth bread and wyne (for that is the meaning and signification of the Hebrwe word, and the Greik. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and so used himself liberally towards Abraham and his Army.

Secondly, as priest, according to the deutie and office of the priest he blessed him. Trew it is, that in the common Latin translatiō there is some difference from the Hebrew in that he saith ( Erat enim: for he wes) giving as it wer a cause of the fact of Melchizedek before rehearsed, of the refreshing of Abraham and his folks. And this no dout hath given the occasion to the unlearned of stumbling, but the Hebrew is plain, Et erat: and he wes priest of the moste heigh God, & so that clause Et erat Sacerdos altiss. dei. apperteaneth not to the fact preceading, but to the office of the priest, recyted immediately after, of the blissing of Abraham, in the name of the Lord of heaven. Thus Melchizedek being King and priest, no dout, wes the lively type and figure of the preisthead of our Savior, joined with his kingdom, as David doeth forewarn and teach us in the 110. Psalm, and the Apostle in the .7. Chap. to the Hebrews, where he at lenth and of purpose declareth this mater. Wherefore I will not travel anymore in the explication of that place, but will send the Reader to the Spirit of God, declaring it at lenth by the mouth of the foresaid Apostle.

I know that Tertuliane, and some of the Ancients will seme somewhat subtle, in the explication of this Text, insisting upon the bread and the wyne, and the application thereof, to this that we do practice in the Lord's Table. But I pray you, what a sleuth should this be, in the holy Apostle of Jesus Christ, in the explication of this mater, to pas this point, if it should have in any wise belonged to the purpose, & specially seeing in speaking of the preisthead (& that at large & of purpose he touched it not) what a gros oblivion should it be, to pas the chief & prīcipal Sacrifice,wherein the virtue of the preisthead is included to your erronius judgment. By the benediction & the receiving of the teindes only, clean leaving out your foolish new invented offering, he proveth his honor and dignity.

But this offering of bread and wyne, wherein (as ye say) wes prefigured the Sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ, which is the very life of the world, had been a mater more pertinent to the Apostles purpose and intent, then any that he there alleged, if it were true (as is most falls) that ye allege.

Here we may clearly espy, that the Ancients cannot be altogether excused nor defended in this point. But in the words of Moses, lieth the moste full perfect and plain refutation of this new invention, where we read not that anything there wes offered to God, but rather given to Abraham, so that not only he wes blessed of him, but refreshed. For I trust thou will not say that he Sacrificed to Abraham, and if this shall serve to your mass, see we not all, that the figure of Melchizedek cannot auale, unless ye grant bread and wyne to be offered there, and so shall your transubstantiation vanishe and utterly fall, because therein ye susteane no substance to remain, but the only accidents. Attour, what temerity and foolish boldness shall this be, to give the body of Christ to be offered up of a shaueling, seeing that the only successor to Melchiseder, is our Savior Christ, without any companion, collateral, successor, or suffragane.

Now pas thy way and search the argument else where, for thy mass ī no ways hath any affinity with the Sacrifice of the croice, in the pointes rehearsed. Yea, and I will affirm it boldly, that it can have no more similytude or communication with it, nor light with darkness, godliness with impiety, God with Beliel, nor the holy ordinances and institutions of God, with the fond, wicked, peruerst and adulterat inventions of men.

Now ye descend to declaire unto us the defferences and disagrement of the one, with the other, and first

Trew it is, that the Lord's body wes offered up in the owen form, and no ways else could have been, nor yet can be, for this cā not be separated from manifest impiety, contempt and mockage of God, to stufe up the hyde of a Bull, and the skin of a Lamb with st •• , or otherwise, and so to offer it up in Sacrifice, like as ye do brag of bread and wyne, and calling them the Lord's body and blood, or at the least under the forms of them, the body and the blood of our Savior to lurk, and so to be expossed to the doggishe appetite and cruel teath, of a filthy harlote, what a masked Sacrifice is this?

Augustine speaketh more reverently giving us a general reule to discern proper speeches and things that be spoken properly and understand, even as they be written from improper and Metaphoricall, that whensoever we be commanded to do that which includeth no absurdity nor repugneth not to all humanity & nature, then have we to take this commandment, as properly spoken, and to be obeyed as it speaketh. But where the commandment is given against all humaintie nature and reason, as to eat the flesh of man, and to drink his blood, then let us think well that the speaking is improper and Metaphorical. What will thou answer to this saying of this godly learned man? Thou seeth plainly this godly Father, to grant manifestly, a figure in these words, this is my body, and that they ought to be understand figuratiuelie and Metaphorically, judging it a great impiety, til a man to think that he shall eat the body and flesh of man, & drink his blood in any ways, really and substantially, as ye do fondly imagine. But to be mirry with you, ye do well, that howsoever ye do use this haynus cruel, and more nor barbarus boucherie, upon the Son of God, yet that he sealeth not your horrible intreatment, that he being a mā against the nature of man is made insensible and invisible some relief and confort hath he.

God give you his holy Spirit, that ye may ones consider the truth, & submit yourself unto it in all humility.

This far.

In deed in the practice of the Lord's Table, we be teached to celebrate the Lord's death till his coming, that is to say, to remember and meditat with our selves, yea, and confess, preach and annunce, in presence of the whole world, the benefits procured and obtained unto us, by the death and resurrection of our Savior, and no dout, the faithful is joined with Christ, and made participant of his justice, holiness, innocence, and so forth. Yea, and as Tertuliane speaketh, the bread and the cup are very pledges of our spiritual life, resurrectiō and Salvation.

But we acknowledge no such thing to be received of thy wicked, impius, and ungodly mass, which thou here decketh up with the ornaments of the Lord's holy table, not unlike to Aesop’s Crawe. But since we are attained hitherto, I will not werie to shaw the defferences betwix the two, which shall not be altogether without fruct, nor yet from the purpose, and shall conclude them shortly in four heads.

1. First we know Jesus Christ appointed & vncted of his Father, the Eternal priest, according to the order of Melchizedek, then to have executed, absolved and perfyted the office of his preisthead, when as at the will of his Father, he offered himself up in a Sacrifice of sweet Sauour upon the croice, the only and Eternal Sacrifice, which no dout, wes prefigurat long before in Melchizedek, who being ones in the Scriptures brought in, is declared to be the priest of the living God, without any further mention of him.

In this blasphemus Sacrifice of your mass, ye spoil and rub the Sōne of God, the only and Eternal priest, of this prerogative of preisthead, joining to him Collateralles, Companions, successors, and suffragans, to use his charge, and execute his office, even as the same infirmity were in him, that wes in the priests of the Law, who by their mortality, wes driven to take men till occupy their roumes, supply there absence, and so relief their charges.

The Apostle affirmeth no such imperfection to be in our Savior, the Eternal priest ever living, to execute his office of mediation and intercession: whose preisthead is of that nature, that it cannot be transfered into any other. And if it be true that we be teached by the same Author, that no man taketh any honor upon him, but he that is called of God, as Aaron: Shaw the place and commandment of appointing of these new Sacrificers. And as I am moste certain, that thou shall find none in the Scriptures, so am I assured that thow can have no suffrage, nor testimony of antiquity thereof. For Chrysostomus is plain, and Augustine plainly showeth it to be the voice of the Antichrist, if any man shall call a Bishop a mediator betwix God and man: so straitly doeth he ascribe and vendicat the whole honor of preisthead unto Christ, that not one • ote he will thole to be taken or communicate with 〈◊〉 other.

2. The Second difference is, that it wholly defaceth and distroyeth the croice and passion of Christ. For that is moste certain, that assone as ever thou erecteth an Alter, that the croice of Christ is utterly extinguished. For ye will not deny, but our Savior Christ offered up himself, to purches and obte • ne perpetual sanctificaion and forgiveness to his Elect and faithful, the virtue whereof is Eternal and remaneth: other ways we could judge no other thing of this Sacrifice of Christ, then of them vn • er the Law, the which are tried by that, to be of small value, that they w • re oft reiterat. Wherefore we must conclude, ether that the croice of Christ lacketh the force of Eternal p • rgation, or else that it is a sufficient Sacrifice, whereby he hath fully satisfied for all, and that perpetually. Now then if place shall be to this thy Sacrifice, which isso practiced, that a hundredth thousand of them are offered up in a day: What can we think but that the passiō of our Savior, wherein he offered up himself to his Father, shall be utterly rased, defaced, buried, and quenshed? I s • air to rehears the testimonies of the Scripture, because we will have immediately after occasion to speak of them.

3. The thread property and virtue of the mass is, that • t burieth and obliterateth the death of our Sauioure, to the which is attrybuted by the Spirit of God, the whole Salvation and Redemption of man. For as commonly • monges men, the Testaments and latter willes of men are of no effect nor strenth, to the man that maketh it, be deprived of life, so we know our Savior to have confirmed his Testament, wherein we be written airs of the Eternal kingdom, by his death. Weknow lykewayes, what a Sacrilege it is, to alterre, change, vary and innouate any jot of a Testament. Shall this then be suffered in the Tastament of our Savior, which not only is innouated and changed, but altogether, cancelled, defaced & distroyed by the mass, which is as it were a new manner of Testament, diverse and contrarius to the other true & lawful Testament of Christ, writ • n by the Evangelists, yea, and if I should affirm every mass to be as a certain and New Testament, seeing they promise everyone a new remission of sins, a new conques and acquisition of grace, so that Christ must come again, and by his death or by vnnumerable Thousande death is confirm these new Testaments, so that howsoever many masses they be, so oft shall he die. For the mass directly tender • to that, that Christ shall die again, for the Testament 〈◊〉 have no authority, without the death of the Testator. The mass is a new kind of Testament, promising large remission of sins, and incres of grace, by the virtue of the work itself, Ex opere operato. as they say, then mu •• Christ die, according to the multitude of masses, for there can be no rem • ssion of sins, without effusion of blood, as we have heretofore rehearsed, in every mass there is bragged remissiō of sins, there then must be a Sacrifice •• aine and blood shed. Christ then must be cruelly murdered in every corner, at the appetite of a shaueling for tuelf pens, yea, and hath suffered oftentimes, yea, many million of times, since the Papists begun to erect the monstrous mass.

4. The last is, that the whole fruct of the death of Christ is wholly taken from us by the mass. For who I pray you, may think himself redeamed by the death of Christ, seeing a new redemption is offered and {pro}posed in the mass▪ Who shall think his sins forgiven him in the blood of our Savior, a new remission being offered in the hearing of a mass? Thou will say pereuentur, that we have no remission of sins in the mass, but in consideration of the passion of our Savior.

I answer thee again, that is as much to say, we be redeamed in this consideration by the blood and passion of Christ, that now we shall redeame our selves again by the mass. For this is your doctrine plainly, that ye offer up Christ to the Father in the mass, that by the virtue & merit of that work, ye may obteane remission of your sins. What have we further then to do with the passion of Jesus Christ, seeing every man for tuelf pens may hau • remission of sins, by the hearing of a mumled mass, by a filthy whoremonger, • o the passion of Christ doeth serve only to t • a • h 〈◊〉 shall 〈…〉 .

Our Savior willeth his Discipl •• 〈◊〉 to be affixed to that action, but 〈…〉 them in th • •• crifice, w • ereby • erpetuall sanctification and re •• ssion 〈…〉 and purchased, he teached them the holy S • pper, 〈…〉 & memorial of his 〈…〉 • ame 〈◊〉 never to be after dou • in his 〈…〉 as •• riste is the only oblation to 〈◊〉 he▪ ones offered, that 〈…〉 mi • ht be all who • e 〈◊〉 and a ••• ted to the •• oice and his passion.

These were the defferences then should ha • e collec • ed, if thou should consider the mater aright, whereby we may • alylie espy that the holy table, by the erection of the mass, 〈◊〉 holy suppla • ed, trode under foot▪ overthrown, an • 〈◊〉 . For the Supper we do all acknowledge and receive, as a gift of God, with all reverence, humilytie, & •• ankes: the Sacrifice of the mass is a price and a kind of sa • isfaction given to God, received of him, in recompense of sins. What difference is betwix giving and receiving, the same difference is betwix the holy table and the mass. Now consider what an ingratitude we shall 〈◊〉 this, tha • where we receau • all at the hands of God, and so are wholly affricted to 〈◊〉 to make hi • • e • ter to us.

The Sacrament assureth us, that not only we be ones defr • ē • e • from all adversary powers, by the passion of Christ Jesus, but that we have no life, but of 〈◊〉 •• ath, no strenth but in his infirmity, no incorruption and glory, but in his mortality, reboke, shame, and ignominy. • his your Sacrifice singeth another song, that Christ is daily to be Sacrificed, that we thereby may put God in our danger of obligation, to grant and give us, what we shall call for, in so far as there be no kind of man, beas • , herb • , sto • e infirmity▪ 〈◊〉 disea • , put it serveth • or a Salue for a 〈◊〉 to all.

The holy Table is practiced in the whole • ssembl • of the faithful, distribution is made to all; according to the commandment, to testify and teac • , how we be all joined in Jesus Christ, in whom we live. This communion is broken and dissolved by your masses, for we see plainly, that as the priest taketh upon him to Sacrifice for the people, so doeth they nothing else but gase upon him, and as it were excommunicate, as we shall after here, when we shall come to the proper count.

Now let us procead, where we will have occasion to declare th • se things shortly touched at great large, for James maketh the objection in this manner.

If here it were repeated and added to this argument of James, that we have spoken in the Second difference, betwix the mass and the Sacrifice of the croice, it than • e not be altogether unfruitful.

Well the same of your answer to the argument, 〈◊〉 that the mass obstureth nor deminisheth not the glory and virtew of the croice, but rather advanceth it, being a commemoration of it, whereby the fructes of Christ's death, are applied.

It is certain that we be • eached by the Scriptures, and assured of 〈…〉 the blo • d of Jesus Christ, figured and represented by watter in Baptism, of our 〈◊〉 〈…〉 with Jesus Christ, as the Apostle •• oeth teach us find i • p • a • es. Of the Lord's 〈…〉 the Spirit of God, that all that 〈…〉 read and 〈◊〉 of that cup, tha • they are one, with Jesus Christ, and he with them, th • t the 〈…〉 in themselves, but in Christ, being made participant of all his justice; right • usnes 〈…〉 and finally of all benefits pr • cured by the 〈◊〉 course of his obedience, and specially for that, 〈…〉 himself to the death, and that of the 〈◊〉 .

We know in the predication of his word, all his 〈◊〉 to be offered and declared, and to be 〈◊〉 by us, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . These ways we be plainly teaches in the 〈◊〉 but of thy Idole mass there i • never a word to the Scriptures, nor yet of thy applying of the virtue of the •• ath of Christ. But 〈…〉 of this glorious Papist, what he doeth understand by this applying. I trust thou will not pas from the doctrine of the • omishe Church, since thou cleans to all the vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and beggetly ceremonies thereof • o • iftly.

There •• c • rine is plain, that the virtue & merit of the mass is applied by this Sacrifice, three ways in a moste special manner to himself, for his moste charitable motion, by the which he is ravished up to God, and so by the saying of the mass, he merits the Eternal life, which is called by the Scoole men, the essential reward.

This fruct he can apply to none other, saith Gabriel▪ for albeit a man (saith he) may merit to another, the first grace, yea, and augmentation of grace, yet can he nor merit the essential reward of the Eternal life, which respondeth and followeth • pon every man's owen work.

2. The Second manner of their application is moste general, conueaning to all and the whole Church, for it is nor the deutie of the Priest (say they) till exclude any 〈◊〉 from the virtew and merit of it, that is a member of the Church.

3. The last manner is special, and so it serveth to him or them, that the Sacrificer applieth it to, conceaueth certain orations and prayers, for obtaining remission of sins, grace, spiritual commodities, and temporal benefits to the dead and the 〈…〉 .

This is then the application thou meaneth of hert, for this is the doctrine of thy mother, the Roman Church, as I am able to prove, by the moste esteamed writers amongst you, which say in plain terms: that the priest may pairte and distribute these graces •• nalie, or other ways at his appetite, to whom it shall like him 〈◊〉 yea, and that his wickedness shall be no hindrance thereto, nether yet excommunication, not yet suspension. For these things safeth not away the virtew of the Sacrifice, which it hath, because of the worthiness of the work itself.

Many other things I pretermit of set purpose, wearying to rehears them, in consideration of the great 〈◊〉 , shame, and blasphemy, that lieth in them, a • the Reader shall now shortly consider with me.

Firste▪ seeing we dare not attempt, nor ought to take vpō hand nothing, but that we be assured of the allowance o • God. I would inquire of them, whereas this office appointed to them, to offer up Christ to God the Father, to apply the merit of his death, together with all other graces▪ and benefits, at their pleasure and appetite (which is the highest mater and of greatest importance in all the polycie & government of the Church) where is this commandemen • give by Jesus Christ, ether yet practiced by his disciples.

Secondly, how shall we take this to be a propitiatory Sacrifice, meriting and procuring such hie and excellent gifts and graces, which only is devised by the fantasie of man, and whereof there is never a word in the Scriptures of God, conform to the which, we acknowledge an Sacrifice of the croice, whereby we have grace, remission of our sins, restitution to God's favor, Redemption and Salvation. Consider in what estimation we have our God, and what room and prerogative we ascribe to man, if he shall usurp and take upon him to make such Sacrifices at his owen appetite, which shall obteane and merit all things to him, shall subdew the Eternal God to the pleasure of a filthy whoremonger, taking upon him the dispensation of the benefits of God. Is not this to make man redeemer of himself? To spoil God of his owen honor and dignity? To subject God to the will and pleasure of man? And finally, not only to absence and demin • she, but utterly to deface and quench the whole glory & virtew of the death of our Savior.

We know and teach, that the minister preacheth the word, annunceth the Sermon of peace, and confort, ministereth & dispenseth the Sacraments: but the giving of the inward grace, the increase and augmentation of it, we reserve all whole to the Spirit of God, who applieth and distrybuteth to every man, at his good pleasure, the merit of the Sacrifice of the croice, together with all other gifts.

If it should be demanded of these gay teachers, if any massemonger priest did ever pearish or wes condemned. I trust they should answer quickly, no, for how can it come to pas, that a priest, who by the m • bling of a mass, may conques and obteane the reward of the Eternal life, that this man shall pearish? who may in the space of a quarter of an hour, apply Salvation to himself: this man I say, cannot but straight go to heaven, yea, long before his • ine be cold, as is • aid vulgarly.

Secondly, since it is in the will of the priest, to apply the virtew of this Sacrifice, to whom shall like him, specially for the redemptiō of Souls, what is the cause of Trentales of masses, and fundations made for the soul of any certain man, seeing he may be redeamed & delivered by me. I know there be some stations ī Rome, which giveth that power and privilege to any man, by the saying of the Lord's prayer, and the believe, to deliver any a soul out of Purgatory, why is there now any mass said for this soul: I know that the Pope selleth the same privilege, as we have seen in our days, and I am able to produce the example, if the time should suffer, or were other ways neidful. Besydes, what month them to sing many masses yea, and continue them daily and yearly, for the deliverance of the soul of the riche man, and but one for the nedie and indigent?

We have seen (Helas) that if a riche and potent man, should have been called upon, the Belles doubted, all the Altares and Church full of dule, masses sung in every corner, continued so long as money wes paid: scarssy one said for the poor, what meaneth this? it being in the plea • ure of the priest, to deliver and redeame as lyketh him, ether must we say that the priest hath been inuius and anaritius, or the mass is not of equale value to the riche, and to the indigent, but the more money is paid for them they are of les value: this must of necessity follow.

Last of all, I would glaidlly be instructed of this, how it hath proceaded, that the Apostles never knew, nor teached the Churches, of this virtew of the mass. It may appear to be a wonderful mater, that the Church of God should have been defrauded of so great a treasure in those days, we reid nothing in the Scriptures of this ryte of Sacrificing, for the dead and the quick. Of breaking of bread in the Lord's Table, & communion of the body and blood of our Savior, many notable testimonies we have, but of this thy Sacrifice and applycation of the mass, at the appetite of any man, or other ways there is never a syllabe.

I pas by sindrie maters, that might be adduced, and should serve properly to this purpose, as why, at the beginning, when this opinion entered in of thy Sacrifice of the mass, a long time there wes but one in every Church yea, amongst a great multitude of Monks and Freares, there wes but a priest, and an Alter, a mass, and that but upon Solemn days, as we see yet in these days, but an Alter in the Popes Chapel, a mass, and that but at certain times in the year. By these things I trust it may be easylie espied, of what mind this Author asceibeth the applycation of the fructes of the Lord's death, to the mass, even to foster and manteane all wickedness and impiety, to the plain mockage, derision, and contempt of God, perversion and supplantation of his holy ordinances, defacing and burying of the Sacrifice of the croice, & finally to thrust the Son of God, out of his owen room, to spoil him of his prerogative of Eternal preisthead and intruding a priest. The Apostle pronounceth, that Christ the Son of God, by his only oblatiō, ones offered, purchased Eternal sanctification, to all the Elect of God. And in that disputation, not only abbrogateth and wipeth away the Sacrifices of the Law, but also fully refuteth your vain dream of this sacrifice of the mass. Ye affirm your mass to be a Sacrifice, by virtew whereof, ye have remission of sins, and that als well to the dead, as to the quick. The Apostle affirmeth plainly, that there is no place now to any Sacrifice, since the saying of Jeremiah is accomplished and fulfilled: when ye are thus urged, ye true to your shift, and crieth that it is no new Sacrifice, nor anything different from the Sacrifice of Christ, but the self same. The Apostle occurreth to this, and denieth that it ought any ways to be repeated or reiterat, and is not contented to call it a Sacrifice, but adioneth that it wes ones made, yea, and wholly vendicates the glory and prerogative of the Eternal preisthead, unto the only anointed of God, so that it can cōuene to none to offer him up, but to himself. Your craft to schift you of this, is to say, that the words of the Apostle, are to be understand of a bloody manner: your Sacrifice (say ye) is unbloody, but the Apostle affirmeth without any exceptiō, that there can be no Sacrifice, by which remission of sins is obtained, without effusion of blood.

Last of all ye here affirm, that it is a certain applycatiō of the fever, of that a Sacrifice offered by our Savior. To this the Apostle answereth for this cause, and to this effect, the ceremonies and Sacrifices of the Law, have been abbrogated and taken away, by the death of Christ, because in them there wes memory and mentiō of sins, which they were no ways able to take away. Whereby ye are constrained and compelled, in despite of your obstinate and endured heart, to grant that no such kind of applycation can have place, as ye have foolishely devised. Change and turn thee in als many forms and figures, as the Poyet speaketh of Prothe • s, thou shall be holden so fast and strait, by the disputation of the Author, that thou shall in no ways escape.

He teacheth us plainly, that none is able to offer him, but himself, what a Sacrilege then is it, that every priest shall take this upon him in the mass? Secondly, he pronounceth this Sacrifice to be one, and ones perfected, that it cannot be repeated, in the mass howsoever ye affirm it to be the same, yet is it offered up oftentimes, yea, many, myssion of times, in an hour, nothing appearing but a priest everywhere. The Apostle pronounceth give rally that there is no Sacrifice, without shedding of blood, ye affirm yours to be unbloody, as we have said heretofore The Apostle, when as we shall search remission of our sennes, commandeth us to stay our selves on the passion and death of our Savior, his Sacrifice, and showeth the difference that is betwix us and the Fathers, to be that they were astricted and bund to a continual ryte, & ordain of offering up of Sacrifices, which we are exempted and delivered o • , by the death of our Sauioure.

Ye affirm plain against this, that the Sacrifice of the croice of Christ, can in no ways serve us, vules the virtew of it, be applied unto us, by this your Sacrifice.

〈◊〉 judge I beseech thee godly Lector, of this do not repugn plainly to the words of the Apostle, and doeth introduce a new iudaisme, by plu • alytie of Sacrifices, and heaping up of ceremonies. Thou goeth about to declaire thy wicked opinion by an example, drowen out of the medicine, where it repugneth nothing, that a thing be propyned by sindrie instruments. This saying is true, but if the medicin shall 〈◊〉 proper instruments, to entreat & handle his patient committed to his cure & charge, and yet shall take a poisoned Goblet, filthy and stinking, always trimu • e decked, and very semely without, and in it propine to his patient rank poysone, making hī, who hath wholly submitted himself to his faith, to believe, that he shall receive the moste pectoral and comfortable potion, what shall we think of this medicin? what is thy judgment of him▪ Is he not worthy of the death? This is more proper and pertinent to thy purpose.

Chrysostom useth the similytude of the medicine, but more properly then ye do: as the medicine (saith he) and it be strenthy and of virtew, ones being used and applied, shall expel the sickness, and is no more to be used, other ways it shall declaire the owen imperfection, if it shall neid to be after used: so saith he, is the oblation of our Savior, which in respect of the perpetual virtew and power of purgation and sanctification, ones offered, is not to be repeated. In that they were commanded to offer Sacrifices, as is contained, rebuke and reprehension of sins, so in the multitude and repetition of them, is tried the infirmity of the things that were offered. Take head now what thou doeth vrgeing this Sacrifice so earnestly and defacing the virtue of Christ's Sacrifice, which her • by • an not be but impotent, since thou will have it so often reiterat. Thou neadeth not to oppen up our infirmities & subjection to sin and iniquity, to prove the necessity of this thy blasphemus Sacrifice, as we had no other means to be assured of our Redemption, but by it, we have God be praised, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, which we acknowledge to be the holy institutions of Jesus Christ, whereby we are fully and perfectly assured 〈◊〉 our deliverance by Christ, and of our conjunction with him. Now let us prosecute the rest.

Followeth another objection made by James.

How soever this glorious divine showeth a bold and a thrown countinance, it appeareth that he is moved with this argument, and in deed not without cause, for all the Papists in the earth, cannot excuse this great Churlishe Sacrilege. Let us consider his answer.

I thoght ye should have said, and we papists doeth play our masses at another time of day. For who should have believed, this man, who taketh upon him the defense of the Papistry, should damn in us, that he alloweth in his owen faction. His Second argument is.

Perceaue the captius ingine, malicius and stubborn mind, preasing ever to that, that he may damn in us all the most laudable and godly customs, that hath been since the beginning, yea, and practiced by them selves, albeit in a wicked manner. He proceedeth.

My master here findeth him so bound with the argument, that he cannot tell what way to escape. And in very deed it is no wonder: for in this they have abused them selves so wickedly, against the manifest ordinance of God, the practice of the Apostles, the cōs • tetude of all antiquity, and authority of the godly Fathers, that they can pretend nothing. Yet nevertheless that he might not seme altogether dume, and so to zeild to the truth, thus blasphemusly he brusteth forth and cauillateth the alteration of time, as our Savior thereby had given an express commandment, and so had astricted the practice of the holy action to that time, in the which he did use it, moved by good causes and considerations. For the Supper we know most assuredly that the intention of our Savior wes not, that it should be practiced and celebrated by night, but we know the cause why he tarried and aboide the coming of the night, which wes, that he wes to eat the Pasouer with his Disciples, the which Lamb of the Pasouer, wes under the Law of Moses, even as the holy Table is to us now, for therein the Iowes had a certain visible sign, how that God had preserved them miraculusly, when as his fury wes disployed upon the Realm of Egypt. As likewise there wes a greater and more excellent Redemption proponed in this vmber, ceremony and shadow to them, to pause moste diligently and meditate upon.

The Apostle Paul therefore declareth our Sauioure Jesus Christ, to have been this pasouer this Pashe lamb. he then with his Disciples received this Sacrament, that wes appointed for the Fathers under the Law, and so being willing to abolish this sign, he instituteth the holy Supper, now it wes not lefull to eat the Pasouer, before the going down of the Son. This is the cause then, why our Sauioure did institute and practice this holy communion at that time, so that this is not to make a certain reule, or to give a certain instruction, so continually to do. Now then we have to aduert, and discerue diligently, and to follow this as an infallible reule, that in the actions of our Savior, we must luke, what it is that he willeth us to take and follow, as a certain and sure reule, to give, as it were, from hand to hand, but in other things that are not to be drawn exactly to imitation nor consequence, we have nothing there to move, as when our Savior saith, having received the bread, take ye, eat ye, this ought to be observed strictly. The cause is, for it wes not for a time that our Savior gave the bread, but he willeth that the bread, yea, even this day, and to the end of the world (the bread I say) should be distributed in his Name, and even as he were in the midst of us. And suchlyke of the Cup.

He willeth that we eat the bread, to be thereby admonished & instructed, that our nourishment is of his body, and when we shall drink the wyne, that we receive it as a figure, that his blood is our Spiritual drink, & it whereby our souls and consciences are refreshed, to that heavenly immortality, that is to be revealed upon the Sons of God. To determine thus exactly upon the time of the celebration of the Lord's Supper, that we shall insist with all rigor, having no necessity, as it were mere rashness, so we grant that the Church may appoint some other time, since there is no commandemnt thereof.

The cause why the communion is distrybuted in the morning, it is easy to be gathered of Cypriane. First that the morning is more commodius to the celebration of the holy assemblies. For we observe many things to fall in the rest of the day, whereby men are withdrowen from godly acts and interpryses.

Secondly, we are moste sober then, and have our minds moste able and ready to cōceaue heigh & weighty maters. He addeth thridly, that the morning time is a certain monument of the Resurrection of our Savior, which is not to be dispysed in this holy mystery. Trew it is, that the Ancients in the time of abstinence and fasting, because they tuke no meat before night, they defered the communion to that time, spending and bestowing the whole day in fasting, praying, preaching, Psalms singing, and other godly exercise. At night wes the celebration of the Supper, whē they offered them selves to the holy Table: syne passed home to the refection of their bodies. But this consuetude wes abbrogated by the sext council of Cōstantinopole holden in Trullum. The Decries we have in the Greik tongue, where plainly mention is made, that this consuetude wes observed in the Churches of Africa, yea, Augustine shaweth, that in his time in many places upon the Thurisday before the Pashe tide, after Supper, the Table wes proponed unto the faithful, that there might appear no defference from the action of our Savior. But in this we have not to be very cairfull, so we may have the Sacraments in their owen simplenes and integrity: Since of such circumstances, there is nothing commanded, and they touch not the substance of the mater. But in few words plainly to answer our captius Momus, in appoīting a several time, to the use of the Lord's Table, other then at after Supper, in so doing I say, we do rightly abiding in that liberty which our master and lawmaker hath granted unto us, In these words: do this as oft as ye do it in remembrance of me: in saying as oft, our master maketh all time free unto us.

Now where it is here objected, that Christ did communicate only to his tuelf Apostles, and that we receive all men and women indifferently. It is not clearly declared by the Evangelists, if there wes no mo then present with our Savior. It is moste probable that there wes mo, for it is not to be supposed, that the godly and religius ladies that continually did follow him, yea, and in the moste troublus and dangerus times did not leif him, that they were not present then, when he gave and left to his Church the moste quick and comfortable testimony of his conjunction with them. But all is a mater, for albeit that it were so, that the only tuelf were admitted to the Table, yet we know and reads a plain commandment given to them, so to do as he had done: that is to divide and distribute the bread. Attoure we be well instructed by the Spirit of God, speaking by Paul to the Corinthianes, that he received of the Lord that, which he gave unto them, he subiuneth that they should communicate, and without any defference, all to be admitted, one tarrying for another We have the practice of the Apostles, the suffrage of all antiquity, yea, and ye yourselves, how durst ye take upon you to give the Symbole of the Lord's body, if ye pretend no commandment nor example of the Lord. But this is the continual practice of Satan, to damn in all others, that which they do them selves. And in this that we urge thus earnestly the communion which cannot be without distribution, there is no such danger as thou pretendest, of subversion of our whole Faith and Religion. For we affirm plainly, that our Religion cannot stand, if we shall not bear that reverence unto the ordinances & constitutions of the same, that we decline not one jot from the reule that is laid before our eyes, by the Lord Jesus. And howsoever thou understandest this that thou subiunest, that if we shall do nothing but it that the Lord Jesus did, we shall incur the same danger of perverting of all. Whereby appearently thou will affirm in outward ••• nges and ceremonies, that the precepts be not so firm and established, but they may be innouated and changed, yea, even in this holy action.

To this answereth Cypriane, in his Epistle, Contra Aquarios. where he affirmeth the precepts of this Sa • arment to be of moste great weight: and Christ himself, doeth he not pronounce him to be the least (that is none) in the Kingdom of heaven, that shall dissolve or break the least one of his commandments? Read I pray thee, the 4 .and. 12. of Deuteronomion, and the. 15. of Nombers, where we be plainly teached, that he will not suffer one of his ceremonies to be changed. Yet we will grant that there is some defference in the precepts of God. For some we grant to be of that nature, that no ways we can be absolved from them, as all the precepts that commandeth and forbiddeth, of the which the whole Law and the Prophets dependeth, the sum whereof is, the love of God, and our nighbour. Others there be that we are not oblist to, but when the time, the place, and other commodities requireth and urgeth, as the Hebrews were not oblist to offer up Sacrifices in all places, nor yet at all times, but in the place chosen by God, and the time appointed by his wisdom. But in these, this is ever to be observed, that when the commandment is to be performed & executed, then we invert nor change nothing. We know how Nadab and Abiu were entreated, and Oza for his temerity and rashness, and also how Ozcas wes stricken with Leprosy and such others. Thus when thou practissest the commandments of the Lord, though • e the never to be drowen one jot from his constitution. Ye take good head that nothing shall be pretermitted or broken in your mass, of those things that ye call Cautele mess: the Pagaines in their Sacrifices, we read with what Religion & attendāce they preceaded, and this liberty shall be denied to us? Yea if we shall urge the observation of God's holy commandments, then is it objected, that, that cannot be done without the ruin of the whole, whereby we may easylie observe and espy, whatsoever they brag of any reverence to God, that there whole study is to dissolve and subvert all the whole.

Now cometh this glorious divine to affirm that we are not able to prove, that we have any commandment to Baptise one mā, which when he hath written, I fear that Thome Armor hath been a foot. Aristotle in the first boke of his Topikes, saith, that if any man should deny the Fire to be hot, or Snow white, that we ought to procead against such one, with no argument or reason, but rather by extremity and rigor of the whip, how then shall we entreat this our new Scripturare, that denied no les impudently nor ignorātly, that there is no precept of baptism of one mā, if he should have spokē of babes, we should have thoght he should have Sauored the Anabaptism.

But what shall we say here, it appeareth well that thou art given over of God, into a reprobate sense. But always that thou pas not away without an answer, doeth thou think that the Baptism of John wes of God, or of man, and in the wilderness that he did Baptise stones, or the wild Roes. The Evangelists testifieth that the men of war and others came to John and were instructed of him, of there deutie, and Baptized. Yea, and our Savior himself, belike there hath been none other Baptized with him: and Jesus Christ did he not Baptise, gave he not commandment to Baptise, wes not this practiced by the Apostles, and because thou speakest of one, what doeth thou think of the fact of Philippus, in Baptising the Ennuche of Candace, Queen of Athiopia.

But par • uenttur thou will make the objection, that there is no such commandment of a singular man, given in plain terms. I answer, do ye not think that he that commandeth all to be Baptized, that he debarreth none. I trust thou will go this far with me, but thou will insist, why shall it not be lefull in the Lord's Table, that, that is in Baptism allowed? one severally is received in Baptism, why shall it not be in the Lord's Supper, the same? I fear I seek further in thy writing nor thou meanest thyself.

To this I answer, that there is a great diversity betwix the one and the other, for the one is appointed for another cause, and directed to another bute nor the other. The one is to receive us, of nature being strangers, into the covenant, league, society and household of God: the other is to witness and testify, that all those that be thus entered in the league, to them all is common, they are all members of one body, they have all one faith, one Baptism, one Lord, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, upon the body and blood of the which Jesus, they do all fead, so that now herein is signified the great and heigh mystery of our communication together, that they are all one body as the Apostle doeth plainly testify: and these two Sacraments lacketh not their figures in the old Testament, we know Baptism to have succeeded in the place of circumcisiō, and the Lord's Supper in the room of the Pasouer. The eight day precisely wes appointed for ministration of the Sacrament of circumcision, so that now supputation to be made from the day of the Natiuitie of the Child; ether thou moste say that God provided them all to be borne in one day, or else they were received according to the order of the Law, everyone conform to the calculation from his Natiuitie, so that now, one wes received severally, or else God provided mo. This cannot be denied to us, but in the Pasouer thou will not find that one did sit down alone & eat it, but that rather then any should lack of the number, they should call upon their nighboures, and so go to that mystery.

Now consider with thyself, first in the figures of the one & the other. Secondly, in the effects, the defference betwix the one and the other, that thy arguments can no ways procead nor have any place.

The sum of our whole disputation is to attend and discern diligently, betwix the commanded ceremonies of our God having & including certain mysteries which cannot be pretermitted without a certain sacrilege, yea, the perverting of the hoill action & institution, as we be plainly teached, by Paul 1. Cor. 11. & such other cercumstances as time place and such others which in deed may be altered and changed, at the determination of the church.

Hitherto I have sustained the parte of James, but heir he foolishly tholeth himself to be carried away, & thus saith

I thoght ye should have said in this manner, I perceive there be many ceremonies, customs, bowinges, murgeons, and such others tryfles, not unlike to a farce or an Aippes play used in your mass, which our Sauioure did not cōmad, nor the Apostles practice, nether yet is allowed of any antiquity, that it hath no similytude nor affinity with the Lord's Table, but rather utterly repugnnig and contrarius unto it: yea, and in it ye blasphemussy call the Sacrament of the Lord's body and blood, ye have fraudfully spoiled the people of God, of the one parte thereof, and so not only impiusly hath perverted the substance of it, but in the action itself hath proceedeth with the same remeritie, rashenes, and Sacrilege, to the contempt of God, and the bitter and grievous sobbinges of all godly, seeing the people of God thus miserably deceived by you, and in the place of the wholesome and comfortable Cup of medicine, the bitter and horrible Goblet of vennome, Gal & damnation, tyranoussy and vnmercifullie propyned. But this Soul hunter introduceth James seruīg to his turn, & speaking at his appetite, I dout not, against the mind of the gentilman, whom I take to be godly, and nothing content of his parte, in this farce. To this is answered freely of the parce of the Abbote, in this manner.

Wold to God ye vnderstude, what ye have here said, in the former parte of your answer, but I fear ye play here the parte of Caiaphas, whē he prophesied that it wes meit and necessary that one should die for the people, not knowing what he had said.

This, godly Reader, hath been continually, and is the whole travel and study of the godly preachers, to assure us of the infinite and perfect wisdom of our God, vtterred in his Scriptures of the sufficiency of his word, which this five or six hundredth years, hath been kept in a most horrible bondage, by the tyranny of them that vanted themselves, be the titles of Pastors, to the soire complaint of the godly in all aiges, and the haynus & horrible entreating of the poor flok, redeamed with the precius blood of Ies{us} Christ. This good word (that it may well and evidently appear that thou ever reteanest thy owen nature) as it is fallen forth of a certain euenture, so it is wrapped & suedled up with the vennemous dregge of Papistry, and the fond imaginatiō of thy owen heart so, that scaerflie can it appear: for thou adiunest, I cannot tell what distinguo, toward the substance, sayest thou, all is contained in scriptures necessary for our Salvation, and not toward the ceremonies. What if I should say to thee, pas thy way with thy ceremonies that thou callest, and I will content me with the mater and substance, what could thou object? Thou speakest all Magistraliter & Sorbonice assuming all that thou sayest, without any probation. What callest thou ceremonies that thou vrgest here to be so necessary, The example adduced by you will declaire? and I trust we shall aggre, as by example.

Here ye may observe, that this Author called the time and place, ceremonies, which are not ceremonies, but as I have termed them heretofore circumstances: the determination and appointing whereof, I moste willingly submit unto the wisdom and discretion of the congregation of the faithful and godly, not to the wicked and pernicius, but to the true teachers, and not to the Reuenus Volfes, to the humble and lowly, and not to the horned Bishops, bloody Cardinals, and the head and chief of that whole rabble the Antichrist of Rome, who hath so hemd in, and obscured the holy ordinances of God, with their beggarly traditions, fond and blasphemus ceremonies, that they were altogether hid and wrapped up. As Baptism, we know that our Savior ordained it most simply in the word, and in the watter, preach, saith he, and baptize, let the word, saith Augustine, come to the Element, & then shall we have a Sacrament.

Thus we see what Christ ordained, we see what this godly Father Augustine approved, and what wes in the Church retained: The word wes preached, and the Sacrament in watter used, but what hath our men done▪ They have added oil, they have added spattell, and a thousand other fattras and beggarly things that they call ceremonies: All wes done by a shaueling, who knew no more the dignity nor the nature of that Sacrament he ministered, nor doeth thy gray hors, Abbot, and all wes mūbled in a strange langage Credis? credo quod he. Vis Baptizari • Volo quod he. Quid petis? Baptismum quod he. that nether • e, nether yet any of the assistance did understand nether yet what he required that wes Minister, nor yet what wes promest on the other part. But otherwise out Savior did ordain, and otherwise speaketh Augustine • o • est verbum fidei quod predicamus This is the word of Faith that we preach.

In the holy institutions of our Savior, we shall ever observe not only the substance that thou tallest, set forth by himself, but also the ceremonies, that be very ceremonies, which we ought not to preterm it, being so joined with the substance of the Sacrament, that if any alteration shall be admitted, the Sacraments are no more Sacraments. For this cause plainly pronounceth Paul that the Corinthians did not eat the Lord's supper, the cause is exponed in the Text, and clearly declared by the Ancients, because they patched in somewhat of their owen, and so perverted the purity of the Sacrament: what if Paul should now revive and see how miserably and traterouslie ye have abused and deceived the world: I think he should lay it sorer to your charge, nor he doeth to the Corinthians. I regard not what intention soever they procead of, these your ceremonies: for I am sure ye have no such cloik nor couerture, as had the Corinthians, to wit, the relief and support of the poor: So that not only their blessed communication in Jesus Christ wes preached unto them, but lively practiced, the poor and riche, all conuening together, eating at one table, and the poor supported by the riche, without any contempt or disdain. Of the time and place, and such others circumstances, that thou callest ceremonies, I have already protested, that I moste willingly subscriue with you: but I deny that the same proceedeth of the multitude for I affirm that to be a substantial ceremony commanded and appointed by our Savior, whose institution, the heaven and the eareth may not, nor ought, alterre.

In the institution of his holy Supper, he tuke bread, brake it, gave thanks, and distributed it, so that no persō, how well disposed soever he shall appear, may take upon him to change this: that is to say, to offer him to this action alone, no more then one severally might have eaten the Pashe Lamb, seeing it is the ordinance of our Savior, and the mystery of our conjunction, consociation and unity with him, moste lively set forth in it: no more nor the bread is made of a grain of wheit, can there be a communion without distribution: and in this no man can cōpleane that he is frustrate, injured, or evil entreatted, but rather may have just occasion of complaint, where as the institutions of God haynuslie contemned, he might be brought in a falls, erronius, and wicked opinion. So these private masses, and quiet Tables, that be appointed for one, are altogether against the institution of this Sacrament, and the nature of it, and cannot be without an horrible Sacrilege, injury, and s • lander. Where thou concludest the Priest to be ready to distrybute to all others, being disposed, that is moste untruly pretended of you. For we have seen, and may see in your Synagoges, great bars and chanceler walls made express to this end, that the people mitght be debarred: so that their whole fruct is to gaise upon your Sacrificers swellowing up a piece of bread, & moste unseemly licking a Challice.

Besydes this, if ye had any reverence of God in youre breasts, or respect to his holy ordinances, what is the cause that thretry or forty of you, being at your masses together, he in this corner, and here another Sire John i • another, why do ye not join yourselves altogether, and set you down at a Table, and there celebrate the Lord's Table, according to his commandment. Now shift thyself as thou can, thou shall not escape. For as the chief and principal confort, we have of the Lord's Table is, to assure us, that we fead upon the body and blood of Jesus Christ, and that we are joined and made all one in him: So no dout, they excommunicate them selves, and cutteth them of, as it were, from Christ's body, that severally craveth it, and of a wicked zeal, offereth them to it, since their deutie is rather never to o • fer them hitherto, then to discern and divide that which our Savior hath joined. For we are to be assuredly persuaded, and think well that the grace of God is not so fixed to his Sacraments, but the faithful mind may, and shall obteane it by Faith, without the Sacrament: if there be no contempt, sleuth, or negligence.

James here desireth to be more fully instructed,

To discuse and declaire this question asked by James, this glorious Gospeller s • tteth us forth a rude example of a potent prince, directing forth his Ambassadoures, giving them a commission, containing certain heads and articles, bearing the substance and effect of the whole: which he commonly termed instructions. Yet saith our Doctor. there is nothing prescribed to them, of their garments in the day of their presence, nether yet any kind of ceremonies necessary and expedient, appointed. Albeit this similytude be not everywhere true, yet will I grant it partly to be very proper, we know Jesus Christ to be this potēt & mighty prince: his ministers are teached by S. Paul, to be the Ambassadoures of our reconciliation, the instructions of this ministry to be contained in the Scriptures sufficiently, fully, and perfectly, so that there is not passed by a ceremony, substantial I mean.

To other things called ceremonies by thee, as the setting of the cheare, the table, the foormmes & benkes, to the East or the west, the place, the time, our owen garments, or such others of that Kynde, Even as the Spirit o • God hath pretermitted and passed by these circumstances with silence, so we may luke herein to the commodity of the Congregation, providing always that we decline not from the reule of Paul.

all be done saith the Apostle, semely and in order. But that thou hereupon interrest generally.

Because hereby thou will establish all these unseemly beggarly and wicked customs, that be used in the Papistry, to the great contempt of God, and profanation of his mysteries, I answer thee, that nether can thou prove, so long antiquity and succession of time, as thou pretendest, nether yet, albeit so were, would I spaire to {pro}pnounce Anathema an accurse upon them, yea, and upon the inuēters and manteaners of them likewise. For our God delyteth not in such vanity Pomp, and ostentation. Our God reioceth not in beggarly ceremonies, vain app • tree • and luxurius ryotnes: but in simplicity, lawlines, and humiliation of our hearts, without hypocrisy.

He hath appointed Baptism to be ministered in watter, his merciful promise, and see Adoption being before preached: his Supper he hath appointed in breaking of bread, thanks giving, and distrybution: the same he hath commanded of the Cup. This he hath commanded, the cause the effect, and fine of it being first uttered and declared: these things he hath appointed to be practiced in all sobernes and simplicity.

Bragge thou what thou list of antiquity, yea, I say, if S. Paul himself, should introduce or obstruse any other ceremonies, such as you have in the pestilent Papistry, which is nothing else, but a very mass of all heresy and error: As the adoration of that bread, the bearing about and closing up of it, as it were in a prison, and then to conuoye it to the feildes, to take the air. Ether yet this Table, that is commanded to be A common Table, to make it to be a several, erecting here an Alter and there an otherr: Then may I in deed, moste justly pronounce the words of S. Paul: if any man be contentius, we have no such custom, nether yet the Church of God For no dout, all such conuentions are to the worse, and not to the better, to remove that which God hath established, to set up the inventions of men, in the place of God's holy ordinances, and so to bring into the Church of God, contention, schism, division, debate, yea, and heresy, as the Apostle moste plainly teacheth: the very mind of the Apostle being thus oppened up in the words adduced by thee, Now will I travel to show how impertinently they are alleged by thee.

The argument of that Chap. is to show the vices of the Corinthians. First in their owen persons, when as they conuened: Secondly, how horrible they had profaned the Lord's Table, & haynusly declined from the institutiō thereof. First he willeth thē to follow him as he did Christ, as he should say, I propone nothing to you, but that which I have received of the Lord Jesus, yea, in the least one jot that shall be commanded by me, ye are ass • red, I have the warrand of his Spirit, I command you nothing but by his mouth, no not of the covering of your women's heads, nor yet the uncovering of your owen heads, that be the men, in your prayers and other godly exercises. Thus he having prouen this by the very plain Text of Scripture, by the very ditement of nature, here he concludeth, saying, if any of you will be contentius, seaking further satisfaction, and so cannot content you with the reasons adduced by me, we have no such custom, nor yet the Church of God, as he should say, we are not appointed to satisfy and make answer to all cauillatiōs that I know captius ingynes can diuise and invent, but to pacify and quiet the troubled consciences of the humble and lawlie, in mansuetude, sweitnes, and sobriety. And this conueneth moste properly to be laid against you, seeing your whole study is to pull back the simple ones, to deface the Evangel of Jesus Christ, an to pervert his holy ordinances. Whither then ought ye or we to be exploded? Ye that troubleth all, be the manteaning of superstition and Idolatry, with impius King Ahab? Or we that are followers of Christ an urgeth not, but the purity of the Religion with Elias? ye that obtruseth to the people fond and wicked constitutions, traditions, imaginations, and consuetudes? or we that seaketh God to reign by his word, and ministration of his Sacraments in that perfection and simplicity that he ordained and left them to his Church? Yea, ye that braggeth of nothing, but of a certain pretended antiquity (but how justly shall be after declared in the convenient place) or we that cleaveth to the true & infallible reule of all true Religion, the reviled will of God, in his moste holy word?

I trust that ye, by the judgments of all, will be exploded, and exterminated, as God he praised, the experience teacheth us, how potently God hath foghten in the defense of his owen cause, to the extermination and roting out of the bastard Religion, not only here in this cuntrie, but in the moste parte of all Christendom. And I dout not, but he that hath begun the work potently, will continue and conduct it with an out streitched arm, to a prosperus Issue and an blessed end.

Here James beginneth to grant himself vainquest in a manner. As it is very easy to overthrow the man who maketh no defense.

To this dout of James, moste justly conceived and moved, our dimne replieth and willes him to have recourse,

James in his answer to this, acknowledgeth with all godly, that our Savior did institute in the Supper the communion, and understandeth no such Sacrifice there to be ordained and appointed.

Very well spoken, and we glaidly go with you, all Sacrifices and preisthead, to have been utterly abrogated and taken away by the Sacrifice of the croice: ye add.

As this latter part is wicked and falls, so our Author purposlie pretermitteth the preisthead, making no mentiō of it, but of the abrogation of the Sacrifices only, and institution of another in their place, according to the order of Melchizedek.

But here may be demanded of you, if he institute a Sacrifice according to the order of Melchizedek, why did he not appoint Sacrificers? For there can be no Sacrifice, without a Sacrificer, nor oblation, without a priest, as we speak now. If thou will say that your shauelinges be Sacrificers, then will I demand of you, their vocation, I am assured by the Author to the Hebrews, that the dignity of preisthead apperteaneth to the Son of God, as also witnesseth David in the. 110. Psal. which he never did communicate to any other, it being of such a nature, that it could not be transferred.

If I should descend and shaw the manner of the creation and making of your priests, it might moste justly appear that ye have brought again the very preisthead of Aaron abrogated (as ye have confessed) by our Savior: so that in the word ye grant it to be taken away, which by the fact itself, ye establish. Thus then ye pas by the preisthead of set purpose, in the latter parte of your answer▪ Because ye perceived that it should subvert your whole foundation. James urgeth and thinketh him not as yet satisfied, and so driveth this new Ingynour (that cōpasseth maters so craftily, that he can make of one, two) to bring again and repeat the words of the institution, do this in remembrance of me. By the which words he • ayeth, our Savior gave not only commandment to eat his body, and drink his blood, but als to make an oblation.

James yet as before, granteth the commandment of eating and drinking, given, but believeth that he will not prove properly by the words of the latter Supper, that our Savior commanded to make any oblation of the body and blood. This new divine according to his nature and use, taketh the mater upon hand and promiseth to prove it properly.

It appeareth that there lacketh some word here: as to me, I give yow your owen words, as they be in the Text, which came to my hands.

Here James shrinketh with the mater, and is introduced, improving the allegatiō of the words that our divine may seme, and appear able to expone, and interpret the Greik Text, and the propriety of the word, time and other accidents falling to the word, but how he is besene in the tongue, we shall after here.

Upon the mergine it is noted, that James speaketh of the authority of Paul. 1. Cor. 11. who useth the word _____ which ver • e signifieth, not given, but broken. I grant that they are to be taken in a signification here, but by this it is easy to espy, how thou art vearsed in the Greik tongue: as may likewise appear, by it that followeth, when thou alledgest Erasmus. To James he answereth on this wife.

Ye shall be assured in deed of the whole, howsoever some doeth judge of the Evangel of S. Matthew, who no dout, hath written in the Greik, as may evidently appear in the places recited out of the old Testament by him, in the which he followeth the Greik translation of the 70. interpretors, and not the very Text of the Hebrew, yea, and whatsoever is judged by some in lykemaner of the Epistle to the Hebrews, but in this, we have not to insist.

Trew it is, that these words. _____ are red in the present time, and yet they are to be understand, as spoken in the future, as the vulgare Text beareth, and as Castalio, & some others doeth plainly translate them, and the sense requireth the same. Well let us procead, I will say with James

I dare not take upon me judgment, nor learning, least I shall seme to arrogate somewhat to me impudently, but the existimation, I will with all sobriety refer unto the Reader: always I will travel to shaw, that there is a great difference betwix, given, and offered: and that not only in the signification of the words, but also in the persons that be the givers, and the offerers. I trust thou will not confound these two terms in Scriptures, for many things we dare affirm to be given, that be not offered: oblation and Sacrifice, be one, and yet we dare not affirm every gift to be an oblation and Sacrifice.

We be teached plainly, that the Eternal God gave his Son unto us: yet we will not say that he offered him up and Sacrificed him to us, for this only conueneth to the Son himself, to make oblation of his body and blood, being appointed by God to this office. Besydes this, if oblation and gift should be thus confounded, as thou would persuade, then should it follow, that as thou goest about to prove, that there be two oblations of our Savior, so shall I add the thride, that whē he wes given to the world that then wes he offered. I am not ignorant that the whole course of his peregrination here, may apperteane and be referred to his offering. But we do cal that properly and specially his oblation, when he entereth in the Battle, and conflict with the adversary powers, the torments, and panes of death, and the anguish and thrist of man's Salvation, even till his departing.

I will not deny, but the godly interpretors may in this place, take these two manner of speakinges to an effect, referring them both to the Sacrifice of the croice, as they ought to be, but seeing thou doest it to abuse the Text, and wreist the sense of it, to confirm thy wicked opinion: It is neidfull to shaw thee, the absurdity that shall ensew. Doutles if thou should understand the words, & refer them to that oblation that wes a little after made upon the croice, then should I grant thy sayings, and go with thee moste willingly, being assured of the approbation of the whole Church, and consent of the Godly Fathers. But thou, that thou may seme to have invented somewhat of thy owen head, confoundest these words, to the ignominy of the Eternal Son of God, spoiling him of his preisthead, and intrusinge in his room a pestilent harlote, a shaueling after the order of Epicurus & Sardanapalus. This in deed cannot be suffered, for being demanded of James, what thou will infer of this, thou answerest & braggest, that thou hast gotten thine intent, which is.

The horrible blasphemies that be here contained in these few words, nether can mind think, nor tongue sufficiently express. For by these words, not only shall we find that he spoileth the Son of God, the Eternal and only priest, of his honor, trodding him underfoot: and als that he moste craftily and inuiusly taketh from us, that great & infinite treasure of the latter Supper of the Lord Jesus, which we are commanded to practice, til his returning: and in the which he hath so mercifully, and abundantly disployed his benefits, gifts & mercies towards man. This I say, this Author taketh from man, for if, given to you, includeth the communion (as this Author saith) and our Savior hath pronounced no such thing, but given for you, it followeth well that here there is no such institutiō as the holy communion, for by this Author given for you, is offered for you. Christ then offered himself there: we be commanded to do the same: then followeth that we are commanded to offer him, and so to make Sacrifice of him, where is there any place to the communion then? which is no Sacrifice: or else of necessity thou shall grant that the communion and the Sacrifice, are both one, which repugneth manifestly to thy doctrine, but aggreeth in deed with the Ancientes.

For some of them we observe, to have given this Name of Sacrifice to the Lord's Table, but that improperlie: because it is instituted and practiced, in memory of that Sacrifice, which only is worthy of that name, consider how thou art trapt in the same Snaire, that thou prepared for others, and how craftily to establish thy impius Sacrifice of the mass, thou fraudest the whole Congregation of that great and inestimable confort of the Lord's Table.

This belike thou would mean, howsoever thou sayest, that in these words (given for you) is included not only the communion, but als the Sacrifice of the mass, for with what Brow can thou deny, but I may collect of this thy doctrine, that there is no communion at all, for as thou sayest, given to you, includeth the communion, so say I, that given for you, includeth only the mass: It followeth well: for given for you, is as much, as offered for you, and so importeth a Sacrifice, then it followeth well, that we have no communion, but a Sacrifice only, for thou will not grant the communion and the Sacrifice to be one, dividing and separating the one, from the other, and collecting two diverse institutions in the latter Supper. And so always it is falls that thou assumest to prove that our Savior institute two things here, the holy Table, and the Sacrifice of the mass. And likewise it followeth evidently, that ether we shall lack the communion, or else the mass. This followeth moste necessarily of thy interpretation: if thou will say, that the communion is contained in the former parte of the Table, he tuke bread, brake it, gave thanks, and gave it to his Disciples: and in the latter part (for so ye of your factiō distinguisheth the words) this is my body, which is given for you, here he instituteth the Sacrifice: the commandment apperteaneth equalie to both, then must it follow that there be two several actions, the former having, as it were, nothing to do with the latter, the communion, to wit, and the mass.

Secondly hereby we shall collect, that there shall be a Sacrament without a promise, every man I trust will grant the Lord's Table to be a Sacrament, which cannot subsist without the promise. For if (given for you) apperteaneth to the words preceading, this is my body, and shall altogether be referred to thy mass, and now shall have nothing to do with the former action of distribution of the bread, this Sacrament shall lack the promise: and so consequently shall be no Sacrament: how vain and fond this is, let every man judge. For I dare affirm, that there is no man of judgment, that will divide and disseuet this action, being all one: and what Sacrilege doest thou think it to dissociat, distract, and put a shunder, that which is joined by God? And to answer you, sire, in your owen manner, what wes the cause, if the mind of our Savior wes to institute here a Sacrifice, and that such a Sacrifice as your mass, that he doeth not take a piece or portion of bread, a certain quantity of wyne, erect up an Altare, or at the least, withdraw himself some space from the company, use the ceremonies that ye do use, and so to make and offer up the Sacrifice?

We know that the wisdom of our God, hath forget nothing vncommanded, touching the offering up of Sacrifices in the Law, the garments and apperrell of the Priest, the erecting of the Alter, the beast that wes to be slain, and likewise of the rest of the circumstances & ceremonies, then to be used, when as the priest approached to the practice of the oblation.

Should this have been pretermitted in this Sacrifice, where the Son of God is offered up, the verity and truth of all Sacrifices preceading? We observe with what solicitude, study, and cairfulnes, the Spirit of God painteth forth the celebration of the Pasouer, and with what diligence our Savior and master Christ Jesus celebrated it, according to the precept of the Law, not passing by a ceremony. And requireth he not the same of us in observation of his ordinances? Will ye affirm that there is any oblivion, forgetfulness, sleuth, or negligence in our God? Why doeth he not then say to his company, in this manner? now have I celebrated the Pasouer, appointed by my heavenly Father to be practiced, in memory & remembrance of your potent & mighty deliverance out of Egypt, where your fathers wes holden in servitude & bondage: this ceremony is now to be taken away, in place of the which, shall ye have another sacrifice: wherein ye shall offer up my body, yea, my very real and natural body & blood, under the forms of bread and wyne, ye shall erect an Alter, the Preistes shall be chosen with such qualities, anointed, shaven, they shall have such apperrell. And in this manner shall they celebrate this Sacrifice.

It were werisome here to rehears all your murgeons, which ye think and judge so necessary, that they cannot be pretermitted, without an horrible Sacrilege. Thus, we find in the figure all things prescribed by the mouth of God, in the Sacrifices of the Law, and nothing passed by. But here, never a word of any such thing, a simple action recyted, the commandment given to practice the same, and the promise made, out of the which, this Scripturare will fine out a Sacrifice, which he after travaileth to prove by the example of the Pasouer, which albeit it wes a Sacrament, yet saith he, it wes offered up: to this I will not answer presently, but will differ the full answer to the proper room. Yet will I say, that if they should pretend the similytude of the Pasouer, they should not thole them selves to be so driven and carried away, from the institutiō of the Supper. For in the practice of the Pasouer, howsoever they were commanded to celebrate it, they pretermitted not one jot of the ceremonies appointed, they invented nor added none of their owen brain, nether yet pared anything: but being conuened together with staves in their hands, their Loynes gyrded, they did eat it, with the rest of the ceremonies. The same should have been done of you, that it might appear, that ye bear some reverence to the ordinances of God.

If ye should set you at a Table, and there reverently, take bread, give thanks, break it, and so make distribution, according to the example lest to you by Jesus Christ: albeit ye should brag somewhat of a Sacrifice, some cullour might ye have, and it were somewhat tolerable. But where this is wholly, not only inverted, but perverted, so that your devilish {pro}ceadinges, are als cōtrarius to the action of our Savior, as the night and the day: and yet will ye pretend a commandment so to do, and brag of a Sacrifice, invented by yourselves, utterly distroying the Lord's action, as we have already prouen, and shall yet travel to make more clear and sensible: what resteth to us, to say or do, but to declyne and eschew your companies, and pronounce you possessed. For I am assured, the Devil himself, never invented things more contrarius to God, more repugnant to his glory, nor ye have done, and practisest daily (Helas) under the cloik of Religiō. Now since I have sensibly, in my judgment, oppened up the absurdities & inconuenients, that doeth ensew of your interpretation, I will travel to declaire the very Germane sense of the words of the action, and that with all simplicity and moderation.

First I trust no man will deny, but here our Savior doeth institute a Sacrament, and Sacraments we know to be outward and external signs, having the promises of God adjoined, in the which our God offereth & giveth unto us his gifts, and not we give or offer anything to God: as hath been heretofore shortly spoken and declared, by the example of Baptism, and will now in this action, in the which our Savior, with the bread & wyne, giveth us his body, and his blood, adding and adjoining the promise, whereby also he offereth and giveth unto us, his gifts and benefits, and not we to him.

These benefits he communicateth unto us, to this end that they shall remane to our use, profit, and commodity, and not we (say I) to offer them unto God, but only offer to him the Sacrifice of thanks giving, praising and extolling him for his great and infinite goodness towards us. In which consideration, this Sacrament is called of the Grecians 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 because it is a thankes giving for a benefit received, now to give thanks, is to wins that we have received some benefit, and not to present or 〈◊〉 out.

Now that the goodness of my God, shall be so great to • ardes me, that even this small oblation of thanks, • e •• eth accept, as a very Sacrifice. This is nothing to me to brag, that I de • erue or merit anything thereby, ether to me, or to any others, but rather to be moved to preach & annunce the glory of our God, who disdaneth not to receive Vitulos Labiorum Nostrorum as the Prophet speaketh that, is our prayer and thankfulness, yea, even in the place of a Sacrifice, and this is the cause that moved some of the Ancients, to call this Sacrament 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is improperly a Sacrifice, for this deffierence is betwix the natures of the Sacrament, and of the Sacrifice, that in this we offer to God, in the other we receive from God.

This I am assured, the words of the action itself will testify, he tuke bread, and having given thanks, brake & gave it unto his Disciples, saying, take ye, eat ye, this is my body, and sofurth. And likewise of the cup, the promise is added, this is my body, and this is the New Testament in my blood, which promise, if any man shall go about to di •• ever from the action preceading, or refer it to any other thing, then, is there expressed: we plainly perceive, that first he distroyeth this holy Sacrament, and • econdly, he diffeuereth those things that be joined by God, which is altogether intolerable, according to that, that is written, let no man put a shonder, that, that is joined by God.

Now the sense of the words is plain, that our Savior offereth and giveth to the faithful and worthy receauers, his body to feed upon, and his blood to be refreshed thereby, unto everlasting life. And to assure them hereof, he subiuneth, yea, even this same body, that is given for you, that is, which shall be given immediately after this, vpō the croice. For no dout, the present time, is taken for the future, as it is familiare to the Spirit of God, to put one time for another, for the assurance and certitude of the mater, so that this (given) is altogether to be referred to the oblation wes made vpō the croice, as all the Ancients do commonly understand it, and can no other ways 〈◊〉 . Now least any man should think that here in the Supper we receive the verrie body natural and substāciall, and that body that wes borne of the Virgin, but only Sacramentaly, in this as the Ancientes do altogether acknowledge a figure, that we call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is when the name of the thing signified, is given to the sign itself: so S. Paul doeth expone this, given for you, to be as much, as, broken for you. No man will, or dare say, that the natural body of our Savior wes broken, for it wes writ̄ ye shall not break one bone of him. Herein there is an undoubted allusion, to the fraction of the bread, appointed and used in the communion, and likewise a plain declaration, how the words of the promise ought to be taken Sacramentally, and figuratively. This shortly for the declaration of the words.

Now followeth the latter words of the institution: do this in remembrance of me, which nowayes can be understand of any Sacrifice, as ye do expone falsely, but of the receiving, and of the whole action recited before. For these words our Savior doeth refer to the actiō preceading, take ye, eat ye, this is my body, drink of this ye all: and thus eating and drinking, celebrate the remembrence of me, to wit, that I have given and offerred up my body for you, & that I have shed my blood for you, to the remission of your sins, for if these words (given for you) and (shed for you to remission of sins) should not wholly be referred and appertane to the Sacrifice of the croce, then should it follow that the Sacrifice of the croce, wes not necessary, seeing by your interpretation, we have remissiō of sins by the virtew of this action, & so shall the virtew of the Sacrifice of the croce euanesh. Paul exponeth these words (as I have) not of a Sacrifice, but of the receiving, do this so oft as ye shall drink (saith he) in commemoratiō of me, for as often as ye shall eat of this bread, & drink of this cup, ye shall forth show the Lord's death, till he come: whereby we observe, that he conioyneth the commemoration with the receiving, which ye that affirmeth the mass, separateth and divideth. For it is plain and manifest by Paul, that in this public action, in the which, he commandeth one to tarie upon another, and in the which, the body of our Savior is eaten, and his precius blood, drunkt: That he willeth, that we conjoin the celebration of the benefits procured unto us, by his death with the action itself. And that we give thanks, for these gifts, and so in nowise willeth he us to offer his body & blood, but that we eat and drink them, and so to celebrate and annunce his death: that is, the great and inestimable deliverance, purchased by his death.

If any please to speak as the Ancients do, and call it a Sacrifice, I repugn not: so he understand not, that Christ is here to be offered for the offenses of the people, for the sins of the leuing, and the dead, for Salvation, and sofurth. For he hath by this one oblation, ones made, consūmat and perfected his faithful and Elect forever.

For it is a haynus blasphemy, to think that any man may offer up the Son of God unto the Father, as we have already heretofore declared, he being himself 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, the offerer, and the oblation itself, as I am able to prove by the Greik Cannon, and the Ancients all in one voice. Now we offer not his body and his blood, the which we be commanded only to receive, and were offerred of Christ himself, the virtew of the which oblation, yet remaneth, and shall perpetually, yea, and here they be offerred, and given unto us: but we again offer up prayers, laude, praise and action of thanks: which we are commanded to join with this action, In these words, do this in remembrance of me, which words are exponed by Paul, as we have declared.

Now this to be the very Germane sense of the words of this action, I dout not: yea, and all godly consciences will affirm and subscriue, that if an Angel of heavē should setfurthe anything against this it is one accurse: wherein I have not traveled to satisfy the contentius, and obstinate persons, but because the words of the text were wrei • ted, by this wrouglare of Scriptures, I wes driven to bring forth the godly meaning of the same words, with all sobriety, to the relief of the simple, that by all apperēce might else have been troubled thereby.

Now let us return to our Author, who as he hath begun blasphemusly, so he contineueth impudently, and as I have already forewarned you, so now shall ye find his principal study direct to this, that the whole communion may be subverted and distroyed, and his deuillishe mass erected. For here he plainly protesteth, that this his Sacrifice of the mass.

In deed master Abbote, I would glaidly ye should leave your magistrall and Sorbonik manner of speaking, and prove your sayīgs, but God be praised, it appeareth that ye be rather a Scoller of Pythagoras, yea, Pythagoras himself, nor a Scoller of Christ Jesus. We know that in Pythagoras Scoole, there wes no more, but his authority, whereof proceaded this saying 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he said it, this authority ye take upon you, in preferring your pestilent Sacrifice, to the holy institution of our Law maker Jesus Christ, yea, and doeth, that is in you, to euert the holy communion, the which I have shown heretofore to be called a Sacrifice of commemoration, in consideration that we, there give thanks to our God, of that blessed League and covenant, that it hath pleased his majesty to receive us in, and that in the blood of Jesus Christ, although improperly in deed, yet in that sense, not altogether intolerable, yea, and I will say further, that never ye shall find your mass so called (being vnknowē in those days) as shall be after discussed, when we shall atteane to the examination of the authorities of the Fathers.

Strange it is, to see a man so carried away with his owen fantasy, so given over in the hands of Satan, that he shall repyne against God, that he shall renunce and refuse the manifest verity of God, confessed in all aiges, to establish his owen imagination.

We know the communion, to be the ordinance of Jesus Christ, practiced in all aiges, and as I have prouen by S. Paul, the moste lively commemoration of Christ's death, and yet will ye set before it, your stinkinge whore the mass, which never had place, till these our latter days, and that never without controversy (to the great and grievous grudge of all godly) and now finally fealeth the just pleague of God, being trodden underfoot in the dust.

In your conclusion, howsoever ye will appear to give the communion some place, yet seeing ye so earnestly establish and decked up the mass, it is evē as much as ye should take the communion utterly away, being of that nature, that it cannot stand the mass standing, nether yet the mass, so long as it standeth. So if ye would prosper, or think to have victory in this cause, ye must sharp your pen plainly against it, as it appeareth well your mind is. These things in deed, for conclusion, since ye adduce nothing to prove them, they are als easylie rejected of us, as ye obtruse them.

Here our new Sorbonist, being required by James, formeth his argument & that Syllogistice, in what figure or mude, I trust he learned not so far, for he is but one of our Mule masters, howsoever he boldly taketh to him this style.

Now moste reverend Doctor, for the parte of James, I answer, the Lord gave commandment in his latter Supper, to do as he did. Trew it is: The Lord made oblation of his body and blood, in his latter Supper, that I deny, and will affirm further, that it is falls, blasphemus, intolerable, wicked, impius, and deuillishe, and a thing that thou, yea, and all the papists in the earth joined with thee, are not able to prove. For besides the absurdities, already alleged it should follow, seeing thou cleauest extremely to the words and the time, which is the present, that the blood of Jesus Christ wes shed in the Supper, for the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the present, so that the whole glory, strenth, and virtew of the croice, should be quenshed, buried up, and utterly defaced, if these thy dreams might have place.

To the minor I have already answered at lenth, so now thy assumption being denied, and moste properly refelled, Inferre what thou list, thou shall conclude nothing but mere vanity, falshead and blasphemy. But now Doctor, will I make to you a Syllogism, ye know it is a received maxim amongst them of your faction: all the actions of Christ are our instruction, Christ offerred himself up upon the croice, ergo, the Pope should do the same. The major is clear of Gregorius your master, the minor I trust, needeth no probation, the conclusion must then follow, that the first news we shall here, shall be that the Pope your master and capitane, hath hengd himself. But according to the mater, now will I reason with you thus, as the action of the Supper will bear. Jesus Christ commanded his Disciples to do that he had done, Christ tuke bread, gave thanks, brake and distributed it, saying: this is my body, which is given for you: ergo, we should do the same, that is to say, take bread, break bread, give thanks and communicate. &c. Which is not done in your mass, ergo, she hath nothing to do with the institution of the Lord Jesus. For thou art not able, no not the very ports of Hell joined with thee, to prove an new and several institution, included and contained in any one word of the promise, it being but a parte of the institutiō. In the mass We know those words, out of the which, ye draw this your Sacrifice, yea, in the consecration itself (For so ye term it) these words, given for you, or broken for you, be not recyted, and I trust every man of any judgment, will think that if there had been anything making for them, that wer diuisers of the mass in these words, they should not have been omitted, yea, that the quin •• verbians ascribeth the whole strenth and force of consecration, to the five words that be rounded by the shaueling, to the dūme and insensible Elementes (for this is my body) Hoc est euim corpus meum. Where I pas by, that ye add ( enim ) of your owen. Always there is no mention of these words, given for you, or broken for you. Cast over your mass 〈◊〉 , and read als diligently as ye can: ye shall not find these words, I am assured. Whereby it may well appear in the very murgeon and farce of the mass, that the words that be recyted, convicteth you of moste manifest and haynus Idolatry. For since of your owen doctrine we know, and it is evident, that all virtew is attributed to the words pronounced, and in the words of execration, there is no oblation: for these words (given for you) are not pronounced (upon the which words ye ground your oblatiō) it followeth then, that your mass (make of i • what ye list) is no oblatiō nor Sacrifice. But least afterward we have not so gauing occasion, as now is offerred, to speak of the term, it shall not be altogether out of the way, to defyne and declaire what the euergie of the word is, and what it is to offer, and Sacrifice to God. Offer, we understand to be, to subject himself, to the will of the Father, to deriuate the wraith, the ire, the indignation, yea, and the pain due to all our sins upon him, and so to represent, stay & arreast himself, as the very Sacrifice and oblation, to susteane and those the Ire of God for sins, to transfer the whole offenses of the people upon his shulders, to be as it were culpable, damned, and to be made an accurse, yea, and the very sin itself, according to the Hebrew phrase, terming the Sacrifice by the name of the sin that it is offerred for. According likewise to the sayings of the Prophet Isaiah, and after him S. Paul. In this manner is to be understand, the saying of the Baptist, behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, that is, who susteaneth and is charged with the wraith of the Father, in that he Sacrificed and offerred up himself, to appease the indignation of the Father, conceived against sin.

The Lamb and oblation, and he that hath offerred up this Sacrifice, we acknowledge to be Jesus Christ, who being the only priest, that by the offering up of himself, hath entered in the moste holy place, yea, and who hath Sacrified himself for us, because that none other wes ever able to have borne the indignation of the Father but he. Considder here then the blasphemy of that Antichrist of Rome, who giveth this power to his priests in the creatiō of them: we give thee power, saith he, to offer the oblation to God, to appease him. I fear I be to long in this mater most plain & evident in the self. Now let us prosecute the rest. This Doctor 〈◊〉 assure James of the conclusion that it is true, proper, & aggreing with the words of the latter Supper.

A manner of proceading, in deed substantius and formal, if he should do that he doeth promise. To this place he hath spoken all Pythagorice that is of his owen invention, as he will seme, without any probation, and first alleged, the Psalmest David, and S. Paul, to prove that which is confessed of everyone.

The place here alleged, I have already entreated at large, but now will I say to this falls glosare, that he is never able to prove, that never Melchizedek made any oblation, and if he made any, he made it to Abraham. But that he made no oblation, it is plain, by the Hebrew and Greik Text. For the word is plain, he brought forth and not offerred up. And that he gave this bread & wyne to Abraham, it is manifest likewise, by the praise that is given to Melchizedek, of his liberalytie in refreshinge Abraham and his weary Hoste, according to that he wes King: and in blissing Abraham, conform to the duty of the priest. Besydes this, which is the very meaning of the Spirit of God, the Relatiue (him) maketh all that preceadeth to be understand of Abraham, in consideration that there is no mention of any other, but of Abrahā only.

Albeit that heretofore I have declared sufficiently, all that belongeth to the explicatiō of this place, yet shall I not werie to adduce somewhat for the more clear understanding of the place, and cōuicting of the gros, malicius and blind ignorance of this Author. What a madness and phrenesie, shall we think it in this Scripturer, that he cannot content himself with this that the Spirit of God hath teached us? The author to the Hebrews hath declared the words of the Psalm, and hath pretermitted nothing, apperteaning to the similytude and comparison of our Sacrificator Jesus Christ, and Melchizedek.

The Psalmist, no dout, in the forenamed Psalm, vendicateth and attributeth to our Savior, the dignity of the kingdom, together with the progatiue of Eternal preisthead: having spoken of his kingdom, in the fourt verse, he discendeth to his preisthead, where he showeth his preisthead, to be far different from the preisthead of Aaron, being such an as should not now be after the ordoure of Aarō, but after the ordor of Melchizedek. Secondly he showeth it to be firm and stable, planted by the authority of the Eternal, who shall never be stricken with repentance, that is, the thing he hath ones decreed, shall not alterre nor change: then doeth he add the orackle, which doeth not consist in oblation of bread and wyne, nor yet is it added, thou art a priest, according to the order of Melchizedek, to signify any such thing, as thou fondly diuisest, but to declaire the perpetuity and the quality of his preisthead, as the author to the Hebrews doeth plainly witness, declare and expone.

First then we have here the kingdom and the preisthead given by God unto our Savior, so that he is both king and priest. By the kingdom we understand, that power that is given to him in heaven and in earth, to govern & defend his subjects, to be avenged upon his enemies.

The office of the priest, is to instruct in the fear of God, to intercead for remission of sins, to pray & offer, which offices, the Evangelist doeth pla • nely witness, that Jesus Christ hath fulfilled. And therefore ye do manifestly belie the spirit of God. And where ye affirm that Jesus Christ did no parte of the office of Melchizedek, unless we grant that he did offer up himself, under the forms of bread and wyne, that is a manifest vntrenth. For that Christ is king & priest, wes the office of melchisedec, that his preisthead is eternal, and not temporal (as the preisthead of Aarō wes) is proper to Melchiesdec, that Christ doeth bless his elect, & not curse them, wes also the office of Melchizedek, and all these I suppose ye will confess Jesus Christ, hath done, & yet doeth. These two offices in Moses and Aaron, being distinguished, are joined in Melchizedek, the Type and figure of our Savior, in whom they be not only joined, but perfected.

Secondly, as the kingdom and preisthead are not givē to him by man, but by God: as we may collect of this that the Lord swear. This observeth the author to the Hebrews, when he saith: no man usurpeth any honor, but he that is called as Aaron. So the Son of God, being Lord of all, abideth the appointment and vocation of his Father: to the great shame and rebuke of the Popes, that no les impiuslie nor impudently, taketh and usurpeth the crown of the kingdom, and the myter of the Bishopprie, and preisthead to them selves, without commission, or lawful vocation. And therefore moste justly shall it be said to them, they reign, but not of the Lord, they are priests, but not the Lord's.

Thirdly, this preisthead is assigned with a great ceremony, and by a certain Religion established, & that with one Solemn oath, which peculiarly cōueneth to our Savior, and is diligently noted, in the Epistle to the Hebr. others priests (saith he) are made without any oath, but this priest is made by the oath of him that said to him, the Lord hath sworn, & shall not repent him, thou art the eternal priest: that by two things that cannot be moved, the promise, and the oath, by the which it is impossible, that God shall lie, we may reteane the most firm confort of our faith, conceived of the preisthead of Christ, that with a steadfast esperance we may enter in the inward partes of the Sanctuary with our Savior.

Feardly, this preisthead, thus confirmed with an oath, cannot be changed nor transferred, but shall remain firm and immutable. For it is plainly said, and he should not repent him. This steadfaste perpetuity of the preisthead of our Sauioure, is observed and declared by the Apostle: many priests, saith he, wes made under the Law, because they might not remane, being subject to death: but our priest no ways being subject to mortalytie, hath an eternal preisthead. The word used by the Apostle, I have noted before, and the propriety of it.

And in this we may observe the difference of the preisthead of our Savior, from all other outward and externe, which cannot be governed by the dead, and in this consideration requireth multitude and succession, since no man can have an Eternal preisthead, being subject to infirmity and corruption. So that the necessity moveth, that may were made priests. The preisthead of Christ is such that it cannot be stayed by infirmity, retarded by diseas, nor impeded by death. But in the death rather appeareth cheiflie, he having thereby satisfied to the judgment of his Father, and reconciled us again, so that yet still he is able to susteane the duty, and perform the office of preisthead, even now sitting in heaven, at the right hand of the Father, and interceading for mercy to us: whereby we are admonished, that the preisthead of Jesus Christ, is of a spiritual nature, not consisting in any outward, forrane, and beggarly ceremonies, which cā in nowise appease the wraith of God. This our Priest never fainteth in the execution of his office, ever leaving to call upon God for us. Now consider what ignominy it is to this Priest and his office, that a certain shauelinges shall intruse them selves in his office, and proudly take upon them, the office of mediation betwix God and man, as that our Savior ether were negligent, or then unable to discharge him of his office.

Now in this that is said (after the order of Melchizedek) we shall observe that there wes never from the beginning, any sort of preisthead of that nature, that it might be any wise alterred, changed, or innouate at the appetite of any man, but ever restricted to a certain order, and that by God. So that now as it is easy to vain, ambitius, & mē of arrogant stomaches, to diuise & innent preistheades and ordoures, at their owen pleasure, it is even als easy to reject them.

Last shall we observe, the diversity and dissagrement of this preisthead with it of Aaron, which consisteth in vmbers, shadows, figures, rites, and ceremonies, altogether in them selves unprofitable and unable to obteane remission of sins, and to pacify God's wraith: yea, and the which now, in respect of the infirmity of it, by the which it wes astricted to a certain plurality, multitude, & succession, is utterly abolished. And now a Sacrificer is placed, all society, fellowship, and company being removed. For the cause taken away, the effect must cease. The cause of plurality, wes death, from the which our priest is exempted. Confer this that we have here adduced, with the sayings of the Apostle, Hebre. 7. And all shall be made manifest, that this Author goeth about to trouble. Where first the Apostle exponeth the name, which is Melchizedek, meaning the King of Justice. Secondly, the place of his kingdom, which is Salem, that is quietness and peace. For in his kingdom only, is tranquility, as is written, there is no peace to the wicked, and by the Apostle, our Savior is called our peace. Thirdly, is set forth his generatiō, which cannot be declared, he being without Father, mother, and Genealogy. Feardly, the perpetuity of his kingdom and preisthead, nether having beginning nor yet ending, remaning the priest forever, and made like unto the Son of God. Fyftly, the dignity and prerogative of his preisthead, in that, that he receiveth teindes of Abraham the Patriarck and the appointed Father of all faithful. Last, the office of his preisthead, in blessing Abrahā, having already used himself liberally, as became a King, in receiving him and his company to banked.

These things, how properly they conuene to our Savior, it is more easy to consider, nor that I neid to apply them particularly. Now pas thy way, fond and vane Papist, and add that which is impius, wicked, and deuillishe. I regard not how many thou have to be companions in thy error. The Scollers of Christ beareth that reverence to their master, that where as the Spirit of God keepeth silence, they inquire not, as we may observe by the example of the Author to the Hebrews, who suiteth nothing of Father, mother, nor Genealogy of Melchizedek: but seeing there wes none expressed by Moses, he both willingly misknoweth it, yea, and willeth that we shall not inquire of it, having before our eyes, that moderation and sobriety we ought to have in reading and exponīg of Scriptures, never to inquire further in the holy mysteries, thē God's holy spirit doeth teache us. Wherefore we neid not to declaire any cause why, nor to what end Melchizedek brought forth bread & wyne, since the spirit of God declareth it not: always that, that we have spoken of the refreshing of Abraham, we have followed the judgment and conjecture of Josephus, and Crysostomus, like as in Hosting, we know how thankful it is, how great plenty of wictualles, soever we have, to be refreshed with fresh meats and drinks.

Now good Reader, how captiuslie this wranglare of Scripture travaileth in this mater, consider with thyself. I know well enough, what he braggeth of some of the Ancients, that abuseth this place of Melchizedek. But let no suffrage of antiquity draw us from the commentary of the Spirit of God, who in a mater of so great weight, would not have pretermitted the oblation of Melchizedek, if it could have served anywise to the purpose.

Hereby, Sire, ye may understand sufficiently, that to be a priest, after the order of Melchizedek, is not to offer up bread and wyne, as ye falsely allege Melchizedek to have done, but this to be referred to the stability of Christ's preisthead, and eternity of the same, as I have declared at large, so that we may collect the dout of James, to be moste reasonable, douting.

And where as it is appointed to you to bring forth the words of the Scriptures, ye, as altogether vnmyndfull of the purpose that ye have in hand, passeth your way, and bringest in a similytude, having nothing to do with the mater.

Firste ye should have brought the words of the Text, and by them prouen, that Melchizedek offered bread and wyne to God, which is declared to be falls and untrue, and then pereuenture your simylitude of the tree, in a shining and bright Son, casting his vmbers according to the multitude of the brenches, might have had some probability: by the which similitude, ye go about to prove that everything in the old Testament is a figure of some what in the new, which I am assured thou cannot justify universally, no not in the things that be very figures in every point. For howsoever, every leaf of the tree hath the shadow, corespondēt unto it, yet I am assured there be many tīhgs in the figures of the old Testament, which cannot be attributed, nor in any condition conuene to the verity, the truth, and the body in the new, without a great Sacrilege. Samson is the figure of our Savior, we read that he played the harlote: shall we werifie this of our Savior: David likewise, being the figure of Christ, wes an adulterare, and to the crime of Adultery, joined slaughter. Shall we affirm this of the body, which is Christ? Solomon wes the moste lively figure of all, and yet he wes carried away a whoring after falls God's and Idols, at the appetite of his wifes. Will ye find anything correspondent to this in our master? God forbid, we so think, or that any such thoght enter into our hearts. So ye see manifestly, that of all thing is found in the figure, we ought not to feak the like in the verity, as we shall show in the Pashall Lamb shortly.

We read plainly in the Text, that Melchizedek brought forth bread and wyne, and that to comfort Abraham and his Army, as before we have said. In deed we may find not unlike to this in Christ, that at sindrie times in the wilderness, he fed the people, that followed upon him, they being destitute of sustentation, and wearied of the journey: yea, and in the latter Supper, he gave bread and wyne to his Disciples. And yet I will go further with you, that in the Lord's Table, we offer up bread and wyne, to be sanctified of the Lord, and that it may be made a Sacrament by him. These things as I will not deny, so they may somewhat conuene. But that he made oblation of bread and wyne unto his Father, in any such condition as ye pretend, as Melchizedek made none at all, so his doing cannot serve you, to prove your intent, yea, and when all should be granted to you, what strenth I pray you, is in an allegory, to set up any doctrine, and make it of authority? none at all. But seeing the Spirit of God passeth by this with silence, we may judge it altogether strainge from the purpose. If this sobriety were in this doctor, he should not though • e himself to be thus carried away God send you his holy Spirit, to lighten your heart, and oppē your eyes, that ye may see, and purge your smelling that ye may smell out God's truth, and embrace the same. Let us come to the example.

Now will I call upon the heaven and the earth, to bear record to it that shall be now tossed betwix me and this Author, and how substancially he proceedeth in the probatiō, to prove by the Pasouer two Sacrifices: one in the latter Supper, another of the croice. Your conclusion is plain, that by the immolation of the Pashall Lamb, another immolation besides it wes done upon the croice should be signified, the which (say ye) wes done in the latter Supper. And so will ye of a Sacrifice in figure, make two to start forth. Ether must ye say that, in that, the Pasouer Lamb wes Sacrificed, it wes a figure of the immolation of our Savior upon the croice, or then it wes a figure of that oblation that wes made (as ye pretend) in the Supper, take your chose, ye shall never conclude of it, two immolations, as ye fondly travel to prove.

To it of the Supper, I can nowise aggre, for then the verity shall not coresponde to the figure. In the Supper there wes no shedding of blood, as wes in the immolatiō of the Lamb, which is the principal point belonging to the nature of a Sacrifice, but ye will answer, that the Lābe wes offered in recordation of their deliverance. I answer, that is very falls, for it wes principally to serve to the figure of that deliverance and Sacrifice, whereby all Sacrifices hath their vigure, and by the which we have, all deliverance, to wit, the Sacrifice of the croice. Ye will object

That, I answer, is likewise falls, speaking as ye do, strictly, For it is only the instrument, by the which, of the part of our Savior, deliverance and Salvation, are purchased unto us, that believeth in Jesus Christ.

In that I say it doeth aggre with the Supper of the Lord, that like as in it we are commanded to celebrate the Lord's death, till he come, so were they to have remembrance of their deliverance, so that this is not in respect of the offerring, which principally is to be referred to the Sacrifice of the croice, whereof all Sacrifices were figures: but in consideration of the Lord's Table, which wes to be placed, and succead in the room of it, and this to be the very Bermane interpretation of that place, it is moste plain, by the Apostle Paul. 1. Cor. 5. where he affirmeth Christ to be offered up our Pasouer, and so exhorteth us to be mirrie and rejoice, without any mention of Sacrification, and offerring up of him, under the forms of bread and wyne.

Trew it is, that in every ceremony under the Law, we have to consider three sindrie things, the first is, a commemoration of some benefit received: as no dout, the Pasouer, in consideration that it wes a Sacrament, brought them in mind of their deliverance out of Egypt. Secondly, we have to receive it as an vmber or figure of Christ Jesus, as the offerring up of the Lamb, the spilling of the blood of him, wes a figure of the Redemption of man, by the blood and passion of our Savior. Thirdly, it served for a document of good life, holiness, and so forth.

As the Apostle concludeth in the place before recyted, let us rejoice in all purity, and verity. The same shall we observe in the first fructes, and the rest of the Sacrifices under the Law: but to eschew all cauillatiō of such Sophisters, as go about to deceive, we have to observe every point, to examine it that is proper to a Sacrament, and it that belongeth to a Sacrifice, and so to distinguish them skillfully, as in the example of the Pashe Lamb, which in consideration of the offerring and immolation, only apperteaneth to the Sacrifice of the croice, as I have said.

Now will I travel to show the aggrement and similytude of the Pasouer, with the Supper of the Lord, yea, and wherein they do dissagre, as in no figure can be found the perfect image of the verity, aggreing in all pointes with it that is corespondent, howsoever ye those yourself to be deceived, and goeth about to deceive others. This is first to be observed, in the institution of the holy Supper, that even as immediately, after the eating of the Pasouer, the holy communion wes instituted by our master and Savior Christ: so doeth he observe the same order that Moses rehearseth to be kept, and wes appointed by the eternal our God, in the eating of the Sacrament of the Pasouer: for that same night that the Lord had decreed to slay the first borne of Egypt, and to deliver his owen people, by the hand of the Angel, he ordained the Sacrament of the Pasouer, to be a testimony and monument of that wonderful deliverance, even immediately after to be perfected. The deliverance of the people ensewed a little space after: the memory whereof every year, by this Sacrament wes renewed at the commandment of God.

In the same manner our Savior, that self same night that he wes to be betrayed, and in the which, he wes to beat down that most cruel Pharoo, and his whole power, together with his first borne Son, Death, Hel, to perfect the things that were prefigurate by the Pash Lamb, he institute the holy Supper, to be a perpetual monumēt of that unspeakable benefit, he wes to obteane unto us, and in place of a Lamb, and the blood of it, the Symboles of the Pasouer, he appointed the signs of bread and wyne, elements, as moste serving to the refection, nurishement, feading, and confort of man's body, and likewise commonly moste parable and easy to be obtained, so most proper to bind up and confirm frenship and amity. Celius Rhodiginus teacheth this to have been moste solemn and familiare to the Lacedemonians, by the breaking of bread, to receive in amity, such as they embraced in confideracie and league. Aristotle in the. 8. boke of his Morals, declareth the nature of amity, to be such, that as by mutual leuing together, resorting at table together, it is reteaned, so by long silence and absence it is dissolved, as the greik Prouerb there recyted by Aristotle, and Atheneus in his fyft boke, doeth evidently prove. In these signs, our master and Savior instituteth his holy Supper which wes to remane, and practiced to his returning, to assure us hereby of his presence, howsoever he is, touching his bodylie presence, absent, and to ratify and establish that amity, league, and society, the Eternal God received us in, and that in the blood of his dear Son. Touching the time, this we may observe, that as the wisdom of our God determineth all things, and appointeth in the moste due and convenient time: So this hour of his Supper, to have served moste properly to that holy action, by him then practiced. We observe most diligently and keep in mind moste faithfully, not only the facts, but the words of them that we see in the travel and battall of death, thereby as it were, calling to mind the memory of him who is departed: these things as moste notable, we judge moste worthy of Register, the truth of them and majesty being sealed up by the very death.

The hour of his death then approaching, and at hand, and in the which, not only the Lamb of the Pasouer, but all the rest of the Sacrifices appointed in blood, were to receive their perfection and end, and so to have no further place, the time cannot be, but moste proper, the ceremonies of the Law being in no point by him neglected the figures fully performed, and the presence of his body to be immediately after to them denied. Wherefore, not without cause he changed the signs, whereby the things to come, were foresignified, in such signs as should declaire those things to be performed already. So then followed, the deliverance by the • eath of Christ, the memory whereof, is celebrated by the frequentation of the Lord's Supper, to the which use it wes appointed. For he commanded, take ye, eat ye, this is my body, do this in remembrance of me, the which commandment (as I have teached) can of no better reason be separate from this Sacrament, & adjoined to any fond Sacrifice, nor the promise, by the which, is plainly declared the cause of the institution, when he saith, this is my body, which is given to you: and this is my blood, and sofurth. For how I pray you can these words, that be here interiected (given for you, and shed for you) how can they (I say) be separate from the action preceading and from the commandment, that is after given? Or how can the commandment be drawn from the whole action preceading? That can be no more, nor the members from the body. So they pervert the holy ordinance of our Savior, that separateth the commandment from the promise, or yet the promise, or any parte of it from the action.

Now that the Pasouer wes likewise a similytude and a figure of Christ's death, may easylie be declared by sindrie things, which nowise can apperteane to the communion. First in the Sacrifice of the pasouer, the Lamb wes flaine, which can nowise aggre with the Supper, in the which, there is no slaughter nor boucherie, but ye will here insist and repyne, alledgeing by this, that it is a Sacrifice. To this I have answered you, that there is no unbloody Sacrifice, by the plain words of the Apostle. For ye teach plainly, that your mass is not only a Sacrifice of thanks giving, but of expiation of sins which cannot stand, without spilling of blood. The Lamb wes sla •• e, the blood of him spilled, and that foresignified the death and cruel intreatment of Jesus Christ, who wes to be offered up in a bloody manner vpō the croice, and this can nowise aggre with the Supper, nor yet your fond oblation made in it, as ye imagine: for as witnesseth Paul, our Pasouer is offerred up, Christ. Lyke as the Supper doeth lively testify and represent, so by the immolation of the Lamb, as by the figure, wes foreshewē to the fathers, the offerring up of the Savior of the world: yea, and declared that he wes the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, of whom there wes no bone broken: yea, and of whose mactation Isaiah as fore prophecieth, under the image and figure of the Lamb and the sheep: & to the which alludeth the history of the oblation of Isaac. By the which testimonies and figures, wes plainly and evidently declared to the Fathers that, which the Baptist declared in few words, calling him the Lamb of God, & the taker away of the sins of the world. These things then, now fulfilled, even according as they were adumbrat in the Law, and forespoken by the Prophets, there is no other oblatiō nor emisiō of blood for sine, for since the way that he hath prepared for us, is fresh by his blood, which is the blood of the new testament, whereby he testifieth that we have not to esteem this reconciliation made by him, and in the which we are received in his blood, to indure for a • eason, but the strenth of it, to be Eternal and permanent. What have we to do then, as it were, to gaise for a new Christ, and to luke continually for others Sacrifices and Laws, such as no godly heart can susteane?

The Sacrament of the pasouer contained a Sacrifice, and a banked, the one to forewarn of that eternal Sacrifice of the Cross, which was ones perfyred and never reiterated, the other to instruct of the Lord's Table. The Sacrifice being offered and perfected ref • eth to use the cōnsaill of the Apostle, and so to of • re us to the ban • ed of the Lord's table, where we are made participant of his body and blood. For the Apostle saith not since our Pasouer Christ is offered up, let us Sacrifice him a new, but let us make merry offering, and representing us to his holy Table in all sincerity, and verity to be made one with him.

Besydes this the sprinkling of the Lambes blode, which wes a manner of Sacrifice declared plainly the wraith of the Father to be appeased, and the people reconciled, which properly apperteaneth to the Sacrifice of the croce, be virtew whereof we are restored to the favor of God.

The eating of the Lamb apper • aneth most {pro}perlie to the Supper, for thereby is witnessed, that we be all {per}ticipant of that Sacrifice, by the which reconciliation wes made and salvation procured and purchassed, to so many (I say) as worthily eateth of that Banked. The mystery of the time, which wes commanded to be after the going down of the Son, aggreith moste properly with the Sacrifice of the croce, representing & declaring in the latter days the fullness and plenitude of time being come, then should the Son of God be offered up. That how soever our Savior practeist & did institute this holy action after down passing of the Sone being drew̄ so to do, by a certain necessity as I have decleared, yet wes it not to leif a {per}petuall reule and bind us straitlie to that time: But by his owen words he hath set us at liberty, as well touching the frequent using as touching the time.

The pasouer wes eaten but ones in the year, and at a statute day and time, but our master saith, do this as oft as ye do it, in remembrance of me. Setting us in freedom to use his supper, as oft as we please. And at what time we Judge moste couenient.

Be the aggreance and dissimilitude of the pasouer with the Supper of Jesus Christ, it may now evidently appear what apperteaneth to the supper properly and what is to be referred to the Sacrifice of the Cross, yea, & how fondlie ye are abused in applycation hereof to youre fond Sacrifice, let us return to our master Doctor, where he playeth the Sophistre in deed and hyngeth I warrand now by a small grip.

Trewly Brother since, thow hast no other refuge, but to clean to a certain circumstance of time, I even piety the & repent me vetray fore vndoutedlie that thow should mell with the defense of so desperate & wicked cause. And here as ever thow did in all thy life, thow playest the sophister moste craftily, if thow could have covered thy craft but thow knowest craft, when it is oppenned up and perceived whate a hindrence it is to the faime and opinion of a man.

Trew it is that thow proponest our Savior to have come to perform and not to break the Law, but that thow affirmest the Lamb to have been offered afore it wes eaten, that thow prouest not, nether yet art thow able to prove by the institution of God, or by the plain words of the Text, that any commandment wes given to the people to offer the Lamb to God before it wes slain▪ or before it wes eaten, commandment wes given that they should take it, keep it, slay it, sprinkle the blood of it, roast it, eat it, and so forth. But of offering of it, shall thow and no commandment I will not deny, but that the pasouer ryghtlie done with all circumstances according to God's commandment may be called a Sacrifice, but I absolutlie deny that it wes commanded to be offered before it wes commanded to be eaten, so that the offering signified a Sacrifice as thow alledgest and the eaten out other, and so seeing thow leavest that vnprouen, whereupon thy vnsa • erie Sacrifice dependeth, considdre with thyself how unfaithful a Patron art thow to the miserable Mass.

But if I should grant that which thow art never able to prove, to wit, that the Lamb wes offered before it wes eaten▪ what will thow conclude that there wes two Sacrifices; or the figures of two Sacrifices? that I deny, for whatsoever wes done with the Lamb, or to the Lamb, before the eating, wes done in respect of the eating and to the end, it should be eaten of the people, so that if the eating had been omitted all that preceded had been unprofitable, and so the whole action of the pasouer, wes but a sacrifice, (if thow so will have it termed and the figure of a sacrifice, to wit; of Christ's body ones offered upon the Cross, whose flesh and blood by his death, are become the verrie nourishment of our Souls, according to his owen promise, saying and the bread that I shall give yow, it is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.

Playe thou thyself, with thy mearie conceait, dreaming that he first offered his body, and then he gave it to be eaten. We are assured, he did offer it upon the Cross, by which only oblatiō we have obtained life, Sear • h then what thow lest in thy Sacrific • of thy mass, life shall thou not find in it, for that floweth from Christ's death only, but master Doctor if a mā should demāde by which words is this your Sacrifice of the mass instituted, if ye answer by these, this is my body. &. Then ye grant that there wes nothing offered before they words were pronounced.

Then if some mā should demād were the Apostles obedient to Christ's commandiment or not. It well be hard to yow to say that they repined in that caise, but plain it is, that the bread being broken, Christ said take ye, eat ye, and after subiuned the other words then it appeareth, that some of the Apostles were busy with the bread, before the whole words were pronounced. And so would some captius man, and that not without some just cause, seeing ye deal with the mater so captivity, say, that if his body wes not eaten, yet it wes in eating before it wes offered, thus ye may espy, that we can trouble yow if we list, for our conjecture hes more probability, nor hes your bold affirmation, Christ's body wes offered before it wes eaten, because the pasouer wes offered before it wes eaten.

But such anxius and to curious observation of every moment of time, will not serve to establish and for up a new doctrine, wicked and impius, it that is worthy observation of the time, is this in the o • e and the other, that the Lord our God, being of mind to deliver his people out of Egypt, and to see them at liberty, he instituted the Pasouer, which should be unto them as a figure and a monument of there freedom and 〈◊〉 to all ginerations in the ages to come and that they should be the more diligent in observation of his ordinance at that same time there wes no little dainger appearing to Egypt, and they not as yet delivered, he commanded them to do this, for we be more moved & affected with those things that we be teached in the myddest of a great trouble, and calamity, nor with those that be repdited unto us in all quietness and security, for as solicitude and fear maketh a mā more attentive, war, and able to conceive, so do they make a mā more thankful and myndful of the benefit received.

Lykewise we observe that our master & savior Christ that same night he wes betrayed, the displeasour and melancholy having occupied the hearts of his Apostles then did he institute his holy supper, whereby they should be admonished of there insta • te deliverance that wes to follow at hand.

Yet since ye urge the figure, and preisseth so earnestly at the time, I pray yow answer to me if any Preiste we disquieted, called upon, appointed for the Immolation of the Easter Lamb, ye know I trust the contrary, it wes commanded to be eaten, in every housse slain be the master of the housse, without any Ceremonye, or circumstance commanded in otheres Sacrifices, as of preiste altare; and sofurth, whereby it appeareth evidently that it wes only rekned to be a Gratulatorie Sacrifice, and of the kind of such as were called meat offringes, & no such as ye mean, and this we will not deny to conueine most properly to the Communion as hath been clearly declared.

Now then a little with yow. where of proceedeth this your Papistical Preisthead, by the which ye claim Authority to offer up the Lamb of God, since ye see no priest called upon here in the figure, but the master of the housse in this to have the charge. Now apply the figure to the verity, and ye shall perceive how great a vanity it is to seek the congruence, aggrement, and similitude of the one with the other in all points, for if that should have place, never shall I seek one other argument, but the figure to euert thy whole purpose, as thow alledgest, the Son of God should be first offered and sacrificed according to the figure, then shall it follow, that he wes first slain, syne eaten, yea, and after he wes eaten, slain again, as we know Christ Jesus to have dead upon the Crioce, after his holy Supper. These are the great absurditeis following vpō the figures.

Forther to inquire of the time, it is vain and • ur • u • , yea, and foulishe to lead any probation thereby, an establish anything any ways doutsum, let be it that is manifestly wicked. Here James is moved seeing this dimne bring all his probations out of the figures of the old Testament, to utter his Judgment,

As in verrie deed allegoreis, how soever the Ancients delyted in them, are but weak {pro}batiōs & not mekle to be leaued unto: In some places being used modestlie, they may be received in doctrine of admonition.

But to this, this Doctor boldly pronunceth.

To prove his intent, this glorious divine adduces three exemples out of sindre places of the New Testament, even as these places were cited out of the old Testament, as solid probations. When as they are adduced only to Illustrate the mater, which is already decleared to be luke for, or then that which is already prouen by strong arguments: Last to shaw that they have some figure, or similitude in the old Testament. We know that our Savior, to whom, and to his holy spirit, it apperteneth to expone, and declare the conformity of the figure • , with the mater represented by them, and not to, everyone to take upon him to devise and imagine all thing according to us fond fai • talie: our Savior (I say again) being in oportuned be the Iowes, continually calling for signs tokenes, wounderous works, according to there ingyne, he thus disdanefully tr • etteth them, and pronunceth them unworthy of the things they called for moste earnestly, and • o • urte • h them of sch • rcie, and saith they shall have no other sign, but the sign of Jonah, who wes three days, ad three nyghtes in the whales belly, not hereby laboring or intending to prove his Burial anywise, but rather to mock and wrape them up in a great obstinacy and blindness.

It that is adduced by Peter of the Ark of Noie, is not to serve for one probation of his purpose, but to declare that he is not altogether destitute of something ī the old Testament secu • ng and aggreing to his mater. And to prosecute the conformity of the figurat things wi • h the figures, what have we correspondent in Baptism, to maste sailles & other things most {pro}perlie apperteyninge to the Ark, if this should be urged, as sh • w moste instantlie requirest, then in Baptism, we pull up sailles, & have all other things aggreing with the Ark: {per}ceaue your owen vanity. God forbid, We shall so entreat the Scriptures of God, that the German truth and verity of the matters rejected, we shall cleave unto incertane Allegories, having no pith nor strenth to convince, but rather with variety of mater delight, as may moste euedentlie appear be the example of Paul, who having prouen his intent by strong arguments and interiected certain exhortations to move the Galatians, for decoring and erornyng the mater addeth this allegory or figure, which in itself, is no solid probation, but now is not to be rejected the mater being sufficiently prouen.

Origen's in deed, and a great noumbre with him are moved, yea, carried away after Allegories, by this example of the Apostle: thrawing and wreisting the Scripture frō the owen proper sense and understanding: curious & vain men delyting more in subtle speculations and diuises of there owen hearts, nor in solid doctrine and truth, and the natural interpretation of the Scripture: And of this no dout hath proceeded the great ignorance and contempt of the Scriptures, the profanation whereof God hath moste Iustlie avenged, in this that we see the verrie proper intelligence of them ouerset & oppressed with bastard glosses, and fond allegories. If we will proof it in the intelligence of the scriptures, Let us clean to the Germane sense of the Text, embrace it, and stik by it. As to diuised expositions aliene fra the mater, what culour or cloik so est they shall have, let us not only reject them boldly, but judge them unworthy to be hard. And this is the mind of Chrysostomus upon the forenamed place of Paul.

Now pass thy way with thy vain Allegories and deceive James or such others that knoweth not the pith of them: for we are (God be praised) other ways instructed, nor to receive them to establish any doctrine, other ways doutsome, ether yet to seek the conformity of the figure, with the thing figurat in all points. For figures we have to Judge to be as Parables, in the which the scope, and the fine being observed with the subst • ntiall points serving to the purpose, we have not curiuslie and anxiuslie to insist in all others things that be rehearsed: a • is plain to any man, that is but indifferently versed in the Scriptures. And to end this long disputatione in one word, Isaac wes the figure of our Savior: his immolation, the type of the Cross of our Savior, and this is the moste lyuelie figure, I dare say, that we can find through out all the Scriptures. Yet do they not in all aggre, for we know that Isaac, wes not offered, but a Ram wes taken & offered for him. If your argument should have place sire their should we say, that our Savior wes not offered up, but as some have said Simon Cyreneus taken and Crucified for him: take head, that ye be not suspected of the same deuilishe and impius opinion.

Now have we perused the partes of your book, in the which ye go about to prove & establish your purpose by testimony of Scripture. Your arguments hath been recyted faithfully and so pithilie refelled, that I trust any man of sobriety should be satisfied, yea, and what so ever thow braggest, ether of thy Judgment in the natural interpretation of the places adduced by the: ether yet of dexterity, in the proper applycation of them (and how vanelie thow this takest upon the) to the purpose and mater: how aptlie and conuenientlie thow so doest I take it to be manifest.

But here alas, James yealdeth and casteth all frō him so struken down by one allegory, that he granteth him utterly vainquest, & almost crieth God's mercy. Ye lacked I trust (brother James) a faithful armoure bearer to have served yow of wappinnes, but what aualeth it to put good wappinnes of defense, or yet of invasion in the hands of him that cannot handle nor use them in time, and place. Damd wes more expedite, able, and ready with his fling staf, to go feght against Goliath, nor he wes inar • ed on all partes with the fynest harnes, the King had▪ on the one part, being encuraged be the ryghtuousnes and equity of the cause, and on the other, feat of his personn and well acquent with his wappinnes.

Now James granteth himself sufficiētlie persuaded with the conference of Scriptures, and thinketh them seat and proper to the purpose, and only is desyrus by what other ways and means this divine is able to persuade that our Savior instituted the sacrifice of the mass in the latter Supper, the Doctor answereth.

This is fairlie and largelie promeist, and howe rashelie interprised shall be after know̄, but here I pray thee indifferent reader consider the craft of this sportar in exornyng and decking up them, whose authorities he is after to abuse, not but I will grant a great part of the fathers, and some of the conciles to be worthy of praise, and admiration. But I pray thee note the ambition of the mā, who will seme to have all for him. I trust to obtene the same in this part, that I have already in the matters preceading, that is to pull fra him the authority of the Fathers, and the determinations of Counciles, such as be of most estimation and faith: And then will he know the strenth of the reid of Egypt, he leaneth unto.

But here is casten in be James a questiō, if he thinketh that the interpretation and doctrine of the old writers concerning the mysterijs of the Supper of the Lord, is sufficient to persuade the Sacrifice of the mass: to this it is answered, treuly (saith he)

These things glorious Doctor be persuasiuelie spoken but they be not arguments of such strenth, as be invincible, but shall be over thrown. Well James is desyrus to here the reasons.

We be teached by the Scriptures in deed that the Apostles wer endued soddenly with the gifts of the Spirit frō above, which gifts, I believe assuredly wer not Idle in them, so that it is out of all questione, that the Apostles wer continually occupied in Predication of the word, in ministratiō of the Sacraments, in planting of Churches everywhere, yea, and I will go with yow in that, that they had certain Familiars awaiting upon them, whom they instructed, as we read of Lucas the familiar of Paul Marcus of Peter, and such others, yea, and I will proceade forther yet with yow, that even in doutsum & ambiguus matters that falleth in question, I walde gladly luke upon the works of them, that hath faithfully traveled in the action of godliness, yea, and receive the determinations of general Counciles, but that with the reule and restriction given by yow, conform to the Striptures. But that ye will hereby insinuate obliquelie, & quietlie mean that all corruption and vanity Whereby the Church of God, hath been heretofore oppressed these many hundredth years, the Sacraments perverted and right use of them adulterated, the word being buried in all ignorant and proud contempt, and man erected, and set up in the place of God, that ye will mean all this to have proceaded of the Apostles, and consequently of the spirit of God and hereby defend and restore the abominations over thrawen by the blood, and labors of many godly men in this our aige, In this I will answer yow, feling your mind reach and tend to this, lest that some simple man shall chop here.

Trew it is, that the Apostles had given unto them the intelligence of the Scriptures and the mysteries thereof, to the admiration of all men that so soddenlie ignorant and Idiot men, simple and abject persons should start up and not only speak the praises of God in every language disertlie, but boldly withstand the fury and rage of priests Magistrates, and the whole people, where soever they passed: Yet do we observe this discretion in the Spirit of our God, that some mysteries are kept from them secreit & hid for a certain time, as the vocation, and calling of the Gentiles, hid from Peter till the Revelation wes made, & the vision came: some did esteem the Ceremonies of the Law neidful, which question troubled them so that they were even divided. Thridlye, some imperfections find we in them, as when Paul withstādeath Peter in his face being worthy of reprehension. Whereby we are admonished, and may observe the wisdom of our God, in handling his owen, that howsoever he shall extolle, and set them up, yet doeth he brydle them so, that they continually keep in mind and remembrence them selves, to be men, to receive all of God, and a man left to himself, what he is, and how ready to declyne from God.

From the like ignorance, the Ancient Fathers Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David cannot be excused: Moses the beloved of god, how cairful he is ī the government of the people, in instructing them, in laying before them continually the law, the ordinances, and constitutions of God, reducing to there remembrance there wonderful deliverance, there preservation in Egypt, the great cair of God over them in the wyldernesse, the merciful cōuenant made with there Fathers and renewed with them selves, so that these people wer the very familiar scolers to the Prophet. Yet what became? Scarslie hath the Prophet turned his back, & up with God in the montayne, when they fall to a horrible defection, and haynus apostasy frō God, erecteth Idolatry, yea, and carrieth the hie preiste Aaron, brother to Moses, with them to the same impiety.

What an instrument do we think S. Paul, in the church of God? What travel taketh he in executiō of the charge laid upon him? how diligently teacheth he the Corinthianes, remaning amongst them the space of a year, and one half: But immediately after his departinge, what corruptiō entereth in that church, he cōcealeth it not but plane lie testifieth in his Epistles to them and cheiflie in the formare, where he compleneth of the depravation of the Lord's Supper, and of the resurrection besides many other things he scharplie layeth to there charge with other such exemples occurreth in Scriptures, Which were to long, tedious and not necessary to prosecute. Whereby we may first observe and note, yea, even a gross ignorance to be sumtymes in the chosen and elect of God that be appointed to the ministry. Secondly how easalie men are carried away frō the obedience of god, & ryghtuousse & lawful obseruatiō of his ordinances. What necessity judge ye to be in your a • gumēts alledgeing there Fathers, to have been the Disciples of the Apostles, and instructed by them? When we see oftentimes Scollers declyne from the doctrine of there masters, as we read planelie of Joash, who during the time of Ichoiada, did it that wes ryghtuousse and just in the eyes of the Lord. But as ever the hie Preiste wes taken away, how horriblie he declyned and returned to the trace of his wicked fathers, the history doeth planelie testify: & ye your-self some times I have hard to have casten forth the fylthie and pestilent dung of papistry to the great confort of many: now how miserably, ye are declyned and returned to youre vomit, the trouble that ye do move, doeth likewise witness. So then we have to receive lawful and constant scollers, who being instructed in the truth remaneth constantly therein: Ambitious, proud and arrogante, and such as cannot content them with the simple truth of God's word, and the purity of his constitutions and Sacraments, we have not to acknowledge for Disciples to the Apostles, nether yet to give unto them such authority, whereby the gifts of God's spirit may be foreclosed, or yet anything received preiudicial otherwise to the ordinances of God.

I am sure the godly Fathers craveth no forther of the reader, but that he allow, & follow it, that is setfurth by authority of Scriptures: where they exceed the bounds and speaketh of there own head, they give us liberty to reject als frelie as they have taken rashelie upon them to wryt it.

This is the judgment of all the old and godly fathers, and namely Cypriane, who in his 3. Epistle of his secounde book. If in the Sacrifice, which is Christ saith he, only Christ is to be followed, then is it force to us to here and practeis that, that Christ did, and that he commanded to be done, since he saith in his own Evangel, If ye do the things, that I command yow, now cal I yow not seruandes, but friends: and in deed, we are commanded to here him only by the father, who hath given him to be the Angel of great counsel, and the only teacher to his church.

The same reule, and moderation is prescribed by Augustine, to all readers of his works: Geue not thyself to my wryttinges, as to the Canonical Scriptures: But in them without all tarie believe, when thow shall find that thow believest not, but in these (meaning of his owen) it that thow wes not assured of, retene it not certanelie until thow have understand it assuredly.

And in one other place, I will not thow follow my authority, that because I have said it, thow shall think thyself astricted to believe it. But ether believe the Cononicall scriptures, if thow seest not, as yet, the thing that is true or else to the verity, teaching inwardly, and schawīg that thow may see it planelie.

And likewise in one other place, we ought not to esteem or receive the disputations of every man, be they never so Catholic, and laudable as the Canonical Scriptures, that it shall not be leiful to us (the reverence saned, that is due to them) to improve & reject some things in there writtinges if pereuenture we shall find that they have other ways iudgeid nor the verity, ether with the help of God understand by us, or searched out by others, containeth, I am this man in other men's wryttinges and willeth every man to understand mine in the same manner.

I might adduce out of this same author, and otheres of the anciēts, if the necessity should require it, where they lay this reule and moderation, nowyse astricting the reader to follow that, which they have Iudged to be moste cōsonant to the truth, but sending them to the scriptures.

This moderation and reule being laid, I will travel with yow through the feildes of the Doctors, & Counciles, which as ye say well, ought, and should attempt nothing above the counsel of God, revealed in his Scriptures but ought to determine all by the precise reule thereof.

The Apostles taketh no forther upon them, I have received of the Lord, saith Paul, that which I have delivered to yow: our Savior in the reformation of Marriage goeth to the Original institution: being demanded of the chief commandment, he hath recurse to the law: being tempted by the Sadducces, in the mater of resurrectiō, he ryteth not the books of the Thalmude, nether yet the conciles and the Cōmentaries of the Hebrews, but bringeth forth the plane Scripture: and correcting the wicked and pernicious interpretations of such, as had place to his coming without any repugnācie or contradiction, of the scriptures, saith, ye know it wes said to the Ancients and Immediatlie he addeth, but I say to yow: teaching us hereby that bidding fair well, to the doctrine of men, we ought to clean to the sure true and undoubted sense and mind of Scripture. The Anciēts, in that they say well we should praise & allow them: But we should not be there followers, but as they wer the followers and Imitators of Jesus Christ, nor yet allow them in that which is wicked: & this is lykewayes our Judgment of Counciles.

We will grant that it appertaineth to godly and excercised men in the Scriptures of God, to determine according to the scriptures vpō all things, that he called in doubt, wherein we can admit no tyrannical power of any mā, which being received above all authority of Scripture, and of the conueyned brothren, the experience teacheth ws, how prejudicial it hes been to the Church of God, where we have seen nothing, but the stinkīg traditions of a tyrane not in equale degree and rank with the ordinances of God, but placed and authorished above them, the purity of the word utterly quenched, the Sacraments profaned and adulterat, yea, and the godly constitutions of ancient conciles by the iniquity and ambition of a man, affecting and exerting the Empire above all others, abrogated ī the latter Counciles.

Attoure we be sufficiently teached by the Councile holden at Carthage, in the time of Cypriane, Where he wes present, what authority is to be given to them, if they shall take upon them to defyne any thing of there owen heads, Wes not there the Anabaptism established, and erected by a plane Decree, Besydes others things that Augustine dissimuleth not, but they did displease him.

Shall we be accused to oppone us, having the authority of God, to a councile, where all thing is determined according to the affection of man. Paphnutius a singular man withstude and opponed him to the whole Councile holden at Nice, the moste godly Councile, I dar say that hath been sen the time of the Apostles. To conclude then we will gladly & wyllinglie admit ether private man or general Councile, that defynes upon the matters of controversy, by the Scriptures: if they do not, we will take the liberty that is purcheshed to us by Jesus Christ, & say planelie that we will not be made seruandes to men according to the commandment of S. Paul.

Here alas James as happinneth commonly that a man ones fangged in, will grant more nor ye would desire, condescendeth to more nor is affirmed, or wes required, & that the mater shall have the more weight and authority affirmeth it, of his conscience,

Heretofore some relief had I of yow brother: But now being becumin no les Inimie to this cause, nor the Abbot himself, here ye must not be offended (brother James) if I shall renūce forder amity to your, I trust ye speak not this of your owen head, but as your Tutoure hath instructed you. Here I must schew to you where ye chope, to wit, in this that ye do think the true understanding of the mysteries of the scripture, to consist in proximitie of time, or in familiarity with the Apostles, foreclosing the graces of God, and bynding them to a certain age and time, & meaning that the familiarity of the Apostles might make steadfastness and constancy.

I would not any man should think, that I speak this in prejudice of the ancients Which I with all my hert reverence But I would not that the foreconceaued opinion of there authority, should preinge the action of verity, and that no man should think this to be sufficient to establish any doctrine to say, the man, who wes the familiare of Paul and this of John the Disciple, saith, and so to conclude, it to be allowed as godly.

I am assured, there be none of there Disciples of that they wer reached by them, will establish any other thing nor the Spirit of God approved in his Scriptures.

But we know there complaints, and the forewarnyng of the Apostles. John in his Canonic, they have passed forth of us, but they were not of us, and S. Paul exhorteth the ouersears of Ephesus, to take head, and be vigilant for of them selves (saith he) shall rise up men, speaking wicked things immediately after my departing, yea, rauenus Wolffes, having no pity on the floke, and so forth. Whereby we may gather that it is not yneugh to have been familiare, and familiarlie instructede by the Apostles, no not by Jesus Christ himself, unless we considdre if they be of there Disciples in deed, which is known by conference of there writtinges with the doctrine of the Apostles, if they aggre not, we may well affirm with John they passed forth from them, but they were not of them.

This mater is so plain, that it needeth no forther probation in my judgment. Now cumeth our author, and dif • endeth to the sayings of the Fathers. Which he hath gathered out of there werkes, as he thoght they might serve to his mater, and first he recyteth Testimony of Ignatius in his Epistle Ad smirninses.

These words of this Ancient doctor, ye understand and expone of your unsavory Sacrifice altogether profane, Which I am sure if he wer a live, he should say, he never kn • w, nor yet meant of any such impiety. The sentence and the mind of this author may be easalie gathered for there his chief and principal study is, that discord may be avoided in the assemblies, and conuentions of the people: The which crime, the Apostle Paul layeth scharply to the charge of the Corinthians. Herefore saith he, it shall not be leiful without any kind of difference and order to all and everyone to conueyne the people, to have public assemblies, and there to offer up Sacrifice, that is to preach the doctrine of Salvation, to offer up prayer and action of thanks in name of the whole Conuention: for these exercises, according to the custom of the old testament, yea & the new ar called sacrifices by the fathers the Apostles and there disciples and such others, that it should not be leifull to every man to conueyne the people, without a charge to the practeis of the Lord's Supper called there planelie 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is the Conuention of them that shall practeis the Lord's Table.

I have compleyned before of the ignorance of Greik, & Latin tongues, the Ignoration whereof, no doubt, hes moved us a great part of this business, specialie having to do with men that understandeth not the {pro}prietie of them. It is plain, that Epiphanius understandeth by this miss • the public Conuentioun of the people to the service of God, to here the Preaching, the Prayers made, thanks given, and the Lord's Table, and such other godly exercises, in which the primitive Church did exercise them selves, as we may be teached by Socrates in the Tripartite History, recyting the order of the Church of Alexandria Where the Scripture wes rede, exponed, Prayers made, the Communion distributed, and oblatiō made, that is, a certain gathering for the poor, and Justinus in his Apology for the Christians. For as in the old Testament the people conuened at certain times to offer up the Sacrifices of Kiddes, Lambes, and such others, conform to the commandment made in the law: So now in the New Testament by the Superintendents, Elders, Ministers, the people is conueyned for a certain ordoures cause, and offereth up, vituios labiorum the Sacrifice of praise, thanks and Prayers.

Now followeth Clemens, whom this author affirmeth to have been S. Peters Disciple, if he wes, I know not. I have recyted the Iudgemēt of Clemens Alexandrinus of him, damning him planelie, and that out of Eusebius, But I find not that the words of Clemens can any ways hurt, which are,

These words may be even so understand, as the sentence of Ignatius, for all tendeth to a scope: but this writter in deed, because I find him full of superstitions, ether is he, by wicked men adulterate, (as we know the Papists to have interiected many wicked sentences in the writings of godly and Catholic men) or if he writeth of his owen head, I dar boldly affirm, that he wes no Scoler of Peter, but as John speaketh, he passed forth from him, but wes not of his, and this is the opinion of Clemens Alexandrinus, Who plainly condamned this your Clemens Epistles.

In this, thow obseruest two things, to wit, the Mass to be called a Sacrifice for sin, and likewise to be worschypped. Trew it is, that this author cannot be excused but he hath spoken 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, somewhat heyghlie to extolle the mater. Yet can I not find here, wherein thow can have great mater to rejoice: For the custom appointed heir, is moste laudable, that in the Solemnities of Masses (for so commonly the Anciens speaketh in plural noumber) that is, of the people's Conuention, the Passion of the Lord, be recyted with a loud and intelligible voice: for that Sacrifice is the only sacrifice whereby the Lord is satisfied, appeased & our sines forgiven: where we may & shall observe the name, ether take in the {pro}per significatiō, ap{per}teynīg to the sacrifice of the croce or else if thow cannot be contented with this, it is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is by a certain manner of speaking abused & applied to the commemoration of the Lord's body broken vpō the Cross, made in the holy Table, in what manner we have observed this word to be taken oftentimes by the ancient Fathers.

But before I proceade, first I require the reader, that whensoever he heareth this word mass, or masses in the anciēts, that he understand it of no such Mass as we have seen, and this author moste impiuslie defendeth, but as I have expound it out of Eusebius, & Epiphanius, of the Conuentions of the people, which is easalie gathered of this author Alexander.

Mark thow that there can be nothing so contrarious to thy Mass, in the which there is no recytation of the Passion of our Savior at all, nor yet of no other action of his, comfortable any ways to the audience: so that how soever the words shall be taken, they can no ways serve to thy purpose. Now that Alexander speaketh (if he be the author hereof, as many doth not without cause dout) of pacification and delyting, the author to the Hebrews, may serve for a Cōmentarie to it, where he exhorteth to remember of liberality, & well doing, for with such Sacrifices God is appleased, and this no dout is the mind of Alexander how soever he speaketh excessiuelie of forgiveness of Sins, to stir up the hearts of the people to devotion: or referring it to the Sacrifice of the Cross, (whereby we have remission of sins only) that he speaketh of the excellency of the Sacrifice of the Lord's body and blood.

This should be applied to the Passion, that he commādeath to be recyted, or if ye liest to the practeis of the Lord's Table, which no dout is the moste excellent Sacrifice of all the Sacrifices, we are commanded to offer, not that it is a Sacrifice {pro}perlie, but as I have declared a Sacrifice of recordation, & commemoration of the Lord's death: for this is the most heyght, and excellent mystery, in the which the body and blood of the Lord Jesus are proponed and given so unto us, to feed upon, that we are made one with him, and he one with us: and as he is one with the Father, so are we one with him: which mystery is to be wyrschepped, that is, with such reverence and humiliation of hert, we ought to offer us to it, depelie and {pro}foundlie mediting with our selves the goodness of our God. Who so familiarlie presenteth his Son unto us, & with him communion and participation of his benefits, that we cannot be but carried away in admiratiō of the mystery and the wyrschepping of so beneficial a God, and so to offer up our selves, and all to him.

Take head that thow believe not, good reader, as this falls teacher would persuade, that this Alexander willeth us to stand and gaise upon the bread and wyne, to fall down before them, worschipe them, & sofurth. For thow seest planelie that he requireth first a diligent trial and examination of conscience, next a sincerity of mind in receauīg, to the which he subiuneth the worschipping which is not else but a deipe and profound meditation of the goodness of our God, the league and covenant made in the blood of his eternal Son, and the which he hath confirmed and sealed up in the hert of the true receiver, in that he here offereth and giveth to him bread and wyne, the body and blood of Jesus Christ now, by the receauīg of the simboles of the same. Thus I trust any reasonable man ought to be satisfied with the words of Alexander, now let us cū to Irenaeus, Polycarpus Disciple,

Here our new master willeth James to mark how this godly author affirmeth that our Savior in the latter Supper, teached a new Sacrifice of the new Testamē • the which the Church received of the Apostles. Because of set purpose and fraudfullie a great part of the sentence of this author is suppressed and omitted, I am drewen to rehearse the proper words of Irenaeus, that the Lector may then Judge clearly what is the meaning of this author, to the which effect it shall be verrie necessary that he read the 32. and 33. Chap. of the same fourt book, this place is drawn forth of, that he may the more resolutlie Judge of what oblation is there spoken.

Here shall I not weary to declare the sum of his disputatiō ī the two Cheptres, which is to teache be many places & exemples of Scriptures, that the verrie true sacrifices be not the externe and outward commanded in the law, but unfeigned faith, obedience, knowledge, patience, the love of our nyghtbour, and such others inward and spiritual Sacrifices, without the which the outward a • e but mere abominations in God's presence, as is easy to prove by the testimonies of the Prophets. Whereby he concludeth in deed, that the Lord required no sacrifice, no solid offering, but faith, obedience, and Justice, to the salvation of man, as we be teached in the Prophet Osea, and our Savior repeateth ī the Evangel. To this place Irenaeus goeth about to prove all oblations made unto God, in a foreconceaued opinion of ryghtuusnes, justice, and remission of sins, without these inward sacrifices of mercy, peace, and sofurth, to be execrable before God, since God hath not institute these outward things, as he anywise delyteth in them, but to admonies us of the inward as we be teached by John, 4. that the true worschippers adoreth in spirit and verity, and Peter, offering up spiritual offringes acceptable for Christ's saike, for unless all our Sacrifices and werkes be derected to God by faith in the mediator, they are altogether vnplesing, because there is no access to the Father, but by him, and by grace we are saved even as the Fathers under the law.

This oblation then, that Irenaeus speaketh of, is not the oblation of the body and blood of our Savior, which falls lie to establish thy mass thou pretendest to be offered up by a shaueling, for here there is nothing of any mass (God be praised) spoken, but it is the whole outward, & inward externe and spiritual worshipping. First the spiritual, as A true and unfeigned repentance, a contryte and a sobbing hert stricken with the conscience of sin and so directing itself by a steadfast faith in the mediator, to God, receiving remission of sins for his saike, giving thanks to the Eternal Father for the great treasour of his goodness disployed and poured down upon man, in giving his only Son to the death, for the redemption of the world: which faith is testefied, confirmed and sealed up by the receiving of the holy mystery of his body and blood. To these inward works, we may Join the earnist & vehement desire and thrust, we have to the propagation of his kingdom, the predication of his word, and such others of this kind.

Thus having proceaded, he doeth prosecute and teache v • how we ought to Join to these inward and spiritual, the outward and externe, which consisteth in such outward virtues as extendeth them selves to others, as liberality, Justice, fortitude, prudence: but cheiflie in deed of liberality and mercy towards the needy and indigent: For in they times, it wes received that certain almous wes brought to the place of Conuention, where the Lord's Table wes to be ministrate, & this destributed to the use of them that wer in necessity, that not only they should be teached by the preachers of that Fraternall and brotherly love, league and society that they wer all b • und together in Jesus Christ, But that the lyuelie practies of the same should more vinelie represent, set up, and imprent it in there hearts. These oblations wer called by the word of the old Testament, the first fructes: for as by the commandment they wer oblist in the old to offer them so saith Irenaeus our Savior commanded in the new testament oblations to be for the supporte of the poor, which wes in the Primitive Church done, when they cōueyned to the Celebration of the Lord's Table, and this beninguitie used to the relief of the poor, is called by the Apostle Hostia bone fragrantie one oblation of sweet savor to the Philip.

This thoght I neidfull to premitte, for the oppinning up of the mind of this author. Now shall we recyte the words that the calūni{us} fraud of this our start up, may appear: the words are: but and he giving counsel to his owen Disciples to offer up to God, the first fructes of his creatures, not as he wer needy, but that they should not be found vnfructful and ingrate, he tuke it, that by creation is bread and gave thanks, saying, this is my body, and it that is the cup likewise by creation after us, he confessed his blood and of the new testament he teached a new oblation the which the Church receiving from the Apostles vniuersalie offereth to God, that giveth to us our Alimentes and sustenence of the which Malachias one of the twelf Prophets, did forewarn, and so recyteth the words of the Prophet, which be declared already. It is easy the maters being considdered, I have said before, what of the explication of the place of Malachias, and what of the mind of Irenaeus to understand how miserably this author and all the Papists be deceived and schamefullie they stumble.

First it is evident that all they that do affirm the ma •• saith after there mūmilled incātation, consecration they call it, the bread is no creature, nor yet is bread, but is turned and changed in the verrie natural body of Jesus Christ, & that they offer the Son unto the Father, yea, and setteth him even there before the Father. Now the son is no creature being the creator, and Irenaeus saith that the Lord gave counsel to his Disciples to o • free to God the first fructes of his creatures, so that it is evident Irenaeus to have spoken nothing of the offering up of the Son of God, but the oblations & gifts that wer brogh • to the Table at the celebration of the Lord's Supper, together with the prayers, action of thanks, and predication of the Evangel through out all, even amongst the Nations which preaching of the Evangel, the Apostle terms by the name of Sacrifice. I am the Minister of Jesus Christ (saeth he) among the Nations Sacrifiing the Evangel of God, that the oblation of the Gentiles, may be acceptable and sanctified in the holy Spirit.

Thus Irenaeus exponeth Malachias, declaring him to speak of the whole new and spiritual worshipping of the New Testament, and to speak nothing of thy mass, his words are: For my name is great amongst the Nations saith the Lord omnipotent, moste manifestly hereby declaring that because the first people had desisted to offer to God, & in all places sacrifice is offered to him, & that clean, so his name is glorified in the nations. Whereby Irenaeus clearly declared the Prophet to have foresignified the Sacrifice of the Evangel and the preaching of the croce, whereof the sueit odor the delitious and comfortable savor is disparsed & spread throghout all, which is the most acceptable oblatiō to God as the apostle witnesseth, praise to God, saith he, that hath made manifest by us in all places, the order of his knowledge. Irenaeus exponeth himself in the 34. Chap. as he is plane yneugh in the 33. schewing that prayers and thanks giving of the Sanctes is the same oblation that Malachi foreprophecied to be offered up in all places, where he calleth the incenses that be spoken of, by John, in the Revelation, the prayres of the sanc ••• a • d after him schortlie 〈◊〉 against the 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 in the 4. against Marcion, fo •••• eth the same exposi ••• n, no dout, saith Tertuliane 〈◊〉 is forespoken by the •• ophete, becau • e the predicatio • 〈◊〉 the Apostles wes to •• sse throghout all countries: and 〈◊〉 after speaking of ••• ritual • acrifices, he rehearseth these 〈◊〉 of the Pro •• ete and in all place clean Sacrifices shall be offered to me.

Now lest some should think that this oblation, which the Church receiveth from the Apostles, and offereth up everywhere may always be applied to this Authors wicked purpose, Irenaeus in the words of the Text, reryted by me, but fraudfullie omitted by this author; declareth himself, calling the oblations of bread and wyne, and others things that wer brought to the relief of the needy, the first fructes, the words are plain, to him (saith he) who giveth aliments to us, the first fructes of there gifts in the new Testam • nt, as he should say, in that that our Savior tuke bread and wyne, and offered to his Disciples, he teacheth us a new oblation of the New Testament, how we ought with the oblation of our prayers, action of thanks, the predication of the mercies of our God, & the holy Supper, join • ••• tly & 〈◊〉 , that is, to acknowledge us to receive all at the & 〈◊〉 o • God, to be as it wer stewarts and despēs • tours of his gifts, and thus to offer up the first fructes to God, that is, to sanctify them to thereleif of the poor: and so he declareth himself in the Chap. following, by the gift, saith or, the honor & the affection is schowen towards the Kyng, the which the Lord wylling to be offered in all simplicity and innocence preached saying, when thow bringest the gift to the altare, and sofurth, then should thow offer saith Irenaeus, and concludeth the first fructes of his creature, to be offered to God, as Moses saith, thow shall not appear empty in the presence of the Lord thy God.

Now as I have decleared alreaddy his principale study is that with these outward actions, the inward worshipping be joined, we must make our oblatiō, saith he, to God, and be found thankful in all to our maker God, in simple mind and faith, without Hypocrisy, a stedfaste hope, a servant dilection offering up the first fructes of them that be his creatures, and this oblation clean and undefiled the only church and Congregation offereth up to the maker Sacrifiing to him of his owen workmaschipe with action of thanks: in the which words he plainly declareth, what he will we understand by the oblation of the new Testament, which no ways may appertain to your mass, where one goeth aside and pretendeth a certain oblation, not, of no creature, but of the verrie Son of God where we be teached here of one oblation made by the holy Churhe, and that of the creatures to the maker joining to the inward Sacrifice of faith, a clean conscience, a stedfaste hope, together with prayers, and the furthschewing of God's mercies, exhibited in Jesus Christ.

Syndrie other places may I adduce of the same two Cheptres, wherein he decleareth plainly, that he meaneth of almous given to the needy in the Lord's Supper, and of the table itself, prayer, and thanks giving, and others such laudable and Godly customs as were then used, which altogether are called the oblatiō of the new testament by this author.

Now ye add to the words of Cypriane (by himself) and omitteth a part of his sentence, which is this (& verrie and full Sacrifice then he offereth in the Congregatiō to God the Father, if he shall so begin to offer as he hath seen Christ alreddy to have offered) & pass by and will go to the mater.

What do ye find here that will serve any ways to your mass? and in verrie deed because ye perceived nothing to be here making for yow, ye add that God is author and teacher of the mass? Why do ye not allege the place? if anything might be found in Cypriane, ye should, no dout, have brought it forth, for it should have served more to your purpose. Shall ye thus be suffered to raill against God, and inure such insufferable blasphemies to the Eternal, and his sanctes, making him author of the moste detestable impiety, that ever wes diuised? Shall ye thus be permitted to deceive the simple ones of Christ's flock, redeemed by his blood? Be you assured, that the Eternal will not suffer the profanation of his mysterijs, the decept of his people, and the wrangling of the wryttinges of his sanctes, unpunished.

Let us return to the words of Cypriane in the which it is moste certain that he speaketh nothing of private masses unknown in his days, nether yet ever had place til that all being distroyed and waisted by the Gotthes & Vandelles and others, fearslie could any multitude be conueyned to the Celebration of the Lord's Table, but belike all good sciences falling in decay, the ignorance and contempt of God's word entered in, and received, that one should eat, for all the multitude, one should take vpō him to do that which ought to have been done of all. Now the ancients did abhor these private massts, we may know by the Epistle of Leo Pope, who wes many years after Cypriane, to Diofcurus, where he declareth planelie that there wes but a mass, and that the whole people being cōueyned together at festuall days and times, yea, and even in these our days, the Greik Church hath no private masses, & in the Popes owen Chapel, there is but one altare and a mass, and that seldom at certain appointed times in the year.

The words of Cypriane are to be understand of the distribution of the Sacrament, and Cōmunion of the people. For like as Christ upon the Cross, offered himself to God the Father, and that the memory of this his oblation might be kept ever fresche and recent in his Congregation, he instituted the Supper, and commanded the practeis thereof, breaketh bread, calleth it his body, and distributeth to his Disciples, and sanctifieth the cup, calling it the blood of the New Testament: So the minister making distribution of the body and blood of our Savior, according to his example and institution, and giving thanks to the Eternal, for the Sacrifice and oblation ones made upon the Crote, the virtue whareof ever remaneth, no dont he is the stedholder of Christ, in the imitatiō & doing that which Christ did & cōmanded to be done.

Now lest that the words that I have added of Cypriane, may appear to be hurtsum and preiudicial to satisfy all readers and take all enasion from yow. Let no man think that Cypriane willeth a priest to stand up by one altare allone and there to make one oblation by himself. But that he shall divide and distribute to the assistars the body and blood of our Savior, & offer unto God prayers and action of thanks for the Sacrifice of the Cross, the memory where of, is there solemnedlie celebrated, for that is to offer as Christ offered in the Supper, to wit, to give thanks, pray to God, and so make distribution of the simboles of his body and blood.

It is well noted by Chrysostomus, there be some things wherein the Minister differeth from the Commoun and layick people, which standeth not in that, that the Priest should make oblation and Sacrifice of Christ for them, and eat the Lord's Supper for himself allone, and so to distribute, and apply it to whom, and in what measure pleaseth him. But the preferment of the priest in this mater, is only in the ministration, as Cypriane here plainly teacheth that the priest as a common minister and debtor to the Church, doeth preach the word & distribute the Lord's supper unto the people, who doeth receive it at his hands.

Here it shall not be altogether out of the way to schawe the causes that moved the ancients, to call this action a sacrifice or one oblation, which appearinglie be syndrie and diverse. The first cause is drewen from the observation of the cons • etude in there days cheiflie of Irenaeus & Cypriane: the custom wes this, that the people brought with them a great quantity of bread and wyne, and offered at the table, whereof a certain portion wes taken and used to the holy Communion, the residue, wes sanctified to the use and supporte of the poor. And this no dout is the oblation, that Irenaeus Cypriane and Tertuliane, maketh so often mention of, yea, the verrie collectes of your mass (as ye be verrie Aippes, & will seme to had & retain some figure and Image of antiquity.) In this consideration wer called collettes, being received from the people, and oblations, because they wer offered to a holy use in which respect Paul to the Philipp. calleth the almonsan Sacrifice and a host of sweet savor, as I have alreddy touched.

Secundlye, there is one action of thanks an publyck attestation of our gratitude, and thankfulness, which in the scriptures is called one Immolation of praise, and laude. Thridlye, all communicantes doeth offer them to be reuled and guyded by God, yea, and mortified, whereof speaketh Paul to the Romans, give your bodies (saith he) to God, a living and a holy Sacrifice pleasing to God, and after he witnesseth, that he beareth the ministry, and Sacrificeth the Evangel that the oblations of the Gentiles may be acceptable and sanctified by the holy spirit, as we have cited here tofore.

The fourt is, that there is celebrated the memory of the Lord's death & passion, which because it wes the verrie & full sacrifice, the name of sacrifice is applied to that action whereby it is represented, and thus speaketh Augustine, when he saith by memory and recordation our Savior is every day offered up.

These are the four considerations, whereby the fathers are moved to give the name of Sacrifice and oblation to the Lord's table, albeit that I dar not altogether allow this in them, for since the Scripture giveth no such name unto it, and rashelie, we ought not introduce any new speaking nor yet leif the acquent manner and phrase of the spirit of God: yet somewhat is it tolerable in the fathers who carried away in admiration of the dignity and worthiness of the mystery could not wit certanelie what praise to give to it & with what title decore, set up, and exorne it.

Let this ones declared serve to the understanding of the wryttings of the fathers, whensoever ether we shall read anything in them, or there authority shall be laid against us.

It appeareth that ye wer well bote in the conclusion, what hath moved yow so soddenlie? In this, it is se • e, that it is most true that is reported of yow, that as ever ye get any match, or any withstand yow, ye then kindle and may not away with any contradiction. But I wounder of yow, a man that will seme to be verrie diligent in reading the ancients and in collecting all may serve to your purpose, being no ways occupied, but in the defense of this desperate cause, that ye gather not out these notable leasons. But this is your craft, sire, to cast a jealousy in the hert of the reader • hat ye may appear that, that ye are not in deed. But let us go to the examination of the mater. In deed I cannot find the formare words in 2. Homi. upon the Epistles to Timothy, nether upon the first, nor yet the secounde, but giving they be written, I can find nothing in them any ways helplie to yow.

For that the preparation of this Sacrifice is more magnifique and wonderful, nor the sacrifices under the law this is but spoken to extolle this holy Table above all the oblations of the law: In what respect and consideration it is declared at large. Of the offering up of himself that is Sacramentalie spoken, and appertaineth nothing to his reale presence.

In the latter part, even in the conclusion of the. 2. Sermōe upon the secunde Epistle to Timothy, he wrytteth these words, I will schewe yow something that is wonderful, meruell not, be not troubled, what is this? the holy oblation whidder it be offered by Peter or Paul, or any priest of what sumeuer merit, is the self same with it that Christ gave to his Disciples, and that the ministers now doeth make, why so? because men do not sanctify this, but Christ that hallowed that before, that as the words are one, that Christ then pronounced and they that be now pronounced by the ministers, so is the oblation one: and the same reason is of Baptism: so all doeth consist & stand in faith.

These be the words of Chrysostomus in the place before rehearsed. Of the office of the ministry & sanctificatiō I have spoken in the beginning of this treaty, of the oblatiō Lykewise, how it should be understand and that it is one with that, which our Savior practeist with his Disciples: since the action is one, sanctificatiō one, a sanctifiar, the same ceremonies recyted and the commandment given to do the same, there is no dout. But here ye must observe more that he maketh no difference towards the presence of our Savior in this action, and his presence in Baptism and this is moste true, for in consideration that they that be Baptized in Christ are endued and sled with him: we have to luke for no other presence of Christ in this action towards the reality of his body and blood, But all is to be referred to faith, as this author concludeth, nor we have in Baptism. In the secunde place adduced by yow, where the author is drewen to burste forth in admiration of this mystery, and cal it a miracle, in deed it is excessiuelie spoken to the praise of the action. Which manner of speaking is verrie familiare to this writter, for who soever is well acquent with him, shall observe him much given and to delight wounderfullie, in allusions, tropes & figurs, and as he hath his name from great eloquence, so hyperbollie and heygtly set up and extolle the mater that he entreateth, that he shall even appear to forget himself: notwithstanding the sense is gude being rygtlie considdered and discreitlie, according to the mind of the author in other places weighed and exponed: for can there be anything more miraculus, nor the conjunction of God & man? of the son of God and the sinful & wrached man: man to possess Jesus Christ with all his benefits? and that he who setteth at the right hand of God the Father, shall be given to the Saul of man? nothing at all. This is the operation of the spirit of God, the strenth and virtew of faith, which maketh the things that be absent, present, yea, and maketh us to inioye and possess the things we hope for, as Peter teacheth us & this author, as hath been laitlie said. Be were prudent reader, that thow think not that this author here speaketh anything of Christ's real, substancial & natural presence as the Papists do fondlie imagine for that he hath affirmed to be no other nor ī Baptism: and it is not to be supposed that here he meaneth anything other nor he teacheth plainly in his Sermon, De Eucharistia in En • oenus. Do not (saith he) think that yow receive by the hand of any man, the body of God, meaning of Christ.

And in many other places saith, that we ascend up unto heaven, and eateth Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father: and that he speaketh, yea, and some others of the wonderful operation of God, in his Sacraments passing all mannes wit, sense, and reasoun, not meaning of the working of God in watter, bread and wyne, which be figurs sanctified in deed to one holy use, but of the merue lus working of God, in the hearts of them that receive his Sacraments secreitlie, inwardly, & spiritually transforming, renewing, feiding, conforting, & nurissing them with his body and blood in heaven, so that all this is to 〈1 page missing〉 referred to the receauers who be thus wonderfullie changed and not to the signs, which notwithstanding the sanctification proceading of the commandment of Jesus Christ, and that they be removed and taken from the vulgare, common, and prop ••• ne use, and dedicate to this holy action, and so to be the simboles and Sacraments of Christ's presence, and remunition with us, yet receive they no alteration in there owen natures: but remane still in there proper and natural kinds, so that it is moste true, that this author saith of Christ sitting above with his Father, in his natural body triumphant in glory, and yet is the same here in our hands Sacramētallie, and figuratiuelie, yea, and present, and remaning in our hearts by grace & nourishment. In the thread authority alleged by this Scripturare. First observe with me, reader, that which I have admonished before, to wit, in what sense the ancients doth call this action of the Lord's table a Sacrifice, because, saith Chrysostom, it is celebrated in memory of Christ's death and passion, the rest tendeth altogether and only to declare this action, wheresoever it is practeist or how often repeated, it is nothing different, but all one with the action of our Savior.

And lest that any man should be moved or trubled with his free speaking, he exponeth himself in the conclusion, this that we do (saith he) is done in commemoration of that, that wes done, do this (saith he) in remembrance of me, not one other as the byschope, but the self same we do, Magi • autem recordationem operamur : rather we work the commemoration of the Sacrifice. By the which words he noteth him to have spoken excessiuelie and correcteth himself, exponing and restricting his former disputation, to the remembrance and recordation of the great and only Sacrifice, lest that any man should think and judge by his words, this action to be a Sacrifice in deed. What have ye now to brag of your Sacrifice of the mass, when ye are thus refelled of Chrysostom himself, whom ye and all papists pretendeth to stand moste for yow?

Now in verrie deed, I petty yow, and exhort yow, in the bowels of the mercies of Jesus Christ, to zeald to the truth and eschame not to recant & confess your impius wicked, and ungodly error, eschame not to give it over to Jesus Christ, whose eternal verity will obtain victory. This we seek at yow, not on a realing manner; or yet of mockery, but (as God is witness to our conscience) frō the bottom of our hearts, for there is no other thing that pusheth us to this ba • tell, (,God is witness) but the defense of the truth, which by tyranny, ambition, Avarice, & ignorance these many ages (alas) hath been oppressed and almost buried, to the which we will postpone all thing that is here moste tender, deir, and precius. Now cumeth this author to "Ambrosi{us} ane ancien doctor ap{pro}uit be ye kirkof god in his ap{pro}bation I will not stand, but will say, that he is best worthy of ap{pro}bation, who standeth by the truth, & further, that many be ap{pro}ued by the Romane church (which church I trust ye mean) that be worthy to be cast in the fire, or to serve to the butter wyffes, that I say no wers.

Your purpose is (to call the mater to mind again) to {pro}ue the mass to be a Sacrifice, wherein Christ is offered to the father by the priest. Now I pray you what strēth of probation lieth in these words of Anthrosius, serving to this mater: there is no mention of mass, the Sacrifice & oblatiō, that is here spokē {per}teyneth derectly to the practeis & celebration of the holy communion, where the faithful menisters executing there office & charge, conform to the example of our Savior are not only followers of Christ as Ambrose doeth testify, but Vicarres and stedeholders as we have alreaddy said in Cypriane: but as we observed in Chrysostom, so we have in this author, that he in the • clitsiō useth a certain correction of his form are sayings: Whereby he explaneth his meaning in the word preceding that, not so much have we to understand his body & blood to be offered up (speaking properly) as it is to be understand that, that it is declared plainly him to be offered up in ws. that is, as he would say, this oblation and Sacrifice, which I beat thus cōtinuallie ī your ears, is not to be takē so as I should mean properly, us to offer up to the Father, his Son Jesus Christ, which he himself only wes worthy and able to do and did. But I mean that now we being received in couenante with our God by the mediation of Jesus Christ, which league is confirmed, & sealed up in our hearts by the symbols of his body & blood, whereby we are assured, that we are one with him feiding upon his body and blood, that we now possess him and hes him duelling in us, what resteth on our part, saith Ambrose, but in recordation of this so great a benefeit, & in declaration of our thankfulness, to offer us up to God, together with all that we possess: we have received by the communion of thy Son, Justice, ryghtuusnes, sanctification, holiness, with all benefits: these graces, as we grant our selves to have received of thy free mercy, so we now do dedicat sanctify and offer them to thee. This Immolation then is none other, nor it that Paul speaketh of as we have heretofore declared. All our worthiness doeth proceade and flow of that Sacrifice, in recordation of the which we celebrat this Sacrifice, reiocing in nothing, but in Jesus Christ, and him crucified, by whose agnominy, we are made honorable, by whose poverty we are made rich, by whose death, we are quickened, and by whose obedience, we are made bold to enter in the presence of our God, thoght we be never so unable and unworthy of our selves, so that now we are not to be Iudged and reputed the offrers, but rather he whose spirit reuleth our hearts, and moveth us to this thankfullnes, yea he himself offereth all we have by the Communion unto the eternal Father.

I cannot answer Augustine better then by himself, but before I cum to the answer, it shall not be all out of purpose (good reader) if I shall show the reule which Augustine p̄scribeth to all readers of his works, & will not attribute to others, nor yet vendicat to himself more then becumeth

Of this mater, I have spoken somewhat heretofore, out of Augustine, yet to refresh the memory of the reader and to show and teache that many mo places, may be gathered out of his works, then they that be recyted, I will not weary here, in the proper place of the interpretation of his owen words, to show his opinion, and in what place he willeth all readers to put his works. And first these be his plane words, I cannot deny, nether yet ought I, that even as in them, that hath passed before, so verrie many things to be in my so many treattes that by a Just judgment, and without temerity may be damned.

And again he wrytteh to Ieronimus, for I will grant (saith he) unto thee, to these only books of the Scriptures, which be called Canonical have I learned to defer that fear, & give that reverence, that I believe most firmelie none of the authors of them, in wrytting anything, to have erred, or if I shall find anything in their wryttinges that shall appear to be contrarius and repugnant to the truth, then do I not dout, but ether the exemplar is falls, or the interpretor hath not atteyned to the understanding of it, that is said: or that I do not understand it myself. But others I read so that with whatsoever holiness and doctrine they have excelled, yet do I not judge it to be true, because they so judged, But because they have been able to persuade, ether by these Canonical authors, or by a probable reason, that abhorreth nor frō the truth: I will content me, gentle reader, with these testimonies not but there be many mo, but that I judge it superfluus to adduce any mo and think these sufficient to oppin up the mind of Augustine. What is the reverence that is due to the Scriptures of God, and with what judgment & discretion we ought to read other men's wryttings, and what he craveth himself of others. Now shall it then in anywise seme arrogant if it should be required of Augustine that, that he craveth of others? that hath passed before without any respect to there holiness, or doctrine and craveth earnistlie authority of Scripture, or a probable reason, not abhorring from the verity, and pereuenture in sober and maters of no great importance. The disputation now being here in the mater, we have in hand of, the chief and principale poyuctes of our faith, in the which all authority of man set a part, the only scole master Jesus Christ is to be hard according to the commandment given (here him) what ever Augustine did judge of purgatory, and prayer for the dead, I am assured these be his words. First the faith of the Catholicques by the authority of God, hath believeth that there is a kingdom of heaven: the secunde that there is a Hell, in the which all that declyneth to Apostasy, or divideth himself from the faith of Christ, shall feile torments. We know no thread, yea and we find nonee in the holy Scriptures. And in one other place best it were in one incertane mater; of the which the scriptures maketh no mention, mi • tacken affirmeth the contrary, that they should say no • hing, cōform to the sentence of the wise Seneca, in th ••• 〈◊〉 douesum, thow should affirm nothing, but hald 〈◊〉 judgment incertane: In others places, he plainly doubt • even In Luchiridio ad Laureunum. 68. Cap. and writeth the same in the conclusion of 68. something like this (saith he) to happin after this life, it is not incredible, but he saith, if it be so, it may be demanded and ether to be funde, or to be ignored, and these same words, ye shall find Ad dulcinum questione prima. and in the boke of faith and works, Cap. 1 • . whidder then men shall suffer these things in this life or yet after this life? some such judgments shall ensue, it abhorreth not as I believe from reasoun: and again in 21. of the City of God. Cap. 26. having spoken of Purgatory, subioyneth, this I red argue not, for pereuenture it is true. In all these ye may {per}ceaue euidētlie Augusti. to dout of it, but against Pelagius, to affirm plainly, that after the deperting out of this life, there is Heaven and Hell, and no thread place. But thow will say, that he affirmeth it in other places. I answer, that those places, in the which he appeareth to affirm it, should be exponed by these, that ether he wes certantlie persuaded that there was no such thing, or then he douted of it.

But now would I ask of thee, why would thow this godly man, should certainly affirm that, which he cannot proueether by authority or by example of attentique scripture. If it be a thing so comfortable & necessary, do we think that boith the ancien Fathers under the law should have been frauded, nether yet any revelation made to the Apostles of it. I will not feght with stronger arguments because it is but incident and accessory to our mater.

The argument of praying for the dead is euerted by the same reason, true it is, and cannot be denied, but of long antiquity, it heth been received to pray for the dead, and again it is not to be douted, but they were mē, and built not ever upon the foundation, Gold, Syluer, & precious stones. And we know that there is no antiquity of opinion, nor error, that ought to prescribe or preiudge to the verity, for it is moste certain, that even in the time of the Apostles errors were, and Paul himself maketh mention of evil builders, yea▪ and a little after there age, we read that some wes 〈◊〉 opinion that Baptism should be received for the de ••• .

How esalie men are move • • y a natural affections and inclination to wysse there fr •• des at there deperting to be well, and so to burste forth 〈◊〉 some prayer, we have all experience, but we ought to take head that our affection be not fund repugnant to the reule of faith, and godliness, and so to be brydled.

This cōsuetude of prayīg for the dead, no dout, appeareth well to have proceaded of the opinion of Purgatory, yet some other cause may be assigned, as that it wes judged one inhuman thing to though • e the memory & renome of the depted to be utterly extinguished & perish: so that these prayers at the beginning before the opinion of purgatory tuke so depe rute appeareth to have been somewhat tolerable for they tended to this end, to give God thanks, that hath called them from the miserable condition of this life to his mercy: and so Ambrosius in his oration at the departing of Theodosius & Valentinianus maketh a certain gratulation to them that are delivered out of the miseriis of this life, and wes with Christ in the Eternal • lysse. He adiuneth some prayers which repugneth to this but by this he would teache and admoneshe the Church of a certain duty towards the departed, even as they were yet a life, not douting, but they had received that which he wyssed to them. Christ prayed for the resurrection of Lazarus, being certain that he had obtained that he hade called for, so he saith, he did for there saik, that assisted: & it appeareth by Dionisius that the Byshope prayed to teache the people principalie, what the felicity wes, that the departed enjoyed, and that he hade received all that the Church wyssed to him. Epiphanius giveth one other cause against Arius, to show our imperfection conferred with Christ: this cause it hath no {pro}babilitie, for we know the ancients, to have prayed for Martyrs, Apostles and others. But these ar not to be called prayers properly, but actiones of thanks, like as Augustine witnesseth himself, in the words recyted by yow.

And als we are able to prove by the Greik Cānon where it is plainly said, that offringes be made for Prophets, Patriarchs, and others that be received already to mercy, Which I am sure neideth hone of our prayer, by the confessionn of all, and so • a • no • stand if it shall not be thus understand for a certain thanks given to God, and g • atulation to them, that be •• ceaued in that eternal felicity.

These causes I have •• duced that ye may understand that there be • o • or • • ause that moved the ancients to pray for the dead, and that ye may perceive that there wes some certain color of simplicity, at the beginning, til purgatory that greedy, deuowring, insaciable, and pestilent fire wes erected, when all religion wes overthrown, as we seen by experience, for of it hath flowed all the abomination that regneth to this day.

Let no mā think that in this I will excuse the ancients in this there attemptate without any commandment or allow • nce of God. But that ye may understand them to have been moved to this, by many causes probable in there judgment before there wes any mention of Purgatory.

Now resteth to oppin up the beginning of the oblations that were made at the burying of the dead, it wes a received custom, and cōsuetude among the nations, that in the days of there nativity, and solemnity of there burial they made a certain Banked to the people, which custom after there conversion to the Evangel, they still retained in many places, and specially in the burial, albeit some part corrected, that they in the burying brought meat & drynk, unto the grave of hī that wes deceassed, & placed upon the grave, which ryte Augustine rebuketh, calling them that so did, Infideles. And it is not to be wondered that they who were instructed in the scole of Pythagoras, & Plato, retained and sauored something of their old dregge. This use dured a sufficient time amongst them that were converted, therefore saith Augustine: cease brethrē from this heathen error of infidelytie, for the holy Souls saith he, ether be innocence of life, are clean, or are purged by satisfaction of repentance, and so are received by our Savior, & are to be judged, to be with him, according to the saying of Paul, I wisse to be dissolved, & be with Christ this far Augustine, making no mention of Purgatory nether yet sending the Souls of the dead, to any such place.

This consuetude thus flowing from the gentilytie, could not be altogether removed, yet wes it corrected in this manner, that at the practeis of the Lord's Table, and in the burial, oblations were made of bread and wyne, & such others things to 〈◊〉 • eleif, and use of the poor, yea, and in the funeral this wes • e •• er adjoined, that not only almous wes geuin to the supporte of the needy, by the friends of the dead: but there w • s added prayer, thanks giving, and funeral orations made in the public assembly. The form is setfurth by Dionisius, that the minister after he had set up the monument of him that wes to be buried, then he gave thanks to the eternal God, who by Jesus Christ had distroyed death, and the author of it, and by him had given eternal life to them that believed in him then wes there certain Psalms recyted, sung by the assistance, after this a certain place of Scripture comfortable of the resurrection of the dead wes red and exponed immediately, they that were under instruction and unbaptized, were put forth of the temple. This done, a cathologue wes recyted of them, that had been called upon, to God's mercy before, and the name of him that wes to be buried, put in, his virtues rehearsed as constancy in religion, faith, Innocency of life, mercy and liberality to the needy & to this wes joined one exhortation to them that assisted to follow there example and fotesteppes, then and last came the Minister unto the corps, & there recyted certain prayers, commending the dead to God.

Of this order used in the burial proceeded that even in the holy communion, mentioun wes made of the dead, as Augustine plainly witnesseth, speaking that his Mother, earnistlie craved, that mention should be made of hir at the table, & as we may gather of his book, that he wrytteth de Te cura pro mortuis. Yet wes not this memory and commemoration so superstitious, as in this aige, when our mass mounging schauelinges braggeth that they offer up the body and blood of Jesus Christ, for the dead and the quick, for redemyng of them that be in Purgatory, the Supper of the Lord, being institute, nether for dead, nor for quick, others nor doeth use it, according to the institution and practies of our Savior. Whereby we may clearly perceive in the time of Augustine, as I have already declared, and may prove by the Greike Canon, there wes no oblation, such as ye pretend for the dead, but only ane • ction of thanks to God for his mercy shown upon them in receiving them to his cumpanye.

The oblations we read in the ancien wrytters, are to be understand of bread and wyne, and such others things given and serving to the use of the poor, and not for redemption of any Souls out of Purgatory. It cannot be denied, but they speak as I have oftentimes warned) excessiuelie, yet all is to this end, that the relief of the poor may be the more depely imprented in our hearts, and that we may have the greater care over them, and thus brusteth forth to promise remissiō of sins, increase of goods multiplication of the benefits of God, yea, and some times to encurage them the more, affirmeth it to auale even to the dead, not that any fructe redoundeth to the dead, but only that they may move them to greater pity, and liberality towards the indigent they amplyfie, and deck up the mater. For this ye bring out of Augustine is not to be understand of any other oblatiō, nor of almus given to the poor, to the which wes joined certain orations, or rather commemorations, and actions of thanks for the dead. And that these be called propiciations, and means, whereby grace and mercy is purcheshed to the dead, this we have to take excessiuelie spokē to the praise of almons, and to kendle the charity of mē towards there indigent brethren, which charity & mercy, they complene to be waxed cold: thus by fair persuasions and promises they walken, allure and encurage the dull hearts of mē: and so the words are not to be taken rigoruslie & strictlie: For if ye shall so do, we must have recurse to the reule of Augustine, already declared, that is, to the eternal verity of God, revealed in his Scriptures, where there is no such commandment given to pray, or offer for the dead, nor yet allowed by any example of attenticque Scripture, nor word spoken of Purgatory, but plainly teached that all faithful are saved, & unfaithful condemned. Where unto aggreth the doctors them selves, as Ambrose, De bono mortis. He that receiveth not remissiō of sins here, there shall be none there, to wit, after the departing of this life, there shall be nonee, because they could not attain to eternal life, which is remission of sins. And Cypriane, after the departing of this life, there is no place to repentance, nor effect of satisfaction. Here is life, ether lost, or holden, here is provided for eternal life, by the worshipping of God, and the fructe of faith. And Ieronimus, in this world, we know that we may help everyone others ether by oratioun, or then by Counsel, when we shall cum before the Trybunal of Christ, nether Job, Daniel, Noah, may pray for us, but every man shall bear his owen burthene. And Augustine himself, besides the places alleged, saith he not? all hath at there departing out of this world, there owen diverse receptacles, the godly hath joy, the wicked tormētes, but at the resurrection, the joy of the godly, shall be amplified, and the panes of the ungodly, shall be made more grievous, when they shall be troubled with there bodies: the holy Patriarchs, Prophets, Martyrs, Apostles, & all good faithful are received in peace, yet they shall all receive in the end, that God hath promised, for there is promished • esurrection of the flesh, consumption of death, eternal life with the Angels, this we are to receive at ones, for the rest, which immediately is given after the death, every man receiveth (if he be worthy of it) when he dieth. This far Augustine.

If a rest be prepared for all faithful, where is thy Purgatory, and since thow feest, they receive this rest immediately after the dissolution & uanishnig of these bodies, what now can serve thy oblation and prayer to them, more then to pray for the elect vashell of God Paul? Shall we think that the oblation, whereof mention hath been made, wes offered for the Patriarchs? according to the words of the Greik Canon, we offer to thee this our spiritual service for them who resteth in Christ Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and sofurth. I trust thow dar not say it, how little schame soever thow hest. It is plane then, that the oblation that wes made in the holy Communion wes a certain action of thanks for that, that God had gathered to him a Church from time to time by there ministry, he had geuin his word to be dilated throughout all, by the Sceptre whereof he governed all. These things be plane and manifest, and cannot be denied of the learned adversaries, that be versed in the antiquity, how soever they impiust it wrangle and wreiste all to there fond wicked and abhominable mass, which Augustine never knew, nether wes there any such prophanatiō amongst Christians many years, and ages after. If yow cannot be satisfied by this, that I have adduced for the understanding of the words of Augustine, assure yourself that how so ever my answer is directed principally to refute the treatty of the mass, yet my labors are dedicat to the comfort of the simple and godly, that might be troubled with his calumnius arguments.

Trew it is, and is not to be douted, but as Tritemius, witnesseth many works are ascribed to Augustine, which he never made, nor were his: so we lack not a probable argument of conjecture, and suspicioun, that even his wryttinges be, ī some places deprauat, sentences infarred, in some places words added, in others takē away, peruertīg the whole, yea, and the same is to be judged of the rest of the godly Fathers.

And if care the reader shall find this strange, it is the querimonie of Dionisius Byschope of Corinthus, who compleneth even in his owen time, his Epistles to have been corrupted, many things added, many taken away, as we may reid in Eusebius. Whereby we may be most certanelie persuaded, this to have been the continual practies, and travel of Satan, to saw in some fitches amongst the good sayings of godly mē, and so to pervert there works, and deceive the people of God. Which may be easalie tried, when the authors are found contrarius, and repugnant to them selves, affirming a thing here, & doutting of it there, as ye may observe Augustine in this mater affirming, douting and planelie denying one thing, as we have shawen, alwayis we have the reule and line of the Scriptures: which as they cannot deceive us, & are moste certain, so ought we to examine all true doctrine by them, and then can we not be abused by authority of one or estimation of one other.

Wold to God, whatsoever ye note, upon the margin of one Obite mass, that ye would, and your papists, in all maters, which ye pestilentlie, maliciouslie, and mischeuouslie call in deut, being more bright and evident, nor the Son at none days, that ye, I say, and all your pestilent faction, could stand to the determination of this godly mā, for God be praised, he a • peareth to have been send of God. to avenge the cause of his truth, and confound other errors, that appeareth to have been then creping in, as of your monstrus transubstantiation, & others, which I have not to truble me with at this present being aside frō the purpose.

The oblation that he maketh mention of, in the day of departing, is not that, that we read in Virgile, of the anniuersarie (out of the peruerst, & wicked Imitation whereof, hath flowed this your Obite Mass, Dirigie, Placebo, and so forth) made by Eneas, for his father Anchises, but as I have already declared of almous, according to the custom, to the relief of the needy, as I have said.

Here after followeth in this author, Gregorius, whose age in deed, I dare not absolve from superstitiō, for then trouble rising, and specially, the great and haynus contention for the supremacy betwix Constantinople, and Rome, the Scriptures began to be handled by every mannes fantasy, at the affection of parties, where greatest auātage appeared, without all reverence, as may be clearly known, by the works of them of those days, & of this sā • author that is now alleged. His words are.

I content with the translation ye have adduced, albeit this word (applying) be not in the text of Gregorius, & ye have translated it, as it might best serve to yow, albeit it serveth nothing at all, for in such exhortations, what shall any godly man do, or moss the people to do; 〈◊〉 it exhort them to murne, to weip, to be • aile there 〈◊〉 • oul • offenses, warn them to take head that they be not oppressed, nor suddenlie takē, and so to send such Ambassadors, as it were, declarīg there good mind & prompt obedience ready to serve, to pay tribute, that is, give almous to the poor, and offer up such hosts, as proceading of a clean conscience, and one intiere mind, may testify and witness there simplicity, in respect whereof the former rebellion is forgiven, since we clean not to our owen merits and desernings, but to the mercy of our great king, disployed in Jesus Christ, and purchessed by his Passion, to the which only all remission, and absolution from sin is to be referred. This to be the mind of Gregorius, it is easy to perceive by any that pleaseth to read the place: the Homilie is written upon the words that be recyted in the 14. of Luke, the beginning is, if a man haite not Father and sofurth. It followeth of the King that passed to war, and considereth with what power he may witstand his Inimie stronger nor he: upon the explanation of these words the author, as might serve to his exhortation, passeth from the sense of the text to the allegory, and showeth what is meant by the example, we are unable to withstand the potent King God, to enter in Judgment with him: herefore ought we clean to his mercy disployed upon the croce of Jesus Christ his eternal Son, and so to weip, and bewail our Sins by repentance. The only way and mean to be received in favors again, and to have our former rebellion forgiven and remitted.

There is no mention of mūdled masses: but our author is so addicted to his wicked opinion, and so blinded, that wheresoever any word is made of a Sacrifice, one altare, one oblatiō, one host, incontinētlie thinketh he with himself: ha this author maketh for me, let me put this in protocolle, never having respect to the custom of the time, nor sense of the author, and so abuseth all to the wrapping up of himself in obstinacy, and blynding, and deceauing of the people.

The oblation, and Sacrifice what it wes, I have declared, one host likewise, what the altare is the author to the Hebrews, and John in the Revelation declared, to wit, Jesus Christ, who vndoutedlie is the altare, upon the which we have to offer up our Sacrifices, hosts, and oblations of prayer, thanks, and liberality, whom by all our actions, Sacrifices, and oblations are sanctified, and he is the verrie Hoste, of the which Sacramentallie and spiritually do eat, all that offereth them to the holy practies of the Lord's Table, and do believe in him, as youre owen Parisien doctor G • gneus doth well say.

We know none other altare, nor the Scriptures of God allow, unless ye will set up a new Judaism, as ye fetched in a gentilisine out of Virgile, in your obite mass, and the moste part of all your proceadinges, as I am able to declaire particularly, if time and leaser should serve.

Now saith this author,

I trust ye have adduced all might serve anywayes in your Judgment to this deuilishe purpose of the defense of the miserable mass, but if the mater had been good and allowed of God, I dout not, but albeit ye should pereuenture not have needeth so many, yet we could have contented with a few number, but my believe is that these authors being ryghtlie cōsiddred, the time weighed, & there minds graipped out (where in we have takē some pain, not vnfructfullie God be praised) the lector shall perceive clearly that they make nothing for your party. Followeth the concile Nicene.

The Sacrifice that is here spoken of, in the determination of the concile, is a Sacrifice of praise; laude, and thanks giving, which albeit it be made by the minister, yet since it is made in the name of the whole Church, & the people doth consent in there hearts to it, that is oppinlie spoken by him, yea, & doth approve it to by the saying, Amen, It is reputed no les to be the Sacrifice of the assisters nor of the minister. This then is the Sacrifice, the councile speaketh of making no mention of a Sacrifice propiciatorie to be made for remission of sins of the dead and quick. This propiciatorie, and expiatorius Sacrifice wes offered up by Christ, & that ones never to be repeated and reiterat, for the way is ever ready prepared, & his blood ever fresehe, as the Apostle speaketh, The Church in deed, in memory of that Sacrifice, offereth up cōtinuallie oblation oforation, prayers, & thanks giving.

The words of the Concile calling Christ, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, are not to be referred to the symbols of bread and wyne, which the concile disertlie pronunceth to be there, but to the Son of God, Christ himself, who wes made the verrie propiciation of our sins, and the correction of our Peace. But here I will hear with your fault, in the translation knowing yow to be ignorant of the Greik tongue, and should pass by it, if it should not serve to the declaration of the mind of the concile: for lest that any mā should think that this action, be a verrie Sacrifice, this is added 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is (not like a Sacrifice) or (not after the manner of a Sacrifice) so the sentence (Sacrificed of the priests) (not as ye turn it) without blood (but) Sacrificed by the priests, not after the manner of a sacrifice or not like a Sacrifice, declareth plainly that there is no such Sacrifice propiciatorie meant of here as ye falsely pretend: whereby ye may perceive evidently a great difference betwix the Sacrifice that is offered by the priest, and the Sacrifice of Christ, who in verrie deed, did offer himself, after the manner of a Sacrifice, that is to the death, for the absolution and expiation of the sins of the world.

The priest wi •• • he 〈…〉 , and offer up (not after the manner of a Sacrifice, as the councile saith) the action of thanks, laude, and praise for that sacrifice cause, Where by the wraith of God is anoyded, sanc • ification purchased fo • his 〈◊〉 wipeth away our sins, and not the eating of his body, nor drynkinh of his blood.

And forber we shall observe in this that this councile, willeth us to lyft up our minds, and not to fixe them upon the • ume Elemēts, that be set before us, we be here I say, admonished Christ's body naturally, to be in the heauennes, and to be no ways here, in this action, but as he is in Baptism, as this councile plainly doeth declare and we have alread • y shown in Chrysostomus. Others things I pass by, that be here to be observed, and are most live • ie setfurth, as the form of the action, the mention of the Table, according to the form practeist, and observed by o • r Savior, the • yfting up of 〈◊〉 • arts by faith▪ the 〈…〉 made indifferently to all of boith the part • s • a • e of all in the words •••• ted by yow, that we ought to take, but a little and sober quantity▪ known, that we do not offer us thither, for the satur •• e and filling of the flesche, but for sanctification, as the councile doeth moste godly conclude.

To the one councile I have answered, and schewen the true meaning of the fathers in there determination, where there is nothing, that any ways appertain, or properly can be applied to the mass, like as in the decreit of this concile, there is nothing making for your part and for th • s cause, the Sacrifice that they acknawledgeit to be here, they pronunce it to be one unbloody Sacrifice, that is no sacrifice in deed, if we should speak strietlie, and according to the proper nature of a Sacrifice, but only to bear the name of sacrifice, because it is a monument, and memorial, and as it were one anniuersarie of the propiciatorie Sacrifice offered up by the Son of God, so that the meaning of this councile is one with it of the councile of Nicaea, for it that is went by the Aduerb, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is here called unbloody.

Considder with yourself, how far ye offend against this councile, that saith, and defendeth the verrie contrary, for ye affirm that ye have a blody sacrifice going about to infer a real presence of Christ's body, and blood, for if his verrie and real body 〈◊〉 there, in your mass, & his verrie and real blood, and oblation made of them, it followeth necessarelie, that it is a bloody Sacrifice, & so your conclusion directly is contrarius to the constitution of the concile, that calleth it one unbloody Sacrifice in the manner, as I have declared.

Now have we, God be praised, atteyned to the end of this authors arguments, there be no other thing in his boke, worthy of answer, not the les, le • t that he should brag (as I know the 〈…〉 ) if 〈◊〉 th • ng should be pretermitted, we shall go throught all the rest. Here then is James brought in praising his reasons, and arguments grāting them to be most {pro}perlie alleged & exponed.

In this, I will truble the render no fo • der with many words, but refer the judgment to him, if i • de • ot evidently declared, that • e her hath be any foundation of 〈◊〉 mass in the old Testamen • , nor in the now, example, nor practies of the Apostles, authority nor suffrage of antiquity, ether the fathers, ether yet the conciles, which he all moste vntreulie pretended to ma • e for him: his wrangling and wraisting of the pl • ces of Scripture, ineptlye and impertinentlie cited by him, together with there tree • and germane sense, is expo • ed this ignorance of the Greik tongue and antiquity (without the knowledge of the which it is not able to ony man to travel happelie in the matters of Scriptures) is oppinned up, and the verrie and natural mind of the fathers, and counciles vtterred to the cōtentment, (I trust) & satisfaction of the modest and gentle reader.

I have schewen, besides this the things that wrappeth up this author, in obstinacy and di • nours. First his owen affection and his foolish and inconsiderat zeal being addicted to the defense of that, that seemeth good unto him, and as we see, a Febricitant mā, having his stomach corrupt, and his taiste inf • rted, all thing, be it never so good, synketh to him, even so it is in the mind, when a man is addicted, and fixed upon any purpose, be it never so wicked. it shall seme good, be it never so impius, it shall appear godly, be it never so haynus and detestable, yet shall it be to him pleasing and delectable.

Trew it is, that the spurr of ambition pricketh a mā wounderfullie forewarde, when a man will seme, & appear, will set up, and extolle himself, and so will be singular in opinion, and of these, alas, we have a great number, who in time of papistry, and darkness regarded not mass, caired not for no • ond ceremonies, whispered in every corner, yea, and some times plainly spake all to be wicked (as it wes in deed) that wes then used, cried for reformatiō, which now of the great mercy of our God offered they Loth, and abhor, would be again at there vomit, the stynking dung of papistry, we luked not (say they) for a speaking God, that so scharplie rebuketh vice, and extremelie punisieth, let us return to our dum God, that never said evil to us, but wes ever for the price ready to forgive, what so ever we had committed: to the purpose, one inconsidderat zeal, joined with ambition, it cannot be expressed, how pithy and strong it is to carry a mā away headlinges to induration: then if ignorance shall be added the mother of will, and arrogancy, the seiknes beginneth to be incurable, pa • sing & exceeding all remedy.

The ignorance of antiquity, and of the Greik tongue▪ hath helped much to pe • uert your judgment, Sire, in preposterus, and inept citing of the sayings of the ancien doctors, and I fear, that ye have rather given credit and faith to others that hath traueled in this wicked cause before yow, nor hath red them yourself.

When a man is affectioned, then O Lord how • asalie is he transported, what so ever he readeth making it to serve to his purpose this, thinketh he is to be s • ked, here is mention of the mass, here is word of a Sacrifice, here one oblation, what so ever it be, it must serve to the purpose without all consideration and trial.

This hath been a part of my 〈◊〉 , to opp • n up youre seek • es, and the cause thereof, beseiking the eternal God, to put remedy to it, if his godly pleasour be: take not this to be said in realing manner, how soever ye deserve to be entreaitted, realing without all mesour, moderation, & modesty against the true and holy seruandes of God, yea, and verrie Prophets sent of his great uter • y, to reform the face of the earth, which had so hor • idly •• dyne • from God, and his obedience, but ra • her, Si • r, think and judge it to be said of a zealus har • , desyring and thristing moste earnistlie your conversion, and unfeigned repentance. James after that he hath thus praised him & as it is wryttē in the old Proverbs, Mules claweth ever one other, then requireth he for his memories cause a rehearsal be made of the whole disputation, to the which reasonable desire as he is verrie gentle in such cares, how soever he appear to be other ways, he granteth wyllinglie and first bringeth him back to it that wes principal of the whole disputation: If the mass be a sacrifice instituted by Jesus Christ, in his latter Supper, which he taketh to be clearly prouen, but vpō this mater, I will sp • a • nothing, but require the reader to call to remembrence, what hath been spoken against his defi • ition, the gr •••• and foundation of it drawn out of the words of the la •• er Supper, in the which words, there is no commandment given of oblation, nor Sacrifice, but only to do that which he had done, to take bread, give thanks, break, and distribute it, and all in remembrence of his death, the which being thus practeist, they might be assured of his very body and blood, to be thereby nurished and refresh • d unto eternal felicity.

The inconveniences, and absurdities, that doeth ensue of youre oblatioun, hath been declared, how ineptlie and improperlie ye adduce Malachi, the true meaning and sense of the Prophet hath been shawen by the universal consent and exposition of the most godly, some do think the mind of the Prophet there, to signify, & forewarn the vocation of the Gentiles, and nations, by a manner of speech familiare to the Prophets, to wit, by the inward and spiritual manner & form of worshipping, set forth according to the worshipping of the law, to Prophecy the vocation of the nations together with the rejection of the Jews. In whose place they war to be received & adopted

As in there whole works, we have the gifts exhibited unto us, in Jesus Christ, painted forth, by the figures, aggreing to there age, as the conversion to God, by the passing up to Jerusalem, his adoration by the offering of all kind of gifts, and Sacrifices, and by the visions & dreams, we have the foresignification of that great knowledge, that wes to be given to the elect, and chosen at the •• yumphant Revelation of the eternal Son of God, Jesus so that this place of Malachi, is even all like to that, that is spoken of the three Altares, to be erected in Assyria, Egypt, and Judea, for if ye be of that opinion, that this Prophecy of Isaie is fulfilled, and accompleshed ye must show to me, where, and when these alteres wer erected, and further, if every kingdom hath a certain temple appointed or one altare for the self, and if ye will make answer to these, I trust ye will be drowen to confess • , that the Prophets under the forms, types, and figures aggreing and consonant to there aiges, forwarneth the dila • ation of the kingdom of God, at the exhibition of his son Jesus Christ.

Besyddes this, I have shown how miserably ye are deceived, thinking that there is no other Sacrifice, but your mass. Notwithstanding that the faithful now still offereth to God, a clean and undefiled oblation, as we have already spoken. The similitude and comparison of our Savior, with Melchizedek out of the author to the Hebreues, is explained, and to it adjoined, the interpretation of the words of David, In the 110. Psalm, which words no ways appertaineth to any oblation of bread and wyne, but to the perpetuity of his kingdom, without any fallow or successor, for it is plane that Melchizedek made no oblation of bread and wyne to God, whereof there is no mention, but only brought them forth to Abraham, and his wearryed Army, as Chrysostomus, and Josephus doeth note, and there shall be any place to conjecture & probability, but we ought not trouble our selves with the cause, wherefore Abraham so did, but rather to keep silence with the spirit of God. And if any oblation shall be granted in the Lord's table, it is of bread and wyne, to be sanctified, and converted to one Sacramental use, from a profane and natural, and not to be transubstanciated in the body and blood of our Savior, for then the similitude shall perish, so that nothing can make more against the real presence, nor this, as haethbene shown.

How ye are abused in the Pasouer Lamb, thinking all the points, partes, and ceremonies of it, to be performed in the latter Supper, as no part of it, should foresignifie, or appertain to the Sacrifice of the Cross, I trust ye be alreaddy convicted, within yourself, by it that is spoken, for we have not to judge, nor esteame (how ever we have spoken of this mater before) the Sacraments of the ancien Fathers to be figures of the Sacraments of the New Testament, whatsoever similitude or aggremēt be betwix them, but they be all together figures of our redemption in Christ, conform to the saying of Augustine, the Sacraments of the old Law, saith he, are Figures paynting forth the things that were to be accompleshed, and performed in the Cross of Jesus Christ, in whom we have the whole perfection of all, and in our Sacraments we celebrat the memory of the benefits purchassed unto us, by his passion, and death.

Trew it is, that in that, that it wes eaten, a sufficient number called theirto, and appointed to be practeist in remēberence of there myghtie, & wonderful delyuerence, it hath a certain aggrement and conformity with the Lord's table, but how it is a lyuelie figure of the passion of our Savior, representing it moste properly haeth been declared.

How fondlie, and ignorantly ye bring in the figures, and allegories out of the old Tastament, to cōfirm your doctrine, hath also been sufficiently expressed, but in this part as y • mo • te rejoice, so ye expone yourself, even to be jested and la • the • at be the verrie Ba • es, and Infantes, seiking a corespondence, and conformity, betwix the figure & it that is represēted by the figure, for, as I have said, this wes the cullour & clo •• • tended by them, that affirmed Simon Cyreneus to have suffered the death, and not our Savior, he being supposed in our Saviors room like as we read of the Ram, that wes offered up for Isaac: be werre that ye be not perceived to be of this sort of men and opinion, which in deed, we must conclude of yow, if yow persew obstinatlie the cōgruence of the figure, with the thing figurat by it. Vpō this wes declared that such allegories, be no {pro}bations, nether yet are adduced to serve for any arguments to confirm any point of doctrine in the New Testament other ways doutsum, but sumtymes to show the conformity of our doctrine, with the doctrine of the old Fathers: sumtymes to exorne, and dilate the mater alreaddy prouen: and sum times are produced in contempt of them that cannot content them with the simplicity of the doctrine of Christ, but crieth and gaippeth after signs, tokennes, and wondres: as to them that now desireth the verity of the Evangel to be confirmed by miracles▪ we may moste justly give the answer, that they shall have no other nor the laying up of Jezebel in hir bed, or any such other serving to that purpose.

Now that ye have show̄ your ignorance of antiquitie, & of the Greik tongue, in cyting the fathers, what ever ye brag hereof, I trust it be manifest: where likewise wes declared, what ought to be concedet to the Fathers and general conciles, to wit, that they are to be received so far as they keep them by the precyse reule of the text of God, where they shall excead this bounds and lean to them selves, then have we to judge of them, as they did of others before there aige.

What appertaineth to general counciles duly conueyned without tyranny, hath been exponed, to wit, that they ever err, when as they take anything upon them more nor they are able to manteyne by the Scripture. When soever they exeade, or taketh upon them to bind the conscience of man to that, which is left free by the spirit of God, or to determine any thing against the Scripture then not only the whole multitude, but any private man ought and should oppone them, ought and should intercede, ought and should resist, and withstand as Paphuntius to the whole concile of Nice, & sindry others at other times. It hath been sēblably declared that the conciles • y • ed by yow, serveth yow nothing, but rather maketh against yow, and thus I as one appointed by the rest of the brenthren, and of the smallest showeth and declareth all godly to be offended with you all places of Scripture cited by yow, to be impertinentlie applied to your wicked purpose, & trusteth to have {pro}uen manifestly by the Scriptures, the mass to be the most wicked abhominable and deuyllishe invention, that ever proceeded of the forge of Satan, yea, and all defenders and may n • teinars of i • , to be members of the Antichrist; since it is prouen, to be a thing of such nature, that it utterly spoylleth the Son of God, of the dignity of his eternal preisthead, defaceth the glory of the Cross of Jesus Christ and feyghteth directly against the heavenly benefit an • threasour of the holy Communion.

And in this action, I regard not who be in my contrary, whatsoever James is brought in he • , speaking (at the plesoure of th • s Author against his conscience) of the Disciples of the Apostles and the ancien fathers, who maketh nothing against me nether yet meant anything of the mass, but albeit so were, we have to say with Aristotle, that it is a thing most holy to prefer the verity to friends, and with Paul, that if one Angel of heaven should 〈◊〉 any other thing, nor we are teached by Ies{us} Christ • ee must prenunce it, Anathema accurse.

Now will I leap over a question casten in by James, of the cause of variety or opinions in these days, which is no mater to be astonied with all, since this is the continual battle, and exercise of the Church of God, from the beginning, yea, and is not without a great proffite to the holy Church, and a singular comfort to every mem • re thereof, albeit that God most justly avengeth, and 〈◊〉 hereby the contempt of his word, the prophanatiō of his ordinances, and the polluting of his Sanctuary, in deed we be hereby teached and admonished of our horrible apostasy, and declining from God, we are led as it were to the hie way; and brought again to the original, which is the first Institution, and ordinance of Jesus Christ, whose voice only should be herd and against the which no man ought to repyne.

This being done, that is the inventions of men, separated and ejected, the ordinances of our Scoole Master erected and set up everywhere, in their owen natural cleans and simplicity, t •• n shall we have concord and aggrement, & til that be Let no man think that it is able to a treane or have any quietness, how so ever we shall procead sufficient witness of This is the aggrement of all reformed Churches.

Now let us with this Author, return to our purpose, and examine the three heads of his persuasion, out of the old and new Testaments, and the doctrine of Vincentius Lyrmenses, which seameth so notable, so weighty, and of such consequence to this Author, that it cannot be refelled. The argument is drawn out of Tomstallus, Bishop of Durame, howsoever this glorious divine decketh it up in another and new apperell.

The first head of your persuasion is.

Ye conclude, that ether the Lord hath more s • lenderly entreated us, nor the Iowes, or then the mass is not Idolatry, this Author doeth very wisely, to term this argument, and call it a persuation, for albeit it may appear to have some colloure to persuade, yet hath it no pith nor strenth to convince, giving, it were true, which shall be declared and prouen moste • als and untrue.

Consider how aplty this is inferred, the Iowes wes never by the space of a man's lyfetyme, suffered to be in Idolatry, how can it then be, that all Christians hath continewed in Idolatry, these. 1550. years, the conclusion is gathered hereof, ergo, the mass is not Idolatry, for this howsoever ye procead by a disiunctiue, ye would conclude and affirm.

Consider and examine the argument yourself, and pronounce; if ye find any weight with it, but I pray you, sin • e ye thus take vpō you the knowledge of Scriptures, how take ye this upon you to affirm, that the Iowes wes never in Idolatry, by the space of a man's lifetyme, the text and history being so plain, that the children of Israel persevered and remaned still Idolaters, from the time of Ieroboā, who set up the golded Calves, and made Israel to sin, til the time of their eiection & utter exterminion.

Trew it is, that from time to time, God starred up Prophets, to admonish and rebuke the people, of their defection from him, yet do we never read, no universal reformation, nor hearty repentance, where do ye read, that ever the statutes of Amrie, as the prophet doeth speak, and before him, the Acts of Jeroboam, yea, even of parliament erecting and serting up Idolatry, which did still multiply and increase, during the days and reign of. 19. Kings in Israel, beginning at Jeroboam, and ending at Hosea's, under whom come their destruction: the cause being assigned in these words: the Sōnes of Israel, imagyned wicked things against the Lord their God, to build themselves heigh places in their times. &c.

The Prophets rebuketh, even the very Trybe of Iudath, for the same crime, notwithstanding the Temple, the Religion, and preisthead placed and remaning still with them and the promise of God, made to David and Solomon, yet did they continually decline & follow their sister Israel, going awe • oring after strange and uncouth God's.

It cannot be denied, but some faithful Kings they had, yet wes never the people reduced to the full and persite obedience of God, from Idolatry, till the time of Josiah, who taken away, without any further delay, they return to their falls God's, and still follow them, till they wer likewise extermin •••• . Let us rype the mater heigher Consider how easylie Adame created in all perfection and innocence is drawn from God, consider the staite of the world from Adame to Noie, where is the number of the godly, when we read, the Sons of God carried away by the daughters of men, and the whole number of the godly redacted to a certain family, and concluded in eight persons, yea and of the which persons, some were wicked. What do ye judge here, of the permission of God? stryking as it were, the whole earth with blindness, and ignorance of his word, yea, and haynus Idolatry, which ye shall find to have dured. 1556. years, what find ye after the restitution, find ye not the posterity of Noie, to return to the impiety of their Fathers, and continue therein ill the calling of Abraham? who out of the fire of Idolatry wes called, to the knowledge of God: and so the whole to have continewed in impiety, from the time of the Flood, till Abrahames calling, the space of. 363. years.

Now will I pas by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the time of the Patriarchs, and of their being in Egypt, and live you to consider, how Moses and Aaron are troubled with the people in the Vildernes, and after them, Joshua, and will enter into the history of the Judges. What defection read ye there from God, that albeit he raised up men, from time to time to their defense, yet they do rinne headlinges after falls God's.

But here ye will object and reply. Trew it is, that they declined horribly, but they were ever admonished of their defection and Idolatry: if thou meanest universally that God admonished the whole world, the Apostle doeth manifestly convict thee, saying, God sufferred in the aiges before passed, all the Gentiles, to walk in their owē ways, that is, to be headlinges led in Idolatry. If thow sayest, he admonished his owen, so, say I, hath God done for 〈◊〉 time to time, he hath stirred up some to admo • ish • and rebuke the world of impiety, or at least his owen, being wrapped amongst Idolaters.

Trew it is, that ever from the time of the Apostles iniquity and corruption, hath been creaping and entering in, as we may observe by the works of all the Ancients, whose chief study and travel wes against heresies: so that the primitive Church lacked not men that did admonish all of defection and declining from the former and original purity of the word and Religion, in whose aiges, as we have already declared at large, wes no mass, nor this your mass never had place, till the time of the vastation of Gotthes and Wandalles, as we have somewhat touched before, when the people might or durst not conuene for fear, and so did they choose to them selves, everyone a Sacrificer, at the example of Michah. And thus wes the beginning of your masses, always the priests findinge the Roste sappy, large luces, gains, auantage, they begin to deck up the whore, not unlike to Hesiodus Pandora, setteth her forth a whoring with the Princes, and no dout, some godly men in these aiges hath espied and tried forth her impiety, albeit there names be suppressed, that the fore signification of Ioanne the divine made in his Reuelatiō, might have place of the great silence should ensew the laying up of Jezebel in bed, which silence contineweth from the latter parte of the Second Chapiter, til the .17. where the damnation of that whore is foreshewē, and the cause of the same to have been her fornication, and the shedding of the blood of the Saints, with the which, she hath been drunken. But wonder it is, that ye can find none that hath been offended with the face, regiment, opinion, doctrine, rites, and manners of your Church, before the days of Vickleafe, and John Hus. If ye be so well seen in the antiquities as ye brag, ye cannot be ignorant that Anachdrite, who separated them selves from the common society of men, are of long aige. If there had been nothing that offended them, even in the face and regiment of the Church, it had not only been folly, but also impiety to have separate them from the company of the faithful, I do not allow their fact in all things, but the separating of their selves is an evident argument, that they were moved by some prick of conscience, to avoid the public corruption, that then began to grow in the Church.

The diverse mutations and changes that we read in Monachatu, or in your monkish Religion declareth the same, for if they had been fully content with the public order, they should never have invented another. It chansed to them, I grant as did to sects before the manifestation of Jesus Christ, that is, the forther they declyned from the common soci •• ie of the people, and of the accustomed Religion, the deipper they fell in damnable errors. But yet their first motion proceaded, I say, from offense conceived in the public error, so that all their defections and particular Religions were complantes, and as we may call them accusations of that Religion which wes commonly received.

If I should bring forth the complaints and accusations of the moste learned, amongst the Ancients, of the confusion and insolency of there aiges, and specially of these that sharply reprehended your mother Rome, her pride, inuy, judgment and doctrine, I should spend no small time.

Your owen Jerome feared not to term her ofter then ones, Babylon, and Pupurata mereitr • x, and affirm that the inuy of the clergy of that saith, wes so intolerable, that i • compelled Tertuliane to fall to the error of Montanus Augustine cōpleaned, that the Church wes burdined with superfluity of ceremonies in his time, how vehemently Gregory, Ambrose, Bernard, and others, inuey against the insolent lives of the Clergy, ye cannot (except ye willfully will) be ignorant: and if ye object that these compleane of manners, but impugn no doctrine publicly received, we shall find y ^• on some▪ we read of Bertraillus, who in the time of Charlemagne, and at his desire confuteth the impius opinion of transubstantiation, and after him Berengarins: Vickleafe in de • d, goeth neirer the quick, & oppenneth up the whole poison and vncouereth the whores head, plainly pronouncing the mass to be Idolatry, to him succeadeth John Hus; and Hieronim{us} Pragensis, and others in that aige, • o from time to time the mater hath been conducted so by the Spirit of God, that there be none so deaf, but they have 〈…〉 her fornication, none so blind, but they have seen it, to the great confusion and shame of all her partakers. Thus ye are convicted of two manifest lies, one of the Israelites, and the people of God, them I have shown to have been given over in Idolatry, during the time of many Kings, and if we shall have recurse to the beginning, we shall find thousand years, and long aiges, and so forth▪ There is no faute with God, who hath given us his Law, laid it before us, hath kept nothing back of his will, and holy mysteries, but hath in all pointes sufficiently revealed them.

Thus we be convicted moste worthy of induration, being the Authors of this defection from him, and contempt of his reule and Laws. The Second untruth is this, that ye affirm your mass to have continued this. 1500. years, since it is prouen, no such impiety to have been known in the time of the Fathers, and all their meaninges to be referred to the holy and blessed communion.

Now followeth the Second head of the New Testament, where this Author writeth thus.

And thus concludeth this Author, that he is compelled by this argument, to affirm that the mass is no Idolatry, or then the Lord's promise hath not been fulfilled, according to the Scriptures, for we are assured (saith this Author) by all writers that the mass hath been universally approuen in all aiges, years and times, ever since the time of Jesus Christ our Lord, to these our miserable days.

Of the promise of God we dout not, of the performance of it we be likewise assured, but your mass to have been thus universally received and approuen, since the time of Christ, till this aige, this is a manifest untruth, for the Ancients never knew it, nether yet did ever the Greik Church receive or authories it, yea, even in this our aige, yet still hath no private mass, ye faill then in this, and is miserably abused, taking it to have been universally received, since the time of Christ: till these days, which is a greatly, and thereupon I will join this Issue with you that ye are not able to prove your mass, ever to have been erected in the occidentall Church, till the time of the supremacy of Rome, till the time that the Bishops of Rome invaded and usurped the impyre and tyranny above their brethren.

What assistance they have had of the Spirit of God, promest to his Church, their doctrine & works testifieth, the just plague, vengeance, and damnation of that great whore; that sat upon many watters; which now hes ensewed, doeth witness. I will send you to the Revelation of John, where ye shall find your mother the whore of Rome, so painted forth with her cullors and properties, as if he had even luked upon her, and all her filthy and horrible fornication, the cup declared, whereof she had empoisoned the Princes about her. Shall we think that albeit God gave over this stinking, vile, and common harlote, in her owen vanity, & suffered her to go a whoing as he threateneth the daughter of Judah by the Prophet, till the measure of her iniquities be fulfilled: Shall we think, I say again, that God's holy Spirit is not with his Church: with the Greikes it is manifest, whoever did see the impiety of Rome, and never did receive their constitutions, yea, and here in these partes of the occident no dout, but in all aiges hath been men that hath withstand such impiety, as we have Larentius Valla, arguing that saite of a manifest, untruth and rapine, where he proveth all to be lies, that is vainted and blawen by the Romanists, of the donation of Constantine Emperor, and so consequently may be easylie gathered, that they invaded tirrannycally & rauenuslie other men's possessions, be like the Emperor being occupied in the orient: and others hath been, that hath noted the wickedness and impiety of that saite, as their owen Histories: like as we shall never seek, nor lay against them any sharper probation, nor shall be drawn out of their writers, and especially of them that hath been moste quick and sharp against their impius doctrine. The Names of many we have not, that place might be to the great silence, forewarned by John, and it is not to be douted, but God had his owen in all times, albeit unknown to man, according to his answer to Elijah. I have left to me Seven thousand, that hath not bowed their knie before Baal. This shall suffice for answer to the Second head of your persuasion.

Now let us come to Vincentius Lirinensis, an Author in very deed unknown to me at the time when I did first read your treaty, and so wes driven to inquire of others, if they had at any time ether red this Vincenti{us}, or herd of him, they could show me nothing, but appeared to be glaid, never to have had anything to do with him. Last of all within a short space, I require of him at one of our brethren, who show me the very way to come by him: the way wes this, to ask of him at some freir or monk, which wes hard to find in this great ra • itie and scantues of that byke, I thoght well with myself, he had been a Dortor man, howsoever he hath been a throt cutter. This way at last, did I atteane to my man, and pull him out of the Dortor to the battle again, and shuke the Coul from him, to make him for his first profession, the war: for in the beginning of his laudable (so speaketh of it this Author, as he had been his Armor bearer) he dissimleth not that he had received wages, and I dout not but he wes worthy of them, wearied always with the travel, and his hands litted with blood spilling, he giveth him to be a Monk in some Eremerage belike (for there wes no other Monks in that aige, if he be so old as this Author pretendeth) where he might appease God, Sacrific •• Christiane humilitatis, by the Sacrifice, yet always of no mass, but of a Christiane humility. Well, he proceedeth and giveth the three notes, whereby a godly doctrine shall be discerned and tried from ungodly and superstitious, antiquity, vniuersalytie, and consent, which being joined with the foundation of true doctrine, proceading from the Spirit of God, no dout, may move much to cause the doctrine to be embraced, as we se the people of Sichar first moved by the words of the Samaritan woman, to believe Christ, but after they had herd them selves, then pronounce they plainly, that not for her • ermone they believed, but we have herd him speak, and we know him to be Christ the Savior of the world. If the words & notes of your Dortor man, shall be thus taken, I will go with you. But if ye will hereby think that these three concurring, are sufficient to establish any doctrine, other ways doutsome and fond, that I will utterly deny, and prove to be a manifest blasphemy and untruth, for the Church of God hath no way nor reule to judge and discern betwix godly doctrine and wicked, but the Scripture, whatsoever we find here commanded, that have we to receive with all reverence and expedition, it that is not here, or is repugnant to this, to judge it wicked and impius.

Shall we think that antiquity shall preiudge the holy ordinances of God, ether yet universality or consent? Shall we think that theboke of the Law Deuteronomium should not be received, because it had been suppressed and tynt alōg time? To the ordinances of God, howsoever they have been contemned by the space of one aige, two, three, four, five, yea, a thousand aiges, yet are they ever to be received with all humilytie, trimbling and fear. But let us consider, what is to be given to every head of these three notes, and first of antiquity, whereof ye brag most, for that ye have continually in mouth, the mass is so old hath continued this long, and so forth. Shall this be now casten away, that hath been so long retained?

Firste I have answered, it to be falls, that ye affirm to be true, for there wes no mass in the Apostles days and time, nor yet in the primitive Church, so that it is clear to any that is well versed and seen in antiquity, that there wes no such abuse, a five hundredth years or longer, yea, and albeit this your mass had been as ye falsely pretend in the days of the Apostles, Shall we think that sufficient to prove, and declare it to be good, which is a manifest impiety? God forbid.

How old I pray you is the Devil, Author of all iniquity & impiet • e? How long is it since the fall of Adame? In this ye may consider the nature of the world, that even since the creation, hath abused and invented wicked ways, to draw the people from the obedience of God, yea, and even then when it appeared that the restitution promest by the Prophets, wes so accomplished in Jesus Christ, that all lies and errors were utterly rooted out and remoned, yet do we see and read, wickedness to have been set up, lies to have abounded, to have oppressed and obscured the verity, and the Religion of God profaned and brought in contempt.

Consider I pray you, what Cipryane writeth contra Aquarios, who even in his aige did allege and lay for them antiquity. Pas, pas thy way (saith he) with thy antiquity, for in so far as it is prejudicial to the institution of our Savior Jesus Christ, and to the right use that he gave unto us, it must be condamned and the more Ancient that a custom be, it is the more pestilent and pernicius, because that thereby men be wrapped up in a more deipe induration of hearts, and all cloike and couerture of excusation is taken from them: and this same Author speaking to this same purpose. Our master Christ (saith he) saith not, Ergo sum consuetudo: but he saith, Ergo sum veritas that is, Christ saith not I am consuetude but I am verity. I might adduce out of Augustine, Chrysostom, and others of the Ancientes places to this purpose, but judging it to be plain and sufficiently prouen, I supersead further probation. Since the Ancients refelleth abuses, what cloik of antiquity soever be pretended, let never our selves be so carried away after wickedness, that ever we give place to it for any pretence: but let us in deed consider if it hath the foundation of the truth of God, and not laitly diuised, invented, and set forth by man, for that is to be judged laitly invented, whatsoever man hath diuised in the worshipping of God, like as your mass is, whatsoever antiquity ye brag of.

Your Second note is vniuersalytie, to the which what weight of {pro}bation ought to be given, it is easy likewise to consider, we know the Alcorane to be of greater antiquity, and received universally in mo Regions and countries, nor ever your mass hath been. Shall we then by this note, authories and allow it to be good. But ye restrain this note of vniuersalytie to Christendom, to this I answer, that the Grecians, whoever hath been more witty and godly men, nor the Latins did never receive your mass, and amongst the Latins them selves, we have not to think, but some men did espy the great vanity and superstition of it, albeit their Names be suppressed, that the great silence foresignified by Ioanne might have place but now dare I boldly affirm in the Name of God, the horn of their kingdom to be down thrung, and never to be erected again. Remember the golden Calf erected by Jeroboam, universally received throughout all Israel and continued till their utter extermination and after. This is the confort and example I had to say before your eyes, that be papists, and ga • peth thus busylie, and anxiuslie for the mass.

Thy thride note of consent, which ye defyne to be a certain aggreablenes, in a doctrine without any faction or division, is not much differrent from vniuersalyt • e, and I will to that point answer you in one word, that it all the Nations of the world should consent and aggre together, in anything that is vnlofull, dishonest, and ungodly, it is no more to be regarded, nor if any private mā should affirm it, and I say further, that a private man ought, may and should withstand and oppone himself thereto. We know the craft of the Devil, ever to have been since the beginning, to stir up Realms, nations, and countries, against the truth, yea, and even in the places that be especially called by God, sainctified and consecrated to the praise and glory of his holy Name, that there he maketh his greatest effort, to supplant, destroy, pervert, and deface the whole. How his interpryses prospered amongst the Children of Israel, the peculiare, chosen, and adopted people of God, it is plain by the History, and what victory he hath had amongst the Christians, the experience yet still teacheth us. How he troubleth, stormeth, and rageth now, when as by the merciful visitation of our God, his shifts and craft are oppened up, his members and ministers known, and the horn of his kingdom overthrown, yea, and the mass the principal instrument of his forge utterly broken (which ye in the conclusion of this treaty say, Luther wes forbidden by the Devil, to the great contempt and ignominy of that godly man, even as it were, a great absurdity, that the Devil shall speak anything that is true: other ways we be instructed by the Spirit of God, to wit, the truth plainly confessed by the Devil, the Son of God acknowledged in Evangelists, and in the Acts of the Apostles, read the .19. Chap. and thus take home your change again) every man may judge. I am assured that the Devil hath these three notes, antiquity, vniuersalytie, and consent▪ that ye require in a godly doctrine, so of your doctrine may conclude, the Devil to be God, and his doctrine to be godly, yea, and a great injury is done to him, in that, that he is ejected, since he may enter in judgment and plead his cause, laying for him antiquity, vniuersalytie, and consent, four thousand years ringing • mongest the Gentiles: but have ye never red that the way is strait, that leadeth to Salvation, and few enters by it, but the way that leadeth to perdition, is ample and spacius, and many shall enter in it.

Now having particularly refitted your notes, in the which ye earnistlie rejoice, and apply to the mass, moste vntreulie, I will conclude, that albeit the mass had all antiquity, ye can pretend, universality joined, and consent all this is nothing, we have not to do, but to weip and beuaile our Synnes, and iniquities, in punition whereof the eternal of his great Justice, poureth forth his wraith, stryketh his people with blindness, permitteth them to rynne headlynges to perdition, and a whooringe after Idolatry, and I believe to have prouen sufficiently there wes never a greater nor the mass, all kind of impiety being contained in it and it not unlike to Hydra Lernea, spoutting forth her poison to the infection of all.

Secundlie, we have to Judge it wicked and abominable, since it hath not the foundation in Scripture. For all thing schorlie that is invented by man, to the worshhipping of God, is Idolatry, and abomminable, according to our first proposition. The Virgines, Martyrs, and Confessores, nether did approve the mass, nor yet suffer for it, but for the testimony of the name of Jesus Christ, And the profession of his faith, with all constancy: & now in this aige, when it hath pleased our God to discloise the horrible wickedness of it, how many have we seen offer there little finger to the fire for it. And thow thyself, glorious Doctor, if thow were not at thine ease in all security and quietness, thow should not thus blaw of it: and the trial of fire were set up to thee I fear thou should schrink and desire some time to adwyse,

In the confutation of thy mass, nether clean we to antiquity nor universality, nor yet consent, but affirm constantly that it is the duty of every man to refelle reject and condamne it by the Scripture of God, like as we have in that the constant & vniuersale consent, without any variāce, schism or diuisiō of the moste part of all Christindome, and so may boldly pronunce it one accurse, and utterly to be exterminated out of all realms: which work, as God hath begun of his infinite mercy, so will he conduct it potently, to the praise of his holy Name, the confort of all godly, the erecting of the Tabernacle of David, and reparation of the ruins thereof. Amen. Haste Lord and tarry not.

TO this treaty of the mass, this Author subiuneth a certain addition, which he termeth appendix, and that of the ceremonies and orations that be used in the mass, going about to prove them institute, made and appointed by the Ancient godly Fathers, which as partly manifestly falls, partly wicked, impius, unlearned, and blasphemus, I have judged unworthy of any answer, and will send him to these common sanges, that be sung everywhere at Tables, paynting forth, declaring and giving to every man his owen parte and portion, in this dissaguised masque, in such sort that not without moste just cause it is compared to a beggars cloik, being thus patched and clamped, of so many peaces, so many variant, diverse and sindrie cullors. Vain it were, and superfluus to me, having already confuted the whole, having refelled his eight confirmations, whereof he braggeth so much, to travel herein. In consideration, that plainly he granteth all these ceremonies, prayers, and orations, to be invented by men, set to and added by men, to this monster, and finally, nowayes to leave to God's commandment and word: and so shall we shortly conclude, the mass to have nothing to do with the institution of our Master and Savior, nether in the substance, as I have plainly prouen by the Scriptures, Counciles, and godly Fathers, nor yet in ceremonies and prayers, as is her confessed by you, Sire, and so moste justly we have rejected it, and judgeth it to be the greatest abomination that ever wes invented by Satan, and the moste haynus Idolatry, that ever entered in the Sainctuarie and Church of God.

Imprinted at Edinburgh, by Robert Lekpreuik, and are to be sold at his house at the nether Bow. Anno. 1563. Cum priuilegio.

Ite, Missa est.