The Confutation of the Abbot of Crosraguels Mass — George Hay

The Confutation of the Abbot of Crosraguels Mass · George Hay

As the Apostle concludeth in the place before recyted, let vsus reioyse in all puritie, and veritie. The same shall we obserue in the first fructes, and the rest of the Sacrifices vnderunder the Law: but to eshew all cauillatiō of such Sophisters, as go about to deceaue, we hauehave to obserue euerie point, to examine it that is proper to a Sacrament, and it that belongeth to a Sacrifice, and so to distinguishe them skilfully, as in the exemple of the Pashe Lambe, which in consideration of the offerring and immolation, onelyonly apperteaneth to the Sacrifice of the croice, as I hauehave said.

Now will I trauell to shew the aggrement and similytude of the Pasouer, with the Supper of the Lorde, yea, and wherein they do dissagre, as in no figure can be found the perfect image of the veritie, aggreing in all pointes with it that is corespondent, howsoeuer ye those your self to be deceaued, and goeth about to deceaue others. This is first to be obserued, in the institution of the holy Supper, that euen as immediatly, after the eating of the Pasouer, the holy communion wes instituted by our maister and Sauiour Christ: so doeth he obserue the same ordour that Moyses rehearseth to be kept, and wes appointed by the eternal our God, in the eating of the Sacramēt of the Pasouer: for that same night that the Lorde had decreed to slay the first borne of Egypt, and to deliuer his owen people, by the hand of the Angell, he ordeined the Sacrament of the Pasouer, to be a testimonie and monument of that wonderfull deliuerance, euen immediatly after to be perfected. The deliuerance of the people ensewed a lytle space after: the memorie whereof euerie yeare, by this Sacrament wes renewed at the commandement of God.

In the same maner our Sauiour, that self same night that he wes to be betrayed, and in the which, he wes to beat doune that most cruel Pharoo, and his whole power, together with his first borne Sonne, Death, Hel, to perfect the thinges that were prefigurate by the Pash Lambe, he institute the holy Supper, to be a perpetuall monumēt of that vnspeakable benefite, he wes to obteane vntounto vsus, and in place of a Lambe, and the blood of it, the Symboles of the Pasouer, he appointed the signes of bread and wyne,Why our Lord Ie…us, insteade of the pasouer lāb ordeined bread & wyne. elements, as moste seruing to the refection, nurishement, feading, and confort of mans body, and lykewise commonly moste parable and easy to be obteined, so most proper to bind vp and confirme frenship and amitie. Celius Rhodiginus teacheth this to hauehave bene moste solemne and familiare to the Lacedemonians, by the breaking of bread, to receaue in amitie, such as they embraced in confideracie and league. Aristotle in the. 8. boke of his Morals, declareth the nature of amitie, to be such, that as by mutuall leuing together, resorting at table together, it is reteaned, so by long silence and absence it is dissolued, as the greik Prouerb there recyted by Aristotle, and Atheneus in his fyft boke, doeth euidently proue. In these signes, our maister and Sauiour instituteth his holy Supper which wes to remane, and practised to his returning, to assure vsus hereby of his presēce, howsoeuer he is, touching his bodylie presence, absent, and to ratifie and establishe that amitie, league, and societie, the Eternall God receaued vsus in, and that in the blood of his deare Sonne. Touching the tyme, this we may obserue, that as the wisdome of our God determineth all thinges, and appointeth in the moste due and conuenient tyme: So this hour of his Supper, to hauehave serued moste properly to that holy action, by him then practised. We obserue most diligently and kepe in mynde moste faithfully, not onelyonly the factes, but the wordes of them that we see in the trauell and battall of death, thereby as it were, calling to mynde the memorie of him who is departed: these thinges as moste notable, we iudge moste worthy of Register, the treuth of them and maiestie being sealed vp by the verie death.

The hour of his death then approching, and at hand, and in the which, not onelyonly the Lambe of the Pasouer, but all the rest of the Sacrifices appointed in blood, were to receaue their perfection and end, and so to hauehave no further place, the tyme can not be, but moste proper, the ceremonies of the Lawe being in no point by him neglected the figures fully performed, and the presence of his body to be immediatly after to them denyed. Wherefore, not without cause he changed the signes, whereby the thinges to come, were foresignified, in such signes as should declaire those thinges to be performed already. So then followed, the deliuerance by the …eath of Christ, the memorie whereof, is celebrated by the frequentation of the Lordes Supper, to the which vse it wes appointed. For he commanded, take ye, eat ye, this is my body, do this in remē brance of me, the which commandement (as I hauehave teached) can of no better reason be separate from this Sacrament, & adioyned to any fond Sacrifice, nor the promes, by the which, is plainely declared the cause of the institution, when he sayeth, this is my body, which is giuen to you: and this is my blood, and sofurth. For how I praye you can these wordes, that be here interiected (giuen for you, and shed for you) how can they (I say) be separate from the action preceading and from the commandement, that is after giuen? Or how can the commandement be drawen from the whole action preceading? That can be no more, nor the members from the body. So they peruert the holy ordinance of our Sauiour, that separateth the commandement from the promes, or yet the promes, or any parte of it from the action.

Now that the Pasouer wes lykewise a similytude and a figure of Christes death, may easylie be declared by sindrie thinges, which nowise can apperteane to the communion. First in the Sacrifice of the pasouer, the Lambe wes flaine, which can nowise aggre with the Supper, in the which, there is no slaughter nor boucherie, but ye wil here insist and repyne, alledgeing by this, that it is a Sacrifice. To this I hauehave answered you, that there is no vnbloody Sacrifice, by the plaine wordes of the Apostle. For ye teach plainely, that your masse is not onelyonly a Sacrifice of thankes geuing, but of expiation of sinnes which can not stand, without spilling of blood. The Lambe wes sla…e, the blood of him spilt, and that foresignified the death and cruell intreatment of Iesus Christe, who wes to be offered vp in a bloody maner 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 Paule, our Pasouer is offerred vp, Christe. Lyke as the Supper doeth liuely testifie and represent, so by the immolation of the Lambe, as by the figure, wes foreshewē to the fathers, the offerring vp of the Sauiour of the world: yea, and declared that he wes the Lambe of God, that taketh awaye the sinnes of the world, of whom there wes no bone broken: yea, and of whose mactation Isay as fore prophecieth,Isay. 53. vnderunder the image and figure of the Lambe and the shepe: & to the which alludeth the historie of the oblation of Isaac.Gen. 22. By the which testimonies and figures, wes plainely and euidently declared to the Fathers that, which the Baptist declared in few wordes, calling him the Lambe of God, & the taker away of the sinnes of the world.Hebr. 10 These things then, now fulfilled, euen according as they were adumbrat in the Law, and forespoken by the Prophetes, there is no other oblatiō nor emisiō of blood for sine, for synce the way that he hath prepared for vsus,Mat. 26 is freshe by his blood, which is the blood of the new testamēt, whereby he testifieth that we hauehave not to esteme this recōciliation made by him, and in the which we are receaued in his blood, to īdure for a …eason, but the strenth of it, to be Eternall and permanent. What hauehave we to do then, as it were, to gaise for a new Christe, and to luke continually for others Sacrifices and Lawes, such as no godly harte can susteane?

The Sacrament of the pasouer conteyned a Sacrifice, and a banked, the one to forewarne of that eternal Sacrifice of the Croce, whiche was ones perfyred ād neuer reiterated, the other to instruct of the Lordes Table. The Sacrifice being offred and perfected ref…eth to vse the cōnsaill of the Apostle,1. Cor. 5 and so to of…re vsus to the ban…ed of the Lordes table, where we are made participant of his body and blood. For the Apostle sayeth not since our Pasouer Christ is offred vp, let vsus Sacrifice him a new, but let vsus make merry offring, and representing vsus to his holy Table in all sinceritie, and veritie to be made one with him.

Besydes this the sprinkling of the Lambes blode, which wes a maner of Sacrifice declared planely the wraith of the Father to be appeased, ād the people reconciled,The conformitie of the paschal Lābe with the Sacrifice to the croce and the holy communion. which properlie apperteaneth to the Sacrifice of the croce, be virtew whereof we are restored to the fauour of God.

The eating of the Lambe apper…aneth most ꝓperlie to the Supper, for thereby is witnessed, that we be al ꝑticipant of that Sacrifice, by the which reconciliation wes made and saluation procured and purchassed, to so many (I say) as worthelie eateth of that Banked. The mysterie of the tyme, which wes commanded to be efter the going down of the Sonne, aggreith moste properlie with the Sacrifice of the croce, representing & declaring in the latter dayes the fulnes and plenitude of tyme being come, then should the Sonne of God be offred vp. That how soeuer our Sauiour practeist & did institute this holy action efter down passing of the Sone beīg drewē so to do, by a certane necessitie as I hauehave decleared, yet wes it not to leif a ꝑpetuall reule and bynd vsus straitlie to that tyme: But by his owen wordes he hath set vsus at libertie, aswell touching the frequent vsing as touching the tyme.

The pasouer wes eaten but ones in the year, and at a statute day and tyme, but our maister sayeth, do this as oft as ye do it, in remembrance of me. Setting vsus in fredome to vse his supper, as oft as we please. And at what tyme we Iudge moste couenient.

Be the aggreance and dissimilitude of the pasouer with the Supper of Iesus Christe, it may now euidently appear what apperteaneth to the supper properlie and what is to be referred to the Sacrifice of the Croce, yea, & how fondlie ye are abused in applycation hereof to youre fond Sacrifice, let vsus returne to our maister Doctor, where he playeth the Sophistre in dede and hyngeth I warrand now by a small grip.

Attoure it is sure (sayeth he) that Iesus Christ our sauiour come to fulfyll the law, & not break it, it wes cōmanded be the law, to make oblā tion of y^• Pascale Lambe afore it wes eat…n, so wes it necessare, that our Sauiour hade firste maid oblation of his bodye afore he gaue the same to be eatin, to the effect that the veritie sould corresponde to the figure. Quharefore we at cōpelled to affirme that our Sauiour maid oblation of his body in the latter Supper afore he gaue the same to be eatin, or els the veritie was not correspondent to the figure. Quhilk is against all veritie, and this may ze clearlye perceaue that the Pascal Lambe, was not only a figure of the sacrifice of the Croice, but a mere expresse figure of the sacrifice of the masse as is sufficientlie prouen.

Trewly Brother since, thow hast no other refuge, but to cleane to a certane circumstance of tyme,Discouered craft is a henderance to the cause ād fame of the politick practiser. I euen pietie the & repent me vetray fore vndoutedlie that thow should mell with the defence of so desperate & wicked cause. And here as euer thow did in all thy lyfe, thow playest the sophister moste craftilie, if thow could hauehave couered thy craft but thow knowest craft, when it is oppenned vp and perceaued whate a hindrence it is to the faime and opinion of a man.

Trew it is that thow proponest our Sauiour to hauehave come to performe ād not to break the Law, but that thow affirmest the Lambe to hauehave bene offred afore it wes eaten, that thow prouest not, nether yet art thow able to proue by the institution of God, or by the playne wordes of the Text, that any commandement wes geuen to the people to offre the Lambe to God before it wes slayne▪ or before it wes eaten, commandement wes geuen that they should take it, keip it, slay it, sprinkle the blood of it,No commandement to offre the Lambe. rost it, eate it, and so furth. But of offring of it, shal thow and no commandement I wil not denye, but that the pasouer ryghtlie done with all circumstances according to Gods commandement may be called a Sacrifice, but I absolutlie denye that it wes commanded to be offred before it wes commanded to be eaten,The Abbot is an vnfaithfull patrō to the miserable masse so that the offring signified a Sacrifice as thow alledgest and the eaten out other, and so seing thow leauest that vnprouen, whereupon thy vnsa…erie Sacrifice dependeth, considdre with thy self how vnfaithfull a Patron art thow to the miserable Masse.

But if I should grant that which thow art neuer able to proue, to wit, that the Lambe wes offred before it wes eaten▪ what will thow conclude that there wes two Sacrifices; or the figures of two Sacrifices? that I denye,Note. for what soeuer wes done with the Lambe, or to the Lambe, 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 bene omitted al that preceded had bene vnprofitable, and so the whole action of the pasouer, wes but a sacrifice, (if thow so wil hauehave it termed and the figure of a sacrifice, to wit; of Christes body ones offred vponupon the Croce, whose fleshe and blood by his death,Ihon. 6. are become the verrie nurishment of our Soules, according to his owen promes, saying and the bread that I shall geue yow, it is my fleshe, which I shall geue for the lyfe of the warld.

Playe thou thy self, with thy mearie conceait, dreaming that he firste offred his bodye, and then he gaue it to be eaten. We are assured, he did offre it vponupon the Croce, by which onelyonly oblatiō we hauehave obteyned lyfe, Sear…h then what thow lest in thy Sacrific… of thy masse, lyfe shal thou not fynd in it, for that floweth frome Christes death only,Lyfe floweth to man of the croce of Christ but maister Doctor if a mā should demāde by which wordes is this your Sacrifice of the masse instituted, if ye answer by these, this is my body. &. Then ye grant that there wes no thing offered before they wordes were pronounced.

Then if some mā shuld demād were the Apostles obedient to Christes commandiment or not. It wel be harde to yow to say that they repined in that caise, but plaine it is, that the bread being broken, Christ said take ye, eat ye, ād efter subiuned the other wordes then it appeareth, that some of the Apostles were busye with the bread, before the whole wordes were pronunced. And so wolde some captius man, and that not without some iuste cause, seing ye deale with the mater so captiuitie, say, that if his body wes not eaten, yet it wes in eating before it wes offred, thus ye may espy, that we can trouble yow if we list, for oure coniecture hes more probabilitie, nor hes your bolde affirmation, Christes body wes offred before it wes eaten, because the pasouer wes offred before it wes eaten.

But suche anxius and to curious obseruation of eueryevery moment of tyme, will not serue to establishe and for vp a new doctryne, wicked and impius, it that is worthy obseruation of the tyme,What is worthy… of obseruation in the circū stance of tyme in one and the other is this in the o…e and the vther, that the Lorde our God, being of mynde to delyuer his people out of Egypt, and to see them at libertie, he instituted the Pasouer, whiche should be vntounto them as a figure and a monument of there fredome and … to all ginerations in the ages to come and that they should be the more diligent in obseruation of his ordināce at that same tyme there wes no lytle dainger appearing to Egypt, and they not as yet delyuered, he commanded them to do this, for we be more moued & affected with those thinges that we be teached in the myddest of a great trouble, and calamitie, nor with those that be repdited vntounto vsus in al quietnes and securitie, for as solicitude and fear maketh a mā more attentiue, war, and able to conceaue, so do they make a mā more thankful and myndful of the benefite receaued.

Lykewise we obserue that our maister & sauiour Christ that same nyght he wes betrayed, the displeasour and melancholie hauing occupyed the hertes of his Apostles then did he institute his holy supper, whereby they should be admonished of there insta…te delyuerance that wes to follow at hande.

Yet since ye vrge the figure, and preisseth so earnestlie at the tyme, I praye yow answer to me if any Preiste wee disquieted, called vponupon, appoynted for the Immolation of the Easter Lambe,The Easter Lābe wes only a sacrifice of gratulation. ye knowe I truste the contrarie, it wes commāded to be eaten, in eueryevery housse slayne be the maister of the housse, without any Ceremonye, or circumstance commanded in otheres Sacrifices, as of preiste altare; and sofurth, whereby it appeareth euidentlie that it wes onelyonly rekned to be a Gratulatorie Sacrifice, and of the kynd of suche as were called meat offringes, & no suche as ye meane, and this we will not denye to conueine most properlie to the Communion as hath bene clearlie declared.

Now then a lytle with yow. where of proceadeth this your Papisticall Preisthead, by the whiche ye claime Authoritie to offre vp the Lambe of God, since ye see no preist called vponupon here in the figure, but the maister of the housse in this to hauehave the charge.answer to to this Papist. Now apply the figure to the veritie, and ye shall perceaue how great a vanitie it is to seik the congruence, aggrement, and similitude of the one with the other in all poyntes, for if that should hauehave place, neuer shall I seik one other argument, but the figure to euert thy whole purpose, as thow alledgest, the Sonne of God should be first offred and sacrificed according to the figure, then shall it follow, that he wes firste slayne, syne eaten, yea, and efter he wes eaten, slayne againe, as we know Christe Iesus to hauehave dead vponupon the Crioce, efter his holy Supper. These are the great absurditeis following vpō the figures.

Forther to inquire of the tyme, it is vaine and …ur…u…, yea, and foulishe to lead any probation thereby,Of circū stances can be led no solide probatiō an establishe any thing any wayes doutsum, let be it that is manifestlie wicked. Here Iames is moued seing this dimne bryng all his probations out of the figures of the olde Testament, to vtter his Iudgement, and think that the figures of the auld Testament ar noche sufficient confirmatioun of the maters of faith, concerning the new Testament. As in verrie deid allegoreis, how soeuer the Ancients delyted in them, are but weak ꝓbatiōs & not mekle to be leaued vntounto: In some places being vsed modestlie, they may be receaued in doctryne of admonition.

But to this, this Doctor boldly pronunceth. ze think (sayis he) all wrāg because zour hart is against the Scripture, dois not our Sauiour confirme his burying tyll indure thre dayis, and thre nychtis, be the figure of Ionas? Dois nocht Peter proue Baptisme necessarie be the figure of the Arke of Noie, affirminge all thaim tyll hauehave perissed that wer withoute it, Lykewise Paule callis to remembrance the twa Sonnes of Abraham, to hauehave signified the twa Testamentis, thus may we perceaue the speciall matters of our faith, conteaned in the new Testamēt to be cōfirmed be the figures of the auld Testament.

To proue his intent, this glorious diuine adduces thre exemples out of sindre places of the new Testament, euen as these places were cyted out of the ould Testament, as solide probations. When as they are adduced onelyonly to Illustrate the mater, which is already decleared to be luke for, or then that whiche is already prouen by strong arguments: Last to shaw that they hauehave some figure, or similitude in the ould Testament. We knowe that our Sauiour, to whome, and to his holy spirit, it apperteneth to expone, and declare the conformitie of the figure…, with the mater represented by them, and not to, eueryevery one to take vponupon him to deuise and ymagine al thing according to us fond fai…talie: our Sauiour (I say againe) being in oportuned be the Iowes, continuallie calling for signes tokenes,The similitude of Ionas to what ēd it serueth wounderous workes, according to there ingyne, he thus disdanefully tr…etteth them, ād pronunceth them vnworthy of the thinges they called for moste earnestlie, ād …o …urte…h them of sch…rcie, and sayeth they shall hauehave no other signe, but the signe of Ionas, who wes thre dayes, ad thre nyghtes in the whales bellie, not hereby laboring or intending to proue his Buriall anywise, but rather to mocke and wrape them vp in a great obstinacie ād blyndnes.

It that is adduced by Peter of the Arke of Noie, is not to serue for one probation of his purpose, but to declare that he is not altogether destitute of some thing ī the ould Testamēt secu…ng and aggreing to his mater.The Ark serued not for aꝓbation of Baptisme but only sheweth sū thing to be in testamēt aggreīg with it in some consideration. And to prosecute the conformitie of the figurat thinges wi…h the figures, what hauehave we correspondent in Baptisme, to maste sailles & other thinges most ꝓperlie apperteyninge to the Arke, if this should be vrged, as sh…w moste instantlie requirest, then in Baptisme, we pull vp sailles, & hauehave all other thinges aggreing with the Ark: ꝑceaue your owen vanitie. God forbid, We shall so entreat the Scripturs of God, that the German treuth and veritie of the matters reiected, we shall cleaue vntounto incertane Allegories, hauing no pith nor strenth to conuince, but rather with varietie of mater delyte, as may moste euedentlie appeare be the exemple of Paule, who hauing prouen his intent by strong arguments and interiected certane exhortations to moue the Galathians,When allegories hath place. for decoring and erornyng the mater addeth this allegorie or figure, whiche in it self, is no solide probation, but now is not to be reiected the mater being sufficientlie prouen.

Origenes in deid, and a great noumbre with him are moued, yea, caried away efter Allegories, by this exemple of the Apostle: thrawing and wreisting the Scripture frō the owen proper sense ād vnderstanding: curious & vaine men delyting more in subtile speculations and diuises of there owen hertes, nor in solide doctryne and treuth, and the naturall interpretation of the Scripture: And of this no dout hath proceded the great ignorance and contempt of the Scriptures, the prophanation whereof God hath moste Iustlie auenged, in this that we see the verrie proper intelligence of them ouerset & oppressed with bastarde glosses, and fonde allegories.God auengeth the prophanation of his scripture by bastard gloses and fond Allegories. If we will profe it in the intelligence of the scriptures, Let vsus cleane to the Germane sense of the Text, embrace it, ād stik by it. As to diuised expositions aliene fra the mater, what culour or cloik so est they shall hauehave, let vsus not onelyonly reiect them boldlie, but iudge them vnworthy to be hard. And this is the mynd of Chrysostomus vponupon the forenamed place of Paule.

Now passe thy way with thy vaine Allegories and deceaue Iames or suche others that knoweth not the pith of them:In figures and parables the substantiall poyntes being obserued cō formitie in al things is not to be su…ed. The Abbot vrgīg the figure at al will appeare to fauour the heresie of such as denyed Christ to hauehave bene crucified but Symon Cyreneus supponed for him. for we are (God be praysed) other wayes instructed, nor to receaue them to establishe any doctryne, otherwayes doutsome, ether yet to seik the conformitie of the figure, with the thing figurat in all poyntes. For figures we hauehave to Iudge to be as Parables, in the whiche the scope, and the fyne being obserued with the subst…ntiall poyntes seruing to the purpose, we hauehave not curiuslie and anxiuslie to insist in al others thīges that be rehearsed: a… is plaine to any man, that is but indifferentlie versed in the Scripturs. And to end this long disputatione in one worde, Isaac wes the figure of our Sauiour: his immolation, the type of the Croce of our Sauiour, and this is the moste lyuelie figure, I darre say, that we can fynd through out all the Scripturs. Yet do they not in all aggre, for we know that Isaac, wes not offred, but a Ram wes taken & offred for him. If your argument should hauehave place sire their should we say, that our Sauiour wes not offred vp, but as some hauehave said Symon Cyreneus taken and Crucified for him: tak head, that ye be not suspected of the same deuilishe and impius opinion.

Now hauehave we perused the partes of your booke, in the which ye go about to proue & establishe your purpose by testimony of Scripture. Your arguments hath bene recyted faithfullie and so pithilie refelled, that I trust any man of sobrietie should be satisfied, yea, and what so euer thow braggest, ether of thy Iudgement in the naturall interpretation of the places adduced by the: ether yet of dexteritie, in the proper applycation of them (and how vanelie thow this takest vponupon the) to the purpose and mater: how aptlie and conuenientlie thow so doest I take it to be manifest.

The Abbotes arguments drawen furth of the Scriptures refelled.But here allace, Iames yealdeth and casteth all frō him so struken down by one allegorie, that he granteth him vtterlie vainquest, & almost cryeth Gods mercy. Ye lacked I truste (brother Iames) a faithfull armoure bearer to hauehave serued yow of wappinnes, but what aualeth it to put good wappinnes of defence, or yet of inuasion in the handes of him that can not handle nor vse them in tyme, 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,It is easy to vainques him that maketh no defence. the King had▪ on the one part, beīg encuraged be the ryghtuousnes and equitie of the cause, and on the other, feat of his personn and wel acquent with his wappinnes.

Now Iames granteth hīself sufficiētlie persuaded with the conference of Scriptures, and thinketh them seat and proper to the purpose, and onelyonly is desyrus by what other wayes and meanes this diuine is able to persuade that our Sauiour īstituted the sacrifice of the masse in the latter Supper, the Doctor answereth. That he wyl persuad the same by the vniuersall Doctryne interpretation and consent of the auld Ancient father is Interpretouris of the Scriptures of almythtie God, baith the Greikes and the Latinistes, together with the deliberatiō of the maist Ancient and notable Counsales. Quhilk euer hes bene sen the faith began.

This is fairlie and largelie promeist, and howe rashelie interprised shalbe efter knowē, but here I pray thee indifferent reader considder the craft of this sportar in exornyng and decking vp them, quhose authorities he is efter to abuse, not but I will grant a great part of the fathers, and some of the conciles to be worthy of prayse, and admiration. But I pray thee note the ambition of the mā, who wil seme to hauehave al for him. I truste to obtene the same in this part, that I hauehave already in the matters preceading, that is to pull fra him the authoritie of the Fathers, and the determinations of Counciles, suche as be of most estimation and faith: And then will he know the strenth of the reid of Egypt,The Abbote leaneth to the reid of Egypt he leaneth vntounto.

But here is casten in be Iames a questiō, if he thinketh that the interpretation and doctryne of the ould wryters concerning the mysterijs of the Supper of the Lord, is sufficient to persuade the Sacrifice of the masse: to this it is answered, treuly (sayeth he) I am perswaded be īuincible ressons, quhilks ar aggreable with ye scripturs of almychtie God, that ye auld writtars speciallie thay quha wes disciples to the Apostles had the trew mynde and vnderstanding of y^e mysteries of ye scripture, speciallie of the word is of the latter Supper. Quhareby thay vnderstand the Sacrifice of the Masse.

These thinges glorious Doctor be persuasiuelie spoken but they be not arguments of suche strenth, as be vnuincible, but shalbe ouer throwen. Well Iames is desyrus to here the reasons. Then (sayeth he) ze sall considder that efter the ascension of our Sauiour, the Spirit of veritie, entred in the hartes of the Apostles, geuing thaim full instructione of all places of Scripture, quhare oure Sauiour hes spoken in Parables, and all vther mysteriis of the Scriptures, concerning our faith, and trew vnderstanding of the sam. Now man ze vnderstād y^t lyke as the Spirite of veritie gaue instructione to the Apostles of all the mysteriis of the Scriptures, swa did the Apostles geue instruction to thair Disciples of all mysteriis of the Scriptures necessar to be knawin for a Christiane mānis saluatiōe quha wer the Primitiue Kirk (as I wald say) beginnares of the faithfull Congregation immediatlie nixt to the Apostles. Quharefor quhē soeuer question is for the vnderstanding of the mysteriis of the Scriptures, and speciallie the Sacramentis and rycht vse of thaim, quhilks but dout ar the maist profound mysteriis in al y^t Scriptures, it is ane assured way tyll hauehave recourse to the auld Ancien wryttares speciallie thay quha wes Disciples to the Apostles and Martyres, for the faith of Iesus Christ, to hauehave trew instructione baith of the Sacramentes, and of the rycth vse of thaim as the Kirk of God hes euer teached ws be the perpetuall succession of tyme sen the tyme of the Apostles to thir our dayis, conforme to the doctryne & interpretation of the Scripture maid be thaim. Quha wer Disciples to the Apostles and als conforme to the doctryne and deliberatioun of the generall Counsels duely conuenit to quhōe it appertenis to tak ordour in al maters doutsū concerning faith cōforme to the Scripture.

We be teached by the Scripturs in dede that the Apostles wer indued soddenly with the gyftes of the Spirit frō aboue, which gyftes, I beleue assuredlie wer not Idle in them, so that it is out of all questione,The godlie excuse of the Apostles & Ancien fatheres. that the Apostles wer continuallie occupied in Predication of the word, in ministratiō of the Sacramentes, in planting of Churches eueryevery where, yea, and I will go with yow in that, that they had certane Familiars awaiting vponupon them, whom they instructed, as we read of Lucas the familiar of Paule Marcus of Peter, and such others, yea, and I will proceade forther yet with yow, that euen in doutsum & ambiguus matters that falleth in question, I walde gladlie luke vponupon the workes of them, that hath faithfullie trauelled in the action of godlynes, yea, and receaue the determinations of generall Counciles, but that with the reule and restriction geuen by yow, conforme to the Striptures. But that ye will hereby insinuat obliquelie, & quietlie meane that all corruption and vanitie Whereby the Church of God, hath bene heretofore oppressed these many hundreth yeares, the Sacramentes peruerted and ryght vse of them adulterated, the worde being buried in all ignorante and proude contempt, and man erected, and sett vp in the place of God, that ye will meane all this to hauehave proceaded of the Apostles, and consequentlie of the spirite of God and hereby defend and restore the abhominations ouer thrawen by the blood, and labours of many godlie men in this our aige, In this I will answer yow, feling your mynd reache and tend to this, lest that some simple man shall chop here.Some thinges kept bak from the Apostles for a reason, yea, and some imperfection and īfirmitie in them.

Trew it is, that the Apostles had geuen vntounto them the intelligence of the Scriptures and the mysteries thereof, to the admiration of all men that so soddenlie ignorant ād Idiot men, simple and abiect persones should start vp and not onelyonly speak the praises of God in eueryevery language disertlie, but bouldly withstand the fury and rage of preistes Magistrates, and the whole people, where soeuer they passed: Yet do we obserue this discretion in the Spirit of our God, that some mysteries are kept from them secreit & hidde for a certaine tyme, as the vocation, and calling of the Gentiles, hidde frome Peter till the Reuelation wes made, & the vision came: some did esteme the Ceremonies of the Law neidful, which question troubled them so that they were euen diuided. Thridlye, some imperfectiōs find we in them, as when Paule withstādeth Peter in his face being worthy of reprehension.Act. 10. Act. 15. Gala. 2. Whereby we are admonished, ād may obserue the wysedome of our God, in handling his owen, that howsoeuer he shall extolle, and sett them vp, yet doeth he brydle them so, that they continuallie keip in mynd and remembrence them selues, to be men, to receaue all of God, and a man left to him self, what he is, and how ready to declyne frome God.

From the lyke ignorance, the Ancient Fathers Abraham, Iacob, Moyses, Dauid can not be excused: Moyses the beloued of god, how cairful he is ī the gouernmēt of the people, in īstructing them, in laying before them continuallie the law, the ordināces, and constitutions of God, reducing to there remembrance there wounderfull delyuerance, there preseruation in Egypt, the great cair of God ouer them in the wyldernesse, the mercyful cōuenant made with there Fathers and renewed with them selues, so that these peple wer the verie familiar scolers to the Prophete.Exo. 32. Yet what became? Scarslie hath the Prophete turned his bak, & vp with God in the montayne, when they fall to a horrible defection, and haynus apostasie frō God, erecteth Idolatrie, yea, and carieth the hie preiste Aaron, brother to Moyses, with them to the same impietie.

What an instrumēt do we think S. Paule, in the church of God? What trauell taketh he in executiō of the charge laid vponupon him? how diligentlie teacheth he the Corinthianes, remaning amongest them the space of a year, and one half: But immediatlie efter his departinge, what corruptiō entreth 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 deprauation of the Lordes Supper, and of the resurrection besydes many other thinges he scharplie layeth to there charge with other such exemples occurreth in Scriptures, Which were to long, tedious and not necessarie to prosecute. Whereby we may first obserue and note, yea, euen a grosse ignorance to be sumtymes in the chosen and elect of God that be appoynted to the ministerie. Secōdly how easalie men are caried away frō the obedience of god, & ryghtuousse & lawfull obseruatiō of his ordināces. What necessitie iudge ye to be in your a…gumēts alledgeing there Fathers, to hauehave bene the Disciples of the Apostles, and instructed by them? When we see oftentymes Scollers declyne from the doctryne of there maisters, as we reade planelie of Ioas,2. Chro. 34. who during the tyme of Ichoiada, did it that wes ryghtuousse and iust in the eyes of the Lorde. But as euer the hie Preiste wes taken away, how horriblie he declyned and returned to the trace of his wicked fathers, the historie doeth planelie testifie: & ye your-self some tymes I hauehave hard to hauehave casten furth the fylthie and pestilēt dung of papistrie to the great confort of many: now how miserably, ye are declyned ād returned to youre vomite, the trouble that ye do moue, doeth lykewyse witnes. So then we hauehave to receaue lawfull and constant scollers, who being instructed in the treuth remaneth constantly therein:This scoleris worthy of praise whoo cōstantly remaneth in the treuth receaued. Ambitious, proude and arrogante, and such as can not content them with the simple treuth of Gods worde, and the puritie of his constitutions and Sacramentes, we hauehave not to acknowledge for Disciples to the Apostles, nether yet to geue vntounto them such authoritie, whereby the gyftes of Gods spirite may be foreclosed, or yet any thing receaued preiudicial otherwyse to the ordinances of God.

I am sure the godlie Fathers craueth no forther of the reader, but that he allow, & follow it, that is setfurth by authoritie of Scriptures: where they excede the boundes and speaketh of there own head, they geue vsus libertie to reiect als frelie as they hauehave taken rashelie vponupon them to wryt it.

This is the iudgement of all the ould and godlie fathers, and namely Cypriane, who in his 3. Epistle of his secounde book.Epist. 3. Lib. 2. If in the Sacrifice, which is Christ sayeth he, onelyonly Christ is to be followed, then is it force to vsus to here and practeis that, that Christ did, and that he commāded to be done, since he sayeth in his own Euangel, If ye do the thinges, that I command yow,Mat. 17. Esa. 7. now cal I yow not seruandes, but freindes: and in dede, we are commanded to here him onelyonly by the father, who hath geuen him to be the Angell of great counsell, and the onelyonly teacher to his church.

The same reule,In Proeamio de trinitate. and moderation is prescribed by Augustine, to all readers of his workes: Geue not thy self to my wryttinges, as to the Canonical Scriptures: But in them without all tarie beleue, when thow shall fynd that thow beleuest not, but in these (meanyng of his owen) it that thow wes not assured of, retene it not certanelie vntil thow hauehave vnderstand it assuredlie.

And in one other place, I wyll not thow follow my authoritie,Ad Panlinā Ep…ste. 117 that because I hauehave said it, thow shall think thy self astricted to beleue it. But ether beleue the Cononicall scriptures, if thow seest not, as yet, the thing that is trew or els to the veritie, teaching inwardlie, and schawīg that thow may see it planelie.

And lykewyse in one other place, we ought not to esteme or receaue the disputations of eueryevery man, be thay neuer so Catholike,Ad Fortunat Epist. 198. and laudable as the Canonical Scripturs, that it shal not be leiful to vsus (the reuerence saned, that is due to them) to improue & reiect some thinges in there writtinges if pereuenture we shall fynd that they hauehave other wayes iudgeid nor the veritie, ether with the help of God vnderstand by vsus, or searched out by others, conteyneth, I am this man in other mennes wryttinges and wylleth eueryevery man to vnderstand myne in the same maner.

This reule laid by the fatheres euer to hold fast & reteine the veritie of the scripturs ād not to follow the iudgement of any man.I myght adduce out of this same authour, and otheres of the anciēts, if the necessitie should require it, where they lay this reule and moderation, nowyse astricting the reader to follow that, which they hauehave Iudged to be moste cōsonant to the treuth, but sending them to the scripturs.

This moderation and reule being layed, I wyll trauel with yow through the feildes of the Doctours, & Counciles, which as ye say wel, ought, and should attempte no thing aboue the counsell of God, reueled in his Scripturs but ought to determine all by the precise reule thereof.

The Apostles taketh no forther vponupon them, I hauehave receaued of the Lorde, sayeth Paule, that which I hauehave delyuered to yow: our Sauiour in the reformation of Mariage goeth to the Originall institution: being demanded of the cheif commandement, he hath recurse to the lawe: being tempted by the Sadducces, in the mater of resurrectiō, he ryteth not the bookes of the Thalmude,1. Cor. 11. Mat. 19. Mat. 22. Mat. 6. nether yet the conciles and the Cōmentaries of the Hebrues, but bringeth furth the plane Scripture: and correcting the wicked and pernitious interpretations of such, as had place to his cō ming without any repugnācie or cōtradiction, of the scriptures, sayeth, ye know it wes said to the Ancients and Immediatlie he addeth, but I say to yow: teaching vsus hereby that bidding faire wel, to the doctryne of men, we ought to cleane to the sure trew and vndouted sense and mynd of Scripture. The Anciēts, in that they say well we shoulde praise & allow them:How muche is to to geuen be the fatheres & Coūciles But we should not be there followers, but as they wer the followers and Imitators of Iesus Christ, nor yet allow them in that which is wicked: & this is lykewayes our Iudgement of Counciles.

We wyll grant that it apperteyneth to godly and excercised men in the Scriptures of God, to determine according to the scriptures vpō al thīges, that he called in doute, wherein we can admitte no tyrannicall power of any mā, which being receaued aboue all authoritie of Scripture, and of the conueyned brothren, the experience teacheth ws, how preiudiciall it hes bene to the Church of God, where we hauehave sene no thing, but the stinkīg traditiōs of a tyrane not in equale degre and rank with the ordinances of God, but placed and authorished aboue them, the puritie of the worde vtterlie quenched, the Sacramentes prophaned ād adulterat, yea, and the godlie constitutions of ancient conciles by the iniquitie and ambition of a man, affecting and exerting the Impyre aboue all others, abrogated ī the latter Counciles.

Attoure we be sufficientlie teached by the Councile holden at Carthage, in the tyme of Cypriane, Where he wes present, what authoritie is to be geuen to them, if they shall tak vponupon them to defyne any thyng of there owen heades, Wes not there the Anabaptisme established, and erected by a plane Decree, Besydes others thinges that Augustine dissimuleth not, but they did displease him.

Shall we be accused to oppone vsus, hauing the authoritie of God, to a councile, where al thing is determined according to the affection of man. Paphnutius a singulare man withstude and opponed him to the whole Councile holden at Nice, the moste godlie Councile, I dar say that hath bene sen the tyme of the Apostles. To conclude then we wyll gladlie & wyllinglie admitte ether priuat man or generall Councile, that defynes vponupon the matters of cō trouersie, by the Scriptures: if they do not, we wyl take the libertie that is purcheshed to vsus by Iesus Christ, & say planelie that we wyll not be made seruandes to men according to the commandement of S. Paule.1. Cor. 7.

Here allace Iames as happinneth commonlie that a man ones fangged in, wyl grant more nor ye wold desyre, condescendeth to more nor is affirmed, or wes required, & that the mater shall hauehave the more weyght and authoritie affirmeth it, of his conscience, To be of veritie, y^t the Disciples of the Apostles had the trew vnderstanding of all the mysteries of the Scripture, necessare to be knawin, for ane Christiane mā nis saluatiō, speciallie of the profound mysterie of the Supper of the Lorde: Quhareof is gathered the Sacrifice of the Masse. Quharefor I am desyrus to knaw the sayingis of ye auld wryttars, speciallie of thaim y^e war Disciples to the Apostles of the Masse, & giuegive thay mak mention of it in thare workes.

Heretofore some releif had I of yow brother: But now being becumin no les Inimie to this cause, nor the Abbot hīself, here ye must not be offēded (brother Iames) if I shal renūce forder amitie 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 trew vnderstanding of the mysteries of the scripture, to consiste in proximitie of tyme, or in familiaritie with the Apostles,The true vndestāding of the scripturs consesteh not in proximitie of time nor famelearitie with the apposles foreclosing the graces of God, and bynding them to a certane age and tyme, & meanyng that the familiaritie of the Apostles might make stedfastnes and constancie.

I wold not any man should think, that I speak this in preiudice of the ancients Which I with al my hert reuerēce But I wold not that the foreconceaued opinion of there authoritie, should preinge the action of veritie, and that no man shoulde think this to be sufficient to establishe any doctryne to say, the man, who wes the familiare of Paule and this of Ihon the Disciple, sayeth, and so to conclude, it to be allowed as godlie.

I am assured, there be none of there Disciples of that they wer reached by them, wyll establishe any other thing nor the Spirite of God approued in his Scriptures.

But we know there complaintes, and the forewarnyng of the Apostles. Ihon in his Canonick, they hauehave passed furth of vsus, but they were not of vsus,Act. 20. and S. Paule exhorteth the ouersears of Ephesus, to tak head, and be vigilant for of them selues (sayeth he) shall ryse vp men, speaking wicked thinges immediatlie efter my departing, yea, rauenus Wolffes, hauing no pitie on the floke, and so furth. Whereby we may gather that it is not yneugh to hauehave bene familiare, and familiarlie instructede by the Apostles, no not by Iesus Christ him self, vnles we considdre if they be of there Disciples in dede, which is knowen by conference of there writtinges with the doctryne of the Apostles, if they aggre not, we may wel affirme with Ihon they passed furth frome them, but they were not of them.

This mater is so plaine, that it nedeth no forther probation in my iudgement. Now cumeth our author, and dif…endeth to the sayinges of the Fathers. Which he hath gathered out of there werkes, as he thoght they myght serue to his mater, and first he recyteth Testimony of Ignatius in his Epistle Ad smirninses. It is not leiful to offre nor to mak Sacrifice nor say masse, without the Byschops authoritie and consent.

These wordes of this Ancient doctor, ye vnderstande and expone of your vnsauorie Sacrifice altogether prophane, Which I am sure if he wer a lyue, he should say, he neuer kn…w, nor yet ment of any such impietie. The sentence and the mynd of this author may be easalie gathered for there his cheif ād principall studie is, that discorde may be auoyded in the assemblies, and conuentions of the people: The which cryme, the Apostle Paule layeth scharply to the charge of the Corinthians.1. Cor. 11. Herefore sayeth he, it shall not be leiful without any kynde of difference and ordour to all and eueryevery one to conueyne the people, to hauehave publique assemblies, and there to offre vp Sacrifice, that is to preache the doctryne of Saluation, to offre vp prayer and action of thankes in name of the whole Conuention: for these exercises, according to the custome 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 eueryevery man to conueyne the people, without a charge to the practeis of the Lordes Supper called there planelie foreign that is the Conuention of them that shall practeis the Lordes Table.

I hauehave compleyned before of the ignorance of Greik, & Latine tounges, the Ignoration whereof, no doute, hes moued vsus a great part of this busines, specialie hauing to do with men that vnderstandeth not the ꝓprietie of them. It is plaine, that Epiphanius vnderstandeth by this miss … the publique Conuentioun of the people to the seruice of God, to here the Preaching, the Prayers made, thankes geuen,Trip. hist. Lib. 58. and the Lordes Table, and such other godlie exercises, in which the primitiue Church did exercise them selues,The practise and ordor of the primitue Churche as we may be teached by Socrates in the Tripartite Historie, recyting the ordour of the Church of Alexandria Where the Scripture wes rede, exponed, Prayers made, the Communion distributed, and oblatiō made, that is, a certane gathering for the poore, and Iustinus in his Apologie for the Christians. For as in the old Testamēt the people conuened at certane tymes to offre vp the Sacrifices of Kiddes,The sam ordoure that is now vsed in reformed Churches, is recyted ī Insti. 2. Apolo. to Anto. Lambes, and suche others, conforme to the commandement made in the law: So now in the new Testament by the Superintendents, Elders, Ministers, the people is conueyned for a certane ordoures cause, and offreth vp, vituios labiorum the Sacrifice of prayse, thankes and Prayers.

Now followeth Clemens, whom this author affirmeth to hauehave bene S. Peters Disciple, if he wes, I know not. I hauehave recyted the Iudgemēt of Clemens Alexandrinus of him, damning him planelie, and that out of Eusebius, But I fynd not that the wordes of Clemens can any wayes hurte, which are, Nane of the Preistis sal say Masse in his Paroche, nor Baptise, nor do ony vther thing, without permission of the Byschope, thir sayingis the Apostles resauit of the Lorde, and gaue tyll vsus, and we teache y^• sam and commandis zow to hade and teache to al men without reprehensioun.

These wordes may be euen so vnderstand, as the sentence of Ignatius, for all tendeth to a scope: but this writter in dede, because I fynd him full of superstitions, ether is he, by wicked men adulterate, (as we know the Papistes to hauehave interiected many wicked sentēces in the writtings of godlie and Catholique men) or if he writeth of his owen head, I dar bouldly affirme, that he wes no Scoler of Peter, but as Ihon speaketh,1. Ihon. 2 he passed furthe frome him, but wes not of his, and this is the opinion of Clemens Alexandrinus, Who planely condamned this your Clemens Epistles.

Followeth Alexander, quha wes martyred for the faith of Christe fourtene houndreth 30. nyne zeris bypast wryttis on this maner, our Lordis Passion is to be rehears it in all Solemnities of the Masse with sick Sacrifice the Lorde is delyted and pacifeit and wyll forgeue gret Sinnes, for amang the Saccrifice thare can be na thing greater than our Lordis body and blude, thare is na sacrifice better nor this, this excellis all vthers, quhilk man be offred to the Lorde, with a pure conscience, & resauit with a clene mynde worschypped with all men.

In this, thow obseruest two thinges, to wit, the Masse to be called a Sacrifice for sinne, and lykewise to be worschypped. Trew it is, that this author can not be excused but he hath spoken foreign that is to saye, somwhat heyghlie to extolle the mater. Yet can I not find here, wherein thow can hauehave great mater to reioyce: For the custome appoynted heir, is moste laudable, that in the Solemnities of Masses (for so cōmonly the Anciens speaketh in plurall noumber) that is, of the peoples Conuention, the Passion of the Lorde,The proper and naturall meaning of Alexander. be recyted with a loude and intelligible voice: for that Sacrifice is the only sacrifice whereby the Lord is satisfied, appeased & our sines forgeuen: where we may & shall obserue the name, ether take in the ꝓper significatiō, apꝑteynīg to the sacrifice of the croce or els if thow can not be cōtented with this, it is, foreign that is by a certane maner of speaking abused & applyed to the commemoration of the Lordes bodie broken vpō the Croce, made in the holy Table, in what maner we hauehave obserued this worde to be taken oftentymes by the ancient Fathers.

But before I proceade, first I require the reader, that when soeuer he heareth this worde masse, or masses in the anciēts, that he vnderstāde it of no such Masse as we hauehave sene, and this author moste impiuslie defendeth, but as I hauehave expounde it out of Eusebius, & Epiphanius, of the Conuentions of the people, which is easalie gathered of this author Alexander.

Marke thow that there can be no thing so contrarious to thy Masse, in the which there is no recytation of the Passion of our Sauiour at all, nor yet of no other action of his, confortable any wayes to the audience: so that how soeuer the wordes shalbe taken, they can no wayes serue 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 Hebrewes,Hebr. 13. may serue for a Cōmentarie to it, where he exhorteth to remēber of liberalitie, & wel doing, for with such Sacrifices God is appleased, and this no dout is the mynde of Alexander how soeuer he speaketh excessiuelie of forgiuenes of Sinnes, to stirre vp the hertes of the people to deuotion: or referring it to the Sacrifice of the Croce, (whereby we hauehave remission of sinnes onelyonly) that he speaketh of the excellencie of the Sacrifice of the Lordes body and blood.

This should be applyed to the Passion, that he commā deth to be recyted, or if ye lyst to the practeis of the Lordes Table, which no dout is the moste excellent Sacrifice of all the Sacrifices, we are commanded to offre, not that it is a Sacrifice ꝓperlie, but as I hauehave declared a Sacrifice of recordation, & cōmemoration of the Lordes death: for this is the most heyght, and excellēt mysterie, in the which the body and blood of the Lorde Iesus are proponed and giuen so vntounto vsus, to fede vponupon, that we are made one with him, and he one with vsus: and as he is one with the Father, so are we one with him: which mysterie is to be wyrschepped, that is, with such reuerence and humiliation of hert, we ought to offre vsus to it, depelie and ꝓfoundlie mediting with oure selues the goodnes of oure God. Who so familiarlie presenteth his Sonne vntounto vsus, & with him communion and participation of his benefites, that we can not be but caryed away in admiratiō of the mysterie and the wyrschepping of so beneficiall a God, and so to offre vp our selues, and all to him.

Take heade that thow beleue not, good reader, as this fals teacher wolde persuade, that this Alexander wylleth vsus to stand and gaise vponupon the bread and wyne, to fall doun before them, worschipe them, & sofurth. For thow seest planelie that he requireth first a diligent tryall and examination of conscience, nixt a sinceritie of mynd in receauīg, to the which he subiuneth the worschipping which is not els but a deipe and profound meditation of the goodnes of our God, the league and couenant made in the bloode of his eternall Sonne, and the which he hath confirmed and sealed vp in the hert of the trew receauer, in that he here offreth and giueth to him bread and wyne, the body and blood of Iesus Christ now, by the receauīg of the simboles of the same. Thus I truste any reasonable man ought to be satisfied with the wordes of Alexander, now let vsus cū to Ireneus, Policarpus Disciple, Quha wes Disciple to S. Ihon the Euangelist and martyred for the faith of Iesus Christe, threttene hūdreth, fourescore fyue zearis bypast, wryttis on this maner, Christ tuke bread, and gaue thankis saying this is my body and tuke the Chalice of wyne, and cōfessed it to be his blude and teched the new sacrifice of the new testament, quhilk the kirk resauit of the Apostles offred vntounto God in all the haill warld.

Here our new maister wylleth Iames to marke how this godlie author affirmeth that our Sauiour in the latter Supper, teached a new Sacrifice of the new Testamē … the which the Church receaued of the Apostles. Because of sett purpose and fraudfullie a great part of the sentence of this author is suppressed and omitted, I am drewen to rehearse the proper wordes of Ireneus, that the Lector may then Iudge clearlie what is the meanyng of this author,The meaninge o… Iereneus. to the which effect it shalbe verrie necessarie that he reade the 32. and 33. Chap. of the same fourt booke, this place is drawen furth of, that he may the more resolutlie Iudge of what oblation is there spoken.

Here shall I not wearie to declare the sūme of his disputatiō ī the two Cheptres, which is to teache be many places & exemples of Scripturs, that the verrie trew sacrifices be not the externe and outwarde commanded in the law, but vnfeyned faith, obedience, knowledge, pacience, the louelove of our nyghtbour, and suche others inwarde and spirituall Sacrifices, without the which the outwarde a…e but mere abhominations in Gods presence, as is easy to proue by the testimonies of the Prophets. Whereby he cō cludeth in dede, that the Lord required no sacrifice, no solide offring, but faith, obedience, and Iustice, to the saluation of man,What kynd of …acrifice plesed God. as we be teached in the Prophete Osea, ād our Sauiour repeateth ī the Euangell. To this place Ireneus goeth about to proue all oblations made vntounto God, in a foreconceaued opinion of ryghtuusnes, iustice, and remission of synnes, without these inwarde sacrifices of mercy, peace, and sofurth, to be execrable before God, since God hath not institute these outwarde thinges, as he anywise delyteth in them, but to admonies vsus of the inwarde as we be teached by Ihon, 4. that the trew worschippers adoreth in spirite and veritie, and Peter, offring vp spirituall offringes acceptable for Christes saike, for vnles all our Sacrifices and werkes be derected to God by faith in the mediator, they are altogether vnplesing, because there is no accesse to the Father, but by him, and by grace we are saued euen as the Fathers vnderunder the law.

This oblation then, that Ireneus speaketh of, is not the oblation of the body and blood of our Sauiour, which fals lie to establish thy masse thou pretendest to be offred vp by a shaueling, for here there is no thing of any masse (God be praysed) spoken, but it is the whole outward, & inward externe and spiritual worshipping. First the spirituall, as A trew and vnfeyned repentence, a contryte and a sobbing hert stroken with the conscience of sinne and so directing it self by a stedfast faith in the mediator, to God, receauing remission of sinnes for his saike, geuing thankes to the Eternal Father for the great treasour of his goodnes disployed and powred doun vponupon man, in geuing his onelyonly Sonne to the death, for the redemption of the world: which faith is testefied, confirmed and sealed vp by the receauing of the holy mysterie of his body and bloode. To these inwarde workes, we may Ioyne the earnist & vehement desyre and thrust, we hauehave to the propagation of his kyngdome, the predication of his worde, and suche others of this kynde.

Thus hauing proceaded, he doeth prosecute and teache v… how we ought to Ioyne to these inwarde and spirituall, the outwarde and externe, whiche consisteth in suche outwarde virtues as extendeth them selues to others, as liberalitie, Iustice, fortitude, prudence: but cheiflie in dede of liberalitie and mercy towards the nedy and indigent:The liberalitie of the Primitiue Churche towards the poore For in they tymes, it wes receaued that certane almous wes broght to the place of Conuention, where the Lordes Table wes to be ministrate, & this destributed to the vse of them that wer in necessitie, that not onelyonly they should be teached by the preachers of that Fraternall and brotherlie louelove, league and societie that they wer all b…und together in Iesus Christe, But that the lyuelie practies of the same should more vinelie represent, set vp, and imprent it in there hertes. These oblations wer called by the word of the ould Testament, the first fructes: for as by the commandement they wer oblist in the ould to offre them so sayeth Ireneus our Sauiour cōmanded in the new testamēt oblations to be for the supporte of the poore, which wes in the Primitiue Churche done, when they cōueyned to the Celebration of the Lordes Table, and this beninguitie vsed to the releif of the poore, is called by the Apostle Hostia bone fragrantie one oblation of sweit sauour to the Philip.Philip. 4.

This thoght I neidfull to premitte, for the oppinning vp of the mind of this author. Now shal we recyte the wordes that the calūniꝰ fraud of this our start vp, may appear: the wordes are: but and he geuing counsell to his owen Disciples to offre vp to God, the first fructes of his creatures, not as he wer nedy, but that they should not be found vnfructful and ingrate, he tuke it, that by creation is bread and gaue thankes, saying, this is my body, and it that is the cuppe lykewise by creation after vsus, he confessed his blood and of the new testament he teached a new oblation the whiche the Churche receauing from the Apostles vniuersalie offreth to God, that giueth to vsus our Alimentes and sustenence of the which Malachias one of the twelf Prophetes, did forewarne, and so recyteth the wordes of the Prophete, which be declared already. It is easy the maters being considdered, I hauehave said before, what of the explication of the place of Malachias, and what of the mynd of Ireneus to vnderstand how miserablie this author and all the Papistes be deceaued ād schamefullie they stumble.

First it is euident that all they that do affirme the ma… sayeth efter there mūmilled incātation, consecration they call it, the breade is no creature, nor yet is breade, but is turned and changed in the verrie naturall body of Iesus Christe, & that they offre the Sonne vntounto the Father, yea, and setteth him euen there before the Father. Now the sonne is no creature being the creator, and Ireneus sayeth that the Lorde gaue counsell to his Disciples to o…fre to God the first fructes of his creatures, so that it is euident Ireneus to hauehave spoken no thing of the offring vp of the Sonne of God, but the oblatiōs & gyftes that wer brogh… to the Table at the celebration of the Lordes Supper, together with the prayers, action of thankes, and predication of the Euangell through out all, euen amongest the Nations which preaching of the Euangell, the Apostle termes by the name of Sacrifice.The preaching of the Euā gell is a moste acceptable Sacrifice to God, I am the Minister of Iesus Christe (saeth he) among the Nations Sacrifiing the Euangell of God, that the oblation of the Gentiles, may be acceptable and sanctified in the holy Spirite.Roma. 18

Thus Ireneus exponeth Malachias, declaring him to speak of the whole new and spirituall worshipping of the new Testament, and to speak no thing of thy masse, his wordes are: For my name is great amongst the Nations sayeth the Lorde omnipotent, moste manifestlie hereby declaring that because the first people had desisted to offre to God, & in all places sacrifice is offred to him, & that clene, so his name is glorified in the nations. Whereby Ireneus clearely declared the Prophete to hauehave foresignified the Sacrifice of the Euangell and the preaching of the croce, whereof the sueit odore the delitious and confortable sauour is disparsed & spred throghout all, which is the most acceptable oblatiō to God as the apostle witnesseth, prayse to God,…. Cor. 2 sayeth he, that hath made manifest by vsus in al places, the ordour of his knowledge. Ireneus exponeth him self in the 34. Chap. as he is plane yneugh in the 33. schewing that prayers ād thankes geuing of the Sanctes is the same oblation that Malachie foreprophecied to be offred vp in all places,Reuel. 5. where he calleth the incenses that be spoken of, by Ihon, in the Reuelation, the prayres of the sanc… a…d efter him schortlie … against the …, … in the 4. against Marcion, fo…eth the same exposi…n, no dout, sayeth Tertuliane … is forespoken by the …ophete, becau…e the predicatio… … the Apostles wes to …sse throghout all countries: and … efter speaking of …ritual …acrifices, he rehearseth these … of the Pro…ete and in al place cleane Sacrifices shalbe offred to me.

Now lest some should think that this oblation, whiche the Churche receaueth frome the Apostles, and offreth vp eueryevery where may alwayes be applyed to this Authors wicked purpose, Ireneus in the wordes of the Text, reryted by me, but fraudfullie omitted by this author; declareth him self, calling the oblations of bread and wyne, ād others thinges that wer broght to the releif of the nedy, the first fructes, the wordes are plaine, to him (sayth he) who giueth aliments to vsus, the first fructes of there gyftes in the new Testam…nt, as he should say, in that that our Sauiour tuke breade and wyne, and offred to his Disciples, he teacheth vsus a new oblation of the new Testament, how we ought with the oblation of oure prayers, action of thankes, the predication of the mercies of our God, & the holy Supper, ioyn… …tly & …, that is, to acknowledge vsus to receaue all at the & … o… God, to be as it wer stewarts and despēs…tours of his gyftes, and thus to offre vp the first fructes to God, that is, to sanctifie them to thereleif of the poore: and so he declareth him self in the Chap. following, by the gyft, sayeth or, the honoure & the affection is schowen towards the Kyng, the whiche the Lorde wylling to be offred in all simplicitie and innocencie preached saying, when thow bringest the gyft to the altare, and sofurth, then should thow offre sayeth Ireneus, and concludeth the first fructes of his creature, to be offred to God, as Moyses sayeth, thow shall not appeare empty in the presence of the Lorde thy God.

Now as I hauehave decleared alreaddy his principale studie is that with these outwarde actions, the inwarde worshipping be ioyned, we must make our oblatiō,What is the oblation of the new testamēt sayeth he, to God, and be found thankfull in all to our maker God, in simple mynde and faith, without Hypocrisie, a stedfaste hope, a seruent dilection offring vp the first fructes of them that be his creaturs, and this oblation cleane and vndefyled the onelyonly church and Congregation offreth vp to the maker Sacrifiing to him of his owen workmaschipe with action of thankes: in the which wordes he planely declareth, what he wyll we vnderstande by the oblation of the new Testamēt, which no wayes may apperteyne to your masse, where one goeth asyde and pretendeth a certane oblation, not, of no creature, but of the verrie Sonne of God where we be teached here of one oblation made by the holy Churhe, and that of the creaturs to the maker ioyning to the inwarde Sacrifice of faith, a cleane conscience, a stedfaste hope, together with prayers, and the furthschewing of Gods mercies, exhibited in Iesus Christe.

Syndrie other places may I adduce of the same two Cheptres, wherein he decleareth plainely, that he meaneth of almous geuen to the nedy in the Lordes Supper, and of the table it self, prayer, and thankes geuing, and others suche laudable and Godlie customes as were then vsed, whiche alltogether are called the oblatiō of the new testament by this author.

Followis Cypriane, quha wes martyred for the faith of Christe 1296. zearis bypaste, and wryttis in this maner, gif our Iesus Christ & God himself be the hie preist of God the father and be him self, did first offer a Sacrifice to God the father and hes commandid the sam to be done in remembrance of him, that preist verrelie goddis Vicar, quha dois follow the thīg that Christe hes done. Hither to Cypriane and als he affirmis that God is author and teacher of the Sacrifice of the Masse.

Now ye adde to the wordes of Cypriane (by him self) 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 offre as he hath sene Christ alreddy to hauehave offred) & passe by and wyll go to the mater.

What do ye finde here that wyl serue any wayes to your masse? and in verrie dede because ye perceaued no thing to be here making for yow, ye adde that God is author and teacher of the masse? Why do ye not alledge the place? if any thing myght be found in Cypriane, ye should, no dout, hauehave broght it furth, for it should hauehave serued more to your purpose. Shall ye thus be suffred to raill against God, ād inure suche insufferable blasphemies to the Eternall, and his sanctes, making him author of the moste detestable impietie, that euer wes diuised? Shall ye thus be permitted to deceaue the simple ones of Christs flock, redemed by his bloode? Be you assured, that the Eternall wyll not suffer the prophanation of his mysterijs, the decept of his people, and the wrangling of the wryttinges of his sanctes, vnpunished.

Let vsus returne to the wordes of Cypriane in the which it is moste certane that he speaketh no thing of priuat masses vnknowen in his dayes, nether yet euer had place til that all being distroyed ād waisted by the Gotthes & Vandelles and others,When it wes receaued that one should cō municat for all. fearslie could any multitude be conueyned to the Celebration of the Lordes Table, but belyke all goode sciences falling in decaye, the ignorance and contempt of Gods worde entred in, and receaued, that one should eat, for all the multitude, one should take vpō him to do that which ought to hauehave bene done of all. Now the ancients did abhorre these priuate massts, we may knowe by the Epistle of Leo Pope, who wes many yeares efter Cypriane, to Diofcurus, where he declareth planelie that there wes but a masse, and that the whole people being cō ueyned together at festuall dayes and tymes, yea, ād euen in these our dayes, the Greik Churche hath no priuate masses, & in the Popes owen Chapell, there is but one altare and a masse, and that seldome at certane appoynted tymes in the year.

The wordes of Cypriane are to be vnderstande of the distribution of the Sacrament, and Cōmunion of the people. For lyke as Christe vponupon the Croce, offred him self to God the Father, and that the memorie of this his oblation myght be kept euer fresche and recent in his Congregation, he instituted the Supper, and cōmanded the practeis thereof, breaketh bread, calleth it his body, and distributeth to his Disciples, and sanctifieth the cuppe, calling it the blood of the new Testament: So the minister making distribution of the body and blood of our Sauiour, according to his exemple and institution, and giuing thankes to the Eternall, for the Sacrifice and oblation ones made vponupon the Crote, the virtue whareof euer remaneth, no dont he is the stedholder of Christ, in the imitatiō & doing that which Christ did & cōmāded to be done.

Now lest that the wordes that I hauehave added of Cypriane, may appeare to be hurtsum and preiudicial to satisfie all readers and take all enasion frome yow. Let no man thinke that Cypriane wylleth a preist to stande vp by one altare allone and there to make one oblation by him self. But that he shall diuide and distribute to the assistars the body and bloode of our Sauiour, & offre vntounto God prayers and action of thankes for the Sacrifice of the Croce, the memorie where of, is there solemnedlie celebrated, for that is to offre as Christe offred in the Supper, to wit, to giuegive thankes, pray to God, and so make distribution of the simboles of his body and bloode.

It is well noted by Chrysostomus, there be some thinges wherein the Minister differeth frome the Commoun and layick people,Wherein the preferment of the minister consisteh at the lordes Table. which standeth not in that, that the Preist should make oblation and Sacrifice of Christe for them, ād eat the Lordes Supper for him self allone, and so to distribute, and apply it to whom, and in what measure pleaseth him. But the preferment of the preist in this mater, is only in the ministration, as Cypriane here plainely teacheth that the preist as a commoun minister and debter to the Churche, doeth preache the worde & distribute the Lordes supper vntounto the people, who doeth receaue it at his handes.

Here it shall not be altogether out of the way to schawe the causes that moued the ancients,Why the holie cō munion is called a Sacrifice by the Anci…es. to call this action a sacrifice or one oblation, which appearinglie be syndrie and diuers. The first cause is drewen frome the obseruation of the cons…etude in there dayes cheiflie of Ireneus & Cypriane: the custome wes this, that the people broght with them a great quantitie of breade and wyne, and offred at the table, whereof a certane portion wes taken and vsed to the holy Communion, the residue, wes sanctified to the vse and supporte of the poore. And this no dout is the oblation, that Ireneus Cypriane ād Tertuliane, maketh so often mētion of, yea, the verrie collectes of your masse (as ye be verrie Aippes, & wyll seme to had & reteyne some figure and Image of antiquitie.) In this consideration wer called collettes, being receaued frome the people, and oblations, because they wer offred to a holy vse in whiche respect Paule to the Philipp. calleth the almonsan Sacrifice and a hoste of sweit sauour, as I hauehave alreddy touched.

Secundlye, there is one action of thankes an publyck attestation of our gratitude, and thankfulnes, which in the scripturs is called one Immolation of prayse, and laude. Thridlye, all communicantes doeth offre them to be reuled and guyded by God, yea, and mortified, whereof speaketh Paule to the Romans,Rom. 12. giuegive your bodyes (sayeth he) to God, a lyuing and a holy Sacrifice pleasing to God, and after he wytnesseth, that he beareth the ministerie,Rom. 15. and Sacrificeth the Euangell that the oblatiōs of the Gentiles may be acceptable and sanctified by the holy spirit, as we hauehave cyted here tofore.

The fourt is, that there is celebrated the memorie of the Lordes death & passion, which because it wes the verrie & full sacrifice, the name of sacrifice is applyed to that action whereby it is represented, and thus speaketh Augustine, when he sayeth by memorie and recordation our Sauiour is eueryevery day offred vp.

These are the foure considerations, whereby the fathers are moued to giuegive the name of Sacrifice and oblation to the Lordes table, albeit that I dar not altogether allow this in them, for since the Scripture giueth no such name vntounto it, and rashelie, we ought not introduce any new speaking nor yet leif the acquent maner and phrase of the spirit of God: yet somewhat is it tollerable in the fathers who caryed away in admiration of the dignitie and worthynes of the misterie could not wit certanelie what prayse to giuegive to it & with what tytle decore, set vp, and exorne it.

Let this ones declared serue to the vnderstanding of the wryttings of the fathers, when soeuer ether we shall read any thing in them, or there authoritie shalbe layed against vsus.

Chrysostomus ane Greik, and ancien writter & doctor 1157. zearis past, writtis on this maner. Christhes preparit a mekle mair wonderfull and magnificent Sacrifice, baith quhē he changit this Sacrifice it self, and als quhen he commandit him selfto be offred in stede of brutale beastis Quhilks we offred in the aid law. Hitherto Chrysostome, he writtis ī a vther place saying, O gret gude wyl of God towardis vsus, O mirakle he that sittis on y^• rycht hād of the Father in heauin aboue, is conteyned in mānis handis in tyme of the Sacrifice. Also he sayis in aue vther place, do we not offer sacrifice daylie? we do offer bot doing it in remē brance of Christis death, and this hoste is in with mony and that oblation wes anis offred in to heauin, bot this Sacrifice, is ane exemple of that, we do offer the same selfthing: we offer nocht the day ane Lambe to Christe and the morne ane vther bot euer the sam self thing Quharefor this sacrifice is ane or ellis be that reassone zit is it offered in mony places, ar thay mony Christis? na thing les bot thare is ane Christe ouer all, quha being heir all haill and thair all haill, ane body, for as that quhilk is offred in eueryevery place, is a body, euin sa it is a Sacrifice, bot he is our Byschope, quhilk offred ane Sacrifice making vsus clene. We do offre the same, & that, that quhilk wes then offered can not be confoundit. Hitherto Chrysostomus out of quhais wordis mony notable leasone may be collected in contrare the realing reassoning & myscheant mokrie of vaine men in thir dayis.

It appeareth that ye wer well bote in the conclusion, what hath moued yow so soddenlie? In this, it is se…e, that it is most trew that is reported of yow, that as euer ye get any matche, or any withstand yow, ye then kindle and may not awaye with any contradiction. But I wounder of yow, a man that wyll seme to be verrie diligent in reading the ancients and in collecting all may serue to your purpose, being no wayes occupyed, but in the defence of this desperate cause, that ye gather not out these notable leasons. But this is your craft, sire, to cast a ielousie in the hert of the reader …hat ye may appear that, that ye are not in dede. But let vsus go to the examination of the mater. In dede I can not find the formare wordes in 2. Homi. vponupon the Epistles to Timothie, nether vponupon the first, nor yet the secounde, but geuing they be written, I can find no thing in them any wayes helplie to yow.

For that the preparation of this Sacrifice is more magnifique and wounderfull, nor the sacrifices vnderunder the law this is but spoken to extolle this holy Table aboue all the oblations of the law: In what respect and consideration it is declared at large. Of the offring vp of him self that is Sacramentalie spoken, and apperteyneth no thing to his reale presence.

In the latter part, euen in the conclusion of the. 2. Sermōe vponupon the secunde Epistle to Timothie, he wrytteth these wordes, I wyll schewe yow something that is wounderfull, meruell not, be not troubled, what is this? the holy oblation whidder it be offred by Peter or Paule, or any preist of what sumeuer merite, is the self same with it that Christe gaue to his Disciples, and that the ministers now doeth make, why so? because men do not sanctifie this, but Christe that hallowed that before, that as the wordes are one, that Christe then pronunced and they that be now pronunced by the ministers, so is the oblation one: ād thesame reason is of Baptisme: so all doeth consiste & stand in faith.

These be the wordes of Chrysostomus in the place before rehearsed. Of the office of the ministerie & sanctificatiō I hauehave spoken in the beginning of this treaty, of the oblatiō Lykewise, how it should be vnderstand and that it is one with that, which our Sauiour practeist with his Disciples: since the action is one, sanctificatiō one, a sanctifiar, the same ceremonies recyted and the commandement giuen to do the same, there is no dout. But here ye must obserue more that he maketh no differēce towardes the presence of our Sauiour in this action, and his presence in Baptisme and this is moste trew,Gal. 3. for in consideration that they that be Baptised in Christe are indued and sled with him: we hauehave to luke for no vther presence of Christe in this action towards the realitie of his body and bloode, But all is to be referred to faith, as this author concludeth, nor we hauehave in Baptisme. In the secunde place adduced by yow, where the author is drewen to burste furth in admiration of this mysterie, and cal it a miracle, in deid it is excessiuelie spoken to the prayse of the action. Which maner of speaking is verrie familiare to this writter, for who soeuer is well acquent with him, shall obserue him much giuen and to delyte wounderfullie, in allusions, tropes & figurs, and as he hath his name frome great eloquence, so hyperbollie and heygtly set vp and extolle the mater that he entreateth, that he shal euen appeare to forget him self: notwithstanding the sense is gude being rygtlie considdered and discreitlie, according to the mynde of the author in other places weyed and exponed: for can there be any thing more miraculus, nor the cōiunction of God & man? of the sonne of God and the sinfull & wrached man: man to possesse Iesus Christe with all his benefites? and that he who setteth at the ryght hand of God the Father, shalbe giuen to the Saule of man? no thing at all. This is the operation of the spirite of God, the strenth and virtew of faith, whiche maketh the thinges that be absent, present, yea, and maketh vsus to inioye and possesse the thinges we hope for, as Peter teacheth vsus & this author,…. Pet. 1. as hath bene laitlie said. Be were prudent reader, that thow think not that this author here speaketh any thing of Christes real, substancial & naturall presence as the Papistes do fondlie ymagine for that he hath affirmed to be no other nor ī Baptisme: ād it is not to be supposed that here he meaneth any thing other nor he teacheth plainelie in his Sermone, De Eucharistia in En…oenus. Do not (sayeth he) think that yow receaue by the hand of any man, the body of God, meaning of Christe.

Ad Populum Anticehenum Homi. 61. in Io…. nuem. 45.And in many other places sayeth, that we ascend vp vntounto heauen, and eateth Christ sitting at the ryght hand of the Father: and that he speaketh, yea, and some others of the wounderfull operation of God, in his Sacramēts passing all mānes wit, sense, and reasoun, not meanīg of the working of God in watter, breade and wyne, whiche be figurs sanctified in dede to one holy vse, but of the merue lus working of God, in the hertes of them that receaue his Sacraments secreitlie, inwardlie, & spirituallie transforming, renewing, feiding, conforting, & nurissing them with his body and bloode in heauen, so that all this is to page missing referred to the receauers who be thus wonderfullie changed and not to the signes, whiche notwithstanding the sanctification proceading of the commandement of Iesus Christe, and that they be remoued and taken from the vulgare, commoun, and prop…ne vse, and dedicate to this holy action, and so to be the simboles and Sacramentes of Christes presence, and remunition with vsus, yet receaue they no alteration in there owen natures: but remane still in there proper and naturall kyndes, so that it is moste trew, that this author sayeth of Christe sitting aboue with his Father, in his naturall body tryumphant in glorie, and yet is the same here in our hands Sacramē tallie, and figuratiuelie, yea, and present, and remaning in our hertes by grace & nurishment. In the thrid authoritie alledged by this Scripturare. First obserue with me, reader, that which I hauehave admonished before, to wyt, in what sense the ancients doth call this action of the Lordes table a Sacrifice, because, sayeth Chrysostome, it is celebrated in memorie of Christes death and passion, the rest tendeth altogether and onelyonly to declare this action, wheresoeuer it is practeist or how often repeated, it is no thing different, but all one with the action of our Sauiour.

And lest that any man should be moued or trubled with his free speaking, he exponeth him self in the conclusion, this that we do (sayeth he) is done in commemoration of that, that wes done,In what sēse Chrysostome wil hauehave his wordes takē do this (sayeth 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 cōmemoration of the Sacrifice. By the which wordes he noteth him to hauehave spoken excessiuelie and correcteth him self, exponing and restricting his former disputation, to the remembrance and recordation of the great and only Sacrifice, lest that any man should think and iudge by his wordes, this action to be a Sacrifice in dede. What hauehave ye now to bragge of your Sacrifice of the masse, when ye are thus refelled of Chrysostome him self, whome ye and all papistes pretendeth to stand moste for yow?

Now in verrie dede, I petie yow, and exhorte yow, in the bowells of the mercies of Iesus Christe, to zeald to the treuth and eschame not to recant & confes your impius wicked, and vngodlie errour, eschame not to giuegive it ouer to Iesus Christe, whose eternall veritie wyl obteyne victorie. This we seik at yow, not on a realing maner; or yet of mockerie, but (as God is witnes to our conscience) frō the bottome of oure hartes, for there is no other thing that pusheth vsus to this ba…tell, (,God is witnes) but the defence of the treuth, which by tyrannie, ambition, Auarice, & ignorāce these many ages (allace) hath bene oppressed and almoste buryed, to the which we wyll postpone all thing that is here moste tender, deir, and precius. Now cumeth this author to "Ambrosiꝰ ane ancien doctor apꝓuit be ye kirkof god in his apꝓbation I wyl not stand, but wyl saye, that he is best worthy of apꝓbation, who stādeth by the treuth, & further, that many be apꝓued by the Rōane church (which church I trust ye mean) that be worthy to be cast in the fyre, or to serue to the butter wyffes, that I say no wers. 1176. zeris bypast wryttis on this maner we hauehave sene ye Prince of Princes cum vntounto vsus, we sawe him & hard him offer for vsus his blude, lat vsus prestes follow as we may offer Sacrifice for the peple, altho we be weaik be our desseruing, zit we at honorable throuth the Sacrifice, for albeit Christe is not sene to be offred zit neuer theles he is offred vponupon the earth, quhen his body is offred, Zea, he is declarit planely to be offred intyll vsus quhais wordis makis haly the Sacrifice quhilk is offred.The Abbot as a man vnmyndful of his mater draweniual places which der they mak for him or ….

The Confutation of the Abbot of Crosraguels Mass, Text (4 of 5)