History of the First Ten Persecutions, Treatises 4 · Treatise 3

History of the First Ten Persecutions · Treatises 4 · Treatise 3

p. 86A TREATISE, Of the Sacrifice of the Masse.

THE soule of the Antichristes kingdome is the Masse, which beeing abolished, the Antichristes kingdome cannot consist. Now, therefore, it followeth by due order, that I shoulde speake of the Sacrifice of the Masse, keeping this method: first to search out if it bee an auncient Seruice in the Church of God: secondly, to search out the definition of the Masse: and thirdly, to declare the absurdities of the Masse.

To prooue the Masse to bee an auncient Sacrifice, vsed and approoued in the Primitiue Church, they alleadge the liturgie of Sainct Iames, the bookes of Abdias, bishop of Babylon, the bookes of Martialis, bishop of Burdeaux, and one of the seuentie Antiqui….Disciples, the bookes of Clement and of Sainct Dionyse, the liturgies of Basill and Chrysostome, a booke founde in Verona, a towne of Ital…e, set foorth vnderunder the name of Amph…lochius, bishop of Iconium, the head citie of Lycaonia, which describeth the life and miracles of Sainct Basill. But now it is time to bee ashamed of their supposititious bookes and legendes of lies, wherewith they were accustomed to deceiue simple people. These bookes, for the moste part, are so vnknowne to Antiquitie, that there is no mention made of them in ancient Authors. The liturgie of Chrysostome is a booke falsely shrowded vnderunder his name, because in that liturgie there is a prayer conceiued for the prosperitie and well-fare of Nicolaus the first, vniuersall bishop. And it is knowne, that Nicolaus the first was not borne three hundreth yeere and more after the death of Chrysostome. And in the booke set foorth vnderunder the name of Amphilochius, a description of the life of Thomas Bekket, bishop of Canterburie, is set downe, who was at least seuen hundreth yeeres posteriour to the dayes of A… philochius. p. 87Such legendes of lies doe verie well agree with the kingdome of the Antichrist.

Moreouer, the forme of Church-discipline vsed of olde, will proue, that there was no such Church-seruice as the Masse: for these who had committed great sinnes, by the strict discipline Hist. trip…t. lib. 9. ed. 35of the Church, were debarred, some from hearing of Sermons, others from the Prayers, and some from the Communion: but wee reade of no man, for the space of fiue hundreth yeeres, who was debarred from the sight of the Sacrifice of the Masse, because there was no such Seruice in the Church for the space aforesaide. For mine owne part, I found nothing in the Historie, that once seemed to countenance the Popish Masse, before the sixe hundreth yeere of our Lord, at what time the bishop of Centum-celle made a fabulous narration, to Gregorie the first, of a man tormented in purgatorie, who requested a Church-man to offer to God consecrated hosties for his reliefe out of paines: but this fable cannot prooue the Masse to bee an auncient Churchseruice.

Chrysostome clearly declareth the forme of approaching to dinine mysteries in his time, After Sermon a deacon stoode vp, Chrysost. in epist. ad Hebr. cap. 9 Homil. 17Heb 9and cried with a loude voyce, foreign, that is, Holy thinges doe appertaine vntounto holie persons: by which wordes hee inuiteth holy men, and such as are duely prepared, to draw neare to the participation of holy mysteries, & others, who in conscience sound not themselues purged from the filthinesse of their sinnes, hee exhorteth to single out themselues, and not to approach to the holy Table. This hee amplifieth by a dissimilitude of the Olympiak playes, and the holy Supper: In the Olympiak playes (saieth Chrysostome) an harolde stoode vp, and after hee had pointed out a mans name, who offered to giuegive a proofe of his valour in the Olympiak exercises, then the harolde cried with a loude voyce, foreign? that is, Doeth ani… bodie accuse this man? can anie bodie accuse him of theft, of lewde manners, of a base and seruile condition, whereby he may be found vncapable of this high honou…? But when a man is disposed to approach vntounto the holy mysteries, the Church deacon calleth not vponupon others to accuse him but sendeth him to the secrete parlour of of his own heart, to accuse himselfe, and to trie if he be absolued p. 88from his sinne, and if hee bee refreshed with thè earnest-pennie of the Holy Spirite, and made rich in good workes. This was the forme of communicating in Chrysostomes dayes. If there was besides this forme of communicating a sacrifice also, wherein a Priest stoode at the Altar, and he only did eate and drinke, and the rest were onelyonly spectators and beholders of the sacri…ce, then let them produce testimonies of Scripture, or ancient Fathers, whereby it may bee prooued, that such forme of seruice was in vse in the Church.

Master Harding, foolishly singing the triumph before the victorie, citeth a place of Chrysostome, as a full and perfect confirmation of the Antiquitie of the Masse. Chrysostome, when hee was a fellow-labourer, with Flauianus, bishop of Antiochia, hee Chry…ost. ad pop. An…ioch. ho…il. 6.complained of the slownesse of the people in approaching to the holy Communion, in these wordes, I see, saieth hee, great inequalitie of thinges amongst you: At other times, When as for the moste part yee are in cleane life, yee come not (to wit, to the Communion) but at Easter, though yee hauehave done something amisse, yet yee come: O what custome is this! O what presumption is this! the daylie sacrifice is offered in vaine: Wee stand at the Altar for nought, there is not one that will communicate. The verie purpose whereat Chrysostome aimeth, should make him ashamed to cite this place as a defence of the Masse: for Ch…ysostome is reprehending the people for resorting at so fewe times, and in so small companies, vntounto the holie Supper, when as of olde the people were wont to communicate euerie daye, and therefore hee calleth the Lordes Supper a daylie sacrifice.

The Papistes are so farre from reproouing the people for not communicating, that they make prouision onelyonly for one to eate and drinke at the Altar, and not for manie: and they inuite not the people to communicate with them, but rather by the noueltie of their newe inuented religion, they distinguishe the Altar from the Communion table, and the Sacrifice from the Sacramēt, farre contrarie to the custome of the Primitiue Church, who by a Metaphore called the Sacrament a Sacrifice, and by the like Metaphore called the Communion table an Altar. If anie man will rudely presse the wordes of Chrysostome, expresse contrarie to his meaning, let him vnderstand that the like forme p. 89of speaking is vsed in Holy Scripture, where it is saide, And no Ioan. …. ……an receiued his testimonie, to wit, the testimonie of Christ. The meaning is not, that no bodie receiued the testimonie of Christ, but that verie fewe receiued it: Euen so, the meaning of the words of Chrysostome is, that verie fewe of the people did communicate. And this hath bene verie judiciously marked by Master IEWELL, that worthie Bishop, in his disputation against master Harding.

To bee short in this head of Antiquitie of the Popish Masse. Their bragging of Antiquitie is not vnlike to the Gibeonites shoos, which were olde, and put on of purpose to deceiue: yet Iosu. 9. 12 14Josh 9:12were not their shoos so olde, as the shoos of GODS people, which, by the miraculous worke of GOD, lasted fourtie yeeres in the Wildernesse, and were not rent. GODS people might Deut. 1. 4Deut 1:4hauehave bragged indeede, of ancient and vnrent shoos, but the deceitful Gibeonites, they bragged, and deceiued Gods people with antiquitie falsely pretended. Such is the antiquitie of the masse, and no better.

Before I leaue this head, I will admonishe the Reader, not to bee deceiued with olde Latine transations of Grieke Authors. Socrates writeth of the fauourers of Paulinus, that after hee died Socrat. lib. … cap. 15they communicated not with Flauianus, bishop of Antiochia, but they kept Assemblies apart by themselues. Nowe the wordes of the Grieke language, foreign, is better translated this way, Separatim conuentus faciebant, than as some olde Latine Wolfangus Musculus.interpreters translate the wordes, Separatim missarum celebrabant solennia, howbeit the olde interpreters by missarum solennia, vnderstand nothing but Ecclesiasticall conuentions.

IN the second head we hauehave the definition of the Masse, to be set downe, and to bee examined. The Masse is called a sacrifice propitiatorie, & vnbloodie, wherein the Priest offereth the bodie of the Sonne of God to the Father, vnderunder the formes of bread and wine, and that without suffering for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead. From the worde of Sacrifice auncient Fathers did not abhorre, but they called the Holy Sacrament a Sacrifice The Words Sacrifice.of thankesgiuing and a commemoratiue Sacrifice of the death of Christ the wordes of Augustine are these, Hujus sacrifitii Augus. cōtr. faustń Manich. lib. 20 cap. 21caro ante aduentum Christi, per victimas similitudinum promittebatur: p. 90in passione per ipsam veritatem reddebatur: post ascensum Christi, per sacramentum memoriae celebratur: that is to say, The flesh of this sacrifice was promised by sacrifices of similitudes: In the suffering of Christ, it was in verie deede exhibited: and after the ascension of Christ, it is celebrated by a Sacrament of His memoriall. In these wordes Augustine distinguisheth a sacrifice prefiguratiue before Christes comming, and a sacrifice commemoratiue after the Lordes ascension, from the sacrifice of Christes bodie in veritie, and actually exhibited vponupon the crosse; other sacrifices point out, as types and figures, the great sacrifice of the bodie of Christ once offered vponupon the crosse: but they are not that selfe same sacrifice, except by a figuratiue manner of speach. And like as the towne Nicopolis was not the victorie of Augustus Casar, when hee faught against Antonius Plutarch. in vita Anton.and Cleopatra, but it was onelyonly a memoriall of the victorie: Euen so, the commemoratiue sacrifice of the new Testament, is not the true sacrifice of Christes bodie, but only a memoriall of that blessed sacrifice.

Iustinus Martyr had good occasion offered vntounto him to write of the sacrifices of Christes Church, because Paganes slaundered Christians, and called them Atheistes, in regarde they offered not bloodie sacrifices, nor incense, vntounto their God: to whome Iustinus returned this answere, That Christians offered to GOD such sacrifices as they knew to bee moste acceptable to Him, to Iustinus apologia 2.wit, the sacrifices of prayer and thankesgiuing. And as concerning the creatures of God, appointed for the sustentation of mankinde, we keepe them (saith hee) for our owne vse, and for the sustentation of indigent people, but we consume them not with fire. If there had bene anie corporal sacrifice in the Church of the bodie of the Sonne of God, vnderunder the formes of bread and wine, Iustinus had occasion offered vntounto him to hauehave spoken of it: but hee knew no such sacrifice in his time. Yea, and the sacrament of the Lords Supper is called, by Iustinus, a Sacrifice of Iustin. dialo. cum Tryph. iudeo.thanksgiuing, who confidently affirmeth, that prayer & thanksgiuing are the onelyonly sacrifices perfect and acceptable to GOD, euen at that time when the Sacrament is ministred, which putteth vsus in remembrance of the Lordes suffering. Testimonies out of the bookes of ancient Fathers should bee cited without fraude and deceite, and should not bee wrested to another sense p. 91and meaning, than they were spoken into by the Authors. And so the worde Sacrifice could offend no man, if it were spoken in such sense as ancient Fathers spake it.

The Romane Church shoulde doe well, so to remember the names that ancient Fathers hauehave giuen to the Sacrament, that they shoulde not forget, that Holy Scripture calleth it a Communion 1. Cor. 10. 16. 171 Cor 10:161 Cor 10:17of the bodie and blood of Christ. Then let it be such a sacrifice, wherein many participates of one bread and one cup, and thereby sealeth vp, that they are all members of one mysticall bodie of Iesus Christ: but not such a sacrifice wherein the people standeth gazing and looking, and the Priest alone eateth and drinketh, and distributeth nothing vntounto the people. They answere, that the Priest, who offereth at the Altar, he communicateth with others, who doe the like seruice in other places. This is but falsehoode, in reasoning arising vponupon the deceitfull handeling of one worde hauing two significations: The worde Communion importeth two things: First, a Communion in religion: Secondly, a participation of y^e Holy Supper in one place, and an eating of one bread, and drinking of one cuppe: and in this second sense, it is taken by the Apostle in the 10. Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians: in which sense their priuate Masse cannot be called a Communion.

The second word of the definition of the Masse is propitiatorie. This word doeth signifie a sacrifice purchasing remission of Propitiatorie. Hebr. 9. 22Heb 9:22sinnes, as the Apostle witnesseth. And this honour doeth onelie appertaine to the sacrifice of Christ, who is a propitiation for our sinnes, & the sinnes of the whole world. This ground being 1. Ioan. 2. 21 John 2:2once laide, that Christ is the only person, in whom the Father is well pleased with vsus: and Christes sacrifice is the onelyonly meanes, whereby we are reconciled to God.

In the second place, we shall consider, wherefore the word of propitiation was in so frequent vse in the olde Testament. The Exod. 25. 21Exod 25:21golden coucring of the Arke was called the propitiatorie: likewise the tenth day of the seuenth monethmonth, whereupon the High Priest entered once in the yeere within the Vaile, and into the most Holy place, it was called the daye of propitiation: and the Leui. 23. 27 Levit. 4. 20Lev 4:20sinne-offeringes were called propitiatorie sacrifices. To this doubt the Apostle answereth, that the lawe hauing the shadowe of p. 92Hebr. 10. 1Heb 10:1good thinges to come, and not the verie image of the thinges, can neuer, with those sacrifices, which they offer yeere by yeere, continuallie sanctifie the commers thereunto. By these wordes it is euident, that the sinne-offering, and the blood carried within the Vaile, and the golden couering of the Arke, had no power to purge the consciences of men from sinne: onelie they were types and figures representing Christ, in whome that was to bee actuallie performed, which was represented by those figures. And like as no prefiguration sacrifice in a proper sense could be called propitiatorie: Euen so in like manner, no commemoratiue sacrifice of Christes death, can bee called a propitiatorie sacrifice, except typically, and figuratiuely.

The wordes of Augustine, speaking of the sacrament of the Altar, in the celebration whereof, there was a commemoration of the names of manie men, who were departed this life, presenteth to Papistes some occasion of cauillation: for they saye, that Augustine thought the sacrament of the Altar to bee a propitiation: August. Enchirid. ad Laurentium Idem, de octo dulcitii quest.for men who had beene of a middle-ranke, that is, neither of the best, nor of the worst sort of people. But they who are well acquainted with Augustines writinges will not bee easilie miscaried with such Amphthologies as lurke in wordes. True it is, that AVGVSTINE calleth the Sacrament a Sacrifice: but in what sense? A commemoratiue Sacrifice, as hath beene declared alreadie. And in the like sense, hee calleth the Sacrament of the Altar propitiatio, because in it there is a commemoration of the propitiatorie sacrifice, which CHRIST offered vponupon the Crosse. His distinction of men, who are departed, in three rankes, some hauehave beene verie good men, others hauehave beene verie badde men, the third ranke hauehave neither bene the best nor the worst sort of people, together with his doubtsome opinion cōcerning the estate of weake Christians, who are departed this life, presenteth no solide grounde to any man to build his argument vponupon the testimonie of a doubting author.

The next worde of the definition is vnbloodie. Howe repugnant this part of the definition is vntounto the former part, Unbloodiewherein it was called a propitiatorie Sacrifice, GOD willing, I shall declare in the last head, concerning the absurdities of the Masse.

p. 93For one speciall respect Papistes shoulde speake sparinglie of their vnbloodie hostie: for they hauehave made it bloodie by the cruell shedding of the blood of manie innocent people, whome they hauehave persecuted to the death, massacred, tormented with formes of newe inuented crueltie, circumueened by false and deceitfull promises: and they hauehave excogitated horrible treasons, the like whereof hauehave not beene hearde since the foundation of the worlde: and these villanies were hatched in their hatefull heartes for the establishing of their Idolatrous Masse. Vesperae siculae, maye bee called an vnbloodie Euen-song: and the sacrifices offered to DIANA, in TAVRICA CHERSONESVS, maye bee called vnbloodie sacrifices, with better reason than the Popishe Masse can bee called an vnbloodie sacrifice, because the seruice done to DIANA, albeit it beganne with the shedding of humane bloode, yet it ended with the shedding of the bloode of beastes. But the crueltie of the Papistes will make no such exchange, because they walke in the way of Cain.

The next part of the definition is this: That in the Masse the Priest offereth the bodie of the Sonne of GOD to the Father. The Priest offereth the body of Christ.No part of the definition is more vntollerable, and more flatlie opposite to holie Sripture, than this part: for holie Scripture setteth downe CHRISTES bodie, as the onelie propitiatorie sacrifice, and CHRIST himselfe, as the onelie High Priest, who offered this sacrifice. And to transferre this Heb. 10. …0 12Heb 10high honour onelie due to CHRIST, vntounto a sinfull man, it is a thing vntollerable to true Christians, who are affectioned to the glorie of IESVS CHRIST their Master and Sauiour.

But incase a mortall and sinfull man will take vponupon him such boldnesse, as to offer the bodie of the Sonne of GOD in a sacrifice to the Father, let vsus consider, by what warrande of the calling of GOD dare hee presume so to doe. Papists affirme, that when CHRIST instituted the holie Supper, at one, and the selfe same time, hee instituted both a Sacrament and a Sacrifice, and consecrated his Apostles, and their successours, to bee Priestes of the newe Testament, to offer vp the bodie of Christ, vntounto His FATHER, vnderunder the formes of Bread and Wine: p. 94and these were the wordes whereby they were consecrated to Lue. 12. 19.this Priesthood, Doe this in remembrance of mee. The Apostle Paule vnderstood the meaning of the words of Christ better than the whole Councell of Trent did: and he expoundeth these wordes. foreign, that is, Doe this, referring them both to Pastors and people: To Pastors, when he saith, That which I deliuered vntounto you, 1. Cor. 11. 23 Ibid. ver. 251 Cor 11:23I receiued of the Lord: to people, when he saith, As ost as yee drinke, drinke it in remembrance of me. Then the Pastors do this, when they minister the Sacramēt expressely according to the institution of Christ: and the people doe this, when they eate and drinke at the Lordes Table in remembrance of the Lords death. But the Apostle Paul doeth not expound the wordes, foreign, as the Councell of Trent hath done. More-ouer, if CHRIST in these wordes, foreign that is, Doe this, hee ordained his disciples to be Priests of the new Testament, and to offer in sacrifice the bodie of Christ to his Father: then Christ, when hee ministred the holy Supper, hee offered himselfe in a sacrifice to the Father: (for hee biddeth them doe that same thing which hee did) and consequently hee offered himselfe at two diuerse times, and behoued to suffer twise, as the Apostle testifieth, which is an absurd Hebr. 9. 25 26Heb 9:25thing once to thinke such a thing.

Further, I maye boldly affirme, that the Leuiticall sacrifices were not so farre different from the sacrifice of Christ, as the Masse is different from it: The Leuiticall sacrifices differed in manie thinges from the sacrifice of Christ: as namely in the order of priesthoode in the worthinesse of the Priest, in the excellencie Heb. 7. 8. 9 10Heb 7:8Heb 7:9of the sacrifice, in the preciousnesse of the Tabernacle, in the glorie of the Vaile, and moste Holy place, and finally, in the vertue of the blood that was brought within the moste Holie place: Notwithstanding of all these differences betwixt the Leuiticall priesthood, and the priesthood of Christ: yet there was some agreement betwixt them, namely this, that both of them were instituted by God. But the sacrifice of the Masse, ouer and besides all other differences, whereby it is distinguished from Christes sacrifice, it is not the institution of God, but a foolishe inuention of the braine of man.Under the formes of bread and wine.

The next part of the definition that Christes bodie is offered vnderunder the accidents of bread and wine, agreeth not well with the p. 95glorie whereinto Christ entered by his ascension: for like as the resurrection of Christ hath glorious priueledges, he beeing ra sed from death, death hath no more dominion ouer him: Euen so, the Roman. 6. 9ascension of Christ to Heauen hath glorious priueledges: for he who ascended to Heauen, he sitteth at the right hand of the power of God, and will come againe in the cloudes of Heauen: and it repugneth Mat. 27. 64Matt 27:64as farre to the glorie of his ascension to appeare againe in a base similitude, as it repugneth to the glorie of his resurrection to die againe. But so it is, that the accidentes of bread and wine are a base similitude to the blessed and glorified bodie of Christ to put on: yea, and baser than the shape of a seruant, wherewith he was cloathed before his ascension. Concerning the sacrifice of Melchisedek, and their confident assertion, that in the sacrifice of the Masse Christ is offered, without suffering, I remit these questions vntounto the last head of this TREATISE.

The last part of the definition of the Masse containeth, that For the sinnes of the quicke and the dead.it is a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead. If it bee that selfe same sacrifice which Christ offered vponupon the crosse, not different from it in substance, but only in forme of offering, then behooued it to bee of infinite valour, as the sacrifice offered vponupon the crosse was. But the multitude of Masses saide for the relieuing of one soule out of purgatorie declareth, that there is not infinite and perfect valour in the sacrifice of the Masse: Ergo, it is not that same sacrifice in substance which Christ offered vponupon the crosse: Euen as a Physition, who adhibiteth a plaster vntounto a wound, hauing full vertue to cure the wound by once applying it, hee will not applie it the second time, because the wounde is perfectly healed by one sole application: Euen so if the Masse had perfect valour to saue, as the sacrifice of Christ offered vponupon the crosse had, what neede were it to say manie Masses for the reliefe of one sou'e out of purgatorie?

More-ouer, if they offer a sacrifice for the dead, it is not for them who hath died in infidelitie & mis-beliefe, for their soules are buried in Hell, and there is no redemption out of that euerlasting Luc. 16Luke 16prison: But they offer sacrifice for weake Christians, of whome notwithstanding holy Scripture saieth, that they die in the Lord, they rest from their labours, and their works follow them: so weake Apoc. 14. 13Rev 14:13Christians, when they die, their soules are not carried to purgatorie, p. 96to bee tormented, but vntounto the place of rest, and refreshment, and retribution of all the good thinges which they hauehave done, like as the Lord hath freely forgiuen them all euill which they did in their life time, because they hauehave repented, and beleeued in Christ their Sauiour.

The offering of sacrifice for the dead, doe not only presuppone purgatorie, but also that some helpe may bee procured by them who are aliue, to shortē or to mitigate the paines of them who are departed this life. This opinion also repugneth to Holie Scripture, which admonisheth vsus to seeke the Lord in a time when he may be found, that is, to seeke the Lord in our life time, for it is Psalm. 32. 6Ps 32:6vntimous seeking of the Lord after the soule be separated from the bodie. Some men seeke the Lord in a wrong place: some seeke him in a wrong manner, and some seeke him in a wrong time, as the foolish Virgines did. But of all sort of seekers of the Lord, they are most vnfortunate, who seeke him in a time when he cannot be found, and when the doore of his wedding chamber Mat. 25. 10Matt 25:10is shut and locked. For others, who hauehave sought the Lord in wrong places, that is, in the synagogue of Sathan, where nothing was taught but a doctrine of lies, and they hauehave sought God in a wrong manner, inuocating Sainctes, and worshipping Images: yet afterward, when they hauehave receiued better instruction, they hauehave sought the Lord in a right place, and in a right manner, and hauehave found the Lord: but they who seeke the Lord in a wrong time shall neuer find him.

IN the last head of this Treatise, I promised to speake of the The absurdities of the Masse. 1. Absurditie. The Canon of the masseabsurdities of the Masse, which albeit they be many in number, yet I shall reduce them vntounto a few heads. First I begin at the blasphemous Canon of the Masse, whereunto the Councell of Trent hath giuen such a glorious testimonie, that it is perfect, absolute, voyde of all errour, and therefore not to bee changed, or abrogated. I call the Canon of the Masse, that rule which prescribeth what shoulde bee saide or sung in the Popish liturgie or Masse. It is not a worke composed by one author, but rather a rapsodie patched vp by many authors, and especially by Popes. Celestinus deuised the preamble or introit to the Masse: Gregorius added kyrie eleson: Telesphorus, gloria in excelsis Deo: Gelatius the first, Platina in vita Xifti 1.the Collations: Pelagius, a commemoration of the dead: Leo the third added incense: Innocentius the first, added the paxe: Sergius the first, ordained agnus Dei to bee sung: other partes and members of the Masse are assigned to their seuerall authors and inuentors. In it the Priest is commanded to bowe himselfe before the hostie, & say, I worship thee, I glorisie thee, I praise thee. Can there bee any Idolattie more monstrous than this? for like as GOD hath appointed some creatures to leade vsus to our God in so far as he is our Creator: euen so he hath appointed other creatures to leade vsus to our God in so far as he is our Redeamer. Now like as it is Idolatrie to subsist in the Sunne, Moone, and starres, and to worship them, because they are but creatures, leading vsus to the knowledge of God our Creator: Euen so it is horrible Idolatrie, to worship the bread and wine in the Sacrament, because they are but creatures, appointed by God to leade vsus to the knowledge of God our Redeamer.

More-ouer, in the Canon of the Masse, the Priest is commanded to praye such prayers as import that Hee is a Mediator betwixt Christ and his Father: for hee beseecheth GOD to receiue the oblation which he offereth, and in all things to make it blessed: Nowe the oblation which he offereth (as they affirme) is the bodie of Christ. And shall a sinfull Priest be a mediator betwixt Christ and his Father? Heere they forget the doctrine of Augustine, who saith, that the Mediator of Intercession prayeth for vsus, but no man prayeth for Him. And to the ende it might appeare Augu. cont. Parmen. li 2 cap. 8y^e they are countenanced by antiquitie, they insert some prayers vsed by holy Fathers in time of celebration of diuine mysteries, but by a deceitfull transposition of their wordes, they vtterlie peruert the right sense and meaning of the words of the ancient Fathers: as namely, when Ambrose saieth, Command thou these (to wit, oblations) to bee caried by the hands of thine holy Angell vntounto the Ambr. de Sacr. lib. 4 cap. 6.high Altar in Heauen. Ambrose spake of the bread and wine, that God would vouchsafe vponupon those elements y^e high honour, that they might represent vntounto vsus y^e blessed body & blood of Christ, which was like vntounto an eleuation of y^e elements vntounto y^e Heauen. But by a deceitfull transposition of y^e words of Ambrose, & inserting them after the words of cōsecration, they ordaine their sinfull Priest to pray for the body of the Sonne of God, which is a notable abusing of the words of Ambrose.

Likewise, in the Canon of the Masse there is inuocation of Saincts, farre contrarie to the auncient custome of the Church: who albeit they made a reuerend commemoration of the names of holy men, when they celebrated diuine mysteries, yet they inuocated them not, as Augustine clearly testifieth, saying, The names of Martyres are commemorated in their owne place and order, as men of August. de …iuitat. Dei, li. 22. ca. 10God, yet are they not inuocated by the Priest who offereth sacrifices.

The seconde absurditie of the Masse, consisteth in the verie grounds thereof, which I referre first to the superstition of some 2. Absurd. the groūds of the masseChristian people, who had a zeale to God, but not rightly ordered with knowledge. Some Christian people were so superstitious, that they were not content to eat the Communion bread at the holy Supper in the Church, but also they carried a part of it home to their houses, & they ate it secretly in their chambers. …. C…la.Of this the defenders of the Masse inferreth, If it was lawfull for them to communicate alone in their chamber, much more is it lawfull for the Priest to communicate alone in the Church. VponUpon such sandie ground is y^e Popish Masse builded. The secōd ground of the Masse is the timorous minds of simple people, who being informed by their deceiuing teachers, that they might hauehave like benefite, with lesse hazard and danger, by seeing of the sacrifice, as they had by participation of the Sacrament. The people began to loathe the frequent resorting to the holy Sacrament, and they came to see the sacrifice of the Masse. Both these groundes of the Masse are abuses of y^e Lords holy Supper. In y^e first ground, that which Christ cōmandeth to be presently eaten in remembrance of him, a part thereof is reserued, to be eaten in y^e chamber, Luc. 22. 19Luke 22:19contrary to Christs institution, as is already declared. In the second ground, y^e Apostolicke precept is neglected, which commandeth vsus to trie our selues, and so to eat & drinke at the Lords table: 1. cor. 11. 22but he forbiddeth vsus not to approach to the Lordes holy table, if we be duely & rightly prepared: neither giueth hee allowance to this new forme of communicating, that the people shall stand only gazing and beholding, and shall communicate by y^e mouth of the Priest alone. They who brag of antiquitie, and follow new inuented toyes, they hauehave no honour by their bragging.

The third absurditie of the Masse, consisteth in the rotten pillars, 3. Absurd. the pillars of the massewhereupon the Masse standeth, to wit, Trans substantiation p. 107and Purgatorie: for incase the bread bee not changed into the substance of Christs bodie, the priest cannot offer Christs bodie to His Father. And incase there be no soules tormented in Purgatorie, how doeth the priest offer a sacrifice for the dead? So it is manifest, that these are the two rotten pillars vpholding the Masse. I shall refute the doctrine of Transsubstantiation (GOD willing) in its own place: for the present, I say, If there be Transsubstantiation in the holy Sacrament, then is the spirite of man corporally fedde, and the body of Christ is eaten by many in the Sacrament, to whom hee is not promised in the Word, which is an absurd thing once to imagine it. And if such a place as Purgatorie had beene, then Christ, who hath reueiled vntounto vsus all Ioan. 14. 2John 14:2thinges necessarie to be knowne, hee woulde hauehave reueiled that mysterie also vntounto vsus. But Christ hath tolde vsus of the pleasures of Heauen, and of the terrours of Hell, but neuer a word of Purgatorie. Mat. 10. 28Matt 10:28If a house, builded vponupon sandie grounde, and leaning vntounto rotten pillars, can stand, then possible the Masse also may consist and stand: if not, the Masse also is in danger to fall.

The fourth absurditie of the Masse, is a vile abusing of places of holy Scripture, for vpholding the sacrifice of the Masse. In the 4. Absur. a vile abusing of places of holie Scripture. Gen, 14. 18olde Testament, they confirme the sacrifice of the Masse, by the fact of Melchisedek, who brought foorth bread and wine to refresh the wearie armie of Abraham: but not to offer these elements in a sacrifice to God. And the ancient Fathers, who translate the Hebrew word (obtulit) in stead of (protulit) yet their opinion is, that Melchisedek offered bread and wine to Abraham for his refreshment, but not to God in a sacrifice. But suppose the words of Moses did sound to that sense, that Melchisedek offered a sacrifice of bread & wine vntounto God, What belongeth that to the sacrifice of the Masse, wherin they say, that bread and wine is not offered vntounto God, but the verie bodie of Christ, vnderunder the accidents of bread and wine? This was not the sacrifice of Melchisedeck. Also, the words of the prophesie of Malachi are mis rably abused, for confirmation of the sacrifice of the Masse whereas hee saieth, For from the rising of the Sunne, vntounto the going downe of the same my Name is great among the Gentiles, and in Malac. 1. 11Mal 1:11euerie place: ncense shall bee offered vntounto my Name, and a pure offering: for my Name is great among the Heathen, saith the LORD of hostes. The Prophet expoundeth his owne meaning so clearelie, that there is no neede of any other commentarie for hee is speaking of the calling of the Gentiles to the kingdome of God, and vnderunder one point of the true worship of God: namelie, inuocation of his blessed and glorious Name, hee comprehendeth all other Tertul. contra Marciō. lib. 3. Chrysost. orat. 2. aduers. Iudeo. Euseb. de demonst. Euang. li. 1. cap. 6 Iustin. dial. cum Triph. Iudeo.points of Gods worship, such as faith, obedience, and confession of God before men. Tertullian, Eusebius, and Chrysostona, expounde this pure sacrifice to bee prayer and thankesgiuing vntounto GOD. Iustinus Martyr, citing this place of Malachi, affirmeth, that this prophesie was performed at that time, when Grecians and Barbarians, Hamaxobii, and Nomades, and Scenitae, offered prayers and thankesgiuing vntounto GOD, the Father and Creator of all thinges, in the Name of IESVS, who was crucified.

In the newe Testament, besides the wordes of Christ spoken at the institution of the holie Supper, where of I hauehave spoken already, two other places are mightily abused: First the place of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, chap. 8. vers. 3. For euerie high Priest is appointed to offer giftes and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessarie, that this man hauehave somewhat also to offer. What is in this place, that countenanceth the sacrifice of the Masse? Like as euerie priest was furnished with an offering: euen so the High priest and Bisshop of our soules, CHRISTIESVS, hee had an offering, to wit, his blessed bodie, which hee offered for our sinnes: But papists referre this place to an offering, which euerie priest must offer presently, so long as hee enjoyeth the honour of his priesthood: and therefore (saye they) seeing CHRIST offereth no externall sacrifice in Heauen, he must doe it in earth, by the sacrifice of the Masse: But the verie Grammer refuteth them, for the worde foreign, is a worde of the preterit, and not of the present tense, and importeth, that CHRIST hath alreadie offered a sacrifice for our sinnes, which hath no neede to bee iterated, because it hath perpetuall vertue to saue them that beleeue. Another place of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, chap. 13. vers. 10. they abuse, wherein it is saide, Wee hauehave an altar, whereof they hauehave no power to eat, who serue in the tabernacle. Here (say they) mention is made of an altar: therfore in the Church there must not only bee a Communion table, but also an altar, in a proper sense to offer CHRISTES bodie vponupon it. To this I answere, That in the newe Testament, like as there is but one high priest, and one propitiatorie sacrifice: so in like manner, there is but one altar, euen Iesus Christ, who is in Heauen, and in whom our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable vntounto God, as the Apostle Peter saieth, Bee you made a spirituall house, an holie priesthoode, to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable vntounto God, by Iesus Christ. 1. Pet. chap. 2. vers. 5. Of this Altar, to wit, Christ, the Iewes, who were miserablie addicted to the ceremoniall lawe, they could not be partakers: for by adhering to shaddowes, they neglected to embrace the veritie, represented by those shaddowes, after it was indeede exhibited vntounto the worlde. In the booke of the Reuelation wee reade of an Altar in Heauen, vnderunder which the soules of them who were slaine for the worde of GOD doe repose: (Apocal. chap. 6. vers. 9.) This is not a materiall altar, because it is in Heauen: but this Altar is Christ, vnderunder whose shaddow the soules of the Godlie finde comfortable refreshment. And Ireneus, in expresse wordes, saieth, Est ergo Altare in Coelis: illue Iren. aduers. Valentin. lib. 4. ca. 34enim preces nostrae diriguntur: that is, Therefore our Altar is in Heauen, for thithertoe our prayers are directed. The Romane Church woulde deceiue vsus in this point, as Zebul of olde deceiued Gaal, the sonne of Ebed: when Gaal sawe men comming from the mountaines, Zebul answered, The shaddowe of the mountaines seeme men vntounto thee: (IVD. CHAP. IX. VERS. XXXVI.) Euen so, when holy Scripture speake of Christ the true Altar, they would perswade vsus, that Scripture is speaking of a materiall altar, such as is among them.

The fift absurditie of the Masse, is a contradiction to it selfe. In the description of the Masse there are two manifest contradictions: 5. Absurd. contradiction to it selfe.First it is called a sacrifice propitiatorie, and vnbloodie: which two thinges are so opposite, that they cannot consist together, because the Apostle (in the ninth chap. to the Hebrewes, and the 22. verse) saieth, Without shedding of bloode there is no remission of sinnes. Secondlie they saye, that in the Masse the body of Christ is offered, without suffering: & these two things also are so flatte contradictorie one to another, that the Apostle continuallie joyneth suffering with offering, in so much, that hee saieth, If Christ had offered himselfe often, hee behooued also to hauehave suffered often. Heb. chap. 9. vers. 25. and 26.

The sixt absurditie, is a foolishe multiplication of vnprofitable …. Absur. Foolish ceremonies multiplied in the masseceremonies, both before the Masse, and in the celebration thereof with neglecting the essentiall rites of the Sacrament instituted by CHRIST himselfe, such as breaking, distributing, eating, &c. for in their sacrifice, that which they brake in three pieces, to represent the threefolde estate of Christs bodie, dead, buried, and risen againe from death: (by the ordinance of Pope Sergius the first) this bread (I saye) which they breake, they distribute not, and the bread which they distribute in the Sacrament to the people, they breake it not. These essentiall rites beeing laide aside, they hauehave inuented manie vnprofitable ceremonies: as namelie, before the celebration of the Masse, Vestmentes, Altars, Altar-clothes, Corporasses, Paxes, Torches and Candles, and manie other preparations. In the verie action and celebration of the Masse, are diuerse hist…ionicall gestures of the Priest, to lift vp his eyes and cast them downe againe, to spreade abroade his handes, and to close them againe, to warble with his fingers, to bow downe, to bende vp, to turne from the right hand to the left, and from the left hand to the right, with manie other vnnecessarie ceremonies. All these they count ceremonies of signification, representing viuelie the passion of CHRIST. But it appertaineth vntounto GOD, to institute ceremonies of signification, who can seale vp by them some inwarde grace in mens heartes. The Church maye content themselues with ceremonies of order, as the Apostle writeth, in his first Epistle to the CORINTHIANS, in the fourteenth chapter, and fourtieth verse thereof, where hee saieth, Let all thinges bee done honestlie, and by order.

The seuenth & last absurditie, is the vnhappie consequences of the Masse: Albeit they bee manie, yet at this time I reduce 7. Absur. The consequences of the Masse.them to three heads. First, prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices, is a consequent of the Masse: for albeit in the Councell of NICE this matter was seriouslie v…ged, and IEROME, in the furie of his disoutation against IOVINIAN, speaketh not so reuerentlie of marriage as became him: yet this prohibition preuailed not fullie, vntill the sacrifice of the Masse was receiued and established: Then it was thought meete, that like as married persons, for prayer and fasting, (I. CORINTH. CHAPTER VII. VERSE V.) shoulde abstaine, for a short time, from matrimoniall fellowship: In like manner, these, who are called to a continuall exercise of praying, and sacrificing, they shoulde also continuallie abstaine from the bed of marriage. So that prohibition of marriage, to men in spirituall offices, attended the Masse, as a Page doeth his master. And Popes, such as SIRICIVS, CALIXTVS, GREGORIVS the seuenth, &c. did vrge prohibition of marriage with no lesse vehemencie, than they did the establishing of the Masse.

The seconde consequence of the Masse, is a miserable abusing of the people of GOD, because by this sacrifice, for the moste part, the people were bereaued of the preaching of the Worde, and the ministration of the Sacramentes, the verie ordinarie meanes, whereby the Kingdome of GOD is builded amongst them: The Worde was seldome preached, and in verie vnfruitfull manner, and mixed with fables and lying miracles, borrowed out of legendes, not worthie to bee read: and the holie Sacramentes were seldome ministred, and with filthie addition of ceremonies, inuented by the braine of man, to Baptisme, and a sacrilegious with-holding from the people, the cuppe, in ministring vntounto them the holie Supper: and so the fountaines of liuing water were stopped, and cisternes were opened, and the wholsome foode of GODS people was turned into ashes: and in steade of preaching GODS Worde sincerelie, all Church-seruice was turned into a dumbe guise of the Masse: and in reading of prayers and passages of Scripture, into an vnknowne language: so the people, for fault of good instruction, withered as grasse, when it is not refreshed with dewe and raine: Yea, and SALOMON saieth, Where there is no vision, the people decay, PROV. 29. 18.

The thirde, and moste venomous consequence of the Masse, is procession and adoration: for hosties, consecrated in time of Masse, although not broken and eaten, they are counted CHRISTES bodie, and carried about in procession, and p. 112worshipped. This was not the ancient custome of the Church: for the sacrament consisting in the action and vse thereof, so long as the blessing, and the actions of breaking, distributing, and eating lasted, the bread was counted holie, and represented the bl…ssed bodie of IESVS: but after these holie actions were ended, the rest of the bread, that was not vsed in the Sacrament, it was distributed to the poore: but it was not kept in boxes, to bee carried in procession, and to bee adored and worshipped by ignorant people.

And of all thinges, that are deficient in Poperie, I hauehave of… times obserued, that antiquitie, whereof they principallie bragge, is moste deficient and lacking in them.

The ground of Popish procession, no doubt, was the sending of the Sacraments to those who were sicke and absent by some Iustin. apol. 2.necessitie. But they reade not in IVSTINVS, nor in any other ancient writer, that people who met the deacon carrying the Eucharist to sicke persons, fell downe vponupon their knees, and worshipped it. This abominable idolatrie, more vile than the idolatrie of the Gentiles, was not of ancient time in vse in the Church.

Nowe the LORD, who hath redeemed our soules from death, and who hath called vsus from darknesse vntounto His marucilous louelove, establishe our soules in the trueth of GOD, through CHRIST IESVS our LORD,

AMEN.

FINIS.