The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 2 · Subpart 37 · Section 5 – Section 7
5 What is the difference betweene the Lords ſupper, and the popiſh Maſſe.
THIS queſtion is neceſſary, by reaſon of errours which hauehave c…ept into the church. It is otherwiſe demanded, Why the Maſſe is to be aboliſhed …ut here this queſtiō is alſo conteined and comprehended: becauſe theſe differences and contrarieties of the Lordes ſupper and the Maſſe, are the cauſes why the Maſſe is to bee aboliſhed. Firſt let vsus ſpeake a few woordes of the name of the Maſſe, or, Miſſa. The word Miſſa ſeemeth to hauehave his name from an ancient cuſtome of Eccleſiaſtical rites & actions,The originall of the woord Miſſa, which we call the Maſſe. in the end whereof leaue was giuen of departure to the Catechumenes, the poſſeſſed with ſpirites, and the excommunicated perſons: and ſo the woord Miſſa ſeemeth to be vſed, as it were a miſſion or ſending awaie, becauſe it was the laſt part of diuine ſeruice. Others wil hauehave it to be ſo called from a dimiſſion, or from the manner of dimiſsing them; becauſe they were demiſed with theſe words, …te, Miſſa eſt, that is, go, you may depart: or, as others interprete it, goe, now is the collection or alms, which they will hauehave to be called Miſſa, of the ſending it in (as we may ſo ſpeak) or throwing or caſting it in for the poore. Some wil therefore hauehave it deriued from the Hebrue Maſah, that is, tributes, which was wont to be paied of eueryevery one. The word is found Deut. 16.10. Miſſach, nidbath i…decha, A free gift of thine hand. Nowe that offering was called ſo, beeing as it were a yearely tribute, which yet was no exaction, but giuen freely. Others interprete it to bee a ſufficiency, which is, that there ſhoulde bee giuen ſo much as was ſufficient, and perhaps this is the truer: becauſe. Deut. 15. The Lord commaunded the Jſraelites, that they ſhoulde open their hande vntounto the poore, and ſhould lend him ſufficient for his neede. This the Chaldee Paraphraſt interpreteth to be Miſſah.
Hereof our men thinke that it was called Miſſa, as if it were a tribute, and free offering which ſhoulde bee euerie where offered vntounto God in the church for the liuing and the dead. But this is not of any likelihood to be true. It is manifeſt indeede that the church hath borrowed ſome words from the Hebrews, as, Satan, Oſanna, Sabaot, Halleluia, Paſcha, and ſuch like. But thoſe words came not to the Latin church, but by the greeke church, and thoſe woordes are found in the greeke teſtament, when firſt it was written in greeke. And therefore we hauehave no Hebrue woords deriued vntounto our Church, which the greeke church had not before vsus. If alſo wee will ſearch the greeke Fathers, the woorde Miſſa will neuer be found to hauehave bin vſed by them. Therefore I think not that the woord Miſſa was taken from the Hebrewes. But Miſſa, which doubtleſſe is a latin woorde by original,Tertul. li. 4. contra Mar. Cypr. de bono patient. & epiſt. 4. li. 3. ſeemeth to hauehave beene taken from the Fathers, who vſed Remiſſa, for Remiſſio, as Tertullian; We hauehave ſpoken, ſaith he, of ade remiſſa peccatorum.remiſſion of ſinnes. And Cyprian: He that was to giuegive bdaturus remiſſam peccatorum.remiſſion of ſinnes, did not diſdaine to bee baptized. And againe hee vſeth the ſame word: Hee that blaſphemeth againſt the holie ghoſt, hath not remiſſion of ſinnes. Wherefore as they ſaid Remiſſa for Remiſſio, ſo they ſeeme alſo to hauehave ſaid Miſſa for Miſſio. And therefore they called that Miſſa, which was don after the miſſiō or ſending away of the catechuments. We reiect both the name and the thing. For this woorde dooth not agree vntounto the Lords Supper; becauſe the Lords Supper hath nothing common and agreeing with the name of Miſſa, albeit it was vſed of the auncient writers. Moreouer we hauehave no need of this name. For we hauehave other words for this pvrpoſe moſt conuenient and agreeable.
The repugnancie of the Maſſe with the Lords ſupper.NOW let vsus ſee the differences of the Supper & the Maſſe, & thoſe moſt contrarie one to another, & ſuch as in reſpect whereof the Maſſe ought to be aboliſhed.
1 The Popiſh Maſſe is a manifold, chaunging or aboliſhing rather of the rite instituted by Christ. For it taketh away the cup from the people, and addeth manie toies, when as notwithſtanding no creature hath anie power to inſtitute anie ſacraments, or to change or aboliſh the conſtitutions and ordinances of God.
2 The Maſſe transformeth the ſigne into the thing ſignified. For it denieth that there is anie breade and wine remaining; but ſaith, it is the fleſh and bloud of Chriſt ſubſtantiallie, which is flat repugnant to the nature of the Lords ſupper.
3 In the Maſſe the Papiſts make other heauenlie gifts to be, than which are found in the word and other ſacraments, or in the promiſe annexed vntounto them. As where the Maſſe-Prieſtes faigne that the Maſſe doth merite, euen by the work it ſelfe wrought, that is through the external rite and action, both for him that celebrateth, and for others, not onelie remiſſion of ſinnes, but the healing alſo of men, oxen, ſwine, and cattle diſeaſed. and ſo withall they coine this too, that forſooth thoſe ſigns of bread and wine are a ſacrament euen without the vſe alſo and administration. Likewiſe they wil hauehave other things to be in the Maſſe, than are in anie ſacrament, which is the very carnal deſcending & abiding of Chriſts bodie therein, which is contrarie to the nature of al ſacraments.
4 The Maſſe is repugnant to the ſacrifice of Chriſt: the ſupper confirmeth and teſtifieth that we are iuſtified, for the alone ſacrifice of Chriſt wrought and finiſhed on the Croſſe: but the Maſſe contrarie to the teſtimonies of ſcripture maketh moe propitiatorie ſacrifices: this is their treading and trampling Chriſts bloud vnderunder foote, when they ſay it hath not merited perfect remiſſion of our ſinnes. Obiection. The Maſſe is called a ſacrifice of the Papiſtes, and likewiſe the ſupper is called a ſacrifice by the Fathers: therefore the Fathers were Papiſts. Aunſ. The Papiſts call the M ſſe a propitiatorie ſacrifice. The fathers cal the ſupper a ſacrifice, and ſo it is, but an Eucharistical or thankeſgiuing ſacrifice. Againe, it is euen that ſame ſacrifice which Chriſt offered, in ſuch ſort, as the bread is the bodie of Chriſt The Papiſts will hauehave it to bee a diuers ſacrifice, whereby is obtained remiſſion of ſinnes. Nowe it is one thing for the ſame ſacrifice to bee often offered: and an other thing for one ſacrifice to bee once offered, and that ſufficient to take away all ſinnes. This ſacrifice alone is ſufficient for remiſſion of ſinnes, and, this ſacrifice with others is offered for ſinnes; theſe ſpeeches are contradictorie.
5 The Maſſe is repugnant to Chriſtes Prieſthoode▪ becauſe hee is the onelyonly high Prieſt who hath power to offer himſelfe. The Pope with his companions moſt impudently pulleth this honor to himſelfe. For theſe deceiuers and lying men feigne with great contumely and deſpite to chriſt, that they offer again chriſt vntounto the Father, and that they alone are worthy men to offer chriſt vntounto his Father: when yet no man, no Angel, neither any creature is of that dignity and worthines, as that hee may ſacrifice the ſonne of God. For the Prieſt is abooue the ſacrifice: they therefore who will bee the Prieſtes to offer chriſt, mount and lift themſelues aboue him. Obiection. The Pri…ſt… ſtaie not, but offer onelie and preſent the ſonne vntounto the father, that for his ſake he may remit vsus our ſinnes, and ſo they onelie applie that one and onelie ſacrifice of chriſt. Aunſwere. It is inough that they ſay, that they offer Chriſt with their hands. For … …emaineth that they make themſelues Prieſts. Neither is it materiall, that they deny that they ſlay Chriſt. Many thinges were offered of olde by the Prieſts, which were not ſlaine, neither were of that qualitie, but were onelyonly offered, as cakes, & liquid offrings, & burnt offrings, & ſuch like. The Iewes indeede ſlew Chriſt, but they did not ſacrifice him: but Chriſt himſelfe was willingly ſlaine, & therefore ſacrificed himſelfe. Heb. 9.14. Chriſt through the eternal ſpirite offered himſelfe without ſpot to God: and verily hee offered himſelfe once a ſacrifice vntounto his father for vsus. Heb. 9.28. Chriſt was once offered to take away the ſinnes of manie; and to them that looke for him ſhall hee appeare the ſecond time without ſinne vntounto ſaluation. Heb. 10.12. Chriſt after he had offered one ſacrifice for ſinnes, ſitteth for euer at the right hand of God. Now the Papiſts contrarie to theſe manifeſt places of ſcripture will hauehave Chriſt to be often offered in the Maſſe.
6 The Maſſe is repugnant to the doctrine of grace and iuſtification, which teacheth, that in this life onelie is the time of obteining fauour, by faith alone, for the onelie merite of chriſt. The papiſts neglecting faith, which they hauehave no knowledge of, & reiecting Chriſts merit, ſubſtitute in place thereof this idolatrous inuention. For through and for this ſacrifice of the Maſſe, and ſo for this worke (as they ſpeake) wrought, they maintaine that the dead alſo obtaine remiſſion of ſinnes.
7 The Maſſe is repugnant vntounto the articles of our faith concerning the true humanitie of chriſt, concerning his true aſcenſion into heauen, and his returning from thence, at the day of iudgement. For they make a corporal preſence of chriſt in the Maſſe, ſaying that chriſt is inuiſible preſent vnderunder the forme of breade and wine, the ſubſtance of the bread and wine beeing aboliſhed, as often as the Maſſe is celebrated, and this preſence of Chriſt is corporal, when the accidents onelyonly of the ſigne remaine. Jt is contrarie alſo to the nature of ſacraments, which permitteth not the ſubſtance of the ſigns to be aboliſhed, neither requireth any naturall connexion of the ſignes and things: and therefore neither is it required in the Supper, which leadeth vsus to chriſt crucified; and raigning in heauen, and from thence communicating himſelfe vntounto vsus.
8 The Maſſe is contrarie to the communion of Saintes with Christ. For it imagineth an execrable inuention, which is, that Chriſtes bodie doth deſcend into our bodies, and remaineth as long within our bodies as the formes remaine of bread and wine. But the ſupper reacheth that wee are made members of Chriſt by the holy gh ſt. and ingraffed into him.
9 The Maſſe is repugnaunt to the true worſhip of God, becauſe it maketh Chriſt to be there corporally preſent, & ſo by conſequent there to bee worſhipped. Euen as of ould before his aſcenſion it was not onelyonly lawful, but in duty required; that Chriſt ſhould be worſhipped in whatſoeuer place hee was, and ſo alſo did his Diſciples alwaies worſhip him, when he was preſent, as alſo when he aſcended from them: but after his aſcenſion they did not from that time adore & worſhip him, turning vntounto any one particular place more than other. Wherfore ſeing the Papiſts in their Maſſe tie the worſhip and adoration of chriſt vntounto a thing, whereunto chriſt himſelfe by expreſſe word hath not tied it; they profeſſe them ſelues to be idolaters, and doe no leſſe abſurdly and impiouſly in this, than if they ſhould worſhip Chriſt at a wal, or if they ſhould worſhip a piller falling downe before it. Which we prooue, 1. Becauſe no creature hath power to ty the woorſhippe of God to anie thing or place, wherein God hath not commaunded by expreſſe word himſelfe to be worſhipped, and wherein God hath not promiſed to hear vsus. And hereby is the cauſe of that difference plainly ſcene, why the Iewes directing their praier to the propitiatorie or mercy ſeat did notwithſtanding withall in ſpirite worſhip the true God, and were by promiſe from him aſſured to bee head: but worſhipping in Dan, and in Bethel, and in the high places, and in the temple of Samaria, were idolaters not knowing what they worſhipped. Ioh. 4 22. Yee worſhip that which yee knowe not: we worſhip that which we know: for ſaluation is of the Iewes: and the cauſe of this thing is more at large declared in the ſecond of Kinges cap. 17. 2. Becauſe in the newe teſtament all worſhippe which is tied to anie certaine place on earth is vtterlie taken awaie, and ſpiritual worſhip onlie required, ſtirred and kindled by the holy ghoſt, and doone with a true faith, and knowledge of God Ioh. 4.21. The houre commeth, when ye ſhal neither in this mountaine, nor at Jeruſalem worſhip the Father. In theſe words Chriſt doth plainely take away worſhip tied and reſtrained to any certaine place on earth. Wherefore wee muſt alſo take away and hauehave in deteſtation this impious inuention of chriſts corporal preſence in the Maſſe, or in the breade and wine. For this being but, that chriſt is in bodie preſent in the bread (whether it be ſaid to be done by tranſubſtantiation, or by conſubſtantiation) the popiſh adoration ſtandeth faſt: and of the contrarie ſide the preſence of Chriſts body in the breade is taken away, if wee take away this foule and ſhamefull Popiſh adoration of Chriſts bodie lying couertly by their iudgement vnderunder the formes of bread and wine. Now withall wee are here to obſerue, What it is, to worſhip chriſt in the bread, namelie, to direct our worſhippe in ſoule, minde, cogitation, and, as much as may be, in the motion of our bodies to the place in which the bread is, and turning thereto to yeelde reuerence vntounto chriſt, as if hee were preſent there m re than elſe-where. So of olde they worſhipped God at the Arke, turning thereto with their mindes, and as much as might be, with their external grace and inclination of bodie.
1 OBiection. The Maſſe is an application of Chriſtes ſacrifice: Therefore it is not to be taken away. Aunſw. I denie the Antecedent: becauſe wee applie Chriſts merit by faith onelyonly. Obiect. 2. There muſt bee a perpetuall ſacrifice in the Church, becauſe Jſai foretold…, that it ſhould bee from ſabbath to ſabbath. Aunſwere. There muſt indeed be a perpetuall ſacrifice in the church, which is the ſacrifice of thankes-giuing. 1. Becauſe it is a remembraunce of Chriſtes ſacrifice. 2. Becauſe almes were giuen in the primitiue church, after the ſupper was ended, which were a ſacrifice. 3. The ſupper alſo is an Euchariſtical or thankesgiuing ſacrifice. For a propitiatory ſacrifice, the Fathers neuer dreamt of.
6 What is the right and lawful vſe of the ſupper.
THE right and lawfull vſe of the ſupper conſiſteth in three thinges. 1. When the rites and ceremonies inſtituted of CHRIST, are reteined and obſerued; yet ſo that they bee not obſerued of one or two priuatelie: but that in a conuenient and lawfull aſſemblie of the church the breade be broken, diſtributed, and receiued: and the wine giuen to all that communicate in remembrance of Chriſtes death, that is, for confirmation of their faith, and to ſhew their thankefulneſſe. 2. When the rites are obſerued of thoſe perſons, for whome Chriſt did inſtitute them; that is, when the bread and wine is diſtributed and receiued of others, of whom the Lorde woulde hauehave it receiued, namely, not of his enemies, but of his Diſciples, which are the faithful. For the obſeruing of the rite without faith and repentance, is not the vſe, but the abuſe of it. 3. When the ſupper is receiued for the right end, which is, in commemoration and remembraunce of the Lordes death.
7 What the wicked receiue in the Lords ſupper.
THE wicked receiue. 1. The bare ſignes onelyonly, namely bread and wine. 2. They receiue thoſe ſignes to their condemnation, or they eate their owne dannation. Nowe to eate damnation, is, through incredulitie & abuſing of the ſacrament to be abalienated and repelled from chriſt and al his bleſſinges: or, through abuſing of the ſacrament being receiued without faith & repentance, grieuouſly to offend God, and ſo to draw vponupon themſelues temporal and euerlaſting puniſhmentes, except they repent. Contrariwiſe, to eate chriſt, is, through faith to bee made partaker of his merite, efficacie, and benefites. For no man can eate chriſt, and not withall be made by faith partaker of his merite, efficacie, and giftes. No man therefore can both eate Chriſt, and withall eate his owne damnation: and therefore falſe is their obiection, who ſay thus: The wicked eate damnation vntounto themſelues: Therefore they eate Chriſt. Reply. But why eat the wicked damnation vntounto themſelues, ſeeing it is a good worke to receiue the ſacramentes? Aunſwere. It is a good work by it ſelfe, but not vntounto the wicked. The receiuing of the ſacramentes is a good worke, when the true and right vſe is adioined: otherwiſe it is made not a commaunded, but a forbidden work, as alſo God ſaith: He that killeth a bullocke is as if he ſlue a man. So Paul: If thou be a tranſgreſſour of the Law, thy circumciſion is made vncircumciſion.
Now for theſe cauſes the wicked eate vntounto themſelues,The cauſes, for which the wicked are ſaide to eate vntounto themſelues damnation. and drawe on themſelues damnation. 1. Becauſe they profane the ſignes, and by conſequent the thing ſignified, by laieng holde on thoſe thinges, which were not inſtituted for them, but for the Diſ…iples of Chriſt. 2. Becauſe they profane the couenaunt and teſtament of God, by taking vntounto themſelues the ſignes and tokens of the couenaunt. They wil ſeeme to be in league with GOD, when as they are in league with the Diuell, and not with God, whom by this meanes they would make the Father of the wicked. 3. Becauſe they tread vnderunder foote the bloude of Chriſt. His benefits indeed are offered vntounto them, but they receiue them not with faith, and ſo mock God, while they profeſſe that they receiue the benefites of Chriſt, when as they doe or mind nothing leſſe, and adde this new offence to their other ſinnes. 4. Becauſe they condemne themſelues by their owne iudgement. For approching vntounto the Lords table they profeſſe that they accept of this doctrine, and doe beleeue no ſaluation to be without Chriſt: & yet in the mean ſeaſon are conſcious vntounto themſelues, that they are hypocrites, and ſo condemne themſelues.