Defense of the True Doctrine of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Book 5

Defense of the True Doctrine of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper · Book 5

THE FIFTH BOKE IS OF THE OBLATION AND SACRIfice of our Sauiour Christe.

Chap. 1. The sacrifice of the Masse.The greatest blasphemye & iniury that can be against Christe, & yet uniuersally vsed through the Popishe kyngdom, is this, that the priestes make their Masse a sacrifice propitiatory, to remit the synnes aswell of theim selues, as of other both quicke and dead, to whō they list to apply the same. Thus vnderunder pretence of holynes, the Papistical priestes hauehave taken vponupon them to be Christes successours, and to make suche an oblacion and sacrifice, as neuer creature made but Christe alone, neither he made the same any mo tymes than ones, and that was by his death vponupon the crosse.

Chap. 2.For as sainct Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrues witnesseth, Although the high priestes of the olde lawe offered many tymes (at the least eueryevery yere ones) yet Christe offereth not him selfe many tymes,Heb. 9. The difference betwen the sacrifice of Christ, & the priestes of the olde lawe.Heb 9 for then he should many tymes hauehave dyed. But nowe he offereth him selfe but ones, to take awaye, synne by that offeryng of him selfe. And as menne must dye ones, so was Christ offered ones, to take awaye the synnes of many.

And furthermore S. Paule sayth, That the p. 105sacrifices of the olde lawe, although they were contynually offered from yere to yere, yet could they not take away synne, nor make mē perfect. For if they coulde ones hauehave quieted mens consciences,Heb. 10.Heb 10 by takyng away sinne, they shuld hauehave ceassed and no more hauehave ben offred. But Christ with ones offeryng, hath made perfect for euer, theym that be sanctified: puttyng their synnes cleane out of goddes remembrance. And where remission of sinnes is, there is no more offerynge for synne.

And yet further he sayth, concernynge the old testament, that it was disanulled and taken away,Heb. 7.Heb 7 bycause of the feblenesse and vnprofitablenesse therof, for it brought nothyng to perfection. And the preestes of that lawe were many, bicause they lyued not longe, and so the priesthod went from one to an other: but Christ lyueth euer, and hath an euerlastynge priesthoode, that passeth not from hym to any man elles. Wherefore he is able perfectly to saue theim that come to God by hym, for as muche as he lyueth euer to make intercession for vsus. For it was meete for vsus to hauehave suche an high priest, that is holy, innocent, without spotee, separated from synners, and exalted vp aboue heauen: who needeth not daily to offer vp sacrifice (as Aarōs priestes did) fyrst for his owne synnes, and than for the people. For that he dyd ones, whan he offered vp hym selfe. Here in his Epistle to the Hebrues, S. Paule hath plainly and fully described vntounto vsus, the difference betwene the priesthode and sacrifices of the olde testamente, and the moste high and worthy priesthode of Christe, his most perfect and necessary sacrifice, and the benefitte that commeth to vsus thereby.

For Christ offred not the blud of calues, shepe and goates (as the priestes of the old lawe vsed to doo) but he offered his owne bloud vponupon the Crosse. And he went not into an holy place made by mans hande (as Aaron dyd) but he ascended vp into heauen, where his eternall father dwelleth, and before hym he maketh continuall supplication for the synnes of the whole worlde, presentynge his owne body, whyche was torne for vsus, and his precious bloud, whyche of his most gracious and liberall charitee, he shedde for vsus vponupon the Crosse.

And that sacrifice was of suche force, that it was no nede to renewe it eueryevery yere, as the bysshops dyd of the olde testament, (whose sacrifices …ere many tymes offred, and yet were of no great effecte or profite, because they were sinners them selues that offered theym, and offered not theyr owne bloude, but the bloude of brute beastes) but Christes sacrifice ones offred, was sufficient for euermore.

Chap. 3. Two kids of sacrifices.And that al men mai the better vnderstād this sacrifice of Christ (which he made for the greate benefite of all men) it is necessary to knowe the p. 106distinction and diuersitee of sacrifices.

One kynd of sacrifice ther is, whiche is called a Propiciatorie or mercyfull sacrifice, that is to saie, suche a sacrifice as pacifieth Gods wrathe and indignation, and obteyneth mercye and forgeuenes for all our synnes, and is the raunsome for our redemption from euerlastyng damnatiō.

And although in the old testament there were certain sacrifices called by that name yet in very dede there is but one such sacrifice,The sacrifice of Christe. whereby our sinnes be pardoned, & gods mercy & fauour obteined (which is the deth of the son of God oure Lord Iesu Christ) nor neuer was any other sacrifice propiciatorie at any tyme, nor neuer shalbe.

This is the honoure and glorie of this oure high priest, wherin he admitteth neither partner nor successour. For by his one oblation he satisfied his father for all mens synnes, and reconciled mankynd vntounto his grace and fauoure. And who soeuer depriue hym of this honour, and go about to take it to them selues, they be very Antichristes, & most arrogant blasphemers against God, and against his sonne Iesus Christ, whom he hath sente.

An other kynde of sacrifice there is, whyche dothe not reconcile vsus to God, but is made of them that be reconciled by Christe, to testifie our dueties vntounto god, and to shew our selues thankfull vntounto hym. And therfore they be called Sacrifices of laude, praise and thankes geuyng.

The fyrst kynde of sacrifice Christe offered to God for vsus, the seconde kynde we our selues offer to God by Christe.

And by the fyrste kynde of sacrifice Christ offered also vsus vntounto his father, and by the second wee offer our selues and all that wee hauehave vntounto hym and his father.

And this sacrifice generally is our whole obedience vntounto God, in kepyng his lawes and commaundementes. Of whiche maner of sacrifice speaketh the prophete Dauid,Psal. 50.Ps 50 sayenge: A sacrifice to God is a contrite herte. And S. Peter saith of all christen people,1. Pet. 2.1 Pet 2 that they be an holy priesthode, to offer spirituall sacrifices, acceptable to God by Iesu Christ. And S. Paule saith, That alwaye wee offer vntounto God a sacrifice of laude and prayse by Iesus Christe.Heb. 13.Heb 13

Chap. 4.But nowe to speake somwhat more largely of the priesthode and sacrifice of Christ, he was suche an hygh byshop,A more plaine declaration of the sacrifice of Christe. that he ones offeryng hym selfe, was sufficient by ones effusion of his blud, to abolyshe synne vntounto the worldes end. He was so perfect a priest, that by one oblatiō he purged an infinite heape of synnes, leauyng an easy and a redy remedy for all synners, that his one sacrifice shulde suffise for many yeeres, vntounto all men that woulde not shewe them selues vnworthye. And he toke vntounto hym selfe, not onelyonly their synnes that many yeres before were deade, and put theyr truste in hym, but also the synnes of those, p. 107that vntyl his commyng agayn, shuld truly beleue in his gospell. So that nowe we may loke for none other priest nor sacrifice, to take a waye our synnes, but onelyonly hym and his sacrifice. And as he dyeng ones, was offered for all, so as muche as pertayned to hym, he tooke all mens synnes vntounto hym selfe. So that nowe there remaineth no mo sacrifices for synne, but extreme iugement at the last daye, whan he shall appere to vsus agayne, not as a man to be punyshed agayn, and to bee made a sacrifice for our synnes (as he was before) but he shall come in his glory,Heb. 9.Heb 9 without synne, to the great ioy and comforte of them, whyche be purified and made cleane by his deth, and continue in godly and innocent lyuyng, and to the greate terrour and dreade of theym that bee wycked and vngodly.

Thus the scripture teacheth, that yf Christe hadde made any oblation for synne more than ones, he shoulde hauehave dyed more thanne ones: for as muche as there is none oblation and sacrifyce for synne, but onelyonly his deathe. And nowe there is no more oblation for synne, seyng that by hym our synnes bee remytted, and oure consciences quieted.

AND althowgh in the olde Testament,Chap. 5. there were certayne sacrifices, called Sacryfices for synne,The sacrifices of the old law. yet they wer no such sacrifices, that could take away our synnes in the syghte of God, but they were ceremonies, ordeyned to this entente, that they shoulde bee as it were shadowes and fygures, to signifie beefore hande the excellente sacrifice of Christe that was to comme, whyche should be the very true and perfecte sacrifice for the synnes of the whole worlde.

And for this signification they had the name of a sacrifice propiciatorie, and wer called sacrifices for synnes, not bycause they in dede toke away our sinnes, but bycause they were ymages, shadowes, and fygures, wherby godly men wer admonyshed of the trewe sacrifice of Christ than to come, whyche shulde truely abolyshe syn and euerlastyng death.

And that those sacrifices, whyche were made by the priestes in the olde lawe, coulde not be able to purchase our pardon, and deserue the remission of oure synnes, S. Paule doeth clerely affirme in his said epistle to the Hebrues,Heb. 9.Heb 9 where he sayth: It is impossible that our synnes shuld be taken awai by the bloud of oxen and goates.

Wherfore all godly men, althoughe they dyd vse those sacrifices ordeined of God, yet they did not take them as thynges of that value and estimation, that therby they shulde be able to obteyn remission of their synnes before God.

But they toke theym partely for fygures and tokens ordeined of God, by the whiche he declared, that he wold sende that seede, whiche he promysed to be the very true sacrifice for synne, and that he would receaue them that trusted in that p. 108promyse, and remytte theyr synnes for the sacrifice after to come.

And partely they vsed them as certayne ceremonies, wherby suche persones as had offended against the lawe of Moyses, and were cast out of the cōgregacion, were receiued again among the people, and declared to be absolued.

As for lyke purposes we vse in the Churche of Christ, sacramentes by him instituted. And this outwarde castyng out from the people of God, and receiuyng in agayne, was accordyng to the lawe and knowledge of manne, but the true reconciliation and forgeuenes of synne before God, nother the fathers of the olde lawe had, nor we yet hauehave, but only by the sacrifice of Christ, made in the mount of Caluary. And the sacrifices of the olde lawe were pronostications and figures of the same than to come, as our sacramentes bee fygures and demonstrations of the same nowe passed.

Nowe by these foresayd thynges may eueryevery manne easily perceiue,Cha. 6. that the offeryng of the priest in the Masse,The masse is not a sacrifice propiciatorie. or the appointyng of his ministration at his pleasure, to them that be quick or dead, can not merite and deserue, neither to himselfe, nor to theim for whom he lyngeth or sayeth, the remission of their synnes: but that suche Popishe doctrine is contrary to the doctrine of the Gospell, and iniurious to the sacrifice of Christ.

For yf only the death of Christ be the oblation, sacrifice and price wherfore our synnes bee pardoned, then the acte or ministration of the priest can not hauehave the same office. Wherefore it is an abhominable blasphemy, to geue that office or dignitee to a priest, whiche perteyneth onelyonly to Christ: or to affirme that the Churche hath nede of any suche sacrifice, as who shoulde saye, that Christes sacrifice wer not sufficient for the remission of our synnes: orels that his sacrifice shuld hange vponupon the sacrifice of a priest.

But all suche prestes, as pretende to be Christes successours in makynge a sacrifice of hym, they be his most haynous and horrible aduersaries. For neuer no persone made a sacrifyce of Christ, but he hym selfe only. And therfore sainct Paule sayth,Heb. 7.Heb 7 that Christes priesthood can not passe from him to another. For what nedeth any mo sacrifices, if Christes sacrifice be perfect and sufficient?Heb. 8.Heb 8 And as sainct Paule sayth, that if the sacrifices and ministration of Aaron, and other priestes of that tyme, had lacked nothyng, but had been perfect and sufficient, then should not the sacrifice of Christe hauehave been required (for it had been but in vain, to adde any thyng to that, whiche of it selfe was perfecte) so lykewyse yf Christes sacrifice whiche he made him selfe bee sufficient, what nede wee eueryevery day to hauehave mo & mo sacrifices? Wherefore all Popishe priestes, that presume to make eueryevery daye a sacrifice of p. 109Christe, either muste they needes make Christes sacrifice vaine, vnperfect and vnsufficent, or els is their sacrifice in vaine, whiche is added to the sacrifice, whiche is already of it selfe sufficient and perfect.

But it is a wonderous thinge, to see what shiftes and cautels the Popishe antichristes deuise, to colour and cloke theyr wycked erroures. And as a chaine, is so ioyned togither, that one lynke draweth an other after it, so bee vyces and erroures knit togither, that eueryevery one draweth his felowe with him. And so doth it here in this mattier.

For the Papists (to excuse them selues) do sai,Chap. 7. that they make no newe sacrifice,A confutacion of the Papists cauillacion. nor none other sacrifice then Christe made (for they bee not so blynde, but they see, that then they should adde an other sacrifice to Christes sacrifice, and so make his sacrifice vnperfecte) but they say, that they make the selfe same sacrifice for sinne, that Christe him selfe made.

And here they runne hedlonges into the fowlest and most haynous errour that euer was immagined. For yf they make euerye daye the same oblation and sacrifice for sinne, that Christ himselfe made, and the oblation that hee made was his deathe, and the effusion of hys moste preciouse bludde vppon the crosse, for our redemption and price of our synnes: then foloweth it of necessitie, that they euerye daye slaye Christ and shed his bludde, and so be they worse then the wicked Iewes and Pharises, whiche slewe him, and shedde his bludde but ones.

Chap. 8.Almighty god the father of lyght and truthe, banish all suche darkenes and errour out of hys churche,The true sacrifice of al christiā people. with the authors and teachers thereof, or els conuerte their hartes vntounto hym, and giuegive this light of faithe to eueryevery man, that hee maye truste to hauehave remission of his sinnes, and be deliuered frome eternall death and hell, by the merite only of the death and bludde of Christe: and that by his owne faith, euerye man maye apply the same vntounto himselfe, and not take it at the appoyntement of Popishe priestes, by the merite of their sacrifices and oblations.

If we be in deed (as we professe) christian mē, we may ascribe this honour and glory to no mā, but to Christe alone. Wherfore lette vsus giuegive the whole laude and prayse hereof vntounto hym, let vsus flye only to him for socour, let vsus holde him faste & hange vppon him, & gyue our selues wholy to him. And forasmuch as he hathe giuen himselfe to death for vsus, to be an oblation and sacrifice to his father for our sinnes, let vsus giuegive our selues again vntounto him, making vntounto him an oblation, not of goates, sheep, kine and other beastes that hauehave no reason, (as was accustomed before Christes coming) but of a creature that hath reason, that is to sai, of our selues, not killing our owne bodies, but mortefying y^e beastly & vnreasonable p. 109affections, that wold gladly rule & raigne in vsus.

So long as the lawe did raigne, god suffered dum beasts to be offered vntounto him, but now that we be spiritual, we must offre spiritual oblatiōs, in the place of calues, sheepe, goates and doues. We must kyll diuelish pryde, furious angre, insatiable couetousnes, filthy lucre, stinking lechery, deadly hatred & malice, foxy wilines, woluish rauening & deuouring, and al other vnreasonable lustes and desires of the fleshe. And as many as belonge to Christe,Galat. 5…Gal 5 muste crucifie & kyll these for Christs sake, as Christ crucified himselfe for their sakes.

These be the sacrifices of chrystian men, these hostes & oblations be acceptable to Christ. And as Christ offered himselfe for vsus, so is it our duties after this sorte to offre our selues to hym againe. And so shal we not hauehave the name of christian men in vaine, but as we pretend to belong to Christe in woorde and profession, so shall wee in deede be his in lyfe and inward affection. So that within & without we shalbe altogither his, cleane from al hyporisie or dissimulacion. And if we refuse to offre our selues after this wise vntounto hym, by crucifiyng our own willes, & cōmittyng vsus wholy to the wyl of god, we be moste vnkind people, superstitious hypocrites, or rather vnreasonable beastes, worthy to be excluded vtterly from all the benefites of Christes oblation.

And if wee putte the oblation of the prieste in the steede of the oblation of Christe,Chap. 9. The Papish masse is detestable ydolatry, utterly to be banished frō al christiā cō gregatiōs refusing to receaue the sacrament of his body and bludde our selues (as hee ordained) and trustinge to hauehave remission of our sinnes by the sacrifice of the prieste in the Masse, and thereby also to obtayne release of the paines in Purgatorye, wee doo not onlye iniurye to Christe, but also committe moste detestable ydolatry. For these bee but false doctrines, without shame deuised, and fayned by wicked Popishe priestes, Idolatres, Monkes and Friers, whiche for lucre hauehave altered and corrupted the moste holye supper of the Lorde, and tourned yt into manifeste Idolatrye. Wherefore all godly men ought with all their harte to refuse and abhorre all suche blasphemy againste the sonne of God.

And forasmuche as in suche Masses is manifeste wyckednes and Idolatrye (wherein the prieste alone maketh oblation satisfactorye, and applieth the same for the quicke and the dead at hys wyll and pleasure) all suche popishe Masses are to bee clearlye taken awaye oute of chrystiane Churches, and the trewe vse of the Lordes supper is to be restored again, wherin godlye people assembled togither, maye receaue the sacrament eueryevery man for himself, to declare that he remembreth what benefite he hathe receaued by the deathe of CHRIST, and to testifye that he is a membre of Christes body, fed with hys fleshe and drinkynge hys bludde spiritually.

p. 111CHRIST dyd not ordayne his sacramentes to this vse,Chap. 10 EueryEvery mā ought to receiue the sacrament him selfe, & not one for another. that one should receiue them for another, or the priest for all the laye people, but he ordayned them for this intent, that eueryevery man should receiue them for him selfe, to ratify, confirme and stablishe his owne faith and euerlastyng saluacion. Therefore as one man may not be baptized for another (and if he be, it auayleth nothyng,) so ought not one to receiue the holy Communion for another. For if a man be drye or hungry, he is neuer awhit eased, if another man drynke or eate for him: or if a man bee all befyled, it healpeth him nothyng, another man to be washed for him: So auayleth it nothyng to a man, if another man bee baptized for him, or bee refreshed for him with the meate and drynke at the Lordes table. And therfore sayd sainct Peter: Actu. 2.Let eueryevery man bee baptized in the name of Iesu Christe. And our sauiour Christe sayd to the multitude:Math. 26.Matt 26 Take and eate. And further he sayd: Drynke you all of this. Whosoeuer therfore wyll be spiritually regenerated in Christe, he must bee baptized him selfe. And he that wyll lyue him selfe by Christe, must by him selfe eate Christes fleshe and drynke his bloud.

And briefely to conclude, he that thynketh to come to the kyngdome of Christe himselfe, must also come to his sacramentes him selfe, and kepe his cōmaundementes himselfe, & do all thynges that partaine to a christen man and to his vocation himselfe, least if he referre these thynges to another man to do them for him, the other may with as good right clayme the kingdom of heauen for him.

Chap. 11.Therfore Christ made no suche difference betwene the priest and the lay man, that the priest should make oblacion and sacrifice of Christ for the lay man,The difference betwene the priest and the lay mā and eate the Lordes supper frō him al alone, and distribute & apply it as him liketh. Christ made no suche difference, but the diffrēce that is betwene the priest and the lay mā in this matter, is onelyonly in the ministration: that the priest (as a common minister of the church) doth minister and distribute the Lordes supper vntounto other, and other receiue it at his handes. But the very supper it selfe, was by Christ instituted and geuen to the whole church, not to be offered and eaten of the priest for other men, but by him to be deliuered to all that would duely aske it.

As in a princes house the officers & ministers prepare the table, and yet other (aswell as they) eate the meate and drynke the drynke: so do the priestes and ministers prepare the Lordes supper, reade the Gospell, and reherse Christes woordes, but all the people say therto: Amen. All remembre Christes death, all geue thankes to God, all repent and offre themselues an oblacion to Christe, all take him for their Lorde and sauiour, and spiritually feade vponupon him, and in token therof they eate the bread and drynke the p. 112wyne in his mistical supper.

And this nothing diminisheth the estimation and dignitee of priesthod and other ministers of the church,The dignitee of priestes. but auaunceth and highly commendeth their ministracion. For if they are muche to bee loued, honored and estemed, that bee the Kynges Chauncelours, Iudges, officers, & ministers in temporal matters: howe muche than are they to be estemed, that be ministers of Christes wordes & sacramentes, and hauehave to them cō mitted the keyes of heauen, to let in & shut out, by the ministration of his worde and Gospel?

Nowe forasmuche,Chap. 12. as I trust, that I hauehave playnly enough set furth the propitiatory sacrifice of our sauior Iesu Christ,The answer to the Papistes. to the capacitee & comfort of all men that hauehave any vnderstādyng of Christe, and hauehave declared also the heynous abhominacion & Idolatry of the Popish Masse (wherin the priestes hauehave taken vponupon them the office of Christ, to make a propitiatory sacrifice for the synnes of the people) and hauehave also tolde what maner of sacrifice christen people ougt to make, it is nowe necessary to make answere to the subtyll persuacions and sophisticall cauillacions of the Papistes, wherby the hauehave deceiued many a symple manne, both learned and vnlearned.

The place of sainct Paule vntounto the Hebrues (whiche they do cite for their purpose) maketh quite and cleane against them.Hebre. 5 For where sainct Paule sayth, that eueryevery high priest is ordayned to offre gyftes & sacrifices for synnes. he spake not that of the priestes of the Newe testament, but of the olde, whiche (as he sayth) offered calues & goates. And yet they were not suche priestes, that by their offerynges and sacrifices they could take awaye the peoples synnes, but they were shadowes and figures of Christ, our euerlastyng priest, whiche onelyonly by one oblacion of himselfe taketh away the synnes of the worlde. Wherfore the Popishe priestes, that apply this text vntounto them selues, do directly cōtrary to the meanyng of sainct Paule, to the great iniury & preiudice of Christ, by whom only sainct Paule sayth, that the sacrifice & oblacion for the synne of the whole worlde was accōplished & fulfilled.

And as litle serueth for the Papistes purpose the texte of the Prophete Malachie, Mal. 1.Mal 1that eueryevery where should be offered vntounto God a pure sacrifice and oblation. For the prophet in that place spake no worde of the Masse, nor of any oblaciō propitiatory to bee made by the priestes, but he spake of the oblation of all faythfull people (in what place soeuer they bee) whiche offre vntounto God, with pure heartes and myndes, sacrifices of laude and prayse: propheciyng of the vocacion of the Gentyles, that God would extende his mercy vntounto them, and not be the God onelyonly of the Iewes, but of all nations, from East to West, that with pure fayth call vponupon him, and p. 113glorify his name.

But the aduersaries of Christe,Chap. 13. gather together a greate heape of authors, whiche (as they say) cal the Masse or holy communion a Sacrifice.An answer to the authors. But all those authors be answered vntounto in this one sentence, that they called it not a sacrifice for sinne, bicause that it taketh awaye oure synne (which was taken away only by the death of Christ) but bicause it was ordained of Christ to put vsus in remembraunce of the sacrifice made by him vponupon the crosse. And for that cause it beareth the name of that sacrifice, as S. Augustine declareth plainlye in his Epistle ad Bonifacium, Augustinu… ad Bonifac.before rehersed in this booke, fol. 64. And in his boke De fide ad Petrum diaconum before rehersed also.De ciuitat. lib. 10. cap. 5 And in his booke De ciuitate Dei, he saith. That which men call a sacrifice, is a signe or representacion of the true sacrifice.

And the Maister of the sentence (of whom all the schoole authors take their occasion to write) iudged truly in this point,Lombardu… li. 4. dist. 12 saying: That which ys offered & consecrated of the priest, is called a sacrifice and oblation, bicause it is a memorye and representacion of the trewe sacrifice and holye oblation made in the altare of the crosse.

And S. Iohn Chrysostome,Chrysost. ad Heb. …o. 17 after he hath said that Christe is our Byshop, whiche offered that sacrifice that made vsus cleane, and that we offre the same nowe, least any man might be deceaued by his manner of speakinge, he openeth his meaninge more plainly, saying: That whiche wee doo, is doone for a remembraunce of that whiche was doone by Christe. For Christe saith: Do this in remembraunce of me. Also Chrysostome declaring at length, that y^e priests of the old law offered euer new sacrifices, and changed them from time to tyme, & that christiā people do not so, but offre euer one sacrifice of Christ: yet by & by (lest some mē might be offēded w^t this speache) he maketh as it were a correctiō of his wordes, saying: But rather we make a remembrance of Christes sacrifice. As though he shuld say: Although in a certaine kinde of speach we may sai, y^t eueryevery day we make a sacrifice of Christe, yet in very deede, to speake properly, we make no sacrifice of him, but only a cōmemoration & remembrance of that sacrifice. whiche he alone made, & neuer none but he. Nor Christ neuer gaue this honor to any creature, y^t he shuld make a sacrifice of him, nor did not ordain the sacramēt of his holi supper, to the intēt y^t either the people shuld sacrifice Christ againe, or that y^e priests shuld make a sacrifice of him for y^e people: but his holy supper was ordained for this purpose, that eueryevery man eating & drinking therof, shuld remembre that Christ died for him, and so shuld exercise his faith, and comforte him selfe by the remembraunce of Christes bnefites, and so giuegive vntounto Christ most harty thanks, and giuegive himselfe also clearly vntounto him.

Wherfore y^e ordinance of Christ ought to be folowed, p. 114y^e priest to minister the sacramēt to y^e people, & they to vse it to their consolation. And in this eating, drinking and vsing of the lords supper, we make not of Christ a newe sacrifice propitiatory for remission of sinne.

But the humble confession of al penitent hartes,Chap. 14. theyr knowledgyng of Chrystes benefytes,The laye persones make a sacrifice as wel as the prieste. their thanks giuing for the same, their faith and consolation in Christe, their humble submission and obedience to goddes wyll and commaundementes, is a sacrifice of laude & praise, accepted and alowed of god no lesse, then the sacrifyce of the priest. For almyghty god wythout respect of persone, accepteth the oblatyon and sacrifyce of priest & lay person, of kyng & subiect, of mayster and seruaunt, of man and woman, of yonge and olde, yea of English, French, Scot, Greek, Latine, Iewe and Gentyle, of eueryevery mā accorig to his faithfull & obedient hart vntounto him, and that through y^e sacrifice propiciatory of Iesu Chryst.

And as for the sayīg or singing of Masse by y^e priest,Chap. 15 as it was in time passed vsed,The Papistical masse is neither a sacrifice ꝓpiciatorye, nor of thā ks giuinge Luce. 16. it is neither a sacrifyce propiciatorye, nor yet a sacrifyce of laud & praise, nor in any wise alowed before god, but abhominable and detestable, and therof mai well be verefied the saying of CHRIST: That thing which seemeth an high thinge before men, is abhominacion before God.

They therfore which gather of the doctours, that the Masse is a sacrifice for remission of syn, and that it is applied by the prieste to theim, for whom he saith or singeth: they whiche so gather of the doctours, do to them most greuous iniury and wronge, moste falsely belying them.

Chap. 16.For these monstrous thinges were neuer seen nor knowen of the olde and primitiue churche,Ther was no papisticall Masses in the Primatiue church. nor there was not than in one Churche manye Masses eueryevery daye, but vppon certayne dayes there was a common table of the lordes supper, where a numbre of people did togither receive y^• body and blud of the lord: but there were then no daily priuate Masses, where eueryevery preest receaued alone, lyke as vntill this daye there is none in the Greeke churches but one common Masse in a daye. Nor the holy fathers of the old church would not hauehave suffered suche vngodly and wicked abuses of the Lordes supper.

But these priuate Masses sprange vppe of late yeares, partelye throughe the ignoraunce and supersticion of vnlearned Monks and Fryers, (whiche knewe not what a sa…ifyce was, but made of the Masse a sacrifice propiciatorye, to remytte both synne and the paine due for the same) but chiefely they sprange of lucre and gaine, when priestes founde the meanes to sell Masses to the people, whiche caused Masses so muche to encrease, that euerye daye was sayde an infinite numbre, and that no priest would receaue the communion at an other preestes hand, but eueryevery one would receaue it alone: p. 115neither regardyng the godly decree of the most famous & holy counsail of Nice (which appointeth in what order priestes should be placed aboue Deacons at the Cōmunion,Consilium Niconum caput. 14.) nor yet the Canones of the Apostles,Canones Apostolorum Cap. 8. whiche commaunde that when any Communion is ministred, all the priestes together should receiue the same, or els bee excomunicate. So muche the olde fathers mislyked, that any priest should receyue the sacrament alone.

Therefore when the olde fathers called the Masse or supper of the Lorde a Sacrifice, they ment that it was a sacrifice of laudes & thankes geuyng (and so aswel the people as the priest do sacrifice) or els that it was a remembraunce of the very true sacrifice propitiatorye of Christe: but they ment in no wyse that it is a very true sacrifice for sinne, and applicable by the priest to the quicke and dead.

For the priest may well minister Christes wordes and sacramentes, to all men both good and bad, but he can applye the benefite of Christes passion to no man (beyng of age and discrecion) but onelyonly to suche as by their owne fayth do applye the same vntounto them selues. So that eueryevery mā of age and discrecion, taketh to him selfe the benefites of Christes passion or refuseth theim, himself, by his own fayth, quicke or dead. That is to say, by his true and liuely fayth (that worketh by charitee) he receiueth them, or els by his vngodlynes or fayned fayth reiected them.

And this doctrine of the scripture clearely cō dempneth the wicked inuēcions of the Papistes in these latter dayes, which hauehave deuised a purgatory to torment soules after this life, & oblations of Masses sayd by the priestes, to deliuer them from the sayd tormētes, and a great number of other commodities do they promise to the symple ignorant people by their Masses.

Cha. 17.Nowe the nature of mā beyng euer prone to Idolatry frō the beginnyng of the worlde,The causes & meanes howe papistical Masses entred into y^e churche. and the Papistes beyng ready by al meanes and policy to defend and extoll the Masse for their estimacion and profite, and the people beyng superstitiously enamored and doted vponupon the Masse, (because they take it for a presēt remedy against all maner of euyls,) and part of the princes beyng blynded by Papistical doctrin, part louyng quietnes, and lothe to offende their clergye and subiectes, and all beyng captiue and subiecte to the Antichrist of Rome, the state of the worlde remainyng in this case, it is no wonder that abuses grewe and encreased in the churche, that superstition with Idolatry were taken for godlynes & true religion, and that many thinges were brought in without the authoritee of Christ.

The abuses of the papisticall Masses.As Purgatory, the oblacion and sacrifisyng of Christ by the priest alone, the application and appointyng of the same to suche persones as the priest would syng or say Masse for, and to suche p. 116abuses as they could deuise, to deliuer some frō Purgatory, and some frō hell, (if they were not there fynally by God determined to abyde, as they termed the matter) to make rayne or fayre wether, to put awaye the plage and other syckenesses both from man and beast, to halowe and preserue them that wēt to Ierusalem, to Rome, to sainct Iames in Compostella, and to other places in pilgrimage, for a preseruatiue against tempest and thunder, against peryls and daungers of the sea, for a remedy against morren of cattell, against pensyuenes of the heart, and against all maner affliction and tribulacion.

And finally, they extoll their Masses farre aboue Christes passion: promisyng many thynges thereby, whiche were neuer promised vsus by Christes passion. As that if a man heare Masse, he shal lacke no bodely sustenance that day, nor nothyng necessarye for him, nor shalbe letted in his iourney, he shall not lose his sight that day, nor dye no sodayn death, he shall not waxe olde in that tyme that he heareth Masse, nor no wicked spirites shal hauehave power of him, be he neuer so wicked a man, so long as he loketh vponupon the sacrament. All these folishe and deuilishe superstitions, the Papistes of their owne idle brayne hauehave deuised of late yeres, whiche deuises were neuer knowen in the olde churche.

And yet they crye out against them that professe the gospell,Chap. 18. & say that they dissent from the churche,Whiche Churche is to bee folowed. and would hauehave them to folowe the example of their churche. And so would they gladly do, if the Papistes would folow the first churche of the Apostles, whiche was moste pure and incorrupte, but the Papistes hauehave clearely va…ied from the vsage & examples of that churche, and hauehave inuented newe deuises of their owne braynes, and wyll in no wyse consent to folowe the primitiue churche, and yet they would hauehave other to folowe their church, vtterly variyng & dissentyng from the fyrst most godly churche.

But thākes be to the eternal God, the maner of the holy Communion (whiche is nowe sette furth within this Realme) is agreable with the institution of Christ, with sainct Paule and the olde primitiue and Apostolike churche, with the right fayth of the sacrifice of Christe vponupon the Crosse for oure redemption, and with the true doctryne of oure saluacion, iustificacion and remission of all our synnes by that onelyonly sacrifice.

A short instruction to the holy cōmunionNowe resteth nothyng, but that all faythfull subiectes wyll gladly receiue and embrace the same, beyng sory for their former ignorance, and eueryevery man repentyng him selfe of his offēces against God, and amendyng the same, may yelde himselfe wholly to God, to serue and obaye him all the dayes of his life, and often to come to the holy supper, whiche our Lord and sauior Christ hath prepared: And as he ther corporally eateth the very bread and drynketh the very wyne, so p. 117spiritually he may feade of the very fleashe and bloud of Iesu Christ hys sauiour and redemer, remembryng his death, thankyng hym for his benefites, and lokyng for none other sacrifice at no pristes hādes for remission of his synnes, but onelyonly trustyng to his sacrifice, whiche beyng both the high priest, and also the lambe of God (prepared from the beginning to take away the synnes of the worlde) offered vp himselfe ones for euer, in a sacrifice of swete smell vntounto his father, and by the same payde the raunsome for the synnes of the whole worlde. Who is before vsus entred into heuen, and sitteth at the right hād of his father, as patrone, mediatour and intercessour for vsus. And ther hath prepared places for all them that bee liuely mē bres of his body, to reigne with him for euer, in the glory of his father, to whom with him, and the holy ghost, be glory, honor and praise for euer and euer. AMEN.

FINIS.

CERTAYN FAVTES.

All other faultes may bee easyly corrected.