The Subtle Sophistry of Watsons Sermons before Queen Mary, Sermon 2 (4 of 5)

The Subtle Sophistry of Watsons Sermons before Queen Mary · Sermon 2 (4 of 5)

p. 113Now conſidering this felowſhip with aungels, this humilitie of man, this pacifying of God, this efficacie of prayer for the ſacrifice ſake, this knowledging of our vnworthineſſe, p. 114this our onelyonly truſt in the paſsion of Chriſt: can any man iuſtly burthen vsus that we make our workes a newe ſauiour beſide Chriſt. Furthermore, beſide praying for thoſe things we lacke, we alſo by this ſacrifice giuegive thā kes for our redemption, for the hope of our health and ſaluation, and for all Gods gifts, not onelyonly in our wordes, but alſo in dede? the verie oblation it ſelfe is a reall giuing of thankes to God, as Chryſoſtome ſayth. Quod erat apud eum omnibus precioſius, vnigenitum pro nobis filium dedit, & cum eſsemus inimici, Chryſoſt. in Mat. ho. 26.nec dedit ſolum, ſed & nostram menſam fecit illum, omnia faciens ipſe pro nobis, & donando videlicet & gratiarum actores ipſa donorum ſuorum vbertate faciendo. &c. That thing that was with him moſt precious of all, his onelyonly ſonne hee hath giuen for vsus, euen when wee were hys enemies, and not onelyonly hath giuen him for vsus, but alſo hath made him our table, doyng himſelfe all things for vsus, both rewarding vsus, and alſo with the plentie of his giftes making vsus giuers of thankes, and becauſe man in many thinges is vnthankfull to God, he in al thinges taketh vponupon him our perſon, and ſupplyeth that we ought to do, and euen by the very nature, of the ſacrifice which is his bodie, ſtirreth vsus to continuall giuing of thankes for all his benefites, ſo that our ſacrifice, beyng Chriſtes bodie, is both a ſinguler gift of God, and alſo is a reall giuing of thankes for all his other giftes.

By this it euidently appeareth that nothing doth more exerciſe our fayth in the knowledge of our ſelues and god, nothing doth more encreaſe our charitie and hope in the merciemercy of God, then the Maſſe. Where as (Iob was wont to do for his children) the Church of God our mother, being careful for al hir children leaſt any of them by negligence, infirmitie, or wilfulneſſe, hauehave offended, dayly prayeth and maketh ſacrifice for them, and by that moſt acceptable ſacrifie of hir husbandes bodie and bloud, doth mittigate almightie god, doth multiply & diſtributeth vnitie. Nothing more ſetteth forth the benefite of Chriſt, becauſe in thys ſacrifice of the Maſſe, wee proteſt to hauehave all thinges by p. 115Chriſt, redemption, remiſsion, ſanctification, and ſaluatiō, and do aske & begge of God all goodneſſe by Chriſt knowledging that wee hauehave nothing to ſet againſt the wrath of God, but the paſsion of Chriſt, which after this maner, by thys ſolemne repreſentation as Chriſt hath inſtituted we dayly renue, that it might bee continually celebrate by myſtery that once was offered for our raunſome, that becauſe the effect of mans redemption ceaſeth not, but is to eueryevery one in his time applied by continuall ſucceſsion, ſo alſo that the ſacrifice of this redemption ſhould neuer ceaſe but be alwayes to all men preſent in grace, and alwayes liue in perpetuall memorie.

Two vntruthes you affirme with one breath. One is, that in making your Maſſe a ſacrifice for ſinne:CROWLEY. Two vntruthes affirmed with one breath. you doe not make a ſauiour of your owne workes. And the other is: that by the ſacrifice of the Maſſe, you declare that you beleue there is no ſauiour but only Chriſt. And going about to make the matter plaine that it is no vntruth that you affirme: you make it appeare more plaine, that it is moſt falſe that you hauehave ſayd. You ſay that you do renue and repreſent the paſſion of Chriſt, and that you offer Chriſt to his father: and what is this but to make your owne doyngs a ſaluation to your ſelfe. Was not the worke that the prieſtes of the olde lawe wrought in offering ſacrifice for ſinne, accounted the purging of thoſe ſinnes that they offered them for? And why ſhall not your worke in offering Chriſt to his father: be accounted the purging of your ſinne, and ſo conſequētly, your ſauiour? And can it be true that you beleue there is no ſauiour but onelyonly Chriſt: when as miſtruſting the ſufficiencie of Chriſtes worke once wrought in offering vp himſelfe for the ſinnes of the worlde: you will take vponupon you to offer him to his father? For though you ſay that Chriſt hath ordeyned, that you ſhould in ſuch ſort, renue and repreſent his paſſion: yet you are not able to proue it. Wherefore I ſay, you take it vponupon you without commiſſion ſo to doe. It is he, of whom it is ſayd. Ipſe ſaluum faciet populum ſuum à peccatis eorum. Math. 1.Matt 1He ſhall ſaue his people from their p. 116ſinnes.Chriſt is not an inſtrumēt of ſaluation, but ſaluation it ſelfe. It is not ſayde, he ſhall be an inſtrument of ſaluation: whereby other may ſaue themſelues from their ſinnes. If Chriſt had not bene the prieſt that offered, as well as the ſacrifice that was offered: we could hauehave had no commoditie by his ſacrifice. The worke of offering Chriſt to his father, muſt néedes be the worke of ſauing Chriſtes people from their ſinnes therefore: and ſo conſequently your worke in the Maſſe being the offering vp of Chriſt, muſt be a worke of ſauing of Chriſtes people from their ſinnes. But your worke in the Maſſe is not Chriſtes worke in offering himſelf: Ergo, you make another ſauiour beſides Chriſt.

But leaſt you ſhould ſaye that mine argument concludeth not: I will forme you a Syllogiſmus according to the rules of Logick. Whoſoeuer doth take vponupon him to worke the worke of ſaluation, doth make himſelfe a ſauiour. But you doe take vponupon you to worke the worke of ſaluation: Ergo, you make your ſelues ſauiours: The maior propoſition, is a common knowne truth: allowed of all men. The minor is prooued thus. Whoſoeuer taketh vponupon him to offer Chriſt to his father, taketh vponupon him to worke the worke of ſaluation. But you doe ſo: Ergo, you take vponupon you to worke the worke of ſaluation. And how doe you then declare your ſelues to beléeue, that there is no Sauiour but onelyonly Chriſt.

Many good things you doe in your Maſſe. You confeſſe your ſinnes. &c. And laſt of all, you deſire to be admitted into the felowſhip of all ſaintes:Watſon hydeth y^e faults of the Maſſe. not by your owne deſeruing, but by the forgiueneſſe of your ſinnes. All this is well. But you ſpeake nothing of your preſumption in taking vponupon you to offer ſacrifice to God, for the ſinne both of your ſelues and other. Pro quibus tibi offerrimus vel qui tibi offerunt, hoc ſacrificium laudis, pro ſe ſuiſ que omnibus, pro redemptione animarum ſuarum. &c. Remember (ſay you) thy ſeruauntes and thine handmaydens. &c: for whom we doe offer vntounto thée, or which doe offer vntounto thée, for themſelues and for all theirs this ſacrifice of prayſe,Deuill Coniurers, as good as Maſſing Prieſtes. for the redemption of their ſoules. The Deuill coniurers can ſay as much for themſelues, as you doe here. They can ſay: what doe we in our coniurations? We faſt, we pray, we confeſſe our ſinnes: and we doe all that we doe, p. 117in the name of God, the father, the ſonne, and the holye ghoſt. And yet is their doing abhominable:Actes. 19.Acts 19 becauſe they preſume to doe that which God neuer wylled man to doe. And they abuſe the bleſſed name of God in making it a meane, to call vp and binde Deuils, to doe as they would hauehave them do, as the ſeauen ſonnes of Sceua did abuſe the name of Ieſus in their coniurations.

Although you therefore, doe in many things well: yet in this one thing, of making the ſacrament a ſacrifice for the redemption of the ſoules of Gods people, you doe ſo preſumpteouſly abuſe, both the ſacrament of Chriſt and the name of God, that your hole doing beſide is made abhominable, as the doing of the Deuill coniurers is. When the good people therefore, ſhall conſider this: they will (I doubt not) iudge that you make your owne worke in offering Chriſt to his father, a ſauiour, and therfore another ſauiour beſide Chriſt.

You beleue (you ſay) that your prayer is of more efficacie and ſtrength in the preſence of Chriſt in the time of the ſacrifice. &c. And here you take Cyprian to wytneſſe, when he ſayth: In huius corporis preſentia. &c. And Chryſoſtome in fiue ſeuerall places: How good a foundation theſe places are to builde your fayth vponupon: the reader ſhall (I truſt) eaſily perceyue.Cyprian De Caena. What Cyprians meaning was in that ſermon: may well be ſéene in that which I hauehave written in the aunſwere to the tenth, fiftenth, & thirtie two deuiſions of your former Sermon. As touching thoſe words that you cite here: I muſt tel you that you hauehave not forgotten your old maner of adding ſomewhat for your purpoſe. Cyprian hath ſaid: In huius preſentia. In his preſence (meaning the preſence of God of whome he had ſpoken before.) And you are ſo bolde as to ſay: In huius Corporis preſentia, In the preſence of this body. &c. Cyprian had ſayd before. It were better for a man to hauehave a milſtone faſtned to his necke, and to be caſt into the déepe ſea: then with an vncleane conſcience to receyue a ſop at the Lordes hand. Which doth euen vntounto this day create his moſt true and holy body, and doth ſanctifie, and bleſſe and deuide it, to ſuch as doe in godly ſort receyue it. And then folow the wordes that you alledge. In hys preſence, teares doe not begge pardon in vaine: neyther doth the p. 118ſacrifice of a contrite hart, at any time ſuffer repulſe. So that Cyprians meaning is:The meaning of Cyprian. that y^e ſacrifice of a contrite hart, is alwaies accepted in the ſight of God. And although we be alwayes in the ſight of God: yet when we come togither to communicate, according to Chriſtes inſtitution, we doe preſent our ſelues in the ſight of the Lorde, as the Iſraelites did, when they came to offer ſacrifice before the Arcke of the couenaunt of the Lorde.

That thys is the meaning of Cyprian in thys place: doth appéere by his wordes that folow immediatly after. Quoties te in conſpectu Domini video. &c. As often as I doe ſée thée, ſighing in the ſight of the Lorde: I doe not doubt but the holy ghoſt doth breath vponupon thée. And when I doe behold thée wéeping: then I doe perceyue him pardoning thy ſinnes. If thou doe defile the temple of the holy ghoſt, if thou defile and make filthy Gods ſanctuarie that is within thée, if thou doe communicate of the cup of Deuilles, with the cup of Chriſt: it is a contumely and not a religion, an iniurie, not a deuotion. It is Idole ſeruice and horible abhomination: to be wylling to ſerue Baall and Chriſt togither. Stand back with thine Idole chapels, thou that gapeſt after gaines, and foloweſt rewards. &c. I referre it to the iudgement of all indifferent readers: whether theſe wordes may maintayne your Popiſhe Maſſe or not. Is not your Maſſe ſuch a money matter: that it is growne into a Prouerb? No penie, no Pater noster. Such places doe you pick to maintaine your Maſſe.

But in Chryſoſtome you hauehave found other maner places. In his third Homily vponupon the Acts (you ſay) he hath theſe words. In illa hora. &c. In y^e houre. &c. In that hole Homily, is not one word that maye be wreſted to that ſenſe: but thus I finde it written there.Chriſoſt. in Act. hom. 3. Non arbitror inter ſacerdotes multos eſſe qui ſaluifiant, ſed multò plures qui pereant. I doe not ſuppoſe, that there be many among the prieſtes that can be ſaued: but verie many moe that muſt periſh. And leaſt any man ſhould thinke that he had ſpoken theſe words raſhely: he ſayth before. Non temerè dico: ſed vt affectus ſum ac ſentio. I ſpeake not this raſhely: but euen as I am affected and doe thinke.Mo prieſtes damned than ſaued. It ſhould ſéeme by theſe wordes: that Chryſoſtome did not thinke, that prayers made at the Maſſe time ſhould be ſo effectuall, p. 119as you boaſt of. For if they were: moe prieſts ſhould be ſaued then periſhe. For who ſhould ſo ſoone be partakers of thoſe prayers: as they that make them?

But in the .21. Homily vponupon that booke:Chryſoſt. in Act. hom. 21. you finde other maner wordes. For there he ſayeth. In manibus eſt hostia, adſunt Angeli. &c. The hoſt of our ſacrifice is in the prieſtes handes, the Aungels be preſent. &c. And peraduenture the wordes that you ſayde are in the thirde Homily: doe folow in this place. For he ſayth thus. Quid putas pro martyribus offerri, quod vocantur in illa hora, licet martyres ſint? Etiam pro martyribus magnus honor nominari Domino praeſente, dum mors illa perficitur & horrendum ſacrificium, & ineffabilia ſacramenta. Nam quaſi ſedente Rege, quaecun que voluerit perficit, vt autem ſurrexerit, quaecun que dicit, fruſtra dicit: ita & tunc, quandiu poſita fuerint myſteria, omnibus honor maximus in memoria haberi. What doeſt thou thinke is offered for the Martyrs, in that they are named in that houre, notwithſtanding they be Martyrs? Yea, it is a great honor for the Martyrs to be named in the preſence of the Lorde, whiles that death and the horrible ſacrifice, and the vnſpeakable ſacraments are performed. For euen as when y^e king ſitteth in iudgement, he finiſheth whatſoeuer matters he luſteth, but ſo ſoone as he is riſen, whatſoeuer he ſayth is in vayne: euen ſo is it then alſo, ſo long as the myſteries ſhall be ſet forth, it is the greateſt honor to eueryevery man, to be had in memorie.

If theſe were the words that you ment of before:Shamefull chaunging of wordes. then hauehave you ſhamefully chaunged ſome of them. For where find you. Quaecun que volueris perficies? Whatſoeuer y^u wilt thou ſhalt bring to paſſe. The words would not otherwiſe ſerue your purpoſe ſo wel: and therfore you muſt hauehave liberty to chaunge y^e third perſon into the ſecond, & leaue out the reſt y^t ſhould declare the wryters meaning.

But what néede I to trouble the reader with any moe words about the meaning of thys wryter: ſeing Eraſmus (the tranſlatour) doth in his ſhort Epiſtle ſet before the tranſlation, giuegive all wiſe men to vnderſtande, that the worke was neuer of Chryſoſtomes wrytings, but of ſome one that lyke an Ape went about to counterfait Chryſoſtomes doings.

To the place that you cite out of the thirde Homily vponupon the p. 120Epiſtle to the Philippians:Hiero in Math. 23.Matt 23 I muſt aunſwere with Hierome. Hoc quia de ſcripturis. &c. Becauſe this hath none authoritie of the ſcriptures: it is as eaſily reiected, as allowed. And the rather to be reiected: becauſe that in all Chryſoſtomes workes, where he had by the text greater occaſion to vtter ſuch doctrine, there is none ſuch founde. But in this, and certaine other places, where he had none, or verie ſmall occaſion, to ſpeake any thing of the ſtate of the dead: he playeth (or ſome other in his name) the Purgatorie Proctor, euen as though he had bene a Purgatory Chaplayne, or ſoule Maſſe prieſt.

Chriſoſt. de incomprehenſ. Dei natura. homil. 3.Fourthly, Chryſoſtome hath ſayde. Vt homines ramos olearum gerentes. &c. Like as men bearing branches of Oliue trées. &c. He ſéemeth to hauehave marked but a little the maner of Chryſoſtomes teaching: that vnderſtandeth his wordes in this place, as you ſéeme to doe. He findeth great fault with his Auditorie, becauſe they vſed to depart out of the Church immediatly after his ſermons were ended: and did not tarie to be partakers of the holy communion of the body and bloud of Chriſt, and the common prayers y^t were made in the miniſtration therof. And as his maner was: he laboureth to moue their affections, and to that ende, he vſeth thoſe maner of ſpéeches that you alledge. But what maketh this for your Maſſe? Wherein ſuch as be preſent are not partakers of the myſteries, nor yet doe vnderſtande the wordes (much leſſe the ſentences) of the prayers that are made?

This place may ſerue verye well, to proue that the prayer that is made by the Miniſter and the hole congregation in the time of the miniſtration of the holy communion: is moſt effectuall, and euen as much as if all the Aungels in heauen did, as Chryſoſtome would hauehave his hearers imagine that they doe.

As for that which you alledge out of the twentie ſixt Homily vponupon Mathew:Chryſoſt in Mat ho. 26. could hauehave no colour of proouing your purpoſe: were it not that you helpe it a little in Engliſhing the Latine of that which foloweth thoſe wordes that you cite in Latine. Bearing your hearers and readers in hand, that Chryſoſtome hath ſaid, that Chriſt, euen by the very nature of the ſacrifice, which is his bodie, doth ſtirre vsus vp to continuall giuing of thanks: where p. 121as Chryſoſtome maketh no mention at all of Chriſtes bodie in that place,The ſacrament of chriſtes body and bloud called our table. but of a kinde of ſacrifice whereby God doth ſtirre vsus vp to continuall thankeſgiuing, which is the ſame that before he hath ſayde is made our Table. That is the ſacrament of his bodie and bloud: wherein that ſonne of God that was giuen for vsus is liuely repreſented by viſible ſignes, and we moued thereby to be continually thankfull to God, for the lyfe that our ſoules hauehave by his death.

By this it doth euidently appeare, that nothing doth more exerciſe our fayth in the knowledge of God and our ſelues, nothing doeth more increaſe our charitie and hope in the mercy of God: then doth the right vſe of the holy Communion. And although Iob in offering ſacrifice for his ſonnes, did ſhewe himſelfe thereby, a louing and carefull father: yet can not we acknowledge that ſtrumpet to be our mother, that will make a ſacrifice of hir huſbands heart bloud. For Gods wrath can not be mittigated with any ſuch ſacrifice. But we are the children of that mother: that acknowledgeth hir ſelfe and all hir Children, to be alreadie waſhed, and made pure and cleane by the bloud of hir huſband, which he in his owne perſon offered, to make both hir and all hir children cleane thereby. And there is nothing that doth more ſet forth the benefite of Chriſt: then doth the right vſe of the ſacrament of this death and bloud ſhedding. For in it wée proteſt, that we hauehave all thinges by Chriſt: and ſo forth as you hauehave ſayde of the Maſſe. Which is a méere mans inuention, and no ordinaunce of God.

The other obiections I will but ſhortly touch, for they be of no ſtrength or authoritie, one is this. WATSON Diuiſion. 31.There is no mention nor no one worde of any oblation in the ſupper, Ergo Chriſt made no oblation there a goodly reaſon. So there is no mention made neyther of Chriſtes owne mouth nor of any the Euangeliſtes concerning the oblation of the Paſchall lambe, yet we knowe moſt certainely by the olde Teſtament that the Paſchall Lambe was neuer eaten, but it was offered before, which we are ſure Chriſt did obſerue litterally, p. 122till the truth of that figure were eſtabliſhed. And alſo what is more ſure then that Chriſt offred himſelfe vponupon the croſſe, and yet neyther Chriſtes owne wordes, nor any of the foure Euangeliſtes wryting the ſtory of the paſsion, make any mention in playne and expreſſe termes of oblation or offering.

Though we know it by other ſcripture ſufficiently. But their collection is all falſe, they ſhould hauehave concluded thus, Ergo if there any oblation, it is reall and not vocalle, and ſo it is in deede, Luc. 22.Luke 22and therefore Chriſt ſayde: Hoc facite, doe this, as ye ſee mee doe. But in the forme of our Maſſe, there be expreſſe wordes of offering, for the rude and ignoraunt, and for the euidence of the truth. Vnde & memores nos domini. &c. Wherefore we thy ſeruauntes, and people being mindfull of thy ſonne Chriſt our Lorde, of his bleſſed paſsion, reſurrection and glorious aſcention, doe offer to thy moſt excellent maieſtie of thy rewardes and giftes, this pure ſacrifice, thys holy and vndefiled ſacrifice, the holye bread of euerlaſting life, & the cup of perpetuall ſaluation.

There be alſo other wordes of oblation folowing theſe words, ſaint Baſill hath them, Chryſoſtome, ſaint Ambroſe, the generall counſell holden at Epheſus, the lateſt of theſe was a thouſand three hundred yeres ago, that it might appere that it is not newly brought in, as they would ſlaunder it, but the moſt auncient thing in all the Maſſe. They reaſon alſo thus. It is a commemoration, ergo no ſacrifice, as who ſaye the paſchall Lambe being the figure of this, was not both a commemoration and a ſacrifice, for the Lambe was inſtituted to be offered for a memorie of the delyueraunce of the Iewes from the ſworde of the Aungell that ſmote the firſt begotten of the Egiptians, and therefore the Iewes kept this worde of offering the Lambe, for a ſtatute for them and their children for euermore. Euen ſo this Lambe of God that lyeth vponupon the table of our aultar is a ſacrifice offered of vsus in commemoration of our delyueraunce from the Deuill by the death of Chriſt. In the olde Teſtament p. 123the firſt Lambe offered before their deliuery, & the Lambe which was offered eueryevery yeare after in memory of the ſame deliuery, were verye reall Lambes in deede of one nature and condition: euen ſo the Lambe of God being Chriſt, which Chriſt himſelfe offered in his ſupper, there inſtituting before his death, what we ſhould contynually doe after his death, and that Lambe of God, which we offer now in memorie of our deliueraunce, be very reall Lambes of God in deede, and yet not dyuers in number as the other were, but all one in number, nature, condition and dignitie.

As Chryſoſtome ſayth: Chryſoſt. ad Hebreos ho. 17.we offer daylie in commemoration of his death, and the ſacrifice is one, not many. Nor we doe not offer one Lambe now, to morow another, but alwayes the very ſame, or elſe becauſe it is offered in many places, is there many Chriſts? No forſooth, but one Chriſt eueryevery where, here full Chriſt, and there full chriſt, one body, And ſo foorth.

You frame our argument after your owne faſhion:CROWLEY. and ſo are you the better able to anſwere it. We reaſon thus. Whatſoeuer Chriſt would hauehave vsus do or beleue: is in ſome part of the ſcripture ſo mentioned, that we may plainly perceyue, that it is his wyll that we ſhould doe or beleue the ſame. But there is no ſuch mention in any part of the holy ſcripture, whereby we may perceyue that it is Gods will that we ſhould beleue that Chriſt offered himſelfe in his laſt ſupper, or that he did then inſtitute a ſacrifice wherein we ſhould dayly offer him. Ergo, Chriſt hath not inſtituted any ſuch ſacrifice as you ſpeake of.

As for the like reaſons that you would make of the Paſchal Lambe, and Chriſt offering himſelfe vponupon the Croſſe, might bée well accepted of ſome of your Auditorie that were of your mind, and therefore blinded by affection. But as many of your readers as knowe the ſcriptures, muſt néedes ſay that you might with more honeſty, hauehave kept them ſtill in your boſome. For who knoweth not, that Chriſt himſelfe hath ſayd. Non veni ſoluere legem, ſed adimplere. Et qui ſoluerit vnum ex mandatis iſtis minimis: minimus p. 124vocabitur in Regno coelorum. I came not to breake the lawe, but to fulfil it.Math. 5. Iohn. 14. Iohn. 8. Rom. 5. Hebr. 9.Matt 5John 14John 8Rom 5Heb 9 And he that ſhall breake one of the leaſt of theſe cō maundements: ſhall be called the leaſt in the kingdome of heauen. And againe. Beholde the prince of this world commeth: and in me he hath nothing at all. And againe. Which of you can accuſe me of ſinne? And againe. As by the ſinne of one, condemnation came vponupon all: ſo by the righteouſneſſe of one came the righteouſneſſe of life. And againe. He offered himſelfe vntounto God without ſpot. &c.

The concluſion that you would hauehave vsus make, doth verye well. For by that concluſion you confeſſe, that Chriſts offering of himſelfe in his ſupper was a viſible Action: and that he commaunded his diſciples to do as they ſawe him doe. Then, eyther he made thrée croſſes vponupon the cup and bread togither,The forme of the Popiſh Maſſe. and again, thrée croſſes vppon them both togither, and one croſſe vponupon the bread, and one vponupon the cup, and then one vponupon the bread breathing out fiue wordes vponupon it, and then one vponupon the cup, lifting vp and laying downe. &c. or elſe the Maſſe that you hauehave in the popiſhe Church, is not that which Chriſt did then inſtitute.

You hauehave graunted now, that in Chriſtes inſtitution, there is no word of offering: but in your forme of Maſſe (you ſay) you hauehave expreſſe wordes of offering. We would faine know then, where you had thoſe wordes. You ſay that Baſil, Chryſoſtome, Ambroſe, and the generall counſaile at Epheſus, had them: and the lateſt of theſe was .1300. Diuiſione. 9. Cyprian. li. 2. Epistol. 3.yeares ago. But the Chronicles will pull you backe an hundred yeares and more. But what if all theſe had it: doeth this proue that Chriſt had it? In your other ſermon you coulde cite a rule out of Cyprian that was nighe hand .200. yeares before the eldeſt of the foure that you named nowe: wherein he ſayth. In ſacrificio quod Chriſtus eſt: non niſi Chriſtus ſequēdus eſt. In that ſacrifice which is Chriſt: none but Chriſt is to be folowed. If you can not proue therefore that Chriſt vſed thoſe toyes that you do vſe in your Maſſe: you ought not, by Cyprians rule, to vſe them, though neuer ſo many hauehave vſed them before you. And if it can not be proued by ſcripture, that Chriſt made a ſacrifice of himſelf in his ſupper: you may not make a ſacrifice p. 125of him in your Maſſe. &c.

But it is ſufficient for your purpoſe, that you hauehave proued, that it is not ſo newly brought in, as we woulde ſlaunder, but it is the moſt auncient thing in the Maſſe. Well, graunt it be ſo. Yet is neither that nor your Maſſe ſo auncient as you woulde make it: nor ſo auncient that we may take it for Chriſtes inſtitution. And all theſe that you hauehave named doe ſpeake of a Communion, and not of a Maſſe, and do cal it a ſacrifice, for ſuch cauſe as I hauehave often declared in this aunſwere.

To our other reaſon you ſay, that it is both a commemoration and a ſacrifice: as the Paſchall Lambe was. Our Argument is in this forme.A commemoration of any thing, is not that thing. Whatſoeuer is the commemoration of a thing: is not, neyther can be the thing it ſelfe whereof it is a cō memoration. But the ſacrament is a commemoration of chriſtes ſacrifice: Ergo, it is not, neither can be the ſacrifice it ſelfe. Your example therefore that you make of the Paſchall Lambe: toucheth not our reaſon. For it was not a Commemoration of it ſelfe, neyther was it the thing it ſelfe, whereof it was a Commemoration.

As for your ſimilitude that you take of the Lambs of the olde lawe: is not woorth a button. For it foloweth not, that becauſe thoſe Lambes were very reall Lambes in déede: therefore, as oft as the ſacrament of Chriſtes bodie and bloud is miniſtred, it muſt néedes be the real Lambe of god in déede, and the ſame that Chriſt himſelfe is. I am ſure all the Logique you hauehave can not proue this a good Argument.

That Chriſt offered himſelfe in his laſt ſupper, you hauehave not yet proued: much leſſe hauehave you proued, that he did then inſtitute any ſacrifice, wherein we ſhould continually offer him. What Chryſoſtome meaneth by offering and ſacrifice in that place that you cite doth plainely appeare by his owne wordes in the ſame Homily. Non aliud ſacrificium ſicut pontifex, Chryſoſtome ad haebraeos homil. 17.ſed idipſum ſemper facimus: magis autem recordationem ſacrificij operamur. We doe not make another ſacrifice, as did the high prieſt, but we do alwayes make the verie ſame: yea rather we do worke the remembrance of a ſacrifice. Thus hath Chryſoſtome made his owne meaning p. 126ſo plaine: that it helpeth your purpoſe nothing at all.

WATSON. Diuiſion. 32.The lyke argument they make againſt the reall preſence. It is a ſigne, ergo not the thing whereof it is a ſigne. The fooliſhneſſe of this reaſon eueryevery Baker can tell, who ſetteth one loafe vponupon his ſtall to ſignifie there is bread to ſell within his houſe. Which lofe is both a ſigne of bread to be ſold, & alſo is very bread to be ſold it ſelf of the ſame baking the other is. Euē ſo the body of Chriſt in the ſacramēt is Chriſts very body in dede, and alſo a ſigne of the ſame body, as ſaint Auguſtine ſayth. Carne & ſanguine vtroque inuiſibili, ſpirituali, Auguſt. li. Sent. proſp.intelligibili, ſignatur viſibile Domini noſtri Ieſu Chriſti corpus & palpabile, plenum gratia omnium virtutum & diuina maiestate. By the fleſhe and bloud of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt both being (in the ſacrament) inuiſible, ſpirituall, and intelligible, is ſignified the viſible body of Chriſt, and palpable, full of the grace of all vertues, and of the godly maieſtie. And euen ſo likewiſe verye Chriſt is offered in the miſtery in ſigne and commemoration of himſelfe offred vponupon the croſſe, as ſaint Auguſtine ſayth. Christiani iam paracti ſacrificij memoriam celebrant ſacro ſancta oblatione & participatione corporis & ſanguinis Christi. Auguſt. cont. Fauſt. lib. 20. Capit. 18.Chriſten men nowe doe celebrate a memorie of Chriſtes ſacrifice already paſt by the moſt holy oblation and participation of Chriſtes body and bloud. The like ſaying hath ſaint Gregory and diuers Authors which I omit to rehearſe, Gregor. ho. 22.becauſe the time is paſt.

CROWLEY.EueryEvery Baker can tell the fooliſhneſſe of the reaſon that we make, when we ſay: It is a ſigne, Ergo, not the thing whereof it is a ſigne (ſay you.) And I ſay, that eueryevery Bakers boy can tell that he is but a deceytfull Sophiſter: that will when he hath bought the lofe that ſtood on the ſtall for a ſigne, ſay that he hath bought all the bread in the Bakehouſe, whereof that lofe was a ſigne. If that reaſon be fooliſhe: then is not your reaſon wyſe, that will proue by that ſimilitude, that Chriſt the lambe of God, & al thoſe Lambes of God that all the prieſts of the popes Church, p. 127eyther hauehave or ſhall offer in their Maſſes, are but all one in number, nature, condition, & dignitie.The Baker and his boy. Let the baker and his boy therfore, diſcuſſe the folly of theſe two reaſons: and doe you conſider better our reaſons, when we ſay, that the ſigne is not that thing whereof it is a ſigne. For the ſaying is ſaint Auſtens, and therfore not to be reiected,Auſtuſt. in Iohn. tract. 26. vnleſſe you can diſprooue it by better authoritie then the iudgement of the Baker. Saint Auſten ſayth. Nam & nos hodiè accepimus viſibilem cibum: ſed aliud eſt ſacramentum, aliud eſt virtus ſacramenti. For euen this day, we hauehave receyued viſible foode: but the ſacrament is one thing, and the vertue of the ſacrament is another thing. Againe, the ſame Auſten ſayth. Omnis doctrina, vel rerum eſt, vel ſignorum: ſed res per ſigna diſcuntur. De doctrina Chriſt. li. 1. Capit. 1.All doctrine is either of things, or of the ſignes of things: but things are learned by ſignes. By this it appeareth that Auſtens iudgement was not, that a ſigne coulde be the ſame thing whereof it is a ſigne.

But what néede I to trouble the reader with ſo many wordes about this matter: ſo many as do know what the Art of reaſoning meaneth (euen the children at the vniuerſitie) can tell, that Relatiues are called foreign, that is referred to ſomewhat: becauſe they be alwayes referred to another thing then they are themſelues. As a father, is a father, in reſpect of that ſonne whom he hath begotten: and can not be that ſonne whoſe father he is. Euen ſo, a ſigne, is called a ſigne, in reſpect of that thing whereof it is a ſigne: and can not be that ſelfe thing that is ſignified by it. The Baker therefore, that taught you to ſay,The Baker was not prē tiſe in the Vniuerſitie. that the lofe vponupon the ſtall, is the ſame bread that is to be ſolde, whereof it is a ſigne: hath not bene brought vp in any Bakers houſe in the vniuerſitie, for if he had, he would neuer hauehave deceyued you ſo.

But that both Bakers and Bruers, and all other that hauehave the vſe of reaſon, may iudge of the fooliſhneſſe of our reaſon: I will let the Reader ſée it in wryting. It is thus. Whatſoeuer thinges, be ſuch as they are called, by hauing relation to other things then they be themſelues: can not be thoſe things wherevnto they hauehave relation. But eueryevery thing that is called a ſigne, is ſo by the relation that it hath to the thing that it ſignifieth: Ergo, p. 128no ſignes can be the ſame things that they do ſignifie. Wherof our concluſion foloweth: which is, y^t the ſacrament of Chriſtes bodie and bloud, being a ſigne therof, can not be the thing it ſelfe. Now aſke your Baker what he can ſay to this reaſon.

The place that you alledge out of Auſten: is aunſwered in the .29. Auguſt. lib. Sent. Proſp. Contr. Fauſt. li. 20 cap. 18.diuiſion of this ſermon: and in the .28. diuiſion of the ſame ſermon, is aunſwered the other place that you alledge out of the ſame Auſten alſo.

To Gregorie and the reaſt: you ſhall looke for aunſwere, when you cite their wordes that we may weigh them.

They ſay, that neyther the Apoſtles nor none in their time did offer Chriſts body in ſacrifice. WATSON Diuiſion. 33.And yet I hauehave ſhewed you before, that Dioniſius Areopagita ſaint Paules Diſciple (of whome mention is made in the .17. chapiter of the Actes of the Apoſtles) did offer the ſacrifice of Chriſtes body, alledging Chriſtes commaundement for his warrant.

Ireneus that lyued within fiftie yere of ſaint Iohn the Euangeliſt and Policarpus Scholer doth make mention of this offering ſaying. Ireneus. li. 4. cap. 34.Eccleſiae oblatio quam Dominus docuit offerri in vniuerſo mundo, purum ſacrificium reputatum eſt apud Deum, & acceptum eſt ei. The oblation of the church which our Lorde taught to be offered in the whole worlde, is reputed of God a pure ſacrifice and acceptable to him.

And in the ſame chapter confuting them that denied the immortalitie of the fleſhe, by this reaſon that our fleſhe, was nouriſhed with Chriſtes fleſhe to eternall lyfe, concludeth thus. Aut ſententiam mutent, aut abſtineant offerendo quae praedicta ſunt, eyther let them chaunge their opinion, or elſe abſteine from offering the ſame body and bloud of Chriſt we ſpake of.

Alſo the generall counſell of Conſtantinople ſayth, that ſaint Iames did write the forme of a Maſſe, Concil. Conſt. in trul. cap. 32I omit the Latine, the wordes in Engliſhe be thus faithfully tranſlate. Saint Iames brother to Chriſt our God according to the fleſhe, to whome the church of Hieruſalem was firſt committed, p. 129and Baſilius which was Byſhop of Caeſarea, whoſe fame is knowne throughout the worlde, which deliuered in wryting the myſticall celebration of the ſacrifices, hauehave declared that the cup in our holy miniſtery ought to be of water and wine mingled.

And the holy fathers that were aſſembled at Carthage, hauehave thus left in wryting, that in the ſacrifices nothing elſe be offered, but the body and bloud of our Lorde, as oure Lord himſelf hath ordeyned and ſo foorth. I neuer read ſaint Iames his booke my ſelfe, nor I thinke, it be not nowe to be had, but I tell you ſo much as I knowe, that ſaint Iames did write the forme of a Maſſe, as ſaint Baſill did (which we hauehave in Greeke nowe). If this great and learned generall counſell doth truely report, as I beleeue doth. Let no man therefore beleue them that ſay, the Apoſtles did not ſacrifice themſelues, nor none in their time except they can proue the negatiue, which they ſhall neuer doe.

To that which you hauehave alledged out of Dioniſius, CROWLEY.I hauehave anſwered in the laſt diuiſion of your former ſermon, and in the .23. diuiſion of this ſermon. And the matter that you doe here alledge out of Ireneus, is ſufficiently aunſwered in the fourth, the fourtenth and twentie foure diuiſions, of your former ſermon. Wherfore I néede not here to make any further aunſwere.

Where you finde the Latine that you doe ſo faythfullye tranſlate into Engliſhe: I can not tell.De Conſecra. Diſt. 1. But I ſuppoſe it wyll be hard for you to finde it in the counſell holden in Trullo: as you note in the Margine. In Gratian I finde it thus cyted out of the ſixt Synode. Iacobus frater Domini ſecundum carnem, cui primum credita eſt Hieroſolimitana Eccleſia, & Baſilius Caeſarienſis Epiſcopus, cuius charitas per totum orbem refulſit: in ſcripturis addiderunt nobis miſſae celebrationem. Which is in Engliſhe as you hauehave tranſlated: ſauing that for (whoſe louelove) you ſay, whoſe fame, and adde myſticall, where as in the Latine there is no word that may ſo ſignifie.Chaunge is no robbery. And turning the Verbe (hauehave giuen in wryting) into the Participle of the ſame Verbe: you adde to the end, hauehave declared that y^e cup. &c.

p. 130Of this forme of Maſſe (as you terme it) and of the other that you name: I hauehave noted ſomewhat in mine aunſwere to the ninth diuiſion of your former ſermon. And where as you ſay that you had not as then read it, nor did thinke that it was to be had: I hauehave read it, and hauehave it to ſhewe. And amongſt other things I note: that he maketh prayer for ſuch as then lyued in monaſteries. The forger of this péece of worke did not remember how early dayes it was in ſaint Iames his time: and therfore he ſuppoſed Monaſteries had bene builded then. It forceth not greatly what is found in thoſe counterfaited Maſſes. And for my part I wyll looke for no credite of thoſe that wyll beléeue that Iames would pray for them that dwelt in Monaſteries, ſo long before any Monaſteries were builded, let that great learned councell report what they luſt. And if I ſhall ſay, that neyther the Apoſtles nor any in their time did offer ſacrifice to God: then let no man credite me, except I be able to prooue the negatiue, which I confeſſe I ſhall neuer be able to doe.What ſacrifice the Apoſtles did offer to God. For they did continually offer to God, that acceptable ſacrifice that God requireth of Chriſtians: which is their hole bodies and ſoules in his ſeruice. But that they offered Chriſt to his father (as you imagine) that no wiſe man will beleue, till you be able by ſcripture to prooue that affirmatiue: which you ſhall neuer be able to do.

WATSON. Diuiſion. 34There be other ſome, that will graunt the ſacrifice, but denie that it is propitiatory for the ſinnes of the quick and the dead. And therefore they diſalow the laſt ſentence of the Maſſe. Where the prieſt ſayth, graunt good Lord, that this ſacrifice which I hauehave offered to thy diuine maieſtie, be propitiable or a meane to obteyne mercy, to me, and to all, for whome I hauehave offered it. And ſurely theſe be moſt fooliſh of all, for if it be a ſacrifice it muſt needes be a propitiatory ſacrifice taking (propitiatorie) as it ought to be taken, not confounding the meaning of it by ſophiſtrie, but vnderſtanding the diuerſe acception of the word: but theſe men dally, and ſeduce the people with Amphibologies and doubtfull ſayings.

p. 131Diſtinctions they admit none nor can not abide to hauehave the matter opened, & with a confuſe generall ſaying ſlaunder the Church.

This is their priuate ſophiſtry, and yet they call other men ſophiſters, that detect and open their colluſions, that diuide the ſentence, that men might ſee, how it is true, and how it is falſe. For example. They cry out of this, that we ſay, the Maſſe is a ſacrifice propitiatory. By the word (Maſſe) may be vnderſtanded two things, the thing it ſelfe that is offered, and the act of the prieſt in offering of it. If ye take it for the thing offered, which is the bodye of Chriſt, who can iuſtly denie but that the body of Chriſt is a ſacrifice propitiatorie, ſeing ſaint Iohn ſayth, he is the propitiation for our ſinnes, euer was and euer ſhall be, and neuer ceaſe ſo to be, till our ſinnes be ended, Oecumenius in cap. 3. ad Romanos.and death the laſt enimie be ouercomed in vsus his miſticall bodye? and as Oecumenius ſayth: Caro Chriſti est propiatorium nostrarum iniquitatum. The fleſh of Chriſt is the propitiation for our iniquities.

But if by the worde (Maſſe) be vnderſtanded the act of the prieſt, and the vſe of the ſacrament (as they would hauehave it) then it is not propitiatory in that degree of propitiation as Chriſtes body is, but after an other ſort. And therefore I muſt diuide the worde (propitiatory) which is taken two wayes alſo. Firſt for that that worthily deſerueth mercy at Gods hande, and ſo the act the prieſt in offering, is not propitiatorie, of it ſelfe deſeruing mercy, as Chriſt doth.

Next for that prouoketh God to giuegive mercye and remiſsion, already deſerued by Chriſt. And ſo the oblation of the prieſt is propitiatory, moouing and prouoking God to apply his mercy vntounto vsus.

So praier is a ſacrifice for ſinnes, as S. Iames ſaith. Iacob. 5.Oratio fidei ſaluabit infirmum, & ſi in peccatis ſit, remittentur ei. The Prayer of faith ſhall ſaue the ſick, and if he be in ſinne, they ſhal be remitted vntounto him. And chriſt taught vsus to pray thus, forgiue vsus our treſpaſes, as we forgiue them that treſpaſe againſt vsus. p. 132Math. 6.7.Matt 6:7And alſo promiſed to giuegive vsus, that we aske in Chriſts name.

Then ye ſee, that prayer being a ſacrifice is a prouocation of God, & a meane to atteyne remiſsion of our ſinnes, and therefore may be well called propitiatorie.

So is a contrite hart a ſacrifice propitiatory and almoſe, as appeared by the ſtorie of the Niniuites and of Daniell. Pſalme. 50.Ps 50For all good workes that we doe, both faſting, prayer, almoſe, forgiuing of my neighbour is done for this ende, to mittigate Gods anger againſt our ſinnes, and to prouoke him to hauehave mercy of vsus for Chriſtes merites.

Euen ſo the Maſſe (taking it for the act of the prieſt) is a ſacrifice propitiatory for ſinne. Which I ſhal proue vntounto you by the holy fathers, Origen wryteth thus. Si referantur haec ad mysterij magnitudinem, Origen. in Le. hom. 13.inuenies commemorationem istam habere ingentem repropiationis effectum. Si redeas ad illum panem propitiationis, quem propoſuit Deus propitiationem per fidem in ſanguine eius: & ſi reſpicias ad illam commemorationem de qua dicit dominus hoc facite in meam commemorationem, inuenies quod ista eſt commemoratio ſola quae propitium faciat Deum. If theſe be referred to the greatneſſe of our miſterie, thou ſhalt find that this commemoration hath a great effect of propitiation. If ye returne to that bread of propritiation, which God hath ſet for a propitiation by fayth in his bloud: and if ye looke to that commemoration, of which our Lorde ſayde. Doe this in commemoration of me: thou ſhalt finde, that this is the onelyonly commemoration that maketh God mercifull.Cyprian. Ser. de coena.

Doth not ſaint Cyprian call the ſacrament hol aucaſtum ad purgandas iniquitates, a ſacrifice to purge iniquitie? in what reſpect is it called ſo, but for that it is offered, to that ende? And ſo is it called a medicine to heale infirmities, for thys reſpect that it is receaued to thys ende.

Augu. ſer. 11. de ſanctis.Saint Auguſtine ſayth likewiſe. Nemo melius praeter martyres meruit tibi requieſcere vbi & hoſtia chriſtus eſt & ſacerdos ſcilicet, vt propitiationem de oblatione hoſtiae conſequantur. No man hath deſerued better then the Martyrs, to reſt (and be buried) there, where Chriſt is both the hoſt and the prieſt (that is to ſay vnderunder p. 133the aultare,) for this ende that they might attayne propitiation by the oblation of the hoſte. Marke the purpoſe I bring in this for, which is to atteine propitiation by the oblation of the ſacrifice: and as he ſayth in an other booke. Sacrificium illud mirabile & coeleſte quod tu instituisti & offerri praecepiſti in cōmemorationē tuae charitatis mortis ſcilicet & paſsionis, Auguſt. in Manuale, Cap. 11.pro ſalute noſtra pro quotidiana fragilitatis noſtrae reparatione. That maruellous & heauenly ſacrifice, which thou haſt inſtituted and commaunded to be offered in remembrance of thy charitie, that is to ſay, of thy death and paſsion, for our health and ſaluation, for the dayly reparation of our fraile weakeneſſe.

Doth he not here ſhewe the ende of the oblation, to ſaue vsus, and to repayre our frayltie. Saint Hierome writeth. Si laicis imperatur, vt propter orationem abstineant ab vxoribus, Hierony. in Cap. 1. ad Titum.quid de epiſcopo ſentiendū eſt, qui quotidie pro ſuis populi que peccatis illibatas deo oblaturus eſt victimas. If it be commaunded to the lay men, that for prayers cauſe they ſhould abſteyne from their wyues, what ſhould we thinke of a Byſhop that muſt offer daylie pure ſacrifices for his owne ſinnes and the peoples.

Of this place though I might prooue you the chaſt lyfe of a Byſhop: yet I bring it in now onelyonly to ſhowe, that the office of a Byſhop is to offer daylie pure ſacrifice for hys owne ſinnes and the peoples ſinnes, as ſaint Baſill ſayth in the booke of his Maſſe.

Da domine vt pro nostris peccatis & populi ignorantij acceptum ſit ſacrificium nostrum. Graunt O Lorde that for our ſinne, Baſilius in Miſsa.and the ignoraunce of the people our ſacrifice may be accepted of thee.

Thus ye perceaue, that I hauehave ſhewed you, and proued that the oblation of the prieſt in the Maſſe is a ſacrifice propitiatorie for the ſinnes of them that be aliue, that is to ſay, moouing and prouoking God to pardon the ſinnes of the prieſt and of the people.

A little is to be ſayde, concerning them that be departed and then an ende of that matter.Tertull. eorum millit.

Tertullian ſayth, Oblationes pro defunctis pro natalitijs annua p. 134die facimus. We make eueryevery yere oblations for the dead, and for the birth dayes of Martyrs, which be the dayes they ſuffered their martyrdome.

Athanaſius ſayth. Intelligimus animas peccatorum participare aliqua beneficentia abexangui immolatione. Athanaſius ad antiochiū queſt. 34.We vnderſtande, that the ſoules of ſinners, doe receyue ſome benefite of the vnbloudy oblation and of almoſe, done for them, as he onelyonly hath ordeyned and commaunded, that hath power both of quick and dead. Our God.

Ambroſ. de obitis Valen.And ſaint Ambroſe exhorteth the people to pray for the ſoule of Valentinian the Emperour, for whome he did offer the ſacrifice of Chriſtes body. Chryſoſtome ſayth.

Non fruſtra ſancitum eſt ab apostolis, vt in celebratione venerandorum myſteriorum memoria fiat eorum, Chryſoſt. ho. 3. ad philippenſes.qui hinc diſceſserunt: noucrunt illis multum hinc emolumenti fieri. &c.

It was not in vaine ordeyned of the Apoſtles, that in the celebration of the honorable miſteries, there ſhould memory be made of them that were departed hence. For they knewe much profite, much commoditie to come to them thereby.

Chryſoſt. hom. 41. in 1. Cor. 15.1 Cor 15And in an other Homily he ſayth in this maner in Engliſhe. A ſinner is departed ſurely it becommeth vsus to bee glad that his ſinnes be ſtopped and not increaſed, and to labour as much as we can to releaſe him not with weping, but with prayer, In Act. ho. 21.ſupplications, almoſe and ſacrifices. For that was not ordeyned in vaine, nor we doe not in vayne in our holy miſteries celebrate the memory of the dead, and make interceſsion for them to the Lambe that lyeth there, which taketh away the ſinnes of the worlde, but that ſome comfort may thereby come to them. Is not this very playne? and that it is not a thing newe inuented, but a doctrine taught and vſed in the Church euer ſince Chriſt, and ordeyned ſo to be done by the Apoſtles themſelues.

Auguſt. con. li. 4. cap. 12.Saint Auguſtine ſayth in his booke of confeſsions, that the ſacrifice of our price, which is Chriſtes owne naturall body was offered for his mothers ſoule after ſhe was dead.

p. 135And he ſayth alſo. De cura pro mortuis. ca. 1.In Machabeorum libris legimus oblatum pro mortuis ſacraficium. Sed & ſi nunquàm in ſcripturis veteribus omnino legeretur, non parua hac conſuetudine claret authoritas vbi in praecibus Sacerdotis quae Domino Deo ad eius altare funduntur, locum ſuum habet etiam commendatio mortuorum, In the Bookes of the Machabes we read, that there was ſacrifice offred for the dead. But although in the olde ſcriptures there were no ſuch thing read, yet there appereth no ſmall authoritie in this cuſtome, that amongs the prayers of the prieſt, which are made to our Lorde God at his aultar, the commendation and prayer for the dead hath alſo his place.

Marke well that he ſayth, it was an olde cuſtome, in the Church for prieſts in their Maſſe to pray for the dead, in his time which is aboue .1130. yere ago. And that the cuſtome of the Church in this point is of ſufficient authoritie to proue this matter, though there were no ſcripture for it at al, and yet he himſelfe alledgeth the booke of Machabes for it, the place is knowne well ynough.

He teacheth vsus the ſame thing wryting vppon ſaint Iohn. Auguſt. in Ioan. Tract. 84.Ideo ad ipſam menſam non ſic cos commemoramus quemadmodum alios qui in pace requieſcunt vt etiam pro eis oremus, ſed magis vt orent ipſi pro nobis vt eorum veſtigijs inhereamus. &c. talia enim ſuis fratribus exhibuerunt, qualia de Domini menſa acceperunt.

Therefore at the very table (of the aultare) we doe not ſo remember (the martyrs) as we doe other, other that reſt in peace that we pray for them. But rather that they ſhould pray for vsus, that we might folow their footeſteps. For they hauehave giuē ſuch things for their brethren, as they hauehave receiued from our Lords table. Here is both prayer to ſaints, and for the dead in the Maſſe. Thus ye ſee how Chriſtes body is offered for the dead, after what maner it auayleth them.

Saint Auguſtine alſo teacheth ſaying thus. When the ſacrifices eyther of the aultare, or of any almoſe be offered for the deade that were baptiſed: for the verye good men, Auguſt. Euchirid. Cap. 109.they bee gyuing of thankes, for not verye euill men, they bee propitiations, for verye euill men, although p. 136they be no reliefe of the dead, yet they be certaine comforts of them that be aliue. And to them they profite, they profite to this ende, eyther that they ſhould hauehave full remiſsion or at leaſt that they ſhould hauehave more tolerable damnation.

In this authoritie is expreſſed the plaine worde of propitiatory, how that the ſacrifice of the aultar is a propitiation for ſuch ſoules, as be not very euill or very good towarde that teyning of full remiſsion, or of more tolerable damnation.

If I ſhould recite as much as I coulde bring in for this point at large: it is not one or two houres that would ſuffice to the rehearſall of the places.

By this little I hauehave ſayde, ye may perceaue, after what ſort it is true, that the Maſſe is a ſacrifice propitiatorie for ſinne, both for the quick and the dead.

CROWLEY.When you ſhall ſhewe the names and wordes of them that graunt the Maſſe to be a ſacrifice, and yet denie it to be propitiatorie for ſinnes: then will I eyther condemne their folly, or your falſe report. Theſe men (you ſay) doe diſalow the laſt ſentence of your Maſſe. &c: ſo do I, with the reſt that hath bene deuiſed by men,The vſe of Diſtinctions and hath no ground in Gods worde. Diſtinctions I can well away with, when they tende to the opening of thinges doubtfully ſpoken of in the ſcripture: but not when they tende to the maintenaunce of mans doctrine, contrarie to the worde of God. This Sophiſtrie therefore is none of mine: wherefore, I may be bolde to call him a Sophiſter, that vſeth diſtinctions, to cauſe things that are falſe, to ſéeme true, as you doe in this place vſe two diſtinctions. The Maſſe may be taken for the thing offered in the Maſſe (which is the bodie of Chriſt) ſay you: and for the act of the prieſt and vſe of the ſacrament. Both the wayes it is propiciatorie: but the one way it deſerueth merciemercy, and the other way it doth but prouoke God to applie his merciemercy. Theſe diſtinctions of the Maſſe and propitiation, tend not to the opening of any thing doubtfullye ſpoken of in the Scriptures, but to the maintenaunce of a doctrine of your owne, contrary to the ſcriptures: p. 137wherefore I can not allowe them. The ſcripture ſayth, that as Moſes did lift vp the ſerpent in the Wilderneſſe,Iohn. 3.John 3 ſo the ſonne of man muſt be lifted vp: that all that beleue in him ſhould not periſhe, but hauehave euerlaſting life. Here is none other thing mentioned whereby Chriſtes merites ſhoulde be applied vntounto men, but onelyonly fayth. And ſaint Auſten ſayth thus. Holocauſtum dominicae paſsionis, Auguſt. in Expoſ. incho. ad Rom.eo tempore offert vnuſquiſ que pro peccatis ſuis quo eruſdem paſsionis fide dedicatur. Then doth eueryevery man offer the ſacrifice of Chriſtes paſſion for himſelfe: when he is dedicated in the fayth of Chriſtes paſſion.

It is true therefore, that Oecumenius hath ſayd. Caro Chriſti eſt propitiatorium noſtrarum iniquitatum. In caput. 3. ad Rom.The fleſhe of Chriſt is the propitiation for our iniquities. And the onelyonly way to applye this propitiation to vsus: is by beleuing the promiſe that God hath made therein. As appeareth by the wordes of ſaint Paule, in that place where Oecumenius had occaſion to write thoſe wordes. Where ſaint Paule ſayth thus. Iuſtificantur autem gratis, per gratiam ipſius, per redemptionem quae eſt in Chriſto Ieſu: Rom. 3.Rom 3quem propoſuit Deus propitiatorem, perfidem in ſanguine ipſius. And they are fréely made righteous, by his frée merciemercy, through the redemption which is in Chriſt Ieſu: whome God hath ſet to be a propitiatour, through fayth in his bloud.

Your diſtinction therefore, that tendeth to a nother mediation or propitiation then this: is not to be alowed amongeſt them that be of Chriſtes ſchoole. Yea, the Clarkes of the Popes ſchoole, out of whoſe bookes you learned your Popery: will not allowe your declaration that you make vponupon the ſeconde partes of theſe your diſtinctions.

Angelus ſayth, that the Maſſe is auaileable to whome ſo euer it pleaſe the prieſt to applie it by his intention.In ſumma Angel. in Miſsam. And that the Maſſe is nothing elſe, but the applying of the merite of Chriſtes paſſion, yea, and that Reſpectu operis operati. In reſpect of the work wrought by the prieſt in ſaying Maſſe: though you by your Sophiſtrie would make men beleue, that Opus operatum, is that work which Chriſt hath alreadie wrought vponupon the Croſſe. Biel, Holcot Dunſe, and the reaſt of that flock, be of the ſame mind: wherefore, p. 138if they were liuing, they would not ſuffer you to paſſe with ſuch a declaration of your deſtinction, as you make here. For you will hauehave the Maſſe (as it is the Act of the prieſt) to be propitiatorie none otherwiſe, then is the prayer of the faythfull, the contrition of the penitent, the almoſe of the merciful, and the forgiueneſſe of the charitable, which is, as you ſay (but not truely) to mittigate Gods anger againſt our ſinnes: and to prouoke him to hauehave merciemercy vponupon vsus for Chriſtes merites. And this you offer to proue by the holy fathers.

Origen. in Leuit. ho. 13.Origen hath ſayd thus (ſay you) Si referantur haec. &c. If theſe wordes be referred to the greatneſſe of our myſterie. &c. Here you hauehave thruſt in the Pronowne ours, and hauehave ſayde of our myſterie: becauſe you would hauehave your hearers and readers to thinke that Origen ment of your Maſſe, which you cal the greateſt myſterie of your religion. Where as in déede, he meaneth of the miſterie of the .xij. loaues: y^t were continually vponupon the table in the tabernacle before the Arke of the couenant. And he calleth our ſauiour Chriſt, which is the bread that came from heauen: the greatneſſe of that myſtery. But you leaue out that péece, leaſt the writers minde ſhould appere. Craftily you créepe away with the ſentence thus. Si redeas ad illum panem propitiationis. &c. Euen as it were poynting with the finger, at your little rounde wafer. But Origen hath written thus. Si redeas ad illum panem, qui de coelo deſcendit, & dat huic mundo vitam, illum panem propoſitionis. &c. If thou returne to that breade which came downe from heauen, and giueth life to this worlde, that bread of propoſition, whom God hath ſet to be a propiſiation, through fayth in his bloud. &c.

Cypri. ſer. De Caena.And doth not Cyprian call the Sacrament Holocauſtum. &c? Of this place of Cyprian, I hauehave ſayde ynough to ſatiſfie the reaſonable reader, in the aunſwere to the fift diuiſion of your former Sermon.

Concerning the two places that you alledge out of Auſten: I wil trouble the reader with nothing, more then the iudgement of Eraſmus, concerning the two bookes that you alledge them out of.Tomo. 10. Pagina. 2. Of the firſt, he ſayth thus. Quae ſine controuerſia ſunt Auguſtini: primo poſuimus loco. Impudentiſsimum figmentum ſermonum ad p. 139fratres in eremo agentes: in ſuum angulum reiecimus, de quo ſuo loco non nihil dicemus. Inſunt & coeteris, multa parum referentia phraſim & eruditionem Auguſtini: quorum aliquot notauimus. Thoſe works which are vndoubtedlye Auſtens owne: we hauehave placed in the firſt place. That moſt vnſhamefaſt lye, of the ſermons to the brethren that liued in wilderneſſe: we hauehave caſt into a corner meate for them, whereof we will in their place ſpeake ſomewhat. In the reſt there be many things that do verie little reſemble the phraſe and learning of Auſten, whereof we hauehave noted ſome. And of the other booke he ſaith thus. Liber qui ſequitur, ex ſuperioribus libellis, magna ex parte ſarcinaetus eſt, per quempiam, nec eruditione, Tomo. 9. in fronte illius Libr.nec eloquentia preditum: proinde, non video, cur admodum lectu dignus videatur. Capite. 17. ponit in poteſtate hominis, vt promereatur Regnum coelorum: quam ſententiam vbi que deteſtatur Auguſtinus. Quanquam idem. Capite. 22. dicit diuerſum. The booke that foloweth is for the moſt part patched togither out of the little bookes that go before, by ſome man that had neyther learning nor eloquence: wherfore, I do not ſée why it ſhould ſéeme verie worthie to be read. In the .17. Chap. he doth put it in the power of man, to deſerue the kingdome of heauen. Which ſentence, Auſten doth in all places deteſt. And yet the ſame wryter doth in the .22. Chapter, ſay the contrary. Such forged matter is méete for the proufe of the propiciation of your Maſſe, for the ſinnes both of the quicke and the dead.

You hauehave miſtaken the place that you alledge out of Hierome. For vponupon the firſt Chapter to Titus: Hiero. in Cap. 1. ad Titum.he wryteth not one worde that may be wreſted to ſuch a meaning, as thoſe wordes hauehave that you cite. But he hath wordes there to the contrary of that, whereof (you ſay) you might proue the chaſt life of a biſhop.

Of what authoritie the Maſſe of Baſill is,Baſilius in Miſſa. I hauehave noted in mine aunſwere to the ninth diuiſion of your former ſermon, and néede not now to trouble the reader any more with that matter. and thus we can not ſée by that light that you hauehave hitherto giuen vsus: that the Maſſe is a ſacrifice propiciatorie, for the ſinnes of them that be aliue.

Nowe a little you hauehave to ſay, concerning them that be departed: and then an ende of that matter. Tertulian ſayth (ſay p. 140you) Oblationes pro defunctis. &c. We make eueryevery yeare oblations for the dead.De corona Militis. &c. I will ſet downe in wryting the ſentence that goeth before, and that which foloweth immediatly after: that the indifferent Reader may weigh altogither, and iudge of the wryters meaning. Euchariſtiae ſacramentum, & in tempore victus, & omnibus mandatum à domino: etiam antilucanis coetibus, nec de aliorum manibus, quam praeſidentium ſumimus. Oblationes pro defunctis, pro natalitijs, annua die facimus. Die dominico, ieiunium nefas ducimus, vel geniculis adorare. We do receyue the ſacrament of thankeſgiuing, both in the time of repaſt or féeding, and at all times that the lord hath commaunded, yea and in our comming togither before day: not at the hand of any other, then of ſuch as be in authoritie. We do in the yerely day make oblation for the deade, for theyr birth dayes. We thinke it wickedneſſe to faſt on the Lordes day, or to bowe the knées.

This oblation might be, the receyuing of the Communion togither: in that yerely day wherein they vſed to ſolemnize a remembrance of thoſe that had giuen their liues for Chriſtes cauſe. Which the fathers might well cal an oblation: becauſe they vſed at ſuch méetinges, to offer of their goods to the reliefe of the poore, and themſelues to ſuffer for Chriſt, as they whoſe memoriall they celebrated, had done before. But how like you the cuſtome of that time, which was to refraine knéeling on the ſunday, as a wickedneſſe? And howe like you that he calleth the ſacrifice that you ſpeake of: the ſacrament of thankeſgiuing? Here is no worde of propitiation for ſinnes. Wherefore this little that you had to ſay out of Tertulian, is as much as neuer a whit.

Athanaſius ſayth Intelligimus animas peccatorum. &c. We vnderſtand,Athanaſius ad Antioch. Principem. Queſt. 34. that the ſoules of ſinners. &c. Howe farre vnlike it is, that Athanaſius Archbiſhop of Alexandria, ſhould be Authour of theſe queſtions and aunſweres: may eaſily appere to as many as will with iudgement read them, and conſider the time wherein he liued, and the matter conteyned in the aunſweres. Firſt it is to be conſidered: that he liued about .330. yeares after Chriſt. Then that he was of the Gréeke Church: and therefore wrote as a Gretian: theſe things kept in memorie, and the matter conteyned p. 141in ſome of the aunſweres conſidered: it will appere that ſome Athanaſius of a later tyme was Authour of theſe queſtions and aunſweres.

In the ſecond aunſwere, he ſayth, that in his tyme, the feaſt of the Epiphanie of our Lorde, was called the feaſt of the thrée kings: where as Ambroſe, who liued an hundred yeares after him, and being biſhop of Millaine (whether the bones of thoſe thrée, if hyſtories be true, were firſt brought out of Perſia) doth make no mention of any ſuch feaſt, notwithſtanding that in expounding of Lukes Goſpell, he doth ſpeake of their comming out of the Eaſt to ſéeke Chriſt.

In the aunſwere to the thirde queſtion: he alleageth matter out of Epiphanius, who was not ſo auncient as he himſelfe was (if he were the right Athanaſius) and he giueth him titles of great authoritie, acknowledging him to be a father of him and other of his tyme, and a worker of myracles.

In the aunſwere to the .14. queſtion, he ſayth, that men worthie to be beleued, that were ſpirite coniurers, had tolde him, that they had ſéene the Deuill in his owne likeneſſe: and that he had tolde them, that there is no ſentence in all the ſcripture that is more terrible to him, then the beginning of the .67. Pſalme. Exurgat deus. &c. Let God ariſe, and his enimies ſhall be ſcattered abroade.

And the reaſons, that (in the aunſwere that you alledge) he ſheweth, whereby we doe vnderſtande, that ſinners ſoules hauehave ſome benefite, by thinges done for them after they be departed: are not ſuch as ſhould mooue ſo wiſe and learned men as Athanaſius was. One is, the vſage and cuſtome of doing things for them: which (ſayth he) if it were no commotitie to them, would not be continued. The other is the nature of wine, which (as hée ſayth) being faſt cloſed in a veſſell, will when it féeleth the odour or ſauour of the vine that beginneth to budde in the field: budde with the vine, and begin to flouriſhe a freſhe. Euen ſo (ſayth he) we vnderſtand. &c.

Thus the indifferent reader may ſée, that I do not without iuſt cauſe reiect this authoritie that you alledge in the name of p. 142Athanaſius.

For aunſwere to that which you report of ſaint Ambroſe, exhorting the people to pray for Valentinian the Emperour.Ambroſ. De obit. valent. In Philip. 1. Cor. 15. & in Act.1 Cor 15 &c. I referre you and the readers, to that which I hauehave written in mine aunſwere to the ninth diuiſion of your former ſermon.

And for aunſwere to that which you cyte out of Chryſoſtome, I referre you to that which I hauehave for aunſwered to the 30. diuiſion of this ſermon. And for aunſwere to that which you alledge out of ſaint Auſtens Confeſſions:Libro. Con. 9. Capit. 12. I referre you to that which I hauehave written for aunſwere, to the .9. diuiſion of your former ſermon alſo.

De Cura pro mortuis. cap. 1. In Iob. Tract. 84. Euchirid. Cap. 109.To the other thrée places that you alledge out of Auſten: I muſt aunſwere thus. It appeareth by theſe thrée, and certaine other places of ſaint Auſtens workes: that he ſuppoſed, that praiers made, and almoſe déedes done, for ſuch as departed this lyfe in the fayth of Chriſt, and felowſhip of the members of his body: might be propitiatorie for them, in ſuch ſort as you hauehave ſayde that your Maſſe is, when it is taken for the worke of the prieſt. And that the reaſon that perſwaded him ſo to thinke, was the cuſtome of the Church in his dayes: which was to make mention of the dead in their prayers, when according to Chriſtes inſtitution, they did celebrate the holye Communion of the bodie and bloud of Chriſt.

But ſhall this be a ſufficient warrant for vsus: to thinke and to teache that the Maſſe, which (as it is vſed in the Popes church) is but an heape of dumble ceremonies, is a ſacrifice propiciatorie, for the ſinnes both of the quicke and the dead? The ſame Auſten willeth vsus not to ſtand vponupon his warrandice: but to be ſure that we hauehave the ſcripture for our diſcharge. For he knewe himſelfe to be a man: and that as a man he might erre. In his thirde booke De trinitate, In Prooemio li. 3. de Trinit.he ſayth thus. Noli meis litteris quaſi ſcripturis canonicis enſeruire, ſed in illis & quod non credebas cum inueneris incunctanter crede: in iſtis autem, quod certum non habebas, niſi certum intellexeris, noli firmiter retenere. Be not bound to my wrytings, as to the Canonicall ſcriptures, but when thou ſhalt finde in them that which thou diddeſt not beleue before, beleue it without any ſtaying or p. 143ſtaggering: but when thou ſhalt finde that in my wrytings, that thou didſt not ſurely know before, do not firmely holde it, vnleſſe thou mayſt vnderſtand it.

Againe in one of thoſe bookes that you alledge, he ſayth.Euchiridio. Capit. 4. Quae autem nec corporeo ſenſu experti ſumus, nec mente aſsequi valuimus aut valemus: eis ſine vlla dubitatione credenda ſunt teſtibus, à quibus ea quae diuina vocari iam meruit ſcriptura, confecta eſt. But thoſe thinges which we neither hauehave proued by bodily ſenſe, nor hauehave béene or are able to attaine vntounto by reaſon: muſt without any doubting be beleued, for thoſe witneſſes, of whom that ſcripture that is nowe worthily called diuine, was perfectly made.

And in another place he ſayth.De Peccatorum merit. li. 1. Capit. 22. Cedamus igitur & conſentiamus authoritati ſcripturae ſanctae: quae neſcit falli, nec fallere. Let vsus therefore giuegive place and conſent to the authoritie of the holy ſcripture: which neyther can be diſceyued nor diſceyue.

Ambroſe alſo hath ſayd. Nos noua omnia quae Chriſtus non docuit, iure damnamus: quia fidelibus via Chriſtus eſt. Ambroſ. de Virginibus.Si igitur Chriſtus non docuit, quod docemus: etiam nos id detestabile iudicamus. We doe worthily condemne al new things, which chriſt hath not taught: for to the faythfull, Chriſt is the way. If Chriſt therefore hauehave not taught that which we teach: euen we our ſelues doe iudge it deteſtable.

Theſe ſentences and ſuch like (whereof there be many in the auncient fathers wrytings) do cauſe me not to conſent to that which Auſten wryteth in thoſe places that you alledge, and certaine other of his workes. Although the ſame be nothing to proue that which you would proue by his authoritie.

He maketh the oblation, whereof he ſpeaketh there, of no greater worthineſſe, then the almoſe that is giuen to the poore, and the prayers made for the dead: wherefore, he can not meane there of ſuch a ſacrifice as you make your Maſſe when you ſay it is Chriſt himſelfe: There is great oddes, betwéene Chriſt himſelfe, offering himſelfe to his father, and a loafe of bread, giuen to an hungrie man. It is manifeſt therefore, that he vnderſtandeth that oblation that he ſpeaketh of, to be but a meane to mooue God to applie the merites of his ſonne, to ſuch as whiles they liued p. 144here, did by repentaunce and fayth, make themſelues méete to be partakers of merciemercy. For ſo he teacheth in plaine wordes, in the ſame place that you cite, ſaying. Sed eis haec proſunt, que cum viuerent, vt haec ſibi poſtea prodeſsè poſſent meruerunt. But theſe things are profitable to ſuch perſons, as whilſt they liued here, deſerued that theſe things might afterward be profitable to them.

Yea, if all be Auſtens that goeth in his name: there is no propiciation to be had for capitall ſinnes, after this life. His wordes be theſe.Sermone. 41. de ſanct. Non capitalia: ſed minuta paccata purgantur. Not the capitall, or damnable ſinnes are purged: but the ſmall ſinnes. Such as the Italians call Peccadulians, little pretie ſinnes. Yea, and thoſe little ſinnes (ſayth he) if the fardell of them be great: will weigh you downe and drowne you.

And to giuegive men occaſion to thinke, that he had no great deuotion, to this doctrine of helping the ſoules departed: he writeth thus,Lucae. 16. Auguſt. in Pſalm. 48.Ps 48 by the occaſion of the hiſtorie or parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Ventri ſuo ſeruiunt homines: non ſpiritibus ſuorum. Ad ſpiritus mortuorum ſuorum, non peruenit: niſi quod ſecum viui fecerunt. Men ſayth he, (meaning ſuch as offer ſacrifice for the deade) doe not ſerue the ſpirites of their friends: but their owne bellies. To the ſpirites of their friends departed, there commeth nothing: more then y^t which they did whilſt they liued here with them. Here you may ſée, how little help you hauehave by ſaint Auſtens words: when they be better weighed, then you would weigh them, whē you did vſe them. And when his wordes in other partes of his workes, be weighed alſo. Yea, you may ſée by this place of Auſten: that your purgatory prieſts, which are hyred to ſing for ſoules, doe not ſerue the ſoules that they ſing for, but their owne bellies. And therefore the coſt that is beſtowed that way: is but caſt away.

The ſcripture, that neyther is deceyued nor doth deceyue: hath told vsus, that we ſhall all ſtand before the iudgement ſeate of Chriſt:2. Cor. 5. Eccleſ. 14.2 Cor 5Sir 14 and receyue according to thoſe works that we hauehave done in our owne bodies, whether the ſame be good or badde. And the ſcripture hath willed vsus to worke righteouſneſſe before we depart hence: for in the graue, there can no foode be founde.

I conclude therefore, that though you could ſpend .22. houres, p. 145in rehearſing of the places that you could bring in for this poynt: yet ſhould they not all be woorth a poynt, becauſe the ſcripture is againſt them. So that wée may ſée that it is moſt vntrue, that the Maſſe is a ſacrifice propiciatorie, for the ſinnes of the quicke and the dead. And that it is moſt true, that there is none other propiciation for mans ſinne: but that onelyonly, that was once for al wrought by Chriſt in his owne perſon vponupon the Croſſe. And that the ſame is ſtill, and ſhall be for euer, effectuall to all that beleue the promiſe that God made therein.

Some thinke it a great blaſphemy, that we ſhould ſaye, the prieſt applyeth the effect of Chriſtes paſsion, WATSON Diuiſion. 35.to whome he lyſteth, or for whome he maketh his oblation. Good people beleue them not, they ſlaunder vsus in this, for we ſay not ſo, nor doe not apply the merites and effect of Chriſtes paſsion, to whome we liſt, we doe but apply our prayer and our intent of oblation, beſeeching almightie God to apply the effect of his ſonnes paſsion, which is his grace & remiſsiō of ſinne to them, for whom we pray. Only God applyeth to vsus remiſsion of ſinne, we but pray for it, and by the commemoration of his ſonnes paſsion prouoke him to apply ſo that all that we doe, is but by peticion and interceſsion, not by authoritie as God doth.

You denie not, that it is blaſphemie to ſaye,CROWLEY. that the prieſt doth in his Maſſe, applie the effect of Chriſtes paſsion, to whome he luſteth: for you ſay you are ſlaundered by them that ſo ſay. I will therefore let you vnderſtand who they be,Who they be that ſlaunder watſon and his felowes. that hauehave in open writing, ſet out to be ſéene of all men, ſlaundered you moſt of all: that knowing them, you may giuegive warning to your good people, that they giuegive no credite to them. Scotus, Biel, Angelus, Vincentius, and Holcot: hauehave in open writing ſayde, that the force and effect of the ſacrifice, is diſtributed and applied, not onelyonly by God but by the prieſt alſo. It ſhall be beſt for you therefore, to hauehave them cited to appéere in the Arches, or in ſome Conſiſtorie, to aunſwere to the ſlaunder: for I am ſure you ſhall hauehave your p. 146cauſe heard with fauour.

WATSON. Diuiſion. 36They ſay, we make oblation for meſſeled ſwine, for ſick horſes, for murren of cattell, and thus wyth theſe vile and odious wordes they go about to bring the Maſſe in hatred with the ſimple people, that can not tell nor iudge, what it is, ſaying wee hauehave certaine peculiar Maſſes for all thoſe things in our Maſſe booke.

The matter of this accuſation is true, but not the maner. For there be not in our bokes peculiar Maſſes for theſe thinges, but in certayne Maſſes there be ſome peculiar prayers for theſe and ſuch like things, and that by good reaſon.

For in the preſence of Chriſtes body, when our prayers be moſt effectuall, then wee pray for the atteyning of all goodneſſe of ſoule and body, and the outward felicitie of this worlde is as expedient for vsus, according to the wyll of God, and alſo we pray for the turning away of all euils of body and ſoule, and worldly goodes, alwayes referring our ſelues to his wyll, as he our father thinketh meete for vsus.

Chriſoſt. de Sacerdotio Libro. 6.Chryſoſtome telleth, how the prieſt in his Maſſe prayeth for the whole worlde, for the whole Citie, for the ſinnes of all men both quick and dead, for the ceasſing of warre, for the pacyfying of ſedition, for peace, and the proſperous eſtate of things, for the auoyding of all euilles that hang oouer vsus. For the fruites of the earth and of the ſea, and ſuch other.

De Ciuitate dei. li. 22. Capit. 8.Saint Auguſtine in his booke De ciuitate dei, telleth a ſtory of a Gentleman called Heſperius, who hauing an houſe and groundes about it in the Countrey, where his ſeruants and beaſtes were much vexed with euill ſpirites, for remedy thereof came to ſaint Auguſtines houſe, and he being abſent, deſired his prieſtes, that one of them woulde go to the place, and pray, that this calamitie might ceaſe. One of them went, and offered there the ſacrifice of Chriſtes body, praying as much as he could, that the vexation by the euil ſpirites might ceaſe, and by and by through the merciemercy of p. 147God it ceaſed.

Is not thys as much, yea and more to, then we do now? Let not vsus therfore feare their vile and ſlaunderous words, nor let not vsus ceaſe to doe well, becauſe they ſpeake euill. We may not ceaſe to doe as the holy ſaintes hauehave done, becauſe the members of the Deuill rayle againſt vsus, as though we did nought.

You graunt the accuſation to be good in matter:CROWLEY. whereof I conclude, that you make oblation for meſaled ſwine. &c. But the maner you denie: which I muſt eyther proue,Maſſe for the rotte of cattell. or elſe confeſſe that you be ſlaundered. In your Maſſe which is intituled, Pro peſte animalium. For the morayne or rotte of Cattell: you hauehave two praiers, the one to be ſaid amongſt the ſecret prayers before the conſecration, and the other after you hauehave receyued your hoſt. In the firſt you deſire of God, that the offering vp of the preſent ſacrifice, may helpe you, and mightily deliuer you from all errors, and rid you from the incurſion of all deſtruction, that the Cattell alſo, which ſerue for your vſe, may by his power, be deliuered. And in the ſecond you ſay. O Lord we beſech thée by theſe things that we hauehave receyued: doe thou taking pitie and compaſſion, driue away from thy faythfull ones, all errours, and the perniciouſneſſe of the violent deſtruction of raging diſeaſes in cattell. That ſuch as for their owne merite, thou doeſt ſcourge being out of the way: thou mayſte cheriſh by the compaſſion, béeing corrected or amended.

If the leaproſie of ſwine, the manifolde diſeaſes of horſes, the morian and rot of ſhéepe and other cattell, be of the number of thoſe raging diſeaſes: then do you in that Maſſe, make an oblation for meaſeled ſwine. &c. For what is your Maſſe?Sūma angelica in Miſs. Angelus of Italie ſayth, that it is nothing elſe, but the applying of the merite of Chriſtes paſſion. And that it is auailable, to whom ſoeuer it pleaſeth the prieſt to applie it by his intention. Nowe let the wiſe iudge, what the prieſtes intent is or ſhould of right be, when for hyre or friendſhip he ſayth Maſſe, to cauſe ſuch diſeaſes to ceaſe among cattell.

p. 148But this me thinketh is ſtraunge, y^t you ſay that you make your prayer in the preſence of Chriſtes bodie: vnderſtanding the ſame to be the ſacrament. For when you make your firſt prayer, Chriſtes bodie is not yet come into your ſacrament: and when you make the latter, the ſacrament and all is in your belly.

Chryſoſt. de Sacerdotio. libr. 6.But Chryſoſtome telleth you: how the prieſt in his Maſſe prayeth for the whole world. He telleth in déede, that in the miniſtration of the holy communion, and in al his other publike prayers: he prayeth for thoſe thinges that you ſpeake of. But what maketh this for the proufe of that which you hauehave in hand? which is: that in your Maſſe for the moraine of cattell, you do not make an oblation for meaſeled ſwine. &c.

As for that Chryſoſtome ſaith, that the prieſts office is to pray for the ſinnes of the quicke and the deade: I referre the Reader for aunſwere, to that which I hauehave aunſwered to the .30. diuiſion of this ſermon, where you alledge his thirde Homilie vponupon the Epiſtle to the Philippians.

Saint Auſten alſo telleth a ſtorie of a Gentleman. &c. In mine aunſwere to the .28. Auguſt. de Ciuitate Dei. li. 22. ca. 8.diuiſion of this ſermon: I hauehave giuen the reader occaſion to conſider the corruption that is found in this worke of ſaint Auſtens, by the conference of many copies, wherof ſome containe a ſound doctrine according to the ſcriptures, and ſome cleane contrary. Which I doubt not ſhould eaſily appéere in the Chapter that you alledge: if the firſt copie, or ſome true copie thereof were to be had. Lodouicus Viues, in his Commentary vpō this Chapter, ſaith thus. In hoc Capite, non dubium eſt, quin multa ſint addita velut declarandi gratia, Lodouicus Viues.ab ijs, qui omnia magnorum authorum ſcripta, ſpurcis ſuis manibus contaminabant: quorum alia reſecabo, alia more meo, contentus ero velut digito indicaſse. There is no doubt, but that in this Chapter there be many things added (as it were to declare and make the matter more plaine) by ſuch as with their filthie fiſtes, hauehave defiled all the writings of great authors: whereof I will cut of ſome, and ſome other I will be contented, after my maner, as it were, to hauehave poynted at with the finger.

This may ſuffice the indifferent reader, and giuegive him occaſion p. 149to thinke: that this fable which you alledge for your purpoſe, was neuer written by ſaint Auſten. You hauehave no good ground therefore, in this place to ſay, that you do as the holy ſaints hauehave done, when you ſay Maſſe for meaſeled ſwine, and ſicke horſes: neyther to ſay that we which do ſay that you do naught therein, are members of the deuill.

Now a little of priuate Maſſe, and then make an ende. WATSON Diuiſion. 37Many there be, that can well away with the Maſſe, but not with priuate Maſſes.

Theſe men be deceaued in their owne ymagination: for there is no Maſſe priuate, but eueryevery Maſſe is publike. It is called in Greeeke foreign, a publike miniſtery.

Saint Thomas calleth it ſometimes a priuate Maſſe, but not in that reſpect, as it is contrary to publike, but as it is contrary to ſolempne.

EueryEvery Maſſe is publike, concerning the matter and miniſterie, but not ſolemne concerning the place and other rites and circumſtaunces.

Therfore theſe men ſpeake againſt that they know not what. They hauehave a newe vnderſtanding of priuate.

They call it a priuate Maſſe when the prieſt receyueth the ſacrament alone. And thys they ſay is agaynſt the inſtitution of Chriſt.

They ſay ſo ſine fine, and neuer make an ende, but they neuer proue it. I ſhall ſhew you that it is not againſt the inſtitution of Chriſt.

The inſtitution of Chriſt concerning this ſacrament contayneth three things which he himſelfe did, and by his commaundement gaue authority to the Church to doe the ſame. The conſecration, the oblation, and the participatiō. To the due conſecration foure things be required, the matter, forme, miniſter, and intent.

The neceſſary matter is bread of wheate, which is due as it ought to be, if it be pure, ſweete and vnleauened.

But our newe maiſters that crye out ſo faſt of Chriſtes p. 150inſtitution, did ordeyn it ſhould be miniſtred in vnleauened bread, but in common bread, and the worſe the better with them, ſome ſayde horſebread was to good. Well there was more vilany ſhewed herein, than I wil expreſſe at this time.

And for the other kinde, whereas the due matter is wine mixed with water, they notwithſtanding the inſtitution and example of our ſauiour Chriſt, commaunded no water to be put in, rayſing vp again the pernicious rotten and extincted hereſies which Fermentarij and Armeni did maintaine. The forme of the ſacrament is the wordes of our Sauiour Chriſt, ſaying. This is my body. This is my bloud, duely and perfitly pronounced vponupon the bread and wine.

Our newe maiſters that ſtill cry vponupon the inſtitution of Chriſt, ſome ſayde it was a ſacrament or euer the words were ſpoken, as ſoone as it was brought to the Church for the vſe of the communion, ſome would hauehave the wordes ſayde, but as one ſhould read a leſſon or tell a tale, not directed to the bread and wine, but that the Miniſter ſhould looke away from the bread and wine in the time of the pronouncing. Fearing belike the wordes ſhould hauehave more ſtrength than they would they ſhould hauehave.

And thus howſoeuer now they pretend a zeale to maintaine the inſtitution of Chriſt, then they vtterly deſtroyed the inſtitution of Chriſt, eyther denying or defrauding the neceſſary conſecration of the ſacrament.

The miniſter ought onelyonly to be a prieſt duely conſecrated & ordred after the rite of the catholike Church, whoſe miniſtration God onelyonly doth aſsiſt. Theſe men did not only maintaine that it was lawfull, but alſo did appoint and permit mere lay men to miniſter, yea and lay women ſometimes, as ſome ſayde without any lawfull vocation or ordering at all, Arnobius in Pſal. 139.Ps 139not regarding what Arnobius writeth. Quid tam magnificum quàm ſacramenta dei conficere? & quid tam pernicioſum quàm ſi is ea conficiat qui nulum ſacerdotij gradum accipit. What is ſo excellent than to conſecrate the ſacraments of God? and what is ſo pernicious, than if he conſecrate them, that hath p. 151receyued no degree of prieſthood? The intent alſo to doe that the Church doth without mocking, diſſimulation or contrarye purpoſe is required. For although the prieſt in the conſecration may hauehave his thoughtes diſtract to ſome other thing, and ſo lack attention, which is a great negligence in the worke of God, and deadly ſinne to the miniſter: yet if he lacke intention not intending to doe that God commaundeth and the Church doth: there is no conſecration nor no ſacrament at all. And for this point what intention ſhall we thinke theſe men had of late that vtterly denied to conſecrate or receyue Chriſtes body & bloud vnderunder the formes of bread and wine, but onelyonly to receyue the creatures of bread and wine, and thereby to be partakers of Chriſtes body and bloud? For in the booke of their laſt communion, theſe were the wordes of the inuocation. Good Lord graunt vsus that we receauing theſe thy creatures of bread and wine according to thy ſonnes inſtitution, may be partakers of his body and bloud.