Institutes of the Christian Religion Abridged by Edmond Bunnie, Book · Book 4 · Chapter 18
Cap. 18. Of the Popiſh Maſſe, by which ſacriledge the Supper of the Lorde, hath not only beene prophaned, but alſo brought to naught.
FIrſt, he ſheweth howe many wayes the Maſſe is a wicked Sacriledge, & not to be borne with, from the firſt to the ſeuenth. Moreouer of the beginning of the Maſſe. 8. 9. Thirdly, hee treateth thereof, ſpecially becauſe it is called a Sacrifice, from the 10. to ye 12. Fourthly, hee ioyneth by that meanes a more ample treatie of the ſacraments, from the 13. to the 18. Laſt of all hée maketh himſelfe way to the next treatiſe of fiue Sacraments. 19. 20.
1 The very action of the Maſſe was ſo inſtituted, that vnderunder what colour of good ſoeuer it lay hid, yet it was moſt wicked ſacriledge, as appeareth plainely by the fiue properties which it hath.
2 The firſt is, that whoſoeuer miniſtreth the Maſſe,Heb. 5.5 Pſal. 110.14 muſt neceſſarily bee a Prieſte, but that cannot bee without Chriſt his great reproche, which is ordeined the onelyonly and eternall Prieſt.
3 The ſecond, becauſe it treadeth vnderunder foote the croſſe and paſſion of the Lorde,Heb. 9.11 while it erecteth another Sacrifice, and when they thinke to hauehave two ſtarting holes, yet they can eſcape neither of both.
4 The place of Malachie doth make nothing for ſacrificing Maſſe: for it was no new thing among the Prophetes, when they ſpeake of the calling of the Gentiles to expreſſe by the outward ceremonie of the Law, the ſpiritual worſhipping of God, to which they exhort them: that they might the more familiarly declare to the men of their age, that the gentiles ſhould be called vntounto ye true felowſhip of religiō. Like as alſo they are wont altogether to deſcribe by figures of their lawe, the trueth that was deliuered by ye Goſpell.Eſd. 19.2… As for the place of Eſdras, it is fulfilled in Chriſt.
5 The thirde, becauſe it putteth out of remembraunce the true and onelyonly death of Chriſt, and thruſteth it out of mans minde.Heb. 9.16 The Maſſe ſheweth it ſelfe a new Teſtament, therefore it requireth his death.
6 The fourth, bicauſe it taketh from vsus ye fruite which returned to vsus by the death of Chriſt.
7 The fift, becauſe it weakeneth and breaketh the Sacrament, whereby the remembrance of Chriſtes death was left and that many wayes.
8 From whence the name of Maſſe came,1. Cor. 10.16 it doeth not ſufficiently appeare: but the ſame repugneth directly with the inſtitution of Chriſt.
9 The better to conuince the ſame, firſt he generally affirmeth that ſuche pureneſſe was vnknowne to the purer Church.Heb. 5.4 Moreouer he ſheweth howe wrongfully it is thought to be a ſacrament.
10 Many of the old writers hauehave called the ſupper a ſacrifice, but not in that ſenſe, which mainteineth this ſacrilege for they vnderſtoode nothing elſe, but a remembrance of the true and onelyonly ſacrifice, which Chriſt acompliſhed on the croſſe.
Gal. 3.111 Yet ſome of them bent too muche to the ſhadowes of the law, and therefore they lean themſelues wholy vponupon nothing more ſafe, then on the word of God, whereof is this a Supper.
12 There is great difference betwene Moſes Sacrifices, and the Lords Supper, and in what they differ.
13 But to the intent this diſputation ſhoulde be more manifeſt and plaine, and frée from the falſe & malitious allegations of the enuious, he taketh vponupon him to diſpatch in few words, what hitherto he ſignifieth by a ſacrifice, and what by a Prieſt: the Sacrifice, that is to ſay, another waſhing away of ſins, another giuing of thankes,Exo. 29.70 according to the former ſenſe, is nothing elſe, but the death of Chriſt.
14 In this ſenſe, neither the Supper of the Lorde is a Sacrifice,Heb. 5.4. nor theyr Prieſtes can bée ſaide to adminiſter it.
15 That vanitie Plato doth ſufficiently rebuke, where very merily hee laugheth them to ſcorne, who leaning to ſuch Sacrifice, liue careleſly, that thinke their puniſhments are redéemed by ſuch Sacrifices.
16 VnderUnder the other kinde, all the duties of Godlineſſe belong to God, and the offices of charitie to our neighbor:Mala. 1.11 Rom. 12.1 but it is occupied only in the magnifiyng and exalting God, and may not be ſeparated from the Church.
17 Such workes were not only notable in the newe Teſtament,Pſalm. 141.2 but alſo in the olde name of Sacrifices: in this ſenſe all the faithfull are Prieſtes.
18 After hee hath thus laide theſe things, hée concludeth that the abhomination of the Maſſe is more cleare, that no man can bée ignorant thereof: the cuppe is ſuche, as hath made the kings of the earth drunken, and Helen herſelfe.
19 Hee repeateth briefly, a ſumme of them which is profitable to kéepe of the two ſacramentes: and alſo ſheweth why the Supper ſhould ſo often be iterated,Eſay. 40.13 Rom. 11.34 and not the Baptiſme: and that no other may erect newe Sacraments.
20 The faithfull ought to be contented vnderunder the kingdom of Chriſt with theſe 2,Exo. 26.13 1. Cor. 10.3 howſoeuer diuers were geuen to the Iewes: and to this end, theſe are called newe times, leaſt any man deceaue him ſelfe with a vaine expectation of ſome newe doctrine or reuelation.