The Confutation of the Abbote of Crosraguels Masse, set furth by Maister [...].

Math. 1 [...].

All plantation that is not planted by my hea­uenly Father, shalbe rooted out: leaue them, for they be blinde guides to the blinde.

[...], Lib. [...]. Epist. 2.

If in the Sacrifice [...] is Christe, onely Christe is to be followed, then must we here and do that, that Christe did and commanded to be done, since he in his Euangell, say­eth, if ye do that I command you, now call I you not set­uandes but freindes. And the Father out of the heauen testifieth, saying. This is [...] moste deare Sōne, in whom I am compleated, [...] Christe is to be herde, we oght not [...] him before vs iudged to be done, but what [...] before all, Christe, first did for the consuetude of man must not be followed, but the truth of God.

Imprinted at Edinburgh by Rober [...] Lek [...]k, and are to be sauld his hous at the nether Bow.

Cum priuilegio 1563.

The Prenter to the Reader.

[Page]AS I haue at all tymes bene ready to employe and bestowe my laboures, to the auancement of the glo­rie of God, and vtili [...]ie of his Church, so the bruite rysing of this that I now present vnto thee good Reader Confutation of the Abbote of Crosragnels Masse, I wes moste diligent, and trauelled moste earnestly with the Au­thor of it, that it might come to light. Hard it wes vnto me, amongest many others, to obteane it of him, a man shamefast of his owen nature, yet by the inopportune and continuall sure of the Church, & freindes being mollified and moued to yeald and remitte [...]omwhat of his will, in end oppenned vp his mynde, that he hath onely written this by maner of declamatiō, and so hath vsed some Greik wordes, as expressing the mater moste liuely and sensiblie, which wordes I had no Carracters to expres: this moued me somwhat at the beginning, yet finding them few in nomber, and so seruing to the mater, as I could not well suffer them to be taken away, yea, and no impediment to the vnlearned, the sentence being moste plaine, I coulde not those the learned to be frauded of so great a help, and so vndertuke the mater. Wherein I haue vsed the help of a moste excellēt young mā, wel exercised in the tongue, yit the trauel being wearisome in the hait of his occupatiōs the ordour and reule by him laide, I wes driuen, and con­tent to borrow the laboure of some Scollers, whome I iudged to be moste expect. Whom vnto it muste be impu­ted, if ether fant shalbe in lacking of a letter, or otherwayes in accent, and others such accidents. This I speak no but to the praise of the great good wil of the children, wh [...] are ready and willing to gratifie the Church of God: b [...]t to [...]dicat the name of the Author from all calumnie [...] and wicked tougues. If I should haue su [...] help [...] Church, as I haue oftentymes implored, the shou [...] [...]ot the ingynes and labours of the learned in th [...] countrie be retarded by any such impediment, yea, and I will promes further, we should not be trou­bled to send here and there, abounding in all thinges necessarie within our selues. And so faire thou well in the Lorde Iesus. At our buith, the penult of Iuly. 1563.

The Epistle. To the moste Noble, potent, and godly Lorde Iames, Earle of Murray, the Author wisheth grace, mercy, peace, and increase of heauenly giftes of the Spirite of God.

THis consuetude hath of long antiquitie obteyned, moste mighty Lorde, that in weighty matters, and argumentes of consequence, euer the Patrociny, fauor and authoritie, of some great & princely man, hath bene implored. The occasi­ons and causes hereof, althoght they may appeare many and diuers, yet alwayes may be comprehended in a certane nomber: for some trauelling in an haitefull argu­ment, subiect to inuy, and tonges of many, iudgeth the help and protectiō of such, as placed in authoritie, are most reuerēced of the people, and ether by wisedome in iudge­ment, or by prowes in warrely effaires, hath cōciliat crea­dite and beneuolence of the stronger, iudged the help (I say) of such, moste requisite and necessarie: promising to themselues securitie and quietnes vnder there shaddowe, as it were, authoritie and power: as that we obserue commonly, and be teached by experience in all aiges, euer the muses to haue followed the impire, dominion, & mo­narchie, yea, and with them flitted and remoued. During the impire of the orient, that is, Assirians, Chaldeans, and Persians, the Gymnosophistes were in price, the Magi­ans authorished, and Egypt, and east partes, moste fre­quented: but this power being deuolued to the Grecians, we read, how suddenly amongest them, all sciences and [...]nowledge florisheth, that (as it were out the hors of [Page] Troye) starteth vp hundrethes and thousandes, most elo­quent in tongue, moste witty in iudgement, yea, and most solide in erudition. This their zeal & emulation continu­eth so long as they had the vpper hand, whereof they be­ing spoiled, it wes not so lamentable and greuous their decay in power, and fall frome dominion, as the lose of those, wherein their principall glorie and reioycing did consist, sciences, to wit, and erudition, which alltogether with the impire flitteth. This, no dout, as it proceadeth of the cairful ꝓuidence of our God, erecting, & ouer whelm­ing Realmes at his good pleasure & wil, so is it, as it wer, moste kyndely and naturall, that the muses delicat, tender and Daines louing of quietnes, still persue to be in grea­test securitie and honour: which taken away, then do they incontinently vanishe.

Others, to whom the horne of aboundance is shute vp, are driuen to dedicate their lauboures, to such as they haue found mercyfull and beneficiall towardes them, to witnes their gratitude and thankfull mynde, on that one parte: & on the other, to satisfie the moste iuste and reasonable de­syre of their manteiners, who preafed hereby to redeame their memories▪ from eternall and euerlasting obliuion.

Alexander the great, howsoeuer he hath exceaded and ex­celled all, that hath passed before, in amplytude of impyre and conques, yit in this iudgeth and pronounceth him self vainquest, and inferiour to Achilles, that he neuer culde haue such one as Domerus, to write the historie of his valiant Actes, and to set furth his praises. Penurie & lacke of mantenance, as they be great enimies to good letters, so is there nothing in this earth, whereby we are encuraged more nor by the esperance and thriste of that glorius immortalytie, which maketh the Fathers, howso­euer depriued of this lyfe of many aiges past, yet to liue still, and their memories to be moste happy and blessed.

This is the glorie of the children of God, seing the caire of their God, to vendicat their Names from darcknes, committing them moste diligently and faithfully to Re­gister, that albeit their staire and condition be moste deplo­red and miserable, yet their memories are at all tymes in Gods presence, moste recent and bliss [...]d. All do trauelle to be spoken of, but in the meanes standeth the diuersitie: the tyrrāne preaseth to this: what obteineth he? He is called [Page 3] a proude tyrrāne: the bloodthristy, cruel: the ambitius re­ceaueth the same hyre: and the same rewarde proponed & abydeth all the wicked: the solide glorie apperteaneth to the godly. Others causes may be gathered besydes these two touche [...] by me, yet because they may be referred to these two heades, I will not wearie my pen in recyting them.

Some, and of them a great nomber, we know to haue abhorred this, conteyning them selues, as it were, within their owen walles, and determined to sing to them selues (as is in the Prouerb) and to the muses: which sorte of men, as I darre not damne, so had I proposed with my self to follow them. For being younge in yeares, & voide of experience, nether yet at any tyme before exercised in the lyke a [...]gument, such houres as I might cut of from the publicque charge and occupation, my mynde wes to bestowe in suche kynde of Declamations, as Quintilyane tearmeth by the Greik word [...] and there appoin­teth and reco [...]mendeth to them, as are not yet able for the sonne and the feildes, whereby they shal proue them selues, and trye their forces. But as commonly commeth to pas, that, are we rathest disapointed of, that we moste ea [...] ­nistly conclude with ourselues, before that euer I coulde put any parte of my deliberation in practeis, the charge came to me, and moste straitly, to vndertake the matter, and procead with all dil [...]gence commanded.

This command [...]ment, at the beginning, albeit it wes somwhat fearful to me, vnderstanding hereby the Church vtterly to repugne to my mynde, yet because I wes deter­mined to examine my self in the same argument, I refused not plainely, resolued, that, that mater should not come to light, which I had chosen to my particulare exercise. The worke is not yet finished, when the bruit ryseth of the ab­botes great danger of death, the [...]eicknes beīg so inualessed that he could not escape. Here is herde the complaint of the godly, thinking and laying before their eyes, the wic­ked speaking and braling of his fauorers, who of our con­tinuall silence, should haue taken accasion to blawe vp, & if caice any thing shoulde come to lyghte after his death, wold seme to haue inst cause to accuse our long and fearfull silence. Then were the eyes of all turned and fixed vpon me, hearing that the charge hath bene laide to me, and that [Page] I had proceaded therein. The mater wes verie fore, and heauy vnto me, rauished in sindrie, and they contrarious thoghtes: harde it wes to me, who hath still bene, as it were, in the shaddow, to come to the light, to euenture my fame, to expone me to the tongues and iudgements of all, to enter in a fearful and terrible battal, with a proude and wyde blowing Goliath: on the other part, I wes no les moued, at the earnest sutte and request of the brethren, the commandement of the Church, and moste of all, touched in conscience, with the staite of the cause and condition of tyme. The word still increasing of his suddane death, yet suffer I not my self to be vainquest vtterly, but this farre I inclyne that I shew my labours to the brethren: which way, as it wes subtilie diuised by them, so did it wholie disapoint and frustrat me of all I had determined. For neuer could I obteane it of them, no [...] procure q [...]ietnes to my self till it wes copied and send to the Abbote.

Thus wes my silence broken, my purpose dissolued, and I pulled furth to the sonne: and as it commeth often­tymes to pas, that there is none bolder nor the cowarde, when all way and euasion is foreclosed, so did I feale my self moued: for the charge being laide to me, to pas in Car­rick, I glaidly obeyed, thinking that I could not, but re­fute that by tongue, which I had conuicted of Idolatrie by pen. In that iorney, what wes protected, I referre the iudgement to others.

Now that this my trauell, commeth laitter to light nor that ether my opinion wes, and the earnest desyre of the godly: ether yet the staite of this action, and the iniquitie of the tyme, yea, and the loithsome stomaches of a great nomber, weareing and abhorring all good thinges did require: the causes are, my continual occupations, which (God be praised) groweth and increaseth: being firste ap­pointed to Carrick, and immediatly after my returning, called to the same office in Court, before you my Lorde, and my Lordes of Councile: wherein, what relaxation I haue had or can haue, your Lordship may be a moste suth­fast and faithfull witnes,

The other impediment wes, and that greater nor the forma [...]e, that seing I had deliuered the answer to the Ab­bote, necessarie it wes to awaite vpon him, and tarie til he should reply, least I should be driuen to make two of one. [Page 4] Whereof, being now dispared, and assured by some of his familiares, that he myndeth no such thing, at the earnest request of freindes, and cōmandement of them, whome I reuerence I haue committed the Sailles to the windes (as Quintiliane speaketh Elegantly) and will call to God for a good and prosperus viage, to them that louseth in insist still in the similytude. The counsell of Horatius [...] Quintiliane, is not to be contemned in suche caces, desyring vs to lay asyde our workes, for a certane tyme, till that the hait of the inuention be culed, and we spoyled of the Fatherly affection, as it were, towardes our owen workes, may take them againe, and so iudge of them, as of the workes of others.

Well this, whatsoeuer it hath bene, my trauell, I haue caused appeare in your Name, my Lorde, partly to ridde me of the fals and calūnius speakinges of a great mainie, who as they be altogether borne, and doe wholy liue to their Bellies, so repleanished with inuy, and Idill do delyte theme selues in preposterus and wicked interpretation of euerie manes laboures and occupatiōs: part­ly that it may remane with you at all tymes, as a sure pledge and monument of my great ready minde towardes your Lordeship, ceading in facultie and power to many, but in will, geuing place to none. The gift is not so much to be esteamed and mesured, by the quantitie and excellēcy of the gift it self, as by the free and liberall hart of the gi­uer. A cuppe of cold watter lacketh not the praise at some tyme, and our Maister pronounceth, that the poore wyfe that hath offreth two smal peaces money, hath bene more liberall, nor they who hath casten in moste. These then my firste fructes▪ I offer vnto you, my Lorde, whereby ye will know that I haue not bene Idle, in this my shorte absence from Court, but as I aduertest your Lordeship by writing, faithfully bestowing my laboure and tyme, in that action, that oght to be more deare and precius vnto vs, nor all the dignities of the earth, riches, honour, plea­sure, voluptie, yea, the lyfe it self. I dout not, but in what parte soeuer the iudgements of others shall inclyne, yet your Lordeship shal (as the Poete speaketh, and after him Plinius to the Emperour Domitiane, esteame these my [...]owes to somwhat. If at any tyme, it should please the goodnes of God, to moue the hart of the Quenes Maie­stie, [Page] to take this Treatie in hand, and read it, then had I reported the full pryce of my laboure: then were I fully satisfied. In reading ye know, my Lorde, how we oght to lay asyde all affection, weye the arguments, consider and examine the pith of them, hereafter pronounce and iudge, for there can be no greater inimie to the treuth, [...] A foreconceaued opinion of error, confirmed by long anti­quitie, and a certane progres of yeares, and yet we know, as Peregrinus the Philosopher sayeth, that the treuth is doughter to the tyme, howsoeuer it shalbe suppressed and buried, as Democritus sayeth, in the pit, yet wil our God bring it to light, and declaire that, that is not the treuth, that is approued of many, but that, that he hath reueiled. If thus, I say, our Souerane should enter in work, then I dout not, but she should consider the equitie of our cause, then she should haue a florishing common wealth, then should her G. Liges be assured of tranquilytie & obediēce, that as she craueth the seruice of our bodies and substance, so we may moste hartly and glaidly discharge our selues before God, and the whole earth: our hartes being ioyned together in vnitie of doctrine, which is the onely and most sure bande (as Augustine speaketh) whereby the hartes of all are conciliat, ioyned, yea, and reteyned together.

Thus I commit her Maiestie to the protection of the moste heigh, who hath in his handes the hartes of Prin­ces, and turneth them to and fro, at his good pleasure; and will: and wisheth lykewise to your Lordeship, the in­crease and aboundance of the giftes of his holy Spi­rite, that as he hath begunne the worke in your handes, so he will assist you to the end, as we may luke continually for the lyke conforte. And so faire well in the Lorde Iesus Christe. At E­dinburgh, the penult day of Iuly. 1563.

Your Lordeshipes moste humble and obedient Seruiture. George Nay.

ACcording to the approued, laudable, and receaued vse of writers, that do trauell in any argument of consequence, I haue iud­ged it verie necessarie, to admonishe thee good reader, of the fyle, ordor, and maner that I haue followed and obserued, For thre reasones it may seme strā ge, why this Au­thor suld vnder­take this charge. in this my answer and confutation of the Abbote of Crosraguels masse. For it may appeare strange at the first face, that for a smal tractie and volome, not exceading the boundes of threttie small leaues, direct forth and sent by him, he shal receaue hard by fourtie sheites of paper, in greatest and fullest measure.

Secondly, it may be asked pereuenture, that in suche aboundance of flourishing ingiues, in suche welth of solide iudgementes, in suche plentie of eloquent men and per­fection of letters, tongues and erudition, as I may treuly affirme, ether wes neuer at least these thousand yeares wes not, that this charge should be laide to me, or by me vndertaken. For in that one, may appeare temeritie and rashnes, in that other arrogancie and lack of iudgement. Somthing thridly may be inquired of our long silence in consideration, that this our Abbote hath continually bar­ked from the beginning of this mercyful visitation of our God, and reformation in Scotland, yea, and set forthe some thinges that be plainely red, Ane an­swer to the firste reasone, wherein is decla­red why this Au­thor may seme prolixt, and the Ab­bot breif & short. and euerie where to be found, that the rest of his workes which be no les perniti­ous be neglected, and this onely hath bene iudged wor­thy of answer.

To satisfie thee good Reader, in the first head, thou shal vnderstand my studie and trauel to haue bene, to make all thinges plaine and sensible, aswel of Scripture, as of an­tiquitie: for in this, no dout, lyeth the cause of his short­nes and of my prolixetie, not that I haue bene any wayes long in this argument, which vndoutedly requireth an ample tractation: but in respect I speak of his compendi­ousnes and obscuritie.

In the maters of Scripture it can not be denyed, but he hath bene (as I note) in some places, [...]ther sleuthfull, negligent, and obliuius, or els so addicted to his owne iudgement (wherein he confidis not lytle) that whatsoe­uer [Page] he hath iudged of any place, the same should the Rea­der immediatlie approue, and without any stay or impedi­ment, esteme it for a verie vndouted treuth, To prike forward to this, the imprudent and vnskilfull Reader. We obserue his craft to be, to alledge and cote in the margen the authorities of Scriptures, Fathers and coun­cils, as should appeare to the Lector, that all, that is alled­ged by him, is spoken out of the mouth of suche Authors as he there notes. In this part I am driuen to produce euerie place, Why the authour must in­sist on e­uery place. oppen vp the mynde, sense and vnderstandīg of it, and satisfie to euerie thing can be obiected, because the danger is so great that if I should pas by any thing with silence, that incōtinentlie should be iudged to make for his partie.

In the Fathers and councils I foresaw somwhat more, that they hauing almoste continually in mouth, solemni­ties of Masses, Sacrifices, Hostes, Oblations, worship­pinges, Myrackles, and suchlyke, I feared that these thin­ges should be interpreted, and vnderstand after the super­stitious vse that we haue sene, rather then according to the mynde of the Author, and the practise and custome of that tyme. Here am I constrained by conferrence of places, to shaw the mynde of the writer, and by the consuetude then vsed, to declare the naturall intelligence of euerie thing, which part as it hath bene to me painefull and tedious, so I dout not, but it shall not onely be to the vnlearned con­fortable, where they are assured of the antiquitie, but also to the learned, they being releaued of the werisome wadīg through the Doctors, and to bothe shall this my lauboure serue for a Mirror to behold the great puritie, the godly lyfe, the care ouer the poore, and the liberalitie of the pri­mitiue Church, and the old Fathers which being confer­red with the exemples of those that vanteth and brageth of the tytles of successors, may be knowen, how far they be not onely fallen from the puritie of the doctrine, but lyke­wise horrible declined and degenered in all good vertuus and maners. This shortly for answer to the first head.

In the Second head I shal not be verie long, Ane an­swer to the secōd head. the ordor of reformed persones we know, to be subiect to the com­mandement of the Church, without all shift, tergiuersatiō, or repugnancie. What is the iudgement, and opinion of men of letters of me, I haue not to inquire: the occasions, [Page 2] mouing the [...] to laye this charge to me (moste vnable a­monges many hundreth) ar vnknawen. But alwayes God be preased, my duetie I know, which is all particu­lare respectes and considerations layed asyde, to giue and dedicat my self holye to the seruice & proffect of the Churh of God, Iudgeing it rather my part and office in obeying there honest charge, to euenture my fame and estimation then in disobeying and schif [...]ing, to be estemed contuma­tious and fearfull.

The argument I knowe to be vnplausible & odious till a great noumbre, and they not of the lawest sorte. But vnder protestation, I speake of the particulare offence of any: that simplie I prosecute my mater and declares my iudgemēt frelie, wherin I dout not but euery man wil tak in good part, that I gentlie and with a liberale hert doth offre euer submitting my self to iudgement & correction.

In deid the raling and babling forthe, without all modestie vpon the ministers of God, hes moued me to be somewhat scharper then my nature beares or yet the Law of amitie requires, with the Abbote. But in that let euery man be assured, that nether haue I bene so hoite as he moste iustlie haeth deserued nether yet do I meane any thing but of the qualitie of his mynde, without any further respect. Which vnfeynedlie I protest euery where, doeth displease me with all the learned and Godlie.

As to the speaking somtymes in the singulare som­tymes in the plurale nombre that my lorde knowes well yneugh, to be the maner of speaking in all tounges and of all writters in suche cace.

In the thrid poynt, ī verie deid I may say that before this boke wes deliuered to me, Answer to the 3. head. I neuer had sene none of his workes, yea, and I beleue that the most part of his writ­tings be ether vnsene to the rest of my brethren, or at least, they that they haue sene, they haue iudged vnworthy of a­ny āswer. The causes of their silence may be easelie gathe­red out of Lipriane, against Demetrianꝰ, whome he along tyme barking and continually inueying against God, did contemne, iudgeing it better to winke at his ignorāce, thē by answer to stirre ād prouoke him to a greater phrenesie. We know wel yneugh the nature of such men, that rather by answer they be kindled & inflamed to burste forth, thē to receaue any instruction, or be moued to conteane themselues [Page] within the boundes of modestie and shame fastnes.

Cypriane adduceth sindry places out of the Scriptures, as. Prou. 23.9. Thou shal say nothing in the eares of the vnwise, least when he shal here, he mock at thy witty speaking: and in an other place. Thou shal not answer to the foolish, accor­ding to his foly, Prou. 26.4. that thou be not lyke vnto him. We be warned by our Master, not to cast holy thinges before Swyne. Math. 7.6. Many other causes may be adduced of their si­lence, which should moue any man to beare with these mē for a certane tyme, in esperence of some amendimēt. But where the euil is incurable and danger appearing to the simple, Why cheiflie the Abbotes boke is answered. then the brydle is [...]o be loused to the tongue, and the pen sharped to the battell, not for the satisfaction of suche mē that giuen to cōtention, be indured ād wrapped vp in all blindnes and obstinacie, but in consideration of the good and vnlearned Rearder, who may here be sedu­ced and caried out of the way by a blinde guide.

I haue trauelled here to comprehend his whole boke in this my answer, I haue broght forth his argumētes, word by word, wherein if any faut shalbe found, let it not be imputed to me, but ether to the author him self, or els to his scribe. To the argumentes I haue answered formally in my iudgement, his wordes be noted in the margine, with this marck "so that the Reader may easylie discerne betuix his text and my answer. Somethings in the latter part of his boke as nothing apertenīg to the mater, by his own cōfessiō, I haue only touched, & not fully recited. The mater is [...]fortable, seing as it were two aduersaries, Iu­ning hād to hand in a feild, & contending for the victorie.

These were the principall thinges I had to forwarne thee good Reader, praying thee, to tak in good part, this my trauel. Thus I commit thee to be guyded by the Spirite of the Lorde Iesus, in expectation of better, when God shal giue it vnto me, and when the occasion and opportunitie shal serue. At Edinburgh, the 15. of Iulie. 1562.

Heir followeth the Confutation of the Abbote of Crosra­guels Masse, made by maister George Haye,

TREV it is, that before this boke of the Ab­bote of Crosraguels wes set furth and pub­lished, sindrie and diuers were the opinions of men concerning it. What wes the fame and estimati­on amō ­gest the Papists of the abbottes boke. For the sorte of them that be cōmonly tearmed Papistes, aduersa­ries to all trew Religion, thoght in verie deid that they should receaue such a confort, yea, such a Gun, as no mu­nition myght withstand, no strength resiste, nether yet any maner of force repel. They were encuraged by the brute and fame of the man, who onely wolde appeare in these tymes to haue dexteritie of ingyne, helped and auan­ced by long progres of tyme spent in good letters, yea, ād besydes the Scriptures of God, will also appeare to haue the conference, iudgement, and authoritie of the ancient Fathers and councils, which it may seme to the Reader that he feadeth (not vnlyke to the nyne Muses) in his bo­some. I my self hauing hade some tymes credit and ac­quentence of the man, loked for somwhat that might haue troubled the cōsciences of waiklinges, and of such as stay­ed them selues vpon a glistring and semely Ymagination of mans heart, rather then vpon the written and reueiled treuth, by the spirite of God. For it wes not vnknowen to me how familiare he hath bene with the scolastike So­phisters, their thornie questions, and scabrus conclusions yea, and some of the ancient Doctors, whose writinges, what by ignorance of tyme seduced, what by affection ca­ryed away, I thoght wel he should wreist to his vngodly opinion. So that I wes driuen not without sobing, gro­ning, syghing, and bitter teares to lament ād bewale the state of the simple and vnlearned, who in such repugnancie of contrarious opinions, could not wit whereunto to cleaue, nor what they should follow. And to speak frely on the other part, in respect of the amitie that hath other times [Page] interceded betuix the Abbote and me. I wes not lytle mo­ued, that he (for I can not tell what applausion & fame to be reported of the wicked and vngodly) shoulde hasserd and euenture his existimation in so impius, foolishe, and vaine a purpose, that he not vnlyke to the Gyātes, should oppugne the manifest treuth of God: and so to giue him self forth a baner man to all the wicked in a disperate cause And fynally that he should giue and bestowe his tyme so, that it myght seme, rather that he proceadeth from the hor­ses, to the Asses (as is in the Prouerbe) then from the Asses to the Oxen.

This my querimonie wes common to all the learned & godlie: who as they compleaned vpon the entreatment of the simple, so did they wonder, that a man of his owne studie, without all conference with men of letters, yea, and neuer hauing hard the doctrine teached: but seperate out of the Tentes of the people of God, to a certane cor­ner and Celle asyde, to be rauished to suche a phrenesie, as to damne the eternall veritie of God, to declare warre to all godlie men, and vnder the cullor and pretext of know­ledge, to shaw his owne infancie, and oppen vp his igno­rance, and so to expone him self to mockage and derision. On the other syde it wes somewhat confortable, that we ꝑceaued god, as it were, ready bent to haue his veritie exa­mined and tryed, and for this cause to haue it stoutlie as­sayled and violentlie inuaded, that the victorie enseuing, may be the more tryumphant and glorious. But what­soeuer wes the expectation of this golden birth, before it wes broght to lyght: Alwayes it that is moste conforta­ble I do marck, the curages of them that did moste brage of it to be fallen, The cu­rages of the depē ­deces v­pone the abbotes boke, re­bated. being altogether frustrate of their expec­tation: the simple to be nothing moued: the learned and the godly to compleane of the tyme ociusly and prophanely spent, which is so precious that the Apostle Paule willeth vs to redeame it by all meanes.

To the tryfles that be gathered out in this treatie, albeit answer be made euerie day in the Sermons, and euerie boye that hath sene the Catechisme is able to refell them: yet seing the desyre is of many that they be confuted by writing: the charge being lade to me, I could not refuse it, nor deny my lauboure to the Church of God, iudgeing it rather to stand with my deutie, to obey the cōmandement [Page 4] of the Congregation, in the defence of Gods cause and the treuth, thē to haue respect to an withered & intermitted a­mitie, yea, althogh it were neuer so straite and deare.

Now before I enter into the matter, let no man loke for suche horrible and blasphemous imprecations of me, as this Author maketh in syndrie places of his Famous worke of the masse. For such imprecations, as they procead of an obstinate and contumatious heart, so they be altoge­ther Deuillish, to deceaue and draw back the simple igno­rant and vnskilful Reader, vnto vtter distructiō, althogh they be without all authoritie of Scripture, or exemple of the godlie Fathers.

The authoritie of Paule shalbe found so farre soght, and so impertinent to the purpose, that I truste our holy Ab­bote will not leane thereto. And albeit he shall so do, we knowe with what Spirite Paule wes led, and his pen directed.

Do we reid at any tyme, that Cypriane, Augustyne, Hierome, Chrisostome, Theophilactus, Tertuliane and the rest of the anciēt wariors, stirred vp from time to time, The ab­bot without al exemple of any god­ly, renū ­ceth godes mer­cies. by Gods holy Spirite, for the auenging of his cause aga­nist the vnhappy sead and members of Sathan, hauing to do with no les pertinacious and wicked enimies to all treuth and Religion, nor we instantly: do we reid, I say againe, that euer thus madlie, and blasphemuslie they do renounce Gods mercies, and submit them to his seuere iudgementes: I am able to say: not.

But I can shaw you, Sire, of what fontane, these your blasphemies do flowe. We reid in deid that the Prophetes of Baall, 1. Reg. 18 28. ordinarlie did smyte them selues with knyues and Lancettes, and that (as appeared to them) wes no vaine cerimonie, but vsed to this end, that the people myght be hereby moued to credite them, and they getting authoritie to their fond dreames myght be iudged moste strong in defence of their opinion.

And this shall we obserue, in all Authors of vntreuth, and forgers of lies, that continually to affirme their impi­ous doctrine: ether shall they vse prouocations to Gods iudgementes, ether to such corporall chastisment shal they submit them, as may seme to declare in the inuenters of a fals Religion, an zeal to iustice and equitie: a bolde con­fidence in their opinion: and a wil to suffer the extremitie, [Page] for the defence of that which they manteane.

Thus hath God moste iustlie permitted the deuill to blinde men in all ages, who more delyteth in their owne imaginations, then in the treuth of God plainely reuea­led. The Analogie and similytude, were verie proper be­tuix the Preistes of Baall, and the Popes shauelinges: A comparison be­tuixt Balams preistes and the Po­pes. in the discurs of the whole, if I should dishiffer to the par­ticulare: of the dum & deaf god of the one: the caike god of the other: the incantations of the one, the sorcerie of the other: the stoike grauitie of the ministers of the one: and the stubborne morositie of the other: the dissolute lyfe of the one: and the ryote of the other, and so forthe, as were moste easie to draw to him that should set his ingine he­therto, and that not without fructe to the Reader.

Thus then let vs gather this note, whereby we may discerne the rauenus and disceatfull wolfe, from the godlie and religious Pastor, to wit, by these extraordinarie and horrible imprecations: An great swearer, is alwayes suspe­ct of gret falshead. by suche prophane and barbarous renouncing of Gods mercies. For as in iudgement the deposition of him that sweareth moste enormely and hay­nuslie, is not of greatest faith and authoritie, but rather is the more suspected. So haue we to iudge of his preposterꝰ and inuerted Silenus who regardeth nothing the propha­nation and abuse of Gods holy Name, and so to make him author of vntreuth: speaking only to draw the people vnwarres to his deuillish fantasies.

My purpose is then to procead through the weightie argumentes (for so he will haue them seming) and shawe to him with all modestie, wherein he deceaueth him self, what is wrongously and preposterusly drawen to his pur­pose, wherein he abuseth the Text of Gods worde and au­thoritie of the Fathers. If the Abbote appereth enraged in wri­tīg what wold he shew hī self in speakīg. Fynally to supplie the parte of Iames, who as he is introduced verie simple, so he tho­leth him self to be to hastelie vainquest. To such an Capi­tane, shall I neuer commit my hould in keaping, nether yet to such an aduocat, the defence of my iuste cause.

To that I haue passed through the whole, I will not speak of this, that our Author doeth wonder the masse to be called Idolatrie and witchcraft, and pronounceth bold­lie, all them to be possessed, that so doeth affirme (it appea­reth well that the man hath bene in an great rage of seuer: for if the wordes, he here infarceth, shoulde haue bene [Page 5] pronounced by mouth, Lord what scheikes should he haue shewē: I am assured he should haue passed Coruet, Chalme and Trompet) how treuly this is said by him, in the end the Reader will perceaue.

Now to iune with this Doctor, and susteane the part of Iames. How are ye able to imprufe this argument? All worshipping of God inuented by the braue of mā, is Ido­latrie, the masse is of that nature, ergo it is Idolatrie. Let vs consider how this Sophister, new start vp out of Sorbone, A bold & shamles assertion of the Abbotes goeth about to impugne the proposition of this Syllogisme. It is expres (sayeth he) against Gods word, for Abraham and syndrie of the Fathers had inuented wayes and meanes to worship God, without any commande­ment.

Thus, this new Doctor playeth him with his mirrie concept, but the mater were of lyght value if he should not trauell to draw the godlie Fathers allowed, and ha­uing testimonie of the Spirite of God, into the same impi­etie, and so to make them as it were Authors hereof. This is the fructe that is to be loked for, of the vaine fantasies & fond Ymaginations of the wicked hartes of men, when they take vpon them impudentlie the part of God. The man I can not tell what he thinkes of the mater, alwayes he reciteth no Text. Trew it is, that some Cotation is in the Margine: the 22.8. and 4. Chapitures of Geneses, places as appeareth to him so facile and pertinent, that they neid no rehearsall.

In deid I will not werie to bring forthe the wordes of the Text. It is written in the 22. Chapiture the. 9. vers. When they were cōing to the place which God had shaw­en to him, in the which he builded vp an Alter, and laide the woode orderly, and bound Isaac his Sonne, and laide him on the Alter vpon the woode. This I take to be the place ye meane of, for there be no other in that Chapiter, whereby ye may any wise help you. Now then let vs consider how proper this Text is to the purpose.

To make this Text to serue your purpose, ye will (I beleue) affirme that Abraham had no commandement so to do, yet if we consider the Text aright, there shalbe foūd an plaine commandement of God, God to be the conduc­tor of Abraham all the way, and fynally his whole fact to be approued by the Spirite of God. The commandement [Page] is plaine in the Second vers. Take now thy onely sonne Isaac, whom thou louest best, and get thee to the Land of Moriah, and offer him there for and brunt offring, vpon one of the Montanes, Whither Abrahā had a cō ­mande­ment to make an Alter. which I shal shaw vnto thee. Can there be an more plaine charge of God then this? But ye will say pereuēture, there be nothing there spokē of an Al­ter: that I deny: for it is plain that he is cōmanded to offer him vp for an brunt o [...]ferring, where plainely the Alter is commanded, or els if it be not cōmmanded, it followeth well that it had bene cō [...]anded from the beginning to the Fathers, and so to haue had place from tyme to tyme, that no Sacrifice wes offered vp, but vpon an certane Alter, erected to that vse, which may euidently appeare in this, that the erection of the Alter is recited in the fact of Abra­ham, The ma­ner of of­ferrings of the fa­thers, alwayes ō Alters. which is all whole allowed and lykewise shalbe de­clared in the fact of Noie. It is no wayes to be beleued, that this holy Father, who doeth all by the direction of faith, yea, and whose fact is altogether allowed of God, as we reid plainly in the Text the. 16. That this holy Pa­triarch, I say attempteth any thing in the worke of God, without his commandement. This I trust Iames might haue replyed.

In the eight Chapiter it is written. Then Noie buyl­ded an Alter to the Lord, and tuke of euerie clene beast, and of euerie clene foule, and offered brunt offeringes vpon the Alter. Here starteth vp our Carrick Doctor, and sayeth, Noie hath no commandement this to do. Where is the charge to buylde the Alter? To offer vp the Sacrifice?

Firste if I shall ask this Doctor, if Noie had any com­mandement to buyld the Arcke to receaue therein of all sortes of beastes, and mo of the clene, then vnclene, A simili­tud of the knowe­ledge of the clene and vn­clene beastes, and of the or­dinance and will of God, knowen in the al­ter mak­ing. to en­ter into it. I think he will not deny it, yea, and that to testifie his obedience, he wold not depart out of the Arcke, till he wes commanded, and besydes this, reid we not plainely? that he wes commanded to take a greater nom­ber of the clene beastes, then vnclene? and that for the Sa­crifice cause? which altogether may appeare vaine. If the counsel of God herein had bene kept secrete and backe from this holy Father, who wes to be the Preist for offer­ring vp of sacrifice. Attour Moyses sayeth plainly that the sacrifices were appointed to be of the clene beastes, whereī it is most certane that Noie could make no defference, ne­ther [Page 6] yet wes it in the pleasure, or power of man, for wes it able to Noie think ye? to descerne betuix the clene, and the vnclene, and it that wes meit for Sacrifice, and it that wes not. If the Spirite of God had not this reuealed vnto him? it is not to be beleued.

Shall we conclude now that this which he doeth to the praise of God, for his deliuerance and reporteth suche an testimonie of the allowance, and approbation of God, that the lyke is not giuen throughout all the Scriptures to no Sacrifice? Shal we conclude this to be done without the ordinance of God, ether by reuelation in dreame, or els by an Angel. For these were the two ordinarie meanes wher­by God vttered his will, to his Elect and chosen: which wayes being now pretended by Papistes and Anabapti­stes can haue no place. The eternall Sonne of God, who is the fyne and end of all propheci [...]s, being alreadie mani­fested in the fleshe, ascended to the Father, and his Scrip­tures shute vp and closed.

I beleue Sire ye wil not deny, but this work wes done in faith, being thus allowed by the Spirite of God, Rom. 1 [...]. fayth cometh of hearing, as the Apostle doeth reasone out of Isayas, Isay. 53. which hearing, is subiect to the worde of God. So thus then it may appeare manifestlie that this godlie fact of Noie, leaneth to the commandement and worde of God.

A [...]toure we may obserue the maner of proceading of the Spirite of God in his Scriptures, that in so farre as he is giuen to a certane sententious breuitie, he passeth by the commandement of the fact which he so earnestly alloweth, and that immediatlie after, yea, and sometymes in the precept it self, pretermitteth some circumstances of tyme, place, Alter and suchlyke, whereof after is made mention.

Further do we think it to be of no authoritie and weight that which is spoken in the conclusion of the 4. Chapiter. In deid for my owne iudgement, as I moste willinglie subscriue, to the interpretation of them that hereby vn­derstandeth the erecting of Gods trew Religiō, that here­tofore by the impietie of the tyme, and the wicked maners of men had bene suppressed and adulterated. So will I affirme that the worshipping of the eternall, wes redacted to a certane forme and ordor, not that euerie man shal do that, that doeth seme best beutiful and pleasing in his sight [Page] but vse him self according to the Lawes and preceptes of the Spirite of God, who is the Author & modirator of all godlynes.

Who then darre be so impudent or malapeart to deny this Sacrifice of Nose to be here commanded, or that it shall not [...]e [...]e to this forme, here spoken and mentionat? I truste none.

The answers made to these two, may serue sufficiently to the refutation of it that is alledged out of the beginning of the 4. Chapiter, which is of Abell. If I should not binde and astrict my self to the answer of euerie perticulare, that this Authore hereafter shall haue no shift to auoide nor pretext to cloke his wilfull and barbarous obstinacie. The wordes are these. And in proces of tyme, it came to pas, that Cain broght an oblation to the Lord of the fruit of the ground, and Abell also him self, broght of the fructes of his shepe, and of the fat of them, and the Lorde had re­spect vnto Abell and his offerring, but vnto Cain and to his offerring he had no regarde.

In the answer to this, where it is pretended by this re­asoner, that there is no cōmandement giuen in the Text to ether of the brethren so to do: albeit the place of the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, Hebr. 11. may serue to the refutation hereof, yea, & the Text it self new rehearseth, al­lowing Abell & his work, & the Author to the Hebreues, ascribing the praise of fayth vnto it. Laubo­ring of the gro­und and reping, & bringing vp of cat­tell by God, & vertious exercises pleasing God. Yet will I trauell somewhat further, and prufe by this Text, that no dout they were thus instructed by their Father. The maner & kynd of lyfe which they did follow, wes no dout, godlie and laudable, for the manuring of the ground wes com­manded of God, and prefered to all other exercise and lau­boure, by the antiquitie. The feading of the Cattell wes no les honest then profitable, yea, and this whole lyfe, as it is moste simple and clene, and impolluted, so it is moste naturall. Whereof we may collect, that they did bothe ex­ercise them selues in lauboures approued of God, & moste necessarie to the releif of the cōmon vse of the lyfe of man, so that there can be no dout, but they were well instructed by their father. Seing they do exercise them selues, bothe in offerring vp of Sacrifices, so that in the lyfe of Cain, to the outward appearance, no man shall find faut, vsing himself deuly to his God, and winning sustentation, wi [...]h [Page 7] all leafull and honest meanes to him self and his houshold. For how shal we think that euer it should haue ascended in the gredy and wicked hart of Cain, to offer vp in Sacri­fice to God, of the feuer of the ground, if the Father had not teached him? Yea, and coacted him as it were.

This I think ye will not deny, but if ye ask where is the cōmandement giuen to the Father. To answer hereto we shall rehears somepart of the Chapiter, preceading:: principally that notable and confortable sentence, where it is said. I shal put Inimitie betuix the sede of the Serpēt, and the sede of the woman, he shall break thy head, & thou shal bruse his heill. in the which wordes, no dout, the pro­mes of the Sauioure is conteined, and the meanes signifi­ed, whereby Saluation wes to be procured vnto man, and that by the Sacrifice of his death, whereof all Sacrifices were figures.

Do we then think that God, hauing thus rased vp mā, from the pit and the goulf of death, giuing to him some cer­tane smelling of lyfe, being new casten out of paradise, ha­uing lost the syght and contemplation of that tree which wes a Sacrament vnto him, and a pledge of immortalitie, The tree of lyfe in paradise, wes a sa­crament of imm­ortalytie do we not think (I say) that he appointed him these ordi­narie exercises of Sacrifices, whereby they might be re­teaned in continuall remembrance and protection, The Sacrifices were cō ­manded by God vnto A­dame, & not in­uēted by him self, althogh no expres mention be made thereof, when, nor, how it wes. of that Sacrifice of the croice, offered vp by the Sauioure, and out of the which Saluation floweth vnto all? God forbid that we so shall think that the Sacrament of Gods fauore being taken from the Fathers, when they were eiected out of paradise, exiled and debarred from the tree of lyfe, that then there wes no esperance of releif and succoure leaft to them, & their posteritie, but altogether denuded & spoyled of all confort? God forbid, I say that we should think so, but rather in the Sacrifices (which were not vainely and rashely inuented by man, but commanded from aboue by God) but rather in the Sacrifices (I say againe) there wes a sure infallible and vndouted argument of esperance giuen of our reconciliation againe with God, and how we should atteane to the lyfe, lost before by our rebellion.

For plaine it is, that the Apostle ascribeth the praise and worthynes of this Sacrifice, which is offered vp by Abell to faith, whereof it followeth moste certanely and necessar­ly, that it wes not done without the commandement and [Page] expres worde. Further we know euer trew obedience, to be more acceptable and pleasing to God then any Sacri­fice, God is not dely­ted with onely ex­terne worshipping. Therfor the godly Fathers worshipped him ī Spirit in their sa­crifices & Cerimo­nies. for out of obedience we may well affirme all virtue to flowe and procead, which being astricted to the word (as we haue heretofore said) it followeth well that nothing cā be approued of God, but that which he hath commanded.

Thridly, since our God is constant, and euer lyke vnto him self, darre we say that at any tyme he praiseth and deli­teth in any outward and externall worshipping or often­tation? How can it then but follow necessarlie this, thus allowed of God, thus approued by his holy Spirite, but it wes offered vp vnto him, spiritually, so that we shal not here say that the Fathers were mocked, their Sacri­fices being but naked, emptie and vaine cerimonies, which were prescribed to them. For vndoutedly these cerimoni­es signified an hier mater and that moste cōfortable, which can not be seperated from the word, seing that the onely thing whereby the naturall, liuely, and approued hono­ring of God, is decerned and tryed, from the bastarde and superstitious, is the inuard treuth and symplicitie of hart.

The al­lowing of the fact declar­eth that whiche otherwayes is o­mitted.Thus may we plainely se that God expelling vs from the tre of lyfe, in the which he had first sealed the certitude of his beneuolence towardes man, and assured him hereof now by other meanes and wayes, declareth him to be a mercyfull and a propitious God againe: for in these of­ferringes besydes that they declared them, to receaue all at the handes of God, there is further included, in the slaughter of the beastes, and spilling of the blood, to wit, a respect vnto that which is mentionat in the sentence re­cyted.

Because it wes accusto­med of al mē to of­fer, ther­fore their wes no dout of the pre­cept ther of.But these thinges can neuer be vnderstand, if the ordor of Moyses in the writing of the historie be misknowē, who in consideration of that treuth and constancie that lyeth in our God, is not verie curyous to rehears euerie thing, precept, and commandement in the own place, but rather remitteth the charge which is general vnto the allouance of a certane fact, proceading of it as is in this cace.

But ye will say there is no mention hereof. I answer, that albeit it be not in plaine tearmes, yet in that, that we reid the promes, yea, and lykewise we reid that it wes an ordinarie thing and accustumat, aswel by the wicked, as the godly, let vs assure our selues that it wes not without [Page 8] the commandement of God.

But these maters, this cunning clerk passeth by, The na­ture of hypocri­tes, is greatlie to esteme their owne inuentions, & to cōtent the ordi­nance of the Al­mighty. affir­ming thinges to be moste trew, which are declared to be moste fals and impious, and goeth about to refell some ex­emples which godlie preachers vsed to imprufe the vaine and fond inuentions of Ypocrytes, who thinketh God to be appleased with whatsoeuer thing they inuent to his worshipping. And yet contrarily there is nothing acceptable to him, nor that he seaketh more of man then obediēce in simplicitie without declyning to the right or left hand, which sentences as they are moste certane and trew, so be their moste notable exemples in the Scriptures, for the confutation of them, but specially besydes these that this Author hath broght furth of the Sacrifice of Saule, and preseruation of Agag. &c. To wit, of Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aron. The Ephod m [...]de by Gedeon. The fact of Michias, cōcerning the Molten Ymages, Leui. 10. Iudi. 8. Iudi. 17. 2 Sam. 6. and of Osa in the vpholding of the Acck, and others which were to long to recyte.

‘These actes sayeth this Doctor, are wicked, because they are done against the cōmande­ment.’ Which he is not able to prufe in all, but to go with him in this, 1 Sam. 15 what is he able to adduce against the notable and godlie sentence of the Pro­phet Samuell? Obedience is better then Sacrifice, which obedience can not be without commandement giuē. Obedi­ence can not be without cōmandement. Seing then that obedience is preferred to all, and is that which onely our God requireth of vs, and it againe is re­stricted to a certane precept, there can be no place to our inēutions, without the warrand of the word of God. All that be of vs, thinketh that we wold haue our seruādes so framed, that at their own hād they should attēpt nothing, A simili­tude of our ser­uandes. vnles they be bidden, they cā not be assured of weldoing. Shal we not think vs this farre astricted and oblift to our God, who ꝓnounceth all to be sinne, that is not of fayth, who lykewise hath teached vs to pray for the performance of his will, euen as in the heauen, so in the earth, that is, Rom. 14. that (according to the exposition of the moste godlie) as the Angels are ready at all tymes to execute suche charges as shall please God to derect them, attempting nothing without the warrand of his cōmandement, so man to sub­mit [Page] stoup and how dune his wil, appet [...]t [...] and effection, to his godly pleasure, taking nothing vpon him self, but wholylie randering and geuing him ouer to God, to be guyded, reuled and conducted by his holy Spirite.

To this may be added that, that is written by the Apo­stle to the Collo. where he in plaine tearmes condemneth all voluntarie worshippinges, Collo. 2. vsing the Greik worde, which is moste proper, [...] what outward apperance soeuer they shalbe deckt with.

‘The work of Saul (say ye) is vngodly, because it is expres against Gods cōmandement, wher by we may perceaue that it is a great defferēce and the zeal appeare neuer so good to do any work expres against Gods cōmandemēt, be to do A good worke of godly zeal without the command of God.’

These be your wordes faithlly recited out of the exemp­lare that hath comin to my handes. The in­uētions of men amōgest Papistes are moste perfyte seruice of God. This I darre not pas by with silence, because ye will seme to put a great part of your probation herein. The fact of Saule is vn­godly, because it is done against the ordinance of God, yea, and the first part ye inferre thereupon is trew, but in this ye are miserabilly deceaued, that (besydes that the partes and members of your comparation are improperly and ineptly ioyned together) ye will inuent to vs a new kynde of work which is good, and done of a godly zeal, without the cōmandement of God. For this I hald to be moste sure, that their is no good work done of a godly zeal, but it is cōmanded by God. And I will adde this more that all good workes done of a godly zeal, Whatsoeuer is not commanded vs in worshipping of our God the same is forbidden. are commanded by God, and contrarly all workes that are not comman­ded by God, are mere wickednes. For this reuerence and perfection we haue to attrybute to the ordinances & Law of our God that all that is good, is by him cōmanded per­fectly. It that is not cōmanded ī the worshipping of God albeit it shall appeare verie glorius in our eyes, yet in so farre as it hath not the cercitude of Gods cōmandement, being committed by vs, it is vtterlie wicked, and to be placed ī the rank with the workes that be expresly forbid­den, because we haue no assurance nor warrand. But here [Page 9] we may mark it to be trew that is commonly said, one er­ror engenders an other. The ignorance & misknowledge of this, casteth you, Sire, into an greater and more gros error.

Trew it is, that Cornelius wes a Gentile, and did many good workes acceptable to God, no dout, but that your argument may procead, ye haue to proue that they were done without the commandement of God, which ye are not able, nor all your ignorant, wicked and vngodly sect: for the Spirit of God pronounceth plainely that he wes a religious man, & fearing God with all his whole hous, so that he hath expres testimonie to haue bene instructed in the Law of God, of the Reuelation and comming of the Messias promised, and Saluation proceading of him, and to haue teached the same to all his hous. Now I truste ye are not able to proue any thing done by Cornelius, but by the commandement of God.

But all your sayinges being moste fals, ye assume them without any probation, It appeareth that ye haue bene so cōmered with the mater ye had interprysed, to refell, that ye cared not how to pas by it, so ye myght appeare to the Reader, to haue done somthing not vnlyke to the wower, The ab­bote is lyke a wower in this sclande­ring of the prea­chers. who hauing bene a while in hous with a yong maiden, & she now ready to be contracted with an other in mariage, rather then he should be called the blaite louer, be sclande­reth the damisel. Yet am I not lytle conforted in this, that ye make (good, and acceptable to God) to be of equal and of a value, a thing, euer denyed by the Sophisters and scoole men. Take head that they be not be the eares with you, for this, and conceaue some opinion of Apostasie and defection, as ye ar a mā in deid that can direct your cours to the winde, if ye should not be caryed away with the winde of ambition and pryde.

Thus, this subtle reasoner concludeth the oppugnatiō of the Maior, putting a defference betuix the workes that be done of a good zeal, against the commandement of God, & such as are done with a good intent, The ab­bote try­umpheth befor the victorie. without the cōman­dement of God. The one neuer to be reputed acceptable, because they can not aggre with the Scriptures, but the other doeth aggre, and so this glorious Doctor singeth Peana ▪ neuer hauing passed through the feild, neuer hauīg troubled him self, nor yet swet. Much easyar had it bene to [Page] haue said shortly this proposition is erronious, and nedeth no refutation, and to haue proceadeth to the assumption. This maner of reasoning, albeit it may seene to refell any thing that will be alledged by Thome armors men in the contrare: yet think not that ye will blind the eyes of such as may abyde the Sonne, and are tryed thereby.

And therefore Sire, yet we say to repeat the sūme of the whole in few wordes, that all worshipping of God, inuē ­ted by mans braine is Idolatrie, and altogether displea­seth God, Deut. 4.12. because it is done agaīst his expres cōmandemēt, for Gods expres commandement is this: not that thing, that appeareth good in thy eyes, shall thou do to the Lord thy God, This wes spo­ken by the holie Goste, for a perpetuall precept, in the seruing and worshipping of God. but what the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, that do thou, thou shall adde nothing thereto, nether shall thou deminish any thing there fro.

Consider now Sire in what rank, workes done with­out Gods commandement are placed, and take better head to distinctions and defferences inuented to auoid a treuth. Thus farre myght Iames haue gone with you, if ye had bene mynded to haue led him the ryght way. But now let vs consider the answer made to the Second parte of Iames argument, called in the Scooles somtymes Assu­mptio [...] somtymes minor. Here our Kynnishe Doctor trauelleth, exceadingly to proue the masse, not to be inuē ­ted by man, but instituted by our Sauiours Christ Iesus, at the latter Supper, at the least the effect and substance of it. And to confirme this, he giueth a deffinition of the masse, concluding all the other Cerimonies, prayers and orations to be added by the Apostles, and their Disciples, moste faslie and vntreuly, as shalbe after spoken, when as we haue ended and proued that parte that he Subiunis of the name of the masse. For this is his ordor, to fall from the substance, to the appellation immediatly, introducing Iames, and making him to proue the masse no wayes to be instituted by our Sauiour Christ, seing there is no such name in the new Testament. I am not ignorant, what weight & force the argument is of, that is drowen A nota nominis: in the Logique Scooles, to wire, that it is more probable to persuade, then strong and pithie to con­uict. Yet if we shall consider the Scriptures of God, Of what force, Argumentum, a nota nominis may [...]e in the Sriptures. the maner of proceading of the holy Spirite in them, no dout, it shal be found as it were inuincible.

[Page 10]For I ask of you Doctor, that taketh vpon you continual reading and meditation of the Scriptures, where ye do euer find any ordinance of God, set furth, to the which the Spirit of God giueth not a certane name, Euerie ordināce of God, in the scripture haeth a name proper to it self. where­by lyuelie as it were he paynteth furthe the mater, and propertie thereof. I am assured that the holy instituti­on of circumcision is so tearmed by the Spirite of God, the pashoner lykewise: the Sacrifices appointed in the boke of Leui, as they by their cerimonies and oblations, are distinguished one from an other, so euerie one hath their own proper name, which no man durst alter, change or innouate. In the new Testament the lyke to be prac­tised by the same Spirite, it is moste euident. Is not the Sacrament of our regeneratiō called Baptisme? and that moste properlie: the holie action of our Sauiour, Cor. 10.11. at the Table, before his departing from his Apostles, in the which he gaue bread and wine, the verie signes and to­kens, yea, the verie pledges of his body and blood, The whole action of Christ at the table that night he wes be­trayed, hath di­uers na­mes pro­per by it self. is not this action called somtymes the Communion, somtymes the Lordes Supper, and such other appellations, drawen furth of the Scriptures, as the Sacrament of his body & blood, and of thankesgeuing.

This then being cleir, that there is no institution in the old, nor yet ī the new Testamēt, but as moste faythfully & cairfully the ceremonies, the rytes and the maner of them are declared, so shal we obserue the names to be moste pro­perlie attrybuted vnto them. For this we may eissally ob­serue, the trauell and studie of the Spirite of God to be, that as the ordinances of God are moste clene and holy in them selues, so they be exempted from all matche & patch­ing of the foolish imagination of mans hart. This rule therefore may serue to try all strange & bastard īstitutions of man, croppen in the place of the trew and faithfull or­dinances of God, which haue obscured, adulterated, and defaced the Germane ceremonies, left and deposed by our onely Law maker, Iesus Christ the wosdome of his Fa­ther.

What are ye able, Sire, I pray you to say agaīst this argumēt? Al the ordināces of God are so set furth in the scriptures, that nether is there any ceremonie pretermitted, nor yet is the name of the whole action passed by with sielenc [...] Nether is the name of your masse conteined in the Scrip­t [...]res, [Page] nor yet the cerimonies vsed in it, prescriued by our Sauioure. The name of the masse is not in the scrip­tures. It followeth then that it hath nothing to do with the institutions of our Maister Iesus Christ.

To your subterfuge pretended of Clemens and Ignatius when as I shall answer to the authorities of the Doctors cited by you, there shalbe declared the meaning of them, and how they vsed that word to no such thing as ye meane Clemens if he wes the Scolar of Peter, I know not, but sure I am that if he wes his Disciple, and these his work­es which be set furth in his name, that Peter should think him worthy of the stryppes, for there is ether nothing, or verie lytle, that sauoreth of the breist of that Apostle, in this Clemens.

This I wold ye should receaue, rather of the mouth of Eusebeus nor myne, who writing in the sext boke and. 11. Cha. of the Ecclesiastical historie of Clemens Alexandrinꝰ, what vnlefull testimonies he vsed, Here may be sene how sure gro­unde the papister haue for their masse. reckynneth this your Clemens Epistle. Ignatius writeth in Greik, the inter­pretors ignorant of that language, or els not throughlie vnderstanding latine, yea, and not knowing the meaning of the Author, turneth by this word, Missas celebrare, where the godly writer Ignatius, vseth these wordes, [...] or such wordes signifeing, not els but to cōuene, assemble, & gather the people together, to the seruice of God. This may appeare euidently in the place of Socrates, that is in the thrid boke, of the tripertie historie, writing of Melitiꝰ. [...] which place is turned by Epiphaniꝰ, the followers of Meclitius, made masses apart, the author meaning no suche mater, nor yet the turner of no such masse as we haue sene, The ab­bote is deaceued through ignorāce of the Greik tongue. but onely that they conuened apart by them selues, & so abstracted them selues from the rest of the Congregatiō The ignorance of this language, deceaueth thee glorious Doctor, howsoeuer thou be puft vp in thy owne consaite and playes King harrad amongest thy owne compani­ons, lyke vnto thy self: but hereafter we wil haue better occasion to speak of this mater, in the conference of the Doctors.

There is yet an other shift, pretty as appeares to this [Page 11] Author, which is, that the Fathers conuened at the coun­cill holding at Nicea, to refute the herysie of Arius, inuē ­ted this word, [...] and an other, whereby they tearme the Virgine to be the mother of God. [...] not Theothitos, as ye do write ignorantly, & the thridt in our own tongue Trinitie, which wordes sayeth this Au­thor, are not found in the Scriptures, what if I shal deny this, vnto this new start vp Doctor of Carrick: How is he able to proue it, if he vnderstandeth not the language, that the Scriptures were first written in, by the finger of the holy Goste.

But to come nerrer, what albeit these wordes be not found, seing it is moste certane, we haue the mater expres­sed by the wordes, at large declared in them, so that any man that shal here these wordes pronounced, The pa­pisticall Doctors can not shaw fed what lā ­gauage the name of the masse is come. incōtinently knoweth the mater, being moste properly and euidently shawen by the wordes. But this word masse I pray thee, what affinitie hath it with the mater signifieth by it, which nether it self is found in the Scriptures nor the mater sig­nified by it. I pray thee, let me know the signification of it? or what cuntrie language is it? I know that some of your men trauelleth to draw it from the Hebrew, some affirmeth it to be an latine tearme, receaued in the great dekay of the latine tongue▪ What euer it be the Authors can not conuene vpon it, some affirming one thing, and some an other. It is moste probable that it proceadeth from the ryte of the Sacrifices of the Greikes, who in the end thereof vsed some certane solempnitie in geuing leaf to the people to depart saying. [...] according to the which ye say. Ite missa est. crossing the people with an emptie chalice. How ita missa est came in firste. I myght take occasion here to speak somwhat at more large of this mater, if my purpose were not to waite vpon this Author, & nowayes to pas by him.

Now followeth to intreat somwhat of the diffinition of the masse, The ab­bottes first di [...]finition of the papi­sticall masse. giuen by this glorious glosare, an he giues first, which is this.

‘That the masse is noght els, properly but the Sacrifice of the Lordes body, really contened vnder the formes of bread and wine, institute [Page] by Iesus Christ in his latter Supper, in re­membrance of, his death and passion.’

Hereafter he interiectis this disputation of the name of the masse, and then as new hauing digested his wyne, he returneth and assigneth an other diffinition which is this. ‘The masse I vnderstand to be a commemora­tion of Christes death & passion, in the which the bread and wyne are cōsecrated, The ab­bottes Second diffinitiō of the said masse. according to Christes institution, and the body and blood of Iesus Christ, vnder the forme of bread and wyne are offered to the Father of heauen, and are receaued as the heauēly food of our soules.’

This fare this Author, any man that conferreth the one with the other, may consider easylie how necessarie it wes to this Author to assigne this new and last diffinition, be­cause of the great imperfection of the formare. Alwayes, howsoeuer he is troubled with him self, to patche, sowe, clamp and set together such peaces as will neuer aggre, let vs procead to the examinatiō of the treuth of his sayinges.

This I vnderstand to be the maner of teaching of the Logique Scooles, What diffinition is requi­red according to the scoole men. and namely of Aristotle (whome to not without cause, the Scoole giueth the praise and pre­rogatiue) in the sext boke of his Topickes, where he of set purpose entreateth of the conditions, properties, and qualities of a laufull, diffinition, that it shall haue it that they call Senus, which being as it were confuse, because it extendeth the self to other members nor it that is ī que­stion, they do adde differences, which shall so properly ap­perteyne to the mater, that is spoken of that they shall declare the nature and the substance thereof, so that there shal nether want nor be superflous any thing therein, but deuide, discerne and seperate it from all others, our inuer­ted Silenus, in the former explication, taketh the masse to be a Sacrifice, but because there be many kyndes of Sacrifices, therefore he addeth the rest, that it may be knowen to be a Sacrifice of such a kynde, and thus seperated from all others.

Now haue we to consider how iustly he doeth call it a Sacrifice. All Sacrifices, whatsoeuer thou shal here of in [Page 12] the Scriptures, albeit they be many in nomber, yet be they all redacted to this strate, that ether they be of the no [...] ber of thē that the Greik calleth, [...] or [...] yea & sōtymes [...] whereby men doeth testifie, and oppenly witnes them to receaue all thinges out of the handes of God, and for his wonderfull and inestimable giftes and benifites, offerreth the Sacri­fice of thankesgeuing vp vnto his maiestie. What significatiō the sacri­fices in the scriptures may haue whereof the first, reid here Of this sorte were they Sacrifices appointed in the Law, and called solide offerringes libations, the first stuctes, oblations, peace offerringes and such others, whereby the people sometymes did testifie there Religion, sometymes did vse them in maner of supplication, to search the fauon [...] of their God, now to practise with them selues the obedience and loue that they owe to their God, in consideration of his liberalitie, yea, and now to stirre vp their hartes to the trew and vnfenyed feare of God, and all together moste chieflie to renew the remembrance of that blissed and hap­py couenant which it hath pleased the Eternall to make with them.

I do think ye wil not minishe the glorie and prerogatiue of this your owne doghter, whome ye flatter so busylie, as to put her in the rank of these, seing ye ascribe vnto her remission of sinnes, Er opere operato. For thus speaketh your gostly Fathers the Scoole men, with the whole ra­ble of Sophisters, vnto that vndefyled lady, who is ready to ioyne with euery shauilling, and also is at all tymes ready deckt to him, that hath the price in his hand.

Of this kynd of Sacrifices, ye do not tak the masse to be, as may euidently appeare by your boke, where ye set her vp, euen with the Sacrifice of the croce, as we shal after here

The other kynde of Sacrifices be, The se­cond sig­nificatiō that the Sacrifi­ces expressed ī the Scriptures haue when an oblation is offered vp for a sinne, whereby it is redeamed before God: and this is called a propitiatorie, expiatorie an sa­crifice of satisfaction, as by the which the wraith of God is appeased, satisfaction made to his [...]ste and ryghteous iudgementes: so that the sinner purged and restored vnto puritie and iustice is in fauor with God, by virtue thereof, seing it hath power and force, to wype and washe away sinnes. And this name had they offerringes in the Law, that were ordeined & appointed for remission of such sines as were committed, euerie one in the own kynde, not that [Page] they were able of them selues, or had that force, but because they were appointed to this end, figuring that Sacrifice which is onely worthy of that name, persyted by our Saui­oure Iesus Christ vpon the croce, putting end and syne to all Sacrifices. If this Iowel and block of yours, shalbe of this kynde, it falloweth well that she forgiueth sinnes. And not without cause ye beck and bowe to her so earne­stlie, that is, by virtue of that action that God remitteth sinnes.

But here wold I glaidly inquire, whose sinnes are re­mitted, whither the sacrificer or the beholder, of the which I am sure no man knoweth (for the moste parte) any more, but that he sees the murgeons played, a disguysed preist, somtymes pufting, somtymes blawing, somtymes dreaming, now as it were walking out of his slepe, now turning his face to the people, now to the Alter, now cro­sing, now bowing him self doune, now murmilling, som­tymes displaying furth his handes, now cōtracting them. And fynally doeth not els but gaseth vpon the swellowing ouer of a peace of bread, and the vglie and shamefull lick­ing of a cuppe, without any ciuilytie. If in the beholding of this lyeth, remission of sinnes, in deid they are easie to be pardoned. The harlot preist [...]iceaued the sim­ple peo­ple. If we shall say that the preist as he taketh the whole to him self, so onely obteined he forgiuenes of his sinnes, then the people is heauily intreated, and at an euill point, when the harlote and the ignorant preist shall haue the whole. This is mirrie to refresh the reader, and yet is moste trew, for this wicked and deuillish opinion of remission of snies by masse, hath enuennomed all Christē ­dome and drowned it vp so, that she allone wes esteamed to be the lady, the plyght and souerane Anchor, yea, and the porte of all benediction and Saluation. What blasphe­mie and derogation, to the blood of Iesus Christ? To his dignitie, honor and preisthead, hath proceaded hereof? as it is now manifest to euerie one, so in the refutatiō of this, we are driuen to speak somwhat. And firste wil I demād of this Romish Doctor: where did he euer here that theie wes any Sacrifice instituted without a Sacrificer? Christe alone is the preist and none other.

We knowe that the Author to the Hebreues, Vendicates the dignitie of preisthead, wholy to our Sauioure, whose preisthead he calleth there. [...] that is to say, of that nature, that it can not be transferred into an other.

[Page 13]The argument of the Apostle is verie cleir, in the 7. Chap. where he giues the cause of the multytude & plura­litie of preistes, euerie one succedinge other, Hebr. 7. because they were mortal and subiect to death, ād so could not remane. Why in the olde Lawe ther wes many Preistes But no such infirmitie falleth in our preist the Lord Iesus who hath offered vp him self in a ful satisfaction and recō ­pence, for all our sinnes and that ones, the vertue where­of remaneth perpetually, and yet desisteth not to execute the other parte of the office of the preist, euer interreading at his Fathers handes, for the offences of the people, euer liuing as the Apostle sayeth, for that cause. How then can this Sacrifice stand without a preist? How can there be any oblation without a Sacrificer? There is no shed­ding of blood in the masse and therefore no remissiō of sinnes

Secondly, we be plainely teached by this same author that there can be no remission of sinnes without effusion & shedding of blood. In your masse there is no shedding of blood, for ye call it on vnbloody Sacrifice: but how iustly after shalbe cōsidered. How then darre ye promise to your selues remission of sinnes thereby.

Thridly, if ye will pertinatiouslie insist, and will it to be a Sacrifice, necessarly it shal follow, that it that is offerred shalbe slaine. If Christ be Sacrificed in euerie masse, then shal he be moste barbarously and cruelly slaine euerie day, in ten thousand places, for ye affirme plainely, If Christ be offered in euerie masse, as the papi­stes say, thē must he be sla­ine euery day, a­boue a thousand tymes. that ye offer him vp vnto his Father. This is not myne, but the Apostles argument in the same Epistle, if it had bene neidfull to him to haue offered him self ofter then ones, then should he haue suffered oftentymes, since the beginning of the world. It followeth then cleirly that since ye take v­pon you to offer him vp at all tymes in euerie corner, that ye do that, that is in you to put traterous and blody han­des vpon him. Your shiftes and subterfuges are well knowene to me, firste that ye christ not successors to our Sauioure, as if he were dead and vtterly taken away, but suffraganes of his Eternall preisthead. But if the wordes of the Apostle be well examinat and considdered aryght, they do proue manifestly, that nether neadeth he a succes­sor nor yet a suffragane, seing he is euer leuing, and ready to execute, yea, and executing his office, euer present with his Church, and neuer intermitting the office laide vpon him by his Father. And this his Sacrifice he dide ones offer vp, by vertue whereof remission of sinnes is obtened, [Page] to all that beleued. In the office of intercession, he is cō ­tinually occupyed, as we haue somwhat touched, so that in no part of his office, can he be ether esteamed sleuthful, absent or so occupied to require a Suffragane, ether yet mortal and subiect to death, that he should neid a successor.

Hereby I trust it be sufficiently declared, your masse to be no Sacrifice, and so your diffinition to fal in that point, and so haue ye to lybell new againe. The papistes subteltie & deceat in taking away one part of the sa­crament. To that ye say the Lordes body is really conteined vnder the formes of bre­ad and wyne, I wonder ye make no mention of the blood of our Lorde aswell, as of the Body, but in this ye shaw well where ye learned, to wit, at Sorbone, and not at the Scoole of Christe: for Christe instituteth and vseth two seuerall simboles of his body & blood, bread & wyne, but you as ye are teached of your maister Sathan; doeth think that, nawise neidfull. In token whereof ye haue de­barred all Christianes, except a certane shauelinges, from the one part of the Lordes table, and hath reserued the cuppe all whole to your selues, and in deid, God be prai­sed, it is not euill sent vpon their boched faces. Albeit that Iesus Christ the Author hereof doeth plainely com­mand, that all shall drink, and this wes euer practised in the primitiue Church, yea, and euer reteined by the anci­ent Fathers, howsoeuer ye take vpon you, in your stink­ing diffinition, that it wes so instituted by our Sauioure, in remembrance of his death and passion: so lyghtly not onely do ye pas by the holy ordinances of God, but also the shedding of his blood.

In the Second diffinition which appeareth to conteine a certane correction of the former, Ane an­swer to the secōd diffinitiō of the masse. Ye call it a commemo­ration and remembrance of Christes death and passion. In deid it is certane that our Sauiour willed and cōman­ded that action which he had practised, to be done in com­memoration of him, and after him Sainct Paule giueth charge lykewise, that how so oft we shall eat of that bread, and drink of that cuppe, we annunce and furthshaw the Lordes death till he come. But the masse to be that action, ether yet to haue any affinitie with it, being alto­gether als contrarious as the heauen and the earth, lyght and darknes, the day and the nyght, he is more nor mad, that tholeth hī so to be persuaded. But of this repugnancie we will haue more ganing occasion to speak, when as we [Page 14] shall atteane to that place, where of set purpose, you do handle the aggreance of the masse with the Lordes table, and the diuersitie. Where ye pretend the bread & the wyne to be consecrated (execrated I darre say boldly for conse­cration haue ye none) according to Christes institution. In the masse there is nothing-lyke the Lordes Supper. I trust there be none that euer hath sene the action of the Lord Iesus practysed, ether yet hath red the wordes of his moste blissed institution, that will consent or aggre thereto, for in his action we read plainely, that he take bréad, gaue thankes, brake it, gaiue it vnto his Apostles, and lykewise did with the Cuppe. In your masse, what is lyke this? First there is no thankes geuing, or any that can be pretended, since it is in a forrane language, it is euē as there were none: there is no breaking of bread, 1 Cor. 14.23. nether yet distribution. What can it haue then lyke vnto the Lordes institution?

To the offerring vp of the body and blood of Iesus Christe, vnder the formes of bread and wyne to the father of heauen, I am assured there is no such thing in the in­stitution of our Sauiour, shaw your warrand, produce your commission, the action I haue rehearsed, wherein there is no such thing to the iudgement of all. But if ye will say: it is here conteined: There is no com­mande­ment in Christes institutiō to offer vp Chri­stes body do this in remembrance of me, this sentence is relatiue to the action preceading, so that there can be no mention at all, in this whole in­stitution. By whome ye will the body and blood to be receaued, as the heauenly foode of our Soules, it is in­certaine whither of God, or of vs, be lyke ye wold meane of God, seing ye haue spoken of offerring immediatly before: as ye should meane, that as it is offered by vs vnto God, so lykewise is it receaued of his part, which in verie deid is a strange maner of speaking and vntrew: for who did euer here that the Sacramentes giuen and appointed vnto vs by God, as a moste speciall benefite and comfort, that euer they wer commanded to be offered to God, or so receaued of him? I am not ignorant that, that thing which is done according to his holy ordinance, he is co [...] ­tent with it, and in that consideration receaueth it.

But here we speak of offerring of our part and receauing in that respect, of the part of God. We are commanded to vse and practise his holy Sacramentes, whereby we testi­fie our Religion, and witnes our obedience vnto God, [Page] but to offer them vp vnto him, this did I neuer here.

In deid the body and the blood of Iesus Christe, repre­sented by bread and wyne in this Sacrament, being re­ceaued according to his holye institution and ordinance, and no wayes els, I knowe to be the foode and nourish­ment of the Soule, of the faithfull receauer. If this be your mynde in the latter wordes of your diffinition, then doeth the latter part moste ineptlie and improperlie aggre with it that preceadeth of the offerring.

This farre haue we trauelled with your fond diffini­tions, and als shortly as wes able, and more shortlie nor the mater should require, if we should not haue occa­sion after to speak somwhat, as ye trauel forwarde in the explication of your owne sayinges.

It that ye adde to your former diffinition, I can not tel what triflus orations īuented & deuised as you say by the ācient Fathers, & that as seames to you moste iustlie to decore the Maske. I answer vnto you, that all procea­deth of a Fornace and one Author, to wit, the Deuill for as the principall is blasphemous, so is all that is ioy­ned wi [...]h it, and pretex not such godlie orations, as be vsed in the holy Communion, for there is nothing there, but it that is drawen out of the Scriptures of God, and practysed accordīg to Christes holy institutiō & ordināce. In the cōmuniō there is nothing added to, nor deminished a­way, by vs, from Christes insticuti­on.

For the prayers which we do vse before the table of the Lorde Iesus, we repute no part of that holy action, but onely vse them to inflāme and stirre vp our dul hartes, to the due consideration of that great mysterie, to the prac­tise whereof when we approche, we do nothing which the Lorde Iesus did not, nether yet omit we any thing which we finde that he did, and commanded vs to do, but in your masse, if the Collettes Pro Pecore infirmo (I wil not say for a seick sow) Pro Partutientibus. Pro Defunctis. Pro na [...] ­uigantibus and such others be omitted, Sire Iohn is not worth his Six blankes.

Now haue we to consider, the reasons and argumētes, whereby this Romish Doctor trauelleth to confirme his fond diffinitions. Iames as he is introduced, requireth a probation of Scripture, for iustification of the which is adduced an part of the wordes of the institution, out of Lucas and Marcus: do ye this in remembrance of me. By the which wordes (sayeth this Gospeller).

[Page 15] ‘He commanded his Disciples to consecrate the bread and the wyne, as he did, saying, this is my body, and so he institute the consecrati­on, and by the consecration, the verie body and blood of Iesus Christe our Sauiour, are con­tened vnder the forme of bread and wyne, by the power of y e Lordes word which is omni­potent, according to this ye shal mark the god­lie Ancient sayinges of Chrisostome, written in this maner. It is not man that maketh our Lordes body and bloode of the breade and wyne, and so furth.’

Whereupon first we shall obserue, the olde practise and shift of sathā in the recyting of any place of Text, A crafte of Satan alwayes to punish and cut of the scriptur [...] alledged or broght in for his purpose, that euer he rehearseth a cer­tane portion or part of the text, & neuer the whole sentēce. Why is not the whole action recyted? This hath bene a great occasion of these wicked errors, we are now troubled with all, and principally in this mater we haue now in hand, for hereof hath proceaded that there wes nothing Iudged to appertene to this action, by the aduersaries of the Euangle, but onely this sentence, this is my body, & that not pronounced plainely, Onelie the Pa­pistes tuk these wordes, This is my body and left out the rest. but mumled and blowen vpon the bread, and so of the Cuppe, as nether the thing­es preceading, nether yet the commandement ensewing, should haue any place in this action, the fructes whereof are, that not onelie the sentence is vtterlie wryed and per­uerted, but the wordes altered, changed and adulterate which no man of a sober wit can esteme to be attempted, without a great Sacriledge. For as deprauing of sentēces, bringeth in all corruption, so innouation of tearmes, vsed by the Spirite of God, can procead of no sobrietie, whosoeuer be the Author and inuenter of them.

Of the one we haue the horrible and monsters mother of all impietie, transubstantiation and real presence, ding­ing Christe from the ryght hand of the Father, taking from him the office of preisthead and mediation, in that that it leaueth not to him the proprieties of the manlie [Page] nature, pernerting and exstinguishing the ordor and effect of a Sacrament, ascribing vnto our Sauioure a phantasticall body with Marrion, and fynally affixing him to a cer­tane peice of bread at the appetite of a filthy whormōger, not vnlyke to that, that we reid in Theotritus, and after him in Virgile in his [...] where they gaue such strenth to the versis of Inchanters, To whō the Pa­pistes are lyke. that they moue Iupiter, the Sonne & Mone to fal out of the heauen and discend in their bossomes.

I wold this glorius gloser, should haue red Bonauētura and Stotus, otherwise called Doctor Subtilis, and suche others in the impugnation of this wicked and deuillishe impietie, set furth by Nicolaus Secundus, and Innocen­tius Tertius, men replenished with al fraude and decepte Sonnes of the Deuill, who expresly after that they haue impugned and defaced it, by all good argumentes and au­thoritie, against their own consciences and all godlines, are rauished and caryed away, to reuerence that wicked saite, mother of al defection and apostasie from God, ra­ther then to declyne a iote from it with the manifest treuth

Many other absurdities may be gathered, enseuing and following hereof, but in deid my purpose is not to werie my pen any more instantlie in this mater, but wil reserue it ether to a particuler treatie, The ab­botes purpose is to sta­blish the wicked [...]. when God shall send the tyme, or then to the conclusion of this boke: alwayes I darre promise that the sober Reader shall haue yneugh, euen in this same worke to be satisfied with all, for as the mater shall require, & the occasion serue, we shall bring in such thinges as shalbe in any wise necessarie. For albeit this Author is euer at the body and blood, conteined vn­der bread and wyne, & so gnashing him, as it were, with his teith, yet his principall purpose is not to establishe transubstantiation, but to flatter, cullor, and trymme vp his Leprose doghter, the stinking and filthy masse,

The pa­pistes al­wayes brage of Peter & Paule & yet [...]ol­low thē nothing as may well ap­peare.To returne to our purpose, the sentences being thus boldie, without any shame peruerted, followeth conse­quentlie the innouation of the wordes, with the sembladle rashnes and temeritie, that be lyke they haue altogether con [...]pired to destroy the whole forme of Religion, plan­ted by our Maister and Sauiour. For if Peter or Paule should now reuyue or, go a Thort, to se the maner and the ordor of those that brageth moste of the Apostles.

[Page 16]What should they find? Any thing lyke that, that they teached? any thing aggreing with that ordour thay plāted? I am sure, nothing. For they should not onelie per­ceaue the forme of the whole Religion peruerted, but lykewise the wordes changed. Should they allow this empyre that is cruelly exerted vpon the consciences of men? This importable burthen of dayes, monethes, ty­mes, cerimonies, rytes, customes, and suche vanities which they did vtterly damne? This holy water, and burning of Candles at noune dayes (for euen as the in­chanters and socerers can do nothing without Fyre, All that the Papistes now vse by the doctrine of the A­postles is vtterlie damned. so alwayes in your vanities Fyre is iudged necessarie) this masking clothes, in [...]ocacion of Sainctes, Purgatorie, & your q [...]hispered and m [...]led masses in e [...]erie corner, wold they approue? I am assured that by the exemple of their Maister Christe, they should wheip you out of the Temple, in moste shamefull and ignominius maner.

Did they euer vse this word, which thou continually hath in mouth of consecration, The Papistes oght to be wheipped out of the Churche of God. ether yet the Eu [...]ngelist­es: They do vse euer speaking of the mater of the holy Supper, the wordes of [...] or [...] that is in our tongue, of benediction or thankes geuing. Shall these wordes, dyted by the holy Spirite of God, be so broght in obliuion, that I can not tell what other wordes shalbe receaued in their place of the inuention of man, whosoeuer is the inuenter of them, all is a mater. Of this rank we haue the ministers of God, called prei­stes, the holy communion called the masse, or the Sacra­ment of the Alter, and to be shorte, the whole ordinances of our Sauioure, not onely in the opinion and forme ad­ulterated, but the wordes changed and innouated.

This is the reuerence that these holy Fathers beareth to the worde and institutions of our Law maker, the wis­dome of the Eternal Father. Now I ask of you, what do ye vnderstand by this worde of consecration, for there is no such worde found in the Scriptures, at least, God hath giuen no such power, to wordes spoken by man, that they may alter and change the substance of dead and insensible Creatures.

Trew it is, 13 Tract. vpon Iohn. that the worde passing or being ioyned to the Element the Sacrament is made, but Augustie shaw­eth the reason, saying, not because the word is spoken [...]ot [Page] because it is beleued, and I pray you who beleueth the worde? The Element or the faythfull. I think ye wil not be so impudent, as to affirme that the watter in baptisme beleueth the promise made in the same, and no more shall ye proue the breade and the wyne do, ether vnderstand, or yet beleue the wordes whiche ye quhisper to them. But to what end shal we dispute with you of consecration: which we reid not in the wordes of our Sauioure, nether yet geueth he any cōmandement so to do to his Apostles and Church.

For in this that he commanded them to do that, in re­membrance of him, Because their of­ferrings wanteth the pro­mes they be alto­gether blasphe­mous as he assureth them of well doing, when as they shall practise that action, euen as they had sene him do, so he bindes them strictly to the obseruation of euerie iote of that action, he had practised in their pre­sence, for if thou shall transgres and break the comman­dement in any poynt, be it neuer so smal in thy iudgemēt, thou, no dout, shall peruert the whole action, thou hath no promise (which taken away) there remaneth nothing of that, that is here offered: so now thy whole action tur­neth to a mere blasphemie.

We know, and I truste it be not vnknowen to you, that the ordinances of God consisteth in two pointes, the commandement and the promise, as in the mater of prayers, Psal. 50. cal vpon me in the day of thy trouble, and I shal here thee, the commandement is geuen to cal vpon God, the promise is annexed: I shall here thee, if thou shall break this commandement, darre thou, or can thou assure thy self of the promise that is to be hard of God? I think not.

In the action of the Lordes Table, the cōmandement is geuen to practise that action, The ac­tiō of the Lordes Table haeth a commā ­dement, and a promes. in remembrance of our Sauioure: that is to say, to take bread, giue thankes, break it, make distribution of it, the promise is subioyned, This is my body, which is broken for you.

Thou deuiseth here and inuenteth, I can not tel what a consecration, thou maketh no distribution, and yet wil thou assure thy self of the promes? How vainely euerie man may iudge. But here thou will say pereuentur, that this worde is vsed by some of the Ancien latine writers, it is a receaued worde, adding nothing vnto the action, but onely declaring it that is ment by these wordes. This [Page 17] is my body. To this I haue already towardes the word, declared my iudgement, that in the action of God we oght with no les religion reteane the wordes of the Spirite of God, nor the forme and ceremonies of the action it self.

In this I regarde not the authoritie of any, what anti­quitie and estimation soeuer shalbe pretended. But to ꝓ­ceid to the mater I wold not that ye, albeit ye will seme to aggre with them that vseth that word in the terme, yet should altogether disagre with them in the mater. For they (of the moste ancient I speak not of the Scóole men) in the great decay of the latine tongue, and ignorance of the Greik, did vse this word to expres no other thing, nor that which the Euāgelistes meaneth & signifieth by thanks geuing or blissing, so that they referre it not to the wordes of the promise, that ye call the wordes of consecration, but to expres that (he gaiue thankes or blissed) which is not altogether intollerable, albeit it lacke not iuste cause of reprehension

Further it is a thing more then manifest, The hole ꝓceding in the papistrie, wanteth not great propha­nation of the holie mysteri­es. that all Sacra­mentes consisteth in these two, to wit, the word ād exter­nall Element. This word, whereof principally dependeth the virtue and strenth of the Sacrament, is not to be takē for a certane quhispered or mumled wordes, or a son [...], rather without all sense or fayth, not vnlyke the magick incautions, but rather oppenly and plain [...]ly preached, that may teach the auditorie, what is ment by the visible signe: whereby it may euidently appeare that your whole proceadinges in the papistrie, lacketh not a great propha­nation of these holy mysteries: where it is thoght suffic [...] ­ent, if the preiste, the people gasing vpon him, without all intelligence, should blowe and br [...]th out the wordes that ye call of consecration. For it is plainely commanded, that all be recyted in a strange tongue, yea, and that the wordes be not pronounced, The soūd of the worde vanished but the vertew th [...]reof by [...]eth. but rather murmured with a rauk voice. But farre otherwise we be teached by Augu­s [...]ine. Let the word be ioyned with the Element▪ and then shall we haue a Sacrament, for whereof proceadeth this great virtue of the water, that when it shal touch the bo­dy, it shal purge the hart, but by the working of the word, not because it is spoken, but because it is bele [...]e [...]. For in the worde it self, the sound is an thing that p [...]s [...]th, and the virtue an other thing, that remaneth, this is the word [Page] of fayth that we preach, sayeth the Apostle, so in the Actes of the Apostles, Rom. 10.8. by Faith purging their hartes. And Peter the Apostle sayeth, that Baptisme maketh vs saife, not by the wyping away of the fylth of the fleshe, Acte. 15. 1 Pet. 3.21. but that a good conscience maketh requeist to God. This then is the worde of Faith that we preach, by the which, that it may haue the strenth to clange, Baptisme is hallowed. So we may euidently perceaue the mynde of this godlie Au­thor, to require and vrge preaching, which engenders Faith. By preaching of the word is faith īcreased. We neid not to spend much tyme in this mater, seing it is cleare what our Sauiour did, what he cōman­ded to be done, what the Apostles practised to his imita­tion, what the godly Fathers followed and approued, yea, and what the Church did euer reteane, so long as there remaneth any spunk of integritie in it: and so shall we obserue euē from the begining, that cōtinually when God offered any signe vnto the Fathers, to their instruction & confort, that euer he ioyned the word with the Simboles So that we may clearly vnderstand, that the Fathers ne­uer did meane of no such magicall consecration made by a certane whispered wordes, rounded with the Element, after the abuse of the papistrie but that the promise should be pronounced with a loude and cleare voice, in a famili­are lāguage, the which being preached to the people, might lead them as it were by the hand, to that, that is signified by the whole action. For this that is recyted by Augustine of Baptisme, no dout, apperteaneth also to the Lordes Table, and to all Sacramentes, practised since the begin­ning.

Now consider with your self how miserablie ye are deceaued, how maliciously being enuennomed with a wic­ked opinion, ye wrye & wreast, the sayinges of the Scrip­tures and Doctors, What the papistes vnders [...] ­ād by the word io­yned to the Sac­ramētes out of their naturall meaning, to esta­blishe and confirme your fore conceaued error.

I knowe that by this word, ye will meane that assone as euer these wordes: this is my body, are spoken, imme­diatlie the substance of bread is taken away, and the body of Iesus Christe ent [...]reth in really, naturally, and sub­stantially, euen the same body that wes borne of the Vir­gine, wes crucified, scur [...]ed, buried, ascended into the heauen, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father, which is a deuillish assertion, and expres against the Scripture [Page 18] (affirming that the bread remaneth still bread and the wyne, vyne) and against all naturall reason, that a body may or can be in mo places at one tyme, and also against the nature of a Sacrament, wherein the Simboles and Elementes do represent vnto vs the thinges signified, August. Tract vpon Io­hne. 50. and are not the self same thinges, albeit the names be attri­buted vnto theme, against the authorities of the Fa­thers: and fynally this detestable opinion of the Papi­stes sauoreth of the herysie of Mar [...]ion, who attributed vnto Christe a phantasticall bo [...]y, which of necessitie shall follow, if he thus shalbe in euerie [...]omer, against the pro­prieties of the naturall body, which being taken away, his office of mediation and Preisthead muste vanishe and fall.

Of the omnipotencie of Gods worde, ye haue not to brage in this mater, for howsoeuer his worde is almighty, if his will be not ioyned with the word, it is nothing. But thou will collect his will of the wordes: this is my body. In deid if the wordes of the Scripture shalbe alwayes vnderstand, euen as they are spoken, 1. Cor. 10 then shall we proue Christ to be a Rock Stone, according to the sayinge of the Apostle, to be a wyne tre, to be a doore, and the way, & so furth. Let vs here then Augustine in this mater. To this answereth Augustine in his Epistle to Bonifaciꝰ. 2 [...]. Augusts Eipstile. to Bonifaciꝰ. 2 [...]. If the Sacramentes (sayeth he) should not haue some ag­grement and similytude, with these thinges which they represent, then shall they not be Sacramentes. For of this similytude, oftentymes they take the names of the thinges them selues. Therefore, as after a certane maner, the Sacrament of Christes body, is Christes body, the Sacrament of Christes blood, is Christes blood, August. con. Adamā. Ma­nichesi. so the Sacrament of Faith, is Faith.

And writing against Adamantus Manicheus plainely, our Maister Christe douted not, to call it his body, when he gaue the fygure of his body. And vpon the thrid Psal. wonderfull (sayeth he) is Christes pacience, Augusti. in the. 3▪ Psalme. in that, that he receaued Iudas to the Banked, in the which he cōman­ded, and gaue to his Disciples, the figure of his body & blood. Of the which Authorities of this godly learned Father, we may easylie answer, this speaking of our Saui­oure, to be Sacramentale, Me [...]onymical: and so his wil to performe any such thing, as thou falsly gathered, in no [Page] wayes to haue bene. For we giue that reuerence vnto our Sauioure and Maister, that there is nether inconstancie, lyghtnes, nor repugnancie in his worde, nether yet do we think these wordes spoken of the bread, to be otherwayes vnderstand or exponed, nor they that after followeth of the cuppe, where of necessitie ye must grant als many fy­gures, as there be wordes. Shall we say that the cuppe is the New Testament [...] ▪ Or the cuppe is the blood of the new Testament? Here thou can not eshew, how good a Gladiator, or Fensare soeuer thou be, turne thy self in al [...] many formes and shappes as euer did Protheus, here shal thou stick fast.

Shall these wordes be vnderstand, euen as they are spoken? I truste ye will not say that: then must it follow that there is a fygure, and howsoeuer thou shall expone the wordes of the cuppe, thou shalbe driuen to grant the same of the bread: As the cuppe is the coue­nant in the blood so is the bread the couenāt in the bodie of our Sa­uioure Christe. for no thing can be said or alledged of the latter part of this mysterie, that is not to be vnderstand of the former. So now then as the cuppe, by the interpreta­tion of Lu [...]e [...]s and Paulus, Is the couenant in the blood of our Sauioure, the same shall we affirme of the bread, to wit, that it is the couenant in the body. Now striue, cry out, laubour, trauell, and do what you list to inuert this, thou shall haue to do with the holy Spirite of God, declaring plainely that the will of our Sauioure is in no wayes concurring with such an omnipotencie, as thou & thy fellowes hath forget, of these wordes, this is my body, fondly and vainely exponed, after the letter. I pas by the common maner of Scripture, calling the Circum­cision by the name of the couenant, the Pasouer lykewise, whereof they were but Simboles and signes, and suche other places, seruing to this purpose, and will pas for­warde to the wordes of Chrisostomus, which this glorius Doctor, who will seme to be so beasy and diligent, notes to be written in the. 48. Homilie vpon Iohn, where I darre boldly affirme there is no such mater nor wordes, for that homilie is written vpon the. 7. Chap. of Iohn, and is spent wholy vpon the obseruation of the Sabboth

Hereby it is easy to perceaue how vainely ye ascribe such reading of the Ancientes vnto your self, as in your writinges ye [...]ake vpon you, that ye will seme in the eyes of the people, to be the onely he in this Realme versed [Page 19] in antiquitie

And now to say my iudgement frely, I truste ye haue no workes of such men as ye draw your authorities out of, but onely hath, I can not tell what lytle scabbed trea­ [...]es of Eccius, Cochleus, Hosius Stanissans youre new start vp Campion, Eccius, Cochleꝰ, & Hosius Staniss­aꝰ be the abbotes compa­ninos. and of such others of your factiō, and taketh out of them, such thinges as ye think may serue to your wicked and blasphemus purpose.

What credite now, or what authoritie oght to be giuen to such places, as thou draweth out of the Doctors, who [...]elyke neuer hath sene there workes, nether yet knoweth to what purpose they speak, if they speak of their owne mynde, or of their aduersaries, whither they speak by an interrogation or conclusiuely, and determinatly, whither they speak [...] that is excessiuely, to extoll the dignitie of the mater they haue in hand (which is not [...]are in this Author) or simplie. Thus the Text it self is to be considered, that it that preceadeth, being conferred with it that followeth, the mynde and sentence of the Author, may be knowen perfytlie.

Not that I will hereby damne yong men, It is moste shame for him that taketh v­pon himself grea­test per­fection to be found an igno­rant. who ether excluded by tyme, or els lacking bookes, muste giue cre­dite to good authorities, but in this man who will seme to be an other Anacharses Inter Sordidds Scythas, it is intollerable, who is sequestrate frome the common societie of men, and trauell in the common wealth, hauing not els to do, but that he hath inioyned to him self, that is to ly by a pleasing bray, and cast in stones to trouble the faire and cleare rinning watter.

This thing I say againe is not onely intollerable, but moste worthy of all punishment. But to the purpose, I haue said there is no such mater entreated ī the place cited; by this diligent Reader. In deid in the same Author we shall read not vnlyke to this, in his. 83. Homilie vpon Mathew, his wordes are. They be not workes of mans power propounded, who then made them in that Supper, the fame worketh them now. We occupie the rouine of Ministers, but he that sanctifieth them and changeth them is he (meaning our Sauiour) who did appoint and in­stitute this action.

This in deid being well considered, shal and may be vnderstand, to be spoken more by a Rethoricall amplyfi­cation [Page] to extoll the excellencie and worthynes of this so great a mysterie, rather then spoken according to the sim­ple treuth of the mater. How the wordes of Chri­sostome, oght to­be vnderstand. It is knowen well ynough to any man that is but mid way familiare with this Author, that he is somwhat excessiue in such amplyfications, somtymes playing the orator, rather then the simple Theologien.

This I were able to proue particularly by sindrie things entreated by him, if the tyme should suffer, but yet I se no such things in these wordes, whereof you haue any occa­sion to brage or reioice. For in this that he sayeth, they b [...] no workes of mans virtew propounded. Who did eue [...] think or teach other? We be well teached by Iohn the Baptiste of that defference, in ministration of Sacramen­tes, that is betuix the inward worker and giuer of gra [...]e (who is Christe Iesus) and the Minister, who onel [...] worketh and serueth outwardly, so that howsoeuer [...] shall at the appointment of our Maister, Minister and practise the action: Yet is it not the work of mans strenth nor power, nether is there an part thereof to be ascribed to him, but all whole to be vendicat to the instituter, in that, that not onely he commandeth it to be done, and no­thing is done, but at the prescript of his commandement, but also he is he, who giueth the power, the strenth, the energie to it, that it may profect and frutrifie vnto the re­ceauer, and in this maner the cause giuen by Chrisostome is verie good, that he is he now that worketh, who wroght then. So that there is no defference betuix that action, that wes then practised by our Sauioure, and it that is now done to his imitation by vs, we but haue the place of ministers, it is he that sanctifieth and changeth, that is to say, it is he by whose ordinance and commandement, this whole action is hallowed and sanctified. For the action it self, if it shalbe considered, it shall seme and appeare ve­rie vile and of no price, yet seing there is nothing done, but at his commandement, practised by him self, allowed by him, we as becometh well instructed Children, doeth iudge it to be worthy of all reuerence, whereof we haue his warrand, being commanded so to do, in remembrance of him till he come.

This then is the sanctificatiō that this Author speaketh of here, and no such deuillishe incantation, as thou wold pretend, which dontles wes vnknowen in the dayes of [Page 20] Chrisostome.

But least thou shal insist vpon the latter word of changing: what the ancentis vnderst­and by changīg in the sacrame­tes. I will trauell to oppen vp the mynde of the moste Ancient Fathers in that part: for they do vse that worde often, not to signifie any such change, as ye fondly haue deuised and inuented: but onely willing hereby, that we should all, before that we shall offer and present our selues to this table, consider the dignitie, praise and prerogatiue of this heauenly banked, that we be here called to, where the same is the banked, and the banked giuer, as this same Author sayeth. We shall consider this bread, exhibited to vs here, to be the bread of lyfe, Christ is boith the bankede and the bankede giuer. nourishing our Soules vnto immortalitie. We shall consider these Elementes which he giuen, as sure pledges of eternall Saluation, and of all benefites procured and obteined to vs by Iesus Christe.

So that we must not go to this table, as to a common table, to farce and stuffe our bellies with bread and wyne, but we muste vnderstand this bread to be seperated from the common vse, and sainctified and dedicated to the holy Communion of Christes body and blood, We must consider the brad ād wyne in the holy Sup­per to be dedica­ted to an holy are vse then to feade oure bo­dies. to declare to vs that we are not now leuing in our selues, but Christe le­ueth and rigneth in vs, we are no more the seruandes and slaues of Sathan, but members of Iesus Christe, that we are now made participant and partakers, of his iustice and ryghteousnes: and that by him we haue remission of our sinnes, so that now albeit we be in the earth exposed to all kynde of tentation, trouble, and persecution, yet our conuersation is in the heauen with him, on whome our Soules stayeth and feadeth.

This change then that they do meane of, is to extoll this mysterie as it is worthy all praise, and declare with what trymbling, feare and humilitie, we oght to present our selues thereto, because this that wes common bread, appointed for the refection of mans body, is now sancti­fied to an holy vse, to assure vs of that coniunction, yea, and liuely perticipation we haue now, with the Eternall Sonne of God, who ioyneth him self so familiarly with vs, that we are now ingrafted so in him, that we now, as it were soucketh our verie substāce, out of his body & blood He is now vnto vs, that, that he called him self the wynetre, and we the brenches, he is the head, and we the mem­bers, [Page] he is shortlie he, out of whome lyfe, ryghteousnes, iustice, holynes, and sanctification, proceadeth and flow­eth vnto vs.

So that this whole change and immutation, is to be referred to the myndes and consciences of the receauers, The chā ge is to be refer­red to the myndes & consci­ences of the receauers. & not to any other change, that is in the substances of the Elementes, that be there proponed, but the bread rema­neth bread, and the wyne, wyne, albeit they be sanctified to an other more holy vse, as we haue said, and shall alter declare in the conference of the Doctors.

This I take to be, and douteth not, but it is the verie naturall meaning of the wordes of this Au [...]hor, and of all the Anciētes, whē as they speak of any change here. Yet I am not ignorant, that thou and thy fellowes will apply the former sentences, and referre them vnto the comman­dement, do ye this in remembrance of me, as hereby, the Lorde should giue vs the charge to sanctifie, or as thou speaketh, to consecrate the bread and wyne, which as it is moste vntrew, and cōtrarious to the simple treuth of the Lordes commandement, so the Author do [...]th meane no such thing. For the lord did not cōmand vs to sanctifie bread and wyne, and change them, but that we shoulde take them, Christe commanded vs not to sanctifie breade & wyne, & to chāge them but that we shoulde, tak them &c. giue thankes, break, and distrybute them a­mongest vs. and that with all humilytie and reuerence we should eat and drink them, in remembrance of him, as the verie Sacrament of his body and blood, which Sacramentall ceremonie, passeth not the reach and capacitie of man.

And in this whole institution, ones made by him self, he still sanctifieth for euer, the Sacramentall Simboles, to the perpetuall vse and confort of the whole Churche: which this Author Chrisostome signifieth moste clearlie, In that he sayeth: he that wroght then in the Supper, doeth them euen now, so that he still sanctifieth them, by his holy institution and ordinance, that he made then in the Suppere, where he changed not the substance of bread and wyne, but the naturall vse appointed to the re­section of our bodies, he turned and conuerted in a Sacra­mentall vse, to serue vs by the inwarde operation of the Spirite of God, to the nourishement of our Soules, and vpholding of our Faith.

Ones he said: this is my body, this cuppe is the new Testament in my blood, do this in remembrance of me. [Page 21] And in these wordes ones pronounced, did he ones īstitute and sanctifie this holy action and ceremonie, and changed these Elementes, from a naturall, The vse of the elemēts be changed at the lordes table but not there substance. vnto a Sacramentall vse, by vertew whereof, this whole action is sāctified, thro­ghout all, wheresoeuer it is practised, which is the verie meaning and interpretation of this Author, and all the Ancients, wheresoeuer they vse such forme and maner of speaking,

Here then thou seeth plainely, that this Author ascri­beth nothing to the wordes pronounced by the Minister, but vendicates and reserueth to Christe the instituter, the whole strenth and power of sanctification, which wes thē done, when as he instituted this action, and commanded it to be practised in remembrance of him.

But alwayes here it is not to be passed by, that in these wordes, cyted out of this Author, there is no mention of an Alter, but of a Table: Chrisost. maketh no mēti­on of an alter but of a table whereby thou may vnderstand clearly, that this Author knew no suche Alters, whereof we haue such a multitude erected euerie where (without the which the Papistes opinion is that no masse can be done) but onely a Table, to the imitation of our Sauiour which properly apperteaneth to the practise of his holy Supper.

Whereof lykewise we may collect, that there wes no preuy masses, such as in our dayes, & in the aige of our forebiers (that hath bene vnder Antichristes authoritie, moste pro­phanely abused) hath bene: preuy masses I call all suche, where as the preist (the people wholy secluded) without any distribution, deuoreth & swelloweth vp all in a moste reuinus maner, as in all masses we haue sene: which as they are contrarius to the ordinances of Christe Iesus, so moste iustlie they lacke, and hath no testimonie nor appro­bation of antiquitie, but are moste impius, blasphemus, Sathan him self could neuer so impudētlie wr [...]s [...] the scriptur­es as doeth this Abbote here. and detestable.

When this inuerted Silenus hath thus played him, with the wordes of this Author, he inferreth & concludeth. ‘That not onely said our Sauiour, this is my body, where through he institute the consecra­tion, but als he eaked these wordes, saying, which is giuen and broken for you, by the which wordes presētly, as the same verie time [Page] he declared his body to be an vnbloodie Sa­crifice, to be offered by the Apostles and all other Ministers of Christes Church, to the end of the world, in remembrance of his death, saying, do this in remembrance of me.’

In the answer to this conclusion, I wil be verie shorte, because afterward ye intreat this mater as it were of set purpose, in the. 14. leaf, speaking there, of the wordes that be vsed in the present tyme. As to the obseruation of the tyme, and full vnderstanding of those wordes, I will re­serue to that place, that I be not driuen to make an vn­pleasing and lothsome repetition. Alwayes that, that may serue instantly, that we shall not seme to winke at the mater, we can not haue a more faithfull expositor of these wordes, thē the Spirite of God, by the mouthe of his holy Apostle Paule, who as thou recyteth, sayeth, which is broken for you. For it is moste cleare, that the Sacra­mentall signe of bread wes not broken for them, but the onely natural body of our Maister vpon the craice, so that in no wayes these wordes may or can be referred to the pronome [...] the first word of the promise, where demonstration is made of the bread, but apperteaneth to the latter word (body). It was not the bread but Christes natural body that was broken for vs For speaking of the bread, he sayeth, he brake it, and he gaue it to his Disciples, and not for his Disciples, now meaning of his passion, and that his body wes to suffer, which is (sayeth he) broken for you, as to the tyme we haue not to be curius, for we knowe the Spirite of God, somtymes in declaring that, that is vndoutedly to be, ether a long tyme, or immediatly after, to vse the present tyme, yea, and the tyme passed. Lyke as here by the present he setteth furth that which wes to be vpon the morrow. Ye papi­st is mark the falset here and be ashamed. So the verie sense of the whole is. This is the Sacrament of my body, which is broken for you, that is to say, which body is to suffer, and to be bro­ken euen the morrow for you: as shalbe declared at more lenth, when as by Gods grace we shal atteane to the place

But I pray thee, where shal we finde in these wordes, such an vnbloody Sacrifice, as thou here bringeth in? I am assured the breaking of Christes body wes bloody, and moste cruel: where lykewise shall we finde this oblation? [Page 22] For there is no mention of oblacion in this whole action, nether yet did our Sauiour offer any thing there, nor yet to his Disciples giueth he any cōmandement to offer, but simplie willeth vs to do this in remembrance of him, which is relatiue to the whole action before practysed, of taking bread, thankes geuing, breaking of it, and distri­bution to be made, here is neuer a sillabe of offering.

Well, let vs go to the probation, which is drowen out of Malachy the Prophet, and his first Cha. the wordes are ‘I haue no pleasure of you, sayeth the Lorde, and as for the meat offering I will not ac­cept it at your hand, for from the rysing vp of the Sone, and to the going doune of the same My Name is great amonges the Gentiles, yea, in euerie place shal the Sacrifice be done, and an cleane oblacion offered vp vnto my Name, for my Name is great amonges the Gentiles.’

Here I may haue occasion to speak somwhat of this in­terpreters faithfulnes, who thinketh it nothing to turne by the future tyme, that which is spoken in the present, for I am assured that all the textes that euer I did se, Hebrew Greik, Latine, Englishe, French, hath the word in the present (is Sacrificed) and not (shalbe) and (an cleane oblation is offered) & not (shalbe) but I will pas by that followeth in this Doctor.

‘Mark sayeth he, the wordes of the Prophet, and ye shall perceaue that they are not spoken of the Sacrifice of the Lordes body, offered vp vpon the croice. For why the Sacrifice of the Lordes body on the croice, was onely in Ierusalem, and the wordes of the Prophet speaketh of a Sacrifice offered vp in euerie place, and so furth.’

Where this Author trauelleth, by an argument that [...]e call in the Scooles A sufficiente enumeratione partium.

[Page]that is, when as we euert euerie particulare, to confirme and establishe an certane thing, but as this argument lac­keth not the strenth, when as all is properly euerted, so if any thing be pretermitted, ether yet improperly handled it proceadeth not.

Now to the matter, of the Sacrifice of the Lordes body on the croice (say ye) it can not be vnderstand, for it wes onely in Ierusalem. I know that our Sauiour wes cru­cified in Ierusalem. Yet what shalbe the cause that it shall not be lefull to vs to speak as the Apostle Paule in the. 3. to the Galth. where he plainely witnesseth that our Saui­oure wes crucified amonges them. Gala. 3. Why shal the same li­bertie be denyed to all places, where the death of our Sa­uiour hath bene, or is lyuelie preached? Which no dout, hath bene euerie where, lyke as the Prophet testifieth, in the. 19. Psalme, Psal. 19. and the holy Goste speaketh of Paule, appointing him to beare the name of Iesus, to the vtter­moste partes of the earth.

Why then may we not expound this saying of the Pro­phet, of the Sacrifice and oblation of the body of Iesus Christe, seing he is euerie where crucified, How Christ is said to be crucified ī all pla­ces. wheresoeuer his Euangel is treuly preached. And as touching thy stin­king and filthy masse, it hath bene (God be preased) at all tymes included and circumscribed within a certane boun­des, and that verie small.

But thou will say pereuentur, that the speaking of the Apostle is metaphoricall. What if I shal say the same of the wordes of the Prophet? Euen as the Apls wordes may be taken me­taphori­cally likewyse the Prophe­tes sain­ges. For if he admonisheth vs of any thing to be erected after the abrogation of the ceremo­nies of the Lawe, no dout, he speaketh so by the fygures, then vsed in the Lawe, that thereby we should vnderstand an other sort of worshipping to be plāted, and receaued in place of those fygures. Thus thru the speaking can not be proper. but alwayes metaphoricall from the vmber & shoddowe to expres the veritie. And thus may we haue the sense of the wordes of the Prophet properly that euerie where is there an oblation or Sacrifice offered vp in my Name, that is the Sacrifice of my Eternall and onely Sonne, wherewith I am all whole cōplesed and delyred, is offered vp vnto me, that is preached, for whatsoeuer way thou can apply this saying to thy masse, that same way shall I proue that it conueneth, and more iustly to [Page 23] the predication of the Euangel, and death of our Sauiour. For where thou restreines his death to the towne of Ierusalem, so will I affirme of the institution of his holy Supper, out of the which thou soucketh moste i [...]eptly and impiusly thy fond masse. If thou will insist and say that the masse is done euerie where, I answer the same of the Sacrifice of Christes body more treuly. If thou shall re­ply yet, that, that is onely by preaching. I answer, that first thy masse hath nothing to do with the Lordes table, and besydes that the Author of the holy Supper, did ones sanctifie this action, which remaneth for euer, as I haue shawen heretofore, as our Sauiour died ones, & willeth his death to be preached euerie where, and so consequently to be crucified in all places, according to the metaphorical speaking of the Apostle as I haue already declared.

Now I pray you good Reader perceaue with me the va­nitie of this new Author, the strenth of his argumentes, and the forme of his proceadinges. Secondly ye go about to proue that the sayinges of the Prophet. ‘Can not be vnderstand of the wordes of the Iowes, be­cause the wordes doeth plainely declaire, that all their Sacrifices wer repudiat by the Lord God, from the tyme that the Lordes bodie wes offered vpon y e croice.’ This ferre our Author.

First if I should repugne, how shal ye be able to proue, that here we be forewarned of any Sacrifice to be erected in the new Testament? of the abolishment of the Sacri­fices of the Lawe, and the institution of this your explo­ded Sacrifice of the masse, which ye continually flatter and beare in hand? For in this place there is no prophecie but a sharpe rebuke & reprehēsion of the sacrificers vnder the Lawe who, by their horrible & haynous sines, did so kidle the wraith of God against thē, that he moste iustly com­pleaneth of them in this place, Iere. 7. lyke as he doeth ī the firste Chap. of Isayas, reiecting their Sacrifices, Prayers, fastinges, with al the rest of their Pompus workes, Psam. 50 wherof they did so much brage, so that here there is nothing els but the cōmon querimonie of al the Prophetes, to wit, that he declareth their Sacrifices in no wayes to be acceptable vnto God, but altogether abhominable in his presence, [Page] because of their filthy and vicius lyfe.

For the reule is generally prescribed by Moyses, that God did first luke to Abell, and then to his gyftes. And it is more nor euident, that of the horrible and proude con­temuer, he doeth not receaue, no not his owen most holy ordinances: so that the whole thing that is here rehearsed may be moste properly applyed to the shame, rebuke, and vtter exterminion of these filthy massemongers, and of all that is offered by them, whose Sacrifices, albeit they were appointed and allowed of God, as were those of the Lawe (as in verie deid they be not, but altogether are de­testable in his presence, nether hauing cōmandement nor approbation of him) yet are they of no value, yea, I say moste odius in Gods presence, by the plaine testimonie of the Prophet here. So that I meruell not lytle of these masked Asses, that alledgeth ignorantly this place for the prufe and confirmation of this whore moste iustly reiected of all them that are not blinded with Sathan.

God here in plaine tearmes pronounceth, that he is in no wayes appleased in them, he will receaue no gift of their handes, so that he receaueth not the oblatiōs of their handes, whose condicions & maners are haitful to him. He is not contented with the Sacrifices and oblations of the Iewes, being institute and commanded, earnestlie re­quired and authorised of him? Not that God is not con­tent and appleased with that, that he commandeth, but that the Sacrificers did not offer them of that mynde, but of a mere hypocrisie did they vse and practise them, and turne them to a certane lucre againe, and aduantage for them selues.

Now let vs conuert this querimonie of the Prophet vnto our Sacrificers, do ye not think that the Eternall may say the same, The pri­ncipall cause of the masse and of all heresie is the gredy belly my pleasure is not in you, I wil receaue no gift of your handes, seing their filthy liues, their aua­rixius and gredie practises, their whole studies and thogh­tes are giuen to ambition and lucre, in such rage, that as our eyes abhorreth the sight of it, so doeth the tounge shrinke to expres it. I truste, that not onely by the iud­gement of the world, may it be prouen, but by the testimo­nie of your owen consciences ye may be conuicted, all that be of you Sacrificers, to referre all, ād to Sacrifice wholy for your Belly, that is the mother (as Ieronimus doeth [Page 24] moste deseartly note) of all Herisie and fond oppinion. I know your shiftes ye obiect, Hiero. in Iere. ▪ 4 that albeit that God be not appleased with you, yet the Sacrifice that ye do offer, is pleasing, to wit, the body, and blood of Iesus Christe is acceptable.

But if God should answer, and say, I know, and ac­knowledgeth my Sonne, he is be in whom I am pleased, I haue placed and deposed with him the thesaures of my wisdome, power, mercy and goodnes. But what be ye? Who gaue you any such commission? He offered him self according to my determination and Eternal Council, for the sinnes of the world, for satisfaction to my ryghteous iudgement, and for the reconciliation of man to me: but who required that ye should offer him vp againe? But in deid good Maister, if this place of the Prophet shalbe thus applyed to your Idole masse, I perceaue well ye do it vpon a great policy, for one of your principall thinges ye brage of (but how iustly it shalbe after examinat) is ātiquitie, thus ye shall haue your holy Idole much oulder nor ye take it to be, and to haue bene practised in the tyme of Malachias, for I am assured that all that is there spok­en, is in the present tyme, as I haue warned you hearto­fore. Harken ye papistes your masse is olderthē ye know And besydes this ye shall haue an vniuersalitie for this that is spoken of there, is said to be euerie where, in all places. This how iustly may be said of your masse let the wise and prudent Reader consider. I am assured, that the masse wes, nether so oulde as Malachias, nor yet that it wes so vniuersally receaued, that it wes published and authorised euerie where, and so pas thy way with thy vanities and fond imaginations, and search some other place, to confirme and establish thy wicked opinion, The wordes of Ierome expounding this pla­ce alledged by the papists out of the [...]. cha of mala­chie for this can serue nothing.

Consider how Ieronimus exponeth the place, writing vpon it: the wordes are notable, wherefore I wil not we­rie to recyte them. The reule of Scripture is, where as there is a moste manifest prophecie of the thinges to come not to minish, nor extenuat the thinges that be spokē by incercitude of allegories, so now properly to the Preistes of the Iewes the Sermon of the Lorde is derected that offereth the blind, the crouked and the mained, to be offer­ [...]ed vp, that they know, that Spirituall offerringes wes [...]o succead or enter in the roumes of the carnall, and not [Page] the blood of Bulles and Bullockes, but incense, that is the prayers of the Sainctes, to be offered vp to the Lorde, & that not in an prouince of the world, as Iowrie, nor yet in a toune of Iowrie, as Ierusalem, but euerie where an oblation offered, and that not vncleane, as by the people of Israel, but cleane, as in the ceremonies of the Christia­nes, for from the ryssng of the Sone, to the doune passing of it, my Name is great amonges the nations, as our Sauiour plainely witnesseth. Father I haue manifested thy Name to men. And now sayeth he, when as my Name is to be great amonges the nations, ye O Princes of the Iowes, haue polluted it, and polluteth it, for so he wrytith his prophecie, of the thinges to come, that he omitteth not the present tyme, and so furth. Whereby euerie Reader may perceaue and vnderstand, what wes the iudgement of that Ancient and wel learned man of this place, to wit, that it is to be expoūded of the Sacrifice of oration, prayer and thankes geuing, whereby the Eternal is euerie where glorified by his elect and chosen, as the Prophet shoulde say, ye Preistes thinketh that ye do some great mater to me, in that, that ye offer vp vnto me, I can not tel what beastes, and slayeth some Lambes, some Bullockes, Rāmes, and so furth, euen as I were a small God, and lyke vnto the Gods of the Nations, or that I were cir­cumscribed, compassed, and set about, yea, and the onely boundes of Ierusalem were prescribed to my seruice, ho­nour and worship, or that my glorie should not extend the self, further then the bonudes of Iudea.

This is not the wordes of the Couennat, that I made with your Fathers, what tyme I broght them out of E­gypt, I required no such thīg of you, I soght no such thing of your Fathers, but onely the Sermon that I cōmanded them, saying, here my voice, and I shalbe your God. I am not so contemptible, nether yet delyte I in such vile meates and giftes, am I not Lorde of the whole? Bow­eth not euerie knie vnto me? Shall not my Name be ce­lebrated, yea, amonges the Nations, and that from the rysing of the Sone, to his doune going? yea, and with an other maner of Sacrifice, nor this your bludy, to wit, of a cleane impolluted and vndefyled Sacrifice of thankes geuing, which shal not consist in ambition and auarice, nor yet shalbe referred to any filthy lucre, but shal procead [Page 25] of an ardent charitie, and of an vnfeined mynde, so that my Name shalbe sanctified, None of the Ancients euer knewe this Pa­pisticall Masse. and the Sceptur of my king­dome auanced and promoted.

Doeth thou think the mynde of the Prophet wel oppe­ned in this, and treuly, according to the mynde and inter­ [...]retation of Ieronimus, who suffereth not that we shall in any wayes follow an incertane allegorie, and as thou will an vngodly & wicked declaration, where the mater is cleare. I know that there be [...] many thinges teached by the Spirite of God, to wit, the calling of the Gentiles, the abolishment of the ceremonies, yea, Why the Ancients vse this worde Sacrifice. and the cōmutation & change of the Iowish maner of worshipping, gros: and carnall, in it which is Spiri [...]uall of thankes, geuing, and this not onely is the mynde of Ieronimus, but of all the Ancientes, who did neuer acknowledge any such masse, as thou introduceth, being vtterly damned by the Apostle, in the. 9. and. 10. to the Hebrewes, as shalbe after sene.

Trew it is, that they vse the tearme of Sacrifice, What is offered to God by the faith­full peo­ple. but that is because it is a cōmemoration of that Sacrifice, by vertew whereof all faithfull are sanc [...]ified for euer, the Supper I speak of the Lorde, the which is not receaued of the onely shauelinges, but cōmunicat to all faithful peo­ple according to the institution and cōmandement of the Lorde Iesus the Author of it: to the Name of the Lorde our God, we offer vp, yea, and burneth the Sacrifice of praise and thankes, and that willingly, What is the offe­ring of the faith­ful prea­cher. proceading of a certane charitie, dilection and loue we beare to him.

There be offered lykewise, by the faithfull preachers, moste acceptable Sacrifices, to wit, such people as be con­uerted from their wicked wayes, by their predication, to the trew and liuing God, maker of the heauen and of the earth. Thus the Apostle speaketh, and after him Ireneus as shalbe declared in the owen roume. Rom. 15. There is yet a certane sort of Sacrifice commanded in the new Testamēt of liberalytie, Alinus, mercy, wel doing, as the Author to the Hebrewes speaketh.

[...] which thou here doeth pas by lightly, saying. ‘That the wordes of the Prophet can not be vnderstand of the Sacrifice of oration and prayer, and Almus deid. For in other diuers [Page] places are diuers orations and prayers, and the Prophet speakes of a Sacrifice in all pla­ces, where we are compelled to say, that thir wordes war spokē only of the Sacrifice of the masse, quhair into the maist clene Sacrifice of the precius body & blude of Ies' Christ, hes euer bene offered vp, vnder the forme of bread and wyne in all places, Sathan cōpelleth the wyc­ked to a­buse the holy scri­ptures. professing Iesus Christe, sen the tyme of Christe, vnto thir our dayes.’

I may be verie short in the refutation of this last conclu­sion, by reason I haue shewen the nature and the strenth of the argument that this Author vseth here, and haue already reuerted the two former partes of it, and haue also prouen clearly, the vanitie and blind ignorance of this diuine, so that I neid not to trauell me any whit more, for any part of this argument, being impugned and improuē is altogether falles. The de­uersitie of oratiō prayer, & almus alledged by the pa­piste. But he [...]e I darre not pas by the reasō that is here adduced of the diuersitie of prayer, of orations and Almus in all places, Will thou say to me glorius diuyne, that Al [...]s is diuers in all places? but wherein is this diuersitie? Is it in the giuers? In the mater? or in them it is giuen to? And so will I demand of prayers, and orations: will thou say the varietie is in the giuers? This same shal I [...]ffirme of thy masse mongers: or will thou vnderstand it of them that be liberally entreated? shal not the same be foūd trew of them ye sel, your masses to? & miserablie seduceth, The by­ers of masses are mise­rablie deceaued. hauing nothing for their money, but the gaising vpon your monstrous farce?

But I think thou will cleaue to the mater, which sayeth thou is one in all masses. Trew it is, that in your masses ye trauel to haue bread and wyne but in this he is [...]ore then blinde that s [...]yeth nor a great varietie in sindrie Re­gions. For in some we do se the bread, whiter [...], in some places made of onely wheit, in others melted & patched? of the wyne semblablie, here of a starker kynde, here we alter, herof us [...]ed; there cleane and naturall, and God be maised euerie where, that wone that wes thoght vna­ble for the vse and seruice of man, wes reserued and iudged m [...]te mere to that Idole, to refr [...]she the throt of that [Page 26] shaking whore. Alwayes we finde lytle les varietie in the mate [...] of this masse, nor in Alinus, prayer and orations, w [...]ich are [...] of God, m [...]ste [...] to [...] the nedy, of it we haue granted vnto vs of Gods liberalytie, to pray for such thing as we lack, according to the forme prescribed vnto vs, by our Scoole Maister Christe. Pryde blindeth the Pa­pistes.

Now glorius Doctor consider wi [...]h me, the arrogancie of thy fond wi [...], which being putt vp [...] the self, hath ca­ried thee so away, that thou could not en [...]y thy owen va­nitie, I pray to the Eternall [...] tyrie eyes to con­sider the deip pit of ignorance, thou art wrapped in and the dangerus state and condition wherein thou consistes. It that ye conclude, to wit, the Sacrifice of Iesus Christes body and blood, to be moste cleane, none I truste will deny, but that thou affirmeth then to be offered vnder the [...]orines of bread and wyne, in thy masse, that we vtterly [...] as wicked and [...] al­together abhorre. The pri­mitiue Churche neuer [...]en the Popishe masse. And that thou affirmeth it to haue bene vsed ī all places, professing Christe (alas) this is also [...]als, for the primitiue Church vtterly misknew it, yea, and yet [...] the Euangell [...]ath [...]. [...] is not in [...] places of the Orient amonges the Christianes we know no such thing to be (God be [...]rassed) and we hope in God▪ that all [...] shalbe [...] deli­uered from her moste tyrannus, filthy, and insufferable abhomination. And to be mar [...]y with you, for so I know you of your nature, I know finde i [...] places in Scotland, that hath euer [...] cleane of [...]er filthynes▪ And I wolde be verie sorie, that my staine or thy Iack [...]ues wi [...]h reuerence I say of the modest Reader▪ The church of god hath nothing to do w t cōtenti­us Per­sones. should be polluted with so [...] and vile [...]harlote, as is the masse.

Thus thy arg [...]ment is refuted wholy, so that I truste euerie man shalbe satisfied, that is not altogether conten­tius, for to such I write not; not yet will dedicate my lay­boures, for we know that the Church of God hath nothīg to do with such men ones. Trew it is, that the Prophe­tes forwarned vs of the comming and Natiuitie of our Sauiour, and painted him furth in his owen cussors, that he might be knowen, to wit, by his wonderus workes, & infearciable wisdome and doctrine. But that thou hereu­pon wold gather. ‘That this Prophet lykewise did prophecy of a cleane Sacrifice, to be offered [Page] ouer all (hetherto in deid thow sayeth not euill quh­ilk is the precius Body and blude of Iesus Christe, offered vp in the Sacrifice of the masse, be the Minister.’

In this thou speaketh vainely, vngodly, and impiusly, yea, and vnlearnedly, which I haue already declared, yea, and shall proue by the same, that thou adduceth for thy wicked prufe, to wit, the wordes of the latter Supper, and the Prophet Malachie expounded and declared by the vniuersall consent of the moste Ancient Fathers, when as we shall come to the declaration of the sayinges of the Ancients, and wil not now trouble the ordour of the boke Here in deid this glorius diuyne taketh to him a fre feild, taking vpon him to proue and certifie Iames his brother. ‘That this was (sayeth he) the declaration of them that was Disciples to the Apostles, It maye be well sene that the Pa­pists pryde them selues greatlye in lyeng and all vther godly interpretors of Gods worde, Greikes, & Latinistes, together with the vni­uersall consent and declaration of the maist Ancient and godly generall Councels, quhil [...] euer hes bene sen the tyme of Christe to th [...] our dayes.’

But here thou reciteth none of the wordes of thyne Au­thors. In deid there is somwhat noted v [...]ō the merg [...]. Alexander Epistol [...] prim [...] Ireneus Libro primo. Cap. 32. Damascenus Libro primo de Fide. Orthodoxa. Cap. 14. Augustinus Libro. 8. de Ciuitate dei Cap. 33. et 9. Cap. [...]3. [...]ru [...]erin [...] [...]uper exodum

(but here thou hath no mercy vpon the Reader, forget­ting to note the Chapiter) & the two Councils of Nice, & Ephesus last of all. But hereof afterward, because thou entreateth somwhat at more large I will referre them to their owen place, and will ioyne with thee in the substā [...]e of the mater, which I haue euer from the beginning long­ed to atteane vnto.

But here I can not pretermit vnobserued, that thou cyteth Augustine in the eight boke. 33. Chap. the whole boke being conteined and deuided in. 2 [...]. Chapiters. But least ye should haue forget your self in some of the figures [Page 27] I haue loked the. 23. Chap. where the ancient Father di [...]puteth of the iudgement of Hermes Trimegistus of I­dolatrie, and of the abolishing of the superstitions of E­gypt, and I can find nothing any wayes apperteining to this purpose we haue in hand, but except that if some man may Iustlye think that the reprehension of Hermes should most worthely [...]uene to you. The wordes are these, vaine deceptful, pernicius, and Sacrilege thinges, Her­mes the Egyptiane, because he knew the tyme to come, in the which they were to be abolished, he lamented, but he wept impudently, as he knew it imprudently: this part and these wordes may be applyed to you, and all of your faction, who trauelleth in disperate causes, and lamenteth and bewaleth, the erecting of the trew Religion of God, and ouerthrowe of that, that is impius ād wicked, which no dout, as ye bewale impudently, so haue ye foresene these many yeares to come, with no les impudencie nor igno­rance. Than cyteth the. 23. of the nynte boke of the same worke, wherein is entreated, how falssy the Name of God is attrybuted to the Gods of the Gentiles, The Pa­pistes wrest the Anciente Fathers sayinges & rehear­seth pla­ces oute of them, that can neuer be found in them. and yet it is communicat by the authoritie of the holy Scriptures, to holy Angels and iuste men. And I am able to say, that there is nothing there can in any wise serue to this mater.

Now Reader I beseche thee consider, what authoritie and faith is to be giuen to the sayinges of this diuine, who not onely wreasteth and throweth the Scriptures & sayinges of the ancient Fathers, to his pernicius and vn­godly purpose (so that it might seme to the imprudēt Reader that loketh no further, that he hath all for him) but also rehearseth places that be not found, and to vtter his knowledge of the antiquitie, addeth Chapiters vnto their workes: so liberally he dealeth with them. Now let vs procead.

Here is introduced Iames, after his long silence, ma­king an argument against the masse. The wordes are.

‘Sen the Apostle Paule, in diuers places testi­fies, that Iesus Christe our Sauiour suffered anes for vs, and neuer is to suffer againe, quhairby we are assured, that our Sauiour was offered vp anes in Sacrifice on the croce, [Page] for mannes redemption, and neuer to be offer­red vp againe: and ze say he is daylie offerred vp in the Sacrifice of the masse, how can thir twa stand.’

This is the argument of Iames, gathered of the. 9. and 10. Chapiters of the Epistle to the Hebrewes. To this is answered of this new deuyne, in this maner.

‘It is trew that Christe was offered vp vpon the croies, and is neuer to be offered vp againe after that maner, as ane bludie Sacrifice, and it is trew that the Lordes body is offered vp after ane vther maner in the Sacrifice of the ma [...]se, conforme to Christes commandement, as ane vnbludie Sacrifice, The na­tur of the treuth is to distroi falshead which is derect contrary thereto. for why a veritie makes not ane vther veritie fals.’

The [...]ūme of your answer is, that there be two. Sacrifi­ces & oblations of Christes body ād blood, vpon the croc [...] one, an other vnblody ī the masse. This your sayīg, as it is without any testimonie of the Scripture, or suffrage of the antiquitie, so is it moste impudent, and moste easy to be reiected and refelled, whatsoeuer ye pretend of Gods com­mandement, wherein ye haue none at all.

Trew it is, as ye say, that a veritie distroyeth, not an other, but I must say for the part of Iames, and of the treuth that an established trouth distroyeth, and oppēneth vp all thing that is contre [...]ius, which is nothi [...]g but fals­head and vntreuth. The tre­uth of Godis word cō foundeth the blas­phemus falshead of the papistes.

The Apostle writeth plaine, that our Sauiour offered vp himself ones for the perfect deliuerance of man, and neuer is to tho [...]e again [...] ▪ Thou granteth that he suffered ones, and is no further subiect to death, and yet thou wil that he shalbe offered vp againe, yea, and is offered vp in euerie corner. Is not these two sayinges plaine contrari­us? Shall not the manifest treuth vttered by the holy spi­rite; distroy the plaine vntr [...]h and manifest blasphemie, that proceadeth of thy mouth.

But least it shall seme and appeare to you that ye shal escape by your stinking distinccions, which standeth and [Page 28] dependeth wholy vpon the diuersitie of the oblation, that the one is bloody, and the other vnbloody. I will ask of thee, whome of hath thou that distinction? Is it of the Spirite of God? Whom to wes it reueilled before the Scriptures wes shute vp? Papistis we maye not bele­ue yow, without ye shewe zour warrande of offering. Or in what place of Scripture is it expressed? Where is the commandement? I am as­sured ye can haue no sufficient warrand to do any thing that the Lorde Iesus did not in his latter Supper.

Let all be red that is written by Mathew, Mark, Luck, and Paule, of the holie Supper, and moste diligently and manifestly conferred and considered, if our Sauioure ī his latter Supper, offered his body and blood, vnto God the Father, and commanded that we should do the same, he brake bread, gaue thankes, distributed it to his Discip­les, saying: take ye, eat ye, this is my body, which is bro­ken for you. He did lykewise with the Cuppe, saying, take, drink of it all, this Cuppe is the new Testament in my blood, which shalbe shed for you and many, vnto re­mission of sinnes, adiecting to bothe the partes, do this in remembrance of me. What is here, I pray you, that may in any wise apperteane to the oblation of the body and blood of our Sauioure, to be made in the masse?

For we know that the oblation of his body wes made, and his blood shed the day following. And I truste that no man wil think or say, that he commanded vs to do that thing in remembrance of him, which he did the day imme­diatly ensewing, but that he willed them to do that, that he then practised, to the perpetuall recordation and me­morie of him, without any further commandement. The Apostle sayth playnlie, that wit­hout ef­fusion of blood there wes no obla­tioun for Sinne.

Thus then thou can pretend no commandement, what­soeuer thou shall brage of it. Secondly, we are plainely teached by the Author to the Hebrewes, that the oblation of the body and blood of Iesus Christe is of that nature, that ones perfected vpon the croice, it can in no wayes be reiterate nor made againe.

Christe in offerring vp himself, died and rose againe, & thus is no more subiect to mortalitie, and we know that there can be no oblation vnto remission of sinnes, but it that is by effusion of blood. So that now, whosoeuer go­eth about to offer vp him againe, they do that is in them to crucifie him of new.

Is not the argument of the Apostle, moste euident and [Page] strenthy, shawing the excellency of our Sacrifice of the new Testament aboue them of the olde, in that, that they not onely were many and oftentymes repeated, yea, euen the self same, by long continuance of tyme, till they were altogether abolished, where as we haue but one, and that ones offered, neuer to be reiterated nor offered againe.

Iudge with thy self, if that be not the introducting and establishing of a new iudaisime, shaw me the defference, thay had a certane Sacrifice, which in consideration of the inhabilytie, wes oftentymes reiterate, & in no wayes had bene repeated, if it should haue had sufficient force and strenth, The dif­ferēce be­tuixt the sacrifice of the old and new testamēt what shalbe of the Sacrifice of the croice? Sall it not be accused of imperfection and inhabilitie, thus rei­terate by you. Further we know, that Christe can not be offered of none, but of him self, being the onely Medi­ator betuix God and mā, neuer hauing resigned ouer this dignitie to none.

Attour, what a monstrus and preposterus thing shall this be, that the oblation, that is the thing that is offered, shalbe more worthy, and of greater value and estimation, then the offerer, more acceptable to God, nor he that doeth offer it, which of a necessitie must follow, if a shaueling shall offer vp Christe in his masse.

Moyses doeth teach vs, the oblation to be receaued of God, for his saike that doeth offer it, for the oblation of Cain wes reiected of God for Cain saike, and the gift of Abell receaued not for the owen cause, The Pa­pistes bringing vp a Iu­daisime, make the sacrifice of Christ imꝓfyte. but the saike of the offerer, lyke as is plaine through all the Prophetes, so we haue in this mater, the oblation of the body and blood of Iesus Christe, to be moste pleasant vnto the Father, in consideration that it wes offered vp, by his onely and wel­beloued Sonne. By these argumentes it may appeare euidently, the vanitie of thy pretended commandement, & captius distinctions, which in your owen doctrine inclu­ded, a verie great contradiction. For ye do call this your fond oblation an vnbloodie Sacrifice, if I had presently a notare at hand, I should bestowe an plack vpon an in­strument of this saying.

I ask of thee new diuine, how can this be an vnbloody Sacrifice, and yet thou wil affirme the wyne, that is their drunke by the Preist, to be the verie reall blood of our Sauiour Christe, that he receaued of the substance of the [Page 29] Virgine, and that he shed vpon the croice. The Sacrifice of the croice is called bloody, because Christes blood wes shed thereon, in verie deid, shall not this your Sacrifice be the same argument be bloodie, since ye drink and offre vp the same blood that vpon the croice wes shed. The Papistis affirme that they drink in their masses, the blood of Christ and yet they call it an vn­bloodye sacrifice.

Now ether must thou renunce and recant the wicked error of transubstantiation, or els thou shalt, will you or will you not, grant it to be a bloodie Sacrifice, that thow so stifly denyeth & haeth no otherway to declyne the pithe of the argument. Now ones I pray the againe oppin thyne eyes and be not styll blynde to considder how naroly thow are thrung in, and delyuer thy self if thow can. Consid­der last, if it be a thing consistyng in the power, and wyll of man tyll alterre and change the ordinances of God, to change the nature of Saccrifices, which be appoynted ī ef­fusion of blood, for so shall fall all the holie and inuiolable ordinances of God, as witnesseth the Apostle, effusion of blood to be necessarly ioyned with remission of sinnes. Thus shal we conclud with thee, that a veritie distroyeth not an other, but in deid it oppeneth vp an vntreuth and lie, which, allace, doeth abound in thy mouth, what adiu­ration soeuer thou shall cloike them with all.

These your sayinges appeareth somwhat scabrus and obscure to Iames (as in deid all vntreuth), masked, & cloi­ked with pretense of veritie & simplenes, is dark & hard to be vnderstād the veritie cōtrarie wayes is euer remaning lyke to the self plane manifest and simple) and for this caus he is desyrus that your sayīges be made more plaine.

‘And hereupon ye take occasion to declaire the difference betuix the Sacrifice of the Lordes body on the croice, and the Sacrifice of the masse, quhilk in sume part aggreis, and sum part defferis, firste they aggre in so far as the self same body in substance, and so furth. ad cloke with treuth is alway is scabrus and vn­cleane.’

The sūme of the whole is, that the Sacrifice of the massee hath thre thinges cōmon with the Sacrifice of the croice, whereof the two former be sufficiently entreated, refelled and prouen, that nether is the same body in the masse, that wes offered vp vpon the croice, nor yet that the masse in any wayes wes forewarned by the Prophetes, and so wil [Page] I omit those two partes, least I should seme to do againe, as lyeth in the Prouerb, that, that is already done, and will ioyne in with the thrid, which is this.

‘Thridly, (say ye) thay aggre that lyke as the Sacrifice of the croice wes prefigurat be mony diuers signes and figures, so was the Sacri­fice of the masse prefigurat be the preisthead and oblation of Melchisedec.’

In this I glaidly go with you, that the Sacrifice of the croice wes prefigurat in the Lawe, yea, and before the written Lawe, in the Sacrifices offered by the Fathers, which did cheiflie serue to the exercise of their faith, teaching and leading them, as it were by the hand, to the Sacrifice of Iesus Christe, to be offered vpon the croice, which wes moste liuely prefigured by the Immolation of Isaac.

But that there be any fygur or adumbration of thy fond Sacrifice of the masse, or forewarning, to the allowance of it, that I vtterly refuse and constantlie denye. The place cyted by you, out of the .14. of Geneses, of Melchisedec serueth you nothing, Melchi­sedec not as the preist of God offered bread and wine but as king of peace broght furth bread & wine to re [...]resh [...] & his com­panie. how much soeuer ye shal bragge of it, for it is plaine that he offered no bread, nor wyne to God, but broght furth bread and wyne, to the refection of Abra­ham and his armie, now weried & hongrie, by their great iorney and trauel, and that not as preist of the moste heigh God, but as King of Salem, thus shall we haue the most proper diuision and proportion of euerie part, aggreing moste semely with others, firste that he as King, broght furth bread and wyne (for that is the meaning and signifi­cation of the Hebrwe word, and the Greik. [...] and so vsed him self liberally tow­ardes Abraham and his Armie.

Secondly, as preist, according to the deutie and office of the preist he blissed him. Trew it is, that in the common Latine translatiō there is some difference from the Hebrew in that he sayeth ( Erat enim: for he wes) geuing as it wer a cause of the fact of Melchisedec before rehearsed, of the refreshing of Abraham and his folkes. And this no dout hath giuen the occasion to the vnlearned of stumbling, but the Hebrew is plaine, Et erat: and he wes preist of the moste heigh God, & so that clause Et erat Sacerdos altiss. dei. apperteaneth not to the fact preceading, but to the office of [Page 30] the preist, recyted immediatly after, of the blissing of Abra­ham, in the name of the Lord of heauen. Thus Melchisedec being King and preist, no dout, wes the liuely type and figure of the preisthead of our Sauiour, ioyned with his kingdome, as Dauid doeth forewarne and teach vs in the 110. Psalme, Psal. 110 and the Apostle in the .7. Chap. to the He­brewes, where he at lenth and of purpose declareth this mater. Wherefore I will not trauel any more in the expli­cation of that place, but will send the Reader to the Spi­rite of God, declaring it at lenth by the mouth of the fore­said Apostle.

I know that Tertuliane, and some of the Ancients wil seme somwhat subtile, in the explication of this Text, in­sisting vpon the bread and the wyne, and the application thereof, to this that we do practise in the Lordes Table. But I pray you, what a sleuth should this be, in the holie Apostle of Iesus Christe, in the explication of this mater, to pas this point, if it should haue in any wise belonged to the purpose, & specially seing in speaking of the preisthead (& that at large & of purpose he touched it not) what a gros obliuion should it be, to pas the cheif & prīcipal Sacrifice,wherein the vertue of the preisthead is included to your erronius iudgement. By the benediction & the receauing of the teindes onely, cleane leauing out your foolish new inuented offering, he proueth his honour and dignitie.

But this offering of bread and wyne, wherein (as ye say) wes prefigured the Sacrifice of the bodie and blood of Christe, which is the verie lyfe of the world, had bene a mater more pertinent to the Apostles purpose and intent, then any that he there alledged, if it were trew (as is most fals) that ye alledge.

Here we may clearly espy, that the Ancients can not be altogether excused nor defended in this point. But in the wordes of Moyses, Papists be ware of your cōparing lest ye ourethraue your trā ­substanc [...] ation lyeth the moste full perfect and plaine refutation of this new inuention, where we read not that any thing there wes offered to God, but rather giuen to Abraham, so that not onely he wes blissed of him, but refreshed. For I truste thou will not say that he Sacri­ficed to Abraham, and if this shall serue to your masse, see we not all, that the figure of Melchisedec can not auale, vnles ye grant bread and wyne to be offered there, and so shall your transubstantiation vanishe and vtterly fall, [Page] because therein ye susteane no substance to remaine, but the onely accidentes. Attour, what temeritie and foolish boldnes shall this be, to giue the body of Christe to be of­fered vp of a shaueling, seing that the onely successor to Melchiseder, is our Sauiour Christe, without any cōpa­nion, collaterall, successor, or suffragane.

Now pas thy way and search the argument els where, for thy masse ī no wayes hath any affinitie with the Sacrifice of the croice, in the pointes rehearsed. Yea, and I wil affirme it boldly, that it can haue no more similytude or communication with it, nor light with darknes, godlines with impietie, God with Beliel, nor the holy ordinances and institutions of God, with the fond, wicked, peruerst and adulterat inuentions of men.

Now ye discend to declaire vnto vs the defferences and disagrement of the one, with the other, and firste ‘That they deffer, that the Lordes body was offered vp vpon the croice in the awin forme, visible and sensible, and the Lordes body in the Sacrifice of the masse, is offered vp vnder the formes of bread and wyne, inuisiblie and insensable, so they deffer in maner and forme of offering vp, and not in substance.’

Trew it is, that the Lordes body wes offered vp in the owen forme, and no wayes els could haue bene, nor yet can be, for this cā not be seperated from manifest impietie, contempt and mockage of God, to stufe vp the hyde of a Bull, What cōfort the supper of our lord bringeth to the fa­ithfull. and the skin of a Lamb with st [...], or otherwyse, and so to offer it vp in Sacrifice, lyke as ye do bragge of bread and wyne, and calling them the Lordes body and blood, or at the least vnder the formes of them, the body and the blood of our Sauiour to lurke, and so to be expossed to the doggishe appetite and cruell teath, of a filthy harlote, what a masked Sacrifice is this?

Augustyne speaketh more reuerently geuing vs a gene­rall reule to discerne proper speaches and thinges that be spoken properly and vnderstand, euen as they be written from improper and Metaphoricall, that whensoeuer we be commanded to do that which includeth no absurditie nor repugneth not to all humanitie & nature, then haue we [Page 31] to take this commandement, as properly spoken, and to be obeyed as it speaketh. But where the commandement is giuen against all humaintie nature and reason, as to eat the fleshe of man, and to drink his blood, The Papistis will not learne this lessō then let vs think well that the speaking is improper and Metapho­rical. What wil thou answer to this saying of this godly learned man? Thou seeth plainely this godly Father, to grant manifestly, a figure in these wordes, this is my body, and that they oght to be vnderstand figuratiuelie and Metaphorically, iudgeing it a great impietie, til a man to think that he shall eat the body and fleshe of man, & drink his blood in any wayes, really and substantially, Christ feleth not the bar­barus crueltie of the papistes. as ye do fondly imagine. But to be mirry with you, ye do well, that howsoeuer ye do vse this haynus cruel, and more nor barbarus boucherie, vpon the Sonne of God, yet that he sealeth not your horrible intreatment, that he being a mā against the nature of man is made insensible and inuisible some relief and confort hath he.

God giue you his holy Spirite, that ye may ones con­sider the treuth, & submit your self vnto it in all humilitie. ‘The last defference, is in the consideration of the cause, wherefore the Lordes body is offer­red vp in the Sacrifice of the masse. The Lordes body wes offered vpon the croice, to obtene euerlasting lyfe, satisfaction for sinne, redem [...]tion, and so furth. The Sacrifice of the masse was institute by our Sauiour, in the last Supper, not as a new satisfaction or redemption, but it is a new Sacrifice, in cō ­memoration and rememberance of Christes death and passion, be the vse of the quhilk, we are made pertakers of the fruct of his death and passion.’ This farre.

In deid in the practise of the Lordes Table, we be teached to celebrate the Lordes death till his comming, that is to say, to remember and meditat with our selues, yea, and confesse, preach and annunce, in presence of the whole world, the benefites procured and obteined vnto vs, by [Page] the death and resurrection of our Sauiour, and no dout, the faithfull is ioyned with Christe, and made participant of his iustice, holynes, innocencie, and so furth. Yea, and as Tertuliane speaketh, the bread and the cuppe are verie pledges of our spirituall lyfe, resurrectiō and Saluation.

But we acknowledge no such thing to be receaued of thy wicked, impius, and vngodly masse, which thou here decketh vp with the ornamentes of the Lordes holy table, not vnlyke to Esops Crawe. But since we are atteined hetherto, I will not werie to shaw the defferences betuix the two, Christ accomplished the office of his prie­sthead when he offered vp his body in sa­crifice on the crosse which shall not be altogether without fruct, nor yet from the purpose, and shall conclude them shortly in four heades.

1. First we know Iesus Christe appointed & vncted of his Father, the Eternall preist, according to the ordour of Melchisedec, then to haue executed, absolued and perfyted the office of his preisthead, when as at the will of his Fa­ther, he offered him self vp in a Sacrifice of sweit Sauour vpon the croice, the onely and Eternall Sacrifice, which no dout, wes prefigurat long before in Melchisedec, who being ones in the Scriptures broght in, is declared to be the preist of the liuing God, without any further mention of him.

The Masse maketh successo­rs to Christe wich is a great blas [...]e­meIn this blasphemus Sacrifice of your masse, ye spoile and rubbe the Sōne of God, the onely and Eternal preist, of this prerogatiue of preisthead, ioyning to him Collate­ralles, Companions, successors, and suffraganes, to vse his charge, and execute his office, euen as the same infir­mitie were in him, that wes in the preistes of the Lawe, who by their mortalitie, wes driuen to take men till oc­cupy their roumes, supplie there absence, and so releif their charges.

The Apostle affirmeth no such imperfection to be in our Sauiour, Hebr. 7. the Eternall preist euer liuing, to execute his office of mediation and intercession: whose preisthead is of that nature, that it can not be transfered into any other. And if it be trew that we be teached by the same Author, that no man taketh any honour vpon him, but he that is called of God, Hebr. 4. as Aron: Shaw the place and comman­dement of appoynting of these new Sacrificers. And as I am moste certane, that thou shall finde none in the Scrip­tures, so am I assured that thow can haue no suffrage, [Page 32] nor testimony of antiquitie thereof. For Chrysostomus is plaine, and Augustine plainely sheweth it to be the voice of the Antichrist, Libro. 2. cōtra Pa [...] men. Cap. 8. if any man shall call a Bishop a mediator betuix God and man: so straitly doeth he ascribe and ven­dicat the whole honour of preisthead vnto Christe, that not one [...]ote he will thole to be taken or communicat with [...] other.

2. The Second difference is, that it wholy defaceth and distroyeth the croice and passion of Christe. There was ne­uer so great multitude of sacrifices in this world as the anti­christ haeth iuen­ted. For that is moste certane, that assone as euer thou erecteth an Alter, that the croice of Christe is vtterly extinguished. For ye will not deny, but our Sauiour Christe offered vp himself, to purches and obte [...]ne perpetuall sanctificaion and forgiuenes to his Elect and faithfull, the vertew whereof is Eternal and remaneth: other wayes we could iudge no other thing of this Sacrifice of Christe, then of them vn­ [...]er the Lawe, the which are tryed by that, to be of small value, that they w [...]re oft reiterat. Wherefore we muste conclude, ether that the croice of Christe lacketh the force of Eternall p [...]rgation, or els that it is a sufficient Sacri­fice, whereby he hath fully satisfied for all, and that perpe­tually. Now then if place shalbe to this thy Sacrifice, which isso practised, that a hundreth thousand of them are offered vp in a day: What can we think but that the passiō of our Sauiour, wherein he offered vp him self to his Fa­ther, shalbe vtterly rased, defaced, buryed, and quenshed? I s [...]air to rehears the testimonies of the Scripture, because we will haue immediatly after occasion to speak of them.

3. The thrid propertie and vertew of the masse is, The 3. ꝓpertie of the masse. that [...]t burieth and obliterateth the death of our Sauioure, to the which is attrybuted by the Spirite of God, the whole Saluation and Redemption of man. For as commonlie [...]monges men, the Testaments and latter willes of men are of no effect nor strenth, to the man that maketh it, be depriued of lyfe, so we know our Sauiour to haue confir­med his Testament, wherein we be written aires of the Eternal kingdome, by his death. Weknow lykewayes, The masse is a new ma­ner of tastament. what a Sacriledge it is, to alterre, change, varie and inno­uate any iote of a Testament. Shall this then be suffered in the Tastament of our Sauiour, which not onely is in­nouated and changed, but altogether, cancelled, defaced & distroyed by the masse, which is as it were a new maner [Page] of Testament, diuers and contrarius to the other trew & laufull Testament of Christe, writt [...]n by the Euangelists, yea, and if I should affirme euerie masse to be as a certane and new Testament, seing they promes euerie one a new remission of sinnes, a new conques and acquisition of grace, so that Christe muste come againe, and by his death or by vnnumerable Thousande death is confirme these new Testamentes, so that howsoeuer many masses they be, so oft shall he die. For the masse directly tender [...] to that, that Christe shall die againe, for the Testament [...] haue no authoritie, without the death of the Testator. The masse is a new kynde of Testament, promising large remission of sinnes, and incres of grace, by the vertew of the worke it self, Ex opere operato. as they say, then mu [...] Christe die, according to the multitude of masses, for there can be no rem [...]ssion of sinnes, without effusion of blood, as we haue heretofore rehearsed, in euerie masse there is bragged remissiō of sinnes, there then muste be a Sacrifice [...]aine and blood shed. Christe then muste be cruelly mur­thered in euerie corner, at the appetite of a shaueling for tuelf pens, yea, and hath suffered oftentymes, yea, many million of tymes, since the Papistes begon to erect the monstrous masse.

4. The last is, that the whole fruct of the death of Christe is wholy taken from vs by the masse. For who I pray you, may think him self redeamed by the death of Christe, seing a new redemption is offered and ꝓposed in the masse▪ Who shall think his sinnes forgiuen him in the blood of our Sauiour, a new remission being offered in the hearing of a masse? Thou will say pereuentur, that we haue no remission of sinnes in the masse, but in consideration of the passion of our Sauiour.

I answer thee againe, that is asmuch to say, we be re­deamed in this consideration by the blood and passion of Christe, that now we shall redeame our selues againe by the masse. For this is your doctrine plainely, that ye offer vp Christe to the Father in the masse, that by the vertew & merite of that worke, ye may obteane remission of your sinnes. What haue we further then to do with the passion of Iesus Christe, seing euerie man for tuelf pens may hau [...] remission of sinnes, by the hearing of a mumled masse, by a filthy whoremonger, [...]o the passion of Christe doeth serue [Page 33] onely to t [...]a [...]h [...] shall [...].

Our Sauiour willeth his Discipl [...] [...] to be affixed to that action, but [...] them in th [...] [...]crifice, What Christe taught his dis­ciples. w [...]ereby [...]erpetuall sanctification and re [...]ssion [...] and purchased, he teached them the holy S [...]pper, [...] & memorial of his [...] [...]ame [...] neuer to be after dou [...] in his [...] as [...]riste is the onely oblation to [...] he▪ ones offered, that [...] mi [...]ht be all who [...]e [...] and a [...]ted to the [...]oice and his passion.

These were the defferences then should ha [...]e collec [...]ed, if thou should consider the mater aright, whereby we may [...]alylie espy that the holy table, by the erection of the masse, [...] holy suppla [...]ed, trode vnder foote▪ ouerthrowen, an [...] [...]. For the Supper we do all acknowledge and receaue, as a gift of God, with all reuerence, humilytie, & [...]ankes: the Sacrifice of the masse is a price and a kynde of sa [...]isfaction giuen to God, receaued of him, in recōpence of sinnes. What difference is betuix geuing and recea­uing, the same difference is betuix the holy table and the masse. Now consider what an ingratitude we shall [...] this, tha [...] where we receau [...] all at the handes of God, and so are wholy affricted to [...] to make hi [...] [...]e [...] ­ter to vs.

The Sacrament assureth vs, that not onely we be ones defr [...]ē [...]e [...] from all aduersarie powers, by the passion of Christe Iesus, The Sacrament assureth vs of all maner of goodnes in Christ but that we haue no lyfe, but of [...] [...]ath, no strenth but in his infirmitie, no incorruption and glo­rie, but in his mortalitie, reboke, shame, and ignominie. [...]his your Sacrifice singeth an other song, that Christe is daylie to be Sacrificed, that we thereby may put God in our danger of obligation, to grant and giue vs, what we shall call for, in so farre as there be no kynde of man, beas [...], herb [...], sto [...]e infirmitie▪ [...] disea [...], put it serueth [...]or a Salue for a [...] to all.

The holy Table is practised in the whole [...]ssembl [...] of the faithfull, distribution is made to all; according to the cō ­mandement, to testifie and teac [...], how we be all ioyned in Iesus Christe, in whome we liue. This communion is broken and dissolued by your masses, for we see plainely, that as the preist taketh vpon him to Sacrifice for the peo­ple, so doeth they nothing els but gase vpon him, and as it [Page] were excommunicat, as we shall after here, when we shall come to the proper counte.

Now let vs procead, where we will haue occasion to declare th [...]se thinges shortly touched at great large, for Iames maketh the obiection in this maner.

‘It app [...]ires that the Sacrifice of the masse, dois posture and diminishe the glorie of the Sacri [...]ice of the croice▪ for [...] the Sacrifice of the croice was perfyte in the self, o [...] that should [...] a new Sacrifice, or any ma Sacrifices.’

If here it were repeated and added to this argument of Iames, that we haue spoken in the Second difference, betuix the masse and the Sacrifice of the croice, it than [...]e not be altogether vnfruitfull.

Well the same of your answer to the argument, [...] that the masse obstureth nor deminisheth not the glorie and virtew of the croice, but rather aduanceth it, being a commemoration of it, whereby the fructes of Christes death, are applyed. The pa­pists call their masse, a cōmemoration & an applycation of Christes death & passion.

‘The Sacrifice of the croice (God be pray­se [...] say ye) is the Sacrifice of Redemption, and of our full deliuerance, perfect in it self. Nottheles it is necessare, that the fructes of the same be daylie [...] wit and applyed, as by Baptisme the Supper of the Lorde, the Sa­crifice of the masse, and diuers other maner [...], as the Scripture do [...]s plainely teach.’

It is certane that we be [...]eached by the Scriptures, and assured of [...] the blo [...]d of Iesus Christe, figured and represented by watter in Baptisme, of our [...] [...] with Iesus Christe, as the Apostle [...]oeth teach vs find i [...] p [...]a [...]es. Of the Lord­es [...] the Spirite of God, Gal. 6. Ephe. 5. that all that [...] read and [...] of that cuppe, tha [...] they are one, with Iesus Christe, and he with them, th [...]t the [...] in themselues, but in Christ, being [Page 34] made participant of all his iustice; ryghte [...]usnes [...] and fynally of all benefytes pr [...]cured by the [...] course of his obedience, and specially for that, [...] him self to the death, and that of the [...].

We know in the predication of his word, all his [...] to be offered and declared, and to be [...] by vs, [...] [...]. These wayes we be plainely teaches in the [...] but of thy Idole masse there i [...] never a worde to the Scriptures, nor yet of thy applying of the vertew of the [...]ath of Christe. But [...] of this glorius Papist, what he doeth vnderstand by this apply­ing. I trust thou will not pas from the doctrine of the [...]omishe Church, since thou cleanes to all the vaine [...] [...], and beggetly ceremonies thereof [...]o [...]iftly. The ro­mishe doctrine cōcernīg their I­dol masse moste abhomina­ble.

There [...]c [...]rine is plaine, that the vertew & merite of the masse is applied by this Sacrifice, thre wayes in a moste special maner to him self, for his moste charitable motion, by the which he is rauished vp to God, and so by the say­ing of the masse, he merites the Eternall lyfe, which is called by the Scoole men, the essentiall rewarde.

This fruct he can apply to none other, sayeth Gabriel▪ for albeit a man (sayeth he) may merite to an other, the firste grace, yea, and augmentation of grace, yet can he nor merite the essentiall rewarde of the Eternall lyfe, which respondeth and followeth [...]pon euerie mans owen work.

2. The Second maner of their application is moste gene­rall, conueaning to all and the whole Church, for it is nor the deutie of the Preist (say they) till exclude any [...] from the virtew and merite of it, that is a member of the Church.

3. The last maner is speciall, and so it serueth to him or them, that the Sacrificer applyeth it to, conceaueth cer­tane orations and prayers, for obteining remission of sin­nes, grace, spirituall commodities, and temporal benefi­tes to the dead and the [...].

This is then the application thou meaneth of hert, for this is the doctrine of thy mother, the Romane Church, as I am able to proue, by the moste esteamed writers a­monges you, which say in plaine tearmes: that the preist may pairte and distribute these graces [...]nalie, or other­wayes at his appetite, to whome it shall lyke him [...] yea, and that his wickedness shalbe no hinderance thereto, [Page] nether yet excommunication, not yet suspension. For these things safeth not away the virtew of the Sacrifice, which it hath, because of the worthynes of the work it self.

Many other thinges I pretermit of set purpose, wea­rying to rehears them, in consideration of the great [...], shame, and blasphemie, that lyeth in them, a [...] the Reader shall now shortly consider with me.

Firste▪ seing we darre not attempt, nor oght to take vpō hand nothing, but that we be assured of the allowance o [...] God. I wold inquire of them, whereas this office appoin­ted to them, to offer vp Christe to God the Father, to ap­ply the merite of his death, together with all other graces▪ and benefites, at their pleasure and appetite (which is the hiest mater and of greatest importance in all the polycie & gouernment of the Church) where is this commandemen [...] giue by Iesus Christe, ether yet practised by his disciples.

Secondly, how shall we take this to be a propitiatorie Sacrifice, meriting and procuring such hie and excellent giftes and graces, which onely is deuised by the fantasie of man, and whereof there is neuer a word in the Scriptures of God, conforme to the which, we acknowledge an Sacrifice of the croice, whereby we haue grace, remission of our sinnes, restitution to Gods fauor, Redemption and Sal­uation. Consider in what estimation we haue our God, and what roume and prerogatiue we ascribe to man, if he shall vsurpe and take vpon him to make such Sacrifices at his owen appetite, which shall obteane and merite all thinges to him, shall subdew the Eternall God to the pleasure of a filthy whoremonger, taking vpon him the dispensation of the benefites of God. Is not this to make man redemer of him self? To spoile God of his owen ho­nour and dignitie? To subiect God to the will and plea­sure of man? And fynally, not onelie to absence and demi­n [...]she, but vtterly to deface and quenche the whole glorie & virtew of the death of our Sauiour.

We know and teach, that the minister preacheth the word, The doctrine of the trew & faithful minist­ers. annunceth the Sermon of peace, and confort, mi­nistereth & dispenseth the Sacramentes: but the geuing of the inwarde grace, the increas and augmentation of it, we reserue all whole to the Spirite of God, who apply­eth and distrybuteth to euerie man, at his good pleasure, the merite of the Sacrifice of the croice, together with all [Page 35] other giftes.

If it should be demanded of these gay teachers, if any massemonger preist did euer pearish or wes condemned. Filthy & detesta­ble blas­phimers cā neuer confesse the kingdome of God. I truste they should answer quickly, no, for how can it come to pas, that a preist, who by the m [...]bling of a masse, may conques and obteane the rewarde of the Eternal lyfe, that this man shal pearish? who may in the space of a quar­ter of an houre, apply Saluation to him self: this man I say, can not but streight go to heauen, yea, long before his [...]ine be cold, as is [...]aid vulgarly.

Secondly, since it is in the will of the preist, to apply the virtew of this Sacrifice, to whome shall lyke him, specially for the redemptiō of Soules, what is the cause of Trentales of masses, and fundations made for the soule of any certane man, seing he may be redeamed & deliuered by me. I know therebe some stations ī Rome, which giueth that power and priuiledge to any man, What power some sta­tions in Rome, haue by the pope. by the saying of the Lordes prayer, and the beleue, to deliuer any a soule out of Purgatorie, why is there now any masse said for this soule: I know that the Pope selleth the same priuiledge, as we haue sene in our dayes, and I am able to produce the exemple, if the tyme should suffer, or were otherwayes neidful. Besydes, what moneth them to sing many masses yea, and continew them dayly and yearely, for the deliue­rance of the soule of the riche man, and but one for the ne­die and indigent?

We haue sene (Helas) that if a riche and potent man, should haue bene called vpon, the Belles doubted, all the Altares and Church ful of dule, masses sung in euerie cor­ner, continued so long as money wes payed: scarssy one said for the poore, what meaneth this? it being in the plea­ [...]ure of the preist, to deliuer and redeame as lyketh him, Thefals­head of papistes is here discribed. ether muste we say that the preist hath bene inuius and a­naritius, or the masse is not of equale value to the riche, and to the indigent, but the more money is payed for them they are of les value: this muste of necessitie follow.

Last of all, I wold glaidlly be instructed of this, how it hath proceaded, that the Apostles neuer knew, nor teached the Churches, of this virtew of the masse. It may appe­are to be a wonderfull mater, that the Church of God should haue bene defrauded of so great a treasure in those [Page] dayes, we reid nothing in the Scriptures of this ryte of Sacrificing, for the dead and the quick. Of breaking of bread in the Lordes Table, & communion of the body and blood of our Sauiour, many notable testimonies we haue, but of this thy Sacrifice and applycation of the masse, at the appetite of any man, or otherwayes there is neuer a syllabe.

I pas by sindrie maters, that might be adduced, and should serue properly to this purpose, as why, at the be­ginning, when this opinion entered in of thy Sacrifice of the masse, a lōg time there wes but one in euerie Church yea, amonges a great multitude of Monkes and Freares, there wes but a preist, and an Alter, a masse, and that but vpon Solemne dayes, as we see yet in these dayes, but an Alter in the Popes Chappell, The po­pes chappell is yet a witnes aga­niste the multy­tude of masses. a masse, and that but at certane tymes in the yeare. By these thinges I truste it may be easylie espyed, of what mynde this Author ascei­beth the applycation of the fructes of the Lordes death, to the masse, euen to foster and manteane all wickednes and impietie, to the plaine mockage, derision, and contempt of God, peruersion and supplantation of his holy ordinan­ces, defacing and burying of the Sacrifice of the croice, & fynally to thruste the Sonne of God, out of his owen roume, to spoile him of his prerogatiue of Eternal preist­head and intruding a preist. The Apostle pronounceth, that Christe the Sonne of God, by his onely oblatiō, ones offered, purchased Eternall sanctification, to all the Elect of God. And in that disputation, not onely abbrogateth and wypeth away the Sacrifices of the Law, but also ful­ly refuteth your vaine dreame of this sacrifice of the masse. Ye affirme your masse to be a Sacrifice, by virtew where­of, ye haue remission of sinnes, and that als well to the dead, None can offer Christe, but himselfe, w c is of the Father, thereun­to appo­inted. as to the quick. The Apostle affirmeth plainely, that there is no place now to any Sacrifice, since the say­ing of Ieremie is accomplished and fulfilled: when ye are thus vrged, ye true to your shift, and cryeth that it is no new Sacrifice, nor any thing different from the Sacrifice of Christe, but the self same. The Apostle occurreth to this, and denyeth that it oght any wayes to be repeated or reiterat, and is not contented to call it a Sacrifice, but ad­ioneth that it wes ones made, yea, and wholy vendicates the glorie and prerogatiue of the Eternal preisthead, vnto [Page 36] the onely anoynted of God, so that it can cōuene to none to offer him vp, but to him self. Your craft to schift you of this, is to say, that the wordes of the Apostle, are to be vnderstand of a bloody maner: your Sacrifice (say ye) is vnbloody, but the Apostle affirmeth without any exceptiō, that there can be no Sacrifice, by which remission of sinnes is obteined, without effusion of blood. The A­postle sayeth generally, that ther is no sa­crifice for sinne, without blood­shed.

Last of all ye here affirme, that it is a certane applyca­tiō of the feuer, of that a Sacrifice offered by our Sauiour. To this the Apostle answereth for this cause, and to this effect, the ceremonies and Sacrifices of the Lawe, haue bene abbrogated and taken away, by the death of Christe, because in them there wes memorie and mentiō of sinnes, which they were no wayes able to take away. Whereby ye are constrayned and compelled, in dispite of your obsti­nat and indured hart, to grant that no such kynde of ap­plycation can haue place, as ye haue foolishely deuised. Change and turne thee in als many formes and figures, as the Poyet speaketh of Prothe [...]s, thou shalbe holden so fast and strait, by the disputation of the Author, that thou shall in no wayes escape.

He teacheth vs plainely, that none is able to offer him, but him self, what a Sacriledge then is it, that euerie preist shall take this vpon him in the masse? Secondly, he pro­nounceth this Sacrifice to be one, and ones perfited, that it can not be repeated, in the masse howsoeuer ye affirme it to be the same, yet is it offered vp oftentymes, yea, many, myssion of tymes, in an hour, The pa­pisticall Preistes committ horrible sacrilege daylie in their masses. nothing appearing but a preist euerie where. The Apostle pronounceth geue rally that there is no Sacrifice, without shedding of blood, ye affirme youres to be vnbloody, as we haue said heretofore The Apostle, when as we shal search remission of our sen­nes, commandeth vs to stay our selues on the passion and death of our Sauiour, his Sacrifice, and sheweth the diffe­rence that is betuix vs and the Fathers, to be that they were astricted and bund to a continuall ryte, & ordaine of offering vp of Sacrifices, which we are exempted and de­liuered o [...], by the death of our Sauioure.

Ye affirme plaine against this, that the Sacrifice of the croice of Christ, can in no wayes serue vs, vules the vir­tew of it, be applyed vnto vs, by this your Sacrifice.

[...] iudge I besech thee godly Lector, of this do not re­pugne [Page] plainely to the wordes of the Apostle, and doeth in­troduce a new iudaisme, by plu [...]alytie of Sacrifices, The papistes bring in a new iudaisme, by pluralytie of sacrifices and heaping vp of ceremonies. Thou goeth about to declaire thy wicked opinion by an exemple, drowen out of the me­dicine, where it repugneth nothing, that a thing be propy­ned by sindrie instrumentes. This saying is trew, but if the medicin shall [...] proper instrumentes, to entreat & handle his patient committed to his cure & charge, and yet shal take a poysoned Goblet, filthy and stinking, alwayes trimu [...]e deckt, and verie semely without, and in it propine to his patient rank poysone, making hī, who hath wholie submitted him self to his faith, to beleue, that he shall re­ceaue the moste pectoral and confortable potion, what shal we think of this medicin? what is thy iudgement of him▪ Is he not worthy of the death? This is more proper and pertinent to thy purpose.

Hebr. 10Chrysostome vseth the similytude of the medicine, but more properly then ye do: as the medicine (sayeth he) and it be strenthy and of virtew, ones being vsed and applyed, shall expell the sickenes, and is no more to be vsed, other­wayes it shall declaire the owen imperfection, A verie proper similitude of the sacrifices, or offe­rīg vp of Christe. if it shall neid to be after vsed: so sayeth he, is the oblation of our Sauiour, which in respect of the perpetuall virtew and power of purgation and sanctification, ones offered, is not to be repeated. In that they were commanded to offer Sa­crifices, as is cōteined, rebuke and reprehension of sinnes, so in the multitude and repetition of them, is tryed the infirmitie of the thinges that were offered. Take head now what thou doeth vrgeing this Sacrifice so earnestly and defacing the vertew of Christes Sacrifice, which her [...] by [...]an not be but impotent, since thou will haue it so often reiterat. Thou neadeth not to oppen vp our infirmities & subiection to sinne and iniquitie, to proue the necessitie of this thy blasphemus Sacrifice, as we had no other meanes to be assured of our Redemption, but by it, we haue God be praised, Baptisme and the Lordes Supper, which we acknowledge to be the holie institutions of Iesus Christe, whereby we are fully and perfectly assured [...] our deliuerance by Christe, and of our coniunction with him. Now let vs prosecute the rest.

Followeth an other obiection made by Iames.

‘Alwayes (sayes he) all ze quha vses the masse [Page 37] dois not (this (not) is not in the Text, that is come to my handes, but because the sentence requireth it, I haue added it) as Christe did in the latter Supper, Communicat to the multitude, and ze tak all to zour self.’

How soeuer this glorius diuine sheweth a bould and a throwen countinance, it appeareth that he is moued with this argument, and in deid not without cause, for all the Papistes in the earth, can not excuse this great Churlishe Sacriledge. Let vs consider his answer. It is a soul thīg for him that re­proueth a faut, hī self to do the same that he reproueth in others

‘Be that same argument (sayeth he) I wil cut thy throte with thy awin sworde (the cause of this boiste he exponeth) for why (sayeth he) Christe Cōmunicated efter Supper, and ze of the new learning dois communicat vther tyme of day.’

I thoght ye should haue said, and we papistes doeth play our masses at an other tyme of day. For who should haue beleued, this man, who taketh vpon him the defence of the Papistrie, should damne in vs, that he alloweth in his owen faction. His Second argument is.

‘Christe communicat to his tuelf Disciples al­lanerly, A wic­ked and dānable cauilltiō of the papistes and ze communicat to all men and wemen indefferently, swa ze do not as Christe did. For why the Scripture makes na men­tion, that thair was ony wemen thair.’

Perceaue the captius ingine, malicius and stubburne mynde, preasing euer to that, that he may damne in vs all the most laudable and godly customes, that hath bene since the beginning, yea, and practised by them selues, albeit in a wicked maner. He proceadeth.

‘Trewly brother and ze besa scrupulus Scrip­turares, that ze will do nothing but (but) is not in my Text) as Christe did, towardes the vse of the Sacramentes, ze will subuert our haile Faith, and commend our awin doinges (so I [Page] ride it) (our owen doinges or commonly I can not tell which should be red, or if there be any other thing yet) For quhair find ze that Christe euer appointed ane man to be Baptised. I darre bauldly say this ordinance wes neuer of the Euangell, nor zit of the Kirk of God, nor of ony vther haue and iuste authoritie, ather God or man.’

My maister here findeth him so bound with the argumēt, that he can not tell what way to escape. And in verie deid it is no wonder: for in this they haue abused them selues so wickedly, against the manifest ordinance of God, the practise of the Apostles, the cōs [...]tetude of all antiquitie, and authoritie of the godly Fathers, The re­son why Christ instituted the Sa­crament of the cō munion of his bodie and blood, at his laste Supper and yet astricted vs not vnto that time that they can pretend no­thing. Yet neuertheles that he might not seme altogether dume, and so to zeild to the treuth, thus blasphemusly he brusteth furth and cauillateth the alteration of tyme, as our Sauiour thereby had giuen an expres commandemēt, and so had astricted the practise of the holy action to that tyme, in the which he did vse it, moued by good causes and considerations. For the Supper we know most assuredly that the intention of our Sauiour wes not, that it should be practised and celebrated by night, but we knowe the cause why he taried and aboide the comming of the night, which wes, that he wes to eat the Pasouer with his Dis­ciples, the which Lambe of the Pasouer, wes vnder the Lawe of Moyses, euen as the holy Table is to vs now, for therein the Iowes had a certaine visible signe, how that God had preserued them miraculusly, when as his furie wes disployed vpon the Realme of Egypt. As lykewise there wes a greater and more excellent Redemption pro­poned in this vmber, ceremonie and shaddow to them, to pause moste diligently and meditate vpon.

1. Cor. 5.The Apostle Paule therefore declareth our Sauioure Iesus Christ, to haue bene this pasouer this Pashe lambe. he then with his Disciples receaued this Sacrament, that wes appointed for the Fathers vnder the Lawe, and so being willing to abolishe this signe, he instituteth the holy Supper, now it wes not lefull to eat the Pasouer, before the going doune of the Sonne. This is the cause then, why our Sauioure did institute and practise this holy [Page 38] communion at that tyme, so that this is not to make a certane reule, or to giue a certane instruction, so con­tinually to do. Now then we haue to aduert, and dis­cerue diligently, and to followe this as an infallible re­ule, that in the actions of our Sauiour, we muste luke, what it is that he willeth vs to take and follow, as a cer­tane and sure reule, to giue, as it were, from hand to hand, what we oght to followe, by Chri­stes commande­ment. but in other thinges that are not to be drawen exactly to imitation nor consequence, we haue nothīg there to moue, as when our Sauiour sayeth, hauing receaued the bread, take ye, eat ye, this oght to be obserued strictly. The cause is, for it wes not for a tyme that our Sauiour gaue the bread, but he willeth that the bread, yea, euen this day, and to the end of the world (the bread I say) should be distribu­ted in his Name, and euen as he were in the middest of vs. And suchlyke of the Cuppe.

He willeth that we eat the bread, to be thereby admoni­shed & instructed, that our nourishmēt is of his body, and when we shall drink the wyne, that we receaue it as a figure, that his blood is our Spiritual drink, & it whereby our soules and consciences are refreshed, to that heauenly immortalitie, that is to be reueiled vpon the Sonnes of God. To determine thus exactly vpon the tyme of the ce­lebration of the Lordes Supper, that we shall insist with all rigor, hauing no necessitie, as it were mere rashnes, so we grant that the Church may appoint some other tyme, since there is no commandemnt thereof.

The cause why the communion is distrybuted in the morning, it is easy to be gathered of Cypriane. Cypry­anes mynde, that the Lordes Supper shoulde be cele­brated in the mor­ning. First that the morning is more commodius to the celebration of the holy assemblies. For we obserue many thinges to fall in the rest of the day, whereby men are withdrowen from godlie actes and interpryses.

Secondly, we are moste sober then, and haue our mindes moste able and ready to cōceaue heigh & weightie maters. He addeth thridly, that the morning tyme is a certane mo­nument of the Resurrection of our Sauiour, which is not to be dispysed in this holy mysterie. Trew it is, that the Ancients in the tyme of abstinēce and fasting, because they tuke no meat before night, they defered the communion to that tyme, spending and bestowing the whole day in fast­ing, praying, preaching, Psalmes singing, and other godly [Page] exercise. At night wes the celebration of the Supper, whē they offered them selues to the holy Table: syne passed home to the refection of their bodies. But this consuetude wes abbrogated by the sext council of Cōstantinopole hol­den in Trullum. The Decries we haue in the Greik tonge, where plainely mention is made, that this consuetude wes obserued in the Churches of Affrica, yea, Augustine shaw­eth, that in his tyme in many places vpon the Thurisday before the Pashe tyde, after Supper, the Table wes pro­poned vnto the faithfull, Christe boūd vs to no tyme for the cele­brating of the lordes table that there might appeare no def­ference from the action of our Sauiour. But in this we haue not to be verie cairfull, so we may haue the Sacra­ments in their owen simplenes and integritie: Since of such circumstances, there is nothing commanded, and they touch not the substance of the mater. But in few wordes plainly to answer our captius Momus, in appoīting a seuerall tyme, to the vse of the Lordes Table, other then at after Supper, in so doing I say, we do rightly abyding in that libertie which our maister and lawmaker hath grā ­ted vnto vs, In these wordes: do this as oft as ye do it in remembrance of me: in saying as oft, our maister ma­keth all tyme fre vnto vs.

Now where it is here obiected, that Christe did cōmu­nicate onely to his tuelf Apostles, and that we receaue all men and wemen indifferently. It is not clearly declared by the Euangelistes, if there wes no mo then present with our Sauiour. It is moste probable that there wes mo, for it is not to be supposed, Christe gaue a cōmandement to diuide & distribut thebread and also drinke that the godly and religius ladies that cōtinually did follow him, yea, and in the moste trou­blus and dangerus tymes did not leif him, that they were not present then, when he gaue and left to his Church the moste quick and confortable testimonie of his coniunc­tion with them. But all is a mater, for albeit that it were so, that the onely tuelf were admitted to the Table, yet we know and reades a plaine commandement giuen to them, so to do as he had done: that is to diuide and distri­bute the bread. Attoure we be well instructed by the Spi­rite of God, speaking by Paule to the Corinthianes, that he receaued of the Lorde that, [...]. Cor. 11. which he gaue vnto them, he subiuneth that they should communicat, and without any defference, all to be admitted, one tarying for another We haue the practise of the Apostles, the suffrage of all an­tiquitie, [Page 39] yea, and ye your selues, how durst ye take vpon you to giue the Symbole of the Lordes body, if ye pretend no cōmandement nor exemple of the Lorde. But this is the continuall practise of Sathan, to damne in all others, that which they do them selues. And in this that we vrge thus earnestly the communion which can not be with out distribution, there is no such danger as thou pretendest, of subuersion of our whole Faith and Religion. For we affirme plainely, that our Religion can not stand, if we shall not beare that reuerence vnto the ordinances & con­stitutions of the same, that we decline not one iote from the reule that is layed before our eyes, by the Lord Iesus. And howsoeuer thou vnderstandest this that thou subiu­nest, that if we shall do nothing but it that the Lorde Ie­sus did, we shall incurre the same danger of peruerting of all. Whereby appearently thou will affirme in outwarde [...]nges and ceremonies, that the preceptes be not so firme and established, but they may be innouated and changed, yea, euen in this holy action.

To this answereth Cypriane, in his Epistle, Contra Aquarios. where he affirmeth the preceptes of this Sa­ [...]arment to be of moste great weight: and Christe him self, doeth he not pronounce him to be the least (that is none) in the Kingdome of heauen, that shal dissolue or break the least one of his commandementes? Read I pray thee, the 4 .and. 12. of Deuteronomion, and the. 15. of Nombers, Read the Deute. 4.12. & 15. of Nōbers where we be plainely teached, that he will not suffer one of his ceremonies to be changed. Yet we will grant that there is some defference in the preceptes of God. For some we grant to be of that nature, that no wayes we can be absolued from them, as all the preceptes that commandeth and forbiddeth, of the which the whole Law and the Pro­phetes dependeth, the summe whereof is, the loue of God, and our nighbour. Others there be that we are not oblist to, but when the tyme, the place, and other commodities requireth and vrgeth, as the Hebrewes were not oblist to offer vp Sacrifices in all places, nor yet at all tymes, but in the place chosen by God, and the tyme appointed by his wisdome. But in these, this is euer to be obserued, that when the commandement is to be performed & executed, then we inuert nor change nothing. We know how Na­dab and Abiu were entreated, and Oza for his temeritie [Page] and rashnes, and also how Ozcas wes strucken with Le­prosie and such others. Thus when thou practissest the commandementes of the Lorde, tho [...]e the neuer to be dro­wen one iote from his constitution. The pa­pistes cā not ob­serue Gods ordinance, for feare of the ruine of their owen inuenti­ons and ordināce Ye take good head that nothing shalbe pretermitted or broken in your masse, of those thinges that ye call Cautele messe: the Pagaines in their Sacrifices, we read with what Religion & attendāce they preceaded, and this libertie shalbe denyed to vs? Yea if we shall vrge the obseruation of Gods holy commande­mentes, then is it obiected, that, that can not be done without the ruine of the whole, whereby we may easylie obserue and espy, whatsoeuer they bragge of any reuerence to God, that there whole studie is to dissolue and subuert all the whole.

Now commeth this glorius diuine to affirme that we are not able to proue, that we haue any cōmandement to Baptise one mā, which when he hath written, I feare that Thome Armour hath bene a foote. Aristotle in the firste boke of his Topikes, sayeth, that if any man should deny the Fyre to be hote, or Snow white, that we oght to pro­cead against such one, with no argument or reason, but rather by extremitie and rigor of the whip, how then shall we entreat this our new Scripturare, that denyed no les impudently nor ignorātly, that there is no precept of baptisme of one mā, if he should haue spokē of babes, we should haue thoght he should haue Sauored the Anabaptisme.

Eunuch of Ethiopia, the Quene of Ethi­opians, cheif go­uernour wes baptised al­lone.But what shall we say here, it appeareth well that thou art giuen ouer of God, into a reprobat sense. But alwayes that thou pas not away without an answer, doeth thou think that the Baptisme of Ihon wes of God, or of man, and in the wildernes that he did Baptise stones, or the wilde Roes. The Euangelistes testifieth that the men of warre and others came to Ihon and were instructed of him, of there deutie, and Baptised. Yea, and our Sauiour him self, belyke there hath bene none other Baptised with him: and Iesus Christe did he not Baptise, gaue he not commandement to Baptise, wes not this practised by the Apostles, Actes. 8. and because thou speakest of one, what doeth thou think of the fact of Philippus, in Baptising the En­nuche of Candace, Quene of Athiopia.

But par [...]uenttur thou will make the obiection, that there is no such commandement of a singulare man, giuen [Page 40] in plaine tearmes. I answer, do ye not think that he that commandeth all to be Baptised, The lord that commandeth all to be baptised doeth not re­fuse one. that he debarreth none. I truste thou will go this farre with me, but thou will insist, why shall it not be lefull in the Lordes Table, that, that is in Baptisme allowed? one seuerally is receaued in Baptisme, why shall it not be in the Lordes Supper, the same? I feare I seik further in thy writing nor thou mea­nest thy self.

To this I answer, that there is a great diuersitie betuix the one and the other, for the one is appointed for an other cause, and directed to an other bute nor the other. The one is to receaue vs, of nature being strangers, into the coue­nant, league, societie and housholde of God: the other is to witnes and testifie, that all those that be thus entered in the league, to them all is common, they are all mem­bers of one body, they haue all one faith, one Baptisme, one Lorde, and Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe, vpon the body and blood of the which Iesus, they do all fead, The def­ference betuix the Sa­crament of Bap­tisme, & the Sa­crament of the bodie and blood o [...] Christe, & of the vse and receuing of them. so that now herein is signified the great and heigh mysterie of our communication together, that they are all one body as the Apostle doeth plainely testifie: and these two Sacramentes lacketh not their figures in the olde Testament, we know Baptisme to haue succeded in the place of circumcisiō, and the Lordes Supper in the roume of the Pasouer. The eight day precisely wes appointed for ministration of the Sacrament of circumcision, so that now supputation to be made from the day of the Natiuitie of the Childe; ether thou moste say that God prouided them all to be borne in one day, or els they were receaued according to the ordour of the Lawe, euerie one conforme to the calculation from his Natiuitie, so that now, one wes receaued seuerally, or els God prouided mo. This can not be denyed to vs, but in the Pasouer thou will not finde that one did sit doune alone & eat it, but that rather then any should lacke of the nomber, they should call vpon their nighboures, and so go to that mysterie.

Now consider with thy self, first in the figures of the one & the other. Secondly, in the effectes, the defference betuix the one and the other, that thy argumentes can no wayes procead nor haue any place.

The sūme of our whole disputation is to attend and dis­cerne diligently, betuix the commanded ceremonies of our [Page] God hauing & including certane misteries whiche can not be pretermitted without a certane sacriledge, yea, the per­uerting of the hoill action & institution, as we be plainelie teached, by Paule 1. Cor. 11. & such other cercumstances as tyme place and such others which in dede may be altered and changed, at the determination of the church.

Hitherto I haue susteined the parte of Iames, but heir he foolishlie tholeth him self to be caried away, & thus sayeth ‘I perceaue be your ressoning, it is expedient that thair be diuers ceremonies and customes vsed in the ministration of the Sacrament, and als in the Sacrament of the masse, quhilk are not conteined in Scripture.’

Iames mig [...]t most treulie thus haue an­swered as is heir written.I thoght ye should haue said in this maner, I perceaue there be many ceremonies, customes, bowinges, murge­ons, and such others tryfles, not vnlyke to a farce or an Aippes play vsed in your masse, which our Sauioure did not cōmad, nor the Apostles practise, nether yet is allowed of any antiquitie, that it hath no similytude nor affinitie with the Lordes Table, but rather vtterly repugnnig and contrarius vnto it: yea, and in it ye blasphemussy call the Sacrament of the Lordes body and blood, ye haue fraud­fully spoyled the people of God, of the one parte thereof, and so not onely impiusly hath peruerted the substance of it, but in the action it self hath proceadeth with the same remeritie, rashenes, and Sacriledge, to the contempt of God, and the bitter and greuous sobbinges of all godly, seing the people of God thus miserablie deceaued by you, and in the place of the holsome and confortable Cuppe of medicine, the bitter and horrible Goblet of vennome, Gal & dānation, tyranoussy and vnmercifullie propyned. But this Soule hunter ītroduceth Iames seruīg to his turne, & speaking at his appetite, I dout not, against the mynde of the gentilman, whome I take to be godly, and nothing content of his parte, in this farce. To this is answered frely of the parce of the Abbote, in this maner.

‘Trew it is, albeit Iesus Christ our Sauiour hes appointed be his word and Scripture, all [Page 41] thinges necessare for manis Saluation, The ab­bote wil not a­bide by the firste parte of his an­swer. as towarde the substance and effect, nottheles as towarde the ceremonies and maner, how thir thinges should be vsed, quhilkꝭ he hes appoin­ted for manis Saluation, he refered it to his Kirk and Ministers, to quhome he hes promi­sed the Spirit of veritie to the end of ye warld And so furth.’

Wold to God ye vnderstude, what ye haue here said, in the former parte of your answer, but I feare ye play here the parte of Caiphas, The ab­botes saying and Caiphas saying, cōpared together whē he prophecied that it wes meit and necessarie that one should die for the people, not knowing what he had said.

This, godly Reader, hath bene continually, and is the whole trauell and studie of the godly preachers, to assure vs of the infinite and perfect wisdome of our God, vtter­red in his Scriptures of the sufficiencie of his word, which this fyue or six hundreth yeares, hath bene kept in a most horrible bondage, by the tyrāny of them that vanted themselues, be the tytles of Pastors, to the soire complaint of the godly in al aiges, and the haynus & horrible entreating of the poore flok, redeamed with the precius blood of Iesꝰ Christe. This good word (that it may wel and euidently appeare that thou euer reteanest thy owen nature) as it is fallen furth of a certane euenture, so it is wrapped & sued­led vp with the vennemous dregge of Papistrie, and the fond imaginatiō of thy owen hart so, that scaerflie can it appeare: for thou adiunest, I can not tell what distinguo, toward the substance, sayest thou, all is conteined in scriptures necessarie for our Saluation, and not towarde the ceremonies. What if I should say to thee, pas thy way with thy ceremonies that thou callest, and I will content me with the mater and substance, what could thou obiect? Thou speakest all Magistraliter & Sorbonice assuming all that thou sayest, without any probation. What callest thou ceremonies that thou vrgest here to be so necessarie, The exemple adduced by you will declaire? and I trust we shall aggre, as by exemple.

‘Followeth in our Text, our Sauiour when [Page] he institute Baptisme, he commanded his A­postles that thay should Baptise in the Name of the Father, the Sonne and the haly Gaste, he appointed nether tyme nor place, nor quha sould beir witnes to them that war Baptised.’ Circumstāces by the papistes, are called ce­remoni­es: so blind or impudēt they be.

Here ye may obserue, that this Author called the tyme and place, ceremonies, which are not ceremonies, but as I haue tearmed them heretofore circumstances: the deter­mination and appointing whereof, I moste willingly submit vnto the wisdome and discretion of the congregation of the faithful and godly, not to the wicked and pernicius, but to the trew teachers, and not to the Reuenus Volfes, to the humble and lowly, and not to the horned Bishopes, bloody Cardinalles, and the head and cheif of that whole rable the Antichriste of Rome, who hath so hemd in, and obscured the holy ordinances of God, with their beggerly traditions, fond and blasphemus ceremonies, that they were altogether hidde and wrapped vp. As Baptisme, we know that our Sauiour ordeined it most simplie in the word, and in the watter, preach, sayeth he, and baptise, let the worde, sayeth Augustine, come to the Element, & then shall we haue a Sacrament.

Thus we see what Christe ordeined, we see what this godly Father Augustine approued, and what wes in the Church reteined: The worde wes preached, and the Sa­crament in watter vsed, but what hath our men done▪ They haue added oyle, they haue added spattell, and a thousand other fattras and beggerly thinges that they call ceremonies: All wes done by a shaueling, who knew no more the dignitie nor the nature of that Sacrament he mi­nistred, nor doeth thy gray hors, Abbot, and all wes mūb­led in a strange langage Credis? credo quod he. Vis Bap­tizari [...] Volo quod he. Quid petis? Baptismum quod he. that nether [...]e, nether yet any of the assistance did vnderstād nether yet what he required that wes Minister, nor yet what wes promest on the other part. But otherwise out Sauiour did ordeine, and otherwise speaketh Augustine [...]o [...]est verbum fidei quod predicamus This is the word of Faith that we preach.

In the holy institutions of our Sauiour, we shall euer [Page 42] obserue not onely the substance that thou tallest, What is to be ob­serued in the ordi­nāces of Christe. set furth by him self, but also the ceremonies, that be verie ceremo­nies, which we oght not to preterm it, being so ioyned with the substance of the Sacrament, that if any alteration shal be admitted, the Sacramentes are no more Sacramentes. For this cause plainly pronounceth Paule that the Corin­thians did not eat the Lordes supper, the cause is exponed in the Text, and clearly declared by the Ancients, because they patched in somwhat of their owen, and so peruerted the puritie of the Sacrament: what if Paule should now reuiue and see how miserably and traterouslie ye haue abused and deceaued the world: I think he should lay it sorer to your charge, nor he doeth to the Corinthians. I regard not what intention soeuer they procead of, these your cere­monies: for I am sure ye haue no such cloik nor couerture, as had the Corinthians, to wit, the releif and support of the poore: So neid full a thing as the sup­porting and releuing of the pure culd not haue place to be ioyned with the Lordes Supper So that not onely their blissed communication in Iesus Christe wes preached vnto them, but liuely prac­tised, the poore and riche, all conuening together, eating at one table, and the poore supported by the riche, without any contempt or disdaine. Of the tyme and place, and suche others circumstances, that thou callest ceremonies, I haue already protested, that I moste willingly subscriue with you: but I deny that the same proceadeth of the multytude for I affirme that to be a substanciall ceremonie cōmanded and appointed by our Sauiour, whose institution, the hea­uen and the eareth may not, nor oght, alterre.

In the institution of his holy Supper, he tuke bread, brake it, gaue thankes, and distributed it, so that no persō, how well disposed soeuer he shall appeare, may take vpon him to change this: that is to say, to offer him to this ac­tion alone, no more then one seuerally might haue eaten the Pashe Lambe, seing it is the ordināce of our Sauiour, and the mysterie of our coniunction, consociation and vni­tie with him, moste liuelye set furth in it: no more nor the bread is made of a graine of wheit, can there be a com­munion without distribution: and in this no man can cō ­pleane that he is frustrat, iniuried, or euill entreatted, but rather may haue iuste occasion of complaint, where as the institutiōs of God haynuslie cōtemned, he might be broght in a fals, erronius, and wicked opinion. So these priuate masses, and quiet Tables, that be appointed for one, are [Page] altogether against the institution of this Sacrament, and the nature of it, and can not be without an horrible Sacri­ledge, iniurie, and s [...]lander. Where thou concludest the Preist to be ready to distrybute to all others, being dispo­sed, that is moste vntrewly pretended of you. For we haue sene, and may see in your Synagoges, great barres and chanceler walles made expres to this end, that the people mitght be debarred: so that their whole fruct is to gaise vpon your Sacrificers swellowing vp a peice of bread, & moste vnsemely licking a Challice.

Besydes this, if ye had any reuerence of God in youre breastes, or respect to his holy ordinances, what is the cause that thretry or fourtie of you, being at your masses together, he in this corner, and here an other Sire Ihon i [...] an other, why do ye not ioyne your selues altogether, and set you doune at a Table, and there celebrate the Lordes Table, according to his commandement. Now shift thy self as thou can, thou shall not escape. For as the cheif and principal confort, we haue of the Lordes Ta­ble is, to assure vs, that we fead vpon the body and blood of Iesus Christe, and that we are ioyned and made all one in him: So no dout, they excommunicat them selues, and cutteth them of, as it were, from Christes body, that seue­rally craueth it, and of a wicked zeal, offereth them to it, since their deutie is rather neuer to o [...]fer them hetherto, then to discerne and diuide that which our Sauiour hath ioyned. For we are to be assuredly persuaded, and think well that the grace of God is not so fixed to his Sacramē ­tes, but the faithfull mynde may, and shall obteane it by Faith, without the Sacrament: if there be no contempt, sleuth, or negligence.

Iames here desyreth to be more fully instructed, ‘How our Sauiour appointed all thinges ne­cessarie for manis Saluation, concerning the effect and substance and shawed not be his worde the ceremonies and maner how thir thinges should be vsed but refered to the Kirk.’

To discuse and declaire this question asked by Iames, this glorius Gospeller s [...]tteth vs furth a rude exemple of a potent prince, A rude exemple ꝓponed by the abbote dish s [...]ffered. directing furth his Ambassadoures, geuing [Page] them a commission, conteining certane heades and artic­les, bearing the substance and effect of the whole: which he commonly tearmed instructions. Yet sayeth our Doctor. there is nothing prescribed to them, of their garmentes in the day of their presence, nether yet any kynde of ceremo­nies necessarie and expedient, appointed. Albeit this simi­lytude be not euerie where trew, yet wil I grant it partly to be verie proper, we know Iesus Christ to be this potēt & mighty prince: his ministers are teached by S. Paule, to be the Ambassadoures of our reconciliation, the instruc­tions of this ministerie to be conteined in the Scriptures sufficiently, fully, and perfectly, so that there is not passed by a ceremonie, substanciall I meane.

To other thinges called ceremonies by thee, as the set­ting of the cheare, the table, the foormmes & benkes, to the East or the west, the place, the tyme, our owen garmen­tes, or such others of that Kynde, Euen as the Spirite o [...] God hath pretermitted and passed by these circumstances with silence, so we may luke herein to the commoditie of the Congregation, prouiding alwayes that we decline not from the reule of Paule.

all be done sayeth the Apostle, semely and in ordour. But that thou hereupon interrest generally.

‘That quhasaeuer will vse ony vther ceremo­nies in the ministration of the Sacramentes: nor the kirk hes euer obserued be ꝑpetual suc­cession of tyme sen the tyme of the Apostles till thir our dayes: thay ar worthy to be cryed out vpon be all the godly.’

Because hereby thou will establishe all these vnsemely beggerly and wicked customes, God is not deli­ted in begerly ce­remoni­es. that be vsed in the Papi­strie, to the great contempt of God, and prophanation of his mysteries, I answer thee, that nether can thou proue, so long antiquitie and succession of tyme, as thou preten­dest, nether yet, albeit so were, wold I spaire to ꝓpnounce Anathema an accurse vpon them, yea, and vpon the inuē ­ters and manteaners of them lykewise. For our God de­lyteth not in such vanitie Pompe, and ostentation. Our [Page] God reioceth not in beggerly ceremonies, vaine app [...]tre [...] and luxurius ryotnes: but in simplicitie, lawlines, and humiliation of our hartes, without hypocrisie.

He hath appointed Baptisme to be ministred in watter, How Christe-hath ordeined baptisme and the Lordes Table to be vsed. his merciful promise, and see Adoption being before prea­ched: his Supper he hath appointed in breaking of bread, thankes geuing, and distrybution: the same he hath com­manded of the Cuppe. This he hath commanded, the cause the effect, and fyne of it being first vttered and declared: these thinges he hath appointed to be practised in all sobernes and simplicitie.

Bragge thou what thou liste of antiquitie, yea, I say, if S. Paule him self, should introduce or obstruse any other ceremonies, such as you haue in the pestilent Papistrie, which is nothing els, but a verie masse of all heresie and error: As the adoration of that bread, the bearing about and closing vp of it, as it were in a prisone, and then to conuoye it to the feildes, to take the aire. The papistes god must some ty­mes be caried a­bout the feildes to take the aire. Ether yet this Table, that is commanded to be A commoun Table, to make it to be a seuerall, erecting here an Alter and there an otherr: Then may I in deid, moste iustly pronounce the wordes of S. Paule: if any man be contentius, we haue no such custome, nether yet the Church of God For no dout, all such conuentions are to the wors, and not to the better, to remoue that which God hath established, to set vp the inuentions of men, in the place of Gods holy ordinances, and so to bring into the Church of God, con­tention, scisme, diuision, debate, yea, and herisie, as the Apostle moste plainely teacheth: the verie mynde of the A­postle being thus oppened vp in the wordes adduced by thee, Now wil I trauel to shew how impertinently they are alledged by thee. nothing wolde Paule cōmand [...] Christ­es name but that whiche Christe cōman­ded.

The argument of that Chap. is to shew the vices of the Corinthians. First in their owen persones, when as they conuened: Secondly, how horrible they had prophaned the Lordes Table, & haynusly declined from the institutiō therof. First he willeth thē to follow him as he did Christ, as he should say, I propone nothing to you, but that which I haue receaued of the Lorde Iesus, yea, in the least one iote that shalbe commanded by me, ye are ass [...]red, I haue the warrand of his Spirite, I command you nothing but by his mouth, no not of the couering of your womens heades, [Page 44] nor yet the vncouering of your owen heades, that be the men, in your prayers and other godly exercises. Thus he hauing prouen this by the verie plaine Text of Scripture, by the verie ditement of nature, here he con­cludeth, saying, if any of you wilbe contentius, The pa­pistes be cōtenti­us to a­uance wicked ceremo­nies, to deface the holy Euāgel. seaking further satisfaction, and so can not content you with the reasons adduced by me, we haue no such custome, nor yet the Church of God, as he should say, we are not appointed to satisfie and make answer to all cauillatiōs that I know captius ingynes can diuise and inuent, but to pacifie and quiet the troubled consciences of the humble and lawlie, in mansuetude, sweitnes, and sobrietie. And this conueneth moste properly to be laide against you, seing your whole studie is to pull back the simple ones, to deface the Euan­gell of Iesus Christe, an to peruert his holy ordinances. Whither then oght ye or we to be exploded? Ye that trou­bleth all, be the manteaning of superstition and Idolatrie, with impius King Ahab? Or we that are followers of Christe an vrgeth not, They that m [...] ­tene fals religion oght to be exploded. but the puritie of the Religion with Elias? ye that obtruseth to the people fond and wic­ked constitutions, traditions, imaginations, and consue­tudes? or we that seaketh God to reigne by his worde, and ministration of his Sacramentes in that perfection and simplicitie that he ordeined and left them to his Church? Yea, ye that braggeth of nothing, but of a certane pretēded antiquitie (but how iustly shalbe after declared in the con­uenient place) or we that cleaueth to the trew & infallible reule of all trew Religion, the reuiled will of God, in his moste holy worde?

I truste that ye, by the iudgementes of all, wilbe ex­ploded, and exterminated, as God he praised, the experi­ence teacheth vs, how potently God hath foghten in the defence of his owen cause, to the extermination and roting out of the bastard Religion, not onely here in this cuntrie, but in the moste parte of all Christendome. And I dout not, but he that hath begunne the worke potently, wil con­tinew and conduct it with an out streitched arme, to a pros­perus Issue and an blissed end.

Here Iames beginneth to grant him self vainquest in a maner. As it is verie easy to ouerthrowe the man who maketh no defence. ‘Yet that this valiant warrior, and proude Goliath shal not seme to take the victorie to him, [Page] some cullor of defence is [...]cribed to Iames, confessing him neirby satisfied with his answers, made towardes all argumentes moued against the masse, No man maye be cōuicted of any cryme if his ad­uersarie shall ac­cuse and answer as it ly­keth him best that is accu­sed. but yet is not sufficiently suaded that our Sauiour offered vp his body and blude in Sacrifice.’To this dout of Iames, moste iustlie conceaued and moued, our dimne replyeth and willes him to haue recourse, ‘and marke the diffinition and declaration of the masse, alreadie declared, and than should he haue moste iuste occasion, conforme to the Scriptures, to be persuaded. Not the les (sayeth he) to giue zow further suasion, ze [...]all consider that our Sauiour in the latter Sup­per institute a Sacrament, quhilk ze call the communion, and als the Sacrifice of the new Testament, called the masse, sa in the latter Supper he institute baith a Sacrament and a Sacrifice.’

Iames in his answer to this, acknowledgeth with all godly, that our Sauiour did institute in the Supper the communion, and vnderstandeth no such Sacrifice there to be ordeined and appointed. ‘For the vnderstanding hereof our blinde Abbote leadeth vs to the Sacrifices and preist­head of Aaron, and willeth vs to consider that the preisthead and Sacrifice of Aaron, quhilk wes bludy, ceased by the bludy Sacrifice of Iesus Christe on the croice, quha was the fyne of the Lawe.’

Verie well spoken, and we glaidly go with you, all Sacrifices and preisthead, to haue bene vtterly abrogated and taken away by the Sacrifice of the croice: ye adde.

‘Now man we consider that Iesus Christe our Sauiour, knawing that the Sacrifice of Aaron being the Sacrifice of the auld [Page 45] Testament was to cea [...]e and take ane end be the death and passion, Where may he proue this sa­crifice offered by Melchi­sede [...]. institute a new Sacri­fice according to the ordour of Melchisedec.’

As this latter part is wicked and fals, so oure Author purposlie pretermitteth the preisthead, making no mentiō of it, but of the abrogation of the Sacrifices onely, and institution of an other in their place, according to the or­dour of Melchisedec.

But here may be demanded of you, if he institute a Sa­crifice according to the ordour of Melchisedec, why did he not appoint Sacrificers? For there can be no Sacrifice, without a Sacrificer, nor oblation, without a preist, as we speak now. If thou will say that your shauelinges be Sacrificers, then will I demand of you, their vocation, I am assured by the Author to the Hebrewes, that the digni­tie of preisthead apperteaneth to the Sonne of God, as also witnesseth Dauid in the. 110. Psal. which he neuer did communicat to any other, it being of such a nature, that it could not be transferred. Marcke this we ye papi­stes that play fast & louse as it pleseth you, with the Scriptu­res.

If I should discend and shaw the maner of the creation and making of your preistes, it might moste iustly appear that ye haue broght againe the verie preisthead of Aaron abrogated (as ye haue confessed) by our Sauiour: so that in the word ye grant it to be taken away, which by the fact it self, ye establishe. Thus then ye pas by the preist­head of set purpose, in the latter parte of your answere▪ Because ye perceaued that it should subuert your whole fundation. Iames vrgeth and thinketh him not as yet sa­tisfied, and so driueth this new Ingynour (that cōpasseth maters so craftilie, that he can make of one, two) to bring againe and repeat the wordes of the institution, do this in remembrance of me. By the which wordes he [...]ayeth, our Sauiour gaue not onely commandement to eat his body, and drink his blood, but als to make an oblation.

Iames yet as before, granteth the commandement of eating and drinking, giuen, but beleueth that he wil not proue properly by the wordes of the latter Supper, that our Sauiour cōmanded to make any oblation of the bodie and blood. This new diuine according to his nature and vse, taketh the mater vpon hand and promiseth to proue it properly. ‘That he maid oblation of his body and [Page] blood in the latter Supper, be the wordes of the same saying, take ze, eat ze, this is my body quhilk is giuen for zow, baith in ane effect.’

It appeareth that there lacketh some word here: as to me, I giue yow your owen wordes, as they be in the Text, which came to my handes.

Here Iames shrinketh with the mater, and is introdu­ced, improuing the allegatiō of the wordes that our diuine may seme, and appeare able to expone, and interprete the Greik Text, and the proprietie of the worde, tyme and other accidentes falling to the worde, but how he is besene in the tongue, we shall after here.

‘It appeares (sayeth Iames) to me that ze rehers the Text wrang, for the Text sayis, this is my body, quhilk salbe giuen for zow, that is great difference betuix, is giuen for zow, and salbe giuen for zow.’

Vpon the mergine it is noted, that Iames speaketh of the authoritie of Paule. 1. Cor. 11. who vseth the word [...] which ver [...]e signifieth, not giuen, but broken. I grant that they are to be taken in a signification here, but by this it is easy to espy, how thou art vearsed in the Greik tongue: as may lykewise appeare, by it that fol­loweth, when thou alledgest Erasmus. To Iames he answereth on this wife. ‘Ze salbe assured that thir wordes are spoken in the present tyme, as testifeis the excellent Clerk Erasmus, accor­ding to the Greik Text, quhilk is the natural Text of the new Testament the maist pairt.’

Ye shalbe assured in deid of the whole, howsoeuer some doeth iudge of the Euangel of S. Mathew, who no dout, hath written in the Greik, as may euidently appeare in the places recited out of the olde Testament by him, in the which he followeth the Greik translation of the 70. inter­pretors, and not the verie Text of the Hebrew, yea, and whatsoeuer is iudged by some in lykemaner of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, but in this, we haue not to insist.

Trew it is, that these wordes. [...] are red in the present tyme, and [Page 46] yet they are to be vnderstand, as spoken in the future, as the vulgare Text beareth, and as Castalio, & some others doeth plainely translate them, and the sense requireth the same. Well let vs procead, I will say with Iames

Geuing that thir wordes war spoken in the present tyme zit thair is a defference betuix thir wordes this is my body quhilk is giuen for zow and offered for zow To this ye answer partly, as ye had bene auised with euerie man.

Thair will no man (say ye) of iudgement or learning, mak difference betuix thir wordes, geuing for zow, and offered for zow. As tow­ard the effect albeit the phrase and maner of speach differs.

I darre not take vpon me iudgement, nor learning, least I shall seme to arrogate somwhat to me impudently, but the existimation, I will with all sobrietie referre vnto the Reader: alwayes I will trauell to shaw, that there is a great difference betuix, giuen, and offered: and that not onely in the signification of the wordes, but also in the persones that be the giuers, and the offerers. I truste thou will not confound these two tearmes in Scriptures, for many thinges we darre affirme to be giuen, that be not offered: oblation and Sacrifice, be one, and yet we darre not affirme euerie gift to be an oblation and Sacrifice.

We be teached plainely, It apꝑ­teaned to Christe onely to offer him selfe to God his father in sacrifice, for oure sinnes, & that but ones fo [...] all. that the Eternal God gaue his Sonne vnto vs: yet we wil not say that he offered him vp and Sacrificed him to vs, for this onely conueneth to the Sonne him self, to make oblation of his body and blood, being appointed by God to this office. Besydes this, if ob­lation and gift should be thus confounded, as thou wolde persuade, then should it follow, that as thou goest about to proue, that there be two oblations of our Sauiour, so shal I adde the thride, that whē he wes giuen to the world that then wes he offered. I am not ignorāt that the whole course of his peregrination here, may apperteane and be referred to his offering. But we do cal that properly and specially his oblation, when he entereth in the Battel, and conflict with the aduersarie powers, the tormentes, and [Page] panes of death, and the anguishe and thrist of mans Saluation, euen till his departing.

I will not deny, but the godly interpretors may in this place, take these two maner of speakinges to an effect, re­ferring them bothe to the Sacrifice of the croice, as they oght to be, but seing thou doest it to abuse the Text, and wreist the sense of it, to confirme thy wicked opinion: It is neidfull to shaw thee, the absurditie that shall ensew. Doutles if thou should vnderstand the wordes, & referre them to that oblation that wes a lytle after made vpon the croice, then should I grant thy sayinges, and go with thee moste willingly, being assured of the approbation of the wholle Church, Of what ordorthe papisti­cal prei­stes be, to wit, of Epicurus and Sarda­napalus and consent of the Godlie Fathers. But thou, that thou may seme to haue inuented somwhat of thy owen head, confoundest these wordes, to the ignominie of the Eternall Sonne of God, spoiling him of his preist­head, and intrusinge in his roume a pestilent harlote, a shaueling after the ordour of Epicurus & Sardanapalus. This in deid can not be suffered, for being demanded of Iames, what thou will inferre of this, thou answerest & braggest, that thou hast gotten thyne intent, which is. ‘Our Lorde maid ane oblation of his body & blude in the latter Supper and gaue his A­postles commaundement to do the same.’

‘Thou subioynest the cause, The fals head of papistes may heir be sene in their forged cōmuni­on and masse. the gif our Sauiour in the latter Supper had onely institute the cō ­munion and not the Sacrifice of the masse then he had said tak ze, eat ze, this is my bodie quhilk giuen to zow, and not for zow, because giuen to zow, includes onely the communion, and giuen for zow, includes not onely the cō ­munion, but als ane Sacrifice, as the phrase of the wordes plainely declares.’

The horrible blasphemies that be here conteined in these few wordes, nether can mynde think, nor tongue suffici­ently expresse. For by these wordes, not onely shal we find that he spoileth the Sonne of God, the Eternal and onelie preist, of his honour, trodding him vnderfoote: and als [Page 47] that he moste craftilie and inuiusly taketh from vs, that great & infinite treasure of the latter Supper of the Lorde Iesus, which we are commanded to practise, Marcke well ye papistes what horrible sa­criledge, ye cōmit til his retur­ning: and in the which he hath so mercifully, and aboun­dantly disployed his benefites, giftes & mercies towards man. This I say, this Author taketh from man, for if, giuen to you, includeth the communion (as this Author sayeth) and our Sauiour hath pronounced no such thing, but giuen for you, it followeth well that here there is no such institutiō as the holy communion, for by this Author giuen for you, is offered for you. Christe then offer­ed him self there: we be commanded to do the same: then followeth that we are commanded to offer him, and so to make Sacrifice of him, where is there any place to the communion then? whiche is no Sacrifice: or els of necessitie thou shall grant that the communion and the Sacrifice, are bothe one, which repugneth manifestlie to thy doctrine, but aggreeth in deid with the Ancientes.

For some of them we obserue, to haue giuen this Name of Sacrifice to the Lordes Table, but that improperlie: Some of the An­cientes named the Lordes Ta­ble a sa­crifice, but im­properly be­cause it is instituted and practised, in memorie of that Sa­crifice, which onely is worthy of that name, consider how thou art trapt in the same Snaire, that thou prepared for others, and how craftily to establishe thy impius Sacri­fice of the masse, thou fraudest the whole Congregation of that great and inestimable confort of the Lordes Table.

This belyke thou wolde meane, howsoeuer thou sayest, that in these wordes (giuen for you) is included not onely the cōmunion, but als the Sacrifice of the masse, for with what Brow can thou deny, but I may collect of this thy doctrine, that there is no communion at all, for as thou sayest, giuen to you, includeth the communion, so say I, that giuen for you, includeth only the masse: It followeth well: for giuen for you, is asmuch, as offered for you, and so importeth a Sacrifice, then it followeth well, that we haue no communion, but a Sacrifice onely, for thou will not grant the communion and the Sacrifice to be one, di­uiding and separating the one, from the other, and col­lecting two diuers institutions in the latter Supper. And so alwayes it is fals that thou assumest to proue that our Sauiour institute two thinges here, the holy Table, and the Sacrifice of the masse. And lykewise it followeth [Page] euidently, that ether we shal lacke the communion, or els the masse. This followeth moste necessarly of thy interpretation: if thou will say, that the communion is conteined in the former parte of the Table, he tuke bread, brake it, gaue thankes, and gaue it to his Disciples: and in the lat­ter part (for so ye of your factiō distinguisheth the wordes) this is my body, which is giuen for you, here he institu­teth the Sacrifice: the cōmandement apperteaneth equalie to bothe, then muste it follow that there be two seuerall actions, The pa­pistes setting vp their de­uillishe Masse, mak the cōmuniō no sacra­ment. the former hauing, as it were, nothing to do with the latter, the communion, to wit, and the masse.

Secondly hereby we shall collect, that there shalbe a Sa­crament without a promes, euerie man I truste wil grāt the Lordes Table to be a Sacrament, which can not sub­sist without the promes. For if (giuen for you) appertea­neth to the wordes preceading, this is my body, and shall altogether be referred to thy masse, and now shal haue nothing to do with the former action of distribution of the bread, this Sacrament shall lack the promes: and so consequently shalbe no Sacrament: how vaine and fonde this is, let euerie man iudge. For I darre affirme, that there is no man of iudgement, that wil diuide and disseuet this action, being all one: and what Sacriledge doest thou think it to dissociat, distract, and put a shunder, that which is ioyned by God? And to answer you, sire, in your owen maner, It is euidēt that Christe did neuer ordeine the masse what wes the cause, if the mynde of our Sauiour wes to institute here a Sacrifice, and that such a Sacrifice as your masse, that he doeth not take a peice or portion of bread, a certane quantitie of wyne, erect vp an Altare, or at the least, withdraw him self some space from the compa­ny, vse the ceremonies that ye do vse, and so to make and offer vp the Sacrifice?

We know that the wisedome of our God, hath forget nothing vncommanded, touching the offering vp of Sa­crifices in the Law, the garmentes and apperrell of the Preist, the erecting of the Alter, the beast that wes to be slaine, and lykewyse of the rest of the circumstances & ce­remonies, then to be vsed, when as the preist approched to the practise of the oblation.

Should this haue bene pretermitted in this Sacrifice, where the Sonne of God is offered vp, the veritie and treuth of all Sacrifices preceading? We obserue with what [Page 48] solicitude, studie, and cairfulnes, the Spirit of God pain­teth furth the celebration of the Pasouer, and with what diligence our Sauiour and maister Christe Iesus celebra­ted it, according to the precept of the Law, not passing by a ceremonie. And requireth he not the same of vs in obseruation of his ordinances? Will ye affirme that there is any obliuion, forgetfulnes, sleuth, or negligence in our God? Why doeth he not then say to his company, in this maner? now haue I celebrated the Pasouer, appointed by my heauenly Father to be practised, in memorie & remem­brance of your potent & mighty deliuerance out of Egypt, where your fathers wes holden in seruitude & bōdage: this ceremonie is now to be taken away, in place of the which, shal ye haue an other sacrifice: wherein ye shal offer vp my body, yea, my verie reall and natural body & blood, vnder the formes of bread and wyne, ye shall erect an Alter, the Preistes shalbe chosen with such qualities, anoynted, sha­uen, they shal haue such apperrell. And in this maner shal they celebrate this Sacrifice.

It were werisome here to rehears all your murgeons, which ye think and iudge so necessarie, that they can not be pretermitted, without an horrible Sacriledge. Thus, we find in the figure all thinges prescribed by the mouth of God, in the Sacrifices of the Law, and nothing passed by. But here, neuer a word of any such thing, a simple ac­tion recyted, the cōmandement giuen to practise the same, and the promes made, out of the which, this Scripturare wil fyne out a Sacrifice, which he after trauelleth to proue by the exemple of the Pasouer, which albeit it wes a Sa­crament, yet sayeth he, it wes offered vp: to this I will not answer presently, but wil differre the ful answer to the proper roume. Yet will I say, that if they should pretend the similytude of the Pasouer, they should not thole them selues to be so driuen and caried away, from the institutiō of the Supper. For in the practise of the Pasouer, how­soeuer they were commanded to celebrate it, they preter­mitted not one iote of the ceremonies appointed, they in­uented nor added none of their owen braine, nether yet pared any thing: but being conuened together with staues in their handes, their Loynes gyrded, they did eat it, with the rest of the ceremonies. The same shoulde haue bene done of you, that it might appeare, that ye beare some re­uerence [Page] to the ordinances of God.

If ye should set you at a Table, and there reuerently, take bread, giue thankes, break it, and so make distribu­tion, according to the exemple lest to you by Iesus Christ: albeit ye should bragge somwhat of a Sacrifice, some cul­lour might ye haue, and it were somewhat tollerable. But where this is whollie, The sacrifice that the papistes haue for­ged to themsel­ues, di­stroyeth wholie the Lor­des institution. not onely inuerted, but peruer­ted, so that your deuillish ꝓceadinges, are als cōtrarius to the action of our Sauiour, as the night and the day: and yet will ye pretend a commandement so to do, and bragge of a Sacrifice, inuented by your selues, vtterly distroying the Lordes action, as we haue already prouen, and shall yet trauell to make more cleare and sensible: what resteth to vs, to say or do, but to declyne and eshew your compa­nies, and pronounce you possessed. For I am assured, the Deuill him self, neuer inuented thinges more contrarius to God, more repugnant to his glorie, nor ye haue done, and practisest daylie (Helas) vnder the cloik of Religiō. Now since I haue sensibly, in my iudgement, oppened vp the absurdities & inconuenients, that doeth ensew of your interpretation, I will trauel to declaire the verie Ger­mane sense of the wordes of the action, and that with all simplicitie and moderation.

First I trust no man will deny, but here our Sauiour doeth institute a Sacrament, In the action of the Lord­destable we re­ceaue of Christe: but we nether giue nor offer any thing to him. and Sacramentes we know to be outward and externall signes, hauing the promises of God adioyned, in the which our God offereth & giueth vnto vs his giftes, and not we giue or offer any thing to God: as hath bene heretofore shortly spoken and declared, by the exemple of Baptisme, and will now in this action, in the which our Sauiour, with the bread & wyne, giueth vs his body, and his blood, adding and adioyning the promise, whereby also he offereth and giueth vnto vs, his giftes and benefites, and not we to him.

These benefites he communicateth vnto vs, to this end that they shal remane to our vse, profite, and commoditie, and not we (say I) to offer them vnto God, but onely of­fer to him the Sacrifice of thankes geuing, praising and extolling him for his great and infinite goodnes towardes vs. In which consideration, this Sacrament is called of the Grecians [...] because it is a thākes geuing for a benefite receaued, now to giue thankes, is to winnes [Page 49] that we haue receaued some benefite, and not to present or [...] out.

Now that the goodnes of my God, shalbe so great to [...] ardes me, that euen this small oblation of thankes, [...]e [...]eth accept, as a verie Sacrifice. This is nothing to me to bragge, that I de [...]erue or merite any thing thereby, ether to me, or to any others, but rather to be moued to preach & annunce the glorie of our God, who disdaneth not to re­ceaue Vitulos Labiorum Nostrorum as the Prophet speaketh that, is our prayer and thankfulnes, yea, The dif­ference betuix a Sacra­mēt, and a sacrifice euen in the place of a Sacrifice, and this is the cause that moued some of the Ancients, to call this Sacrament [...] that is improperly a Sacrifice, for this deffierence is betuix the natures of the Sacrament, and of the Sacrifice, that in this we offer to God, in the other we receaue from God.

This I am assured, the wordes of the action it self wil testifie, he tuke bread, and hauing giuen thankes, The promes muste be referred to the action, and to none other thing. brake & gaue it vnto his Disciples, saying, take ye, eat ye, this is my body, and sofurth. And lykewise of the cuppe, the promise is added, this is my body, and this is the new Testament in my blood, which promise, if any man shall go a­bout to di [...]euer from the action preceading, or referre it to any other thing, then, is there expressed: we plainely per­ceaue, that first he distroyeth this holy Sacrament, and [...]econdly, he diffeuereth those thinges that be ioyned by God, which is altogether intollerable, according to that, that is written, let no man put a shonder, that, Mat. 19. that is ioyned by God.

Now the sense of the wordes is plaine, that our Saui­our offereth and giueth to the faithfull and worthy recea­uers, his body to fede vpon, The plaine sense and me­aning of Christes words ī the laste Supper and his blood to be refreshed thereby, vnto euerlasting lyfe. And to assure them hereof, he subiuneth, yea, euen this same body, that is giuen for you, that is, which shalbe giuen immediatly after this, vpō the croice. For no dout, the present tyme, is taken for the future, as it is familiare to the Spirite of God, to put one tyme for an other, for the assurance and certitude of the mater, so that this (giuen) is altogether to be referred to the oblation wes made vpō the croice, as all the Ancients do commonly vnderstand it, and can no otherwayes [...]. Now least any man should think that here in the Supper [Page] we receaue the verrie body naturall and substāciall, ād that body that wes borne of the Virgine, but onely Sacramen­taly, in this as the Ancientes do altogether acknowledge a figure, that we call [...] that is when the name of the thing signified, is giuen to the signe it self: so S. Paule doeth expone this, giuen for you, to be asmuche, as, broken for you. No man will, or darre say, that the naturall body of our Sauiour wes broken, for it wes writtē ye shall not break one bone of him. Exo. 12. Herein there is an vndouted allusion, to the fraction of the bread, appointed and vsed in the communion, and lykewise a plaine decla­ration, how the wordes of the promes oght to be taken Sacramentally, and figuratiuely. This shortly for the declaration of the wordes.

Now followeth the latter wordes of the institution: do this in remembrance of me, which nowayes can be vnder­stand of any Sacrifice, The ex­position of these wordes, do this in remē brance of me. as ye do expone falslie, but of the receauing, and of the whole action recited before. For these wordes our Sauiour doeth referre to the actiō preceading, take ye, eat ye, this is my body, drinke of this ye all: and thus eating and drinking, celebrate the remembrence of me, to wit, that I haue giuen and offerred vp my body for you, & that I haue shed my blood for you, to the remission of your sinnes, for if these wordes (giuen for you) and (shed for you to remission of sinnes) should not wholy be referred and appertane to the Sacrifice of the croce, then should it follow that the Sacrifice of the croce, wes not necessarie, seing by your interpretation, we haue remissiō of sinnes by the virtew of this action, & so shal the virtew of the Sacrifice of the croce euanesh. Paule exponeth these wordes (as I haue) not of a Sacrifice, [...] Cor. 11. but of the receauing, do this so oft as ye shal drinke (sayeth he) in commemora­tiō of me, for as often as ye shall eat of this bread, & drinke of this cuppe, ye shall furth shew the Lordes death, till he come: whereby we obserue, that he conioyneth the comme­moration with the receauing, which ye that affirmeth the masse, separateth and diuideth. For it is plaine and ma­nifest by Paule, that in this publique action, in the which, he commandeth one to tarie vpon an other, and in the which, the body of our Sauiour is eaten, and his precius blood, drunkt: That he willeth, that we conioyne the ce­lebration of the benefites procured vnto vs, by his death [Page 51] with the action it self. And that we giue thankes, for these giftes, and so in nowise willeth he vs to offer his body & blood, but that we eat and drinke them, and so to celebrate and annunce his death: that is, the great and inestimable deliuerance, purchased by his death.

If any please to speak as the Ancients do, and call it a Sacrifice, I repugne not: so he vnderstand not, that Christ is here to be offered for the offences of the people, for the sinnes of the leuing, and the dead, for Saluation, and so­furth. For he hath by this one oblation, ones made, con­sūmat and perfected his faithfull and Elect for euer.

For it is a haynus blasphemie, to think that any man may offer vp the Sonne of God vnto the Father, as we haue already heretofore declared, he being him self [...] that is, the of­ferer, and the oblation it self, as I am able to proue by the Greik Cannon, and the Ancients all in one voice. Christ is by the worde of God, & the anci­ents al­so called the offe­rer and oblation it self. Now we offer not his body and his blood, the which we be com­manded onely to receaue, and were offerred of Christ him self, the virtew of the which oblation, yet remaneth, and shal perpetually, yea, and here they be offerred, and giuen vnto vs: but we againe offer vp prayers, laude, praise and action of thankes: which we are cōmanded to ioyne with this action, In these wordes, do this in remembrance of me, which wordes are exponed by Paule, as we haue de­clared.

Now this to be the verie Germane sense of the wordes of this action, I dout not: yea, and all godly consciences wil affirme and subscriue, that if an Angel of heauē should setfurthe any thing against this it is one accurse: where­in I haue not trauelled to satisfie the contentius, and obstinat persones, but because the wordes of the text were wrei [...]ted, by this wrouglare of Scriptures, I wes driuen to bring furth the godly meaning of the same wordes, with all sobrietie, to the releif of the simple, that by all apperēce might els haue bene troubled thereby.

Now let vs returne to our Author, who as he hath be­gunne blasphemusly, so he contineueth impudently, and as I haue already forewarned you, so now shall ye finde his principal studie direct to this, that the whole commu­nion may be subuerted and distroyed, and his deuillishe masse erected. For here he plainely protesteth, that this [Page] his Sacrifice of the masse. ‘Is a mair proper com­memoration and remēbrance of the Sacrifice of the croice, nor is the communion, quhairfore (sayeth he) the Sacrifice of the masse is called a Sacrifice of commemoration, and swa ze may perceaue be the command quhilk our Sauiour gaue to his Apostles, saying, do this in remembrance of me, that he rather appointed the Sacrifice of the latter Supper, to be ane commemoration of his death and passion, nor the communion.’

In deid maister Abbote, I wold glaidly ye should leaue your magistrall and Sorbonik maner of speaking, and proue your sayīgs, but God be praised, it appeareth that ye be rather a Scoller of Pythagoras, yea, Pythagoras him self, nor a Scoller of Christ Iesus. We know that in Py­thagoras Scoole, what authoritie the papistes take vpone them sel­ues. there wes no more, but his authoritie, whereof proceaded this saying [...] he said it, this authoritie ye take vpon you, in preferring your pesti­lent Sacrifice, to the holy institution of our Lawe maker Iesus Christe, yea, and doeth, that is in you, to euert the holy communion, the which I haue shewen heretofore to be called a Sacrifice of cōmemoration, in consideration that we, there giue thankes to our God, of that blissed League and couenant, that it hath pleased his maiestie to receaue vs in, and that in the blood of Iesus Christe, al­thogh improperly in deid, yet in that sense, not altogether intollerable, yea, and I wil say further, that neuer ye shal find your masse so called (being vnknowē in those dayes) as shall be after discussed, when we shall atteane to the examination of the authorities of the Fathers.

Strange it is, to see a man so caried away with his owen fantasy, so giuen ouer in the handes of Sathan, that he shal repyne against God, that he shall renunce and refuse the manifest veritie of God, confessed in all aiges, to esta­blishe his owen imagination.

We know the communion, to be the ordinance of Iesus Christe, practised in all aiges, and as I haue prouen by [Page 52] S. Paule, the moste liuely commemoration of Christes death, and yet will ye set before it, your stinkinge whore the masse, which neuer had place, The masse is now iu­stly troddē doune ī the dust as a fyl­thy stin­king harlote. till these our latter day­es, and that neuer without controuersie (to the great and greuous grudge of all godly) and now fynally fealeth the iust pleague of God, being trodden vnderfoote in the dust.

In your conclusion, howsoeuer ye will appeare to giue the communion some place, yet seing ye so earnestly esta­blishe and deckt vp the masse, it is euē asmuch as ye should take the communion vtterly away, being of that nature, that it can not stand the masse standing, nether yet the masse, so long as it standeth. So if ye wolde prosper, or think to haue victorie in this cause, ye muste sharpe your pen plainely against it, as it appeareth well your mynde is. These thinges in deid, for conclusion, since ye adduce nothing to proue them, they are als easylie reiected of vs, as ye obtruse them.

Here our new Sorbonist, being required by Iames, for­meth his argument & that Syllogistice, in what figure or mude, I truste he learned not so farre, for he is but one of our Mule maisters, howsoeuer he boldly taketh to him this style. ‘The Lorde (sayeth he) gaue comman­dement in the latter Supper to his Apostles, to do as he did: the Lorde maid oblation of his body and blood, in his latter Supper, as is sufficiently prouen be the hail Text, Any mā that is not vtterly blind, may here easylie se how foo­lishe and fals be the argumētes of the Pa­pistes. quhairfore it followis weill, that the Lorde gaue com­mand to his Apostles to do the same, saying: do this in remembrance of me, ergo cleik.’

Now moste reuerend Doctor, for the parte of Iames, I answer, the Lorde gaue commandement in his latter Supper, to do as he did. Trew it is: The Lorde made ob­lation of his body and blood, in his latter Supper, that I deny, and wil affirme further, that it is fals, blasphemus, intollerable, wicked, impius, and deuillishe, and a thing that thou, yea, and all the papistes in the earth ioyned with thee, are not able to proue. For besydes the absurdities, already alledged it should follow, seing thou cleauest ex­tremly to the wordes and the tyme, which is the present, [Page] that the blood of Iesus Christe wes shed in the Supper, for the worde is [...] in the present, so that the whole glorie, strenth, and virtew of the croice, should be quenshed, buried vp, and vtterly defaced, if these thy dreames might haue place.

To the minor I haue already answered at lenth, so now thy assumption being denyed, and moste properly refelled, Inferre what thou list, thou shall conclude nothing but mere vanitie, falshead and blasphemie. But now Doctor, will I make to you a Syllogisme, ye know it is a recea­ued maxime amongest them of your faction: all the acti­ons of Christe are our instruction, Read & marcke wel this Argumēt Christe offerred him self vp vpon the croice, ergo, the Pope should do the same. The maior is cleare of Gregorius your maister, the minor I truste, nedeth no probation, the conclusion muste then follow, that the firste newes we shall here, shalbe that the Pope your maister and capitane, hath hengd him self. But according to the mater, now will I reason with you thus, as the action of the Supper will beare. Iesus Christ commanded his Disciples to do that he had done, Christe tuke bread, gaue thankes, brake and distributed it, saying: this is my body, which is giuen for you: ergo, we should do the same, that is to say, take bread, break bread, giue thankes and cōmunicate. &c. Which is not done in your masse, ergo, she hath nothing to do with the institution of the Lorde Iesus. The di­uisers of the masse neuer put in these wordes, giuen for you, or broken for you, in their masse. For thou art not able, no not the verie portes of Hell ioyned with thee, to proue an new and se­ueral institution, included and conteined in any one word of the promes, it being but a parte of the institutiō. In the masse We know those wordes, out of the which, ye draw this your Sacrifice, yea, in the consecration it self (For so ye tearme it) these wordes, giuen for you, or broken for you, be not recyted, and I truste euerie man of any iudge­ment, will think that if there had bene any thing making for them, that wer diuisers of the masse in these wordes, they should not haue bene omitted, yea, that the quin [...] verbians ascribeth the whole strenth and force of conse­cration, to the fiue wordes that be rounded by the shaue­ling, to the dūme and vnsensible Elementes (for this is my body) Hoc est euim corpus meum. Where I pas by, that ye adde ( enim) of your owen. Alwayes there is no men­tion of these wordes, giuen for you, or broken for you. [Page 53] Cast ouer your masse [...], and read als diligently as ye can: ye shal not finde these wordes, I am assured. Where­by it may well appeare in the verie murgeon and farce of the masse, that the wordes that be recyted, conuicteth you of moste manifest and haynus Idolatrie. The words which the Pa­pistes rehears, cōuicteh themsel­ues of idolatrie For since of your owen doctrine we know, and it is euident, that all virtew is attributed to the wordes pronoūced, and in the wordes of execration, there is no oblation: for these wordes (gi­uen for you) are not pronounced (vpon the which wordes ye ground your oblatiō) it followeth then, that your masse (make of i [...] what ye list) is no oblatiō nor Sacrifice. But least afterward we haue not so gauing occasion, as now is offerred, to speak of the tearme, it shall not be altogether out of the way, to defyne and declaire what the euergie of the word is, and what it is to offer, and Sacrifice to God. Offer, we vnderstād to be, to subiect him self, to the will of the Father, to deriuate the wraith, the ire, the indignation, yea, and the paine due to all our sinnes vpon him, and so to represent, stay & arreast him self, as the verie Sacrifice and oblation, to susteane and those the Ire of God for sin­nes, to transferre the whole offences of the people vpon his shulders, to be as it were culpable, damned, and to be made an accurse, yea, and the verie sinne it self, accor­ding to the Hebrew phrase, tearming the Sacrifice by the name of the sinne that it is offerred for. According lyke­wise to the sayinges of the Prophet Esaye, and after him S. Paule. In this maner is to be vnderstand, 2. Cor. 5. the saying of the Baptist, behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world, that is, who susteaneth and is charged with the wraith of the Father, in that he Sacrificed and offerred vp him self, to appease the indignation of the Fa­ther, conceaued against sinne.

The Lambe and oblation, and he that hath offerred vp this Sacrifice, we acknowledge to be Iesus Christe, who being the onely preist, that by the offering vp of him self, hath entered in the moste holy place, yea, and who hath Sacrified him self for vs, because that none other wes euer able to haue borne the indignation of the Father but he. Considder here then the blasphemie of that Antichriste of Rome, who giueth this power to his preistes in the crea­tiō of them: we giue thee power, sayeth he, to offer the oblation to God, to appease him. I feare I be to long in this [Page] mater most plaine & euident in the self. Now let vs prose­cute the rest. This Doctor [...] assure Iames of the cōclusion that it is trew, proper, & aggreing with the wordes of the latter Supper. ‘I will make zow (sayeth he) to vnderstand the same be the conference of Scriptures.’

A maner of proceading, in deid substantius and formal, if he should do that he doeth promes. To this place he hath spoken all Pythagorice that is of his owen inuention, as he wil seme, without any probation, and first alledged, the Psalmest Dauid, and S. Paule, to proue that which is confessed of euerie one. ‘Oure Sauioure to be a preiste for euer, according to the ordoure of Melchisedec, quha maid oblation of breade and wyne vnto God, as the Scripture plain­lie teaches.’

The place here alledged, I haue already entreated at large, but now will I say to this fals glosare, that he is neuer able to proue, that neuer Melchisedec made any oblation, and if he made any, he made it to Abraham. But that he made no oblation, it is plaine, by the Hebrew and Greik Text. For the word is plaine, he broght furth and not offerred vp. And that he gaue this bread & wyne to Abraham, There is no men­tion of any o­ther, in that that Melchi­sedec broght furth bread & wyne, but only of Abra­hā, read the. 14. Chap. of Genesis it is manifest lykewise, by the prayse that is giuen to Melchisedec, of his liberalytie in refreshinge Abraham and his wearie Hoste, according to that he wes King: and in blissing Abraham, conforme to the duetie of the preist. Besydes this, which is the verie meaning of the Spirite of God, the Relatiue (him) maketh all that pre­ceadeth to be vnderstand of Abraham, in cōsideration that there is no mention of any other, but of Abrahā only. ‘Now I resson (sayeth this Doctor) on this maner Read all the Euangell, quhare our Sauiour vsed the Preisthede of Mechisedec, declaring him to be ane preist according to the ordour of Melchisedec, but in ye latter supper: quhair he maid oblation of his precious body & blude [Page 54] vnder the forme of bread and wyne, prefigurat be the oblation of M [...]hisedec, than are we compelled that our Sauiour maid oblation of his body and blude, in the latter Supper, or els he was not a preist, according to the ordour of Melchisedec.’ Albeit that heretofore I haue de­clared sufficiently, all that belōgeth to the explicatiō of this place, yet shal I not werie to adduce somwhat for the more cleare vnderstāding of the place, and cōuicting of the gros, malicius and blind ignorance of this Author. What a madnes and phrenesie, shall we think it in this Scripturer, that he can not content him self with this that the Spirite of God hath teached vs? The author to the Hebrewes hath declared the wordes of the Psalme, and hath pretermitted nothing, apperteaning to the similytude and comparison of our Sacrificator Iesus Christe, and Melchisedec.

The Psalmist, The ex­position and me­aning of the Psalmest. no dout, in the forenamed Psalme, ven­dicateth and attributeth to our Sauiour, the dignitie of the kingdome, together with the progatiue of Eternal preist­head: hauing spoken of his kingdome, in the fourt verse, he discendeth to his preisthead, where he sheweth his preisthead, to be farre different from the preisthead of Aaron, being such an as should not now be after the ordoure of Aarō, but after the ordor of Melchisedec. Secōdly he sheweth it to be firme and stable, planted by the authoritie of the Eternall, who shall neuer be strucken with repentance, that is, the thing he hath ones decreed, shal not alterre nor change: then doeth he adde the orackle, which doeth not consist in oblation of bread and wyne, nor yet is it added, thou art a preist, according to the ordour of Melchisedec, to signifie any such thing, as thou fondly diuisest, but to de­claire the perpetuitie and the qualitie of his preisthead, as the author to the Hebrewes doeth plainely witnes, declair and expone.

First then we haue here the kingdome and the preisthead giuen by God vnto our Sauiour, so that he is bothe king and preist. By the kingdome we vnderstand, What is to be vnderstand by the kingdōe and preisthead of Christe. that power that is giuen to him in heauen and in earth, to gouerne & defend his subiectes, to be auenged vpon his enimies.

The office of the preist, is to instruct in the feare of God, to intercead for remission of sinnes, to pray & offer, which [Page] offices, the Euangelist doeth pla [...]nely witnes, that Iesus Christe hath fulfilled. The papistes beshameles liers alwayes And therefore ye do manifestly belie the spirit of God. And where ye affirme that Iesus Christ did no parte of the office of Melchisedec, vnles we grant that he did offer vp him self, vnder the formes of bread and wyne, that is a manifest vntrenth. For that Christ is king & preist, wes the office of melchisedec, that his preisthead is eternal, and not temporal (as the preisthead of Aarō wes) is proper to Melchiesdec, that Christ doeth blesse his elect, & not curse them, wes also the office of Melchisedec, and all these I suppose ye wil confesse Iesus Christ, hath done, & yet doeth. These two offices in Moyses and Aaron, being distinguished, are ioyned in Melchisedec, the Type and figure of our Sauiour, in whome they be not onely ioy­ned, but perfected.

Secondly, as the kingdome and preisthead are not giuē to him by man, but by God: as we may collect of this that the Lorde sweare. This obserueth the author to the He­brewes, when he sayeth: no man vsurpeth any honoure, but he that is called as Aaron. An antithesis, betiuxt Christ & the pope So the Sonne of God, being Lorde of all, abydeth the appointment and vocation of his Father: to the great shame and rebuke of the Popes, that no les impiuslie nor impudently, taketh and vsurpeth the crowne of the kingdome, and the myter of the Bishop­prie, and preisthead to them selues, without commission, or laufull vocation. And therefore moste iustlie shall it be said to them, they reigne, but not of the Lorde, they are preistes, but not the Lordes.

Thridly, this preisthead is assigned with a great cere­monie, and by a certane Religion established, & that with one Solemne othe, which peculiarly cōueneth to our Sa­uiour, and is diligently noted, in the Epistle to the Hebr. others preistes (sayeth he) are made without any othe, Hebr. 7. but this preist is made by the othe of him that said to him, the Lord hath sworne, & shal not repent him, thou art the eter­nal preist: that by two things that can not be moued, the promes, An sure comforte by the preisthed of Christ and the othe, by the which it is impossible, that God shal lie, we may reteane the most firme confort of our faith, conceaued of the preisthead of Christe, that with a steadfast esperance we may enter in the inward partes of the Sanctuarie with our Sauiour.

Feardly, this preisthead, thus confirmed with an [Page 56] othe, can not be changed nor transferred, but shall re­maine firme and immutable. For it is plainely said, and he shoulde not repent him. This steadfaste per­petuitie of the preisthead of our Sauioure, The perpetuitie of Chri­stes preisthead. is obserued and declared by the Apostle: many preistes, sayeth he, wes made vnder the Lawe, because they might not remane, being subiect to death: but our preist no wayes being sub­iect to mortalytie, hath an eternall preisthead. The worde vsed by the Apostle, I haue noted before, and the proprie­tie of it.

And in this we may obserue the difference of the preist­head of our Sauiour, from all other outward and externe, which can not be gouerned by the dead, and in this con­sideration requireth multitude and succession, since no man can haue an Eternall preisthead, being subiect to in­firmitie and corruption. So that the necessitie moueth, that may were made preistes. The preisthead of Christe is such that it can not be stayed by infirmitie, The ex­cellencie of the preisthed of Iesus Christe. retarded by dis­eas, nor impeded by death. But in the death rather appeareth cheiflie, he hauing thereby satisfied to the iudgement of his Father, and reconciled vs againe, so that yet stil he is able to susteane the duetie, and performe the office of preisthead, euen now sitting in heauen, at the right hand of the Father, and interceading for mercy to vs: whereby we are admonished, that the preisthead of Iesus Christe, is of a spiritual nature, not cōsisting in any outward, forrane, and beggerly ceremonies, which cā in nowise appease the wraith of God. This our Preist neuer fainteth in the execution of his office, euer leauing to call vpon God for vs. Now considder what ignominie it is to this Preist and his office, that a certane shauelinges shal intruse them selues in his office, and proudly take vpon them, the office of mediation betuix God and man, as that our Sauiour ether were negligent, or then vnable to discharge him of his office.

Now in this that is said (after the ordour of Melchisedec) we shal obserue that there wes neuer from the beginning, any sorte of preisthead of that nature, that it might be any wise alterred, changed, or innouate at the appetite of any man, but euer restricted to a certane ordour, and that by God. So that now as it is easy to vaine, ambitius, & mē of arrogant stomaches, to diuise & innent preistheades [Page] and ordoures, at their owen pleasure, it is euen als easie to reiect them.

Last shall we obserue, the diuersitie and dissagrement of this preisthead with it of Aaron, which consisteth in vm­bers, shaddowes, figures, rytes, and ceremonies, altoge­ther in them selues vnprofitable and vnable to obteane remission of sinnes, Christe neadeth no succesor, be­cause he liueth for euer, as the Apostle wri­teth to the Heb. and to pacifie Gods wraith: yea, and the which now, in respect of the infirmitie of it, by the which it wes astricted to a certane pluralitie, multitude, & succession, is vtterly abolished. And now a Sacrificer is placed, all societie, fellowship, and company being remo­ued. For the cause taken away, the effect muste cease. The cause of pluralitie, wes death, from the which our preist is exempted. Conferre this that we haue here adduced, with the sayinges of the Apostle, Hebre. 7. And all shalbe made manifest, that this Author goeth about to trouble. Where first the Apostle exponeth the name, which is Melchisedec, meaning the King of Iustice. Secondly, the place of his kingdome, which is Salem, that is quietnes and peace. For in his kingdome onely, is tranquilitie, as is written, there is no peace to the wicked, and by the Apostle, our Sauiour is called our peace. Thridly, is set furth his generatiō, which can not be declared, he being without Fa­ther, mother, and Genealogie. Feardly, the perpetuitie of his kingdome and preisthead, The na­me, kingdome, preisthed and Ge­nealogie of Mel­chisedec. nether hauing beginning nor yet ending, remaning the preist for euer, and made lyke vnto the Sonne of God. Fyftly, the dignitie and prero­gatiue of his preisthead, in that, that he receaueth teindes of Abraham the Patriarck and the appointed Father of all faithfull. Last, the office of his preisthead, in blessing Abrahā, hauing already vsed him self liberally, as became a King, in receauing him and his company to banked.

These thinges, how properly they conuene to our Sa­uiour, it is more easy to considder, nor that I neid to ap­ply them particularlie. Now pas thy way, fond and vane Papist, and adde that which is impius, wicked, and deuil­lishe. I regarde not how many thou haue to be compani­ons in thy error. The Scollers of Christe beareth that reuerence to their maister, that where as the Spirite of God kepeth silence, they inquire not, as we may obserue by the exemple of the Author to the Hebrewes, who suteth nothing of Father, mother, nor Genealogie of Mel­chisedec: [Page 57] but seing there wes none expressed by Moyses, he bothe willingly misknoweth it, yea, and willeth that we shall not inquire of it, hauing before our eyes, that moderation and sobrietie we oght to haue in reading and exponīg of Scriptures, neuer to inquire further in the holy mysteries, thē Gods holy spirit doeth teache vs. In the mysteri­es of god we oght not to inquire further nor the Spi­rite of God hes reueiled. Wherfore we neid not to declaire any cause why, nor to what ēd Melchisedec broght furth bread & wyne, since the spirit of God declareth it not: alwayes that, that we haue spoken of the refreshing of Abraham, we haue followed the iudgement and coniecture of Iosephus, and Crysostomus, lyke as in Hosting, we know how thankfull it is, how great plentie of wictualles, soeuer we haue, to be refreshed with freshe meates and drinkes.

Now good Reader, how captiuslie this wranglare of Scripture trauelleth in this mater, considder with thy self. I know wel ynough, what he braggeth of some of the An­cients, that abuseth this place of Melchisedec. But let no suffrage of antiquitie draw vs from the commentarie of the Spirite of God, who in a mater of so great weight, wold not haue pretermitted the oblation of Melchisedec, if it could haue serued anywise to the purpose.

Hereby, Sire, ye may vnderstand sufficiently, that to be a preist, after the ordour of Melchisedec, is not to offer vp bread and wyne, as ye falsly alledge Melchisedec to haue done, but this to be referred to the stabilitie of Christes preisthead, and eternitie of the same, as I haue declared at large, so that we may collect the dout of Iames, to be moste reasonable, douting.

Gif he maid oblation of bread and wyne, for vther wayis (As he say­eth) zour argument can haue na apperance.

We shal obserue in lyke maner, the vanitie of your answer to his dout, assuring hī moste vntruely that the Scripture speikis it sa plaine that it leifes no place to du­bitation.

And where as it is appointed to you to brīg furth the wordes of the Scriptures, ye, as altogether vn­myndfull of the purpose that ye haue in hand, passeth your way, and bringest in a similytude, hauing nothing to do with the mater.

Firste ye should haue broght the wordes of the Text, and [Page] by them prouen, that Melchisedec offred bread and wyne to God, which is declared to be fals and vntrew, and then pereuenture your simylitude of the tree, in a shining and bright Sonne, casting his vmbers according to the mul­titude of the brenches, might haue had some probabilitie: by the which similitude, ye go about to proue that euerie thing in the olde Testament is a figure of some what in the new, which I am assured thou can not iustifie vniuersally, no not in the thinges that be verie figures in euerie point. For howsoeuer, euerie leaf of the tree hath the shaddow, corespondēt vnto it, yet I am assured there be many tīhgs in the figures of the olde Testament, Cōsider here, Sā son, Da­uid, and Salomō whiche were fi­gures of Christe. which can not be at­tributed, nor in any condition conuene to the veritie, the treuth, and the body in the new, without a great Sacri­ledge. Samson is the figure of our Sauiour, we read that he played the harlote: shal we werifie this of our Sauiour: Dauid lykewise, being the figure of Christe, wes an adul­terare, and to the crime of Adulterie, ioyned slaughter. Shal we affirme this of the body, which is Christe? Salo­mon wes the moste liuely figure of all, and yet he wes ca­ried away a whoring after fals Gods and Idoles, at the appetite of his wifes. 1. Kin. 11 Wil ye find any thing correspondent to this in our maister? God forbidde, we so think, or that any such thoght enter into our hartes. So ye see mani­festly, that of all thing is found in the figure, we oght not to feak the lyke in the veritie, as we shal shew in the Pash­all Lambe shortly.

We read plainely in the Text, that Melchisedec broght furth bread and wyne, and that to conforte Abraham and his Armie, as before we haue said. In deid we may finde not vnlyke to this in Christe, Christ refreshed the peo­ple in the wil­dernes. that at sindrie tymes in the wildernes, he fed the people, that followed vpon him, they being destitute of sustentation, and wearied of the iorney: yea, and in the latter Supper, he gaue bread and wyne to his Disciples. And yet I will go further with you, that in the Lordes Table, we offer vp bread and wyne, to be sanctified of the Lorde, and that it may be made a Sacra­ment by him. These thinges as I will not deny, so they may somwhat conuene. But that he made oblation of bread and wyne vnto his Father, in any such condition as ye pretende, as Melchisedec made none at all, so his doing can not serue you, to proue your intent, yea, and [Page 58] when all should be granted to you, what strenth I pray you, is in an allegorie, to set vp any doctrine, and make it of authoritie? none at all. But seing the Spirite of God passeth by this with silence, we may iudge it altogether strainge from the purpose. If this sobrietie were in this doctor, he should not tho [...]e him self to be thus caried away God send you his holy Spirite, to lighten your hart, and oppē your eyes, that ye may see, and purge your smelling that ye may smell oute Gods treuth, and embrace the same. Let vs come to the exemple.

‘That is na dout (sayeth he) but the Pascall Lambe was a figure of the Sacrifice of the croce. Nottheles, that figure was corespondēt in all partes, to it, that was done in the latter Supper. For quhy we reid, that the Lambe was offerred in Sacrifice of the Hebreains, in recordation of the benefite, the quhilk the people of Israel was deliuered fra the serui­tude of Pharo: and bringing out of Egypt, bot the Sacrifice of the croce was not in re­cordation of ony benefite, bot it was the self benefite, the same self liberation fra sinne, the same self Redemption fra the captiuitie of the Deuill. Quhairfore it was necessare that be the immolation of the Pascall Lambe, ane v­ther immolation besydes it done on the croice, sould be signified, the quhilk in the latter sup­per was done, than man we conclude cōforme to the Scriptures, that lyke as the Sacrifice of the Pascall Lambe wes a cōmemoration of benefite and gudenes of Almichtie God, toward the people of Israell, quhair thay deliuered fra the seruitude and tyranny of Pharo, euin sa is the Sacrifice of the Lordes [Page] body in the latter Supper called the masse, a perpetuall commemoration and remembrance of the gret gudnes of Almichty God, quhair he deliuered the haill warld fra the tyranny and seruitude of the Deuill, be the Sacrifice of the croce, sa the Sacrifice of the croce and the Sacrifice of the masse in all partes are corres­pondent to the figure and Sacrifice, of the Pascall Lambe.’

Now will I call vpon the heauen and the earth, to beare recorde to it that shalbe now tossed betuix me and this Au­thor, and how substancially he proceadeth in the probatiō, to proue by the Pasouer two Sacrifices: one in the latter Supper, an other of the croice. Your conclusion is plaine, that by the immolation of the Pashall Lambe, an other immolation besydes it wes done vpon the croice shoulde be signified, the which (say ye) wes done in the latter Sup­per. And so will ye of a Sacrifice in figure, make two to start furth. Ether must ye say that, in that, the Pasouer Lambe wes Sacrificed, it wes a figure of the immolation of our Sauiour vpon the croice, or then it wes a figure of that oblation that wes made (as ye pretend) in the Sup­per, take your chose, ye shall neuer conclude of it, two im­molations, as ye fondly trauel to proue.

To it of the Supper, I can nowise aggre, for then the veritie shall not coresponde to the figure. In the Supper there wes no shedding of blood, as wes in the immolatiō of the Lambe, The pa­shal lābe and the Lordes Supper do not aggre in all poin­tes, for in the Lor­des Sup­per, wes no blood shedding which is the principall point belonging to the nature of a Sacrifice, but ye will answer, that the Lābe wes offered in recordation of their deliuerance. I answer, that is verie fals, for it wes principally to serue to the fi­gure of that deliuerance and Sacrifice, whereby all Sa­crifices hath their vigure, and by the which we haue, all deliuerance, to wit, the Sacrifice of the croice. Ye will obiect ‘That the Sacrifice of the croice was not a re­cordation of the deliuerance of vs, fra the tyr­ranny of Sathan, bot the deliuerance it self.’

That, I answer, is lykewise fals, speaking as ye do, strictly, For it is onely the instrument, by the which, of [Page 59] the part of our Sauiour, deliuerance and Saluation, are purchased vnto vs, that beleueth in Iesus Christe.

‘Bot it was the Pascal Lambe (wil ye say) that was offered vp in recordatiō of thair deliuerāce.’

In that I say it doeth aggre with the Supper of the Lorde, that lyke as in it we are commanded to celebrate the Lordes death, till he come, so were they to haue remē ­brance of their deliuerance, so that this is not in respect of the offerring, which principally is to be referred to the Sa­crifice of the croice, whereof all Sacrifices were figures: but in consideration of the Lordes Table, The lor­des table came instead of the Pashcal lamb which wes to be placed, and succead in the roume of it, and this to be the verie Bermane interpretation of that place, it is moste plaine, by the Apostle Paule. 1. Cor. 5. where he affirmeth Christe to be offered vp our Pasouer, and so exhorteth vs to be mirrie and reioyse, without any mention of Sacrifi­cation, and offerring vp of him, vnder the formes of bread and wyne.

Trew it is, that in euerie ceremonie vnder the Lawe, we haue to consider thre sindrie thinges, the first is, a cō ­memoration of some benefite receaued: as no dout, the Pasouer, in cōsideration that it wes a Sacrament, broght them in mynde of their deliuerance out of Egypt. Secondly, we haue to receaue it as an vmber or figure of Christe Iesus, as the offerring vp of the Lambe, what we haue to consider in the sacrifices of the Lawe. the spilling of the blood of him, wes a figure of the Redemption of man, by the blood and passion of our Sauiour. Thridly, it ser­ued for a document of good lyfe, holynes, and so furth.

As the Apostle concludeth in the place before recyted, let vs reioyse in all puritie, and veritie. The same shall we obserue in the first fructes, and the rest of the Sacrifices vnder the Law: but to eshew all cauillatiō of such Sophi­sters, as go about to deceaue, we haue to obserue euerie point, to examine it that is proper to a Sacrament, and it that belongeth to a Sacrifice, and so to distinguishe them skilfully, as in the exemple of the Pashe Lambe, which in consideration of the offerring and immolation, onely ap­perteaneth to the Sacrifice of the croice, as I haue said.

Now will I trauell to shew the aggrement and simily­tude of the Pasouer, with the Supper of the Lorde, yea, and wherein they do dissagre, as in no figure can be found [Page] the perfect image of the veritie, aggreing in all pointes with it that is corespondent, howsoeuer ye those your self to be deceaued, and goeth about to deceaue others. This is first to be obserued, in the institution of the holy Sup­per, that euen as immediatly, after the eating of the Pas­ouer, the holy communion wes instituted by our maister and Sauiour Christ: so doeth he obserue the same ordour that Moyses rehearseth to be kept, and wes appointed by the eternal our God, in the eating of the Sacramēt of the Pasouer: for that same night that the Lorde had decreed to slay the first borne of Egypt, and to deliuer his owen peo­ple, by the hand of the Angell, he ordeined the Sacrament of the Pasouer, to be a testimonie and monument of that wonderfull deliuerance, euen immediatly after to be per­fected. The deliuerance of the people ensewed a lytle spa­ce after: the memorie whereof euerie yeare, by this Sacra­ment wes renewed at the commandement of God.

In the same maner our Sauiour, that self same night that he wes to be betrayed, and in the which, he wes to beat doune that most cruel Pharoo, and his whole power, together with his first borne Sonne, Death, Hel, to per­fect the thinges that were prefigurate by the Pash Lambe, he institute the holy Supper, to be a perpetuall monumēt of that vnspeakable benefite, he wes to obteane vnto vs, and in place of a Lambe, and the blood of it, the Symbo­les of the Pasouer, he appointed the signes of bread and wyne, Why our Lord Ie [...]us, insteade of the pas­ouer lāb ordeined bread & wyne. elements, as moste seruing to the refection, nu­rishement, feading, and confort of mans body, and lyke­wise commonly moste parable and easy to be obteined, so most proper to bind vp and confirme frenship and amitie. Celius Rhodiginus teacheth this to haue bene moste so­lemne and familiare to the Lacedemonians, by the brea­king of bread, to receaue in amitie, such as they embraced in confideracie and league. Aristotle in the. 8. boke of his Morals, declareth the nature of amitie, to be such, that as by mutuall leuing together, resorting at table together, it is reteaned, so by long silence and absence it is dissolued, as the greik Prouerb there recyted by Aristotle, and Athe­neus in his fyft boke, doeth euidently proue. In these sig­nes, our maister and Sauiour instituteth his holy Supper which wes to remane, and practised to his returning, to assure vs hereby of his presēce, howsoeuer he is, touching [Page 60] his bodylie presence, absent, and to ratifie and establishe that amitie, league, and societie, the Eternall God recea­ued vs in, and that in the blood of his deare Sonne. Touching the tyme, this we may obserue, that as the wis­dome of our God determineth all thinges, and appointeth in the moste due and conuenient tyme: So this hour of his Supper, to haue serued moste properly to that holy action, by him then practised. We obserue most diligently and kepe in mynde moste faithfully, not onely the factes, but the wordes of them that we see in the trauell and bat­tall of death, thereby as it were, calling to mynde the me­morie of him who is departed: these thinges as moste notable, we iudge moste worthy of Register, the treuth of them and maiestie being sealed vp by the verie death.

The hour of his death then approching, and at hand, and in the which, not onely the Lambe of the Pasouer, but all the rest of the Sacrifices appointed in blood, were to re­ceaue their perfection and end, and so to haue no further place, the tyme can not be, but moste proper, the ceremo­nies of the Lawe being in no point by him neglected the figures fully performed, and the presence of his body to be immediatly after to them denyed. Wherefore, not with­out cause he changed the signes, whereby the thinges to come, were foresignified, in such signes as should de­claire those thinges to be performed already. So then fol­lowed, the deliuerance by the [...]eath of Christ, the memorie whereof, is celebrated by the frequentation of the Lordes Supper, to the which vse it wes appointed. For he com­manded, take ye, eat ye, this is my body, do this in remē ­brance of me, the which commandement (as I haue tea­ched) can of no better reason be separate from this Sacra­ment, & adioyned to any fond Sacrifice, nor the promes, by the which, is plainely declared the cause of the institu­tion, when he sayeth, this is my body, which is giuen to you: and this is my blood, and sofurth. For how I praye you can these wordes, that be here interiected (giuen for you, and shed for you) how can they (I say) be separate from the action preceading and from the commandement, that is after giuen? Or how can the commandement be drawen from the whole action preceading? That can be no more, nor the members from the body. So they per­uert the holy ordinance of our Sauiour, that separateth [Page] the commandement from the promes, or yet the promes, or any parte of it from the action.

Now that the Pasouer wes lykewise a similytude and a figure of Christes death, may easylie be declared by sindrie thinges, which nowise can apperteane to the com­munion. First in the Sacrifice of the pasouer, the Lambe wes flaine, which can nowise aggre with the Supper, in the which, there is no slaughter nor boucherie, but ye wil here insist and repyne, alledgeing by this, that it is a Sa­crifice. To this I haue answered you, that there is no vnbloody Sacrifice, by the plaine wordes of the Apostle. For ye teach plainely, that your masse is not onely a Sacrifice of thankes geuing, but of expiation of sinnes which can not stand, without spilling of blood. The Lambe wes sla [...]e, the blood of him spilt, and that foresignified the death and cruell intreatment of Iesus Christe, who wes to be offered vp in a bloody maner vpō the croice, and this can nowise aggre with the Supper, nor yet your fond ob­lation made in it, as ye imagine: for as witnesseth Paule, our Pasouer is offerred vp, Christe. Lyke as the Supper doeth liuely testifie and represent, so by the immolation of the Lambe, as by the figure, wes foreshewē to the fathers, the offerring vp of the Sauiour of the world: yea, and de­clared that he wes the Lambe of God, that taketh awaye the sinnes of the world, of whom there wes no bone bro­ken: yea, and of whose mactation Isay as fore prophecieth, Isay. 53. vnder the image and figure of the Lambe and the shepe: & to the which alludeth the historie of the oblation of Isaac. Gen. 22. By the which testimonies and figures, wes plainely and euidently declared to the Fathers that, which the Baptist declared in few wordes, calling him the Lambe of God, & the taker away of the sinnes of the world. Hebr. 10 These things then, now fulfilled, euen according as they were adumbrat in the Law, and forespoken by the Prophetes, there is no other oblatiō nor emisiō of blood for sine, for synce the way that he hath prepared for vs, Mat. 26 is freshe by his blood, which is the blood of the new testamēt, whereby he testifieth that we haue not to esteme this recōciliation made by him, and in the which we are receaued in his blood, to īdure for a [...]eason, but the strenth of it, to be Eternall and permanent. What haue we to do then, as it were, to gaise for a new Christe, and to luke continually for others Sacrifices and Lawes, such as no godly harte can susteane?

[Page 61]The Sacrament of the pasouer conteyned a Sacrifice, and a banked, the one to forewarne of that eternal Sacri­fice of the Croce, whiche was ones perfyred ād neuer rei­terated, the other to instruct of the Lordes Table. The Sacrifice being offred and perfected ref [...]eth to vse the cōn­saill of the Apostle, 1. Cor. 5 and so to of [...]re vs to the ban [...]ed of the Lordes table, where we are made participant of his body and blood. For the Apostle sayeth not since our Pasouer Christ is offred vp, let vs Sacrifice him a new, but let vs make merry offring, and representing vs to his holy Ta­ble in all sinceritie, and veritie to be made one with him.

Besydes this the sprinkling of the Lambes blode, which wes a maner of Sacrifice declared planely the wraith of the Father to be appeased, ād the people reconciled, The con­formitie of the paschal Lābe with the Sacrifice to the croce and the holy communion. which properlie apperteaneth to the Sacrifice of the croce, be vir­tew whereof we are restored to the fauour of God.

The eating of the Lambe apper [...]aneth most ꝓperlie to the Supper, for thereby is witnessed, that we be al ꝑticipant of that Sacrifice, by the which reconciliation wes made and saluation procured and purchassed, to so many (I say) as worthelie eateth of that Banked. The mysterie of the ty­me, which wes commanded to be efter the going down of the Sonne, aggreith moste properlie with the Sacrifice of the croce, representing & declaring in the latter dayes the fulnes and plenitude of tyme being come, then should the Sonne of God be offred vp. That how soeuer our Sa­uiour practeist & did institute this holy action efter down passing of the Sone beīg drewē so to do, by a certane neces­sitie as I haue decleared, yet wes it not to leif a ꝑpetuall reule and bynd vs straitlie to that tyme: But by his owen wordes he hath set vs at libertie, aswell touching the fre­quent vsing as touching the tyme.

The pasouer wes eaten but ones in the year, and at a statute day and tyme, but our maister sayeth, do this as oft as ye do it, in remembrance of me. Setting vs in fre­dome to vse his supper, as oft as we please. And at what tyme we Iudge moste couenient.

Be the aggreance and dissimilitude of the pasouer with the Supper of Iesus Christe, it may now euidently ap­pear what apperteaneth to the supper properlie and what is to be referred to the Sacrifice of the Croce, yea, & how fondlie ye are abused in applycation hereof to youre fond [Page] Sacrifice, let vs returne to our maister Doctor, where he playeth the Sophistre in dede and hyngeth I warrand now by a small grip.

‘Attoure it is sure (sayeth he) that Iesus Christ our sauiour come to fulfyll the law, & not break it, it wes cōmanded be the law, to make oblā tion of y • Pascale Lambe afore it wes eat [...]n, so wes it necessare, that our Sauiour hade firste maid oblation of his bodye afore he gaue the same to be eatin, to the effect that the veritie sould corresponde to the figure. Quharefore we at cōpelled to affirme that our Sauiour maid oblation of his body in the latter Supper afore he gaue the same to be eatin, or els the veritie was not correspondent to the figure. Quhilk is against all veritie, and this may ze clearlye perceaue that the Pascal Lambe, was not on­ly a figure of the sacrifice of the Croice, but a mere expresse figure of the sacrifice of the masse as is sufficientlie prouen.’

Trewly Brother since, thow hast no other refuge, but to cleane to a certane circumstance of tyme, Discoue­red craft is a hen­derance to the cause ād fame of the poli­tick practiser. I euen pietie the & repent me vetray fore vndoutedlie that thow should mell with the defence of so desperate & wicked cause. And here as euer thow did in all thy lyfe, thow playest the so­phister moste craftilie, if thow could haue couered thy craft but thow knowest craft, when it is oppenned vp and perceaued whate a hindrence it is to the faime and opinion of a man.

Trew it is that thow proponest our Sauiour to haue come to performe ād not to break the Law, but that thow affirmest the Lambe to haue bene offred afore it wes ea­ten, that thow prouest not, nether yet art thow able to proue by the institution of God, or by the playne wordes of the Text, that any commandement wes geuen to the people to offre the Lambe to God before it wes slayne▪ or before it wes eaten, commandement wes geuen that they [Page 62] should take it, keip it, slay it, sprinkle the blood of it, No commande­ment to offre the Lambe. rost it, eate it, and so furth. But of offring of it, shal thow and no commandement I wil not denye, but that the pasouer ryghtlie done with all circumstances according to Gods commandement may be called a Sacrifice, but I absolut­lie denye that it wes commanded to be offred before it wes commanded to be eaten, The Ab­bot is an vnfaith­full pa­trō to the misera­ble masse so that the offring signified a Sa­crifice as thow alledgest and the eaten out other, and so seing thow leauest that vnprouen, whereupon thy vnsa­ [...]erie Sacrifice dependeth, considdre with thy self how vnfaithfull a Patron art thow to the miserable Masse.

But if I should grant that which thow art neuer able to proue, to wit, that the Lambe wes offred before it wes eaten▪ what will thow conclude that there wes two Sa­crifices; or the figures of two Sacrifices? that I denye, Note. for what soeuer wes done with the Lambe, or to the Lambe, before the eating, wes done in respect of the eating and to the end, it should be eaten of the people, so that if the eating had bene omitted al that preceded had bene vnprofitable, and so the whole action of the pasouer, wes but a sacrifice, (if thow so wil haue it termed and the figure of a sacrifice, to wit; of Christes body ones offred vpon the Croce, who­se fleshe and blood by his death, Ihon. 6. are become the verrie nu­rishment of our Soules, according to his owen promes, saying and the bread that I shall geue yow, it is my fleshe, which I shall geue for the lyfe of the warld.

Playe thou thy self, with thy mearie conceait, dreaming that he firste offred his bodye, and then he gaue it to be eaten. We are assured, he did offre it vpon the Croce, by which onely oblatiō we haue obteyned lyfe, Sear [...]h then what thow lest in thy Sacrific [...] of thy masse, lyfe shal thou not fynd in it, for that floweth frome Christes death only, Lyfe flo­weth to man of the croce of Christ but maister Doctor if a mā should demāde by which wor­des is this your Sacrifice of the masse instituted, if ye an­swer by these, this is my body. &. Then ye grant that there wes no thing offered before they wordes were pro­nounced.

Then if some mā shuld demād were the Apostles obedi­ent to Christes commandiment or not. It wel be harde to yow to say that they repined in that caise, but plaine it is, that the bread being broken, Christ said take ye, eat ye, ād efter subiuned the other wordes then it appeareth, that [Page] some of the Apostles were busye with the bread, before the whole wordes were pronunced. And so wolde some cap­tius man, and that not without some iuste cause, seing ye deale with the mater so captiuitie, say, that if his body wes not eaten, yet it wes in eating before it wes offred, thus ye may espy, that we can trouble yow if we list, for oure coniecture hes more probabilitie, nor hes your bolde af­firmation, Christes body wes offred before it wes eaten, because the pasouer wes offred before it wes eaten.

But suche anxius and to curious obseruation of euery moment of tyme, will not serue to establishe and for vp a new doctryne, wicked and impius, it that is worthy ob­seruation of the tyme, What is worthy [...] of obser­uation in the circū ­stance of tyme in one and the other is this in the o [...]e and the vther, that the Lorde our God, being of mynde to delyuer his people out of Egypt, and to see them at libertie, he instituted the Pasouer, whiche should be vnto them as a figure and a monument of there fredome and [...] to all gi­nerations in the ages to come and that they should be the more diligent in obseruation of his ordināce at that same tyme there wes no lytle dainger appearing to Egypt, and they not as yet delyuered, he commanded them to do this, for we be more moued & affected with those thinges that we be teached in the myddest of a great trouble, and cala­mitie, nor with those that be repdited vnto vs in al quiet­nes and securitie, for as solicitude and fear maketh a mā more attentiue, war, and able to conceaue, so do they make a mā more thankful and myndful of the benefite receaued.

Lykewise we obserue that our maister & sauiour Christ that same nyght he wes betrayed, the displeasour and me­lancholie hauing occupyed the hertes of his Apostles then did he institute his holy supper, whereby they should be admonished of there insta [...]te delyuerance that wes to fol­low at hande.

Yet since ye vrge the figure, and preisseth so earnestlie at the tyme, I praye yow answer to me if any Preiste wee disquieted, called vpon, appoynted for the Immolation of the Easter Lambe, The Eas­ter Lābe wes only a sacrifice of gratu­lation. ye knowe I truste the contrarie, it wes commāded to be eaten, in euery housse slayne be the maister of the housse, without any Ceremonye, or circum­stance commanded in otheres Sacrifices, as of preiste al­tare; and sofurth, whereby it appeareth euidentlie that it wes onely rekned to be a Gratulatorie Sacrifice, and of [Page] the kynd of suche as were called meat offringes, & no suche as ye meane, and this we will not denye to conueine most properlie to the Communion as hath bene clearlie decla­red.

Now then a lytle with yow. where of proceadeth this your Papisticall Preisthead, by the whiche ye claime Au­thoritie to offre vp the Lambe of God, since ye see no preist called vpon here in the figure, but the maister of the housse in this to haue the charge. answer to to this Papist. Now apply the figure to the veritie, and ye shall perceaue how great a vanitie it is to seik the congruence, aggrement, and similitude of the one with the other in all poyntes, for if that should haue place, neuer shall I seik one other argument, but the figure to euert thy whole purpose, as thow alledgest, the Sonne of God should be first offred and sacrificed according to the figure, then shall it follow, that he wes firste slayne, syne eaten, yea, and efter he wes eaten, slayne againe, as we know Christe Iesus to haue dead vpon the Crioce, efter his holy Supper. These are the great absurditeis following vpō the figures.

Forther to inquire of the tyme, it is vaine and [...]ur [...]u [...], yea, and foulishe to lead any probation thereby, Of circū ­stances can be led no solide probatiō an esta­blishe any thing any wayes doutsum, let be it that is ma­nifestlie wicked. Here Iames is moued seing this dim­ne bryng all his probations out of the figures of the olde Testament, to vtter his Iudgement, ‘and think that the figures of the auld Testament ar noche sufficient confirmatioun of the maters of faith, concerning the new Testament.’ As in verrie de­id allegoreis, how soeuer the Ancients delyted in them, are but weak ꝓbatiōs & not mekle to be leaued vnto: In some places being vsed modestlie, they may be receaued in doc­tryne of admonition.

But to this, this Doctor boldly pronunceth. ‘ze think (sayis he) all wrāg because zour hart is against the Scripture, dois not our Saui­our confirme his burying tyll indure thre day­is, and thre nychtis, be the figure of Ionas? Dois nocht Peter proue Baptisme necessarie [Page] be the figure of the Arke of Noie, affirminge all thaim tyll haue perissed that wer withoute it, Lykewise Paule callis to remembrance the twa Sonnes of Abraham, to haue signified the twa Testamentis, thus may we perceaue the speciall matters of our faith, conteaned in the new Testamēt to be cōfirmed be the figu­res of the auld Testament.’

To proue his intent, this glorious diuine adduces thre exemples out of sindre places of the new Testament, euen as these places were cyted out of the ould Testament, as solide probations. When as they are adduced onely to Il­lustrate the mater, which is already decleared to be luke for, or then that whiche is already prouen by strong ar­guments: Last to shaw that they haue some figure, or si­militude in the ould Testament. We knowe that our Sa­uiour, to whome, and to his holy spirit, it apperteneth to expone, and declare the conformitie of the figure [...], with the mater represented by them, and not to, euery one to take vpon him to deuise and ymagine al thing according to us fond fai [...]talie: our Sauiour (I say againe) being in opor­tuned be the Iowes, continuallie calling for signes to­kenes, The simi­litude of Ionas to what ēd it serueth wounderous workes, according to there ingyne, he thus disdanefully tr [...]etteth them, ād pronunceth them vnworthy of the thinges they called for moste earnestlie, ād [...]o [...]urte [...]h them of sch [...]rcie, and sayeth they shall haue no other signe, but the signe of Ionas, who wes thre dayes, ad thre nyghtes in the whales bellie, not hereby laboring or intending to proue his Buriall anywise, but rather to mocke and wrape them vp in a great obstinacie ād blynd­nes.

It that is adduced by Peter of the Arke of Noie, is not to serue for one probation of his purpose, but to declare that he is not altogether destitute of some thing ī the ould Testamēt secu [...]ng and aggreing to his mater. The Ark serued not for aꝓbation of Bap­tisme but only she­weth sū thing to be in testamēt aggreīg with it in some considerati­on. And to pro­secute the conformitie of the figurat thinges wi [...]h the figures, what haue we correspondent in Baptisme, to maste sailles & other thinges most ꝓperlie apperteyninge to the Arke, if this should be vrged, as sh [...]w moste instantlie requirest, then in Baptisme, we pull vp sailles, & haue all [Page 64] other thinges aggreing with the Ark: ꝑceaue your owen vanitie. God forbid, We shall so entreat the Scripturs of God, that the German treuth and veritie of the matters reiected, we shall cleaue vnto incertane Allegories, ha­uing no pith nor strenth to conuince, but rather with va­rietie of mater delyte, as may moste euedentlie appeare be the exemple of Paule, who hauing prouen his intent by strong arguments and interiected certane exhortations to moue the Galathians, When allegories hath pla­ce. for decoring and erornyng the mater addeth this allegorie or figure, whiche in it self, is no solide probation, but now is not to be reiected the ma­ter being sufficientlie prouen.

Origenes in deid, and a great noumbre with him are moued, yea, caried away efter Allegories, by this exemple of the Apostle: thrawing and wreisting the Scripture frō the owen proper sense ād vnderstanding: curious & vaine men delyting more in subtile speculations and diuises of there owen hertes, nor in solide doctryne and treuth, and the naturall interpretation of the Scripture: And of this no dout hath proceded the great ignorance and contempt of the Scriptures, the prophanation whereof God hath moste Iustlie auenged, in this that we see the verrie pro­per intelligence of them ouerset & oppressed with bastarde glosses, and fonde allegories. God a­uengeth the pro­phanati­on of his scripture by basta­rd gloses and fond Allego­ries. If we will profe it in the in­telligence of the scriptures, Let vs cleane to the Germane sense of the Text, embrace it, ād stik by it. As to diuised expositions aliene fra the mater, what culour or cloik so est they shall haue, let vs not onely reiect them boldlie, but iudge them vnworthy to be hard. And this is the mynd of Chrysostomus vpon the forenamed place of Paule.

Now passe thy way with thy vaine Allegories and de­ceaue Iames or suche others that knoweth not the pith of them: In figu­res and parables the sub­stantiall poyntes being obserued cō formitie in al things is not to be su­ [...]ed. The Ab­bot vrgīg the figure at al will appeare to fauour the here­sie of such as deny­ed Christ to haue bene cru­cified but Symon Cyrene­us supponed for him. for we are (God be praysed) other wayes instruc­ted, nor to receaue them to establishe any doctryne, other­wayes doutsome, ether yet to seik the conformitie of the fi­gure, with the thing figurat in all poyntes. For figures we haue to Iudge to be as Parables, in the whiche the scope, and the fyne being obserued with the subst [...]ntiall poyntes seruing to the purpose, we haue not curiuslie and anxiuslie to insist in al others thīges that be rehearsed: a [...] is plaine to any man, that is but indifferentlie versed in the Scripturs. And to end this long disputatione in one [Page] worde, Isaac wes the figure of our Sauiour: his immola­tion, the type of the Croce of our Sauiour, and this is the moste lyuelie figure, I darre say, that we can fynd through out all the Scripturs. Yet do they not in all aggre, for we know that Isaac, wes not offred, but a Ram wes taken & offred for him. If your argument should haue place sire their should we say, that our Sauiour wes not offred vp, but as some haue said Symon Cyreneus taken and Cru­cified for him: tak head, that ye be not suspected of the sa­me deuilishe and impius opinion.

Now haue we perused the partes of your booke, in the which ye go about to proue & establishe your purpose by testimony of Scripture. Your arguments hath bene recy­ted faithfullie and so pithilie refelled, that I trust any man of sobrietie should be satisfied, yea, and what so euer thow braggest, ether of thy Iudgement in the naturall inter­pretation of the places adduced by the: ether yet of dexte­ritie, in the proper applycation of them (and how vanelie thow this takest vpon the) to the purpose and mater: how aptlie and conuenientlie thow so doest I take it to be ma­nifest.

The Ab­botes ar­guments drawen furth of the Scri­ptures refelled.But here allace, Iames yealdeth and casteth all frō him so struken down by one allegorie, that he granteth him vt­terlie vainquest, & almost cryeth Gods mercy. Ye lacked I truste (brother Iames) a faithfull armoure bearer to haue serued yow of wappinnes, but what aualeth it to put good wappinnes of defence, or yet of inuasion in the han­des of him that can not handle nor vse them in tyme, and place. Damd wes more expedite, able, and ready with his fling staf, to go feght against Goliath, nor he wes inar [...]ed on all partes with the fynest harnes, It is ea­sy to vainques him that ma­keth no defence. the King had▪ on the one part, beīg encuraged be the ryghtuousnes and equitie of the cause, and on the other, feat of his personn and wel acquent with his wappinnes.

Now Iames granteth hīself sufficiētlie persuaded with the conference of Scriptures, and thinketh them seat and proper to the purpose, and onely is desyrus by what other wayes and meanes this diuine is able to persuade that our Sauiour īstituted the sacrifice of the masse in the latter Supper, the Doctor answereth. ‘That he wyl persuad the same by the vniuersall Doctryne interpre­tation [Page 65] and consent of the auld Ancient father is Interpretouris of the Scriptures of almy­thtie God, baith the Greikes and the Latinis­tes, together with the deliberatiō of the maist Ancient and notable Counsales. Quhilk euer hes bene sen the faith began.’

This is fairlie and largelie promeist, and howe rashe­lie interprised shalbe efter knowē, but here I pray thee in­different reader considder the craft of this sportar in exor­nyng and decking vp them, quhose authorities he is efter to abuse, not but I will grant a great part of the fathers, and some of the conciles to be worthy of prayse, and admi­ration. But I pray thee note the ambition of the mā, who wil seme to haue al for him. I truste to obtene the same in this part, that I haue already in the matters preceading, that is to pull fra him the authoritie of the Fathers, and the determinations of Counciles, suche as be of most es­timation and faith: And then will he know the strenth of the reid of Egypt, The Ab­bote lea­neth to the reid of Egypt he leaneth vnto.

But here is casten in be Iames a questiō, if he thinketh that the interpretation and doctryne of the ould wryters concerning the mysterijs of the Supper of the Lord, is suf­ficient to persuade the Sacrifice of the masse: to this it is answered, treuly (sayeth he) ‘I am perswaded be īuincible ressons, quhilks ar aggreable with ye scripturs of almychtie God, that ye auld writ­tars speciallie thay quha wes disciples to the Apostles had the trew mynde and vnderstan­ding of y e mysteries of ye scripture, speciallie of the word is of the latter Supper. Quhareby thay vnderstand the Sacrifice of the Masse.’

These thinges glorious Doctor be persuasiuelie spoken but they be not arguments of suche strenth, as be vn­uincible, but shalbe ouer throwen. Well Iames is desy­rus to here the reasons. ‘Then (sayeth he) ze sall considder that efter the ascension of our Sa­uiour, the Spirit of veritie, entred in the har­tes [Page] of the Apostles, geuing thaim full instruc­tione of all places of Scripture, quhare oure Sauiour hes spoken in Parables, and all v­ther mysteriis of the Scriptures, concerning our faith, and trew vnderstanding of the sam. Now man ze vnderstād y t lyke as the Spirite of veritie gaue instructione to the Apostles of all the mysteriis of the Scriptures, swa did the Apostles geue instruction to thair Discip­les of all mysteriis of the Scriptures necessar to be knawin for a Christiane mānis saluatiōe quha wer the Primitiue Kirk (as I wald say) beginnares of the faithfull Congregation im­mediatlie nixt to the Apostles. Quharefor quhē soeuer question is for the vnderstanding of the mysteriis of the Scriptures, and speciallie the Sacramentis and rycht vse of thaim, quhilks but dout ar the maist profound mysteriis in al y t Scriptures, it is ane assured way tyll haue recourse to the auld Ancien wryttares speciallie thay quha wes Disciples to the Apostles and Martyres, for the faith of Iesus Christ, to ha­ue trew instructione baith of the Sacramen­tes, and of the rycth vse of thaim as the Kirk of God hes euer teached ws be the perpetuall succession of tyme sen the tyme of the Apostles to thir our dayis, conforme to the doctryne & in­terpretation of the Scripture maid be thaim. Quha wer Disciples to the Apostles and als conforme to the doctryne and deliberatioun of the generall Counsels duely conuenit to quhōe it appertenis to tak ordour in al maters dout­sū concerning faith cōforme to the Scripture.’

[Page 66]We be teached by the Scripturs in dede that the Apost­les wer indued soddenly with the gyftes of the Spirit frō aboue, which gyftes, I beleue assuredlie wer not Idle in them, so that it is out of all questione, The god­lie excuse of the A­postles & Ancien fatheres. that the Apostles wer continuallie occupied in Predication of the word, in ministratiō of the Sacramentes, in planting of Churches euery where, yea, and I will go with yow in that, that they had certane Familiars awaiting vpon them, whom they instructed, as we read of Lucas the familiar of Paule Marcus of Peter, and such others, yea, and I will pro­ceade forther yet with yow, that euen in doutsum & am­biguus matters that falleth in question, I walde gladlie luke vpon the workes of them, that hath faithfullie tra­uelled in the action of godlynes, yea, and receaue the de­terminations of generall Counciles, but that with the reule and restriction geuen by yow, conforme to the Striptures. But that ye will hereby insinuat obliquelie, & qui­etlie meane that all corruption and vanitie Whereby the Church of God, hath bene heretofore oppressed these many hundreth yeares, the Sacramentes peruerted and ryght vse of them adulterated, the worde being buried in all ig­norante and proude contempt, and man erected, and sett vp in the place of God, that ye will meane all this to haue proceaded of the Apostles, and consequentlie of the spirite of God and hereby defend and restore the abhominations ouer thrawen by the blood, and labours of many godlie men in this our aige, In this I will answer yow, feling your mynd reache and tend to this, lest that some simple man shall chop here. Some thinges kept bak from the Apostles for a rea­son, yea, and some imperfection and īfirmitie in them.

Trew it is, that the Apostles had geuen vnto them the intelligence of the Scriptures and the mysteries thereof, to the admiration of all men that so soddenlie ignorant ād Idiot men, simple and abiect persones should start vp and not onely speak the praises of God in euery language di­sertlie, but bouldly withstand the fury and rage of preistes Magistrates, and the whole people, where soeuer they passed: Yet do we obserue this discretion in the Spirit of our God, that some mysteries are kept from them secreit & hidde for a certaine tyme, as the vocation, and calling of the Gentiles, hidde frome Peter till the Reuelation wes made, & the vision came: some did esteme the Ceremonies of the Law neidful, which question troubled them so that [Page] they were euen diuided. Thridlye, some imperfectiōs find we in them, as when Paule withstādeth Peter in his face being worthy of reprehension. Act. 10. Act. 15. Gala. 2. Whereby we are admoni­shed, ād may obserue the wysedome of our God, in hand­ling his owen, that howsoeuer he shall extolle, and sett them vp, yet doeth he brydle them so, that they con­tinuallie keip in mynd and remembrence them selues, to be men, to receaue all of God, and a man left to him self, what he is, and how ready to declyne frome God.

From the lyke ignorance, the Ancient Fathers Abra­ham, Iacob, Moyses, Dauid can not be excused: Moyses the beloued of god, how cairful he is ī the gouernmēt of the people, in īstructing them, in laying before them continu­allie the law, the ordināces, and constitutions of God, re­ducing to there remembrance there wounderfull delyue­rance, there preseruation in Egypt, the great cair of God ouer them in the wyldernesse, the mercyful cōuenant made with there Fathers and renewed with them selues, so that these peple wer the verie familiar scolers to the Prophe­te. Exo. 32. Yet what became? Scarslie hath the Prophete tur­ned his bak, & vp with God in the montayne, when they fall to a horrible defection, and haynus apostasie frō God, erecteth Idolatrie, yea, and carieth the hie preiste Aaron, brother to Moyses, with them to the same impietie.

What an instrumēt do we think S. Paule, in the church of God? What trauell taketh he in executiō of the charge laid vpon him? how diligentlie teacheth he the Corinthia­nes, remaning amongest them the space of a year, and one half: But immediatlie efter his departinge, what cor­ruptiō entreth in that church, he cōcealeth it not but plane lie testifieth in his Epistles to them and cheiflie in the for­mare, where he compleneth of the deprauation of the Lor­des Supper, and of the resurrection besydes many other thinges he scharplie layeth to there charge with other such exemples occurreth in Scriptures, Which were to long, tedious and not necessarie to prosecute. Whereby we may first obserue and note, yea, euen a grosse ignorance to be sumtymes in the chosen and elect of God that be appoyn­ted to the ministerie. Secōdly how easalie men are caried away frō the obedience of god, & ryghtuousse & lawfull ob­seruatiō of his ordināces. What necessitie iudge ye to be in your a [...]gumēts alledgeing there Fathers, to haue bene the [Page 67] Disciples of the Apostles, and instructed by them? When we see oftentymes Scollers declyne from the doctryne of there maisters, as we reade planelie of Ioas, 2. Chro. 34. who during the tyme of Ichoiada, did it that wes ryghtuousse and iust in the eyes of the Lorde. But as euer the hie Preiste wes taken away, how horriblie he declyned and returned to the trace of his wicked fathers, the historie doeth planelie tes­tifie: & ye your-self some tymes I haue hard to haue casten furth the fylthie and pestilēt dung of papistrie to the great confort of many: now how miserably, ye are declyned ād returned to youre vomite, the trouble that ye do moue, doeth lykewyse witnes. So then we haue to receaue law­full and constant scollers, who being instructed in the tre­uth remaneth constantly therein: This scoleris worthy of praise whoo cōstantly remaneth in the treuth receaued. Ambitious, proude and arrogante, and such as can not content them with the sim­ple treuth of Gods worde, and the puritie of his constitu­tions and Sacramentes, we haue not to acknowledge for Disciples to the Apostles, nether yet to geue vnto them such authoritie, whereby the gyftes of Gods spirite may be foreclosed, or yet any thing receaued preiudicial other­wyse to the ordinances of God.

I am sure the godlie Fathers craueth no forther of the reader, but that he allow, & follow it, that is setfurth by authoritie of Scriptures: where they excede the boundes and speaketh of there own head, they geue vs libertie to reiect als frelie as they haue taken rashelie vpon them to wryt it.

This is the iudgement of all the ould and godlie fathe­rs, and namely Cypriane, who in his 3. Epistle of his secounde book. Epist. 3. Lib. 2. If in the Sacrifice, which is Christ sayeth he, onely Christ is to be followed, then is it force to vs to here and practeis that, that Christ did, and that he commāded to be done, since he sayeth in his own Euangel, If ye do the thinges, that I command yow, Mat. 17. Esa. 7. now cal I yow not seruandes, but freindes: and in dede, we are commanded to here him onely by the father, who hath geuen him to be the Angell of great counsell, and the onely teacher to his church.

The same reule, In Proea­mio de tri­nitate. and moderation is prescribed by Au­gustine, to all readers of his workes: Geue not thy self to my wryttinges, as to the Canonical Scriptures: But in [Page] them without all tarie beleue, when thow shall fynd that thow beleuest not, but in these (meanyng of his owen) it that thow wes not assured of, retene it not certanelie vntil thow haue vnderstand it assuredlie.

And in one other place, I wyll not thow follow my au­thoritie, Ad Panlinā Ep [...]ste. 117 that because I haue said it, thow shall think thy self astricted to beleue it. But ether beleue the Cononicall scriptures, if thow seest not, as yet, the thing that is trew or els to the veritie, teaching inwardlie, and schawīg that thow may see it planelie.

And lykewyse in one other place, we ought not to esteme or receaue the disputations of euery man, be thay neuer so Catholike, Ad Fortu­nat Epist. 198. and laudable as the Canonical Scripturs, that it shal not be leiful to vs (the reuerence saned, that is due to them) to improue & reiect some thinges in there writ­tinges if pereuenture we shall fynd that they haue other wayes iudgeid nor the veritie, ether with the help of God vnderstand by vs, or searched out by others, conteyneth, I am this man in other mennes wryttinges and wylleth e­uery man to vnderstand myne in the same maner.

This re­ule laid by the fa­theres e­uer to hold fast & reteine the veri­tie of the scripturs ād not to follow the iudgement of any man.I myght adduce out of this same authour, and otheres of the anciēts, if the necessitie should require it, where they lay this reule and moderation, nowyse astricting the rea­der to follow that, which they haue Iudged to be moste cōsonant to the treuth, but sending them to the scripturs.

This moderation and reule being layed, I wyll trauel with yow through the feildes of the Doctours, & Coun­ciles, which as ye say wel, ought, and should attempte no thing aboue the counsell of God, reueled in his Scripturs but ought to determine all by the precise reule thereof.

The Apostles taketh no forther vpon them, I haue recea­ued of the Lorde, sayeth Paule, that which I haue delyuered to yow: our Sauiour in the reformation of Mariage goeth to the Originall institution: being demanded of the cheif commandement, he hath recurse to the lawe: being tempted by the Sadducces, in the mater of resurrectiō, he ryteth not the bookes of the Thalmude, 1. Cor. 11. Mat. 19. Mat. 22. Mat. 6. nether yet the conciles and the Cōmentaries of the Hebrues, but bringeth furth the plane Scripture: and correcting the wicked and pernitious interpretations of such, as had place to his cō ­ming without any repugnācie or cōtradiction, of the scriptures, sayeth, ye know it wes said to the Ancients and Im­mediatlie [Page 68] he addeth, but I say to yow: teaching vs here­by that bidding faire wel, to the doctryne of men, we ought to cleane to the sure trew and vndouted sense and mynd of Scripture. The Anciēts, in that they say well we shoulde praise & allow them: How muche is to to geuen be the fa­theres & Coūciles But we should not be there follow­ers, but as they wer the followers and Imitators of Ie­sus Christ, nor yet allow them in that which is wicked: & this is lykewayes our Iudgement of Counciles.

We wyll grant that it apperteyneth to godly and excer­cised men in the Scriptures of God, to determine accor­ding to the scriptures vpō al thīges, that he called in doute, wherein we can admitte no tyrannicall power of any mā, which being receaued aboue all authoritie of Scripture, and of the conueyned brothren, the experience teacheth ws, how preiudiciall it hes bene to the Church of God, where we haue sene no thing, but the stinkīg traditiōs of a tyrane not in equale degre and rank with the ordinances of God, but placed and authorished aboue them, the puritie of the worde vtterlie quenched, the Sacramentes prophaned ād adulterat, yea, and the godlie constitutions of ancient con­ciles by the iniquitie and ambition of a man, affecting and exerting the Impyre aboue all others, abrogated ī the lat­ter Counciles.

Attoure we be sufficientlie teached by the Councile holden at Carthage, in the tyme of Cypriane, Where he wes pre­sent, what authoritie is to be geuen to them, if they shall tak vpon them to defyne any thyng of there owen heades, Wes not there the Anabaptisme established, and erected by a plane Decree, Besydes others thinges that Augu­stine dissimuleth not, but they did displease him.

Shall we be accused to oppone vs, hauing the authori­tie of God, to a councile, where al thing is determined ac­cording to the affection of man. Paphnutius a singulare man withstude and opponed him to the whole Councile holden at Nice, the moste godlie Councile, I dar say that hath bene sen the tyme of the Apostles. To conclude then we wyll gladlie & wyllinglie admitte ether priuat man or generall Councile, that defynes vpon the matters of cō ­trouersie, by the Scriptures: if they do not, we wyl take the libertie that is purcheshed to vs by Iesus Christ, & say planelie that we wyll not be made seruandes to men ac­cording to the commandement of S. Paule. 1. Cor. 7.

[Page]Here allace Iames as happinneth commonlie that a man ones fangged in, wyl grant more nor ye wold desyre, condescendeth to more nor is affirmed, or wes required, & that the mater shall haue the more weyght and authoritie affirmeth it, of his conscience, ‘To be of veritie, y t the Disciples of the Apostles had the trew vnder­standing of all the mysteries of the Scripture, necessare to be knawin, for ane Christiane mā ­nis saluatiō, speciallie of the profound mysterie of the Supper of the Lorde: Quhareof is ga­thered the Sacrifice of the Masse. Quharefor I am desyrus to knaw the sayingis of ye auld wryttars, speciallie of thaim y e war Disciples to the Apostles of the Masse, & giue thay mak mention of it in thare workes.’

Heretofore some releif had I of yow brother: But now being becumin no les Inimie to this cause, nor the Ab­bot hīself, here ye must not be offēded (brother Iames) if I shal renūce forder amitie to your, I trust ye speak not this of your owen head, but as your Tutoure hath instructed you. Here I must schew to you where ye chope, to wit, in this that ye do think the trew vnderstanding of the mysteries of the scripture, to consiste in proximitie of tyme, or in fa­miliaritie with the Apostles, The true vndestāding of the scripturs consesteh not in proximi­tie of time nor fame­learitie with the apposles foreclosing the graces of God, and bynding them to a certane age and tyme, & meanyng that the familiaritie of the Apostles might make stedfastnes and constancie.

I wold not any man should think, that I speak this in preiudice of the ancients Which I with al my hert reuerēce But I wold not that the foreconceaued opinion of there authoritie, should preinge the action of veritie, and that no man shoulde think this to be sufficient to establishe any doctryne to say, the man, who wes the familiare of Paule and this of Ihon the Disciple, sayeth, and so to conclude, it to be allowed as godlie.

I am assured, there be none of there Disciples of that they wer reached by them, wyll establishe any other thing nor the Spirite of God approued in his Scriptures.

But we know there complaintes, and the forewarnyng [Page 69] of the Apostles. Ihon in his Canonick, they haue passed furth of vs, but they were not of vs, Act. 20. and S. Paule exhor­teth the ouersears of Ephesus, to tak head, and be vigilant for of them selues (sayeth he) shall ryse vp men, speaking wicked thinges immediatlie efter my departing, yea, ra­uenus Wolffes, hauing no pitie on the floke, and so furth. Whereby we may gather that it is not yneugh to haue bene familiare, and familiarlie instructede by the Apo­stles, no not by Iesus Christ him self, vnles we considdre if they be of there Disciples in dede, which is knowen by conference of there writtinges with the doctryne of the A­postles, if they aggre not, we may wel affirme with Ihon they passed furth frome them, but they were not of them.

This mater is so plaine, that it nedeth no forther probation in my iudgement. Now cumeth our author, and dif­ [...]endeth to the sayinges of the Fathers. Which he hath ga­thered out of there werkes, as he thoght they myght serue to his mater, and first he recyteth Testimony of Ignatius in his Epistle Ad smirninses. ‘It is not leiful to offre nor to mak Sacrifice nor say masse, without the Byschops authoritie and consent.’

These wordes of this Ancient doctor, ye vnderstande and expone of your vnsauorie Sacrifice altogether pro­phane, Which I am sure if he wer a lyue, he should say, he neuer kn [...]w, nor yet ment of any such impietie. The sen­tence and the mynd of this author may be easalie gathered for there his cheif ād principall studie is, that discorde may be auoyded in the assemblies, and conuentions of the peo­ple: The which cryme, the Apostle Paule layeth scharply to the charge of the Corinthians. 1. Cor. 11. Herefore sayeth he, it shall not be leiful without any kynde of difference and or­dour to all and euery one to conueyne the people, to haue publique assemblies, and there to offre vp Sacrifice, that is to preache the doctryne of Saluation, to offre vp prayer and action of thankes in name of the whole Conuention: for these exercises, according to the custome of the old testa­ment, yea & the new ar called sacrifices by the fathers the Apostles and there disciples and such others, that it should not be leifull to euery man to conueyne the people, with­out a charge to the practeis of the Lordes Supper called there planelie [...] that is the Conuention of them that shall practeis the Lordes Table.

[Page]I haue compleyned before of the ignorance of Greik, & Latine tounges, the Ignoration whereof, no doute, hes moued vs a great part of this busines, specialie hauing to do with men that vnderstandeth not the ꝓprietie of them. It is plaine, that Epiphanius vnderstandeth by this miss [...] the publique Conuentioun of the people to the seruice of God, to here the Preaching, the Prayers made, thankes geuen, Trip. hist. Lib. 58. and the Lordes Table, and such other godlie exer­cises, in which the primitiue Church did exercise them selues, The practise and ordor of the pri­mitue Churche as we may be teached by Socrates in the Tripar­tite Historie, recyting the ordour of the Church of Alexan­dria Where the Scripture wes rede, exponed, Prayers made, the Communion distributed, and oblatiō made, that is, a certane gathering for the poore, and Iustinus in his Apologie for the Christians. For as in the old Testamēt the people conuened at certane tymes to offre vp the Sacrifices of Kiddes, The sam ordoure that is now v­sed in re­formed Chur­ches, is recyted ī Insti. 2. Apolo. to Anto. Lambes, and suche others, conforme to the commandement made in the law: So now in the new Testament by the Superintendents, Elders, Mi­nisters, the people is conueyned for a certane ordoures cause, and offreth vp, vituios labiorum the Sacrifice of prayse, thankes and Prayers.

Now followeth Clemens, whom this author affirmeth to haue bene S. Peters Disciple, if he wes, I know not. I haue recyted the Iudgemēt of Clemens Alexandrinus of him, damning him planelie, and that out of Eusebius, But I fynd not that the wordes of Clemens can any way­es hurte, which are, ‘Nane of the Preistis sal say Masse in his Paroche, nor Baptise, nor do o­ny vther thing, without permission of the By­schope, thir sayingis the Apostles resauit of the Lorde, and gaue tyll vs, and we teache y • sam and commandis zow to hade and teache to al men without reprehensioun.’

These wordes may be euen so vnderstand, as the sen­tence of Ignatius, for all tendeth to a scope: but this writter in dede, because I fynd him full of superstitions, ether is he, by wicked men adulterate, (as we know the Papistes to haue interiected many wicked sentēces in the writtings of godlie and Catholique men) or if he writeth [Page 70] of his owen head, I dar bouldly affirme, that he wes no Scoler of Peter, but as Ihon speaketh, 1. Ihon. 2 he passed furthe frome him, but wes not of his, and this is the opinion of Clemens Alexandrinus, Who planely condamned this your Clemens Epistles.

‘Followeth Alexander, quha wes martyred for the faith of Christe fourtene houndreth 30. nyne zeris bypast wryttis on this maner, our Lordis Passion is to be rehears it in all So­lemnities of the Masse with sick Sacrifice the Lorde is delyted and pacifeit and wyll forgeue gret Sinnes, for amang the Saccrifice thare can be na thing greater than our Lordis bo­dy and blude, thare is na sacrifice better nor this, this excellis all vthers, quhilk man be offred to the Lorde, with a pure conscience, & resauit with a clene mynde worschypped with all men.’

In this, thow obseruest two thinges, to wit, the Masse to be called a Sacrifice for sinne, and lykewise to be wor­schypped. Trew it is, that this author can not be excused but he hath spoken [...] that is to saye, somwhat heyghlie to extolle the mater. Yet can I not find here, wherein thow can haue great mater to reioyce: For the custome appoynted heir, is moste laudable, that in the Solemnities of Masses (for so cōmonly the Anciens spea­keth in plurall noumber) that is, of the peoples Conuen­tion, the Passion of the Lorde, The pro­per and naturall meaning of Alexander. be recyted with a loude and intelligible voice: for that Sacrifice is the only sacrifice whereby the Lord is satisfied, appeased & our sines forge­uen: where we may & shall obserue the name, ether take in the ꝓper significatiō, apꝑteynīg to the sacrifice of the croce or els if thow can not be cōtented with this, it is, [...] that is by a certane maner of speaking abused & applyed to the commemoration of the Lordes bodie bro­ken vpō the Croce, made in the holy Table, in what ma­ner we haue obserued this worde to be taken oftentymes by the ancient Fathers.

[Page]But before I proceade, first I require the reader, that when soeuer he heareth this worde masse, or masses in the anciēts, that he vnderstāde it of no such Masse as we haue sene, and this author moste impiuslie defendeth, but as I haue expounde it out of Eusebius, & Epiphanius, of the Conuentions of the people, which is easalie gathered of this author Alexander.

Marke thow that there can be no thing so contrarious to thy Masse, in the which there is no recytation of the Passion of our Sauiour at all, nor yet of no other action of his, confortable any wayes to the audience: so that how soeuer the wordes shalbe taken, they can no wayes serue to thy purpose. Now that Alexander speaketh (if he be the author hereof, as many doth not without cause dout) of pacification and delyting, the author to the Hebrewes, Hebr. 13. may serue for a Cōmentarie to it, where he exhorteth to remēber of liberalitie, & wel doing, for with such Sacrifices God is appleased, and this no dout is the mynde of Alex­ander how soeuer he speaketh excessiuelie of forgiuenes of Sinnes, to stirre vp the hertes of the people to deuotion: or referring it to the Sacrifice of the Croce, (whereby we haue remission of sinnes onely) that he speaketh of the ex­cellencie of the Sacrifice of the Lordes body and blood.

This should be applyed to the Passion, that he commā ­deth to be recyted, or if ye lyst to the practeis of the Lordes Table, which no dout is the moste excellent Sacrifice of all the Sacrifices, we are commanded to offre, not that it is a Sacrifice ꝓperlie, but as I haue declared a Sacrifice of recordation, & cōmemoration of the Lordes death: for this is the most heyght, and excellēt mysterie, in the which the body and blood of the Lorde Iesus are proponed and giuen so vnto vs, to fede vpon, that we are made one with him, and he one with vs: and as he is one with the Fa­ther, so are we one with him: which mysterie is to be wyrschepped, that is, with such reuerence and humiliati­on of hert, we ought to offre vs to it, depelie and ꝓfound­lie mediting with oure selues the goodnes of oure God. Who so familiarlie presenteth his Sonne vnto vs, & with him communion and participation of his benefites, that we can not be but caryed away in admiratiō of the myste­rie and the wyrschepping of so beneficiall a God, and so to offre vp our selues, and all to him.

[Page 611]Take heade that thow beleue not, good reader, as this fals teacher wolde persuade, that this Alexander wylleth vs to stand and gaise vpon the bread and wyne, to fall do­un before them, worschipe them, & sofurth. For thow seest planelie that he requireth first a diligent tryall and exami­nation of conscience, nixt a sinceritie of mynd in receauīg, to the which he subiuneth the worschipping which is not els but a deipe and profound meditation of the goodnes of our God, the league and couenant made in the bloode of his eternall Sonne, and the which he hath confirmed and sealed vp in the hert of the trew receauer, in that he here offreth and giueth to him bread and wyne, the body and blood of Iesus Christ now, by the receauīg of the simboles of the same. Thus I truste any reasonable man ought to be satisfied with the wordes of Alexander, now let vs cū to Ireneus, Policarpus Disciple, ‘Quha wes Disci­ple to S. Ihon the Euangelist and marty­red for the faith of Iesus Christe, threttene hūdreth, fourescore fyue zearis bypast, wryt­tis on this maner, Christ tuke bread, and gaue thankis saying this is my body and tuke the Chalice of wyne, and cōfessed it to be his blude and teched the new sacrifice of the new testa­ment, quhilk the kirk resauit of the Apostles offred vnto God in all the haill warld.’

Here our new maister wylleth Iames to marke how this godlie author affirmeth that our Sauiour in the lat­ter Supper, teached a new Sacrifice of the new Testamē [...] the which the Church receaued of the Apostles. Because of sett purpose and fraudfullie a great part of the sentence of this author is suppressed and omitted, I am drewen to rehearse the proper wordes of Ireneus, that the Lector may then Iudge clearlie what is the meanyng of this au­thor, The meaninge o [...] Ierene­us. to the which effect it shalbe verrie necessarie that he reade the 32. and 33. Chap. of the same fourt booke, this place is drawen furth of, that he may the more resolutlie Iudge of what oblation is there spoken.

Here shall I not wearie to declare the sūme of his disputatiō ī the two Cheptres, which is to teache be many pla­ces [Page] & exemples of Scripturs, that the verrie trew sacri­fices be not the externe and outwarde commanded in the law, but vnfeyned faith, obedience, knowledge, pacience, the loue of our nyghtbour, and suche others inwarde and spirituall Sacrifices, without the which the outwarde a [...]e but mere abhominations in Gods presence, as is easy to proue by the testimonies of the Prophets. Whereby he cō ­cludeth in dede, that the Lord required no sacrifice, no so­lide offring, but faith, obedience, and Iustice, to the sal­uation of man, What ky­nd of [...]a­crifice plesed God. as we be teached in the Prophete Osea, ād our Sauiour repeateth ī the Euangell. To this place Ire­neus goeth about to proue all oblations made vnto God, in a foreconceaued opinion of ryghtuusnes, iustice, and re­mission of synnes, without these inwarde sacrifices of mer­cy, peace, and sofurth, to be execrable before God, since God hath not institute these outwarde thinges, as he any­wise delyteth in them, but to admonies vs of the inwarde as we be teached by Ihon, 4. that the trew worschippers adoreth in spirite and veritie, and Peter, offring vp spiri­tuall offringes acceptable for Christes saike, for vnles all our Sacrifices and werkes be derected to God by faith in the mediator, they are altogether vnplesing, because there is no accesse to the Father, but by him, and by grace we are saued euen as the Fathers vnder the law.

This oblation then, that Ireneus speaketh of, is not the oblation of the body and blood of our Sauiour, which fals lie to establish thy masse thou pretendest to be offred vp by a shaueling, for here there is no thing of any masse (God be praysed) spoken, but it is the whole outward, & inward externe and spiritual worshipping. First the spirituall, as A trew and vnfeyned repentence, a contryte and a sob­bing hert stroken with the conscience of sinne and so direc­ting it self by a stedfast faith in the mediator, to God, re­ceauing remission of sinnes for his saike, geuing thankes to the Eternal Father for the great treasour of his good­nes disployed and powred doun vpon man, in geuing his onely Sonne to the death, for the redemption of the world: which faith is testefied, confirmed and sealed vp by the receauing of the holy mysterie of his body and bloode. To these inwarde workes, we may Ioyne the earnist & vehement desyre and thrust, we haue to the propagation of his kyngdome, the predication of his worde, and suche [Page 72] others of this kynde.

Thus hauing proceaded, he doeth prosecute and teache v [...] how we ought to Ioyne to these inwarde and spiritu­all, the outwarde and externe, whiche consisteth in suche outwarde virtues as extendeth them selues to others, as liberalitie, Iustice, fortitude, prudence: but cheiflie in dede of liberalitie and mercy towards the nedy and indi­gent: The liberalitie of the Pri­mitiue Churche towards the poore For in they tymes, it wes receaued that certane al­mous wes broght to the place of Conuention, where the Lordes Table wes to be ministrate, & this destributed to the vse of them that wer in necessitie, that not onely they should be teached by the preachers of that Fraternall and brotherlie loue, league and societie that they wer all b [...]und together in Iesus Christe, But that the lyuelie practies of the same should more vinelie represent, set vp, and imprent it in there hertes. These oblations wer called by the word of the ould Testament, the first fructes: for as by the commandement they wer oblist in the ould to offre them so sayeth Ireneus our Sauiour cōmanded in the new tes­tamēt oblations to be for the supporte of the poore, which wes in the Primitiue Churche done, when they cōueyned to the Celebration of the Lordes Table, and this beninguitie vsed to the releif of the poore, is called by the Apostle Hostia bone fragrantie one oblation of sweit sauour to the Philip. Philip. 4.

This thoght I neidfull to premitte, for the oppinning vp of the mind of this author. Now shal we recyte the wordes that the calūniꝰ fraud of this our start vp, may appear: the wordes are: but and he geuing counsell to his owen Disciples to offre vp to God, the first fructes of his creatu­res, not as he wer nedy, but that they should not be found vnfructful and ingrate, he tuke it, that by creation is bread and gaue thankes, saying, this is my body, and it that is the cuppe lykewise by creation after vs, he confessed his blood and of the new testament he teached a new oblation the whiche the Churche receauing from the Apostles vni­uersalie offreth to God, that giueth to vs our Alimentes and sustenence of the which Malachias one of the twelf Prophetes, did forewarne, and so recyteth the wordes of the Prophete, which be declared already. It is easy the maters being considdered, I haue said before, what of the explication of the place of Malachias, and what of the [Page] mynd of Ireneus to vnderstand how miserablie this au­thor and all the Papistes be deceaued ād schamefullie they stumble.

First it is euident that all they that do affirme the ma [...] sayeth efter there mūmilled incātation, consecration they call it, the breade is no creature, nor yet is breade, but is turned and changed in the verrie naturall body of Iesus Christe, & that they offre the Sonne vnto the Father, yea, and setteth him euen there before the Father. Now the sonne is no creature being the creator, and Ireneus sayeth that the Lorde gaue counsell to his Disciples to o [...]fre to God the first fructes of his creatures, so that it is euident Ireneus to haue spoken no thing of the offring vp of the Sonne of God, but the oblatiōs & gyftes that wer brogh [...] to the Table at the celebration of the Lordes Supper, to­gether with the prayers, action of thankes, and predica­tion of the Euangell through out all, euen amongest the Nations which preaching of the Euangell, the Apostle termes by the name of Sacrifice. The preaching of the Euā ­gell is a moste ac­ceptable Sacrifice to God, I am the Minister of Iesus Christe (saeth he) among the Nations Sacrifiing the Euangell of God, that the oblation of the Gentiles, may be acceptable and sanctified in the holy Spirite. Roma. 18

Thus Ireneus exponeth Malachias, declaring him to speak of the whole new and spirituall worshipping of the new Testament, and to speak no thing of thy masse, his wordes are: For my name is great amongst the Nations sayeth the Lorde omnipotent, moste manifestlie hereby de­claring that because the first people had desisted to offre to God, & in all places sacrifice is offred to him, & that clene, so his name is glorified in the nations. Whereby Irene­us clearely declared the Prophete to haue foresignified the Sacrifice of the Euangell and the preaching of the croce, whereof the sueit odore the delitious and confortable sa­uour is disparsed & spred throghout all, which is the most acceptable oblatiō to God as the apostle witnesseth, prayse to God, [...]. Cor. 2 sayeth he, that hath made manifest by vs in al pla­ces, the ordour of his knowledge. Ireneus exponeth him self in the 34. Chap. as he is plane yneugh in the 33. schewing that prayers ād thankes geuing of the Sanctes is the same oblation that Malachie foreprophecied to be offred vp in all places, Reuel. 5. where he calleth the incenses that be spo­ken of, by Ihon, in the Reuelation, the prayres of the sanc­ [...] [Page 73] a [...]d efter him schortlie [...] against the [...], [...] in the 4. against Marcion, fo [...]eth the same exposi­ [...]n, no dout, sayeth Tertuliane [...] is forespoken by the [...]ophete, becau [...]e the predicatio [...] [...] the Apostles wes to [...]sse throghout all countries: and [...] efter speaking of [...]ritual [...]acrifices, he rehearseth these [...] of the Pro­ [...]ete and in al place cleane Sacrifices shalbe offred to me.

Now lest some should think that this oblation, whiche the Churche receaueth frome the Apostles, and offreth vp euery where may alwayes be applyed to this Authors wicked purpose, Ireneus in the wordes of the Text, re­ryted by me, but fraudfullie omitted by this author; decla­reth him self, calling the oblations of bread and wyne, ād others thinges that wer broght to the releif of the nedy, the first fructes, the wordes are plaine, to him (sayth he) who giueth aliments to vs, the first fructes of there gyftes in the new Testam [...]nt, as he should say, in that that our Sauiour tuke breade and wyne, and offred to his Disciples, he teacheth vs a new oblation of the new Testament, how we ought with the oblation of oure prayers, action of thankes, the predication of the mercies of our God, & the holy Supper, ioyn [...] [...]tly & [...], that is, to acknow­ledge vs to receaue all at the & [...] o [...] God, to be as it wer stewarts and despēs [...]tours of his gyftes, and thus to offre vp the first fructes to God, that is, to sanctifie them to thereleif of the poore: and so he declareth him self in the Chap. following, by the gyft, sayeth or, the honoure & the affection is schowen towards the Kyng, the whiche the Lorde wylling to be offred in all simplicitie and innocen­cie preached saying, when thow bringest the gyft to the al­tare, and sofurth, then should thow offre sayeth Ireneus, and concludeth the first fructes of his creature, to be offred to God, as Moyses sayeth, thow shall not appeare empty in the presence of the Lorde thy God.

Now as I haue decleared alreaddy his principale stu­die is that with these outwarde actions, the inwarde wor­shipping be ioyned, we must make our oblatiō, What is the obla­tion of the new testamēt sayeth he, to God, and be found thankfull in all to our maker God, in simple mynde and faith, without Hypocrisie, a stedfaste hope, a seruent dilection offring vp the first fructes of them that be his creaturs, and this oblation cleane and vndefy­led the onely church and Congregation offreth vp to the [Page] maker Sacrifiing to him of his owen workmaschipe with action of thankes: in the which wordes he planely decla­reth, what he wyll we vnderstande by the oblation of the new Testamēt, which no wayes may apperteyne to your masse, where one goeth asyde and pretendeth a certane ob­lation, not, of no creature, but of the verrie Sonne of God where we be teached here of one oblation made by the ho­ly Churhe, and that of the creaturs to the maker ioyning to the inwarde Sacrifice of faith, a cleane conscience, a stedfaste hope, together with prayers, and the furthschew­ing of Gods mercies, exhibited in Iesus Christe.

Syndrie other places may I adduce of the same two Cheptres, wherein he decleareth plainely, that he meaneth of almous geuen to the nedy in the Lordes Supper, and of the table it self, prayer, and thankes geuing, and others suche laudable and Godlie customes as were then vsed, whiche alltogether are called the oblatiō of the new testa­ment by this author.

‘Followis Cypriane, quha wes martyred for the faith of Christe 1296. zearis bypaste, and wryttis in this maner, gif our Iesus Christ & God himself be the hie preist of God the father and be him self, did first offer a Sacrifice to God the father and hes commandid the sam to be done in remembrance of him, that preist verrelie goddis Vicar, quha dois follow the thīg that Christe hes done. Hither to Cypriane and als he affirmis that God is author and teacher of the Sacrifice of the Masse.’

Now ye adde to the wordes of Cypriane (by him self) and omitteth a part of his sentence, which is this (& ver­rie and full Sacrifice then he offereth in the Congregatiō to God the Father, if he shall so begin to offre as he hath sene Christ alreddy to haue offred) & passe by and wyll go to the mater.

What do ye finde here that wyl serue any wayes to your masse? and in verrie dede because ye perceaued no thing to be here making for yow, ye adde that God is author and teacher of the masse? Why do ye not alledge the place? if [Page 74] any thing myght be found in Cypriane, ye should, no dout, haue broght it furth, for it should haue serued more to your purpose. Shall ye thus be suffred to raill against God, ād inure suche insufferable blasphemies to the Eter­nall, and his sanctes, making him author of the moste de­testable impietie, that euer wes diuised? Shall ye thus be permitted to deceaue the simple ones of Christs flock, redemed by his bloode? Be you assured, that the Eter­nall wyll not suffer the prophanation of his mysterijs, the decept of his people, and the wrangling of the wryttinges of his sanctes, vnpunished.

Let vs returne to the wordes of Cypriane in the which it is moste certane that he speaketh no thing of priuat mas­ses vnknowen in his dayes, nether yet euer had place til that all being distroyed ād waisted by the Gotthes & Van­delles and others, When it wes re­ceaued that one should cō municat for all. fearslie could any multitude be conuey­ned to the Celebration of the Lordes Table, but belyke all goode sciences falling in decaye, the ignorance and con­tempt of Gods worde entred in, and receaued, that one should eat, for all the multitude, one should take vpō him to do that which ought to haue bene done of all. Now the ancients did abhorre these priuate massts, we may knowe by the Epistle of Leo Pope, who wes many yeares efter Cypriane, to Diofcurus, where he declareth planelie that there wes but a masse, and that the whole people being cō ueyned together at festuall dayes and tymes, yea, ād euen in these our dayes, the Greik Churche hath no priuate masses, & in the Popes owen Chapell, there is but one altare and a masse, and that seldome at certane appoynted tymes in the year.

The wordes of Cypriane are to be vnderstande of the distribution of the Sacrament, and Cōmunion of the peo­ple. For lyke as Christe vpon the Croce, offred him self to God the Father, and that the memorie of this his oblati­on myght be kept euer fresche and recent in his Congre­gation, he instituted the Supper, and cōmanded the prac­teis thereof, breaketh bread, calleth it his body, and distri­buteth to his Disciples, and sanctifieth the cuppe, calling it the blood of the new Testament: So the minister making distribution of the body and blood of our Saui­our, according to his exemple and institution, and giuing thankes to the Eternall, for the Sacrifice and oblation [Page] ones made vpon the Crote, the virtue whareof euer re­maneth, no dont he is the stedholder of Christ, in the imi­tatiō & doing that which Christ did & cōmāded to be done.

Now lest that the wordes that I haue added of Cypri­ane, may appeare to be hurtsum and preiudicial to satisfie all readers and take all enasion frome yow. Let no man thinke that Cypriane wylleth a preist to stande vp by one altare allone and there to make one oblation by him self. But that he shall diuide and distribute to the assistars the body and bloode of our Sauiour, & offre vnto God pray­ers and action of thankes for the Sacrifice of the Croce, the memorie where of, is there solemnedlie celebrated, for that is to offre as Christe offred in the Supper, to wit, to giue thankes, pray to God, and so make distribution of the simboles of his body and bloode.

It is well noted by Chrysostomus, there be some thinges wherein the Minister differeth frome the Commoun and layick people, Wherein the pre­ferment of the minister consisteh at the lordes Ta­ble. which standeth not in that, that the Preist should make oblation and Sacrifice of Christe for them, ād eat the Lordes Supper for him self allone, and so to distri­bute, and apply it to whom, and in what measure pleaseth him. But the preferment of the preist in this mater, is on­ly in the ministration, as Cypriane here plainely teacheth that the preist as a commoun minister and debter to the Churche, doeth preache the worde & distribute the Lor­des supper vnto the people, who doeth receaue it at his handes.

Here it shall not be altogether out of the way to schawe the causes that moued the ancients, Why the holie cō ­munion is called a Sacri­fice by the Anci­ [...]es. to call this action a sa­crifice or one oblation, which appearinglie be syndrie and diuers. The first cause is drewen frome the obseruation of the cons [...]etude in there dayes cheiflie of Ireneus & Cypriane: the custome wes this, that the people broght with them a great quantitie of breade and wyne, and offred at the table, whereof a certane portion wes taken and vsed to the holy Communion, the residue, wes sanctified to the vse and supporte of the poore. And this no dout is the oblation, that Ireneus Cypriane ād Tertuliane, maketh so often mētion of, yea, the verrie collectes of your masse (as ye be verrie Aippes, & wyll seme to had & reteyne some figure and Image of antiquitie.) In this consideration wer called collettes, being receaued frome the people, and [Page 75] oblations, because they wer offred to a holy vse in whiche respect Paule to the Philipp. calleth the almonsan Sacri­fice and a hoste of sweit sauour, as I haue alreddy touched.

Secundlye, there is one action of thankes an publyck attestation of our gratitude, and thankfulnes, which in the scripturs is called one Immolation of prayse, and laude. Thridlye, all communicantes doeth offre them to be reu­led and guyded by God, yea, and mortified, whereof spea­keth Paule to the Romans, Rom. 12. giue your bodyes (sayeth he) to God, a lyuing and a holy Sacrifice pleasing to God, and after he wytnesseth, that he beareth the ministerie, Rom. 15. and Sacrificeth the Euangell that the oblatiōs of the Gentiles may be acceptable and sanctified by the holy spirit, as we haue cyted here tofore.

The fourt is, that there is celebrated the memorie of the Lordes death & passion, which because it wes the verrie & full sacrifice, the name of sacrifice is applyed to that action whereby it is represented, and thus speaketh Augustine, when he sayeth by memorie and recordation our Saui­our is euery day offred vp.

These are the foure considerations, whereby the fathers are moued to giue the name of Sacrifice and oblation to the Lordes table, albeit that I dar not altogether allow this in them, for since the Scripture giueth no such name vnto it, and rashelie, we ought not introduce any new speaking nor yet leif the acquent maner and phrase of the spirit of God: yet somewhat is it tollerable in the fathers who caryed away in admiration of the dignitie and wor­thynes of the misterie could not wit certanelie what prayse to giue to it & with what tytle decore, set vp, and exorne it.

Let this ones declared serue to the vnderstanding of the wryttings of the fathers, when soeuer ether we shall read any thing in them, or there authoritie shalbe layed against vs.

‘Chrysostomus ane Greik, and ancien writ­ter & doctor 1157. zearis past, writtis on this maner. Christhes preparit a mekle mair wonderfull and magnificent Sacrifice, baith quhē he changit this Sacrifice it self, and als quhen he commandit him selfto be offred in stede of [Page] brutale beastis Quhilks we offred in the aid law. Hitherto Chrysostome, he writtis ī a vther place saying, O gret gude wyl of God towar­dis vs, O mirakle he that sittis on y • rycht hād of the Father in heauin aboue, is conteyned in mānis handis in tyme of the Sacrifice. Also he sayis in aue vther place, do we not offer sa­crifice daylie? we do offer bot doing it in remē brance of Christis death, and this hoste is in with mony and that oblation wes anis offred in to heauin, bot this Sacrifice, is ane exem­ple of that, we do offer the same selfthing: we offer nocht the day ane Lambe to Christe and the morne ane vther bot euer the sam self thing Quharefor this sacrifice is ane or ellis be that reassone zit is it offered in mony places, ar thay mony Christis? na thing les bot thare is ane Christe ouer all, quha being heir all haill and thair all haill, ane body, for as that quhilk is offred in euery place, is a body, euin sa it is a Sacrifice, bot he is our Byschope, quhilk of­fred ane Sacrifice making vs clene. We do offre the same, & that, that quhilk wes then of­fered can not be confoundit. Hitherto Chryso­stomus out of quhais wordis mony notable leasone may be collected in contrare the rea­ling reassoning & myscheant mokrie of vaine men in thir dayis.’

It appeareth that ye wer well bote in the conclusion, what hath moued yow so soddenlie? In this, it is se [...]e, that it is most trew that is reported of yow, that as euer ye get any matche, or any withstand yow, ye then kindle and may not awaye with any contradiction. But I wounder of yow, a man that wyll seme to be verrie dili­gent [Page 76] in reading the ancients and in collecting all may serue to your purpose, being no wayes occupyed, but in the defence of this desperate cause, that ye gather not out these notable leasons. But this is your craft, sire, to cast a ielousie in the hert of the reader [...]hat ye may appear that, that ye are not in dede. But let vs go to the examinati­on of the mater. In dede I can not find the formare wordes in 2. Homi. vpon the Epistles to Timothie, nether vpon the first, nor yet the secounde, but geuing they be written, I can find no thing in them any wayes helplie to yow.

For that the preparation of this Sacrifice is more magnifique and wounderfull, nor the sacrifices vnder the law this is but spoken to extolle this holy Table aboue all the oblations of the law: In what respect and consideration it is declared at large. Of the offring vp of him self that is Sacramentalie spoken, and apperteyneth no thing to his reale presence.

In the latter part, euen in the conclusion of the. 2. Sermōe vpon the secunde Epistle to Timothie, he wrytteth these wordes, I wyll schewe yow something that is wounder­full, meruell not, be not troubled, what is this? the holy oblation whidder it be offred by Peter or Paule, or any preist of what sumeuer merite, is the self same with it that Christe gaue to his Disciples, and that the ministers now doeth make, why so? because men do not sanctifie this, but Christe that hallowed that before, that as the wordes are one, that Christe then pronunced and they that be now pronunced by the ministers, so is the oblation one: ād thesame reason is of Baptisme: so all doeth consiste & stand in faith.

These be the wordes of Chrysostomus in the place before rehearsed. Of the office of the ministerie & sanctificatiō I haue spoken in the beginning of this treaty, of the oblatiō Lykewise, how it should be vnderstand and that it is one with that, which our Sauiour practeist with his Discip­les: since the action is one, sanctificatiō one, a sanctifiar, the same ceremonies recyted and the commandement giuen to do the same, there is no dout. But here ye must obserue more that he maketh no differēce towardes the presence of our Sauiour in this action, and his presence in Baptisme and this is moste trew, Gal. 3. for in consideration that they that be Baptised in Christe are indued and sled with him: we haue to luke for no vther presence of Christe in this action towards the realitie of his body and bloode, But all is to [Page] be referred to faith, as this author concludeth, nor we ha­ue in Baptisme. In the secunde place adduced by yow, where the author is drewen to burste furth in admiration of this mysterie, and cal it a miracle, in deid it is excessiue­lie spoken to the prayse of the action. Which maner of spea­king is verrie familiare to this writter, for who soeuer is well acquent with him, shall obserue him much giuen and to delyte wounderfullie, in allusions, tropes & figurs, and as he hath his name frome great eloquence, so hyperbol­lie and heygtly set vp and extolle the mater that he entrea­teth, that he shal euen appeare to forget him self: notwith­standing the sense is gude being rygtlie considdered and discreitlie, according to the mynde of the author in other places weyed and exponed: for can there be any thing more miraculus, nor the cōiunction of God & man? of the sonne of God and the sinfull & wrached man: man to possesse Ie­sus Christe with all his benefites? and that he who set­teth at the ryght hand of God the Father, shalbe giuen to the Saule of man? no thing at all. This is the operation of the spirite of God, the strenth and virtew of faith, whiche maketh the thinges that be absent, present, yea, and ma­keth vs to inioye and possesse the thinges we hope for, as Peter teacheth vs & this author, [...]. Pet. 1. as hath bene laitlie said. Be were prudent reader, that thow think not that this author here speaketh any thing of Christes real, substancial & naturall presence as the Papistes do fondlie ymagine for that he hath affirmed to be no other nor ī Baptisme: ād it is not to be supposed that here he meaneth any thing other nor he teacheth plainelie in his Sermone, De Eucharistia in En [...]oenus. Do not (sayeth he) think that yow receaue by the hand of any man, the body of God, meaning of Christe.

Ad Popu­lum Anti­cehenum Homi. 61. in Io [...]. n­uem. 45.And in many other places sayeth, that we ascend vp vnto heauen, and eateth Christ sitting at the ryght hand of the Father: and that he speaketh, yea, and some others of the wounderfull operation of God, in his Sacramēts passing all mānes wit, sense, and reasoun, not meanīg of the wor­king of God in watter, breade and wyne, whiche be figurs sanctified in dede to one holy vse, but of the mer­ue lus working of God, in the hertes of them that receaue his Sacraments secreitlie, inwardlie, & spirituallie trans­forming, renewing, feiding, conforting, & nurissing them with his body and bloode in heauen, so that all this is to [...] [Page 77] referred to the receauers who be thus wonderfullie chan­ged and not to the signes, whiche notwithstanding the sanctification proceading of the commandement of Iesus Christe, and that they be remoued and taken from the vulgare, commoun, and prop [...]ne vse, and dedicate to this holy action, and so to be the simboles and Sacra­mentes of Christes presence, and remunition with vs, yet receaue they no alteration in there owen natures: but re­mane still in there proper and naturall kyndes, so that it is moste trew, that this author sayeth of Christe sitting aboue with his Father, in his naturall body tryumphant in glorie, and yet is the same here in our hands Sacramē ­tallie, and figuratiuelie, yea, and present, and remaning in our hertes by grace & nurishment. In the thrid authoritie alledged by this Scripturare. First obserue with me, reader, that which I haue admonished before, to wyt, in what sense the ancients doth call this action of the Lordes table a Sacrifice, because, sayeth Chrysostome, it is celebrated in memorie of Christes death and passion, the rest tendeth al­together and onely to declare this action, wheresoeuer it is practeist or how often repeated, it is no thing different, but all one with the action of our Sauiour.

And lest that any man should be moued or trubled with his free speaking, he exponeth him self in the conclusion, this that we do (sayeth he) is done in commemoration of that, that wes done, In what sēse Chrysostome wil haue his wordes takē do this (sayeth he) in remembrance of me, not one other as the byschope, but the self same we do, Magi [...] autem recordationem operamur: rather we work the cōmemoration of the Sacrifice. By the which wordes he noteth him to haue spoken excessiuelie and correcteth him self, exponing and restricting his former disputation, to the remembrance and recordation of the great and only Sacrifice, lest that any man should think and iudge by his wordes, this action to be a Sacrifice in dede. What haue ye now to bragge of your Sacrifice of the masse, when ye are thus refelled of Chrysostome him self, whome ye and all papistes pretendeth to stand moste for yow?

Now in verrie dede, I petie yow, and exhorte yow, in the bowells of the mercies of Iesus Christe, to zeald to the treuth and eschame not to recant & confes your impius wicked, and vngodlie errour, eschame not to giue it ouer to Iesus Christe, whose eternall veritie wyl obteyne vic­torie. [Page] This we seik at yow, not on a realing maner; or yet of mockerie, but (as God is witnes to our conscience) frō the bottome of oure hartes, for there is no other thing that pusheth vs to this ba [...]tell, (,God is witnes) but the defence of the treuth, which by tyrannie, ambition, Aua­rice, & ignorāce these many ages (allace) hath bene oppressed and almoste buryed, to the which we wyll postpone all thing that is here moste tender, deir, and precius. Now cumeth this author to "Ambrosiꝰ ane ancien doc­tor apꝓuit be ye kirkof god in his apꝓbation I wyl not stand, but wyl saye, that he is best worthy of apꝓbati­on, who stādeth by the treuth, & further, that many be ap­ꝓued by the Rōane church (which church I trust ye mean) that be worthy to be cast in the fyre, or to serue to the butter wyffes, that I say no wers. ‘1176. zeris bypast wryttis on this maner we haue sene ye Prince of Princes cum vnto vs, we sawe him & hard him offer for vs his blude, lat vs prestes follow as we may offer Sacrifice for the peple, altho we be weaik be our desseruing, zit we at honorable throuth the Sacrifice, for albeit Christe is not sene to be offred zit neuer theles he is of­fred vpon the earth, quhen his body is offred, Zea, he is declarit planely to be offred intyll vs quhais wordis makis haly the Sacrifice quhilk is offred. The Ab­bot as a man vn­myndful of his mater draweniual pla­ces which der they mak for him or [...].’

Your purpose is (to call the mater to mynde againe) to ꝓue the masse to be a Sacrifice, wherein Christe is offered to the father by the preist. Now I pray you what strēth of probation lyeth in these wordes of Anthrosius, seruing to this mater: there is no mētion of masse, the Sacrifice & ob­latiō, that is here spokē ꝑteyneth derectly to the practeis & celebration of the holy cōmunion, where the faithful me­nisters executing there office & charge, conforme to the ex­emple of our Sauiour are not only followers of Christ as Ambrose doeth testifie, but Vicarres and stedeholders as we haue alreaddy said in Cypriane: but as we obserued in Chrysostom, so we haue in this author, that he in the [...]clit­siō [Page 87] vseth a certane correction of his form are sayinges: Whereby he explaneth his meaning in the word preceding that, not so muche haue we to vnderstand his body & blood to be offred vp (speaking properlie) as it is to be vnderstād that, that it is declared plainly him to be offred vp in ws. that is, as he wold say, this oblation and Sacrifice, which I beat thus cōtinuallie ī your eares, is not to be takē so as I should meane properlie, vs to offre vp to the Father, his Sonne Iesus Christe, which he him self onely wes worthy and able to do and did. But I meane that now we being receaued in couenante with oure God by the mediation of Iesus Christe, which league is confir­med, & sealed vp in our hartes by the symboles of his body & blood, whereby we are assured, that we are one with him feiding vpon his body ād blood, that we now possesse him and hes him duelling in vs, what resteth on our part, say­eth Ambrose, The na­turall meaning of Am­brosius. but in recordation of this so great a benefeit, & in declaration of our thankfulnes, to offre vs vp to God, together with all that we possesse: we haue receaued by the communion of thy Sonne, Iustice, ryghtuusnes, sancti­fication, holynes, with all benefites: these graces, as we grant our selues to haue receaued of thy free mercy, so we now do dedicat sanctifie and offre them to thee. This Im­molation then is none other, nor it that Paule speaketh of as we haue heretofore declared. Rom. 12, All our worthynes doeth proceade and flow of that Sacrifice, in recordation of the whiche we celebrat this Sacrifice, reiocing in no thing, but in Iesus Christe, and him crucified, by whose agnominy, we are made honorable, by whose pouertie we are made ryche, by whose death, we are quickned, and by whose o­bedience, we are made bould to enter in the presence of our God, thoght we be neuer so vnable and vnworthy of our selues, so that now we are not to be Iudged and reputed the offrers, but rather he whose spirit reuleth our hartes, ād moueth vs to this thankfullnes, yea he him self offreth all we haue by the Communion vnto the eternall Father.

‘Now followis Augustine, ane excellent doctor approued be the Kirik of God, 1156. zeris, bypast, reproued Atrius as ane Heretike, be­cause he said as mony sayis now of lytle kna­wledge that mē fulde nocht praye for the dede, [Page] nor offer Sacrifice for thaim, he wryttis thus cōcerning that mater, it is nocht to be denyed y • the saules of mē departed ar releued throuch the godlynes of thare freindis on lyue, quhē the Sacrifice of our Mediator Christe is of­fered for thaim, hidderto Augustine. He writ­tis in ane vther place say and, quhen the Sa­crifice of the altare or almous is offered for the dede Quhilk war Baptised, thare at thākes geuin for thaim that be verray gude peple and for thaim that ar not verie euyll thay ar pro­piciatiōns or purchessinges of mercy & fauour of God. He wryttis in ane vther place, it is not to be douted, but the saules departed ar helped be the haly kirkis prayers and the Sacrifice of saluation & almous, quhē thay ar ge­uin for thaim that god sudle deale mair mercy fullie, thā thair synnis had deserued, hidderto Augustine, marke how this godlie Doctor & Byschope affirmes the Sacrifice of the masse to be propiciatorie and helplie for thaim that be departed.’

I can not answer Augustine better then by him self, but before I cum to the answer, it shall not be all out of purpose (good reader) if I shall shewe the reule which Augustine p̄scribeth to al readers of his workes, & wyl not attribute to others, nor yet vendicat to him self more then becumeth

Of this mater, I haue spoken sumwhat heretofore, out of Augustine, yet to refreshe the memorie of the reader ād to shewe and teache that many mo places, may be gathe­red out of his workes, then they that be recyted, I wyll not wearie here, in the proper place of the interpretation of his owen wordes, to shew his opinion, and in what place he wylleth all readers to put his workes. And first these be his plane wordes, I can not deny, nether yet oght [Page 79] I, that euen as in them, that hath passed before, Libro. 4. de Anim [...] et eius O­rigine. ad victorem. so verrie many thinges to be in my so many treattes that by a Iust iudgement, and without temeritie may be damned.

And againe he wrytteh to Ieronimus, for I wyll grāt (sayeth he) vnto thee, to these onely bokes of the Scrip­turs, which be called Canonicall haue I learned to deferre that feare, & giue that reuerence, Ad hero­nimum Episti. 19. that I beleue most firme­lie none of the authors of them, in wrytting any thing, to haue erred, or if I shall find any thing in their wryttinges that shall appeare to be contrarius and repugnant to the treuth, then do I not dout, but ether the exemplar is fals, or the interpretor hath not atteyned to the vnderstand­ing of it, that is said: or that I do not vnderstande it my self. But others I read so that with whatsoeuer holynes and doctryne they haue excelled, yet do I not iudge it to be trew, because they so iudged, But because they haue bene able to persuade, ether by these Canonicall authors, or by a probable reason, that abhorreth nor frō the treuth: I wyll content me, gentle reader, with these testimonies not but there be many mo, but that I iudge it superfluus to adduce any mo and thinke these sufficient to oppin vp the mynde of Augustine. What is the reuerence that is due to the Scripturs of God, and with what iudgement & discretion we oght to read other mennes wryttings, and what he craueth him self of others. Now shall it then in anywise seme arrogant if it should be required of Augus­tine that, that he craueth of others? that hath passed before without any respect to there holynes, or doctryne ād cra­ueth earnistlie authoritie of Scripture, or a probable rea­sone, not abhorring from the veritie, and pereuenture in sober and maters of no great importance. The disputa­tion now being here in the mater, we haue in hand of, the cheif and principale poyuctes of our faith, in the which all authoritie of man set a part, the onely scole maister Iesus Christe is to be harde according to the commandement gi­uen (here him) what euer Augustine did iudge of pur­gatorie, and prayer for the dead, Contra Pelag. hypog. nosti. Libro. 5. I am assured these be his wordes. First the faith of the Catholicques by the autho­ritie of God, hath beleueth that there is a kingdom of hea­uen: the secunde that there is a Hell, in the which all that declyneth to Apostasie, or diuideth him self frome the faith of Christ, shall feile torments. We know no thrid, yea ād [Page] we find nōe in the holy Scripturs. And in one other place best it were in one incertane mater; of the which the scrip­turs maketh no mention, mi [...]tacken affirmeth the contra­rie, that they should say no [...]hing, cōforme to the sentence of the wyse Seneca, in th [...] [...] douesum, thow should af­firme nothing, but hald [...] iudgemēt incertane: In others places, he planely doute [...] euen In Luchiridio ad Laureun­um. 68. Cap. and writeth the same in the conclusion of 68. some thing lyke this (sayeth he) to happin efter this lyfe, it is not incredible, but he sayeth, if it be so, it may be demanded and ether to be funde, or to be ignored, and these same wordes, ye shall find Ad dulcinum questione prima. and in the boke of faith and workes, Cap. 1 [...]. whidder then men shall suffer these thinges in this lyfe or yet efter this lyfe? some suche iudgements shal ensue, it ab­horreth not as I beleue frome reasoun: and againe in 21. of the Citie of God. Cap. 26. hauing spoken of Purgato­rie, subioyneth, this I red argue not, for pereuenture it is trew. In al these ye may ꝑceaue euidētlie Augusti. to dout of it, but against Pelagius, to affirme planely, that efter the deperting out of this lyfe, there is Heauen and Hell, and no thrid place. But thow wyll say, that he affirmeth it in other places. I answer, that those places, in the which he appereth to affirme it, should be exponed by these, that ether he wes certantlie persuaded that there was no suche thing, or then he douted of it.

But now wolde I aske of thee, why wolde thow this godly man, Nether wes Purgatorie knowen to the fa­thers vnder the Lawe nor yet reueiled to the Apostles should certanely affirme that, which he can not proueether by authoritie or by exemple of attentique scripture. If it be a thing so cōfortable & necessarie, do we think that boith the ancien Fathers vnder the law should haue bene frauded, nether yet any reuelation made to the Apo­stles of it. I wyll not feght with stronger arguments be­cause it is but incident and accessorie to our mater.

The argument of praying for the dead is euerted by the same reason, trew it is, and can not be denyed, but of long antiquitie, it heth bene receaued to praye for the dead, and againe it is not to be douted, but they were mē, and buil­ded not euer vpon the fundation, Gold, Syluer, & preci­ous stones. And we knowe that there is no antiquitie of opinion, nor errour, that oght to prescribe or preiudge to the veritie, for it is moste certane, that euen in the tyme [Page 80] of the Apostles errours were, and Paule him self ma­keth mention of euyll builders, yea▪ 1. Cor. 3. and a lytle efter there age, we read that some wes [...] opinion that Baptisme should be receaued for the de [...].

How esalie men are moue [...] [...]y a naturall affections and inclination to wysse there fr [...]des at there deperting to be well, and so to burste furth [...] some prayer, we haue al experiēce, but we oght to tak head that our affection be not fund repugnant to the reule of faith, and godlynes, and so to be brydled.

This cōsuetude of prayīg for the dead, how this consuetude of praying for the dead crappe in no dout, appeareth well to haue proceaded of the opinion of Purgatorie, yet some other cause may be assigned, as that it wes iudged one īhumane thīg to tho [...]e the memorie & renome of the depted to be vtterlie extinguished & perishe: so that these pray­ers at the beginninge before the opinion of purgatorie tuke so depe rute appeareth to haue bene sumwhat tollera­ble for they tended to this end, to giue God thankes, The praying for the dead in the primitiue Churche wes eth­er a cer­tane gra­tulation for the felicitie obteined or a cer­tane thā ­kes ge­uing to God. that hath called them frome the miserable condition of this lyfe to his mercy: and so Ambrosius in his oration at the departing of Theodosius & Valentinianus maketh a cer­tane gratulation to them that are delyuered out of the mi­seriis of this lyfe, and wes with Christe in the Eternall [...]lysse. He adiuneth some prayers which repugneth to this but by this he wolde teache and admoneshe the Church of a certane duety towards the departed, euen as they were yet a lyfe, not douting, but they had receaued that whiche he wyssed to them. Christe prayed for the resurrection of Lazarus, being certane that he had obteyned that he hade called for, so he sayeth, he did for there saik, that assisted: & it appeareth by Dionisius that the Byshope prayed to tea­che the people principalie, what the felicitie wes, that the departed enioyed, and that he hade receaued all that the Churche wyssed to him. Epiphanius giueth one other cause against Arrius, to showe our imperfection conferred with Christe: this cause it hath no ꝓbabilitie, for we know the ancients, to haue prayed for Martyres, Serm. 11. de San [...]. Apostles and others. But these ar not to be called prayers properlie, but actiones of thankes, lyke as Augustine wytnesseth him self, in the wordes recyted by yow.

And als we are able to proue by the Greik Cānon where it is planely said, that offringes be made for Prophets, Patriarches, and others that be receaued already to mer­cy, [Page] Which I am sure neideth hone of oure prayer, by the confessiōn of all, and so [...]a [...] no [...] stand if it shall not be thus vnderstand for a certane thankes giuen to God, and g [...]atulation to them, that be [...]ceaued in that eternall feli­citie.

These causes I haue [...]duced that ye may vnderstande that there be [...]o [...]or [...] [...]ause that moued the ancients to pray for the dead, ād that ye may perceaue that there wes some certane collour of simplicitie, at the beginning, til pur­gatorie that gredy, deuowring, insaciable, and pestilent fyre wes erected, when all religion wes ouerthrowen, as we sene by experience, for of it hath flowed all the abhomi­nation that regneth to this day.

Let no mā think that in this I wyll excuse the ancients in this there attemptate without any commandement or allow [...]nce of God. But that ye may vnderstand them to haue bene moued to this, The custome of offring for the deade when it wes in­duced ād how it styll con­tinued. by many causes probable in there iudgement before there wes any mention of Purgatorie.

Now resteth to oppin vp the beginning of the oblatiōs that were made at the burying of the dead, it wes a recea­ued custome, and cōsuetude among the nations, that in the dayes of there natiuitie, and solemnitie of there burial they made a certane Banked to the people, which custome after there conuersion to the Euangell, they styll reteyned in many places, and speciallie in the burial, albeit some part corrected, that they in the burying broght meat & drynk, vnto the graue of hī that wes deceassed, & placed vpon the graue, which ryte Augustine rebuketh, calling them that so did, Serm. 15. de Sanc [...]. Infideles. And it is not to be wondered that they who were instructed in the scole of Pythagoras, & Plato, reteyned and sauored somthing of their olde dregge. This vse dured a sufficient tyme amongest them that were con­uerted, therefore sayeth Augustine: cease brethrē from this heathen error of infidelytie, for the holy Soules sayeth he, ether be innocency of lyfe, are cleane, or are purged by satisfaction of repentance, and so are receaued by our Sa­uiour, & are to be iudged, to be with him, according to the saying of Paule, I wisse to be dissolued, & be with Christe this farre Augustine, making no mētion of Purgatorie nether yet sending the Soules of the dead, to any suche place.

This consuetude thus flowing from the gentilytie, [Page 81] could not be altogether remoued, yet wes it corrected in this maner, that at the practeis of the Lordes Table, and in the buriall, The or­dor and forme of buriall, in the premitiue Church. oblations were made of bread and wyne, & suche others thinges to [...] [...]eleif, and vse of the poore, yea, and in the funerall this wes [...]e [...]er adioyned, that not on­ly almous wes geuin to the supporte of the nedy, by the freindes of the dead: but there w [...]s added prayer, thankes geuing, and funerall orations made in the publique assem­blie. The forme is setfurth by Dionisius, In Hierarchia Ecclesiastica. that the minister after he had set vp the monument of him that wes to be buried, then he gaue thankes to the eternall God, who by Iesus Christe had distroyed death, and the author of it, ād by him had giuen eternall lyfe to them that beleued in him then wes there certane Psalmes recyted, sung by the assistence, after this a certane place of Scripture confortable of the resurrection of the dead wes red and exponed immediatlie, they that were vnder instruction and vnbaptised, were put furth of the temple. This done, a cathologue wes recyted of them, that had bene called vpon, to Gods mercy before, and the name of him that wes to be buried, put in, his virtues rehearsed as constancy in religion, fa­ith, Innocency of lyfe, mercy and liberalitie to the nedy & to this wes ioyned one exhortation to them that assisted to follow there exemple and fotesteppes, then and last came the Minister vnto the corps, & there recyted certane pra­yers, commending the dead to God.

Of this ordour vsed in the buriall proceded that euen in the holy communion, mentioun wes made of the dead, Libro. 9. Confessio num. 12, 19 Cap. as Augustine planely wytnesseth, speaking that his Mother, earnistlie craued, that mention should be made of hir at the table, & as we may gather of his book, that he wrytteth de Te cura pro mortuis. Yet wes not this memorie and com­memoration so superstitious, as in this aige, when oure masse mounging schauelinges braggeth that they offre vp the body and blood of Iesus Christe, for the dead and the quick, for redemyng of them that be in Purgatorie, the Supper of the Lorde, being institute, nether for dead, nor for quick, others nor doeth vse it, according to the institu­tion and practies of our Sauiour. Whereby we may clearlie perceaue in the tyme of Augustine, as I haue alreadye declared, and may proue by the Greike Canon, there wes no oblation, suche as ye pretend for the deade, but onely [Page] ane [...]ction of thankes to God for his mercy shewed vpon them in receauing them to his cumpanye.

The oblations we read in the ancien wrytters, are to be vnderstand of bread and wyne, What the oblatiōs wer that the anci­ēts make so often mention of in the­re wryt­tinges. and suche others thinges giuen and seruing to the vse of the poore, and not for re­demption of any Soules out of Purgatorie. It can not be denyed, but they speak as I haue oftentymes warned) excessiuelie, yet all is to this end, that the releif of the poore may be the more depely imprented in our hartes, and that we may haue the greater care ouer them, ād thus brusteth furth to promes remissiō of sinnes, increase of goodes mul­tiplication of the benefites of God, yea, and some tymes to encurage them the more, affirmeth it to auale euen to the deade, not that any fructe redoundeth to the deade, but onely that they may moue them to greater pitie, and liberalitie towardes the indigent they amplyfie, and deck vp the mater. For this ye bring out of Augustine is not to be vnderstand of any other oblatiō, nor of almus giuen to the poore, to the which wes ioyned certane orati­ons, or rather commemorations, and actions of thankes for the dead. And that these be called propiciations, and meanes, whereby grace and mercy is purcheshed to the dead, this we haue to take excessiuelie spokē to the prayse of almons, Almons & prayer in what sence are called ꝓpitiato­rie. and to kendle the charitie of mē towards there indigent brethren, which charitie & mercy, they complene to be waxed cold: thus by faire persuasions and promisses they walken, allure and encurage the dull hartes of mē: ād so the wordes are not to be taken rigoruslie & strictlie: For if ye shall so do, we muste haue recurse to the reule of Augustine, already declared, that is, to the eternall veri­tie of God, reueled in his Scriptures, where there is no suche commandement giuen to pray, or offre for the deade, nor yet allowed by any exemple of attenticque Scripture, nor worde spoken of Purgatorie, but planely teached that all faithfull are saued, & vnfaithful condēned. Where vnto aggreth the doctours them selues, as Ambrose, De bono mortis. Ambro [...] De bono mortis. 1 [...]. He that receaueth not remissiō of sinnes here, there shalbe none there, to wyt, after the departing of this lyfe, there shalbe nōe, Cōtra De­metrianū: t [...]ac. 1. because they could not atteyne to eternall lyfe, which is remission of sinnes. And Cypriane, after the departing of this lyfe, there is no place to repentance, nor effect of satisfaction. Here is lyfe, ether loste, or holden, [Page 82] here is prouided for eternall lyfe, by the worshipping of God, and the fructe of faith. And Ieronimus, in this worlde, we know that we may help euerie one others e­ther by oratioun, or then by Counsell, when we shall cum before the Trybunal of Christ, nether Iob, Daniel, Noah, 13. questi. [...]. Cap. in presenti. may pray for vs, but euery man shall bear his owen bur­thene. And Augustine him self, besydes the places alled­ged, sayeth he not? all hath at there departing out of this world, there owen diuers receptacles, the godlie hath ioy, In Euan­gelium. Ioanuis. [...]r [...]ct. 49. the wicked tormētes, but at the resurrection, the ioy of the godly, shalbe amplyfied, and the panes of the vngodlye, shalbe made more greuous, when they shalbe troubled with there bodyes: the holy Patriarches, Prophets, Mar­tyres, Apostles, & all good faithfull are receaued in peace, yet they shall all receaue in the end, that God hath promi­sed, for there is promished [...]esurrection of the fleshe, con­sumption of death, eternall lyfe with the Angells, this we are to receaue at ones, for the rest, which immediat­lie is giuen after the death, euerie man receaueth (if he be worthy of it) when he dieth. This farre Augustine.

If a rest be prepared for all faithfull, where is thy Purgatorie, and since thow feest, they receaue this rest im­mediatlie after the dissolution & uanishnig of these bodies, what now can serue thy oblation and prayer to them, more then to pray for the elect vashell of God Paule? Shall we think that the oblation, whereof mention hath bene made, wes offred for the Patriarches? according to the wordes of the Greik Canon, we offre to thee this our spiritual ser­uice for them who resteth in Christe Patriarches, Prophe­tes, Apostles, and sofurth. I trust thow dar not say it, how lytle schame soeuer thow hest. It is plane then, that the oblation that wes made in the holy Communion wes a certane action of thankes for that, that God had gathe­red to him a Churche from tyme to tyme by there minis­tery, he had geuin his worde to be dilated throughout all, by the Sceptre whereof he gouerned all. These thīges be plane and manifest, and can not be denyed of the learned aduersaries, that be versed in the antiquitie, how so­euer they impiust it wrangle and wreiste all to there fond wicked and abhominable masse, which Augustine neuer knew, nether wes there any suche prophanatiō amongest christians many yeares, and ages after. If yow can not [Page] be satisfied by this, that I haue adduced for the vnderstan­ding of the wordes of Augustine, Many workes ascribed to Augusti. that be not his and in those that be his wordes ad­ded some taken a­way whole sentence is inter­laced corrupting the my­nd of the author. assure your self that how so euer my answer is directed principallie to refute the treatty of the masse, yet my labours are dedicat to the cō ­fort of the simple and godly, that myght be troubled with his calumnius argumentes.

Trew it is, and is not to be douted, but as Tritemius, wytnesseth many workes are ascribed to Augustine, which he neuer made, nor were his: so we lack not a probable ar­gument of coniecture, and suspicioun, that euen his wryt­tinges be, ī some places deprauat, sentēces infarred, in some places wordes added, in others takē awaye, peruertīg the whole, yea, and the same is to be iudged of the reste of the godly Fathers.

And if care the reader shall find this strange, it is the querimonie of Dionisius Byschope of Corinthus, who compleneth euen in his owen tyme, his Epistles to haue bene corrupted, many thinges added, many taken away, as we may reid in Eusebius. Whereby we may be most cer­tanelie persuaded, this to haue bene the continuall prac­ties, and trauell of Sathan, to saw in some fitches among­est the good sayinges of godlie mē, and so to peruert there workes, and deceaue the people of God. Whiche may be easalie tryed, when the authors are found contrarius, and repugnant to them selues, In Eccle­siastica [...]rsto. lib. 4. Cap. 23 affirming a thing here, & dout­ting of it there, as ye may obserue Augustine in this ma­ter affirming, douting and planelie denying one thing, as we haue shawen, alwayis we haue the reule ād lyne of the Scripturs: The re­ule and lyne of scriptu [...]s euer to be follo­wed. which as they can not deceaue vs, & are moste certane, so oght we to examine all trew doctrine by them, and then can we not be abused by authoritie of one or esti­mation of one other.

‘Now followis Tertuliane, 1386. zeris by­past, we make oblatioun for these that are de­parted zearlie, the day of thare departing.’

Wold to God, whatsoeuer ye note, vpon the margine of one Obite masse, that ye wold, and your papistes, in al maters, which ye pestilentlie, maliciouslie, and mischeuo­uslie call in deut, being more bryght and euident, nor the Sonne at none dayes, that ye, I say, and all your pestilēt faction, could stand to the determination of this godly mā, [Page 83] for God be praysed, he a [...]peareth to haue bene send of God. to auenge the cause of his treuth, and confound other errours, that appeareth to haue bene then creping in, as of your monstrus transubstātiation, & others, which I haue not to truble me with at this present being asyde frō the purpose.

The oblation that he maketh mention of, in the day of departing, is not that, that we read in Virgile, of the āni­uersarie (out of the peruerst, & wicked Imitation where­of, hath flowed this your Obite Masse, Dirigie, Placebo, and so furth) made by Eneas, for his father Anchises, but as I haue already declared of almous, accordinge to the custome, to the releif of the nedy, as I haue said.

Here after followeth in this author, Gregorius, whose age in dede, I darre not absolue frome superstitiō, for then trouble rysing, and speciallie, the great and haynus con­tention for the supremacie betuix Constantinople, and Rome, the Scripturs began to be handled by euery mānes phantasie, at the affection of parties, where greatest auā ­tage appeared, without all reuerence, as may be clearlie knowen, by the workes of them of those dayes, & of this sā [...] author that is now alledged. His wordes are. ‘Ine g [...]dlie doctor approued, be the Kirk of God, 960. zeris bypast, wryttis on this maner. Lat vs send brethren vnto God our messingers, be weiping geuing almous and offring the haly hostes for the Sacrifice of the haly altare offe­red vp with weiping, and deuotioun of mynd is singulare helpe vnto our absolution fra sinne, for als oftentymes as we offre vnto him the Sacrifice of his pass [...] ou [...], [...]a oft do we re­pare and apply to vs his passion, for our abso­lutioun.’

I content with the translation ye haue adduced, albeit this worde (applying) be not in the text of Gregorius, & ye haue translated it, as it myght best serue to yow, albeit it serueth no thing at all, for in suche exhortations, what shall any godly man do, or mosse the people to do; [...] it ex­hort them to murne, to weip, to be [...]aile there [...] [...]oul [...] offences, warne them to take head that they be not oppre­ssed, [Page] nor suddenlie takē, and so to send suche Ambassadors, as it were, declarīg there good mynd & prompt obedience ready to serue, to pay tribute, that is, giue almous to the poore, and offre vp suche hostes, as proceading of a cleane conscience, and one intiere mynde, may testifie and witnes there simplicitie, in respect whereof the former rebellion is forgiuen, since we cleane not to our owen merites and de­sernings, but to the mercy of our great king, disployed in Iesus Christ, and purchessed by his Passion, to the whiche onely all remission, and absolution frome sinne is to be re­ferred. This to be the mynd of Gregorius, it is easy to perceaue by any that pleaseth to reade the place: the Homilie is wrytten vpon the wordes that be recyted in the 14. of Luke, the begynning is, if a man haite not Father and so­furth. It followeth of the King that passed to warre, and considereth with what power he may witstand his Ini­mie stronger nor he: vpon the explanation of these wordes the author, as might serue to his exhortation, passeth from the sense of the text to the allegorie, and sheweth what is ment by the exemple, we are vnable to withstand the po­tent King God, to enter in Iudgement with him: here­fore ought we cleane to his mercy disployed vpon the croce of Iesus Christ his eternall Sonne, and so to weip, and bewaile our Sinnes by repentance. The onely way and meane to be receaued in fauours againe, and to haue our former rebellion forgiuen and remitted.

There is no mention of mūdled masses: but our author is so addicted to his wicked opinion, and so blynded, that wheresoeuer any word is made of a Sacrifice, one altare, one oblatiō, one hoste, incontinētlie thinketh he with him self: ha this author maketh for me, let me put this in pro­tocolle, neuer hauing respect to the custome of the tyme, nor sense of the author, and so abuseth all to the wrapping vp of him self in obstinacie, and blynding, and deceauing of the people.

The oblation, and Sacrifice what it wes, I haue decla­red, one hoste lykewise, what the altare is the author to the Hebrewes, Hebr. 13. and Ihon in the Reuelation declared, to wit, Iesus Christe, who vndoutedlie is the altare, vpon the which we haue to offre vp our Sacrifices, hostes, and ob­lations of prayer, thankes, and liberalitie, whome by all our actions, Sacrifices, and oblations are sanctified, and [Page 84] he is the verrie Hoste, of the whiche Sacramentallie and spirituallie do eat, all that offereth them to the holy prac­ties of the Lordes Table, and do beleue in him, as youre owen Parisien doctor G [...]gneus doth well say.

We know none other altare, nor the Scripturs of God allow, vnles ye wyll set vp a new Iudaisme, as ye fetcht in a gentilisine out of Virgile, in your obite masse, and the moste part of all your proceadinges, as I am able to de­claire particularlie, if tyme and leaser should serue.

Now sayeth this author, ‘giue I wald call to re­memberance all the sayingis of the godly Fa­theris, quhilks treattis according to this pur­pose, our Colloquie sulde extend the boundis and grow tyll ane gret worke, quharefore we wyll rehearse the sayingis of the maist nota­ble Counsallis.’

I truste ye haue adduced all myght serue anywayes in your Iudgement to this deuilishe purpose of the defence of the miserable masse, but if the mater had bene good and al­lowed of God, I dout not, but albeit ye should pereuen­ture not haue nedeth so many, yet we could haue contented with a few nomber, but my beleue is that these authors being ryghtlie cōsiddred, the tyme weyed, & there myndes graipped out (where in we haue takē some paine, not vn­fructfullie God be praysed) the lector shal perceaue clearly that they make no thing for your partie. Followeth the concile Nicene.

‘Towards this purpose (sayeth this author. "The counsall Necene, quhilk wes the first generall consal ester y • tyme of Apostles apꝓuin in al a­ges, 1226. zearis bypast, writtis and sayis on this maner disponing our selues to the godly ta­ble, lat vs not luke selenderlie vpon the bread and the cuppe set before vs, but lat vs lyft vp our mynd be faith vnderstanding in that holy table, to be the Lambe of God, takin away the Sinnes of the warld, offred vp be the preistis [Page] without blude, and we receauing verilie his pretius bodie and blude, aucht to beleue thaim to be the plage of our resurrectioun.’

The Sacrifice that is here spoken of, in the determina­tion of the concile, is a Sacrifice of prayse; laude, ād than­kes geuing, whiche albeit it be made by the minister, yet since it is made in the name of the whole Church, & the peo­ple doth consent in there hartes to it, that is oppinlie spo­ken by him, yea, & doth approue it to by the saying, Amen, It is reputed no les to be the Sacrifice of the assisters nor of the minister. This then is the Sacrifice, the councile speaketh of making no mention of a Sacrifice propiciato­rie to be made for remission of sinnes of the deade and quick. This propiciatorie, and expiatorius Sacrifice wes offred vp by Christe, Hebr. 10. & that ones neuer to be repeated ād reiterat, for the way is euer ready prepared, & his blude euer fresehe, as the Apostle speaketh, The Churche in dede, in memorie of that Sacrifice, offereth vp cōtinuallie oblation oforation, prayers, & thankes giuing.

The wordes of the Concile calling Christe, the Lambe of God, that taketh away the sinnes of the world, are not to be referred to the symboles of bread and wyne, whiche the concile disertlie pronunceth to be there, but to the Sonne of God, Christe him self, who wes made the verrie propiciation of our sinnes, and the correction of our Peace. But here I wyll hear with your falt, in the trāsla­tion knowing yow to be ignorant of the Greik tongue, ād should passe by it, if it should not serue to the declaration of the mynd of the concile: for lest that any mā should think that this action, be a verrie Sacrifice, this is added [...] that is (not lyke a Sacrifice) or (not after the ma­ner of a Sacrifice) so the sentence (Sacrificed of the preist­es) (not as ye turne it) without blood (but) Sacrifi­ced by the preistes, Note diligentlie and take head. not after the maner of a sacrifice or not lyke a Sacrifice, declareth plainely that there is no suche Sacrifice propiciatorie ment of here as ye falslie pretende: whereby ye may perceaue euidentlie a great difference be­tuix the Sacrifice that is offred by the preist, and the Sacri­fice of Christe, who in verrie dede, did offre him self, after the maner of a Sacrifice, that is to the death, for the absolu­tion and expiation of the sinnes of the worlde.

[Page]The preist wi [...] [...]he [...], and of­fer vp (not after the maner of a Sacrifice, as the councile sayeth) the action of thankes, laude, and prayse for that sa­crifice cause, Where by the wraith of God is anoyded, The ble­ding of Christ & not the eating wippeth away sinnes. sanc­ [...]ification purchased fo [...] his [...] wypeth away oure sinnes, and not the eating of his body, nor drynkinh of his bloode.

And forber we shall obserue in this that this councile, wylleth vs to lyft vp our myndes, and not to fixe them v­pon the [...]ume Elemēts, that be set before vs, we be here I say, admonished Christes body naturallie, to be in the hea­uennes, and to be no wayes here, in this action, but as he is in Baptisme, as this councile planely doeth declare and we haue alread [...]y shewen in Chrysostomus. Others thinges I passe by, that be here to be obserued, and are most lyue [...]ie setfurth, as the forme of the action, the mention of the Table, according to the forme practeist, and obserued by o [...]r Sauiour, the [...]yfting vp of [...] [...]artes by faith▪ the [...] made indifferentlie to all of boith the part [...]s [...]a [...]e of all in the wordes [...]ted by yow, that we oght to take, but a lytle and sober quantitie▪ knowen, that we do not offre vs thither, for the satur [...]e ād filling of the flesche, but for sanctification, as the councile doeth moste godly conclude.

‘Now lat vs cum to the consale of Ephesus, ha [...] 1128. zeris by [...]ast, [...]uhareby wes con­demned the [...] of Nestorius, wryttis on this maner, we do offer ane vnbludie Sacri­fice, and also we cum to the haly Sacrament, and ar maid haly, being maid partakers of the haly body and binde of Iesus Christe, quhilk wes maid redemer of vs all, not receauing it as commou [...] [...]lesche (God forbide) nor as the slesche of man maid haly and ioyned to the Sonne of God, be any vnitie of worthynes, or ellis as being ane Mansioun of God, but as that quhilk verelie geuis lyfe to mens sau­les, and wes maid proper to Gods awin sone [Page] him self. Hitherto the counsal Marke how thir twa ancient counsell is dois approue the Sa­crifice of the masse, and als the reall presence of the Lordis body, in the Sacrament of the Altare.’

To the one councile I haue answered, and schewen the trew meanyng of the fathers in there determination, where there is no thing, that any wayes apperteyne, or properlie can be applyed to the masse, lyke as in the de­creit of this concile, Marke how the one con­cile ag­greth with the athher & expo­neth it. there is no thing making for your part and for th [...]s cause, the Sacrifice that they acknawledgeit to be here, they pronunce it to be one vnbloody Sacrifice, that is no sacrifice in dede, if we should speak strietlie, and according to the proper nature of a Sacrifice, but onely to bear the name of sacrifice, because it is a monument, ād memoriall, and as it were one anniuersarie of the propiciatorie Sacrifice offred vp by the Sonne of God, so that the meanyng of this councile is one with it of the councile of Nicea, for it that is went by the Aduerb, [...] is here called vnbloody.

Considder with your self, how far ye offend against this councile, that sayeth, and defendeth the verrie cōtrarie, for ye affirme that ye haue a blody sacrifice going about to in­ferre a reall presence of Christes body, The pa­pistes calling the masse ōe vnblody sacrifice, directlie repug­neth to the cōsti­tution of the con­cile. and bloode, for if his verrie and reall body [...] there, in your masse, & his verrie and reall blood, and oblation made of them, it fol­loweth necessarelie, that it is a bloody Sacrifice, & so your conclusion directlie is contrarius to the constitution of the concile, that calleth it one vnbloodie Sacrifice in the ma­ner, as I haue declared.

Now haue we, God be praysed, atteyned to the end of this authores arguments, there be no other thing in his boke, worthy of answer, not the les, le [...]t that he shoulde bragge (as I knowe the [...]) if [...] th [...]ng should be pretermitted, we shall go throught all the rest. Here then is Iames broght in praysing his reasons, and argu­ments grāting them to be most ꝓperlie alleged & exponed.

In this, I wyll truble the render no fo [...]der with many wordes, but referre the iudgement to him, if i [...] de [...]ot e­uidentlie declared, that [...]e her hath be any fundation of [...] masse in the old Testamen [...], nor in the now, exemple, [Page 86] nor practies of the Apostles, authoritie nor suffrage of an­tiquitie, ether the fathers, ether yet the conciles, which he all moste vntreulie pretended to ma [...]e for him: his wrangling and wraisting of the pl [...]ces of Scripture, ineptlye and impertinentlie cyted by him, together with there tre [...] and germane sense, is expo [...]ed this ignorāce of the Greik tongue ād antiquitie (without the knawledge of the which it is not able to ony man to trauel happelie in the matters of Scripturs) is oppinned vp, and the verrie and natu­rall mynd of the fathers, and counciles vtterred to the cō ­tentment, (I truste) & satisfaction of the modest and gen­tle reader.

I haue schewen, besydes this the thinges that wrap­peth vp this author, in obstinacy and di [...]nours. First his owen affection and his folishe and inconsiderat zeale be­ing addicted to the defence of that, that semeth good vnto him, and as we see, a Febricitant mā, hauing his stomake corrupt, and his taiste inf [...]rted, all thing, be it neuer so good, synketh to him, euen so it is in the mynd, The corrupt af­fection of the mynde is moste ꝓperlie copared to the stomack ād taist of the febrici­tant mā [...]o [...]hing all good meates. when a man is addicted, and fixed vpon any purpose, be it neuer so wicked. it shall seme good, be it neuer so impius, it shal appeare godly, be it neuer so haynus and detestable, yet shall it be to him pleasing and delectable.

Trew it is, that the spurre of ambition pricketh a mā wounderfullie forewarde, when a man wyll seme, & ap­peare, wyl set vp, and extolle him self, and so wyll be sin­gulare in opinion, and of these, allace, we haue a great nomber, who in tyme of papistrie, and darknes regarded not masse, caired not for no [...]ond ceremonies, whispered in euery corner, yea, and some tymes plainelie spake al to be wicked (as it wes in dede) that wes then vsed, cryed for reformatiō, which now of the great mercy of our God offered they Loth, and abhorre, wolde be againe at there vomite, the stynking dung of papistrie, we luked not (say they) for a speaking God, that so scharplie rebuketh vice, and extremelie punisieth, let vs returne to our dum God, that neuer said euyl to vs, but wes euer for the pryce rea­dy to forgiue, what so euer we had committed: to the pur­pose, one inconsidderat zeale, ioyned with ambition, it can not be expressed, how pithy and strong it is to carie a mā away headlinges to induration: then if ignorance shalbe added the mother of wyll, and arrogancy, the seiknes be­ginneth to be incurable, pa [...]sing & exceding al remedie.

[Page]The ignorance of antiquitie, and of the Greik tongue▪ hath helped muche to pe [...]uert your iudgement, Sire, in preposterus, and inept citing of the sayinges of the ancien doctors, and I fear, that ye haue rather giuen credite and faith to others that hath traueled in this wicked cause be­fore yow, nor hath red them your self.

When a man is affectioned, then O Lorde how [...]asalie is he transported, what so euer he readeth making it to serue to his purpose this, thinketh he is to be s [...]ked, here is mē ­tion of the masse, here is worde of a Sacrifice, here one oblation, what so euer it be, it muste serue to the purpose with out all consideration and tryall.

This hath bene a part of my [...], to opp [...]n vp youre seik [...]es, and the cause thereof, beseiking the eternall God, to put remedie to it, if his godly pleasour be: take not this to be said in realing maner, how soeuer ye deserue to be en­treaitted, realing without all mesour, moderation, & mo­destie against the trew and holy seruandes of God, yea, ād verrie Prophets sent of his great uter [...]y, to reforme the face of the earth, which had so hor [...]idly [...]dyne [...] from God, and his obedience, but ra [...]her, Si [...]r, think and iudge it to be said of a zealus har [...], desyring and thristing moste ear­nistlie your conuersion, and vnfeyned repentance. Iames after that he hath thus praysed him & as it is wryttē in the old Prouerbes, Mules claweth euer one other, then requireth he for his memories cause a rehearsal be made of the whole disputation, to the which reasonable desyre as he is verrie gentle in suche cares, how soeuer he appear to be otherwayes, he granteth wyllinglie and first bringeth him bak to it that wes principal of the whole disputation: If the masse be a sacrifice instituted by Iesus Christe, in his lat­ter Supper, which he taketh to be clearly prouen, but vpō this mater, I wyll sp [...]a [...] no thing, but require the reader to call to remembrence, what hath bene spoken against his defi [...]ition, the gr [...] and fundation of it drawen out of the wordes of the la [...]er Supper, in the which wordes, there is no commandement giuen of oblation, nor Sacri­fice, but onely to do that which he had done, to take bread, giue thankes, break, and distribute it, and all in remem­brence of his death, the which being thus practeist, they myght be assured of his verie body and blood, to be there­by nurished and refresh [...]d vnto eternall felicitie.

[Page 87]The inconueniences, and absurdities, that doeth ensue of youre oblatioun, hath bene declared, how ineptlie and improperlie ye adduce Malachie, the trew meanyng and sense of the Prophet hath bene shawen by the vniuersall consent and exposition of the most godlie, some do think the mynd of the Prophete there, to signifie, & forewarne the vocation of the Gentiles, and nations, by a maner of speache familiare to the Prophetes, to wit, by the inward and spirituall maner & forme of worshipping, set furth ac­cording to the worshipping of the lawe, to Prophecie the vocation of the nations together with the reiection of the Iewes. In whose place they war to be receaued & adopted

As in there whole workes, The thinges that were to be plan­ted be Iesus christ at his cū myng fo­rewarn­ned and setfurth▪ by the prophets vnder the rytes and figures then vsed. we haue the gyftes exhibited vnto vs, in Iesus Christe, paynted furth, by the figures, aggreing to there age, as the conuersion to God, by the passing vp to Ierusalem, his adoration by the offring of al kynd of gyftes, and Sacrifices, and by the visions & drea­mes, we haue the foresignification of that great knowlege, that wes to be geuen to the elect, and chosen at the [...]y­umphant Reuelation of the eternall Sonne of God, Iesus so that this place of Malachie, is euen all lyke to that, that is spoken of the three Altares, to be erected in Assiria, E­gypt, and Iudea, for if ye be of that opinion, that this Prophecie of Isaie is fulfilled, and accompleshed ye must schaw to me, where, and when these alteres wer erected, and further, if euery kingdome hath a certayne temple ap­poynted or one altare for the self, and if ye wyll make an­swer to these, I truste ye wyl be drowen to confess [...], that the Prophets vnder the formes, types, and figures aggreing and consonant to there aiges, forwarneth the dila [...]ation of the kingdome of God, at the exhibition of his sonne Ie­sus Christe.

Besyddes this, I haue showen how miserably ye are deceaued, thinking that there is no other Sacrifice, but your masse. Notwithstanding that the faithfull now styll offereth to God, a cleane and vndefyled oblation, as we haue alreadye spoken. The similitude and comparison of our Sauiour, with Melchisedec out of the author to the Hebreues, is explaned, and to it adioyned, the interpreta­tion of the wordes of Dauid, In the 110. Psalme, which wordes no wayes apperteyneth to any oblation of breade and wyne, but to the perpetuitie of his kingdome, with­out [Page] any fallow or successour, for it is plane that Melchise­dec made no oblation of bread and wyne to God, where­of there is no mention, but onely broght them furth to A­braham, and his wearryed Armie, as Chrysostomus, and Iosephus doeth note, and there shall be any place to con­iecture & probabilitie, but we oght not trouble our selues with the cause, wherefore Abraham so did, but rather to keip silence with the spirit of God. And if any oblation shalbe granted in the Lordes table, it is of bread ād wyne, to be sanctified, and conuerted to one Sacramentall vse, frome a prophane and naturall, and not to be transubstan­ciated in the body ād blood of our Sauiour, for then the similitude shall peryshe, so that no thing can make more against the reall presence, nor this, as haethbene she­wen.

How ye are abused in the Pasouer Lambe, thinking all the poyntes, partes, and ceremonies of it, to be performed in the latter Supper, as no part of it, should foresignifie, or apperteyne to the Sacrifice of the Croce, I truste ye be alreaddy conuicted, within your self, by it that is spoken, for we haue not to iudge, nor esteame (how euer we haue spoken of this mater before) the Sacramentes of the an­cien Fathers to be figures of the Sacraments of the new Testament, Contra. Fast. 2. Lib. cap 2. what soeuer similitude or aggremēt be betuix them, but they be all together figures of our redemption in Christe, conforme to the saying of Augustine, the Sacramentes of the old Law, sayeth he, are Figures paynting furth the thinges that were to be accompleshed, and performed in the Croce of Iesus Christe, in whome we haue the whole perfection of all, and in our Sacramentes we celebrat the memorie of the benefites purchassed vnto vs, by his passion, and death.

Trew it is, that in that, that it wes eaten, a sufficient nombre called theirto, and appoynted to be practeist in re­mēberence of there myghtie, & wonderfull delyuerence, it hath a certane aggrement ād conformitie with the Lordes table, but how it is a lyuelie figure of the passion of oure Sauiour, representing it moste properlie haeth bene de­clared.

How fondlie, and ignorantlie ye bryng in the figures, and allegories out of the old Tastament, to cōfirme your doctryne, hath also bene sufficientlie expressed, but in this [Page 88] part as y [...] mo [...]te reioyce, so ye expone your self, euen to be iested and la [...]the [...] at be the verrie Ba [...]es, and Infantes, seiking a corespondence, and conformitie, betuix the figure & it that is represēted by the figure, for, as I haue said, this wes the cullour & clo [...] [...]tended by them, that affirmed Symon Cyreneus to haue suffred the death, and not our Sa­uiour, he being supposed in our Sauiours rowme lyke as we read of the Ram, that wes offred vp for Isaac: be werre that ye be not perceaued to be of this sorte of men and opi­nion, which in dede, we must conclude of yow, if yow per­sew obstinatlie the cōgruence of the figure, with the thing figurat by it. Vpō this wes declared that suche allegories, be no ꝓbations, nether yet are adduced to serue for any ar­gumentes to confirme any poynt of doctryne in the new Testament otherwayes doutsum, but sumtymes to shew the conformitie of our doctryne, with the doctryne of the old Fathers: sumtymes to exorne, and dilate the mater al­readdy prouen: and sum tymes are produced in contempt of them that can not content them with the simplicitie of the doctryne of Christe, but cryeth and gaippeth after sig­nes, tokennes, and wondres: as to them that now de­syreth the veritie of the Euangel to be confirmed by mira­cles▪ we may moste iustlye giue the answer, that they shall haue no other nor the laying vp of Iesabell in hir bed, or any suche other seruing to that purpose.

Now that ye haue showē your ignorāce of ātiquitie, & of the Greik tonge, in cyting the fathers, what euer ye bragge hereof, I truste it be manifest: where lykewise wes de­clared, what oght to be concedet to the Fathers and ge­nerall conciles, to wit, that they are to be receaued so farre as they keip them by the precyse reule of the text of God, where they shal excead this boundes ād leane to them sel­ues, then haue we to iudge of them, as they did of others before there aige.

What apperteyneth to general counciles duely conuey­ned without tyrannie, hath bene exponed, to wit, that they euer erre, when as they take any thing vpon them more nor they are able to manteyne by the Scripture. When so­euer they exeade, or taketh vpon them to bynd the cōsciēce of man to that, which is left fre by the spirit of God, or to determine any thīg agaīst the Scripture then not only the whole multytude, but any priuate man ought and should oppone them, oght and should intercede, oght and should [Page] resist, and withstand as Paphuntius to the whole concile of Nice, & sindry others at other tymes. It hath bene sēbla­bly declared that the conciles [...]y [...]ed by yow, serueth yow no thing, but rather maketh against yow, and thus I as one appoynted by the rest of the brenthren, and of the smal­lest sheweth and declareth al godly to be offended with you all places of Scripture cyted by yow, to be impertinent­lie applyed to your wicked purpose, & trusteth to haue ꝓ­uen manifestlie by the Scriptures, the masse to be the most wicked abhominable and deuyllishe inuention, that euer proceded of the forge of Sathan, yea, and all defenders ād may n [...]teinars of i [...], to be membres of the Antichrist; since it is prouen, to be a thing of suche nature, that it vtterlie spoylleth the Sonne of God, of the dignitie of his eternall preisthead, defaceth the glorie of the Croce of Iesus Christ and feyghteth directlie against the heauenlie benefite an [...] threasour of the holy Communion.

And in this action, I regard not who be in my contra­re, what soeuer Iames is broght in he [...], speaking (at the plesoure of th [...]s Authour againste his conscience) of the Disciples of the Apostles and the ancien fathers, who maketh no thing against me nether yet ment any thing of the masse, but albeit so were, we haue to say with Aristotle, that it is a thing most holy to preferre the veritie to frein­des, and with Paule, that if one Angell of heauen should [...] any other thing, nor we are teached by Iesꝰ Christ [...]ee muste prenunce it, Anathema accurse.

Now wyll I leap ouer a question casten in by Iames, of the cause of varietie or opiniōs in these dayes, which is no mater to be astonied with all, since this is the continu­all battell, and exercise of the Churche of God, frome the begynning, yea, and is not without a great proffite to the holy Churche, and a singulare comforte to euery mem [...]re thereof, albeit that God most iustlie auengeth, and [...] hereby the cōtempt of his word, the prophanatiō of his or­dinances, and the polluting of his Sanctuarie, in dede we be hereby teached and admonished of our horrible apo­stasie, and declyning frome God, we are led as it were to the hie waye; and broght againe to the originall, whiche is the first Institution, and ordinance of Iesus Christe, whose voice onely should be herd and against the whiche no man oght to repyne.

[Page 89]This being done, that is the inuentions of men, separa­ted and eiected, the ordinances of our Scoole Maister erected and set vp euerie where, in their owen naturall cleanes and simplicitie, t [...]n shall we haue concorde and aggrement, & til that be Let no man think that it is able to a treane or haue any quietnes, how so euer we shall procead sufficient witnes of This is the aggrement of all reformed Churches.

Now let vs with this Author, returne to our purpose, and examine the thre heades of his persuasion, out of the old and new Testaments, and the doctrine of Vin­centius Lyrmenses, which seameth so notable, so weigh­ty, and of such consequence to this Author, that it can not be refelled. The argument is drawen out of Tom­stallus, Bishop of Durame, howsoeuer this glorius di­uine decketh it vp in an other and new apperell.

The first head of your persuasion is. ‘That we sall neuer read the people of Israell, quha le­uid vnder the seruitude and boundage of cir­cumcision, in expectation of Christes cuming till haue bene abused with Idolatrie, the space of. 40. zeires, or at the maist, the space of a māis liftime, but anes in y • time thai war broght to the knawledge of thair Lorde god and it is thay war neuer vniuersally geuin to Idolatrie, how than is it possible, that all Christiane men beand Baptised in the name of Iesus Christe, beleuang surely, that he is already cumin, Sauiour and Redemer of the warlde, hes leuid vniuersally, in perpetuall Idolatrie, thir. 1550▪ zeires and mair, without repugnance or gainstanding, be the pro­uision of God, and sa furth.’

Ye conclude, that ether the Lorde hath more s [...]lenderly entreated vs, nor the Iowes, or then the masse is not Idolatrie, this Author doeth verie wisely, to tearme [Page] this argument, and call it a persuation, for albeit it may appeare to haue some colloure to persuade, yet hath it no pith nor strenth to conuince, geuing, it were trew, which shalbe declared and prouen moste [...]als and vntrew.

Consider how aplty this is inferred, the Iowes wes ne­uer by the space of a mans lyfetyme, suffered to be in Ido­latrie, how can it then be, that all Christianes hath conti­newed in Idolatrie, these. 1550. yeares, the conclusion is gathered hereof, ergo, the masse is not Idolatrie, for this howsoeuer ye procead by a disiunctiue, ye wold conclude and affirme.

Consider and examine the argument your self, and pro­nounce; if ye find any weight with it, but I pray you, sin [...]e ye thus take vpō you the knowledge of Scriptures, how take ye this vpon you to affirme, that the Iowes wes ne­uer in Idolatrie, by the space of a mans lifetyme, the text and historie being so plaine, that the children of Israell perseuered and remaned still Idolaters, from the tyme of Ieroboā, who set vp the golded Calues, and made Israel to sinne, til the tyme of their eiection & vtter exterminion.

Trew it is, that from tyme to tyme, God starred vp Prophets, to admonishe and rebuke the people, of their defection from him, yet do we neuer read, no vniuersall reformation, nor harty repentance, where do ye read, that euer the statutes of Amrie, Mich. 6. Chap. as the prophet doeth speak, and before him, the Actes of Ieroboam, yea, euen of parliamēt erecting and serting vp Idolatrie, which did stil multiply and encrease, during the dayes and reigne of. 19. Kinges in Israel, beginning at Ieroboam, and ending at Hoseas, vnder whom come their distruction: the cause being assig­ned in these wordes: the Sōnes of Israel, imagyned wic­ked thinges against the Lorde their God, to buyld themselues heigh places in their times. 2. Regu. 17. &c.

The Prophets rebuketh, euen the verie Trybe of Iu­dath, for the same cryme, notwithstanding the Temple, the Religion, and preisthead placed and remaning still with them and the promes of God, made to Dauid and Salomon, yet did they continually decline & follow their sister Israel, going aw [...]oring after strange and vncouth Gods.

It can not be denyed, but some faithfull Kinges they had, yet wes neuer the people reduced to the full and per­site [Page 90] obedience of God, from Idolatrie, till the tyme of Iosias, who taken away, without any further delay, they re­turne to their fals Gods, and still follow them, till they wer lykewise extermin [...]. Let vs rype the mater heigher Consider how easylie Adame created in all perfection and innocency is drawen from God, consider the staite of the world from Adame to Noie, where is the nomber of the godly, when we read, the Sonnes of God caried away by the doughters of men, and the whole nomber of the godly redacted to a certane family, and concluded in eight per­sones, yea and of the which persones, some were wicked. What do ye iudge here, of the permission of God? stryking as it were, the whole earth with blindnes, and ignorance of his worde, yea, and haynus Idolatrie, which ye shall finde to haue dured. 1556. yeares, what finde ye after the restitution, finde ye not the posteritie of Noie, to returne to the impietie of their Fathers, and continew therein ill the calling of Abraham? who out of the fyre of Idolatrie wes called, to the knowledge of God: and so the whole to haue continewed in impietie, from the tyme of the Flood, till Abrahames calling, the space of. 363. yeares.

Now will I pas by Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, and the tyme of the Patriarches, and of their being in Egypt, and liue you to consider, how Moyses and Aaron are trou­bled with the people in the Vildernes, and after them, Iosuah, and will enter into the historie of the Iudges. What defection read ye there from God, that albeit he raised vp men, from tyme to tyme to their defence, yet they do rinne headlinges after fals Gods.

But here ye will obiect and reply. Trew it is, that they declined horribly, but they were euer admonished of their defection and Idolatrie: if thou meanest vniuersally that God admonished the whole world, the Apostle doeth manifestly conuict thee, saying, God sufferred in the aiges before passed, all the Gentiles, to walk in their owē way­es, that is, to be headlinges led in Idolatrie. If thow sayest, he admonished his owen, so, say I, hath God done for [...] tyme to tyme, he hath stirred vp some to ad­mo [...]ish [...] and rebuke the world of impietie, or at least his owen, being wrapped amongest Idolaters.

Trew it is, that euer from the tyme of the Apostles iniquitie and corruption, hath bene creaping and entering in, [Page] as we may obserue by the workes of all the Ancients, whose cheif studie and trauell wes against heresies: so that the primitiue Church lacked not men that did admonishe all of defection and declining frome the former and origi­nal puritie of the worde and Religion, in whose aiges, as we haue already declared at large, wes no masse, nor this your masse neuer had place, till the tyme of the vastation of Gotthes and Wandalles, as we haue somwhat touched before, when the people might or durste not conuene for feare, and so did they chuse to them selues, euerie one a Sacrificer, at the exemple of Michah. And thus wes the beginning of your masses, alwayes the preistes findinge the Roste sappy, large luces, gaines, auantage, they be­ginne to deck vp the whore, not vnlyke to Hesiodus Pan­dora, setteth her furth a whoring with the Princes, and no dout, some godly men in these aiges hath espyed and tryed furth her impietie, albeit there names be suppressed, that the fore signification of Ioanne the diuine made in his Reuelatiō, might haue place of the great silence should ensew the laying vp of Iesabell in bed, which silence con­tineweth from the latter parte of the Second Chapiter, til the .17. where the damnation of that whore is foreshewē, Iudi. 17. and the cause of the same to haue bene her fornication, and the shedding of the blood of the Sainctes, with the which, she hath bene drunken. But wonder it is, that ye can finde none that hath bene offēded with the face, regimēt, opinion, doctrine, rytes, and maners of your Churche, before the dayes of Vickleafe, and Ihon Hus. If ye be so well sene in the antiquities as ye bragge, ye can not be ignorant that Anachdrite, who separated them selues from the common societie of men, are of long aige. If there had bene nothing that offended them, euen in the face and re­giment of the Church, it had not onely bene foly, but also impietie to haue separate them from the company of the faithfull, I do not allow their fact in all thinges, but the separating of their selues is an euident argument, that they were moued by some prick of conscience, to auoide the publick corruption, that then beganne to grow in the Church.

The diuers mutations and changes that we read in Monachatu, or in your monkish Religion declareth the same, for if they had bene fully content with the publick [Page 91] ordour, they should neuer haue inuented an other. It chansed to them, I grant as did to sectes before the mani­festation of Iesus Christe, that is, the forther they decly­ned from the common soci [...]ie of the people, and of the ac­customed Religion, the deipper they fell in damnable er­rors. But yet their first motion proceaded, I say, frome offence conceaued in the publick error, so that all their de­fections and particulare Religions were complantes, and as we may call them accusations of that Religion which wes commonly receaued.

If I should bring furth the complaintes and accusatiōs of the moste learned, amongest the Ancients, of the confu­sion and insolency of there aiges, and specially of these that sharply reprehended your mother Rome, her pryde, inuy, iudgement and doctrine, I should spend no small tyme.

Your owen Hierome feared not to tearme her ofter then ones, Babilon, and Pupurata mereitr [...]x, and affirme that the inuy of the clergie of that sait, wes so intollerable, that i [...]compelled Tertuliane to fall to the error of Montanus Augustine cōpleaned, that the Church wes burdined with superfluitie of ceremonies in his tyme, how vehemently Gregorie, Ambrose, Bernard, and others, inuey against the insolent liues of the Clergie, ye can not (excepte ye wilfully will) be ignorant: and if ye obiect that these com­pleane of maners, but impugne no doctrine publickly receaued, we shall finde y • on some▪ we read of Bertra­illus, who in the tyme of Charlemagne, and at his desyre confuteth the impius opinion of transubstantiation, and after him Berengarins: Vickleafe in de [...]d, goeth neirer the quick, & oppenneth vp the whole poyson and vncouereth the whores head, plainely pronouncing the masse to be Idolatrie, to him succeadeth Ihon Hus; and Hieronimꝰ Pragensis, and others in that aige, [...]o from tyme to tyme the mater hath bene conducted so by the Spirite of God, that there be none so deaf, but they haue [...] her forni­cation, none so blind, but they haue sene it, to the great cō ­fusion and shame of all her pertakers. Thus ye are cō ­uicted of two manifest lies, one of the Isralites, and the people of God, them I haue showen to haue bene giuen ouer in Idolatrie, during the tyme of many Kinges, and if we shall haue recurse to the beginning, we shall finde thousād years, and long aiges, and so furth▪ There is no faute [Page] with God, who hath giuen vs his Law, laide it before vs, hath kept nothing back of his will, and holy mysteries, but hath in all pointes sufficiently reueiled them.

Thus we be conuicted moste worthy of induration, be­ing the Authors of this defection from him, and contempt of his reule and Lawes. The Second vntreuth is this, that ye affirme your masse to haue continued this. 1500. yeares, since it is prouen, no such impietie to haue bene knowen in the tyme of the Fathers, and all their meanin­ges to be referred to the holy and blissed communion.

Now followeth the Second head of the new Testament, where this Author writteth thus.

‘It is writtin in the Euangel, the ꝓmes quhilk our Sauiour maid to his Apostles, and to all vther faithfull Ministers in the Kirk of God, to the end of the warld, on this maner, I sall pray the Father, and he sall giue you ane v­ther conforter, that may byde with zow for euer the Spirite of veritie, quhen was this promes fulfillit of our Lorde Iesus Christe, towardes the Spirite of veritie to his Kirk and faithfull Ministers? Gif all the ministers of the same, and all vthers of Christes Kirk hes beleuit vniuersally in perpetuall Idolatrie sen the tyme of Christe, to thir oure dayes.’

And thus concludeth this Author, that he is compelled by this argumēt, to affirme that the masse is no Idolatrie, or then the Lordes promes hath not bene fulfilled, accor­ding to the Scriptures, for we are assured (sayeth this Author) by all writers that the masse hath bene vniuersal­ly approuen in all aiges, yeares and tymes, euer since the tyme of Iesus Christe our Lorde, to these our miserable dayes.

Of the promes of God we dout not, of the performance of it we be lykewise assured, but your masse to haue bene thus vniuersally receaued and approuen, since the tyme of Christe, till this aige, this is a manifest vntreuth, for the Ancients neuer knew it, nether yet did euer the Greik [Page 92] Church receaue or authories it, yea, euen in this our aige, The masse ne­uer erec­ted til the Bis­hope of Rome inuaded the su­premacy yet still hath no priuate masse, ye faill then in this, and is miserably abused, taking it to haue bene vniuersally recea­ued, since the tyme of Christe: till these dayes, which is a greatlie, and thereupon I wil ioyne this Issue with you that ye are not able to proue your masse, euer to haue bene erected in the occidentall Church, till the tyme of the su­premacie of Rome, till the tyme that the Bishoppes of Rome inuaded and vsurped the impyre and tirāny aboue their brethren.

What assistance they haue had of the Spirite of God, promest to his Church, their doctrine & workes testifieth, the iust plague, vengeance, and damnation of that great whore; that sat vpon many watters; which now hes en­sewed, doeth witnes. I will send you to the Reuelation of Iohn, where ye shall finde your mother the whore of Rome, so painted furth with her cullors and properties, Reue. 17 as if he had euen luked vpon her, and all her filthy and horrible fornication, the cuppe declared, whereof she had impoysoned the Princes about her. Shall we think that albeit God gaue ouer this stinking, vyle, and common harlote, in her owen vanitie, & suffred her to go a whoing as he threatneth the doughter of Iudah by the Prophet, till the measure of her iniquities be fulfilled: Shall we think, I say againe, that Gods holy Spirite is not with his Church: with the Greikes it is manifest, who euer did see the impietie of Rome, and neuer did receaue their constitutions, yea, and here in these partes of the occident no dout, In lib. de ementits donatione constanti. but in all aiges hath bene men that hath withstād such impietie, as we haue Larentius Valla, arguing that saite of a manifest, vntreuth and rapine, where he proueth all to be lies, that is vainted and blawen by the Roma­nistes, of the donation of Constantine Emperour, and so consequently may be easylie gathered, that they inuaded tirrannycally & rauenuslie other mens possessions, be lyke the Emperour being occupied in the orient: and others hath bene, that hath noted the wickednes and impietie of that saite, as their owen Histories: lyke as we shall neuer seik, nor lay against them any sharper probation, nor shal­be drawen out of their writers, and especially of them that hath bene moste quicke and sharpe against their impius doctrine. The Names of many we haue not, that place [Page] might be to the great silence, forewarned by Ihon, and it is not to be douted, Reue. 2. but God had his owen in all tymes, albeit vnknowen to man, according to his answer to Eli­ah. I haue left to me Seuen thousand, that hath not bow­ed their knie before Baall. This shall suffice for answer to the Second head of your persuasion. 1. Reg. 19

Now let vs come to Vincentius Lirinensis, an Author in verie deid vnknowen to me at the tyme when I did firste read your treatie, and so wes driuen to inquire of others, if they had at any tyme ether redde this Vincentiꝰ, or herd of him, they could shew me nothing, but appeared to be glaid, neuer to haue had any thing to do with him. Last of all within a short space, I require of him at one of our brethren, who shew me the verie way to come by him: the way wes this, to ask of him at some freir or monk, which wes hard to finde in this great ra [...]itie and scantues of that byke, I thoght well with my self, he had bene a Dortor man, howsoeuer he hath bene a throt cutter. This way at last, did I atteane to my man, and pull him out of the Dortor to the battell againe, and shuke the Coul from him, to make him for his firste profession, the warre: for in the beginning of his laudable (so speaketh of it this Author, as he had bene his Armor bearer) he dissimleth not that he had receaued wages, and I dout not but he wes worthy of them, wearied alwayes with the trauell, and his handes litted with blood spilling, he giueth him to be a Monk in some Eremerage belyke (for there wes no o­ther Monkes in that aige, if he be so olde as this Author pretendeth) where he might appease God, Sacrific [...] Christiane humilitatis, by the Sacrifice, yet alwayes of no masse, but of a Christiane humilitie. Well, he proceadeth and giueth the thre notes, whereby a godly doctrine shalbe discerned and tryed from vngodly and superstitious, anti­quitie, vniuersalytie, and consent, which being ioyned with the fundation of trew doctrine, proceading from the Spirite of God, no dout, may moue muche to cause the doctrine to be embraced, as we se the people of Sichar firste moued by the wordes of the Samaritane woman, Ihon. 4. to beleue Christe, but after they had herd them selues, then pronounce they plainely, that not for her [...]ermone they be­leued, but we haue herd him speake, and we know him to be Christe the Sauiour of the world. If the wordes & [Page 93] notes of your Dortor man, shalbe thus taken, I will go with you. But if ye will hereby think that these thre con­curring, are sufficiēt to establish any doctrine, otherwayes doutsome and fond, that I will vtterly deny, and proue to be a manifest blasphemie and vntreuth, for the Church of God hath no way nor reule to iudge and discerne betuix godly doctrine and wicked, but the Scripture, The on­ly mea­ne and way to trie treu doctrine is the scripture of God. whatsoeuer we finde here commanded, that haue we to receaue with all reuerence and expedition, it that is not here, or is re­pugnant to this, to iudge it wicked and impius.

Shall we think that antiquitie shall preiudge the holy or­dinances of God, ether yet vniuersalitie or consent? Shal we think that the'boke of the Law Deuteronomium should not be receaued, because it had bene suppressed and tynt alōg time? To the ordināces of God, howsoeuer they haue bene cōtemned by the space of one aige, two, thre, foure, fiue, yea, a thousand aiges, yet are they euer to be receaued with all humilytie, trimbling and feare. But let vs consider, what is to be giuen to euerie head of these thre notes, and first of antiquitie, whereof ye bragge most, for that ye haue continually in mouth, the masse is so olde hath continued this long, and so furth. Shal this be now casten away, that hath bene so long reteyned?

Firste I haue answered, it to be fals, that ye affirme to be trew, for there wes no masse in the Apostles dayes and tyme, nor yet in the primitiue Church, so that it is cleare to any that is wel versed and sene in antiquitie, that there wes no such abuse, a fiue hundreth yeares or longer, yea, and albeit this your masse had bene as ye falsly pretend in the dayes of the Apostles, Shall we think that sufficient to proue, and declare it to be good, which is a manifest impietie? God forbid.

How olde I pray you is the Deuill, Author of all ini­quitie & impiet [...]e? How long is it since the fall of Adame? In this ye may consider the nature of the world, that euen since the creation, hath abused and inuēted wicked wayes, to draw the people from the obedience of God, yea, and euen then when it appeared that the restitution promest by the Prophetes, wes so accomplished in Iesus Christe, that all lies and errors were vtterly rooted out and remo­ned, yet do we see and reade, wickednes to haue bene set vp, lies to haue abounded, to haue oppressed and ob­scured the veritie, and the Religion of God prophaned [Page] and broght in contempt.

Consider I pray you, what Cipryane writeth contra Aquarios, who euen in his aige did alledge and lay for them antiquitie. Pas, pas thy way (sayeth he) with thy antiquitie, for in so farre as it is preiudiciall to the institu­tion of our Sauiour Iesus Christe, and to the right vse that he gaue vnto vs, it muste be condamned and the more Ancient that a custome be, it is the more pestilent and per­nicius, because that thereby men be wrapped vp in a more deipe induration of hartes, and all cloike and couer­ture of excusation is taken frome them: and this same Author speaking to this same purpose. Our maister Christ (sayeth he) sayeth not, Ergo sum consuetudo: but he sayeth, Ergo sum veritas that is, This is to be estemed lait­ly inuented that is diuy­sed by mā how old soeū it be. Christ sayeth not I am consuetude but I am veritie. I might adduce out of Augustine, Chri­sostome, and others of the Ancientes places to this pur­pose, but iudgeing it to be plaine and sufficiently prouen, I supersead further probation. Since the Ancients refel­leth abuses, what cloik of antiquitie soeuer be pretended, let neuer our selues be so caried away after wickednes, that euer we giue place to it for any pretence: but let vs in deid consider if it hath the fundation of the treuth of God, and not laitly diuised, inuented, and set furth by man, for that is to be iudged laitly inuented, whatsoeuer man hath diuised in the worshipping of God, lyke as your masse is, whatsoeuer antiquitie ye bragge of.

Your Second note is vniuersalytie, to the which what weight of ꝓbation oght to be giuen, it is easy lykewise to cōsider, we know the Alcorane to be of greater antiquitie, and receaued vniuersally in mo Regions and countries, nor euer your masse hath bene. The Turkes religion is more older ād more vnniuersa­lie reca­ued nor the masse Shall we then by this note, authories and allowe it to be good. But ye restraine this note of vniuersalytie to Christendome, to this I an­swer, that the Grecians, who euer hath bene more witty and godly men, nor the Latines did neuer receaue your masse, and amongest the Latines them selues, we haue not to think, The mi­serable end of the Popes kīgdom. but some men did espy the great vanitie and superstition of it, albeit their Names be suppressed, that the great silence foresignified by Ioanne might haue place but now darre I bouldly affirme in the Name of God, the horne of their kingdome to be doune thrung, and neuer to be erected againe. Remember the golden Calf erected by [Page 94] Ieroboam, vniuersally receaued throughout all Israell and continued till their vtter extermination and after. The ma­sse com­pared to Iero­boams golden Calues. This is the confort and exemple I had to say before your eyes, that be papistes, and ga [...]peth thus busylie, and anxiuslie for the masse.

Thy thride note of consent, which ye defyne to be a cer­tane aggreablenes, in a doctrine without any faction or diuision, is not much differrent frome vniuersalyt [...]e, and I will to that point answer you in one worde, that it all the Nations of the world should consent and aggre toge­ther, in any thing that is vnlofull, vnhonest, and vngodly, Euery one oght to oppone him self to vn­treuth. it is no more to be regarded, nor if any priuate mā should affirme it, and I say further, that a priuate man oght, may and should withstand and oppone him self thereto. We know the craft of the Deuill, euer to haue bene since the beginning, to sturre vp Realmes, nations, and countries, against the treuth, yea, and euen in the places that be espe­cially called by God, The craft of the deuil euer to deface the tre­uth. sainctified and consecrated to the praise and glorie of his holy Name, that there he maketh his greatest effort, to supplant, distroy, peruert, and deface the whole. How his interpryses prospered amongest the Children of Israell, the peculiare, chosen, and adopted people of God, it is plaine by the Historie, and what vic­torie he hath had amongest the Christianes, the experience yet still teacheth vs. How he troubleth, stormeth, and rageth now, when as by the mercifull visitation of our God, his shiftes and craft are oppened vp, his members and ministers knowen, and the horne of his kingdome ouerthrowen, yea, and the masse the principal instrument of his forge vtterly broken (which ye in the conclusion of this treaty say, Luther wes forbidden by the Deuil, to the great contempt and ignominie of that godly man, euen as it were, a great absurditie, that the Deuill shall speak any thing that is trew: otherwayes we be instructed by the Spirite of God, to wit, the treuth plainely confessed by the Deuill, the Sonne of God acknowledged in Euange­listes, and in the Actes of the Apostles, read the .19. Chap. and thus take home your change againe) euerie man may iudge. I am assured that the Deuil hath these thre notes, antiquitie, vniuersalytie, and consent▪ that ye require in a godly doctrine, so of your doctrine may conclude, the Deuill to be God, and his doctrine to be godly, yea, and [Page] a great iniury is done to him, in that, that he is eiected, since he may enter in iudgement and plead his cause, lay­ing for him antiquitie, Tak hed to your notes Papists. vniuersalytie, and consent, foure thousand yeares ringing [...]mongest the Gentiles: but haue ye neuer red that the way is strait, that leadeth to Sal­uation, and few enters by it, but the way that leadeth to perdition, is ample and spacius, and many shal enter in it.

Math. 7.Now hauing particularlie refitted your notes, in the which ye earnistlie reioyce, and applye to the masse, moste vntreulie, An fals doctrin and a bastard and wic­ked wyr­shipping of God, are verie plagues albeit they be cōforta­ble and necessary for the exercise of the Church. I wyll conclude, that albeit the masse had all antiquitie, ye can pretend, vniuersalitie ioyned, and consent all this is no thing, we haue not to do, but to weip and be­uaile our Synnes, and iniquities, in punition whereof the eternall of his great Iustice, powreth furth his wraith, stryketh his people with blyndnes, permitteth them to rynne headlynges to perdition, and a whooringe after Idolatrie, and I beleue to haue prouen sufficientlie there wes neuer a greater nor the masse, all kynd of impietie being conteyned in it and it not vnlyke to Hydra Lernea, spoutting furth her poyson to the infection of all.

Secundlie, we haue to Iudge it wicked and abomina­ble, since it hath not the fundation in Scripture. For all thing schorlie that is inuented by man, to the worshhip­ping of God, is Idolatrie, and abomminable, according to our first proposition. The Virgines, Martyres, and Confessores, nether did approue the masse, nor yet suffer for it, but for the testimonie of the name of Iesus Christe, And the profession of his faith, with all constancy: & now in this aige, when it hath pleased our God to discloise the horrible wickednes of it, neuer ōe did ī any age suffre for the defence of of masse. how many haue we sene offre there lytle finger to the fyre for it. And thow thy self, glo­rious Doctor, if thow were not at thyne ease in all securi­tie and quietnes, thow should not thus blaw of it: and the tryal of fyre were sett vp to thee I fear thou should schrink and desyre some tyme to adwyse,

In the confutation of thy masse, nether cleane we to anti­quitie nor vniuersalitie, nor yet consent, but affirme con­stantlie that it is the duetie of euery man to refelle reiect and condamne it by the Scripture of God, lyke as we ha­ue in that the constant & vniuersale cōsent, without any variāce, schisme or diuisiō of the moste part of all Christin­dome, and so may boldlie pronunce it one accurse, and [Page 95] vtterlie to be exterminated out of al realmes: which work, Amos 9. Act. 11▪ as God hath begunne of his infinite mercy, so will he conduct it potently, to the praise of his holy Name, the confort of all godly, the erecting of the Tabernacle of Dauid, ād reparation of the ruines thereof. Amen. Haste Lorde and tary not.

FINIS.

TO this treaty of the masse, this Author subiuneth a certane addition, which he tearmeth appendix, and that of the ceremonies and orations that be vsed in the masse, going about to proue them institute, made and appointed by the Ancient godly Fathers, which as partly manifestly fals, partly wicked, impius, vnlearned, and blasphemus, I haue iudged vnworthy of any answer, and will send him to these common sanges, that be sung euerie where at Tables, paynting furth, declaring and geuing to euerie man his owen parte ād portion, in this dissagui­sed masque, in such sorte that not without moste iuste cause it is compared to a beggers cloik, being thus patched and clamped, of so many peaces, so many variant, diuers and sindrie cullors. Vaine it were, and superfluus to me, ha­uing already confuted the whole, hauing refelled his eight confirmations, whereof he braggeth so much, to trauell herein. In consideration, that plainely he granteth all these ceremonies, prayers, and orations, to be inuented by men, set to and added by men, to this monster, and fynally, nowayes to leaue to Gods commandement and worde: and so shall we shortly conclude, the masse to haue nothing to do with the institution of our Maister and Sauiour, nether in the substance, as I haue plainely prouen by the Scriptures, Counciles, and godly Fathers, nor yet in ceremonies and prayers, as is her confessed by you, Sire, and so moste iustly we haue reiected it, and iudgeth it to be the greatest abhomination that euer wes inuented by Sathan, and the moste haynus Idolatrie, that euer entered in the Sainctuarie and Church of God.

Lorde oppen his eyes that he may see. So be it.

Imprinted at Edin­burgh, by Robert Lekpreuik, and are to be sould at his hous at the nether Bow. Anno. 1563. Cum priuilegio.

Ite, Missa est.

Ire licet: missa hinc quo debit ire remissa est.
Nempe ad tartareum trans phlegetonta Patrem.

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