¶ The masse is Idolatry.

[Page]I worshipping, honoring, or seruice inuēted by y^e brain of mā in y^e ligiō of God w^tout his own ex­presse cōman̄demēt, is Idolatrie: The masse is inuēted bi y^e brain of mā, w^tout any cōmēdemēt of god Therfore it is Idolatry. For pro­bation of the first part, I will ad­duce none of the gē [...]iles sacrifices in which not withstandinge was les abou [...]inatiō, then hathe ben i [...] our masse. But forth of gods scrip1. Reg. 1 [...] tures, will I bring y^e witnesses of my wordes. And first let vs hear Samuel speking vnto Saul after [...]he had made sacrisice vnto the lord vpō moūt Silgal, what time his enmies approched against hi. Thou art become folish (saieth Samuel) y^u hast not obserued y^e preceptes of y^e lord, which he hath cōmā ­ded y^e. Truely y^e lord had prepared to haue stablished thy kyngdome aboue Israell for euer: but nowe thy kyngdome shal not be sure.

[Page]Let vs consider what was the offence committed by Saule: his enemyes approching, and he con­sidering that the people declined from him, and that he had not cō ­sulted with the Lorde, nor offe­red sacrifice for pacificacion of y^e Lordes wrath, by reason that Sa [...] the principall prophete and [...] it was not present, offe­reth himself bur [...]t and peace offeringe▪ [...] is the grounde of all h [...] [...]: and of this proce­deth the cause of hys election frō the [...], that he wolde ho­nor God [...], then was cōmaūded by hys expresse word. [...] none of the trybe of [...] by goddes com­maundemente to make sacrifice, [...]he office not dewe too [...] which was moste hye abho [...] before God: as by the punishment appeareth. Consider [Page] well that no exc̄usations are ad­mitted by enemyes approched, & his owne people departed frome him. He coulde not haue a lawful minister, and gladly wolde haue ben reconciled to God, and cōsul­ted with him of the ende & chance of that iourney. And therefore he the kyng (anoynted by goddes cō maundemente) maketh sacrifice. But none of all these were admitted by God: but Saule was pro­nunced foolishe and vayn. For no honoring knoweth God, nor will accept: without it haue y^e expresse commandemēt of his own word, to be done in all pointes. And no commaundement was geuē vnto the kynge, to make or offerre vnto God any maner sacrifice: whiche because he toke vppon him to do, he and his posteritie was depry­ued from all honours in Israell. Neither auayled his preeminēce­the [Page] necessitie wherein he stode, [...] good [...]. But let [...]s heare more. When commaun­ [...] was [...] vnto Saule by [...] [...]. 1 [...] [...] name to destroy [...] some time [...] the people of Israel, [...] Egipt, (Aduerte [...]cute y^• peo­ple of God▪ albe [...]t youre paynes [...] differred, yet are they allredy [...] of God this people of [...] not immediatly af­ter the [...], done against Is­ [...] ▪ but long after thei [...]e to be destroyed [...], woman, infante, [...]ll, camels, and [...]lly all that lyued in that [...].

[...]de the remem­ [...] be, to all such as tro­ [...] suche as wolde fo­lows the commaundemente and [Page] vocation of God, leauinge spiri­tuall Egipte, the kyngedome of the Antichriste and y^• abomina­tions thereof. But Saule saueth the Fynge named Agag, and per­mitteth the people to saue the best and fattest of the bestiall, to the entent sacrifice shoulde be made thereof vnto God. But lette vs heare, howe thys is accepted.

Samuel befor admonished of his inobediēce, cōmynge vnto Saule a [...]feth what voyce was it whiche he hearde. The kynge aunswe­reth the people hathe saued the fattest and best beastes, thereof to make sacrifice, vnto thy God: Here may be marked, that Saule hadde [...] sure confidence in God: for he speaketh as thoughe God apperteyned nothinge vnto him. Samuel [...]s [...]ereth, suffer and I shal declare vnto y^•, what y^• Lorde hath spoken vnto the this nyghte.

[Page]And shortly he rebuketh hym moste sharpele, that he hadde not obeyed the voyce of the Lorde. But Saule standinge in opinion that he had not offended: because he did all of good entent, sayeth, I haue obeyed the Lordes voice, I haue destroyed the synners of A male of, and onely I haue saued the kyng, and the people haue preserued certen be s [...]ll to be offer­red vnto God. And so defendeth h [...] his owne worke to be iust and righteous. But therto answereth Samuel, delyteth God in burnte offering, and not rather that hys voyce be obeyed? The synne of w [...]tche [...] [...]t is not to obei his voice and to be stubborne is the syn of Idolatry. As Samuel wold say, there is nothinge that God more [...]eq [...]eth of man, then obedience to his commaundemente: yea, he [...]referreth obedience to the selfe [Page] same sacrifice ordeyned by hym self. And no syn is more odious in goddes presence, then to disobey his voyce: For y^t estemeth God so odiouse, y^t he doeth compare them to the two synnes moste abomi­nable, incantation and Idolatrye. So that disobedience to his voice is very Idolatry. Disobedience to goddes voyce is not onely whē man doeth wickedly contrary to y^• preceptes of God: but also when of good zeale or good entente, as we cōmonly speake, mā doeth any thing to y^t honor or seruice of god, not commaunded by the expresse worde of God. As in this matter plainly mai be espied. For Saule transgresseth not wickedly in mu [...] ther, adultery, or lyke external syn nes: but saue than aged and impotent king (which thing who wold not call a good dede of mercye) & permitteth the people, as saide is, [Page] [...]o saue certayn be friall to be offe­red vnto the Lord: thinking that God should therewith stand con­tent and appleased: because he & the people did it of good entent. But bothe these called Samuell Idolatry▪ First, because thei wereNota. done without anye commaunde­ment of God: & secondly, because in doyng therof he thoughte hym self not to haue offended. And y^• is principal Idolatry, when oure owne inuentions we defende too be righteous in the sight of God: because we thinke them good, laudable and pleasaunte. We maye not thinke vs so free nor wyse, that we maye do vnto God and vnto hys honor, what we thynke expedient. No, the contrary is cō ­maundedDem. 4. by God, sayenge: vnto my worde shall ye adde nothinge, nothing shalye diminish therefrō, that ye might obserue y^t preceptes [Page] of your lord God. Which words are not to be vnderstād of the de­calogue and lawe morall onely: but of statutes, rytes and ceremonies: for equall obedience of all hys lawes requireth God. 3. AndLeui. 10. in witnes therof Nadab & Abihu offeringe straunge fyre, whereof God hadde geuen vnto them no charge, were instantly as they of­fered punished to death by fyre. Strange fyre, which they offered vnto God, was a common fyre, & not of that fyre whiche God had commaunded to burne daye and night vpon the aulter of burnt sa­crifice, which onely ought to haue ben offered vnto God.

O bishoppes, ye shoulde haue kepte thys fyre, at morne and at euen oughte ye to haue layed fag­gottes therupō, your selfs oughte to haue clenged & carryed awaye the asshes: but God shal be holde.

[Page]In the punishment of these two aforesayd, is to be obserued, that Nadab and Abihu were the principall priestes next to Aarō their father, and that they were cōpre­hended, neither in aduoutry, couetonsnes, nor desyre of worldly honour, but of a good zeale & sim­ple entent were making sacrifice, desyring no profite of the people therby, but to honour God & to mitigate his wrath. And yet in y^e doyng of this self same acte & sa­crifice were they consumed away with fyre. Wherof it is plain that neither the preemmence of y^t per­son or man, that maketh or setteth vp any religion, withoute the ex­presse commaundement of God, nor yet the [...], wherof he doeth the same, is accepted before God. For nothinge in his religion will he admit without his own word: but all that is added thereto doth [Page] he abhorre, and punisheth the in­uentors and doers thereof, as ye haue heard in Nadab and Abihu, by Gedeon and diuers other Is­raelites, setting vp some thinge to honor God, whereof they had no expresse commaundement.

4. A story, whiche is recited in the popes cronicles, will I recite, whiche differeth nothinge frome this punishment of Nadab &c. Gregorius magnus in the time of the moste contagious pestilence, wherewith God punished the ini­quitie of Rome (for nowe was y^• wicked horne, that Antichrist, spronge vp, and set in authoritie) in this tyme, I saye, Gregory the pope deuised a new honpringe of God, the inuocation of sainctes, called the Latinie. Wherof in the scriptures neither is there autho­ritie nor commaundement: vppon whiche sacrilege and Idolatrye [Page] God declared his wrath, euen as he did vpon Nadab and Abihu. For in the instante houre, when first this [...]etanye was recyted in open procession (as they call it) foure score of the principal men, that recyted the same, horriblye were striken by y^e plague of God, to death all in an houre. The pa­pistes attribute this to the contagious ayre and vehemency of the plague. But it was none other thinge but a manifest declaration of goddes wrathe, for inuentinge and bringinge in into the churche a false and diabolicall religion. For whyle we desyre sainctes too make intercession and to pray for vs, what other thinge do werthen e [...]eme the aduocation of Iesus Christe not to be sufficient for vs. And what can be more deuelish? Of these precedents, it is playn, y^• no man in earthe hathe power nor [Page] authoritie to statute any thing to the honor of God, not commāded by hys owne worde

5. It profiteth nothing to say,Obiection. the churche hath power to set vp, deuise or inuent honoring of god, as it thinketh moste expedient for the glory of God. This is the con­tinuall cryeng of the papistes: the church, the church hath al power, it can not erre, for Christe sayeth: I will be with you to the ende of the world: wheresoeuer is two or thre gadered in my name, ther am I in y^• myddes of them. Of thys falsely conclude they, the churche maye do all that semeth good for the glory of God, & whatsoeuer the churche doeth, that accepteth and approueth God.

6. I could euidently proue that, which they cal y^t church, not to be y^t church & ima [...]late spouse of Iesus Christ, which doeth not erre. [Page] But presently Iaske▪ if the church of God be bounde to this perpe­tuall precept: Not that thinge, whiche appeareth righteous in thyne owne eyes, that shalt thou do, but what God hath commaū ­ded, that obserue and kepe. And if they [...]i [...]deny: I desyre to be cer­tified, who hathe abrogated and made the same of none effect. In my iudgement Iesus Christe con­firmeth the same, sayeng my shepe heare my voyce, and a straunger they will not heare, but flye from him. To heare his voyce (whiche is also the voyce of God the fa­ther is to vnderstande and obey [...]nd to flye frō a strāger, is to admit [...]e none other doctrine, wors [...]ppinge, nor honoringe of God, then hath proceded forth of his owne mouthe. As he hym self testifieth, sayeng▪ al that is of the [...]er [...]e heare my voyce.

[Page]And Paule sayeth, the churche [...] founded vpon the foundatiō of [...]e prophetes & apostles, whiche foundation no doubte is the law, and the Euangile, so that it maye commaund nothing that is not cō [...]eyned in one of the two: for if so [...]t doeth, it is remoued frō y^• onely foundation, and so ceasseth to be the churche of Christe. 7. Se­condly I wold aske, if that Iesus Christe be not kynge and head of his church? This will no man de­nye. If he be kynge, then must he do the office of a kynge, which is not onely to guyde, rule & defend his subiectes, but also to make & statute lawes, which lawes only are his subiectes bounde to obey, and not the lawes of anye forren princes. Then it becommeth the churche of Iesus Christ to aduert what he speaketh, to receyue and embrace his lawes, and where he [Page] maketh end of speaking or law ge­uing. So y^• al y^• power of y^• church is subiect to goddes worde. And that is moste euident by the com­maundement▪ geuen of God vnto Iosua his chosen c [...]p [...]ayn, & lea­der of his people, in these words: be strong and valyant, that thou maid [...] according to the holy law, whiche [...] se [...]uant [...]oses com­maunded vnto the: decline not frō it, neither to the righte hande nor to the left [...]c. Let not the boke of the law [...] depart from thy mouth, but [...] in it bothe daye and night [...] that then maye kepe and do in all thinges accordinge to that whiche is writte [...] therein &c.

Here was [...] not permitted to Io­su [...] to alt [...]r one iote, ceremony, or [...] in all the law of God: not yet for to [...] [...]e thereunto, but di­ligē [...]l [...] for to obseru [...] that, which was commaunded. No lesse obe­dience requyreth God of vs, then [Page] [...]e did of Iosue his seruaunt. For [...]e wil haue the religiō, ordeined by his onely sonne Iesus Christ, moste straitlye obserued, and not to be violated in any parte. 8. For that I fynde geuen in charge to y^• Apoca. [...]. congregation of Thiatira in these wordes: I say vnto you and vnto the rest that are in Thiatira. Who that hath not the doctrine (mea­ninge of the diabolicall doctrine before rehersed) and who y^• kno­weth not the depene [...] of Sathan: I will put vppon you none other burthē, but y^• which ye haue: hold till I come. Marke wel y^• y^• spirite of God calleth al, which is added to Christes religion, the doctrine of the deuel & depe inuention of y^• aduersarye Sathan: as also did Paule writing to Timothie. And Iesus Christe sayeth: I will laye vpon you none other burthē then I haue alredy, and that, which ye haue, obserue diligently.

[Page]O God eternal, hast thou laied none other burthens vpon oure backes, then Iesus Christe layed by his worde? Than who hath burthened vs with all these cere­monies, prescribed fasting, cōpel­led chastitie, vnlawful voues, in­uocation of sainctes, and with y^• Idolatry of the masse? The deuil, the deuill, brethren, inuented all these burthens to depresse impru­dent men to perdition. 9. Paule writing of y^• lordes supper saieth: Ego accepi a Domino, quod & tradidi vobis, I haue receyued and learned of the Lord, that whiche I haue taught you. And consider if one ceremony he addeth or per­mitteth too be vsed other, then Christe did vse hym selfe: But commaundeth them to vse with reuerence the Lordes institution, vntill his returninge too iudge­ment.

[Page]10. Albeit Moyses was reple­nished with the sprite of wisedō, [...] was more familiar with God then euer was any mortall man: yet was there [...]ot of all the cere­monies referred to his wisedome one iote: but all was commanded to him to be made, accordinge to the similitude shewen vnto hym, and according as y^• worde expres­sed. Of the which precedentes I thinke it is playne, that al, which is added to the religion of God, without his own expresse worde, is Idolatry. 11. Yet must I aū ­swer to an obiection obiected by the papistes: for neuer maye they abyde to be subiecte vnto goddes worde. The apostles (say they) inObiection the counsell holden at Ierusalem, set vp a religiō and made lawes, wherof no iote was conteyned in goddes worde: therfore y^• church now may do the same.

[Page]That there was any religion (that is honoring of god, wherby they might merit, as ye cal it, any thinge before God) inuented in y^e coūsal [...]ye neuer are able to proue. Preceptes were geuē, but neitherPreceptes were geuē. suche, nor to that entent that ye al­ledge. All preceptes geuen in that counsail had the commaundemēt of God: as after shalbe hearde.

First let vs heare the cause of theThe cause of the counsail at Ierusalem. counsaill. Paule and Barnabas had taught amongest the gentils, y^• onely sayth in Christes bloode iustifieth: and a greate multitude of gentils by their doctrine embraced Iesus Christ, & by hym truely worshipped God. Vnto Antio­chia frō Iudea came certayn fals teachers, affirmyng: that oneles they were circumcysed, according to Moyses lawe, they coulde not be saued: as oure papistes saye this da [...]t, that trew fayth in Chri­stes [Page] bloude is not sufficient pu [...] ­ [...]atiō for our e synnes: oneles also [...]e bye their mombled masses.

This contrauersitrobled the har­ [...]es and cōsciēces of the brethern: in so muche that Paule & Barna­bas were compelled too go vnto Ierusalē vnto Peter and Iames, and others, I thinke, of the apo­stles. Where a cōuention had: the question was proponed, whether the gentiles shoulde be subiect to obseruation of Moyses lawe, or nor? That is whether onely fayth in Iesus Christ did iustifie, or ne cessarye was also to iustification the law obserued. After great cō ­tention: Peter expoūded: howe y^t the house of Cornelius, beyng allCornelius. gentils, had by his preachinge re­ceyued Iesus Christ, & were decia red in his presence iuste & righte­ouse before God: for they did re­ceyue the holye Ghoste visiblye, [Page] not onely without obseruacion of Moses lawe, but also before they had receyued any sacramētal signe of Chrystes religion. Peter concludeth, that to p [...]e a yoke vpon the brethrēs neck [...]s, which yoke might none of the Iewes beare thēselfes, was nothyng but to tempte god, that is, to proue if god woulde bee pleased with suche lawes and or­dinaunces as they would lay vpō the neckes of men wythoute hysConclusiō of the con̄ ­sayll. owne worde, whyche were moste extreme impretie: and so cōcludeth he that the gentils ought not to be burthened wyth the law. Hereaf­ter declared Paule and Barnabas what wonderouse woorkes God had shewen by them amongest the gentils, who neuer obserued Mo­ses lawe▪ and last Iames, who appeareth vnto me principall in that counseil, for he collecteth the scrip tures and pronounceth the fynall [Page] sentēce, as ye shall heare plainly) declareth that the vocation of the gentiles was prophecied before. And that they should be accepted and accompted to be the people of God, without obseruation of Moses lawe: Adding that no mā ought to enquyre a cause of gods workes. And so pronūceth he the sentence, that their libertie should not be diminished. Aduert now y^e cause, the processe and determina­tion of this counsayl. The cause was to enquyre the veritie of cer­teyn doctrine. That is, whether the gentils shoulde be charged w^t the obseruation of Moses lawe, as was affirmed and taughte by some. In this matter they proce­ded bi example of goddes works, findinge that he had accepted the gentils without any thraldom or ceremony obserued. Last are produced scriptures, declaringe so to [Page] before spoken. And accordinge to all this, it is concluded and desy­ned that the gentilles shall not be burthened with the lawe. What congruence, I praye you, haue theQuestion. Antichristes counsails, with this counsail [...] of the apostles? The apostles gathered to consult vpō the veritie. The papistical coun­sails are gathered for pryuate cō ­moditie, vpsetting of Idolatry & all abomination: as their deter­minatiōs manifestly proue. The apostles proceded in their coun­sails, by consideration of goddes workes, & applienge of thē to the present cause, whe [...]upō delibera­tiō was to be [...] & determined as [...] [...] cōmaūded. But the [...] [...] their coūsails procede, according as their wisedō, & foolish b [...] thinkes good & expedient. And concludinge not onely without authoritie of gods scrip­tures, [Page] but also manifestly cōtrary [...]o the same. And that I offer me moste clerely for to proue, if anye wold deny or alledg y^• so it is not.Obiection

But yet say thei, the apostles cō maunded the gentils to absteyn from certein thinges, wherof thei had no commaundement of God. Let vs heare the thinges▪ inhibi­ted. Ye shall absteyne, sayeth the epistle sent to Antiochia, frō for­nication. This is the cōmaunde­ment of God. So although y^• gē ­tils estemed it to be no syn, yet is it expresly forbidden in goddes lawe. But it foloweth frō thinges offerred vnto Idols, from stran­geled and from bloudde, shall ye absteyn. If the causes mouing the apostles to forbid these thinges be well considered: it shalbe foūd that they hadde the expresse com­maundement of Iesus Christe so to do,

[Page]The sprete of trueth & knowlege, workinge in the apostles with all abundance, shewed vnto them y^• nothinge was more profitable & more mighte auaunce the glory of God, and encreace the churche of Christe, than that the Iewes and gentils shoulde vse together in familiaritie and dayly conuersatiō, that by mutuall companye loue might encreace. One thinge was easy to be espied, that the Iewes coulde not hastely be perswaded, that the eating of meates forbid­den in Moyses lawe was no syn before God. For difficill it is to pull forth of the hart that, whiche is planted by goddes own word, So that the Iewes wolde haue abhorred the company of the gen­tils, i [...] they had eaten in their pre­sence such meates, as were forbid­den in the lawe. The apostles considered that the absteyning frome [Page] suche thinges, was nothinge pre­ [...]udiciall too the libertie of Chri­stians. For with the time, & as the Iewes grew more strong, & were better instructed, they wolde be nothinge offended for suche mat­ters. And therfore commaunded they the gentils too absteyn for a tyme. For that it was not a perpe­tuall precept, declareth this day, when no man holdeth eatinge of suche thinges synne. But what precept had they so to do? The last and new precept geuen by Iesus Christ to hys disciples: that euery one loue other as he hathe loued vs. May not Christiā loue commaunde that none of vs do in the sight of other, that which may offende or trouble the conscience of the infirme and weake? So witnesseth Paule, affirming that if a man eate with offence, he syn­neth. And by vertue of this same [Page] precepte the apostles forbid that the gentils shall eate thinges of­ferred vnto Idols &c: that bearig some parte with the infirmitie of the Iewes, they might grow toge­ther in mutuall amitie & Christiā loue. And these are the traditions of the▪ Seniours, whiche Paule commaunded to be obserued. I praye you what similitude haue oure papisticall lawes with thys precept of the apostles?

But greatly it is to be maruay­led that men do not aduerte: thatNota. the bo [...]e of the Lordes law, that is of all his ordinaūces, testamēt, promyse and exhibition thereof was sealed and confirmed in the dayes of the apostles, the effecte and contentes thereof promul­gate and published, so that moste extreme unpietie it is, too make any alteration therein. Yea, and the wrath and fearfull maledictiō [Page] of God is denunced to fall vpon all them, that dare attēpt to adde or diminishe any thynge in his re­ligion, confirmed and proclamed by his owne voyce.

O papistes, where shall ye hyde you frome the presence of the Lorde? ye haue peruerted his lawe, ye haue taken away his ordinaunces, ye haue placed vp iour own statutes in stead of his. Wo and dānation abideth you. Albeit that y^e apostles had made Lawes, other then the expresse worde commaunded, what apper teyneth that to you? haue ye the spirite of trueth and knowledge in aboundaunce, as they hadde? was the churche of Christe lefte vnperfyte, after the Apostles dayes?

Bringe your selfes to mynde, and be ashamed of youre vanitie. [Page] For all men whose eyes Sathan hath not blynded, may espye that neither wysedome nor authoritie of man may change or set vp any thinge in y^• religion of God, with­out his owne expresse commandement and woorde. And thus I thinke the first parte of my argu­ment sufficiently proued: whiche is that all worshipping, honoring or seruice of God inuented by the brayne of man, in the religion of God withoute his owne expresse commaundement, is Idolatry.

But in vayn will some thinke that all this laboure haue I tak [...]: for no man of hole iudgement any parte of this wolde haue denyed: nor yet doeth it proue any thynge of m [...]ne entent. For the masse is not the inuention of man, but the very ordinance of God. Then des­cende I to proue the masse to be the mere inuention of man, setvp [Page] withoute all commaundement of God.

And first of this name, Missa, whiche we call the mas [...]e, wold I aske at such as wolde defend that papisticall abomination, of what spirite is it inuented? That missa shall signifye a sacrifice for y^• syn­nes of the quicke and the dead? Of the spirit of God? or of y^• spi­rit of mā? or of what originall is it descended? Some will answer from the Hebrew dictiō, Missah, whiche after some doeth signifye an oblation or a gifte. Lyke as tribute, whiche the inferior offereth or payeth to the superiour. In the Hebrue tunge I confesse my self ignorant, but haue (as God kno­weth) feruent thirst to haue some entrāce therin, and so of the He­brue dic [...]ion can not contend. But men of great iudgemēt in the same [...]ūge say: y^• no where in scriptures [Page] Missah, betokeneth an oblation. But admitting that so it did, what shal they be able to proue there by? My questiō is if the spirite of god hath inuented & pronounced thys dictiō Missa, to signifie a sacrifice for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead: which if they be not able to preue, than must they nedes con­fesse that it is of mans inuencion, and not of gods impositiō. I cold geue vnto them a more apperante cause and der [...]acion of that dicti­on Missa: but of y^• name I am not greatly sol [...]. Secondly I desire to be certified what they call their masse: Whether the hole actyon wyth all ceremonyes, vsed now of olde, or a part thereof?

It wil not satisfie the hartes of all godly to say S. Iames and S. Peter celebrated the firste Masse in Ierusalem or Antioche. If it so wer, one of y^• two celebrated first [Page] and the other after: but neither of [...] two can be proued by scripture. Great meruayl it is, that so mani­festly men shame not to lie. Peter and Iames (saye the papistes) ce­lebrated the firste masse. But I shall proue that pope Sixtus was [...]he first, that did institute y^• Aul­ters. [...]elix the firste of that name did consecrate them, and the tem­ples bothe. Bonifacius commaū ­dedPape qu [...] missam in­stituerunt. y^e aulters to be couered with cleane clothes. Gregorius Mag­nus commaunded the candels to be lighted at the Euangile: & dyd institute certeyn clothes. Pontia­nus commaunded Cōfiteor to be sayde. And wherefore shoulde I troble you & myself both, in reci­ting what euery Pope added? ye may for two pēce haue the know­lege what euery pope added, vn­til at last was cōpact & set vp the hole bodi of y^• blasphemous Idol­and [Page] yete shame they not to say S. Peter sayed the firste masse, al­though that many hundreth yea­res after hym, no suche abomina­ble ceremonies were inuented.Euasion. But they say: all thie ceremonies are not of the substance of y^e masse but are added for good causes. What commaundement haue thei receyued to adde any thing to the ordinance of God, for any cause appearing to them? But let them certifye me what is the masse. The Canō, wil they answer, with the wordes of consecration. Who is a [...] or of the Canon, can they precysely tell? Be well aduised before ye aunswer, lest by neglec­ting yourself, ye be proued lyars. Will ye saye that y^e apostles vsed your Canon▪ so ye haue affirmed in tymes past.Impro [...] ­tion of the Canon.

I [...] the Canon descended from the apostles to y^• popes, bolde & [Page] maleparte impietie it had ben to haue added anye thynge thereto. For a Canon is a full and suffi­cient rule: which in all partes and pointes is perfyte. But I will proue diuers Popes to haue ad­ded their portions too this holye Canon. If they will deny, aduyse what added Sergius, what Leo, and what added Leo, and what added the two Alexanders? for I [...]ay not abyde presently to recite all. But if they doubte their owne lawe shall certefye them.

Secondly, the remembraunce of the names of suche men, who were not borne manye hundreth yeares after the dayes of y^• Apo­stles, declareth the Canon not to haue ben inuented manye yeares after the apostles. For who vsed to make mencion of a man in hys prayers before he be borne? And maysters memory is made in the [Page] Canon of suche men and women, of whose holynes and godly lyfe credible histories make litle men­tiō, which is an euidēt testimony that your holy Canon is vayne & of none effecte. And if any will take vpon him to defend the same: I will proue that therein is indi­gest, barbarous, foolish cōgestiō of wordes: imperfection of sen­tence, vngodly inuocations & dia­bolicall co [...]inrations. And this is that holy Canon, whose auctoritie [...]ecelled all scriptures. O it was [...]holy, it mighte not be spoken [...]ynly as the rest but secretly it [...]hou [...]th i [...] to be whispered. That [...]as not euil deuised, for if all mē [...]d heard it, some wolde haue es­ [...]ed the vanitie therof. But too the woordes of consecration, by whome haue thei that name, Ide sire to knowe? By Iesus Christe will they saye. But no where are [Page] thei able to proue that the words, whiche he pronunced in his laste supper, called he or any of his apostles after him woordes of conse­cration. And so haue they recey­ued y^e name by authoritie of mā. Whiche are the woordes lette vs heare. Accipite et manducate ex hoc omnes. Hoc est enim corpus meum: su [...]iliter et calicē post quā coenauit dicens. &c. Let vs en­quyre, if any thing be here added to Christes wordes, or if any this be changed or altered therein. Fyrste in whiche of the Euange­listes are these woordes, Ex hoc omnes, spoken of the breade▪ Ie­sus Christe dyd speake theym of the cuppe: but not of the bread.

O papistes, ye haue madeNota. alteration, not so muche in wor­des as in dede: and of the selfe ac­tion cōmaūded to be vsed by him. [Page] Ye permitted all to eat of y^e bred, but of the cuppe ye reserued too you clypped in y^e crounes & anoin [...]ed vppon the fyngers. And in payn of your great anathematization, of your great cursing, ye for­bad that any layed presumed too drinke therof. But tel me papistes were the apostles be clypped and sinered as you be? Or wil ye then saye that the congregation of the Corinthiā [...] were papist priests? I thinke ye will not. And yet they all drancke of the cuppe, lyke as they eate of the bread. Marke brethren, that of Christes owne wor­des they make alteration. But let vs procede. They say: Hoc est enim corpus meum. I praye them Newe where fynd they, enim. Is not this their owne inuention, & added of their owne brayn? O, here make they a greate matter, & here lyeth asecrete misterye and [Page] hydde operation. For in fyue wordes conceyued the virgyn Mary, saye they, when she conceyued the sonne of God. What if she hadde spoken seuen, tenne, twenty wor­des? Or what if she had not spo­ken three: shoulde thereby the de­terminate coūsail bene impeded? But o papisies, is God a [...]glar? vseth he certeyn numbre of wor­des, in performinge hys entent? But whereto are ye ascended▪ too be exalted in knowledge & wyse­dome aboue Iesus Christe. He saieth only: Hoc est corpus meū. But ye, as thoughe there lacked some thinge necessary requisyte, haue added enim: sayeng, Hoc est enim corpus meum. So that your affirmation maketh all perfyte. Consider I exhorte you, beloued bret̄hren, if they haue not added here of their owne inuention too Christes woordes. And as they [Page] adde, so steale they frome them▪ Christe sareth: [...]oc est corpus meum quod pro vobis datur, or frāgitur: This is my body, which is geuen for you, or which is bro­ken for you. These last woo [...]des, wherin stande oure hole comfort, omitte they, and make no mention of them. And what can be iudged more beld or wicked, then to alter Christes wordes? To adde vnto them, and to dyminishe frō them? had it not ben conuenient, that af­ter they hadde introduced Iesus Christe speakinge, that his owne wordes had ben recyted, nothing interchaunged, added nor dimy­nished: Whiche seinge they haue not done, but haue done y^e expresse contrary, as before is proued: In vayne I thinke it is further to laboure to proue the reste of thys abominable action, to be inuented and deuised by the foolish brayne [Page] of man, and so can it not be denied to be Idolatry. It shall not profit them to saye the Epistle si Euan­gely is in the masse: where unto is nothing added. What shall they proue therby? For the Epistle & Euangely, as them selfes do con­fesse are not of the substance of y^• masse. And although they were, it dyd nothinge excuse the rest of that Idolatrye. For the deuil may speake y^e wordes of God and hys false prophetes also: & yet therby are they neither better nor more holy. The Epistle and Euangely are goddes woordes, I confesse, but there are they spoken for no edificatiō of the people: but for to be a cloke vnto y^e body of y^• mische nous Idolatry. All the action is abominable, because it is the inuē tion of man, & so a few or certeyn good wordes cā not sanctify that hole masse & body of abominatiō.

[Page]But what if I shall admitte to the papis [...]es: that the hole action of the masse were the institution and very ordinounce of God, and neuer one iote of mans inuention therein? I admitte it be the ordi­naunce of God as it is not) yet will I proue it abomination be­fore God.

¶ The seconde syllogisme.

All honouringe or seruice of God, whereunto is added a wicked opinion: is abomina­tion. Vnto the masse is added a wicked opinion. Therfore it is abomination.

The [...] part, I thinke, no godly man [...]. And if any wolde, I as [...]e what made the self same sacrifice, institute and ordeyned to be vsed by goddes expresse commaundement, odi [...]use & abo­minable in his sight. As it is written, bring vnto me no more youre [Page] vayne sacrifices, your burnt offe­ringes is abomination, your new moones, sabboths & conuentiōs, I maye not abyde youre solemne feastes, I hate thē frō y^e hart. AndEsay. 66. also, who s [...]eyeth an oxe in sacri­fice, kylleth a man: that is, doeth me no lesse dishonour, than if he killed a mā. Who slayeth a shepe sayeth he, choketh a dogge. Who brought meat offringes vnto me, doeth offer swynes bloud. These two beastes, the dogge & swyne, were abominable to be offered in sacrifice, the one for the cruelty, the other for fylthines. But o priestes, your sacrifices are mixed w^t the bloudde of dogges & swyne: while that on the one part moste cruelly ye do persecute the professors of Christes worde: vpon the other parte your selfs lyue moste filthily. The prophete procedeth: who maketh a memorial of encēse [Page] prayseth the thinge that is vayne.Amos. 5. Amos. I hate and detest your so­lemne feastes, I will not accepte youre encense: your burnt offrin­ges and meate offeringes are not thankefull before me. And whye all this: because saieth y^e prophete Esaye, they haue chosen these inEsai. 66. their owne wayes, and their har­tes haue delyted in their abominations. And playn it is that theirfore sayd sacrifices were commaū ded to be done by God▪ and were not inuented, no not one iote ther­of, by mans wysedom. Reade the bokes of Moyses, Exodus & Le­uiticus, and thou shalte perceyue them to be very commaundemen­tes of God, and yet sayeth y^• Pro­phete, they haue chosen theym in their owne wayes. Wherby y^e prophet ment and vnderstode, y^t they had added vnto them an opinion, whiche made them to be abominable [Page] before God. This opiniō was as in the same prophet and diuers others maye be espied: That by workinge of the externall worke, they mighte purchase the fauoure of God, & make satisfaction for their sinnes bi the same sacrifices. And that I collecte of Ieremye sayeng: ye beleue false woordes,Iere. 7. whiche shall not profit you. For when ye haue stolen, murthered, committed adultery, and periury &c. Then ye come and stād before me in this hous, whiche hath my name geuen vnto it, and ye say: we are deliuered or absolued, al­beit we haue done all these abominations. Thei thought and verely beleued their synnes to haue ben remitted by vertue of their sacri­fice offered. But Esay asketh ofEsay. 55. them, why spēd ye siluer for that, which is not sure: & cōsume labor, for that, which doeth not sacyat? [Page] Ye do hyde youre selfe with lea­singes (but they estemed them to haue ben verites) & ye make a bād or couenāt with death, but it shall not stāde, for when destructiō cō ­meth, it shall ouerwhelme you. Their fals prophetes had taughtEsai. 18. them to cry peace peace, when yet there was no peace in their con­science: for they which dyd eate y^e synne of the people (as oure per­uers priestes haue long done) forOse. 7. Iere. 2. the more wicked men were, the more desyre they had of y^e masse: thinking by vertue therof all was purged. The pestilent priestes of Moyses law, as witnessed y^e pro­phetes, caused y^e people to beleue, that by oblation of the sacrifice they were iust and innocente, and durst desyre, for suche offerings, plague and the furor of God to be remoued. But it is aunswered vnto them by y^• prophet Micheas: [Page] shall I come in his presence with burnt offeringes, and yeare olde [...]ambes? or doeth a thousand ram­mes please him? or tenne thousād boyt of oyle? Shall I geue my fyrst sonne for expiation of myne iniquitie? Or y^e frute of my wōbe a synne offeringe for my soule? Here the prophete plainly witnesseth that no externall worke, how excellēt that euer it be, doth purge or make satisfaction for syn. And so of the precedentes it is playn, that a wicked opinion, added too the very worke, sacrifice or cere­mony, commaunded to be done & vsed by God, maketh it abomination and Idolatry. For IdolatryNota. is not onely too worship y^e thinge, whiche is not God, but also too truste or leane vnto that thing, whiche is not God, and hath not in hytselfe all sufficiencye: and therfore Paule calleth couetouse [Page] men Idolatrors: because their cō ­fidence & trust is in their rydyes. Muche more wolde he call hym an Idolatror, whose hart beleueth remission of synnes by a vayne worke, done by him selfe or by an other in his name. But now let vs heare, if vnto the masse be ioyned a wicked opinion.

It hath ben holden in commonOpinion holden of the masse. opinion. It plainlye hath ben taught, by law it is decreed, and in the wordes of the masse it is expressed: that the masse is a sacri­fice and oblation for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead. So y^t re­mission of synnes vndoubtedlye was beleued by that same action and worke, presentlye done by the priest. Sufficient it were for me, by the playn woordes of the fore­said prophetes here for to cōclude it abominatiō: seing they playnly shew y^• remissiō of synnes cōmeth [Page] onely of the mere mercy of God, without all deseruinge of vs or of our worke, proceding of our selfs [...]s Esaye writteth sayenge, I am [...]e, whiche remoueth thyne ini­quitie, & that for myne own sake. But if I shall proue this foresayd opinion, whiche hath ben holden of the masse to be fals, deceyuable and vayne, and that it is no sacri­fice for synne, shall then eyther cō ­suetude, long processe of tyme, or multitude of papisticall patrons defend that it is not abominatiō and Idolatrye? And firste I aske who offereth this sacrifice, and what is offered? The priest (sayeth y^e papistes) offreth Iesus Christe vnto the father. Than demaunde I, if a man can offre vnto God a more precious thing than hym self? And it appeareth that not.

[Page]For Paule commaundeth that we offre vnto God a holy, liuely and reasonable sacrifice, which he cal­leth oure owne bodyes. And Ie­sus Christ, hauing nothinge more preciouse then hym self, dyd offer vp hym self. If Paule had knowē any other sacrifice, after the death of Iesus Christ (that is, in all the tyme of the new testamente) more acceptable vnto God, then y^e mor­tification of oure owne bodyes, wold he not aduertised vstherof?Nota. If there was any other sacrifice, and he dyd not know therof: then led not y^e spirit hī in to all veritie, whiche to saye were blasphemy. If he knew it, and yet dyd not ad­uertyse vs therof: than dyd he not the dutie and office of a trew preacher: and that to affirme were like imp [...]tie. If any might haue offe­red Iesus Christe, but hym selfe onely: In vayn it had ben to hym [Page] to haue suffered so cruell torment in hys owne person, by oblatiō of hym self. And so to affirme that a mortall man may offer him, who is immortall God: In myne opi­nion is malepart proudnes. But let vs heare more: Paule saieth byHebre. 10. one oblation hath he made perfyt for euer them, whiche are sancti­fyed. And also remissiō of synnes once gotten there resteth no more sacrifice. They will not auoyde Paules wordes, althought they saye Paule speaketh of the Leui­ticall sacrifice. No papistes, he exciudeth all manner of sacrifice, sayeng: Nulla amplius rest at ob­latio, no more sacrifice resteth.

And that testifieth Iesus Christ hym self vpon the Crosse: sayeng, Consu [...]a [...]um est: that is, what euer is requyred, for pacifyenge my fathers wrath, iustly moued against synne: what euer is neces­sary [Page] for reconciliaciō of mankynd to the fauoure of my eternall fa­ther: and what euer the purgation of the synnes of the hole worlde requyred, is now complete & en­ded: so that no further sacrifice re­steth for synne. Heare ye papis­tes, two witnes speake agaynste you. How can ye denye the opi­nion of your masse to be fals and vayn? Ye say it is a sacrifice for syn: but Paule and Iesus Christe say the onely death of Christ was sacrifice sufficient for synne, and after it resteth none other sacrifice speake, or els ye are lyke to be cō ­demned. I knowe ye will saye:Aunswere of papists. it is none other sacrifice, but the selfe same, saue that it is iterated and renewed.

But the wordes of Paule byndContra. you more strayte, then that so ye may escape, for in his hole dispu­tation contendeth he not onelye, [Page] that there is none other sacrificeNota. for synne, but also that the selfe same sacrifice once offered is suf­ficient, and neuer maye bee offer­red agayne. For otherwyse of no greater price, value nor estimation, shoulde the death of Christe be, then y^e death of those beastes, whiche were offered vn­der the lawe: whiche are proued to be of none effect, nor strength, because it behoued them often ty­mes to be iterate.

The apostle by comparing Ie­sus Christe to the Leuitical prie­stes, and hys sacrifice vnto theirs maketh the matter playne, that Christ might be offered but once. Fyrst the Leuitical priestes were mortall, and therefore it behoued them to haue successours.

But Christe is an eternall priest, and therefore is alone, [Page] and nedeth no successour. The Leuiticall priestes offered the bloud of beastes: but Iesus Christe of­fered hys owne body and bloud. The Leuiticall priestes, for impotency of their sacrifice, did iterate the same. But the sacrifice of Ie­sus Christe, hauinge in itselfe all perfecti [...] nedeth not to be iterate. Yea, to affirme that it oughte (or maye) be iterate, is extreme blas­phemy. For that were too impute imperfectiō thereupō, cōtrary to y^e hole religion, and the playn wor­des of Paule, sayeng: such is ourHebre. 7. hye priest, holy, iust, ipolute, sepera [...] from synners, and hyer then the heauens: to whom it is not ne­cessary euery daye to offer, as did th [...] [...]stes, first offer for their o [...] synnes, and then for y^e syn­nes of the people. For y^• he hathe done once, when he offered hym selfe.

[Page]What wordes cā be more plain▪ Here Paule sheweth all causes, wherefore it nedeth not Christ to be offered agayn. And wolde conclude that he maye not be offered agayn.

Yet say they, it repugneth no­thingPapistes. that we offerre Christe: so that he offerre nothym self.

The text sayeth playnly as be­foreAunswere▪ is shewed, that Christe onely might offerre hym self: which sa­crifice is sufficiēt, & neuer may be offered agayn. For if it had beho­ued hym to haue ben oftener offe­red then once, he shoulde haue suffered often tymes, from the beginninge of the world. But once hathHeb. 9. he appeared for the away takinge of synne, offering hym self. ThatHebr. 10. is, of hys own body once slayne, now lyuing, and may suffre death no more. For by hys onely one sa­crifice hath he made vs perfyte & [Page] sanctifyed for euer. Here is aun­swered to that obiectiō, that some obiecte: Men euery day fyn, ther­fore it is necessary, that euery day be sacrifice made for synne. PaulNota. sayeth by one sacrifice hath he cō ­sūmat vs for euer. For other wais hys death were not the onely and sufficient sacrifice for our synnes: which to affirme, were blasphemation.

And so there resteth of oure hole redemption nothing but his second cūming, whiche shalbe to iudgemēt. Where we, depending vppon hym, shall receyue glorye and honour: but hys ennemyes shalbe made a footestoole too hys fete. Not that I meane, that hys death oughte not to be prea­ched, and the remembraunce ther­of extolled, and praysed in the right ministration of his supper: [Page] but none of these two be sacrifice for synne.

What wil ye aunswere to this,Question. whiche Paul produceth against youre masse? He plainly sayeth, there is no sacrifice for synne, but Christes death onelye &c. And that neither may ye offer him, norPapistes aduerte. Euasion. yet that he maye offer hym selfe any more.

Ye will saye it is a memoriall sacrifice, vnder the whiche Iesus Christe is offered vntoo the pre­sence of God the father by thee churche, vnder the apperaunce of breadde and wyne for remission of synnes.

I aunswere with Paule: Ap­paret nunc in conspectu Dei pro nobis, he appeareth nowe in the presence of God for vs: so that it is not requisyte that anye manne offerre or represente hym too the father.

[Page]For that he doeth hym selfe, ma­kyng continual intercessiō for vs. But let vs consider this doctrine more depely. The church, say thei, offered Iesus Christ vnto God y^• father for a memoriall sacrifice, or in a memoriall sacrifice. Is there any obliuiō or forgetfulnes fallen in God the father? Hath he forgotten the death and passiō of Iesus Christ, so that he nedeth to be brought in memory thereof, by any mortall man: Beholde brethern, howe that imp [...]etie disclo­seth and declareth it selfe. Can there be any greater blasphemye, than for too saye God the father hath forgotten y^• benefites, which he gaue to mankynd in hys onely sonne Iesus? And who that euer will saye, that they offer any me­moriall sacrifice or remembraūce therof vnto God: Doeth plainly say that God hath forgotten thē.

[Page]For otherwyse, what nedeth a re­presentation or remembraunce? Aduerte papistes, and consider how Sathan hath blynded you. Ye do manifestlye lye, and do not espy the same, ye do blasphem God at euery woorde, and can ye not repent. They saye it is sacrifi­cium.Papistes. Speake more: for a memo­riall sacrifice it can not be.

They saye, it is sacrificiū applicatorium. A sacrifice, whereby they may and do applye the meri­tes of Christes passion vnto syn­ners. They will be layars too of plaisters, but I feare the wounde be not well ryped, and therfore y^• the playster be vnprofitable. Ye say [...], ye maye applye the merytes of Christes passion, to whome ye list▪ This is proudly spokē. Then may ye make peace with God at youre pleasure. But the contrarye speaketh he in these wordes: whoEsai. 27. [Page] may make. Here God saieth y^e, as none mai moue his wrath against his chosē (& here of ought ye to re­ioyce brethren, the Pope nor hys priestes, nor bishoppes, what so­euer may not cause God to be an­gry agaynst you, albeit they curse you, with crosse, belle and candel) so maye no man compelle hym too loue nor receyue in fauoure, but whome it pleaseth hys infynyte goodnes. Moyses, I confesse, prayed for the people, when God was displeased with them. But he speaketh not so proudly as you do. But either desyreth God to remit y^e offence of y^e people, or els to destroi him to gether W^t thē, I fear y^t your loue be not so feruēt, he ob­teyned his petition of God. But wil ye say so it was determinate before in the counsayll of God? Aduyse you well. The nature of God is to be fre & thrall vnto no­thinge. [Page] For although he is boūd & obliged to fulfill all y^t his worde promitteth to y^e faithful beleuers, yet is y^t neither subiectiō nor thral dome: for frelye he made his pro­mis, & frely he doeth fulfill the same. I desyre to be certified, where God made his promisse vntoo you papiste priestes: that ye should haue power to appli (as ye speake) the merites of Christes passion, to all & sondry, who tolde or nūbred money to you for y^t pur­pose. Taketh God any part of the profitte that ye receyue? Alas, I haue cōpassion vpō your vanitie: but more vpon y^e symple people, y^t hath ben deceyued by you & your fals doctrine. Are ye better heard with god then Samuel was? He prayed for kyng Saule, and that moste feruētly, & yet obteined not his petitiō, nor mighte not applye any merites or holines vnto him.

[Page]And it is sayde to Ieremy, pray thou not for this people, for my hart is not to wardes it: ne though Moyses and Helyas should prayIere. 14. for them, yet wolde I not heare them: for they loue to go wronge, and do not absteyn fro iniquitie: albeit they fast and cry, yet wil I not heare them. And althoughe they offre burnte sacrifice, I take no pleasure in it: & therfore praye not for this people, nor yet make any intercessiō for them, for I wil not heare the. What say ye to this wordes papistes: the prophete is forbidden too praye. For God sayeth: he neither will heare hym nor yet the people, he will accept none of their sacrifices, & that be­cause the people manifestly rebel­led agaynst God, reioyced in ini­quitie, committed Idolatrye and abomination. And he manifestly sheweth y^t nothing maye appease [Page] hym, but true repentance and conuet sion agayn vnto God.

O priestes, haeth there not as great iniquitie abounded in your dayes, as euer dyd from y^e begin­ninge: Haue ye not ben entysars and leaders of the people too all Idolatrye: Yea, hath not the mis­cheuous example of youre abomi­nable lyues, prouoked thousands vnto iniquitie: And yet do ye say that ye maye apply the merites of Christes passion, to whom ye list. Heare ye not that God neuer wil accept prayers nor sacrifice, why­lest trew repentaunce were foūd? Of that ye were dumme, and al­wayes kept silence. Your clamor and cryēg was, come, come to the masse, bye with money, substāce & possessions, remission of your sin­nes. We haue the merites of Chri­stes passion, we maye offer Iesus Christ vnto the father, whome he [Page] must nedes receyue for an accep­table sacrifice and satisfaction of all your synnes. Thinke not bre­thren that I alledge anye thinge vpon them, which they them selfs do not speake: as their owne lawe and masse shall testifye in the be­ginninge of the Canō. The proud priest lifting vp his eyes, as that he had God euen alwayes boūd to his commaundemente sayeth: we beseche the moste merciful father, by Iesus Christ oure Lord: that thou receyue and blesse thys vnt [...]sted sacrifice (vnsauerye sa­crifice truely he might haue said) whiche we offre to the for thyne vniuersall churche.

O proude and peruersse papist prelates and priestes, who gaue you that authoritie? Is it not expressely forbidden by the apostle Paule, y^t any man should [Page] vsurpe the honor too make sacri­fice: excepte he be called by God as was Aaron? Haue ye the same commaundemente, whiche was geuen vnto Aaron▪ hys sacrifices are abrogated by Christe. Let vs heare where ye are commaun­ded to make sacrifice? Serche the scriptures, but serche theym with iudgement. It wil not be, hoc facite, for that is spoken of ea­tinge, drinkinge, and thankesge­uing, and not of sacrifice making. Nor yet wil the order of Melchi sedeck, nor the text of Malachias proue you priestes to make sacri­fice. Aduise with other that haue more appearaunce, to proue your entent. For if these be wel pon­dered, the weight of them wil de­presse the proudnes of youre pa­pisticall priesthode.

Now will I collect shortly all [Page] that is sayde for probation that y^e masse is no sacrifice for synne.

¶ Aduert.

The newe testament is eternal:Esai. 9. Iere. 31. that is once made, cā neuer be dis­solued, and therefore the cloudde wherwith this testament is cōfirmed is eternall: for it is the bloud of the eternal sonne of God: onely the bloud of Christ taketh awaye oure synnes. For it is he alone y^t taketh away y^e synnes of y^e world. And who by hys owne bloudde,Collos. 1. Nota. hath reconcyled all. For if other­wayes synne might haue ben takē awaye, then Christe had dyed in vayne. And if full remission stode not in hym alone, then they y^t eate him yet hungered, and they that dranke hym yet thirsted. And y^t were contrarye too hys owne woordes.

The bloudde of Christe is onceIoan. 6. offered, and is sufficient. For it is [Page] the eternall bloude of the eternall sonne of God, and by hys owne bloud hath he once entered in too the holy place.

Therfore the bloude of Christ once offered remayneth for euer, for purgation of all synnes, and so resteth then no sacrifice in the masse.

Aduert these reasons precedēt and geue place to the veritie. For while y^e scriptures of God shalbe holden of authoritie: neuer are ye able to resolue these argumentes.

Consider now brethren, if the opinion of the masse be not vayn, false and deceyuable. Caused the [...] not you to beleue y^t it was a sacrifice, whereby remission of synnes was obteyned? And ye maye plainly perceyue that no sacrifice there is, nor at any tyme was for synnes: but the deathe of Iesus Christe onely. For the sacrifices [Page] of the olde lawe were onely figu­res of that very & trewe sacrifice, once offered by Iesus Christ: and in them was commemoration of synnes made: but neither was re­mission obteyned, nor purgation made by any such sacrifice. What will ye do r [...]i [...]te priestes? there [...]esteth no sacrifice to bee offered for synn by you, nor by any mor­tall man.

These are dolorouse tydinges vnto your hartes: and no meruel, for by that vayn opinion, that the masse was a sacrifice for synne, haue ye mosre quietly rested into that floude Euphrates, that is in al worldly felicitie, which flowed vnto you as a continuall floude. But the masse knowen not onely to be no sacrifice but also too bee Idolatrye, the waters appeare to drye vp. And it is li [...]e that he lack some lyquor, to refresh your tūgs, [Page] beyng cruciat with drougthe and heat intollerable.

Wolde ye heare glad tidinges? what, if that I shoulde permytte vnto you (as one willing to playe the good fellowe, and not too bee s [...]ifnecked) that the masse were a sacrifice for synne, & that ye did offre Iesus Christ for syn, wolde ye be contente that this were per­mitted vnto you? I think ye wold for therefore haue ye longe con­tended. Then lette vs consider what shoulde subsequently folow thereupon.

A sacrifice for synne was ne­uer perfyte, vntyll that the beaste offred was kylled. If in youre masse ye offre Iesus Christe for synne: then necessarelye in youre masse muste ye nedes kyll Iesus Christe.

Do not esteme beloued brethrē [Page] these woordes shortlye spoken to be vayne or of no small effecte.

They are collected of the very grounde of scriptures. For they plainly testify that Christe to be offered, Christ to suffre, & Christ to shedde hys bloudde or dye, are all one thinge. Paule in the epistle to the Hebrues sayeth: he appea­reth nowe in the presence of God for vs, not to offre hym self often tymes for vs, for otherwyse it be­houed hym to haue suffred often­tymes, from the beginning of the worlde. Marke well that Paule maketh, to offre and suffre, bothe one thynge. And therefore pro­ [...]eth he that Christe made but one sacrifice, because he once did suf­fre the death. Iesus Christ saieth, as is written in Mathew, this is my bloude of the new testament, whiche shalbe shedde for you and for many in remission of synnes. [Page] Marke that remission of synne [...] is attributed too the sheddinge of Christes bloudde. And Paule saieth, Christ is dead for our syn­nes. And in an other place, by one oblation or sacrifice hath he made vs persyte foreuer.

Consider diligently, that remission of synnes is attributed, some tyme to the sheddyng of Christes bloudde, some tyme to hys death, and some tyme too the hole sacri­fice, whiche he made in suffering all payn. And why this? whether if there be diuers manners to ob­teyn remission of synnes? [...]o: but because euer [...] one of these thre necessarily foloweth other: remis­sion of synnes is commonly ascri­bed to any of them. For where so that euer Christe is offred, there is hys bloude shedde, & his death subsequently foloweth. And so papistes, if ye offre Christe in sa­crifice [Page] for synne, ye shedde hys bloud, and thus newly kylhym.

Aduerte, too what fyne youre owne desyre shal bring you, euen to be kyllers of Iesus Christ.

Ye will saye, ye neuer preten­ded such abomination. I dispute not what ye entended: but onelye I shewe what absurdite doeth fo­lowe vpon your owne doctrine.

For necessarelye, if ye do offre Christe for synne, as ye confesse, and youre lawe doeth teache, ye cruelly shedde hys bloudde, & fy­nally do kyll hym. But nowe will I releaue you of this anguish: do­lorouse it were daily to cōmit mā slaughter, & often times to crucify the king of glory: be not affrayed, ye do it not. For Iesus Christe may suffre no more, shed his blod no more, nor dye no more. For y^• he hath dyed, he so dyed for syn, & that once; and now he lyueth, and [Page] death maye not preuayle against hym. And so do ye not kyl Christ, for no power ye haue too doe the­same. Onely ye haue deceyued the people: causinge them beleue, that ye offred Iesus Christe in sacri­fice for syn in your masse: whiche is fryuole and fals. For Christe maye not bee offerred, because he maye not dye.

I moste gentellye exhorte all desyringe too obiecte agaynste these precedentes: ripely too con­sider the grounde thereof, whiche standeth not vppon the opinion of man, but vppon the infallible woorde of God. And to resume euery parte of these argumentes, and ley them too the hole bodye of goddes scriptures.

And then I doubte not, but all men, whose senses the princes of darc [...]enes, and of this worlde hath not execated, shall confesse [Page] with me, that in the masse can bee no sacrifice for synne. And yet too the great blasphemye of Christes death and open denyall of his passion, hath it ben affirmed, taughte and beleued, that the masse was a sacrifice for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead. Whiche opi­niō is moste false, vayn & wicked. And so I thinke, the masse too be abomination and Idolatrye, no man of indifferente iudgemente will denye.☞

Lette no man entend to excuse the masse with the pretext of the Lordes supper. For nowe shortly wil I proue that therwith it hath no congruence, but is expresse cō ­trarye to it: and hath taken the re­membraunce of the some oute of mynde. And further it is blasphe­mous to y^• death of Iesus Christ. Fyrst they are contrary in institu­tion, for the Lordes supper was [Page] institute too be a perpetuall me­mory of those benefites, whyche we haue receiued by Iesus Christ and by hys death. And firste we should call to mynd in what estate we stoode in the loynes of Adā: when that we all blasphemed the maiestie of God in hys face.

Secondly that hys owne incō ­prehensible goodnes moued hym to loue vs moste wretched & my­serable, yea, moste wicked & blas­phemous: and loue moste perfyte compelled hym to shewe mercy. And mercy pronunced the sentēce whiche was that his onely sonne shoulde paye the price of oure re­demption. Whiche thinge, beinge righteously called to memorye in the present action of the soupper, coulde not but moue vs to vnfeyned thankesgeuinge vnto God y^e father, and to hys onely sonne Iesus, who had restored vs agayne [Page] to libertie and lyfe. And this is it which Paule cōmandeth, sayeng: as ofte, as ye shall eate of thys bread and dryncke af this cup, ye shall declare the Lordes deathe tyll he come: that is, ye shal laude, magnify and extolle the lyberall fyndnes of God the father, and the infinite benefytes, whiche ye haue receyued by Christes death.

But the masse is instituted, as y^e playn woordes thereof, and their owne lawes do witnesse, too be a sacrifice for the synnes of y^e quicke and the dead. For doinge of the whiche sacrifice, God is bounde not onely to remitte oure synnes, but also to geue vnto vs what euer we will aske, & that shal testifye diuers masses, celebrated for diuers causes. Some for peace, some in time of warre, some for rain, some for fayre wether, yea, and (alas my hart abhorreth suche abomi­nation) [Page] some for syckenesse of bes­tyall.

They will saye, they seuerally take prayers for obteyning suche thinges. And that is all, whiche I desyre they say: for the obtayning of suche vayne tryfles, destinate they their hole purpose, & so pro­phane the sacrament of Chrystes bodye and bloudde (if that were any sacramente, whiche they abu­sed so) whiche shoulde neuer bee vsed, but in memorye of Christes death.

Then shoulde it not be vsed to praye, that the touthe ache bee ta­ken awaye frome vs, that oure Oxen shoulde not take the lowing yll, oure Horse the spauen or far­sye, and of all manner diseases for our cattel. Yea what was it wher­fore ye wolde not saye masse, per­uersed priestes? But let vs heare more.

[Page]The supper of the Lord is the [...]yfte of Iesus Christe, in whiche we should laude the infinite mer­cye of God.

The masse is a sacrifice, which we offer vnto God: for doinge whereof we alledge God shoulde loue and commend vs.

In the supper of the Lord, cō ­fesse we oure selfs redemed from synne, by the death and bloude of Iesus Christe onely.

In the masse craue we remissiō of synnes: yea, and whatsoeuer thyng we lifte, by working of that same worke, whiche we presently do oure selfe.

And here in is the masse blas­phemous vnto Christe and hys passiō. For in so farre as it offreth or promitteth remissiō of synnes: it imputeth imperfection, vppon Christe and hys sacrifice: affyr­minge that all sinnes were not re­mitted [Page] by hys deathe: but that a great parte are reserued to be purged by vertue and the value of y^e masse. And also it is iniurius vnto Christe: and not onely speakinge moste falsly of hym, but also vsur pynge too itselfe, that whiche is proper to hym alone.

For he affirmeth that he alone hath, by hys owne death, purged the synnes of the hole world: and that no parte resteth to be clensed by any other meanes. But y^e masse syngeth an other song, whiche is, that euery day by that oblatiō of­fred by the priestes is synne pur­ged, and remission obteyned. Cō ­sider papistes, what honor youre masse geueth vnto Christe.

Laste, in the supper of y^• Lord▪ we graunt our selfes eternal deb­tours to God, & vnable any waye to make satisfactiō for his infinite benifits, which we haue receiued.

[Page]But in the masse alledge we, God too be a debtour vnto vs for oblation of that sacrifice, whiche we there presently offre, and dare affirme y^• we there make satisfac­tion by doyng thereof, for the sin­nes of our self and of others.

If these precedentes be not cō ­trary, let men iudge with indiffe­rency. They differre in vse, for in the Lordes soupper the minister and the congregation sat bothe at one table, no difference betwixte them in pre [...]minence nor habyte, as witnesseth Iesus Christe wyth hys disciples, and the practyse of the apostles after hys death.

But in the papisticall masse, y^• priestes (so wil thei be styled) are placed by them selfe at an aultar, and I wolde aske of the authori­tie thereof, and what scripture cō ­maunderh so to be done? They must be cladde in a seueral habyt, [Page] whereof no mention is made in the newe testament. It will not exeuse them to say, Paule commā ­dethQuestion. all too be done with order, & decently. Dare they be so bolde, as to affyrme that the soupper of Iesus Christ was done withoute order and vndecently, wherein were seene no suche disaguysed vestimentes?

Or will they sette vp too vs a­gayne the Leuiticall priesthode? Shoulde not all be taught by the playn worde?

Prelates or Priestes, I aske one question, ye wolde bee lyke too the vestymentes of Aaron in all thinges.

Aharon had affixed vnto hys garmentes certeyn belles, which were commaunded too rynge and to make sounde, as ofte as he was cladde therewith.

[Page]But priestes, youre belles lacke [...]unges, they rynge not, they soād of nothinge but of the earth▪ No­thinge vnderstandeth the people of all your ceremonies. Feare ye not the wrathe of God? it was cō maunded Aharon, that the sound of hys belles shoulde bee hearde: that he dyed not.

¶ Aduyse herewith, for thys matter apperteyneth vnto you.

IN the supper of the Lorde all were equally participante: the bread beynge broken, & the cup beynge distributed amongest all, accordinge to hys commandemēt. In the papisticall masse, the con­gregation [...]etteth nothing, except the beholdinge of your duckings, noddinges, crossinges, turninge, rplistinge, which all are nothing but a diabolicall prophanatiō of Christes supper.

Now ducke, crosse, and nodde, [Page] [...]s ye lyste: they are but your own inuentiōs. And finally brether, ye got nothinge, but gased & behelde while that one did eate & drynke all.

It shall not excuse you to saye the congregation is participante spiritually. O wicked antichri­stes, sayeth not Iesus Christ: Eat of this, and drynke of this all, do this in remembrāce of me? Christ commaūdeth not that one should gase vpon it, bowe, ducke, & becke thereto: but that we shoulde eate, and dryncke therof oure selfs: and not that we should behold others do thesame. Oneles we wold confesse the death of Iesus Christ to apperteyn nothing to vs.

For when I eate & drynke at that table, I openlye confesse the frute and vertue of Christs body, of hys bloude and passion too ap­perteyn to my selfe: and that I am [Page] a membre of his misticall body, & that God the father is appeased with me, not withstandinge my first corruptiō & presēt infirmitie.

Iudge brethren what comfort hath this taken frō vs, which wil that the sight thereof shalbe suffi­cient? I wold aske first, if y^• sight of corporal meat or drynke doeth fede & norish the bodye? I thinke they wil say nay. And I affirme y^• no more profit receiueth the soule in beholding an other eat & drinke the Lordes very soupper (as for their Idolatry, it is alway dāna­ble) thā y^e body doeth in beholdig an other eate & dryncke, & thou re­ceyuinge no part therof.

But now briefly let this cōtra­ [...]tie be collected. In the Lordes soupper are offerred thankes for the benefites, whiche we haue re­ceyued of God. In the masse wil the papist compell God to graūt▪ [Page] all that he asketh of hym, by ver­tue of that sacrifice. And so alled­geth that God should referre thā ­kes vnto him, that doeth masse.

In the soupper of the Lorde, y^e ac­tors humbly dyd confesse thē self redemed only by Christes bloud, whiche once was shedde.

In the masse the prieste vanted hym selfe to make a sacrifice for y^e synnes of the quicke & the dead.

In the Lordes soupper, all y^e partakers of that table graunted and cōfessed them selfs debtours vnto God, vnable to referre than­kes for the benefites, whiche wee had receyued of hys liberalitie.

In y^e papistical masse alledgeth the priest y^e God is a debtour too hym, & vnto all thē, for whome he maketh y^e sacrifice. For he doth af­firme remissiō of synnes to be ob­teyned therby: & in that y^e masse is blasphemous to Christes death▪

[Page]In the Lordes supper, all sat at one table, no differēce in habyt nor vestiment betwene the mini­ster and the congregation.

In the papistical masse the priestes are placed bi them selfs at an aultare (as they call it) & are clad in disaguysed garmentes.

In the Lordes supper fynally all did eate of one bread, & drincke of one cuppe.

But in the mischeuous masse one [...] did eate and dryncke all.

Consider now beloued brethrē, what hath the fruytes of y^e masse ben, euen in her greatest puritie: the masse is nothinge but the inuē tion of man, set vp without al au­thoritie of goddes worde, for ho­noringe of God: and therfore it is Idolatry. Vnto it is added a vain false, deceyuable and moste wic­ked opiniō: that is, that by it is obteyned remission of synnes, and [Page] therfore it is abomination before God. It is contrarious vnto the supper of Iesus Christ, and hath taken awaye bothe the righte vse and remembraunce therof: & ther­fore it is blasphemous to Christes death.

Maynteyn or defend the papi­sticall masse who so lifte: this ho­nor and seruice vnto God did all, whiche vsed the same. And here I speake no [...] of the moste abomina­ble abuses, as of byeng & sellinge vsed nowe of late by the mische­uous priestes: but of the masse in her moste hye degre, and most ho [...]est [...] ▪ yea, euen of y^e great Gaudeamus songe or sayde by Gregory the greate, as papistes do call hym.

Let no man thinke, that because I am in the realme of Englande, that therfore so boldely I speake agaynst this abomination: naye, [Page] God hath taken that suspiciō frō me. For the body lyenge in moste pa [...]full bond [...] amongest y^• mid­des of cruell tyran [...]es, hys mercy and good [...]es prouided that y^• hād should wryte and beare witnes to the confession of the hart, more a­bound antly than euer yet the tūg spoke.

And here I call my God to re­corde, that neither profitte too my self, haued of any person or per­sons, nor affection or fauour, that☞ I beare towardes anye pryuate man, causeth me this dai to speake as ye haue hearde: but onely the obedience which I owe vnto god in ministration, shewinge of hys worde, & the common loue, which I beare to your saluation. For so odious and abominable I knowe [...]he masse to be in goddes presece, that onles ye decline frō the same: to lyfe can ye neuer atteyn.

[Page]And therfore brethren, flye frō ☜ that Idolatry rather, then frome the present death.

Here wolde I haue spoken of the diuersitie of sacrifice, but ney­ther doeth tyme, nor the wicked­nesse of myne owne flesh, permit that so I do: I will ye obserue y^• where I saye there resteth no sa­crifice, nor yet is there anye prie­stes, that I meane that there res­teth no sacrifice too be offred for synne, nor yet is there any priests hauynge power to offre such ob­lations. Otherwise I do knowe that all true Christiās are kynges and priestes, and doe dayly offre vnto God a sacrifice moste accep­table, the mortification of their affections: as Paule commaunded the Romayns. But here of may not I remayne too speake pre­sently.

[Page]Suche doctrine, as was taught in youre audience vpon Sonday before noon: I wil proue, as oportunitie shall permitte, by goddes scriptures, not only vnprofitable: but also erroneous and deceyua­ble.

But firste, accordinge too my promes, I will seude vnto the teacher the extracte therof, to adde or diminishe, as by hys wysedome shalbe thought moste expediente▪ For God knoweth, my mynde is not capt [...]oush too tryppe men in wordes. But my onely desyre, beynge that ye my audience bee instructe in the veritie: where frō dissenteth some doctrine taughte you (if truelye I haue collected) moueth me to speake againste al, that maye haue appearaunce of lyes and superstition.

And praye with me brethren, that the spirite maye be ministred [Page] vnto me in aboundance, to speake at all times, as becommeth a trew messenger.

And I will lykewyse praye, that ye might heare, vnder­stande and obeye with all reuerēce, the good wil of God, decla­red vntoo the worlde by Iesus Christ, whose omnipotente spirite remayn with you for euer▪ Amen.