THese sacrifiers than as not content with the volūtary & holy sacrifice, b [...] the which Iesus Christ y^t is [...]he veri lambe & most holy innocent, & wyth­out spot y^e which alone taketh away the sinnes of y^e worlde, hath offered for vs to God his father him selfe hath giuen his life, [...]on. i & shed his bloude for our redemcion, making an ende & consummacion of all outward & visible sacrifice, yet as reputing y^e vnsufficiēt putting them selfe in the steade of Iesus Christe, they haue a masse, or in their masse made & inuēted a visible sacrifice as thei haue sayd vtile and profitable for the redempcion aswell of the quicke as the deed, which is playnly agaynst the holy scripture and an outragious cōtemnemēt, and a right renouncing of the death and passion of Iesus Christ, which shortli is easy to be shewed

In the .vii. Chapiter of the epistle to the He­brews, in spekinge of Iesus Christ, [...]ebre [...]. vii. among o­ther thinges it is writen. It was cōuenable to haue a byshop, holy, innocent seperat from sinnes, [Page]and hygher than the skyes. That is to say ouerpassinge al vertue and power of pure cre­atures, the whiche hath no ned (as the priestes) to offer euery daye sacrifice, first for hys syn­nes, thā after for the sinnes of the people. For he hath doone thys, in offering hym selfe once. Notably he hath done in offering him self one time, for neuer was suche an oblation, nor ne­uer shalbe againe, but as fully sufficient hathe for euer in al fuffised once for al.

In the .ix. Chapter of that same epistel it is sayde thus.Bebrue [...]. ix Christe being the high prist of the good thinges to com, entred in bi agreater & perfiter tabernacle, not made w^t handes, that is to say, not of this creacion, and not by the bloud of gotes or of calues, but bi his owne precious bloude is once entred in to the sayntuary and hath founde eternal redempcion.

Here agayne he saith, that by his presenting ones, eternal redemption is made and accom­plished. Wherby it is very euident that for our redemption we haue no nede of these poore sa­crifiers, offring and sacrifieng dayly for them selfe, and for vs, as if they were our redemers Therfore if we will not renounce the oblacion of Iesus christ, or repuete the same vnsufficiēt whiche is clere and manifest by the texte of the same Chap as it is sayd afterwarde. Iesus is not entred in to the sanctuary made with han­des (which ar but similytudes of true things) but chefly in heauen to thend that nowe he mai appeare for vs before y^e face of his father. And not bycause that he offred not him selfe often­tymes for (he sayth after) he shoulde haue suf­fered often sith y^e beginning of y^e world, But now in y^e cōsumaciō of y^e worldes he hath ap­pered [Page]by his sacrifice, for the destruction of synne, and as it is ordeyned of men for to dye once, & after that cometh the iudgement. Euen so hath Christ bene offered once to abolysh the synnes of many. Here is certaynly a very expresse text where it sayth clerely that Iesus Christe offe­reth not hym selfe many tymes, or other wyse he shoulde dye many tymes. For Iesus Christ to dye and to be offered to his father is all one.Christunt mori et [...]udent presentati idem. Now he shal neuer dye, wherby he shal neuer be sacrified, and in sacrifice he wyll neuer of­fre hym selfe. Than it foloweth well that men can not offre and sacrifye hym. For yf he offre not hymselfe, howe may other offre hym.

☞ And it may not be sayd that the sacrifice that is made nowe is the memory of that first sacrifice. Wherby moreouer it foloweth y^t all our sacrifiers that make the people to vnder­stand, that they present and make sacrifice for the quycke and for the dead. Yea and yet to be the more galant, only for them that they please to chuse and name. Therefore it appeareth ma­nifestly that thei be seductors, begilers, and li­ers. For certainly by the death of Iesus Christ all visible sacrifice is ceased, and the state of sa­crifiers is exspired. Wherfore they are shorne in vaine, and dysguysed for nothyng elles but that they may be knowen for to be fooles vn­wytty, and voyed of all brayne But for more ample probation it behoueth to consyder the .x. chap. of the same epistle, [...]bre. x. where as almost ouer al is made mencion of the holy sacrifice of Ie­sus Christ the whych hath made an ende of all sacrifices, so that neuer a sacrifice visible abi­deth. And among other thynges it is sayd thus in the person of Christ. [...]bre. x. ps. xxxix Behold I come Lorde [Page]God to thende that I maye do thy wyll, than foloweth. By the which wyll we be sanctified by the oblation of the bodye of Iesus Christe once for al. Than after it sayth. For by one oblation he hath made for euer them that are sāc­tified perfit. And also the holy gost testifieth it. For after he sayth. I shal haue nomore mynde of theire synnes nor of their iniquities. And where there is remission of them there is no more oblation for the synne.

☞ And for bycause that excuse of ignoraūce be not in vs, lette vs consider what these pore sanctifiers heretofore haue sayed. That verie true it is that Iesus Christ had gyuen his bo­die in sacrifice, principally for the synne of A­dam (and as they saye) for originall synne, but not entierly for sinnes that be committed actu­ally, daye by daye, whiche is none other thinge but for to saye and blaspheme that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath not made and founde en­tier and perfite redemption. And therfore they saye (as if they were adioyned or knitte wyth Iesus Christe, for to healpe him to make oure redemption, and that they were our redemers, that they offer to Gdd in theyr masse, a sacri­fice for the remission of our synnes, whiche is a merueylous boldnes, and a vnhappy arro­gaunce. For the which to abate and put doune in the sayed chaptre, forthwyth it sayeth after thys maner. Yf we sinne willyngly after that we haue receyued knowledge of veritie, there is lefte vs no more sacrifice for synnes. The which wordes (in whatsoeuer maner that any wyl take them) be so cleare, so quicke & migh­tie, that they can not be ynough merueiled at, howe the worlde hath ben so abused, blynded. [Page]and deceyued to suffre as yet willyngly suche sacrifice, or to presente any sacrifice visible and outward vnto the Lord God for our syn­nes, seynge that so constantly, so myghtyly, so many tymes and often the sayed holy Apostle affirmeth and saith that there is no more sacrifice, nor neuer shal be. For after Iesus Christe it behoueth not to loke for any other sacrifier. But it hath behoued, and so god hath permit­ted that Satā by hym and hys ministers haue seduced the worlde a fewe excepte. For it was a fore spoken and prophecyed that all shoulde be thus wasted & lost.Mat. xxiiii And finally for to mani­feste the power, glory and magnificence of the souereigne Lorde, the whych by the sounde of his word,ii. Theff [...]. ii. and by the spirite of his mouth, shall put to ruyne and ouerthrowe the reygne of his enemyes, that is to wyt, Antychrist, the worlde hell, and Satan.

☞ Alas is not thys a greate misery to thys vnhappy worlde, to haue so greatly dispised these fore alleged sentēces, to haue cōtempned them in this wyse, & so coldly passed them ouer withoutany other aduisemēt, neuer willing to cōsider that there is great differēce betwene sacrifice and testamēt. For whā we offre a sacri­fice to God, we gyue a present to him wherby it is verye euident that whan we take and re­ceyue of hym any thyng, that it is no sacrifice but a liberall gyfte and pure mercy.

☞ And who than is so blynded that he seeth not here clearly that by gift of a testament, confirmed by the death of the testatour by greate loue and charite, he hath wholy giuē him selfe vnto vs? Saint Luke toucheth it at the quicke when he sayth thus.Luke. xxii Thys chalice is the newe [Page]testamēt in my bloud that shalbe shed for you. Testament he sayeth, not example to do sacri­fice. At thys poynt they haue very ill thought, whan by forgetfulnes (to the ende that I saye not my sunderstanding) suche a gyft they haue wylled to chaūge into sacrifice. Yf we wyl do sacrifice let vs do that saynt Paule sayth and beleue his diuine counsel, where he sayth thus.Roma. xii. I praye you than my brethren by the mercy of God, that ye offre your bodyes in a liuely sacrifice, holily. pleasaunt to God. &c. To such sacrifice we be all ordeyned of God, priestes & kyn­ges without beyng shauen, shorne, ceremonies or dysguysed. Not for to offre his sonne vnto hym agayne. For to offre vnto him suche offe­ryng we be to vnworthy, to vile and infecte, forasmuche as he offered hym selfe to his fa­ther for vs.

☞ The which oblation for al times is ryght sufficient and perfyte, or elles it behoued for to reiterate or renew it because it should be vnperfite, or elles certainly inconuenient to seeke any other, whych by stronge argumēt of scrip­ture. I shewe thus.

☞ In the epistle to the Hebrewes by diuers argumentes it is concluded that for the death of an high Bishop there must an other be ordeined and by the death of hym another,Hebrues .x. & so con­sequently vnto the tyme that there come one entyerly immortall, whych is oure onely medi­atour Iesus Christe.Note this. The whiche alway assi­steth for vs in the presence of God. Lykewyse for the imperfection of the sacrifices of the ☜. olde law it behoued euery day to beginne vn­to the tyme that one was offered entyerly per­fite and consummate, which must not be renu­ed. [Page]The whyche moste holy and moste perfyte hath be made by our high Bishop and pastour Iesus Christ whych offered him selfe in sacri­fice, and none other thing no better thynge nor none so good could be found next God. Al this is declared more at large in the .v. vi. viii. and .x chapitres of the said epistle.

☞ Now I demaund of all sacrifiers if the sacrifice be perfite or vnperfite wherefore ab­use they thus the pore worlde,No est da­re me di [...]t. and sel a thinge that is nothynge worth. If it be perfitte, why is it dayly renued, and so often times by thou­sandes begonne agayne. Put your selfe forth poore sacrififiers, and if ye haue power to an­swer, answer, for gladly I woulde vpon this heare your answer.i [...]q. neuer. The which I knowe that ☞ ye wyl bring forth ad Calendas grecas, that is to say neuer, after your honest custome.

☞ For the whiche thinges that be so euident and manifeste that any man ought to be asha­med to saye the contrary, some wyly foxes all ashamed of theyr matter, to couer and excuse theyr malyce to abuse and begyle the worlde a­gaine (as theyr maner hath ben and is alwaies to resiste and gainsey the veritie (as nowe are many not ashamed to speake & properly to say they haue not done sacrifice, but onely haue offered sacrifice of prayse whiche is openly a­gaynst the Canon of theyr masse by the which they name and call this breade (after that they haue pronounced the wordes which they call sacramentalles) holy sacrifice, holy oblation, presented and giuen to God as the sacrifice of Abell and Abraham. and commonly they call it Corpus domini, the holy hooste and suche ma­ner of names.

☞ Also for to pray to God and offre to hym a sacrament of prayse needeth neyther breade nor wine, there needeth neither light nor cādle, shauyng or sheryng, nor diguysyng w^t vnaccu­stomed and wy de garmentes, wherby they can no longer couer theyr abuse, theyr malyce and errours by suche fictions and legerdemaynes wherby alwaies they distroye them selues, ha­uynge so litle wytte that in so speakyng, they confounde it wholy them selues. For sacrifice of prayse is comen to all persones. Be it man woman, or chylde they are all bounde to offre sacrifice of prayse. And by thys meanes if in theyr masse be none other sacrifice but prayse a woman myght say it, yea a litle childe, which is directly agaynste the accustomed doctrine. But it muste needes be that suche lyinge drea­mes distroye it selfe.

☞ Now haue they sayd ouer al vniuersities Papalles that the masse sayde or songe by an vnthryfty harlotte priest, was, and is as good, as the masse of the mooste holy prieste, that is. The which thing we cōfesse to be more verifi­ed thā they wene. For y^e best of thē both is but wretchydnes, howbeit theyr intention is to say that, that cometh not of the vertue of him that doeth suche worke, but by the vertue of the thinge wrought. that is to say, offered to God sacrificed and presentyng, and in theyr Latine they do say. Non virtute operis operantis: sed virtute operis operati, that is to saye, not by the vertue of the worke of the worker but by the vertue of the worke wroughte which is all falshode, dreames, and inuentions of mē as a­boue is effectually shewed.

FOr thermore to confounde erroure after erroure, notwythstandynge that thys fyrste poynte is sufficient to abolishe it euidently. I meane not the Sacramente of Iesus Christe, for it besemeth me not but thys triumphaunte Papall Masse. The sayd selye poore sacrifiers as enchauntours and idle people whiche neuer estemed the holy scriptures, and for to encrease & publyshe theyr foly she frenasy, scantly wyllyng to gyue place to the body of Iesus Christe, haue sayed, put in wrytynge, preached and taught. That after that they had blowen or spoken ouer the bread whiche they holde betwene their fingers, and also ouer the wyne that they put in the chalice, that there remayneth neyther breade nor wyne but by transformation, or as they saye trans­substanciation, the body of Iesus Christe is ther vnder the accidētes of the bread inuisibly hyd. And the bloud also vnder the accidētes of the wyne, beinge there no more bread or wine which is a doctrine of deuyls, agaynst al veri­tie, agaynst al experience, agaynste reason, and holy scripture, the whiche hath amonge other thinges cast away & alienated from the christē law and religion almost al the earth, so ful of wretchednes is the papysticall doctrine.

☞ That this doctrine and sophistical deter­mination proceading of vanitie & of dreames is entierly against the holy scriptures, it is eui­dent and manifest by, S. Paul, S. Mathew, S. Marke, & S. Luke. Where as al these wit­nesses [Page]of truth speake of the holy supper of Iesus Christ, they haue sayd and put in wryting that oure Lord Iesus Christe toke breade and breake it distributynge it to his Apostles and disciples. Fyrste S. Paule sayeth thus.i. Cori. xi, Oure Lorde Iesus Christe the same nyght in which he was betrayed, toke breade and geuyng thā ­kes brake it and sayed. Take and eate, thys is my body whiche is broken for you. S. Mat. lykewyse sayeth in thys maner.Ma. xxvi And as they supped. Iesus toke bread, blessed it, and brake it, and gaue it to his disciples and sayed Take and eate, thys is my bodie.Ma. xiiii. Saint Marke also and S. Luke haue written it in their Gospels,Luk. xvi [...] where as they name the breade expressely, and not the substaunce of breade. Item S. Paule in the place before alledged, after that he had made ample mention of the institution and or­dinaunce of the holy supper of Iesus Christe, sayd in this maner. Man approueth him selfe, and so eateth of this breade, & drinketh of the chalice, where as he saythe not. Eate ye the bo­die of Iesus Christe, whiche is hyd vnder the apparance of breade, but openly, purely, & sim­ply he sayed, eate ye of this breade. Now it is certaine that the scripture hath no dissceyt and that in it is no fainyng And notwithstandyng this the poore blynd folke haue ben presump­tuous and bolde that they durst diffine & deter­mine agaynst saint Paule, and other euange­listes that there is neither bread nor wyne, but onely the similitude of bread and wine. Also in the Actes of the apostles it is writen thus.After. x [...] ▪ And on a Sabboth daye, when we were assembled to breake bread, where as it is not writen sem­blaunce or likenes of breade. And S. Paule in [Page]an other place saith. The bread that we dreake is it not the participatiō of the body of Iesus Christe. In the which so many euident places the holy scripture pronoūceth & sayth expresse­ly to be bread, not a shape, or kinde, apparance, or likenes of breade. Wherfore on paine to be condemned of god, we must simply beleue it to be breade, and not lykenes of breade onely, for (as it is sayed) in the holy scripture is no fei­nynge.

☞ True it is that the fayethfull Christians wel vnderstandyng the dignitie of the Sacra­mente, take the breade sacramentall, not as co­mune breade, vulgare and vsuall, but as bread sanctified, apoynted, and ordeined to diuine v­ses bycause that in this mooste holy action the spirite and soule of the faythfull shoulde be nouryshed, that is to saye, knitte, ioyned, and vnied by speciall operation to his propre lyfe, whiche is his pastoure and onelye sauiour Ie­sus, and that inuisible for the time of this mortall lyfe, by intelligence and contemplation of fayth. To the whiche in the lyfe to come, shall appere without coueringe of sacramente, opē ­ly, actually, really as our redemer, high bishop, kynge and sacrifier ordeined of god his father▪ vnto the consummation of all thinges.

☞ Saynt Cipryan martyr, one of the aūciēt doctours & the fathers of the church in a sermō y^t he made of the supper of the Lorde y^t begin­neth. Suscitati Lazari. Hierosolimis increpu­erat rumor By highe and longe sentences that whiche I haue toutched shortly, amonge the whiche he sayed thus. Panem angelorum subsacramento manducamus in terris, eundem si­ne sacramento manifestius edemus in celis.

That is to say, we Christians eate the bread of angels, which is Christ the liuinge God vnder the Sacrament in earth, but we shall eate it in heauē manifestly without colour of sacramēt. And what he vnderstandeth by eatynge hym, selfe declareth it in the same sermon, sayinge, Quod est esca carni hoc anime est fides, quod cibus corpori, hoc verbum spiritui. That is to saye. That, whiche the meate doth to the fleshe the fayth doth it to the soule, and that whiche the meate doeth to the body, the worde of God doth it to the spirit. As touching the proprietie of bread it is wel to be noted. The nature and condition of breade and wine (as to theyr fyrst constitution) is to nourysh and feede the body. But it hath pleased the Lorde to ordeyne them in his holy Sacramēt, to another and more ex­cellent operation, which is that to the well vn­derstandynge and faythfull person it bringeth and representeth (not to the sence of the body, but to the soule & spirite) actual takinge quicke knowledging, and mynde of the body of the sauiour of our soules, delyuered to death for vs, and of his precious bloud shed for our redem­ption, whiche be two sundry thinges. For the bodye mighte well haue died without effusion of bloud, as we se daily many dye. But by his greate mercie it pleased him for to do bothe for vs. That is that he hath tasted death as to the body, and not only that, but also woulde shed and offre his precious bloud in price of our re­dētion. And therfore bicause that in his church shoulde alwaye be had minde of these two ad­mirable workes he hath ordeined this same holy sacrament, which is the consummation and ende of all other in two visible thinges that is [Page]to witte in bread and wyne, the which thinges should neuer be separate, as they haue done in the Popysh churche, which is a great wicked­nes and extreme sacrilege openly agaynste the institution and ordinaūce of Iesus, that so expressely and so euidently had conioyned them. But what care vnkinde folke ennemies to the veritie, of the ordinaunces thereof, for they be wise, and not vnwitty. Yf saynte Paule were alyue, O how he would crie against such a cursed abuse, so would saint Austine, S. Ciprian and all other induced with the good spirite.

☞ But to returue to the purpose, it is cer­tayne that of the same breade whiche they had vsed in eating the Lambe of passing, called the Pascall lambe. Iesus Christe toke, and brake, sayeng, take, eate, this is my body. Where v­pon in the sermon afore sayed thys good doc­tour Ciprian sayd thus. Ante verba illa, cibus ille cōmunis, tantum nutriendo corpori cōmo­dus erat, sed er quo a domino dictum est, hoc facite in meam commemorationē. &c. panis iste solemni benedictione sacratus, ad totiꝰ homi­nis vitam, salutem (que) proficit. That is to saye before the wordes of Iesus Christe this meate that was commune auayled to feede the body onely. But syth that the lorde had spoken, this bread cōsecrate by solempne blissyng profiteth to the life and entier saluation of man. Thys breade than by one such and so singuler appli­cation, so high, solempne and excellent blessing is chaunged and altered, not in corporall sence, but to intellectuall spirite, not of kinde or sub­staunce but of operation of nature, of signifi­cation, dignitie and office, yea to the faythful, but nothinge to the vnfaythful but perdition.

☞ The whyche thynge yll vnderstande hath gyuen occacion to the schole men at thys pre­sente tyme curiously and vaynely to dispute that is to wit, if the accidētes may be separate & remaine without substaūce, substaūce w^tout accidentes, & other diueres allegations, which are not to the purpose of Iesus Christe nor of his church but serue to confuse the world, and to bringe the christen religion to sclaūder, moc­kery and irrision, for of one incōuenience (if it be not withstande) many other will folowe.

☞ Who may than any more susteyne, sup­port, and endure suche folke, the which as pre­sumptuous and arrogaunt, without feare or reuerence haue be so bold, to cōclude that there is neyther breade nor wyne, but haue dreamed and inuented a wanton and a newe terme of speakynge, that they haue called (as is aboue spoken) transsubstātiation. The whiche in the holy scripture was neuer reade. Nor by the sayntes and good Fathers of the primatyue churche imagined. Whereby as enemyes of God & his worde by very ryght ought to be ex­pulsed, & cast awaye, or the better and fayrer to speake, as piuishe fooles they ought to be con­tempned and dispised.

☞ How be it if any shoulde demaunde them by what veritie suche a thynge is done. They wyll answere forthwyth, by the doctrines of theyr scholes, that it is in the vertue of the sa­cramentall wordes, proferred and pronounced ouer the breade. In suche wyse that yf there were no bodye that vnderstode, or hearde the sayd wordes, that neuertheles the sayed tran­substantiation woulde folowe, so that the sa­crifice had his full strength wyth matter con­uenable. [Page]&c. But certainly I greatly wonder & haue pitie on them that they be so blynde and haue not so muche vnderstandyng to consider that oure Lorde spake not to the breade whan he sayed. Take, eate, thys is my bodye. Nor he spake not to the wyne. As. S. Luke reciteth whan he wrote. And toke the cup & gaue than­kes, and sayed. Take ye it & distribute amonge you. Also afterwarde likewise he gaue the cup after supper sayinge. Thys cuppe is the newe Testamente in my bloude, whiche is shed for you. In the whiche writynges and all other of the new testament this matter is very euident that he neuer spake to the breade nor wyne. Than it maye be well sayed that these poore folke be very vnwitty, in secrete hidyng aside not willynge to be hearde and vnderstande of anye, blowe and speake thus ouer the breade and wyne. Wherof oure Lorde Iesus Christe neuer gaue vnto them neither exāple nor word But it is the custome that alwayes one errour engendreth an other errour.

IN thys poynt more than in any other they haue fayled, & erred greatly, whā they sayd, wrote, preached, gaue to vnderstande, and taught, that in the steade of bread and wyne (as they saye) vnder the shapes or kyndnes visible, whyte or blake, yelowe or redde, it is al one, the body of Iesus Christe really and in dede, entyerly, corporally & personally in fleshe [Page]and bone, as greate and perfite as presently he lyued. And in this wise they haue prouoked al­mooste the vniuersall worlde to manifeste and open ydolatri. Agaynst the whiche importable abusion it behoueth to resiste myghtily wyth the holy scriptures.

And fyrste of all we muste reteyne and note wel the artycle of our faith,Rom. vii. that Iesus Christ died for oure sinnes, and arose for oure Iusti­fication.ma [...]. xvii [...] And after his resurrection ascēded in to heauen, and sytteth on the right hāde of his father, reigninge in maiestye, to whome al po­wer is giuen, in heauen, in earth, & in hel.Philip. ii. That he ascended into heauen visible in the presence of the Apostles and disciples it is certaine. [...]ciuū. i. Of the which wonderful ascēcion they were faith full and true wytnesses,Mar. xvi. as it appeareth in the Act. of the Apostles, & by S. Marke in the last Chap. of his Gospell. Also S. Paul writinge to the Collossiens sayth in thys maner.Cos. i [...]i. Yf ye be risen wyth Christe, seke heauenly thynges that be aboue, where Christe is, sytting on the ryght hande of the father. If foloweth well than, syth that Iesus Christe is aboue in hea­uen sittynge on the right hande of his father, that he is not here in earth betwen the preistes handes, nor closed in a boxe or aulmery, for his body was neuer but in one place at once.

Therefore if hys bodie be in heauen, for that tyme it is not in earth, and if he were in earth, it shoulde not be in heauen for of certayne a very perfighte bodye is but in one place at ones as I sayde afore,Caue [...]d [...] a sabe [...]. and it is no nede to dreame or allege any miracle of God, and saie that god is almyghtye to make it be done, and to mul­tiplie it at ones, in sondri places, for that is the [Page]rauinge ymaginacion of man wythout foun­dacion of scripture. And y^t God maketh suche a multiplicacion we haue none assuraunce of scripture, nor deuine promise

Argumentū a posse ad esse ni­ [...] cōclu­dit.Wherfore to saye. God maye do it, ergo he dothe it. That saynge is nothynge worth, for here is no question of the power of God. And it is all certayne that God hath the power to make all the Asses. Horses and Mules in the world for to speake, as he made Balaams asse to speake, howbeit he doth it not.

More ouer we haue neuer red in holy scrip­ture that he hath multiplied & put at one tyme on bodye in sondry places But rather made it to transport fro one place to a nother at hys plesure,Da. xiiii. as appereth of Habacuc that by y^t an angell was in continent horne from Iudea in to Babilon but whā he was in on place he left the other.Acte. viii. Likewise it is say [...]e of Philip, after that he had baptised the gelded man a man of authorite with Candace quene of the Ethiopi­ens that the spirite of our Lorde rauished hym sodenly, and was founde in Azoto.

But that one onely bodye hath ben in sondry places at once was neuer red. Wherefore to saye that God doth such a miracle without apperteining, without sight of ani thing, without any knowlege, the folishe dreame is to greate. The workes of God be manifest, cleare, open, and certayne. He neuer did miracle on any ma­ner body without manifesting it. The workes of God be not couered (special whan they con­cerne bodily thynges) but as I sayed be cleare and open. Than to say and affirme such a mi­racle without euidence and ryght greate certi­tude, is greatly to erre, and to constreyne the [Page]people to beleue, by fire, water, bloude sheding, death, prisonmēt, cordes, and hangment, is most cruell tiranny. Moreouer we haue infalible certification by the holy scripture, of the cōing of the son of man, y^t whā it would please him to depart fro heauen, he should be visible & mani­fest. For as S, Math sayth.ma. vviiii Yt any say vnto you Christ is here, or there, beleue him not, for as the lyghtning issueth fro the orient, & appe­reth vnto the occident, so shalbe the cominge of the son of man. And therof the holy angels of God gaue greate witnes whā they sayd to the apostles. Ye men of Galile, what stand ye styl be holding the skye?Actes .i. Thys Iesus that is re­ceyued from you in to heauen, shal come as ye saw him ascende to heauen. That is to wyte openly, visibly, clerely, and manifestly, not hid, courted wrapped, or clothed wyth breade or dowghe.

And if vnto all this be answred by sophisti­cal fātasi, y^t is vnderstād alonely of y^e coming at the daye of iugement, & not in the sacramēt, wherefore (as they saye) he remaineth w^t vs in body & soule perpetually although y^t he hideth him, & sheweth him not. This is a saing at wil wherewith they haue abused vs in tyme past whiche saynge was easy & light to beleue, here before when we beleued it by the seduction of hypocrites

Also y^t saiyng is a blaspheminge,Ma. vvv? & maketh Iesus Christ a lier. Which saith expressli, that we shal haue alway poore folke w^t vs, but we shall not haue him alway, The which wordes we must necessaryly vnderstād, of his body, & his humanite. For as touchinge his holy sprite it is ouer all, & alway with them that be his, as [Page]it is sayd in S. Math.ma [...]. xxviii Behold I am with you to the end of the worlde.

Nowe is this an ouer dullynge & darkening of the spirite & vnderstanding of the people to bind them & cause them to stop and stey at a li­tell bread, at a thynge visible and corruptible, to cause thē to seke him there, which is of soue rayn maiesty in triumphaunt glory. For now he is out of his tyme and out of his infirmite, and neuertheles, in the putting and holding of him without any order thus in a lūp of dough, he should be more set by thā euer he was in the presence of Pilate. Yea if one woulde saye a furbisher of olde baggage. Nay, like as a do­minican said somtyme, in the cite of Geneue o­pēly preached y^t he made him selfe as litle as a Pismire. And if it wer not y^t the mater is so ernest, and that I haue dolor of the folyshnes of such one graceles. I could not abstayne me for laughyng.

But in leauinge the fooles in theyr foly, I would wite, what v [...]ilite or profit mighte com to vs that he were with vs in a lytel morsel of breade so hyd? [...]n. xvi. whan he hym selfe sayde, if he ascended not to hys father that the holy. Gost shoulde not come, and whan he was ascended into heauen, that he woulde send him, whiche be dyd at the daye of Penthecost, and sytte al­so on them that it pleased him.

To be briefe this popishe doctrine is cause of the vniuersall distruction almooste of all the world. And they ought not for the couering of theyr yes, and the better to exercyse thir vnsa­ciat auaryce, for their pryde, their marchaun­dise, and rapine & for to giue some apparence and colour to their mater, for to allege or bring [Page]furth these wordes. Thys is my body that is giuen for you. For by them none other thinge is shewed but presence sacramētal in the bread and wyne not as it hath be sayde vulgare or commmune, but significatiue and Sacramen­tal, which is and ought to be taken in greate re­uerence in minde of the death and passion of Iesus Christ, representyng the brenninge loue greate charite wherwyth he loued vs, and bys holy spirite wherwyth he hath quickened vs.

Betokenynge also the lone that in veri cha­rite we oughte to loue eche other, as membres of one bodye, wherof Iesus Christ is the head and that it is so, y^e same wordes gitreth know ledge therof. For it is certaine, that, that which we do se that is to wyte the breade or as they saye the whitnes of bread, is not the bodye of Iesus Christe.

Therfore if any saye to me. It is true, that whiche is seen is not the bodye,These [...] ioy [...]x c [...] teyn [...]. but vnder that or within that which is seen, the body is con­teyned and encloses. Thys is well glosed, and thus alterynge the purpose, and the wordes of Iesus Christ thei be nomore takē in their purenes and simplicitie, as he preferred them with out glose or addition, for he sayde not vnder that or wythin that is conteyned mi bodye but symply sayd. Thys is my body as it was said of the Paschall lambe.Exod. [...] This is the passage of the Lorde God. And neuertheles it is very eui­dente that the lambe was not the passage, but that onely it betokened the passage.Lamb [...]. Passaige In thys maner also the breade is not the bodye, but it sygnifieth the bodye, as in another place it is sayde, that Iesus Christ is the stone, [...]e [...] [...]o. howbeit it is certain that he was not the stone,i. Co [...]. [...]. but that [Page]by the stone he was signinified or represented. To thys purpose sayeth saynte Austine thus, Res significantes accipiunt nomina rerum significatorum Non enim dicitur: petra significa bat Christum, sed absolute dicitur petra erat Christus. In lyke maner of speakinge he sayd I am the very vyne. [...]ou. xv vyne. That is to wite. I am signified by the vine.

☞ And aboue all thys is to be noted. For it is wryten he beleued the worde of the Lorde And it was reputed for rightuousnesse and ac­corde was made betwene hym and the Lorde, of the which Iustyficacion and acccorde was giuen vnto hym the signe and token of Tircū ­cision, and in ordeynynge the sayde token the Lord God sayde vnto hym. Hoc est pactum meum.Gen. xvii Circumci­sion. Thys is min accord or couenaunt. Howe, beit it is very cuident that the sayd incision or circumcision was not the sayde accord or coue­naunt but it was onely the signe of the accord or couenaunt Wherby if I should aske of a lerned persone, the perfite vnderstāding of these wordes thys is my couenaunte. He would say to me thys is the sygne of my couenaunt. Like wyse I would say to him of thys. Thys is mi body,Ma. xxvi thys is the sygne of my body. For it is alone maner to speake, so highlye and perfitlye in all thinges lyke as there is no mā that could reasonably say to the contrary Other textes ynought there be in holy scripture, [...] Cor [...]. xi. where such maners of speaking is vsed, wherby it was not necessari thus hardly to take this text after the letter Hoc est corpus meum, that is to say: this is mi body without swet mistical and spiritual knowledge, but it hath behoued so to do for to greace and fatte the healyes of these fat bulles [Page]and rauishe the worlde in admitacion.

Also because the iuel of abominacion shoulde bee araised in the holye place,Psal. xx [...] ▪ Daniel. xi i. Thessa. i [...] and that there­by the manne of pryde and of synne and he of whom the comminge is after the operacion of Sathan in all power and signes, lienge mira­cles and wonders, shoulde bee exalted and worshipped as God.

☞ Notably the holy apostle did saye, signes and liyng wonders. For in thys masse and blowen breade greate wōders, lowde lies he hath imagined. Is it not well dreamed, well lyed, and raued to haue sayd that all the accidentes of the breade, and wyne as whitnes, roundes, weight, tast, sauor moystnes &c. be and remain there without subiect, that is to wite without foundation and substaunce. Is not thys very hardily spoken to say, that they hold, that they beare, and that they close the bodye of Iesus Christe, all of hys heyght, all entyer, all a lyue in fleshe and bones thus and so, and whither they wyll.

I demaunde ones again what meaneth, & wylleth this poore sacrifier whan he pronounceth the wordes ouer the breade? sayng. This is mi body. leuyng the rest of the texte euangelicall, and addeth presumptuously this word, [...], sayeng. Hoc est enim corpus meum, that is to saye, for thys is my body, The whiche worde, enim (or for) none of the euangelystes dyd adde wherin they enterprise vpon the worde of god Yf the sayde sacrifier wyll saye that it is hys owne body that is hid vnder this whitnes and kynde of breade, it is certaynly a foule and a stynkinge thinge. Yf he shall aunswere that it is the body of Iesus Christe, wherfore saith [Page]he not then. Hoc est corpus Christe, that is to say thys is the body of Christe. Bycause it myght be vnderstande what he sayde. And if he saye, that be recitethe the wordes onely or that he reciteth the wordes y^t Iesus putfurth takinge thē materialli, or by maner of nothing To that I answer, that wordes taken mate­rially (by theyr owne schosastical doctrine) signyfieth nothinge.

☞ Moreouer I aske of thē, where thei haue promes and assuraūce of God that euery tyme and as often as they shal pronounce such wor­des that the body of Iesus Christe all sodenly shall descende betwene theyr handes. Yf they alledge thys texte Hoc facite in cōmemoratio­nem meam, that is to say, do this in the remē ­braūc of me: it is not answered to the purpose. For it is ryght manifest that he speaketh not there & maketh any cōmādemēt that he should do sacrifice,ii. Cro. xi. but of the cōmestion and eateynge of the bread, whych ought to be done in the cō ­memoration of the charitie, death and passion of our Lord Iesu Christ, in shewyng the same (as. S. Paule sayeth) tyl that he come, that is to wyt, [...] of .xviii. openly and manifestly at the great day of dome, and ought not to staie so much at this verbe substantyue Sumes est, that is in Eng­lysh, am, was and is: wyllyng to conclude, that he is ther corporally, because he sayde, Hoc est corpus meum, this is my body. For this verbe substantiue, albeit that it is expressed, yet pro­ueth he not bodily presence, but souerayne and spirituall, lyke as he sayde. Wher two or thre be gathered together in my name there am I in the mydes of them. He sayed expressely, In me dio eorum sum. And neuertheles it is very cer­tayne [Page]that he wyll gyue none other thynge to meanynge but hys goostly assistence, not per­sonally, or corporally, as these Papistes haue preached that not onelye Iesus Christ is there presente really in bodye and in soule, but also (that more is) the angels and sayntes, and all the celestiall court. Wherin they shew playnly the efficacy of their errour, wherin they be fal­len, and haue not so muche vnderstandynge to knowe that they confounde them selues. For lyke as by theyr sayinge they putte & multiplye the bodye of Iesus Christe in sondry places at ones, so muste it be than, that all the Aungels and all the sayntes of God be in diuers places at ones. And if they be so ashamed to consy­der it: I woulde lerne of them the texte of the word of God, where they foūde thys, and if it were so that they haue none I deteste them as dreamers and cursed lyers.

☞ And if we bringe forthe the .vi. chapitre of saynte Ihon, where as he sayeth, I am the ly­uynge breade whyche is descended from hea­uen, if any eate of thys breade he shall lyue e­ternally. And the breade that I shall gyue, for the lyfe of the worlde is my fleshe. That af­terwarde he sayde, excepte ye shall eate of the fleshe of the sonne of man, and drynke hys bloude ye shall haue no lyfe in you. He that ea­teth my flesshe, and drynketh my bloude hathe lyfe euerlastynge, and I shall reyse hym vp a­gayne in the laste daye. For my flesshe is very meate and my bloude is very drynke. To thys allegation I answere, that in all thys Chapi­ter Iesus Chryste manifesteth and declareth, hym selfe such as he is & was, y^t is to wyte our lyfe and onely gyuer of lyfe.

☞ Moreouer he willed to take away the fo­lyshe ignoraunce of some poore blynde. folkes that folowed hym for none other thynge, but that they thoughte that he woulde fede them bodyly wythout anie more laboure, bicause he had nourished them by the multiplication of .v loues,Iohn .vi. mat. xiiii and .xv. at one tyme, and of .vii. at an other in the desertes. Other (as it appeareth in the same Chapter) estemed hym the sonne of Io­seph. And by thys contempned hym wythout estemmyng any thinge of him but that he was a man, and nothynge of diuinitie they know­ledged in hym. The whiche onely deitie feedeth and nourisheth our soules and spirites. Wherfore bycause they shoulde not pretende any ig­noraunce, and that they should not excuse them of synne, he sayed vnto them. I am the lyuyng breade whiche descended from heauen. That is to saye, from eternitie in temporalitie, by the onely mercy of my father wythout merite of any creature, He sayed then. I am the lyuyng breade that is descended from heauen, as if o­penly he had sayed, despise me outwarde as­muche as you wyll, yet am I other then ye wene, ye se the bodie wythout that ye do de­spise, but in the same abideth the plenitude of diuinitie.

☞ Therefore it foloweth, the breade that I shal gyue for the lyfe of the worlde, is my flesh. The whiche he hath greatly accomplished by his death.Collo. ii. In the whiche for to quycken vs, he hath wyllyngly gyuen hym selfe in perfite sa­crifice, offerynge hym selfe by great obedience wyth a brennynge loue to his father for oure redemption. And ryght proprely he calleth his fleshe breade, [...]hon .v. heauenly bread and lyuyng bread bicause that he & his father be one selfe thinge. [Page]In the whiche signification, the holy Apostle calleth Iesu Christ an heauenly man, or other wyse he shoulde not be oure lyfe and noury s [...] ­inge.ii. Cor. xv And in lykewise as the bread is not made for it selfe, but for the nouryshynge of other, so Iesus Christe the verie sonne of God is made man for our redemption and lyfe, as it is sayed. Uerbum caro factum est, that is to saye, the worde became fleshe. Yea if that by liuely fayth,Ihon .i. and assured and stedfast confidēce we be vnited and knit to hym. Then the verie true intelligence and ryghte certeintie of thys chapter is nothinge of the corporal and carnal eating, but of the spiritual cōmestion or eating that is made by a lyuely, entier & stedfast fayth which vniteh, encorporateh and kniteth vs to Iesus Christe, whiche causeth vs to taste his holy worde, as him selfe declareth in the sayed place, where as he sayeth. The wordes that I speake ben spirite and lyfe, the fleshe profiteth nothinge, that is to wytte, carnall thoughtes haue no place here about, neither is the fleshe eatē and swalowed into the bealy or stomake. But it hath profited much fastened on y^e crosse and to the Lorde offered and sacrified. For truly the fleshe eaten profiteth not the soule, and to saye that it were the feadynge of the body,Iohn .vi. Mens ve [...] sci corpor [...]enescit. it were to merily spoken. And it behoueth ne­cessarily for to vnderstande thys chapter, as it is aboue sayed, yea if it please not the aduersaries to make Iesus Christ a lyer for to defēde their fantasy. The which by the same chapter is lightly and spedely shewed, if it please you to consider it well.

☞ In a certayn text he sayd thus. Who so euer beleueth in me hath eternall lyfe, & I shall [Page]rayse hym vp agayne at the last daye. In the other texte he sayeth. Who so eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude hath euerlastyng lyfe,Iohn .vi. and I shall reyse hym vp agayne at the laste day, wherin it is manifestly sene that by these two textes, all is one thing of the fayth and of thys eatyng, and who that beleueth in Iesu Christ, eateth and drinketh the body and bloud of Iesu Christe. Or elles the firste preposition (That is to witte, that who soeuer beleueth in Iesus Christ hath the lyfe euerlastyng) should be falsifyed by thys (thyrd) that foloweth. Ue­rely, verely I say vnto you, if ye eat not the fleshe of the sonne of man, and drynke not his bloud ye shall not haue the lyfe in you, howbe­it afore he affirmeth that who so euer beleueth in hym hath euerlastynge lyfe. Whereby it fo­loweth infallibly, that to eate the flesh, and to drynke y^e bloude of Iesus Chryste,Nota ☞ to come to hym and beleue in him is one selfe thinge, and there is no man liuyng how subtyl that he be (if he be not all oute of hys wyte) that cā saye agaynste it and that it is not true. How many thousandes of chyldren, yonge adolescentes and other persones haue be and shalbe in euer­lastyng lyfe, that neuer bodyly did eate of thys visible bread, nor drynke of the Chalyce, and euermore the processe is general, whā he sayth verely I saye vnto you, if ye eate not of the fleshe of the sonne of man, & drynke not hys bloude, ye shall not haue y^e lyfe in you. Wher­fore it is necessarye to take and vnderstande thys texte,Non sic [...]duct [...] intiqui. not of the visible and outwarde ea­tynge, but of the inu [...]ble eatynge, whiche is the inwarde fayth.

☞ Saynt Austine vnderstode this wel whā [Page]in the persone of Iesus Christe and of the Ie­wes he wrote thus. Illi putabāt erogaturū se corpus suum. Ille dixit ascensurū in celū,De cōfee [...] ii. cap. prie antiqui de heres [...]. vti (que) integrum. Cum videritis filiū hominis ascen­dentem vbi erat prius certe vel tunc intellige­tis quia non eo modo quo putatis erogat cor­pus suū, vel tunc intelligetis quia gratia eius non consumitur morsibus. Item donec finia­tur seculum sursum dominus est, sed tamen hic nobiscum est veritas domini. Corpus enim in quo resurrexit in vno loco esse oportet, veritas autem eius vbi (que) diffusa est. That is to saye. The Iewes thought that Iesus Christ wolde haue gyuen them his bodye for to eate, and he answered thē that he woulde ascende into heauen whole and perfite, bycause they shoulde knowe and vnderstande that they shoulde not receyue it in suche maner as they thoughte for hys grace consumeth not by morselles. More­ouer v̄nto the ende of the worlde the Lorde is aboue. But the truth of the Lorde remayneth here belowe wyth vs. For it behoueth that the bodye of the Lorde whyche is rysen be in one place. But the truth of the Lorde spreadeth o­uer all.

☞ Itē Fulgētius speakyng of Iesus Christ wrytteth thus. [...]usgentis u [...] ad Thrasnti liber .ii. Absens erat in celo secundum humanam substantiam cum esset in terra, et de­relinquens terram quum ascendisset in celum. Secundum vero diuinam et immensam sub­stantiam nec celum dimittens quum de celo descendit, nec terram deserens quum ad celū as cē ­dit. That is to saye. Christe by his humayne substaunce was absente from heauen whan he was in erth, and was leauynge the erth whan he ascended to heauen. But by hys diuine and [Page]infinite substaunce he lefte not heauen, whan he descended from heauē, nor also lefte not the earth whan he ascended to heauen.

☞ I haue alleged these two aūciēt doctours not for to gyue authoritie, or by thē to approue the trueth of the Gospell (for the vertue and power of the worde of God dependeth not of any creature, neyther in heauen nor in earthe, & if al the worlde were againste it, it remaineth true euerlastingly. (But I haue onely broghte them to shew y^e, that whych is sayde before is no newe thynge, as these false Antichrystes gyue to witte, that alledge theyr lyes, dreames, and fantasyes, settynge asyde asmuche as in them is possible the holy word of God by theyr gloses and traditions, by theyr distinctions lunatike inuētions. After the which worde of God notwythstandynge (wyll they or not) all the Popishe ordre shalbe iudged afore God.

Wherby entyerly to the same I do holde and stey me, castynge of all that is sayde by men. in that whyche concerneth diuine thynges wyth­out euident and true authoritie of scripture after the whyche all Christen men oughte to be readye to gyue answere,Duid h [...]c dicent facrifici [...] i. Pe. iti. and to satisfie to all men that aske them a reasone of the hope, whyche is in them. Than sythe it is certayne that Iesus Christe, as touchynge the bodye is in heauen liuinge and reignynge, as saynt Peter witnessethe saiynge. It behoueth cer­taynly that heauen receyue him vnto the tyme of restoringe of all thynges, that God hathe spoken by the mouthe of all hys Prophetes in the times past.Acta. iii. We ought not to seeke him bo­dily in anye other place vnto the tyme that he shewe hym selfe openly. Who that wyll not [Page]forsake all veritie of scripture, oughte to lifte vp his herte vnto heauen with all his vnder­standynge and mynde, abidynge in humble de­sire, the houre that it shall please him to trans­fer vs in his reste. Not worshippinge here be­lowe any visible thynge, for the scripture she­weth vs otherwise.

☞ Also Iesus Christ in ordeynynge his ho­ly supper, and the Sacramentall breade to his disciples sayde simply, Accipite, et manducate, that is to saye, take and eate, and sayde not. Respicite, adorate, that is beholde & worshyp. Nor neuer any of the Apostles inticed or pro­uoked any to suche wroshyppynge as the prie­stes of idolles haue done From whose tiranny it may please the Lord God in his strong hand to deliuer his pore people. So he it.Math. xv.

☞ And if againe (notwithstanding the thin­ges afore sayde) stubbornly they do reply these wordes of Iesus Christ. Hoc est corpus meum that is to say, this is my body, to be true, to y^t I answere, that there is nothinge more true, so that it be wel vnderstādē of vs, for it suffiseth not to allege textes of holy scripture, but if thei be wel applied to the true knoledge of the holy goste wel expoūded and tried. Or els Satan a­gainst Christ shoulde triumph,Math. iiii. yea & false pro­phetes, heritikes & such folke as be agaynst the churche of God woulde beare him awaye.

☞ In cōclusion of this mater it reiteth that euery one be wel aduertised, that al that which we haue sayed in thys party, is onely for to gainsaye their ignoraunces, y^t do maynteine so fat & grosse an assistence, & bodily presence of Iesus Christe in the Sacrament with suche a multiplication, as they saye. For it is not to [Page]be doubted that Iesus Christ assisteth not vs at hys holy supper, but certaynly by a maner vnspeakeable & vnable to be told, and vnto vs for the tyme incōprehēsible. Of the which assi­stēce he by his grace make vs partakers. Amē.

THinke ye not my deare brethren that in speaking against the Masse, I do speake against the ordinaūce of Ie­sus Chriist or the institutiō of his ho­ly supper. But to the contrary it is for to yelde & restore it into the puritie, whiche Iesus Christe by his goodnes hath ordeyned and instituted it. For truely there is nothyng sayd nor done in the masse but it is contrary to Iesus Christe & hys worde, the which lightly is to be knowen by this declaration.

☞ Fyrst this worde masse is a new terme to speake, of y^e which holy scriptures neuer made mētion. The whyche terme signifieth all that which is said & done in the same frō the begin­nynge vnto the ende, comprysynge cerimonies, inclinations, songes, ryngynges melodies, sensynges, lyghtes, washynges, the introyte, the confiteor, the kyrye, the gloria, the oration, one or many, the epistle, the gradual, the prose, al­leluya, the gospel, the crede great and lytel, the per omnia, the canon, the sanctus, the paterno­ster, the agnus, the post communion, the requi­cscāt, or ita missa est, Yea & a masse is solēpnal or hye, or els low or drye, one vniuersall & foral folke, another perticuler, and for the fraterni­tes of patronage onely, one for the ryche, wherin is mooste ryngynge, another for the poore [Page]wherein is least ryngynge, one of the daye, an other at pleasure, of the trinitie, of the holye goste, of the .v. woūdes, of the croune of thor­nes, of S Fraunces, of saynt Austine, of S. William, of S. George, of S Roberte and a million of suche sortes, One for the tyme, an other for the goodes. One to go a viage, an o­ther to come againe, one for beastes, of. s. Hub­bert for dogs of saynte Antony for swine and hogges, of saynte Loy for horses. &c. One for the lyuynge, another for the dead, one for ma­riage another for other fortunes. One of Gaudeamus, another of Requiem, one De ventre, another de teribilibꝰ &c.Not for­gettynge the hun­tynge masse. And after as y^e masse is, such vestimentes is assigned. As louers and plaieres deuise by coloures. That is to wytte, yelowe for the apostles, Reade for the martirs Grene for the confessors, whit for the virgins Blacke for the dead or the soules, and so con­sequently of other. It is a dreame to thynke thereof-

☞ Now it is so manifeste that y^e very blind folkes maye se that of these thynges a fore­sayde. Iesus Christe neuer spake, and of it all ordeyned nothynge. Wherfore to caste awaye these fantasyes of men, is not castyng awaye of that whyche Iesus Christe hath instituted.

And if any make obieccion that ther be good thynges in the masse at y^e leaste as is the epistle the Gospell & the Crede, the Pater noster, and other lyke and oughte not thus to be dispised. To that I answer that it suffiseth not to haue good thinges, but they oughte to be well vsed, and they must be applyed as they ought to be. Also enchaūtours nicromancers and wytches that in their noughtines vseth some good wordes [Page]shal they be excused of crime, which awyse man would not saye. And like wise bi y^e same purpose maie be said to excuse y^e masse because of the good wordes saide therin, which great­ly is abused and done otherwyse thā the word of God supporteth And that it is so, it appea­reth clerely, whan Iesus Christe preached de­clared and shewed furth, the Gospell and hys holy worde to euerye creature. Not for to crye or singe it.Mat. xvi. And yet these poore sacrifiers do no thinge saufe onely they reade or singe a certain collet. Yea, and in a speache whiche the people (and them selfe, for the moste parte) do not vn­derstand. Albeit that sainte Paul in the power of God commaundeth that we shall not speak in the churche,1. Co. xiiii that is to saye, in the congrega­cion of the faithfull, but onely in a speche that euery one maye vnderstande, or at the leafte afterwarde for to bee expounded and declared.

For what auailed it (although we saye good thinges) and speake French, Dutch or Italish in the presence of them that vnderstandeth it not? and so it is to synge, rede or saye the Gospell in Latyne or other wordes of God and is not vnderstand. What edifiyng cometh threof what instruction? or what doctrine of helth is to the simple people?

☞ Iuge now I praye you, syth y^e best of the masse (as thei do vse it) is nought worth what than is the residue? Truly it is a let of salua­cion a destruction and ruyne of all goodnes, so fearfull (to them that know it) that neuer was none such lyke as I do declare it. S Paul sai­eth y^t the gospel is the power of saluaciō to all beleuers,Rom. i but he sayth not that for syngyng of the gospell, to crie it, to howle it, or bere it in a [Page]goldē boke or siluer before the stomacke, or in a towell hanginge aboute the necke (as many fooles esteme) but he meneth the Gospell to be shewed, preached, declared, and receyued in the vertue and power of the spirite of God.Domo [...] do audiēt abs (que) predi [...]a [...]te. For asmuche as fayth (wythout the whyche none maye be saued) cometh of heringe.

☞ And what thinge was there euer y^t hathe put a side the euanglycal preachinge somuche as thys proud masse? Yf S. Paule came for to preache in the masse tyme, God knoweth how he shoulde be receyued. Likewise if a pardoner or a berer of Relykes, or anye other tryfler shoulde come, yet they wyll saye to him, Make hast y^e office is longe, and neuerrtheles they be agreed.

☞ What thinke ye that they woulde do to a simple christē persō that would gainsaye their abuse O Lord God, where is the tyme that thi seruaūte Paule continued and prolonged hys sermon tyll midnight?Act. xx. And syth we be in thys purpose that we are, seing that the Pope doth paynt hym selfe so well wyth the name of S. Peter and S. Paul for to mainteine his tiranny, where is the masse y^t any of thē both saide? We rede in the Actes of the Apostles how S. Paule went from towne to towne,ii. Cor. xi from one rigiō to another, in Asie, Affryke, & in Europe to thentente to exalte, preach, and shewe furth the name of Iesus Christ, trauaylynge by land and sea vnto the death for him. And how he disputed and confounded hys gainsayers. But of the masse there is no mencion made but onely of brekynge of breade, and of the holy supper of Iesus Christ, the which by the masse is holi abolyshed and set a syde. O miserable abuse.

IT is wryten that an yl tre can bere no good fruite wherby after y^e knoledge of so much euill that thys vnhappy masse bryngeth to vs,Mat. vii. what frut maye ye now know therby? but errour hypocrysi, ydolatry, trōpery, be­giling seduction, strife, blasphemy, maledictiō and abhomynacion. To be shorte, it is a totall dampnacion and perdicion. And this I speake touchynge the secrete and hid thinges. But as to the visible thinges of the world & the fleshe, that euermore bendeth to a bothenles pytte of euyll,Operemitti non ce­ [...]um qui perit. I shall declare somwhat.

It is cōmunly said that al thynges be made for the life and so they saye, of whom Saynte Paul speaketh, that their beli is there God, the which bely is a terible God,Iohn .vi. P [...]i [...]i. iii. where to without sessyng muche is offered, muche presented and sacrified notwithstandinge that it tourneth al to corruption, and that it neuer gyueth rest to these myserable seruaūtes that settyth al their care to satisfie, fat, and please it, as sleuthful, lykerous, dronkers, kermorauntes, fat calues fat bulles, and such maner of swine.

☞ Now was ther neuer such an inuention founde so subtilly as to lyue without takinge payne wythoute laboure or thoughte the ket­chynge well furnished for to make fat soppes and to fede their fat trippes Thys is I ensure you a plentious masse that bryngeth furth so much dedly fruyte, vnder apparence of holy­nes wherwyth the poore worlde is swallowed vp and deuoured. Thincke (I praye you) how much fruite brinketh in theyr finger kissynges [Page]that they name the offertory of y^e masse. These byg lubbers take no thoughte for all the weke to fede theyr ribawdrye. Alas for pite,Corbam. Corbam. Corbam. Mor. vii. how many poore women bereth to thē that wherwyth they shoulde fede theyr children, or helpe the poore nedy? And in dede thys maner of offe­ring came of the fyrst church of Iesus Christ. Where as the faithful brought of theyr godes and gaue them to the Deacon that was ordei­ned ☜ a seruaunt to the poore to distribute to thē that whyche was geuen to hym. But these fe­lowes take all and kepe all, wherein they be o­pen theues, for they kepe to them selues the goodes of the poore, to fede and maynteyne theyr fylthynes and fat belles. Thys is the fyrste fruyte.

☞ Another frute much lyke to this, this plē ­tyful masse bringeth furth, by the whiche these worshipfull massemongers haue gadered and heaped, whā vnder the shadow of longe pray­ers they haue rauished an deuoured the houses of the poore wydowes and orphans.mat. xxi [...]. The whiche princypally was made for foundaciōs of anniuersaries yeres mindes and yerely and dayly masses. By the whiche false and outra­gious meanes they haue obteyned and heapyd vp riches vnpossible to be thought, as housing rentes, lyuelodes possessions, Lordships,Iam sec [...] ­ria ad ra­dicem ar­boris post ta est. tow­nes, castels, contries, barounies, duckedomes and that moreouer realmes, and principalytes. Here is a shrewed tree in the earth ouerplanted and roted, the whyche neuertheles shalbe cut downe and destroyed by the swerde of God.

☞ And from this merueilous, earthly and so riche fruyte is another spronge.Mat. ii [...]. That is that these shorne massemongers, that at the begyn­nyng [Page]were poorer than coblers, haue made thē selues to be called maysters and lordes, and a­boue al other haue occupied, [...]u. xi optayned, and v­surped in eueri place the first seates. Than ca­me thei into libertie (not of spirite) but of the flesh, redy and licensed to al euyll. And moreo­uer, they haue exēpted, withdrawne, and separated them selues from the obedience, whyche by the commaundement of God, thei oughte & owe (will they or not) to Princes and lordes. For s. Paul writeth thus. Omnis anima pote­statibus supereminētibus subdita sit.Ro. xiiii That is to say, euery soule be subiect to the hie powers But the holy Apostle sayd not. Omnis anima laica, that is to say: euerye lay mans soule, but eueri soul. As it was once answred in a college of Paris by a master Asse, whose nosethrels & fete ought to haue bene clouē, & sent to pasture

Out of all this spronge another fruite more pleasaunt, agreable, and dilicious to the tendre and dilicate gentilmen. That is, that by one accord (yea, by a commune lawe, made among them selues) they should lyue in mery wanton nes and lecherous idelnes, without laboure or trauaile. For their hādes be to soft, but to plai at tennes, boules, tables, cardes, and dyce, to leape and daunce for theyr pastime, but for to labour, fye, because they be anoynted, greased, and their pates plucked. And al this, solatious goodnes commeth of this ioly masse. O masse masse, howe gentle art thou, howe louyng and pleasaunte to these folke. Howe can they hate the? howe can they leaue the? howe can the banysh the, syth thou haste set them in such an easy quiete and rest, to labour nothyng at al. And that mor is, if they can reade or synge a masse, [Page]lifte vp theyr armes and knele, haueyng a por­tuouse to bable theyr mattens, they nede none other thynge. As for bokes, volumes, and quaiers of holy scripture to search and study, it for­ceth not: for they he not requisit for the masse.

☞ And as for study, it is a melancholious busines, werines and a noyous, not cōuenient for such ydle beastes, that wold lyue wythout any thought and by the sweat af other mens faces. Oh howe contrary is S. Paule to them? The which not wythstandyng that he was an Apo­stle of Iesus Christ, a Bishop, but not mytred, nor horned, a Doctour of veritie, a doctour of the church but not hooded, nerthells he wroght wyth hys handes, and for to do so he admoni­sheth and desyreth euery persō, but what haue they to do wyth God or saynt Paule?

☞ Yet an other fruite of this masse, and thā a great euyl I wyl shewe as nowe. The fruite is greate and encreased, for neuer henne layed so many egges, and hatched so many chyckens as this masse hathe brought vs shorne poules.

And what man can thincke the nombre of the cockerelles that runne after harlottes, as cockes after hennes. And whan these iolye lo­uers haue layd their layghters, and sitten their brodes, thei sit in their temples, singing as coc­kes on their perches, yea (& properlier to say) de skant in counterfeit thinges, gapyng, criyng, & howlyng. So many cockes, cockrels, & pullets, that is to say, of Monkes, Friers, Nūnes, pre­stes, laisisters, this fat masse hatched, & fed, that it is wōder to beleue, and to satisfie so great a­nombre, it was of force necessary to bild many henhouses & nestes, to lodge so many lapwyn­ges. Thā nōbre if ye can al the cloisters, abbai­es, priories, monasteries, temples, chanonries, prebendes, alters, portatifs, & not portat ifs, and [Page]such other thinges that the masse hath brought furth. And vpon that, thinke a litel I praie you and ye shall perceiue what it mā ye be, is it not wel multiplyed. Auarice hath wroghte a pase, as wytnesseth one of theyr order named Wil­lam de Peraldo, in his tyme bishop of Lyons in the some y^t he hath made of vertues & vices, [...] de P [...]at do. in the seconde parte, in the title of Simony. Where as he sayeth y^e auarice hath found the multitude of al tars & the colectes of the masse the whych thing finalli is tourned into horri­ble idolatry For by y^e meanes the pore people haue be lerned to seke & worship god, in tēples & places made w^t mēs hand. Albeit (as Esaye saith & S. Stephā allegeth) y^t the most highest is not habitaūt in the maner as they wene for,Esai. [...] Bi [...]eta. vii. the tēple of y^e liuing god is y^e hert soule & y^e spi­rite of y^e faithful. For the whiche cause Iesus Christ said, y^t the true worshipers worshipped not the Lorde God ueyther in the mountayne nor in Ierusalem,Iohn .iiii. but in spirite and truth, And therfore faith Saint Paule, that the faithfull is the habitation and temples of the holy gost. And also Iesus Christe, wyllynge to geue con­solacion to all faythfull people, in speakynge of hys father, of him selfe and of the spirite of verite, which the world can not comprise sayd thus. We shall come to hym, and make oure dwelling wyth hym, he sayd not, y^t we shoulde come into a tēple, or in such a place, or in suche an aultar. [...]. Cor. vi. vi. Cor. vi. But he sayd, we should come to him and make our dwelling w^t him. Wherfore thā by your aduise hath the people thus be taught to renne hither and thyder,Ioh. xiiii. but for to catche such as they bringe? O insaciable coueytous­nes, Lertaynly I dare wel saye, that the bry­bats [Page]or watchinge theues lurkinge in wood­des, be not to be dreade as these Antichristes, the whiche haue not alonly pylled & robbed the temporall goodes fro the people but haue caste out, and by thyr false doctrine almooste al the world out of the waye of saluacion, and strei­ed it from the Lorde God and from all verite. Hereabout we ought not to speake, but onely he wayle, sob and weepe by greate dolour & he­uines. And therefore I leaue to speake of their false miracles, of their idols of Golde, Siluer stone, earth and of woode. &c. Of their pilgry­mages theyr viages, and such maners deceites whereby the worlde is brought in to a darke botomles pyt

☞ This is the euil that at the beginninge of thys vngracious fruyte I was in purpose to speake, that of all euills it is the greateste, and neuer man coulde imagine worsse. And what would ye worsse then to begiuen into reproued sences. To be striken with so greate darkenes, that they do come and iudge the good to be ill,Be qui di­cit is ma­ [...]t Sonū. and the ill to be good. All thys by thys masse is come on the people as ye maye clerely vnder­stande by this that is declared aboue.Esaie .v.

☞ Of thys euil aboue all other the Prophet tes haue made mencion whan by greate threte ninges of the euyll that was to come ouer the misbeleuinge people,Esaie .vii. Mat. xiii. Mar. iiii. Luc. viii. Ioha. xii. Ac. xxviii Rom. xi. Ps. Lviii. haue aforespoken y^e blindnes and cursednes therof. And is it reason that be wyll not take and receyue blissinge, that cur singe come to hym? Wherevpon it nedeth not to pretende or allege ignoraunce, saing, if there be any euill it is onely for them that hath inuē ­ted it, truely also for them that foloweth it. As it is writen. Yf one blinde man lede another,Mat. xv [...] [Page]both of them falleth in the diche. And therfore I praye euery one to be ware.

THe cause is euidente, sith it bringeth furth so muche fruyte. Is it not a spring of fat soppes and brothe? Is it not a good milche cowe, and who sawe euer suche a sowe that so easi­ly, so swetely, & so fatly hath so many pygges? where fore shoulde they leaue it sith they finde it so good Truely with good righte they main teyne it. For it is very handsome for the bely, They haue no nede to do any thinge, & lesse for to study.Da. xiii. What wyll ye more? Other cause I fynde not wherfore it oughte to be mainteined but if it be lyke the sacrifiers of Babilon that mainteined theyr God Bell, bicause they were nourished, their wifes and small children, with that which was offered to the sayde idoll.Re [...]esn­esse men­dutiū di struyisse But as one Daniell chaunced thider that destroied theyr false workes, and so were confoundded. God shall arise, and all redie he hath reised a Daniel ful of the spirite of verite, y^t shal plainly at the full gyue knowlege of the falsenes of the masse, so couered and closed, and there shal our poore sacrifiers be ouerthrowen.

SYth that for the causes afore sayde the masse ought to be mainteined, there rest­eth but the maner, the meane, and howe that maye be done, for it is the chyefe of their matter. Attende here poore sacrifi­ers, for ye haue no more any other refuge or so­ture. And therfore ye ought to loue me wel, se­inge that I am so thoughtful of your b [...]sines Herken than wel, & reteine the coūsel that fo­loweth, for ye can neuer find a better for your matter. Now ye must note how many waies a thyng may be mainteyned.

☞ First alledginge auncient custome. But herein I will proue it noughte worthy. For howebeit y^t sith .iiii. or .v. C. yeares your masse hath be riesed, taughte & builded in apes toies and iuglinges which we se now, yet was it not in the auncient and first churche. And therefore if we must allege auncient custom, it is not for you, but a gainst you euery white. Moreouer in diuine thynges, & that are by the ordinaunce of God, contrarie custome made by men, hath no place. And ought not to be called custome, but abuse and corrupcion.

☞ Secondly a thinge is mainteined by plu­ralite and multitude The whyche thynge maye be doone in humayne thynges onelye, to make an ende & agremente vppon the difference that maye be betwene men. But suche a thinge can not be done nor oughte to be done, in thinges stablished of God. For truly the verite of God dependeth not of greate nomber of the wyll or fantasie of men. Whereby all be it that ye alledge greate multytude of folke for your parte, that in thys case cannot serue you, for it is not to purpose.

☞ Thyrly, by lies, false vnderstandinge, wi­lines, hipocrisy, kepinge good countinaūce, si­mulacion, feyninge some very ill thinge: as if it were very good, for to maynteine them selfe for a tyme, wherwyth many a monge you, at thys your greate nede can not greatly arme, couer,Fronti nussa fi­des. and helpe your selfe, but yet truly at the last it can not warraunte you, for by processe of tyme a thinge painted or steined is discoue­red with the wether.

☞ Fourthly ye shal marke and to be shorte, that in .ii. other maners a thynge is maynte­ned.

The one is by force, the other by righ Wherfore one of these thinges ye must chuse, aduise you which of y^e two is most fet or mete for you Yf ye yelde you to the right, truly your masse is at an ende.Super Omaia vincit Fe­ritas. iii. Esd­ras, iiii. For falsenes, hipocrisi and lienge dreames, by right and veritie are caste downe. Than resteth nomore to yon but y^e fore, which is not the best parte. So wote I not what to do, but that by your wicked spirite (as ye haue wel be goune) at the force ye shal kepe you, and in asmuche as ye maye do, stope and lette the generall Councelle. By thys meane ye maye mainteine it for a tyme. But the Lorde (against whome ye fyghte) wyll destroy you at length.

☞ O Christen people consider by what meanes these gallauntes mainteneth theyr busines is it not all by force? They enprison, they de­stroye, they pil, they driue a waye, they banishe they burne, they slee, they drowne and murdre as many as they maye, as manye as gayne­saye them. By shameles lyes also, suche wor­kers of iniquite (because they dare not abyde [Page]the lyghte) diffame all louers of veritie whiche is extreme malyce. To gyue Golde, siluer, Ie­wels and presentes to whom they knowe haue power to mayntene them, they be diligent. For theyr onelye hope is all together in men, wher­in manifestly appereth theyr vnexchewing and approching ruine.Iere. & xvii. For cursed is that man that taketh the fleshe for his arme and his strength. It is sayde that all plantes which the heauen­ly father hath not planted shalbe rooted out.Mat. xv.

That is to vnderstand aswel of the wicked, as theyr workes. Moreouer it behoueth vs well to hope that God by hys greate goodnes wyll sende vs some vertuous Ezechias or reise a true Iosias that by highe corrage shall set and constitute an ordre ouer all. Than shall we se the face of the lord shine vpon vs, as the bright Sonne after a derke clowdi wether. For if the holy Sacramente that not onely representeth to vs, but also presenteth vs the precious bodi and worthy bloude of oure redemptour and onely sauiour Iesus Christe, were kepe in the purenes. Yf the saide holy and sacrate supper of Iesus wherein his simplicite, well sette for­warde, the vsage of the same wel obserued, the efficacie and fruite therof wel vnderstand, the death and passion of the sauioure (because we shoulde not be vnkynde agayne) taughte at large, the promisses pronounced and declared as it oughte to be, the masse so full of cerimonies partetly amended and corrected truly the poore worlde, the whyche by it, is so greately troubled & wasted, shoulde be in reste, and from a greate vnhappines, should retourne in to trā quilite and felycite.

The whyche it maye please the eternall father [Page]to giue vs, for the reuerence and dignite of his onely sonne most beste beloued his very Christ oure Lorde, to whome be perpetuall honoure and glory. Amen.