IN the time ordeyned before of God, by his vnsearchable and vncō ­prehensible wisdome af­ter he had created man to his owne Image and likenes to the end that he might stirre him vppe to feare and obedience, and giue vnto him also some exercise of ver­tue to acknowledge his God his crea­tor, there were ordeyned many signes Sacrifices and Sacramentes. First to our first Father Adam and to his succes­sours being bodily men, were ordayned [Page 2] corporal signes of God, the better to approue and make knowen his obe­dience.Trees of life. Gene. 2. 3. Eu­seb. Theodor. & Seuer. To wit: The trees planted in the midst of the Harber and earthly Paradise. These trees although they were of no other quality then the other plants, yet they were dedicated & consecrated of God to serue for Sacraments, (that is to say) for holy signes, their qualitie then dedicated & hallowed to serue as a seale for a witnes, attestation & approbation of the godly will. For the infinite good­nes of god willing to make knowen the fellowship, bond, and alliance, con­tracted with man his creature, created to his owne likenes, hath from time to time ordayned outwarde and corporall signes which man might see & behold with his corporal eies, to serue for assu­rance gage, and pledge, of the diuine couenant, like as to our first & common father were ordeined trees, & corporall fruits, left and giuen vnto him to keep, without wasting, eating, or consuming, in paine of euerlasting death. We must [Page 3] then beleeue by faith, that the trees and fruites were not signes or sacramentes of vanitie, as a simple picture, but more that vpon them did hange both life and death they containing the signe and the thing signified. Wherein did consist the Prouerb. 1. 2. 3. knowledge and wisdome to feare God, and o­bey him. This was the cause wherefore they were called the fruites of knowe­ledge of good and euill, and the trees of life. For in keeping these fruits hallow­ed, in obeing God, euerlasting life was promised, contrariwise in abusing these Sacramentes in going against the will of God, declared by outward tokens e­uerlasting death and damnation was gotten.

For other exercises of man towardeSacrifices be­fore the Lawe written. God, to the end that he might reuerēce, honor, & worship him, many & diuers sacrifices were celebrated, yea before the law writtē by Moyses. And although the almighty God creator of heauen &Psalm. 50. of earth hath no need of mans workes, neither is nourished with the bloude of [Page 4] beastes, or fruites of the earth: Yet hee hath alwaies desired to draw man vnto him in feare and outward obedience by Signes, Sacrifices, and Sacraments: In such sort that the sacrifice of the lam­bes offered by Abel, was pleasing vntoGene. 4. H [...]bre. [...]1. Gene. 6. 7. 9. God. Noe likwise after the great flouds passed, in signe of knowledge and obe­dience toward God did erect an aultar, offered and lifted vp sacrifice of sheepe without spotte, and of birdes, where­with he did make sacrifices sounde and pleasing vnto God. By these examples it is easie to know that sacrifices did not begin in the time of Moyses: But the in­nocent and iust lambe represented by the sacrifice of Abel (the figure of Iesus Christ) was slaine and offered vp fromApoc. 13. the beginning of the world.

After the rigor of the floud comen for the punishment of the offences of the tyrāts of the earth in signe of reconcili­ation and couenant renued, our good God did ordeine the signe of the BoweRain [...] bow. Gene. 9. in heauen, for a gage and assurance of [...] [Page 7] of God were holden in the wildernes of Arabia to them was ministered food ofManna. heauenly bread, wherewith they wereExod. 16. nourished 40. yeares. This holy sacra­mēt instituted by the power of god was in such great admiration that euery of the people said, Manhu, what is this1 Co [...]in. 10. Ioh. 6. here they did see the heauenly Manna giuen vnto thē without trauell, a signe of the liuing bread descēded from hea­uen and giuing life to all the faithfull.

Also another meruailous signe was or­deinedWater of the Rocke. Exod. 17. Num. 20. 1 Corin. 10, Iohn. 19. of God by the rocke flowing of liuely water in Horeb to quench the thirst of thirsty people a signe & figure of the true rock Iesus christ out of whō did issue water & bloud to staunch the thirst of all sinners for euermore.

The signes and sacraments aforesayd,Diuers sacrifi­ces ordeined of God in the yeare of the world. 2455 were not only ordained of God, but al­so the law of Sacrificers was published by Moyses, as signes figures, and sha­dowes of the Sacrifice performed by Iesus Christ.

The Sacrifices are either publike or [Page 8] particulers, some were heue offerings,Holocausts. sacrifices cōsumed with fier: other wereDiuision of sa­crifices drawen out of Exod. Leui. and Num. of beasts slaine, and offered vp to eate, some were of earthly beasts, other were beastes of the ayre. Among the earthly beasts were such as were most obedient as Beafe, and Veale, sheep and Lambe,Beasts for sacri­fices. the Goat & the Kid: Among the birdes also the most tame, the Pigion and the Turtle. Of Sacrifices some were pub­like, other were particuler, the pub­like either were daily, or else seuen ti­mesDaies appoin­ted for sacrifi­ces. a day, or in the new moones, or in time of abstinence, or else in three feasts celebrated in a yeare: To witte, in the daies of sweet breade, when the pascall Lambe was offered and eaten withoutExod. 23. leuened breade, in the time also of har­uest of first fruites, and in the feast of Wine and Oliues toward the end of the yeare. It is commanded euery day toSearch the booke of Philo the Iew, and Iosephus. offer two Lambes the one in the mor­ning, the other at night after that the Aultar was perfumed with incense and sweet odours. Also some of the sacrifices [Page 9] were ordeined for corporall thinges which were offered with shedding of bloud, other for incorporal things with­outHolocaustes Philo the Iewe in his treatise of beasts ap­pointed for sa­crifices. Iosephus. lib. 3. cap. 10. de anti­qui. iudai. bloud. The sacrifices called Holocau­stes did cōcerne only the honor of God, because all the sacrifice was consumed with fire, for the which sacrifice Holo­caustes, the male & not the female was re­ceiued that is to say, the Beaf the Lambe & the Goat of one yeare. For the sacri­fice for health it was indifferent to take male or female, alwaies three parts ofLeui. 1, 2. 3. 4. the sacrifice was reserued for the Priest. To witt, the fat, the two kidneies & the kall or the fatte of the flankes. Another difference there is also betwixt the sa­crificeSacrifice for health. for health, and the sacrifice cele­brated for sin, for in the one was ordey­ned to eate all the sacrifice in two daies, & in the other for sin, it was enioyned to eate all in one day onely. By reasonSacrifice for sinne. whereof some sacrifices were called Ho­locaustes, other for health and other for sinne. The sacrifices for sinne, were di­uerse aswell for because of the persons [Page 10] as for the offerings. For he that sinnedSacrifice for the sinne of ig­norance. by ignorance, was clensed by offering an Ewe or a she Goat: but the clensing of sinne done wittingly was clensed with a Ramme. The sinne of the great Priest was clensed by offering of a calf:Sacrifice for the sinne of the high Priest, Prince, Magi­strate & parti­culer person. Leuit. 3. 4. 5. 6. Sacrifice for the man polu­ted. of the prince by offering a goat & a bul, that of the magistrate with a Goat, that of any particuler, with the offering of a female. The sacrifice for clensing of sin done against God was done with a ram. The sacrifice for a man polluted was with an Ewe or a she goat: for clensing of a woman after her childbirth was aFor the wo­man deliuered. Leuit. 12. Sacrifice for the Leprous. Leui. 14. lambe of one yeare, a young pigion & a turtle. For the clensing of Lepre, were 2 birds aliue, pure & cleane, Cedre wood, and Isope, 2 whole lambes & one Ewe of a yeare with floure and oyle. Another sacrifice also was made for the persō po­lutedSacrifice for the poluted menstruall. by seed shed or mēstruous, with 2. turtles, & 2. yong pigiōs. If the great sa­crifices did faile, then did they repare to doues, pigions and turtles, thone for the burnt offering, the other for the food of [Page 11] the Priests▪ And in all sacrifices there was pure floure without leuen, salt, in­censeLeuen & ho­ny forbidden in all sacrifices. A sacrifice for the woman sus­pected of adul­tery. Numb. 5 and oile. And it was not lawfull to offer any thing with leuen or hony vpō the alter. Alwaies in the sacrifice ordei­ned for the purging of women suspe­cted of adulterie, there was no incense nor oile as in other sacrifices, but for her was offered water mixt with dust or ashes gathered vpon the pauement of the temple. Againe there was anotherSacrifice of the Nazereus. Numb. 6. Philo the Iew in the treatise aforesayd. sacrifice celebrated for them which had made the great vowe called Naserius, when the time of their deuotion was done, it was ordeined vnto them to of­fer three sacrifices a Lambe, an Ewe & a Ramme. One (to witte) the Lambe for the burnt offering, the second (being the Ewe) for the saluation, & the third for health. Moreouer the heares of him which made the sacrifice should be cast into the fire with the burnt offering to be burned.

I haue thought good to discourse the diuersitie of sacrifices, briefly to the end [Page 12] to make knowen the great goodnesse of our God who by the lawe of Sacrifices published by Moyses, would (as with a bridle) restraine the rude people of Is­rael, which could not forget the idola­tries of Egypt wherein they had beene nourished 430. yeares, vnder the tyr­ranny of Pharaoh.

But what straight lawes, what cere­monies & sacrifices so euer were ordei­ned for them, euer this people did fall to Idolatry abusing the law of God, and corrupting the holy sacraments and sa­crifices it shall be declared hereafter.

If any man be desirous to know more of the multitude & diuersitie of sacrifi­ces let him reade the books of Philo the Iewe and Iosephus of the Iudaicall anti­quities, following that which Moyses hath plainely written in his bookes of Leuiticus and Numbers.

Another signe & sacrament institutedThe Arke of witnes. Ex, 25. 27. 28. of God by the Arke of the couenant described in Exodus, being a holy signe dedicated to receiue the holy and hea­uenly [Page 13] answers to the end to bring the people to the remembrance, feare and obedience of God, to honour & accom­pany the Arke of the couenant. Many other exterior signes were ordeyned of God, as the ornaments and consecrati­on of Priestes, specially the ornamentEphod. called the Ephod, the which and the sa­crifices the Israelites did abuse by their Idolatries.

Another holy signe there was of thePurging water consecrated. Numb. 19. purging and sprinkling water ordeined by God to Moyses and Aaron the high Priest. This sprinkled water was con­secrated with ashes gathered by a clean person of the sacrifice offered in Holo­caus [...]. To witte, of a Cowe all redde without any spot, and which had neuer bin laboured. The Wood ordeyned to make the fier for the burnt offering was Cedar & Hisope, Purple with Crimsin. With this water were sprinkled pollu­ted persons for the purging and clean­sing of their corporall defilings.

At the entring of the Temple or Ta­bernacleExod. 38. [Page 14] was a Lauer made of Brasse, & forged first with the images of the wo­men of Israell, in this Lauer was put the sprinkling water wherewith the sacrifi­cers are sprinkled before the celebra­ting of their sacrifices, to the end they might be purified and obtaine grace & remission of their sinnes.

After the death of the great Priest Aa­ron, the people of Israell vnthankfull to God for the goodnes sent them of him, murmuring as annoyed with the hea­uenly Manna freely giuē vnto them for their noriture, were punished by the bi­ting of venemous serpēts. But the mer­ciful God gaue vnto them an holy signe whereby they should be saued and re­stored to health (to wit) the brasen ser­pentBrasen serpent Iohn. 3. 7. lifted vp in the aire a figure of Ie­sus Christ crucified.

These were in summe the most part of the signes sacrifices and sacraments or­deyned of God in the first Church of the Israelites figures of the true and per­fect sacrifice performed by Iesus Christ, [Page 15] the true Messias and euerlasting Priest, sitting at the right hand of God the Fa­ther.

Now resteth the summe to bring forth,Sacraments brokē by Adam Gene. 3. how man by his owne proper fault did fall in obliuiō and disobedience of God his creator, abusing Gods fauour, and corrupting the holy signes, sacrifices, & sacraments ordeyned to him.

What perswaded our first father and his companiō to bide themselues at the hearing of Gods voice, but because they had abused the holy signe, and broken the lawe of the fruits to them forbiddē. This holy signe which our first and v­niuersall father had abused, was the ori­ginall of other vices and corruptions hereafter described, into the which all men are fallen sauouring of the corrup­ted lumpe of Adam.

Leauing the particuler corruptions ofCorruption of the sacrifice by Aaron. Exo. 32 Deut. 9. the signes, sacrifices and sacraments be­fore the law written by Moyses we will begin to bring forth briefly the most notable error committed by the most [Page 16] great sacrificers, as Kings, Priests and others hauing the chiefe gouernement of the people.

When Moyses was abiding in the mount Synay to receiue the comman­dements of God, his brother Aaron the high Priest forged a calfe of gold, of the golden earings giuen vnto him by the people of Israell, he builded an aulter offered incense, and celebrated sacrifice causing the common people to worship the molten Image.

Was not this an abusing of the Sa­crifices ordeined of God, and a corrup­ting of the true vsage of the same, in cau­sing the calfe to be worshipped in place of the slaine and offered sacrifice, as it was appointed in the law: His sonnesCorruption of the sacrifice by Nadab. & Abi­hu. Leui. 10 Numb. 11. also Nadab & Abihu, were not they cō ­sumed with fire, for abusing the vse of sacrifices in taking vnhallowed wood and corrupting the law? The people of Israel vnthankfull for the goodnes done vnto them in being deliuered from the Pharaōical captiuity, did they not mur­mure [Page 17] against the holy sacrament of hea­uenly Manna, when they did disdaine and contemne this bread of life, and de­mandedIosua. 7 flesh to eate: Achan the sonne of Charmes, did not he violate the lawe of the holy signes, when he committed sacriledge, and kept backe the spoyles of [...] vowed & consecrated to God for sacrifices: If any more curiously de­sire to see the continuall abuses and cor­ruptions of the people themselues, let him reade the histories of the Iudges ofIudg. 2. 3. 6. 8. 9 Israel, and in all times he shall find man neuer to be content with the true wor­shipping ordeined of God. But in steed of outwarde signes ordeined of God to draw the people to feare and obediēce, they haue forged inuentions. And in place of reuerencing the alters and arke couenant in the name of the only God being (outward sacred signes:) The Is­raelites infected with the Idolatries ofIudges. 10 their neighbours, the Syrians, Sidoni­ans, Moabites, Ammonites and Phili­stines did erect alters vnto their strange [Page 18] Gods, Baal and Astaroth. I [...]ptha, IudgeThe vdgentle [...] Ie­ [...]. Iudg. [...] and Captaine of the Isralites, did not he corrupt the lawe of Sacrifices when he sacrificed his owne proper daughter,Iudg 8. 9: Idolatry by the Ephod. Iudg. 17. 18. excusing himselfe by a vow, which hee made, which was not appointed to him of God: The holy signe ordayned of God for the high Priest to celebrate sa­crifices in (called Ephod) the vppermost garment was not it abused by Gedeon, captaine of the Israelites, when as of the spoiles of the Madianits and of their ea­rings he made an Ephoa of gold, where­by the people fell into great idolatrie: How long time was this holy outward signe Ephod abused (an Image being e­rected by the mother of Michas in [...], Priests & sacrificers appointed expres­ly to sacrifice thereunto, an Altar build­ed and the true vse of sacrifices corrup­ted: So long as as the temple continued in Silo, into what wicked manners did the Priestes and sacrificers fall, which were ordeined of God for the ministrie of sacrifices and holy sacraments, when [Page 19] they vsurped by long possession to haue this priuiledge of the people, that when1 Sam. 2. they did sacrifice, & the flesh of the of­fered sacrifice was seathing, their boy or seruant hauing a three grained flesh­hooke of yron in his hand had liberty to catch out of the potte or caldron all that he could cary with his hooke. Further the leuiticall tiranny was such that this seruant of the Priest had libertie to de­mand of the sacrifice giuer, flesh to roste for the sacrificer, otherwise to take it by force euen as he would. Was not this a great abuse and detestable corruption practised by the Pristes and chiefe sa­crificers, vnder the pretēce of sacrifices: What greater corruption can be decla­red, then that of the sonnes of the chiefeOphni Phin [...]es, corrupt [...]s of the sacrifices. 1 Samuel. 4. Priest Ely, called Ophni & Phinees? Who vnder the pretēce of deuotion comitted shameful whoredome with the couered women behinde the holy Tabernacle institued of God for the which wicked­nes they were miserably slaine, and the Arke of couenāt taken away by the Phi­listines. [Page 20] Which they set in the Temple1. Samuel, The arke of the holy coue­nant. of their God Dagon but God not suffer­ing this holy signe thus to bee propha­ned, threw downe the Image Dagon, & sent grieuous punishments to the Phili­stines in such sort that they were cōstrai­ned to restore the Arke of the couenant of God. This holy signe was so precious that forasmuch as the Bethsamits (which were not of the order of the Leuits) had abused it 50000 of the common people and 70. of the chiefe rulers were roo­ted out and slaine by the vengeance of God. This example might make allAgainst corrup­tion of holy signes. those to tremble which enterprise to a­buse the holy signes and sacraments or­deyned of God.

Vzzah also for that he abused the same2. Samuel 6. Vzzah. sacred signe (notwithstanding that hee did it of a good intention) for to lift vp the Arke of witnes hanging to much on the one side, was hee not punished with death? Of others abuses committed by the Israelits, there is many examples, O­siasOsias. was punished with leprosie for abu­sing [...] [Page 21] the sacrifices, in taking vpon him the ministery of encensing appointed to the priests onely. Saul he first electedSaul. 1 Sam. 13. Ioseph. lib. 7 cap [...]. of the Iewes antiquities. King of the Israelites was slaine and his kingdome giuen vnto another (as was declared before of Samuel) for abusing the sacrifices, and suffering his people to commit the like abuses. His succes­sours in the kingdomes of Iuda and Is­rael haue not they alwaies continued in abusing and corrupting the sacrifices and sacraments ordeined of God, when they did offer sacrifices to the Gods, Astaroth of the Sidonians, to Chanios 1 Kigs, 8. 11. of the Moabites, and to Melcom or Mo­loch of the Ammonites, in so much that they builded temples and oratories, e­uen to offer incense, and to doe sacrifi­ces vnto them.

[...]roboam king of the Israelites, did notHieroboam. 1 Kings, 12. only cause a golden calfe to be erected, as the high Priest Aaron had abused be­fore, but also did ordaine two golden Kine in the two Temples of Bethlel and Dan, and ordained strange Priests cor­rupting [Page 22] the law of God, and causing them to doe sacrifice after the fashion ofKings. 14. Aaron. This Idolatrie and corruption of sacrifices did continue among the Israelites more than 400 yeares during the raigne of their kinges, who had taught them to corrupt the true vse of the sacrifices in chapels, and particuler oratories builded on the tops of hils and thicke forrests consecrated, in vio­lating the law of sacrifices ordained by God in the holy temple, within the ho­ly cittie. For particuler examples of1. Kings, 15. the abuses committed against the true vse of sacrifices, the historie of Maatha mother of king A [...]a is manifest, wh [...] e­rected an Image of the God Pan, and did consecrate and dedicate vnto him a thicke forrest, offering sacrifices vnto it. Achah another king of the IsraelitesAchab. 1. Kings. 16. did erect an Altar, and made sacrifices to the God Mars otherwise called Baal. vnto whom he dedicated a groue, to sa­tisfie his wicked wife Iesabel.

Hee caused also another Altar and [Page 23] Temple to be erected to the God of theIoseph. lib. 8. chap. 10. Ty [...]ās, he ordained Priests Sacrificers, and instituted soure hunded false Pro­phets. His sonne and successour Ocho­sias Ochosias. taught of his father to corrupt the vse of the sacrifices, did not onely offer2 Kings. 1. Ioseph. lib. chap. 1. to Baal (otherwise called Mars) but went forward in greater abuse, he buil­ded a Temple vnto the God of Accoro­nites called by Iosephus. Myos, and by the Greekes [...], vnto the which God, he did sacrifice.

To be short, what more abhominablePurgatorie, 2. Cings. 16. 2. Kings. 16. 23. In the booke Alcoran. Asoar. 29. 46. Asoar 5. ignem gehēnae non nisi nume­to dierum pre­terminato ani­mas sentire do­cet Aeo [...] liber, & ad diem veri­atts omnes Iccedere ope­ [...]um suorum mercedem ac­cepturas A [...]ar corruption can bee described, then the inuention of the fire Purgatorie? where­with the Israelites did transgres, causing their children to passe through the fire in Tophet a valley of the sonnes of En­non sacrifizing vnto the God Moloch. This corruption of sacrifices, notwith­stāding that it was in the time of Mo [...]es, yet the Idol Moloch in the valley of En­non, was not cast downe till the raigne of King Iosias, more then nine hundred yeares after Moyses. Neuertheles this [Page 24] abuse doth continue among the Arabi­ans and Affricans to this present, so that the Alcoramists and Mahometists haue this beliefe that the soules of the depar­ted, must passe through the fire to bee purged and purified from their offen­ces.

By this briefe gathering a man may clearely perceiue that from the begin­ing of the world man by his owne fault hath fallen into the bottome of errour and corruption of holy signes sacrifices and sacramēts ordained to him of God. But the principall abuse, whereof isCause of the corruption of sacraments. sprung the originall of all Idolatrie, en­tred by this meanes, that fleshly & car­nall men did sticke more to the visible signes and outward ceremonies, then to the things signified by the Sacraments:Apo [...]3. for in place of circumcisiing their hearts, and cuting away of the old skinDeut. 10, 30. of sinne to be regenerated and purified by the bloud of the heauenly sacrifice offered before all worlds, they haue ta­ken circumcisiō carnally for the cutting [Page 25] of the carnall skinne.

Wherefore did they not follow the interpretation of God, by Moyses to cir­cumcise the foreskin of their heartes? Wherefore did not the children of Isra­el giue credit to the good prophet Iere­mie, Ierem. 4. which admonished them of the spi­ritual circumcision, and to circumcise the forekinne of their hearts, in putting away the foreskinne of their naturall corruption. The like is come to passe of the sacrifices and holy signes ordained of God, for figures of the sacrifice ful­filled by Iesus Christ: For the carnall man resteth in the corporall bloud of earthly beasts, where he ought to lift vp his spirit to heauen to comprehend and conceiue that which is figured and sig­nified by the sacrifices of beastes offe­red vp. For this therefore the iustice of God is declared by the Prophets.

What neede haue I (saith the LordeEsry. 1. God) of your sacrifices? I am weary of your offerings of sheepe. Moreouer, I take no pleasure in the bloud of beasts, [Page 26] lambes, and goates offered. Wherefor [...] trauell you to addresse Altars vnto me▪ I will none of your offerings and vaine sacrifices, I abhorre your incense, I can not suffer your new moones your Sab­baoths, your assemblies, and your feasts all is but vanitie. I hate your feastes o [...] new moones (O Israelites) and your solemne feasts. I am wearie in suffering so much. You haue goodly directed your prayers vnto mee, I will not heare you any more, for the abuses which you haue committed with your handes em­brued with bloud. Moreouer I will notPsalm. 51. Esay. 66, Ierem. 7. receiue of the house of Israel any Bull, because your sacrifices are not pleasing vnto me. I am as well pleased with theEccle. 7. offering of a beast as with the murthe­ring of a man, and with the offering of Incense as with the worshiping of an I­doll. Wherefore then (saith God) doe ye take so much paines to seeke Incense vnto Sabba, and odours from far coun­treyes, to offer and make sacrifices vnto me wherein I delight not? Who hath [Page 27] moued you (O Israelites) to erect ima­ges vnto the Gods Moloch, and the star R [...]mph [...]m during the time that you were in the Wildernesse, where I did nou­rish you with my heauenly Manna? Your feasts be odious vnto me your of­ferings oblations and sacrifices for theAmos. 5. health, I will reiect, your offerings do displease me. After what manner shouldMich. 6. one prepare himselfe to God? Shall it bee by sacrifices of Bullocks of one yeare? Doth God take pleasure in a great number of sheepe offered vnto him? Or in a great quantitie of holy oyles? To him saith the Prophet shall I offer of the first borne, for the remission of sinnes.

Our good God hath very cleerelyPsalm. 51. declared that seruice which he commā ­deth, follow equity, loue mercie, and of an humble and contrite heart, fal downe before him, for obedience is more wor­thy then sacrifice, or the fatte of offered Rammes.

What gaue an occasion to God to1. Samuel. 15. [Page 28] put away those sacrifices and sacram [...] which hee himselfe had ordained, [...] the abuse and [...]orruption which the [...]rae [...]ites had cōmitted, taking ouer gr [...] sly the signes and ceremonies, ordai [...] to draw them to feare and obedience▪

For in place of conceiuing th [...] which was figured by the signes a [...] corporall sacrifices, they did rest in t [...] fleshe of the beastes offered. And [...] stead of cutting away the foreskinne [...] their hearts, they rested in the carna [...] circumcision, and in the meane time tu [...] ned away from the true worshiping [...] God, addressing themselues to creature [...] As to starres, to the queene of h [...]auen▪ and other strange Gods, offering t [...] them incense, building for them tem­ples, preparing for them priests, chaplaines and sacrificers to offer vnto them oblations and sacrifices.

Moreouer to accōplish this corrup­tion they did sacrifice with the bloude of [...]nnocents offering of them and cau­sing them to passe through the fire of [Page 29] Purgatorie in the valley of Tophet Wherefore (for the abuse committed by the children of Israell against the ho­ly4 Esdr▪ [...]. sacraments, sacred signes and sacr [...]fi­ces ordeyned of God) it was saide vnto them by the Prophets, that God would no more of their feastes, of their newe4 Esdr. [...]. Moones▪ of their circumcision, nor of their sacrifices, celebrated by people [...] ­dolatrous and full of bloud.

When the vnser [...] heable wisedome of God did perceiue the hardnes and infi­delity of the people of Israel, which did euer continue to commit idolatry, by corrupting the holy signes, sacraments, and sacrifices in place of acknowledge­ing the infinite goodnes of God, which had deliuered them from the Pharaoni­call tyranny, which had nourished them in the Wildernesse, which had brought them into the fruitfull lande promised vnto them▪ and which so many times had succoured them in the warres a­gainst their neighbours▪ the Cananites, Moabites, Mad [...]an [...]tes, Philistines, Am­monites, [Page 30] Sy [...]s, S [...]donians, S [...]yo [...] ans and other [...]ous people: Neue [...] theles this rude people did continue [...] their [...]dol [...]tries taught them by the [...] P [...]estes▪ Sacrificers, Kinges, and Pri [...] ces, without turning to the true wo [...] shipping of one onely God

Wherefore after the great mercy an [...] long [...]arying of the iust Iudge▪ which b [...] all manner corrections woulde ha [...] brought againe his people by diui [...] vengeance particularly; as by raisin [...] vp of warres, by captiuity & bondage by diuiding of the kingdome parte [...] betweene Roboam and Ierohoam, th [...] suc [...]essors of Sal [...]mon plunged in th [...] depth of idolatry in inward warres a­mong the people diuided, and [...]y other scourges accustomed to correct those whom God doth fauour▪ to the end to bring them to his feare and obediēce. In the end these people, to much hardened and waxen old in their Idolatries, were4 King. 15. 24 taken into miserable bondage, vnder thy tyranny of Infidels, Assirians, & ido­latrous [Page 31] Babylonians, their Realmes quite ouerthrowen.

But within a little while after that this selfe same people, by the great mercy of God was deliuered from the handes vnfaithfull tyrants, was set againe at li­berty, and was restored to their land of promise: they fell againe to their Ido­latries▪ Ioseph. 13. cap. the Iew anti­quitie. more then euer before, vnder the gouernement of their Sacrificers and high Priestes which ioyned the tempo­ralty and spiritualty so together, that they were clad with Scepter, Roial and Crowne. Then succeeded the heresies of the Pharisees, of the Saduces Esse­ens, Galileans, Masbutheens, Hemero­baptistes and Samaritans, corrupted byIosephus in the booke of the antiquities of the Iewes. the diuersity of strange nations which had inhabited and subdued the country of Samaria, neere vnto Iudea.

For the Babylonians did worship for their God So [...]cobenoth, the Cutheens & Persiās hauing for their God Mergal, or Mergel, the Hematēses, called vpō their God Asima, the Ananoys did worship [Page 32] their God Nebahaze and Thartace, th [...] Sep [...]a [...]ainenses did hold vpon the [...] Gods Aaramelech & Aname [...]ech.

Vnto the which Gods they sacrificed their children causing them to passe [...] through the fier.

Thus then, when all kinde of Idola­trie was spread among the Isralites, the sacrifices were altogether corrupted, the Priestes became byers and sellers, coue­tous tyrants and Idolaters, the people pa [...]ed tribute to the tyrants of Rome their count [...]y of Iudea made one with the Prouince ioyning vnto Syria vnde [...] Iosephus lib. 15. cap. 3. Io [...]ephus lib. 1 [...] cap. 3 [...] [...]op. lib. 1. cap. 2. the power of the Romains. The order also, the lawe & election of the high Priests was corrupted, & their d [...]gnitie abastarded altogeather, insomuch that without regard of the Leuiticall race, the high pt [...]estes were appointed by Consuls or Lieutenants of Rome as pleased them▪ And whereas before they continued during their [...]iues, now they changed ye [...]ely▪ And when as the Scep­terGenes. 49. was taken from the stocke of Iuda, [Page 33] and her kingdome quite ouerthrowne, as before it was prophecied: The incō ­prehensible greatnes of God did mani­fest it selfe by his sonne begotten before all worlds, which did so humble him­selfe, that he tooke humane flesh of the virgins wombe to redeeme his people, and restore them to grace before God.

For as in Adam by his breaking andA conferring of Adam with [...]e­sus Christ. abusing of the holy signe giuen vnto him to keepe, all the lumpe of mankind was corrupted with the leuen of sinne: Euen so by the second Adam Iesus Christ we are by grace purged from our offences. To our first and vniuersall fa­ther Adam was giuen a holy signe to exercise his obedience, and to his suc­cessours was giuen other holy signes, sa­crifices & sacraments instituted of God, as the tree of life, the fruits of the tree of knowledge of good and euill, the raine-bowe, circumcision▪ the lambe without blemish, the bread without le­uain, the cloud▪ the fiery piller, the red sea diuided, the heauenly Manna, the [Page 34] water of the rocke, the immolation and offering of beasts for sacrifices, the arke of couenant, the brasen serpent, the pur­ging water, the Temple builded in the middest of the holy Citie: All which sa­cred signes, sacrifices and sacraments, were figures of that which was accom­plished by Iesus Christ.

For first hee was the true tree of life,Iesus Christ the tree of life. Apoca. 2. Rom. 1 [...]. planted in the midest of the garden of God, in whom and by whom we which were bastard trees are grafted and set, to the obtaining of eternall life: hee hath giuen vs the keeping of the fruites of the tree of wisedome by his holy gospell, and commaunded vs to keepe it whole without abusing, without corrupting, without adding or diminishing, in paine of eternall death.

He hath bin as the celestial Bow ben­dedRainebowe. in the aire to assure vs of the bande and couenant contracted between God and vs that wee should bee no more drowned in the floud of sinne. He was circumcised to accomplish the lawe in [Page 35] himselfe, that hee might cut away theCircumcision. Gala. 4. foreskinne of our hearts, to spoyle vs of our old corrupted skinne in Adam.The burning bushe. He was the flame in the burning bush, taking flesh in the wombe of the virgine conceiued by the grace of the holy Ghost, without the seed of man, the ho­ly virgin as the bush, remaining neuer­theles perfect and vncorrupt. Hee was sacrificed as the iust & innocent Lambe,Pascall lambe▪ Iohn. 1. Hebr▪ 13. his bloud being shed to preserue vs frō the tyrannie of Sathan, and to open vn­to vs the passage into the lād of promise the kingdome of heauen. He is the trueBread of life. Iohn. 6. bread which came downe from heauen, without leauen, without corruptiō, and spot, whereof wee must eate for our spi­rituall nourishment, to the ende we may celebrate the feast of the Pharaonicall passage in the land of libertie. Hee was1 Cor. 5. The cloude, [...] rie piller and red sea. the cloude, the fiery pillour, the red sea diuided, which hath conducted vs, which hath deliuered vs from the hands of our enemies, out of who [...]e side ope­ned,1 Cor. 10. Iohn. 19. came bloud [...]nd water for our sal­uation [Page 36] and redemption.

He was the heauenly Māna sent fromThe heauenly Manna, the rock flowing water of life. 1. Corin. 10. heauen to nourish vs for euer, and the true rocke from whence flowed water to quench the thurst of all those for euer, which thurst and beleeue in him. It was he that made the sacrifice of health forSacrifice. Heb. 7. 8. 9▪ 10. the defacing of our sinnes, the sacrificer and sacrifice, the offering and offerer a­biding foreuer a sacrificer at the rightHeb. 9. hand of God his father. He entred into the heauēly sanctuary, builded not with the hands of men, but with the hand of God. He was the true Arke of couenantThe arke of witnes. & appoyntmēt, by the which God did manifest and declare his oracles and in the which he did rest to accomplish his diuine and incomprehensible misteries. He was as the brasen serpēt fastened toBrasen serpent Iohn 3. the crosse, to giue health to the sicknesse of al those which did turne toward him, and behold him in faith.

He was the true temple of God wher­inTemple of God. Iohn [...]. the holy ghost doth dwell, in whome and by whome one God in trynity is [Page 37] worshipped. Hee was the true and holyThe host and holy water. sacrifice whereof was made the purg­ing water for the cleansing of all spots, hauing by his owne ashes, that is by his owne bodie offered vp, sprinck­ledIohn 19. and watered with water issuing out of his side, all people beleeuing in him.

The ceremoniall law being thus ac­complished not by figures, but really executed by the incarnation, death and resurrection of Iesus Christ, our Saui­our, our mediatour, our euerlasting sa­crificer, and mercy obtainer, the infinite goodnes of God was yet more manifest­edHeb. 9. by the new band, new couenant and new comming of the son of God incar­nate: For by his new testament confir­medRom. 8. by the death of the testator, he hath made vs fellow heires and inheritours of the kingdome of heauen with God.

For assurance of this heauenly suc­cession gotten to vs by grace, after that he had finished the ceremonial law, and abolished the same (as we haue shewed) [Page 38] by the sacrifice perfectly made by the euerlasting Sacrificer, there were left [...]. Augustine [...]n his 3. booke of the christian doctrine. cap. 9. vnto vs two sacred signes and holy sa­craments▪ wherein God hath vsed more fauour and more special grace, than euer hee did before his incarnation, in this that hee hath deliuered vs from the ser­uile law of circumcision, of difference of meates, and of diuers sacrifices ordai­ned in the first Church of the Israelites, and in discharging vs of this heauy bur­then, he hath so much the more comfor­ted vs in ordaining vnto vs for a memo­rie and remembrance of our regenerati­on and life euerlasting, two holy sacra­ments, vnder two holy signes. To wit▪ Sacraments of the new Testa­ment. the water of Baptisme, & the bread, and wine, for the partaking of his bodie, and that his grace might extend to all nations, God did choose those tokens & signes which were▪ most cōmon & easie.

For Circumcision was a speciall marke for Abraham and his posteritie, the which Circumcision other nations were not accustomed to vse, although [Page 39] Herodote a Greeke in the history which he writeth of the manners of the Egyti­ans,Herod. lib. 2. doth attribute vnto them the cu­stome to circumcise, especially their Priestes. But it is easie to coniecture, that hee had heard speaking of the Iewes dwelling in Egipt for the space of foure hundred and thirtie yeares obseruing the circumcision. Moreouer the Circum­cision was ordained for the men onely,A comparing of the circumcision with baptisme. Exod. 12. and not for the women: there was also a day set for Circumcision, the eight day after the natiuitie: and the cutting of the skinne was paineful and greuous. But the grace of God hauing abolishedGenes 17. by his incarnation and perfect sacrifice, the rigour of the ceremoniall law, as wel for the difference of meates as of dayes, hath left vnto vs by his new will and co­uenant, the holy signe of water common to all, as well men as women, without difference of dayes, & in this holy sacra­mētNum. 19. the child baptized feeleth no grief, as he did feele in cutting of the skinne.

This signe of water, to represent vn­to [Page 40] vs the purging and cleansing of our sinnes by the bloud of Iesus Christ, was common not onely to the Iewes, which were wont to vse their cleansing water, but also to the Gentiles and all nations who had in vse the cleansing and wash­ing with this water called Lustrall & Expiatorie, as may appeare by reading of auncient histories.

To the end then that the grace of God, by Iesus Christ might extend to all the world generally, to all nations, coun­tries and prouinces, as well circumcised as vncircumcised, Iewes as Gentiles, God did choose the signe of water most common, so much the more applying it to the comm [...]ditie of man to draw himTit. 3. Galath. 3. to feare and obedience. By the which signe hee instituted the holy sacrament of baptisme, for a note & assured marke of our regeneration, and purifying, re­presented sacramentally by the vertue of the holy ghost, in the which sacra­ment God doth assist and assure vs to be borne a new and made one with Christ [Page 41] Iesus, to be renewed & made members, of his members, and that he will receiue vs as clad and incorporate into him and by him.

Like reasons might be brought for the other holy Sacrament ordeined ofSacrament of the holy sup­per of Iesus Christ. God by his new Testament, to wit, of bread and wine. Which signes, tokens, figures and notable formes, all nations haue beene accustomed to vse in their sacrifices, oblations & ceremonies, con­cerning their religions, as well circum­cised as vncircumcised, aswell Iewes as Gentiles. Also the two kindes of foodes for the nourishmēt of man are cōrained vnder bread and wine: For these causes our good God desiring to drawe vnto him all nations, to nourish and minister most necessarie food vnto the, did insti­tute the cōmunion of the body & bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ vnder the formes, holy signes and sacramentes of bread and wine: For as we are assured by the marke and element of water in baptisme to be regenerate and renued [Page 42] in the body and bloud of Iesus Christ, represented by the sacrament of holy water, by the vertue of the holy Ghost: Euen so are we nourished by the com­munion of this body and bloud repre­sented really by the Bread and Wine, consecrated for spirituall foode & nou­rishment euerlasting, and quickening by the power of the holy ghost, wherin God fauoured vs much in discharging vs of bloudy sacrifices ordeined in the first Church of the Israelits, which were wont to be charged with many and di­uerse sacrifices celebrated with the shed­ding of the bloud of earthly beastes, af­ter the diuersity of offences, and persons offending. All which sacrifices were ended, and put away by the shedding of the bloud of the iust and innocentHeb. 9. Lambe, Iesus Christ, which by his per­fect sacrifice hath vtterly abolished all other sacrifices, reseruing vnto him­selfe the dignity of the great and euer­lasting Sacrificer, sitting at the right hand of God his Father. But he hath fa­uoured [Page 43] vs so much, that in place of the a­bolished sacrifices, he hath instituted the two holy sacraments before mentioned to assure vs of our regeneration, our pur­ging, our adoption, our nourishment, & eternall life, giuen vs by the bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ,

But as the Israelites too grosse, and car­nall,Corruption of the Sacramēts. did rest in the exterior signes, cor­rupting the true vse of the sacramentes and sacrifices giuen vnto them of God: Euen so like abuse, yea, greater corrup­tions are come vnto our two holy Sa­craments left vnto vs by the new testa­ment of Iesus Christ, for the sacrament of Baptisme succeeded in the place of Circumcision, man (conceiued of cor­rupted clay) would not bee contented with Gods holy institution: But someSacrament of Baptisme cor­rupted. haue brewed and corrupted the vse of the holy sacrament of Baptisme with adiurations and coniurings, iuggling of salt, of oyle of tapers, creame, blowings, hoodes, or biggins, with an infinit num­ber of crosses on the forehead, on the [Page 44] eyes, on the nose, on the backe, on [...] Theodor. in his booke of the fables of here­tikes. breast, on the shoulders, on the mout to chase away Deuils: For the Massa [...] ans heretikes authors of coniuring, a [...] crossing, do say that the child borne accompanied with his Spirit or Deui [...] which cannot be chased away but [...] Ca. sine. Ca. post quam de conse­cratione d [...] ­stinct. 4. adiuration and coniuring. And for th [...] cause, this holy sacrament of Baptis [...] hath beene corrupted so farre, that th [...] haue added thereunto strange termes the Syrian language, with spettell a [...] Ephetath. per Satyr. 2. purging sniuell,

What greater corruptions coul [...] there be described then these abho [...] ­nable inuentions, as if the bloud of I [...] sus Christ had not beene sufficient f [...] our regeneration and purgation: An [...] as if God had not beene of power sufficientGala. 3. Ephe. 4. 1 Cor. 15. to perfect and regenerate vs b [...] the holy signe of water representing the bloud of Iesus Christ, if there were no [...] spettell coniured sniuell, oiles, salt, big­gins, creame, torches or tapers, or milke or hony inuented by other Heretikes.

Other more subtill Magicians, Pitha­gorians,Tertullian in his booke of the crowned Souldier. instructed in the Massalian do­ctrine haue added moreouer to pro­noūce twentie times ouer the man child presented to Baptisme, the name of a Deuill (which they say) doth accompa­ny him, by that meanes to adiure and coniure him away. And at the Baptisme of a wench, to say the same thirtie times▪ Was there euer such detestable corrup­tion in the sacrament of Circumcision? Wherefore (O Massaliās) haue you bru­ed your oiles, in the holy Sacrament of Baptisme? Following the heresie Mar­cu [...] & Marcosus, which commanded toEpipha. lib. 1 tom. 3. heres. 34 anoint the childrē that were to be bapti­zed. The holy signe of water instituted by the hand of God, was it not sufficiēt to represent the precious bloud of Iesus Christ for our regeneration & purifica­tion, without brewing of greeses, of oile, of spettel & otherminglings, inuē ­ted by the corruptors of the holy sacra­ments: The body and bloud of Iesus Christ, whrewith wee be clad by the [Page 46] holy water of Baptisme was it not suf [...] cient to preserue vs from all tempest [...] without borrowing of Biggins and C [...] somes? And for another more great co [...] ruption and abuse it was permitted v [...] to women to baptise, following the e [...] rorTom. 1. Epipha. lib. [...]. he­res. 42. & lib. 2. Tom. 1. heres. 49. of the Marcionistes▪ Quintilians C [...] taphriges, Montanists, Pepuzians, Pricillians and Artotirites. Was it euer pe [...] mitted vnto women by the lawe of Go to administer the holy sacraments or s [...] crifice instituted in the first Church [...] the Israelites▪ or in the newe Testame [...] of Iesus Christ? In the History of Mo [...] ses it is recited, how that his wife Sepho [...] Exod. 4. moued with a womanly rage, tooke th [...] stone or knife wherewith she circumci­sed her sonne, but it is not written tha [...] shee or any other her like, hath at any time beene permitted to minister the holy sacraments by such corruptions of the holy sacrament of Baptisme: Many heresies haue sprong vp by the Cata­baptists, Anabaptistes, Antipedobap­tists and other heretikes, & scismatikes [Page 47] which not contented with the pure and sincere institution of God, did more rest in the outward signes, then in that which by them was represented in spirit. He that desireth to know more particular­ly the abuses and corruptions inuented at diuerse times by diuerse humours of men, let him read our Ecclesiastical cō ­mentaries. It remaineth presētly to come to the corruptions of the other holy sa­crament of the supper and communion of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ. By this short discourse, a man may cleer­ly know how variable and fraile man is, alwaies hauing abused the grace of god. For like as from the beginning of the lawe and instruction giuen vnto them, the people of Israel did euer corrupt the true vse of sacrifices, holy signes, and sa­craments ordeined of God: euen so is it come to passe of the lawe of God by Ie­sus Christ, hauing instituted the maner to communicate his body and bloude vnder the figures and holy signes of bread and wine. The which holy sacra­ment [Page 48] was abused in the time of the Apo­stles by the Corinthians: Against whomSacrament of the supper cor­rupted. 1 Cor. 13. the holy Apostle did write epistles, to the end to bring them to the true & sin­cere obseruation of this holy Sacramēt. Let no man therfore hereafter thinke it strange if the successors of the Apostles, from time to time haue corrupted the true vse of this holy Sacrament. And the more they were distant from the time of the Apostles of Iesus Christ, the more they fell into corruption: Yea abhomi­nable, turning the vse of the Sacrament into a depth of idolatry. First into what contentiō fell the Church that was next vnto the Apostles, about the determi­ning of the daies wherein the holy sa­cramentEcclesiasticall historie. should be celebrated? Sabatius the heretike did institute the celebrati­onHisto. tripart. lib. 9. cap 37. & lib. 11. cap. 5. of Easter with vnleauened bread af­ter the maner of the Iewes. Certaine of his sect did ordaine the vse of the holy Sacrament to bee celebrated the 14.Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 24. Histo. tripart. lib. 9 cap. 38. & 39. Moone, as the Iewes did. It is sayd, there were of this sect Policrates bishop of the [Page 49] Ephesians, Philip Hieropolitan, Policarp, Truseas Melite and Narcissus Bishop of Ierusalem. Of the contrary opinion were Victor bishop of Rome, & Eleuther his predecessor, with Theophile Bishop of Palestine This contention continued more thē 300. yeares after the Apostles. Some celebrated the feast of Easter after the Equino [...]tial, whē the Sun did enter into the signe of Aries. Other obserueth the moneth Xanthisee, called by the Ro­mains Aprill.

Some sayd (to wit) the Quartodeci­mans, that it was instituted by S. Iohn, to celebrate in the 14. Moone. Others ad­uanced themselues to be taught by S. Peter, whereas yet there was no euident appearance of any thing. The Monta­nists Phrygians condemned the Quar­to decimans obseruers of the course of the Moone, and that they ought to or­der themselues by the course of the Sun, begining at the Equinoctiall in Prime­tide: Aud by this meanes they celebra­ted eight Ides of Aprill, which is the 14. [Page 50] day of the same moneth; Prouided that it [...]ell vpon the Sunday.

There was not onely contention for the vse of the sacramentes in what dayes it shoulde be celebrated but also thereEu [...]e. lib. 5. cap 4 was great diuision among the Christi­ans for ceremonies inuented to prepare themselues to receiue the same worthi­ly: For some (as the Romains) did keep the fast three weekes before Easter: The Illyrians and all Greece with the Alex­andrians did ordeine a bent to fast sixe weekes Others ordeined seauen weekes of fasting, leauing off from fiue daies to fiue daies.

More and more to corrupt the holy sacrament of the supper, there was re­stored another Iudaicall ceremony, byHisto. tripart. cap. 8. the differences of meates: For some (du­ring the time of fast) forbade eating of fleshe and fishe. Other forbade eating of flesh onely, permitting to eate fishe & foules, which they said according to M [...]ys▪ did take part of the substcāe of the water. Some also did ordeine to eate dry [Page 51] bread and water onely. Others fasted till noone without distinctiō of meates. And to be short there was in the begin­ning an infinite number of customes & corruptions in the vse of the holy sacra­ment of the supper, by ceremonies brought in by the difference of daies and meates, abbrogated and put away, by the grace and lawe of Iesus Christ. But was there euer any holy Apostle ofColos. 2. Galath. 4. Heb. 7. God, which euer left in writing any law or commandement for the distinction of daies or meates to celebrate the holy supper of Iesus Christ? their intention was not to institute a religion of feastes and a distinction of daies & meates, but their doctrine did tend onely to teach good life, and the true worshippe of one God onely. Wherefore wee must needes conclude that the ceremonie and feast of Easter, to celebrate the supper of our Lorde God is proceeded of meereHisto. Tripart. lib. 9. cap. 38. custome: For none of the Apostles hath left any thing in writing touching the same.

To moderate such dissentions and cor­ruptions many councels were assem­bled, one at Sangaria in Bitine, by the which (to auoide all contentions) it was permitted to euery one to celebrate Ea­sterEuseb. lib. 5. cap. 23. when he would. Another counsell was holden at Cesaria by Theophile Bishop of that place, and by Naercissus Bishop of Ierusalem. Another councell in Achay. And another councell was holden at Rome by Victor, Bishop of that place.

After these litle corruptions, there succeeded greater from time to time, ac­cordingIn the yeare of Christ. c 14. vnto the humours and affecti­ons of the Bishops of Rome, Alexander Platine. Sabellieus. the first of that name, being come to be superintendent of the Romane Church, the first of the successors, of the Apo­stles of Iesus Christ, and also the first of the corrupters of the holy sacrament of the supper ordeined to mixe water with the wine before the communion: wherein he meant to reforme the Gos­pell of Iesus Christ, which had institu­ted [Page 53] the communion of his body and bloud, to be vnder two kindes, Bread & Wine, but Alexander added a third kind (to say) Water. He restored also the Iu­daicall ceremony of vnleuened breadEuseb. lib. 3. cap. 27. & lib. 6. cap. 14. (called sweete breade) to celebrate the Easter as the Iewes did, following ther­in the Ebionits, which taught that the ceremoniall law of Moyses was necessa­rie for saluation: As also Symmachas an Heretike in Palestine had taught. If Ie­sus Christ was circumcised to accom­plish the ceremoniall law, is it therefore needfull for vs to be circumcised? More­ouer if it pleased him to accomplish the ceremoniall lawe) to vse in the dayes of sweete bread, vnleuened bread: It is therefore necessarie to turne againe vn­to the rigor of this ceremonie abroga­ted by the sacrifice perfectly ended by Iesus Christ? In what place of the holy Gospell could. Alexander euer finde toCel. lib. 39. cap. 21. mixe water with the wine? And for to binde Christians to vnleuened bread. Is it of any more value, then his inuen­tion, [Page 54] to chase away Diuels with water salted and coniured? And as touching his coniured water ordeyned by him, we will shew hereafter that the originall thereof came from Numa Pompilius the great Coniurer and Romane Idolater, But as for the [...]ingling of the water with wine, that should seeme to bee taught by the religion of the ancient I­dolaters, which were wont in celebra­ting their sacrifices, in one chalice to cō ­secrate the water with the bread, speci­ally in the feast dedicated to the Sunne, which the Persians did worship, called of them Mythros. And in the feast also of Nep [...]al [...]es, water was vsed for the sa­crifice According to this comparison,Iust in his apologie. Iustin Mar [...]r maketh relation of the custome obserued among the Idolators, and Christians, for the bread wine, and water consecrated. By the one that is to say, by the Idolators, in the name of their Idolles and by the Christians in the name of their true God. Alwayes this first corruption in the vsage of the [Page 55] holy sacrament by the mingling of wa­ter with wine beyonde the commande­ment & ordinance of God did not con­tinueInno. lib. 4. cap. 5. without controuersie: For the Greekes were of a contrarie opinion that it was not necessary to mixe water with wine and that they would not followe the corruption of Alexander: Amarca­nus was of the same aduice that Alexan­der was saying that it was necessarie to mingle it with water.

The subtill Sophist Scot doth affirme absolutly that it is not necessarie the wa­ter to be mingled with the wine, because saith he it cannot be changed and tran­substantiated into bloud if first it be not changed into wine.

Other more ingenious would rather interpretate the institution of Alexan­der, saying the wine to be conuerted in­to bloud but as for the water it was transubstantiated into the water which came out of the side of Iesus Christ.

This first corruption of Alexander did giue occasion of many other to succeed: [Page 56] For some inuented greater bruings toS. Augustine in his book of the relikes. cap. 26. & 64. mingle it with bloud drawn out of yong Infants to mixt with the bread of the ho­ly supper of Iesus Christ, as the Cata­phriges which began a kind of transub­stantiation of wine into bloud really & corporally. Some other adioyned there­vntoEpipha. lib. 2. Tom. 1. heres. 49. cheese called Artotirites, that is to say, cheese bread. Others also abusing this sacrament, in steede of wine tooke water vnder pretence of more greater abstinence. Other ordained to temper the bread with wine, which the Massa­lians do yet holde in their missall sa­crificers.

For another more detestable corrup­tion of the holy sacramēt, some bishops of Rome haue forbiddē their Massalian sacrificers to minister vnto the Christen people (which they call lay) the body of Iesus Christ vnder both kinds, but only vnder the holy signe of bread, and not of wine, the which they kept for the Priestes Massalians sacrificers. Is not this corruption directly against the ho­ly [Page 57] gospell and instition of the supper ofMatth. 29. Mark. 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. Iesus Christ, which hath ordained and commanded all faithfull to ea [...] [...]s bo­die, and drinke his bloud. When hee tooke the cup vsed hee not these proper tearmes, Drinke all of this wine in me­morie and remembrance of my bloud shed. Hath hee vsed any other tearmes for eating of his bodie by the figure of bread, then he hath done for the drink­ing of his bloud by the signe of wine? If one should compare herewith the holy signe ordained of God in the Church of the Israelites, a figure of the communion of the body of Iesus Christ (which was the pascall lambe) the fleshe whereof was cōmanded to be eaten of all persons without exception, for as much as they were circumcised: Was there euer any difference in the eating of the pascall Lambe, and celebrating of the Passeo­uer of the Iewes among the Leuites of the stocke of the Priestes and the other cōmon people? For another detestable corruption, the Massalians haue institu­ted [Page 58] by their missall Idolatries, to sacri­fice and offer the body and bloud of Ie­sus Christ, in reiterating (by meanes) the sacrifice of Iesus Christ perfectly ended & cānot be done againe: for that it was not after the order of Aaron, but after the1. Cor. 11. order of [...]lchisedech, an euerlasting sa­crificer, who hath left no successor. Also the holy apostle whē he admonished the Corinthians reuerently to celebrate the supper of Iesus Christ, did he command them to sacrifice? No, but to communi­cate and eate togeather the body and bloud of Iesus Christ. The beginning of the holy supper was not to kill, offer, and ordaine a sacrifice to offer to God: But onely to eate and drinke at the holy feast prepared for vs by Iesus Christ the euerlasting sacrifice & euerlasting sacri­ficer, which hath reserued vnto himselfe only this eternal priesthood; And yet ne­uertheles hath left his holy institution a banquet ordained for vs of bread and wine, representing his body and bloud.

After the corruptions aboue sayde, [Page 59] Sathan the diligent Babilonicall buil­der imploied all his forces & strong [...]es, to build an inuincible fortresse of Idola­trie, to the end to fight against, and vt­terly to throw downe the kingdome of Iesus Christ, when he did enterpri [...]e the building of the Masse to be brough [...] in, in the place of the holy sacrament of the supper, as we wil briefly and so clearely declare, that the most hard hearted Pha­risies (made olde in their ancient [...]ola­tries) shall acknowledge by the veritie of histories their errours and abh [...]mi­nable herefies.

Before the painting out of this Maze of error (whereinto the Mes [...]lians are pl [...]ndged) I thought it necessarie, brief­ly to discouer the ancient religion of the Romaines, the raigne of the occidentall empire▪ and of the Emperours which haue exercised both the temporal office, and the dignitie of the great bishops su­perintendents of the religion & ChurchTit. [...] in. lib. 1. Decad. 1. of Rome. All other (as well as I) shall confesse that the Romaine religion al­together [Page 60] for the most part to haue been [...] Funestell [...]. his booke of magistrats of Rome. instituted by Numa Pompilius the second King of the Romaines, about 700 yeares before the incarnation of Iesus Christ. Then were instituted the Bi­shops which afterward were brought to a certaine number, vnto foure, then the number was augmēted to eight, and by Sylla to 15. In the colledge of Bi­shops there was one chiefe Bishoppe▪ which was chosen by the other lesse bi­shops of the same order and dignitie, like as the little bishops purple Cardi­nals haue practised the election of the great Romaine Bishop, of their estate, order and dignitie. This Pompilian re­ligion hath beene so well obserued by the Romanes, from the father to the son, that it hath beene impossible to destroy and plucke vp the same, but hath conti­nued to this day, as euery one may easi­ly perceiue by this little collection.

To confirme this point there is none that can bee ignorant, which lusteth to read the Romaine histories, that before [Page 61] the incarnatiō of Iesus Christ there was not one King, Consul, Dictator, or Ro­maine Emperour instructed in the lawe of God. But all were Idolaters and In­fidels, following the religion of Numa Pompilius the coniurer, And that more is, after the incarnation of Iesus Christ, for the space of 300. yeares or therea­bouts, there was no Emperour, nor Ro­maneEuseb. in his booke of the Church histo­rie the yeares of Christ. 34. 68. 94. 112. 113. 167. 202. 238. 254. 257. 276. & 292. Councel which would change his religion to embrace the lawe of Iesus Christ. But contrariwise they haue la­bored with tooth and naile to exercise all kind of cruelltie against the church of Iesus Christ, as the Ecclesiasticall histo­ries doe largely declare, painting out great persecutions vnder the great Ro­maine Bishops, to wit, Claud. Tiber. Ne­ro, Claud. Domitian Nero, Fla. Domitian, Traian, Elie Hadrian, Antonian Philoso­pher, Septime Seuere, Iul. Maximus, Mar. Quin. Traian, Dece, L [...]cime, Ʋalerian, Va­lere Aurelian, and Diocletian. All which were Emperours and gouerned the Em­pire and Romaine religion for 300. [Page 62] yeares after the incarnation of Iesu [...] Christ and in their moneyes▪ sepultures m [...]n [...]ments, tytles and autentique let­ters, did hold the name of great Bishop [...] and high Priestes as diligently is gathe­red in a booke of the antiquities of Rome, wherein bee described the Ima­ges, moneies, and monuments of the an [...] In the booke intituled the discourse of the religion of the ancient Romaines by Wi [...]h a [...] de Choul. bayly of Daulphine. ancient Emperours of Rome, which were all called great Bishops, by these titles, Iul. Ces. Pon [...]if. max▪ Tiber. Nero Pontif. max▪ Claud. Nero. Pontif. max. Vas. p [...]sianus Ces. p [...]ntif. max. Traianus Impera. Poatif. max. M [...]rc. Aurel. Anton. Au­gust. Pontif. H [...]liog [...]balus summas sacerdo [...] A [...]g. Adrianus Imper. Pontif. max. G [...]erius M [...]ximi [...]ianus Pontif. max. Tit. Ces. Pontif. max. Commod. Im­pe. pontif. max. Flauius Constantius Aug. Pontif. max. Which being then Empe­rours and great Bishoppes would suffer none other head in the religion and Ro­maine Church then themselues, being alwaies enemies of [...]esus Christ. For when the Aposties did preach Christ [Page 63] to be the Soueraine Priest, great and e­uerlasting sacrificer, without any suc­ceslour after the order of Melchisedech, the tyrants of Rome and their Lieute­nants▪ did take an occasion to condemne Iesus Christ▪ fearing that the authoritie of the Emperours and great Romaine Bishops should bee diminished. WithIn the Catalog of Emperours▪ i [...] the end of the historie of Nicephore the yeare of Christ 410. what furie were they inraged for the space of 300. yeares against the christi­ans and Christs religion, to defend their auncient religion of Pompilius? what answere was giuen to Theodose the Em­perour by the senate and senatours of Rome, when it was put forth vnto them to change their religion, and to receiue the religion of Iesus Christ, They shew­ed that they had possessed their Pompi­lian religion more then 1000. yeares, & that all changing of religions were the destructions of common wealthes.

Wherefore consisting in their olde Romane religion, they remained with­out receiuing of the law of Iesus Christ.

By these histories it is easie to bee re­solued [Page 64] that for the space of 400. yeares and more the bishops of Rome which called themselues Christians could neuer obtaine of the Senate and Romane [...] to recei [...]e the holy Gospell, much lesse could they con [...]er [...] the Ro­mane Ido [...]ater causing them to forsake their in [...]e [...]e [...]a [...]e Idolatry: For the Bi­shops of Rome were too much occup [...] ­ed in restoring the Iudaical and Pagan [...] ceremonies for the distinctiō of mea [...]es, ordinance no [...] to f [...]st Sunday and Thurs­day,In the cannon re [...]a [...]ed [...] C [...]eme [...] Bishop o [...] Rome▪ 21. 22 62 95. to [...]e [...] an order for table cloathes▪ [...]eales, vessels of gold and siluer, sen­sors and tapesterie, & other ornament [...] of the a [...]ters which consumed with age, were ordeyned to be burned and the ashes to be put in the fount. Other were meruailously occupied to restore the Iudaicall ceremonies of sweete breade, and trauailed their spirits greatly to cor­ruptAlexander the first of that name Bishop of Rome in the yeare of Christ 110. the true vsage of the holy sacra­ments instituted of God, by mingling of water with wine, bruing of salt with the water to make it purged and coniu­red [Page 65] to driue away Diuels. Other alsoSixtus Bishop of Rome in the yeare of Christ 121. did trauell to institute Corporasses of fine linnen to lay vppe the consecrated hostes, and to ordeine also albes and o­ther vestiments of the Priests for theirSiluester Bishop of Rome sacrifices of white collour without spot. Some did torment their braines to in­uent the feastes of dedication and conse­cration,Higinus Bishop of Rome in the yeare of Christ 140. with coniuring, with salt to driue away Diuels. And some other to inuent oyles and creames to corrupt the holy sacrament of Baptisme. Moreouer [...]abian Bishop o [...] Rome in the yeare of Christ 240. (during the raigne of these Tirants, Em­perours, and great Bishops) the Bishops of Rome desiring to make their names to continue for euer, did dreame in theirPius Bishop of Rome in th [...] yeare of Christ 144. spirits to builde Temples, not vnto the honour of God, but in the name of their hee and shee Saints, canonized by them at their pleasure. Other did occupie themselues to ordaine that the consecra­ted breade and wine falling vpon the ground, should be left to the sacrificer, & the rest remaining should be burned with fire: and the ashes should be layed [Page 66] vp among the reliques. Other did tra­uellZeph [...]rin Bishop of Rome in the yeare of Christ 200 to set an order among chalises, whe­ther they should be of glasse or of wood. And by other were instituted solemneCali [...]tus Bishop o [...] Rome in the yeare of Christ 220 ceremonies foure times a yeare to bring Christians to the bondage of distinction of daies.

Some were occupied meruailously toEutich Bishop of Rome in the yeare of Christ 282 ordaine the offering and consecration of fables, to celebrate funerals in pur­ple garmentes after the maner of the vestiment called Trabea, the which the Idolators did vse in triumphes celebra­ted in the honour of their Gods.

And the like purple garment is vsedThe red robes of Cardinalles. Siluester bishop of Rome in the yeare of Christ 314. of the Cardinals to this day. Others were occupied to inuent a confirmation for yong children, and that the Bishops only should consecrate the creame: To honour also the Bishop of Hostiense, by whose hāds the bishop of Rome must be consecrated, with a cloke called Palliū. And to inuent an infinite nūber of other vnnecessary ceremonies, cōtrary to the libertie of the Gospell giuen vnto vs by [Page 67] Iesus Christ: How was it then possible that the first Bishops of Rome shoulde drawe the Princes, Senators & Romanes vnto the law of the Gospel, during 300. or 400. yeares after the incarnation of Iesus Christ, seeing they did not labour but to corrupt the vse of the holy sacra­ments, and to restore the Iudaicall cere­monies, and Idolatries of the heathen the ancient Romanes?

But here might one obiect one Phi­lip which some vaunt to haue beene con­uerted to holy Baptisme, the maners of whom were so wicked that they gaue occasion to the most credible authors, to describe him vnworthy the name of a Christian. One might bring in Constan­tine Chronicle of Iohn Baptist. the great, which caused the Coun­cell of Nice to assemble: but his resi­dēce was in Grecia being called the Em­perour of the East. And yet would he neuer receiue the signe of Baptisme toHisto. tripart. lib. 3. cap. 12. bee regenerate by the bloude of Iesus Christ, vntill he was 65. yeares olde, at what time he was baptised by a Bishop [Page 68] of Nicomede Arian, named Eusebe, the same Constantin [...] being at point of death. Siluester then Bishop of Rome, must not cracke that he conuerted this Em­perour to the [...]aith: For this same Silue­ster would not assist the assemblie of the Councell holden at Nice in the yeare of Iesus Christ. 32 [...]. How so euer it be, it is conuenient to haue recourse alwayes to the verity of Histories, wherein is recited the answere of the Senate and Senators of Rome, to the Emperour Thecdez [...] more then 60. yeares after the death of the same Constantine the great: Which was, that they woulde not re­ceiue the lawe of Iesus Christ, but ob­serue their auncient lawe Pompilian, to auoide the ruine of their common wealth, which might come by the chan­ging of religion, whereby may be well gathered that then the lawe of God was not receiued nor approued at Rome by the Senate and Senators.

It resteth that presently we come nea­rer to the time following. After the de­cease [Page 69] of Theodoze, the Romane Empire of the West began so to bowe, that in short time it was quite put out by Wan­deloys & Alayns, which were the chiefePaul. Emil. lib. 1. the yeare of Christ. 412. 154 that sacked Rome, burnt the most part of it, and rauished the proper daughter of the Emperour Theodore: whom they married to Ataulphe king of the Gothes. A litle while after succeeded the Hūnes.Blond. lib. 2. Decad. 1. Then Attilia King of the Gothes, which vsurped Italy.

About this time the Romane EmpireProcop lib. 3. of the warre of the Vandals in the yeare of Christ 486. of the West was spoiled of all Germa­ny, Asia, Sarmatia, and all the Prouin­ces tributaries, vnto Danube: Spaine also, Aquitania, Gascoygne, Bourgoyne and all the Gaules did reuolt from the Romane tyranny. Then succeeded the Ostrogothes with their King Ʋalemir, The yeare of Christ, 550. 554 Theodemer, Theodorike and other Hea­then and Infidels. The Visigothes al­so, all vsurpers successiuely of Italy. Af­terwardPaul Emil. lib. 1 the yeare of Christ, 568. raigned Totilas, which forced, robbed, and burned Rome, and all Si­cile. In the end the Lombards condu­cted [Page 70] by their Kings [...] did raigne, which vsurped Italy, These barbarous nations, Idolaters and Infidels did serue as whippes ordained of God to punish the Idolators of Rome committed by them, which had knowledge of the ho­ly Gospell And yet turned back frō the true worshiping of God, violating and corrupting the holy sacraments by the inuentions of men: To punish also the infidelity and obstinacie of the Empe­rours and Senators of Rome, which first of all caused the Lieutenants, & officers appointed in Iudea to crucifie Christ & his holy Apostles, to persecute the Chri­stians, and alwaies to resist the lawe of the Gospell to maintaine their religion Pompilian.

Thus we may conclude, that during the space of 400. yeares the Romane church of Emperours and Senatours, hath euer beene contrary and enemies to the lawe of Iesus Christ. Then after­ward (the occidentall Empire being o­uerthrowen) Rome and all Italy was [Page 71] ruled & gouerned 300. yeares, or there about, by Kinges, Princes and Dukes, Idolators and Infidels. namely by the Vādales, by the Gothes, by the Hūnes, by the Astrogothes, by the Visigothes, and by the Lumbards in such sort, that during the space of 700. yeares or there about, after the incarnation of Iesus Christ there was no Emperour, Kinge, nor Prince of Rome, which would em­brace the law of Iesus Christ. The which gladly and shortly I haue declared, to the end that the Reader thinke not strange, that I haue heere shewed the sacrifice of the masse, to haue taken his beginning of the ancient religion insti­tuted by Numa Pōpilius more then 700. yeares before the incarnation of Christ.

And so afterward also the same sacri­fice hath beene continued by the Ido­latrous Romanes inueterate and harde­ned, so in their Pompilian Religion, that they woulde neuer put away the same.

But to the end that nothing in the Ro­mane [Page 72] Histories bee kept close which might obscure the clearenes of the veri­tie, during the tyranny and vsurping of the nations aforesayd, in Italy was e­rected a litle Lordship at Rauenna, which continued about 183. yeares vn­till it was rauished by a Bishop, which inuested himselfe, and encroched into the chaire of S. Peter by the meanes of a donation and demission practised by Pepin in the yeare 758. in recompence of a tyranny exercised by Zacharie Grec. Bishop of Rome, who spoyled the true inheritors of the crowne of France, namely Chilperic or Childeric, whom he shut vppe in a cloyster to make the kingdom to fall vnto the sayd Pipin the sonne of Charles Martell bastard. This donation of Pipin thus giuē to the great Romane Bishop, was the first originall of the greatnesse of the Popes of Rome, who do holde vnto this day the Lord­shipBlond. lib. 1. P [...]ul. Emil. 2. of Rauenna. (800. yeares being past) with a great number of Townes a long the Sea Hadriatike, cōmitted vnto [Page 73] them by Pepin, contrarie to the expresse commandementes of Constantine then raigninge Emperour of the East in Grecia.

Whiles this little lordship was conti­nuedThe yeare of Christ. 588. at Rauenna, long time before the donation of Pepin▪ the Bishop of that place seeing that there were no more Emperours of Rome (which was gouer­nedSabelli [...]. and kept vnder by barbarous peo­ple and Infidels) lift vp his hornes in such sort that hee preferred himselfe to be Bishop of Rome, and made himselfe the heade of the Church, and also him­selfe and his successours Bishops of Ra­uenna, so long as the Lordship hath con­tinued. This was the first little Anti­christ which would take vpon him a ty­rannie in the Church, to follow the earthly tyrannie of his Lordship.

Afterward there rose vp anotherIn the yeare of Christ. 600. Blond. lib. 1. greater Antichrist in Constantinople, named Iohn Bishop of that place: Who seing the occidentall Empire of Rome ouerthrowne, and the other of Constan­tinople [Page 74] highly exalted, hee would als [...] Greg l [...]b 4. [...] his ep [...]es, cap. [...]. follow the tyrannie of the world, and st [...]re vp a spirituall r [...]e in the Church o [...] Iesus Christ Hee caused himselfe t [...] be declared by a councell holden at hi [...] The yeere of [...] 6 [...]. pleasure Bishop E [...]ume [...]ious, that is t [...] say, generall and head of the whole [...] Church. But soone after the great Bi­shops of Rome gaue such order that b [...] [...]eason the Emperour Maurice it Constan [...]ople was cr [...]ely slaine, hee his wife, and fami [...]e, by wicked Ph [...] [...]: who to recompence this detestabl [...] murder comm [...]ed by the aduise of th [...] Church of Rome, alwaies contrary to Iesus Christ, hee declared Beniface theThe [...]e [...]re o [...] [...] third [...]f that name, the generall head of the church of God▪ taking vpon him the [...] of Iesus Christ the grea [...] and euerlasting high Priest, the onely spouse and head of his church▪ Who can be [...]er describe an Antichrist, than hee that doth enterprise a tyrannie in the church of God, a po [...]gamie in the church the spou [...]e o [...] Iesus Christ at­tributingMa [...]. [...]6. [Page 75] to himselfe that power which Iesus Christ hath reserued to himselfe, to bee perpetuall with his church, by the vertue of his holy spirite to conduct and gouerne the same? May not hee rightly be called Antichrist which doth enforce himselfe directly to goe against the holy gospell of Iesus Christ, who commanded his Apostles (when he sent them to [...] preach his word) that theyMath. 23. Luke 11. Marke 2. should not institute a Monarchie in the church, as the Princes, Kings, and tyrants of the earth▪ That none amongst them should enterprise to call himselfe the head or greater then other: but all as brethren were humb [...]e being assured to haue one head, and one heauenly fa­ther, which will tarrie with them and as­sist them for euer; to inspire and con­duct them in his holy will. Is not hee of good right Antichrist, which will haue himselfe called the successour of Iesus Christ in the great Bishoprick, & in the high priesthood by him exercised? The which dignitie he hath reserued to him­selfe, [Page 76] abiding a high soueraigne Prie [...] for euermore: who hath left no succes­sour in his dignitie as Aaron did and hi [...] successours in the dignities of the hig [...] Priests of the Iewes: But is after the or­der of Melch [...]sedech a king & high prie [...] without any successour in his dignitie Wherfore then (O Antichrists of Rome haue you taken vpon you the dignity [...] the highest Bishops as the heads of th [...] church of God, and vsurped also the au­thority of Iesus Christ, causing you [...] selues to be called most blessed & most reuerend fathers and Popes, hauing instituted a colledge of little purple Bi­shoppes to choose the great Bishop, bu [...] onely to the end to renew the auncient Romaine religion of Numa Pompilius, the first authour of your Pontificall dig­nities.

About the same time that Ph [...]a [...] the cruell murtherer did erect an Antichrist in the Romane Church, Mahomet▪ was risen in the Church of Arabia, instru­cted [Page 77] by the Monke Sergius, about the yeare 620. for this Apostate Heretike, seeing the lawe of God altogether cor­rupted by the traditions of men, and the holy Gospell contemned, sectes and di­uerse heresies sowed, as well by the Iewes. Pharisees, Esseens Saduces, Mas­butheans, Galileans, Hemerobaptists, and Samaritans: as also by the Christi­ans, Simoniaques, Nicolaits, Cerinthiēs, Menandriēs, & Ebionites, Valētinians, Cerdonians, Marcionistes, Montanistes,Seeke the Church histo­ries. Cataphriges, Tatians, Eueratits, Seueri­ans, A [...]temonistes, Porpherians, Hel­chesaites, Nouatiens, Sabellians, Chi­liastes, Paulianistes, Manicheans, Auto­mousiastes. Arrians, Eunonians, Mace­donians, Euuomiotheophroniens, Eu­uomioentichiens, Aetians, Donatistes, Luciferiens, Patripassians or Theopha­tites, Photiniens, Marcellians, Paulosa­mosetans, Apolinaristes, Iouinianistes, Pelagians, Acariens, Olimpiens, Qua­ternitaries, Monothelites. And other Heretikes hauing corrupted the true v­sage [Page 78] of the holy Sacraments ordeyned of God▪ Seeing also specially the Mes­sa [...]ien secte to prosper in their ceremo­nies, taken partly out of the Iudaicall lawe, and partly out of the heathen Ido­latrie he inuented the great Alcoran▪ de­cree, wherein he set many chapters & ar­ticles called Azoares, which are as lawes and rules of the Mahomet Religion.

This preface & briefe discourse of the Romane history me thought necessarie to recite before I would begin to di­scribe the originall of the sacrifice of the Masse: Alwaies to bring the Reader to vnderstand the veritie of the fact: How the Emperour of Rome hath bin gouer­ned vntill the decay thereof, about the yeare of Christ 410▪ And how the bar­barous Idolators did vsurpe the same: for the space of 300. yeares, how also the Antichristes did rise, and in the end the Emperour of Rome was trans­ferred to the Almaines, which keepe it to this day, 500. yeares being passed.

TO begin this our little treatise of the Masse, first of all it is conue­nient to interpreteThe originall of the tearme of the Masse. this tearme Masse, of the ancient Romaines called Missa. Some haue honoured this Missal sacrifice to haue taken his begin­ning of the Hebrewes▪ bringing in the place of Daniel speaking of Maozin, asDaniel. 11. if they would signifie the Masse by Ma­ozin. But this tearme is very strange frō Missa, or Masse. And there are other Hebrew words which are more nearer, to wit, Messa, which is as much to say as conculcation or treading downe, whereof mention is made in the history4. Kings. 11. Missa. of the kinges of Israel. Another tearme also is found, very comfortable vnto this common tearme Masse, namely Messall, that is to say, hell or graue. ButIosua. 19. Messall. I am well assured that the high Priestes [Page 80] of Rome will not take the originall of their sacrifice of the Masse from the He­brues, acknowledging their Masse and Messall to be a conculcation, graue, or hell. Further to speake the truth the Author of the Romane Religion Nu­ma Pompilius neuer thought of the He­brues, when he first instituted the MasseMessal. Hell. much lesse this tearme Massa or Masse can haue his originall of the Greekes, seeing they haue no sacrifice of that name, notwithstanding that some haue made some reason to bring in this terme of Greeke Miz [...]in, that is to say in En­glish, to whisper or hide in secret. As if the Messalian sacrificers had receiued of the Greekes Idolatours, to keepe secret the chiefe and principall words of their / Masses, to the end they should not bee vnderstood of the assistance but haue ob­serued to murmure and blow betweene their teeth the Canons, and other speci­all words, which neither they vnder­stoode themselues, nor other, which beheld them. Neuerthelesse neither the [Page 81] Hebrue termes, nor Greeke vocables in no wise can be appropriated to the missall sacrifice. Wherefore it beho­ueth to haue recourse to the true original of the terme Missa or Masse taken of theMasse taken of the ancient La­tins Romans. auncient Latines the Romanes, which were accustomed to vse these termes, Missus, M [...]ssa, Missilis, and Missio. As we say in English a Messenger, a Message, and Messiuenes for letters sent: For whē the ancient Idolaters RomanesApud Graecos Sacerdos functus misterio sic re­nunciabat Laois aphesis quasi populum misum faceres would giue leaue vnto the assistance at their Sacrifices celebrated to go home, they caused to be pronounced in the end of the sacrifice these words. I, lieet, Missa est. Depart, it is permitted the as­sembly hath leaue to retire or depart. And in processe of time, for that this song did note vnto the people a licence to go home, most agreeable and desired as a songe and terme most comfortableApul. lib. 11. de asin. au. & pleasant it hath bin kept and the sa­crifice honoured with this terme Masse or Missa. to confirme this point there is two thousand yeares past, and the same [Page 82] tearmes bee sung yet vnto this presen [...] day, [...], which doth signif [...] [...] giuen to the company or assembly to depart and goe home.

In such sort that those which do [...] the temples or churches, as soon as they doe vnderstand this pleasa [...] song, [...], a man may see the [...] ordinarily to awake and leape for ioy as being assured to haue licence to go to dinner.

The Arabian [...] instructe [...] of long time by the m [...]nke Sergius, [...] we haue declared haue this terme of Masse in great commendation, withIn the booke of the description o [...] [...] by Iohn Leon [...]. which vocable they haue honoured [...] towns or cities called Messa scituate vp­on the mouth of the Ocean, vpon the point which doth make the begining of the [...] Atlas.

Nere vnto the same towns in the sub­u [...]bes there was a temple much reueren­ced [...] the [...]. by the Idolatrous Turkes, for that they did be [...] that in Messa should be borne the iust bishop promised and [Page 83] prophecied by Mahomet. They did be­leeue also that vpon the coast of the said place of Messa, Ionas was cast after heeMessa Iamans. In the booke of the great Turks Court by sryer Antony Geffe­rie. was swallowed vp of the whale.

They haue also this name Messala­maines in as great honour as we haue the name of Christians. As if the would sig­nifie by this vocable Messalanian saued.

Moreouer the Mahematists doe ho­nour also their priests with the name ofIn the booke aboue sayd. Messen. Messit. Masse, calling them Messen, and their temples Messi [...] or Meschit. Those then which are inforced to bring to light the Anatomy or descriptiō of the Masse, the pieces, the groundes, the pathes, and en­creasemēts, ought to describe it with great reuerence, hauing due respect to the ancient religion Pompilian and Al­coran of Mahomet.

Now after that we haue resolued the name of Masse, and of Missa, in the La­tine tongue, to haue taken her begining of the ancient Romaine Idolatours, and not of the Greekes or Hebrews. It be­houeth vs to come to the garmentes of [Page 84] the Messalian sacrificers. But in passing by we must not omit that name Bishop, to haue his originall also of the Ro­maines as wee haue declared also in our commentaries. Also the name Papa or Pope had his beginning of the ancient I­dolatours, who were wont to call vpon their God Iupiter calling him Papa Iupi­ter, specially the B [...]thinians and Scithes. The which name Pope is taken of the Greeke word Papus, that is to say great father. And also the very title written vpon al the requests presented vnto the great Romaine Bishop, is most blessed father, and to the lesse purple Bishops most reuerend father, and to the little Bishops reuerend father. Holding all this word father or Papa, a great father, which was wont to be a common name for all Bishops But afterward the great Romaine Bishoppes did reserue it for themselues onely. There is also ano­ther name reserued for the little bishops, called curates, which are superinten­dentes in euery little parrish, hauing [Page 85] borrowed this name Curate of the anci­ent Curions of Rome. If one will not deduce the etimologie or signification of the same from the Greeke worde Cu­ra, Cura. Cario sacerdos C [...]ur qui in sua cura, id est in sua parrochia sacris praeerat. Tit. Liu. lib. 1. Decad. 1 [...]. that is shauing or polling, for that the ancient Curions & Sacrificers had their pollings & head shauen after the forme of the Babilonians, or of the Herculi­ans Bishops, called for the same cause Stephanophores, as bearing a crowne vpon their heads. Wherefore me think­eth that all the members of the Missall sacrifice had their begining of the Pom­pilian Tit. Liu. Fenest. Pompo. Let. Religion and that one should do wrong to the ancient Romane Idolators if he should take from them the original of the names of Masse of Bishop and of Curate, as it is iustified and euident by the ancient Romane histories. Touch­ing the vestiments of the Masse Sacrifi­cers Numa ordeined that it should bee white, called by the Latine word Alba, an aulbe. The which name aulbe hath continued to this day for the vestiment of the Priest celebrating Masse. Aboue [Page 86] the aulbe was also ordained for the sa­crificertoAulbe. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. Super tunicam aeneam pectori [...]egumen. Tit. lib. Deca. 1. weare a little iacket painted in colours. And aboue that an ornament for the brest of brasse or copper, after­ward chāged into gold or siluer, which the Massalians called a Cheasuble, they vsed also a vaile to couer their head inChasuble. Virgil. lib. Ene. 3. purpureo velare comas ad opertus ami­ctu sit capite ante aras phrygio velamus amictu. sacrificing, called an amice first institu­ted by Eneas. These be the principal ve­stiments instituted by Numa, more then 700. yeares before the incarnation of Iesus Christ. True it is that afterward many inrichments of the Iewes were added thereto, as the Stole, the Ephod, the Zone, or Girdle the Miter or Thear, and certaine other ornaments, the goodlier to garnish the great whore of Babilon.

But the Massalians willing to disguise Titelman in tracta [...]de exposi. myniste missae & Gaber. [...] in li­de exposi missae. the originall of their vestaments of the masse haue imagined the aulbe to figure the conuersation of Iesu Christ in his flesh, or the puri­tie of his body incarnate in the wombe of the virgin. Other doe interprete the white colour to signifie chastitie and continence. Others [Page 87] playing & mocking the passiō of Iesus Christ do sophistically signifie by the aulbe, the white garment presented by Herod vnto Christ when he was sent backe (as a foole) to Pilate. Philo the Iew a more excellent philosopher, in his treatise of dreames, doth subtelly say the aulbe doth signifie the certaintie of the most cleere light of God, which hee calleth ens: the linnen also wherof the aulbe is made, they doe interprete the subt [...]ltie of the scrip­tures. And as touching the amice inuented by Enea. they disguise it to be the vale wherwith Christ was couered when the Iewes in the house of Caiphas did mocke him in buffeting him. Titelman one of the most subtel Mas­salians doth sophistically say by the amiae to be signified the diuinitie of Christ hid vnder the humanitie. Some other also doe confes the amice to bee come in, in place of the Ephed of the Iewes. The zone, the manipule & the stole which be 3. kindes, they figure the 3, cordes wherewith Christ was bound and led before the Priests, & before the Lieutenants of the Romains in [...]ury, Biel another [...]ubtel Massa­lian doth interprete by zone the rods where­with [Page 88] Christ was whipped, by the stole layed a crosse to signifie the gibbet or gallowes that Christ carried vpon his shoulders. The mani­pule also carried vpon the left arme to figure the bond of loue wherewith Christ was hol [...] den. Another mummerie by the zone where­with the aulbe is trussed to signifie the bond of the charitie of God. The stole put vpon the ammas in the neck of the Massalian in forme of the crosse to figure the obedience of Iesus Christ vnto the death of the crosse. The maniple caried vpon the left hand to figure eternall felicitie of Iesus Christ. Another so­phistrie by the ammas to figure faith, by the stole the humilitie of obedience, by the ma­nipule, the watch and hartie deuotion of the massing sacrificer. Titelman doth surmise otherwise of the manipule on the left hand, to be figured the force and battell of Christ against all powers visible and inuisible, as a buckler against all temptation: and the hem­mes of the manipule to figure a finall perse­uerance. Hee doth sophist also by the left hand to be vnderstood the humaine infirmity of Christ, the which boūd with the manipule, [Page 89] doth figure Christ holden as it were ouer­come by the diuinitie. Brunus another Mas­salian doctour doth imagine by the manipule the care of the massing priest to chase away euil affections, or otherwise to figure the cord wherewith Christ was bound by the Iewes: by the Stole, to bee figured the yoake of the Lord, the which the Massalian ought to haue garnished with armes of righteousnesse on the left side and on the right. The other painted ornamēt first instituted by Numa the magiciā they haue disguised it with the name of planet, as a wauering vestiment, otherwise called a cope of a chasuble, which they do so­phist to present the purple robe presented vnto Christ in the iudgement hall of P [...]late, to mocke him, calling him king of the Iewes. A­nother sophistry by such a garment to be figu­red the nature of Christ, wher the Deitie was hid. Philo the Iew platonicing, doth interpret by this vestiment decked with diuers colours, to be figured the starres and heauenly signes. Thē the Massaliā sacrificer thus rigged with his aulbe, Ammas, his zone, manipule stars, & with his chasuble or cope of diuers colors, [Page 90] must stretch out his armes to play two perso­nages at once, representing by his chasuble or cope (whereof the part before is lesse then that behinde) the first Church from Abel to Christ. And by the part behinde more large and also enriched with the signe of the crosse to figure the Christian people. This chasuble must accord with the Amice which was before vpon the head to signifie the coniuncti [...] of Christ & his church. The aulbe also must be agreeable to the chasuble to signifie Christ to be applied vnto our infirmities. Beside the vestimēts aboue said Philo the Iewe doth ad the mitre to figure the riall diademe of the Massalians which ought to haue their heades annointed with cream or with holy oyle to sig­nifie the princelines of the Priestes the which Philo in lib. de profug. ornament of the mitre is nowe reserued for great Sacrificers onely.

It resteth to descend to the description of the partes of the Masse, the originall wherof particularly we desire according to the truth. First to the Masses called high celebrated on Sundayes. The Mas­salian [Page 91] Sacrificers haue taken of the re­ligion Pompilian to coniure a clensingApul. lib. 11. Of the golden Asse. Procl [...]s in lib. de sacrifi. & Gag Procl. Platonica­tu. water called H [...]lo Water, consecrate d [...]o sprinkle the assistāts at the sacrifice. The coniuration and enchaunting instituted by Numa was of sea or salt water, for this cause saith he, that the salt was parti­cipant of a fyrie nature, or of fire very apt to purifie.

For this cause the ancient Romane I­dolatorsEius aquae asper­sione, peccata pre­sertim periuri [...], mendatiaque dilui credebant, Blond. lib. de Rom. trium. Ouid lib. Fast. 3. In the lawe of the discourse of the religion by Choul. i. Holy water, stockes of two sorts. did sprinkle with this salt wa­ter cōiured (as with Mercury water) pur­ging & clensing the faults of the people, specially of periured & liers. To cōserue this water hallowed & cōiured they had two sorts of holy water vessels. The one great fixed & made fast at the entrie of their Temples, where they did worship their Images, to the end to sprinkle with the same salted water those which did enter into the sayd Temples. The other holy water vēssel was cariable to trans­port of the same water through their Temples or houses, to the end to water thē for their clensings and purifyings.

They which ought to celebrate theDijs superis sacra facturus corporis ablutione purga­batur cum vero inferis litandum erat sola aspertio sufficiebat. Blon. lib. 2. de Rom. trium Macro. lib 3. Satu. cap. 1. In delii. Apolo­nis templo praeci­pua erat aqua sa­crificantum vsui accommoda quā ad alios vsus hau sisse magni crimi­minis instar erat Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. Platina. Si sinis vitula aspersus populum iudeorū mundebat multo magis aquasale conspersa populū sanctificat & in­sidias diaboli a­ [...]rtit ca. aquam Masse, if it were to the inferior Gods, i [...] was sufficient that the sacrificing Priest [...] did sprinkle himselfe with the same pur­ging water. But if the sacrificer did ce­lebrate Masse to the superior Gods, he must bathe his whole body, & wash all his members. It was also defended to apply this purging water to any other vse, saue for clensinges and purgings. Alexander the first of that name, next successor of the Apostles of Iesus Christ, and one of the first corrupters of the holy sacraments ordeined of God, fol­lowing the same institution of Pompilius continuing this Idolatry of coniuring and consecrating of holy water, to chase away Diuels. But the better to colour of this Pompilian witchcraft he inuented this comparison. If it be so (sayth Alex­ander) that the ashes of a redde Cowe, offered vppe in sacrifice mingled with water of the fountaine purified the peo­ple of the Iewes: By much greater rea­son the water coniured with salt should [Page 93] purifie Christians and chase away Di­uels. Is not this a breaking and corrup­ting of the lawe of God, to accord withde consecra▪ di­stinct. 1. Law of God. corrupted. the Romanes, taught in the ancient do­ctrine and religion of Numa Pompilius the coniurer. If Alexander had not bin so much giuen to the vse of salt, institu­ted by the ancient Idolators for their clensing water, hee would rather haueNum. 19. followed the Iudaicall ceremony, and haue ordeyned ashes to consecrate the purging water. And where hee would thinke to vyser his doing by the mira­cle of Elizeus which did purifie the wa­ter4. King. 2. with salt. Moyses also did the like with the wood showed vnto him, when the people of Israell were in such neces­sitie of sweet water to drinke. But byExod. 15. these miracles it is not recited that Eli­zeus nor Moyses had instituted a pur­ging water to purifie the people of the Iewes. And it shall not bee founde that there was at any time amongs the Iudai­callNum. 19. ceremonies any other purging wa­ter but with the ashes of the beast offe­red [Page 94] vp for burnt sacrifice. Wherefo [...] Num. 19. Alexander and his like must freely a [...] knowledge the inuention of their Sal [...] and coniured water for the purging [...] sinnes, to haue taken his originall [...] Numa Pompilius, more then seuen hu [...] ­dred yeares before the incarnation [...] Iesus Christ.

This purging water was so well obse [...] ­uedHisto. tripart. lib. 6. cap. 35. of the Romaine Idolatours, th [...] more than 360. yeares after the incarna­tion of Iesus Christ, it is recited ho [...] the Emperour Ʋalentinian entring inValentinian the Emperour against holy water sprinkled to the Temple of the goddesse Fortune a sacrificer watching the said Temple did sprinkle him with this blessed pu [...] ­ging salted water, which hee had take out of the holy water stocke being a the entrance of the said Temple, where with the Emperour being chafed, smote the Priest holding the holy wa­ter-sticke, saying hee was rather defiled then purified. By these true Histories the Massalians may vaunt themselues, the first part of their Masse sacrifice to [Page 95] be very ancient. And that their holy­waterHoly water ve­ry ancient. water stockes and salted cleansing and purging water, are of the ancient doct­rine of Numa Pompilius and not of the Euangelicall doctrine of Iesus Christ, which they call new doctrine, and newe Testament, as differing from the ancient Ceremonies of the Iewes & Painyms I­dolatours. But againe I cannot maruellAgainst salt ho­ly water of A­lexander Pope of Rome. inough, wherefore Alexander did enter­prise the restoring of the Pompilian Ido­latrie, seing he had a meane to reinstitute the ceremonial water after the fashiō of the Iewes. And this doing to follow ra­ther the law of God then Numa Pom­pilius, for hee had easie meanes to reco­uer ashes to make a purging water af­ter the manner of the Iewes: namely of holy and precious ashes, to say of the ashes kept in their shrines, and coming of courtaines, towels and vessels conse­crated,Ca. Omnes de consecrat. di­stinct. 4. & ca. Altaria & ca. Vestimenta. distinct. 1. which the Bishop Clement pre­decessour of Alexander had forbidden to be applied to any prophane vse, But be­ing worn with oldnes, to be burnt in the [Page 96] fire▪ And the ashes to bee put into the Fount. Were not these holy ashes, to haue moued Alexander to restore the ashie and purging water after the man­ner of the Iewes, if he had not beene s [...] dainty of salt and found a better taste, t [...] continue the ancient Romaine religion▪ Other ashes might haue beene found b [...] the successours of Alexander: To witCa. Altaris de consecrat. distinct. of the round hostes vnleuened and con­secrated, which the great Bishop Higi­nus ordained to bee burned (which fal­ling vpon the earth might not be left fo [...] the massing sacrificer) and the ashes of the same hosts to be put into the shrines. Other ashes also might haue beene got­ten of the rattes, myce, and other beasts deuouring the said consecrated hostes, and ordained to be burned, and the ash­es to be put into the shrines.

Seing then that Alexander would notIn lib. caucel. Miss. follow the ceremoniall law of God, to ordaine a water blessed, salted, consecra­ted and coniured: Why did hee not at the least put his salt into the hoste of the [Page 97] Massalian Sacrificer, which they say is offered to God as a health sacrifice? InLeuit. 2. 5. 6. doing whereof he should haue follow­ed the ceremonie of Moyses, by the which he commanded the salt shoulde be offered in all sacrifices, & therewith to sprinkle the sacrifice offered for health. But if Alexander and his succes­sours would haue followed the lawe of God, they would haue inuēted nothing of their owne braines, they would neuer haue made themselues so renowned to haue left the memory of their instituti­ons:The occasion of inuenting new idolatries. For this occasion they would in nothing follow the lawe of God, but cont [...]ariwise haue forbidden to put salt into the rounde hostes consecrated to celebrate the Missall Sacrifices. They haue forbidden also to put ashes into their holy water, to the end that in all their institutions, men should knowe they borrow nothing of the law of God nor of the lawe of Moyses, much les [...]e of the Euangellicall lawe of Iesus Christ, but onely to haue taken thought to [Page 98] bring in inuentions, notwithstandin [...] that they were inuented by the ancie [...] Painims and Romane Idolators, 70 yeares before the incarnation of Ies [...] Christ. To finish this first part of th [...] Masse: It had beene more expedien (ô Massalians) that in place of your sa­crifices, and coniured salt water, where with you sprinkle the people, to hau [...] The true holy water of all Christians. clearely declared the holy Gospell, cau­sing the people to vnderstand, that th [...] purifying and washing of their sinnes did hang onely on the bloud of Iesu [...] Christ, who is strong inough to driu [...] away Diuels to bring vs from hell, t [...] preserue vs from death euerlasting, andHebr. 9. to deface in vs all spots of sinne, with­out vsing of adiuration and coniuring with salt, to driue away Diuels, accor­ding to the witch-craft of Pompilius, andEpipha. lib. 1. tom 1. sec. 9. & 17. conte. hec. the heresie of the Samaritans, which did beleeue to be purified by washing thē ­selues euery day with holy water.

After the Asperges song, and the ho­ly [...] part of the Masse. coniured water sprinkled vpon all [Page 99] the Aulters, Images and assistance at the missall sacrifice, followed the Processi­on which some would attribut to Agapet Bishop of Rome. But it was institutedProcession. Platina Tit. Liuius. in his decades. more then a thousād yeares before him, which the ancient Romane Idolators did call Supplication.

The maner instituted by Numa to go in procession to appease the wrath of their Gods, or to obtaine peace, or to pray to God for the [...]ruites of the earth,Supplicationes quas nos processiones vocamus fi­bant circa delu­bra fanaque & puluinaria in quibus bonos diis dabatur, prece­dentibus pueris [...]ngenuis a [...] sac [...]r­dotibus coronatis ac laureant te­nemibus manu voce modulata canentibus car­men subsequente maximo pontifi [...]e ve [...] curione dein­de sequentibus patriciis ac sena­toribus cum con­iugibus & liberis plerū (que) coronatis Apul. lib. 11. de Asin aur. Blond. lib. 2. de Rom. trium. Alex. ab Alex. lib 5. cap. 27. In the booke of the discourse of the ancient re­ligion of the Romanes. Apul. lib. 11. Of the golden Asse Alex. ab Alex. lib. 50 cap. 27. the order was in this sort. First before the Processiō went yong childeren. then the Priests clad in white surplisles, sin­ging Himnes Praises, and Songes to the honour of their Gods, after marched the high Bishop or Curate, then the an­ciēt Senators of Rome, with their wiues and children, and sometime the com­mon people did assist the same also. In this Procession was caried commonly the Pagent or Shrine of the God [...]upiter, or Anubis, by some of the Priests clad in white Su [...]plisles (their heads being sha­uen) and hauing a crowne vpon their [Page 100] heades. This crowne was in such repu­tation, that the Emperour Commondus Anto [...]ius himselfe the high Bishop cau­sed his heade to bee shauen and shorne round, expresly to beare the Pagent of the God Anubis. Before the pagent or Shrine went a Torch-bearer carying a taper light in his hand. When the Pro­cessiō did passe through the streets, there were resting places prepared, to serue for stations for the Priests Pagētporters to breath themselues. During the Pro­cession the temples were opened, the Aulters and Images perfumed with in­cense and the Reliques of the Gods vi­sited. In the daies appointed for Proces­sion it was kept holy, the shoppes be­ing shut, the Halles of Iustice closed, and the Prisoners vnchained. Who coulde better paint forth the order of the Pro­cessions obserued vnto this day by the Massalians, instructed from the FatherHerodote in his historie. Ierem. in epist. ad Iudeos in Babylonem ab ducendos. Ne verticem de­raditote neue barbam vellitote. to the Sonne by the Religion of Pompi­lius? What other author can there bee alleaged for the ceremonies obserued [Page 101] in the Processions but Numa Pompilius? If the Massalians will not runne further for their shauen crowned heades their vestiments and white Surplices, which the ancient Idolatrous Egyptians were accustomed to vse, or to the Priests the Goddesse Isis, or to the Babylonians Sacrificers, which had their heades and beardes shauen: For as touching theLeuit. 19. nec in gyrum a [...] rotu [...] dum attondebitis omam vestr nec radetis bar­bam. Ezèch. 44. lawe of God the contrary was obserued and the Priestes were forbidden to clip rounde their heades and haires, and that they should not haue shauen beardes. And as for the law of the Gospell, there is no like ceremonie cōmanded by Iesus Christ, nor by the Apostles. They must then take their course vnto the ancient Religion of Pompilius. Moreouer in theBanner of Pro­cession. Procession there is added a crosse and a banner. This Banner was called by the ancient Romane Idolatours Labarum, which was a signe reputed holy and re­uerendEx libris messal [...] ad Octauianum Augustum. as well by the Dictators and Emperours, as by the Souldiers, going on Warfare, In this banner first Antenor [Page 102] caused this Italian word Truye or Troye (after the name of Tro [...]) to be pain­ted,Apul. lib. 11. de asin. aur. which signifieth in english a Sowe. The which banner A [...]tenor vowed and dedicated to the temple of Iuno QueeneIn the booke of the dis [...]ourse of the ancient re­ligion of the Romanes. of the Heauens, for that, that the Sowe was the sacrifice consecrated vnto the same Goddesse Afterward the ancient Romanes caused to be painted in their banner Mercuries Mace. In the which was painted the Portrature of two Dra­gons or Serpents enterlaced. Then af­ter was painted an Eagle, for the armes of the Emperour of Rome But Con­stantine the great, Emperour in Grecia, caused to be grauen a figure in Greeke lettters of an X interlaced with an [...], & at the two sides α & ω in this signe, me [...]ning to signifie this word [...], Christ. This banner was caried vpon a pole of wood in corssewise, the banner being foure square after the fashion of an en­signe of crimson or violet Say, the bor­ders enriched with fringe of gold or of

[Page 103] siluer and precious stones. After this manner haue our Maslalians enriched their Pompilious Processiōs, in the which were caried banners as they should go to warre.

But in place of painting there the name of Iesus Christ they haue painted the Images & likenesses of diuerse Gods and Goddesses, he Saints and she Saints patrons of euery parish. This in some is the beginning of the Mis [...]all Processiō for the second part of the Masse. Was there euer so great Idolatry amongst the Israelites, when they would cele­brate their feastes of sweet bread, to eate the Pascall Lambe a figure of the holy sacrament of the supper, which the Mas­salians haue disguised by their sacrifices of the Masse? Did they euer cause to be caried in Procession the flesh & bloud of the vnspotted Lambe? Did they euer lay it vp in shrine to be caried in Pro­cession throughout the streetes? The brasen serpent (notwithstanding they abused it) did they euer cause it to bee [Page 104] borne in a shrine vpon the shoulders of the Priests, which had their heades and beardes shauen. As the great bishop Vrbain did ordeine to cary in procession the consecrated hoste by the Massali­ans: And instituted a solemne feast aIn the yeare of Christ. 1264. thursday euery yeare, to the end to turne the vse of the sacramēt into a more dete­stable idolatry, then al his predecessours had done before him; After the sprink­ling of holy water, & the processiō done Numa ordained that the Massing sacri­ficer to celebrate the sacrifice, being clo­thed with his aulbe, & chasual or tuni­cle3. part of the masse, are the Altar, taper, and light. painted, the head crowned, & beard shauen should approch to the Altar, to the end to make all things readie for the sacrifice furnished with a Lampe or Ta­per light which cōmonly was of TedeQuid▪ lib. 4. de fast. Apul. lib. 11. de asin. aur. Plutar. in Numa or pinaple tree. For without an Altar or fire no sacrifice could bee celebrated. He ordained also that the Massing priest should turne himself to the Altar toward the East. Porphier the hereticke did not only continue this Pompilius witchcraft [Page 105] but also did ordaine the porches and the images to be turned toward the East, to the end that those that entered into the Temples in bowing themselues before them should addresse their prayers to­wardAlex ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. the East, like as the Persians doe worship the Sunne in the East. Bee not these institutions Massalians & Pompili­ons contrary to the ancient ceremoniall law of the Iews, in the which it was for­bidden to addresse prayers toward the East, for a difference from the ancient Idolaters.

Acknowledge then (O Messalians) that the erection of your Altars toward the East▪ your lampes and tapers light,Exod. 20. Leuit. 26. Deut. 5. Esay. 40. your pictures and Images reuerenced in your missal sacrifices to haue taken their beginning of the ancient Romaine reli­gion appointed by you from one to a­nother For the pictures and Images wherewith your Altars bee decked and adorned to celebrate your missall sacri­fices, can not take their originall of the lawe of God, the which doth not for­bid [Page 106] onely the suffering of any Images in the Churches, but also to make them, and reuerence them Vnto whome can God be made like? What Image, picture or what portrature can be inuented for him? Neuerthelesse, by a most detesta­ble and abhominable heresie, you (ôAbhominable Idolatrie. Massalians) haue caused the Image and likenesse of the Trinity one God and 3. persons to bee prynted in your round hostes which you cause to bee wor­shipped.

Neuerthelesse the two doctours Massali­ans Titelman and Biell enterprete the Al­tar otherwise, when the m [...]ssiag Priest doth approch lade [...] with his chalice of gold to fi­gure Christ carrying the crosse vnto the mountaine of Caluery, then the Priest kis­sing the Altar to figure the marriage and wedding signe of Christ with his Church. The right hand of the Altar to figure the people of the Iewes, and the left hand the people of the Gentiles. For this cause Du­rand a subtle Massalian hath written, that [Page 107] the missall me [...]orie ought to begin at the Durand. lib. 4. rubr. de mutat. right hand of the Altar, and on the same part to end. And yet notwithstanding the princi­pall aperies are celebrated at the left hand of the Altar. Touching the fire and lighted t [...] ­per, th [...]y figure Christ: as being the fire that consumeth the rust of our sinnes, or otherwise the fire of charity compassing about the chri­stian people, and the burning [...]aper to signifie the light of faith, the [...]oyes to come, and the incarnation of Christ.

Be not these detestable sophistries, the which Numa the Sorcerer neuer thought of, when he inst [...]tutea the Altar, the fyre, and the bur­ning [...]aper to sacrifice.

To continue the order of the missall4. part o the Masse. sacrifice▪ the Massalian Priest approch­ing to the Altar, the [...]aper burning and clad and adorned with his aulbe & cha­sual tourning his face toward the East, beholding the Images guilt and carued, before all things must say his Conf [...]e [...]r, and confesse himselfe in acknowledging his offences, and aske pardon of the [Page 108] Gods & goddesses, of the he Saints an [...] [...]em dininam facturus ad suā leuandam cul­pam se in primis rerum dicere de­bebat & nouae paenitere ac [...]ate [...]i admis­sum v [...]it [...]mque submittere. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. ap. 17. Blond. l: b. 1 de Rom. trium. she Saints, requiring iust and reasonab [...] things: As Pithagoras doth say in h [...] golden verses, & Orpheus in his hymnes for Numa the Sorcerer esteemed th [...] conscience of the Priest Massalian to b [...] well purged by his confession▪ And tha [...] without Confiteor the sacrifice could no [...] be well celebrated.

Behold then, neither Damaze nor Pon­tiam Bishops of Rome, cannot giue the glory to themselues that they first insti­tuted the Confiteor, for the Massalian sacrificer: for more then a thousand yeares before them, it was forged by the ancient Romaine Idolatours; And yet is continued vnto this present day, that the Priests celebrating their missall sacrifice shal pronounce or murmure a Confiteor, in a language neither vnderstood of them, nor of the assistants, addressing their prayers & requests vnto the Gods and Goddesses, to the he Saintes and she Saints, in place of reuerencing, honou­ring, praying, and worshiping the true, [Page 109] onely, and almightie God, creator of all goodnesse.

Neuerthelesse, the Al [...]oran of Titelman doth interprete the Cōfiteor of the Massali­an Cap. 9. to signifie the confession of Christ for the sinnes of the people.

After the Confiteor murmured to ob­serue the religion and ceremonies of5. part of the masse. Pomp [...]l [...]us, the massing Priest ought to tosse and retosse, turne & returne, alongTurnings and beckings, H [...]sūt [...]ertigines in sa [...]res a Num [...] institutae dexte­ram ad oseulum ferre & se in or­bem circumage▪ re. Blond. lib. de Rom. tri [...]m▪ Ma [...] cro. in Sa [...]urnali. the Altar: lifting vp his hands, than let­ting them downe, with prayers and me­ditations toward the East. For Numa the sorcerer, had an opinion of great holy­nesse to be in these turnings, bowings, & conuersions of the Priests body. This is the occasion (as a man may coniecture) of the adding to, of this pleasant song at the entrance of the Masse, when the sacrificer beginneth to make his nods, and turnes, I will enter (saith hee) vnto the Altar of God which maketh myThe entrance of the Masse. youth to reioyce. He hath not iust cause [Page 110] of reiovcing seeing the [...]able-cloth la [...] ed, the Table furnished, the b [...]quet pr [...] pared the m [...]sicke of orgaines, & othe [...] in [...]trum [...]nts sounding, the odours an [...] en [...]ensing, the up ful of w [...]e the coll [...] cion readie, the pot and offering to fi [...] his pursse? Be not all these meanes to reioyce the youth of the sacrificer entrin [...] vn [...]o the Altar, to masse turne, & danc [...] after the maner prescribed vnto him b [...] the Magician Numa Pom [...]lius? And no [...] Plin. lib. 28. onely the Romaines, but also the other Idolatours in celebrating their sacrifi­ces were wont to turne & returne li [...]ting vp the right hād vnto their mouth then turning all their body, the which tur­nings and noddings were accompted holy.

Titelman in his alcoran doth vecite that the Massing sacrificer in making his tra­uersing along the Altar, doth make 7. cur­tesies or salutations vnto the assistance in his sacrifice, to the end to chas [...] away the 7. deadly sinnes by the seuenfold grace of the ho­ly [Page 111] Ghost. But in making his 7. curtesies in his Masse daunce, he ought to turne him­selfe toward the assistance (except before the preface, and kissing the Pax) what time is occupied in the [...]reaking of the host, to trā ­su [...]stantiate him into an accidence without a substance.

These beckings, bowings, turnings,Sixe part of the masse. Organes▪ and towings finished by the Massalian sacrificer, Numa ordeyned the sound of Orgaines. Fluites and Violles, to singe hymnes, praises, and songes, to the ho­nour of their Gods in the name of whom, the Missall sacrifice was cele­brated.

This part of the Masse hath beene in­riched with diuers songs, by diuers Bi­shops of Rome. Some as Flaman and Di­odore did institute Anthemes, Thelesphore, Antiphones. the Collects: Leon or Gelase the Gra­duels,Collects. Gregorie or Gelease. the Traictes, Gothgere abbot of Sādal, the Sequences.Graduels. Sequences. Which are diuers songes of musicke seruing to adorne and inrich the missall [Page 112] sacrifice. But if the commentaries of the ancient Romaine Bishops instituted by Num [...] were discouered, much greateHymnorum plu­res species erant, hypingos Dianae, Apollini pean & prosoedia Diony­sio dithir [...]nibus, Ceteri iulus: Ve­neri erotichus: praeter quos fuere prosoedion, hy porchema▪ & sta­fimon Alex. ab Alex. lib. ac▪ 4. 17 diuersitie of songs, ballets hymnes, ode and canticles, should bee found dedica­ted and consecrated to diuers Gods and Goddesses, euen like as the diuersitie o­diuers songes of musicke hath increased according to the diuersitie of diue [...] Missall sacrifices ordained to diuers Gods and Goddesses, he Saints and she Saints. For like as the ancient Idolatour did celebrate their sacrifices to diuer▪ Gods and Goddesses: So the Massali­ans continued the celebration of their Masses to diuers he and she Saints, One in the name of our Lady, another in the name of Saint Sebastian, other of the ho­lyDiuers Masses. Ghost, & other of Requiem, insomuch that they made a difference betweeneDry Masses. drie Masses and other common Masses, wherin they made the soppe steeped in wine. In such sort that thereof came an infinite number of Missall sacrifices vn­to diuers he and she Saints. Vnto the [Page 113] which were sung diuers songes and se­quences. Be not these horrible and ab­hominable corruptions of the holy sa­crament of the supper of Iesus Christ, thereof hauing made an Idolatrie after the fashion of the ancient sacrifices insti­tuted by the coniurer Numa? Wherfore the Bishop Ʋitalian ought not to glori­fie himselfe that he enriched the sacrifice of the masse with the sound of Organs. For more then 1200. yeares before him this institutiō was published by the Ma­gician Numa.

But to stuffe this Babylonical sacrifice, the Massalian Alcoranists haue interpreted the diuer sitie of their musicall songs, by a Pytha­goricall phylosophie. Touching the collects, that is to say, the patched prayers they haue commanded, that they shal be sung in number odde, to wit, 3. 5. or 7. the 3. to figure the tri­nity, the 5. to represent the fiue woundes of Christ, the 7. to figure the 7. words of Christ vpon the crosse, or else the 7. gifts of the holie Ghost. Moreouer for a more subtil Pytha­goricall [Page 114] diuinitie, the Masse sayer ought not to passe the number of 7. by the ordinance of Pope Innocent the third of that name: the sophist Biel in his alcoran of the interpretati­on of the Masse, doth adde that the number of the collects should be equall to the prayers of the secrets, that is to say, prayers of the Massemunger murmured in secret to the end they be not contemned of the people. After the collects is the song of the graduall more sharpe and graue, a figure of the confession of the publicans haui [...]g heard the preaching of Iohn Baptist. Notwithstanding the song of graduall was not sung in the Missall sa­crifices from Easter vnto the feast of pente­cost, to figure the blessed estate of the world to come.

Further beside the sound of Organes,7. part of the Masse. and songs of Musicke the ancient Ro­maine Idolatours were wont to vse in their sacrifices perfume of incens which they caused to be kept in a little vessellPerfume of incense. called Acerra a censour. In this little Frankensence coffer were put the o­dours [Page 115] which the sacrificer did take to incense the Altar, the Images, the hostesBlond. lib. 1. de Rom. trium. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. ca. 17. Iliacis tempori [...] bus veteres non thure, sed cedri, & citri, fumo deus adoleb [...]nt. Platina. or sacrifices specially in the Masses ce­lebrated vnto the God Ianus, and vnto the Goddesse Vesta, which tooke plea­sure in incense and wine offered vnto them. For in the time of the Troian [...]s, instead of incense, cedre and Citron were vsed for perfume. It was not then Leo bi­shop of Rome that first instituted the vse of the incense & incensing in the Missall sacrifice. For more then 700. yeares be­fore the incarnation of Iesus Christ the ancient Romaine Idolatours did vse in­cense in their sacrifices. And also theTit. Liui. lib. 3. Decades. 3. Romaines did retaine the word in Latin Thus, which signifieth incense, of the an­cient word Thyo, that is to say, I sacrifice, because the Idolatours did vse in all their sacrifices incense, they had also aTit. Liui. lib. 9. Decad. 3. portable incensor to incense withall. Neuerthelesse, some write that the anci­ent Romaine Idolaters celebrating their sacrifices vnto the Goddesse Ceres vsedOuid de fast. l [...]. 3 the gumme of Pyne called Tede, instead [Page 116] of incēse, for which cause Ceres was called of the Poets Tedifere.

By the Alcoran of Titelman, the incense is interpreted the praier of the Massalian, for that it doth mount vp into heauen in a sa­nour of sweetnesse, euen as the smoake of in­cense doth rise vp on high. Hee doth sophist also with Biel his companion the censour, to figure the grace of the holy Ghost. These subtle Alcoranists alledge the place of Toby, who chased away the diuell by the perfume of the broyled lyuer. The same Biel interpre­teth otherwise the incense, to figure Mary Magdalens annointing of Christ, and be­cause Christ was twise annointed, the incense must be also offered twise in the missall sa­crifice.

For another part of the missall sacri­fice8. part of the masse. Plin. lib. 1. cap. 3. Offertorie. celebrated by the ancient Idolators, was the Offertory, of the first fruits offe­red, to the honour of the Gods in the name of whome the sacrifice was cele­brated. This Offertorie was for the [Page 117] massing sacrificer, which he might freely cary into his owne house, for the nou­rishment of himselfe & his familie: not­withstanding there were other offerings distributed to those that were needfull. After by the couetousnes of the Massali­ans, this vsage was changed into an of­fertorie or offering of siluer or gold to inrich the coffer, which some wouldPlatina. haue attributed to Leo Bishop of Rome, notwithstanding that the Offertorie was practised more then a thousand yeares before him. And to the end to iu­stifie this by the Romaine histories: When Numa had instituted the mini­sters of the Religion, as Bishops, Augu­res,Blond. lib. 2. de Rom. trium. Sauliens, Feciaux, Curions and o­thers, he ordained also the meanes how to nourish and intertaine them, he com­manded to make of the common reue­nues foundations, for the nourishment & maintenance of the religions Vestales. Following his example many parti­culerSacerdotiorum siue beneficiorum duo erant genera [...]num quorum collatio ad rēp▪ aut principem aut ad pontificū collegium specta­ [...]at: Alterum quorum coliatio, a [...] aliquā fami­liam e [...]usque suc­cessores pertine­bat quae beneficia viris patronatus censebantur. Blond. lib. 2. de Rom▪ trium. persons did the like. So that be­nefices became rich by foundations. [Page 118] The same benefices were of two sortes. The one at the presentation & bestow­ing of the Prince, or of the common­wealth, or of the colledge of Bishops. The other were at the presentation of some particuler patrons of the said bene­fices, by whome they were founded and indowed with great riches. Of the which benefices the great Bishoppes of Rome haue vsurped authoritie to giue dispen­sation to haue two at once, euen as it is recited in the historie of Liuie, of Fabius Maximus, who had by dispence two be­nefices then when hee was created Bi­shoppe, more then two hundred yeares before the incarnation of Iesus Christ. This was their first reuenew of the Mas­salianA dispence for many benefi­ces. Tit. Liuius lib. 30. The founding of benefices. Vacations and setting ouer. Offertorie. sacrificers to haue benefices rich­ly founded. The second reuenew was the Offertorie, or offering, the Offecto­rie and oblations. The third reuenew was the vocations of the first fruites, which the Idolatrous Romaine Bishops were accustomed to take, for the vacati­on of the benefices which they gaue, [Page 119] sold, or dispensed with▪

The fourth reuenew was deaths an­nuals,Tertia sacerdota­orum opulenta, saluti omnibus inueniebat. quas inferiores superi­oribus pontifici­bus impendebant quale apud nos est cum pontifici roman [...] fructus primos antistites & his minores sacerdo [...]es ad ob­tinenda beneficia pecuniam disso­luunt. Biond. lib. 2. de Rom. trium. Ci­cero in oratione pro domo sua ad pontifices. Blond. lib. 3. de Rom. trium. legacies, and bequests giuen, to pray vnto their Gods for the soules of the departed. The which is verified this day by the monuments and tombes of the ancient Idolatours.

The first reuenew was amerciaments, condemnations and confications leuied by the bishops of Rome: as the place and house of Cicero (when he was bani­shed) were confiscate to the Colledge of the priests, and dedicated specially to the sacrifices celebrated in the temple consecrated to the goddesse Libertie. Passing by I thought good to recite this summe of the ancient Romaine sacrifi­cers, to the end that vnto all it may bee knowne, that all the abuses and Idolatris succeeded in the Church of Iesus Christ are not new: but had their originall re­stored and taken of the ancient Romain Idolators: As the foūdations of Masses, Obites: Monethminds, the dispensing of many benefices, annuals, vacantes, tran­slations, [Page 120] offerings, and Masse boxe, a­mercements and confiscations, adiudg­ed by the sentēce of the bishop of Rome as are also other ordinances restored by the new Romaine Bishops and continu­ed from the one to the other. To thisThe yeare of our Lord. 383. Blond lib. 2. de Rom. trium. purpose it is recited in the Romaine hi­stories that since the raigne of the Em­perour Ʋalentiniā the xii. of that name, great sedition happened at Rome be­tweene the Christians, & the Idolatrous priestes, which striued amongst them­selues, whether had more inriched the Church by foundations▪ legacies, be­quests, offerings, and other inuentions: in such sort that the heathen Idolatours and infidels which did vsurpe againe the temple, presently called the Church of Saint Peter at Lians, did fight against the Christians of Rome which would haue dedicated the same to their de­uotion.

After the offertorie the Ale [...]ran of Titel­man doth hold that the M [...]sse-mōger must cap. 35. [Page 121] for a time keepe silence to figure the flying of Christ or feare of the Discip [...]es to confesse him before the Iewes. Then after the sacrificer doth singe on high Per omnia secula secu­lorum for this that Christ after that hee was in secret did shewe himselfe openl [...]e in the house of Lazarus. Then he singeth sanctus sanctus, sanctus, to signifie the songe of the Iewes when Christ entered into Ierusalem. This musicke ended the sacrificer must se­cretlie murmure betweene his teeth, coun­terfaiting sadnesse without anie turnings, but yet he must plaie a dumbe mōmerie by signes of crosses drawen heare awaies & there a­waies, as we shall hereafter declare.

After the offertorie we must come9. part of the Masse the round host of floure. to the 9. part of the Masse, the most rich and most daitie for the Massalians▪ That [...]s, the host or sacrifice. Wherein doth consist the principall end or marke of the Masse sacrifice. In the time of thePlotar. in Numa [...]ollux in [...]nom. lib. 6. Misier [...]s peractis, qui sa­cris intererant r [...]tundis pa [...]bus quo [...] in honore [...] deorum adhibe­bant stantes ves­cebantur nec ni­si sacrificio perfe­cto vesci licebat Alex. ab. Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. coniurer Numa the Romanes had not yet in vse to kill and offer vp the bloud of beastes. But about the end of the [Page 122] Masse sacrifice, it was ordeyned to eate and communicate together within the temple little round Cakes consecrated to the honour of the Gods in whose name the Masse was celebrated. The litle round hostes of fine floure were ea­ten by the sacrificer and the assistants standing and not sitting. The flowre whereof they were made was called Mola, whereof commeth this worde immolare to offer.

There were diuerse hostes, that is to say, diuerse litle round cakes, dedica­ted vnto diuerse Gods like as they had diuerse sacrifices of the Masse. With the same round hostes was offered (the al­tars seruing in place of tables.) And whiles the sacrificer and assistants at the sacrifice did eate and communicate to­gether the foresaide little round cakes, consecrated to the honor of their Gods, there was sung Hymnes, and plesant songs. Some playing vpon Orgaines and Cymbals.

Before the deuouring of this round hoste [Page 123] printed with pictures, the Massalian Do­ [...]tors haue ordeyned that the sacrificer shal [...] [...]se adiurations and coniuring by signes of the Crosse. First he ought to make three crosses vpon the round hoste to figure the threefold doctrine of Christ. To witte by the father, by himselfe, and by the holie Ghost, in pro­nouncing these words: Haec dona, haec munera, haec sancta sacrificia illibata▪ Other Doctors Alcoranists and Massali­ans interpret the third crosse to signifie the treason of Iudas who deliuered his maister into the hands of the Iewes. Beside the afore [...] saide three crosses, doth follow fiue more to figure the fiue daies of respit from Palme Sunday to Goodfriday, or otherwise to re­present the fiue wounds of Christ, two in his hands, two in his feete, and one in his right side. Of the which fiue crosses, the three first must be made on the chalice and vpon the rounde hostes to figure the deliuering of Christ vnto the Priestes, Scribes and Pha­risees, or to figure the price that Christ was sold for, to wit, three times ten which is 30. pence. The two other crosses are seperatlie [Page 124] made, the one (being the fourth) vpon th [...] host, the other vpon the chalice alone, to pla [...] the two persons of Christ and Iudas, whic [...] the Massalian sacrificer doth continuin [...] still his mockes and mummeries, stretchin [...] out his armes to figure Christ stretched o [...] the crosse. Then he lifteth vp his round hos [...] printed full of pictures to cause it to be wor­shipped. And that he beginneth againe to make three other crosses. One vpon the host, another vpon the cuppe, and the third vpon himselfe, to play the personages of three e­states of those that be in Heauen, in Purgat [...] ­rie, and in Earth.

He smiteth afterward vpon his breast, to play the personage of the theefe hanging vpon the crosse which repented himselfe.

But in smiting of the stomacke must bee with the 3 hinder most fingers of the hand, for the thombe and the next finger be reserued to consecrate and transubstantiate the round host. Moreouer hee must smite his breast three times to figure the threefold offence of the heart, mouth and deede,. In lifting vp his voyce to represent the theefe or the centu­rion [Page 125] which confessed God in the passion. Sixe other crosses are made once againe, three vp­on the Chalice couered, to figure the three houres that Christ hanged on the crosse on liue, and the three other crosses are made vp­on the chalice discouered (with the rounde host lifted vp againe) to figure the 3. houres that christ hanged vpon the crosse dead. Thē after the Massalian hath kissed his chalice there are yet 2. crosses more, to figure the mi­sterie of the bloud and water [...]ssuing out of Christs side. Beside the dumbe mūmeries a­bouesaid, the Priest must take the couering cloth from the chalice, and couer it with the plantyn to figure the breaking of the vaile of the tēple in the midst at the death of Christ. This done the round host is put frō aboue the chalice, and is couched vnder the corpor as to figure the burying of Christ. The Priest thus hauing plaied the person of the hanged theefe of the traytor Iudas, of Christ & of the Pub­licans, plaieth afterward the personage of the Centurion in singing the Pater noster. But the Alcoran of Durand expoundeth by the seuen Petitions of the Pater noster, the seuen [Page 126] weepings of the virgin Marie, or the seauen vertues, or the seauen giftes of the holy ghost, or the seauen Beatitudes, or the seauen dead­ly sinnes. This song finished, the Massali­an a litle while keepeth silence, to figure the silence or rest of Christ in the tombe. Ano­ther aperie or mummerie doth the Messali­an play with his round host, the which hee laieth vpon the paten to figure the vnitie of the diuinitie with the humanitie, but when he plaieth the secret misterie, then the host is hid out of sight.

The sacrifice thus finished and the li­tleRe d [...]uina & ceremoniis cele­bratis sacerdos tunc. I, licet su [...]lamabat. qu [...] voce illos qui in­terfuerant▪ missos faciebat. Alex. ab. Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. Parts of the Masse ordey­ned by Numa 700. yeares be­fore the incar­nation of Iesus Christ. round hostes eaten, Numa ordeined to sing these wordes, I, licet (vel) Ite mis­sa est, that is to say, go it is granted, the assembly is suffered to go home. Be not all these parts of the Masse sacrifice ordeined by Numa the coniurer more then 700. yeares before the incarnation of Iesus Christ, to wit, the Vestiments, the Aulbe, the Casuall, the holy purging water coniured with salt to chase away Diuels, the Aulter, the Taper-light, the [Page 127] turnings and trauersings along the Al­tar, with prayers & meditations, toward the East, the Processions with Shrines and Relikes, caried vpon the shoulders of the Priestes, clothed in white surples­ses and crownes vpon their heades: the Confiteor made to the he Saints and she Saints, the playing on the Organes, the Canticles, Peans, Hymnes and Odes, the Censor and the Incense, the commu­nion of little round bread consecrated in the name of their Gods, & in the end this song Ite missa est, do ye not acknow­ledge (O ye Massalians) that ye haue borrowed all these partes and members of your Masse of Pompilians Religion? Why do you hold this word Masse, see­ing Iesus Christ did name it a supper or the partaking of his body? Why haueMatth. 27. Luk. 20. Mark. 14. 1 Cor. 11. ye taken these Vestiments, the Aulbe, & painted Chasual proper to the ancient Romane Idolators, of the which gar­ments Christ ordeyned nothing? Why haue yee giuen more credit vnto the witchcraft of Pompilius to chase away [Page 128] Diuels with salt water coniured, & cal­led holy water, thē vnto the holy gospel of Iesus Christ, the which doth assure you in his name to driue away Diuels,Mark. 16. and not with witchcraft and salt. Who but the spirit of Vuma, did inspire you to shaue your crowne round, & to deck your selues with white Surplesses, to beare the Shrines and Banners in Pro­cession? When Iesus Christ celebrated his holy supper, and instructed his A­postles of the communion of his body and bloud, did he command thē to fol­low the religion of the ancient Romane Idolators, to haue their Altars enriched with Images, to vse turnings and trauer­sings along the altar, to be shorne round, to haue aulbes and chasuals, adressing their prayers and confession to he & she Saints, to pipe with Organes, to per­fume their altars & Images with Incēse, to go to the offerings, to cary money to the Priestes boxe, to eate litle rounde hosts consecrated, and last of all to sing Ite missa est?

But I well perceiue (O Massalians) your Masse subtelties, whereby you shal confesse to me, that the body and chiefe parts of the Masse tooke their begin­ning and creation of Numa Pompi­lius.

Neuerthelesse the deckings and en­richings were inuēted by other Bishops of Rome: specially by a Monke called Gregory the first of that name, that came to the Popedome: Who was instructed in the Magicke and Philosophie of Py­thagoras, and had also studied the lawes of Tullius Hostilius, King and successor of Numa, to the end to make his name euerlasting by adding some new thing to the missall sacrifice he ordeined toPlatind. Volateran singe nine times these words in Greeke, Kvrie eleyson: For Gregorie did greatly esteeme this number nine, euen as theKyrie eleyson. Quoties prodigi­ [...]m nuncieba­batur sacrum nouendiale per nouem dies age­batur. ancient Romane Idolators had recourse to the nouendiall sacrifice or signes, and monstrous wōders. He did also ordeine that in the Masse sacrifice shold be sung two words of Hebrue, to accompany [Page 130] the two words in Greeke. And that at certaine times men should singe theseTit. Liui lib. 1 Decad. 1. two words Allelu ya: and certaine times they should not.

In place of which Allelu ya, is song ano­ther song called the Tract, with sharpnesse of voice prolixitie of song, and heauinesse of notes of musicke, to figure the miseries of this world, and hee that singeth Allelu ya must be higher then he that holdeth the graduell, as the Alcoran of Titelman doth recite.

Is there not witchcraft inough in your sacrifice (O Massalians) vnlesse yee put thereunto Hebrue and Greeke words? and mingle together Pythagoricall num­bers, and nouendiall songes, and insti­tute a difference of daies, to sing & not to sing Hebrue words, & inuent crosses & dumbe mūmeries? Be not these cor­ruptiōs of the holy sacramēt of the sup­perGlotia pa­tri. Agnus dei kis­sing the paten. ordeyned of God? Some other haue enriched the missall sacrifice as Damase bishop of Rome with a Gloria patri. Ser­gius [Page 131] with an Agnus Dei, song three times (which Titelman expoundeth to figure the assention of Christ. Innocent the kis­sing of the priests Paten.

The which Paten of gold by the doctrine of the Alcoran doth signify the diuinity of cap. 14. Christ. The Gloria in excelsis by Sym­machus, the which song pronoūced in a voice Cap. 56. 57. sweete and base, doth signifie as holdeth the Alcoran of Titelman the warlike & chil­dish voice of Christ, being yet in the Cradle. O Blasphemie and detestable mummerie of the sonne of God. Leo the second instituted the kissing of the Pax, which the Alcoran of Titelman sayeth, doth signifie the vnion of Pax kissing. Christians. And that the kissinge of the Paxe came in, in the place of the holy com­munion, obserued in the first Church next the Apostles.

This kissing of the Paxe was song of the Massalian saying these words Pax domini, and making three crosses vpon the chalice when the third part of the [Page 132] host is castinto the wine, to figure the incarnation of Christ, or for the three­fold peace, of the time, of the spirit, & of the euerlastingnesse to come. More­ouer the forging of the Canon of the Masse is attributed to Alexander, Gelase, Syricie, Leo and Pelage. These be pee­cesThe Cannon of the Masse. patched too, according to the hu­mours of the Bishops of Rome, the au­thors and restorers, the founders and augmentors of the Masse sacrifice.

The best enriching instituted in thePlatina. Sabellicus. Masse sacrifice must not be forgotten to wit, certaine places of the old and new Testament called the Epistles and Gos­pels.The Epistles & Gospels cut in the Masse. The which the Massalians haue cut and mingled with the Pompilian I­dolatry, & therein haue prophaned the lawe of God, euen as did the Apostate Sergius, Doctor of the Mahomet, the the which decked the Alcoran with ma­ny places of the holy Bible, and patch­ed a hotch potch of fables and heresies, with the holy lawe of God.

The Massalians haue ordeined two per­sons [Page 133] to sing the Epistles and Gospels to the end to enrich their M [...]sse [...]daunce, to wit, the subdeacon, who marcheth before to play the person of the first lawe of the Iewes, and the deacon which commeth after with more great dignitie, to represent the lawe of the Gospell, the which deacon carieth vpon his breast a cushon to figure the humblenesse of heart. The subdeacon receiueth not the bles­sing of the Massing Sacrificer as the deacon doth, for this cause (say the Massalian Do­ctors) that God sent his Prophets inuisiblie.

But the deacon playing the personage of the lawe of the gospell, hee receiueth bles­sing as being sent among Wolues, because Christ sent his Apostles as men visiblie. It is ordeined that the deacon shall we are a stoale cros [...]wise hanging vpon his shoulders one end ouer the other, to figure force and continence ioyned together in the Masse-monger. The Deacon playing his pagen and singing some peece of the Gospell in a language vn­derstanded neither of him nor of the assistāts must turne himselfe toward the north stan­ding vpright, Because (saith Titelman) [Page 134] the north part is cold and malicious. And therefore he must make a crosse to chase a­waie the Diuels of the north. Be not these sorceries and confl [...]ctes more horrible then al the cōmentaries of the ancient Romane Bi­shops Idolators?

Doth not this approue the Alcoran Against the long possession and prescripti­on of Idolators of Mahomet, the long possession wher­of Turkes presently haue had for these 900. yeares past, hauing conquered Countries, Realmes, and Empires,Against Turkes prospered in all their enterprises, & still obseruing the abhominable lawe set outAgainst the people of Israell offering to Moloch. in the Alcoran: Where the people of Is­rael excused before God (when they did sacrifice in the valley of Tophet to Moloch with innocents bloud) by al­leaging the long possession, & accusto­med4 King. 16. 23. Against the idolatry of the brasen serpent. vsage for the space of 1200. yeares before this Idolatry was altogether de­stroyed by the good king Iosias? Did the Israelites murmure against the vertuous King Ezechias when he destroyed the brasen serpent, which was made by the [Page 135] expresse commandement of God, 900. yeares before. Where the same people excused of their Idolatries cōmitted in Dan & Bethel, wherein are the Images of 2. heiffers of gold instituted by their King Ieroboam, vnder pretence of long possession, and that they had continued this Idolatry for the space of 300. or 400 yeares. The Iewes, nowe vaca­bonds,Against the image set vp in Ieroboam. 3 King. 12. Against the in­fidelity of the Iewes. shall they be excused before the maiesty of God, by shewing the long possession of this ceremoniall lawe insti­tuted of God himselfe three thousande yeares agoe?

Also you (O Massalians) can you al­leage against God the continuance and long possession of celebrating your Pō ­pilian Masses long time, and that you & your predecessors haue vsed, solde, and put to vsurie, your Missall sacrifices. Is this reason sufficient to grounde vpon long possession, as your predecessors, Senators of Rome did alleage vnto The­odose the Emperour, their Pompilian re­ligion to haue bene obserued more then [Page 136] a 1000. yeares. This is not an excuse su­fficient to bring in long possession and v­sage of long time obserued, for the con­firmation of your Idolatries: For if God of his mercie and wonderfull patience did suffer the Iewes in their vnfaithful­nesse, the Turkes in their Alcoran lawe and the Christians in their Masse Ido­latries. It is not for vs to dispute of the incomprehensible secrets of God, but with all humility to take againe the way of truth, when it shall please him to giue it vs, after long and deepe dark­nes, whereunto the people in all ages haue fallen & turned from the true wor­shipping and ordinance of God: euen so as briefly before we haue declared of the Israelits the chosen people of God, the which notwithstanding that they had Moyses and the Prophets which did admonish them by many miracles and threatnings how they should honor God and keepe the lawe, neuerthelesse they neuer ceased by mens inuentions to commit Idolatries. So that during the [Page 137] raigne of the Princes Iudges of Israell, when the people were gouerned as in Aristocratia, then after submitted vnder the yoake of Kings, as in a Monarchie, & last of all brought vnder the gouerne­ment of the Pristes hauing gotten both the temporaltie and spiritualtie, the law of God hath beene corrupted, the sacri­fices and sacraments defaced and defi­led, and Idolatry continued more then 1600. yeares, from the law written by Moyses, vnto the incarnation of Iesus Christ. What may one hope for, then of the people of Rome, instructed in all I­dolatrie as a dry tree, a Heathenish and bastard people? But these Massalian heretikes cannot vaunt themselues of very long possession of their Masse sa­crifices except of the 9. peeces, before described, restored and borrowed of Numa Pempilius for the other parts of the Masse were inuented at diuerse times by diuerse antichrists corruptors of the holy sacraments ordeyned of God. And to vnderstand the times and yeares of [Page 138] the chiefe builders, Agapet Pope of Rome, raigned in the yeare of Christ 533. and brought in the procession af­ter the order prescribed by Numa. The Confiteor was restored by Damase raig­ning the yeare 577. The Kyrie eleyson & the Letanies, by Gregory raigning in the y. 593. The Graduell the Collects & the Traict, by Gelase, raigning in the yeare 493. The Sequences by Gothere Abbot of Sandale. The Gloria in excelsis by Sy­machus raigning in the yeare 508. The Incens and the Offertorie restored from the ancient doctrine Pompilian by Leo the third of that name, in the yeare 800. The kissing of the Paxe by Innocent the first of that name in the yeare 408. Ag­nus Dei, instituted by Sergius, in the yeare 697. The Commemoration of the deade inuented by Pelagius in the yeare 558. The Cannon forged by Ge­lase, Siricie, Leo, and Pelagi raigning in the yeare 800. The transubstantiation instituted by the bishops of Rome about the yeare of Christ 162. Wherefore of [Page 139] what impudencie are these Alcoranists Masse Doctours to be condemned, the which falsly do affirme that the holy A­postles of Iesus Christ did celebrate their missall sacrifice. Seeing that this sacrifice was not restored to his integri­ty after Numa Pompilius but after Christ 800. yeares? In what approued histo­ries is there mention made that such I­dolatry was committed by the holy A­postles of God? How is it possible to beleeue or thinke it, when as this great whore of Babylon hath not been resto­red with her deceipt and maske of holi­nes till long time after the incarnation of Iesus Christ.

But it behoueth to returne to our hi­storieContinuing Histories. of Rome, more and more to dis­couer the true originall of the Masse. We haue declared in discouering the parts and chiefe members of the Masse sacrifice, how the ancient Romanes be­fore they were accustomed to sacrifice with the bloud of beastes did vse little round cakes consecrated in the honour [Page 140] of their Gods, the which standing they did eate within the Temple about the end of the sacrifice. These litle rounde hostes of wheat flowre were taken vp of the Massalian Sacrificers, but they haue enriched the witchcraft and Idola­try of Numa Pompilius insomuch as they haue decked the litle round hosts with Images and pictures, printed withinAbhominable idolatry. the round circle of the said hosts to the end to make them more holy, euen toAgainst the ido­latry of the round Hosts. be worshipped, by the inuention of Ho­norius Antichrist of Rome, in the yeare 1226, the which Numa the Coniurer neuer practised, nor yet came to this ab­hominable idolatry. What more dete­stable heresie can be discouered then to paint the maiesty of God in forme and likenes of a man, as the Antropomor­phits imagine. Who taught you (ô Mas­salians) to corrupt the holy Sacrament of our Lord Iesus Christs Supper in make­ing litle round hostes, if not Numa the Coniurer? When Iesus Christ celebra­ted his holy supper with his Apostles, [Page 141] did he ordeine to haue litle round hosts, and to print them full of pictures and the likenesses of men, to adiure and con­iure with crossings and blessings odde or euen, and to make them to be worship­ped? Acknowledge then (O Massalians) your principall part of the Masse to wit, your litle round hostes to haue taken their begining of Numa more then 700 yeares before the incarnation of Iesus Christ, who neuer commanded you this roundnes of hosts, nor that they should be rather round then square, three cor­nered or eight cornered. But so farre was he frō chusing the figure of round­nes after the fashion of Numa, that con­trariwise when he instituted the holy sa­crament of the communion of his body, he vsed breaking of the breade in mor­sels, which he distributed to his Disci­ples, for a simbol, signe, and fihure, sig­nifying really & sacramentally his bo­dy by the vertue of the holy Ghost, and the Massalians haue not only chosen the fashion round in their little consecrated [Page 142] hostes, printed full of pictures, to caus [...] them to be worshipped after the mane of the ancient Romanes but further they haue exceeded all Idolators: For in the the time of Numa Pompilius, those th [...] assisted at the sacrifice of the Masse d [...] eate together standing in the litle roun [...] hosts consecrated. But since the Massalians haue reserued for themselues, th [...] communion of the said litle round host [...] consecrated, vsing no charitie toward [...] those that stood by at their missall sacri­fice. Is this to follow the ordinance o [...] Iesus Christ, who brake the breade an [...] gaue it to his Apostles? Iesus Christ th [...] euerlasting sacrificer, was he alone at th [...] Altar, eating one litle round host graue [...] full of Images, when he celebrated the holy cōmunion of his body? Can you (O Massalians) too too abhominable, & much lesse charitable Idolators then all the ancient Romanes, so much play the subtill Sophisters that you will make men to vnderstand that your Masse sa­crifice wherein the sacrificer alone de­uoureth [Page 143] all the litle round host printed full of pictures, without giuing part to any other is a communion, & by a mer­uailous wicthcraft to cause the assistance at the sacrifice to beleeue that they haue communicated together with the Priest, notwithstanding that they neither re­ceiued nor did eate any portion of the round host.

And beside this for a more extreame idolatry the Massalian doctors expounders do declare the round host to be diuided in 3. parts, one for those which are in paradise a­nother for those which are in Purgatorie, to haue remission of their sinnes, and the third drenched in wine, for those which are liuing in this world. But the Alcoran of Durand declareth the three parts of the host broken, to present the three fashioned body of Christ in the sepulchre sleeping, in the earth lying, and after rising againe. The other subtill doctor Biell, because he would not confesse the body of Christ in the rounde host to bee brused and broken doth subtelly define the [Page 144] breaking of the host to be done in an accidēce without a substance. Be not these horrible heresies to make the soules to communicate which are in Heauen, or in Purgatorie, insti­tuted by Sergius Doctor of the Mahomet, by the meanes of one round host deuoured by the Massalian.

But you (O Massalians, may here ob­iect vnto me the vse of the primitiue Church obserued in the communion of the holy supper, whereas euery one of the assembly in the temple did take a portion of the broken bread consecra­ted to eate and communicate together. The which vse hath beene kept vnto this day in your missall sacrifices cele­brated vpon Sundaies, the which▪ you cause to be distributed by morsels of ho­lyA communion of holy bread. bread vnto the assistāts within the tē ­ple. But in this ancient communion doth abide nothing but an Image only; Because the Massalians abusing the ho­ly sacrament, haue preserued for them­selues onely the litte round host conse­crated [Page 145] to be deuoured, without giuing any portiō vnto the assistants: vnto whō they leaue the bits of holy bread, whichNotable diffe­rences between the round host & the holy bread. are foure square for the most part. The round host without leauen, and the ho­ly bread is with leauen. The rounde host is without salt, and the holy breade with salt. The round host is printed ful of pictures, and the holy bread is with­out print or picture. The round host is worshipped, and the holy bread is re­ceiued with thanks-giuing. The round host is deuoured of the Priest, and the holy bread is diuided among the assem­bly to communicate and eate together. The round host is steeped in wine, the holy bread is eaten without wine. To be short there is as great difference be­tweene these two kindes of communion as there is betweene the ancient Law of the Idolators, and the lawe of the Gos­pell▪ Prouided alwaies that they agree in one point that is, that both in the one and the other there is a corruption of the holy sacrament of the supper ordey­ned [Page 146] of God. It resteth to come downeTransubstantia­tion. to the deep Maze of Idolatry. We haue recited the history of the people of Is­raell, which did not content themselues with the heauenly bread Manna giuen vnto them of God, during the time that they were in the Wildernesse, but did murmure against God and Moyses their leader, requiring to eate fiesh. The peo­ple also of Rome being heathen and In­fidels were not contented with the in­stitution of Pompilian touching the cō ­munionBlond lib. 1, de Rom. trium. of the litle round Cakes.

But the Bishops of Rome, Idolators, did institute the killing and offering vp of beastes, to the end to eate and com­municate the fleshe of the offeringes in their Sacrifices, specially the sheepe the Sowe, the Goate, and the Beefe, which first were ordeyned by Euander King of Arcadie. To the end therefore that the Massalian should not go out of kinde frō the Idolatries of their predecessors, they haue followed this communion of flesh, and are not contented with the [Page 147] litle round, vnleauened hosts consecra­ted and printed full of pictures, butHosts of meale are chaunged into flesh, and wine into bloud. haue in time inuented a new witchcraft to change their litle hosts of floure into flesh and bone the bread being no more bread, but an accidence without sub­stance: and by this meanes to change their round host of meale into an host of flesh and bloud. The wine also offe­red in their Masse chalices to be chang­ed into bloud: the wine being no more wine, but an accident without sub­stance. Was there euer any witchcraft more abhominable and heresie, more detestable then this transubstatiation of the Masse? When the children of Isra­ell were wearied with the eating of Manna and the heauenly bread deman­ding flesh, was the M [...]uno turned into flesh, bones and bloud.

When the Romaines the ancient Ido­latours did change their round hosts of meale, and demanded to eate of the flesh in their sacrifices, did they vse this wich­craft of transubstantiation?

Wherefore I doe freely affirme that the Massalians haue lately instituted this addition of the Masse, yea more then 1000 yeares after the incarnation of Ie­sus Christ. This heresie began to spreadIn the yeare of Christ 1062. Chronolog. Fon. Volater. abroad greatly in the tyme of Antichrist Nicolaite, crept into the Romane bishop­prick by the conspiracie of Hildebrand, hauing chased away by force, the other chosen Bishop, namely Benedict the 12.Lanfranc. de sacr. of that name in the yeare of Iesus Christ 1062. Afterward it aduanced it selfe by a conspiracie holden in the Lateran at Rome during the ecclesiasticall tyranny of Innocent the third of the name: about 200. yeares after the solemne recantati­on of Berengarius deane of S. Maurice ofAgainst tran­substantiation. Angiers. Against the which abhomina­ble wichcraft & heresie, we must brief­ly bring in by the way of recapitulati­on the institutions of the sacraments or­dained of God.

First the fruites of the knowledge of good and euill, forbidden to our first fa­therTrees of life. Adam, as holy signes and Sacra­ments [Page 149] of feare and obedience, wherup­on did hang life and death, were they changed & conuerted into knowledge or death, leauing the nature of trees and fruits, and reduced into an accidence without substance? the Manna from hea­uen,Heauēly Man­na, and the rocke flowing water. and the rocke flowing with water of life sacraments agreeing with the ho­ly sacrament of the supper, were they changed into an accident without sub­stance? the lambes without spot offeredLambes offe­red by Abell. by Abel in sacrifice well pleasing to God, were they changed into another nature? The little skinne cutte off for aCircumcision. note and marke of the couenant vnto the good patriarch Abraham, & his po­steritie, was it changed into an accident without substance? The bloud of thePascal lambe. Paschal lambe for the assurance of the health of Israel, was it changed into a­nother substance? The fleshe of the vn­spotted lambe, ordained to bee eaten in the day of the Passeouer, a true figure of the holy Sacrament of the Supper, was it changed into an accidēt without sub­stance?

The brasen Serpent, by the onelyBrasen serpent. sight whereof health was giuen vnto diseases, left it to be a serpent of brasse, was it changed in being ordained a sa­crament and holy signe vnto the people of Israell? The oblations offered in sa­crifices,The offered sacrifices. as well of earthly beastes as vn­leauened bread, and other holy signes ordained of God for sacraments and ho­ly signes, to cleanse the people of Israel: Were they changed into an accidence without substance▪ All the holy signes ordained of God in the Church of Is­rael, notwithstanding that they did re­present really and sacramentally, that which they did figure, and not as a sim­ple signe without effect, yet so it is that there was neuer none so horrible an he­retike that did inuent this wichcraft of transubstantiation.

Yet must you confesse (O Massa­lians) that the good and holie fa­thers of Israell were adopted, grafted and regenerated by faith in Iesus Christ, [Page 151] begotten before all worlds: and thatA conference of the faith of the ancient fathers of Is­rael with ours. they were nourished and got euerlasting life by Iesus Christ, and that they and wee haue but one onely God, and one onely Iesus Christ our mediatour and redeemour.

And that they through faith did sacramentally communicate, and spiritually partake the bloud of Iesus Christ for their saluation and euer­lasting life. And there is no difference (as touching God) betweene them that were before the incarnation of Iesus Christ, and we that are after the incarna­tion But they and wee are the Church of God bought with the bloud of the iust and vnspotted lambe Iesus Christ.

Furthermore that they had faith in the promise to come: and obserued the sa­craments and holy signes of the sacri­fice which ought to be finished by Iesus Christ. And that we by the new law do celebrate the memorie & remembrance of the sacrifice alreadie finishede by Ie­sus [Page 152] Christ, hauing the fruition of his1. Cor. 10. August. in Psalm. promise accomplished. If then the Isra­elites did eate of the same heauēly bread, and drinke of the same water of life (by faith) that wee doe in one onely Iesus Christ: if they had holy signes to repre­sent actually and really the death of Ie­sus Christ to come, euen as we haue had holy signes of his death present or past: they for the time to come, and wee for the time past: Wherefore is it then that the Massalians haue inuented this new witchcraft of tourning one holy sacra­ment ordained of God into a wichcraft of transubstantiation, and an accident without a substance? If God (to make knowne his power, and to declare the hardinesse and stiffeneckednesse of Pha­rao) pleased to doe merueilous things byAgainst the mi [...]cles alledged by the masla­lians. Exod. 7. 8 14. Moyses and Aaron, in changing a rod into a serpent, the water of the riuer in­to bloud, and into frogges, the dust of the earth into lice, and further to make the saileable sea drie, and to doe many other miracles: Is this to bring in a [Page 153] transubstantiation of little round hostes, vnleauened, printed full of pictures, into an accidēce without substance? In what place of the holy scripture (when there is mention made of holy Signes, Sacra­ments, or Sacrifices, ordained of God) is it said the signe or sacrament is chang­ed?

Contrariwise (God willing to accō ­modate himselfe to the infirmities of man) hath ordained vnto him from time to time common signes, for notes and markes of the assurance of the thing signified; Wherein the might of God is more renowmed and magnified by giuing vnto vs with the holy signe the thing represented, by the power of faith and the holy Ghost, then if the selfe signe were really changed by some vi­sible miracle.

For the Sacraments doe containe in them more spiritualnesse the fleshlines, for which cause God did alwaies blame his people Israel by his Prophets, for taking his Sacraments ouer fleshly, as [Page 154] we haue before briefly declared. But tellThe expositiō of Iesus Christ of the com­munion of his body. me (O Massalians) when Iesus Christ would expound, that hee was the true bread of life which came downe from heauen, to giue euerlasting life, and how these sacramentall wordes ought to be vnderstood, to eate his flesh and drinke his bloud, when the Capharnaites your predecessours were offended, did hee teach by his interpretation, that to eate his flesh ought to bee vnderstood by a little round hoste transubstantiated? The round hoste of flowre and the wine to bee no more bread and wine but an accidēce without substance? Is this your abhominable Witchcraft the doctrine of Iesus Christ?

Nothing lesse: but Iesus Christ as aIohn. 6. true law giuer, vnto whom the interpre­tation of his law appertained, answered vnto the Doctours Capharnaites, that they were to grosse and carnall, and that they did abide in the flesh as ye doe (O Massayers:) Notwithstanding that the flesh alone proffiteth nothing: saying [Page 155] that these sacramental words were spiri­tual. The fleshe (saith hee) profiteth no­thing,Iohn. 5. it is the spirite that quickneth. Moreouer (O Massayers) how can you safely make to agree your transubstanti­ation with the doctrine of Iesus Christ, which doth promise and assure to giue euerlasting life to those which eate his fieshe and drinke his bloud, if yea take these wordes carnally? For you cannot be ignorant that your bodies (notwith­standing that they haue deuoured the little round hostes transubstantiated in­to flesh and bone, and supt and licked the wine changed into bloud) doe die and are mortall, by the necessitie of the lawe. Wherefore life euerlasting pro­mised by this communion, may not bee vnderstood of the bodie nor of the mor­tall flesh You must then of necessitie ac­knowledge, for a sure interpretation, that to eate the bodie and drinke the bloud of Iesus Christ ought to be refer­red vnto the life spiritual and heauenly, and that the flesh profiteth nothing, but [Page 156] the spirituall word and communion ofIohn. 6. the body and bloud of Iesus Christ by faith and in spirite giuing euerlasting life. This interpretation is often recited by the holy Apostle Iohn in many pla­ces when he vseth these tearmes, he that cometh vnto me, shall neuer hunger, he that beleeueth in mee shall neuer thirst, but shall haue euerlasting life. Are not these tearmes sufficient plaine to in­terprete this holy sacrament of the bo­dy and bloud of Iesus Christ, without running vnto your witchcraft of tran▪ substantiation.

Another like interpretation of the do­ctourConference of baptisme vnto the sacrament of the supper. and authour of the sacramentall law is discribed, when Iesus Christ was asked of Nicodeme the meane how a man could bee regenerate and borne againe. Is it possible (saith Nicodeme) that a man should enter into his mothers wombe and be borne againe? Did Iesus Christ answere vnto this demaund, that in the holy sacrament of Baptisme the water was turned into the bodie, into fleshe, [Page 157] and into bloud, and transubstantiate in­to a carnall wombe to be thereby againe engendred and borne? Is there not as great reason after your witchcraft here to vse this answere as in the holy Sacra­ment of the supper? for by the one of these two holy sacraments wee be rege­nerate, and by the other nourished. And the regeneration is as marueilous vnto mans wisedome, as the nourishment. For after mans carnall iudgement it see­meth vnpossible, twise to be engendred. But our good God hath vsed like inter­pretation for the regeneration as hee did for the communion of his flesh and his bloud, namely that these sacramentall tearmes must be spiritually vnderstood, and not carnally: for the flesh profitethIohn. 3. nothing, but the spirit quickneth. That which is of the fleshe, is fleshly, that which is of the spirit, is spirituall.

The holy Apostle giuing vnto the Corinthians that which hee receiued at the hand of God, did admonish them of the second comming of Iesus Christ, in [Page 158] looking for the which he commanded to communicate the body and bloud of Iesus Christ by breaking of bread, and the Cup of blessing called the new Te­stament and the new Couenant contra­cted by the bloud of Iesus Christ, For as much then as we are assured of the second comming of Iesus Christ. Be­ing gon vp into heauen, and sitteth on the right hand of God his Father, vn­till the day appointed that he must come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead. How do ye (O Massa­lians) with this issue, when as by your Magicke you say that euery day you cause to come downe, and make re­turne the body of Iesus Christ in flesh and bone, before the time appointed of his second comming be come.Tit. Liuius. 1. Decad 1.

This witchraft was restored by you frō the first author of your Masse sacri­fice Numa pompilius, who by his witch­craftValerius. Max. lib. 1. cap. 3 gaue to vnderstand that he caused his Nyphe and Goddesse Aege [...]ie and also his Iupiter Eticius to descend from [Page 159] heauen, by whose meanes the heauenly secrets and misteries were reuealed vnto him. Euen so by our witchcraft the round host consecrated, is transubstan­tiated into the true and reall body of Ie­susIohn. 19. Exod. 12. Numb. 9. Christ: The bread being no more bread. How haue you learned this bold­nesse to bruse and breake in peeces theCorruption of the holy sacra­ments. body of Iesus Christ, according to the inuention of Sergius the second of that name, your predecessor Bishoppe of Rome? Are not you more detestable hangmen, then your predecessors Lieu­tenants of the Church of Rome, whichAgainst trāsub­stantiation. crucified Iesus Christ, but without brui­sing and breaking his body in peeces, as it was propheceied before. And that more is, you are not content to breake it in 3 peeces, but in your Masse sacrifice ye haue enterprised to drowne or steep one portiō of it in the wine changed in­to bloud to deuoure it. To confirme your witchcraft of transubstantiation, haue ye not ordeyned to preserue your litle round printed hosts, the which you [Page 160] do keepe and lay vppe so curiously in boxes and shrines after they be chan­gedHarman. contr. into flesh and bone, and into the reall body of Iesus Christ. Is not this a detestable heresie to beleeue that the body of Iesus Christ can receiue cor­ruption?Blond. Platina. Yea, and often it is eaten of wormes, mites, rattes and mise. Can you interpret, that this is an accidence without a substance, seeing that your hosts become often stincking, and cor­rupt within your boxes: Many times also deuoured of earthly brute beasts, the which you cause to be burned and their ashes to be put into the place for Relikes. When the Bishop of Rome Ʋictor the third of that name, receiued poyson by your transubstantiated wine was it an accidence without a substance? Or when the Emperour Henry the sea­uenth of that name, was poysoned in eating a litle round host cōsecrated, was it an accidence without a substance, see­ing it gaue him his deaths wound? There is a more manifest appearance in the [Page 161] heauenly Manna giuen vnto the people of Israell, the which notwithstandingNeem. 1. Psal. 78. 104. Iohn. 6. Sapi. 16 that it became corrupt (if it were kept) yet being put in the secrete place of the Arke of the Couenant, it was preserued without corruption, was it therefore transubstanciated into flesh and bone, to bee called the heauenly bread, the bread which came downe from heauen, the bread of life, and the bread of Angels.

Now it remaineth to bring into iudg­ment the subtell reasons of the Massay­ers,, which for the whole foundation ofThe exposition of the sacra­mentall words. their witchcraft do carnally in this word Est, saying these wordes are expresly written. This is my body, this is my bloud, when Iesus Christ, did institute the com­munion of his body and of his bloud vnder the signes of bread & wine. But I beseech all that are zealous of the ho­nour of God, diligently to consider the holy institution of the sacrament, by the which God would declare and signifie the communion of his body by the [Page 162] bread, and the drinking of his bloud by the wine, and the cup. All will confesse that the true and principal nourishment of the body of man is conteined vnder the kindes of bread and wine, so the true bread is often taken in the holy scrip­tures for the nourishment and life of Man. But let vs begin to bring in the places of the Bible. To the first manGenes. 3. created to the likenes of God, for pu­nishment of his offence, was it not saidGenes. 28. vnto him before, that hee must eate his bread in the sweat of his body? Is there any man so ignorant that hee will not confesse all the foode and life of man, to be vnderstood by the bread? When Ia­cob praied vnto God to giue him bread and cloathing, did not he vnderstand byExod. 16. Neem. 9. Psalm. 78. Sapi. 15. Iohn. 6. Genes. 14. the bread all that was necessary for his nourishment,? When it is recited that God made it to raine bread vpon the people of Israell in the wildernesse, and that with this heauenly bread the chil­dren of Israell were filled, was not this terme bread vnderstood of the heauen­ly [Page 163] Manna sent of God for the nourish­ment of the people of Israell?

This Manna is not called the bread of heauen, and the bread of Angels gi­uen vnto the people without trauell.Genes. 41. Genes. 47. Numb. 21. Leuit. 26. When Melchisedech would releeue the hoste of the good Father Abraham, did he not present vnto him bread and wine? When Abraham would gratifie and refresh the three Angels appearing to him, did he not offer to them cakes baked in the ashes? Gaue hen ot to A­gar bread for her nourishment. The mother of Isaac fauouring her welbelo­ued sonne, gaue him bread. Ioseph in Egypt offered bread vnto his brethren for their nourishment. When one willIohn. 4. Psalm. 104. Matth. 4. Luk, 4. Iohn. 6. Matth. 4. describe a famine and dearth, doth hee not say, there lacketh bread? When God promiseth any fauour vnto people keeping his commandements, doth he not giue them assurance of sufficient bread? when he commanded the poore; as his members, did he not command to giue them bread? It is then the bread [Page 164] that nourisheth and maintaineth the heart and life of men. When SathanLuk. 9. Matt. 15. tooke vpon him to tempt Iesus Christ, to declare vnto vs that he was very man, did he not chose bread, to entice him to change stones into bread? When Iesus Christ, did celebrate his feastes, to giue food one time vnto 5000. men, the o­ther time vnto 4000. persons, did hee not shew his might vnder the signe of bread? When he taught vs to make our praiers vnto God, did he not ordeineMatth. 6. Luk. 11. the Lordes prayer, to beseech God to giue vs our daily bread? And not onely in the holy Bible is there mention made of bread for corporal & common food: But also the sacrificers celebrated by the Priests of the Hebrues, there was a lawe prescribed of th [...] bread ordeyned of God, namely, sweat bread without lea­uen,Exod-21. Leui. 4. 21. Matth. 11. 1 King. 21. Esay. 30. Prouerbs. 20. Ezec. 4. other bread there was called shew bread which the priests did renue euery weeke & eate which Dauid vsed, being presented vnto him by Achemelech the high Priest, cotrariwise this terme bread [Page 195] is applyed vnto breade of wicked­nesse,Malac. 1. Psal. 23. Ezech. 12. Oze. 7. Deut. 8. Matth. 4. Luk. 4 vnto breade of lying, vnto bread of sorrow, vnto vncleane bread of idolatry, vnto vncleane bread offered at the Altar, vnto the bread of trembling and vnto the bread of teares. The E­phraimites also are called the bread of ashes not turned, that is to say, in part baked & part not, circūcised Idolators.Math 25. Wherefore, O Massesaiers Capharnaits, ye must not be so hardened & rooted in your fleshlinesse, that you regard not the phrases of the holy scriptures in that which the terme of bread is sometime taken for the earthly & bodily bread as when it is said that man liueth not byMath. 15. Mark. 7. bread only, but also by all that procee­deth out of the mouth of God. Somtime also bread is taken for the word of God and for doctrine, when Iesus Christ commanded his Apostles to take heede for eating of the leauened bread of the Scribes and Pharisees, are not these termes of bread, and leauen taken and interpreted for the doctrine of the Pha­risees, [Page 166] heretikes? When the woman of Canaan did demand grace and mercie for the health of her daughter, holden with a sore disease. Did not Iesus Christ answere, that it was not lawfull to take the bread of the children and giue it vn­to dogges? In this answere is not the bread taken for life and health, and not onely for the corporall nourishment: Seeing then that bread is taken for the life of man, the which hangeth chiefly of bread and wine, and that the good­nes of God willing to applie it selfe vn­to our infirmities would chuse those two signes, notes and markes notable, to signifie his body and bloud, namely, bread and wine, being two substances common to all nations, is that an occa­sion to imagine a carnall transubstantia­tion, as if without the same God were not able inough to figure and represent re­ally and sacramentally life to be giuen vnto vs, yea euerlasting life by the com­munion of the holy bread and wine consecrated, figures and signes of his [Page 167] body and bloud. Iesus Christ spakeMatth. 6. Marke. 14. Iohn. [...]. these words: That the bread was his bo­dy and the wine his bloud, he said also, That hee is the liuing bread, that he is the breade of life, that hee is the liuing breade which came downe from heauen, he saith also, that hee that eateth of this breade shall liue for euer. Is this to bring in that by this word (is) Iesus Christ is turned & transubstantiated into bread, and is no more Christ, but an accident without substance. O detestable here­sie: O Massalians haue ye no more rea­son to interpret carnally these words, (this is my body) to change the bread in­to his body, then when he affirmeth that he is the bread, to change him into bread, cōsidering that it is written, that the partaking of this bread giueth life euerlasting, Iesus Christ said, Hoc est Iohn. 6. Matth. 26. Iohn. 6. corpus meum. He saith also: Hic est panis qui de coelo descendit. In both these places is there not this word (is) bestowed? Must we therefore bring in a witchcraft of trāsubstantiatiō, in place of sound in­terpreting [Page 186] of the scriptures, by a like­nes or familiar comparison of breade with Iesus Christ, causing vs to vnder­stand that by him life euerlasting is giuen vnto vs? And by him our spiri­tuall nourishment is giuen vs like as by the bread we haue our bodily foode. How so euer it be, we must alwaies haue recourse vnto the true inierpretation of Iesus Christ, the true Lawgiuer, and au­thor of the holy sacrament, who putting forth his institution said in the first place that he was the bread of life, then after that this bread is his flesh and his body, which must be giuen for the health of the world. He said that his flesh is true food and his bloud the true drinke, he saith, that hee that eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud, shall abide in him. How doth he interpret this eating? Ie­sus Christ doth interpret it himselfe by these words: He that commeth vnto mee Iohn. 6 stall neuer hunger, hee that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst, Is not this the true eating and the true drinking neuer to [Page 169] haue hunger, and neuer to haue thirst. Behoueth it to get faith, which consist­eth in spirit: behoueth it to addresse ourselues vnto Iesus Christ our heauēly bread, our spirituall drinke, to fill vs for euer, to quench euerlastingly our thirst of sinne, to runne into a witchcraft of transubstantiation, and to forge an acci­dence without a substance. Wherefore (O Massalians) haue yee inuented ano­ther interpretation, then that of Iesus Christ, who witnesseth that the flesh profiteth uothing, but the spirit quick­neth, and that his words are not carnall but spirituall, giuing spirit and life by faith and hope that he is the sauiour of the world, incarnat, dead and crucified to giue vs eternall life, and after rose a­gaine, ascended into heauen, and sitteth on the right hand of God his Father, a­biding an euerlasting Priest propicia­tor, mediator and redeemer.

Let vs returne againe to this terme (is) which tormenteth the braines of the Masse sayers so sore, to imagine a tran­substantiation.Iohn. 15. [Page 170] If Iesus Christ hath said that he is the true vine, that God hisIohn. 14 Father is a husbandman, and we are the branches. Is this to bring in this terme (is) a witchcraft of changing God into a Husbandman, Iesus Christ into a vine and vs into vine branches? If Iesus Christ is said to be the vnspotted lambe that blotteth out the sins of the world: is this to bring in a transubstantiation? If Iesus Christ hath said that he is the doore of the sheepe-folde, by the which we must enter to saluation, and that hee is the Shepheard and we the sheepe, must we therefore ratch these places of the holy scripture so farre, that necessarily we must beleeue a tran­substantiation: for as much as this terme (is) is there? When Iesus Christ admo­nished his Disciples, saying to them, thatMatth. 5. they were the salt of the earth, did hee change and transubstantiate them intoGenes. 28. pillors of salt as he did the wife of Lot? If Iesus Christ hath said by his Apo­stles that we are the tēple of God wher­in [Page 171] the holy Ghost doth dwell: Is this to imagine that we are transubstantia­ted into a peece of stone? If the Apo­stle haue said that Christ is the rocke1. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 6. out of the which did come the liuing water to wash vs cleane from our sins:1. Cor. 10. is this craftily to deuise a changing of Iesus Christ into a rocke or materiall1. Cor. 12. stone? If the Apostles haue witnessed that we are the body of Christ: Is this to bring in that we are vanished away, and are no more men, but changed into an accidence without a sub­stance?

I foresee well (O Massesayers) more than hardened, that you wil obiect that in all these places before alleaged wher­in this word (is) is found, that no men­tion is made of sacramentes, which must be deeply considered, for asmuch, as they be holy misteries ordeyned of God, which also is true. And also this word (is) is not onely found in the ho­ly scriptures before noted, but alsoGenes. 17. Exod. 12. 13. when there was speaking of the holy [Page 172] ordeyned before of God, vnto the people of Israell, was it not written that circumcision is the band and couenant of God. In the other ho­lyGenes. 17. N [...]mb. 10. Psal. 68. 94. Mattfl. 21. Iohn. 2. sacrament of the communion of the Paschall lambe, is it not sayd that the Lambe is the Passeouer or passage? Is this to bring in a witchcraft of transub­stantiation. Will you not confesse (O Massalians and changers of substances) that in these places of holy scriptures, speaking of the sacraments, this word (is) cannot otherwise be expounded but to signifie: and that circumcision was the signe and marke of the band and co­uenant contracted betweene God and Abraham, that the Pascall lambe was al­so the signe of the holy passage: for re­membrance of their deliuerance from Egypt. The Arke of the couenant for another sacrament, whereof it is writ­ten that it is the true power of the Lord. Is this to say that it was transubstantia­ted into the maiesty of God. It beho­ueth to interpret the holy scripture with [Page 173] dicression and humility, without so­phistrie and witchcraft to vnderstand soundly the true meaning of words, and not to abide in the letter that killeth: but to receiue the word of God in spirit that puickneth. If then the holy Arke be named the Lord, and called God, for that in it he exercised his might, & she­wed his wonders and misteries, to draw the people of Israell by an outwarde signe to remember God, and to feare and obey him, Also if Iesus Christ is called the bread that came from heauen, the bread of life, that the bread broken is his body, and the wine is his bloud, that the cup is the new Testament, that by these outward signes of bread and wine, he might cause vs to vnderstand our life and nourishment of saluation to stay onely vpon Iesus Christ, and that by his death and bloudshedding we are so assured of euerlasting life, as the bread and wine are nourishment for the body, and that it pleased him to ordeine these holy signes to serue vs for sacra­ments [Page 174] for the triall and confirmation of our faith: is this an occasion to play the Capharnaits or the Nicodemianes to doubt of the power of God, how is it possible to eate the body and drinke the bloud of Iesus Christ? How is it possi­ble to be regenerate and borne againe? Then seeing wee haue a promise giuen vnto vs by the word of God, wherefore (O Massalians) haue ye imagined a car­nall transubstantiation, mistrusting the incomprehensible power of God, ought it not to suffice you to beleeue simply that the body & bloud of Iesus Christ is offred vnto vs really & sacramētally to communicate for our nourishment, and to giue vs euerlasting life by the bread and wine consecrated with giuing of thankes, the bread being truely his bo­dy: and the wine his bloud, which ought to be receiued worthily by faith, and in purenes of conscience, as holy signes and markes of the godly badge, without enquiring euer subtilly the meanes, otherwise then Iesus Christ hath [Page 175] interpreted (saying) the flesh profiteth nothing, it is the spirit that quickneth, and that his words were spirit and life, Ought we to doubt that God hath not the power to make vs partakers of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ, by the holy signes of bread and wine consecra­ted, the bread neuerthelesse remaining bread, and the wine, wine. If it were otherwise, this should not be called a sacrament but a myracle, as when Iesus Christ, turned the water into wine, that he vsed a miracle of transubstantiation, changing water into wine. But he did not then ordeine a sacrament as he did of the communion of his body & bloud by the holy figures of bread and wine. Was it not as easie for God to make the wine to bee changed into bloud, or the bread into flesh, as for Moyses & Aarō to change the water of the riuer into bloud to approue the hardnes of Pharaoh, or when the cloudes were turned into the flesh of Qailes, which rained vpon the people of Israell, alwaies God did not [Page 176] ordeine these miracles to serue for ordi­narie sacraments, but would apply him­selfe to our infirmitie, giuing vnto vs signes, holy and not transubstantiated, which are neither vaine nor fantasies, but are outward signes, which wee can see, touch, eate & taste, abiding in their substance, and neuerthelesse represen­ting sacramentally, that which is com­prised and signified by them, wherein our triall of faith doth stand, to declare vs by a sacramentall worke to be of the number of them that are regenerated & nourished by the holy sacraments of baptisme and of the supper. If it be law­full tomake comparisons of the 2. holy sacraments of Baptisme and of the Sup­per, notwithstanding that there is dif­ferenceA comparison of the two ho­ly Sacraments. betweene regeneration, which doth not reiterate (for it sufficeth once to be regenerate and borne againe.) But the nourishment must be often done a­gaine, according to to the order of na­ture, and other differences largely dis­cribed by the holy Apostles and mini­sters [Page 195] of the word of God. Yet the same end, the same God, the same Iesus Christ is shewed & declared as well in baptisme, as in the supper. By the bloud of Iesus Christ we be regenerate and by the same bloud nourished. By the bloud of Iesus Christ we are renued, set, and graffed, and by the same bloud we are kept and preserued from hunger and thirst for euermore. By the bloud of Ie­sus Christ we are spoyled from the olde corrupt skinne, and clad with his body, of the selfe same also we haue our nou­rishment and euerlasting life. By the bloud of Iesus Christ we haue accesse into the kingdome of heauen. And by the same bloud we haue the fruition of the kingdome, for vnto the same pur­pose the holy Apostle witnesseth, wee are all baptised by the vertue of one ho­ly spirit, and we haue all drunke of one spirituall drinke giuen vnto vs by Iesus Christ. Be not these comparisons taken out of the holy scripture, to iustifie that Iesus Christ is the onely end, vnto the [Page 178] which tendeth as well Baptisme as the holy Supper. It followeth then that the signes of the sacramentall water for bap­tisme, and bread and wine for the sup­per of Iesus Christ, are holy signes, ernest, gages, paunes, markes, seales and sacraments, instituted of God for proofe and assurance of our faith. Well then (O Massalians) seeing yee haue inuented a witchcraft of transubstanttiaion forAgainst the Massalians. the sacrament of the Supper, why haue yee not also subtelly deuised the same witchcraft in the sacramēt of baptisme? why haue yee not ordeyned the sacra­mental water after that it is by you con­iured and bewitched with salt to driue away Diuels, to be changed into the bloud of Iesus Christ, the water to bee no more water, but accidence with­out substance, as yee haue imagined of the bread and wine? What difference can you shew, but Sophistries, Sophis­mes, and Masse subtelties. If yee conti­nue your heresie by this word (is) it is also found in the water of Baptisme, [Page 179] which is called renuing and regenerati­on, the same is also named the holy Ghost and the garment with which, & by which, we are clothed, renued and borne again in the bloud of Iesus Christ. Then seeing (O Massalians) that you confesse that yee cannot finde a second Berengarie to make a decree of recanta­tion to the end to enlarge your witch­craft of transubstantiation, vnto the ho­ly water of Baptisme, and by the same meane to change your spettell and salt water, your oyle, your creames, your salt water & other drugs, wherwith you haue corrupted the holy sacrament of Baptisme. Wherefore then are yee so hardened and waxt old in your Pompili­an Religion, that you would plucke Ie­sus Christ from the right hand of God, to make him to descende in body and bloud by your whispering witchcraft,Luk. 1. Malach. 4. A comparison of the Sunne with Iesus Christ. (as Iupiter Elicius did) before the day appointed of his second comming? I can bring you in the similitude of the Sunne, called by some Apostles the Sun [Page 198] of Righteousnesse Iesus Christ, becauseThe which S. Iustine the Martyr vled in his treatise of the exposition of faith. cap. 2. that light commeth from heauen by the great and bright starre. And euen so the spirituall light is giuen vnto vs by Iesus Christ, who hath restored vs to light, out of the night and darknesse of sinne.

Well then (O yee Capharnaites, car­nall and grosse) vnderstand now a com­parison sufficient inough to shewe you the infinite power of God to bee much more perfect then your abhominable inuention of transubstantiation? Do yee not acknowledge if you haue not your eyes blinded and holden in depth of the darknesse of frowardnesse, that the Sunne doth giue vnto vs his light, his beames, his force, his heat & strēgth, And yet the body it selfe of the Sunne doth rest and abide in heauen? Do not ye say ordinarily in your common lan­guage, when the windowe of the house towardes the sunne is open, that the sunne commeth into the house? Yet the sunne remaineth alwaies in heauen? Be­houeth [Page 199] it to snatch and catch the body of the sunne, causing it to come downe and to transubstantiate in this earthly place before it can giue his heate, his beames, his light, and nourishment to plants, hearbes, trees, and earthly crea­tures? Are yee so brutish (O Capharna­ites) that yee will not confesse the true sonne of righteousnes Iesus Christ, to haue much more power then this starre of the sunne, create and mortall? If then the mortall creature, haue this power to giue vs the vertue [...] and strength of his body, by his beames, by his light, and by his heate sent downe into the earth really, and effectuously, the body not­withstanding abiding in heauen. It be­houeth to beleeue that God the euerla­sting creator hath much more power to giue vs the true sonne of rightuousnesse Iesus Christ, to giue vs his force & ver­tue of his body and bloud, shed for vs, by the beames, light and heate of his holy spirit, without cōstraining him by your witchcraft to be plucked from [Page 182] the right hand of God, & to be drawen out of heauen by your transubstantiatiō into earth. Wherefore hath not Iesus Christ this power to giue vs his light, and to offer to vs his body & his bloud, to enter within vs, if by faith and pure conscience we will receiue him by the vertue of his holy spirit, euen as well & better then the sonne entreth into our houses by his might and power, with­out drawing it out of heauen to change the substance thereof? The sonne is one onely body created abiding in heauen, the cause of the growing of plants, trees & hearbes, which giueth nourishment by force and heate vnto all things liuing vpon the earth and in one and the same moment hath power to quicken, heate & nourish an infinite number of plants, trees, hearbes and earthly creatures, without seperating, diuiding or pluck­ing his body from heauen to transubstā ­tiate it. The body also of Iesus Christ which he hath caried into heauen, and set at the right hand of God, hath it [Page 183] not more force, more vertue, and more strength to regenerate vs, to feed and nourish vs, to giue his vertue, his light and his beames, to inspire, quickē, sustaine, lighten, and in a moment make vs through faith partakers of his body and bloud: to make vs members of his members, knit together in him, and by him, by his true promise conteined vn­der the bages and holy signes, left vnto vs till that the second comming of his humanitie bee seene vpon the earth▪ Wherefore (O Massesa yers) haue ye in­uented this witchcraft of transubstanti­ation, to blaspheme against God, to lesson his power and lesse to esteeme his power and vertue, then the vertue of the sunne his creature? wherefore will yee pluck the body of Iesus Christ from heauen before the time appointed, to change his substance into your little round hosts, vnleauened and printedIesus Christ as God aideth all. full of pictures which you cause to bee worshipped▪ se [...]ing that Christ as God, doth aide his church euerlastingly, and [Page 202] hath power to regenerate feed and nou­rish vs, yea with euerlasting life & food, by his promise witnessed and assured by his holy sacraments of Baptisme, and of his holy supper. For other compa­risons (O Massesayers, familiar & home­ly) consider how the earthly and mor­tall princes are esteemed, reuerenced and honoured for the sacred signes or­deined by them. I will onely set forth vnto you two, that is to say, Waxe & Metalles, of the one is made the seale of the prince, wherewith is sealed gra­ces, pardons and forgiuenesses, the let­ters & priuiledges, grāted by the prince He that counterfeiteth this seale, is hee not punished for treason, euen as if hee had hurt the very person of the prince? Doth not this seale represent the very person of the prince, as if hee himselfe were there present? yet the waxe not­withstanding that it is called the seale of the prince, is not therefore transub­stantiate, but remaineth still waxe, yet after that it hath receiued the reuerend [Page 203] print of the Prince it is no more called waxe but the princes seale.

The metalles of gold and siluer mar­ked for the coyne of the prince to serue for money, although they be no more golde nor siluer, but haue changed their names at the will of the prince, be it in­to the name of ducate, crowne, shillings, pence or other names, do they leaue to be metalles, and the same substance they were before? this onely difference there is, they are appointed and stamped with the print of the prince, which doth real­ly represent him, in such sort, that hee that clippeth & counterfaiteth this mo­ney,1. Cor. 11. is punished as for the crime of trea­son, and as he had hurt the proper per­son of the prince: By much better rea­son the bread and wine consecrated and marked to be sacraments of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ, do really re­present him, & not in painting. Where­fore he that vseth it vnworthily shall haue euerlasting damnation as a traytor to the maiesty of God. If ye (O Massa­lians) [Page 186] Nicolaitains & transubstātiators, are not sufficiently satisfied with the in­terpretation of Iesus Christ and his A­postles, ne yet with similitudes and fa­milier comparisons to bring you to the true way and certaine forme ordeyned of God for the celebration of his holy sacraments in abolishing of your Masse Pompilian Idolatries casting away also your abhominable witchcraft of trāsub­stantiation, at the least, yet will ye giue no credit vnto the interpretation of the ancient doctors of the church. Heare then that which S. Augustine doth recite against Adamantine, euen as the bloud inAugust. cap. 12. authorities of the ancient doctors. The exposition of saint Augu­stine. many places of the holy scriptures is cal­led the water & the rock Christ. So is the bread called the body of Iesus Christ, the which three places must be expoun­ded to be figures and signes. When that saith the same doctor, Iesus Christ spake these words, Hoc est corpus meum. ThisL [...]b. de doctri. christi. & in pre­fati. Psal. 3. is my body, and gaue them bread. Hee gaue them the signe of his body, for he thought otherwise that it was a thing [Page 187] vnlawfull, & too vncurteous, to deuour the flesh & body of Iesus Christ if therelib. 10. de candes cap. 5. sacrifici [...]m de consecr. di­stinct, 2. were not a figure there, namely, the bread to put vs in minde of the flesh and body of Iesus Christ to haue beene offe­red vp, for our life, and euerlasting foode. Moreouer the same doctor vseth this interpretation, the visible sacrament is the Testament, that is to say, the holy signe of the inui­sible sacrifice. The like interpretations are described by Tertulliā against Mar­cion Tertul. lib. 1. & 3. 4. the heretike: wherefore then O Massalians haue yee not followed the holy doctors of the Church, which would not blaspheme against God by a witchcraft of transubstantiation? but haue freely acknowledged the sacra­mentVt quid paras de [...]tem & ven­trem crede & manducasti. ca. Vt quid de con. secratione. distinct. 2. August. in li. de remedi. to be a signe or holy visible figure signifying in spirit & by faith the which is inuisible? wherefore prepare yee the mouth & the belly to deuoure the flesh of Christ corporally? why do yee not offer your soules by liuely faith wor­thily to eate Iesus Christ? why did you [Page 206] not interprete the eating of the body ofpoeniten. & in Iohn. tract. 25. cap. 6. S. Hieron. in epist. ad Eph. Iesus Christ by the notable distinction of the holy Doctor Ierom, saying the flesh of Iesus Christ is vnderstanded fleshly when there is mention made of the shedding of bloud, and crucifyingCa. dupliciter ea­dem distinct. of the body of Iesus Christ for our salua­tion: But spiritually when it is sayd, that the flesh is the true meate which must be eaten. For another holy doctor I will alledge Gelase Bishop of Rome, who disputing against the heretikesSaint. Gelase. against Eutych­ius & Nestorius Eutichians and Nestoriens, doth affirme that the bread and wine consecrated & made sacraments, do not leaue in sub­stāce still to be bread & wine, but are fi­gures and signes of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ by the misterie of the sa­crament.S. Ambrose in his booke of sa­craments. cap. 11. Will yee haue more large wit­nesses of S. Ambrose who vpon the E­pistle to the Corinthians hath expound­ed eating and drinking the bread andOrigin. in Leui. homil. 7. the wine, to signifie the fleshe and the bloud of Iesus Christ, offered for vs? Origen also in his homilies hath expoun­ded [Page 207] the sacraments to be figures, which must be examined spiritually and notS. Chrys. in homil 31. cap. 15. com. 1 Psal, 22. carnally, for this faith saith he that the letter killeth, if it be not vnderstood spi­ritually when it is written to eate the fleshe of Christ. Wherefore Saint Chysostome warneth to honour this sa­crament in offering the soule vnto God, for which Christ was crucified and that by this holy sacrament of breade and wine, is signified vnto vs the likenesse of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ. To make an end, it behoueth to bee ru­led by the holy interpretatiō of our do­ctor Iesus Christ and of his Apostles, to honor & reuerence his holy sacraments ordeined of him for outward signes, to lift vppe our mindes to heauen, to take that which is represented by the signes, not to esteeme them as vaine paintings, or fantasies, but worthely to receiue them in liuely faith by the vertue of the holy Ghost, to the end to bee fed and nourished with heauenly bread in the health of our soules, to come to life [Page 190] euerlasting. Let vs then be assured in Iesus Christ as members of his body: Let vs all come into vnity to communicate one only bread, & to drinke one only wine, made of many graines knit together, to the end that wee may say with the holy Apostle, all we the faithful are the body of Iesus Christ, saued and redeemed by his body crucified & bloud shed for vs. Thus dwelling and abiding by faith in Iesus Christ, eating him, & drinking his bloud. Let vs beleeue surely that hee was crucified, dead, and risen againe, & his body ascended into heauen, sitting on the right hand of God in a certaine place vntill that he returne with his hu­manitie as he went vp: Neuerthelesse his power & diuinity are distributed vnto vs & spread ouer all the earth in all pla­ces, specially in the holy sacraments, which he hath left vnto vs for gages, & outward triall of our faith, for a remem­brance of the death and passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. [...]

true nature of his humane flesh, vntill his comming againe to iudgment, say­ing: And he shall send Iesus Christ, which before was preached vnto you, whom the heauens must containe, vntill the time that all things be restored which God had spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world begā. So that in his humane re­all naturall flesh, he is not nor shall not be on earth naturally or supernaturally, vntill his said comming to iudgment which doctrine notwithstanding it is assured and most true according to the instruction of holy scripture, that his diuinity is vnseparable from his huma­nitie, and his humanitie from his diui­nitie, his diuinity extending it selfe to all places both in heauen and earth, being euerlasting, infinite, in compre­hensible, comprehending and contay­ning all things by his diuine power & maiesty, and his humanity being con­teyned, seated and resting locally in the heauens, the fulnes of the God-head dwelleth in the same, not being so con­teyned [Page 212] of it, but that it filleth the same and all other places also; The incom­prehensiblenesse of which vnseparable coniunction, of the diuinity and huma­nity of our Sauiour: Being perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting: no earthly simili­tude may fitlier serue to expresse then the most shining and glorious body of the Sun, the body wherof God hath lo­cally set in the firmament, to giue light vnto the world, and to cherish, comfort and nourish all things therein, with his heate; for as the light & heate remaine by the diuine ordinance of God vnse­parably ioyned to the body of the Sun, which by the true power of God is pla­ced and fixed in the firmament, and yet with his light and heate filleth all the world; so remaineth the diuinity of the Sonne of God vnseparably ioyned to to the humanitie, locally placed and seated in the heauens, by which coniunctiō he is not letted from sprea­ding, extending and filling all other [Page 213] places also, who in his diuine essence, power and great maiesty, filleth and worketh all in all things, according to the true and plaine doctrine of holy scripture, & yet the humāity according to the proper & vnchāgeable nature of the same, remaineth vndoubtedly sea­ted, and being but in one place at once, being circumscriptible, locall & dwel­ling in heauen, from whence be shall come in most triumphant and glorious ma­ner, to iudge both the quicke & the dead: retaining & keeping still the essentiall properties of his true, reall, naturall bo­dy, hloding and occupying but one place at once, his diuinitie ouersprea­ding and enlarging it selfe, to all pla­ces, according to the excellent power, maiesty and essentiall properties of the same. Which sweete and comfortable doctrine, and vndoubted article of our faith, the doctrine and opinion of tran­substantiation and consubstantiation, do flatly and plainly impugne and o­uerthrow, as before hath beene shew­ed, [Page 214] by which doctrine also of transub­stantiation, the truth of the blessed Sa­crament, is in plaine truth denied, what colours, pretences, shiftes or shewes so euer be made to the contrary: for how can there bee a sacrament of Christs precious body and bloud, when as by the doctrine of the church of Rome the elements of bread and wine (which by the power of the word of God are made a holy sacrament (are taken away & changed into the reall naturall flesh and bloud of Christ, and after which change nothing but the very substance of Christ remaineth, and hee is really, carnally & corporally present? which if it be so true as they would haue it, & as they with fire & sword would force euery one to beleeue, then must Christs reall, naturall carnall body be a sacra­ment of his body, and not the elements, which by their doctrine haue no es­sence or being at all, but by the power of the word are transubstantiated into the carnall body of Christ, or else there [Page 215] remaineth no Sacrament at all, which for shame I thinke they will not affirme for the vndoubted truth is, that the sub­stance it selfe of Christs body and the Sacrament of the substance, which are the elementes beeing distinct seuerall things, cannot so be changed or giue place the one to the other, that one selfe same thing should be both seeing the true nature and property of a Sacra­ment is according to the doctrine of holy scripture, to declare, offer & giue to all the faithfull and true beleeuers, that receiue the same with a liuely faith, another thing then that it selfe is both in shew and substance, or else it should nor cannot be properly a Sacrament: for a Sacrament, as the diuines do terme it: Is a visible signe, substance and pledge What a Sacra­ment is. of inuisible grace giuen to all thē that re­ceiue the substance of the elements by which they are and shall be made par­takers of the inuisible grace, offered & giuē to al thē that through the working of the holy Gghost haue a true faith to [Page 216] receiue the same inuisible grace by the elements, as the sacrament of circumci­sion, and the passeouer in time of the lawe did declare, giue, testifie and assure vnto all the children of A­braham the beleeuing Iewes the mer­cifull promise of God, that God was, is, and would be their God, their redee­me [...] and deliuerer, from sinne and Sa­tans power for euer: of which their captiuity vnder sinne and Satan, their thraldome in Egypt, from whence they were diliuered, was a figure. The Sa­crament also of Baptisme & the Lords Supper, do declare, giue, testifie, seale vp and assure through the vnspeakea­ble working of the holy Ghost, vnto all the true beleeuers, in Christ, their full and perfect deliuerance from sinne and Satans power, their participation, and fruition of perfect holinesse in Iesus Christ, and in the end the reward of e­uerlasting life, purchased, giuen & be­stowed by his meanes and for his sake, who paied the price of their redempti­on: [Page 217] of all which the true beleeuers are made partakers in the instance of recei­uing the outward elements in Baptisme & the Lords Supper, through the wor [...] king of the holy Ghost in them, and vnfained, stedfast & true faith. It be­longeth not therfore to any sacrament, or to the Sacrament of the Lords Sup­per, by the doctrine of Gods word, that the elements should bee changed into the very and naturall substance of that whereof it is a sacrament, either by transubstantiation or consubstantiatiō, for that were to fetch Christ againe frō aboue, and giue him a reall, naturall or supernaturall corporall presence here vpon earth, and so to make him be in all places at once, contrary to the true nature of his true humane body, and contrary to the doctrine of holy scripture, which teacheth not any pre­sence of Christ on earth againe in his humane flesh, vntil the time appointed before remembred, but plainely shew­eth the contrary: declaring further, that [Page 218] as many as come to this sacrament and communion of the precious body and bloud of Christ with a true and liuely faith, fruitfull in true repentance and in a vertuous and godly life, the holy Ghost worketh in them a lifting vp of their hearts and mindes into heauen, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God▪ and there through the operation of the same Spirit in the instance of receiuing the sacramēt, they receiue, apprehend and feede vpon, in a true, vnfained and liuely faith, the true reall and naturall body of Iesus Christ the sonne of God, whereby their bo­dies and soules are preserued, nourished and strengthened, to the attainment of euerlasting life by his changing & pur­ging all their corruptions and vnclean­nes, and by his distributing and vniting vnto euery of them the true properties and excellent graces of his naturall ho­ly body, as his wisedome. righteous­nesse, sanctification and redemption, all which is as truely made theirs by and [Page 219] through his gracious imputation, as if they and euery of them had in their owne proper nature, attained vnto, and fulfilled the same, of which excellent graces▪ the fruit and reward shal follow of glorification and life eternall.

Of all which benefites this sacramentThe vse of the Sacramen [...] and the sacrament of Baptisme are ap­pointed vnto the faithfull to be as ta­bles and glasses, wherein they may plainely see and behold all the great mercies of God towards wretched and miserable sinners plainly drawen and figured, that whereas the word doth as a liuely trumpet sound out his gracious goodnesse to the eares of the faithfull, these sacraments do serue as instrumēts and conduits to conuey it to the eies, taste, feeling and comfort of all the sen­ses: so that when their bodies are made partakers of the sacrament and outward elements, their soules in the same instāt (through the mightie working of the holy Ghost) are sed by the instrument of true and liuely faith, with the [Page 220] most holy, reall, natural body & bloud of Christ: through the liuely power also of which holy spirit they are moued & stirred vp to giue continuall praise, ho­nour and thankes for these his bounti­full mercies, & rich treasures bestowed vpon them: For in this sacrament and communion of the body and bloud of Christ there is shewed, declared and gi­uen vnto all and euery of the faithfull, the death and sufferings of Christ, the participation they haue with him, and all the benefites which they receiue by his passion, whereof they are put in minde in this sacrament by foure Simi­litudes. First, by breaking and recei­uing of the bread. Secondly, by pow­ring foorth and drinking of the wine. Thirdly, by the nourishment which their bodies receiue by these elements, by the vnity of many cornes whereof the substance of the bread, and the vni­ty of many grapes whereof the sub­stance of the wine is made. Fourthly, by the conuersion that these elements [Page 221] haue into the substance of the recei­uers.

By the breaking and receiuing of the bread, and by the powring foorth, and drinking of the wine▪ the faithfull are put in minde of the death, passion and sufferings of Christ, whose body was broken both before & on the Crosse, & his bloud drawne forth & shed, not for any cause of his owne, but for remissi­on of their sins, which is giuen and they receiue by his passion, for; by the nou­rishment which the bodies of the faith­full haue, of these elements they are put in minde, that as these elements do in the vsing and receiuing of them nourish their bodies▪ and comfort & sustaine their naturall flesh & bloud, being the outward man, so the body and bloud of Christ apprehended and receiued through the working of the holy ghost by the instrumēt of the true and liuely faith of the receiuers, who through the operation of the same spi­rit, do by their faith apprehend and [Page 222] feede vpon the true, reall and naturall body of Iesus Christ, the sonne of God, which feedeth & nourisheth their bo­dies and soules, vnto life euerlasting, by his distributing vnto euery of them according to his gracious imputation, the true, reall and naturall properties of his vndefiled body and bloud, as his wisedome, righteousnes, sanctification, and redemption, his holinesse, innocen­cie, his perfect and full satisfaction of the lawe of God, his incorruption both in will and nature, his suffering and sa­tisfaction of the wrath and iustice of God, due vnto vs miserable sinners, his victorie against sinne, death▪ the diuell and hell, his glorification and eternall happinesse, of all which euery of the faithfull are▪ and shall be as verily made partakers by receiuing this heauenly foode the bread of life, the body and blou [...] of Christ▪ as if they in their owne persons had wrought, suffered & fulfilled whatsoeuer Christ suffered for them, and were in [...]ull possession of the [Page 223] reward, whereof Christ is in possession, and hath prepared and purchased it al­so for them: the certainty and assured­nesse whereof is approued vnto euery of their hearts and soules by the sted­fast, sure and vndoubted promises of the word of God, deliuered by Christs owne mouth in the 6. of Iohn, I am the Iohn. 6. liuing bread which came downe from hea­uen, if any man eate of this bread hee shall liue for euer, and the bread which I giue, is my flesh, which I will giue for the life of the world: verilie, verilie, I say vnto you, ex­cept you eate the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you haue no life in you; whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day: For my flesh is meate indeede, and my bloud is drinke indeed. I am the bread of life; this is the bread which cōmeth downe from heauē, that he that e [...] ­teth of it should not die; he that eateth of this bread shall l [...]ue for euer, and he that eateth me, euen h [...] shall liue by me, he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my bloud, dwelleth [Page 224] in me and I [...] him: I am the bread of life, he that commeth vnto me shall not hunger, and he that beleeueth in me shall not thirst: and this is the will of him that sent me, that euerie one which seeth the sonne and belee­ueth in him should haue euerlasting life, and I will raise him vp at the last day: Ʋerilie verilie, say vnto you, hee that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life, hee that beleeueth in me though he were dead, yet shall he liue, and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in mee, shall neuer die.

By this and many other sweete and comfortable promises of our Sauiour in his word it appeareth plainly, that life is promised to all the faithfull and true beleeuers: And seeing by our Sauiours owne words▪ none can be partakers of this life but such as truely eate his flesh & drink his bloud, it must needs follow that truely to beleeue in Christ, is true­ly to eate his flesh & drinke his bloud, and that without true faith it is impos­sible to be partaker of the true, reall & naturall flesh and bloud of Christ. [Page 225] To bee partaker also of the flesh of Christ, is not carnally to apprehend & feede vpon his materiall, naturall sub­stāce, for in that sense our Sauiour saith, his flesh profiteth nothing: But to be par­taker of the spirituall graces of his true naturall flesh in receiuing his precious body and bloud, by a true faith, as be­fore, which is the very precious foode whereby the soule liueth, and is sustai­ned to life euerlasting, and is apprehen­ded onely by faith, whereby also Christ is said truely to dwell in vs, and we in him: and therefore all the wicked and vnbeleeuers which come vnto the cō ­munion of the body & bloud of Christ, are refusers, mockers and despisers of his body and bloud, and by receiuing the sacrament vnworthily, doe most worthely eate and drinke their owne damnatiō, seeing by their lacke of true faith and beleefe, they refuse, mocke & despise, yea and violently thrust away from them so precious a treasure as the body and bloud of Christs is, and come [Page 226] not with reuerence to receiue and feede vpon the same by a true & liuely faith, as all the beleeuers do, who without great reuerence and dread, with ac­knowledgment of their owne vnwor­thinesse, dare not presume to come to this holy table of the Lord, and com­munion of the body & bloud of Christ; hauing also a true faith working by charitie, fruitfull in true repentance and in a vertuous godly life, which they haue receiued and do acknowledge to be of the free gift of God through the vnspeakable working of the holy Ghost, the same true faith in euery of their hearts; by which euery of them doth in their minde and soule partake and feed vpon the true, reall and natu­rall body & bloud of Christ seated in the heauens at the right hand of God, whither through the worke of the holy Ghost, and by their true faith they are lifted vp in the very instāce of receuing these sacramental elements▪ according to Christ our Sauiours owne institutiō [Page 227] in remembrance of his death and passi­on: For which cause euery one is com­manded to trie and examine himselfe whether he haue this gift of true faith; which is required to be the instrumēt & meane to be made a true partaker of this precious body and bloud: and by the body and bloud of the spirituall graces of the same whether he be in true charitie and in the way of true repen­tance, and of a vertuous and godly life, before he eate of this bread, and drinke of this cuppe, lest eating & drinking of this holy sacramēt vnworthily because he commeth without true faith, fruit­full in the effects aforesaid, he put from himse [...]fe, and be a mocker, a [...]so a despiser of the precious treasure of Christs, reall naturall flesh and bloud offered by these sacramentall elements of bread and wine▪ and so worthily plucke vpon himselfe his owne iust damnation in as much as by lacke of true faith he hath not receiued but refu­sed and despised the rich iewell that [Page 228] was offered whereby Christ would haue dwelt in him and he should haue dwelt in Christ for euer, according to his most mercifull promise made in his word.

By the similitude of vnion of many cornes and many grapes in these sacra­mental elements, the faithful are put in minde, that as the bread which they receiue and eate in the sacrament was made of many cornes, and by the li­quor of water kneaden into dowe, and yet is but one bread: and as the wine was made of the iuice of many grapes, and yet is but one wine: so they that receiue and eate Christs body and drinke his bloud by a true and liuely faith, watered with the liquor of godly and true charity are made one body and one flesh with him, as liuely members, and fruitfull branches of his mysticall body the Church, wich is the whole companie of Gods children which are in heauen and in earth; of which fellowship and mysticall body [Page 229] these elements are a sacrament as well as of his naturall body, declaring the perfect cōiunction which all the faith­ful of the church militant here on earth, haue with their fellowe members the church triumphant, together with their head Iesus Christ. who all make but one body of Christ, being compact & knit together to him as to their head, according as the Apostle Saint Paul affirmeth in the 1▪ to the Corinthians, cap▪ 10. The cup of bl [...]ssing which we blesse is [...] not the [...]ōmun [...]on of the bloud of Christ? The bread which we breake, is it not the cō ­muniō of the bo [...]y [...]f Christ? For we that are manie are one br [...]d and one bodie, because we all ar [...] partakers of one bread. In the 12. chapter of the same epistle he saith▪ For as the bodie is one, and hath manie mem­bers, and all the members of the bodie which is one, though they bee manie, yet are but one body, euen so is Christ: for by one spi­rit we be all baptized into one body, whether we be Iewes or Grecians, bond or free, and haue beene all made to dr [...]nke into one spi­rit. [Page 230] Therefore if one member suffer all suffer with it, if one member bee had in honour all the members reioyce vvith it. Novv you are the body of Christ and mem­bers for your part.

By which words the Apostle shew­eth that all the faithfull both in heauen & in earth make but one mystical body of Christ, and that the whole Church together make but one Christ, being all in particular the seuerall members of his said mystical body, wherof [...]e him­selfe is the head: of which fi [...]me and stedfast coniunction, Baptisme & the Lords supper are an effectuall declara­tion and resemblance, and perfect seales of assurance to all the faithfull: for by Baptisme is declared their new birth into one spirit, and by their participa­tion of the body and bloud of Christ is manifestly, shewed, opened, sealed & as­sured vnto them their newe planting & incorporating into Christs body, who being made liuely members of the same, they are guided, gouerned and ruled by [Page 231] one selfe same spirit of Christ, accor­ding as the Apostle affirmeth in the 4. chapter of the epistle to the Eph [...]sians, There is one body and one spirit, euen a [...] you are called in one hope of your vocatiō. There is one Lord, one faith, one Baptisme, one God & father of all, which is aboue all, through all, and in you all. That we be henceforth no more children, wauering and cari­ed about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceit of men and craftines, whereby they lie in waite to deceiue; but let vs follow the truth in loue, and in all things grow vp vnto him which is the head, that is, Christ, by whom all the body being coupled and knit to­gether by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof, according to the effectuall po­wer which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increase of the body vn­to the edifying of it selfe in loue, till we all meete together in the vnity of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God, vnto a perfect man, and vnto the mea­sure of the age of the fulnes of Christ: [Page 232] And in Gal. 3. it is thus said: For yee are all the Sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus for all yee that are Baptized in­to Christ haue put on Christ. By which words the Apostle noteth, that all the whole church are but as one man in Christ Iesus, making but one mysticall body of Christ, whereof the sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper, are a declaration, resemblance, testimo­ny & perfect seale of assurance; so that Christ being nowhead of his church, and the Church, which is the company of the faithfull, being made one body with him, he nourisheth and feedeeth all and euery member of the same and through the worke & grace of his holy spirit, ioyneth them toge­ther by their particularioints so that e­uery part hath his iust proportion of foode, that at length through the ver­tue receiued & extended from him, as from their head, euery part may grow vp to perfection: in which commu­nion and fellowship of the members [Page 233] of Christ together with their head, great comfort is laide vp to a true Christian soule: For as the Apostle saith, if one member suffer, all suffer with it, and if one member be had in honour, all the members reioyce with it; because that which is comfort and honour to one, is comfort and honour vnto all, in asmuch as all be made partakers therof through Christ their head, who by the lace of loue hath vnited and fast ioyned them one with another, and coupled them all to himselfe, through his exceeding charitie, spreading it selfe and ouer­shadowing them all, that in all good things, as also in their euill afflictions and sorrowes Christ himselfe with all his members do partake and common together, according as by himselfe is affirmed in his word, that whatsoeuer is done to the least & lowest of his mem­bers in his said mysticall body, be it good or euill, it is done vnto him, he being the head of that body frō whence euery member draweth his life and fee­ling: [Page 234] for how can a man offend the least part of the body, being a liuely and quicke member, and the whole body and head not feele it: and what suffer­eth the furthest part of the foot, that the whole body and head suffereth not, seeing that it is the head that giueth motion sense and perfect feeling to all the body & euery member of the same? and what suffereth the furthest, lowest and least part of the foot that the whole body and head suffereth not: and what benefite also can be done vnto a­ny litle part of the foot, in which all the body, and specially the head, taketh not comfort and reioyceth? So then if any one member be feeble and weake in faith, yet the churches faith, which is the company of all the faithfull, ioyned to and with their head is stable, and as­sured strong: and if the repentance of some one member be suddaine, small and short, yet the repentance and sor­rowes of the church ioyned with her head, is plentifull, deepe, large and suf­ficient, [Page 235] whereof this short and suddaine repentant, this poore and little, but yet truly greeued member hath communi­on: if the loue and charitie of any one member be languishing and faint, but yet true and vnfained, yet the loue of the church, and spouse and head of the church, whereunto that member with all the rest is laced and lincked, is infi­nite, exceeding feruent and strong, of whose infinite loue, the weakest & fee­blest hath as full partaking & commu­nion as the strongest lastly, if any one member bee spotted and stained, and defiled with the filthines of sinne, yet the head and rest of the members to which it is ioyned, by a true though ne­uer so little and weake faith, and in whom it reioyceth through the bond of true and vnfained loue, though ne­uer so languishing, faint and cold loue, springing of that weake, and yet true faith; this head, I say, Iesus Christ, through whom it hath communion with the rest of the members, and par­taketh [Page 236] of all that the head and the rest of the members haue from the head, are faire and beautifull: by which faith and loue, flowing of the same, through the speciall and alone working of the holy Ghost, whatsoeuer the head or a­ny of the members haue had, haue, or shall haue by distributiō of grace, from the head, is made common to the beau­tifying of the weakest, feeblest, the most defiled and fowlest member: for so the head hath distributed to all the mem­bers to helpe one another, that the most honest parts doe couer, keepe, and ho­nour the lesse honest, according as the Apostle affirmeth. To all the true belee­uers then that haue true faith, true cha­ritie, & true honesty without hypocri­sie, though neuer so weake, cold, and smal in comparison of others, the faith, the charitie, the prayers, the fastings, the almes deeds, the vertue; the tempe­rāce, the patience, the chastitie, the cleā ­nes, the weakenes, the brotherly kind­nes, the loue, and whatsoeuer else may [Page 237] be named of the benefits and graces of the head our Sauiour Iesus Christ, or distributed by him, by any speciall grace, to the beautifying of any the members, redoundeth to the comfort, benefitting, and honesting of the least, and lowest of the faithfull in the mysti­call body of Christ. For what grace or benefit can bee in the head, whereof all the members receiue not comfort, seing they are made partakers therof? To cō ­clude, such is the comfort of the least and lowest of the faithfull in this mysti­call body of Christ, that no penne nor tongue in this life, can serue to expresse it, neither any heart able fully to con­ceiue it; the full knowledge and feeling whereof, is laid vp for the life to come, forasmuch as no heart is strong nor large enough to conceiue or beare the ioy thereof in this mortall life. Out of which mysticall body, being the holie church of God, the spouse and bodie of Christ, flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones, there is no saluation, forgiuenes [Page 238] of sinne, or soules health to bee found, hoped or looked for; and in this bodie whereof Christ is the head, there is no condemnation to any the faithfull and true beleeuers, how greeuous soeuer their sinnes seeme vnto them: so that if S [...]tan doe summon any of them, to an­swere for their debts and sinnes in that the wife is no person to be sued, but the husband, euery of the faithfull may wel bid him enter his action against their husband Christ, and he will make him a sufficient answere: for being once knit by a true & liuely faith vnto this head, and body of Christ, there shall no sinne so farre preuaile, as to haue full domini­on ouer them, and be able euer to sepa­rate them from the loue, fauour, grace, benefits and mercies of God, which are in Christ Iesus, both for that they haue communion, partaking and fellowship of Christ himselfe, and of all the bene­fits of his suffering and passion, being made partakers also of all his vertues and graces, and through him, of all the [Page 239] good, vertues, and holinesse distri­buted or to bee distributed by him, to all or any member that euer hath beene, is, or shalbe of his said mysticall body the church; so that the whole church doth still pray for them by Christs cōmandement, Forgiue vs our sinnes, lead vs not into temptation, de­liuer vs from euill; yea Christ himselfe being their head their redeemer, their Sauiour, their onely stay, and cause of al this comfort, doth pray for them, and whatsoeuer is euill in them, that hee ta­keth away, and whatsoeuer is good in them, that he taketh and distributeth a­mongst them, and through his owne vertue and power purgeth and clean­seth them from all their vncleannes, & filthines both of body and soule. being true mēbers of his said mystical body, as all and euery one is indeed, and with­out all doubt, hauing neuer so little of true saith, which faith is not as a cause, but as a certificate or instrument giuen them of God, whereby the faithfull [Page 240] themselues may bee certaine of their good husband Christ, and therefore when their conscience feeleth it selfe disquieted for feare of Gods iudgemēt against sinne, they may in no wise looke vpon the worthines and sufficiencie of their own faith, because they neuer be­leeue so fully and sufficiently as they should and ought to beleeue; but onely let them looke on Gods grace, eternall mercy, and peace in Christ, so shal they be at quiet when they looke for their saluation, altogether out of thēselues, in Gods mercy, in Christ Iesus; in whose lap if they rest their head, then are they happie and shall find quietnes indeed. The other part of the cōmunion which the members of Christs mysticall body haue, and ought to haue one with ano­ther, is touching the temporal blessings of this present life, who being all laced and knit together by the bond of true charity, they doe, and are at all times readie to communicate, for the mutuall helpe and comfort one of an other, all [Page 241] such temporall blessings as God hath bestowed vpon them for the vse and necessitie of their life, as to pray one for another, to helpe, comfort, and coun­sell one another, in all things needfull, either for soule or body, to minister to the necessities one of another, in a franke & liberall distribution of almes deedes, according to such measure as God hath dealt to euery one: a power and abilitie to helpe and releeue such as are in need, misery, or want either by pouertie, sicknes, imprisonment, or ba­nishment: by which outward deeds of charitie, their faith and loue to God is witnessed and declared; as on the con­trary, by their couetousnes, hardnesse of heart, and vnmercifulnes to the poore, they giue plaine witnesse and testimo­nie, they neither loue nor beleeue in God, what florish or boasting soeuer they make to the cōtrary, according as Saint Iohn affirmeth in his first epistle, and 3. chap. saying, My little children, let vs not loue in word, neither in tongue [Page 242] onely, but in deede, and in truth: & who­soeuer hath this worlds goods & seeth his brother haue need, and shutteth vp his compassion from him, how dweleth the loue of God in him? beloued let vs loue one another, for loue cōmeth of God, and euery one that loueth i [...] borne of God, and knoweth God; he [...] that loueth not, knoweth not God, for God is loue. In this appeareth the loue of God towards vs, because God sent his onely begotten son into the world, that we might liue through him: herein is loue, not that we loued God but that he loued vs first, and sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes: be­loued, if God so loued vs, we ought al­so to loue one another; no man hath seene God at any time if wee loue one another, God dwelleth in vs, and his loue is perfect in vs: God is loue, and hee that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in God, and God in him; we loue him, be­cause hee loued vs first: if any man say he loue God, and hate his brother, he is [Page 243] a lier, for how can hee that loueth not his brother whom hee hath seene, loue God whom he hath not seene? and this cōmandement haue we of him, he that loueth God, should loue his brother al­so. By this instruction of the Apostle in this epistle it appeareth that it is a false, lying, and vaine boasting of any man, to say hee loueth and beleeueth in God truly, when hee shuteth vp all his com­passion from the helpe of mankind, which beare the image of God in the person of our Sauiour Christ, which was both God and man, who present­eth himselfe to vs to bee beloued in them which beare the image of his mā ­hood. For no man can truly say he har­tely loueth the father, but hee must also loue the sonne; and although the sonne be naughtie, and vnthriftie, yet for his fathers sake hee must helpe to better him, and euen lament and bee sorry for the sonnes wickednes, euen so much the rather, seing God hath appointed, and by his holy ordinance commaun­ded [Page 244] that whatsoeuer any true Christian man is, or whatsoeuer hee hath, hee should thankfully receiue it as of the free bountie and gift of God, who him­selfe is the fountaine and full treasure of all good things, the onely author and giuer of euery good and perfect gift, giuing and distributing to euery one of the abundance of his riches & treasures; to this end and purpose, that [...]ach should communicate to other, of the goods they haue receiued, for the supply of each others want and necessi­tie: For which cause euery true Chri­stian man must loue good mē in Christ, and euill men for Christes sake, who so loued vs when wee were his enemies, that he gaue vp of his own life for our redemption; let him embrace the one because they are good, the other ne­uerthelesse to make them good, let him forgiue and pray for his enemies, per­secutors & slanderers, that God would turne their harts, open their blind eies, and giue them true knowledge of him­selfe [Page 245] his word & cōmandements: in whose nature let him see and behold, as in a glasse, the image of his own crookednes & corruptiō; for there is no mā so mad, cruell, furious, or hard hearted, but all other as of themselues are as farre wide from God as hee; so that euery man which escapeth the filthinesse and cor­ruption of the wicked and vngodly, may thanke God that keepeth him by his grace from that or the like impie­tie, as for example, thou seest a man that is a theefe, a whoromonger, and an hereticke, or idolator, there thou seest euen thine owne image and picture, for if God keepe thee not of his merci­full grace and goodnes, out of such vi­ces, thou wouldest be euen as euill and bad as he, and seeing thou art not such a one, glory in God, and not in thy selfe, hate not, nor bee not angry with those which are diseased in sinne, no more than a faithfull physition hateth a sicke man, but rather lament and bee sorrie for their euils, be thou an enemie [Page 246] onely vnto sinne and vice; the greater the disease is, the more care will true charity haue to remoue it is he an adul­terer, or hath he cōmitted sacriledge, or is he a Iew, Turke, Heretike, or Infidel? hate the adulterie, sacriledge, heresie, idolatrie, and infidelitie of the man, and seeke to remoue, purge, and cleanse these vices, wherewith the man is defi­led, and wherin he is wrapped and en­tangled through his owne fault; so that the man may bee saued which God made, let euery true Christian wil well, wish well, and doe well vnto all men [...]fainedly, not hurting them which haue diserued it, but doing good to them which haue not diserued it, accor­ding to the instruction of the Apostle, Gal, 6. & Ro. 12. Whilst we haue time let vs do good vnto all men, especially vnto those which are of the houshould of faith. There­fore if thine enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirst, giue him drinke, for in so do­ing, thou shalt heape coles of fire vpon his head. Be not ouercome of euill, but [Page 247] ouercome euill with good. For a true Christian man must bee glad and re­ioyce for all mens commodities as for his owne, and so to take to heart and be sorrie for an other mans harmes, as if they had fallen vpon himselfe, and to weepe with them that weepe, and to ioy in all maner good things with them that reioyce, as the same Apostle also teacheth. He must not thinke with him­selfe after the fashion of the worldlings, and wicked men, what haue I to doe with this fellow? he is a man vnknowne to mee, hee is a stranger, hee neuer did ought for mee, hee hath hurt mee some times, but hee neuer did me good: hee must, I say, thinke none of these things, but remember onely what Christ hath done for thee, who willeth his kindnes shewed towards thee, should be requi­ted, not in himselfe, which thou canst not, nor shalt not bee able to doe; but to shew such kindnes for his sake to­wards all men, as hee requireth of thee, distributing of such bodily or ghostly goods as he hath giuen thee to the re­leefe [Page 248] of others necessities, euen to the vttermost of thine abilitie. For so doth the holy scripture teach euery christian man, in many places of the same, as Luke 3. v. 11. Let him that hath two coates parte with him that hath none, and he that hath [...]eate let him doe likewise: by which two examples of food and ray­ment, the faithfull are warned by a common care and indeuour, and by a particular speciall care in euery one to prouide, that the necessities and wants of the poore be holpen, and supplied, according as God shall haue delt to them a portion of abilitie to doe it, for so is it commaunded in other places of the scripture, as in the I. of Tim. the 6. chap. Charge them which are rich in the world, that they be readie to giue, and glad to distribute, laying vp in store for them­selues a good foundation against the time to come, that they may attaine e­ternall life and Math. 6. Lay not vp for your selues treasures the vpon earth, where the rust and moth doth corrupt, and where [Page 249] theeues breake through and steale, but lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen, where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt, and where theeues doe not breake through and steale. & Math. 7. Whatsoeuer you would that men should doe to you, euen so doe you vnto them, for this is the law and the Pro­phets. & Luke. 12. Sell that you haue, and giue alme [...], make you bagges which waxe not old, a treasure that neuer can faile in heauen, where no theefe commeth, nor moth corrupteth: and according as God had commanded in his law, that a mercifull respect, and diligent care should bee had of the poore, so holy Toby in his 8. chapter giueth this instruction to his sonne, Giue almes of thy goods, and turne neuer thy face from the poore, and then the face of the Lord shall neuer bee tur­ned away from thee: bee mercifull after thy power, if thou hast much, giue plentiouslie, and if thou hast little, doe thy diligence, gladly to giue of that lit­tle, for so gatherest thou thy selfe a good reward against the day of necessitie, [Page 250] and in the second to the Corinth. the 9. chap. it is thus written: He that soweth sparingly, shall reape also sparingly, and he that soweth liberally, shal reape also liberal­ly; as euerie man wisheth in his hart, so let him giue, not grudgingly or of necessitie, for God loueth a cheerefull giuer and: in 13. to the Hebrewes, the 16. verse, it is said, to doe good and to distribute, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is pleased: & Pro. 20. he that hath mercie vpon the poore len­deth vnto the Lord, and the Lord will re­compence him that which he hath giuen. By all which places and many other in holie scripture it appeareth what loue, tender care and compassion by the or­dinance and commandement of God is appointed to bee had and shew­ed vppon such as are in miserie and want. By which kinde of Communi­on and bond of charitie, all mankinde without exception are vnited and knit together; but of the first none can or may be partakers but onely the faith­full, which are the elect and chosen [Page 251] children of God, the true members of the Church, ioyned to their head Iesus Christ, among which company all the members are so compact, vnited & knit together, that all make but one bodie of Christ, and therefore ought thus to thinke one of another; he is my brother & coheire in Christ, a member of the same bodie, redeemed with one bloud, a fellowe in the common faith, called to the very same grace & felicity of the life to come: how can any then that is a true mēber of Christ, of which body thou professest thy selfe also a member, be a stranger vnto thee, to whom thou art coupled with so many bonds of v­nitie? And as concerning the outward goods of this life, the godly and true members of christ, in whose harts alone this true charitie is rooted by and through the working of the holy ghost do and ought to be readie at all times to make partakers not only their frēds and such as be of the houshold of faith, but euen the wicked and vnbeleeuers, [Page 252] their enemies persecutors and slande­rers, distributing of the outward goods of this life vnto all men in generall, as their prayers, their counsell, helpe and comfort, their reliefe, charitie & almes, whose prayer for the vngodly concer­ning the outward and temporall bles­sings of this worlde, God hath shewed by manie examples in his word, that he hath both heard and graunted, as at the prayers of Moises and Aaron, hee remoued the plagues from Pharao, at the prayers of the Prophet of God, the dried hand of Ieroboam was restored to his former strength; and so will GOD still heare the prayers of his children for the vngodly, so farre as it standeth with his good pleasure and aduance­ment of his owne glorie; commanding his children not to bee like the wicked and vngodly to doe good onely in re­spect of reward, or for some speciall bond of alliance or friendship, as our Sauiour affirmeth that the Publicans & vnbeleeuers doe. Mat. 5. For if you loue [Page 253] them which loue you what reward haue you, doe not the Publicans euen the same? and if you be friendly to your brethren onelie, what singular thing doe you, do not euen the Pub­licans like wise? but I say vnto you, loue your enemies, blesse them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for thē that hurt you and persecute you, giue to him that asketh, and from him that would borrowe of thee turne not away thy face, that you may bee the children of your father which is in heauen, for he maketh his sunne to shine vp­on the euill and vpon the good, and sendeth raine on the the iust and on the vniust, yee shall therefore bee perfect as your heauenly father is perfect: & thus our sauiour hath shewed by this his cōmandement what the true rule of charitie is, by which his children are vnited and knit togither, euen in all things both bodily and ghostly to communicate & participate one with another, seeing from the out­ward bodily participation he hath not separated the wicked and vnbeleeuers, but hath first lincked and tied them al­so [Page 254] to his owne children in the outward participation of the goods of this life. By which doctrine all the children of God are put in minde that they must suffer nothing to let or hinder their charitie in any the outward things & tem­porall blessings before mentioned, but euen to be liberall, pitifull & compas­sionate vnto all, for that they are of the same kinde and flesh with them: & yet neuerthelesse to haue their mindes and eies of their soules lifted vp higher to that communion and participation which they haue of all things with their brethren, the true members of the holie and vndefiled bodie of Christ, who is their head: so that whatsoeuer is besto­wed vpon any one member, it redoun­deth to the whole bodie, and from thence vnto the head, and the head of Christ is God; whereof it followeth that the good which is done to any one member, it is done to Christ, it is done to GOD. Which liuely worke of true charitie, the head, who is our sauiour [Page 255] Iesus Christ, worketh by the grace of his holie spirit in all and euerie true member of his bodie, the Church, the bodie and euerie part thereof draw­ing all their life and feeling, the power and strength also of euerie good and vertuous worke and of euery godly act from the head, to whom all the ho­nour, glorie and praise is due for all the good that is done or can be don either in this life or in the life to come: onely let all the faithfull be quickned in their charity when they feele it to begin to wax cold and faint, by this spurre, that albeit to their fleshly eies and iudge­ment, which is alwaies during this life corrupt and blinde, there appeareth no kindnes, goodnes, vertue or any good qualitie in some one or diuers men, whereby they may bee stirred to loue him or them, but rather causes stirring and prouoking them to a hatred, loa­thing and detestation of their persons, for the filthy corrupt vices which they see and behold rooted in them; yet ac­cording [Page 256] to the rule, ordinance & com­mandement of God, their owne blinde iudgement forsaken, they must shewe themselues enemies onely vnto sinne and vice, not hating their persons for the faults, but hate the faults for loue of the persons, seeking by counsaile, correction and chastisement how to purge and cleanse them from their fil­thinesse, wherein by wallowing them­selues they are defiled, and wherein as with fetters, bands and cords, they are wrapped, holden and intangled: let the faithfull for the loue which God hath shewed them, be stirred and prouoked to succour, helpe, counsell, and comfort all men in generall, not so much for a­ny thing they can see or discerne in thē, as for the loue of God and his mercies sake which he hath shewed them in Ie­sus Christ, let them helpe to beare vp their infirmities, and when they fall let them helpe to lift them vp by admo­nishment, by counsaile, by prayer and good example; and where there is po­wer [Page 257] and neede also require it by corre­ction and chastisement to drawe them from their euils. Further for their bo­dily necessities, let them be liberall & bountifull in distributing their almes, and thus by this which hath been shewed, it appeareth first, that true faith doth certifie and assure vs of all the sweete promises and mercies of God in our coniunction together with the rest of the members vnto Christ our head, and of the communion and par­ticipation that wee ought to haue and shall haue in all things both bodily & ghostly, together with our head: our obedience to the word and comman­dements of God, our true & vnfaigned loue & charitie doth certifie and assure vs, and doth giue witnes also and testi­monie therof vnto others, that our faith is true, liuely, and vnfaigned, our ten­der compassion and mercie our franck harted & liberall distribution of almes doth declare and manifest vnto all that our charitie is true, vnfaigned, seruent, [Page 258] pleasing and acceptable vnto God, and of the right kind which it ought to bee. To conclude, this is that which is meant by the mysterie of vnitie in the Sacra­ment, that all the faithfull are vnited to­gether, with their head Iesus Christ, by and through his power and grace, to bee partakers and communicate one with another in all things both bodily and ghostly, heauenly & earthly: the faithfull likewise, through the bond of the same charitie, drawne from their head, must make partakers and com­municate vnto the vnfaithfull and vn­beleeuers all the outward temporall blessings of this present life; in al which outward temporall things, they must bee as one with them to communicate, helpe, and releeue them, according to the true rule of charitie, and mystery of vnitie in this Sacrament; in which last kind of vnitie all mankind with­out exception are and ought to be ac­cording to the holy ordinance of God in his word, vnited, and knit together. [Page 259] By the similitude of conuersion, the faithfull are put in minde, certified and assured, that as the bread & wine being taken and receiued, is turned into the substance of their bodies: so euerie of the faithfull apprehending and recei­uing Christs reall naturall bodie and bloud in the instance of receiuing the sacrament, by their true and liuely faith are through the operation of the holy ghost, turned into the true nature of his precious bodie and bloud, that is, they are euerie one changed & renued, and made bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, so that from thēceforth Christ abideth in them and they in him, and they bee made one flesh and one bloud with Christ, and Christ is made one flesh & one bloud with them, not by transub­statiation or cōsubstantiation, which cannot bee without the ouerthrowe of his true humanitie: neither doth holy Scripture teach vs so; but thus doth ho­ly scripture teach, that the faithfull are made flesh of Christs flesh by his dis­posing, [Page 260] and distributing vnto them ac­cording to his gratious imputation, the true nature essentiall properties and qualities of his flesh and bloud, that is, euerie of them are by his imputation as truly made partakers of the perfect ho­linesse & wisedome of his bodily per­son, of his incorruption both in will & nature, of his obedience and satisfactiō of the lawe of God, of his passion and sufferings of the curse & wrath of God due to sinners, of his victorie against sin, death, the Diuell and hell, and shall be also made partakers of that immor­talitie and euerlasting happie life, whereunto hee is entred, and which hee hath purchased for them that truly be­leeue in him, euen as verily as if euery of thē were one selfe same bodily per­son, flesh and bloud in reall and natu­rall substance with him; so that now all and euerie of the faithfull may saie and comfort themselues after this manner: In thee our most gratious God & mer­cifull Lord Iesus Christ, each of vs hath [Page 261] a portion both of bloud and flesh, ther­fore where that flesh whereof I am a part doth raigne, there I beleeue I doe and shall raigne; where my bloud hath dominion, there I trust I haue & shall haue dominiō; where my flesh is glori­ous: there I know I am & shall be glori­rious, & although I am yet a sinner, yet I doubt no whit of this participation of grace; although my sins do hinder me, yet my substance doth require it, and although mine owne offences doe ex­clude me, yet the communion of nature which by his gratious imputation hee hath giuen me, hath brought me againe to this grace and fauour. For the Lord is not so vnkinde that he can hate his owne flesh, his owne members, his own bowels, wherof I am a part, seing Christ himselfe hath vouchsafed to bee made one flesh and one bloud with mee & all the rest of his members, the faithfull & true beleeuers that is, Christ hath taken the nature and qualitie of our flesh and bloud, hauing caused all our sinnes to he imputed and laid to his charge, as [Page 262] bearing the person and bodie of vs all, hauing in his true natural bodie & flesh suffered the wrath and curse of GOD for our sinnes, as if himselfe had beene guilty of them, and had committed and done them in his owne bodie and flesh; so that the sinnes of euerie of the faithfull are fully satisfied for, condem­ned and punished in the reall naturall flesh and bloud of Christ, euen as veri­ly as if hee were the selfe same bodily person, sinfull flesh and bloud, and sub­stance of all and euerie of the faithfull. And this is the conuersion & change of the faithfull into Christ, & of Christ into them, truely represented, declared and assured in and by this sacrament & communion of his precious bodie and bloud, as it euidētly appeareth by that which the Apostle speaketh in the 8. to the Rom. and 3. verse. and 5. of the 2. to the Corinth. and 21. verse. God send­ing his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh, and for sin condemned sinne in the flesh. For hee made him to bee sinne for vs which [Page 263] knew no sinne, that wee should bee made the righteousnes of GOD in him. By which words the Apostle meaneth not, that the holy bodie of Christ was defiled with any the sinnes of mankinde, but that he was the true sacrifice propitia­torie vnto God for the sinnes of man­kinde, hauing borne away and taken v­pon himselfe all their sinnes in his own reall naturall bodie, flesh and bloud, as if he himselfe were the particular persō of euerie of them, and had committed their seuerall sinnes, and as though hee himself were the selfe same bodily per­son, flesh and bloud in essence and sub­stance, nature & quality of euery of the faithfull being sinners & transgressers of the Law of God, guilty of the wrath, iudgement eternall damnation & curse of God; from which punishments our Sauiour Christ hath acquitted euery of them by his death, passion & suffering, and all that haue or shall hereafter truly beleeue in him. By which their faith through the working of the holy ghost [Page 264] as Christ is apprehended and conuer­ted into them, & hath borne a way their sinnes vpon himselfe, and the punish­ment due for the same; so are they also and euerie of them conuerted into Christ, and are made partakers of the righteousnes of God in him, according as before hath been remembred: wher­in the infinite iustice & mercy of God most liuely appeareth to the eies, vn­derstanding, taste and feeling of all the faithfull: infinite in iustice; for that no satisfaction could or can satisfie the iu­stice of God for the recompence or re­demption of the least sinne in mankind, but that the same must bee fully puni­shed for the satisfaction of Gods infinit iustice, in the true, reall & naturall flesh of man; which satisfaction our Sauiour Christ made for mankinde, who came downe from heauen and was made man of the substance of his mother, that in the fraile flesh of mankinde hee might take vpon himselfe and suffer all the punishment due vnto sinners, that as [Page 265] manie as beleeued or should to the end of the world beleeue in him, might not perish but haue euerlasting life. For christ in the power of his diuine nature to which hee ioyned our flesh, suffered the wrath, curse & punishment of God due for sinne, which no mortall crea­ture beeing only man, was or could bee able to beare or ouercome, for which cause the sonne of God made himselfe flesh, to the end that according to gods infinit iustice the sinnes of the faithfull might be borne away and fully punish­ed in his flesh: wherein his infinite Iu­stice did most brightly shine & apeare. His infinite mercie herein appeareth, that where the sinnes of the faithfull be fully punished through the sufferings of Iesus Christ for the satisfaction of Gods iustice, it appeareth plainly vn­to them that they are freely forgiuen & pardoned, because in them, as in their owne persons, their sinnes are not nor shall euer be punished, nor any satisfa­ction made or to be made vnto GOD [Page 266] by themselues, Christ hauing borne the wrath and full punishment of God due vnto them for sinne, and quite freed & discharged them, so that neither their sinnes shall be laid to their charge, nor any punishment nor purgation due for the same, required at their hāds. Which plainly setteth forth and declareth vnto all the faithfull Gods infinite and vn­speakeable mercie, whereof this sacra­mēt & communion of his precious bo­die & bloud, is a plain declaration, resē ­blance & perfect seale of assurance vnto all the faithful. But the Church of Rome with her followers, as by the Doctrine of transubstantiation they do denie the truth of the manhood of the sonne of God; so by the same doctrine they de­nie also and abolish the truth of the Sa­crament, and the end of the institution of the same, which was to put the faith­full in mind of the great loue of God, and sufferings of Christ for thē: for so, saith the Apostle, You shall shew the Lords death till hee come. It serueth [Page 267] also to put them in mind of all the be­nifits receiued by his precious body and bloud, who gaue his body to bee broken, and his bloud to bee shed for their sinnes; and by this holy sacra­ment, giueth to all true beleeuers his reall naturall flesh and bloud, to bee their spirituall meate & drinke, to pre­serue and nourish their bodies and soules vnto life euerlasting; and to de­clare, testifie, and assure vnto them their vnion that they haue with him, as mem­bers making one body, distributing vn­to all and euery member, the spirituall graces and vertues of his most excel­lent reall, naturall, holy body; which spirituall and immortall foode of their bodies and soules, is receiued from their head Iesus Christ, who distributeth and sendeth it downe, to the nourish­ment of all his members, euen as the foode of this mortall life is receiued by meanes of the head, and sent downe to the nourishmēt of all our earthly mem­bers; whereof these outward elements [Page 268] are a full declaration, and a perfect seale of assurance to all the faithfull, be­ing by the institution of God, made a holy sacrament, to represent the same vnto them, and by his holy ordinance appointed to carrie the very name of his body; which is signified by these e­lements, offered vnto all, and giuen to the true beleeuers: wherein God of his infinite goodnes and mercy applieth himselfe to the dulnes of the capacities of his children, who without these out­ward pledges (being signes, tokens, and remembrances of his great mercy) would neuer haue conceiued, and would haue beene ready also to forget the infinite benefits & mercies of God, purchased for them by the death and passion of his beloued sonne; which God in his excellent wisedome hath so liuely declared and set forth in these Sacramentall elements, because the re­all naturall bodily presence of Christ did not so plainely make the same knowne and and open to the vnderstan­ding [Page 269] of his disciples, and the Church. For which cause our Sauiour did insti­tute, command, and celebrate this holy Sacrament, whiles hee was yet bodily present amongst his disciples, both for that his bodily presence was not long to continue, but to depart away from them, whereof this Sacrament was to keepe a remembrance amongst them; as also of all the benefits receiued, and to be receiued by all, and euery of the faithfull, by his most precious bodie & bloud, giuen vp to bee crucified, bro­ken, and shed for their sinnes; whereof these sacramentall elements did and would make a more liuely declaration to the senses and vnderstanding of his Disciples, and the Church, through the grace of his holy spirit, working in e­uery of their hearts, then by his bodily presence they were able to conceiue. For which cause it pleased our Sauiour to giue to this Sacrament, the name of his bodie, because in this Sacrament, the true, reall and naturall holy body of [Page 270] Christ is offered to all giuen to the true beleuers, receiued of them by a true and liuely faith, with praise and thanks­giuing, as before hath beene remem­bred. Of which true, real, natural, holy body, the wicked and vnbeleeuers are not, nor cannot bee partakers, either worthily, or vnworthily, as th [...] church of Rome imagineth by their doctrine of Transubstantiation, or as the Luthe­rans imagine by their doctrine of Cō ­substantiation, but comming to this ho­ly Sacrament without true faith, they receiue the same sacrament vnworthi­ly, whereby they eate and drinke their owne damnation, as the Apostle saith in the 11. to the Corin. ver. 29. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily, eateth and drinketh his own damnation, because he dis­cerneth not the Lords body, but reiecteth & despiseth the same by receiuing the holy Sacramēt vnworthily & without true faith. For whē they presume to re­ceiue the holy Sacramēt without a true faith, to be thereby made partakers of [Page 271] the true, natural, holy body and bloud of Christ, they receiue, as Augustine saith, by their vnworthy receiuing the holy Sacrament without true faith, the bread of the Lord, but not together by and with the same, the bread the Lord; that is, they receiue the Sacra­ment, but not that which is signified, declared, offered vnto all, and giuen through the worke of the holy Ghost, by and with the Sacrament, vnto all the true beleeuers; and seeing the wicked & vnbeleeuers haue wilfully put from them, reiected and despised that, which they might haue receiued (if they had come with true faith) they doe wor­thily eate & drinke iudgement to them­selues, as the Apostle saith, for not di­scerning the body of the Lord. Wherby it doth also most euidētly appeare, that there is neither consubstantiation, nor transubstantiation in the Sacrament; for seing the wicked eate & drinke iudge­ment to themselues, by their vnworthy receiuing the holy Sacrament, it must [Page 272] therefore needs follow, that they are thereby no partakers of the true natu­rall bodie & bloud of Christ, of which, whosoeuer eateth or drinketh, receiue life, and not death; for the true natural body of Christ is not iudgemēt to any, but life vnto all that receiue it; there­fore that which the wicked eate and drinke, is not the body of Christ, nei­ther by transubstantiation nor consub­stantiation, but the Sacrament of his body, as Augustine saith; by receiuing wherof vnworthily, they eate & drinke iudgement, for the reasons and causes before remembred. For the auoyding of which fearefull and intolerable pu­nishment, it is necessarie to shew some­what of the preparation requisite to be made by euery Christian man, both before, and at his presenting himselfe to this holy table of the Lord. Before the receiuing then of the blessed Sacra­ment, euery true Christian man ought thus to consider with himselfe: First, by a sound knowledge, and good discreti­on, [Page 273] to meditate and imprint deeply in his heart▪ what hee doth either refuse or receiue, when he presenteth himselfe at the Communion and holy table of the Lord; & what he himselfe is that doth receiue. The thing hee doth refuse, or receiue, in, by, and with this holy Sa­crament, if hee come with a true and right faith, or refuse if he come not so, is Iesus Christ perfect God, that made all things of nought, and perfect man, that died for man-kind on the Crosse. Hee that receiues must remember and know himselfe to bee a man, and not a beast, and therefore must present him­selfe to this Sacrament like a man, in whom the image of God is renued, through the worke & grace of the holy Ghost, all malice and beastlines of sin being subdued. and not suffered to raigne; and in stead thereof, true faith and godlinesse, though not perfect, which is reserued to the life to come, being firmely grounded and planted; lest if he come like a beast, in vnfaith­fulnes [Page 274] and vnholines, hee be found an vnworthy partaker of this blessed Sa­crament, by which meanes he doth not receiue, but refuse and put from him the precious body and bloud of the sonne of God, to his owne iust and e­ternall damnation. Secondly, he must not presume to come but with great de­uotion, dread, and reuerence of heart: for seing Iesus Christ, who offereth himselfe to bee receiued is holy and all holines, he must labour diligenly to re­ceiue him, in as much deuotion & ho­lines as hee may, earnestly confessing and bewailing his former sinnes and wickednes, and making earnest and heartie prayers vnto God for pardon and forgiuenes of the same. It behoueth him therfore in all humblenes and low­lines of heart, before hee receiue this blessed Sacrament, to examine & search diligently his owne heart and consci­ence, confessing before God in the se­cret of his heart, the miseries of all his sinnes and offences, hauing displeasure [Page 275] and greefe at himselfe, with deepe sighings & sorrowings for all the vn­cleanes of his body & soule, lamenting and bewailing that hee is yet so carnall, so worldly, so wilfull, & vnmortified in all his passions, so full of motions, of concupiscences▪ of his sinfull flesh, so vnwary & ill ordered, in all his words and deeds, and so encumbred with vaine fancies, so much enclined to out­ward worldly things; so negligent and careles to the attainement of spirituall and heauēly things; so readie to laugh­ing and wantounesse; so busie in things easie and pleasing to the flesh, so slow and hardly drawne to hartie sorrow▪ and earnest repentance for his sinnes and offences, or to any care of his soules health, being so quick and curious to heare and see the vanities and plea­sures of this world, so niggardly and scarce to giue, so greedie and couetous to scrape together, hold, and keepe; so rude and vnmannured, so prodigal, ri­o [...]ous and g [...]ttenous in [...]aiment, meate, [Page 276] and drinke without all hunger, desire, or thirst to the word of God, the pre­cious clothing and foode of the soule, so attentiue to toyes and fables, so slee­pie to all holy exercise, so lightly dis­pleased and rigorous to reproue other mens faults, so deafe, blind, & froward, to heare, see, or amend his owne faults, so glad in prosperitie, so feeble in ad­uersitie▪ so oft purposing many good things, so seldome bringing any of thē to effect; all which defaults, and manie other which he seeth and beholdeth in himselfe, when hee hath with great sor­row and displeasure at himselfe for his owne frailenes in his secret heart con­fessed and bewailed vnto God▪ let him thē in a full purpose through the grace of God set himselfe to amend his sinfull life past and to profit alway from better to better; and with great reuerence of heart, let him bee afraid as of himselfe, knowing his owne wretchednes and vnworthines to approach and come neere so worthy a Lord as Christ is. For [Page 277] if a man defiled with filthines & stinke, be vnworthy to stand in the presence of a king, how much more vnworthie is any man, as of himselfe to receiue Christ in the precious Sacrament? For why, all our good deeds are but as vn­cleannes in his sight; what are our sins then? neuertheles his goodnes and his pittie is more then al our wretchednes; and therefore with all humblenes and lowlines▪ and with a reuerent dread in a full trust and confidence of his great mercy let him goe vnto him, for his worthines shall make him worthy: let him offer himselfe in humble and hartie prayer vnto God committing vnto him both his body & soule, to be made by his grace, and through the working of the holy Ghost in his heart, a worthy partaker of this holy Sacra­ment, that together in, by and with the same hee may receiue and bee partaker of the reall, naturall, holy flesh and bloud of Christ, through which hee may be purged of all his sinnes, and re­ceiue [Page 278] grace of good life. For why, for that cause amongst other was this holy Sacrament ordeined▪ that a man through offering of his praiers to God, and partaking of this Sacrament should aske pardon and forgiuenes of all his sinnes, and grace of good life, and should obtaine it. If time therefore doe suffer before the receiuing of the bles­sed sacrament, let him meditate or say on this manner. Lord all things bee thine that are in heauen and in earth, I desire to offer my selfe vnto thee in a free & perpetuall offering; so that I may be perpetually with thee in single­nes and simplicity of heart, I offer mee this day to be thy seruāt, in thy seruice: and although I am vnworthy to serue thee, yet art not thou vnworthy to haue my seruice; make mee therefore worthy of that which thou art worthy of, so shall I be worthy of that which now I am vnworthy of: make mee as thy will is, to cease from sinne, that as my dutie binds mee, I may serue thee. I offer also vnto thee O Lord all my [Page 279] sinnes and offences that I haue com­mitted before thee, from the day that I might first offend vnto this day, that thou vouchsafe through thy great goodnes, to put away all my sinnes out of thy sight and remembrance, and to cleanse my conscience of all mine of­fences, restoring mee againe to that grace, that I through sinne haue lost; and that thou forgiue me al things past, receiuing me, mercifull Lord, into the blessed kissings of peace and of for­giuenes: for what may I doe, but meek­ly confesse and bewaile my manifold sinnes, continually crauing mercie of thee for the same; forgiue mee, merci­ful Lord, now I beseech thee; for al my sinnes disp [...]ease mee much, and by the helpe of thy grace I will neuer cōmit them againe, but sorrow for them, and be readie to dopenance and satisfacti­on before thy congregation & Church, to the vttermost of my power and abili­tie for all the iniuries that I haue done, to the offence of thy Church, or to th [...] [Page 280] hinderance and hurt of any my Chri­stian brethren or sisters, by any the of­fences I haue committed. Forgiue me Lord, forgiue me my sinnes, and for thy holy name, saue my soule, that thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloud: I commit my selfe wholly to thy mercie▪ I resigne mee into thy hands, doe with me after thy goodnes, and not after my wicked deseruings. I offer also vnto thee al the good works which through thy grace haue beene wrought or done by me; which because they are few and very imperfect, through my frailtie and great wretchednes, I beseech thee to amend them, and sanctifie them, and make them liking and acceptable vnto thee; & alway make them better & bet­ter, & bring me though I be a slow & vnprofitable seruāt, to a blessed & hap­py end. I offer also vnto thee, my pray­er & peaceable offering, for all them that haue hindred me, greeued me, and wrought me sorrow; and also for all them whom I haue at any time made [Page 281] heauy, troubled, grieued, or iniured in thought, word, or deed, wittingly, or ignorantly, that thou forgiue vs altoge­ther our sinnes & offences against thee, and of each of vs against other; and that thou Lord take from our hearts all enuie, suspicion, wrath, variance, pride, indignation, and contention, and what­soeuer may let charity, or diminish fra­ternall loue that each of vs should haue to other. Haue mercy Lord, haue mercy on all them that aske thee mercy: and giue vs grace that wee may receiue thy precious bodie and bloud, which thou really and truly offerest vnto all, and giuest vnto all thy children the true be­leeuers in this blessed Sacrament, that through the liuely power of this thy holy body, receiued by vs in a true sted­fast and vnfained faith, by and through the operation of the holy Ghost, wee and all thy whole Church may receiue remission of sin and obtaine euerlasting life. And after this meditation, let him vow and promise, & purpose also with [Page 282] himselfe through the grace of God, & by the working of the holy Ghost, [...] ­uer after, more diligently to serue God, for seeing a man is busie to serue an earthly Lord with all his diligence, much more should wee be diligent to serue our Lord God, and to lift vp our hearts vnto him; and to consider the g [...]eatnes of God, and the wretchednes of our selues how great and how wor­thy God is, how little, & how vnwor­thie our selues are: consider also the great loue of God▪ that would take to himselfe, that is so worthy, the fraile & weake estate of mankind, not for any cause of his own, but for the great loue hee bare vnto vs: consider also his vn­speakable and rich mercy towards mi­serable and wretched sinners, who not onely offered himselfe to death for vs on the crosse, but also giueth himselfe to vs in the Sacrament, to be our spiri­tuall meate ann drinke, and to bee fully with vs, and in vs. Wherfore let euerie Christian man if hee haue time, before [Page 283] the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament, say thus in his heart. Lord I know well that al workes and deserts of men, be they neuer so holy, are not worthy to receiue thee, how much more am I vnworthy, that each day sinne, and as a man vncorrigible dwell still therein O Lord, why do I such de pite vnto thee, for to cast thee my precious Lord into the foule pit of my conscience? for sure­ly there is no d [...]g more stincking then my soule is, O Lord what shall I doe? shall I lay thee in that foule place? surely Lord I durst not, but in hope of thy mercies; but I beleeue and am assu­red that thy mercies are endlesly more then all my sinne, and therefore in full trust of thy goodnes, I offer my selfe to receiue thee, as a sicke man receiueth a medicine thou art the most soueraine salue and I am sore sicke: therefore I take thee to bee made whole through thee, and the sicker that my soule is, the more desire I haue to be healed, and the more need I haue of thee, for why, [Page 284] in healing of my deadly sicknes, shall well bee shewed and commended the greatnesse of thy goodnesse, that wil [...] helpe and heale so wretched a creature, and bring mee to the possession of euer­lasting life, through the merits of thy percious death and passion. And thus must wee that are sicke in sinne, receiue this healthfull medicine of the holy Sa­crament, the body and bloud of Christ: and when we feele through it any com­fort to our soules, let vs ascribe that comfort not to our selues, but to the goodnes of God, which so comforteth and refresheth our soules, by feeding vs with his own flesh and bloud, of his own great mercy & grace. & let vs thus thinke with our selues, loe thus doth our Lord vnto vs, to shew vs our wretchednes and miseries, wherein we lie intāgled, vnles we be loosed by him; and to ouercome our wickednes with the plentie of his goodnes; for he ma­keth vs that are dead in sinne, to feele life, and being rotten and stincking [Page 285] wormes to tast heauenly sweetnes. O Lord God sith thou art so mercifull to vs, that now liue in sinne, as to feed vs with the heauenly bread of thy owne flesh and bloud in this holy sacrament, by which foode through the working of the holy Ghost, wee are nourished and cherished in body and soule, vnto life euerlasting; let our hearts from henceforth in this most cherefully re­ioyce, that our God, our spouse, and our loue, is made vnto vs our spirituall meate and drinke, to strengthen our bodies and soules, that wee may grow vp to life euerlasting: the blisle of Saints, the ioy of Angels, the sonne of the highest father, maketh himselfe our spirituall nourishing, the light of the world, the sonne of righteousnes, the wisedome of God is made the foode of our soule, the redeemer of man, the brightnes of heauen, the matter of all mirth, and the Lord of ioy, vouchsafeth for to feed vs with himselfe: what kind­nes, what courtesie, what tokē of loue [Page 286] might bee more. Wherefore since wee haue him let vs not from henceforth suffer our hearts to delight in any crea­ture, for it were a great vnkindnes, and vile wretchednes of vs, after the recei­uing of so worthy a meate, so precious and sweete as it is, to s [...]ttle our selues to the liking and iust againe of the world and of the flesh. Keepe vs therefore sweet Iesus from such wretchednes and vnkindnes, and be thou our meate and our foode, our lust and our liking, and make vs continually to hunger after thee, and to feede on thee with greedie desire, for thy sweetnes sufficeth vnto all the world: & why vouchsafest thou, merciful Lord to feed vs with this hea­uenly bread, and with this so precious foode of thine owne flesh and bloud? what seest thou in vs? or what findest thou in vs? or what profit shalt thou haue of vs? surely none; but thy great loue constraineth thee to doe thus vnto vs: since therefore thou which art the soueraigne goodnes, the whitenesse of [Page 287] endles light, and mirror without spot, vouchsafest thus louingly to come to vs, to dwell in vs, and to feede vs; how is it that wee stincking wretches desire not most earnestly to welcome thee, & deuoutly to receiue thee? it is great shame to vs; but Lord we beseech thee to take away our shame, and to make vs to amēd. Giue vs daily this heauēly bread, & make vs daily to receiue the precious body & bloud of thy son our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, either ghostly, or both ghostly and sacramen­tally through a true, liuely, & vnfained faith so that thou maist continually be with vs, and we with thee, for thou hast so limed vs with thy loue, and so glew­ed vs with thy grace, that we may not depart from thee: grant therefore thy grace, that Christ in vs, and wee in Christ, may dwell perpetually, and that we may worthily beare this name, sith of Christ wee are called Christen. By this which hath been shewed, it ap­peareth how Christs reall, naturall, [Page 288] holy flesh and bloud is receiued, in, by, and with the Sacramēt, wherin, as hath beene also shewed, there is not any con­substantiation, nor transubstantiation. It hath beene shewed also what prepa­ration must bee vsed, that wee receiue not this holy Sacrament vnworthily, whereby Christ is refused and cleane shut out from vs, and wee refused and cleane shut out from him, to the eternal damnation of our owne soules. From which danger God of his great mercy deliuer vs, and giue vs grace that wee may at all times be made thankfull and worthy receiuers, to the praise of his name, and the attainement of euerlast­ing life, through his onely sonne our Lord Iesus Christ: to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour, glory and praise, now and for euer.

Amen.