STand vppon the wayes, and consider, &c. Hee would not haue vs negli­gent in thinges pertei­ning to our saluation, but vigilant, and painefull to finde out, and to know the truth. He tel­leth vs where to seke, among the Olde wayes. Loe, Antiquitie is one noate, or marke of Veritie. Vincentius Lirinensis saith: there bee three especiall markes or badges, to know which is true Doctrine in the Church, Antiquitie, Vniuersalitie, Antiquitie, and Consent. And surely where these three cōcurre in the church, there is no doubt but there is the truth, there is the Good way, wherin we shold walke. But because truth dwelleth as a stranger heere on earth, and hath more enimies then friendes, shee fin­deth not so much curtesie amongest men, to bee suffered to weare all wayes all these three badges: Therefore the same Vin­centius asketh the question, what is to bee doone, if error doe inuade the greater part of the Church, and bee mainteined with [Page] Consent of the greater part? He answereth that in such case, we must flie to Antiqui­tie. He giueth an example: The wicked doctrine of Arrius had once almost infected all Christendome: Constantius the Em­perour was an Arrian: Liberius Bishop of Rome an Arrian for a time, and gaue his handwriting against the diuinitie of our Sauiour Christ: almost all the Bishops in the worlde did yeelde to that blasphemy: he saith, That in this case, the former time must be considered, what was the doc­trine of the Church, before Arrius began to spread his heresie, & that is the truth. For it goeth not with religion, as it doeth with the statutes of the Realme, and iudge­mentes at common Law, where the later is thought the better: For in religion, the first and oldest is the best. The doctrine of the Church is older than anie Idolatrie or superstition of the Gentiles, the Gos­pel was preached in Paradise by God him­selfe. The seede of the woman shall breake the Serpentes heade, Gen. 3.15. The writing of Moses older than anie writing of the Gentiles, The doctrine of the Apostles, older than Poperie, or anie o­ther [Page 4] heresie. Tertullian against Praxeas, saith, Quod peraequè aduersus omnes haereses preiudicatum sit, id esse verum quodcunque primum id esse adulte­rum quodcunque posterius. This must bee taken as a rule to preiudice all here­sies, that that is true whiche is firste, that counterfeit & false, which is brought in afterward. Truth it is that Basilius saith to Amphilochius cap. 29. Persuasiua sunt quodammodo vetera dogmata, velut in antiquitate canicie quadam reueren­dum quiddam habentia. Olde religion is apt to perswade men to imbrace it. For why? The antiquitie thereof is as it were gray heares, & hoare head, that mo­ueth men to reuerence it. Yet must we take heede, that we be not mooued with the onely name of Antiquitie, that we be not deceiued with a visard, or coloured white heade and bearde. For truth manie times is accused of Noueltie and errour, & much commended for the Antiquitie. When the Gospell of Christ was firste preached vnto the Gentills, it seemed newe vnto them, and they alleaged Antiquitie, for the defence of their idolatrous religion. [Page] Act. 17. May wee not knowe (say the Philosophers) what newe Doctrine is this, whereof thou speakest? And in the 19. chap. Demetrius the Siluersmith, and the Towneclarke of Ephesus alledge not onely vniuersalitie, but also antiquitie for their goddesse Diana. And Lactantius in his booke De iustitia sayth: Deorum cul­tores libenter errant, & stultitiae suae fa­uent, a quibus si rationem requiras per­suasionis eius, nullam possunt reddere, sed ad maiorum iudicia confugiunt, quòd illi sapientes fuerint, &c. The worshippers of false Gods are willinglie deceiued, and flatter themselues in their owne follie, of whom if you aske a rea­son of their conscience, they can yeelde none, but flie to their forefathers, and say, that they were wise men, and not like to bee deceiued. And Symmachus that famous Senator, but sworne enimie to Christes religion, writeth thus, (as Pru­dentius saith Lib. 2.) Si longa aetas au­thoritatem religionibus faciat, seruanda est tot saeculis fides, & sequendi sunt no­bis parentes, qui foeliciter secuti sunt suos. If continuance of time giue autho­ritie to religion, wee must still giue cre­dit [Page 5] to so manie hundred yeares, since the dayes of King Numa, a thousande yeares at the least: and wee must folowe our fathers, who most happely followed their forefathers. Loe, they did not exa­mine the waies of theire fathers, whether they were good or euill, yet would they needes folow them, & thought Antiquitie a sufficient argument so to doe. I reade of one Radbodus King of the Phrisians, a Panim, that when he was persuaded to be­come a Christian, and was readie to bee baptized, and had one foote in the fount, he staied, and asked the Bishoppe, what was become of all his progenitours, and which Way they were gone, that were neuer christened, nor beleued in Christ? The Bishop answered, that without baptisme, and the faith of Christ, he had no warrant, but to say, that they were gone to hell: he pul­ling out his legge againe out of the water, Surely, sayth he, I will goe with them for companie. So a great sort had rather erre with their forefathers, thento embrace the truth, if it seeme vnto them newe. Cres­conius the heretike could say to S. Augu­stine: Our fathers receiued this of theire fathers: Truth, saith S. Augustine. Sed er­rantes [Page] ab errantibus: As the Iewes re­ceiued of their fathers, that the bodie of Christ was stolne out of the sepulchre: but being false at the beginning, conti­naunce of time will not make it true. Therefore if our fathers erre, wee may not folow them, neither is euerie olde way good, but that onely, wherein our fathers haue walked by the commaundement of God, as shewed vnto them by his holy woorde. Therefore the Prophet willeth vs to aske of the old waies, which is good, and walke in it, And Hierom saith: Stand vpon the wayes: that is, vpon the Pro­phets: they be the wayes, that will bring vs to Christ, who is the way, the truth and life, And Tertull against Marcian sayth: Constat id verius, quod prius, id prius, quod ab initio, id ab initio, quod ab Apostolis traditum. It is plaine, that that is the truest, which is first, that firste which was from the beginning, that from the beginning, which was deliue­red by the Apostles. Against which way no Custome though it be neuer so old, may preuaile. Christ said that he was Trueth, & did not say that he was Custome. Cyprian, Epist. ad Pompeium. Consuetudo sine [Page 6] veritate vetustas erroris est. Custome without truth, is nothing else but an old error. And Lib. 2. Epist. 3. Non debe­mus attendere quid aliquis ante nos fa­ciendum putauerit, sed quid, qui ante omnes est, Christus prior fecerit. Wee must not regarde what any man, before vs, hath supposed good to be done, but what Christ did, which is before all. And this in deed is the true Antiquitie, that we must imbrace: this is the old way, where­in the Prophet exhorteth vs to walke: this is the way, which Christ by his Prophets, his Apostles & word hath taught vs, & this indeed is the oldest way. In comparison of which, the corruptiō in Poperie is new and lately inuented, as will appeare, if we doe make a briefe discourse through the principall points of religion now in con­trouersie.

And firste to beginne with our iustifica­tion. Iustification. The scripture teacheth that we are conceiued in sinne, borne in sinne, brought vp and nousied in sinne, by nature the chil­dren of wrath, death & damnation, bond­men & slaues vnto Sathan. The olde way and onely true way to be deliuered from death, and to bee receiued into Gods [Page] fauour againe, is by our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ: Gen. 3.15. Who alone is the seede of the Woman, that broake the Serpentes heade: Gen. 18.18. Who alone is the seede of Abra­ham, Isaac, and Iacob: In whome all the nations of the earth are blessed: Esaie. 53.5. Who a­lone was wounded for our transgressi­ons, Esaie. 63.3. and broken for our iniquities: Who hath troden the wine presse himselfe a­lone, and of all the people, there was none with him: Who in the fulnesse of time, came as it were out of the bosome of his father, toke vpon him our nature, was borne of the virgin Marie without sinne, and in our nature, did not onely fulfill the Lawe of God most absolutelie: (which we should doe, and can not doe, by reason of the corruption of our fleshe) but also in the same nature, did most obedientlie suffer most cruell death vppon the crosse, to that end, that if we effectuallie beleeue in him, his punishment should stande in steede of our punishment, his righteousnesse, in liew of our righteousnesse in the sight of God. This is the old and only good way for sinners, to obteine gods fauour againe. For the Scripture teacheth it: Ioh. 3.16. So God loued the world, that he gaue his onely [Page 7] begotten sonne: that whosoeuer bele­ueth in him, should not perish, but haue life euerlasting, Math 11.18. Come vnto mee all ye that trauell, and are heauie laden, and I will refresh you. Rom. 3.24.25 Wee are iustified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus, whom GOD hath set forth, to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood. Ephe. 2.8.9. By grace are ye saued through faith, and that not of your selues: it is the gift of God, not of woorkes, least anie man shoulde boaste himselfe. 1. Io. 2.1.2. If anie man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father, Iesus Christ the righteous, & he is the propitiatiō for our sinnes. By which places and such like, it appeareth plainly, that the efficient cau­ses, the fountaine and welspring of our iu­stification, is the loue & mercie of almigh­tie God: the matter and fourme, price and merit, is Christes obedience, death & pas­sion: the finall ende is the glorie and praise of God, and our endlesse saluation in Chri­stes kingdome: the instrument or hande, wherewith God dooth reach vnto vs salua­tion from heauen in Christ Iesus, is the Gospell, and the preaching thereof: The instrument or hand, whereby we take hold [Page] of Christe and his merites, is a true and liuely faith in Christ our Sauiour: The fruites of the spirite woorking in vs, and the true effectes of a iustifying faith, are vertuous and charitable deedes. Of which Saint Augustine saith: Sequun­tur iustificatum, non praecedunt iustifi­candum. Good workes followe in him, that is iustified, but goe not before in him that is iustified. If this be the best and oldest way, whiche ascribeth all our saluation wholy to Christe his merites: it followeth, that that is an erronious and lately founde out way of the Papistes, which attribute some parte of our salua­tion, to our owne worthines, to the merits of Saintes, to the woorkes of superero­gation, to the sufferinges of Martyrs laide vppe in the Popes treasure house. For though the sufferinges of Martyrs, be the sufferinges of Christe, and in them Christ doth suffer in his misticall bodie: yet this suffering is not the price of our redempti­on, nor anie parte of it, but his death and passion, and blood that he shed in his na­turall bodie vppon the crosse once for all. Saint Augustine: tract in Iohann. 84. Etsi fratres pro fratribus moriamur, ta­men [Page 8] in fraternorum peccatorum remis­sionem nullius sanguis Martyris fundi­tur. Albeit, one brother die for an o­ther, yet is the blood of no Martyr shed for remission of sinnes. And in the same place: Imitari quis potuit morientem, nemo autem redimentem. In dying, some man might followe Christ, but in redeeming, no man coulde follow him. Leo also a Bishoppe of Rome, in three places affirmeth the same. Epistola. 97. ad Leonem Augustum. Epistola. 83. to the Bishoppes of Palestine, & in the twelfth, Homilie of Christes passion: That no Saint, by his death, did pay an other mās debt. For, that was onelie the office of Christ (as Basill saith) who alone was voide of sinne, and he alone the vnspot­ted Lambe of God, that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde. As for the suffe­ringes of Martirs, they are (saith Leo) Patterns of Patience to others, but merit no righteousnes. And this he sayeth, to the greate impouerishing of the treasure-house of merites, and no small discredite to Popishe pardons. Let vs therefore follow the counsel of the Prophet Ieremy, Stand vpon the wayes and consider. &c. It is [Page] an old way shewed vnto vs by GOD him selfe, that all men ought to read and learne the Scriptures. Christ saith, This is eter­nal life, to know thee the only true God, and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ: And he commandeth To search the Scrip­tures, for they are they, that beare wit­nes of him. And Hierome sayeth in the Preface to the Prophete Esaias, That not to know the scriptures, is not to know Christ. And Chrisost. vppon the Epist. to the Coloss. 3. willeth Lay men to gette them the Bible into their houses, as the wholesome medicine of their soules: If not the whole Bible, yet the new testament at the least. Audite obsecro seculares om­nes, comparate vobis Biblia, animae pharmaca. &c. And he imputeth the cause of all euill, to the ignoraunce of the scrip­tures. Therefore it is a new way lately founde out, that ignoraunce is the mother of deuotion. Let vs therefore folowe the Counsell of the Prophete, Stand vpon the wayes and consider. &c.

It is an old way, wherein Gods chil­dren haue walked, to beleeue that al things needefull to saluation, are conteined in the worde of God. This Saint Iohn teacheth [Page 9] the cap. 20. Many other thinges did Ie­sus, which are not written in this booke: The Sufficiēcie of the Scrip­tures but these are written, that you might beleeue, that Iesus is the sonne of God, and that in beleeuing, you might haue life by his name: Which woordes Cyril­lus expoundeth thus: Non omnia quae dominus fecit, conscripta sunt, sed quae scribentes, tam ad mores quám ad dog­mata putarunt sufficere. All is not writ­ten that Christe did, but so much as the writers thought sufficiēt, as wel to man­ners, as to doctrine. Saint Aug. de doc­trina Christiana. lib. 2. Cap. 9. saith, In his quae aperte in scripturis posita sunt, inueniuntur ea omnia quae continent fi­dem moresque viuendi. All thinges conteining faith and manners, are ma­nifestly set downe in the scriptures. Ba­silius de fidei confessione saith. Manife­sta est elapsio a fide, & superbiae crimen, aut reprobare quid ex hiis quae scripta sunt, aut superinducere quid ex non scriptis. It is a manifest sliding from the faith, and a great pride, either to re­iect any thing that is writtē in the worde of God, or to bring in any thing vnwrit­ten, Iohn. 10.4. For Christes sheepe heare his voyce, [Page] and wil not heare the voyce of an other. And in his Morals he saith, That if what­soeuer is not of faith, Iohn. 10.4. is sinne, if faith come by hearing, hearing by the worde of God, whatsoeuer is brought in be­side the worde of God, is not of faith, and therefore sinne. This olde way tea­cheth vs, to contente our selues with the truth of Gods worde.

But it is a by way lately found out, to clog the Church with vnwritten verities, & to make the traditions & constitutions of the Romish Church, as necessarily to be belee­ued and receiued, as the scriptures of God. Therefore it is good for vs, in this point al­so, to hearken to the counsell of the Prophet Ieremie, To stand vppon the waies, and consider, to inquire of the olde waies, which is the best, &c. It is an old way shewed vnto vs by God him selfe, The marriage of Ministers. that the Ministers of Gods word may please him in the holy state of Matrimonie, instituted in Paradise by almightie God himselfe, the first Priest that coupled man and wife togeather in holy Wedlocke, honoured by our Sauiour Christ in Cana of Galilie, Iohn. 2. not onely with his blessed presence, but also with the first miracle that he did. S. Paule [Page 10] saith, Marriage is honorable among all men, and the bed vndefiled, Hebr. 13.4. 1. Cor. 7.9. and they that haue not the gift to liue continently, are coūselled to marrie. Ignatius Scholar to Saint Iohn the Euangelist, in his Epi­stle to the Philadelphians, desireth of al­mightie God, to be receiued in the king­dome of Christ, and to sit but euen at the feete of those that were married men, and pleased God highly in that holy state: As Abraham Isaac and Iacob, and Esaias, and other Prophets of God: As Peter, and Paule, and other Apostles. Chri­sostome also vpō the Epistle to Titus, saith, That matrimonie is so precious a thing, that therewith a man may be exalted to the high seate of a Bishop. Gregorius Nazianz, in monodia in Basilii vitam, saith, That. S. Basils father being a married Bishop, was nothing hindred thereby from doing his office. The same Grego­rius also in the funerals of his father, sayth, That he beeing a married Bishoppe, was much holpen in his office by the wisdom & diligēce of his wife, Gregories mother. Sozomenus, lib. 1. cap. 11. saith, That Spy­ridion a godly bishop had wife and chil­dren, and yet nothing hindered by them [Page] in his calling, but was so holy that he wrought miracles, Theophilactus vppon the. 8. chap. of Matthewe: Peters wiues mother was sicke. &c. Learne heere, that Matrimony is no hinderance to vertue: for the chiefe of the Apostles had a mother in Lawe. But the Papistes say, that the Apostles left their wiues, when they folow­ed Christ and preached the Gospell. But Saint Paule sayth, 1. Cor. 9. That Peter and the rest of the Apostles, did carrie their wiues about with them. So dooth Clemens of Alexandria an olde writer, scoolemaister to Origines about 1300. yeares agoe, vnderstand the place in the 3. booke. Clemens also Bishop of Rome in the seuenth booke (if it be his booke, as the Papists say it is) sayth, That Peter did carrie his wife about with him, when he went about preaching. For truely if the Apostles, after their calling, shoulde haue cast of their wiues, they should haue doone contrarie to the Canons, that are called ca­nones Apostolorum (of which the Pa­pistes make great account.) The sixth ca­non is this: Episcopus, aut presbiter vxo­rem propriam nequáquam sub obtentu religionis abiiciat. A Bishop or priest may [Page 11] not in anie case put away his wife, vnder colour of religion. And the Councell hol­den at Gangra in Paphlagonia, about the yeare of our Lorde 324. dooth accurse them, that thinke a married Priest, by rea­son of his marriage, may not offer, and re­fuse to receiue, if he minister.

The generall Councell also at Nicea in the yeare 318. dooth allowe the opinion of Paphnutius: That it is Chastity for one to keepe companie with his owne wife. And the sixth general Coūcel dist. 31. decre­eth, That Priestes and Deacons, shall nei­ther at their orders taking, be compel­led to vowe a single life, nor after con­strained to be seperate from their wiues. And Simmachus Bishop of Rome, he saith, as Gracian reciteth dist. 81. Volumus vt sacerdotes prohiberi debeant, ne cum mulieribus conuersentur, excepta matre sorore, vel vxore. We will that Priestes shall not be conuersant with any woman, except she be his mother, sister, or wife. And this to be the old way, the verie glosse it selfe confesseth: Loquitur secundum antiqua tempora. Hee speaketh ac­cording to times long agoe past. In which olde waye notwithstanding the [Page] Priestes of the East Church haue walked and doe walke vntill this day. And surely if the Pristes of the Latine Church had walked in the same, albeit their worldely pompe had not beene so great, yet the god­linesse of their life had beene nothing lesse than it is. For true it is, that is said in the Councel at Basil, penned by Aeneas Syluius afterwarde Pope of Rome, and called Pius the second: Multi saluarentur in sacerdo­tio coniugato, qui sterili in presbiteratu damnantur. Manie Priestes might bee saued in matrimonie, which beeing vn­married, are condemned. The same Pope, (as Platina writeth) had often times this sentence in his mouth: Magna ratione sacerdotibus ablatae sunt nuptiae, sed ma­iori restituendae videntur. There was great cause to take marriage frō Priestes, but greater, to restore it vnto them a­gaine. Alfonsus also the Spanish Frier confesseth plainely, That marriage by the institution of God, is no hinderance to Priesthoode. Wherefore if this be the old way shewed vnto vs by the woorde of God, 1. Tim. 4.3. that Matrimonie is lawful for al sorts of men: We may conclude with Sainte Paule, That to forbidde marriage is the [Page 12] doctrine of Diuels: that it is a newe way leading to perdition, Heb. 13.4. to forbid a thing that is honorable amongst all men: and to wincke at fornication, which is detestable before God: Si non caste tamen caute: To giue a dispensation, to keepe a Concubine, which can not be dispensed withall, and not to permit a lawfull wife, which needeth no dispensation. But let vs stand vppon the wayes and consider, inquire of the olde waies, which is the best. &c.

It is an old way shewed vnto vs by God himself, to direct al our praiers vnto God: Prayer vnto God. All the praiers in the olde Testament and in the newe, are wholy and onely made vn­to God. And so we are commaunded to do. Psal. 50. Psal. 50.15. Call vppon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie me. Christ taught his Apo­stles to pray vnto God: Math. 6.9. Our father &c: He willeth them, To aske in his name, and it shalbe graunted them S. Paule. 1. Tim. 2.5. 1. Tim. 2. That there is one mediatour betweene God and vs. 1. Iohn. 2. If any man sinne (saith he) we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous, 1. Iohn. 2.11. and he is the propitiation for our sinnes. As for praier to the Saintes departed, or to anie Angell, [Page] we haue neither example, nor com­maundement in all the scripture. The Angell Apoc. 19. refused to bee woorship­ped of his felowe seruaunt. Apo. 19.10.22.9. Augustine de vera religione, cap. 55. saith, Honoramus Angelos charitate, non seruitute. We ho­nour the Angelles in louing them, not in dooing seruice vnto them. And of the Saintes departed he saith. Honorandi sunt Martyres propter imitationem, non adorandi propter religionem. We must honour the Martyrs, so that wee make them patterns, to imitate and follow, we may not woorship them in way of religi­on. Chrisostome commendeth very much the woman of Canaan, Math. 15.22. for that she came not to the Apostles for her daughter, but directly to Christ. Vide prudentiam mulieris, non rogat Iacobum, non obse­crat Ioannem, non pergit ad Petrum. See the wisedome of the woman, shee dooth not entreate Iames, she dooth not be­seech Iohn, she goeth not to Peter, but directly to Christ. And in the same place, If thou haue a suite to a man, thou askest what he dooth, and whether he be at lei­sure or no? And thou hearest that either he is a sleepe, or not at leisure, and per­aduenture [Page 13] the seruant will not vouchsafe to giue thee an answeare: But if thou go­est to God thou shalt need none of these thinges, neither minister, nor Porter, nor mediatour. Christ alone, both God and man is the onely Mediatour, both of re­demption and intercession. Augustine lib. 2. cap. 8. contra Epist. Parmeniani, Pro quo nullus interpellat sed ipse pro om­nibus, hic vnus verusque mediator est. He that praieth for al, and none for him, he is the onely and true Mediatour. Epi­phanius: contra Colliridianos. Ne cōme­das de ligno, etsi pulchrum est lignum, non tamen ad esum: etsi pulcherrima est Maria, et virgo, et honorata, non tamen ad adorationem nobis data, sed ipsa a­dorans eum, qui ex ipsa carne genitus est. Gen. 3.2. Thou mayest not eate of the tree (said God to Adam) though the tree bee faire and pleasant to behold, yet is it not giuen to be eaten on: So, though the vir­gin Marie be most beautifull in al vertue, an holy virgin, and honorable, yet was she not giuen to be woorshipped, but she her selfe did woorship him, which was borne of her as touching the fleshe. He sayth further: Sit in honore Maria: pater, [Page] filius, et spiritus sanctus adoretur, Mari­am nemo adoret. Let the virgin Marie be had in honour: the father, the sonne, and the holy Ghost must be woorship­ped: as for the virgin Marie, let no man woorship her. All the Psalmes of Dauid all the praiers of the godly, throughout the whole scripture, are directed vnto. God a­lone. And in deede this is the olde and safe way, warranted by the woorde of God. As for the inuocation of Saintes, in com­parison of this way, is a very newe waye though it be found in diuers auncient wri­ters. But it is a way found out of verie late tyme, to turne all the Psalmes of Da­uid into praiers to the virgin Marie, and to turne and chaunge Dominus into Domi­na, the Lorde into our Ladye as Bona­uentura, a schooleman of great estimation among the Papists, hath doone. As for ex­ample: Where Dauid saith in the fourth Psalme. Heare me when I call, O God of my righteousnes, &c. Bonauentura sayth, Bonauentura his Psalter. Psal. 4.1. Cum inuocarem exaudiuisti me domina, et e sublimi solio tuo mei dig­nata es recordari. When I cried, thou heardest me, O our Lady, and vouchedst­safe to remember mee from thy highe [Page 14] throne. Psal. 16.1. Where Dauid saith in the sixtenth Psalme, Preserue me O Lord, for in thee haue I put my trust. Bonauen. saith, Pre­serue me, O our Lady, for in thee haue I put my trust. Where Dauid saith in the 54. Psal. Saue me, O god, for thy names sake, & auenge me in thy strēgth: Psal. 54.1. Bonau. saith, Domina in nomine tuo saluum me fac, et ab iniustitiis meis libera me. Saue me O Lady for thy names sake, & deliuer me from mine vnrighteousnes. Where Dauid saith, in the 110. Psalme: The Lord said vnto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, Psal. 110.1. vntill I make thine enemies thy footestoole Bonauentura saith, The Lord said vnto our Lady, O my mother, sit on my right hand, &c. And not onely the Psalmes of Dauid turneth he thus, but also the Song of Moses, the praier of Eze­chias, Te Deum, Benedictus, Benedicite, Quicunque vult, and the whole Letanie. And yet notwithstanding these blasphe­mies, Pope Sixtus the fourth of that name, did canonize this Franciscane Frier for a Saint, in the yeare of our Lord 1482. But this is a new way, and a great way about, to turne our praiers from God most mer­cifull, most mightie, most able to helpe vs, [Page] and most willing to heare our praiers, and to poure them out, not onely vnto the dead, (who whether they heare vs or no, we can not tell) but also to stockes and stones, which haue eyes and see not, Psal. 115.5. eares, and heare not, mouthes and speake not, handes, and handle not, feete, and walke not.

But it is true that foloweth in the same Psalme: They that make them, are like vnto them, and so are all they that put their trust in them. Let vs therefore stand vpon the wayes and consider. The Lordes Supper. &c.

The old way to minister the Lordes supper, is that, which our sauiour Christe did goe in himselfe, and commaunded his Apostles to walke in also, set downe in the 26. cap. of Sainte Matth. the. Math. 26.26. Mark. 14.22. Luke. 22.19. 1. Cor. 11.24. 14 of Sainte Marke. the 22. of Saint Luke, and the 11. of the 1. Cor. That Christe, in the same night that he was betrayed, toke breade, and when he had geuen thankes, hee brake it, and gaue it, saying: Take, eate, this is my bodie, whiche is giuen for you, doe this in remembraunce of me. Likewise, after Supper, he tooke the cup, and when he had giuen thankes, he gaue it them, say­ing: This is my blood of the new Testa­ment, which is shed for manie, for remis­sion [Page 15] of sinnes, doe this, as ofte as ye shall drinke it, in remembraunce of me: for as ofte as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe, ye shew the Lordes death, vntill he come. The Apostles li­ked well of this forme of ministring the Lordes Supper, and did nothing swarue from it. They were not curious, nor cere­monious, but the faithfull being gathered together, after some exhortation, they reci­ted the wordes of the institution, and saide the Lordes prayer, and so distribution was made to all that was present. Platina in the life of Sixtus the first saith. Nuda primum haec erant, & omnia simpliciter tractabantur, Petrus vbi consecrauerat, oratione Paternoster vsus est. Speaking of the Lordes supper: These thinges (saith he) were naked at the beginning, and all was handled simplie and plainely, Peter when he had recited the institution, saide the Lordes prayer. Loe: this was the Malse that Saint Peter saied. That which Plati­na speaketh of Saint Peter, the same doth Gregorie affirme was the vsuall masse of al the Apostles, lib. 7. in his Epistle to Iohn Bishoppe of Syracusa. But afterwarde this Simplicity by little & little, began so to [Page] offende the successours of the Apostles, that in continuance of time al was turned vpside downe, the substaunce taken away, and the name loste. First, a litle of the Name: then I wil speake of the Substaunce it selfe. The Names vsed in the scriptures, are these: The Lordes supper, the body and bloode of Christe, the bread and the cuppe of the Lorde, the Lordes table, the participati­on of the body and blood of Christ. Ius­tinus Martyr and Irenaeus call it Euchari­stia, thankesgeuing. It was named also Synaxis, by reason of the assembling togea­ther of the faithfull, to receiue it. And the whole action was called Liturgia, The mi­nistration of the Lordes supper. And a­bout foure hundred yeares after Christe, in the Latine Church it beganne to bee called Missa: The worde Missa. But for what cause, there are diuerse opinions. Some say that it is an Hebrew word, and deriued of Masas: for Mas signifi­eth Tributum, a tribute paide vnto the Prince. And this interpretation agreeth well vnto the Lordes Supper, wherein we offer vp vnto GOD the sacrifice of prayse and thankesgeuing, for the redemption of mankinde, by the death and passion of our Sauiour Christe, as a tribute and bounden [Page 16] duetie, that we owe vnto God: But some had rather haue it deriued of Nasas, whiche is to lift vp: and Nes, in Hebrew signifieth a standard or banner. For this they thinke doeth agree very well vnto their Masse, wherein they lifte vp Christe (as they say) in forme of breade, to be woorshipped of the people, and offer him vp to God the Father, for the soules in purgatorie. And they would faine finde their Masse in the scripture, and therefore alledge the. 16. Chap. of Deutro. Thou shalt kepe a solemne feast vnto the Lorde, with a voluntary lifting vp, Deut. 18.10. or ob­lation of thy hande. The Hebrew worde is Missah. Loe say they, the verie name of our Masse, is in the olde Testament. But I merueile, why they are so fond, to thinke, that this place maketh anie thing for their Masse, seyng that that Missah, which the Iewes offered vp in the feast of Pentecost, was not Christs bodie, (which then was vn­borne) but certaine loafes of breade made of their newe corne, whereof some were le­ueined, and offered vp vnto the Priestes vse? Or why abhorre they in their Masses. Leueined bread, vsed in the Iewes Missah, sith they will needes borrowe their masse, from the Missah of the Iewes? The thing [Page] of it selfe (I graunt,) is indifferent whether wee vse Leauened or vnleauened bread, at the Lordes table. But surely the Popish Masse shoulde come somewhat nearer to the Missah of the Iewes, if they woulde not vtterly condemne leauened breade, nor deny the substance of bread to remaine after consecration. But the best opinion is, that Missa is a Latine woord. And in this opinion is Polidorus Virgilius, Bea­tus Rhenanus, Michael Ritius, Isydorus, Ispalensis and Rahbanus. Michaell Riti­us lib. 2. Of his storie of the French kings, sayth, Antiquitus in vano deorum super­stitione, peracta re diuina, conuersus ad plebēsacerdos aiebat [...]. 1. po­pulis missio, quo verbo potestatem facie­bat abeundi volentibus. Idem mos a nostris etiam seruatus est, vt libo iam li­bato, pronuncietur per ministrum, Ite missa est, ilicet, ire licet. In the time of the olde superstition of the Gentiles, the sacrifice being offered, the Priest turning himself vnto the people said, [...] 1. Populis missio, the people may depart. The same custome is obserued amongest vs Christians, that after the sacrifice offe­red, the minister shall say, Ite missa est. [Page 17] That is to say: Goe, ye may departe. For Missa was vsed for missio: as in Tertulli. Cyp. and Optatus often wee reade, remis­sa peccatorum, for remissio. It appea­reth also, that the whole action of the Lords supper was deuided into two parts. To the first part were admitted, not onely the faithfull Christians, but also Nouices and learners called Cathecumeni, as yet vnchristened: And not they onely, but Iewes, Gentiles, heretikes and notorions offenders. But when the sermon was done, and the Epistle and Gospell read, and certeine other praiers, and the Priest readie to goe to the Lordes supper, then the Deacon cried, Ite missa est. At which woordes all departed, sauing the faithfull communicantes. Of this we reade in the fourth Councell holden at Carthag. Epis­copus nullum prohibeat ingredi in Ec­clesiam, & audire verbum Dei, siue Gen­tilem, siue Iudaeum, siue haereticum, ante missam Cathecumenorum. Let the Bi­shoppe forbid no man to enter into the church, and to heare the word of God, whether he be Gentile, or Iewe, or here­tike, before the Nouices bee sent away. [Page] Then after the communion was done, the Deacon cried once againe, Ite missa est. By which woordes he gaue them leaue to depart, which had receiued the Lordes supper. Of this wee reade in Saint Am­brose, in an Epistle to Marcellina. When the Cathecumeni were sent away, word came to me (sayth he) that the souldiars were in armure. Ego tamen in officio mansi, & missam facere coepi, Yet for all that, I continued still in the office of mi­nistration, and beganne to doe masse. In which place, this woorde Missa doeth signifie the latter parte of the commu­nion, or ministration of the Lordes Sup­per, after the Cathecumeni were sent away. This woorde Missa, so often soundinge in their eares, being the last woorde pronounced vnto them by the Deacon, and the woorde whereby they were dismissed, and the woorde (whiche some, desirous to bee gone, did long for to heare, of all other woordes,) was made so familiar vnto the people, that the whole action by them was called Missa. And after the learned also vsed the same woorde. And as the Deacon [Page 18] did twise pronounce Ite missa est: Firste when he sent away the learners not chri­stened, then when they were dismissed that had communicated: so did they deuide it into two masses. The first was called Missa Cathecumenorum, The masse of the learners or hearers: The other, Missa fidelium, The masse of the faith­full. This I take to bee the true in­terpretation and occasion of vsinge this woorde Missa. For the interpretation, that Pope Innocentius maketh, Innocentius 3. is al­together foolishe. Ipsum sacrificium, id est, hostia, dicitur missa, quasi trans­missa, primum nobis a patre per san­ctificationem, postea patri a nobis per oblationem. The sacrifice or host, is called Missa, because it is sente ouer first from the father vnto vs, by conse­cration, then from vs to the father, by oblation, &c. Loe, he maketh a te­nise ball of Christes blessed bodie, in one day to bee tossed from heauen to earth, from earth to heauen aboue tenne thousand times. For in euerie masse, it is sent vp and downe, and if at one instant some Priestes doe consecrate, and some [Page] do sacrifice: at one instant it is sent vp and downe, which is a miracle, not much mar­ked of the Papistes themselues. But to cease to speake of Nocentius, mee thinke I heare a Papist say: Is the masse so old in deede? And did Saint Ambrose say masse? Yea surely, S. Ambrose saide masse, he confesseth it himselfe, it can not bee denied, his owne bookes are extant. But I adde, that that masse which he said, was not the Popishe masse worthelie ba­nished out of England, but the old masse, & indeed a communiō. The Popish Masse. As for the late Popish masse, it was more hundred yeares in the wombe of the Romishe Church, while it was conceiued formed, fashioned and per­fected, than is the Elephant yeares in the dammes bellie, or man monethes in his mothers wombe. It was not made alto­gether, but patched vp by little and little: Celestinus made that part, that is called Introitus, the beginning of the masse, about the yeare of the Lord 430. Grego­rie the firste made manie prayers in the masse, and appointed Kyreeleson to bee nine times repeated, about the yeare of our Lorde 590. Gelasius appointed Graduale to bee sounge, about the yeare [Page 19] of our Lorde 500. Pelagius, the com­memoration of the dead, Anno Domini 560. Eutichianus is saide to haue made the Offertorie, almost three hundred yeares after Christe. And one Adam de sancto victore, a Monke of Paris the Se­quenties, of late time. Leo the thirde de­creed, that in paine of depriuation, the Priestes should not say masse, no not in the day time, without a candle: and that the altar shoulde be censed with franken­cense, 800. yeares after Christ. Moreouer the holy Canon (as they call it) of their masse, is not of that antiquitie, that some suppose it to be. Gregorie seemeth to say, that one Scolasticus made it. But Fascicu­lus temporum, and Innocentius the thirde, say that Gelasius was the princi­pall compilar of it. So that by the testi­monie of two Popes, (whose witnesses is good against themselues) there was no such Canon in the Church certeine hun­dred yeares, as is vsed nowe in the Po­pishe masse. Polidorus thinketh that no one Pope made it, but that a great num­ber of Popes one succeeding an other, put to their helpinge handes, and made it suche a creature, as it nowe appeareth. [Page] The same Innocentius the thirde is he, which in the yeare of our Lorde 1215. concluded in a Councell at Laterane, that by the woordes of consecration, the breade and wine were chaunged and tran­substantiat into the bodie and blood of our Sauiour Christ. Which ground being suerly laide, they would not stay there, but builded vp still the tower of Babel. For his successour Honorius the thirde, about the yeare of our Lorde GOD, 1218. appointed the Sacrament to bee lift vp ouer the Priestes head, and the people to fall downe and worshippe it, and to set vp their Idoll in the highest throne of maiestie. Vrbanus the fourth in the yeare of our Lord GOD, 1262. did institute that great solemne and prin­cipall feast, called Corpus Christi day, wherein the Sacrament shoulde bee car­ried about in processions in a monstrant made for that purpose, that the people might see it thoroughe the glasse. Hee graunted also, that all they that did fall downe and worshippe it, shoulde haue pardons for manie dayes. And to make all thinges perfect. Thomas Aquinas made a peculiar office or masse for Cor­pus [Page 20] Christi: as Platina, and Onuphri­us doe testifie. Loe, these are the Au­thors of the Popishe masse, and thus hath it bene patched vp by little and lit­tle. As for the masse, de quinque vul­neribus, they will neither haue Christ, nor his Apostles, nor any mortall man, to bee the maker of it in earth: For the verie masse booke it selfe saith, that it came downe from heauen, and was sent to Pope Boniface lying sicke vp­pon his bedde, by the Archangell Ra­phaell with this message from GOD, that whosoeuer, being sicke of whatsoe­uer sicknesse, should cause the said masse to bee saide for him fyue times, he should recouer his health: And if it shoulde bee saide likewise fiue times for anie soule in Purgatorie, by and by it shoulde bee deliuered from thence. This is sett foorth in print in the masse booke it selfe, which was printed at Paris in the yeare of our Lorde, one thousand fiue hundred and six­teene. If any man haue the booke, let him turne to Commune sanctorum, and the two and twentith leafe, and there he shall finde it. But since that time (which was 60. yeares agoe) the light of the Gospell [Page] hath so shined in the worlde: and so discoue­red the darcke cloudes of Poperie, that in the later printes, for verie shame of the worlde, they haue left it out. Shall wee thinke that either Christ, or his Apostles, or Saint Ambrose, or anie auncient fa­ther, did euer say anie of these masses, which either were clouted vp by so manie Popes, so manie yeares after Christ, or sodenlie at once inuented to mainteine and increase superstition and idolatrie? Is it not good counsell, that the Prophet Iere­mie giueth vs in this place, To stand vp­pon the wayes, and consider, to aske of the olde wayes, whiche is best, and to walke therein, that wee may finde rest vnto our soules? That which Christ did, and commaunded his Apostles to doe, that are wee sure is good. But the chiefest pointes of the Popish masse (as transub­stantiation, the deniall of one part of the Sacrament to the lay people, sacrifice propitiatorie for the quicke and the deade, and priuat masse) these thinges were not once dreamed vppon, in the primitiue church. Is it like that the Apostles at the last supper, Math. 26.26. when our sauiour Christ sitting with them, toke breade, and after giuing of [Page 21] thankes gaue them, saying: Take, eate, this is my bodie, which is giuen for you, did once imagine of transubstantiation? Transubstan­tiation. They had bene brought vp in the Lawe of God from their infancie, which was open­ly reade in their synagogues euerie Sab­baoth day. They knew (no doubt) the vsu­all phrase of the scripture, which giueth to the Sacrament the name of the thinge, whereof it is a Sacrament. Circumcision was a Sacrament of the couenant, that God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Ia­cob, and is called the Couenant. Gen. 17.13. Gen. 17. The Pashall lambe, a Sacrament of the passing ouer of the Angell, and is called the Passouer. Exod. 12. Exod. 12.11. The Rocke which did yeeld abundaunce of water to the chil­dren of Israell in the wildernesse, Exod. 17.6. Exo. 17. was a Sacrament of Christe the true Rocke, and is called Christe. 1 Cor. 10.4. 1. Cor. 10. Baptisme is the Sacrament of our se­conde birth: and is called, The Lauer of regeneration: Titus. 3. Saint Cyprian de vnctione chrismatis sayth: Signifi­cantia & significata eisdem vocabulis censentur. The thinges that signifie, and the thinges that are signified, ar called both by one name. Saint Au­gustine, [Page] Lib. 18. De ciuitate Dei, sheweth a reason, Omnia significantia videntur sustinere personas earum rerum, quas significant: Thinges that signifie, doe seeme as it were, to susteine & represent the person of those thinges, whereof they are signes. And Epist. 23. to Bonifa­cius he saith. Nisi sacramenta similitu­dinem quandam haberent earum re­rum quarum sunt Sacramenta, omnino Sacramenta non essent. Ex hac autem si­militudine, plerumque etiam ipsarum re­rum nomina accipiunt: sicut ergo secun­dum quendam modum Sacramentum corporis Christi, corpus Christi est, Sa­cramentum sanguinis Christi, sanguis Christi est: ita Sacramentum fidei fides est. If Sacramentes had not a likenesse vnto the thinges, whereof they are Sa­cramentes, they were no Sacramentes at all. This likenesse is the cause that they haue the names of the thinges them selues: Therefore, as after a certein sorte, the Sacrament of Christes bodie is his bodie, the Sacrament of his bloode, is his bloode: so Baptisme the Sacrament of faith, is faith. Bonifacius did aske this question of Augustine. When an infant [Page 22] cometh to baptisme, they that bringe him, are demaunded, whether the child beleeueth or no? and the answere is made, that the childe beleeueth: How is this true, seing the child hath no vn­derstanding? He answereth, that the childe doeth beleeue, because it doeth receiue baptisme the Sacrament of faith, whiche is called faith or beleefe: as the Sacrament of Christes bodie, is called his bodie, &c. Contra Adima­tum Cap. 12. he sayth: Non dubita­uit Dominus dicere: hoc est corpus meum, cum signum daret corporis sui. Christe did not doubt to say: this is my bodie, when he gaue a signe of his bodie. And Tertullian, lib. 4. contra Mar­cionem. Christus acceptum panem, & distributum discipulis suis, corpus suum illum fecit, hoc est corpus meum dicen­do, id est, figura corporis mei. Christ toke bread and when he had distributed it vnto his disciples, he made it his bo­die, saying: this is my bodie, that is to say: this is a figure of my bodie. Theo­doretus dialog. 1. saith, That the Scripture vseth to giue the name of the thinge to [Page] the Sacrament, and the name of the Sa­crament vnto the thinge. Christes natu­rall bodie is called breade, and his na­turall bloud is called wine: And contra­riwise, verie bread and verie wine, is cal­led his bodie and his bloude. Ioh. 6.51. His bodie is called bread, when he saith: Panis quem ego dabo, caro mea est. The breade that I will giue, is my fleshe. And Tertul. a­gainst the Iewes, Lactantius also Lib. 4. and Hyerome vppon the 11. Chap. of Ie­remie, to the same effect doe vnderstande these woordes: Iere. 11.19. Mittamus lignum in pa­nem eius. Let vs put wood into his breade: which indeed are the wordes of the Iewes, that conspire against the Pro­phet Ieremie, and take counsell to mingle poinsonfull wood into his meate, to destroy him. But because the conspiracies against Gods Prophetes, were figures of that wicked conspiracie of the Iewes against our Sauior Christ, these fathers whom I haue rehearsed, applie that sentence vnto Christe: Against whom, when the Iewes did crie, Crucifige, crucifige, Crucifie him, crucifie him, in effect they saide: Mittamus lignum in panem eius. Let vs put wood into his bread, or [Page 23] fasten his bodie vnto the crosse. Loe, say they, his naturall bodie in this place is called breade. Theodoretus likewise, to proue that his naturall bloude is called wine, doeth alledge the woords of Iacob, Gene. 49. Who speaking of Christ, Gen. 49.11. that was to bee borne of the tribe of Iuda, saith, Lauabit in vino stolam suam, & in san­guine vuae vestimentum suum. He shall wash his garment in wine, and his man­tell in the bloodde of the grape. This prophesie, sayth Theodoretus was ful­filled, when our sauiour Christ the true vine, did sheade for vs his most precious bloude vppon the crosse, which bloude issuing and descending aboundantly out of his precious woundes his handes and side, did washe his bodie, whiche was as it were the mantell and vesture of his godheade, Neither ought it (saith he) seeme straunge vn­to vs, that his bloude shoulde bee called wine, because Christe sayth of himselfe: Ego sum vitis vera. Ioh. 15.1. I am the true vine. Nowe it is certeine, that the iuyce of the vine tree, and as it were the bloode of the grape, is wine. [Page] And as the naturall bodie of Christ is cal­led breade, and the naturall bloode of Christe is called wine: so verie breade in­deede, is called his bodie, and verie wine indeed is called his bloode. For so Theodoretus concludeth in these woordes. Qui quod natura corpus est, triticum & panem appellauit, & vitem rursus seipsum nominauit, is symbola & signa quae videntur appellatione corporis & sanguinis honorauit, non naturam quidem mutans, sed naturae gratiam adiiciens. He that called his naturall bodie wheate, Iohn. 12.24. Iohn. 12. and breade, Iohn. 6.48. Iohn. 6. and himselfe a vine, Iohn. 15. he gaue this honour to the signes, Iohn. 15.1. and symbols which are seene, that he called them, by the name of his bodie, and bloode, not chaunging the nature, but adding grace vnto nature. But why did Christ chaunge the names of bread and wine, and called them his bodie and blood? He answereth, That he chaun­ged the names, for that he would haue them that are partakers of these hea­uenly misteries, not to consider the thinges that are seene, but to haue their mindes fixed vppon the thinges, [Page 24] whose names they beare, and to beleue that chaunge, which is by grace. And Dialog. 2. he sayth: Signa mystica post sanctificationē non recedunt sua natu­ra, manent enim in priori substantia, fi­gura, & forma, &c. The mysticall signes doe not depart after consecration out of their nature, for they continue in the same substance, figure, and forme, &c. Gelasius also a Bishoppe of Rome wri­ting against Eutyches, sayth: Certa Sa­cramenta quae sumimus corporis & san­guinis Christi, diuina res est, vnde & per eadem diuinae efficimur consortes naturae: & tamen esse non desinit sub­stantia panis & vini. The Sacramentes whiche wee receiue of the bodie and bloode of Christ is an holy thing, and therefore by the same are we made par­takers of the diuine nature, and yet there ceaseth not to be in the Sacramēt bread & wine. This no doubt, was catholike doc­trine in the dayes of these fathers, this was thold way, that our Sauiour taught them: But the Papistes haue found a new way, that the wordes of consecration being pro­nounced, the bread & wine are transubstan­tiat into the reall bodie and blood of Christ. [...] [Page] yea into Christe himselfe, yea into God him selfe, per concomitantiam. For so we reade in the Legend of Saintes, added vnto Lombardica historia. Three kindes of power. There are in God three kindes of power, magna, maior, maxima. As for example. The great power of God appeared, when he made one thing of an other, as man of the earth, and woman of the ribbe of man: But the greater power of God appeared, when he made heauen and earth of nothing. But this is the grea­test power of all, that one creature, of an other creature, should make the cre­atour: And this power is giuen neither to Angell nor Archangell, but to the holy Priestes. What is blasphemie, if this be not blasphemie? Surely I can­not tell. God that made all thinges, is not made himselfe, neither can he make him­selfe, for if he could be made, he were not God. And shall a sinfull miserable Popish Priest, in a corner take vppon him to make the maker of all? Let vs therefore giue eare vnto the Prophets counsell. Let vs stand vppon the wayes and consider, inquire of the olde wayes, which is best, and walke therein, and we shall finde rest [...] [Page 26] them, that the people did receiue the Lords supper in both kindes? And so they doo in the Greeke Church vnto this day. Gabriel Biel, a schoole Doctor confesseth, that this institution continued in the church a greate while, neither can he tell, when one kinde beganne to be vsed first, nor how it came in. And Alphonsus confesseth also, that al­though he had bestowed greate paine to know, how and when the people began first to receiue in one kinde, yet coulde he not finde it out. And surelie, it was neuer ta­ken to be heresie, to keepe Christes holy in­stitution, before the Councel at Constantia in the yeare of our Lord 1417. Let vs ther­fore stand vpon the wayes, and consider, aske of the olde wayes. &c.

Thirdlie, Sacrifice. Christ in his last supper did not sacrifice for the quicke and the dead, for the sinnes of the whole world, for that did he once for all, vppon the altare of the Crosse. Which oblation beeing most perfect, nei­ther can nor needeth to be repeated. For repetition is an argument of imperfection Heb. 10. Moreouer whereas there are foure thinges to be considered in Sacrifices (as Saint Augustine saith) Quis? Quid? Cui? Heb. 10.3. [Page] pro Quibus? Who dooth offer? What dooth he offer? To whom? And for whom? Who dooth offer? A Prieste: What dooth hee offer? A sacrifice: To whom dooth he offer? vnto God, to whom onely sacrifice is due: For whom dooth he offer? for men that are sinners. In all others these foure thinges are di­stinct one from an other: First the Priest: Secondly the Sacrifice: Thirdly almigh­tie God, to whom, and fourthly sinful men, for whom sacrifice was offered. But in Christ only these foure did concurre in one: Christ was the Priest, Christ was the sa­crifice, Christ was all one as touching his diuine nature with the father, to whom he was offered, and as touching his hu­mane nature (sinne onely excepted) all one with vs, for whom he offered him selfe. And with this one oblation, hath he made per­fect for euer, those that are sanctified, as saith Saint Paule to the Heb. 10. For the continuall memorie of which sacrifice, Heb. 10.1. and 10. he did institute the holy sacrament of his bles­sed bodie, and bloode, to continue in the Church vntill his second comming, for our full redemption: Doo this (saith he) in re­membraunce [Page 27] of me: And as oft as ye shall eate of this breade, and drinke of this cuppe, ye shewe the Lordes death vntill his comming. It is true, that the olde fathers with one consent call it a sa­crifice: But they expounde themselues not to meane of a real offering, of a reall bodie, really present: But of a Sacrament of that real oblatiō, which he made once for all vppon the Crosse. For as it is called the body and blood of Christ, both in the Scriptures, and in the auncient writers, because it is a holy sacrament of Christes body and blood: so is it tearmed of the olde writers, a Sacrifice, and the selfe same sa­crifice, that Christ did once offer vppon the Crosse, because it is a Sacrament of that oblation, to put vs in a thankefull remem­braunce thereof. Chrisostome and Saint Ambrose doo say, That wee offer vppe Christ daily: But we doo it in remem­brance of his death, and worke a memo­rie of that sacrifice. He was offered vppe once: But this sacrifice is, as it were, a co­pie drawen out of the first originall, to put his death and passion alwaies in our re­membraunce. Augustine also in the 20. [Page] booke against Faustus sayeth, That the Iewes before Christes comming, in of­fering vp the sacrifices appointed in the law, did promise and prophesie of Chri­stes oblation vppon the crosse. Christe when hee died, did perfourme it in deede: and we Christians, now after his ascention into heauen, doe celebrate the memorie thereof in the Lordes Supper. But the Papistes are not content with this: But they say, they haue him really present, and holde him vp, in their handes, in the same quantitie, that he was vppon the Crosse, though not after the manner of quantitie, and reallie offer him vp to the father. They that thus bragge of Chri­stes captuitie, would hold him captiue.

Brulifer saith, Quem totus mundus cape­re non potest, noster captiuus est: non er­go, dimittamus priusquam quod peti­mus obtineamus. Whom the whole worlde cannot conteine, is now our cap­tiue: therfore let vs not let him goe, vn­till he haue graunted our request. This and such like blasphemies, wherin they giue to creatures the honour due to GOD, they call Spirituall daliance. But it is indeede more than daliance: for it is plaine Spiritu­all fornication. Therefore let vs followe [Page 28] the Prophets Counsel. Stand vppon the waies and cōsider, aske of the old waies, which is best. &c.

Last of all, Communion. Christe did not institute a priuate Masse, but a Communion: he wil­led all that was present to take and eate: he commaunded them all to drinke. In the Church of Corinthus and in all Churches many hundred yeares after Christe, it was the action of the whole Churche, wherein many eating of one breade, shoulde bee made one mysticall bodie. It appeareth by Iustinus Martyr, in his Apologie to the Emperour Antonius for the Christi­ans, Cyprian, Ambrose, and the Liturgies that goe abroade in the name of Iames, of Basil of Chrisostome, and the oldest wri­ters, that when the Lordes Supper was ministred, there was some parcell of scrip­ture read, a Sermon made vnto the people, a collection for the poore: and all that was present did communicate. Chrisostome saith, Qui mysteriorum particeps non est, improbus et impudens adstat. Hee is an impudent looker on, that beeyng present, doeth not communicate. This was Catholike religion in those dayes: [Page] But now in Poperie, without preaching, without teaching, without sense and vn­derstanding, in a tongue that the Prieste himselfe vnderstandeth not, in a corner without Communicantes, one eateth and drinketh all. Howe muche therefore are we boūd, to geue God most harty thankes, that hath mooued the Queenes Maiestie, her Councel, the Cleargie, Nobilitie, and Commons of this Realme, that they, ge­uing good eare vnto the Prophet Ieremies Counsell in this place, haue stoode vpon the Wayes, & considered, haue asked of the olde wayes, which is the best? and haue restored vnto vs, the olde, auncient, Catholike, and Apostolike religion, as well in other principal pointes of doctrine, as in the Lordes Supper, and haue deli­uered vnto vs, not an halfe or mangled Sup­per, but the whole Supper, not a super­stitious and idolatrous ceremonie, to tran­substantiate the holy signes into Christes naturall bodie and blood, but an holy Sa­crament instituted by Christe, wherein we feede on Christe, we eate his bodie, wee drinke his blood sacramentally, spiri­tually, effectually, and sufficiently, to the [Page 29] spirituall nourishing both of our bodies and soules to eternall life: Not a propiti­atorie sacrifice for the quicke and the dead, (that greate grounde of Popishe Purga­torie) but a liuely memorie and represen­tation of Christes death, vntill his com­ming. God for his Christes sake make vs thankefull, continue his Truth and ve­ritie amongest vs, and graunt, that as shee cannot bee spoyled of this marke of Anti­quitie, so it woulde please him euen for his Christes sake, that shee may finde suche fauour among men in earth, that shee may weare openly the other two badges, I meane Consent and Vniuersalitie. God blesse the Queenes maiestie, Queene Eli­zabeth, with many and prosperous yeares, conuerte or confounde all her enimies, and giue all vs grace, that bee here gathered togeather for this holy purpose, that wee, bearing a feruent loue, towardes almigh­tie GOD, a dutifull obedience towardes her Maiestie, and her Lawes, and vnfeig­ned charitie one towardes an other, come not to this holy table, for fashion sake to please the worlde, but of verie good zeale to God and his worde: That we receiuing [Page] these heauēly mysteries to our endlesse com­fort, may dwell in Christ, and Christ in vs, may be one with Christ, and Christ with vs, may be made mēbers of his mystical bodie in this life, & in the life to come pertakers of his celestiall kingdome: Vnto the which he bring vs, that most dearely bought vs, Iesus Christ the righteous: To whom with the Father and the holy Ghoste, three per­sons & one true and euerliuing God, be all honour praise do­minion and power for euer and euer. Amen