Against Ierome Osorius Byshopp of Siluane in Portingall and against his slaunderous inuectiues An aunswere apologeticall: for the necessary defence of the euangelicall doctrine and veritie. First taken in hand by M. Walter Haddon, then undertaken and continued by M. Iohn Foxe, and now Englished by Iames Bell.

Masses and Sacrifices.

BUt I returne to Osorius agayne, who, if hadd bene Com∣missary in this case, I know not what aunswere he would haue made to this shoomaker: But this is out of all question, that this Purgatory, whereabout these Catholickes keepe such a sturre, can by no meanes be of any force and power, but that either the Popes Pardons, or these your Sacrifices of Satisfacto∣ry Masses.* 1.1 Shall be by that meanes doughted of, and come into great perill to be vtterly discredited. For if yonr Stationes of Rome (the Pardons of all and euery of the which vpon a iust accompt made) do Surmount to the number of tenn hundred thousand yeares,* 1.2 & againe if the Pilgrimes that come to Rome, to seé the onely heades of Peter and Paule, do obtayne pardon of their sinnes for xij. thousaund yeares: or if the fulnesse of the Romish Seé be of such estimation in the sight of God, as you boast vpon it, y^t it is able to trāslate whatsoeuer soules it listeth sodenly without touch of breath out of Purgatory into heauen, yea and that without any helpe of Purgatory at all: to what pur∣pose then doth this Sacrifice of yours serue, wherewith you doe vndertake (as you say) to pacifye the maiestye of God for the sinnes of the dead? If there be no meanes els to reconcile his fa∣uor, but by this dayly Sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ, of what vertue then shall your popish Pardons be? wherefore ei∣ther must your Bulles of very necessity breake their neckes, if your satisfactory Masses stand still at the stake: or if your bulles be fatt and lusty, you must neédes confesse that the iolly bragges & bigg lookes of your satisfactory Masses will be down dagger.

Furthermore how will that your infallible Assertion agreé

either with the rule of the holy scripture, or with the determi∣nations of your owne Schoolemen? For whereas your great Doctours do call this oblation an vnblooddy sacrifice. which you name the oblatiō of the body and bloud of Christ either they must lye, or els Osorius must neédes saye vntruely. If the Schoolemen say true that it is an vnblooddy sacrifice. I doe demaund them, by what reason it is ministred for the washing a∣way and cleansing of the sinnes of the quicke and the dead? when as it appeareth by the most manifest testimony of the scripture that there can be no remission of sinnes without effusion of blood.* 1.3 Moreouer yf this vnblooddy sacrifice be such an effectuall and soueraigne Balsamum for the curing of the festered woūds of the quick: for what soares then auayleth your Sacramentall playster of penaunce? For if sinnes be washt away cleane before you go to Masse: to what vse shall this necessity of Sacrifice and confession be employed? Doe ye not yet conceiue playnely fine man? into how many monstruous and frameshapen filthy defor∣mities, this your friuolous and apish reason would entangle vs? which neither accord scarcely betwixt themselues, and withall do much lesse resemble any countenaunce or shew of countenaūce with the holy Scripture?

You affirme that you do take vpon you to reconcile the fa∣uour of God by the body and bloud of Christ: But why do you so loase our labor? For all this matter that you now take in hand, is quite dispatcht, and accomplished long sithence. All the coast is cleare here already: the reconcilement is concluded vpon: the olde rotten wall is broken downe: the obligations be all cancel∣led, so that you neéde not to beat your braynes any more about making any Releases: Gods memory is not so obliuiōs, that it can so soone forgett this couenaunt that he made with the late sacrifice of his Sonne except you rubb vp his remēbraūce with your dayly sacrifice: Neither is this attonement purchased of so slender force that we neéd to be afrayd of any such breach of coue∣naunt, as can not be continued without your delicate daylye dayntyes. What shall I say of the nature of the sacrifice it selfe? which (though you would the contrary neuer so fayne) neither ought, nor can be handled with any mans handes, besides him onely, who being cleare from all spott of sinne, did deserue to be

heard for his obedience sake, and who alone (as Augustine wri∣teth) is the onely priest and the sacrifice:* 1.4 the offerer, and the offer∣ing it selfe: And what fayth is there so great in you or what obe∣dience to godwardes? or rather what shamelesse impudency in the sight of men, wherewith you dare presume to handle this so honorable a sacrifice for sinnes being of all partes so polluted, stynking, and filthy sinners your selues? But I meddle no more with your vnshamefastnesse: I demaunde touching the matter it selfe, what reason or argument you can make for any your ne∣cessary vndertaking this Sacrifice? and I desire to be aunswe∣red of you herein.

Forsooth (say you) because God is wrathfull agaynste sinners and because sinnes do dayly boyle vpp and buddle from without vs, therefore a dayly Sacrifice is very requi∣site for the obtayning of dayly pardon. But this pardon is obtayned by our owne fayth in Christ, yea without all your Sacri∣fices: or els the verity of Gods word it selfe doth lye surely: and Christ also doth deceiue vs, as appeareth by the promise made vnto Paule,* 1.5 that they should receiue forgeuenesse of theyr sinnes through fayth that is in Christ Iesu. &c. How saye you to this? shall we now abandon our fayth, that we may establishe your vnbloody sacrifice? for otherwise how can you ioyne the perse∣ueraunce of the one, with the maintenaunce of them both? If fayth do obtayne remission of sinnes, what neéde we then your Sacrifice? on the other side, if sinnes cānot otherwise be washt a∣way, but by the sprinckling of this Sacrifice, then is fayth alto∣gether vnprofitable. But you will say, the very same Christ in whom we do beleeue is resiaunt in that holy Altar: Doth he lye their groueling or looking vppward? what say you Osorius? But go to what is this to the Sacrifice? for if fayth fastned in Christe wheresoeuer he be, do obtayne all our suites at his handes, what further neéde we of him to be sacrificed againe, or of your priest∣hood? Because when as by our ministery (say you) the sonne is offered vpp vnto the father, he can not choose but be fauourable vnto vs, and with his mercy forthwith embrace vs: And there∣fore this Sacrifice is vndertaken of vs not in vayne, whereby we do pacifie the maiesty of God: whose iustice without this Sacri∣fice could not otherwise but be very greuously angry and heauily

affected agaynst our sinnes: But we are otherwise taught by the scripture of God:* 1.6 which doth playnly affirme that we being iusti∣fied by fayth haue peace with God. Rom. 5. To what purpose then neéde we any reconciliation, where assured peace is proclaymed already? But God is angry with our sinnes, This is true: But this anger is alayed by fayth and repentaunce, without all your oblations. But if you thinke that an aduocate must be procured hereunto: we are taught by Iohn that this Aduocate is now al∣ready in heauen, and not in the earth.* 1.7 And he is (sayth Iohn) the propitiation for our sinnes. 1. Iohn. 2.

But whē he is offred in the earth: the wrath of God cānot choose but be recōciled with so acceptable a Sacrifice: Nay rather be ye well aduised hereof, least whiles you take vpon you to pacifie the wrath of God by Sacrifice, you defile your selues by y^e same meanes with most horrible Idolatry: & so prouoke the wrath of the Lord much more sharpelie against you to your vtter destruction, which how much is to be feared on your behalfes, I neéde not to certifie your wisedome with many wordes: Certes what you haue hetherto done, the matter doth euidently declare it selfe.* 1.8 For sithence the first erecting and frequenting of this sa∣crifice amongest you if nothing els teach vs, how you haue paci∣fied the wrath of God with this sacrifice, we may learne well e∣nough by the continuall outrage of the Turke, which beginning very neare about that blessed time, not much after the Pope∣dome of Innocent the 3. it exceédeth all creditt to be spoken, with how wonderfull successe it hath preuailed all this time e∣uer sithence. And withall how many monstruous heapes of mise∣ries and calamities haue burst out together with that sacrifice yea dayly raunge also vnreclaimeable, all good and godly men do right well perceiue, and be hartely sory for the same. Sathā roareth greédy of the pray: Impietie surroundeth euery where: the world doth delight and sport it selfe at our manifold miseries and mischieues:* 1.9 and the olde profane paganisme doth ware dayly I know not how mighty & incorrigible: almost nothing is sound through all Christendome: all thinges be rent and torne in pieces: skarse is any Peace vpon the whole face of the earth: or any peaceable state of life. The Christians lye snorting in secu∣rity: The Iewes waxe euery day more stiffnecked being mole∣sted

and agreézed at no one disorder so great,* 1.10 as at your Sacrifi∣ces, Breadworshipp, Idolatryes, Pictures, and Images, which they doe plainly perceiue to be manifestly repugnaunt agaynst the Law of God. And whiles you shrine your selues like Gods on the earth in purple and Golde, the poore beggerly Churche of Christ (which did once florish and triumph throughout all na∣tions and tounges) is now pent vpp, and thrust together into so narrow a straight, that it is ready to pyne away with anguish and grief, which your Lordshippes receiuing from the old aun∣cient Fathers in very good liking, lustye, and strong, is by your meanes now become carrayne leane, full of sicknesse, and like an olde kebbe full of wrinckles. In so much that if these outragies proceéd as they beginne, you will be found shortly to leaue vs neuer a Church at all, vnlesse the maiesty of God be otherwise reconciled to be mercifull to our despeired estates, then by your Idolatrous Sacrifice.

First whatsouer the Gospell of Christ hadd sometyme ob∣teyned in Asia and in Africa, you haue vtterly loft altogether: Ouer & besides this also, you haue lost Thracia, & all Greece: of late yeares Hungarye and both the Regions of Pannonye: what shall we say to this? that the Venetians were not able to preserue Cipres for all their Masses and Sacrifices?* 1.11 So pu∣issaunt and so many voyages haue bene addressed, so many ar∣mies leuyed against y^e Turkish power, by Emperours, Kyngs, Christian Princes and Captaynes, and most of all, by the pro∣curements and practizes of the Romish Popes: Yet I suppose, that all the meane whiles wanted no Masses and vnbloudy Sa∣crifices through all their Pauylions and Tentes: if at least these Sacrifices could haue preuailed any thing to the appea∣sing of goods indignation: And that I reckon not vpp in the meane time Ciuill broyles, dayly raunging amiddes the very bowells of the Church, Slaughters, Warres, Pestilences, Outragies, Vproares, Schismes, Murthers, Persequutions, Malice, & hartburningnes: What kinde of mischiefe hath euer pestered any Common wealth, wherewith the tranquillitie of Christian Peace is not shaken at this present, yea spoyled and mangled, more with cruell Combatts and tumultes at home, then with any Forrayne inuasions or attemptes? All which ca∣lamities

seéming none other but speciall tokēs of gods greuous wrath waxen whotte agaynst vs, how happeneth that they are not quallified by reconciling Gods fauor with that vnbloudy Sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ, which is dayly exe∣quuted by so many handes of Sacrificing shauelinges, for an attonement to be made of Gods displeasure agaynst sinne? But you will impute the fault of all these Calamities to the disolute lyues, and lycentiousnes of the lay people. Be it as you say: yet the matter rebowndeth back agayne from whence it came. For if God being offended with the wickednes of the people, could not be pacified by you, in so great continuaunce of tyme hitherto: to what vse then auayleth the power and vertue of that reconciliatory Sacrifice betwixt God and vs?

But I am of a farre contrary iudgement to you herein Oso∣rius: whereas the Turke preuayleth: whereas such an infinite heape of mischieues doe ouerwhelme vs at home, and from a∣broad on euery side:* 1.12 Whereas we haue so long endured the vn∣appeasable wrath of Gods vengeaunce: I doe beleue verely that it commeth to passe for none other cause more, then for the very same Sacrifice, wherewith you doe to stiffly perswade your selues that you doe tourne away his heauy displeasure. For the dead (say you) and for such as be departed out of this lyfe, Finally for the health and safetye of all Christian Realmes you doe make a Sacrifice most holy and most honorable of all other Sacrifices:* 1.13 the vertue whereof of you can neither ex∣presse with tongue, nor comprehend within imagination or thought: and doe stoughtly maintayne, that the same ought to be accompted for the most holy, and principall groundworke of all Religion. I doe perceaue you: and I doe cōmend your Catholicke industry, but your Religion surely I can prayse by no meanes. For what neéded Christ to haue sus∣fredd death, if the vnbloudy Sacrifice of his bloud may satisfy for the safety of all Christendome without shedding of any bloud? if it can not, with what Religion is this Sacrifice perfourmed of you? nay rather how much monstruous Idolatry doe you vp∣hold, and bolster out with this one Sacrifice of yours? Not so (say you) but we make intercessions to Christ which suffred his passion for vs, to pacify the wrath of God, in the be∣halfe

of all Christian Nations. Threé notable lyes in one sen∣tence

• 1 First, that which you doe assume of the body and bloud of Christ, is false. For Christ departing from hence, did not leaue behinde him his body and bloud,* 1.14 but deliuered vnto vs a mistery of his body and bloud onely.
• 2 Moreouer the same whereof you treate so much touching your Sacrificing, is as foolish and vayne. For neither was that Mistery deliuered vnto vs to that end, that it should be Sacry∣ficed by thandes of the Priestes: but that all the faythfull in ge∣nerall without exception, should be partakers thereof, and feéde vpon the same: Eate you all (sayth Christ) of this: He doth not say: Sacrifice this ye Priestes: And I thinke, to eate, and to drinke, is not all one to say: as to Sacrifice.
• 3 Finally this also is as vayne and ridiculous: which you doe more then drowsily dreame vpon: that this Eating should be instituted for the health of all Christian Realmes, and for the reliefe of the quick and the dead. For it was left emongest vs for a Remembraunce of the Lordes passion onely, and so left, not that we should seéke for forgeuenes of Sinnes out of the same: but that these outward signes deliuered vnto vs to Eate, might putt vs in remembraunce of that euerlasting remission of sinnes. which Christ should purchase for vs, by the shedding of his pre∣cious bloud. And for this cause, he doth call it the (upp in his bloud, which shall be shedd for many (sayth he) into the remission of sinnes, not transitory remission I suppose Osorius but into e∣uerlasting forgeuenes of sinnes: For other wise if it be a forgeue∣nes Temporall, how will that saying of Ieremy be true? And I will make with them an euerlasting couenaunt: that I may not remember their sinnes any more. If it be an euerlasting Release: what neéde we then any further Sacrifices? or what shall be sayd of y^t your holynes of Religion, which doth make that thing tran∣sitory to vs, that God hath vouchsafed for vs to be vnremoue∣able, and to continue beyond all ages?

* 1.15To be briefe, that we may now knitt vp the matter by that, that hath bene spoken before: Behold here in few wordes the trueth and substaunce of this Sacrament, Iustified with most true and approued Argumēts. Whereunto if you will aunswere

in your next letters to the Queénes Maiestie, at your conueni∣ent leasure, you shall do vs a great pleasure.

• ...

  1. The Lord departing from hence, did carry away with him out of the earth the substaunce of his body.* 1.16

  Ergo. He did not leaue the same substaunce behinde him.

• ...

  2. Christ did deliuer vnto vs a Mistery of his body onely.

  Ergo. He did not deliuer his very naturall body,

• ...

  3. Christ did institute a Mistery of his body to be eaten onely.

  Ergo. Not to be sacrificed.

  In the remembraunce of forgeuenes of sinnes onely.

  Ergo. Not a Sacrifice of cleansing and forgeuing of Sinnes.

• ...

  4 Saluation and remission of Sinnes is promised to them onely that beleue in Christ.

  Ergo not to them that doe sacrifice Christ.

• ...

  5 Remission of Sinnes is not geuen without shedding of bloud. Heb. 9:

  In the vnbloudy Sacrifice of the Masse there is no effusion of bloud.

  Ergo. In the Sacrifice of the Masse is no Remission of sinnes.

• ...

  6. Saluation and free Remission of Sinnes doth consist of the promise, through fayth.

  The Sacrifice of the Masse is not free, but meritorious, nor cō∣sisteth of fayth, but of merite Meritorious.

  Ergo. The Sacrifice of the Masse is vneffectuall to Saluation, and to the Reconciling of God.

• ...

  7. There is no Materiall cause of forgeuenes of Sinnes, but the onely shedding of Christes bloud, and no formall cause but fayth.

  The vnbloudy Sacrifice of the Masse is neither fayth, neither hath in it any effusion of bloud.

  Ergo, in the Sacrifice of the Masse there is neither Materiall nor Formall cause of Remission of Sinnes.

• ...

  8. The Sacrifices that doe not cease to be offred for Sinnes, doe not satisfie for Sinnes: Heb. 10. The oblatiōs of the Lawe can neuer make the receauers thereof perfect, for if they could, they would neuer haue ceased to be offred. &c.

  The Sacrifices of the Altar doe not cease to be offred.

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doth name it,* 1.17 a Sacramentall ministration. In Clement it is called a representation of the kingly body of Christ. Others doe call it a signe of a true Sacrifice: sometymes it is called the Sa∣crifice of prayer and thankesgeuyng, by a certein mysticall fi∣gure of speakyng. As in a certein place Ambrose doth call our Soules Altares. Where writyng of virgines: I dare boldly af∣firme (sayth he) that your Soules are Altares: In the which Christ is dayly offred for the redemption of the body: Not bycause our Soules be Altares: or that y^e flesh of Christ is naturally or ma∣terially offered of vs: but these sayinges are to be taken in the same sence, as many other like sayings of the old writers are to be vnderstanded. As where Ierome writeth on this wise: That which was borne of the Virgine, is dayly borne vnto vs: Christ is Crucified vnto vs dayly. &c.* 1.18 After the same maner also doth Augustine speake: Then is Christ dayly slayne to euery of vs, whē we beleeue in him that he was slayne.* 1.19 And the same Augustine in an other place vpon the wordes of the Lord. Christ doth ryse a∣gayne dayly vnto thee.* 1.20 And in his 10. booke De Ciuit ate Dei, Cap. 5. God is not delighted in the Sacrifices of slayne beastes, but of a slayne hart. Euen as Chrisostome speaketh likewise. In the ho∣ly mysteries the death of Christ is executed. Besides this also as Gregory de Consecrat. Dist. 2. Christ doth dye agayne in this my∣stery. &c.* 1.21 And yet is there no man so senselesse to say, that Christ is borne euery day, or is Crucified, & ryseth agayne oftentymes: or that his death is executed in the mysteries accordyng to y^e ve∣ry substaunce thereof. But these be figuratiue, and vnproper kyndes of speaches, wherein is celebrated a certein mysticall ex∣ecution of those thynges for a Remembraunce: so that y^e thyngs them selues be not present properly, which were long sithence fi∣nished, but are representations by certein applyable resemblaū∣ces of thinges signified onely: whereby our fayth may as it were from hād to hand, be admonished by the application of these out∣ward signes, what was accomplished before spiritually for vs, in that most excellent Sacrifice of Christ.

Euē as the Natiō of the Hebrues were sometyme fedd with the visible Manna, & as our bodyes are at this present strengh∣thened with dayly food of nourishyng sustenaunce, which would otherwise perish through want: Semblably bycause there can

be no saluation for our forlorne nature, besides y^e bloud of Christ: Christ is therfore worthely called, the bread of our lyfe, and the foode of y^e world: whereby the bodies are not fed for a few yeares, but y^e soules are nourished to euerlastyng lyfe: And for this cause Christ takyng an occasion of their communication which were cōferryng together of Manna,* 1.22 and the eatyng of his flesh not vn∣aptly alluding to that heauenly banquett in Moyses (which dyd refresh the hunger of the body for a tyme) did call him selfe bread in deéde, and spake the same also truly: And why truly? bycause he is truly and in deéde the bread and foode of lyfe, not onely of this trāsitory and temporall lyfe, but of euerlastyng lyfe: not this lyfe onely, which we doe now enioy in this world: but which we shall lyue much more truly in the world to come. And for this cause purposing euen then to suffer death for vs, he did note vn∣to vs his body and bloud vnder the names of bread & wyne.This is my body (sayth he) This is the cuppe of my bloud: Not bycause that bread and that cuppe were chaunged into his body, and his bloud naturally, substauncially, and in deéde: but bycause he could not before his death represent vnto vs, the force and effica∣cy of that euerlastyng and spirituall Sacrifice, by any more apt similitude, or application of any other likenes, which might con∣tinually preserue the remembraunce of him in our hartes after his death. And therefore gaue vs in commaundement, that we should celebrate the same perpetually, & receaue those elemētes for an euerlastyng memoriall of that Sacrifice: and not to be sa∣crificed for the expiation of Sinnes. Take (sayth he) Eate ye all of this. In which wordes he doth call vpon not y^e Priests onely: but inuiteth all the faythfull ingenerall without exceptiō as it were to a generall banquett, alluryng all men to follow his example herein. Which thyng we do diligently and carefully obserue at this present, accordyng to his prescript commaundement, and our dutyfull obedience not in corners, mumblyng vpp priuate Masses, but in our publique Congregatiōs & assemblyes. We do eate: we do not Sacrifice: we do drinke: we do not purge by Sacrifice.* 1.23 Moreouer we do not eate with our teéth onely, but much more effectually with our harts: not the body: but with the body: that so we be nourished both wayes. With our bodies we do receaue the outwarde elementes in deéde, in a thankefull

memoriall of the Lordes body offred: But with our fayth & harts we do receaue and embrace,* 1.24 not the visible signes and elements onely, but the truth of the body and bloud of Christ, & the whole vertue and efficacy of the same Sacrament.

And this is the order of our Communions Osorius. In the which we do neither eate y^e Sacramētall bread without Christ, nor Christ w^tout the Sacramentall bread. For we do not rende these in peéces after your guise: but we do ioyne both together, the one with y^e other, though we receaue them not both after one maner. That which the soule doth feéde vpon, is not bread, but Christ:* 1.25 That which is receaued into the mouth, and passeth downe into the bowels is not the naturall & reall body of Christ, but bread. And yet in respect of the signifieng mysterie, it is not bread, nor do we eate it for bread, but for the body of Christ: And therefore this mystery doth reteigne in deéde y^e name of the body, but in substaunce the nature of bread, and not of the body. For what man hath bene euer of so Sauadge a nature, as could not perceaue that mans flesh is no conuenient foode for mans body? what Nation hath bene euer so cruell & barbarous, as to be ser∣ued at his table with mans bloud, were it neuer so delicately roa∣sted and spiced? And what shall we say? that Scripture it selfe doth not permitt this by any meanes, that men shall feede vpon mens flesh and bloud: Gene. 9.* 1.26 And in an other place, you shall not feede vpon the flesh of all beastes, as well foule as foure footed cat∣tell: Leuit. 7.* 1.27 And agayne. No soule emōgest you nor of the Straū∣gers that doe soiourne emongest you shall eate bloud:* 1.28 If the will of God were such, that it might not be lawfull for his people to feéde vpon the bloud of beastes: how much rather do ye suppose y^t we are restrayned by the same cōmaundement frō eating of mās flesh? Moreouer whereas Christ him selfe doth confesse that he was sent downe into the earth for that end, that he should dissolue no ioate of all that the law commaunded, but should accom∣plish euery title thereof to the vttermost, by what reason could he geue an oblation of his body and bloud at his Supper for a Sa∣crifice,* 1.29 to be eaten and dronken without breache of the commaū∣dement of that law, which is expressed in the 6. Chap. of Leuit. in these wordes? The oblation that is geuen for sinne (sayth he) the bloud whereof is brought into the Tabernacle of wittnesse, to

make satisfaction in the Sanctuarye shall not be eaten, but be burnt and consumed with fryer. &c.

But here I suppose myne opposed aduersary will seeke af∣ter a knott in a Bullrush as the Prouerbe is: Whereas Christ was able to doe all thinges by the assent and word of his omnipotency: And whereas the same Christ also did af∣firme the same to be his body and bloud, then must one of these two be graūnted of very necessitye: that either we must discreditt Christ his wordes, and abase the omnipo∣tency of God, or els we must needes establishe a true obla∣tion of the body and bloud of Christ in the Supper. If all the sayings of Christ howsoeuer vttered, and spoken by the Lord, must be done and performed in the selfe same order and effectu∣alnesse that he spake them, and if all thinges must be drawen to the killing letter: you haue then woonn the Spurres. But then what shall become of that spirite and lyfe of y^e Letter, where vn∣to the commaundement of the Gospel doth require vs to apply, Iohn. 6?* 1.30 whereunto shall Augustines rule serue? which willing vs to leaue the Letter, doth force vs to a deeper consideration, as often as an absurditie can not auoyded, without a necessary Al∣legory, if you be of this mynde that we ought to be driuen from such lyke Allegoricall, and figuratiue speéches of lyke significa∣tiōs. But what is this els, then to noozell vpp a Grammarian, not a Deuine? And by this meanes withall into how many sens∣lesse absurdityes shall you force vs, horrible and abhominable to be spoken with toungue? We doe in a certein place heare the Lord speakyng playnely and sensibly enough. I haue sayd you are Gods, and are all the Sonnes of the highest:* 1.31 If you regard the wordes onely, what can be spoken more playnely. I haue sayd (sayth he.) If the outward sence of the Letter doe force such an inuiolable creditt: what remaineth, but that we say, y^e men must forthw^t degēder frō naturall mē into Gods? Agayne where we heare Peter in an other place called by the name of Sathan Math. 16. which wordes of Christ if we will interpret after this maner,* 1.32 we must neédes conclude hereupon, that the Pope of Rome is not the Successor of Peter, but of Sathan. Wher∣by I suppose your Diuinitye is well enough certified, how much it skilleth to attend and geue eare vnto, not onely what is

read in the bare letter of the holy scriptures, but also to marke diligently the sence, and meaning of the Scripture. In Gene. We heare the Lord speaking, as is before mencioned: Let vs make light, and light was made. If after the same maner Christ had spoken ouer the bread: the matter had bene out of all que∣stion. Now whoso affirmeth that some one thing is an other thing, doth not forthwith commaund the same thing to be made that other thing which he noteth. It is one thing to make, and an other thing to speake and pronounce. Whereof thone is a chaunge of substaunces, thother is a chaunge of names onely. But Christ now taking here the bread & the cupp in his handes, doth not commaund that they shonld be made his body & bloud, but doth dignify the bread and cupp which he tooke in his hāds, by the name of his body onely: not chaunging the nature (as The∣odoret reporteth) nor casting away the substaunce of bread and wine as Gelasius affirmeth: but honoring the visible signes by the name, and caling it his body and bloud:* 1.33 whereby he might more liuely expresse to our sences the vertue and efficacy of his death and passion ensuing.

For it commeth to passe I know not how, that as often as we are minded to expresse the excellency of any notable matter, we doe not accustome our selues altogether to the naturall pro∣prieties of speéches, but apply sometimes vnproper and bo∣rowed speéches to make the matter seéme more Emphaticall, which thing is vsually frequented, not in sacred Scriptures onely, but very often and much also in the continuall practizes of humaine actions & ciuill societye: Such as haue vsually cal∣led Money the very Synowes of warres: such as haue named Scipio the sword of the Romaines, he that sayd that Quintus Maximus was the shield of the Romaines: It is not to be dough∣ted,* 1.34 but by these figuratiue speéches, they did meane to expresse more then the wordes did emport. The Parents of Tobias, when they named their Sonne the staffe of their age, did they forthwith chaunge their sonne into a staffe of wood?* 1.35 or did they vnderstand him rather to be their comfort of their lyfe, vnder the lykenes of a staffe to leane vnto? Paul commaundeth vs to take the sword of the spirite: which he doth call the word of God. In lyke maner when Christ commaundeth vs to receaue into

out mouthes that, which he named to be his body: why doe we not as truely and in deéde, transubstantiate the sword of God into a materiall sword, as the Eucharist into the naturall fleshe of Christ? If we shall speake after the proper phrase of speéch, it appeareth playnely, y^t the same death of our Lord, (which he dyed for our sakes) did purchase for our soules euerlasting saue∣tye & fulnes of lyfe. And it is not to be doughted, by y^t the Lord himselfe at his maundy before he suffered (foreseéing what was comming vpō him) did long before certyfy his disciples thereof by some significant token. But to thend his wordes should be more deépely engrauen into their hartes, he vouchsafed to en∣struct them with some similitude of sensible thinges, rather then with wordes: by demonstration, rather then by speculation: set∣ting before their eyes not onely a denomination of bread, and wine alone, but also a visible example of a material eating: to en∣struct thereby not our mindes onely, vut to endure our senses to perseueraunce much more effectually. And hereof both the cause, and the originall of the Sacrament begann to spring at the first. Doe ye this (sayth he) in remembraunce of me. Go to then, let vs aduisedly consider what our Lord did in that Sup∣per, and what the Apostles lykewise, and what we also ought to doe: Christ tooke bread in his handes: he brake the same bread: which bread being broken he offred, not to his Father, but to his disciples, not for a Sacrifice, but for a Remembraunce: not to satisfy for Sinnes: (which could not be accomplished without shedding of bloud) but in Remembraunce onely of that bloud which was to be shedd: Doe ye this (sayth he) in Remembraunce of me. And this was the whole order of Christ his action at that Supper. what did the Apostles? they receaued the Sacrament of the body deliuered vnto them: when they had taken it, they did eate it: eating it in a thankfull remembraunce of their Re∣deémer, they gaue thankes. Now if we following their exam∣ple herein, doe not doe the lyke, accuse vs: if we doe the same ac∣cordingly:* 1.36 tell vs ((Diogines) what is it whereat you snarle? Now agayne for your partes, what you Catholickes doe in cor∣ners, either vouchsafe to declare your selfe Osorius or harken a litle, whiles I doe expresse it.

First the Priest doth take the bread sett downe vpon a stony

Altar, taking it, doth consecrate it, the bread being consecrated, he doth himselfe worshipp first: afterwardes he lifteth it vpp a∣boue his head as high as he can betwixt his handes, as it were betwixt two theéues to the gaze, to be worshipped of others: and withall offring the same bread to God the Father, in steade of a Mediator maketh intercession betwixt the Sonne, and the Fa∣ther, beseéching the Father that he would vouchsafe benignely to accept these oblations of y^e body and bloud of his owne sonne. And this doth the Priest forsooth, aswell for the quick, as for the poore prisoners in Purgatory. Hauyng offred y^e Sonne on this wise, y^e Priest doth reteigne him thus offred vnto him selfe: doth deliuer him to no body: but breaketh him to him selfe into threé small peéces, if I be not deceiued: two partes whereof he pla∣ceth vnder his handes one ouer an other, after the maner of a crosse: the third he drowneth downe in y^e Challice: O wondrous and vnspeakeable mystery of the Pope. These thinges being on this wise ordered, this Christemaker taking vpp at the last, this hoste deuided so into threé peéces, two partes he deuoureth vpp, and the third he suppeth out of the Challice: in such wise ne∣uertheles as that not so much as a croome of this supper or apish Enterlude rather cann come to the peoples share: who must be contented to haue their eyes only fedd (as it were in playes and Enterludes) whiles this whipstart alone haue played all the partes of the Pageaunt:* 1.37 and at the last throwing out a blessing from out the bottome of this Chalice, commaundeth his gazers euery one to departe whither they will.

For as much as those things are dayly and euery where prac∣tized by you, & with bigge lookes supported to y^e hard hedg, may I be so bold to learne of you, by what right? by what title of anti∣tiquitie? by what grounde of Scripture? or by what example at the last ye be able to defende this your deuouryng of fleshe, and breadworshypp?* 1.38 by any example of Christ? or his Apostles? but where did Christ euer institute in the Supper a Sacrifice of his body? where did he consecrate bread into his body? or where did he transforme bread into his flesh? where did he lift vpp any hoste vnto his Father,* 1.39 with outstretched armes towardes heauen to pacifie his Father? or where did he make a shewe thereof to the people to be gazed vpon? what did the Apostles? where did they

euer worshypp the bread that they did eate in the Supper, or in their Communiōs? where did they euer inuyte others to any A∣doration of this Sacrament, and not rather to the eatyng thereof onely? where did they Sacrifice it for the quicke and the deadd? where did they euer carry abroad the Eucharist in Procession and open assemblies? or where did they reserue it for stoare? where did they euer defraude the lay people of one part of the Sacrament?

Briefly,* 1.40 how all the proceédinges of this your iugglyng En∣terlude doth varry from the first Institution of the Apostles, how it hath not any partakyng or acquaintaunce with the Commu∣nion of Christ, nor any resemblaunce or affinitie with his holy Supper, Let whole Christendome be Iudge herein: Let euery man that list compare examples with examples, new with old, present with tymes past: what doth all this whatsoeuer you doe, resemble els, then like a certein skippyng and trippyng gesture of some Stagelike Comedy rather, thē a Supper of the Lord? wherein first you chaunged the Sacrament into a Sacrifice: you haue altered the Table into an Altar: transposed mysteries into Masses, and translated eatyng into Adoration, participation in∣to Religion: banquetyng, into gazing & tootyng. The substaunce of bread you haue with a playne Poeticall Metamorphosis trā∣substanciated into the substaūce of flesh: finally you haue brought the matter to this passe, that there is no fourme of a Supper, no nor so much as the name of a Supper remainyng. For what is he that will euer name that to be a Supper, where neither bread nor drincke, nor any kynde of meate besides mās flesh and bloud onely, is sett before the guestes to feéde vpō? which is hor∣rible for any mā to eate that will either follow the rule of nature, or the prescript commaundement of the Scriptures.

What then? will you abandone Christ (say you) from vs out of the Eucharist altogether?* 1.41 and will you leaue no more but bare Signes onely in this most holy Sacrament? For such is the ques∣tion that Hosius maketh in a certein place: & the selfe same now doth Osorius thrust out agaynst the Lutheranes. Whose accu∣sation bycause I purpose to refute, behold ye good Catholick mē that which I must speake both truly and necessaryly. First this quarrell toucheth the Lutheranes very litle. For others I doe

aunswere on this wise. That this doth not exclude Christ out of the Eucharist: but you do banish Christ out of heauē altogether: whiles by the same rule you force the nature and substaunce of his body into so narrow streightes, as it were thruchte into a Geometricall chynker: wherein what do you els, then hale him out of heauen? For one and the selfe same bodely nature in one & the selfe same body, can not be here, and there, at one tyme. In deede you confesse it can not be by nature,* 1.42 but it may be be (say you) by miracle. But cursed be that miracle, whereby the true humanitie of our Christ is denyed, and whereby our cō∣ioyning together with him is broken a sunder. For what parta∣kyng shalbe of our natures with his body? or what agreable proportion of body betwixt vs, If we be seuered ech frō other, in the whole propertie & substaunce of nature? But Augustine a reasonable Catholicke Deuine enough, I suppose, will not consent vnto this that the Diuinitie of Christ ought so to be affir∣med,* 1.43 is that his humanitie shall by any meanes be defaced. Ther∣fore that rayling of Osorius agaynt vs, as though we did dis∣poyle the holy banquet of Christes Diuinitie is some drowsie dreame of some dronckard: for who did euer seclude the Diui∣nitie of Christ from this mysticall Supper?

So is also the cauilation of Hosius in eche respect as slaun∣derous, where he chargeth vs, y^t we sequester y^e body of Christ wholy from the Eucharist. Which is also as vntrue. For albeit we do affirme that the body of Christ is naturally, in his owne propertie in heauē, we do not so exclude him from the holy my∣steries, as that we would not haue him present therein at all: but consideration must be had in what maner he is present. He that doth acknowledge a true presence of Christ after a Sacra∣mentall maner, and vnder a mysticall coueryng, doth not aband∣don Christ out of the Sacrament: but he that reiectyng the my∣stery, doth acknowledge no presence, but such as must be beleé∣ued to be present naturally, and in deéde: the same if he abyde by his wordes, must neédes ouerthrow all the substaūce of a Sacra∣ment of very necessitie. For whereas they do assigne the whole materiall part of the Sacrament to consiste in this, that the flesh of Christ included within those mysteries must appeare discer∣nable to the beholders, not in his proper and naturall forme, but

in an other shape it is a friuolous deuise boulted out of the forgeshoppe of Lumbarde. Which by this euident demonstra∣tion of Augustine is easily ouerthrowen.

All Sacramentes do represent a necessary likenesse of the same thinges,* 1.44 whereof they be Sacramentes.

The outward formes of bread and wyne doe by no maner of like∣nesse, represent any agreablenesse with the body of Christ.

Ergo, No materiall part of a Sacrament can be applyable to those outward formes of bread and wyne.

And yet this notwithstandyng we do confesse, that Christ is present neuerthelesse in his mysteries. But it is one thyng for Christ to be present in a mystery, & an other thyng to be present naturally, & enclosed as it were within a certein place. It is one thyng to beare the name of a thyng, whereof it is a remēbraūce: & an other thyng to be the very same thyng wherof it taketh deno∣mmatiō. It is one thyng to haue a likenesse, & an other thyng to be in the very same substaunce. Neither is it a good Argument, that is fetcht from the word or letter, to the substaunce. Where in the one, the very matter of a Sacrament is to be seéne: in the other, the truth of the substaunce is discerned.* 1.45 Wherein is con∣cluded a fallax A secundum quid ad simpliciter.

In a Comedy or Enterlude he y^t cōmeth forth vpon y^e Stage cladd in Kingly Roabes & crowned with y^e Diademe of a King, the same is not by and by y^e Kyng in deéd whose persō he doth re∣presēt. And yet is there no cause to y^e cōtrary, but duryng y^e time of the Enterlude he may be after a certein sort, called a Kyng: to witt, after y^e same maner, as Signes & similitudes of thyngs, do many tymes obteine to be called by the name, and title of the ve∣ry thynges whereof they be representations. Therefore for as much as the action of this sacred Cōmunion is of this na∣ture, as the which doth no lesse minister the body of Christ, to be receaued by fayth, then the bread, to be eaten by the mouth: these men therfore do not seclude Christ from this sacred banquet, as you seé,* 1.46 but you and your Catholickes rather: whiles you do se∣quester the Allegory from the wordes of Christ, refusing all ma∣ner Type of resemblaunce and likenesse, & whiles you do rende a sunder the spirite (which doth quickē) from the letter that doth kill: whiles you banishe quite away all bread out of the Sacra∣ment:

whiles you teare abroad the subiect from the accidentes: Whiles ye make a miserable myngle mangle and hochepott of the thynges that are seuered by nature,* 1.47 and agayne dissolue the thynges that are naturally ioyned together. Whiles with most abhominable Idollworshyp you doe most filthyly defile the most pure, and chaste Church of Christ, to the intollerable discomfort and sorrow of all godly hartes: you haue brought this to passe by your crafty cōueyaūce, that the people now can neither partake of any bread in the holy supper of Christ, no nor Christ himself, but in steéde of Christ must receaue an Idoll: in place of bread certein Imaginatiue Signes and Metaphysicall Antyckes (I know not what) of formes and shapes hāgyng in the ayre, & to speake the truth at a word, can be partakers of nothyng at all: for as much as neither the body of Christ can by any meanes be vpon the earth without the Sacrament, and you will acknow∣ledge no such Sacrament of the body to be in the Church after any such sort, whenas you exhibite onely to the gaze the body it selfe not to be signified by representation, but in very presence to be sensibly embraced, and beholden with mens eyes.

And thus much hitherto of the materiall poynt of this your Sacrifice: of the which I think, that either neuer any thing may be vttered sufficiently agaynst you, or els that we haue now vtte∣red enough in that behalfe. It remayneth now, that forasmuche as this place ministreth occasion to discourse somewhat vpon this controuersy, that we pursue (as it were by tracing the track of thē) all the chiefest bullwarkes of your reasons (I meane not yours Osorius) which are not worth a Portingall figge: but the squibbes of your coapemates, wherewith they thinke the creditt of their error safely fortified: or with the smoake whereof rather they do dazell the eyes of the simple people, euen in y^e same order as they haue bene produced: least that any thing may seéme to haue escaped vs, wherein Osorius may cauill, that we haue not either garded our defence sufficiently, or not vndermined and skattered their argumentes into powder substantially.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Masse and Popes pardons are contrary ech to o∣thers.
• * 1.2

  The summe of the Ro∣mish stati∣ons doth surmount the number of 1000000. yeares.
• * 1.3

  Heb. 9.
• * 1.4

  Aug. contra aduers. leg. & Prophet. lib. 1. Cap. 18. Agayne vpō the 64. Psalm.
• * 1.5

  Actes. 86.
• * 1.6

  Rom. 5.
• * 1.7

  1. Iohn. 2.
• * 1.8

  What time the Turkish power be∣ganne to preuaile agaynst the Christians.
• * 1.9

  The fruites of Masses and the po∣pishe Sa∣crifice.
• * 1.10

  The popish Religion an offence and stumblyng blocke to the lewes.
• * 1.11

  The Vene∣tians loste Cypres for all their Masses.
• * 1.12

  The tyran∣ny of the Turke is not to be impu∣ted to any thyng more then to the Popishe Masses.
• * 1.13

  Osori. pag. 203.
• * 1.14

  Christ de∣parting hence did not leaue behinde him his bo∣dy & bloud but a Miste∣ry thereof only, and that also to eate and not to Sa∣crifice.
• * 1.15

  Argumēts agaynst the Sacrifice of the Altar.
• * 1.16

  Argumēts agaynst the sacrifice of the Altar.
• * 1.17

  Dionis. Clemens constitu. a∣post. lib. 6. cap. 30. Ambros. de virg. lib. 2.
• * 1.18

  Ierome vp∣on the psal. 86.97.
• * 1.19

  Aug. quest no••i & ve∣ter. testa. lib. 2.
• * 1.20

  Aug. vpon the wordes of Christ af∣ter S. Luke Christ. vpon the Actes 2. hom.
• * 1.21

  Gregory de consecra. dist. 2. quid sit.
• * 1.22

  By what reasō Christ is called the bread of lyfe.
• * 1.23

  A dooble feeding in the Sacra∣ment.
• * 1.24

  How the body of Christ is receaued in the Supper, and how the bread is receaued.
• * 1.25

  How bread and the bo∣dy are both receaued in the Cōmu∣nion.
• * 1.26

  Gene. 9.
• * 1.27

  Leuit. 7.
• * 1.28

  Leuit. 17.
• * 1.29

  Leuit. 6. Christ could not geue his bo¦dy for an o∣blation in his Supper without the breache of the Law.
• * 1.30

  Iohn. 6. August. de doctrin. Christi.
• * 1.31

  Psal. 81. Iohn. 10.
• * 1.32

  Math. 16.
• * 1.33

  Theodoret Dialo. 2.2 Col. de Sa∣cramen. lib. 4. Cap. 4.
• * 1.34

  Tobi 5.10.
• * 1.35

  Ephe. 6.
• * 1.36

  A descrip∣tion of the Popish ma∣ner of Sa∣crificing.
• * 1.37

  Ite Missa est.
• * 1.38

  The popish breadwor∣shyp.
• * 1.39

  How much the popishe Masse doth differ from the Supper of Christ & the vsage of the Apo∣stles.
• * 1.40

  The pro∣fanyng and Idolatrous transfor∣ming of the Lordes, Sup¦per emōgest the papistes
• * 1.41

  The solutiō of Hosius Obiection.
• * 1.42

  The Soluti∣on of the obiection.
• * 1.43

  Osor in his 3. booke. Pag. 183.
• * 1.44

  An Argu∣mēt against transubstā∣tiation.
• * 1.45

  A Fallax a secundum quid ad simplicitur.
• * 1.46

  How the body of Christ is present and not present in the sup∣per.
• * 1.47

  How the Papistes do remoue Christ from the mistical Supper.