A reioindre to M. Iewels replie against the sacrifice of the Masse. In which the doctrine of the answere to the .xvij. article of his Chalenge is defended, and further proued, and al that his replie conteineth against the sacrifice, is clearely confuted, and disproued. By Thomas Harding Doctor of Diuinitie.

Harding.

To auoide the crime of wickednesse, he againe falsly accuseth me, and in my person, the whole Catholique Churche of the same faulte, as if a theefe being burthe∣ned with fellonie by some true man, would thinke him selfe vnburthened of that infamie, by charging the true man with thefte on the other side. And what is this greate wickednesse, that he layeth vnto our charge? Forsooth bicause being mortal men we offer vp Christe in Sacrifice, and dare to desire God the Father, pronoun∣cing the auncient Prayer of the Churche in the Canon of the Masse fauourably to beholde our oblation, and to accepte it, as he vouchesaued to accepte the giftes of A∣bel, the Sacrifice of Abraham, and that which Melchi∣sedech offered. For so we doo, and not altogether as M. Iewel reporteth. This is that, whereof he saith, we beguile the simple, and mocke the worlde.

This is sufficiently answered before. For vs to offer vp to God the body and bloude of Christe, as executing thereby the plaine commaundement of Christe, who at his laste Supper hauing consecrated his body and bloude, said,* 1.1 Doo ye this is in my Remembrance: is neither to be∣guile the simple, nor to mocke the worlde. If we did

it not, we should by not doing that we are commaunded to doo, beguile the worlde, and defraude Gods people of the most heauenly and pretious tresoure, that our Lorde lefte vnto his Churche.

And as touching the Prayer we are taught to make vn∣to God,* 1.2 wherein we humbly besech him to accept our oblation of his Sonnes body and bloude, as he accepted the sacrifices of Abel, Abraham, and Melchisedech: ther∣in is no doubte made, but God the Father is best pleased with his onely and most dere Sonne Christe Iesus. The feare of our on worthinesse moueth vs so to pray, least that although the thing offered of it selfe be most acceptable, yet the Father through our greuous synnes displeased with vs, wil not admit, and accept that most acceptable Sacrifice to our saluation, but rather to our damnation. Like as it happeth sometimes a Prince to reiecte a very pretious Iuel offered by his enemie, or one that he fa∣uoureth not, not bicause the Iuel misliketh him, but bi∣cause the partie that offered it, was his foe, or out of his fauour.

And whereas M. Iewel would haue it seme absurde, that the Father should be entreated with his merciful and fauourable countenance to looke vpon the holy bread of life euerlasting,* 1.3 and the cuppe of perpetual saluation, and to ac∣cepte the same, as he vouchesaued to accepte the giftes and Sacrifices of Abel, Abraham, and Melchisedech, (for so the Priest prayeth at the Masse, and not as M. Iewel to colourable aduantage falsly reporteth it): I answer, that happy be we, if for our behalfe, he wil so accepte that our Sacrifice, as he did the Sacrifices of those holy men his dere frendes.

Furthermore M. Iewel is not ignorant, if he be so wel learned, as he is thought to be, that the aduerbe of simi∣militude (Sicuti) As,* 1.4 doth not alwaies signifie a ful e∣qualitie, but onely a likenesse in some parte and degree. As for example, it doth in that prayer, which Christe made vnto his Father for his chosen.* 1.5 Pater sancte serua eos in nomine tuo, quos dedisti mihi, vt sint vnum, sicut & nos. O Holy Father keepe them in thy name, whom thou hast geuen vnto me, that they may be one, as wee are. In this Prayer Christes meaninge was not, that the electe shoulde be thoroughly in substance al one, as God the Father and God the Sonne be: but one in charitie, wil, and concorde, thinking al one thing, and willing al one thing,* 1.6 as Theophilacte with other Doctours expoundeth the place. And whereas the Scripture saith in the person of God speaking vnto Io∣sue, Sicut cum Moyse fui,* 1.7 ita & tecum sum, As I was with Moyses, euen so I am with the also: It is not meant, that God was with Moyses in no greater an higher de∣gree of power and vertue, then he was with Iosue. For Moyses was admitted vnto a peerlesse frendship with God, and endewed with more special auctoritie, then euer Iosue was, as the Scriptures doo euidently wit∣nesse.

So doth the Churche besech the Father to looke vpō that holy bread, and cuppe of life and health euerlasting, that is to say, the body and bloude of his Sonne Iesus Christ, with a merciful and cleare countenance, as he did vpō the sacrifices of Abel, Abrahā, and Melchisede••: not that it is mistrusted, least God be lesse, or not infinitely more pleased with the one Sacrifice, then with the other:

but that humbly we thinke, it shalbe wel with vs, if he respecte,* 1.8 beholde, and allowe the ministerie, and deuo∣tion of vs, as farre forth as he did the deuotion of the o∣thers. Of this M. Iewel geueth me occasion to speake more, in the last Diuision of this Article.

If M. Iewel had in his harte so much deuoute humili∣tie, or humble deuotion, as he seemeth to haue deuilish ar∣rogancie, or arrogant deuilishnesse: he would neuer haue accused me, or rather the Churche, for vsing this humble and deuoute Prayer in the Masse, which in spite he cal∣leth my Masse, being the common Seruice, and Sacrifice of the whole Churche of Christ.

But bicause like an vnkinde and degenerate, or ra∣ther a rebellious sonne, he despiseth the auctoritie of his Mother the Church, I wil put him in minde of S. Am∣brose, that holy and learned Bisshop, and excellent mem∣ber of the Churche, yet doubting whether he wil ought reuerence one, after he hath so insolently contemned them al. Fayne would I vnderstand, with what sope or lye, he is hable to scoure out the spotte of so vaine, wic∣ked, and foolish an opinion, so contrary to that S. Am∣brose writeth. Who to prooue that this is the Sacra∣ment, the figure whereof went before, and to shewe how great a Sacrament it is, bringeth in this Prayer vsed in the Masse, and wherein M. Iewel findeth so great be∣guyling of the simple, mocking of the worlde, and open wickednesse: as a most strong argument. His wordes be these, the same (very few wordes excepted) that be in Canon of the Masse, that so confidently he reproueth both here, and also in the Sermon, wherein he made the first proclamation of his vaine Chalenge.

Sacerdos dicit:* 1.9 Ergo memores gloriosissimae eius Pas∣sionis, & ab inferis Resurrectionis, & in coelum Ascensionis, offerimus tibi hanc immaculatam hostiam, rationabilem ho∣stiam, incruentam hostiam, hunc panem sanctum, & cali∣cem vitae aeternae, & petimus, & precamur, vt hanc oblationē suscipias in sublimi altari tuo per manus Angelorum tuorum, sicut suscipere dignatus es munera pueri tui iusti Abel, & sa∣crificium Patriarchae nostri Abrahae, & quod tibi obtulit summus sacerdos Melchisedech. The priest saith. There∣fore being myndeful of his most glorious Passion, and Resurrection from hell, and of his Ascension into hea∣uen, we offer vp vnto thee this vnspotted hoste, this reasonable hoste, this vnbloudy hoste, this holy bread, and cuppe of life euerlasting: And we beseeche, and pray thee, that thou receiue this Oblation in thy Aulter on high, by the handes of thy Angels, as thou vouche∣sauedst to receiue the giftes of thy childe Iuste Abel, and the sacrifice of Abraham our Patriarke, and that which Melchisedech the higest Priest offered vp vnto thee.

Lo good Reader, thus prayed S. Ambrose in his Masse, nor for so doing was he euer thought to haue be∣gyled the simple, nor to haue mocked the worlde. And the whole Catholique Churche hath euer so farre clea∣red him of al wickednesse, not onely open, but also pri∣uy: that he is holden for a holy Confessour, vncontrol∣led Doctour, and strong pillour of the Churche, vntil M. Iewel a very begyler of the simple, and mocker of the worlde in deede, came to prie out in his doctrine, and prayer, being also the cōmon prayer of the Church, a heinous wickednesse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luc. 22.
• * 1.2

  A defence of the prayer v••sed to be said in the holy Canon of the Masse
• * 1.3

  In Cano∣ne Missae.
• * 1.4

  Sicuti.
• * 1.5

  Iohan. 1••.
• * 1.6

  Theophyl. in Iohan. cap. 17.
• * 1.7

  Iosue. 3.
• * 1.8

  See what I say tou∣ching this Prayer of the Ca∣non, in the last Diuision.
• * 1.9

  Ambrosius de sacram. lib. 4. cap. 6.