The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

The answere.

[ 1] I say first, that your latin vulgata editio doth afford you some pleasure now & then, as by meanes wherof ye make some shew of truth; but the fountain, the original, & Hebrew text is other∣wise, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and he was the priest. And the reason aleaged in your latin translation,* 1.1 is void of al reason; for if Melchisedech must therefore offer bread and wine, because he is a priest; then must it folow perforce, that euery priest shal do the same; which yet no scripture doth auouch. Neither can any papist proue the same of Abraham, Cain, Esau, and others, who al were priests [ 2] as themselues confesse. I say secondly, that wee grant him to haue offered sacrifice, because Moses saith he was a priest. But hereupon doth it not folow, that we can disclose his sacrifice in precise maner.* 1.2 For though the scripture containe euery thing necessary to our saluation, yet concealeth it many truthes, as [ 3] nothing needeful for vs. I say thirdly, that if it be granted, that

Melchisedech offered bread & wine; yet wil it not follow,* 1.3 that Christ must do the same. For if Christ should offer bread and wine indeed, we should stil continue in figures, & remain with∣out the verity. But because the thing figured is more excellent then the figure, as the papists in this present controuersy tru∣ly do obiect; Christ who was to accomplish al tipes, al figures, al prophesies concerning his most sacred aduent, presented to God his father omnipotent, a most pure, holy, sufficient, inde∣pendent, & absolute sacrifice vpon the crosse, and then truly said consummatum est:* 1.4 I haue fulfilled euery thing that was written of me in the law & the prophets: and this hee did after the order of Melchisedech, while he did y^e night before sacramentally sig∣nifie the same, at his last supper in bread & wine. This my solu∣tiō (if it be well marked) is doubtles firmely grounded in these words of S. Cyprian:* 1.5 Nam quis magis sacerdos dei summi quàm D••noster Iesus Christus? qui sacrificium deo patri obtulit, & ob∣tulit hoc idē quod Melchisedech obtulerat i panem & vinū, suum scilicet corpus & sanguinem. For who is more the priest of god most high, then our Lord Iesus Christ? who offered sacrifice to God the father, & offered the self same thing that Melchisedech had offered, that is, bread and wine, to wit, his body and bloud. Thus saith the ancient, holy, & learned father S. Cypriā, whose words the papists euer alleage for their purpose: and yet do I thinke to confound the papists euen by the selfe same words. I therfore beseech thee (gentle reader) to marke attentiuely what I say. I note first out of S. Cyprians words,* 1.6 y^• as Melchisedech was the priest of god most hie, so was Christ also. I note secōd∣ly, that Christ offered sacrifice to god the father. I note thirdly, [ 1] that Christ offered the selfsame thing that Melchisedech offred. [ 2] I note fourthly, that that which Christ offered was both bread [ 3] & wine, and also his own body & bloud. Now out of these obser¦uations [ 4] I infer first, that the accidents and external forms of [ 1] bread and wine (which onely the papists wil haue to remaine in their eucharist,) are not the selfe same thing that Melchisedech offred. For that which he offred (as al papists grant,* 1.7 & euident reason enforceth them,) was really & substantially bread and wine. I inferre secondly, that that which Christ offered was his reall body & bloud sacrificed really on the crosse,* 1.8 and in the

eucharist sacramentally the selfesame that Melchisedech offe∣red. For the naturall bread and wine in the eucharist, is a my∣stery & sacrament of Christs body & bloud offered on the crosse. Thus is euery thing consonant that S. Cyprian writeth, and no otherwise can all that he sayth be verified. And in this sense do other Fathers speake of this theame; who affirme bread and wine in the eucharist, to be the mysterie of Christs body and bloud offered on the crosse, but not to be the reall and propitia∣tory sacrifice for the quick and the dead.

* 1.9Arnobius hath these words; hic qui per mysterium panis ac vini sacerdos factus est in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchise∣dech qui panem & vinum solus obtulit in sacerdotibus dum A∣braham victor reuerteretur de p••aelio. He that by the mystery of bread and wine, was made a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech, who only among priests offered bread & wine, while Abraham returned from the battaile with v••ctorie.

* 1.10Theodoretus hath these words, offert verò ecclesia corporis e∣ius & sanguinis symbola, omne fermētum per primitias sancti∣ficans But the Church offereth the signes of his body & bloud,* 1.11 sanctifying all leauen by the first fruits. Marke this testimonie O Papist, and yeeld vnto the truth.

* 1.12Eusebius Caesa••iensis hath these words: quemadmodum ille qui sacerdos gentium erat, nusquam videtur sacrificijs corpora∣libus functus, sed vino solo & pane, dum ipsi Abraham benedi∣cit: ita sanè primus ipse saluator ac dominus noster, deinde qui ab ipso profecti sunt sacerdotes, in omnibus gentibus spirituale secūdum ecclesiasticas sanctiones sacerdotij munus obeuntes, vino ac pane & corporis illius, & salutaris sanguinis mysteria re∣praesentant. Quae sanè mysteria Melchisedech tanto antè spiritu diuino cognouerat, & rerum futurarum imaginibus vsus fue∣rat. As he y^t was the priest of the Gentiles, seemeth no where to haue vsed corporall sacrifices, but only wine & bread while he blessed Abraham: euen so our Lord and Sauior Christ, then the priests that came from him, executing the spirituall functi∣on of priesthood among all nations, according to the decrees of the Church, do represent the mysteries of his body and bloud in bread & wine: which mysteries truely Melchisedech knew long before by Gods inspiratiō, & vsed y^e figures of things to come.

Thus we see by the testimonies of these auncient Fathers, that the oblation of Melchisedech was accomplished in the sa∣crifice of the crosse, which Christ before did signifie sacramen∣tally, by bread and wine in his last supper.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Argumentum ad hominem.
• * 1.2

  Euery trueth is not expressed in ••he scripture.
• * 1.3

  Marke well, O pa¦pist, and thou not but be satisfi∣ed.
• * 1.4

  Ioan. 19. vers 30.
• * 1.5

  Cyprian. ad Cae∣cilium epist. 63.
• * 1.6

  The Papists are confounded by their owne alle∣gation.
• * 1.7

  The first corolla∣rie.
• * 1.8

  The second corollarie.
• * 1.9

  Arnobius in Psal. 109.
• * 1.10

  Theodoret in Psal. 109.
• * 1.11

  Loe, this holie and auncient Father, telleth the case plainely.
• * 1.12

  Euseb. Caesar. de demonstr. euan∣gel. lib. 5 cap. 3.