Two treatises the first, of the liues of the popes, and their doctrine. The second, of the masse: the one and the other collected of that, which the doctors, and ancient councels, and the sacred Scripture do teach. Also, a swarme of false miracles, wherewith Marie de la Visitacion, prioresse de la Annuntiada of Lisbon, deceiued very many: and how she was discouered, and condemned. The second edition in Spanish augmented by the author himselfe, M. Cyprian Valera, and translated into English by Iohn Golburne. 1600.

The institution of the holy supper of the Lord

Let vs heare how Iesus Christ did institute vnto vs his holy supper, according to that which S. Paule in the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians declareth.

I receiued of the Lord, &c. As we haue before recited.

The forme of excomunication and excluding from the holy supper of the Lord these which be not worthy to receiue it.

We haue heard (brethren) how the Lord celebrated the sup∣per with his disciples, and in that which he did, he sheweth vnto vs: that straungers, to wit those which be not of the fellowship of his faithfull, ought not to be admitted vnto it: Following therefore this rule: in the name, & by the authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christ, I excommunicate all Idolaters, blasphemers, con∣tempners of God, heretiques, & all Schismatiques which make sects a part, to break the vnity of the Church, all periured persons: all that be disobedient to their fathers and mothers, and to their superious, all seditious persons, factious traytors, contentious persons, adulterours, fornicators, thieues, dauncers, manslayers, euill speakers, deceiuers, couetous persons, he & she witches, vsurers, raysers of false witnes, robbers, drunkards, gluttons & all those that liue scandalously: denouncing vnto them, that they abstaine from this holy table: that they foule not, nor defile the holie meat, which our Lord Iesus Christ giueth to his houshold and faithfull only.

An exhortation, wherein is declared what is the vse, and fruit of the supper.

Therefore, after S. Paules admonition, let euery man proue and examine his conscience, to knowe if hee haue true repen∣taunce of his sinnes, and if hee abhorre them, grieuing to haue cōmitted them, against the diuine goodnes & desireth thence∣forth to liue holily according to the wil of God. And aboue all if he haue his trust in the diuine mercie, & seeke wholy his salua∣tion in Iesus Christ. And if all Enmitie and rancour layd aside, hee haue a good purpose to liue with his neighbours in con∣cord and brotherly loue.

If we haue this testimony in our hart before God, we nothing doubt, but that he accepteth and acknowledgeth vs for his sonnes: And that the Lord Iesus Christ directeth his word to vs, to admit vs vnto his Table, and communicate this sacra∣ment vnto vs, which hee commnnicated to his disciples. And albeit wee feele in our selues great weakenesse and misery: As not yet to haue perfection of faith. But to bee inclined to vnbeliefe and distrust, and as not to bee so fully addicted to serue God, and with such a zeale, as wee ought: But to fight continually with the Iustes of the flesh. Notwithstanding this hath the Lord shewed vs this mercy, to haue imprinted in our harts his Gospel, to resist all incredulity: and hath giuen vs a de∣sire and affection to renounce our owne inclinations and cor∣rupt desires, to follow his righteousnesse, and obey his holie commandements: Sure we are, that the vices and imperfections remaine in vs cannot let, but that he receiue vs & make vs wor∣thy to be partakers of his good things in this spirituall banquet. For wee come not to him, to protest, that in our selues wee are perfect or iust: But contrarywise in seeking with great desire our life in Christ: wee confesse, that we abide in death. This sacramēt vnderstand we to be a medecine for those which are needy in spirtuall infirmities, & that all the dignitie, which Christ our redeemer requireth at our hands, is to know vs to haue sorrow and hartie griefe for our offences: and to settle all our delight ioy & contentment only in him.

First doe we beleeue these promises which Iesus Christ (who

is the infallible and eternall truth) pronounced with his mouth. To wit: that he will truly make vs partakers of his body, & bloud To the end, we may wholy possesse him, that he may liue in vs & we in him. And although we see not the thing giuen, but only bread & wine: yet are we sure, he wil spiritually fulfil in our harts all that which he out wardly sheweth by these visible signes. He is (I would say) the heauenly bread to feede vs, & nourish vs vn∣to life eternal. Let vs not then be vngrateful to the infinit good∣nes of Iesus Christ our sauiour, who setteth before vs vpon this holy table, all his riches to distribute the same vnto vs. For in gi∣uing himself vnto vs, he doth witnes, that all his good things, are wholy ours. Let vs therfore receiue this sacramēt as a most cer∣taine pledge: wherby the vertue of his death & passiō is imputed vnto vs, for righteousnes: As if we our selues in our own persons had suffered. Let vs not be so peruerse of vnderstanding, & na∣ture to refuse, to reioyce, & enioy this diuine banquet, wherunto Iesus Christ, by his word, doth so gently inuite vs. But with great esteeme of the dignitie of this most precious guift, wherewith he graceth vs to present we our selues vnto him with a burning zeale and faithful hart, that he make vs capable to receiue him.

For this end, lift we vp our minds & harts vnto him: there where Iesus Christ is, in the glorie of his father: from whēce we expect him for our redemptiō. And let vs not be occupied, nor dwel vp∣pō these earthly & corruptible elements: which we see with the eyes, & touch with the hands, to seeke him in thē: as though hee were inclosed in the bread & wine. For thē shall our soules (be∣ing so lifted vp aboue all earthly things) be disposed to be fed & quickened with his substaūce, to come vnto heauē, & enter into the kingdōe of God, where he remayneth. Content we then our selues to hold the bread, & wine, for signes & testimonies, seking spiritually the truth, where the word of God doth promise.

This done, the ministers distribute vnto the people the bread, and the cup hauing first admonished all, that they come with all reuerence & by order to receiue it. In the meane time, they sung some psalmes in the congregatiō, or read with a loud voyce some thing of the holy scripture, agreiug to that which by the sacramēt is signified, & whē all haue cōmunicated, they kneele on their knees & giue thanks.

A thankesgiuing after the communion

We giue thee euerlasting thanks & praise, eternall and hea∣uenly father; for the clemencie which thou hast vsed towards vs in communicating vnto vs, so great a benefit: being as we are, miserable sinners, and in hauing made vs partakers of the com∣munion of thy son Iesus Christ our Lord. Whom thou deliue∣redst ouer to death for vs, and now giuest him vnto vs, for foode, and nourishment of euerlasting life: Haue mercie also vppon vs, and neuer suffer vs to forget these thinges so worthie of thee: But hauing them imprinted in our harts, we may alwayes growe & be strengthened in faith, effectuall to all good works. And that this doing, we may order, & proceede all our life time holily, to the aduauncement of thy glory, and edification of our neighbours, through Iesus Christ thy son, who in the vnity of the holy spirit liueth & raigneth with thee the true God euerlasting.

This done, the minister with this blessing dispatcheth the peo∣ple, wherewith the Lord commaundeth, that they should blesse the people. Numb. 9: 24.

The Lord blesse you, and saue you, the Lord make his face shine vpon you, & be merciful vnto you. The Lord turne his fa∣uourable c••ūtenance towards you & giue you his peace. Amen.

In the vulgar tongue is all this sayd that all small, and great, learned, and vnlearned may vnderstand.

Whosoeuer without passion, & with a desire to be assured of the way of his saluation, shall read this which we haue sayd, hee shall easily vnderstand the supper which now we celebrate in the reformed Churches, to be the same, which Iesus Christ our king, prophet and priest instituted, & which his Apostles & the catholike church, for many hundred yeares did celebrate: And contrary wise, shal he vnderstand the Masse (which our aduersa∣ries at this day celebrete) to haue no agreement with the holy supper of the Lord, but in al, & by al, to be opposit vnto it. And so cōtrary, that where the one is, the other in no wise can be: where the masse is, there is not the snpper of the Lord, & where the sup∣per of the Lord is there is not the masse, For how can light and darknes be ioyned, the table of the Lord, & the table of diuels,

God and Belial? And that the Christian people of my nation (for whose cause, desiring to do them seruice, I haue taken this paine (if that may be called paine, which the person with great con∣tent and desire to serue, and doe some good taketh) may easily vnderstand this. I will here in a table set downe, the agreement, conformity, and vnity, which is betweene the holy supper by vs in our reformed Churches celebrated & the holy supper of the Lord: then will I set downe the difference, disagreement, & contrariety which is between the holy supper, by our Christ in∣stituted, and the prophane masse, which Antichrist hath inuen∣ted, and sold for mony to miserable people, called Christians. Hee whom God hath giuen vnderstanding to vnderstand, Let him vnderstand the will of the Lord and doe the same.