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Whether those Priests which are not consecrated, suche as a greate many bee amongest the gospellers, haue power to make of bread and wine, the true bo∣dy and bloud of Chryst?
SAinct John in his Gos∣pell* 1.1 biddeth men to at∣tribute no more vnto them selues, than they haue receiued frō aboue. Therfore tell vs where the professors of the Gospell did at any tyme take vppon them authoritie or
power, to make of bread and wyne the body and bloude of Chryste? No they neuer receyued any suche authoritie from God. But wee are not ignoraunt what the Churche of Rome teacheth of thys matter, and howe those whiche are cōsecrated by that church, & of their Byshops, into priests, shorne & anoyn∣ted with oile, haue these words by their Bishops pronoūced ouer them: O Lord voutchsafe to consecrate and sanctifye these handes by this Oyntmente, and through our blessing, that what soeuer they blesse, may be blessed, and what so euer they consecrate or hallow, may be consecrated or halowed. &c. And again: Receiue thou power to offer sacrifice to God, and to say Masse aswell for the li∣uing, as for the dead. &c. But we besech them of their curtesie to tell vs who gaue them this authoritie or power? Did they receiue it of Chryst? If they did, then let them tell vs where, and wyth what wordes he commaunded them to doo it? But had the Apostles trowe youe thys power, and gaue the same in lyke manner to others, and
so after thys sorte dydde consecrate and ordeyne Ministers in the Churche? For the thyng it selfe whereof they speake, is very greate, and the power and authoritie suche and so wonder∣full, that it is Diuine. Wherefore it is necessarie, that they shewe some commaundement or ordynaunce of the worde of GOD, to ratifie this their ordynaunce, consecration, and power. But as touchyng any one of these ••hynges, it is vndoubted true, that they haue no manner of commaunde∣mente, nor sufficiente warraunt from the woorde of God. And therefore wée may not allowe or ratifye their ordy∣••ance. In déede there are certaine thin∣••es written in the old Testament tou∣••hing the annoynting of Priestes, but ••ll men know that the Leuitical priest∣••ood with all his ceremonies was abro∣••ated, and so detested of God, and for∣••idden to be renued in the Churche of Christ. We know yt the Apostles did in ••••e making or ordring of ministers vse ••nely prayers and putting on of their ••••ds. And in the new Testament there
is no mention made, no not a worde of this Romish custome touching the con∣secration and offering of sacrifices in the Masse. Neither did our Lorde say, I giue you this power, to pronounce the wordes of consecration ouer the bread and wyne, and of the same to make the true body and bloud of Chryste: But he sayde: Take and eate, this is my bo¦dy: Take and drinke yee all of this, this is my bloud. Besides this there are di∣uers opinions amongst the Doctors of this Romishe Churche wyth what wordes our Lorde dyd consecrate. And the Apostles did not vse this fourme of consecration which the Romish church vseth. But in the reformed Churches* 1.2 of the Gospell the Ministers are ordei∣ned by election, and by laying on of hands, and the prayers of the congre∣gation, according to the doctryne of Chryste and his Apostles. And therfore we doo not put the efficacie or force of the Sacraments in the power, déedes, or wordes of the Ministers, but in god, hys institution, power, and worde. And bycause God hathe commaunded that
Baptisme and the Lords supper should be administred by them, we stedfastly beléeue, that when the minister doth re∣cite the wordes and institution of the Lorde, and the Congregation doo re∣uerently obey the worde and ordy∣naunce of God, that then the Lorde him selfe is present, at hys institution and ordynaunce, making the same ef∣fectuall by his holy spirite, which thing the faythfull doo chiefly regarde. And hereof we haue else where more large∣ly written.
Whether the Priests make bred & wine, the verie bo∣dy and bloud of Christ.
The true or∣dering or making of ministers.