A briefe and piththie summe of the Christian faith made in forme of a confession, vvith a confutation of all such superstitious errours, as are contrary therevnto. Made by Theodore de Beza. Translated out of Frenche by R.F.

3 The papistes doctrine maketh the oblation of Iesus Christe of none effecte.

ANd concerning his offyce, it consy∣steth in this, that he is onelye King and gouernour vniuersally. The onely Prophet and declarer of the wyl of his father, and the only eternal sacrifica∣tor or hie priest, y^e which priesthood lyeth in two poyntes, that is to saye, in the ob∣lation whiche hée hath made once in his owne person for to sanctifye the Church for euer a 1.1, & in the intercession towarde God his Father, the which continueth to this daye, and shall do b 1.2. I conclude then that the doctryne of the Pope wypeth a∣way all this.

Nowe for the begynning of the fyrste point of priesthood, if it be so that Christe

must bee offered vp by the Priest euerie daye for the quicke and for the deade, is not that as muche to saye, as that the oblation whiche hée hath made him selfe once for all in his owne personne, is not sufficient?

Moreouer, if the death and passion of Iesus Christe bee sufficient to saluation and if he be the true Iesus, that is to saye, true and onelye sauiour, howe then shall that be true which they saye, that there is but the faulte or offence pardo∣ned? and concerninge the payne, that it is onelye chaunged from eternall into temporall, in suche sorte that we must paye it in this worlde, or in another. But if this bée false, as it is most false, what grounde haue they then to buylde theyr meryte and satisfaction towardes God, their Purgatorie and indulgences and such lyke?

Item, if man ought to satisfye and paye of his owne, for the payne due for his offences, the which can not bée done without the merytes and suffrages of

other by reason whereof hée must bée in the fyre of Purgatorye, vntyll some other haue payed for him and in his name: From whence then commeth the merites of Saintes which the Pope selleth to vs? and howe can they dys∣charge other, whiche cease not to aug∣ment theyr owne debte daylye? And what notarie hath made or written any such couenaunt or contractes? Beholde many of the auncient doctours condem∣ned this opinion, as S. Cyprian against Dimetrian in the fyrst Traycte, Saynt Therome vppon the syxthe Chapter of the Epistle of Saynte Paule to the Ga∣lathes. Saynt Chrysostome in the Ser∣mon of Lazarus, yea namely Saynt Gregorye in the fowrthe Booke of hys Dialoges nine and thyrtie Chapter lea∣ueth not to be purged in Purgatory the least offence.

Item, if they must yet go to purgato∣rie, wherefore serueth their confeffion and absolution?

Item if Iesus Christe be the Lambe, which only taketh away all the sinnes of the world, when did be resigne this office to holy water, and an infinite number of such other toyes?

Notes

• a 1.1

  Hebre. 10.
• b 1.2

  Hebre. 7. 1. Timo. 2.