The staffe of Christian faith profitable to all Christians, for to arme themselues agaynst the enimies of the Gospell: and also for to knowe the antiquitie of our holy fayth, and of the true Church. Gathered out of the vvorks of the ancient doctors of the church, and of the councels, and many other doctors, vvhose names you shall see here follovving. Translated out of Frenche into English, by Iohn Brooke of Ashe next Sandvviche. With a table to finde out all that which is contayned in the booke.

That we ought not to keepe the breade of the supper, nor to carie it here and there.

Saint Clement in his 2. Epistle to Iames. And of the consecration in the 3. Distinction. Chapter tribus. &c.

* 1.1So many hostes ought to be offred at the Aulter, as shall be sufficient for the people. And if any remaine, we ought not to keepe it vntill the next day: but through the diligence of the clarkes, with feare and trembling ought to be receiued, and eaten.

Origen vpon the 7. chapter of Leuiticus.

* 1.2The Lorde hath not ordayned or com∣maunded, that the bread should be kept, vntill the morrowe, the which he gaue vn∣to his disciples: but sayd vnto them, take ye and eate. &c. And in this he commaun∣ded not to carry the bread by the wayes, it may be, that by the same is conteyned a mysterye, that is to say, that alwayes

thou oughtest to bring forth the newe breade of the worde of God, whiche thou bearest within thee.

Iesus Christ sayth: Take and eate.* 1.3

In which sense we ought to vnderstand the auncient Doctors: when they haue sayde, we offer, we sacrifice, in calling the supper a sacrifice.

S. Augustine writing against Faustus, the 8. Chapter.

The Hebrues sacrificing the brute bea∣stes, did exercise themselues in the pro∣phecie of the sacrifice which Iesus Christ hath offered: And nowe the Christians in the oblation and communion of the bodie of Iesus Christ, doe celebrate the memo∣rie of the sacrifice already ended.

Chrysostome in his first tome vpon the 8. Chapter of Saint Mathew, in the 16. homily.

For this cause these reuerende and salu∣tarie mysteries, which we celebrate in all the congregation of the Church, are called Eucharistiae,* 1.4 that is to saye: a giuing of thankes: for they are the remembrance of many benefites, and doe shewe the verye heade of the heauenly loue towardes vs,

and doe make vs alwayes render thankes vnto God.

* 1.5The Prophet Dauid in the 50. Psalm: Offer vnto God thanks giuing. &c.

Irenaeus in his 4, booke against the here∣sies. Chap. 32. 33, & 34.

He hath willed that we shoulde offer of∣ten the gift at the aultar, and without in∣termission. The aultar then is in heauen, for thither our prayers and oblations are addressed, and directed to the temple (as S. Iohn saith in his Apocalips:) And the temple of God was open,* 1.6 and the taber∣nacle: For beholde (sayth he) the taber∣nacle of God, in the whiche I doe dwell with men.

S. Cyprian in his 2. boke of Epistles, the 3. Epistle vnto Cecill.

We must not, welbeloued brother, that any man thinke,* 1.7 that one ought to followe the custome of some men, whiche haue thought or iudged that we must offer the water only in the Lordes cuppe, we must aske of those, whō they haue for example. For if in the sacrifice which is Christ, we must followe none but Christ: truly then we must heare and doe that which Christ

hath done, and commaunded to be done:* 1.8 Inasmuch as he sayth in his Gospell, if you doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you, I will call you no more seruauntes, but my frendes. And that Iesus Christ ought to be onely hearde, the father himselfe doth witnesse it from heauen, saying: This is my welbeloued sonne, in whom I am well pleased, heare him. Wherefore if Christe ought to be only hearde, we ought not to regarde that, whiche another before vs shall thinke good to be done: But that he who is before all (that is to saye) Christ, hath done first. For we must not followe the custome of man, but the veritie of god: forasmuche as he sayeth by his Prophete Esay: They worshippe me in vayne,* 1.9 tea∣ching doctrines whiche are but mens pre∣ceptes. And the Lorde himselfe repeateth the same in the Gospell, saying:* 1.10 ye doe re∣iect the commaundement of God, for to establishe your owne tradition. But yet he hath sayde in another place: Whosoe∣uer shall break one of these least comman∣dements, & teacheth men so to doe,* 1.11 he shall be called the least in the kingdome of hea∣uen. Then if it be not lawfull to breake

the least of all the commaundementes of God: howe much lesse shall it be lawfull, to breake these so greate, so excellent, and so properly appertayning to the Sacra∣ment of the passion of the Lorde, and of our redemption: Or to chaunge it thorow the ordinance, and tradition of men, to an other thing than to that to y^e which it hath ben godly instituted? For if Iesus Christ be the very souereygne Priest of God the father: and if he hath bene the first offered sacrifice to God his father: and hath com∣maunded to doe this in remembraunce of him, he shall doe truly the office of Christ, which shall followe that which Christ hath done. And if he doe begyn to offer in the Church to God the father, according as he shall see that Christ him selfe hath offe∣red: then he shal offer vnto God a full and whole sacrifice. Furthermore, if one kepe not that faithfullye, which is spirituallye commanded, the discipline of all religion and truth is ouerthrowne.

S. Augustine in his booke of fayth vn∣to Peter. Chap. 16.

In that sacrifice which we doe vse, there is giuing of thankes, and remembrance

of the fleshe of Christ which he offered for vs, and of his bloude which he hath shed.

Augustine in his 10. booke of the Citie of God. Chap. 5.

The visible sacrament is the testament: that is to saye, the holy signe of the inuisi∣ble sacrifice.

Chrysostome in the 7. homilye vpon the Epistle to the Hebrues.

We doe offer in deede,* 1.12 but that which we doe offer, we doe it in remembraunce of his death: for that which we doe, is done in remembraunce of that which hath bene done: For he sayth, doe this in remem∣braunce of me: we doe not make it any o∣ther sacrifice, as the priest doth: But wee doe alwayes the very same: and for to tell you better, we doe the remembraunce of the sacrifice which hath ben done.

The Apostle vnto the Hebrues,* 1.13 we doe by him offer, the sacrifice of laude alwayes vnto God: that is to say, the fruite of those lippes which confesse his name.

I beseche you therefore bretheren,* 1.14 by the mercifulnesse of God, that yee make your bodies a quick sacryfice, holy and ac∣ceptable vnto God: which is your resona∣ble

seruing of God.

* 1.15The prophet Oseas, O forgiue vs all our sinnes, receiue vs graciouslye, and then wyll we offer thee bullockes of our lippes vnto thee.

* 1.16S. Paule sayth, I was filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus, the which came from you, an odour that smel∣leth sweete, a sacrifice acceptable and plea∣sant to God.

Lactantius Firmianus in his 6. booke the .24. & .25. chapters.

Iesus Christ sayt: I haue pleasure in mercy and not in offring. Math. 9. Mat. 12. Oseas .6. and the 1. of Samuel. 15.

Pope Gregory in his .16. decretall the .7. question.

Pope Gregory in his decretals, adiud∣geth him culpable of Idolatry, which shall heare the masse of a priest, that is a whore monger, or which shall communicate at his Sacramentes and Sacrafices.

Francis Maro, in his suffrages for the deade.

He which causeth a masse to be sayde by an vnchast, or whore maister priest, or which is in deadly sinne, it profiteth no∣thing,

neyther to the liuing, nor to the deade.

The Apostle to the Hebrues,* 1.17 the lawe which hath but the shadowe of good things to come,* 1.18 and not things in their owne fa∣shion, can neuer with the sacrifices which they offer yearely, make the commers therevnto perfect.

Agayne, it is impossible that the bloud of Oxen and of Goates should take away sinnes.

Also, Lo I come to do thy will, O God, &c. By the which will, we are sanctified through the offering of the bodie of Iesus Christ once for all.

Moreouer:* 1.19 This man after he had of∣fred one sacrifice for sinnes, sat him downe for euer on the right hand of God.

Likewyse, with one offring hath hee perfected for euer those that are sanctified.

Agayne,* 1.20 theyr sinnes and iniquities wyll I remember no more. And where re∣mission of these thinges is,* 1.21 there is no more offring for sinnes.

Also he sayth not that Iesus Christ doth offer him selfe often, as the hie priest en∣tred into the holy place euery yeere, with

strange bloud, for then must he haue often suffred sence the world began. &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The vse in the primi∣tiue Church of the sup∣per.
• * 1.2

  The breade not caried in processi∣ons.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 26.
• * 1.4

  VVherefore the sacra∣ment of the supper is called Eu∣charistia.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 50.
• * 1.6

  Apoc. 11.
• * 1.7

  VVe ought not to fol∣lovve cu∣stome but Christe, vvhich is the veritie.
• * 1.8

  Iohn. 15.
• * 1.9

  Esay. 29.
• * 1.10

  Math. 15.
• * 1.11

  Math. 5.
• * 1.12

  The supper is but a re∣membrance of the sa∣crifice.
• * 1.13

  Heb. 13.
• * 1.14

  Rom. 12.
• * 1.15

  Oseas. 14.
• * 1.16

  Philip. 4.
• * 1.17

  Heb. 10.
• * 1.18

  If then the sacrifices commanded of God haue no povver to take a∣vvay sinnes, hovv shall those doe vvhich God hath neuer commanded Heb. 10.
• * 1.19

  Heb. 10.
• * 1.20

  Heb. 10.
• * 1.21

  Hebr. 9. Iesus Christ is no more offred in sa∣crifice but once for all.