A new Dialogue WHEREIN IS Contained the examination of the Mess, and of that kind of priesthood, which is ordained to say mess: and to offer up for remission of sin, the body and blood of Christ again. Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they be of God or no: for many false prophets are gone into the world. The names of the speakers in this Dialogue. Masters Missa Master Knowledge Master Fremouthe Master justice of Peace Peter preco the ●ry Palemon the judge Doctor Prophyri Sir Philip Philargyry WILLIAM TURNER UNTO THE READER. ALTHOUGH IT BE not belonging unto my profession to dispute of matters of divinity, which am a Physician: yet extreme necessity requiring I am compelled to do in this kind of war, as cobblers, shoemakers, masons, carpenters, & all other men of handy occupations are compelled to do, when their city is besieged, to take weapons in their hands and become warriors, which have had little or no experience of war before, when as their city is besieged. Which: if that (when a city is besieged) every man that is a faithful citizen ought to do the best that he can, to defend his city, and to overcome the enemies of the same: who will blame me, which am no professor of divinity, when as the city of God, whereof I am a sworn Citizen, is besieged, with so great hosts of popish warriors: if I play in this time of need, the divine warrior, to defend the foresaid city, and endeavour myself to overcome the enemies of the same. The enemies of our city, are they, which take by violence away the godly and necessary ordinances of our city and would by force thirst into our city, laws of their awn making, conttary unto the laws of our lawmaker which builded our city, & died for the liberty of the same. Such enemies, are the Bishop of Rome, and all popish Prelates and priests, which mangle and minish, yea, rob and many ways deface the most comfortable common seal of our salvation and redemption: the holy Sacrament of Christ's body & blood, and in the stead of the same, set in a mere man's invention, a certain Popish play, which they call the meritorius Messe, bearing us in hand that, that they can do with it as much as our redeemer Christ could do with his most blessed passion, which thing I judge to be greatly to the dishonour of Christ, that is that our most comfortable common seal of our liberty, and redemption, should be mangled and rob, and for the most part of the hole year, taken from us, and that the work of a man should be made equal with the work of our Lord and lawmaker which is both God and man: I could do no less, but write this book, to defend the blessed ordinance of our Lord and redeemer, and wrestle a little with the wicked man's ordinances, to help to drive them out of the church our city, and to restore the ordinance of our saviour into the church again. I know that many will be offended, and take it very grievously, that I should writs of this matter, and I look for none other, but some shall call me knave and heretic for my labour taken in this matter. Some will there be also of Satan's side, which never can be satiate with blood, which will desire to have my blood, as divers in England, at this day, yet living have done, God forgive them. And the same, if that their cruelties were not repressed and holden down with the higher powers, which are manteyners of all truth and honesty, would not leave alive in this realm one of my judgement: the use either to write or to preach against such man's inventions, as at this time, I do write against: but I care not for these horsleches, trusting that he that hath so oft delivered me from the hands of mine enemies, will either save me from them at this time also, or else, if it be his pleasure that I shall lose my life for his name's sake, I shall be sure to find it again. But if there be any man that of a conscience had against me and think that I hold any false opinions in this book or any other book and would have the amendment of me and not my destruction if they be learned, let them write against me, and I shall answer them or else if I can not, recant it that I have written. In the mean season I would desire the unlearned which err by reason of ignorance and not of malice, that they would cease from railing against me, till that their chief champions have confuted my book, and have perceived that I will not recant. This would I also require of learned men if it could be obtained. I answered within these seven years a certain learned man of England and confuted as well as I could, his book but he contrary unto all honesty and learning, perceiving that he was not able to answer to my book, in every book that he wrote afterwards against other men railed and scoffed against me by name. Should learned men play such parts in a christian kingdom? I think that it were meet that he that is learned & openly in writing or in pulpit speaketh against any man should either be compelled to confute his opinions that he raileth against, or else should be compelled openly to cry him mercy, whom he hath sklaundered. If this were brought to pass, we should have fewer railers in England then we have. Therefore have I set my name unto this book that if thou think that I have written herein, any thing against God or his word, thou mayest know to whom thou shouldst write. almighty God grant to the ignorant, knowledge, and to them that have knowledge, to live thereafter. Amen. Masters Missa. I Am credible informed by the report of my faithful and unfeigned friends, that there are nowadays many rash & ungodly men, which utterly despice me, & set me at nought. saying, that I am not she that I am taken for, & that I am the Popis daughter, and have driven out of the church, the supper of our Lord, and have set up myself, in the stead of it: and that I am the greatest blasphemy, that ever was unto Christ's death and passion, with many other spiteful lies & slanders, wherewith they would kill me, if they could. But, ye good catholic and Christian people, know well enough, what I am and from whence I came? Ye wot that I came from Christ and his Apostles, and that I am allowed & approved with more, than an hundredth holy father's bishops of Rome, and I have been more, than these. CCCCC. years approved by the hole church. And because many new fangled fellows, would that I should be removed out of the way, that Christ'S supper, (as they call it) might have place in the Church, as an holosmmer thing and more profitable for man's soul than I am: I will at this time (compelled by necessity,) compare myself with their supper, and prove myself more worthy of place in Christ's church, than it is. The Supper that these fellows speak of, even after their own confession, is but a memorial of Christ'S death, of a giving of thanks, for the benefit of man's salvation whereby man's faith is strengthened, and their love is increased. These are the chiefest properties, that these new gospelers do give unto their so greatly commended supper. But hark now what I both do and can do. I deliver the silly souls that have been long pituossly punished in purgatory, from their pains and torments. Where find you in all the hole scripture, that the supper of our Lord, can do so much? I can make fair wether, and rain: I can heal all sicknesses, and bring dampened souls out of Hell: I can purchase remission of sins, by the offering up again, of Christ'S body and blood. I can with five words, make both God and man. Which thing, saying that God can not do: can not I do more, than God can do? Now let these new fellows tell, whether the supper of our Lords, can do so much or no. Yet for all this, if need require, I say, that I am the supper of our Lord: and my great friends, Prophiry my patron doctor of the Canon law, & sir Philip Philargiry, doctor of divinity, have taught me to call myself so: if that my other name, should be at any time to odious. Ite missa est: far ye well, till the next time that we meet again. Knowle. here ye not, as this woman speaketh so blasphemoussly against God and his word? Mark ye not, as she preferreth herself before the supper of our lord jesus christ and yet she is the Popis daughter? Fremouth. I hear her talk very well howbeit I perceive not the heinousness of the matter, as ye do: therefore, show me it plainly & I shall not spare to lay it to her charge. Knowledge. first when she is but the creature of man, she sayeth, that she can take sin away, by the offering up of Christ's body and blood: wherein, she maketh herself equal with our saviour Christ. And where as she sayeth that she can make rain & fair wether, & heal all manner of diseases, she maketh herself god: Where as she sayeth, that she can make with .v. words, both God and man, she maketh herself mightier than god for seeing that god is everlasting, and hath no beginning, he can not make himself then where as she sayeth, that she maketh God she maketh herself mightier than god. If this be not blasphemy, what shall we call blasphemy? Fremouth. Sir, these are intolerable blasphemies in deed, therefore, she ●hal not scape with them thus, How Gentelwoman tarry a little, and hear what shallbe said unto you. Here master justice before all this worshipful company, in God and the Kings name I charge you with this woman, that she may be furthcumming, to answer unto such crimes of heresy and blasphemy, as shallbe laid unto her charge. Master justice. Wottest thou, the lewd fellow what thou sayest & dost? wilt thou rail against the holy & blessed mess, and accuse her of heresy & blasphemy? lay hands on this fellow, for he speaketh against the six articles, and against the Sacrament of the altar. I take witness of you neighbours, what this fellow sayeth. knowledge. Soft sir and be not so hasty, if that ye put this man in prison, and refuse to execute it, that he hath charged you with all say not but ye be warned ye will be throw yourself. Ye are beguiled master justice, the world is not now as ye think it is. The time of persecuting the professors of the truth (thanks be unto God) beginneth now to wear away, ye have persecuted long enough already in time past, & a little to long. The kings intent & purpose, is now at the beginning of his reign to purge and cleanse the church of all abuses and enormities, & to examine and try with the touch stone of god's word, all sacrifices & ceremonies, which are in the church: whether they are agreeing with the word of God or no: that they that do agree, may be allowed & holden still, and that they, that are disagreeing, may be taken away. Then seeing that this is the Kings most godly purpose, when as ye will not suffer men to cite abuses & such things, as at thought to be abuses, to come to examination, men may gather plainly, that ye intend to resist the kings most godly purpose. Which if ye do, ye are not his friend. If the mess, after due examination be found to be good & godly she shall have no harm, but if she be sound to be of anticstrih & but a feigned thing, to win money which, to the idle priests that can not preach: why may not the kingaes highness as well put her down, & drive her out of the church, as the pope's wiliness set her up, and brought her into the church? Therefore I will advise you, to leave of your trobling of this honest man, & be contet, to execute his reasonable request. Master justice. Sir, at your instance, I will let this man go, & will also see, that this woman shall be furthcumming, to answer unto such things as shall be laid unto her charge. Knowledge. Farewell master justice. M. Just. farewell sir. Palemon the judge. Inquere Peter, if there be any man that hath any action, or matter, to be entreated of this day in this Court, let him bring it in, and entre it and he shall be heard. Peter Preco. If there be any, that hath any matter in this court, let him entre his action: for my Lord judge is ready to heat it. M. Fremouth. Here is a woman (my Lord) which defendeth open heresy, and committeth blasphemy against God & his holy word. Palemon. What sayest thou woman, is it so, as this man hath reported of thee? Missa. I deny, that I spoke any heresy, or committed any blasphemy in all my life. Fremouth didst thou not say, that thou camest from Christ and the Apostles: that thou couldst deliver souls out of purgatory, yea, and dampened souls out of hell, and couldst purchase forgiveness of sins, with the offering up of Christ's body and blood again, and that thou couldst do more than Christ can do? are not these sayings full of heresy and blasphemy? Missa I grant I said all the sayings which ye have rehearsed saving the last which I utterly deny that I ever said or though in all my life time. Fremouth. I shall prove my Lord) ere I go hence, by her awn hand writing, that she taketh in hand to do, that God never took in hand, that is, to make God, which if I can show, I shall prove, that she holdeth, that she can do more than Christ can do. Palemon. Then ye deny not, but that ye tayde all the rest, whereof ye are accused. Missa. I said them, and will say them again. knowledge. And those sayings shall I, by the help of God prove false, Heretical and blasphemous. Porphirus and Philargirus. We desire you (my Lord) that ye will admit us to be defenders and advocates unto this innocent woman. Palemon. I am well content, defend her as well as ye can. Prophiry. Even as it is neither seeming nor godly that the holy scripture should be called to examination and trial, whether it be scripture or no, & they that hold that scripture is no scripture ought straight ways to be taken for Heretics and infideles: so the blessed and holy Mess which is as true as the scripture is and came from God, as well as the scripture came, ought not to be suffered to com● unto any examination or trial: and a they that doubt or hold against it, ought by and by to be taken for Heretics and infideles. The blessed mess is such a● high and inscrutable mystery, that n● lay man ought to reason or dispute of i● And though there were any abuse crep● into the Miss (as no man is able to prove that there is any at all) it should belong only unto the bishops and unto the clergy, to meddle with such matters, and not to such lay and unlearned fellows, as these be. Which as it doth appear by their apparel have neither taken any degree in divinity, neither in the Cannon law. Cat● the wise man sayeth to such. Mitte archana dei: let the secrets of God alon● And Solomon sayeth: He that is th● searcher of God's majesty, shall be overthrown with his glory. Therefore it is not lawful that these fello●uee should middle with any such matters, as the mess is. Moreover, if these ●nens accusation should be allowed, there is no such holy ceremony in the hole church, which should not come into great jeopardy of destruction soon after. Let all men beware, that they break not a good order. Now is the church in a ●ight good order, which if it were once broken, the church should come in great ●eoperdy. Take but one staff out of a bundle, are not all the rest lose & ready to ●all out? the ceremonies of the church, are knit in such an order, that if ye take one away, that all the rest shall be in jeopardy of falling into destruction. Furthermore, ye know also that the multitude of this realm, hath the mess in such reverence, and taketh it for such a godly thing (as they are bound to do no less) if they should once perceive that the Mess should be handled as a thief and a robber, that is, if she should be openly accused before the face of the Court, the rude people would make an insurrection, and so should all this realm come in great jeopardy, by the breaking of the inward peace, of our foreign enemies. Therefore it were best to refuse these men's accusation, & not to admit it, but to punish them for their bold enterprise: But if ye will needs admit their accusation, by your patience, my lord, seeing that this is a spiritual matter: it should be heard before a spiritual judge: for as aristotel saith every man can judge well in that thing that he knoweth: then he that knoweth not the matter, can never judge well in it. Wherefore is were best that either ye should (my Lord) reject these men's accusation or else suffer the matter to be devolved unto some spiritual judge Palemon the sayings alleged out of Cato and Solomon forbid not christian men to search the secrets of thyr father's testament and will, which he hath left in writing, that they should know but only such secrets, as god hath not opened in his holy word and testament, and are not necessary for man to know: then these men may read and search out all the secrets, that are contained in the scripture, & for the understanding of it, may with soberness and discretion reason and confer of any place of scripture. And if any thing be taken for a part of gods will or commandment, which they doubt of, whether it be contained in their father's will or no: why may not they have a recourse thither, to see whither it is contained there, or no? If that only priests should be suffered to come unto the reading of our father's testament, if they said that the Pope were heed of Christ's church, and all our goods that are lay-men were theirs at their pleasure: if we might not be suffered, to search our father's will and testament, whether it were so or no: we should have shortly many rank & rich papists in this realm, as we have all ready a great deal to many. And if they would have our wives and daughters also, and said, that it were god's will, that we should let them have them, if we might not search the testament, whether it were so or no, in what case were we in then? As for these men, whme ye judge by their apparel to be unlearned, because they seem not too be doctors of divinity, and of the Canon law, and therefore not worthy to accuse any abuse, that it may be put away, ye follow very little the scripture, which ye either know or aught to know: Nolite judicare secundum aspectum. etc. judge not according unto the outward appearance, but judge after right judgement. The one of these men is a master of art of Cambrige, and the other is a master of art of Oxford, and have in their youth studied divinity. Must they now be unlearned, because they are no priests? we shall have a trial of their learning hereafter. And though they were as unlearned as a man is possible: no man can hinder them to accuse them of heresy & blasphemy, whom they hear speaking plain blasphemy and heresy. Therefore I will allow their accusation, & judge as I shall see evidence given. As for that ye feat, that if the mess should be suffered to be ones accused, that all the ceremonies of the church should soon after decay and come to nought, it is but a foolish fear. If the mess be found faulty & the ceremonies be found to be of the same sort, that the mess is, why should they not be all taken away together? for they that are joined together in the myscheous deed, ought not to be separated in the punishmentent. Your thondre bolts of uprotes of the people, whereby ye mean that great blood should be shed within this realm, if the mess should be accused of heresy & blasphemy, are but vain for the kings most loving subjects, are more godly and wiser, than they will disturb the common wealth for the examination of a man or a woman. What say you: if Baal's image were here in Enlande, which god commanded expressedly to be destroyed, and ye know certainly that there should arise an uproar and the putting down of this Idol: whether were it better to suffer the Idol to stand still with the high displeasure and indignation of God which threatened subversion unto the land, where Baal were worshipped, or to burn Baal with an uproar, and so to avoid the indignation of God? I trust to almighty god, that we shall have no uproars at all. Where as ye would have the matter devolved unto some spiritual judge, thinking that I am not able to judge of this matter, for lack of knowledge and learning in matters of religion, I would not that ye should reckon me to be unlearned in God's law, because I am no Bishop: as though only bishops and prelate's were spiritual men, and none else. Qui non habet spiritum dei, hic non est eius: He that hath not the spirit of God, he is not his: But all true Christian men have the spirit of God, then are all Christian men spiritual men. Then must ye either take me for no Christian man, or else grant, that I am a spiritual judge. As for my knowledge in the holy scripture, though many of my predecessors have been to their great shame shamefully ignorant in the scripture: I would ye should know, that I have been brought up in humanity, Logic, and divinity. ●n the university of cambridge, till I was xxii years old, and that sense that time, though the common law hath been my chief study, I have diligently read the scriptures from the beginning to the end, whereby, thanks be unto the Lord, thus much knowledge have I gotten, that I can discern true religion from superstition, and know my shepherdess voice, from a strangers. This saying of David: Et nunc reges intelligite, & crudimini judices terre: Get you understanding ye kings and be you learned ye judges of the earth. This sentence made me read the scriptures, sense I was a judge, more heedfully and attentely, then ever I did before, Therefore ye shall not need to have the matter devolved unto an other judge. Now if ye have any thing against this woman, speak, and ye shall have audience. Knowledge. hold ye your opinion still that ye are ordained of almighty god, and I pray you in what place of the Bible did God order you masters missa? Porphir. Christ ordained the blessed mess in the xxvi of Math. the xiiii: of Mark the xxii of Luke and in the xi of the former epistle to the Corinthians,. knowledge. there is no mention of the mess in any of these places Porphiry. What maketh matter, whether the name be there or no, if the thing be there. We ought rather to seek for the thing itself always more, then for the name of it. knowledge. How do men discern and know things, but by their names? then saying that there is no mention made of the mess, in these places rehearsed, how shall we know that Christ ordained the mess there▪ Porphiry. ye shall know, that Christ● ordained the Mess by Christ's words, wherewith he ordained that thing, that we call the mess. knowledge. Rehearse the words I pray you, wherewith Christ instituted the mess. Porphyry. these they be: Dominus jesus in ●a nocte, qua traditus est. etc. The Lord jesus in the ntght, that he was betrayed took bread and after that he had given thanks he broke it and said: Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you: do this in the remembrance of me. After the same manner, to ●ehe the cup, after the supper was done, and said, This cup is the new testament in my blood, do ye this as oft as ye shall drink, in the remembrance of me. By these words, did Christ institute and ordain the Mess. knowledge. And with the same words he instituted the Lords sup, then is the Mess and the lords supper all one thing. Porphyry. They are all one thing in very deed, therefore, they that rail against the blessed Mess, rayll also against the supper of our Lord. Knowledge. If the Mess and the supper of the Lord be all one thing, the rights, the housel, the sacrament of Christ's body and blood, and the supper of the Lord are all one thing: then the mess, the housel, the rights, the sacrament of Christ's body and blood, and the supper of the Lord, are all one thing. Whereof it followeth, that whosoever may celebrate or do any of these: may also celebrate or do all the rest: But all the lay men in England may celebrate the supper of the Lord, and may receive their rights or housel, as well as priests, therefore they may all celebrate or do mess as well as priests may. If the supper of the Lord or housting and the mess be all one thing: whatsoever then belongeth unto the one, belongeth also unto the other: and what soever is required to the celebrating of the one, is also required to the celebrating of the other: But a shaven crown, a prei●●es goun, an albe, a stole, a vestiment, confiteor, misereatur, collects, sequences, secrets, canon, memento, elevation of the sacrament, remembrance of saints departed, offering up of christ for remission of sins, breaking of bread in iii, parts: one for them that are in Purgatory, an other for than that are in heaven, the third for them that are alive, washing of a man's fingers, mixing of water and wine together, are necessarily required of him ●hat shall say mess, then if it be true that ye say, that the mess and Christ's supper, which the common people call, their housel or rights, are all one ●hyng, then is it required, that all men which shall celebrate the lords supper or receive their howsel, must have shaven crowns, priests gowns, albes, stoles and vestiments upon their backs: they must say secrets, and sequences, collects & canon: they must break the host in iii parts, and offer up of fresh, Christ's body for remission of sin, with all the other superstitions toys and babbles above rehearsed: But these are not required of him that shall celebrate the supper of the Lord, and yet are required of him that shall celebrate mess: it followeth therefore that the supper of Christ and the mess● are not all one. More over if the supper of the Lord and the mess were all one: when as a lay man may as wel● receive the supper of the Lord for 〈◊〉 priest as a priest can do for a lay man then might a lay-man as well say mess● for a priest, as a priest can do for a la● man. But I do not doubt, but ye thinks that to be an inconvenience, and contrary to your oft commended order, then ● it not convenient, that the supper o● Christ and the mess, should be reckoned all one. Philargyrus. Me think that ye spoke of late wondrous v● discreetly and unreverently, and other wise than it becomed a Christian ma● to do: where as ye called the holy vestiments which the priest weare● 〈◊〉 the honour of Christ, who is present at the mess, superstitious toys and babbles, seeing that they were consecrated to holy uses by holy prayers, ●nd by the invocation of god's name. When ye go to speak with a great mā●●o ye not well to put on the best clothes ●hat ye have? shall a priest then do remiss when he putteth on better clo●hes than the common people weareth when he ●ot only speaketh with, but also toucheth ●he king of heauē●ye must not therefore 〈◊〉 rashly despise the hallowed vestiments & other such like outward seemly ceremonies, which serve for a good or●●r. knowledge. I perceive well, when ●●s ye can not answerere to the reso●es, which I have made unto your allow, ye would draw me craftily ●●te of the matter in to an other new matter. But least I should seem to be unable to answer unto your reasons, I say, the vestiments for all the bishops babbling are no holier, than Tom● Tinkers tabard is, and the name of God is abused, when it is called upon, to sanctify things that God never commanded to be sanctified or hallowed. Christ's natural body is not now honoured with outward garments, and he will not be honoured otherwise, than he hath commanded: for he hath given no commaundemunte so to be honoured. And as for his godhead, because it is a spirit, i● must be spiritually worshipped in spirit and in truth, and not in outward vestiments. If ye will worship Christ's body, as ye ought to do, give good new clothes unto the naked or to the poor, that have need of clothes and then do ye honour Christ as ye should do. But to return unto our purpose again, I axe of you, whether a lay man when he taketh his rygtes at Easter in love and charity with a christian faith, celebrateth the hole supper or no? Philargy. I grant that h● celebrateth the hose supper. knowledge but the same celebrateth not the hol●nesse and the supper of the Lord are not all one. Porphiry. As a naked man now within this hour clothed, differeth not in substance from himself because he is clothed: so the mess, differeth not from the supper of the Lord, because it hath decent apparel now, seemly for such a mystery, which perchance it had not in the primative church or else there is no difference at all, between the Mess and the supper of our Lord: for there is in the mess before the consecration, bread and wine, and after the consecration, the body & blood of Christ, and these are in the supper of our Lord, and also in the mess, therefore the mess and the Supper of our Lord are all one. knowledge. Ye say because there is bread and wine in the mess before the consecration, and the body and blood of Christ after the consecration, and these are both in the supper, and also in the mess, therefore, that the supper of the Lord and the mess are all one. first ye do suppose to be true which is plain false, that is where soever breaed and wine is, & the body and blood of Christ is, that there is Christ's supper. At the marriage in the Cane of Galilee, was bread and wine, and the body and blood of Christ more truly, than they are now in your mess: yet was not Christ's supper there. In the Supper also of the corinthians, which they eat before the lords supper, was bread and wine, and (if it be true, that the sacramentaries hold, that Christ's body is in every place,) there was Christ's body and blood, but for all that, that supper was not Christ's supper, because it was not done in the remembrance of Christ's death, but only to fill the belly, and not to feed the soul. Porphiry. this is not a like case, for neither in the Cane of Galilee, neither in the corinthians Supper was, the words of consecration said and therefore was there no supper of our Lord. knowledge. Then if the wo●des of consecration had been said in the corinthians supper, though the corinthians had not intended to have remembered Christ'S death, their former supper should have been Christ's supper, and now by your reason, when and where soever a priest saith the words of consecration, as ye call them, over bread and wine, there is Christ'S supper, as though in these it. things alone to have bread wine and certain words said over the same, should consist Christ's supper: which opinion I will take in hand to prove false by the authority of god's word. Luke in the xxii chap. describing the lords supper & all such things as belong unto it, in these words: do this in the remembrance of me, teacheth us plainly, the one of the chief points that belongeth unto the lords supper is to call to remembrance the passion of christ. And paul in the xi chap. of the former epistle to the corinthians writeth of Christ's supper thus Take ye eat ye this is my body which is broken for you: do this in the remembrance of me. After the same manner also, he took the cup, when supper was done and said: this cup is the new testament in my blood, do this (as oft as ye shall drink it) in the remembrance of me, for as oft as ye shall eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, ye shall declare the death of the lord until he come. These are the words of saint Paul and the undoubted scripture: whereupon I gather, that it belongeth as much to Christ's supper to receive the bread and wine in the remembrance of Christ, and to declare and show his death, as it belongeth to rehearse these words, this is my body, yea and more to: for saint Paul sayeth, as oft as ye shall eat this bread and drink this cup, ye shall declare and set forth the death of the Lord until he come. He sayeth not. as oft as ye shall eat this bread and drink this cup, ye shall say these words over the bread and wine, this is my body and this is my blood. Then doth not only bread and wym and the words of consecration said by a priest, make the supper of the lord, except the remembrance of Christ's death, & the presence of Christ's church be annexed also thereunto. Then do I gather this argument, the mess is not done in the remembrance of Christ, as oft as it is done therefore: the mess is not the supper of the lord. Furthermore, that the mess and the supper of the Lord, differ no more one from an other, than a naked man and a clothed man do: this argument shall sufficiently declare. Whose operationes and ends do differ, and are diverse, they are also diverse things, and differ, and can not be all one: But the operations and ends of Christ's supper and the mess are diverse, and differ one from an other: therefore the supper of Christ and the mess do differ, and are diverse things, and can not be all one. The operation and end of the Mess are these to purchase remission of sin by offering up of Christ again to make fair wether and rain, to heal sick horses, meseld swine, & the french pox, to bring souls to rest that are in torment and pain, to deliver souls out of hell. The mess is said and done in the remembrance and honour of men. This is also an operation at the mess, to purge sins, and to take them away, and to bring the kingdom of heaven, by the receiving of bread and wine. The first end or intent of the mess whereof I made mention, is declared in this secret. Satisfaciat tibi domine etc. We beseech thee Lord tha● the offering up of this present sacrifice, may be a satisfaction for the soul of thy servant. It is also declared in this prayer which is said at the end of every mess. Placeat tibi sancta Trinitas. etc. O holy trinity, let this obedient service of my servitude please thee, that this sacrifice which I unworthy have offered unto the eyes of thy majesty, may be unto thee acceptable, and thou having pity, may be propiciable and purcheser of mercy. The same intent is declared in this secret which is contained in the mess, which is said on the xu Sunday after trinity sunday: Concede nobis domine quesumus, ut hec oblatio salutaris, et nostrorum fiat purgatio peccatorum, et tuae propitiatio pietatis. Lord grant us we beseech thee, that this wholesome oblation may be the purgation and cleansing of our sins. etc. Also in the secret of saint Richard, the intent and end of the mess is uttered plainly in these words. Concede que sumus misericors deus. etc. Grant us merciful god, that by the intercession of saint Richard thy confessor and bishop, this reward offered to the eyes of thy majesty, may both purchase us grace to live well, and get us everlasting glori. Also that the purpose and inter of the mess is to save both the body & the soul: The secret in S. Romans mess doth evidently testify in these words: Sacrifitium devotionis ●ie. we beseech the almighty god, look mekeky to, and regard the sacrifice of our devotion, and of thy benignity at the intercession of thy confessor & bishop Roman grant thorough this, health of both body and soul. Now by these words of the messe here rehearsed, it is evident, that the end and intent of the mess is to make satisfaction for man's soul, to purchase mercy, to purge sin away by offering up of sacrifice, and to obtain everlasting glory. Hath the supper of the Lord I pray you any such operation, intent, purpose and end, as these be? Never one Another end and opetion of the mess, is to make fair wether & rain. These titles in the messal: Missa pro serenitate aeris. Missa pro plwia, do sufficiently testify. This doth also testify the secret of the mess said for rain. O blat is domine placare muneribus. etc. Lord, be thou suaged by the rewards offered up: and give us the help of sufficient rain in due season. Hath the lords supper any such operation or intent? That an other operation and end of the Mess is to heal sick horses, meseled swine, and all other diseases, both of men and beasts, these titles bear sufficiently witness: Missa ꝓ pest an imalium: A mess for the mortem or pestiferous sicknesses of beasts. Missa Raphaelis archangeli pro omnibus infirmit atibus, A mess or raphael the archangel, for all sicknesses. Is Christ's supper commanded to be received for any such purpose? that the mess is also said to deliver souls out of pain and torment, the mess of, Requiem, in these words beareth record Pro quorum memoria. etc. Lord, give them everlasting rest, for whose memory, the body of Christ is received. And in this, Post communionem, after their communion. Annue nobis domine per hoc sacrificium quod sumpsimus etc. grant us Lord by this sacrifice, which we have received that the souls of thy servants may deserve to rece●● forgiveness of their sins. Where did Christ ordene that his supper should be taken to deliver souls out of torment? That an other operation and end of the mess is to deliver souls out of hell, this place red in the mess of, Requiem. doth beaer sufficient witness. Hostias & preces tibi domine offerimus. etc. Lord we offer up unto the oblations and prayers, receive thou them Lord, for those souls, whom we remember this day, make them Lord to passover from death to life. And in this prayer: Domine jesu christ rex gloriae. etc. is plain mention maid of deliverance from hell, without any figure or trope. Lord jesus Christ king of glory deliver the souls of all faithful deed men from the hand of Hell and from the deep lake. And in the prayer of Gregory's Trentalle this is the end of the Mess to deliver souls out of the hands of devils. justorum animae in man● dei sunt nec noc●●●t eis tormentum malitiae. The righteous men's souls are in God's hands neither shall any torment of malice vex them. Then it doth appear, that the Mess goeth about to deliver evil and dampened men's souls from the place, where they are, that is, from Hell and from the hands of the devil. Where tormenteth any Devil any souls departed, saving only in hell? therefore the intent of the Mess is to deliver fowls out of hall. The words of the Trental mess are these. Deus summa spes nostrae redemptionis qui in terra promissionis. et cetera. God the chief hope of pure redemption which haste chosen before all other lands to be borne in the land of Promise, and sufferedest death in the same place: deliver mercifully the Soul of thy servant, from the hands of devils. Loo, here may ye see, that the operation of the Mess, is too deliver Souls from the hands of devils. Did christ ordain his Supper to deliver souls from the hands of devils? surely their is no mention made of any such matter in the institution of Christ's supper. That the mess is a memorial of dead men, and that it is done in the honour of saints, the words of the mess, hereafter following, do manifestly declare. Pro quorum memoria corpus Christi sumitur. etc. Lord give them everlasting rest, in whose remembrance the body of Christ is received. This is said in an other mess Assume quesumus omnipotens deus in honore. etc. We beseech the Lord almighty, take thes oblations offered up unto thee, in the honour of saint Eustach, and his fellows. And it is said in an other mess. Hostias tibi domine pro commemoratione sancti Lamberti. Lord, we offer up unto thee, oblations for the remembrance of saint Lambert thy martyr and bishop. Was Christ's supper ordained for the remembrance only of Christ's passion? Or is was also ordained for the remembrance of men, which at but his servants? That ye mess intendeth to take sins away by the offering of bread and wine unconsecrated, this secret with an. C. ●no doth testify. Feria quarta post letare Supplices te rogamus omnipotens deus ut his sacrificiis peccata nostra mundentur quia tunc. etc. almighty God we humbly beseech thee, that our sins may be cleansed by these sacrifices: for than thou givest the true health both of body and soul. These words saith the priest before the sacring only, holding unconsecrated wine in the chalice, and unconsecrated bread lying upon the chalice. Now have I proved by the very words of the mess, that the end of the mess is to purchase remission, by offering of bread & wine, to deserve everlasting life by receiving and offering of Christ's body, to make fair wether & rain to heal all sicknesses to bring souls from hell, and to deliver them from torments, to honour saints, and to make a memorial of saints deaths, and nativities, of the receiving of Christ's body and blood, and otherwiles to make the same of the offering of bread and wine. These are the operations, intentes, and ends of the mess, and the same are not the ends and operations of the supper of the Lord, for the end of christis supper is to remember Christ's death, to give thanks for our redemption and to remember, that we all are members of one body, and aught therefore one to love an other. Therefore the ends of the mess & the operations of the same, and the end and intent of Christ's supper are diverse, and differ much one from another: whereupon it followeth, that the mess and Christ'S supper do differ, and are not all one. Then can ye not say, that the mess was ordained of God, in the xxvi. of Matthew and that the mess is the supper of the lord decked & seemly appointed with decent apparel for such a mystery. Palemon. If ye have no other places of scripture, to prove hat the mess was ordained of god, them ye have hither to brought, forth she must be driven out of Christ's church, as a mere invention of man. Therefore if ye have any more places, bring them forth. Philargy. The mess is good, & all goodness is of god, as S. james sayeth: every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, descending from the father of light: ergo the mess is of god. Moreover Christ sayeth in the xiiii of john That comforter, which is the holy ghost, whom the father shall send in my name, he shall teach you all things what soever I shall speak unto you. Loo, here Christ promiseth that the holy Ghost shall teach the Apostles and the church all things, that he shall speak after his Ascension. Then did Christ doubtless tell the Church many things after his ascension, which the holy Ghost taught a great while after, and among those things, that were only taught after the ascension, was the mess. Also john. xvi. Chap: Christ sayeth, I have many things to say unto you, which ye can not bear now, but when he shall come which is the spirit of truth, he shall lead you into all truth: Behold here, how that Christ differed to show the Apostles certain verities, till that he was ascended up into heaven. They was there some truths told to the church after that Christ was ascended, which was not told of Christ, before his ascension: of and then is no mention made in the four Evangelists. And surely, as I have said, the mess is one of them which was not iaught before the ascension, but aftet it, as our mother the holy church believeth, whose doctrine I will rather follow then all the Lutherans in Germany, though therwer CCCCC. times as many more, than now are. Magis enim credendum est Marie veracique judeorum turbae fallaci. say not now but that ye have now scripture alleged you, to prove that the mess is of God. Knowledge. Ye make a reason, and bring forth scripture, to prove that the Mess is of God: But how strong your reason is, and how rightly ye have alleged the scripture, I shall shortly declare. Where as ye reason the mess is good, & all goodness is of God, ergo the mess is of God: ye commit a fallacy or a deceitful drift of sophistry which is called of the Logicians, which hate such sophistical deceits, Petitio principii, that is when a man will prove a thing to be true, by the same thing, or with an other, that is as doubtful as that is, which is called into question. The chief matter that we go about in this accusation, is too prove that the mess is ungodly & full of blasphemy, and therefore aught to be put out of the church. And yet ye very wittily allege this for a principle, and out of all controversy, that the mess is good, and conclude that therefore it is of God. No no sir, ye can not blear my eyes so. Prove ye first that the mess is good and then shall I grant you your conclusion, that it is of God. To the place which ye allege out of the xiiii of john: wherewith ye would prove that Christ taught the Apostles & the church certain doctrine that he taught not before his ascension, whereof ye say that the mess is one: I answer, that ye allege the scripture false: for it is not in the text as yond allege it, he shall teach you what soever I shall say unto you, but what soever I have said unto you. I take to witness both Erasmus translation & the Greek text which is thus. Ekinosymas didaxi panta kai ypomnesi ymas panta osa eipon ymin: that is to say, he shall teach you all things & put you in remembrance of all things whatsoever I have said unto you. And here may all men see, how craft ye and unfaithfully ye cite the scripture, alleging one tense for an other, and leaving out the principal part of the sentence. As touching the place which ye allege out of the xvi of john: in these words: I have many hinges to, say unto you, but ye can not bear them now. But when he shall come which is the spriet of truth, he shall lead you into all truth. I answer, that ye can not prove by this place, that the holy ghost taught the church any doctrine, which the Apostles & Evangelists have not left behind them en their writings. If ye say that they could not abide divers things before Christ's ascension: I say that they could abide the same after his ascension. If ye would apply in this sentence this (word) you, only unto the church after the apostles time, & not to the apostles, ye do the apostles plain wrong, for Christ said these words unto them. Then what can ye gather of this place? Christ promised the apostles that the holy ghost should lead them into all truth, did he so or no? if he performed his promise, the knew the apostles all truth & no part of the truth was unknown unto them. The apostles also was either unfaithful & disobedient servants unto christ, or they were faithful & obedient. If they were faithful & obedient, they kept thes his commandements Speak that in the light, which I spoke in darkness, and speak ye that openly, that ye have heard privily. But Christ taught by the holy ghost the Apostles, all truth, than were they either disobedient servants or else they taught in their writings all truth. If they taught all truth in their writings, & yet taught not the mess there in, it followeth that it is no partt of the truth, & so not of god. Because that ye think, that Christ taught the church some wholesome doctrine, that he taught not the Apostles: I pray you whether showed god the father, his son Christ, all truth and all doctrine necessary for a Christian man to know or no? if he did: then the Apostles learned of Christ all truth, and every necessary doctrine for a christian man, For Christ sayeth john. xv. I have showed you all things which I have heard of my father. If that Christ hath not taught them all things necessary for a Christi man to know, than were they unperfit Christian men, and in an evil case: If Christ have taught them all truth, and they would not teach us that again in their Epistles and Gosples, they were both unkind unto us, & disobedient persons to Christ, which commanded them to teach us all such things as he taught them before: but they were both kind unto us, and obedient unto their master Christ: Therefore, they taught in their writings, that ●s, in the Epistles and Gospels, all wholesome doctrine and necessary, for a Christian man to know. Therefore the ii places which ye have alleged out of john make nothing for the mess, and such other unwritten vanities, but declare the weakness and imperfytnes of the Apostles which with out the help of the holy ghost, could neither remember, nor understand, after Christ's resurrection, such things as he had taught them before his passion. But for a further trial of the matter, put the case that christ had taught the church after the apostles deaths, certain holsum doctrines, which he had not taught the apostles in their time: (which thing no christian man will grant) yet it followeth not, that the mess should be that wholesome & necessary doctrine, for it is contrary unto the nature of God, in whom falleth no unconstancy, to teach a contrary doctrine, after his ascension unto that, which he taught before his passion. But the mess is clean contrary unto the doctrine, which he taught before his passion and specially unto this. Nemo venit ad patrem nisi per me. Noman cometh unto the father but throw me, therefore Christ never taught the mess, neither before his ascension, nor after. And where as ye allege, that the church believeth, that the holy ghost revealed unto the holy fathers, the mess after the apostles time, what church mean ye of: the Pope's church, or of Christ's true church? If ye mean of the Pope's church we, wot how much credence ought to be given unto the Pope's leman. If ye mean of Christ's true church, when ye: say that the true church of Christ believeth, that the holy ghost revealed the mess unto the fathers, and not to the Apostles, either ye take violently away the Apostles from Christ's true church, or else lie shamefully, in saying that Christ's church believeth a thing, when as the principal membres of Christ's church neither do, nor did at any time believe it. Now have I sufficiently proved, that all that ye could hitherto bring forth, could not prove that the mess had any foundation or ground of god's word. Now my lord judge, I report me unto you, whether the places, which this man hath rehearsed, be sufficient, or no, to prove that the mess is of god. Palemon. your places alleged out of john, make as much for the mess as they do for the pope's supremecy, pilgrimage, pardons, purgatory, & any other such thing, whereof is no mention made in holy scripture. Therefore ye must either bring forth someother scripture, for your purpose, or else grant that the mess is not of God. Porphiry. We are not so slenderly provided but that we have yet both scripture, & also reason, wherewith we shall be able to prove, that the mess is of God. first unto you masters, which accuse the mess, I axe of you, whether almighty God requireth in this commandment, honour thy father and mother, as well obedience of subjects, unto magistrates and rulers, as he requireth obedience of children, to their fathers and mothers? Knowledge. yes all a like. Porphyry. Then are subjects as well bound to obey the ruler's commandments, as children are bound too obey their fathers and mother's commandments. Knowledge. That do I grant also. Porphyry. But the rulers have commanded all us, that be their subjects, to believe that the Mess is of God, and therefore to come unto it: therefore all men are bound in pain of damnation, to believe that the mess is god's ordinance, and to come to it. But lest ye should doubt, that any magistrate hath commanded the mess to be taken as the ordinance of God, ye have seen the day yourself, with in these viii years, that he that would have spoken against the blessed mess, should have been burned, as a traitor to god, bafelon to the king: which they would not have done, if that they would not haven had the mess to be taken, for the very ordinance of God. And I am sure, that there are in England, many inferior magistrates, which are of that same mind still, and command at this hour their inferiors, to come to mess and command them to believe that it is of God. How many Bishops and justices of Peace are there now in England, which are not such, as I have rehearsed? Therefore if we be bound to obey our politic fathers, we must believe that the mess is of god. knowledge Within these twenty years there have been some magistrates, which have commanded their subyectes in pain of death to believe that the bishop of rome, was heed of the church. Is not this the commandment even now of the Emperor & also of the French king command not these ii magistrates in pain of burning, all men to believe, that pilgrimag is good, worshipping of images is an godly, monkery is holy kind of life? Now I pray you, are all these ii magistrates subjects bound in pain of damnation, to believe that the bishop of Rome is heed of the church? are they bound to believe the pilgrimage & worshpping of images are good & gudli? are they bound to believe the monkery is a kind of life the pleaseth god: are these subjects bound to believe any more than is contained in the crede, & in the expressed word of god? answer I pray you, are all the emperors subjects, & the French kings subjects bound to believe, that the pope is the heed of the church, & that pardons pilgrimage, & monkery be of god? Phil. They are not bound to believe that the pope is head of the church, neither the pilgrimag is of god. Kno. Then are not all subjects, by the virtue of the first commandment, bound to believe, what soever the rulers command them to believe except it, that they command, be contained in the expressed word of god: But there is no mention made in the scripture of the mess, therefore though the magistrate should commaundemen to believe, that the mess were of god, yet they are not bound to obey them in that case. Thus much have we gotten of you by your awn confession. Now let us see what we can win of you by the scripture. We grant unto you, that we must obey the commandment of the politic father, so far as he keepeth himself with in his bounds, that is, in all things, that are for the glory of God, or are profitable for the common wealth, and not contrary unto the word of God. But if he would go beyond his bounds, that is, if he would command men to believe, that thing to be a worshipping of god, which is either unspoken of in the written word of god, or contrary unto he same word, or if he should forbid this word, or any part of it, we are not bound to obey him in this case. My auctoris saint Paul, which, in the Epistle to the Galathians, sayeth, If that I, or an angel of heaven do show any Gospel beside it, that I have showed you, accursed be he, & excummunicated from God. And the same he sayeth unto the Corinthians: that that I have received of the Lord, that I have delivered unto you. And in the Epistle to the Galathians, he sayeth, that he received the Gospel which he had preached, not of any man, but by the revelation of jesus Christ. Then the meaning of saint Paul is, that he would that even his awn self, or an Angel of heaven should be accursed, if either of them should teach or command to believe any doctrine, that he hath not received of Christ: whereof I gather, that all magistrates, which command to be taught & believed any doctrine of glad tydynges, which they have not received of Christ, that they are accursed by the doctrine of saint Paul. Daniel obeyed his king, so long as he commanded him, not to do any thing, against God's commandment: but when his master would have had him to have worshipped Bel & the dragon, he would not obey him. The iii Israelites obeyed king Nabuchodonosor in all things, that pertained unto a king to require: but when the king went beyond his bounds, and would have had them to have worshipped his image, they would no longer obey their politic father. The Aopstles also in civil matters, obeyed the magistrates, and paid tribute, but when the rulers forbade the apostles to preach any more in Christ's name, they would not obey thyr commandment: but said. Melius est obedire deo ꝙ hominibus: It is better to obey God, than men. By these places ye may see plainly, that we are not bound to obey the magistrates, if they command us to believe any thing, or do any thing, that is contrary unto scripture: but the Mess is contrary unto the scripture, therefore, though the magistrate should command us to believe, that it were of god, we are not bound to in this case obey them. Howbeit, in other cases we are bound to obey than, in pain of damnation: for he that resisteth them in any such matters, as they have authority of commandment over, resisteth god and so purchasseth himself the wrath of god. Porphi. He that is not against me, is with me, sayeth Christ: but the mess, for all your saying, is not against Christ and his word, ergo it is with Christ, and of christ. Knowledge. That the mess is contrary to christ and his holy word, I shall be able too prove it with witnesses enough brought out of the scripture, and the Mess itself also. This is said in the Mess, for avoiding of the Pestilence in these words in a prayer, called a secret. Subueniat nobis domine. etc. Lord, we beseech thee, that the working of this present sacrifice, may help us, which also may mightily deliver us from all errors, and save us from running into all perdition. Lo, here the working of a sacrifice offered up by a priest, is reckoned and taken to have as much pour, as Christ hath, to help us by his sacrifice: for Christ with his sacrifice did no more but deliver us from all errores, & saved us from all perdition or destruition. Now I pray you, how doth this agre with Paul, that an other sacrifice than Christ offered, should save us which sayeth. Hebre ten With one oblation he hath made perfit for evermore, all them, which are sanctified. This is said in the Canon of the Mess. Hec sacro sancta commixtio corporis et sanguinis domini. etc. Let this mingling together of the body and blood of our Lord jesus Christ be unto me and to all them that receive it, salvation of both body and soul to deserve everlasting life, & a preparing to health to receive it Behold as the mess teacheth men to believe that they may purchase everlasting life by the work, both ordained and done by a man, that is, by the mingling together of the consecrated bread and wine in the chalice. Where did God command any priest or minister to mingle the consecrated bread and wine together? in no place of the written ●orde of God. Is it not contrary unto the scripture I report me to you, that the work of a sinful man, shall deserve everlasting life? I suppose (saith saint Paul) Romano iii that a man is justified by faith, without the works of the law: if that a man be not justified by the works, commanded even expressedly in Gods law, shall a man be justified and saved by a work, never once commanded by god but invented by a superstitious man? See now, how prately the scripture & the mess do agree. The mess hath an other Prayer like unto this former, which beginneth thus. Domine sancte pater omnipotens deus. etc. Holy Lord almighty father everlasting God, grant me, that I may so worthily receive the body and blood of thy son our lord jesus Christ, that I may deserve thereby to receive forgiveness of all my sins, & to be filled with thy holy spirit and to have thy peace. Mark here, how that it which is only given throw the merit of Christ's passion and is only wrought by Christ, is craved blasphemously of the work wrought and done of a sinful man. Is there not here a sweet agreeing with this prayer of the mess, & these texts of scripture? Domini est salus. Nec est in alio quoꝙ salus: Salvation is the Lords, neither is there salvation in any other. When ye have done all things which are commanded you, say that ye were unprofitable servants. The mess in another place, contrary unto the holy scripture, teacheth us, that the offering up of bread & wine, may do the same, that Christ did on the cross, that is, may take away all our sins & may bring health to the living, and rest to the departed. Porphiry. Your talk doth testify, that ye are a Sacramentary, and that ye do not believe, that after the consecration, the bread and wine are turned into the flesh and blood of Christ. When as the bread and wine are turned in to Christ's flesh and blood, and of these two cometh forth hole Christ, what sin is it, to crave forgiveness of sins by the offering up of our saviour Christ, which never cessethe from taking of the sins of the world away? Knowledge. But what if a man crave and axe the same thing of the Offering up of dread and wine, two poor creatures, as yet unconsecrated. Porphyry. He should make a God of bread and wine and so commit Idolatry: For that is to every man a god, of whom he looketh to have salvation. Knowledge. than is the mess an idolatress, for she asketh the benefit of salvation, of the offering up bare bread & wine unconsecrated. Porphiry. how can ye prove men this that the mess asketh salvation of the offering of bread and wine unconsecrated and not of Christ? Knowledge. I pray you in what place of the mess is the bread & wine turned into Christ's body & blood? Porphiry. When these words are spoken over the bread and wine, this is my body, and this is the cup of my blood & of the new and everlasting testament. Knowledge. And is the bread, bread still, & the wine, wine still till thes words be said over the bread & the wine▪ Por. ye verily. know. But the words which I shall rehearse, are said straight way after the crede, a great while before the words of consecration be said & the ordinary rubrik giveth the priests this commandment, before they say the words that I spoke of. Let the priest take the chalice in his hand, & set diligently in a dew upon the mids of the altar, and duck a little down, & lift up the chalice with both his hands, offering the sacrifice unto the lord, saying this prayer: receive holy trinity this offering, which I an unworthy sinner offer in the honour of thee, of the blessed virgin Mary, & of all saints, for my sins and offences, for the health of the living and for the rest of them, that are departed. This prayer is said in every mess, but now will I bring you diverse secrets, peculiar & proper unto diverse messes, of like wickedness & impiety, which it that I rehearsed here before. This prayer is said in the mess of sayyte Grisgony. Lord, we beseech thee, receive our rewards with a pleasant cuntenaunce, that by the intercession of thy martyr blessed Grisgoni, they may purge away all contagius infections of our sins. This is said in the Mess of the inveution of saint Steven, Lord, look pleasantly upon this sacrifice offered with the vows of thy faithful, that it, which hath brought unto thy beloved martyr Steven & his companions this days glory of their invention, may profit us to redemption & grace. This is said in the mess of Mark and Marcelliane. Lord, we beseech thee, that thy grace may go before us, & also come after, & take gently these oblations, which we offer up for our sins, to be consecrated unto thy name, that by the intercession of thy martyrs Mark & Marcelliane, they may be profitable to salvation for all men. This is said in the mess of Nichomed is: Lord make holy the sacrifices & by the intercession of thy blessed martyr Nichomedis, cleanse & purge us by them, from the spots of our sins. This is red in the mess of S. Richrad Grant us merciful god by the intercession of saint Richard thy confessor and bishop, that the reward offered unto the eyes of thy majesty, may get grace to live well, & purchase everlasting glory. The sacrifices, oblations, & rewards, which are spoken of here in these prayers, are nothing else but bare bread & bare wine: for the prayers wherein they are offered, are said long before the sacring & consecration. But the priest at mess asketh of god, that the offering up of the same bare bread & wine may take away sins, purge the contagins infection of sins away, may profit to our redemption & to obtain grace, may be profitable to salvation for all men, may purge from spots of sins, & may get grace and purches everlasting glory. Every man believeth that he may obtain that thing which he earnestly doth ask & crave, but the mess or the priest at mess asketh earnestly purgation & cleansing of sins, & everlasting glory, to be given of god by the offering up of bread and wine: ergo the mess believeth, that sins may be purged and everlasting glory may be obtained by the offering up of bread & wine. But bread & wine are not god, neither is the offering up of bread & wine any ordinance of god but only the ordinance of man: Then they that believe to be saved & purged from sin by bread & wine, or by the offering up of bread & wine, think that they may be saved by a thing that is not God, and by a work, that god never commanded. But as ye said of late, that is to every man his god, by whom he looketh to be saved and redeemed from sin: but the mess with her chaplains trust to be saved by the offering up of bread & wine, therefore the mess with her chaplains maketh a god of the offering up of bread & wine. But all they that do so, are Idolaters: but the mess and her chaplains do so, ergo they are Idolaters. Now saying that the mess is an idolaters, what Christian man will from hence take her for God's service? Who dare for the displeasure of God, come unto her, or have any company or conversation with her? Porphy. it is not such an hainus matter, as ye make it, to offer up bread & wine Did not the priests of Moses' law, offer up bread & wine? Did not also Melchisedech a priest before Moses' law, of whose order we are of offer up all so bred & wine? & yet were neither Moses Idolaters, nor yet Melchisedech. Knowledge. if that the priests of Moses' law and Melchisedech had, without any commandment of God, offered up bread and wine, trusting by the offering thereof, to purchase redempcign and salvation, they had been Idolaters in deed. But they neither offered up bread and wine without commandment, neither trusted they to be saved thorough the offering up of bread and wine: therefore their examples will not excuse you from Idolatry. Where as ye say, that ye are priests of the order of Melchisedech, and seem thereby to have authority to offer up bread and wine, as he did I shall briefly prove, that ye are not of his order. Whosoever is a priest of the order of Melchisedech, is a priest for ever and neither hath beginning nor ending of his priesthood: and therefore was Christ called a Priest after the order of Melchisedech, because he was an everlasting priest, and his priesthood had effect and strength from the beginning of the world, and shall have unto the end of the world, not because he offered bread and wine, for he offered up neither of both, but his body and blood, which was signified by the bread and the wine: ye have a beginning of your priesthood, at xxiiii. years of your age, and an end of it when ye die, therefore ye are not priests of the order of Melchisedech. Are ye priests of Moses' law? P Philargy. no. Knowledge. If that ye be neither priests of the order of Melchisedech, neither of Aaron's order, by what authority take ye in hand, to stand at altars, offering up of outward sacrifices, when as in the new Testament, it is neither lawful to build altar, neither to offer upon it any outward sacrfeice, saying, that by the sacrifice, that Christ offered on the cross, all altars and outward sacrifices were abrogated, and lawfully put down. Porphyry. We have altars in the new testament, and outward Sacrifices allowed also, even of Christ in the .v. of Matthew in these words: When thou shalt offer up thy reward at the altar, and shall there remember that thy brother hath something against thee, leave thy reward there before the altar, and go and be first brought in favour with thy brother, and then come and offer thy reward. Lo, here our master Christ maketh mention both of a reward and also of an altar. Therefore in the new Testament we may both have altars, and also outward offerings. Knowledge. All they that have any right understanding in scripture can tell that Christ said these words, which ye have rehearsed, unto the Jews: which as yet, were under the law & used outward sacrifices. The sacrifices & ceremonies of Moses law, did so long endure, till that Christ's sacrifice, which was perfigured & signified before by the jews outward sacrifice which was once finished and offered. But as soon as Christ had offered up his sacrifice on the Cross, which was to him, as a certain altar all outward sacrifices, altars, and oblations was abrogated & put down Nevertheless unto that time he forbade no Sacrifice or oblation ordained by Moses to be offered. Christ a minister of the new testament before his passion, was circumcised, he came to the temple or Jerusalem and eate the jews Pascal lamb after the order of Moses' law: shall we therefore be circumcised? shall we come to the temple of Jerusalem? shall we be bound also to eat the jeves paschal lamb after the order of Moses' law? Therefore, the place which ye have reher? sed here before, maketh nothing for altars & oblations, to be had among christian men, after the Christ hath suffered his passion: which was so perfit a sacrifice or oblation, that theridamas needed never more after that, to be offered to take sins away. There fore your mestres missa & ye that will have still both altars and outward sacrifices for sins, are enemies unto Christ's most holy word, which doth in many places testify, that at a certain time, all outward acryfyces should have an end, and that the time was, when Christ offered himself a sufficient sacrifice for the redemption of the whole world. To prove this that I have said to be true, first I will show by the scripture, that the offering up of sacrifices, was no moral precept, and therefore not everlasting but a temporal and ceremonial, too serve the infancy and weakness, of the jews a while, that is, to the time of perfection. Isaiah in the first chapter of his prophecy writeth thus: What shall I do with your manifold sacrifices sayeth the Lord? The burnt sacrifices of rams, and the fat of the beasts do I loath. I love not the blood if oxen, lambs and goats. When ye shall come to appear before me, who requireth it of your hand, that ye should tread on my courutes? Bring your reward nomonre in vain. jeremy also writeth thus in the first Chapter: Wherefore bryngeste thou me Frankincense out of Stba, and calamus and ambre out of a far land. your burned offerings please me not, and your Sacrifices are not sweet unto me. God sayeth also in the .v. of Amos these words: I defy your holy days, neither will I smell in your Congregations, and when ye shall sacrifice unto me burned offerings and sacrifices of meat, they shall not be acceptable unto me, and I will not look upon the offerings of fats. O house of Israel, have ye offered in the wilderness for the space of xl years offerings and sacrifices unto me? The same sentence is written in the xl Pslame The same matter is contained in the Li. Psalm in these words: Thou art not delighted in hosts or offerings, or else I would have offered. Thou wilt have no sacrifice and hosts to be offered, but thes sacrifices wilt thou not despise, a sorrowful spirit, a low brought heart & a contritt. David maketh mention of the same matter in the xl psalm: Thou lovest not a sacrifice and an offering of meat, but thou hast bored thorough mine ears: thou hast not requirey burnt sacrifice & hosts, to be offered up for sin, Paul also in the ten chap. of the epistle to the Hebrews writeth thus, of the abrogation of ceremonies, sacrifices, and oblations of the old law: The law having a shadow of good things of to come: & not being the patron itself, can never make them that are under it, perfect with thy oblations, which it offereth the very same continually every year, or else should offering have been left of because they which had offered up sacrifice, and had thereby cleansed & purified, should have had from thenceforth no more grudge of sin in their conscience. But in these is a remembrance of sins yearly. For the blood of bulls and goats can not take away sin. Wherefore, when he was about to come in to the world he said. Thou wouldst not have sacrifice and oblation, but thou haste made fit a body to me, and thou haste not allowed burnt sacrifices for sin: Then said I, here come I, it is written in the beginning of the book of me, that I should do thy will (O God) When he sayeth before. thou wouldst not have sacrifice, oblation, and burnt offerings for sins, neither didst thou allow them that are offered after the manner of the Law: then said he, here am I (O god) to do thy will. He taketh away the former, that he may stablish and set up the latter, by the which will, we are made holy and sanctified, by the offering up of the body of jesus christ once finished and done. Now out of these places of scripture which I have rehearsed, I gather, that all outward oblations, offerings, sacrifices and oblations both of beasts and of meat, as of bread & such like was quiet abrogated & put down at that time, when our saviour jesus Christ offered up on the Cross his most blessed and perfit sacrifice, which was prefigured and signified before long time, by the oblations and sacrifices now put down and abrogated. If that all kinds of sacrifices of vestes and meats be abrogated by Christ'S sacrifice, we ought to have no more outward sacrifices. Then ye mestres Missa with your chaplains, do amiss to set v● that, which Christ put down: yea and though Christ had not abrogated the offering up of beasts & of bread, yet ye do grievously offend God in setting up a new kind of sacrifice or wor worshipping of God which he never commanded. Sayeth not almighty God by Esay the prophet and comptayneth, that he is falsely worshipped by the commayndementes of men? And God giveth a plain commandment 〈◊〉 xii of Deuteronomy saying. Do ●hou only that, which I command thee: neither shalt thou put any thing to the commandment, neither take any thing from it. That God is sore displeased with offerings invented by man, the death of Nadab and Abiu Leuitici the ten doth testify, where as they both were burnt to death, for offering up of strange fire which was not commanded them. Where have ye any commandment of God that ye should offer up bread in the new Testament? surely, nowher in the new Testament. Furthermore, masters Missa ye and your chaplains do noughtlye, and contrary unto the scriptures, to set up outward altars, when as all outward sacrifices are abrogated. What should Christ's temple do with an outward altar where there is no outward sacrifice to be offered upon it? The sacrifices that are allowed only for Christian men to be offered, are these: The calves of our lips prayers thanks praising of god, charitableness, and mercy and alms to the poor, our own bodies mortified, a contrite heart and a troubled spirit. I pray you now, what shall we need an outward and a stony altar to offer these sacrifices on? Then when as we need no such altars it is evil done of you to hold still altars in the church, where as Christ's table should be. Now your altars do none other good, but bear false witness against Christ, that he hath not made perfit all, that are sanctified, with his blessed sacrifice: for an outward altar presupposeth an outward sacrifice but another outward sacrifice for sin, after Christ's sacrifice, presupposeth, that Christ's sacrifice was not sufficient and perfit enough: For Paul to the Hebrews proveth, that the sacrifice that hath another succeeding, is unperfect. But all such false witness and significations, which sygnify any thing against Christ, ought to be put down and destroyed: but it is now proved, that the altars which are in the church, presuppose and signify against Christ, therefore they ought to be broken down and taken away. Then shall ye my masters that are missaryes, say mess without altars: if ye will needs say Mess. I wonder oft-times, where is now the zeal among Christian men, which was among the carnal and stubborn jews. If we, which would be reckoned perfit Christianes', had been so ●elous for the keeping of the new law as they were for the old, as soon as we had seen any altar set up in the church, we would have said unto them that set it up. What unfaithfulness is this, that ye can not be content with christ, and the law of the Gospel, but ye will needs set up Altars and outward sacrifices after the manner of Moses' law? Why set ye up again Altars and sacrifices, which our redeemer and saviour Christ hath put down and abrogated? how can ye for shame set up altars, when as the children of Israel. joshua xxii could not abide, that the tribe of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasses, should set up an altar any where, to do sacrifice on, saving only by the tabernacle? and yet they were bound to offer up sacrifices, and to have altars by the tabernacle. Now have I proved sufficiently that contrary unto the scripture, ye offer up bread, for sin and build altars in the temples of Christian men. Fremouth. this do I also lay unto this woman's charge, that she with her chaplains, taketh in hand to offer up Christ again, and to take sin away, with the offering up of Christ, even as he took sin a●ay when he offered his blessed body upon the cross, which thing I shall prove to be injurious to Christ's passion and priesthood and contrary unto the word of God. Porphiry. almighty god said unto the Jews: In cathedra Mosi scribe & pharisae● sederunt, that is, in the teaching stool of Moses, have sitten the scribes and the Pharisees: do what soever they bid ye do, but according unto their works, do ye not, for they say, and do not. If that the Jews were bound to do that which the Scribes and Pharisees bade them do, we are now bound to do in the new testament those things, that our bishops and ordinaries bid us do: But our ordinaries have commanded us & the mess to offer up Christ again daily for the taking away of sin, therefore we are bound to offer up Christ again to take sins away. And in doing of our superiors commandment, we please God: who bade us obey our superiors. Therefore in offering up Christ again to release sins, both of the quick and the dead, is not contrary unto the will of God, but pleasant and acceptable unto him. knowledge. The jews were bound, I grant you, so long to obey the Scribes and pharisees, as they sat in Moses chair, or teaching stool, but no longer. So So long sat they in Moses teaching stool or chair, as they taught only Moses' law and nothing of their own: But when as the Scribes and Pharisees taught their awn traditions, and commandments, they sat in their own chair or teaching stool, and then were the jews so little bound to obey them, that Christ gave them a plain commandment, that they should not obey them, but avoid and shun their doctrine, and therefore said he Matthew. xvi. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, in the which place, lived, (as the scripture expoundeth itself) betokeneth the doctrine of the Pharisees. If that all the jews were bound to do what soever the Scribes and Pharisees did command without any exception, whether it were contained in the scripture or no, then broke the Apostles Christ's commandment, when as they would not wash their hands, when they went to meat, for the Pharisees and the Scribes said unto Christ. Why do thy disciples break the ordinaonces of the elders? for they wash not their hands, when they eat bread: but Christ in defending of his disciples, declareth, that they broke not his commandment in breaking of the Pharisees commandment: therefore by these places of scripture, it is evident that a man is sometime bound to obey the Pharisees commandment, that is, when they teach nothing but the scripture, and some time men are bound to disobey and resist their commandment, that is, when they sit in their awn chairs, & teach traditions, which are notin the scripture. The Pharisees taught that all men should wash their hands before meat. They taught, the men should not honour their father & mother, but put money in the box, & that thereby they should be excused from honouring of their father and mother. No man is so mad to believe that by this saying of Christ: in the chair of Moses have sit the scribes and Pharisees, do whatsoever they did you do: men are bound to keep the pharisees commandment, when they either teach men to wash hands before meat, or to dishonour their father and mother. Then can ye not gather of the text, that we are bound to obey our bishops and pastors in all traditions and commandments, whatsoever they command us to keep without any exception, but only in such commandments, as they have out of the new Testament. If that we were bound to believe and obey what soever the preachers, or ordinaries, or Bishops did preach or command, Certain Jews of the sect of the pharisees, which had believed and professed Christ, start up and teached the brethren. Act xu that they could not be saved, except they were circumcised, and kept the law with the Gospel: was the Christian men of that time bound to believe and to obey these preachers commandments? Bishop fisher laid that the bishop of Rome was heed of the church. bishop Reps a little before the Idol of Walsyngam was put down, said, that men should go on pilgrimage. Bishop Gardiner said, that Images should be worshipped with outward worship, and that men were justified by their works. These iii were ordinaries: were all they that were under them at that time, when they preached such doctrine, bound to do as these men said, or they were not? If they were not, I pray you tell me, why were they not bound to obey their doctrine and commandment? Philargy. because they commanded both, that it was not in the scripture and also contrary doctrine unto the scripture. Fremouth. Then when as your ordinary commandeth you, and your mestres Missa, any thing concerning reli, gion that is not in the scripture, or contrary unto the scripture, ye are not bound to obey him, and keep his commandment: But this commandment of your ordinary, where as he commandeth you to offer up christ again is not commanded of god in his scripture, yea it is clean contrary unto the scripture, wherefore ye should have no more in this case have followed the counsel & commandment of your ordinary than the good jews, kept the commandment of the Pharisees, where they taught men to dishonour their father and mother. Knowledge. And I for my part shall prove, that both your kind of priesthood that offer up Christ again, & also your masters, whom ye have taken in hand to defend, are contrary unto the word of God. They that go about to make Christ's sacrifice unperfit, are enemies unto the scripture and contrary unto the word of god: but your priesthood with the mess, do so: therefore they both are contrary unto the scripture. Saint Paul in the epistle to the Hebrews proveth by these reasons, that the sacrifices and priesthood of Moses' law, are unperfect, because they could never make perfit them, which were under the law. And in the seventh chapter, he sayeth thus, speaking of the law and sacrifices of Moses The commandment which went before is taken away for the weakness and inprofytablenes of it, for the law hath brought nothing unto perfection, but it was a leading unto a better hope. The priests of the old law were many because they were not suffered by death to continued. But christ, because he endureth for ever, hath an everlasting priesthood: wherefore he living for ever, can perfectly save them, which thorough him, go unto god. Mark these words well, for they are not mine but Paul's. Paul also in the ten of the epistle to the Hebr. proveth that the law is unperfit, because it could not, with the sacrifices & hosts which, the priests offered up every year of fresh make them that came to the law perfect: or else (saith paul) they would have left of offering. Of the words I make thes reasons. If the sacrifices of moses law were unꝑfit, because they could not make them perfit, for whom they were offered, then if that Christ's sacrifice make not all them perfit, for whom it was offered, it was unperfit also: But ye offer up again for them, for whom christ ones before hath offered, ergo ye reckon, that the sacrifice of Christ made not them perfit, and so ye reckon Christ no perfecter a priest, than Moses' priests were, and his sacrifice no perfecter, than their Sacrifices were. Mark well the words of Paul. Lex his hostiis, quas singulis annis continenter offerunt, nunquam potest acced entes perfectos reddere, alioqui nonne desiissent offer? The law can never make them that come unto it perfit, with these sacrifices, which they offer continually every year the same: Or else I pray you, had not they ceased from offering Ye may see by Paul here, that where as there is no ceasing from offering, that there, is no perfection of sacrifice: but ye offer up Christ again and cease never one day in the year, saving one, (if that ye cease then) from offering him again, therefore, ye make as much as lieth in you, Christ's Sacrifice imperfyt. Whosoever maketh Christ's sacrifice unperfit, is blasphemous to Christ, and is a member of antichrist: but it it proved, masters Missa, that you with your chaplains do so: ergo ye with your chaplains are Blasphemous unto Christ, and membres of antichrist. That in offering up Christ again, ye be proud, arrogant, and take more authority, than ever God gave you, I will prove it thus. What soever the high priest may not do, which is both God and man, that can not a simple priest lawfully do, which is but a mere man: But Christ our high priest can not offer himself up again then can no simple priests, that are but mere men, offer up lawfully Christ again: but ye take in hand to do so, therefore it, that ye take in hand, is unlawful, and ye are in doing of your fact, presumptuous and arrogant, taking unto you more authority, than it have given unto you. That Christ can not offer up himself again, these words of Paul to the Hebrews ix do testify. In ipsum coelum ingressus est ut appareat nunc in conspectu dei pro nobis, non ut soepius offer at semetipsum, quemadmodum pontifex ingreditur in sancta singulis annis, per sanguinem alienum: Alioqui oportuisset saepius passum fuisse a condito mundo. etc. He entered into heaven itself, to appear in the sight of God for us, not to offer himself oft times up: as the high priest entereth into the temple every year by strange blood. For then from the beginning of the world, should he have oft suffered. Mark ye not here that Paul sayeth, that Christ should have oft suffered, if he had done a certain thing oft? that same thing was offering of himself, as the text doth expressedly declare. Then saying that Paul joineth inseparably together, oft offering, and suffering: it followeth well, that so oft as Christ is offered: so oft doth he suffer, and they that make him to be oft offered, maketh him to be slain. But ye masters Missa with your chaplains, offer Christ a thousand times in one year, then do ye kill Christ a thousand times in one year. Now my Lord judge, what this woman deserveth for killing of Christ so oft, I refer it unto your judgement. Ye say also masters Missa, that ye take sins away with the offering up of Christ, and Paul sayeth: Absque sanguinis effusione non fit remissio. without shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness: than it followeth also by this place, that ye & your chaplains are bloody sacrificers. Now to you my master's the be priests what christian bishop will command you to offer up Christ again to take sin away, saying that as oft as he is offered up so oft must he suffer, and have his blood shed. None surely, for they that do so, are of the right lineage of that bishop, which said: Necesse est, ut unus moriatur pro populo, ne tota gens pereat: and of theirs also that said Nos habemus legem, & secundum hanc debet mori. There must one die for the people, lest the hole multitude should perish. We have a law and according to that, he must die. David and Paul say, that Christ is an everlasting priest, and his priesthood hath no end. No man can succeed him, that lasteth for ever, christ dureth for ever, then can no man succeed him: then are ye not Christ's successors as ye would be taken. Furthermore, saying that Christ's priesthood is everlasting there can no other Preistehode lawfully succeed, then is your Preistehode, which ye would bring in after Christ's preistode, unlawful. If ye say, that ye are of Christ's order, Paul showing the difference between Christ's priesthood and the priesthood of Moses' law, declareth that none such as ye be, can be of Christ's order. These iii properties. whereby Christ's priesthood dyfferethe from all other preisthodes. The first property that longeth unto a priest of Christ's order, is to be but one, and without sin: The second is, to endure for ever in his priesthood. The third is to offer but ones, and with that offering to make perfit all them, for whom he offereth. All these properties are plainly set out in the vii and ten chapters of the epistle to the Hebrews, in these words. They were made many priests, because they were not suffered by death to continue. But this priest, because he abideth still, the same for ever, hath an everlasting priesthood, wherefore he can save fully them, that thorough him go unto God, ever living for that intent, that he might make interce●syon for them. It was meet that we had such a high Bishop, that should be, godly and devout, innocent, undefiled, set a side from sinners, and higher than the heavens, which should not have need everydaye to offer up sacrifices as those high priests had: first for their awn sins, and then after, for the sins of the people: For that he did ones, when he offered up himself, and with one oblation he made perfit for ever, them that are sanctified: But ye are many priests, and live not ever and are not without sin, and make not them perfit, for whom ye offer with one oblation: Therefore are ye not priests of Christ's order, yea neither of his order, nor ordinance, for he never ordained any kind of priests whereof he hath made no mention in his scripture. A priest which is ordained of God, to offer up alone without any fellows in office, an everlasting offering for the takyngt away of sin, and doth his duty perfitly, hath great wrong done unto him, if any man take his office in hand or will join himself in office with him, without his leave or commandment: Christ was ordained of God to offer alone without any fellows in office, an everlasting oblation, for the relesing of sin, and that office doth he perfitly, yet ye unsent for, and without licence, thrust yourselves into Christ's office, to offer with him, for the taking away of sins. Therefore ye do Christ plain wrong, and not only him, but also his father, who sent him. Now, how can this priesthood of yours be of god which is iniurius and doth wrong, both to the Father of heaven, and to Christ his son, and our redeemer? Then if the Mess lean upon your priesthood, they must both fall together. Here have I proved also that this Mess is not ordained of God, and that she is contrary to the scripture, and a blasphemous member of antichrist, and injurious unto the priesthood of Christ and to his passion also, and a foul idolaters, and a causer of Idolatry. Whether such an idolaters ought to be held still in Christ's church for god's service or no, I refer all the matter unto you, my Lord judge, which have authority in this matter to determine as ye have see evidence. Palemon. These men thy accusers, have brought forth sufficient evidence & witness, that thou art not of God, that thou art contrary and enemy unto the holy scripture, and and idolaters, making a god of unconsecrated bread and wine, and that to the great injury of Christ's passion thou offerest up Christ again, and as much as lieth in thee, killest him a thousand times in one year. Wherefore, thou hast deserved death, and art worthy to be burned. But least thy father's generation the Papists should say, that we are as desirous of blood shedding, as they were, when they bore the swinging, I command the in pain of burning to pack the out of this realm, with all thy bags & baggage within these. viii. days, & go to thy father the pope, with all the speed, that thou canst, & say, that her is in England no more place for him neither for any of his generation. know. Sir, if it please you, if there be no man appointed to see this woman shipped, and conveyed out of the land, the priests, will keep her still in their chambers and will abuse her, as they have done before: Therefore, if your Lordship will let me have her in my custody, I shall see her conveyed once unto the sea, let her choose her, whether she will come again or no. Palemon. I am content, say not woman but thou art warned: if that thou ever come into this realm again, after thes viii days look none other but to be served even as thy father hath served our brethren in time past. The Mess speaketh Help and defend my good brethren all Which love doctrine Cathedral And do believe unwritten verity To be as good as scriptures sincerite Because in the Bible I can not be found The Heretics would bury me under the ground I pray you heartily if it be possible To get my a place in the great Bible Or else as I do understand I shallbe banished out of this land And shallbe compelled with sorrow & pain To return to Rome to my father again