THE. V A BHOMINABLE BLASPHEMIES contained in the Mass, with a short answer to them, that say, we run before the king and his counsayse. ❧   decorative border   

HEre I was minded (good christian readers) to have made an end of writing against that cursed and abominable sacrifice of the Mass, but being compelled by the obstinate blasphemy of certain papists, which every where do depredicate, and say, that we run before the king and his counsel (for good christian readers, this is their only refuge, that they flee to, not having one syllable in the scriptures to confirm their purpose) I am fain to meddle farther in this mattier, and to show how they go about in so saying, to make the king and his counsel partakers of their ungodly blasphemy against god, and his scriptures. Which thing may be proved after this manner: Omnis potestas a domino deo est, that is to say: All power is of the lord god. By the which saying it followeth, that generally all kings, rulers, magistrates, and governors, if they intend to live according to their vocation, must of necessity do the thing, that god commandeth and willeth them to do, (for who so ever doth otherwise, whether he be king or emperor, he is no more worthy to be called a prince or governor, than the foul spirit, which is within a man is to be called his soul, sith that a prince is unto the common wealth, that same self thing, that the soul is unto the body) but this is the chief duty and office of a king or go vernour, to seek, promote, and set forth the glory of god, to extirpate and clean banish away, all such strange worshippings, dreams, and vain inventions of men, as do in any wise obscure the same, deface the mexites of the passion of Christ, and obliteratte or blot away his death. Now mark ye this argument, mark ye I say, what followeth of your sayings if the king and his honourable couceill have not yet (as ye most craftily persuade unto the simple and ignorant people, which if it were not for you would gladly and joyfully receive, the gospel of the son of god) disannulled & put down the Mass. that is to say, the most abominable, pernicious, and damnable idol, that ever Satan with all his craft could invent then are they, by your own confession, all ungodly, and also partakers of your idolatrous blasphemy, which thing ye shall never be able to avoid. Sicꝙ vos perduellionis alligatis, that is to say: ye attach your selves of plain and deadly treason, against the king and his honourable counsel. Which all (thanks be unto the lord, that hath the hearts of all rulers in his hand) be as far, in this point, from all ungodliness and blasphemy, as ye are now from all truth and verity, that so stiffly keep up the banner and standard of your master Satan. This I say, is the very banner and standard of Satan the devil, which he hath set up, to ebscure, pervert and utterly abolish from the memory and remembrance of all men, the death of our saviour jesus christ blinding all the world with most pestilent error, that is to say with full persuasion, that the Mass was a sacrifice, and oblation to obtain remission of sins, or a work whereby the priest, ytoffereth Christ, and they that are participant of the same, do deserve exopere operato, that is to say: of the work that is wrought, forgiveness of their sins, and heavenly joy, not only for them that be in purgatory, but also for them that be in hell, briefly for all them that are alive and dead, though it be a. M. years ago. Is not this to blaspheme and dishonour Christ, to burn and oppress his cross, to bring his death to perpetual oblivion and forgetfulness, to take away the fruits of his passion, and to evernate and abolish the sacrament of his death?  
These five abominable blasphemies I will here with the leave of god, so lively depicte, and set before the eyes of all christian readers, that the very infants and babes shall clearly see, that they, which so lewdly affirm that we do run afore the king and his counsel, intend nothing else, but to defame their prince, and all them that be about him, with papistical heresy, therewith seeking to keep the true subjects of this illustrie realm, in perpetual blindness and ignorancy.  

THis is therefore the first blasphemy done unto Christ by the mass. Christ, by the heavenly father, is consecrated and made high priest or high bishop, not for a time (as we do read that they were made in the old testament, whose priesthood, because that they themselves were mortal, could not be immortal, and therefore they had need of successors, which always should be substituted and made in the room of them, that died) but as he is immortal, so his priesthood is everlasting, and needeth no successor. Therefore he was made by the father of heaven, a priest for ever after the order of Melchifedech, to execute and minister that priesthood that endureth for ever. This mystery was long before prefigurated in Melchisedech, whom after that the scripture had once named to be the priest of the living god, no more mention at all, in the scriptures is made of him, although he had never ended his life. For this similitude is our Messiah called a priest after the order of Melchisedech. But now, they that use this invented sacritice of the Mass, must needs daily to make priests, whom they do substitute and subrogate unto Christ, as plain successors. With the which subrogation or substituting they do not only spoil Christ of his honour, and take from him the prerogative of his everlasting priesthood, but also go about to pluck him, from the right hand of god the father, where he can not set immortal, except he remaineth a priest for ever. Nor they can not thus excuse themselves, saying: that their massing priests are not subrogated or substituted unto Christ, as unto him, that is still withholden with death, but joined only to him, as suffragans of his everlasting priesthood, which for all them, remaineth with out end. For the holy apostle saint Paul concluding them more narrowly, saith plainly that there was in the old law many priests made therefore, because that they were letted by death to continue, ergo sith that Christ can not be letted by death, be is that one only priest and hath no need either of suffragans, or successors. Read the .v. seven. ix. and ten to the hebrews.   

The ii bsaspbemie.  
THe secande abomination of the Mass is, that it doth utterly deface, obscure, conculcate & tread under feet the cross and passion of Christ. Which thing is very evident, for if Christ did offer himself on the cross a sacrifice, therewith to sanctify us for ever, & to purchase everlasting redemption unto us: undoubttyngly the strength virtue and efficacy of this sacrifice, is with out any end: else we should judge no better of Christ than of bulls and calves, which were offered in the old law. Which oblations were therefore corrupted weak and of no effect, because that they were oftentimes repeated, iterated and offered of new again. Therefore we must confess, that q this sacrifice of Christ, which he did offer in the cross, doth lack and want the virtue of everlasting purification cleansing and redemption, or that it was once sufficiently offered for ever.  
Which thing the apostle in the ix. and ten to the hebrews doth testify saying: This high bishop jesus Christ, did appear once in the end of the world, to put sin to flight, by the offering up of himself. Again we are by the will of god sanctified, by the offering up of the body of jesus Christ, once. Item Christ did with one oblation make them perfect for ever, which are sanctified: unto which sayings he doth add this godly sentence: and where remission of these things that is to say, of sins, is, there remaineth no more offering for sin. This thing did Christ, when he did yield up the ghost, signify saying: Consummatum est, that is to say: It is finished. With the which word Christ doth testify, that with this one only sacrifice, he hath consummated performed, and fulfilled, what so ever is necessary to our salvation. But yet not withstanding we do daily, unto this omni sufficient and most perfect sacrifice, as though it were most unperfect, patch innumerable sacrifices. Sith therefore, that the holy and sacred word of god, doth affirm protest and testify that the virtue of this sacrifice once offered for ever, doth everlastingly continue: do not they, that require any other most blasphemously insimulate and accuse it of imperfection & weakness? Now the mass, which for that intent was instituted, that every day .MMM. sacrifices might be offered, what other thing, I pray, doth it go about, but utterly to drown and bury the passion of Christ, wherein he did offer himself a sufficient sacrifice unto his heavenly father? Here every man, except he be utterly blind, may see, that this is the extreme boldness of Satan the devil, which repugneth to so manifest and open truth. But let us see, with what subtilty this father of lies, doth go about, to cloak his impiety and ungodly invention. We do not, saith he, offer sundry and divers sacrifices, but that one sacrifice only, such mist, with the beams of the light son truth and verity, is soon discussed and driven away. For Paul doth not only affirm, that there remain no more sacrifices, but also that this one sacrifice once offered for ever, can be offered no more. Some men would escape more subtillis and craftily saying: that they do not offer it of new again but that they do apply the fruits thereof unto us. This vain sophistry also can easily be confuted, for Christ did not offer himself upon this condition, that his sacrifice should be every day confirmed and ratified, with new oblations, but that with the preaching of the gospel, and ministering of his holy souper, the profits thereof should be communicated to us. For Paul saith, that Christ our passover is immolated or offered, and therefore he biddeth us to eat and drink. etc. This I say, is the right way to apply this sacrifice of the cross unto us, when we feed upon the body and blood of Christ spiritually, either in the holy mysteries, or in the hearing and receiving of his word faithfully. here I think necessari, to touch a little, what they do allege for the chief foundation of their mass. God in the first chap. of Malachi, speaketh after this manner: From the east to the west my name is great among the gentiles, and in all places incense is offered up unto my name, and a pure offering also, for my name is dreadful among the gentiles. Here ye may see, say they, that the prophet, many years before the incarnation of Christ, did prophecy of this holy sacrifice of the Mass. For what other sacrifice or offering should he mean? Thou shalt therefore understand, good christian reader, that therebe ii kinds of sacrifices. The one called Propitiatorium or expiatorium, that is to say, a sacrifice, wherewith the wrath of god is pacified, full satisfaction and amends is made for all thesynnes of the world, & the sinners that fly unto it by faith, so reconciled, that they be accounted just & righteous before god. This sacrifice did Christ once offer for ever in the altar of the cross, as we have showed by the word of god. And for this cause, were all the sacrifices of the old law which did prefygurate that one only sacrifice, called propitiatories. The other is called Eucharisticum, that is to say a sacrifice of thanks giving, which comprehendeth all the parts of charity and love. For by it we honour god in his limbs we do offer unto him our prayers, laudes and thanks giving, which by the strength of that other sacrifice are acceptable unto god. That therefore Malachi did mean this sacrifice, we will prove by strong scriptures, which the papists shall never be able to avoid. Let my prayer, O lord, saith david, ascend up before thy sight as incense. C xli psalm. Again Paul commandeth us to offer our bodies, a lively sacrifice, and reasonable worshipping. Item Paul doth call the liberality of the Philipenses, where with they did refresh him, an offering of sweet smell. Also Osee doth call our thanks giving the calves of our lips, which David doth call the sacrifice of laud and praise And Paul in the xiii to the hebrews, the fruits of our lips that confess the name of the lord. whereby any man may see, that Malachi did in the foresaid place understand this later sacrifice of thanks giving, as holy Hierome in his comen tarries upon the foresaid place, doth testify. Read the place who will. Now have I proved by the scriptures, that Malachi helpeth them nothing, but that this sacrifice of the Mass, is a new invention of Satan, to deface the cross and passion of Christ.   

The iii blasphemy.  
NOw we will come to the third blasphemy, and prove that the Mass doth obliterate and drive away from the memory of all men, that precious and most wholesome death of Christ. For as the approving of the testament or last will of a man, dependeth of his death: so the testament wherein our lord jesus Christ did be quest unto us free remission of our sins, and everlasting righteousness, was confirmed and approved by his death. They that do immutate, altar, or change any thing in this testament, do deny his death, and account it for nought. But what is the mass but a new & clean contrary testament doth not every one, of their masses, promise a new remission of sins, and a new acquisition or pourchassing of righteousness? We have now as many testaments as we have masses. Let Christ come therefore, & with an other death, yea with infinite deaths confirm the innumerable testaments of the masses. That there fore that I have said, is very true. By the sacrifice of the mass, that one only and true death of Christ, is obliterated and clean blotted away. Would not these massarie priests, if it lay in their power, slay Christ again of new? for Paul saith: where the testament is, there the death of the testator or testament maker, must be between. The mass is accounted to be the testament of Christ: ergo it requireth his death. Besides that, the host, which is offered, must be slain. If Christ is sacrificed in every Mass: then he must be slain, most cruelly every day in a. M. places. This is not mine. but saint Paul's argument, which saith, If he had need to offer himself oftener, than he should had need to have died many times, since the beginning of the world. Now ye may see what goodness is in this abominable Mass.   

The four blasphemy.  
THe fourth detriment or harm that cometh by the mass, is that it taketh away from us, the fruits of the death of Christ. For who will acknowledge or think, that he is redeemed, by the death of Christ, when he seeth, a new redemption in the mass? Who will trust that his sins are forgiven, when he seeth every day a new remission afore his eyes? And surely they that say, that in the mass we do obtain remission of our sins, only because that it was before pourchassed by the death of Christ, can not this escape. For this is none other thing, but to say, that we are therefore bought and redeemed of Christ, because that we should redeem ourselves. This is the doctrine set forth by Satan, which with fire and sword, they do so stiffly defend, and uphold. We do (say they) offer Christ in the mass, that by this oblation, we may obtain remission of sins, and be partakers of the passion of Christ. What is then the passion of Christ, but an example, whereby we should learn to be our one redeemers.   

The .v. blasphemy.  
NOw I come to the fift abomination, how by the mass, the holy souper, in the which the lord left unto us the remembrance of his passion, is utterly canceled and put away from us. For the souper of the lord, is a gift which, with thanks giving should be received, where as the sacrifice of the mass, is a price or reward off red unto god to be received of him, for a satisfaction and amends. Look what difference is between giving & receiving, that same is betwixt this word sacrament, and this word sacrifice. And surely by this, doth the wretched unthankfulness, and ingratitude of man declare itself. For where man should have acknowledged the gratuity benignity of the living god, & given thanks unto him, in that he maketh god his debtor. The sacrament did promise, that we were by the death of Christ, not for ones restored to life, but still continually vivified, because that then our salvation, was fully accomplished. But the Mass singeth an other song, that is to say, that Christ must be daily offered for us, thereby to obtain restitution of life. the souper of the lord, was distributed in the congregation among the faithful, to advertise us, that we should be all one in christ jesus. This communion the sacrifice of the Mass, hath clean banished away from the congregacoin and hath brought in, in stead thereof, a very excommunication, as I have sufficiently showed before, in the preface of the mass. Do not now the very blind see, the deaf, hear, & the very infants understand, that this is the abomination, which being reached for the in a golden cup, did inebriate and made drunken, all the kings and people of the earth, from the highest to the lowest, came singing as brute beasts, and unreasonable creatures, to put their whole hope & confidence in this pernicious puddle of idolatry, & spiritual fornication? For this is the adulterous Helen, for whose sake, all the enemies of the truth, do so rageously contend, strive & expugn the kingdom of Christ, his true doctrine and gospel. This I say, is the adulterous Helen, with whom all the papists through out all the world, do commit deadly fornication and adultery. But blessed be that puissant lord of hosts, which of his tender love and mercy, hath preserved our most sovereign lord and prince Edward the sixth, from the flattering lips of this adulterous harlot, which hath so by the space of these .v. hundredth years and more deceived all nations, alluring them from their true spouse & husband jesus Christ, to all kinds of abomination and filthiness: Oh how much bound are we all, which have any zeal to the gospel of Christ to laud and praise that almighty and merciful father, which hath provided such a noble protector and defender, not only of all the kings dominions & realms, but also of all truth and verity, which at this present time Satan doth not cease with his ministers to expugn and assail on every side: calumniating the true preachers thereof, as though in this matter, they should run before the king & his honourable council surely is nothing else, but which to accuse their prince & governor, with all his honourable counseilours of plain blasphemy against god and his word, which to do is no less, than deadly treason, as I have said before, Beware therefore, and cease to bear yourselves, in this your abomination, by your prince or any of his honourable counsel, which all do detest, abhor and hate, all such idolatrous blasphemy, being always ready with all their might and endeavour to seek, set forth, & promote, the glory of almighty god, to whom with the son and the holy ghost, be praise glory and honour for ever. So be it.   
FINIS.   

Compiled by john Veron, Senonois.  
imprinted at London, by Humphrey powel, dwelling Above Holborn conduit.   

Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.  
AN. Do. 1548.