THE FIFTH BOOK THE OBLATION AND SACRIFICE OF OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST.
The greatest blasphemy and injury that can be chap.
agamst Christ, and yet universally used through [; the Popish kingdom, is this, that the priests JJlf ofTh” make their mass a sacrifice propitiatory, to remit “**’** the sins as well of themselves, as of other both
quick and dead, to whom they list to apply the same. Thus, under pretence of holiness, the
Papistical priests have taken upon them to be
Christ’s successors, and to make such an oblation and sacrifice, as never creature made but
Christ alone, neither he made the same any more
times than once, and that was by his death upon
the cross. For as St. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews chap.
witnesseth, ” Although the high priests of the..
n.
230 OF THE OBLATION AND
ScVbe-“‘ old law offered many times, (at the least every
sacrifice of year once,) yet Christ ofFereth not himself manyofthepriests times, foT then he should many times have died.
[aw’r*’^’^ But now he offereth himself but once, to take
away sin by that offering of himself. And as men must die once, so was Christ offered once,
to take away the sins of many %”
And furthermore St. Paul saith, ” That the
sacrifices of the old law, although they werecontinually offered from year to year, yet could
they not take away sin, nor make men perfect.
For if they could once have quieted men’s consciences by taking away sin, they should have
ceased, and no more have been offered. ButChrist, with once offering, hath made perfect for ever them that be sanctified ; putting their sins
clean out of God’s remembrance. And whereremission of sins is, there is no more offering for
sin\”
And yet further he saith, concerning the OldTestament, ” That it was disannulled and taken
away, because of the feebleness and unprofitableness thereof; for it brought nothing to perfection. And the priests of that law were many,because they lived not long, and so the priesthood went from one to another; but Christ liveth
ever, and hath an everlasting priesthood that
passeth not from him to any man else. Where^^ Heb. ix. * Heb. x.
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. iJ31
fore he is able perfectly to save them that come
to God by him, forasmuch as he livetli ever to make intercession for us. For it was meet for us to have such an high priest that is holy, innocent, w^ithout spot, separated from sinners,
and exalted up above heaven ; who needeth not
daily to offer up sacrifice, as Aaron’s priests did,
first for his own sins, and then for the people.
For that he did once, when he offered up himself^”
Here, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, St. Paul
hath plainly and fully described unto us the difference between the priesthood and sacrifices of
the Old Testament, and the most high and worthy priesthood of Christ, his most perfect and
necessary sacrifice, and the benefit that cometh
to us thereby. For Christ offered not the blood
of calves, sheep, and goats, as the priests of the
old law used to do; but he offered his own blood
upon the cross. And he went not into an holy
place made by man’s hand, (as Aaron did,) but
he ascended up into heaven, where his Eternal
Father dwelleth ; and before Him he maketh continual supplication for the sins of the whole
world, presenting his own body, which was torn
for us, and his precious blood, which of his most
gracious and liberal charity he shed for us upon
the cross. And that sacrifice was of such force, that it
‘ Heb. vii.
232 OF THE OBLATION AND
was no need to renew it every year, as the bishops did of the Old Testament ; whose sacrifices
were many times offered, and yet were of nogreat effect or profit, because they were sinners
themselves that offered them, and offered nottheir own blood, but the blood of brute beasts
;
but Christ’s sacrifice, once offered, was sufficient
for evermore. And that all men may the better understandCHAP, this sacrifice of Christ, which he made for the
great benefit of all men, it is necessary to knowin.
Jf’Iaorifices. the distinction and diversity of sacrifices.
One kind of sacrifice there is, which is called a propitiatory or merciful sacrifice, that is to say,
such a sacrifice as pacifieth God’s wrath and indignation, and obtaineth mercy and forgiveness
for all our sins, and is the ransom for our redemption from everlasting damnation.
And although in the Old Testament there wereThesacrifice ccrtaiu sacrificcs called by that name, yet in
of Christ. ^ ” very deed there is but one such sacrifice whereby onr sins be pardoned, and God’s mercy andfavour obtained, which is the death of the Son ofGod our Lord Jesu Christ ; nor never was anyother sacrifice propitiatory at any time, nor evershall be.
This is the honour and glory of this our HighPriest, wherein he admitteth neither partner norsuccessor. For by his one oblation he satisfied
his Father for all men’s sins, and reconciled
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 233
mankind unto his grace and favour. And whosoever deprive him of this honour, and go about
to take it to themselves, they be very Antichrists and most arrogant blasphemers against
God, and against his Son Jesus Christ whom
He hath sent.
Another kind of sacrifice there is, which doth J^J)fo,-t[,^’ not reconcile us to God, but is made of them *””””””• that be reconciled by Christ, to testify our duties
unto God, and to shew ourselves thankful unto
him; and therefore they be called sacrifices of
laud, praise, and thanksgiving.
The first kind of sacrifice Christ offered to God for us ; the second kind we ourselves offer
to God by Christ.
And by the first kind of sacrifice Christ ofter- ed also us urto his Father ; and by the second
we offer ourselves, and all that we have, unto him
and his Father.
And this sacrifice generally is our whole obedience unto God, in keeping his laws and commandments. Of which manner of sacrifice
speaketh the prophet David, saying, ” A sacrifice to God, is a contrite heart ‘^.” And St. Peter saith of all Christian people, *’ That they be
an holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesu Christ %” And St.
Paul saith, *’ That alway we offer unto God a
sacrifice of laud and praise by Jesus Christ V
* PsaL 1. • 1 Pet. ii. ‘ Heb. xiii.
234 OF THE OBLATION AND
CHAP. But now to speak somewhat more largely ofIV. . *” the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ, he wasplain decia- such an high bishop, that he, once offering himsacrifice of self, was sufficicnt, bv one effusion of his blood,Christ. 11,- 1 to abohsh sm unto the world s end. He was soperfect a priest, that by one oblation he purgedan infinite heap of sins, leaving an easy and aready remedy for all sinners, that his one sacrifice should suffice for many years unto all menthat would not shew themselves unworthy. Andhe took unto himself not only their sins thatmany years before were dead, and put theirtrust in him, but also the sins of those that untilhis coming again should truly believe in his Gospel. So that now we may look for none otherpriest, nor sacrifice, to take away our sins, butonly him and his sacrifice. And as he, dyingonce, was offered for all, so, as much as pertainedto him, he took all men’s sins unto himself. Sothat now there remaineth no more sacrifices forsin, but extreme judgment at the last day,when he shall appear to us again, not as a manto be punished again, and to be made a sacrificefor our sins, as he was before ; but he shall comein his glory, without sin, to the great joy andcomfort of them, which be purified and madeclean by his death, and continue in godly andinnocent living ; and to the great terror and dreadof them that be wicked and ungodly ^”
» Heb. ix.
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 235
Thus the Scripture teacheth, that if Christ
had made any oblation for sin more than once,
he should have died more than once ; forasmuch as there is none oblation and sacrifice for
sin, but only his death. And now there is no more oblation for sin, seeing that by him our sins
be remitted, and our consciences quieted.
And although in the Old Testament there cuAr. were certain sacrifices, called sacrifices for sin, “^ yet they were no such sacrifices that could take ficeVoTthe away our sins in the sight of God ; but they were “^^ ^^’^* ceremonies ordained to this intent, that they
should be, as it were, shadows and figures, to
signify beforehand the excellent sacrifice of
Christ that was to come, which should be the
very true and perfect sacrifice for the sins of the
whole world.
And for this signification they had the name
of a sacrifice propitiatory, and were called sacrifices for sins, not because they indeed took away
our sins, but because they were images, shadows, and figures, whereby godly men were admonished of the true sacrifice of Christ then to come, which should truly abolish sin and everlasting death.
And that those sacrifices, which were made by
the priests in the old law, could not be able to
purchase our pardon, and deserve the remission
of our sins, St. Paul doth clearly affirm in his
said Epistle to the Hebrews, where he saith,
236 OF THE OBLATION AND
** It is impossible that our sins should be takenaway by the blood of oxen and goats \”
Wherefore all godly men, although they diduse those sacrifices ordained of God, yet theydid not take them as things of that value andestimation, that thereby they should be able toobtain remission of their sins before God. Butthey took them partly for figures and tokensordained of God, by the which he declared, thathe would send that seed, which he promised tobe the very true sacrifice for sin, and that hewould receive them that trusted in that promise,and remit their sins for the sacrifice after to come. And partly they used them as certainceremonies, whereby such persons as had offended against the law of Moses, and were castout of the congregation, were received againamong the people, and declared to be absolved.As for like purposes we use, in the church ofChrist, sacraments by him instituted. And this
outward casting out from the people of God,and receiving in again, was according to the lawand knowledge of man ; but the true reconciliation and forgiveness of sin before God, neitherthe fathers of the old law had, nor we yet have,but only by the sacrifice of Christ, made in themount of Calvary. And the sacrifices of the oldlaw were prognostications and figures of the’> Heb. ix.
I
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 237
same then to come, as our sacraments be figures
and demonstrations of the same now passed. . Now by these foresaid things may every man chap.
easily perceive, that the offering of the priest in
the mass, or the appointing of his ministration at noTa “acri-* his pleasure, to them that be quick or dead, can- ato^^”^”^’
”
not merit and deserve,- neither to himself, nor to
them for whom he singeth or sayeth, the remission of their sins : but that such Popish doctrine
is contrary to the doctrine of the Gospel, and injurious to the sacrifice of Christ.
For if only the death of Christ be the oblation,
sacrifice, and price, wherefore our sins be pardoned, then the act or ministration of the priest
cannot have the same office. Wherefore it is an abominable blasphemy to give the office or dignity to a priest, which pertaineth only to Christ;
or to affirm that the church hath need of any
such sacrifice ; as who should say, that Christ’s
sacrifice were not sufficient for the remission of our sins ; or else that his sacrifice- should hang
upon the sacrifice of a priest.
But all such priests as pretend to be Christ’s
successors, in making a sacrifice of him, they be
his most heinous and horrible adversaries. For
never no person made a sacrifice of Christ, but
he himself only. And therefore St. Paul saith, ” That Christ’s priesthood cannot pass from him
to another. For what needeth any more sacrifices, if Christ’s sacrifice be perfect and suffi-
236 OF THE OBLATION AND
cient’?” And as St. Paul saith, *’ That if thesacrifices and ministration of Aaron, and otherpriests of that time, had lacked nothing, but hadbeen perfect and sufficient, then should not thesacrifice of Christ have been required, (for it hadbeen but in vain to add any thing to that, whichof itself was perfect;) so likewise if Christ’s sacrifice which he had made himself be sufficient,what need we every day to have more and moresacrifices ^ ?” Wherefore all Popish priests thatpresume to make every day a sacrifice of Christ,either must they needs make Christ’s sacrificevain, imperfect, and unsufficient, or else is theirsacrifice in vain, which is added to the sacrificewhich is already of itself sufficient and perfect.
But it is a wonderous thing to see what shiftsand cautels the Popish Antichrists devise, tocolour and cloak their wicked errors. And as achain is so joined together, that one link draweth another after it ; so be vices and errors knittogether, that every one draweth his fellow withhim. And so doth it here in this matter.
CHAP. For the Papists, to excuse themselves, do say,^”‘ that they make no new sacrifice, nor none otherLlZnhe sacrifice than Christ made ; for they be not sofMhw”’ blind, but they see that then they should addanother sacrifice to Christ’s sacrifice, and somake his sacrifice imperfect ; but they say, that’ Meb. vil. ^ Meb. viii.
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 239
tliey make the self-same sacrifice for sin that
Christ himself made.
And here they run headlong into the foulest
and most heinous error that ever was imagined.
For if they make every day the same oblation
and sacrifice for sin that Christ himself made,
and the oblation that he made v^^as his deaths
and the effusion of his most precious blood upon
the cross, for our redemption and price of our
sins : then followeth it of necessity, that they
every day slay Christ and shed his blood ; and
so be they worse than the wicked Jews and
Pharisees, which slew him, and shed his blood
but once. Almighty God, the Father of light and truth, chap.
banish all such darkness and error out of his !!l[l_
church, with the authors and teachers thereof ; ^’jJfiVeTf’aTi or else convert their hearts unto him, and give pe’„’pfe?” this light of faith to every man, that he may
trust to have remission of his sins, and be delivered from eternal death and hell, by the merit
only of the death and blood of Christ : and that
by his own faith every man may apply the same
unto himself, and not take it at the appointment
of Popish priests, by the merit of their sacrifices
and oblations.
If we be indeed, as we profess, Christian men,
we may ascribe this honour and glory to no man,
but to Christ alone. Wherefore let us give the
whole laud and praise hereof iinto him ; let us .
240 OF THE OBLATION AND
fly only to him for succour; let us hold him fast,and hang upon him, and give ourselves whollyto him. And forasmuch as he hath given himself to death for us, to be an oblation and sacrifice to his Father for our sins, let us give ourselves again unto him, making unto him an oblation, not of goats, sheep, kine, and other beaststhat have no reason, as was accustomed beforeChrist’s coming ; but of a creature that hathreason, that is to say, of ourselves, not killingour ov^^n bodies, but mortifying the beastly andunreasonable affections that would gladly ruleand reign in us. So long as the law did reign, God suffereddumb beasts to be offered unto him ; but nowthat we be spiritual, we must offer spiritual oblations, in the place of calves, sheep, goats, anddoves. We must kill devilish pride, furious anger, insatiable covetousness, filthy lucre, stinking lechery, deadly hatred and malice, foxywiliness, wolvish ravening and devouring, andall other unreasonable lusts and desires of theflesh. ” And as many as belong to Christ, mustcrucify and kill these for Christ’s sake, as Christcrucified himself for their sakes’.”
These be the sacrifices of Christian men ; thesehosts and oblations be acceptable to Christ.And as Christ offered himself for us, so is it our’ Galat. V.
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 241
duties after this sort to offer ourselves to him
again. And so shall we not have the name of
Christian men in vain; but as we pretend to belong to Christ in word and profession, so shall
we indeed be his in life and inward affection.
So that within and without we shall be altogether his, clean from all hypocrisy or dissimulation. And if we refuse to offer ourselves after
this wise unto him, by crucifying our own wills,
and committing us wholly to the will of God,
we be most unkind people, superstitious hypocrites, or rather unreasonable beasts, worthy to be excluded utterly from all the benefits of
Christ’s oblation.
And if we put the oblation of the priest in the chap.
stead of the oblation of Christ, refusing to receive IX. the sacrament of his body and blood ourselves, Jil’^^s’dS as he ordained ; and trusting to have remission laK^uuSj
of our sins by the sacrifice of the priest in theeVfromaii
mass, and thereby also to obtain release of the congreg”- pains in purgatory, we do not only injury to
Christ, but also commit most detestable idolatry. For these be but false doctrines, without
shame devised, and feigned, by wicked Popish
priests, idolaters, monks, and friars, which for
lucre have altered and corrupted the most holy
Supper of the Lord, and turned it into manifest
idolatry. Wherefore all godly men ought with
all their heart to resist and abhor all such blasphemy against the Son of God.
R
242 OF THE OBLATION AND
And forasmuch as in such masses is manifestwickedness and idolatry, wherein the priest
alone maketh oblation satisfactory, and applieththe same for the quick and the dead at his will
and pleasure ; all such Popish masses are to beclearly taken away out of Christian churches,and the true use of the Lord’s Supper is to berestored again, wherein godly people assembledtogether may receive the sacrament every manfor himself, to testify that he is a member ofChrist’s body, fed with his flesh, and drinkinghis blood spiritually.
CHAP. Christ did not ordain his sacraments to this
use, that one should receive them for another.ought
Every
toman
re- and the priest
•r-nii tor all the lay people ; but he orsacrament clalncd tlicm for tlils iutcut, that every manhimself, and ” not one for ghouM rcccivc thcm for himself, to ratify, consnother. *’ firm, and establish his own faith and everlastingsalvation. Therefore as one man may not bebaptized for another, (and if he be, it availethnothing ;) so ought not one to receive the holycommunion for another. For if a man be dry orhungry, he is never a whit eased, if another mandrink or eat for him : or if a man be all befiled,
it helpeth him nothing, another man to be washed for him : so availeth it nothing to a man, if another man be baptized for him, or be refreshedfor him with the meat and drink at the Lord’stable. And therefore, said St. Peter, ‘* Letevery man be baptized in the name of Jesu
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 243Christ “”.” And our Saviour Christ said to the
multitude, *’ Take, and eat.” And further he
said, ” Drink you all of this.” Whosoever therefore will be spiritually regenerated in Christ, he
must be baptized himself. And he that will live
himself by Christ, must by himself eat Christ’s
flesh and drink his blood.
And briefly to conclude : he that thinketh to come to the kingdom of Christ himself, must
also come to his sacraments himself, and keep
his commandments himself, and do all things
that pertain to a Christian man and to his vocation himself ; lest if he refer these things to another man to do them for him, the other may with
as good right claim the kingdom of heaven for
him.
Therefore Christ made no such diflerence be- chap.
tween the priest and the layman, that the priest
.
xr. should make oblation and sacrifice of Christ for InL^he^^’ the layman, and eat the Lord’s Supper from him priest and all alone, and distribute and apply it as him liketh.
Christ made no such difference; but the difference
that is between the priest and the layman in this
matter, is only in the ministration ; that the
priest, as a common ministerof the church, doth
minister and distribute the Lord’s Supper unto
other, and other receive it at his hands. But
the very supper itself was by Christ instituted
and given to the whole church, not to be offered
‘” Acts ii. k2
244 OF THE OBLATION AND
and eaten of the priest for other men, but by
him to be delivered to all that would duly ask
it. As in a prince’s house the officers and ministers prepare the table, and yet other, as well as they, eat the meat and drink the drink : so do
the priests and ministers prepare the Lord’s
Supper, read the Gospel, and rehearse Christ’s
words; but all the people say thereto. Amen.
All remember Christ’s death, all give thanks to God, all repent and offer themselves an oblation
to Christ, all take him for their Lord and Saviour, and spiritually feed upon him; and in token
thereof, they eat the bread and drink the wine in
his mystical supper.
And this nothing diminislieth the estimation
and dignity of priesthood and other ministers of
the church, but advanceth and highly commendeth their ministration. For if they are much to be loved, honoured, and esteemed that be the
king’s chancellors, judges, officers, and ministers
in temporal matters ; how much then are they to be esteemed that be ministers of Christ’s words
and sacraments, and have to them committed the
keys of heaven, to let in and shut out, by the
ministration of his word and gospel!
CHAP. Now, forasmuch, as 1 trust that I have plainly
^^^’ enough set forth the propitiatory sacrifice of our
totVeTC”^ Saviour Jesu Christ, to the capacity and comfort
^” ” X)f all men that have any understanding of Christ
;
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 245and have declared the hemous abomination and
idolatry of the Popish mass, wherein the priests
have taken upon them the office of Christ, to make a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the
people, it is now necessary to make answer to
the subtle persuasions and sophistical cavillations of the Papists, whereby they have deceived
many a simple man, both learned and unlearned.
The place of St. Paul unto the Hebrews “, (which they do cite for their purpose,) maketh
quite and clean against them. For where St. Paul saith, ” That every high priest is ordained
to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins,” he spake
not that of the priests of the New Testament,
but of the Old: which (as he saith) offered calves
and goats. And yet they were not such priests,
that by their offerings and sacrifices they could
take away the people’s sins, but they were shadows and figures of Christ, our everlasting priest,
which only by one oblation of himself taketh
away the sins of the world.” Wherefore the
Popish priests that apply this text unto themselves, do directly contrary to the meaning of
St. Paul, to the great injury and prejudice oi’ Christ, by whom only, St. Paul saith, ” That
the sacrifice and oblation for the sin of the whole
world was accomplished and fulfilled.”
” Hebrews V.
246 OF THE OBLATION AND
And as little serveth for the Papists’ purpose
the text of the prophet Malachi, ** That every
where should be offered unto God a pure sacrifice and oblation”.” For the prophet in that
place spake no word of the mass, nor of any oblation propitiatory to be made by the priests
;
but he spake of the oblation of all faithful people
(in what place soever they be) which offer unto
God, with pure hearts and minds, sacrifices of
laud and praise : prophesying of the vocation of
the Gentiles, that God would extend his mercyunto them, and not be the God only of the Jews,
but of all nations from east to west, that with
pure faith call upon him, and glorify his name.
CHAP. But the adversaries of Christ gather together
XIII. a great heap of authors, which (as they say) call
An answer ,
, ^
. • n -n
to the au- the mass, or holy communion, a sacrince. J3ut
thors. 11 1 1 1
• 1 • all those authors be answered unto m this onesentence, that they called it not a sacrifice for
sin, because that it taketh away our sin, (which
was taken away only by the death of Christ,)
but because it was ordained of Christ to put us
in remembrance of the sacrifice made by himupon the cross. And for that cause it beareth
the name of that sacrifice, as St. Augustine declareth plainly in his Epistle Ad Bonifacium^,
before rehearsed in this book ; and in his bookJ)e Jide ad Petrum Diacomim, before rehearsed
^ Malachi i, ? Augustinus ad Bonifacium.
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 247
also. And in his book De civitate Dei ^ he saith,
*’ That which men call a sacrifice, is a sign or representation of the true sacrifice.”
And the master of the sentences (of whom all the school authors take their occasion to write)
judged truly in this point, saying, ** That which
is offered and consecrated of the priest, is called a sacrifice and oblation, because it is a memory
and representation of the true sacrifice and holy
oblation, made in the altar of the cross ‘.” And St. John Chrysostome \ after he hath said
that Christ is our bishop which offered that sacrifice that made us clean, and that we offer the
same now, lest any man might be deceived by
his manner of speaking, he openeth his meaning
more plainly, saying, **That which we do, is done for a remembrance of that which was done
by Christ. For Christ saith. Do this in re- membrance of me.” Also Chrysostome declaring at length, theft the priests of the old law
offered ever new sacrifices, and changed them
from time to time, and that Christian peopld do
not so, but offer ever one sacrifice of Christ ; yet
by and by, lest some men might be offended with
this speech, he maketh as it were a correction of
his words, saying, ” But rather we make a re- membrance of Christ’s sacrifice.” As though
*> De civitat. lib. 10. cap. 5. “^ Lombardus, lib. \. dist. IIS.
=” Chrysost. ad Heb. Horn. 17.
248 OF THE OBLATION AND
he should say : Although in a certam kind of
speech we may say, that every day we make a
sacrifice of Christ ; yet in very deed, to speak
properly, we make no sacrifice of him, but only
a commemoration and remembrance of that sacrifice, which he alone made, and never none but
he. Nor Christ never gave this honour to anycreature, that he should make a sacrifice of him,
nor did not ordain the sacrament of his holy supper, to the intent that either the people should
sacrifice Christ again, or that the priests should
make a sacrifice of him for the people: but his
holy supper was ordained for this purpose, that
every man eating and drinking thereof should
remember that Christ died for him, and so should
exercise his faith, and comfort himself by the
remembrance of Christ’s benefits ; and so give
unto Christ most hearty thanks, and give himself also clearly unto him.
Wherefore the ordinance of Christ ought to
be followed ; the priest to minister the sacrament
to the people, and they to use it to their consolation. And in this eating, drinking, and using
of the Lord’s Supper, we make not of Christ a new sacrifice propitiatory for remission of sin. CHAP. But the humble confession of all penitent
hearts, their acknowledging of Christ’s benefits.
XIV.
sons make a tlicir tlianksgiviug for the same, their faith andsacrifice as . , . . well as the cousolation in Christ, their humble submission
priest, and obedience to God’s will and commandments,
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 249
is a sacrifice of laud and praise, accepted and
allowed of God no less than the sacrifice of the
priest. For Almighty God, without respect of
person, accepteth the oblation and sacrifice of
priest and lay person, of king and subject, of
master and servant, of man and woman, of young
and old, yea of English, French, Scot, Greek,
Latin, Jew, and Gentile ; of every man according
to his faithful and obedient heart unto Him; and
that through the sacrifice propitiatory of Jesu
Christ.
And as for the saying or singing of mass by chap.
the priest, as it was in time passed used, it is ‘—
A -^
. ThePapisneither a sacrifice propitiatory, nor yet a sacri- ticaima^sis
i •’ *^ neither a sa- fice of laud and praise, nor in any wise allowed
•^rJJ^jyj^^”- before God, but abominable and detestable, and ^”^^”‘^g/.
thereof may well be verified the saying of Christ, ^”s-
*’ Xhat thing which seemeth an high thing before men, is abomination before God *.” They therefore which gather of the doctors,
that the mass is a sacrifice for remission of sin,
and that it is applied by the priest to them for
whom he saith or singeth ; they which so gather
of the doctors, do to them most grievous injury
and wrong, most falsely belying them.
For these monstrous things were never se^n chap. nor known of the old and primitive church, nor 1,
There wero there were not then in one church many masses no Papisti-
‘ Luke Avi.
250 OF THE OBLATION AND
h* tiir Hmi- Gvery day, but upon certain days there was ative church, commou table of the Lord’s Supper, where anumber of people did together receive the bodyand blood of the Lord : but there were then nodaily private masses, where every priest receivedalone, like as until this day there is none in theGreek churches but one common mass in a day.Nor the holy fathers of the old church would nothave suffered such ungodly and wicked abusesof the Lord’s Supper.
But these private masses sprang up of lateyears partly through the ignorance and superstition of unlearned monks and friars, which knewnot what a sacrifice was, but made of the mass asacrifice propitiatory, to remit both sin and thepain due for the same ; but chiefly they sprangof lucre and gain, when priests found the meansto sell masses to the people, which caused massesso much to increase, that every day was said aninfinite number, and that no priest would receivethe communion at another priest’s hand, butevery one would receive it alone ; neither re-garding the godly decree of the most famous andholy council of Nice”, which appointeth in whatorder priests should be placed above deacons atthe communion ; nor yet the canons of the apostles % which command that when any commu-” Concilium Nicenum, cap. 14.
‘ Canones Apostolorum, cap. 8,
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST.
nion is ministered, all the priests together should
receive the same, or else be excommunicated.
So much the old fathers misliked, that any priest
should receive the sacrament alone.
Therefore when the old fathers called the mass,
or supper of the Lord, a sacrifice, they meant
that it was a sacrifice of lauds and thanksgiving,
(and so as well the people as the priest do sacrifice,) or else that it was a remembrance of the
very true sacrifice propitiatory of Christ: but
they meant in no wise that it is a very true sacrifice for sin, and applicable by the priest to the
quick and dead.
For the priest may well minister Christ’s
words and sacraments to all men both good and
bad, but he can apply the benefit of Christ’s
passion to no man of age and discretion, but
only to such as by their own faith do apply the
same unto themselves. So that every man of
age and discretion taketh to himself the benefits
of Christ, or refuseth them himself, by his own
faith, quick or dead ; that is to say, by his true
and lively faith, that worketh by charity, he re- ceiveth them, or else by his ungodliness or feigned faith rejecteth them.
And this doctrine of the Scripture clearly con- demneth the wicked inventions of the Papists in
these latter days, which have devised a purgatory to torment souls after this life, and oblations
of masses said by the priests to deliver them .
251
252 OF THE OBLATION AND
CHAP.
XVII.
from the said torments; and a great number ofother commodities do they promise to the simple ignorant people by their masses. Now the nature of man being ever prone toidolatry from the beginning of the world, andThe causes •> -n • • hot pTTs Papists bemg ready by all means and policyticai masses to defcud aud cxtol thc mass for their estima-entered into v^iji-ixiiti, the church, tion and profit; and the people being superstitiously enamoured and doted upon the mass, be-cause they take it for a present remedy againstall manner of evils ; and part of the princes beingblinded by Papistical doctrine, part loving quietness, and loth to offend their clergy and subjects, and all being captive and subject to theAntichrist of Rome; the state of the world re- maining in this case, it is no wonder that abusesgrew and increased in the church, that superstition with idolatry were taken for godlinessand true religion, and that many things werebrought in without the authority of Christ:J/1L’pS-As purgatory, the oblation and sacrificing ofucai masses. Qj^j.j^^ by tlic priest alone, the application andappointing of the same to such persons as thepriest would sing or say mass for, and to suchabuses as they could devise, to deliver some frompurgatory, and some from hell, if they were not
there finally by God determined to abide, as they termed the matter; to make rain or fair weather, to put away the plague and other sick- nesses both from man and beast, to hallow and
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 253
preserve them that went to Jerusalem, to Rome,
to St. James in Compostella, and to other places
in pilgrimage ; for a preservative against tempest
and thunder, against perils and dangers of the sea
;
for a remedy against murrain of cattle, against
pensiveness of the heart, and against all manner
of affliction and tribulation.
And, finally, they extol their masses far above
Christ’s passion ; promising many things thereby, which were never promised us by Christ’s
passion : As that if a man hear mass, he shall
lack no bodily sustenance that day, nor nothing
necessary for him, nor shall be letted in his journey ; he shall not lose his sight that day, nor die no sudden death ; he shall not wax old in the
time that he heareth mass, nor no wicked spirits
shall have power of him, be he never so wicked
a man, so long as he looketh upon the sacrament.
All these foolish and devilish superstitions the
Papists of their own idle brain have devised of
late years, which devices were never known in
the old church.
And yet they cry out against them that pro- chap.
fess the Gospel, and say that they dissent from ^^”.^’ the church, and would have them to follow thedmlxi’isto example of their church. And so would they
gladly do, if the Papists would follow the first church of the apostles, which was most pure and
incorrupt ; but the Papists have clearly varied
from the usage and example of that church, and –
254 OF THE OBLATION AND
have invented new devices of their own brains,and will in no wise content to follow the primitive church ; and yet they would have other tofollow their church, utterly varying and dissenting from the first most godly church.
But thanks be to the Eternal God, the mannerof the holy communion, which is now set forthwithin this realm^ is agreeable with the institution of Christ, with St. Paul and the old primitive and apostolick church, with the rightfaith of the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross forour redemption, and with the true doctrine ofour salvation, justification, and remission of allour sins by that only sacrifice.
A short in- Now rcstcth uothiug but that all faithful substruction to
^ , theboiy jects will 2’ladlv receive and embrace the same,being sorry for their former ignorance ; and everyman repenting himself of his off’ences againstGod, and amending the same, may yield himselfwholly to God, to serve and obey Him all thedays of his life, and often to come to the holysupper, which our Lord and Saviour Christ hathprepared ; and as he there corporally eateth thevery bread, and drinketh the very wine ; so spiritually he may feed of the very flesh and bloodof Jesu Christ his Saviour and Redeemer, re-membering his death, thanking him for his benefits, and looking for none other sacrifice at nopriest’s hands for remission of his sins, but onlytrusting to his sacrifice, which being both thecommunion.
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 255
high priest, and also the Lamb of God, prepared
from the beginning to take away the sins of the
world, offered up himself once for ever in a sacrifice of sweet smell unto his Father, and by
the same paid the ransom for the sins of the
whole world; who is before us entered into
heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of his Father, as patron, mediator, and intercessor for us
;
and there hath prepared places for all them
that be lively members of his body, to reign
with him for ever, in the glory of his Father ; to
Whom with Him, and the Holy Ghost, be glory,honour, and praise, for ever and ever. Amen.
BY THE REV. HENRY JOHN TODD, M.A. F.S.A.