252 The S acr am en t of the A l tar Wherefore , ( to conclude this D iscour se of Tr an su b stan ti ati on ) it evidently appears by C hr i st ’ s Words , and by the Judgment of the holy Fathers, that the Faith of the Church, at this present, is true, by which it is be l i eve d, that the S ubstance of B read or Wine doth not remain in the E ucharist ; whence it follows , that D u ther ’ s Opinion, in teaching the C ontrary, is false and heretical : From which Persuasion, I admire what Profit he promises the People : Is it, as [ f ather says, ‘That no B ody should esteem himself an Heretic, if perhaps he should be of his Opinion ? ’ B u t he himself confesses , that there is no Harm in believing this , as the C atholi c C hurch now believes ; but on the C ontrary, the whole C hurch takes him to be an Heretic, who is of Lu ther ’ s Opinion : He, therefore, ought not to move any one whom he wishes well , to be of his Judgment, which is condemn ed by the whole C hurch ; but rather advise those he loves, to j oin themselves to those whom he himself witnesses to be in no D anger . That Opinion of Lu ther is therefore false, as it is against the public Faith , not only of this Time, but also of all A ges : Nor does he free from C aptivity those who believe him ; but , drawing them from the Liberty of Faith, that is, from a safe Hold, ( as he himself con fesses ) he captivates them, leading them into a Precipice, into inaccessible, u n c er tain, doubtful and dangerous Ways : A n d he that l oves D an ger , shal l per i sh ther ei n . * (the (B ase is a (3000 Work A FTE R this M an , who is free from any E vil has es caped these two C aptivities , which he imagines to him self ; that he may not captivate hi s Mind to the Obedi ence of God, he overcomes ( as he pretends ) a third C ap tivity ; and proposes a Liberty by which he may capti *E c clu s. iii . 27.
D e S acr am en to E u char istice 253 Q u am obr em , u t aliqu an do fin em de Tran ssubstan tia tion e faci am , ex ipsis Christi verbis et sanctorum viro rum sen ten tii s evidenter liquet han c, quam nunc tenet E cclesia, ve r am esse fidem , qua c r editu r panis au t vini substan tiam in E u char i sti a non manere ; ex qua et il l u d sequitur, hoc Lu ther i dogma, quod contra docet, falsum esse p r or su s et haer eticu m : quo ex dogm ate m i r or quid fructus popul o spon deat. A n , quod ait ipse, n e quis pr opter ea semet cr edat haer eti cum , quod fors ita cum Luthero sen ti at ? A t Lutherns ipse fatetu r n ihil esse per icu l i , si quis hac in re sen ti at quod tota j am sentit E cclesia . A t contra tota E cclesia c en set haer eticu m esse c u m , qui sen ti at cum Luthero . Non debet ergo Lutherns animare q u em qu am , cui bene cupit, u t secum sen ti at, cujus sen ten ti am tota c on dem n at E cclesia, sed debet his suadere, quos amat, u t acc edan t illis, quos ipse quoque in dicat in nullo ver sar i periculo . Falsa est ergo ista Lu theri via contra publicam fid-em, non hu j us modo tem por i s, sed etiam aetatu m omnium , nec liber at c aptivi tate c r eden tes ci , sed edu c en s e liber tate fidei , hoc est e loco tuto, quod Lutherns ipse fatetu r , c aptivat in er r or em , du c en s in p r aec ip iti um , et vias in vias , incertas, du bi as, eoq u e plen as p er icu li ; et “ q u i amat per i cu l u m , peri t in il l o. Q uco {M esa sit ®pue JBonum POS T Q UA M duas illas, quas ipse sibi fin g it, C aptivi tates homo in malum liber evasit, n e mentem in D ei c aptivet obsequium, expu g n at, u t sim u l at, C aptivitatem ter ti am , et l ibe r tatem p r opon it, qua totam c aptivet E c cl esi am , u tpote cujus l u c idi ssim am n u bem dispergere, col u m n am ignis exstin gu er e, arcam violare foederis,
254 The S acr am en t of the A l tar vate the whole C hurch . This, worse than sacrilegious C aitif, endeavours to scatter abroad the Church ’ s most splendid C ongregation ; to extinguish its Pillar of Fire ; to violate the A rk of the C ovenant ; and to destroy the C hief and only S acrifice which reconciles us to God, and which is always offered for the S ins of the People : For, as much as in him lies, he robs the Mass of all the B enefits that flow from it to the People ; denying it to be a good Work, or to bring to them any Kind of Profit . In which Thing I kn ow not whether more to admire his Wickedn ess , or his foolish Hope ; or rather hi s mad Pride ; who, seeing so many Obstructions before him, as he himself mentions, brings Nothing with him, whereby to remove the least ; but seems as if he would go about to pierc e a Rock with a Reed . For he sees, and con fesses himself, that the Opin ions of the holy Fathers are against him, as also the C anon of the Mass, with the C ustom of the universal C hurch, confirmed by the Usage of so many A ges , and the C onsent of so many People . What D efence then does he Oppose against so in n u m er able, so powerful , and so invincible A rmies ? His ao customed Force rages ; he strives to breed D iscord, and move S editions, to excite the C ommonalty ag ainst the Nobility : A n d that he m ay the more easily stir them up to a Revolt ; he , by his foolish and weak Policy, falsely pretends that he has C hr i st for C aptain of the whole A rmy in the C amp ; and that the Trumpet of the Gospel soun ds only for him ; which is the most ridicul ous S tratagem that ever was invented . For what Man liv ing is so wicked or blockish , as to think that the C hurch, which is the mystical B ody of C hr i st should be in such Mann er del ac er ated, as that the Head should be severed from the rest of the Members , j oined together amongst themselves ; or that C hr i st, who never abandoned the Flesh which once he took, should have cast of the
256 The S acr am en t of the A l tar C hurch, for whose S ake he took that Flesh ; and that h e should, for so many A ges, absent himself from her, with whom he promised to remain to the E n d of the World, and should now pass to I/u ther ’ s S ide, who is her pro fessed E nemy ? B u t pray let us see by what E nchant ment he makes it appear for Truth, that C hr i st is on his S ide , as he brags . A fter many idle C ircumstances , he goes about to define what the Mass i s ; afterward he separates the C eremonies of the Mass, from the Mass itself ; he examines the Lord ’ s Supper , and ponders the Words which C hr i st used in the Institution of the S acra ment of the Mass : A n d, having found in them the Word Testament, ( as if a Thing very obscure , ) he begins to triumph, as though he had conquered his E nemies : He beau tifies with Words this hi s new found Mystery ; (as he calls it) and with great Gravity, as if it was never heard of before, teaches us what a Testament is . He bawls aloud, ‘ that it is to be marked and taken notice of, that a Testament is the Promise of a dying Person, by which he bequeaths the Inheritance, and institutes Heirs : Therefore ( says he) this S acrament of the Mass, is no other Thing than the Testament of C hr i st; and the Testament is Nothing but the Promise of the eternal Heritage giving his B ody and B lood to us C hristians , whom he appointed for his Heirs, as a S ig n for the ratifying his Promise This he repeats over and over again ; he inculcates, and fixes it ; intending to make it his immoveable Foundation whereon to build Wood, Hay and S tubble ; * For, in laying this Ground - work , That M ass i s the Testam en t ofC hrist, he boasts , ‘ that he will destroy all the Wickedness that impious Men ( as he says) have conveyed into the S acrament ; and that he wi ll clearly prove we ought to receive the C ommunion with Faith alone, without much regard to any Manner *I . C or . iii . 1 2.
D e S acr am en to E u char istice 257 Verum videam u s, obsecr o, quid afier at pr aestig ii , qu o fac i at verum vider i , quod dicit, C hr istum pro se stare . Post longas ambages difiin it Missam dein de separat a Missa Misses caer im on i as, excu tit C mn am dom in ic am , et verba C hristi tr u tin at, quibus usus est, qu um in sti tu er et Missae sacramen tum . Ibi q u u m testamen ti verbum, rem Videlicet tam abstr u sam , r eper i sset, j am tan quam pr ofli gatis hostibu s ccepit ingemi nare victor i am ; verbis ador n at i nven tum , u t j aetat, suum, et tanquam mys ter ium hacten u s in au ditu m magn o supercilio doc et quid si t testamen tum . Notandum esse cl am at, ac memoria tenendum, testamentum esse morituri p r om i ssi on em , qua n un cu pat haer editatem , et i n stitu it haeredes . “Hoc igitur sacramen tum, ” i n q u it, “Mi ssaa, n ihil est aliud, quam testamentum C hristi , testamentum vero, nihil aliud est, quam p r omi ssi o haer editati s saternas nobis C hr i sti an i s, quos suos haeredes i n stitu it, corpus et san gu inem suum, vel u t sign um ratae pr om i ssion i s, ad j i c i en s. H oc igitur deci es r ep etit, i n cu l cat, infig it, u tpote quod haberi vult immobile fundamentum, super quod aedificet lig na, ften u m , stipu l am . Nam hoc funda mento j acto, quod Missa C hristi sit testamentum, omn em sese jactat im p i etatem ever su r um , quam im p ii , u t ait , homin es invexer u n t in hoc sacramen tum, et se di lucide p r obatu r u m ad c omm u n ion em r ecip i en dam sola fide ven i en du m esse ; de oper ibu s cu j u sm odi sint, non adm odu m esse cu r an du m ; con scien tia quanto magis erron ea sit, ac peccatorum vel morau, vel titil
258 The S acr am en t of the A l tar of Good- works whatsoever ; and by how much the more err oneous our C onsciences are, and the more moved with the Sting or Titillation of ou r S ins, the more holy is ou r S tate for approaching the C ommunion : B u t the more clear, pure an d free from the S tain of S in our C on sciences are, in the worse C apacity are we to receive . Fur ther (he says ) that Mass is no S acrifice ; that it is only profitable to the Priest, not to the People ; that it is nothing available, either to the D ead, or to the Living ; that to sing Mass for S ins, for any Necessity, or for the D ead, is an impious E rror ; that Fraternities, as also the annual C ommemorations for the D ead, are vain and wicked Things ; that our voluntary maintaining of Priests, Monks, C anons , B rothers , and whatsoever we call religious, is to be abolished . ’ These, therefore, with many other great good Things, he glories to have found out by this D iscovery, of the blessed S acrament being the Testament of C hr i st. A n d now he inveighs against the sententious D octors, as he calls them : He exclaims against all such as preach to the People ; ‘Those for wr iting, These for preaching so much in the D efence of the blessed S acrament of the E ucharist ; and neither of them say ing any Thing of the Testament, but most im piously concealing that most incomparable Good from the People , which so long since might have been pr ofit ably known . The Laity, (he says ) neither alive, nor after D eath, will ever receive an y B enefit by the Mass For the Ign orance of which Matter, he denounces all Pr iests and Monks at this D ay in the World, with their B ishops and S uperiors, to be Idolators , and in a very dangerous C ondition . I do not therefore discuss how true that Mystery of Lu ther is, from which he attributes so much Glory to himself, in applying so accurately his D efinition of the Testament to the S acrament ; yet at the same Time , I
260 The S acr am en t of the A ltar do n ot see why he should brag so much of thi s new Invention of his . I do not know indeed who he hears preach, where he is ; but here , I am sure, we have heard Preachers , over and over again, not only treat of those Things , which Lu ther brings out for so new and exq u i site, vi z. ‘That C hr i st is a Testator ; that he made his Testament in the last S upper ; that he promi sed an I n heritance , which he declared to be the Kingdom of Heaven ; that he instituted the Faithful for his Heirs ! that the S acrament is a holy S ign, exhibited for a S eal ; not only these , and such like, but also ‘ the Number of Witnesses, the B ill , and other Rites of Testaments, they unfolded to us out of the deepest S ecrets of both Laws , and applied all of them exactly to the S acrament . ’ A n d this they did more consciously, and truly, than I /u the ' r : For they referred to the same Testament , not only what C hr i st did at his last S upper, but also what he suf ered on the C ross ; only in this differing from Lu ther , that they did not find out the admirable and hitherto u n heard - of B enefits of the Mass, by which the C lergy should lose all the Fruits of it in this Life, and the Laity in the Life to come : For the People woul d not maintain the C lergy to say Mass, if they should be per su aded they could reap no spiritual Good thereby . B u t it is worth our While to see from what Tree L u ther gathers this Fruit . A fter he has very often r e peated, that the S acrament of the E ucharist is the S ign of the Testament, and the Testament is nothing else but the Promise of Inheritance ; he thin ks that it con se quently follows, that the M ass cannot be a good Work, or a S acrifice . To which , if an y on e consents, he must immediately admit that C atalogue of Plagues , by which he endeavours to confound the whole Face of the C hurch : B u t if you deny it , then can he do nothing with so monstrous a D esign : For I am almost ashamed of
D e S acr am en to E u char istice 261 novu m, tam m ag n ific e j actet p r osu o. Nescio quos ill ic c on c ion an tes au di at, hic certe, non semel au divim u s, eam sim il itu din em ad taedium usque tr actan tes frater c u l os, u t qui non ea du n taxat affer r en t, quae nunc pro novi s et exqu i siti s af er t Luthern s, C hr i stu m esse testa torem, testamentum in Cce na c on didi sse, haer editatem pr om i sisse, eam dem n u n c u passe regnum cml or u m , hae redes i n stitu i sse fidel i u m oostum, sacramentum hoc sacrum esse signum, quod sit adhibi tu m pro sigillo : non haec, in q u am , tantum, sed et testium n u m er u m , et syn g r ap ham , et alios testam en tor u m ritus, ex in tim i s utri usque juris er u tos p en etr al ibu s exp l i c ar en t, atque ada m u ssim omni a app lic ar en t ad sacramentum . Hoc al iq u an do c on c in n i u s, ac ver iu s quoque , quam Lutherns, quod ad idem testamentum r efer eban t, non tantum, quae C hristus fecit in C uena , sed etiam quae passus est in cruce ; hoc uno tantum impares Luthero, quod mira biles, et hacten u s inauditos Missae fructus non i n ven e runt, quibus et clerus pressentis vitae fr u ctu m omn em , et populus futures p er der et . Neque enim sac erdotibu s q u idq u am laici temporalis boni c on fer r en t ob Missam, e qua p er su ad er en tu r nihil se sp i r i tu al i s boni r efer r e . S e d operas pretium est vider e qua ex arbore tam salubres fructus c ol l ig at Lutherns . P ostq u am ergo saep i u s in c u l c avit E u char i stiaa sacra mentum sig num esse testamenti , testamentum vero nihil esse aliud, quam pr om i ssion em haer editati s, inde continuo c en set c on sequ i , u t Missa neque bonum opus esse possit, nequ e sac r ific i u m : quod quisquis c i conces serit , j am illi statim adm itten du s er i t totu s ille p esti u m c atal og u s, quo totam E cclesias fac iem c on fu n dit. A t quisquis n eg aver it illi , j am tam magno m ol im in e nihil eger it . Nam argumenta, quibus docere prae se fert, p u det p r opem odu m r ec en ser e, ita sunt in re tan tae ma j estati s n u g ac i a p r or su s ac frivola . S ic enim c ol lig it
262 The S acr am en t of the A l tar the A rguments, by which he pretends to teach these Things ; they are so trifling and frivolous, in a M atter of so great M ajesty . Thus he concludes ; ( for I will give you ' hi s own Words ) ‘You have heard that M ass i s nothing else but the divine Promise, or Testament of Chr i st, commended by the S acrament of his B ody and B lood ; which, if it be true, you understand, that by any Means it cannot be a Work ; nor is it to be used after any other M anner, than by Faith alone ; and Faith is not a Work, but the Mistress and Life of Works . ’ It is a strange Thing, that, after so much Pains - taking, he vents nothing but mere Wind : Wh ich, though he would have us believe it to be of S trength to overturn M oun tains yet truly to me, it seems not of Force enough to shake a Reed . For if you withdraw the C overings of his Words, with which ( like an A pe in Purple) he decks this ridiculous M atter ; if you take away the E x cl am ation s, whereby he so often rails , and insults, as a C onqueror ; (though not as yet entered the B attle against the C hurch ; ) or if he had clearly proved the Thing, you will find that nothing remains, but a naked, and miserable Piece of S ophistry. For what else has he said by all that Heap of Words, but that M ass is a Promise , and therefore no Work ? Who would but pity this Man , that is so blockish, as not to perceive his own Impertinency ; or, if he un derstands himself, who would but take it heinously from him, that thin ks all C hris tians so dull, as not to discover or comprehend so mani fest Follies ? I shall not dispute with him about the Testament or Promise, or the whole D efin ition, or A p plication thereof to the S acrament . I wi ll n ot trouble him so much ; he may perhaps find others who wi ll ruin the best Part of his Foundation, by saying, ‘That the Testament is the Promise of the E vangelical Law, as the Ol d Testament was of the Law of Moses; and by
264 The S acr am en t of the A ltar denying it to be rightly handled by I/u ther . ’ For neither was the Testator particularly to name what he should leave to the Heir, whom he had appointed over all in general ; n or is the Remission of S ins, which I/u ther say s , i s beq u eathed for an I n her itan c e, the same with the Kingdom of Heaven, but rather the Way to Heaven . If any one should urge and press Im ther in these, and such - like S ayings , he might, perhaps , by fastening these E ngines in an y Part of his S tructure, shake the whole Frame thereof ; but I shall leave that to such as shall be wi lling to do it : A n d because he desires his Foundation should remain unshaken, I shall not go about to move it ; I will only shew, that the House he has built upon it, falls of itself . A n d to shew this more plainly, let us consider a little the Original of the M atter, and examine the Mass by its first Pattern . C hr i st, in his most holy S upper, in which he insti tu ted this S acrament , made of B read and Wine, his own B ody and B lood, and gave to his D isciples to be eaten and drun k : A few Hours afterwards, he offered the same B ody and B lood on the A ltar of the C ross , a S acrifice to his Father for the S ins of the People which S acrifice being finished, the Testament was c on su m mated . B eing now near his D eath, he did ( as some dying Persons are wont to do) declare his Will concern ing what he desired should be done afterwards in C om memorati on of him . Wherefore, instituting the S acra ment, when he gave his B ody and B lood to his D isci ples, he said, D o thi s i n C om m em or ati on ofm e . He who diligently examines this , will find C hr i st to be the eter nal Pr i est,who, in Place of all the S acrifices which were offered by the temporary Priesthood of Moses ’ s Law, (whereof many were but the Types and Figures of this holy S acrifice) has instituted on e S acrifice, the greatest of all , the Plenitude of all , as the S u m of all others,
D e S acr am en to E u char isti es 265 thero satis seite tr actar i ; neque enim testatori nuneu p an du m esse nominatim, quid r el in qu at haer edi , quem ex asse i n stitu at, neque r em i ssion em peccatorum, quam pro haer editate n u n c u patam Lutherns ait , idem esse quod regn um ccel or u m , sed viam potin s ad coelum . Quas r es, atque alias item aliquot quisquis urgere volet , ac premere , posset for tassi s fu n dam en ti Lu ther i an i stru ctu r am m achi n is al ic u n de c on c u ter e . Verum i stu d eis p er m ittam , qui volent . E go i stu d ei fundamentum, quod imm obile postulat esse, non m ovebo ; tantum osten dam ae dific i u m , quod su per str uxit, facile per se c or r u er e . Quod quo l iq u idi u s appar eat, c on sider em u s pau l i sper originem rei , Mi ssam qu e ad primum eju s exemplar ex ami n em u s. C hristus igitur in illa C oen a san cti ssim a, qua sacra mentum il l u d i n sti tu it, corpus suum et sanguinem ex pane et vino c on fec it, ac tr adidit m an du c an du m biben du m q u e di sc ipu l i s, tu n c intra paucas horas idem corpus , eu m dem sanguinem in ara crucis obtu l it in sacr ifici u m Patri pro pecc ati s populi : quo sacr ifici o per acto, testa mentum c on su m m atu m est . In C ce na j am morti prox imus, q u em adm odu m solent m or i en tes, testamento qu odam testatu s est mentem suam, quid se defu n cto fier et in memoriam sui . I n stitu en s igitur sacramentum, qu um suum corpus ac sanguinem exhibu i sset di sc ipu l i s, ait illis : “ H c c faei te i n m eam c om m em or ati on em . ” Hoc si quis ex pen dat dilig en ter , videbi t C hr i stu m sacer dotem aeter num, loco sac r ific i or u m omnium, quae tem por ar i u m m osaicw legis sacerdotium oifer ebat (quorum etiam p l er aqu e sac r osan cti hu ju s sacr ific ii typu m g er eban t) unum sac r ificiu m , omn ium summum, omnium p l en itu di n em , et qu am dam vel u ti sum m am i n stitu i sse, quod et
266 The S acr am en t of the A l tar that it might be of ered to God, and given for Food to the People : I n which Thing, as C hr i st was the Priest, so his D isciples did for that Time represent the People, who themselves did not consecrate, but received, from the Hands of their Priest, the consecrated S acramen t . B u t God did shortly after elect and institute them Priests, that they might cons ecrate the same S acramen t, in C ommemoration of him . A n d what else then i s this, but that they should con secrate, and not only receive it themselves, but likewise give it to the People, and of er it to God ? For, if I /u ther should argue that the Priest cannot of er, because Chr ist did not offer in his S upper, let him remember his own Words, That a Testam en t i n vol ves i n i t the D eath ofthe Testator ; therefore has no Force or Power, nor is i n its full Perfection ; till the Testator be dead . Wherefore, not only those Things which Chr i st did first at his S upper, do belong to the Testament, but also his Oblation on the C ross : For on the C ross he c on su m mated the S acrifice which he began i n the S upper : A n d therefore the C ommemoration of the whole Thing, to wit, of the C onsecration in the S upper, and the Oblation on the C ross, is celebrated, and represented together in the S acrament of the M ass ; so that it i s, the D eath that is more truly represented than the S upper . A n d there fore, the A postle, when writing to the C or i n thians, in these Words, A s often as ye shal l eat thi s B r ead, an d dr in k thi s C u p , adds , n ot the S u pp er of ou r Lor d, bu t ye shal l decl ar e ou r L or d ’ s D eath . * Let us n ow come to Lu ther ’ s chief Reasons, by which he proves Mass to be neither good Work, n or S acrifice . A n d though it were better first to treat of S acrifice ; yet because he has first moved concerning Work, we will follow him . When therefore he thus argues, Mass i s a *I . C or . xi . 26.
268 The S acr am en t of the A ltar P r om i se, ther efor e n o g ood Wor k, becau se n o P r om i se i s a Wor k; we answer, that the M ass , which the Priest celebrates, cannot more properly be called a Promise, than the C onsecration of C hr ist was : A n d all under on e we will demand of him, if C hr i st did not do a Work, when he consecrated ? which if he deny, we shall cer tai n l y begin to admire that there should be some Work done by him who cuts an Image out of Wood, and not by C hr ist, when he made his own Flesh of B read ! A n d if C hr i st did any Work , I am certain none will doubt of its being a good l Vork : For if the Woman, who poured the Ointment upon his Head, * wrought a good Work in that, who doubts of his performing a good Work, when he gave his B ody for our Nourishment, and of ered it in S acrifice to God ? If this cannot be den yed, unless by him who intends to trifle in so serious a M atter, neither can it also be den yed that the Priest worketh a good Work in the M ass ; seeing that in the Mass he does nothing else but what C hr i st did in his last S upper, and on the C ross ; for this is declared in C hr i st ’ s own Wor ds, D o thi s i n C om m em or ati on of m e. By which Words, what was he willing they should rep resent, and do in the M ass , but what he had done him self in his last S upper , and on the Cross ? For he in stituted, and began the S acrament at his last S upper , which he perfected on the C ross . A n d from this Reason especially it seems , was taken the Occasion of mingling Water with the Wine, according to the C ustom of the C hurch ; because “l ater and Blood did flow from the S ide of C hr ist, dying on the C ross . S ince it cannot be den yed that C hr i st wrought a good Work in his last S upper, and on the C ross ; neither can it be den yed, that the Priest represents, and per forms the same Thing s in the Mass : How can it then *Matt . xxvi . 7 - 10.
D e S acr am en to E u char i stia? 269 opus, quia nulla pr om i ssio est opus , ” dicem u s Missam, quam sacerdos c el ebr at, non ver iu s esse pr om i ssi on em , quam fuit c on secr atio Christi ; et simul qu e r em u s ab so, an n on al iqu od opus tum fec er it C hristus : quod si n eg et, m i r abim u r pr ofecto, si q u u m i s opus faci at, qui imagi nem facit ex lig n o, C hristus n ullum p r or su s Opus fec er it, qu u m cern em suam fec er it ex pan e . Quod si u ll um opus fecer it, quin id bonum fuerit, nemo , Opin or , du bitabit : n am si bonum opus fecit mulier, quae caput ej u s perfu dit un guento, quis potest am big er e an bonum Opus fec er it C hristus, qu um corpus proprium et in cibum exhiber et hom in ibu s, et in sac r ifici um ofi ' er r et D eo ? Quod si negari n on potest n isi ab eo, qui in re maxime seria valde vel it n u gar i , bonum Opus feci sse C hr i stu m , nec i stu d eti am negari potest, in M issa bonum opus facere sac er dotem , quippe qui n on aliud facit in Missa quam C hristus in C oen a fecit, et cruce . H oe enim declarant verba C hristi : “ H 0 0 faeite i n m eam c om m em or ati on em, quibus verbis quid aliud vol ebat, u t in Missa r epr a sen tar en t ac facer en t, quam quod ipse , fac i ebat in C oen a et cruce ? I n stitu ebat enim, et incho abat in C oen a sacramentum, quod in cruce p erfec it : n am hac ratione poti ssim u m nata esse videtur occ asi o, u t aq ua ex E cclesias ritu u n o m i scenetu r in calice, quia aqua cum san guin e de latere m or i enti s effiu xit i n cruce . Q u u m ergo n egari n on possit, quin bon u m opus et in C oen a, at in cruce fecer it C hristus, n equ e etiam quod sacerdos eadem r ep r essen tat ac facit in Missa, quomodo tum fing i potest Missam bon um opus non esse .
270 The S acr am en t of the A l tar be feign ed that the Mass is not a good Work ? Where fore, since I/u ther so handles the Matter, as to say, ‘That , because the C ommunion of one Layman does not profit another of the Laity, so neither does the M ass of the Priest profit the People how dim of S ight is he himself, and how much does he endeavour to spread his D arkness over the E yes of others, when he sees not that there is this D ifference in the C ase, That now the Laity receives out of the Priest ’ s Hand, as the A postles did first from C hr i st ’ s ; and the priest performs what C hr i st did then perform ; for he offers to God the same B ody that was of ered by C hr i st? From whence also it appears how cold an A rgument is Lu ther ’ s C omparison of the M ass, with the S acra ment of B aptism or Marriage ; endeavouring to prove, that, because one Layman cannot be baptized for an other, nor marry a Wife for another Man ; so a Priest cannot celebrate M ass for any other Person ! For he openly puts M arriage out of the Number of the S acra ments, and B aptism too, un der a C olour ; when he says, That r eal ly ther e i s bu t on e S acr am en t: Why then does he now compare B aptism and M arriage with the S acra ment of the M ass, if he does not hold them to be S acra ments ? A n d although he should confess them both to be S acraments, (as indeed they are) yet is neither of them to be compared to this of the M ass ; but in such M ann er as this S acrament, which is the proper B ody of him who is Lord of all S acraments, may have a Prerogative above all other, which he himself made ; since it is mani fest, that the Priest, in administering all other S acra ments, does Good to all those who receive them ; so in this, while he of ers it in the M ass, he is profitable, and communicates Good to all . Otherwise, if Lu ther exact with such S everity, that
272 The S acr am en t of the A l tar all S acraments should be alike, and n o D ifference amongst them ; and that, in the S acrament of the E ucharist, the Priest ’ s C ondition is no better than that of the Laity ; why compels he not the Priest to receive the C omm union from the Hands of another, and n ot suffer him to take it himself, though he can consecrate it ; even as he cannot absolve himself, though he has the Keys of Penance ? A n d what he says of Faith, which he believes all Men are to have in their own Persons , and that n ot the Priest ’ s, but every M an ’ s own Faith, is that which profits him, even ( says he) as A braham has n ot beli eved for al l the J ews. I allow it to be very true ; yet it proves no more than what it proposes : For neither has C hr i st himself, offered by himself on the C ross , saved the People, without every M an ’ s particular Faith ; that none may think the M ass of any Priest should do it ; yet the Mass of every Priest helps those to S alvation , who, by their Faith , have deserved to be Partakers of the greatest Good communicated in the M ass to many. It may likewise be sometimes advantageous to the procuring the Infusion of Faith into the Un faithful , as it is procured by the D eath and Passion of C hr i st, that Grace should be given to the Gen ti l es ; by which, through the Hearing of the Word, they might come to the Understanding of the Faith of C hrist . (tbe S acrifice of the M ass B UT Lu ther easily perceives , that it is no hard M atter to destroy what he himself has built, if Mass can be a S acrifice or Offering, which may be offered to God ; he therefore promi ses to remove this Obstacl e,which, that he may the more easily seem to do, he objects against himself such Things, as he perceives to stand in his Way. ‘A n d now, ( says be ) another, the greatest and most spacious
D e S acr am en to E u char istice 273 m enta sint in ter se similia, et in E ucharisties sacra mento n ihilo poti or sit sac er doti s conditio, quam laico rum, quare n on cogit u t sacerdos alterius manu semper c omm u n ic et, n ec sin atu r sibi sacramentum sumere, qu an qu am potest c onfic er e, qu em adm odu m , licet claves habeat Poenitentiae, semet non potest absol ver e ? Nam quod sfier t de fide, quam a sin g u l is c en set Opor ter e pr aestar i , et suam c u iqu e fidem pr odesse, non sacer doti s, qu em adm odu m nec A braham, u t ait, pr o Omnibus Ju daei s c r edidit, i stu d quidem verum dicit, at nihil tam en magis id probat, quod pr opon it : nam neque C hristus ipse a semet Obl atu s in cruce sine su a c u j u squ e fide ser vavit populum, n e quis id Missam putet cu j u squ e sac er doti s efli c er e, quae tam en Missa c u ju sl ibet sacer dotis illis pr odest ad sal u tem , quorum propria fides meruit u t bon i , quod tam im m en su m Missa com m u n ic at multis, possi n t esse participes . Q u an qu am potest et ad hoc valere n on n un qu am , u t incredulo quoque fidem pr o curet in fundi , qu em adm odum C hristi mors et Passio p r oc u r avit u t g ratia dar etu r Gentibus, qua per au ditu m verbi ven ir en t in fidem C hristi . D e S acrificio {N essa S E D Luthern s satis sentit ipse facile destrui quicquid astr u xer at, si Missa possit esse sacr ifici u m , au t oblatio, quae ofl ' er atu r D eo. Han c igitur obicem se pol l icetu r am otu r u m , quod quo fidel iu s facere videatur, et cflic a cius , obj icit sibi ipse prius quaedam, quae sibi sentit oh stare . “Jam et alterum, ” i n qu it, “scandalum am oven dum est, quod multo g r an diu s est, et sp eciosi ssim u m , id
274 The S acr am en t of the A l tar of all S candals , is to be taken away, that is, Mass be lieved every where to be a S acrifice offered to God ; ’ which Opinion the Words of the C anon seem to favour, where it is said these Gi fts, these Pr esen ts, an d these holy S acr ific es ; an d bel ow that, thi s Ofl ‘ er i n g . He like wise complains , that it i s taken for a S acrifice, &c . From thence C hrist is called the H ost ofthe A l tar . To this may be added the Words of the holy Fathers , so many E xamples, and the constant C ustom Observed over the whole World . You see , gentle Reader, what B locks he himself finds standing in his Way : Take Notice now with what H er cu l ean S trength he undertakes to remove them : B u t to al l these, ( says he) ar e con stan tly to be opp osed the Words an d E xam p l e of C hrist . B u t pray what Words of C hrist are these , which have been unknown to so many holy Fathers in Times past, and to the whole C hurch of C hrist, during so many A ges , and n ow, by I/u ther , like a new E sdr as, found out ? This he declares himself, when he says, ‘F or unless we bring it to pass, that M ass be accounted a Promise or Testament , as the Words, clearly make ou t ; we lose the whole Gospel, and all Comfort These are his Words : It now remains that we see his E xample . ‘ C hr ist, says he, at his last S upper, when he ins tituted this S acrament, and be q u eathed the Te stament, Of ered it not to God the Father, and has n ot performed it as a good Work for others ; but sitting at the Table, he proposed the same Testament, and exhibited a S ign to every on e of them . ’ Those are therefore the Words of C hrist ! This is the E xample, by which, now at last, onl y Lu ther himself clearly sees Mass neither to be a S acrifice, n or Of er ing ! It is a Wonder that , of so many holy Fathers , of so many E yes which have read the Gospel in the C hurch for so many A ges , none was ever so quick - sighted, as
276 The S acr am en t of the A l tar to perceive a Thing so apparent ; and that at this pres ent Time they are all so blind, as not to discern what L u ther ( though he points it out with hi s Finger, ) brags so clearly to see himself ! I s not Lu ther rather mis taken, and thinks himself to see something, which in Reality he sees not, or endeavours to shew us with his Finger, that which i s no - where to be found ? For pray what S ort of Proof is that where he undertakes to teach ‘ that M ass i s n o S acr ific e, becau se i t i s a Pr om i se , " as if Promise and S acrifice were as repugnant to gether as Heat and C old ? Which Reason of his i s alto gether so weak, that it seems not worthy an A nswer . For the so many S acrifices of Moses ’ s L aws, though all Figures of Things to come, yet were they Promises in themselves , promising the Things for which they were done ; not only the Future , of which they were Fig ures, but also D eliverances , E xpiations , Purgations and Pu r ific ation s, Of the People then present, for whom they were solemnly offered every Year . Which Thing being so apparent, that it leaves no Plea for Ignorance , makes I/uther ’ s D issimulation appear altogether r idi cu lous ; when arguing that this Thing cannot be done ; which not only he himself, but all the People kn ow to have been so Often performed . Now come we to the E xample of C hr i st, by which I/uther thinks he so vehemently oppresses us ; because C hr i st, in his last S upper, did not use the S acrament for a S acrifice, nor has he offered it to his Father : Ou t of which he goes about to prove , ‘That the Mass, which ought to agree with the E xample of C hr i st, by whom it was instituted, cannot be a S acrifice or Offering . ’ If Lu ther so rigidly summons us to the E xample of ou r Lord ’ s S upper , as not to permit the Priest to do any Thing that we do n ot read Christ to have done in it ; then must they never receive themselves in the S ac
D e S acr am en to E u char istia? 277 ipso m on str an te, per sp ic er e . A nnon Luthern s hal l u ci natur poti u s, et aliquid se vider e putat, quod non videt, et digito c on atu r ostendere, quod n u squ am est ? Nam, obsecr o, qu al i s est ista probatio, qu um docere n ititu r M issam non esse sac r ific iu m ex eO quod sit pr om i ssi o ? quasi p r om i ssio et sac r ific i um ita sibi mutuo pu g n ar en t, q u em adm odu m fr igu s et calor ? Quae Lu theri ratio adeo pr or su s fr ig et, u t nec responso dig n a videatur . Nam legis Mosaicas tam multa sac r ific ia, qu an qu am essen t figu r ae omnia fu tu r ar u m rerum, tam en p r omi ssi on es er an t et ipsa : pr om itteban t enim ea, propter quae fieban t, non modo futura quondam illa, quorum er an t fig ur ae, sed etiam l iber ati on es, expia ti on es, pu r g ati on es, pu r ific ati on es populi tunc pree sentis, pro quo more sol em n i q u otan n is offer eban tu r . Quas res qu um tam aperta si t, u t nemo pr or su s eam p ossit ign orare, r idicu l a plane di ssim u l ati o est ista Lu theri , qu um nunc arg um en tetu r fier i id non posse, quod non ipse tantum, sed popul us quoque n ovit tam saep e factum. Nun c ven i am u s ad exemplum Christi , qu o n os arbi tr atu r Luthern s vehementer opprimi , pr opter ea quod C hristus in C osna sacramento non usus est pro sacr ific io, nec obtu li t Patri : ex q u o probare c on atu r quod Missa, quae respon dere debet exemplo Christi quo fuit insti tuta, non potest esse sac r ific i u m , nec oblatio . S i Luthern s tam rigide nos r evocet ad exemplum C oen ae dominicas, u t nihil sacerdotes permittat facere, quod ibi C hristus feci sse non l eg i tu r , sacramentum, quod c on sec r an t, nunquam ipsi recipient. S uum en im
278 The S acr am en t of the A l tar rament which they consecrate : For we do n ot read in the Gospel , where it mentions the last S upper of ou r Lord, that ou r Lord himself received his own B ody : and thou gh some D octors, and the whole C hurch, do hold that he did receive it : yet that makes nothing for Lu ther , who discredits not only all the D octors, but the Faith of the whole C hurch ; and thinks not an y Thing to be believed, bu t what is confirmed by S criptures, and that clearly to ; (for so he writes in the S acrament of Orders . ) In which S ort of S cripture, I am of Opinion, he will not find that C hri st received his own B ody at his last S upper . Whence it will follow, as I have said, that the Priests ought not to take what they consecrate themselves, if he binds u s so strictly to the E xample of the last S upper. B u t if then he allows that the Priests are to receive, because the A postles did so ; and that he holds they are commanded to do what the A postles did then, n ot what C hr i st has done ; then must they never consecrate ; for C hr ist, and not the A postles, did then consecrate . The Matter itself shews , that, in this, the Priests do not only perform what C hr i st did in his last S upper, but also what he has afterwards done on the C ross ; the A postles leaving u s some Things by Tradi tion, which C hr i st either never did, or which we do not read that he had done ; as the C eremonies and S ign s used in the C onsecration, of which I believe most are delivered down to us from the A postles themselves . Furthermore, they repeat some Words in the C anon of the Mass, as if spoken by Chr i st himself, which are not read in S cripture ; and yet the-r e is no D oubt but he spoke them ; for many Things were said and done by C hr i st, which are not recorded by any of the E van g el i sts, but by the fresh Memory of those who were present : delivered afterwards, as it were, from Hand to Hand, from the very Times of the A postles , down to
280 The S acr am en t of the A l tar us . I/u ther doubts not , that C hr i st said in his last S upper , A s often as ye shal l do thi s, ye shal l do i t i n C om m em or ati on of m e : A n d he is so sure that they were C hr ist ’ s Words , that, from thence he takes his A rgument ; ‘That Nobody is obliged to receive the S ac rament ; but that it is left to every M an ’ s D iscretion, and that we are only boun d, as often as we do it, to do it in Remembrance of C hr i st. ’ These very Words he does not read in the E vangelists concerning the S upper Of our Lord : For no other Thing is read there, but, do thi s i n C om m em or ati on of m e. Where then read be these, ‘ as often as ye shall do these Things ? ’ Whether, not in the Mass ? Indeed I believe no where else . F or the A postles Words are not so : Wherefore, seeing he trusts so much in these Words , and uses them, because he finds them in the C anon ; why does he not give so much C redit to that Part of the same C anon, in which M ass is called an Of ering, and S acrifice ? Wherefore, if he confess that the Priests do rightly receive what they consecrate in the M ass, though no clear S cripture (which only he admits of, ) testifies C hr i st to have done it at his last S upper, nor in any other Place ; he ought not to wonder if the Priest offers C hr ist to his Father ; which C hr i st himself has done on the C ross , as it is witnessed by clear S cripture in sev eral Places : For L u ther ’ s own A rguments demonstrate , that the C ross belongs to the Testament made at the S upper , when he says , ‘That the Testament involves the D eath of the Testator, by which alone it can be made perfect . ’ M oreover , it seems, as is said, that the min gling of Water with the Wine, had its B eginning from no other Place ; which Thing is not said by S crip ture to be done at the las t S upper , but on the C ross . Let I/u ther , therefore, forbear to oppose his trifling
D e S acr am en to E u chari stice 281 C osn a dixisse : “ c q u oti escu n q u e fecer i tis, i n m ei m em or iam faci etis, ” atque haec usque adeo pr o com p er to habet C hristi verba fuisse, u t inde sumat arg umen tum, n em i n em cogi ad recipiendum sacramen tum, sed rem cu j u squ e r el ictam arbitrio, tantum ad hoc adstrin gi , u t, quoties facim u s, faci am u s in memoriam Christi . Haec ergo verba n on legit apud evan gelistas in Ga me D om in i : nam illio nihil al iud l eg itu r , quam : “ H oe facil e i n m ei com m em or ati on em . Ubi ergo legit illa verba : “ c qu oti escu n q u e fec er i ti s, ” an non in Missa ? Opin or certe non alibi : n am apud A postol um alia sun t . Igitur qui tantum fidit, et u titu r illis ve rbis, quia r eper it in C an on e, cur non pari fide su sc ipit ejusdem verba C an on i s, quibus Missa oblatio dicitur , et sacri fic ium ? Q u am obr em si sacerdotes in Missa fatetu r recte r ecip er e quod c on secr an t, qu an qu am nulla S cr iptu r a clara ( cu j u sm odi solam r ecip it Luthern s) C hr istum testetu r il l u d nec in C oen a feci sse, n on u squ am , non debet mi r um vider i Luthero, si sacerdos ofier at Chris tum Patri , quod n on u n o loco, clara testante S c r iptu r a, C hristus ipse fecit in cr uce ; nam c r u cem etiam ad testas mentum in C mn a factum pertinere Lu ther i quoque ratio dem on str at, qu u m testamentum dicit mortem testatoris involvere, u tpote qua sola per ficitu r . Pr aeter ea non aliunde, quod dixi , videtur et id in stitu tu m , u t aqua vino m i scer etu r in sacramento : quae res non in Ccena l eg itu r esse facta, sed cruce . D esin at ergo Luthern s argumen tum n u gax opponere, u t, quia Christus in C osn a sese n on obtu l it, ideo sacerdos n on ofier r e creda tu r in Missa, in qua n on solum r epr aesen tat quod in
282 The S acr am en t of the A l tar A rg ument, ‘That , because C hr i st at his last S upper di d not of er himself, therefore the Priest must not be be li eved to Offer him in the M ass In whi ch he n ot only represents what C hr i st performed in his last S upper, but also what he did on the C ross, on which he con summated what he began in the S upper . B u t now come we to the last of I/u ther ’ s A rgu ments ; by which, as by a sacred A nchor, hi s S hip is sustained : A n d this is the most frivolous of all the rest . ‘How can it he, ( says he) that the Priest should offer to God what he takes himself ? It i s not likely ( says he) M ass should be a S acrifice, when we receive it ourselves . The same Thing canno t be received and offered at one and the same Time, nor given and received by one and the same Person . ’ I/u ther deters us every- where from philosophical Reasonings , when he, in so sacred a Thing, endeavours to sustain himself by the merest S ophistry in the World . F or pray was there ever a S acrifice in Moses ’ s Law, which was not taken by those who offered it ? Or did God himself eat what they of ered him ? S hal l I eat the F l esh of B u l l s, or dr i n k the B l ood of Goats, sai th the L or d B esides , if C hrist was both Priest an d S acrifice ; why could he n ot institute that the Priest, who should supply the same S acrifice, might both of er and receive the Victim him self ? B u t lest I may seem, in this C ase, to imi tate Lu ther , who has nothing to say for himself, but what issues out of his own idle B rain ; I will lay before you what S t. A m br ose says to the M ass , ‘ 0 Lord God, ( says he) with how great C ontrition of Heart, with what Fountains of Tears , with how great Reverence and Fear, with what Chastity and Purity of Mind that divine and c ael estial Mystery is to be celebrated : Where thy Flesh i s truly received ; where thy B lood is truly *Ps. xlix . 13.
The S acr am en t of the A l tar drank ; where the lowest is j oined to the highest ; and divine Things with human : Where the S ai nts and A ngels are present ; where, after an admirable an d n u speakable M anner, thyself are both Priest and S acri fic e ! Who shall be able to celebrate this Mystery worthily, if then A lmighty God do not render him worthy that offers ? ’ You see how the holy Father, in this Place, calls M ass an Oblation , and says that C hrist himself is both Priest and S acrifice in it, even as he was on the C ross . Let D u ther see how much he attributes to this Man ’ s A uthority ; but S t. Gr egor y makes appear how much he had him in E steem, when , in this M anner, he imitated him in his Writings — ‘Which of the Faith ful ( says he) can doubt, but that in the very Time of the Immolation, the Heavens are Opened to the Words of the Priest , in that Mystery of C hrist : That C hoirs of A ngels are present ; that the lowest Things are asso ci ated to the highest : That E arth is j oined with Heaven ; and that of Visible and Invisible is made one Thing ? ’ A n d in another Place, ‘For this singular Victim, which renews to us the D eath of the only B e gotten, does loose our S ouls from eternal D eath . ’ Nor speaks he less to the Purpose, when he says , ‘Hence therefore let us ponder with ourselves, how much that S acrifice stands us in stead, which always imitates the Passion of the only begotten S on . ’ We see, that not only S t. A m br ose, but also S t . Gr eg or y, calls M ass an Immolation and S acrifice ; and confesses , that, n ot only the last S upper of C hr i st, (as Lu ther holds ) but also his Passion is represented in it . B u t these Fathers alone were not of that Judgment , for S t. A u g u sti n e con fesses the same Thing, in divers Places, who says thus of the Mass, ‘The Oblation i s every D ay ren ewed, though C hrist has but once suf fer ed : B ecause we daily fall , therefore is C hrist daily
D e S acr am en to E u char isties 285 hoc potest celebrare mysterium, nisi tu , D eus omn i poten s, of er en tem feceris dig n um Videti s u t hic beati ssim u s Pater et obl ation em appel lat Missam, st in eadem C hr i stum ipsum dic at et sacer dotem esse, et sacr ifici u m , qu em adm odu m fuit in cruce . C ujus au ctor itati quantum Lutherns tr ibu at, vider it ipse : quantum vero tr ibu er it beatus Gregorius, facile decl ar avit, q u u m ill u m im itatu s ita sc r iber et : “Quis fidel i u m dubitare possit in ipsa imm ol ati on i s hora ad sac er doti s voc em c oel os aper i r i , in illo C hristi m yster io an g el or u m choros adesse, su m m i s ima soci ar i , ter r am c uel estibu s j u ngi , unum quid ex vi sibil ibu s et invisibili bus fier i E t alibi : “Haec n am q u e sin gu l ar i s vic tim a ab aeterno i n ter itu animas sol vit, quas il l am nobis mor tem Unigeniti r ep ar at . ” Nec min us aperte q u u m dicit “H in c ergo pen sem u s quale sit pro nobis i stu d sacri fic i u m , quod unigeniti Filii P assi on em semper imita tur . ” Videm u s u t non solum divus A mbrosius, sed et beatus Gregorius imm ol ati on em appellat Missam, e t sac r ifici u m , ac fatetu r in ea non ultimam tantum C hristi C cen am , quod Lu ther u s ait, sed et P assion em ej u s r ep r aesen tar i . Nec tam en i stu d soli c en su er u n t illi : nam et A ugustinus non semel idem fatetu r . A i t enim de Missa : “I ter atu r quotidie haec oblatio, licet C hristus semel passus sit ; quia quotidie l abim u r , C hris tu s pro nobis quotidie im m ol atu r . ” Item : “E u char i sti a est oblatio benedicta, per quam ben edi c im u r , adscr ip ta, per quam omn es in coelum adscr ibim u r , rata, per quam in visceribus C hristi cen sem u r . ”
286 The S acr am en t of the A ltar ofered for u s. A lso the E ucharist i s a blessed Offering by which we are blessed ; an E nrollment, by which we all are enrolled in Heaven ; a Ratification, whereby we are mustered in the B owels of Christ . ’ S eeing, therefore, that Mass is by so holy and learned Men call ed an Offering, and a S acrifice ; and that they are of Opinion, that not only the last S upper of C hrist, but also his Passion is by it commemorated that they confess so immense and great A dvantages to proceed from it ; and that the C hurch, agreeing with them, sings the same in the whole Mass : I much admire with what Face D uther dares to cry out, on the C ontrary, that Mass is no S acrifice or Of ering ; and that it brings no Profit to the People ; deriding the A uthority of so many holy Fathers, or rather of the whole C hurch, by his most vain D evice ; as if they were all Things , which were understood of the Reliques of the Jewish C ere monies , ( i h which he says , ‘ the Priest did heave up what was of ered by the Which C omment of L u ther ’ s did seem so foolish and absurd, even to him self, that he doubted whether he should withstand the S entiments Of the holy Fathers, and the C ustoms of the whole C hurch, by such a babbling A rgument, or rather openly despise them : ‘For, says he , what shall we say to the C anons and A uthorities of the Fathers ? ’ ‘ I answer, says he, that if we have nothing at all to say against them ; it is more safe to deny all Things , than to con fess that Mass is a Work or S acrifice, lest we deny the Words of C hrist, corrupting them together with the M ass . Nevertheless, that we may agree with them also, we will say that all these Things were the Reliques of Jewish C eremonies . ’ Lest , therefore, there should be nothi ng said, this civil Man , tendering the Repute of the holy Fathers , and the Honour of the whole C hurch, ( lest they might be thought to speak foolishly) will seem
288 The S acr am en t of the A ltar to oblige them, by covering their S hame with the Veil of hi s most excellent D evices, concerning the Reliques of the Jewish Rites ; which, if any B ody remove, it will be to their D anger . For I/u ther does not ingeniously apprehend, that if any on e urge him more narrowly, he would rather blow away all the Testimonies of the holy Fathers, and the C ustoms of the C hurch, than that he should allow M ass to be a good Work, or a S acrifice ; that is, rather than allow that to be true which is true ‘For in that (he says) they deny C hrist ’ s Words , and corrupt Faith with Mass, who affirm M ass to be a S acri fic e z ’ I suppose that none will believe him, unless he first shews that he has read another Gospel dif erent from that the holy Fathers ever read, or that in reading the same, he has been more diligent than they, or has better understood it ; or finally, that he is more careful about Faith, than ever any Man before him was . B u t I believe he will not prefer any other GOSpel unto us ; nor, if he do, will it be admitted, though an A ngel from Heaven should descend with it . A n d that which he proffers , has n ot been more diligently ex am in ed, n or more narrowly p r ye d into by him, than it has been tr yed and searched into by others heretofore ; Of whom none ever said , that they foun d in it what he boasts himself to have found , vi z . ‘That M ass i s not a good Work ; that it is not an Oblation , nor a ‘ S acr ific e . ’ Lastly, if any one diligently considers what has been written by the one and the other , he cann ot be ign orant what D ifference has been in their C are about Faith Those holy antient Fathers have Observed, that , as this i s the chiefest of all S acraments , as containing in it the Lord of S acraments ; so is it the only S acrifice, which alone remains, instead of so many S acrifices of the Ol d Law ; and lastly, of all the Works that can be don e for the S alvation of the People, this, without C omparison ,
D e S acr am en to E u char istia 289 pr o velamento dig n atu s est corum pu den di s pr a texer e ; quod si quis adm oveat, il l or um periculo fec er it : nam Lu ther u s ingenue non ver etu r , si quis c u m str i n gat ar c tiu s, quicquid u n qu am fuit sanctorum Patrum, qu ic quid u n qu am in E cclesia moris fuit , exsu fli ar e potin s Videlicet, quam c on c edat M issam bonum opus esse, vel sac r ifici u m , hoc est, potin s quam c on c edat verum esse, quod verum est . Nam quod ait eos negare verbum C hristi , ac fidem simul cum Missa p essu m dar e, qui c u m qu e dic u n t Missam esse sac r ifici u m , nemo est, op in or , qui c r edat hac in parte Luthero, nisi primum doceat aut aliud evangelium l eg i sse se, quam sancti illi Patres l eg er u n t, aut il l u d idem vel l eg i sse dil ig en ti u s, vel in tel l exi sse melius, aut sibi den iq u e maj orem esse curam fidei , quam ulli u n qu am hac ten u s m or tal iu m fuerit . A t evangelium, credo , non p r ofer et nobis aliud ; neque, si p r ofer et, au di etu r , eti am si angelus cum eo de ca lo desc en der i t. I l l u d vero, quod profert, neque dili g en ti u s exc u ssit, neque p er spic it acu ti u s, quam olim et exc u ssum est, et p er spectu m ab illis, quorum nemo se reperisse dixit il li c , quod nunc iste j aetat reperisse sese, Missam bonum opus non esse, non esse obl ation em , n on esse sac r ific i u m ; den iq u e fidei cura c u j u sm odi fuit u tr iq u e, non potest c u iqu am esse obscurum, qui q uid u tr in qu e scriptum si t, non oscitan ter exp en der it . Veter es illi viri san cti ssim i vider u n t sieut sacra m en tor u m omnium hoc esse summum, quod ipsum sacr am en tor u m D ominum c om p l ectatu r , ita sacr ific io rum omnium hoc esse unicum, quod solum in loco tot olim sacr ific i or u m r estiter it, postremo op er u m omnium, q u a pro salute populi fier i p ossu n t, lon ge l ateq u e salu;
290 The S acr am en t of the A l tar is the best and most wholesome . F or when other S acra ments are only profitable to particular Persons r ec eiv ing them : This , in the Mass , is beneficial to all , in gen eral . A n d when Prayers made to God by one Man for another, m ay not only be hindered, but also rendered ineffectual , through the Fault of Men ; the merciful B ounty of God has instituted Mass for the S alvation of the Faithful ; in which his own B ody should be Of ered a S acrifice so wholesome, that the Wickedness of the Minister, be it never so great, i s not able to lessen, or avert the B enefit Of it from the People . The most holy Fathers seeing these Things , took all po ssible C are, and used their utmost E ndeavours, that the greatest Faith imaginable should be had towards this most propitiatory S acrament ; and that it should be worshipped with the greatest Honour possible : A n d for that C ause, amongst many other Things, they, with great C are, delivered us this also ; That the B r ead an d Win e do n ot r em ai n i n the E u char i st, bu t i s tr u ly chan g ed i n to the B ody an d B l ood of C hr i st. They taught Mass to be a S acrifice, in which C hrist himself is truly offered for the S ins of Christian People : A n d so far as it was lawful for Mortals , they adorned this immortal Mystery with venerable Worship, and m ys tical Rites : They comm anded the People to be present in A doration of it, whilst it is celebrated, for the pro curing of their S alvation . Finally, lest the Laity, by forbearing to receive the S acrament , should, by little and little , omit it for - good - and - all ; they have estab l i shed an Obligation that every Man shall receive at least once in a Year . B y those Things, an d man y of the like Nature, the holy Fathers of the C hurch , in several A ges , have demonstrated their C are for the Faith and Ven eration of this adorable S acrament . I/u ther ought
292 The S acr am en t of the A ltar not therefore to boast (what nevertheless he does) that they who call M ass a S acrifice, or say that it is pr ofit able to any, but to him who receives the S acrament in it, does corrupt the Word of C hrist, Faith, and M ass itself . B u t it wi ll n ot be amiss, to consider after what Man ner Lu ther sustains upon his S houlders the Word of Christ, Faith, and M ass itself, that they may not be c ome corrupted, or fall . First of all , he changes the Name itself of the S acrament, into a worse ; and that which was , for so many A ges , called the E ucharist, or the S acrament of C hr i st ’ s B ody, lest the Name of it should put the A uditors in Mind of the M ajesty of it , he commands to be called B read : A fterwards the B read and Wine, which the A ntients held to be turned into the B ody and B lood of our Lord, are by I /u ther taught to remain entire ; that so, by little and little, he m ay traduce the Honour from C hrist to the B read . A fter this, though he does not condemn the C hurch for having adorned an d amplified M ass , with Rites and C ere monies ; yet he thinks it should be more C hristian—like , if the Pomp of Vestments , S inging, Gestures and other C eremonies were laid aside ; that so it might be more like and near to the first M ass of all , which C hr i st cele br ated in his last S upper with his A postles ; or rather , that nothing may be left that might move the simple Minds of the vulgar S ort , and bring them to the Wor ship of this invisible D eity, through the M ajesty of visible Honour . Moreover, he teacheth, and as much as in him lies , inculcates , that M ass is not a good Work, not a S acrifice, not an Oblation, nor profitable to any of the People . To what Purpose pray is this so evan g el ic al a Lecture ? It i s, that all the People , leaving Mass to the Priest, ( to whom alone they must be per su aded that it is profitable) may themselves neglect it ,
D e S acr am en to E u char i stia 293 dare . A t Lu ther u s C hristi verbum, fidem qu e, ac Missam ipsam , n e pe ssu m den tu r et c or r u an t, quo pacto suis humeris su stin et, id vero vicissim considerare pr ofu er it . Initio nomen ipsum sacramenti dem u tat in deter i u s, et qu u m tot sa cu l i s appel l atu m sit E u char i sti a, vel sacramentum corporis C hristi , ille , n e nomen au di en tes adm on eat majestatis rei , jubet voc ar i panem . D ei n de panem et vinum, q u a veter es conversa faten tu r in corpus et sanguinem D omini , Luthern s adhu c manere doc et integra, u t ordine pau l atim honorem a C hristo tr adu c at in panem . Tu m licet non dam n et E ccl esi am , qu a r itibu s et ca r im on ii s or n avit, et am p l i avit Missam, tam en c en set quod Missa foret multo chr i sti an ior , si vesti u m , c an tu u m , g estu um et ca ter ar um c a r im on i ar u m omnium pompa tol l er etu r , u t esset vic in i or et sim il i or prima omniu m M issa , quam Christus in C osna cele br avi t cum apostol i s, imo vero, u t quam minimum su per sit corum q u a simplices an im os pl ebec u l a com m ovean t, et in ven er ati on em n u m in i s in vi sibil i s visibil i s honoris m aj estate c on ver tan t . A d ha c doc et, et om n ibu s modis in cu l c at M issam bonum opus non esse, sac r ifici u m non esse, obl ati on em non esse, n em in i pr or su s e populo p r odesse . Q u or su m ha c tam sancta et evan g el ic a lectio ? Nempe u t populus totu s, Missa r el icta sacerdoti , cui soli p r odesse p er su asu m habean t, negli gant ipsi , et suum Offici u m rei sibi inutili su bdu c an t den iqu e u t ipsi , quando c om m u n ic an tu r , tantum fidem affer an t testamenti se fore compotes, q u al escu m q u e con sc i en ti as attu l er in t, imo quo magis er r on eas attu l er in t, et peccatorum vel m or su , vel titil l ation e tu rbatas, tanto
294 The S acr amen t of the A ltar and pay no D uty to a Thing unprofitable to them . Lastly, that when they comm unicate, if they only have but Faith, that they are about to receive the Testament ; whatsoever C onsciences they bring ; n ay, the more er roucous they are, and the more troubled with the S ting and C oncupiscence of S in , the more are they to assure themselves that they are Partakers of the divine Prom i ses ; especially, because this S acrament is the Medicine of S ins past, present , and to come ; which would find no Room for itself in those who should purge themselves wi th greatest A nxiety from the D iseases of S i n ; and , according to the Precept of the A postle, proving them selves, * they may approach our Lord ’ s Table with as pure and sincere a C onscience as m ay be possible ; that seeing they cannot say we are justified , at least they may say we are guilty of nothing to ourselves . A fter L uther , therefore, has taught this short and compendious Prep aration for receiving the E ucharist , to wit, i n the F ai th al on e of the Pr om i se ; wi thou t an y g ood Wor ks, an d a light E xam i n ati on of C on sci en ce ; he, that nothing be wanting to the absolute S anctity of receiving the S acra ment shews his D esire concerning what Time, and how Often he is willing the People should be obliged to receive ; and that is, in no Time at all . A n d why so ? What ? Is there any one so blind, as not to see what this so palpable a Matter drives at ? C ertainly nothing else, but that the People may, by D egrees, quite give over communicating at all ; who at first changed the daily receiving, into a S eventh- day communicating ; and after, to a longer Time ; and at last would forsake it altogether ; if the Fathers, fearing that should happen, had not decreed, that every Man should receive thrice in a Year ; threatening, that he who would n ot obey, should not be accounted a C hristian : Yet nevertheless *I . C or . X i . 28.
296 The S acr am en t ofthe A ltar that C ustom could they not continue long ; so that , at last, the Matter fell so low, that it could descend n o lower ; for now we are obliged to receive but once in a Year : Which C ustom, if Lu ther could demolish, as he endeavours, the World would e ’ er long ( through the D ecay of the Fervour of Faith) be reduced to what it should have come to long ago, if it had not been pre vented by this solemn C ustom Of receiving every Year ; that at last there would scarce remain the least Foot step of the C ommunion amongst the People, nor per haps, among the C lergy neither , if Lu ther could bring it about that Mass should be so spoiled, not only of its Preparation and C eremonies, but also of the People ’ s Resort, Hope and Veneration to it . These are the ex c el l en t Promises of Lu ther ; this is that spacious Liberty he promises to all those who forsake the C atholic C hurch to follow him, vi z . That they may be freed at last from the Use and Faith of the S acrament ! Where fore, I forbear to speak any more of this Thing , as being so clear i n itself, that it needs no further D ispute . A n d seeing we have discovered the crafty Winding of the subtil S erpent ; which being now seen , ( as without D oubt they are by all who are not quite blind) it is not necessary to exhort any B ody to shun such apparent E vils . I believe none are so mad, as to forsake the C hurch of God, for the S yn agogue of S atan . That, shunning the S ervice of C hr i st, ( to serve whom is to reign ) he may list himself into the Liberty proposed by Lu ther ; where, under the Name of Liberty, he should wilfully, and to his own Knowledge put his Foot into the S nare of the D evil . B u t rather let all the Faithful of C hr i st say with the Psalmist, We wil l n ot declin e fr om thy Ju dgm en ts, becau se thou hast ap p oin ted u s a Law. * *Ps. c xviii . 1 02 .
D e S acr am en to E u char istia 297 cem u s : quam c on su etu din em si Luthern s, u t optat, posset am ol i r i , mundus , r efr igesc en te in dies fervore fidei , pr opedi em pr ofecto r ediger etu r eo, quo j am pr idem per ven i sset, nisi hoc sol em n i qu otan n i s com m u n ic an di ritu fu i sset r eten tu s, u t al iqu an do nullum ferme r em an eat in populo c om m u n ic an di vestigium, for tasse n ee in clero quidem, si Luthern s obtin er e possit, u t M issa non appar atu tantum, et ca r im on u s, sed populi quoque fr eq u en ti a, spe ac ven er ation e spoli etur . H a c sunt ergo pr a cl ar a illa p r om i ssa Lu ther i . H a c est speciosa illa libertas, quam pol l ic etu r ex E cclesia c athol ic a ven i en tibu s ad se, nempe u t l iber en tu r ali quando ab usu et fide sacramenti . Q u am obr em ego hac de re am pl i u s disputare su per sedeo, u tpote re magis ex se perspicua, quam u t c u iqu am dispu tar i debu er it. Tan tum indicasse non ober i t astu ti ssim as versuti serpentis insidias , quibus j am p er sp ecti s (per sp ici t enim, non dubito, quisquis n on plane ca cus est ) , n on er it opus hor tar i q u em q u am u t p r a vi sa mala devitet . Nemo er it, op in or , tam vecor s, u t ex E cclesia D ei desci sc at in syn a gogam S atana , e C hristi ser vitu te fu g ien s, cui servire regnare est, asser at se in l iber tatem p r op ositam a Ln thero, ubi solo l iber tati s nomine, sciens p r u den sq u e in pr a m on str atas diaboli pedic as in j ic i at pedes . S ed una cum p sal m ista omnes C hristi fidel es hu n c ver su m clament : “ A j u di cii s tu i s n on d ecli n avim u s, q u i a tu l egem p osu i sti n obi s. ”
C HA P . V ®f B aptism A s for the rest of the S acraments, it is not necessary to stand long upon them ; most of them he takes quite away from us : A n d the S acrament of the E ucharist, (being almost the only on e he vouchsafed to leave us) has by him been handled in such a Manner , as we have already shewn you ; so that none can doubt but he de vised by little and little, to demolish this also : Nor does he praise an y one of the S acraments , u nless to the P r ej u dice oi another ; for he so much extols B apti sm , that he depresses P en an c e : Though he has treated of B aptism itself after such a M anner , that it had been better he had not touched it at all . For first of all, that he might seem to treat with a great deal of S anctity in a Matter so holy, b e, by a long D iscourse , teaches that the divine Promise is to be believed, by which he promises S alva tion to them who believe, and are baptized . He is angry, and reproaches the C hurch for not teaching this Faith to the C hristians ; as if in any Place they were so ignorant of C hristian Faith , as not to understand this : A n d yet L u ther proposes it for a new Thing, al most never before heard of, to the Reproach of all the D octors . B u t this is no new Method of his Proceedings, to trifle in Things known , as though they had before never been heard of . A n d having in many Words shewn what this Faith is, he afterwards extols the Riches of Faith, to the E n d he may render us poor of good Works , with out which ( as S t. J am es saith " ) F ai th i s altog ether d ead . *Jam es 11 . 1 7- 26.
300 Of B ap ti sm B u t Lu ther so much commends Faith to u s, as not only to permit us to abstain from good Works ; but also en courages us to commit any Kind of A ction , how bad soever : ‘For ( says he) you see now how rich the bap ti zed Man is, who cannot lose his S alvation, though will ing to do it, by any S in whatsoever, except Infidelity For no S ins can damn him, but only Incredulity . ’ 0 most impious D octrine, and Mistress of all Impiety ! so hateful in itself to pious E ars, that there is no need to confute it : A dultery will not damn then ! Murder will not dam n ! Perjury will not damn ! Is not Parricide damnable neither , if every one believe that he shall be saved, through the Virtue of the Promise alone in B ap ti sm ? For this he Openly asserts ; nor do the Words, which he presently adds , correct this S entence in any wi se ; but rather add to the Force of it : For he saith, ‘That all other Things , if Faith return, or stand in the divine Promise made by the B aptized, are swallowed in a Moment in the same Faith ; rather by the Truth of God, for he cannot deny himself, if you confess him, and stick faithfully to his Pr om i se z ’ B y which Words, what else does he say, but what he has said before, that, ‘ Infidelity excepted , all other C rimes are in a M oment swallowed up by Faith alone ; if you con fess C hrist , and stick faithfully to his Promise ; ’ that is , if you firml y believe that you are to be saved by Faith, what soever you do notwithstanding . A n d that you may the less doubt what he aims at , ‘ C ontrition ( says he) and C onfession of S ins , as also S atisfaction , and all these hum an Inventions, will forsake you, and leave you the more unhappy, if you busy yourselves with them, for getting this divine Truth . ’ Wh at Truth Pray ? ‘This that no S ins can damn thee, but Infidelity only . ’ What Christian E ars can with Patience hear the pestil en tious Hissing of this S erpent, by which he extols B ap
D e S acr am en to B ap ti sm i 301 nobis vac ati on em ab oper ibu s bonis, sed etiam su gg c r at au dac i am q u al i u m cu m qu e facin or um . A it enim : “ Jam vides quam dives sit homo C hristianus , sive bapti zatu s, qui etiam volens n on potest perdere sal u tem suam quan ti sc um qu e p ecc ati s, nisi n ol it credere . Nulla enim peccata cu m possu n t dam n ar e, nisi sola i n c r e du l itas. ” O voc em im p i am , et omn i s im p i etati s m ag istr am , ita per se exosam p ii s au r ibu s, u t non sit opus eam r edar gu er e ! E rgo non dam n abit adu l ter iu m ? non damn abit homi cidium ? non p er ju r i u m ? non p ar r i cidium ? si tantum c r e dat se q u i sq u am sal van du m fore per vi r tu tem pr om i ssi on i s in B apti sm ate ? Nam hoc dicit ap er ti s sime , neque q u icq u am cor r ig u n t hane sen ten ti am verba q u a statim su bju n g it ; imo ver i u s au g en t . A it enim C a ter a omnia, si r edeat vel stet fides in p r om i ssi on em di vi n am bapti zato factam , in momento absorben tu r per eam dem fidem , imo ver itatem D ei , quia seip su m negare non potest, si tu c u m c on fessu s fu er i s, et promittenti fidel i te r adha ser i s. ” Quibus verbis, quid aliud dicit, quam quod dixit prius ? si absit i n cr edu l itas, c a ter a flag i t i a omn ia in momento absorber i in sola fide si con fessus fu er i s C hr i stu m , et eju s promissioni fidel iter adha ser i s, hoc est fir m iter c r edider i s te sal van du m per fidem , quicquid feceris . E t quo minus du bites quo ten dat : “C on tr iti o, ” i n qu it, et peccatorum C onfessio, dei n de et S ati sfacti o, et omn ia illa hom i n u m exc og itata studi a subito te deser en t, et in fel ic i or em r edden t, si in ipsi s tete di sten der i s, obl itu s ver itati s hu j u s divines. ” C ujus ver itati s ? nempe hu ju s, quod nulla peccata pos sunt te damn ar e, nisi sola i n c r edu li tas. Q u a C hristi ana fer en t aures pestil en s hoe serpentis sibil u m , quo B apti sm u m non in aliud l evat, quam u t p r em at Pa n iten tiam , et B apti sm ati s g r ati am statu at