Thus much touching the foundation of their first reason, which is the strongest & the most apparent that they have. For if they cannot show ⟨image 3⟩that their Mass is of the institution of Jesus Christ, and of the ordinance of God, it must then necessarily be placed amongst the inventions and traditions of men, by the which God him self doth witness, not only by the mouth of the Prophet Isai, 1but also by that of his own son Jesus Christ, that he is served in vain. Wherefore, if this first foundation be already overthrown, the second which is founded upon the same, will also be forthwith overthrown. For if Jesus Christ did not institute such a Mass, nor his Apostles & their true successors did ever celebrate or know such an one, at the least for the time of six hundred years after the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ: where is that whereupon they will build the auncientie thereof, and the long and continual succession, and the common and public consent of all the Church, for so long a time wherewith they make them selves so great a buckler? It is here then needful to enquire, and to consider what difference there is between the Sacrament of the supper ordained by Jesus Christ, and that which is called the sacrament of the Altar in the Romish Church, and how long time the holy supper of the Lord did remain whole and perfect, and when it began to be changed, corrupted, overthrown, and converted into the same fashion that it now is in the Mass of the Romaine Church. For their own doctors can not ⟨image 4⟩deny but that since the time of Jesus Christ and of his Apostles, and of the first and most ancient Christian Church, they have changed and added much to the first institution of the Lord, and in the form of the administration of this holy Sacrament the which the Apostles did use. For this cause no one, but the most shameless amongst them dare say openly, that Jesus Christ did ordain & make the Mass, but they say that he gave only the matter, and that afterward the Church gave it the fashion by the successors of the Apostles, & chiefly by the Romaine Popes, wherein they do greatly honour the son of God.
THus much touching the foundation of their first reason, which is the strongest & the most apparant that they haue. For if they cannot shew ⟨image 3⟩that their Masse is of the institution of Iesus Christ, and of the ordinance of God, it must then necessarily be placed amongst the inuentions and traditions of men, by the which God him selfe doth witnes, not onely by the mouth of the Prophet Isai, 1but also by that of his own sonne Iesus Christ, that he is serued in vaine. Wherefore, if this first foundation be already ouerthrowen, the second which is founded vpon the same, will also be forthwith ouerthrowen. For if Iesus Christ did not institute such a Masse, nor his Apostles & their true successors did euer celebrate or knowe such an one, at the least for the time of six hundreth yeres after the ascension of our Lord Iesus Christ: where is that whereupon they will builde the auncientie thereof, and the long and cōtinual succession, and the common and publique consent of all the Church, for so long a time wherewith they make them selues so great a buckler? It is here then needefull to enquire, and to consider what difference there is betweene the Sacrament of the supper ordeined by Iesus Christe, and that which is called the sacrament of the Altar in the Romish Church, and how long time the holy supper of the Lorde did remaine whole and perfect, and when it began to be changed, corrupted, ouerthrowen, and conuerted into the same fashion that it nowe is in the Masse of the Romaine Church. For their owne doctours can not ⟨image 4⟩deny but that since the time of Iesus Christ and of his Apostles, and of the first and most auncient Christian Church, they haue chaunged and added much to the first institution of the Lord, and in the forme of the administration of this holy Sacrament the which the Apostles did vse. For this cause no one, but the most shamelesse amōgst thē dare saye openly, that Iesus Christ did ordeine & make the Masse, but they saye that he gaue onely the matter, and that afterward the Church gaue it the fashion by the successours of the Apostles, & chiefly by the Romaine Popes, wherein they doe greatly honour the sonne of God.
- 1Isai. 29. Mat. 15 Mark. 7
