that by the receiving of the sacrament, and by faith, the benefits, offered and applied, be received), (Mark xvi., 15, 16). “The Gospel is the power of God to salvation, to every one that believeth" (Rom. i., 16), that is, the ministry of the Gospel is the instrument ordained of God, whereby God is able and effectual to save all those which believe the Gospel. Therefore the preaching of the Gospel doth offer, or, if it liketh any man so to speak, doth apply salvation to all men; but faith doth receive salvation, offered and applied. Now, in the private mass, bread and wine are so handled, that the priest doth neither publicly declare the Gospel of Christ, but doth softly mumble to himself certain words, and especially the words of the Supper, or of consecration; neither doth he distribute bread and wine to others, but he alone taketh them; therefore, there can be no applying of the merit of Christ in the private mass. This did our true Catholic elders well perceive; who, as we have declared before, did so severely require, that they which were present at the mass, and did not communicate, should be excommunicated.

The fourth error is this, which we have already touched; in that they do require that the words of the Supper, or of consecration, be rehearsed silently in the Eucharist; seeing that these words are a part of that Gospel, which, according to the commandment of Christ, is to be preached to all creatures. For, although our ancestors did sometimes call the Eucharist a mystery, yet they did not so call it with this purpose, that they would not have the words of the Supper to be rehearsed before the Church in the Eucharist publicly, and in a tongue commonly known; but because that in the Eucharist one thing is seen and another thing understood. For Christ Himself is also called a mystery (1 Tim. iii., 16); who, nevertheless, is not to be hid, but to be preached to all creatures. And because that, in the receiving of the sacrament, it is necessarily required that we should have faith, and "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. x., 17); it is most necessary that, in the Eucharist, the word of the Supper-that is, the word of the Son of God-should be pub

licly rehearsed for this word is the preaching of the Gospel, and the shewing forth of the death of Christ. Therefore that the Church may understand what is done in the Eucharist, and what is offered unto her to be received, and that she may confirm her faith, it is necessary that, in the Eucharist, the words of the Lord's Supper should be rehearsed publicly.

The fifth error is this, that one part of the Eucharist is used in shew of a singular worship of God, to be carried about, and to be laid up. But the Holy Ghost doth forbid that any worship of God should be appointed without the express commandment of God. "Ye shall not do, every one of you, that which seemeth good in his own eyes" (Deut. xii., 8). And again: "That which I command thee, that only shalt thou do to the Lord: see that thou add nothing thereunto, nor detract anything from it" (ver. 32). And," in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the precepts of men" (Matt. xv., 9). Clemens, in his "Second Epistle to James," and "De Consecr. Dist. 2, cap. Tribus," saith, "Certainly let so great burnt-offerings be offered on the altar, as may be sufficient for the people; but if so be that any remain till the next day, let them not be kept, but with fear and trembling, by the diligence of the clerks let them be consumed." We are not ignorant how they used to elude these words of Clemens, by feigning a difference betwixt the work of those that are ready to die, and of those that be ready to consecrate. But it is evident that the bread, which useth to be carried about, and to be laid up to be adored, is not reserved for those that be weak, but in the end is received of them that do consecrate. Cyril, or, as others think, Origen, "Upon the Seventh Chapter of Leviticus," saith, "For the Lord, concerning that bread which he gave to His disciples, said unto them, Take it, and eat it,' &c. He did not defer it, neither did He command it to be reserved till the next day. Peradventure, there is this mystery also contained therein, that He doth not command the bread to be carried in the highway, that thou mayest always bring forth the fresh loaves of the word of God, which thou carriest within thee," &c.

XII. FROM THE CONFESSION OF SUEVELAND.

Chapter 18. Of the Eucharist.

The Confession of the Four Cities was presented, both in the German and also in the Latin tongue, to the same most sacred emperor, Charles V., in the same assembly held at Augsburg, in the same year, by the ambassadors of the cities of Strasburg, Constance, Meinengen, and Linden. And we have in the titles called it the Confession of Sueveland, for that those four cities, by whom it was presented, are commonly counted neighbours to Sueveland.

As touching this venerable sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, all those things which the evangelists, Paul, and the holy Fathers have left in writing thereof, our men do sincerely teach, commend, and inculcate. And thence they do, with a singular endeavour, always publish this goodness of Christ towards His own, whereby He doth no less at this day than He did in that His last Supper, vouchsafe to give, by the sacraments, His true body and His true blood, to be eaten and to be drunk, indeed, as the meat and drink of their souls, whereby they may be nourished unto life eternal. He giveth it, I say, to all those who, from their hearts, have given their names to be reckoned among His disciples, when as they do receive this Supper, according to His institution; so that now He may live and abide in them, and they in Him, and be raised up by Him in the last day to a new and immortal life, according to those words of eternal truth, "Take and eat, this is my body," &c.; " Drink all ye of this; this cup is my blood," &c. (Matt. xxvi., 26-28). Now, our preachers do most diligently withdraw the minds of the people, both from all contention, and also from all superfluous and curious inquiry, unto that which only is profitable, and whereunto only Christ our Saviour had respect; to wit, that, being fed with Him, we may live in Him, and through Him, and lead such a life as is acceptable to God, holy, and therefore everlasting and blessed; and withal, that we, among ourselves, may be one bread and one body, which are partakers of one bread in that holy Supper. Whereby it cometh to pass, that we do very religiously and with a singular

reverence, both administer and receive the divine sacraments; that is, the holy Supper of Christ. By these things (which are thus, indeed, as we have set them down), your sacred majesty, O most gracious emperor, doth know how falsely our adversaries do boast, that our men do change the words of Christ, and tear them in pieces by human glosses; that in our Suppers nothing is administered but mere bread and mere wine; and also that among us the Supper of the Lord is contemned and rejected. For our men do very carefully teach and exhort, that every man do, in a simple faith, embrace these words of the Lord, rejecting all devices of men, and false glosses; and, removing away all kinds of wavering, do wholly addict their mind to the true meaning thereof; and, to conclude, do oftentimes, with as great reverence as they may, receive the sacraments, to be the lively food of their souls, and to stir up in them a grateful remembrance of so great a benefit; the which thing also useth now to be done among us, much more often and reverently than heretofore was used. Moreover, our preachers have always hitherto, and at this day do offer themselves with all modesty and truth, to render a reason of their faith and doctrine, touching all those things which they believe and teach, as well about the sacrament as about other things, and that not only to your sacred majesty, but also to every one that shall demand it.

Chapter 19. Of the Mass.

Furthermore, seeing that after this manner Christ hath instituted His Supper, which afterward began to be called the mass; to wit, that therein the faithful, being fed with His body and blood unto life eternal, should shew forth His death, whereby they are redeemed: our preachers, by this mean giving thanks, and also commending this salvation unto others, could not choose but condemn it, that these things were every where neglected. And, on the other side, they which do celebrate the masses, do presume to offer up Christ unto His Father for the quick and the dead; and they make the mass to be such a work, as that, by it alone almost the favour of God and salvation is obtained, how

soever they do either believe or live. Whereupon that most shameful, and twice and thrice impious, sale of this sacrament hath crept in; and thereby it is come to pass, that nothing at this day is more gainful than the mass. Therefore, they rejected private masses, because the Lord did commend this sacrament to His disciples, to be used in common. Whereupon Paul commandeth the Corinthians, when they are to celebrate the holy Supper, to stay one for another; and denieth that they do celebrate the Lord's Supper, when as every man taketh His own Supper whilst they be eating (1 Cor. xi., 33; 20). Moreover, whereas they boast, that they do offer up Christ instead of a sacrifice, they are therefore condemned of our men, because that the Epistle to the Hebrews doth plainly witness, that, as men do once die, so Christ was once offered, that He might take away the sins of many, and that He can no more be offered again, than He may die again (Heb. ix., 25—28). And, therefore, having offered one sacrifice for sins, He sitteth for ever at the right hand of God, waiting for that which remaineth; to wit, that His enemies, as it were a footstool, may be trodden under His feet: for with one oblation hath He consecrated for ever them that are sanctified (Heb. x., 12—14).

And whereas they have made the mass to be a good work, whereby any thing may be obtained at God's hands, our preachers have taught, that it is repugnant to that which the Scripture doth teach in every place; that we are justified, and receive the favour of God, by the Spirit of Christ, and by faith: for which matter, we alleged before many testimonies out of the Scriptures. So, in that the death of the Lord is not commended to the people in the mass, our preachers have shewed that it is contrary to that which Christ commanded, to receive these sacraments in remembrance of Himself (Luke xxii., 19); and Paul, that we might shew forth the death of Christ till He come (1 Cor. xi., 26). And whereas many do commonly celebrate the masses, without all regard of godliness, only for this cause, that they may nourish their bodies, our preachers have shewed, that that is so execrable a thing before