Cyprianus de Laps.

offending, so they agree in one substance of true doctrine. He knows no church but Rome, and vet Rome never decreed any one general order for the whole world; nor the whole world never obeyed nor received any. The pope's portus and missal has been oft changed, as I proved afore, and every country has their divers order of service. Aaron's sons did plainly against God's express commandment, and therefore were justly plagued: ours do not so, and therefore they be not in like case, but undeservedly blamed. Clement's words and Cyprian's, when they are proved to be truly alleged, touch not us, but such as he is; for they knew no such priests nor church as he means, nor any such were many years after. The papists differ very little from Jews; for both of them set their whole religion in ceremonies and old customs. We stick stiffly to the word of God only, and build not on such vain foundations. Therefore he brings that canon. against himself and his sort, being as superstitious as the Jews, and blinded obstinately in errors as heretics.

VII. Whether is it lawful for priests that say the communion also to celebrate mass?

The holy martyr, St Cyprian, says: "It is not leaful by and bye afore penance done, to consecrate or touch with his wicked hands the body of our Lord, and with his polluted mouth to receive the blood of our Lord; but first let him do penance1." "Does thou think," says St Cyprian, "that our Lord will be so suddenly mitigated, whom thou has refused, and has more esteemed thy worldly living than him?" St Cyprian says: "The blind love of their patrimony and worldly goods has deceived many, and bound them as it were in stocks and fetters, that they cannot follow Christ." "A great number, for fear of words of such as be not

[1 A diaboli aris revertentes, ad sanctum Domini sordidis et infectis nidore manibus accedunt. Mortiferos idolorum cibos adhuc pene ructantes, exhalantibus etiam nunc scelus suum faucibus, et contagia funesta redolentibus, Domini corpus invadunt. * * Ante expiata delicta, ante exomologesin factam criminis, ante purgatam conscientiam sacrificio et manu sacerdotis, ante offensam placatam indignantis Domini et minantis, pacem putant esse, quam quidam verbis fallacibus venditant. De Lapsis, p. 92. ED.]

[ Putasne tu Dominum cito posse placari, quem verbis perfidis abnuisti, cui patrimonium præponere maluisti? Ibid. p. 98. ED.]

[ Decepit multos patrimonii sui amor cæcus; nec ad recedendum parati aut expediti esse potuerunt, quos facultates suæ velut compedes ligaverunt. Ibid. p. 90. ED.]

good, have refused their faith, not cast down by any violence of persecution, but by a voluntary lapse have cast down their selves;" although they have perceived the bishops and a great number of the clergy not to be afraid to lose all their livings, not fearing loss of goods, or imprisonment, or banishment from their friends; yea, all ready to suffer death in this case. Our Saviour in the gospel says, "No man can serve two masters:" that is, to say the communion decreed and appointed by the laity parliament against the consent of the clergy in Christ's church, and also celebrate mass, decreed and appointed by the clergy in sacred synods, representing the whole estate of Christ's church. St Paul says: "Ye cannot be partakers both of the table of our Lord, and the table of the devils." St Cyprian says: "It is an horrible abomination to fare Cyprianus about to serve both Baal and Christ: it is contumely and not religion, it Dom. is injury and not devotion, if thou communicate of the cup of Christ with the devils"." Hitherto be St Cyprian's words. St Paul says: "We have an altar, whereof they may not eat that serve the tabernacle." By these examples it is evident, that the priests may not minister the communion to one sort, and mass to another sort. In Tripartita Historia it appears, the catholics and the Arians did not communicate one with another".

VIII. Whether it be lawful for priests to say mass which say no communion, but only read psalms and chapters to the people instead of service?

de Cœn.

St Cyprian says: "The verity is not to be dissembled"." It is naught Cyprianus de Laps. to halt upon both the parts: "if God be the Lord, follow him; if Baal, follow him." Even so, if matins and evensong be the ordinances of Christ's church, use them: if the psalms and chapters, use them. It is no less offence to allow a schism with assent, than to offer to idols. St Austin

[Ad prima statim verba minantis inimici maximus fratrum numerus fidem suam prodidit; nec prostratus est persecutionis impetu, sed voluntario lapsu se ipse prostravit. Ibid. p. 89. ED.]

[ Tu si templum Spiritus sancti violas, si intra te sacrarium Dei deturpas et foedas, si cum calice Christi de calice dæmoniorum communicas, contumelia est, non religio; injuria, non devotio. Idolorum servitus et horrenda abominatio, velle simul Baal famulari et Christo. De Cœna Domini.-This treatise is not Cyprian's, but Arnold's, abbot of Bonavalla. It is printed with his other works in the appendix to Cyprian, and the passage here cited will be found in p. 77. of Fell's edition, Oxon. 1700. ED.]

[ Sunt aliqui in Alexandria populis tuam declinantes communionem, are the words of Constantius to Athanasius in Trip. Hist. Lib. iv. cap. 31. p. 359. And see the passage quoted below, p. 633. from Lib. v. cap. 31. of the same work. En.]

[Dissimulanda, fratres, veritas non est, nec vulneris nostri materia et causa reticenda. De Laps. p. 90. ED.]

August. de says:

lib. xxi. cap. 25.

[Rom. ii.]

Such as be in schism, that is to say, in sacraments or divine Civitate Dei, service separated from the unity of Christ's mystical body, and not in joining together of christian members, not in the band of peace, which is expressed in the sacrament of the altar, they may consecrate and receive this sacrament; but it is not profitable to them, but very hurtful, whereby they shall be judged more grievously of Almighty God1." St Paul says: "Not only they that do evil be worthy death, but also they that consent to the doers." The Holy Ghost does cry by his prophet Esay, saying, "Get you hence, go forth, beware that you touch no unclean thing." The scripture says: "Thou shalt love the Lord God with all thy heart, with all thy strength, &c." God loves no half service. As [2 Sam. x.] for example, it is written in the book of Kings, that king David sent his servants to comfort Anon for the death of his father: albeit king Anon took them as espies, and caused the half of their beards to be shaven, and cut their clothes by their buttocks, and so sent them back again to king David. But when king David heard of this, he would not suffer them to come in his sight at Jerusalem, but commanded them to tarry at Jericho until their beards were grown out again. Even so such priests as has gone out of Christ's church, and entangled themselves with any part of this religion against the decrees of the church, are not worthy in ministration of sacraments to come in the presence of the faithful, that continue still in Christ's church, until they be reconciled, and have done penance for their lapse into schism.

Cyprian. de
Laps.

IX. Whether is this to be called a wicked time, that such heresy and schism does reign?

No, rather it is a blessed time: for now "God tries his family," as St Cyprian says; "for the long rest and peace, which has been in Christ's church aforetime, caused the clergy to be almost on sleep; by reason whereof devout religion was not in a great number of priests, in works was small mercy, no discipline in manners." St Paul says, "It is meet that there be heresy, that the good may be tried;" so that such as have grace to stand this troublous time, and be not spotted with schism, shall

[Qui ergo est in ejus corporis unitate, id est, in Christianorum compage membrorum, cujus corporis sacramentum fideles communicantes de altari sumere consueverunt, ipse vere dicendus est manducare corpus Christi, et bibere sanguinem Christi. Ac per hoc hæretici et schismatici, ab hujus unitate corporis separati, possunt idem percipere sacramentum, sed non sibi utile, imo vero etiam noxium, quo judicentur gravius, quam vel tardius liberentur. Non sunt quippe in eo vinculo pacis, quod illo exprimitur sacramento. Tom. VII. Pars i. p. 1033. Paris. 1838. ED.]

[ Dominus probari familiam suam voluit; et quia traditam nobis divinitus disciplinam pax longa corruperat, jacentem fidem et pene dixerim dormientem censura cœlestis erexit. * Non in sacerdotibus religio devota, non in ministris fides integra, non in operibus misericordia, non in moribus disciplina. Cyprian. de Laps. p. 88. ED.]

be kindled more fervent in the love and fear of God; and such as be fallen in lapse, if they will seek to come back again to our mother holy church with penance, that is, with prayer, satisfaction and tears, she shuts her bosom from none that will so come; for God is near at hand to all that call on him in virtue, and will rejoice more in them, than in other. But "some are not to be gathered out of schism," says Cyprian," so that such as be whole and stedfast be thereby wounded; nor he is not a profitable and wise pastor, that gathereth the sheep that be diseased, scabbed, or sick unto the whole flock, afore they be whole, lest they infect all the flock3. Nor the bishop must not have a respect to the greatness of the number: for better it is to have one good priest that feareth God, than a thousand that be evil." This says St Cyprian.

Answer to the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Questions.

What a fool is he that goes about to prove by so many bald reasons, (clouting such patched pieces together,) that which is already granted him! We confess that no man ought to say mass at all, much less they that say the communion should become mass-mongers: his authorities are fondly brought to prove his purpose, and may be turned against himself all; for there is no sort of men that use double dissembling so much as the pope's do. Other things that I proved afore I will not repeat again now; but I wish of God that, as David would not suffer his men that were shaven so to come in his sight, so all christian princes would banish the pope's shavelings: for so the reason holds in like of both. The time for trial of God's people we do not greatly mislike: only this grieves us, that so many withstand the manifest truth, which their conscience acknowledges to be true, and yet for fear of a change or flattery of the world they be cold, and will not or dare not openly profess it; and also that another sort of turn-tippets, for lack of discipline, occupy the place of pastors, serving rather to fill their belly, than for love, conscience, or duty; where good order would that either such should be displaced, or else do great and worthy open penance solemnly, afore they ministered. The alleging of these sundry authorities are untrue and foolish.

[Quibusdam enim ita aut crimina sua obsistunt, aut fratres obstinate et firmiter renituntur, ut recipi omnino non possint, cum scandalo et periculo plurimorum. Neque enim sic putamina quædam colligenda sunt, ut quæ integra et sana sunt, vulnerentur: nec utilis aut consultus est pastor, qui ita morbidas et contractas oves gregi admiscet, ut gregem totum mali cohærentis afflictatione contaminet. Epist. LIX. (al. Lv.) Cornelio Fratri. p. 267. ED.]

X. Whether it is lawful for the laity to receive the communion as is now used?

In receiving the communion as now used, you break your profession made in baptism, and fall into schism, separating yourselves from God and his church, refusing the bishops, your true pastors; so entering into the malignant church of Satan. St Paul does command us to obey the [Heb. xiii.] bishops, for they watch as to give an account for our souls. The bishops be in prison ready to suffer death, afore they will either minister or receive the communion, like true pastors: they put themselves walls and a sure defence for the people. The catholic church, which we professed at our baptism to believe and obey, teacheth us to receive Christ's body consecrate at mass with prayers, invocations and benediction, with the sign of the holy cross, and not bare bread and wine without consecration and benediction, as is used in this communion, being against the decrees and ordinance of Christ's catholic church. Almighty God does command us to separate ourselves from such as take in hand a ministration of sacraments against the ordinance of Christ's church, and that ye touch nothing pertaining to them, lest ye be lapped in their sin. The prophet Osee does say, that "all that receive that bread of mourning," over the which words of blasphemy be spoken at the table, "shall be defiled." Therefore St Cyprian says: "Forasmuch as we can exhort you by our letters, that you come not to the cursed communion with priests that be maculate; for they be not worthy death that do evil, but all that consent to the doing of evil. Nor let not the people persuade with themselves, that they can be free without spot of sin, communicating with a priest in sin1." No man can be well excused by ignorance: be he never so gross of wit, he may perceive it is not that which we have professed to believe, but against it; and if it were for a worldly gain, every one would learn a longer matter, and keep it in memory.

Num. xvi.

Cyprian.
Epist.

The Tenth Answer.

In receiving the communion now used the laity keep their profession made in baptism, where they promised, like good sheep, to believe the catholic church, which hears the voice of

[Et quantum possumus, adhortamur literis nostris, ne vos cum profanis et maculatis sacerdotibus communicatione sacrilega misceatis. Quoniam qui talia, inquit, agunt, morte sunt digni, manifestat et comprobat morte dignos esse, et ad pœnam venire non tantum illos qui mala faciunt, sed etiam eos qui talia agentibus consentiunt. Nec sibi plebs blandiatur, quasi immunis esse a contagio delicti possit, cum sacerdote peccatore communicans, et ad injustum atque illicitum præpositi sui episcopatum consensum suum commodans; quando per Osee prophetam comminetur et dicat censura divina, Sacrificia eorum tanquam panis luctus: omnes qui manducant ea, contaminabuntur. Epist. LXVII. (al. LXVIII.) Cyprianus, &c. Felici Presbytero, &c. p. 291, 288. ED.]