he come." All those for whom Christ died, are obliged to show his death. But he died not only for the Pastors and Ministers of the Gospel, but also for the people.

Verse 28. "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup." Note, that every believer is obliged to prove himself, and examine his conscience; so every believer ought to drink of that cup, as well as to eat of that bread.

Note, that the Church of Rome allows the cup to kings, at least at the day of their consecration; as if the souls of great ones were more precious before God than the souls of the common people; as if Jesus Christ had not redeemed us all by one and the same blood. Add to this, if kings and priests ought to have the cup, it belongs to us all. For Jesus Christ "hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father." Rev. 1: 6.

CHAPTER LXIX.

OF THE MASS.

That the Mass is not only a commemoration of the Sacrifice of the Cross; but that the Priests really offer there the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for a Sacrifice propitiatory, for the remission of the Sins of Quick and Dead. Council of Trent, Sess. 22. cap. 1, 2. can. 1, 2, 3. Bel larm. de Missa. lib. 1. cap. 5.

"No

In the Holy Bible it is written, Heb. 5 : 4. man taketh this honor (of being a priest, or a sacrificer) unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." But where hath Jesus Christ ordained sacrificers of his body? Or where has he said, Offer me for a sacrifice propitiatory for the remission of the sins of quick and dead?

1 Cor. 11:26. "As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come." Note, that the holy supper is instituted to show the death of Jesus Christ, and not to sacrifice him.

Observe, also, that then, when the holy supper was instituted, Christ was at table, and not near an altar; that he offered nothing to God, but distributed the bread and wine to his disciples. Read the whole institution entire, and you will find there neither the elevation of the Host, nor the adoration

of the Sacrifice, nor any thing that cometh near to the ceremony of the Mass.

Heb. 7:23, 24. "They truly (under the law of Moses) were many priests; because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. But this man (Jesus Christ) because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood." Note, that the priesthood of the Church of Rome has all the same defects as the priesthood of the law of Moses; for the priests succeed one another, as the priests and Levites did of old. But Jesus Christ, living for ever, has no need of a successor or vicar to exercise his charge.

Verse 25.

"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Note, that the priesthood of Jesus Christ does not only consist in the oblation which he made for us on the Cross, but in that, that he prays for us, and applies to us the infinite merit of his death: so that there is no need of another sacrifice, or of the repeating of the old.

Verses 26, 27. "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's; for this he did once, when he offered up himself." Note, that those who have need to offer for

their own sins, are not fit to offer sacrifices for the sins of others. Let the priests then begone from the altars; Jesus Christ hath sufficiently done this in once offering himself.

Chap. 9:11, 12. "But Christ being come, an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Note, that the blood which Jesus Christ shed upon the Cross is of eternal efficacy, and infinite merit; so that there is no need to have the oblation repeated to complete what was then done; and that we may have part in that his sacrifice, there is no need to sacrifice him again; but we ought to embrace him by faith and repentance.

Verses 13, 14. "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?" Note, that Jesus Christ is the Priest, the Altar, and the Sacrifice without spot, that redeemeth and sanctifieth us.

Verse 22. "Almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission." But in the Mass there is no shed

ding of blood: therefore, in vain do they hope to obtain remission of sins by it.

say

Verse 25. "Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others." All those that Jesus Christ offers himself every day, do expressly contradict the Apostle, who says, that Jesus Christ does not offer himself often. But those of the Church of Rome say, that Jesus Christ offers himself every day in the Mass, by the hands of the Priest; therefore they expressly contradict the Apostle, who says, he "doth not offer himself often."

Verse 26. "For then he must often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Note, that the Apostle joins sufferings and the offering together. If Jesus Christ does not suffer often, he doth not offer himself often. But Jesus Christ does not suffer often; therefore he does not offer himself often, having put away sin by that once offering of himself: for Christ "being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him."

Verses 27, 28. "As it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment; so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. And unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." After this, there remains no more difficulty; to offer Jesus Christ,