the second confirmed the hauing of Images in churches and did not only excommunicate the Emperoure for abolishing of images but he also most trayterously stirred vp his subiectes to rebell against him In the yeare c. 729. Blondus Chron. Pope Constantine gathered a councel at Rome against Phillip y e Emperour wherin he condemned the Emperour for destroying Images and made a decree for the establyshement of them in churches In the yere c. 769. Plat. Pol. Pope Gregory the thyrd made a law y t Images shoulde not onelye be had in churches as lay meÌ„s bokes but y t they also shoulde be worshipped and had in greater reuerence than euer they were before that whosoeuer were of a contrary opinion he should be condemned for an heretike In the yeare c. 740. Sigis. Blond Plat. Sabel Here maye all men learne to iudge with what spirite these Romishe Byshops are led whiche notwithstanding call them selues moste holye fathers Christes vicares in earth Peters successors holye Churche the spouse of Christe that pillare of truthe whiche cannot erre Pope Gregory the fyrst as you hearde admitted Images into Churches as laye mens Calenders or bookes but by no meanes to be worshypped Whiche also is more than can be proued lawfull by the worde of God Notwithstandynge nowe commeth this most holy father Pope Gregory the third and he appointeth Images not only to be in Churches as lay mens bookes but also to be worshipped that is to saye to kneele vnto theÌ„ to sense them to garnish theÌ„ with costly vestures to set vp candles before theÌ„ to go pilgrimage vnto theÌ„ to pray before them and to geue theÌ„ suche honor as by no meanes is due either to stock or stone The wordes of Pope Gregory the first are these coÌ„cerning y t not worshipping of images writteÌ„ in a certein epistle vnto Serenus Bishop of Massilia which did not only take away Images out of the churches wheÌ„ he see the people worshyp theÌ„ but he also brake theÌ„ all on peces breÌ„t theÌ„ It was sayth he declared vnto vs that thou beholdiÌ„g certain worshippers of images diddest break also cast away the same images out of the church Verely we coÌ„meÌ„d thy zele that thou woldest haue no man to worship that is made with haÌ„ds but yet we think Note good reader y t this Pope doth not playnely affirme by the autority of Gods worde y t images ought not to be destroied but only bringeth forth his owne thinking we thinke sayth he that thou oughtest not to haue broken those images For the pycture vnto this ende is set vp in the churches that suche as be vnlearned should at the least by seyng and beholdyng those Images reade on the walles that they are not able to rede on bookes c. Lib. 7. Epist. 109. Both Epiphanius and S. Austen numbreth among heretikes a certayne woman called Marcella whiche worshipped the images of Iesus of Paule c. and offered incense vnto them Here doth Pope Gregory the first with the coÌ„sent of Epiphanius and S. Austen condemne the iudgement of Pope Gregory the thirde concerning the worshipping of Images Where is nowe the spirit of vnitie become wherof these holy Fathers bragge so greatly Pope Stephen the thirde decreed that Images shoulde not onely be had in Churches but that they also should be senced In the yeare of our Lord. 772. Sigeb Plat. Voâ—at Pope Leo the thirde Pope Iohn the seuenth Pope Adrian the first with other made also decrees for y e establishment of Images in Churches as witnesse Sabel Paulus Aemilius Sigeb Plat. Volat. Fasci Temp. Pope Paule the first bearing rule Pipine king of FrauÌ„ce caused a Councell to be asseÌ„bled and called together concerning the hauyng and worshipping of Images where many learned men were present among whom there was greate contencion some accordyng to the Popes former decrees defendynge both the hauyng and worshippyng of Images some after y e doctrine of gods word vtterly condemning both the hauing and worshipping of Images affirming that it is directly agaynste the worde of God in the Temples of the Christians to set vp Images whiche should be nothing els than stumblyng blockes vnto the rude and simple people and great prouocations vnto Idolatry Notwithstandyng the Papistes and supersticious Hipocrites did beare suche a route and rule in that Sinode that the matter was coÌ„cluded on their syde so that from henceforth it shoulde be lawfull both to haue to worship Images not only of Christ but also of all saintes in Churches or els where although the expresse worde of God the exaÌ„ples of the primatiue Churche the iudgement of diuers godly learned men teach the coÌ„trary IoaÌ„ Laziard A certaine wicked woman Empressâ— of Greece called Iraene at the request of Pope Theodorus gathered together at the Citie Nice a swarme of Bishops to the number as they write of CCCL In the whyche Councell was also decreed that Images shoulde be had in Churches In tho yeare of oure Lorde 695. Blondus Plat. Eutropius Polid. Pantaleon c. But thys decreâ— lasted not longe For the Emperour Constantine the sixt her sonne seynge the greate abhomination that came by Images so sone as he came to rule brake that decree and made a strayght lawe agaynst the â—auynge of Images in places where Christen men come together to praye But the wycked woman hys Mother afterwarde thorowe the crafty councell of the blooâ—dy Papistes founde the meanes to apprehende her sonne to depryue hym of hys Empyre to put out hys eyes and to cast hym into prisoon where he most miserably dyed Oh vnnaturall Mother yea O vnnatural monsture Afterwarde thys dounghel of Idolatry and superstition set vp agayne her Idoles and mahomets But when Nicephorus came to the Empire he did not onely put her down caste her into prison where she by the ryghtuous iudgement of God most vilesy dyed accordynge to thys saying of our Sauioure Christ With what measure ye mette vnto other with the same shall it be mette to you agayne but he also destroied al her poppets suffryng no images to remayne in the temples whiche order all the Emperoures of Greece obserued euer after as hystoryes make mention except one Theodorus Lascaris whiche at a certayne councell holden at Lugdune agreed to the Byshop of Rome in admittyng Images But hys subiectes therefore depryued hym both of hys Empire and dignity Barthol Westmerus Certaine godly Ciuile lawes agaynste the hauing of Images in Churches with the aduise consent and iudgemeÌ„t of diuerse godly learned men LEo the third Emperoure of Grece assembled together at Bizance three hundred thirtie godly learned Bishoppes whiche with one consent agreable to the worde of God decreed with the assent of the Emperour and of the nobilitie that al Images should be takeÌ„ out of churches and burnt openly Moreouer the Emperoure himselfe at Constantinople threw out of the temples all the Images
ought by their office to haue giuen their minde to the preaching of the gospell and the prouision making for the poore set all their pleasure on pleasaunt singing not caryng how they liued afore god so that with their voyces they might please y e world He was therefore compelled to make a decree that all suche as be in the holy ministery should from thenceforth vnder the payne of excommunicatioÌ„ geue their minds no more to singing but apply themselues to the studies of the holy scriptures and the reading of the gospell In Regist. part 5. cap. 44. Undoubtedly sayth S. Gregory true prayer câ—Ì„sisteth not in the voyce of the mouth but in the thoughts of y e heart For our words do not make the voices the pithier of y e greater force to come vnto the most secret eares of God but our desire and affections Therefore sayth the Lord in the gospel Enter into thy closette sparre the doore He sparreth the doore and prayeth in hys closet whiche holdeth his peace with his mouth poureth out the affection of his minde in the sight of god aboue Moral Lib. 22. cap. 18. S. Iohn Chrisostome also writeth on this maner It is the duty of a deuout mynde to praye to God not with the voice or with the souÌ„d of the voice but with the deuotion of the minde and with the fayth of the heart Agayne he saith the crieng of the voyce is not the worke in prayer vnto god whome we knowe that he beholdeth the secretes of the heart but the crieng of faith and the deuotion of a godly and pure mind Therfore the beste waye to pray is to pray with hart minde spirit soule and and inwarde man HoÌ„ 44. de Ioan. Paul Festo The Emperoure Iustiniane made a law that all byshops and priestes both in the time of diuine seruice and also in the ministration of the holy sacrameÌ„ts should with so open and cleare voyce pronounce all thynges in the tounge which the people vnderstand that they might therby be the better edified and also be the more feruently stirred vnto deuotion and prayinge to God For sayth he so doth the holy Apostle teache in his first Epistle to the Corinthians saying If thou geue thankes onely in the spirite that is to say in an vnknowen tounge howe shall he that occupyeth the roume of the vnlearned say Amen at thy thankes geuinge seynge he vnderstaÌ„deth not what thou sayest Thou verely geuest thankes well but y e other is not edifiedâ— And again in his Epistle to the Romans he sayth on thys manner to beleue with the heart iustifyeth and to knowledge with the mouthe maketh a man safe In consideration whereof sayth that Godly Emperoure it is conuenient that amonge other prayers those thynges also whiche are sayde in the holy oblation that is to saye in the ministration of the Lordes super or the hloy communioÌ„ of the body and bloud of Christ be vttered spoken with a loude voice of the deuout Byshops priest to our Lord Iesu Christ one God with the father and the holy ghost willyng theÌ„ to know that if they neglect any of these things they shall not only geue accoÌ„pt therof in y e dreadeful iudgement of the great God our sauiour Iesu Christ but we also hauing knowledge herof wil not be coÌ„tent nor leaue the things vnreuenged In constitut Authen 123. Guilihelmus Durandus sayth that the vse of singing was ordained for carnal and fleshlye men and not for spirituall and godly minded men Rat. di off Polidorus â—ergilius writeth on thys manner Howe greatly that ordinauÌ„ce of singyng brought into the Churche by Pope Damasus and Sainct Ambrose began euen in those dayes to be profitable Sainct Austen declareth euidentlye in the booke of hys Confessions where he asketh forgeuenesse of God bicause he had giuen more heede and better eare to the singing than to the weighty matter of y e holy wordes But now adayes saith Polidore it appereth euidently y t it is much lesse profitable for our commen wealth seyng our singers make such a chattering charme in the teÌ„ples that nothyng can be heard but the voice and they that are present they are present so many as are in the Citie being content with such a noyse as delight their eares care nothyng at all for the vertue pithe and strength of the wordes so that nowe it is come to this point that with the common sort of people all the worshippyng of God semeth to be set in these singsters although generally there is no kynde of people more light nor more leud And yet the greater parte of the people for to heare them boing bleating and yelling â—locke into the Churches as into a common gameplace They hire them with money they cherishe and feede them yea to be short they thinke them alone to be the ornamentes and precious iewels of Gods house c. Wherefore without doubt it were better for religion to cast out â—f y e churches suche chatteryng and â—anglyng â—ayes or els so to appoynt them that when they sing they should rather rehearse the songes after the manner of such as reade than followe the fashion of chatteryng charmers whiche thyng S. Austen in his aforesayde booke doth witnesse that S. Athanasius Byshop of Alexandria dyd in hys diocesse and he commendeth him greatly for it Lib. 6. de inuent rerum Cap. 2. Cornelius Agrippa writeth of singing in churches on this manner Athanasius dyd forbyd singing in hys Churches bycause of the vanitye thereof But Ambrose as one more desyrous of Ceremonyes and pompe ordayned the vse of singing and makyng melodye in Churches Austen as a man indifferent betwixt both in hys booke de confessionibus graunteth that by this meanes he was in a greate perplexitie and doubt concernyng thys matter But nowe a dayes Musicke is growne to such and so greate licentiousnesse that euen at the ministration of y e holy Sacramente all kynde of wanton leude trifelyng songes with pipyng of Organs haue theyr place and course As for the diuine seruice and common prayer it is so chaunted mynsed and mangled of oure costlye hired curious and nise Musitions not to instructe the audience withall nor to stirre vp mens mindes vnto deuotion but with an whoryshe armonye to tickle theyr eares that it may iustly seme not to be a noyse made of men but rather a bleating of brute beastes while y e children ney discant as it were a sorte of coltes other bellowe a tenoure as it were a companye of oxen other barke a counterpoynt as it were a number of dogges other roare out a treble lyke a sort of bulles other grunte out a base as it were a number of hogges so that a foule euel fauoured noyse is made but as for the wordes and sentences and the very matter it selfe is nothing vnderstranded at all but the authoritye and power of iudgemente is taken
in a manner by the reason of that vse coulde it by heart and song it in stretes and hie wayes so that it came to passe that wheÌ„ certain shepheardes did synge it in the fielde and layed breade vpon a stone at the pronouncing of those wordes of consecration the bread was turned into fleshe But the shepheardes by Gods iudgement were striken vnto death for their presumption thorowe fyre that came downe from heauen Therfore the holy fathers haue decreed y t those words should be spoken in silence forbiddyng all men vnder payne of excommunication that no man presume to speake those wordes but priestes onely when they are at the altar yea and that at Masse agayn when they haue on their Massing garmentes Thys tale telleth Guil. Durandus in his booke called Rationale diuinorum officiorum also Ioannes Billet in his boke de diuinis officiis Honorius in his treatise de geÌ„ma animae wherof thou mayest learne two thinges Firste that in the primatiue churche and â—ong after wheÌ„ Christen religion was moste pure the wordes of the Lordes Supper or as the papistes terme them of consecration were not spoken in hocker mocker as they be now but playnely openlye and distinctly that al myght heare theÌ„ vnderstand them and learne them vnto their great comforte â–ª and edifying Secondly y t the words of consecration were at that time of so great vertue y t whosoeuer pronounced them ouer the bread were he Lay or Spiritual priest or Ploweman Byshop or Butcher the breade was strayghtwayes tourned into the naturall bodye of Christ as we may see here by y e shepeheardes whiche were laye men and not holye annoynted whiche were in the fielde and not in the Church whiche had on their shepeheardes clokes and not halowed vestments whiche had but a coÌ„mon stone to laye their breade on and no halowed altare And here mayest thou see y t any laye man if he can pronounce the words of consecration hauing bread layed on a stone may make Christes body as wel as y e priest For if y e lay men by y e vertue of y e words could make Christes bodye at that tyme be thou certayne and well assured y t they bee able to doe the same euen nowe also notwythstandyng the holye fathers decrees to the contrarye For the vertue of Goddes worde abydeth alwayes one If the Massemonger therfore can make hym y t made them as theyr doctryne declareth then can the Laye man lykewyse make theyr maker and so maye the Laitie stryue with the spiritualtye to the vttermost in God makyng Nowe that the popyshe priestes can make God whiche made them although I coulde bryng forth and alledge manye authorities euen oute of theyr owne bookes yet will I at thys presente contente my selfe with one or two sentences which are written in a boke called Stella Clericorum The authors wordes ar these I ste qui creauit me dedit mihi creare se qui creauit me sine me creatur mediante me That is to say in Englyshe He that made me gaue me power to make hym and he that made me withoute me is made by the meanes of me Agayne he sayth Cum ergo tantae dignitatis sit sacerdos quod creator sit sui creatoris totius creaturae ipsum perdere vel damnare inconueniens est Which is thus Englished Seyng then that a priest is of so great dignitie that he is the maker of hys maker and of euery creature to destroye or to condemne hym it is not conuenient Pope Alexander the fyrste ordayned that the bread whiche the prieste hath at hys Masse shoulde bee but of a small quantitye saying Thys oblation the lesser it bee the better it is Guilielmus Durandus Pope Alexander also commaunded that the breade shoulde be vnleuened bread whiche the prieste vseth at hys Masse Platina Sabelli Lib. Concil Poly. Christ. Massaeus Whye theyr singing cake is rather rounde than otherwyse Antoninus maketh thys reason The hoste sayeth he is made round after the manner of a penye bicause Iudas solde Christ for thirtye pens Guilielmus Durandus writeth thus The hoste is formed rounde bycause the earth is the Lordes and al y t is therin y e round world all y t dwel in it y t the outward fashion therof may signifie him that wanteth both beginning and ending Pope Alexander likewyse appoynted y t the wine in y e chalice shuld be myngled with water to signifye the vnion vnseparable felowship of Christ hys church Ioan. Laziard â— Ioan. Stella Libro Concil Grat. Sabel Pope Honorius the third commaunded y t the Missall bread shoulde be heaued and lifted vp aboue the Priestes heade at the sacryng tyme as they call it and y t all the people should fal down and worship it In the yeare of oure Lord. 1214. Extra de celeb Miss Can. Sanâ— cum olim Gabriel Biel super Canone Missae Lect. 14. et Lect. 50 Dec. 3. Tit. 1. Cap 10. Pantaleon Here may al men see how auncient a thing thys Pope holy sakeryng is which notwithstanding the blynd and sely shepyshe symple soules thynke to be y e beste part of the Masse Uerely it is a little more than three hundred and fortie yeres olde A deuilishe an Idolatrous inuentioÌ„ is it not altogether vnlyke to the setting vp of the golden calfe in the wildernesse Pope Gregorye the ninth ordayned y t the sacryng bel shoulde be rong wheÌ„ the priest lifteth vp the Missall bread Chalice aboue hys head to moue the people to beholde that new found God whiche is not as the true God ought to be worshipped in spirite and truth but in knockyng knelyng and liftyng vp of handes In the yeare c. 1225. Anselmus Ryd Pope Leo Pope Victor Pope Nicolas Pope Innocent Pope Honorius pope Vrban â–ª Monke Lanckfrancke Monk Gratian Fryer Thomas Fryer Bonauenture and such lyke monstures belly Gods inuented fyrst of all the God of the altare and made of the Sacramente or holy sygne of Christes body and bloud the true naturall real corporal carnal substantiall c body of Christ GOD and man fleshe bloude and bone synowes guttes and loynes euen as he was borne of Marye the Uirgine and hanged on the Crosse no breade nor wyne remayning but the substance of breade tourned into the substaunce of Christes naturall bodye and the substance of wyne chaunged into the substance of Christes naturall bloude So that we handle hym with oure handes put hym in our mouthe teare hym with oure teeth eate hym digest hym c and partely with theyr Sophistrye they persuaded and partely with theyr tyrannye they compelled the people so to beleue as the cruell and bloudye papistes lyke wyse doe in thys our age where the deuill and the Pope reygne whiche dayes was not knowen nor heard of in y e Church of Christe so newe is the doctryne of transubstantiation and of theyr missal
Christe in his members than he was in tymes paste The aduersaries of Gods truth haue no delight nor pleasure in heauenly and spirituall thyngs but like bellie beastes only borne to consume the good frutes of the earth they desire and seke after nothyng but the thynges of this world that their sonnes as the Psalmographe sayth may grow vp as the younge plantes and that their doughters maye be as the polyshed corners of the temple that their garners maye be full and plenteous with all manner of store â–ª that their shepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in their stretes that their Oxen may be strong to labour that there be no decay no leding into captiuitie and no complayning in their stretes If all thinges go well and prosperously with them then are they mery and diligently offer sacrifice to to their God the belly But if any aduersity come then knitte they the forehead and worke their malice vpon Gods word and the faithfull professours of the same The worde they call heresie erroure doctrine new and straunge seditious and cause of rebellion of all other plages wherwith the commoÌ„ weale is afflicted The professoures of thys worde they blaspheme they â—aile vpon they curse with booke bell candle they excommunicate they apprehende they accuse they condemne they stocke they cheane they manacle â–ª they racke and in fine they most cruelly with sweard fyre and halter brynge them vnto an ende so farre is it of that these Epicures and bellygods do as they ought render thankes to God for his corporall benefites so richely poured vpon them and vpon other his creatures Now as touching the spiritual benefites and heauenly giftes of the minde as the knowledge of the holy scriptures the vnderstanding of the Lordes blessed will the preaching of the Gospel the true administration of the SacrameÌ„ts the abolishment of all false worshippings superstitions c. wherwith God in this our age hath most mercifully blessed vs â–ª far passing many other nations that be vnder the heauens as these wise wicked worldlinges knowledge not the benefits of the body nor yet are thanckfull to God for them so likewise are they altogether vnthanckfull for the gifts of the minde whiche do so far excel the other as gold surmouÌ„teth coper or siluer tynne For lyke as Owles caÌ„ not abyde the golden and glysteryng beames of the Sunne nor the light of y e day so in lyke maÌ„ner caÌ„ not these bellygods and Antichristes slaues suffer the glorious and pleasaunt light of Christes most glorious and pleasaunt Gospel They crye out with the wicked of whoÌ„ the Prophet maketh meÌ„tion on thys manner Se not Loke not out right thynges for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs. Loke out erroures Get you out of this way Depart out of this pathe and turne the holy one of Israel froÌ„ vs. In the trifling traditioÌ„s â–ª croked constitutions idle inueÌ„tioÌ„s drousy dreames deuilish decrees false fables fond fantasies of meÌ„ is theyr whole delight as for the sincere pure religion of God that they vtterly neglect set at nought coÌ„teÌ„ne despise And if for shame they seme to approue alowe any part therof yet they do so maÌ„gle it bring it in captiuitie to the traditioÌ„s of meÌ„ that it looseth the sincere simplicitie simple sinceritie whiche it receaued of the holye Ghost Some of theÌ„ are not ashamed so to diminish the authoritie of Gods sacred scriptures that they affirme the word of God to be so far the worde of God as the Church doth allowe it meaning the pope his spiritual shauelinges as though God gaue vs in his holy Scriptures an vnperfecte doctrine and not sufficiently authorised of him without the consent of Antichrist of hys broode Is not this to set God to schole and to make him a Nouice So should it follow that the word of God is grounded on the Church not the Churche on the worde of God Is not this right Antichrist that should turne y e rootes of trees vpwarde Christ saith speaking of his Church My shepe heare my voyce Againe he that is of god heareth the wordes of god IteÌ„ Euery one that is of y e truth heareth my voice And the holy Apostle saith speaking to the faithfull congregation of God Ye are no straungers and forreyners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christe hymselfe beyng the head corner stone in whome what buyldyng soeuer is coupled together it groweth vnto an holye temple in the Lorde The worde of God is not buylte vpon men althoughe neuer so holye and perfect neyther receaueth it any authoritie of maÌ„ although of neuer so greate excellencie wysedome and power but such as are the congregation of God are built vpon the worde of God whatsoeuer authoritie they haue euerye one in their degree and office they haue it altogether of Gods worde without the whiche word there can be no Church for asmuch as there caÌ„ be no faith as the Apostle saith Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing commeth by the worde of God so farre is it of that either pope or Cardinall or anye other person hath any power to geue authoritie to the worde of God whiche already is authorized by the most hygh and supreme power euen God himselfe Some obiect olde and auÌ„cient customes affirming that this our religion as they terme it new and straunge disseÌ„teth in order and vsage greatly from the manner heretofore practised in our temples I graunt neither can the sinceritie of Gods worde suffer and abyde such olde vnsauory croked customes as heretofore haue bene vsed in the popish Religion as the coniuring of salte water bread bowes flowers fire ashes caÌ„dles c. creping to the crosse worshipping of Images calling vpon dead Sainctes sensing of altares Idols praying in a strauÌ„ge tong offering the missall sacrifice for the quicke and for the dead receauyng of the Sacrament vnder one kind with a thousand moe errours and heresies and other greuous abuses which of longe vsage and custome in tymes past haue bene exercised among vs taken for true Godlynesse But who knoweth not â–ª that custome ought to geue place to reason and truth for reason and truth exclude alwaye put out of place custome be it neuer so olde and auncient laudable and commendable Christ is the truth therfore ought we rather to followe the truth than the custome If thou lay to our charge custome sayth S. Gregorye Thou must marke what the Lorde saith I am saith he the way the truth and the life He sayd not I am the custome but I am the truth Custome without truth saith Saint Cyprian is nothing els thaÌ„ an olde errour Therfore leauing the error let vs followe the truth When the truth is once come to light saith Saint Austen let custome geue place For who doubteth that
and liuely and not fayned and dead and declare as Dauid speaketh of hymselfe that he is as a trutefull Olyue tree in the house of the Lorde For if righteousnesse come by the lawe then dyed Christe in vayne A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good thinges And an euill man out of euill treasure bringeth forth euill thynges The good treasure is faith euill treasure is vnbelief Either make the tree good and his frute good or elles make the tree euill and hys frute euill The man must be good before he can bring forth good works Fourtenthly Auricular confession is set at nought and no more vsed I aunswere Auricular confession is the inuention of man no where grounded on the worde of God and hath bene the occasion of muche mischiefe in tyme paste Confession of our sinnes to God and to suche as we haue offended the Scripture teacheth and commauÌ„deth but such Auricular and caryshe confession to be made vnto a Priest with all circumstances where when howe with whom howe often c. as the pope commaundeth is no where founde in Gods booke Notwithstandyng we freely permitte and suffer any man that will to go vnto a Godly learned and discrete minister of Gods worde either for doctrine councell or comfort not only in the tyme of Lent but at all tymes of the yeare For it is written The lyps of a Priest kepe knowledge and at hys mouth they shall require the law for he is the Aungell or Embassadour of the Lorde of Hostes Fyftenthly The name of satisfaction is abhorred and counted vnworthy the Christen profession I aunswere To God there is satisfaction â—or sinns but the death of Christ alone as Sainct Iohn saith he Christ is the satisfaction for our sinnes Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paul God made Christ to be sinne that is a satisfactory sacrifice for sinne which knewe no sinne that we by his meanes should be that righteousnesse whiche before God is allowed God requireth of vs repentaunce fayth and amendement of lyfe when we haue gone astraye but to satisfie the iustice of God for those our sinnes we are not able though al righteousnesse of the whole worlde shoulde be offered vp to God of one man for one sinne that he had committed agaynst God in whose sight the starres are not pure nor the Aungels of heauen free from imperfection if they shoulde be compared with the purenesse and perfection of God Therefore to make satisfaction to GOD for oure sinnes Christe came downe tooke our frayle nature vpon hym dyed for our wickednesses and rose agayne for oure Iustification And thys hys satisfaction is counted oure satisfaction if we beleue in hym as it is written Be it knowen vnto you ye men and brethren that thorowe thys man CHRIST is preached vnto you the forgeuenesse of synnes and that by hym all that beleue are iustifyed from all thynges from the whiche ye coulde not be iustifyed by the lawe of Moses There is an other kynde of satisfaction that concerneth oure neyghboure whome we haue offended eyther in worde or in deede That satisfaction ought in this behalfe to be made no man that feared God denyeth Yea we playnly affirme that whosoeuer hath offeÌ„ded his neighbour and seketh not to be reconciled vnto him by makyng due satisfaction vnto him to the vttermost of his power whether it be in worde or in dede that person is farre from the true Christianitie If the offence be in worde sactisfactioÌ„ must be made in worde If it be in deede then must the satisfaction be made in dede lykewise after the example of Zachee whiche sayd If I haue done any man wrong I restore him foure folde Sixtenthly Free will is denyed to be in vs that we haue no power to do any good I aunswere Our libertie of well willing well doing was lost in AdaÌ„ in whoÌ„ as all we sinned so are al we iustly coÌ„deÌ„ned Before AdaÌ„s fal we had freewill both to will wel and to do well but since his fall all perished in vs that good was and all grewe vp that euill and wicked was as it is writteÌ„ All the imagination of mans heart is only euill euery day Againe the imaginatioÌ„ of mans heart is euill euen from hys youth Hereof doth it manifestly appeare what free will there is in vs to do good or to will good seing that all our imaginations and thoughtes of our heartes are euill and wicked at al tymes eueÌ„ froÌ„ our very youth as the Prophet saieth Leude is the heart of man and vnsearcheable Saint Paule also sayeth that of our selues we be not able somuch as to think a good thought And our Sauiour Christ sayeth Without me ye can doe nothyng Notwithstandyng this we saye that in naturall and humane thynges we haue a certayne choise of will as to eate this or that meate to put on thys or that garment to speake or to kepe silence c. yea and to sinne or to abstayne from the grosse actes of synne as murther adulterye fornication false witnesse bearyng and such lyke whiche notwithstaÌ„ding we muste acknowledge and confesse to be thâ— gift of God as Saint Paule sayeth What hast thou that thou hast not receaued Also Sainct Iames Euery good gift euery perfect gifte is from aboue and come down from the father of lightes But with our whole hearts to asseÌ„t and consent to the holy will of God to accomplyshe and performe the same with such perfection and puritye as the lawe requireth that lyeth not in our power neither can the streÌ„ghts of free will do any thing in this behalfe eyther to wil it or to do it For as Saint Paule saith It is God that worketh in vs both the wil and the deede The regenerate man in Christe hath only this will and this dede as Christ sayth If the Sonne make you free then are you free in deede The naturall man perceaueth not those thinges that belong to the spirite of God Not they whiche are borne of bloud or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man but they that are borne of God haue this freedome Where the spirite of the Lord is there is libertie saith the Apostle Seuententhly Prayer is called lyppe labour I answere Outward prayer pronounced with the lippes without the affectioÌ„ of the heart and consent of the mynde is not onely lyppe labour but also vayne labour not approued but reproued of the Lorde our God as Christ hym selfe witnesseth saying This people draweth nye vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lippes howbeit their hearts are farre from me Uerelye they worshippe me in vayne And to the woman of Samaria he sayd thus The houre commeth and nowe is when the true worshippers shall worshyp the father in spirite and in truth For suche the father also requireth to worship him God is a
and Historiographers and placed in this my booke that all men may knowe from whence the Popish religioÌ„ springeth and hath her beginning that this thing once knowen and the triflyng traditions of men set a part we may with one minde serue worship honour the Lord oure God according to his word as it is written That I commaunde thee do that only vnto the Lord put thou nought therto nor take ought there from Agayne ye shall put nothing to the worde which I commaund you neither do ought therfrom that ye maye kepe the commaundementes of the Lorde your God whiche I commaunde you And that the readyng of this my boke may be to the Reader both the more pleasaunt and profitable I haue to auoyde confusion brought all thynges vnto certaine common places yea and that in suche order as I trust no good and indifferent person will mislyke and disalowe My desire is to do good to all men to hurte no person After that I had finished this my labour and trauaile in gathering together these Reliques of the Romishe Religion and had determined with my selfe to publishe and set them abroade that they might be sene and read of all men after long depe consideratioÌ„ to whom I might dedicate this my worke Your Lordship came to my remeÌ„braunce as one right well worthy to whom I might offer this my trauaile what soeuer it be yea that for diuerse causes First For the right excelleÌ„t knowledge that you haue not onely in humaine letters but also in the sacred scriptures whiche is so goodly an ornament and precious Iewel to all Christians but specially to all such as be Byshops and Ouersears of Christes flocke as nothyng can more beautifie adourne the state of a Christen maÌ„ of whatsoeuer degree he be Secondly For the feruent Zeale and earnest loue that you beare to the pure and sincere religion of God whiche these many yeares hath so enflamed your breast that for the loue therof for the defence of the same you were not only content to forsake your natiue couÌ„trey your natural kinnesfolke your deare frendes your louing familiares whatsoeuer semeth to this life moste swete moste pleasauÌ„t most comfortable but also to lose both life and goods counting them most blessed and happye that suffer persecution for ryghteousnesse Thyrdly For that it hath pleased God of his infinite goodnesse and mercye to place you Byshop and Ouersear of his people in my natiue countrey vnto the glory of his most glorious name â–ª and vnto the exceding profite commoditie of his holy congregatien â–ª where you so rule and gouerne the Lordes flocke as a moste faithfull Pastor and diligent shepehearde that your fame is not onely glorious in the eares all men but also you are become a most worthy examplar to all the spirituall Ministers of your â—iocesse whether doctrine life or hospitalitie be considered on your behalfe As touching doctrine I speake it without flatterye you are able by the worde of God and by holesome learning both to exhorte and also to improue them that speake against the worde of truth And as God hath geuen you this knowledge â–ª so do you moste diligentlye bestowe it vpon Gods people committed vnto you â–ª that you may not be fouÌ„d like to that idle vnprofitable seruaunt which hyd the talent that his Lord committed vnto him in the ground but rather like to that good and diligent seruaunt which with fiue talents that his Master deliuered him wonne other fiue and therfore heard of his Masters mouth this moste swete and comfortable voyce Well thou good and faithfull seruaunt Thou haste bene faithfull ouer fewe thinges I will make thee ruler ouer many thinges Enter thou into the ioye of thy Lord. As coÌ„cerning your life conuersatioÌ„ which I speake vnto the glory of God from whome alone commeth downe euery good and perfecte gifte it is such as may right well be counted a myrrour of vertue wherin appeareth nothyng but that good Godly is so that ye be an ensaÌ„ple to y e flocke in righteousnes in faith in loue in peace in word in purenesse c. Accordyng to the rule of the Apostle A Bishop must be blamelesse as the stewarde of God not stubborne not angry not geuen to much wine no fighter not geuen to filthy lucre c. He must also haue a good report of them whiche are without least he fal into rebuke and snare of the euil speaker And as for your hospitalitie it is such and so notable that for the proportion of your yerely reuenues which is much inferioure to others it geueth place to none of your profession and degree â–ª Poore Christ in his members standeth not at your gates to be fedde at leasure with fragments and scrappes many times to vile for dogges oute of the almose basket but he is brought into your house set at the table hauing ministred vnto him all good thinges necessary for the reliefe of his carefull state according to this coÌ„maundement of God Breake thy bread to the hungrie and the nedie and wayfaryng bring thou into thy house When thou seest the naked couer him and hyde not thy face from thy neighbour A Bishop must be a maintayner and keper of hospitalitie saith the Apostle And God saith by the Prophete Bring euerye tithe into my barne that there may be meate in mine house Therefore your Lordship is ready at all times to do good to all men but specially to them that are of the housholde of faith And these .iii. thinges requireth our Sauiour Christ of euery Godly and Christen Bishop when he saith thrice Pasce Pasce Pasce Fede with whole some doctrine Fede with vertuous conuersation Fede with liberal hospitalitie keping But many do so little passe of this latter Pasce that they passe it cleane ouer and make a double post of it so greatlye hath Mammon blinded their eies Fourthly for the singular loue and liberall benefites whiche your Lordship heretofore both freelye and frendlye without my desertes hath moste bounteouslye bestowed vpon me And woulde God it were or might be at anye time in my power if not otherwise yet with my humble and readye seruice to signifie my faithfull and well wishing hearte vnto your Lordship if not to the vttermoste yet in some parte as one who although power shall fayle yet shall good will euer preuaile Fyftly and finallye as I maye once conclude that youre honoure maye by a Bucklar and defence for this my laboure â–ª partelye againste oure common aduersaries the Papistes whiche withoute iudgement furiouslye condemne whatsoeuer pleaseth them not althoughe neuer so true and agreable to the worde of GOD Partelye againste oure Grosse Gospellers and pratlyng Protestantes whiche doinge themselues nothynge prayse wrthye enuye slaunder and backbyâ—e other mens frutefull laboures labourynge by thys meanes to seeme somewhat when in deede they are nothynge excepte we
reasonable or vnreasonable than by deade carued stockes and stones Athanasius aduersus gentes The great auncient clarke Lactantius sayth y t God can not be truly worshipped in that place wherin an image is â–ª Lib de orig Erroris 2. Cap. 19. Agayne he sayeth If your Saintes if the holy Mother of Christ be in heauen whye do ye not lyft vp your eyes vnto heauen c. Why doe ye rather loke vnto walles and vnto stockes thaÌ„ vnto that place where ye beleue that thei are What meane the temples the tabernacles yea and to be short what meane those Images Lib. 2. Cap. 2. de orig â–ª erroris Saint Austen sayth that it is abhomination and playne sacrilege if any man set in the Churche an Image of God the father sittyng on hys seate Lib. De fide et symbalo Hereof doth it followe that the papists are abhominable and commit sacrilege For so doe they setforth the Image of God the father most blasphemously in all their popyshe Churches paynting hym with an olde wythered face wrinckled forehead hollowe eyes leane chekes sharp nose haÌ„ging down lippes enbowed chinne white bearde c and for very faynt feblenesse sitting in hys chayre lyke a symple selye syngle soule contrarye to the nature of God and the truth of hys holy worde which sayeth by the Psalmographe A man shall waxe olde lyke a garmente but thou art alwaies one thy yeares fayle not God himself saith by the prophet I am y e Lord and am not chaunged Agayne the prophet Esay sayeth To what thing wil ye make God like Or what Image will ye set vp vnto him Shall the Karuer make a karued Image And shal the Goldsmith couer him with Golde or cast him into a fornace of siluer plates c. Eusebius writeth y t the vse of Images came from the Heathen vnto vs. Eccle. Hist. Lib. 7. Cap. 14. And not without a cause For although in the olde Testament there were many holy Patriarches Iudges Kynges Priestes Prophetes Martyrs Matrones Wydowes and Uirgines whiche were noble and worthy myrroures of vertue Godlynesse most worthy to be had in remembraunce yet rede we not that there were any Images made of them or set in places where the people of God came together for to praye And y e Iewes at that tyme were the peculiar people of God They remembred the manifolde commaundementes of God concerning the not making not worshipping of Images therfore coulde they not abide Images neither priuatly nor publiquely Agayne in the Primatiue Churche no Images were suffered in Christen mens Temples and Oratories as we may see by the historye of Epiphanius whiche did not onely cutte the Image that hanged in the Church on peces but he also affirmed that it is contrary to the Christen religion to haue the Image of any man in the Churche of Christ. Erasmus Roterodamus a most diligent searcher of antiquities writeth that vnto the time of Saint Hierome there were men of an approued and sounde Religion whiche coulde not abyde any Images in the Churches neither painted nor grauen nor yet wouen no not somuche as the Image of Christe Eras. in catechesi Saint Hierome liued In the yeare of our Lorde 387. Cornelius Agrippa writte of Images on this maner The vngodlinesse and foolishenesse of the Egyptians concernynge Images was wonderfull And from them came the lyke fondenesse vnto all nations whiche corrupte vsage of Religion of the Heathen when they began to be conuerted vnto the fayth of Christe infected oure Religion also and brought in our Churche Idolles and Mahomettes with many pompouse barren Ceremonies of â—he whiche those auncient and true Christians knewe nothynge at all Hereof came it to passe that we brought into our temples the dumme Images of oure Saintes and set them on Godes altares with greate solemnitie honour and worship And where we thynke it an vnsemely thynge for man whiche is a true Image of God to come vp euen there place we dead Idolles and to them we make curtesye to them we gyue kysses to them we offer to them we gyue gyftes vppoÌ„ them we hange precious iewelles to them wee applye miracles wee bye parâ—ons to them we go on pylgrimage to them we make vowes to them we gyue worshippe and doe all the honoure that can be deuised And yet can it not be expressed into howe greate superstition I wyll not saye Idolatrye the rude and vnlearned people doe fall thorough Images the Priestes winkyng at the matter forasmuche as here of they haue no small lucre and aduauntage And here they defend theÌ„selues with the wordes of Gregory whiche sayth that images are the bookes of the rascal and common people for such to remembre thinges by and to reade in as haue no learnyng that when they see them they may be allured to remember and consider God But these be fonde fantasies of Gregory going about to excuse the matter although in deede that holye man alloweth ymages and not the worshypping of theÌ„ But the commaundement of God which plainly forbiddeth images is farre otherwise For it becommeth vs not to learne of the forbidden booke of Images but of the booke of God whiche is the boke of the Scriptures He therfore that desyreth to knowe God let him not seeke it of the Images of Painters and Keruers but as Iohn saith let him searche the Scriptures whiche beare witnesse of him And they that can not reade let them heare the worde of the Scripture For Faith as Saint Paule saith commeth by hearyng And Christ saith in Iohn My Sheepe heare my voyce Agayne if no man as Christ sayth can come to him excepte the Father draweth him and no man can come to the Father but by Christe alone why take we awaye the glory from God and geue it to Pictures Images as though they were able to bringe vs vnto the ryght knowledge of God c. Of Baptisme POpe Victor the fyrst commauÌ„ded that baptisme should be ministred to al men indifferently at Easter Notwithstandyng if any desyred necessitie so requiryng to be baptised at other tymes he ordayned that they myght lawfully be baptised in all places and at all tymes yea and that with any kynde of naturall water halowed or vnhalowed eyther by a Layman or by a Laywoman In the yeare of oure Lorde 198. Grat Fascic Temp. Lib. Concil Poli. D. Barnes Pope Gelasiâ—s ordayned that Baptisme shoulde be openlye ministred at Easter and at Witsontyde yea that freely In the yeare c. 494. Isidor Grat. Aboute that tyme also there was a Councell holden in Spayne where it was enacted that young infantes if nede were myght be baptised on the same day that they were borne Isidor in Concil Pantal. Pope Leo the seconde decreed that Baptisme myght be ministred euery day where as in the primatiue Church as it appeareth by
by fayth in Christ God complayneth greuously on thys manner and sayeth Be astonyshed O ye heauens be afrayde and abashed at suche a thyng sayeth the Lorde For my people hath done two euills They haue forsaken me the well of y e water of lyfe and haue dygged them pyttes yea vile and broken pittes y e can holde no water Blessed is the man sayth the Psalmographe whose hope the name of the Lord is and hath not turned vnto vanities nor vnto suche as goe about with lyes Of Purgatorye Who was the fyrst inuentour deuiser and fynder out of the Popes false fained fyrie purgatorye I can not finde by any historyes or monumentes that I haue red vnto this daye But after it was found and deuised by some subtill heade thorowe the subtil suggestion of most subtill Sathan whiche seketh all meanes possible to obscure the price of Christes death and to sowe erroures and heresyes in the heartes of paynted Hipocrites yea of all people so muche as lyeth in his power vnto y e destruction and condemnation of their soules there wanted not specially of the companye of Sophisters and Monks espiing that there woulde ryse no small auauntage to their purses of this goodly newe and late inuention whiche set a good face on the matter countenauncing it out with the authorityes of the holy Scripture addyng therunto their false pestilent and lying gloses wherwith they bleared the eyes of the simple and caste suche mystes before theyr syghte that these certayne hundred yeares they coulde neuer see the true purgatorye of the soule whiche is the precious bloud of our Sauiour Christ but beleued verelye that there was a place of purgyng after thys lyfe as though the bloude of Christe were not a sufficient purgatory for their soules from the which they must be deliuered eyther by sufferyng intollerable paynes themselues in that firye fornace till they haue made sufficient satisfaction for their sinnes or els by the Suffrages and sacrifices of the Masse or by almosse dedes done for them of theyr executours and frendes c. Thys dreame of purgatorye and praying for the dead hath bene maintayned from tyme to tyme not onelye by the writinges of diuerse men but also by the decrees and Councelles of diuerse sundrye Popes and of theyr adherentes as a myghty and straunge defence of the Catholyke Churche and her deuoute Chaplens withoute the whiche a greate parte of the Popes Churches buildings is like out of hand to fall vnto miserable ruine and vtter decaye Where thys place of Purgatorye is none of oure purgatorye rakers or proctoures thereof is able to declare Diuerse of them haue diuerse opinions in thys behalfe as it is an harde thing for lyers and taleforgers to agree in all points among themselues so alone is the truthe perfecte and constant and without verities or discorde Some of them affyrme and saye that it is in a certayne place euen nexte vnto hell vnder y e earth Some holde y t it is not nie vnto hell for then myghte it seme y t suche as are in Purgatorye shoulde neuer ascende and come vnto heauen for asmuche as we rede in y e Gospel of Luke that there is so great a space betwene them that are aboue and them that are beneath y t they whiche are aboue can not come downe to them y e are beneath neither can they that are beneath come vp to them y t ar aboue But aboue in the ayre yea and that in torrida zona bycause that after they bee sufficiently purged they may be nighe and goe strayghtwayes vnto heauen Some other saye y t they be neither beneath neere vnto Hell nor yet aboue nighe vnto Heauen but accordyng to the dispensation and appoyntment of god diuerse soules are diuersly placed some here some there some in thys place some in that place some beneath some aboue some in the middest according to their desertes but all suffering paynes eyther more or lesse till sufficient satisfactiō be made for theyr sinnes either by themselues in paynes sufferyng or els by other in Massesingyng in almosse geuing in watching in praying in pilgrimage going in the popes pardons bying c. The tales and lies which the papistes haue inuented concerning the places of soules after their departure is to much wonderfull and maruelous In Longobardica historia in Legenda aurea in vitis patrum in the Festiual c. shalt thou finde examples plentifully whiche bookes in tymes paste were better knowen and more preached to the simple people than the true and pure worde of God And as they do not agree amonge themselues where pyckpursse Purgatory is so likewise doe they dissēt both in the tormentours in the tormentes of the soules Some teach y e the soules in purgatory are punished of the good aūgels at gods appointmēt some say that they be wicked Spirites of hell y t punishe them Some agayne hold that the soules in purgatory are tormented with fire onely accordyng to this sentence of Saint Paule Vniuscuiusque opus quale sit ignis probabit some contrariwise affirme y t they are punished both with fyre and water according to this saying of the Psalmographe Transiuimus per ignem aquam reduxisti nos in refrigerium But howsoeuer the sely simple soules be punished the Papists with one voyce affirme that they are most paynefully afflicted and tormented yea and that with such paynes and tormentes as be incomparable the paynes tormentes of hell only excepted Of those most intollerable paynes of purgatory thus rede we in the Popes decrees He must firste be purged with the fyre of purgatory that hath differred the frute of conuersion vnto an other world And this fyre althoughe it be not euerlastyng is notwithstanding a wonderfull greuous fyre For it excedeth and passeth all payne whiche any man at any tyme hath suffered in this life In the fleshe there was neuer so greate payne founde althoughe the Martyrs did suffer maruelous tormēts c. And in the booke entytled Sermones discipuli we rede on this manner The soules whiche are in purgatory are in moste greuous paynes For if all the burnyng coales in the worlde were gathered together and poured vppon an heape and a man shoulde stande in the myddes of them yet shoulde he not suffer so greate heate and burnyng as the soules doe in Purgatory No temporall payne maye be compared with the paynes of Purgatorye The paynes is so greate that a lyttle shorte tyme seemeth to be verye longe and greate tyme. Therefore we rede that a certayne Religious man burned in Purgatorye onelye while one Masse was a saying and he appeared to hys felowe and sayde that he had burned in Purgatorye a greate number of yeare And some soules are punished there a longe space some thyrtie yeares some an hundred some a thousand more or lesse some vnto the ende of the world