risen vp without Gods authoritie by men how where and when since the pure times of the blessed Apostles and founders of Christes church and religion yea and that in most of the particulers Wherin my purpose is not to enter so farre as might be spoken for I cannot make in so short a roome an exact treatise but onely as briefely as I can conueniently so far to shew the christian reader as he may sufficiently see and perceiue that poperie hath his originall from men and not from God that it came vp since and vnder the Christian religion like vnto the Iuie that commeth vp after the oke and taketh holde thereon and by little and little so ouerspreadeth it and couereth it from the sight of men that wee can scarse see or discerne the oke Histories differ in setting downe 〈◊〉 times And here I am to aduertise the reader that historie writers and reporters of antiquitie differ much in these causes about the times so as the cronologie writers finde themselues encombred howe to set downe the certaintie in manie things yet notwithstanding though the authors disagree about the certaine time yet the matter is made vndoubted when they all agree that it is found out to come in after the Apostles times Wherein I make choise to take our testimony from hartie and vnfained papists that the truth of this cause may the more appeare when themselues cannot but yeeld vnto vs sufficient warrant and proofe of their new borne superstition Two deuises to hide the newnes of poperie They haue two great helpes to maintaine the antiquitie of their follie First the authorising of counterfait writinges such as are the decretall Epistles of Clemens Anacletus and others of the primatiue Church which not onely disagreeing in stile and matter from the times they pretende but also telling of those thinges and persons which were many yeres after doo very much argue that when the papists are faine to runne vnder the shadowe of such muddie and vnsetled Wales of forged authoritie their foundation is not so deepe in their owne conscience as they would beare the worlde in hand Their second helpe is that they proine pare and loppe and engraft the writings of auncient fathers and others teaching them by a newe deuise called Index Expurgatorius hatched in the late Counsell of Trent Anno 1571. to speake as they thinke best for there sea of sinne and to holde their peace where they like not of their sayinges If they may thus authorise false witnesses to speake for their purpose as they list and gagge the toonges of the true witnesses they can speake no further but as they giue them leaue then may euerie simple man see in them that an euill conscience findinge themselues to haue no antiquitie of trueth doth cause them to inuent shiftes to colour and cloake their wicked forgeries and newe deuises by which they haue manie yeeres abused Gods people But GGD bee thanked who bringeth the hidden and secreate thinges of the wicked vnto light he hath confounded their wisedom that all this doth not hide their filthie and earthlie generation For the prophesie of Saint Paul concerning such peruerse and cursed speakers which haue a shewe of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof is now in the eyes and knowledge of all men come to passe For he a 2. Tim. 3.9 saith They shall preuaile no longer for their madnesse shal be euident to all men 3. And this verily is brought to passe by the righteous iudgements of God causing their owne tongs to take them and making the counsell of the wicked to bee foolishnesse Marke therefore and consider how they confound the glorie of their inuentions ad deuises Martinus Peresius Aiala a Bishop and a verie zealous papist seeming to haue taken great paines in reading of antiquities writeth a b Printed at Paris 1549. booke of traditions dedicated to Phillip king of Spain where hee c In his preface nisi attramento mortuo in sacris codicibus expressū calleth the inspired scriptures of the worde of God Dead incke in the holy bookes and affirmeth that if we should follow onely the holy scriptures which he calleth a pestiferous opinion Christian religion and ecclesiasticall pollicie should vtterly be destroied auouching beside the canonical scriptures another kind of doctrine called Tradition the head seed plot as he saith of almost all controuersies betweene vs and if herein wee agreede all discord now in religion would quickly cease And in this booke he maketh d 3. pars assertio 6. fol. 6. Diuina authoritas magisterium apostolicum Episcop maxime Romanorum a Deo concessa authoritas three fountains of traditions First they call diuine authority that is such as Christ in their deuise instituted deliuered which were not laid vp in the scriptures the second fountaine they call the Apostolicall mastership where they haue traditions some in the canons Apostolicall some in holy mens writings the last fountaine is the mastership authoritie of the Bishops most of all of the Roman Bishops which they also cal the e pars 2. assert 5. fol. 44. mastership of the church Wherein is a power as they say to iudge and determine what is canonicall scripture and to make diuers lawes and ecclesiasticall discipline And this last giueth power to all the rest for here as they say wee know which is the true worde of God heere the authoritie of decretalles is made firme and this being a gift and priuiledge that cannot erre is of that autenticall authoritie if we beleeue them that no man must once reason against it Out of these fountaines they drawe their traditions of the rites of Baptisme of confirmation auricular confession and penitentiall satisfaction the tradition of order and his rites the fearefull sacrifice of the alter transubstantiation praier for the dead communion vnder one kind purgatorie extreame vnction worship and intercession of Saints worship of relickes images exorcismes Lent fastes single life vowes of chastitie and such like In handling of which traditions he b Postulat 3. fol. aut quia legi Dei repugnant proximae sunt occasiones peccandi c. giueth vs a rule to discerne humane traditions from diuine saying Traditions which are not good are either contrarie to the law of God and are verie neere occasions to sin or derogate to the glorie of Christ or they are friuolous burdensome and of no profit If it be lawfull for vs to follow these three rules we shal easily proue popery to be no good tradition but a meere humane inuention of their owne For the first rule I hauing before shewed that all their popish religion is contrary to the religion which God taught Abraham Moses and the Prophets taught the Iewes and Christ and his Apostles taught all nations and contrarie to the doctrine which Paule taught the auncient Romanes and which Peter taught the Iewes it must needes follow that these traditions being
as they confesse not found in holy scriptures cannot bee good if the first part of their rule be true Secondly if it be of the nature of the scripture as we haue proued to containe all things necessarie to saluation and some of these as their dreadfull sacrifice of the masse rites in baptisme confirmation purgatorie prayers for the dead c. are by popish doctrine necessarie to saluation and yet are not to be found in holy scriptures then it followeth that they are contrarie to the law of God when they stand vp to shew themselues auaileable to saluation because they falsely accuse the scripture not to containe all thinges necssarie to saluation yea they accuse the scripture of a lie when it saith c 2. Tim. 3.15.16.17 They are able to make thee wise vnto saluation and that the man of God may bee perfect and absolute vnto euerie good worke But what can bee more contrarie to the law of God then to make his inspired word written to tell a lie Here then by their owne rule fall downe their traditions forged vpon Christ and his Apostles and presumed by their Church and if the scripture bee true there can and ought to bee no such thing and therefore of necessitie by their owne doctrine these are but deuises of men traditions not good Now for the second part of this first braunch of their rule where they say that the naughtie traditions are verie neere occasions of sinne These traditions breake that rule also For beside that they are all sinne in that God neuer commaunded them and come vnder that checke d Math. 15.2 In vaine they worship mee teaching for doctrines mans precepts they can neuer denie by any good reason but that by these traditions they giue occasions of sinne many waies As in Baptisme men cannot discerne the true worke of Baptisme for the multitude of ceremonies vnto which are giuen the verie power and operation of Baptisme by the sacrifice of the masse relickes images and praying to Saintes they are ledde vnto sinne being directly against that commandement which saith a Math. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And their vowes of chastitie and single life giue occasion of all filthinesse buggery and murder and sodomitrie But if in these traditions there be a direct and particular contradiction to holy scripture then where is their foundation as for example the holy scripture saith b Heb. 18. There remayneth no more sacrifice for sinne they say the sacrifice of the masse is for the quicke and the dead the holy scripture saith it is c 1. Tim. 4.1 a doctrine of deuils to forbidde meates and mariage These traditions make priesthoode vowes and holding the childe at Baptisme to hinder marrige and that Lent and ember daies must not see any flesh and that for conscience sake The scripture saith thou d Precep 2. Exod. 20. shalt make no image nor worshippe them and they say thou mayest and oughtest to worship them And there are a great many more as is before apparant to bee seene whereof I thought good to giue the reader a taste that hee might the better remember what hath beene before written For the second part of the rule to knowe a naughtie tradition to be of men and not of God they say it is naught if it bee derogatorie to the glorie of Christ I pray you looke vpon all and euerie of these traditions and you shall find that they are set forth for merite and remission of sinnes for satisfaction and iustification All which as is before proued are the glorie of Christ because there is e Act. 4.12 no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby a man may bee saued These being newe names challenging that which belongeth to him cause men to giue his glorie vnto others And therefore by this rule seeing they derogate from the glorie of Christ they are no good traditions but meere inuentions of men not sufferable in the Church of God Lastly they are friuolous and burdenous c. which is the third part of their rule to know traditions to be of man do but looke vpon the number If f Gratians decrees one booke can shew vs 3090. decrees whereof most of them be of these traditions and that there be besides these in decretall and extrauagants I cannot tell how many thousand more then how can they auoid the name of burden And as for their profite if wee may iudge by holy scriptures which teacheth that g Heb. 1.3 Christ by himselfe purgeth our sins What profit can there be in any or all of these except we may say that Christ hath not purged our sinnes But their owne conscience telleth them there is no need of them As for example when they can h Manipul curat cap. 8. de annex bapt say of all the rites of tradition in Baptisme that they are not of the essence of Baptisme because that without them Baptisme may bee well giuen in case of necessitie which hauing as great a warrant as any of the rest wee may verily conclude that they are all but friuolous and superfluous ouerspreading outslippes of mens deuises What shall we then determine of this goodly popish trash but that they cannot be ancient autentical after Gods word seeing they cannot agree to their owne rules whereby they would proue them to be of God Therefore that is most blasphemous that they call the worde of God as it is in the holy bookes dead incke in comparison of their tradition vnlesse it be warranted by tradition and vnderstood in the sence of the mastership of their church Wee are then come thus farre that poperie is a tradition not written with dead incke in Gods holy bookes but some other kinde of doctrine which by their owne rules cannot bee found worthy the name of a good tradition and therefore a meere deuise of mans foolishnesse that is to say verie fables much displeasing and abhominable in the holy eyes of almightie God 4 Now let vs looke into the particulers Heere come the a Antididagma printed at Louan 1544. reuerend Canons of Colen who in the generall ioyning with this great clearke Peresius in many things crie with him Traditum est or traditum tenemus that is it is a tradition or wee hold it a tradition And this they doe where they are to shewe their originall and in deede it is an easie matter to maintayne any foolish or wicked thing by such a deuise yet are these learned men of Colon content to tell vs one or two originalles First b Pag. 70. they say It is true that Christ gaue the Sacrament to his Apostles vnder both kindes of breade and wine and that the church obserued that order a long time after therefore they teach vs that to keep the cup from the common people is but new learning So also they c Pag. 143. say their holy daies reckning by name 22.
the image of God in knowledge holines and righteousnes his religion was pure and his faith in God and his loue towards God al creatures were righteous his estate happy enioying the presence glory of God But this estate indured not long for the diuel enuying mans happines allured the womā Euah to eat of the forbiddē fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and euill and by her Adam was partaker of the same transgression b Ep. 2.1.2.12 Tit. 3.3 Gen. 6.5 so man fell cleane from al religion and became the vassal of Satan dead in sinne lost that holie image so far that both mind will and affections were onely euill and by his very nature he was the child of wrath and without God in the world that is to say he was of no religion and in this estate he was most miserable cursed and damnable Here our most gracious and mercifull God pitying our most wofull condition c Gen. 3. calleth man to an accompt chastiseth him condemneth the serpent and teacheth him againe the true religion by giuing him the promise that The seede of the woman shoulde breake the serpents head that is that by Christ hee would ouer throw the power of the diuell Vpon which promise he buildeth his church of such of the sons of Adam as he d Eph. 1.4.5 in his eternal counsel had chosen to be adopted to himselfe in Christ Iesus d Eph. 1.4.5 c Ro. 9.18.22 leauing all others vnto themselues to remaine in their sins for their iust cōdemnation And these his elect he restoreth to that former happy estate wherin they were created which thing hee doth during this world by f Math. 28.19 Eph. 4.11 instructing them in the true pure religion which is the faith of Christ the fruits thereof in true repentāce amendement of life by the loue of God of his neighbor which two things haue their measure and are vnperfect in this life but they shal be perfect in the life to come Faith is vnperfect because our g 1. Cor. 13.9 knowledge is vnperfect yet because it is fixed in Christ the son of God it is a h Eph. 6.16 shield to quēch the fiery darts of the diuel so that by it we i Rom. 5.1 are righteous in gods sight haue peace with God thorow Iesus Christ but when in the life to come wee shall haue a k Psal 17.15 1. Io. 3.2 perfect sight of God see him as he is then that which is vnferfect shall be done away our loue in this life is much more weake because it answereth not l Iacob 3.2 to the perfection of the law moral or Gods holy image and therefore vnles by the shield of faith in Christ we were defended we should neuer recouer our former estate of happines but by faith there is giuen vnto vs the a Rom. 8.23 Eph. 1.13 first fruits of the spirit and an earnest of our saluation euen in this our pilgrimage but afterward the same also shal be made perfect when b 1. Cor. 15.54 our corruption shal put on incorruption our mortality shal be swalowed vp of life enioying the glorious liberty of the sons of God we c 2. Tim. 4.8 shall be crowned with the crowne of righteousnes which is laid vp in store for all them which loue the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. And here is to be noted that between this time of mans innocencie the time of the glory of Gods elect is the d Eph. 1.10 dispēsation of times wherin God gathereth his elect and nurtureth his church in one certain kind of religion holy right pure catholike so far as by his gracious gift in this life his people are made capable therby sanctifying them seperating them from this present euil world e Colos 1.13 translating thē out of the power of darknesse into the kingdome of his deer son And this we find to be in iij. sorts in regard of the maner of gouernment in the dispensation of iij. diuersities of times yet but in one rule of faith religion The times were these 1. From the promise of God made to Adam vntil the giuing of the law in mount Sinay or Horeb during the space of 2513. yeres 2. From the giuing of the law vntil the preaching of Io. Bap. and sending of the Apostles to preach to all the world about some 1445. yeres 3. From that * That is 30. yeres after Christ birth time to our daies som 1569. yeres this is to continue till the end of the world when Christ shal come again to iudge the quick and dead In the first the maner of gouernment in regard of the persons ouer whom it was extended they were the fathers of the first world al the whole world of al nations languages in regard of the things then in vse Read Gen. 3.4.6.8.9.12 Rom. 3.1.9.4.5 they had not the law of God nor any part of his word written but were taught cōmanded by visions dreams from heauen many were endewed with the spirit of prophesie In the second the manner of gouernment touching the persons was this they were one nation called lastly Iews first Israelits and somtime Hebrewes and in regard of the things they had Moses law written and so preserued in bookes for the perpetual vse of the church and this law was in three sorts the morall written in two tables shewing in ten words all dueties to God and man the ceremonial law consisting in ordinances of rites sacrifices and the leuiticall priesthood by which order it pleased God in those daies to be outwardly worshipped the iudicial law which were ciuil lawes and statutes for the punishment of euill doers and ordering of the common wealth of that people as was most fit for the time for the true and holie religion And vnder these three they were gouerned vntill the comming of Christ And because they often times fell away vnto idolatrie God raised vp prophets to bring them to repentance who instructed them according to the law shewed them alway the true faith and religion with the right order and maner of gouernment Now a Eph. 2.11.12 while that the church was in this one nation of the Iewes the gentils which are all the nations and languages of the worlde beside were left out from being the people of God of his visible church which thing began at the circumcision of Abraham in that God ordaining it did call it the couenant that is a signe of the couenant namly that Abraham and his seed should be the people or church of God and they that were not circumcised shold be none of his church which being some 400. yeres before the giuing of the law in that space the sin of the gentils came to their perfection and so the Iewes were then and thenceforth distinctly knowen to bee of a
which some call Tritheitae or Triformiani Anno 370. which make the three persons in the trinitie three Gods like as wee account and know Robert Richard and Nicholas to be three men So the Papistes not in wordes but in deedes do the verie same for in their roode crosses and glasse windowes they engraue or paint the likenesse of God like the image of a man and the three persons like two seuerall men an old and a yong and like a doue And when they a Hore in laud. beat virg Mar. giue the virgine Marie power to make men gentle chaste and of a pure life they haue too much resemblance vnto the heretickes called Melchisedechiani who thought that Melchisedeck was the power of God And what odds in substance of matter is there betweene them and the Simonians who hold Simon Magus for a God or as it is in the Actes of the Apostles Act. 8. the great power of God For they b Test Rhem. annot in Luk. cap. 15.10 Math. 22.10 say that our harts and inward repentance be open to the Saintes and that they can heare our prayers and helpe vs be they neere or afarre of Which to doe doubtles is not of any creature but onely of God Now when they make saints patrons of people and countries What doe they els but as the Tetratheitae make many Gods As Mahomet the hereticke ordained that it should be death if any man disputed against his pestilent lawes So the Popes canons forbid any man to iudge or dispute of the decrees of their falsely called Apostolicall sea The Pelagians denie predestination altogether and the papists denie it in regard of the reprobate The heretickes Basilidiani tie predestination to workes foreseene and so do the papistes The Priscilianistes tie mens actions to the gouernment of the starres and the Maniches make two beginnings one good and another bad vnto which two heresies the papists seeme to leane indeed though not in word when they shut out Gods decree from ordaining his prouidence from administring and ordering any thing which he cōmandeth not that God regarded what mans free wil would chuse in such things For either they make mans wil a first cause or chance or the stars or that euil beginning And so by their assertion there will bee some thing of equall power with God as an other beginning first cause of euil things wherin God medleth not Touching free wil original sin Pelagius said that grace is giuen vnto men that they might the more easily fulfill by grace those things which they are cōmāded to do by their free wil so the papistes say that free will is but moued stirred vp by the grace of God worketh together with his grace The Pelagians say that a man without grace may doe all the commandementes of God and the Papistes say that it is a Test Rhem. in Math. 12. vers 11. in margin in mans owne freewill to bee a good tree or a badde The Pelagians say that the grace of God by which wee are deliuered is giuen vnto vs according to our merites so the Papistes say when the sinner doth that which is in him hee deserueth of congruitie to be iustified As touching the recouerie of man out of the damnable estate of sinne all heretickes had their seuerall heresie wherein they put their trust and despised all other and the true way of saluation which is by Christ So the church of Rome as compact of all heresies hath diuers new meanes of recouerie out of damnation and many religions as of friers monkes and Heremites The Turkish Mahomet had his Alcoran and the papistes haue their canons decrees and decretalles of the church vnder paine of damnation There were certaine hereticks called Messaliani Euchetae who attributed all the power of the saluation of their soules vnto praier supplications So haue you with the papistes certaine praiers Auemaries creedes and psalmes to be numbred vp for the soules both of quicke and dead And an other sort of heretickes called Heracleonitae are said to redeeme their fellowes and associates by oyle balme water and prayers So these Romistes haue holy water to fright spirits and as their a Set forth by Pius 5. ordo ad faciend ' aquā benedictam masse booke saith they exorcise or coniure the salt which is put into the water for the saluation of beleeuers and that it should be to all who take it health of soule bodie They haue also extreame vnction where with ointing praier they promise the very like vnto a man that is at the point of death which the Euchatae did The Simonians called Simon Christ the Sethians Seth. The Ophilae and Maniches the serpent Elcesaitae made two Christs and many more are to be found of like heresie So the papistes haue many mediators or Christes The virgine Marie the Apostles and I cannot tell how many Martirs and Saints to whom they flie as vnto mediators There were heretickes called Artotyritae so called of their offering For they offered vp bread and cheese So the papistes haue the host of bread which they cal the forme of bread which they offer vp for a sacrifice The heretickes called Ebionites Cathari Donatists Pelagians diuers others held iustification by workes and not by faith onely and so do the papists most earnestly Heretickes called Hierarchitae said that little children pertaine not to the kingdom of heauen because there is not in them any merite of the combate or striuing by which vices should be ouercome So the papistes hold that concupiscence is left for the combate to striue withall that their actions might bee the more meritorious and they pronounce damnable sentence vpon children vnbaptised The heretickes called Iouianistes as Saint Austen saith in his yonger daies did hold that a man could not sin hauing receiued the lauer of regeneration that is to say Baptisme So the papists say that after Baptisme concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne and that there is nothing in him displeasing God The donatistes affirme of themselues that they liue a perfect righteous and angelicall life So the papistes say a regenerate man may do all Gods commandements and their religious men liue a seraphicall and angelicall life in their orders Concerning the worde of God a Euseb lib. 5. cap 13. there were heretickes called Appellitae which blamed the holy scriptures with verie painfull and earnest reprehension So doe the papistes call the scriptures a thing without life dumbe Iohn Sleid. coment lib. 23. Literi Clemētis de sinodo Trident. colligend and like a nose of waxe that may bee drawne euery way hauing no certaintie without the iudgement of the church The hereticks called Pepusiani made Christ author of their filthy reuelations So the papists make him author of their vnwritten verities And as the Tacians Maniches Mahomet equall their deuises traditions vnto the holy scriptures so do papists And as papists prefer
cleros telleth vs out of Isidorus that among the auncient fathers a priest and a Bishop were all one And the same thing he d Distinct 93. cap. legimus affirmeth out of Hierome with many reasons drawne from holy scripture and he sheweth that the first rising of one Bishop ouer another was deuised for a remedie against schisme And as concerning the preheminenc of the citie of Rome he addeth Si authoritas quaereretur c. if authoritie be sought for the authoritie of the world is greater then that of one citie wheresoeuer there is a Bishop at Rome or at Engubium or at Constantinople or at Rhegium or Alexandria or at Thebes or at Guarmatia it is of the same merit it is of the same priesthood which the glosse there doth interpret that discreete learned and wisemen esteeme all alike but ideots and the comon people despise a Bishop of a smale or litle citie And a litle after e Distinct 95. cap. olim he saith As the elders or priestes knowe that they by the custome of the church are subiect to him which is set ouer them So let the Bishops know that they are greater then the prists rather by custome then by the truth of Gods ordinance and that they ought to rule in comon Cesar Baronius by the cōmandement of pope Gregory the 13. making a new legend called Martyrologiums after the order of their new callender in his notes vpon that booke f Ian. 20. pag. 22. at the letter c. teacheth vs that this word Papa pope was first accounted to come of the greeke word Pappas signifying a father and in the same sence came to be a name of dignitie that the reuerend clerkes or clergie men were called by that name Afterward the same name began to be peculiar vnto Bishops that they were called Papae that is popes or fathers vntil An. 850. then it began to grow to fasten only vpon the head of the pope of Rome at the length pope Grerory the 7. An. 1071. in a synod ordained that there should be but one name of Pope in all the Christian world This man also a Quint. ad April pag. 160. 161. witnesseth that it was in times past the old custome of the church that the Bishops were not onelie called Pontifices prelates but also summi pontifices chiefe or hiest prelates because that the office of a Bishop was called the chiefe priesthood this hee proueth by expresse examples vntill the 6. counsel b About An. 645. of Toletane and he bringeth in Saint Augustin saying those wordes what is a Bishop but the first elder that is the hyest priest briefely hee calleth them no otherwise then fellowe Elders and his fellow priestes But after Baronius addeth that the latter custome obtained that the Bishop of Rome should bee called summus maximus pontifex the hiest and greatest prelate or Bishop Polydor vergill c De inuentorrer lib. 4. ca. 10. telleth vs that the first honour that was giuen to the Bishop of Rome was this that he might change his name when he is created Pope if his name be not handsome and the author of this deuise was Sergius whose name was called os porci that is the mouth of an hogge But more neere to our matter Platina d In vita pelagij deinceps sheweth that the commandement of the Emperour did sway all the matter in the choise of the pope vntill the time of * Pelagius the second About Anno 600. So that when by the extreame fall of waters they could not go to the Emperor the pope was faine to send Gregorious to make his excuse because the election was nothing woorth without the Emperors approbatiō And after him in the election of Gregorious the clergie people desired the Emperor that it would please him to cōfirme the election which was made concerning Gregorius And where as Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople obtained by a Synod the title Ecromenicus that is of vniuersall Bishop Gregorie resisted him not because as Platina saith it belongeth to Peters sea as they falsly call Rome but because it was a new and blasphemous name and such as none before them did euer allow of or take vnto him selfe As Gregorious himselfe in diuers letters both to the Emperor the Empresse to diuers Bishops to Iohn himselfe doth write whereof you shal heare some part First to the Emperour he among other things a Epist lib. 4. cap. 29. Mauritio August Epist 32. saith Quis est iste c who is this that against the statutes of the gospel against the decrees of the canons presumeth to vsurpe to himselfe a new name Would to God that without the diminishing of others there were one which desireth to be called vniuersall and a little after But be it far from the harts of Christians this blasphemus name wherein the honour of all priests is taken away while it is madly arrogated of one vnto himselfe And b Constantie August Epist 34. to the Empresse It is a verie heauie thing that it should be patiently born that al being despised my foresaid brother fellow-bishop goeth about to be called Bishop alone but in this his pride what other thing is shewed but onely that the times of antechrist be at hand And vnto c Epist 36. Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria and Anastasius Bishop of Antioch None of my predecessors haue euer consented to vse this so prophane a terme or word Because forsooth if one be called vniuersal patriarch the name of patriarch is taken from others vnto which if you ioine that of the sixt counsell of Carthage That all matters should be ended in the prouince where they began And that of the Milenitane counsell that no appeale should be made out of the prouince ouer the sea you may easilie plainly perceiue that vnto this 600. yeres after Christ it doth so far appeare that the Pope had no supremacy ouer kings or Emperors that his authoritie was not so much as ouer any minister or priuate man out of his owne diocesse or prouince and that to claime any such title as to be vniuersall Bishop was new blasphemous the ouerthrow of priesthood not sufferable and a fore-running of Antechrist How the pope brought vnder the ciuill power by growing ouer the ecclesiasticall And here thou maist obserue that in all this time there was not yet any question of superioritie ouer the superior ciuil magistrate but ouer the Bishops them selues But how they came to crow ouer the ciuill magistrate the storie of the time following doth declare wherin I might spend much time of the seed of these things as the aduancing of the honor of Peter cunningly pretended to draw on the primacy vpon the pope of Rome his counterfeit successor Constantine forged donation but I shal not need to rip vp euery circumstance For if neither these nor any other were able to cōpasse this infernal primacy in
in this Article two things The vse and power of this word and the true touchstone how we may know or where we may find this word The first is touching religion that Gods word is the only rule thereof which onely teacheth the doctrine of righteousnesse and saluation And this is verie well to be seene in the storie of Abraham that he had no sauour of religion before God taught him by his word neither can wee find that he added any thing of his owne And this will euidently appeare if you consider how God first preached vnto him a Gal. 3.8 Gen. 12.1.2.3 the gospell and so from b Cap. 15. 17 18. time to time reuealed more and more vnto him and that God acknowleged him to bee a c Gen. 20.7 prophet such an one as would d Cap. 18.19 command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord. What is all this els but that God by his word taught him the true religion and godlinesse what he should beleeue and doe As for Moses he maketh the word of God so absolute a rule that the Church ought not e Deut. 4.2 to put any thing to it nor take any thing from it and the prophets are also verie confident in this point saying f Prouerb 30.5 Euerie word of God is pure put nothing to his word least hee reproue thee and thou be found a lyer And the reason of this perfection is plaine because it maketh g Cap. 2.1.9 a man to vnderstand righteousnes and iudgement and equitie and euerie good path and to exclude all mens inuentions from ordaining any part of religion God saith by his prophets that h Esai 29.13 The wisedome of the wise shall perish because their feare toward God was taught by the precept of men Which Christ intepreteth to this sence i Mat. 15.9 That they worshipped God in vaine teaching for doctrines mens preceptes If this suffice not then let vs heare this point in expresse wordes of the Prophet k Psal 19.7 The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule So likewise our Sauiour Christ in the gospell gaue to his Apostles and Church no other thing but the l Ioh. 17.8 worde which God his father gaue him pronouncing that this is m Vers 17. The truth by which they should be sanctified n Cap. 15.3 made cleane o Cap. 8.31.32 and free from sin p Cap. 5.24 and by hearing thereof they might haue euerlasting life Therefore the Apostles finding the absolute sufficiencie thereof doe forsake all wisedome of men for the same calling it the words of eternall life q Cap. 6.68 Hereof it is that Saint Iames saith r Cap. 1.19 Be swift to heare and slow to speake because wee men must not put forth our owne wisedome in matters of faith and religion but submit our selues to learne of God as he after expoundeth saying ſ Vers 21. Receiue with meeknesse the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules And thereupon Saint Paule condemneth all shewes of t Coloss 2.22.23 wisedome in voluntarie religion after the commandement and doctrines of men giuing charge that no man u Vers 8. spoile vs through philosophie and vaine deceite according to the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ And the ground of this is this that in x Vers 3. Christ are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Now as touching the second point which is the touchstone to trie the word of God where and how to find and know it This is The holy inspired writinges of the olde and new Testament wherein is contained all the word of God touching religion necessarie for the Church and Gods elect to know for their saluation Which although it were not written in the time of Abraham and of the fathers but after by Moses the Prophetes the Apostles and Euangelistes yet is it so absolute a rule and canon that wee ought not to beleeue any thing of faith and religion touching saluation to be or to haue beene the word of God which may not be rightly gathered taught or proued confirmed or allowed by the writings of Moses and the prophets in the old testament and in the new testament by the Euangelistes and Apostles of Iesus Christ And this will appeare verie euidently to the conscience of all faithful and wise hearted Christians if they consider what the spirite of God teacheth in all these times For the first a most glorious writer was the a Deut. 5.22 finger of God writing the ten wordes in two tables Then Moses by his direction wrote all the b Exod. 24.4 words of the Lord and a little before his death he wrote the whole c Deut. 31.9 law and deliuered it to the priestes the sonnes of Leui. So that then and from thenceforth the law written became the canon of the Church and the onely rule to measure religion by as may appeare because it was published in this sort d Deut. 27.26 Cursed bee he that confirmeth not all the wordes of this law to do them e Cap 30.10 which is interpreted to bee the commandementes and ordinaunces of the Lord written in the booke of the law And Ioshuah being of the same times knowing it to bee such an absolute rule chargeth the people a little before his death to f Ioshua 23.6 obserue and do all that is written in the booke of the law of Moses that they turne not there from to the right hand nor to the left By which it appeareth that in his time the writinges of Moses were this touchston to know the word of God as it were the arke of God wherein the tables of the couenant written with the finger of God were kept which will somewhat more be seene if you consider with me that in Moses writings and in and by nothing els we learne all the word of God reuealed and made knowne to the Church not onely touching the creation and olde world but also concerning Abraham Isaack Iacob and whatsoeuer God spake would haue to be knowen to be his word in his time which hee committed to writing for the perpetuall vse of the people of God And after him God added the pen of the prophets for the more perfect manifestation of this word and misterie of Gods will and yet so as nothing in substance did differ from the written law of Moses Therefore the prophetes pronounce the same writinges to be a most perfect Canon not to be added to nor taken from saying after this maner a Esa 8.20 To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in thē And againe b Malach. 4.4 Remember the law of Moses my seruant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel the
statutes and iudgements Here you see that the prophets hauing the same spirite of truth to leade them and their pen which Moses had in his writings auouch the perfection of Gods word in Moses bookes so farre as they would be vnderstood to doe or speake nothing that should not agree vnto that worde so written and whosoeuer did otherwise had not the light in him Now because Moses and the prophets agreed in their writinges in declaring and making manifest the same truth and word of God which he would haue to be the knowen canon and rule of religion Our Sauiour Christ reiecteth all c Math. 15.3 new deuises writing traditions and customes of men sendeth vs to the d Luk. 16.29 cap. 24.44 law and the prophets bidding vs to e Ioh. 5.39 search the scriptures Which also to bee a most certaine rule Saint Peter saith We haue a most sure worde of the prophets And Saint Paul a 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach vs that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes What can be a more perfect rule or touchstone then that which is most sure inspired of God profitable euery way in righteousnes by which a man may be absolute perfect vnto all good workes And hereof it commeth that the writinges of the new testament are not a new Canon or additament of rule in religion but onely a more plaine reuelation fulfilling of that which was before taught by Moses and the prophetes and therefore you shal find that Christ and the Apostles euery where do approue their doctrine by the testimonies of the scriptures of the olde testament Wherefore Paul acknowledgeth that b Rom. 16.26 God commanded the preaching of the gospell to bee by the scriptures of the prophets and Peter c Act. 3.22.24 appealeth to Moses and to all the prophets from Samuel and thenceforth that they foretold of those daies that is of the time of the gospell and the things which should bee manifested therein And therefore Paul protested that he d Cap. 26.22 witnessed both to small and great no other things then those which the prophets and Moses did say should come Wherefore the whole scriptures of the olde and new testament is one and the same rule of religion Although peraduēture as is before declared there may be some difference in ceremony and maner of gouernment yet is the first euen in those thinges a witnesse of the last and the last a true and faithfull expounder and fulfiller of the first Hereof it is that Mathew and the other Euangelists do confirme all the doctrine and doings of Christ by seuerall scriptures Yea those thinges which in forme order differ are yet proued that so they ought to be by Moses and the prophetes as the ministerie of a Math. 3.3 Iohn Baptist b Act. 2.16 and of the Apostles c Heb. 7.1.12 the priesthood of Christ and his changing of the lawe d 1. Cor. 9.9.13 prouiding for the ministerie though not by tithes and many such like But as for the most substantiall parts of the doctrine of faith and saluation I hope it shal appeare to the godly Christian by reading this Chapter throughout that there is but one canon and rule of truth Therefore to conclude let the reader obserue that this writing of Gods word is done by the spirit of God to this vse and ende that we might bee sure to know and how to trie and finde out what is the worde of God by examining all things wee heare by the Canon of the scripture As did e Act. 17.11 the noble men of Berea Wherefore Saint f Cap. 1.3.4 Luke affirmeth that the ende of this writing was that wee might acknowledge the certaintie of those thinges whereof wee haue beene instructed And Saint Paule saith that for the Church g Philip. 3.1 it was a sure thing and this sure thing is expounded by the Euangelist who sayth h Ioh. 20.21 These thinges are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name Therefore as Moyses which first wrote shewed the absolutenesse of this Canon of Gods worde written by i Deut. 4.2 forbidding all adding to and taking from So the last booke of this Canon sealeth vp all the writinges of God with the like admonition saying e Reuelat. 22.18 I protest to euerie one that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke If any man shall adde vnto these thinges God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke Now in both partes of this Article agreeing to all these testimonies of holy scripture is the iudgement and profession of the Church of England For we say b Artic. 20. of the authoritie of the church It is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing that is contrarie to Gods worde written c Articl 6. the doctrine of holy scripture Holy scripture containeth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an article of the faith or bee thought requisite and necessarie to saluation c. d Apolog. cap. 9. diuis 1. We receiue and embrace all the Canonicall scriptures both of the old and new testament c. they bee the verie sure and infallible rule whereby may be tried Whether the Church do swarue or erre and whereunto all ecclesiasticall doctrine ought to bee called to account and that against these scriptures neyther law nor ordinance nor any custome ought to be heard c. In all which wee doe acknowledge this most absolute canon of Gods word agreeing with Abraham Moses the Prophets Christ and his Apostles The tenth Article of the people who follow the right religion that is the Church of God 10 There is but one Church of God and the same is catholike and spread ouer all the world holding onely the true faith of Christ and it is made visible and knowne by the profession of the same faith which is in the preaching of the pure word of God and right administration of his holy sacraments IN this Article is a double description of Christes Church first in regard of the nature and second in regard of the visible markes The nature is in three things vnitie and vniuersalitie and faith The markes are declared by their profession which is preaching and administring the word sacraments By vnitie wee vnderstand that God hath not diuers Churches of diuers sectes in diuers places or times but howsoeuer times and places may haue some externall and temporal differences yet in all times and places the people whom God alloweth and accepteth to bee his church are but one misticall bodie wherof Christ is the head and as
in the first kind we vnderstand to be meats times the maner order of many things both ciuil and seruing to Gods worship that they are al left free so that in al these things God and his word hath giuen free liberty not inthralled his Church but onely requireth an orderly comely vse directed to his glorie And in the second sort is the duetie to parents to husbands to wiues to children and such like that no man vnder the colour of religion cast away such dueties Therefore I will onely speake of these two which being well marked I hope the wise and carefull reader will see what is the true duetie of religion in all And first looke vpon a Gen. 12. 15 20 21. 25. Abraham he was a prophet yet had he his first and second wife and by vertue of Gods promise when he said So shal thy seed be he was made strong euen in his old daies to beget many children and it was not an vncleane thing vnto him though hee were a prophet so to bee maried In Moses and his priesthood you see that he being a prophet b 1. Cron. 23.14 begat children and the priests and Leuits had their wiues So in the prophets it is found that they were not restrained from this benefite for it is expressed that c 1. Sam. 8.1 Ezec. 24.15.16 2. King 4.1 Samuel and Ezechiel had wiues and the children of the prophetes And where Ieremie is forbidden it is expressed not to bee in regard he was a prophet but onely because of the d Hier. 16.2.3.5.8 troubles of his time for which cause he is also forbidden the house of mourning of feasting because that he might teach the people by such speeches as by a figure in his example there great calamitie which hung ouer their heades And in the new testament we know that the a Math. 8.14 Apostles had wiues before their calling and it is no where expressed that they were forbidden to keepe them afterwardes but rather the contrarie as where Paul saith b 1. Cor. 9.5 Haue we not power ta leade about a wife being a sister as well as the rest of the Apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and Caephas As touching the ministers of the congregations they were so farre from barring them from wiues that they doe expressely prescribe c 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1.6 what they should bee and how their children should bee gouerned pronouncing the forbidding of mariage to bee d 1. Tim. 4.1.2 doctrine of deuils and that e Heb. 13.4 mariage is honourable among all men Therefore in this point is the practise of England sound and catholike and our profession the ancient and vnchangeable truth For wee say f Artic. 32. of the mariage of priestes Apol cap. 8. diuis 1. Bishoppes priestes and deacons are not commaunded by Gods lawe eyther to vow the estate of single life or to abstaine from mariage therefore it is lawfull also for them as for all other Christian men to marrie at their owne discretion as they shall iudge the same to serue better to godlinesse As touching the Magistrate you see in Abraham how hee kept onely the gouernment of his owne house and how lowly and humbly he caried himselfe in g Gen. 12. 20. Egipt and Gerar where there were kings of the countrie And Melchisedeck though he were priest of the most high God vsurped not authoritie ouer other kinges but being a figure of Christ hee blessed Abraham for a speciall misterie as is expressed and taught in the Epistle to the Hebrewes h Heb. 7. shadowing the royall priesthood of Christ aboue the priesthood of Aaron Therefore in this time religion abridged not any duetie but rather fulfilled them Moses when hee describeth the order of a king ouer Israel hee sheweth that God would make a king ouer them Where hee vseth i Deut. 17.14.15 these wordes in the person of all the people I will set a king ouer mee And againe vnto them Thou shalt make him king ouer thee There me and thee containe all estates and orders ecclesiasticall and ciuill And so was Ioshuah the first Captaine k Ioshuah 1.18 cap. 3. the commaunder of all neither is there any sillable exempting any one estate more then other When this came in practise in the time of the prophetes were not the priestes and Samuel subiect to Saul l 1. Sam. 19. 22. Nathan and other seers vnto Dauid and all other prophets with the priestes subiect to Solomon Iehoshaphat Ezechiah Ioshiah c. Did not they commaunde and order the building and repairing of the temple place and displace high priestes call the people to the pure worship of God and commaund the priests in the holy administrations And they themselues were subiect to none m 1. Cron. 23. 24 25. 26. c. 2 Cron. 2. 3 4. c. 28. 29. 30. c. but to Gods worde that by his bookes and worde they should bee ruled and guided and by no man o Deut. 17.18.19 Iosh 1.8 2. Cron. 34. or mans worde or commandement whatsoeuer So our Sauiour Christ commaundeth to giue f Math. 22.21 Caesar his due and to God his due and though hee were Lord of all yet because his kingdome was not of this world h Cap. 27. g Math. 17.25 he payed tribute and meekely yeelded himselfe when he was wrongfully iudged And the spirit of truth which hee gaue his Apostles did guide them in the same steppes that for themselues it is not found they vsurped any ciuill authoritie by colour of religion but commanded euerie soule i Rom. 13.1 1 Pet. 2.13.14 to be subiect to the higher power and namely to the king as to the superior and to the gouernors vnder him Therefore also the practise of our Church in this behalfe is verie godly and beseeming the religigion of God and that we herein professe is a most auncient and catholike veritie For wee say k Artic. 37. The Queenes Maiestie hath the chiefe power in this realme of England and other her dominions vnto whom the chife gouernment of all estates of this realme whether they bee ecclesiasticall or not in all causes doth appertaine and is not nor ought not to be subiect to any forraine iurisdiction So then we may boldly conclude that as touching this holy comfort of mariage and duetie to the magistrate our Church followeth the right euerlasting and vnchangeable truth The fifteenth Article of the hope which is in the true religion 15 Iesus Christ will come againe with glorie and then all the dead shall rise againe in their bodies And hee shall iudge the quicke and the dead and will crowne all beleeuers with euerlasting righteousnesse saluation and life with God for euer THis Article sheweth the last work of Christ in his kingly office namely of his returne againe vnto
heale the blind his stooping downe to the ground to write washing his Disciples feet and many such like Thus might we play the fooles with Guilhermus Durandus in his rationale diuinorum turning all things into mysteries make trifling and prophane sport with the schoole men turning vpside downe the true sence of holy scripture by allegoricall morall and anagogicall interpretations and when we haue done come as neere the meaning of God as the east is to the west But if they be sacraments ordayned of God for his Church they ought to bring forth the commaundement of God such as is for Baptisme d Math. 28.19 1. Cor. 11.23 Baptize in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and for the Lords supper Do this in remembrance of me Secondly let thē shew out of Gods booke the signe in penance and the rest that they pertaine to the generall couenant of grace and promise of Christ As that matrimonie is anie more but a similitude or allegorie or that confirmation was any more but the taking of the children vnto him at one time to blesse them particulerlie or that orders is any more but for the grace of the estate of the ministrie their vnction was but for the bodie that they might liue and not for the soule at the very point of death therfore here is great presumption to father vpon God their owne beastly inuentions Thirdly in that which is speciall in either of the two sacraments they commit very great absurdities by most ridiculous idolatrous additaments First in Baptisme they thrust in a strange e Looke Manipul curat c. 8. de Anex Bapt. Catechising a filthy exorcising In the first they put the finger in his eare to signifie that his eare should be apt to heare Gods word and spit in his mouth that hee may be prompt to speake of faith 2. He crosseth him in his breast that in breast mouth he confesse the faith of Christ crosse him in the forehead that he be not ashamed of the faith of Christ 3. He putteth salt in his mouth signifying wisdom His filthy exorcisme is to coniure the diuell that he depart frō the soule of the party to be baptized giue place to the holy ghost And in baptizing they make three other crosses in declaring whereof I am lost to defile this paper they are so foolish so greatly derogatorie to Christs holy institution for on the one side they dash baptisme out of countenance with so many goodly shewes vses and secondly they blaspheme God to coniure especially in the place time of Gods worship but one bable I may not omit that they a Ib. cap. 7. Godfather Godmother may not marry together by Poperie giue baptisme such a power to make a spirituall cosonage namelie that it hindreth matrimonie breaketh a contract See here if Antechrist presume not as God nay aboue God for they make that vnlawfull b Heb. 13.4 Math. 19.6 which God hath made honorable among al men put asunder thē whom God hath coupled together But yet there are more abhominations heretical presumptions For in the sacrament of the Eucharist they amende the signe and put water to the wine secondly they take away one of the signes from all the communicants sauing him that maketh the sacrament thirdly they driue away both the signes altogether by their fiction of transubstantiation set in the roome therof if we may beleeue them the body soule Godhead of Christ that very body which was borne of the virgin Mary crucified vnder Pontious Pilate and so being chaunged they giue godly honor vnto it they lift it vp and carrie it in procession and hold it forth to be publikely worshipped of all men they offer it vp for a sacrifice for the quicke the dead and keepe it very deuoutly in the pix to be readie at all times to comfort them that need Surely it should seeme that Christ his Apostles were but children vnto those both in wisdome and in power For they neuer once dreamed of these things and being matters of very great importance it is meruaile they neuer had leisure to commit at the least some of them vnto writing that it might be found in holy scripture but being not found there they haue their holie traditions of equall reuerence with Gods word or els the plenarie power of their Apostaticall sea sufficientlie to warrant whatsoeuer to them whom God hath giuen ouer to beleeue lies This is the profoundnes of Sathan good Lord God and mercifull father keepe it euer out of this land that it neuer deceiue thy people any more First the mingling of wawith the wine is c Concil trident ses 6. ca. 7. brought in vpon three goodllie reasons 1. Christ is thought to haue done so 2. water came out of his side 3. water in the Apocalips signifieth people therefore it sheweth the misterie of vnion of the faithfull people with Christ Loe here a forgerie of a new misterie why might they not put in nailes or stakes that might signifie the fastning of Christ to his people because the d Eccl. 12.11 preacher speaketh of such a misticall fastening If men may add thus vpon coniectures and set Anathema and a curse as they doe vpon all that consent not how shall wee finde the measure of truth or how shall they auoide the curse of God which saith Reuel 22. cursed is he that addeth to this booke But alasse poore men how little effect this deuise hath brought forth For by and by as soone as it is a sacrament for before the words of consecration as they call them it is no sacrament the wine is cleane gone they say where is thē their new misterie How can they represent which haue no being in rerum natura in the world Againe how can it signifie this to the people when they keepe it from them and blesse them with the emptie cup. This is a second presumption against the expresse commandement of Christ which saith a Math. 29.27 Mark 14.23 drinke yee all of this and they dranke all of it Thirdlie in transubstantiation see how many monsters they feed First wee must beleeue there is no wine or bread though wee see them and taste them though they haue the same quantities and qualities and effects they had before though they corrupt and putrifie as before and we must beleeue that Christ God and Man is vnder those formes quantities and qualities though wee can see heare or feele no forme quantitie or qualitie of a true or naturall bodie or man Here is a monsterous mā which if you look vpon him is all ouer couered with a little roūd peece of starch not surmounting the greatnes of a mans hād Here be al the properties of bread and wine and their naturall operations but they are not bread nor wine but a man here one subiect hath accidents and essentiall qualities
to haue beene celebrated aboue a thousand yeares which yet they cannot say to bee enioyned the Church but by a counsell of Lions which they can hardly shewe or by Gregorie the ninth about the yeare of the Lord 1210. There is another verie learned man deuoutly giuen to the sea of Rome called Iohannes Stephanus Durantus who hauing taken great paynes in a d Printed at Rom. 1591. booke Deritibus ecclesiae dedicated to Pope Gregorie the 14. doth mightily labour to shew the ancient originall of the popish worship and seruice of God searching authorities both olde and new yet is hee faine to sing the same song with others of Traditum est and to alledge many corrupt and partial authors Howbeit he is an helpe to vs in many thinges that we may know by their confession that they worship God in many things by the precept of men Namely that in e Lib. 1. Sap. 1. Sectio 8. the gospell and vnto the time of Irenaeus priests were called Presbyteri patres that is elders and fathers Secondly he can tell vs that f Cap. 8. sect 5. Lactantius lib. 6. cap. 2. and after him the counsell Elibert cap. 37. And Hierome against Vigilantius haue taught men to deride the vse of candles in the church namely that they taught that to light candles for the honour of martirs appertaineth vnto the ignoraunce and simplicitie of seculer men and of religious women which haue indeed a zeale but not according to knowledge Hee would haue vs know that g Cap. 11. sect 2. Zepherinus the 16. Pope ordained a dish of glasse to say masse in and that Vrbanus the 18. Pope made them of gold And the h Cap. 12.3 corporall to bee of linnen to wrap the bodie of Christ he will haue vs thinke to bee ordained by Eusebius And as for the a Cap. 16.9.10 reseruing of the hoste hee woulde haue vs to beleeue the late Counsell of Trent to haue good cause to affirme that the custome is auncient reaching to the Councell of Nice though himselfe cannot find it in the councell nor in Gratian but only in Rufinus As for baptisme he confesseth b Cap. 19.2 that in the beginning it was vsed simply in riuers or fountaines but processe of time bringing foorth more honour to religion these goodly fontes and ceremonies now vsed in the Church of Rome by degrees came vp Also notwithstanding this he would haue vs thinke that c Cap. 21.2 Alexander the fift Pope from Peter did command water sprinkled with salt to be blessed to sprinkle the Christian people withall This man would haue vs fet the d Cap. 22.6 hallowing of bels at the Synode of Colon vnder Pope Iulius the first Anno 338. that the deuill might bee made afeard by the noise of belles calling Christians to praiers The worthie e Lib. 2. ca. 1. 6. name of the masse hee telleth vs out of Burchades decretals to bee verie auncient euen from Euaristus the third Pope of Rome Concerning the f Cap. 2.2 sacrifice of the masse the first strength he would haue vs take out of the Canons falsely tearmed the Apostles and out of the councell of Nice and of diuers fathers because they make mention of offeringes and sacrifice Who in deed haue no such meaning but onely vse these termes by allusion to the old law to signifie our thanksgiuing and memorie of Christes sacrifice in which sence it may be called an offering or sacrifice but you should not find them say that their priest did really and truely offer vp vnto God his son or the whole man Christ vnder the formes of bread and wine for the quick dead therfore this is but a new deuise of their own Howbeit his first g Cap. 4.1.4 inuention of publike masse hee layeth vpon the counsel of Carthage about Anno 389. and the priuate masse as they now vse it when the priest alone doth communicate he would haue vs thinke though he shew no reason to belong before Gregories time that is An. 606. yet if men beleeue him this masse publicke and priuate is but new learning as he teacheth it whereof neither Christ nor his Apostles can be prooued authors but men who liued after their time Hereof it is that although he boldly affirme many patches of the masse to be auncient euen from the Apostles time which no man that reuerenceth the holie Scriptures as hee ought can doo in such maner as hee doth yet is hee willing to teach vs the beginning of some of them Namelie that the confession Cap. 12.4 which is made in the beginning of the masse is of a doubtfull parentage whether of Damasus or Pontianus But b Cap. 14.1 Gloria in excelsis he saith Talesphorus 7. Pope from Peter to haue ordained c Cap. 21.1 of the tract hee careth not if we beleeue Gelasius to be the author or els Celestinus and that hee made the gradnale d Cap. 27.1 Alexander the fifth hee sayth appointed wine mingled with water and the e Cap. 28.6 washing of handes in the masse hee teacheth out of Thomas Aquinas a newe writer to bee as it were instituted of the Church as a certaine conuenient thinge The f Cap. 32.1 37.1 Canon of the masse which hee saith is the lawfull and reguler making of the sacrament he coniectureth to be long before S. Gregorie because that S. Ambrose as he saith maketh mention of Benedicta ascripta rata rationabilis c. so that he teacheth that before Ambrose time there is no proofe of any vnlawfull and reguler making of their sacrament and therefore it is not of God but of man especially seeing that to a reasonable man this is but a streined proofe of antiquitie Ambrose mentioneth these termes therefore the Canon was in his time before Gregories time which being so I meruaile how g Cap. 38.1 Alexander the first being fift pope could as he saith adde that part of the Canon Quipridie when the auncient Canon was long after him yet he gesseth that h Cap. 38.6 the cōsecrating of the bread round like a penie is not new because he findeth in Gregorie oblationum coronas the crownes of the offerings and such like sandie foundations i Cap. 42.9 Leo the first he saith addeth this particle Sanctum sacrificium immaculatam hostiam The k Cap. 43.2 memorie of the dead in the masse he warranteth by the second prouincial counsell called Concilium Arelatense holden vnder pope Siluester Anno 320. The l Cap. 47.1 preface before the Lords praier Oremus preceptis salutaribus moniti hath his testimonie from the ancient time of Charles the great Anno 880. This man thinketh that m Cap. 51.8 Albertus was deceaued to thinke that Sergius ordained the breaking of the host he would haue us looke hyer but so as we may see it was of some man a 53. 1. Pacis osculum in the masse he
vndoubtedly knoweth will neuer bee faithfull but alway vndermine his estate bring his life in hazard 4 And sithence we haue had now aboue fortie yeares triall of the sound truth of the Gospell and of Gods notable hand in protecting and defending the state of this land receiuing and embracing the same all this while against most strong force verie many maruellous cunning treasons how wonderfully he hath blessed vs with peace and prosperitie and made vs so much the more happie by how much our enemies haue laboured most wisely strongly against vs he hath made the windes and seas to fight for vs the Popes curse hath he manifoldly turned vpon his owne heade and his abettors haue neuer prospered and in all things the Lord declared himselfe to bee our God by multiplying our peace and the daies of our gracious prince in all perils standing by her as his deare handmaide wee may boldly say that the more we bee estranged from poperie the neerer we are the dearer vnto the Lord our God and the lesse agreement we haue with the popish apostasie the more his grace mercies goodnes and shielding power doth watch ouer vs to feed to foster to keepe deliuer vs. Therefore we Christians who haue bin begotten with the pure seed of Gods holy word and felt found most sweet and sound nourishment by that sincere milke vnder the most gracious happie and prosperous raigne of the Lords blessed annointed seruant Elizabeth our liege Ladie and Queene and knowing what occasions to godlinesse aboundance of peace and wealth and ioyfull libertie of bodie and soule wee haue had and enioyed cannot cease night nor day to praise God for his blessing and mercie which wee haue had in and by her most constant faith and godly raigne continually praying his diuine goodnes to encrease his blessings and graces vpon her both bodily and ghostly to strengthen and enlarge her heart in all Christian vertues princely wisedome and courage to defend her against all her enemies and prolong her daies more and more in all ioy honour wealth prosperity and heauenly comfort in Christ to his owne glory the dailie good of his Church and this realme of England euen for Iesus Christes sake To whom be praise glory for euer Amen FINIS Faults escaped in the printing  Page Line Faults Corrections Epistle 2 19 Misse Miste Epistle 4 24 is of the is the Contents 2 last with with it Booke 2 8 word world  5 22 misery mistery  7 23 which with  9 18 by being  12 2 repentance to repentance  15 27 low law  16 7 Christ Christes  67 10 her their  76 10 beway bewray  Idem 19 ver 9. ver 19.  83 2 ouer euer  114 22 accepted excepted  135 4 Esaie Esaw  136 18 Apostalical Apostatical  137 31 least beast  141 15 after suffer  153 23 petro Catenus petre Catenas  155 15 in the Sacrament is in the Sacrament  160 27 is called he is called  166 14 light weight  176 21 I so if  224 26 turst trust  229 38 wares warres  240 14 left least  251 2 Aristle Aristotle  256 9 tumpery trumpery  258 11 dobts doubts  259 14 separated separated c.  262 3 dâ—cretâ—ll decretals  2â—6 21 Eâ—romenicus oecumenicus  276 14 collaions collations  278 5 vnnecessary vnnecessary matters  282 18 scholes deuines schole diuines  285 20 forbid and doth forbid  287 5 a Florencâ— at Florence  302 13 Edick Edict What other Faults good Reader that the Corrector hath let past let me entreat thee to mend with thy pen as well as these