generall order for the hole worlde nor the hole worlde neuer obeyed nor receyued anye The Popes Portuis Missall hais bene oft chaunged as I proued afore and euery countrie hais their diuers order of seruice Aarons sonnes did plainly against gods expresse commaundement and therefore were iustly plaged Ours do not so and therfore they be not in like case but vndeseruedly blamed Clementes wordes and Ciprians whan they are proued to be truly alledged touch not vs but suche as he is for they knew no such priestes nor church as he meanes nor anye such were many yeares after The papistes differ verye litle from Iewes for both of them set their hole religioÌ„ in ceremonies and olde customes We sticke stifly to the word of God only and bilde not on such vain foundations Therfore he bringes that canon against himselfe and his sort beinge as supersticious as the Iewes and blynded obstinatlye in errours as heretickes Whether is it lawefull for Priestes that saye the Communyon also to celebrate masse THe holye Martir Saint Ciprian sayes It is not leafull by and by afore penance done to consecrate or touch with his wicked handes the body of oure Lorde and with his polluted mouth to receyue the bloud of oure â—orde but first let him doe penaunce Does thou thinke says Saint Cyprian that our Lorde wilbe so sodenly mitigated whom thou hais refused hais more esteamed thy worldly liuing then him Saint Cyprian says the blynd loue of their patrimonye and wordly goods hais deceyued many and bound them as it were in stockes and fetters that they can not folow christ A great number for feare of woordes of suche as be not good haue refused their faith not cast downe by any violence of persecutioÌ„ but by a voluntary lapse haue cast downe their selues although they haue perceyued the Byshops and a greate number of the clergie not to be afrayed to lose all their lyuinges not fearing losse of goods or imprisonment or banyshment from their fryendes yea all readye to suffer death in this case Our Sauiour in the gospell sais No manne can serue ii maisters that is to say the Communion decreed and appointed by the laite parliement against the consent of the clergye in christes Churche and also celebrate masse decreed and apointed by the clergye in sacrate synodes representinge the whole estate of christes churche S. Paule sais ye can not be partakers both of the table of our lorde and the table of the deuilles S. Ciprian sayes It is an horrible abhomidation to fare about to serue both Ball and christ it is contimely and not religion it is iniurye and not deuotion if thou communicate of the cup of christ with the deuils hitherto be S. Cyprians wordes S. Paule sais we haue an altar whereof they may not eate that serue the Tabernacie By these examples it is euident that the Priestes may not minister the communion to one sort and Masse to an other sorte In tripartita Historia it appeares the catholyckes and the Arrians did not communicate one with another Whether it be lawfull for Priestes to say Masse whiche saye no communion but only read Psalmes and chapters to the people in sâ—eade of seruyce SAint Ciprian sais the verity is not to be dissembled it is nought to halte vppon both the partes If God be the Lorde folow him If Ball folowe him Euen so it mattens and Euensonge be the ordinaunces of christes church vse theym if the Psalmes and chapters vse them It is no lesse offence to alowe a schisme with assent than to offer to idolles S. Austin sais such as be in schisme that is to say in sacraments or diuine seruice seperated from the vnity of christs mistical body not in â—oining together of christian meÌ„bers not in the band of peace which is expressed in the sacrament of the altar they may consecrate receiue this sacrament but it is not profitable to theÌ„ but very hurtful wherby they shalbe iudged more greuously of almighty god S. Paul says Not only they that do euil be worthye death but also they that consent to the doers The holy ghost does cry by his Prophete Esay saying get you hence go forth beware that you touch no vncleane thing The scripture sais thou shalte loue the lorde god with all thy heart with all thy strength c. god loues no halfe seruice As for example it is writen in the booke of kings that kinge Dauid sent his seruauntes to comfort Anon for the death of his father all be it Kynge Anon tooke theym as espies and caused the haulfe of their beardes to bee shauen and cut their clothes by their buttockes and so sent them backe agayne to Kynge Dauid But whan Kynge Dauid heard of thys he would not suffer them to come in his sight at Ierusalem but commaunded them to tarie at Hierico vntil their beardes were growen out againe euen so suche Priestes as hais gone out of Christes Church and entangled them selues with any part of this religion against the decrees of the Churche are not worthye in ministracion of sacramentes to come in the presence of the faithfull that continue still in Christes Churche vntil they be reconcyled and haue done penaunce for their lapse into schisine Whether is thys to bee called a wicked time that suche heresye and schisme does reigne NO rather it is a blessed tyme for now god tryes his family as Saint Cyprian sais for the longe rest and peace whiche hayes bene in Christes churche afore time caused the clergye to be almost on sleape by reason wherof deuout religion was not in a great number of Priestes in workes was small mercye no discipline in manners Saint Paule sais It is mete that there be herefye that the good maye be tried so that suche as haue grace to stande this troublous tyme and be not spotted with schisme shalbe kyndred more feruent in the loue and feare of God and such as be fallen in lapse if they will seke to come backe againe to oure mother holye Churche with penaunce that is with prayer satisfaction and teares she shittes her bosome from none that will so come for God is nere at hande to all that call on him in vertue and will reioyse more in theym then in other But some are not be gathered out of schisme says Cyprian so that suche as be whole and stedfast be thereby wounded nor he is not a profitable and wise pastor that gathereth the shepe that be diseased scabbed or sicke into the whole flocke afore they be whole least they infect al the flocke Nor the Byshoppe muste not haue a respect to the greatnesse of the number for better it is to haue one good Priest that feareth God than a thousande that be euill this sayes S. Ciprian Answere to the vii viii and ix UUhat a foole is he that goes about to proue by so manye balde reasons cloutinge such patched pieces together that
The father shal not beare the sinne of the sonne nor the sonne of the father but the soule that sinnes shall die it selfe as the Prophet sais Muche lesse shall the sinne of the Priest condemne the people but euerye one shall aunswere for himselfe Whether the people compelled wyth fear for losse of worldlye goods or temporall punishement maye receyue the Communion as breade and wine not consentinge to it in the hart SAint Paule sais it is requisite to oure saluation with oure mouthes to confesse the trueth also our Sauiour Christ sais â–ª he that denies hym afore men he will denye him afore his father in heauen And to kneie downe to receyue that cursed and polluted bread ye commit Idolatrye nor it is not lawfull to dissemble herein as we haue example Eleazarus whiche rather than he woulde dissemble to eate swynes fleshe forbidden by the law he was content to suffer a verye cruell death Also it is read in tripartita historia of a good woman one Olimpyas that rather then she would receiue the communion was content to haue her pappes writhen of or anie other punishment sayinge lay vpon me more punishment for it is not lawefull for me to do that which the good Priestes refuse to do Euen so at this time the Byshops and good priests refuse to medle wyth the Communion therfore it is euident it is not lawfull for anye of the laite to receyue it for any cause Also when Constantius the Emperour persecuted the church of god such as woulde not receyue the communion wyth the Aarians the byshoppe Macidonius put theim in prison and caused the communion to be brought vnto theym in prison and opened their mouthes wyth stickes and hote yrons Yet for no punishment the good catholick people would in any wise receyue with y â— Arrians much lesse ought we to receiue y â— comunion now vsed for any punishment For if we receyue it against our conscience we be traitours to god dissemblers with the Queene as Ustazadis did saye to the kinge of Persis lamenting that he did liue for he confessed after the Archbishoppe Symeon had rebuked him that he was worthy to haue a double death for he was a traytour to God in forsaking his profession in religion a dissembler with the kinge for to please the kinge and to auoide punishment he had done against his consciens but vtterlye he did protest that he woulde neuer dissemble againe offeringe his whole bodye to make a mendes and in conclusion had his heade stricken of woulde to God all that by dissimulation be traitours aud dissemblers with the Queene against their conscience woulde folowe the example of Ustazadis in earnest repentaunce Oure sauiour commaundes vs not to feare theym that can but onelye kill the bodye but feare him that can kill the body and after cast the soule into the fire of hell How shoulde the people do that can not haue the sacrament ministred to theym accordinge to the ordinaunce of Chrystes Church IN no wise they ought to receiue the Communion but to commend their mindes and good willes to God with deuout prayer firmely continuinge in that faith that they were christened in whych syth the Apostles time hais euer bene taught by blessed fathers in Christes catholick churche And so being in will to receiue y e blessed sacrament if he were in place where it is ministred according to the ordinance of christes church God wil accept your will good intent as if you did receiue it corporally And by that wil and intent ye be partakers of the sacramentes prayers of the vniuersall church of Christ in all christian countries and nations as well as if you were present bodilye But if you receyue this Communion ye seperate and deuide your selues from the sacramentes and prayers of all the vniuersall church of christ and so wander in the way of perdicion The aunswere to the .xi. and xii To receyue the Communion dissemblingly we graunt to be damnable as well as he and therfore we exhorte all men with an earnest faith and pure loue sorowfull repentance and ful purpose of a new life to resort vnto the lordes table deuoutly without all hipocritall dissimulation God will confounde such blasphemers as open their filthy mouthes to rail against his holy sacraments as this wicked Morian does here callynge it cursed breade Eleazarus did well in obeyinge Goddes lawe and Papistes be Goddes enemies in their doinges contrarye to Goddes lawe The Arrians were heretickes and ennemies to the trueth deniynge Christ our lorde to be God equall wyth his father and saying he was but a weake simple ruanne as we be So the Papistes be sayinge christes death is not a sufficient sacrifice for the whole worlde except their sacrifice be ioyned to They do both erre in the chefe article of our faith and saluation and surelye to communicate with such is to deny our faith and saluation therfore Olympias and other well abhorred them He that hais not a right faith of Iesus Christe that instituted the Sacrament he can not haue the true vse of the Sacramentes whiche Christ ordeyned It is well that he wyshes all dyssemblynge Papistes whiche haue tourned with euerye worlde to repent as Ustazadis did God graunt that they may If they will not if their rewarde were like his they had no wronge And thus as all dissemblinge Papistes receiuinge the communion against their consciences are worthely condemned so surelye are al dissemblinge protesrauntes resortinge to masse sor feare of worldlye losses God graunt vs all vprightlye to walke not feaning a conscience to oure selues of mannes deuise but folowinge the rule of scripture without haltinge what so euer the worlde saye of vs. If this Counsell that he geues for not receiuing the communion now vsed were turned and applied against their masse it were wel and truly applied We were neuer christened in anye faythe of the masse but in the name of the father and the sonne and the holye ghoste who in the holy scriptures condemne al sacrificing massers and surely to communicat with massemungers is to forsake gods institution and folowe the Pope to forsake Christ the head of his churche and ioyne himselfe to papistes and become a member of his synagoge robbinge Christ of his glorye and prefarringe mannes dreames and doctrine deuised of late yeares by Popes as was proued afore afore the infallyble trueth of the Gospell which Iesus Christ himselfe brought from heauen preached it and commaunded vs all diligentlye to folowe it To be partaker of prayers made in other Countryes is true that we maye and to be wished of God that it were diligentlye vsed but vnto he haue proued that we bee partakers of sacramentes wise men will not beleue it No man is christned one for another nor receyues the Communion one for another This doctrine comes from the Pope and fedde his chaplains fat whan they taught that it was sufficient to come and see the Pristes
yet so god blessed the Quenes maiestye that she not onelye delyuered vs but theym from their enemies handes what relese in France the poore oppressed haue had at her highnes handes the blynde sce all her louinge subiectes reioise though the enuious Papist murmure grudge God graunt her hyghnesse grace to be thankefull to gods maiestye who does so past all mannes expectacion prosper her doinges that he onelye maye haue the praise UUhat cause we haue to prayse god for restoring religioÌ„ through the Quenes trauaile all menne of god do see praise him for it thoughe blind papists be sory therfore UUhat â—ost her highnes hais susteined in restoringe vs a fine coine from so base wise men reioise though this malicious foole say we be in great pouerty Looke howe fewe taxes she hais taken to doe this withal and howe manye and howe great were leuied afore Howe was this Realme pesterd with straunge rulers straunge Goddes straunge languages straunge religion straunge coines and howe is it nowe peaceablye ridde of theym all to the greate glorye of God that hais wroughte so manye wonderful straunge greate thinges in so shorte a time in a weake vessell which he neuer did by anye her noble progenitors whiche haue bene so manye and so worthy Coulde anye be so blinde but that malyce hays bewytched to not see or not praise Godde for these worthye dedes â–ª I woulde haue wanted the suspicyon of flatterye in rehearsinge these thinges but that I would the vnthankful world shoulde see the disdainefull blinde malice of popery which can not say well by Gods good blessinges The foolishe lynking and clouting of y â— scriptures together which folowes declares what wit he hais They may be applied all against himselfe and such as he is rather than against the professors of Gods trueth what blasphemye is it to lay all kinde of wickednes on Gods worde what euil so euer raignes in the world it is to be imputed to man not to God to mans frailnes not to gods trueth and goodnes God and his holye worde punish and condemne al false doctrine and filthines therfore God wil confounde all suche filthye mouthes as blaspheme hym or his holye woorde to be the cause of anye kynde of naughtinesse All liberty is now vsed he sais where in dede iustyce was not better ministred these manye yeares euen as the wiser and indifferenter sorte of Papistes doe graunte Call to remembraunce howe sharplye buggerye coniuringe witchcraftes sorcery c. were punished wyth death by lawe in the Gospell tyme of blessed king Edw. Whan were these lawes repealed but in the late dayes of Popery than iudge whether there was greater liberty to sinne vnder the christian kinge or vnder supersticious poperye But the sodomiticall papistes thinke these to be no sinnes and therefore beastly doe misuse them selues defilinge theym selues bothe with spiritual and Sodomitical vncleanes whether is there more libertye gyuen to sin whan such sinnes be made deathe by order of lawe or whan the lawes apoint no punishment for theym Surelye thegospel is vniustly blamed in geuing carnal liberty popery rightfully condemned in taking away the pain opening a doore to al mischefe Who liues more licentiously than the pope himself w tout al feare of god good order gods law doing what he wil so be al his scholers folowing their owne fathers steps In these my sayinges I go not about to proue vs Aungels yet surely not suche deuilles as he woulde make vs but in comparison of them we be saintes therfore let vs both amend that God maye be mercifull to bothe and glorified in both And as thexamples in his beginninge were good if they had bene well applied so is his conclusion I wil conclude with him therefore in the ryght sense and meaninge of it saiynge with him Returne to the steppes of the good fathers the Prophets and Apostles framinge your selues to folowe their doctrine be not caried away with straunge and diuerse doctrine of Popes contrary to Gods holy worde and inuented of late by men Imbrace the religion and faith taught from the beginninge in christes Church from time to time continually Flee this new fangled Popish supersticion whiche hais crept into the Church of late yeares and beleue that onelye whiche Christ hais taught and his Appostles and Martirs haue confirmed and frame your liues accordingly or elles Goddes vengeaunce hanges ouer your heades ready sodenlye to fall vppon you and let this token of brenninge of Paules be an example and token of a greater plague to folowe except ye amend whiche god graunt vs al to doe Amen A Prayer MOste ryghteouse and wise iudge eternall god and merciful father which of thy secret iudgement haste suffered false Prophetes in al ages to rise for the trial of thine elect that the worlde might knowe who woulde stedfastly sticke vnto thy vndoubted and infallible trueth and who woulde be caried awaye with euerye vayne doctrine and yet by the might of thy holye spirite hais confounded theym all to thy great glorye and comfort of thy people haue mercy vpon vs we besech thee and strengthen oure weakenes against all assaultes of our enemies confounde all Popery as thou did the doctrine of the Pharises strengthen y â— louers of thy truth to the confusion of all supersticioÌ„ and hipocrisy giue vs due loue and reuerence of thy holye worde defende vs from mannes tradicions encrease oure fayth graunte vs grace neuer to fall from thee but vprightlye to walke accordynge as thou hais taught vs swaruing neyther to the right hand nor the life neyther adding nor taking any thinge awaye from thy writen worde but submitting oure selues hollye to thy good wil and pleasure may so passe this transitorye life that through thy goodnes we may lyue euerlastinglye wyth thee in thy glory through Christ our lord who with thee and the holye Ghoste lyues and reignes one god and our Sauiour for euer and euer Haue not I hated theym O Lorde that hate thee and euen â—ined awaye because of thine ennemies Psal. Cxxxix I will giue you a mouth and wisdome whiche all your enemies can not gainsaye and wythstande Luke xxi FINIS ¶ Here folowe also certaine questions propounded by him whiche are fullye althoughe shortly aunswered whiche is the catholycke Church SAint Augustine and S. Hieroâ— do saye The Church is a visible companye of people gathered of christ our lord and the Apostles and continued vnto this day by a perpetual succession liuing in one faith Apostolicall vnder Christe the heade and his vicar in earth being the pastor and high Byshop Out of this catholicke and apostolicall church is no trust of saluation Saint Augustine sais who so euer shalbe out of this church althoughe his lyfe be esteamed to be very good and laudable by this only faut that he is disioyned and seperated from the vnitye of Christ and his Church he can haue no lyfe but the wrath of God
sellinge feightinge and brawlinge although these be verye euill and worthie much rebuke yet there be worse abuses as blaspheming God in lyinge Sermons polluting the Temple with Schismaticall seruice destroying and pullyng downe holye aulters that were set vp by good blessed men there the sacryfice of the blessed Masse ministred according to the order of Christes catholycke Church Yea where the alter stode of the holy Ghost the new Bishops haue made a place to set their tales vpon and there sit in the iudgement of such as be Catholycke and liue in the feare of God Some they depriue from their liuinges some they commit to prison excepte they will forsake the Catholicke faith and embrase a faith and religion that hais no foundacion layde by generall Counseil nor blessed fathers in times past but inuented by Heretikes that do not agree one with another nor them selfes Thus the Bysshops that now be haue abused the Churche and polluted it as the Prophete Hiere sais they haue put offendicles in the house of God and polluted it Also the said Preacher in his Sermon at Paules Crosse didde declare the vertue of obedience to be muche decayed in these oure dayes but he leaues out who they be that cause disobedience For there is none more disobedient then the new Bisshops and Preachers now a dayes which disobey the vniuersall Church of Christ the which Churche whosoeuer will not obey our Sauiour in the Gospel commaundes vs to take them as infidels As where the vniuersall Churche of Christ commaundes Masse and seuen Sacramentes as necessary for our saluation they call it abhomination wyth their blasphemous mouthes where the Church commaundes to fast they commaunde to eate where the Churche commaundes continuall prayer of the Clergie they call it supersticion and blind ignoraunce where the Church commaundes the Clergie to liue in chastity they commaund and exhort the Clergie to mariage where the Churche and all lawes ciuill and canon yea the lawes of this Realme do prohibit mariage of Priestes they alow mariage of priestes obeying no law but folow their owne carnal lust Yea where the Quene hais geuen streyght commaundement to abstayne from flesh in Lent and other dayes commaunded by the Church these new Preachers and Protestantes haue eaten flesh openly to the great sclaunder of other so they obey neither the Quene nor the churche so that almighty God complaines by his Prophete Esai tota die blasphematur nomen meum with these menne God is continually blasphemed wo be to you sais Esai that call good euill and euill good putting darkenes light and light darkenes as by Ezechiell sais almighty God the Priestes haue contemned my law and haue polluted my Sanctuarie Also O see the Prophete does saye the bread that they doe offer is full of mourning â–ª and all that cat ther of shalbe defiled We maye see how they contemne all that blessed fathers holye Martirs and Saintes haue decreed they disobey all that haue bene vertuous and good in Christes catholick church As now of late they haue inuented a new way to make Byshops Priestes and a mannor of seruice and ministracion that Saint Augustine neuer knew Saint Edmund Lanfranc Saint Anselme nor neuer one Byshop of Canturburie sauinge onelye Crammer who forsoke his profession as Apostata so that they muste nedes condemne al the Byshops in Canturbury but Crammer and he that now is al the Bishops in yorke sauinge Holgate and he that nowe is although Saint wilâ—â—â—d Saint willyam haue bene taken for saintes and were bishops in yorke In Couâ—ntree and Lichfelde Saint Chad was Bisshop and many blessed Bishoppes And he that is Bishop now can find not any one that was made as he is nor of his religion Therefore he muste proue al Byshoppes of Lichfelde were deceyued walked in biyndnes and ignoraunce or els he that now is must needs be deceiued and be in blindnes In Duresine haue bene manye good fathers but he that is now Bishop can not find any one Predecessor in that see that was of hys religyon and made Byshop after such fort as he was so that he that now is must take in hand to condemne all the Byshops afore him that they were in ignoraunce and blindnes or els they will come to his condemnation at the daye of iudgement And this in all Bishoprickes in England some can find one and some none that euer was of their religion What arrogancy maye be thought in those men that will take in hand to contemne so many blessed fathers all to be in blindnesse But nowe they saye they haue founde a lyght and reforme religyon according to the primitiue Church Then seing they reforme religion so well as they saye it were meete as they forsake all the religion that their predecessors vsed as Masse Mattins ministracion of sacraments that they should also forsake houses â—arkes landes and reuenues that their predecessors had and go from place to place for Gods sake and preach and thâ—n were some liklyhode of reformation or els it may be called rather a deformation then a reformation In Christes Church hais euer bene a succession of Bishops from the Apostles time to this day in euery see And Tertullian saies if in any see there be a Byshop that walkes not in his fathers steps he is to be counted a bastard and no true inheritor in Chrystes Churche Saint Cypryan does say they that be made Byshops out of the order of the Church and not by tradition and ordinance of the Apostles coming by succession from time to time are not Byshops by the will of god â—ut theues and murtherers comming to kill the flocke of Christ with heresie and lies And where the saide Preacher does affirme greater matters then the brinning of Paules to haue chaunced in time of supersticion and ignoraunce as the Church of Paules was â—rent in the first yeare of Steuen and the Steple of Paules set on fire by lyghtninge in the tyme of kinge Henrie the vi they that count that to be the time of supersticion and ignoraunce when God was serued deuoutly night and day the people liued in the feare of god euery one in his vocation without reasoning contencion of matters of religion but referred all suche thinges to learned men in generall counsailes and vniuersities there to be disputed then was the commaundementes of God and vertue expressed in liuinge now all is in talke and nothinge in liuinge then was prayer now is prating then was vertue and now is vice then was buildinge vp of Churches houses of religion and hospitals where prayer was had night and day hospitalitye kept and the poore relieued now is pulling downe and destroying such houses where God should be serued hospitalitie kept and the poore releiued by meanes wherof Gods glory is destroyed and the commen welth impouerished then was plenty of all thinges now is scarcenesse of all thinges therfore Operibus credite the frute will shew
whether then was supersticion and ignoraunce or nowe in these dayes Forther where the true word of god is taught the holy ghost does so worke there with that vertue does encrease but as the Prophet sais sicut populus ita Sacerdos as the people be so God sendes them Priestes Apprehenderunt mendacium nolueruÌ„t reuerti the people haue apprehended a lye and will not come backe but trust in liyng Sermons whiche wil not profet them as almighty God says by his Prophet Hiere thinkinge they haue done wel because they haue done these abhominations says God by his Prophet Hieremi so as the Priestes be so be the people blynded in herisie as God sais by his Prophet Esai that their hartes do not vnderstande their eyes do not see their eares be stopped for hearinge the trueth so that this maye well be called the time of supersticion and ignoraunce calling darknes light and light darknes that whiche is euill good and good euill And for the brinning of Paules Church which he speakes of was in time of ciuil warre and not destroyed by thandes of God as it was at this time Whosoeuer reades the Chronicles shal perceyue that and this be not lyke Therfore beware of false Prophetes and Preachers which come with faire wordes in their mouthes of the Gospel but marke the frutes that comes of their preachinge howe they haue set the people in such case that no prayer is vsed no fasting litle almes dedes all liberty vsed What disobedience children be in against their parentes howe vntrusty seruauntes be what swearinge and blaspheming of God is vsed of all people what theft whoredome crafte subtiltye and deceipt these be frutes that come of this newe fanglet doctrine Therefore retourne backe againe to the steppes of good fathers afore vs be not caried away as S. Paule sais with a straunge and diuerse doctrine embrace the religion and faith taught in Christes Churche from time to time continually and frame your liuing accordingly or els Gods vengeance hanges ouer your heades readye sodenly to fall vpon you so sais the Scripture and let this token of brinninge of Paules be an example and token of a greater plage to folow excepte ye amende A CONFVTACION OF AN ADdicion vvyth an Appologye vvritten and east in the stretes of VVest Chester agaynst the causes of burnyug Paules Church in London vvhych causes the reuerend Byshop of Duresme declared at Paules Crosse â— Iunij 1561. OUr Sauiour Christ whan the Deuill spake the truth plainly did not confute or gayne saye it but whan he did it frowardly Christ rebuked hym sharpelye As whan the deuill said Iesus of Nazareth what haue we to do with thee art thou comen to destroy vs I knowe that thou art the holy one of god He did not refuse nor denye that truth which he spake but whan the deuill tempted him to throw himself down from the Pinacle of the Temple be rebuked him quickly bicause he alledged y e true scripture maliciously So it is not sufficient to do a good dede barely or speake the trueth only except it be done rightly with such circumstances as be necessarily required to make it good as that it be from the hart and for Goddes cause willingly c. In like maner where this scauenger sweping the stretes with his bookes as a fitteÌ„ brome and officer therto hais spoken the truth not trulye bicause it is for an euil purpose and frowardly I shal passe ouer it with silence but where he followes his maister the father of lies in falsifiyng the trueth or racking the Scripture subtilly I shal by gods grace let the world see his iugling and by truth trulye vttered disclose his shameles lyinge The firste examples that he bringes declaring how god does iustlye plague the obstinate sinners that will not repent after manye warninges giuen are true all but being alledged to bring vs backe to Poperye and for another purpose then God oure Lorde hais taught them they be craftelye misused and ye see whose fotesteppes be folowed And as he vses theym to perswade vs to supersticion so they maye and ought to be vsed specially for maintainynge true religion The Rhetoricians teach that suche kinde of beginninges as maye be applied to two contrary partes are fauty Therefore seinge I maye vse the selfe same reasons and woordes that he haâ—s from the beginning hitherto to train vs to loue and embrase oure godlye refourmed religion he can not muche crake of his wyselye placed examples or reasons But I wyll not stycke wyth hym in suche small poyntes as these although they be fautes but I wil ioine with him in matters of weight and those thefe pointes of religion whiche he hais touched and we differ from him and hys sort in them Committinge the rule and gouernement of hys Church to the Byshops c. THe first is concerning thautority and gouernment geuen to Bishops ouer Gods Church wherin his wordes are not so vntrue as they conteyne a false doctryne and meaning in them Yf ye thinke that I to boldly enter to iudge his meaning confer these wordes with such as folowe in his owne writing wherin vntruly he claimes those priuileges to his Bishops whiche neyther he nor they are able to iustifie and there at large ye shall easlye perceiue what he meanes by these fewe woordes here But I will followe him where awaye he leades me and because he does here but briefly touche it I shall likewise shortly passe ouer it and more throughly search it where he does more at large presse it In the beginninge of their late reuyued tyrannye and afore they had obtained their long desired autoritie to ragne ouer Kinges and Princes it was my chaunce to talke with one of their stoutest Champions and of those that he calles the godly Bishops in prison Among sundry thinges that were to be redressed in talke as he thoughte he toke this selfe same matter first and said it was not fitte for any temporal officer to sit as iudge on any Priest or spiritual manne specially in any spirituall matter For the same cause began Tho. Beket to rebell against his Prince not sufferinge his Priestes to be punyshed for their murthers roberyes and now like good childer they followe his steppes I asked whye for the lawes were then as they be nowe and both verye well that Iustyces in their Sessyons and Assises might and shoulde enquire who than offended the ciuill lawes and the order of religion establyshed whether he were Priest or other he aunswered that in the xx of the Actes of Thappostles it was plaine that God had set the Bishops to gouerne the Churche I saide that was another kind of gouernment that Saint Paule there grauntes to Byshops and differs from that which kinges or Princes claime and ought to haue No sais he marke the woordes and it is ad regendum Ecclesiam regere regum est therefore Byshops haue
autoritie to rule as kynges No said I if ye wil be iudged by the worde the Greke worde must be iudge in this case For in Greke it was first written and spoken there wil appeare an other kind of gouernement far diuers from that whyche belonges to Princes the Greke worde in that place is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which signifies to fede as the sheperde fedes his sheepe and yet not without all gouernment or autority but only such a simple kinde of rule and autoritye as shepeherdes haue ouer their flocke If ye wil conferre one place of the scripture with another where this word is red or found which is the best kinde of interpretinge the Scripture rightlye as S. Austin teaches and see what kind of gouernment it signifies there than this place shall more easely be vnderstand Fede the flocke that is among you sais Saint Peter Fede my shepe sais our sauiour Christ to Peter Where in other like places also the same Greke worde that is commenly translated in the Actes regere to rule is put and signifies as ye â—s to feede The same word is aplied also to our sauiour Christ in the Gospel where is declared plainly what kind of autority it signifies Thou Bethleem in the land of Iuda thou art not the lest of the Prynces of Iuda for oute of thee shal there come to mee a Prynce that shall rule or feede my people Israel Also I am the good shepeherd sais Chryste where likewise is the same Greke word placed Than if Christ our Lorde had any temporall iurisdiction or these other places vsing the same Greke worde conteine any such thing they might haue some appearaunce to clame their vsurped autority elles it is not probable to giue the same word in that place alone that meaning contrarye to so manye other places hauing the selfe same word Nay further to say did not our Lord and Maister Iesus Christ refuse this wordlye autoritye himselfe when it was offered vnto him and the one brother desired hym to deuide the enheritaunce betwixt hym and his other brother he would not but said who apointed me a deuider betwixt you as though he shoulde saye It is not my callinge nor belonges to me his kyngdome was not of this worlde but he came to teache his fathers will likewise he taught his Appostles not to chalenge this superiority sayinge the Princes of the people haue rule ouer theym but it shall not be so amonge you but he that woulde be the greatest shalbe the least that they might folow his steppes truly But the manyfest place where the proper signification of this word appeares is in Paule Where he reckens what officers God hais set in his Church and sais Firste he sette some Apostles other Prophetes some Euangelystes other shepeherdes and teachers These shepeherdes whiche are noted there by the same word that they clayme their autority by are placed by S. Paul almost the lowest officers in Goddes Church than much more they can not haue the highest rowme in the common welth and Churche both I knowe the Greke Poetes attribute this word to kynges but I trust they build not on heathen mennes writinges and yet that name there is geuen theym for their fatherlye loue towarde their Subiectes rather then their royall autority But compare them with shepeherdes that keepe oure sheepe in dede of whom they haue their name and easely their nature property office and autority shalbe spied Gods people are cald oft in the Scripture sheepe as we thy people the shepe of thy pasture will praise thee and their teachers are called shepeherdes because the one should in liuyng followe the simplicitye and obedience of shepe and the other the carefull paines and diligence of shepeherdes in fedynge healynge releuinge guydynge correctynge c. Looke than what temporall autoritye the sheepeherde hais ouer his sheepe and the same spirituall power haue the Byshoppes ouer the Churche The good shepeherde will not lette hys shepe feede in hurtful and roating pastures but wil remoue them to good feding grouÌ„des No more wil Gods good shepeherbes let Gods people and his brethren be poisoned wyth false doctrines but by his autority roote out and confute them The true shepeherd if he see the wolfe or foxe come to deuoure the flocke he will watche and defende the folde so shoulde the good Bishop by his office The good shepeherde will saue the scabbed sheepe bring home the stray and fede the weaks and hungry so wil the good Byshop according to his duty The good shepeherde if his shepe be vnrulye wil set his dogge to pul him downe and tame him yf any can not be healed he will cutte it of and kil it for infecting the rest so wil Gods good Byshop with the threatninges of Gods vengeaunce pul downe the vnbridled stomaches of the people make them to tremble and quake at Gods iudgementes and if anye can not be reclaymed he wil cut him of by excomunication seperate hym from the felowshyp of gods people not suffer him to communicate the Lordes Supper whyche is the bande of brotherly loue and forbidde all good folke his company y â— through suche shame he may be brought to knowledge his faut amend that he may ioifully be receaued as a brother in the companye and felowship of Gods people agayne and communicate with them in prayer doctrine discipline and sacramentes as afore In these pointes the autoritye of Byshops is so great that it extendes to Prince pope prelate none is exempt but as they be subiect to Gods word sacraments and doctrine so must they obey Gods true minister and discipline As for example the good Byshop Ambrose dyd sharplye correct and excommunicate the Emperour Theodosius for a rashe murther done by his commaundement and whether he is more praise worthye that would or durst rebuke and excommunicate so mightye a Prince or the good Emperor that willingly submitted him self and obeyed his correction it may be doubted the power and autority than of Bishoppes is spirituall belonginge to mans soule as their office and ministery is and it standes cheiflye in these twoo pointes in doctrine and disciplyne As the temporall officer in the comen welth hais not the swearde committed to hym in vaine but to defend the good and punishe the euill to smite the ennemy and saue the subiect to prison the frowarde and loose the giltles so hais gods minister in his Church full power and autority to teache sound doctrine and confut the false to beate downe hawty mindes and raise the weake to bind loose the conscience by vertue of Gods worde to throw into hell the obstinate or lift into heauen the penitent to cast out of Gods Church and receiue agayne suche as he rightlye iudges by the Scriptures mete for mercy or iustice And as Saint Peter calles Christ our lord the shepeherd and Bishop of oure soules so those Bishops that folow
necessary to be obserued continually in the churche The cheife reason whereon they ground it is the saiynge of Saint Iames. If any be sicke let him call the elders of the congregacion and let them pray for him annointinge him with oyle in the name of the lord c. The other place of saint Marke where the Apostles vsed oile in healing the sicke thoughe they allege it it proues not their purpose euen as their owne Doctours teache Than was a time of miracles and God gaue that power of healynge diseases to confirme his gospell withall now it is not lawfull to looke for suche miracles If they wey the wordes of Saint Iames well they wil not so much glory in that their sacrament Saint Iames biddes theym annoint hym wyth oyle I aske them with what oyle I meane not whether with oile Oliue or lampe oile or other kinde of oile althoughe that question can not be aunswered out of the text of the scripture yet according to the general rule I graunt that where oile alone is named there is ment oile oliue but whither it be halowed consecrate oile or commen and vnhalowed I trust they will not saye vnhalowed for than their holy sacrament should stand on an vnhalowed thinge which is a great inconuenience than if it muste be consecrated I aske with what wordes and after what sort must it be done there is no wordes of consecration for the oile in Saint Iames nor in anye place of the Scripture If there be let them shew them but their owne Doctours say that there is none Than it must be halowed with woordes of their owne deuisinge why than folowes it consequently that man is better than God which is blasphemy to graunt It is a greater might and power to make a holy thinge than to make the vnholy and bare thinge it selfe as the baker makes the bread but Christes holy ordinaunce sanctifies the breade in his holye supper but in thys their sacrament God shoulde make the oile and the Byshoppe shoulde make it holye And because they stycke so stiflye that all consecrations stand in speakinge certayne woordes I aske what those wordes be where they be taught in the Scriptures and whether manne haue power of hys owne head to make a thinge holyer than God haies done and to deuise the woordes himselfe also wherewith it shalbe consecrated and made so holye the Scripture hays no suche wordes and that manne shoulde deuyse those holye wordes is great absurditie Whan these are aunswered â–ª more maye be replyed against them Againe I demaund what Scripture they haue to proue that Byshoppes onelye must halow this oile for those that be sacramentes in dede as Baptisme and the L. supper euerye Priest hais autoritye to vse minister and consecrate them accordynge to their holye institutyon and dooe all that belonges thereto as well as the Byshoppe Is this they Sacramente of an oylinge more holy than the other because Byshoppes aâ— more holye menne are put to the doing and consecratynge of the oile Yet one doubte more They haue ii sortes of Oile to annoint withall differinge in holynesse consecration and vse of them and yet both halowed by the bisshoppe One is of Oyle and Balsam blend together whiche is called commenlye oile and Chreame wherewyth Byshoppes and Priestes in their consecratinge and Children are anointed in Christenynge and that is more holy than thys for sycke persons is for this is Oyle alone withoute other thinges blend thereto as their maister teaches What scripture is there for these toies and the consecratinge of them Saynct Paule sais that our meate is sanctified by the word and prayer but I trust they will graunt a better consecration than this and more holines in that oile than in our daily meate But howe wil they proue it Further euery sacrament hais a promise anexed of god working some spiritual grace by theÌ„ in the receyuer bere is none such but S. Iam. sais the faithful prayer shal heale the sicke man The promyse here named is corporall bodily health and is attributed to praier and not to their sacrament Than as the promise is corporall so was this Oyle a corporall medicyne and Salue for diseased bodies althoughe I doubte not but than by such godly prayers and exhortacions god wrought a spirituall grace inwardly Nothinge was more commenly vsed for weake and wearye bodies than oile in all those countries and nothinge does more ease the paines of the sicke bodye than these supplinge oiles therefore partlye for the custome of the Countrye partly for the holsome strength and medicinable nature of oile and partly for an outwarde signe of an inward grace wrought by God while that gift of healinge diseases did continue in Christes Churche Saint Iames biddes them call the elders anoint him with oile in the name of the lorde and the faithful prayer shall heale the sycke person but what does that belonge or howe is it to bee applied to oure dayes where no suche gift is I woulde faine make an ende of their foolishnesse if it had any ende Their owne Doctors teache further that this annointing takes not away mortall sinne but venial onelye and that it must not be vsed as longe as there is hope of life in the sicke person than by their own doctrine it is not so holye a Sacrament nor a Sacrament at all Their opinion holdes that Sacramentes doe both gene grace and forgeue sin and should be geuen onelye to theym that haue vse of reason to repent for their sinnes and call on God for his mercye beynge not children but comen to full age this does not so nor is so vsed by their owne doctrine and therefore no sacramente The Popes holy water is as good or better as this their sacrament by this doctrine for he sais that his coniured water canne forgeue veniall sinne and driue away deuils to Than after their owne teachinge this their sacrament is not so good as the Popes holye water for it can driue away deuils beside forgeuinge veniall sinne whiche this oylinge can not But thus to teache is to blaspheme God in makinge Goddes Sacramentes woorse than the Popes dregges To conclude thautority and auncienty of this their sacrament from whence it comes and what it is Polychroni teaches lib. v. Ca. v. that Pope Felir iiii Graundsir to Pope Gregories father marke whether he was maried or no ordeined the sycke to be anointed with oile If ye loke for greater autours Uolaterram teaches the same but I had rather proue it by their own doctours because they call other newe felowes thaÌ„ christ taught it not Forther where he charges vs with declynynge from the steppes of blessed fathers whiâ—he ordeyned in Paules mattins to be had at midnight all forenoone Masses and in the steple antems these thinges we do not onely not deny for we do not count suche supersticious Idolaters to be oure fathers in religion but we reioise and praise God for our
not ministred euery where after one sort but are handled in dyuerse places after diuers sortes Truly if they were ministred after one sorte and agreinglye through the whole church it were good and laudable notwithstanding because there be manye diuersities which differ not in the summe of the sacrament nor in the strength of it or in the faith nor all can be gathered into one custome I thinke that they are rather to be borne with agrement in peace than to be condemned with offence For we haue this from the holy fathers that if the vnytye of charity be kept in the catholike faith the diuerse custome hurtes nothing If it be demaunded wherof these diuersities of customes do springe I perceiue nothinge elles than the diuersities of wittes which althoughe they dyffer not in the strength and truth of the thing yet they agree not in the fitnesse and comelines of the mynistring For that which one iudges to â—e meter oftentimes other think it lesse mete And not to agre in suche diuersities I think it not mete to swarue from the truth of the thinge Also where the said Preacher does recite certain abuses of the said Church as talkinge biynge and sellinge feightinge and brawlinge although these be verye euill and worthie muche rebuke yet there be worse abuses as blaspheming God in lyinge Sermons pollutinge the Temple with Schismaticall seruice destroyinge and puâ—lynge downe holye aulters that were set vp by good blessed men there the sacryfice of the blessed masse ministred according to the order of Christes catholycke Churche yea where the alter of the holye Ghost stoode the newe Bisshoppes haue sette their tales vppon and theyr sit in iudgement of suche as be Catholycke and liue in the feare of God Some they depriue from their liuinges some they commit to prison excepte they wil forsake the Catholicke faith and embrase a fayth and religion that hais no foundacion layd by generall Counseil nor blessed fathers in times past but inuented by Heretikes that do not agre one with another nor them selues We both doe agree the Churche of Paules to be abused and therfore iustly plaged God graunt that hencefoorth it may be amended that worse doe not folowe Whan Iosue had conquered Ierico so maruaâ—â—ouslye with cariynge the arcke of God about it the priestes blowing their trumpettes and the people showâ—ing by the might of God rather house Goddes house must be a house of prayer and not the proud towre of Babilon nor the Popes market place nor a stewes for bawdes and Ruffians nor a horse faire for brokers no nor yet a burse for marchauntes nor a metinge place for walkinge and talkynge If a conuenient place to mete for honest assembles can not be founde nor had conuenientlye other where a particion might be had to close vppe and shit the praters from prayers the walkers and ianglers from well disposed persones that they should not trouble the deuout hearers of Gods worde so that the one should not heare nor see the other God hais once againe wyth the trumpet of his worde and the gladde receiuinge of the people throwen downe the walles of Iericho and the Popes bulwarke there by his owne might without the power of manne if man woulde so consider it and feare the Lorde No place hais bene more abused than Pauls hais bene nor more against the receyuing of Christes Gospell Wherfore it is more maruaile that God spared it so longe rather than that hee ouerthrewe it nowe From the toppe of the steple downe within the grounde no place hais bene free from the toppe of the spire at Câ—ronations or other solemne triumphes some for vâ—in glory vsed to throw themselues downe by a rope and so killed themselues vainly to please other mens eyes At the Battlementes of the steple sundrye times were vsed their Popishe antâ—ms to call vpon their Goddes with torch taper in the Euenings In the top of one of the pinacles is lollers towre where manye an innocent soule hais bene by theym cruellye tormented and murthered In the middest alley was their longe Censer reachinge from y â— roâ—e to the ground as though the holy Ghost came in their cenâ—ing down in liknes of a Doue On y â— arches though coÌ„menly men complaine of wrong and decayed iudgemente in Ecclesiasticall causes yet because I wyll not iudge by here saye I passe ouer it sauinge onely for such as haue bene condemned there by Annas Caiphas for christes cause as innocently as any Christians coulde be For their images hanged on euery walle piller and doore with their pilgrimages and worshippinge of them I will not stand to rehearse them because they can not be vnknowen to all men that haue seene Lonâ—on or hearde of them Their massing and many altars wyth the rest of their Popyshe seruyce which he so much ertolles I passe ouer because I aunswered them afore The south alley for vsurye and Poperye the north for Simony and the Horse faire in the middest for all kind of bargains metinges brawlinges murthers conspiracies and the font for ordinary paimentes of money are so well knowen to all menne as the begger knowes his dishe The Popishe clergy began and mayntained these and Godles worldlinges defende theym where the poore protestant lamentes and would amend them Iudas chappell vnder the ground with Thapostles masse so early in the morninge was counted by report as fit a place to worke a feat in as the stewes or tauerne So that without and within aboue the grounde and vnder ouer the roofe and beneath on the toppe of the steple and spire downe to the lowe flore not one spot was free from wyckednes as the said Byshop did than in his Sermon declare so that we should praise God for his mercy in sparinge it so longe and nowe tremble at his fearful iudgement in iustly reuenging such filthines god for his mercy sake graunt it may now be amended Secondlye where it pleases hym to tearme this Churche seruice nowe vsed schismaticall it is as true as afore whaÌ„ he saide that no auncient recorde made mention of anye suche afâ—re xl yeares past Why doocâ—ye call it a schismaticall Because it differs from the Popes pertuâ—s That it differs we deny not but reioyce and prayse God for it but if it agree with the holye Scriptures and the auncient fathers as I haue proued afore than be ye schismatickes in swaruinge from them and not we In one Morning and Eueninge prayer we agree with the olde prayers of Salomons temple as I proued afore In Baptisme we folowe Christ Iesus hys â–ª Appâ—stles Austin and Paulme whome Pope Gregory sente into England in the chiefe pointes whiche al christened â–ª 〈◊〉 â—â—â—oniured water without salt spit 〈…〉 oyle and chrisme c. In the Lordes supper we receiue together as S. Paule commaunded and â—â—pe Gelasius teaches either to receiue â—â—the partes or to refraine from both for â–ª it is sacrilegs to â—euide theym De
liuings liue more welthily and at ease than euer they didde afore or the Protestantes doe in their liberty nowe Marke howe like them selues they be and agreing with themselues As long as kinge Henry liued and all the time of blessed kinge Edwarde they taught they preached they subscribed they sware and beleued all thys that they now deny As oft as they had anye liuinge in anye College of the vniuersities as oft as they tooke degree in the scholes as oft as they tooke any benefice and whan they were made Priests or Byshoppes so ofte they sweare and forsweare all that nowe they denye Periurye in other menne is punished with bearinge papers losse of their eares and other worldlye shame but these menne abusinge the gentilnes of the Prince beyng thus oft forsworne are counted holye in the worlde The Papistes in their religyous monsters haue â—o kind of munkes Freers Chanons Nunnes differing in their coates than anye people haue some be white some blacke some graye differinge in their shoes some hauinge whole some halfe some nothinge but sooles vnder the foote differinge in shauinge their heades some more some lesse differing in meates some eatinge fish only some flesh and fishe at their dayes and times appointed differinge in places for some neuer go abroade but are kept stil with in the compasse of the house some walk abroode at their pleasure and some locked vp in stone walles diffring in their seruice for euery order had his diuerse order of masse and Mattins in manye pointes differinge in their Saintes or rather their Goddes whose names they beare whom they worshippe and stryuinge which of them shoulde be the holiest Some holde of Francis some of Benet some of Dominic some of Brigitte and others of other as they lust to deuise In their schole menne is founde more diuersity of opinions than among any sort of Philosophers Some hold of Thomas some of Dominus some of Albertus some of other as they like for there be so manye that almost they can not be reckened Which thinges being all considered and knowen of all men to be true except they be wilfully blind howe can they saye that they agree in one vnitye of the trueth Pilate and Herode agreed to crucifie christ so these in mischeues agree to set vp supersticion but in their priuate opinions none are more contrary and diuers In their pilgrimages pardons reliques fastinges what diuersities and striuing whiche shoulde be the greatest Amonge so manye Ladies and Roodes what striuinge in euery countrye which shoulde be the holiest and worke most miracles Amonge pardons Boston beare the name and yet other would compare among reliques the bloud of Hales passed other vnto their iugling was knowen Fastinges were mo than I know Some vsed Saint Rinians some oure ladies some the golden Fridayes some euerye Wednesdaye some halfe Lent some whole some with fishe only other as they luste What reason is it that they whyche fasted oure Ladyes faste some fastinge to bread water ended it in iii. yeares space other in eatynge fishe had vii and why shoulde they folowe the Ladye daye in lent more than other Ladie dayes and why yearelye doe they chaunge theyr daye c. Whan these and such other their doinges are proued to agree in one and good reason shewed for their doynges they maye better charge other menne wyth disagreinge but they maye thynke it shame to burthen other wyth that wherein they be most gilty themselues There is none more disobedient then the newe Byshops and Preachers now a dayes whyche disoveye the vniuersall church of Christ the whych Church who so euer wyll not obey oure sauyour in the Gospell commaundes vs to take theym as infydelles As where the vniuersall Churche of Chryst commaundes Masse and senen Sacramentes as necessary for our saluacion they call it abhomination with their blasphemous mouthes Where the â–ª Churche commaundes to faste they commaund to eat Where the Church coÌ„maunds coutynual prayer of the Clergy they cal it superslicyon blynd ignorance where the Church commaundes the clergie to liue in chastitye they commaunde and exhort the Clergy to mariage where the Churche and all lawes ciuyll and canon yea the lawes of the Realme do prohibit maryage of Pryestes they alowe maryage of Pryestes â—beyinge no lawe but folowe their owne carnall lustes Yea where the Queene hays geuen strayte commaundement to abstayne from fleshe in Lent and other dayes commaunded by the Churchâ— the newe Preachers and Protestants haue eaten flesh openly to the great sclaunder of other O God howe manye lyes in so fewe lynes The vnyuersall Churche of Chryste agrees in the necessarye Artycles of oure Saluation but in certayne outwarde orders and Ceremonies euerye Countrie differs from other wythout anye dyshonoure to Godde I declared afore how we agree with the vniuersall churche and confesse the necessarye Christian articles of our fayth religion saluation better than they also I touched some diuersities of out warde orders in the Churche whereof many or all were tollerable and nowe by occasion of these matters mynistred by him I shall touche some moe He layes to our charge that we disobey the vniuersall churche if he meane in those thinges which afterwarde folow I am content to trie with him Where vnder y â— name of masse he vnderstands the Romish latin masse it appeares afore how many sundry good sortes of ministring the Lordes supper be in other countries at this day and haue bene of olde time Therefore he makes a loude lie in sayinge or thinking that who so euer disagrees from their Popish masse disobeies the vniuersal Church for the most part of Christendome neyther does at this daye nor at any time hais vsed it In the substaunce and doctrine of the holye Communion we agree with the scripture and the catholicke Church though we differ in some peice of the outwarde order of it from other countries but we prosesse an open disagreeinge from the Romish sinagoge both in the order and substaunce thereof The Churche of God accordinge to the scriptures does professe and beleue that all faythfull Christians worthely coming to the lordes table receiue by faith in those holy misteries the body and bloude of Christ whiche was giuen broken and shed for the sinnes of the whole world this we teache beleue and folow aud exhort all men often to prepare them selues worthelie thus to receiue The Popish Synagoge contrary to Saint Paule teach practise beleue and persecute with fire and fagot all gainsayers that in the sacrifice of their bread and wine the creatures be chaÌ„ged from their natural substaunce and are made a God to be worshipt whan they lifte it ouer their heades hange it in a corde ouer the Altar or carye it aboute the fieldes and if the people will bie trentals or masses of it at their handes they can swepe purgatory cleane and make soules flie to heauen as thicke as duste These haue no ground woorke on Goddes
worde and therfore we can not beleue theym For we read that Christ tooke the substance of his fleshe of the virgin Mary but neuer of breade Onelye the Romishe prelates haue made this marchaundise put in that article taught this doctrine and beleue this contrarie to the whole churche of Christ beside theymselues Than it is they that disobey the Churche and not wee I spake sufficientlye for theyr masse and Sacramentes afore yet for their sacramentes nowe a litle more He sais here that there be vii Sacramentes necessarye to saluation and yet wythin fewe wordes folowinge he denyes maryage to Priestes and that is as much to saye as eyther that mariage is no Sacrament or that Priestes shall not be saued There is but one waye of saluation for al men than Priests must eyther be saued that way or els condemned But it is to foolyshe to saye that anye manne shall be condemned except he be maried Shall none be saued but maried folkes whan he lookes at him selfe beinge vnmaried and yet not so chaste he will saye naye Than vii sacramentes are not necessarye for saluation to euerye man for many haue bene saued without manye of theym as mariage extreme vnction order of Priesthode shriuinge Byshoppinge and the Lordes supper Who is so ignoraunt but he knowes that many children neuer yea and olde folke to neuer receiued all those his Sacramentes whiche God forbidde should all be condemned No learninge can beare this saiynge to be true that there be vii sacramentes necessarye to saluation therfore by this iudge the rest of his sayinges And least he shoulde thinke the generall order of the Churche to be thus thoughe manye particulars neuer receiue theym yet in searching he shal find that tobe vntrue to Socrat. lib. v. cap. xix Sozo lib. vii ca. xvi in their Ecclesiasticall histories wryte teach that shriuing to a Priest was not cōmaunded by god but inuented by man and therfore whan they see it abused they toke it awaye and vsed it not any more In y e time of Theodosius Themperor iiii c. yere after Christ and Nectarius being Byshop of Constantinople as they write there a Diacone of the churche get a Gentel woman wyth chylde in the Churche that came to be shreuen while she was there doing the appointed penaunce by her ghostlye father The hole churche was so offended at it that not onlye there but manye other Bishoppes beside in their churches left of afterwarde that order of shriuing and lefte euerye manne free to the examination of his owne conscience for his sinnes There hays bene nothynge more profytable to the Pope than thys care shriuinge hais besyde manye suche lyke fylthynesse done by it as thys Diacon didde for no time was fitter to woe or worke their feate in wythoute suspicion than shriuing time No prince coulde enterprise or purpose anye great thing but his confessour wold by some meanes learne it vnder confession and declare it to the Pope or his chaplains Eliseus by the spirit of God neuer told more secret thinges what the kinge of Siria did in his priuy chamber than the Pope coulde learne by these his confessours the secret pourposes of all Princes Than if confession might be taken away as here appeares it was it is not so necessary to saluacion nor the vniuersall Churche hais vsed it euer as he sais nor we disobey not the Churche in leauinge it of seing so many holy men haue done it afore vs. Ioan Dominus writing on the. iiii booke of the sentences distinc xvii and serching out where this their sacrament shoulde be bilded writes thus If we saye it is grounded on the saying of Saint Iames confesse you one to an other manye inconueniences wil folow for so euerye man might heare an others confession howe should Saint Iames Byshop of Ierusalem commaund Peter the highest and the Romyshe Church If it be grounded on Saint Ihons sayinge whose sinnes ye doe forgeue they are forgeuen yet there is no mention to do it in his eare If that will not serue than saye that it comes from Thapostles yf that serue not because y ◠Grecians vse it not than saye it comes from Ro. as does the Cōmunion in vnleuend bread thus ye see what harde shiftes they are driuen to in triynge out the autoritye and auncientye of this their sacrament and howe small it is whan it comes to profe But if ye wil iudiffrently iudge whether the newe Bishops or the olde obeye their Prince and Goddes Church better read the othe of them both and than iudge The Pope firste deuised an othe for hys Byshoppes to sweare at their creation and whan that was not thought straite inoughe he deuysed this afterwarde I N. Byshoppe of N. from this houre forwarde shalbe true to Saint Peter and the holye Romishe Churche and to my Lorde Pope N. and to his successours entrynge canonicallye I shall not be in counsell consent nor at dede that he may loose his life or that anye member maye be taken from him by deceyte or violent handes layde on him or wrong done to him by anye meanes That counsell that shall be declared to me by him selfe letters or messengers I shall not disclose to anye manne wittingly to his harme I shall helpe to defende the Popedome of the Romishe churche and the rules of holy fathers and the rialtes of Saint Peter againste all menne sauinge my order I shall not be at anye councell or dede where anye euil is deuised against the honour and power of them but to my power I shal stoppe it and so shortly as I can signify it to our lorde Pope or some other that will tell it his holiner Hereticks schismatickes and rebelles to oure lorde Pope to my power I shal pursue c. Loke how well our holy prelates kepe their othe to the Pope deny it to their lawful Prince The othe of the newe Byshoppes is in print in Englyshe and so knowen of al that lust to learn that I nede not to write it and although the Popishe prelates refuse to take that othe because it makes the Prince the chyefe gouernonr ouer them whiche they can not abide herafter in his proper place where he falles into that question I shal entreat of it Secondly where he charges vs that where the Churche commaundes to faste we commaunde to eate and haue eaten fleshe in Lente and other forbidden dayes we speake plaine Englyshe and saye he lies Under the name of the Churche he euer vnderstandes Rome yea and not whan it continued in anye pure religion but euen in these latter dayes whan it is euer whelmed wyth infinite supersticious Fasting dayes be appointed commenlye by euerye particular churche and countrye rather than by the uniuersall Churche but yf anye kynde of fasting be generall I say they breake that order rather than we Ambro writes on the. xvii cha of Luc. that for the space of l. dayes betwixt Easter and
Timothe and Titus to appointe mynisters and Byshops in euery towne how ferre differs it from the Popes oiled shauelinges Act. i. Peter calles the disciples together preaches vnto them they fall to prayer and those Matthias in stede of Iudas In the vi of the act the Apostles assemble y e people declare to them how they themselfes shuld folow preaching willes them therfore to pike out men of honestye and godlinesse to serue the poore they praye together laye their handes on them and made theim Diacons to prouide for the pore In sending forth Paule and Barnabas whan they were assembled to their ministery they fasted prayed laid their hands on them and send them forth In the. viiii Paule and Barnabas ordeyned in euery churche ministers requirynge the consent of the people by holdynge vppe their handes as the Greke word there signifies In y e. i. Epistle to Timoth. ca. v. he biddes him that he lay not his hands rashlye on anye manne where afore he had taught him sufficientlye what manner of menne and with what qualities be shoulde call and thinke theym meâ—e for the ministery But because he findes not so great faute with the menne that be calde nowe a dayes althoughe other doe grudge at theym as with the order and maner of their callynge I wil onelye answere to that point which he touches In these places of the scripture afore rehearsed there be these thinges to be noted in sending forth ministers First an assemblye of the Clergye and people to beare testimonie of their honestie and aptnes that be calde for it must not be done in corners least suche be admitted as be vnworthye and with whom some could or would haue found faut if it hadde bene knowen and done openly The ministery is so godly a vocation that none ought to be admitted to it hauing anye notable faut in them or if they maye not abide the triall and judgemet of the multitude yea though they be heathens For Saint Paul sais they must haue good testimonie of their honesty euen of them that be out of the churche Secondly I note they vsed exhortacions wyth fastinge prayer and layinge on of handes These Ceremonies we be sure are good and godly because Thappostles vsed them so oft these except some great cause to the contrary are to be vsed of al in calling of y â— ministers Al these thinges the order now appointed obserues and no more all the popish ceremonies be cut of as vain superfluous The time of geuing orders now is the holy day whan the people be assembled that they may see who be cald and if they knowe anie notable faute in any of theym that are there to be appointed ministers or Byshoppes they maye declare it that they may be reiected as vnworthy The Popishe Prelates giue their orders on the Saturdaye whan the people is not present and commenly at home in their chappelles where fewe resort to see The Byshops nowe vse in giuyng their orders an exhortacion commen prayer the Communion and laying on of handes which Thapostles vsed The Pope and his Prelates haue deuised of them selues clippinges shauinge their crownes an vnlawful compelled vowe to lyue vnmaried oile for an â—intinge their fingers and power to sacrifice for quicke and dead their double latin matins and Euensonge daily with suche a kinde of apparell that they be more like to Aaron and Moyses priestes of the olde law than a simple preacher of Christes Gospell or minister of his sacraments of the new Testament Whan we do that which Christ hys Apostles did vsed we may be sure it is good lawfull and necessarye whan we adde any thing of our owne it may be doubted on and if it be commaunded as necessarye or as the true worshippe of Godde it ought to he refused chaunged yea condemned For Christe sais They worship me in vain teaching doctrines the commaundementes of men Therefore as he reasons here that it should be to great an inconuenience to saye that these Byshops whiche he names were blynde and ignoraunt in their doings and that they would come at the iudgement to the condemnation of these new Bishops which folow not their wayes I had rather tourne hys argument against him selfe on his owne heade and saye that it is a greater inconuenience yea blasphemy to say that Peter Paul Timothe Titus c. were in blindnesse and had not the right order of appointinge their ministers but that these latter Popishe Prelates haue inuented of late yeres a perfecter way to do it than they knew or vsed Let them proue that eyther Thapostles themselues or anye of their scholers vsed clippinge shauing their crownes the vowe of single life sacrificinge for the deade oilinge their fingers or crown their Iewysh apparel their halowinges crossings blessinges or suche trashe as their order is full of and than blame this new order but because they can not the Scrypture teachinge no suche thynge I saye they be Hypocrites layinge heauye loodes on mens backes and consciences yea greater than anye maye beare not touchinge theym with their finger to ease them but rather to presse theym downe lower in preferringe mans dreames before the symple truthe of the Gospell Christ and his Apostles with their scholers shall come in iudgemente to their condemnatioÌ„ For that they haue maintained their owne deuises afore the infallyble truth of the Scripture the perfect rule and onelye example of all oure doinges and religion Than if our Bisshops nowe vse all such order as Thappostles theymselues vsed as in comparinge them together it will easelye appeare why shoulde anye proude Papist be so bolde to correct magnificat to reproue theym and saye that the Pope hays deuysed a better way than Thappostles vsed or why shoulde any weake conscience hanginge on manne rather than on Godde be offended to see suche vaine superfluous and wicked toies left of and not vsed If they left out anye thing that Thapostles vsed they might wel be blamed but seing thei had rather folow them as their schole masters and not the Pope they were to be praysed Are Papes wiser than Thappostlesâ— or shall Papists for folowinge their father of lies be preferred to Protestauntes whiche haue Gods worde and his truth with the doings of Thapostles for their defence to alledge for them God forbid But I thinke this good Proctour of the Pope is offended because the new Bisshops runne not to Ro. theymselues or by their deputye to doe their homage to their holye father and sweare an vnlawful and traitorous oth against their lawfull and naturall Prince and bring home y t holy relique their Palle which many haue bought so deare that in gathering money for it they beggerd their bole diocesse Yet that the blind may see that these ragged Popishe cloutes whiche they thinke so holye relyques and necessarye are not of suche worthinesse nor to be regarded so highly it is easye to see euen in this realme others that both
as the succession of good kinges standes not onely in enioyinge the landes goodes possessions and pleasures of the Realme but in the painefull ministrynge of iustyce defendinge hys subiects from straungers maintaining the good and punishinge the euill by holsome and godly lawes so standes the succession of the Church not in miters palaces landes or lordships but in teachinge true doctrine and roting out the contrarye by sharpe discipline to correct thoffendours and godly exhortacion to stirre vp the slouthfull and encourage the good to raise them that be fallen by comfortable promises to strengthen them that stande and bring home them that runne astraye He that does these is the true successour of the Prophetes and Apostles though he liue in wildernes as Elias did Or be tied in cheanes as Peter and Paule He that does not is not their successour in dede but in name onlye though he haue the Popes blessinge cruche and miter landes and palaces halowinges and blessinges or all that the Pope hais deuised for hys Prelates To be a Byshop is to be an officer a ruler a guide a teacher of Gods flocke in Gods Church and to be a true successour in a Bishopricke is to succede in like paines care and diligent regarde of Gods people Is he an officer that does not his office nay surelye but onelye in name for he is a thefe in his office and an vsurrer that takes the profet and not the paine An office standes properlye in doynge the duty of it and not in talkinge of it settinge in deputies bearinge a shewe bragge and face of a Byshop Whan they can bring Thapostles doctrine or life for example to be like their life and teachinge they maye say they folowe Thapostles but because they seeke to be Lordes ouer the flocke contrary to Peters doctrine and be enemies to the Gospell and murtherers of the professours of it they be traitours to their lorde God What does Tertul. make for his pourpose If he walk not in his fathers steppes sais he he is a bastard Content who be the fathers surely Thapostles for in his time the Pope had no such autority nor ther were any such horned cattell of the Popes made Bishoppes Proue than that the Pope walkes in Thapostles steps and we will reuerence him Surelye he is like no Apostle except Iudas these Popish Prelates so as the father is suche is the sonne Iudas solde and betrayed his maister for xxx pieces of syluâ—r and our Papistes sel their purgatory for xxx grotes the price of a trental Or â—ls for their pleasure I will graunt theym some thing The Pope maye be like to Peter in suche case as christ our lord said to him go after me Satan for thou vnderstandes not the thynges of god Peter was ambitious and therfore our Lorde cald him deuill and bade him go backe so the Pope desiringe to be aboue all folowes the deuill his father and therefore we maye iustlye saye to them with Christ â–ª come after me thou deuill But I put case a manne shoulde graunt that the fathers which Tertul. speakes of be the popes in dede of Ro. what thaÌ„ what makes it for this mans purpose Tertul. liued within C. lxxvii yeres after christs death why thaÌ„ proue that any of these popes and their trashe whiche he esteames so highlye to be of that autoritie and auncientye that he woulde and than lette him beginne to crake some thing He is not able to do it XXX of the first popes which liued almost iii. C. yeres after Christ were persecuted sufferd death for their religion liued in caues and had none of the rialtie of the worlde but were subiectes to princes accordinge to their dutye than these latter proude popes that woulde rule bothe God and the world by Tertullians saying be bastardes and folow not their auncient fathers the first popes And thus he hais brought a good reason agaynst hym selfe Does Cyprian make anye more for his purpose Marke his woordes and iudge They that be made Byshoppes sayes he oute the order of the Churche and not by tradicion of Thappostles by succession are not Bishops but theues c. I am content to be iudged by these wordes I proued afore by Paule and Timothe by Dyonise c. that the order by whiche oure Byshops and Priestes are made nowe is more agreeing to the order of the churche in Ciprians time and tradition of Thapostles than that misorder wherby the Popish prelates order their clergy Let theÌ„ proue by good writers that their oiling shauing vowing sacrificinge apparel c. was vsed in the Churche in Cyprians time and I submitte my selfe Ciprian was liuinge more than ii C. l. yeare after Christ in whiche time was no suche proud Pope nor Popishe order vsed in the Churche as he requires of vs but onelye suche a simplicitye as I spake of afore Thus like a tolyshe boye he hais gotten a rod to beat him selfe withall God send him more wit Where the sayde Preacher does affyrme greater matters than the burnyng of Paules to haue chaunced in the time of supersticion and ignoraunce as the church of Paules was brent in the first yeare of Steuen and the steple of Paules sette on fyre by lighthing in the tyme of kynge Henrye the vi they that count that to be the time of superstycyon and ignoraunce whan god was serued deuoutly nyght day the people lyued in the feare of god euery one in his own vocation wythout reasonynge and contention of matters of relygion but referred all suche thynges to learned menne in generall counsels and vnyuersyties there to be disputed than was the commaundementes of god and vertue expressed in lyuyng now all is in talke and nothyng in liuing than was prayer now is praytyng than was vertue now is vice than was bildyng vp of Churches houses of religion Hospitals where prayer was had night and daye hospitalitye kept and the poore releued now is pullyng downe and destroyinge such houses where god shoulde be serued hospitality kept and the poore releued By meanes wherof gods glory is destroyed and the commen wealth impoueryshed than was plenty of all thinges nowe is scarcenes Therefore Operibus credite If I shoulde fall into a comparison of the plagues in the time of popecye and the Gospell although both were great yet in supersticious times were the greater Many did not beleue that these other brennynges of Paules were true which the Byshoppe declared whan he spake it openlye there but it was eyther for ignoraunce or malice or both for all these were true as appeares in recordes many mo In the yere of our lorde M. lxxxvii and the vii day of Iuly the Church of Paules and all that was in it with a great part of the City were burned Maurice than beinge byshop of London and the. xxi yeare of Willyam Conquerour In the yeare M. C. xxxii the moste parte of the Citye of London was burned by the fire of Gilbert Beket and in
hanges ouer him Saint Ciprian sayes he seperates himselfe from Christ that does against the consent of the Byshop and clergy Saint Hiero. does saye we muste remayne in that Churche whiche is founded of the Apostles and does endure vnto thys daye by a succession of Byshoppes to whom the holye Ghoste hais appointed the rule and gouernement of this Churche sanctified by Christes bloud shedinge Nor let heretickes take anye comforte to theym selues if they can frame out of the Chapters of the scripture for their pourpose that whiche they saye seynge the deuill hais alledged some thinges of scripture for the scriptures consist not in readinge but true vnderstandinge If we will be members of Christes Churche we must continue firmely in that faith and religyon that was sent from the Apostolicall see of Ro. by S. Gregory into England which faith and religion was planted and stablyshed by Saint Angustine in thys Realme Saint Augustine stablyshed masse and vii sacramentes to be vsed in the latin tonge as Gâ—das does witnes and such maner of deuine seruice as is nowe vsed The aunswere to the. i. question SAint Austin in the first place alledged hais no suche definition althoughe the most parte of the wordes which he puttes there are true and woulde to God he considered howe muche he speakes against him selfe here in This is that which we defende that the Churche is gathered by Christ and Thappostles first and continues not in the Papisticall but in the Apostolicall faith vnder Christ our head who rules his churche stil by his holye spirite and worde and hais not put it into the â—andes of any one only general vicar in the earth as he vntruelye sayes whereas their church is bylded not on christ but on the Popes decrees whiche Thappostles neuer knewe and were vnwritten manye yeares after the death of Thappostles and are alwayes vncertayne chaunginge euer as it pleases the Pope for his time to determine And their Church hais had at one time iii. or iiii Popes for their heades like a monster with manye heades some Countrie folowinge one Pope some another as their heade We saye also that the Papistes haue deuided theim selues from this Churche of Christe makinge them selues sinagoges and chappelles gods and religion of their owne deuysynge as Micha did contrarye to Gods worde and therefore the wrath of God hanges ouer them except they returne howe holye so euer they pretende to be Ciprians wordes are not all together so plaine as he settes theym but if they were he meanes an other sort of Priestes and Clergye than the Popes for neyther they did take than to them nor he knew no such autoritye in them as they now vsurpe vnto theim selues for he writes as sharplye and homelye vnto Cornelius than byshop of Rome as he does to any other his felow bishops Surelye who so euer deuydes him selfe from Christes ministers and people refusinge their doctrine and discipline seperates him selfe from Christ euen as he that flees from the filthy dregges of Poperye and his Chaplaines is cut of from the Pope the father of suche wickednes In Ieroms wordes we most reioyse teachinge vs to continue in that Churche which is founded by Thapostles and not Popes endures to thys daye The wordes of succession c. folowinge are his owne and not Ieroms By thys doctrine of Ierom we flee to Thapostolicall and flee from the Papisticall Churche whiche was neuer knowen of manye yeares after Thapostles And we graunt that the deuil papistes and heretickes can alledge some wordes of the scriptures and therefore we saye that the Papistes be deuilyshe Heretickes because they racke writhe the scriptures to a contrarye meaninge to their owne damnation as the deuill did For succession and gouernement of Byshops for Austins religion massinge and vii sacramentes I said inoughe afore but where he alleges Gildas as father of his lies he does him much wroÌ„g for he hais neuer suche a word in all his writinges If he haue lette him shew it This is euer the facion of liynge Papistes to haue the names of doctours and auncient writers in their mouthes as though they were of the same opinioÌ„ that they be where in dede they be nothynge lesse and if they get a word or if that seemes to make for them they will adde a hole tale of their owne makinge as thoughe it were a piece of the same auncient mannes sayinge and by thys meanes they deceyue the simple whiche haue no learninge to iudge or haue not the bookes to trye their saiynges by as this miser goes about in these places afore Who is an hereticke HE that teaches defendes or maintaines anye erronyous oppinion agaynst the decrees iudgemente or determynatyon of Christes Catholicke Church is an hereticke Who is a schismaticke HE that is deuided or separat from the vnitye of the catholycke Church in ministration or receyuynge the sacramentes or diuine seruice is a schismaticke and in state of perdicion The aunswere to the. ii and. iii. questions HE wold gladly appeare to be wel sene in logiâ— if he had any If all be hereticks that defend an erronius opinion than many disputacions shall be condemned In disputing it is oft sene that of ignoraunce or for his learning sake manye defend an vntruth yet God forbid that they shoulde all be heretickes Austin says well I maye erre but I will not be an hereticke Then he is an hereticke properlye that defendes an errour obstinatelye and will not be corrected So teaches Saint Paule Flee from an hereticke after one or ii warnynges he sais not for ones teachinge or defending of it Also he is not a schismaticke that differs in small pointes or circumstaunces of ministringe the sacraments from other for than shoulde all the Greke church be in a schisme because they differ in some ceremonies from the Latin Churche and also one from another as I declared afore in the ministration of Basil Chrisost Saint Iames. c. the same may be said of the latin church to as for Ambrose order Gregores c. And because euer vnder the Catholicke churche he signifies Rome we saye that no countrie whiche vses other ceremonies than they doe is in this case a schismaticke for that their Romishe orders and ceremonies be of their owne deuisinge for the most part and not commaunded by god nor neuer were vsed generally in the vniuersall Catholicke churche as I proued afore and therfore they be free to vse or not vse as shalbe thought mete to differ in the substaunce and doctrine of sacramentes maye make a schisme or heresye but such ceremonies are free to all countries whiche maye edifie as appeared in Ansel. Epistle afore These fewe wordes are sufficient to lette him see his owne foolyshnes more might be said but I will not be so curious nor tedious to note all Saint Paule cals the Corinth schismatickes in henginge on mennes sleues for opinions in religion and for misusinge the
vii deacons whē they put away the ceremonies of the old lawe Such decrees as the Apostles and clergye made at Ierusal without anye counsell of the laitie Saint Paule and other of the Apostles taught all Countries and Nations to obey and obserue and sith the Apostles time the clergye hais euer decreed matters of religion and fayth Nor it can not be proued that euer the laite in anye countrie or Nation afore the last parliament did presume to set forth a religion against the whole consent of the clergye Therefore this manner of ministration of sacramentes nowe vsed beinge against the consent and determinacyon of Christes Church which ought to be ruled and gouerned by Byshops it must nedes be schismaticall and they that vse this maner of ministration muste nedes be in schisme The blessed martir Saint Ciprian does declare what daunger they doe stand in that do vse this maner of ministration against the order of christes churche sayinge these wordes They be ennemies of the altar and rebelles against the sacrifice of christ contemninge the Bishoppes and forsakinge the Priestes of God they are bolde to sette vp an other Alter with vnlawfull voyces to make an other maner of prayer to prophane with false sacrifices the veritie of the blessed sacrament of the Alter nor they wyll not knowe theym that fare about to doe againste the ordinance of God For their bold rashnes by the punishment of god they shalbe punyshed as he punished Chore Dathan and Abiron which woulde offer vp Sacrifice againste the consente of Moyses and Aaron some were swalowed vp of the earth and the rest brent with fire to the terrible example of all others Hitherto be Saint Cyprians wordes Also almightye God by his holye Prophete Malachi does crye oute vpon suche Priestes as minister against the ordinaunce of Christes churche sayinge they dispise his name in offeringe vp poluted bread The Prophet Osee does call the sacrifyce of suche Priestes breade of mourninge and all that eate thereof shalbe defiled sayes the Prophet Almightye God does complaine by his Prophet Ezechiel sayinge the Priestes haue condemned my lawe and haue polluted my Sanctuarye woe bee vnto you that goo◠from the truth sayes our lorde by Esai Our lord sayes by his Prophete except suche Priestes will amende quicklye and geue glorye to his name they shall be brought into great necessitye and pouerty and he wyll curse their blessinges and bicause they haue made voyde the pact of Leui they shall be in contempt in all people The. v. aunswere UUhat if this order of ministringe and commen prayer was not agreed on by the vniuersall churche in generall councell Is it not good therefore Than is neyther their latin Portuis nor Missall and masse booke good for the generall churche neuer alowed them as I declared afore It is free for all countries to differ in outwarde order of prayer and ceremonies so that they agree in substaunce of doctrine with the scripture But the laite he sais hais nothinge ado with spirituall matters and religion and alledges Thactes of Apostles how wil he proue that none of the elders there were of the laite nor none of the multitude in the choisinge of the Deacons vnto it be wel proued it maye well be doubted on As in other things so in this he shewes him self how learned he is whan the lawe of God was neglect in the dayes of Saul Dauid commyng to be king and moued with loue of religion cals all the nobility and worshippe of the Realme together thirty thousande and also the leuites and Priestes to knowe their mindes whither they woulde bringe home the arke of God and restore the religion decaied or no and they aunswered al yea what a great parliament was this and full of the laite to determine for receyuynge of religion Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias good kinges sent their visiters abroade throughe the Realme ioyninge in commission from the king noble menne of the laite to go in visitacion with the Leuites Legenda sanctorū telles howe king Dswi cald a synode at Whithy for takinge awaye that diuersitye of kepinge Easter which was here in the Realme whan some kepte it in the ful mone what daye of the weke so euer it fell on other onely on the sonday folowinge Wherein appeares thautoritye that the king iustly clames to him selfe in religion euen in that blinde age whan he cals the learned men together to dispute on it heares what they can saye and concludes so the matter himselfe that all other didde folowe his sentence Ioan Gerson and Panormitanus as I alleged afore no new protestantes but auncient catholicks and both being present in the last counsels at Constance and Basil said they woulde rather beleue a pore simple learned lay man that bringes and alleges the holy scripture than all the whole counsell hauinge no scripture for theym Gods trueth is not bound to miters Byshops and Priestes alone but lay menne may haue and oft haue better the true vnderstandinge of it than those that looke highest in the clergye and therfore they are to be beleued and hearde aswell as the Priestes Did not king Dauid no Priest set in order the leuites howe they shoulde resort in course to serue in y e tabernacle made the Psalmes appointed theym howe where and whan they shoulde be songe Ezechias and Iosias pulled downe the brasen serpent and other Images Did not Prescilia and Aquila teache Apollo the misteries of the scripture By these I trust it appeares that lay menne may doe some thing in religion If these may not serue looke the statutes of Queene Marie how she takes away one religion and bringes in an other and there is no more done now howe blynde be they in their owne causes and partiall to them selfes But it was neuer hard of he sais that the laite in any countrie presumed to set forth a religion agaynste the hole consent of the clergye afore the last parliament O proude bragge was all the clergy of the realme conteyned in a few horned popyshe Byshoppes Was there no Clergye in the vniuersitie nor other partes of the Realme beside those fewe Byshops did not manye in the vniuersitye and abrode in the Realme vse thys seruyce openlye and commenly in their churches afore it was receyued or enacted by parliament Bicause the rulers the Scribes and all the Priestes Act. iiii ▪ forbade Thappostles in their Parliament and counsel that they shoulde not preache Christ anye more were not the Apostles therfore of the clergye or was not their doctrine good because it was condēned in that wicked counsell Was there not a disputacion for religion appointed by the Quenes maiestie wherein youre Clergye was afraide to vtter their foolyshnes in defendinge their supersticion least they hadde taken more shame in aunsweringe than they did in holdinge their peace whiche well they coulde not I thinke the vniuersities with so manye places of the Realme recayuing
whiche is alreadye graunted him we confesse that no man ought to say masse at al much lesse they that say the communion should become masse mungers his autorities are fondlye brought to proue his pourpose and maye be turned against himselfe all for there is no sort of men that vse double dissemblynge so much as the Popes do other thinges that I proued afore I wil not repeat againe nowe but I wishe or god that as Dauid would not suffer his men that were shauen so to come in his sig ht so al christiaÌ„ princes wold banysh the Popes shauelinges for so the reason holdes in like of both The time for trial of gods people we do not greatly mislike onely this greues vs that so manye wythstande the manifest trueth whiche their conscience acknowledges to bee true and yet for feare of a chaunge or flattery of the worlde they be colde and will not or bare not openlye professe it and also that another sort of turnetipetâ—es for lacke of disciplyne occupie the place of pastours seruinge rather to fill their bely than for loue conscience or dutie where good order would that eyther such should be displaced or elles do great and worthye open penaunce solemnely afore they ministred the alledginge of these sundrye autorityes are vntrue and foolyshe Whether it is lawfull for the laite to receyue the communion as is now vsed IN receyuinge the Communion as now vled you break your profession made in baptisme and fall into schisme seperating youre selues from god and hys Church refusinge the Byshoppes youre true pastours so entringe into the malignaunt church of Sathan S. Paul dyes commaunde vs to obey the Byshoppes for they watche as to geue an accompt for oure soulde The Byshoppes be in prison readye to suffer death afore they willeyther minister or reseyue the communion like true pastours they put them selues walled and a sure defence for the people The catholicke church which we professed at our baptisme to beleue obey teacheth vs to receiue Christes bodye consecrato at inasse with prayers inuocations and benediction with the signe of the holy crosse and not bare bread and wine without consecration and benediction as is vsed in thys Communion beinge against the decrees and ordinaunce of Christes catholycke church Almightye God does commaunde vs to seperate our selues from such as take in hand a ministration of sa craments against the ordinance of Christs churche that ye touch nothing pertaining to them lest ye be lapped in their sin The Prophete O see boes say that al that receiue that bread of mourninge ouer the whiche wordes of blasphemye be spoken at the table shalbe defiled Therfore S. Ciprian says foramuch as we can exhort you by our letters that you come not to the cursed Communion with Priestes that be maculat for they be not worthye death that doe euill but all that consent to the doinge of ouill Nor let not the people perswade with theym selues that they can be free wythout spot of sinne communicating wyth a Priest in sinne No man can be well excused by ignoraunce be he neue so grosse of witte he maye perceyue it is not that whiche we haue professed to beleue but against it and if it were for a world lye gaine euery one woulde learne a longe matter and kepe it in memory The. x. aunswere IN receyuyng the communion now vsed the laite kepe their profession made in bapt where they promised like good shepe to beleue the Catholick Church which heares the voyce of their shepeherd only flees from straungers the Popishe churche and prelates haue deuised a facion of the Communion con trarye to Christes and his Apostles doinges and therefore they be worthelye abhorred Ye lie in sayinge that the catholicke Church teaches to receiue christes bodye consecrate at masse with the signe of the holy crosse or that we geue nothing but bare bread and wine now Proue where the Churche teaches so I proued afore howe many diuerse sortes of ministringe there was of olde tyme and all good therefore this youre one onelye popishe waye is not decreed by the vniuersall Churche nor neuer was generally receyued throughout all the worlde With what face can they saye we haue no consecration and geue nothinge but bare bread and wine If they haue any in their masse if the Euangelistes haue anye consecration or paul or if Thappostles we haue it also For if consecration stande in wordes we haue all the words that their masse the Gospell Saint Paul or Thapostles hadde Read Matth. Mark Luk. and the. xi to the Corinth what is written of the lordes supper and see whether oure Communion wante anye one worde that is in anye of them Than if we haue al as we haue in dede why is there no consecration with vs. Gregory sayes Thapostles consecrated only with the lordes prayer and that we vse as wel as they Ioan Duns sayes the wordes of consecratinge the bread be these This is my bodye and those wordes we haue to Further he sais Neyther Christ nor the Church hais defined which be the wordes of consecrating the cuppe and therfore he will not determine them What are we now worse than their owne doctours and why do ye lie in sayinge the Church hais defined it Duns knewe it not in his time nor the Church where is one so madde except Priestes to saye that consecration standes in crossinge or that Benedicete is to make a crosse proue it if ye can or els hold youre tong for shame Deceiue not the people Al ye workes of the lorde prayse ye the lord sais the psal Is blessing there to make a crosse or in anye other place ye canne finde I haue sene and heard many foolysh vnlearned papistes but a more asse than this I haue not he sais the people which communicate with a Priest that is in sin cannot be free from sin If the Priest be a drunkarde art thou a dronkard to in communicatynge with him if he be a hore hunter art thou one to I trust ye can iudge how false and foolish this is Saint Paule says he that eates and drinkes vnworthely eates drinkes his own damnation he sais not thy damnation or anye other mans but his owne Chrysost notes wel that he says sibijpsi non tibi He eates it and drinkes it damnation to himselfe and not to thee God forbid y e euilnes of the priest should defile theym that receiue with him for what Priest is so cleane that he hais no sinne in him If the sinne of the Priest shoulde defile the receiuer who woulde euer receyue at any priestes handes seynge all be sinners it is a generall rule and true in their owne bookes The vnworthines of the Priest hurtes not the goodnes of the sacrament God forbid that the euilnes of manne shoulde hurt or defile Gods holy ordinaunce or that the wickednes of the Priests shuld be imputed to them that receiue the sacrament at their hand
The burnynge of Paules church in London in the yeare of oure Lord 1561. and the iiii day of Iune by lyghtnynge at three of the clocke at after noone which continued terrible and helplesse vnto nyght VVERE THESE GREATER SINners than the rest No I saye vnto you except ye repent ye shall all lykewyse peryshe Luc. 13. ¶ Imprinted at London by Willyam Seres dwellynge at the west ende of Powles at the Sygne of the Hedge-hog AN ADDICION VVITH AN APpologie to the causes of brinnynge of Paules Church the which causes were vttred at Paules Crosse by the reuerend Bysshop of Duresme the. viii of â—une 1561. ALthough almighty God be pacyente mercifull and longe sufferinge wyllinge all sinners to repent their wickednes to rise from sinne and come to his mercye yet if sinners wil not amend after monition and warninge hadde at the last God strikes sodainly and sore as appeares in the Scripture by Sodom and Gomorra vpon the whyche Cytyes God rayned fire and bremstone wherewith the fyue Cities were destroyed miserably Also Pharao and the Egiptians that wold not be moued by the wordes of Moises and Aaron nor wyth the tenne plages at last were sodainlye drowned in the Sea Also Chore Dathan and Abiron with a greate number of people that woulde not obey the ministration of Aaron and the Priestes appoynted by God but went from them seking a newe waye to serue God part of them were sodenlye swallowed vp of the earth and part brent sodainlye with fire from heauen in the tabernacle After when the people of Hierusalem would not heare the true Prophets of god but would beleue false liyng Prophetes so declined from the steps of Dauid Ezechias and Iosias which walked in the feare of god â–ª bicause they forsoke their fathers steps and fell to Idolatrye the Temple was brent the Citie destroyed and the people taken Captiues to Babilon Also our sauiour Christ for the tender â–ª loue he had to mankind came into this world by his doâ—trine he gathered xij Apostles Disciples a great multitude of people in one vnity of faith sanctified them his church by his precious bloud sheding committing the rule and gouernment of his Churche to the Byshops after his Ascencion he sende the holye Ghost in Hierusalem in lykenes of firie tongues amonge the Apostles and streight waye they preached as the holy Ghost taught them and there in Hierusalem Saint Peter conuerted a great multitude to the faith which faith at Hierusalem was first taught declared vpon by a counsel of the Apostles and Seniors there Saint Iames being Bishop and afterwarde the same faith was taught in all landes as the Prophet Dauid sayes In omnem terram exiuâ—t sonus eorum The faith of Christes Church hath bene from time to time establyshed by generall councels the whiche faith what Countrye so euer hath forsaken it hath bene miserably scourged and plaged as about fourtie yeares after the Assention of our Sauiour Christ bicause the Iues would not abide in that religion that was decreed by the Apostles and walke in their steps miserably Hierusalem was plaged with fire pestilence famine battell and murther Also in all other Countries as wel with the Grekes as other partes of the world when the people haue declyned from the feare of God forsakinge the steppes of blessed fathers miserably they haue bene plaged And in Englande where the faith of Christe and true religion was planted about the yeare of oure Lord. Cixxxij by Elutherius Pope sending Legates to Lucius then Kinge of Englande whiche conuerted this Realme to the fayth and establysshed true religion in Englande whiche continued CC. yeares but when the people dyd declyne from the feare of God and the steps of God and blessed fathers they came to greate calamitye and misery by the scourge of God Cadwaliader last kinge of the Britans did confesse by the hand of God with pestilence and famine they were dryuen out of this lande After that againe this land beinge inhabyted wyth Saxons beynge pamius Saint Gregorye Pope of Rome aboute the yeare of our Lorde God D. xcv sent Saint Augustine and other Monkes wyth hym into Englande Ethelbert being king and then Saint Augustine and his company by their doctrine and vertuous liuinge planted the faith and so establyshed a true religion in England the which faith and religion euer when the people haue declyned from it they haue felde great calamities as wel by the hande of God as by the conquest of the Danes and after by the Normans and sith the conquest from time to time God hath plaged this Realme for Synne and infidelitye And nowe whether the people of this Realme be declyned from the steps of Saint Augustine and other blessed fathers and Saintes which had Masse and seuen Sacramentes in the Church and God was honoured night and daye in the Church with deuine seruyce I thinke there is no man so simple but he may easely perceiue except malice haue blynded his heart As in Saint Paules Church in London by the decrees of blessed fathers euery night at midnight they had Mattines all the fore noone Masses in the Church with other deuine seruice and contynuall prayer and in the steple Antimes and prayers were hadde certayne tymes but consider howe farre nowe contrarye the Churche hais bene vsed and it is no maruaile yf God haue sende downe fire to brinne parte of the Churche as a signe of his wrath And where a reuerende Byshop at Paules crosse did exhort the people to to take the brinninge of Paules to be a warninge of a greater plage to folowe to the Citye of London if amendment of life be not had in all estates it was well said but we muste adde Accidentem ad deum opportet credere the Scripture sais he that will come to God muste first beleue Saint Paule sais without faith it is impossible to please God and the Prophet Hieremi saith by the sprite of God speakinge State super vias interrogate de semitis antiquis que sit bona ambulate in ea inuenietis refrigerium animabus vestris that is stand vppon the wayes of blessed fathers and consider and aske of the olde pathes and highe wayes which is the good way and walke therin and ye shal finde refreshing to youre soules First searche whether the faith and religion nowe vsed was taught with the blessed fathers in Chrystes Church in times past ye shal proue by no recorde of authoritie or Chronicle that this maner of seruice now vsed in the Churche was euer hard tell of afore Luthers time which is not xl yeares old Therefore it is to be reiected and put awaye as a newe fangled doctrine and scismaticall therefore come backe againe into the old fathers steppes as well in faith and religion as godlye conuersation and liuinge or a greater plage is at hande Also where the said Preacher did recite certain abuses of the said Church as talking biyng and
we terme it Saint Luke sais here was than vsed in the temple of Salomon the lawe and the Prophetes he sais were redde In the Ebrewe bible appeares the diuision in the bookes of Moyses howe farre was redde wekely and monethly So that as they had than the law and the Prophetes redde in their Temple for their commen prayer and seruice so haue we nowe the Psalter of Dauid monethly red ouer â–ª and one Chapter of the olde testament and another of the newe red dailye in oure Churches in oure owne tonge as they had than in theirs The new testament was not than written so that it coulde not be redde but as the newe Testament nowe does more plainlye sette oute to vs the office and mediation of oure Sauioure Christe so did than the Prophetes more plainlye speake of the cominge of Chryste than the lawe of Moyses didde signifie him And therefore was orderlye redde with Moyses the lawe as a fuller declarer thereof so that in effect our Church seruice disagrees not from theirs in this readinge together of the olde testament and the new in our commen prayer as they redde the lawe and the Prophets together this order is three thousande yeare old whan they haue proued their popishe Portuis to be much aboue iii. C. yeare olde than they maye begin to trie auncientye Their Mattins and Euensâ—nge are appointed theym out of their Portuis and whan any old record of autority teaches them that so manye false miracles fained lies and tales as be there written with seruynge suche saintes as no scripture does alow nor good Historye makes Mentyon of but onely the Popes kalender and his scholers were vsed in the Churche for commen prayer and Goddes seruice than let theym crake of the blessed Fathers steppes that they followe Lette theym trye their aunciente Portuis of Sarum Yorkes vse Bangor or the greate diuersytye of Freers Munkes Channons Nunnes whiche for euerye order of theym hadde their diuers sortes of Mattins and Euensonge and if they be proued iii. hundred yeare olde they haue muche to reioyse in and yet farre short of iii. thousand But of al other Blasphemies the Psalter of Brigit where euery worde and prayer that Dauid names God in is turned to oure Ladye is moste horryble to peruert the scripture to mans fantasy Pope Paule the. iii. but. xx yeare agoe was so ashamed of his Portuis that he printed a newe one putting out many of the blasphemous lies that were in the olde yet this Popish pricker thinkes all in it to be so good that it can not nor shuld not be amended The English Priests Portuis and order of seruyce that he crakes so muche of for auncyentye is full of memoryes daylye and seruyce of Thomas Becket twyse in the yeare aud yet it is not longe sins he was bisshoppe of Canterburye he lyued vnder Kynge Henrye the seconde foure hundreth yeare sins The feast of Corpus Christi and the Seruyce of that daye was inuented by Pope Urbane the. iiii scarce CCC yere sins The feast of the visitacion of our ladye commenly called the newe founde Lady day and the seruice for that daye is not CC. yeare olde and decreed by Pope Urbane the syxt What auncientye than is theyr Portuis and masse booke of whiche receyued these solemne feastes and their seruyce of so late yeres â–ª and yet he would â—ake menne beleue that it hais bene from the begining and that olde recordes make mention of them Many such other may be found in their Popish seruice wherby it may easely be sene how falslye he bragges of their auncienty The auncienst beginning of their Portuis of Sarum was vnder Willyam Conquerour not v. C. yeare sins by Osmundus the second Byshop of Sarum as Polychro writes lib. vii ca. iii. but it hais bene encreased sins with many a lowde lye as though they shuld striue who should tell the greatest for the best game oure seruice hais nothing in it but it is writen in Goddes booke the holye Byble where no lie can be founde sauing Te â–ª deum and a fewe Collettes or prayers which although they be not conteined in the scripture yet differing in wordes they agree in sense and meaning with the articles of the faith and the hole bodye of the scripture Their Portuis and missall hais manye vntrue fables and fained miracles for their lessons written neyther in the scripture olde hiâ—â—orye nor auncient recorde of autoritye manye inuocations of suche as bee no Saints and wickedly callyng on saintes of their owne makynge in stede of the liuinge God as Thomas Becket and many Popes some charmes as S. Agathes letters for burning of houses some witchcraftes as holye waâ—er for castinge out deuils holy breade in stede of the Communion ringinge the halowed belle in greate tempestes or lightninges and all in an vnknowen tonge contrary to Goddes commaundement yet craftely deuised to deceyue the people least in hearynge theym in their owne tonge and prouynge them false they woulde laughe theym to scorne Dusegisus lib. i. ca. rix and lâ—â—vi wrytes that Charles the great Emperoure decreed that nothinge shoulde be redde in the Churches but onely the Scriptures nor anye thinge taught but out of the Scriptures but none is so ignoraunt but he sees the Popishe seruice and doctrine to agre litle with y e scriptures and oures to conteine nothinge els but the scriptures Nowe compare these together and iudge whither that be the elder and more to be alowed that hais nothing in it but y â— scripture it self and that whiche is drawen onte of it or that which is deuised of mannes branes alone beside and contrarye to Goddes word Is that new fangled and schismaticall that conteines nothynge but the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles and is that auncient that can not be proued good at all This text of â—â—re that biddes theym search out the olde waye and walke in it does not meane all olde wayes but he sais search of the olde wayes whiche of theym is good and walke in it as thoughe he shoulde saye all olde wayes are not good If all olde wayes were good he would not bid trie which were good therefore it is not inough to haue it old but to haue it good also and than to cleaue to it If bare wordes would serue there is manifest saiynges for the contrarye Ezech. sais xx Ca. walke not in the commaundementes of youre fathers nor kepe not their iudgementes I might as well beat in this text as he the other and of like strength therefore it is not sufficient to saye it is old or to folow fathers but to try that it be good and that godly fathers vsed it and than be bolde to folowe it Euill hais bene To the lorde and his frende waâ—eram by the grace of Godde the worshyppefull Byshoppe of Nicemburge Anselme the seruant of Cantorb Church greting c. YOur worship complaynes of the sacramentes of the Church that they are
after godlye Ezechias reigned wicked Manasses and after Iesus the son of Iosedeâ— folowed not long after Annas and Caiphas and many wicked ones afore them Contrary wise of sinful auncetors came the innocent Lambe of God Christ Iesus and after the traitour Iudas folowed y â— good Apostle Matthias So that both in king doms and Priesthode the good hais folowed the bad the bad the good The Gospell sais that in Moyses cheare the Scribes Pharises sit if after Moyses followed the wicked scribes and Pharises what priuilege haue our bishops or Popes more than Moises that their successoures shoulde continue in purenesse of religyon and not fall awaye as the Pharises didde Are they better than Moyses â—r where is thys their promise writen in Goddes booke â–ª the gloriynge of this succession is lyke the proude bragges of the Iewes for their genealogies and pety gres saiyng we haue Abraham for oure father but our Sauiour Christ saide ye are of the deuill your father and his workes will ye do So it maye be said to these which crake that they haue Thappostles for their fathers that they haue the Pope their father for his works and doctrine they folowe and not Thapostles As Christ our lord therfore proued the Iewes to be of y â— deuil because they filled his desires and therfore not the children of Abraham so it is easye to see whose children these be whan they folowe the Pope and not Thappostles Succession in doctrine makes theym the sonnes of the Prophetes and Apostles and not sittinge in the same seate nor beynge byshop of the same place There is one of his holy byshoppes that he crakes so much of a litle wiser and subtiller than he in wordes althoughe in sense they agres He sais that in euerye see there hais bene a succession but for example he takes Cantor sais in a litle scrolle that he wrote for the autorytye of the churche and sent it priuely to his frendes to comfort and confirme them with that they shoulde sticke fast thus UUe can recken al the byshops there sins S. Austin that was the first and from him goe to Gregorye byshop of Rome who sent Austin hither and from Gregorye vppe to Peter and so proue that all our religion came from Rome by succession and therefore we must heng on Ro. stil. He sais y e like may be done in euery see and whan it is proued I will beleue it But I am content to stand with him in triall of this If Austin was the first as he sais than Cantorb hais not hadde a continuall succession sins Thappostles time It is since Austin liued a vii C lx yere but since Thapostles it is M. D. lx Howe is there than a continuall succession in Cantorb sins Thapostles time if they wanted bishops the space of viii C. yeare The same reason is against other byshoprickes to and there can not bee proued a succession of their byshops in anye one place of thys Realme since Thapostles And for a succession of agrement in one doctryne relygion and other their doinges they can not find it in Rome neyther afore Gregory nor after Clemens in the booke that goes in his name sais that wyues ought to bee comen whych God forbiddes And here of I thinke the Papists are so bold with other mennes wyues and wyll none of their owne Alexander made holy water as they saye to driue awaye diuels and heale diseases as thoughe it were more holye than Christ himself for the deuill temted him and yet runnes away from their coniured water as they wold make fooles to beleue But what papist was euer so mad to forsake the Phisicions helpe in his sicknes and say he was healed by the Popes holye water If that were true phisicions might put vppe their pipes Pope Pius bade kepe Ester in the full mone what daye in the weke so euer it light on and not alwaies to kepe it on the sonday as we do nowe Marcellinus in persecution sacrificed idols Liberius Felix and Anastasius Popes were Arrians and great heretickes deniynge Chryst to be God equall with his father Pope Leo cut of his hande because a woman kissed it and he felt himselfe some thinge tempted Ioan. i. was send to Themperour as Embassadour from the king of Gâ—thes to counsell him to restore the Churches to Tharrians heretickes Sergius Pope set forthe yearely a piece of a crosse whiche he said was Christs to be worshipt and kissed Gregorye iii. graunted licence to marye hys uncles wyfe plaine against the scripture Zachar i. Pope absolued the Frenche men from obeyinge their king deposed him and confirmed Pipine for their kinge and so did Pope Steuen to Leo. iii. alowed the bloude of Christ at Mantua suche a one as was the swete bloude of Halis here Ioan viii a harlot wearing mannes apparell was made Pope and gote with childe and delyuered as she went in procession solemly Nicholas i. was so proude that he said it was not lawful to reproue the Popes iudgementes Syluester ii and Benet ix gaue themselues to the deuill and offered sacrifice to hym that he woulde make theym Popes and promised after their death wholy to be his they entised women to naughtines with them by witch craft Innocent iii. dispensed with the Emperor Otho to mary his Nese plain contrary to Gods worde Ioan. xxiii denied the soules to lyue after this lyfe the Cardinalles finding no faute with him but the Frenche kinge compelled hym to recante Thys is the goodlye succession that he woulde haue vs to folowe of doctrine in Romyshe Popes written by Platina and suche like no Protestauntes these be the successours and fathers whom he woulde haue vs to be lyke vnto God defende all good folke from all suche doinges saiynges beleuynge liuyng louing or folowing Except god dwel and be tied in cheares seates and places he can not dwell in suche wycked men as these Popes be God dwelles not in houses made wyth mans handes nor in the mighty Prelates of the worlde but he dwelles in the pure mindes and consciences of his elect people of what Estate or degree so euer they be Compare the doings preachinges and troublesom life of Peter Thapostle from time to time with the wicked blasphemyes of these Romyshe prelates and with their lordly idlenes and mark in what thing he is lyke to them or they to him They are no more like than an apple and Oister than canne not he bee their Predecessour nor they his successours If they clame to be Iudas successoures I will not sticke with theym In temporall enheritaunce an euyll man maye succede as ryght heire to a good but in matters of pure religion an heretycke or he that dyffers from the trueth can not be a lawful folower in Goddes Church and defender of the same relygion and trueth from which he is fallen and becomen an enemy Therfore