Preachers doe daily perpetually beate into the eares and mindes of all men these other innumerable sentences of holie Scripture seeing that they preach the word diligently seeing that they are instant and vrge men in season and out of season seeing that they improue rebuke and exhorte as S. Paule warneth Timothie they are falsly accused to haue hitherto pampered and fostered to much the licentious liuing of the common people And yet notwithstanding that which our aduersaries doe obiect of vice and wickednesse which beareth such a sway in this age is as I saide before truer than I would it were Now albeit there haue bene men alwayes euen from the beginning of the Church which did professe Christianitie rather in name and title than in verie deede of which sorte Hilarie saith thus They pray because they feare they sinne because it is their will pleasure they call them selues Christians because they haue a good hope of eternitie they doe heathenish thinges because present thinges are flattering thinges they remaine not altogether impious because they haue the name of God in some honour they are not godlie because they followe such thinges as are farre from godlinesse notwithstanding I doe beleeue that all vices did scarse at any time beare such a sway in any age as in this our age Wee doe all of vs bragge and boast of our faith but wee doe not declare and shewe forth this our faith by godlie woorkes and by charitie towardes our neighbour Wee all glorie of the Gospell of Christ but wee studie not to liue worthie of the Gospell of Christ Wee teach and preach that wee haue receiued the pure religion of Christ but wee doe not perfourme in deede those thinges which are agreeable to it Wee will forsooth both bee and also bee accounted Christians which name verely ought to make vs somewhat ashamed to breake Gods commaundementes but wee doe not endeuour with all our mind and labour to leade a life after the imitatiō of Christ To be briefe we confesse God in woordes as the Apostle saith but in our deedes wee denie him So it comes to passe that for our sakes and for our sinnes and wickednesse the name of God is dispraised amongst the heathen that Christian doctrine is euill spoken of that religion it selfe is contemned despised For what goodnesse will the Turkes beleeue to bee in that religion whose woorshippers and Professours they see to be contaminated and defiled with all heinous wickednesse O ingratitude woorthie of eternall destruction Howe greatly am I affraid least for this one thing that happen to vs which our Sauiour Christ doth threaten to those cities which after so wholsome doctrine repented not of their horrible sinnes It shal be saith hee more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon and Sodome in the day of iudgement than for you The aduersaries of the Gospell which will not acknowledge their manifest errours and receiue the true doctrine ought not so much to feare this so greeuous and horrible a commination as those which euerie where glorie of the Gospell whome God hath called out of darkenesse into his maruellous light that I may vse the words of S. Peter At the least let those moste sweete admonitions and exhortations of S. Paule moue vs to godlinesse of life I beseech you brethren saith hee by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holie acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of god And againe They that are Christes haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes thereof And againe That grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared teaching vs that denying vngodlinesse and worldlie lustes wee shoulde liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde Item Bee yee saith hee followers of God as deare children that ye may walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath geuen himselfe for vs to bee an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God. And againe Wee are his woorkemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good woorkes which God hath prepared and ordeined that we should walke in them Hitherto perteineth that saying of Christ in Saint Matthaewes Gospell Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good woorkes and glorifie your father which is in heauen I doe omitte almost sixe hundred such like places in the Gospell Those places of Scripture ought verely to moue vs chiefly and before all other which haue the mention of Christes death and punishment ioyned with them Such an one is that saying of Saint Peter Christ saith he his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree For what doeth he adde That we being dead to sinne should liue to righteousnesse The like place is that to Titus Christ saith he gaue himselfe for vs What doth he adde That he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good woorkes And to the Galathians Which gaue himselfe for our sinnes But he addeth That he might deliuer and take vs out of this present euill worlde And to the Corinthians Christ died for all He addeth That they which liue should not liue hereafter to themselues but vnto him which died and rose againe for them And to the Colossians Christ hath reconciled you in the bodie of his fleshe through death He addeth To make you holie and vnblameable and without fault in his sight Now whom the diuell who as Iohn saith in the Reuelation seduceth the whole worlde feedeth with an hope of Gods mercie and goodnesse and whom he by that meanes reteineth still in their sinnes and forbiddeth them to feare Gods iustice let those men againe and againe see well what they doe The Lorde is mercifull and gentle saith Dauid in the Psalme But the same man saith The face of the Lorde is against them that doe euill I am the Lorde thy God shewing mercie vpon thousandes saith God in Exodus What is added To them which loue mee and keepe my commaundements I will not the death of a sinner saith God in Ezechiel What followeth But that he turne from his wayes and liue Hee that beleeueth in the sonne hath life euerlasting saith the forerunner of the Lorde in Iohn But Christ in the same S. Iohns Gospell saith They which haue done good shall come foorth into the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill into the resurrection of condemnation Iohn Baptist testifieth of Christ saying Behold that lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world But the same Iohn saith Repent yee of your former life and bring foorth fruite worthie amendment of life Peter in the Actes saith We beleeue that wee shall bee saued through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ But the same Peter saith Amend your liues therefore
offered vp himselfe a sacrifice and an oblation vpon the altar of the Crosse for the sinnes of the world whose bodie was betrayed and deliuered to death for vs whose bloud was shedde for the remission of our sinnes lastly whose death it selfe was the true sacrifice for the saluation of mankinde Furthermore when as Christ had alone satisfied for the sinnes of all men these fellowes shewed vs other meanes and wayes whereby we might satisfie God more fully and amply as amongest other thinges Pilgrimages appointed for deuotion sake in which verie many consumed and spent all the time of their life whilest they ranne a gadding and madding almost from the vtmost endes of the earth sometime to Rome or Hierusalem sometime to Treuirs or Compostella whilest they goe to see and visite Saint Michaels Cathedrall Churche and caue in Gargan and that most royall and magnificent Temple of Saint Lauretan namely all to this end to satisfie and appease Gods wrath for their sinnes by this means to obteine saluation Hitherto also tend the Popes indulgencies pardons either full absolute for euer or els but for a thousand yeeres an hundred yeeres or fourtie yeeres Hitherto tendes the fraternitie or fellowship of Friers which some men forsooth at this day call the Communion of Saintes and this shewe of godlinesse they pretend to cloake that superstition withall and they labour to paint out a foolishe and feigned thing wittily with such false deceipts and as it were to adorne and beautifie it with some counterfeit colours Finally hitherto tend those egregious suffrages succours of Monkes which certeinely were wont to be more esteemed then Christes propitiatorie sacrifice for the sinnes of the world yea the greatest part of men reiecting in the meane while our Sauiour Christ nothing doubted to redeeme and purchase with a great summe of monie the communitie of Monasticall workes as though the saluation of their soules did consist onely in these For Monkes commonly were accustomed to powre vppon others the superfluitie of good workes wherewith they themselues abounded ouerflowed if there were any that would laie downe redie monie for them leauing alwayes enough for the obteining of their owne saluation they were wont to obtrude set to sale those their workes which were superfluous That these thinges are thus truely reported of them those obligations or quittances which are extant at this day made for that matter are sufficient testimonies proofes Thus are they made Concedimus inquiunt praesentium tenore omnium Missarum diuinorum officiorum orationū praedicationū studiorum ieiuniorum abstinentiarum vigiliarum laborum caeterorumque bonorum omnium quae per fratres sorores ordinis fiunt communionem participationem Et iterum Statuimus vt iniungantur pro animabus vestris sacra Missarum solennia vigiliae ac caetera suffragiorum praesidia vt multiplici sacrarum orationum ac piorum suffragiorum adiuti praesidio hic diuinae gratiae augmentum in futuro vitae aeternae praemium faciliùs ac copiosiùs mereamini adipisci We doe graunt say they by the tenour of these presentes the communion and participation of all Masses of all diuine duties of all prayers preachings studies fastes abstinencies watchings labours all other good things which are done by the Friers Nonnes of this order And againe We ordeine that for your soules there be inioyned the holy rites solemnities of Masses vigils the other helpes of suffrages that you being holpen with the manifold aide of holy prayers may deserue to obteine both here in this life the increase of Gods grace and in the life to come more easily and plentifully the rewarde of eternall life Hitherto wee haue recorded and related faithfully and truely the verie woordes of the Monasticall obligation and caution least that there should be found some froward fellowe which might gainesay vs Now the Monks commanded other men so to leane and trust to these trifles which are of no value to the obteining of saluation that amongst other thinges they would cause men that lay at the point of death to remember how many and how great good woorkes they had done by whose abundance and greatnesse the offences which they in their life time had committed might be ouerwhelmed how much merites they had to which Heauen was due Now as concerning the Popes pardons many men hertofore ascribed so much vnto them that they would not sticke to say that by them a man might obteine forgiuenesse of sinnes free releasement from all villanie and wickednesse yea although a man had lien with our Ladie the virgin Christes mother an abhominable thing to speake of and although he had slaine killed Christ himselfe For with such salt was the speach of the Papistes seasoned and poudered if at any time they ment to extrude and set out to sale their pedlarie packe of pardons as they had commission and commandement from the Pope Some of them also were not afraid to auouche that the soule which was tormented in the fire of Purgatorie did flee vp into heauen at the verie same instant and moment in which a peece of monie cast into the boxe for it did gingle To these may be added this their assertion that the red crosse with the Popes armes which heretofore was wont to be erected in the midst of the Churche had no lesse force might in it to abolishe put away sinne than the crosse of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ Moreouer that if any man had purchased the Popes pardons he needed not greatly any repentance for his sinnes onely these saide they were without all doubt sufficient to saluation Nay there haue bene men euen in our dayes which would say that they had saued more soules by the Popes pardons than euer did S. Peter by his sermons What neede many wordes All of them stoutly confidently affirmed that indulgencies pardons were of power to forgiue most fully aswell the fault as the punishment and that the superfluous merites of Saintes together with these might be cōmunicated imparted to those which would pay well and truely for them For euery man knoweth this how that the Popes bull was woont to be recited and read to those which were at the point of death in which bull there was promised both a full and absolute abolition of all crimes and also that the feare of Purgatorie should be wholy taken away These thinges verely are such that our posteritie may thinke them to be but forged fables which wee notwithstanding know very well not to be feigned but to haue bene done indeed Well seeing that there are euen now extant sundrie letters seales and monumentes of these matters there will remaine if they bee kept still and reserued an euerlasting testimonie of Popish impietie which without all doubt will be propagated and continued to all posteritie Hitherto perteines the Iubile
spotlesse as though nuw by this one thing all their sinnes had bene purged and cleane put away Yea moreouer lying now at the point of death they commanded their executours to see them buried in a Franciscan Friers weede being verely persuaded that the Diuell had no power at all ouer any man that was lapt cloathed with that holy garment so brought to his graue The same men in those dayes hauing buried their wiues and being nowe widowers thought that it was lawful for them to take vnto them a concubine the Magistrate wincking at so great wickednesse and in the meane while howe many yeeres did they for all that liue in so filthie a life being touched with no godlie sorrowe and griefe of their minde for their sinnes neither abandoning nor casting off their concubine neuer purposing to liue chaste afterwades Onely in a certeine feigned and hypocriticall repentance and to satisfie the commandement of the Bishop of Rome they came once a yeere to the Lordes table but howe worthily and howe faithfully the matter it selfe doeth declare with what fruite any man may easily coniecture by Saint Paules commination And yet in the meane time they seemed to themselues to bee verie faire and good Christians Such was the blindnesse of former times and such examples tooke the Laie people from the Priestes Neither could they freely enough finde faulte with the people whome they did corrupt by their yll example nor condemne easily in the Laietie that which any other man might iustly reprehend in them For I pray you with what face shoulde the whoremaister exhorte an other to chastitie the impenitent to repentance hee that is defiled with all kinde of wickednesse exhorte an other to holinesse Or what can his authoritie preuaile who is deprehended found faultie in the same vices which he reprehendeth in other men which him selfe doth indeede accuse his owne faultes whilest hee chideth other men not so guiltie as he But let vs returne againe to our purpose The same men of those dayes were woont alwayes to carrie and beare aboute with them in their bagges a seale of waxe consecrated by the Bishop of Rome which of the imprinted image or figure they did tearme Agnus Dei that is to say The lambe of God being verely persuaded that that same seale had in it a principall power and a wonderfull vertue by reason of the blessing of Christes vicar by which there was diuinely from heauen inspired into those kinde of seales a certeine secret vertue against all thunderclappes lighteninges and tempestes and I can not tell what other euilles Such a vertue they attribute to their Easter waxe candels and to those which are consecrated vppon the feast day of the Purification of Marie also both to blessed salt and blessed holie water in which thinges they thinke there is a power and vertue to driue away euill Spirits and Diuelles Such a like superstition there was amongst the Iewes and a vaine credulitie of that name which they call Tetragrammaton which being engrauen in gold they supposed that whosoeuer carried that about with them should be safe and sure by the vertue and efficacie thereof from greate and many mischiefes The like superstition also is that which one Serenus Samonicus writeth of that ridiculous name Abracadabra that being written after a certeine manner in a paper and hanged vpon the necke of him that is sicke of an ague doth by little and little driue away the disease The same men of that time iudged those to be good woorkes which there is no man at this day but will confesse they were full of superstition and idolatrie as for example these vowed Pilgrimages gadding into woddes and hilles the redeeming of the Popes bulles the woorshipping of images and pictures the adoration of images the bowing of the necke before Churches perfuming before the altars of Saintes the burning of franckincense and waxe candels the fulfilling of vowes giftes hanged vpon the pillers of the Church the adopting of housholde gods superstitious fastes choyce and difference of meates abstinence from milke cheese butter flesh egges thred bare apparell contemning despising of marriage often watchinges lyinges vpon the ground babbling of prayers which they did not vnderstand voluntarie vexing tormenting of their bodies the offering of an hired wages to the Stationaries that scratch scrape for monie the election into the couent fellowshippe of Friers building of Monasteries founding of Masses ordeining of altars memories anniuersaries the wearing of an image of waxe consecrated by the Bishop of Rome inuocation to dead men for helpe the hanging of the Gospell about their necke the walking of the stations of Rome supplication to the couerings and cushinges of Saintes the sprinkling of holie water the tasting of consecrated salt the bearing about of images in publike processions the worshipping and kissing of vncerteine relikes long tedious songes in the Church the houres of our Ladie satisfaction for sinnes the Euening prayer of the virgine the censing of hearbes and boughes the profession of a Monasticall life voluntarie beggerie and who can rehearse all the rest of that trash Now what authoritie of the mysticall Scripture haue these woorkes What witnesse of Gods worde Where is there any mention at all of these thinges in the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles Finally what either commandement or example is there extant any where in the holie Scriptures for these Moreouer what do they auayle to religion Of what force are they to obteine saluation What rewardes are promised and proposed to them Who either of the auncient Diuines taught these thinges or who in the first and Primatiue Church did euer obserue them Last of all what necessitie I pray you is there of these either to the amplifying of Gods glorie or to the profite and commoditie of others Thus verely it is plaine and euident how greate a mist of darkenesse there was spred ouer all mens minds in former times seeing that of those which had the charge to teach others such thinges were inculcated into the eares of the people indeede shadowed after the shape of sanctitie and holinesse but to say the trueth onely foolish deuises of men Such were in old time amongst the Iewes those thinges which they had added and put to the Lawe which our Sauiour Christ mentioneth so often in the Gospell as for example broade philacteries long fringes of their garments often washinges of their handes and of pottes babbling of prayers ambitious fastes and other such like thinges How much better had it bene to haue inculcated and beaten those thinges onely into their heades which come neerer to true godlinesse and wherein mans saluation consisteth Such we knowe are those good workes in deede both verie acceptable to God and worthie of a Christian man which both the Table of the ten commandements doeth teache and Christ doth command and the Apostolicall doctrine doth
of which by the way I haue saied somewhat before concerning the impure single life of Priestes concerning the superstition hypocrisie and tyrannie of the mendicant or begging Friers to be briefe of Pharasaisme in the Frieries and Monasteries of Epicurisme in the Collegies of Canons of Iudaisme in Ecclesiasticall rites of Paganisme in the life and manners of the Christians of the former age of so many snares of mens consciences of the feigned miracles of Saintes almost sixe hundred such like deuises But I hope that euerie man will by these few which we haue spoken of easily coniecture the rest which remaine which are very many For as I suppose I haue shewed sufficiently what hath bene the state of Christianitie now of late yeares and many ages past and I haue declared what superstitions what faultes what abuses haue crept into the Church I beseech God the father of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ that as he hath restored the light of his Gospell to those which heretofore were compassed with the thicke cloudes of errours so he woulde open the eyes of the aduersaries of the Gospell that they may be conuerted from darkenesse to light from the power of Sathan to God finally from the vaine superstition of their auncestours and forefathers to the worshippe of true godlinesse Amen The second parte of this Discourse Wherein is declared what hath bene amended and corrected by our men in Ecclesiasticall doctrine NOW will we come to the second part of this booke and we will briefly declare what hath bene nowe at length amended and reformed in the doctrine of the Church First therefore it is plaine and euident to all men at this day that from the beginning of the worlde till now there hath alwayes beene one and the same way to obteine saluation by namely by the sole and onely trust and confidence in Christ whome the godly did beleeue should come as the Sauiour promised to Adam and to the old fathers euen from the originall of the worlde whom we now beleeue to be come alreadie at a determinate time and to haue brought saluation vnto mankinde For our faith also at this day is the very same with the faith of the Patriarchs Prophetes and finally of the whole people of Israel in times past because they expected and wayted for that to come which we doe beleeue to be alreadie done Now though we conceiue in our mindes that the holinesse of the Patriarches was exceeding greate whiche without all doubte was singular and most notable notwithstanding they were saued by no other meanes but by faith in the Redeemer of mankinde then promised to them now exhibited to vs who is the sonne of God our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ So that the holy fathers were not as yet Christians in woorde but in deede they were Christians by reason of our common faith and beliefe in Christ whome they did hope would come whome wee doe beleeue to be come long agoe Therefore all men must looke for saluation from this one and onely Christ neither is there among men any other name giuen as S. Peter saith whereby we must be saued For to this Christ giue all the Prophetes witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Seeing these things are so who would not maruell much at the blindnesse of the Christians both in our memorie and in former ages which did attribute that to mans merites which is due vnto Christ alone For that can not bee denied which we haue before declared more at large to witte that mortall men did not heretofore trust so much to the goodnesse clemencie bountie mercie and grace of GOD alone nor so much to the satisfaction of Christ onely for our sinnes as they did to the dignitie and woorthinesse of their owne woorkes For whitherto tend so many rites and formes of woorshipping GOD found out and ordeined by men so many will woorshippes so many fraternities so manifold varietie of Masses moreouer Pilgrimages Pardons a Monasticall life voluntarie beatings and also whippinges of our owne bodie hungers watchinges lyinges vppon the bare ground and who can rehearse all Whereto say I doe wee beleeue that all these thinges did tend but to the obteining of forgiuenesse of sinnes to the satisfaction for offences to the deliuerance from eternall death briefly to the obteining of saluation and blessednesse So now men ascribed their saluation not to the sonne of God our Lord Redeemer Iesus Christ who by his owne bloudshed satisfied for the sinnes of the worlde and pacified the wrath of God but to the worthinesse of their owne woorkes and to their owne merites and vertues Now as the people of the Iewes in olde time were of that minde that they thought the Leuiticall ceremonies and the sacrifices of the lawe were auayleable to the remission of their sinnes the Prophets in the meane time shewing them a farre other vse of the lawe and warning them of that future sacrifice of the Messias which the Leuiticall sacrifices did shadowe so the men of the former age obserued and kept superstitious rites for that they were thoroughly persuaded that God by them was reconciled that he by them was satisfied for our sinnes our men at this day condemning this so impious a persuasion and testifying that all men obteine peace with God and pardon of their sinnes and that all receiue saluation only by faith in Christ For not mans ceremonies but that seede of the woman promised to Adam doeth breake and bruse the heade of that olde Serpent which as Iohn saith in the Reuelation is called the Diuell and Sathan that is the sonne of God our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is he alone which doeth destroy the workes of the Diuell to witte sinne and death Not the Leuiticall sacrifices but that lambe of God whom Iohn Baptist pointeth to with his finger is he that taketh away the sinnes of the world Not by our merites and desertes but through Christ is remission of sinnes preached vnto vs as the Apostle saith Not mans satisfaction but the sonne of God him selfe as S. Iohn testifieth is the reconciliation for our sinnes We haue obteined reconciliation not by the intercession of Saintes but by our Lord Iesus Christ as S. Paule doeth witnesse For this is he alone which may reconcile vs to God being the onely Mediatour betwixt God and men as the same S. Paule saith Not he that buyeth and redeemeth the Popes bulles but he that beleeueth in the sonne as our Sauiour saith in the Gospell of S. Iohn hath eternall life Man is not iustified by his owne woorkes but by the grace of God freely through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus as saith the Apostle No man is saued by his owne good deedes but by the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ are wee saued as saith S. Peter in the Actes I suppose that I
Popish satisfaction For that punishment which Iesus Christ suffered for vs and which brought saluation to vs is the onely satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole worlde And truely they which are of opinion that sinne may bee recompensed with fastinges with Pilgrimages with indulgencies and such like toyes or that Gods wrathe may any other way bee pacified rather than by the death of the Sonne of God doe not sufficiently ponder either the weight of sinne it selfe or the wrathe of GOD against our sinne Notwithstanding in Penance wee doe not disallow the auncient rites and ceremonies instituted either for example sake and for discipline or perteining to some amendement of life which smell not of gaine or couetousnesse And wee doe thinke that they which confesse their faultes ought againe and againe to bee exhorted to bring foorth those fruites which become true repentance Yea wee bid euen them which haue falne againe into sinne to satisfie as it were to pacifie God through the sorowe of repentance through the sighes of humilitie through the sacrifice of contrite heart as Dauid saith also wee bid them now chaunge their olde yll manners for better to reconcile God vnto them by almes deedes and by liberalitie towardes the poore which is principally to vse Tertullians wordes Dei misericordiae illex that is to say A verie prouoker of Gods mercie finally wee will them to bee warie heedie and diligent to auoyd those sinnes into which they haue once fallen wee bid them take heede by all meanes and beware that they offend not either in woorde or deede yea that they commit not any thing in thought which is either euill to bee done or wicked to be saide Now wee neither can nor ought to allow that necessitie of certeine woorkes which was woont to bee put vpon those which had confessed their sinnes and that way of satisfying for their sinnes and of deseruing deliuerance from the punishments of Purgatorie fire prescribed to the people by the sacrificing Priestes As concerning the sacrifice of the Masse thus wee thinke that the true Masse in the Church of God is that common Supper of the Lorde in which the bodie and bloud of our Lorde is distributed to renew the memorie of the most wholesome death of Christ and of his torments which hee suffered for the redemption of mankinde For the Fathers and Doctours of the Church in old time vsed to call the Supper of the Lord A sacrifice for that it was instituted and ordained to this end to wit that the same might stirre vs vp to the remembrance of that sacrifice of Christ who offered vp himselfe to his father vpon the crosse a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world according to that saying of Christ Doe this in remembrance of mee For least wee should forgett Christes death Christ now readie to passe out of this worlde vnto his father left vnto vs a memoriall of himselfe namely his body in the Eucharist and mysticall banket Wherefore we in our Churches haue restored the true right vse of the Eucharist according to the institution of Christ and according to the obseruation of the primitiue Church to wit that it might be the communion of Christian people to the receiuing and participation of the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ that it might also be a thankesgeuing whence it taketh his name of the Greeke worde Eucharistia and finally that it might be a godly recordation and remembrance of that one onely sacrifice of Christ and of that immolation done vppon on the altar of the Crosse We doe condemne and take away the abuses of those men which with this sacrifice worship Saintes which by it deliuer the dead from the fire of Purgatorie which thinke they doe obteine for others either pardon of their sinnes or an happie successe in their affaires And we denie not that to be true which that instaurer of auncient Diuinitie complaineth of namely that heretofore the Masse hath bene either a gaine for filthie Massemonging Priestes or else a trustie staffe and staie for all men that haue ledde an euill life For we must needes confesse that which by no meanes can be denied But also as concerning the taking away of the cup frō the Laie people which is contrarie to Gods institution wee doe not thinke it to bee in any wise allowable as likewise neither that reseruation of the Lordes bread nor that ostentation and open shewe of it in publike Processions and Ecclesiasticall pompes Wee haue wholy taken away those ceremonies which helpe nothing at all to promote and further godlinesse yea which rather hurt and hinder it as the consecration and hallowing of salte and of herbes the aspersion or sprinkling of holie water the circumgestation or carrying about of images and pictures the fuming and burning of Franckincense before the altars of Saintes the baptising of belles the yeerely exequies and solemnities for the dead the obseruation and keeping of the houres of our Ladie other innumerable like to these which are ioyned with a certeine impietie and superstition But hitherto of these matters wee haue spoken sufficiently The thirde parte of this discourse wherein the obiections of the Aduersarie are plainely refuted NOwe let Vs fall to the third part of this book wherein as muche as in vs lieth we will labour to confute those things which in this cause are woont to be brought against vs First of all many men are offended at this that our Preachers teach of onely faith in Christ but truely if we will iudge aright they are offended without any weightie or probable cause at the least much more without any iust and necessarie cause For when as wee say that wee are iustified by faith alone wee doe not take away good deedes or honest actions but wee exclude confidence and trust in woorkes and wee shut out mens merites which ought to haue no place in the matter of iustification But all men almost were heeretofore fully persuaded that these merites of men were of abilitie and power to remit sinnes and to satisfie for them in so much that the Monkes would not freely communicate to others their woorkes of supererogation which they had lesse neede of themselues to their owne saluation but would set them to sale at a price if any man would redeeme them with monie Therefore we excluding mens merites doe teache that all the trust and assurance of our saluation ought to bee put and placed in the onely free mercie and reconciliation of God for Christ who gaue himselfe an expiatorie sacrifice for mankinde And that which the Apostle saith Gratis freely excluding verely the condition of dignitie and merite the same we doe say with the Ecclesiasticall fathers Sola fide by faith alone least you should thinke the mutation of the wordes to change the thing it selfe These things as I suppose are both so cleare and