but beleueth in him which iustifyeth the wicked his fayth is imputed vnto righteousnesse And agayne Therefore we are iustifyed by fayth that the promes should be firme according to grace And Dauid sayth blessed is the maÌ„ vnto whoÌ„ the Lord hath not imputed sinne And in an other place the same â—…postle sayeth By grace you are saued through fayth and that not of your selues for it is y â— gifte of God not by workes leaste any man should boaste But what nede we to bring forth many testimonies of y e scripture when as the Prophets do euery where teach that the whole consideration of our righteousnesse is to be sought for in the mercy of God applied by fayth for Christs sake In the knowledge of himselfe shall my righteous seruant iustifie many and he shall beare their iniquityes There is no other name vnder heauen geuen vnto men wherin we ought to be made safe This doctrine of Christ of the Prophetes and of the Apostles concerning the free remission of sinnes by faith for Christes sake in his only passioÌ„ and death and vtterly obteyned for vs by his obedience the Councell of Trent condemneth as erronious hereticall and deuilishe Wherfore howsoeuer they should graunt vnto vs all other thinges and should in all thinges come to our opinion yet can there be no agreement made betwene vs them so long as they perseuere in this their wicked opinion which as I haue sayd vtterly ouerthroweth the chife head and foundation of the doctrine of the Gospell No lesse impiety hath the 13. Canon wherein we are taught by reason of our infirmitie vnaptnes continually to doubt of the remission of sinnes before God But this opinion is repugnant to the manifeste testimonies of the Scripture and also to the definitioÌ„ and nature of fayth For to beleue is nothyng ells than fyrmely and assuredly to appoynte and not to doubt and with coÌ„fidence to geue assent and by y â— meanes doubtyng is contrary vnto faith Wherfore wheÌ„ we are bidden to beleue we are prohibited to doubt Repent sayth Christ and beleue the Gospell And of Abraham it is written And he was not weake in faith neyther coÌ„sidered he his own body whiche was nowe dead c. But he doubted not at the promise of God thorough vnbelief but was made stroÌ„g in faith geuing the glory to God being fully assured that he whiche had promised was also able to do it And therfore it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnesse I am assured sayth Paul y â— neither death nor lyfe c nor any other creature can seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. He writeth also vnto y e Ephe sians In whome we haue boldnesse and entrance with confidence thorough faith And Iames saith Let him aslte sayeth he with faith nothing doubting for he which doubteth is like vnto a waue of the sea whiche is moued and caried about of the wynde let not that man therfore thinke that he caÌ„ receaue any thing of the Lord. Also Let vs therefore go boldly vnto the throne of his grace y t we may obteine mercy find grace to helpe in tyme of nede These and like testimonies of the holy scripture teach that by no meanes we ought to put doubt or diffidence in the mercy of God towarde vs and of the obteynement of remissioÌ„ of our sinnes but we must firmely settle our selues without any doubting or distrust that thorough faith our sinnes are forgeuen vs by the free mercy of God for Christes sake But in that they adde hauing no regarde to our owne infirmitie or vnaptâ—… these holy fathers will not in dede haue vs to doubt of the promises of God whiche is most certaine and most firme and abideth alwayes in one sorte but if we looke vpon our owne infirmitie in graunting perseuering for this our infirmitie I say we must continually doubte so long as we liue here To this we aunswere y â— we must in dede haue a great regard to our infirmities and vnaptnesse and we must acknowledge diligently consider it for by it we are vnapt and vnworthy to receaue to be partaliers of the grace of 〈◊〉 as the CeÌ„turion speaketh in the Gospel Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe c. â—…nd Dauid sayth Haue mercy vpon me O God c. Also As thou Lord looke vpon our iniquities Lord who shalbe able to abide it Also I am a worme and no man â—…c And the Apostle sayeth I am not worthy to be called an Apostle bycause I haue persecuted the Churche of God Dauid also Lord enter not iudgement with thy seruaunt bycause no liuing maÌ„ shalbe iustified before thee And is not this to acknowledge his own infirmitie and vnaptnesse But the ende of this acknowledgyng is not a diffideÌ„ce or doubting of y â— will of God towarde vs but it rather ought to stirre vs vp that we vtterly dispairying in our owne strengthes shoulde with a sure and firme fayth without any doubting seke righteousnesse life and eternall life in our only Lord sauiour if there remayne any doubtyng in the flesh let vs say with him in the Gospel Lord helpe my vnbeliefe Wherfore the holy scripture teacheth that men ought so to be assured oâ—… y â— grace mercy of God towardes them that in the meane tyme they forget not their owne infirmitie study to make their electioÌ„ firme by good workes and not that by consideratioÌ„ of this their infirmitie they should doubt of the fauor of God towardes them For the takyng awaye of which doubt the Sacramentes were instituted by Christ by which the promyses of God are applied vnto euery man and theyr heartes are sealed by the spirit of Christ. Of Baptisme Peter writeth That Baptisme also maketh vs faste not the puttyng awaye of the filth of the fleshe but the taking to witnesse of a good coÌ„science with God by the resurrection of our Lorde Iesuâ—… Christ from the dead For euen as by takyng witnesse câ—…uenantes are performed so God in Baptisme as it were takyng vs by the right hand confirmeth that he will be a mercifull God vnto vs in Christ that he wil forgeue our sinnes and receaue vs into grace For this cause also the Apostle sayth ye haue not receaued the spirite of bondage agayne in feare but ye haue receaued the spirite of the adoption of the sonnes of God by whom we crye Abba father For that spirite beareth witnesse to our spirite that we are the children of God Also Ye are scaled with the holy spirite of promise whiche is the pledge of our inheritaunce Wherefore it is both extreme impietie and also ignoraunce of holye Scriptures to bryng men into a continuall doubte bycause of their infirmitie wherewith also the nature of the sainctes is infected Whiche thyng this present Canon doth wherein all the doctrine of
†A godly and necessarye admonition of the Decrees and Canons of the Counsel of Trent celebrated vnder Pius the fourth Byshop of Rome in the yeares of our Lord. M. D. LXII and. M. D. LXIII Wrytten for those godlye disposed persons sakes whych looke for amendement of Doctrine and Ceremonies to bee made by generall Counsels Lately translated out of Latine Psalm xxvi Odi ecclesiam malignantium I haue hated the Congregations of the wycked Math. xv What soeuer my heauenlye father hath not planted shalbe plucked vp by the rootes ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day dwellyng ouer Aldersgate beneath Saint Martins ¶ Cum gratia et priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per septennium The. xix of February 1564. These bookes are to be sold at hys shop vnder the Gate ⧠The Preface to the Reader OUr Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christ when he hadde confirmed the mindes of his Disciples agaynste the daungers of persecution whych they shoulde be in daunger of for the confession of the truth of his doctrine with a spirite thurstyng our saluation brake foorth into these woordes What profiteth it a man sayd he though he win al the world if he lose hys own soule Or what recompence shal a man geue for his soule And his meaning was to admonish not onely his Disciples but also al vs together with them how much the saluation of soules is to be made of which being deliuered from the bodye and once abiected from God can by no price or recompence he redemed agayne But then are they most of al endaungered when they straye from the true knowledge of God and his syncere woorshipping For God is lyfe and truth and therefore the death of the soule is to decline froÌ„ the rule of the wyl of God reuealed in Christ. But bicause the Lorde speaketh not vnto vs from heauen but hath vpoÌ„ earth instituted the ministery of teaching whereby men are instructed of the wil of God we see that for that cause I say men are diuerslye affected For they which teach in the churche of God doo not euerye where professe one and the selfe same doctrine And when Christ sayde of true teachers He that heareth you heareth me And agayne If he shal not heare the church let hym bee vnto thee as an Ethnicke and a Publicane they excedinglye doubt vnto what congregation in so great a diuersitye of opinions they ought to soyne them selues For on the one syde they are holden by ordinary succession as they caâ—… it and custome and consent of very long tyme in whose congregation yet neuerthelesse they see very many errours and no small abuses which they them selues vnderstand and iudge that they ought of necessity to be amended On the other side against humane traditions they heare the expresse woorde of God brought foorth and vrged but for asmuch as they fynde among those meÌ„ also occasion to be offended and chiefely bicause they thinke that the chaunging of doctrine and ceremonies pertaineth not vnto euery man but vnto the ordinarye power they can scarse tel which way to turne them selues They flye therefore vnto the authority of a Counsel as to an onely sanctuary whereby they iudge that dissension sprong in the Church may most commodiously be taken awaye Of which thyng when deliberation was had long tyme and often by the orders of the Empyre neither yet by any conditions whereby on eyther syde it was requyred it could be obtained the saluation of many men hath by the stay of so long tyme bene miserably endaungered And although such are iustly to be reproued whych neglecting the very sounding from heauen of the sonne of God Heare him haue a regarde vnto the authority of men for the consideration of our saluation is not so obscurelye taught but that euen the moste simplest in fayth may comprehende it yet I thinke not that this kinde of men is to bee abiected But rather in that part wherin we see that they ar sicke we must after the exaÌ„ple of the Apostels to our power study to heale theÌ„ For that happeneth in this our time which we reade happened at Ierusalem on the day of Pentecost after the ascention of Christe into heauen For when the people saw and heard the Apostels with sundry tounges celebrate the wonderful things of God whom yet the Priestes Scribâ—…s and Phariseis had a litle before condemned and persecuted they were vtterly at their wyts ende and in doubte whose doctrine they should embrace For Christ seemed no lesse to commend the doctrine of the Phariseis than the doctrine of the Apostels when he said Upon the chaire of Moses syt the Scribes and Phariseis that which they say doo ye What maruaile is it if the rude and vnlearned people were doubtfull For the Phariseis vnto whom they were so long tyme addicted in learning the woorshippyng of God taught one thing and the Apostels an other thing The selfe same thing vndoubtedlye wee see happeneth in this our age For with our Elders great hath bene the authority of the Church of Rome wherewith the eyes of many men are yet styl blinded But no lesse yea rather farre greater is the authority of the woord of God whereby are reproued errours and abuses which haue throughe the negligence and auarice of men crept into the Church A man that wyl ryd him selfe our of these difficulties ought not vtterly to be vnskilful in holy matters and so to be addicted vnto the Church that in the meane tyme he same not against the manifest wil of God expressed in the woord of the Gospel But there are two rockes betwene which godlye men must wyth great care and diligence sayle For some by reason of lightnes of mind without iudgement and true faith embrace euery maner of religion But other some to stubbornlye resist and wyll not once so muche as vauchsafe to know the doctrine set foorth bicause their minde is bent vnto an opinion which they defend for the truth Or bring ouercome with the pleasures of this worlde they haue no care of the truth nor saluation of their soules But there is none amongest them that are trulye godlye so rude to thinke that so great inconstancye of minde in the doctrine of religion or stubbornes in errors should be numbred among vertues but by the holy scriptures they are taught that either of them is to be auoyded For against inconstancy the Apostle speaketh Let vs not be as â—…ytile ones wauering neither let vs be caried about with euerye wynde of doctrine But against stubbornes in errour Iohn hath left in writing Proue the spirites whether they be of God Wherwith the selfe same Apostle agreeth Quench not saith he the spirite despise not prophecies But proue ye al thing that which is good hold But bicause it is a singular gift of God to proue spirites and as the Apostle saith prophecye that is the naturall interpretation of the holy scripture belongeth not to euery man Manye suppose that thys
the Prophetes and of the Apostles is condemned And euen by this onely article though all the other were conuenient the godly reder may iudge that the Papistes and we striue not as the sayeng is aboute moone shine in the water but about a thing most wayghty For the foūdation of our saluatiō the most proper ende scope of the Gospell is to teache that men beyng penitent and beleuing from the hart hauyng no regard to their sinnes or to their owne infirmitie and vnaptnesse shoulde assuredly appoint and without all doubtyng firmely beleue y ◠for Christes sake they haue remission of al their sinnes that they are in the fauor of God and haue eternall lyfe This foundation of our saluation and this onely consolation of afflicted consciences the fathers of the Counsell ouerthrowe by this their decree of perpetuall doubtyng where vnto all y ◠Idolatry and superstition of the Papacy leaneth For take away doubtyng and Purgatory is taken awaye Peregrinations or Pilgrimages to the Images of Saintes the opinion of Merites of Fastynges and prayers the sacrifice of the Masse for the quicke and the dead inuocation of sainctes such like al these things I say if you take away doubting are taken awaye But contraryly to affirme defend doubting is to take away faith to abrogate the promises of the Gospel and vtter ly to blot it out of the hartes of men The like pernitious error is stablished in the 18. Canō That a man being iustified and set in grace may perfectly fulfil the law of God For although the regenerate do receaue the holy ghost yet continually as long as we liue in this life there cleaueth to our nature a natural corrup tion whose guiltnesse is forgeuen in Baptisme by reason of which corruption the godly can not performe that whiche they would For this cause made the Apostle this exclamation O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body subiecte vnto death For he had a litle before sayde That whiche I woulde I do not but that whiche I hate that I doo but I knowe that there dwelleth no good in me that is in my fleshe For to will is present with me but I finde no meanes to doo good For I do not the good thing whiche I woulde but the euill whiche I would not that I do And agayne The fleshe lusteth agaynst the spirite and the spirite agaynst the flesh and these are cōtrary one to the other so that ye can not do the same thinges that ye would This doctrine is necessary whereby also they y ◠are in dede godly do vnderstād y ◠howsoeuer they are regenerat yet they tā not perfectly accomplish the lawe of God lest peraduenture they should fall into a pernitious doubt if they should see in them selues also this imbec◅llitie of humane nature not vtterly and wholly regenerate against whiche infirmitie we must continually thorough y ◠grace of the holy ghost fight with a true faith The 28. Canon manifestly teacheth that the Counsell of Trent is not gouerned by y ◠holy ghost but is infected with the spirite of error For they teache that a dead faith is a true faith and that he whiche is endewed with a dead faith is neuerthelesse a Christian thē that thinke otherwise they curse But these two pointes are playnly manifestly contrary opposite vnto the doctrine of the Apostles For a true faith is a lyuely faith the gift of the holy ghost whereby man is ioyned vnto Christe but that faith whiche is not lyuely can not be a true faith And here let them heare what Iames sayth whose authoritie in other places they somuch extoll Thou beleu est sayth he that there is but one God Thou doest wel the deuils also beleue and tremble wherefore it is the fayth of deuils and not a true fayth whiche is not a liuely confidence in the mercy of God promysed by his sonne and so is it nothyng ells than a humane and vayne persuasion wherwith the greatest part of the world being deceaued falleth into eternal destruction And euen as thou mayest call the payne ted image of a man a man so mayest thou also call suche a persuasiō or opiniō faith which yet is not a true faith But what a madnesse is it to call him a Christian whiche is endued with thys dead fayth without charitye Saint Paule sayth In Christ Iesus neyther circumcision is of any force nor vncircumcision but fayth workyng through loue And to the Cor. he writeth If I haue not charitie I am become lyke brasse y t soundeth and as a cimball y ◠ryngeth But the councel of Trent acknowledgeth y ◠man to be a Christian whiche is without charitye Hitherto they haue imputed to our teachers y ◠they teach a naked fayth contemning charitye wherein they do vnto them greate iniurye But nowe these good holy fathers themselues acknowledge them for Christians which are without charitye and they counte a dead fayth for a true fayth Omittyng to speake more sharply what blyndnesse is thys Thou seest now Christian reader in howe thicke darknesse the fathers and brethren of this Counsell do syt who are vtterly ignoraunt of the whole manner of Christian Religion and of the power of fayth wherein the whole strengthe of our saluation consisteth Wherein also the iuste iudgement of GOD is to be considered for for as muche as they of purpose and obstinatlye oppose them selues agaynst the light of the truth and do holde it backe in vnryghteousnesse they are worthy of suche so greate blindnesse whereby God punisheth sinnes with synnes In the 30. Canon they confirme satisfaction for the guiltnesse of temporall payne and also the fire of Purgatory wherin maye be satisfied the Iustice of God for the guiltnesse of temporall payne Eyther of these errors are a derogatiō to y e merite of y ◠pas siō death of Christ they declare also y e the Counsell is vtterly ignorant what it is to obteine or to haue remissiō of sinnes For the holy scripture doth testifie that al they whose synnes are forgeuen thē are in the grace fauor of God as it is written I will be mercyful to their iniquitie will no more remember their sinne that is God doth so forget sinnes y t in no part he desireth to take vengeāce of thē whom being repentant he frely forgeueth thorough faith for Christes sake As touching tēporal paine to satisfie perfectly the Iustice of God all y e is layd vpō Christes shoulders as Esay testifieth The Lorde hath put all our iniquities on him He hath in dede horne our infirmities caryed our sorowes He was wounded for our iniquities and broken for our wickednesse The chastisement of ou◅ peace was vpon him And Iohn in his Canonical Epistle writeth The bloud of Iesus Christe his sonne cleanseth vs frō all sinne Also He is the propitiation for the sinnes
of the whole world These testimonies of the holy Scripture of the olde and newe Testament doo manifestlye teache that besides the obedience of Christe made in the fleshe there is no other satisfaction for synnes and that they are fowlely deceaued which do put some part of satisfaction eyther in theyr owne passions or elles in their fained purgatorye To deuide in halfe the merite of the passion of Christ is vtterly to abolish his meryte for he is no halfe or vnperfect redemer but a perfect redemer with one oblatiō saieth the Epistle to the Hebrewes hath he for euer made perfect those which are sanctified Heb. x. But bycause they see that the expiation or satisfaction for synnes is by moste manifeste testimonyes of the scripture attributed onely vnto Christe they goe aboute to auoyde them by a vayne distinction when they teache that the synnes themselues are not expiated but that for the eternall payne dew vnto synnes the satisfaction of temporall payne is expiation made but in affyrmyng of these thynges they shewe in very deede that they are vtterly ignoraunt what remission of synnes is For what other thyng ells is remission of synne than that God fyrst receaueth vs into fauoure and forgeueth the faulte of synnes then also he remitteth the punyshemente whiche we haue deserued by our synnes Wherfore where there is not a full and perfecte remission of payne but that some satisfaction is requyred there also is not a full and perfecte remission of synnes I knowe the Councell of Trent can not vnloose thys knotte and if thys be manifest to be the doctrine of the holy Ghost then will fal away theyr satisfactions for synnes and the fyre of purgatorye shal easiy be quenched And although the Lord somtimes do some what more seuerely chastē those whose sinnes he remitteth according to hys will as he vnderstandeth to bee expediente for them yet is that by no meanes to be counted a satisfaction for y e payne of sinne but a healthfull discipline to kepe them in doing theyr dutie and to cause them to woorke theyr saluation in feare and trembling When we are iudged sayth the Apostle we are corrected of the Lorde least we should be condemned with the world He sayeth not that we are corrected to the ende we shoulde satisfye part of the iustice of God but to the entent we should not synne hereafter or flatter our selues in sinnes Also y t fayned fyre of Purgatorye is manifestly against this sentence of Christ wherin he sayth Uerely I say vnto you he whiche heareth my worde and beleueth in him which sent me hath eternal lyfe shal not come to iudgement but hath passed from death to life It is also contra ry vnto the most sweete consolation of the Apostle which is written vnto the Thessalonians where the death of the Godly is called a sleepe I will not sayth the Apostle that you shoulde be ignoraunte brethren of those whiche haue fallen on slepe c. But it might be called a wonderfull sleepe if it were ioyned with so greate a tormente of purgatory fyer Which the Sophisters affyrme differeth nothing from the infernall fyre but only in respecte of duraunce of time Whereof you shall heare what the Disciple sayth in his Sermon of soules whose words are these For if all the coales of the whole worlde being gathered together vpō one heape were on fyre and if a man shoulde stande in the middest of them he shoulde not susstaine so greate heate as the soules sustaine in purgatory Of thys fayned fyre of purgatory the holy prophetes and Apostles know nothing y e holy scripture is ignorant therof neyther knoweth it of any other fyre after thys life than of the infernal euerlasting fyre of the damned which shall neuer be quenched but al the misery of those y ◠shal be saued endeth in this world wherein yet also is the beginning of eternall life And although y ◠Byshops of Rome with their Cardinalles Byshoppes Sacrificers and monkes were man◅ yeares ago admonished of all these pernitious errors ye◅ se great is their stubborn◅es and security in defending of errors that in s◅ manifest a lyght of the doctrine of y e Gospell they are bolde to obtrude them agayne vnto Christian people so muche are they bewitched by the spirite of lying that they shoulde not geue place vnto the truth of the heauenly doctrine whiche the Lord hath raysed vp againe in the latter times hath kindled the true lyght in the hartes of many I thought good to admonishe the godly reader of all these thinges before I tooke in hande to confute the rest of the decrees and Canons whiche were made vnder the Bishop of Rome Pius the fourth concerning the Sacramentes all which namely decrees and Canons seing they were allowed by the Counsell gathered together the laste yeare they whiche are but meanely instructed in the doctrine of pietie may most manifestly see y ◠there is no good thing to be hoped for at their handes For what but euen briefly to repeate all things pietie or sounde doctrine canst thou looke for of them which acknowledge not the disease of the corrupt nature of man dare denye it to be sinne contrary to the Apostle Which denye that man is dead thorough sinne and doo attribute vnto him strengthes yet remayning wherby he may apply him selfe vnto grace Whiche also excuse workes of the Ethnikes and infidels from sinne Whiche are ignorant of the nature difference of the law and of the Gospell Which condemne the righteousnesse of faith which thorough the obedience of Christ resteth onely in the mercy of God Whiche teache a man continually to doubt of the grace and fauor of God Whiche dreame y ◠the faythfull can fulfill the lawe of God Whiche besides the passion and death of Christ do teache vs to seeke other satisfactiō in this life in y e world to come What good thing I saye can a Christian Publique welth hope or loke for from suche fathers when as with their peruerse and vngodly decrees they do not o◅ely peruert the foundations and principall poyntes of Christian Religion but also as much as lieth in them vtterly ◅uerthrow them Where as there are fiue principall feast dayes wherein the benefites of the sonne of God are yearely celebrated in the Churche the feastes of the Natiuitie of Christ of hys Passion Resurrection and Ascencion into heauen also the feast of Whitsontyde Of all these feastes the Fathers of the Counsell of Trent haue left vs nothyng but the names and truth of the historye whiche is also in the deuilles vnto whiche fathers thou mayst most aptly apply this sayeng of Paul They professe that they know God but in dedes they deny hym when as they are abhominable and not harknyng to his worde and reprobate to all good workes For the power and fruite of the holye Natiuitie of Christe is to purge and make cleane our vnpure Natiuitie whiche were
conceaued borne and dead in synnes The Counsell of Trent extenuateth the power of thys whilest they extenuate the disease of originall synne and denye it to be properly called sinne The vertue and fruite of the Passion and death of Christ is a perfect satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole worlde and a full remission thorough the mercy of God Contrarily the Counsell extenuateth the vertue of thys merite teacheth that for the temporall payne of sinnes we may satisfie both in this life by good workes and after this life in Purgatorye The vertue and fruite of the resurrection of Christ is that all they whiche beleue in Christe are iustified from sinne and endewed with righteousnesse not with theyr owne righteousnesse but with y e righteousnesse of Christ as it is written whiche was deliuered for our sinnes and raysed vp for oure Iustification Contrarily the Counsell decreeth that parte of the Righteousnesse whiche is of force before God to put awaye sinnes consisteth also in our workes The vertue and fruite of the Ascension of Christe into heauen and of his sitting at the right hande of the father from whence also he sent the holy ghost vnto hys Apostles is that he onely alone hath opened the gate of the kyngdome of heauen is a continuall intercessor for vs vnto the father and sealeth our hearts with y ◠holy ghost as with a pledge earnest peny y ◠the faithfull shoulde be certaine and not doubte of the fauor mercye of God towards them Cōtrarily the Counsel teacheth y ◠we should laye the consideration of our infirmitie agaynst the promises of God and y t bycause of it we ought continually to doubt of the grace and fauor of God and they iudge it to be an arrogant confidence whereby a man assuredly and vndoubtedly promiseth vnto hym selfe the fauor of God for Christs sake Yea and y t more is one of the Fathers of this Counsel in the defence of his Catholike doctrine not long sins was not ashamed to write That there is no greater abhomination before God than if a man hauyng no respect vnto his owne infirmitie should certaynly appoynt and firmely beleue that thorough fayth hys sinnes are forgeuen for Christes sake Take awaye this firme consolation from a Christian ◅an the benefites of the sonne of God whiche we haue rehearsed whiche the Counsell of Trent derogateth namely the full remission of sinnes y e is of the fault payne gottē by y e bloud of Christ take away also y ◠perfect righte ousnesse whiche we haue by the resurrection of Christe and the assure◅ testimony of the holy ghost Wherby we beleue without any doubtyng that we are in the fauor of God for Christes sake and what can be lefte or geuen hym that is auaylable to saluation But rather this ought continually to be the study of a Christian man y ◠we should fight against this distrust and doubting whiche is naturally in vs and cleaueth vnto vs euen against our willes and expell it so far is it of that it should be a prayse of pietie modestie or humilitie bycause of our infirmitie to doubte of the grace of God offred vs in Christ. The holy fathers of the Counsell iudge y ◠it can not want the sinne of arrogancie if a man hauing no regarde to his owne infirmitie do assuredly appoynt of the grace of God towardes him selfe In the meane time they consider not how great a wickednes it is to accuse god in his promises of vanitie lying Who hauyng no regards to our infirmitie promiseth offreth his fauor in Christs to vs beyng vnworthy and wicked and doth most seuerely admonish and vnder the payne of hell fire commaunde vs y ◠as repentaunt sinners we should without all diffidēce or doubt y t is with a true and firme faith embrace it He that beleueth not that is that firmely appoynteth not y ◠for Christes sake he hath God mercyfull vnto hym shalbe condemned And thus much of the doctrine whiche the Counsell of Trent in the yeare 1547 confirmed agaynst the expresse word of God to establish their olde errors In the seuenth and last session they began to make decrees also of the Sacramentes whiche are added as seales vnto the heauenly doctrine wherin the promises of God concernyng his free fauor towarde vs are sealed and our fayth confirmed But I will not dispute long of these their decrees whose true and manifeste confutation is of late set a bro◅e but I will only admonish y t godly reader of certayne things y ◠he may se that the Counsel in this part also is not vnlike vnto it self y e hauing no regard vnto the word of god they appoynt and decree what they lust them selues In the first Canon they curse those whiche beleue not y ◠there are seuen Sacramētes being so most properly called instituted of Christ him self But who will not here streight way meruaile at the rashnesse boldnesse omitting to speake more greuously of the Counsel When as Christ hath instituted only two Sacramētes and not m◅ or fewer to faine to these other fiue which are not proper ly Sacramentes For as for Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord the Euangelistes testifye y t Christ instituted thē to confirme our fayth whiche haue y t worde promise outwarde simboles or signes As for y ◠other whiche partly are kyndes of lyfe instituted by God and partly are ordinaunces howe dare they number them among Sacramentes When as either they want outwarde symboles or els they are not seales of promises of eternall lyfe And bycause they dispute of the number of Sacraments of the new Testamēt instituted by Christ with what rashnesse dare they to bryng into y ◠number either Repentaunce or Matrimony when as the selfe same are founde in the people of the olde Testament In the fifth Canon they decree If a man say y ◠the Sacraments were instituted only to y e norishement of fayth Let hym be accursed What other thyng I pray you doo they in this Canon than vtterly to ouerthrowe the vse of the Sacramentes If the imbecillity of our faith were not so great that it would firmely rest in y ◠promises of God what should we nede Sacramētes by which God would helpe our imbecillitie as the Apostle hath writtē of Abraham he receaued the signe of circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which was in vncircūcision c. In y ◠eight Canō y ◠olde impietie of y e mōkes is confirmed which taught y ◠Sacramētes cōfer grace by y ◠worke wrought w tout y ◠good motion of him whiche receaueth This Canon is against y e doctrine of y ◠Prophetes Apostles which testifieth y ◠grace is not conferred but to those which beleue in very dede For euen as y ◠word of promise nothing profiteth the vnbeleuers but hurteth them as y ◠Apostle
do approue and coÌ„firme them with their assent and authoritie By these thinges as I thinke all Christendome maye easly vnderstand that the Cardinals Bishops Monkes Sacrificers called together at Trent by the consent of the Bishop of Rome Pius y e iiii not to cleÌ„se y e doctrine of the Churche froÌ„ errors whiche haue not once with their litle finger touched any one error of y â— Scholastical or Papisticall doctrine wherewith their bookes and decrees ouer flowe but they are asseÌ„bled together with this only purpose and entent to establishe and confirme the Popes tyranny in the Churche and also deuilishe Idolatrye and thorough out al ChristeÌ„dome to oppresse vtterly to ouer throwe sounde doctrine and the folowers therof Wherfore there is no cause why that any man should be deceaued w te these their most flatteryng wordes namely that they assembled together in this Counsell so the increase aduancement of faith ChristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ to asswage the calamities of these times to quiet y â— coÌ„trouersies of ReligioÌ„ to restraine disceatful tongues to correct the abuses of corrupt maners to restore y e true ecclesiasticall Christian peace For the sense of those wordes is y t the calamities of these times caÌ„ by no other meanes be asswaged or the coÌ„trouersies coÌ„cerning reli gioÌ„ quieted vnlesse the olde auÌ„cieÌ„t superstitioÌ„ idolatry be called agayne into the Churche y â— al godly teachers whom they in this place vnderstand by disceatful toÌ„ges shuld euerywhere be put to sileÌ„ce y t such which hithertâ—… being instructed w c y t word of God haue gayne sayd their impietie playnly coÌ„uinced them of manifest idolatry of infinitie superstitions abuses all kind of most pernitious errors yea and also of most great impietie should cruelly be put to death But as touching the correcting of corrupte maners they are so far of to be carefull y t they seme by all diligence to seke a greater liceÌ„ce for y â— maintenance therof wheÌ„ as it is not possible y â— there should be a greater dissolutioÌ„ of lyfe maners in all orders but especially in the Clergy And although as I suppose I haue hitherto sufficieÌ„tly pleÌ„tifully declared y t the CouÌ„sell of Trent in this firste decree hath most briefly coÌ„deÌ„ned y e souÌ„d doctrine of y e Gospell in a maner in al his partes articles so y â— I nede not to rehearse any mo things whereby to declare y t all godly meÌ„ ought to abstaine froÌ„ the amitie familiaritie therof as froÌ„ a most deadlyopeÌ„ enemie of y e eternal truth celesti all doctrine yet neuerthelesse bycause we would in other things also satisfie y â— desire of y e godly reder we will briefly also examine such things whiche they haue decreed of y e bookes of herctikes of y e sacrifice of y e Masse of y e coÌ„munioÌ„ vnder both kindes and of prebendes ¶ The first decree of the second Session of the sacred Counsel of Trent vnder Pope Pius the fourth the xxvi of February 1562. THe sacred oeconominall generall Sinode of Trent lawfully asseÌ„bled together in y e holy ghost the self same legares of the Apostolical seat being presideÌ„tes in it not trusting to humane strengthes but cleauing to the helpe aide of our Lord Iesus Christe who hath promised to geue mouth wisdome vnto his Church hath principally a regard vnto this to restore at the length to his purenesse â—…brightnesse the doctrine of the Catholike fayth beyng in many places corrupted and obscured by reason of the opinions of many whiche disagree among them selues and to reuoke the manners which haue declined from the olde institution vnto a better manner of lyfe and also to conuert the heart of the Fathers vnto the children and the heart of the children vnto the Fathers For as muche therefore as it firste of all considereth that at thys tyme the number of suspected and pernitious bookes wherein vnpure doctrine is coÌ„tayned and farre and wide spred abrode hath to muche increased whiche thyng in dede was the cause that many reformatioÌ„s were with a godly zeale made in sundry prouinces and especially in the hyghe Citie of Rome and yet coulde no healthfull medicine profite thys so greate and pernicious dysease It hath thought good y e the fathers which are ap pointed for this inquisition should diligently coÌ„sider what were nedefull to be done concernyng Censures bookes that they should also in due time make relation vnto the selfe same holy Synode that it may with more ease desseuer sundry straunge doctrines as it were tares from the wheat of ChristiaÌ„ verity and more commodiously deliberate and decree coÌ„cernyng those things whiche shall seme most opportune to the plucking out of doubtes out of the myndes of very many men and to the taking away of the causes of ma ny complayntes And all these thinges â–ª it desireth to be brought to the knowledge of all men what soeuer they be as also by thys present decree it geueth knowledge abrode that if any man shall thinke that by any meanes these things pertaine vnto hym touchyng the matter of these bookes and Censures or any other thynges whiche it hath declared to be handled in this generall CouÌ„ sell he should not doubt but that he shall w t much fauor be heard of the holy Synode But bycause y â— self same holy Synode wisheth euen from the heart earnestly desireth of God those thinges that are profitable to the peace of y e Church y t all we acknowledging our coÌ„mon mother vpon the earth whiche can not forget those whoÌ„ it hath brought forth may with one mynde with one mouth glorifie God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ thorough the bowels of the mercy of the selfe same God and our Lord and al those whiche haue not communion with vs it allureth exhorteth vnto concorde and reconciliation that they would come vnto this holy Synode embrase charitie which is the bond of per fectioÌ„ preferre the peace of Christ which reioyseth in their harts into whiche they are called in one body Wherefore harkenyng vnto the voyce not of a maÌ„ but of the holy ghost let theÌ„ not hardeÌ„ their harts but not walking in their own seÌ„se nor pleasing theÌ„ selues let theÌ„ be stirred vp coÌ„uerted to so godly healthfull an admonition of their mother For the holy Sinode as it allureth them so also will it embrase them with all duties of Charitie Furthermore the self same holy Synode hath decreed that publique faith or saue conduite may be graunted in a generall congregation and shal haue the same force and be of the same strength and wayght as if it had bene geuen and decreed in a publicque Session The second Decree published in the selfe same ii Session THe selfe same sacred Sinode of Trent lawfully gathered together in the holy ghost the self same legates of the
māner cōclude no otherwise Who therfore would not deride theyr decrees It is neces sary y e they com armed w t other argumēts if they wil w t ex treme vnctiō succor their masse being now sick in a mā ner in al prouinces and kingdomes geuing vp the ghost Howbeit they are not ashamed in y e meane time to affirme y ◠the sacrifice of y e masse doth not derogate the sacri fyce of y e cros If by vertue of y e sacrifice of y ◠Crosse al sins ar forgeuē as y e doctrine of y e prophetes of y ◠Apostles euery wher teach it followeth y ◠by y e sacrifice of y e mas no sy n is forgeuē but if certaine sins are forgeuē by y e sacrifice of y e masse as this decre manifestly sayth Thē not al sins are forgeuē by the sacrifice of y e crosse Let al vp right men here iudge what a great derogatiō it shoulde be to y e sacrifice of the cros if they affirm y e in themas is a sacrifice propitiatory for y e syns of mē And vnles y e whole worlde had bene bewitched with this opiniō y ◠by y ◠work of y e sa crifice of the masse sins are erpiated the rightes yearely reuenewes of the sacrificing priests and Monkes had not so encreased who haue almost scraped vnto them selues all the treasures of the worlde Let al the godly readers also marke in thys place y ◠the masse whyche was allowed by the Interim is condemned of the counsel and vtterly taken away vnder color wher of many were deceaued especiallye for y e in the imperiall assemblies it had the byshop of Sydon as a trompet and open publysher thereof who perswaded men that in the restauration of the masse is not cōmended vnto y ◠church a sacrifice propitiatory but a sacrifice of commemoratiō or of thanks geuing for there was but one only sacrifice propitiatory which was done vpō the crosse but in the is a sacrifice of thankes geuinge or of commemoration wherein the passion of Christ should be represented But wheras the councel sayth that the frute of the sacrifice of the crosse is by the sacrifice of the masse applied to the beholders of the masse is receiued of them therof they bring no reason at all wheras there was yet moste nede of all For the holy scripture in no place maketh any mencion of this applicacion Discipulus in dede in a ser mon of the. 12. fruites of the masse maketh menciō of this also but w tout testimony of the scripture The scripture teacheth y ◠the benefites of the sacrifice of Christ are appli ed vnto the beleuers by the receyuing of the sacramēts but no where do they teach that they are applied to the beleuers by the receuig of the sacramēts but no wher do they teach y e they are applied by hering or seing of masse Wherefore it is a horrible prophanatiō of y ◠supper of the Lord which y e coūsel in this place cōfirmeth y ◠also y e sacrifice of y e masse is to be offred euē for y e dead as the coū sel termeth for such as ar not yet fully purged For y e lord instituted y e Eucharist for y ◠liuīg not for y ◠ded Nether would we haue only lokers on herers but gests eaters drinkers acordig to his institutiō which shuldshew forth his death But of y e error y ◠mē are purged in y e fyre of purgatory we haue before spokē inough namely y ◠it is nothing els but a vayne fayned lye brought into the church through ignorance of 〈◊〉 power of y e passion death of Christ. For soules are not purged frō sins by any fire either terrestial or infernal but by y e deth blud of Iesus Christ as Iohn saith The blud of Iesus christ his son clēseth vs frō al sin Euen as therfore there is no purgatory fyre so also is it nothing els but a prophanatiō of y ◠supper of y e Lord to offer sacrifice for the dead whome also it should nothyng profet although it did much profyte thē y e be on lyue For y ◠ministery of y e word y e Sacramēts was instituted for y e liuig not for y e dead But it profiteth y ◠dead so farforth as it was applied vnto thē when they wer on liue after death there is no more application by the ministerye of them that be on lyue In the which doctrine or decree ar confyrmed two pernitious errours One is That masses are to be celebrated in the honour of saintes The other is that the aydes and helpes of saintes are to be implored both whiche are repugnaunt vnto the expresse word of God For Christ instituted not the Eucharist to the memorye of saintes but for the commemoration of hys death do this sayth he in remembrance of me not of my mother or of my saints Paule calleth it the shewing forth of the death of Christs and not of saintes For although it be not of it selfe vngodlye euen in the vse of the Eucharist to make mentiō of the saints whiche haue valtantly lost theyr liues for the glory of Christ and constantlye shed theyr bloude in confessing of hym as we rede was done in the primatiue church yet is it synne and a horrible prophanation of the Supper to teachy ◠by thys worke wrought the aydes and helpes of saintes are deserued and applyed vnto them When as in the Euchariste Christ dealeth with the faythfull and the faythfull with Christ and not with dead saintes But of it selfe it is wicked and idolatrous to call vpon saintes For inuocation of saintes not onely wanteth an expresse commaundement and promise of God but it is ex pressedly commaūded in the scripture y e we should cal vpon God only in all aduersityes Call vpon me in the daye of tribulation and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifye me Christ also Come vnto me all ye y ◠laboure and are laden and I will refreshe you But of y t dead saintes the Scripture testifyeth y ◠they are ignoraunte of thynges humane as it is written Abraham knoweth vs not and Israell hath not knowen vs. Thou Lord art oure father our redemer c. For y ◠meanyng of the Prophcte is we in vayne conuert our selues eyther to Abraham or to Israel which are dead and are ignoraunt what is done on earth vnto whom our cogitatiōs and temptations are not opē But thou God only arte the searcher of our heartes and imbracest vs with a fatherly affection whiche also onely and soly canst deliuer vs from all euill Wherefore forasmuch as it is of it selfe wicked to emplore the aydes and helpes of saintes whither it be in spirituall things or in thinges outward corporall y e impietye is by this decree
created by the consecration of the sacrificing priest If thys be true then haue not the sacrificing priestes the true body of Christ which was haÌ„ged vpon the crosse For y â— is not of the substance of the bread but of the substance of the blessed Uirgine Mary Wherefore there shal not be only two bodyes but infinite bodies of Christ in heauen if as often as the priest sayth Masse the body of Christ created of a new substance of bread is by y t ministery of Angels caried vp into heaueÌ„ Who vnder standeth not thys grosse error which is ryghtly instructed of y e supper of y e lord In the which supper y â— same bodye of Christ which is in heaueÌ„ is also after a spiritual maÌ„ner agreable to Christs diuine maiesty truly preseÌ„t to y e faithof y â— godly receauer whersoeuer his holy supper is celebrated Neyther also can the sacrifycing priests wrap themselues out of thys two horned argument If the Aungel cary the body of Christ into heauen there is nothing then lefte for the sacrifycer But if the sacrifycer swallowe it vp theÌ„ descendeth the Angell in vayne and is sent away emptye These things of the Canon are not only erronious but also rediculous and childyshe inuentions The fyfth error In the Canon purgatory and suffrages and sacrifyces for the dead are confyrmed Remember also Lord sayth he thy men seruaunts and women seruaunts which haue gone before vs w t the signe of faith and slepe in the slepe of peace N. we beseche thee Lorde geue vnto them and all those y â— rest in Christ a place of refreshing light and peace This error euen these their owne words confute in whiche is contayned manifest contradiction For if the faythfull y â— are dead doe slepe and are in peace light and at rest what is it nedefull to desire it for them But if they be in darkenesse in paine and most great terrors sorowes as it is before sayde out of Discipulus touching the paynes of the soules in purgatorye howe are they then sayde to sleepe in the sleepe of peace That prayers and sacrifices of the quicke nothing profyte the dead we haue before shewed neyther is it nedefull in this place to repeate it agayne The last error is comprehended in the last prayer of the Canon Let this performance of my seruice O holy Trinitye sayth the priest please thee and graunt y t the sacrifyce which I vnworthy y â— I am haue offred vnto the eyes of thy maiestye may be pleasaunte and acceptable vnto thee and may thorough thy mercy be propitiatorye for me and all those for whom I haue offred it into euerlasting life Amen The same error also is before put in the beginning of the Cannon but with other wordes For y â— whiche he there sayd he offred for the redemption of soules the same now he sayth y t he offred it a propitiatorye sacrifyce Doth he not manifestly in this place attribute y t to the execution of his seruice which is proper to y e death and passioÌ„ of Christ He y â— seeth not these things is blinde He saith Iohn is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for our synnes only but also for the sinnes of the whole world c. The worke of the crosse was expiable for our sinnes and not y e worke of the masse or the ministery of the sacrificing priest Let y e counsel go now decree y e the Canon wanteth al maner of error y â— al thing contayned in y â— are godly holy which ouerthroweth y e fouÌ„dation of ChristiaÌ„ doctrine coÌ„teyneth so horrible errors of purgatory of merites inuocatioÌ„ of saints of y e body of Christ of praiers for y e dead of y e merite application of the death passion of Christ. But I wil staÌ„d no loÌ„ger about these things of which our meÌ„ haue learnedly written And amongst other y â— historye of the masse is most diligently discribed of Valentinus Vannius bishop of Maulbrune wherin the aboue mentioned errors other many more are at large and throughly confu ted These as principall I thought good as it were w t my â—…inger to shew forth y t the godly reder may vnderstaÌ„d how great impiety how horrible errors y e Papistical CouÌ„sell hath confirmed in allowing the Canon of the Masse Let kings princes althoughe neuer hitherto yet now at y t last begin to cast away all hope to haue y t doctrine of y â— Church maners reformed by y e Papistical CouÌ„sel which in their wicked Canon will not acknowledge so much as the least error so farre is it of that they thinke to amende and correct any In y â— vi doctrine or decree are coÌ„firmed al y â— papistical ceremonies histryonicall gestures hitherto vsed in y â— celebration of Masses And althoughe also y â— chiefest strife betwene our men theÌ„ of y â— papacy is not as touching these thiÌ„gs which are yet also in many reformed churches for y t most part retained for y e weakes sake yet this is erroneoê° not to be suffred y e y â— Church had these things of y e discipline traditioÌ„ of y â— Apostles For asmuch as it is manifest ly knoweÌ„ y e all of theÌ„ for y e most part were vnknoweÌ„ vnto y e Apostles in y â— primatiue church were not in vse which as y t scripture speaketh are y e inueÌ„tioÌ„s doctrines of men brought in w tout y â— authority of y â— Apostles Unto which if the opinion of worshipping or necessitye be added they serue not God but an Idole and are to be condemned and auoyded of all them that be in dede godly In y â— vii decree are confirmed priuate Masses brought in for gaynes sake But the CouÌ„sell denyeth y t those Masses wherin the sacrificer alone coÌ„municateth are priuate it goeth about by two reasons to coÌ„firme it The one is bycause y e people spiritually coÌ„municateth The other is bycause they ar celebrated of y â— publique minister of y â— church not for himselfe only but also for all y â— faithful which pertaine vnto y â— body of christ But this is to coÌ„firme a grosse error by other ii no lesse grosse For Christ in his last sup per instituted not a priuate supper of one man only but a spiritual celestial baÌ„quet wherin he did not eat drynke for his disciples but all and singular did eate drynke together for them selues to departe froÌ„ this institution to institute a spectacle of one man only in the Churche and that not only with out the word of God but also against the worde of God is sacriledge Farther y e custome of the primatiue Churche is not vnknowen vnto y e CouÌ„sel For as many as did not sacrameÌ„tally participate in the body bloud of Christ were expelled out of y â— Church or teÌ„ple so farre is it of y â— the
Apostolicall Churche allowed this spirituall communication in the Masse of whiche the Coūsel speaketh Howbeit in the meane time we deny not but y ◠they which are truly godly do spiritually communicate w t the body of Christ as often as with a true faith they thinke vpon y e passion death of Christ. But this spirituall eating confirmeth not priuate Masses y e are not instituted of christ But I thinke it good in this place to recite out of Discipulus what the Papistes vnderstād by spirituall eating Whensoeuer saith he any mā deuoutly heareth Masse being in grace and without deadly sinne hath a desyre to be partaker of the Sacrament and thinketh thus in his heart O good Lord Iesus Christ how willingly would I receaue the this day in the Sacramēt of the altar but alas I dare not come nere by cause I am feard to offend y ◠by reason of myne vnaptnes Howbeit I humbly desyre thee from the bottom of my hart y t thou wilt thys day mercyfully bestow vpon me also this grace whiche these deuoute mē shall receaue which thys day in the Church of God worthily receaue thee in the sacrament of the alter and so such a one spiritually communicateth But what Scholemaster had this Disciple which is so famous in the Churche of the Papacye y t he is counted the Scholemaster of al the sacrifycing priestes Truly hath he the name of a Disciple for he hath nede both of doctrine a scholemaster for he hymselfe can not teache true pietye Or what is hys authoritye y t we shoulde beleue hym withoute the word of God whose opinions fables are euery where celebrated in Churches the popes good holynesse notwithstandyng them vnlesse peraduenture the authoritye of the Councell do now succor hym For of thys communicating the holy Scriptures teache nothing at all but call all such as repent vnto the sacramental eating of the body of Christ. The other is a muche more grosse and more in tollerable error whiche the Councell in thys place confyrmeth namely y t the sacrifycer maye communicate for other eyther for the standers by or for the dead For euen as one man can not be baptised for an other so also none can cōmunicate the body and bloude of Christ for an other The Apostle sayeth He which vnworthily eateth eateth damnation vnto hymselfe vnto hymselfe I say and not to an other Christ also Take ye sayth he and eate y◅◅e sayth not let one eate let the other be lokers on of it Drinke ye all of thys he sayth not let one drinke for all The fond tri◅yng reason of Gabriel Biell is worthy here ◅o be spoken of whiche peraduenture the Councell hath followed Who affyrmeth that the sacrifycer is the mouthe of the Church in the celebration of the Masse For euen as in a mans bodye euery singular member hath not a singulare mouth but there is but one mouth only of the whole body which receaueth meat to be distributed into al the mēbers so Gabriel affirmeth y t in the Masse the sacrificer is y t mouth of al his lokers on by whō y t body of Christ poureth being receaued forth his vertue into al the poore rude mē which are stāders by Oh blindnesse rashnesse in mat ters of god This forsoth is the reasō why priuate Masses of the sacrificers are not to be called priuate The reader y t is but meanely instructed vnderstandeth as I thinke this error so that I nede not to rehearse mo thinges thereof whiche other where is aboundantly confuted In the eight decree the holy Synode admonisheth as a commaundement of the Churche that in offryng wyne shall be mingled with water Wherof there are thre reasons brought and yet none of them confirme this tradition First it sayeth bycause it is supposed that Christ the Lord did so ◅ut for as muche as fayth leaneth vnto the worde of God and promise of God where I beseche you is the worde that Christe mingled wyne with water or commaunded it to be mingled How then can the Church beleue without the worde It shalbe good here to recite that whiche was reasoned as touchyng this thyng in the laste former Counsell the Cardinalles and Byshoppes beyng present For some of the disputers affirmed that it must vtterly be graunted that it can not be proued by any expresse testimony of the holy Scripture that Christ mingled water with wyne but yet out of the Gospell may be brought an vndoubted coniecture wherby may be proued that Christe did so Bycause in Marke we reade that Christe sayd vnto his Disciples whiche went to prepare for the eating of the Paschal Lambe Go saith Christ into the Citie and there shall come agaynst you a man bearyng an carthen pitcher full of water followe him Here sayth the Romishe disputer that in the earthen pitcher was not brought water to washe their feete but to mingle with the wyne whiche in that countrey is very strong And y t Christ mingled y t wine with water is out of al doubt lest peraduenture he should haue ben dronke for that he had a long sermon to make whiche being dronke he could not haue made it vnto his disciples therfore it is a most firme coniecture that Christ mingled water with y e wine the offrers in y e Masse are by the exāple of Christ bound to do y t same Thou wilt thinke peraduenture Chri stian reader that I fayne these things of myne owne hed But God is my iudge that our mē which were sent vnto the Counsell of Trent did not only heare him reason after this maner but also testified that this enormeous rashenesse and impiety aboue measure displeased the Bishops of Germany whiche thing the Bishops thē selues ◅f they lust can very well testifie They can lesse proue it by the other reason namely that out of the syde of Christ ◅owed bloud and water I◅ they leane vnto the authoritie of the fathers they may by the same authoritie also be confounded ▪ who by water vnderstode the Sacrament of Baptisme as by bloud the Eucharist For they affyrme y t out of the side of Christ flowed two Sacramentes Baptisme and the Eucharist The third reason is altogether ridiculous althoughe it be not without his authors As thoughe the vnion of the faythfull people with the bed Christ can by no other meanes be taught vnlesse thys mixture of water and wyne be brought into the Eucharist without the worde of God Why haue they brought matrymony among the Sacramentes wherin is represented the vnion of Christ with the hed if the same thyng may be done by the mixture of water and wyne In the ninth decree to the ende they might seme to graunt somewhat of theyr right the holy Synode commandeth the Pastors that in the celebration of the Masse some what of those things whiche are read in the Canon should be expounded in the vulgare tongue But what is the