Christe in his members than he was in tymes paste The aduersaries of Gods truth haue no delight nor pleasure in heauenly and spirituall thyngs but like bellie beastes only borne to consume the good frutes of the earth they desire and seke after nothyng but the thynges of this world that their sonnes as the Psalmographe sayth may grow vp as the younge plantes and that their doughters maye be as the polyshed corners of the temple that their garners maye be full and plenteous with all manner of store â–ª that their shepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in their stretes that their Oxen may be strong to labour that there be no decay no leding into captiuitie and no complayning in their stretes If all thinges go well and prosperously with them then are they mery and diligently offer sacrifice to to their God the belly But if any aduersity come then knitte they the forehead and worke their malice vpon Gods word and the faithfull professours of the same The worde they call heresie erroure doctrine new and straunge seditious and cause of rebellion of all other plages wherwith the commoÌ„ weale is afflicted The professoures of thys worde they blaspheme they â—aile vpon they curse with booke bell candle they excommunicate they apprehende they accuse they condemne they stocke they cheane they manacle â–ª they racke and in fine they most cruelly with sweard fyre and halter brynge them vnto an ende so farre is it of that these Epicures and bellygods do as they ought render thankes to God for his corporall benefites so richely poured vpon them and vpon other his creatures Now as touching the spiritual benefites and heauenly giftes of the minde as the knowledge of the holy scriptures the vnderstanding of the Lordes blessed will the preaching of the Gospel the true administration of the SacrameÌ„ts the abolishment of all false worshippings superstitions c. wherwith God in this our age hath most mercifully blessed vs â–ª far passing many other nations that be vnder the heauens as these wise wicked worldlinges knowledge not the benefits of the body nor yet are thanckfull to God for them so likewise are they altogether vnthanckfull for the gifts of the minde whiche do so far excel the other as gold surmouÌ„teth coper or siluer tynne For lyke as Owles caÌ„ not abyde the golden and glysteryng beames of the Sunne nor the light of y e day so in lyke maÌ„ner caÌ„ not these bellygods and Antichristes slaues suffer the glorious and pleasaunt light of Christes most glorious and pleasaunt Gospel They crye out with the wicked of whoÌ„ the Prophet maketh meÌ„tion on thys manner Se not Loke not out right thynges for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs. Loke out erroures Get you out of this way Depart out of this pathe and turne the holy one of Israel froÌ„ vs. In the trifling traditioÌ„s â–ª croked constitutions idle inueÌ„tioÌ„s drousy dreames deuilish decrees false fables fond fantasies of meÌ„ is theyr whole delight as for the sincere pure religion of God that they vtterly neglect set at nought coÌ„teÌ„ne despise And if for shame they seme to approue alowe any part therof yet they do so maÌ„gle it bring it in captiuitie to the traditioÌ„s of meÌ„ that it looseth the sincere simplicitie simple sinceritie whiche it receaued of the holye Ghost Some of theÌ„ are not ashamed so to diminish the authoritie of Gods sacred scriptures that they affirme the word of God to be so far the worde of God as the Church doth allowe it meaning the pope his spiritual shauelinges as though God gaue vs in his holy Scriptures an vnperfecte doctrine and not sufficiently authorised of him without the consent of Antichrist of hys broode Is not this to set God to schole and to make him a Nouice So should it follow that the word of God is grounded on the Church not the Churche on the worde of God Is not this right Antichrist that should turne y e rootes of trees vpwarde Christ saith speaking of his Church My shepe heare my voyce Againe he that is of god heareth the wordes of god IteÌ„ Euery one that is of y e truth heareth my voice And the holy Apostle saith speaking to the faithfull congregation of God Ye are no straungers and forreyners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christe hymselfe beyng the head corner stone in whome what buyldyng soeuer is coupled together it groweth vnto an holye temple in the Lorde The worde of God is not buylte vpon men althoughe neuer so holye and perfect neyther receaueth it any authoritie of maÌ„ although of neuer so greate excellencie wysedome and power but such as are the congregation of God are built vpon the worde of God whatsoeuer authoritie they haue euerye one in their degree and office they haue it altogether of Gods worde without the whiche word there can be no Church for asmuch as there caÌ„ be no faith as the Apostle saith Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing commeth by the worde of God so farre is it of that either pope or Cardinall or anye other person hath any power to geue authoritie to the worde of God whiche already is authorized by the most hygh and supreme power euen God himselfe Some obiect olde and auÌ„cient customes affirming that this our religion as they terme it new and straunge disseÌ„teth in order and vsage greatly from the manner heretofore practised in our temples I graunt neither can the sinceritie of Gods worde suffer and abyde such olde vnsauory croked customes as heretofore haue bene vsed in the popish Religion as the coniuring of salte water bread bowes flowers fire ashes caÌ„dles c. creping to the crosse worshipping of Images calling vpon dead Sainctes sensing of altares Idols praying in a strauÌ„ge tong offering the missall sacrifice for the quicke and for the dead receauyng of the Sacrament vnder one kind with a thousand moe errours and heresies and other greuous abuses which of longe vsage and custome in tymes past haue bene exercised among vs taken for true Godlynesse But who knoweth not â–ª that custome ought to geue place to reason and truth for reason and truth exclude alwaye put out of place custome be it neuer so olde and auncient laudable and commendable Christ is the truth therfore ought we rather to followe the truth than the custome If thou lay to our charge custome sayth S. Gregorye Thou must marke what the Lorde saith I am saith he the way the truth and the life He sayd not I am the custome but I am the truth Custome without truth saith Saint Cyprian is nothing els thaÌ„ an olde errour Therfore leauing the error let vs followe the truth When the truth is once come to light saith Saint Austen let custome geue place For who doubteth that
custome ought to geue place to the opeÌ„ truth Let no maÌ„ preferre custome before reason truth for reason and truth doth alwayes put custome to silence We must heare and do that saith Saint Cyprian that Christ hath done that he hath also coÌ„maunded to be done seing that he sayeth in his Gospell If ye do those thynges that I commaunde you I will call you no more seruauntes but frendes And that Christ alone ought to he heard the father euen from heauen testifieth saying This is my welbeloued son in whom I haue greate delight heare ye hym Wherefore if Christ alone is to be hearde we ought not to atteÌ„d marke and take hede what any maÌ„ that hath bene before vs thought good to be done but what he did which is before al that is to say Christ. Agayn he saith We may not follow the custome of man but the truth of God seyng that God speaketh by the Prophet Esay sayth They worship me in vaine teaching the commaundementes and doctrines of men Doth not God in his holy worde coÌ„mauÌ„d his people the Israelites that they should not follow the customes neither of the Egyptians nor of the Cananites but rather walke in his ordinaunces fulfill his lawes and statutes Is not this Gods precept Followe not the multitude to do euill Again do not ye those thynges whiche they haue done that were before you neither be ye defiled in them As the custome is not to be reiected but receaued that is agreable to the truth of Gods worde so lykewise is that custome not to be receaued but reiected y t dissenteth from the veretie of Gods pure religion Forasmuch therfore as the greatest parte of the old customes that be frequeÌ„ted vsed in the popes Church are wicked vngodly manifestly directly coÌ„trary to the worde of God the obiectioÌ„ that our Papistes make in this behalfe is nothing worth neitheer ought it to be vnto theÌ„ any let to hinder them froÌ„ commynge vnto the vndeceueable truth of Gods worde Some also to defeÌ„d their errours heresies maintaine their obstinate blindnesse and blind obstinacie allege for their defence the auncient writers and Doctors of Christes Churche affirming that their doctrine dissenteth greatlye from oures therfore worthy to be hyssed out hated abhorred detested of Gods Church I aunswere If they vnderstand by the auncient writers Doctors of Christs Church Duns Dorbel Thomas Tartaret Biel Brulefer Barnard Bonauenture Petrus de Palude Petrus de Luna Ioannes Capredli Ioannes Holkot Albert Magnus Augustinus de Ancona with Occam Gerson Durande Petrus de Alico Alaâ—us Herugus Auredlus Ataxanê° Pelbertus Carâ—esius Michael Lochmeir Iacobus de valentia to many such like then we geue theÌ„ ouer and conseÌ„t vnto theÌ„ seyng that these many hâ—â—dreds moe were the popes sworne chaplaynes making him with their fophistrie a God his couÌ„terfaite Religion true Godlynesse But if they meane those auÌ„cient writers Doctors of Christs Church which were before the days of Gregorius Magnus byshop of Rome theÌ„ we freely coÌ„fesse that whether they take the Doctors of the Greke or Latin Church they make very little or nothyng for theÌ„ for the maintenaunce of their poperie so altogether vnknoweÌ„ to theÌ„ was the supersticion Idolatry whiche is now commoÌ„ly vsed in the popish Churches although I muste nedes confesse that there is none among the auncieÌ„t writers that hath not his errours his ouersights his faultes that y â— may be found true which is writteÌ„ God alone is true but euerye man is a lyar But let it be graunted that there were found in the old writers as who sometime slydeth not Accordyng to the common prouerbe AliquaÌ„do bonus dormitat Homeruâ— That might seme at the firste blush to confirme stablish to proue approue any part of the popes religious religion is the matter therfore cocke sure But the olde writers Catholike Doctors require no such reuereÌ„ce to be shewed nor no such credit to be geuen to their writings as though they could not erre which coÌ„fesse theÌ„selues to erre as their auÌ„cestoures haue done before theÌ„ will that nothing should be credited as an vndoubted veritie but only the sacred scriptures whose authoritie to resiste of whose veritie to doubt they alwayes counted a great offence Are not these the wordes of Saint Ambrose We vtterly coÌ„deÌ„ne al new things that christ hath not taught for Christ is the way to the faithfull If Christ â—herefore haue not taught that whiche we do teache euen we our selues iudge it detestable and abhominable Are not these the words also of the auÌ„cieÌ„t Greke writer Origene We must nedes allege the holye Scriptures for a witnesse For our vnderstandinges and expositions without these witnesses are not to be credited nor beleued S. Hierome calleth it garrulitie or pratling whatsoeuer is taught without the authoritie of the holy Scriptures Theophilacte feared not to saye that they whiche bring in any thing into the Church of Christ besides the doctrine of the Apostles bring in slaunders and heresies dissensions Here se we in what estimation the auncient Doctors desyre theyr writtings to be had Uerely so farre to be credited and receaued as they agree with the word of God If they in any point dissent from that then not to be receaued but to be reiected not approued but reproued so farre is it of that they would haue their workes to be the patroÌ„s and defenders of wycked doctrine idolatry superstition c. Some againe pretende an excuse of theyr obstinacie the forefathers which liued before our daies They say they neuer receaued this doctrine neuer beleued as we are taught c. And yet we doubt not they are saued I aunswere If they speake of the forefathers whiche liued of late yeares in the tymes of ignoraÌ„cie blindnesse in the dayes of Papistrie and false Religion I graunt that they neuer receaued so purely the doctrine of Christes Gospell as we do at this present as people seduced from the way of truth thorow the suttle persuasions and craftye reasons of the fleshely hipocrites and filthy Papistes while they wrapped them in al kinde of blindnesse to the ende that they might see no truth in a manner but seke theyr saluation at theyr handes at theyr prayers fastes masses c. and by this meanes be made the very slaues and captiues of these spirituall Sorcerers although I must nedes coÌ„fesse that they agreed with vs and we with them in the principal articles of the Christen Religion albeit farre out of the way from the true vnderstanding of theÌ„ For they knew not the office of Christ nor vnto what ende God the father sent him into this worlde and therfore went they about on begging for their saluatioÌ„ to this creature and that creature to this Saint and that Saint to this blocke and that stocke to this pardon
manner Wo and euerlastyng damnation hangeth ouer the heades of those disobedient and shrincking children whiche will begyn a councell without me Wo â–ª be vnto theÌ„ that will take a secrete aduice and not out of my spirit and therfore adde they synne vnto sinne Againe Wo be vnto theÌ„ â–ª that make vnrighteous lawes and deuise thynges whiche he to harde for to kepe where thorowe the poore are oppressed on euery side and the innocentes of my people robbed of iudgemeÌ„t that widowes may be theyr praye that they may robbe the fatherlesse All such councellers with theyr councels are not to be receaued but to be reiected bicause they are against the Lord against his annointed Notable is the senteÌ„ce of S. Cyprian How dare they stablish any thing without Christe whose both whole hope and faith power and glory is in Christ. All councels whether they be priuate or publique nationall or generall ought to geue place to the word of God which is a lanterne to our feete and a light to our pathwayes We ought to beleue no maÌ„ saith Saint Hierome without the word of God GersoÌ„ feareth not to say that we ought more to beleue a maÌ„ that is well learned in the holy scripture bringeth forth the Catholike authoritie thaÌ„ a generall councell The councell hath no authoritie for to stablishe any thing coÌ„trary to the word of God For it is not truth but errour whatsoeuer is determined against the scripture And we ought not to take hede vnto the trifles fond imaginatioÌ„s of meÌ„ but to the doctrine of the holy ghost Abbot Panormiâ—anê° that great Lawyer saith also More faith is to be geuen euen to a lay man that allegeth bringeth forth the scripture than to an whole councell Agayne In matters coÌ„cerning faith the saying of one priuate person ought to be preferred before the Popes saying if he can bring forth better authoritie of the new olde TestameÌ„t than the pope can That is the doctrine of the holy ghost saith s. Hierome which is set forth in the Canonical scriptures against the whiche doctrine if the councels enacte any thing iudge it wicked vnlawfull All good meÌ„ eueÌ„ froÌ„ the begynning haue attributed such so great authoritie to the word of God that they haue preferred that before the writtings counsels of al men without exception although neuer so wise neuer so Godly The councels therefore of men ought to be vnto the aduersaries no cloke or shadow of their disobedient obstinacie obstinate disobedience to plucke theÌ„ awaye from the truth of Gods worde Furthermore there are an other sort whiche obiecte and bring against vs the multitude and great nuÌ„ber saying that fewe are they little is the nuÌ„ber that embrace y e doctrine of y e Gospellers ProtestaÌ„ts but innumerable are theiÌ„ infinite is the nuÌ„ber of theÌ„ that receaue and embrace their olde auncient Catholike mother holy Churches doctrine whereof it muste nedes follow that where the greatest nuÌ„ber is there is the most certain truth I aunswere w t our sauior Christ Enter in at the streight gate for the wide is the gate broad is y e way that leadeth to destructioÌ„ many they be which go in thereat But streight is the gate narow is the way which leadeth vnto life fewe they be that find it Again many are called few are choâ—eÌ„ The holy Apostle s. Paule saith Lord who hath beleued our preaching If we consider either y e seÌ„teÌ„ces or histories of the holy Bible we shal easly perceaue that the greatest nuÌ„ber is alway the worste the most wicked When the whole worlde was drowned eight persoÌ„s only except Did not the lesser nuÌ„ber excel the greater in goodnes Godlinesse God by his mightie hande outstretched arme deliuered out of Egipt aboue .600 thousaÌ„d meÌ„ of the which .ii. onely that is to say Iosua Caleb entred into the land of promise bicause they beleued the promise of God the other were vnfaythful and inconstante In the tyme of wicked King Achab and of hys most wicked wife Queene Iezabel there were aboue .400 false Prophetes besides the Nobilitie and Comunaltie whiche resisted the wayes of the Lord and in sight but one alone that stoutly defended the Lordes truth agaynst the wicked and Idolatrous multitude About the number of .400 false Prophetes told king Achab that he should prosper in his warres returne home safe agayne whiche deceaued him Micheas alone tolde him the coÌ„trary so came it to passe When Christ was borne fewe receaued hym and embraced hym knowledging him to be the promised Messias Sauiour of the world as Mary his Mother Ioseph her husbaÌ„d Zacharie the priest Elizabeth his wife the wise meÌ„ that came out of the East partes the shepeheardes Simeon Anna with fewe other but innumerable thousandes hated him set nought hy him persecuted hym and sought all meanes possible to murther hym When Christ toke vpon him the office of preaching at the commaundemeÌ„t of his father who embraced his doctrine but a fewe poore people vyle and of no estimation in the sight of the galant and wyse worldlyngs As it is written Not many wise men after the fleshe not many mighty not many of hye degree are called And as the Pharesees said to theyr ministers when they came home from Christs Sermon Are ye also deceaued Doth any of the Rulers or of the Pharesees beleue on him But this coÌ„mon people whiche know not the lawe are cursed Did not the sede as we reade in the Gospell that was sowen fall into .iiii. partes and one parte onely brought forth good frute Did not a certaine man make a supper and called many and yet there came none but a fewe poore people halte lame feble blynde c. Bishop Cayphas gathered a councell where were present a great rable of bloudy hypocrites to condemne Christ no maÌ„ at all taking Christes part Against the Apostles of Christ assembled and gathered theÌ„ selues together the priestes the Rulers of the temple the Saduces the Pharesees the Scribes the Lawyers and Annas the chief priest and Cayphas and Iohn and Alexander and as many as were of the kinred of y e high priests but who rose vp to take their partes and to defend y e innoceÌ„cie of their cause What a swarme of helhoundes flocked together to condeÌ„ne blessed Stephen and to stone hym vnto death no man once speakyng one worde for hym What multitudes from tyme to tyme came agaynste Paule as we may see in the Actes of Apostles to accuse him and to make hym out of the way and howe fewe or rather none toke his parte After the Apostles tyme what swarmes of tyrauntes and beastly hypocrites rose vp againste the poore little company of the faythfull Christians murthering theÌ„ without al pitie or mercy As it is written For thy sake are
spirite and they that worship hym muste worship hym in spirite and in truth Whatsoeuer is song or said with the mouth so that it brasteth out from the affection of the mynde we affirme to be not only tollerable but also commendable yea pleasaunt and acceptable to God as Dauid sayth I will geue alwayes thankes vnto the Lorde hys prayse shall euer be in my mouth My soule shall make her boaste in the Lorde the humble shall heare therof and be glad O prayse the Lorde with me and let vs prayse hys name together c. O be ioyfull in God all ye landes synge prayses vnto the honoure of hys name make his prayse to be glorious And the Apostle sayeth I will synge with the breath I will sing with the minde I will pray with y e breath I will praye with the minde If the mouth the mynde if the breath the heart if the lippes the spirit go together either in singing or saying It is a most acceptable melody to God highly to be praysed of al good godly meÌ„ This kynde of prayer is greatly coÌ„mended of the people of God as coÌ„trary wise prayer without the affection of the hearte is rather to be reproued than approued refused than receaued condemned than commended Eyghrenthly The holye dayes and solemne feastes whiche of oure Elders were obserued and kepte with hye deuotion and greate reuerence are nowe a dayes neglected and set nought by I aunswere We are free from the obseruation of dayes The Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth Therfore is the Sonne of man Lord also of the Sabboth A Christen mans Sabboth is euery day and endureth the whole tyme of hys life which is to reste from euill to cease to do hys owne will and to obeye the holy lawe and commaundement of GOD. We are no more tyed and bounde to the obseruation and kepynge of the Iewyshe Sabbothes from the whiche we are made free by Christe the true lyghte whose comming in the flesh expelled all the darke shadowes of Moses lawe as the Apostle sayth Let no man trouble your conscience aboute meate and drinke or for a pece of an holy daye or of the newe Moone or of the Sabboth dayes whiche are shadowes of thynges to come but the body is in Christe Let no man make you shote at a wronge marke c. Suche as yet sticke and abyde in the outwarde obseruation of dayes tymes and meates the Apostle reproueth on thys manner and sayth Now after that ye haue knowen GOD yea rather are knowen of God howe is it that ye turne agayne vnto the weake and beggarlye ordinaunces whereunto agayne ye desyre a freshe to be in bondage Ye obserue monethes and dayes and tymes and yeares I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed on you labour in vayne Agayne If ye be dead with Christ from the ordinaunces of the worlde why as though ye yet liued in the worlde are ye led with traditions Touche not taste not handle not â–ª whiche all perish thorowe the very abuse after the commaundementes and doctrines of men We graunte and confesse that we haue put downe yea and that worthely certayne supersticious Idolatrous holy dayes as the feasts of Thomas Becket that trayterous Rebell of Dunstone that wicked Nichromancer of Austen that superstitious and Popish Monke with such like notwithstanding the SoÌ„dayes and all such feastes as be grounded in the word of God bringyng vnto our remembraunce the actes of Christ and of his Saintes we not supersticiously but freely and religiously obserue and kepe accordyng to the libertie whiche is geuen vs in the Gospell by Christ. Other matters there are wherin the Papystes finde great faulte with the Protestantes whiche may be answered as easely as we haue done these aforesaid For we haue rehearsed the chief principall of what force strength they be who seeth not But forasmuche as they make the simple and ignoraunt people beleue that if these thinges be taken away the whole Religion of Christ falleth downe and vtterlye perisheth the people being persuaded that they are not tryfling traditions of meÌ„ but the graue and weyghtie ordinaunces of God And that therfore as an other Atlas they with their shulders holde vp the olde and auncient Catholyke Religion whiche otherwise would fall to ruine and vtter decay I pitieng and much lamenting the miserable state of the simple blinde and ignoraunt Christians so wretchedly seduced thorowe the suttle and craftye persuasions of these most suttle and craftye hypocrites which being in deede greuous and rauenyng wolues clothe themselues with shepes apparell that they may the easelier make a rauine and spoyle of the Christen flocke I haue thought good to declare and shewe out of Chronicles and Hystories who were the Authors and inuentours of all these tryfling tradicions drowsie dreames and idle inuentions whiche heretofore haue bene counted for true Religion and Gods seruice Agayne at what tyme or yeare of our Lorde euery one of their beggarly ceremonyes were thruste into the Churche that by thys meanes suche as will open their eyes and no more be obstinatly blynde may easely perceaue and see how wickedly the wicked and Popish hypocrites haue in tymes past seduced and receaued the simple poore Christians while they haue made them beleue that whatsoeuer is done in their Churche is diuine seruice and God is hyghlye pleased therwith contrarye to thys saying of Christe They worship me in vayne teaching doctrines whiche are the commaundementes of men and that to leaue these thinges vndone is deadly sinne and worthye great punishement A Priest to rede the Gospell at Masse without candle lyght to receaue the Sacramentall wine without minglyng of water to say Masse abrode without a Superâ—ltare Againe the Lay man to come vnto the Lordes table without shrifte and absolution at the Priests hand not to beare a candle on Candlemasse daye not to take ashes in Lent not to beare Palmes on Palme Sonday not to crepe to the crosse on good Fridaye not to abstayne from fleshe on Fridayes other fasting dayes with a thousand such like was counted a greater offence among the Papistes than to transgresse and breake any of the commaundements of God It may worthily be sayd to them as Christe sayde to the Pharesees and Scribes Well Prophecied Esay of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lippes but their hearte is farre fro me Howbeit in vayne do they serue me teaching the doctrines and commaundementes of men For ye lay the coÌ„maundements of God a part and obserue the constitutions of men c. Ye cast aside the commaundement of God to maintaine your owne constitutions There is almost no constitutions no decree no ceremonye no Papisticall secte nor any other tradition appertaining to Churche ware and Romishe religion whiche I haue not both diligently and painefully sought out of Chronicle writers
windes to cease they driue away also al wicked spirites and deuills Ration di off Pope Vitalian brought in Organs to make the people merye In the yeare of oure Lorde 653. Chronic. Volat. Platina c. Pope Sixtus the seconde ordayned fyrst of al that the Supper of the Lord shuld be celebrated at an altare which before was not the vse For the holy mysteryes of the Lordes bodye and bloude vntill that time was ministred vpon a table according to the practyse of Christ of hys Apostles and of y e primatiue Church And here may all men see from whence the popyshe altares come for the which the stubborne sturdye stoute papistes doe so stoutly striue Aboute the yeare of oure Lord if stories bee true two hundred three score and fiue came in the altares fyrste into the Church Other affyrme that they came in aboute the yeare of our lorde 294â— But I beleue that altares came not in the Churche before the yeare of our Lorde 590. When the popishe peuyshe priuate Masses beganne fyrst to creepe in â–ª Volat. Durandus Fasciâ— Temp. Mas. Pet. Aequillinus Ioannes Stella Pope Felix the fyrst instituted the halowing of altares commaunding y t no Masse shoulde be song vpon any altare til it be halowed In the yeare c. 272. Sabell Pantal. Pope Hormisda decreed y t no altares should be set without the consent and special licence of the Metropolitane or of the Byshop of the diocesse In the yere of our Lord. 514. Chron. Ioan. Stella D Barns Pope Boniface the thyrde appoynted white linnen clothes to be layd vppon the altares In the yere c. 605. Pol. Pope Sixtus the fyrst ordayned that the corporasse clothe which the prieste vseth at hys masse shoulde be made of fine white linnen cloth In the yere c. 129. Plat. Sabell Grat. D Barnes Pantal. The same Pope also ordayned that laye men but specially laye women shoulde not once touche the ornamentes of the Church as copes vestments altare clothes c nor the halowed vessell as Chalice Pixe Crosse Chrismatorye Sensers Candlestickes c. Plat. Sabell Pope Stephen the fyrst made a decre y t a priest in hys diuine seruice shoulde vse none other but halowed garments In the yeare c. 261. Sabell Pope Adriane the fyrst being bishop of Rome there was a synode or councell holden at Franckforde in y â— which it was decreed that whosoeuer doth any seruice in the Churche he shoulde weare a surples vpon hys backe in seruice tyme and no man to goe in hys common apparel withoute a surples no not so muche as the sexten or Belringer In the yeare of our Lord. 796. Christ. Massaeus Pope Siluester the fyrst coÌ„maunded that the priest at his masse shuld weare no silke nor any coloured clothing but a white linnen Albe only For Christ sayeth he was buryed in a fyne white linnen cloth In the yeare c 315. Grat. Plat. Ioan. Stella D. Barns Pope Zepherinus commaunded chalices of glasse to bee vsed in the ministration of the Lordes Supper In the yere c. 208. For before that tyme the sacrament of the holy signe of Christs bloude was ministred in cuppes made of woode accordyng to y e vse of Christ of his apostles of y e primatiue church Petrus de nat Plat. Math. Pal. Pantal. Pope Vrban the fyrst ordayned afterward that the chalices should be made eyther of siluer or of golde or of tinne In the yeare of our Lord .222 Platina Grat. Pol. Bergom The saying of Byshop Boniface concerning chalices and byshops is very notable and aunswereth iustly to our tyme. Olim inquit Episcopi aurei ligneiâ— vtebantur calicibus nunc vero lignei Episcopi calicibus vtuntur aureis In times paste sayth he Golden byshops vsed wodden chalices but now wodden bishops vse golden chalices Pope Leo the second deuised y t Paxe In the yeare of our Lord. 676. Platina Pasc. Temp. Pope Innocent y e third inuented pixes and boxes for the reseruation of the sacramentall bread In the yere c. 1195. Paul Volat. Phi. Pol. Pantal. Pope Agapetus the fyrst commaunded the people to go on procession on y e Sondayes to folowe the crosse In the yere c. 533. Plat. Pal. D. Barns Pope Gregorye the fyrst broughte in banners into the churche Thys was that Gregorye whiche sente Austen the Monke into Englande to preache to the englyshe nation the fayth and doctryne of the bishop of Rome with al hys superstitious traditions counterfayte religions and such other wicked abhominations Thys Monkyshe Austen with xl Monkes moe when they arriued and came on lande in the easte side of Kent in y e Iland of Thanet entred in with a crosse with banners displayed hauing a crucifixe paynted vppon euery one of them singing the Letanye with orate pro nobis to al aungels Archangels Patriarches Prophets priestes Apostles Martirs Confessors Uirgins Monks Nunnes Heremites and finally to all he saintes and shee Saintes y t they mighte haue good lucke and well to fare in settyng forth their Romyshe religion Whiche swarme of monkes when they hadde once thorow their hipocrisy and flattering obtained of y e Kyng to inhabite at Canterbury went ioyfully forth on their iourney hauyng their crucifiâ—e crosse and banners borne before them and singing Alleluia with a lustye courage and merye voyce vntil they came to y e city where they practised al kinde of superstition as beades bidding popyshe fasting wiuelesse liuyng long laten Mattens and Masses singing Saintes reliques boastyng c. In the yeare of oure Lorde 590. Chron. Ranulphus Cestrens Pope Fabiane the fyrste deuised the Chrismatories In the yeare c. 242. Plat. Volat. D. Barns Pope Leo the thirde brought in the sensers In the yeare c. 817. Pol. Doct. Barns Pantal. Pope Alexander the fyrste as they fayne inuented the holy water with the holy water buckets and sprinckels In the yeare c. 119. Libro Concil Grat. Pol. Plat. Sabel Pope Siluester the fyrst with y e oyle brought in also the oyle pots In the yeare c. 315. Sabell Plat. Pantal. Pope Iohn the eyght made a decree that if any man dyd take awaye anye thyng once appoynted and dedicated to y e seruice of god either out of an holy or vnholy place y e same man should be counted gilty of sacrilege In the yeare of our Lorde c. 887. Quest. 17. cap. 4. Siquis Ioan. Laziard Of Images to be had in Churches PAulinus Bishop of Nola as some write was one of the firste promoters chiefe proctors to haue Images in Churches In the yeare c. CCCCL Pantal in Chronogra Pope Gregory the first ordained that Images should be had in Churches for to be laye mennes bookes but by no meanes to be worshipped nor kneled vnto In the yeare of our Lorde 590. Greg. Lib. 9. Epist. 9. Chron. Pope Gregory