in the quarel◅ without making ony such blinde excuses These men do saye further that the Masse is not to be lickened iustly vnto the Idolatrie of the heathen for that was directly forbidden of godd so is not the Masse saye they for thoughe it hathe sumwhat swarued aside yeat is it the Instituciō of christe But to the contrarie I do saye that the Masse is so farr swarued from the ordinaunce of christe that it hathe nothing agreing withe christis Institucion yea and that it is most directly repugnāt ūto it A very Idoll wherin massemūgers do committe very vile Idolatrie And this will I proue by diuers reasons ffurst of all The Supper of the Lorde as it was delyuered of christe shold be a publique and a common worcke and action for Christe our Sauiour made it with his Apostles But nowe in the Masse ther commithe forthe one sacrificing preste disguised with straunge araye and he doth all thinges alone the rest stonde still loking heeringe and holding their peace If paule did worthely and Iustly saye when the Corinthians did not tarie and loke one for an other that they did not then eate the Lordes supper then ther is not the Lordes supper eaten wher one tarieth not for an other so that they maye eate all together And how shall we then saye that the Masse is the Lordes supper wher one only sacryficing prest doth eate and drincke vpp all alone surly it can not be so called for to be and not to be the Lords supper ar contrarie Paule saith it is not the Lords supper wherfor call your Masse by what name ye will the Lords supper it is not for paule is to be beleaued be fore all massinge marchauntes They saye morouer that in their Masse they do offer vpp the sonne of godd vnto the eternall father for the synnes of the quicke and the deade And this they do call the principall point of their masse But in the Laste Supper of the Lorde that Sacrifice and oblaciō was not made but vppō the crosse as the scripture witnessith And as for this their offer◅ge ffurst paul doth denie it in most playn words in the epistle to the hebrues wher he sayeth that all oblacions for synne wer consummate and finished and all thinges made perfect by that one only oblacion which christe Iesus our Sauiour in his own parson made of hymself vppon the crosse The worde of godd teachithe that christe was but ons only to be sacrificed and offered And that Sacrifice no more to be made for if it wer often to be made then the furst was not perfect But the furst was perfect Therfor ther must be no repeating of it The papistes do saye that they dayly offer christe for to take awaye synne and that this Sacrifice must be dayly repeted of them The scripture denieth this playnly And thus ye do se that heere is a playne contradiction Again The supper of the Lorde was not instituted to the end that such a sacrifice for synne as they fayne shuld be made of it but that in the vse of it the communicantes shuld be put in mynde and made partakers of that only propiciatorie sacrifice which christe offered ons only for all euer vppon the crosse And therfor ther Masse in which they wold worcke such marueyles and the Lordes supper ar vtterly vnlyke But here they will reply and saye The fathers do speake thus of this Sacrifice We graunte indeede that the fathers do often tymes speake so as thoughe that the lorde wer offered in this administracion of the Sacrament or sacrificed But they vsed this worde Sacrifice improperly for by that kinde of speaking they did vnderstonde the offringes of praise and sacrifices of thanckes made and gyuen for christes sacrifice done vppon the crosse This they called to sacrifice Our sacrificing prests ar not content with this for they will haue their own worcke to be an vnwonted worcke belonging to them alone which neither the scriptures nor the fathers do teache ffor to offer this Sacrifice of which the fathers do speake partayneth not to the preist alone but to the whole poeple that stōdith by and doth cōmunicate And so it is a common oblacion and sacrifice of all not of the preiste more then of the poeple but this only that the preist both in wordes and action doth go be fore thepoeple Augustine doth saye that the churche is offered in that offeringe which it doth offer ffor all which do communicate they do offer them selues vnto godd and do testifie that their will is to abide in christe The papistes do holde also that the breade is turned into the substaunce of christes bodie and that ther remaynith nothing but the qualitie and accidē ce of breade as whitenes rc for the substaūce saye they is christes bodie But the scripture saith that christe in his laste supper did gyue breade vnto his disciples and paule callith it breade also yeat in the Masse the papistes saye that it is otherwise The vse of the breade and wyne by christis instituciō is only that the congregacion shuld eate and drin cke therof in the remembrance of christe But the pa pistes in their Masse do most shamefully abuse them both ffor wheare as the worde of godd saythe Thow shalt worshipp the Lorde thy godd and hym only shalt thow serue They in ther masse do lyfte upp the breade and wyne and euen in the rowme of godd they sett them furthe to be adored and worshipped of the poeple now how farr this differrith from the vse of christes supper eich man may se. Yea what can be more vile and filthie Idola trie then to adore and worshipp a peace of brede ād cupp of wyne as godd Be not offended that I do vse theise bare names I do confes that whosoeuer acording to the Lordes Instituciō doth cōmunica te with the cōgregaciō and dothe eate the breade ād drinke of the cupp of the Lorde beholding the deathe of christe with Lyuely faithe the same man is in spre te ād after his manier made partaker of the body ād bludd of the lorde Contrari wise if thow do not vse the breade and wyne acordinge to the ordinaunce of christe but gase vppon them then ar they nothin ge els to the but breade ād wyne But if in a popishe Masse or in the popishe hāging heauing carying or handelinge of them thow do worshipp them thē ar they vnto the a false Idoll ād thow indeede a filthie Idolatror If therfor thow wilt be partaker of the body and bludd of christe in the holy supper then eate the breade and drincke the cupp as the lorde hathe instituted Godd wold haue the poeple in the vse of the holy Supper to ascend vppwarde into heauen in mynde and affectiō that they might ther cleaue fast vnto christe And therfor the true ministers of the churche do labour to ◅he vttermost of their poure thus to lifte vpp the poeples
it that these men do bragge of that they haue shutt up so close in their brestes that it breaketh not forthe into wordes and dedes As This true christian zeale and their dissemblinge can not be together in oone man euen so true and lyuely faith can not lurcke in such a dissemblinge breste Furthermore there are two kindes of worshippe due unto god an inwarde and an owtwarde worshippe The inwarde worshippe is of the mynde that is when we beleue goddes truithe and do thinke of god true and wor thye thinges The owtwarde worshippe is of the bodye which is declared by those owtwarde signes that do belonge to the true worshippe of god In lyke maner there are two kindes of Idolatries one is inwarde which is the Idolatrie of the mynde that is when a man dothe not thinke well nor beleue trulye ◅nthe true lyuing godd but dothe fayne vnto him selfe throughe false doctrine either a straūge god in his owne mynde or straūge worshippinge of god An other is outwarde wich is Idolatrie of the bodie and that is whē we do be stowe the worshippe wich is only due vnto god vp pon creatures And whē we do owtwardlye worshippe god other wise then he wilbe worshipped Truly Theise dissemblers do not giue to god this worshipp of mynde and bodie which is due vnto him but the Idolatrie of mynd and bodie they do commytt bothe because they owtwardlie do ioyne with papistes in their Idolatrie and because in their mynde they do persuade them selues that it is lawfull for them so to do We thinke saye they as you thinke and in our hartes we do reteyne the truithe and so our mynde is pure But your bodyes ye do giue ouer to the deuill and to Idolls Thy bodye sayeth Paule is a membre of Christe why doest thow make yt the membre of an harlot here they will saye againste me that Paule spake this of whordome I graunte that But the prophettes do teache vs that the moste vile and horri ble whordome is Idolatrie Hieremie Ezechiel ād the other prophettes do speake so against the Iues and their Churche that they name it to be euen like an harlot which hathe opened her legges vn◅ everye tree that hade any bowghes to Idolls and vngodlye Idolatries Wherfore if thow maye not make thy bodye the membre of an harlot thow mu ste not make yt the membre of an Idoll This collation betuene whordome and Idolatrie is playne and true taughte by the prophettes and Paule Morouer howe vayne this ther excuse is that sayinge dothe sufficyentlie declare in which the lorde pronounceth I haue lefte me seuen thowsand in Israell of which neuer man bowed his knees vnto baal nor kissed hym with his mouthe He sayeth not which thinke well in their mynde which do beleue well but he sheweth the signe of owtwarde worshippinge that is to bowe the knee and kisse which doth teache that ther is required vnto the true worshipp of godd not a pure mynde only but the owtwarde sygne tokē and doinge of worshippe and seruice The lorde our god is not cōtent with halfes he will not part stakes with the dyuel All knees saith the lorde shall bowe vnto me God will not parte so that he shall haue the mynde and the dyuell the bodye All is myne saythe the lorde and I will haue all or none I will haue bothe the obedience of the harte and the bowinge of the knee Which worship by these thy dissemblinges thou takest from god and so thou dost robbe him of his honor and bestowe it vpon Idolles euen po pishe masses But thou saiste I despise the Masse and all Idolatrous poperie in my harte why then doest thou prostitute thy body vnto yt My mynde ys pure thou saiest yee but god will haue mynde and bodye pure If this thy reason and excuse were of any force then mighte the Corinthiās haue sayde to Paule why doest thou so reproue vs we also by the grace of god do knowe that there is no Idoll A true opinion we kepe in our mynde of godd his truithe let god be cōtent with that and in the meane tyme our bodies shall serue for our cōmo dyties But paule telleth them plainlye that they do communicate with devills The meates offered to Idolls of their owne nature were pure yet when the corinthians do eate them with the Idolatrors in ther Idolatrie then they become saith paule partakers of the table of deuilles when ye then be present at a Masse which is an Impure thinge and do ther as the papistes do mutch more iustly is it sayed of you that then ye ar partakers of thos deulishe dragges which ar in the Masse Again our men do obiecte and saye It is not we that haue corrupted theis thinges we wolde be gladde to haue them pure and incorrupte ther impuritie must not be adscribed vnto us I answer An other mans synne shall not indeede be imputed vnto the for eche man shall beare his owne synne but yet this thinge I do reproue in the that thou dost communicate with wickednes This is thy synne here thou art defyled and for this shalt thou be iudged Paule sayde vnto the corinthians Ar not they which do eate of the sacrifice partakers of the temple what saye I then that the Image is any thinge or that it which is offered to Images is any thinge ◅aie but this I saie that the thinges which the gentills do offer they offer to deuels and not to god I wolde not that ye sholde haue fellowshippe with the devills ye can not drincke of the cuppe of the lorde and of the cuppe of Deuels ye can not be partakers of the table of the lorde and of the table of deuels Thoughe corrupcion of meates offred vnto Idols is not to be imputed to all them that be partakres of them which wer not indeede corrupt of thē selues as I saide but when they wer offered vnto Idols that made them corrupte yeat the veraye communicating and eating of them with Idolatrors is a fault iustly layed to their charge from which they shuld haue keapte themselues aswell for the honor that they do owe vnto godd as for the conscience which they ought to haue to edyfie other men If it wer not so whi did paule thus rebuke the Corinthians Yea whi wolde not our holy martirs of the primitiue churche communicat and be partakers in the Sacri fices of the heathē The martirs might haue saide we knowe ◅hat an Idoll is nothing and to offer vp sence to them is but an owtward thing we do it but in bodie our spret and harte is pure and tha◅ we do against our will we do it c. They veryly did know no suche excuse but they cōsidered that godd required this that they shuld outwardly confes hym and reproue and fle from Idolatrie And therfor aswell for their duties sake towarde godd as bicause they wold not offend the brethern by their example they did gyue their lyfe
worshippe be all oone Therfore the same worshipp that ells they sholde do at Hierusalem they mighte more commodiusli do yt in bethel and dan. So that he dothe nothynge ells but establishe this owtwarde worke in wich he wolde haue thē worship the true god but he hade no warraunte in godds worde for it and that beinge ab sent ther is nothinge in his acte remayninge but mans worcke supersticion and Idolatrie so is it iudged And therfor none of his subiectes shuld haue herckned to hym So now when Tiraunts Kinges Queenes Bisshopps and such other as ar the soudiours of Antichriste the Pope I meane do compel and constrayn men vnto such vile and vngodly supersticions as the popishe bro od haue and do sett upp althoughe they do pretend a goode well willing mynde vnto their poeple and countrith as thei saye and that all shalbe for their wealthe And thoughe they do also saye that theise thinges ar of an auncient begyn̄yn ge and cōtynuaunce Yet indeede they ar but popishe Idolatrours and to Idolatrie do they trayn men Therfor their subiectes must not herken vnto them neither obey them herin But do rather as S. Paule teachith Haue no felowshipp with their vnfruitfull works but rather reproue thē He cal lith theim their worckes for gods worckes they cā not be called bicause they do differ ād swarue frō his worde with thē saithe he haue no felowshipp What then is to be doon in that case We must Paule saith reproue theim And that so ost as neede shall require to reproue theim with greate libertie and boldenes So farr must we be from dissemblinge with them that we must he saithe reproue them If thou be a preacher preache against them If thow be noone yet speake against them reproue them and condemn them But our men do saye That it wer very perillus to do thus for then saye they shall we be burned or hanged we shall loose our goodes londes and promocions I heare you well And do yowe on the other part consider this as well that ther is not one of us all which hath receiued christendome vnder such a conuenaunt and condicion that with it he shuld haue and holde in safetie his lyfe his ritches and dignities without perseqution But rather it is saide vnto us and in this case as a lawe layed vppon us all that Except we do renownce and vtterly forsake all our thinges and take upp our crosses and folow christe we can not be his di sciples and except we do lose our lyues we shall not saue them This verily this must we determyn with our selues this must we appoint our selues vnto to do and abide this must we caste our acompt To this euery christian must be so readie and bent that he shuld not doubt no not deliberate or take aduise of this matier That example of Cyprian is to be sett before our eyes When he was brought vnto the place wher he shuld suffer deathe The magistrate being very desirus indede to deliuer hym from deathe sayde vnto hym Now I do gyue the space to deliberate and aduise thi self well whether thow wilt thus Wrechedly dye or obey and be let go free To whō this godly mā answered In so holy a thinge ther is no deliberacion or aduise to be taken This readines must euery christian haue in this case to beare the crosse ād to followe Christe as Christes dis◅iple Trulye they whiche be not this wise mynded but to saue their lyues and goodes do defile them selues with masses and wicked supersticions arr greuouslye punished for it euen present lie firste their owne conscience dothe miserably torment thē Secondlie the light of goddes truithe which was opened vnto their mynde is by lytell and lytell put owt Then the loue of the truithe and the hate of falshode waxeth colde in them ▪ fourthly their mynde becommith nomore displeased or vnquieted for the euill that they do but they begynne to please them selues in this their euill and dissemblinge yea ād do go aboute to persuade others ūto the same Laste of all they begyn to hate thē which do not harcken to their aduise and counsell which is to do as they do yea and they stirre vp againste thē sharpe persequtiō for so moche as in thē lyethe This hathe bene the moste vnhappie ende of many But this is not the end of all their miserie as ye may well perceyue if ye do consider what is appointed to be their perpetuall porcion which shalbe payed them full truly in the laste daye Let them therfore beware of this bottomles pytt which feare to breake their neckes But some there are which in this their dissemblinge are wonte to defende thē selues after this sorte we do not theis thinges saye they with our hartes we do only thusbehaue our selues in bodie and in outward behauiour To whom I do answer god he is the lorde of harte and bodie as he requireth the worshippe of the harte euen as iustlie and seuerlie dothe he commaunde the owtwarde worshippe of the bodye for these owtwarde doinges are a kinde of confession and therfore as men owght to be sounde and vprighte in the beleif of harte so owght they to be in owtwarde cōfessinge and expressinge of their go dlynes and religiō The doinges of men be as it we re a tongue The tongue dothe confes the thinge that lyeth in the harte by wordes so doinges do giue a confession therof indede As he therfore which denyethe with tongue is a denyer of Christe so he thatin owtwarde worckes and doinges denyeth Christ is iustlie called a deniar Of whom Christe doth saye he that denyeth me before men him will I denye before my father which is in heauē wherfore as the tōgue owghte not in the confession of godlines and religion to differ from the mynde so muste not the owtwarde doinges of the body disagree from the same And vnto these men this also I saye with paule that the belefe of the harte doth iustifie but the mouthe and owtwarde doinges do make the confession vnto saluation And therfore Christe dothe saie he that is ashamed of me before men of him will I also be ashamed before my father which is in heauen Morouer I wold it wer well knowen vnto these men that it is no true faythe which doth not breake forthe in workinge that worke which dothe agree with faithe As it writen of Christe who verylie soughte the glorye of his father The zeale of thy house hathe eatē me This zeale dyd not lye in Chri stes brest only but it brake forthe into wordes as it apeareth by his sermons and into deedes also as yt apeareth ther wher he withe a whippe dyd dryue the byars and sellers owt of the temple This is a zeale which only deseruyth the name of a christian zeale And euen the same I saye of faythe What zeale thē what faithe what studie or ca re for faithe is
it that ther was no sacrifice appoīted for the dead The church truly as we also do graunte hath keyes cōmitted vnto it And theise are the preachinge of the gospell that is the forgyuenes of synnes to thē which do beleaue in Christe and the threateninge of condemnaciō through which heauen is shutt againste the vnbeleauers One key is the promis an other key is faith by theise two keyes heauē is opened to the penitēt Theise keyes Christ did delyure whē he sayed goo in to the whol world ād preach the gospell to euery creature he that beleaueth ād is baptised shalbe saued Those ministers do occupie these keyes which do preach the gospell But here is no menciō made of altering of Goddes iudgements nor of turninge of punishmentes Christe our sauiour by that one sacrifice of his bodye ones offered for all euer did worcke perfect saluaciō and made a perfect and consummate ende of sacrificing for synne where then is their enuented satisfactiō for synne Yea who doth not see that this theyr doctryne doth withdrawe frō Christ the fulnes of that his satisfactiō with which he satisficed for vs when they do saye that it is not sufficient except we do adde ours also And this theyr wicked errour they go about to colour because the olde fathers vsed oftē times this worde satisfaction But they will not see that the fathers mēt therby to satisfice the churche when they were receyued publiquely to repentaunce and not to satisfice to Godd Except thow wilt saye that to satisfice is nothing els but when one doth make himself approued vnto an other man For euen so are we saide to satisfice to Godd when as after our cōuercion and turning to his grace we do lyue godly for his pleasure to aproue our selues vnto hym as his childrē Thus satisfactions are signes of the forgyuenes of synnes and of true repētaūce But as I sayde theise mē do both thincke and teache otherwyse and do defēde obstinatly theyr error they will not be satisficed by the word of God wherfor they are heretikes They do teache furthermore that it is lawfull in the congregacion to do the holy seruice in a tongue that is not vnderstōded And this they do indeede and defende theyr misdoinge neither being admonished will they amende it Paule doth forbidde the christians the vse of those tongues in the congregacions which euen by miracle were bestowed vpon them except they did interpretate and expoūde that which they shuld speake in them And all Paules reasons are grounded vpon the edifying of the cōgregacion whiche aboue all thinges we ought to seeke in the holy meetinges and cōgregacions But there shalbe no edificacion at all when that thing which is spoken is not vnderstonded of the people Paule saith My brethren yf I do come vnto you speaking with tongues what shall I profite you excepte I speake to you eyther by reuelaciō or by knowledge or by prophecying or by doctryne But these sacrificers lyke men that can do mutch more then Paule they do come with a straunge tong which the congregacion vnderstondeth not and yet neuertheles they bragge that they do muche profite the congregaciō Paule will rather speake fyue wordes to the enformacion of others then ten thousand wordes with tongues Our sacrificers cleane contrary will rather speake a thousand yea an infinite number of wordes in a straūge tongue then a very feawe the meaning of which maye be vnderstonded Paule proueth his sentence and minde euen by thinges that haue no lyfe as by a trompe and harp and les we shulde be one to an other as barbarus and aliauntes but this is of no force nor auctoritie with the papistes For our purpose we haue the example of Godd himself which dyd speake vnto the Iuishe people in their naturall tongue The greke churche did receyue the doctryne of the gospell of the Apostles whiche were Hebrues in their naturall greke tongue And as from the beginninge the Hebrues in theyr congregacions haue vsed their naturall He brue tongue so haue the Grecians their greke tongue and so at the begynning the latin churche vsed their naturall latine tongue also Only these heretiques the papistes I meane are delighted with a straūge tongue Iustiniane the Emprour determineth that all thinges shulde be spoken openlye and plainlye in the Temples that they mighte bothe be hearde and vnderstonded But this the papistes regarde not Wherfor seing they cā not nor will not be moued from this their opinion whiche is so absurde and repugnant to the holye scriptures to the order of the catholique churche to the lawes of the Emproure without all doubt they are heretiques They do teache that the sacrament of the Lordes body and bludd shuld be ministred in one kinde only when it is gyuen to the people It is most manifest and playne that Christe our Sauiour did otherwyse institute it euen to be mynistred in bothe kindes to all communicauntes These sacrificers therfore in taking awaye of the cupp frō the people they do committ most shamefull sacriledge We bring in agaynst them the Institucion of Christe But that can they not abyde to heare of Yeat les they shulde seame to saye nothing They saye That the Lord did delyuer it in bothe kindes vnto prestes onlye that is to his Apostles And yet when they themselues do mynister it vnto prestes whiche do not saye Masse they do gyue but the one kinde only But they haue nothinge to aunswer vnto Paule who writinge to the hole churche of the Corinthians which were not prestes only as the papistes call them but a cōgregacion bothe of men and women dothe delyuer the holy supper vnto them in bothe kindes as he receyued it of the Lorde heere haue they nothing to saye And vnto this madnes some of these massers do come at lenghth That they saye that the holy communion is not to be called the Lordes supper for wher is it saye they called the supper of the Lorde Forsothe Paule the scoler of the holy ghost calleth it so 1. Cor. 11. Yea they aske farther where the scripture teacheth that this holy sacrament shulde be gyuen vnto women as thoughe they wolde be counted of fauour and of their liberalitie to gyue a communiō vnto women and not because Godd in his worde hath appointed the sacramēt of hys bodye and blud to be delyuered vnto women as well as to men In the holy scripture it is writen Let a man proue hym selfe In this worde man is man and woman comprehended No saith a Doctor the greke worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the mankinde only Thys Doctor lyeth lowdly for the greke worde in that place is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth bothe man and woman The scriptures also do teache that the holy communion doth partayne vnto all them which ar one breade and one cupp wherfor except they wyll exclude women out of the bodye of Christ and shew that they
Man maye be deceyued but no man cādeceyne Godd And also we are commaunde to render vnto God his glorie franckly before men But I do not see how thow haste glorified Godd before men when thow dost so temper thy confession that it sumwhat sauerith indeede of the truithe of the gospell and yet they which be superstitius shall not see their supersticions vtterly reiected nor their errors condemned by thy confession but maye iudge that thou dost yet holde on their syde Agayn many do confes Christe in wordes and his gospell frely and openly inoughe but euē they themselues do forthwith defile and ouerthrow this Christiā and gospellike cōfession with vngospellike deedes I do speake nothing heere of thos synnes and wickednesses by which they do vnhallow the doctrine of our Sauiour but of thos supersticius ceremonies and wicked cōgregacions with which they do cōmunicate by which communiō or partakinge indeede they do denye that which they did cōfes before For he which doth cōfes by mouthe that they which do depart out of this lyfe in true faithedo not throughe the mediacion of Christe comme into Iudgment but do strayte waye passe from the bodily deathe vnto lyfe euerlasting euen as the doctrine of the gospell doth enstruct vs and we do playnly confes in the articles of the apostles Crede this namely that we do beleaue the forgyuenes of synnes the rising again of the fleshe and lyfe euerlasting And yet so sone as ony of their elders or familiars do depart out of this worlde they go strait to sacrificing prestes and do demāde of them churche assemblees supplicacions dirges weake myndes trētalles to be short yearemynds ād prayers and sacrifices expiatorie for the deade to whom he doth ioyne hymself and doth obserue thos rites hath he not playnly denyed in deede that which he hadd confessed in worde He that doth confes that Christe was ons only offered for the synnes of the whole world ād that he is not therfore to be offerred any moore And that the holy Supper is a rememberaūce of this only and euerlasting sacrifice and not the sacrifice it self and yet neuertheles doth go vnto ther gods seruice which do stoutly asseuere that they do offer vp Christ in substaūce for the synnes of the lyuing ād the deade doth he not by goīg to and cōmunicatinge with this seruice denye that which by speaking and professing he hadd cōfessed Theis truly are wayes of denyinge which they do not fully vnderstonde which are almost persuaded th◅ Religiō is but a playe and as it were a slipper fitte for euery foote Theis mē do knowe how to rule all religiōs vnder a certayn colour of holy concord but indeede for earthly cōmoditie that among whō so euer they do lyue like vnto a Cameleon they do take vnto themselues their coloure and ceremonies being mutch more changeable then Protheus of whom it is but folly to beleaue that they do passe for ony religiō at all But let vs passe ouer theis vnstable chāgelinges and establishe our mynds that they be not lewse nor waueringe but being knytte vpp and cōfirmed in the lorde they maye haue sum suretie and stablenes of the sure and stable worde of Godde which we may both in mowthe and deedes confes and in which we may finally reste That maruailus and heauenly and therwith thōderinge prophet Helias howe longe saithe he halte ye betwene two opinions Ifthe lorde be Godd folowe hym but if Baal be he then go after hym Euen so truly our lorde hymself doth saye in the ◅gospell that no man can serue two masters Let vs therfor forsake all other Godds and religions and cleaue only to our Godde which is the father of our lorde Iesus Christ and let vs sticke faste in the only Christen religiō which is delyuered vnto vs in the holy scriptures For it is euerlasting and most certayne But if it be sufficient to confes Christe and his gospell amonge our felows and brethern in religion wherto I praye you will theis our men refer thos wordes which do go before this place of confession in the gospell Behold I send you forthe as shepe amōge wolues rc They shall delyuer yow vp to the cowncelles and shall scourge yow for me rc But whēthey delyuer yow vpp take ye no thought how or what ye shall answer for it shalbe gyuē yow euē in that same houre what ye shall speake c. Feare ye not thē which kyll the bodye but are not able to kyll the soule He which doth denye that all theis sayinges must be vnderstond of persequutors he saithe that darcknes is lighte Yea and in Marc he doth playnly saye Whosoeuer therfor shalbe ashamed of me and of my wordes in this aduoutrus and synefull generacion of hym also shall the sonne of man be ashamed He requirith therfor a confession of the truithe not only in the companye of the godly but also in the companye of the vngodly and persequutours howsoeuer it be ioyned with the ieoperdie of lyfe and of all the substaunce The lord speaking in the boke of the reuelacion with the church of pergamos I knowe saith he where thow dwellest euē where Sathans seate is and thow keapest my name and haste not denyed my faythe And in thos dayes in which Antipas was a faythfull witnes of myn which was slayne amōge yow where Sathā dwellithe In which wordes truly the confession made in persequution is allowed made I saye in that place wher Sathan did beare rule wher euen very then Antypas that notable Martir of Christe was slayn for confessinge of religion Otherwise when all thinges are quiet it is not so harde a thing to confes the name of Godde For if so be that the lord will not haue vs be ī ieoperdie of bodie goodes and lyfe if it seme to be euill and a synne for a man as it wer to procure deathe to hymself by the confessinge of truithe wherfor dothe the lorde I praye yow exhorte thos his disciples that they shuld not feare them which do kill the bodie and can not kill the soule Whidoth he by playne wordes saye as it wer prouoking vs to martirdome Whosoeuer will folow me let hym forsake hymselfe and take vp his crosse and folowe me For whosoeuer will saue his lyfe shal lose it But whosoeuer shall lose his lyfe for my sake and the gospelles the same shall saue it Be addith forthwithe wordes which do make for the contempt of thos thinges for which theis men do thincke that in religion silence maye be kept and dissimulacion vsed sainge What shall it profite a mā yfhe wynne al the worlde and lose his own sowle Therwith also doth he adde through what thinge we do lose our soules that is through Shame For he saithe Whosoeuer therfor shalbe ashamed of me and of my wordes in this aduowtrus and synefull generacion of hym also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commithe in the glorie of his father
in the masse but also that by comminge to the masse they do deny the supper of the lorde aÌ„d the whole faithe of the gospell Theis men saye that they passe nothing what the ceremonies be what the ministers for that the vertue of the SacrameÌ„t is not the wors for theÌ„ But the cheif question heer is not of the worthines of the ceremonies or ministers but of the true vse and institucion of the supper of the lorde and whither that the Masse as it is at this daye vsed I do not now speake ony thinge at all of that which was vsed aboue a thowsand yeares passed wer so instituted of Christe and be indeede the very supper of the lord Yf the Masse be that misticall supper of the lorde it must needes be allowed of the lorde and thow if so be thow dost come to it in faithe canst not but receyue therof the foode of lyfe forsomutch as the vnworthnes of the mynister doth not hinder thâ—… But if the Masse be not the supper of the lorde if the supper of the lord be defaced corrupted and â—…den vnder fote by the Masse truly thow shalt receyue no fruite therof but shalt rather purchase to thy self greate gilte of synne for that the gaye glosâ—…e of the ceremonies or ony worthines of the ministers shall not helpe the at all Euen Ieroboam himself wold haue beene counted to haue sacrificed to the Godd of Israel but yet bicause he did not sacrifice â—…fter the same manier which God had coÌ„maunded but rather after that sorte which he himself hadd inueÌ„ted and instituted godd did not accept his sacrifices and thos did synne against godd and against true religioÌ„ yea and against the lawfull Sacrifices of godd as many as did coÌ„municate with the sacrifices of IeroboaÌ„ For both that IeroboaÌ„ synned aÌ„d that he did leade Israel to synne the scripture doth repeate very ofte to beate iÌ„ to the heade of the whole worlde that simple obedieÌ„ce doth pleas the lorde iÌ„ which we 〈◊〉 his ordinaunces after that manier only which he hath instituted addynge nothinge dyminishing nothig and chauÌ„ging nothiÌ„g in theÌ„ I will not now reason how that the Masse doth agre nothing at all with the lordes supper for this is eueÌ„ to the eyes of all men often tymes shewed in many bookes of most lerned and godly seruantes of Godd Yea eueÌ„ children which are but instructed in the priciples of faith do know that Christe did institute a comoÌ„ partaking ore communioÌ„ in which all the faithfull which are one bodie in Christe are knitt together in to one bodie aÌ„d that the Masse is a dissipacioÌ„ of vnitie and a priuate deuowriÌ„g of one lurching sacrificer They knowe that Christ coÌ„mauÌ„ded Take eate diuide it amonge you and drincke ye all of this And that the Masse doth sett furth theis thinges to be gazed vppon to be worshipped to be caried about and to be shutt vpp to be haÌ„deled and also receyued of preistes only They know that Christe sayd Do this in the rememberaunce of me And that the preistes do saye Masse in the remeÌ„beraunce of sayntes that they do sacrifice for the synnes of the quicke and the deade and to be short that they do say masse for euery thinge for filthie lucres sake Ther were in the tyme of the Apostles certayn witty disputars which reasoned that it was lawful for Christians to eate meates offered vnto Idols Meates offered to Idolls were sacrifices vsed in the temples of Idolls to be offered vnto Idols Therfor thos faithfull men did contend that it was lauful indifferently to communicate with the holy seruice of the Christians and also to sytte down in the Idols feaste They did add plausible expositioÌ„s that an Iâ—…oll was nothinge bycause Godd was not represented by the Idoll that ther is but one Godd the same our true and euerlastinge Godd Wherof it folowed that the Idoll was nothinge that is to say a thinge of no valure or a very vanitie that it could hurt no bodie and that the very meate offered vnto the Idoll was a thinge of nothinge that it did defile no man But Paule with many wordes doth confute that folery 1. Cor. cap. 8. 9. and 10. In this tenth chapter amonge other thinges he gatherith of the nature of the supper of the lord that a man maye not bothe be partaker of the supper of the lorde and of the table of Idols and saith Ye caÌ„ not drincke of the cup of the lorde and of the cup of deuils Ye can not be partakers of the lordes table and of the table of deuiles Either do we prouoke the lorde Are we stroÌ„ger then he Also the Apostles of Christe and elders of the churche of Hierusalem in that same greate and notable couÌ„cell of Hierusalem which of all that euer were was most holy and of most auctoritie did playnly forbidd the Gentils which were conuerted to Christe thos meates offered to Idols Yea and the lord Iesus hymself in the boke of the Reuelacion doth greuusly accuse and condemne them which do eate meate offered vnto Idols This may ye se in the epistles of the churche of Pergamos and Thiatira In the furst he saithe But I haue a few thinges againste the bicause thow hast there them that maintaine the doctrine of Balaam which taughte in balacke to put occacioÌ„ of synne before the childreÌ„ of Israel that they shuld eate of meates dedicate vnto Idolls and committ fornication and so furth I thincke here neadith not many wordes to shew wherfor I haue alledged theis sayinges of meates offered vnto Idolls for all the godly do plainly see that by like reason all diuine seruice that is vnholy or contrary to Godds worde with what colour so euer they be stayned are forbidden and condemned They see that all such expositions are put awaye by which theise fearefull meÌ„ and such as do loue the worlde and worldly pompe to mutch do leade themselues away froÌ„ the right tracke that they shuld not sincerely confes Christe All they which be godly do both see and perceyue that they which do desire to lyue euerlastingly haue neade to make a simple cleare and playne coÌ„fession they see that Christes name must be confessed and that no man must communicate with Antichriste how great so euer daungers do hange ouer them and how gret so euer the aduanÌ„tages be which are offered vnto them They see that they must treade down the feare and desire of the fleshe The most holy Apostle of Christe writith of Moses By faith Moses when he was greate refused to be called the sonne of Pharaos daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of Godd then to enioye the pleasures of synne for a ceason and esteamed the rebuke of Christ greater riches theÌ„ the treasures of Egypt For he hadd respect vnto the rewarde Whos example most goodely indeede that we may folowe we must alwais haue before our eyes aÌ„d as I iudge we must neuer lett slypp out