I coÌ„sidet y t your gr power is not so fre as a publik reformation perchance woulde requyre But if your grace shal consider the daunger and damnation perpetuall which ineurtably haÌ„geth vpon all mainteyners of a fals religion Then shall the greatest daunger easely deuoure swallow vp the smaller If your grace shall consiver that either ye must serue God to lyfe euerlasting or els serue the worlde to death and 〈…〉 Then albeit man and aâ—â—gel 〈◊〉 dissâ—ade you ye will 〈◊〉 lyfe and refuse death And 〈◊〉 further ye shall consider thâ— the very lyfe coÌ„sisteâ—h in the knowledge of the onelye trewe God and of his sonne Christ Iesus And that trewe knowledge hath â—â—â—â—red with it goddes trew 〈…〉 and honor whiche requireth a testimony of his own will expressed by his worde that â—â— he honor doeth please him If youre grace I say shall earnestly meditate these thigs afore sayde Then albeit sodenlye ye may not do all thinges y â— ye wold yet shall ye not cease to do what ye maye Your grace can not hasetely abolishe all superstition neither yet remoue from offices vnprofitable pastors whiche onely fede them selfs the which to publique reformation are requisite and necessary But yet if the zele of goddes glory be ferueÌ„t in your graces hart â–ª by wicked lawes ye will not mainteyn manifest Idolatrye neither yet will ye suffer y â— fury of bisshoppes to murther deuoure the poore membres of Christes body But withall cares full diligence ye will study how that the trewe worshippinge of God maye be promoted and the tyranny of vngodly men repressed within the boundes of youre dominioÌ„ to the vttermost of your power And if the contrary hereof either by ignorance or for pleasure of others ye do or permit to be doÌ„ then except your spedy repeÌ„taÌ„ce shall ye your 〈◊〉 sodenly fâ—â—ll the depressing hande of him who hath exalted you Ye shalbe compelled â–ª 〈…〉 wil ye to know that he is eternal against whome ye addâ—â—sse your battel And that he is alone â–ª that â—â—deâ—aâ—eth y e tymes and 〈…〉 kingdomes 〈◊〉 â—â— is he that glorifieth them that glorifie him And y t he by his owne power poureth forth coÌ„teÌ„pt vpon all 〈◊〉 y t â—â—bell against his graces â—â—â—er And therefore how dangerous soeuer it shal appeare to the fleshe and natural maÌ„â—o obey God in promoting his religion and to make warre against the deuill in â—emeuinge darknes pryde superstition Yet if youre grace loke to haue your self or yet youre sede after you to continue in a worldely honor and after to possesse the lyfe euerlasting submit youre self by time vnder the hande of hym that is omnipoteÌ„t embrace his will despise not hys testament refuse not hys graces offerre Nowe when he calleth you withdrawe not youre care be not led awaye with that vayn opinioÌ„ that youre churche and prelates can not eâ—re but laye the â—ooke of God before youre eyes and lette it bee iudge to their lyues doctrine and maÌ„ners as also to that doctryne whyche by fyre and swearde moste cruelly they persecute I confesse that I desyre your grace to entre into a straunge greuous battel neuertheles yet assured I am by the promes of him by whome kynges do raygn that if with reuerence and feare ye obey his preceptes as did Iosias the admonitsons of the prophetes that then with doble benediction shall your bauell be rewarded that is wisedom ryches glory he â—or and longe lyfe shall accompany you in this your regiment temporal and unmortalitie wâ—â—h â—oy inestimable shalbe your portion when the king of all kinges â–ª the Lord Iesus shal appere to iudgemente before whome ye shall make accompt of this youre regyment â–ª when the proude and disobedient shall cry mountaynes â—â—ll vpon vs and hyde vs frome the face of the Lorde But then it shalbe too late because they despâ—sed the voyce of him that loâ—â—ngly calleth GOd the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe by the power of his holy spirite so illumiâ—ate youre senses and vnderstanding that the things that rudely be here spoken by youre grace so may be accepted that they be not a testimony of youre iuste damnation in that greate daye of the Lorde Iesus to whose mighty protection I vnfaynedlye committe youre grace nowe and euer Amen ¶ The fourth of Aprill In the yeare 1550. was appointed to Ihon Knor to geue his confessioÌ„ why he affirmed the masse idolatrye which daye in presence of the counsell and congregation amoÌ„gest whome was also present the bisshop of Dureham hys doctors on this maÌ„ner he begynneth THis day I doe appeare in your presâ—ce honorable audience â—o geue a reason why so constantly I do affirme the masse to be and all tymes to haue ben Idolatry abominatioÌ„ before God And because men of greate erudition in youre audience affirmed the contrarye moste gladly wolde I that here thâ—â— were present either in proper person or els by their learned meÌ„ to poÌ„der and â—ey the causes mouing me therto For oneles I euydently proue myne entent by goddes scriptures I wil recant it as 〈◊〉 doctrine and confesse myself moste worthy of greuous punishment Howe difficillitis to pul forth of the haries of the people y â— thing wherein opinion of holynes staÌ„deth declareth the greate tumult and â—proâ—â— moued against Paul by 〈◊〉 and his fellowes who by Idolatry â—â—t great aduaÌ„taâ—â—e â—◠〈◊〉 priestes haue done by the masse in times past The people I say hearing that the honor of their great goddes Diana stoode in iâ—oâ—ardy with furious â—â—yces cried great is Diana of y â— â—phesians as they wolde saye â—e will not haue the magnificeÌ„ce â—â— our great goddes Diana whoÌ„ not onely Asia but the hole world worshippeth called in doubt cuÌ„in question or coÌ„trauersy Away with all menne intendinge that impietie And hereunto were theâ— moued by longe custome and fals opinion I knowe that in the masse hath not onely ben estemed great holynes and honoringe of God but also the grounde and foundation of oure religion so that in opinioÌ„ of many the masse taken awaye there resteth no trew worshippiÌ„g nor honoring of God in y e earthe The deper hath it persed the hartes of men that it occupieth the place of the last and mistical supper of our Lorde Iesus But if I â—â—all by playâ— and euident scriptures proue the masse in her most honest garment to haue ben Idolatrye before God and blasphemous to the death and passion of Christ coÌ„trary to the supper of Iesus Christ theÌ„ good hope haue I â–ª honorable audience beloued brethren that the feare loue and obedieÌ„ce of God who in his scriptures hath spoken all veritie necessary for our saluatoÌ„ shal moue you to 〈…〉 place vnto the same ¶ O Lorde eternall moue gouerne my tung to speake y e 〈◊〉 and the hartes of the people to vnderstande and to obey the same That ye maye the better perceyue and
God vnable any waye to make satisfactioÌ„ for his infinite benifits which we haue receiued But in the masse alledge we God too be a debtour vnto vs for oblation of that sacrifice whiche we there presently offre and dare affirme y â— we there make satisfaction by doyng thereof for the sinnes of our self and of others If these precedentes be not coÌ„trary let men iudge with indifferency They differre in vse for in the Lordes soupper the minister and the congregation sat bothe at one table no difference betwixte them in preâ—minence nor habyte as witnesseth Iesus Christe wyth hys disciples and the practyse of the apostles after hys death But in the papisticall masse y â— priestes so wil thei be styled are placed by them selfe at an aultar and I wolde aske of the authoritie thereof and what scripture coÌ„maunderh so to be done They must be cladde in a seueral habyt whereof no mention is made in the newe testament It will not exeuse them to say Paule commaÌ„deth all too be done with order decently Dare they be so bolde as to affyrme that the soupper of Iesus Christ was done withoute order and vndecently wherein were seene no suche disaguysed vestimentes Or will they sette vp too vs agayne the Leuiticall priesthode Shoulde not all be taught by the playn worde Prelates or Priestes I aske one question ye wolde bee lyke too the vestymentes of Aaron in all thinges Aharon had affixed vnto hys garmentes certeyn belles which were commaunded too rynge and to make sounde as ofte as he was cladde therewith But priestes youre belles lacke â—unges they rynge not they soaÌ„d of nothinge but of the earth â–ª Nothinge vnderstandeth the people of all your ceremonies Feare ye not the wrathe of God it was coÌ„maunded Aharon that the sound of hys belles shoulde bee hearde that he dyed not ¶ Aduyse herewith for thys matter apperteyneth vnto you IN the supper of the Lorde all were equally participante the bread beynge broken the cup beynge distributed amongest all accordinge to hys commandemeÌ„t In the papisticall masse the congregation â—etteth nothing except the beholdinge of your duckings noddinges crossinges turninge rplistinge which all are nothing but a diabolicall prophanatioÌ„ of Christes supper Now ducke crosse and nodde â—s ye lyste they are but your own inuentioÌ„s And finally brether ye got nothinge but gased behelde while that one did eate drynke all It shall not excuse you to saye the congregation is participante spiritually O wicked antichristes sayeth not Iesus Christ Eat of this and drynke of this all do this in remembraÌ„ce of me Christ commauÌ„deth not that one should gase vpon it bowe ducke becke thereto but that we shoulde eate and dryncke therof oure selfs and not that we should behold others do thesame Oneles we wold confesse the death of Iesus Christ to apperteyn nothing to vs. For when I eate drynke at that table I openlye confesse the frute and vertue of Christs body of hys bloude and passion too apperteyn to my selfe and that I am a membre of his misticall body that God the father is appeased with me not withstandinge my first corruptioÌ„ preseÌ„t infirmitie Iudge brethren what comfort hath this taken froÌ„ vs which wil that the sight thereof shalbe sufficient I wold aske first if y â— sight of corporal meat or drynke doeth fede norish the bodye I thinke they wil say nay And I affirme y â— no more profit receiueth the soule in beholding an other eat drinke the Lordes very soupper as for their Idolatry it is alway daÌ„nable thaÌ„ y e body doeth in beholdig an other eate dryncke thou receyuinge no part therof But now briefly let this coÌ„traâ—â—tie be collected In the Lordes soupper are offerred thankes for the benefites whiche we haue receyued of God In the masse wil the papist compell God to grauÌ„t â–ª all that he asketh of hym by vertue of that sacrifice And so alledgeth that God should referre thaÌ„kes vnto him that doeth masse In the soupper of the Lorde y e actors humbly dyd confesse theÌ„ self redemed only by Christes bloud whiche once was shedde In the masse the prieste vanted hym selfe to make a sacrifice for y e synnes of the quicke the dead In the Lordes soupper all y e partakers of that table graunted and coÌ„fessed them selfs debtours vnto God vnable to referre thankes for the benefites whiche wee had receyued of hys liberalitie In y e papistical masse alledgeth the priest y e God is a debtour too hym vnto all theÌ„ for whome he maketh y e sacrifice For he doth affirme remissioÌ„ of synnes to be obteyned therby in that y e masse is blasphemous to Christes death â–ª In the Lordes supper all sat at one table no differeÌ„ce in habyt nor vestiment betwene the minister and the congregation In the papistical masse the priestes are placed bi them selfs at an aultare as they call it are clad in disaguysed garmentes In the Lordes supper fynally all did eate of one bread drincke of one cuppe But in the mischeuous masse one 〈◊〉 did eate and dryncke all Consider now beloued brethreÌ„ what hath the fruytes of y e masse ben euen in her greatest puritie the masse is nothinge but the inueÌ„tion of man set vp without al authoritie of goddes worde for honoringe of God and therfore it is Idolatry Vnto it is added a vain false deceyuable and moste wicked opinioÌ„ that is that by it is obteyned remission of synnes and therfore it is abomination before God It is contrarious vnto the supper of Iesus Christ and hath taken awaye bothe the righte vse and remembraunce therof therfore it is blasphemous to Christes death Maynteyn or defend the papisticall masse who so lifte this honor and seruice vnto God did all whiche vsed the same And here I speake noâ— of the moste abominable abuses as of byeng sellinge vsed nowe of late by the mischeuous priestes but of the masse in her moste hye degre and most hoâ—est 〈◊〉 â–ª yea euen of y e great Gaudeamus songe or sayde by Gregory the greate as papistes do call hym Let no man thinke that because I am in the realme of Englande that therfore so boldely I speake agaynst this abomination naye God hath taken that suspicioÌ„ froÌ„ me For the body lyenge in moste paâ—â—full bondâ—â— amongest y â— middes of cruell tyranâ—es hys mercy and goodâ—es prouided that y â— haÌ„d should wryte and beare witnes to the confession of the hart more abound antly than euer yet the tuÌ„g spoke And here I call my God to recorde that neither profitte too my self haued of any person or persons nor affection or fauour that I beare towardes anye pryuate man causeth me this dai to speake as ye haue hearde but onely the obedience which I owe vnto god in ministration shewinge of hys worde the common loue which I beare to your saluation For so odious and abominable I knowe
â—he masse to be in goddes presece that onles ye decline froÌ„ the same to lyfe can ye neuer atteyn And therfore brethren flye froÌ„ that Idolatry rather then frome the present death Here wolde I haue spoken of the diuersitie of sacrifice but neyther doeth tyme nor the wickednesse of myne owne flesh permit that so I do I will ye obserue y â— where I saye there resteth no sacrifice nor yet is there anye priestes that I meane that there resteth no sacrifice too be offred for synne nor yet is there any priests hauynge power to offre such oblations Otherwise I do knowe that all true ChristiaÌ„s are kynges and priestes and doe dayly offre vnto God a sacrifice moste acceptable the mortification of their affections as Paule commaunded the Romayns But here of may not I remayne too speake presently Suche doctrine as was taught in youre audience vpon Sonday before noon I wil proue as oportunitie shall permitte by goddes scriptures not only vnprofitable but also erroneous and deceyuable But firste accordinge too my promes I will seude vnto the teacher the extracte therof to adde or diminishe as by hys wysedome shalbe thought moste expediente â–ª For God knoweth my mynde is not captâ—oush too tryppe men in wordes But my onely desyre beynge that ye my audience bee instructe in the veritie where froÌ„ dissenteth some doctrine taughte you if truelye I haue collected moueth me to speake againste al that maye haue appearaunce of lyes and superstition And praye with me brethren that the spirite maye be ministred vnto me in aboundance to speake at all times as becommeth a trew messenger And I will lykewyse praye that ye might heare vnderstande and obeye with all reuereÌ„ce the good wil of God declared vntoo the worlde by Iesus Christ whose omnipotente spirite remayn with you for euer â–ª Amen ¶ Here is briefly declared in a sumine accordynge to the holy scriptures what opinion we Christians haue of the Lordes supper called the Sacramente of the bodye and bloudde of oure sauyoure Iesus Christ FIrste we confesse that it is an holy action ordeyned of God in the whiche the Lorde Iesus by earthely and visible thinges sette before vs lifteth vs vp vnto heauenly and inuisible thinges And that whan he hadde prepared hys spirituall banâ—â—et he witnessed y e he hym self was the lyuely bread wherewith oure soules bee fedde vnto euerlastinge lyfe And therefore in settinge forthe breade and wyne to eate drynk he confirmeth and sealeth vp too vs hys promisse and communion that is that we shalbe partakers with hym in hys kyngedome and representeth vnto vs and maketh playne to oure senses his heaueÌ„ly giftes and alsoo geueth vnto vs himself to be receiued with faith and not with mouthe nor yet by transfusion of substaunce but so throw the vertue of y e holy Ghost that we beynge fedde with hys fleshe refreshed with his bloud maye be renewed both vnto trew godlines and to immortalitie And also that here with the Lord Iesus gathereth vs into one visible body so that we be meÌ„bres one of an other and make altogether one bodye where of Iesus Chrste is head And finally that by the same Sacrament the Lord calleth vs to remeÌ„braunce of hys deathe and passion too styrre vp oure hartes to prayse his moste holy name Sarthermore we acknowledge that this SacrameÌ„t oughte to become vnto reuereÌ„tly considering there is exhibited and geuen a te 〈…〉 of the wonderfull socâ—â—tie and â—uyttinge together of the lord Iesus and of the receyuers and also that there is included and conteyned in this sacrament that he will preserue his churche for herein we be commaÌ„ded to shew the Lordes death vntill he come Also we beleue that it is a confession wherein we sheroe what kynd of doctrine we professe and what congregation we toyne our selfes vnto And lykewise that it is a boÌ„de of mutuall loue amoÌ„gst vs. And finally we beleue that al the commers vnto thys holy supper muste bringe with them their conuersion vnto the LORD by vnfayned repentaunce in faythe and in thys Sacramente receyue thee seales and confirmation of their faythe and yet muste in nowise think that for this works sake their syns be forgeuen And as concerning these wordes Hoc est corpus meuÌ„ this is my body on whiche the papistes depend so much sayeng that we must nedes beleue that the breade wyne bee transubstanciated intoo Christes body bloud We acknowledge y e it is no artikel of our fayth which caÌ„saue vs nor which we are bouÌ„d to beleue vpoÌ„ payn of eternal daÌ„nation For if we should beleue y â— hys very naturall body both flesh and bloude were naturally in the bred wyne that should not saue vs seinge many beleue that yet receyue it to their damnation For it is not his presence in the bread that can saue vs but his presence in our hartes through fayth in his bloud which hath washed out our synnes and pacified the fathers wrath towardes vs. And agayne if we doe not beleue hys bodielye presence in the bread wyne that shall not damne vs but the abseÌ„ce out of our hart thorow vnbelefe Now if they wolde here obiecte that though it be trueth that y e absence out of the breade coulde not damne vs yet are we bounde to beleue it because of gods worde saying thys is my bodye whiche who beleueth not as muche as in him lieth maketh God a lyar and therfore of an obstinat mynd not to beleue hys worde maye be our damnation To this we aunswere that we beleue gods worde confesse that it is trew buÌ„t not so too be vnderstande as the papistes grossely affirme form the SacrameÌ„t we receiue Christ spiritually as dyd the fathers of the olde testament accordinge to S. Paules sayeng And if men wolde well wey how that Christ ordeyning this holy sacrament of hys bodye and bloud spoke these wordes sacramentally doubtles they wolde neuer so grossely foolishely vnderstand them contrary to all the scriptures and to the exposition of saynct Augustyn sayncte Hierome Fulgentius Digilius Origenes and many other godly writers Gene. â— Math. 10 â–ª Actes 1â— â–ª 〈…〉 〈…〉 1◠〈…〉 â–ª 40. â—l 51. â—â—90 â— â— Reg. 25. Iere. 52. Daniel 1. Esai â— Ephe. 2. Iosua 2. Math. 5. Math. 10. â—â—â— 20. Rom â–ª 1. â— Pet. 2. The state Apo. 14. 1â— Psalm â— Acto 4. Luc. 16. O se 4 â–ª â— â–ª Math. 20. Math. â— â— Thes â— Deu. 4. 12. Math. 15. â—e 13. 1â— Leut. 10. Math. 7 Ac. 1. 13. 14. 1. Cor. 11. Apoca. â— Nota. â— Re. 15. a. Pa. 17. 4. Re. 22 2. Pa. 29 â—9 â—â— No parte of religion remaineth vncorrupt â–ª A peticion An obiection of the fleshe An answer Matth. 6. â—â—â— 6. â— â—â—â— 1â— Iohn 17. Iohn 4. â—aâ—â— 2. Iere. 〈◊〉 ◠〈◊〉 2. CouÌ„saill 3 Par. â—4 Matth. 24 Oâ—â— 10. â—â—â—â— 9 â–ª 1. Reg. 1â—◠◠〈…〉 1â— Nota. Dem. 4. Leui. 10. Obiection Apoca. â— Obiection Preceptes were geueÌ„ The cause of the counsail at Ierusalem Cornelius ConclusioÌ„ of the conÌ„sayll Question Obiection Nota. Pape quâ— missam instituerunt Euasion Improâ—â—tion of the Canon Nota. Esay 66. Amos. 5. Esai 66. Iere. 7. Esay 55. Esai 18. Ose 7. Iere. 2. Nota. Opinion holden of the masse Nota. Hebre. 10. Aunswere of papists Contra. Nota. Hebre. 7. Papistes Aunswere â–ª Heb. 9. Hebr. 10. Nota. Question Papistes aduerte Euasion Papistes Esai 27. Iere. 14. Esai 9. Iere. 31. Collos 1. Nota. Ioan. 6. ☞ â–ª Question ☞ ☜ Obiection Aunswer 1. Cor. 11.
vnderstand y e manâ—â—â— of my doctrine in this my confessioÌ„ first will I collect gather the same therof in a brief and 〈◊〉 syâ—logisâ—â—â— here after explayn thesame more largely ¶ The masse is Idolatry I worshipping honoring or seruice inueÌ„ted by y e brain of maÌ„ in y e ligioÌ„ of God w tout his own expresse coÌ„manÌ„demeÌ„t is Idolatrie The masse is inueÌ„ted bi y e brain of maÌ„ w tout any coÌ„meÌ„demeÌ„t of god Therfore it is Idolatry For probation of the first part I will adduce none of the geÌ„â—iles sacrifices in which not withstandinge was les abouâ—inatioÌ„ then hathe ben iâ—â— our masse But forth of gods scrip tures will I bring y e witnesses of my wordes And first let vs hear Samuel speking vnto Saul after â—he had made sacrisice vnto the lord vpoÌ„ mouÌ„t Silgal what time his enmies approched against hi. Thou art become folish saieth Samuel y u hast not obserued y e preceptes of y e lord which he hath coÌ„maÌ„ded y e. Truely y e lord had prepared to haue stablished thy kyngdome aboue Israell for euer but nowe thy kyngdome shal not be sure Let vs consider what was the offence committed by Saule his enemyes approching and he considering that the people declined from him and that he had not coÌ„sulted with the Lorde nor offered sacrifice for pacificacion of y e Lordes wrath by reason that Sa 〈◊〉 the principall prophete and 〈◊〉 it was not present offereth himself burâ—t and peace offeringe â–ª 〈◊〉 is the grounde of all hâ—◠〈◊〉 and of this procedeth the cause of hys election froÌ„ the 〈◊〉 that he wolde honor God 〈◊〉 then was coÌ„mauÌ„ded by hys expresse word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 none of the trybe of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by goddes commaundemente to make sacrifice 〈…〉 he office not dewe too 〈◊〉 which was moste hye abho 〈◊〉 before God as by the punishment appeareth Consider well that no excÌ„usations are admitted by enemyes approched his owne people departed frome him He coulde not haue a lawful minister and gladly wolde haue ben reconciled to God and coÌ„sulted with him of the ende chance of that iourney And therefore he the kyng anoynted by goddes coÌ„maundemente maketh sacrifice But none of all these were admitted by God but Saule was pronunced foolishe and vayn For no honoring knoweth God nor will accept without it haue y e expresse commandemeÌ„t of his own word to be done in all pointes And no commaundement was geueÌ„ vnto the kynge to make or offerre vnto God any maner sacrifice whiche because he toke vppon him to do he and his posteritie was depryued from all honours in Israell Neither auayled his preemineÌ„cethe necessitie wherein he stode 〈…〉 good 〈…〉 But let â—s heare more When commaun 〈…〉 was 〈…〉 vnto Saule by 〈…〉 name to destroy 〈…〉 some time 〈…〉 the people of Israel 〈…〉 Egipt Aduerte 〈…〉 cute y â— people of God â–ª albeâ—t youre paynes â—â— differred yet are they allredy 〈…〉 of God this people of 〈…〉 not immediatly after the 〈…〉 done against Is 〈…〉 â–ª but long after thei 〈…〉 e to be destroyed 〈…〉 woman infante 〈…〉 ll camels and 〈…〉 lly all that lyued in that 〈…〉 〈…〉 de the remem 〈…〉 be to all such as tro 〈…〉 suche as wolde folows the commaundemente and vocation of God leauinge spirituall Egipte the kyngedome of the Antichriste and y â— abominations thereof But Saule saueth the Fynge named Agag and permitteth the people to saue the best and fattest of the bestiall to the entent sacrifice shoulde be made thereof vnto God But lette vs heare howe thys is accepted Samuel befor admonished of his inobedieÌ„ce coÌ„mynge vnto Saule aâ—feth what voyce was it whiche he hearde The kynge aunswereth the people hathe saued the fattest and best beastes thereof to make sacrifice vnto thy God Here may be marked that Saule hadde â—â— sure confidence in God for he speaketh as thoughe God apperteyned nothinge vnto him Samuel â—â—sâ—ereth suffer and I shal declare vnto y â— what y â— Lorde hath spoken vnto the this nyghte And shortly he rebuketh hym moste sharpele that he hadde not obeyed the voyce of the Lorde But Saule standinge in opinion that he had not offended because he did all of good entent sayeth I haue obeyed the Lordes voice I haue destroyed the synners of A male of and onely I haue saued the kyng and the people haue preserued certen be sâ—â—â—ll to be offerred vnto God And so defendeth hâ— his owne worke to be iust and righteous But therto answereth Samuel delyteth God in burnte offering and not rather that hys voyce be obeyed The synne of wâ—tcheâ—â—â—t is not to obei his voice and to be stubborne is the syn of Idolatry As Samuel wold say there is nothinge that God more â—eqâ—â—â—eth of man then obedience to his commaundemente yea he â—referreth obedience to the selfe same sacrifice ordeyned by hym self And no syn is more odious in goddes presence then to disobey his voyce For y t estemeth God so odiouse y t he doeth compare them to the two synnes moste abominable incantation and Idolatrye So that disobedience to his voice is very Idolatry Disobedience to goddes voyce is not onely wheÌ„ man doeth wickedly contrary to y â— preceptes of God but also when of good zeale or good entente as we coÌ„monly speake maÌ„ doeth any thing to y t honor or seruice of god not commaunded by the expresse worde of God As in this matter plainly mai be espied For Saule transgresseth not wickedly in muâ— ther adultery or lyke external syn nes but saue than aged and impotent king which thing who wold not call a good dede of mercye permitteth the people as saide is â—o saue certayn be friall to be offered vnto the Lord thinking that God should therewith stand content and appleased because he the people did it of good entent But bothe these called Samuell Idolatry â–ª First because thei were done without anye commaundement of God secondly because in doyng therof he thoughte hym self not to haue offended And y â— is principal Idolatry when oure owne inuentions we defende too be righteous in the sight of God because we thinke them good laudable and pleasaunte We maye not thinke vs so free nor wyse that we maye do vnto God and vnto hys honor what we thynke expedient No the contrary is coÌ„maunded by God sayenge vnto my worde shall ye adde nothinge nothing shalye diminish therefroÌ„ that ye might obserue y t preceptes of your lord God Which words are not to be vnderstaÌ„d of the decalogue and lawe morall onely but of statutes rytes and ceremonies for equall obedience of all hys lawes requireth God 3. And in witnes therof Nadab Abihu offeringe straunge fyre whereof God hadde geuen vnto them no charge were instantly as they offered punished to death by fyre Strange fyre which they offered vnto God was a common fyre not of that fyre whiche God had commaunded to burne daye and night vpon the aulter
other burthens vpon oure backes then Iesus Christe layed by his worde Than who hath burthened vs with all these ceremonies prescribed fasting coÌ„pelled chastitie vnlawful voues inuocation of sainctes and with y â— Idolatry of the masse The deuil the deuill brethren inuented all these burthens to depresse imprudent men to perdition 9. Paule writing of y â— lordes supper saieth Ego accepi a Domino quod tradidi vobis I haue receyued and learned of the Lord that whiche I haue taught you And consider if one ceremony he addeth or permitteth too be vsed other then Christe did vse hym selfe But commaundeth them to vse with reuerence the Lordes institution vntill his returninge too iudgement 10. Albeit Moyses was replenished with the sprite of wisedoÌ„ â—â— was more familiar with God then euer was any mortall man yet was there â—ot of all the ceremonies referred to his wisedome one iote but all was commanded to him to be made accordinge to the similitude shewen vnto hym and according as y â— worde expressed Of the which precedentes I thinke it is playne that al which is added to the religion of God without his own expresse worde is Idolatry 11. Yet must I auÌ„swer to an obiection obiected by the papistes for neuer maye they abyde to be subiecte vnto goddes worde The apostles say they in the counsell holden at Ierusalem set vp a religioÌ„ and made lawes wherof no iote was conteyned in goddes worde therfore y â— church now may do the same That there was any religion that is honoring of god wherby they might merit as ye cal it any thinge before God inuented in y e couÌ„salâ—ye neuer are able to proue Preceptes were geueÌ„ but neither suche nor to that entent that ye alledge All preceptes geuen in that counsail had the commaundemeÌ„t of God as after shalbe hearde First let vs heare the cause of the counsaill Paule and Barnabas had taught amongest the gentils y â— onely sayth in Christes bloode iustifieth and a greate multitude of gentils by their doctrine embraced Iesus Christ by hym truely worshipped God Vnto Antiochia froÌ„ Iudea came certayn fals teachers affirmyng that oneles they were circumcysed according to Moyses lawe they coulde not be saued as oure papistes saye this daâ—t that trew fayth in Christes bloude is not sufficient puâ—â—atioÌ„ for our e synnes oneles also â—e bye their mombled masses This contrauersitrobled the harâ—es and coÌ„scieÌ„ces of the brethern in so muche that Paule Barnabas were compelled too go vnto IerusaleÌ„ vnto Peter and Iames and others I thinke of the apostles Where a coÌ„uention had the question was proponed whether the gentiles shoulde be subiect to obseruation of Moyses lawe or nor That is whether onely fayth in Iesus Christ did iustifie or ne cessarye was also to iustification the law obserued After great coÌ„tention Peter expouÌ„ded howe y t the house of Cornelius beyng all gentils had by his preachinge receyued Iesus Christ were decia red in his presence iuste righteouse before God for they did receyue the holye Ghoste visiblye not onely without obseruacion of Moses lawe but also before they had receyued any sacrameÌ„tal signe of Chrystes religion Peter concludeth that to pâ—â—â—â—e a yoke vpon the brethreÌ„s neckâ—s which yoke might none of the Iewes beare theÌ„selfes was nothyng but to tempte god that is to proue if god woulde bee pleased with suche lawes and ordinaunces as they would lay vpoÌ„ the neckes of men wythoute hys owne worde whyche were moste extreme impretie and so coÌ„cludeth he that the gentils ought not to be burthened wyth the law Hereafter declared Paule and Barnabas what wonderouse woorkes God had shewen by them amongest the gentils who neuer obserued Moses lawe â–ª and last Iames who appeareth vnto me principall in that counseil for he collecteth the scrip tures and pronounceth the fynall senteÌ„ce as ye shall heare plainly declareth that the vocation of the gentiles was prophecied before And that they should be accepted and accompted to be the people of God without obseruation of Moses lawe Adding that no maÌ„ ought to enquyre a cause of gods workes And so pronuÌ„ceth he the sentence that their libertie should not be diminished Aduert now y e cause the processe and determination of this counsayl The cause was to enquyre the veritie of certeyn doctrine That is whether the gentils shoulde be charged w t the obseruation of Moses lawe as was affirmed and taughte by some In this matter they proceded bi example of goddes works findinge that he had accepted the gentils without any thraldom or ceremony obserued Last are produced scriptures declaringe so to before spoken And accordinge to all this it is concluded and desyned that the gentilles shall not be burthened with the lawe What congruence I praye you haue the Antichristes counsails with this counsailâ— of the apostles The apostles gathered to consult vpoÌ„ the veritie The papistical counsails are gathered for pryuate coÌ„moditie vpsetting of Idolatry all abomination as their determinatioÌ„s manifestly proue The apostles proceded in their counsails by consideration of goddes workes applienge of theÌ„ to the present cause wheâ—upoÌ„ deliberatioÌ„ was to be â—â—â—â— determined as â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 coÌ„mauÌ„ded But the 〈◊〉 â—â— their couÌ„sails procede according as their wisedoÌ„ foolish bâ—â—â—â— thinkes good expedient And concludinge not onely without authoritie of gods scriptures but also manifestly coÌ„trary â—o the same And that I offer me moste clerely for to proue if anye wold deny or alledg y â— so it is not But yet say thei the apostles coÌ„maunded the gentils to absteyn from certein thinges wherof thei had no commaundement of God Let vs heare the thinges â–ª inhibited Ye shall absteyne sayeth the epistle sent to Antiochia froÌ„ fornication This is the coÌ„maundement of God So although y â— geÌ„tils estemed it to be no syn yet is it expresly forbidden in goddes lawe But it foloweth froÌ„ thinges offerred vnto Idols from strangeled and from bloudde shall ye absteyn If the causes mouing the apostles to forbid these thinges be well considered it shalbe fouÌ„d that they hadde the expresse commaundement of Iesus Christe so to do The sprete of trueth knowlege workinge in the apostles with all abundance shewed vnto them y â— nothinge was more profitable more mighte auaunce the glory of God and encreace the churche of Christe than that the Iewes and gentils shoulde vse together in familiaritie and dayly conuersatioÌ„ that by mutuall companye loue might encreace One thinge was easy to be espied that the Iewes coulde not hastely be perswaded that the eating of meates forbidden in Moyses lawe was no syn before God For difficill it is to pull forth of the hart that whiche is planted by goddes own word So that the Iewes wolde haue abhorred the company of the gentils iâ— they had eaten in their presence such meates as were forbidden in the lawe The apostles considered that the absteyning frome suche thinges
shedde for you and for many in remission of synnes Marke that remission of synneâ— is attributed too the sheddinge of Christes bloudde And Paule saieth Christ is dead for our synnes And in an other place by one oblation or sacrifice hath he made vs persyte foreuer Consider diligently that remission of synnes is attributed some tyme to the sheddyng of Christes bloudde some tyme to hys death and some tyme too the hole sacrifice whiche he made in suffering all payn And why this whether if there be diuers manners to obteyn remission of synnes â—o but because euerâ— one of these thre necessarily foloweth other remission of synnes is commonly ascribed to any of them For where so that euer Christe is offred there is hys bloude shedde his death subsequently foloweth And so papistes if ye offre Christe in sacrifice for synne ye shedde hys bloud and thus newly kylhym Aduerte too what fyne youre owne desyre shal bring you euen to be kyllers of Iesus Christ Ye will saye ye neuer pretended such abomination I dispute not what ye entended but onelye I shewe what absurdite doeth folowe vpon your owne doctrine For necessarelye if ye do offre Christe for synne as ye confesse and youre lawe doeth teache ye cruelly shedde hys bloudde fynally do kyll hym But nowe will I releaue you of this anguish dolorouse it were daily to coÌ„mit maÌ„ slaughter often times to crucify the king of glory be not affrayed ye do it not For Iesus Christe may suffre no more shed his blod no more nor dye no more For y â— he hath dyed he so dyed for syn that once and now he lyueth and death maye not preuayle against hym And so do ye not kyl Christ for no power ye haue too doe thesame Onely ye haue deceyued the people causinge them beleue that ye offred Iesus Christe in sacrifice for syn in your masse whiche is fryuole and fals For Christe maye not bee offerred because he maye not dye I moste gentellye exhorte all desyringe too obiecte agaynste these precedentes ripely too consider the grounde thereof whiche standeth not vppon the opinion of man but vppon the infallible woorde of God And to resume euery parte of these argumentes and ley them too the hole bodye of goddes scriptures And then I doubte not but all men whose senses the princes of darcâ—enes and of this worlde hath not execated shall confesse with me that in the masse can bee no sacrifice for synne And yet too the great blasphemye of Christes death and open denyall of his passion hath it ben affirmed taughte and beleued that the masse was a sacrifice for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead Whiche opinioÌ„ is moste false vayn wicked And so I thinke the masse too be abomination and Idolatrye no man of indifferente iudgemente will denye Lette no man entend to excuse the masse with the pretext of the Lordes supper For nowe shortly wil I proue that therwith it hath no congruence but is expresse coÌ„trarye to it and hath taken the remembraunce of the some oute of mynde And further it is blasphemous to y â— death of Iesus Christ Fyrst they are contrary in institution for the Lordes supper was institute too be a perpetuall memory of those benefites whyche we haue receiued by Iesus Christ and by hys death And firste we should call to mynd in what estate we stoode in the loynes of AdaÌ„ when that we all blasphemed the maiestie of God in hys face Secondly that hys owne incoÌ„prehensible goodnes moued hym to loue vs moste wretched myserable yea moste wicked blasphemous and loue moste perfyte compelled hym to shewe mercy And mercy pronunced the senteÌ„ce whiche was that his onely sonne shoulde paye the price of oure redemption Whiche thinge beinge righteously called to memorye in the present action of the soupper coulde not but moue vs to vnfeyned thankesgeuinge vnto God y e father and to hys onely sonne Iesus who had restored vs agayne to libertie and lyfe And this is it which Paule coÌ„mandeth sayeng as ofte as ye shall eate of thys bread and dryncke af this cup ye shall declare the Lordes deathe tyll he come that is ye shal laude magnify and extolle the lyberall fyndnes of God the father and the infinite benefytes whiche ye haue receyued by Christes death But the masse is instituted as y e playn woordes thereof and their owne lawes do witnesse too be a sacrifice for the synnes of y e quicke and the dead For doinge of the whiche sacrifice God is bounde not onely to remitte oure synnes but also to geue vnto vs what euer we will aske that shal testifye diuers masses celebrated for diuers causes Some for peace some in time of warre some for rain some for fayre wether yea and alas my hart abhorreth suche abomination some for syckenesse of bestyall They will saye they seuerally take prayers for obteyning suche thinges And that is all whiche I desyre they say for the obtayning of suche vayne tryfles destinate they their hole purpose so prophane the sacrament of Chrystes bodye and bloudde if that were any sacramente whiche they abused so whiche shoulde neuer bee vsed but in memorye of Christes death Then shoulde it not be vsed to praye that the touthe ache bee taken awaye frome vs that oure Oxen shoulde not take the lowing yll oure Horse the spauen or farsye and of all manner diseases for our cattel Yea what was it wherfore ye wolde not saye masse peruersed priestes But let vs heare more The supper of the Lord is the â—yfte of Iesus Christe in whiche we should laude the infinite mercye of God The masse is a sacrifice which we offer vnto God for doinge whereof we alledge God shoulde loue and commend vs. In the supper of the Lord coÌ„fesse we oure selfs redemed from synne by the death and bloude of Iesus Christe onely In the masse craue we remissioÌ„ of synnes yea and whatsoeuer thyng we lifte by working of that same worke whiche we presently do oure selfe And here in is the masse blasphemous vnto Christe and hys passioÌ„ For in so farre as it offreth or promitteth remissioÌ„ of synnes it imputeth imperfection vppon Christe and hys sacrifice affyrminge that all sinnes were not remitted by hys deathe but that a great parte are reserued to be purged by vertue and the value of y e masse And also it is iniurius vnto Christe and not onely speakinge moste falsly of hym but also vsur pynge too itselfe that whiche is proper to hym alone For he affirmeth that he alone hath by hys owne death purged the synnes of the hole world and that no parte resteth to be clensed by any other meanes But y e masse syngeth an other song whiche is that euery day by that oblatioÌ„ offred by the priestes is synne purged and remission obteyned CoÌ„sider papistes what honor youre masse geueth vnto Christe Laste in the supper of y â— Lord we graunt our selfes eternal debtours to