take the name of the Lord thy god in vayne Here out we maye well gather that to be at Masse and not as in harte so in word opeÌ„lye to reproue it it is a breach of this coÌ„maundemente terme y e sinne as we wyll For thende of this commauÌ„demente is not onelye to enforme oure tongue how that we shulde abstene froÌ„ taking gods name in vayne but muche rather how we shulde vse the name of god in prayer confession of gods truth and religion thankes geuing and preaching purelye the gospel 〈…〉 nisters yf wee be none 〈…〉 three prayer confession anâ—â— gyuinge perteine vnto vs of wha◠〈…〉 soeuer we be Nowe what vsinge of the tongue in thankesgyuenge is in them whiche are presente at that whiche ouer throweth vtterlye the true worshippinge of theyr christ and god without reprouinge it what confessing of relygion dothe their tongue exercise whiche holde ther pece and withe there presence doo honeste that whiche setteth vppe an other saluacion theÌ„ that which Christ brought and bought dearlye by the sheding and pryce of his preciouse bloude what vse of theyr tongue in trwe prayer haue they which in holding ther toÌ„gue saie AmeÌ„ to al the blasphemouse praiers of of the Masse yf in dede their Christe be betwene the preistes handes if y t which the preist doth be the selfe same sacrifice whiche christ did on the crosse him selfe for our redempcion then let them holde their tongue a gods name do as they do But if theyr Chryst be in heauen on the right hande of the father coÌ„cerning the corporall presence of his Humanite as he is euery whare by his vertue graâ—◠〈…〉 diuinitie if christes sacrifice 〈…〉 be but one and neuer more to be â—â—â—â—erate in that god hathe geuen them tongues and now commaundeth them not to vse the same in vayne lyeng then to their â—eetâ—b when he wold them vsed and exercised in confessing hym before men I wolde they wolde tell me wheÌ„ they are mute playe moÌ„e at thys horrible dishonore doone to their soueraigne lorde why take they his name beinge called on them as on his people in vayne The name of the lorde oure god is called appon all that be his people and that not in vayne but to be called apon praysed and confessed of them all when aither his glorye or their brothers necessitie requireth it But to omytte the necessite to oure brethren in this case whyche nyppeth the conscience I trowe where doth goddes glorye more require that we shuld confesse his name and true seruice then in y e masse whiche of all thinges that euer was is most horrible aduersarye to it Conclude therfore I well maye that it is a thorough out breache of this commaundemente and a takyng of goddes name in vayne to be at masse and not reproue it And what the punishmente of this commaundemente is god sheweth when he sayeth that he wyll not hold hym giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine loke wel herâ— oÌ„ gylties though you be before the magistrates here if in bodelye presens you honest it yet you ar not gylties before god Chose now therfore whose handes you wyll fall into if into goddes handes that is horrible and none can delyuer you yf into the hand of man suerlye they can not pull as muche as one here of your heddes further theÌ„ your good father wyl y t is then shall make to your eternall ioye Let vs nowe goe to the fourth coÌ„maundement of the sanctifieng of the Sabboth daye and we shall see no lesse occasion then we haue done to gather goinge to the masse and not dysalouynge it puplykelye in worde and dede to besinne and a breache of this commaundemente Also for in it the Lorde requireth reste from bodely laboure to the ende of sanctificacyoÌ„ except we shulde put no difference betwene thende of reste on the sabbothe daye appoynted to man from that whiche is appointed to the beest Thende therfore I say of the rest in the saboth to man is sanctificacion that is man is commaunded to rest froÌ„ bodelye labore and other exercises that he maye wyth diligence and reuerence heare goddes worde in his ministerye lerne his lawe vse his sacramentes and ceremonies as he hath ordeined conuent to comen prayer in the place appoynted and other holye exercises helping to the conseruacion of the ministerie propagacion of the gospell and encrese of loue and charite one towardes an other al whiche thynges styll remaine to vs commanded in our resting tymes from our trauailes and labors for this lyfe althoughe the Iewes vii daye be abrogated and takeÌ„ awaye This consydered who can not but see the masse whiche maketh to the prophanacion and vnhalowing both of bodye and soule to be for bydden if the ende of my rest shulde serue to sanctifycasion theÌ„ can it not serue to the masse which is abhominacion yf I may not vse my rest simplie for the pleasure of my bodye whiche god alloweth excepte I looke to an other end namely y t I ma be more hable to endure the workes of my vocacion more to gods glorye my neghbors coÌ„moditie muche more then I maye not vse my rest for the pleasure of an other in that whiche god dysalloweth But to make this more euident No man of any reding or godlie consideracion of the scriptures can not but see y e principall thing god in this commaundemente did respecte was the minestere of his worde and sacramentes by the whiche god gathereth his churche encreaseth hit and conserueth it and therfore of all thinges he could wurst away with the breach of this commaundemeÌ„t rede how he commaunded the man to be stoned to death for gathering stickes on the Sabboth daye and in the prophettes how he cryed out all was marred when this commaundemente was broken Now the masse before I haue shewed is the onelye weedynge worme rooting sowe of the gospel and sacrameÌ„tes for beyng trulye preached and minystred so that wher soeuer the one is the other can can not be True preachinge and massing true vsinge Chrystes supper and syr Iohn massers dyner be as contrarie as lyght and darkenes wherfore as the masse is the ende of SathaÌ„s commaundemente and dyrectle impugneth the ende of goddes coÌ„maundemeÌ„t berre as the masse doers greuouslye offende so the masse herers and seers w tout disalowynge it openlye runne into the same perrell and vengeaunce of god that is to the gatheringe of stakes to be burned in hell fyre looke well therfore hereon The pope his prelates sayt yf thou come not to here Masse but dysalow it thou shalt frye a fagot in smith feld God almyghtye sayeth if thou kepe the not from the masse or if thou come to it and do not openly dysalowe it thou shalte frye a fagot in hell fyre Choose now whether thou wylte take hede in flyeng froÌ„ the smoke thou shalt into the fyre make not man thy god but feare the lorde sanctifie hym in thyne
maye none kysse and yet chryst bad them all drynke of it so is his wyll But our papystes haue an other wyll whiche the masse mongers wyll more wyllinglye followe then goddes wyll Christ neuer mente that one shuld receyue the sacramente more for an other then he wolde one shulde be baptysed for an other I wolde wyshe the masse preistes were a while in corporal fode so serued as they serue theyr brethren in spirituall foode I meane that the people shulde dyne suppe for them a nother whyle to see if that wolde feede them Oh that men had as great a feelyng of the hunger of the soule as they haue of the hungre of the bodye surelye they wolde not then be thus mocked But bycause herein I wolde but touche and goo this shal suffyce to the dyligente for an occasion to see y e masse to be a let yea an ouerthrow of Chrystes institucion concernynge his supper For now people thinke they serue god in comminge to se the sacramente But if they knewe they despleasyd god yf they gaue not them selues to the often and diligente receyuing it wyth reuerence as dyuers canons cōpell and the doctors crye out therof the masse whiche marreth all coulde not be in place For it can not be but either the masse must dryue awaye the ryghtvse of the Lordes Supper or the lordes supper ryghtlie vsed must dryue awaye the masse For the lordes supper rightly vsed is when the congregacion gatherred together receyueth the sacramente in both kyndes as christ instituted But the masse is when one prieste lyke a churle choppeth vp all alone and blesseth the congregacion wyth the emptie chalice saynge Ite missa est After the popes ordynance The one of these two can not but drye awaye the other as experience teacheth vs agayne heare in Englande a iust punishmente for oure vnthankfulnes and horrible contempte of suche an heauenlye banket we were but swyne and therfore not meete that suche a perle shulde longe be put before vs. The stynkyng masse wyth the garlyke and onyons of Egypt were a thousande partes more mete for vs then goddes pure manna wherin was all kynde of heauenlye taste Oh lorde forgyue vs be mercifull vnto vs and when thi good wyll shalbe ones more put vs in trust with thy māna againe we wyl no more murmur good lorde but w t thankfulnes and diligence fyl vp our Gomerres daylye tyll wee come into the lande of promyse thy heuenly rest and ioye I wyll not nowe speke how that the sacrament in the masse vsed to an other purpose and ende then christ ordeined it yea to an ende cleane contrarie as alredye I haue shewed is no more christes sacramente but a deuelyshe Idoll euen as if a man shulde carye aboute w t hym or before hym the water of baptisme as though the holye goste were there enclosed and so nowe new mē to worship the water This which hitherto I haue spoken shall serue to geue men occasion to waye with them selues how great detestable an euyll the masse is We see plainlye that it is ageinste christ him selfe ageinst his preisthode so his kingdome ageinst his death sacrifice so ageinst our redempcion ageinst his worshippe true seruice ageinst faith ageinst praier repētaunce y e ministeri of gods word ageinst his ordinaūce instituciō cōmaūdemēt gospel I pray you what cā be worse thē such an one if euer ther was idoll who seeth not this to be beelzebub the cheife of al ydolles If euer Antichrist had chylde or doughter this masse is y e moste pestilence and perniciouse vnder the name of chryst it destroyeth christe vnder the tytle of goddes seruyce it destroyeth goddes seruyce vnder the colour of the churche it destroieth the churche If Christ be deare yf his death be deare yf his kyngdome and presthod be deare yf his seruice be deare yf faith be deare yf his worde commaundemente mynysterye be deare In that this y e masse I meane is agaynst thē all horreblelye it can not be deare or tollerable in anye wyse but detestable and monstruouse vnto vs all that loue Christ and be christians in dede and that so muche more horrible execrable monstruouslye and vtter detestablye by howe muche it vnder the coloure of a frinde to Chryste and hys Churche is a mooste rancke and cruell enemye and therfore of none shulde be allowed no of none shulde be but detested not onelye in spirite for y t is well knowen but also in bodye as nowe I wyll proue by goddes grace Furst out of the .2 commaundement Thou shalte not make to the c. This precepte forbiddeth al kinde of outward Idolatrie to this ende that goddes true worshyppe inwardlye and outwardlye myght be obserued But now the masse is an outwarde Idoll and the seruice of god thear vsed is Idolatrye Therfore they whiche are presente at the masse honesting it wyth theyr corporall presence as all they do whiche being there do not in open and exterior faicte publyklye dysalowe the same theye I saye are open and manyfest Idolatrers and incurre the daunger of Idolatrye that is goddes heauy wrath and eternall damnacyon whiche thinge I trowe be notryfie but to foolles whiche make sinne a thinge of nothing how be it I thinke best to make this more playne That the seconde commaundement Thou shalte not make to thy selfe anye grauē Image c. speaketh of outward Idolatrie as the fyrst Thou shalt haue noone other goddes c. Speketh of inwarde Spirituall Idolatrye I truste all men of any knowledge easely perceyue For when god in the furste commaundement hath tolde vs what he is vnto vs euen oure lorde and oure god wyth all that euer he is and hathe for he that gyueth hym selfe to be ours geueth all that euer he hath to be ours also then of equitee he requireth that we shulde be content wyth hym and geue oure selues to hym to be hys wyth all that euer we haue and therfore fyrste we shulde haue none other goddes but he that is we shulde trust in none loue none feare none cal vpō none worship none but onely hym which El Schaddai an omni sufficyent god Iehouah vnto vs. Nowe bycause man consisteth of .2 partes the soule and the bodye in that the lorde doth geue hym selfe wholye vnto vs to be oure lorde and god he wyll that we gyue our selfes hoolye vnto him to be his people And therforeas in the fyrst commaundemente he wholye demaundeth the soule wyll vnder stangynge and harte that is our fayth feare loue thankefulnes inuocasion inwarde adoracion or worshippynge to be gyuen to hym onelye and for hys sake as he shall appoynte So in the seconde commaundement Thou shalte not make to thy selfe c. He generallye requereth for the outwarde seruyce of hym that we shulde followe his worde in seruinge of hym and take it no lesse thē Idolatrye or Image seruice what soeuer
more then apon thursdaye c. then vsed they â— rightlye Now lett vs see their .viii. reason It is Anabaptisticall saye they to absteyne from the ministerie and temple because of others mennis faultes rather men shulde proue and trye them selues then others The preists ilnes or the papistes errour can not hurte vs it wee in hart conseÌ„t not to their euil or alowe it This reason is lyk the rest For the mynisterie of goddes worde and the mans at two thinges the one meor repugnaÌ„t to the other and destroyers the one of y e other he doth wickedlye whiche with y e Anabaptistes or Donatisses thynke y t the faulte of y e minister or people shulde empaire christes ministerie or sacrameÌ„tes and y e vertue and efficacie therof to him wardes In vsyng goddes ordinauÌ„ces let vs trie our selfes and not others But syr what ordinauÌ„ce of god câ—l yea the masse who taught to praye publikelye in an vnknowen tonge who caught christes supper to be a priuate supper but of this looke more before Now will I dispatch their .ix. and .x. reasons 9.10 Bicause god beholdeth the harte and not y t outwarde apperauÌ„ce .1 re 12 because the eyes of god looke for faith Heremi .v. Bicause the bewtie of godds churche is with in psal xiv Therfore y e outward dede of going to masse forceith not if so be inwardlie it be not aproued To theis I aunswer y e indede it is true god looketh on the harte but yet so that he beholdeth the words and workes also Malach. His eyes looke on faithe But so that he casteth his eyes on mennys factes also psal And therfore the scrypture sayeth that godd wyll iudge after our workes and sayings rede Mat. 25 and .12 of the wordes thou shalt be iustefyed c. Theis therfore conclude not as theye gather but rather teach vs godds priuiledge which wee must not meddle with all â—nelie we must know the traâ— by the truâ—es the which frutes if at anie tyme they deceyue vs yet god can they neuer deceyue for he knoweth y e harte be knoweth y e fath and whether y e fruts springe therof or noe yea this sentence well wayed doch gyue vs occasion to set the popishe churche to be no churche in goddes sight as doith the sentence they alledge for theyr tenthe reasons of the bewtie of the Kyngges daughter that is the churche withe in For if we be holde the face of the popishe churche in respect of christes true churche whose bewtie in dede is al inward being replenished with the spirite of christ and the frutes of y e same outwardlie being but symple for she wyll adde nothinge to christes commandementes in goddes seruice and religion otherwise then for orders sake it I saye we beholde the face of the popishe church lord how it glistereth gorgiouse it is in coÌ„parisoÌ„ or christes true churche which is deformed in theis dayes but by the word of god trulye preachyd the sacramentes purelye minestred and sume discipline nothing so much as hath bene might be shuld be where as the popishe church wantes nothing to set hir selfe forth to the shew as he that considereth y e persones Pope Cardinalles Legates Archbisshoppes bissheppes suffraganes Abbores Priores Deanes Prebendarres archedeacons Canons Monkes Friers Persones Vicares Paryshprystes Masse prystes Nonnes susters nonices Deacones subdecones c. and a thousande moe the pore ryches honors promotions landes houses fare seruice as singing sayeng ringing playeng sensing c Impelmentes Crosses Chalices relykes Iewels Basens copes cruettes VestimeÌ„tes Bookes Belles candelles c. He I saye that considereth theis thinges he cannot but with Samuel thinking Eliab had bene he whom god had chosen Thynke this to be the catholike church and spouse of christ But this seÌ„tence sayeth the bewtie of goddes paramor is within and therfore this maye be suspected to be the rose colored whore S. Ihon speketh of in the Apocalipse For whome her ministers watch nyght daye how to mantaine theyr mystres whore madame with indowinge her w t the riches power and pleasures of y e earth where as the ministers of christs true churche watche and labour howe to enryche and bewtifie goddes people wyth Heauenlye ryches euen wythe the knowledge of god and hys chryste and ther fore they vse daylye preaching and publike prayeing and vsing the sacrament so as maye edifie They vrge men to repentauÌ„ces to begiÌ„ a new life they wold haue men to horde by theyr treasures in heauen c. And this gayre they worlde lyketh not But murmureth at the ministers contemptneth theÌ„ pilleth them that for pouertye and lyuinges sake thee myght speake to please as experience hath taught hearin EnglaÌ„d But to make an ende of this matter I wold wyshe that they whiche vse suche sentences as theys be to hyde theyr manyfest ydolatrie and fornicatioÌ„ at y e masse wold know that theyr spouse is gelyouse and wyll aswell be angrye with them whoring so in their bodyes as they wold be yf ther wiues were taken in bodelye acte withe others wolde they take this excuse yf the wyfe shulde saye forsouth husbande this is no matter for I promise you no bodye but you alone hath myne harte c. God for hys mercies sake in chryste open our eyes hartes to se know loue his wyl y t wee maye serue hym there after God power into our harts the sence of chrystes sweete sacrifyce made for our sinnes in hys owne persone and by his owne selfe TheÌ„ suerlye we caÌ„not but earnestlye detest thys masse wyiche is moste enemyâ— there ageinste and that not onnelye in spirite inwardelie but also in bodie outwardlye euen as all honest women can not but be sore greued in harte or bodelye acte to departe frome there husbandes The gretter loue in harte the wyfe hard to her husband the more pure wyl her bodie be kepte from the fellowshipâ— of others And so it goeth with vs herein leâ—t vs therfore praye god to engraft his loue in our hartes and then vndoubtidlie we wyll neither do nor saye enyething that shall displease hym Let his worde be the lanterne vnto our feet none other waye to go then we shal see it giue lyght before vs. Let his word so lye and remayne in our hartes that it maye be as a leuen in vs to chaung y t fauor of all our wordes and workes to be therafter Let vs hyde goddes words in our hartes that we synne not Let vs kepe our feete from all enyiwayes that we maye kepe goddes lawes testimonies And here I wyll write an historye not vntill for this purpose as I thinke Ther was in y e time of Sapores king of Persia which cruellie persecuted the Christians a certayne Archebysshoppe Selenchya Etesiphon called Symon which was called before y e king diuerse tymes but at the last bound like a thefe for christes gospelles sake howbeit all preuailed nothyng constant he was
thing is inuented by man saint or Angell and not by hym conseruing his worshyppe and seruice And to saye the truth it is no meruell for we see that ther is no acceptable seruyce don to man excepte it be according to the wyl of him to whoÌ„ it is to be done and not simplie according to the wyl of hym y t doth it Nowe in asmuche as none knoweth the wyll of man but the spirite of man and he to whome by his worde or significacion he reuelleth it shall not wee yea must not wee of necessite gyue so much to god then it is requesite that in goddes seruice whiche is acceptable to god wee must haue for it the worde of god not simple our good ententes the wisdome of man generall counceils custom doctors actes of parliement or goodlye outwarde shewes apparaunces For as christ saieth that whiche is in great estemation before men is abomynacion before god yf it be not accordiÌ„g to hys worde But of and for the masse whear haue we goddes worde Naye halas as I haue alredye shewed it is a pitchye patchet pooke made of manye a manne and that at dyuerse tymes and is clene contrarye to GOD and his worde Therfore it being done to y e seruice of god as it is doone it is abhominacion a greate Idoll in goddes syght So y t the conclusyon of my reason is stronge that suche as dishoneste it not by theyr absence or by there word and faict publyklie when they be presente at it but beinge there onely in harte disalowe it y e same whosoeuer they be are greuous sinners and breakers of the .2 commauÌ„demente and so gyltye of the threate folowinge namely of goddes visetacion vpon theyr childerin for theyr synnes into the thyrde and fourth generacion for in that they dysalowe and disworshyppe it not wyth theyr bodyes they do worshippe it although they how not downe to it as moste men doo For in goddes seruice theyr is no meane he y t loueth not hateth he that worshippeth not disworshippeth and so contrarye wyse But to make all as playne as a pack staffe let vs note that theyr are .ii. kyndes of Idolatrers one knowen to god onelye thother to man also To god onelye are they Idolatrers whych serue god in the syght of maÌ„ according to his worde but theyr hartes are hastynge deceyuable gylefull and hypocritical in goddes sight To maÌ„ also ar they ydolatrers which worshyppe contrarie to goddes worde of this later sorte of Idolatrers theye are thre diuerse kyndes One of them whiche be obstinate defenders of theyr Idolatrie against goddes worde and manifeste wrytine weritee whiche they seing wyll not see c. And therfore iustlie of god are blynded as y e wyckeÌ„d bushoppes and prelates of the papisticall church be with there champions and parasites These had nede to take hede they sinne not agaynst the holye ghost An other sorte is of them whiche are semple and ignorante who through comen error are seduced being perswaded that the thinge they do pleaseth god is goddes true seruice suche are the semple soules of the countrie whose eyes god I trust will open in his tyme that they maye see his truth as if they would be so delygent to enquire ther aboutes as they are in goyeng any iorney whiche to them is vnknowen of suche as they mete wyth all they could not but easelye and soone perseaue and therfore ignoraunce can not excuse ther wylful negligence howe be it it is not to be doubted but that god in his tyme if they reiect not his grace wyll open to them hys truth Let vs as be carefull wee confyrme them not in ther errore by haltinge and bearing wyth them in this their euell so priuatelye after our vocasion and as wee wolde be done by admonyshe them of this arrore aboue all thinges prayeng vnto god for them that wyth ther blynde guydes they fall not into the pitte of perdicion This of Idolatrers is nothing so euell as the other for thother do sinne ageinst the holye ghost it is to be feared but therrore of theis is sauable The thyrde and last sort is of them which in dede knowe the thinge they vse is not allowed of god therfore in harte they consent not vnto it although outwardlye they seme not to disalowe it Theis are vnlyke to the seconde for they fall of simplicite and of a zele but not accordiÌ„g vnto knowledge but theis do it wyttinglye and for lacke of zeale and yet of knowledge and therfore surelye ar much more to be blamed then the other to whom they are a greuouse offence confirming them in ther errore that therin they shuld continew wyth out conscience And suche be oure masse gospellers popyshe protestaÌ„tes whiche can serue both god mammon take Helias parte baall pristes parte cary water in y e one haÌ„d fire in y e other I wolde wyshe that inche as â—â—ese be wold marke wyth them selues y e causes wherfore they goo to the masse whyche they know is euell yf they do it of obstinacie malyce then are they to be rekened emongst the nomber of the formest sort which ar to be suspected of y e sinne against y e holi ghost if thei do it to get ani wordlye estimacioÌ„ or promocioÌ„ therbye or to kepe styl that which they haue got ten as I feare me manye doo let them dreade that they doinge as Iudas dyd drynke not wyth hym at the lenght If theye do it for companyes sake or neghborhode let them consider the thing better marke into whose companye they are called 1. Cor. 1. And so set the example of Iosaphat companing wyth Ahab to his greate perail and dyuers other mo examples wherof the scripture is not barreyne If they do it for feare of losse of Goodes Name Frendes Libertie lyfe c. Let them coÌ„sider that Iesus Christ affirmeth suche as be not readie so to doo in no poynte the same to be worthye of hym rede the places And here vnto lett them coÌ„syder what estate they be in as whether be publyke or priuate persones lerned or vnlerned wyche ar pore yonge or olde master or seruaunt housholder c. these al coÌ„sidered and the horrible greatnes of the euyll theye alowe and confirme by their not disalowinge in dede wyth examples of goddes plagues vpon suche as haue dyssembled so wyth god and maÌ„ wyll help to make away theeÌ„ out of their securite to repente if they be fallen and to take more hede if they be not fallen y t whych thinge god graunte Amen But now to bringe more reasons to proue that to be at Masse in bodye not openlye to disalow it is sinne although the spirite and harte enosente not therto Alredie out of the .2 coÌ„maundement we see it is Idolatrie Nowe lett vs see how nere it toucheth blasphemie out of the thirde coÌ„maundemente Thou shalt not