most holy Sacrifice of Christ done vpon the Crosse is blasphemed by the Sacrifice of the Masse or that it is by it derogated let him be accursed 5 If any man shall saye that it is fraude and deceate to celebrate Masses in the honoure of sainctes for the obteynement of theyr intercession as y e Churche intendeth let him be accursed 6 If any man shall saye that the Canon of the Masse conseyneth errors and is therefore to be abrogated let hym be accursed 7 If any man shall saye that ceremonies vestmentes and outward signes whiche the Catholike Church vseth in y e celebration of Masses are prouokemeÌ„tes vnto impiety let him be accursed 8 If any man shall saye that Masses in whiche the priest alone communicateth are vnlawfull therfore to be abrogated let him be accursed 9 If any man shall say y t the rite of the Churche of Rome wherin the wordes of consecration are spoken with a softe voyce is to be condemned or the Masse ought to be celebrated only in the vulgare tongue or that water is not to be myngled with wyne in the Chalice bycause it is agaynste the institution of Christ let him be accursed At the first the Counsell endeuoreth to set forth it selfe with a shepes clothyng for it promiseth the olde absolute and fully perfecte fayth and doctrine of the Euchariste These thynges if a manne that is in dede godly shoulde heare what hope would not he conceaue that it shoulde come to passe that the true vse of the Supper of the Lorde shoulde be restored accordyng to the institution of Christe and doctrine of the Apostles and practise of the primatiue Churche For the doctrine of Christ of the Apostles is most auncient it is onely absolute and fully perfecte Neither also is the practise of the primatiue Church vnknowen whiche religiously obserued both the doctrine and also the rites delyuered them by the Apostles Let vs heare as touchyng this thing y e testimonie of â—…Platina beyng one of the Byshoppe of Romes fauorers â—…n the life of Sixtus the firste Byshoppe of Rome howe bare and simple the celebration of the Supper of the Lorde was when as rites and ceremonies were as yet viterly vnknowen whiche the latter age added vnto it without the worde of the Lorde This simplicitie I saye and purenesse godly men would thinke the Counsell promised by these theyr wordes if they had not strayght way added thinges that are directly repugnant with the institution of Christ and of the Apostles For it teacheth that the Eucharist is a true and a singular sacrifice and it decreeth that it ought to be preached vnto all the faythfull and to be inculcated into their heartes Neither do we contend about this worde sacrifice the Eucharist also maye after his manner be called a sacrifice bycause it comprehendeth the memorye of the sacrifice of Christe and a thankesgeuing of the faithfull And that this was not the meanyng of the holy fathers they manifestly shewe when they affirme that it is a true and singular sacrifice propitiatory and not onely a memoriall of an other sacrifice whiche thyng they will a litle afterwarde more expressedly decree and in their Canons confirme with a curse But let vs briefly examine the reasons argumentes by whiche they go aboute to confirme the sacrifice of the Masse The firste argument is In the olde Testament by reason of the imbecillitie of the sacrifice of Leui there was no perfection Wherefore in the newe Testament it behoued that one shoulde rise namely our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche myght accomplishe and bryng to perfection euen as many as were to be sanctifyed To this we aunswere that we graunte the whole argument and with the Apostle we affirme that the selfe same thyng is accomplished in the Passion and death of Christe The precepte sayeth he that went before was abrogated bycause of imbecillitie and among them were many made Priestes bycause they were not suffered to endure by reason of death But this man bycause he endureth for euer hath an euerlastyng Priesthoode wherefore he is able also fully to saue those whiche come vnto GOD by hym euer lyuyng to this ende to maké intercession for vs. And least any man shoulde vnderstande thys of any other Sacrifice than of that whiche was done vpon the Crosse strayght waye he addeth Thys he dyd once when he offred vp hym selfe And in the 〈◊〉 chaâ—… Not that he shoulde offer hym selfe often as the hygh Priest entred into the holy place euerye yeare with straunge bloude for then must he haue often suffred since the creation of the worlde But nowe in the ende of the worlde hath he appeared Once to put away synne by the Sacrifice of hym selfe And as it is appoynted vnto men that they shall dye once and after that commeth the iudgement So Christe was Once offred to take awaye the synnes of many These testimonies of the Apostle do moste manifestly teache that the imbecillity of the Sacrifices of Leui is taken away by the sole and onely sacrifice of the Crosse. And so far â—…t of that the Sacrifice of the Masse can be confirmed by this argumente that it can scarcely by any more strong argument be ouerthrowen For if it shoulde dayly be offred by Priestes whiche are as muche mortall as were the Priestes of Leui and also haue their successors how should it differ from the Leuiticall Sacrifice in consideratioÌ„ of imbecillity For the Leuiticall Sacrifice bycause of imbecillity was done euery yeare but the sacrifice of Christ bycause of hys perfection was done but once The seconde argument is The priesthoode of Christe was not to be extinguished by hys death Therefore the Eucharist is a sacrifice The Aunswere I deny the consesequence For the priesthode of Christ is not extinguished although the Eucharist be not conuerted into a sacrifice For how Christ doth the office of an eternal priest in heauen the scripture euery where teacheth For for as muche as there are thre offices belongyng to a Priest namely to teach to offer and to pray al these things he hath not only fulfilled in hys flesh but also the power therof hath indured euen from the creation of the worlde and shall indure vnto the end therof For concerning the will of hys father he taught from the. xxx yere of his age euen vnto y e. xxxiiii yeare Farther in the dayes of hys fleshe when with a stronge crye and teares he offred both prayers and also supplications vnto hym whiche coulde deliuer hym from death he was heard for reuerence sake Lastly he offred himself vpon the aulter of the crosse an oblation vnto god the father for the sinnes of the whole worlde for a swete smelling sauour vnto the Lord. Seing therfore Christ Iesus is thys day yesterday and for euer as the Apostle sayeth which was vnto mankinde euen from the beginnyng the word of the father the messanger of hys will by whose hand also the law was geuen by
†A godly and necessarye admonition of the Decrees and Canons of the Counsel of Trent celebrated vnder Pius the fourth Byshop of Rome in the yeares of our Lord. M. D. LXII and. M. D. LXIII Wrytten for those godlye disposed persons sakes whych looke for amendement of Doctrine and Ceremonies to bee made by generall Counsels Lately translated out of Latine Psalm xxvi Odi ecclesiam malignantium I haue hated the Congregations of the wycked Math. xv What soeuer my heauenlye father hath not planted shalbe plucked vp by the rootes ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day dwellyng ouer Aldersgate beneath Saint Martins ¶ Cum gratia et priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per septennium The. xix of February 1564. These bookes are to be sold at hys shop vnder the Gate ⧠The Preface to the Reader OUr Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christ when he hadde confirmed the mindes of his Disciples agaynste the daungers of persecution whych they shoulde be in daunger of for the confession of the truth of his doctrine with a spirite thurstyng our saluation brake foorth into these woordes What profiteth it a man sayd he though he win al the world if he lose hys own soule Or what recompence shal a man geue for his soule And his meaning was to admonish not onely his Disciples but also al vs together with them how much the saluation of soules is to be made of which being deliuered from the bodye and once abiected from God can by no price or recompence he redemed agayne But then are they most of al endaungered when they straye from the true knowledge of God and his syncere woorshipping For God is lyfe and truth and therefore the death of the soule is to decline froÌ„ the rule of the wyl of God reuealed in Christ. But bicause the Lorde speaketh not vnto vs from heauen but hath vpoÌ„ earth instituted the ministery of teaching whereby men are instructed of the wil of God we see that for that cause I say men are diuerslye affected For they which teach in the churche of God doo not euerye where professe one and the selfe same doctrine And when Christ sayde of true teachers He that heareth you heareth me And agayne If he shal not heare the church let hym bee vnto thee as an Ethnicke and a Publicane they excedinglye doubt vnto what congregation in so great a diuersitye of opinions they ought to soyne them selues For on the one syde they are holden by ordinary succession as they caâ—… it and custome and consent of very long tyme in whose congregation yet neuerthelesse they see very many errours and no small abuses which they them selues vnderstand and iudge that they ought of necessity to be amended On the other side against humane traditions they heare the expresse woorde of God brought foorth and vrged but for asmuch as they fynde among those meÌ„ also occasion to be offended and chiefely bicause they thinke that the chaunging of doctrine and ceremonies pertaineth not vnto euery man but vnto the ordinarye power they can scarse tel which way to turne them selues They flye therefore vnto the authority of a Counsel as to an onely sanctuary whereby they iudge that dissension sprong in the Church may most commodiously be taken awaye Of which thyng when deliberation was had long tyme and often by the orders of the Empyre neither yet by any conditions whereby on eyther syde it was requyred it could be obtained the saluation of many men hath by the stay of so long tyme bene miserably endaungered And although such are iustly to be reproued whych neglecting the very sounding from heauen of the sonne of God Heare him haue a regarde vnto the authority of men for the consideration of our saluation is not so obscurelye taught but that euen the moste simplest in fayth may comprehende it yet I thinke not that this kinde of men is to bee abiected But rather in that part wherin we see that they ar sicke we must after the exaÌ„ple of the Apostels to our power study to heale theÌ„ For that happeneth in this our time which we reade happened at Ierusalem on the day of Pentecost after the ascention of Christe into heauen For when the people saw and heard the Apostels with sundry tounges celebrate the wonderful things of God whom yet the Priestes Scribâ—…s and Phariseis had a litle before condemned and persecuted they were vtterly at their wyts ende and in doubte whose doctrine they should embrace For Christ seemed no lesse to commend the doctrine of the Phariseis than the doctrine of the Apostels when he said Upon the chaire of Moses syt the Scribes and Phariseis that which they say doo ye What maruaile is it if the rude and vnlearned people were doubtfull For the Phariseis vnto whom they were so long tyme addicted in learning the woorshippyng of God taught one thing and the Apostels an other thing The selfe same thing vndoubtedlye wee see happeneth in this our age For with our Elders great hath bene the authority of the Church of Rome wherewith the eyes of many men are yet styl blinded But no lesse yea rather farre greater is the authority of the woord of God whereby are reproued errours and abuses which haue throughe the negligence and auarice of men crept into the Church A man that wyl ryd him selfe our of these difficulties ought not vtterly to be vnskilful in holy matters and so to be addicted vnto the Church that in the meane tyme he same not against the manifest wil of God expressed in the woord of the Gospel But there are two rockes betwene which godlye men must wyth great care and diligence sayle For some by reason of lightnes of mind without iudgement and true faith embrace euery maner of religion But other some to stubbornlye resist and wyll not once so muche as vauchsafe to know the doctrine set foorth bicause their minde is bent vnto an opinion which they defend for the truth Or bring ouercome with the pleasures of this worlde they haue no care of the truth nor saluation of their soules But there is none amongest them that are trulye godlye so rude to thinke that so great inconstancye of minde in the doctrine of religion or stubbornes in errors should be numbred among vertues but by the holy scriptures they are taught that either of them is to be auoyded For against inconstancy the Apostle speaketh Let vs not be as â—…ytile ones wauering neither let vs be caried about with euerye wynde of doctrine But against stubbornes in errour Iohn hath left in writing Proue the spirites whether they be of God Wherwith the selfe same Apostle agreeth Quench not saith he the spirite despise not prophecies But proue ye al thing that which is good hold But bicause it is a singular gift of God to proue spirites and as the Apostle saith prophecye that is the naturall interpretation of the holy scripture belongeth not to euery man Manye suppose that thys
of Priestes But what profyte I praye you redoundeth vnto the Churche of GOD whether the Byshoppes be resident here or in any other place when as they neither teache nor yet can teach the people of y e wil of God which thyng â—…et is the dewty and office of Byshoppes But they neglectyng that haue turned thys office into Princely gouernamentes and vnder the rytle and name of Byshops they inuade the kyngdomes of the worlde hauyng no regarde vnto soules whose saluation tey ought by teachyng diligently to prouide for 〈◊〉 â—…he when they are preseut they are more hurte than when they are absent Whiche thing the Byshops them selues vnderstaâ—… better than my pen is able to expresse If they of the Papacy mynde in the Counsell earnesssly to prosecute the matter of Reformation why do they not wayghe the griefes proposed by the Orders of the Empyre vnto the Legate of Adrian the Bishop of Rome in the Imperiall assemblies at Norimberge in the yeare of our Lord. 1523. Unto whiche vnlesse they as it is mete aunswere who will beleue that they haue any regarde of thys thyng But whilest I exactely consider and waygh with my selfe all singular these things I can not hold my selfe but that I muste talke a fewe wordes with the Fathers of the Counsell Ye remember as I suppose the moste seuere admonition of the Lorde made by Malachy vnto the Priestes of the olde Testament And nowe sayth he vnto you is this commaundement Dye Priestes It ye will not heare nor consider in yput heart to geue glorye vnto my name sayeth the Lorde of holles I will send vpon you pouerty and will curse your blessynges and I will curse them bycause ye haue not considered it in your heart Beholde I will corrupte your seede and will cast vpon your faces the dongue of your solemne feast dayes and it shall cleaue faste vnto you And ye shall knows that I haue sent thys commaundement vnto you that my couenaunt myght stande whiche I made with Leuy sayeth the Lord of hostes I made a couenaunt of lyfe and peace with hym and I gaue hym feare and he feared me and was afrayed before my name The lawe of trueth was in hys mouth and there was no wickednesse fouâ—… in hys lyppes he walked with me in peace and equitye and dyd turne many one awaye from their synnes For the Priestes lyppes shoulde preserue knowledge and they shoulde seâ—…e the lawe at hys mouth for he is the Aungell of the Lorde of hostes But ye are gone out of the waye and haue caused many to be offended at the lawe ye haue broken the couenaunt of Leuy sayeth the Lorde of hostes Therefore haue I also made you to he dispysed and vyle before all people bycause ye kepte not my wayes but haue bene parciall in the lawe but the Lorde shall destroye both the master and the scholer out of the tabernacle of Iacob with hym that offreth an offring vnto the Lorde of hosses Knowe ye that thys admonition pertayneth vnto you vpon whome ye haue turned all the eyes of whole Christendome For euen as the Lorde made a league with the tribe of Leuy whose office was to kepe knowledge that beyng demaunded concernyng the will of GOD they shoulde aunswere and instructe the people of GOD So also woulde he haue the Byshoppes to be diligent kepers of the Apostolicall doctrine and to be successors vnto the Apostles not so much in seate as in doctrine But alas that thyng hath happened in our tymes and in the tymes of oure Elders which the Prophet complayned of concerning the priestes of hys tyme. For in steade of knowledge and the lawe of God are kept humane traditions whiche are repugnaunte vnto the lawe and will of God Ye haue departed from the way of the Lorde and haue bene an offence vnto many in the lawe of the Lord which haue embraced these doctrines Christ sayd vnto the man that was sicke of the palsey Haue confidence my sonne thy sunnes are forgeuen thee But contrarily ye Fathers of the CouÌ„sell of Trent saye Doubt my sonne and appoynt not assuredly of the remission of thy synnes The Apostle sayth The holy ghost beareth witnesse vnto our spirite that we are the children of God Contrarily ye in your Counsel decree that we must perpetually doubt and y t we must haue more regarde vnto our own vnaptnesse and weakenesse then to thys testimony of the holy ghost Christ sayth concerning the cup of the supper Drinke ye al of this Ye contrarily say Let not all but the priestes onely drinke of the Cup. Iohn sayeth Christ is made a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole worlde And againe The bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from al sinne Contrarily ye fathers of the Counsell say That not only the sacrifice of y e crosse but also the sacrifice of the masse is a propitiation for oure sinnes Also that not only the bloud of Christ but also the fire of Purgatorye clenseth vs from some sinnes Christ teacheth vs to call vpon God only Ye being gathered together in this Counsel teach coÌ„maund tocal vpoÌ„ Saints also Christ concerning y e bread of y e supper saith Take ye eate ye Ye coÌ„trary ordayne y e it must be kept til to morow included and earâ—…ed froÌ„ place to place Christ sayth That whiche entreth in through the mouth defileth not man The counsel sayth If any man at certaine times abstaine not from the eating of flesh let him be accursed S. Paul sayth Led a Bishop be y â— husband of one wife which hath obedient children The counsel sayth Let a Bishop haue neither wife nor children and let such as be ioyned in matrimony be put out and suspended from this so holy an office But who can recken vp all the thinges in whiche ye papistical priests haue departed from the law of the Lord This also was the cause why the Prophet sayde in thys place I haue made you to be despised vile to all people bicause ye haue not intended in your hart to geue glory to God Therfore also is your glory troden vnder foote as in an other place the Lorde of hostes speaketh vnto Eli the priest Whosoeuer shall glorifye me I will glorifye hym but they which contemne me shal be made vile To y â— end ye would establish the glory of the priestes ye violate and teare in peces the Testament and laste will of the Lordeâ—… namely y â— priestes should be had in honor and estimation let the lay men be spoyled with the vse of the cup as the Counsell of Constance hath decreed It greueth you very much that the glorye honâ—…ure and estimation of priestesis euery where decayed which sometymes were moste highlye esteemed of Kynges and Princes and of the people of God Inipute this contempt vnto your selues your owne sinne is the cause thereof for that ye haue forsaken the law of the Lord and haue departed
them selues to be brought to this amity and familiarity And I desyre the godly Christian Reader that remouyng away peruerse affections which otherwise euen in things humane ar most wicked counsellers he bring to 〈◊〉 of this cause an vpright minde which subdueth it selfe not to 〈◊〉 persuasions but soly and onely vnto the woorde of God For by that meanes I trust it shall come to passe that he shal easely be able to vnderstand what is to be iudged of papistical Counsels Now therfore by Gods helpe and furtheraunce we wyll come to the matter it selfe The thynges that came to my hand being sent from Trent are not all of one kynde For certayne thynges were proposed to deliberate vpon for the reformation of the Church certayne thinges are decrees of the Counsel and Canons appointed to be obserued 〈◊〉 the Church But how fewe so euer they be in number yet they so open vnto vs the hart of the Fathers assembled at Trent that we may easely perceaue what affection they beare vnto the true and sincere â—…yth and religion whych we professe But least anye man hauing lytle say the to our sayinges myghte doubte of the truth of the thing I thought it good to annexe to this writing all and syngular thynges as they came to our handes from Trent being printed by the Printers longyng to the Papacye that the godly Reader may see that we speake nothing but with such fidelitye as is conuenient neyther doo we of purpose or wyll cauâ—…ll in any thyng but onely ayde and desende the truth of the heauenly doctrine and desyre to farther all them that are â—…dious of the doctrine of piâ—… The first Decree published in the first session of the sacred Councell of Trent holden vnder Pius the fourth the most high Byshop the 18. day of January in the yeare of our Lorde God 1562. MOst noble and most reuerend Lordes and reuerend Fathers may it please you to the prayse and glory of the most ho ly and indeuisible Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the holye Ghost to the increase aduancement of faith Christian religion that this sacred economicall and generall Councell at Trent lawfully assembled together in y e holy ghost froÌ„ this day whiche is the 18. of the moneth of January of y e yeare froÌ„ the birth of our Lord. 1562. Dedicated to the Romane chayre of blessed Peter prince of the Apostles all suspension taken away according to the forme tenor of the letters of our most holy Lord Pius the fourth the most hygh Bishop should be celebrated and that in it a due order being kept should be intreated such things which being proposed by the legates and presidentes shall seme apte and mete to y e holy Sinode to asswage the calamities of these tymes to quiet the controuersies of religion to restrayne disceatfull tongues to correcte the abuses of corrupte maners and to re store the true ecclesiasticall Christian peace And they all aunswered It pleaseth vs c. So that others also may propose such thinges which to the Synode may seme to be lawful honest ¶ Thou seest Christian reder that the fathers of the CouÌ„sell of Trent do in the first Session with great magnificence promise that thing whiche al Christendome hath nowe many yeares moste earnestly loked for namely the increase and aduancement of faith and Chri stian religion the asswagement of the calamities of our time the quieting of controuersies of religion the abolishyng of peruerse doctrine the correction of corrupt maners a true Ecclesiasticall and Christian peace and concorde c What can the mynde of man desire more if in so great a multitude varietie and confusion of opinions of the Churche of God it might se a godly peace restored doctrine purged from all errors the true worshipping of God all idolatry superstition beyng taken away renewed and most corrupt maners in all orders amended For the holy Scriptures do teach that by this meanes onely publike euils and calamities are asswaged If simple and vnlearned men shoulde rede and heare these thynges what golden mountaynes what golden and heauenly worlde would not they pro mise vnto them selues But if we shal diligeÌ„tly weigh a fewe wordes whiche go a litle before the thinges whiche we haue nowe rehersed namely that the Councell muste bee celebrated al suspension taken away according to the forme and tenor of the letters of our moste holy Lorde Pius the fourth the most high Bishop we shall easly vnderstaÌ„d that the Bishop of Rome with his Councell of Trent mocketh and dallfeth with al Christendome For wheÌ„as in his letters of Indiction and Indulgences he openly sheweth that he is minded to continew and prosecute the Counsel be goÌ„ vnder Paul the third and Iulius the third and not finished in this he testifieth that he ratifieth all the vngodly Decrees of the former Counsel whiche thing also the maner of the order so diligeÌ„tly obser ued coÌ„firmeth For in that place where the aboue named Fathers left haue they begon both to deliberate and to decree and also to ordeyne Canons But lest a man should thinke that it skilleth not much whether the Councell be continewed or begon it shalbe good briefly to repeate thinges whiche were ordeyned decreed in the last former Sessions Howebeit I will not curiously searche out all thinges but only make mention of the principall pointes whiche are directly contrary vnto y e doctrine of the Prophets and of the Apostles In the first decree of the 4. SessioÌ„ the Synode decreed that vnwritten Traditions vsurped by coÌ„ntinuall succession in the Catholike Churche shalbe receaued and reuerenced with as great an affection of piety and reuerence as if they had come froÌ„ Christes owne mouth or had bene spoken by the holy ghost They strike also with their curse al those which in their disputations and expositions receaue not the bookes called Apocripha or the vulgare translation Concupiscence saith he whiche y â— Apostle calleth sinne the holy Sinode declareth that the Churche neuer vnderstood it to be called sinne that properly and truly in dede it is sinne in those whiche are regenerate Free will is not extinguished in menne although the strength of it be empayred and diminished If a man say that other works whiche are done before Iâ—…tification howsoeuer they be done are sinnes let him be accursed If a man saye That Iustification is nothyng els But the confideÌ„ce of the mercy of God which forgeueth sinnes for Christes sake or that this confidence is it only where by we are iustified let him be accursed If a man saye that it is necessarye for euery man that will obteyne remission of sinnes to beleue certeynely and without any doubtfulnesse of hys owne infirmitye and vnaptenesse that his sinnes are forgeuen hym let hym be accursed If a man say that the preceptes of God are impossible to be obserued euen of a maÌ„ that is iustified and set vnder grace let him
conceaued borne and dead in synnes The Counsell of Trent extenuateth the power of thys whilest they extenuate the disease of originall synne and denye it to be properly called sinne The vertue and fruite of the Passion and death of Christ is a perfect satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole worlde and a full remission thorough the mercy of God Contrarily the Counsell extenuateth the vertue of thys merite teacheth that for the temporall payne of sinnes we may satisfie both in this life by good workes and after this life in Purgatorye The vertue and fruite of the resurrection of Christ is that all they whiche beleue in Christe are iustified from sinne and endewed with righteousnesse not with theyr owne righteousnesse but with y e righteousnesse of Christ as it is written whiche was deliuered for our sinnes and raysed vp for oure Iustification Contrarily the Counsell decreeth that parte of the Righteousnesse whiche is of force before God to put awaye sinnes consisteth also in our workes The vertue and fruite of the Ascension of Christe into heauen and of his sitting at the right hande of the father from whence also he sent the holy ghost vnto hys Apostles is that he onely alone hath opened the gate of the kyngdome of heauen is a continuall intercessor for vs vnto the father and sealeth our hearts with y ◠holy ghost as with a pledge earnest peny y ◠the faithfull shoulde be certaine and not doubte of the fauor mercye of God towards them Cōtrarily the Counsel teacheth y ◠we should laye the consideration of our infirmitie agaynst the promises of God and y t bycause of it we ought continually to doubt of the grace and fauor of God and they iudge it to be an arrogant confidence whereby a man assuredly and vndoubtedly promiseth vnto hym selfe the fauor of God for Christs sake Yea and y t more is one of the Fathers of this Counsel in the defence of his Catholike doctrine not long sins was not ashamed to write That there is no greater abhomination before God than if a man hauyng no respect vnto his owne infirmitie should certaynly appoynt and firmely beleue that thorough fayth hys sinnes are forgeuen for Christes sake Take awaye this firme consolation from a Christian ◅an the benefites of the sonne of God whiche we haue rehearsed whiche the Counsell of Trent derogateth namely the full remission of sinnes y e is of the fault payne gottē by y e bloud of Christ take away also y ◠perfect righte ousnesse whiche we haue by the resurrection of Christe and the assure◅ testimony of the holy ghost Wherby we beleue without any doubtyng that we are in the fauor of God for Christes sake and what can be lefte or geuen hym that is auaylable to saluation But rather this ought continually to be the study of a Christian man y ◠we should fight against this distrust and doubting whiche is naturally in vs and cleaueth vnto vs euen against our willes and expell it so far is it of that it should be a prayse of pietie modestie or humilitie bycause of our infirmitie to doubte of the grace of God offred vs in Christ. The holy fathers of the Counsell iudge y ◠it can not want the sinne of arrogancie if a man hauing no regarde to his owne infirmitie do assuredly appoynt of the grace of God towardes him selfe In the meane time they consider not how great a wickednes it is to accuse god in his promises of vanitie lying Who hauyng no regards to our infirmitie promiseth offreth his fauor in Christs to vs beyng vnworthy and wicked and doth most seuerely admonish and vnder the payne of hell fire commaunde vs y ◠as repentaunt sinners we should without all diffidēce or doubt y t is with a true and firme faith embrace it He that beleueth not that is that firmely appoynteth not y ◠for Christes sake he hath God mercyfull vnto hym shalbe condemned And thus much of the doctrine whiche the Counsell of Trent in the yeare 1547 confirmed agaynst the expresse word of God to establish their olde errors In the seuenth and last session they began to make decrees also of the Sacramentes whiche are added as seales vnto the heauenly doctrine wherin the promises of God concernyng his free fauor towarde vs are sealed and our fayth confirmed But I will not dispute long of these their decrees whose true and manifeste confutation is of late set a bro◅e but I will only admonish y t godly reader of certayne things y ◠he may se that the Counsel in this part also is not vnlike vnto it self y e hauing no regard vnto the word of god they appoynt and decree what they lust them selues In the first Canon they curse those whiche beleue not y ◠there are seuen Sacramētes being so most properly called instituted of Christ him self But who will not here streight way meruaile at the rashnesse boldnesse omitting to speake more greuously of the Counsel When as Christ hath instituted only two Sacramētes and not m◅ or fewer to faine to these other fiue which are not proper ly Sacramentes For as for Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord the Euangelistes testifye y t Christ instituted thē to confirme our fayth whiche haue y t worde promise outwarde simboles or signes As for y ◠other whiche partly are kyndes of lyfe instituted by God and partly are ordinaunces howe dare they number them among Sacramentes When as either they want outwarde symboles or els they are not seales of promises of eternall lyfe And bycause they dispute of the number of Sacraments of the new Testamēt instituted by Christ with what rashnesse dare they to bryng into y ◠number either Repentaunce or Matrimony when as the selfe same are founde in the people of the olde Testament In the fifth Canon they decree If a man say y ◠the Sacraments were instituted only to y e norishement of fayth Let hym be accursed What other thyng I pray you doo they in this Canon than vtterly to ouerthrowe the vse of the Sacramentes If the imbecillity of our faith were not so great that it would firmely rest in y ◠promises of God what should we nede Sacramētes by which God would helpe our imbecillitie as the Apostle hath writtē of Abraham he receaued the signe of circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which was in vncircūcision c. In y ◠eight Canō y ◠olde impietie of y e mōkes is confirmed which taught y ◠Sacramētes cōfer grace by y ◠worke wrought w tout y ◠good motion of him whiche receaueth This Canon is against y e doctrine of y ◠Prophetes Apostles which testifieth y ◠grace is not conferred but to those which beleue in very dede For euen as y ◠word of promise nothing profiteth the vnbeleuers but hurteth them as y ◠Apostle
â—…estifieth it is the sauor of death to death to these that perishe so vndoubtedly haue the Sacramentes the selfe same consideration whiche are added vnto the promises of God to coÌ„firme and increase grace offred by the promises of God and receaued by faith â—…y this error Monkes of the later tyme haue endeuored them selues to commeÌ„d the celebrations of their Masses and to persuade meÌ„ that by the worke wrought they are profitable for those for whoÌ„ they are celebrated wheÌ„ as they neither confer any grace to the liue sacrificer neyther yet profit the dead or lookers on y â— stande by This error beyng alredy oftentimes confuted the CouÌ„sel goeth about to establishe In the xiii CanoÌ„ they coÌ„firme all magicall histrionicall rites which were by litle litle brought-into y â— Church of God and they vrge theÌ„ with so great a necessitie as â–ª though they were y e worshippyng of God y â— they do not only iudge these to sinne but also strike theÌ„ with theyr curse whiche haue either omitted or chaÌ„ged any of theÌ„ The wordes of y e CanoÌ„ are these If any maÌ„ say y â— the receaued allowed rites of the Catholike Church accustomably vsed in the soleÌ„ne administration of the Sacramentes may either be conteÌ„ned or at the ministers pleasure without sinne omitted or by any other pastor of the Churches be changed into any other new rites let hym be accursed In this Canon first is coÌ„demned the doctrine of Christ of y e Apostles coÌ„cerning ChristiaÌ„ liberty wherof y â— Apostle hath writteÌ„ In the libertie wherin Chriâ—…hath delyuered you staÌ„dye be not ye wrapped agâ—… 〈◊〉 y â— yoke of seruitude Christ also saith They worship me in vaine trâ—… thing y e doctrines precepts of meÌ„ The practise of y â— Apostles is coÌ„deÌ„ned which not only by y â— testimonie of y â— â—…gelistes but also of the high Priestes vsed not these rites they baptised w t al maÌ„ner of water Platina in y â— life of Sirtus y â— fyrst testifieth y e Peter celebrated y t supper of y t Lord w t the Lords prayer w t out any other rites Not only all y â— pastors of our church are coÌ„demned but also y â— primatiue churches which were vtterly ignoraÌ„t of these rites which humane wisedome hath inueÌ„ted superstition increased And thus much of the Sacramentes in generall wherby we may coniecture that the fathers of the Councel wil correcte no erroure abuse or Idolatrye for as muche as they will not for peace and concorde sake so muche as remit the least rytes and ceremonies wherin there is none or small helpe but haue decreed to retayne theÌ„ with tooth and nayle Neyther do we so earnestly dispute of ceremonies and outward rites bycause we would for them haue the peace tranquillitye of the church troubled whiche may be retayned without sinne but y e the church should be instructed y â— the opinion of necessity and worshipping is to be taken away which opinioÌ„ also conuerteth into horrible Ido latrye thynges that are of theyr owne nature meane and indifferente In theyr Canons of baptisme although they leaue vnto vs y e forme prescribed vs of Christ yet they so peruert the administration and vse thereof that the faythfull can hope for litle consolation thense vnlesse they bee more rightly instructed For to omit their ware taper sauour of salt spitle chrisome and such like in conferring wherof they are more occupyed than in pouryng on the water which thyngs also do rather obscure and vitiate the benefyte of baptisme than commende it In the. vii Canons they bynde hym y e is baptised to obserue the whole lawe of Christ in y e opinion wherin the Scholemen haue deliuered it namely y e forasmuch as after the Scholemens opinion in the newe lawe is geuen a perfecter lawe than in the olde they affyrme that he whiche is Baptysed is bounde in woorke to fulfyll thys lawe But what other thing is this than to geue a signe of desperation in baptisme For the Sacramentes are signes of the promyse and of the grace offred in the promise wherby they are receaued into the fauour of God which are not able perfectly to performe the commaundements of God In the meane time yet are they bounde to the obedience of the lawe of God whose curse is taken away by Christ as it is writteÌ„ Now you are not vnder the law but vnder grace No lesse ridiculous and vngodly are the fathers of the Councell of Trent concerning confirmation For in that they attribute vnto the oyle the power of the holy ghoste which may not be geuen vnto those y e are Baptised but by a byshop what other thyng is thys thaÌ„ a humane tradiion and a magicall kynde of inchantement We rede in dede in the Euangelist Marke y e the Apostles annoynteâ—… many sicke folkes with oyle and healed theÌ„ but this was a medicine of y e body and not an instrumente of geuing or communicating the grace of the holy ghost which it sygnifyeth we will not speake of the blessyng of the oyle which is altogether magicall before it can serue for thys spectacle In the meane tyme how necessary the Catechisme is in so great an ignorance and rudenes of the common people that they might rightly be instructed in true fayth and religion al the true Godly do see and do deplore and deteste the negligence of the Byshops and sacrificyng priestes concernyng this thing the Councell is more dumme than a stone In summe y â— Councell of Trent neglectyng the Catechisme thought by the Sacrament of confyrmation to retayne theyr gasyng spectacle therby to blynde the eyes of the rude y t they also myghte seme to doe somewhat in the church when as to teache which thing also experience declareth they are most vnapt But it is sufficient to haue rehearsed at y e least the prin cipall pointes of the former Counsell of Trent wherin I trust I haue she wed that the true and heaueÌ„ly doctrine of originall sinne of free will of y t law and of the Gospel of grace iustification of the merite of the passioÌ„ death and resurrection of Christ of the certaynty of our saluation of faith and good workes of the SacrameÌ„tes in generall of Baptisme and Confirmation is not onely corrupted but also the true vse of them for the moste part vtterly abolished and cleane taken away All these decrees and Canons with a great many mo whiche contayne no lesse impietie which I will now with silence ouer passe the fathers of this Counsell of Trent in the yeare from the birth of Christ. 1562 the xviii day of Ianuary do as it were repeting theÌ„ in these fewe wordes should be celebrated all suspension taken away according to the forme tenor of the letters of our most holy Lorde Pius the 4. most high Bishop acknowledge and reuerence them in this their first decree as most holy and
Apostolical seat being presidentes therin hath appoynted decreed y t the next Session to come shalbe had celebrated the 〈◊〉 daye after the most holy feast of the Ascension of our Lorde whiche shall be the. 14. day of the moneth of May. These thinges agree with the Originals Angelus Massarellus Bishop of Thelesia Secretary vnto the sacred Counsell IN the begynnyng of this decree the Counsell maketh a preface y t it regardeth this thing onely y t y e doctrine of y e Catholike faith beyng defiled and obscured with the opinions of sundry men might be restored to his purenesse brightnesse But how wyll they aunswere vnto this promise to the expectation of the Churche I thinke it manifestly appeareth by those thinges which we haue before spoken Undoutedly this were a care mete for the CouÌ„sell whiche yet they in nothyng performe but rather go aboute with humane traditions to obscure and oppresse the doctrine of fayth beyng nowe many yeares by the labour of godly and learned men purged and clensed Farther we neither caÌ„ nor ought to deny but y t there are very many bookes extant not so much suspected as blasphemous and pernitious but the Romishe bull hath eye to very fewe of them especially to such as are of his court and faith but by his Censure he noteth those only as hereticall which contayne a healthful simple and playne explication of the truth as we maye see in the cataloge of the heretiques But in that the Counsell committeth that matter namely the examination of pernitious bookes vnto a certayne few friers it semeth therin to haue small regard or eye to the estimation of it selfe wheÌ„ as it putteth the iudgement of the doctrine of the Churche to the arbitrement of a fewe Sophisters But with what coÌ„science dareth the Counsell condeÌ„ne bokes wherin they neuer looked which they neuer reade nor neuer examined But if they stand to y e iudgemeÌ„t of a very fewe moÌ„kes why are not y e Censures vnto which y e authoritie of the CouÌ„cel is added as it were a viser published vnder theyr name and dauÌ„ger For wheÌ„ such bokes are condemned and prohibited by the authoritie of the bishop of Rome and of the Councell simple Christian men thinke y t all these writinges haue bene diligently examined of the fathers when as they are nothing ells but the peruerse iudgements of a fewe monks which either gape for a Cardinals hatte or otherwyse flatter the Byshop of Rome are most deadly enemies of our doctrine If they say time was so shorte y t they themselues coulde not examine them a goodly excuse I promise you which now being these two yeares gathered together haue published abrode fyue or sixe decrees This y t I haue nowe spoken they obserue not onely in the examining of bokes but also in the examining of all theyr Canons For the Monkes dispute and decree of the matter y t is put forth which Canons are afterward confyrmed by the authoritye of the byshops so y t fyrst the consent of y e bishop of Rome be ioyned vnto theÌ„ by whose spirit al thigs ar there done by messágers coÌ„ming betwene When as therfore the writyngs of Godly learned meÌ„ are condemned of the Monkes whose vngodly peruerse iudgements y e councell ratifyeth by hys authoritye confyrmeth we ought no more to be moued thaÌ„ 〈◊〉 we should rede here y t the doctrine of Christ being coÌ„prehended in y e writings of y e Apostles were condemned of y e Pharisees But in y t al meÌ„ vnto whoÌ„ this matter semeth principally to pertain are w t such clemeÌ„cy humanity if a maÌ„â—…oke vpoÌ„ y t bare words not only inuited to come to Trent vnto y e couÌ„cel but also promised saueconduite how this their good will ought to be taken by these thinges whiche we haue spokeÌ„ it is not obscure Forasmuch as almen are as yet bouÌ„d by an othe vnto y e bishop of Rome do acknowledge the authority of y e Byshop of Rome to be aboue the Councel vpon whose backe thei also depende if publique fayth and securitye geuen shoulde onely be the cause that our men would not come vnto the counsel all men maye see that there is no sufficient warrantise prouided for theÌ„ For the byshop of Rome hath not geuen saueconduyt but the councel and bicause the spirite wherwith they are gouerned is a lying spirite and a murtherer who would coÌ„mit hys lyfe and healthe vnto them whiche hitherto haue horribly persecuted our men omitting no kinde of crueltye and haue put to death great numbers of them But we will remit thys disputation vnto the Lawyers vnto whom the natures of publique fayth or saueconduit are better knowen And it is the destenye of Godly pastors y t for the most part they are not broughte to iudgemente to plead theyr cause but that vnder the coulour of right they mighte be put to death whiche though the examples of Christ of the Prophets of the Apostles and of y e Martirs do testifye This processe of the lawe as they cal it muste Godly teachers looke for in this world which wil not betray the doctrine of the truth vnto theyr enemyes of whoÌ„ thei are no more heard thaÌ„ was Christ of the high priests vnto whom when he answered he pleaded all our causes For being demaunded whether he were Christe he aunswered If I tell you ye will not beleue And if also I aske of you ye will not answere me neyther will ye let me go No otherwyse vndoubtedly semeth the councel of Trent to deale with vs. For if our deuines as they woulde haue theÌ„ should come vnto TreÌ„t to reÌ„der a reasoÌ„ of theyr faith and would expound y e verity of theyr doctrine eyther they shoulde not be heard at all as it came to passe in the yeare of our Lorde 1551. in the same place y e Bishop of Romes adherents being gathered together vnder Iulius y t third or elles there shoulde no credite be geuen vnto them wheÌ„ as they altogether are addicted vnto the byshop of Rome by the bonde of an othe and al things shoulde be done in preiudice of the truth whiche also shoulde be betrayed to the enemyes therof which hardening theyr eares theyr harts brought from home y t condemnation therof whiche dare not ouâ—…e hysse agaynst the byshop of Rome Wherfore there is now no disputation of the faith publique but of godly mete conditioÌ„s of the Counsel which hitherto could by no meanes be obtayned of the Bishops of Rome no not by the Romane Emperours In the meane time whilest the fathers of the Counsell of Trent are busied not in seking out the knowledge of the doctrine of the Gospell but in condemnyng it and in confirmyng their errors let vs both in prayeng and teachyng faithfully do our duety and be most assured y t God whiche is in heauen derideth their Counsels laugheth them to scorne will
which was signifyed by the Paschal Lambe the bodye of the Lorde is not only to be eaten but also to be offred vp I deny the consequence For the Apostle Paul comparing y t Easter of y e old Testament w t the Easter of y ◠new Testament writeth For our easter also was offred vp euē Christ he sayth not is offred vp shalbe offred vp in y e Eucharist but was offred vp vn derstāding the sacrifice y e was done vpon y e crosse For euē as the immolatiō of the Paschal lambe was a bloudy immolation so also Christ vpō the crosse offred vnto the father a bloudy sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world Therfore y e immolatiō of the paschal lamb doth no way confirme the idolatrous sacrifice of the Masse which paschall Lambe was a fygure and type of the Sacrifice that should be made vpon the crosse The v. argumēt in Malachy we rede written From y ◠sūne rising to the Sūn set great is my name among the gētiles in all places a cleane oblation is sacrificed offered vnto my name bicause my name is great among the gentiles saith the Lord of hostes If we say y e the prophet speaketh this of the prayers of the godly of the sacrifice of prayse of which the Epistle to y e Hebrewes thus speaketh by him therfore let vs always offer vnto god the sacrifice of prayse that is the fruite of the lippes which con fesse his name they wil streight way answer vnto vs that this is an inuentiō and fained tale of y e Lutherians let thē therfore heare what Ierome saith vpon this place whose authority is w t this counsel counted most sacred who vnderstādeth the sētēce of the prophet to be spokē of y e praiers of y e people of y e new testament by no meanes vnderstādeth he it of the oblatiō of y t body bloud of Christ. Wherfore let them cease by this place to confirme the sacrifice of the Masse which in no part maketh on their side The sixt argumēt The Apostle writing vnto the Corinthiās saith ye cānot be pertakers of y e table of y e lorde of y ◠table of deuils On y t tables of deuils were made obla tiōs Wherfore also on the table of y e lord is an oblatiō of y e body bloud of Christ. There is no reason at al of this con sequence For y e apostle dothe of this thing onelye admonish y ◠Corinthians y ◠they which cōmunicate in y e supper of the Lord wherin is celebrated the memory of the sacrifice of the crosse oughte not to communicate w t the sacred things of the gentiles in whose name so euer they come For they were offred vnto deuils not to God although the Gentiles thought they offred sacrifices vnto the true and liuely God But by this place the aduersaryes shall neuer proue y e the Eucharist is a sacrifyce propitiatorye which y e Apostle calleth the Supper of the Lord and in no place a sacrifice And al mē see how weake this cōsequence of the Councel is Paule in eyther place vnderstandeth an alter therfore in eyther place is sacrifyce made But what if in eyther place he vnderstode not an alter He calleth it the table of the Lord and not an alter These arguments in an euill cause are farre soughte and fetcht and they labour in vayne by wordes coniectures to establysh that which may be confuted by the institution of Christe and manifest testimonyes of Paule The last argument is taken of the custome of the Patriarches and Iewes vnlesse peraduenture they vnderstand the Gentiles also vnder the name of nature as in y ◠last former Councell in the yeare 1551. A Monke at Trent openly preached y e the Gentles are by the lawe of nature saued without Christ. The argumente is To a fygure or shadowe aunswereth a body The sacrifices of y ◠Gentiles and Iewes signifyed y e sacrifyce of y e Eucharist Therfore the Eucharist is a sacrifyce Of the sacrifices of y e Gentiles we wil now say nothyng whose gods are deuils theyr sacrifices are sacrifices of deuils and not of God But only we will speake of the sacrifyces of the Iewes which no Christian man denyeth but y ◠they were types and figures of Christ. And they wer types of the sacrifyce y e was made vpon the crosse as we haue before shewed oute of Paule bycause the sacrifyce of the crosse was the consummation and perfection of all the Leuiticall sacrifices Wherefore y ◠minor or second proposition is simply to be denyed for as much as y e Iewysh sacrifices shadowed not the Eucharist but the sacrifyce which was made vpon the crosse These things I thought briefly at the lest to touch and not thoroughly to entreate of y e euen the vnlearned also might see y ◠the sacrifyce of the papistical masse leaneth to no fyrme reasons or argumentes which sacrifyce y ◠counsel of Trent but I feare me to late confyrmeth by theyr authoritye now let vs make haste to examine those doctrines which followe For I would not holde the reader in those things which of themselues are manifest and are of other learnedly and aboundauntly confuted In the thyrd doctrine is by these most manifest words taught y t the sacrifyce of the masse is in very dede prop◅tiatory and y e through it is obtayned grace by oblation whereof the Lorde is pacifyed and forgeueth greate crimes sinnes Of it one only reason is brought forth of the Councell Christ is a sacrifyce propitiatory In the Eucharist is Christ. Therefore the Eucharist or masse is a sacrifyce propitiatorye CHildren y e haue bene brought vp in scholes do see that in this argument are foure termes for Christ signifyeth one thing in the maior or fyrst proposition an other thing in the minor or second proposition For Christ is called a sacrifice in y ◠action or rather passion wherein he was offred vpon the crosse vnto God the Father for the synnes of the world But in the Supper he is called the meate of the faythfull Christ therefore is but one in consideration of the person but diuerse respectes cleaue vnto hym And therefore he would in the Supper be eaten and not offered as the Apostle expressedly expoundeth As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of thys cup ye shall shewe the Lords death till he come He sayth not so often as ye shal offer thys bread but shal eate thys bread Wherfore euen as it followeth not Christ healed Peters wiues mother Christ is in y e Eucharist Therfore christ in y e Eucharist healeth Peters wiues mother So also follo weth not this argumēt broughte of y ◠sacrifice of y ◠masse Thou wilt now laugh Reder as I suppose at theyr ridi culous cōclusiō but marke wel thou shalt see y ◠the coū sel of ◅rēt doth after this
māner cōclude no otherwise Who therfore would not deride theyr decrees It is neces sary y e they com armed w t other argumēts if they wil w t ex treme vnctiō succor their masse being now sick in a mā ner in al prouinces and kingdomes geuing vp the ghost Howbeit they are not ashamed in y e meane time to affirme y ◠the sacrifice of y e masse doth not derogate the sacri fyce of y e cros If by vertue of y e sacrifice of y ◠Crosse al sins ar forgeuē as y e doctrine of y e prophetes of y ◠Apostles euery wher teach it followeth y ◠by y e sacrifice of y e mas no sy n is forgeuē but if certaine sins are forgeuē by y e sacrifice of y e masse as this decre manifestly sayth Thē not al sins are forgeuē by the sacrifice of y e crosse Let al vp right men here iudge what a great derogatiō it shoulde be to y e sacrifice of the cros if they affirm y e in themas is a sacrifice propitiatory for y e syns of mē And vnles y e whole worlde had bene bewitched with this opiniō y ◠by y ◠work of y e sa crifice of the masse sins are erpiated the rightes yearely reuenewes of the sacrificing priests and Monkes had not so encreased who haue almost scraped vnto them selues all the treasures of the worlde Let al the godly readers also marke in thys place y ◠the masse whyche was allowed by the Interim is condemned of the counsel and vtterly taken away vnder color wher of many were deceaued especiallye for y e in the imperiall assemblies it had the byshop of Sydon as a trompet and open publysher thereof who perswaded men that in the restauration of the masse is not cōmended vnto y ◠church a sacrifice propitiatory but a sacrifice of commemoratiō or of thanks geuing for there was but one only sacrifice propitiatory which was done vpō the crosse but in the is a sacrifice of thankes geuinge or of commemoration wherein the passion of Christ should be represented But wheras the councel sayth that the frute of the sacrifice of the crosse is by the sacrifice of the masse applied to the beholders of the masse is receiued of them therof they bring no reason at all wheras there was yet moste nede of all For the holy scripture in no place maketh any mencion of this applicacion Discipulus in dede in a ser mon of the. 12. fruites of the masse maketh menciō of this also but w tout testimony of the scripture The scripture teacheth y ◠the benefites of the sacrifice of Christ are appli ed vnto the beleuers by the receyuing of the sacramēts but no where do they teach that they are applied to the beleuers by the receuig of the sacramēts but no wher do they teach y e they are applied by hering or seing of masse Wherefore it is a horrible prophanatiō of y ◠supper of the Lord which y e coūsel in this place cōfirmeth y ◠also y e sacrifice of y e masse is to be offred euē for y e dead as the coū sel termeth for such as ar not yet fully purged For y e lord instituted y e Eucharist for y ◠liuīg not for y ◠ded Nether would we haue only lokers on herers but gests eaters drinkers acordig to his institutiō which shuldshew forth his death But of y e error y ◠mē are purged in y e fyre of purgatory we haue before spokē inough namely y ◠it is nothing els but a vayne fayned lye brought into the church through ignorance of 〈◊〉 power of y e passion death of Christ. For soules are not purged frō sins by any fire either terrestial or infernal but by y e deth blud of Iesus Christ as Iohn saith The blud of Iesus christ his son clēseth vs frō al sin Euen as therfore there is no purgatory fyre so also is it nothing els but a prophanatiō of y ◠supper of y e Lord to offer sacrifice for the dead whome also it should nothyng profet although it did much profyte thē y e be on lyue For y ◠ministery of y e word y e Sacramēts was instituted for y e liuig not for y e dead But it profiteth y ◠dead so farforth as it was applied vnto thē when they wer on liue after death there is no more application by the ministerye of them that be on lyue In the which doctrine or decree ar confyrmed two pernitious errours One is That masses are to be celebrated in the honour of saintes The other is that the aydes and helpes of saintes are to be implored both whiche are repugnaunt vnto the expresse word of God For Christ instituted not the Eucharist to the memorye of saintes but for the commemoration of hys death do this sayth he in remembrance of me not of my mother or of my saints Paule calleth it the shewing forth of the death of Christs and not of saintes For although it be not of it selfe vngodlye euen in the vse of the Eucharist to make mentiō of the saints whiche haue valtantly lost theyr liues for the glory of Christ and constantlye shed theyr bloude in confessing of hym as we rede was done in the primatiue church yet is it synne and a horrible prophanation of the Supper to teachy ◠by thys worke wrought the aydes and helpes of saintes are deserued and applyed vnto them When as in the Euchariste Christ dealeth with the faythfull and the faythfull with Christ and not with dead saintes But of it selfe it is wicked and idolatrous to call vpon saintes For inuocation of saintes not onely wanteth an expresse commaundement and promise of God but it is ex pressedly commaūded in the scripture y e we should cal vpon God only in all aduersityes Call vpon me in the daye of tribulation and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifye me Christ also Come vnto me all ye y ◠laboure and are laden and I will refreshe you But of y t dead saintes the Scripture testifyeth y ◠they are ignoraunte of thynges humane as it is written Abraham knoweth vs not and Israell hath not knowen vs. Thou Lord art oure father our redemer c. For y ◠meanyng of the Prophcte is we in vayne conuert our selues eyther to Abraham or to Israel which are dead and are ignoraunt what is done on earth vnto whom our cogitatiōs and temptations are not opē But thou God only arte the searcher of our heartes and imbracest vs with a fatherly affection whiche also onely and soly canst deliuer vs from all euill Wherefore forasmuch as it is of it selfe wicked to emplore the aydes and helpes of saintes whither it be in spirituall things or in thinges outward corporall y e impietye is by this decree
created by the consecration of the sacrificing priest If thys be true then haue not the sacrificing priestes the true body of Christ which was haÌ„ged vpon the crosse For y â— is not of the substance of the bread but of the substance of the blessed Uirgine Mary Wherefore there shal not be only two bodyes but infinite bodies of Christ in heauen if as often as the priest sayth Masse the body of Christ created of a new substance of bread is by y t ministery of Angels caried vp into heaueÌ„ Who vnder standeth not thys grosse error which is ryghtly instructed of y e supper of y e lord In the which supper y â— same bodye of Christ which is in heaueÌ„ is also after a spiritual maÌ„ner agreable to Christs diuine maiesty truly preseÌ„t to y e faithof y â— godly receauer whersoeuer his holy supper is celebrated Neyther also can the sacrifycing priests wrap themselues out of thys two horned argument If the Aungel cary the body of Christ into heauen there is nothing then lefte for the sacrifycer But if the sacrifycer swallowe it vp theÌ„ descendeth the Angell in vayne and is sent away emptye These things of the Canon are not only erronious but also rediculous and childyshe inuentions The fyfth error In the Canon purgatory and suffrages and sacrifyces for the dead are confyrmed Remember also Lord sayth he thy men seruaunts and women seruaunts which haue gone before vs w t the signe of faith and slepe in the slepe of peace N. we beseche thee Lorde geue vnto them and all those y â— rest in Christ a place of refreshing light and peace This error euen these their owne words confute in whiche is contayned manifest contradiction For if the faythfull y â— are dead doe slepe and are in peace light and at rest what is it nedefull to desire it for them But if they be in darkenesse in paine and most great terrors sorowes as it is before sayde out of Discipulus touching the paynes of the soules in purgatorye howe are they then sayde to sleepe in the sleepe of peace That prayers and sacrifices of the quicke nothing profyte the dead we haue before shewed neyther is it nedefull in this place to repeate it agayne The last error is comprehended in the last prayer of the Canon Let this performance of my seruice O holy Trinitye sayth the priest please thee and graunt y t the sacrifyce which I vnworthy y â— I am haue offred vnto the eyes of thy maiestye may be pleasaunte and acceptable vnto thee and may thorough thy mercy be propitiatorye for me and all those for whom I haue offred it into euerlasting life Amen The same error also is before put in the beginning of the Cannon but with other wordes For y â— whiche he there sayd he offred for the redemption of soules the same now he sayth y t he offred it a propitiatorye sacrifyce Doth he not manifestly in this place attribute y t to the execution of his seruice which is proper to y e death and passioÌ„ of Christ He y â— seeth not these things is blinde He saith Iohn is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for our synnes only but also for the sinnes of the whole world c. The worke of the crosse was expiable for our sinnes and not y e worke of the masse or the ministery of the sacrificing priest Let y e counsel go now decree y e the Canon wanteth al maner of error y â— al thing contayned in y â— are godly holy which ouerthroweth y e fouÌ„dation of ChristiaÌ„ doctrine coÌ„teyneth so horrible errors of purgatory of merites inuocatioÌ„ of saints of y e body of Christ of praiers for y e dead of y e merite application of the death passion of Christ. But I wil staÌ„d no loÌ„ger about these things of which our meÌ„ haue learnedly written And amongst other y â— historye of the masse is most diligently discribed of Valentinus Vannius bishop of Maulbrune wherin the aboue mentioned errors other many more are at large and throughly confu ted These as principall I thought good as it were w t my â—…inger to shew forth y t the godly reder may vnderstaÌ„d how great impiety how horrible errors y e Papistical CouÌ„sell hath confirmed in allowing the Canon of the Masse Let kings princes althoughe neuer hitherto yet now at y t last begin to cast away all hope to haue y t doctrine of y â— Church maners reformed by y e Papistical CouÌ„sel which in their wicked Canon will not acknowledge so much as the least error so farre is it of that they thinke to amende and correct any In y â— vi doctrine or decree are coÌ„firmed al y â— papistical ceremonies histryonicall gestures hitherto vsed in y â— celebration of Masses And althoughe also y â— chiefest strife betwene our men theÌ„ of y â— papacy is not as touching these thiÌ„gs which are yet also in many reformed churches for y t most part retained for y e weakes sake yet this is erroneoê° not to be suffred y e y â— Church had these things of y e discipline traditioÌ„ of y â— Apostles For asmuch as it is manifest ly knoweÌ„ y e all of theÌ„ for y e most part were vnknoweÌ„ vnto y e Apostles in y â— primatiue church were not in vse which as y t scripture speaketh are y e inueÌ„tioÌ„s doctrines of men brought in w tout y â— authority of y â— Apostles Unto which if the opinion of worshipping or necessitye be added they serue not God but an Idole and are to be condemned and auoyded of all them that be in dede godly In y â— vii decree are confirmed priuate Masses brought in for gaynes sake But the CouÌ„sell denyeth y t those Masses wherin the sacrificer alone coÌ„municateth are priuate it goeth about by two reasons to coÌ„firme it The one is bycause y e people spiritually coÌ„municateth The other is bycause they ar celebrated of y â— publique minister of y â— church not for himselfe only but also for all y â— faithful which pertaine vnto y â— body of christ But this is to coÌ„firme a grosse error by other ii no lesse grosse For Christ in his last sup per instituted not a priuate supper of one man only but a spiritual celestial baÌ„quet wherin he did not eat drynke for his disciples but all and singular did eate drynke together for them selues to departe froÌ„ this institution to institute a spectacle of one man only in the Churche and that not only with out the word of God but also against the worde of God is sacriledge Farther y e custome of the primatiue Churche is not vnknowen vnto y e CouÌ„sel For as many as did not sacrameÌ„tally participate in the body bloud of Christ were expelled out of y â— Church or teÌ„ple so farre is it of y â— the
Apostolicall Churche allowed this spirituall communication in the Masse of whiche the Coūsel speaketh Howbeit in the meane time we deny not but y ◠they which are truly godly do spiritually communicate w t the body of Christ as often as with a true faith they thinke vpon y e passion death of Christ. But this spirituall eating confirmeth not priuate Masses y e are not instituted of christ But I thinke it good in this place to recite out of Discipulus what the Papistes vnderstād by spirituall eating Whensoeuer saith he any mā deuoutly heareth Masse being in grace and without deadly sinne hath a desyre to be partaker of the Sacrament and thinketh thus in his heart O good Lord Iesus Christ how willingly would I receaue the this day in the Sacramēt of the altar but alas I dare not come nere by cause I am feard to offend y ◠by reason of myne vnaptnes Howbeit I humbly desyre thee from the bottom of my hart y t thou wilt thys day mercyfully bestow vpon me also this grace whiche these deuoute mē shall receaue which thys day in the Church of God worthily receaue thee in the sacrament of the alter and so such a one spiritually communicateth But what Scholemaster had this Disciple which is so famous in the Churche of the Papacye y t he is counted the Scholemaster of al the sacrifycing priestes Truly hath he the name of a Disciple for he hath nede both of doctrine a scholemaster for he hymselfe can not teache true pietye Or what is hys authoritye y t we shoulde beleue hym withoute the word of God whose opinions fables are euery where celebrated in Churches the popes good holynesse notwithstandyng them vnlesse peraduenture the authoritye of the Councell do now succor hym For of thys communicating the holy Scriptures teache nothing at all but call all such as repent vnto the sacramental eating of the body of Christ. The other is a muche more grosse and more in tollerable error whiche the Councell in thys place confyrmeth namely y t the sacrifycer maye communicate for other eyther for the standers by or for the dead For euen as one man can not be baptised for an other so also none can cōmunicate the body and bloude of Christ for an other The Apostle sayeth He which vnworthily eateth eateth damnation vnto hymselfe vnto hymselfe I say and not to an other Christ also Take ye sayth he and eate y◅◅e sayth not let one eate let the other be lokers on of it Drinke ye all of thys he sayth not let one drinke for all The fond tri◅yng reason of Gabriel Biell is worthy here ◅o be spoken of whiche peraduenture the Councell hath followed Who affyrmeth that the sacrifycer is the mouthe of the Church in the celebration of the Masse For euen as in a mans bodye euery singular member hath not a singulare mouth but there is but one mouth only of the whole body which receaueth meat to be distributed into al the mēbers so Gabriel affirmeth y t in the Masse the sacrificer is y t mouth of al his lokers on by whō y t body of Christ poureth being receaued forth his vertue into al the poore rude mē which are stāders by Oh blindnesse rashnesse in mat ters of god This forsoth is the reasō why priuate Masses of the sacrificers are not to be called priuate The reader y t is but meanely instructed vnderstandeth as I thinke this error so that I nede not to rehearse mo thinges thereof whiche other where is aboundantly confuted In the eight decree the holy Synode admonisheth as a commaundement of the Churche that in offryng wyne shall be mingled with water Wherof there are thre reasons brought and yet none of them confirme this tradition First it sayeth bycause it is supposed that Christ the Lord did so ◅ut for as muche as fayth leaneth vnto the worde of God and promise of God where I beseche you is the worde that Christe mingled wyne with water or commaunded it to be mingled How then can the Church beleue without the worde It shalbe good here to recite that whiche was reasoned as touchyng this thyng in the laste former Counsell the Cardinalles and Byshoppes beyng present For some of the disputers affirmed that it must vtterly be graunted that it can not be proued by any expresse testimony of the holy Scripture that Christ mingled water with wyne but yet out of the Gospell may be brought an vndoubted coniecture wherby may be proued that Christe did so Bycause in Marke we reade that Christe sayd vnto his Disciples whiche went to prepare for the eating of the Paschal Lambe Go saith Christ into the Citie and there shall come agaynst you a man bearyng an carthen pitcher full of water followe him Here sayth the Romishe disputer that in the earthen pitcher was not brought water to washe their feete but to mingle with the wyne whiche in that countrey is very strong And y t Christ mingled y t wine with water is out of al doubt lest peraduenture he should haue ben dronke for that he had a long sermon to make whiche being dronke he could not haue made it vnto his disciples therfore it is a most firme coniecture that Christ mingled water with y e wine the offrers in y e Masse are by the exāple of Christ bound to do y t same Thou wilt thinke peraduenture Chri stian reader that I fayne these things of myne owne hed But God is my iudge that our mē which were sent vnto the Counsell of Trent did not only heare him reason after this maner but also testified that this enormeous rashenesse and impiety aboue measure displeased the Bishops of Germany whiche thing the Bishops thē selues ◅f they lust can very well testifie They can lesse proue it by the other reason namely that out of the syde of Christ ◅owed bloud and water I◅ they leane vnto the authoritie of the fathers they may by the same authoritie also be confounded ▪ who by water vnderstode the Sacrament of Baptisme as by bloud the Eucharist For they affyrme y t out of the side of Christ flowed two Sacramentes Baptisme and the Eucharist The third reason is altogether ridiculous althoughe it be not without his authors As thoughe the vnion of the faythfull people with the bed Christ can by no other meanes be taught vnlesse thys mixture of water and wyne be brought into the Eucharist without the worde of God Why haue they brought matrymony among the Sacramentes wherin is represented the vnion of Christ with the hed if the same thyng may be done by the mixture of water and wyne In the ninth decree to the ende they might seme to graunt somewhat of theyr right the holy Synode commandeth the Pastors that in the celebration of the Masse some what of those things whiche are read in the Canon should be expounded in the vulgare tongue But what is the
cause why all thinges are not done in the vulgare tongue when as the Eucharist was instituted for all the faythfull that the Lorde myght with one mouth be celebrated Forsoth the holy fathers are affraid lest the holy mystery should be prophaned but let them declare vnto vs whether the Greke Churche vsed the Latine Canon to auoyde the prophanacion of the mystery Who seeth not that the Counsell of Trent doth not this that the people should vnderstand the way to theyr eternall saluation whilest with toth and nayle they go about to retayne an vnknowen tongue in a sacred matter whiche pertayneth to the vniuersall Churche of Christ whiche onely thyng were not to be suffred thoughe all other things in the Canon as touching the thing it selfe were vpright For Christ whome Paul also followed commaunded that in the vse of the Eucharist we should shewe forth the Lordes death And bycause the Byshops sacrificers for the most part are ignoraunt them selues of that thyng the Counsell commaundeth that by other somthing should be expounded out of the wicked Canon not that the true Churche should therby be instructed but that the impiety of y e sacrifice should be confirmed But I pray you what secret thing is ther in the Eucharist which may not without danger be set forth in a tongue knowen to the vulgare people This daunger will I open by the wordes of Christ Euery one that doth euill thinges hateth the light neither cōmeth to the light lest his workes should be reproued And these deceauers seme herein not to haue done vnwisely For so long as the Canon of the Masse was vnknowen vnto the common people it was had in price and honour but when Christian people whō Peter calleth the Clergy perceaued this decease they draue awaye the sacrificyng Priestes together with theyr sacrifice and Canon But we neglecting this decree of the Counsell let vs folowe the example of the primatiue Churche in whiche the Churche Sacramentes of God were celebrated in a tongue knowen vnto the common people The xiii decree is a lightening going before the thunder and lightening of y t curse of the doctrine of our Churches and teachers which haue by the worde of God truly perspicuously and thoroughly cōfuted this pontificall impiety of the Papistical Masse By this decree therfore are abolished all bookes written and set abrode by al the godly and learned men against the Papistical Masse in which bookes is expressed the aūcient doctrine of the Supper of the Lorde deliuered by Christ and the Apostles But y t these decrees being for the most part all of them vngodly should haue y t more authoritie should for euer be fyrme ratified there are by the publicque authority of the Coūsel published abrode brefe Canōs but yet such as are vtterly ful of vngodlynesse striking w t a curse al those that go about to reprehend the lest error of the Masse Howbeit I wil not make any confutation of these Canons of which all and singular although briefly yet sufficiently is spoken in the confutatiō of the decrees Of this thing only I thought good to admonish the godly reader diligently to waighe these horrible curses of the Counsel wherein the doctrine and practise of Christe of the Apostles and of the primatiue Church concerning the Sacrament of the Eucharist is horribly cursed For vpō those which thinke cōtrarily vnto their opinion they geue not iudgemēt y t they should be borne withal as weake ones but they geue sentence that they are to be ac cursed downe vnto hell and to be deliuered vnto Sathan which go about to derogate euē the least poynt of the Papisticall doctrine in this part For all they are condemned and cursed euen as many as deny that in y e Masse the body of Christ is offred not to God y t father but is offred vnto y t Church to be eatē which ▪ denie y t the sacrifyce of the masse is a sacrifice propitiatory neither ought to be offred for y e quicke and y t dead for sins paynes other necessities which deny y t masses ar to be celebrated in y t honor of saints for y t obtein mēt of their intercession which say y t the canon of y e masse containeth errors for whiche it shoulde be abrogated which iudge that masses wherin the priest alone cōmunicateth are vnlawfull and vtterly to be abrogated And that al the faythfull may see y t the councell wil not relent no not so much as in the lest of their rites it curseth those also which affirme y t the words of cōsecratiō ought to be spokē not with a soft voyce but w c a loude voice or y t the masse ought to be celebrated in y t vulgare ◅onge as if there were required to chaunge no impiety at al. For as much as the words of the supper are a part of the shewing forth of the Lords death wil they also prohibite the shewing forth of y t death of y t lord But here lieth hiddē the magicall impiety of consecratiō whiche they attribute not to the institution of Christ but to y t magical pronunciatiō of words which if it were done in the vulgare tong the people might imitate I thinke the godly reader doth now sufficiently vnderstand how much y t decrees of this coūcel of Trent are to be estemed what is to be hoped for of it Of al which forasmuch as we haue sufficiently spokē in the confutation of the decrees we wil here cease to speake farther But let vs heare somewhat also what the councel hath decreed of the communion vnder both kindes of the vse of the cup. The doctrine of the Communion vnder both kinds and of the Communion of infantes published in the v. Session of the Sacred Oeconomical counsel of Trent vnder our most holy Lord Pius the fourth most high Byshop the xxvi day of Iuly 1562. The Proheme THe sacred Economicall and general Sinode of Trent lawfully assembled in y e holy ghost the self same Legates of the Apostolicall seate being Presidents in it Forasmuch as of y ◠dreadfull and most holy Sacramente of the Eucharist there are in diuerse places sundry monsters of errors caried about by the artes of the most wicked deuil by reasō of which in diuerse prouinces many seme to haue departed frō the fayth obediēce of the catholike church hath thought good y t those thinges in thys place shoulde be set forth whiche pertaine vnto y e cōmunion vnder both kinds also of litle children Wherfore it forbiddeth all the faythful of Christ y ◠hence forth they presume not eyther to beleue or to teache or to preache otherwyse of these things than is expressed and determined in these decrees That the Laitye and Clergye which celebrate not are not bound by the law of God to the communion vnder both kyndes Chapter i. WHerfore the holy Sinode instructed by the holy ghost which is the spirit of
cal it folly whiche dare ascribe so absurde thynges vnto the bloud of Christe I knowe howe they go aboute to wynd themselues out but they can not For wormes vndoubtedly can not be engendred of accidentes that is of figure colour and sauor but they must nedes come of some substaunce and matter But bycause after the coÌ„secration they affirme that there remayneth no substauÌ„ce of the wyne but that it is altogether coÌ„uerted into the substaunce of the bloud of Christ they blas phemously here among the daungers of the reseruation of the cup alledge that of the substauÌ„ce of the bloud of Christ beyng putrifyed come wormes and flyes And this putrifaction sayeth Gerson happeneth so much the sooner if many other haue dronke before namely bycause of the touchyng of the skyn and fleshe of man But graunt that these daungers myght happen if the bloude hallowed in the cup shoulde be reserued for the sicke by what testimony of the Scripture will they proue that the cup halowed for the sicke ought to be reserued for certayne dayes or wekès Christ sayde vnto his disciples drinke ye all of this and strayght waye all of them dranke as also did the Corinthians If to establishe their sacrifice they vse the Paschall Lambe why do they not vse the same also agaynste these daungers where it was commaunded that nothyng should be reserued agaynste the nexte daye It is a thyng most certayne that breade and wyne without the vse haue not the nature of a Sacrament and therfore the daungers whiche are here rehearsed of Gerson are vayne and contumelious agaynste the bloud of Christ. It is a wytty reason I promise you whiche they bryng coÌ„cerning the largenesse greatenesse of the cup in which at Easter the bloud of Christ myght be coÌ„secrated to serue xx thousand men Where can such a cup be gotten There is much spoken of the greatnesse of y â— bell at Erdford they may take that for this purpose Who can here holde him selfe from laughing vnlesse this blyndnesse were more to be lamented with teares than to be laughed at There afsembled together sayth Gerson out of the highe vniuersitie of Paris out of other places most excellent diuines that in great number and of great worthynesse of whome these reasons are allowed The miserable sacrificers are still bewitched with theyr Magicall inchantement wherby they haue persuaded the worlde that they can by breathyng the wordes of Christe vpon the breade and wyne conuert the substaunce of the bread and wyne into the body and bloud of Christ beyng ignoraunt of the true manner of consecratyng whose power consisteth in the fyrste institution of Christ â–ª The Churche is admonished reduced to the memory of it in the rehearsall of the words of y â— supper as often as y e supper of y e Lord is celebrated which commemoration the Apostle calleth a blessing For euen as the power of y e word of God endureth wherby he said Let the earth bringforth greane herbes So also the power of thys worde yet endureth whereby he sayd Take ye Eate ye this is my body c. In the sixth daunger they haue a consideration of the poore For for that in many places groweth no wine and if it should be bought it would cost a great price the good holy fathers thinke it better vtterly to abrogate denye the vse of the cup vnto the lay men than to put them to so great charges I will not stande aboute the confutyng of thys folyshnesse at which vnlesse a man be out of his wits he can not but laugh An other argument Farther sayth Gerson the noble Chauncelor of y e hygh vniuersitye of Paris least the wine shoulde congele Here appeareth the moste high prouidence of the fathers of the counsell of Constance which haue with diligence considered al the times of the yeare and haue throughly weighed what daungers might come vnto y e bloud of Christ In the soÌ„mer they haue prouided for it y e it shoulde not tourne to vineger putrifactioÌ„ wormes flyes in y e winter thei prouide to kepe it froÌ„ cold and congeling least per aduenture it should be turned into Yse Whom these so graue wittye reasons cause not willingly to abstayne froÌ„ the vse of the cup vnto him can not the Catholike church easely minister a remedye But let vs heare the rest of the reasons which are farre weaker than these so that in no part should any doubt remaine Againe sayth he there should bee dauÌ„ger in bringing in a false belief and y e manifold waies Fyrst that the dignitye of the lay men concerning the receauing of y â— body of Christ should be as great as y e dignitie of y e priests A great dauÌ„ger I promise you But by this reasoÌ„ y e arrogaÌ„cy and pryde of the sacrificers may manifestly he sene For Christ made no difference betwene the Pastors and the â—…earers betwene them y e distribute this his supper them y e receaue it Euen as I haue receaued of the Lorde sayeth the Apostle so haue I deliuered it vnto you Now not so sayth Chrisostome one true body is set forth vnto al meÌ„ and one cup. And Pope Gelasius And we fynd y â— certaine receauing only a portion of y â— holy supper abstayne from the cup of y â— sacred bloud who vndoubtedly for I know not by what superstition they are taught to be bounde eyther let them receaue the whole sacramentes or let them be restrayned from y e whole bycause y e diuision of one and the self same mystery can not be done without very great sacrilege De Consecratione Dist. 2. Chap Comperimê° But least any man should affyrme y e these words are spoken of y â— celebrating sacrificers Gelasâ—…s manifestly vnderstandeth y e lay men For he speaketh not of y e teachers but of theÌ„ y â— are taught as his words declare Here he y e ministreth nothing differeth froÌ„ the receauer vnlesse peraduenture we wil haue hym to be inferior For the churche receauing the supper is the maystres and y e priest is y e minister of y â— maistres in somuch y â— ouer it he dareth not to arrogate any thing vnto himself as Peter sayth not bearing Lordship ouer the Clergy but being made a forme of y e flocke Where the Apostle calleth not the sacrificers the Clergye but the laye men y e is the Churche collected of the lay men whose ministers he instituted the Elders This reason therfore is not onely weake but also absurde and there are other notes also wherby the ministers are discerned and knoweÌ„ from the church whose ministers they are Secondly sayth he y t to do so was and is alwaies of necessity A great sinne to beleue y â— we muste alwayes communicate vnder both kindes and neuer vnder one kynde onely But I praye thee my Gerson if thys bee synne then must thou know y e Christ is the author of this
from the way of the Lord. Your manners are not in thys place reprehended whiche are not agreable vnto the dignitye of a priest Here is chiefely entreated of the true worshipping of God whiche ye haue corrupted and contaminated and therefore also accordyng to this oure Prophet all your sacrifyces are contaminated and ye are in very dede made vile vnto all men Neyther can I beleue that all you whiche are assembled together at Trent are a lyke so vtterly ignoraunte of the holy Scriptures that ye vnderstand not these thinges Wherfore the greater daunger and greuouser punish ment of God is to be loked for if agaynst your conscience ye condemne the manifest truth But rather if ye desyre to mayntayne your name honour and dignity returne vnto the couenaunt and law of the Lord that is to the doctrine of the Prophets of Christ and of the Apostels see that ye embrace it casting awaye the inuentions of humane traditions Seeke the glorye of the Lorde eudeuour your selues to extoll hys name and honour and hee wyll on the other syde glorifye you and which thyng ye only desyre wyl subdue the whole world vnto your ministery And ye shall bee no more a reproche vnto all your neyghbours Neyther thynke ye it to bee a shame to acknowledge an errour The Priestes of the olde Testament also were bewytched wyth thys opinion who sayd We are wyse and the lawe of the Lorde is wyth vs. Unto whom the Prophet speaketh Put ye no confidence in the woordes of lying saying The temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lorde For they thought that God was so bounde vnto this temple that his grace was perpetually present although they taught thynges contrary vnto the law and woorshipped hym otherwyse than hee had commaunded them Come sayd they and let vs imagine some deuise agaynste Ieremy for the law shall not perysh from the Priest nor counsel from the wyse man nor the woorde from the Prophet come and let vs smyte hym wyth the toung and let vs not geue heede to any of his woordes Let not such thoughtes for Gods sake possesse your myndes that ye should harden your hartes against the woord of God being falselye perswaded that the law can not perishe from the Priest that is that ye cannot erre For I suppose that by this short admonition ye maye vnderstand that the lawe is perished from the Priest and y â— horryble errours are brought in into the Church of God by your Prophetes that is by your interpreters of the holy scripture Whych errours if ye haue determined wyth to othe and nayle styll to retayne and if ye wyll not geue heede vnto al the woordes of the Prophetes and of the Apostels then knowe ye that accordyng to the example of these Priestes your destruction is at hande vnto whom God threatened perdition I beseche you hate not your owne soules so that ye wyll bee blynde leaders vnto the blynde but remember the commaundement of Christe Teache ye the Churche to keepe the thynges whyche hee hath commaunded that ye maye at length shine as stars of the Fyrmament for euer and euer Whyche thyng the Lorde hathe by the Prophet promysed vnto godlye Teachers whyche instructe other in the true ryghteousnesse The Priestes Leuites and Scribes and all the people could for a time oppres the Prophetes whose dâ—…ctrine they repelled sâ—…ying The woorde that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde wee wyll not heare it of thee 〈◊〉 Unto whom the Prophet agayne aunswered Dyd not the Lorde remember the Sacrifice whyche ye sacrificâ—…d in the Cityes of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem both you and your Fathers your Kynges and Princes and the people of the lande and hath he not considered it And the Lorde coulde no lâ—…nger forbeare bycause of the wyckednesse of your inuentions and bycause of the abominations whych ye haue committed and your lande is turned into desolation and made an astonyshment and a curse and wythout inhabitaunt as appeareth thys daye So also maye wee pronounce of you if you go on as you haue be gonne ye maye in deede condemne the doctrine of our Churches whych is Apostolicall and ye may persecute the godlye Teachers but take heede that ye also haue not experience of the selfe same fortune whyche the people of God felte whom he abiected for theyr obstynate malice whereby they endeuoured themselues to defende Idolatrye and myghtely saued the Prophet wonderfull farre aboue the expectation of that people and contrary to the wyll of all hys enemyes Be myndefull I beseche you of your saluation and of the saluation of all Christians preferre not so lyttle glorye and pleasure that soone vanysheth awaye before the truthe of the heauenlye doctrine I beseche you remember that whych was spoken vnto Paule the persecutour from heauen Saule Saule why persecutest thou mee It is hard for thee to kycke agaynste the prycke Your enterpryse vndoubtedly shall be in vayne and turne to your owne destruction yf ye shall endeuour your selues to oppresse the doctrine whyche hath put foorthe the beames of hys lyght into all the kyngdomes of the world And they myserablye deceaue you whyche go about falselye to persuade you that your authoritye is styll of force The eyes of all men in a maner are open that they see what blyndnes of mynde ye are infected wyth And your owne menne whyche yet you haue for defendours euen they accuse you and godly admonishe you to take in hand an other doctrine and amendement of ceremonies maners than was instituted of you in thys also the former Counsell of Trent For they see that their Churches can neither consist neither their Subiectes can be kept and contayned in tranquilitye and doyng their dutye vnlesse suche thinges be graunted vnto them whych thing euen the Magistrates also which are on the Popes syde vnderstaÌ„d to be neither vniust nor vngodly Apply your mindes I beseche you vnto the godly and true reformation of the Church of Christe and to whom God in this your assembly hath reuealed hys wyll lyfte vp in the Counsell your voyces as a Trumpet crye out and cease not crye out I say Our fathers and we haue synned and haue departed from the law of the Lord. Let vs returne vnto our fyrste husbande Let the woord of the Lorde bee the onelye rule and Captayne of our Counsels and Canons Let vs bee addicted vnto his glory and vnto the health of the church and let vs restore vnto it a godlye peace being disturbed with dissensions and we shall receaue a rewarde worthy the studye of peace and truthe But I shall desyre you to pardon me if I haue helde you longer in consideration of this thyng than I woulde than which there is none more holy and more woorthy and healthfull both vnto you and vnto the Church of Christ. He hath reserued as I thinke vnto himselfe and vnto vs many which both vnderstand these thinges