defileth not a Christian 8 Eightlye It is the errore of the Anabaptistes as it was of the donatistes and other olde heretikes to absteyne frō the ministere because of the wyckednes of others But Paul wold haue men to proue them selues and not to iudge of other whiche stande or fall to the lorde euen so in this case of goinge to masse let vs know the prest and peoples ylnes do not hurte vs if we in harte consente not to theyr euell 9 Neinthyle In Danuel we rede that god bade hym not loke on the outwarde shewe for I haue reiected that saieth he For man looketh on that whiche is outwarde but god beholdeth the harte So here if the harte be pure it maketh no matter of the outwarde gesture of the bodye 10 Tenthlye All the bewtie and glorye of the kynges doughter that is of the churche and of euery Christian is with in sayth the Psalme .45 and not wythout so that if the hart be pure it forceth not though the bodye be in company at the masse with them that come to masse as to an holye thynge These and suche lyke are the reasons that men make to proue it lawfull for a man or woman to be presente at masse yf in spirite and harte they be absente alowe it not But how weake and vain all these be yea how farre they make agaynste that they wolde proue by gods grace I trust a none to showe after that I haue brefely touched the masse what it is and how greate aneuell it is For a lytle therof wyll I speke and that not so muche that menne myghte knowe that it is euell for I truste in GOD that verye manye knowe that yf so be they wyll knowe it but rather that men maye better consyder howe horryble and monstruouse an euell it is the whiche thinge I fere me fewe doo how be it because yet theyr ar some whiche thinke reueretlie of the masse and erre of semplecitye and ignoraunce therein to whose handes this my wrytinge maye come parchaunce do them good I doubt not but that my laboure in breflye bringynge in here what the masse is how greate an euel it is wyl not be thought vtterlye out of the waye Consernynge the Masse what it is a man wold thinke that of the name of it easely it myght be lerned but certeinly theyr is here in no certeyntie For some call it an oblacion of meale of Mincha Leui. 6. Malach. 1. Psal 141. Some call it a voluntary gifte of Missath Deute 16. Some saye it hathe the name of sendynge awaye such as was called Cathe chumeni bycause they were sente oute of the congregacion when the Lordes supper was to be celebrated Some saye it cometh of sending gyftes almes for y e relese of y e pore which were accustomed to be sent geuing always to fore y e receipt of y e cōmuniō at y e time of y e offitory which therof hath his nam Sō saye otherwyse sōe saye otherwyse against thē so y t theyr is as I sayd no certeyntye at all to learne what the Masse is of the name of it And therfore I thinke it best to looke on the partes of the Masse to lerne ther out that which we can not out of the name How be it by the waye note this that this name Missa is no where redde a mongest the Grecians wyth whome the prymitiue churche dyd floryshe and therfore is no suche aunciente a relyke as y e papystes make it For y e Tripartite Ecclesiastical stori whiche was wrytten in Greke hathe not thys worde Masse in it though the translatore therof into Latyne nowe then vse that worde Neither Ignatius epistel if in Greke they could shewe it wolde helpe any forther thē this ecclesiasticall hystorye And Dionysius in his Ierarchie not wythstandyng the lattē translacions be otherwyse As for the feaninge of some whiche wolde gladlye haue men perswaded of the ancience of the masse and of the name of it therefore saye this worde messa is a worde of the Syrians spech a man wyth halfe an eye can not but see that therin they halte For in that Grece is so nere to Syria and betwene vs and it surely it coulde not but haue bene knowen and wrytten amongest the greke aucthors but to come theyther frome whence I wente thys shall suffyce to note by the waye that thee Maasse whereof wherof no certeintie can be gathered out of the name of it was neuer knowē euen but in name to y e primatiue churche prate the papystes as please them I trust shortlye by the partes to demonstrate the same Yf in speakinge of the partes of the masse I obserue not such an order as I shulde but speke of one peece before whiche shulde be spoken of after I must desyer pardone as wel for that god be prased therfore I neuer saide masse as also for that I haue for gotten the order the prestes were wonte to kepe so longe it is sithens I dyd see any The Introite for heare I wene I shulde begynne one Celestinus bishope of Rome ordeyned aboute the yeare of our lorde .430 so longe this peace of the masse was not catholike nor the grayle also For some saye he brought it in how be it others do saye that Gelasius ordeyned the grayle to be had in y e masse aboute the yeare of oure Lorde .490 And others do wryte that pope Gregorye aboute the yeare of oure lorde .600 dyd institute it as manye other thinges so that of manye daye the grayle was Catholyke The Confiteor pope Damasus brought brought into the masse as it is wrytten aboute the yeare of our lorde .370 So longe the Chatholyke churche wanted it and styll shulde wante it in that it cōteyneth in it Idolatrye Inuocation to sayntes whiche is agaynst gods worde The Kerieelieson .9 tymes to he spoken in suche a tongue as fewe prestes can or do pronounce otherwyse then kyreleson that is Sowe haue mercye or Pigge shewe mercye this pope Gregorie though some saye it was Syluester Instetuted aboute .600 yeares after Chryst as he dyd also the Antiphenys Hallaluia the offertorye and a peace of the canon How be it some saye that pelagyus the seconde hys predecessore dyd so fyrste appoynte kyreeleyson the glorya in excelsis pope Simmachus ordeyned to be song on y e sondais other holy daies about y e yere of our Lord .510 To for this time was the masse out of order for they wryte y t he fyrste broughte the masse into an order but surely the order thē as it was fer frō that in y e premitiue churche was vsed so was it further from the order nowe vsyd for sythen y e tyme manye thynges were founde oute and put to as partelye yf youe note the yeres I wryte you nowe see but more shal se a none by goddes grace I
know that some do saye that Telesphorus ordyned it about the yere of our lord .140 aboute which we rede that Lente was cōmaunded to be of none other but of y e prestes clergye onely Isedor Iam. i concel Gracia distincio .6 Statuimus How be it al most al mē know that Hillarius which was about y e yere of oure Lord .340 made this himne songe it fyrst in his church therfore it can not be attributed to Telespherus The colletes who made them ther is no certeintie Some say Gelasius som say Gregorius so that y e church coulde wel spare them at lest .490 yeres The pestle and gospell who disposed them as they be there ther is certentie some attributing this to saint Ierome some to damasus some to Telespherus a foresaide But this is more certaine y e pope Anastasious the thirde ordined y e men shulde stande vp at the hearing of the gospel redde aboute the yere of oure lorde .405 The Crede pope Marcus about the yere of oure Lord .340 dyd ordeyne to be song in y e masse this pope brought in Lynen albes and Corparasses And was nothynge offended that euerye prest shuld haue hys owne wife though nowe it be other wyse taken In hys time ther was a councel called Elliber tuum conciliū kept in Spane whiche damned all kynd of Images yea pictures in the temples The offertorye wherof now remaineth nothing but y e nam is attributed to Eurichianus about y e yere of our lord .280 The prefaces are geuen to Gelasius gregorius so that for .600 yeres or ther aboute after Christ they were not vsed The Canon whiche they haue in suche admiracion and reuerence as nothynge els was made of dyuerse Pope Alexander made one peece of it aboute the yeare of oure LORDE 220. qui predie Pope Pistus made an other peece apon a tenne yeres after hym whiche he tooke oute of the prophete Esaye Pope Leo aboute the yere of oure lorde .450 made an other peece Sanctum sacrafisium c. And note that this pope alowed maryage of prestes as all hys predecessors before hym hade done pope Gregorie aboute the yere of oure Lorde .600 made an other peece of the canon a greate peece of the masse as he him selfe wytnesseth in his regyster for before his time it was no such hoch potte as he made it but now it is much worse pope gregorie the third about y e yere of our Lorde .732 put to this peace et eorum corum memoria c. And note that this pope called a counsell at Rome wherin it was decreed that Images shulde not onely be had in temples but also worshypped and that al gain esayers shoulde be counted as heretikes Innocentius the thyrde of that name affyrmeth pope Gelasius whiche was aboute .490 yeres after Christ to haue made a great peece of the Canon as he hym selfe dyd something therin A bout the yere of oure Lorde .1120 This Innocencious ordeyned that the sacramēt shulde be reseruyd in the churches he brought in Auriculer confession as a lawe He dyd constitute that no Archebushoppe shulde haue hys pale excepte he were of his relegyō and therfore we haue lesse cause to maruel at the vnytie in poperye Beatus Renanus affirmeth that one Scolasticus which was aboute Gregoris tyme dyd make Te igitur c. So that we maye see what an hotch potche and how anciente a relyke this Canon is which is the holyest naye most blasphemouse peece of the Masse The leuacion who ordeyned it I can not tell certeinlye some attrybute it to Honorius the thyrde aboute the yere of our lorde .1210 and not vnlykelye for in dede he ordeyned that the people shulde kneele downe and worshippe the sacramente so longe a tyme after Chryste was it a fore this gayre was chatholike The Agnus c. pope Sergius about the yere of our Lorde .700 brought in to the masse Innocentius ordeyned the pare to be geuen to the people Pope leo commaunded the sacramente to be censed Bonifacius put in his foote for the couerynge of the Aultars Pelagius brought out the comemoracion of the dead to be had in the masse Vigilius ordeyned that the preist shuld saye masse wyth hys face towarde the Easte Platina writeth how that y e fyrst Lattine masse was songe in the .6 coūcell of Constantinople whiche was aboute the yeare of oure lorde .750 And the same masse and order was ther and then alowed and so hitherto hathe bene wyth a vantage But to make an ende hereof authors do wryte that pope Stephanus whiche wolde be caried and was on mennes shulders Pope Adrian his successour many others after them dyd put somethynge to the masse so that by this whiche which I haue writē of y e parts of it yet I spake neuer a word of y e priuat percepciō of the preist alone in y e masse whych was not vsed in Gregoryes tyme .600 yeres after christ nor at this daye is vsed in the Greke churche nor was not Catholike as some wryte in Europe aboue .450 yeres past of the partes I saye easelye you maye see y t the masse is a hotche potch and a deuice of man yea of .28 Popes and moo not fully founde out and fynished of a M. yeres at y t lest after chryst And yet y e papistes bragge of it as though it had bene from the Apostles time as though Peter had song the furst Masse at Antioch as though it were the most hoolye thinge vpon the earth so that the churche cannot be w t out it wherin they speke trulye yf by y e churche they vnderstand y e popysh churche for else chrystes churce now shuld aswell be wythout it as it was of M. yeres vntyll the deuyll which was tyed so longe was letten loose Rede the .20 chapter in the Reuelacions Now the masse being knowen to be the deuyce muenciō of mā I wil breifely shew you that it is y e horribliest most detestable deuise y t euer y e deuil brought out by mā Furst the Masse is a most subtile and perniciouse enemye ageynst christ and that double namelye against his presthode and against his sacrifice His pristhode is an euerlasting prest hode such an one as can not go to another But y e Masse vtterlye puttes him out of place as though he were deade for euer and so god is for sworne which sayed christ shulde be a preyst for euer and Paule lyeth whiche affirmeth Christ to lyue to be on the ryght hand of the father for vs y t by him we may come to the throne of grace to fynde mercye to helpe vs in oure nede For if these be true as they be most true the masse preistes ar to be put downe For if they be of thorder of Aaron then resynne they that which
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