as euer did Protheus here shal thou stick fast Shall these wordes be vnderstand euen as they are spoken I truste ye will not say that then must it follow that there is a fygure and howsoeuer thou shall expone the wordes of the cuppe thou shal be driuen to grant the same of the bread for no thing can be said or alledged of the latter part of this mysterie that is not to be vnderstand of the former So now then as the cuppe by the interpretation of Luâ—eâ—s and Paulus Is the couenant in the blood of our Sauioure the same shall we affirme of the bread to wit that it is the couenant in the body Now striue cry out laubour trauell and do what you list to inuert this thou shall haue to do with the holy Spirite of God declaring plainely that the will of our Sauioure is in no wayes concurring with such an omnipotencie as thou thy fellowes hath forget of these wordes this is my body fondly and vainely exponed after the letter I pas by the common maner of Scripture calling the Circumcision by the name of the couenant the Pasouer lykewise whereof they were but Simboles and signes and suche other places seruing to this purpose and will pas forwarde to the wordes of Chrisostomus which this glorius Doctor who will seme to be so beasy and diligent notes to be written in the. 48. Homilie vpon Iohn where I darre boldly affirme there is no such mater nor wordes for that homilie is written vpon the. 7. Chap. of Iohn and is spent wholy vpon the obseruation of the Sabboth Hereby it is easy to perceaue how vainely ye ascribe such reading of the Ancientes vnto your self as in your writinges ye â—ake vpon you that ye will seme in the eyes of the people to be the onely he in this Realme versed in antiquitie And now to say my iudgement frely I truste ye haue no workes of such men as ye draw your authorities out of but onely hath I can not tell what lytle scabbed treaâ—â—es of Eccius Cochleus Hosius Stanissans youre new start vp Campion and of such others of your factioÌ„ and taketh out of them such thinges as ye think may serue to your wicked and blasphemus purpose What credite now or what authoritie oght to be giuen to such places as thou draweth out of the Doctors who â—elyke neuer hath sene there workes nether yet knoweth to what purpose they speak if they speak of their owne mynde or of their aduersaries whither they speak by an interrogation or conclusiuely and determinatly whither they speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is excessiuely to extoll the dignitie of the mater they haue in hand which is not â—â—are in this Author or simplie Thus the Text it self is to be considered that it that preceadeth being conferred with it that followeth the mynde and sentence of the Author may be knowen perfytlie Not that I will hereby damne yong men who ether excluded by tyme or els lacking bookes muste giue credite to good authorities but in this man who will seme to be an other Anacharses Inter Sordidds Scythas it is intollerable who is sequestrate frome the common societie of men and trauell in the common wealth hauing not els to do but that he hath inioyned to him self that is to ly by a pleasing bray and cast in stones to trouble the faire and cleare rinning watter This thing I say againe is not onely intollerable but moste worthy of all punishment But to the purpose I haue said there is no such mater entreated iÌ„ the place cited by this diligent Reader In deid in the same Author we shall read not vnlyke to this in his 83. Homilie vpon Mathew his wordes are They be not workes of mans power propounded who then made them in that Supper the fame worketh them now We occupie the rouine of Ministers but he that sanctifieth them and changeth them is he meaning our Sauiour who did appoint and institute this action This in deid being well considered shal and may be vnderstand to be spoken more by a Rethoricall amplyfication to extoll the excellencie and worthynes of this so great a mysterie rather then spoken according to the simple treuth of the mater It is knowen well ynough to any man that is but mid way familiare with this Author that he is somwhat excessiue in such amplyfications somtymes playing the orator rather then the simple Theologien This I were able to proue particularly by sindrie things entreated by him if the tyme should suffer but yet I se no such things in these wordes whereof you haue any occasion to brage or reioice For in this that he sayeth they bâ— no workes of mans virtew propounded Who did eueâ— think or teach other We be well teached by Iohn the Baptiste of that defference in ministration of Sacramentes that is betuix the inward worker and giuer of graâ—e who is Christe Iesus and the Minister who onelâ— worketh and serueth outwardly so that howsoeuer 〈◊〉 shall at the appointment of our Maister Minister and practise the action Yet is it not the work of mans strenth nor power nether is there an part thereof to be ascribed to him but all whole to be vendicat to the instituter in that that not onely he commandeth it to be done and nothing is done but at the prescript of his commandement but also he is he who giueth the power the strenth the energie to it that it may profect and frutrifie vnto the receauer and in this maner the cause giuen by Chrisostome is verie good that he is he now that worketh who wroght then So that there is no defference betuix that action that wes then practised by our Sauioure and it that is now done to his imitation by vs we but haue the place of ministers it is he that sanctifieth and changeth that is to say it is he by whose ordinance and commandement this whole action is hallowed and sanctified For the action it self if it shal be considered it shall seme and appeare verie vile and of no price yet seing there is nothing done but at his commandement practised by him self allowed by him we as becometh well instructed Children doeth iudge it to be worthy of all reuerence whereof we haue his warrand being commanded so to do in remembrance of him till he come This then is the sanctificatioÌ„ that this Author speaketh of here and no such deuillishe incantation as thou wold pretend which dontles wes vnknowen in the dayes of Chrisostome But least thou shal insist vpon the latter word of changing I will trauell to oppen vp the mynde of the moste Ancient Fathers in that part for they do vse that worde often not to signifie any such change as ye fondly haue deuised and inuented but onely willing hereby that we should all before that we shall offer and present our selues to this table consider the dignitie praise and prerogatiue of this heauenly banked that
e mysteries of ye scripture speciallie of the word is of the latter Supper Quhareby thay vnderstand the Sacrifice of the Masse These thinges glorious Doctor be persuasiuelie spoken but they be not arguments of suche strenth as be vnuincible but shal be ouer throwen Well Iames is desyrus to here the reasons Then sayeth he ze sall considder that efter the ascension of our Sauiour the Spirit of veritie entred in the hartes of the Apostles geuing thaim full instructione of all places of Scripture quhare oure Sauiour hes spoken in Parables and all vther mysteriis of the Scriptures concerning our faith and trew vnderstanding of the sam Now man ze vnderstaÌ„d y t lyke as the Spirite of veritie gaue instructione to the Apostles of all the mysteriis of the Scriptures swa did the Apostles geue instruction to thair Disciples of all mysteriis of the Scriptures necessar to be knawin for a Christiane maÌ„nis saluatioÌ„e quha wer the Primitiue Kirk as I wald say beginnares of the faithfull Congregation immediatlie nixt to the Apostles Quharefor quheÌ„ soeuer question is for the vnderstanding of the mysteriis of the Scriptures and speciallie the Sacramentis and rycht vse of thaim quhilks but dout ar the maist profound mysteriis in al y t Scriptures it is ane assured way tyll haue recourse to the auld Ancien wryttares speciallie thay quha wes Disciples to the Apostles and Martyres for the faith of Iesus Christ to haue trew instructione baith of the Sacramentes and of the rycth vse of thaim as the Kirk of God hes euer teached ws be the perpetuall succession of tyme sen the tyme of the Apostles to thir our dayis conforme to the doctryne interpretation of the Scripture maid be thaim Quha wer Disciples to the Apostles and al 's conforme to the doctryne and deliberatioun of the generall Counsels duely conuenit to quhoÌ„e it appertenis to tak ordour in al maters doutsuÌ„ concerning faith coÌ„forme to the Scripture We be teached by the Scripturs in dede that the Apostles wer indued soddenly with the gyftes of the Spirit froÌ„ aboue which gyftes I beleue assuredlie wer not Idle in them so that it is out of all questione that the Apostles wer continuallie occupied in Predication of the word in ministratioÌ„ of the Sacramentes in planting of Churches euery where yea and I will go with yow in that that they had certane Familiars awaiting vpon them whom they instructed as we read of Lucas the familiar of Paule Marcus of Peter and such others yea and I will proceade forther yet with yow that euen in doutsum ambiguus matters that falleth in question I walde gladlie luke vpon the workes of them that hath faithfullie trauelled in the action of godlynes yea and receaue the determinations of generall Counciles but that with the reule and restriction geuen by yow conforme to the Striptures But that ye will hereby insinuat obliquelie quietlie meane that all corruption and vanitie Whereby the Church of God hath bene heretofore oppressed these many hundreth yeares the Sacramentes peruerted and ryght vse of them adulterated the worde being buried in all ignorante and proude contempt and man erected and sett vp in the place of God that ye will meane all this to haue proceaded of the Apostles and consequentlie of the spirite of God and hereby defend and restore the abhominations ouer thrawen by the blood and labours of many godlie men in this our aige In this I will answer yow feling your mynd reache and tend to this lest that some simple man shall chop here Trew it is that the Apostles had geuen vnto them the intelligence of the Scriptures and the mysteries thereof to the admiration of all men that so soddenlie ignorant aÌ„d Idiot men simple and abiect persones should start vp and not onely speak the praises of God in euery language disertlie but bouldly withstand the fury and rage of preistes Magistrates and the whole people where soeuer they passed Yet do we obserue this discretion in the Spirit of our God that some mysteries are kept from them secreit hidde for a certaine tyme as the vocation and calling of the Gentiles hidde frome Peter till the Reuelation wes made the vision came some did esteme the Ceremonies of the Law neidful which question troubled them so that they were euen diuided Thridlye some imperfectioÌ„s find we in them as when Paule withstaÌ„deth Peter in his face being worthy of reprehension Whereby we are admonished aÌ„d may obserue the wysedome of our God in handling his owen that howsoeuer he shall extolle and sett them vp yet doeth he brydle them so that they continuallie keip in mynd and remembrence them selues to be men to receaue all of God and a man left to him self what he is and how ready to declyne frome God From the lyke ignorance the Ancient Fathers Abraham Iacob Moyses Dauid can not be excused Moyses the beloued of god how cairful he is iÌ„ the gouernmeÌ„t of the people in iÌ„structing them in laying before them continuallie the law the ordinaÌ„ces and constitutions of God reducing to there remembrance there wounderfull delyuerance there preseruation in Egypt the great cair of God ouer them in the wyldernesse the mercyful coÌ„uenant made with there Fathers and renewed with them selues so that these peple wer the verie familiar scolers to the Prophete Yet what became Scarslie hath the Prophete turned his bak vp with God in the montayne when they fall to a horrible defection and haynus apostasie froÌ„ God erecteth Idolatrie yea and carieth the hie preiste Aaron brother to Moyses with them to the same impietie What an instrumeÌ„t do we think S. Paule in the church of God What trauell taketh he in executioÌ„ of the charge laid vpon him how diligentlie teacheth he the Corinthianes remaning amongest them the space of a year and one half But immediatlie efter his departinge what corruptioÌ„ entreth in that church he coÌ„cealeth it not but plane lie testifieth in his Epistles to them and cheiflie in the formare where he compleneth of the deprauation of the Lordes Supper and of the resurrection besydes many other thinges he scharplie layeth to there charge with other such exemples occurreth in Scriptures Which were to long tedious and not necessarie to prosecute Whereby we may first obserue and note yea euen a grosse ignorance to be sumtymes in the chosen and elect of God that be appoynted to the ministerie SecoÌ„dly how easalie men are caried away froÌ„ the obedience of god ryghtuousse lawfull obseruatioÌ„ of his ordinaÌ„ces What necessitie iudge ye to be in your aâ—gumeÌ„ts alledgeing there Fathers to haue bene the Disciples of the Apostles and instructed by them When we see oftentymes Scollers declyne from the doctryne of there maisters as we reade planelie of Ioas who during the tyme of Ichoiada did it that wes ryghtuousse and iust in the eyes of the Lorde But as euer the hie Preiste wes taken
offred vpon the earth quhen his body is offred Zea he is declarit planely to be offred intyll vs quhais wordis makis haly the Sacrifice quhilk is offred Your purpose is to call the mater to mynde againe to ê“ue the masse to be a Sacrifice wherein Christe is offered to the father by the preist Now I pray you what streÌ„th of probation lyeth in these wordes of Anthrosius seruing to this mater there is no meÌ„tion of masse the Sacrifice oblatioÌ„ that is here spokeÌ„ ê‘teyneth derectly to the practeis celebration of the holy coÌ„munion where the faithful menisters executing there office charge conforme to the exemple of our Sauiour are not only followers of Christ as Ambrose doeth testifie but Vicarres and stedeholders as we haue alreaddy said in Cypriane but as we obserued in Chrysostom so we haue in this author that he in the â—clitsioÌ„ vseth a certane correction of his form are sayinges Whereby he explaneth his meaning in the word preceding that not so muche haue we to vnderstand his body blood to be offred vp speaking properlie as it is to be vnderstaÌ„d that that it is declared plainly him to be offred vp in ws that is as he wold say this oblation and Sacrifice which I beat thus coÌ„tinuallie iÌ„ your eares is not to be takeÌ„ so as I should meane properlie vs to offre vp to the Father his Sonne Iesus Christe which he him self onely wes worthy and able to do and did But I meane that now we being receaued in couenante with oure God by the mediation of Iesus Christe which league is confirmed sealed vp in our hartes by the symboles of his body blood whereby we are assured that we are one with him feiding vpon his body aÌ„d blood that we now possesse him and hes him duelling in vs what resteth on our part sayeth Ambrose but in recordation of this so great a benefeit in declaration of our thankfulnes to offre vs vp to God together with all that we possesse we haue receaued by the communion of thy Sonne Iustice ryghtuusnes sanctification holynes with all benefites these graces as we grant our selues to haue receaued of thy free mercy so we now do dedicat sanctifie and offre them to thee This Immolation then is none other nor it that Paule speaketh of as we haue heretofore declared All our worthynes doeth proceade and flow of that Sacrifice in recordation of the whiche we celebrat this Sacrifice reiocing in no thing but in Iesus Christe and him crucified by whose agnominy we are made honorable by whose pouertie we are made ryche by whose death we are quickned and by whose obedience we are made bould to enter in the presence of our God thoght we be neuer so vnable and vnworthy of our selues so that now we are not to be Iudged and reputed the offrers but rather he whose spirit reuleth our hartes aÌ„d moueth vs to this thankfullnes yea he him self offreth all we haue by the Communion vnto the eternall Father Now followis Augustine ane excellent doctor approued be the Kirik of God 1156. zeris bypast reproued Atrius as ane Heretike because he said as mony sayis now of lytle knawledge that meÌ„ fulde nocht praye for the dede nor offer Sacrifice for thaim he wryttis thus coÌ„cerning that mater it is nocht to be denyed y â— the saules of meÌ„ departed ar releued throuch the godlynes of thare freindis on lyue quheÌ„ the Sacrifice of our Mediator Christe is offered for thaim hidderto Augustine He writtis in ane vther place say and quhen the Sacrifice of the altare or almous is offered for the dede Quhilk war Baptised thare at thaÌ„kes geuin for thaim that be verray gude peple and for thaim that ar not verie euyll thay ar propiciatioÌ„ns or purchessinges of mercy fauour of God He wryttis in ane vther place it is not to be douted but the saules departed ar helped be the haly kirkis prayers and the Sacrifice of saluation almous quheÌ„ thay ar geuin for thaim that god sudle deale mair mercy fullie thaÌ„ thair synnis had deserued hidderto Augustine marke how this godlie Doctor Byschope affirmes the Sacrifice of the masse to be propiciatorie and helplie for thaim that be departed I can not answer Augustine better then by him self but before I cum to the answer it shall not be all out of purpose good reader if I shall shewe the reule which Augustine pÌ„scribeth to al readers of his workes wyl not attribute to others nor yet vendicat to him self more then becumeth Of this mater I haue spoken sumwhat heretofore out of Augustine yet to refreshe the memorie of the reader aÌ„d to shewe and teache that many mo places may be gathered out of his workes then they that be recyted I wyll not wearie here in the proper place of the interpretation of his owen wordes to shew his opinion and in what place he wylleth all readers to put his workes And first these be his plane wordes I can not deny nether yet oght I that euen as in them that hath passed before so verrie many thinges to be in my so many treattes that by a Iust iudgement and without temeritie may be damned And againe he wrytteh to Ieronimus for I wyll graÌ„t sayeth he vnto thee to these onely bokes of the Scripturs which be called Canonicall haue I learned to deferre that feare giue that reuerence that I beleue most firmelie none of the authors of them in wrytting any thing to haue erred or if I shall find any thing in their wryttinges that shall appeare to be contrarius and repugnant to the treuth then do I not dout but ether the exemplar is fals or the interpretor hath not atteyned to the vnderstanding of it that is said or that I do not vnderstande it my self But others I read so that with whatsoeuer holynes and doctryne they haue excelled yet do I not iudge it to be trew because they so iudged But because they haue bene able to persuade ether by these Canonicall authors or by a probable reason that abhorreth nor froÌ„ the treuth I wyll content me gentle reader with these testimonies not but there be many mo but that I iudge it superfluus to adduce any mo and thinke these sufficient to oppin vp the mynde of Augustine What is the reuerence that is due to the Scripturs of God and with what iudgement discretion we oght to read other mennes wryttings and what he craueth him self of others Now shall it then in anywise seme arrogant if it should be required of Augustine that that he craueth of others that hath passed before without any respect to there holynes or doctryne aÌ„d craueth earnistlie authoritie of Scripture or a probable reasone not abhorring from the veritie and pereuenture in sober and maters of no great importance The disputation now being here in the mater we haue in hand of the cheif and principale poyuctes
the eternall veritie of God to declare warre to all godlie men and vnder the cullor and pretext of knowledge to shaw his owne infancie and oppen vp his ignorance and so to expone him self to mockage and derision On the other syde it wes somewhat confortable that we ê‘ceaued god as it were ready bent to haue his veritie examined and tryed and for this cause to haue it stoutlie assayled and violentlie inuaded that the victorie enseuing may be the more tryumphant and glorious But whatsoeuer wes the expectation of this golden birth before it wes broght to lyght Alwayes it that is moste confortable I do marck the curages of them that did moste brage of it to be fallen being altogether frustrate of their expectation the simple to be nothing moued the learned and the godly to compleane of the tyme ociusly and prophanely spent which is so precious that the Apostle Paule willeth vs to redeame it by all meanes To the tryfles that be gathered out in this treatie albeit answer be made euerie day in the Sermons and euerie boye that hath sene the Catechisme is able to refell them yet seing the desyre is of many that they be confuted by writing the charge being lade to me I could not refuse it nor deny my lauboure to the Church of God iudgeing it rather to stand with my deutie to obey the coÌ„mandement of the Congregation in the defence of Gods cause and the treuth theÌ„ to haue respect to an withered intermitted amitie yea althogh it were neuer so straite and deare Now before I enter into the matter let no man loke for suche horrible and blasphemous imprecations of me as this Author maketh in syndrie places of his Famous worke of the masse For such imprecations as they procead of an obstinate and contumatious heart so they be altogether Deuillish to deceaue and draw back the simple ignorant and vnskilful Reader vnto vtter distructioÌ„ althogh they be without all authoritie of Scripture or exemple of the godlie Fathers The authoritie of Paule shal be found so farre soght and so impertinent to the purpose that I truste our holy Abbote will not leane thereto And albeit he shall so do we knowe with what Spirite Paule wes led and his pen directed Do we reid at any tyme that Cypriane Augustyne Hierome Chrisostome Theophilactus Tertuliane and the rest of the ancieÌ„t wariors stirred vp from time to time by Gods holy Spirite for the auenging of his cause aganist the vnhappy sead and members of Sathan hauing to do with no les pertinacious and wicked enimies to all treuth and Religion nor we instantly do we reid I say againe that euer thus madlie and blasphemuslie they do renounce Gods mercies and submit them to his seuere iudgementes I am able to say not But I can shaw you Sire of what fontane these your blasphemies do flowe We reid in deid that the Prophetes of Baall ordinarlie did smyte them selues with knyues and Lancettes and that as appeared to them wes no vaine cerimonie but vsed to this end that the people myght be hereby moued to credite them and they getting authoritie to their fond dreames myght be iudged moste strong in defence of their opinion And this shall we obserue in all Authors of vntreuth and forgers of lies that continually to affirme their impious doctrine ether shall they vse prouocations to Gods iudgementes ether to such corporall chastisment shal they submit them as may seme to declare in the inuenters of a fals Religion an zeal to iustice and equitie a bolde confidence in their opinion and a wil to suffer the extremitie for the defence of that which they manteane Thus hath God moste iustlie permitted the deuill to blinde men in all ages who more delyteth in their owne imaginations then in the treuth of God plainely reuealed The Analogie and similytude were verie proper betuix the Preistes of Baall and the Popes shauelinges in the discurs of the whole if I should dishiffer to the particulare of the dum deaf god of the one the caike god of the other the incantations of the one the sorcerie of the other the stoike grauitie of the ministers of the one and the stubborne morositie of the other the dissolute lyfe of the one and the ryote of the other and so forthe as were moste easie to draw to him that should set his ingine hetherto and that not without fructe to the Reader Thus then let vs gather this note whereby we may discerne the rauenus and disceatfull wolfe from the godlie and religious Pastor to wit by these extraordinarie and horrible imprecations by suche prophane and barbarous renouncing of Gods mercies For as in iudgement the deposition of him that sweareth moste enormely and haynuslie is not of greatest faith and authoritie but rather is the more suspected So haue we to iudge of his preposterê° and inuerted Silenus who regardeth nothing the prophanation and abuse of Gods holy Name and so to make him author of vntreuth speaking only to draw the people vnwarres to his deuillish fantasies My purpose is then to procead through the weightie argumentes for so he will haue them seming and shawe to him with all modestie wherein he deceaueth him self what is wrongously and preposterusly drawen to his purpose wherein he abuseth the Text of Gods worde and authoritie of the Fathers Fynally to supplie the parte of Iames who as he is introduced verie simple so he tholeth him self to be to hastelie vainquest To such an Capitane shall I neuer commit my hould in keaping nether yet to such an aduocat the defence of my iuste cause To that I haue passed through the whole I will not speak of this that our Author doeth wonder the masse to be called Idolatrie and witchcraft and pronounceth boldlie all them to be possessed that so doeth affirme it appeareth well that the man hath bene in an great rage of seuer for if the wordes he here infarceth shoulde haue bene pronounced by mouth Lord what scheikes should he haue sheweÌ„ I am assured he should haue passed Coruet Chalme and Trompet how treuly this is said by him in the end the Reader will perceaue Now to iune with this Doctor and susteane the part of Iames. How are ye able to imprufe this argument All worshipping of God inuented by the braue of maÌ„ is Idolatrie the masse is of that nature ergo it is Idolatrie Let vs consider how this Sophister new start vp out of Sorbone goeth about to impugne the proposition of this Syllogisme It is expres sayeth he against Gods word for Abraham and syndrie of the Fathers had inuented wayes and meanes to worship God without any commandement Thus this new Doctor playeth him with his mirrie concept but the mater were of lyght value if he should not trauell to draw the godlie Fathers allowed and hauing testimonie of the Spirite of God into the same impietie and so to make them as it were
Authors hereof This is the fructe that is to be loked for of the vaine fantasies fond Ymaginations of the wicked hartes of men when they take vpon them impudentlie the part of God The man I can not tell what he thinkes of the mater alwayes he reciteth no Text. Trew it is that some Cotation is in the Margine the 22.8 and 4. Chapitures of Geneses places as appeareth to him so facile and pertinent that they neid no rehearsall In deid I will not werie to bring forthe the wordes of the Text. It is written in the 22. Chapiture the. 9. vers When they were coÌ„ing to the place which God had shawen to him in the which he builded vp an Alter and laide the woode orderly and bound Isaac his Sonne and laide him on the Alter vpon the woode This I take to be the place ye meane of for there be no other in that Chapiter whereby ye may any wise help you Now then let vs consider how proper this Text is to the purpose To make this Text to serue your purpose ye will I beleue affirme that Abraham had no commandement so to do yet if we consider the Text aright there shal be fouÌ„d an plaine commandement of God God to be the conductor of Abraham all the way and fynally his whole fact to be approued by the Spirite of God The commandement is plaine in the Second vers Take now thy onely sonne Isaac whom thou louest best and get thee to the Land of Moriah and offer him there for and brunt offring vpon one of the Montanes which I shal shaw vnto thee Can there be an more plaine charge of God then this But ye will say pereueÌ„ture there be nothing there spokeÌ„ of an Alter that I deny for it is plain that he is coÌ„manded to offer him vp for an brunt oâ—ferring where plainely the Alter is commanded or els if it be not coÌ„mmanded it followeth well that it had bene coÌ„â—anded from the beginning to the Fathers and so to haue had place from tyme to tyme that no Sacrifice wes offered vp but vpon an certane Alter erected to that vse which may euidently appeare in this that the erection of the Alter is recited in the fact of Abraham which is all whole allowed and lykewise shal be declared in the fact of Noie It is no wayes to be beleued that this holy Father who doeth all by the direction of faith yea and whose fact is altogether allowed of God as we reid plainly in the Text the. 16. That this holy Patriarch I say attempteth any thing in the worke of God without his commandement This I trust Iames might haue replyed In the eight Chapiter it is written Then Noie buylded an Alter to the Lord and tuke of euerie clene beast and of euerie clene foule and offered brunt offeringes vpon the Alter Here starteth vp our Carrick Doctor and sayeth Noie hath no commandement this to do Where is the charge to buylde the Alter To offer vp the Sacrifice Firste if I shall ask this Doctor if Noie had any commandement to buyld the Arcke to receaue therein of all sortes of beastes and mo of the clene then vnclene to enter into it I think he will not deny it yea and that to testifie his obedience he wold not depart out of the Arcke till he wes commanded and besydes this reid we not plainely that he wes commanded to take a greater nomber of the clene beastes then vnclene and that for the Sacrifice cause which altogether may appeare vaine If the counsel of God herein had bene kept secrete and backe from this holy Father who wes to be the Preist for offerring vp of sacrifice Attour Moyses sayeth plainly that the sacrifices were appointed to be of the clene beastes whereiÌ„ it is most certane that Noie could make no defference nether yet wes it in the pleasure or power of man for wes it able to Noie think ye to descerne betuix the clene and the vnclene and it that wes meit for Sacrifice and it that wes not If the Spirite of God had not this reuealed vnto him it is not to be beleued Shall we conclude now that this which he doeth to the praise of God for his deliuerance and reporteth suche an testimonie of the allowance and approbation of God that the lyke is not giuen throughout all the Scriptures to no Sacrifice Shal we conclude this to be done without the ordinance of God ether by reuelation in dreame or els by an Angel For these were the two ordinarie meanes wherby God vttered his will to his Elect and chosen which wayes being now pretended by Papistes and Anabaptistes can haue no place The eternall Sonne of God who is the fyne and end of all propheciâ—s being alreadie manifested in the fleshe ascended to the Father and his Scriptures shute vp and closed I beleue Sire ye wil not deny but this work wes done in faith being thus allowed by the Spirite of God fayth cometh of hearing as the Apostle doeth reasone out of Isayas which hearing is subiect to the worde of God So thus then it may appeare manifestlie that this godlie fact of Noie leaneth to the commandement and worde of God Aâ—toure we may obserue the maner of proceading of the Spirite of God in his Scriptures that in so farre as he is giuen to a certane sententious breuitie he passeth by the commandement of the fact which he so earnestly alloweth and that immediatlie after yea and sometymes in the precept it self pretermitteth some circumstances of tyme place Alter and suchlyke whereof after is made mention Further do we think it to be of no authoritie and weight that which is spoken in the conclusion of the 4. Chapiter In deid for my owne iudgement as I moste willinglie subscriue to the interpretation of them that hereby vnderstandeth the erecting of Gods trew ReligioÌ„ that heretofore by the impietie of the tyme and the wicked maners of men had bene suppressed and adulterated So will I affirme that the worshipping of the eternall wes redacted to a certane forme and ordor not that euerie man shal do that that doeth seme best beutiful and pleasing in his sight but vse him self according to the Lawes and preceptes of the Spirite of God who is the Author modirator of all godlynes Who then darre be so impudent or malapeart to deny this Sacrifice of Nose to be here commanded or that it shall not â—eâ—e to this forme here spoken and mentionat I truste none The answers made to these two may serue sufficiently to the refutation of it that is alledged out of the beginning of the 4. Chapiter which is of Abell If I should not binde and astrict my self to the answer of euerie perticulare that this Authore hereafter shall haue no shift to auoide nor pretext to cloke his wilfull and barbarous obstinacie The wordes are these And in proces of tyme it came to pas that Cain broght an oblation