I coÌ„sidet y t your gr power is not so fre as a publik reformation perchance woulde requyre But if your grace shal consider the daunger and damnation perpetuall which ineurtably haÌ„geth vpon all mainteyners of a fals religion Then shall the greatest daunger easely deuoure swallow vp the smaller If your grace shall consiver that either ye must serue God to lyfe euerlasting or els serue the worlde to death and 〈…〉 Then albeit man and aâ—â—gel 〈◊〉 dissâ—ade you ye will 〈◊〉 lyfe and refuse death And 〈◊〉 further ye shall consider thâ— the very lyfe coÌ„sisteâ—h in the knowledge of the onelye trewe God and of his sonne Christ Iesus And that trewe knowledge hath â—â—â—â—red with it goddes trew 〈…〉 and honor whiche requireth a testimony of his own will expressed by his worde that â—â— he honor doeth please him If youre grace I say shall earnestly meditate these thigs afore sayde Then albeit sodenlye ye may not do all thinges y â— ye wold yet shall ye not cease to do what ye maye Your grace can not hasetely abolishe all superstition neither yet remoue from offices vnprofitable pastors whiche onely fede them selfs the which to publique reformation are requisite and necessary But yet if the zele of goddes glory be ferueÌ„t in your graces hart â–ª by wicked lawes ye will not mainteyn manifest Idolatrye neither yet will ye suffer y â— fury of bisshoppes to murther deuoure the poore membres of Christes body But withall cares full diligence ye will study how that the trewe worshippinge of God maye be promoted and the tyranny of vngodly men repressed within the boundes of youre dominioÌ„ to the vttermost of your power And if the contrary hereof either by ignorance or for pleasure of others ye do or permit to be doÌ„ then except your spedy repeÌ„taÌ„ce shall ye your 〈◊〉 sodenly fâ—â—ll the depressing hande of him who hath exalted you Ye shalbe compelled â–ª 〈…〉 wil ye to know that he is eternal against whome ye addâ—â—sse your battel And that he is alone â–ª that â—â—deâ—aâ—eth y e tymes and 〈…〉 kingdomes 〈◊〉 â—â— is he that glorifieth them that glorifie him And y t he by his owne power poureth forth coÌ„teÌ„pt vpon all 〈◊〉 y t â—â—bell against his graces â—â—â—er And therefore how dangerous soeuer it shal appeare to the fleshe and natural maÌ„â—o obey God in promoting his religion and to make warre against the deuill in â—emeuinge darknes pryde superstition Yet if youre grace loke to haue your self or yet youre sede after you to continue in a worldely honor and after to possesse the lyfe euerlasting submit youre self by time vnder the hande of hym that is omnipoteÌ„t embrace his will despise not hys testament refuse not hys graces offerre Nowe when he calleth you withdrawe not youre care be not led awaye with that vayn opinioÌ„ that youre churche and prelates can not eâ—re but laye the â—ooke of God before youre eyes and lette it bee iudge to their lyues doctrine and maÌ„ners as also to that doctryne whyche by fyre and swearde moste cruelly they persecute I confesse that I desyre your grace to entre into a straunge greuous battel neuertheles yet assured I am by the promes of him by whome kynges do raygn that if with reuerence and feare ye obey his preceptes as did Iosias the admonitsons of the prophetes that then with doble benediction shall your bauell be rewarded that is wisedom ryches glory he â—or and longe lyfe shall accompany you in this your regiment temporal and unmortalitie wâ—â—h â—oy inestimable shalbe your portion when the king of all kinges â–ª the Lord Iesus shal appere to iudgemente before whome ye shall make accompt of this youre regyment â–ª when the proude and disobedient shall cry mountaynes â—â—ll vpon vs and hyde vs frome the face of the Lorde But then it shalbe too late because they despâ—sed the voyce of him that loâ—â—ngly calleth GOd the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe by the power of his holy spirite so illumiâ—ate youre senses and vnderstanding that the things that rudely be here spoken by youre grace so may be accepted that they be not a testimony of youre iuste damnation in that greate daye of the Lorde Iesus to whose mighty protection I vnfaynedlye committe youre grace nowe and euer Amen ¶ The fourth of Aprill In the yeare 1550. was appointed to Ihon Knor to geue his confessioÌ„ why he affirmed the masse idolatrye which daye in presence of the counsell and congregation amoÌ„gest whome was also present the bisshop of Dureham hys doctors on this maÌ„ner he begynneth THis day I doe appeare in your presâ—ce honorable audience â—o geue a reason why so constantly I do affirme the masse to be and all tymes to haue ben Idolatry abominatioÌ„ before God And because men of greate erudition in youre audience affirmed the contrarye moste gladly wolde I that here thâ—â— were present either in proper person or els by their learned meÌ„ to poÌ„der and â—ey the causes mouing me therto For oneles I euydently proue myne entent by goddes scriptures I wil recant it as 〈◊〉 doctrine and confesse myself moste worthy of greuous punishment Howe difficillitis to pul forth of the haries of the people y â— thing wherein opinion of holynes staÌ„deth declareth the greate tumult and â—proâ—â— moued against Paul by 〈◊〉 and his fellowes who by Idolatry â—â—t great aduaÌ„taâ—â—e â—◠〈◊〉 priestes haue done by the masse in times past The people I say hearing that the honor of their great goddes Diana stoode in iâ—oâ—ardy with furious â—â—yces cried great is Diana of y â— â—phesians as they wolde saye â—e will not haue the magnificeÌ„ce â—â— our great goddes Diana whoÌ„ not onely Asia but the hole world worshippeth called in doubt cuÌ„in question or coÌ„trauersy Away with all menne intendinge that impietie And hereunto were theâ— moued by longe custome and fals opinion I knowe that in the masse hath not onely ben estemed great holynes and honoringe of God but also the grounde and foundation of oure religion so that in opinioÌ„ of many the masse taken awaye there resteth no trew worshippiÌ„g nor honoring of God in y e earthe The deper hath it persed the hartes of men that it occupieth the place of the last and mistical supper of our Lorde Iesus But if I â—â—all by playâ— and euident scriptures proue the masse in her most honest garment to haue ben Idolatrye before God and blasphemous to the death and passion of Christ coÌ„trary to the supper of Iesus Christ theÌ„ good hope haue I â–ª honorable audience beloued brethren that the feare loue and obedieÌ„ce of God who in his scriptures hath spoken all veritie necessary for our saluatoÌ„ shal moue you to 〈…〉 place vnto the same ¶ O Lorde eternall moue gouerne my tung to speake y e 〈◊〉 and the hartes of the people to vnderstande and to obey the same That ye maye the better perceyue and
after drincke of the water of lyfe drincketh there with damnation death How by whome it hath beÌ„ enuenomed if it were no more tediouse to youre grace to reade heare then it is paynfull to me to write or reherse I wold not spare the labor But for this present I haue thought it soÌ„e discharge of a parte of my duety If I of very loue admonish your g. of y â— daÌ„ger whiche I do as God one daye â—â—all declare preferring youre g. saluation and the saluatioÌ„ of the people now committed to youre care before any corporal benefyt that can â—â— dounde to my self Ye thinke peraduenture that the care of religion is not coÌ„mitted to magistrates but to the bisshoppes estate ecclesiastical as they terme it no no the negligeÌ„ce of bisshoppes shall no lesse be requyred of y e handes of magistrates because they foster and maintein them in â—yâ—anny them shall the oppression of fals iudges whiche kynges mainteyn and defend I doubte not but your grace doeth woÌ„der howe that the religioÌ„ that is vniuersalâ—â— receyued can be so damnable and so corrupted But if youre grace shall coÌ„sider that euer from the beginning the multitude hath declined from God yea cueÌ„ in the people to whome he spake by his lawe and prophetes if ye shall consider the complaynte of y e holy Ghoste complayninge that nations people princes and kynges of the earth haue raged made conspiracies and holden counsailes against the Lord and against his anointed Christe Iesus Further if ye shall consider the question whiche Christe Iesus hym selfe doeth moue in these wordes when the sonne of man shal come shall he fynde fayth in the earth And last if youre g. shall coÌ„sider the manifest contempt of God of all his holy preceptes whiche this day raygneth withoute punishment vpon the face of y e hole earth For as O seas complayneth there is â—overitie there is no mercy there is no knowledge of God in the earth but lyes periury mur ther theft and adultery ouerflow al and bloud hath touched bloud that is euery iniquitie is ioyned to an other If depely I say youre grace shall consider conteÌ„plate the vniuersal corruptioÌ„ that thys day reygneth in al estates then shal youre g. cease to wonder that many are called few are chosen And ye shall begyn to tremble to folowe the multitude to perditioÌ„ The uniuersall defection whereof sainct Paule did prophesy is easy to be â—sâ—â—ed aswell in religion as in manners The corrupcioÌ„ of lyfe is euident â— religion is not measured with the playne worde of God but by custome coÌ„sâ—etude will consent and determinations of men But shal he who hath proâ—â—nced all cogitations of mans haâ—â— to be vayn at all tyme accept the counsaylles and consentes of men for a religion pleasâ—nge acceptable before hym Let not youre grace be disceaued God can not deny hym selfe he hathe witnessed from the begynnynge that no religion pleaseth hym except that which he by hys owne worde hath commaunded established The veritie it â—elf pronunceth this sentence In vayne do they worshippe me teaching doctrines the preceptes of men And also all plantation that my heauenlye father hathe not planted shalbe routed out Before the cumming of his welbeloued sonne in the fleshe seuerallye he punished al such as durst entreprise to alter or change his ceremonies or statutes as in Saule Vzias Nadab Abihu is to be redde And wil he now after that he hath opened his hole couÌ„sail to y e world by his only soÌ„ne whoÌ„ he hath coÌ„maÌ„ded to be hearde And after y t he by hys holy spirit speakig in his apostles hath established the religion â—â— whiche he willeth hys trew worshippers to abyde to the end wil he now I say admitte mens inueÌ„tions in the matter of religion whiche before he reâ—â—ted for daÌ„nable Idolatry If man oraungels wolde affirme that he will or may do it his owne veritie shal conuict them of a lye for this sentence whiche he once pronunced shall abyde immutable to y e ende Not that which appeareth good in thine eyes shalt thou do to the Lorde thy God â–ª but what y e Lord thy God hath commaunded the that do thou adde nothing to it dyminishe nothinge from it The whiche thinge sealinge vp hys new testameÌ„t he repeteth in these wordes I wil lay none other but then vpon you but that which ye haue holde till I come And therfore yet again it repenteth me not to say that in this point whiche is chief principale youre grace must dissent from the multitude of rulers or els ye can possesse no portion with Christ Iesus in his kyngdome and glory An orator Goddes messinger also iustlye mighte requyre of you nowe by Goddes hande promoted to hye dignitie a motherly pitie vppon youre subiectes a iustice inflexible to be vsed agaist murtherers commoÌ„ oppressours a hart voyde of auarice and partialitie a mynd studiouse and carefull for maintenance of that realme common wealth aboue whiche God hath placed you and by it hath made you honorable with the rest of y e virtues whiche not onely Goddes scriptures but also wryters illuminated onely with the lighte of nature requyreth in godlye rulers But â—ayn it is to craue reformation in manners where the religion is corrupt For like as a maÌ„ can not do the office of a man except first he haue a being or a life So to worke woâ—tes pleasante in the sight of God the father caÌ„ no man do without the spirite of the Lorde Iesus whiche doeth not abyde in y e hartes of Idolatrers And therfore y e moste godly princes Iosias 〈◊〉 Iosaphat seâ—ing goddes faâ—â—or to rest vpon them vpon their people before all thinges began to reforme the religion For it is as the stomake within y e body whiche if it be corrupted of necessitie it infecteth y e hole masse And therfore oft I repete that which is most necessary if your grace pretend to raigne w t Christe Iesus then it behoueth you to take care ouer his trew religioÌ„ the which this daye within your realme is so deformed that no part of Christes ordinances remayn in their first strength original puritie the which I praise god is lesse difficil to me to proue then daÌ„gerous to speake And yet neither the one nor y e other I fear partly because the loue of life eternall quencheth the terrour of temporall death And partely because I wolde with sainct Paule wishe my self accursed from Christe as touching earthely pleasure for y e saluatioÌ„ of my brethern illuminatioÌ„ of your grace Which thing work very dede not bare word wryting shall witnes declare if I maye purchase the libertie of tunge but fortye daies only I am not ignoraÌ„t how daÌ„gerous a thiâ— it appeareth to y e natural maÌ„ to in nâ—â—ate any thing in matters of religioÌ„ And partli
â—he masse to be in goddes presece that onles ye decline froÌ„ the same to lyfe can ye neuer atteyn And therfore brethren flye froÌ„ that Idolatry rather then frome the present death Here wolde I haue spoken of the diuersitie of sacrifice but neyther doeth tyme nor the wickednesse of myne owne flesh permit that so I do I will ye obserue y â— where I saye there resteth no sacrifice nor yet is there anye priestes that I meane that there resteth no sacrifice too be offred for synne nor yet is there any priests hauynge power to offre such oblations Otherwise I do knowe that all true ChristiaÌ„s are kynges and priestes and doe dayly offre vnto God a sacrifice moste acceptable the mortification of their affections as Paule commaunded the Romayns But here of may not I remayne too speake presently Suche doctrine as was taught in youre audience vpon Sonday before noon I wil proue as oportunitie shall permitte by goddes scriptures not only vnprofitable but also erroneous and deceyuable But firste accordinge too my promes I will seude vnto the teacher the extracte therof to adde or diminishe as by hys wysedome shalbe thought moste expediente â–ª For God knoweth my mynde is not captâ—oush too tryppe men in wordes But my onely desyre beynge that ye my audience bee instructe in the veritie where froÌ„ dissenteth some doctrine taughte you if truelye I haue collected moueth me to speake againste al that maye haue appearaunce of lyes and superstition And praye with me brethren that the spirite maye be ministred vnto me in aboundance to speake at all times as becommeth a trew messenger And I will lykewyse praye that ye might heare vnderstande and obeye with all reuereÌ„ce the good wil of God declared vntoo the worlde by Iesus Christ whose omnipotente spirite remayn with you for euer â–ª Amen ¶ Here is briefly declared in a sumine accordynge to the holy scriptures what opinion we Christians haue of the Lordes supper called the Sacramente of the bodye and bloudde of oure sauyoure Iesus Christ FIrste we confesse that it is an holy action ordeyned of God in the whiche the Lorde Iesus by earthely and visible thinges sette before vs lifteth vs vp vnto heauenly and inuisible thinges And that whan he hadde prepared hys spirituall banâ—â—et he witnessed y e he hym self was the lyuely bread wherewith oure soules bee fedde vnto euerlastinge lyfe And therefore in settinge forthe breade and wyne to eate drynk he confirmeth and sealeth vp too vs hys promisse and communion that is that we shalbe partakers with hym in hys kyngedome and representeth vnto vs and maketh playne to oure senses his heaueÌ„ly giftes and alsoo geueth vnto vs himself to be receiued with faith and not with mouthe nor yet by transfusion of substaunce but so throw the vertue of y e holy Ghost that we beynge fedde with hys fleshe refreshed with his bloud maye be renewed both vnto trew godlines and to immortalitie And also that here with the Lord Iesus gathereth vs into one visible body so that we be meÌ„bres one of an other and make altogether one bodye where of Iesus Chrste is head And finally that by the same Sacrament the Lord calleth vs to remeÌ„braunce of hys deathe and passion too styrre vp oure hartes to prayse his moste holy name Sarthermore we acknowledge that this SacrameÌ„t oughte to become vnto reuereÌ„tly considering there is exhibited and geuen a te 〈…〉 of the wonderfull socâ—â—tie and â—uyttinge together of the lord Iesus and of the receyuers and also that there is included and conteyned in this sacrament that he will preserue his churche for herein we be commaÌ„ded to shew the Lordes death vntill he come Also we beleue that it is a confession wherein we sheroe what kynd of doctrine we professe and what congregation we toyne our selfes vnto And lykewise that it is a boÌ„de of mutuall loue amoÌ„gst vs. And finally we beleue that al the commers vnto thys holy supper muste bringe with them their conuersion vnto the LORD by vnfayned repentaunce in faythe and in thys Sacramente receyue thee seales and confirmation of their faythe and yet muste in nowise think that for this works sake their syns be forgeuen And as concerning these wordes Hoc est corpus meuÌ„ this is my body on whiche the papistes depend so much sayeng that we must nedes beleue that the breade wyne bee transubstanciated intoo Christes body bloud We acknowledge y e it is no artikel of our fayth which caÌ„saue vs nor which we are bouÌ„d to beleue vpoÌ„ payn of eternal daÌ„nation For if we should beleue y â— hys very naturall body both flesh and bloude were naturally in the bred wyne that should not saue vs seinge many beleue that yet receyue it to their damnation For it is not his presence in the bread that can saue vs but his presence in our hartes through fayth in his bloud which hath washed out our synnes and pacified the fathers wrath towardes vs. And agayne if we doe not beleue hys bodielye presence in the bread wyne that shall not damne vs but the abseÌ„ce out of our hart thorow vnbelefe Now if they wolde here obiecte that though it be trueth that y e absence out of the breade coulde not damne vs yet are we bounde to beleue it because of gods worde saying thys is my bodye whiche who beleueth not as muche as in him lieth maketh God a lyar and therfore of an obstinat mynd not to beleue hys worde maye be our damnation To this we aunswere that we beleue gods worde confesse that it is trew buÌ„t not so too be vnderstande as the papistes grossely affirme form the SacrameÌ„t we receiue Christ spiritually as dyd the fathers of the olde testament accordinge to S. Paules sayeng And if men wolde well wey how that Christ ordeyning this holy sacrament of hys bodye and bloud spoke these wordes sacramentally doubtles they wolde neuer so grossely foolishely vnderstand them contrary to all the scriptures and to the exposition of saynct Augustyn sayncte Hierome Fulgentius Digilius Origenes and many other godly writers Gene. â— Math. 10 â–ª Actes 1â— â–ª 〈…〉 〈…〉 1◠〈…〉 â–ª 40. â—l 51. â—â—90 â— â— Reg. 25. Iere. 52. Daniel 1. Esai â— Ephe. 2. Iosua 2. Math. 5. Math. 10. â—â—â— 20. Rom â–ª 1. â— Pet. 2. The state Apo. 14. 1â— Psalm â— Acto 4. Luc. 16. O se 4 â–ª â— â–ª Math. 20. Math. â— â— Thes â— Deu. 4. 12. Math. 15. â—e 13. 1â— Leut. 10. Math. 7 Ac. 1. 13. 14. 1. Cor. 11. Apoca. â— Nota. â— Re. 15. a. Pa. 17. 4. Re. 22 2. Pa. 29 â—9 â—â— No parte of religion remaineth vncorrupt â–ª A peticion An obiection of the fleshe An answer Matth. 6. â—â—â— 6. â— â—â—â— 1â— Iohn 17. Iohn 4. â—aâ—â— 2. Iere. 〈◊〉 ◠〈◊〉 2. CouÌ„saill 3 Par. â—4 Matth. 24 Oâ—â— 10. â—â—â—â— 9 â–ª 1. Reg. 1â—◠◠〈…〉 1â— Nota. Dem. 4. Leui. 10. Obiection Apoca. â— Obiection Preceptes were geueÌ„ The cause of the counsail at Ierusalem Cornelius ConclusioÌ„ of the conÌ„sayll Question Obiection Nota. Pape quâ— missam instituerunt Euasion Improâ—â—tion of the Canon Nota. Esay 66. Amos. 5. Esai 66. Iere. 7. Esay 55. Esai 18. Ose 7. Iere. 2. Nota. Opinion holden of the masse Nota. Hebre. 10. Aunswere of papists Contra. Nota. Hebre. 7. Papistes Aunswere â–ª Heb. 9. Hebr. 10. Nota. Question Papistes aduerte Euasion Papistes Esai 27. Iere. 14. Esai 9. Iere. 31. Collos 1. Nota. Ioan. 6. ☞ â–ª Question ☞ ☜ Obiection Aunswer 1. Cor. 11.
The copie of a letter sent to the ladye Mary dowagire Regent of Scotland by Iohn Knox in the yeare 1556. ¶ Here is also a notable sermon made by the sayde Iohn Knox wherin is euydentlye proued that the masse is and 〈…〉 ben abhominable before God and Idoelatrye Scrutamini Scripturas To the excellent lady Mary Dougiare Regent of Scotland hir huÌ„ble subiect Iohn Knox wisheth grace mercy and peace froÌ„ god y â— father of oure lord Iesus Christ with the spirite of perfect iudgement THe eternall prouidence of the euerlyuynge god hath appointed his chosen children to fight in this wretched and transitory lyfe a battel difficil and the manner of their preseruation in y â— saÌ„e battel to be more meruelous Their victory standeth not in resisting but in suffering And how â–ª they câ—be preserued not broghâ— to vttermoste confusioÌ„ the eye of man perceyueth not but whose power is infinite by secrete and hidde motions toucheth the hartes of such as to mans iudgment haue power to destroye them of very pitie and compassion to saue his people As he dyd the hartes of y â— egyptian mydwyues to preserue the men children of y â— Israelites when precept was geuen by Pharao of their destruction The harte of Pharaos doghter to pitie Morses in his young infancy exponed to the danger of waters The harte of Mabuchodonasat to preserue the captyues alyue and liberally to norishe the children that were founde apte to lettres And fynally y â— harte of Cyrus to sert at libertye y â— people of god after long boÌ„dage and thralâ—on and thus doeth the inuisible power and loue of god manifest it selfe towardes his elect frome tyme to time for two causes first to comforte his weate warryors in their manifolde temptations letting theym to vnderstaÌ„de that he is able to coÌ„pell suche as some tyme were eneme is to his people to fight in their cause And also as by his prophet Esaie he doth promyse to promote their delyuerauÌ„ce And secondarily to gyue a testimony of his fauour to theÌ„ that by all apperance did lyue before as Gaint Paule speateth waÌ„ting god in y â— world straÌ„gers from the common wealth of Israel and wythoute the legue of his mercy full promes and free grace made to his church for who could haue affirmed that one of these persones a fore named or yet Rahab had ben so louing faithful gentle before that occasion was offered vnto theym to manifeste theym nature and clemencyâ— But the wortes of mercye shewed to the afflicted haue lâ—sâ— to vs assurances that God vsed theym as vessels of his honor For pitie and mercy shewedâ— â–ª to his afflicted flocke as they neuer lacked reward temporal â—o if they be contyâ—ewâ—d and be not changed into crueltye are assured signes and sealles of euerlasting mercy to be receyued from God Who by hys holy spirite moueth their harts to sheme mercye to the people of God oppressed and afflicted Your grace perchance doeth woÌ„der to what purpose these thiges berecyted and I in very dede caÌ„ not wonder ynough that occasion is offered to me a worme moste wretched too recyte the same at this present For I haue looked rather for the sentence of deathe then to haue writteÌ„ to your grac in these last and manifest wicked dayes in which Sathan so blyndeth the hartes of many I doubt not but the rumors whiche came to youre gâ—eares of me haue ben suche â—â—if all reportes were trew I were vnworthy to lyue on the earth And wonder it is that the voyces of the multitude shoulde not so haue enflammed your g. harte with iust hatered of suche a one as I am accused to be that al accesse to pitie should haue ben shut vp I am traduced as an heretyke accused as a fals teacher and seducer of the people besides other opprobries which affirmed by men of wordly honor estymation may easely fyndle the wrath of magistrates when innoceÌ„cy is not knowen But blessed be God the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe who by the dewe of hys heauenly grace hath so quenched the fyre of displeasure in youre graces harte whiche of late days I haue vnderstand that Sathan is frustrate of his enterpryse and purpose Whiche is to my harte no â—inall comforte not so muche God is witnes for any benefite that I can receaue in this miserable lyfe â–ª by protection of any earthely creature for y â— cuppe which it behoueth me to drynke is appointed by the wysdome of him whose counâ—â—â—â—es are not chaÌ„geable as that I am for that benefit whiche I am assured youre grace shall receyue if that ye contine we in lyke moderation and clemency towardes others that moste vniustly are and shalbe accused as that your grace hath begonne towardes me and my moste desperate matter That is if by godly wysdome ye shal study to brydle the fury and rage of theym who for maintenance of their worldly pompe regarde nothing the cruel murdering of symple innocentes Than shall he who pronunceth mercy to apperteyn to the mercifull and promiseth that a cuppe of colde water geuen for hys names sake shall not lacke rewarde fyrst cause youre happy gouernement to be praysed in this present age â–ª and in posterities to come laste recompens your godly paynes and study with that ioy and glory whiche y â— eye hath not sene nor yet can enter into the harte of mortall creature Superfluous foolishe it shall appeare to many that I a man of base estate condition dare enterprise to admonishe a princes so honorable endewed with wisdome and graces singulerly But when I consider the honor that God commauÌ„deth to be geueÌ„ to magistrates which no doubte â–ª if it be trew honor coÌ„teyneth in it self in lawfull thinges obedience and in all thinges loue and reuâ—râ—ce When further I consider the troublesome estate of Christ Iesus trew religioÌ„ this daye oppressed by blyndnes of men â— last the multitude of flatterers and the rare numbre of theÌ„ that boldeâ—â—â— and playnelye dare speake y â— naked â—â—ritâ—â— in presence of their princes and principally in the cause of Christe Iesus These thinges I say considered whatsoeuer any man shall iudge of my enterprise I am compelled to say â—neles in your regiment using of power your g. be founde differeÌ„â— froÌ„ the multitude of princes head rulers that this preemineÌ„ce wherein ye are placed shal be your deiectioÌ„ to tormeÌ„t payn euerlasting This proposition iâ— sore but alas it is so trew that iâ— I shoulde concele hyde it frome your grace I committed no lesse treason against your g. then I did if I saw you by imprudency take a cuppe which I knew to de poysoned or enuenomed yet wolde â—ot admonishe you to absteyn froÌ„ drincking of the same The religioÌ„ whiche this day men defende by fyre and swearde is a cuppe enue nomed of which whosoeuer dricketh except by trew repeÌ„tance he
of burnt sacrifice which onely ought to haue ben offered vnto God O bishoppes ye shoulde haue kepte thys fyre at morne and at euen oughte ye to haue layed faggottes therupoÌ„ your selfs oughte to haue clenged carryed awaye the asshes but God shal be holde In the punishment of these two aforesayd is to be obserued that Nadab and Abihu were the principall priestes next to AaroÌ„ their father and that they were coÌ„prehended neither in aduoutry couetonsnes nor desyre of worldly honour but of a good zeale simple entent were making sacrifice desyring no profite of the people therby but to honour God to mitigate his wrath And yet in y e doyng of this self same acte sacrifice were they consumed away with fyre Wherof it is plain that neither the preemmence of y t person or man that maketh or setteth vp any religion withoute the expresse commaundement of God nor yet the 〈◊〉 wherof he doeth the same is accepted before God For nothinge in his religion will he admit without his own word but all that is added thereto doth he abhorre and punisheth the inuentors and doers thereof as ye haue heard in Nadab and Abihu by Gedeon and diuers other Israelites setting vp some thinge to honor God whereof they had no expresse commaundement 4. A story whiche is recited in the popes cronicles will I recite whiche differeth nothinge frome this punishment of Nadab c. Gregorius magnus in the time of the moste contagious pestilence wherewith God punished the iniquitie of Rome for nowe was y â— wicked horne that Antichrist spronge vp and set in authoritie in this tyme I saye Gregory the pope deuised a new honpringe of God the inuocation of sainctes called the Latinie Wherof in the scriptures neither is there authoritie nor commaundement vppon whiche sacrilege and Idolatrye God declared his wrath euen as he did vpon Nadab and Abihu For in the instante houre when first this â—etanye was recyted in open procession as they call it foure score of the principal men that recyted the same horriblye were striken by y e plague of God to death all in an houre The papistes attribute this to the contagious ayre and vehemency of the plague But it was none other thinge but a manifest declaration of goddes wrathe for inuentinge and bringinge in into the churche a false and diabolicall religion For whyle we desyre sainctes too make intercession and to pray for vs what other thinge do werthen eâ—â—eme the aduocation of Iesus Christe not to be sufficient for vs. And what can be more deuelish Of these precedents it is playn y â— no man in earthe hathe power nor authoritie to statute any thing to the honor of God not commaÌ„ded by hys owne worde 5. It profiteth nothing to say the churche hath power to set vp deuise or inuent honoring of god as it thinketh moste expedient for the glory of God This is the continuall cryeng of the papistes the church the church hath al power it can not erre for Christe sayeth I will be with you to the ende of the world wheresoeuer is two or thre gadered in my name ther am I in y â— myddes of them Of thys falsely conclude they the churche maye do all that semeth good for the glory of God whatsoeuer the churche doeth that accepteth and approueth God 6. I could euidently proue that which they cal y t church not to be y t church imaâ—â—late spouse of Iesus Christ which doeth not erre But presently Iaske â–ª if the church of God be bounde to this perpetuall precept Not that thinge whiche appeareth righteous in thyne owne eyes that shalt thou do but what God hath commauÌ„ded that obserue and kepe And if they â—iâ—deny I desyre to be certified who hathe abrogated and made the same of none effect In my iudgement Iesus Christe confirmeth the same sayeng my shepe heare my voyce and a straunger they will not heare but flye from him To heare his voyce whiche is also the voyce of God the father is to vnderstande and obey 〈…〉 nd to flye froÌ„ a straÌ„ger is to admitâ—e none other doctrine worsâ—â—ppinge nor honoringe of God then hath proceded forth of his owne mouthe As he hym self testifieth sayeng â–ª al that is of the â—erâ—â—â—e heare my voyce And Paule sayeth the churche 〈…〉 founded vpon the foundatioÌ„ of 〈…〉 e prophetes apostles whiche foundation no doubte is the law and the Euangile so that it maye commaund nothing that is not coÌ„â—eyned in one of the two for if so â—â—t doeth it is remoued froÌ„ y â— onely foundation and so ceasseth to be the churche of Christe 7. Secondly I wold aske if that Iesus Christe be not kynge and head of his church This will no man denye If he be kynge then must he do the office of a kynge which is not onely to guyde rule defend his subiectes but also to make statute lawes which lawes only are his subiectes bounde to obey and not the lawes of anye forren princes Then it becommeth the churche of Iesus Christ to aduert what he speaketh to receyue and embrace his lawes and where he maketh end of speaking or law geuing So y â— al y â— power of y â— church is subiect to goddes worde And that is moste euident by the commaundement â–ª geuen of God vnto Iosua his chosen câ—pâ—â—ayn leader of his people in these words be strong and valyant that thou maidâ— according to the holy law whiche â—â— seâ—uant â—â—oses commaunded vnto the decline not froÌ„ it neither to the righte hande nor to the left â—c Let not the boke of the lawâ— depart from thy mouth but 〈…〉 in it bothe daye and nightâ— that then maye kepe and do in all thinges accordinge to that whiche is writteâ— therein c. Here was â—â— not permitted to Iosuâ— to altâ—r one iote ceremony or 〈…〉 in all the law of God not yet for to â—â—â—e thereunto but diligeÌ„â—lâ— for to obseruâ— that which was commaunded No lesse obedience requyreth God of vs then â—e did of Iosue his seruaunt For â—e wil haue the religioÌ„ ordeined by his onely sonne Iesus Christ moste straitlye obserued and not to be violated in any parte 8. For that I fynde geuen in charge to y â— congregation of Thiatira in these wordes I say vnto you and vnto the rest that are in Thiatira Who that hath not the doctrine meaninge of the diabolicall doctrine before rehersed and who y â— knoweth not the depeneâ— of Sathan I will put vppon you none other burtheÌ„ but y â— which ye haue hold till I come Marke wel y â— y â— spirite of God calleth al which is added to Christes religion the doctrine of the deuel depe inuention of y â— aduersarye Sathan as also did Paule writing to Timothie And Iesus Christe sayeth I will laye vpon you none other burtheÌ„ then I haue alredy and that which ye haue obserue diligently O God eternal hast thou laied none
delyted in their abominations And playn it is that theirfore sayd sacrifices were commauÌ„ded to be done by God â–ª and were not inuented no not one iote therof by mans wysedom Reade the bokes of Moyses Exodus Leuiticus and thou shalte perceyue them to be very commaundementes of God and yet sayeth y â— Prophete they haue chosen theym in their owne wayes Wherby y e prophet ment and vnderstode y t they had added vnto them an opinion whiche made them to be abominable before God This opinioÌ„ was as in the same prophet and diuers others maye be espied That by workinge of the externall worke they mighte purchase the fauoure of God make satisfaction for their sinnes bi the same sacrifices And that I collecte of Ieremye sayeng ye beleue false woordes whiche shall not profit you For when ye haue stolen murthered committed adultery and periury c. Then ye come and staÌ„d before me in this hous whiche hath my name geuen vnto it and ye say we are deliuered or absolued albeit we haue done all these abominations Thei thought and verely beleued their synnes to haue ben remitted by vertue of their sacrifice offered But Esay asketh of them why speÌ„d ye siluer for that which is not sure coÌ„sume labor for that which doeth not sacyat Ye do hyde youre selfe with leasinges but they estemed them to haue ben verites ye make a baÌ„d or couenaÌ„t with death but it shall not staÌ„de for when destructioÌ„ coÌ„meth it shall ouerwhelme you Their fals prophetes had taught them to cry peace peace when yet there was no peace in their conscience for they which dyd eate y e synne of the people as oure peruers priestes haue long done for the more wicked men were the more desyre they had of y e masse thinking by vertue therof all was purged The pestilent priestes of Moyses law as witnessed y e prophetes caused y e people to beleue that by oblation of the sacrifice they were iust and innocente and durst desyre for suche offerings plague and the furor of God to be remoued But it is aunswered vnto them by y â— prophet Micheas shall I come in his presence with burnt offeringes and yeare olde â—ambes or doeth a thousand rammes please him or tenne thousaÌ„d boyt of oyle Shall I geue my fyrst sonne for expiation of myne iniquitie Or y e frute of my woÌ„be a synne offeringe for my soule Here the prophete plainly witnesseth that no externall worke how excelleÌ„t that euer it be doth purge or make satisfaction for syn And so of the precedentes it is playn that a wicked opinion added too the very worke sacrifice or ceremony commaunded to be done vsed by God maketh it abomination and Idolatry For Idolatry is not onely too worship y e thinge whiche is not God but also too truste or leane vnto that thing whiche is not God and hath not in hytselfe all sufficiencye and therfore Paule calleth couetouse men Idolatrors because their coÌ„fidence trust is in their rydyes Muche more wolde he call hym an Idolatror whose hart beleueth remission of synnes by a vayne worke done by him selfe or by an other in his name But now let vs heare if vnto the masse be ioyned a wicked opinion It hath ben holden in common opinion It plainlye hath ben taught by law it is decreed and in the wordes of the masse it is expressed that the masse is a sacrifice and oblation for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead So y t remission of synnes vndoubtedlye was beleued by that same action and worke presentlye done by the priest Sufficient it were for me by the playn woordes of the foresaid prophetes here for to coÌ„clude it abominatioÌ„ seing they playnly shew y â— remissioÌ„ of synnes coÌ„meth onely of the mere mercy of God without all deseruinge of vs or of our worke proceding of our selfs â—s Esaye writteth sayenge I am â—e whiche remoueth thyne iniquitie that for myne own sake But if I shall proue this foresayd opinion whiche hath ben holden of the masse to be fals deceyuable and vayne and that it is no sacrifice for synne shall then eyther coÌ„suetude long processe of tyme or multitude of papisticall patrons defend that it is not abominatioÌ„ and Idolatrye And firste I aske who offereth this sacrifice and what is offered The priest sayeth y e papistes offreth Iesus Christe vnto the father Than demaunde I if a man can offre vnto God a more precious thing than hym self And it appeareth that not For Paule commaundeth that we offre vnto God a holy liuely and reasonable sacrifice which he calleth oure owne bodyes And Iesus Christ hauing nothinge more preciouse then hym self dyd offer vp hym self If Paule had knoweÌ„ any other sacrifice after the death of Iesus Christ that is in all the tyme of the new testamente more acceptable vnto God then y e mortification of oure owne bodyes wold he not aduertised vstherof If there was any other sacrifice and he dyd not know therof then led not y e spirit hiÌ„ in to all veritie whiche to saye were blasphemy If he knew it and yet dyd not aduertyse vs therof than dyd he not the dutie and office of a trew preacher and that to affirme were like impâ—â—tie If any might haue offered Iesus Christe but hym selfe onely In vayn it had ben to hym to haue suffered so cruell torment in hys owne person by oblatioÌ„ of hym self And so to affirme that a mortall man may offer him who is immortall God In myne opinion is malepart proudnes But let vs heare more Paule saieth by one oblation hath he made perfyt for euer them whiche are sanctifyed And also remissioÌ„ of synnes once gotten there resteth no more sacrifice They will not auoyde Paules wordes althought they saye Paule speaketh of the Leuiticall sacrifice No papistes he exciudeth all manner of sacrifice sayeng Nulla amplius rest at oblatio no more sacrifice resteth And that testifieth Iesus Christ hym self vpon the Crosse sayeng Consuâ—â—aâ—um est that is what euer is requyred for pacifyenge my fathers wrath iustly moued against synne what euer is necessary for reconciliacioÌ„ of mankynd to the fauoure of my eternall father and what euer the purgation of the synnes of the hole worlde requyred is now complete ended so that no further sacrifice resteth for synne Heare ye papistes two witnes speake agaynste you How can ye denye the opinion of your masse to be fals and vayn Ye say it is a sacrifice for syn but Paule and Iesus Christe say the onely death of Christ was sacrifice sufficient for synne and after it resteth none other sacrifice speake or els ye are lyke to be coÌ„demned I knowe ye will saye it is none other sacrifice but the selfe same saue that it is iterated and renewed But the wordes of Paule bynd you more strayte then that so ye may escape for in his hole disputation contendeth he not onelye that