doctrine into the poyson of their opinions into their impietie of religion into the laberinthe of their traditions and into the monstrâ—ouse misshapen orders of cloysterers and Regulers finally when I doe throughly consider the liuely fountaines of Euangelicall sinceritie and doctrine Apostolicall troubled and defiled in most filthy maner by theÌ„ and the chiefe and onely authour thereof the Pope of Rome I become not a litle doutfull in mine imagination whether the tyrannie of the Turke haue more grieuousâ—y wounded the Christian common weale or the docrine of the Pope hath beene more preiudiciall too the Gospell of Christ whether the Turkishe â—ury either the Popes flames and fagottes or his crafty conspiracies haue swallowed vp and deuoured more Christians And yet neither doth this milde and catholike father relent from his crueltie but rusheth on much more rudely not only vpon the soules but also vpoÌ„ the very throates of Christians more horribly raging with slaughter butâ—herie against the faithfull theÌ„ the most rauenous Turke in the world If the cause of this horrour were now to be rendered might we be so bolde to learne of your holines for the honor of your supersacred myter O reuerend father what reason or matter did first enduce you or euen now yet enforce you to so great disorder outrage What say you what bring you what do you alleadge wherein you may worthely accuse vs or wherein we ought not much rather coâ—demne your fatherhood what hath any of vs deserued worthy of these tragedies what haue we euer practised any force against you or haue we euer lyen in wayte for your life haue wee at any time attempted too despoyle you of your citie or tabernacle If not why may it not be lawful for vs quietly to enioy our poore cotages without your comptrollement for you endeuour as much as in you lieth not onely to exclude vs from out our cities countries wherin wee remaine but too bereaue vs our liues also With the smart of al which outrages raysed by you your fraternitie as many other nations haâ—e bene heretofore grieuously punished so also not long sithence both Fraunce and Flaunders yea and Scotland also and of late noâ—e likewyse her neere borderer and neighbour Irelande to speake nothing meane whiles of her neerest neighbour England which seemeth euen at this present to be circumueÌ„â—ed with the crafty vnderminings of you and your complices and to stande in no small danger vnlesse the heauenly maiestie preuent your treacheries betimes For what thinke you that your crafty councels though cunningly coucht and packt together bee vnknowen vnto vs that wee vnderstande not what you haue done what you doe what you shoote at whome yee seeke to vndermyne what your deuises be at home what your driftes be abroade what you and your confederates whisper together And put the case that these your couert conceipts be hidden from vs which you suppresse with silence what will you so blindfold the eies of Gods maiestie that hee may not be able to see into your close coâ—celed villanies and make them more open then the day light But I beseeche you sir if the Turke supplyed the place of the Pope in Rome at this present woulde make speedy prouision by all meanes possible to roote vs and the whole name of Christians out What more horrible attempt could he procure for our vtter ouerthrowe or if we our selues were miscreantes and Turkes not Christians how could you possibly hate vs more deadly or persecute vs more furiously But I surcease from farther complaintes though iustifiable enough against you that I may the better prosecute the matters that apperteine more properly to our purpose for I do right well perceiue whereunto all this your whotte contention and troublesome broyles doe aspire at the length To witte either by pollicie to allure vs or by compulsion to hale vs too the doctrine and faith which you cal catholike Go to may we know if it please your fatherhood what kinde of catholike doctrine this is wherâ—unto you call vs. To relent now somewhat of that contentious kinde of quarreling and to coÌ„ferre with you nowe not as moued with any malice against you as I may iustly enough but to debate the controuersy pleading it as it were at the barre against you according to the equitie and truth of the cause by substantiall matter rather then frutelesse wordes Imagine therefore with your selfe holy father that you sitte not now in your consistory at Rome as iudge of your owne cause but to be araigned as guilty of the crime before the maiestie of Christian princes in a certen publike and generall councell before whom you ought long sithence haue byn put to your purgation Come of therefore you reuerende and holy bishop for y e loue reuereÌ„ce you beare to S. Peter who cooÌ„maÌ„deth you to reÌ„der a reason of your faith to theÌ„ that demaÌ„d it of you Tel vs fraÌ„kely opeÌ„ly what maner forme of faith is that at the length which you obtrude vpoÌ„ vs on this wise y t the vnlettered may also vnderstaÌ„d it What wil you driue vs to this point first to make vs â—o acknowledge the Pope of Rome for Christes vicar on earth the only lord of Christian vniuersalitie But this first demaund of yours the Lord him self doth countermaund who assigneth lordship ouer natiâ—ns properly vnto kings assubiecteâ—h Apostles to ministery forbidding theÌ„ al maner of mastery It shal not be so amoÌ„gst you but he that wil be greatest amoÌ„gst you shabe your sâ—ruant what can be more manifest But against this is a reply vrged here of the person of saint Peter whome they reporte to haue bene the chiefe of the Apostles But what do I heare did Peter euer arrogate vnto him selfe any soueraintie ouer the Apostles or did hee euer affect vniuersall dictatorship ouer the congregation of Christians Or if he had so done would the Lorde haue euer permitted it who neuer presumed of any such lordlinesse in him selfe nor could abide it in his other disciples nay rather did vtterly forbid it by words by signes by example by all possible and manifest demonstrations And doe you yet after so many so manifest and so approued testimonies dreame still of a princely seignorie ouer Christes churche What is your other demande then That we cappe kâ—eele vnto reuerently worshippe and call vpon hee saincâ—es and shee sainctes which the Romishe Canons haue in their kalender registred for sainctes and procure them to bee our proctours and aduocates before God But the holy scripture doth direct vs but to one only mediatour in heauen who alwayes liueth saieth Paul to the ende he may make intercession for vs. That we should proâ—trate our â—elues before pictures and images That wee should gadde on pilgrimage to stockes and stoanes the holy scriptures do call you from nothing more earnestly That shauelings and votaries be restrained from fâ—ee libertie to marry eating flesh
say that one and the selfe same Christe may sitte in heauen according to his natural and bodily presence and at the selfe same time too be handled with hands on earth that the substance of one selfe body is limitted at one selfe time in one certaine place to be conteined in infinite places that as touching the person Christ is but one but hath two kindes of bodies the one whereof must be onely locall and al the rest of his bodies not local to be in a place yet to fill no place certen to be a true natural body of a natural man and yet to be neither round nor broad neither short nor thick nor long neither to haue in it selfe any proportion or distaunce of members to wit no distaÌ„ce froÌ„ eye to eye from eyes to eares froÌ„ head to feet but wher y â— eies be there also must be the eares where the arme is ther must be the leg finally the heele hand head foote must be al one meÌ„mber euery of theÌ„ supply others place altogethers to be one body of Christe full complete and of all partes absolute in tenne thousande diuerse places at once and yet all these must make vp but one onely body And in this doing I praye you what is els done then according to the heresie of Eutiches in establishing the diuinitie of Christe too ouerthrowe meane whyles the truthe of his humanitie vtterly and to choppe together into one confuse mixture God and man heauen and earth altogether Of which matter let vs once againe heare what Augustine saieth Do not dout sayeth hee that the man Christe is there nowe from whence hee shall come agayne imprinte in thy minde and beleeue stedfastly the Christian faith that hee is risen agayne from the dead ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of his father and shall come from thence not from any where els too iudge the quicke and the dead in the very same forme and substance of body too the which hee hath giuen immortalitie and from the which he hath not taken nature awaye According to this nature he is not to be imagined to bee dispersed euery where For we must be very circumspect herein least we do establishe the diuinitie of his manhood that wee vtterly take away the truthe of his body For it is no good argument to saye that as in the nature of the Godhead hee is euery where as God likewise we haue our beeing our life our mouing in him yet are not we therefore euery where as he is for he is after one sorte a man in the godhead and after an other sorte a God in the manhoode after a certen peculiar proper singular maner For this one person is both God and man and they both one only Christ Iesus in al places as he is Godâ— but as he is maÌ„ in heauen c. You haue now a playne demonstration of Augustines iudgemeÌ„t touching the sacrameÌ„t of Christs body no lesse euident in wordes in reason manifest then autentick in substaÌ„ce authoritie Unto whose testimony if nought els were added I would surely think our selues sufficiently furnished euen with this one to ouerthrow all the grosse absurdities of that Popish doctrine But lest we may not seeme to produce as it were this one alone from amongest al other wryters but rather one ouâ— of many we doo not heere so much vouch Augustine himselfe as in the name of Augustine specifie the general faith and common consent of the learned fathers in Augustines time and in the same Augustine the antiquitie of the doctrine touching that matter to be considered For what els did the generall agreement of the Churche proclaime publiquely abroade what do their wrytinges purport vnto vs at this present what do their bookes testifie els then the very same which wee professe at this day deliuered vnto vs from those our first teachers amongest all the which the neerer any one liued to that auncient age of the Apostles so much the further did he dissent from that newfangled toy of transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ I should rather haue said dâ—ousy dreame The truth wherof beeing iustifiable by many sundry proofes wil yet appeare much more abuÌ„dantly in this that not one so much of al that primitiue purer age did euer speake woord of any such adoring of the sacrament of any such transubstantiation reseruatioÌ„ carrying abroade of any such byhangers and fourmes without a subiect or of excluding the substance of bread but al ingeneral with one voyce do proclaime that bread and wine is a signe of Christs body blood some call it a figure others an exemplar others a type some a likenesse and token many a memorial and al with one voice confesse too bee a sacrament of the body of some the body is sayde to bee represented by the bread of many too bee shewed of others too be signified and many also too bee figured Tertullian doth by expresse woordes say This is my body that is to say this is the figure of my body and in an other place Christe did cal bread his body Origen also no lesse expresly The churche offreth vppe the shewes of the body and of the blood Nazianzen hath these words Concerning the table whervnto we do resort or concerning the tymes and helth and saluation which I do with my mouth receaue from him c. Ambr. saith thus Before the blessing of the words other kindes are named after the blessing the body of Christe is signified And in an other place In the type whereof wee doo drinke the mystical cuppe of his blood Chrysostome also as plainely that hee might dayly shew foorth vnto vs bread and wine for a similitude of Christs body blood according to the order of Melchisedech And againe If Iesus did not suffer death whose memorial then signe is this sacrifice Cyprian saith the people is vnderstood in the water in the wyne blood is shewed forth What caÌ„ be more manifest then the words of Gelasius In this action of mysteries saith he is celebrated the Image and similitude of Christes body and blood Theodoret. Christ dooth not chaunge the nature of bread but putteth theretoo grace Againe in his seconde Dialogue For the mystical signes doo not goe foorth from their nature What shal I neede to cyte Bertram who making a true reporte of the vsage of his tyme dooth remoue neyther bread nor wyne out of the sacrament but establisheth the presence therof by these woordes The bread and wyne is figuratiuely the body and blood of Christe And immediatly after The body of Christ that is celebrated in the Churche by a mystery is after a certaine maner the body of Christe and this manner is in a figure an ymage I passe ouer here Baâ—il who calleth bread an exemplar Ioyne with the foresaide wryters Macarius who testifying most
their Christian Brethren seeyng in outwarde semblaunce and behauiour they doe so courâ—giously braue them selues vpon the meekenesse of Christe vpon the Faith of Peter and the spirit of Paule Wee doe reade in the Scriptures that the moste holy Apostle S. Paule him selfe doth in the mightie power of the spirit thunder out That the weapons of our warrefare be not carnal but mightie in spirite to the subdewing of strong holdes wherewith we doe suppresse euil thoughtes and doe subdewe all power extolling it selfe against the wil of God and leade captiue all thoughts and imaginations to yeelde dewe obedience vnto Christ c. First you see weapons named heere not of one Paule nor of one Peeter but our owne weapons saith he that is to say general weapons common with the vniuersall Church of Christ which are then at the leaste to be exercised not rashly against all persons nor vpon euery light occasion but euen when necessitie vrgeth against those if any shall happen to beeâ— which doe waxe insolent and stifnecked against the knowledge of God and their dewe obedience vnto Christ. Of which sorte if any may be founde faultie in that Realme that may preiudice the grace of Christ surely I will not in any respect abridgâ— condigne correction according to the censure Apostolique But nowe whereas that whole nation to the vttermoste of their power doth indeuour to become the Seruants of Christ whereas there is not one so much that doth not prostrate him selfe to the maiestie of the Sonne of God and to his diuine Godheade that doth not worship him in Spirit and trueth yea and worship him there where the Scriptures haue enthronized him that doth not thankfully acknowledge his Heauenly benefites that doth not yeelde dewe reuerence to his Sacraments that doth not onely professe all obedience linked togither with faith to be dewe vnto him but also repose all their affiaunce and confidence in him Finally whereas in their churches all matters are so orderly administred by them as that no defect may be founde of any thing apperteining too the duetie of true christianitie wherein nothing is admitted that is not consonant to the sacred authoritie of the Euangelicall institution I beseech you Syr Pope of Rome what woulde you desire more What seemeth it not sufficient in your conceite that Christ who alone preserueth the estate of his church be glorified in his owne Church vnlesse the pompe of the Pope be enterlaced with the glory of Christ reuerenced with semblable obedience And from whence els come these tumultes these flashes of lightening and stormes of of thunderboltes raysed vpp Is it bicause they doe yeelde their obedience too Christe as it behooueth them to doe or bicause they humble not theÌ„ selues to the Pope If the glory of Christ be your glory as of right it ought to be what needeth any contention then why doe you noâ— cast downe your proud Peacockes tayle and call your selfe backe againe into the societie of generall obedience But if ye thinke it not sufficient that the sonne of GOD may be magnified without the Romish Bishop why then surcease from hencefoorth to be taken for the seruaunt of Iesu and the heire of Peter For what other thing did Peter or Paule vaunt vpon but the onely glory of Iesu Christ Whether by occasion sayth he or in truth so that Christ be preached herein do I reioyce and will reioyce What say you to this That Christ himselfe whiles hee dwelte here vpon earth would haue a speciall testimonie lefte behinde him howe farre he was both in woordes and deedes estraunged from crauing or groping after glorie who embasing him selfe of his owne freewill euen to the ignominie of the Crosse by howe much he disclaimed from the title of glory so much the more ouerflowing aboundance of glorie did ouerspreade him by onely despising of glory I do not seeke saith he myne owne glory but there is one that seeketh and iudgeth Agayne the same Christ being on a time despised and cast out from that most churlish city did not so attempt any matter of reuenge therefore as that hee seemed very greuously offended with them which did prouoke him to take vengeaunce O heauenly mildenesse of a meeke spirit woorthie of all reuerence and honour You knowe not sayeth hee of what spirite you bee The Sonne of man came not for too destroy but to saue mens liues Now let vs compare the one with the other to witte the Uicar with his head You haue heard how the Lord being not entertayned vpon the way what he did and what answere he gaue But what the Pope woulde haue done in this case if he had beene present furnished with like power to be auenged I doe not here discusse Truely how he behaueth him selfe at this present little England alone may be a sufficient testimonie which hauing now ouer many yeares beene plagued with that Romish ruffler and worne out euen to the bare stumpes with much adoe shaking from her shoulders that yoake of intollerable thraldome durst prâ—sume at the last to cast from out her territories this Tâ—oian horse and reduce her estate to the auncient iberties Hereof springeth that Canker hereof arise these Tragicall furies wherewith he woulde seeme ready to deuoure not the bodies of menne onely but the very soules also if hee were able Goe to nowe and what cause can this â—remshapeâ— Uicar vouch at the length why hee shoulde thus mingle heauen and earth together and rake vpp from the deepe those swallowing Sandes of gaping gulfe Let vs nowe see what the mater is The Pope of Rome is banished out of English soyle in that hee woulde be a Ruler I confesse but as a soiourner he is not excluded But Christ notwithstanding is receiued him doe they imbrace as their Lorde his voice they doe acknowledge and bee obedient vnto but because they knowe not you Sir Pope if they receiue you not why should you storme at it You require pardie that they shoulde couple you with Christ in their worshipping But put the case that Christ can in no wise bee receiued into England vnlesse the Pope be banished neither the Pope haue any possible footing there except they thruste Christe cleane out of their Coastes Whether of these two thinke you conuenient to bee obeyed by them since they can not possibly serue bothe at once Iohn the most worthy Prophet of all Prophets yea more then a Prophet doth cry out in the Desert It behoueth that he increase and that I doe diminish And will you not permit the glory of Christ to growe forwarde in his owne Temple vnlesse your pompe be made copemate of his glory Who bâ—eing his humble seruant faithful freend in deede as in outwarde apparance and words you doe professe to beâ— why then indeuour as seruiceably and faithfully to aduaunce the honor of your Lordâ—â—â—d Maister and withall accept as louingly of your followe seruauntes who dutifully serue the same Lorde
abroade your dayly murthers aswel olde as newe wherwith your vnquencheable tyranny of sauadge bloodthirstines seemeth as yet altogither insatiable These outragies so many and so manifest hee that seeth not with his eyes him wil I not account so much blinde of sight as voide of vnderstanding he that doth not detest them him may I wel iudge to bee not onely not acquainted with any partaking of ciuil humanitie but an vtter alyen and straunger to al vertue godlynes and pietiâ— Your trayterous treacheries are more notoriously manifest to al people and tongues then may any longer be coloured more execrable then can bee borne withal Your counterfayte hornes these many hundred yeeres nowe couerâ—d with cloudes wâ—erwâ—th you haue hidden a rauening bloâ—dsucker vnder the visor of a meekâ— lambe be apparaâ—â— nowe yea beleue me pope they not only more apparaÌ„â—ly glisâ—er in mens eyes then the sunne shine in midday but aâ—so are become very bables mockeries in euery mans month in so much that no man is â—o poore blinde but doth easily discerneâ— no man so blockishe but dooth hartely laâ—gh them to skoâ—ne There was a tyme peraduenture heeretofore whenas these foggy misles of blundered ignoraunce did dazel the eyes of men when as that most happy facultie of imprinting reading of purer sciences most fatall to your sacred Sea was not yet published abroade in the world wherein some place and time might haue beene reserued to cloake your palpable darkenesse But nowe sithens the gladsome dawning of moâ—te resplendisaunt veritie discouereth it selfe wherewith you may see mens vnderstanding illumined and eyes enlightned through Gods wonderful bountie and mercy sithens remaineth no foxe-hole nowe in these Regions wherein you may shroude the daseled drowsinesse of your eluishe errors what other hope may you conceiue of those rotten ragges of moste barbarous grossenesâ—e and lothsome pilfe of filthie superstition but that yee geue place vnto fortune and abide some better chaunce And being conuinced with the truth it self if ye can not be reclaimed to chaunge your mindes yet for very shame chaunge your chaire at the least and runne away into some desart and from thence conueigh your selues into some vnknowne nations who haue not hytherto tasted nor beene deluded with those Romishe gewgawes stagelike statelines masking myzemases you can now no longer deceiue bs as men that haue been more then enough ouerridden and galled with those your misdemeanours Perhaps poore Christian carkasses may bee pinched with the crampes of your tyranny Certes their heartes bee nowe so altogeather estraunged from that common Iuggeler Rome and from that false fornicator Sea as that no hope remaineth now for euer recouering them againe And to the ende yee doe no longer vainely stroke your selues yee Romane Bishoppes with false opinion of assured securitie vnderstande yee for certaintie that the worlde is turned quite contrary wherein yee may see the heauenly trompe of the glorious Gospell preuailing against you your craftie packing your false forged doctrine your hypocrital holynesse your rauenous raging your suttle masking can no longer nowe creepe in corners The very vnlecred multitude of Chrisâ—ians doth beginne nowe too open theyr eyes too beholde the lightsome brightnesse of the trueth Gods people is otherwyse instructed nowe then heeretofore when all the speaches of those Popishe Prelates were holden for Gospell and when the chiefe foundation of religion was grounded not vpon Gods worde but vpon the Popes authoritie But nowe who can bee so witlesse a wayward so senselesse a dottard that cannoâ— easily perceiue your errour in religion your rebelling in conuersation and your pride of life who also beholdeth it doth not from the very bottome of his heart detest abhorre you And heerein surely the matter is come to a good issue That suche a durtie religion is fathered vpon so drowsie a dotterell for suche is the religion as nothing can be more superstitious nothing more estraunged from Christe Suche is your life as nothing can bee more pernicious too the tranquillitie and peace of Christians Wherfore sith you can in no wise be ignoraÌ„t of the deadly hatred of all godly personages set one fire against you procured by your own mischieuous and infamous villanies and which you haue long sithens deserued What other Counsell will ye that I geue you but as I said before to make a necessarie choyse of one of these two eyther to be of the minde to flee the Countrey wherein yee remaine now or to chaunge the religion which you haue wickedly defiled But being fully perswaded that you will accept neither of them and perceiuing you too bee of that sorte whome neither shame of the worlde can driue too your duetie nor feare of God can restraine within the bounds of modestie nor any maner of curtesie can reclaime from crueltie wander on in your purposed race as much and as long as you will for mee I wyll geue you â—â—ee scope to raunge in that Maze of Turkishe impietie wherein yee ruffle and too lulle your selues asleepe in those brainsicke broyles wherein yee triumphe neyther am I any thing at al disquieted with your barking bulls and bloodthirstie curses which you haue vomiâ—ed out so seditiously against Christian Churches without any great daunger thanked be God Nor am I ought terrified with your accusations as falsly forged as fraught ful of poyson neyther moued with these your filthie slanders and vnspeakeable raylings wherewith you haue currishely gnawne many Godly Princes and of late also backbitten and slaundered the moste Soueraigne Ladie and Princely Paragon of England the Queenes Maiesties person chiefly then also her noble kingdome and renowmed nation WIth infamous slaunders layde vnto our charge by you to speake no more now as of my â—elf but in the person of her highnesse for so take it nowe as though not I but the Queenes Maiestie called you too accounte for your shamelesse impudencie against her if wee had receiued of any other besides this Romane Antichriste we woulde thinke it not amisse to frame some more speciall speaches in defence of our innocencie But as now what coulde haue beene more excellently applyed to the right commendation of our renowme what coulde haue been more effectually added to the increase of our euerlasting honour then to bee thus accursed of you being the moste cursed enimie of Christ aboue all other with whoÌ„ no man can possibly be in league vnlesse he be a sworne enimie vntoo you neither can any man be otherwise acceptable vnto him except hee bee at deadly foade with you So that for this cause chiefly aboue all other wee doe yeelde moste heartie and humble thankes too the high and euerlasting Maiestie in that it hath pleased hym â—o vouchsafe vs this so great and vnspeakeable honor For why shoulde wee not Iudge our selfe too bee highly honored in this behalfe more then in any thing else togither with other godly and holy ones of my Lorde God for this that tâ—is Sebah doeâ—h
must iustifie it selfe with substantiall matter I make no reckoning at all of their outward portely ambitious challenge This one thing do I seeke and craue to know what the truth it selfe doth make iustifiable in deede But in seeking what do I finde to conclude all in one word euen all thinges tourned topsy turuie vnder a lambes skynne shrowded rauening wolues vnder the attire of the spouse crept in the strompet of Babylon vnder poore beggerly weâ—des of Christian name conquerours warriours vypers monsters tyrantes scorpions enemies of Christes blood To be briefe nothing lesse then they resemble ouâ—wardly and expressing them selues in all their actions to nothing more neare then to the very I had almost sayde Iewes them selues In this that I name them Iewes let my woordes be condemned for vayne and vtterly voyde of all credit if the matter it selfe doe not approue this to bee true by most euident demonstration and proofe First like as the Iewes put the sonne of God to death long agoe pretending the name of God Euen so these vnder the name of Christe doe hale and drawe without measure without cause without mercy the members of Christe and the sonnes of the Churche in most horrible wyse with execrable crueltie and woluishe sauadgenes to slaughter to fagot and fier and to all maner of vnspeakeable tortures As the olde Iewes leauing the spirite did embrace only the letter which killeth coÌ„uerted all their expositions and interpretations to that vtter letter What doe our Romanistes at this present els then vrge plodde vpon and exact all things to the onely outward letter of the mysticall scripture as to the onely infallible rule of religion They regarde onely the outward speeches of the Gospell but make no reckoning nor any estimat at all of the Lordes meaning hidden vnder the veyle of wordes vnder figures and parables nor what the heauenly wisdome doth deliuer vnder them nor whereunto the holy Ghost doth direct vs thereby They gnawe vpon the outward huske and fleshly exposition of the scripture but aspire not too the spirituall sense neither pearce into the marowe sinowes of the scripture It is a wonder to see howe nimble and suttle witted how earnest whâ—t they be in colde and naked parings and trifles rotten elementes of this worldâ— but in the things which auaile most and be most profitable they be more blinde then beetels and skarce luke warme therein Amongest the Iewes all thinges were handeled with outwarde ceremonies and outwarde traditions Such was the state of that tyme. But if a man will nâ—we examine the shape of Papisticall doctrine accordingly aâ—d compare it to that plattefourme What shall he approue the Papistes to bee els then very naturall Iewes â—auing that the Iewes were exercised in the ce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presâ—ribed vnto them by Gods speciall commaundement But our Romanists hauing no such â—â—arrant from God nay rather being by expresse testimonies of scriptures commanded to raise themselues from these corporall exercises vnto the consideration of more high and heauenly matters yet contrarie to the expresse direction of the Apostolike doctrine they cleaue so amazedly to dumbe ceremonies that all things almost seeme to be transformed by them into colde ceremonies so that on this behalfe the state of the Iewes may seeme much more tollerable then the state of Christians It was counted a great fault amongst the Iewes in the olde time and that also sharply rebuked not without cause for that being so immoderately affected to their ceremonies and traditions they regarded not the commaundements of God and esteemed more of mens traditions than of Gods commandemeÌ„ts Make a comparison now betwixt these holy Prelates of the Romish Court with those Iewes what shall ye finde in theÌ„ that doth not onely resemble Iewishnesse in that kinde of superstition but also farre wonderfully exceede it For plaine demonstration whereof consider the streight iniunctions for breach of their decrees the mercilesse proceedings of their cruel iudgements the vntractable difficultie to obteine pardon for them that do transgresse the Popes lawes that breake their vowes offend in the decrees and traditions of men rather then for such as doe notoriously trespasse in the commaundements of God What should I speake of that wherein this glorious court of Rome doth so altogither agree with the Iewes y t ye shal be scarcely able to discerne whether the Papistes be verie Iewes or the Iewes verie Papists For euen as the Iewes did either heretofore long sithence or euen at this present nowe expect the comming of their Messiah which being furnished with worldly power as a most valiant conqueror garded with inuincible mighty garrisons of stoutest souldiours should with warlike puissaunce and dint of mightie sworde by most notable conquest establish for himselfe an Imperial throne here on earth yea such an Empire as should with inuincible and triumphant earthly pompe kingly royaltie riches dominion glorie and renowne of maiestie Imperiall enforce to be subiect vnto it all other Kings and Monarches of the world what do our holy Fathers of Rome I beseech you else then in like fantasticall drowsinesse wherewith the Iewes doe dreame of their fantastical Messiah forge vnto themselues a glorious worldly Uicar of Messiah whom they bedecke with golde beautifie with pearle and precious stones crowne with a triple diademe vaunce on stately and princely Palfray or rather support and carie abrode on mens shoulders blaze out with more than kingly anâ— Imperial titles endow with yearely reuenewes tributarie prouinces troupes of attendants highest chaire of maâ—estical state finally the verie fulnesse of most absolute power and what not Moreouer as they haue proclaimed this their Uicar of Messiah the chiefe heade Prince and Monarche of the vniuersal church after the same shape do they fashion vnto the same their Bishop a like bishoply church which least should not be in al poynts correspondent to her owne head must bee such as may glitter and shine in outwarde pompe magnificence and wel liking of the whole world which being garnished with â—arthly riches power made mightie and forcible with lawes may make both Prince and people stoupe at her countenance And for this cause to make the state of this their Churche more defensible the graue fathers haue decreed by a verie profouÌ„d Prouiso â— that Cardinals Patriarches and the other estates Syres ecclesiastical should be aduanced in highest honor and dignitie should glitter in golde and purple should abound in wealth possessions and pleasures should flourish in most gorgeous pompe and power princely palaces and courtes that by this meanes they might beautifie the maâ—estie of their glorious mother holy Church and make her to shine and seeme glorious in the eyes of the worlde This is that glorious Citie of God forsooth which is bâ—ilded vpon the holy hilles in the which appeareth neither wrinckle nor blemish in the which may neuer so litle a tytle of â—rrour possibly
manly but brutyshe and sauadgely vnder what fourme so euer it bee couered and hydden Wherefore this loathesomnes doth not consiste in the rawenes but in the very humayne fleshe not in the beholding but in the nature of the thinge it selfe not in that which the eye doth beholde but in that which the heart doth conceyue For if according too the olde prouerbe the wolfe will not deuoure wolues fleshe nor the dogge dogges fleshe is there any man beeing of any manly nature that woulde not abhorre to bee fedde with mans fleshe vnder whatsoeuer fourme it were shrowded or doe ye thinke that Christe did euer conceiue any such matter as when hee helde the bread in his handes wherewith he determined to feede his disciples would therefore exclude bread quyte out of doores to the ende hee might gorge the mawes of men carnally with his naturall fleshe beeing both rawe and aliue contrary to nature without any necessitie without all cause altogether vnprofitable and frutelesse Wherfore you doe not by this meanes exclude lothsomenes from out the sacred mysteries Lombard when you turne the fourmes of bread and wyne into the fleshe of Christe but you choppe a loathsomnes in rather so that nowe this supper may seeme not honourable but horrible if so be that excluding bread and wyne this bee true that you speake that there remayneth nowe nothing to eate but the substaunce of flesh and blood which substance neuerthelesse ye will not vouchsafe to be seene in it owne kynde but vnder an other kynde Wherein ye become two maner of wayes iniurious to the sacrament coupling together therewith a twofolde absurditie First bicause you defraude the fourmes and accidentes of bread of their true and proper subiect Secondly bicause you doe in like maner robbe the very naturall substance of the body of his proper accidentes so that nowe there remayneth neither any substaunce of bread at all nor any fourme of a body on this wyse the Poetes as it seemeth were wonte to describe their Chymeres Neuerthelesse this is not spokeÌ„ to that end as though we would banishe Christe cleane out of the sacrament or that we might seclude our selues from partaking with the holy bodie of Christ in this heauenly Supper But for this reason chiefly y t this holy CoÌ„munion may be cleared from all grosse absurditie If you will demaunde by what meanes Ambrose will answere you verie learnedly who will tel you that ye drinke out of the holie cuppe not blood it selfe but the likenesse of blood rendering the reason why bycause it shall breede sayeth he no loathsomnesse to the stomack And againe in another place hee doeth beare vs witnesse that wee receyue the Sacrament in a likenesse That which Ambrose doth verifie of the likenesse others doe affirme in a figure in a mysterie in a Type in a memoriall Moreouer the same Ambrose writing of the Eucharist sayeth It is the memoriall of our redemption And bycause we be enfranchised by the death of the Lorde wee doe signifie our mindfulnesse of the same death in eating drinking the Lords blood which were offered for vs. And again in the same place The blood saith he is a testimonie of Gods great liberalitie in the Type whereof we doe receiue the mystical cuppe of the blood to the preseruation of bodie and soule Where he calleth the Mystâ—cal cuppe a Type Nowe who is so vnskilful that knoweth not that a Type doeth signifie nothing else than a forme a likenesse and an example Agaiâ—e who knoweth not what great diuersitie there is betwixt likenesse and trueth it selfe and that they bee so contarie eche to other that they cannot agree togither by any meanes Whereby you may learne two things Lombarde both that the horror is taken away and that the substaunce of breade and wine abydeth neuerthelesse still vnempaired All which beeing thus concluded vpon as appeareth by plaine demonstration before all that your lying and false assertion infringible as you tearme it is become windshaken altogither wherewith you mainteyne so stoute a combate for the kingdome of accidentes and your transubstantiation as that yee leaue no place nor space for breade and wine in the Sacrament but calling all backe to visible fourmes plant all your whole batterie of the materiall part of the Sacrament vpon these buttresses of shadowes onely Which fourmes though retaine still the names of the things which they were before yet doe ye denie them to be the very thinges themselues Wherevpon if at any time the names of breade and wine doe occurre in the holy Fathers of the Church the same ye teache to be vnderstoode on this wise To witte that they bee called breade and wine not in respect that they be so but bycause they were once so and that the very substance thereof is gone farre away and that therein is nought resiant nowe that is elemental besides the onely names of elementes and emptie fourmes onely of breade and wine the names whereof they doe reteyne still but haue vtterly lost the verie substaunces themselues and do conteyne nought else now besides the naturall and substanciall bodie of Christ by the which bodie neither bee the fourmes affected nor doth the bodie affect the fourmes Loe this nowe is your gay diuinitie in describing the Sacrament the which howe agreeth with the Scriptures with the iudgementes of the auncient Faâ—hers with the antiquitie of the purer primitiue Church â—nd with fayth it selfe nay rather howe farre and wide it is dissonant and diâ—crepant from all truth and reason it shall not bee amisse to discouer in fewe woordes for I thinke it not coâ—uenient to vse many wordes herein And first wheÌ„ we heare that saying of Paul Let a man proue himselfe and so let him eate of that breade and drinke of that cuppe c. May any man bee so boyde of reason to affirme this to be spoken touching the fourmes and not the materiall part of breade and wine for what shall we say may any man ymagine that to eate to breake to eate of the breade to drinke of the cuppe is to bee referred to emptie and bare shadowes of bread and wine onely and not to the naturall breade In the Decrees is a certaine â—entence extant vouched out of Hylarie whereof we made mention before The bodie of Christ sayth he that is receiued of the altar is a figure whiles the bread wine are apparantly seene with eyes but it is the very body when the inward fayth apprehendeth it for the bodie and blood of Christ. c. To the same effect and in like plaine phrase of speech writeth Cyprianus The Lorde sayth Cyprian did vouchsaâ—e to call wine by the name of his blood the liquor which was enforced by the presse out of the grapes and clusters and made into wine c. For what shal we say do we easily wring accidents of wine out of grapes clusters not rather the very substancial liquor of
the doctrine and opinion touching the substaunce and fayth of this sacrament was then in that olde auncient age amongest those Catholike and godly auncient fathers and howe farre this your newe vpstart chaungeling of â—raÌ„substantiation doth differre not only from al auncient antiquity but also from the trueth of the scripture it selfe which many of your own frateâ—ny Impes of this later age did not onely very wisely forsee but very frankely confesse as your selfe do know wel ynough For I suppose the name of the Author or the wordes of the Author at the least bee not vnknowen vnto you who albeit neuer durst deny transubstantiation himselfe yet feared nothing â—o vâ—ter his iudgement thereof freely The Churche saieth hee did but very lately set down the determination touching transubstantiation for before that it was thought sufficient that the true body of Christ was conteined really either vnder consecrated bread or by any meanes els but afterwardes when the churche began to looke more narrowly into the substaunce of the matter and to enter into more exact consideration therof it gaue foorth a more resolute determinatioÌ„ of the same c. To the same effect almost writeth also Iohn Fisher bishop of Rochester not the least Apostle of the Romish church who in his booke entituled A Defeâ—ce for the King of England discoursing vppon transubstantiation and the vse of the sacrament commeth at the last to this conclusion to wit that TraÌ„substantiation is grouÌ„ded more vpoÌ„ the authoritie aud determination of the church then can be iustifiable by the scriptures of God the Gospel Wherein he did not amisse For who doth not know that in that first nourcery of the Primitiue Churche yea and many hundred yeeres after whenas Bede Bertram and Rabanus Maurus were liuing in the world euen vnto that vnlucky hatching of Hildebrande and Innocent the thiâ—de not so much as this name Transubstantiation was euer hearde of vntill at the length in a Councell holdâ—n at Laterane in Rome the solemne edicte was established of banishing the substaunce of bread quytâ— out of the sacrament For if at any tyme before that councel the church had defyned any certain and grounded docâ—rine touching the same how falleth it out theÌ„ that there is such a continual falling â—ut amongest theÌ„ that folowed after in diuersities of opinion and iudgement about that transubstantiatiâ—n which some of them do stoutly maintaine some do vtterly deny it some do by coniecture think that others wil not graunt vnto some others haue supposed some doo so deliuer out that the substaunce of bread wyne doth remaine Lombarde himselfe doth think that there is a certain enterchaunge but what manner of enterchanuge that is whether formal or substantial or of some other fashion hee dareth not of himselfe determine any certainty Likewyse Gabriel Biel sticking fast in the same quauemyre vnable too vnwelde him selfe cleane from out the same is faine at the length too set downe by a plaine denial that in the whole Canonical scriptures can not possibly be founde in expresse woordes whether this transubstantiation dooth beginne by enterchaunging of any somwhat into the body or do without enterchaunging beginne too bee the body with the bread the substaunce and accidentes of bread remaining still What shall wee say to this that euen by the testimony of Pope Innocent the thirde his owne mouth were some persons knowen that did affirme that as the very accidentes of bread did remaine after consecration so also did the very substaunce of bread remaine withal Whereby appeareth manifestly that before that late councel of Laterane was no certaine doctryne established touching transubstantiation To the lyke effect wryteth Nicholas Cusanus Some of the auncient fathers saieth hee are founde too haue beene of this minde that the bread is not transubstantiated but is inuested with a certain substauÌ„â—e of more high valour O notable groundwoorke of transubstantiation perdy builded vppon none other platte fourme then vppon so brittle a fundation as that ridiculous decree of the Romish Church being so late an vpstarte as the which was not so much as by name onely euer hearde of or knowen which neuer peeped abroade into the worlde before Satan being let loose out of Hell after the thousande yeeres of his captiuitie was permitted too raunge openly abroade and too defile all thinges with abhominable stenche and corruption For on this wyse dyd Satan after hee was let loose beginne his first practises very neere the tyme wherein Hildebrande or not long after him Innocent the thyrd began too prop vp theyr Ierarchie ouer the worlde O Sacred and Catholike doctrine of Transubstantiation issuing from so gracious a stocke forsooth and grafted in suche an holy and seasonable a time O neate and fine forgers of fraude of whom notwithstanding if any man will demaunde for the firste Originall of y â— theyr doctrine they wyll not be ashamed to fetche the pedigree thereof euen from the very Apostles themselues and too deduce the auncientie of this theyr transubstantiation euen vnto Melchisedech not much vnlike too theyr neere Cozens the Gebaonites which too colour theyr falshoode shewed foorth theyr olde shoes so do these Romanists make a shew of the auctoritie of theyr owne Churche and the same aduaunce alofâ— as it were Gorgones heade before the eyes and eares of the vnlettered multitude with very solemne protestations Wherein theyr fraudulent guâ—le had not beene altogeather amisse if that the holy Scriptures had not long before discouered vntoo vs that same gracious Church of theirs which they glorifie with the title of Catholike to bee none other then that abhominable strumpet of Babylon And yet for all this these Gentlemen spare not too claime holde of Christe himselfe also as an especiall Patrone of theyr error but not muche vnlike their owne great graundsire Satan who long sithens gaue assaulte vpon the same Christ in his owne person with the words of Scripture synisterly wrest after the bare sense of the letter and as the Iewes doe at this present hacke the Propheticall Scriptures of the old Testament of whom Ierome maketh mention Who following the bare construction of the letter sayeth hee slew the sonne of God The selfe same almost may seeme very aptly appliable vnto them who following the bare letter of the newe Testament doe change the Sacramentes into Idolles doe extinguishe the spirite of the Scripture and doe crucifie Christe with the Iewes a frâ—she in his members againe besides this also because they doe not perceiue sufficient sauetie enough set downe for them in the scriptures they runne by heapes to the chiefe Fortresse of Gods omnipotent power What say they did not Christe affirme in plaine woordes This is my body shall wee doubt that hee was not able to perfourme that which hee spake If Christe woulde vouchsafe vpon his departure from hence to leaue behind him too his dearely beloued Spouse some speciall token or remembrance of him selfe
counsell wee suspende our vnderstanding vppon the wordes of the Lorde and not imagine that to be written which our selues haue taken holde of before we reade it with our owne eyes nor that wee attributâ— so highly to the imaginations of our owne fansies as that with toothe and nayle wee defende that which wee haue once entred vpon but that we search first by carefull inqâ—isition those thinges which we do holde And therefore wee be commaunded to search the scriptures vnto the which it behoueth to assubiect al our determinations altogether not to wrest the scriptures to the fansies of our owne imaginations There may be many and sundrie persons so grossely blockishe and so bluntishe of iudgement who wil allowe of nothing at all but that which they haue receiued of their forefathers and which by olde custome hath beene frequented as though the forefathers coulde not possibly erre or as though truth were wont to be the mother and not the daughter of time Which order if we shal be enforced to obserue to wit that wee accept of nothing to bee safe and sounde in matters of religion but that which hath beene priuiledged by custome of elder yeeres after this rule surely neither Paul nor Peter neither any one of the Apostles at all should euer haue beene a Christian neither shall any the Turkes hereafter bee conuerted into our faith being so many yeeres enured nooseled vp in their owne errors Go to nowe I woulde faine learne of these felowes that doo so stoutly stande vpon the imitation of their forefathers what aunswere they will yelde touching Antichriste whether he is yet to come or when hee commeth where they will saye his kingdome shall bee planted If they will affirme that it shall bee in the Churche what seasons of that churche whyles Antichrist beareth swaye will they describe vnto mee whether it shal be the churche of truthe or of errour And howe can it otherwyse bee but that as long as Antichrist reigneth and possesseth the heartes of men the truth must bee suppressed for a season and errour must possesse the greater part of the churche And where will these men place the churche of Christ then Whether mounted aloft vpon the toppe of a hill which shal be famous and glorious in all mens eyes or shrowding close in some corner rather when as persecution surrounding al places with horror the woman cloathed with the sunne shal be faine to flee into the wildernes when the saintes must be ouercome when the strumpet being drunken with the blood of the saintes shall triumphe in her maiestie where shall nowe become this publique I saye this publique euerlasting victory of truth which many persuade them selues to enioy in the church What shall become of that churche which can not erre when the sainctes shal be slayne in the churche when that false Prophet shall rule the roste euery where when he shall defyle all places with the blood of the holy ones when as also the very elect shall be in great hasard to be seduced finally when as so merciles a gulf shall swallowe vp the godly that the very horrour of the perill shall procure the ende of all euils long before the determined tyme when as the childe of perdition shall be shryned in the temple of the Lorde all which if we see plainely accomplished alrâ—ady and that it can not bee denyed but that Antichrist hath sitten long sithence in the Temple of God and with all is reuealed what mad men are they nowe that goe about to persuade vs toothe vsages of the fathers and custome of the tymes which were subiect vnto the tyranny of Antichriste which also bragge so lustely vppoâ— their pontificall Papane succession neuer empayred nor vndiscontinued since the very age of the Apostles in as much as Antichriste hath reigned so many yeeres nowe in the Churche of God But if they wyl deny that this enemy of Christe is not as yet come O miserable and to much forlorne estate of seely Christians For if within these fewe yeeres synce the tyme that Crosses were fastened first vppon the garmentes of Christians namely in the tyme of Maximilian the Emperour so incredible hauocke hath beene made of Christian martyrs by the onely butchery of the Pope of Rome as is skarse credible too bee beleeued Certes if soo many thousandes of Christians haue beene swallowed vpp and deuoured with soo manye and soo monstruouse tortures heretofore for Christe and the Gospels sake in these peacible and calme regimentes of Christian princes what shall poore Christians expect to befall them hereafter vnder the tyranny of Antichriste Which beeing as you see more manifest then the sunneshine in midday plucke vp your heartes therefore you men and brethren and fellowe souldiours in Christe and according to your wisdomes atchieue an enterprise worthy your wisedomes not whereuÌ„to vnaduised custome doth entise you but which truth it self doth sweetely perswade you haue regarde vnto not that whereunto better and more considerat times doe prouoke you that yee may not seeme to be more willing to wander in the wayward course of their errours then with these to be endued with sounder vnderstanding and knowledge For here is matter of no smal emportaÌ„ce peril beleue me haÌ„dling in hande yea so much the more daungerous by howe much the more your insufficiency to attaine the knoweâ—â—dge of the truth is supported by great abundance of supply and helpe For albeit your forefathers did erre in olde time yet is their excuse more colourable then yours If they being at any time carried away by suttle practises of their Popes were affectionated to fables according to the barbarous grossenesse of those dayes either bicause they were not instructed more soundly or bicause those helpes and aydes of bookes and good literature was not as yet extant from out the Printers shoppes or els bicause that childe of perdition was not yet reuealed this may be lesse cause to maruell of your forefathers ignorance yet them selues also bee in that respect somewhat the more pardonable But now in this so cleare and orient a glasse of discouering all thinges so many helpes and aydes of speaking and hearing beeing already prepared for your behoofe sithence nowe the spirite of the mouth of Christ hath discouered displayed abroade and portrayed out this Antichrisâ—e in his very liniamentes and liuely colours as it were so that the eyes of all men may plainely discerne him and that there can not be any man so blinde except such a one as will of set purpose close his eyes fast but that hee must needes manifestly discerne this horrible traitour of Chrisâ—e Certes no man can possibly beare any zeale or fauour towardes him but he that will be a notorious creaâ—hour in deede and will likewyse partake with him in the selfe lake of perdiâ—ion And for this cause the Angell in the Apocalipse doth with so terrible a threatening call vs away from him denouncing the cup of Gods wrath and