be trewe baptisme becaus there is the substance of the same that is to say the water And affter thos holy wordes that is to say I baptise the in the name of the father the sonn and of the holy goost Amen Euen so is it of the masse that for all that that there be many things added and that it is infolied with many diuicis of men yet the substance not withstanding of the sacrament is there that is to say the bread and the wine ād the wordes of the consecraciō the which things be instituted and ordeined by Christ him selff nor our purpos is not to allowe any other thing but Christis plaine institution And allthough there be made a certē worship we doo not worship the sacrament For god forbid we shuld but we doo worshipp Iesus Christ and no nother Therfor we doo not sinne going to the masse for so moch as that we doo not approue any other thing than that which is good and that which is of god The rest we leaue and we gather as it is comonly said the rose and leaue the thornes To conclude The fifft reason thei bring furth thexamples of the holy scripture that is to say of Nicodemus of Ioseph of the citie of Aramathea which both were secret disciples of Iesus Christ Luk. 23. Iohn 3.7.19 And theuangelistes doo witnes of them saing that thei were Iust Ioh. 3.7.19 And of Nicodemus Iohn writeth that he came first to Iesus by night Affterward he defended him in the cowncell of the Iewes In the end he caried an hundreth pownd of mirrh and Aloes to Christes buriall Surely thes were holy and iust men yet thei hidd them selfes for feare of the Iewes the which cowld not haue bene iff thei had not dissembled with thother Iewes doing as they did 4. kings 5. Thei bring furth also thexample of Naaman Sirus of whom it is writton in the iiij booke of the kings that Heliseus granted him that he might enter in to the temple of Remmon which was an Idoll and to worshipp in the same with the king of Siria Naaman being the chefe of the same kings warr And why may not we also doo the like Now thes and other like reasons and scusis be no nother but pretenses to doo euell and leaues with the which men wold yet couer thos things that thei doo but thei be deceiued as we will make it appeare But first we will proue our purpos that is to say that by no meanes it is lawfull to a Christian to say nor to heare no nor to be present at the masse and affter we will answer to thes reasons He that goeth to the masse doth iij. great euels He that goth to the mass doth 3. great euils First he doth against the honor nor of God Secondly against his neighbors safetie Thirdly against his own sowle helth That he doth against Gods honor I will proue it It is plaine that in no case it is at any time lawfull to doo against Gods honor for so moch as the honor and glory of God with the angels with mē ād with all maner of creatures is of more importans than the heauen and the earth becaus that God hath made euery thing for his glory as Salomon saith in the Prouerbis that is Prouer. 16. the lord hath wrought all things for him selff ād the wicked for the euell day That he who goth to the Masse or saith it or standeth there present at it doith against Gods honor it is to plaine for that we haue in the former discours hetherto proued that the Masse is the greatest abhominacion that euer was in all worlds becaus that there is committed a most gret Idolatry and that honor that belongeth only to God and Christ is geuen to plaine creatures The Masse is full of falsodes of supersticions of abuses of wickednessis and of blasphemies against God and Christ And how can it be euer lawfull in any case let it be what so euer it will for a Christen man to say it to heare it or to be present at it And iff a gentle man do more esteme his honor than his own liffe how moch more ought we to esteme Gods honor for the which we ought to gyue not only one but infinite liues iff we had so many And so moch the more as euery life is his gifft and procedeth from him yea is his We doo reade that many Idolaters haue bestowed their liffe for their earthly cōtry and for thonor of the same the which notwithstonding affter this present life did loke for none other And shall the Christiā feare to giue his mortall life for Gods honor and Christes for thē of whom he is euery way most sure that he shall haue euerlasting life I proue this thus Paul saith to the Romains euery thing that is not of faith is sinn Who is he knowing what maner a thing the Masse is that knoweth not likewise the same to be against Gods word Iff it be so how than can one with faith and good consciens be present at a thing the which he iudgeth to be blasphemos damnable and against God And who dowteth that he who doeth against his consciens sinnith let him doo what so euer he will It is not therfor lawful by any maner of meanes to be present at the Masse That he doith against his neighbors safetye likewise proue it First he offendeth and hurteth them that haue not yet the knowlege of Christ For so moch as whā thei see one that hath the knowlege of the gospel stād at the Masse herken to it bowe him selff and knele to the Sacrament and worship it what els can thei thinck but that he hath the self same opinion that thei them seluis haue And this being persuaded thei be confirmed in their error saing to them seluis behold him who was come to that newe opinion or religion now he changeth his mind and returneth to the old faith the which he had forsaken Surely he wold neuer haue returned iff he had not knowen that he was deceiued by the pretens of the gospell and perceiued that with vs is the trewe gospell the trewe church and Christes religion God forbid that we shuld forsake our opinion the which he with euident dedes doth shewe to be good And with thes thoughtes thei be enstranged from the gospell and from the truth and be confirmed in error Do yow thinck that this is a small euell with our example to estrange the mindes of men from the gospell and and from Christ and to confirme them in Antichrists church Secondly it hurteth the weake faithfull the which begin to bileue the gospell for whan thei see that thei who better vnderstād thā thē selues goo to the Masse thei become weaker in faith ād occasion is geuen them to returne to their first errors And affter this sort in the rase of faith thei be stopt not only hindered becaus thei begin to dowt And what
and liue for euer to whom be all rule honor and glory for euer and euer So be it THE END A SERMON OF THE SACRAMENT OF THANckes geuing the which declareth whether Christ be really and bodily in the same or no. I CAN NOT SAY HOW moch mirth and yoie is in my hart whan I see in this our age that there is kindeled in the mindes of many the holy desire to vnderstand gods things that is to say the inestimable and the incomprehensible treasures hidden in Christ Iesus whose knowlege passeth euery other knowlege and wisdoÌ„ and doth so farr excell Philip. 3. that Paul thapostel thought euery other thing losse and worthy the throwing awai in comparison of that Neuertheles the lord doth not geue this desire to know Christ to all men but to his own that is to say to the elect only the which he hath before the beginning of the world forepointed that thei shuld be to his praise and glory Ephes 1. Of the other side not with standing I can not but be sory seing in thes same times whan the gospell that hath bene hidden so many worlds past is by the goodnes of god lately come furth to light that there shuld be so mani and so diuers opinions of thes things that god hath Instituted to kepe agrement and peace among the faithful that is to say of the sacraments of the church in such sort as Sathan the enemy goth abowt with the self same instruments of peace and vnitie to make warr against Christ setting dissension making schismes and sowing debates amongst Christians not only among the people and comon sort but among thos that shuld be lightes glasses and examples of agrement to whom belongeth to teach other that is to say among the ministers and preachers of the holy gospell But this dere brethern ought not to offend yow nor to remoue yow from your holy purpos that yow haue in Christ but rather to confirm yow in faith and to kindle yow to make a gretter entry in to the religion and way of God for so moch as that god doth suffer such striffes and diuersities of opinioÌ„s for the benifite of his church and of the trewe bileuers First to th entent that his 1. Corinh 11 who abide constant and stowt may be manifest whan thother that haue not a trewe growndwork but a fained and vaine faith doo falle and faile Furthermore also to th entent that whan we see such disorders we shuld not put our trust in men the which may all err but we shuld come to gods word the which onlie can not deceiue and that we shuld indeuor our selues with all diligens and care to vnderstand it and that we our selues shuld looke in the scripture whether it be so or 〈◊〉 as we may reade of thos that hard Paul preacâ—â—â—…n the citie of Berrhoe in Macedony as it is writteÌ„ in in thactis of thapostels Act. 17. the which whan thei hard Paules sermon thei looked in the scripture itself whether it was so as he said 〈◊〉 â—…o And to be short to th enteÌ„t that we shuld prai vnto god that he wold geue vs the trewe vnderstanding of the same because the matters of gods spirite be not vnderstand by any mans way but by gods disclosing 2. Pet. 1. 1. Cho. 2. Now to return to the purpose of the striffe that is of the sacraments Some say that in the sacrameÌ„t of the body and blood of Christ that is to say in the breade and wyne consecrated in remembrans of his death is conteined his very body and his very blood and that there we haue really and bodily all and hole Christ as great and as thick as he was on the crosse Other some say that he is not there but there is only the breade and the wine as signes of Christes body and blood geuen for our redempcion And this controuersy and striffe is in such sort gone forward that it hath with many hindered the course of the holy gospel And it hath made that Christes enemies haue taken occasion and boldnes to blaspheme the holy lerning and gods truth But be it as it will allthough some haue coÌ„mitted a great fawt in this thing striuing euer bitterly against the contrary opinion wherby thei haue shewed them selues to be men and haue in som part spotted their own glory lessening the credite and auctoritie that the world had of them We not withstanding will comfort our seluis with Paules saing which he speaketh to the romaÌ„s Rom. 8. that to gods elect euery thing groweth to good And although that presently thorow such dissensyon we see among many nothing but disorder offence and euel yea hatred toward the gospell yet god for all that who knoweth how to get order owt of disorder and good owt of euell will caus whan it shall please him some great profite to growe owt of it in his church for the present vnknowen but in the end open thus we schuld beleue And becaus I know that many desire to vnderstand what shuld be the trewe opinion of this sacrament I for the loue of the truth for the glory of god and to doo them a pleasure and also a benifite will simply and with as moch easines as is possible sett furth the opinion which I thinck and hold for certeÌ„ hath bene and is the opinion of the Apostles all the awncienty of the holy scripture and of Christ him selff And let no man meruell though I setting the suttletyes a syde shall rather procede with simplenes and familiaritie and also though I shall reherse one thing often for so moch as that my mind is to be plainely vnderstand of all men and chefely of the simple aÌ„d vnlerned And because the thing is of so great waight that it deserueth to be handled with all diligens to th entent that all men may the more easily vnderstand it we by order and by parts will consider it And First we wil see how that there hath bene aÌ„d yet be diuers opinions of this sacrameÌ„t of the supper of the lord aÌ„d the cause why aÌ„d we will bring furth the contrary talkes and reasons to the truth Secondarily whan we haue shewed the trewe and catholike opinioÌ„ we will proue it with sure grownd workes and plaine reasons In the third place we will make it certenly appeare that this is the opinion of the holy fathers and of the old church In the fourth we will answer to the contrary saings and reasons shewing them to be vaine and of no waight In the fift and last we will serch owt from whens the error of the fals Imaginacions in the matter of that sacrament is proceded let vs than in the name of our lord begin We must vnderstand that the cause of the differens in this matter that is to say that some say that Christ is really and bodyly in the sacrament of the bread and the wyne and some other say the contrary that is to
day to come so farr of that is to say from heauen he beinge neerer on the earth what ells neded but that he shal goe out of some coÌ„secrated cake orells hoste as they name it and appere in maiestie aÌ„d glorious Suerly it nedeth not that a thiÌ„ge which is nere vs should come to vs froÌ„ a farr of aÌ„d it can not be denied but a thinge froÌ„ at haÌ„d may lightlyer and easelier If it be not lett come to vs then froÌ„ a farr of Christ therfore is not in the sacrament nor there is not made any maner of chaunge of substance Another reason is this the opinion that saith Christ is bodely in the sacrament diminisheth the trueth of Christs trew and naturall bodye therfore it is false It is clere that the Christian religion holdeth for an article of the faith that Christ is a trew and naturall maÌ„ that is to say Luc. 24 that he hath the very nature of a man and that he hath a very body and a very soule as other men haue And althoughe presently th one and the other that is to say the body aÌ„d the soule be glorified neuertheles they be yet a very bodye aÌ„d a very soule For the glorification taketh not awaie the nature It maketh it in dede more ê‘fit but it taketh it not awaie so as it is not the self same that it was before as we vnderstand by Christ himself who being risen and hauing taken his glorified body said to his disciples behold my hands and my feet that it is euen my self Suerly he should not haue bene the self same that he was before if he had not had the self same hands the self same feet and the self same whole body and the self same soule that he had before That that opinion which holdeth that Christ is bodely in the sacrament diminisheth the trueth of Iesus Christs bodye and his mans nature I do proue it because the nature of a body hath two properties or conditions the first is to haue quantitie that is to say some maner of lenght some maner of bredth and some maner if thicknes and euen as a body hath greater or smaller quantitie so much greater or smaler place it occupieth as by eyperience we may see And his propertie agreeth and is naturall to euery body in such sorte as also the glorified bodies do occupye place that is to saye that the greater glorified body occupieth greater place and the lesse body lesse place euen as Christ Iesus when he was risen did occupye place that is to say he was in so much place as the quaÌ„titie and greatnes of his body was nor he was not in any less place then the greatnes of his bodye was For so much as that this that is to saie to be in lesse place then the quantitie of the body is should diminishe the trueth of the body The other propertie is to be onely in one place And these properties be in such sort natural to a body that thei caÌ„not by any meanes be separated froÌ„ it and when a maÌ„ separateth them from the bodye then shall it be no more a bodye These among the rest be two properties that make the bodye vndyuidehable as the philosophers sai that is to saie thei make that the bodye is an vndyuidehable thinge that is to say onely one other this or that distincte and dyuers from other And that these two properties that is to saye to occupy place and so much as the quantite and greatnes of the body is and likwise that a body cannot be but in one place at ones and at one tyme be in separable from the bodye nor there can be no maner of body that hath them not whether it beglorified or no. We speak not this of oure self onely for Saint Augustine saith it in his 57. epistle answering to dardanus the bishop who had made certain questions or demauÌ„ds to him and he answering him to one after another sayth to the first speaking of Christe risen and glorified doubt not sayth he but the man Christ Iesus is now there froÌ„ whence he shall come And after a few words he sayth he shall come froÌ„ none other place then froÌ„ whence he shall come to iudge the lyuinge and the dead and meaneth from heauen And so he shall come by the witnes of the Aungels voice in the self same forme aÌ„d substance of flesh in the which he was seen go into heaueÌ„ to the which forme and substance in dede he hath geuen immortalitie but he hath not taken away the nature we must not think that according to this forme that is to saye of the flesh he is spred abrode euery where for we must take hede that we do not in such sorte affirme the godhed of the man that we should take away the troth of the bodye for so much as it doth not in dede folow that he that is in god should be so euery where as god And after a few words he saith God aÌ„d man is one person and one Christ Iesus is th one and thother In that that he is god he is euery where but in that that he is man he is in heaueÌ„ And after about the middest of the Epistle or a litle before he saith Take the rowmes of places froÌ„ the bodies aÌ„d they shal not be in any place aÌ„d because they shall not be in any place they shal not be at all take the same bodies from the qualities of bodies and there shall be no place where they should be and therfore it is of necessitie that thei be not Also he saith in the 30. treatise vpon Ihon the lord is aboue but yet the troth is here that is to sai the lord because that the bodye of the lord in the which he is risen must nedes be in one place but the troth of the same is spred abrode euery where By all these words of Augustine we haue specially two thinges The first is that Iesus Christ risen and glorified is not in that he is man but in one place that is to say in heauen from whence he shall come to iudge the lyuing and dead in that he is god he is euery where in the world The second is that the bodies of necessitie do occupye rowme of place aÌ„d if they did not occupy rowme they should not be in any place and being in no place they should not be any thing at all but should be nothinge this groundwork standing that these two properties that is to saye that euery body doth occupy so much place as his greatnes is and likewise it is not at one tyme but in one place And these two properties cannot be taken from bodyes And he that wold take them awaye should bring to passe that the bodyis should not be in anye place as S. Austen sayth and if they should not be in any place thei should be nothing It foloweth necessaryly that if Christ were bodely in the sacrameÌ„t for somuch as there
of the trueth they condemne them they imprison them they torment them and in the ende they kill theÌ„ And what is this but to shew plainely to the whole worlde that they be raueninge wolues and not shepherdes of Christs flock yea that they be very antichristes And the worshipfull inquisitours what els be they but antichristes Catchpoules creweller theÌ„ Neroes so that it were better to fall into the hands of Turks and Mores without comparison then into thers Besyde that they are vtterly ignorant of the holy scripture they are skilled in none other learning but in the skotish and sophisticall mouldines And these as you see are appointed to order the matters of oure faith and in there handes are the goods the honoure and the lyues of poore soules whom miserably they put to death by pretence of the faith although they be enemies of it and of all godlines I am desyrous to make this discours to open there eies Which fault not by maâ—…ice but by ignoraÌ„ce and to make them vnderstand that they should not maruell that I reproue the Masse and the Masse booke saing that they be full of falshod abuses aÌ„d many other errours as it may plainly be sene in this present booke Wherfore I deâ—…yre for the dere loue of Iesus Christ all the louers of the trueth and those that teÌ„der godlines to read â—…nd well consider this my labour for without â—…oubt they shall fynde trew that I say Praye to â—…od for me God be with yow THE TABLE The Table of the matters contained in this present book which we haue deuided in IIII. partes 1. The first parte examineth the Masse from the beginning that is from these words Introibo ad altare Dei vnto that parte which they call the Cannon when the Sanctus is said 2. The second examineth the Cannon it self the which they make the most holy and principall parte of the Masse and is said altogether in secret 3. The third examineth all the rest from the end of the Cannon beginning at these words Per omnia saecula saeculorum which goeth before the Pater noster vnto the end of the Masse 4. The fourth examineth the abuses and the superstitions that be in the same Masse coÌ„cluding after in the end that no Christian ought to be present at it but that it ought to be eschewed of all men as the plage The first parte is deuyded into foure chapters 1. The first saith that the introibo is false and a superstition 2. That the ConfÃteor is not Christian because it maketh no mention of Iesus Christ. 3. The two prayers that are said softly when he goeth to the aulter the one is false and the other is very wicked aÌ„d lesseneth the honour of Iesus Christ The second Chapter 1. Examineth the Kyrie eleison and the Gloria in excelsis Deo 2. It declareth that many praiers said after the Gloria in excelsis Deo are wicked and â—…gainst the plaine word of God 3. It declareth that the epistle and the gospell and â—…enerally all Gods word are vnworthely and euell â—…auoredly handled in the Masse The third chapter 1. Declareth that the praier which is sayd in the â—…ffering of the bread or as they say of the host is 2. That the mixting of water with wyne wicked 〈◊〉 an inueÌ„tion of meÌ„ which ought not to haue plaâ—â— among holly thyngs 3. That the praier at the offering of the Cupp is â—…icked as that is of thost The fourth Chapter 1. That many praiers which they call secreats and are sayd before the preface hold in them these wickednesses that is to say 2. That fasting doth purge sinns and make 〈◊〉 Worthy of the grace of god and leadeth vs to thâ—… heauenly glory 3. That by the bread and Wine not yet consecrâ—…ted God is apeased toward vs. Te second parte vuhich is deuided into foure chapters 1. The first axamineth the thre first parts of thâ—… Cannon That is Te igitur the memeâ—…to of the liuinge and the CommunicaÌ„teâ—… The second chapter 1. Examineth the fourth aÌ„d first parte of the saâ—… Cannon that is Hanc igitur oblationem and Quam oblationem 2. It examineth the sixt and seauenth parte that Qui pridie quam pateretur and tâ—â— Simili modo postquam coenatuâ—… est which be parts of the Consecration The third chapter 1. Examineth the eight parte of the Cannon aâ—… â—…heweth that he who saith the Masse vsurpeth that office which is onely Christs 2. That he saith a most wicked praier the which wrongeth Christ. The fourth chapter 1. It examineth the nynth parte which is most wicked and praieth that the Aungels may beare â—…he body and blud of Christ into heauen before the â—…ace of god 2. It examineth the tenht parte of the Cannon â—…he which is folish and gaine saieth itself 3. It examineth the eleauenth and last parte of the Cannon The third parte vvhich is deuyded in to foure chapters 1. The first sheweth that the saing of the prayers in secret and the desyre that amen shuld be answered by him that vnderstandeth not the prayer as it is in the Masse is a foolish thing and without any reason and against S. Paules saing 2. That the prayers which they say after the Pater noster that is to say the libera nos quaesumus is with out reason said in secret 3. That the breaking of the host and making thre parts of it and the mingling one of those parts with the wyne is vnfitt The second chapter 1. Declareth how deuout and holy the thre praieâ—… sayd Inmediatly after Agnus Dei be and thâ—… Domine non sum dignus which is saâ—… thryse and the praier concerning the host and tâ—… cup and the two praiers that follow 2. That the last praiers which are said in the eâ—… of the Masse be most wicked because they geueâ—… to the sacrameÌ„t that office which is onely Christ â–ª 3. And certein other prayers doe gainsay the prâ—…uat Mass 1. The third chapter of the Masse for the dead 2. Declareth that the first praier is folish aÌ„d to 〈◊〉 purpose because it asketh that it ought not to asâ—… 3. That the Epistle taken out of the Apocalipâ—… gainsaith the strst prayer aÌ„d the whole Masse thâ—… praieth for the dead 4. The words of the books of the Machabees arâ—… examined That the offertory is foÌ„d aÌ„d an incoÌ„uenieÌ„t requeâ—… Te fourth chapter of the blessings 1. Declareth that the blessing of the ashes is blasphemy because it geueth to ashes the raunsom of sinn and likewise all the other blessings as of Candels of palmes of fyer of frankincense of the pascall of chese of eggs of bread of water and to be â—…hort of the popes Agnus Dei they are all wicked and full of superstition because they geue â—…o much to the bodyly things The fourth parte of the book is of the abuses of the Masse and is deuided into 6. chapters 1. In the first that it is a great errour that the Masse should
forgeue sinnes or satisfy for them or els that it should apply such things to man 2. In the second that the Masse is no sacrifice nor â—…emembraunce of sacrifice and to say otherwyse is 〈◊〉 very great erroure 3. In the thirde that the Masse is inueÌ„tid by men and not ordened by Christe nor his Apostles 4. In the fourth that the Masse is a hotchpotch a heap yea a sea of endles abuses wickednesses and superstitions 5. In the fift that the Masse is the greatest sacriledge and the greatest abhomination that euer was in any tyme from the beginning of the world and is the great secret point of Antichrist 6. In the last that one ought not in any case nor in any maner to heare or be present at the Masse nor that it ought not to be suffered to be sayd vnder any excuse or pretense and this is the conclusion of the booke The first parte An anatomie of the Masse and the Masse book deuided into foure parts The first parte examineth the Masse from the introibo vnto the Cannon that is to say to these words Teigitur and this hath foure chapters The first declareth that the introibo is false and superstitious and that the confÃteor is not Christian and that the two prayers which are sayd softly when they goo to the aulter the one is false and the other robbeth Christs honour and is very wicked The first chapter THe priest being ready beginneth to say introibo ad altare Dei and the clark answereth Ad DeuÌ„ quilaetificat iuueÌ„tuteÌ„ meaÌ„ Psal 42. and in this goodly beginning of the Masse he speaketh a lye or yf you will so call it an vntroth And it is not to be marueled at seing that this Masse is an inuention of man and not of god as we will proue with gods help in the fourtâ—…â—â—rte of this booke And for so much as the scripture saith that euery man is a lyar Psalm 115. Psalm 118. Psalm 42. It is not I say to be marueled at that as the beginning of gods word is trueth euen so that the beginning of the Masse is a lye for you must vnderstand that this introibo ad altare Dei is a verse of the 42. Psalme which Dauid made at that tyme wheÌ„ he was dryuen out of his kingdome by his sun Absolon in which he praieth god that he wold deliuer him from the conspiratours of the same Absalon and that he wold graunt him that he might enter into the tabernacle among the rest and worthely praise God And therfore he called that aulter gods aulter because it was made by gods apointment and ordinaunce as all the rest of the tabernacle was as it is written in the 35. of Exodus Exod. 35. and it was parte of the ceremoniall law wherfore Dauid did then say trew But now is it false to say I will enter to gods aulter because that he hath no more any aulter as we haue no more any tabernacle nor there is no more any sacrifice made of vnreasonable beasts noâ—… there Iuishe ceremonies are vsed ani more for thei be all ceased and had there end at Christs coÌ„ming we haue no more I say any gods aulter of stone brick or any other earthly matter Hebr. 13. We haue now the thing signified and the trueth of those aulters that is Christ that hath wrought the worck of oure redeÌ„ption aÌ„d doth that which these aulters did signify and betoken for he is the true and the gostly aulter of holeburnt and of perfume or frankincense whether you will call it and these two aultars were figures of Christe Wherfore euen as God then wold that the incense the sacrifices and the offrings should be layd vpon these aultars for otherwyse they should not haue bene acceptable vnto him so we ought now to offer all oure praiers and good deedes in the name of oure lord Iesus Christ and by him present them to god yf we wold haue them well taken of him Christ himâ—…elf sayd of praing in S. IhonÌ„ Ioan. 14. what soeuer you shall desyre of my father in my name I will doe it Ioan. 16. And also he saith seurly I say vnto you that all these things which you shall ask my father in my name he will geue them you vntill this tyme you haue asked nothing in my name ask and you shall receaue Colloss 3. And Paule saith Euery thinge you doo bye worde or dede do it in the name of the lord Iesus rendering thanks to god oure father by him And to the Hebrewes he saith Hebr. 13. by him that is by Christ we allwaies offer vp the sacrifice of thanks geuing vnto god that is to say the frute of oure lippes that confesse his name The reason standeth in this poynt that there is no gods aulter but which is made by gods ordinauÌ„ce and coÌ„maÌ„dimeÌ„t But it is plain that that wherof the priest speaketh in the beginÌ„inge of the Masse is not made by gods order or coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t but is maÌ„s deuyse aÌ„d therfore not gods aulter Let the defendours of the Masse once shew wher god or Christ after his comming did euer apointe or commaund that there should be made an aultar vppon whiche men should do any sacrifice The other verse also in the Psalme that is Confitebor tibi in cithara deus deus meus c. I know not to what purpose they should say it hauing no harp nor other musicall instrument which Dauid vsid to praise god with But they care not after there olde wont how they wrythe the scriptures out of frame Then saith the priest Adiutorium nostrum in nomine domini qui fecit coelum terram Psalm 42. and after that the Confiteor deo in which I much marueill that there is made no maner mention of Christ as though he had not eny parte in the remission of sinnes yea as though he had neauer bene in the world sewerly it were reason that he were named there if that ConfÃteor shoul be Christian like The priest there first doth confesse himself to god then to the blessed mother to S. Peter to S. Paule and some put in there S. Michael and S. IhonÌ„ Baptist And some put in S. Dominick some S. Fraunces some S. Austine and some S. Benett according to the diuersitie of the ordes of fryers or monks And some put in for the end to S. Vrsula with all her company And to be short there is made meÌ„tion of all saints but of Iesus Christ the sun of god crucified and dead for oure sinns there is made no mention at all How vnworthy a thing is this to be coÌ„fessed to the rest of the saints of whome there is none dead for vs none that hath redemed vs And of Christ who is oure onely redemer and sauior and who onely hath satisfied for oure sinnes to make no mention at all as though he were nether in heauen nor in eareth Oh naked yea I may well say wicked ConfÃteor In
the scripture But the Hebrewes who had the benifice of Gods word cleare and open did sinn more greuosly in their vnbilefe committing Idolatry and blasphemy than the heathen For it was euen as he that seith the ditch and yet of purpos and willingly falleth in to it It is plaine that he doth moch more sinne who hath thexpresse commandment of the lord and knoweth his will and noth withstanding yet doth against such commandement and will than he that knoweth it not Luc. 12. as the Sauior saith in S. Luke That is to say the seruant that knoweth the will of his master and doth it not shall be worthily beaton with many stripes but the seruant that knoweth not the will of his lord and doth it not shall be beaton too but not so moch as he that knoweth it And for this caus the Hebrewes whan thei worsshipped the calff in the desert they did moch more greuosly sinn than the heathen who did honor the Idols for so moch as that not long before thei were cowncelled by God him selff who gaue them the lawe and commanded them that thei shuld not make any ymage to honor and yet thei made it against Gods expresse commandment And so as many other times as thei haue committed Idolatry as we haue in the bookes of the Kings and of the Prophetes thei haue moch more offended God and more greuosly sinned than the heathen And the Idolatry and vnfaithfulnes of his own peple was more abhominable in Gods sight and did more prouoke him to anger than that of the heathen And for this caus also thei were more threatned than the ame heathen And how many scorgis how many ouerthrowes haue thei suffred for the sinn of vnbilefe and Idolatry The 10. tribes of Israell for what caus were thei so offt by God scorgid and at the last berefft of their right 4. Reg. 17. and by Salmanasar King of the Assyrians led in to continuall bondage as it is writton in the boke of the Kings but only for Idolatry The tribe off Iuda how many wayes was it striken as well off their borderers that is off their next neighbors as affter by a peple that came farr off as the Caldees and the Assyrians were why was it sent in to exile to Babylone Why was the temple destroyed and euery thing ouerthrowen but only for their Idolatry Be caus thes things be knowen I doo not labor to recite the stories where thei be writton and therfor I passe them ouer Exod. 32. Deut. 4. 2. Parali 7. Ierem. 43. 44. Esa 65. Ezech. 9. and. 43. Exod. 4. Deut. 7. 3. Reg. 14. Ezech. 8.20 4. Reg. 23. How offten hath God threatned the ouerthrowe to Idolaters Loke in Exodus in Deuteronomy in Paralipomenon in Ieremy in Esay in Ezechiel and in very many other placis of the Prophetes Idolatry in the scripture is called abhominacion becaus God hath it most chefely in hatred Loke in Exodus in Deutronomy in the 3. boke off the Kings where Achias the Prophet foretelleth the exile and sparkeling off the tribe off Israel for Idolatry and also in Ezechiel In all thes places the scripture calleth Idolatry Abhominacion becaus that God as we haue sayd hath it in meruelos hatred This fowndacion being laid that God hath chefly in hatred Idolatry in what so euer sort it be done but moch more in his own peple than he had in the other And this becaus his peple had the knowlege off God and were taught with his word the trew worship off God that is to say how thei ought to worship him and honor him the other peple were not soo the which sinned by ignorans It doth fitly folow also that iff there shall be fownd Idolatry among the Christians who be now Gods peple that that shal be more abhominable before God than any other not only of the heathen but also of the Hebrewes For where as the knowlege off God and off his trewe worship is gretter and the trowth is more manifest in that place Idolatry and vnbilefe be greater sinnes and gretter abhominacions before God than where there is not so moch knowlege nor the truth so open But who dowteth that there shuld not be in the Christian peple a greater knowlege off God and off his trew worship and off Christ who is the truth it selff by the witnes off him selff the which saith in S. Iohn I am the way Iohn 4. the truth and the liffe than in any other peple and nacion doth not he witnes the truth talking with the Samaritane as Iohn writeth that the Christians that is to say the peple gathered to gether of by leuing Iewes and heathē which we be turned to Christ by Gods grace shuld be the trewe worshippers that shuld worshipp the father in spirite and truth Haue not we more knowlege of God hauing greater knowlege of Christ by whom God is truly knowen than the Hebrewes who will dowt this but he that knoweth not what Christ is Also this time is compared to that of the lawe vnder the which the Hebrews were as the day is to the night For thei had the flesshly worship that is to say thos sacrifices and nōber of ceremonies and we haue the spiri◅uall Coloss 2. Thei had the shadows and we haue the body as Paul saith to the Colosseis The knowlege that thei had was dark becaus it was shadowed with figures and certen veales or couerings owrs be clere bare and open wee doo better knowe Gods benifites thorow Christ than thei how sinnes be forgeuen vs how we be Iustified and saued Now we knowe that Christ is deade for our sinnes Rma 4. and is risen again as Paul saith for our rigthuosnes We know that he suteth at the right hand of God and where he is there we shal be Iohn 12. as he witnesseth in Iohn And of this we be sure We byleue certenly as an artikle of our faith that Christ is trewe God and trewe man The comen sort of the Iewes did not clerely knowe thes things as we doo And that it is the truth Iesus Christes Apostles them seluis although thei had hard him a long time and had conuersacion with him yet thei did not think that by death and chefely that death off the crosse he shuld redeme the world and that he shuld be a sacrifice and satisfaccion for our sinnes To him that hath redd the stories of theuangelistes this that I say is plaine Iff it be so than that where the knowlege of God of Christ of the threw worship is greater Idolatry vnbilefe and blasphemy be more greuos sinnes than where there is not so gret and so clere knowlege Surely iff we shall find thes so greuos sinnes in the Christen peple we must of necessitie conclude that thei shall more displease God and shall be more hatefull vnto him than all the Idolatries all the vnbilefes and all the blaspemies off the heathē yea and off the Hebrewissh peple too