institution and that if any would not so receaue it the same should abstayne from the whole In the yeare of our Lord .494 dist 2. de consecrat cap. Comperimus Pope Iulius the first also commaunded that the people should receaue the mysteries of Christes body and bloude accordyng to Christs institution both the breade and the cup one seuerall from the other as the Apostle sayth let a man examine himselfe and so eate of that breade and drinke of that cup. In the yeare of our Lord .338 de consecrat dist 2. cap. Cum omne In a certain councell holden at Basile it was concluded that according to christes institution the lay people also should receaue the Sacrament in both kindes And this decree was not onely established by the authoritie of the emperour Sigismund and the coÌ„sent of the other noble and learned men whiche were there present but it was also confirmed approued and allowed by Pope Eugenius the fourth In the yeare c 1430. Lib. Concil Chron. Not only in the primatiue churche but also in the time of S. Cipriane s. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Austen S Iohn Chrisost c. and many hundred yeares after the lay people receaued the SacrameÌ„t of Christes body and bloud vnder both kindes as they lykewise had the SacrameÌ„tal bread geuen theÌ„ in theyre haÌ„des and not put in theyre mouthes as the Papistes vse in these our dayes Are not these the wordes of saint Ambrose vnto the Emperoure Theodosius when he would haue receaued the Sacrament comming blustring and blowyng from sheding innocent bloud O Emperour saith he howe shalt thou with such handes take the holy body of the Lord With what folishe hardinesse shalt thou receaue in thy mouth the cup of the precious bloud seing that thorow the madnesse of thy wordes so muche bloude is wrongfully shed Seuen thousand men sayth the historye were slaine at the commaundement of the Emperour Tripar hist. Lib. 9. cap. 30 That this Emperour Theodosius was a lay man the Papistes themselues will confesse I doubt not Here then learne we two notable thinges one is that in the tyme off Ambrose the lay people accordyng to Christes institution receaued y t Sacrament vnder both kinds The second is that the lay people also had the Sacramentall bread geuen theÌ„ into theyr hande of the ministers and not thrust into theyre mouthes as the massyng Papistes vse at this daye but this godlye plant of Christe hath that wild bore of Rome with his Antichristiane and filthy pigges â—oted vp subuerted and destroyed Take eate sayth Christe Drinke ye all of this sayth he Matth. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. All saith he and not priestes only The cup of the mysterie of Christes bloud was so frelye suffred before the tiranny of the Romish bishop preuayled that not onely it was ministred to auncient people but also to yong children as the monumentes of the olde writers do manifestly declare Cipr. in serm de lapsis The Grekes the Ethiopes and the Bohems with diuers other nations as histories make mention haue vnto this daye alwayes obserued and kepte the auncient and Apostolique maner of receuing the SacrameÌ„t vnder both kinds according to the institution and ordinauÌ„ce of y e Lorde Christ by no meanes obeying the wicked decree of y e bishop of Rome vnto the contrary Of receiuing the Sacrament vnder one kinde after the popes inuention POpe Innocent the thyrd as some write did firste of all forbid in the councell Laterane that the lay people should receiue the holy communioÌ„ of the body and bloud of Christ vnder both kindes about the yeare c 1215. Other affirme whiche I iudge to be more true that that wicked decree of taking awaye the cup of the mystery of Christes bloud from the laye people contrary to christes institution and commaundement was first of al grauÌ„ted confirmed and established in a couÌ„cel holden at Constance the xiii session where y e most famous clerk Iohn Wicklief our countrey man was condemned for an heretike the two learned men Iohn Hus Hieronymus de Praga were most cruelly and most vniustly murthered and brent also for heretikes of the bloudy Papists notwithstandyng the Emperours safeconduct for deniyng the Popish article of Transubstantiation and maynteyning the receyuing of the Sacrament vnder both kindes In the yeare c. 1415. This is worthie to be noted that the Papistes them selues in that theyr deuilish decree confesse and graunte that Christes institution is that the lay people shoulde receaue the Sacrament vnder both kinds and that in the primatiue Churche all the communicaÌ„tes did not only receiue the mystery of christs body but also y e mystery of Christs bloud one seuerall from the other according to y e institucioÌ„ of christ And notwithstandyng the premisses they straightly charge and commauÌ„de that from that time forwarde none of the Laytye shal receaue the SacrameÌ„t but onely vnder the kind of bread and that they must beleue certeinly and by no meanes doubt that the whole body and bloude of Christ is truely contayned as well vnder the kinde of breade alone as vnder the kinde of wine also that therfore it is sufficient for the laytye to receaue the Sacrament vnder one kynd and that whosoeuer froÌ„ that tyme fourth shall presume to receaue the Sacrament vnder both kindes except he be an holy annoynted or think of this decree otherwise than well he shall be taken iudged condemned and punished like an heretike accordyng to the appointment of the ecclesiasticall lawes that is to say brent to ashes as the good moÌ„ke of Eye in Suffolk was in the dayes of kynge Henry the eight O woluish and bloudy Antichristes A Christen man to be murthered for obeiyng the commaundemeÌ„t of Christ yea and that of them whiche will be taken for the heades of Christs church whiche also ought rather to shed theyr owne bloude than y t any iot or title of Gods worde should be left vndone O tirannye incomparable It is not lawfull eyther to put to or take ought froÌ„ y e testament of a mortall man if it bee once allowed and shal y e vile donghills of the earth presume to alter chauÌ„ge the blessed and euerlasting Testament of y e only begotten sonne of god which he sealed with his most precious bloud deliuered to his church to be inuiolably kept vntil his returne Drinke ye all of thys sayth Christ and not ye smeared shorelyngs only In a councell holden at Basile it was decreed y t not only the lay people but the priests also when they themselues make not Goddes body shuld communicate onely vnder one kynde In the yeare c. 1437. Of confyrmation or bishoppyng of Children POpe Clement the fyrst as the papistes fayne fyrste of all ordayned the confyrmation or byshopping of children and commaunded y t the childe being once baptised shuld as sone as is possible be bishopped For sayth he
we kylled al the day lōg and are counted as shepe appointed to be slayne As I may among many touche one Ecclesiastical history What shall I speake of the vnhappye time of that most vnhappy and wicked heritike Arrius Although the Fathers of the councell Nicene did iudge truly rightly according to the doctrine of the holy Scripture of the true euerlasting diuinitie or Godhead of Christ the Sonne of God Yet not long after that wicked heresie of Arrius dyd so preuaile and take roote in the heartes of men that it was not receaued only in one realme or two but also Pope Liberius Bishop of Rome with the Emperoure and all the East parte of the world admitted that most damnable heresie to be most sounde and wholesome doctrine persecuting most cruelly al such as defended the cōtrary whereof was a very little number as Athanasius Paulinus and verye fewe other Byshops whiche by no meanes would geue place to so great furour and madnesse although most miserably entreated In a Councell also holden at Nice a great nūber of Byshops with other gathered there together consented to disanull and put away the mariage of Priestes or spirituall ministers contrary to the practise of gods Churche from the begynning and contrary to the doctrine of the holy ghost which saith Wedlocke is honourable among all men and the bed vndefiled for what purpose I knowe not nor with what reasōs persuaded am I able to say Notwithstanding the holy and blessed Confessour Pahnutius although vnmaried withstood them all and by no meanes would consent vnto theyr entreprise and deuise but franckely and freely confessed that the mariage of Ministers is honourable and that it is chastitie for a man to lye with his owne wyfe By thys meanes he persuaded the councel that they proceded no further in this matter but sette euerye man at hys lyberty to marrye or not to marrye Whoe seeth not nowe howe foolyshe a thynge it is and muche vnworthye a Christen man to leane to the multitude whiche for the moste parte is nothynge elles than a beaste of manye heades Seyng we haue euidentlye shewed that the greater parte in matters that appertayne to Christes Religion is alwayes the worsest parte and the lesser parte dothe more earnestlye embrace the truthe of Gods worde so that not withoute a cause Christ calleth his people a litle flocke ▪ Feare not ye lyttle flocke sayeth Christe for it hath pleased my father to geue you a kyngdome Thys therefore is a vayne obiection of the aduersaries to saye We haue the greater number on our syde therefore haue we the truth on our syde For the deuill the worlde and the fleshe haue a greater company attendyng vpon them than Christe hath vpon hym seyng that the greatest parte of this worlde rather embraceth thinges present than with ioye looketh for thinges to come Finallye some can by no meanes fynde in their hearte to approue and allowe that present state of Religion whiche is nowe receaued among vs bicause it greatlye differeth saye they from the old◠and accustomed order It is demaunded in what points It is answered In these Fyrste The Byshop of Rome is not knowledged and receaued anye more to be Supreme head of the vniuersall Churche of Christe I aunswere We knowe no Supreme head of the Churche by the worde of God but Christ alone and vnder Christe euery Prince in hys owne Realme Secondly The Sacrament is receaued vnder both kyndes I aunswere So hath Christe commaunded saying Drinke of this all ye Also the Apostle so oft as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of the cup c. Thyrdly The seruice and publique prayer is done in the tēples no more in the latin tong as heretofore but in the common and Englishe speache I answere So hath the custome bene from the beginning in the Church of Christ in al places and is so vsed at this present generally wheresoeuer the Byshop of Rome hath no authoritie And God by his holy Apostle commaundeth vs that in our congregations all thinges should be done to edifie approuing and allowing rather fiue wordes so spokē that they may be vnderstanded than ten thousand otherwise Fourthly All the laudable ceremonies are neglected and set a side as the halowing of salt water bread candles palmes fire ashes c. I aunswere All these are the triflyng traditions of men and haue bene the cause of much Idolatrye and superstition And it is written They worship me in vaine teaching doctrines which are the commaundementes of men Item God is a spirite they that worship hym must worship him in spirite and truth Fiftly Purgatory is denied I answere we know none other purgatorye for the soule but the precious bloud of our Lorde and Sauiour Christe Iesu as it is writtē The bloud of Iesus Christ gods sonne maketh vs cleane frō all sinne Sixtly The Sacrifice of the Masse is vtterly reiected and caste awaye as a pestilence moste hurtfull blasphemous and iniurious to the passion and death of Christ ▪ I answere The word of God teacheth vs in all places that there is no sacrifice for sinne but the death of Christ alone But Christ dreth no more Therfore is there no more sacrifice offered vp for sinne With one only oblation sayth the Apostle hath Christ that euerlasting Byshop made perfecte for euer them that are sanctified Agayn we are sanctified made holye by the offeryng vp of the bodye of Iesu Christ done once for al. Seuenthly The inuocation and intercessiō of Saintes is cleane omitted and left I answere God alone is to be called vpon as he himselfe ▪ commaundeth saying Call on me in the tyme of trouble and I will deliuer thee We knowe by the worde of God no Mediatour no Intercessour but Christ alone as it is written There is one God one Mediatour he sayth not many Mediatoures betwene God and man euen the man Iesus Christ whiche gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men Againe if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the father he sayth not Aduocates Iesus Christe the righteous one And he it is that obtayneth mercy for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but also for all the worlde Item Christ is on the right hād of God and maketh intercession for vs. He saith not Saintes make intercession for vs. And our sauiour Christ him self sayth Whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he sayth not in the names of the saītes he will geue it you Eyghtly The article of trāssubstantiation is reiected and cast awaye as an errour or heresie I answere The holy Scripture knoweth no suche article neither haue the holy old fathers euer taught or left writtē such doctrine behinde them It is a new and late inuention brought in by the Pope and his adherentes Saint Paule calleth the Sacramentall bread ▪ not onely bread before the consecration but also after the consecration And our Sauiour Christ calleth
Noster shoulde bee sayd euery daye after that Mattens and Euensong bee ended Lib. Concil Pope Calixt the thirde ordayned y t the greate bell shoulde bee tolled euery day at noone or at .xii. of y e clocke and y t the people hearyng the sounde of the bell should strayght wayes say an Aue Maria in the worship of oure Ladye In the yeare c. 1455. Ioannes Stella Phil. Bergom Pope Iohn the xxii made a decree y t after euensong bee done the bel should be tolled thrice and that then oute of hande euery man and woman shoulde streyghtwayes fall downe vpon theyr knees and say three Aue Maries in the honour of oure blessed Ladye Sainte Marye In the yeare of our Lord 1302. Chronic. Pope Clement the fourthe at the desire of Lewes King of Fraunce graunted three yeres of pardon toties quoties to so many as deuoutly say these Orisâ—ns following Benedictum sit dulce nomen domini nostri Iesu Christi glorio sissimae virginis Mariae matris eius in aeternuÌ„ vltra AMEN Nos cum prole pia benedicat virgo Maria. Which is thus englished Blessed be the sweete name of oure Lord Iesus Christ of the most glorious Uirgine Mary his mother for euer and a day longer Sobeit The Uirgine Mary wich her Godly childe blesse vs. Sobeit Fas. Temp. Pope Boniface the eyght made thys prayer following and hath graunted to al them y t deuâ—utly saye this prayer dayly before an Image of the crosse as many dayes of pardon toties quoties as there be grauel stones in y e sea or grasses on y e earth or stars in y e fyrmament O altissima crux O innocens sanguis O paena magna O Christi penuria O profunda vulnera O lanccae perforatio O sanguinis fluctio O cordis fractio O dei amara mors O dei ueneranda dignitas adiuua me in vitam aeternam AMEN Which is thus englished O most highe crosse O innocent bloude O great payne O the penurye of Christ. O the depe woundes O the pearsyng thorowe of the speare O the flowing of the bloud O the breakyng of y e heart O the bitter death of God O y e worshipful dignitie of God helpe me vnto euerlasting life So be it Of playne song prycke song descant c. GVido Aretinus deuised first of al these sixe notes vt re my fa sol la In the yere c. 1204. Christi Massaeus Pope Gelasius Pope Gregory y e fyrste S. Ambrose with other brought in fyrst of all y e playne song into the churches Antoninus Guili Durand Pope Vitalian being a lustye singer and freshe couragious musition hymself brought into the church pricksong descant all kynde of sweete and pleasaunt melodye And bycause nothing should wante to delight the vayne folysh and y e idle eares of fond fantastical men he ioyned y e Organs to y e curious musike Thus was Paules preaching Peters praying tourned into vaine singing childysh playing vnto y e great losse of time vnto y e vtter vndoing of Christen mens soules whiche liue not by singing pipyng but by euery worde y t coÌ„meth out of y e mouthe of God In the yere c. 653. Plat. Volat. Chron. Polyd. D. Barns Pant. Of singing in the Churche the iudgement of diuerse learned men FRaÌ„ciscus Petrarcha in his boke De remediis vtriusque fortunae declareth y â— S. Athanasius did vtterly forbyd singyng to be vsed in the churche at seruice tyme bicause sayth he he would put away all lightnesse and vanitie whiche by the reason of singinge doth oftentymes arise in the mindes both of the singers and of the hearers S. Hierome reproued not only y e leud fashions of the singing meÌ„ in his time but also their maner of singyng when notwithstanding if the singing vsed in his tyme were coÌ„pared with y e minsed musike that now beareth chief rule in Churches it myght seme very graue modest and tollerable ours so light vayne madde fonde foolishe and fantastical that Hickscorner himself could not deuise a more wanton and trifling pastime We ought saith S. Hierome to sing to make melody and to prayse the Lorde rather in minde than in voyce And this it is that is sayd Singing and making melodie to the Lord in your hearts Let yonge men sayth he heare these thinges yea let them heare whose office it is to singe in the Churche that they must sing to god not in the voice but in the heart neither must their throte be annointed after the manner of Gameplayers with swete ointmeÌ„ts that in the Churche singyng more fitt for Gameplaces shoulde be heard but in feare in worke in knowledge of the Scriptures ought they to sing vnto the Lorde Let the voyce of the synger so sing that not the voice of him that singeth but the words that are read may delight In epist. ad Ephe. There is a godly Distichon fathered on S. Hierome which bicause it pertaineth to our matter I thinke it conuenient also in this place to alleage NoÌ„ vox sed votuÌ„ noÌ„ cordula musica sed cor Non clamans sed amans cantat in aure dei That is to say Not the voyce but the desire not the Musical instrument but the heart not the cryer but the louer singeth in the eare of God Sainct Cipriane that blessed Martyr sayth that God is not the hearer of the voyce but of the heart neither is he to be admonished with exclamations and outcries whiche seeth the thoughtes as the Lorde proueth and sayth What doe ye thynke wyckednesse in youre heart And in an other place All congregations shall knowe that I am the searcher of the raynes and hearte that is to say of the inwarde man Ciprian in orat dom Sainct Ambrose also sayth It is with out doubt a great incredulitie and vnfaithfulnesse to thinke thus of y e power of God that thou canst not be hearde except thou criest out Let thy worke cry let thy faith cry let thy minde cry let thy passions and sufferinges cry let thy bloud as the bloud of holy Abell crye whereof God sayd to Caim The voyce of thy brothers bloud crye vnto me For he heareth in secrete whiche maketh cleane in secrete We can not heare man except he speaketh vnto vs but vnto god not words but thoughts doe speake Lib. de Caim Abel S. Austen would y t the Comon prayer in Churches should be so distinctly and plainly set forth y t the people whiche are present might perfectly vnderstand them say Amen Lib. de Catechis Rud. In an other place he declareth that Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in his Churche vseth such manner of singing as was in a manner nothing els than a plaine reading Lib. confes 10. cap. 33. S. Gregory did greatly disalowe certaine Deacons at Rome in hys tyme which when they
them y t are in the church shall saye the Letanye These thynges done there must be made in the pauemente of the church a crosse of ashes and sand wherin y e whole Alphabete or Christs crosse shall be written in Greeke and Latin letters After these things the Bishop must halow an other water with salt and ashes and wine and consecrate y e altare Afterwarde the twelue crosses y t are paynted vpon the church walles the Byshop must annoynt them with chrisme cōmōly called Creame These thinges once done the clergye and the people may frely come into the church ring the bells for ioye c. Ibidem Holy water proprely euen of her own vertue hath power and strength to expell and put out deuills And therefore it is sayde in the coniuration thereof That it maye be made a coniured and be witched water to chase awaye all the power of thee nemye yea to plucke vp that same enemye euen by the verye rootes c. Ibidem The manner and order of consecrating or halowing altars is this First the byshop muste beginne Deus in adiutorium meum intende Secondly he shall make holy water Thyrdly at y e foure corners of y e altare he shal make foure crosses with holy water Fourthly the Byshop shall goe seuen tymes aboute the altare and seuen tymes he shall washe the table of the altare or altare stone with holy water hauyng y e holy water sprinckle made of Ysope The churche also shall be sprinckled agayne with holy water and whatsoeuer holy water doth afterwarde remaine shall bee poured out beneath at the altare Fiftlye in the foure corners of the Sepulchre wherein y e Reliques are laide the Byshop shall make foure crosses with y e creame and y e Reliques shall be layde vp in a bagge with three graines of Franckencense and put agayne in the Sepulchre Then shall there be made in the middes of the Sepulchre a table with the signe of the crosse Sixtly the stone which is called the table shall be made mete and laide vppon the altare and being so made mete the Byshop shal annoynt it with oyle in fiue places and lykewise shall he afterward doe w t the Creame as it is sayd of y e oyle The Byshop also shal confyrme the altare in the forehead or forefronte with a crosse of creame and shal burne franckensence vpon the altare in fiue places Afteral these things be done y e altare shal be couered with fayre clothes And the priest may now lawfully sing masse vpon it when he will Ibidem The Apostolike See as Anacletus the Pope sayeth is the heade and the hanggell Cardo of all other Sees For as the doore is gouerned by the hanggell so are all churches gouerned and ruled by the authoritye of that See And therfore thei are called Cardinalls bycause y t by thē the whole churche is gouerned sicut ostium per cardinem as y e doore by the hanggel The prelate of y e see is called Papa y t is father of fathers namely the vniuersall bishop for he is the prince lorde and ruler of the whole church vniuersal And he is called Apostolicus bicause he occupieth y e roume of the prince of y e Apostle Peter He is also called Summus Pontifex y e highest bishop bicause he is y e head of al bishops frō whō thei as membres frō the head descend and al receaue of his fulnesse euen so many as he calleth in partem solicitudinis non in plenitudinem potestatis into part of the carefull trauayle but not into the fulnesse of power He is y e Melchizedech whose priesthoode farre excelleth al other Guili Durand In R at di off Lib. 2. In the administration of the Sacramentes some spiritual sanctification is geuen thorow the blessing or cōsecration of the garmentes of the water and such like Ibidem Priestes when they are ordered take of y e byshops hand a chalice with wine in it a paften with the hoste or singing cake y t by these instrumentes they may know y t thei haue receaued power to offer vp vnto God propiciatorye sacrifices euen the bodye and bloude of Christ. In consideration wherof when the byshop geueth these thinges vnto them he saith Take power to offer sacrifice vnto God and to singmasse both for the quicke and the dead in the name of our Lorde There is great difference betwene byshops and priestes For albeit there are six things which cōmonly pertaine vnto all priests y t is to say to catechise or teach or baptise to preache to make gods bodye to losen and to bynde yet belong there specially vnto the bishop nine things y t is to say to order clerks to blesse virgins to consecrate bishops to laye on handes to halowe churches to put down them y t ar to be degraded to celebrate sinodes to make crisme to halowe vestmentes or vessels There are other things also which appertain vnto y e office of a bishop as to cōfyrme children to geue the solemne blessing before the Paxe suche lyke Ibidem When the priest pronounceth these wordes of Christ Hoc est corpus meum Hic est sanguis meus This is my body This is bloude the bread and wine are conuerted and tourned into fleshe bloud with y e power of the word wherwith y e word was made flesh dwelled amōg vs wherwith he spake it was done he cōmaunded they wer made wherwith he chaunged a woman into a pillar of salt turned a rod into a serpent wherwith he chaunged the fountaines into bloud turned y e water into wine For if the word of Helias could bring downe fyre from heauen shall not the word of Christ thē be able to chaunge bread into flesh Uerely it is a greater thing of nothing to make y t is not thā to chaunge y t which already is into an other thing Yea it is a greater thing without al comparison y t God is made man and yet continueth still God thā the bread is so made fleshe y t it ceaseth to be bread That was once done by incarnation but this is continually done by consecratiō At y e pronoūcing therefore of the wordes of y e bread is by the mighty power of god transsubstantiated chaūged into y e substance of flesh The deuine materiall substance of this sacrifice is y e word whiche ioyned vnto y e element maketh a sacramente as y e word vnited to flesh maketh christ mā For it is to be noted y t in the body of christ he speaketh of the sacrament xi miracles are considered of y e whiche no euidente reason can be rendred and shewed although reasons made by similitudes may serue for this purpose The fyrst is y e bread wine are turned into the substance into y e body bloud of Christ wherof we alredy shewed certayn reasons An other reason also serueth for this purpose For both corporall meate
ceremonies must alone be couÌ„ted worthy to beare office in the Church to be reputed and taken for the only pyllars of our mother holy Churche to be had in estimation aboue all men and to be reuerenced as Gods of all men and so many as be of contrarye opinion teaching that our whole saluation commeth only from God thorowe fayth in the bloude of Christ must be adiudged seditious persons sowers of discorde authors of new learning teachers of strauÌ„ge doctrine and heretikes But as I may by coniecture speake my minde coÌ„cerning this ceremonie I thinke verelye that as the ceremony of dealing holy bread on the Sondayes wherof we shal hereafter speake was ordained of y e fathers of Christs Church at that time to put the people in remembraunce of Christes body breakyng so lykewise at the same time was this ceremony of water sprinckling brought into the Churche to put the people in remembraunce of Christes bloud sheadyng on the altare of the Crosse for their sinnes But as the papistes in processe of time lost the signification of holy bread of al other ceremonies therfore ioyned vnto the certain doctrines of error false faith so likewise haue thei done in y e ceremonie of holy water They not knowing the cause of the first instititution haue fayned the holy water as they cal it to be of such and so greate vertue might and power that it is able to put away sinne to geue health both of minde body to make so many holy and pure as be sprinckled with it to geue abundaunce of thynges to dryue awaye deuils to chase awaye all the power of our ghostly enemye yea and to plucke him vp by the rootes and vtterly to destroy him with all his Apostatike aungels to put backe diseases to expell all corrupte and pestilente ayres to dispatche all y e guyles subtilties sleyghtes and disceates of the lurkyng enemye â—o banyshe al thynges that be contratye to the healthe prosperitye and quietnesse of all such as dwel in y e houses where it is sprinckled to geue securitie of hope corroboratioÌ„ strengthning of faith to bring the holy ghost at the laste what not Are not all these things read in their exorcismes coniuratioÌ„s of their bewitched salted water as we haue tofore hearde and in other Popishe treatyses Reade we not these wordes in their Popish primare which we are taught commauÌ„ded to say wheÌ„ we sprinckle our selues with y e water in the Church porche before we enter into y e Church Aqua benedicta sit mihi salus â— vita Praesta mihi domine per hanc creaturam aspertionis aquae sanitatem mentis integritatem corporis tutelam salutis securitatem spei corroborationem fidei nuÌ„c in futuro Whiche is thus Englished The blessed water mought be vnto me health and life Graunt me O Lord by thys creature of the sprincklyng of water health of mynde wholenesse of body defence of health safegarde of hope strengthnynge of faith now and in tyme to come And bicause this their dreame should be of the more credit they haue fathered those their lyes as they do many other of an auncient Byshop of Rome called Alexander the first whiche liued In y e yere c. 119. And here mayest thou see what a lying generatioÌ„ the Papists are as I maye speake nothyng of their pestilent and abhominable doctrine Of Holy Bread THe vse among the Christians was firste of all y t so many as came together into the church dayly for to pray and to heare the worde of God the same should also dayly receaue together the holye communion of the body bloud of Christ. But when the multitude that professed Christ began to encrease and waxed very great so that that order could not conueniently be obserued kepte the auncient fathers of Christes church made a decree y e all y e Christians shuld communicate on the Sondayes together and be no more bounde vnto the dayly communioÌ„ as they to fore were And here of commeth thys sentence of S. Austen Dayly to coÌ„municate I neyther coÌ„mende nor discommend but on the SoÌ„daies to receaue y e communion I would couÌ„cell all men WheÌ„ this receauyng of the communioÌ„ euery Sonday was not done with such deuotion sobernesse and grauitie as it ought to haue bene but thorowe that often coÌ„ming vnto it much dissolution lightnesse was shewed of diuerse people the Elders of Christes Church thought it mete for y t present tyme to take awaye the custome of receauing the communion euery Sonday to appoint that the Christians should receaue the communion together thrice in the yeare y t is to say at Easter at Witsontyde and at the feaste of Christes natiuitie But when this order also was not duly and reuerently obserued it was iudged and thought mete that the people shoulde commonly receaue the Lordes Supper but once in the yeare that is to say at Easter and that in the stead therof bicause the remembrauÌ„ce of Christs passion and death should not be forgotten nor his blessed body breaking and precious bloud sheadyng fall from the remembraunce of the people whiche is preached declared and set forth to the faythful at the Lordes supper by breaking and eating the bread and by pouring out by drinkyng the wine The Fathers of Christes Church instituted the ceremonies of holy bread and holy water to put the people in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of Christes body breakyng and bloude sheding y â— as they see the bread whiche is distributed euery Sonday of the minister broken on many peces so they should set before the eyes of their mind the breaking of Christs body on the altare of the Crosse for the remission of their sinnes again that as they see the water sprinckled abrode so they should remeÌ„ber that Christes bloud was shed for them on the Crosse by the effusion and sheading wherof they be purged clensed and purified from al filthinesse of sinne iniquitie by thys meanes addresse themselues to be thankefull to God the Father for so inestimable and excedyng greate benefites giuen vnto them in the death of his Sonne And these ceremonies of holy bread and holy water at that tyme were not onely ministred to y e people of the Godly Pastors but it was also euerye Sondaye preached and declared vnto theÌ„ what the ceremonies signified and wherefore they were instituted of the rulers of Christes church eueÌ„ to put theÌ„ in remeÌ„braunce of Christes body breakyng and bloud sheadyng on y e altare of the Crosse for the remission forgiuenesse of their sinnes And it is not to be doubted but the Godly Ministers in those dayes did with sorowfull hearts minister those ceremonies to the people seyng that they for their vnthankefulnesse dissolution of lyfe were depriued of the holy communion of Christs body and bloud and fedde with ceremonies of mans inuention and dyd lykewise diligently exhort the people so to frame
their liues according to the rule of Gods worde that the Elders of Christes Churche seyng their repentaunce and amendement of life might thereby be occasioned to restore vnto them the holy and blessed communion which is the partaking of the body and bloud of Christ. Thus were the ceremonies not altogether vnprofitable to the people of y t age But it is in these our dayes farre otherwise For the ceremonies in the Popish Churches are stil retained but who knoweth the signification and meanyng of theÌ„ The bread is euery Sonday distributed and the water sprinckled but howe ofte is the death of Christe preached But as touching y e ceremonye of holy bread wherof we now speake it is become a vayne tradition and vtterly vnprofytable yea wicked and abhominable as all other popyshe ceremonyes are lykewise For where as it was instituted to put the people in remembrauÌ„ce of Christes body breakyng the priestes deale it vnto thys ende y t the people eating thereof shuld beleue to receaue health and saluation both of body and soule For these are the wordes which they vse in halowing the bread as they terme it takyng vpon them by thys meanes to make the creatures of God more holy than euer God made them Benedic domine hanc creaturam panis qui benedixisti quinque panâ—s in deserto vt omnes gustantes ex his recipeant tam corporis quaÌ„ animae sanitatem That is to say Blesse O Lorde thys creature of bread which didst blesse fyue Loaues in the wildernesse that al that taste of them may receaue healthe both of body and soule What other thyng is thys than to attribute the vertue of oure saluation to a pylde beggarly ceremony which alone commeth of y e meere mercye and gracious goodnesse of God to al men that repent and beleue in Christ Iesu hys onely begotten Sonne and oure alone Sauioureâ— If we maye obtayne health both of bodye and soule by their be witched bread then was Christ promised geuen conceaued borne circumcised persecuted and put to death for oure synnes in vayne yea then was Christ without cause made of God the Father vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctifying and redemption y t as it is written He that reioyceth shoulde reioyce in the Lorde We knowe sayth the Apostle y t man is not iustifyed by the workes of the law but by the fayth of Iesu Christ and wee haue beleued in Christ Iesu that wee myght be iustifyed by y e faith of Christ and not by the workes of the lawe bicause no fleshe shall be iustifyed by the workes of the law If we be not iustifyed by the workes of that lawe which God hymselfe commaunded shall we hope to bee made ryghteous by the obseruaunces of mennes triflyng traditions croked constitutions idle inuentions drousye dreames fonde fantasyes antichristian actes deuilysh decrees 〈◊〉 O blasphemous Papistes Of Procession POpe Agapetus the fyrst commaunded the people to goe procession solemnely on sondayes other feastiual daies In the yeare c. 533. Platina Polyd. D. Barnes Guilielmus Durandus writeth that when the people goe a Procession the Belles are ronge to thys ende euen to make the deuills afrayde and to chase them awaye For sayeth he the deuills are wonderfully afrayde when they heare the trompettes of the church militaunt I meane the Belles euen as a Tyraunte is greatlye afrayde when he heareth in hys owne land the trompets of some myghtye Kyng that is his enemye And thys is also the cause why the church when there is any great tempest ringeth the Belles y t the deuills hearyng the trompets of y e euerlasting King shuld be afrayde and trudge away and cause no more tempestes to aryse c. Rat. di off Of Sensing POpe Leo the thyrde brought Sensing into the church In the yeare c. 796. Pol. D. Barns Pantal. Of Candles bearing on Candelmassedaye POpe Sergius otherwise called Pope Swinesnoute coÌ„maunded y t al the people shuld go on procession vpon Candelmasse day and cary candels about with them brenning in their handes In the yeare c. 684. Durand G. Achilles Howe thys candle bearyng on candlemasse day came first vp y t author of our english festiual declareth on thys maÌ„ner Somtyme sayeth he when the Romaines by greate myght and royall power conquered all the worlde for they had great dominion they were so proude y t they forgat God made them diuerse Gods after their own luste And so among al they had a God y t they called Mars that had beene to fore a notable Knight in battayle And so they prayed to hym for helpe and for that they woulde spede y t better of this Knyght the people prayed dyd great worship to his mother y t was called Februa after whiche woman muche people haue opinion that y e moneth February is called Wherfore y e second day of thys moneth is candlemasseday The Romaines thys nyghte went aboute the citie of Rome wyth Torches Candles brennyng in worship of thys woman Februa for hope to haue y e more helpe and succoure of her sonne Mars Then was there a Pope y t was called Sergius and wheÌ„ he sawe Christen people drawe to thys false Maumetrye and vntrue beliefe He thought to vndoe thys foule vse and custome and turne it into Gods worship and our Ladyes gaue coÌ„maundement y t all Christen people shoulde come to Churche and offer vp a candle brennyng in the worship y t they dyd to thys woman Februa doe worship to our lady to her sonne our Lord Iesu Christ. So y t now this feast is solemnely halowed thorowe al Christendome And euery Christen man and woman of couenable age is bounde to come to church and offer vp their candles as though they were bodily with our Ladye hopyng for this reuerence worship y t they do to our Ladye to haue a greate rewarde in heauen and of her sonne our lord Iesu Christ and so they may be syker and it be done in cleane lyfe and with good deuotion c. Of Ashes sprincklyng POpe Gregory the fyrst ordained y t the people on Ashe wednisday shuld be sprinckled with halowed Ashes to put theÌ„ in remembraunce y t they are but earth duste and Ashes In the yeare c. 590. Anselmus Ryd Of Palmes bearyng POpe Gregorye the fyrst also appoynted y t Palmes shoulde bee borne aboute in procession on Palme Sonday Ansel. Ryd Of halowing Palmes Ashes Candles c. POpe Gregorye the fyrste in lyke manner deuised the halowing of Palmes Ashes Candles c. Durand Antonin Of Crepyng to the Crosse. POpe Gregorye the fyrst likewyse broughte into the Churche the Crepyng vnto the Crosse. Sigesb Antoninus Of the halowing of the Paschal POpe Zozimus ordayned that the Paschall Taper shoulde be halowed on Easter euen and set vp in euery paryshe church In y e yere of oure Lorde 414.