not with their good leaue liking think speak and write But these men wil say although we were nothing lesse than we will séeme to be doth it followe that the name of Catholique Church which yee take frō vs doth agree vnto your Churches No verely Wherefore we haue in vayne now a long time agoe desired triall to be made by the matter it selfe That our Churches haue all the true markes of the Catholique Church and specially the pure vvorde of God if their bare deniall may be accepted We therfore affirme that the three notes of the Catholique Church to wit the seede of the written worde and the right and lawfull Ecclesiasticall calling and succession all which we haue restored are in our possession and stand on our side These things they stoutly deny In déed this controuersie cannot be decided in a few words neither do I at this present goe about it But that which I had taken in hand to prooue I hope I haue perfourmed to wit that the false and counterfeit notes of the Church which they alleaged are sufficiently confuted and the true notes of the Churche set forth and approoued For it is one thing to dispute of those markes which they are and another to dispute who haue them Notwithstanding because I haue in few wordes declared that they haue not those marks this thing also I may now speake that we haue at least two very waighty coniectures which make for vs agaynste them to wit that in discerning and triyng of opinions we stay our selues vppon the only written word of God that is the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and that we require the interpretation of it by the onely conference of places and proportion of the articles of fayth Neither do we refuse the writinges of any either old or new author so that they may be examined by the rules afore sayd by Gods worde and the proportion of faith But what these mē obiect against these vpright requestes it sufficiently appeareth Now in the question of succession and ordination they haue thought that not many yeares agoe they haue found out That our Churches haue the true Apostolicall succession a more certain reason to dispute against vs. For they demaund euen with great loftinesse and pride that we shoulde shew them whom they haue succeeded which in our times haue established our Churches as though we were no better able to shew our original thā the Donatistes coulde theirs We aunswere that the doctrine which we defend hath euen from the time of the Apostles although heresies haue assaulted it the Romish false bishops and others made drunke by the harlot haue by al the means they could and that for the space of certaine yeres polluted it continued notwtstanding euen vntill our times shall continue euen to the end of the world and that about 200 yeeres since this light of the Gospell began againe and that thorow the singular goodnes of God in the west to apeare out of the filth of popery those hiddē places into which these mē had thrust it vntill the cādelsticks which were takē away were set again in their places by that means the elect people of God did from all quarters flow together vnto the sayd truth But as concerning the succession of the holy ministery 2. The. 2.7 we say that that mistery of iniquity which the Apostle witnesseth in his time to haue beene begun was not accomplished but in some processe length of time and therfore that that old Church of Rome became that but by little litle of Apostolical Apostatical that is fallen from the truth and we affirme that other Churches as it is euident by histories did not straightwaies fall away from the foundation but thē verely when as in the church the false bishop 2. The. 2.4 and sonne of perdition in deed calling him selfe the vniuersall head of the Church did at the length exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God And that this was don when the kings and Princes yea and the very Pastors them selues in other countries being bewitched by this harlot had submitted them selues to the feet of Antichrist Now when by what degrees and sleights that hath bene brought to passe cannot else wher be better not only known but euen perceiued almost by the very eyes than by the very liues of the bishops thē selues declared by good and sufficient writers the euents and falling out of things iustlye agrreing with the foretellinges of the Apostles and the expositions of the learned both ancient and also certaine new writers which our very aduersaries dare not refuse in so much that the which the Apostle heretofore spake of his ministry 2. Cor. 4.24 that his Gospell was had in deed frō them that should perish whome the God of this world had blinded that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ should not shine vpon them the same we may now most truely affirme of this wicked Antichristian sinck faining or pretending the name of the Catholique Churche Therefore we haue next after the Apostles for successors those very right iudging pastors not onely of the Roman church but of other churches also whose succession beeing broken of by these wolues tirants we haue begun thorow Gods goodnes at the last to restore so farre of is it either that we are destitute of the lawful argument of succession or that they shoulde bee able to alleage any Apostolicall succession That the Catholique Church hath bene and in some respect as yet is in the Popedome thogh the Popedome be not the Catholique church nor any part thereof Math. 21.33.34 Therefore say these men where was that Catholique visible Church aboute two hundred yeres past Christ himself maketh answere for vs that it hath bin heretofore and as yet in some respecte is in the handes of the wicked busbandemen who themselues slewe the seruauntes of the Lorde being sent vnto them and with all as much as they coulde euen the Sonne himselfe beeing cast oute of the Vineyard and in steede of him they haue placed a Christ in words wherwith thei mocke the people but in deede euerye one euen the wickedst of theire owne sort that they can or could get But it is well that neyther the eternall keeper of that vine can againe in déede be caste out neither could againe be slaine who liueth vnto God and who also nowe againe appearing hath begun to lette out that Vineyard to good and faithfull husbandmen Paule also aunswereth in oure behalfe foretelling that which wee sée fulfilled To wit that that wicked one shoulde vsurpe to him self the Temple of the Lorde 2. Thes 2.4 vntill the Lorde shoulde agayne discouer him Iohn also aunswereth that that woman hauing lately brought foorth hir Childe bath togeather with hir Childe layen hidden in the wildernesse free from the Dragon who trusted to and vsed also and was euen as it were vpholde with the power of
of the true church heresies might be distinguished from errors and haye stubble from those things which eyther of themselues or by reason of the opinion of worship brought in are either vngodly or superstitious and yet that all the gouernours of the Chucch ought to vnderstand that as the alter was not in time past to be builded of stones garnished by the diligence of man neither yet that it was lawfull for them so much as to fasten a naile in the Tabernacle but according to the paterne which Moses had seene in the mount euen so now also all godly magistrates indeede and all true shepheards ought to endeuour that in restoring the temple of the Lord by so many means fallen down they shoulde not onely restore those thinges which haue beene ouerthrown by Antichrists but also that they should most diligentlye wipe awaye all euen the lightest spottes that haue proceeded from the same Antichrists although they be as it were waxen hard vpon the walles of the temple and that marking partly by the story of former ages and partly by the beholding of the present ruins of the Churche these former euils of Satan they should at no hand suffer themselues to be mocked by the allegation of the fragmentes of certaine of the auncient fathers or by any vayn shew of custom but rather that they should not leaue of vntill by doctrine both the Ceremonies and all the Ecclesiasticall gouernment also be apted not vnto some figuratiue Image of shew which was needful vnder the schoolemastership of the law but exactly framed according vnto the moste perfect paterne which the sonne of God him selfe by his owne mouth his Apostles after him haue moste perfectly set forth vnto vs in their writings But cōcerning this matter we wil elswhere speake more fully as I hope when we shal answere those notable meane men who reprehend vs as ouer seuere exactors of that work especially whē we shal seuerally answere vnto the writing of Cassander to the end al men may vnderstand that none more hinder the worke of the Lorde than these Samaritans VVhich be the principal points of the Catholique faith or religion Now because I sée some not yéelding vnto these things which we haue spokē in general cōcerning the fundamental or principall points of our religion again to demād what those shold be I answer that these articles are to be called grounds or principles which being laid the whole building remaineth which being ouer thrown al things builded therupon fall to the ground And al these things we profes to haue bene described with great shortnesse plainnes out of the word of God in the Créed which they cal the Apostles Which thing ought to be added to the ten commandements the Lords praier of the which that to wit the ten commaundements doth verie compendiously set out the order of Christian life and this that is the Lords praier doth very briefly also set out right inuocation and praier This I say is that fundamental true and perpetuall mark of the Catholike church which shall neuer bee blotted out vnto the worlds end but which neuerthelesse ought to be expounded out of the wrytings of the Prophets and Apostles frō whence it is taken that al men may vnderstand it and keepe it as much as in them lyeth Now the order of this exposition is 2. VVhat exposition of Catholique doctrine is required in the Church fold one more familiar which is necessary for al men an other more large and far more plentiful as we sée that the Apostles creed was afterwardes expounded by some other Creedes of the holy Synodes that heresies might bee met withall the Consciences established more and more in sound doctrine Therfore albeit that to the ende that some man might be a true member of Christ it be not necessary that he should most exactely vnderstande for what cause thinges are spoken and set downe and should know the determinations of disputations in diuinitie Yet euery one ought to know according to his capacitie what he doth beleeue and why he doth beleeue and not to rest in the deuilishe inuention of faith which they call vnfolded that is to beleeue as the Churche hath determined and to aske no further but to adde also vnto that familiar instruction the exposition of holy writings That the true yea the Catholique church hath more then once wanted an ordinary and lawful ministery and therefore that that ordinarie and lawfull ordination and succession of Pastors vvas for a time broken off of which Paul setteth before vs foure pointes 2. Tim. 3. to wit doctrine reproofe correction and comfort All which are by diligent Pastors and teachers publikely and priuately to be applied to the capacities of the beleeuers It remayneth that we declare howe much we ought to giue to personal succession and ordination We haue sayde that the onely true perpetuall and necessary marke of the catholique Church is that doctrine which diuersly and sundry maner of wayes first by worde and afterward by wrytings hath bene deliuered by the Prophetes and at the last most perfectly declared by Christe him selfe and that by his owne mouth and by his Apostles For this word as euen after Christe him selfe Peter sayth is that seede by which the Catholique Churche both at the beginning of the world appeared and by which also it shall continue euen vnto the ende of the world But seed is to no purpose except it be sowen and the Lorde who both vnder the olde and vnder the new Testament appoynted an order for the sowing of this seed by the ministry of men hath I say necessarily appointed this sowing for otherwise the spreading abroade of this Churche woulde quickly end to endure to the ende of the world Be it so truely Then thou wilt saye ordination also and succession of those persons is a true perpetuall and necessary mark of the catholike church agréeing altogether with that other to wit the mark of sowing So our aduersaries do conclude but falsly and foolishly For that I may let passe those two thinges already confuted by vs that is to say because they babble of the succession of persons omitting the succession of that Apostolicall doctrine Moreouer because that they propoūd an other succession than that which hath beene begun by the Apostles them selues either they do not see or they dissemble that they do see albeit the sowing also and the sowers are required no lesse than the seede to the tilling of this fielde of the Church that the same order hath not alwaies bene kept either of sowing the seed or of ordeyning them vnto whome this sowing is committed And this notwithstanding they ought to haue learned both by the fore tellings of the prophetes and also by the holy histories which things remaineth to be proued of vs. The Church therfore I confes was neuer without the worde of God But let these men also shew vs that there hath bene some one
falsehood although on both sides that personal succession may be found Therfore neither the succession of persons by it selfe neither such maner of consent doth of necessitie prooue a true Church for as much as where both are found yet some times there maye be a false church and there in some sort may be a true church where the pastor dissenteth from the sheepe or the sheepe from the pastor Now that men may by examples both past and present prooue that these things haue too often times fallen out no man I suppose will denie But againe they say that they dispute not of particular Churches which they graunt may fall away but of that Catholique or vniuersall Church 1. Tim. 3.15 which is the piller foundation of truth But how I pray you do they define this catholike Churche Firste by a certayne place as those that will haue catholicke and Roman to be al one Secondly by the multitude Catholique and Roman are not all one as they which vpbraide vs with fewnes Let vs see therfore what manner of arguments these be They be if they be kept within the iust rules of reasoning vnlesse I be deceaued these and such like The church of Rome teacheth so very many in respect of a very few so beleeue and so it was from hand deliuered vnto vs. Therefore this is the catholique truth But who is so far void of all reason that he seeth not here againe Petitio principij and the thing in controuersie to be taken as graunted Shew vs therefore ye Sophisters or at least wise teach vs probablie firste how a part should be the whol that we may graunt vnto you your Romish church to be a principall member of the catholicke church And then from whence I pray you haue ye learned this Romish Church to be ordayned for a perpetuall rule of truth and from whence haue ye drawen that to be true which is approued of the greatest number Verely ye shall neuer proue this out of the bookes of the old or new Testament For those corrupt argumentes Vpon this rocke I haue builded my Church Mat. 16.18 Luk. 22.23 I baue prayed for thee Peter that thy fayth faile not and that saying of Christe thrise repeated feed my sheepe Ioh. 21.15.16 with men not altogether ignorant of these thinges need not any further confutation But happely ye will prooue it out of the writinges of auncient fathers As though for sooth it were the same thing to commende the faith and religion of the church of Rome as long as it was worthy praise and to establish hir for the catholicke church or a perpetuall rule to the catholicke church And seeing that by the name of the church of Rome if these flatterers will speake that they thinke they doe vnderstand no other thing than the byshop of Rome him selfe what madnesse is this I beseech you to haue the deciding of so great a controuersie to depēd vpon that seat in which their own writers being witnes not so much the monsters of men as Sathan himselfe doth seeme to haue sit so many ages together These men replie that the dignitie it selfe and the authoritie of the seate is not taken away by the faults of the persons euen as the Leuiticall high priesthood was true then also when it was exercised by vngracious and wicked high priestes And neither do we thinke that either the dignitie or els the efficacie of the ministerie may be abolished thorowe the faultes of the ministers which thinge these men yet thinke when it pleseth them as they that hang that their transubstantiation vpon the intēt of their sacrificing priestes a very rotten coard surely but this we say that their principle being graunted to wit that the Byshop of Rome is that head that should stand the catholique church as in stead of a soule it must altogether followe that this head be wyse if they will haue all his members that is the particular Churches to be wise And againe if that be frantick that the whole Churche must be franticke also Now that the Romish Bishoppes haue beene franticke many ages together not onely as priuate men but specially also as Bishops that is to say that euerie one of them almost haue bene not onely the most wicked of all men in respecte of their conuersation which thing these men can not denie vnlesse they woulde rather be conuinced by their owne testimonies but also as concerning the points of our religion whilst that partly they haue neglected all true religion and partly also haue set them selues against it so much that which thing two or three ages ago Petrarcha hath written whose verses they commend Rome hath beene a thousande yeeres at the least the temple of heresie and hath vtterly subuerted as much as was in hir all the offices of Christ yea so far forth that shee hath exalted hir selfe aboue Christe him selfe as the Apostles Iohn and Paule greater than all exception haue fore tolde all the beste approoued writers Gréeke Latin being the Byshops of other churches so interpreting the same vnlesse we haue sufficiently heretofore proued it we are ready again to prooue it before all vpright iudges Let this controuersie therefore be firste decided O yea Sophisters before that ye of this fained foundation as it were graunted vnto you But go to let vs graunt that the Byshoppes of Rome were suche whose so great and large succession is alleadged by these men Who yet vnlesse he be vtterly out of his wittes will therefore conclude that the bishop of Rome is the vniuersall head to whome who so euer doth cleaue is to be iudged a true member of the Catholique Church And yet these be the sophistications of these goodly fellowes which will haue catholique and Roman to be one and the selfe same thing to wit because Paule wrote that in his time Rom. 1.18 the faith of the Romans was famous throughout all the world But how much more rightly nowe may we say that the stenche of that whore hath not onely filled the earth but hath ascended also euen to heauen and that excellent epistle of the Apostle written to the olde Romans ought now truely to be written againste the Romans their successors Let vs now come vnto those who esteeme their catholicke churche The Catholike Church must not be esteemed by the multitude by the number and glorious shew of pages or seriaunts Verely if these men speake truth Christ and his flocke shall iustly be pronounced excommunicat and that multitude shal be the catholicke church which so often times cried out Take him away Mat. 26.23 take him away crucifie him The Apostle also shall be found a lyar writing to the Corinthians Brethren yee see your calling 1. Cor. 1.26 that we are not many wise according to the fleshe not many mightie not many noble to be shorte then these men shall be worthie whom to confute we may take paines when either by reason or examples
ordination should be iudged of no force who hath not bene lawfully examined and chosen That no Pastors are ordeyned by the laying on of handes but being alredy ordeined are put into the possession of their office and commended vnto God and they that ordeyne suche to be subiect also to very gréeuous punishment And therefore they doe vainely challenge vnto them selues that which is no where found amongst them Moreouer this also they should know that Pastours are not made by the laying on of hands but being ordeined by a lawfull calling which is the voyce of God are so commended and put into the possession of the ministery For wheras they recken this ceremony of laying on of handes amongst sacramentes by the same reason that they recken baptisme and the supper of the Lord we say that it is altogether a vaine dotage seeing there is no expresse commaundement of that ceremonie extant neither is there ioyned vnto it any sacramentall promise neyther doe we reiect eyther this ceremony or iudge to bee vnprofitable the prayers of the church commending and as it were offering vnto God the Pastor that hee hath sent them for the sending of God is a lawful calling But here surely it falleth out with these hypocrites as it hath in other things also to wit that those things being omitted in which a true calling consisteth that is to say the trial of doctrine and of life and a lawfull election of the whole Church they sticke in the outward ceremonie whiche ceremonie also they haue defiled with infinit vicelike rites that I may let passe that horrible sale of benefices and treading vnderfoote of the old cannons made touching the multiplication of benefices as they call them and touching ordination by ouer leaping as they speake of inferior orders And yet notwithstanding they themselues are not ignorant that by the ful consent of the ancient Synodes not onely ordination but also other better parts of a calling are by the meanes iudged of no force That euen a lawfull ordination is not a perpetuall and altogether a necessarye marke of the true church eyther Catholique or particular But goe too let vs put the cafe also that all these men were both lawfullye chosen and ordeined Shal therfore their congregation be the catholique church or not rather a denne of théeues if in abusing their calling they turne lighte into darkenesse and perfourme this one thing alone to make slaues to Sathan the sheepe that shoulde bee brought to Christe And yet if forsooth the head of his false Church doe this as what els I pray you doth he he will not endure this that he may be iudged of any mortall man For so these men haue beene bolde nowe a long time not onely to speake but also to write And if this bee playnely to play the Antichrist what is this Catholique Church I beseech you of which Antichrist is the head Wherefore The conclusion of the whole former disputation of the personal succession ordination that I may at the length conclude this place I suppose that these two thinges doe nowe sufficiently appeare that neither a base succession of persons nor the obseruation of an outwarde vocation is that necessarye and perpetuall marke of the true Churche which the Logitians call proper after the [a] That is whiche agreeth to euery one of the kind onely to the kind and always to the kinde as to be apt to laugh agreeth to all men to men only and alwaies to them and to euerye particuler of that kinde fourth sort Neither although it shoulde be so doe these things at any thing at al belong to the Church of Rome such as now it is that is vnto the Popedome but rather what argumēts soeuer conuince the Churche of Antichrist the same doe so euidently appeare in this Harlot that he that would not acknowledge flye from and detest her as an adultresse forsaken of her husbande truelye A true definition of the true church and a proper necessary and perpetuall marke of the same must either nothing regarde these things or else be without all vnderstanding Nowe because we haue determined not onely to set out the false markes which thinges wee suppose wee haue done but also to poynte out as it were with the finger the true and proper markes of the Church Go to let vs attempt this latter point We say therefore that a true definition of a true Church eyther particularly or vniuersally considered is that by which it is said to be a congregation that confesseth the true Iesus Christe their onely sauiour For we say that Iesus Christe is that onely foundation of that true spirituall house of God Iesus Christ onely is the soule of that misticall bodie Iesus Christe onely is the square of that building The true Christe must be discerned from the false by the onely writinges of the Prophets Apostles The aduersaries will aunswere that they also acknowledge and preache the same thing Therefore we do adde seeing there be many false Christes that we dispute of the true Christe These men also will replie that they haue done and do the same In the third place therefore we adde that he is in deed the true Christ that hath most fully reuealed him selfe by the mouth of his Prophets and Apostles And the mouth of the Prophetes and Apostles we interpret to be their authenticall writings wherin we affirme are most fully and moste perfectly comprehended all the pointes of the Christian faith partly plainely and partly by necessary consequences to be gathered thereof For we beléeue it to be as absurd that the true Christ must therefore be perfectly knowne by the writings of the Apostles prophets because they did fully and plainly both knovv and teach the whole Christian religion and the same Prophetes and Apostles do yet in their writinges teach it vnto vs. to thinke that the Apostles were ignorant of some thing of the misteries of christianitie or not to haue reuealed all thinges vnto the worlde both which Tertulian hath iustly accounted verie greate pointes of madnesse as not to haue put in writing all things necessarie to saluation or to be short not so to haue put them downe that either they should not be plaine inough of them selues or if any thing be written somewhat more obscure their true interpretation shoulde be els where sought than out of their very writings But here we haue the aduersaries manifestly disagreeing from vs yet not al neither those which like shamelesnesse For there be that graunt both these thinges that is to say that the Apostles knew perfectly all the doctrine of saluation and taught all the same most faithfully vnto the Church which thing in deed they iustly graunt for as much as Christ him selfe in the 15. of Iohn and the 16.13 witnesseth this in most plaine wordes And Paule in the 21.27 of the Actes Galathians 1.8 Hehrews 1.1 otherwise it shold be false at least in some
some particular Church may erre euen in some chiefe head or article of Christian religion and yet it ceasseth not therfore to be a true Church wherefore shal not a man say the same of al particular Churches not considered one by one but vniuersally for this is the Catholique Church Truely it is not probable that there liued then any men when Christ rose againe better or more perfectly instructed in true faith then those twelue Disciples And yet we see this whole congregation for a time as I euen now sayd so to haue doubted of the resurrection of Christ that for that cause as Luke writeth Christ remayned with them fortie dayes after the resurrection Act 1.3 that he might fully assure them of his resurrection Wherefore this thing we conclude that the chiefe points of our religion ought of necessitie to remaine sound in the Catholique Church that it maye be called Catholique But there may some times fall in some cloud specially through the negligence of the Pastors which may some times darken one while this an other while that article which neuer the lesse when the holy Ghost appeareth straight wayes vanisheth away Therefore Catholique is not as the vnlearned imagine alwaies and with out exception the same that right or sound is seeing that euen some vniuersall error may continue for a time And the same thing may and ought muche more to be spoken of the particular congregations of this vniuersallitie And if these things be true euen in the very grounds of our religion how much more may wee thinke the same to bee true as often as errours creepe in by which the very foundations of religion are not ouerthrown And this is the stuble or chaffe which sometimes as S. Paul sayth 1. Cor. 3.12 are builded vpon the foundations of the Apostles which at the length shall vanish away when the day of the Lord appeareth But this day sheweth it selfe sometimes sooner somtimes later So I had almost sayde all the Byshops of Africa thought with Cyprian that baptisme administred by heretikes was of no force Which thing although it were false might neuertheles so long as the sum of fayth remayneth sound and vnhurt be wrongfully taught and beléeued But this errour continued not long There is a like consideration to be had of many traditions which for that cause began at the length falsely to be called and to be deemed Apostolicall because that being once confirmed by continuall vse they were supposed to haue come euen from the Apostles them selues which traditions also by reason therof the day of the Lorde which hath againe in our times shined forth cannot now abolish with out very great contentions Be it therefore farre from any to thinke that for such maner of blemishes some congregations should be thought not to belong to the bodye of the Catholique Churche That blemishes at the first somtimes tollerable cease to be blemishes and grow to bee cankers although godly and diligent Pastors shoulde giue very great diligence that these spottes also shoulde be wiped away with the sponge of Gods word But this thing first of al must here be marked that these blemishes and as it were byles or swellings do some times so farre increase that they growe to a canker and that they pull away the very members from the body which thing the most shamefull examples both of auncient times and also of our times declare to haue fallen out especially by the fault of the pastors As for example exorcisme or cuniuring one sort of it being proper to them that were possessed with ill spirites and an other common to all that were growen in yeares and came from Paganisme to Christianitie brought in also by the negligence of pastors into the baptisme of Infants that were borne of Christians was at the beginning onely a blemish and yet not being looked into of the old Byshoppes at the length increased so farre that in the papacie it was retained as necessarie and so became a wilworship a matter now at no hand indifferent And in some Churches although lightened with the Gospell it is retayned as not vnprofitable with great shame truely to the pastors of so great importance is it in season to preuent euen the smalest errors The ceremonie of anoynting with oyle in baptisme which was ministred to those that were as it were to fight against the Deuil and the fleshe was in the beginning chaffe but this chaffe how farre in processe of time it grewe we see Chrisme in baptisme prefered before water the element of the sacrament when the Crisme also began to be reuerenced which thing notwithstanding did not fal out in the very water a true and an essential signe of baptisme So it is manifest that the signe of the crosse was at the beginning an open profession of christianitie the abuse wherof at the last brought to passe that the very crosse was set vp in the place of Christ crucified neither is there any idolatry in all the worlde more detestable So the remembrances of martyrs and the funerals of the more famous Byshops were celebrated both with Orations in the praise of thē and with incredible concourse of people from whence by and by after sprang vp inuocations of the dead at their sepulchers and in processe of time the worshippinges of reliques also The paineting of walles brought into the Christians temples about foure hundred yeares after the deathe of Christe and that without any worship thereof was in deed accounted haie But howe farre this blemish hath growne we see insomuch that the second of the ten commandements was vnder that colour openly by the Papists blotted out and which thing cannot bespoken without the incredible shame of some that second commandement is also at this day numbred by certein men which should not so deale amongest the ceremoniall commandementes Such was in the beginning the lenten fast and some choise or difference of meates without any opinion of worship added therto Which things we nowe see so established that sundrye and those no small persons but such as wil seeme to be most Catholike do most obstinately defende that in the doing of them consisteth in some respect the forgiuenesse of sinnes yea the worthinesse of merites or power to deserue What I beséech you coulde seeme at the first to haue been more indifferent then for the celebration of the supper to haue a table of stone or of wood But if the Grecians in the celebration of the saide supper had neuer vsed their * That is their Altars dedicated to Deuils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latines their Alters but had beene content with their cōmon tables which was in vse in the Apostles times likely it is that the controuersie touching that detestable idolatry of the masse by which we see the whole worlde at this day to be set on fire could neuer haue sprung vp Now to what end tend these things to wit that first in descrying the marks