Ane answer to ane epistle written by Renat Benedict the Frenche doctor, profesor of Gods worde (as the translator of this epistle calleth him) to Iohn Knox, and the rest of his brethren ministers of the word of God: made by Dauid Feargussone minister of the same word at this present in Dumfermling.

Ane answer to ane epistle written by Renat Benedict the Frenche doctor, profesor of Gods worde (as the translator of this epistle calleth him) to Iohn Knox, and the rest of his brethren ministers of the word of God: made by Dauid Feargussone minister of the same word at this present in Dumfermling.

Table of contents

Title page

The Prenter to the Reader.

The Preface. Dauid Feargussone vnto the Reader wisheth grace mercy and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Iesus Christ with yt spirit of righteous iudgement.

Heir followeth Renats Epistle the first Section.

D. Feargussones answer.

Renats Epistle the Second Section.

D. Feargussones answer.

Renats Epistle the Thrid Section.

D. Feargussones answer.

Renats Epistle the Fourt Section.

D. Feargussones answer.

Deut. 18.

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Ane answer to ane Epistle written by Renat Benedict, the Frenche Doctor, professor of Gods worde (as the translater of this Epistle calleth him) to John Knox and the rest of his brethren ministers of the word of God: made by Dauid Feargussone minister of the same word at this present in Dumfermling.

Psalme. 8.

Out of the mouth of babis and sucklinges haste thou ordeyned strength, because of thine enimies, that thou mightest still the enimie and the auenger.

Imprinted at Edinburgh, by Robert Lekpreuik.

Cum priuilegio. 1563.

The Prenter to the Reader.

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AS that it wes long after this Epistle wes written and tranflated, before it came to his handes that answered it. So wes it long after it wes answered before it came to my handes to prent, when therefore (good Reader) thou shal se so much tyme pas ouer betuix the trāslating and answering, and betuix the answering and prenting: impute it nether to his negligence that gladely wold haue answered it soner if it had comen to his handes, or yet to myne, that als gladely wold haue prented it, but rather take in good worth bothe our laboures, taken to thy confort, whosoeuer thou be that readeth it, to purge thy hart from error, imbraice the treuth and beleue it to the glorie of God and thy Saluation, in Christe Iesus, to whose protectiō I cōmit the, now and euer.

The Preface.
Dauid Feargussone vnto the Reader wisheth grace mercy and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Iesus Christ with yt spirit of righteous iudgement.

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I Haue not interprised (beloued brethrē in Christ Iesus) to answer this Epistle as one more able so to do, then the rest of my fellowes in office: but rather driuen thereunto by the vncessant requeist of some zealous and godlie persones, who broght it to my hādes for that purpose, after that it had bene caried as a matter of great importance from one place to an other: & so at length translated by an certane Freir out of latine into Inglish in fauor of suche perso [...]es What mo [...] ued me to [...] wryt. as he thereby wold gratifie) it wes [...]reatlie bosted of: partlie therefore to sa [...]ffie the reasonable requeist of the afore [...]aid persones, and also to stop the mouth [Page] of the aduersarie frome further braging but chiefly for the discharge of my conscience in the office whereunto God hath called me. I haue occupyed my pen in answering as after followeth. And althogh this pithles Epistle haue lytle or no strength to deceaue any that haue but meanly teasted of the treuth, yet because it may be a peice of help to hold them stil in error that are as yet within it (in my iudgement it wold not be past ouer in silence) nether do I know whither any man hath vnto this hour answered it or not. For asmuch as I se it a thing which all learned men will not onely laugh at, and so contempe it, as not worthy of answer but also iudge it suche a mater as they will spend no tyme vpon, seinge that they may be better occupyed nor to āswer a foole accordig to his folie: but list [...] [...]c. 26 he est came him self wise in his owne cō ceite. I haue thoght good to write sumwhat in this mater: vnto the which writing I haue added my name, nor for vain Why I haue expressit my na [...]e. [...]lorie God knowes, but to this end one li [...], that when the Reader shal find the reules of Rethorick transgressed, and ornate Eloquence omitted (no man be blamed [Page] but I allone (moreouer if it shal hap pen that I be sumwhates longer then ye wold wishe, werie not yet I beseche you to reid it to the end, for certanely as I suppose no man is able fully to answer this ordorles confused Chaos without many wordes. To the end therefor that ye may the better vnderstande the mater (because this mans letter kepeth no certane ordor) so far as the confusione of it will suffer. I haue deuided it, and that in four Sectionis: first writing his wordes faithfully as they are translated, and thereafter my answer. Fair well deare brethren in Christe Iesus our onely confort, and iudge with equitie.

Heir followeth Renats Epistle the first Section.

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THE loue of Christ (most cū ing mē) & no small desyre of Saluation vnto you all, con trinis me to warne and pray you frome the bottome of my hart, that ye intruse not nor bring not in an strange doctrine and vncouth, in the Church of God. Aliene and inpertinent (after the iudgemēt of all wise and good men) to Gods word & consuetude thereof, ather for the fauoure of the people, or for naine and trāsitorie glorie, that is, that ather ye may be estemed the more wise and cūning of some (and receaued as they say in bothe their armes) or els that ye may thereby get and gather to your selues riches. What tempt ye I pray you to do, what is (I beseche you in Christ Iesu) this your beginning, loke [Page] I pray you how great is this your boldnes, to professe a new doctrine against the antiquitie consent and vniuersalitie of Religion, without any plaine testimonies or auctorities of holy Scripture, or of Christiane Authores, ancient and tryed in learning and godlines.

D. Feargussones answer.

IT wold appear at the first sight to i [...] of small iudgement and learning, that the cause that hes moued you to write, were verray godly and charitable. Forasmuch as ye say that the loue of Christe, and the saluation of vs all hes contrined you thereto: but when the mater is tried with treuth, the contrarie will sone appear. It will please you therefore to giue vs leaue a lytle to try what kinde of loue this is that hath moued you, and what frute it bringeth furth, and then I truste bothe ye and vthers (if ye haue eyes to se) shal easylie perceaue this loue to be preposterus and carnall: I will say no wors til I haue better oportunitie, and list that ye should think that we deale to austeirlie with you at the first: I wold ye vnderstude that the Spirit of our God hath c [...] [Page] manded vs in his Scriptures (verray stratelie) to be war of deceauers and not to harken to fals Prophets, but rather math. 24. to try the Spirites whither they be of 1. I [...]on. 4 Deuter. 13. God or not, yea, and suppose the Prophet shew a wonder or a myrackle, if his doctrine be fals we are forbidden to credeit him. If then we aught not to beleue him to be of God that workes mirackles If his doctrine persuade vs to Idolatrie how much les oght we to beleue that this is the trew loue of God that moueth you to write, when as your doctrine and admonition tendis to nothing els through out this Epistle, but to draw vs from the trew worshipping of oure God in Spirit and veritie to serue him according to manns inuention by Idoles and Idolatrie. And althogh that I wold grant vnto you, that this your loue were euen to Christ & god ward without any hipocrysie, yet I dar boldly say that it is als preposterous as Peters loue wes to Christe whene as he exhorted him to fauor him self & not to suffer the death of the Trose. For the which Christ calleth him Satan, [...]ath. 16. nether fear I to affirme that Peters loue to Christ (which ye do se hear damned) [Page] wes als trew loue as it that moued you to write which suppose it be vnfeinzeit, is nottheles als voide of knowledge as the zeal of Paules brethren, for whome he praycth moste effectuously in his Epistle to the Romans. This much I haue spoken Rom. 10 of the nature of your loue to Christe, to the ēd that the treuth may appear, and that ignorants be not deceaued with the name of loue, for trew loue indeid which proceadis of faith and knowledge. It is dangerous in deid to giue haistie credeit to all such as haue the name of Christ hipocriticallie in their mouthes: for he him self affirmeth in the Euangle of Mathew that their shal come many and abuise his math. 24 name and that so craftelie, that if it were possible they should deceaue the verray elect. These men are we expressedly sorbidden to beleue. The desyre that ye bear to our Saluation is no better nor your loue, but in all pointes is lyke vnto the desyre that the Pharisies had vnto the cō uersion of the Bentiles, for the which the Lord Iesus pronunces an extreme wo against them in these wordes. Wo be vnto math. 23 you Scribes and Pharisies, Hipocrites, for ye compas sea and land, to make [Page] one of your professione, and when he is made ye make him the child of hell twofold more then your selues. Your admonition moth. 23. in desyring vs not to intruse an strange doctrine, we verray gladely admit. For as yet we haue taught nothing (nether are in tyme cuming mynded to teach) that hes not agreed, and shal fully and i all pointes agre with the infallible treuth of Gods eternall veritie, to the more euident manifestation whereof we haue set out in prent a general confession of our Faith and doctrine, with the which who so is not contented, let them shew the cause out of the word of God, and it shalbe amended. Ye name generally all wise and good men to be against our doctrine, & that also it disagreeth with Gods word, and yet in the mean tyme ye bring furth no man for your prufe nor any sentence out of Gods word for your defence. The nixt tyme therefore that ye write let vs hear these good mennis names that agreeth not with vs, and the sentences of Scripture that be against vs (for we can not answer to nameles mē and word les sentences) and then I truste by the grace of God that ye shalbe answered accordinglie, [Page] for preased be God we be rea 1. Peter. 3 [...]ie to giue a reckning of that hope that is [...] vs, to all men that demandeth it.

There he twa thing [...] that ye charge vs [...]ith, the first is, that we hunt for the fa [...]r of the people, the nixt that we studie [...] gather riches, the which accusations [...]od knoweth are manifest fals. That the [...]rst is fals, all men may se that are not [...]ilfully blind, for he that hunteth for the [...]or of the people must bear with their Fals prechers spekis to the peple plesāt thin thin [...] [...]ce, the contrary whereof the verray [...]eid it self testifies in vs. What persone [...] persones haue we spared to reboke op [...]enly, of what estate soeuer they were of, [...]we knew thē to be vicious. And where [...]e Magistrat is godly we procure at his [...]nd the punishment of whordome, drō [...]ennes, blasphemie, I dolatrie, morther, [...]ift, and all other vices as the worde of [...]od prescribes. For we know as sayeth [...]e Apostle, that the Law is good, being [...]ughfully vsed, so that suppose the Law 1. Timo. 1. [...]th nothing to do with the iust man, yet [...] serueth well to punish the lawles and [...]issobedient, the vngodly & the sinners, [...]he vnholy and prophane, the murtherers [...]f Fathers and mothers, the horemongers [Page] and buggerers, the liers and periured persones, or to the punishmēt of any vther vice that is contrarie to holsome doctrine, which is according to the glorious Gospell of the blissed God, cōmieted vnto vs. And where their is no magistrat that obeyth the voice of God (as to few there be the more to be lamēted) we vse to expell such ꝑsōes as are aboue written, by excommunication out of our Congregations ād from the communion of the faithfull. This is not the meane to win the fauor of the people, I am assured except they be altogether godly, for then the rebuker of their vice is the more belo ued of them, as sayeth Salamon. Reboke Prouer 9. the wise and he will loue thee, and be the contrary he that reboked the wicked purchaseth his hatred, nether fear I to affirme [...] the [...] gospellers [...] t [...]e ministers. that the greatest nomber of carnall Gospellers in Scotland this day hateth the Ministers of the Euangle, for no vther cause thē for their seueir reboking of vice, for the which I for one, that writeth this answer, am hated to the death, but God is with me, and therefore I fear not who be against me. The second whereof Rom [...]. 8. ye accuse vs (I meane the gathering of [Page] riches) is so impudent a lie, that all men [...]ay perceaue it to haue proceaded of the [...]euil, the author of lies. Thou art neuer [...]le to proue that euer any Minister in [...]cotland had a brybe of any man in the [...]rth for any cause, yea, and I dar say for [...] own part (and am assured my brethrē [...]ay say no les for their parts) with Sa [...]uel whose Ox, whose Asse, haue I taken 1 Samu 12 [...] whom haue I done wrōg to, or whom [...]ue I hurt, or of whose hand haue I re [...]aued a brybe to blind myne eyes there [...]ith, tell me and I will restore it? but so [...]r absent are we from gathering of rich [...], that the greatest nomber of vs haue [...]ed in great penurie, without all stipēd [...]e tuelf moneth, some eight, and some [...]lf a year, hauing nothing in the meane [...]me to susteane our selues and our fami [...]es, but that which freindes haue giuen [...]s, and that which we haue borrowed of [...]eritable persones vntil God send it vs [...] repay them. Ye strife fast to shift this [...]ut from your selues to vs, but I muste [...]alken you vp because herein ye appeare [...]o me to be fast a slepe. Haue ye forget the [...]saciable gredines of your Popes the Antichristes of Rome & of you his chapmen. [Page] Remember your self (omitting the rest for tediousnes) of Pope Iohn the 23. of that name, called before Iacobus Caturcensis, and of Clement the. 5. of that name called before, Bertrandus [...]ottho. The one of these I mean Iohn left behīd him in his treasure more aboundance of gold as sayeth Baptista Platyna nor any that euer wes Bischop of Rome did before Pope [...]o ne [...] treasour [...]. thowsand peices off gold. him, some sayth 25. mylzeon but I will write the least, which is. 25. M. pecis of gold, the other I meane Clement at his coronation, which wes at Lyons in France (for then wes the court of Rome trāslated to France by this same Clement) lost of his attyre stroken from his hors by a certane fall of the toun wall by which also Iohn the Duke of Bertanzie and diuers others were slaine. In this tumult I say your holy father Clement Clementio Carbounkle: worth sex thowsand crow nis. lost a Carbunkle, worth, as sayeth the same Platyna, sex thousand crounes.

Remember your self who are gatherers of riches, Christ and his Apostles who had not so much as to rest their head vpō to pay their tribute: nor gold nor siluer in Math. 8. Ibid. 17. Actis. 3. possession, & we his ministers that suffereth affliction and penurie, and whither [Page] this faute of couetousnes may iustly be [...]de to our charge or youres, I bid you [...]ember your self againe, yea, and more [...]er I dar be bold to say that these same [...]o forenamed Popes had more riches Two Popes [...]cher in geir thē all the ministeris of Scotland & Ingland [...] all the Ministers of the Euangel in [...]tland and Ingland bothe are valze [...] of in temporall gear at this houre. [...]ither wes it Aristippus or Diogenes [...]t hunted for riches, Diogenes that [...]d on erbes or Aristippus that wai [...] on the Court of Dionisius? So whi [...]r is it we Ministers of Gods worde [...]t liueth in penurie, as I haue said, ta [...] vpon vs the indignation of Princes [...]ether with the hatrede of the People, [...]speaking of the veritie, & ar nothīg els [...] as shepe appointed to the slaughter, Psal. 44. [...]yring nothing for all these foresaides, [...] that we may be suffered to reteane the [...]w worshipping of our God and his [...]ist, as we are taught in the Scriptu [...], whither is it we or ye impudent and [...]meles shauillinges that hunteth for [...]hes, we that speaketh the treuth frelie [...]ithout respect of persones, or ye fals [...]tterers who for the mantenāce of your [...]lleis careth not to go to euerlasting dā [Page] nation. It wes more lyke that baallcs chaplanis (that eat at Iesabels table) serued Mammō, then Eliah ād the hundreth Prophets that for the tyrranny of this cruell Quene durst not walk abrode, but were fed in caues (by Obadiah Ahabes stewart) vnder the ground. But ye do well to charge vs with lies, because ye 1. Reg. 18 haue nothing iustly to accuse vs of. Ye ask of vs what we attempt to do, we assure you (by the grace of God) to rute out supersticious and pestilent Papistrie, and in place thereof to plant sincere and whol some veritie, conteined in the booke of God. Ye desyre vs to looke to our beginning, God be preased we haue laide our compt long ago, what this laubour wil cost vs or euer we begouth to put out Luke. 14. handes to it, nether commoned we with fleshe nor blood in this case. Ye affirme [...]. 1. that this is a great boldnes of vs to professe a new doctrine, contrarie to antiqui tie, cōsent and vniuersalitie of Religion, hauing for vs nether Scriptures nor ancient Authors, if this your affirmation were trew, certanly our boldnes were to great. It is an easie mater to you to speak so, but ye will not find it so easy to [Page] proue. It hath bene the wonted and ac [...]stomed vse of Sathan, from tyme to [...]me, to sclander the treuth with noual [...]e, and deck falshead with antiquitie & [...]nsuetude, persuading men that the doc [...]ine of Saluation is suche newfangled [...]tasie, as neuer hath bene hard before [...]ny place. Thus did the wise and cun [...]ng Philosophers of Athenis call, Pan [...]s doctrine. May we not knowe (said Actie. 17. [...]ey) what this new doctrine is, where [...] thou speakest? And certanly the rude [...]ultitude are easylie persuaded that it is [...], for as sayeth Tertuliane. Ueritas pe [...]rina The trenth is ane stranger ō earth. est in terris. that is to say the veri [...] is a stranger vpon the earth, & it is no [...]nder althogh a stranger be misknow [...], so althogh the treuth appear vnto you [...] be new doctrine (that so lōg hath bene [...]ssaled vp in falshead) I meruell not. [...]ut I wolde ye knew that we teache no [...]her doctrine then is conteined in the [...]w, the Psalmes, the Prophets, and the [...]uangel, yea, euen that same that. S. 1. Ihon. [...]. [...]ohn testifieth to haue bene, Ab initio. Tertuli [...] in his Apologie for the christ [...] [...] the Gentil [...] [...]hat is, from the beginning. Moreouer [...]e offer vnto you with the aforesaid Ter [...]liane, that the oldest religione (whither [Page] oures or youres) preuale. Ye boste [...]uch of antiquitie, but when the mater is tryed it will appear that ye haue lytle for you, yea, your moste precious geare & oldest constitutions will appeare, to be that thing that they are in veray deid, to wit, beggerly cerimonies inuēted by the foolhardy and rashe conceat of man, with out the warrand of Gods worde, or any exemple of that first or primatiue Church moste happely planted by the Apostles & reuled by the holy Ghoste, for long after the primatiue Church, and many hūdreth yeares after that the word wes preached in Rome, yea, of poore preachers of the Gospel, or Bishopes call them as ye list, and then Archebishopes, and last Patriarc [...]es (for be theis degries they ascended to the beastes saite) there wes in Rome Th [...]e [...] i [...] [...]ome: o [...] euer there [...] [...]ne Pope [...]st. 66. in nomber, or euer there wes a word that any man durste clame to him self the name of vniuersal Bishop or head of the Church, after so many Boniface the thrid of that name, obt [...]ed of Phocas the traytor, that slew his master, Mauritius the Emperour togither with his wife [...]. t [...] [...] [...]is the [...]ste Pope. and children, of this bloody Iudas, the ambicious beast, Boniface obteined (I [Page] say) to be called the head of all Bishopes and the Churche of Rome the mother of all Churches, and this wes done in the year of God, sex hundreth and seuen, or therby. This long the Church of God [...]ked this monstrous head from whome [...] the rest of his successors and you Papi [...]s their members, all poysone descen [...]ed, as frō the natural head of mans bo [...]y ather good nutrimēt or euil humors [...]scendeht to the rest of the members. [...]he visible head of your kingdome is no [...]der, iudge ye then of the mēbers there [...], and incres of the body. For after that with great contention (as sayeth Plati [...]) this mater wes granted by the afore [...]d traterous vsurper of the impyre, yet [...]d verie few for a long time acknowledg [...]his tytle of the head of the Church to ap [...]rteane to any one earthlie mā, but rather [...]ithstude it to the vttermost of their now [...]s, and this chiefly did for the most part [...]l the Churches of Grecia, and of the [...]ast, lykewise did mony vther Churches [...]ntill that the strength of this beast wes [...]uch as at lenth compelled them tirranni [...]ally to cōmit fornication with her, after [...]hat she had shaken of the zock of lawfull [Page] obedience to Kings and Empreours (as their proud Decries whiche afterward I wil inter shal proue) and had exalted her self aboue all that wes called God, and so sat as one that promised vnto her self nether Thess. 2 sorow nor wedowhead, but rather cō [...]innal prosperitie, ād might do whatso say. 47 poca. 18 euer she lyketh, as these wordes followig Taken out of your own law shal testifie. [...]apa dicitur habere celeste arbitrium et ideo c [...]am naturam rerū immutat substānalia vnius re [...] applicando ali [...] / et de nihilo potest aliquid facere / et sententiam que nulla est aliquam facere / quia in his que vult ei est pro ratione voluntas / nec est qu [...] e [...] dicat cut ita facis / ipse enim potest supra [...]us dispensare / et de iniusti [...]a facere iusticiam corrigendo iur [...] et mutando nam pleitudinem obtinet potestatis.

[...]hese wordes are written in the firste boke of that [...]laiphemoꝰ wolome gather ed by one Raymond, and called the decre talis of Gregorie the 9. in the 7. tytle and [...]. chapiter there o [...], the tytle is called, De translatione Episcopi. the chapiter begin [...] ▪ with this word, Quanto. These wor [...]es I did find in deid in many notable writers that writeth against your Pope, but because I delyte not to make report (much les to commit to writ) any thing by here say, and also, that firste when I [Page] red them, it appeared an incredible mat [...]r to me that euer the Deuill culd so far [...]ind any man that he wold break furthe in this plaine blasphemie, so grossie that all men may perceaue it) I therefore deserred the writing of them vntill I did find out these same decretales wherein I [...] these wordes before writtē and there [...] toke boldnes to affirme that whiche I [...]d se and reid, the inglish wherof is this, [...] neir as I could translate it. It is said that the Pope hath a heauenly iudgemēt, [...] therefore changeth the natur of things, applying the substance of one thing to an other, and of nothing he can make something, ād of the sentēce which w [...]s noght [...]he can make it somewhat worth, for in O diuellishe presumption. [...]ose things that he list, his wil standeth [...]r reasone, nether is there any man that [...]ay say vnto him, why doeth thou so? [...] he may dispence with the Law, and of [...]ustice, may make iustice, in amending [...] changing the Lawes, for he hath gotten the fulnes of power. which of you [...]re so shameles as to stand in the defence [...]f these wordes? or rather who seeth not [...]hat this is that same mouthe that the [...]rophet Daniel affirmeth, should speak Daniel. 7▪ [Page] presumptions things, this is the plesand doctrine that procedeth from this monster, whose beginnig ye haue hard, whose incres and grouth to the hight I coulde declare, out of their own Histories (if it were not tedious) whereout of ye might easylie perceaue how fals [...]ie antiquitie, by them, is applyed to their new forged reti gion in the deap dongeon of Sathans workehous, and practised by them, his members and Luftennēts, hear in earth. But when they find in our Congregations that thing vsed which Gods worde hath not taught vs, then boldlie accuse vs of noualtie, and vnto that tyme, best it is to hold their peace list they be found ini [...]st accusers. As to the Doctors I nether contemp them, nor yet do I builde my faith vpon them, because they were but men, and in their writinges many thinges a [...]is to be found, as Augustine (indeid the verie best of them in my iudge ment) testifieth in diuers places & chiefly in his retractations, in these wordes [...] [...]n his Re [...]tatiōs [...]re non possum nec deb [...]o [...] [...]ut in ipsis inato [...]s [...] ita multa esse in tam multis opus [...] lis meis que posiunt iusto iudic [...]o et nulla te meritate culpare. Beholde freinde that [Page] Augustine doeth not deny that there be many thinges in his volonies that may by iust iudgement, and without all temerite be found faut with. Fynally because of all that hitherto ye haue written, and I haue answered, ye haue inferred no [...]rufe of Scripture but naked wordes of [...]our owne. In this case I say with [...]. [...]uod de Scripturis nō habet auctor [...] [...]erome▪ vpon [...] ▪ [...] 23. Chap▪ [...]adem facilitate contempn [...]tur qua probatur. That is to say that thing which hath not his authoritie out of the Scriptures, als easylie as it is prouen, als easylie may it be reiected.

Renats Epistle the Second Section.

THis a lytle I besech you take head and enter in your selues by dilegent reasoning, putting away all mist of affection from you: say I require you by [...]e mercy of God and Christ Iesus loue [...]owardes vs all? where is it red in the holy write, ather in old Testament or new, that the masse that is the conswete Sacrifice of holy [...]irk is abhomination, or any thing soūding to Idolatrie? where or in an of so many Counsels holden in [Page] the Kirk of God? where in any learned or tryed authorities? Loke? neuer treuly, alledge the place it ye can, which verilie neuer an of you could euer yet do. I me [...] uel therefore why ye affirme that doctrine with so great clamor, with suche ardence as it is beleued, yea, with so great laboures, to the perrell of so many Christiane soules, and to your own (I feare) perdition: contempning the prudent authoritie of all good and learned men, which doctrine hath no certane probatiō except that ye wold think your owne expolition of the Scripture (that repugneth manifestlie to all cūning mens) yneugh for to conferme a new doctrine of Faith and Religion.

D. Feargussones answer.

ALl mist of affection set asyde, ye require vs by the mercy of God and Christ Iesus loue towardes vs all, to shew you, where the masse is called abhominatione or Idolatrie, in the old Testament or new? whereunto we answer, [...]e n [...]me [...]f the [...]sse [...] not in [...]e Scrip [...]ris. that when ye find this worde masse ather in the old or new Testament, then shal we proue it to be Idolatrie. This [Page] might serue you right wel for an answer, [...] should be also vnto you such a desyre [...] am assured ye were neuer able to ac [...]plish. But in the meane tyme vntill [...]d it, list this might apeare rather to [...] [...]hift nor an answer: we say and [...] affirme, that wheresoeuer the [...]ture (or the thing that is made) is [...]shipped (in the place of the Creator, [...]maker of all) that there is Idolatrie [...]mitted contrary to the cōmandiment [...]od, who hath said, thou shal worship Deute. 6. mathe. 4. [...]ord thy God, & hi onely shalt thow [...]. But in the masse there is worship [...]read and wine, corruptible Creatu [...] the place of God the Father, and [...]te his Sonne, as ye can not deny, [...]refore it followeth that the masse is [...]latrie, this argument (which I haue The masse Idolatrie [...]f Gods worde als well old Testa [...]s new) whē ye haue refelled which [...]e (ad grecas calendas) then shall ye [...] others. Ye call your abhominable [...]e the conswete or wonted Sacrifice [...]oly Church, the wonted Sacrifice of [...]r Malignant Synagoge of Sathan, [...]onfesse it to haue bene euer since the [...]es of your Pope Agattho the firste, [Page] whose orator Iohn the Bishop of Portu ens to haue bene the first that euer song or said a latine masse, Platina the Popes own Gnato in his book, [...]e vi [...] Pontificum. affirmeth in these wordes, the Counsel being ended (this wes the 6. general Consel holden in the year of God 681.) that thankes might be giuen vnto God, that of the two Churches had made one (meaning the Greak and the Latine Church) the octane of Pashe Iohn the Bishop of Portuens in the presence of the Prence and Patriarck, and people of Cōstantinopol celebrated a latine masse [...] all that were present for the tyme allowing it (so easylie are men deceaued) this long to wit 681. yeare wes the Churche without this Sacrifice which yet differed far from it that wes in our dayes, for it wes almost 7. hundreth yeares after this or euer the people were commanded to worship it, for that wes done by Honorious the 3, who wes Pope the yeare [...] 3 [...]ste orde [...]de [...]he masse [...] to be wor [...]ipped. from our Redemption. 1216. thereafter, when it wes worshipped as a God, the Deuil did find the meanes that this new Idole shoulde be caryed Solempnitlie, throughout all tounes, vpon a peculyar [Page] day dedicat to that Histrionicall gyse, cal [...] Corpuschristies day. The īstruments [...]t the Deuill vseth to this labour, were Cor [...] Christies day. [...]banus Pope of Rome the 4. of that [...]e, and a certane Religious woman [...]d Eua, and it came to pas as ye shal [...] The aforesaid Urbanus (Pope in [...]ear from our Redemption 1261.) had Urban [...] 4 [...] aforesaid supersticious Eua in fami [...] acquentance▪ before he came to the Eua [...]tes saite, who feinzeed her self to haue [...]a reuelation from heauen, cōcerning [...]edication of a Festual day [...]o the Po [...] God of bread in the masse, the maner [...] Circumstances of this reuelation, she [...] to Urbanꝰ at length, desyring him [...]rforme her vision, which he did with [...]elay, cōfirming it with a Bul which [...]enth I omit. The Churche wes a [...]sand two hundreth thre scoir and one [...] without this Idolatrous gyse, this [...]yte, and muche more could, out of [...]own Histories (if it were not ouer [...]some) to shew that all their braging [...]tiquitie is nothing els but [...] fals for [...]lies. Their corrupted knauerie peice [...] peice crope into the Churche by the [...] of Sathan their Father, who [...]urste [Page] not shew him self at ones, list he shoulde haue bene knowen, and so resisted. But rather transfiguring him self in an Angel of light, as the slacknes of Pastors begouth 2. Cori. 11. to incres, wroght spedylie as a bissie Bishop, vnder their handes til at length he had fully broght to pas, the whole misterie of his iniquitie, which the Apostle affirmeth to haue bene a working in his dayes, But what nedeth Circumloquution 2. Thes. 2. when few wordes directlie spoken, may spedily end this stryfe. What if I should say with Ambrose. Quicquid non ab Apostolis traditū est Sceleribus plenū est. Ambros [...] 1. Corin. 4 that is, whatsoeuer is not giuen vnto vs by the Apostles, is full of iniquitie, or as he sayeth in an vther place. Nos nou [...] omnia que Christus non docuit iure damnamus [...]bro. 4. de Uirgi [...]bus. quia fidelibus via Christus est. Siigitur Christus non docuit quod docemus [...] etiam nos id detestabile iudicamus. that is, we iustlie damp all new thinges that Christe hath not taught, because Christe is the way to the faithfull. If therefore Christ hath not taught that thing which we teache, yea, euen we our selues do iudge it detestable. First therefore because your [...]se wes neuer giuen nor ordeined vnto vs by the [Page] Apostles I with Ambrose affirme it to be [...] of iniquitie. Secondly, because it is a [...] doctrine which Christ neuer taught, [...]stly damp it, that Christ neuer taught [...] subsequentes s [...]al declare? where [...]euer Christe or any of his Apostles [...]o a man? when they Elected and ad [...]ed him to the ministerie of the church [...]pe potestatem celebrandi vel sacrificandi Sūma an gelica folio. 319. [...]iuis et mortuis. as your Idole Bis [...]s sayeth to you, their shawelinges, [...]n ye receaue the beastes marke with [...]er to by and sell the marchandrise of Apoc [...]. 13. [...] great hoore of Babilon. These word [...]ey say whē the Chalice is giuen you, [...]ther with the Paiene, the bread and [...]ine, take thou authoritie or power [...]lebrate or say masse for the quick and Suido de monte Ro cher [...]i ma nipulo curato [...] trac tatu. 5. de ordine. Cap. 4. [...]ead, yea, so heighly are these wordes [...]ed of your Doctors, that if the Bis [...] omit the saying of them for his part [...]e prosering of the aforesaid thinges, [...]he that is to be ordeined omit the [...]hing of the thinges profered, that all [...]r noght, where commanded Christe [...]t ye should deuore all alone, standing [...]n alter with your back to the p [...]ple? [...]ere are ye cōmanded to lift the bread [Page] your heades that the people may commit Idolatrie with it. Where are ye cōmanded to dissagyse your selues lyke players or fooles with shauē crownes, long wide sarkes aboue your clothing, and shorte peies lyke cotes of Armoure aboue all▪ Where are ye cōmanded at the ministra [...]i on of the Sacrament, some tymes to i [...]ke and some tymes to nod, to slepe a while The tryfling toyes of the Popes masse and walk another, now to cry out with a loud voice, and thē to quhisper that you [...] taill may not hear you, to put bothe your handes to your eares and then to streiche them out as the Daw doeth whē she raxeth her in the morning. Why speak ye in a strange langage (contrar to the mynde 1. Cor. 14. o [...] the holy Ghoste) that the people vnderstandeth not? when ye haue told me who learned you these iugling castes, thē will I assay what reckening ye can giue of the rest. Fynally I wold ask at you, if the thre thousand persones that Peter by the word of God conuerted (of whom we read in the Second Chapiter of the Actis. 2. Actes) were of the Church of God or not ye dar not deny but that they were of the Church. If then the masse be the wonted Sacrifice of holy Church (as ye wolde [Page] make men beleue) I wonder that they [...]itted it. For the holy Ghoste for our [...]rning by the [...]en of Lucas hath moste [...]gentlie registrat their excercise which The excer ceis of the primatiue Churche. [...]at after they had receaued the word, [...] were baptised continued in the Apo [...] doctrine, sele wship breakig of bread [...]yers, to be shorte get me one word [...]tion of a Sacrifice offered for sinnes, [...] the death of Christ) in all the Actes [...]he Apostles or in any part of the new [...]ament by Gods people, and I will [...]t your argument trew, but vnto the [...]e that ye proue your arguments out [...] word of god, ye must apardone me [...] can not beleue you, no, not suppose Sal [...]. 1. [...]ere ane Angel as ye are but a man. [...] to your generall Counsels, my faith [...]ot builded vpon them, nether am I [...]nd to beleue one iote of them, further [...]hey aggre with Gods word, for they [...]beleueth or taketh any counsel but of [...], hath an extreme wo pronounced [...]nst them. by the Spirit of God in [...]e wordes. Wo to the rebellions chil [...], [...]say. 30. sayeth the Lord, that take counsel, [...] not of me, and couer with a couering, [...] not by my Spirit that they may lay [Page] sinne vpon sinne. And in few wordes except these foure, to wit, the first Counsell Nicen holden against Arrius, and gathered Generall counsels. by the Empreoure Constantine, and by no Pope, for many hundreth yeares after the Bishopes of Rome, were but Prechers of the word of God, hauing no further dominion then their own diosies did streich. The nixt general Coūsel wes gathered by the Empreoure Graciane, against the Herisie of Macidonins and Endo [...]us, and wes holden in Constantinopol. The thrid wes holdē in Ephesus▪ vnder the Empreour Theodorieꝰ against the Herisie of Nestorius. The fourth in Chalchedō vnder the Empreour, Martiane against the Herisie of Eutiches, except these foure, all the rest for the moste part are suspect to me, because your Popes were iudges in them their selues. Therefore seing the wise man hath counselled me otherwise, namely, not to go to Law with the Iudge forasmuch as he Eccle [...]. 8. will giue sentence according to his owne honor, it were but Foly then to subiect my Faith to the iudgement of these counseles whereof Antichristes haue bene hea des and Iudges. The controuersie then [Page] being betuix vs Christians, & you papi [...]es, ye striuing for the tyrannical domi [...]ion and vainglorie of your Pope, and [...]e certitude of his Counsels, and we for [...]e eternal heauenly glorie of our Christ, [...]d the veritie of his holy Euangle. Let [...] men iudge whither it be right to ad [...]t the Pope Arbiter in his owne cause, [...] whither he oght to be iudged by the [...]ord of God, and Gospel of his Christe, [...] whome all power is giuen in heauen, math. 28. [...]d in earth whose word that he hath spo [...]n, shall iudge vs all in the last day. I [...]re not to affirme that the mater oght [...]e tryed by the Scriptures, howsoeuer [...]tichrist bragge of his owne authoritie, [...]t moste [...]iustly he vsurpeth ouer mē as These [...]o dis or [...] ten in th [...] book th [...] is cal [...] [...] trauaga [...] [...]es cōmu nes [...]o 1. de [...] rita [...]e et o [...] bedienti [...] Chap. 1. [...] Law doeth witnes, in these wordes. [...]nes Christi fideles de necessitate Salutis [...] sunt Romano pontifica qui vtrū (que) gladium [...]et et omnes iudicat a n [...]mine [...]utē iudicatur [...]t is, all that be faithfull Christianis [...] the necessitie of Saluation are subiect [...] the Bishop of Rome, which hath bothe [...]e swordes (that is spiritual and tempo [...]) and iudgeth all men, and to be iudg [...] of no man: what I beseche you may [...]e loke for at those Counsels▪ whereof [Page] this tyrant is iudge, euen this (in my iudgement) that when all the adulterers [...] pretty [...]e and hooremongers of Scotland and all vther Countries giueth their general cō seut to put doun al [...]ordales and villany, that then a generall Counsel whereof the [...]ope is head and iudge (with his Creatures, the carnall Caroinalles and their a [...]s, for [...]e slaues and mōstrous [...]ytiar Bishopes) shal aboli [...]e and put doun al superstitiō & Idolatrie. Meruell nor therefore why we affirme this doctrine or oures, I meane the Euangle, with so great clamoure and laboure, not to our own perdition and others, as ye suppose, but rather to our Saluation, yea, we [...]we that damnation abydeth vs, if Cor. 9. that we preach not the Euangle, whiche also we are commanded to cry and not to [...]. [...]8. ce [...]s from speaking and bearing witnes to the treuth, which we haue bothe hard [...]s. 4. and [...]ene, nether do [...]th our doctrine repugne (as ye wold make men beleue) to all good and cunning men, as I trust the vnaffec [...]onat Reader shal perceaue, but we [...]e nor vpon men, but vpon the treuth of God, con [...]nge eure [...]elues to Cor. 2. k [...]w nothing but Iesus Christe (not [Page] him that hingeth in a cord or halter ouer your altars sumtyme til he be woormeatten and not worth the holding adiudged to the fyre) no, but him we confesse that wes made (not of white corne) but of the [...]ede of Dauid, according to the fleshe, yea, Rom. [...]. euen him that wes crucified, and declared [...]ightylie to be the Sonne of God touch [...]g the Spirit of Sanctification by the Resurrection from the dead. ye bragge muche of Doctors and learned men to be [...]pon your syde, but hitherto we haue ne [...]her hard their names, nor yet any autho cities out of their writings for your prufe And that it may appeare how fals this [...]our accusation is, althogh I haue no [...]ede of Doctors, yet do I infer some, and [...]al godwilling infer mo hereafter, as that occasion shal be offered. As to your [...]clandring with noualtie our faith and [...]octrine, I haue alreadie in the first Sec [...]on answered, and partlie by occasiō also [...] this. The doctrine that we professe & [...]ach, to haue bene from the beginning, [...] haue alreadie prouē, and that the scope thereof is onely to teache men to knowe the Eternal the Father of our Lorde Iesus, to be the verie onely trew God, and [Page] that he whom he sent, is the Sauioure of the world. In this doctrine alone consisteth lyfe euerlasting, as witnesseth the Ioh. 17. Lord IIesus, and this is lyfe eternal that they knowe thee to be onely verie God, and whom thow hath sent, Iesus Christ, this doctrine we haue professed at this present doeth, and shall by Gods grace, confesse vnto the end in dispyte of Satan and his Uickar your Pope & Antechrist.

Renats Epistle the Thrid Section.

BEhold I besech you, that ye deceaue not your selues, and namely in these last and moste perrellous dayes, of the which the holy write prophecieth and affirmeth the great dangeres and mischief so that in the dayes, euen the chosen and Elect (if it were possible) therethrough shalbe peruerted. Ye knowe planely if that ye loke ouer the Scripture with humilitie the slight and desait of Sathan (Christes and all Christianes enimies) for to misreule and disturb the trew Kirk and his furious interpryses also to deleit and put away the remembrance of Christ [Page] Iesus ye misknow not. Take head therfore I adiure you welbeloued and Christiane brethren, that ye be not Seduced with his subteltie and craftines, and being Seduced, that ye be not the instruments to peruert others from the faith. [...]athan can not take Christes name from you but yet be war I pray you, and I warne you of charitie for your weill and Saluation, that he pluk not Christe him self from you. Think I besech you where, and by what maner we haue Christ treulie? Haue we him not by his trew worde in the trew Sacrament? Haue we him [...]ot ī the trew Kirk by verie faith? Haue [...]e not lightlyed I make your selues iud [...]es, and contempned the trew Kirk sit [...]uat vpon the montane? and this yneugh knowing of all men, Intruse ye not an onely figure for the treuh of Christes liue [...]y bodie in the Sacramēt and euchariste? They knowe who hath red the Scriptu [...]es and Doctors writinges, that ye pro [...]one the wordes of the Law, and not the Law it self, nor the trew worde of God, for probation and setting forthe of your doctrine, therefore ye reteane onely the name of Christe, but be war I pray you [Page] that ye put not Christe him selfe frome you, haue ye not expelled him first in his Ymages? and thereafter in the euchariste and masse. And last of all in exponing the Scripture otherwise then it behoued, in whose roume what other thīg haue ye set out but a Creatur or creatures inuent, that is your doctrine and teachement.

D. Feargussones answer.

IF that we did depend ather on men or mens doctrine, whither it were our owne or other mens, then no dout, we were verie able to be deceaued, and to deceaue others. But forasmuch as the doctrine that we are grounded vpō, come ne uer be the will of man (as sayeth Peter) D [...]t. 1. but by the wil of God, we are assured not to deceaue our selues, for he is no deceauer in whom we trust, but rather the way the veritie and the life, and him we follow [...]ohn. 14. certeanely beleuing that then we can not walk in darknes, for we know as sayeth bid. 8. S. Iohn in his first generall Epistle that we are of God, althogh the whole world l [...]eth in wickednes. we know that the Sonne of God is come, and hath giuen [...]s a mynde to knowe him that is trew, [Page] and we are in him, that is in his Sonne Iesus Christ, the same is verie God and eternall lyfe. This doctrine we haue lear 1. Ihon. [...]ed of God, in it we trust, being assured that the gates of Hell shall not preuale against vs. math. 1 [...]

Trew it is, that the Scriptures plain [...]y affirmeth in diuers and syndrie places, [...]hat the latter dayes shalbe ful of dāgers, [...]nd therefore moste carefully doeth the Spirit of our God, not onely warne vs of the dangers, but also the meane to a [...]oyde them is manifestly-proponed to vs [...]n these wordes. He that ꝑseuereth vnto math. 2. [...]he end shal be saued. But as all shall be [...]ll of perrel euerie where, so shal not the Church lack her part, being assalted with [...]als Christes and fals Prophetes, who shal shew suche lying wonders, signes, 2. Tess [...] and myrackles, that if it were possible [...]he verie chosen should be deceaued. But [...]lissed be God that hath not left these his moste necessar admonitions in so obscure [...]arables that hardly may the mater be decerned, no but rather hath by his Apostles and diligent watchmen, painted out moste liuely, the maners and doctrine of these fals ꝓphetes, Peter sayeth. They 2. Peter [Page] shal deny the Lord that boght them, and through couetousnes make merchandrise of the people. Wes Christ Iesu alōe (i the Popes Church) granted to be the Lorde that boght vs with his blood? or were we not teached to be boght out of purgatorie by masses, whiche of these gredie beastes wes boght for money, with mony other such dānable wayes, whereby the way of treuth wes euil spoken of, which I omit for tediousnes, this remembring onelie as the fontane whereout of the rest sprāg. These men that thus deminisheth the power of the Sonne of God, to be vterlie ignorant of the Father, and with him to 1. Ioh. [...]. haue no societie. S. Iohn plainely affirmeth. Iudas the seruant of Iesus Christ and brother of Iames, calleth them cloudes Iude. [...]. without water, and trees without frute, that is such mē as are called Bishopes and Pastors, and when it cometh to the watering of Christes shepe with the water of lyfe, they ather suffer them to die for thrist or els compell them to do two Iere. 2. euiles, that is to forsake the eternal who is the onely fontane of lyuing water and drink of rotten pooles made by men that can hold no water, when Christes chosen [Page] are to be fed with the frute of that tre that [...]andeth in the middest of the Paradise of Apo. 2. God, ather get they no frute, or els sti [...] [...]g Dnzeons and Barlyk of Egypt, that [...] to say massing, [...]inking, ringing, sing [...]g, playing, sensing, crossing, [...]king, [...]dding, and processions: wherein the [...]preaching prelat (with his shameles [...]auelinges, no better preachers then the [...]m dog their master) he I say (lacking [...]e misterie of Saluation in his hart, ād [...]e Sermon of exhortatiō banished from [...]s mouth) is decked like a player in mi [...]al aparel with Crose and myter, glo [...]s and ringes, caip and coule, to the [...]at contempt and mockage of God, and [...]ruction of his people, forgetting in [...]e mean tyme that their triumpth is the [...]gining of their sorow, hauing the black 2. Pet. 2 [...]rcknes reserued to them for euer.

[...]ule the moste vigilant watcheman of [...]hristes Church, not onely for his owne [...]me, but also careful for the posteritie, [...]eth no les diligentlie, not these men [...]r the rest of his nyghboures in office [...]moste in all his Episties, but chiefly to [...]imothie, in these wordes. The Spirit [...]eaketh euidētly that in the latter tymes [Page] some shall depart from the faith, and shal giue head vnto Spirites of erro [...], and doctrines of Deuilles whiche speak l [...]es through Ipocrycie, and haue their cons [...] ence burnt with an ho [...]e yrne, forbidding 1. Tim. 4. to marie, ād cōmanding to abst [...]ane sco [...] meates which God hath created to be receaued with gi [...]ig of thākes of thē which bele [...] and know the t [...]euth, who doeth not se (out suche as be wilfully blind) the doctrine papistical moste liuely discriued and handsomely set furth in this prophecie, for who in these latter and dangerous dayes hath forbidden Mariage, and hath commanded distinction of meates, persecutig the violaters of these precepts with Fyre and sword, esteaming his own traditions aboue the cōmandements of God who I say hath done this but the Pope math. 15. and his clargie the Antichriste & his mē bers. It wil auale you nothing to ascriue and applye the accōplishing of this prophecie to Montanus, to the [...]erityques Old [...] that for [...]ad ma [...]ge ercu si [...] not the new. called Tatiani, and the Encratikes, seing ye are found in the lyke faut, and so gilty of the same damnation, no more then it wil auale a murtherer that now killeth a man, to think that the curse of God pro [Page] nounced against Cain, streacheth not [...]er him.

Wherefore freind in my iudgdement, it [...]eth with you as [...]sope in his Fables, [...]zeed to haue happened to a Paddock, [...]sope. [...] gaue her self forth for a Phisition, & [...] of others, who when she came to [...] her Counsell and minister her Phi [...], wes reiected of the seicke persones [...]cause she her self appeared to be all o [...]goine with the gulsogh) with this an [...]r, [...]dice cura teipsum. So say I to [...], ye giue your self forth for a spiritual [...]tion, a professor of Gods worde, [...] to be a warner of others, to be ware [...]rrours, whē as in the meane tyme ye [...]r self had moste neid of spiritual Phi [...]k, and holsome Counsell of all others, [...]d that because I se you [...]longed in ex [...]me errore and vehementlie deceaued [...]th fals doctrine, therefore I say to you [...] Paule the Apostle said to his brethren [...]he Pharisies) as concerning the fleshe, [...]ho were to zeaious for the mantenance Rom. 10. their owne ryghteuosnes which they [...]ght they had by the workes of the law [...] therefore vtterly spoyled them selues [...] the ryghteousnes of God, that came by [Page] Faith in Iesus Christe. Thou preaches that a man should not steal, and in the Rom. 2. meane tyme thou robbist God of his glo rie. If then ye wold that we should admit you to take the mote out of our Eiecast first out the balk that is in your own [...]t. 7. If ye wold that we should obey your admonitiōs, let them bring forth some frute in your self, or els ye are lyke to be repulsed with this sentence. Pihsition haile thy self. And althogh we do reiect you for iust causes, principally for your intoxicat doc trine, think not therefor that these Scriptures (whereof your admonitions are taken, concerning the latter dayes) are of vs carelesly passed ouer, no, God forbid, for they be warninges betuix our [...] eyes. The Apostle Peter hath moste carefully [...]. 11. warned vs, of Sathans [...]yght and fury, not forgetting also to istruct vs how to withstand him, in these wordes. Be sober and watche for your aduersarie, the Deuil, as a roring lyon, walketh aboute feking whome he may beuore, whome (sayeth the Apostle) ye shall resist, being steadfast in Faith, ye say that Sathan can [...]. [...]. 5. not take Christes name from vs, no, certanely, nor steare a haire of our heades, [Page] forther then God doeth appoint him.

[...]e are not affrayed that that Serpent Iob. 1. [...]al ather spoyle vs of thrist or of his na [...]e, for we know our selues to be Christs [...]epe, to whom he hath not onely pmised Iob. 10. [...]ernal lyfe, but also that they shall neuer [...]rishe, nor be plucked out of his hand by [...]y. This certanetie of our Saluation, [...]ocedeth not of our owne merites and [...]orthynes (which God did foresie to be [...] vs, as ye blasphemous Papistes do [...]irme) nor yet of the worthynes of the [...] workes that follow after our externall [...]ocation, no, but the begining, the mid [...]est, and the end of our Saluatiō, cometh [...] the mear mercy of our God alone, in [...]hriste Iesus his Sonne, to whome he [...]ly & liberally gaue vs, before all worl [...]es, Ephe. 1. as that he him self witnesseth in the [...]uangle of Iohn, saying. My Father [...]hich gaue them me, is greater then all, [...]nd none is able to take them out of my [...]athers hand, I and my Father are one. Iohn. 10. [...]pon these promises we rest, and shall [...]od willing vnto the end, nether feare we [...]s promises nor the fidelitie of them, for 2 Timo. 2 [...]ppose we be fragel, yet wil he not deny [...] self, but how cometh it to pas that [Page] ye perceaue not the craft of this Serpent your self, whereof ye admonish others so earnestly. For Sathan hath not one [...]e spoyled you of christ him self (giuen you a whyte tepertane God to play you with) but also hath spoyled a great nomber of your masters men, euen of the verie name of Christe. For they think it to base a name to be called Christians wherewith enerie man is tearmed that is Baptised. And therefore are som of them called Frasiscans, so [...]e Benedictinis, some Don [...] nicans & Agustmians, some Car [...]elites and Cartusians, some Heremites and Iacobins, and some with one name and some with other, whiche I irke to rehers. Hereby plainely witnessing that they are ashamed of the name of Christ before men that he may deny them before his Father math. 10. in any wise to apertean to him, but to be of the nomber of those filthy locustes that Apoca. 9. S. Iohn remembreth in his Reuelation, to haue come out of the bottomles pit.

Ye desyre vs to remember where and by what maner we haue Christe treuly, then ye laboure to persuade vs that he is inclosed in the Sacrament, & knet to the Church, vnto the which in deid he is cup [Page] led and maried by an euerlasting couenāt [...]. [...]. but not to your adulterus Church, which ye wold make men beleue, were the trew Church of God, and so ye conclude that [...] haue dispysed the Church sittuat vpō the montane, and hath intrused a figure for Christes body in the Sacrament.

This I trust be your meaning and the [...]one of your argument, whereunto we [...]er. That the Lord Iesus being rea [...] Iohn. 16. to leue the world and go to his Father, seing his Disciples (who at that present were carnall mynded) sorie for [...]s bodylie departing, made vnto them [...] solempned promise, that he wolde not [...]aue them confortles, but if they wolde Iohn. 14. [...]pe his commandements and teache his people also to obserue all, & whatsoeuer [...] had commanded them, that then but [...]out he wold be present with them vnto [...]e end of the world, not catnally nor ma [...]cally math. 2 [...]. inclosed in a bit of coniured bread [...] which is now and then offered for seicke [...] wine and Fearsy horses) but by his ho [...]e Spirit effectually working i their har [...] that thing which his bodylie presence [...]uld not do, whose departing from them [...]es vtterly necessarie and expedient, as [Page] he him self doeth witnes, in these wordes I tell you the treuth it is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away Iohn. 16. the conforter which is the holy Ghoste, will not come vnto you, but if I depart I will send him vnto you. Marck these wordes ye carnal Capernaites (that wold pluck Christes fleshe from the right hand of the Father) that if ye haue his flesh yet still with you, ye lack his Spirit, for he affirmeth in plaine wordes that the Spirit will not come except he depart and be absent in bodie. Now chuse yow, whither ye will want his bodie or his Spirit? or rather whither think ye it better to imagine that ye haue his bodie? for otherwise ye haue it nor, and so for your fals imagi nation, lack his Spirit, or to grant that thing to be absent, which is absent in deid and can not come til the latter day, to the end ye may be participant of that holie Spirit that God poureth in the hartes of his chosen, euē here in this lyfe, whereby we cry Abba, Father. But the questiō is soue answered on your part, I am assured Rom. 8. ye had rather play you with your myrrie conceats, contenting your selues with that presence of Christe that you [Page] think ye haue, nor to haue his Spirit, except that ye might win money thereby, as Symon Magus your predicessoure wold haue done. For ye haue win more by the Magicall and merualous lying myrackle of transubstantiation, whereby ye wold make men beleue that a peice of bread not worth a quarter of a farthing, were changed in your masses, to the body of Christ God and man, the same lenth & brede that he hang on the crose, by this iugling I say ye haue win more then euer ye did by his Spirit. But to the purpose, we conclude that Christ is here present with his Church alwayes (according to his promise) by his holy Ghoste, whiche who so hath not aperteined not to Christ with what giftes soeuer he be indued besyde. Rom [...]. 8. ye make our selues iudges whither that we haue lighlyed the treu Church or not, sittuat vpon the montane, if ye mean hereby the Church of Rome (as I dout not but ye do) we deny simplie that it is the trew Church, but rather that spirituall Babylone, whereout of the Lord hath commanded his people to come, that they Apoc. 14. [...]e not partaker of her plagues. whither ye meane by this montane, that great [Page] hil of ambitiō that Sathan caryed Christ to, when that he promised him the whole Kingdomes of the earth, if he wold worship [...]ath. 4. hi, which Christ refused, & your Pope Apoca. 17 hath receaued, or if ye meane hereby the hilles that are sittuat about Rome (which S. Iohn sayeth. are 7. in nomber, which also Baptista Mantuanus affirmeth, for [...]. manueno libro [...]. de v [...]ta [...]lasu. he calleth your Rome, Se [...]ollem vrbem) I can not well tell. An other hill or hilles whereon your harlot sitteth, I know none, and thoght your meaning be not hid from me concerning this mater, yet for the vanitie of it, I leaue it to be interpreted by your self.

Ye affirme that we intruse an onely figure for the treuth of Christes body in the Sacrament. They must haue leaue to lie that can not speak the treuth. who euer hard any of vs ather say priuatlie or s [...]ak openly in our preachings that the Sacramēt is but a bare figure of Christes body. I am assured there is no man able to proue it. But rather this is oure doctrine of that moste sacrete and holie Sacrament, that as we agree not with you Papistes that wold make men beleue that the bread were changed in Christes [Page] carnall and manly fleshe by transubstantiation (which fleshe the heauē must hold vnto the time that all thinges be restored which God hath spokē by the mouthes of his holy Prophetes since the worlde begouth as witnesseth S. Peter) So do we Act [...]s. [...]. not agree with them that iudgeth the Sa cramentall bread and wine to be but bare signes or figures onely, constantlie affirming and vndoutedly beleuing that als verilie as our teith eateth the bread and our mouthes drinketh the wine (whereby our bodyes, as sayeth Dauid, is strē thened, Psal 104. and our hartes made glade) so verilie are we partakers of Christes body by Faith, whereby we are nourished to lyfe euerlastinge, and this partaking requireth nether transubstantiation, inpanation, nor carnall presente, but requireth the eleuatiō of our Spirites by faith to heauen, there to be partakers of Christ not with carnal teith, but with faith affectual. This maner of partakig were the people taught in the primatiue Church, as witnesseth this sentence. Sursum cord▪ Sur [...]. corda. abused [...] the mas [...] which wes vsed at the ministration of the Lordes Supper whereby the people wee moued to lift vp their hartes aboue all [Page] earthly and sensyble thinges, whose answer wes, habemus ad Dominum we haue them lifted vp to the Lord, which wordes moste shamefullie were abused in your mischiuous masse, to your shame and cō fusion.

And that Christes body is a trew natu rall body in deid, lyke vnto oures in all thinges sinne except, & no fantasy which [...]ebre. 4. may be inclosed in a peice of bread, and so in 10. thousand places at ones, and that the Sacramentall bread is not changed in Christes fleshe and blood, as the Papist dreameth, not onely the whole Scrip ture, but all godly and faithfull writers do testifie. And first S. Augustyne whose moste plaine and euident sentences (for [...]gustine. the prufe of this purpose) if I should infer this lytie work should grow to a greater volome then ather I am mynded now to write, or yet tyme will permit, being otherwaves occupyed, principally in the fe ding of that flock wherof the holy Ghoste hath made me ouersear. Sum yet I will produce to giue the readers a teast of the r [...]st. In his cōmentary vpō the Psalmes Agustine. v [...] c [...]. [...]ee [...]8. [...]sal. he hath these wordes. Non hoc corpu [...] est t [...] [...] quod videtis et bibituri illum [Page] Sanguinem quem fusuri sunt qui me crucifigent. Sed Sacramentum [...]liquod commendo vobis quod Spiritualiter intellectum viuific [...] bit vos that is ye shal not eat this body which ye se, nor drink that blood that they shall shed which shall Crucifie me, but I commend vnto you a certane Sacrament (or mysterie) which being spiritually vnderstāded, shal quickē you. And in an other place. Corpus Christi in quo resurre [...]it in In [...]ne [...] [...]iscle to Hierom [...] vno loco esse oportet: veritas autem [...]us vbique diffusa est. That is the body of Christ wherein he arose muste be, on forse in one place, but his veritie is spred abrode euerie where. His tractat vpon Iohn is full of suche sentēces, and many other of his workes also, as his Epistle to Dardanꝰ, his boke of Christiane doctrine, the notable worke of the Citie of God, al whiche I omit for lenth. And because that the latine sentences occupyeth roume, and also that euerie man vnderstandeth them not, let it be sufficient to recite them in Inglish, the treuth of the Allegatiōs & translating of them, who so doutes of, let him examine the places alledged.

Tertuliane writing against Martione Tertulis Ubio. 4. [Page] hath these wordes. Christ taking bread & distributing it to his Disciples made it his bodie, saying. This is my body, that is to say the figure of my body, but this bread could not haue bene a figure of it except Christ hath had a trew body, for a vaine or fātastical thing cā take no figure. Ambrose vpon the first Epistle of Paule to the Corinthians and 11. chapiter, hath Ambros [...]. these wordes (vpon this sentence) Shew the Lordes death. Because (sayeth he) that we were deliuered by the death of the Lord, we in eating and drinking of this thing (he meaneth the Sacrament) do signifie the fleshe and blood whiche were offered for vs. &c.

Origene in his 7. homilie vpon Leuiticus, Origine. hath these wordes, not onely is there a letter that killeth in the old Testa ment to be found, but also in the new Testament a letter which killeth him that doeth not vnderstand the thinges spiritu ally, for if thou do follow after the letter, this that is spoken. Except ye eat my fleshe, and drink my blood, this letter killeth, therefor it is spiritually to be vnderstand. S. Iohn Chrisostome, in one Chrisosto. of his homilies vpon the 26, of Mathew [Page] hath these wordes. He also drank of it lest whē they hard his wordes they shuld say,. why do we then drink blood and eat fleshe? And so should be troubled, for whē he spak before of those thinges they were offended with his wordes, and that the same should not now also come to pas, he him self drank first of it, that they also without grudging or trubil might cōmu nicat of the mysteries. These same wordes Cathe [...] auria. Thom [...] aquin a [...] in. ma [...] 26. in affect shortlyer sumwhat collected hath Thomas Aquino in his book called cathena aurea vpon the four Euangelists where also he alledges the same Chrisostome vpon the same place. S. Hierome ī his commentary vpon mathew the. 26. Hiero [...] chapiter, hath these wordes. After the mystical Easter Lambe wes fulfilled, and he had eaten the Lambis fleshe with his Apostles, he passeth through vnto the Sa crament of the trew Easter Lambe that Hiero [...] cōferēc [...] tuix c [...] and [...] chisede [...] sum w [...] obscur [...] when Melchisedec the priest of the heigh God in prefiguration of him broght forth bread and wine, he might also represent the treuth of his body. Althogh that Hierome haue not so clerly, as the mater required, mad the conference betuix Christ and Melchisedec yet hath he treuly iudged [Page] in this place of the Sacramēt, if I shuld rehears all suche sentences as maketh for this purpose out of the ancient Doctors writinges (as I haue said before) this small treatie wold growe to a great volome, that I be not to tedious, therefore let these inferred serue at this present, rea die hereafter to collect mo, if these endes not the stryfe.

Ye say that they which haue red Scriptures and Doctors writinges, knoweth that we propone but the wordes of the Law, and not the Law it self, nor yet haue we (say ye) Gods worde for vs, & so ye cōclude, verie magistraliter, as your maner is, that we reteane onely Christes Name and not him self. There is no mā I am assured that hath red the Scriptures and Doctors writinges with iudgement, which doeth not knowe this affirmatiue of yours to be rashe rayling, lincked full of lies. &c.

And then ye laboure to shew how we haue expelled Christe, firste ye say in his ymages, and Secōdly in the Euchariste and masse, and Thridly in exponing the Scripture according to mans inuention. Hitherto it might haue appeared to men [Page] of sklender iudgement (as I haue said in the begining of this answer) that the loue of God had moued you to this mater, but blissed be God, euē the Father of our lord Iesus Christ, that now ye haue detected your self, bewraying that which before ye couered with an exceading wyde cloke of Hipocrisie disclosed. Hipocrycie. Let an Asse be als well decked as may be with a Lyons skin and yet will his long eares declare what he is. Let a Uoulfe be neuer so well [...]led with a [...]hepes skin, yet occasion being offered, he wil shew hi self to be a rauening & blood [...]hristie deuorer of those poore beastes, whose skin he wes clothed with. So al [...]hogh that hitherto ye haue most craftely [...]ouered your self with Christes name, yet [...]ow thou doest shew thy self to be a filthy [...]dolater, and fals worshipper of God, [...]nd that the loue to thy Idoles and Ido [...]atrous masse (which thou cōplanes that [...]e haue expelled) hath moued thee to [...]rite, and not the loue of God and Sal [...]ation of thy brethrē as thou pretendeth. [...]hou fayest that we haue expelled Christ [...] his ymages, it became thee firste to [...]ue prouen that he wes present in yma [...]s, and then thy argument had bene the [Page] strōger. But that ymages are forbidden of God, & that his people shal abhor them and flee from them, as from snares that catcheth the soules of ignorants in the miserable captiuitie of Idolatrie, and deuorcement frō God, the whole Scriptures do testifie. First the Lorde our God expresly forbiddeth in the Second cōmandement Exod. 20. of the Decaloge, that we shall make any ymages, similitudes or lycknesses of any kynde of thing in the heauē aboue, the earth beneth, or in the water vnder the earth. Secondly that if it shall come to pas that Sathan shall fill any mās hart with vanitie to make ymages, then are we forbidden to rēder any kinde of reuerence ather in outward gestur or in inuard mynde. In these wordes thou shalt not bowe doune to them, nor worshep them. Thridly he promiseth to punish the transgressors of this commandement, vnto the thrid & fourt Generatiō. This is the immutable decrie of the most hiest, cōcerning ymages, whereupon we rest, not caring what men of how great authoritie, nor the wicked world, be cankered custome hath ather done or vsed to the contrarie. How greuously Idolaters [Page] are punished, the seuere and rigorus executiō vsed by Moyses against them (who yet wes the meakest man on earth) euidently witnesseth, read the 32. of Exodus Nume. 12. Erod. 32. The intysers to Idolatrie must be killed althogh they appeare to be holy, how neir so euer they be of kin, freindship or allyance. Deuter. 15 The miserable (and vnto this hour endles) captiuitie of the whole 10. Tribes 1. Reg. 12. of Israel (whom Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat caused to sinne) sufficientlie doeth declare vnto vs, bothe how sore God hateth 2. Reg. 17. Idolatrie and punisheth Idolaters, how detestable they haue alwayes bene in the syght of all Gods Prophetes, Dauid Psalm. 115 in his Psalmes, Esayas in his Prophecie, and the wise man in his wisdome Esay. 40. and 41. testifieth, Ieremie calleth them the doctrine of vanitie, and yet ye are not affray Sapie. 13. ed by your Theologie to affirme that they ar lay mēs bokes, whereby Christ presē teth Ieremi. 10 him self to his people, as if he delited to teache his people with vanitie, God send you better knowledge, if that of ignorance and not of malice ye write.

Seing therefore that as the wise man sayeth, they were not from the begining, nether shall continue for euer, with him Saple. 14 [Page] I conclude that they are miserable, and among the dead is their ho [...]e that worshippeth and calleth them Gods, that are the workes of mens handes. Fynally whither we that dependeth vpō God allone to receaue our doctrine of his mouth or ye that stablisheth your doctrine by the authoritie of the Church, of Coūsels and Doctors, which of vs exponeth the Scrip tuce according to mans inuention. Let all mē iudge as they wil answer to God.

Renats Epistle the Fourt Section.

I Require, o learned and lettered men, for the death of Christes sake to weye a [...]d consider this foresaid, for I burne when I se so expert mē with a great nom ber of others led by your persuation and exemple in so manifest perrel and danger of their Saluation. Wherefore abhor and reiect ye the Christiane peoples Sacrifice that is the masse? which we haue figured by the Law of nature and of Mayses, pro mised in the Prophetes, which we haue exhebit and giuen vs in the Euangel, which wes receaued and authorised in the Primatiue Kirk, and hath bene alwayes [Page] vsed so oft as a thing moste necessar by all the Elect and predestmat people of God, whiche thing moste plainely witnesseth, Dionisius Areopagita, Ignatius with the rest of the holy Fathers of the primatiue Kirk, whose iudgement and authoritie in exponing and declaring the holy Scripture, namelye of the Sacrifice of the masse. I pray you (o cōuing men) let vs with sobernes follow and not lean to our own wit and iudgement in a mater of so great importance. Let vs stere vp the negligēce and sluggishnes of Pastors, not tollarable, and let vs plainely argew their abuses with the vehemēcie of Gods word. And I pray God of his infinit mer [...]y that we may confirme and kepe the Christiane people in trew Faith and god lynes, and that we may edifie and helpe as belongeth to Christiane men, ilk one other of charitie in Religion and godly lyfe. Because we oght to aduert moste [...]r [...]ūspectlie that we ꝑuert not the treu faith and Religion, and feare lest we vnderstād [...]uer hie in exponing of holy Scripture. And firste of all we oght to prouide that we leid in captiuitie, our own wittes ād others, & that vnderstāding we may haue [Page] the pouertie & humilitie of Spirit which Christ our Lord placed in the fundation of Christiane building and hath promised to recompence the same with the Realme of heauen Mat. 15. The Lord mo [...] grant vs all to be so affected. And thus faire ye well o learned men, in Christ Iesu. And requireth you again that ye wold declare me manifestlie as the Minister of Gods worde oght to do, what ye think of the masse, the Christiane peoples Sacrifice, for so I hope it shal come to pas that by quiet talking had on ather partie & writinges giuē and taken, we shalbe instructed by the holy Spirit, what we our selues should beleue in so weightie a mater and what we oght to propone to others, and set furth to trow. For the thing that I trow and beleuis is teached by the holy Scriptures, the holy doctors writings and consuetude of the Kirk. The same I as it ap [...]rteineth to euerie Christiane mā to do. I professe simple and plainly with out any simulation. Written at Edinburgh in the Palaice of the moste noble Quene of Scotland 18. calend of December. Remember I pray you, and prent in your myndes that in the last dayes the [Page] continuall and daylie Sacrifice is to be [...]aken away, Lawes and statutes to be [...]brogat and changed, and ye knowe by [...]home, by the Antichrist, & they that ta [...]th part with him, take head to youre [...]elues my brethren I besech you. God is [...]itnes of what mynde I deal with you.

D. Feargussones answer.

HOw the aforsaides are by vs weyed and considered, let the indifferēt [...]ader iudge, what zeil it is that hither [...]o hath, and yet stil doeth burne you, I [...]aue already noted. Ye ask of vs why we [...]eiect the masse, which ye call the Chri [...]tiane peoples Sacrifice, we answer. Be [...]ause it is not that thing in deid whiche [...]e call it in worde, as at lenth before I [...]aue prouen, nether are ye able to proue [...] Gods word that euer Christ appoin [...]ed his ministers to offer the Sacramen [...]all bread and wine, in Sacrifice for their [...]wn sinnes, and the sinnes of the people, [...]swel dead as aliue. Cry out, and affirme [...]his mater with als many wordes as ye [...]st, ye [...] may ye not be beleued vntill ye [...]roue it by the Scriptures, other Sacri [...]ces then Gods worde teacheth vs, we [Page] may not with saif consciēce admit, except we wilfully prouoke God to punish and consume vs in his wrath, as he did Nadab Zeuiti. 10. and Abihu, and vterlie reiect vs, as he did Saule. S. Paule writing to the 1. Samuel 13. Romans exhorteth vs to giue vp our bo dies, a lyning Sacrifice, holy and acceptable vnto God, which he affirmeth to be Roma. 12. our reasonable seruing of God. The Apostle writing to the Hebreues, also exhorteth vs to offer the Sacrifice of thankes geuinge alwayes to God, through Christe, which (he sayeth) is the frute of Hebre. 13. our lippes which confesse his name, willing vs also not to forget to do good, and to distribute (he meaneth our substance to them that [...]edeth) for (sayeth he) with suche Sacrifices God is pleased, other Sacrifices appertening to Christiane people, we knowe none commanded in the new Testament.

Ye boste much of Moyses, of the Law of nature, the Prophetes & the Euangel, but out of none of thē bring ye any prufe for your purpose. Ye affirme that your masse wes authorised in the Primatiue Church, and alwayes vsed of Gods chosen, and yet ye infer none of their excersices [Page] for your exemple, but the bare names of two men, whose autoritie and strenth is to weak to withstand Gods worde.

As to Dionisius Areopagita, I will set his master S. Paule against him, writing to the Corinthians, who hauing occasiō to treat of the veritie of the Lordes Supper (abused in that Churche) rehearseth 1. Cor. 11. the wordes of Christes institution, which of him he had receaued, faithfully without adding to, or diminishing, which wordes and whole action there by him recyted, how lyke they are to your mischeuous masse, I make your self iudge. Then whi ther [...]ght we to creadit the Elect veshell of God S. Paule that spak not his own wordes but Christes, or to Dionisse that hath added vnto them (if it be treu that ye alledge on him) iudge also. Ye wil neuer be able to proue that, that Dionisse of whō ye mean, wes that Dionisius Areopagita that beleued Paules doctrine, in the Actes Actis. 17. of the Apostoles, ād althogh it were, yet is he of no suche authoritie as an Angel of heauen, whome yet we are forbidden Sala. 1 to creadit, teachīg any other doctrine then Paule hath taught, but rather to hold him accursed. But that euer Paule [Page] taught ather to Timothie, Titus, or any other Minister that he did appoynte ouer any Churche, the merualus craft of massing, the Scripture maketh no mention. Acursed therefore be the teachers of it as the Apostle hath commanded vs to hold them. As to Ignatius and the rest of your holy Fathers, I haue spoken my iudgement of them already, that is, that I nether contempne them nor builde my Faith vpon them, seing that they were but men and so might be deceaued, and also deceaue others. As to your requeist, wherein ye exhort vs to follow them obsolutlie in exponing the Scriptures, it is more then any Christiane may admit, seing that we may follow no man, further then they follow Christe, nether in this case cal any man Father or Master vpon earth, hauing one Father the Eternall [...]th. 23. God, and one Master Christe Iesus in the heauen, yea, and althogh that Paule wes the Elect and moste worthy veshell to bear the name of Christe, to Nations, [...]tis. 9. Kinges, and the Childrene of Israell, and taught of God in the thride Heauen, Cor. 12. the moste wonderfull and vnspeakable Mysteries of God, yet durst he not be so [Page] bolde as precisly to desyre men to follow him, no, but euer rebuked their depending 1. Cor. 1. 1. Cor. 11. Ibid. 3. vpon men moste seuerely, exhorting them to follow him as he followed Christ affirming that nether he that plan [...]ed nor he that watereth, is any thing but God that giueth the incres, is all in all. &c. Moreouer the Lord by his Propher accur seth all suche as dependeth vpon men, in these wordes. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh fleshe his Ierem. 17 arme, and withdraueth his hart from the Lorde. These and the lyke cōminations will not suffer vs to trust in mā, or make him the Paterne of our saluation, lest we be accursed of God. As to the [...]nggishnes of your Pastors we leaue them to be stirred vp of you, as ye think good, for in our iudgements they are so fast a slepe that they can not be walkned so vnsauere math. [...]. that they can not be salted, & so blind that they can not be lyghtned, we haue therefore long ago determined by the worde of God to giue none of our holy thinges to math. 7. your dogges, nor cast any mo of our pretious Pearles before your filthy Swyne. Lift vp your voce & cry als loude as eue [...] ye can, yet shal it come to pas that when [Page] Baal heareth his Chaplanes and sendeth them Fyre to consume their Sacrifice, that then your ignorant Idole Bishopes (who for the moste part knoweth nether new nor old) shall preache the Euangel, yea, your holy Father S. Frances, shall [...]egenda [...] de [...]. fo [...]o [...]40. als sone make good Christianes of the fou les that he preached to, as that ye beig an Idolater shal cause an ignorant Idole to do the deutie of a paineful Pastor. There did neuer one of them enter in as the dure of the shepefolde, but clam vp another [...]ay, by Sy [...]onie, by Uiolence, by requeis [...]s of great men, by Popes Bulles, and dispēsations, by Sorcerie ād witchecraft, wherefore we vnderstand (that as Christ hath said of them) they be theues and murtherers, let the dead therefore [...]on. 10. [...]k. 9. [...] there dead. Seing that we are commanded to preach the Gospel to Christes dispersed flock. I am assured ye mean not (when as ye speak of [...]uggish Pastors) of our Pastors and preachers, for in your conscience (I dout not) but ye think them to vigilant, and wolde wishe that they were a [...]s s [...]ack as your owne, for then should ye not haue neded to haue written this letter. I pray God of his infinit [Page] mercy to deliuer his people from fals doc trine, and giue them grace to heare his voice onely, as becōmeth his shepe, a [...] ding in him by trew Faith and vnfenied loue, imprenting his trew feare in their hartes that they presume not to vnderstand aboue that which is mete to be vnderstanded, but according to sobrietie, as God hath dealt to euerie man the measur Roma. 1 [...] of Faith. we know that God hath blissed the meak, but there is a difference betuix meaknes and ignorant error, God giue vs his grace therefore to imbraice Iesus Christe, frely now offered vnto vs with humilytie and meaknes, giuing a bolde math. 10 [...] cōfession of his name before this froward generatiō, that he may confesse vs before mark. 8. his Father in heauen. Amen.

Now ye bid vs faire wel, and thereafter ye require vs to declare vnto you manifestlie (as the Minister of Gods worde oght to do) what we think of the masse, which ye throughout this letter haue called the Christiane peoples Sacrifice. This your requeist we dar not put back, not for that we iudge that ye will beleue the treuth whē it is told you, but because we are bound to giue a reconing of the [Page] hope that is in vs, to euerie one that demandeth it. [...]eter. [...].

I haue already declared vnto you what Sacrifices are appointed for Christiane people, to offer, out of the 12. Chap. of S. Paules Epistle to the Romans, and 13. to the Hebreues. But as to a Sacrifice for our sinnes daylie to be offered (as wer the Sacrifices and oblations of the olde Testament) appointed of God vnto the tyme of reformation, we vnderstand that not onely haue we no neide so to do (being [...]. 9. now already purged by the blood of Christe) but also whosoeuer he be that so doeth, estemeth the Sacrifice of Christ insufficient, which the Apostle affirmeth, he offered ones for all on the Croce. And as it is (sayeth he) appointed vnto mē that they shal ones die, and after that cometh the iudgement, so Christ wes ones offered [...]. [...]. [...] the 9. to take away the sinnes of many, and vnto them that loke for him shal appeare the Second tyme without sinne, vnto Saluation. From the 7. Chapiter vnto the middest of the 10. Chapiter, he trauelleth at lenth in this mater, finding no other faute with the Leuiticall Sacrifices, but that they were daylie offered, because [Page] they had not strenth to expell sinne at ones, and therefore inferreth that Christes Sacrifice wes the consumation and end of them, and all other Sacrifices for sinnes. Forasmuche as he by one oblatiō hath done that thing (to wit, consecrated for euer them that are Sanctified) which they be so often offerring & Sacrificing, could not do, concluding, that where remission of sinne is, there resteth no more offerring for sinne. Cursed be he thē, that offereth for sinne any more, seing the holy Ghoste hath concluded the contrarie.

As to your masse ye shal haue our iudgement of it in few wordes, and what we do mislyke in it. Firste we mislyke the persone that sayeth it, and iudgeth him to be a blasphemer of Christes death, because he taketh vpon him the office of Christe, namely, he vndertaketh by that Sacrifice which he offered, to pacifie the wrathe of God the Father, conceaued against aswel his own sinnes, as the sinnes of them for whome he offereth, whither they be aliue or dead. But this can no man do, but Christ alone, for of him and to him, alone were these wordes spoken out of the heauen, by the mouth of his Father. This is [Page] my welbeloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased, heare him. wherefore your [...]ath. 3. ād [...]7. preist in his masse taking the aforesaid office vpon him, doeth all that in him lyeth to spoyle Christ of his dignitie, & therefor worthie to be iudged a fals Christ, and a traytor to mans Saluation, for if Christe pronounceth in the Euangel, all suche as came before him (vsurpinge the name of Messiah, or tytle of Sauioures) to be theues [...]hon. 10. and murtherers. How muche more worthie are they of that name, that dare presume to be Sauioures, ather of them sellues or others now when he is come and parfited the worke of our Redemption. Secondly, we mislyke the whole action of your masse, which from the beginning to the end, is nothing els but als plaine an Antithesis or cōtraposition to the Lordes Supper, as lyght is to darck nes, or treuth to falshead. First the Lord Iesus when he institute this Sacrament and did minister it (I dout not moste sincerely) to his Apostles, wes no other wayes clothed then his common custome wes. And your preistes, after whose ordoure I can not tell, for Arons preistes they wil not grant them selues to be, and according to Melchisedeces ordour there [Page] wes neuer one but Christ, then must they be Baals chaplanes, they I say dissagysed lyke players (euerie peice of their cote cōteining a mysterie) proceadeth to their masse. The Lorde Iesus sat doune with Luk. 22. the 12. Apostles. They stand at an alter alone, he gaue thankes vnto the Father before the Ministration, and they before 1. Cor. 11. their masse rehearseth there blasphemous Confiteor, wherein euerie S. in heauen is made equall (or as we say) Iakfellow lyke, vnto the Eternal God. He preached the confortable promises of Saluation Ihon. 13. 14. 15. 16. mixed with exhortations to mutuall loue ād amitie. &c. In that language that they all might vnderstand, they nether preach nor exhort, but occupyeth the tyme with speaking to the wall, and now & then for the manersakes, one word or two (turning them to the people) in a strange language that nether the people nor the grea test part of those god makers them selues vnderstandeth. In giuing the Apostles the bread, the Lorde Iesus declared vnto math. 26. mark. 14. them in plaine wordes, what it signifieth namely his bodie, which should be brokē for them. In these wordes, take eat, this is my bodie which is broken for you. [Page] They round and whisper their wordes, with a certane magical susurration, as if it were treason to speak them that the people might heare, saying, hoc est enim corpus meum adding this word enim at their owne hand, but this is not done without a mysterie, for to this end say they do we it, that as the Uirgin conceaued Christe, with these fyue wordes, Fiat michi secundū verbum tuum so we may make Christe of Luk. 1. bread by other fyue wordes distinctly vnder one breath, without respiratiō, broght The caute les of the masse. furthe, these profound mysteries euerie soule preist knoweth not, but onely the great Rabbines. All that were present with Christ were pertakers of the Sacra ment, and no mā is pertaker with them, mark. 14. for they deuore all alone. But some of thē wil say, we debar no mā if any wold take part, the contrarie is trew, it wes neuer sene that euer a preist wold parte, with a quarter of his God to another preist, no not with a lyck of his dishe, and that is les, this I say they neuer did to their own brethrē of craft, muche les to a laye man, as they did call them, I neuer knew any thing that euer they might or did forbeare to any man at that dosoned disione [Page] except it were a kisse of the Patene, & that onely to him that lifted their taile or els to some gentilmē that sat by, whom they wold gratifie. If temporal men had bene als euil fellowes of their carnal brekfasts as ye were of your fantasticall Feastes, some of you had not worne so fat neckes as ye did. Christ gaue vnto his Apostles the frute of the wine tre without any mixture, but your masse is not ryghtly said, except there be commixtion of water and wine togither. In the Lordes Supper bothe trew bread and trew wine is ministrat to the communicants, & in the masse the papist affirmeth that there remaneth nether bread nor wine, after their Incan tation, but accidents, as whytnes, roūdnes, and color. &c. when the Lord Iesus had finished his ministration, the Euangelist sayeth. They praysed God with a Hymne or Psalme of thankesgeuing. Bot math. 26. when masse is done, there is nothing bot [...]te [...]issa est ather said or sung, whereunto is added a latine blissing, with the aers of an emptie cup. Now loke what ye think of your masse, for in my answer to the second Section of your Epistle I haue prouen it to be abhominable Idolatrie because [Page] that bread and wine corruptable Creatures, are in it worshipped in place of God the Father and Christ his Sōne, that it spoyleth Christ of his Preisthead, & so of his Sacrifice, ī that ye that offer it vsurpeth his office vpon you, I haue pro [...]ē also. The wicked opiniō of it, to wit, that it is Satisfactorie for sinnes, in this argument also is included, and that the whole action of it in all pointes dissagreeth with the institutiō of the Lordes S [...] per, the conferring of the one action with the other aboue written sufficientlie proueth. wherefore we iudge that your papistical inuention, the Idolatrous Sacri fice of the masse, is to be reiected and abhorred of al trew worshippers of God as that, that is co [...]nelious and blasphemous to God the Father, and Derogatiō to the honor and dignitie of the Lord Iesus his Sonne. This is it that we think of your masse, and this doctrine we teach to the people out of the infallible word of God, that indureth for euer, nether haue we respect to Doctors cōsuetude, or bare [...]. 40. name of the Churche, acknowledging onely that to be the trew Church in deid Ephest. 5. which rendereth humble obedience vnto [Page] her housband. Christe Iesus.

This letter ye say wes written in the Quenes maiesties palaice at Edinburgh, I am the more sorie in deid, that suche as ye are hath any interteniment in the palaices of Princes, but it is no new thing to se fals Prophetes more familiar in the Court, thē the trew sernādes of God, Amazias the Idolatrous preist of Bethel, wes in greater estimation with Ieroboā Amazias King of Israel, then wes Amos the trew Amos. prophet of God, as the Imperious braging of that Idolater witnesseth. O thou Scar (sayeth Amazias) go fle thou [...]way Amos. 7. into the land of Iuda, and there eat thy bread and prophecie there, but prophecie no more at Bethel, for it is the Kinges Chappell and the Kinges Court. Iesabels Idolatrous preistes were better bele 1. Res. 22. ned of A [...]hab King of Israel althogh they prophecieth lies to his distruction, then the Prophet of God Micheas that tolde him the treuth to his Saluation.

God of his great mercy, purge the hart of our natiue Princesse frō al leauen A prayer. Papistical, and plant in place thereof his [...]rew feare, ād loue to his eternal veritie.

Ye desyre vs to prent into our myndes [Page] that in the latter dayes the continual and daylie Sacrifice shalbe taken away, vnderstand ye this of your masse? if ye do, thē certanely, Master Doctor, your Theologie is not onely rude, but also repugnant to the mynd of the Prophet in this place, if ye mean of that sentēce that Daniel rehearseth in the end of his 12. & last Ca. (as I thīk ye do) for I know no place where this sentence (that ye haue throwē for your purpose) is written but in that place, if ye mean of that sentence, I trust the Readers shal easylie perceaue bothe your ignorance (if of ignorance ye haue inferred it) and otherwayes your malice in throwing of this Text. Daniel (as he him self confesseth in the beginnīg of his Daniel. 9. 9. Chapiter) vnderstude by bokes, name ly of Ieremies Prophecie, that the Lord had appointed his people to indure banishmēt out of their own cūtrie, & to abyd captiues in Babilō 70. yeares which yeares Ierem. 29 drawing neir an end, Daniel (as an cairful for his people & their returning ho me) euerted hī self vnto God by ardent & earnest prayer, desyring him not to differ the tyme of their deliuerance any longer, but for his owne names [...]aike (althogh [Page] they were not worthy) to restore them to their libertie, whil he wes yet speaking, praying and cōfessing his own sinne, and the sinnes of his people vnto God. The Angel of the Lorde is sent vnto him, to otter vnto him the yeares determinat of their captiuitie, their returninge home, the reedifying of the citie, the cōming of Christ, his slaughter, and destruction of the citie Ierusalem. By a vision is declared vnto him in the 10. Chap. the cause of Daniel. 10 [...]he hinderante or defferring of their deli [...]rance, whiche come by the meanes of [...]ambises Prence of Persia. The king [...]omes of the earth ād Monarches, with their Kings (as of Persia, Grecia, Egypt Syria and the Romans, one striuinge with an other and all against God) are [...]t lenth wonderfull mystically recited in [...]he 11. Chap. Fynally in the 12. Chap. is Daniel. 11 and 12. [...]eclared how the Church being euē scattered and dispersed, shalbe deliuered by Christes death, which should abolishe the [...]aylie Sacrifice, whiche being done, he Prophecies that the temple, and the citie [...]atbe distroyed by the abhominable de [...]ation, which is the Hoste of the Romans, mysticallie also signifeing. By the [Page] thousand, two hūdreth and nynety dayes and by the thousand thre hundreth & fyue and threttie dayes, the tyme from the deuastation of Ierusalem to Christes secōd cōming in the Cloudes, the Prophet also in the mean tyme is certified that althogh he depart out of this lyfe, yet shal he stād vp at the end of the dayes, in the generall resurrection, to ring with God in glorie. Let all men now iudge whither that this prophecie apperteineth to the abolishing of the Iudaical Sacrifices or not, ād then shal it appeare how falsly and ignorantly ye throw this place, as I haue said, contrarie to the Prophetes mynde, adding of your own, that this Sacrifice shall be taken away in the last dayes, where as there is no such word in the Prophecie, [...]id it who so list, but with such lies & additions hath your kingdome (that now bosteth to fall) bene holden vp.

To conclude ye say that Lawes and statutes shalbe abrogat by Antichrist and Daniel. 7 his adherents, we are verie wel cōtented that the name of Antichrist be ascribed vn to that man, or those men that euer hath abrogat, or now doeth abolish any Law, statute or ordinance, that euer God in his

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[Page] [...]tlie rage passeth the boundes of all modestie. The first wes Stephanus the sext, this made tyrant soun after that he wes made Pope, first of all abrogat all the Actes of his predecessor Formosus, and gathering a Counsel they concluded to take the bodie of the dead mā out of the graue, [...] de vit [...] pon [...] and besyde some other superstitions vsed toward hi, Stiuē, caused the two fingers of his right hand to be stroken of, these two namely that he vsed to consecrat his preistes with, and thereafter caused the fingers to be cast in Tyber. The other, to wit, Sergius the thrid, thoght it not yneugh to abrogat, yet ones againe, the Actes of the same Formosus, and to put all out of authoritie that he had authorised, but caused the Second tyme the dead Cor [...]s to be taken out of the graue and the head to be stroken from it, as if he had bene leuing, and the body as not worthy of Sepulchre, to be casten in tyber [...]lood. Great wes this cōtrouersie (sayeth Platyna) and a moste wicked exemple, specially this consuetud being afterward still almoste obserued of such as were Popes, that ather they brak or vtterly abrogat the constitutions and Actes of their [...] [Page] decessors. Hitherto platyna, yet I am cōpelled to recite an exemple mo of your holy Fathers, written also by the same Platyna, and so conclude. Paule the Second of that name, before he wes Pope, called Petrus barbo an venetiane borne, he succeded to Pius the Second, and immediatlie after he wes established in his dignitie, did beare such hatred ād inuy to all that euer his predecessor had done, that straight way he abrogat al his actes & statuts, ād put out of office, al the learned men that the other had gathered togither, to be his abbreuiatoures, among whom Platina wes one, who somwhates more boldly then the rest, exhorted the Pope that their cause might be suffered to come to tryal and examination before the Iudges. When the Pope had frowardly loked on him a while, he brusteth furthe his answer in these wordes. Ita nos (inquit) ad iudices renoc [...]s / ac si nescires omnia [...]ra in Scrinio pectorie nostri collocat [...] esse. Sic stat sententia (inquit) loco cedant omnes / c [...]nt quo velunt / nihil eos moror / pontifex suin mihi [...]licet pro arbitrio animi / [...]orum acta et [...]ere et approbare. Hitherto Platyna that is to say, and doest thou so (sayeth [...]) call vs back vnto the Iudges, as if [Page] thou knew not that all Lawes were placed within the chist of our breist. Thus (sayeth he) standeth the sentence. Let all Marck [...]ood render this proude braging. men giue place, let them go where they liste, I regard them nothing, I am heigh Bishop, and it is lesome to me according to the arbitriment of my mynde, ather to break, or allow the Actes of others. The Lord open your eyes, eares and mynde, to se, to heare and consider the treuth, & considering it, to imbraice it. For if this be not Antichristes voice, then shal it neuer be hard. To the lord our god be praise for euer more, that thus hath Illuminat our eyes to se and espye the enimie to all ryghteousnes, to the end we may auoyde him, and so the plagues that God hath prepared to poure out vpon that beastlie kingdome, and the pertakers therewith. Thus haue I answered (according to my knowledge) this foresaid Epistle, althogh not so learnedly as some other of my brethren could haue done, yet (I dout not) treuly, and according to the Scriptures of our God, whose power is sufficient to beat doune all imaginations and heigh 2. Cor. 10. thinges, that do exault them selues against the knowledge of God, yea, and able [Page] to bring into captiuitie euerie thoght to the obedience of Christe, who is God ouer all, to whome be praise for euer and [...]. 9. euer. So be it.

From Dumfermling the 26. of Aprill. 1562.

Deut. 18.

The Prophet that shal presume to speak a word in my Name, which I haue not cōmanded him to speak, or that speaketh in the name of other Gods, euē the same Prophet shal die.

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Information about this book

Title statement

Ane answer to ane epistle written by Renat Benedict the Frenche doctor, profesor of Gods worde (as the translator of this epistle calleth him) to Iohn Knox, and the rest of his brethren ministers of the word of God: made by Dauid Feargussone minister of the same word at this present in Dumfermling.

Fergusson, David, d. 1598.

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1563

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2003-07 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

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A00685

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STC 10819

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ESTC S117552

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99852765

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99852765

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18108

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— Ane answer to ane epistle written by Renat Benedict the Frenche doctor, profesor of Gods worde (as the translator of this epistle calleth him) to Iohn Knox, and the rest of his brethren ministers of the word of God: made by Dauid Feargussone minister of the same word at this present in Dumfermling., Fergusson, David, d. 1598., Benoit, René, 1521-1608., Winzet, Ninian, 1518-1592..

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44 leaves

By Robert Lekpreuik. Cum priuilegio,. Imprinted at Edinburgh :: 1563.. (Includes text of letter by Renat Benedict (i.e. René Benoit), translated from Latin by N. Winzet--STC.) (Last leaf blank.) (Imperfect; leaf f1 lacking.) (Reproduction of the original in the Cambridge University Library.)

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