Two godlie and learned sermons appointed, and preached, before the Jesuites, seminaries, and other aduersaries to the gospell of Christ in the Tower of London. In which, were confuted to their faces, the moste principall and cheefe poincts of their Romish and vvhoarish religion: and all such articles as they defend, contrarie to the woord of Cod [sic], vvere layed open and ripped vp vnto them. In Maye. 7 and 21. Anno. 1581. By Iohn Keltridge, preacher of the vvorde of God, in London.

Author: Keltridge, John.1581

¶ TWO GODLIE AND learned Sermons, appointed, and Preached, before the Jesuites, Seminaries, and other aduersaries to the Gospell of Christ in the Tower of London. In which, were confuted to their faces, the moste principall and cheefe poincts of their Romish and VVhoarish religion: And all such Articles as they defend, contrarie to the woord of God, vvere layed open and ripped vp vnto them. In Maye, 7. and 21. Anno. 1581.

By Iohn Keltridge, Preacher of the vvorde of God, in London.

Psal. 119. verse. 128.

I esteeme all thy precepts most iust, and hate all false wayes.

Prou. 4.14.

Enter not into the vvay of the wicked, and walke not in the vvay of euill men.

¶ Imprinted at London by Richard Ihones, dwelling without Newgate, neere vnto Holburne Bridge.

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TO THE RIGHT HONOrable, Sir Fraunces Walsingham Knight, principall Secretarie to the Queenes moste excellent Maiestie, and of her Maiesties moste honorable priuie Councell, &c.

AT such time (right Honourable) as I at the request of certaine my deere and welbeloued freendes, had beene at her Maiesties Towre of London: partlie to haue some talke with the Iesuites, and other Seminaries deseruedly there imprisoned: partlie to see if the Lorde would haue quickened them after great preaching and much conference, with manie and verie learned men that came thether: I did finde, that the trauaile and study of theirs, hath to this day taken so small effect, as not onely the Iesuites are more and more stiffned in their errors: But also, they are become so sencelesse in feeling, so blunt in attayning, so wicked and malicious in resisting, so disloy all and spitefull in hearing, so sturdie and malaperte in withstanding openlie the teachers of the Gospell; as the people are vpon the same dismayed, zealous and godly men discouraged, and all fortes of people moste pittifully distracted, that either heere or see them at any time.

VVherefore may it please you to vnderstand, that for diuers causes, I haue giuen vnto your Honour this briefe[Page]and shorte Confutation of their Heresies. First, that their damnable and grosse errors though they may be seene of all, may yet (especially) be knowne vnto you: For I doo thinke, that the reformation and order to bee taken for these Heretiques, dooth lye (in especiall) on your shoulders, and is required at Gods handes of the Lordes of her Maiesties moste Honourable priuie Councell: Secondly, that it may appeere, whensoeuer these wicked men shalbe called to an accompte, that then they will not be able to denie or dissemble that which they affirme: For the moste principall, though not all their Articles, are confuted in this booke. Thirdely, I am of opinion, that esperiallye your Honour hath to discerne the spirits of these men, in as much as you be in the number of those, that in Roome, (togeather with many other of the nobles in this Realme) were threatened to be burned by the Pope, if he gat you either quicke or dead: The laste and the cheefe cause is this.

As your Honour hath beene alwayes a fauourer of the Gospell, and moste forwarde in Religion, so I trust that God will now mooue you, to haue a more care of his poore Church then euer you had. It is not vnknowne how God hath looued this Realme, sithence her Maiesties moste gratious and happie raigne among vs. The like rest with such quietnes, the like peace with such blessednes, the like comfort with such happines, was neuer seene vnder any Nation and people, as we haue had vnder her Maiestie. Now at lengthe, after so longe and prosperous and peaceable gouernment, to put this Realme in feare and dread of that woonted Tirranie, which Antichriste the Pope practised vpon vs. To stirre and mooue vp by way of alienation the mindes of men, and the faithfull hartes of Englande: to make vs remember the blood that was[Page]shed of olde time by the Pope, to compell vs againe to sorrow ouer the bodies of our dead, and ouer the Sainctes whose blood was shed, and ouer the multitude of good men, that were taken from vs: There are in the steede and roome of those blodie Fathers, risen and now in processe of time growne vp, their bloodie and vnnaturall sonnes. Among these, some would haue hathed their hands in the harts of our people, as Saunders in Ireland of late was purposed to do, (and it is not to be thought that he was there alone.)

Some write against vs, as though wee were Haereticques, and accompt vs worthy to be put to death: (what would these men doo, if they had vs in their handes?) Of which sort is, Iohn Howlet, and one, Campion: who bothe of them haue presented their mindes moste praesumptuously to the right Honourable the Lordes of her Maiesties priuie Councell: some also haue spread abroade their damnable and seditious Doctrine, thorowe out manie places in this Realme. Such bee the Iesuites, the Seminaries and other Schollers of the Pope, that bee now in her Maiesties Towre of London: Now, all these are come hether, and sente in of late dayes by the Pope, to disturbe vs, and rayse Tumults in this Common wealth. And all these are the children of such Fathers, as persecuted the Saints: or they be home borne children, & brought vp in England, being the wicked sonnes of wicked Parēts: and they all haue beene maintained by that man of sinne, Antichriste. For all which thinges, it cannot be gainsay de, but that these practising Heretiques, are most woorthy to haue the lawe of God in execution against them, which he hath set downe for them in his Booke. I doo well remember what our Fathers, and Forefathers did: Dauid at the hower of his death, called to minde the iniquitie of a[Page]man of his, that shed blood: and when he lay on his death bed, he sayd thus to his sonne Salomon: 1. Reg. 2.5. Thou knowest what Ioab the sonne of Seruiah did to me, and what he did to the two Captaines of the hoast of Israel, vnto Abner the sonne of Ner, and vnto Amasa the sonne of Iether, whome he stone & shed blood of battaile in peace; Doo therefore according to thy Wisedome, and let not his hearie haires goe downe to the graue in rest. The same also sayde Dauid, of the sonne of Gera, the sonne of Iemini of Bahurim, neither did he accoumpt him innocent. It is well knowne, what woorthy and warlike fellowes the Papists slewe, and how they were cunning men at the Battailes of the Lord, and as ready to resist and fight against Sathan in spirituall skirmishes, as Abner or Amasa either euer were, in defending their Citties for their maister Dauid: It is necessarie therfore, those good men should be remembred, in as much as they were slaine so trayterouslie: And now the rather, are we all to thinke vpon that treason of olde, as there are risen vp disloyall and wicked men to trouble vs: Irreuerend & disobedient persons, to prouoke vs: faithlesse, and hollowe hearted Papists, to disquiet vs: foolish and erronious Iesuites, to inueagle & withdraw vs from the Lord. These are they haue practised so many things against vs, this many yeeres: these are the wicked, whome the godlie haue feared; these are the disturbers, haue disquieted this Realme; these are the conspirators haue withholden the hearts of the wicked, from their loyaltie; these are they, that if God had not beene on our side, would long ere this haue ouerthrowne vs. VVe know that Papistes, were authors of rebellion in the North. We know, that as in the Shambles men sell meate, so in their priuate assemblies, haue these wicked ones, bothe bought and solde vs of England. We know that many a time, the Pope hath sent secrete messē gers[Page]hether, and haue stolne away many of the Subiectes hearts. We know that newes hath very often ben brought ouer, how the time hath been appointed, that King Phillip should haue eaten bread, and giuen his Souldiors drink in Lēd [...]. We know that multitudes of Papists, hauing been taken, examined, and imprisoned for the fame: they haue sayd openlie, that they hoped one day, to see their golden day. It is seene of all men, what numbers haue beene taken [...] Masse, in despite of the Gospell. It is seene of all, howe many haue for treason, not onely beene taken, but executed in London. It is seene of all men, that they haue vsed witchcraft, sorcerie, & inchaūtment, to destroy the Lordes annointed. It is seene, how vnquiet her Maiesties Realme of Ireland hath been, and all only thorow them. It is seen, what signes and Crosses, the Papistes haue had brought ouer, as is their Agnus Deis, and other Tablets, which continually they weare about their necks, as tokēs to be known by, if time serued. And it is seene and perceiued of all openlie, how that innumerable Bulles, and Pardons, haue & are continuallie sent ouer by the Pope. And can or may, true and faithfull Christians see all this, and not speake? Naie, the heauens & the earth, crie out against them; and if both these should cast out their slaine and dead bodies, which sometimes the Fathers of these men haue killed in this cō men wealth: vve that liue now, were neuer able to abide the yelling and crying, the sighing and groning, of our Fathers, our Mothers, Sōnes, Daughters, Kinsfolk & neighbors, and of all fortes of people some, for the vnspeakeable tormentes, wherewith these wicked and vngodlie Baalites haue tormented them. And now they thinke the time to be at hand, in which they may embrew their handes, and a freesh againe be dronken with the blood of righteous men, which hope, which trust, which confidence, which desire, [Page]which practise, which sight, which thirst of theirs, cannot be extinguished, if God either stay not their pretended purpose, or that some speedy reformation, and sharpe discipline be not sought after, for these Heretiques. And albeit, we be ready to pawne bothe our liues, and ourbodies, in the quarell of the Lord, yet haue we a care of the Familie and house of God, to keepe the wilde Boare of the wood from deuowring it. Vndoubtedlie, as Achan troubled Israell,Iosh. 7.21. in taking of the excommunicate and forbidden thinges, so haue these Iesuites, with their companions, that of late came into this Realme, greeuouslie prouoked the Lord, and moued vs, in bringing ouer their whorishe, forbidden, and Babilonish garmentes with them.Gen. 35.4. True it is, that all the Trinckettes, and rubbishe they haue, is nothing else but Ceraphims, and the same straunge Gods, or some such beggerlie, and vnmeete trashe, as the Patriarke Iacob tooke from them of his household, when as for very shame, he buried them vnder a Terebinth Tree in Schechem. Their worshippe is all one, with the worshippe of Aaron, when he offended in making the golden Calfe. Of which sinne committed,Moses was so afraide,Exo. 32.20. as in the same, he let fall the Tables of stone, and they brake: but Moses dealt with them, according to their iniquitie for all that, and he stamped the golde, of which the Calfe was made off to powder, and made the Israelites drinke thereof.

And this was much that Moses did, but Asa the King did more then he;1. Reg. 15.12.For he put away the Sodomites, and bannished the Idolaters out of the Lande, and he remooued Maacha his mother, and disinherited her of Crowne and dignitie, for that she offered Sacrifice to Priapus. Notwithstanding, Iehu did more then did he:2. Re. 10.26 for he killed all the Prophets of Baall, and suffered not one of them[Page]to liue, he defaced the Temple of their Gods, and made a Drawght house of it for euer. And Iehoiada the heigh Priest,2. Reg. 11.4. together with the yonge Kinge Ioas, killed the Idolatresse Athaliah as she fled for her life out of the Temple: Ezechias did wonderfull thinges in his dayes and he spared not an Idolater in the Lande. How Iosiah delte being but a younge Prince, and how he visited, and went thorowe the Realme in his owne person the booke of the Cronicles and Kings of Iuda doo declare:2. Reg. 22.8. He put the Idolatrous Priestes to death, and was so zealous in the behalfe of his God: that he burnt their boanes, and sacrificed them vp, vpon their owne Altars. We are not ignoraunt (right Honorable) of all the Statutes, Ordinaunces, and decrees from age to age, which the primitiue Churches haue bothe made, and confirmed against the Idolaters of there time, what the Emperour Constantinus did, appeareth in Eusebius, Euseb. in vita. Con. lib. 3. and how he delte in Phaenitia and in Cilitia with the Idolaters. Theodosius, as witnesseth Theodoretus, Theod. lib. 5 cap. 20. did referre all his studie to the suppressing downe of the Idolatrous Gratians. And I doo remember, that Leo in his EpistleLeo. Epist. 66. requireth of Licinia, Eudotia, Augusta, that she would roote out those Heresies spread abroade, by the roauing Monkes in Palestine. Therefore seeing their children are sprong vp in our dayes, and in their steede are risen vp as wicked and as great Idolaters as were they. It is very heigh time they should be looked vnto among vs. For my owne part I doo protest, that if any thing hath made me to write, it is the Lords quarrell, and the feare of his name that hath doone it. And in the same I haue great reason moouing me therevnto, which your Honour shall vnderstande, and they all perceiue, that shall reade this Booke. But it hath greeued me moste of all, and stirred me vp espetially, in that I haue from time to time, seene and vewed the impudent[Page]behauiour, and bolde presumptions of the Papists: Amonge whom, some men of late time, in a sound speech, perfect tongue, fine wit, and choyse phrase (as they did thinke of them selues) haue rashly encroached vpon her Maiestie, and vpon your Honours, the Lords of her Maiesties Honourable priuie Councell, with sundrie of theyr bookes: Thereby making vs beleeue, that because they durste doo it, they did it well. Of these Maister Harding was the first, that reuolted and ranne away from Christe, but neuer returned, who by this time knoweth, whether he did well or euill. And Osorius, did but the other day sende abroade his Cōnfections, to poyson the young Frie of England: who, as he flaunteth it out in a leafe or two, yet halteth he in many places, and speaketh verie roughly, and breaketh out euery where vnpleasauntly, and then healeth vp the wound so rawly againe, as that his gleaned and piked vp corne, stolne words, borrowed ware, deceiptfull stile, quauering Notes, and slaunderous speeches against the trueth, be wundered at, and greatly pittied of all cunning woorkemen. Moreouer the other day was the like seene, for the Snowe hath not yet falne vpon the ground, nor yet hath the Sickle beene put into the Corne, sithence one, to name Campion, and an other, to name Howlet, haue caste out Rebellious Pamphlets, and offered combate to all the learned in this Realme. Now, all these men, for that they wanted credit and estimation where they liued before, are cōtent like Maisterlesse men, to goe abegging and aske for entertainement abroade: Therefore haue they praesumed to enter the Courte gates, and there to open their Pedlers Packes, and to set out to sale their counterfeit Merchaundies, supposing that because her Maiesties Subiects vpon hope of amendement, haue in all clemencie beene borne with all to this day: Therefore also they should looke for [Page]the same fauour, and good woordes bothe of her Maiestie and your Honours handes, as a rewarde giuen them for their slaunderous and Scismaticall Libelles. May it please you therefore, with the same eyes, and like harte: as you haue to this daye moste Honourably continued, so also to turne back, and looke vpō the learned with in this Realme. It wil be knowne vnto you, that God hath so blessed them in England with all kinde of furniture, Timber, Wood, and Stone, fine woorke, wrought woorke, and needell woorke, golde, siluer, and all other kinde of Science, Arte, and knowledge, bothe diuine and humaine, as all theyr outlandish falshoods, robbery, pilfering and stealth, with their foolish and mishapen Quiddities, loose arguments, broken reasons, falsified Scriptures, coloured and disguised Authors, are neuer able to be compared, or come neere vnto vs. For whye? the Lorde is on our side, and he rayseth vp bothe the eloquent and the good man: As for those men, what haue we to doo with them, seeing they are bewitched with falsehood and lyes? The Lorde our God is he that we must follow, his voyce must we heere, and as for those that bring not his woorde, the Lorde shalbe reuenged on them himselfe. For my owne parte, what I haue set downe against our aduersaries the Iesuites in this booke, in the same I will not be my owne Iudge, but I will referre that I haue spoken to the indifferent Reader, and he, all that I haue doone vnto the Scriptures. The Lorde, the true and righteous euermore, the God of our fathers that hath alwayes beene with you, kindle your noble and vertuous proceedings more and more, that you maye bee a light and fartherer in the same, to all those that looue and feare the Lorde: And the Lorde graunt, that his countenaunce may shine vpon vs, that his word may be knowne rightly, his lawes and commaundements obserued diligently, the vertuous[Page]and godly men defended mightely, the wicked and obstinate punished seuearely, and his goodnes and mercie spreade abroade openly vpon vs all. That her Maiestie may raigne long time ouer vs, to see the iudgements of our God put in execution, that her Grace may see an end of all vnquietnes, dissention, and strife, and establish peace, vnitie, and concorde in the Church of God. Amen.

Your Honours moste humble to commaund, Iohn Keltridge.

From my Chamber in Holborne at London. Iune. 10.

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To the Readers, and faithfull Christians, health and peace in Christe Iesus.

THe great looue that the Lord our GOD hath borne to the Church, neither is it, neither can it be hid from any man: and if we which haue nowe Itued in the same many yeeres, be not either stuffed and choaked vp with his manifolde benefites, or carelesse & secure, for that they haue béene so plentifull. Then will euerie faithfull and good man say, as I say, that of all Nations and Countries vnder heauen, we haue hitherto liued most happily. For if Warres were looked for, the Lord hath turned all to peace: If conspiracies and Treasons were practised, they haue béene reuealed from time to time: If Insurrections were made, they the authors haue béen suppressed immediatly: If Forrainers and straungers haue determined any thing against vs, their pretended deuises neuer tooke effect: If at any time they haue purposed to spoyle vs, the Lord hath deliuered them into our handes: If the heauens haue portended any great thing, or the earth hath shaken her pillers against man: or the Elements in flaming manner, cast foorth their sparkes of fyre: yet haue all these moste straunge thinges (to this day) shewen their force, declared their effectes, and plainely manifested their angrie countenaun [...]s, against other Nations and straunge people, not against vs of England. So that I may say, happy are we, if we may continue happy: and blessed be we aboue all other, if we be still blessed of the Lord: and most of all are we to praise our God, if héereafter we shall be able to stande, as hetherto we haue done, which he onely knoweth, not man. Of this I am certaine, and for the same I haue a good warrant: that if our sinnes be not come vp vnto the brim, if our iniquities be not ripe, or our manifolde transgressions, come vp before God, then haue we not to feare any thing: but whatsoeuer kinde of [...]righting it be, howsoeuer mens heartes doo fayle them, or what rumors and signes of alterations the wicked doo forecast in their hearts, all shall be turned to the best, if we haue not prouoked the Lord. In verie déede it is true, that the Lord is able to remooue our Candelstitke: that the Lord is able to carrie vs into a straunge lande: and he is of power to hang vp our Harpes vpon the willowe Trées, and enforce vs to sing a song of Sion in Babell. Yet let Israel be of good chéere, and you the people of the Lord comforted, for if you will feare the Lord and obey him, all thinges shall goe well with you,Deut. 28.2. all the blessinges of God shall be powred vppon you, and you shall stande in feare and dread of none. But and if you disobey the Lord your God, and cleaue not vnto him, all the plagues and curses set downe in his booke shall ouertake you.Leui. 26.14. Lamen. 2.17 I tell you of a trueth, that if we looke not[Page]to our wayes, and take héede to such thinges as the Lord our God hath forbidden vs: without questiō he will bring such a thing to passe, as all the eares of men that heare thereof, shall tingle at it. For my owne part, I am perswaded, that euen now God hath begun to becken his hand, and shake his rod at vs: and of the same, I will yéelde certaine reasons.Pride.First of all, the pride of Sion is great, and her daughters haue wādring eyes, and stretched out neckes, & they mince it in the stréetes with their féete, as if onely they had a care to liue héere, and to doo nothing else.Securitie.Secondly, the fulnesse of bread is great, and [...] are inglutted with the Oliue and the Grape, therefore beginne freé to to be carelesse. Whordom.Thirdlie, there is a gréeuous sinne, which of all other I feare, which aboue the rest I abhorre, which of all is most damnable, which in the most is most common, yet estéemed of ouer lighthe, by the most godlie: which is whoredome, that is so sparinglie punished. For these sinnes am I perswaded, that God hath begun [...]e to shewe his displeasure, and angrie countenaunce vpon vs: the Lord hath nowe forewarned vs to looke about, and to examine our selues against the tyme of his comming. And assuredlie, I am sore gr [...]uc [...] for the same: for the Papistes, finding that we haue displeased God, and knowing that the Lord neuer striketh, but when he is angry: have nowe of late lyft vp their heads, thinking to make a conquest, and to pray vpon vs, So that I sée we are nowe in distresse, and two kinde of inconueniences fall vpon vs for our sinnes. First, the Lord is [...] honoured, and the Papistes they hope for a day: Secondlie, our people and nation is affrighted, and in parte discouraged, [...] they feare that because the multitude of Heretiques are nowe inc [...] sed: that therefore God as he hath warned vs, hath also forsaken vs: and as he hath touched vs, hath certainly delivered vs into their handes, which is nothing so. wherefore, séeing the & the aduersaire, is so exalted against God in his pride: and the poore Church so discouraged for her sinnes in great humilitie, I will say some thing to them be the.

As concerning you the aduersaries of God, and enimies to England: whether you be called by the name of Papistes, or tearmed as Catholiques, or estéemed as Iesuites, or thought to be Seminaries, [...] called by any other name among men: Vnderstand all of you, that if we haue sinned, you haue no cause to reioyce: we haue not trespassed against you, but against God: and if any thing happen vnto vs, we are vnder the handes of the Lord, not vnder yours. What if our fathers haue erred? what if our Kinges and Princes haue offended? what if our Rulers haue trespassed? and we his people gone astraie? that appertayneth not vnto you, but vnto our God. To him we submitte our selues, to him we yéelde, to him we acknowledge our sinnes: [...] for you, what haue you to doo with vs? why trouble you his people? and what haue you to doo with his annointed? we will submitte not[Page]selues to the highest, we will not be delyuered into your handes, nor into the handes of men. Knowe you that we will neither choose to [...]ye thrée dayes before our enimies, nor haue seuen yéeres famine come vpon vs in the land: but we will fall into the handes of God, let the Lord doo what séemeth him best in his eyes. Now if it should come to passe, that we were againe made slaues vnto you, as we haue béene of oide tyme: yet would the Lord be reuenged vpon you: your Shéepheards should be scattered, as was Gardner and Bonner: your Princes and blasphemers should perishe, as all those haue done that stoode against vs: your Runners and Deuowrers with the swoord, should haue a deadly ende, as hath befaine to the persecutors of our Church: and you your selues should haue all the plagues of Egipt to trouble you, tyll you had deliuered vs. what if we serued you, seuen or eight péeres for our sinnes, to reclaime vs? yet would the Lord send an other Othoniell, Iudg. 3.9. to redéeme vs, & consume you. what if eightéen yéeres? as we confesse some times we did: what aduantage was that to you, when Eglon your King,Iudg. 3.14. with the Ammonites and Amalekites, were afterward destroyed for it, by Ehud of Gera, the Captaine of the Lord? What I pray you, aduauntageth it you, to rayle on the hoast of the lyuing God, and to curse vs, and to defie vs before the Lord: if afterwards you and yours, be found all onely to be they that are cursed? for so it fell out in the dayes of Ezechias,when Senacherib defied Israell, and rayled on the lyuing God.Isai. 37.38. And so fell it out at the beginning to Balack the sonne of Ziphor, Numb. 22. that hyred Balaam to curse Israell, as the Pope hath hyred and sent you out to curse vs. Therfore this people, if they will feare the Lord, shall not be afraide of two or thrée Bées of the East, but euen they shall sée your dead carcases vppon the ground, and you the enimies of God to be drowned and swim before their faces.

And nowe for the second point, for which I doo perceyue the people of this Land are greatly troubled: namely, because that the Papistes and Iesuites, with other the riffe raffe, and scumme of this Realme, are nowe séene to appeare, who before this tyme haue béene hidden in the bytches, and channelles of England: Let them all vnderstand, that it is a small thing with God, and no great or rare matter, to haue wicked men and vngodlie ones, to arise in the Familie of the Lord. For so it must it be in his Church & Congregation for euer, that those that are his may be tried. VVhy? wherefore? for what cause should you be [...]couraged? it hath béene so of olde, from the beginning it hath béene thus. Looke and sée, search and vnderstand, it will be found true. It is a small matter, in great abundance of small hearbes, to haue a handfull of stinking wéedes: in a mightie ground well eared with corne, to finde some Darnel, or some Cockle: in plentifull Gardens, and well [...]ored, to haue a bundle or two of Nettles: or in our great and mighty Church of England, to haue a fewe of wicked and peruerse papistes.[Page]The Israelites cannot doo amisse, though some Préestes of [...]all [...] in the Land: the Congregation shall not all perishe, though Coré, D [...] than, and Abiram conspire: the Prophetes of God, & all faithfull persons must not be dismaied, albeit some offer vp Incense to the Quine of Heauen: and England must not be afrayde, though some Iesuiets trouble them. The Church of Corinthus had in it false brethren, that hindred them: and Laodecaea, and Smirna, and Theatyra, in the Reuelation, had among them, wicked persons that withortwe them: and the Primitiue Church, hath not béene without Heretiques at all tythes, that haue withstoode them: neither shall England be without Se [...]inaries, and schollers of the Pope to molest them.

I remember what Augustine sayth:August. ad Petrum. Cap. 43. Firmissime tene, et nallaten [...] dubites, Aream esse Dei ecclesiam Catholicam, et in ea vsque in sinem seculi frumento mixtas pale as contineri. That is: It is to be thought stedfastilie, and not to be doubted of by any man, that the Barnes of the Lord, doo signifie vnto vs the Church of God, and within them [...] the ende of the world, there will be Chaffe mixt with good Corne [...] that is, wicked with good: euill men, among righteous men, and Heretiq [...] among those that are faithfull. It is as true, and as pretie as it is plaine that Prosper sayth:Prosper. depromis. et praed. Dei, Cap. 7. Nunc vero ecclesia aut Arca, velut mund [...] et immunda animalia, bonos malosque portare cognoscitur, vsque in praedictum finem, de quo Dominus et saluator noster in Euangelio [...] est. That is: And nowe we are assured, that the Church of God, which is as was the Arke, hath in it bothe fowle and cleant [...], and is openlie knowne as well to carie the good, as those that are euill, euen vntyll the determined ende and tyme, whereof our Sauiour Christe spake in the Gospell, which is vnttyil the ende of the wor [...]e. So that nowe we are not to be discouraged, but comforted: not dismayed but stayed: in as much as the Lord will alwayes fight for vs, and permitte the wicked for a season, that their condempnation may be greater when he commeth. And it must not be vnknowen to you, that there haue risen vp Heretiques from tyme to tyme, but especially in the Primitiue Church, and in the lyght of the Gospell, as the Iesuites, and the Fanulie of Looue, and the Seminaries doo now in our age: Euse. Lib. 2. Cap. 1.After Christe. 46 yéeres, began Simon Magus: whome the Pope is [...] lyke as can be; that selteth the holie Ghost, and hell and Heauen; and soules of men for money. Beda.After Christe. 58. yéeres, or thereabout: [...] by Elymas Bariesus, he would haue peruerted and turned Sergius Paulus from the trueth: as Champion and Howlet haue laboured of [...] to peruert the state of England.Iren. Lib. 1. Cap. 25.After Christe. 73. sprang vp Corinthus: as like the Papistes in this one thing as might be that he lu [...] after the satissying of the [...]lie, and delighted in meate and drinke; and maried women.Euse. Lib. 4. Cap. 7.After Christe. 93. spr [...]ng vp Basilides, before [...] Menander: whome in this one thing, the Pope and his Clergie res [...] bleth: in that they thinke that Faith by periurie may be renouri [...] [Page] Epiphanius Haer. 26.After Christe. 100. yéeres, arose vp the Gnostikes, some call them Barborites, all one with Papistes, for they had in them a swelling pride, as hath the Pope with his Cardinals, & thought they knowe all things: and their women among them were as common, as the strumpets and [...], be at Roome for the Friars. Haer. 29.After Christe. 121. dyd the Nazarit [...] spread their Herefies abroade, altogether in effect, as are the Iesuites: who gaue them selues to the obseruation of the Lawe, euen alike as be all their Ceremonies which they vse. Euse. Lib. 5. Cap. 13.After Christ. 163. were the Montanists, verie rife in the world: what they differed from the sects of Iesuites, and their company I knowe not, all one they were in many things: For they for bad mariage as papistes doo, they absteined from [...] béeing vnla [...]full, euen as papistes doo: they vsed [...], and defiled women as the papists doo. And thus from time to time since Christe, there haue béene most detestable Herefies in the Church: now I am of opinion, that the errors of the papistes, are a confused, and mingled Chaos, euen a trusse and Booget of Hertfies, gathered togeather of all sortes of Heretiques from the beginning: which, when time se [...]ueth I will prooue, Héere lyeth out [...] and [...] holde, that God of his mercie will as wel defend vs: as he hath done the other his Churches that hath béene pestered with them since the comming of Christe. And as for England, they can doo it no [...], God is with vs. They cannot hurt vs, God fighteth for vs: the [...]r pretious bau [...]es shal not breake our heads, for so hath the Lord [...]: Their errors shall doo, what God will haue done & that is mough to comfort vs. For the papistes them selues & what grosse and [...] opinions they holde, this short Treatise shall declare: [...] Irequire at your hands, that shall reade this Booke. First that [...] [...]differerently, without partiality. Secondly, that you way the, Articles and sundrie pointes, and howe and where, the trueth in them is to be looked for. Thirdly, that you cast not your eyes vpon the writer, or vpon the Aduersary that is confuted, but that you iudge [...] betwixt bothe. Last of all, with a perfect, pure, and vndefiled [...] this booke to be read of thée, that thou thy selfe mayst be com [...]ted, thy conscience assured, thy minde and beare satisfied, and thy adversaries mouthes that would hinder thée for euermore stopped. So I leaue thée to the tuition of the Almightie, and do aduertise thée, to may for the conuersion of these Heret ques, or for the will of the Lord to be shewed vp [...] them, according [...] that purpose and determination of [...] which he hath decréed. And so fare you most hattehe well.

Yours in the Lord. Iohn Keltridge.

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❧ To the aduersaries of the grace of God in the Tower of London or els where: I Iohn Keltridge wishe amendment of life, conuersion to the moste auncient and vndoubted faith, with true repentaunce and contrition of hart, That they may become liuely and perfect members of Iesus Christe.

ALbeit the rare & strange comming of you into England, hath kindled the harts of many men against you, & so them see on fire: as it is very apparāt, that the flāerherof is not like to be extinguished, till either the godly people see your conuersion from your heresies: or conceiue some hope that you will return to God speedily. Yet we for our partes, that haue endeuored by preaching to bring you to the Lord, may not, & cannot cease continually, either to pray with earnestnes, or desire with stedfastnes, or begge with feruentnes, or intreat in all faithfulnes at the handes of the Lord: that he would lighten you by his spirit, or quicken you thorow his grace, or resolue you by the trueth, or confirme you by the woord which you dayly heare: that the only true and perfect man Iesus Christe maye be knowen unto you: which knowledge and perfect vnderstanding you cannot be ignorant of, if you shut not your eyes, or withdrawe your harts from the hearing of the same. What you haue been hitherto we know, but what heerafter you shal be, that the Lord our GOD knoweth, not we. We may hope very hardly, for you refuse the trueth willingly, your conuersiō [...] we not looke for speedily, you perseuere in your errours so stouely: So that for that matter we deforre and commit all to to the Lord. Notwithstanding, for myne owne [...] some thing to say vnto you, & for your owne behalfe I haue much to charge you with: For my selfe, wheras I haue bothe spoken heertofore, and doo now also write: I haue to lead me therunto these causes. First, my office and calling draweth me, as beeing a Dispensar of the woord of God: Secondly my dutie, which is to winne all, but especially you which are so[Page]farre off: Thirdly, that care which beyond measure I haue had, is a prick and a spurre within me, since the firste time I was with you at the Tower: And which should prouoke me, I haue a commaundement giuen me from the eternall God, to preach in season and out of season, in time and out of time, whersoeuer I see the Church to stand in need. Therfore, I beeing espetially mooued aboue the rest: you haue no farther to enquire after me. As concerning the thinges I am to charge you withall: they are many, great, importable, and such as you can neuer answere: They concerne the Lord the high God, whose lawes you contemne: They concerne the Church, from which you are fled: They concerne the trueth, which you denye: They concerne Religion, which you abhorre: They concerne Christianitie, which you are farre from: They concerne true Woorship, which you repose in your Image [...]: They concerne Faith, which you lay in Wor [...]s: They concerne perfecte and Christian adoration, this you claspe vp in the bosome of the Pope: They cōcerne prayer, which in steed of God you giue to men: They concerne Christe whose institutions you chaunge: They concerne the perfect seruice of the Lord, which you infolde in the Masse: They concerne our Meditation, which you make but a sacrifice: Propitiatorie, by the woork of a Preest: They concerne our attonement and reconciler Christe, and him whome the heauens containeth, you infolde in a Wafer cake: They concerne the Gospell, which you refuse, & you stick to the customes of your fathers: And they concerne the woord of the Lord, which you heare not, but compelled: which you slaun der beeing hardened, which you contemne beeing blinded, and which you spurn & throwe away, euen before our faces to our great greef and your confusion if you repent not. All these & many things more I am to charge you with, hauing this purpose in my selfe: That first you are to be loked vnto, and if that you will not turne vnto the Lord our God, and serue him after the manner that we his People Israell doo: either we must shut you out of the Tents and dwelling places of the inheritaunce of our God: or we must finde some way to pacifye the Lord withall.

[Page]For I am certainly perswaded, that you haue been kept ouer long, you and your fellowe Ammonites, yea these twentie yeares haue you been pricks and thornes in our sides, & now you come out of your holes wherin younestled, resisting openly the hoste of the Lord vnto their faces. But this may not be suffered: least your example of gathering sud [...] vpon the Sabaoth day, be an occasion also that others shall violate and break the commaundements of God.

I warne you therfore in time, and these Sermons of myne which I made vnto you, haue I gathered together in a little volume, that you may read them: They contayne in them, a breefe and short confutation of all such Heresies as you doo holde. With this speech (if you be not contented) I wil then call back and reclaime it when as I perceiue and see thorow ly, that you are amended.

More I cannot say, more I may not say, and more I dare not say as yet to you: whom not I, but a [...] Christian harts doo thinke to be instruments of Satan, raysed vp for our sinnes, as two edged Swoordes to rent and out in peeces, the poore Church of England. For mine owne parce, I wil pray to the Lord our God for your amendement, and I will begge that Discipline at his hands, which you if you come not to him, are woorthie to haue: To whom I doo commit you, that hath both life and death, faluation and condemnation in his handes.

Yours in the Lord, if you come vnto the Lord. Iohn Keltridge.

At London, Iune. 10. 1581.

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The first part of the Sermon, wherein is (largelie) confuted sundrie grosse heresies, which the Iesuites, Seminaries, and other the Popes Schollers doo holde: preached at the Tower in their presence, that the trueth might be known vnto them more apparantlie. 7. Maij. 1581.

IT is thus written right Honourable, right VVoorshipfull, and belooued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe.

Deut. 6. v. 4.

Heare O Israel, the Lord our God is Lord onely: and thou shalt looue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy might. And these words which I commaund thee this day, shall be in thy heart.

THe looue that our Lord God bare to Israell his people, though it be in many places of this booke shewed openly, and declared plainlie to them:Of all the bookes of Moses, this of Deuteronomy, for the blessing & great benefite [...] God shewed to his people, is the most cōfore table and heauenly booke. Yet in more ample manner it was neuer set downe at any time to that Nation, as in this the vnspeakable looue of the Lord their God: who in daunger defending them, in troubles deliuering them, in extremities assisting them, in slauerie and captiui [...]e, vpholding them by his mightie hand: did not onely by Myracles she we his power, or by his Prouision for them, signifie his looue, or by his outstretched arme manifest his care, or by fighting with Kinges for their sakes, driue all onlie an especiall reuerence into their hearts of his Maiestie: But verie fatherlie in affection, most loouingly in Mercie, and tenderlte with long Patience: did the Lord instructe and teach them by Moses and Aaron, that they might know the Commaundements of the Lord and feare him. Wherefore, as at the first to cause them to remember him, the Lord our God appeared in fire and lightning; and in most terrible manner, to beate a care and reuerent feare into their hearts: [Page]So to [...]omfore them againe, was Moses sent with this [...] and these Co [...]t [...]ndements, (as re [...]embraunces & pledges of his looue) that in the same they might acknowledge him, and in trembling and feare obey him, in knowledge increase their looue towards him, and in reuerēce serue him all the dayes of their lyfe. Now, this booke is a recapitulation, a bréefe summarie, and short rehersall of all such Lawes, Ordinaunces, & Statutes, as the Lord had giuen to Israel: and a Commemoration of all his sundrie, notable, and famous benefites, as Israel and this People had receyned at the handes of God: and therefore sayth Moses, Heare O Israel, the Lord thy God is Lord onely. These woordes haue in them noted two principall thinges, common bothe in the Lawe and in the Prophetes.

1. First, an exhortation, In requesting, and in praying them:
2. Secondlie, a Commaundement, In willinge, and in forcing them.

The Inuocation or calling on them to heare that which appertayneth to God, declareth howe ready the Lord is to saue man.

The Lawe and constraint vsed by commaundement, certifieth vs, albeit we will not come vnto the Lord willinghe, yet for the commaundement sake, and for necessitie we must obey him.

The exhortation is to the good and godlie men, whome the Lord hath alwayes vsed to styrre vp and prick foreward in his seruice.

The Commaundement is to the wicked, wilfull, and vnbeléeuing persons, who albeit the beanies and light of trueth apppeareth, will not for all that beléeue.

Wherefore, I am of opinion, that the [...] (1) the generall Proposition, ende, purpose, and drifte of Moses is this, to exhort and require all such as are the Lordes, to haue a regarde to his Commaundements, and to feare his name: and of this I must speake two manner of wayes.

[Page]First, generallie. 1. To all that are heere, and to such as shall heare heereof heereafter.
Next, perticularlie. 2. To certaine persons whom I see in this place, and I would they were (rather) in some other place then heere.

The first kinde of reuerence and feare to be spoken of generally, is appertinent vnto all that looue the Lord, who in yeale with perfectnesse, in looue with thankfulnesse, in great care with earnestnesse, ought bothe daylie and continuallie to serue the Lord their God: For who defendeth them at all assayes, but hée? who protecteth them, when they are in distresse, but onely hée? who is able in néede to ease them? in myserie to reléeue them? in daungers to comfort them? in anguishe of soule and heart to deliuer them, but onely this whome we should feare, whome we should dread, whome we should reuerence the Lord our God? For this cause in Deuteronomie, I finde it thus written.Deur. 11.18.

First, that you shall lay vp.
Secondly, the wordes spoken by the Lord.
3. In your heart.
4. In your soule.
5. You shall binde them as signes on your hands.
6. They shalbe as Frontlets between your eies.
7. Then you shall teach them your children.
8. Euen then when thou sittest in thine house.
9. Then, when thou walkest by the way.
10. Then, whē thou lieft down.
11. Then, when thou risest vp.
12. Then, shalt thou write them vpon the postes of thy house, and vpon thy gates.

The reason of this.

That your dayes may be multiplied: that the dayes of your Children may be multiplied in the Land: for the Lord sware vnto your Fathers to giue it them, so long as the heaue [...]s are abo [...]e the earth.

Yet there is a condition, for this blessing is graunted vpon [Page]a bonde wherein Israel was, and we nowe his people we bound also: Euen to looue the Lord our God, to walke in his wayes, and to cleaue vnto him, &c.

In the Prophesie of Isaiah, Isa. 8.19. where as the Lord God dooth most gréeuoustie denounce the heauy Iudgements vpon Iuda, Israel, and the Affirians, for not obeying and seruing the Lord their God: At the length, the Lord comforteth his people, and encorageth the Saintes, and wylleth them not to feare, albeit they be as signes and wunders to the wicked men: and he fetteth downe his will, and his purpose of his feare and reuerence in two thinges.

First, In an Inquisition.
Secondlie, In an aunswere to the same.

The Inquisition is of the wicked men, and of Idolaters, that say vnto the godlie, Enquire of them, that haue a spirite of Diuination: enquire of them, that are Southsayers: enquire of them which whisper and murmure.The olde Idolaters & vpstart Papistes are a lyke in all things: and the first kept away the law frō the people: these make ignoraunce the mother of deuotionThen at that tyme, this shall be the aunswere made by the godlie. Should not a people enquire at their God? should you goe from the lyuing to the dead? Nay, to the Lawe and to the Testimony should you goe, and if then you speake not according to that woorde, there is no trueth, and no lyght in you: wherefore, they haue first done vs great iniurie, I meane the aduersaries of the grace of God, the Papistes: who haue drawne away, not onely the simple and plaine men from the Lord, by kéeping the booke of God shut from them: but also, haue taught them an other lawe of their owne inuentions, and contrarie to the lawe they haue receyued of the Lorde: O that they had perfectly the Lawe of the Lord in Mathew. Where, at such time as the Saduces had béene put to silence by our Sauiour Christe: and the Pharisées vnderstanding thereof, gathered together them selues also, to dispute with him.Math. 22.34. One among them all, an expounder of the Lawe, could not temper his affections, but boldly rusheth out and speaketh: which shall be séene by you, in the circumstaunces of the Text.

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First, in a Question. The Question mooued by a Scribe.
Secondlie, in a replie to the Question. The replie made by our sauiour Christe.

The Question is the greater moued by the Scribe.

1. In the asking.
2. In the tempting.
3. In the speaking to Christe.

The Question mooued was, Maister? VVhich is the greatest commaundement in the Lawe?

The Aunswer and replie by Christe, is this: Thou shalt looue:

whome? the Lord thy God:
Howe?
- 1. With all thine heart.
- 2. With al thy soule.
- 3. With al thy mind.

And this is the first cō mādemēt, & the greatest.

Moreouer (for the aunswer of Christ is twofolde:) it concerneth.

The Lorde onely, as before is seene in his seruice.
Man onely: which is thus.
- 1. Thou shalt loue:
- 2. Thy neighbor:
- 3. Euen as thy selfe.

And in these two, cōsisteth the Law and the [...]ophets.

In Marke the Euangelist: This same peruerse man, the Scribe, that did oppose him selfe against Christe, after the Question mooued, and the replie added the revnto by our sauiour Christe: is [...]pted to haue spoken discretelie, and to haue set downe his opinion, bothe soundlie and wiselie, concerning this thing. And his iudgement was this: Maister, thou hast saide truelie.

For, there is but one God.
For, there is none other but he.

[Page] And to loue him,

1. With all the heart.
2. With all the vnderstāding.
3. With all the soule.
4. With all the strength.
5. And thy neighbour as thy selfe.

Is more then all burnt offeringes and Sacrifices.

In these places rehearsed, you plainly sée, that in the seruice of the Lord, the principall thing required is this: That we obey him, and his commaundements. O how godly and pleasaunt a thing is it for Israel to know the Lord, his statutes are in his mouth, his Ordinaunces shall make him blessed: his séede shall inherite the land, he shall not feare by night, nor stand in dreade at noone day, for the Lord of hoasts is with him, the God of Iacob is his defence: The Lorde shalbe a shéelde to that man, and the stay and staffe of peace shalbe vpon his head: he is sure not to be mooued, and to the nethermost hell shall he neuer fall. His pathes are pathes of righteousnesse, his wayes be the wayes of lyfe: Glorie is on his head, honour and renowne are a couering for that man: happy shall he be for euer, and all generations shall remember him. Yea, I will set foorth the prayses of such a man as feareth the Lord, for it is a good thing to obey him, and to haue a care and reuerence to his name: and this feare and dreade, this seruice belonging to his Maiestie, is thri [...] folde in this place.

Therefore, it eyther

1. Concerneth God alone, not man:
2. Concerneth God, as well as man:
3. Concerneth man onely, not God:

The seruice due vnto the Lorde, is seene in Circumstaunces.

1. First, that Israel his pople:
2. Secondly, heare or vnderstand:
3. Thirdly, such thinges as concerneth their God:

[Page] This seruice is seene in those Epithites, and titles giuen vnto the Lord in this place, whome you onely ferue.

1. First, he is [...] (1) Lord of all.
2. Secondly, he is [...] (1) God, seeing all.
3. Thirdly, he is [...] (1) our God in deliuering all.
4. Fourthly, [...] (1) he is only one God, there is no more among all.

The first name of Dignitie héere set downe, as Augustine noteth: Potentiam denotat, She weth his power, For God ruleth, and gouerneth all: And in y^e same he sate, the Firmamēt a [...]one that spreadeth it selfe as a Canapie, and the earth beneath y^e is inustoou [...]able, as be the Pillers of heauen: and betwixt bothe, the fire, which burneth not by the power of his woord and the ayre which infecteth not, for he restraineth the gates of death. And the water, which as in the house, presumeth not to goe ouer the thresholdes, and bankes that are limited. The Lord it is indéede, that lifteth vp, and pluckesh [...] sha [...]exaltath & h [...]bleth, that deliuereth, & casteth [...] pleasure: he brought Israel thorow the red Sea, & [...] his eni [...]ies, as in a wall: he brought in y^e Waters and drow [...]ed them, but he led Israel his people on drie land. The Countries of the Nations did the Lord giue vnto them & to possesse, returned with an angrie coūtenante, against the [...]ings: he spared not the Gi [...]nit with his Cha [...]ots, nor the Mike Countries, with the walled Townes, but brought in destructiō for their sinnes, and gaue them the slaine, as a portion for their vngodlinesse: wherefore, let all men praise the Lord, and serue, and obey him aboue all.

The second tytle giuen vnto the Lord is, that he is called, [...] which is as much [...]s, To see, & take a view, and to to perse thorowe all things very narrowly: For the eyes of the Lord are vpon all the earth, he giueth strength to them y^e trust in him, & vnderstanding to them that walke vprightly: he beholdeth the endes and coasts of the Sea, and stilleth the ra [...]ing of the tempeste, [...] in his fury he mounteth foorth on she [...]ges of the winde, and with the same he bringeth in all [...] thinges, to trouble sinners: who like vnto our [Page]God? whose eyes are vpon the iuste, whose countenaunce is against all those that doo euill, to roote them out [...] [...]he land: he giueth, and man receyueth: he detayneth, and man perisheth. For the cup of his wrath, is powred foorth vpon malefactors, and as a man prepared to the battell, so is the Lord girded to fight against the wicked. For why? all thinges are done by him, he filleth the hungrie soule, and replemisheth with meatē, the néedy Creatures: His woorkes are séene aboue and his wunders in the deapth. Among the holie ones dooth the Lord raigne, and filleth with his blessing euerie lyuing soule. The haires of our head are numbred before him, and the Sparo [...]e séeketh for meate in due season: let euerie soule therefore feare the Lord, and let nothing staye him to acknowledge his name, for he is a God which séeth all things, and nothing may be hidden from him at any time.

This vvord our, & then God also our God, dooth exclude all forrain and straunge Gods: and prooueth that the Lord all on ly is to be feared.The thirde tytle and Epithite giuen vnto God, is this: [...] ▪ (1) our God, euen the God of Iacob, and the God of Israel: which name of rem [...]nthraunce, no [...] was put in, and added in this place, that Israel should neuer forgetts their Lord God that fought for them: therefore is it sayde, The Lord can God, is Lord onely: as being none other that fought for them, but ou [...]ly he: For in déede, the Lord kept the promise that he made them, and the [...]athe which he sw [...]re vnto their Fathers: he wought them out of the house of bondage, and redéemed them out of the straunge land. For why? God was i [...]yned to their séede, and he would not forsake them for their Fathers sake: the Lord gaue vnto them Ierusalem for their portion, and the land of Mountaines for their rest: he planted his Posteritie, to the which [...] sworne, and withdrewe not his woorde, though they [...]: therefore is the Lord woorthy to be praysed, and Israel must haue none other God, then him alone that saued them.

The fowrth name and rythe giuen to God, is this: [...]: (1) Thy God is onely one. For there is no [...] then he: he is the Lord of Hoases, meyther will the Kord [...] God giue his glo [...]ie to any other. Ier [...]e of this word, sayth: Identitatem [...] alnatem notat: (1) That is, The [...] [Page]and vnitie of the same, not the varietie, or plurality of Gods, is to be noted and considered heere: For I doo finde that the most & best learned, haue gathered out of this place of Scripture, bothe the Vnitie in the Trinitie, and the Trinitie in the Vnitie, which is to be worshipped: For the word, Lord, in the first place, may signifie the Lord God, the first person which made all: the worde, God, in the second place, may represent Christe, the worde of God, that redéemed all: And one onely Lord, in the third place, may be well the spirite of God, who béeing equall with them bothe, doo make but onely one true, eternall, euerliuing and glorious God: Then you sée, that I haue two things héere proportioned, and drawns out vnto me, wherof I must of necessitie speake.

1. The first, that Vnitie in Trinitie, and Trinitie in Vnitie is to be worshipped.
2. The second, that all manner of Idoll worship, and all seruice not agreeing to this commaundement, in this place, is to be abhorred.

The maner of theyr preaching, in tyme of Popery was known, whē they handled nothing else but the defence of theyr filthy and Idolatrous Ceremonies, & as for doctrine of faith, of mā ners, of life, of religion, or any other good & vvholsome Article of our beleese they neuer dealt vvith any of them.For the first point, which is our Faith, we ought to holde concerning the Trinitie, I say this: As you, whereof I sée too many héere, Schollers of the Pope, are not able to escape without suspitiō of great Sacriledge, for that diuers of your sect, and your heresies, (with whome I doo confesse, I haue reasoned) haue béen of opinion, that in the body of the Bible, the olde Testament, no man was able to finde out the name of the blessed Trinitie: By reason whereof, the people stoode in a manunering, supposing it was a newe Doctrine: Your Massemongers and Idoll Préests, durst not preach of it, for feare of dulling the peoples heads, with so great and déepe Mysteries. And diuers of your Church of Roome doo thinke, that this Doctrine is to hie a Doctrine for the people: yet what colour so euer you all haue, and beare of zeale and Religion, I sée plainlie, that you doo but cast away the soules of men, for you reade in an vnknowne tongue: you condempne your selues, for you speake flatlie against the trueth: you doo[Page]but dissemble in this waightie Article of our faithe, and of the Trinitie, and how cunningly soeuer you glose, and do ceitfully soeuer it be, that you colour your imquitie, the Lord shall reueale it, and we doo knowe it alreadie: Wherefore, I will first of all begin with this pointe of our faithe, this ended I will come to the rest: In all which I promise that no new doctrine shalbe taught you, or vaine matters opened to you, or any doubtfull thinge deliuered to you: But for that which I speake, I will giue you a good and sufficient warrant out of the booke of God:

Thus I beléeue therefore, and thus I teache all that faithfully will beléeue to hold and kéepe this ground of saluation for euer, which is. This reuerend doctrine of the Trinitie, is in all holy and sacred wise, to be read of euery person that vvilbe saued. That Trinitie in Vnitie, and Vnitie in Trinitie is to be woorshipped: For there is the father who created all: there is the sonne and he redéemed all: and there is the spirit the holie Ghost that dooth sanctifie all. The Father is made of none, neither made, nor created, nor begotten: The Sonne is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten: The holy Ghost is of the Father, and of the sonne, not made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding: And as in the Scriptures all things that are taught vs are of thrée sorts: Either put in and set downe, for man to beléeue and not to sée: as was the heauen and the earth made of nothing by the Lorde: Either to beholde and containe by faithe as is our redemption by Christ: either which is last, sensiblie to perceiue, and naturally to take héede of and beware, as is our obedience and disobedience in the commaundements of the Lord: The naturall man is lead by reason and sense: the godly is directed by faithe and hope.So I am of opinion that the carnall and grose man, is not able to comprehend the depth of this Christian veritie, for that he referreth all thinges to the senses which deceiue him: or to the outwarde apparaunces which ouerthrowe him: or to naturall reasons which ou [...]e come hun: or to materiall and visible apparitions, which are alwayes drawing and with holding him, so that as he measureth his faith by his sight, and the truthe by his corporall and palpable blindnes: so is he neuer able to attaine vnto y^e liuely & perfect trueth which riseth of faith, & is giuen by the Lord. For my owne part, I am not of your opinion[Page]which deuide your selues from the Church, by your foolishe [...]nes of Catholiques, Iesuites & Seminaries: by which, as by s [...]les coates you haue béene alwayes known amōg the righteous: you shinke that this doctrine is harōe. If it be, it is no [...]aile in you, for you be hard hearted, & vnbeléeuing perso [...]: you thinke that the depth thereof cānot be attained vnto. The vvilful and blinde, are more & more blinded by God in euerie thing, that euery chyld cōtrolleth.I easily graūt you this: for séeing you serue not the Lord aright in matters wherin children sée your grosenes, wherfore should you presume to search the depth of this secrete: you thinke that the people is not able to cōprehend this doctrine: I think so too, for at your hands they cānot be taught at all, your selues are ignorant. In the scriptures they cānot learne, for you kéepe close the booke of the Lord, and you hide these Misteries frō them. But they be carnal, & you worldly, it is therfore ouer hard meat for them to féede on: They then be as you are, & no marueile, if the blind leading y^e blind, they both fall at length: wherefore lye you still snorting in your Closets, rather inglutted with surfetting and riot, then experienced in articles of your faith: and lie there so lōg as you list, suffer your own people to die for want of y^e light, as you haue done, rather then as rūnagates and maisterles men, to trouble vs in Englād.The Pope hath alwayes been knowne to be Antitichrist, in sending foorth such as dysturbe common vvealthes. I tell you, the plainest Preacher y^t we haue, cā vtter doctrine, you cānot cōprehend: and now as you fit, dumbe & mute speaking nothing, you shalbe witnesses in your own cōsciences: that I will speake no other thing then the trueth. Therefore I make protestation of my faith, vnto you in this manner: There is in the Trinitie, thrée persons, but one God, the persons be these: the Father, the Sonne, the holy Ghost: In dignitie, none desire to rise higher then the other: in power they are equiualēt, none goeth beyōd y^e other: in glory, they are glorious, none is worshipped more then is the other. Such as is y^e Father in diuinity, such is the Sōne also in his exceltencie: as the Father & the Sōne is in they [...] brightnes, so is the holy Ghost, equal vnto them in his highnesse: Maiesty which power, Principality which right, Honour and renowne, which hath béene with them from all beginning, is common and proper to all thrée: Thrée be they in person, one, and all onely one in Goodhead. [Page]In béede, the Father died not, but the Sonne died for vs: [...]he Sonne was begotten of his Father before all worldes, the Father was not begotten of the Sonne: The Spirite, the holy Ghost, protéedeth from them bothe: the Spirit, the holy Ghost, is of them bothe, the Spirit, the holy Ghost, is with them bothe: The Father & the Sōne, procéeded not of y^e Sp [...] rit: yet are they vnited so in the Godhead, as the one is not aboue the other, neither is there superiority in the one, more then is in the other. The Rabbines were pitthy, and vvittie in many thinges, though scrupulous, and superstitious in som things.The Hebrew Rabbines, doo assigne and expresse y^e Trinitie by this name, God, which is with them, Iehouah. This the Gréekes call Tetragrammaton: which is a name or word of fowre Letters to outward she we, yet there are but thrée indéede: for, He, is put in twise, as in the second, & in the fourth place. By these thrée Letters, they doo expresse the Trinitie. Iod, betokeneth Principium, (1) A beginning, & aptlie sheweth the Father, that began and created all. The second Letter, He, signifieth, To be, or to lyue: and declareth the Sōne, which is the life of all. The third Letter, Van, and which is also a Coniunction Copulatiue, dooth aptly represent, The Spirite, the holie Ghost, who is the knitting together of bothe. I am not ignoraunt, that the Iewes were a superstitious, and verie foolishe people, therefore helde they vainely, and obserued toyishly, and helde ignorauntly many thinges of no moment, whereof this is one: That this word, Iehouah, was called of them, Nomen inessabile, (1) A name not to be spoken; The things vvhich are good, (though in any man) refuse them not: such thinges as are amisse, (though in the highest) alowe them not.And in a booke of theirs, which is their book [...] Senhadrin. I finde it thus written: He that pronounceth the name of the fowre Letters, as the Letters themselues do soūd: shall haue no part in the world to come. I cannot tell how to think other wise of you present héere, somtimes schollers to y^e Pope, then I doo of them: but it is verie like, y^e you are drowned in this Iewish, & blockish opinion: for howsoeuer it be, that you thinke of the Trinity, there is none of you all, haue done it, none of you that doo purpose héereafter, none of you y^e euer I read of, or haue found, that durst, or would, in y^e dayes of ignorance, preach openly, or speake publiquelie, this excellent and most heauenly Doctrine of the Trinitie: The Fathers of olde were not ashamed thereof, neyther halted they[Page] [...]t good and euill, but rightly; and vprightly, perfectly as prositably, and directly, as exactlie handled they euery thing: to expresse the Trinitie, they vsed similitudes. A ugustine shewed it, Per solem Currentem, fulgentem et Calentem: (1) By the sunne which runneth, which glistreth, and heateth with his beames: Yet to the constitution of the body of the Sūne, these thrée properties doo not come, as making thrée, but one body: no more doo the thrée persons, make thrée, but one God. Tertullian to Praxea, describeth it thus: Per fontem, fluuium, et riunlū: (1) By the spring which deliuereth, by the Flood which floweth, by the Riuer which runneth: And yet it is but one, & the same water, gushing foorth into them bothe. Similitudes do expresse heauenly and diuine thinges: though they agree not in the comparison in all thinges.The same Tertullian, dooth open the same Mysterie of the Trinitie: Per radicem, fruticem, et Truncum: (1) By the Roote which gathereth, by the Fruite which proceedeth, and by the body of the Tree which beareth it. So in like manner, may we say of the Trinitie: the Father giueth, y^e Sōne saueth, the holie Ghost procéedeth from them bothe: yet are they not thrée, but one God. In common experience we may gather, and collect a proper similitude to expresse this: for there is the body, and we stand by it: there is the soule, we are quickened and liue by it: there is the Spirite, we breathe and continew with it, yet these make not thrée, but one man. This thing also Cyprian noted vpon the Créede: for this part therefore sufficient, & enough it is that I haue spoken. I will come to the other Particular point, which is this: First, that I promised to speake particularlie, not generallie. Next, is a braunche of the same, to examine and trie, whether any Idolatrie may be admitted? and so to ponder and way equally the opinions and dealinges of you, the Schollers of Roome. Thirdsy, shall appeare the first point required in a Christian, what seruice that is that appertayneth, and is duely to be giuen vnto the Lord.

The thing generall to be spoken of heere, is this: That Idoll worship, and all false adoration, is condempned and forbidden in this place.

[Page]For this cause I haue some thing to say vnto you, whome I sée before me at this present, and in the same, I haue to charge you déepelie in the name of the Lord: how to speake vnto you, and by name to all you, I knowe not: This I am sure of, you came lately from Roome, and to a good ende you could not come, for you haue not come to vs in the Lord: And you be they to whome I will direct my spéeche, as vnto men foolorne, and cast off from out the Tents of Israel, for you are Leapers. Tell me if you will, whether in your consciences, you finde not your selues guiltie of sacriledge and Idolatrie, yea, or no? The Lord sayth, Heare O Israel, the Lord thy God, is Lord onely: Then I conclude, and my force is bent against you thus:

They that serue any other, saue the Lord their God onely, are guilty of sacriledge, commit spirituall whordome, and be Idolaters.
You, of late the Popes Schollers, Seminaries, and of his Colledge, euen you woorship Images, euen you haue Agnos Dei in your bosome, and you serue not the Lord your God onely, but Idolles. Ergo.

You are guiltie of sacriledge, you commit spirituall whordome, you be Idolaters.

And giue eare belooued in the Lord I request you: be you Iudges of that I speake, and be witnesses of those thinges I vtter. I call not you, that haue refused the Lord: I speaks otherwise, and thinke of you, as of those that be without: and yet for all that belooued, if you will be belooued: and belooued because the Lord may looue you: and belooued, for I burne in zeale & looue towardes you, as towardes them I would haue to looue and feare the Lord. To you all therefore I speake, demaunding of you this Question: why rather you séeke after Images, then after God? why rather to Idol [...]es, then to the Lord? why rather any other woorshippe, wherein you are insnared, then the Lord your God onely? If you thinke I offer you iniury, for I speake, you may say nothing: I preache, you holde your peace: I haue lybertie, you are cut short: I may holdly say what I can, you may not say any thing in defence of your selues. Then I will doo yet more for [Page]you; and I will walke equally twixt you & me: and hauing hurthened you with that which I sée you are faulty in, I wil [...] all that, before God and his Angels, and in the presence of all these, lay open the trueth, and declare that sincere and true meaning, which these woords & this Scripture aloweth. The Lord sayth héere, Heare O Israel, heare the Lord: You heare the Pope, and you feare man: The Lord sayth, Heare the Lord thy God: you giue eare to your inuentions: The Lord sayth, I the Lord thy God, am Lord onelie: you haue other Gods, & worship Images. Then iudge you, let not me he your Iudge, any otherwise then in this so plaine a matter which you your selues cannot deny: And for all this, sée how fauourably I will deale on your behalfe: You say, that beside this plaine cōmaūdement, O Israel, the Lord thy God is Lord onely: That you for all that haue a liberty giuen vnto you, for the worshipping of Images: How shall this be tride? In the deciding of the Question, you will suspect me, I shall not be thought to be indifferent: but sée how plainely I will determine this controuersie. You say, you may worship Images: I say, you ought not worship Images: Then what Iudge will you make choice of? The Lord our God, shall be our Iudge, there is no acceptiō of persons with him: and the Lawe and the Prophets, will we call as witnesses, and the holy Scriptures shall decide this matter. Then the Questiō is mooued héere, whether you may woorship Images, & haue them in your Churches, yea, or no?

This Questiō is two folde.

Affirmatiue, for some alow of Images: such were the Gnostickes, the Carpocratians, the Pythagoreans, the Maniches, and with them do you holde: who of you some, are Iesuites, some Papists, some Seminaries, some of one sect, so me of an other.
Or, it is: Negatiue: and those that deny it, are the whole Senate and assembly of good men, who be the learned Fathers, the graue Doctors of the Churches of olde: the whole number of reformed Churches in the world: and our Churches of England at this day, and the state thereof, that deny these your whorish and Idolatrous abhominations.

[Page]Then it remayneth, eyther to affirme this as you d [...], or to deny it styll, which we maintaine. For there is not the most grosse Heretique, but hath some colour of scripture for his Heresie.That the trueth may appeare, and for that you are subtill and glosing persons, insinuating, and créeping into the mindes of men, deceyueable and peruerters of the trueth, alledging Scriptures for your heresies, and falsifying the manifest and vndoubted Veritie: I will take this order and way to aunswer you: first we will examine your places of Scripture: next, we will trie whether they be duely and truely alleadged, yea, or no.

answer 1 A man of your side, to name, Harding, that Apostata, that twise reuolted and denied the trueth, and at last dyed in his dampnable errors. That at the first, in the raigne of King Henrie the eight, helde with the Pope, that afterwards was a Protestant, & professed the Trueth: that in King Edwards dayes most stoutly, and most couragiously at Paules Crosse in London, spake against the Pope, afterward was a Turne coate, and denied Christe, and withstoode the Trueth: this Weather cocke, this Bifrons Ianus, that had two faces for bothe yéeres, as Harding had two tongues, for bothe times: In his hereticall Pamphlet, and in his Treatise of Images, which he cast foorth vnto the people of England, to peruert them, there he is of this opinion.Hard. Diu. 1. of Images. Concerning the antiquitie and originall of Images, they were not first inuented by man, but commaunded by God: brought into vse by tradition of the Apostles, allowed by the aucthority of the holie Fathers, and by custome of all ages, sith Christe beeing vpon the earth, &c. VVhat sacriledge vvyll not these men commyt in corners, that openly vvyll laye vntruethes vpon the Lord, and charge him vvith contrarieties?A most dampnable and sacriligious opinion: Images of God? why, they are all forbidden by him: Images of antiquitie, whose originall was good? the good Fathers in olde tyme, the good Patriarches of auncient memorie, neuer had any: brought into vse by tradition of the Apostles? why? where? in what place? what booke? what Euāgelist? what Epistle? what writing of theirs, doo you finde it in? If any of you all, whome you thinke to be so learned, and so néere the Pope, be able out of any good autenticke, auncient, and holie Father of olde, to she we vnto me that the Apostles vsed Images, I will subscribe to your opinion: so that eyther they or you can prooue it by their owne writinges: the Apostles[Page]them selues?These were the argumentes of the old hereticks, the Capocratians, the Gnostickes, and others: & now they are they rai sed frō the nethermost hell againe, to come & helpe the Pope, & the Iesuites his Scholles. But we will procéede, Maister Harding hath reasons, and the verie same which you vse, therefore I will aunswere bothe him and you: And albeit, much hath béene spoken by the reuerend Father, the L.B. of Sarisbury, and most diuinely, and most heauenly set downe, concerning this matter. Yet for that he was for his time, and we liue in ours: and because the Lord, is tyed to no one thing: and you also are to be satisfied nowe: and for that those excellent men of olde haue not shut vp euerie plaine way, in dooing good, but that the same as yet lyeth open, to those that passe by: I must and will aunswer that place of Scripture, which you bring for your purpose, and it is this. Ob.In Exod. 25. God commaunded Cherubins, two of them to be made of pure golde, which were before the Mercie seate, &c. Resp.You must nowe conclude: Ergo, Images, Ergo, your Images, Ergo,all Images are lawfull: The Schoole boye will tell you, A Particulari ad Vniuersale, non esse argumentandum. (1) From a Particular thing, and from that which is speciall, to a generall, there can no argument be framed. Also, it was lawsull then, Ergo, it is nowe, it followeth not: It was in vse, Ergo, it is in vse now, holdeth not: It was so, and so in that time, and at that present, Ergo, it may at this present also, is no sequell. Yet I doo request, and I charge you too in the name of the Lord, that you enter farther into examination of this matter: then shall you finde, that how socuer Maister Harding, for preferment and honour, which he receyued in ample manner at the Popes handes, hath reuolted: yet that by the Grace of God, we will aunswere him most fullie, and you also, so that you shall not, but wilfullie deny the trueth:God when he pleaseth is a lawe sufficient by his word to doo all: and by his word a sufficient lawe, to stay all thinges commaunded.I might aunswere you, as Tertullian dooth, in his booke, De Idololatria: And as y^e Bishop of Sarisbury, that reuerend Father dooth: Which is, That God can dispence with any thing, and is a lawe of him selfe: Yet if you examine the place, you shall sée how deceyueablie you deale with vs. For first, these Cherubins are Cherubins they were not Images, as are yours: Secondly, they were before the Mercie seate, within the inner Vaile, which is the holiest of all, into which the hie Préest entered, as for any other it was not lawfull for them[Page]to enter therin.Those tipes and figures of thinges that were to come in the lawe, are now abrogated, because they be fulfilled: and therefore the Vaile rent in peeces, to signifie howe all things were accōplished For the first Tabernacle was made, wherin was the Candelsticke, and the Table, and the Shew bread: the other had the golden Censer, and the Arke of the Testament, ouerlayde with golde round about, there was the golden Pot with Manna, and Aarons Rod that budded, and the Tables of the Testament: and ouer the Arke were the glorious Cherubins, shadowing the Mercie seate: And these saw no man, but the high Préest onely: wherfore, I aunswer you, that the Cherubins were not séene of the people, but your Images are set in Churches before all y^e people: so that if your Images, were as were the Cherubins, then should your Images be séen of none. Then what place will you assigne for your Images? I suppose none: vnlesse you will make an other Tabernacle: then also giue an other lawe, then also vse the whole Ceremonies, and Rites of the same, then also look for an other Christe. Then also, as yet the Gospell is not knowne, and the Apostles haue not preached thorow out the world as yet: then you sée, howe vppon one inconuenience there followeth an other: but I aunswere you farther.

answer 3 Your Images are not set vp, to that end the Cherubins were: the Cherubins described and set foorth the glory of the Lord, and so doo not your Images, for you derogate from the glorious Maiestie of God, and giue to Images that you ought not. answer 4 The Cherubins were extraordinarie, and for a season: your Images are ordinarie, and daylie vsed, and set vp continuallie. answer 5 The Cherubins were taken away, and are not now found: why then doo you suffer your Images to remaine in Churches? A full aunswer to the Iesuites.Take them away, as be nowe the Cherubins,and let Images be no more found in your Churches, then be the Cherubins in the Tabernacle, and then shall you say some thing. answer 6 Moreouer, the Cherubins were not leste, to the ende that any should worshippe, and fall downe vnto them, but your Images are adored of all: Lastlie, and to conclude, the Cherubins were ser in theyr places, and they couered the Mercie seate, but yet at the commaundement of the Lord, and by his appointment: then vpon your owne woordes shall iudgement be giuen: If you will haue vs to alowe of your Images, prooue that you haue[Page]the same speciall commaundement for them, that they had for the Cherubins: which done, we will then allowe of them as you doo: in the meane senson, we will estéeme of you, as you are.

Ob. 2. Papist.As in the former argument, and fonde reason of yours, you cannot but sée your owne follie, so in this second bolte which is let goe by some vnskilfull, and wandering roauer on your side, there will appeare great rashnesse. For the same Maister Harding, your Archringleader to the way of death, hath most dissolutely, and verie carelessie, wrested an other place of Scripture, to the selfe same purpose that the other was: and taken out of the booke of Numb. Chap. 21. Where it is sayde, That Moses made a brasen Serpent, and whosoeuer of the people was stoong with the same, he looking thereon, lyued. Resp.Now this was an Image of a Serpent, Ergo, Images are lawfull: In déede,answer 1 this that you say prooueth, that the Serpent of brasse set vp, was lawfull, but Ergo, your Images? it followeth not: It is a clowted argument, and patched vp with a sowterlie Elench: The young Sophister will tell you, that. Ab eo quod erat, adid quod est, necessaria consequentia esse non potest. (1) For from the thing that was done, to an other more contrarie thing that is done, no good and sound reason can be framed. And yet we may say more vnto you then so:answer 2 We can aunswere you, as Tertullian dooth: who was sufficiently contented, for that the Lord God would haue it so, which commaū dement you can not shewe for your Images. answer 3 Moreouer, the brasen Serpent, was a figure of Christe, so be not your Images: and therefore not lawfull, and therefore not to be vsed, and therefore in vaine, and therefore condempned of all.

answer 4 Also, the brasen Serpent healed those that looked thereon, which thinge you could neuer auouch for certaintie, in any one of your Images: this I knowe, that by a Faith in those dayes were they healed, that were stoong by Serpentes: and as the Serpent was lyfted vp, so was the Sonne of Man hoong on the Crosse for our sakes.Ioh. 3.24.

[Page] answer 5 Also, in the Serpent that stoong them, a remēbrance wherof, was, that lifted vp in y^e Wildernesse, The Israelites did call to minde, the Deuill, the olde Serpent, the Dragon that beguiled them, and such vse, there is none in your Images.

answer .6 Lastly, there was a most liuely type, and figure of Christe, in the lyfting vp of the brasen Serpent: for as all that looked thereon, were healed. So also, as many as beléeued in Iesus Christe the sonne of God, were saued. Then, séeing that you vsurpe and mistake all Scriptures, wreathing them to your owne purpose to serue your turnes, neyther can we holde with you iustlie, vnlesse we will be guiltie as you are: Neither are we to allowe of you, for the Lord hath reiected you, neyther may we defend you, for you weaken your owne selues: neither dare we speake for you, in as much as God him selfe is against you: but I will pray for you, that the Lord would turne you, if it be his pleasure, or that he would deale in Iustice with you, as you deserue, that no more of his poore shéepe, be deuowred by you, as hetherto they haue béene by your meanes: For vndoubtedlie you are Caterpillers, that haue infected the earth: you haue confounded the spéeche of the world, and made the simple to rebell against God: you haue stroken Moses and Aaron on the face, and Israel haue you entised to become Egiptians with you: Many of the Saints haue you racked, and innumerable companies haue you drawne vnto you from the Lord, therefore you shall not escape the iudgements of our God, and looke vnto it, for they be at hand.

There remayneth yet one reason more of yours, which is thought to be so strong, so firme, so certaine, so vndoubted, and of such force, as that no man is able to gainsay it. It is taken out of Ezechiel the. 9. Cha. Where as, sayth Maister Harding, There is one cloathed in Linne, and he had an Inckorne at his side, and was commaunded to write, Signum Thau, (That is, sayth Maister Harding, The signe of the Crosse) In their foreheads. For as you suppose, this Letter had the similitude of the Crosse, and was all one with it: and afterwarde as you affirme, Constantine the Emperour, by the Image and signe thereof, ouercame and got the féeld:[Page]and heard a voice saying, [...]: (1) Vnder this signe shalt thou conquer, and haue victorie, and the King ouercame his enimies that day, and returned in glorie. But what gather you of all this? you must conclude, Ergo, Images are lawfull: This is in déede, London and Yorke, Porchmouth and Douer, England and Roome: Ergo, the next yéere you shall haue warre. I marueyle greatlie, at so friuolous an argument as you trouble vs with: of a trueth it should not séeme méete, for men of learning, for this is stitched together so botcherlike, as nothing may be more vainly spoken, by any Abbey lowbie in the world. Yet, for that you séeme to make a colour of some matter, I will not sticke to enter into your follie, and discouer it to the world.An aunswer to the place of Ezechiel and the Iesuits argument.You say that one appeared: We knowe it was an Angell, and shewed his readinesse: Therefore shall you be aunswered out of Ezechiel the Prophet, that will be an equall Iudge betwéene vs bothe. answer 1 First, that which is vttered by the Prophet, is done by way of a Vision, no materiall or reall thing done indéede: But by a Vision is the Captiuitie, and destruction of Ierusalem opened, by the comming of the Babilonians, from out of the North, who should ouer runne them. answer 2 Secondly, all that which was séene, was a representation, and figure of those thinges were to be done: As for example, The sixe men seene, were the Babylonians and messengers of Gods wrath: Lying toward the North [...], Declared the place from whence they came: Hauing weapons in their hand, Betokened destruction: Wheras a man appeared in white Linnen cloathes, Was shewen the looue of God to the faithfull, who sent them a helper: Hauing a writers Inckorne: Opened, that he marked such as should be saued: The persons are described, that should be marked: namely, such as mourne, for Gods children, crie out and mourne for the iniquities, and transgressions of the wicked, séeing the glorie of their God defated. The marke wherewith they are marked, is, Signum Than, as some translate: which you that holde of the Popes side, call the signe of the Crosse. And as in other things, so in this doo I wunder at you: how impudentlie and boldlie, how falselie and vntruelie, how corruptlie and vnaduisedlie, you[Page]haue affirmed this,At Roome as they say, there men haue great skill in the tongues: but it is vnlyke. For the Hebrue is so plaine, they cānot vvrest it: the Greeke is not so intricate, but they may attaine it: But heere lyeth all, they reade olde Idolatrous vvriters, they reade vvicked superstitious mē, they neuer conferre that they do, with the Scripture: heere it is, that they fall bothe into the ditche. those that haue skill in the Hebrew t [...]gue can tell: And God be thanked for it, how euer it be, that the Hebrew tongue is eyther hidden, or obscured, or dimmed by you: yet we knowe well enough, that in shamelesse manner you falsifie, bothe the Scriptures and the Hebrew bookes: Maister Harding blusheth not, to say, that Ierome affirmeth Thau, To haue had the similitude of the Crosse: when as in verie déede Ierome auoucheth no such thing, but reprehēdeth the Samaritanes, that superstitiouslie doo lene vnto the same: and the same thing is condempned, not commended by Ierome.

Now therfore shewe vnto me two things, which I will aske of you, such as béeing present defend the Pope, and hold with Images: Can you prooue that this Signum Thau, is y^e Crosse which you woo? ship? when as you say to a péece of wood, Aue Rex noster, (1) All hayle O King: Or can you prooue out of this place, that if Thau, were the Crosse (which we denie.) Yet that eyther the Man that was séene, or the Saints which were marked, or the Babilonians, which were sayde to come vpon them, dyd woorshippe, pray vnto, or adore this Signum Thau? and if you can doo eyther of these, I will subscribe to your opinions, and become one of you: If not, then knowe, you haue abused the Lord, vnderstand you haue misconstrued his woord: thinke that you haue beguiled his Saints, and be you assured, the Lord will require it at your handes: And nowe to certifie all men in a trueth: I will bothe aunswere you, and satisfie the Reader. It is to be vnderstoode, that the Lord dyd nothing in vaine: in his booke there is no lyght thing, no néedlesse thing, no incōmodious & friuolous thing set downe: But euerie place, euerie Vision, euery Prophesse, euerie woorde hath his meaning and proper sence, which bringeth vnto the ignoraunt personne some knowledge. So that if any one of you, héere before mée, shall aske this question at my handes, why the Lord God commaunde [...] the Aungell to write, rather the signe Thau, then any other of the Letters, in the foreheads of the Saintes? I wyll giue to that Questionist thrée reasons.

[Page] reason 1 The signe Thau, hovv vvas it abused, by Papists?First Thau is the last letter of the two and twentie Hebrew Letters, therefore dooth it make vp the iust and perfect number: whereby is signified that the Saints marked with this marke are such as be perfect and pure, and wise, and such as shall make vp and fullfill the nomber of the elect.

reason 2 Secondly, the law with the Hebrews is Torah:Therefore Thau the first letter of this worde Torah, which is the lawe, dooth represent that those which are marked with the same letter Thau, are such as doo indeuor to kéepe the lawe, of the Lorde.

reason 3 Thirdly, I am of opinion, that as the letter Thau,is the last letter of the Alphabet among the Hebrews: so those that are signed with the signe Thau, are certified to bée such persons as are and shalbe counted to bée the last and the worst, the basest and the homeliest, the meanest and most despised among men: And now, if any of you all, or any of yours, are able to saye any thing against this my Assertion, I will not hinder you, but as patiently here you, as you haue hetherto harde me: thus concluding, that as yet you haue sayde nothing to prooue Images lawfull.

Against you that worship them: against them that made them, against all such as holde with them, the Lorde God saith much in his booke:Isai. 40.19. Isa. 46.7. Ier. 10.3. Now then shall we obay you or the Lorde? Man, or God? Christe or the Pope? or beléeue you, or the Scriptures? For if it be true,Non habebis Deos alienos coram me: (1) Thou shalt haue none other Gods before me. Exo. 20.3. If it be true, Per nomen externorum deorum non iurabitis, &c. (1) You shall not sweare by the name of any other Gods: Exo. 23.13. If it be true, Nol [...] adorare Deum alienum: Ne ineas pactum cum bominibus earum gentium. Thou shalt not worship a strainge God, thou shalt not make a league or a treuse with those men and with the Nations. Exo. 34.14. If it be true in Leuiticus, Thou shalt not tourne thy selfe to Idols, and thou shalt make thee no molton Gods: Leu. 19.4. Then Images and Idolles are not lawefull: If the Lorde saythe well, when hee sayde. Ego Deus gloriam meam non dabo alteri. (1) I am the Lorde God, I will giue my glorie to none other: Isai. 41. [Page]If the Lord saith well,Confundantur omnes, &c. Let them be confounded that worship the worke of mens handes, &c. Psal. 105. If the Lord saith well in this place, Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God, and him onelie thou shalt feare: Then as yet your Images are not lawfull: And if Paule saide rightlie,1. Cor. 10.20 The things which the Gentils doo offer, they offer vnto Diuels. If that Iohn is to be credited,1. Ioh. 5.21. Filioli custodite vos a simulachris. My Babes, keepe you free from Images. Let these peruerters of the truthe, the Papists, take heede.If in the ReuelationApoc. 18.4. the people of God are commaunded to depart and to get them out from among them, least they be partakers of theyr synnes. It is then high time to looke to you, high time to abhorre you, high time to flie from you, least we also perish togeather with you: O that your harde harts were not hardened, that your iniquities were not ingrauen with a Diamonde, that you were not iustly blinded for your obstinacie, that the Lord had not cast you off, that wilfullie you re [...]ted not the truthe, that your throats were not open Sepulchers, that you were not swifte to shed blood, that your waies were not execrable, and that you had not denied the Lord to his face: I tell you, and I tell you in gréefe that which I tell you: You haue a two edged sword in your hand, and it is drawne, and you come heather to wounde vs with all: Arrowes and coales of fire are in your mouthe, to spit them out against the Saints: Serpents tongues are with in you, and the poyson of Aspes is in your lippes, to infect all those are pure in hart: Truelie. you are the reprobate Siluer, which God hath reiected:Iere. 6.30. We haue offered the preatious Stones vnto you, as Hogges you treade them vnder your feete: Math. 7.6. Our holie things haue we cast vnto you, you runne away from them as Dogges:As the waxe, so shall you be before the Lord for it, and melte at the heate of his fierie countenance: Psal. 68.3. As fier on the Mountaines deuoureth the wood, so shall you perish in his furie: Psal. 83.15. with the Bitte and with the Snaffle shall the Lord breake in sunder your Iawe boanes. Psal. 32.12. And be you assured, that the axe is alreadie put vnto the roote of the trée, and the heauie iudgement of the Lord God approacheth, yea it is at hand, if you returne not: Images? why? their names are abhomination to the Lord. Images? why? Psal. 16.4. They that [Page]make them are fooles and infatuated, their doctrine is a doctrine of vanitie? Psal. 16.4. Iere. 10.8. Images? why? the names of them shalbe [...]oted out from off the earth, and they shall not be remembred any longer. Zach. 13.12. O therfore feare the Lord, and he will loue [...] the sonne least he be angry, and you pe [...]ish from off the Lande, if once his displeasure fall, O then happy are all they that put theyr trust in him. Tell me of all you that are here, which of the innumerable people and Nations vnder heauen hath the Lord our God spaced that haue vsed Image [...]? whether the Sidmians that worshipped Astaroh: or the Ammori [...] which serued Melcom: or the men of Accaron, who adored Baal zebub: or the Philistines that held of Dagon, or you or the Romans, that gaue themselues ouer to all Idola [...], then stand in a we and sinne not, examine with your owne harts and be still: One thing I will tell you, and admonish you off. The Fathers haue determined to giue sentence vpon you; the best and the generall Councels that are good and holy, haue condempned you: our Church of England, and all the reformed Churches in the world, haue de [...]ede and set themselues against you, and you are not able to stand to your opinions, and therefore there is a gréeuous fall prepared for you, and it is at hand.

I would that you called to minde the words of Cyprian: Cyp. Tract. 4. De vani. Idolor. Vans igitur omnium Deus, ne (que) enim illa sublimitas potest habere consortem, cum sola omnium [...]eneat potestatem. (1) There is one Lord God of all, and his highnes will not admit an equall: seeing that he hath onely power ouer all: Lactantius Firmianus, albeit in many things he wrote well: yet in this, aboue the rest, he is moste principally commended, who in his second of his Institutions, hath this saying2. Inst. lyb. De origine erroris. 2. Cap. 19. Deus supra hominem est, nec in imo positus, sed in summa regione quaerendus est, quare non act dubium, quin religio nulla sit, vbicun (que) simulachrum est: (1) God, (saith Lactantius) is aboue man and he is not to be sought after heere on earth, but abooue on high in the highest heauens: Wherefore, wee doubt notall to pronounce and saye, that in that place there is no manner of religion at all, whereas any Image or Idoll is founde. Gregorius is of this opinion. Omne manu factum adorare non[Page]licet: Lib. 9. Indict. 40. Epist. 9. Cypr. aduer. Demetr. that is. It is not lawfull to adore and fall downe to any thing that is made with hands: Cyp [...]ianu [...] against Dem [...]ris [...] did [...]v [...]rite very sha [...]p [...]y, and merueleus whetly against this Idoll worship, and after many reasons, at the lengthe dooth bring in that place of Scripture, to prooue his assertion, which I haue now in hande: for it is written saith Ciprian. [...] De [...]is tuum ad [...]rabis,The Fathers are vvholie bent against Images in euery place. [...] alls soli serni [...]s: that is: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and thou shalt serue him onely. I could say much vnto you out of the Fathers, and shewe you your grosse errors by the iudgement of so learned and reuerend men: but bothe the time dooth rall me backe, and my purpose is not to compile a volume: and the other Articles which you holde, doo require that I should spées delie runne ouer this, that I may also saye something of them:

This I say vnto you,Lib. 5. de Iust. Lib. 4. Lib. 11. Cap. 16. reade Lactantius, in his fifth booke of True righteousnesse, he will enforme you sufficiently: reave Origen against Celsus, he will teache you perfectly. Reade Cyrill vpon Iohn, he will instruct you directly. Turne vnto Athanasius against the Gentilles, you shall learne prensely: & forget not at your leasure to séeke to Clemens, to Iames brother of our Lord,Liber. 5. Epist. 44. for he hath done euerie thinge there mosse exactlie. Or search out Augustine to Maximus, where he flowteth and laugheth at their Paganisme: there shall you finds how purely he instructeth them, how sharplie he reprehendeth them, how fiercely he striketh them, and how [...]u [...]tingly he forewarneth them, to auoide the heauy hande of God in worshipping of Images: and so leauing you to the force and strength of these men, I leaue you for this time, to consider better of this Article.

The second point in the third parte of the fyrst diuision.There followeth now in my firste part, the second point remayning in my thirde diuision: namely that there is a seruice which toucheth and concerneth God, and a seruice which toucheth and concerneth man: Whereinto if you or any other shall looke, it wilbe founde that this scruice which is appertinent vnto God, and vnto man, is also two folde.

[Page] Seruice of God and man [...]

The body and the minde goe togeather in the [...] woo [...] ship of God.
Internall, which is in spirite: for as God is a spirite, so also will he be woorshipped in spirite and truthe.
Externall, which is outwarde, in reuerence and dutie apparant euen to man.

Bothe these are required in this place, and they be [...] vnted togeather, as without b [...]the of them, the Lord [...] our God cannot bee truelie woorshipped: Theresice I will not seueare or deuide the one from the other, but I will [...]ucke them as in a golden Chaine, and make them Caepartuers and fellow companiorts in enerye good action. Now this internall, and this externall seruice of the Lorde, are bothe séen [...] in diners circumstances of my Text, as followeth:

True seruice is seene.

1. First, if you shal loone:
2. Secondly, the Lord your God.
3. Thirdly, with all your hart.
4. Fourthly, with all your soule.
5. Fiftly, with all your might.

1. The first, sheweth the readinesse that is in vs.
2. The second, shutteth out all other woorship, whatsoeuer.
3. The third, declareth that nothing should be precious vnto vs, but the Lord.
4. The fourth, taketh away all counterfeiting, and all dissimulation.
5. The fife openeth, that no creature els may haue this seruice, but onely the Lord our God.

[Page] The fall of mā being in perfection, his vnstablen [...] [...] he is on earth: his co [...]upt [...] mind in a [...] [...] he doo the [...] blyndnes and error in the lyght, his grosnesse & harde hart in beleef: dyd requyre a pure and vndefiled lawe, to brydle him.I am not ignoraunt, that euerie man, in whome is the breath of life, and vpon whome the Lord our God hath powred of his Spirite; is in some part, any, in eueri [...] part faultie in this co [...]aundoment: which naturall blin [...]nesse and Ignoraunce of ours, sheweth the groat perfection [...] heauenly integritie of the Lord: and againe, condempneth vs, as guiltis in eneri [...] point; [...] our handes at the barte continuallie, as béeing on able to [...] any lots of this same, or to stand before God, if he call vs to a reckoning. For, if that man, were able to stand, and would neuer fall from his [...] and his heart vn [...]ble [...] [...] be [...] in Israelit; thon [...]e [...] thinke [...]ho [...] [...] that [...] thing [...] of [...] that [...] We may [...] [...] and no doubt, the Lord our God hath so stra [...] vs to obserue these thinges prescribed, euen to looue him, and him our God, and with all our heart, and with an our soule, and with all out stight [...] sundrie, waightie, and great causes.

Causes, why the Lorde hath giuen so straight a commaū dement:

1. First [...] our owne [...]etchednesse, myseserie, and death.
2. Secondlie to be a [...]cused, not excused before the Lord.
3. Thirdly, to tremble and shake, when we [...]span.
4. Fourthly, that [...]bndem [...]nation may appeare in vs, knowing that we are not able to fulfill this.
5. Firstly, to make vs affrighted, and to weaken out consciences, seeing that we cannot lyue in [...]bedience.
6. Sixtly, to keepe vs by discipline, as vnder a lawe for euer.
[Page] 7. Seuenthly, to teach vs the [...]nt [...] and perfect workes of righteous nesse.
8. Eightly, to exclude all other Idoll woorshippe, and to serue all onely the Lord our God.

Man thynking that he [...]ādeth dooth fall: that he is in lyse, is yet in death: that he is strōg is vveake, that he can doo all thynges, dooth nothing aryght therefore hath he inward and secrete sinnes, vvhich hee must tame and subdue, as well as the outward vices, subiect to the eyes of men.And now to come more narrowlie, to euerie one in this place th [...]gener all: is it to he thaught, that no man hath an euill eye vpon Abel, vpon his brother? is the heart of euerie man persen? Dooth none despise Iacob? Is there not one but [...] a porsect Censar? or shall we make accoumpt, is there nener an [...] person in this company? not one [...] you that hath worne the golden Earinges? or hath not cast one stone against the house of God? or ioyned them selues with Aaron, to committe euyll? Is the leauen of Egipt cleane forgotten? or hath no man syt downe to eate and [...], and rose vp againe to play? Is the hearts of you all pire [...] the Lord? what? not once at Samaria in all your life? not once at Dan? not once at Bethell? no? not [...]ne [...]ine or affectioned to Priapus? Of a trueth, it may hard [...] be so thought, a man will not indge it, and God knoweth it is otherwise: Why? man? he is full of presumptious [...]es why? his offeringes be vncleane, and the fat of the [...] is tayn [...]ed. Many truct in Chariots, and many trust in Horses, and diuers say, there is no helpe in our God: and then which way can we be frée from his wrath? The man that worketh no deceypt, the man that hath not slaundered his neighbour: the man that hath not put out his money to loane, nor his coyne to Vsurie: the man in whose loule there is no guile, is not, cannot, may not be found▪ I tell you, to looue the Lord, with all your soule, with all your might, with all your strength, with all your heart, to looue the Lord▪ and to looue him onely, is to fulfill the whole lawe and the Prophetes.

As the false Prophetes of Iesabell knewe the trueth, in the dayes of nlyas the Prophet: and as Amasiah dyd vvilfully resist Ieremie, & the Seribes & Saduces Christe: so doo the Iesuites and Papistes resist vs, against theyr ewne consciences.I doo professe, and protest before you all, yea, before the Lord, and before his Angels, that I neuer enter into the con [...]eration of this, but that I wonder, howe it commeth to paste, that the aduersaries of the grace of God, the Papistes,[Page]doo not burst and cleaue in sunder, when they sée that honor, that zeale, that affection, that loous, that might, that strength, which is due to the Lord God, so wickedly, and so commonlie to be giuen to Creatures? And now tell me, you, whose faces, are faces of brasse, you of the. Colledge of the Pope, you his Seminaries, you inuested into the order of the Iesuites, howe you are able to aunswere, and to reconcile your selues vnto the Lord? God sayth, Looue me, you loue the Pope: God sayth, Looue me with all your heart: but how heartilie, how faithfully, pray you to Saints? God sayth, Looue me with all thy soule: yet you sell prayers vnto men, and the Soules of men doo you giue from God, for money. God sayth, Looue me with all thy might: and you ende [...]r day and night, to Idolatrie. God sayth, Heare me onely, but you will not heare him at all: and if you doo, you are compelled vnto it.

Then in consideration, that you haue so boldelie resisted the Trueth, and so faceingly stand against GOD: and so proudlie lyst vp your heads, and so impudently perseuere in your errors. I wyll bréeflie say something vnto you, of so many your Heresies, and false allegations, as connenientlie I maye: for I knowe that you came not hether in vaine. Some of you are Seminaries, and not without cause so called, for you sowe your Tares among our Corne, and you haue scattered the Cockle, among our Wheate, whersoeuer you come. Some of you be Iesuites, and I wunder, that vnder so glorious a name: so vile and so outragious, so lewde and so pestiferous: so fonde, and so monsterous an Heretique can be contayned.Iesuites of Iesus, as the Nazarites named them of Nazareth, where Christe dwelt: And the Adamites, called them so of Adam: but they followed no one thing of the customs & ordinances of those men, frō vvhome they tooke theyr names: no more then the Iesuites doo follow Iesus.

Dyd Iesus euer knowe that man of sinne, whome you worshippe, the Pope? dyd Iesus adore Images, as you doo? dyd Iesus pray to Saints, as your manner is? dyd Iesus vse those whorishe Traditions of Bell, Bull, and Candle, Oyle, Salte, and adiurations, as is common among your dyd Iesus pray to the Crosse, and whipped he, and scourged he him selfe, with his owne handes, as you vse to doo? Then I perceyue you haue but the name of Iesus, to deceyus men[Page]with all, you haue no one thing in you, which Iesus had. And for that you are Wookies in Shéepes cloathing, and we now knowe you by your déedes: I wyll speake some thing of such Articles, and most principall Heresies, on which you do holde.

The Lord sayth, Thou shalt looue mee with all thy soule, with all thy heart, with all thy might, and the Lord the GOD onely shalt thou serue. But you,Harding, for the Church of Roome. Dist. 96 you looue the Pope, he is, The Terrestriall God. The Pope, why? he is God in déede: as appeareth also at the Counsell of Trident: The Pope, why, he is not a Man: The Pope, why?In Sexto de Elect. he hath power ouer the Angelles of GOD, as appeareth in the Councell of Lateran, vnder Leo the tenthe. The Pope, why? that which he dooth, is receyued as Canonicall, not to be broken: for so sayde Alexander the seconde, to Phillip King of Fraunce. The Pope, why? he that offendeth, and breaketh his Lawes, shall not be forgiuen for euer:Dist. 19. C. 51. Rom. pontif. for so sayde Nicholaus, to the Archbishoppes. The Pope, why? it is not lawfull to adde or diminishe any thing, that hée hath done, as witnesseth your owne Pope Adrian. Sinodo apud. Trecas. The Pope, why? it is thus written of him. Qui decreta Romanorum pontificum violauerit, anathema sit. (1) Whoso euer shall breake, or violate the Decrees of the Pope, shall be as accursed; This was done at a Councell by Leo, Pope the fowrth,Cap. 5. by the consent of thrée score and two Bishoppes. The Pope, why? whosoeuer obeyed not him, as béeing in the Apostolicall Sea,Papa. 7. was coumpted an Idolater, as is found in the Decrées of Gregorie.

Nowe whether or no, these are lawfull, and whether you or no, bé not shamelesse men, to come hether to teache vs such whorishe, and Idolatrous abhominations, that shall be tri [...]d in the booke of the Lord.

First of all, you call a mortall man by the name of the eternall God: doo you thinke this is lawfull? What sayth Esa [...]. Ego Dominus, hoc est nomen meum, gloriam[Page]meam non dabo alteri, &c. That is, I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glorie will I giue vnto no other: Isa. 42.8. You haue not read what the Lord sayd of Israel, when as he purpo [...] to saue them. Propter me, propter me faciam, vt non blasphe [...] mer, et gloriam meam alteri non dabo. That is, For my self [...] cuen for my selfe will I doo this, that I may not be blasphemed, and my glorie will I giue to none other. Isa. 48.11. If the Angell in the Reuelation, Apoca. 19.10. would not take that woorship, and adoration that Iohn would haue adored him withall, but thought it a derogation from the Maiestie of God to take it:Damasus. 1. in the dayes of Iulius, as in Platina: & Boniface. 16. in the tyme of Honorius, and Simmachus the. 1. vnder Faustin. Consull, and Gregori. the. 1. vnder Mauri. and Boniface the thyrd, vnder Phocas: vvere the first that had this worship and adoration giuen to them, being the first generall Popes so named: and at the consecration of them all, vvas much blood shed. Howe sacrilegious & blasphemous, is that man of sinne, the Pops, that hath so many thousandes comming to him continually, and falling downe and worshipping him? Wherefore, because I am purposed to be short, and as before, so nowe also in my writinges, not to be tedious. I will referre all your Romishe tytles giuen vnto the Pope, all onely vnto one. And these shalbe by way of Question determined: Namely, whether or no, it be lawfull for you to giue that honour, and that worshippe to the Pope that you doo? I say it is not lawfull, but it is a dampnable and most execrable thing: and this will I make proofe of, out of the booke of God.

The Pope is not to bee woorshipped. Rati. 1.

He onely that is Omnipotent, and Lord of all is to be worshipped.
The Lord our God is omnipotent, and Lord onely of all; Ergo.
The Lord our God onely, and not the Pope is to be worshipped.

For my owne parte, when any one of my premisses is denied, then I can say that iustlie, which nowe willinglie I wyll not speake of. Yet we knowe that in former tunes there were most godlie, and most honourable, most [...]se and most prudent men, that liued then: notwithstanding, there is no president found among them of anye such grose blindnes as is in you, or any example of any such honor or worship giuen to any one then liuing, as you doo now to the Pope. Abraham presumed not to go any farther then vnto[Page]the Lord, whom he also adored: If you reade the Storie of Iacob, Gene. 35. with his longe trauaile, great paine, and wearie retorne home againe,When as all the good and honotable men of olde time refused to be worshiped: hovv dare the Pope take that (being inferior to them in thousand degrees) which they durst not.you shall finde that hee thought none worthie honor and reuerence, neither adored any but God whom he called omnipotent in Genesis: Israell albeit Moyses had beene in the Mount, and had séene God face to face, and had talked with him, and had séene his glorie in the Tabernacle, and was chaunged in countenaunce, for Israell could not abide to behould him, because the brightnesse of his face was great:Exod. 15. yet doo you not finde that this singuler instrument of the Lord Moses was adored or worshipped as your Pope is: reade Deut. 32. and Psal. 71. And see if there be any honor or reuerence or adoratiō giuen to any other, saue onelye to the Lord God? then I conclude, Ergo, none ought to be giuen vnto the Pope

The holy order of the Priesthood is not vnknowne vnto you: yet if you could finde either in Aaron, or in Eleazar, or after that in Ely and his sonnes, or els if you made any shewe at all of the honor that was giuen to Iehosuah in Zachary, Cap. 6. y^e may séeme to be equiualēt or come néere vnto yours which you attribute to your Pope, no doubt you would cauill perilous [...]ie, and fight manfully for your Popedome:Your Pope: Os Porci: that is, a Hogge for his filthines of life, and after that chaunged his name to Sergius did, according to his former name, vsurpe the name of God: and Constantinus the fyrst, was also the fyrste that kissed the Popes feete, & fell dovvne vnto him. as vvitnesseth both Nauclerus & Platina. but for as much as there is no resemblaunce vnto that man of sinne, made by any one in the old law, you are lawlesse men, that so vnlawfully will striue and impugne the lawe of the Lorde. And concerning the Chayre and Cathedrall estate of Peter, wherin you suppose him to haue set as Lord and chéefe of the Apostles: I saye thus much vnto you: if in the Scripture there be any such thing founde of Peter, eyther that as Lord he ruled the rest: or as Christes Vicegerant he tooke the office, or as Vniuersall Bishop he gouerned at Rome, or as Supreame head Peter commaunded all: or that Peter left any Successour behinde him, or that hee was honoured and reuerenced, and called vpon as your Pope is, I will yéelde & subscribe vnto all your opinions. But if you cannot prooue this you speake of the Pope, will you yéelde to vs? wyll you confesse a truthe, and renounce your errors? will you come to the Lorde and acknowledge your backsliding from the[Page]trueth? This will I doo, if any one of your side, can finde the name of Pope, or Supreame head, or Lord of the Angelles, or a Man that can not sinne, or generall Bishoppe, or successour of Peter, or a holie Father, or gouernour of the whole Church, or any other of your Titles, that you giue vnto him: I say that againe, finde them in any one place of the Bible, olde or newe, I will subscribe and become as one of you. In contrarie manner, if not, then yéelde you vnto vs. How euer it be, we can conuince you by the Scriptures, therefore against the Pope, héere is the second reason.

Against the Pope, the second reason.

That which is not found in the Scriptures, for the which you haue no warrant, which derogateth from the Maiesty of God, is not to be done.
The name of your Pope, the tytles of your Cardinals, the honor and worship you giue to the Pope, and them: taketh and derogateth from the maiestie of God. Ergo.
Your Pope is not to be worshipped, as you worship him: and that you doo, and giue vnto him, is not to be done.

This is not rare in Popes, to cause blood shed, and rayse Tre [...]sons, and tumults in cō mon vvealths: for by blood, Engenius vvas elected, vnder Ludouicus Prus: & Zacharie Pope, in his tyme, stoode against Caesar, and gaue the kingdome of Fraunce to P [...]pinus, after Christe. 755. & Childericus the true heyre vvas shauen, & then thrust into a Monastarie by the Pope: and thus would he deale with Englande if he could.Where finde you, that death and lyfe is in the Popes handes, as you doo affirme? that hée may dispence with any sinne, as he dooth? That he can redeeme Soules from out of hel and Purgatory, as you imagine? that he may giue lybertie to whordome? frée accesse to Treasen, without breache of lawe? that he may send out his Bulles, with frée release of all the sinnes, men haue committed? Thinke you, that we may suffer these horrible blasphemies? or that [...]ee may snffer you that vpholde them? what? an other redéemer beside Christe? what? that a mortall man shall haue lyfe and death, in his handes? what? that they? shall be lybertie graunted; to finne? and frée accesse to all wickednesse? what? that any one may redame the soule[Page]of his Brother from hell? or that a satisfaction maye bée made after his departure? What? Bulles, Pardons, Indulgencies, or Masses for any Soule aliue, or dead? Why? where? what place? by whome? in what Prophet? what Scripture haue you this in? It is straunge, it is vnknowen to vs: Abraham, neuer heard thereof, Isaack, and Iacob, neuer knewe so much, Daniel, Enoch, Iob, these thrée righteous men neuer spake it, they can saue but theyr owne soules, in the day of the Lord. And shall we giue more vnto the Pope, then we haue done vnto them? It is the Lord that bindeth the golden chaine about the necke, that giueth Siluer and Golde vnto féeble men. The Lorde is cloathed with glorie and honour, for it is he that couereth him selfe with lyght,Saluatiō commeth of none, but of the Lord: lyfe of none, but of the lyuing: glorie frō none, but from God that is glotious. Ergo: God onely, not the Pope, can haue any of these giuen vnto him. and spreadeth the heauens as a Curtaine: The Lord openeth his handes, and filleth with good thinges, and the gates of death are at his pleasure: He sendeth his spirite, and they are created, and he [...]arieth downe to the nethermost hell: He spared not the Families of Core, and the multitude of Rebelles were swallowed vp quicke. He, euen the Lord dooth binde Princes to his wyll, and he teacheth his Auncientes wisedome: he can holde their féete in the stockes, and he can chayne them with chaynes of Iron. The Lord can saue, and defend his people: the Lord can delyuer, and lyft vp, but farre be it from the sonnes of men: and let not disobedient chyldren take it vpon them, least he strike, if he be angrie, least his indignation doo aryse, and we perishe. And if any one will haue lyfe, or the people of the Land, looke for redemption: let them come to the Lord of hoastes, the God of I acob shall be their defence. Cursed is he that trusteth in man, and I wishe all those that feare the Lorde, to saye. Amen.

And now concerning my selfe, for that I speake vnto you at this tyme, rather then any other: it is, bothe because I would confirme the doctrine which my brethren haue Preached héeretofore, and in part also, for the hope I may doo some good among you: I thinke this, and thus of you: you haue from your Infancie, béen trained vp in blindnesse and error,[Page]neither doo you vse to reade the scriptures,If Papists prayed earnestly, & lyued soberly, and hardned not theyr haits vvylfully, but vvould submyt them selues to the Lord vvyllingly: then vvould they not erre so grossely. so much as to tranaile, and ware old in the Doctors. So that vpō thrée causes which may well be taken away, I easily perceyue that you are hardned: for the same poyson which you drunke in your first yéeres, is a cause why you are broken out, into the [...] titude of your gréeuous sores at this present. Then want of prayer to the Lord, dooth againe putrifie you so sore within, as busied and occupied in their inuocation to Saint Peter, to Saint Thomas, to the Virgin Marie & others, you haue not any leysure at all, to call on God: wherfore you doo not wel, for those Personages, are great Personages, & béeing troubled with a multitude of Suters, they may not presently heare you, neither can they preferre your prayers vnto God so soone. Peraduenture also they be abroad, or busied in some waightie affayres, or else they haue some other request, for some néerer fréend of theyrs, and you most wayte yet longer. Wherfore turne to the Lord, and he will heare you indéede, neither will he deferre saluation from day to day. Lastly, I am afraide, that one of you infecteth an other, therefore, I doo wishe, that you may be seuered asunder, when the Tempter is gone,It is euident that the Kings & Keisars dyd vvithstand the Pope a long season, tyll by maine & might the Pope took in hand to stād in armes against them: For Carolus in his tyme, made an Edict against the Pope, and cut off halfe his Crowne: yet dyd the Pope swell and ryse more & more, but in blood. the spirit of the Lord, will walke more effectuallie. And I for my part, together with my brethren, will pray for you continuallie, that the Lord God would open your eyes, that you may sée the trueth: for vndoubtedlie, your hearts are full of woormwood & gall, and I sée that bitternes is within you, euen to death, if y^e Lord God quicken you not. Who euer sayd that, that was proper to man, which is to be giuen to God, but you? who euer affirmed that the Pope was Lord and God, and King, and Keisar, saue all only you? who hath giuen him power, by which as of himselfe he standeth? who hath giuen him honour, by which through his might he striketh, he cutteth off, he saueth, saue onely you? who hath giuen him the keies of hell and heauen, where he bindeth, and he loseth, saue all onely you? who hath sayd, he is God, Ʋicegerant, in earth, by which he ordaineth, and deposeth but onely you? who hath made him equall with God, and most like vnto the highest, saue all onely you, his Schollers, his Disciples, his Ministers, and such as are, and haue [Page]béene accoumpted Heretiques, and are of the same profession as are you? wherfore returne, come away, flie frō the whore of Roome. Apoc. 17. O be not deceyued, she hath poysoned all y^e Kings of the earth, with the venome of her cup: Stay a while, pause and consider, and you shall sée the dampnation of this great whore, that sitteth vpon many waters. With her haue the Kings of the earth committed fornication: with her haue the Inhabitants of the earth béene made drunke: for shée sitteth vpon a scarlet coloured Beast. A Beast is Roome called, for y^e eruell, sauadge vnnaturall, & beastly qualities found with in her, as appeareth in Daniel: Dan. 7.7. Sitting in Scarlet, for that the was red, and inglutted with the blood of the Saintes. The outragious pride of this vvhore of Roome the Pope, is séene. In that at this day, he hath vpō his Pallace a Piller of stone, that is valued at. 20000. Crownes: Hee hath his roose seeled vvith golde couer. His hanginges are of precious stone, lyke glasse: And yeerely hath he comming in out of the common stewes, an Annuall reuenew (vvhich is his tribute) of 20000. pounds, from amōg the vvhores & common vvomen of Roome: so that he is the vvhore that sitteth in the golden chayte.Then hauing names full of blasphemy: for is there any one now, or was there any euer héeretofore, that had the same blasphemous titles, as hath y^e Pope? Then hauing v [...]. heads, which are seuen hylles, on which Roome did stand, and was built, and so sometimes had seuen Kinges within her: The whore is said to haue ten hornes, many kingdoms vnder her. Then she is arayed in Purple and Scarlet: For the glorie of your Popedome, stādeth in outward Pompe, and we know that no Prince in the world, is more ritchly attired, then is that monster at Roome. Then she hath a cup of abhominations in her hand: And not without cause, in as much as all Heresies, false doctrine, and Superstitions of the late Churches haue come from her. Then in the forehead is there a Misterie written, Babilon the great, the mother of whordome: A Mysterie in déede, for none can comprehend this secrete, but the Elect: None can tell you, that this Roome is that whore, but such as God hath touched: None can open this plainly to the world, saue onely those to whome God hath giuen it. And therefore, if your hearts were not hardned, if in hearing you dyd not heare, or in séeing, you sawe not, and were not blinded: or if the Lord had not shut vp your vnderstanding, for your wilfulnesse, it could not be possible, but in this lyght and beautie of our time & of the trueth, you should vnderstand, and conuert & be saued: and deferre not off from day to day, for y^e longer you stay, the more fierce God is: the longer you prolong, the more seuere he is. This day, if you[Page]heare his voyce harden not your harts: I tell you that the wicked man dooth moste prowdely kéepe his countenaunce, and will not be chaūged, the heart of the godly man melteth, when he heareth of the Lord:Rom. 2.5. wherefore take you héede that according to your hardnesse of heart, and your impenitent soules, which will not repent, you heape vp vengeance against y^e day of vengeance, & against the day of wrathe, & the reuealing of the iust iudgement of God. For wherfore should you stand thus in defence of the Pope? wherefore should you hazard your selues for a mortall man? wherefore stande you against the truthe? is it for y^e you are ignoraunt? you may sée▪ Is it because you haue learned so?Our Fathers are to be followed no farther then you follow the Lordet Reade Origen in Esech. Hom. 7. reade Augu. vpon Iohn. Tract. 49. cap. 11 you shall haue another lesson, the Lord God shall be your maister. Is it because you feare man? why? the Lord our God is greater, stande to him: what? haue your Fathers beléet [...]ed so? then be you other men, you shall not beare theyr iniquities: what? haue you learned this from them of olde? why? what then? They erred, go you vprightlie: they sinned against theyr God, prouoke you him not: they liued in miserable dayes and sawe little, you haue the lawe in your mouthe, and it is open to all: they desired, and could not haue it: you may haue and will not take it. They had the Gospell kept from them by the Tiranny of the man of sinne, that brused and stamped vnder his féete the Saints of God: you haue, and may haue, and if you repent, you shall haue all frée libertie and accesse to the Gospell with out daunger: And tell me, what is hee whom you so reuerence and adore? what is your Pope? came he from the heanens? or is he indéede as you saye more then a man? But what if a wicked man? what if a Blasphemer? what thē if he be a Sodomite? what if an Inchaunter? what if an Heretick? what if a Scismatick? yea, a Simmonist? what will you say then, if y^e neuer any Pope, was yet Pope of Rome, but these, or the like, or greater sinnes, haue béene found within them?

Tell me if that you meane well as we doo? If this be true will you come to vs? will you recante? will you flie from the Pope? if you will? then speake, and let all these be witnesses. And séeing you will not, then heare what I will saye: First you shew that you are the wicked sonnes of a wicked[Page]Father: and him you defend in his whorish ab [...]ominations. Secondly you will take no indifferent proffer in a truthe: Thirdly in wilfull manner you will defende that you cannot auouche iustlye: Fourthlie, you will yéelde to nothing but that you like off: And last of all, if you were not compelled, you would not heare vs at this present: But now,Conditions offered of subscription to the Iesuits. séeing that you are héere, giue eare to that which I doo saye: peraduenture you may haue an other Prosilite, if you deale but in differentlie. Remember what you doo: you defende the Pope, I am against him: I shew reasons, you will giue me none: I offer you the Scriptures as indifferent Iudges, and you refuse them: I shewe you the Lawe and the Prophets, which deny that you holde, & you regarde them not: wherfore I will conclude thus, that if any one of you all héere present, or any one of your learned Papists beyond the Seas, or any one of your close Counterfeits in England: be able to prooue out of any godly personne, zealous man, or any indifferent Iudge whatsoeuer of any time: whether he be Croniographer, or writer of Historie, or Ecclesiasticall Doctor, or famous and reuerend for his time, or any discriber of Persons, or any one that is learned, that hath written of your Popes,I vvarrant you the Iesuits vvill neither lea [...]ne, neither yeelde, neither confesse their errors, nor agree to reason, but against God and man vvill they stād vvilfully, hauing nothing to say against the trueth. from the sirt hundred yéere of Christe (what time especially your Supremacie, and generall challenge began) that in the same is able to prooue, that the Pope & your Lord & Maister for whom you suffer so much, hath not béene either an infamous Whoremaister: or a vile Heretike: or a filthy Sodomite or an exceeding grosse Hereticke: or a Scismaticke: or an Inchaūter, or els hath not béen well knowne to haue had some great and damnable sinne raigning within him: I for my part, will subscribe, and holde with the Pope, as you doo, and for euer hereafter become one of yours. I as [...]e but this in like manner of you, that if I shall prooue this sufficiently and substantially, which I haue bothe spoken and written to you: that then you in like manner would become Protestaunts, and forsake that Whore of Roome. Something I will say vnto you now conterrung this, and when I haue more [...]eysure I will tell you more. Papa Zosimus forged and counterfeyted the Councell of Nice verye falselye,[Page]and all for to be supreame head of y^e world. Iohn Pope the 2. said, Animas piorum non videre faciem Dei: That is, That the soules of the righteous men, did not sée the face of the Lord. Gregorie the sixt, which was Hildebrand, one of the mōsters of the world: was an Inchaunter, and vsed other wickednes not to be named.Note heere, the great iudgement of God: that this Idoll of Roome lyfted vp to the heauens, might be knowne to fall, to the nethermost hell: Who making him selfe equal to God, to the Angels, to Peter, & to Christ haue had foūd within them from tyme to tyme such vices: as God and mā abhorring, vvere neuer yet found in any reprobate to be more cō mon, then in them. Iohn the. 8. Pope, was a Simonist, and sold his Bishopricks for money. Boniface Pope, was of all other most lyke vnto a Pope, for he was cūning in all kinde of althinesse, and he was expulsed by Ottho Caesar. Siluester the second was a Coniurer: I find in Stories, y^e one Sforsia was poysoned by y^e Pope for his wife, & for that he might y^e better haue his pleasure of her: Siluester the third was deposed, you knowe the cause I am sure. You haue heard of the pride of Paule, the second, who deposed the King of Boheme. Vrban dispossessed Conradine the right heyre, & sonne of Conradine King of Sicilia: It is a famous Storie, bothe woorthy the noting, for the great iudgement of God that happened then, and for the myserie & desperate state of those dayes were séen then. For Platina the Popes Secretarie, in his discription of Pope Clement the fifth, sayth thus: That at the Coronation of the same Pope, whereas there were present, Phillip King of Fraūce, and Charles his brother, and Iohn Duke of Brittaine: the same Iohn Duke, was ouerwhelmed with y^e fall of a wall, and died. Sée the great iudgement of God, for this happened in the time of the Coronation: when as the maner is, the Pope was led thorow the Cittie. Also, King Phillip, by the same ruine, was sore hurt and lamed: The Pope was striken off his Horse, and lost a Rubie out of his Miter, that cost sixe thousand Duckets, I doo remember, what a man of late time writeth of Calixtus, that was Anno salut. 1120. and he is one of your owne Order, to name Theodoricus an Abbote, and he witnesseth that the same Calixtus, was called, when he gouerned, by the name of Simon Magus: I coulde recken vp vnto you an infinite company, lyke vnto these: but I wyll deferre the spéeche of them, tyll some other time: and wheras I was purposed to haue giuen vnto you, thrée other reasons, by collection & iust proofe, gathered out of the Scriptures, against the Pope, and the grosse heresie of his Supremacie:[Page]those I haue let slip,That which novv is omitted: may be seene, if you reade Nauclerus, Pius Secundus and Platina, and Volateran. purposing if God will to make a knitting vp of them another time. Onely this I will adde at this present: That whereas I haue saide much concerning the Pope and you also his Schollers, at this time: I haue doone it the Lord knoweth, neither of spight to prouoke you, nor of hatred to molest you, nor of contempte to disdaine you, nor of péeuishnes to smite you: but in a feare and a reuerence haue I doone it, and before the Lorde, that if possible it may be, I may winne you. This is true. Ʋerbum meum quod egredietur de ore meo, &c. My woord shall not returne vnto me voide, but it shall accomplish that which I will, and it shall prosper in the thinge whereto I sent it. Isa. 55.11. And therefore I desire you, and I pray you in the Lord, that you would redéeme the time, knowing that those things which I haue spoken, are not spoken by me, but by the Lorde. And for that you shall not in any thing mistrust me, looke into the Reuelation of Saint Ihon: Apoc. 9.1. and there shall you finde that I haue spoken nothing, but that which the spirit of God prophesied of before, should happen to the Churche of Rome, and all her abhominations, and all her filthines are opened long before: the things shoulde happen, are expressed in thrée circumstaunces.

Three circumstaunces.

1. First, in the Angell:
2. Secondlye, that sounded.
3. Thirdlie the Trumpet.

The statelie messenger, is a token of the certaintie of the thinge.
The sounde, betokeneth it should come to passe.
The Trumpet signifyeth, that it should be blased & commonlie knowen thorow out the world to all.

And the things to be knowne are these.

A description of the Pope.
1. First a Starre: that is a Bishop and Minister, and who greater with you then the man of Rome.
2. Secondlye, that fell: for your Pope from time to time hath gone from God.
Novve that vvhich should be done, and should happen, is this.
3. Thirdly, from heauen, for heauen and heauenly thinges[Page]hath he forsaken, and taught mans Traditions.
4. Fowrthly, to the earth: for as all things therin are vncertaine, so be all things taught by you, and by the Pope, most vnstable, most wauering and earthly.
5. Then, he had giuen vnto him a gifte, for without Gods permission he dooth nothing.
6. The thinges giuen, were keyes: you say that he hath the keyes on his shoulders: yet I thinke you will scarse reioyce in them, if you consider well.
7. But what keyes? the keyes of the bottomles pit: for he openeth hell gates to all that follow him.
8. Then, he opened the bottomles pit, for all abhominatiōs, and all sin & iniquity, that leadeth vnto hel come frō him.
9. Then, there arose a smoake from the pit, and you knowe, that all filthines hath been spread abroade by the Pope.
Roome & Romanistes, are neuer able to aunswer Iohn, to this place.
10. Then, the smoake was like a furnace, for the aboūdance of his errors and heresies, darkned Christe and his Gospel.
11. Then, the ayre was darkned by the smoake of the pitifor what trueth, what good and perfect doctrine, hath not beene obscured by him, the Pope?
12. After that appeared Locustes, false Teachers, Cardinals, Bishops, Monkes, Friers, &c.
13. After that, power was giuen vnto them: euen false and deceiueable doctrine, pleasaunt vnto men.
14. Not power onely, but the power of Scorpions, for your Abbie lowbies did so sting the cōsciences of men, & of the weake, as they died an eternall death by their teaching.
15. Yet they hurt not the grasse: such as were vpright, and knew God: for the Elect can not be beguiled by you, doo what you can.
16. But onely those that were not sealed in their foreheads: (1) such as God had not praeordained to life, but Infidels, whome Sathan had blinded.
17. Lastly, those that were sealed, they should be troubled sixe moneths: Euen a certaine time which God had appointed: for though Rome hath troubled along time, all the faithfull, yet is your time limitted, and we know that this trouble is but for a season.

[Page] [...] But enter in farther, sée and looke, whether this be so, yea, or no? your whole Idolatrie, knauerie, & bawdrie of Roome is described, and it is showen plainly, that the Romanistes, be the Locustes. Homoiomata A description of the Locusts.

1. First, they are like horses: rebellious, bolde, cruell, fierce, lecherous, and impenitent.
2. Secondly, they are prepared: for they are armed, and readie against the Saintes.
3. Thirdly, vnto battell: for they fight and they encounter, and they are in armes against the righteous.
4. Fourthly, they haue crownes on their heads: for they of Rooome challenge honour and dignitie, aboue all.
5. Fiftly, their crownes are like golde: & they haue no right to that supremacie they claime: But they make a false challēge thervnto, & rob others of their right & dignity.
6. Sixtly, their faces are like faces of men: quicke, politique, brabling and subtill: such as pretend humanitie, and curtesie, and looue, and good will towards men: yet are they sauadge and cruell, and such as eate vp the people of God.
Harding dooth defend the Stewes erected at Roome.
7. Seuēthly, they haue haire like vnt othe haire of women, which noteth the wantonnes, idlenes, whorishe apparell, and effeminate mindes of the Clergie of Roome.
8. Their teeth, as the teeth of Lyons: for you of Roome haue oppressed the Saints of God, and deuoured them.
9. They haue Habergions of Iron: for they be sturdie, and not moued to pittie, countenaunced by Princes.
10. They haue winges: for they be prowde, and lyfted vp aboue Kinges and Emperours.
11. They haue stinges in their tayles: for the number of the Saints of God that are slaine, is innumerable.
12. They haue a King and he is the king of the bottomlesse pit: euen the Deuill and Sathan.
13. Your Kinges name is Abaddon, and Apolyon: euen a most horrible, cruell, and bloody deuowrer of the Saintes of God: a destroyer in doctrine, by the Pope & Antichrist: a destroyer of men, bothe of body and in soule: in soule, with falsehood and lyes, in body with fire and sword.

[Page] This feare of the Lord, is to be knowen of all, for God commaundeth it: This reuerence is to be obserued of all, for else God punisheth: and to be kept, for vve are bound vnto it: it is alwayes to be looked vnto, and vve ought espetially to regard it.You haue had a most liuely description of the Pope, with his Cleargie, not at my handes, but at the handes of God: Nowe followeth, that I should saye some thing of the true feare, reuerence, and homage which is to be giuen vnto the Lord God, & it is the last member of all: whereof if I speake at large, I shall doo great iniurie to this honourable & great assemblie: If I say nothing, I shall be suspected of you, our aduersaries, and be iudged able to doo nothing: If I clippe my spéeche, I shall leaue but the halfe man to be séene of you, whome I had rather you should sée fully drawne out, and in his strength. Therfore I am determined to speake, yet not fullie, because that I doo, must be done bréeflie: I will speake, but not to please, or satisfie you, but to shewe that duetie, which bothe I, and all other good Christians doo owe vnto the Lord: I will speake that I will speake of, no otherwise then of the most true and Christian Veritie, which I finde as vndoubted, holie, and to be euidently declared in the booke of God.The feare due vnto the Lord, and vnto none else, dooth exclude and shut out all other feare and reuerence, and homage giuen to any other whatsoeuer: for God vvill not part stakes with any man. For in the last, and perticular diuision of all, I noted, that worshippe which toucheth and appertayned vnto Man, thus, O Israel, the Lord thy God is Lord onely, and thou shalt feare him, &c. Heere is a reuerence, that man oweth to his God, and to none other: To God? to the Lord? to the Lord onely? To none other? I say to none: No? not to Marie? no? not to Peter? no? not to the Saintes? What? not your Letanie? not your Orate pro nobis? (1) Your generall Praiers made vnto the Saints: Pray for vs, be they not good? I say they be not good, they be dampnable: I say no, they be not good, they derogate from the Maiestie of God: I say no, they be not good, you aske helpe of Man, not of the Lorde: I saye, and I affirme, that you committe sacriledge, and you doo that which is forbidden in the booke of God. I finde it thus written by Dauid, Psal. 50.15. Inueca me in die tribulationis, et eruam te, et honorificabis me: (i) Call vpon me in the day of trouble, and I will delyuer thee, and thou shalt honour mee: I finde not any commaundement to pray to Peter, or to Marie. In the Hebrewes,Hebr. 10. we are charged to drawe néere vnto Christe, our highe Préest, who béeing the highest of all, hath not that I doo finde, giuen hisIoel. 2. [Page]glorie vnto any other. In Ioel the Prophete,Ioell. 2. this is written, Who soeuer calleth on the name of the Lord, shall be saued. Wherein who séeth not, that all other inuocation is excluded? Vnlesse you will affirme that they the Saints, to whome you pray, be Lordes also, and Gods of the earth: What is plainer then an other Scripture:1. Iohn. 2. If any man sinne, we haue an aduocate to God, Iesus Christe the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sinnes. And againe: Not for vs onely, but for the sinnes of the whole world. If Christe be sufficient, then neede vve no other: If Christ be a recōciler, the helpe of others is nothing. If Christ be our aduocat then vaine is the helpe of Saintes.In which you cannot denie these sayinges.

1. First, that you are sinners.
2. Secondlie, you haue an aduocate to God.
3. Thirdlie, a person most righteous.
4. Fourthlie, that all only is named, Iesus Christ, such a one at maketh intercession, and is a propitiation for vs.
5. Fiftlie, not for vs only, but for all, euen the whole world.

Now then, where is life, but in Christe? where haue you attana [...]ment, but of Christe? where shall you looke for propitation but by Christe? Who maketh intercession, but Iesus Christe? who deliuereth vs and the whole world, but all only Iesus Christe? It is a strong reason, and a greater can not be [...], then is this:Roma. 8. There are not two Mediatours of heauen and earth, but one onely: Christe Iesus is the mediatour of heauen and earth, and of vs: Ergo: None other (neyther Marie, neyther Peter, nor any other Saint,) but Christe onelie mediatour for vs [...]. The Fathers of olde knewe no other, neither called they on the name of any one, but only of their God. Seth, Gene. 4.26. restoring Religion, called on y^e name of God: and Abraham, soiourning,Gene. 12.8. when he pitched his Tent, and had on the one side Bethel, on the other side Haie, built there an Altar, and called on the name of the Lord. I am assured, that Isaack would haue worshipped the Lord, with that kinde of worship, and that seruice, that was most acceptable to God: yet can it not be found that Isaack, Gene. 26.25. or any other the Prophetes, vsed the helpe of any dead man, but called on their God. And so am I assured dyd Iacob, Gene. 32. together with Moses, Exod. 34. [Page]and also Sampson, The old fathers taught thus. Epiphanius in his booke against the Antidicomarianites. Gregorius Na. in Ioh. Lib. 9. Cap. 42. and Cycill in Iohn 16. and Chrisostomus. Hom. de Muliere Chanane [...], and Theophilactus, ad Coloss. and August. vnto Honoratus, are all against the inuocation of Saints. when they liued: and not one of them vsed the helpe of any their fellow Patriarkes departed, or brethren the good men that were dead, but all of them prayed to the Lord their God: wherefore, your prayers to those departed are vaine, they doo you no good: your prayers to them are gone, are diuelish and whoorish, they are forbidden by the Lord: they are to no ende, they cannot profyt you: they are detestable, they are condempned in the Scriptures: they are superstitious, for they derogate from God: they are Idolatrous and pernitious, they infect and hurte such as doo vse them: they are moste filthy and abhominable, for no homage is to be giuen to them, but to the Lord. As for you, your worship, your adoration, your prayers to them, whence haue you them? where finde you them? what warrant haue you for them? what authoritie? what commaundement from the Lord? as of all other your whorish abhominations, so may I say of this. You haue no Author, no defence, no Protection, no colour of the same, but onely from Rome: from Pope, from Cardinall, from your owne inuentions, your owne decrées, your own decretalies, or els from the olde and damnable Hereticks.Contra. octo ginta Haer. Epiphanins, that olde and grayheaded father, Bishop of Cyprus, reckoneth this among the Heresies of the Collyridinns (who came out of Thracia in Arabia, & the vpper parts of Scythia) for y^e they also superstitiously as you do, offered to the Virgin Marie: now once in a yeare was y^e day very solemply kept, and they celebrated it with great honour: and to say truthe, they were women Priestes, who gaue that so great homage vnto her, as being the Mother, Lady, and Mistresse, of all Woemen. And vnl [...]sse that you tooke this custome from them the first inuentors of the same, I know not what you are able to saye for the antiquitie of Praiers giuen to her, or any other.

This I knowe, this I am assured off, and this I finde in your owne writers, that till it was within these late yeares, you haue not so much as any mention made of your praying vnto those that are departed: but all onely the nations and such as knew not God, haue vsed to praye to them that are gone: or els some of your[Page 24]owne vaine and fantasticall Bishoppes, haue brought in this custome, who as euery man was giuen wickedly, or bent frowardly, disposed idlely, or affectioned fylthely,The Popes, the Authors of all Idolatrie. or inneighled diuellishly, or drawne away superstitiously, or bewitched heathnish like: haue made, constituted, and ordained, lawes for this kinde of praier, and more I fynde not.Lib. 2. Yom. pr. haeresi quinquagesi. Therefore in Arabia the stonie, they that dwell there, as Epiphanius witnesseth, doo woorship Moses for the miracles that hee did, and pray vnto him as vnto God: And at the Oke and grous Mambre, where the Angels appeared to Abraham, they that dwell in Ph [...]nitia and Arabia, and in the farthest coastes of Palestine, they doo giue the same homage the other doo,Lib. 2. cap. 4. vnto the dead, as Sozomenus witnesseth. Now whether you will d [...] as the Gentilles doo, or be like Christians? whether as God commaundeth, or as they will you? whether as the woorde and Scriptures allow off, or as man hath inuented? that make you choyse of. This I knowe: that the Saintes of God haue refused woorship offered them, being aliue: and I am sure they neuer asked that of you when they were dead: And this one thing I note (where as the Letany in which are so many Orate pro nobis: a Commemoration of the Saincts that shoulde praye for vs) was fyrste instituted by Mamercus Bishop of Vienna in Fraunce,Sidonius in Epist. ad Mamercum. vpon these occasions. First an Earthquake which then happened: then a great Fier which at that time burned: then the gréeuous assaultings of wilde Beasts, which in those Countries mustered: and in the same no mention made that I reade of, of any praying to those that are dead, your late superstitious Prelates haue put in, Orate pro nobis: (1) A number of the Saintes of God that must praye for vs. Lib. de Cura pro mo [...]tuis, Cap. 16.

Therefore saythe Augustine. Nonum est et supersticiosum quod pro mortuis caeperunt orare: (1) It is bothe new, and a supersticious thinge, in that they haue vsed of late to pray for the dead: And vndoubtedly, if it could be prooued out of the Scripture, your owne men would haue gaggeled and thrust out theyr throates more a great deale, with better proofe then nowe they are able to make thereof: [Page]And albeit Moses was a man, for lyfe famous, for Myracles wondered at:Deut. 34.6. for talking with the Lord; and for the family, aritie God vsed with him, most highlie estéemed of all:Iude. 9. yet, not one in Israel is found to haue prayed to him béeing dead, and his Graue and his Sepulchre, is vnknowen to this day.Abrahā, Isaack, Iacob, Dauid, Samuel, no nor any one of the Prophets: Nor Christ nor his Aposties, nor the Church (for many yeeres) nor the godly did euer inuocate the name of Saints Ergo: also we ought not. Though Elyas parted the water with his Mantell: & though at the graue of Elyzeus, a dead man was raysed from death to life: yet was there neither adoration nor immcatiō made to these by the Saintes of God, nor yet any Reliques of theirs, as a memoriall of such thinges done by them. Wherfore, you doo the Lord great dishonour, & vs great iniury, that wyll come hether, as Roauers, and Maisterles men, to teach vs, when in deede we haue no Teachers, but the Lord and his Prophetes, and séeke instruction at his handes, not at yours.

I am not ignoraunt, of that blockishe and doltishe reason you haue vsed, concerning Marie the Virgin, the mother of Christe: neyther is it vnknowne to me, how you and your Colleages,The sacriledge committed in this Booke, is not to be named. haue vsurped and much abused the Lord God, in your Sodomiticall, brutish, and Heathenish booke, called the Rosarie. The Lord no doubt will be reuenged vpon you, and the Lord will aske it at your handes. One argument I will aunswer of yours, concerning the Virgin Marie: who, as for the looue wherewith God looued her, she was blessed: so you for your false Adoration and Worshippe giuen vnto her are accursed.Rosarie. You say first of all, O holy mother of our Lord, &c. Pray vnto thy sonne for vs, &c. Your owne men, are of this opinion, that the wordes vsed by the Angell in Luke, Luke. 1.27. wheras Gabriel saluteth Marie, are wordes of Adoration & Prayer, they are not a bare salutation as we holde:I doo find that in Egipt, there vvas one to name, Marie, in the tyme of Valens, and Valentinianus, vvho vvas first an arrant strū pet: and after that was canonized for a Saincte: novv of that Marie the stories are full, but for 400. yeares afafter Christ, there vvas no kinde of vvorship giuen to the Virgin Marie: but the Popes brought in all their filthines of late yeeres, of their vvorshipping the Mother of Christ. Wherefore, your first Idoll worship, and your second superstitious and vaine iuuocation, is all onely grounded vpon this place, that the Angell is thought to pray to Marie. To you I first aunswere thus: Reade the Septuagints, and the best Translations in Greeke, there shall you finde, that the wordes vsed there, are no such wordes; as your blinde, Popishe, Idolatrous, ignoraunt and vnskilfull Abby lowbies, taught the people. Your old Tranflatiō is, Hayle Mary full of grace, &c. [Page]The Gréeke importeth not so much: For the woord is [...], which signifieth [...] (that is) reioyce: which worde is of [...], as much as grace & fauour: so that the word the Septuagints vse, is [...], that is, thou that hast foūd fauor and grace in the sight of God: then this is not a prayer, according to your doltish custome, that men must pray and say thrée or foure or more Aue Mariaes: but it is a salutatiō of the Angell, by which Gabriell declareth the good will of the Lord showen vnto her, and his acceptation and fauor which aboue other he hath loued her withall. Now also, sée how you erre and are deceyued: For why was Marie belooued rather then other? what for her owne sake onely? or for her righteousnes? or because there was no blemish found with in her? or because she deserued it? or because she was vnspotted and without sin? or because as most holy, she was worthy of greater Benefits? O foolish, and slowe to vnderstand the Scripture, and what is written: It became you to search and learne truly, the meaning of this place, and not to cleaue to your owne opinions: wherefore marke the Scripture, vnderstand and see, and learne, and conuert.

1 First, God saith by the Angell, that Marie is freely belooued: that is, of his meere mercie did he it, she deserued it not.
2. Secondly, the Lorde was with her: for God is with all his elect.
3. Thirdlye, she is chosen before the rest, for God did thinke well of her, as of one, a Vessell of election rather then any other:
4. Fourthly, shee was in fauour, and found it, shee had it not of her selfe.
5. Fiftely, belooued, in that shee conceyued and bare our Sauiour Christ, and belooued for him the belooued of all, not for her owne sake.
6. Sixte lie, belooued and blessed, in that he whom shee bare, was the Sauiour of the worlde, not that shee saued anie.

[Page] Basil to Iulitta, vvylleth vs to pray to God. Gregorius Na. in his Philos. vvylled vs to pray onely to God. Lactātius sayth Lib. 2. Cap. 18. That we ought onely to pray to God. Ambrose, Lib. 3 de Spiritu Sancto: praieth to the holy Trinitie. Hyllarius in Psalm. Referreth him all onely to God, that vvyll pray aright. But for praying to Saints, for praying to the dead for making of any prayer to the Virgin Mary: it is not to be found in all theyr Bookes.Wherefore, you fée first this was no prayer: next, that the Virgin Marie deserued of her selfe, no more then any other: Thirdly, that the Lord did fréely accept her, and that he tooke her vnto mercie. Now, if you can prooue, that any woorship, or seruice, or honour, or homage, is to be giuen to Marie, or that you should and ought to pray to her, for my part I wyll condiscend and yéelde vnto you. If not, then be no more erronious, returne, and amende, and come home, and be saued. Why should you yéeld to mens Traditions? why should you holde with that, which is found out by flesh and blood? why should you stand to vaine illusions, and deuises of the Popes? why should you holde with foolishe constitutions and ordinaunces of your Fathers? why should we beléeue you rather, then God? then Scripture, then Trueth, then the Gospell? Search and sée, and finde any such one thing as you maintaine, then I know that my fellow brethren and I will not only cease to preach against you, but we will think of you, as becōmeth men to thinke of the members of Christ. But knowing that we doo know, we dare not, we may not, we can not, we will not be partakers of your sinnes: for sée and looke, euen as other, so also this abhomination springeth of your Popes, and hath rysen from out of the sea of Roome. Therfore, when Iustinian the Emperour, had made a Feast, called the receyning in of our Sauiour Christe, which was, a remembraunce of that day, when Simeon dyd receyne him in his armes in the Temple.

The feast of the Assumptiō of Mary. Concilium, Lugdunense.Your Pope did transferre that was giuen to God, vnto the Virgin Marie, so the feast of Marie came in, in the stéede of the feast and solemnized day of our Sauiour Christe: as appeareth at a generall Councell, in your booke of Decretals, the yéere after Christe. 1273. Visitation of Marie.You haue a Feast, called the Visitation of Marie: brought in by Ʋrban, Pope sirt of that name, after Christe. 1380. who lyued at that tyme, when as one of your owne Order, a Monster of the worlde, a Monke, brought in the first vse of Gunnes. Annuntiation.You haue a Feast of the Annuntiation of Marie: which was confirmed vnder Ludouiens Pius, by a generall Councell, after[Page]Christe. 819. Conc. Aquisgrangense. Conceptio. Presentatio. Horae. Canonicae. You haue the Feast of the Conception of Marie: allowed in a Councell at Basill, after Christe. 1439. You haue the Feast of the Presentation of Marie, after Christe. 1484. You haue howres Canonized, in which you praye seuerallie to the Virgin, which was done by Vrban the second, which was scholler to Gregorie the seuenth, after Christe. 1090. and he troubled the whole world.Salue regina. Coelorum. You haue Salue Regina: All hayle, O Queene of Heauen. &c. That worishh, and Romishe, that Deuillishe, and faithlesse Song: which was the worke of Gregorie the ninthe. 1240. And you haue certaine times for Bels, to be roong to Marie, which Iohn Pope. 22. dedicated, after Christe. 1320. Belles. So that no more filthynesse, no more superstition, no more damnable and gréeuous enormities, may possiblie be found out, or inuented, then your Popes haue sought out, and imagined, to dishonour the Lord God with all.

And nowe tell me, if you be not ashamed of these fooleries, which in gréefe I doo repeate, but yet of necessitie,The wickednes vvhich the Papists doo commyt, is great, for they pray to many, they should pray but to one: they pray to man, they should pray to God: they pray to the Saints, they should pray to Christe: they should pray to the lyning, they pray to the dead: they pray to the creatures, they should pray to the Crento: wherefore, there is no man that wilfullie wyll not erre as they doo, but he may see very plainly that theyr blasphemy is outragious, theyr sacriledge is perillous: and theyr dealing is most of all daungerous, to the state of the soule. I must rehearse, that your wickednesse may be séene: shewe me, if these be tollerable? If they be, what Scripture, haue you? If not, why defend you them? If you can maintaine them, then speake for them? If you be sorie for them, then run from them: If you holde them, then make proofe of them: If you flie from them, then denounce them. It is better to retyre with modestie, then be ouerthrowne desperatlie: It is fitter to acknowledge your faultes willinglie, then to suffer, and be accused publiquelie: It is more manlike to holde that is right and good, constantlie, then to accuse your selues, and burne in Conscience inwardlie: It is a more pretious thing to the Lorde, more acceptable to men, and more commended of all, to reuolt and returne in tyme, then to hope in errour, to truste in euyll, or defend an vntrueth, that your commendation may bée renowned, and your names famous among vnrighteous personnes. Wherefore, giue glorie, to whome glorie belongeth, honour to whome honour belongeth, thanksgiuing, to whome thanksgiuing belongeth, and prayer, to whome prayer belongeth, and repent, and beforie[Page]that you haue derogated so much from the Maiestie of God, and giuen vnto Creatures, that is none of theirs. It may be, you will replie and say, Why? diuers of the Fathers are of our opinion: why? many of the Doctors, say as we say: why? the Schoole men, the greatest number doo as we doo. But what then? men are men, and haue alwayes erred: the Trueth is the Trueth, and will not lye: the Fathers haue béene faithlesse, and haue sinned: the Scriptures are sacred, and no filthinesse hath béene found in them: the Doctors haue done amisse, the Lord our God, neuer troade his foote awrie: the Schoolemen, haue béene but scoffers in many thinges: the schollers of the Lord and his Prophetes, neuer led you but right in euerie thing. Then take these, refuse yours: alowe of God, cast off men: receyue the good, auoyde the euill: remember the woord, eschew lyes. And yet though you thinke, you haue all the worlde on your side, you are deceyued: for albeit one or two of the Fathers, or more haue allowed in part, the prayers to the dead, and to Saints: yet for all that, I can and will, appose others against them of more sounder indgement a great deale, that doo thinke it vtterlie vnlawfull,Errors of the Fathers. to pray vnto the Saintes. And what though Anathasius dyd thinke, that it was lawfull to pray to the Virgin Marie? shall we therefore subscribe? I tell you no: for I will neither holde with Basill, nor with Gregorie Nazianzen, nor with Ambrose in this matter: but with the Lord will I holde. And yet I tell you, that euen these men,Contra Idola. Ambrosius. Lib. de spiritu sancto. cap. 12. Denieth it law full to pray to the Virgin Marie. named by me, are contrarie to them selues: For Athanasius sayth in his booke of Prayer, that, Mens fons est orationis: (1) The minde is the fountaine, and well spring of Prayer: And to the same, vpon the fiftie and fowre Psalme, he sayth: Promptae semper in hominum praecationes, Dei aures sunt: (1) That is, The eares of the Lord, are alwayes open to the prayers of men. By which his Testimonies, he is contrarie to the other places of praying to Saintes: for first, Athanasius referreth all to the spirite of man: and secondlie,The Fathers haue not defended the praying to Saintes. giueth all audience to the Lord, and none other. And Basill in his booke, De vita solitaria, is verie flat against him selfe: & he speaketh much in other places against praying[Page]to Saints: For this he saith, Ora ad Deum cum timore et animi humilitate: That is, Pray vnto God, in feare, and all humilitie of the minde. You sée, prayer made by him to God, excludeth all other: For it went a lyttle afore, Pete ex fide semper quod binum est operans. (1) Aske by faith, doing that alwayes which is good. Faith excludeth héere, praying to Saintes, séeing that Faith and beléefe, is not to be reposed in them: I may say the same of Gregorie Nazianzen, and of Ambrose: and Ambrose him selfe, is flat against praying to Saintes, and against all prayers that are to be made to y^e Virgin Marie, as appeareth in his booke.Lib. 3. De spiritu sancto. ca. 12 Non quicquam adorandum praeter Deum, sicut Scriptura dixit. Dominum Deum tuum adorabis. (1) There is nothing to be worshipped, but God. He giueth an other reason: For it is written in the scripture, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God. Wherefore, I am of opinion, that some Miscreant and wicked man, moued by the Spirite of error, hath enterlaced, and in many places corrupted, the good sayinges of the Fathers, with euill opinions. Tertullian in his Apollogie,Cap. 17. sayth: We must worship this onely one, and true God, who with his worde hath made the heauens, and the elementes, and all spirituall bodies in the same. Epiphanius Lib. 3. against the Antidicomarianites: and against the worshippers of the Virgin Marie, hath many excellent sayinges, concerning this thing, to whome I referre you▪ Gregorius Nazianzen, in his Oration to the Subiects, that were affrayde, sayth thus: Christus tanua et reconciliatio hominum ad Patrem factus: (1) Christe is made the doore, and the reconciliation of man vnto his Father? Cyrill vpon Iohn, Lib. 7. Cap 3. sayth: That an entraunce is made vnto the kingdome of heauen, all onely by Iesus Christe. Wherefore, I doo request you to reade that learned Theophilact. in his Epistle to them of Colossa: and Augustine to Honoratus, Cap. 10. and the same in his booke of True Religion, and they will satisfie you, in this Question of praying, and to whome to pray. Wherefore, I will conclude with two reasons, drawne out of the Scriptures:Psal. 51.6. Iob. 14.4. Pron 24.16. Rom. 3.10. The first is this: They which sinne as wée doo, can not be helpers of vs, in our prayer: for all prayer is to them that are holie and perfect: but the Saintes haue sinned, and[Page]sinne as we doo: Ergo, Psalm. 3.8. Esa. 27.3. Hos. 13.4. we haue no cause to pray to them, but to the Lord that can helpe vs. Also it is euident that prayer is not to be giuen to any, but such as can helpe themselues and other: Now the Saints can helpe neither themselues, nor any other, but Christe Iesus onely must doo it. Then no prayer is to be giuen to them: for this is the nature of prayer and such things are to be required herein.

1. First, we must pray to God, for he heareth the prayers of the whole world.
2. Secondly, to one that is able, and can doo all thinges, which onely is God.
3. Thirdly, that he be a worthy Person to whom we pray, and so is none but the Lord.
4. Fourthly, that he be no creature, least we derogate from the creator: so that the dead haue no portion or inheritaunce in our prayers, but onely the Lord.

Now therefore, I will conclude, that Israell must all onely serue the Lorde his God, and none other: neither in heauen, neither in earth, neither aboue the heauens, neither vnderneath the earth, is there any one to whom we must giue homage, but onelye to him. Then, take the Cuppe of salnation into your handes, and call on the name of the Lorde. Sanctifie your selues, and drawe néere to his Tabernacle: A stronge Towre is the name of the Lord, he that runneth to him shalbe saued: In Ierusalem is saluation, and on the heads of the Goodly is strengthe: no falsehood is found in the wise, and no halting in those that feare God. Though the world doo delight in Chariots, and the Kinges of the earth in their Horses, and great men in theyr strength, yet will we onely call vpon the name of the Lord: we wil say, glory to the highest, and prayses vnto him in the vppermost heauens: we[Page]will offer sacrifice of thankes giuing vnto our God, and paye our vowes to the Almightie: we will singe to the Lord a new songe, and Sion shall not staye to prayse her God: we will singe with Moses, and prayse the Lorde with Aaron in his holy assemblye: we will not giue his powre vnto man, nor the strength of his arme vnto a Forrainer: our Crownes shalbe set vpon his heade, and we will fall downe to him as to our God: we will giue blessing, and glorie, and honour vnto him that sitteth on the Throne for euer and euer, and all the Beasts of the earth shall subscribe vnto vs. But as for you, you haue not knowne the Lord, the God of Iacob, hath not béene your defence: you haue giuen his honour to the great Beast, and the Oragon hath frayed you, so that you haue his markes of blasphemie in your foreheads: you haue serued that great whore, and bowed your knées to the Woman of sinne: Therefore shall your portion be without the Gates of the holy Cittie, and you shall not sée the Lambs, and his face for euer: In the Vinepresse of his wrathe shall you bee troden to péeces, and if you repent not, your portion shalbe Fier and Brimstone for euermore.

You are the sonnes of the bloody Fathers that haue killed the Prophets: you are the Children of the cursed séede: You are of the posteritie of Amelech, vnworthie to liue among Israell: You are the reliques of Iebus, and of the remnaunt of the Hittites, that haue béene prickes and thornes in the sides of the righteous men: You are the Chemerims that haue offered vp of the Children of God vnto Deuilles: You haue serued Baall Hamon, and you haue runne vnto the Calues, euen the golden Calues of Dan and Bethell. You haue laide in waite for the Lordes annointed; and you haue cursed [...]auid to his face: The Preistes of Nob haue béene slayne by your handes, and by your Fathers handes haue the righteous men béene eaten vp: Wherefore wee must require this blood at your handes, if you will not returne and come vnto the Lorde:[Page]Truely, your blood shalbe spilt at the Poole of Samaria according to the worde of the Lorde: and that Roome shalbe as the house of Baasa. The Sworde of the Lord shall waxe red with blood, and he shall reioyce in the fat of the slaine: As did the Children of Edome at the day of his wrath, so shall you sée the bones of your mighty men, lye in the stréetes: For the Lorde hath seene you and he hath tryed you; you are already wayed in the Ballaunce, and you are founde to light. And if now you repent not, and retorne not: If now you amend not, and reuolte not from your errors, as I found you, so I must leaue you open to the hand of the enimie. And it shalbe my prayer bothe day and night, that the Lord would quicken you, or that he would shorten you: that the Lorde would amend you, or that he would ende you, that you be not reserued as flaming firebrands, till the day of displeasure, to consume any more of the Saincts of God. And for the second parte of this my Sermon, the next time that I come hether, and when I haue leisure, you shall know and vnderstande more. (*⁎*)

FINIS. Primae partis.

[Page]

THE SECOND PART OF the Sermon, preached against the Iesuites at the Towre, the 21. of May, 1581. being written in the 6. of Deut. ver. 6.

These wordes which I commaunde thee this day, shall be in thy heart.

Deut. 6.6.

THis briefe and shorte sentence, beloued in the Lorde, is a portion and parcell of the wordes going before in this verse: where the Lorde exhorting his people to feare him, and to feare him onely, did in a compendious maner vtter his will and pleasure in a few estminstances: namely to heare his voyce, and his worde, with all their minde, with all their soule, with all their might, with all their strength: wherevpon successiuely did follow a reason of that was spoken; that is, These wordes which I commaunde thee this day, shall be in thy heart. Nowe, if you doe remember, in my generall diuision were noted the other day these two things: First an exhortation, secondly a commaundement: of the exhortation wee spake then at large, and nowe wee must say some thing of that remayneth: therefore there is generally noted here out of these wordes rehearsed, one thing, namely,

[...] The onely and sole commandement here set downe.

And this commandement is seene in circū stances.

1 Who commaundeth? The Lorde our God commaundeth.
2 Who they bee the commandement concerneth? The Israelites be they it cōcerneth.
3 What is the comandement? These words that I cōmand this day shall be in thy hart, that is the commandement.
4 For how long a time was this commandement giuen? euen for euer and for euer, vnto all is it giuen.

[Page 2] Circumst. 1.

The Lord commandeth: and it is not without cause: whose power, it we disobay him, whose loue, if we do serue him: whose strength, if wee refuse him: whose mencie, if we imbrace him:

Whose rigor, if we resist him: whose fauor, if we stick to him, haue not now onely, but from time to time béen séene of all: Therefore is hee omnipotent, that hee may rule vs: and hée is almightie, that hee may fame vs: and hee is stout, that hee may bridle vs: and hee is high, that hee may ouersée vs: and he the Lord our God is terrible, that he may feare vs, if we go astray, and do that which is amisse. Of this that I haue spoken, and of him in this place that is the Commander, I may giue diuers reasons: yet will I onely yéelde thrée vnto you, which I know may particularly touch vs all.

The first is, a Personae magnitudine: that is, a reasonable persuasion from the greatnes of of the person, to feare him the Lorde God.

Deut. 4.39.
The Lorde? why? who is like vnto him? who may be compared vnto him? Vnus & solus est: he onely is one and onely God.
Psal. 73.1.
The Lord? Why? Solus bonus bonis: hee is onely good to the good.
Isay. 30.18.
The Lord? Why? Clemens &c. He is boū tifull and of long suffering:
Nech. 9.6.
The Lord? Why? Deus est & creator: he hath made all, he hath framed all, and he will bee feared of all:
Esay. 49.13.
The Lorde? Why? Suorum consolator: he comforteth those that are his.
1. Par. 29.12.
The Lord? Why? Vniuer sorum Dominus: he is Lorde of all:
Ezech. 13.21.
The Lord? Why? Dux populi sui, he is a leader, a captaine, and a guider of his people. Out of all which, wee may gather this conclusion:
- He that made all, that framed all, that ruled all, that guideth all, that protecteth all, is all in all for to be feared by all:
- [Page 3] But, the Lorde our God that heere commaundeth vs, that heere forwarneth vs, is hee that framed al, that ruled all, that guideth all, y^t protecteth all: ergo,
- The Lorde our God is all in all, and onely to be feared by all

The second reason from the person of God, is taken a personae bonitate. (i.) frō the goodnesse of his person, if we feare him: Deut. 7.9.

Hee? the Lorde our God? hee is true & faithfull:
Psal. 36.10.
Hee? the Lord our God? he is the Lord, the welspring of life:
Esay 49.5.
Hee? the Lord our God? he is the God of strength:
Psal. 89.18.
Hee? the Lord our God? the glorie of the power and strength of his people:
Esay. 33.22.
Hee? the Lorde our God? is a righteous God, and a good & trustie lawgiuer:
Hee? the Lorde our God? hee is the light and bewrie of Israell: out of these is made this conclusion:
- Who so with loue hath tendered vs, with mercie hath loked on vs, with life hath quickned vs, and by his righteousnes hath deliuered vs: is to be honored & feared of all liuing creatures, & else none but he:
- The Lorde our God, in this place commaunding vs, is the same also that hath tendered vs, and looked to vs, and quickened vs, and guided vs: ergo,
- The Lord our God is to be feared, honoured, and obeyed of all liuing creatures, and else none but he.

The thirde reason is taken three manner of wayes from the persō of God.

1 Amanu (i.) from his hand that striketh vs:
2 Apotentia (i.) from his power that reacheth vs:
3 Apoena (i.) from his scourges and plagues, which consumeth vs:

If wee obeye him not.

[Page 4]For he is the sworde of the glorie of his people:Deut. 33.29. For he is a consuming fire;Deut. 4.24. For the Lorde he is a iudge of the world:1. Sam. 2.10. he is as in Egle swift to anger;Exod. 19.4. he is as a man strengthened with wine;Psal. 78.65. hee is as a roaring Lyon to the wicked,Isay. 31.4. and as a deuourer and eater vp of the impenitent: The Lord, he is terrible,Deut. 7.21. & a reuenger of vnrighteousnes; he is swift to deuoure the families of the wicked, and he will not spare the vngodly houses: therefore out of these places of scripture, I make this conclusion:

His wordes are to be feared, and his lawes and comandements are to bee kept, that is able, if wee disobay him, to destroy vs: But,
The Lord our God is a consuming fire, a two edged sworde, as a flaming fire to the wicked that disobey him: ergo,
The Lorde our God is to be feared and his lawes & his command ementes, but none other whatsoeuer cō trarie to his, are to be kept.

Now this cōmaundement here, is taken two manner of wayes.

Exclusiue.
- 1 Excluding all manner of false worship.
- 2 Excluding all other commaundements of men contrarie to this.
- 3 Excluding all foraine power and iurisdiction of Turke and Pope contrarie to this.
Inclusiue.
- For God includeth all kinde of true worship within this cōmandement of his word.

The second circumst. was this:

Who they were, this commandement did concerne & touch? They were the Israelites and the people of God: hereof I may principally yeeld two reasons:

1 First, because the promise made so Abraham should be kept, & that God shoulde be mindfull of that that was spokē:[Page]namely, that he and his séede should be blessed for euer: which [...]hing hath bene must largely, and most aboundantly both séene and knowne to all the world: and continued so long as Israel feared his name, & serued him y^e Lord their God. Was it not so of old, and doe not we knowe that it is true? Israel? why, they were the inheritaunce of the liuing God:Deut. 4.20. Deut. 9.26. Deut. 14.2. 2. Sam. 21.3. Israel? they were redéemed in his strength: Israel was a holy people to their God: Israel was as the vineyard of the Lord, and he brought out the Heathen and planted them:Psal. 80.9. Israel was elected of God, and the Lorde loued them euermore:Deut. 10.15. Israel was a royall Priesthoode,Exod. 19.6. and a holy nation counted of, till they forsooke the Lord their God of hoste: and then God forsoo [...]e them.

2 Secondly, this lawe was giuen to Israel, that it might be a witnes vnto them of the iust iudgements of God, if they obeyed him not, as Moses did prophecie: for, for this cause are they called by God, Rebels and runnagates from the Lorde.Deut. 9.24. Psal. 106.40. Then were they castawayes from the face of GOD.Eze. 16.3. Then were they counted a wicked generation, and of the posteritie of Cham: Then as they sell straungely, were they called ignominiously by the name of Apostataes: Then,Eze. 2.3. Then, named hypocrites, for their dissembling with their God:Rom. 2.17. Then Incredulous persons, for their vnbeliefe: Then were they called the Slayers and murtherers of the Prophetes,Iohn 7.28. for in déede they killed them: Then, the Persecutours of the Gospell,Matth. 23.34. for they hated the way of life: Then were they called the betrayers of Christ, for they killed him: And from that day to this,Actes 13.46. haue they and their séede bene Vagabonds in strange landes: they haue runn [...] from countrie to countrie,Actes 3.13. and they haue had no place; for why? they prouoked the Lord their God to anger, and nowe hath he punished them, according to the wordes of his seruaunt Moses long before.

Nowe therefore this appertaineth vnto vs:As the Ammorites, P [...]eresits, and Iebusites, were d [...]en [...]ut of their owne land, th [...] [...]el might postede and e [...]oy the same: So were the Israelites dispossessed of their inheritāce, for their sinnes, that we might be heirs in their steede. for séeing that this lawe was giuen vnto them to kéepe, and they disobeyed it: it is taken from them and giuen vnto vs, that we may loue it. And in as much, as all the day long the Lord stretched foorth his hande vnto a disobedient and gaynesaying people, we haue also to take héede that we harden not our heartes, as [Page 6]they did in the day of temptation: wherefore in many trials▪ and in a long patience and sufferable affection, did the Lords leade them from time to time, that they might knowe him: At the length did he cast them off for their stubbornnesse, and hardnesse of heart; and whereas they were accepted before, GOD gaue vnto them the spirite of slumber, and their table was made a snare and a net, and a stumbling blocke, as [...] recompence vnto them to this day: And whereas before they were braunches of the right Oliue trée, nowe are they cut off, and we are taken in, in their steade:Rom. 11.24. Israel is cast off, and we the Gentiles are in their place: we must therefore take héede, that we also liue now according to the lawes of our God, lest that the Lorde despise vs,God is of long suffering, and of great mercy, but when as he striketh, he is a consuming fire. as he did them: for, his rigor vpon Israel, and his mercy towardes vs: his angrie countenaunce shewed vnto them, and his louing fauour to vs warde: declare both his seueritie and iustice vpon them, in refusing them, and his clemencie towarde vs that were straungers, in that he hath chosen vs as an other Israel, and an other Church vnto him selfe: for we are nowe the Israel of God, and so long we shall be the same, as we either obey him rightly, or serue him vprightly: or be readie to serue him, or swerue not from him, but kéepe the right way: which that we may doe, we will examine the third circumstance.

The thirde circumstance.

What is the commaundement commaunded here? It is this. These wordes which I commaund thee this day, shall be in thy heart, &c.

Wherein I wold that you noted many thinges.

1 First, the words commaunded, are the words of God, not the wordes of Man, Turke, Pope. &c.
2 Secondly, giuen this day: noteth, that as yeres doe consist of dayes, so day after day making many dayes, doth declare, that God is to be loued and feared euery day.
3 Thirdly, here is to be noted y^e future time: these words shal be in thy heart: which is a precise lawe, that in as much as no time is limited, but the future time named, it doth argue, that God is to be remembred at all times.
[Page] 4 Fourthly, I doe gather here, in that God saith, These wordes shall be laide vp in thy heart: that therefore Rires and ceremonies are not to be required so much in the true seruice of the Lord, as is the soul and spirit: For God will be serued in spirit and trueth.
5 In that his wordes are to be remembred, is not to be grossely taken, that no more is to be followed then those named in this place: But by these wordes must be vnderstoode all his lawes and ordinances written in the Lawe and in the Prophetes: and I referre this place,

Vnto Deut. 12.32. thus written:God is of heauen heauenly, therefore bumane traditions must not be mingled with his seruice. Quicquid tibi in mandat [...]m dedero, hoc facies, neque addi aliquid, neque diminui patieris a verbo meo: What so euer I commaund thee, that shalt thou doe, thou shalt neither add any thing therevnto, neither shalt thou plucke any thing therefrom: which (euen very same commandement) is written Deut. 4.2. Hearken you, O Israel, vnto the ordinances and lawes which I teach you to doe: it followeth, you shall put nothing vnto the worde which I commaund you, neither shal you take ought therefrom: And vnto Ioshua was the same lawe giuen in commaundement:Iosh. 1.7. and he was charged to obserue all things, that Moses the seruant of the Lord did commaund him; the restraint was set downe thus: Thou shalt not turne away from it to the right hande or to the left, that thou maiest prosper whither so euer thou goest: The Priestes of B [...]al, the foolish Chemerm [...], and the Scribes and Phari [...]ies, were in the same maner blinded, as be our Iesurtes, Papistes, and Seminaries: their most principall and chiefe Ceremonies were al one; & the same proof [...] they vse both of them for their superstitions; and the verie same customs they doe allowe of, bicause their fathers of olde vsed them.which lawe, and most sacred and holy ordinance of the Lord, when I consider of, I wonder how you the aduersaries of the grace of God, schollers of the Pope and Antichrist, either burst not in pieces for feare, or holde not downe your heades for shame, or accuse not your selues in your consciences, or cry not out vnto the Lorde in this extremitie, when you sée all thinges in your religion and profession, either to be inuented, either to be founded by man: either to disagrée, either to be contrarie & dissonant from the word of God: either to be whorish, either to be diuelish, either to be Idolatrous, either to be superstitious, which is the least fault you haue of al:[Page 8]It can not be, if you had read the lawe, as you flée from it: If you had experience in the scriptures, as you shut them vp: If you had exercises of prayer, as you haue none aright: If you had the Commaundements of the Lorde among you, as you denye them: If you had true seruice, as you corrupt it: If you had the ordinaunces of the Lord and his wordes with you, as you are farre from them: But that you should sée easily, and perceiue rightly, and iudge perfectly, and deale syncerely, and after an other manner to, than nowe you doe in your daily administrations, and vnlawfull sacrifices. Remember that cursse that is laide vpon your shoulders, and vpon the shoulders of your fathers, in the last of the Reuelation,Reuel. 22.18. for your corrupting of the word.

Therefore after a rewarde that is giuen to euerie one according to his workes, there is a description of Christ, whom we ought to acknowledge in this manner.

1 First, as being α and ω, the beginning and the end:
2 Secondly, as being the first and the last.

There is also a blessing set downe vnto those that shall feare his Commaundements.

1 Their right way shall be in the tree of life.
2 They shall enter in through the gates of the citie.

After this there are certaine per sons named, y^e are shut out of the kingdome of God.

1 Dogges be the first sort: sauage, wilde, vntamed and wanton persons.
2 Inchaunters be next: such as haue bene the most of your Romish Prelates.
3 Whoremongers the third: and you and the Romanistes speake against marriage, and yet maintame whores in your Cloysters.
4 Murtherers folow: such are you, and such haue your fathers bene, that seeke and thirst after the bloud of the Saints.
[Page] 5 Idolaters also are without; and more vile, more ougly, more monstrous, and more filthie, thē are you of Rome, I know none vnder heauen, professors of religion at this day.
6 Moreouer, such as loue and make lyes, are in the number: and these can be no other than you, and as you be, that maintaine false doctrine, and delight therein.

After al this, there is a message sent vnto men: The messinger is the Angel of God, and his message or tidings is heauenly and diuine: namely,

1 That the roote and generation of Dauid Iesus Christ:
2 That the bright morning starre, Christ the light, that brought light into the world,

Hath of his meeremercy brought [...]vs good tidings

1 How that the spirit and y^e bride, do cry, come:
2 How that euery one that heareth, may come:
3 How that al those that are a thirst, may come:
4 How that euery one that will take of the water of life, may come freely.

But there followeth a Protestation with a Comminatiō.

1 First, that what man so euer he be:
2 Secondly, that heareth:
3 Thirdly, the wordes:
4 Fourthly, of this prophecie:
5 Fifthly, presuming to add any thing thervnto,

That then God shall adde, vnto that man, all the plagues that are written in that booke. Furthermore the Lorde inlargeth that spoken before.

So that if any man shall presume

1 To diminish the wordes of the booke of that prophecie:
2 His part shall be taken out of the booke of life:
[Page 10] 3 His parte shall be taken out of the holie citie.
4 He shall haue no part in the things are written in this booke.
5 And all this is confirmed by the Lorde, for hee will come quickly to see it done:

As they are more to be feared that can kill and destroy the soul, rather than those onely that do spill the bodie: so are the papistes, the more to be abhorred, as they doe cast away both the outward & the inward man.Nowe therefore looke you vnto this, O you the enimies of God: more then enimies vnto the Lorde, for you make all other whome you can get, enimies vnto him: worse than common enimies, for you raise vp straungers against him: crueller than are the enimies, for they kil but the body, you destroy both bodye and soule: Fiercer than are all enimies, for they vse the sword, you abuse the word, and bring in an other contrarie to it. I charge you not without cause: I lay nothing vnto you, but that I may iustly: Your consciences bewray you, and you betray your selues: your comming ouer to vs, presuming to teach, being more fitter you should learne: entring and insinuating of you into the hearts of men, & spreading abroad your damnable opinions, are tokens sufficient, I say, to manifest vnto the world what men you be: You? you haue counterfeited the Scriptures: you? you haue falsified the trueth: You? you haue added and diminished: You? you haue put too, and taken from the word of God: You? you haue inclined both to the right hand and to the left hand, contrarie to the word of God: I appeale to your owne consciences: I referre my selfe to that spirite, which I knowe euen nowe pricketh you:The profession of Iesuites and the name of thē was taken of two sundrie per sons: the profession vpōthe ererection of a college by a Pope. the name is taken, & was before the erection of the house, almost 1050. yeares: for they be Iesuites of Iesus: Haeret. fabularum Compend. 10. lib. 4. and in the same, tel me whether I charge you wrōgfully yea or not: Where haue you warrant for that profession which some of you here professe? Why are you seuered from men by an other name? and wherefore haue you that same vnheardof title of Iesuites? what Prophete, what Apostle, what good and auncient dusto [...]e of the Primitiue Church sinde you this in? The time will not permit me now, but hereafter I will shewe your originall at large: But yet [Page 11]tell me, what authoritie, what warrant, what Scripture you haue, for your whippings and your shauings? Truely, they are good marks for you to be knowne by, as of such as be right Priestes of Baal: Who as you whippe your selues, so they also launched them selues to be séene of men: Or you be like vnto the Donatistes, of whome Theodoretus Bishop of Cyrus speaketh: For they fat vp them selues like Porklings before they dye, and offer vp sacrifices to them that are aliue, and whip one an other oftentimes. One merrie & pretie conceited thing I do remember written of them, by y^e same Theodorete, which thing a yong Gentleman is said to haue done: Now it fell out, that many of them vpon a time assembled together, being like vnto madde men, and in a phrensie,The Arrian in killing of him selfe, & the Donatist in his madnesse doing the same: and the Iesuite in whipping of him, and shortening his time, agree al in one. fell vpon a noble and couragious young Gentleman; and among them one reached vnto him a naked sword, and bid him runne him thorowe, for he was wearie of his life: the young youth aunswered, that he was afraide to doe any such déede: and then peraduenture if I should doe it, your companions also would kill me: But they forced him: at length the Gentleman vpon condition condescended, so that they would be all bound with cords, that he might be in feare of nothing: They also yealded to that: This Gentleman bound them fast, then tooke he the sword of them: which done, he would not runne vpon them or kil them, but tooke whippes and whipped them. For my owne part, of a trueth I commend this young man, and I would that our grayheaded Fathers in this Realme were of his minde: Not that I doe desire they should drawe out the sword to cut you off: but bicause you are so well vsed to whippings, as being a profession of your owne to doe it: I would councell them to haue a care of the same, and no withered armes in the tryall of this matter. Nowe if you like your owne countrie cordes better than ours, they shall doe a good deede to shippe you ouer to Rome againe,There can be no better lawe to tame them then is the same, to which they are sworne, [...]d is so well allowed of them. from whence you came; Then can you not complaine of vs, for we haue done no more vnto you, then you would haue vs doe: no, nor then you do vnto your selues: And w^eout al dout, if you should be touched according to your deseruings, I do not finde howe you should escape w^e your liues: y^e both seditiously come hither[Page 12]to raise vp her Maiesties subiectes, and tumultuously spread abroad rebellious pamphlets, and with so horrible sacriledge to the Maiestie of God, cause our people to refuse comming to the Church: Thrée which, if both her Maiestie were not merciful, and our learned and sage Fathers, willing also to heare of your conuersion and amendment, are able to cut you short enough, for euer séeing Rome or the Pope any more: For my owne part,The false Churches vse fire and [...]aggot in much crueltie: therefore the true Church may vse some discipline, and some sharp punishmēt with out tyrannie. I will not add willingly affliction to affliction, or griefe vnto griefe: yet, what we suffered in those bloudie and late dayes, the world knoweth: and for the bread and good kéeping you finde in the Towre, you trussed vs vp at the Gallowes, and fiered vs at the stake: The Lord graunt that it be not layde vnto your charge. But thankes to our Lorde God, that hither to hath saued vs from you, I hope that for his names sake he will deliuer vs still. In déede you beginne to bussell nowe, and by little and a little to shewe your heades in this Realme: but your hope shall be turned to distrust, and your day you looke for, to an vnknowne day, and what so euer it be that you trust vnto, whether to the hollowe heartes of England,The church was nener without one Achitophel, some Doeg or other, or one Iudas to betray it. or to the faire prontifes of those that sent you [...]uer, or to some Oracle you haue, by which you haue receiued courage: or to the foreigne powers, which haue bewitched you: or to the trayterous attemptes, that haue bene practised: or to the seditious tumultes, which the Pope and Spaine haue raised: or else to what so euer it is, you trust, I tell you plainely you are beguiled, you are deceiued, you are blinded, you are infatuated, and your Counsel is brought to nought. You may retire wel enough with your companions: for of a truth, as Achior saide to Olofernes captaine of the armie of Assur,Iudeth 5. so can we and so will we answere you: If we haue done no great sinne, or committed no euill in the sight of our God, whereby we haue prouoked him, he shall fight against you all: But if we haue, then, if we repent not, the Lord will surely deliuer vs into your handes: and if there be none iniquitie in vs, it is best for you and for your confederates to goe by, and to returne backe, for I tell you, the Lord will fight for vs. Nowe, if it should come to passe, that God should deliuer vs into the handes of forainers, and [Page 13]into she handes of the wicked:God, not man is to be feated, when man comm [...]deth ha [...]is, co [...]tratie to God. yet will we say as Shadrach Meshach and Abednego saide to Nebucadnezar, We woulde neither obey them nor their commaundement, but let the Lord, do what semeth him good in his eyes: And in the meane season as wee depende vpon the Lorde our God that made both heauen and earth: So also wee will not cease to crye out against you, to desire the Lorde to deale with you acco [...] ding to the iniquitie of your inuentions:Psal. 28.5. To disperse your lying lippes, and your deceiptfull tongues:Psalm. 12.3. To reward you seuenfolde into your bosome,Psalm. 79.13. and to powre out of his wrath as vpon the nations, and vpon those kingdomes that know not his name: yea let all the enemies of the Lorde perish, & let none prosper that loue not the Lorde our God. [...]d. 5.31. As in the day of ouerthrow, so let the vnrighteous men perishe, I hope the Lord will raise vp in his furie, and lift vp himselfe in the coastes of his enemies: Then shal your iniquities be as y^e in [...] quities of Galgall, Hos. 9.15. For those y^e Lord loueth not, because of the malitiousnesse of their inuentions. And as for vs, we wil not cease to speake against you, and against Rome, and against all the enymies of God, both day and night: for the thinges that you commit are execrable thinges. Nothing that you doe, pleaseth the Lorde: for you haue not one iot of his lawe in your lippes; but all that you haue, is of man.

God saith, heare my wordes, you heare the wordes of a straunger, and of the Pope: God saith, doe that I command you, you doe as man commandeth you: God saith, remember me for euer, you forget him in all the thinges that you doe: and you vse other ordinances and other lawes then you hane commaundement for: You thinke I doe you iniurie, no, I séeke to reclaime you: you say I deale hardly with you, nay, not so, I will deale frankely with you.These in [...]enti [...] of men, [...] success [...]el, [...] Pope to Po [...] till their ve [...] mous [...] poison [...] and [...] are so [...] with [...] mes, that [...] can inue [...] n [...] more. For if you can prooue either that your owne order of Iesuites, which some of you professe; or that your Hermites, your Anchorists, your Nunnes, your Friers, your Monkes, your Chanons, haue so much as any color or shew in the booke of God, I am contented to like of them: If you can finde but the name of any one of them all there, or their customes, or their rites, or their traditions, wee will thinke you haue pro [...]ited maruellously: I am sure[Page 14]that your fathers coulde not. And as for you, because I am to frame my speach as to men present, not absent: I haue déeply & straitly to charge you. What presumptiō was it for you to come to vs? Wee sought you not. What arrogancie to teach vs? We are not destitute of such as can instruct. What? was it because you woulde sowe your damnable errors heere,Paul Floren of Cesa [...]s schoole a [...]te, in Vienna, hath opened and this much more. as you did of late amongest the Iaponians? a people that might haue béene conuerted, nowe they are infected by you: that might haue séene the light, nowe they are blinded thorowe you: that were forwarde, nowe they goe backewarde by meanes of you: that would haue known Christ aright, now are farre from him thorowe you: For with the Iaponians whome you haue mocked, there are Iamambuxae knightes of the Vallies, for high personages in their spiritualtie: & they committe horrible thinges amongest them: there bee Tundi, in stead of your Bishoppes, and they sell mens soules for monie:These are all one with the massing Priest, that did all for the penie. there bée Boulit in steade of Monkes, & they make shipwracke of the men of that countrie, they with their fellowes take menie to be paide when they are deade in an other worlde: there be Idols Amida and Zaca, which the men of that countrie worshippe, as they were taught by you. Thinke you that it is vnknowne to vs? & are we ignorant of your dealinges?Simon Magus, Carpocrates, Saturninus, & Basilides, were the first heretikes that vsed charmed drinkes, associating & accompaning of spirits; al which the Iaponians had of the Iesuites. No, I tell you no: For we are certified euen of the horrible and detestable sacrifices which were taught the Iaponians, who doe offer dayly vnto spirites: and for that they shoulde not hurt the standers by, your Colleges taught them to giue them of the fruite Crizam, which in banquet wise they set before them: And come you hither, and haue you hope to preuaile héere with vs, and as Apostles, as Apostataes I should say, come you hither into Englande to confirme that your Copemats haue spread abroa [...]e there? Why? you are beguiled, you haue no hope, you can not preuayle: For our children laugh at you, when they heare or sée you: our yong men condemne you, for they can indge of you: our fathers and graue. Seniors controll you, for they sée into you: olde and young, young and olde cry [...] out and spurne againste you: there is not one, onely some [Page]reprobate heere or there, or one Sanders, or some Harding, or a runnagate out of his Countrie excepted, that holde with you? But if GOD giue you eyes and grace, this you may sée, That this honourable and great assemblie haue all their eyes set vppon you: and they would be right glad if happily the spirit of the Lord would rest vppon you at this present, and chaunge you, that you might become newe men: We pray for all, that God [...] turne all, if hee please. We pray against all [...]o many as are wicked and hardened, least they shold infect all: for so wee are cōmanded:And you sée what harme wee wishe you, wée labor to alter you, wee labor to conuert you, wee labor to labor to perswade you, wée labor to teache you: And as many of my fellowe bretheren and learned men haue béene here: So am I come to say something vnto you, that at the least whether it bée to life or to death, the worde of the Lorde may haue his course: wherefore I will nowe come to particular pointes, which you defende: wherein if you stande not as you haue done hetherto peruersely, I hope in the Lord to doe good: if not, let the will of the LORD bee done.

Articles of our faith must depend on the scriptures: [...]hen if [...] will [...] leeue [...] they [...] [...] refe [...]e the [...] the scriptures else [...] not wee to credit them.In this place, GOD sayth thus; My wordes which I commaunde thee this day, shall bee in thy hearte: Tell mée then séeing the wordes of GOD are onely to bée looked vnto: what worde, what commaundement, what scripture, or what place you can prooue it in: That your Masse is lawfull; or that it is a propitiatorie sacrifice for the quicke and the deade? What worde haue you to prooue that Christ is really, corporally, fleshe bloode and bone in the Sacrament? What worde haue you for your administration of the Supper of the LORD, in one kinde? What word haue you, y^e you should refuse to come to heare the word of the LORD, which you will not hears, but by compulsion? If I can prooue that all these your assertions for which you suffer and are in bondes, bee vntrue, vnlawefull, most false, will you then yéelde and relent? For my parte, I doe ensure you that if all the learned Papistes in the worlde coulde from the firste originall and springe of these grosse Heresies, but all onely proone these their bare assertions in Scripture: I woulde,[Page 14] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 16]and so woulde all my fellowe laborers condescende vnto you. I knowe it.For God, they vse authoritie of Pope: for Bible, the body of their Canon lawe: for Christ & his Apostles, the inuentions of men and Cardinals. But this are you neuer able to doe by any one place of scripture, if you wrest it not: and for the manifest proofe of the same, I oppose my selfe against you, and against all your adverentes whatsoeuer: And first of all to your first and former Article which I will handle in this wise: after of the rest in order:

1 First, we will see what your Masse is, by the name thereof.
2 Secondly, from whence it came?
3 Thirdly, whether it bee a sacrifice for the quicke and the deade?
4 Fourthly, wee will prooue it is no sacrifice at all, neither are men iustified by the worke thereof.

1 Against the masse, and against the name, I say this:

Your olde, foolishe, and blinde Priestes, that were not able to tell the originall of their religion, haue thought some one thing, some an other concerning the name of your masse: but none haue it right. One Guilielmus Eysengrein a falsifier of the time in his rubbish gathered together,In his. Cent. 1. part. 1. in distin. 1. de sūmis Pon. against the Centuries of the Magdenburgenses, hath in his glosse this friuolous note: Heretice, ornatus sacrificii missae, a Christi passione originem habuit: &c. Harken O heretike, The glorie & the bewtie of the sacrifice of the masse, had his originall from the passion of Christ:How the masse differeth from the supper of the Lord, al their ceremonies vsed ther do declare: of all which there was not one of thē vsed by Christ at the table. But I may say to this whote fellowe; as Paul saith: Thou foole, what art thou that iudgest an other? looke vppon thy selfe: for euen that wilde heade of his may soone perceiue, that he is the heretike, if hée will looke backe: For Christ is saide to sit downe to eat of the Passeouer, not to say masse: Christ is saide to haue sit with his disciples, & to breake the breade, and giue the cup, not to haue offered at masse: and Christ satt downe to supper and saide, take, eate, and againe, take, drinke: but Christ saide not, hee and they[Page 17]did say masse: wherefore if you may commit such sacriledge as so fals [...]e and belye Christ himselfe,Tom. 2 cap. 1. then you may prooue any thing. One Antonius Monchiacenus, a Doctor, a Serbonist in a rayling booke of his against that reuerende Maister Caluin and the blasphemers of our time▪ (for so saith that blasphemous spirite of error by his mouth, Satan) in that place cited, he dandeleth in his handes that place of scripture in Deuteronomie, Deut. 16.10. and tosseth the Hebrew and the Chaldie texte, as if none had reade it but hee: where hee deriueth masse, of the Hebrewe Missath: which he calleth an oblation: as if that the Israelites of olde had sayde masse, or offered vp your sacrifice, which was neuer hearde off by them, nor knowne of vs, till you forged a kinde of holy seruice in the same. Nowe howe this fellowe raueth, it is a wonder to sée: For the Hebrewe words are these,Howe can masse come from the Hebrewes, whē as they neuer vsed it, they neuer heard of it, and their order of assembling, they had from God out of the moūt by the hands of Moses: and their masse was not knowne 2000. yeres after this, and euery thing in the same sprang vp by sū drie Popes, 400 yeres after that also. Missath Midbhath Iadeca: That is, a free will offering of thine hande; nowe what is this to the Masse? as if God spake of it there? or as you had a commaundement for it there? or as if there were any such thing touched there? It is pitie that any man should wander, but it is morepitie to sée you shold lighten others to be so dimmed your selues: Now for y^e more full aunswering of that man: consider what the purpose of Moses is. It is, that Israel shoulde kéepe the feast of Wéekes, and that day was with them, as is Whitsonday with vs: Also Moses willed them to offer: Also to appeare before the Lorde with their families: Also to remember they were straungers in Egypt: Then where is the originall of your masse? Now if you will call your masse of the Hebrewe Missath: you doe great iniurie to the worde, and great iuiurie to your selues, and much dishonor to God: To the word, because it will not beare it, for the Ceremonie of offering is abrogated: To your selues, for then must you be tyed to the whole lawe, as well as to any one part thereof: To God, for the Lorde is more dishonoured, as Israel had cōmandement for y^e they did by him & none other. And y^e was to offer once a yeare, which commandement you haue not for your masse at the handes of God: Secondly, that commaundement was for a season, in the lawe. Why do you[Page 18]against that commaundement, and would haue offeringes now in the Gaspel? Thirdly y^e commandement was but for a day & to be kept as the day of Pentecost:The papistes deale with masse as beggers doe with bread: they would haue it, if they could get it, & eate it, if they coulde steale it any where. but you haue masse and offer euerie day & euery houre almost in the day: Then, neither can your masse be proued here, neither can your whorish sacrifice be allowed heere, and that same poore man that had but that one little creuice to put in the whole body into, must nowe goe a gleaming and séeke, some other place, for he will not be suffered to haue residenc [...]e in this.

The second thing I promised to speak of, is this: An enquirie & search to know from whence your masse commeth: It may be you wil be as bold for your parts,A goodly religiou: most auncient and holy: when neither the author, the time, the person and inuentor of of the same may be iustly named: for they most doe differ, one from the other. as your predecessors haue beene for theirs: For they haue affirmed y^e your masse came ioyntly and successiuely from Christe & his Apostles: which thing, if it were so, the place, the chapiter, peraduenture the Euangelist himselfe or that Apostle from whence you tooke your ground, would not haue béen without a name all this time: But it may be you made choyse of Eckius in y^e description of the life of S. Thomas: who together with Eysengrenius are of this opinion: Sancti tres magi Episcops fuisse dicuntur, & missam celebrasse primitiae Gentium, &c. Also Petrus de natal. Epis. Equilin. That is, that the three holy wife men that came to Ghrist, are thought to haue been Bishoppes, and to haue saide & solemnised masse; who were also the first fruites of the Gentils: A most grosse lye, if masse began with them, then brought they it out of Persia, so the gē riles were the foūders of your masse, not Christ his Apostles: also if it began at the birth of Christ, it began not at the supper of Christ: thē why do you vse it to remember his death, as at his supper, when you should vse it to remember Christes birth at some other time If wee did not know y^e you were as blasphemers, so also cōmon lyers, your toyish fable might haue carried some shew of veritie: but now there is no man can beare with you any longer: for none of you al haue affirmed your masse to haue béen of any more antiquitie then was the supper of che Lord, which is as falsly as it is generally supposed to be confirmed in the institution of the same. Now these Ianglers will haue it of more antiquitie then Christ himselfe: for the proofe of the same their is neither scripture nor good Doctour auouched: but a bungerly Frier, that was after that made a Bishoppe among you, & he is your founder: to whome what credit can wee giue being a man of your owne side, and one that liued not to heare them say masse? For mine owne part, your Petrus is so obscure, as I confesse, that I find not certainly what time he[Page 19] [...]ed after Christ: and as he hath belyed the spirit of God, So hath he committed a twosoolde sacriledge beside. For howe prooue you the wise men were Bishoppes? Then where find you that they were thrée in number? The scriptures affirme none of all these thinges: wherefore we repell them with this aunsweare: First, GOD, rather then they, must bee credited: Secondly these your assertions are but vaine collections vpon no ground: Thirdly that which the scripture saith they gaue vnto Christ by way of Adoration and worship, that they call masse:Papistes if they could, woulde take hold of anything: and multiplying ly [...] vpō lye, they take hold by nothing for Mathewe saith thus of the wise men that came to Christ, [...] they fell down & worshipped him: not as you say, that they said masse to him. But what is there y^e you haue not inuented? what vntruthes that you haue not defended? what falsehoods which you haue not maintained? what superstitions vpon which you haue not incrotched? Wherefore we haue no more to credite you, but thē will we beléeue you when you speake y^e trueth out of y^e word of God: For it is not vnknowne vnto vs how al your trash and baggage of Rome was drayled out of these late [...]nkes and frō the beggerly froth of Rome many yeres since Christ: This thing if it be vnknowne vnto you, yet will I prooue it before your faces: So that if you stand any one iott therein, yet your owne Rabbyes, and your owne decrées shal conuince you. This I am sure of, that in all the olde, beste learned, and autentike fathers, the word masse is not found for y^e space of thrée hundred yeares [...]lmost after Christ:Loco commu [...]de Missa. and so thinketh Maister D. Martyr. As for your place in S. Ambrose, it is concluded not to be his doing, but to bee foysted in by some other, & so thinketh Erasmus: And in your sacrifice which you cal the masse now at this time, it is euident that in y^e former ages it had not y^e name of sacrifice (For by tract of time althings were maruellously corrupted) Platina doth affirme, that before Celestinus, the Epistle and Gospell were onely read, which ended, the sacrifice also ceased. Martinus Cassina speaking of your masse, affirmeth the same:Read Chronicō. Sigeberti. Nauclerus also is a sufficient and good witnes to prooue this: Now for the generall corruption of all things in your masse, & how grosly, & how péeuishly, how hardly, and superstitiously euery thing[Page 20]came vp and was established,Aeneiad lib. 1. I referre you [...]o Sa [...]llicus, [...] those that will reade further, le [...] the [...] searth out what Ho [...] mannus Gigas, The auncient fathers neuer spake of priuate masse. and Flores Temporum write of the same; Then shall it app [...]are eu [...]dently, that both your masse vsed at this present, is farre dissonant, and nothing at all comming [...]eere the olde masse that was said: and that your now vsed sacrifice, is no order publikely vsed, then from the seuen hundreth yere of our sauiour Christ: briefly, this I say: Your singing of Psaimes which Celestinus constituted, how farre is it from the puritie,Read Guilielmus Durandus and Albertus Mag [...]us de Mis [...]a. and sincere vse of those which were song in the primitiue Church? and when as Chrysostome is author that the holy and reuerende and godly singing or olde in the prunitiue Church was both commendable and vsed in his time,Homil. in Math. 11. who séeth not that your corruption of chaunting was stolne from the Churches of Asia and Greece, Introitus of their masse. and from time to time, enlarged more and more by your Popes? The thiese corruption beganne in singing psalmes after Christ 426. yeares. Then also Syluester beginneth his Pagiant, an [...] [...] is put in and huddled vp,Kyrie eleison. stoine from the Gréeke Churches, and translated to Rome: After that is brought in among you your song Gloria in excelsis: glorie bee to God on high, Glori [...] in excelsis. by Symmachus, as you affi [...]e, when as in déede, Hilary Bishop of the P [...]eks was the author of the same, who in the East & West Churches, caused them vnder him to sing that songue in the despite of the Arrians, y^e blasphemed Christ: now you stole this also out of other churches, to inrich your owne. Your Collectes were brought in by Gelasius and Gregorie: In Epitaph. Fabriolae. your Gradualls and descentes are referred to the same men, w^e your Halleluiah: But yet it came not vp vpon your masse, but it was vsed long before, as I find in Ierome: Your gatheringes of the scriptures together in the masse, you haue takē by your wouted dispensatiōs out of the scripture,Tractatus. which before were neuer so vsed. Your Epistles and Gospells, those you inserted in like manner,Epistles and Gospels. by robbing the other Churches. Whither Telesphorus Bishop did first appoint them, who liued after Christ 135. Or whether Damasus did institute them, that liued after Christ 360. it maketh no great matter.

The ordinaunce and certaine rules concerning them, [Page 21]séeme t [...] me to come vpon some other occasion,For this reade Albertus, and the Autor [...]d. veteri, & nouo Deo farre disagréeing from your Romish Church. And Ierome in his Apologie against Vigilantius, complaineth of the ceremonies and gresse abuses then in dre, when the Epistles and Gospels were first read: Your Offer to [...]e the Masse, had beginning 275. Offertorie. yeres after Christe: and the Institution of the same had a sarre other purpose in it then had yours: For Euthytianus, hauing a care to winne the Gentiles by little and a little, did for to get them wholy, permit oblations for a season, that at length their superstitions might be forgottē: Now your Gregorius after that, ordained it as a lawe for euer, that he that came to Masse, should not come emptie, but bring something with him: by reason whereof, your pursses and your coffers are so enlarged at this day. Your Prefaces are all referred for their antiquitie to Gelasius: Your Canon,Read Albertus Eccle. 47. which of all other is likest the Master (Gregorie that instituted it) hath diuelish and idolatrous stuffe within it. There is the remembrance of their Saintes, or rather of their Goddes. There be your wordes of Consecration, rather Coniuring:Ioh. Syracusan [...] Episcop. parte 8 epist. 7. there is the Lords prayer so oft repeated: there the breaking of the hoast &c. So that all good and faithfull men may sée, howe grieuously you haue proudked the Lord,The blindnesse where with God hath stroken these men, appeareth, in that they obey the institutions of these wi [...]ked Popes, and will not obey the word of the Lord. in bringing in of uewfangled Ceremonies, which before this were neuer knowne in the Church of God. Nowe therefore what delay should there be made, what stay, what let should hinder you, that you should not come to the Lorde, and be sorie, and sée your follie? Is it better to serue God, or to serue man? to obey the Lorde, or to holde with the Pope? to acknowledge the trueth, or to be in error? to remember the ordinaunces of those that are temporall, which ruled you, which gouerned you being but vsurpers and Termagaunts among men? or to feare the eternall and euerliuing maker of heauen and earth, and to giue eare vnto his wordes? I am grieued, I am touched, I am moued in soule and spirite to sée you so hard, so peruerse, so vntamed in affections, so vnbrideled in your speaches, so carelesse of your selues, so stiffened in your errors, and so impudent before this assemblie, as I perceiue you are. Is it for that you suspect me for the antiquitie of your religion? search and find[Page 22]it otherwise,Children and fooles, and Papistes, are alike: for if you controll them, they fight: if you let them alone, they are worse: if you doe becken at them, they will return vpon you with violence. then accuse me: Is it bicause you be but vpstartes, and wresters of all trueth? Conuince me then, and condemne me: Is it bicause your religion commeth of men? then be ashamed, professe Gods worde: Is it bicause all your trumperie procéedeth of the Pope? reuolt, returne, amende, and denye him, stay vpon the Lorde GOD: Is it bicause the inuenters of your Masse haue bene such, as was also your seruice inuented? filthie, vngodly, wicked, diuelish, euill disposed, naughtie persons, and idolaters? Why? you may forsake them when you will: But is it, bicause that I open to you the trueth? bicause I tell you of the sinnes of your fathers, and of your owne? bicause I tell you of your manifolde lyings,Your owne men speake worse of you than I doe: Martinus Meyr, a Chauncellor: Aeneas Syluius, a Cardinall: & the cōplaint of the whole nation of the Germanes, vnder Caesar Augustus, Maximilianꝰ sheweth it. great vntruthes, slaunderous reproches, filthie demeanor, vngodly life, euill déedes, erronious opinions, foolish Ceremonies, diuelish heresies, bypocriticall deuises, humane institutions, Popish decrées, and whorish fables which you haue brought in, and would confirme in England? I exhort you then in the name of the Lorde, to eschewe and abhorre them all, you shall neuer be tolde of them any more, we will forget them; If not, then heauen and earth shall he witnesse, that I haue told you of all your sinnes, and of all your abhominations this day: and yet you cease not to perseuere still in the same. You that are here, comming from the Pope, howe can you stande so boldly, and face it out so gazingly, and heare vs so repiningly, and spurne so yrkesomely as you doe, without horrour of conscience?Miscellanea Missae. All the appertinaunces to the Masse. We can not suffer you, we maye not suffer you, we will neuer suffer you, to defende so horrible and erronious constitutions, as your forefathers the wicked Popes inuented? What sinne was not committed by them? what abhominations were there not done by them? what stinking and slauish Constitutions were not decréed by them? Your Pope Sixtus decréed (the first of that name) That no Lay man, or any woman, should touch so much as the Cuppe or Chalice that the Prieste did sacrifice in, or any else of the holie vessels. Platina: in descript. vitae Sext. Pont. Your Pope Alexander the first, brought in the oblation of Wafer cakes, as he calleth it. Your Telesphorus commaunded, that three Masses should be saide vpon Christmas day: Pla. in eius vita. and thereof we retaine in our[Page]Church of England this worde Christmas, which came vp of that custome vsed by that Bishoppe: for it was called at the first Christmas day, as hauing a Masse saide that day for Christe: wherefore I doe wishe, that together with the sacrifice of Masse, the name of Masse may be abrogated; and for that worde, let the good and faithfull men say, as they sayde in the Churches of the East and the West,Sozam. lib. 8. cap. 20. The Natiuitie and Birthday of Christe: let the remembraunce and memoriall of this brought in by the Pope, be abrogated: For at Constantinople was celebrated Natalis Christi. Maximus Taurinensis in Homilijs. The birth day of Christe. And so also was it in the Churches of Gallia. Wherefore, as your Popes haue corrupted all thinges, so will we, and so ought we to flée from them in all thinges: Nowe those that succéeded, haue bene more diuelishly deluded.

Alexander the first, who liued in the dayes of Hadrian the Emperour,Liber Cone. was the first bringer in of the mixture of the Wine with Water, and before his time it was neuer vsed by commaundement at Masse or otherwise. This was he that brought in Wafer cakes, when as before that,Liber Canticorum. leauened breade was vsed at the Sacrament: Also he appointed holie water for the people after Masse: and one Masse to be sayde in one day. Your Boniface Pope,Lib. Conc. diuided the Cleargie from the Laytie, and then seuering them,Platina. set the one aboue, the other beneath: Your Vigilius Bishop of Rome, commaunded that none should say Masse,Petrus de Nar. but with his face to the East: Your Iohannes Portuensis, Platina. in the sixt Synode helde at Constantinople, gathered-together by Constantinus against the Monotholites, was the first that euer celebrated the Latine Masse,Volater. which is religiously obserued by you at this day:Valafridus an Abbas, vnder Ludonicus Pius, 840. after Christ doth maruellous ly complanie of these and the like abuses brought in by the Popes. Sabianus appointed houres for ringing of Belles, and Lampes to burne in the Temple; this Bishoppe liued vnder Phocas the Emperour.

Nowe then, you haue the originall of your goodly religion: no doubt of many yeares, long time, great antiquitie which you so holde of, being a thing found out almost but the other day. Yet if it were so (as in the same you be shamelesse[Page 24]lyars) that all your ordinaunces and decrées were of many thousand yeres, what matter were that to proue the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of the same? For séeing that you haue no allowance of them, nor any one thing among you, that may be tolerated by the Scriptures, those opinions receiued commonly by you, can be no other then damnable: and so I will conclude for this point of your Masse, and for the beginning and entrance in of the same into the Church.

We haue thirdly to enquire, whether your Masse be a propitiatorie sacrifice or not, for the quicke and the dead? I affirme,Luke 22. and I wil proue it is not. In the scriptures I finde not, that the supper of the Lorde is called a sacrifice: but other names it hath: It is called the newe Testament: The Apostles call it the breaking of breade: Actes 2. Paul calleth it the Table of the Lord, 1. Cor. 10. and a communication of the bodie and bloud of Christ: and the Cup of the Lorde. But as for the name of sacrifice it was neuer vsed, it was neuer mentioned in y^e scriptures. But you say the Fathers called it so. Why? what then? shall we beare their sinnes? or shall we answere their iniquities? or defend all that they spake? you are deceiued: to the Lawe and to the Prophets,Esa. 8.if they speake not according to the word of God,As the Prophets had all thinges by word from God: so must we allowe of nothing in his seruice that came not from Christ.there is no trueth in them. Nowe also you belye the Fathers, they called the supper of the Lorde a sacrifice indéede; but they called not your Masse a propitiatorie sacrifice for the quicke & for the dead: this ought you to proue and leaue the other. Therefore I will come plainely and directly to you, aunswering you first that you haue no one place in the Scriptures or Fathers to proue this proposition: Masse is a sacrifice for the quicke and for the dead: Secondly, I will proue by the Scripture, that there is no such thing:

My first reason is this: We are iustified before God all only by faith, therfore not by the worke and déed at the Masse done by any. The argument holdeth it selfe vp, vpon the authoritie of the word of God:Rom. 4.2. Diuers reasons against the masse. For a Scripture saith, Si ex operibus iustificatus pater Abraham, &c. If Abraham had bene iustified by workes, then had Abraham wherein to reioyce: but Abraham had not wherein to reioyce: Therefore Abraham was not iustified by workes.

[Page 25]Ioel saith: Iustus ex fide viuit. i.Ioel 2.The iust man shall liue by his faith. But, he that is iustified and liueth by faith, is not instified by the worke he worketh, and sacrifice he sacrificeth in the Masse: Ergo, there is none iustified and saued by the worke in the Masse.

In Iohn it is thus written:Iohn 3.15.

Whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ, should not perish, but haue eternall life: The sacrifice in the Masse done for an other that is deade, by one that is aliue, hath no beliefe which is reposed in Iesus Christ: Ergo, by the sacrifice in the Masse, a man can not haue eternall life:

For in Iohn I finde a reason shewed, of the comming of Christ into the world:

1 First, for that God loued vs.
2 Secondly, in that he had giuen his sonne for vs.
3 Thirdly, that all should beleeue in him.
4 Fourthly, in the same they should haue life by him:

Nowe in the Masse, neither is Christe knowne, nor our faith séene, nor the loue of God euident, nor yet life giuen vs: but all is thought to be accomplished by a worke of man in sacrifice: therefore your Masse can not be a propitiation for vs. There is a most excellent place in the same Euangelist,Iohn 6.29. as followeth: A question was moued by the people, what worke they should worke, [...]o accomplish the workes of God: It is aunswered by Christe thus: This is the worke of God,Christe was offered vp for man: Frgo, a Priest at the Masse may not offer vp for man: for then taketh he Christes office in hand.that you beleeue in him whome he hath sent. Nowe I inferre this: God sent his Christ to dy for vs, not a man, not a Priest, not a Monke, to offer at Masse a sacrifice for vs: therefore the worke in the sacrifice of your Masse, is not the worke of God: But what foolishnesse is it for you to say, that you can make a propitiatorie sacrifice for vs? why, you are confuted againe by scripture. For Paul saith to the Romanes:Rom. 6. That there was one only sacrifice of Christ offered once for al: then I cōclude, that was done once, and was sufficient, may not be done any more, for that is vaine: Christe was once offered, and it was[Page 26]sufficient,Christ left behind him no deputie to offer for man: Ergo, none must offer, none was left, bicause none was named: and in so necessary a thing Christ wold not haue forgotten vs. and it was good, and it was auaylable, and there néed no more: Ergo, your sacrifices at your Masse, for the quick and for the dead are in vaine: And nowe I demaund againe, why you should yet stand in your follie? Is it bicause you are ignoraunt? learne: Is it bicause you are lead away? turne backe then, and amend: Is it bicause the light is kept from you? pray, and you shall attaine the light: Is it bicause the Scriptures are hard? resist not the spirite, and you shall haue vnderstanding: For cast vp your eyes, beholde, and looke on the booke of God. Read to the Hebrues the seuenth chapter: It will appeare euidently, that Christ onely being high Priest, dyed once for all, and being offered vp, there nowe néedeth no more sacrifice to the end of the world:The order of the priesthoode of Melchisedech was an order by wiard and promise by it selfe, distinguished from Aarons priesthood: So that if Christe had left behind him an highe priest, he must be of the order of Melchisedech, not of Aaron [...] nowe, none was euer like Melchisedech but Christ: and none for euer like Melchisedech hereafter again: then there is no priest hood behind to be looked for. For in the comparison of Christe with Melchisedech, (which is the more honourable Priesthood) the Leuitical being abrogated, Melchisedech standeth to be considered, and is figured in similitude like Christ, for these causes: Melchisedech was King & Priest, as is Christ, else none: Melchisedech was king of peace and righteousnesse, as is Christ, but none other: Melchisedech is said to be without beginning, and without ending: for neither his father nor his mother, nor his auncestors, nor his death are writtē of: and such a one is the sonne of God, to wit, an euerlasting Priest. As he is God, most wonderfully without a mother be gotten before all worldes: And as he is man without father, wonderfully conceiued of the holy ghost: Now as the comparison standeth thus, so also is there no comparison at all of Christ, with the sacrifising Priestes of Leuie, but with the Priesthoode of Melchisedech: wherevpon I conclude thus: ‘Melchisedech was a figure of such a priesthood in Christ, as is not terrestriall, but heauenly: but Christ offered daily in your sacrifice of the Masse, is not heauenly, but terrestriall: Ergo, Christe is not, and can not be daily offered vp for vs in your Masse, being heauenly and with his father:’ It followeth in the same place,Heb. 7.25. that the priesthood of Christ is such a one as may not passe from one to an other: Now yours passeth from priest to priest euery day, wherfore yours is not like vnto Christes. Moreouer, he that is a high Priest for vs, must haue these properties in him: First, such a one as of him[Page 27]self is able to saue: Secondly, such a one,The things requited of the high priest, are not found in yours: Ergo, yours are no priestes. as by whom we may come to God: Thirdly, one that euer liueth, and one that maketh intercession for vs. Then, he must be holy; then, he must be harmlesse; then, he must be vndefiled: then, he must be separated from sinners; last of al, made higher than the heauens, and that néedeth not daily to haue a sacrifice offered vp: Now that I may conclude and shut vp this piece also: I say, that all these thinges are neither found in your Priestes nor in your sacrificers: therefore all your sacrifices at your Masse, and else where, are not lawfull.

The fourth thing to be enquired of in your Masse, is this: That if it be no sacrifice, yet whether or no it be a worke sufficient to iustifie, or that a man may be saued by the same, yea or no? I answere, that your Masse is no worke of iustification: that is able to iustifie, for so you vnderstand it: I proue it thus, and you, if you will learne, shall knowe it thus: namely,Actes 4.12. Actes 15.11. Ephe. 2.5. Heb. 7.25. Ioel 2.32. ‘We haue not two wayes, or two meanes vnto saluation, but one only way and meane vnto saluation: Nowe Christ is the way, the dore and the life, and by him only haue we a meane and passage to his father: therfore, by the worke of the Masse (excluded and without Christ) you can not haue any way or entrance vnto saluation.’ This we knowe, y^e if your Masse were sufficient to saluation, then it was first a vaine thing for God the father to haue sent his sonne,Grosse errours arising out of the Papistes doctrine. séeing he also might haue found out a sacrifice of Masse here in the earth, sufficiēt for vs: Secondly, what cause was there, Christ should dye for our sinnes, séeing y^e you haue found out another ordinary way vnto life? Thirdly, wherfore should Christ be made a sacrifice for vs, if you your selues can make a sacrifice sufficient? For which causes, you teach, as euery one may sée, very damnable doctrine, & there is no standing for you against God: Can this be? or hath it euer bene?Psal. 5 [...]. or will it be proued which you affirme? Why?Psal. 18.3. what saith the Scriptures? The Scripture saith, that saluation is of God,Psal. 27.1. of him onely, of the Lord, of the almightie, of the highest,Esa. 27.3. of him that is aboue, and of none other: Ergo, not of the Masse.Esa. 43.3.

But you say you are iustified by the sacrifice of the Masse,Iames 4.12. and not saued: well then, if so, then I pray you aunswere[Page 28]the Lorde,Rom. 3.24. in whose name and fears I reason thus: We are iustified by grace, in the redemption of Christe: Ergo, not by the Masse,Rom. 4.6. and by the worke therein: We are iustified by acceptation in the meere mercie of GOD: Ergo, not by your worke in the Masse: And you are iustified, if you will be iustified,Esa. 53.11. and helped if you will be helped, and deliuered if you wil be deliuered, in the righteousnesse of Christe, who hath borne your iniquities:Papistes confated. Ergo, not by any worke of yours in the Masse: And I knowe and I am assured, that euerie one that shall be saued,Philip. 3.9. hath not righteousnesse by sacrifices which were for a time, but onely by faith in Iesus Christ through God: Ergo, not in your beggerly oblations can there be any worke sufficient to saluation, Augustine to Bonifacius saith thus: Cerium habemus quia Christus resurgens ex mortuis, tam non moritur, mors ill [...] vltra non dominabitur, &c. i. We know for a trueth (saith Augugustine) that Christ being risen from the dead, nowe dyeth no more, death shall not reigne ouer him: and in that place proueth he neither any sacrifice to be auaylable for vs but Christes, and that he was made a sacrifice for vs, but all only once for all.In Heb. cap. 9. Theophilactus is of this opinion: Sic & Christus semel oblatus est: A quonam ille oblatus est? a seipso non a quouis alio hominum. Qui etsi Pontifex sit, hostia tamen ipse & oblatio: that is, as saith Theophilact, Goe to then, Christe is once for all offered: tell me of whome was he offered? Of him selfe: not of any other was he once offered: And although Christ be a high Priest, yet was he made an offering and an oblation for vs: Ciryll vpon Iohn the Euangelist,Lib. 5. cap. 17. saith thus: Paule taketh not away the second or the thirde remission of offences of men: But Paule denyeth, that Iesus Christ which was a sacrifice and an oblation for vs, shal nowe any more be offered vp vpon the Crosse. For once was Christe offered, and not for euer shall he be any more offered vp hereafter.

Now then, what hope can you haue miserable creatures, in your workes by the Masse? in as much as Christe onely died for you: Christe onely offered for you: Christe onely sacrificed for you: and your worke meritorious in the Masse, was not so much as euer hearde of. The Authour of our iustification is set downe by Saint Chrysostome thus: The[Page 29]The second man came frō heauen,Ser. 6. de prodito [...]the second man came without finne: The seconde man came all onely vnlike to vs in iniquitie: The seconde man came that did owe nothing either to death or sinne: The seconde man came, to bee made free among those that were deade,Lib. 3. in Com. lib. Reg.that death by death might bee conquered. Eucherius saith thus: Apertio regni coelestis per incarnationem Domini saluatoris nostri nobis donata est: that is: The way to the kingdome of heauen, is giuen all onely vnto vs by the incarnation of our Lord and Sauiour, Iesus Christe. Isychius saith:Lib. 1. in cap. 4. Lon. The onely worke and the effecte of the crosse of Christ, is the remission of our sinnes. Maximus saith verie well for this. Christusommbus natus est, sed fidelibus dat salutem (i.)Homil. 4. de Chr.Christe in deede was borne for all, but hee giueth eternall life, to them onely that beleeue. And Prosper, hath a proper verse, where he speaketh of faith, and of loue that man shoulde haue to God: Quo fiat iustus, sitque beatus home: that is,

[...]

By faith alone, and loue of God

we iust and happie seeme,

Then séeing we can neither finde in the scriptures, nor in the fathers, nor in the schoolemen, that your masse is able to iustifie: you for your partes must séeke some other way to helpe, I for my part will leaue you to the Lorde, whome I wishe you to séeke vnto, more then you haue done. But wee will examine this scripture: God saith, these wordes which I commaunde thee this day, shall bee in thy heart: It is apparant, I am sure,The worde of God is high, yet comprehended: it is larg [...] yet learned: it is deepe, yet attayned: it is darke, yet opened to the faithful: it is a rule for al, it is enough & sufficient vnto all: it is all in all, and without this is ther nothing to deliuer or to aue any one mā. that the Lorde God doeth comprebende in this remmandement, all the lawes and commandements set downe by Moses: For in the wordes of God, which here generally are but touched onely, bee all the wordes of the Lorde vnderstood: Then if the law bee so straite, the charge so great, the ordinance so firme, and the certaintie thereof so sure as may be none more strong, more ample, or higher, or déper, or larger, or broader then is this: I can not but maruell greatly, howe, in what manner, by what meanes, what color, what shew, what proofe you can haue for your damnable and grosse opinions which[Page 30]you holde contrarie to this prescript worde of God: Among them all, for sacriledge most offending, for derogation to his maiestie most greiuing God, is this, which you hold of transubstantiation: whereof you haue no grounde, but you haue the shew and color of some foundation that is laide weakely by the men of your side: And now it is straung to be considered.Christ is the bread, ergo hee is in it really, ergo bodily it doth not followe: read Ambrose de Sacra. lib. 4. cap. 4. & Ierom. in Isa. cap. 62. & Hilary de Trin. li. 8. and Athanas. Apol. 2. There is but one counterfeiting color with which you ouerlay that reason & worke of yours. It is this: Christ saide take eate this is my bodie: ergo say you Christ is really, and bodily, fleshe and bloode in the Sacrament. The boye that learned Seton but the last wéeke, will finde the falt of this argument: but we will examine the wordes, and let your childish toyes be as they bee: Christ saith take, eate, this is my bodie: &c. Then sée se what you doe, looke vnto it, and examine your selues in the same: For if that bread giuen was the verie naturall bodie, and naturall blood of Christ, you shal sée that you be neuer able to defende it, wherefore consider those wordes spoken, in the interrogations and circumstances which afforde them selues willingly to be pondered of all, that shall reade them:

1 First,If the Iesuites say Christ is here really, then these heresies do arise theron: if they say Christ is in the bread spiritually, they are against thēselues: If that Christ is not there at all: then are they Ophits and Nazarites, that deny Christes institution: If they say he is in the bread after a heauenly manner, then is he not after 'a bodily manner:who spake those wordes? you say Christ: and that two naturall bodies, one at the table, the other in the bread that was deliuered:
2 Secondly, when spake Christ these wordes? at the meat eating: now y^e bread, say you, was Christes substantiated body: Then Christ did eate Christ, Christ eate his owne naturall bodie:
3 Thirdly, to whome spake Christe those wordes? To his disciples he spake them and saide, take eate: and that bread after the words of consecratiō was that very body of Christ: Then also there were twelue Christes, twelue naturall bodies, and Christ him selfe sitting at the table made y^e thirteenth:
4 Fourthly,If they say he is there in his omnipotencie, then also they haue ly ed, Christ is not there in his humanitie: therefore take heede that the Lorde iudge you not.what time was this spoken? before Christes[Page]death: Christ spake the words, take, eat: you inuert y^e words and say, that the thing was done, which yet was to bee done: you take the time as past and gone, which yet is not come: you say his bodie was giuen, which yet was not crucified: you say his blood was shed, and his side was not yet persed: And you say the bread was his verie bodie, the wine his bloode: and Christe was not yet offered vp for man:
5 Fifthly what be the wordes spoken? These: take, eate, this is my bodie: Christ saith, take this, and eate, it is my body: You say, take eate, it is a conuerted bodie: Christ saith it is my bodie, you say it is a transubstantiated body: Christ saith, it is my body, you say it is his naturall bodie: Christ saith, take eate in a remembrance of mee, you say, take eate, I am very man, you shall eate me: Christ saith, as oft as you shall do it, remember my death til I come: you say he is not to be remēbred, but to be receiued; not to be thought vpon, looked vpon: not to be absent, but to be present, not to be abut to bee way, but to be there: not to bee gone, but to be knowne in the bread, carnally, and bodily, fleshly, and really, as Christ was borne of his mother Marie:

The verie cause of all these your erronious and blasphemous opinions I take to be all only this,Ignorance and want of reading the word aright are the causes of all here [...]es: That you are men ignorant, brabblers, and no readers of the scripture: otherwise you could not be deceiued: For read the wordes before, read the wordes which follow: and you shall find, y^e the words of Christ are to be otherwise taken then you take them: For they are spoken by a trope, by a figure, by a Metonymie: As in the same Chapter, Christ saith to his disciples,Luke. 22.8. Go and prepare me the Passouer: The lambe is called y^e Passouer: yet was it not y^e Passouer, but a figure & signe of y^e Passouer:Luke. 22.20 Also Christ saith: This cup is that new Testament in my bloode which is shed for you: First I note y^e Christ saith not, this wine is my blood; Or this cup is my blood: But Christ saith, this cup is the newe Testament in my bloode:This figure did the fathers we often times: and the scholemen too: Lactan [...] called the churche the temple of God: Hylarie, calleth it the house of Gods Ambrose calleth it the mother of al that liue. Epiphanius: saith it is via Regia: the high kinges high waye: Ierome saith it is the Arke of Noe and so doe they also speake of the supper of the Lord: Nazianzen calleth it the supper of the Lorde a thankes giuing: and againe a Table: Ambrose calleth it, a spirituall restoratiue: and Dionisius calleth it, a societie, a communion, a congregation, & an assembly: so that if the Papistes and Iesuites did not willingly erre, they might see the trueth. In which wordes is a deuble Metonymie, a double figure: First the vessel is taken for that which was contained in the vessell: as, the cuppe for the wine which was within the cuppe: Then the[Page 32]wine is called the couenant or Testament, (where as [...] the thing it is) it can bée but the signe of the Testament, [...] rather of the bloode of Christe, whereby the Testamente was made. And thus doe I thinke of the body of Christ: for it was spoken by the same figure, representing the bodie and the bloode of Iesus, Christ. Nowe, for that you may knowe both my faith, and what I thinke hereof: I will make open protestation of that certaine and vndoubted veritie which I beléeue: as also so farre as in me lyeth confirme and establish y^e weake consciences of those that are here.

At the supper of the Lorde you shall consider two thinges:

1. The person of God.
2. The person of man.

In the person of God,

1 The institutor, which is Christ:
2 The cause of his institution, which is the remembrance of his death.

In the institution of these thinges,

1 The externall signes:
- 1 Bread for his bodie & for his death.
- 2 Wine for his blood shedding & most precious sacrifice.
- 3 The word for y^e remembraunce of both.
2 The internal meaning,
- And then shall you see all his spirituall graces, & most heauenly benefites:

Which are these most excellent:

1 Faith, if we beleeue:
2 Assurance of life, if we continue:
3 Saluation, if we receiue these mysteries truely:
4 In Christes blood shedding, our blood is not shedd:
[Page 33] 5 In his offering God the father is pacified:
6 By his death hath hee ouercome the power of death, and hee giueth the spirite, which worketh vnto life to all those that receiue him worthily:

Secondly, we haue here to cōsider mā: and it is to be done two waies.

1 In his own person,
2 In the persō of his neighbor.

If in his owne person, then let him consider:

1 The time: Hee is warned to flye sinne: and though at all time hee bee put in minde thereof: yet nowe aboue all times and (though neuer vntimely) yet it is the best time to remember it:
2 The place it is holy, for wee come before God:
3 The persons, and they are these:
- 1 God the father.
- 2 God the Sonne.
- 3 God the holy Ghost.
These are al there, these are naturally there: these are in power ther, they are not really there: these are in grace there, they are not in state there: these are in gouernmēt of spirite & truth there, & they will not be mocked at your handes:
4 The vse of this the supper of the Lord.

The vse is this.

1 That we stand in faith, & conforme our selues to the death of Christ:
2 That we examine our selues, and[Page 34]come with a loathing of sinne, meaning to sinne no more.
3 That you be assured, that whatsoeuer hath been done before time is pardoned.

Then here commeth in the last thing to be considered, which is The person of thy neighbour: for there be two sortes at the table.

1 Thou thy selfe,
2 And others.

For thy selfe call to minde

1 What thou wast.
2 What thou art.
3 What thou shalt be.

1 Without God, and borne in sinne:
2 Made a newe man, & strengthned in Iesus Christ:
3 An heir with God, & copartner with him, if thou liue therafter.

For others remember

1 To laye aside all malice with hawtines.
2 To laye aside all enuye with bitternesse.
3 To lay aside all reuenge with greedinesse.

Then haue you fulfilled all.

Nowe for my owne parte, I do protest simply before the Lord my God:The Lord did foresee that these blasphemou [...] heretikes woulde rise vp: therefore hath God giuen to vs many examples to approue that which here he spake: so that Papists & Iesuits cannot be excused for euer. that if I had but any warrant at al in y^e scriptures, to satistie me in this point, I wold condescend willingly vnto your opinions: But séeing y^e whole body of the Bible is against you, and we haue the Lord wholy on our side, what reason is there that I should credit you? And as for you, if you were not blinded, if you were not deceiued, if you were not most wonderfully drowned in your errours, you might easily see the truth of this matter: If God alone had vsed this figure in this place, if it had béen founde no where else, if the scripture would not haue permitted it, if the lawe and the Prophets did not testifie it, if reason and God him self did not condescend vnto it; then you might haue perswaded vs: but seeing that the Lord our God hath not bene against our opinions, but hath euen by his owne mouth iustified all that we haue spoken, what cause, what reason, what moueth you [Page 35]to coutende? Search and sée: looke into the booke of God, if [...] very same figure be not vsed in many thinges, as it is in this one thing of his bodye. The worde of God is compared to leauen, that leaueneth the whole lumpe:Matth. 13.33. Isay. 49.2. Ephe. 6.17. Apoc. 19.15. Ier. 5.14. Ier. 23.29. Ezec. 3.3. Esa. 55.10. Deut. 32.2. Matt. 13.19. the word is called a sworde: the worde is called Musterde séede: the worde of God is called fire: the worde of God is a hammer: the word of God is bony: the worde of God is as snowe: the worde of God is as raine: the worde of God is the seede sowen: yet for all this, the worde of the Lord leaueneth not: the worde of the Lorde striketh not: the worde of the Lorde groweth not: the worde of the Lorde burneth not: the worde of the Lord killeth not: the worde of the Lord sweeteneth not: the worde of the Lorde snoweth not: the worde of the Lorde rayneth not: the worde of the Lorde powreth not downe, materially, grossely, earthly, and really, as the wordes portende: and so I say of the body of Christe: you haue it not carnally: you haue it not fleshly: you haue it not verily flesh, blood, and bone, in the sacrament. The same maner of speach also in the scripture concerning Christ, is found euery where: Christ was the rocke that gushed out water:1. Cor. 10.1. yet Christ was not in the rocke: and Augustine and Origen are of the same opinion, that the rocke signified Christ. Christ was in the same manner compared to the rodd of Aaron that blossomed: to the golden pott, wherein the Manna was: to the Manna that came downe from heauen:Iesuites are in a damnable & most dangerous estate, resisting this opē & vndoubted veritie to the brazen serpent that was lifted vp in the wildernesse: to the Prophet Ionas that was thrée dayes and thrée nightes in the whales belly: to the high way in which men walke: to the dore, by which men haue passage: to the sheepeheard, which is a keeper of shéepe: To a Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda, which deuowred: to a Lambe which is commonly slayne for men: yet was not Christ really in all these; no more is he corporally in y^e bread at the table. Now, if all only this kind of speech were vsed of Christ, you might say something: but I tell you that not only of Christ and his person all alone is this vsed, but of all manner of things too in the booke of God. Christe sayde of Iudas, I haue chosen twelue, and one of you is a diuel, yet was Iudas no diuell.

[Page 36]Of the circumcision it was spoken, thus, My couenaunt shal be in your fleshe: for all that the circumcision was not the couenant.Gen. 33.20. but a signe of the couenant: Iacob is saide to haue built an Altar to the Lord, and to haue called it by this name, The mighty God of Israel: There is no dout, but Iacob knew y^e the name Altar was not God, yet did he cal the signe by the name of him y^e was signified.This figure is so common, as nothing is more common in the scriptures. It was written of Iohn Baptist, that he was the burning lampe, and the candle that gaue light, and that he was Helias: Yet you all knowe that this was spoken but by a figure. In Genesis, the seauen kine, and the seauen cares of corne are said to bee seuen yeres: yet were they but representations of the same: Ahias the Prophete the Sylonite gaue vnto Ieroboam the tenne peeces of his cloke, which was cut, and saide he gaue vnto him the kingdome of the tenne tribes: Yet Israell was not in the péeces of the cloath: So in like manner say I to you touching this, take, eate, it is my bodie: yet is not Christ a reall and naturall bodie there:

And that you may sée, howe wee haue some thing more to say vnto you, and that wee doe not ground our faith and religion vpon presumptions, I am desirous to be satisfied at your handes, and to be aunswered vnto two reasons that I will make against you: For this I holde, that Christ is not really, naturally, flesh bloode and bone in the Sacrament: and I reason thus:

As Christ was with our fathers of olde in their sacramentes, so and after the same manner is Christ with vs in ours:
But the bodie of Christ; was not really, bodily, carnally, and grossely in their sacramentes: ergo.
Christ is not really, naturall, flesh blood and bone in ours:

For my first proposition, [...] Cor. 10. I doe referre you vnto the first to the Corinthians, where you shall finde that wee haue no more priuiledge then haue they, nor prerogatiue thē had they[Page 37] [...] saluation by any other, or by any other meanes then had they: and when either you can, or be able to say ought against those vndoubted and infallible truethes, which we haue spoken, then will I say more. My second reason is this:

He that is really, carnally, bodily, fleshly, euen perfect man in the heauens, is not so and in the same manner with vs here in the earth:
But Christe is verily, humanely, really, bodily, with the same bodie hee tooke of the Virgin Marie, and perfect man in the heauens: Ergo,
Christ is not really, flesh, bloud, and bone in the breade, here in the earth.

I doe remember what Augustine saith: Qui vult viuere,Super Iohan. tract. 26.habet vbi viuat, habet vnde viuat, accedat, credat, incorporetur vt vinificetur: that is, He that will liue, he hath the thing nowe by which he may liue, he hath the place where he may liue: Let him drawe neare, let him beleeue, let him be incorporated, that he may be quickened. And in the same place it followeth: Coena dominica est sacramentum Pietatis, signum est Vnitatis,The Fathers neuer vsed to say, really, bodily, gr [...]ly, flesh, bloud and bond in the bread.& Vineulum est Charitatis: that is, The Supper of the Lorde is the sacrament of Pietie, the signe of Vnitie, and the bond of Charitie: so that it appeareth, Augustine thought as we doe thinke, and beléeued as we doe betéeue: which was, that we haue a spiritual foode, and a spiritual drinke, in these external elements and outward signes of breade and wine. Moreouer, the Scripture is euident and plaine, and proueth this which I haue spoken, that is, howe Christe is bodily and naturally in the heauens, not bodily in the earth.Mark. 16. In Marke it is thus written: [...]: that is, Christ was taken vp into heauen: But he that is there, is not also bodily here with vs: Ergo, Christ is not bodily here on earth. In Luke I find this:Luke 24. [...] that is, he went from them: But in bodie Christe went from them, and in the same bodie Christe is with his father: Ergo, not bodilie and carnally with men vpon the earth. Another argument: Semper pauper es habebitis vobiscum,Matth. 26.11.non autem me: that is, The poore ye shall alwayes haue with you,[Page 38]but me you can not alwayes haue with you: Where out I gather this briefe: The poore and Christ can not be together in one place: but we are assured and persuaded certainely, that the poore of the world are alwayes vpon earth: Ergo, Christ is not with them, nor where they be here vpon the earth.

Then, séeing Christ is not corporally with vs, nor in fleshly and bodily presence: We haue to inquire and search out the manner of his being here on earth. For it is true, that we eate and drinke his bodye and his bloud,They that will learne, they must apply one scripture with an other. but after another manner then you affirme. None is ignorant, howe that man consisteth of bodye and of soule: Therefore it is expedient we should as well be fed with spirituall foode, as it is necessaris we should liue by temporall meate: of which thing, if any man here be ignoraunt, then is it bicause the spirite of GOD hath not quickened him: For if you reade the sixt of Iohn, you shall finde it most apparantly. Also Christe saith in an other place, Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, for they shall be satisfied: Therefore as there is a spirituall, which is an internall famishment, so is there a heauenly,Esai 55.1. which is to the soule spirituall nourishment. Isayas saith, Omnes sitientes venite ad aquas, &c. Al you y^e thirst, come vnto the waters,Tertul. de Resur. Carnis.and you shall be satisfied. Tertullian hath an excellent saying: Sermonem constituens viuificatorem, quia spiritus & vita sermo, eundem etiam carnem suam dixit, quia & sermo caro erat factus: Proinde in causam vitae appetendus, & denorandus auditu, & ruminandus intellectu, & fide digerendus: That is, Christ appointing the word of life, called the same worde his flesh, both bicause that the worde is spirite and life, and bicause that the worde was made flesh: Therefore, as the onely way to life Christ is to be desired, and by hearing is he to be consumed, and by the vnderstanding is he to be chawed, and by faith is he to be disgested: Athanas. de peccato in Spir. San. I doe call to minde what Athanasius saith: Dominus aijt, quae dixi vobis, spiritus sunt & vita &c. That is, The Lorde saith, the things which I haue spoken vnto you, are spirite and life: which is as much (saith Athanasius) as that which eye hath seene, and that which is giuen for vs, shall be giuen as the foode and meate of men. Wherefore, séeing it is euident, that Christe is the breade of[Page 39]life; something must be spoken of the same, and it is to be determined of all Christians, what is to be helde for trueth. I will for this cause, briefly discusse this question in the examining of these principall pointes: First, what is meant by breade in the Scriptures: Secondly, howe Christe is saide to be the breade of life: Thirdly, wherefore he, and none other should be this breade: Fourthly, howe this breade is receiued by vs.

To the first, which concerneth breade, I say thus much: I am not ignorant that it is diuerfly taken in the Scriptures: yet is all that which may be spoken hereof, not so appertinent to the matter, as is worthie of very long discourse. Breade is taken for loaues of breade sometimes: as in Matthew 15. and in Luk. 11. Where the neighbour doth borowe three loaues of the neighbour: also the Manna is called bread, in Iohn the 6. and by a figure, by Synecdoche, doth breade signifie all kinde of meate what so euer: and so saide God vnto Adam:Gen. 3. In fudoré valius tui &c. That is, In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eate thy breade: So also in Esay:Isai 58. Frange esurienti p [...]em tuum: That is, Breake thy breade vnto the hungrie: The like may be saide of infinite places in the Scripture. Nowe here vpon it commeth by a Metaphor, that the worde of God is called breade: For as the one féedeth corporally, so the other nourisheth spiritually to eternall life: and thus doe I thinke that the breade is called the body of Christe, by the same analogie.

For this cause,We must take heede in handling the doctri [...] [...] we [...] Christ as the T [...]ke, & as Mahomet: that we diuide him [...] [...]under him not as Nestorius [...] we [...] not [...] did, [...] him as [...] bee [...] Christians. it is easie for you to sée the second thing we enquire after: that is to say, Howe Christe is called the breade of life? And you shall consider thus: either properly, or improperly are all things spoken of him: If properly, then also they be such things as cōcerne both the natures of Christ, his godhead, and his manhood: Of which sort are these Epishetes giuen him in the scripture: That Christ is God: That Christ is man, that Christ dyed, that Christ was incarnate, and such like: and that Christ was Mediatour; and that Christ is an intercessor, and that Christe is made an Attonement for vs.

Nowe if Christe be spoken of improperly, which must néedes be by a figure, and by Anagogen, which is a perfect [Page 40]similitude representing that is figured therein: Then are all they of that sort whereof I spake before, representing him in some one excellent and notable propertie: of which condition are these: whereas Christe is called the vine, the stone, the way, the doore, &c. after which manner, and by the same figure Christ is called the breade of life in deede: and therefore Augustine bringeth in the place of Iohn 6.De Doct. Christ. lib. 3. cap. 16.Nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis, & sanguinem illius biberitis, non habebitis vitam in vobis: that is, Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his blond, you haue not life within you: It followeth presently:An aunswere to the former obiection of the Papist. Fatinus vel flagitium iubere videtur: signrata est ergo, praeciptens passion [...] Domini esse communicandum, & suauiter & vtiliter in memoria recondendum, quod pro nobis care eius crucifixa & vulnerata sit: which is as much to say: What? shall we cate his bodie, and drinke his bloud? he commaundeth vs a wicked and detestable thing. It is therefore (saith Augustine) a figuratiue speach, and it commaundeth to communicate and be partakers of the passion of the Lord: and to lay vp profitably and commodiously in our remembrances, that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs. To this appertaineth that of Athanasius:In sermone in verba illa Christi.Quae loquutus sum vobis spiritus & vita, quod perinde est ac sidiceret, corpus meum quod ostenditur & datur pro mundo in cibum dabitur, &c. That is: The thinges which I speake vnto you, are spirit and life; which is as much saith Athanasius, as if Christ shuld haue said; My bodie which is manifested and giuen for the world,If this doctrine were not, our fathers could neuer haue bene saued: or could neuer be confirmed: and saluation could neuer be attained by man.shall be giuē as meat to feede vpon, that spiritually euerie man may haue something, and that Christ may be made a safetie and defence for all, and saluation to eternall life. Out of this therefore that I haue spoken, no man may denye, that our Sauiour Christe is called the breade of heauen, and the spirituall foode, bicause we all féede on him by faith vnto eternall life: so that nowe you haue no more to applye it terrestrially, or to speake of it grosly, or to interprete it carnally, or to comprehend it materially as you haue done: but to thinke of that saying, this is my body, as of a thing spoken mystically and by a figure, to represent a spirituall meaning by the same.

The thirde thing I promised to speake of is this: Wherefore,[Page 41]and for what cause Christ is called the bread of life? Albeit an heape and large companie of reasons might be gathered together, by which euerie one of them, I could proue plainely, wherefore Christe is thus called the breade of life: yet, for that I am not to discourse of at this present copiously, but to wade in them as spéedily, as I may: I will giue you a verie fewe, and in especiall these causes.

1 First therefore here lyeth the comparison:For as much as mā is not to liue here for euer: he hath to learne the way to liue eternally. In that Christ doth and perfourmeth that vnto the soule, which the breade doth vnto the bodie: by materiall breade life is preserued, by the spirituall foode Christ, saluation is attained: by the corporall breade, the bodie is nourished, by the spirituall meate man is helped: by the first, we are strengthened bodily, by the second, we are raysed vp eternally: by the first, we are maintained to strength mightily, by the second, relieued by the spirite effectually: The one is to kéepe vs here: The other is to liue with God: the one is for a season in this life, the other for euer with the Lord: So that this we knowe, as bread is to be taken that we may continue, so is not Christ to be forsaken, least we perish.

2 Secondly: the comparison holdeth betwixt Christ and the breade: For that breade profiteth vs not, if it be not vnited to our owne nature: if it be not as good nourishment receiued, wherevpon we feede to our comfort: No more is Christ vnited vnto vs, if by faith we beléeue not, that he is incarnate: or by hope trust not, that he hath giuen vs life: or by assurance persuade not our selues, that he can deliuer vs; or by certaine and vndoubted confidence, be not made his members vnto glorie.

3 Thirdly: as without breade man dyeth:There is none that feareth god but he is rau [...] shed and taken vp to God, as it were, when he pondereth and cōsidereth those spiritual and internall cōsolations, which he attaineth by feeding, and staying on Iesus Christ.so without Christ man falleth: as without bread, we continue not, so without Christ we prosper not. It is farre a more liuely and pretious foode of the soule, Iesus Christ, whome we speake of, then is that of the bodie, to which he is compared: for with this men haue dispensed withall for a season; And Elias and Moses did fast a long time without the breade of the bodie: notwithstanding, as they could not continue but for a time, no more may we be long without Christ.

[Page 42] 4 Fourthly: It is an excellent admonition that we haue, in that Christe is compared to breade: For as breade of all other is most common and most necessarie, whereon we stay: So is Christ the most rediest in need, the most liueliest in force, the most strongest in power, the most playnest in trueth, the most desirous to saue, the most valiaunt in death, the most bent against Sathan, and most readie and most prone to defend from destruction, all such as call vpon him.

There is yet one member and parcell [...]ehinde, into the which we must looke also: And it is this: Howe this breade is receiued by vs? August. in Sext. cap. Ioh. Our sauiour Christ sheweth directly how, Iohn the 6. He that beleeueth in me, hath eternall life: And againe, He that commeth to me, shall not hunger. Therefore Augustine vpon those wordes of Christ rehearsed,Spirituall eating of Christ, what it is. saith, Qu [...]d paras dentes & ventrem? crede & manducasti: That is, Wherefore preparest thou thy teeth and thy bellie? beleeue and thou hast eaten. And who séeth not, that this spoken, is vnderstoode of the sillie creature, the poore afflicted soule, the hungrie conscience, thirsting and gaping after the kingdome of heauen: and therevpon it is, that Paule speaketh so confidently to the Romanes:Rom. [...]. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God? shall affliction? shall anguish? shall persecution? shall hunger? shall nakednesse? shall trouble? shall the sworde &c? No, saith Paul, But in all these we ouercome, by him which hath loued vs: So that I conclude, that on Christe Iesus we féede vnto life: In Christe we are immouable, we stande by him: In Christ we liue, for he liueth in vs: In Christ we dwell, who also dwelleth with vs: In Christ we are fed with the bread of life, and in Christ do we eate vnto saluation & glory, if we d [...] it, as he willeth vs, through faith. Séeing we are ariued, and nowe haue fully performed y^e was promised: it is required of vs to go further, to sée if we may find any other thing worthy either to be spoken of, or to confute: Not y^e a man shall thinke it so hard a thing to say any thing against you: But bicause y^e stepping ouer the threshold, and casting his eyes into the first elements & entrance of your religion, he shal scarse tell which way to betake him, nor what to speake first: all things among you are so corrupted. If you looke into that order that I haue [Page 43]taken, in speaking to you, it shall appeare y^e this consequently followeth to be handled: Whether or no you haue done well,A flat alienation of Christ his institution. in annibilating the word of the Lord, & propounding vnto vs your preposterous doctrine, of the commixture and mingling the wine & water together at the sacrament: As for the first institution of our sauiour Christ, if but a childe should looke in to it, though he could not cōfute you, yet he wold chide w^e you, for your altering y^e which in so holy & reuerend maner Christ ordained. Alexander Pope, as appeareth in his Decretals,De Conc. dis. 2. c. in sacramento [...]um. Cap. 5. inacted, that bread and wine mixed with water, should be offered vp at the sacrifice. Your generall Councel held at Carthage, saith thus: Nih [...]laliud offeratur,Conc. Carth. 3. De Conc dis. 2. cap. c. vt in sacramentis.quàm quod Dominus dicit, hoc est, panis & vinum aqua mixtum: y^e is, Let no other thing be offered then that which God hath cōmaunded: which is to say, bread and wine mixt with water. It is a wonder to sée how these men are blinded: for in their decrée they goe against them selues, and the written veritie. In that they say they will do no more then God willed: they did well if they would haue performed it: in that they say, that his institution was with wine & water, it is a manifest vntruth, there is no mention made of any water at the supper that was vpon y^e table, not in al y^e Euangelists: In y^e also they cal y^e supper of y^e lord a sacrifice, in that do they offend to: for Christ neuer spake that word of his supper, nor his Apostles who were with him: but as other your vntruthes, so is this brought in of your owne inuention: whom we may not beléeue, bicause you were many; but we will beléeue a few, if they speake the truth. For a scripture saith; Thou shalt not followe a multitude in doing y^e is euil. I am not vnmindful of your councel of Affrike, Conc. Afric. tertium. that decréed the self same: But of al other, your argument y^e is made by another general Councel, where there is a reason giuen of this thing, shal answere for it selfe, how they haue ahused the supper of the Lorde: for there is giuen this reason of the commixtion: De latere eius aqua cum sanguine egressa,Conciliū Wormatiense cap. 4.vinum de vera carnis eius vita cum aqua expressū ostendit. Out of the side there gushed out bloud & water, which doth declare, that wine is to be mingled, if we will haue life through his flesh, with water. Who séeth not, that this straunge & great miracle done when Christ was deade, to make a separation betwixt him & other[Page 44]men,How wicked & vngodly the Iesuites are, is now seene: that defende a lye in so shamefull maner, vpon the authoritie of a Pope, which was Alexander: but they runne from Christ and from his Apostles. hath no force at all to proue commirtion at the table: For the mixture which they take away from the miracle that was vpon the trée, their commixtion is at supper: That was, when Christ had giuen vp the ghost: they should proue, that Christ did it when he was aliue, at the table: That was a miracle, to shewe the straunge crueltie of them vpon Christ: and the commixtion at the table, should haue bene no miracle at al, but a custome and ordinance, if it had bene done by Christ: That was a mixture of bloud and water, and what is this, that therefore you should mingle wine and water? That came out of Christes sides, This should be done at their Altar: that was for a miracle declared to the faithlesse Iewes: this must be obserued in y^e faithfull Church: that was a signe to them of the displeasure of God, & of their trechery to Christ: you forsooth must apply it to a custome, to be obserued in the house of God: Wherefore if you will kéepe it, and retaine it still, as vnto them, so shall it be a token of Gods wrath and curse vnto you for euermore: And though there haue bene sufficient tokens of the displeasure of God shewed vpon you: yet the more and the heauier shall they be,Augustine did chide the people for not cōming to the table: Ambrose was wrath, for the slacknesse of thē in the Church: & Tertullian, and Irenaeus do complaine bicause men came not in time to receine the bread and wine: and Ignatius & Policarp do chid them of Antiochia and Smirna, for their slacke and slow comming to the table: but beside the Iesuites, Papistes, and suche like heretikes, none keep back the people from comming to receiue. as you haue most blindly, and ouer wickedly, verie foolishly, and most peruersely, charmed euerie good institution of Christ. O that euer you should commit such sacriledge, as to kéepe true Christians, and the weake members of his bodie from the table: I tell you, that all forts of people should haue occasion to curse you, if you were permitted to goe forward in your diabolicall pretences: Thinke you that the great man, though he be a Lay man: the honourable man, though he be a temporall man: the plaine man, though he be no spirtuall man, is not as willing to receiue, and as readie to come to the table of the Lord, as are you or any other of the Cleargie? Then why would you bring in Innouations, & inlarge your whorish kingdome of Rome, and teach vs that it is not lawfull for the Lay man to receiue the supper of the Lord in both kinds? I tell you, you are but robbers of men, destroyers of soules, patrons of iniquitie, defenders of vntruth, such as chop & chaunge for your own cōmoditie. And there is no one sort of our people, but the doore shalbe opened to them, & the way made ready for them, & [Page]we will be as desirous to instruct them, & to tell them how to come to Christes table, as you are readie to withdraw them from the receiuing of so holy mysteries. But you, men full of iniquitie, & readie to spill the blood of the simple, and to cast away multitudes of people, shew vnto me some cause, some law, some reason, some scripture, some commandemēt of God, by which you may lawfully and by right take away the wine from the breade that is deliuered. Is it because Christ ministred to his disciples and not to lay men? O wise and of déepe vnderstanding: Wherefore do you minister at al vnto them? wherfore then let you any come? If it be lawfull for them to receiue bread, shal it bee lawfull for them to take the wine? Why? Christ deliuered both: ergo they must haue both: Christ saide not only, take & eat; but take & drink too: Christ did not all alone giue the bread for his bodie, but he gaue as well the wine for his bloode: therefore béeing giuen ioyntly, they may not be distinguished seuerally: and being deliuered by Christ equally, they may not bée cutt a sunder by man vnreuerently. Your councell of Constance, after Christ 1415. and at their Session in Iune 13.Consilium Cō stantiense. By the meane [...] of Dioscorus B. of Alexandr [...], and one Chrysaphius, was a Councell held at Ephesus, where Entyches the heretike was restored; ergo, a Councel can & doeth erre, and so doth this of yours.Did forbid to minister in both kinds at the Altar: But what of that? it proneth not that therefore it was a thing lawefull because they decred it: for the Scribes and Pharcsies tooke counsell together against Christ often times and his doctrine, as well as you doe against his ordinance and institution: Yet may we not iustifie or alow them, no more then we dare or be able to thinke well of you: And albeit your superstitious Eremites, some, not all the dayes of their life, many, not in the space of many yeares, did euer receiue the communion: yet are they no lawe vnto vs, no more then are the Iewes or Turkes that disalowe of all that Christ doeth: A simple man may sée you are in a wrong way: For both the institution of Christ proueth it, The custome of the Apostles aloweth it, The manner & ordinances in the primitiue Church confirmed it, The fathers & the Doctors haue defended it, & our Churche of Englande doeth against you and all other heretikes stande vnto it, That the holy communion is to be ministred vnder both the kindes of bread and wine, not vnder[Page 46]one.Luk. 22.19. It is euident in Luke, where as Christ our Sauinur is first saide to giue thankes: secondly, to haue broken: thirdly to haue giuen: fourthly, the bread: fiftly, to his disciples: then to haue cōmaunded them: but what? To do the same in remē braunce of him. Then also it followeth, y^e likewise after supper,Mark. 14.22.first Christ took the cup: then spake vnto them: then said y^e the cup was the new Testament in his bloud: Then shed for them and for many for remission of sinnes; Math. 26.28. as Mathew saith: where vppon I conclude this: The Institution of our Sauiour Iesus Christ is not to be broken: But when he was at supper, he gaue the Breade and the Cupp equally to all: ergo, we must giue the bread and the wine to euery one, neither is his holy Institution to bée broken. Paule vnto them of Corinthus saith thus:No alteration of Christs institution by the Apostles: ergo, much less ought you to chop & change as you [...]od That which I receiued, I receiued of the Lorde, and it was this: that the same night Christ was betrayed, he tooke bread, and brake it in remembrance of him: Then after supper he tooke the cup, and saide, it is the newe Testament in my bloude, this doe as ofte as you do i [...]in remē braunce of me. There followeth a Confirmation of the Institution with a reason & cause thereof: namely, As often as you shall eate this bread,1. Cor. 11.24.and drinke this cup, you shal shewe the Lordes death till he come. Out of this place I gather these collections: The first is, a Christipersona; from the person of Christ,In good things we are not to gainsay the good doings of our predecessors: and Cyprian [...]o Iulianus saith, that al allowed by the apostles, al thinges set down by Christ, and all customes confirmed by the spirite of God, are to be kept: ergo, this of bread and wine must not be altered. thus knitt together: that which Christ did, that same did Paul imitate and keepe in his Churche of Corinthus: ergo, wee ought not (or any other nation else) but keepe the same custome in breaking breade, and giuing wine vnto all that come in our Church. The seconde reason is this: taken a persona Pauls, from the person of Paul: for Paul would do no other thing than that which was lawfull, which also is to be done of vs: but Paul vsed bread and wine indifferently to all without acception: ergo wee also ought to doe the like. The thirde reason is taken ab Ecclesia, from the custome of the Church: and the church of Corinthus was verie precise in obseruing the ordinances of Christ & Paul; wherefore seeing they in that Church had the sacramentes ministred in bothe kinds; the church of England, & all other godly & refourmed churches, ought to do the like. This without question was[Page]wel & su [...]iciently knowen to the churches in the East & West [...] the space of many hundred yeares after Christ, & vntil the image of desolation was set vp, & the tyranny of y^e Pope fully established, these & such like deformities were not knowen.De Consee. dist. 2. Can. Cum om ne. Paragrapho. illud. Inhus a Pope writing to the bishops that were in Egypt, sindeth great fault with them for not deliuering the bread & the wine vnto the people: wherof he yeldeth two reasons: the first for that Christ commended to the Apostles both his body & his bloud: The second, for that there was a commendation seuerall by it selfe left to all, both of the bread & of y^e wine that was in the cup. And Gelasius doth write to certein bishops & sayth: Anathematizariomnes, qui accepto corpore Christi,In decret.abstineant a Calicis communione: that is, Those men are all accursed, who taking the body of the Lord, shal abstain from the receiuing of the cup. Now this was one of your Popes too; for i [...] is euident that this beggerly & slauish decision, came in a lōg time after our sauiour Christ, & therfore the greater is your condemnation, as knowing that these are the deuises of men, wil yet for all that cleaue vnto thē so stedfastly. The Tripartite historie doeth make mention, that S. Ambrose wrote to Theodosius the Emperor, to this effect:Lib. 9. cap. 30. O Imperator & Princeps conseruorum, &c. that is, O Emperor & Prince of thy fellow seruants: for there is only one God, king, lord, & creator of all: with what eyes are you able to looke vpon y^e temple of the high God? how will you lift vp your handes to heauen, which drop downe continually with the bloud thou hast shed vniustly? For I finde that at that time seuen thousande men were slaine, euen good Christians, by y^e cōmandment of Theodosius at Thessalonica: A worthie and rare example of a most learned and famous doctor. and therfore Ambrose proceedeth in his Epistle to Theodosius thus: How can you (O Emperour) receiue the holy body of Christ with such hands? With what rashnes can you take the cup and put it to your mouth, to tast of his moste precious bloud? when as by the fury of your commaundement so much bloud hath beene shedde without a cause? &c. In this it is moste apparantly to be séne, that in the time of Ambrose, hoth the Emperor [...] his people vsed to receiue the communion in both kinds: so that wee are to suspect you now, more vehencently then we did before: and wee may think that you are some grieuous & deceitful Gibeonites [Page 48]come hither to espie what Iosuah and his people Israel doth, and in the ende to make some conquest, and to praye vppon vs: for if you did reade and holde vppon the fathers of olde, whome very glosingly you haue in your mouth, to begyle the simplicitie of yong heads withall, it could not be, that you should so much differ from them as you doe. For which of them all affirmeth as you do affirme: or defendeth that you do defend: or mainteineth that you mainteine: or standeth so vndiscreetely in so manifest vntruethes as you do? Search & see, all the whole Senate and good troope of famous & learned men, are against you: Euen Fabianus your countriman, and a Roman, that liued vnder Gradianus, and Philippus, & continued till the raigne of Decius, as witnesseth Platina, gaue in commaundement: Vt quisque Christianus singulis annis ter Eucharistiam sumeret: Sabellicus & Volateran. That is, That euery one named a Christian, shoulde euery yeare receiue the supper of the Lord without exception it is commaunded, and as appeareth in the customes of the Church, they did receiue it in both kinds, of bread (I meane) and wine.August. Canone Qui manducant De Consec. dist. 2. Augustine sayeth thus: They that eate and drinke Christe, eate and drinke him vnto eternal life: he that eateth him is refreshed: he that drinketh him is quickened and liueth. The glose in that place sayth thus: Idest,Dist. 2. Can. si Quotiscunque.in specie panis & vini: as much to saye, as the wordes spoken by Augustine are to be vnderstoode in both y^e kindes, both breade and wine. Ambrose is of this same opinion in the deciding of this matter vppon the wordes of consecration.Hilarius. ibidem Can. Si non. Hilarie is as plaine as he was graue, in this point. Si non sunt tanta peccata, vt communicetur quis, non se debet à medicina corporis & sanguinis Domins separare: That is, If thy sinnes be not such, but that thou maist communicate, no man must presume to separate Christes body from his bloud. Cyprian is very hoat with Cornelius the Pope, and sayeth: At verò nunc non infirmis,In Epist. 2. de Caena Dom.sed fortibus pax necessaria est, nec morientibus, sed viuentibus communicatio a nobis danda est: &c. That is, At this present, peace is necessarie, not to the weake, but to the strong, and the communion is to be giuen, not to the dead, but to them that are aliue, &c. And after this, Cyprian giueth Pope Cornelius a great charge concerning the soldiers[Page]that were then in armes, that before they went to the battaile, they should receiue the supper of the Lorde,In Sophonian [...] Proph.both in breade and in wine. Ierome is a sufficient witnesse for his tyme of this: who both allowed of receiuing it in both kinds, and commaunded all other to do it: Therfore I shal néede to wade no further in confuting and gainsaying you, whome both the Scriptures, and the fathers,Pope Leo did make a petition and in the same, did commaund that none shuld digresse from the Apostles: you do: ergo. and all good men of all times for this grieuous sacriledge haue condemned. Wherfore it followeth: My wordes shalbe in your heart. In this graue, vehement, yet short commaundement, from the Lord, from Moses, and for the lawe of the Lorde, and for the kéeping of the same, I haue to obserue especially this: That customes of men, antiquitie in matters of waight, Chanons of Bishops, decrees of Popes, opinions of fathers, constitutions prouinciall, and fond ceremonies obserued of olde, are not to be allowed of against God. And as euery good and faithfull Christian ought to beléeue this: so is it not possible that your religion (for you call it religion) should stande, if you helde not vppon the vaine customes, and foolish inuentions of your auncesters. I knowe right well, that I haue in many your articles sayde something against this your vayne authoritie: yet haue I nowe more occasion,Against this vaine, sacrilegious, & vsurped authoritie, did Vrban Pope 25. & Cyprian to Pompeius, against Stephanus: & Augustine to Paulinus inueyghe much. as I see you more diuelishly bent, and more hautily at this present to lift vp your heades. For if the pryde of your father the Pope were not in you, or that it did not burst out at this present in your faces, when you heare the trueth auowched, and your lyes impugned, wee could conceiue some good opinion of you, and thinke, that of ignorance you did that you doe: but nowe that wée sée howe you kicke and spurne against the quicke, and against the worde of the Lorde and his commandements, oppose the decrees & constitutions of your Popes, wée plainly perceiue, that of malice you withstande vs: of disdaine you contemne vs: of an euill heart you fight with vs: and as carelesse and faithlesse persons you thrust in your selues for to controll vs.Dist. 21. C. in no uo Testam. What if Anacletus that presumptuous Herod, in his Epistle to the Bishops of Italy, vaunted of his Popedome and royall state, which he set vp aboue others, as mistresse and Quéene of all the worlde? shall wée [Page 40]therefore thinke that his lawes can moue vs? or his Decretals concerne vs? or his counterfeit holynesse delude vs so, that we also though he haue bewitched others, shoulde nowe againe be inchaunted with his deadly cup of poyson? I tell you no: wee serue the God of heauen; wee serue the Lorde of hostes, and we knowe it is better to obey God than you: what?De maioritate & obedientia folit. howe? where? when? what time did the Lorde euer saye as Innocentius. 3. sayd (the second Nimrod of the earth) that the sacerdotall dignitie, was aboue the imperiall crown and maiestie of the Lordes annoynted. And because that one man sayde; that as the Sunne was higher and greater then the Moone, so the Pope is greater and higher then the Emperours: Shall wee for him and his saying, obey all that he did? I tell you no; but whatsoeuer the Lorde commaundeth, that will we doe. For that same decree of Pope Leo the fourth, at the Councell holden of threescore and twelue Bishops, may not preuaile with vs: wee regarde not his edict, nor cursse, doe what he can: and the thing that hee and all the other agréed vnto, was a damnable thing: For it was thus enacted: Si quis dogmata, mandata, sanctiones, &c. If any man shall violate and breake the ordinances,Ex conc. 4. Leonis Papae 4.decrees, appointmentes, constitutions, and edictes, inacted by the see of Rome for reformation of any thing, that same man shalbe accursed. Nowe I tell you, that that same prowde Peacock is he, that togither with his shalbe vnfeathered, and accursed to: wee wilbe safe in the name of the Lorde, and dwelt in peace vnder his winges: all the Hornets of Rome shall neuer sting vs. Thinke you that wee are moued at Adrian Pope,Adrianus Papa. Synodo apud Trecas. for all his seuere lawe made? Quòd nulli liceat vel addere aliquid vel demere de decretis Pontificum: Howe it is lawfull for no man to adde or detract from the decrees of the Bishops of Rome. You cann [...] shewe me any one Pope by the space of 400. yeares after Christ, but he hath been tainted for his pride, & for som damnable and grosse sinne. You may feare, and you may feare in déede: for it is a fearfull thing to you all, to take awaye she reuerende maiestie from the soueraigne God, and giue it to a cursed man, as your predecessours and you haue done.

And I am assured, and I knowe, that no one Pope from the beginning of your Popedome, within the compasse of[Page]these thousand yeares, hath liued so vertuously, or behaued him selfe so reuerently, or done that he did so Christianly, or raigned so peaceably among men, but that he still incroched and mounted vp with Icarus winges a great deale higher then be ought to haue done, and at length hath melted, and béene tumbled downe very soudenly: which assuredly hath béene the greate and heauie iudgement of God vppon your Prelates, that the pryde and moste hautie looke of the whore of Rome, might be detested of the worlde. Hath not euery one for these your deformities abhorred you? Verily, at this time the gouernement of the worlde, which sometimes you had, is taken from you: For, who can suffer it, and who wil tolerate your presumptuous hearts? what? are your decrées as antentike? as allowable? as sounde? as good? as holye? as trewe? as vndoubted? as strong? and as cer [...]eine, as are the writinges of the Apostles? In veritie,Epistola. 2. Anacleti episcopis Italie: so haue all your Bishops sayde: and what by armes, what by force, what by treacherie, what by collusions and deceit, and what by thretenings and manaces,Dist. 63. Ego Ludouicus: Dist. 63. Cap. Constitutum: In Iob. lib. 35. Cap. 10. they haue attained to all that they haue attained. It made the Emperour Ludouicus the first to stoope to the Bishops. It made Henry the first, and Otto the firste, to subscribe vnto him; and they both yelded vp their right: For Gregory the seuenth caused it to bee agréed vppon to be idolatrie, if any one obeyed not the sea of Rome: And Adrian Pope, affirmed, and in the same constituted,Ex 2. Actione 7. Synod. that the church of Rome was the heade and mother of all churches in the worlde, and that all other churches shoulde stoope and obey her ordinances, It is well knowen that Alexander the seconde writt to Philip king of Fraunce, that all the decrées of the sea of Rome are as certeinly to be helde vppon, to be beléeued, and as surely receiued of all men, as are the Canons of the whole worlde. This caused Bonifacius to list vp his head so high aboue heauen and earth, and writing to Ruffus, and to other Bishops in Thessalia, did chide thē mightily for their resisting him, alleging out of y^e decrées of Pope Gelasius, 9. q. 3. C. pater. that the word of y^e Apostle of y^e see of Rome was neuer retracted: but by the leaue of so reuerend a father (and if he will not, we will take leaue) his fatherhood[Page 52]hath lyed a little, and his lye is the greater as he woulde fauour that vpon the Lord,1. Sam. 10.1. which is contrary to God and his worde: The Lorde sayth, he choose Saul: but the Pope was neuer chosen by God.1. Sam. 16.13. The Lorde did fetche Dauid from the sheepefold,1. Reg. 1.30. and willed his people to feare him. And Salomon did the Lord set in the throne of his father: but I do not finde that the Pope, though he dwell at Rome, hath any roume at all, no, not the breadth of a nayle in the booke of God. I know that Iosias was sent from God,The pope is one, the King another, the Pope of Sathan, the King of God: the Pope of mā, the King is of the Lorde: the Pope by vsurpation, the King by ordination: and therefore the Popes name is not in the Bible: Kings be. Matth. 20. a defender of his people; and Iehosaphat was accounted as one of the worthies among the Princes: and Ezechias is estéemed as a man renowned for his holynesse: But, for the Pope, he may get him a place in some odde corner of the worlde by tyrannie and bloudshed, but he was neuer ordeyned or set in place by the Lorde our God. This I remember Christ sayth: The Kings of the earth do raigne and striue for rule: but, sayth Christ to his Apostles, it may not be so with you: of which I inferre, that séeing the Pope is in the place of Peter (as he sayth) & in the roume of an Apostle, he must not therefore rule and raigne ouer vs. Moreouer, Reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesars: Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars: But it was neuer sayde,Math. 22. giue vnto the Pope that which is the Popes: for as I doe finde, his authoritie is, and hath béene from time to time vsurped: So that for my owne parte I tell you truely, you that are here the hirelings of the Pope, & you the very members of the very Antichriste, I am so farre from beléeuing either his ordinances, or his decrées, or his Canons that he hath made; that I will not cease to praye continuallye daye and night, that the Lorde our God woulde reuenge the iniquitie of the man of Rome, and plucke him out of that seate of deadly sinne, wherein he sitteth. For what is the Pope and his vsurped authoritie, that wée should obey his ordinances? His customes are the customes of Egypt, and his abhominations are the abhominations of Chanaan, and they are not to bee followed. Facietis iudiciamea, & praecepta mea seruabitis,Leu. 18.& in eis ambulabitis: You shall doe my iudgementes, you shall keepe my preceptes and walke in them, sayth the Lorde: I will tell you, the deapth of my heart.[Page]You are like vnto the men that the king of Assur brought from Babel, for euen as you doe in Rome, so did they: At the first they serued the Lorde indifferently: but in processe of time, when the Lyons were taken from them, they returned to their olde customes againe, and did as the Nations and as the Countries round about them did. From whome as I suppose you haue made stealth of your Demye Goddes,2. Reg. 17.27. & retaining the maner of that seruice which the Nations did. You can giue no reason of your religion,It was saide of olde time, that men beleued on the Lord, as Abraham, Isaac, & Iacob did▪ and after that in the GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob: and after that men did beleeue in Christ, & in the doctrine of the Apostles: but the Papistes say, they beleeue as their fathers beleeued: This did Lucius Papa 24. and Marcellus Pope reprehēd: and they referred all to Christ, and his Apostle [...] ▪ not to Fathers. if it be demaunded at your handes, saue onely this: that you doe as your Fathers doe, and that this your faith, is that, by which your auncestors were saued. O be not beguiled; shall your saluation be grounded vpon man? shall you not aunswere euerie one for your selues? and euerie man for his owne soule? Yes, your fathers shall not defend you at the day of wrath: your fathers shall not be able to maintaine your cause, when both they and you shall giue an account of the workes you haue done: Your fathers downfal may not be your rising; your fathers miserie can not be your ioy; your fathers curse shall not be your blessing; but if all they did goe astray, returne you home vnto the Lord, and so shall you be deliuered at the day of appearing of the iust God: And if you will followe the fathers, remember what the good fathers haue saide, and followe them, I wil not hinder you. It is good counsel, I tell you, that Cyprian giueth, who hath this saying to a brother of his: Non est, frater charissime,Lib. 2. Epist. Epist. 3.quod aliquis aestimet sequendam esse quorundam consuetudinem, &c. That is, It is not to be thought, my welbeloued brother, that a man should esteeme y^e customes of al men to be retained among vs as cōmendable things; For this is to be regarded who they were y^t they folowed. Did not God say from heauen, this is my beloued Sonne, heare him? Then it is Christe alone to whome we must giue eare. The aduise of Augustine may be taken herein, that in his second booke of Baptisme hath such or like wordes:Lib. 2. Dist. 8. Can. Veritate. Veritate manifestata cedat consuetudo, &c. That is, Custome after trueth is knowne, must giue place: For no man will allowe of any custome, as he will of reason and of the trueth of any matter, bicause reason and trueth goe before all thinges. I call to minde what [Page 44] Gregorius saide vnto Gulielmus Auersanus Bishoppe,Dist. 2. Can. Si consuetudinem. Si consuetudinem fortassis opponas, aduertendum est quod Dominus dixit: Ego sum via, veritas & vita, non dixit ego sum consuetudo, sed veritas: That is, You will peraduenture set some auncient custome against me: but it is to be noted what God saith: It is saide by him, I am the way, the trueth, and the life; and GOD did not say, I am the custome, but I am the trueth. Wherefore Augustine saide well:Ad Casul [...]num Praesbyterum. Dist. 11. Can. consuetud. Consuetudinem laudamus, quae contra fidem catholicam nihil vsurpare dignoscitur. That is, We allowe and commend that custome, that is not knowne to haue vsurped any thing at any time, contrarie to the true and Catholique faith: Therefore I aunswere you here, if you can proue to me out of the Scriptures, those Articles and pointes of religion which you affirme you holde by custome, I will yelde and condiscend to your opinions: otherwise I am of the minde these learned Fathers are of; That we must beléeue the truth before all your customes: and if you doe not thinke that my iudgement is sound, you shall giue me leaue to offend, to erre, and to goe out of the way with them.

There is nowe remayning the last thing, yet as good and necessarie a thing as any other, and it is this: God saith thus, My words shall be in your heart: what his words? the words of the Lord? You will heare no word at all: Is it so? and the Lordes wordes? howe hardly are you drawne to heare them at this present? Why? how? in what manner? where shall we lay them vp? where shall we repose them? In your heart and in your soule they should be laid vp. And I do ensure you, sithence my last being in this place, and from the time that I haue séene so dissolute and lewde behauiour among you: and howe pyningly, and howe vntowardly, and howe scornfully, and howe irreuerendly, howe hautily and howe disdainefully, you stand here before the Lorde, before his Angels, in his Church before vs: I am not onely astonied vpon the wickednesse and sinne I sée within you, as I am amazed at the heauie iudgements of the Lord that hang ouer you. Contempt of his word? It was neuer noted but in Castawayes: Irreuerend behauiour when the word is preached? It was neuer séene but in the reprobate: vnséemely demeanor and disdainfull[Page]lookes vpon the Prophetes? You finde it not all onely saue in the Baalites, and Chemerims, or Saducées, or Pharisées, or in some such like vnto to them: Wherefore you are of that froward generation and those vntoward sprigges, That claue and rent in sunder, that gnashed their teeth,Actes. 7.and fell vpon Stephan when they heard his preaching. Why?2. Pet. 1.23. Matth. 13.33. Ephe. 6.17. Mark. 4.32. Iere. 5.14. Ezech. 3.33. Wherefore? for what cause should this be so? The worde of the Lorde is that which assureth: The worde of the Lorde is the leauen that leaueneth: The word of the Lord is the sword that striketh: The worde of the Lorde is the graine that increaseth: The worde of the Lorde is the fire that inflameth: The worde of the Lorde is the honie that sweetneth: Howe then shall you escape the iudgements of God, the fierce wrath of the highest, the furie of his countenaunce, & the displeasure of our God, that both vnwillingly doe come to heare, and so like men of Bedlam, and as if you were possessed by some foul fiende, rage and byte, when you vnderstand the trueth. Then if not for Gods cause, yet for your owne safetie, regarde and marke this reason, taken out of the former scriptures alledged.

That thing which bringeth death with it, and destruction, and confusion for euer, is neither to be done, or allowed, or committed by any godly man, nor by you:
The contempt of Gods worde, your irreuerend behauiour in this sacred place, bringeth death with it, and destruction, and confusion for euer, if you repent not: Ergo,
This vnseemely dealing in you, which bringeth with it all these inconueniences, should be done, or allowed, or committed, neither by any godly man, nor by you.

Consider then, weigh, and regard where and before whom you stand: Here is the Lord that seeth you; here be his Angels y^t behold you:1. Cor. 11.12.For whose sakes also you should do the things that are comely: And vndoubtedly, a greater comfort should there be none to the godly man, or to any one vnder heauen, [Page 56]then to féede vpon the trée of life, then to drinke of this spirituall drinke,Deut. 32.2. Mark. 4.14. Psal. 119.104. Ier. 23.29. Esai. 55.1. the word of God: This? Why? It is the rayne that bedeweth: It is the seede that groweth: It is the rule that leadeth: It is the axe that heweth: It is the fountaine that springeth; It is the well that draweth the water of life, to all that come, that heare, that beléeue, that will be saued: Then receiue to your comfort; comprehend vnto life, attaine vnto saluation: heare and refuse not, that the Lorde may blesse you. For there is a verie comfortable reason, and a strong conclusion gathered out of this place: thus:

That which bringeth life, and is commaunded by God, is to be doone of all, to be allowed, and to be obeyed without exception:
The worde of the Lorde doth bring in life, and is that which is commaunded by God vnto all: Ergo,
The word of the Lord, and the Gospell of trueth which is preached, is to be heard of al, and of you without exception.

His worde?2. Sam. 22.31. Psal. 12.7. it is pure, it is immaculate, it is tried in the fire, it will followe all them that hope and trust in him: His wordes? they are chaste and milde speaches, they are seuered from the earth,Psal. 18.33. and purged more then seuen times: His wordes? his wayes? They are not polluted wayes, but they are leaders vnto life, and the Lord is a protectour of all those that trust in him. As for you I sée it; as for you, I doe well perceiue it: as for you, you doe declare it, That you are none of those that haue his statutes before you: His lawe is not regarded by you: the bright morning starre hath not shined on you: You? you walke according to the wayes of them of Gomorrah: You? you trust in Pharaoh, and in his mightie power, you repose all on the Popes shoulders, not on GOD: You? you are comforted in Herode, his pleasaunt Oration and swéete style hath bewitched you: You? you are protected vnder the shadow of the great beast in[Page]the reuelation to whom the most of the Kinges of the earth, doe [...]ll downe and giue worship: you, you are angrie with Caine: you, you are hardened as was Sehon: you, you are the sonnes of the fathers that haue cast stones at the Prophetes: you, you are bouldened with Zedechias: you, you are still, and you will be Sacrificers stil to the Quéene of Heauē: you, you are peruerted as were false Prophets: you, you are proude and stately as were the Scribes: you, you couer sinne with sin, as the Iewes dyd: you, you haue practised and taken counsell against the Lord, against Christ, against his annointed: but Achitophell with you, and you with him: you with Absolon, Absolon with you, shall be ouerthrowne bothe alike and haue one ende: you, your interprises fall as they did, that Adonias did. You, you shal he ouerthrowne with Hamon: you, you with your Ioacim, and Ioacim with you, and you all ioyned together, shall not be able to stand against one Ieremie: wherfore, returne, repent, amend, and conuert, and come vnto the Lorde, and be saued.Leu. 5.4. The soule that hath sworne, and hath spoken the worde that he will doe euill, yet if hée repent and be sory the lawe dyd admit him to bée reconciled againe vnto the Lorde.

There was no man that had offended,Deut. 4.29. no man that had trespassed, but if hée sought the Lorde his God with all his hart, and returned, hée was receiued: was there euer any in Israell, but when they had transgressed, and serued straunge Gods, Gods of siluer and Gods of stone, and offended the Lorde after the maner of the nations, that for all that were cast off,1. Reg. 8.33. and dispised of the Lord, if they came home? O then harken vnto his worde, harden not your hartes, the Lord wyll accept of you as of Israell: learne to doo well, séeke his statutes, looke into the law of the Lorde, sée if it be not an vndefiled law: yea, it is a law wherin is no imperfectiō no vanity, no leasing, no deceipt: It is a law that suffereth no manner of Image,Exo. 20.23 Exo. 34.1.7. which you onely stand vpon: It is a lawe that admitteth you not to eate of the sacrifices of the nations, nor of the fornications of the Gentiles, all which you depende vpon: it is a law that willeth you to runne from ydoles, and from the abhominations of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, that made Israell to sinne: but you are all one with hym, and runne a whoreing from the Lorde: The [Page]worde of God,2. Reg 20.30. is most pure, nothing like vnto it: O therefore, runne from the inuentions of men. For why? Dagon may not stand before the Arke,Psa. 18.33. 1. Sam. 5.3. 2. Par. 32.19 he shall fall flat vpon his face: The Lorde dooth not regarde the workes of mens hands and the inuentions of their hartes bée farre from him: The Lorde is hiest aboue all the world, like vnto him there is none: before hym was none, and after him there shall be none such as is our god: his name is an vndefiled name, and it cannot be giuen to any other. Then deferre not to come vnto the Lorde, for Kinges haue not bene ashamed of hym, Princes haue yéelded vnto his lore, and the Kinges of the earth haue bene subiect to his commaundement: The whole worlde hath relented to his voyce and commaundemente, and all Nations haue subscribed to his hestes: who is like vnto our God, that sitteth in his throne aboue? and what man may be compared vnto him? His power and his righteousnesse is in the highest places:Psal. 35.11. his rules and his commaundements, his wonders and his noble Actes within the clowdes:Psa. 77.13 Psa. 83.1. Psa. 89.9 None is lyke vnto him and none may be compared vnto our God: Then harken you y^t are héere, & I require you agayne to harken: yet it is in vayne: I speake vnto the winde, and I cast foorth my spéeches as into the ayre: my talke is to disobedient Children, and my wordes are powred foorth in vayne: I sée you mooued as men are moued in wrath, and you gather you together as the Adder doth, stopping his eare charm the Charmer neuer so conningly: you doo euill, you generation of the wicked, and your pride is looked vppon from heauen: there is one sitteth aboue laugheth you to scorne, and hée hath you already in derision. Though you repine at him, yet canne you not avoide his handes: though you grin and mock, yet wyl he hamper you: your disobedience wyll hée punishe, and your wicked cogitations will hee bringe to naught: your haughtie mindes will he bringe downe, and your dead lookes wyll hee chaunge: I tell you, there is a fire gone out alreadye, and if it kindle but a litle, yea happy shall you bée, if you come vnto him. For my owne part, I hope it not, for your partes you intende it not: For my selfe I thinke it not, for you, you determin it not: For that which I thinke, I doo ensure you I perceiue it not: for this time not I, but all present sée it not: how you are moued [Page]wée all sée, how you are pricked we all iudge: how you wil frame your selues herafter, that the Lord knoweth, but none of [...] Concerning these (therfore) that are héere, whom I perceiue you all are moued at: let nothing trouble you right honorable and welbeloued in the Lorde, they are as God wyl haue them, you bee as God hath thought good for you, & they shall, when God will returne vnto him: I must therfore say,Lib. 4. dialogorum: as Gregorius saieth of such as were hardened in his time: Sionti sube [...]dem igne aurum rutilat, palea fumat, ita sub eodem igne electus purgatur, pec [...]ator crematur: (1) As vnder the same fire, Golde glistereth, chaffe smoketh: so in the same furnace the electe is purged, the offender is burned: As the king Iosuah said, so must I say: who speakinge of the Princes that were destroyed, sayde thus: It came of the Lord to harden their harts that they should come against Israell in battell,Iosh. 11.20.to the intent that they shoulde destroye them vtterly. And so is it héere, either you are come amonge vs that you may sée your selues and repent: or els you bée sent of the Lorde, that you may harden your hartes, and haue a more gréeuous downefall. At this, let no man wonder. For the fiery piller was a light to the Isralites,Exo. 13.21. Exo. 14.22. Exo. 19.3. Exo. 16.20 but it was death and destruction to the Egiptians: All passed throw the red sea, and were baptised in the Clowde and in the Sea by Moses, yet all sawe not the Land of promise: Mounte Sinai burned and was death to the Isralites, but Moses passed throw by the fire and went vp to the Lorde and was not hurt.Num. 11.33. The Manna was Angels finde and nourished many, it scrawled full of wormes to other: and the Quayles nourished, and were good meate, yet diuers of them died with the meate in their mouthes: So likewise is it in the worde of the Lord, to some it is saluation, to others it is condempnation. The Heauens are pleasant and alike to all, yet rayned they downe Haylestones vppon the Amorites: Iosh. 10.11. Cense and Sacrifice were good, for all that Nadab and Abihu were consumed with fire from Heauen as they did Sacrify [...]e: Many were stonge with fierie Serpents and dyed, but the god [...]ye and righteous men were healed when they looked on the same: All that came to Iordan dyd not passe ouer,Leu. 10.3. Num. 21.9 2, Reg. 2.8 2. Reg. 5.14. yet the Prophet Elias had no sooner touched it with his Mantell, but hée went ouer on drie lande: Many bathed in the riuer, onely Naaman [Page]the Syrian was [...]lonsed, of his leprosie: and by the worde of the Lorde, the godly [...], the wicked are hardened, the godly haue lyfe, the reprobate are in death: I doo remember the To [...]er of Sil [...] defended many, but the 18 were killed, for it fell vpon them: and the Angell came downe into the water of Beehesda at certaine times and stirred the water, for all that diuers went away Crep [...]s as they came, [...] and were not holpen. There were many Lopers in the dayes of Christ, [...] very fewe, the ix. Leapers were all only they you read of cleansed: Great multitudes touched the h [...]m of Christes garments, but the woman a Straunger, was healed of hir fluxe of blooud: Diuers sat in the seate of Moses, all only Casphas gaue right sentence that one should die for the people: In lyke maner, many heare as you doe, but God openeth and giueth vnderstandinge: And so I conclude with Paule, Rom. 9.18. of whom the Lorde our god wyll, of hym hath hee mercie, and whom hee wyll hee hardeneth? And as for you, the Lord if it be his wyll and pleasure, open your eyes: If not his wyll and purpose bee fulfylled.

FINIS.

❧ Faultes escaped in Printing.

For the first part.

Page. 7. line. 9. reade, he set. page. 7. line. 22. reade, to possesse and pa. 10 line. 2. reade, and howe. page. 11. lin. 35. reade, with power, with right. page. 16. line. 25. reade, since Christes. page. 26. line. 27. reade, force. page. 29. line. 9. reade, There is. page. 36. line. 16, reade, must. page. 4 [...] line. 29. reade, slaine by them. page. 43. line. 31. reade, Apollyon.

For the second part.

Page. 7. line. 15. reade, Euen the same commaundement. page. 11. line 22. reade. They all yéelded to that. page. 13. line. 15. reade. The Lorde wyll ryse vp in his furie. page. 13. Annota. For hat, reade that. page. 14. Annot. 1. reade, hath opened this. page. 14. lin. 17. reade. There bée Bonlij. page. 14. line. 27. reade, of the fruite Orizam. page. 16. lin. 1. reade, condescend vnto the end. page. 17 line. 15. reade, for Midbhath, Nidbhath. page. 17. line. 21. reade, that should lyghten. page. 18. line. 3. kept as at the day. page. 18. line. 8. goe a gleaning. page. 18. Annot. 2. reade. They all, almost. page. 18. Annot. 3. reade, not Christ and his Apostles. page. 20. line. 7. reade. Is no other. page. 20. li. 18. For [...], reade [...]. page. 21. line. 4. reade, then in vse. page. 21. line. 7. reade, Enthutianus. page. 25. An. Vltima, reade, Valafridus an Abbat. page. 29. An. Vltima, reade. To haue any. page, 32.17. reade. But looked vpon..

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