AN auncient writer ſaith, that the ground and maintenance of all Monarchies and Empires is concord, their ruine and ſubuerſion is diſcorde. The Hiſtories of things paſt for ſixteene hundred yeeres, ſince the eternall Sonne of God and Monarke of all Monarkes, became man to redeeme ſuch as ſhould beleeue in him, ſhew vs many fayre and admirable bleſſings which God hath powred vppon the Ilands of great Brittaine, and the planting of Chriſtian truth in them, the which I will repreſent vnto your Maieſtie, to ſhew plainly that the cōcord & vnion of the people, & nations ouer whom God hath made you King, is the accompliſhment and perfection of all the precedent benefites which his diuine bountie hath beſtowed vppon the people vnder your moſt happie gouernment.

The Apoſtle Saint Peter in his firſt Catholike Epiſtle the ſecond Chapter, ſayeth that Chriſtians are; a choſen race, a royall Prieſthoode, a holy nation, a people purchaſed to God as his owne. The which is very fitly applied to the people vnder your commaunde, ſeeing that God hath firſt vnited them vnder this royaltie and Prieſthoode of Chriſtian veritie, and afterwardes hath vſed this vnion of their ſoules, as a Mother to bring foorth the vnion of three Realmes vnder your Maieſtie in one royaltie. The ſayde Apoſtle in the ſame place doth teach vs to what ende God hath placed vs in this happie concorde, That is: To the ende (ſayeth he) that you ſhoulde declare his vertues, who hath called you out of darkeneſſe to his admirable light. The which ſhould mooue vs to preferre the wonderfull workes of God, before all worldly things, who hauing freede and redeemed vs from darkeneſſe, from inuocation and adoration of deade men, and from Pagan Idolatrie, wherein our predeceſſours haue beene ſo long abuſed (worſhipping Images, and the viſible formes of Creatures, as the Creator himſelfe and the creature inſteade of the Creator) hath ſince and in this latter age, called and inſpired vs to worſhippe him the onely Creator of all things.

Moreouer the Apoſtle in the ſame place doeth ſhewe vs what man was before, that is, Before you were no people, and now you are the people of God: you had not obtayned mercie, but now you haue obteyned mercie. The people (SIRE) of the Ilands of great Brittaine, were not vnited in religion, in peace, in concorde, in like affections and will vnder one King, but they haue beene long banded one agaynſt an other, in a Sea of diſcordes, diſcentions, and cruell warres, againſt the decree and lawe of God, for that they were out of Chriſtian charitie, hauing no other obiect in their ſoules but hatred and malice, with a deſire of reuenge, and ſo by conſequence they were not Gods people, but caſt-awayes, by reaſon of their Idolatrie and ſpirituall fornication wherewith they were poluted, and ſo vnworthy to obtayne mercie. But now that the light of the Goſpell, the true worſhippe of one God hath taken liuely and ſure roote in their hartes vnder the fortunate raygne of the deceaſed Queene, and vnder your happy and lawefull ſucceſſion in theſe Realmes, they are become of one heart, of one affection, and finally beeing made the true people of God, they haue obtained bleſſing, grace and mercie.

The comicall Poet ſayth. A King is the image of the liuing God. Chriſtian diuinity teacheth vs that in God, there be three perſōs vnited in one deytie eſſence and power. Saint Auguſtine compares the Trinity to the three partes of a mans ſoule, which are diſtinguiſhed in opperations and functions vnited in one and the ſame eſſence. I beſeech God (SIRE) ſo to worke in the hartes of your ſubiects, and in the three realmes vnited vnder the power, and commaund of your royall Maieſty, that beeing bound together, they may repreſent the three perſons of the Trinitye in one deity, and that agreeing in one will vnder your Monarchy, they may be made the true image of the heauenly, that all may bee one in Chriſt as Chriſt is one with his father.

It was neuer ſeene in any age, that the nations of the Ilands of Brittanie, were vnited in hart and affection vnder one King, as the admirable power of God hath lately brought them vnder your maieſty: whereof the true and onely cauſe is the purity and truth of Chriſtian religion: the which God of his eſpecial grace hath miraculouſly planted in your realmes, and ſence continued in you, cauſing you to be borne the lawfull and vndoubted heire of theſe three auncient Imperiall Crowns of the weſt, to raigne Chriſtianly, peaceably and happily as vndoubtedly you ſhall, ſeeing that God hath indued and beautified you with learning in aboundance, and ſo great wiſdome, as I may iuſtly ſay theſe vertues ſurpaſſe the greatnes of your royall maieſty.

If we examine the order of Hiſtories, we ſhall obſerue, that this moſt happy vnion of Engliſh and Scottiſh vnder one King, hath beene long before foreſeene by the diuine prouidence, to be finally effected in our age by the eſtabliſhment of the ancient Chriſtian religion in your Ilands, and the aboliſhion of the new religion of Arrius, Neſtorius, and Eutichius brought in by the Stratagems of the olde ſerpent, the ſpirite of errour and darkeneſſe through the miniſtry of Popes, who ſince ſixe hundred yeeres, vnder the name of Chriſtianity, haue built vp againe this pagan idolatry, hauing changed the Biſhops and paſtors of the Church into worldly power, vſurping vpon the Kings of the Weſterne Empire, in whoſe ſoules (through ſuperſtition and ignorance of the Chriſtian truth) they haue planted a more inſupportable tyrannye, then that which auncient Rome had conquered by force of armes.

The great God of armies hath (in your Maieſties perſon) begun this happy vnion and concord betwixt two nations, which had for ſo many ages beene in cruell and bloudy warres, that you might imploye the valour of their armes for the deliuery of his church, from the barbarous tyranny wherewith ſhee hath beene long oppreſſed by Popes. And as Conſtantine the great, the protector and reſtorer of the auncient Chriſtian Church, was borne in great Brittaine, and there beganne his Empire, obtayning afterwardes admirable victories againſt fowre Romaine Tyrantes perſecutors of the Church of God, by meanes whereof he did aboliſh Gentiliſme, and planted Chriſtian Religion at Rome and throughout the Empire. In like ſorte the ſame God hath raiſed your Maieſtie to the height of greatneſſe, to be ſucceſſor vnto Constantine in the ſaide Realmes, and to chaſe out of the ſame Rome the idolatry and abhomination of the Gentiles, the which Sathan hath ſence brought in vnder the name of Chriſt, which is the true meanes to purchaſe you the iuſt title of protector and defender of the faith and reſtorer of Chriſtianitie. And as God by that marriage of Henrie the ſeauenth with Elizabeth his wife made the Vnion of the houſes of Lancaſter and Yorke, who had a long time beene in bloudye warres, and by the marriage of Iames the fourth King of Scotland with Marguerite the eldeſt daughter of the ſayde Henrie the ſeauenth your great graundfather, the coniunction of the crownes of England and Scotland within theſe hundred yeares: So wee hope that the ſame God will imploye this admirable Vnion vnder your commaunde to vnite the Chriſtian and vniuerſall Church vnder one ſpirituall royalty, which is the worſhip of one God, and to aboliſh idolatry, which hath in a maner ſwallowed vp and deuoured the true Church.

My intention is to repreſent in briefe vnto your Maieſty and to all Chriſtians deſirous of eternall health, the infinite graces & benifits which God hath powred vpon your Ilands, in the planting & maintaining the preaching of his Goſpell, that it may plainely appeare, that neither the deceaſed Queene Elizabeth of happy memory, nor your Maieſty haue eſtabliſhed any new religion in your Ilands, but baniſhed the new, being polluted and defiled with errours and falſe worſhippes of the Gentiles, Arians, Neſtorians, and Eutichians, & that the Religion which dooth now flouriſh in your Realmes, is the ſame which ſoone after the death of our Sauiour was preached and receaued by the Kings your predeceſſours, and by the people of your Realmes.

Theodoret a Greeke biſhop and one of the moſt ancient of the Church in his bookes de curatione Grecarum affectionum, ſermon 9. de legibus, makes a goodly compariſon betwixt the power of the Romaine Empire, and their Lawes, & the Empire of Ieſus Chriſt, and of his Lawe receiued throughout the worlde. He ſaieth, the Romaines could neuer make the Perſians and Parthians of the Eaſt ſubiect to their lawes, nor towardes the North, the Cimbrians, Danes, nor the people of Brittaine. But the power of Ieſus Chriſt hath beene greater, for (ſaieth he) our fiſherman that is Saint Peter, and our maker of tents, which is Saint Paul, haue made the Brittiſh people ſubiect to the lawes of Chriſt, the which would not obey the Romaine lawes, ſo as antiquitie doth teſtifie that the Apoſtles haue preached in our Ilands. Metaphraſtes (cited by the Cardinall Baronius) Baleus ex Gilda et alijs ſcript.Anglis. Niceph. l. 2. c 4 ſayeth that Saint Peter came thether. Ioſeph of Arimathie, and Simon Zelotes came likewiſe, as Hiſtories do teach vs. This ſeede of the Goſpell in your Ilands tooke ſuch increaſe, as King Lucius and all his ſubiects, about the yeere 180. did publikely receiue the Chriſtian religion.

And indeede the Chronographers haue noted that about the yeare of our Lord 180. Brittaine was Plat. in vit. The: leſph.the firſt part of the world which did publiquely receiue the fayth of Chriſt, for Lucius King of Brittaine did in thoſe dayes depoſe the Prieſts of the Gentiles, and did ſubſtitute in their places Biſhoppes and Chriſtian paſtors; hee baniſhed Gentiliſme out of his countrie, which hapned not in any part of the worlde, vntill the time of Conſtantine the great. Tertulian, and Origen who liued about the ſame time teſtifie, that the countries of Brittaine beeing inacceſſible for the Remains were ſubiect vnto Chriſt. The Biſhops of this Iland were at the councell of Nice, held vnder Conſtantine the great, three hundred yeares after Chriſt, which is the firſt period of Chriſtianiſme, during the which the Chriſtians did ſuffer twelue moſt cruell perſecutions vnder the tyrannie of Paganiſme and the Idolatrie of olde Rome.

We well wot that during the three firſt Periods of Chriſtianitie, whereof eyther conteynes three hundred yeares, the true and onely worſhippe of one God, which hath beene planted ſince the Apoſtles time in your Ilands, hath beene continued there during the laid time, and yet the Chriſtians, which liued in thoſe ages (no not the Remaines) did euer allowe (in the publique vſe of the ſeruice of the Church,) of the worſhip of the hoſt in the Romiſh maſſe, nor of the pretended woode of the very croſſe, nor of the Images of Ieſus Chriſt, or his ſepulcher ſeated neare to Mount Caluarie, all which are worſhiped in the new Romiſh Church as God himſelfe, which worſhips are abhominations of the Gentils, Arriens & Neſtoriens, which bring with it the ſhipwracke of eternall health.

The Chriſtians vvhich liued during the firſt Period of the three hundred yeares of Chriſtianitie, did inuiolably keepe the firſt commaundement▪ Thou ſhalt haue no other Gods againſt my face, or before mee, which the Thargum of the Caldeans hath interpreted, beſides mee, or any other Athanaſ. Oret. cont. gentes. tom. 1. pag. 34. then mee. The Greeke tranſlation ſaith, other Gods beſides me. Athanaſius interpreting this commaundement ſayth, Hee hath not forbidden them to haue other Gods, for that there were other Gods, but leaſt any one falling from the true God, ſhould make him a God of that which is not, like to thoſe Gods which the Poets and writers make mention of, which haue but the name of God and not the effect. And the ſame Authour ſayeth, If reaſon and the eſteeme we houlde of God doth make vs beleeue that hee may bee in all places, and that nothing of all that which God hath under him is God, and that all things are vnder his power, why doe not they which make a creature God▪ ſee, that it is out of the definition attributed vnto God.

Theodoret vppon the ſame commaundement ſaith, that the Arrians offend againſt it, and the true Chriſtians obſerue it. They doe not allowe any thing to be held or worſhiped for God, but the deuine nature: but thoſe which follow the error of Arrius and Eunomius, ſinne directly againſt the deuine law, for they confeſſe the onely Sonne of God, but they maintaine that he was created and is deuided from the deuine ſubſtance. God hauing ſayde, Thou ſhalt haue no other Gods but me, doubtleſſe theſe men bring in another God.

By theſe authorities we do inferre, that the Romains which worſhip the hoſt in the Maſſe, breake this commaundement, for they agree, that it is no part of the deuine nature, but of the ſubſtance and nature of Ieſus Chriſts humanitie, who is worſhiped according to his diuinitie▪ and not after his humanitie, according to the aunbient ſimboles of the Church. The Chriſtian faith then hath for a firme and onely foundation the worſhip of one God, according to this firſt commaundement, and the worſhip of any thing created by God, which is vnder him, ought not to be receiued in the Chriſtian religion, but the onely deuine nature of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, ought to be worſhiped and called on in Triple vnitie, without the which nothing ought to be worſhiped, without manifeſt impietie and idolatrie.

The ſame Theodoret interpreting this commandement, ſaieth, Serm. 2. God the maker of all things in the beginning of the law which he gaue vnto Moſes cōmaunded him to worſhip one God. I am (ſaith he) the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, & whē he hath put Moſes in mind of his late benefits, he exhorts him to perſiſt in the ſeruice of god, not to deuide his worſhip but to cleaue onely vnto God, Thou ſhalt not (ſaith he) haue any other Gods but me. The which doth teach vs that thoſe of the Romiſh corruptiō haue brought in ſtrange Gods, for that they haue deuided the adoration and veneration betwixt God and his creatures, making three degrees. The firſt they call Latria, which they attribute to God and to the Hoſt in the Maſſe equally. The ſecond Hyperdeulia, which they yeelde to the bleſſed virgin. And the third Dulia, attributed to their other Saints and to their images and reliques, abuſing with too groſſe an ignorance the ſignification of theſe Greeke wordes, for Deulia ſignifies a greater ſeruice then Latria. And we learne that in this place Theodoret calles the ſeruice and adoration of God, by the name of Deulia, and ſo doe Athanaſius and Chriſoſtome. And Saint Auguſtine who hath brought in this diſtinction, attributes both vnto God onely. In his 84. Queſtion vpon Exod.

Iuſtin Martir who liued vnder Antonius Pius in the ſecond age of this period of Chriſtianity, ſhewes plainely that the Chriſtians did not alow of the worſhip of any thing inferiour to the Deity, and ſaieth that Ieſus Chriſt had ſo taught them: for ſpeaking to the Emperour in his Apologie for the Chriſtians of his time, hee writes thus. That God onely is to be worſhipped, for ſo Chriſt doth teach the greateſt commandement is, thou ſhalt worſhippe the Lorde thy God, and him onely ſhalt thou honour with all thy heart and all thy ſtrength, the Lorde God which hath created thee. And a little after he ſaith, we worſhip God onely, in other things we willingly ſerue you, for that we do acknowledge you for Kings and Princes of men, and we pray vnto God that he will giue you wiſedome equall to your royall power. So as the Chriſtians in matters of religion did not yeeld any worſhip to things created, neither did they deuide the worſhip betwixt God & his creatures, as the Romiſh Church doth.

Many Chriſtians of the ſame time, were ſo exact obſeruers of the onely worſhippe of God, as they would not reuerence the Roman Emperors, as the ſouldiers did in ciuil cauſes, for Theophilus to Apoſtolicus the ſixt Biſhop of Antioche, who liued in the yeare of our Lord 173. when as Lucius was King of great Brittaine; ſaith I ſhall honor the Emperour more in praying for him, then in worſhipping him, for it is not lawfull to worſhip any but God onely.

The Chriſtians of theſe three firſt ages, had no Alters, no Images, nor any materiall croſſes of golde, ſiluer, wood, or ſtone, for Clemens Alexandrinus who was neere the Apoſtles time ſaith. Wee Chriſtians are expreſlye forbidden to vſe In Parenetico.any arte of deceite (for ſo hee calleth painting and making of Images) Thou ſhalt not (ſaith the Prophet Moſes) make the likeneſſe of any thing that is in heauen aboue, or on the earth beneath. And the ſame author Strom. Lib. 5. Pythagoras (ſaith he) forbids the wearing of rings, nor to ingraue in them the images and figures of Gods, as Moſes had long before forbidden, and that we muſt not make any Image, be it grauen, molten, counterfeite or painted, that wee ſhould not bee carryed away with ſenſible things, but ſhould paſſe vnto thoſe thinges which are comprehended by vnderſtanding, And ſoone after he ſaith; To honour the eſſence by the knowledge of a materiall thing, is to contemne it.

The Doctrine of the Romiſh Church dooth heerein directly oppugne the Doctrine of Chriſtian antiquitye, making a new God of the hoſt of the new Maſſe, giuing it the name of God, worſhipping it as God, and yet their doctors confeſſe that it is made and created by the wordes of conſecration.

It is therefore euident that they haue brought into the Church a God created, which is not contayned in the definition of God, before mentioned by Saint Athanaſius, for the hoaſt of the Maſſe is not euerye where, which is the property of God onelye, neither dooth it containe all things vnder his power: but contrarywiſe the Counſell of Trent ſaith in expreſſe wordes, that Ieſus Chriſt God and man is contained vnder the viſible ſignes of Breade, of Wine, which is quite contrarye to the diuine nature, which contaynes all things in it, and is not contained in anye thing. The God therefore of the Romiſh Maſſe, is a God created which hath a beginning and ending, and is contained in the viſible forme of Breade and Wine, and containes not in it all things created; ſo as the worſhippers of this God of the Maſſe, doe worſhippe a newe and ſtrange God, contrarye to the firſt commaundement.

If the Arrians (as Theodoret ſaith) haue broken this firſt commaundement, for that they taught that Ieſus Chriſt according to his deity was a creature, and yet he was God, with greater reaſon the Romaines tranſgreſſe the ſame commaundement, confeſſing that the pretended deitie of the hoaſt of the Maſſe, is a deitie purchaſed by the conſecration, and not by the eternall deity, without beginning and without ending. And the ſame Theodoret writing againſt the Greekes in the foreſaide paſſage, teacheth vs, that by the commaundement which ſaith. Thou ſhalt haue no other Gods but mee, that Moſes forbiddes to make anye deuiſion of the deuine worſhippe, but to giue all to God onelye. The Romaines who haue made three degrees of worſhipping, cannot denie but they haue broken this firſt commaundement, and brought in a multitude of Gods, making as manye Gods as they ſaye Maſſes: So as their pluralitie of Gods becomes infinite, and ſurpaſſeth the multitude of the Paynims Gods. Minutius Foelix, Tertulian, Origen, and Arnobius, vvho liued in the third age of this firſt Periode of Chriſtianiſme, teſtifie that the Gentiles accuſed the Chriſtians, for that they had neither Temples, Altars, Images, nor viſible or Materiall Sacrifices, and that they did hide from ſight, that which they did worſhippe. Cecilius a Pagan Oratour, diſputing againſt Octauius a Chriſtian, as Minutius doth reporte, obiected to the Chriſtians. Why haue they no Alters, no Temples, no knowne Images. They did blazon our Chriſtians in the vvorſhiping of the Croſſe, vvhich they ſayd they deſerued, taking the Croſſe for a puniſhment. To whom Octauius aunſweres for the Chriſtians. We neither worſhippe nor deſire Croſſes, but you who haue conſecrated Gods of Wood, worſhiping Croſſes of Wood, as peeces of your Gods. Whereby it appeares that the auncient Chriſtians in the pureneſſe of Chriſtian religion did neither worſhip croſſes of Gold, Siluer, Stone or Wood, as theſe doe of the Romiſh religion. How ſhould they I pray you worſhippe them, ſeing they had them not? & which is more, would not haue them? But the Church of Rome doth quite contrarie, running after Gods of Gold and Siluer, made (as the Pſalme • ſaieth) by mans hand.

In regarde of that which the Gentiles did obiect vnto the Chriſtians, that they did hide, and not ſhew forth what they did worſhip. Octauius aunſweres for the Chriſtians. Doe you thinke that we doe hide what we do worſhip, although we haue neither Temples, nor Aulters? for what Image ſhall I make of God? If thou haſt thy right ſences, thou ſhalt finde that man is the true Image of God. And a little after he ſaith: But the God whom we worſhip, we neither ſhewe nor ſee. If the auncient Chriſtians had beene like vnto the Romiſh Chriſtians of this age, the Gentiles could not haue obiected, that they had neither Aultars nor Images: for in truth they haue more Aulters and Images then the Gentiles had. Neither ſhould they haue obiected vnto the Chriſtiās, that they concealed what they worſhipped, for the Romains ſhew in the eleuation of the Hoſt, the God which they worſhip, & cauſe the people to worſhip it, the which they not onely ſhewe in Temples, but alſo in the ſtreetes, and in generall proceſſions, and other ſolemnities, they ſhew forth what they worſhip, againſt the vſe of the firſt Chriſtians.

Tertulian in his booke of Idolatrie, confutes with many reaſons, the making of all ſortes of Images, to roote out all matter of Idolatrie; and after he had cited the ſecond commaundement, whereby it is defended to make the likeneſſe of anie thing that is in heauen or earth, hee ſaith, It is forbidden throughout all the worlde▪ for the ſeruants of God to vſe ſuch making of Images, ſeeing that Enoch had foretoulde that the Diuell or the Angels of darkeneſſe ſhould turne all the Elements into Idolatrie, and all that is conteyned in Heauen and Earth, that all theſe things might bee conſecrated for God againſt God himſelfe. And ſo mans errour doth worſhippe all things except the Creator of all things. Their Images were Idols, and the conſecration of Images is Idolatrie. And whatſoeuer Idolatrie commits, muſt neceſſarily be attributed to the maker of the Idol.

That which Origen ſpeaketh vpon the Epiſtle to the Romaines, is to be conſidered, to make Chriſtians wholy to reiect Idolatrie: For after that he hath refuted the Errours of the Gentiles, in that they might know God by the viſible Ellementes, yet they had fallen to the worſhippe of the viſible Images of Creatures, concluding thus. To the ende that in fewe wordes wee may ſpeake the truth, wee houlde it an abhominable impietie to worſhippe any thing, except the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt.

And a little after hee ſaith, They wrong themſelues that ſerue Images, and worſhippe the Creature leauing the Creator: But we Chriſtians which worſhip and adore the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt onely, and no other Creature, as we doe not erre in the diuine worſhippe, ſo doe wee not offend in our actions and conuerſation. It is moſt certaine that the Hoſt offred vp in the Romaine Lyturgie, is not conſubſtantiall with the Father, Son, & holy Ghoſt, & much leſſe vnited in conſubſtantialitie with the Trinitie, as it is well noted in the ſermon de Caena Domini, inſerted among the workes of Cyprian who liued in the third age, where it is ſaide. That the diuine eſſence is infuſed in the viſible Sacrament after an vnſpeakable manner, that there might bee more deuotion and reuerence giuen to the Sacraments, and a more holy acceſſe to the truth of him, of whoſe bodie they bee Sacraments, and to the participating of the ſpirite, not to the conſubſtantialitie of Chriſt, but to this brotherly and indiuiſible vnitie: for the Sonne onely is conſubſtantiall with the Father, the ſubſtance of the Trinitie may not bee deuided, our coniunction, and that of Chriſt doth not confounde the perſons, nor vnite the ſubſtances, but doth onely conſociate the affections, and binde the willes. If in the perſon of Ieſus Chriſt, conſiſting of three natures in one perſon, worſhiped with one onely worſhippe: the deuine nature had beene onely infuſed in the humanitie of Ieſus Chriſt after his birth, as Neſtorius did teach, and not vnited perſonally in the virgins wombe.

Cyrillus and the other Orthodoxes did rightly mainetaine agaynſt him, that to worſhippe one Chriſt carrying God in him, had beene an Antropolatrie or Pagan Idolatrie. With greater reaſon the infuſion of the Diuinitie in the Sacrament and in the elements of Breade and Wine, cannot attribute vnto it the dignity to bee worſhipped as God himſelfe, for (as that text doth teach vs) this infuſion which is made in the ſacrament is not conſubſtantiall with the deity of the Sonne of God, the which is onely conſubſtantiall with the father and the holy ſpirite, for that it dooth affect a moſt ſtraight and mutuall coniunction betwixt God and vs. Saint Iohn in his ſeuenteenth Chapter ſpeaketh of this coniunction and vnion, where our Sauiour prayes to his father for all thoſe that ſhall beleeue in him. That all may be one, as thou O father art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in vs. If this vnion ſhould make that ſacrament of the Lords ſupper to be worſhipped, then thoſe which are vnited in Chriſt, and by him in God the father, ſhould worſhip one another, for our Sauiour ſaith in the ſixt of Saint Iohn. Hee that eates my fleſh and drinks my bloud, remaines in me & I in him. That we might know (ſaith Cypriā) that our abiding in him is a true eating, and the drinking an incorporation, with a duty of obedience, ioyning of willes and vnitie of affections. The eating therefore is a certaine greedineſſe in vs, and a deſire to remaine for euer in Chriſt.

We learne by theſe authorities, that euen as Chriſts abyding in vs by our eating of the ſacrament, makes vs not capable of worſhip, for that by this coniunction wee are not perſonally vnited with the deity of Ieſus Chriſt, In like ſort the infuſion of the deuine eſſence in the ſacramentes, whereof Saint Cyprian ſpeakes, makes not the ſacrament to be worſhipped, if it were ſo, the ſaid adoration were in idolatrye like that of Neſtorius, who worſhipped man carrying God in him, as is ſaid before.

We may therfore ſay with good reaſon againſt thoſe that worſhip the creatures, and the images of Ieſus Chriſt, his ſepulcher, and the wood of the croſſe, that which Origen ſpeaketh againſt the Gentiles of his time. God is the vertue which gouernes all things, and the diuinitye which filleth all things, making themſelues thereby inexcuſable, that whereas God hath giuen them the grace to know him yet haue they not honoured him as they ought, neither haue they giuen him due thankes, but haue ſought in the vanity of their owne imaginations the images of God. As thoſe of the Romiſh Church doe in the Maſſe, for in their hoaſt they make figures and images. They haue loſt in themſelues the Image of God: they which vanted to haue the ſpirite of wiſedome, are fallen into the obſcure darkeneſſe of ignorance. For what is there more abhominable thē to turne the glory of God to the corporall and corruptible image of mans nature? the which is done at this preſent throughout all the Romiſh Church as it is ſaide. So as they haue conuerted God the Creatour of all things, into a corporall and corruptible forme, whome they thought to worſhip vnder thoſe viſible formes, wee will therefore conclude our diſcourſe of the proofe of the true and onely adoration of God, obſerued throughout all the habitable world, during the firſt periode of three hundred yeares, with the teſtimonye of Arnobius, writing againſt the Gentiles obiecting to the Chriſtians, that they would not worſhippe any but the firſt, and the greateſt of all the Gods, and not the inferiour Gods, according to the manner in thoſe dayes, to whome hee aunſwereth ſaying. And wee may ſay in that which concernes the worſhippe and honour of the diuinity, that it ſufficeth vs to haue one onelye God, God I ſaye the father of all things, who hath created and gouerneth all things. In worſhipping of him wee worſhippe all that we ought to worſhippe, when wee honour him, wee honour in him that which hee requires at our handes, what the duety of worſhippe dooth exact, that we performe by our worſhippe. For ſeeing wee holde the chiefe of all diuinitye, of whome all diuine thinges depend, wee thinke it ſuperfluous to ſeeke to priuate perſons. And a little after hee ſaithe: As in earthlye kingdomes wee are not conſtrained to worſhippe and honour euerye priuate man of the Kings houſe, but in the honour wee doe vnto Kings, thoſe which belong vnto them are ſceretly honored with them. So the Chriſtians of that perfect age, did not worſhippe nor call vpon any thing vnder God, as the Romaniſtes of our age doe, which worſhip the bleſſed virgin, the Angelles Michael and Gabriel, Saint Iohn Baptiſt, the Apoſtles and Martyrs, their reliques, Sepulchers and Images. So as it is moſt apparent that the Religion planted at this preſent in the Ilandes of great Brittaine is the true auncient Religion, and the only worſhip of one God, incōmunicable to the Creatures, the which hath continued during the firſt periode of the three hundred yeares of Chriſtianity. So as it is a meere ſlander what the aduerſaries of the trueth ſaye, that your Maieſtye hath baniſhed the true auncient Chriſtian Religion out of your Realmes, to plant a newe Religion, pretended to bee begunne by Martin Luther, Iohn Caluin, and other great Perſonages in the puritye of the true Chriſtian Doctrine.

But contrarywiſe it is an immortall glorye which ſhall increaſe in your raigne, and continue to poſterity, ſeeing that your Maieſty is the author of the reſtoring of the true Chriſtian religion in your realmes, hauing reſtored it I ſaye to that beauty and ſincerity, as it was in oulde time planted by Lucius your fore-runner, the firſt Chriſtian King of great Brittayne, who became ſo affectionate and zealous of the aduancement and propagation of the trueth, and ſo great an enemie to Idolatrie and the worſhip of Creatures and viſible formes, that of a King he became a Preacher (as ſome Hiſtories ſay) And as during the perſecutiō of the Chriſtians vnder Diocleſian and Maxentius which were the moſt bloudie of all, God vſed your Ilands and kingdomes as a refuge for the true Chriſtians which fled from the ſaide perſecutions; Euen ſo the ſame God hath made your moſt happie raigne to be a ſafe harbour for the Chriſtians of our age, who haue been forced to abandon houſes, goods, and inheritances, rather then to bow to the Romiſh worſhip.

God the protector of his true Church hath continued his admirable graces ouer your Ilands in the ſecond Period of Chriſtianiſme, the which begun with the moſt happie Empire of Conſtantius Euſeb. in vita Conſtan. Chlorus: for during the laſt perſecution, God rayſed vp this wiſe and warlike Emperour in the weſterne parts of Europe, in the which England, Scotland, and Ireland, are conteyned, where the ſaide Emperor tooke to wife Hellen, borne in your ſaid realmes, who receiued into his protection all the Chriſtians which fled from other prouinces to auoyde the cruell perſecution which was made againſt them by his other aſſociates in the Empire. SIRE, we muſt here obſerue a notable pollicie of this wiſe Emperour, to trie the fidelitie of his ſeruants and miniſters in the gouernment of his Empire, which will much auaile for the preſeruation of your royall eſtate. He did publiſh a fayned edict, commaunding all the ſubiects of his Empire to ſacrifice to the falſe Gods, and whoſoeuer ſhould refuſe ſo to doe, to departe out of his armies and Empire. This proclamation beeing made a great number of Chriſtians, did ſacrifice vnto the falſe Gods, to preſerue their eſtates, dignities, and goods: but the true Chriſtians deſired rather to leaue all, then to ſerue them, wherevpon the Emperour diſcouered himſelfe preſently, and diſcharged all ſuch as had worſhiped theſe falſe Gods: ſaying, How can they be faithful vnto the Idem in Conſtant. Emperour, that are faithleſſe vnto God? And as for the true Chriſtians which had left all, hee called them home and made them guardiens both of his perſon and eſtate, as Euſebius ſaith. I deſire not your Maieſtie ſhould make ſuch counterfeite proclamations, but that the ſame God which hath made you ſucceſſor to Conſtantius Chlorus, will giue you the grace to make ſuch an election of your ſubiects, as in your moſt important affaires you admit not any but ſuch as are knowne to be well grounded in the true Chriſtian religion. For euen as a modeſt woman ought not onely to be chaſt, but free from all ſuſpition, euen ſo thoſe which are imployed in the affaires of true Chriſtian Princes, (as your Maieſtie is) ſhould be free from all ſuſpition of falſe religion. The ſaid Conſtantius died at Yorke in England, after that hee had inſtituted Conſtantine the great his ſonne, the which was an other eſpeciall grace which God hath poured vppon your realmes. And euen as vnder King Lucius, It was the firſt part of the world, which did baniſh the Pagan Idolatrie, euen ſo God hath raiſed out of the ſame Iland, the ſaid Conſtantine the great, who expelled the ſame Romiſh Idolatry out of all the other Prouinces of the habitable world, whereof your Maieſtie hath a familiar example to imitate in this reſtorer of the Chriſtian religion.

This great Conſtantine your predeceſſor and countrieman, in the beginning of his Empire, Hee ſtudied what God he ſhould chooſe, as the ſame Euſebius ſaith, that his Father had condemned the Error of Idolatrie, and al his life had worſhiped one onely God, the protector & guardien of the Empire, the free giuer of all good.

Vppon this reſolution he made choiſe of the true God to ſerue, beleeuing that the onely cauſe of Kings and Emperours felicitie, proceeded from him alone, as the ſame Authour ſaith. He worſhiped the ſame God that is aboue all things. And in his ordinarie praiers, beeing alone he ſpake to God alone▪

Whereby it appeareth that the religion which your Maieſtie hath eſtabliſhed in your realmes, is conformable to that of your predeceſſour Conſtantine, who worſhiped (as I haue ſaide) but one onely God, the Creator of all things, and not the Croſſe and Images of Ieſus Chriſt. In his ordinarie praiers hee did not call vppon the bleſſed Virgin, Saint Peter, Saint Paul, nor the other Apoſtles and Martires, neyther haue we read that he did conſecrate his Empire to Saint Andrew or Saint George, as ſome of your predeceſſors in the time of Error and blindeneſſe. But did dedicate Euſeb. ibid. his houſe and familie to one King that is God onely. God was his onely patron, who recompenſed him with all good things, and made him Lord and Conquerour ouer all other Princes. He commaunded all his armie to call vppon one God, as the giuer of victories, he appointed that in their praiers, they ſhould lift vp their handes to heauen, and the eyes of their vnderſtanding to the moſt high king of Heauen: Hee alſo taught them the forme of praying to God as followeth. Wee confeſſe thee to be the onely God, wee acknowledge thee to be the onely King, wee call vppon thee to aide vs (they did not inuoke the virgin Marie) by thee wee obtayne victorie ouer our enemies, wee giue thee thankes for the benefites wee receiue in this preſent life, hoping for future things by thy meanes: wee crye vnto thee with all humilitie that it would pleaſe thee to make our Emperour Conſtantine victorious, and preſerue his Godly Children in long life and happie health. They did not call vpon the Angelles Michael and Gabriel to giue them victory.

Hereby we ſee that it is a falſe and ſlaundrous thing, which the aduerſaries of the trueth impute to your Maieſty to haue left the auncient profeſſion of your predeceſſors, and to haue planted a new religion, begunne by Martin Luther, Iohn Caluin and other moſt learned men, whom God hath ſtirred vp in our age to aboliſh the falſe Romiſh worſhippe, as hath beene ſufficiently prooued to your Maieſty in the diſcources of the firſt periode of the firſt three hundred yeeres. And to ſhew that the onelye worſhippe of the Creatour, without mingling the adoration of the Creatures, continued vnto this ſecond periode of three hundred yeares in your Iland, I will content my ſelfe with the ſaying of Sedulius Scotus Hibernenſis, who lyued in the fift age, in theſe wordes which hee hath drawne out of Origen which I haue before cited. It is a ſinne of Sedulius in cap. 1. epiſt ad Rom. impietye to worſhippe anye other but the Father Sonne and holye Ghoſt. Whereunto Saint Auguſtine ſpeakes very fitly ſaying. Know that the Christians, (whereof there is a Church in your Aug. epiſt. 45. ad Max grammat. tom. 2. Towne) Worſhippe not anye dead thing, neyther anye thing that hath beene made by God, but God onelye is worſhipped, who hath made and created all things.

Our aduerſaries dare not affirme that the hoaſt in the Maſſe is one of the three parſons of the Trinity, as we haue ſaide, which were a greater hereſie then that of Arrius, who ſayde that the Sonne of God was a Creature, hauing a beginning, beeing not the Sonne of God from all eternitye. All their Doctors teach that it is made and created by the pronountiation of the wordes of Ieſus Chriſt, taking his beginning by the conſecration; whereby we inferre that they are worſhippers of viſible formes, and therfore Idolaters in worſhipping it, ſeeing it is no eternall creature, nor conſubſtantiall with God the Father: For Athanaſius, Theodoret, Cyrillus and all the ancient Fathers, booth Greeke and Latine of the ſecond periode of three hundred yeares of Chriſtianity, teach, that if the Sonne of God had beene created or had had any beginning, that he had not beene worſhipped; for that the Creature dooth not worſhippe the Creature, God onely Athā. cont. Arr. orat. 3 et epiſt. ad Epheſ. is to be worſhipped; if the Sonne had beene a creature he had not beene worſhipped, God forbidde we ſhould worſhippe the Creature, this madneſſe fittes beſt with the Pagans, and Arrians. And in another place hee ſaithe, that the Chriſtians worſhippe not the body of Ieſus Chriſt deuided from the deity. Neither when wee worſhippe the worde (ſaith hee) doe we ſeperate the worde from the fleſh, but knowing that the worde hath beene made fleſh, acknowledge that which is in the fleſh, to bee God. And a little after ſpeaking of the Leaper he ſaith. Hee worſhipped the Lord in his body, and did acknowledge him for God. And the ſame Athanaſius teacheth vs, that the bodye of our Lorde is not conſubſtantiall with the Father, and therefore not to bee worſhipped alone: with greater reaſon the hoaſt, which cannot bee ſaide conſubſtantiall with the Father, is not to bee worſhipped. For if the deitye of Ieſus Chriſt had not beene conſubſtantiall with the Father, and without beginning as the Father is, it had not beene lawfull to worſhippe him. And this SIRE hath beene repreſented vnto you in the firſt periode, the which I repeate heere to ſhew the continuance of the worſhip of one onely God.

It is therefore manyfeſt that the Chriſtians of this ſecond periode ending in the ſixe hundred yeare of Chriſtianity, did beleeue that it was a Pagan Idolatry to worſhippe any Creature which had a beginning, reſtraining all adoration but to the Trinitye alone, worſhipping nothing vnderneath Orat. 3. pro. pace.it, the which is comprehended by Gregorys Nazianzene in few words, where he ſaith that we muſt worſhippe nothing aboue or beneath the Trinity.

For ſaith hee, it is impoſſible to worſhippe any thing aboue God; and to worſhippe anye thing vnderneath God is meere impietye. Let vs adde heere unto what Theodoret ſaith, (who liued in the fift age) touching the adoration of the Sacrament of the Lordes ſupper, for that the Romains corrupting his writings, attribute vnto him the worſhip of the Simbols of the body & bloud of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, which he neuer dreampt of; for beſides that which wee haue before alledged that hee condemned the Arrians, for that they worſhipped the deity, which they ſay de was created; Hee ſaith in the fifty fiue queſtion vppon Geneſis, that God did allowe to eate the fleſh of beaſtes, to reſtraine the people from worſhipping of them, foreſeeing that men ſhould fall into that blindeneſſe and ſuperſtition as they ſhould worſhippe beaſtes, as wee reade of the worſhippe of the Golden Calfe like vnto the Egyptians; where Theodoret concludes, that it is a meere madneſſe to worſhippe that which wee eate. So as according vnto Theodoret the prieſts ſhould bee madde to worſhippe that which they eate. Athanaſius againſt the Arrians teacheth, that the deity is not to be eaten, and yet the Romaines maintaine that their hoaſt is God himſelfe and they ſinne that they eate that which is preſent in the hoaſt, which in effect is to make the deity edible.

Our Sauiour before he left this world, would leaue vnto all men that ſhould beleeue in him a perpetual comemoration of his true incarnation and paſſion, to the end this memoriall ſhould bee, as it were a Simbole of the preſence of his humaine nature hereon earth. He might as well after the manner of the Greekes and Romaines, haue left his portraite liuely drawne, to ſerue for a repreſentation and commemoration vnto ſuch as ſhould beleeue in him, yea they ſhould make infinite numbers of pictures, like vnto the ſtarres of heauen, to be in all aſſemblies of Chriſtians, and to ſhewe that he had put on a bodie like vnto thoſe pictures: but he who knewe the ſpirite of man commonly inclined to Idolatrie, would not leaue his repreſentation in the figure of a man, to take from him all ſubiect of Idolatrie, but hee choſe rather to inſtitute the Simboles in the Elements of bread and wine, wherewith his humaine nature was nouriſhed, as ours is now, the which is nouriſhed dayly, when there is no reaſon to worſhip them ſeeing we doe eate them, as Theodoret ſaith, & yet the ſpirit of darkenes, hauing in the olde time induced men to eate the beaſts, Expoſitor ordin. in Rom.and then to worſhippe their Images, hath ſince found meanes to pull from the Church the firme breade in the Communion, bringing in a kinde Caſand. in Litur. of wafer, which cannot properly bee called breade, beeing ſo thinne, on the which are printed the Images of Ieſus Chriſt, the which they haue Honor. in Gemma anime.ſince worſhiped, whereas it was inſtituted onely to be eaten in remembrance that Ieſus Chriſt had a humane bodie, nouriſhed like vnto ours, to continue betwixt him and vs the communication of this incarnation, by the Elements wherewith we are all nouriſhed.

This onely adoration of one God, hauing continued the ſixe firſt ages after our Sauiour. Gregorie the firſt Biſhoppe of Rome brought in the inuocation of deade men in the beginning of the ſeauenth age, with many other ſuperſtitions: yet did he neuer teach that we muſt worſhippe the Images of Ieſus Chriſt, as Chriſt himſelfe, as Thomas Aquinas and other Romiſh Doctors do teach vs, neither did he teach that we ſhould worſhippe the conſecrated Hoſt as God, but contrariwiſe writing to Serenus Biſhoppe of Marſeilles, he commandes him in expreſſe wordes, that he reſtraine the people from the worſhip of Images, and that the people ſhould proſtrate themſelues with all humilitie in the worſhip of the onely Almightie and holy Trinitie: So as the Romiſh doctrine of the laſt ages, is directly contrarie to that of the firſt ſix ages after our Sauiour.

And yet this Pope commaunded them to hold Images in their Churches, yet not to worſhippe them, but to ſerue as a commemoration vnto the people of the Hiſtories of the Bible onely, but to what end ſerued this? It was as much as if they ſhould forbid one to be drunke who is naturally inclined thereunto, & yet command him to lodge in a Tauerne and to conſort himſelfe with drunkards, or like to him that ſhould cōmaund a young man in the heate of his youth, giuen to licentiouſneſſe, to abſtaine from it, and yet to lodge in a brothell houſe. Mans nature is as much or more inclined to Idolatrie, then to drunkenneſſe or luxurie: & therefore the deuine prouidence knowing this imperfection in man, would take from him all ſubiect of Idolatrie. Theodoret Serm. 7 de cur. Grec. affect. ſaith, That the wicked ſpirit to deceiue ignorant men, inuented the Arte of painting, g •• uing and other workemen to forge Images and pictures to ſerue for matter of Idolatrie: and that they haue not onely filled the Temple with Images, but alſo the market places, ſtreetes, and publique places, yea euen rich mens houſes▪ the which we ſee practiſed at this day in the Temples, markets, ſtreets and houſes of our aduerſaries. Arnobius in the ſixt booke againſt the Gentiles ſaith, that they tooke the ſame pretext for the vſe of Images in their Churches. To ſerue the ignorant and vnruly people, whom they made to worſhip them, giuing them venerable formes, to the end ſaith he, they ſhould beleeue there were ſome vertue in their brightneſſe, which did not onely dazle their eyes, but ſtroke a terrour, in their harts by the brightneſſe of their reſplendent light.

Wee are to obſerue the ſpeciall grace which God (continuing his worke) hath ſhewed to the Ilands of great Britaine, in the beginning of this ſeauenth age: for Gregorie the firſt, hauing ſent Auguſtine the young, into the ſame Iland, to plant many ſuperſtitions, with the inuocation of Saints, neither he nor his doctrine were receiued, but the miſerie was, that ſoone after the death of Gregorie, the worſhipping of Images did ſo encreaſe, as it was the cauſe of many troubles betwixt the Weſt and the Eaſt, as we ſhall ſhew hereafter.

In the ſeauenth, eight, and ninth ages, making the third Period of Chriſtianiſme, the Hebrewe, Greeke, & Latine tongues were almoſt rooted out in the Weſterne parts of Europe, through the inundation of Barbarians, which did teare in peeces the Romain Empire, with the true diuinity: wherby we obſerue that euen as the true religion began with the ſaid Empire, and ſo encreaſed: euen ſo the Empire decaying, the ſinceritie of Chriſtian religion was almoſt aboliſhed, and declined ſo by their deuiſions in the Weſt, that Sathan working the miſtery of iniquitie in the harts of the Eaſterne Biſhoppes, made them to haue no reſpect to the purity of antiquity, bringing in a new worſhip of the Creatures, of the Croſſe, and of the Images of Ieſus Chriſt, the Apoſtles and Martires, an Idolatrie meerely Pagan.

We reade in the actes of the ſecond Councell of Nice, printed both in Greeke & Latine in Paris, that the ſaid Councell did decree, that we muſt eſteeme the image of Ieſus Chriſt, as Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe & that as the perſon of Ieſus Chriſt is diſtinguiſhed from that of the father in hipoſtaſis, and vnited in ſubſtance: euen ſo his image ſhould differ from him in ſubſtance and be vnited in perſon, the which is an intollerable blaſphemy, and as great as the hereſies of Arrius and Neſtorius: for that were to make a God of a materiall thing or made by hand, and to worſhippe it as God, as the Gentiles did worſhippe the workemanſhippe of man.

At that ſame time God raiſed vp in the Iland of great Brittaine, that venerable Beda, who taught the Hebrew, Caldee, Greeke, and Latine tongues, Diuinity and Philoſophy, out of whoſe Schoole came Iohannes Scotus, and Alcuinus, who planted learning and the ſciences in the Citty of Paris, & was afterwards ſpread oueral Europe. This Iohannes Scotus was Schoolemaiſter to the Emperor Charlemagne, who withſtood the idolatry of the Eaſtern Churches, cauſing the ſecond counſell of Nice Ado. in Chro.to be declared hereticall and abuſiue; by that of Francfort as we reade in Ado viennenſis. The ſame Emperor became ſo learned, as he writ a booke againſt the Pagan worſhip of images, the which is found among the learned.

Out of the ſame ſchoole came one after another Rhabanus Maurus a Scotiſhman, as many writers doe teſtifie, Claudius Taurinenſis & Bertram a prieſt, with other lights of the Church, in the third period of Chriſtianity, which are the ſeauenth eight and ninth ages, which haue fought againſt idolatry and the groſſe errors of the ſacrament, as wee ſhall hereafter ſhew.

The fourth period of Chriſtianiſme which containes the tenth, eleauenth, and twelfe ages, was ſo deſtitute of men adorned with true piety & learning, as the ſeedes of the Idolatry of former ages, came to the accompliſhment of the abhomination of diſſolution, at which time Berengarius Archdeacon of Angers with his diſciples, and Peter de Valdo, with the Schooles begun by him about the ſame periode, reſiſted the Romiſh idolatry planted in all the Weſt.

We will likewiſe obſerue an eſpeciall grace, which God powred vpon your Ilands & realmes, during theſe ages of ignorance & idolatry, for euē as the great men of the former periode diſciples to the Engliſh Beda who maintained the onely worſhip of God went out of the Iland: euen ſo God during this fourth periode preſerued the ſame realmes, & defended them againſt the tyranny of Rome, for Peter of Clugny writing to Bernard, ſaith, that the Scotiſhmen in his time did celebrate, their Eaſter after the Greeke manner, which is a teſtimony they were not yet ſubiect to the church of Rome, which held thē heretickes that followwed the cerimonies of the Greekes, who in the time of the ſaid Bernard had their Lyturgie and ſeruice of the Church, as they haue at this day, which is a communion like vnto that of the reformed Church of theſe times: neither did the Greeke Church euer allow of that heatheniſh worſhippe of the Sacrament of the Lordes ſupper as in the Romiſh Church, which cauſed Marcus Epheſius (who was Orator for the Greekes at the counſell of Florence in a ſermon printed at Paris in Greeke and Latine, at the ende of the volume of Lyturgies) to confute the Maſſe of the Latines, as directly contrary to the inſtitution of Ieſus Chriſt.

So as the Scottiſhmen who maintained the ceremonies of the Greeke Churches, had not yet receiued the new Romiſh Maſſe, nor the heathen adoration of the hoaſt, whereby we ſee that the people of your realmes were the firſt that made publike profeſſion of Chriſt, and aboliſhed Gentiliſme, during the cruell perſecutions of Romiſh Emperours, and when as the tyranny of the Biſhops of Rome, brought into the Church about 400. yeares ſince the worſhip of the hoaſt, as God the Creator, the ſame Britiſh people were alſo the laſt of the Weſt part of Europe, which receiued the abominable worſhip of things created inſteede of the Creator.

This heatheniſh worſhip began vnder Pope Honorius 3▪ about the yeare 1225. who commanded all Prieſtes and Curats to teach the people to kneele at the Eleuation of the hoaſt in the Maſſe, or when it ſhould be carried to ſicke perſons, yet this idolatry was not long after receiued in the Churches of Germanie and France. For Ralfe de Riuo printed a booke at Rome. de Can obſer. propoſ. 22. witneſſing that Nicholas. 3. about the yeare 1277. tooke the olde miſſalles out of all Churches of Rome bringing in a new forme of Maſſe inuented by the Fryers minors, or▪ Franciſcans: At this day (ſaith hee) all the bookes at Rome are new after the manner of Saint Francis, and meaning to diſcribe the forme of Maſſe obſerued in thoſe dayes in Germany, France & other nations, hee ſaith. Leauing the manner of the Fryers mino • s, let vs follow the holy Canons, the ancient Scriptures, and the generall cuſtomes of places, and in doubtfull things the moſt auncient bookes. And in the twenty three propoſition he deſcribes particularly all the ceremonies of the Maſſe, as it was vſed in his time, who liued in the beginning of the foreteenth age of Chriſtianiſme, at what time it is found that the coniunction of the Bread and Wine was obſerued according to the inſtitution of our Sauiour, and that both the Prieſt and people did eate and drinke togeather ſtanding, without adoration or inuocation of the Sacramentes: and in the ende of the ſaide propoſition hee ſaithe. It is ſacriledge to vſe bread onely dipt in wine in the Sacrament of the Communion. So as there was no difference betwixt the Communion of the reformed Church, and the Communion of the Maſle in thoſe daies, except the ſigne of the Croſſe, and ſome other ceremonies, veſtaments and incenſe. The Maſſe therfore of our age, is a new fiction of Cordiliers or Franciſcan Friars, & the worſhip of a pretended God, and the priuation of the cup is a plaine ſacriledge: for if they abuſe to vſe bread ſteept in wine inſtead of following the ful inſtitutiō of our Sauiour, was (as they ſaid Rodolphus de Riuo writeth) cō demned as ſacriledge, with greater reaſon, is it a more horrible ſacriledge to haue quite taken away the vſe of the wine from the people. The Romiſh Church of our age, cannot bee called the true Church, ſeeing they haue no Communion of the Cuppe, and are fallen from the true Prieſthoode: as the Arrians and Neſtorians by their errours loſt the outward markes of Prieſthoode.

During the fift Period of the ages of Chriſtianiſme, which contains the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth ages, the Weſterne Church was deuided into two parts: for in the time of Bernard, Peter de Valdo, a rich Bourgeſſe of Lions, hauing beene inſtructed in the onely worſhippe of God by the reading of the holy Scriptures, had the Romiſh Idolatrie in ſuch horror, as he ſould all his goods, and cauſed the Bible and many writings of the auncient fathers to be tranſlated into French, he made aſſemblies at Lions, and appointed penſions for religious learned men to ſet vp Schooles of diuinitie, who beeing ſince perſecuted by the Popes and their adherents, the ſaid Schooles were diſperſed ouer all France, and a good part of Spaine, Germanie, and Bohemia, who haue euer ſince maintained the ſame articles of the faith, which are profeſſed at this day in the Churches of your realmes, whereof ſome were called Albigeois, and others Taborites, which haue floriſhed and raigned vnto this day, notwithſtanding all the perſecutions, fires, flames, and cruell torments vſed againſt them by the ſupporters and fauourers of Rome.

Out of this Schoole alſo came Iohn Hus, and Ieroſme of Prage, Wickliffe an Engliſhman, Paul Crau a Scottiſh man, who maintained the true and onely worſhippe of one onely God, and other articles of the faith, confeſſed by the reformed Churches of Europe, the which is ſeene by the articles recited by Aeneas Siluius, (beeing ſince Aeneas Siluius in Hiſt. Boem.Pope) which ſhewes a notable correſpondencie betwixt the firſt Period of Chriſtianiſme and the fift: for euen as in the firſt three hundred yeeres the true Chriſtians who worſhipped one onely God, without mingling the adoration of Creatures had beene perſecuted by Pagan Rome, euen ſo the worſhippers of this true adoration haue beene cruelly perſecuted during the three hundred yeres of the fift Period, by Roome diſguiſed with a Chriſtian maske.

There is an other admirable correſpondencie betwixt theſe and the ſecond Period, for euen as in the end of the firſt Period, the God of armies did raiſe vp that great Conſtantine to plant his Church by force throughout all the Romaine Empire, beeing then Pagan, aboliſhing Idolatrie in the worſhip of men, of Images, and of viſible and material formes: euen ſo after the end of this fift Period, God ſuffered the reſtoring of the ſaid true auncient & Chriſtian religion to be done by armes We read in the Bohemian Hiſtorie of the ſaid Aeneas Siluius, that Ziſca a great Captaine aſſē bled in the yeere 1501. a mightie armie, beating downe all Idols and Images, aboliſhing the new Maſſe, or the worſhiping of the Hoaſt. Soone after many Princes did riſe, and many faithfull learned men by whoſe miniſtrie and valour, the pureneſſe of the preaching of the Goſpell was reſtored in the ſinceritie of Chriſtian truth, as it was at the comming of Conſtantine in the Weſt of Europe.

I may therefore iuſtly ſay, that among all the Princes which haue laboured for the reſtoring and reformation of the auncient Church, your predeceſſours King Edward, and Queene Elizabeth, (of happle memories) haue beene the firſt which haue built vpon this foundation after Conſtantine, (although long after) and now (SIRE) theſe bleſſed ſoules behould from heauen the full perfection of their worke which muſt be finiſhed by you, whom they haue left the ſucceſſour and heire of their moſt royall enterpriſes.

Your Maieſtie hath a familiar example in the life of the diſceaſed Queene, (of happie memorie) who hath bene a true mother vnto you: In whoſe gouernment we haue ſeene as in a looking glaſſe, that God hath accompanied her with an admirable and extraordinarie proſperitie, foelicitie, and happie ſucceſſe▪ in all her affaires: for hee hath drawne her from a priſon to a kingdome, he hath made her to raigne fortie and fiue yeeres in great peace and tranquilitie, hauing diſcouered aboue twentie enterpriſes readie to bee put in execution againſt her life and ſtate: hee indued her with all kindes of perfections and vertues, as prudence, modeſtie, and wiſdome in all her actions, beautified with a liuely and ſound iudgement farre exceeding her ſex. And for a fulneſſe of happineſſe, the ſame God did prolong her daies vnto threeſcore and ten yeares, in the which ſhe was alwayes victorious ouer her enemies, both home bred and ſtrangers. What is then the cauſe (SIRE) I will attribute it wholy vnto God, and to the puritie of his Goſpell, and to Chriſtian religion the which ſhe hath eſtabliſhed in her kingdoms, whereof this moſt Chriſtian and generous Princeſſe made a ſincere profeſſion all her life. Hauing therefore in this peaceable and Chriſtianlike manner yeelded vp her bleſſed ſoule to her benefactor and Creatour the great God immortall; ſhe left thoſe realmes aboū ding in all riches, in great peace and admirable vnion and concord. And moreouer to ſeale vp her forepaſſed life and death with a greater benefit, for the loue ſhe bare vnto her ſubiectes which is a great proofe of the bleſſing of God, we haue ſeene the wiſdome ſhe vſed euen at the laſt gaſpe, hauing ſo profitably and ſo effectually perſwaded her ſubiects to imbrace & acknowledge your Maieſty whom ſhe knew to be the true lawfull & vndoubted heire and ſucceſſor of her goodly & flouriſhing Realmes of England, and Ireland, by right of conſanguinity and lawfull ſucceſſion. Who dooth not ſee the aſſiſtance of God in all this action? In that he would haue your Maieſty eſtabliſhed in this moſt high degree of honour, not for any other reſpect, but that in raigning happily and in peace, you ſhould finiſh the full deliuery and reſtoring of Iſrael, and of the Churches of your realmes: and to continue the pure preaching of the Goſpel, ſo happily begun by her Maieſty (of bleſſed and happy memory) againſt the Idolatry of Rome▪ I doubt not (SIRE) but Sathan and his ſupporters will herein imploy their ſtraragems to counſell your Maieſty, & to induce you to ioyne with that great whore of Babilon, a whore which makes the kings & princes of the earth drūk with the cup of her ſpiritual fornicatiō. But I aſſure my ſelfe that your Maieſty (like vnto wary & nice Vliſſes) will ſtop your eares againſt al her charmes, inchantments and all urements continuing inuiolable, conſtant and reſolute in your royall vertues, the which God hath bountifully planted in you, to maintaine and preſerue his Church and Sacraments (to his honor and glory) in their purety, againſt the poiſons & Romiſh inuenſions of men. Moſt humbly beſeeching your Maieſty to remember that the Matth. Paris in Hiſt. Angl. ſub. Henric. 3. pa. 660. Mat. vveſtmon in Florib. hiſt. ſub. an. 1216. Popes pretend to be the true kings of England and Ireland houlding the Kinges of the ſaid kingdoms for their vaſſals and tributaries; who now vnder colour to free you from their ſaid pretenſions, would draw you vnto them, and impoſe vpon you a moſt heauy and ſeruile yoake. If your Maieſty ſhould ſo forget your ſelfe as to cleaue vnto them, who knoweth not that their ſucceſſors are accuſtomed to diſanull the deedes and promiſes of their predeceſſors, and which is more to hould no faith with heretickes as they call you? But (SIRE) this is nothing in reſpect of the hard ſlauery of ſoules, whom they torture with their cenſures and excommunications. So as you ſhal no ſooner ſubiect your ſelfe vnto their lawes, but vpon the firſt diſlike, they will abſolue and free your ſubiects from their oath of obedience due vnto their true and lawfull King, they will depoſe you at their pleaſures, and giue your crownes to whom they like, wherof we haue too many late examples. But when they ſhall ſee your Maieſty to oppoſe conſtantly againſt their tyranny, they will not dare to attempt againſt you nor your realmes. And moreouer is not your Maieſty at this preſent protector of the Church of all your realmes? yea the greateſt of the Soueraigne kings which profeſſe the purenes of the Goſpell? ſhall not theſe lawfull titles of honour be ſufficient to diuert your Maieſty from following the counſell of ſuch Sirens of ſtate? They would gladly perſwade you to acknowledge this furious beaſt, who ſeekes but to deuour good Kings, & to chalenge to himſelfe all power (as he ſaith) in heauen, earth and hell. An eſſentiall marke that he is the man of iniquity (mētioned in the Scriptures) which hath raiſed himſelfe aboue all nations, and aboue all religion. If this monſter held you at his deuotion, (the which I with all your good ſubiects thinke to be impoſſible, how great a leuiathan ſoeuer he be) doubt not (SIRE) but he would make you the moſt vile and moſt abiect of al his lifetenants, treading you more proudly vnder his feete, then euer he did the good Emperour Barbaroſſe. And then let your Maieſty conſider in what miſery, calamity and deſolation of deſolations both you my Lord the Prince (whom you loue deerely) and all your ſubiects who pray for you hourely, ſhould be reduced in theſe your flouriſhing realmes.

The Almighty God which gouerneth & diſpoſeth of Monarchies according to his will, which giueth victories in battailes, who is the ſpring and fountaine of all wiſedome and knowledge, giue your Maieſty a raigne like vnto the Queene of bleſſed & happy memory. Increaſe your Maieſty in wiſedome and knowledge, and in true piety and pureneſſe of his ſeruice: giue you victory ouer all them that ſhall attempt againſt you or your eſtate; and finiſh the worke in you begun for the reſtoring of the true Church, baniſhing out of your Ilands and realmes, all tyranny, hereſie and Romiſh Idolatry. And for a happy ende, the ſame eternall God giue you a full and perfect inioying of the Crowne of glory in the happineſſe of eternall life through his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt our Lorde.