❀A godly and neces­sarye admonition of the Decrees and Ca­nons of the Counsel of Trent, celebrated vn­der Pius the fourth, Byshop of Rome, in the yeares of our Lord. M. D. LXII. and. M. D. LXIII.

Wrytten for those godlye disposed persons sakes, whych looke for amendement of Doctrine and Ceremonies to bee made by generall Counsels. Lately translated out of Latine.

Psalm. xxvi. ‘Odi ecclesiam malignantium I haue hated the Congregations of the wycked.’

Math. xv. ‘What soeuer my heauenlye father hath not plan­ted, shalbe plucked vp by the rootes.’

¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day, dwellyng ouer Aldersgate, beneath Saint Martins.

¶ Cum gratia et priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per septennium.

The. xix. of February. 1564.

These bookes are to be sold at hys shop vnder the Gate.

❧The Preface to the Reader.

OUr Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christ, when he hadde confirmed the mindes of his Disciples, agaynste the daungers of persecution, whych they shoulde be in daunger of, for the confes­sion of the truth of his doctrine, with a spirite thurstyng our saluation, brake foorth into these woordes: What pro­fiteth it a man (sayd he) though he win al the world, if he lose hys own soule: Math. 16. Or what recompence shal a man geue for his soule: And his meaning was to admonish not onely his Disciples, but also al vs together with them, how much the saluation of soules is to be made of, which being deliuered from the bodye, and once abiected from God, can by no price or recompence he redemed agayne.

But then are they most of al endaungered, when they straye from the true knowledge of God, and his syncere woorshipping. For God is lyfe and truth, and therefore the death of the soule is, to decline frō the rule of the wyl of God, reuealed in Christ. But bicause the Lorde speaketh not vnto vs from heauen, but hath vpō earth instituted the ministery of teaching, whereby men are instructed of the wil of God, we see that for that cause (I say) men are diuerslye affected. For they which teach in the churche of God doo not euerye where professe one and the selfe same doctrine.

And when Christ sayde of true teachers: He that heareth you, hea­reth Luke. 10. Math. 18. me. And agayne: If he shal not heare the church let hym bee vnto thee as an Ethnicke and a Publicane, they excedinglye doubt, vnto what congregation, in so great a diuersitye of opinions they ought to soyne them selues.

For on the one syde, they are holden by ordinary succession (as they ca [...] it) and custome and consent of very long tyme, in whose congrega­tion yet neuerthelesse they see very many errours, and no small abu­ses, which they them selues vnderstand, and iudge that they ought of necessity to be amended. On the other side against humane traditions they heare the expresse woorde of God brought foorth and vrged, but for asmuch as they fynde among those mē also occasion to be offended, and chiefely bicause they thinke that the chaunging of doctrine and ce­remonies pertaineth not vnto euery man, but vnto the ordinarye po­wer, they can scarse tel which way to turne them selues.

They flye therefore vnto the authority of a Counsel, as to an one­ly sanctuary, whereby they iudge that dissension sprong in the Church may most commodiously be taken awaye. Of which thyng when deli­beration was had long tyme and often by the orders of the Empyre, [Page] neither yet by any conditions whereby on eyther syde it was requy­red, it could be obtained, the saluation of many men, hath by the stay of so long tyme bene miserably endaungered.

And although such are iustly to be reproued, whych neglecting the very sounding from heauen of the sonne of God: Heare him, haue a re­garde vnto the authority of men: for the consideration of our saluation is not so obscurelye taught, but that euen the moste simplest in fayth may comprehende it, yet I thinke not that this kinde of men is to bee abiected. But rather in that part wherin we see that they ar sicke, we must after the exāple of the Apostels, to our power study to heale thē. Actes. 2.

For that happeneth in this our time, which we reade happened at Ierusalem on the day of Pentecost, after the ascention of Christe into heauen: For when the people saw and heard the Apostels with sundry tounges celebrate the wonderful things of God, whom yet the Prie­stes, Scrib [...]s, and Phariseis had a litle before condemned and perse­cuted, they were vtterly at their wyts ende and in doubte whose doc­trine they should embrace. For Christ seemed no lesse to commend the doctrine of the Phariseis, than the doctrine of the Apostels. when he said: Upon the chaire of Moses syt the Scribes and Phariseis, that Math. 2. which they say, doo ye. What maruaile is it if the rude and vnlearned people were doubtfull? For the Phariseis vnto whom they were so long tyme addicted in learning the woorshippyng of God, taught one thing, and the Apostels an other thing. The selfe same thing vndoub­tedlye wee see happeneth in this our age. For with our Elders great hath bene the authority of the Church of Rome, wherewith the eyes of many men are yet styl blinded. But no lesse. yea rather farre greater is the authority of the woord of God, whereby are reproued errours and abuses, which haue throughe the negligence and auarice of men crept into the Church. A man that wyl ryd him selfe our of these diffi­culties, ought not vtterly to be vnskilful in holy matters, and so to be addicted vnto the Church, that in the meane tyme he same not against the manifest wil of God, expressed in the woord of the Gospel.

But there are two rockes, betwene which godlye men must wyth great care and diligence sayle. For some by reason of lightnes of mind, without iudgement and true faith embrace euery maner of religion. But other some to stubbornlye resist, and wyll not once so muche as vauchsafe to know the doctrine set foorth, bicause their minde is bent vnto an opinion, which they defend for the truth. Or bring ouercome with the pleasures of this worlde, they haue no care of the truth, nor saluation of their soules.

But there is none amongest them that are trulye godlye, so rude to thinke that so great inconstancye of minde in the doctrine of religion, or stubbornes in errors should be numbred among vertues, but by the holy scriptures they are taught that either of them is to be auoyded. For against inconstancy the Apostle speaketh: Let vs not be as [...]ytile Ephesi. 4. Iohn. 4. ones wauering, neither let vs be caried about with euerye wynde of [Page] doctrine. But against stubbornes in errour Iohn hath left in writing: Proue the spirites, whether they be of God. Wherwith the selfe same Apostle agreeth: Quench not (saith he) the spirite, despise not prophe­cies. 1. Thes. 4, But proue ye al thing, that which is good, hold.

But bicause it is a singular gift of God, to proue spirites, and as the Apostle saith prophecye, that is, the naturall interpretation of the holy scripture belongeth not to euery man. Manye suppose that thys care pertaineth onely to Bishops and Priestes, that a Synode being assembled, learned and modest men on eyther partye, and suche as are addicted to nothing but vnto the truthe and healthe of the Churche, should temperately conferre together of articles in controuersye. For they thinke them selues farre inferiours, than that they shoulde take vpon them to iudge of so great matters, where disputacion is had of the saluation of soules.

Although these men which thus iudge touching matters of religi­on, be in some part woorthye of pardon, or rather compassion, yet me thinketh they are gentlye and modestlye to be admonished of certayne thynges.

For first in that they iudge that it is profitable and necessarye, that godly and learned prophetes (for so the Apostle calleth the interpre­tours of holy scripture, and Bishops) shoulde assemble together in a Synode and conferre their sentences together concerning the arti­cles proposed, in this part they seme not to erre. For we rede that not onely the successours of the Apostels did so, but also the Apostles them selues, as the Actes of the Apostels and Counsels doo testify.

So straight waye after the ascension of Christe into heauen, when at Antioche there arose a question as touching the obseruation of the Actes. 15 [...] law of Moises, as a thing necessary to the rightcousnes of mā, which is auayleable before God: Paule and Barnabas by the consent of the Church of Antioche went vp to Ierusalem to the Apostels and El­ders, that it might be manifestiye knowen vnto the Churches, that they in al pointes agreed with the rest of the Apostels, against the fai­ned lye of the false Apostels. For the false Apostles had euerye where abroade in the Churches accused Paule and Barnabas of this thing, namely, that they vnder the name of the Gospell deliuered an other, and farre diuers doctrine vnto the Gentiles.

Lykewise also in the primitiue Church▪ there wer by the authority of godly Emperours assembled the Counsels of Nice, Constantino­ple, Ephesus, and Chalcedonia, against Arrius, Macedonius, Ne­storius, and Eutiches, to retayne styll a godlye consent in doctrine of the deuinity of Christ, Of his two natures deuine and humane in one person, Of the person and deuinity of the holy Ghost.

So also after that, for the taking away of dissentions betwene the In the coū ­sel of Basill S [...]ss. 1. Clergy, and offences out of the Church, there wer Synodes had not onely in euery prouince, but also there was a decree made, that from that tyme for euer there shoulde with in ten yeares hee celebrated an [Page] vniuersall Counsell. For that thyng is accustomed to happen in the Church, which happeneth in houses, which vnles they be with bea­soms often made cleane, they wil be couered with filthynes and dust: So also vnles the Teachers of the Church doo with a perpetual care and diligence geue vigilant heede, and continuallye institute godlye conferringes together of sentences, easy is the fal of doctrine and ma­ners, & except they be in tyme corrected, they are accustomed to draw a wonderful great ruine vnto the Church.

But in this thing they seeme not to indge wel, in that they think that the peace and tranquility of the Churche may by this meanes be recouered and preserued firme. For although the disputacions and de­crees of godly Counsels haue brought great vnity vnto the Churche of God, in which the peruerse and vngodly opinions of heretiks haue bene by testimonies of the holye scripture vehement [...]ye reproued, yet the Ecclestastical history testifieth that no lesse contentions, yea also sometimes greater contentions haue happened in the Church of God after the Counsels had bene celebrated. Upon which occasion Grego­rius Nazianzenus being moued with the euent of the Counsels wri­teth, that from that tyme forward he determined, to eschewe all Sy­nodes of Bishops, bicause he found that no Synode had a good ende: or which rather brought not increases of euyls, than an ende of them. Although that this good man in this point seemed somewhat to erre, for that he there for that cause iudged that Synodes are vtterly to be auoyded, bicause he sawe that the peace of the Churche coulde not by Counsels be made firme.

For although it were to be wished, that al men should rest in the ex­plication of the truth, which is in godly Synodes instituted by testi­monies of the vndoubted holy scripture, yet this is not the sole & one­ly ende of Counsels. For there alwaies haue bene, are and shalbe con­tentious wits, which endeuour them selues to perturbe the peace and concorde of the Churche. But the principal end of Counsels is the ex­plication and confirmation of sounde doctrine, and the confutation of errours and peruers opinions. Whych althoughe it satisfieth not all men, yet it satisfieth al the godlye, whose simplicitye is correspondent vnto a godly explication of the truth.

Therefore, whether the peace of the Churche bee restored, or whe­ther it bee not restored, yet a godlye conferring of sentences in godlye Synodes is both profitable and necessary. And vnlesse suche a confer­ring were had, it were to be feared, least the multitude and variety of opinions should at the length bring no lesse cuyll and discommoditye vnto the Church of God, than brought the superstition of tyme past.

And bicause some daunger commeth of disputations that are to ve­hement, godly princes may by their authority easely remedye this e­uyl, who of necessity must be present at them: as we reade was done in the Counsell of Chalsidonia, that by their authoritye contentions and wanton wyttes were restrayned wythin the bondes of Christian [Page] modesty. For euen as it is trulye sayde: that by to muche alteration the truth is lost, so also semeth it no lesse to be truly said: that by quiet disputing, & godly conferring of sentences, the truth is brought forth, whereunto the sonne of God hath promised that he wyl be present to­gether with the father and the holy Ghost, yea if there be but twoo or three gathered together in his name. And it is better presently to en­treate of matters with a modest conferring together being appointed, than by mutual writing to inflame the hartes of either party.

Farther, in this thyng also they iudge not ryghtlye, for that they thinke, that in suche Counsels are matters entreated of, which vtter­ly and wholy passe the capacity of the laity.

For although al the Laity neither can, neither are bound exactly to know the reasons and argumentes of al and singular controuersies, yet no godly Counsell hath decreed of anye thing, which of necessitye pertaineth vnto the saluation of al and singular men, which also such as are but euen meanely instructed in the chiefe pointes of their Chri­stian faith vnderstand not wel, and as much as to them is sufficient is playne ynough.

The ten commaundementes are knowen, the articles of fayth are knowen the forme of the Lordes praier is knowen, the maner of bap­tisme and institution of the Lordes supper are knowen, the ministerye also of remitting and retaining synnes in the name of Christe is kno­wen. In which principal pointes are contayned, almoste all maner of controuersies that the world hath in religion.

Wherefore the Laity ought so to stand and leane vnto the authori­ty of Counsels that in the tyme they knowe that it is no lesse subiect vnto the woord of the Lorde, than are men which bee moste simple in Christian faith. And by this meanes there should be no new thing or­dained in Counsels, or which is repugnant vnto Christian faith, but forasmuch as it is a very easye thing to fall from Christian fayth into sundry and pernitious errours, it is nedeful that these errours should in godly Synodes by men of vnderstanding bee knowen and confu­ted, least the faith of the simple should decay, which ar not able to vn­derstande and to attayne vnto scholastical and synodical disputations, if men would there vse them.

Wherefore the ruder sort of the Laity depend not vpon the decrees of Counsels, to beleue this thing or that thing, but vpon the symple and playne doctrine, which is most briefely contained in the principall pointes of the Cathechis [...]e. Unto which also the Counsels giue help, least they should be troubled with the subtill reasoning of ambitious men, which being neglected, they content them selues with the moste plaine & most simple doctrine of the Cathechis [...]e, according to which they may for their simplicity iudge of al doctrines as muche as is suf­ficient for them.

But this woorthily much greueth godly men, that when there is mencion wade [...]f Papisticall Synodes, the true iudge cannot execute [Page] his office. For in the last former communication celebrated at Wor­mes in the yeare. 1557, they whiche were appointed collocutors on the Bishop of Romes side, by apert and manyfest woordes affirmed that the holy scripture is not the voice of the Iudge, by whom one­ly sentence should be geuen in knowing and iudging of controuersies of religion, but that it is matter of strife. Which their sentence if they should still stand vnto, then shoulde godlye Teachers come wyth no fruite to institute a conferring with them, for they haue no other rule to know the truth besydes the holy scripture. For this is a perpetual rule. Whatsoeuer is found to be repugnaunt vnto the scripture of the prophetes and of the Apostels, of what authority so euer it be, it must be reiected. But they which can not abide this sole and onely Iudge, it is manifest that these haue a mystrust in their cause: Unto which the holye fathers haue made all their writinges subiect: which in all partes agreeth with it selfe, when as the fathers often tymes, are not onely repugnaunt one to an other, but also vnto themselues, whyche thing besydes other thinges Augustines bookes of retractations doo testifye.

But the doctrine of the Prophetes & of the Apostels is an vndoub­ted testimony of the wyl of God, and a most certaine rule of the truth, and the very expresse voyce of the Iudge. If we (sayth the Apostle) or an Angel from heauen preache anye other Gospell vnto you, than that which wee haue preached vnto you, let him bee accursed. And a­gain: Gala. 1. If any man come vnto you and bring not this doctrine, receaue him not into your house, neither say ye so muche as God speede vnto 2. Iohn. 1. Math. 7. Luke. 3. him. And the father from heauen speaketh: This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased, him heare ye. Wherefore there can be no other Iudge in controuersies of religion, than the woorde of God deliuered in the scripture of the Prophetes and of the Apostles, vnto which al Canons, al constitutions, al the writinges of al the fa­thers ought to be subiect and bounde vnto this voyce of the Iudge, whereby they shoulde be eyther approued or reiected. In this matter let nothing bee attributed vnto the arbitrement of a priuate man: let there be a godly and modest conferring together of sentences institu­ted, of the matter of strife, which are the sundry opinions of men, and not the holy scripture, which in al partes agreeth with it selfe, beynge spoken by the spirite of truth. If it onelye myght beare rule in Coun­sels, controuersies would easely be quieted.

Wherefore forasmuch as euen from the beginning of the spreadyng abroade of the Gospel through out the whole world Synodes of lear­ned and godly men haue bene iudged of al the godly not onely health­ful, but also necessary: Of which Synodes this ought to be the onelye purposed scope and ende, namely that the doctrine of the Church may be purged to the prayse of almighty God, and offences taken awaye, and discipline woorthy for the Gospel restored and preserued in al or­ders. The bishop of Rome Pius the fourth hath agayne called a coū ­sel [Page] of Cardinals, bishops, & Monkes at Trent: wherin he with great glory & magnificence, promiseth both the purging of doctrine from al errours and heresies, and also a sooner amendement of maners, and woorthy for the Gospel as well in the Clergye as in the people. And to the end the vnlearned should not deubt of the diligence of the Fa­thers of the Counsell, they are not afeard not onelye to accuse them­selues of dissolute lyfe, but also to make them selues gyltye before the whole world as the fountaine and authors of al euyls: as the actes of this Counsel shal declare in their place.

And who would not be glad to helpe such a one which promiseth re­purgation of the doctrine of the Church and maners with such care­fulnes and endeuour, chiefelye in suche a dissipation of Churches? Who would not to his power helpe so godlye and holye an enterprise? But if wee examine the Canons and decrees, whiche not long since came foorth from this Counsell, euery Christian man shal easely per­ceaue, that these good holy Fathers entende nothing lesse: yea rather all their labour and endeuour is onelye to thys purpose, to oppresse sound doctrine, and that being oppressed, stubbornly to defende idola­try, superstition & abuses which are brought into the Church of God.

When I vnderstoode these thinges, of such things which are eue­rye where caryed about in many mens handes, and there wythal saw very many to hang in doubt and suspense by expectation of this coun­sel and authority thereof, and earnestly to hope for a symple, godly and plaine determination of controuersies of religion, of whyche number yet in the meane time (whilest they haue bene decreeing of al the con­trouersies) manye haue not without great daunger of their soules de­parted out of this lyfe: I thought I should doo a woorthy act, if brief­ly and perspicuously I should declare by the woord of the Lord, what is to be iudged of their disputations, decrees and Canons, and what is to be hoped for of the euent of this Counsel. And I trust I shal de­clare, and that moste manifestiye, that all Christians are by Pius the fourth, bishop of Rome, called to this Counsel, not as lost sheepe to be sought [...] healed of the Pastor, but vnder a most pleasaunt & [...]eke forme of a Cat, the saluation of the faithful is layde in wayte for, and the sheepe of Christ are lyke to be torne in peeces, euen as it were of Wolues clothedin sheepes clothing, as many as [...] them selues to be brought to this amity and familiarity.

And I desyre the godly & Christian Reader, that remouyng away peruerse affections, which otherwise euen in things humane ar most wicked counsellers, he bring to [...] of this cause an vpright minde, which subdueth it selfe not to [...] persuasions, but soly and onely vnto the woorde of God. For by that meanes I trust it shall come to passe, that he shal easely be able to vnderstand, what is to be iudged of papistical Counsels. Now therfore by Gods helpe and furtheraunce, we wyll come to the matter it selfe.

The thynges that came to my hand being sent from Trent, are not [Page] all of one kynde. For certayne thynges were proposed to deliberate vpon for the reformation of the Church, certayne thinges are decrees of the Counsel and Canons appointed to be obserued [...] the Church. But how fewe so euer they be in number, yet they so open vnto vs the hart of the Fathers assembled at Trent, that we may easely perceaue what affection they beare vnto the true and sincere [...]yth and religi­on, whych we professe.

But least anye man hauing lytle say the to our sayinges, myghte doubte of the truth of the thing, I thought it good to annexe to this writing all and syngular thynges, as they came to our handes from Trent being printed by the Printers longyng to the Papacye. that the godly Reader may see, that we speake nothing but with such fidelitye as is conuenient, neyther doo we of purpose or wyll cau [...]ll in any thyng, but onely ayde and de­sende the truth of the heauenly doc­trine, and desyre to farther all them that are [...]di­ous of the doc­trine of pi­ [...].

The first Decree published in the first ses­sion of the sacred Councell of Trent, holden vnder Pius the fourth the most high Byshop the 18. day of January in the yeare of our Lorde God. 1562.

MOst noble and most re­uerend Lordes, and re­uerend Fathers, may it please you to the prayse and glory of the most ho ly and indeuisible Tri­nitie, the Father, the Sonne, and the holye Ghost, to the increase & aduancement of faith & Christian religion, that this sacred, economicall and generall Councell at Trent, lawfully assem­bled together in y e holy ghost (frō this day whiche is the 18. of the moneth of January of y e yeare frō the birth of our Lord. 1562. Dedicated to the Ro­mane chayre of blessed Peter prince of the Apo­stles, all suspension taken away, according to the forme & tenor of the letters of our most holy Lord Pius the fourth the most hygh Bishop) should be celebrated, and that in it (a due order being kept) should be intreated such things, which being pro­posed by the legates and presidentes, shall seme apte and mete to y e holy Sinode, to asswage the calamities of these tymes, to quiet the controuer­sies [Page 2] of religion, to restrayne disceatfull tongues to correcte the abuses of corrupte maners, and to re store the true ecclesiasticall & Christian peace.

And they all aunswered: It pleaseth vs, &c. So that others also may propose such thinges which to the Synode may seme to be lawful & honest.

¶ Thou seest Christian reder that the fathers of the Coū ­sell of Trent do in the first Session with great magni­ficence promise that thing, whiche al Christendome hath nowe many yeares moste earnestly loked for: na­mely, ‘the increase and aduancement of faith and Chri stian religion, the asswagement of the calamities of our time, the quieting of controuersies of religion, the abolishyng of peruerse doctrine, the correction of cor­rupt maners, a true Ecclesiasticall and Christian peace and concorde &c,’ What can the mynde of man desire more, if in so great a multitude, varietie, and confusion of opinions of the Churche of God, it might se a godly peace restored, doctrine purged from all errors, the true worshipping of God (all idolatry & superstition beyng taken away) renewed, and most corrupt maners in all orders amended? For the holy Scriptures do teach that by this meanes onely publike euils and calamities are asswaged. If simple and vnlearned men shoulde rede and heare these thynges, what golden mountaynes, what golden and heauenly worlde would not they pro mise vnto them selues?

But if we shal diligētly weigh a fewe wordes whiche go a litle before the thinges whiche we haue nowe reher­sed (namely, that the Councell muste bee celebrated, al suspension taken away, according to the forme and tenor of the letters of our moste holy Lorde Pius the fourth the most high Bishop) we shall easly vnderstād, that the Bishop of Rome with his Councell of Trent mocketh and dallfeth with al Christendome.

[Page 3] For whēas in his letters of Indiction and Indulgen­ces, he openly sheweth that he is minded to continew and prosecute the Counsel be gō vnder Paul the third and Iu­lius the third and not finished, in this he testifieth, that he ratifieth all the vngodly Decrees of the former Counsel: whiche thing also the maner of the order so diligētly obser ued, cōfirmeth. For in that place where the aboue named Fathers left, haue they begon both to deliberate, and to decree, and also to ordeyne Canons.

But lest a man should thinke that it skilleth not much whether the Councell be continewed or begon, it shalbe good briefly to repeate thinges, whiche were ordeyned & decreed in the last former Sessions.

Howebeit I will not curiously searche out all thinges, but only make mention of the principall pointes, whiche are directly contrary vnto y e doctrine of the Prophets and of the Apostles.

In the first decree of the 4. Sessiō the Synode decreed, that vnwritten Traditions vsurped by cōntinuall succes­sion in the Catholike Churche, shalbe receaued and reue­renced with as great an affection of piety and reuerence, as if they had come frō Christes owne mouth, or had bene spoken by the holy ghost.

They strike also with their curse al those which in their disputations, and expositions receaue not the bookes cal­led Apocripha, or the vulgare translation.

Concupiscence (saith he) whiche y • Apostle calleth sinne, the holy Sinode declareth that the Churche neuer vnder­stood Sess. v. Decr. i. it to be called sinne, that properly and truly in dede it is sinne in those whiche are regenerate.

Free will is not extinguished in menne, although the Sess. vi. strength of it be empayred and diminished.

If a man say, that other works whiche are done before I [...]tification, howsoeuer they be done, are sinnes, let him Can. vii Can. xii be accursed.

[Page 4] If a man saye: That Iustification is nothyng els. But Can. xii the confidēce of the mercy of God which forgeueth sinnes for Christes sake, or, that this confidence is it only where by we are iustified, let him be accursed.

If a man saye, that it is necessarye for euery man that Can. xiii will obteyne remission of sinnes, to beleue certeynely, and without any doubtfulnesse of hys owne infirmitye and vnaptenesse, that his sinnes are forgeuen hym, let hym be accursed.

If a man say, that the preceptes of God are impossible to be obserued euen of a mā that is iustified and set vnder Can. xviii grace, let him be accursed.

If a man say, y • grace beyng lost thorough sinne, faith is Can. xxviii. also together there with all lost: or that the fayth whiche remayneth is not a true faith, although it be not a liuely faith: or that he whiche hath faith without charity is not a Christian, let him be accursed.

If a man saye that after the receauyng of the grace of iustification, the faulte of euery repentaunt synner is so Can. xxx forgeuē, or y • guiltennesse of eternall punishmēt so wiped away, y e there remaineth no guiltinesse of tēporall payne to be payde, ether in this worlde or in the worlde to come In Purgatory, before the waye can be made open vnto the kingdome of heauen, let him be accursed.

Let these curses suffice, and leaue of to speake of other, for by these the godly reader maye see, that the principall pointes of faith and Christiā religion are not so much cor rupted and peruerted, as vtterly condēned of the fathers of the Councell of Trent celebrated in the yeare of our Lord. 1547. Of all whiche we thought good briefly to ad­monishe the reader, before that we examine the Decrees and Canons made by the Councell of Trent vnder Pius the fourth Bishop of Rome.

They haue layd a foundation to defende all superstiti­ons, idolatries and abuses vpon the authority of humans [Page 5] traditions, vnder the name whereof they vnderstande all those traditions, which haue now a few yeares past crept into the Church of God and are therin vsurped.

And although our men haue neuer earnestly contended agaynst traditions, which are not manifestly agaynst the worde of God, but thought that they myght be retayned without offence to God so that yet they were not vitiated with the opinion of the seruice of God, as it is sayd: Thei worship me in vaine with the commaundementes & doc­trines Math. xv, of men: yet wil our aduersaries neuer be contente. And therfore they haue not only made all tradicions and supersticions, yea euen those which are repugnaunt vnto the doctrine of the Prophetes and of the Apostles, equall with the holy scripture, & haue referred them vnto Christe Esay. xxix. as to the author of them, but also they haue malepertely contended contrary to the expresse word of God, y • God is worshipped by these humane traditions which they haue brought in.

Farther they are not ashamed to make equall y • bookes called Apochripha, which are disallowed euen by the testi­mony: Ierom vpō the. [...] Chap. of Daniell, & in his preface, vpon Daniell. of the fathers (some of the which bokes S. Jerome counteth among fables) with the authoritye of the other sacred bookes, which are Canonicall. And in like manner alledge they of the bookes of the Machabees, in the latter booke, whereof the author desireth pardon, if he haue dis­cribed any thing y • is not well, which phrase of requeste a­greeth not with the holy ghost, whose oracles are al true and not to be doubted at.

As touching the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes, the secōd Epistle of S. Peter, the two latter Epistles of John, the Epistle of James, and the Apocalips, we are not the fyrst y t haue bene in doubt of them, for euen from the prima­tiue church there haue bene sundry opinions of them.

But there is none y • is in very dede Godly, which is so vnlearned, that he vnderstandeth not, what these holy fa­thers [Page 6] chiefly intended in thys decree. For they see th [...]t in them they haue defences for certayne of theyr errours, by whiche yet they can not extinguishe the light of the truth shining in y e writings of y e other Prophetes & Apostles. As it is in an other place aboundantly shewed.

In y • also they strike with their curse al those, which in all things receaue not the cōmon trāslatiō in disputatiōs, what more madnesse is there than this, & more repugnant to the meaning of y e holy ghost? I say moreouer it is ful of many errors. Will they also put vnder the thūder of their cursse y e holy fathers, whiche vsed an other trāslation than it? Or what impietie or discōmoditie hath it, if men haue accesse to the springes of the Hebrewe & Greeke tongue, wherin the mysteries of the heauenly doctrine are writtē? Unto the which S. Augustine hath diligently admoni­shed vs oftentimes to haue recourse and accesse.

But they manifestly declare their minde and if it were but in this decree onely, in y t they desire to prohibite all those that are studious of the heauenly doctrine, from the entrance to the knowledge therof, lest the errors, and im­pieties with which the church of Rome hath hitherto vn­der the moste thicke darkenesse bene sicke, shoulde be brought to light.

For as muche as the Synode of Trent denieth that cō cupiscence is in very dede sinne, notwithstanding, neither Sess. v. Decr. i. hauing any regard, that the Apostle calleth it sinne, what would it not permit in thinges more obscure to oppresse and tread downe the truth. The lawe sayeth manifestly. Exod. xx Deut. vi. Rom. vii. Thou shall not lust, And the law prohibiteth nothing but sinnes, If therfore lust be not in very dede of the number of sinnes, it can not be prohibited, & the commaundement of the Lord twice with so great seueritye repeated is in vayne. Agayne I saye that these good holy fathers wyll thinke that there is nothyng not lawfull vnto them, if [Page 7] the faithfull shoulde graunt vnto them so manifest an er­rour and sacriledge.

Lykewyse also that opinion is repugnaunt to the doc­tryne Sess. vi. of Christ and of the Apostles, which they go aboute by the thunder of cursyng to establishe, theyr false (I saye) and vngodlye opinion concernyng humane strength and freewill: namely that freewill is not extinguished though it be appayred and diminished. When we were dead vn­to synnes (sayeth the Apostle) he hath quickened vs toge­ther Ephes. ii. with Christ: looke howe much a dead man is able to accomplyshe to recouer corporall lyfe, so much doth the A­postle attribute to mans strengthe in hys conuersion to God. And Christ sayth: Without me ye can doe nothyng. And to the Corinthians the Apostle writeth: we are not Iohn, xv. ii. Cor. iii. able to thinke any thyng of our selues, as of oure selues. Agaynste these moste manifest testimonyes, bycause they would attribute somewhat to mans strength, they are not ashamed to diminyshe the grace of God, whiche both chaungeth and moueth the will of the electes to obey the Gospell.

To the same end also tendeth the. vii. Canon of y e same Session, where in the workes done without fayth, iustifie from sinne, contrary to the manifeste sentence of Paule Rom. xiiii. whiche sayeth: Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is synne, and those which with the Apostle thinke otherwyse they strike with theyr curse.

In the. xii. Canon they vtterly ouerthrowe the hed and foundation of the doctrine of the Gospell, and they robbe afflicted consciences of the only comfort whiche they haue in y e bloud of Christ. For they manifestly cōdemne althose y • thynke y e our ryghteousnes before god is y e confidence in y t mercy of god forgeuing sins for Christs sake. The Apo­stle vnto the Rom. writeth: vnto him which worketh not, Rom. iiii. [Page 8] but beleueth in him which iustifyeth the wicked, his fayth is imputed vnto righteousnesse. And agayne. Therefore In the same place Psal. xxxij. we are iustifyed by fayth, that the promes should be firme according to grace. And Dauid sayth: blessed is the mā vn­to whō the Lord hath not imputed sinne, And in an other place the same [...]postle sayeth: By grace you are saued, Ephes. ii. through fayth, and that not of your selues, for it is y • gifte of God, not by workes, leaste any man should boaste. But what nede we to bring forth many testimonies of y e scrip­ture, when as the Prophets do euery where teach that the whole consideration of our righteousnesse is to be sought for in the mercy of God applied by fayth for Christs sake? In the knowledge of himselfe shall my righteous seruant Esa. liii. Act. iiii. iustifie many, and he shall beare their iniquityes: There is no other name vnder heauen geuen vnto men, wherin we ought to be made safe. This doctrine of Christ, of the Prophetes and of the Apostles concerning the free remis­sion of sinnes by faith for Christes sake, in his only passiō and death, and vtterly obteyned for vs by his obedience, the Councell of Trent condemneth as erronious, hereti­call and deuilishe.

Wherfore howsoeuer they should graunt vnto vs all other thinges, and should in all thinges come to our opi­nion, yet can there be no agreement made betwene vs & them, so long as they perseuere in this their wicked opini­on, which (as I haue sayd) vtterly ouerthroweth the chife head and foundation of the doctrine of the Gospell.

No lesse impiety hath the 13. Canon wherein we are taught by reason of our infirmitie & vnaptnes, continual­ly to doubt of the remission of sinnes before God.

But this opinion is repugnant to the manifeste testi­monies of the Scripture, and also to the definitiō and na­ture of fayth. For to beleue is nothyng ells, than fyrmely and assuredly to appoynte and not to doubt, and with cō ­fidence to geue assent: and by y • meanes doubtyng is con­trary [Page 9] vnto faith. Wherfore whē we are bidden to beleue, we are prohibited to doubt. Repent (sayth Christ) and be­leue Marke. i Rom. iiii the Gospell. And of Abraham it is written: And he was not weake in faith, neyther cōsidered he his own bo­dy whiche was nowe dead, &c. But he doubted not at the promise of God thorough vnbelief, but was made strōg in faith, geuing the glory to God, being fully assured, that he whiche had promised, was also able to do it. And ther­fore it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnesse. I am assured sayth Paul y • neither death nor lyfe, &c, nor any o­ther Rom. viii creature can seperate vs from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. He writeth also vnto y e Ephe Ephe. iii sians. In whome we haue boldnesse and entrance with confidence thorough faith. And Iames saith. Let him aslte (sayeth he) with faith, nothing doubting, for he which Iames. i doubteth, is like vnto a waue of the sea, whiche is moued and caried about of the wynde: let not that man therfore thinke that he cā receaue any thing of the Lord. Also: Let vs therefore go boldly vnto the throne of his grace, y t we Heb. iiii may obteine mercy, & find grace to helpe in tyme of nede.

These and like testimonies of the holy scripture, teach, that by no meanes we ought to put doubt or diffidence in the mercy of God towarde vs, and of the obteynement of remissiō of our sinnes, but we must firmely settle our sel­ues without any doubting or distrust, that thorough faith our sinnes are forgeuen vs by the free mercy of God for Christes sake.

But in that they adde: hauing no regarde to our owne infirmitie or vnapt [...], these holy fathers will not in dede haue vs to doubt of the promises of God, whiche is most certaine and most firme, and abideth alwayes in one sorte, but if we looke vpon our owne infirmitie in graun­ting & perseuering, for this our infirmitie (I say) we must continually doubte so long as we liue here.

To this we aunswere, y • we must in dede haue a great [Page 10] regard to our infirmities and vnaptnesse, and we must ac­knowledge & diligently consider it, for by it we are vnapt and vnworthy to receaue & to be partaliers of the grace of [...]: as the Cēturion speaketh in the Gospel. Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe, &c. [...]nd Dauid sayth: Haue mercy vpon me O God, &c. Also: As thou Lord looke vpon our iniquities, Lord who shalbe able to abide it. Also: I am a worme and no man [...]c. And the Apostle sayeth: I am not worthy to be called an Apo­stle, bycause I haue persecuted the Churche of God. Da­uid [...]. Cor. xv. also: Lord enter not iudgement with thy seruaunt by­cause no liuing mā shalbe iustified before thee. And is not Psal. 143 this to acknowledge his own infirmitie and vnaptnesse? But the ende of this acknowledgyng is not a diffidēce or doubting of y • will of God towarde vs, but it rather ought to stirre vs vp, that we vtterly dispairying in our owne strengthes shoulde with a sure and firme fayth without any doubting seke righteousnesse, life, and eternall life, in our only Lord & sauiour, & if there remayne any doubtyng in the flesh, let vs say with him in the Gospel. Lord helpe Marke. ix my vnbeliefe.

Wherfore the holy scripture teacheth, that men ought so to be assured o [...] y • grace & mercy of God towardes them, that in the meane tyme they forget not their owne infir­mitie, & study to make their electiō firme by good workes, and not, that by consideratiō of this their infirmitie they should doubt of the fauor of God towardes them. For the takyng awaye of which doubt the Sacramentes were in­stituted by Christ, by which the promyses of God are ap­plied vnto euery man, and theyr heartes are sealed by the spirit of Christ. Of Baptisme Peter writeth. That Bap­tisme [...]. Peter. iii also maketh vs faste, not the puttyng awaye of the filth of the fleshe, but the taking to witnesse of a good cō ­science with God, by the resurrection of our Lorde Iesu [...] Christ from the dead. For euen as by takyng witnesse c [...] ­uenantes [Page 11] are performed, so God in Baptisme as it were takyng vs by the right hand, confirmeth, that he will be a mercifull God vnto vs in Christ, that he wil forgeue our sinnes, and receaue vs into grace. For this cause also the Rom. viii Apostle sayth: ye haue not receaued the spirite of bondage agayne in feare, but ye haue receaued the spirite of the a­doption of the sonnes of God, by whom we crye Abba fa­ther. For that spirite beareth witnesse to our spirite that we are the children of God. Also: Ye are scaled with the holy spirite of promise, whiche is the pledge of our inhe­ritaunce. Ephe. i

Wherefore it is both extreme impietie, and also igno­raunce of holye Scriptures, to bryng men into a conti­nuall doubte bycause of their infirmitie, wherewith also the nature of the sainctes is infected. Whiche thyng this present Canon doth, wherein all the doctrine of the Pro­phetes and of the Apostles is condemned.

And euen by this onely article, though all the other were conuenient, the godly reder may iudge, that the Pa­pistes and we striue not (as the sayeng is) aboute moone shine in the water, but about a thing most wayghty. For the foūdation of our saluatiō, the most proper ende & scope of the Gospell is, to teache, that men, beyng penitent and beleuing from the hart, hauyng no regard to their sinnes or to their owne infirmitie and vnaptnesse, shoulde assu­redly appoint and without all doubtyng firmely beleue, y • for Christes sake they haue remission of al their sinnes, that they are in the fauor of God, and haue eternall lyfe. This foundation of our saluation, and this onely conso­lation of afflicted consciences the fathers of the Counsell ouerthrowe by this their decree of perpetuall doubtyng. where vnto all y • Idolatry and superstition of the Papacy leaneth. For take away doubtyng, and Purgatory is ta­ken awaye, Peregrinations or Pilgrimages to the Ima­ges of Saintes, the opinion of Merites, of Fastynges, [Page 12] and prayers, the sacrifice of the Masse for the quicke and the dead, inuocation of sainctes & such like, al these things (I say) if you take away doubting, are taken awaye. But contraryly to affirme & defend doubting, is to take away faith, & to abrogate the promises of the Gospel, and vtter ly to blot it out of the hartes of men.

The like pernitious error is stablished in the 18. Canō. That a man being iustified, and set in grace, may perfect­ly fulfil the law of God. For although the regenerate do receaue the holy ghost, yet continually, as long as we liue in this life, there cleaueth to our nature a natural corrup tion, whose guiltnesse is forgeuen in Baptisme, by rea­son of which corruption the godly can not performe that whiche they would. For this cause made the Apostle this exclamation: O wretched man that I am, who shall deli­uer me from this body subiecte vnto death? For he had a Rom. vii litle before sayde: That whiche I woulde, I do not, but that whiche I hate, that I doo: but I knowe that there dwelleth no good in me, that is, in my fleshe. For to will is present with me, but I finde no meanes to doo good. For I do not the good thing whiche I woulde, but the euill whiche I would not, that I do. And agayne: The fleshe lusteth agaynst the spirite, and the spirite agaynst Galat. v the flesh: and these are cōtrary one to the other, so that ye can not do the same thinges that ye would.

This doctrine is necessary, whereby also they y • are in dede godly, do vnderstād, y • howsoeuer they are regenerat yet they tā not perfectly accomplish the lawe of God, lest peraduenture they should fall into a pernitious doubt, if they should see in them selues also this imbec [...]llitie of hu­mane nature not vtterly and wholly regenerate, against whiche infirmitie we must continually thorough y • grace of the holy ghost fight with a true faith.

The 28. Canon, manifestly teacheth that the Counsell of Trent is not gouerned by y • holy ghost, but is infected [Page 13] with the spirite of error. For they teache that a dead faith is a true faith, and that he whiche is endewed with a dead faith is neuerthelesse a Christian, & thē that thinke other­wise they curse. But these two pointes are playnly & ma­nifestly contrary & opposite vnto the doctrine of the Apo­stles. For a true faith is a lyuely faith, the gift of the holy ghost, whereby man is ioyned vnto Christe, but that faith whiche is not lyuely, can not be a true faith. And here let ii. Thes. iii. ii. Cor. xiii. Eph. iii. them heare what Iames sayth, whose authoritie in other places they somuch extoll. Thou beleu est (sayth he) that there is but one God? Thou doest wel, the deuils also be­leue and tremble, wherefore it is the fayth of deuils, and not a true fayth, whiche is not a liuely confidence in the Iames. ii. mercy of God promysed by his sonne, and so is it nothyng ells, than a humane and vayne persuasion, wherwith the greatest part of the world being deceaued falleth into e­ternal destruction And euen as thou mayest call the payne ted image of a man, a man, so mayest thou also call suche a persuasiō or opiniō, faith, which yet is not a true faith.

But what a madnesse is it, to call him a Christian, whiche is endued with thys dead fayth without charitye? Gala. v. Saint Paule sayth: In Christ Iesus neyther circumcision is of any force nor vncircumcision, but fayth workyng through loue. And to the Cor. he writeth. If I haue not i. Cor. xiii. charitie I am become lyke brasse y t soundeth, and as a cim­ball y • ryngeth. But the councel of Trent acknowledgeth y • man to be a Christian whiche is without charitye.

Hitherto they haue imputed to our teachers y • they teach a naked fayth contemning charitye, wherein they do vnto them greate iniurye: But nowe these good holy fathers themselues acknowledge them for Christians, which are without charitye, and they counte a dead fayth for a true fayth: Omittyng to speake more sharply, what blyndnesse is thys?

[Page 14] Thou seest now Christian reader, in howe thicke dark­nesse the fathers and brethren of this Counsell do syt, who are vtterly ignoraunt of the whole manner of Chri­stian Religion and of the power of fayth, wherein the whole strengthe of our saluation consisteth. Wherein al­so the iuste iudgement of GOD is to be considered: for for as muche as they of purpose and obstinatlye oppose them selues agaynst the light of the truth, and do holde it backe in vnryghteousnesse, they are worthy of suche so greate blindnesse, whereby God punisheth sinnes with Rom. i. synnes.

In the 30. Canon they confirme satisfaction for the guiltnesse of temporall payne and also the fire of Purga­tory, wherin maye be satisfied the Iustice of God for the guiltnesse of temporall payne.

Eyther of these errors are a derogatiō to y e merite of y • pas siō & death of Christ, & they declare also, y e the Counsell is vtterly ignorant what it is to obteine or to haue remissiō of sinnes. For the holy scripture doth testifie, that al they whose synnes are forgeuen thē, are in the grace & fauor of God as it is written: I will be mercyful to their iniquitie, Ierem. xx [...]i. & will no more remember their sinne, that is: God doth so forget sinnes, y t in no part he desireth to take vengeāce of thē, whom being repentant he frely forgeueth thorough faith for Christes sake. As touching tēporal paine to satis­fie perfectly the Iustice of God, all y e is layd vpō Christes Esay. liii shoulders, as Esay testifieth. The Lorde hath put all our iniquities on him. He hath in dede horne our infirmities & caryed our sorowes. He was wounded for our iniquities, and broken for our wickednesse. The chastisement of ou [...] peace was vpon him. And Iohn in his Canonical Epistle ii. Iohn. i ii. Iohn. ii writeth: The bloud of Iesus Christe his sonne cleanseth vs frō all sinne. Also: He is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world. These testimonies of the holy Scrip­ture of the olde and newe Testament doo manifestlye [Page 15] teache that besides the obedience of Christe made in the fleshe there is no other satisfaction for synnes: and that they are fowlely deceaued which do put some part of satis­faction eyther in theyr owne passions or elles in their fai­ned purgatorye.

To deuide in halfe the merite of the passion of Christ, is vtterly to abolish his meryte: for he is no halfe or vnper­fect redemer but a perfect redemer, with one oblatiō (sai­eth the Epistle to the Hebrewes) hath he for euer made perfect those, which are sanctified. Heb. x.

But bycause they see that the expiation or satisfaction for synnes is by moste manifeste testimonyes of the scrip­ture attributed onely vnto Christe, they goe aboute to a­uoyde them by a vayne distinction, when, they teache, that the synnes themselues are not expiated, but that for the eternall payne dew vnto synnes the satisfaction of temporall payne is expiation made, but in affyrmyng of these thynges, they shewe in very deede that they are vt­terly ignoraunt, what remission of synnes is. For what other thyng ells is remission of synne, than that God fyrst receaueth vs into fauoure, and forgeueth the faulte of synnes, then also he remitteth the punyshemente whiche we haue deserued by our synnes? Wherfore where there is not a full and perfecte remission of payne, but that some satisfaction is requyred, there also is not a full and perfecte remission of synnes. I knowe the Councell of Trent can not vnloose thys knotte, and if thys be ma­nifest to be the doctrine of the holy Ghost, then will fal a­way theyr satisfactions for synnes and the fyre of purga­torye shal easiy be quenched.

And although the Lord somtimes do some what more seuerely chastē those whose sinnes he remitteth according to hys will, as he vnderstandeth to bee expediente for [Page 16] them, yet is that by no meanes to be counted a satisfacti­on for y e payne of sinne, but a healthfull discipline, to kepe them in doing theyr dutie, and to cause them to woorke theyr saluation in feare and trembling. When we are [...]. Cor. [...]i. iudged (sayth the Apostle) we are corrected of the Lorde, least we should be condemned with the world: He sayeth not that we are corrected, to the ende we shoulde satisfye part of the iustice of God, but to the entent we should not synne hereafter or flatter our selues in sinnes.

Also y t fayned fyre of Purgatorye is manifestly against this sentence of Christ, wherin he sayth: Uerely I say vn­to [...]. [...]. you, he whiche heareth my worde, and beleueth in him which sent me, hath eternal lyfe, & shal not come to iudge­ment, but hath passed from death to life. It is also contra ry vnto the most sweete consolation of the Apostle which is written vnto the Thessalonians, where the death of the Godly is called a sleepe. I will not (sayth the Apostle) that you shoulde be ignoraunte brethren of those whiche haue fallen on slepe, &c. But it might be called a wonder­full sleepe if it were ioyned with so greate a tormente of purgatory fyer? Which the Sophisters affyrme differeth nothing from the infernall fyre but only in respecte of du­raunce of time. Whereof you shall heare what the Disci­ple sayth in his Sermon of soules, whose words are these. ‘For if all the coales of the whole worlde being gathe­red together vpō one heape were on fyre, and if a man shoulde stande in the middest of them, he shoulde not sus­staine so greate heate, as the soules sustaine in purga­tory.’ Of thys fayned fyre of purgatory the holy prophetes and Apostles know nothing, y e holy scripture is ignorant therof, neyther knoweth it of any other fyre after thys life than of the infernal euerlasting fyre of the damned, which shall neuer be quenched but al the misery of those y • shal be saued endeth in this world, wherein yet also is the begin­ning of eternall life.

[Page 17] And although y • Byshops of Rome with their Cardi­nalles, Byshoppes, Sacrificers and monkes were man [...] yeares ago admonished of all these pernitious errors, ye [...] se great is their stubborn [...]es and security in defending of errors that in s [...] manifest a lyght of the doctrine of y e Gos­pell, they are bolde to obtrude them agayne vnto Christi­an people: so muche are they bewitched by the spirite of lying, that they shoulde not geue place vnto the truth of the heauenly doctrine whiche the Lord hath raysed vp a­gaine in the latter times, & hath kindled the true lyght in the hartes of many.

I thought good to admonishe the godly reader of all these thinges before I tooke in hande to confute the rest of the decrees and Canons, whiche were made vnder the Bishop of Rome Pius the fourth concerning the Sacra­mentes: all which namely decrees and Canons seing they were allowed by the Counsell gathered together the laste yeare, they whiche are but meanely instructed in the doc­trine of pietie may most manifestly see, y • there is no good thing to be hoped for at their handes.

For what (but euen briefly to repeate all things) pietie or sounde doctrine canst thou looke for of them, which ac­knowledge not the disease of the corrupt nature of man, & dare denye it to be sinne contrary to the Apostle? Which denye that man is dead thorough sinne, and doo attribute vnto him strengthes yet remayning, wherby he may ap­ply him selfe vnto grace? Whiche also excuse workes of the Ethnikes and infidels from sinne? Whiche are igno­rant of the nature & difference of the law and of the Gos­pell? Which condemne the righteousnesse of faith, which thorough the obedience of Christ resteth onely in the mer­cy of God? Whiche teache a man continually to doubt of the grace and fauor of God? Whiche dreame y • the fayth­full can fulfill the lawe of God? Whiche besides the pas­sion and death of Christ do teache vs to seeke other satis­factiō [Page 18] in this life & in y e world to come. What good thing (I saye) can a Christian Publique welth hope or loke for from suche fathers? when as with their peruerse and vn­godly decrees they do not o [...]ely peruert the foundations; and principall poyntes of Christian Religion, but also, as much as lieth in them, vtterly [...]uerthrow them.

Where as there are fiue principall feast dayes, wherein the benefites of the sonne of God are yearely celebrated in the Churche: the feastes of the Natiuitie of Christ, of hys Passion, Resurrection, and Ascencion into heauen, also the feast of Whitsontyde. Of all these feastes the Fathers of the Counsell of Trent haue left vs nothyng, but the names and truth of the historye, whiche is also in the de­uilles, vnto whiche fathers thou mayst most aptly apply this sayeng of Paul. They professe that they know God, but in dedes they deny hym, when as they are abhomina­ble, Titus. i. and not harknyng to his worde, and reprobate to all good workes.

For the power and fruite of the holye Natiuitie of Christe is to purge and make cleane our vnpure Natiui­tie, Psalme. li whiche were conceaued, borne, and dead in synnes. The Counsell of Trent extenuateth the power of thys, whilest they extenuate the disease of originall synne, and denye it to be properly called sinne.

The vertue and fruite of the Passion and death of Christ, is a perfect satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole worlde, and a full remission thorough the mercy of God. Contrarily the Counsell extenuateth the vertue of thys merite, & teacheth that for the temporall payne of sinnes, we may satisfie both in this life by good workes, and af­ter this life in Purgatorye.

The vertue and fruite of the resurrection of Christ is, that all they whiche beleue in Christe are iustified from i. Cor. i ii. Cor. i sinne, and endewed with righteousnesse, not with theyr owne righteousnesse but with y e righteousnesse of Christ, [Page 19] as it is written: whiche was deliuered for our sinnes, and raysed vp for oure Iustification. Contrarily the Counsell Rom. iiii decreeth, that parte of the Righteousnesse whiche is of force before God to put awaye sinnes, consisteth also in our workes.

The vertue and fruite of the Ascension of Christe into heauen, and of his sitting at the right hande of the father (from whence also he sent the holy ghost vnto hys Apo­stles) is, that he onely & alone hath opened the gate of the kyngdome of heauen, is a continuall intercessor for vs Ephe. iiii vnto the father, and sealeth our hearts with y • holy ghost, as with a pledge & earnest peny, y • the faithfull shoulde be certaine and not doubte of the fauor & mercye of God to­wards Ephe. i Rom. viii. ii. Cor. i them. Cōtrarily the Counsel teacheth y • we should laye the consideration of our infirmitie agaynst the pro­mises of God, and y t bycause of it we ought continually to doubt of the grace and fauor of God: and they iudge it to be an arrogant confidence, whereby a man assuredly and vndoubtedly promiseth vnto hym selfe the fauor of God for Christs sake. Yea and y t more is, one of the Fathers of this Counsel in the defence of his Catholike doctrine not long sins was not ashamed to write. That there is no Stanislaus Hosius Bis­shop of Uar­mienum Car­dinall agaynste Brentius. greater abhomination before God, than if a man hauyng no respect vnto his owne infirmitie should certaynly ap­poynt and firmely beleue that thorough fayth hys sinnes are forgeuen for Christes sake.

Take awaye this firme consolation from a Christian [...]an, & the benefites of the sonne of God whiche we haue rehearsed, whiche the Counsell of Trent derogateth, na­mely the full remission of sinnes, y e is, of the fault & payne gottē by y e bloud of Christ, take away also y • perfect righte ousnesse whiche we haue by the resurrection of Christe, and the assure [...] testimony of the holy ghost, Wherby we beleue without any doubtyng that we are in the fauor of God for Christes sake: and what can be lefte or geuen [Page 20] hym that is auaylable to saluation?

But rather this ought continually to be the study of a Christian man, y • we should fight against this distrust and doubting, whiche is naturally in vs, and cleaueth vnto vs euen against our willes, and expell it, so far is it of, that it should be a prayse of pietie modestie or humilitie, bycause of our infirmitie to doubte of the grace of God offred vs in Christ. The holy fathers of the Counsell iudge, y • it can not want the sinne of arrogancie if a man hauing no re­garde to his owne infirmitie do assuredly appoynt of the grace of God towardes him selfe. In the meane time they consider not, how great a wickednes it is to accuse god in his promises of vanitie & lying, Who hauyng no regards to our infirmitie promiseth & offreth his fauor in Christs to vs beyng vnworthy and wicked, and doth most seuere­ly admonish, and vnder the payne of hell fire commaunde vs, y • as repentaunt sinners, we should without all diffi­dēce or doubt, y t is, with a true and firme faith embrace it. He that beleueth not, that is, that firmely appoynteth not, y • for Christes sake he hath God mercyfull vnto hym, shalbe condemned. Mark. xvi

And thus much of the doctrine whiche the Counsell of Trent, in the yeare. 1547, confirmed agaynst the expresse word of God to establish their olde errors.

In the seuenth and last session they began to make de­crees also of the Sacramentes whiche are added as seales vnto the heauenly doctrine, wherin the promises of God concernyng his free fauor towarde vs, are sealed, and our fayth confirmed.

But I will not dispute long of these their decrees, whose true and manifeste confutation is of late set a bro [...]e: but I will only admonish y t godly reader of certayne things, y • he may se, that the Counsel in this part also is not vnlike vnto it self, y e hauing no regard vnto the word of god, they appoynt and decree what they lust them selues.

[Page 21] In the first Canon they curse those whiche beleue not, y • there are seuen Sacramētes, being so most properly cal­led & instituted of Christ him self. But who will not here streight way meruaile at the rashnesse & boldnesse (omit­ting to speake more greuously) of the Counsel? When as Christ hath instituted only two Sacramētes, and not m [...] or fewer, to faine to these other fiue which are not proper ly Sacramentes. For as for Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord the Euangelistes testifye y t Christ instituted thē, to confirme our fayth, whiche haue y t worde, & promise, & outwarde simboles or signes. As for y • other whiche part­ly are kyndes of lyfe instituted by God, and partly are or­dinaunces, howe dare they number them among Sacra­mentes: When as either they want outwarde symboles, or els they are not seales of promises of eternall lyfe? And bycause they dispute of the number of Sacraments of the new Testamēt instituted by Christ, with what rashnesse dare they to bryng into y • number either Repentaunce or Matrimony, when as the selfe same are founde in the peo­ple of the olde Testament?

In the fifth Canon they decree: If a man say y • the Sa­craments were instituted only to y e norishement of fayth, Let hym be accursed. What other thyng I pray you doo they in this Canon, than vtterly to ouerthrowe the vse of the Sacramentes. If the imbecillity of our faith were not so great, that it would firmely rest in y • promises of God, what should we nede Sacramētes? by which God would helpe our imbecillitie, as the Apostle hath writtē of Abra­ham: Rom. iiii he receaued the signe of circumcision, the seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which was in vncircūcision. &c.

In y • eight Canō y • olde impietie of y e mōkes is confir­med which taught y • Sacramētes cōfer grace by y • worke wrought, w tout y • good motion of him whiche receaueth. This Canon is against y e doctrine of y • Prophetes & Apo­stles, which testifieth y • grace is not conferred but to those [Page 23] which beleue in very dede. For euen as y • word of promise nothing profiteth the vnbeleuers, but hurteth them, as y • Apostle [...]estifieth, it is the sauor of death to death to these that perishe: so vndoubtedly haue the Sacramentes the ii. Cor, iiii selfe same consideration, whiche are added vnto the pro­mises of God, to cōfirme and increase grace offred by the promises of God, and receaued by faith.

[...]y this error Monkes of the later tyme haue endeuo­red them selues to commēd the celebrations of their Mas­ses, and to persuade mē, that by the worke wrought they are profitable for those, for whō they are celebrated, whē as they neither confer any grace to the liue sacrificer, ney­ther yet profit the dead, or lookers on y • stande by. This error beyng alredy oftentimes confuted, the Coūsel goeth about to establishe.

In the xiii. Canō they cōfirme all magicall & histrionicall rites, which were by litle & litle brought-into y • Church. of God, and they vrge thē with so great a necessitie as▪ though they were y e worshippyng of God, y • they do not only iudge these to sinne, but also strike thē with theyr curse, whiche haue either omitted or chāged any of thē. ‘The wordes of y e Canō are these: If any mā say, y • the receaued & allowed rites of the Catholike Church accu­stomably vsed in the solēne administration of the Sa­cramentes, may either be contēned or at the ministers pleasure without sinne omitted, or by any other pastor of the Churches be changed into any other new rites, let hym be accursed.’

In this Canon first is cōdemned the doctrine of Christ & of y e Apostles cōcerning Christiā liberty, wherof y • Apo­stle hath writtē. In the libertie, wherin Chri [...]hath dely­uered Gala. v. you, stādye, & be not ye wrapped ag [...] [...] y • yoke of seruitude. Christ also saith. They worship me in vaine tr [...] thing y e doctrines & precepts of mē. The practise of y • Apo­stles is cōdēned, which not only by y • testimonie of y • [...] ­gelistes, Math. xv but also of the high Priestes vsed, not these rites: [Page 23] they baptised w t al māner of water, Platina in y • life of Sir­tus y • fyrst, testifieth y e Peter celebrated y t supper of y t Lord, w t the Lords prayer w t out any other rites. Not only all y • pastors of our church are cōdemned, but also y • primatiue churches, which were vtterly ignorāt of these rites, which humane wisedome hath inuēted, & superstition increased.

And thus much of the Sacramentes in generall: wher­by we may coniecture that the fathers of the Councel wil correcte no erroure, abuse or Idolatrye, for as muche as they will not for peace and concorde sake so muche as re­mit the least rytes and ceremonies, wherin there is none or small helpe, but haue decreed to retayne thē with tooth and nayle.

Neyther do we so earnestly dispute of ceremonies and outward rites, bycause we would for them haue the peace & tranquillitye of the church troubled, whiche may be re­tayned without sinne, but y e the church should be instruc­ted, y • the opinion of necessity and worshipping is to be ta­ken away, which opiniō also conuerteth into horrible Ido latrye thynges that are of theyr owne nature meane and indifferente.

In theyr Canons of baptisme although they leaue vn­to vs y e forme prescribed vs of Christ, yet they so peruert the administration and vse thereof, that the faythfull can hope for litle consolation thense, vnlesse they bee more rightly instructed.

For to omit their ware taper, sauour of salt, spitle, chri­some, and such like, in conferring wherof they are more oc­cupyed, than in pouryng on the water, which thyngs also do rather obscure and vitiate the benefyte of baptisme, than commende it: In the. vii. Canons they bynde hym y e is baptised to obserue the whole lawe of Christ in y e opi­nion, wherin the Scholemen haue deliuered it: namely y e forasmuch as (after the Scholemens opinion) in the newe lawe is geuen a perfecter lawe than in the olde, they [Page 24] affyrme that he whiche is Baptysed is bounde in woorke to fulfyll thys lawe. But what other thing is this, than to geue a signe of desperation in baptisme? For the Sacramentes are signes of the promyse, and of the grace offred in the promise, wherby they are receaued in­to the fauour of God which are not able perfectly to per­forme the commaundements of God. In the meane time yet are they bounde to the obedience of the lawe of God, whose curse is taken away by Christ, as it is writtē: Now you are not vnder the law, but vnder grace. Gala. v.

No lesse ridiculous and vngodly are the fathers of the Councell of Trent concerning confirmation. For in that they attribute vnto the oyle the power of the holy ghoste which may not be geuen vnto those y e are Baptised but by a byshop, what other thyng is thys thā a humane tradii­on and a magicall kynde of inchantement? We rede in dede in the Euangelist Marke, y e the Apostles annoynte [...] Marke. vi. many sicke folkes with oyle and healed thē, but this was a medicine of y e body, and not an instrumente of geuing or communicating the grace of the holy ghost, which it syg­nifyeth: we will not speake of the blessyng of the oyle which is altogether magicall, before it can serue for thys spectacle.

In the meane tyme how necessary the Catechisme is in so great an ignorance and rudenes of the common people that they might rightly be instructed in true fayth and re­ligion, al the true Godly do see, and do deplore and deteste the negligence of the Byshops and sacrificyng priestes: concernyng this thing the Councell is more dumme than a stone.

In summe y • Councell of Trent neglectyng the Cate­chisme, thought by the Sacrament of confyrmation to re­tayne theyr gasyng spectacle, therby to blynde the eyes of the rude, y t they also myghte seme to doe somewhat in the church, when as to teache (which thing also experience de­clareth) [Page 25] they are most vnapt.

But it is sufficient to haue rehearsed at y e least the prin cipall pointes of the former Counsell of Trent, wherin I trust I haue she wed that the true and heauēly doctrine of originall sinne, of free will, of y t law and of the Gospel, of grace, & iustification of the merite of the passiō, death, and resurrection of Christ, of the certaynty of our saluati­on, of faith and good workes, of the Sacramētes in gene­rall, of Baptisme and Confirmation, is not onely corrup­ted, but also the true vse of them for the moste part vtter­ly abolished and cleane taken away.

All these decrees and Canons with a great many mo, whiche contayne no lesse impietie, which I will now with silence ouer passe, the fathers of this Counsell of Trent, in the yeare from the birth of Christ. 1562, the xviii. day of Ianuary, do as it were repeting thē in these fewe wordes (should be celebrated, all suspension taken away, according to the forme & tenor of the letters of our most holy Lorde Pius the 4. most high Bishop) acknowledge and reuerence them in this their first decree as most holy, and do approue and cōfirme them with their assent and authoritie.

By these thinges (as I thinke) all Christendome maye easly vnderstand that the Cardinals, Bishops, Monkes, & Sacrificers called together at Trent by the consent of the Bishop of Rome Pius y e iiii. not to clēse y e doctrine of the Churche frō errors, whiche haue not once with their litle finger touched any one error of y • Scholastical or Papisti­call doctrine, wherewith their bookes and decrees ouer flowe: but they are assēbled together with this only pur­pose and entent, to establishe and confirme the Popes ty­ranny in the Churche, and also deuilishe Idolatrye, and thorough out al Christēdome to oppresse & vtterly to ouer throwe sounde doctrine, and the folowers therof.

‘Wherfore there is no cause why, that any man should be deceaued w te these their most flatteryng wordes, na­mely [Page 26] that they assembled together in this Counsell so the increase & aduancement of faith & Christiā religiō, to asswage the calamities of these times, to quiet y • cō ­trouersies of Religiō, to restraine disceatful tongues, to correct the abuses of corrupt maners, & to restore y e true ecclesiasticall & Christian peace.’ For the sense of those wordes is, y t the calamities of these times cā by no other meanes be asswaged, or the cōtrouersies cōcerning reli giō quieted, vnlesse the olde & aūciēt superstitiō & idola­try be called agayne into the Churche, & y • al godly tea­chers (whom they in this place vnderstand by disceatful tōges) shuld euerywhere be put to silēce; & y t such which hithert [...] being instructed w c y t word of God, haue gayne sayd their impietie & playnly cōuinced them of manifest idolatry, of infinitie superstitions, abuses, & all kind of most pernitious errors, yea and also of most great im­pietie, should cruelly be put to death.

But as touching the correcting of corrupte maners they are so far of to be carefull, y t they seme by all diligence to seke a greater licēce for y • maintenance therof, whē as it is not possible y • there should be a greater dissolutiō of lyfe & maners in all orders, but especially in the Clergy.

And although as I suppose I haue hitherto sufficiētly & plētifully declared y t the Coūsell of Trent in this firste decree hath most briefly cōdēned y e soūd doctrine of y e Gos­pell in a maner in al his partes & articles, so y • I nede not to rehearse any mo things, whereby to declare y t all godly mē ought to abstaine frō the amitie & familiaritie therof, as frō a most deadlyopē enemie of y e eternal truth & celesti all doctrine, yet neuerthelesse bycause we would in other things also satisfie y • desire of y e godly reder, we will brief­ly also examine such things whiche they haue decreed of y e bookes of herctikes, of y e sacrifice of y e Masse, of y e cōmuniō vnder both kindes, and of prebendes.

¶ The first decree of the second Session of the [Page 27] sacred Counsel of Trent, vnder Pope Pius the fourth the xxvi. of February. 1562.

THe sacred, oeconominall, & generall Sinode of Trent, lawfully assēbled together in y e holy ghost (the self same legares of the Apostolical seat being presidētes in it) not trusting to humane strengthes, but cleauing to the helpe & aide of our Lord Iesus Christe (who hath promised to geue mouth & wisdome vnto his Church) hath princi­pally a regard vnto this, to restore at the length to his purenesse & [...]brightnesse, the doctrine of the Catholike fayth beyng in many places corrupted and obscured by reason of the opinions of many whiche disagree among them selues, and to re­uoke the manners which haue declined from the olde institution vnto a better manner of lyfe, and also to conuert the heart of the Fathers vnto the children, and the heart of the children vnto the Fathers. For as muche therefore as it firste of all considereth, that at thys tyme the number of suspected and pernitious bookes, wherein vnpure doctrine is cōtayned, and farre and wide spred abrode, hath to muche increased, whiche thyng in dede was the cause that many refor­matiōs were with a godly zeale made in sundry prouinces, and especially in the hyghe Citie of Rome, and yet coulde no healthfull medicine profite thys so greate and pernicious dysease: [Page 28] It hath thought good y e the fathers which are ap pointed for this inquisition, should diligently cō ­sider what were nedefull to be done concernyng Censures, & bookes, & that they should also in due time make relation vnto the selfe same holy Sy­node, that it may with more ease desseuer sundry & straunge doctrines, as it were tares from the wheat of Christiā verity, and more commodious­ly deliberate and decree cōcernyng those things, whiche shall seme most opportune to the plucking out of doubtes out of the myndes of very many men, and to the taking away of the causes of ma ny complayntes. And all these thinges▪ it desireth to be brought to the knowledge of all men what soeuer they be, as also by thys present decree it geueth knowledge abrode, that if any man shall thinke that by any meanes these things pertaine vnto hym, touchyng the matter of these bookes and Censures or any other thynges whiche it hath declared to be handled in this generall Coū sell, he should not doubt, but that he shall w t much fauor be heard of the holy Synode.

But bycause y • self same holy Synode wisheth euen from the heart, & earnestly desireth of God, those thinges that are profitable to the peace of y e Church, y t all we acknowledging our cōmon mo­ther vpon the earth (whiche can not forget those whō it hath brought forth) may with one mynde with one mouth glorifie God & the father of our [Page 29] Lorde Iesus Christ, thorough the bowels of the mercy of the selfe same God, and our Lord and al those whiche haue not communion with vs, it al­lureth & exhorteth vnto concorde and reconcilia­tion & that they would come vnto this holy Sy­node: & embrase charitie, which is the bond of per fectiō, & preferre the peace of Christ which reioy­seth in their harts, into whiche they are called in one body. Wherefore harkenyng vnto the voyce not of a mā, but of the holy ghost, let thē not har­dē their harts, but not walking in their own sēse nor pleasing thē selues, let thē be stirred vp & cō ­uerted to so godly & healthfull an admonition of their mother. For the holy Sinode as it allureth them, so also will it embrase them with all duties of Charitie.

Furthermore the self same holy Synode hath decreed that publique faith or saue conduite may be graunted in a generall congregation, and shal haue the same force, and be of the same strength and wayght, as if it had bene geuen and decreed in a publicque Session.

The second Decree published in the selfe same. ii. Session.

THe selfe same sacred Sinode of Trent law­fully gathered together in the holy ghost (the self same legates of the Apostolical seat being presidentes therin,) hath appoynted & decreed, y t the next Session to come shalbe had & celebrated the [...]. daye after the most holy feast of the Ascen­sion [Page 30] of our Lorde, whiche shall be the. 14. day of the moneth of May.

These thinges agree with the Originals, Angelus Massarellus Bishop of Thelesia Se­cretary vnto the sacred Counsell.

IN the begynnyng of this decree the Counsell maketh a preface y t it regardeth this thing onely, y t y e doctrine of y e Catholike faith beyng defiled and obscured with the opi­nions of sundry men might be restored to his purenesse & brightnesse. But how wyll they aunswere vnto this pro­mise, & to the expectation of the Churche, I thinke it ma­nifestly appeareth by those thinges which we haue before spoken. Undoutedly this were a care mete for the Coū ­sell, whiche yet they in nothyng performe, but rather go aboute with humane traditions to obscure and oppresse the doctrine of fayth beyng nowe many yeares by the la­bour of godly and learned men purged and clensed.

Farther we neither cā nor ought to deny, but y t there are very many bookes extant not so much suspected, as blas­phemous and pernitious, but the Romishe bull hath eye to very fewe of them, especially to such as are of his court and faith, but by his Censure he noteth those only as he­reticall, which contayne a healthful simple and playne ex­plication of the truth, as we maye see in the cataloge of the heretiques.

But in that the Counsell committeth that matter (na­mely the examination of pernitious bookes) vnto a cer­tayne few friers, it semeth therin to haue small regard or eye to the estimation of it selfe, whē as it putteth the iud­gement of the doctrine of the Churche to the arbitrement of a fewe Sophisters.

But with what cōscience dareth the Counsell condēne bokes wherin they neuer looked, which they neuer reade, nor neuer examined? But if they stand to y e iudgemēt of a very fewe mōkes, why are not y e Censures, vnto which y e authoritie of the Coūcel is added as it were a viser, pub­lished [Page 31] vnder theyr name and daūger. For whē such bokes are condemned and prohibited by the authoritie of the bi­shop of Rome and of the Councell, simple Christian men thinke, y t all these writinges haue bene diligently exami­ned of the fathers, when as they are nothing ells but the peruerse iudgements of a fewe monks, which either gape for a Cardinals hatte, or otherwyse flatter the Byshop of Rome, & are most deadly enemies of our doctrine. If they say time was so shorte y t they themselues coulde not exa­mine them, a goodly excuse I promise you, which now be­ing these two yeares gathered together haue published a­brode fyue or sixe decrees.

This y t I haue nowe spoken they obserue not onely in the examining of bokes, but also in the examining of all theyr Canons. For the Monkes dispute and decree of the matter y t is put forth, which Canons are afterward con­fyrmed by the authoritye of the byshops, so y t fyrst the con­sent of y e bishop of Rome be ioyned vnto thē, by whose spi­rit al thigs ar there done by messágers cōming betwene.

When as therfore the writyngs of Godly & learned mē are condemned of the Monkes (whose vngodly & peruerse iudgements y e councell ratifyeth, & by hys authoritye con­fyrmeth) we ought no more to be moued thā [...] we should rede & here, y t the doctrine of Christ being cōprehended in y e writings of y e Apostles were condemned of y e Pharisees,

But in y t al mē (vnto whō this matter semeth principal­ly to pertain) are w t such clemēcy & humanity (if a mā [...]oke vpō y t bare words) not only inuited to come to Trent vn­to y e coūcel, but also promised saueconduite, how this their good will ought to be taken, by these thinges whiche we haue spokē, it is not obscure. Forasmuch as almen are as yet boūd by an othe vnto y e bishop of Rome, & do acknow­ledge the authority of y e Byshop of Rome to be aboue the Councel, vpon whose backe thei also depende, if publique fayth and securitye geuen shoulde onely be the cause, that our men would not come vnto the counsel, all men maye see that there is no sufficient warrantise prouided for thē. [Page 32] For the byshop of Rome hath not geuen saueconduyt but the councel, and bicause the spirite wherwith they are go­uerned is a lying spirite, and a murtherer, who would cō ­mit hys lyfe and healthe vnto them, whiche hitherto haue horribly persecuted our men omitting no kinde of cruel­tye, and haue put to death great numbers of them? But we will remit thys disputation vnto the Lawyers, vnto whom the natures of publique fayth or saueconduit are better knowen. And it is the destenye of Godly pastors, y t for the most part they are not broughte to iudgemente to plead theyr cause, but that vnder the coulour of right they mighte be put to death: whiche though the examples of Christ, of the Prophets, of the Apostles, and of y e Martirs Iohn. xiiii: do testifye. This processe of the lawe (as they cal it) muste Godly teachers looke for in this world, which wil not be­tray the doctrine of the truth vnto theyr enemyes, of whō thei are no more heard, thā was Christ of the high priests vnto whom when he answered he pleaded all our causes: For being demaunded, whether he were Christe, he aun­swered. If I tell you, ye will not beleue. And if also I aske of you, ye will not answere me, neyther will ye let me go. Luke. xxii. No otherwyse vndoubtedly semeth the councel of Trent to deale with vs. For if our deuines (as they woulde haue thē) should come vnto Trēt, to rēder a reasō of theyr faith, and would expound y e verity of theyr doctrine, eyther they shoulde not be heard at all as it came to passe in the yeare of our Lorde. 1551. in the same place y e Bishop of Romes adherents being gathered together vnder Iulius y t third: or elles there shoulde no credite be geuen vnto them, whē as they altogether are addicted vnto the byshop of Rome by the bonde of an othe, and al things shoulde be done in preiudice of the truth, whiche also shoulde be betrayed to the enemyes therof, which hardening theyr eares & theyr harts brought from home y t condemnation therof, whiche dare not ou [...]e hysse agaynst the byshop of Rome.

[Page 33] Wherfore there is now no disputation of the faith pub­lique but of godly & mete conditiōs of the Counsel, which hitherto could by no meanes be obtayned of the Bishops of Rome, no not by the Romane Emperours.

In the meane time whilest the fathers of the Counsell of Trent are busied not in seking out the knowledge of the doctrine of the Gospell, but in condemnyng it and in confirmyng their errors, let vs both in prayeng and tea­chyng faithfully do our duety and be most assured y t God whiche is in heauen, derideth their Counsels & laugheth them to scorne, & will before the ende of the worlde euen spite of theyr teeth spread abrode hys doctrine thorough but the whole world.

Nowe let vs also come briefly to confute y t other decrees whiche are set forth concerning the sacrifice of the Masse, and the Eucharist.

¶ Articles concerning the Sacrifice of the Masse to be examined by the diuines.

1 WHither the masse be only a commemoration of the sacrifice whiche was made vpō the Crosse, and not a true sacrifice.

2 Whither the sacrifice of the Masse do derogate the sacrifice that was made vpon the Crosse.

3 Whither in these wordes (do this in remēbrāce of me) Christ ordeyned that y e Apostles should offer his body and bloud in the Masse.

4 Whither the sacrifice that is made in y e Masse profiteth the receauer only, and can not be of­fred for other as wel quicke as dead, & also for their sinnes, satisfactions & other necessities.

5 Whither priuate Masses, namely wherein the priest onely & no other do communicate, be vn­lawfull, [Page 34] and to be abrogated.

6 Whither it be repugnant with the institution of Christe, that in the Masse water is myngled with wyne.

7 Whither the Canon of the Masse do contayne errors, and be to be abrogated.

8 Whyther the rites of the Churche of Rome, wherin the wordes of consecration are spoken secretly and with a soft voice be to be cōdēned.

9 Whyther the Masse ought to be celebrated, but in the vulgare tongue onely whiche al mē may vnderstand.

10 Whyther it be an abuse, to attribute certayne Masses vnto certayne sainctes.

11 Whyther the ceremonies, garmentes and out­ward signes, whiche the Churche vseth in the celebration of Masses, are to be taken away.

12 Whyther it be one and the selfe thing, Christe to be offred vp mystically for vs and to be geuē vnto vs to be eaten.

13 Whyther y • Masse be only a sacrifice of prayse and thankesgeuing & not also a sacrifice propi­tiatory both for the quicke and for the dead.

Let them declare whyther they be erronius, or false, or hereticall and to be condemned by the holy Synode.

And the xiii. Articles aboue written concer­nyng the sacrifice of the Masse whiche are nowe put forth to be examined of the diuines, let them [Page 35] be so deuided amongest them, that the halfe parte of the diuines (of those namely whiche shal speake firste, whiche are in numbre 17) maye aunswere onely vpon the 7. firste Articles: and the rest of the diuines whiche shall speake after thē, to aun­swere vpon the rest of the Articles followyng.

The decree for the examining of suspect and pernici­ous bookes, was as it were extraordinary. But nowe for as much as the [...]ucharist, is the third in number of the 7. Romyshe Sacramentes, and in the laste Counsell of Trent y e last Canons as touchyng confirmatiō wer pub­lyshed abrode, that all Christendome maye see that the firste Counsell is continewed and not a newe begon, now I saye they diligently obserue their purposed order. And firste are put forth the Articles whiche contayne the matter of the disputation concernyng the sacrifice of the Masse. And these Articles do declare that the doctrine of our Churches concernyng this matter is not vnknowen vnto the Counsell. So that they are the lesse to be excu­sed from impietie, whilest wittingly and willynglye they condemne the manifest truth, yea and euen Christe hym selfe and hys Apostles. But it were to be wished for that of these Articles proposed there should be a disputatiō had in an assembly of al the orders of the empier, and of al the nobilitye of whole Christendome, whiche matter name­ly of the sacrifice of the Masse, amongest all the holye thyngs of the Papacye is the chiefest. But nowe for as much as only vnlearned monkes & friers, in a corner of y e Citie of Trent, confer their sentences together, and that suche as are not repugnant, and also not seriously, but onelye to establishe thys Romishe idole, all godly men ought to thinke it to be a trifling and vayne action. And such is also the arrogancy of the Coūsell, that it thinketh [Page 36] a thing scarse worthy that it should render a reason of his decrees and Canons to the Church of God euerywher in the worlddispersed abrode.

But as concernyng the preposed articles let vs heare y e doctrine of the Coūsel, whiche the monkes and friers mi­nistred vnto the Bishoppes, that it beyng confirmed by their authoritie, the sayde Articles should be published a­brode by Canons.

¶ The doctrine and Canons concerning the sacrifice of the Masse.

THe sacred Sinode, &c. (That the auncient, ab­solute and fully perfect faith) and doctrine cō ­cerning the great mystery of y e Euchariste may be retayned in the holy Catholike Church, and be in hys purenesse preserued all errors and heresies beyng put awaye) beyng instructed by the inspi­ration of the holy ghost, teacheth and declareth of it, in y e it is a true and singular sacrifice, these thinges whiche followe, and commaundeth the same to be preached vnto the faithful people, and to be inculcated into their heartes.

Bycause vnder the first testamēt (as Paul the Apostle testifieth) by reason of the imbecility of the priesthode of Leui, there was no perfection, it behoued (God the father of mercy so ordeyning it) that an other should ryse accordyng to the or­der of Melchisedech, namely our Lorde Iesus Christe, whiche myghte accomplyshe and bryng [Page 37] to perfection euen as many as were to be sancti­fied. The same therefore one God and Lorde al­though he once vpon the altare of y e crosse would by his death offre hym self vnto God the father, there to worke our eternall redēptiō, yet bicause by death his priesthode shoulde not be extingui­shed to the ende that he myghte shewe that he was appoynted a Prieste for euer accordyng to the order of Melchisedech, and to the ende he myght (as the nature of mē requireth) leaue vnto hys sayde spouse the Churche a sacrifice, wherein shoulde be represented that bloudye sacrifice whiche shoulde once be done vpon the crosse, and that the memorye thereof shoulde remayne vnto the end of the world, and that the sauyng power thereof shoulde be applyed for the remission of those sinnes, whiche we dayly committe, in hys laste Supper, the same nyght that he was be­trayed, offred hys body and bloude vnto God the father vnder the formes of breade and wyne: and vnder the Symboles of those selfe same things, he delyuered them vnto hys Apostles, whome he then ordayned Priestes of the newe Testa­ment, and commaunded them, and their succes­soures in the Priesthood to offer them by these words, Doye thys in remembraunce of me, as the Catholike Churche hath alwayes vnder­stande it and taught. For the olde Easter beyng finished, whiche the multitude of the chyldren [Page 38] of Israell offred for a memoriall of their Depar­ture out of Egypte, he instituted a newe Easter, namely that he hym selfe shoulde bee offred vp of the Churche by the Priestes for a memoriall of hys passage out of thys worlde vnto the Fa­ther: when as he hath by the sheadyng of hys bloude redemed vs and delyuered vs from the power of darkenesse, and transferred vs into hys kyngdome. And this is that cleane oblation which can not be defyled by any vnworthynes or malice of the offerers, whiche also the Lorde by Malachy foretolde shoulde in euery place beyng cleane be offred in hys name, whiche shoulde be greate among the heathen, of whiche also Paule meant wrytyng vnto the Corinthians, when he sayeth that they whiche are defyled by participa­tion of the table of deuilles can not be made par­takers of the table of the Lorde, vnderstandyng in both places by the Table the altare. This also is lastely that oblation whiche was figured by the similitude of so many sacrifices in the tyme of nature and of the lawe, as whiche comprehen­deth all thynges by them signified as it were the consūmation and perfection of them all.

Bycause in thys diuine sacrifice whyche is done in the Masse, that selfe same Christe is con­tayned, and vnbloudily inuiolated, whiche once bloudily offred hym selfe vpon the altare of the Crosse, the holy Synode teacheth that this sa­crifice [Page 39] is in very deede propitiatorye and by it is brought to passe that if with true hart and fulnes of fayth, with feare and reuerence, we come con­trite & repentant vnto god, we may obtaine mer­cye and fynde grace in helpe of opportunitye. For the Lorde being pacifyed with the oblation hereof, forgeueth greate crimes and synnes, and geueth grace and glorye: For it is one and the selfe same sacrifyce, the selfe same in number is offered by the ministerye of the priestes whiche then offered hymselfe vpon the Crosse differyng only by the manner of offryng the frute of which oblation, (of the bloudye oblation I saye) is by thys vnbloudy oblation most abundauntly recea­ued, so farre is it of that it should by any meanes by this be derogated. Wherfore (accordīg to y • tra dition of the Apostles) it is ryghtlye offred for the faythfull, not onely suche as be quicke but also for the dead in Christe, not yet purged to the full, for theyr sinnes, for their satisfactions and other necessityes.

And although the Churche hath sometymes vsed to celebrate certayne Masses in the honoure and memorye of Saints, yet it teacheth not that sacrifyce is offered vnto them, but vnto God on­ly, whiche hath crowned them, wherefore the prieste vseth not to saye: I offer sacrifyce vnto thee O Peter or Paule, but geuyng thankes vnto GOD for theyr victoryes, and imploring [Page 40] theyr aydes, he exhorteth al men to imitate them.

Farther forasmuch as it is conuenient that ho­ly thinges should be administred holily; and this sacrifice is of al thinges most holy, the Catholyke Church, to the ende it should worthily and reue­rentlye be offered & receaued, instituteth a sacred Canon, so pure frō all manner of error, that there is nothing contained therin, which doth not geue a great swete sauoure of a certayne holinesse and piety, and erecteth the mynde of the offerers vn­to God.

And for asmuch as the nature of men is such, y t it can not easely without outward helpes be lifted vp vnto the meditation of thinges deuine, for that cause the Godly mother y t Church hath instituted certayn rites, namely that certayne things in the masse should be pronounced with a soft voice and other certayn with a louder voyce, it hath also ad­ioyned Ceremonyes, as mysticall benedictions, lightes, incenses, vestments, and many such other lyke thinges, taken out of the Apostolicall Disci­pline and tradition, whereby both the maiestie of so great a sacrifice shoulde be commended, and the mindes of y e saythful should by these visible signes of religion and pietye, be stirred vp vnto the con­templation of thyngs most high, which lye hidden in this sacrifice.

The sacred Sinode would in dede wyshe, that in all Masses, some of the faythfull shoulde com­municate, [Page 41] that the fruit of that most holy sacrifice might come vnto many: and yet though it come not alwayes so to passe, doth it not therefore con­demne those Masses, wherein the Priest alone sacramentally communicateth, as priuate & vn­lawful, but rather alloweth and commēdeth thē, for that those Masses also ought in very dede to be counted common, partly bycause in thē the peo ple spiritually cōmunicateth, and partely bycause they are celebrated by the publicque minister of the Churche not for him selfe only, but also for all the faithfull, whiche pertayne vnto the body of Christe.

Farther the holy Synode admonisheth that commaundement is geuē from the Church vnto the Priests, to mingle water with the wine that is offred in the chalice, both bycause it is thought that the Lorde Christe did so, and also bycause out of hys syde came forth water together with bloude, whiche Sacrament is by this mixture kepte in memorye, that for as muche as peoples are in the Apocalipse of blessed Iohn called wa­ters, y e vnion of the faithfull people with the head Christ should be represented.

And although the Masse contayne great eru­ditiō of the faithfull people, yet y e fathers thought it not expedient, that it should euery where be ce­lebrated in the vulgare tongue. Wherfore the old rite of euerye Churche and the rite approued, [Page 42] by the holy Churche of Rome beyng euery where retayned; least the shepe of Christ should hunger, least the infantes should desire breade, and there shoulde be none to breake it vnto them: the holy Synode commaundeth Pastores, and all them that haue cures of soules, that oftentymes be­twene the celebration of Masses they either by them selues, or by others expounde some what of those thinges whiche are read in the Masse, and among other thyngs declare some mystery of the most holy Sacrifice, and especially on the Son­dayes and holy dayes,

But bycause agaynste thys auncient fayth and doctrine founded in the sacred Gospell by the tra­ditions of holy fathers, there are at this time ma­ny bokes wrytten, many thynges are also taught and disputed, the holy Synode after many and wayghty entreys delitherally had cōcerning those thinges, hath with one whole consent of all the Fathers, ordayned by these Canons followyng to condemne and thrust forth out of the Churche those thynges whiche are repugnant vnto thys most pure faith and sacred doctrine.

Canons.

1 If any mā shall say, that in the Masse is not of­fred vnto GOD a true and proper Sacrifice, or that to be offred is no other thyng, than Christe to be geuen vs to be easen or that it profiteth the receauer only, let hym be accursed.

[Page 43] 2 If any mā shall say, y t the sacrifice of y e masse is only a sacrifice of prayse & thākes geuing & not a sacrifice propitiatory, & that it ought not to be of­fred for the quicke and the dead, for sinnes and paines, and other necessities, let him be accursed.

3 If any man shall say that by these wordes, Do thys in remembraunce of me, Christe instituted not the Apostles Priestes, or that he ordayned not, that they and other Priestes should offer his body and bloud, let him be accursed.

4 If any man shall saye, that the most holy Sa­crifice of Christ done vpon the Crosse is blasphe­med by the Sacrifice of the Masse, or that it is by it derogated, let him be accursed.

5 If any man shall saye, that it is fraude and de­ceate, to celebrate Masses in the honoure of sainctes, & for the obteynement of theyr interces­sion, as y e Churche intendeth, let him be accursed.

6 If any man shall saye, that the Canon of the Masse conseyneth errors, and is therefore to be abrogated, let hym be accursed.

7 If any man shall saye, that ceremonies, vest­mentes, and outward signes, whiche the Catho­like Church vseth in y e celebration of Masses, are prouokemētes vnto impiety, let him be accursed.

[Page 44] 8 If any man shall saye that Masses, in whiche the priest alone communicateth are vnlawfull, & therfore to be abrogated, let him be accursed.

9 If any man shall say, y t the rite of the Churche of Rome, wherin the wordes of consecration are spoken with a softe voyce, is to be condemned, or the Masse ought to be celebrated only in the vul­gare tongue, or that water is not to be myngled with wyne in the Chalice, bycause it is agaynste the institution of Christ, let him be accursed.

At the first the Counsell endeuoreth to set forth it selfe with a shepes clothyng: for it promiseth the olde, absolute and fully perfecte fayth and doctrine of the Euchariste. These thynges if a manne that is in dede godly shoulde heare, what hope would not he conceaue that it shoulde come to passe, that the true vse of the Supper of the Lorde shoulde be restored accordyng to the institution of Christe, and doctrine of the Apostles, and practise of the primatiue Churche? For the doctrine of Christ & of the Apostles is most auncient, & it is onely absolute and fully perfecte. Neither also is the practise of the primatiue Church vnknowen, whiche religiously obserued both the doctrine and also the rites delyuered them by the Apo­stles. Let vs heare as touchyng this thing y e testimonie of [...]Platina beyng one of the Byshoppe of Romes fauorers [...]n the life of Sixtus the firste, Byshoppe of Rome, howe bare and simple the celebration of the Supper of the Lorde was, when as rites and ceremonies were as yet viterly vnknowen, whiche the latter age added vnto it without the worde of the Lorde. This simplicitie (I saye) and purenesse godly men would thinke the Counsell pro­mised [Page 45] by these theyr wordes, if they had not strayght way added thinges that are directly repugnant with the insti­tution of Christ and of the Apostles.

For it teacheth that the Eucharist is a true and a sin­gular sacrifice, and it decreeth that it ought to be prea­ched vnto all the faythfull and to be inculcated into their heartes.

Neither do we contend about this worde sacrifice, the Eucharist also maye after his manner be called a sacri­fice, bycause it comprehendeth the memorye of the sacri­fice of Christe, and a thankesgeuing of the faithfull. And that this was not the meanyng of the holy fathers, they manifestly shewe, when they affirme: that it is a true and singular sacrifice propitiatory, and not onely a memoriall of an other sacrifice, whiche thyng they will a litle after­warde more expressedly decree, and in their Canons con­firme with a curse.

But let vs briefly examine the reasons & argumentes, by whiche they go aboute to confirme the sacrifice of the Masse. The firste argument is: In the olde Testament by reason of the imbecillitie of the sacrifice of Leui, there was no perfection. Wherefore in the newe Testament, it behoued that one shoulde rise, namely our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche myght accomplishe and bryng to perfec­tion euen as many as were to be sanctifyed. To this we aunswere, that we graunte the whole argument, and with the Apostle we affirme that the selfe same thyng is accomplished in the Passion and death of Christe, The precepte (sayeth he) that went before was abrogated, by­cause of imbecillitie, and among them were many made Priestes, bycause they were not suffered to endure by reason of death. But this man, bycause he endureth for euer, hath an euerlastyng Priesthoode, wherefore he is able also fully to saue those whiche come vnto GOD [Page 46] by hym, euer lyuyng, to this ende to maké intercession for vs. And least any man shoulde vnderstande thys of any other Sacrifice than of that whiche was done vpon the Crosse, strayght waye he addeth: Thys he dyd once, when he offred vp hym selfe. And in the [...] cha [...]: ‘Not that he shoulde offer hym selfe often, as the hygh Priest entred into the holy place euerye yeare with straunge bloude, for then must he haue often suf­fred since the creation of the worlde. But nowe in the ende of the worlde hath he appeared Once to put away synne, by the Sacrifice of hym selfe. And as it is ap­poynted vnto men that they shall dye once and after that commeth the iudgement, So Christe was Once offred to take awaye the synnes of many.’ These testi­monies of the Apostle do moste manifestly teache that the imbecillity of the Sacrifices of Leui is taken away by the sole and onely sacrifice of the Crosse. And so far [...]t of, that the Sacrifice of the Masse can be confirmed by this argumente, that it can scarcely by any more strong argument be ouerthrowen. For if it shoulde dayly be offred by Priestes, whiche are as muche mor­tall as were the Priestes of Leui, and also haue their successors, how should it differ from the Leuiticall Sa­crifice in consideratiō of imbecillity? For the Leuiticall Sacrifice bycause of imbecillity was done euery yeare: but the sacrifice of Christ bycause of hys perfection was done but once.

The seconde argument is: The priesthoode of Christe was not to be extinguished by hys death. Therefore the Eucharist is a sacrifice. The Aunswere. I deny the conse­sequence. For the priesthode of Christ is not extinguished, although the Eucharist be not conuerted into a sacrifice. For how Christ doth the office of an eternal priest in hea­uen, the scripture euery where teacheth. For for as muche as there are thre offices belongyng to a Priest, namely to [Page 47] teach, to offer and to pray: al these things he hath not only fulfilled in hys flesh, but also the power therof hath indu­red euen from the creation of the worlde, and shall indure vnto the end therof. For concerning the will of hys father he taught from the. xxx. yere of his age euen vnto y e. xxxiiii yeare. Farther in the dayes of hys fleshe when with a Heb. v. stronge crye and teares he offred both prayers and also supplications vnto hym whiche coulde deliuer hym from death, he was heard for reuerence sake. Lastly he offred himself vpon the aulter of the crosse an oblation vnto god Esay. liii. ii. Cor. v the father for the sinnes of the whole worlde, for a swete smelling sauour vnto the Lord. Seing therfore Christ Ie­sus is thys day, yesterday, and for euer (as the Apostle say­eth) which was vnto mankinde euen from the beginnyng the word of the father the messanger of hys will, by whose hand also the law was geuen, by whom it was to bee ful­filled. So also y • power of the sacrifice, which he wroughte vpon the crosse, hath indured in all tymes, wherby all the Gal. iii. Patriarches thorough fayth obtayned eternal lyfe, which thyng the Apostle signifyed by this aduerb (yesterday) The Heb. i. selfe same power of this sacrifice indureth not only nowe presently, but also with all our posterityes, and that for euer. Likewise y e power of his prayer & intercession indu­reth Rom. viii. for euer, who sitting at the right hande of the father, maketh intercession continually for vs.

Whe as therfore y t true vse of y e supper, which is an ea­ting & not an oblation of y e body & bloud of Christ in y e sup­per, extinguisheth not this his perfect, absolute, perpetual & eternal sacrifice, for y • cause al y e godly may iudge y t thys reasō of y e fathers is weak to establsh y e sacrifice of y e masse

The thyrde argument: Christ is a priest accordyng to the order of Melchisedech. Melchisedech offred bread and wine, Therfore the Eucharist is a sacrifyce for the quicke and the dead. Thou wilt meruayle Christian Reader at y e forme of thys Sillogesmus, whiche in no poynt hangeth [Page 48] together, but vndoubtedly such are y e reasons of al main­tayners of y e papacye, otherwise thys argument will be no defence vnto them. For if it were brought into a forme, thys shoulde be the argument. Melchisedech the priest of­fred bread and wyne. Christ is a priest accordyng to y • or­der of Melchisedech. Therefore in the Supper he offred bread and wine. By this conclusion not only theyr trans­substantiation shall fall, but also the sacrifice of the bodye and bloud of Christ shall vtterly be nothyng. For Melchi­sedech offred not the body of Christ, but bread, but the pa­pistes say Christ offred hys own body and not bread. Far­ther to the maior or fyrst part we answere. That Melchi­sedech neuer offred vnto God the Father bread and wine which thyng they can neuer proue by the text, but offred them vnto Abraham and hys companions, whom as they returned weary frō the victory he refreshed, which thing this Hebrew word Hotsia declareth, which signifyeth not to offer, but to profer. And if Melchisedech were to bee cō ­pared with Christ in consideration of bread and wine, the author of the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes whatsoeuer he was, being vndoubtedly a diligente searcher of the holy scriptures, would by no meanes haue left it vnspoken of, wherof yet he maketh no mention at all. But in y e the ho­ly fathers vsed not only thys fygure, but also the name of a sacrifice, it is not to be doubted, y t they vnderstode not on ly the memorye of thys sacrifice, but also thought by thys meanes to helpe theyr imbecilitye, whiche were accusto­med to the sacrifyces eyther of the Iewes or of the Gen­tiles. There withal also they laboured to repel the impor­tunitie of those, which cryed y t Christian people contrarye to the manners and custome of all nations and peoples wandred without any outward and publicque sacrifyce. Wherfore they opposed agaynst all men as well Iewes as Gentiles the Eucharist, wherein not only al the godly and faythfull communicated in the bodye and bloude of [Page 49] Christ, but also a publique and solemne memoriall of the sacrifice y • was done vpon the crosse was celebrated with Heb. 13. thankesgeuing, that is (as the Epistle to y e Hebrewes say­eth) by him the sacrifice of prayse was offred vnto God, that is, the fruite of the lippes that confesse hys name.

In this place also is diligently to be noted the inconstā ­cye and shorte memory of the Councel of Trent, for that here it affyrmeth y e by the sacrifyce of y e Masse is represen­ted a sacrifice propitiatory, but afterward it stryketh with a curse those which denye y e the sacrifice of the masse it self is the very sacrifyce propitiatorye for the synnes of the quicke and the dead, whereof we will speake in his place.

But wheras they say that in the sacrifice of y e masse is represented the bloudy sacrifice y e was done once vpon the crosse, what other thing do they make of the masse than a Paschal or Easter play? From which in this thing only y e masse differeth, bycause in a Paschal play the historye of y • passion of Christ is represented by many persons, but in the papisticall masse, al things are done by one only sacri­ficing priest. If a man shoulde demaunde of them, by whō thys sportfull and histrionicall representation was insti­tuted, which consisteth in outward gestures, they cā bring forth neither the Apostles, nor Christ, as it is a litle before shewed out of Platina. For these histrionicall gestures of these sacrifycing priests were vtterly vnknowen vnto the Apostles and vnto the primatiue church.

But wheras the holy fathers of the counsell saye, that Christ in hys last supper offred vnto God the father hys body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wyne, that is by the same simplicitye of all the Godly reiected as of y t Counsel it is affyrmed, for thereof they can neyther bring out a testimonye of the holy scripture, nor yet a testimony of any al [...]o wed writer as our men haue in other places a­boundauntly declared.

Of the self same authoritye is y t which they affyrme of [Page 50] the Apostles, namely y e Christ by these words: Do thys in re membraunce of me, ordained the Apostles priests of the new Testament. For they fayne that a peculiar kynde of men was ordayned and instituted to celebrate thys sacrifyce, namely priestes, whiche shoulde daily for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead offer the sacrifyce of y • masse in a play­ers garment accustomed to be vsed in the Romysh church.

But there is none so rude in y e holy scriptures, which seeth not y e the counsel is to farre out of y e waye in thys thing. For forasmuch as sacraments ar added as seales vnto doctryne, the administration of them is geuen in charge vnto them, vnto whome the ministerye of tea­ching is committed. Wherefore euen as Christ by thys worde, Baptyze ye, ordayned not a certayne kynde of lyfe of Baptizers, so also by these woordes (doe thys) he ordayned not any certayn order of sacrifycers, which thorough out the whole papacye are as apt to teache, as is an Asse to play on the harpe. And suche is the impu­dency of an infinite number of sacrifycing priestes that thei are not ashamed to say, y • it pertayneth not to their dutye and office to teach in the Church, whiche are or­dered only for three thinges in the masse (as a certayne one of this kynde of great learned men spake) and that by these formal wordes. ‘Receaue power to offer sacri­fyce vnto God & to celebrate masses both for the quicke In the pon tifical boke folio. 20 Exod. 12. and dead, in the name of the Lord.’

The fourth argument: In y e old Testament y e Paschall Lambe was not only eaten, but also offred vp. Therefore in the Supper of the Lorde also, which was signifyed by the Paschal Lambe, the bodye of the Lorde is not only to be eaten, but also to be offred vp. I deny the consequence. For the Apostle Paul comparing y t Easter of y e old Testa­ment w t the Easter of y • new Testament, writeth: For our 1 Cor. 5 easter also was offred vp euē Christ, he sayth not is offred vp, & shalbe offred vp in y e Eucharist, but was offred vp, vn [Page 51] derstāding the sacrifice y e was done vpon y e crosse. For euē as the immolatiō of the Paschal lambe was a bloudy im­molation, so also Christ vpō the crosse offred vnto the fa­ther a bloudy sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world. Therfore y e immolatiō of the paschal lamb, doth no way confirme the idolatrous sacrifice of the Masse, which pas­chall Lambe, was a fygure and type of the Sacrifice that should be made vpon the crosse.

The v. argumēt in Malachy we rede written: From y • sūne rising to the Sūn set, great is my name among the Mal. 3. gētiles, & in all places a cleane oblation is sacrificed, & offe­red vnto my name, bicause my name is great among the gentiles, saith the Lord of hostes. If we say y e the prophet speaketh this of the prayers of the godly, & of the sacrifice of prayse of which the Epistle to y e Hebrewes thus spea­keth: by him therfore let vs always offer vnto god the sa­crifice of prayse, that is the fruite of the lippes which con fesse his name, they wil streight way answer vnto vs, that this is an inuentiō and fained tale of y e Lutherians, let thē Ierome b [...] on the. 3 chap: of Malachye. therfore heare what Ierome saith vpon this place, whose authority is w t this counsel counted most sacred, who vn­derstādeth the sētēce of the prophet, to be spokē of y e praiers of y e people of y e new testament, & by no meanes vnderstā ­deth he it, of the oblatiō of y t body & bloud of Christ. Wher­fore let them cease by this place to confirme the sacrifice of the Masse, which in no part maketh on their side.

The sixt argumēt. The Apostle writing vnto the Co­rinthiās saith: ye cānot be pertakers of y e table of y e lorde, & of y • table of deuils. On y t tables of deuils were made obla tiōs. Wherfore also on the table of y e lord is an oblatiō of y e body & bloud of Christ. There is no reason at al of this con sequence. For y e apostle dothe of this thing onelye admo­nish y • Corinthians, y • they which cōmunicate in y e supper of the Lord, wherin is celebrated the memory of the sacri­fice of the crosse, oughte not to communicate w t the sacred [Page 52] things of the gentiles in whose name so euer they come: For they were offred vnto deuils & not to God, although the Gentiles thought they offred sacrifices vnto the true and liuely God. But by this place the aduersaryes shall neuer proue, y e the Eucharist is a sacrifyce propitiatorye, which y e Apostle calleth the Supper of the Lord, and in no place a sacrifice. And al mē see how weake this cōsequence of the Councel is: Paule in eyther place vnderstandeth an alter, therfore in eyther place is sacrifyce made. But what if in eyther place he vnderstode not an alter? He calleth it the table of the Lord and not an alter. These arguments in an euill cause are farre soughte and fetcht and they la­bour in vayne by wordes & coniectures to establysh that, which may be confuted by the institution of Christe and manifest testimonyes of Paule.

The last argument is taken of the custome of the Pa­triarches and Iewes, vnlesse peraduenture they vnder­stand the Gentiles also vnder the name of (nature) as in y • last former Councell in the yeare. 1551. A Monke at Trent openly preached: y e the Gentles are by the lawe of nature saued without Christ. The argumente is. To a fygure or shadowe aunswereth a body. The sacrifices of y • Gentiles and Iewes signifyed y e sacrifyce of y e Eucharist. Therfore the Eucharist is a sacrifyce. Of the sacrifices of y e Gentiles we wil now say nothyng, whose gods are deuils, & theyr sacrifices are sacrifices of deuils, and not of God. But on­ly we will speake of the sacrifyces of the Iewes, which no Christian man denyeth but y • they were types and figures of Christ. And they wer types of the sacrifyce y e was made vpon the crosse, as we haue before shewed oute of Paule: bycause the sacrifyce of the crosse was the consummation and perfection of all the Leuiticall sacrifices. Wherefore y • minor or second proposition is simply to be denyed, for as much as y e Iewysh sacrifices shadowed not the Eucha­rist, but the sacrifyce which was made vpon the crosse.

[Page 53] These things I thought briefly at the lest to touch, and not thoroughly to entreate of, y e euen the vnlearned also might see, y • the sacrifyce of the papistical masse leaneth to no fyrme reasons or argumentes, which sacrifyce y • coun­sel of Trent (but I feare me to late) confyrmeth by theyr authoritye: now let vs make haste to examine those doc­trines which followe. For I would not holde the reader in those things which of themselues are manifest, and are of other learnedly and aboundauntly confuted.

In the thyrd doctrine is by these most manifest words taught, y t the sacrifyce of the masse is in very dede prop [...] ­tiatory and y e through it is obtayned grace, by oblation whereof the Lorde is pacifyed, and forgeueth greate crimes & sinnes: Of it one only reason is brought forth of the Councell.

Christ is a sacrifyce propitiatory, In the Eucharist is Christ. Therefore the Eucharist or masse is a sacrifyce propitiatorye.

CHildren y e haue bene brought vp in scholes, do see that in this argument are foure termes, for Christ signify­eth one thing in the maior or fyrst proposition & an other thing in the minor or second proposition. For Christ is called a sacrifice in y • action, or rather passion, wherein he was offred vpon the crosse vnto God the Father for the synnes of the world. But in the Supper he is called the meate of the faythfull. Christ therefore is but one in con­sideration of the person, but diuerse respectes cleaue vnto hym. And therefore he would in the Supper be eaten and not offered as the Apostle expressedly expoundeth: As of­ten as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of thys cup, ye shall shewe the Lords death, till he come. He sayth not, so often as ye shal offer thys bread, but shal eate thys bread. 1. Cori. 11. Wherfore euen as it followeth not: Christ healed Peters [Page 54] wiues mother. Christ is in y e Eucharist. Therfore christ in y e Eucharist healeth Peters wiues mother: So also follo weth not this argumēt broughte of y • sacrifice of y • masse. Thou wilt now laugh Reder (as I suppose) at theyr ridi culous cōclusiō, but marke wel, & thou shalt see y • the coū sel of [...]rēt doth after this māner cōclude & no otherwise. Who therfore would not deride theyr decrees? It is neces sary y e they com armed w t other argumēts, if they wil w t ex treme vnctiō succor their masse being now sick, & in a mā ner in al prouinces and kingdomes geuing vp the ghost.

Howbeit they are not ashamed in y e meane time to af­firme y • the sacrifice of y e masse doth not derogate the sacri fyce of y e cros. If by vertue of y e sacrifice of y • Crosse al sins ar forgeuē (as y e doctrine of y e prophetes & of y • Apostles e­uery wher teach, it followeth, y • by y e sacrifice of y e mas no sy n is forgeuē: but if certaine sins are forgeuē by y e sacri­fice of y e masse, as this decre manifestly sayth: Thē not al sins are forgeuē by the sacrifice of y e crosse. Let al vp right men here iudge what a great derogatiō it shoulde be to y e sacrifice of the cros if they affirm y e in themas is a sacrifice propitiatory for y e syns of mē? And vnles y e whole worlde had bene bewitched with this opiniō, y • by y • work of y e sa crifice of the masse sins are erpiated, the rightes & yearely reuenewes of the sacrificing priests and Monkes, had not so encreased, who haue almost scraped vnto them selues all the treasures of the worlde.

Let al the godly readers also marke in thys place y • the masse whyche was allowed by the Interim, is condemned of the counsel and vtterly taken away: vnder color wher of many were deceaued, especiallye for y e in the imperiall Miche [...] Heldgug bishop of Sydon at the counsell of Auguste celebrated in the yere. 1548. assemblies it had the byshop of Sydon as a trompet and open publysher thereof, who perswaded men, that in the restauration of the masse, is not cōmended vnto y • church a sacrifice propitiatory, but a sacrifice of commemoratiō or of thanks geuing: for there was but one only sacrifice propitiatory which was done vpō the crosse, but in the [Page 55] is a sacrifice of thankes geuinge or of commemoration wherein the passion of Christ should be represented.

But wheras the councel sayth, that the frute of the sa­crifice of the crosse is by the sacrifice of the masse applied to the beholders of the masse & is receiued of them, therof they bring no reason at all, wheras there was yet moste nede of all. For the holy scripture in no place maketh a­ny mencion of this applicacion: Discipulus in dede in a ser Discipulus in his part of Saints. mon of the. 12. fruites of the masse, maketh menciō of this also but w tout testimony of the scripture. The scripture teacheth y • the benefites of the sacrifice of Christ are appli ed vnto the beleuers, by the receyuing of the sacramēts, but no where do they teach that they are applied to the beleuers, by the receuig of the sacramēts, but no wher do they teach y e they are applied by hering or seing of masse. Wherefore it is a horrible prophanatiō of y • supper of the Lord which y e coūsel in this place cōfirmeth, & y • also y e sa­crifice Sacrifice for the dead. of y e masse is to be offred euē for y e dead, & as the coū sel termeth for such as ar not yet fully purged. For y e lord instituted y e Eucharist for y • liuīg & not for y • ded. Nether would we haue only lokers on & herers, but gests, eaters, & drinkers acordig to his institutiō, which shuldshew forth his death.

But of y e error, y • mē are purged in y e fyre of purgatory, we haue before spokē inough, namely y • it is nothing els, but a vayne fayned lye brought into the church through ignorance of [...] power of y e passion & death of Christ. For soules are not purged frō sins by any fire either terrestial or infernal, but by y e deth & blud of Iesus Christ, as Iohn 1. Iohn. 1. saith: The blud of Iesus christ, his son clēseth vs frō al sin

Euen as therfore there is no purgatory fyre, so also is it nothing els but a prophanatiō of y • supper of y e Lord, to offer sacrifice for the dead, whome also it should nothyng profet, although it did much profyte thē y e be on lyue. For y • ministery of y e word & y e Sacramēts was instituted for y e liuig & not for y e dead. But it profiteth y • dead so farforth as it was applied vnto thē when they wer on liue, after death there is no more application by the ministerye of them that be on lyue

[Page 56] In the which doctrine or decree ar confyrmed two per­nitious errours: One is: That masses are to be celebrated in the honour of saintes. The other is: that the aydes and helpes of saintes are to be implored: both whiche are re­pugnaunt vnto the expresse word of God. For Christ in­stituted not the Eucharist to the memorye of saintes, but for the commemoration of hys death: do this (sayth he) in remembrance of me, & not of my mother or of my saints. Paule calleth it the shewing forth of the death of Christs 1. Cor. 11. and not of saintes.

For although it be not of it selfe vngodlye, euen in the vse of the Eucharist to make mentiō of the saints, whiche haue valtantly lost theyr liues for the glory of Christ, and constantlye shed theyr bloude, in confessing of hym, as we rede was done in the primatiue church: yet is it synne and a horrible prophanation of the Supper, to teachy • by thys worke wrought the aydes and helpes of saintes are deser­ued and applyed vnto them: When as in the Euchariste Christ dealeth with the faythfull, and the faythfull with Christ, and not with dead saintes.

But of it selfe it is wicked and idolatrous to call vpon saintes. For inuocation of saintes not onely wanteth an expresse commaundement and promise of God, but it is ex pressedly commaūded in the scripture: y e we should cal vp­on psal. 50 Math. 1 [...] God only in all aduersityes. Call vpon me in the daye of tribulation and I will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glo­rifye me. Christ also: Come vnto me all ye y • laboure and are laden, and I will refreshe you. But of y t dead saintes the Scripture testifyeth y • they are ignoraunte of thynges humane, as it is written: Abraham knoweth vs not, and Esay. 63. Israell hath not knowen vs. Thou Lord art oure father, our redemer, &c. For y • meanyng of the Prophcte is: we in vayne conuert our selues eyther to Abraham, or to Israel which are dead, and are ignoraunt what is done on earth, vnto whom our cogitatiōs and temptations are not opē: [Page 57] But thou God only arte the searcher of our heartes, and imbracest vs with a fatherly affection, whiche also onely and soly canst deliuer vs from all euill.

Wherefore forasmuch as it is of it selfe wicked to em­plore the aydes and helpes of saintes, whither it be in spi­rituall things, or in thinges outward & corporall y e impie­tye is by this decree doubled, wherunto the Eucharist also is compelled to serue, which was not to this end instituted of Christ, but rather neglecting the defence and inuocati­on of saintes, we are taughte to seke and repose al our de­fence agaynst all manner of euils in Christ only.

‘In the sixth decree the Counsell affyrmeth: That y e Ca­non of the masse is so pure frō al error, y e there is nothîg conteyned therin which geueth not a great swete sauor of a certaine holynes and piety, &c. And afterward in the vi. Canon it striketh with a curse all those whiche say y • the Canon conteyneth any errors.’

What is impudency, if this be none? In so great a light of the truth of the Gospel to deny, y e the Canon of y • masse contayneth any errors? But I wil not make any long con futation of them, but briefly make mention of the princi­pall errors, whiche at the fyrst sight the godly reader shall perceaue are repugnaunt vnto the holy Scripture.

The fyrst error: Strayght way in the beginning of the Canon, the Priest speaketh thus: For whō we offer vnto thee, or els, whiche offer vnto thee this sacrifice of prayse both for himselfe and for all hys, for the redemption of theyr soules. Thou seest here Christian Reader not only a small error, but also horrible impietye: a sacrifycing prieste to offer the sacrifice of the masse for y e redemptiō of soules when as all the soules of the Badly are by the sacrifyce of Christe done vpon the Crosse redemed from the anger of God, from sinnes, and from hell, as it is written vnto the Hebrewes: Christ the high priest of good things to come, by hys owne proper bloud hath entred once into the holy Heb. ix. [Page 58] place, hauing obtayned eternall redemption.

The secōd error. After mention made of the Apostles & of certayne saintes, the priest addeth: By whose merites & prayers we beseche the graunt, that in all things we may be defended by the ayde of thy protection.

What merites I pray you haue the saintes, by whiche we get the protection of God? The sainctes could not de­serue Luke. xvii. any thing for them selues, how thē cā they succor vs by their merites? If ye shal do al thinges (sayth Christ) say ye we are vnprofitable seruants. Paul also: God forbid y e I should glory but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. Gal. v. Phillip. iii. Also: I thinke all things but losse for the excellent know­ledge sake of Iesus Christ my Lord, for whom I haue coū ­ted all thynges losse, and doe iudge them to be dongue, that I might winne Christ. What shal the losses of saints be merites vnto vs of the protection of God? whiche are protected by the merite only of Christ.

In like maner also must we iudge of the prayers & in­tercessions of saints, whē as by y e scripture we are sent vn­to Christ our only intercessor, who is in heauē (saith Paul) Rom. viii. Iohn. xvi. & maketh intercession for vs. Christ also: Whatsoeuer ye shall aske y e father (sayth he) in my name: he sayth not in y e name of my saints, he wil geue it you. And Iohn: If any i. Ioh. ii. man shall synne we haue an aduocate with the father. Ie­sus Christ the iust: he sayth not we haue many aduocates, but many, yea all the saintes haue onely one aduocate, Christ Iesus our Lord. ¶ The third & most horrible error is y • the priest after the consecratiō speaketh thus of the body & bloud of Christ: ‘We offer (saith he) vnto thy excellēt ma­iestie of thy gifts & rewards a sacri✚fice pure, a sacri✚fice holy, a sacri✚fice immaculate, y e holy bre✚ad of eternall life, & the cha✚lice of perpetuall saluation, Upō which we besech thee vouchsafe to loke with a mercifull & chereful countenaunce, & accept thē, as thou vouchsafedst to accept the gifts of thy iust child Abel: and the sacrifice of our Pa­triarche Abraham, & the holy sacrifice & immaculate obla tion which thy high priest Melchisedech offred vnto thee.’

[Page 59] Cā Christ be more blasphemed thē he is here? can there be any thing spokē more contēptuously of y • sacrifice of y e bo dy & bloud of Christ? The sacrificing priest praieth, y • God the father would with a mercifull & chereful countenance loke vpon his sonne. Is the father angry w t Christ raignig in heauē, vnto whō he must be reconciled by a sacrificing priest? Let y e papistes say what they wil, & turne thēselues into al formes, yet they cā not wynd thēselues out of this. For whē y • consecration is done, he speaketh not of y • bread & wine, w t which God (especially if they remaine in theyr substance) is neuer angrye. Neither also speaketh he of the persons, for whō he offreth, but of y • sacrifice it self which is offred, euen of the body & bloud of Christ, y • is of Christe himself. What greater blasphemye can there be thā thys. Farther how much they esteme Christ, let the godly reder diligently marke. The sacrificing priest prayeth, y e Christe may please god the father, as y • sacrifices of Abel, Abrahā, & Melchisedech pleased him. Abel offred of the fyrst borne of his flocke. Abrahā offred a Ram vnles peraduēture thei vnderstand Isaac, whom he would haue offred. Melchise­dech offred bread & wine not to God, but vnto Abraham. Christ therefore is no better nor preciouser in the sight of God the father, according to y • Canon, thā a Goate, a Ram & a pece of bread. Oh plasphemous impietye. Unlesse the father loked vpon Christ with other eyes & a more chere­ful countenance, then he did vpon the sacrifice of Abel, our eternall saluation were in an il case. For the sacrifices of Abel & Abrahā expiated not sinnes, but were shadowes of the sacrifice of Christ which should be done vpō the crosse. Wherfore in respect of merite, there is no cōparisō or pro­portion of y • sacrifices of Abrahā & Abelto the sacrifyce of Christ offred vpō the crosse. For the sacrifice of Christ hath made satisfactiōfor al the sins of the whole world: but the sacrifices of Abel & Abrahā haue made satisfaction for no sinnes at all. What impiety therfore is this of y e sacrificing priest, which is not afeard to make Christ not only like but [Page 60] maner also inferiour vnto the sacrifyce of Abel, Abraham and Melchisedech?

The fourth error. ‘The sacrificing priest prayeth: Com­maunde these thynges (namely the bodye and bloude of Christ) to be caryed by the hāds of thy holy Angel into thy hygh alter, into the sight of thy diuine Maiestye.’ What absurditye is thys: Is not Christ with hys body alwayes in heauen and also in the syght of the father? Doth he day lye ascend and discend? Or is he by the handes of Angells caryed downe from heauen into the earth, or caryed vp from the earth into heauen?

But these good holy fathers say: That the body whiche is made of the substance of the bread, was not before in heauen, bycause it is newly created by the consecration of the sacrificing priest. If thys be true, then haue not the sa­crificing priestes the true body of Christ which was hāged vpon the crosse: For y • is not of the substance of the bread, but of the substance of the blessed Uirgine Mary. Where­fore there shal not be only two bodyes but infinite bodies of Christ in heauen, if as often as the priest sayth Masse, the body of Christ created of a new substance of bread is by y t ministery of Angels caried vp into heauē. Who vnder standeth not thys grosse error, which is ryghtly instruc­ted of y e supper of y e lord? In the which supper y • same bodye of Christ which is in heauē, is also after a spiritual māner agreable to Christs diuine maiesty truly presēt to y e faithof y • godly receauer, whersoeuer his holy supper is celebrated

Neyther also can the sacrifycing priests wrap themsel­ues out of thys two horned argument. If the Aungel cary the body of Christ into heauen, there is nothing then lefte Dilemma. for the sacrifycer. But if the sacrifycer swallowe it vp, thē descendeth the Angell in vayne, and is sent away emptye. These things of the Canon are not only erronious, but also rediculous and childyshe inuentions.

The fyfth error: In the Canon, purgatory and suffrages [Page 61] and sacrifyces for the dead are confyrmed. ‘Remember also Lord (sayth he) thy men seruaunts and women ser­uaunts, which haue gone before vs w t the signe of faith, and slepe in the slepe of peace.’ N. we beseche thee Lorde geue vnto them and all those y • rest in Christ a place of refreshing, light, and peace. This error euen these their owne words confute, in whiche is contayned manifest contradiction. For if the faythfull y • are dead doe slepe, and are in peace, light, and at rest, what is it nedefull to desire it for them? But if they be in darkenesse, in paine and most great terrors & sorowes (as it is before sayde out of Discipulus touching the paynes of the soules in purgatorye) howe are they then sayde to sleepe in the sleepe of peace?

That prayers and sacrifices of the quicke nothing profyte the dead, we haue before shewed, neyther is it nedefull in this place to repeate it agayne.

The last error is comprehended in the last prayer of the Canon: ‘Let this performance of my seruice O holy Tri­nitye (sayth the priest) please thee, and graunt y t the sa­crifyce, which I vnworthy, y • I am, haue offred vnto the eyes of thy maiestye, may be pleasaunte and acceptable vnto thee, and may thorough thy mercy be propitiato­rye for me and all those for whom I haue offred it into euerlasting life. Amen.’

The same error also is before put in the beginning of the Cannon, but with other wordes. For y • whiche he there sayd he offred for the redemption of soules, the same now he sayth, y t he offred it a propitiatorye sacrifyce. Doth he not manifestly in this place attribute y t to the execution of his seruice, which is proper to y e death and passiō of Christ He y • seeth not these things is blinde. He saith Iohn is the propitiation for our sinnes, and not for our synnes only, i. Iohn. ii. but also for the sinnes of the whole world, &c. The worke of the crosse was expiable for our sinnes, and not y e worke [Page 62] of the masse, or the ministery of the sacrificing priest.

Let y e counsel go now & decree: y e the Canon wanteth al maner of error, y • al thing contayned in y • are godly & holy: which ouerthroweth y e foūdation of Christiā doctrine, & cōteyneth so horrible errors of purgatory, of merites & in­uocatiō of saints, of y e body of Christ, of praiers for y e dead, of y e merite & application of the death & passion of Christ.

But I wil stād no lōger about these things, of which our mē haue learnedly written: And amongst other y • historye of the masse is most diligently discribed of Valentinus Van­nius bishop of Maulbrune wherin the aboue! mentioned er­rors, & other many more, are at large and throughly confu ted. These as principall I thought good as it were w t my [...]inger to shew forth y t the godly reder may vnderstād, how great impiety, & how horrible errors y e Papistical Coūsell hath confirmed, in allowing the Canon of the Masse.

Let kings & princes althoughe neuer hitherto, yet now at y t last begin to cast away all hope to haue y t doctrine of y • Church & maners reformed by y e Papistical Coūsel: which in their wicked Canon will not acknowledge so much as the least error, so farre is it of that they thinke to amende and correct any.

In y • vi. doctrine or decree are cōfirmed al y • papistical ce­remonies, & histryonicall gestures, hitherto vsed in y • cele­bration of Masses. And althoughe also y • chiefest strife be­twene our men & thē of y • papacy is not as touching these thīgs, which are yet also in many reformed churches for y t most part retained for y e weakes sake: yet this is erroneoꝰ & not to be suffred, y e y • Church had these things of y e disci­pline & traditiō of y • Apostles: For asmuch as it is manifest ly knowē, y e all of thē for y e most part were vnknowē vnto y e Apostles, & in y • primatiue church were not in vse, which (as y t scripture speaketh,) are y e inuētiōs & doctrines of men brought in w tout y • authority of y • Apostles. Unto which if the opinion of worshipping or necessitye be added, they serue not God, but an Idole, and are to be condemned and [Page 63] auoyded of all them that be in dede godly.

In y • vii. decree are confirmed priuate Masses brought in for gaynes sake. But the Coūsell denyeth, y t those Masses wherin the sacrificer alone cōmunicateth are priuate, & it goeth about by two reasons to cōfirme it: The one is, by­cause y e people spiritually cōmunicateth. The other is, by­cause they ar celebrated of y • publique minister of y • church not for himselfe only, but also for all y • faithful which per­taine vnto y • body of christ. But this is to cōfirme a grosse error by other ii. no lesse grosse. For Christ in his last sup per instituted not a priuate supper of one man only, but a spiritual & celestial bāquet, wherin he did not eat & drynke for his disciples, but all and singular did eate & drynke to­gether for them selues to departe frō this institution, & to institute a spectacle of one man only in the Churche, and that not only with out the word of God, but also against the worde of God, is sacriledge.

Farther y e custome of the primatiue Churche is not vn­knowen vnto y e Coūsel. For as many as did not sacramē ­tally participate in the body & bloud of Christ, were expel­led out of y • Church or tēple, so farre is it of, y • the Aposto­licall Churche allowed this spirituall communication in the Masse, of whiche the Coūsel speaketh. Howbeit in the meane time we deny not, but y • they which are truly godly do spiritually communicate w t the body of Christ, as often as with a true faith they thinke vpon y e passion & death of In his 48. ser­mon of the 12. frutes of the Masse. Christ. But this spirituall eating confirmeth not priuate Masses, y e are not instituted of christ. But I thinke it good in this place to recite out of Discipulus what the Papistes vnderstād by spirituall eating. ‘Whensoeuer (saith he) any mā deuoutly heareth Masse, being in grace, and without deadly sinne, & hath a desyre to be partaker of the Sacra­ment, and thinketh thus in his heart, O good Lord Iesus Christ how willingly would I receaue the this day in the Sacramēt of the altar, but alas I dare not come nere, by cause I am feard to offend y • by reason of myne vnaptnes. [Page 64] Howbeit I humbly desyre thee from the bottom of my hart, y t thou wilt thys day mercyfully bestow vpon me also this grace, whiche these deuoute mē shall receaue, which thys day in the Church of God worthily receaue thee in the sacrament of the alter, and so such a one spi­ritually communicateth.’ But what Scholemaster had this Disciple which is so famous in the Churche of the Papacye, y t he is counted the Scholemaster of al the sa­crifycing priestes? Truly hath he the name of a Disci­ple, for he hath nede both of doctrine & a scholemaster, for he hymselfe can not teache true pietye. Or what is hys authoritye y t we shoulde beleue hym withoute the word of God, whose opinions & fables are euery where celebrated in Churches the popes good holynesse not­withstandyng them? vnlesse peraduenture the autho­ritye of the Councell do now succor hym. For of thys communicating the holy Scriptures teache nothing at all, but call all such as repent vnto the sacramental ea­ting of the body of Christ.

The other is a muche more grosse and more in tollera­ble error, whiche the Councell in thys place confyrmeth, namely, y t the sacrifycer maye communicate for other, ey­ther for the standers by or for the dead. For euen as one man can not be baptised for an other, so also none can cō ­municate the body and bloude of Christ for an other. The Apostle sayeth: He which vnworthily eateth, eateth dam­nation vnto hymselfe, vnto hymselfe (I say) and not to an [...]. Cor. xi. other. Christ also: Take ye (sayth he) and eate y [...] [...]e sayth not, let one eate, & let the other be lokers on of it. Drinke Math. xxvi. ye all of thys: he sayth not, let one drinke for all. The fond tri [...]yng reason of Gabriel Biell is worthy here [...]o be spo­ken of, whiche peraduenture the Councell hath followed: Gabriel Biel vp­on the Cannon. of the Masse. Lect. lxxxi. Who affyrmeth that the sacrifycer is the mouthe of the Church in the celebration of the Masse. For euen as in a mans bodye euery singular member hath not a singulare [Page 65] mouth, but there is but one mouth only of the whole bo­dy, All standers by at the Masse eate the body of Christ by the Priestes mouth. which receaueth meat to be distributed into al the mē ­bers: so Gabriel affirmeth y t in the Masse the sacrificer is y t mouth of al his lokers on, by whō y t body of Christ, pou­reth being receaued forth his vertue into al the poore rude mē which are stāders by. Oh blindnesse & rashnesse in mat ters of god. This forsoth is the reasō, why priuate Masses of the sacrificers are not to be called priuate. The reader y t is but meanely instructed vnderstandeth (as I thinke) this error, so that I nede not to rehearse mo thinges thereof, whiche other where is aboundantly confuted.

In the eight decree, the holy Synode admonisheth as a commaundement of the Churche, that in offryng, wyne shall be mingled with water. Wherof there are thre rea­sons brought, and yet none of them confirme this tradi­tion. First it sayeth: bycause it is supposed that Christ the Lord did so. [...]ut for as muche as fayth leaneth vnto the worde of God and promise of God, where I beseche you is the worde that Christe mingled wyne with water? or commaunded it to be mingled? How then can the Church beleue without the worde? It shalbe good here to recite that whiche was reasoned as touchyng this thyng in the laste former Counsell the Cardinalles and Byshoppes beyng present. For some of the disputers affirmed that it must vtterly be graunted, that it can not be proued by any expresse testimony of the holy Scripture, that Christ mingled water with wyne, but yet out of the Gospell may be brought an vndoubted coniecture, wherby may be proued that Christe did so. Bycause in Marke we reade, that Christe sayd vnto his Disciples whiche went Marke. 14▪ to prepare for the eating of the Paschal Lambe: Go (saith Christ) into the Citie and there shall come agaynst you a man bearyng an carthen pitcher full of water, followe him. Here sayth the Romishe disputer, that in the earthen pitcher was not brought water to washe their feete, but [Page 66] to mingle with the wyne, whiche in that countrey is very strong. And y t Christ mingled y t wine with water is out of Christ and his Apostles in danger of drō ­kennes if vva ter had not ben mingled with wyne. al doubt, lest peraduenture he should haue ben dronke, for that he had a long sermon to make, whiche being dronke he could not haue made it vnto his disciples: therfore it is a most firme coniecture that Christ mingled water with y e wine, & the offrers in y e Masse are by the exāple of Christ bound to do y t same. Thou wilt thinke peraduenture Chri stian reader that I fayne these things of myne owne hed. But God is my iudge, that our mē, which were sent vnto the Counsell of Trent did not only heare him reason after this maner, but also testified, that this enormeous rashe­nesse and impiety aboue measure displeased the Bishops of Germany, whiche thing the Bishops thē selues [...]f they lust, can very well testifie.

They can lesse proue it by the other reason, namely that out of the syde of Christ [...]owed bloud and water. I [...] they leane vnto the authoritie of the fathers, they may by the same authoritie also be confounded▪ who by water Ergo by the fa thers there are but two Sacra mēts flowyng out of Christes syde. vnderstode the Sacrament of Baptisme, as by bloud, the Eucharist. For they affyrme y t out of the side of Christ flowed two Sacramentes Baptisme and the Eucharist.

The third reason is altogether ridiculous, althoughe it be not without his authors. As thoughe the vnion of the faythfull people with the bed Christ can by no other meanes be taught, vnlesse thys mixture of water and wyne be brought into the Eucharist without the worde of God? Why haue they brought matrymony among the Sacramentes wherin is represented the vnion of Christ with the hed, if the same thyng may be done by the mix­ture of water and wyne.

In the ninth decree, to the ende they might seme to graunt somewhat of theyr right, the holy Synode com­mandeth the Pastors that in the celebration of the Masse, some what of those things whiche are read in the Canon, [Page 67] should be expounded in the vulgare tongue.

But what is the cause, why all thinges are not done in the vulgare tongue? when as the Eucharist was institu­ted for all the faythfull, that the Lorde myght with one mouth be celebrated? Forsoth the holy fathers are affraid, lest the holy mystery should be prophaned, but let them declare vnto vs whether the Greke Churche vsed the La­tine Canon, to auoyde the prophanacion of the mystery? Who seeth not that the Counsell of Trent doth not this, that the people should vnderstand the way to theyr eter­nall saluation, whilest with toth and nayle they go a­bout to retayne an vnknowen tongue in a sacred matter whiche pertayneth to the vniuersall Churche of Christ, whiche onely thyng were not to be suffred, thoughe all other things in the Canon, as touching the thing it selfe, were vpright. For Christ whome Paul also followed, commaunded that in the vse of the Eucharist we should shewe forth the Lordes death. And bycause the Byshops & sacrificers for the most part are ignoraunt them selues of that thyng, the Counsell commaundeth that by other, somthing should be expounded out of the wicked Canon, not that the true Churche should therby be instructed, but that the impiety of y e sacrifice should be confirmed. But I pray you what secret thing is ther in the Eucharist, which may not without danger be set forth in a tongue knowen Ioan. 3. to the vulgare people? This daunger will I open by the wordes of Christ: Euery one that doth euill thinges, ha­teth Clerus whiche they turne cler gy signifieth a Lot, which Pe­ter applieth to al Christiā mē. but Popish sa­crificers apply it vnto thēsel­ues onely. the light, neither cōmeth to the light, lest his workes should be reproued. And these deceauers seme herein not to haue done vnwisely. For so long as the Canon of the Masse was vnknowen vnto the common people, it was had in price and honour, but when Christian people (whō Peter calleth the Clergy) perceaued this decease, they draue awaye the sacrificyng Priestes together with theyr sacrifice and Canon.

[Page 68] But we neglecting this decree of the Counsell, let vs folowe the example of the primatiue Churche, in whiche the Churche Sacramentes of God, were celebrated in a tongue knowen vnto the common people.

The xiii. decree is a lightening, going before the thun­der and lightening of y t curse of the doctrine of our Chur­ches and teachers, which haue by the worde of God truly, perspicuously, and thoroughly cōfuted this pontificall im­piety of the Papistical Masse. By this decree therfore are abolished all bookes written and set abrode by al the god­ly and learned men against the Papistical Masse, in which bookes is expressed the aūcient doctrine of the Supper of the Lorde deliuered by Christ and the Apostles.

But y t these decrees being for the most part all of them vngodly, should haue y t more authoritie, & should for euer be fyrme & ratified, there are by the publicque authority of the Coūsel published abrode brefe Canōs, but yet such as are vtterly ful of vngodlynesse, striking w t a curse al those, that go about to reprehend the lest error of the Masse.

Howbeit I wil not make any confutation of these Ca­nons, of which all and singular although briefly, yet suffi­ciently is spoken in the confutatiō of the decrees: Of this thing only I thought good to admonish the godly reader, diligently to waighe these horrible curses of the Counsel, wherein the doctrine, and practise of Christe, of the Apo­stles, and of the primatiue Church concerning the Sacra­ment of the Eucharist is horribly cursed.

For vpō those which thinke cōtrarily vnto their opinion, they geue not iudgemēt y t they should be borne withal as weake ones, but they geue sentence, that they are to be ac cursed downe vnto hell and to be deliuered vnto Sathan, which go about to derogate euē the least poynt of the Pa­pisticall doctrine in this part.

For all they are condemned and cursed euen as many as deny that in y e Masse the body of Christ is offred not to [Page 69] God y t father, but is offred vnto y t Church to be eatē: which▪ denie y t the sacrifyce of the masse is a sacrifice propitiatory, neither ought to be offred for y e quicke, and y t dead, for sins & paynes, & other necessities: which deny y t masses ar to be celebrated in y t honor of saints for y t obtein mēt of their in­tercession: which say y t the canon of y e masse containeth er­rors, for whiche it shoulde be abrogated: which iudge that masses wherin the priest alone cōmunicateth are vnlaw­full, and vtterly to be abrogated.

And that al the faythfull may see, y t the councell wil not relent, no not so much as in the lest of their rites, it curseth those also which affirme, y t the words of cōsecratiō ought to be spokē not with a soft voyce but w c a loude voice, or y t the masse ought to be celebrated in y t vulgare [...]onge, as if there were required to chaunge no impiety at al. For as much as the words of the supper are a part of the shewing forth of the Lords death, wil they also prohibite the shew­ing forth of y t death of y t lord? But here lieth hiddē the ma­gicall impiety of consecratiō, whiche they attribute not to the institution of Christ, but to y t magical pronunciatiō of words, which if it were done in the vulgare tong, the peo­ple might imitate.

I thinke the godly reader doth now sufficiently vnder­stand, how much y t decrees of this coūcel of Trent are to be estemed, & what is to be hoped for of it. Of al which foras­much as we haue sufficiently spokē in the confutation of the decrees, we wil here cease to speake farther. But let vs heare somewhat also what the councel hath decreed of the communion vnder both kindes, & of the vse of the cup.

The doctrine of the Communion vnder both kinds, and of the Communion of infantes published in the v. Session, of the Sacred Oeconomical counsel of Trent vnder our most holy Lord Pius the fourth most high Byshop the, xxvi. day of Iuly. 1562.

The Proheme.

THe sacred Economicall, and general Sinode of Trent, lawfully assembled in y e holy ghost, the self same Legates of the Apostolicall seate being Presidents in it. Forasmuch as of y • dread­full, and most holy Sacramente of the Eucharist there are in diuerse places sundry monsters of er­rors caried about by the artes of the most wicked deuil, by reasō of which in diuerse prouinces ma­ny seme to haue departed frō the fayth & obediēce of the catholike church, hath thought good y t those thinges in thys place shoulde be set forth whiche pertaine vnto y e cōmunion vnder both kinds & al­so of litle children. Wherfore it forbiddeth all the faythful of Christ, y • hence forth they presume not eyther to beleue, or to teache, or to preache other­wyse of these things than is expressed and deter­mined in these decrees.

That the Laitye and Clergye which celebrate not are not bound by the law of God to the communi­on vnder both kyndes. Chapter. i.

WHerfore the holy Sinode instructed by the ho­ly ghost (which is the spirit of wisedome & vn­derstanding, y • spirit of counsel & of piety) & folow­ing y e iudgement & custome euen of y e church, decla reth & teacheth, y t the laity & Clergye whiche cele­brate not, ar by no precept of god boūd to receaue y e sacramēt of y e Eucharist vnder both kynds, nei­ther can it by any meanes (fayth being kepte) be [Page 71] doubted, but y • cōmunion of y e one kind is sufficiēt for them vnto saluation. For although the Lord Christ in his last supper instituted, and deliuered vnto his Apostles thys reuerent Sacrament in the formes of bread and wine, yet that institution and tradition tend not to that end, y t al the fayth­ful of Christ should by the ordinaunce of the Lord be bound to receaue both kindes. Neyther also is it rightly gathered out of that Sermon in the sixt chap. of Iohn, that the communion of both kinds was commaunded by the Lorde: but either of thē is to be vnderstand according to the sundry inter­pretations of the fathers and Doctors. For he which said: vnlesse ye shall eate the fleshe of the sonne of man & drinke his bloud, ye shall not haue life in you: Said also: If a man shall eate of this bread, he shall liue for euer. And he which said: He whiche eateth my flesh & drinketh my bloud, hath eternall life. Said also: The bread which I will geue you is my fleshe, for the lyfe of y e world. And lastly he which said. He whiche eateth my fleshe & drinketh my bloud, abydeth in me and I in him. Said neuerthelesse: He whiche eateth this bread shall lyue for euer.

The power of the Churche concerning the dispen­sation of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Chap. ii.

FArther it declareth y • this power hath alwaye ben in the Churche, that in the dispensation of [Page 72] the sacramentes, their substaunce being saued, it should ordeyne or alter those thinges that it iud­geth more expedient for y e vtilitie of y e receauers, or for the reuerence of the Sacramentes accor­ding to the variety of things, tymes, and places. And the Apostle also seemeth playnely to sig­nifie the same, whē he sayth. Let a mā so iudge of vs as the ministers of Christ, and dispensers of the mysteries of God. And that he in dede vsed this power, it is manifest ynough, as well in ma­ny other places as also in this selfe same Sacra­ment, who hauyng diuers thinges concernyng the vse thereof, the other thynges (sayde he) wyll I dispose when I come. Wherefore the holy mo­ther Churche knowyng this her authoritie in the administration of the Sacramentes, although at the begynning of Christian Religion the com­munion vnder both kyndes was verye muche vsed, yet in processe of tyme that custome beyng nowe euerye where chaunged, the holy mother Churche I saye beyng led by wayghty and iust causes hath allowed thys custome of communi­catyng vnder one kynde, and hath decreed that it shall be counted for a lawe: whiche to refuse or without the authoritie of the Churche at pleasure to chaunge shall not be lawfull.

That the whole and perfect Christ, and a true Sacrament is receaued vnder either kynde. [Page 73] Chap. iii.

Farther it declareth, that although our rede­mer, as it is before sayde, in that last Supper in­stituted this Sacrament in two kindes, and de­liuered it to his Apostles, yet we must nedes con­fesse, that vnder one kynde onely, whole and per­fect Christ, and y e true Sacrament is receaued. And therfore as touchyng the fruite, they are de­frauded of no grace necessarye vnto saluation, whiche receaue but one kynde onely.

¶ That infantes are not bounde vnto the Sacramentall Communion. Chap. iiii.

Lastly the selfe same holy Synode teacheth, that infantes wantyng the vse of reason, are by no necessitie bounde to the sacramentall commu­nion of the Eucharist: for so muche as beyng by the lauacre of Baptisme regenerate, and grafted into the body of Christe, at that age they can not lose the grace of the children of God alreadye ob­tained. Neither yet is antiquitie therfore to be cō ­demned, if in certaine places at any time it obser­ued that maner. For euen as these most holy fa­thers had accordyng to the consideration of that tyme a probable cause of theyr facte, so vndoub­tedly is it without cōtrouerly to be thought that they did it without any necessitie of saluation.

Canons of the Communion vnder both kindes and of the communion of infantes.

The first Canon.

IF any man shal say, that by the cōmaundement of God or of necessity all and singular the faith­ful of Christ ought to receaue both kyndes of the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, let hym be accursed.

The second Canon.

If any man shall saye, that the holy Catholike Churche was not by iuste causes & reasons led, that the Layty and Clergy whiche celebrate not should cōmunicate only vnder y • forme of bread, or that it therin erred, let him be accursed.

The third Canon.

If any man shall deny that whole and perfect Christ the fountayne and author of all graces, is receaued vnder the forme of bread onely bycause (as some falsly affirme) it is not accordyng to Christ his owne institution receaued vnder both kyndes, let him be accursed.

The fourth Canon.

If any mā shall say y • the cōmunion of the Eu­charist is necessary for infantes before they come to yeares of discretion, let him be accursed.

But as for the two other Articles proposed and not yet discussed, namely, whether the rea­sons, by which y e holy Catholike church was led, y • lay men & also such Priests which celebrate not should cōmunicate vnder the forme of bread only, [Page 75] should so still be retayned, y • by no meanes the vse of the cuppe shoulde bee permitted to any. And:

Whether that for certaine honest reasons and agreyng to Christian charity the vse of the cup is to be graunted to any nation or kingdome vnder any conditions, and what conditions they are.

The selfe same holy Synode doth reserue to an other tyme to be examined & defined as soone as occasion shalbe offred.

For so muche as the fathers of this Counsell haue in the proheme decreed that we must not otherwise beleue, teach or preach of the Sacramēt of the Eucharist, thā they shall thinke good: therfore their doctrines & Canōs are di­ligētly to be examined. But y • Coūsel declareth & teacheth that y • lay men are by no precept of God bound to receaue the Sacrament of the Eucharist vnder both kindes. This decree they confirme by a horrible Canon: If any mā shall say (say they) that by the cōmaundement of God, or neces­sitie of saluation, all and singular the faithfull of Christ ought to receaue both kindes of the Sacramēt of the most holy Eucharist, let him be accursed.

This Canō must diligently be examined, y • al mē may see, not only the audacitie & rashnesse of this Coūsell, but also Math▪ 26. Marke. 14. Luc, 22. their extreme & sacrilegous impiety. For where as Christ cōmaūded not only his xii. Disciples, but also al his faith­full, y • out of y • cup they should drinke his bloud. The Coū ­sell of Trent presumptuously denyeth y t this precept per­tayneth vnto all the faithfull. But what an impudency, is this? It is vndoubtedly greater, than the impudencye of the Coūsel of Constāce, which when it could not deny, but that this precept by y e institutiō of Christ pertayneth vnto all men, inuēted other reasons, wherby it taught, y t by the abrogation of the cup no cōfort is takē away frō the laye men, whiche is no lesse vnder the one kynde, than vnder [Page 76] both. If we should demaund of the Counsell, by what pre­cepte the lay men are bounde to eate the bodye of Christ in the supper, wil they not answer, by y t institution of Christ bicause he cōmaūded: Take ye, eate ye? He therfore which cōmaunded the laymen to eate, the same also cōmaunded the lay men to drinke of the cuppe. Unlesse peraduenture the whole institution pertayne nothyng at all vnto the lay men, and y e al things are geuen them of free gifte, yea also the one kinde, whiche the sacrificers by no ryght, but of mere grace distribute vnto the lay men? [...]ut least any man should thinke that these good holy fathers doe sinne of ignorance, they themselues confesse both that Christ in­stituted it vnder both kindes, and also that the primatiue church religiously obserued this institutiō. But notwith­standing the institution of Christ, and practise of the pri­matiue churche, it semeth good vnto them thus to decree: If any man shal say (although Christ did so, or although y e Apostles dyd so) that the lay men are by the precept of god bound vnto the vse of the cup, let hym be accursed. Thou seest Christian Reader, the steppes of Antichrist, who ex­tolleth himselfe aboue God, and aboue that which is cal­led The pope very Antichrist. Thess. [...]. hys worshippyng: He that seeth not these thynges is more than blinde.

Farther that which is here sayd of the necessitye of sal­uation, let the Counsell knowe, that here is not disputed of singulare cases (as they call them) whiche may happen thorough the imbecillitye of men, or by any other chaunce vnlooked for. For it is most certayne, that euen as in the primatyue church many were sodenly drawen to martyr­dome, before they were baptised, whose saluation was no­thyng letted, although they were not baptised with wa­ter: So also we can not denye eternall saluation vnto the faythfull which of nature abhorre from wyne, or by some other chaunce are taken away w tout the vse of y e Supper.

But of these cases we doe not nowe reason, but of [Page 77] the common and lawfull vse of the Supper of the Lord in a peaceable and quiet churche: whether it be necessarye by the cōmaundement of God to receaue both kindes or no. Here we expressedly affyrme y t al the faithful of Christ are charged and bound to the vse of either part of the Sacra­ment, & the contemners of y t Sacraments, at also depriued (as Augustine speaketh) of y e grace of y t Sacraments. For it is an expresse and manyfest commaundement of Christ, DRINKE YE, & he addeth AL, namely they whiche eate the same also must drinke: This perspicuity the coū ­sell can by no meanes make darke, howsoeuer they turne themselues into all manner of formes like Proteus.

In the second Chapiter they say: that the Church hath power, (the substaunce of the Sacraments being saued) to ordaine & alter, such thinges as it iudgeth most expediente for the variety of things, times and places: and therefore also hath it power to abrogate the cup.

Here I can not tell, whether the ignoraunce of the coū ­cell be greater, or the impudencye. For what ignorance is this, that the substance of the Eucharist being saued, the vse of the cup may be abrogated? And is not wyne requi­red vnto the substance of the Sacramente of the Supper, whiche wine was of Christ ordayned to thys moste holy mysterie? The cup being abrogated, y e institution of Christ is not saued, but torne, changed, & maimed. For wine is no lesse of the substance of thys Sacrament, than bread. Ney­ther can they winde themselues hereout by thys their So­phistication, that Christe is whole contayned vnder one kynde. For although Christ be not deuided, yet is the in­stitution to be kept, which being chaunged & torne, there is made no distribution neither of the body nor yet of the bloud of Christ.

But the Canon is farre more horrible than thys doc­trine: If any man shal saye that the holy Church, was not by iust causes and reasons led, that the Laye men shoulde [Page 78] communicate vnder the forme of bread onlye, or that it hath therin erred, Let him be accursed.

But it shall be good in this place to recyte the reasons by whiche the Counsell of Constance thought good that the vse of the cup shoulde be abrogated, which reasons are so ridiculous and foolyshe, that it is wonderfull that in so greate an assembly of Doctors there was none, which for the defence of the authority of the church and of the coun­sel confuted them not.

And I wil not recite them in myne own wordes, but in the wordes of Gerson Chauncelour of Paris who was a man of no smal authority in the Counsel of Constance.

‘It is not to be doubted (sayth he) but y e amongst other, Gerson in his treatyse against [...]he heresy of communica ting of the lay men vn­der both kyndes. the Diuines of the high vniuersitye of Paris, are in a rea­dinesse, which in great nūber are Presidents in this coun­sel: there are (sayth he) also of other noble Uniuersities ex­cellent Diuines both in great number and of great wor­thinesse. Wherefore many of them which were gathered together vpon thys matter, saye, that the custome of not communicating the Laitye vnder both kindes, chiefly af­ter that the faythfull haue bene so multiplyed, was law­fully and reasonably brought in into the Church. And that for the auoyding of manifolde daungers, irreuerence and offence about the receauyng of such a blessed Sacrament. The fyrst daunger is in spillyng. The second in carying it from place to place. The thyrd for the filthinesse of y e ves­sels, which ought to be sacred, and not cōmonly to be hād­led and touched of the Laye men. And muche lesse ought y e wine consecrated to be sold at the Uinteners, as it is ac­customed with such men. The fourth by reason of y t long beards of the Lay men. The fyfth in preseruing it for the sicke, bycause it may being long in the vessell be turned to Uineger, & so the bloud of Christ shoulde cease to be there, neyther should it be receaued, nor consecrated a new with­out a masse: And if it might be possible that pure Uineger [Page 79] should be geuen in steade of the bloud of Christ, yet there is an other danger, bycause in the sommer wormes & flyes would engender, howe close so euer the vessell were shut: sometimes also it would putrifie, & be made as it were ab­hominable to drike, & this is a reasō of very great efficacy. And by an other reason also whē many other haue dronke before. And it is demaunded in what vessell so much wyne should be cōsecrated, as should serue at Easter for x. or xx. thousand persons: The sixt daunger should be in the cost­lynesse of y e wyne, at y t least in many places, where is scar­cely founde wyne ynough to celebrate, and in some places also, it is very deare. Farther there should be daunger in the congeling of it. Agayn there should be daunger in the bringing in of a false belief, and that manifold wayes.’

‘First that the dignitie of the Laymen touchyng the re­ceauing of the body of Christ, shuld be as great as the dig­nitie of y e Priestes. Secondly that so to do, [...]uer hath ben and is continually of necessitie. And so all they y t thinke, do, or teache otherwyse haue perished and do perishe. And in generall all as well the Clergy, as teachers and Pre­lates, whiche haue not to their power resisted suche a cu­stome, by wordes wrttinges and sentences, and that they peruerted the holy Scripture. Thirdly that the vertue of this Sacrament is not more principally in the consecra­tion than in the receauing. Fourthly that the Churche of Rome iudgeth not ryghtly of the Sacramentes, neither should it in this be imitated. Fiftly that generall Coun­sels, and specially the Counsel of Constance erred in faith and good maners. Sixtly it should be many wayes an oc­casion of Seditions and Schismes, in our Christianty, as experience now manifestly declareth in Bohemia, whiche sedition tendeth to the dissipation not onely of the spiri­tualty but also of the temporalty, vnlesse the prouidence of God, & the prudence of the king of the Romanes should prouide and order thynges.’

The same Gerson a litle before these wordes in the selfe same treatise.

‘HOwbeit so long as it was so receaued of the Laymē, the Churche so commaūding or permitting or coun­seling, it was well done, as also when the Priests did consecrate in leuened bread.’

‘But now for so much as vppon certayne considerati­ous a contrary custome hath growen in vre praysed and commaunded by the Churche, which commaundement is apparant by such a custome, which is the best interpreter of lawes: Such a receauing therfore is rashe, & presūptu­ous, offensiue, seditious, & a disturbing of Ecclesiastical or­der, Note y e hor rible blas­phemy. & consequently induring eternal damnation. Neither is that of any force, when they affirme, that the Laymen deserue more in receauing vnder both kindes, than vnder the forme of bread only. We aunswere it is false, bycause obedience is better than sacrifice, &c.’

But for the simples sake let vs examine all these rea­sons by the rule of Christiā fayth and heauenly doctrine: y t they may se y t they are not only partly ridiculous & foo­lishe, but also partly blasphemous, & horrible to be heard.

First they feare the effusion or shedyng of the bloud of Christ, if it should be ministred in the cup, or be caryed frō place to place. But this superstition sprang of the fayned lye of transsubstantion, which they haue taught contrary to the nature and definition of this Sacrament, namely that the substaūce of the wyne is changed and turned into the bloud of Christ: whiche thing the Apostle testifieth to be false: For he calleth bread [...] Corporis Christi, that 1. Cor. 10. 11. to y e cōmunicating of the body of Christ, & the cup [...] Sanguinis Christi that is, the communicating of the bloud of Christ, and that with the bread and wyne the body and bloud of Christ are exhibited, For euen as y e body of Christ can not be torne with teth, no more also can his bloud be shed: It is a thing spirituall & celestiall, not of this world, [Page 81] but of an other world. Wherfore this daunger of sheding is not to be feared, as well in the dispensing of it, as in the carying it from place to place.

‘The third reason is vtterly contumelious agaynst the holy Churche of Christ, namely lest the vessels being tou­ched with y e lips of y e Laymē should be made filthy, which ought to be holy, and not filthy.’ What do the mouthes of the Laymen clensed and sanctified by the bloud of Christ, seme stil vncleane and filthy, or are the mouthes of the sa­crificers, purged with the kisses of their harlots puret thā the mouthes of the Laymen? And if it were but by this thing only, al Christian Princes and kynges may gather, in what estimation the sacrificers haue them.

‘The fourth cause why the cup is denyed & abrogated is bycause of y e long beards of y e Laymen, vnto which y e bloud of Christ may happe to cleane.’ If this be a sufficiēt reason & of efficacy, why are womē debarred, which want beards▪ And also as touching mē which haue beardes, were it not better they shuld shaue their beards, thē y t the institutiō of Christ shuld be chāged, & his testamēt & last will violated.

‘The fifth reason is vtterly vngodly which is le [...]t perad Christ hys bloud tur­ned into Uineger. uenture it shuld be turned into vineger, if it shuld be reser­ued for y e sicke ones.’ Oh thing most wicked. Cā y e bloud of Christ be turned into vineger? But (say they) the wyne & not y e bloud of Christ is turned into vineger. But they cā not say so. For the cōsecratiō being done, they affirme, y t y e wyne is changed & turned into the bloud of Christ, which mutatiō they by a new name cal transsubstātiatiō. Wher fore if y e opiniō of transsubstātion be true thē the bloud of Christ and substaūce therof is made vineger. But y t bloud be farre frō vs, which can so easely (specially in so great a carelesnesse of y t sacrificers) be turned into vineger. It is maruayle y t the good holy fathers of the Papacy are not ashamed of so foolishe and vngodly reasons, whiche they most manifestly oppose agaynst the institution of Christ, to defende their sacriledge.

[Page 82] Gerson addeth a greater daunger. ‘Sometymes also (sayeth he) it would putrifye and be made as it were ab­hominable to drinke, and this reason (sayth he) is of very great efficacy. Howe contumelious by this reason are the sacrificers agaynst the bloud of Christ?’ For they speake of the cup beyng consecrated, and so dare affirme that the bloude of Christe may putrifye. If our men should inuent the lyke thynges, what thunders of ercommunications would they not laye vpon them. But they themselues for Christe his bloud pu­trifyed. that they be a nation holy, and a kyngly priesthode, handle at their pleasure their newe GOD fabricated of the sub­staunce of bread and wyne.

But the reason which is brought as touching wormes and flyes, whiche they affirme may in the sommer time be engendred in the vessel, how close so euer it be shut, in my iudgemēt it semeth rather to confirme vnto the Papistes the vse of the cup than to abrogate it. For for so muche as the bloud of Christ newly created of the substaunce of the wyne is lyuely, they may by the flyes and wormes whiche are engendred of it proue the veritie thereof. But awaye with this impiety. For in a thing of so great and enorme­ous blasphemy, I dare not cal it folly, whiche dare ascribe so absurde thynges vnto the bloud of Christe: I knowe howe they go aboute to wynd themselues out, but they can not: For wormes vndoubtedly can not be engendred of accidentes, that is, of figure, colour and sauor, but they must nedes come of some substaunce and matter. But by­cause after the cōsecration they affirme that there remay­neth no substaūce of the wyne but that it is altogether cō ­uerted into the substaunce of the bloud of Christ, they blas phemously here among the daungers of the reseruation of the cup alledge that of the substaūce of the bloud of Christ beyng putrifyed come wormes and flyes. And this putri­faction (sayeth Gerson) happeneth so much the sooner, if many other haue dronke before, namely, bycause of the [Page 83] touchyng of the skyn and fleshe of man.

But graunt that these daungers myght happen, if the bloude hallowed in the cup shoulde be reserued for the sicke, by what testimony of the Scripture will they proue that the cup halowed for the sicke ought to be reserued for certayne dayes or wekès? Christ sayde vnto his disciples, drinke ye all of this, and strayght waye all of them dranke as also did the Corinthians. If to establishe their sacrifice Math. 26. 1. Cor. 11. they vse the Paschall Lambe, why do they not vse the same also agaynste these daungers, where it was com­maunded, that nothyng should be reserued agaynste the nexte daye. It is a thyng most certayne, that breade and Exod. 12 wyne without the vse haue not the nature of a Sacra­ment, and therfore the daungers whiche are here rehear­sed of Gerson are vayne and contumelious agaynste the bloud of Christ.

‘It is a wytty reason I promise you, whiche they bryng cōcerning the largenesse & greatenesse of the cup, in which at Easter the bloud of Christ myght be cōsecrated to serue xx. thousand men. Where can such a cup be gotten. There is much spoken of the greatnesse of y • bell at Erdford, they may take that for this purpose.’ Who can here holde him selfe from laughing, vnlesse this blyndnesse were more to be lamented with teares than to be laughed at. There af­sembled together (sayth Gerson) out of the highe vniuersi­tie of Paris, & out of other places, most excellent diuines & that in great number and of great worthynesse, of whome these reasons are allowed. The miserable sacrificers are still bewitched with theyr Magicall inchantement, wher­by they haue persuaded the worlde that they can by brea­thyng the wordes of Christe vpon the breade and wyne, conuert the substaunce of the bread and wyne into the bo­dy and bloud of Christ, beyng ignoraunt of the true man­ner of consecratyng, whose power consisteth in the fyrste institution of Christ▪ The Churche is admonished & redu­ced [Page 84] to the memory of it in the rehearsall of the words of y • i. Cor. x. supper, as often as y e supper of y e Lord is celebrated, which commemoration the Apostle calleth a blessing. For euen as the power of y e word of God endureth, wherby he said: Let the earth bringforth greane herbes: So also the pow­er of thys worde yet endureth whereby he sayd, Take ye, Eate ye, this is my body, &c.

‘In the sixth daunger they haue a consideration of the poore. For, for that in many places groweth no wine, and if it should be bought, it would cost a great price, the good holy fathers thinke it better, vtterly to abrogate & denye the vse of the cup vnto the lay men, than to put them to so great charges.’ I will not stande aboute the confutyng of thys folyshnesse, at which, vnlesse a man be out of his wits he can not but laugh.

An other argument.

‘Farther (sayth Gerson) the noble Chauncelor of y e hygh vniuersitye of Paris least the wine shoulde congele.’ Here appeareth the moste high prouidence of the fathers of the counsell of Constance, which haue with diligence conside­red al the times of the yeare, and haue throughly weighed what daungers might come vnto y e bloud of Christ: In the sōmer they haue prouided for it, y e it shoulde not tourne to vineger, putrifactiō, wormes & flyes: in y e winter thei pro­uide to kepe it frō cold and congeling, least per aduenture it should be turned into Yse. Whom these so graue & wit­tye reasons cause not willingly to abstayne frō the vse of the cup, vnto him can not the Catholike church easely mi­nister a remedye.

But let vs heare the rest of the reasons which are farre weaker than these, so that in no part should any doubt remaine: ‘Againe (sayth he) there should bee daūger in brin­ging in a false belief, and y e manifold waies.’ Fyrst that the dignitye of the lay men concerning the receauing of y • bo­dy of Christ should be as great as y e dignitie of y e priests. A great daūger I promise you. But by this reasō y e arrogācy [Page 85] and pryde of the sacrificers may manifestly he sene. For Christ made no difference betwene the Pastors and the [...]earers, betwene them y e distribute this his supper, & them i, Cor. xi. The. 18. home­ly vpon the lat­ter Epistle to the Corin. y e receaue it. Euen as I haue receaued of the Lorde (sayeth the Apostle) so haue I deliuered it vnto you. Now not so, (sayth Chrisostome) one true body is set forth vnto al mē, and one cup.

And Pope Gelasius: And we fynd y • certaine receauing only a portion of y • holy supper, abstayne from the cup of y • sacred bloud: who vndoubtedly (for I know not, by what superstition they are taught to be bounde) eyther let them receaue the whole sacramentes, or let them be restrayned from y e whole, bycause y e diuision of one and the self same mystery can not be done without very great sacrilege. De Consecratione. Dist. 2. Chap: Comperimꝰ. But least any man should affyrme y e these words are spoken of y • celebrating sacrificers, Gelas [...]s manifestly vnderstandeth y e lay men. For he speaketh not of y e teachers but of thē y • are taught as his words declare. Here he y e ministreth, nothing diffe­reth frō the receauer, vnlesse peraduenture we wil haue hym to be inferior. For the churche receauing the supper is the maystres, and y e priest is y e minister of y • maistres, in somuch y • ouer it he dareth not, to arrogate any thing vn­to himself as Peter sayth, not bearing Lordship ouer the Clergy, but being made a forme of y e flocke. Where the A­postle calleth not the sacrificers the Clergye, but the laye men, y e is, the Churche collected of the lay men, whose mi­nisters he instituted the Elders. This reason therfore is not onely weake but also absurde: and there are other notes also, wherby the ministers are discerned and knowē from the church whose ministers they are.

‘Secondly (sayth he) y t to do so was and is alwaies of ne­cessity. A great sinne to beleue, y • we muste alwayes com­municate vnder both kindes, and neuer vnder one kynde onely.’ But I praye thee my Gerson, if thys bee synne, [Page 86] then must thou know y e Christ is the author of this syime, Chri [...] the au­thor of synne. who instituted the supper vnder both kinds, and not vn­der one kinde only, and most seuerely gaue the Disciples thys commaundement: teach ye them to kepe, whatsoeuer Mat. 26. &. 28 things I haue cōmaunded you. But he hath sayd: Drinke ye all of this: this precepte therefore muste of necessitye be kept, neither can it or ought it by any custome or authori­tye to be abrogated.

‘But Gerson addeth: and all in generall as wel they of the Clergye as teachers and Prelates, whiche haue not to theyr power withstand suche a custome in woordes, wr [...] ­tings and sentences, haue peryshed, and all they haue per­uerted the holy scripture.’ Hereof come these teares.

Here the spirit of the holy Sorbonical fathers openeth it selfe. Least they should altogether seme to haue erred, & to haue peruerted the holy scripture, they iudge notwith­standing the precept and institution of Christ, that y • com­munion is to be retayned vnder one kynd only. Thys on­ly they laboure for, the Papistes will not seme to haue er­red, no not in the least thing, as I haue alredy often shew­ed. But what is more manifest, what more plaine, what more bryght, what more perspicuous, than that Christ in­stituted the last supper vnder both kindes? Likewyse also what is more manifest, what more playne and palpable, than that the papistes haue torne in peces thys instituti­on of Christ: they haue with folyshe vngodly and wicked reasons violated the last will of Christ, they haue in thys part peruerted the holy Scripture? Who is so rude and so vnskilfull in the holy Scriptures that he vnderstandeth not these thynges? It lotheth me to rehearse the reast of y • reasons, but bycause I haue once taken it in hand, I will yet take a litle more paines therin.

‘If it were of necessitie to do thys, sayth Gerson, then al they that teache and do otherwyse haue peryshed. When there is mention made of our Elders whiche haue lyned’ [Page 87] vnder this Babilonical captiuitye, I alwaies remember that saying of Christ, when he prophecieth of the false pro Math. 24. phetes whiche shoulde come in the last tymes. They shall geue (saith he) great signes and wonders, so that if it were possible euen the very elect should be brought into errour. Whereby I alwayes gather, that God wyll alwayes pu­nish those that teach peruerse thinges. In the meane tyme God hath at al tymes wonderfully reserued vnto him self his elect, y e they should not bow their knees before Baal, 1. Reg. 19. 1. Cor. 3. Ephe. 2. and are saued, as it were by fyre, vnto whom God also hath forgeuen manye faultes and infirmities, which haue built vpon the onely foundation Christ. &c.

Unto their Iudge therfore let vs leaue our elders, and with a thankefull minde let vs receaue so great a light, let vs returne vnto the institution of Christe and praye wyth Daniel: To vs be confusion of face, to our Kinges, to our Dan. ix. Princes, and to our fathers, which haue synned. But vn­to the Lorde our God be mercye and propitiation, bicause we haue gone away frō thee, & haue not harkened vnto y e voice of the LORD OVR GOD, to walk in his law. &c.

‘Thirdly (saith Gerson) it should followe, that the ver­tue of this Sacrament should not be more principal in the consecration than in the receauing.’ Gerson taketh that as a thing graunted, which is not true. For, for so muche as the Sacraments when they are vsed are of force, and vn­les they be vsed, they haue not the nature of a Sacrament, and therfore vnles there be a receauing, consecration is of no efficacy, so that consecration is for the receauing, wher­vnto it is appointed.

‘Fourthly, that the Church of Rome shoulde not thinke rightly of the sacraments, and should not in this be imita­ted.’ Here my Gerson thou hast hit the nayle of the head. A great daunger vndoubtedly might hereby be at hand vn­to [Page 88] the Church of Rome, if it be proued so grosselye to haue erred in this sacrament, who would not doubt but it hath also erred in many other things? Which thing hath beene already oftentimes declared vnto you of the Paparye in a maner in al & the principall articles of christian religion.

Wherfore forasmuche as these good holy fathers, wyll not seme so much as to haue erred, so far is it of, that they haue any care for the taking awaye of errours: It is most safe for godly men to rest in y e simple truth & most certain institution of Christ: the church of Rome is by no meanes to be imitated, which doth not onely corrupt y • sacramēts, but also the whole doctrine of the Gospel.

‘Fiftly, that general Counsels, & specially the counsel of Constance haue erred in fayth & good maners.’ This is no bringing in of a false belief, but a most certain & infallible truth, that the counsels of Constance & Trent haue not on ly erred in faith, but also haue with a sacrilegious audaci­ty condemned the doctrine declared of Christ, as diuelysh, as it is before shewed in the confutation of the Canons. Wherefore ther is no cause why ye should any more exti­nuate their authority, which in the myndes of manye (the truth of the Gospel being reuealed) is fallen away. Bring ye forth a text of the scripture: for the faithful wil not any more be satisfied with your Miters.

‘Sixtly: it should be an occasion of seditions and sectes in our christianity. ’It is an old fable, y • the Woulf troubling the water, laieth the fault vpon the shepe. Who is the au­thor of this schisme, but ye you Papists by this your sacri­ledge? Why haue ye changed the institutiō of Christ? For if this had continued inuiolate, ther shoulde haue bene no schisme in the Churche as touching this thing. But nowe whē the church requireth his right, it is answered of these good holy ones that she is seditious and schismatical.

Al the godly know how to beware of sedition, & to geue [Page 89] vnto the Magistrate a due reuerēce. But ye for so much as ye ar not Magistrates, as it is writtē: But ye ar not so. &c. Luke. 22. If the Magistrate being mindful of his office, do defende y • priuelege & ryght of y • church deliuered of Christ, he is by no meanes seditious, but godly, & doth his duty, which if he neglect to do, the lord his god wil punish him, as it is writ­ten in Deut. But now let vs at the length brieflye heare, Deut. 7. what the Counsel of Constance doth finallye iudge of the vse of the cup. ‘In such strife (saith Gerson) may a mā easly se (vnles it be such as wil willingly be malepeart, or by af­fectiō frowardly erre) that the receiuing of the sacrament vnder both kindes, of the laymen, is not now neither at a ny time hath bene by the necessity of the commaundement of the law of God vnder the payne of eternall damnation. Howbeit so long as the laymen did it, the Churche so cō ­maunding it, or permitting it, or counseling it, it was wel done, as when the priests did consecrate in leuened bread. But now whē as vpō certaine cōsiderations a cōtrary cu­stome hath grown in vse, being by y e church praysed & com maūded, which cōmaūdemēt appeareth by such a custome, which is y e best interpreter of laws, such a receiuing is rash & presūptuous, offēsiue, sedicious & a disturbing of Eccle­siastical rite & cōsequētly inducing to eternal dampnation.’

Now hast thou after y e reasōs rehersed, & here as it were in one word again repeted, in a sūme, what the counsell of Cōstāce thinketh of y e cōmunion vnder both kinds, namly that the receauing of it nether is nor euer was by y e law of god. And y t thei which endeuor themselues to put it in vse ar rash, presumptuous, seditious, & disturbers of y e church of God, which incurre the blame of geuing of offence, & it iudgeth them worthy of eternal destruction and hel fire.

But thereason wherebye they proue the deniall of the cuppe, and the vse of one kinde, doe not onelye wante the woorde of Godde, but are moreouer folyshe, ridiculous, [Page 90] blasphemous against Christe, and contumelious against [...] the church of God, as it is manifest by those things whych we haue before spoken.

But graunt that ther wer some daūger, if the vse of the Cup should be retained, what was the prouidence of these fathers greater than the wisedome of Christ & of his Apo­stles? Could not they also see these daungers? and admo­nish the church thereof, that so great a Sacrament of God shoul [...] not be prophaned?

‘Of these reasons soundeth the second Canon of y e Coū ­sel of Trent, wher it saith: If any man shal say that the ho­ly catholike Churche was not by iust causes and reasons led, that the laimen & also the Clergy which celebrate not, should cōmunicate vnder the forme of bread onelye, or that it therin erred: let him be accursed.’ Thou seest christiā rea­der, that by the authority of the Counsel of Trent, reasōs that are foolish, blasphemous, & contumelious agaynst the Churche of God, are counted and allowed for iust causes, which if any man shal gainsay, let him be accursed.

Many haue hitherto doubted, certaine also haue vtterlye denied that the Counsell of Trent is ruled & gouerned by the holy ghost. But I do not onely nothing doubt thereof, but am fulli persuaded y e the coūsel assēbled vnder Pius y e. 4 B. of Rome, is not at al gouerned or ruled by y e holy gost.

For men y • ar sober, & left onely vnto humane iudgemēt or sense, would neuer ordain things so absurde, which hi­therto haue ben mencioned to haue come from this coūsel. But bicause the fathers of this counsel haue once fully de­termined, vtterly to plucke vp by the rootes, blot out & ex­tinguish the doctrine which we professe, God punisheth in them the syn of obstinate malice, euen w t the synne of most grosse errors, as y e apostle hath left in writing. God (saith [...]. Thes. 2. he) sendeth on them the efficacy of illusion, y • they shoulde beleue lies, to the end al they might be iudged which haue [Page 91] not beleued the truth, but haue consented vnto iniquitye.

And thys grosse ignorance & blasphemy of the counsel is so directed of the lord, that it profiteth the Church of God. For al y e true faithful do now not only se, but also euē fele with their hands, y e the fathers of the counsel ar deliuered Roma. 1. Thessa. 1. vp into a reprobate minde, & that they defend most grosse & palpable errors, & tread vnder foote the manifest truth.

‘In the third Canon is confyrmed y e self same sacrilege & manifest idolatry: that vnder the paine of a curse we must beleue that whole Christ is receaued vnder one kind one­ly. But how can the faithful beleue this, when as it wan­teth the woord of promise?’ For faith leaneth vnto y e word of God: but ther was neuer any word of God that Christe would in the bread only dispense his body & blood, there is no wher such thing extant in the Euangelicall historye or writing of y e Apostles. These subtilties as touching christ y t he is not deuided, ar of no force. We know that & fyrmly beleue it. But here the question is not of the integritye of Christ, but of the dispēsation of his body & blood. He recei­uing the cup said: Drinke ye al of this, this is my blood. &c. This cup being abrogated, how canst thou w c a true faith settle thy self, y • in the vse of y e bread thou art made parta­ker of his blood? For when he toke the bread, he said not, this is my blood, or eate ye my blood. How subtile soeuer this impiety be, yet can they neuer defende & support thys sacriledge.

In the. 4. canon they deale very hardly with the holy fa­thers, & especially w t Cyprian & Augustine, & also with the church y t was at that time, wherin was accustomed y t vn­to infants also of Christiās the Eucharist was geuen. But although we also disalowe this custome, neither thinke it mete to be called again into the church, yet iudge we y • the holye Fathers ought more gentlye to be delt with in this matter. But farre bee it from me that I shoulde prescribe [Page 92] any thing to y e spirite of this counsell, which seing it hath vpon iust causes cōfirmed this sacrilege in this sacramēt, it shall also vndoubtedly if God will haue most wayghtye & most iust reasons of this curse, which reasons to resyst is to sin against the holy ghost.

To these four canons they adde other two articles: whi­ther for any cause or consideration the vse of the cup is to be permitted vnto any man. Also: whether that for certain honest reasons & such which agree with Christiā charity, y e vse of the cup is to be graūted to any nation or kingdom, vnder certayn conditions, & what cōditions they are. The examinatiō & definīg of these they reserue to an other time

Undoubtedly a worthy deliberation & consultation of so long time in a thing so obscure & doubtfull, wherof childrē that are but seuen yeres of age are able to geue sudgemēt, if they be but well enstructed in theyr catechisme.

But the words of the counsell are diligently to be mar­ked, whither for any cause or consideration the vse of the cuppe is to be permitted vnto any man. The institution of Christ is w t the coūsel of Trēt no cause or reasō at al why ye good holy fathers can bring or deuise anye other reason than the precept & cōmaundemēt of Christ, yea & his very expres wil? What, wil ye be wiser thā Christ? thā the apo stles? than y e primatiue church? Or what sacrilegious bold nes is this, that ye wil not but vpon certain conditions, & those (as we shal a litle afterwarde heare) most vngodlye, graūt the vse of the cup not to the vniuersal church, but to som certain nations & kingdoms? [...]e vnderstand as I sup­pose, Germany, England, Denmark, & now peraduēture Fraunce also, which for the most part, hauing left the fyl­thinesse of the babilonish whore, haue turned agayn vnto their fyrste husbande, and neglecting humane traditions, haue returned vnto the fyrst institution of Christ.

They of the Papacy not long synce miserablye handled [Page 93] Luther (a man of godlye memorye) bicause he wrote, that if the Counsell woulde graunt bothe kindes, hee woulde vse but one kinde onelye. But it was the farthest thyng from his thought to haue the institution of Christ abroga­ted, or the Sacramēt deuided in halfes. But his meanyng was to haue the Churche admonished of the sacrilegious holdnes of the Papistes, and that it shoulde not vse bothe kindes, bicause of the decree of the Counsel, but bicause of the institution of Christ. For it lieth not in the arbitremēt of the Counsel, Church, or anye other man to abrogate or graunt the cup, being of Christ not onelye graunted vnto his Church, but also bidden and commaunded. Wherfore the romish bishop may dispense w t whom it liketh him, we care as much for his dispensation, as we do for his curses, whych wee iudge as vayne thynges that are vsed to make children afeard with, and as the saying is, a thunder clap made of a bladder. The testament, institution, and last wil of Christ sufficeth vnto vs, which is perspicuous and ma­nifest, wherwith if any man wyll not be content, let hym then vse the foolish and wicked reasons of the Counsell of Constance, & the sacrilege confirmed by y e authoriti therof.

The decree concerning the vse the Cup.

FArthermore, forasmuch as the selfe same holye Synode in the laste former Session reserued two articles before tyme proposed, and not yet dis cussed, namely beginning: Whether the reasōs. &c and to be at an other time examined as soone as occasion shalbe offered, and successiuely at the in­stāce of the chiefest it was required that the same articles myghte bee examined and defined by the selfe same holy Synode, and that for waightye & manifold causes agreing to christiā charity, now laid before vs, the vse of the cup may be graunted [Page 94] vnto certaine nations vpon the conditions vnder written, either libertye for Ordinaries of places to graunt it them, and moreouer where oportuni­ty serueth to be dispensed with them.

The holy Synode as a godly mother desiring healthfully (as muche as is graunted in the lord) to foresee for the saluation of all men, knowyng yet that it selfe can not presently with safetye vt­terlye absolue and define suche a matter, but the thing being first diligently vewed and examined and all things maturely considered, it hath at the length thus decreed: That our most holy Lorde, such knowledge of the cause had, which shal seme good to his Blessednes, maye graunt vnto those Nations and peoples, vnto which his holynesse shal thinke to be commodious and profitable, vp­on the conditions vnder written (or also vpon o­ther, which the holi ghost shal minister vnto him, and if it shall seeme meete vnto hys holynes, also at the request, counsell, and approbation of thys holy Synode) the aboue sayde vse of the cup, and maye graunt also the power required, and maye moreouer also mercyfullye and according to hys Apostolical benignity dispense with them.

The conditions, vpon which it is thought good that the vse of the Cup may be graunted.

FIrst, that they whych wyll communicate vn­der both kindes, doo agree in hart and confes­sion of mouth in al other things, as wel touching [Page 95] this Sacrament as the other Sacramentes, al­so in any other matter what soeuer it be as tou­ching faith, doctrine & rites, y t they agree I say w t all those thinges whiche are receaued of the holy Church of Rome, & y t they also religiously admitte & obserue all the decrees of this holy Sinode as well those that are alredy published abrode, as those that are to be published abrode.

Secondly y t the Pastors & preachers of y e sayd natiōs, do beleue & teache, y • the custome allowed & long tyme obserued of y • Churche, namely of the communicating vnder one kynde only, is not re­pugnāt vnto the law of God, yea rather that it is laudably to be obserued, and to be kept as a lawe vnlesse it be otherwise decreed by y e Church: And that they whiche stubbornly thinke otherwise are to be counted heretikes, neither that they deliuer the communion vnder both kyndes vnto none but vnto suche whiche shall beleue and confesse thys truth.

Thyrdly that they ought with a faithfull and sincere minde, as reuerent children, geue al reue­rence vnto our most holy Lorde the Pope as to the legitimate Bishoppe and Pastor of the vni­uersall Churche.

Fourthly that they lykewyse, geue due reue­rence vnto their Archebyshoppes, Byshops, and other their Prelates.

Fifthly that this vse of the cup be permitted [Page 96] vnto them onely whiche are contrite and confes­sed accordyng to the custome of the Catholike Churche.

Also that the ordinaryes do moste diligently with al cautions prouide, that in the administra­tion of the bloud there be no sacrilege or propha­nation committed, and vpon all these foresayde thynges let theyr consciences be burdened.

That whiche hath bene many yeares desired and wy­shed for, the same now at the length also certayne kinges and Princes (whiche yet holde on the Byshop of Romes syde) were bolde to require of the Counsell, namely the communion vnder both kyndes, & the mariage of Priests, if in case they will that their subiectes should be kepte in their due obedience.

But for as muche as both these or either of them can not come to passe without the consent of the Byshop of Rome, the holy fathers of the Counsell haue deliberated of certayne conditions, vpon whiche the Byshop of Rome maye dispense with certayne nations for the vse of the Cup. All the wordes of this decree are diligently to be ob­serued. For they are very ware, lest they shoulde seme to be Authors of this alteration, so great and hainous an of­fence is it, to communicate vnder both kyndes accordyng vnto the institution of Christ. Wherfore they decree that the Popes good holynesse may graunt the libertye requi­red, and by his Apostolicall benignitie dispense therwith.

Let all y e faithful therfore know, that the vse of the cup is in no case allowed by y e Counsel, & that they thinke it cā by no ryght be required of the laymen, but being required it may by the meere Apostolical benignitye be graunted. But they which are rightly instructed in the C [...]istian Ca thechisme, playnly vnderstande, that therein [...]ey haue [Page 97] no nede at all of the Popes dispensation, bycause Christe hath not onely graunted vnto hys Churche, but also se­uerely hydden and commaunded, Drinke ye all (sayth he) of thys. Math. 26. For euen as he hath not commaunded to drynke hys body, so also hath he not commaunded to eate hys bloud. Neither is it any lesse absurde to eate the bloud of Christe, than to drynke the body of Christe. For by distinct Symboles Christe would erhibite these giftes of hys body and hys bloud. But let vs see the conditions, whereupon the Counsell of Trent decreeth that the vse of the Cup maye be graunted vnto the Laymen, whiche conditions are not onely vniust, but also vtterly vngodly and to be detested.

Firste: That they whiche wyll communicate vnder both kyndes are compelled to bynde them selues vnto all Papisticall Idolatrye, as well in thys parte as in all o­ther partes of doctrine, and religiously to admitte and obserue the decrees both those that are alredy published and also those that shallbe published by the Counsell of Trent. But who can number vp all the Idolatryes, Ma­gicall inchauntementes, superstitions, and traditions re­pugnant vnto the worde of GOD, whiche haue nowe many yeares bene vsed in the Papacy, with all whiche the myndes of the Godly shoulde be wrapped? Farther howe greate a daunger is ioyned vnto thys, for a man to subdue hym selfe not onely to the vngodly decrees of this Counsell whiche are alredy published abrode, but al­so vnto them whiche shalbe hereafter publyshed abrode▪ What if the Counsell shoulde decree that GOD is not God? Shoulde it therefore be beleued and obserued? But some Papiste wyll saye, we nede not to feare any suche thyng, or to looke for any of these thinges from so sacred a Counsell, whiche is gouerned by the holy Ghost. But I thynke I haue declared more bryghtlye than the noone [Page 98] daye by the decrees of this Counsell, that the fathers as­sembled together at Trent with their Romishe Bishop, go aboute nothyng els than the oppression of sound doc­trine and the renewyng of Idolatrye and all kynde of su­perstitions? What true godlyman therefore can receaue thys condition?

The second condition is playnely repugnant vnto the requeste that was made: namely that they whiche wil communicate vnder both kyndes shoulde beleue and pro­fesse, that the communion vnder one kynde onely is god­ly, they whiche beleue this, wyll neuer desire the commu­nion vnder both kyndes: but rather thys is the onely, cause, why they shoulde eschewe the communion vnder one kynde onely, bycause it is repugnant vnto the doc­trine and institution of Christe, and shoulde iudge the cu­stome and lawe brought in contrary to the institution of Christe a pernicious and detestable error. In prescrybyng thys condition, what other thyng doth the Counsell, than dally and mocke with the whole Christen worlde, when as they knowe that none of the godly will euer vp­pon these conditions communicate vnder both kyndes.

The thyrde condition is, that they whiche will com­municate vnder both kyndes, muste acknowledge the Byshoppe of Rome for Christe his Uicare, and muste as faythfull chyldren geue vnto hym all reuerence. And what thyng elles were thys, than to denye Christe. For in the wrytynges of the Apostle it is manifestly shewed, 2. Thes. 2 that the Byshoppe of Rome is the Antichrist, whiche shall syt in the Temple of God, and peruert all the wor­shyppyng of God. And what punishement is to be looked Math. 10. for of suche as denye▪ the truth of the Gospell, Christe teacheth. He whiche wyll denye me before men, I also wyll denye hym before my heauenly father. Let them a­lone Math. 15. (sayeth he in an other place) for they are blynde and [Page 99] leaders of the blynde.

The same yoke is layde vpon the faythfull in the iiii. condition. For, for so muche as the Archebyshoppes, By­shops, Prelates, and Priestes, are all addicted, and by an othe bounde vnto the Byshoppe of Rome, they will not suffer any thyng to be brought in, that is repugnant vnto the Pontificall impiety.

In the fifth condition they whiche wyll communicate vnder both kyndes are bounde vnto auricular Confes­sion, whiche was the vngodly and miserable slaughter house of afflicted cōsciences, whereby the adherents of the Byshoppe of Rome may easely searche out the thoughts of all men, and defend theyr tyranny. But for so much as thys is a meere humane tradition, neyther commaunded of Christe, nor yet deliuered of the Apostles, as it is in an other place aboundantly shewed, this condition wyll no lesse feare awaye the faythfull that are euery where dis­persed in the Papacy from the Communion vnder both kyndes, than the former foure.

The laste condition pertayneth vnto the Sacrificers, that in the administration of the bloude there shoulde be committed no sacrilege or prophanation. And thys in a manner was the principall reason, why in the Coun­sell of Constance the vse of the Cup was abrogated: but the reasons are so ridiculous, that I am ashamed to re­hearse them. The holy fathers forsoth were afrayed, lest peraduenture the bloude of Christe shoulde be spilte vp­pon the earth, or lest it shoulde cleaue vnto the beardes of men, or kerchtefes of women, or els shoulde be turned into Uineger. The cause of thys feare is the ignoraunce of the mystery, sprong of the fayned inuention of trans­substantiation. For the bloude of Christe whiche is di­stributed in the Supper, can not be spylte, as they thynke, when as without vse it is not a Sacrament. And Christe [Page 100] accordynge to hys wysedome could haue fore seene all these daungers, of whiche the Churche ought to haue bene admonished. But Christe hauyng no respect at all vnto these thynges wylled, that not onely Byshops and Math. xxvi. Mark. xiiii. Luke. xxii, 1. Cor. [...]. Pastors, but also their hearers shoulde drynke hys bloude out of the Cup, whiche thyng not onely the holy Scrip­tures do teache, but also the custome of the primatiu [...] Churche confirmeth.

These are the conditions, vpon whiche the Counsell of [...]rent iudgeth that certayne nations maye be dispen­sed withall in the vse of the Cup. Whiche conditions are suche, that none that is good and godly can receaue them without denyall of our Lord Iesus Christ.

And although all the good and godly ought worthi­ly to be grieued at so greate an iniquitie of the Counsell, yet ought Kynges and Princes moste of al, diligently to looke vnto it, whiche are as Gods made rulers ouer the people of GOD, to defende the true worshyppynge of GOD, of whiche they ought no lesse to be kepers than of the seconde Table. For all Christendome seeth nowe that the Byshoppe of Rome together with the Counsell of Trent do but mocke and dally with Kynges and Prin­ces, whiche graunte a thyng so manifest, and so humbly desyred by the Orators of Kynges and Princes vpon such conditions, whiche they knowe to be moste wicked and vngodly. For what is in the Gospell more bryght and more manifest, than that Christe instituted hys Supper vnder both kyndes? and that the Churche of the Corin­thians communicated vnder both kyndes? And if the Counsell woulde haue done wysely, it had bene more meete for their authoritie and person, simply and vtter­ly to denye the Communion required, than to dispense with it vpon suche conditions, whiche they them selues [Page 101] ues vnderstande to bee repugnaunte vnto the thynge required.

Let al the true Godly also and faythfull which are eue­ry where dispersed through out the world, consider, howe litle regarde, yea rather none at all is had to theyr salua­tion, if the vse of the cup be graunted vnto thē vpon these conditions, whereby they are compelled to approue and confyrme all papisticall impietye. But rather it is muche better for euer to abstayne not onely from the Cuppe but also from the bread of the Supper, than with so greate offence to God, by theyr testimonye to allowe horrible Idolatrye and sacrilege. For by it they are not graf­ted into the libertie wherinto they are deliuered by Christ, but are caste into a greater bondage, the conscience is not eased, but oppressed with a greater burden,

I truste I haue briefelye and perspicuouslye shewed that the Counsell of Trent hath not onely allowed er­roures that are repugnaunte vnto the holy Scripture, but hath also confyrmed horrible impietie, Iolatrye, superstitions, and abuses, and that not in doctrine alone, but also in the Sacramente deliuered of Christ vnto the Churche. Euen as therefore for theyr sakes we haue muche cause to lamente, for that the Fathers of thys Counsell in so manifeste a lyghte of the Gospell are en­fected with so greate a blyndnesse, that they will not ac­knowledge or abolyshe no not euen the leaste erroure: so also agayne on the other syde oughte the Churche of GOD and all we euen from the hearte to reioyce, that euen nowe at the laste by the decrees of thys Coun­sell [...], we maye stay vppon some certainety of the will and meanyng of the pontificall Counselles. For hytherto, the Christians which are euery where dispersed abroade in the papacye, haue hoped y • it would haue come [Page 102] to passe, that by some lawfull Counsell and publiqu [...] authority, errors and abuses, whiche thorough the negli­gence of Byshops and auarice of sacrificing priestes haue exept in into the church should be abrogated. For thys of­fice they thought to pertayne unto a counsel & not to pri­uate men. Neither also thought they it the office of a Ma­gistrate to chaunge or abolysh any thing in doctrine or ec­clesiasticall ceremonyes. Whiche thyng for that many Kings and Princes, Earles, Barons, Noble me and Im­periall cities haue done; very many were offended, bicause they taryed not for some lawfull knowledge of the cause and determination of a Counsel. They confesse that they acknowledge that in the Catholyke Churche (as they call it) are very many errors, but they affyrme ther withal that it pertayneth not to the Magistrate to take them awaye, but that office belongeth vnto a Counsell. And whereas many yeares and long tyme, a Christiā, generall and [...] counsell hath bene required and promysed, and euen vnto this yeare suspended, nowe at the length the Counsell of Trent deliuereth vs from al doubt and farther expectati­on. For as be in Terence sayth Nulla circuitione vsum est, rem aperte prolocutum est, that is, It hath vsed no circu [...]ution, but hath opened the matter playnly, that they wil not abolyshe the least abuse, the leaste ceremonye or ryte, but rather haue decreed to curse all those, whiche e [...]en in the least thyng accuse them of any errour. So farre is it of that they thynke to abrogate and take awaye manifest Idolatrye, Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead, Carying aboute and worshipping of the breade, Inuocation of Saints, pilgrimages to the Images of the dead, Doctrine of perpetuall doubting, Doctrine of the merite of good workes, Of purgatory and such lyke errors.

Nowe also shoulde we speake somewhat of the refor­mation of manuers, whiche shoulde bee taken in hande [Page 103] and defyned by the Counsell, whiche thyng the Embas­sadoures and Legates of the Emperoure, of the Frenche Kyng, and of other Princes requyred moste earenestly. For not onely the Courte of Rome aboundeth with all kinde of vices and wickednesse, as Ryot, Simonye, Aua­rice or couetousnesse, and moste horrible fylthinesse, but thys mischiefe is so farre and wyde spred abroade through oute Christendome, that the Embassadoures and Ora­tours of certayne Princes were not ashamed to declare vnto the Counsell, that the fylthinesse of the priestes in theyr prouinces was so greate, that amongest a hun­dreth priestes coulde scarcely bee founde two, whose helpe and industrye they myghte with honestye vse in any ci­uile rusticall iudgementes; so farre are they paste [...]l shame of moste horrible fylthynesse, whoredome, and such like wickednesse: And the Fathers of the Counsel being ouer­come with the truth, testifyed, that for theyr sakes thys garboyle and trouble is rysen in the Churche, and that theyr wickednesse is the cause of so great euills.

But if we diligentlye weyghe the requestes of the Kynges and Princes, we oughte euen from the bottome of the harte to lamente that in the Councell sit not suche Fathers, whiche should be affected which the considerati­ons of these thynges. For although the aboue mentioned Kinges and Princes are still addicted vnto the Byshop of Romes kyngdome, yet they see, that vnlesse there be had a more seuere reformation of manners, and especially in the Clergye, the Popes kyngdome can not long continue safe and sounde. Wherefore they vrge and requyre a reformation with as muche fayth & diligence as they can.

But what doo they of the Papacye and the good holy Counsell of Trent? They dooe euen as if a man shoulde [Page 104] go aboute to washe, one hauing the leprosye, or if a man should endeuour him selfe to ryd an olde scalde head from lyse, which thing may manifestly be sene by the. xii. Arti­cles set forth of reformation, and by the decrees confirmed by authority of the Counsell.

Twelue principal poyntes of reformation pro­posed the. xi. day of March, to be consi­dered of the Fathers, in the Counsel of Trent.

1 LEt the Fathers consider what meanes may be had, that Patriarches, Archbishops, bishops, & al those that haue cure ouer soules should be resi­dent vpon their Churches, and should not be ab­sent from them, but vpon causes iust, honest, ne­cessary and profitable vnto the Church.

2 Also whither it be expedient that none bee ad­mitted vnto holy orders, vnles it bee to some cer­tayne tytle of a benefice. For it is founde by expe­rience, that muche disceate is practised by reason, that for the moste parte they are admitted by the tytle of Saltimonium. That is [...] [...]lse tytle.

3 And that they whych geue orders receaue no­thyng for the bestowyng of any orders, whatsoe­uer they be, neyther also the Ministers nor No­taries.

4 Whyther it may be graunted vnto them, that of the Prebendes of suche as serue not, they may distribute dayly distributions in those Churches, in whyche are no distributions, or els so slender [Page 105] distributions, that they are not regarded.

5 Whyther all Parishes, whych for their great­nesse requyre many Priestes, ought also to haue tytles to be instituted of the Ordinary.

6 Benefices also that haue cure whych want a sufficient prouision of lyuyng for the Priest, whi­ther they be to be reformed, so that of many by the Ordinarye may be made onely one.

7 Forasmuche as Persons of Churches are for y • most part very vnm [...]ete, so that eyther through ignorance or filthines of lyfe they destroy rather than edifye. And somtymes they haue Uicars far woorse than them selues, it is to bee consydered, how thys euyll maye bee prouided for, and why­ther it should be expedient, that vnto them should be geuen a meete fellowe helper wyth the assyg­nation of the fruites at the arbitrement of the Ordinary.

8 Whyther it maye bee graunted vnto Ordyna­ries, that they may geue vp into the mother chur­ches, benefices, and Chappels being by reason of auncientnesse decayed, and whych throughe po­uertye cannot be renued.

9 Whyther it bee decreed, that benefices com­mended and also regular, ought to be visited and corrected of the Ordinaries.

10 Also whether secrete Matrimonies oughte in tyme to come to bee declared voyde and of no force.

[Page 106] 11 What conditions ought to be assigned to this, that matrimonies bee not called secrete, but con­tracted in the face of the church.

12 Lastly, it should very diligently be considered, what is to be ordained as touching the no small abuses of vsurers.

The selfe same sacred Synode. &c. intending to pro secute the matter of reformation, hath in thys presēt Session being the. v [...]. thought good to decree as fol­lloweth.

THere is nothing which otherwise continual­ly more instructeth to piety and the worshyp­ping of God, than the lyfe and example of them which haue dedicated them selues vnto the mini­stery of God For, for so much as they being from the thinges of the worlde, exalted vnto a hygher place, are beholden, all other men cast their eyes on them as on a glasse, & of them take that which they may follow. Wherfore it altogether so becō ­meth the clergy elected vnto the office of the lord, to frame their whole life and māners, that in ap­parel, gesture, going, speche, and all other things, they shew no exāple of any thing but that which is graue, moderate, and ful of piety: and that they eschew also euēlight faultes, which in thē should be most great, that all their doinges maye bryng a recreation and reuerence vnto all men. Where­fore seing that how much the greater both com­moditye and ornament these thynges are in the [Page 107] church of God, so muche the more diligentlye are they to be obserued, the holy Synode hath decre­ed, that those thinges which at other tymes haue bene aboundantlye and healthfullye ordeyned by sage Bishops, & by sacred Counsels, of the life, ho­nesty, and demeanor of the Clergy, and for the re taining of doctrine, also of banquetynges, daun­cinges, disinges, gamings, and such like faultes, and also of the auoiding of worldly affaires, that the selfe same should be hereafter obserued vnder the selfe same punishmentes, all whych thynges ar reuiued by this present decree. And the bishops if they shal finde that any of these thinges ar tur­ned into a disuse, let them with speede studye to haue thē called again into vse, & diligently cause them to be obserued of all men: for God shall take vengeaunce vpon them for the neglecting of the amendement of such as are vnder them. Let no mā from hence forth be admitted vnto cathedrall churches, which besydes that whych is requyred of the holy Canons, shal not be in the Uniuersitie Doctor or Licentiate, or otherwise Graduate in diuinity, or in both the lawes or els in one of thē, or which hath not receaued holy orders, vnles he be so adorned with that integrity of lyfe, and ther withal such excellency in learning and nobilitye of birth, that these ornamentes in hym, doo nota bly counteruaile the publike degree of a Doctor.

Let not cachedrall Churches also, the true va [Page 108] lure of whose fruites exceede not the summe of 500. duckets of gold of the Chamber, be burde­ned wyth pensions, yea in cause of resignatiō: but those which excede the said valure, may neuer be burdened aboue halfe the fruits, nether also may they bee so muche burdened, but that at the least 500. ful be left vnto the Prelate.

Let not parish churches also, whose fruites ex­ceede not the sum of. 500. duckets of golde of the Chamber, by no meanes be burdened with yere­ly pensions, yea in cause of resignation: But those which excede that value may neuer hēceforth be burdened with pensions or reseruations of fruits aboue the halfe, and let ther alwayes remain vn­to the Person of the parishe Churche at the least 500. duckets of golde of the Chamber.

Of the fruits of al dignities, vnto which in ca­thedral churches or in churches collegiate is due by law, or by custome any iurisdictiō, administra­tion or office, the bishops may at their arbitremēt deuide the third part into distributiōs to be assig­ned euerye festiual day, so that hee which shal not at the least euery holye day personallye fulfyll the seruice belonging vnto him, according to y e order to be prescribed by the Ordinary, shall lose the di­stributiō of y • day, neither shal he by any meanes make clayme vnto it, but it shal be applyed to the reparatiōs of the church. Let these things be vn­derstād to be ordayned for those churches only in which ther is no custome or statute, y • they which [Page 109] serue not should lose anipart which ariseth to the third part of the said frutes, notwithstanding all customs, yea though they be bi time out of mind, & constitutions, although they be by an oth cōfir­med, or with any authority whatsoeuer it be.

Let Canons deuidēts, & whosoeuer peaceably obtain such prebends, vnto which ar annexed sū ­dry duties, namely that som should sing Masses, som the Gospel, som the Epistle, be bound (so that ther be no iust impediment to the cōtrary) to take vpō them orders requisite, any custome what so­euer it be to the cōtrary notwithstanding, neither frō henceforth let any be admitted but only those which are wel knowen to haue full age & other a­bilities, otherwise let the admission be voyde.

Whatsoeuer dispensations if they be to be com­mitted out of the court of Rome, let them be com­mitted to the Ordinaries of those which haue ob­tained them, in those things which ar graciously graunted of the same, as delegates Apostolicall sūmarily only, that it may be forth knowen iudi­cially whether the requestes expressed be true or no, which if they shal not finde to bee true, let the dispensations lose their effect.

In alteryng also of last wyls (whych ought not to be done, but vpon most iust causes) they maye as delegates of y e sea Apostolike search out, whe­ther the thinges declared in the requestes be true or no, which if they shal fynd to be false, let not the foresaid alterations be put in execution.

[Page 110] Let causes touching benefices, whose fruites in dayly distributions excede not the true valure of. 24. d [...]cates of gold of the Chamber, in the fyrst instāce be examined in part before the ordinaries of the places, which may procede to the definitiue sentence, anye clause or inhibition notwythstan­ding, and that no appeale in y • same be admitted, vnles it be by the definitiue sentēce, or by it which hath the strength of a definitiue sentence, eyther els from the griefe which maye happen by the ap peale frō the definitiue sentence. Metropolitans in appellations which happē vnto them in al ca­ses, both in admitting appeales, and in graūtyng inhibitions after the appeale, are bounde to keepe the cōmon law, according to the forme and tenor of the sacred constitutions, and chiefly the consti­tutions of Innocentius the. 4. in the Counsell of Lyons, whych begynneth: Romana, &c. any cu­stome, yea euen tyme oute of mynde, or wyth in memory, or priuiledge to the contrary notwith­stāding, otherwyse such thynges as follow these inhibitions and processes, whatsoeuer they be, let them be by the law of no force.

The Bishops maye also in cases allowed by the law be executors of al godly dispositiōs, yea also among them that be on lyue, and haue power to visyte hospitals, confraternities, schooles, moun­taynes of pity or of charitye, and all other godlye places by what name so euer they bee called, and [Page 111] also to take accēpt of al administrations, of those whiche ought to geue them, also to consider and to put in executiō al other thinges of this kynde, which are appointed to the worshipping of god, or to the health of soules or to the sustenāce of the poore as they are bound by their office according to the statutes of the holy Canons, any custome whatsoeuer it be, also any exemption tyme out of mind, priuilege, or statute, to the contrary not­withstandyng.

Administrators as well Ecclesiasticall as lai­call with suche as pertayne vnto them whiche haue charge ouer the reparations of Churches, of Hospitals, of mountaynes of piety, and of all other places of deuotion, shal be bounde to geue accompte euery yeare of theyr administration to the ordinary, and to hym whiche obtayneth the chiefest dignitye of the Churche, whiche shal be present in the place for that tyme. But if by me­morable custome or by priuiledge, or by any cu­stome of the place the accompte should be geuen to certaine deputies for that purpose, then let al­so the ordinary be with them, vnlesse peraduen­ture it were other wyse expressedly prouided for in the foundation or dotation of suche buyldyng, all other customes, althoughe they be customes tyme out of mynde, exemptions and priuiled­ges to the contrary notwithstandyng, and abso­lutions or grauntes otherwyse made shall in no [Page 112] case helpe the sayd administrations.

For as muche as by the vnskilfulnesse of No­taryes many hurtes and occasions of much strife a ryse, the Byshop may (if they be created by the Apostolicall authoritie) as a delegate of the sea Apostolike, otherwyse by the authoritie thereof, after ordinary examination had) searche out the sufficiency of them, whiche if they be not founde apte, maye prohibite the vse of exercisyng the office perpetually, or for a tyme, or lette their appeallation suspende the interdiction of the Dr­ordinarye.

If couetousnesse the roote of all euilles shall so much possesse any of y e Clergy or Layty, that by violence or with feare, or also by any counter­fayte personnes of the Clergy, or by what other craft, or vnder any other colour sought they date cōuert and turne to their proper vses the goods, fruites, emolumentes, or any other profites of any Churche, either of any secular or regular be­nesice, whiche ought to be conuerted into the ne­cessities of the Ministers and of the poore, lette hym be vnder the execrable curse, tyll that he shall fully restore to the Churche and to the ad­ministrator therof, the goodes, fruites, and te­uenewes whiche he occupyeth, or whiche by any meanes pertayne vnto hym, yea by the gyfte of that counterfayte person, and then he shall ob­tayne [Page 113] absolution of the Byshoppe of Rome: And if he be patrone of the same Churche, besides the paynes aboue sayde, he shalbe also depryued of the ryght of the patronage, and the Clerke which shalbe a consenter to such fraude and wic­ked vsurpation shalbe vnder the same paynes, & also shalbe depriued of all hys benefices, and be made vnable to any other benefices, and at the arbitry of hys ordinarye shalbe suspended from the execution of his orders.

These principall pointes of Reformation I thought good here to annere, not that I woulde at large confute them, but that the Christian reader might see, that the fa­thers of the Counsel minde not any carnest reformation.

For in Reformation of Churches the principallest care ought to be for the restoryng and preseruyng of god­ly, sincere, and vncorrupte doctrine, thys the Counsell in the former decrees hath condemned as blasphemous and hereticall. The other care is touchyng the manners of y t Pastors and of the shepe, about whiche the Fathers of the Counsell in these Articles and Decrees are occupsed. For they perseuere styll in theyr opinion, that the lyfe and manners of the Clergy are not to be reformed accordyng to the doctrine of the Gospell, but accordyng to the doc­trine of their Canons.

Bycause therefore they shoulde begyn at the hed, as the firste, requeste of the Emperors Embassadors soun­deth, we muste fyrste desyre that the hyghe Byshoppe woulde gently suffer hyu [...] selfe and the Courte of Rome to be reformed: The Counsell of Trent aunswe­rethe: That the Sacred Canons of the Elders are in thys parte to be obserued: but amongest other Canons [Page 114] touching the reformation of the Byshop of Rome is ex­tant In the decree of Gratiane. Dist. 40. Chap. S [...] Papa. &c. this Canon also whiche is horrible to be hearde: ‘If the Pope, hauing no regarde to his owne saluation nor to the saluation of his brethren, be founde vnprofitable and rem [...]sse in his workes, and besydes that voyde of good­nesse, whiche is more hurtefull vnto hym selfe, and vnto all men, althoughe he ledeth with him selfe innumerable heapes of people vnto the chiefest bonde sclaue of hell, where with hym they shall for euer be beaten with many stripes, yet the faultes of this man no mortall man presumeth to reproue here, bycause he shall iudge all men, and be iudged of no man, vnlesse he be founde to haue strayed from the fayth. Let y e Counsell of Trent go now, & presume to reforme y e wicked. Actes of the court of Rome, whose fayth in all thynges it alloweth. And let the Embassadors of Kyngs and Princes wayte for amen­dement of the Court of Rome That is ne­uer for they haue no Ca­lendes. Ad Calendas Gr [...]cas.’

If it be required that the vnclenlines, and fylthy lustes of the Byshoppes, Sacrificyng Priestes and Monkes, shoulde be corrected and amended: the Counsell of Trent aunswereth, that the holy Canons are to be kepte, and that the sacrificyng Priestes are bounde to kepe the lawe of vnclene sole lyfe, forswearyng Mariage: Whiche doc­trine the Apostle calleth the doctrine of deuilles. 1. Tim. 4. If the ignoraunce and vnskilfulnesse of Byshoppes and Pastors be accused, they will haue the matter remedied by Uicares that are farre more vnskilfull and by fellow­helpers: Why rather shoulde they not be remoued from their office, and sufficient ones put in their place, whiche myght both in doctrine and also in example edifye the Churche of GOD? In summe, the authoritie of all the Canons of the Bishops of Rome is sacred holy and inuio­lable in this Counsell of Trent.

In the meane tyme lest they shoulde seme idle lookers on of those thynges, whiche are euery where practised in [Page 115] kyngdomes, they dispute of the residence of the Bishops, and of the bestowyng of prebendes ryghtly accordyng to the custome of the Court of Rome, about whiche thynges they are more carefull than aboute the amendement of doctrine, and reformation of the peruerse manners of Priestes.

But what profyte; I praye you redoundeth vnto the Churche of GOD, whether the Byshoppes be resident here or in any other place, when as they neither teache nor yet can teach the people of y e wil of God, which thyng [...]et is the dewty and office of Byshoppes? But they ne­glectyng that haue turned thys office into Princely go­uernamentes and vnder the rytle and name of Byshops they inuade the kyngdomes of the worlde, hauyng no re­garde vnto soules, whose saluation tey ought by tea­chyng diligently to prouide for. [...] [...]he when they are preseut they are more hurte than when they are absent. Whiche thing the Byshops them selues vndersta [...] better than my pen is able to expresse.

If they of the Papacy mynde in the Counsell earnesss­ly to prosecute the matter of Reformation, why do they not wayghe the griefes proposed by the Orders of the Empyre vnto the Legate of Adrian the Bishop of Rome, in the Imperiall assemblies at Norimberge in the yeare of our Lord. 1523. Unto whiche vnlesse they (as it is mete) aunswere, who will beleue that they haue any regarde of thys thyng.

But whilest I exactely consider and waygh with my selfe all & singular these things, I can not hold my selfe, but that I muste talke a fewe wordes with the Fathers of the Counsell. Ye remember (as I suppose) the moste seuere admonition of the Lorde made by Malachy vnto Malach. [...] the Priestes of the olde Testament: ‘And nowe (sayth he) [Page 116] vnto you is this commaundement, Dye Priestes: It ye will not heare nor consider in yput heart, to geue glorye vnto my name, sayeth the Lorde of holles, I will send vpon you pouerty, and will curse your blessynges, and I will curse them, bycause ye haue not considered it in your heart. Beholde I will corrupte your seede, and will cast vpon your faces the dongue of your solemne feast dayes, and it shall cleaue faste vnto you. And ye shall knows that I haue sent thys commaundement vnto you, that my couenaunt myght stande whiche I made with Leuy; sayeth the Lord of hostes. I made a couenaunt of lyfe and peace with hym: and I gaue hym feare, and he feared me, and was afrayed before my name. The lawe of trueth was in hys mouth, and there was no wickednesse fou [...] in hys lyppes: he walked with me in peace and equitye, and dyd turne many one awaye from their synnes. For the Priestes lyppes shoulde preserue knowledge, and they shoulde se [...]e the lawe at hys mouth: for he is the Aungell of the Lorde of hostes. But ye are gone out of the waye, and haue caused many to be offended at the lawe: ye haue broken the couenaunt of Leuy sayeth the Lorde of hostes. Therefore haue I also made you to he dispysed, and vyle before all people, bycause ye kepte not my wayes, but haue bene parciall in the lawe, but the Lorde shall destroye both the master and the scholer out of the tabernacle of Iacob, with hym that offreth an offring vnto the Lorde of hosses.’

Knowe ye that thys admonition pertayneth vnto you, vpon whome ye haue turned all the eyes of whole Chri­stendome. For euen as the Lorde made a league with the tribe of Leuy, whose office was to kepe knowledge, that beyng demaunded concernyng the will of GOD, they shoulde aunswere and instructe the people of GOD: [Page 117] So also woulde he haue the Byshoppes to be diligent ke­pers of the Apostolicall doctrine, and to be successors vnto the Apostles, not so much in seate as in doctrine. But alas that thyng hath happened in our tymes, and in the tymes of oure Elders, which the Prophet complayned of concer­ning the priestes of hys tyme. For in steade of knowledge and the lawe of God, are kept humane traditions whiche are repugnaunte vnto the lawe and will of God. Ye haue departed from the way of the Lorde, and haue bene an of­fence vnto many in the lawe of the Lord, which haue em­braced these doctrines. Christ sayd vnto the man that was Math. ix. sicke of the palsey. Haue confidence my sonne, thy sunnes are forgeuen thee: But contrarily ye Fathers of the Coū ­sell of Trent saye: Doubt my sonne, and appoynt not as­suredly of the remission of thy synnes. The Apostle sayth. Rom. viii. The holy ghost beareth witnesse vnto our spirite, that we are the children of God. Contrarily ye in your Counsel de­cree, that we must perpetually doubt, and y t we must haue more regarde vnto our own vnaptnesse and weakenesse, then to thys testimony of the holy ghost. Christ sayth con­cerning the cup of the supper: Drinke ye al of this. Ye con­trarily Math. xxvi. say: Let not all, but the priestes onely drinke of the Cup. Iohn sayeth Christ is made a propitiation for the i. Iohn. ii. i. Iohn. ii. sinnes of the whole worlde: And againe: The bloud of Ie­sus Christ clenseth vs from al sinne. Contrarily ye fathers of the Counsell say: That not only the sacrifice of y e crosse, but also the sacrifice of the masse is a propitiation for oure sinnes. Also that not only the bloud of Christ, but also the fire of Purgatorye clenseth vs from some sinnes. Christ teacheth vs to call vpon God only: Ye being gathered to­gether Math. vi. in this Counsel teach, & cōmaund tocal vpō Saints also. Christ concerning y e bread of y e supper saith. Take ye eate ye: Ye cōtrary ordayne y e it must be kept til to morow Math. xxvi. [Page 118] included, and ear [...]ed frō place to place. Christ sayth: That Math. 15 whiche entreth in through the mouth, defileth not man, The counsel sayth: If any man at certaine times abstaine not from the eating of flesh, let him be accursed. S. Paul sayth: Led a Bishop be y • husband of one wife, which hath i. Tim. iii. Tim. i. obedient children. The counsel sayth: Let a Bishop haue neither wife nor children, and let such as be ioyned in ma­trimony be put out and suspended from this so holy an of­fice. But who can recken vp all the thinges, in whiche ye papistical priests haue departed from the law of the Lord? This also was the cause why the Prophet sayde in thys place: I haue made you to be despised & vile to all people bicause ye haue not intended in your hart to geue glory to God. Therfore also is your glory troden vnder foote, as in an other place the Lorde of hostes speaketh vnto Eli the priest: Whosoeuer shall glorifye me, I will glorifye hym, but they which contemne me shal be made vile. To y • end [...]. Sam. ii. ye would establish the glory of the priestes, ye violate and teare in peces the Testament and laste will of the Lorde [...] namely y • priestes should be had in honor and estimation, let the lay men be spoyled with the vse of the cup, as the Counsell of Constance hath decreed.

It greueth you very much, that the glorye, hon [...]ure and estimation of priestesis euery where decayed, which sometymes were moste highlye esteemed of Kynges and Princes and of the people of God. Inipute this contempt vnto your selues: your owne sinne is the cause thereof, for that ye haue forsaken the law of the Lord, and haue de­parted from the way of the Lord. Your manners are not in thys place reprehended, whiche are not agreable vnto the dignitye of a priest. Here is chiefely entreated of the true worshipping of God, whiche ye haue corrupted, and contaminated, and therefore also accordyng to this oure Prophet, all your sacrifyces are contaminated, and ye are [Page 119] in very dede made vile vnto all men.

Neyther can I beleue, that all you, whiche are assem­bled together at Trent are a lyke so vtterly ignoraunte of the holy Scriptures, that ye vnderstand not these thin­ges. Wherfore the greater daunger and greuouser punish ment of God is to be loked for, if agaynst your conscience ye condemne the manifest truth.

But rather if ye desyre to mayntayne your name, ho­nour and dignity, returne vnto the couenaunt and law of the Lord, that is to the doctrine of the Prophets, of Christ and of the Apostels, see that ye embrace it, casting awaye the inuentions of humane traditions. Seeke the glorye of the Lorde, eudeuour your selues to extoll hys name and honour, and hee wyll on the other syde glorifye you, and (which thyng ye only desyre) wyl subdue the whole world vnto your ministery. And ye shall bee no more a reproche vnto all your neyghbours. Neyther thynke ye it to bee a shame, to acknowledge an errour.

The Priestes of the olde Testament also were bewyt­ched wyth thys opinion, who sayd: We are wyse, and the lawe of the Lorde is wyth vs. Unto whom the Prophet speaketh: Put ye no confidence in the woordes of lying, saying: The temple of the Lorde, the temple of the Lorde. Ierem. 8. Ierem. 7. For they thought that God was so bounde vnto this tem­ple, that his grace was perpetually present, although they taught thynges contrary vnto the law, and woorshipped hym otherwyse than hee had commaunded them. Come sayd they, and let vs imagine some deuise agaynste Iere­my: Ierem. 18. for the law shall not perysh from the Priest, nor coun­sel from the wyse man, nor the woorde from the Prophet: come and let vs smyte hym wyth the toung, and let vs not geue heede to any of his woordes. Let not such thoughtes for Gods sake, possesse your myndes, that ye should harden [Page 120] your hartes against the woord of God, being falselye per­swaded, that the law can not perishe from the Priest, that Psal. 94. is, that ye cannot erre.

For I suppose that by this short admonition ye maye vnderstand that the lawe is perished from the Priest, and y • horryble errours are brought in into the Church of God by your Prophetes, that is, by your interpreters of the ho­ly scripture. Whych errours if ye haue determined wyth to othe and nayle styll to retayne, and if ye wyll not geue heede vnto al the woordes of the Prophetes and of the A­postels, then knowe ye, that accordyng to the example of these Priestes, your destruction is at hande, vnto whom God threatened perdition. I beseche you, hate not your owne soules so, that ye wyll bee blynde leaders vnto the blynde, but remember the commaundement of Christe. Teache ye the Churche to keepe the thynges whyche hee Math. 28 hath commaunded, that ye maye at length shine as stars of the Fyrmament for euer and euer. Whyche thyng the Lorde hathe by the Prophet promysed vnto godlye Teachers, whyche instructe other in the true ryghteous­nesse. Dani. 12.

The Priestes, Leuites, and Scribes, and all the peo­ple could for a time oppres the Prophetes, whose d [...]ctrine Iere. 44. they repelled, s [...]ying: The woorde that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde, wee wyll not heare it of thee. [...]. Unto whom the Prophet agayne aunswered: Dyd not the Lorde remember the Sacrifice whyche ye sa­crific [...]d in the Cityes of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ie­rusalem, both you and your Fathers, your Kynges and Princes, and the people of the lande, and hath he not con­sidered it? And the Lorde coulde no l [...]nger forbeare, by­cause [Page 121] of the wyckednesse of your inuentions, and bycause of the abominations whych ye haue committed, and your lande is turned into desolation, and made an astonysh­ment and a curse, and wythout inhabitaunt, as appeareth thys daye.

So also maye wee pronounce of you, if you go on as you haue be gonne, ye maye in deede condemne the doc­trine of our Churches, whych is Apostolicall, and ye may persecute the godlye Teachers, but take heede, that ye al­so haue not experience of the selfe same fortune, whyche the people of God felte, whom he abiected for theyr obsty­nate malice, whereby they endeuoured themselues to de­fende Idolatrye, and myghtely saued the Prophet, won­derfull farre aboue the expectation of that people, and con­trary to the wyll of all hys enemyes.

Be myndefull I beseche you of your saluation, and of the saluation of all Christians, preferre not so lyttle glo­rye and pleasure that soone vanysheth awaye, before the truthe of the heauenlye doctrine. I beseche you remem­ber that whych was spoken vnto Paule the persecutour from heauen: Saule, Saule, why persecutest thou mee? Actes. 9. It is hard for thee to kycke agaynste the prycke. Your en­terpryse vndoubtedly shall be in vayne, and turne to your owne destruction, yf ye shall endeuour your selues to op­presse the doctrine, whyche hath put foorthe the beames of hys lyght into all the kyngdomes of the world. And they myserablye deceaue you, whyche go about falselye to per­suade you, that your authoritye is styll of force.

The eyes of all men in a maner are open, that they see what blyndnes of mynde ye are infected wyth. And your owne menne whyche yet you haue for defendours, [Page 122] euen they accuse you, and godly admonishe you to take in hand an other doctrine and amendement of ceremonies & maners, than was instituted of you, in thys, & also the for­mer Counsell of Trent. For they see that their Churches can neither consist, neither their Subiectes can be kept and contayned in tranquilitye and doyng their dutye, vnlesse suche thinges be graunted vnto them, whych thing euen the Magistrates also which are on the Popes syde, vnder­stād to be neither vniust nor vngodly. Apply your mindes I beseche you vnto the godly and true reformation of the Church of Christe, and to whom God in this your assem­bly hath reuealed hys wyll, lyfte vp in the Counsell your voyces as a Trumpet, crye out and cease not, crye out (I say) Our fathers and we haue synned, and haue departed from the law of the Lord. Let vs returne vnto our fyrste husbande. Let the woord of the Lorde bee the onelye rule and Captayne of our Counsels and Canons. Let vs bee addicted vnto his glory, and vnto the health of the church: and let vs restore vnto it a godlye peace being disturbed with dissensions, and we shall receaue a rewarde worthy the studye of peace and truthe. But I shall desyre you to pardon me, if I haue helde you longer in consideration of this thyng than I woulde, than which there is none more holy, and more woorthy and healthfull both vnto you and vnto the Church of Christ. He hath reserued (as I thinke) vnto himselfe and vnto vs many, which both vnderstand these thinges, and as it is wrytten in Czechiel, are gree­ued at all the abhominations which ar done in the church, [...]zechi. 9. whom the Lord in due tyme wyll bryng foorthe together with Nichodemus and Ioseph, that they maye set foorthe hys glory, and with a constant mynde succour the Church nowe beyng sycke.

Thou haste here Christian Reader the decrees of the [Page 123] Counsell of Trent concerning the principall pointes of doctrine, Sacramentes, and reformation of the Clergy, in which decrees is condemned the true doctrine of Original synne, of the strengthes of free wyll, of grace and iustifica­tion, of faith and woorkes, of the sacramentes, and special­ly of the Eucharist and Cōmunion vnder both kyndes: ther is no prouision made for meete Ministers for Churches, but vngodlye decrees are confirmed, wherein againste the woord of God is prohibited the mariage of Priestes, vn­pure sole lyfe is obtruded, and the church and the court of Rome are made free from al errour: and it is prouided for the bishop of Rome by the selfe same Canons being repea­ted, that no man shoulde presume once to reprehende hys errours, much lesse to correcte and amende them.

By all which thinges as well our men, which haue of late departed from the papisticall court, as also euen they which are styll addicted vnto the papistical religion, maye vnderstand, that there can nothing bee hoped for of the pa­pistical Counsels, that may serue for the taking awaye of superstitions, errours and abuses out of the Churche, and for the reformation of the maners of the Clergy.

But forasmuche as by all mens iudgement, the refor­mation of doctrine and maners is most necessarye, and the same cā by no meanes be obtained of the bishop of Romes counsel (who least they should seme to haue erred, wyl not geue place euen in the least thing) it is nedeful that kinges and Princes do deuise some other waye and meanes to set an vnity in religion, if in case they wyll prouide for theyr own saluation, and the saluation of their subiectes. Unto whom I commit such so great a matter, and so necessary, more deepely to be considered and wayghed. And let them remember their vocatiō and office, that God hath not pre­ferred them ouer his Churche as Swyneherds and Cow­herdes, [Page 124] only to kepe publique peace and tranquilitye, and to administer iustice, but also to be nurcyng fathers vnto the churche of God, as it is written: And Kynges shall be E [...]y 49. thy nurcyng Fathers, and [...]uenes thy nurces. And in the Psalme: lift vp your gates, ye Princes, and be [...]e lifte vp Psal. 24. ye eternall gates, and the King of glorye shall enter in.

Wherefore seing they see the Pope so neglecting theyr owne saluation and also the saluation of their subiectes, that by heapes he leadeth greate number of people into hell, let them take vpon themselues thys godly care, and confyrme themselues according to the example of Godlye Kinges and Emperonres, which iudged that it pertayned to their office to apply them selues vnto this godlye care, that idolatrye being abolished, and hyghe places broken downe, the true woorshipping of God myght be restored, as in the old Testament we reade of Asa, Ios [...]as, and E­zechias, and in the newe Testament of the godly Empe­rours Constantine, Theodosius, and such lyke, by whose authoritye most waightye controuersies of religion were most grauely, according to the woord of God, decided and quieted, when as the tyrranny of the Papacy was not yet knowen vnto the Churche of God. And the waye is not hard, so that godly Princes would with one mutuall con­sent take the matter in hand, that by the diligence of godly and learned men, the doctrines of the Church may be pur­ged from al errours and ceremonies, being reduced vnto the rule of faith, might be clensed from al superstition.

Whereas I sayd that it shoulde be done with the mu­tual consent of Princes, the same shal for this cause chief­ly be very necessary, least whilest that al singular persons doo at their pleasures abrogate ceremonies and rites, ther be brought iu into the Church Anarchia, no lesse per [...]lous Anarchia is Iack or wāt of a Ruler. then was the pontifical impiety and tyrranny, by whych [Page 125] meanes the purenes of doctrine shoulde easelye be corrup­ted, and Churches should be seuered and drawē into sun­dry sectes and opinions, whych Churches by a legitimate authority might be kept in their due obedience.

But hither to neyther is the houre come, neyther hath this day shined foorth, whose brightnes yet we seme a far of to beholde. For I verely beleue that not onelye God in heauen, but also in a maner the whole world lotheth at the impiety and tyranny of the pontifical court, which alrea­dy is decaied, and threateneth a most great ruine vnto the kingdome of the Pope. The Lorde God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ, of his clemency delyuer hys ele [...]t (whō he hath dispersed in this Babilon) from al errour of [...], and bryng them to hys sonne through the knowledge of the Gospel, that they forsaking the intollerable yoke of the Bishop of Rome, may submyt and subdue them selues vnto the moste sweete yoke of Christ.

Amen.

¶ Imprinted at Lon don by Iohn Day, dwellyng ouer Al­derigate, beneath Saint Martins.

Cum gratia & priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis.

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